Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 China ready to strengthen international sci-tech cooperation to empower global development: foreign ministry Xinhua) 09:17, August 20, 2025 BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to strengthen exchange and cooperation with various countries to let sci-tech innovations empower global development and modernization, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday. Mao made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked about the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games held in Beijing last weekend. Robotics teams from 15 countries participated in the event, which, some commentators said, showed China's competitiveness and influence in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics. "I have also watched the videos, and humanoid robots are moving from laboratories to daily life," Mao said. She noted that recently, China has held events such as the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, the World Robot Conference and the World Humanoid Robot Games, which showcased achievements of innovation in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics and built a platform for international exchange in cutting-edge technology and dialogue on future industries. China holds that it is only through openness and cooperation that sci-tech innovation and human progress can be made, Mao said. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Parker Waichman, a national law firm, has filed multiple lawsuits where each Plaintiff alleged that he or she developed NAION after taking Novo Nordisk's Ozempic or Wegovy. The NAION/Ozempic lawsuits were recently featured in Newsday PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Parker Waichman has now filed multiple lawsuits in New Jersey state court on behalf of victims who were prescribed Ozempic or Wegovy and developed NAION, an irreversible eye condition that causes partial or complete permanent vision loss in one or both eyes. Most recently, on August 18, 2025, the Firm filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Long Island, New York resident who developed NAION after taking Ozempic. See Barzyz v. Novo Nordisk Inc., Docket No: MID-L-005991-25. The lawsuit, along with the NAION/Ozempic litigation, was recently covered by Newsday. See Injectable weight loss drugs linked to rare vision loss - Newsday. Parker Waichman continues to file additional cases and urges individuals who have suffered serious eye injuries after taking these widely prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonist medications to contact them for a free case review. These medications, originally developed to treat Type 2 diabetes, have surged in popularity for weight loss. However, recent studies have uncovered a disturbing link between semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and NAION, a condition that causes permanent vision loss by cutting off blood flow to the optic nerve. Patients who took these drugs have reported sudden blindness, optic nerve damage, and other irreversible complications, raising concerns about the failure of drug manufacturers to warn consumers and medical professionals about these risks. A 2025 study published in JAMA Ophthalmology examined nine patients who developed optic nerve disorders after using GLP-1 medications, with the majority suffering from NAION-like symptoms. Additional research from Harvard's Mass Eye and Ear Institute found that diabetic users of semaglutide were four times more likely to develop NAION, while non-diabetic users taking the drug for weight loss faced a sevenfold increased risk. Despite growing scientific evidence, Novo Nordisk continues to downplay the dangers associated with these medications, failing to include adequate warnings about the risk of permanent blindness. Parker Waichman LLP Fights for Victims Nationwide "NAION is a devastating, and permanent, eye injury diagnosis. Studies from multiple, reputable institutions, have shown a statistically significant relationship between semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and NAION. Despite this evidence, Novo Nordisk continues to deny reality by failing to warn consumers and medical professionals about this horrific injury and must be held accountable." said Jason S. Goldstein, Senior Litigation Counsel at Parker Waichman LLP. Parker Waichman LLP is currently accepting cases nationwide for individuals who have suffered vision loss, blindness, or serious optic nerve damage after taking Ozempic or Wegovy. Victims may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Free Case Review for Affected Individuals If you or a loved one experienced sudden vision loss, blindness, or optic nerve damage after using Ozempic or Wegovy, you may have a legal claim against the drug manufacturers. Parker Waichman LLP is offering free, no-obligation case evaluations to help victims understand their rights and pursue justice. Contact Parker Waichman LLP Today For a free consultation, call 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) or visit YourLawyer.com to learn more about your legal options and how to protect your rights. About Parker Waichman LLP Parker Waichman LLP is a nationally recognized law firm dedicated to fighting for victims of defective drugs, dangerous products, accidents, and corporate negligence. Specifically, the Firm is quite experienced in representing eye injury victims due to the negligence of pharmaceutical companies. Representative cases include In Re Elmiron (Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium) Products Liability Litigation and Bausch & Lomb Contact Lens Solutions Prod. Liab. Litig. With a proven track record of holding pharmaceutical companies accountable, the firm has secured billions in settlements and verdicts for injured clients. Media Contact: Parker Waichman LLP Phone: 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) Website: www.yourlawyer.com SOURCE Parker Waichman LLP https://sputnikglobe.com/20250820/war-of-accusations-macron-and-netanyahu-clash-over-palestinian-state-1122652138.html War of Accusations: Macron and Netanyahu Clash Over Palestinian State War of Accusations: Macron and Netanyahu Clash Over Palestinian State Sputnik International President Emmanuel Macron earlier said that France will officially recognize a Palestinian state at a session of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2025-08-20T07:03+0000 2025-08-20T07:03+0000 2025-08-20T07:03+0000 world france israel emmanuel macron benjamin netanyahu recognition letter anti-semitism https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/08/14/1122652287_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_558f089233bc76e5f36062716d732da9.jpg Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy; it is appeasement, Netanyahu claimed in a letter to Macron seen by US media.The Israeli PM claimed that Macrons move rewards Hamas terror and emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking French streets.IsraelFrance relations have sharply deteriorated following the latters announcement that it plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN in September. The French foreign ministry also condemned Netanyahus plan to occupy Gaza, while Macron called it a declared catastrophe and a push for a permanent war. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250725/france-to-officially-recognize-palestine-in-september---macron-1122487937.html france israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International macron-netanyahu war of words, france's recognition of palestinian state, un general assembly session Daiquiri Hanover had little trouble handling his opponents in 1:53.2 in the $21,528 featured conditioned trot on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. The son of Bar Hopping-Dab Hanover laid just off a three-way battle during a :28.1 quarter, then was moved frontward by Tyler Buter before the finish line the first time, making the lead nearing the :57 half. Daiquiri Hanover was in control to three-quarters in 1:25.2, and he extended his advantage by trotting his last quarter in :28 and winning by 5-3/4 lengths. The Tony Alagna trainee, now one-for-six this year, is owned by one of harness racings few Louisiana-Utah-California partnerships: Adam Hawthorne, Jade Hadfield, and Itzak Madae. The four-year-old stallion has won five of 19 career starts. Assiduous (Jim Pantaleano) was second in the mile, edging out Margareta Hanover (Ridge Warren). A $17,361 fast-class trot went to the Italian-bred Demone Deiventi It, an altered son of Mago Damore-Vela Dei Venti, who went to the lead at the quarter, then held off a late rally by pocket-sitter Happy Chopper (Buter), by a head. Kinnder Thinktwice (Braxten Boyd) finished third. The time for the mile was 1:53.3 for the winner, whose name translates to demon of the winds. He was driven by Simon Allard for trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Flying A Racing Stable. The drivers of the feature winners, Allard and Buter, tied for the days honours with three victories. Anthony Napolitano is third in the Pocono drivers' standings, yet he has driven the last three $50+ winners at the northeast Pennsylvania track and leads all horsemen for the year in this category with eight. After guiding home a bomber in consecutive races a week ago Saturday, Napolitano added to his total by going wire-to-wire with P L Quinella in Tuesdays 12th race and not many $81.60 winners triumph by 2-1/2 lengths. Racing resumes at Pocono on Saturday with a 1 p.m. card that will feature a carryover into the first race Superfecta pool. The card scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. has been cancelled. (PHHA/Pocono) The Prince Edward Island Harness Racing Industry Association (PEIHRIA) has announced the recipients of the inaugural P.E.I. Matinee Racetrack Development Program Bursary, sponsored by Bill and Denise Andrew of Meridian Farms. The bursary was created for individuals who have participated in the P.E.I. Matinee Racetrack Development Program, have graduated high school and will be attending a post-secondary institution to further their studies. Julia Clow and Jessica Noye are the 2025 recipients and will each be awarded a $500 bursary to assist with their post-secondary education expenses. Jessica Noye is the daughter of Jay and Mary Jean Noye of Clyde River, P.E.I., and has been involved in harness racing from an early age. As a child, she would travel the matinee circuit to help with her parents horses as a groom as well as assisting her father with record-keeping for the matinee program. She is entering the Practical Nursing Program at Holland College this fall. Julia Clow is the daughter of Les and Deanna Clow of Cornwall, P.E.I., and has also been involved in harness racing from an early age. Julia was introduced to harness racing by her mother and father. The family would travel the matinee circuit each summer to help her brother, Brett, gain experience on his path to becoming a pari-mutually licensed driver. Julia learned to look after racehorses at an early age and found her passion in grooming for her brother during the matinee events. Julia will be attending UPEI in the fall and pursuing a degree in Psychology. The PEIHRIA would like to extend congratulations to the winners and thank all the students who submitted applications for the bursary. (PEIHRIA) State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code 1 min read Nokia announced that Netplus, one of Indias fastest-growing Internet Services Providers (ISPs), has deployed the latest 400G routing technology and software-defined access network (SDAN) platform from Nokia, to scale its high-speed broadband and IPTV services across Punjab and other cities. The deployment enables Netplus to deliver more immersive and flexible services to nearly two million users while ensuring network energy efficiency and long-term scalability. The rollout positions Netplus to transition subscribers from traditional linear TV to on-demand IPTV services while opening doors for high-bandwidth applications such as e-commerce and digital classrooms. With energy-efficient components across all network layers, the deployment also contributes to lower operating costs and supports sustainable growth. With a rapid shift in consumer demand for on-demand video, online gaming and educational services, Indian ISPs are under pressure to upgrade their networks for performance and sustainability. For IP access and aggregation, Netplus is leveraging Nokias 7250 Interconnect Routers (IXR) series for broadband aggregation and the 7750 Service Router (SR) for broadband network gateway (BNG) functionality. This is complemented by Nokias next generation SDAN-based platform for PON (GPON, XGSPON), integrating Altiplano Access Controller with Lightspan Optical Line Terminal (OLT). Together, these technologies provide a fully converged, future-proof architecture with improved service assurance and investment protection. Top Breaking News Of The Day The new network architecture leverages Altiplanos SDAN functionality to optimize service performance, providing automated control, diagnostics and orchestration across access networks to help accelerate service rollout. Arshdeep Singh Mundi, Executive Director at Netplus, said, Consumers today want access to high-speed IPTV and interactive applications across multiple devices and locations. This deployment ensures we deliver an improved customer experience, better energy efficiency and flexibility to support evolving needs in business and education. Our collaboration with Nokia reinforces our commitment to building next-gen digital highways for northern India. Jivitesh Nayal, Head of Emerging Business for Network Infrastructure at Nokia India, said, By working with Netplus, we are helping build the foundation for Indias next-generation broadband experience. Our solutions deliver the performance, scalability and automation needed to support data-intensive applications like IPTV. With this deployment, Netplus gains the tools to ensure network reliability, reduce energy costs and evolve toward a future-ready architecture. 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: Friction consolidation (FC) as a single-step densification process. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62804-9 Researchers have demonstrated a new technique for manufacturing strong magnetic materials that improves the quality of the magnets, produces the magnets quickly, uses less energy and is less expensive. Strong permanent magnets are used in a wide variety of applications, and demand for these materials is increasing due to their use in technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines and robotic devices. However, manufacturing these magnets is challenging. "Currently, to manufacture a magnet, industry relies on sintering metal alloy powders into a bulk solid at high temperature and under high pressure," says Bharat Gwalani, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University and corresponding author of a paper on the work published in Nature Communications. "This is a complex, time-consuming process that requires a lot of energy and often results in the creation of flawed magnets. "For example, the conventional manufacturing process often results in uneven distribution of porosity throughout the magnetic material, with high porosity at the center," Gwalani says. "This means the magnetic properties of the material are also unevenly distributed. "One last challenge we wanted to address is related to the fact that the rare earth metals used in producing magnetic materials are very reactive to oxygen," Gwalani says. "Oxidation adversely affects the magnetic properties of these materials, and high heat increases the rate of oxidation, so we wanted to see if a different process could improve magnet quality." To that end, the researchers experimented with a new magnet manufacturing process that makes use of a technique called friction stir consolidation (FSC). Essentially, the alloy powder is placed in a chamber, placed under pressure and stirred with a rotating tool. "The energy from the rotational motion and the forge forcethe pressuresinters the powder into a solid without ever melting the alloy," Gwalani says. "Because the metal is not exposed to high heat and doesn't actually melt, this process results in less oxidation and unwanted phase transitions in the material. Also, while we are applying pressure, it's less than one megapascal (MPa), whereas conventional magnet manufacturing techniques apply more than 100 MPa." The researchers also found that the new approach eliminated porosity in the magnetic material. "This is because conventional techniques apply pressure in only one direction, which means the pressure is applied largely to the top and bottom of the material, forcing porosity into the center," Gwalani says. "Because our technique involves rotating the material as pressure is applied, that pressure is distributed throughout the material. "In addition, our approach relies on the frictional heating caused by the alloy powder particles rubbing together," says Gwalani. "This means the heat is being generated at the exact site where it is needed to fuse the powders into a bulk solidthere isn't an external source of heat being applied everywhere, as there is in conventional techniques." Ultimately, the combination of pressure, rotation and frictional heating means there are no pockets or bubbles in the magnetic material. "The result is a faster manufacturing method that reduces energy consumption and produces strong permanent magnets with less oxidation and uniform magnetic properties throughout the material," says Gwalani. "Now that we have figured out a way to consolidate magnetic materials without porosity, we are experimenting with the development of next-generation magnets that incorporate non-magnetic binder agents. Our goal is to develop strong permanent magnets that have more desirable physical properties. We want to make low-density, tougher magnets that are less reliant on difficult-to-obtain rare-earth materials." More information: Aniruddha Malakar et al, In-situ thermo-mechano-chemical transformation and consolidation of Sm-Co powders via a single-step route for bulk magnet fabrication, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62804-9 Journal information: Nature Communications This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Wind and solar create steady power only when conditions are right. Non-fossil fuels now account for half of India's installed energy capacity -- years ahead of schedule -- but the third-largest greenhouse gas polluter remains deeply reliant on coal for electricity generation. "A landmark in India's energy transition journey," Minister of Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi proclaimed after the world's most populous nation released figures in July. "Five years early," he added, referring to India's 2030 target under the Paris Agreement, and marking a step to the country's stated goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. But while the 50% milestone is significant, climate expert Avantika Goswami says the figures -- which refer only to potential energy production -- tell just part of the story. "Overall, actual generation from renewable sources is still quite low," Goswami told AFP from the New Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment (CSE). The reason is stark: nearly three-quarters of electricity continues to come from heavily polluting coal-burning power plants. Coal paradox The challenge becomes even more apparent when examining India's continued dependence on coal. Far from decreasing its usage, the globe's second-largest consumer of coal pushed up production of the dirty fossil fuel by 5% last year, mining one billion tonnes, according to the coal ministry. "Coal remains crucial," the ministry said. The stance highlights the practical challenges of India's energy transition. Already teh world's second-largest consumer of coal, India bumped up production by five percent last year. Coal is needed to fulfill power demands while storage capacity lags behind the surge in renewable sources of power. "The coal sector remains a crucial contributor to India's energy mix, powering over 74% of the country's electricity and sustaining key industries like steel and cement," the coal ministry said, celebrating what it dubbed "India's coal boom". This reliance places India in a challenging position globally. The country ranks behind only China and the United States for carbon emissions overall. But analysts point out that in a country of 1.4 billion people, per capita emissions are only one-third of the global average, according to official figures. "Looking at India's per capita emissions, the effort it is making, India is doing pretty well," said activist Harjeet Singh, head of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation. India has set itself the daunting challenge of reducing emissions by 45% by 2030. At the same time, electricity needs are expected to more than double by 2047, according to the country's Center for Science and Environment. Supplying some of that demand "is likely to be met by the addition of renewables", Goswami said. 'Waste that energy' Half of India's 484.8 GW installed capacity is from non-fossil fuel sources. The majority comes from solar, totaling 119 GW -- the third-largest level globally. A plume of smoke rises as a worker operates a bulldozer to convey heaps of raw coal on the outskirts of Dhanbad, in India's Jharkhand state. India is building one of the world's largest solar and wind energy farms, spread over a desert the size of Singapore. It is followed by hydro and wind, and also nuclear power -- which makes up less than 2% of the total mix. But solar and wind create steady power only when the conditions are right, and India's storage capacity is a meager 505 MWh -- far lower than it can generate. The storage bottleneck was not lost on the renewable energy minister. Speaking at the inauguration of a battery storage systems plant in June, Joshi said India's renewable energy potential was "growing fast" and "adding 2530 GW every year". He added: "But without storage, we will either waste that energy or fall back on coal when renewables dip." Building storage based on batteries requires rare earth metals, with rival and neighbor China controlling 70% of the world's supplies. "We still remain dependent on China," said Harjeet Singh, the climate activist. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in New Delhi for talks on Tuesday, with the supply of rare earth metals on the agenda. One solution India is considering is pump-hydro energy storage projects. When wind and solar plants produce excess energy, water is pumped into high reservoirs. That stored energy can then be released to generate power when demand surges. But Goswami believes the transition to cleaner power requires a multi-pronged approach. The transition to cleaner power must come from "emission intensity reduction" of often inefficient coal plants, combined with better integrated renewable energy in the grid that "will actually make the shift happen". 2025 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The REGENT Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, glides over the surface of Narragansett Bay on a test run, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, off the coast of North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa The winged passenger ferry gliding over the surface of Narragansett Bay could be a new method of coastal transportation or a new kind of warship. Its maker, Regent Craft, is betting on both. Twelve quietly buzzing propellers line the 65-foot (20-meter) wingspan of Paladin, a sleek ship with an airplane's nose. It looks nothing like the sailboats and fishing trawlers it speeds past through New England's largest estuary. "We had this vision five years ago for a seaglidersomething that is as fast as an aircraft and as easy to drive as a boat," said CEO Billy Thalheimer, jubilant after an hours-long test run of the new vessel. On a cloudy August morning, Thalheimer sat in the Paladin's cockpit and, for the first time, took control of his company's prototype craft to test its hydrofoils. The electric-powered watercraft has three modesfloat, foil and fly. From the dock, it sets off like any motorized boat. Farther away from land, it rises up on hydrofoilsthe same kind used by sailing ships that compete in America's Cup. The foils enable it to travel more than 50 miles per hourand about a person's heightabove the bay. What makes this vessel so unusual is that it's designed to soar about 30 feet (10 meters) above the water at up to 180 miles per houra feat that hasn't quite happened yet, with the first trial flights off Rhode Island's seacoast planned for the end of summer or early fall. If successful, the Paladin will coast on a cushion of air over Rhode Island Sound, lifting with the same "ground effect" that pelicans, cormorants and other birds use to conserve energy as they swiftly glide over the sea. It could zoom to New York Citywhich takes at least three hours by train and longer on traffic-clogged freewaysin just an hour. Billy Thalheimer, CEO and Co-Founder of REGENT, gestures after piloting the Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, following a test run on Narragansett Bay, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, off the coast of North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa Who will ride a seaglider? As it works to prove its seaworthiness to the U.S. Coast Guard and other regulators around the world, Regent is already lining up future customers for commercial ferry routes around Florida, Hawaii, Japan and the Persian Gulf. Regent is also working with the U.S. Marines to repurpose the same vessels for island-hopping troops in the Pacific. Those vessels would likely trade electric battery power for jet fuel to cover longer journeys. With backing from influential investors including Peter Thiel and Mark Cuban, Thalheimer says he's trying to use new technology to revive the "comfort and refined nature" of 1930s-era flying boats that were popular in aviation's golden age before they were eclipsed by commercial airlines. This time, Thalheimer added, they're safer, quieter and emission-free. The REGENT Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, glides over the surface of Narragansett Bay on a test run, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, off the coast of North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa "I thought they made travel easier in a way that made total sense to me," Cuban said by email this week. "It's hard to travel around water for short distances. It's expensive and a hassle. Regent can solve this problem and make that travel fun, easy and efficient." Co-founders and friends Thalheimer, a skilled sailor, and chief technology officer Mike Klinker, who grew up lobster fishing, met while both were freshmen at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and later worked together at Boeing. They started Regent in 2020. They've already tested and flown a smaller model. But the much bigger, 12-passenger Paladinprototype of a product line called Viceroybegan foil testing this summer after years of engineering research and development. A manufacturing facility is under construction nearby, with the vessels set to carry passengers by 2027. The REGENT Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, passes a navigation buoy and a ship during a test run on Narragansett Bay, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, off the coast of North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa Taking flight but not an aircraft The International Maritime Organization classifies "wing-in-ground-effect" vehicles such as Regent's as ships, not aircraft. But a database of civilian ships kept by the London-based organization lists only six around the world, all of them built before it issued new safety guidance on such craft in 2018 following revisions sought by China, France and Russia. The IMO says it treats them as marine vessels because they operate in the vicinity of other watercraft and must use the same rules for avoiding collisions. The Coast Guard takes a similar approach. "You drive it like a boat," Thalheimer said. "If there's any traffic on the harbor, you'll see it on the screen. If you see a boat, you'd go around it. We're never flying over boats or anything like that." One of the biggest technical challenges in Regent's design is the shift from foiling to flying. Hydrofoils are fast for a seafaring vessel, but far slower than the speeds needed to lift a conventional airplane from a runway. Seagulls take flight as the REGENT Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, returns from a test run on Narragansett Bay, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, off the coast of North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa That's where air blown by the 12 propellers comes in, effectively tricking the wing into generating high lift at low speeds. All of this has worked perfectly on the computer simulations at Regent's headquarters in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The next step is testing it over the water. Capitalizing on concerns over tensions with China For decades, the only warship known to mimic such a ground-effect design was the Soviet Union's hulking ekranoplan, which was built to fly under radar detection but never widely used. Recently, however, social media images of an apparent Chinese military ekranoplan have caught the attention of naval experts amid increasingly tense international disputes in the South China Sea. Regent has capitalized on those concerns, pitching its gliders to the U.S. government as a new method for carrying troops and cargo across island chains in the Indo-Pacific region. It could also do clandestine intelligence collection, anti-submarine warfare and be a "mothership" for small drones, autonomous watercraft or medical evacuations, said Tom Huntley, head of Regent's government relations and defense division. The REGENT Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, glides over the surface of Narragansett Bay on a test run, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, off the coast of North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa They fly below radar and above sonar, which makes them "really hard to see," Huntley said. While the U.S. military has shown increasing interest, questions remain about their detectability, as well as their stability in various sea states and wind conditions, and their "cost at scale beyond a few prototypes and maintainability," said retired U.S. Navy Capt. Paul S. Schmitt, an associate research professor at the Naval War College, across the bay in Newport, Rhode Island. Schmitt, who has seen Paladin from afar while sailing, said he also has questions about what kind of military mission would fit Regent's "relatively short range and small transport capacity." Floating past Interstate 95 The possibilities that most excite Cuban and other Regent backers are commercial. Driving Interstate 95 through all the cities that span Florida's Atlantic Coast can take the better part of a day, which is one reason why Regent is pitching Miami as a hub for its coastal ferry trips. Billy Thalheimer, CEO and Co-Founder of REGENT, left, and Mike Klinker, CTO and Co-Founder of REGENT, walk on a dock after piloting the Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, following a test run on Narragansett Bay, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa S ix of the twelve propeller-driven, electric engines hang from the REGENT Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, during a test run on Narragansett Bay, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, off the coast of North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa Billy Thalheimer, CEO and Co-Founder of REGENT, smiles during an interview after piloting the Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, at a dock on Narragansett Bay, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa A cormorant flies over the REGENT Viceroy Seaglider, a winged passenger ferry, while tied to a dock on Narragansett Bay prior to a test run, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in North Kingstown, R.I. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa The Viceroy seagliders can already carry more passengers than the typical seaplane or helicopter, but a growing number of electric hydrofoil startups, such as Sweden's Candela and California-based Navier, are trying to stake out ferry routes around the world. Thalheimer sees his vehicles as more of a complement than a competitor to electric hydrofoils that can't travel as fast, since they will all use the same docks and charging infrastructure but could specialize in different trip lengths. 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The largest simultaneous global launch in Pizza Hut history - Crafted Flatzz will arrive on menus from the U.K. to Taiwan to Egypt through Fall 2025 and beyond Each market has their own twist: the U.S. is serving up Nashville Hot Chicken; the U.K. is introducing Pesto Veggie with Balsamic Drizzle; and Taiwan is bringing Korean BBQ to the menu PLANO, Texas, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pizza Hut just dropped a pizza game-changer. Introducing Crafted Flatzz, a brand-new, limited-edition pizza lineup designed to bring bold flavors and big energy to your solo pizza moment. Coming off the exceptional fan love for its recent $2 Tuesday Personal Pan Pizza offer, Pizza Hut has a new deal and innovation designed to continue to excite pizza lovers. Crafted Flatzz are just $5 before 5 p.m. in the U.S., delivering bold flavor at a price that's hard to beat. PIZZA HUT LAUNCHES NEW CRAFTED FLATZZ: AN ABUNDANTLY TOPPED & FLAVORFUL HAND-CRAFTED PERSONAL PIZZA BUILT FOR ADULTZZ ONLY PIZZA HUT LAUNCHES NEW CRAFTED FLATZZ: AN ABUNDANTLY TOPPED & FLAVORFUL HAND-CRAFTED PERSONAL PIZZA BUILT FOR ADULTZZ ONLY Kicking off in the U.S. today, Crafted Flatzz is rolling out around the world in more than 20 countries. From Nashville Hot Chicken in the U.S. to Pesto Veggie with Balsamic Drizzle in the United Kingdom, Korean BBQ in Taiwan and Tandoori Chicken in India, in addition to a range of globally consistent recipes, each market brings its own unique twist to this bold new offering. As the largest simultaneous global menu launch in Pizza Hut history, Crafted Flatzz deliver an elevated personal pizza experience inviting fans everywhere to take a moment for themselves, enjoy bold flavor and feed good times around the world. Serving up grown-up recipes, Crafted Flatzz, offer more toppings and hand-crafted flavors. Pizza Hut's Adultzz Only campaign is a reminder to put yourself first and savor some well-earned "me time" as you sit to enjoy your new Crafted Flatzz. Check out this video that brings the campaign to life. So, what's on the menu in the U.S.? Crafted Flatzz are all about providing pizza lovers with elevated hand-crafted flavors to try at a great value, featuring five elevated recipes that deliver abundant toppings on a lighter, hand-stretched crust. Nashville Hot Chicken Spicy, crispy and drizzled in pickle ranch, this recipe brings the heat with fiery Nashville Hot seasoning, fresh onions, melty mozzarella and a punchy pickle-flavored ranch sauce. Spicy, crispy and drizzled in pickle ranch, this recipe brings the heat with fiery Nashville Hot seasoning, fresh onions, melty mozzarella and a punchy pickle-flavored ranch sauce. Chicken Bacon Ranch Because some combos just get it right. This one layers crispy chicken, smoky applewood bacon, ultimate ranch sauce and mozzarella with parmesan oregano seasoning. Because some combos just get it right. This one layers crispy chicken, smoky applewood bacon, ultimate ranch sauce and mozzarella with parmesan oregano seasoning. The Ultimate Pepperoni, Italian sausage, caramelized onions, roasted peppers and tomatoes on sweet marinara and mozzarella. Pepperoni, Italian sausage, caramelized onions, roasted peppers and tomatoes on sweet marinara and mozzarella. Three Cheese A gooey, grown-up take on a classic with sweet marinara, mozzarella, parmesan, Romano and oregano. A gooey, grown-up take on a classic with sweet marinara, mozzarella, parmesan, Romano and oregano. Pepperoni Duo Classic and cup n' crisp pepperoni come together over mozzarella and sweet marinara, topped with a savory cheese blend seasoning. "Crafted Flatzz represent an unprecedented moment for Pizza Hut as we bring our largest simultaneous global menu innovation to pizza fans around the world," said Aaron Powell, CEO of Pizza Hut. "No matter where you live, everyone deserves big flavor at a great price and sometimes, a moment to enjoy it all to yourself. As a pizza icon and innovator, we're proud to launch Crafted Flatzz globally as an unapologetic celebration of 'me time' as well as good times." Starting today, redefine your pizza moment and treat yourself to a Crafted Flatzz that's all flavor, no compromise. Check your local Pizza Hut for their new Crafted Flatzz recipes. In the U.S., Crafted Flatzz are available all day with $5 pricing available until 5 p.m. only. Prices may vary after 5 p.m. There may be an additional charge for extra toppings and cheese. Product availability, prices and participation vary. Taxes, tip & delivery fees not included. Delivery fee is not a driver tip. About Pizza Hut Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, and is a global leader in the pizza category with nearly 20,000 restaurants in more than 110 markets and territories. The brand has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in innovation with the creation of icons like Original Pan and Original Stuffed Crust pizzas. In 1994, Pizza Hut pizza was the very first online food order, and today Pizza Hut continues leading the way in the digital and technology space with over half of transactions worldwide coming from digital orders. In addition, Pizza Hut has Hut Rewards, the brand's loyalty program in the U.S. that offers points for every dollar spent on food any way you order. Leveraging its global presence, Pizza Hut also works to positively impact restaurant employees, the communities they serve and the environment through commitments across three priority areas: More Equity, Less Carbon and Better Packaging. Media Contact: ALISON BROD MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS [email protected] SOURCE Pizza Hut Acceptance of a state grant to fund new positions in the Brazos County Public Defenders Office ignited a debate about ongoing funding for the positions during Tuesdays commissioners court session. Commissioner Fred Brown initially asked to table the item but couldnt get a second on his motion. His concern was that the Improvement Grant Award from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission would obligate the county to spend $3.5 million annually on new positions once the grants expired. After a motion to accept the grant was made and seconded, a nearly hourlong debate ensued with attorneys and district court judges weighing in. Anytime you get a grant, theres always these strings attached, Brown said. And what theyre asking us to do is to create 20 new FTEs [full-time equivalents] for a total to the cost of the county of $3,549,000 at the end of five years. And what this does is a stairstep, and it goes from 80% funding to 60% funding to 40% funding to 20% funding. And we make up the differences as a county all the way through. And at the end of that period, we assume 100% liability. I dont know if anybody has asked the question, is this something we asked for? Did we ask for 20 new FTEs? Did we ask for an additional $3.5 million to be spent on a regular basis? So thats where my problem is. And of course, Im going to vote against this, he said. The grant, which was ultimately approved by the court with Browns opposing vote, was in three parts. The first was for a mental health grant that provides $250,325 with a county match of $62,581. The second was for a juvenile and appellate attorneys for $987,560 with a county match of $62,581. The third was for public defenders for $1,003,348 with a county match of $668,898. Commissioner Bentley Nettles said he welcomes state money to fund what is essentially an unfunded state mandate to provide public defenders. The county is required to provide this service to our citizens. So Im always in favor of bringing money that weve paid for out of our sales tax dollars that went over the state back to our county, he said. And look, if we reach that point and we run out of the grant funding, we can always lay those people off. Commissioner Wanda Watson noted that the countys population is increasing and so is the demand for public defenders. Brazos County is growing and the need for this service is growing. I dont know how to balance the service that weve had in the past what I hear from all corners, weve had excellent service. And so now with this grant, it will help with the volume that we have; it will help us to be able to serve our community in a way that is mandated by state statute and state law, Watson said. Acting County Judge Kyle Kacal opened the discussion to members of the public. Attorney Patrick Gendron, who specializes in juvenile cases, addressed the expenditure for the juvenile division, which calls for the creation of six positions. When I was looking closer at everything, theres also a position thats created for a juvenile investigator at the cost of about $128,000 per year, he said. Well, I can tell you for a fact that we have not spent, in 25 years we have not spent $128,000 in investigative costs in juvenile defense. So youre going to create a position for an investigator, and we havent spent that kind of money in the past 25 years in for an investigator, for any kind of investigative expenses. He asked that the money that would be spent on an investigator be applied to counseling services for juveniles instead. Nathan Wood, chief public defender for the Brazos County Public Defenders Office, said the need is there for the positions. I think the numbers show that the current system doesnt work fine, he said. I think the numbers show that the current system is not equipped to handle the load that is facing our juvenile justice system in future years to come. If you go back to 2021, there were just over 400 referrals made. In 2024, there were 800 made so that the number of referrals has doubled. The number of filed cases in 2022 was 401 the number of filed cases in 2023 was 553. In the first quarter for 2025 there were 115 new juvenile cases added to the juvenile docket, signaling a high demand for juvenile legal services, and our private bar has been declining in size. He said that there are about half as many lawyers taking indigent cases now with double the case load. The numbers also do not lie, and when you have the same resources being devoted to twice the work, then the quality of the representation is going to decline, Wood said. Wood also noted that the commissioners court approved the grant application several months ago. Currently, the public defenders office handles about one-third of new misdemeanor cases and about 10% of new felony cases, Wood said. But if you go back to 2019, there were 36 attorneys taking misdemeanor appointments on our wheel. In 2025, there are 17 and in 2019 there were 36 attorneys taking felony appointments and in 2025 there are 22. In 2019, there were 21 attorneys accepting appointments on what we call 3G cases, which are aggravated felonies. Currently there are 11, and at the time I wrote this grant application, one of our misdemeanor defenders was the only attorney in Brazos County that was accepting appellate appointments. Wood explained that the grants do not create 20 new positions. He said one of the grants is a continuing grant. The juvenile and appellate grant create a capacity in our office to perform appellate work for the county, which the county has a desperate need for lawyers that do criminal appeals, and as well as a juvenile system, and that expansion creates eight full-time positions, he said. And then the third grant is a mental health division, which is a division that is specifically designed to address the increasing mental health concerns that are that are filling up our jail with people that are suffering from mental illness and that are burdening our courts with the same thing. Judge Kyle Hawthorne of the 85th District Court called the creation of the public defenders office a godsend. I know people dont like this comment and are probably going to bark at me about it, we dont have enough attorneys. So I bet everyone of yall would never say that, but we dont have enough attorneys in Brazos County, he said, noting there have been a lot of attorneys who have retired. Let me give you an example. Weve got two appellate attorneys on the list that we can point to. We used to have 15, he said. Judge David Hilburn of the 361st District Court, agreed with Hawthorne. I dont want anyone to think that the public defenders office, no matter how big you make it, is all we need be able to handle it all. We will always need more [attorneys], he said. Hilburn said one of the issues increasing the demand is the use of video evidence in the courts. He said officers supply body and dash cam video, along with closed circuit television and cellphone video. That takes time to review. After the discussion, Brown said he agreed with the need but still opposed the backdoor way it impacts the county budget. Global fashion favorite to open second store in the Lone Star State on September 4, bringing trend-forward looks at prices Texan shoppers will love EL PASO, Texas, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Primark, the international retailer offering quality fashion at value prices, announced today the upcoming grand opening of its latest store at Cielo Vista in El Paso, Tx. This marks the second opening in the state after Primark opened its first store in McAllen, Texas last December, reaching new shoppers looking for quality, affordable fashion in the southern region of the US. Primark intends to continue its brand presence in the state with upcoming openings in Hurst and Houston to follow. Spanning more than 40,000 square feet, the new Primark store will bring El Paso shoppers an exciting selection of on-trend fashion, everyday essentials, stylish accessories, and beauty favorites, all at Primark's famously low prices. With unbeatable value on the looks they love, Texan customers will quickly discover why families in the US are embracing Primark's unique blend of style, quality, and affordability. "We launched our Texas presence with the opening of our McAllen store in December 2024, and the response confirmed what we believed. There's a strong appetite for Primark's unique mix of style and value in the Southern US," said Kevin Tulip, President of Primark US. "We're ready and eager to continue to expand across Texas, connecting even more families and fashion lovers with the 'Primania' experience." In preparation for the opening, Primark's Talent Acquisition team is searching for retail colleagues to fill full- and part-time roles. All available roles can be viewed and applied for on the Primark Careers Site and successful applicants can look forward to Primark's competitive salary, with sales associate base pay starting at $15.00 an hour and $0.50 per hour increases at 6 months and 12 months of continued employment. To kick off the grand opening weekend, Primark will be rolling out a packed schedule of fun for the whole family starting September 4. Shoppers can enjoy live music from a local DJ, exciting giveaways, and delicious local treats for early arrivals. Can't make it for grand opening? Celebrate 915 Day with Primark on Saturday, 9/13 and Sunday, 9/14 with a live DJ and giveaways, while supplies last. The Cielo Vista opening invites students preparing for back-to-school season to refresh their style at Primark to present their best selves and kick start their school year. Primark also has licensed offerings with partners such as Disney and Marvel, bringing families affordable fashion and accessories of their favorite characters and superheroes. To help shoppers find what they're looking for at Cielo Vista, Primark's website allows customers to browse its product offerings and check which products are available in their local store. To check it out, please visit: www.primark.com. Shoppers can also sign up here to get email updates on Primark's latest product drops, style inspiration, store opening dates, and more. About Primark Primark is an international fashion retailer employing more than 80,000 colleagues across 17 countries in Europe and the US. Founded in Ireland in 1969 under the Penneys brand, Primark aims to provide affordable choices for everyone, from great quality everyday essentials to stand-out style across women's, men's and kids, as well as beauty, homeware and accessories. With a focus on creating great retail experiences, Primark has 450 stores globally and continues to expand. Primark is working to make more sustainable fashion affordable for everyone through its Primark Cares strategy, a multi-year program that focuses on giving clothing a longer life, protecting life on the planet and supporting the livelihoods of the people who make Primark clothes. As part of this, Primark unveiled a series of commitments it is working to achieve by 2030. These commitments include making all of its clothes from recycled or more sustainably sourced materials by 2030, halving carbon emissions across its value chain and pursuing a living wage for workers in its supply chain. More information can be found here. SOURCE Primark A 22-year-old man from the U.S. state of Oregon has been charged with allegedly developing and overseeing a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS)-for-hire botnet called RapperBot. Ethan Foltz of Eugene, Oregon, has been identified as the administrator of the service, the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) said. The botnet has been used to carry out large-scale DDoS-for-hire attacks targeting victims in over 80 countries since at least 2021. Foltz has been charged with one count of aiding and abetting computer intrusions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. In addition, law enforcement authorities conducted a search of Foltz's residence on August 6, 2025, seizing administrative control of the botnet infrastructure. "RapperBot, aka 'Eleven Eleven Botnet' and 'CowBot,' is a Botnet that primarily compromises devices like Digital Video Recorders (DVRS) or Wi-Fi routers at scale by infecting those devices with specialized malware," the DoJ said. "Clients of RapperBot then issue commands to those infected victim devices, forcing them to send large volumes of 'distributed denial-of-service' (DDoS) traffic to different victim computers and servers located throughout the world." Heavily inspired by fBot (aka Satori) and Mirai botnets, RapperBot is known for its ability to break into target devices using SSH or Telnet brute-force attacks and co-opt them into a malicious network capable of launching DDoS attacks. It was first publicly documented by Fortinet in August 2022, with early campaigns observed as far back as May 2021. A 2023 report from Fortinet detailed the DDoS botnet's expansion into cryptojacking, profiting off the compromised devices' compute resources to illicitly mine Monero and maximize value. Earlier this year, RapperBot was also implicated in DDoS attacks targeting DeepSeek and X. Foltz and his co-conspirators have been accused of monetizing RapperBot by providing paying customers access to a powerful DDoS botnet that has been used to conduct over 370,000 attacks, targeting 18,000 unique victims across China, Japan, the United States, Ireland, and Hong Kong from April 2025 to early August. Amazon Web Services (AWS), one of the many companies that supported the initiative, said RapperBot infected more than 45,000 devices across 39 countries and that it helped identify RapperBot's command-and-control (C2) infrastructure and reverse engineer the IoT malware to map its operations and activities. Prosecutors also allege that the botnet comprised roughly 65,000 to 95,000 infected victim devices to pull off DDoS attacks that measured between two and three Terabits per second (Tbps), with the largest attack likely exceeding 6 Tbps. Furthermore, the botnet is believed to have been used to carry out ransom DDoS attacks aiming to extort victims. The investigation traced the botnet to Foltz after uncovering IP address links to various online services used by the defendant, including PayPal, Gmail, and the internet service provider. Foltz is also said to have searched on Google for references to "RapperBot" or "Rapper Bot" over 100 times. The disruption of RapperBot is part of Operation PowerOFF, an ongoing international effort that's designed to dismantle criminal DDoS-for-hire infrastructures worldwide. North Korean threat actors have been attributed to a coordinated cyber espionage campaign targeting diplomatic missions in their southern counterpart between March and July 2025. The activity manifested in the form of at least 19 spear-phishing emails that impersonated trusted diplomatic contacts with the goal of luring embassy staff and foreign ministry personnel with convincing meeting invites, official letters, and event invitations. "The attackers leveraged GitHub, typically known as a legitimate developer platform, as a covert command-and-control channel," Trellix researchers Pham Duy Phuc and Alex Lanstein said. The infection chains have been observed to rely on trusted cloud storage solutions like Dropbox and Daum Cloud, an online service from South Korean internet conglomerate Kakao Corporation, in order to deliver a variant of an open-source remote access trojan called Xeno RAT that grants the threat actors to take control of compromised systems. The campaign is assessed to be the work of a North Korean hacking group called Kimsuky, which was recently linked to phishing attacks that employ GitHub as a stager for an Xeno RAT known as MoonPeak. Despite the infrastructure and tactical overlaps, there are indications that the phishing attacks match China-based operatives. The email messages, per Trellix, are carefully crafted to appear legitimate, often spoofing real diplomats or officials so as to entice recipients into opening password-protected malicious ZIP files hosted on Dropbox, Google Drive, or Daum. The messages are written in Korean, English, Persian, Arabic, French, and Russian. "The spear-phishing content was carefully crafted to mimic legitimate diplomatic correspondence," Trellix said. "Many emails included official signature, diplomatic terminology, and references to real events (e.g., summits, forums, or meetings)." "The attackers impersonated trusted entities (embassies, ministries, international organizations), a long-running Kimsuky tactic. By strategically timing lures alongside real diplomatic happenings, they enhanced the credibility." Present within the ZIP archive is a Windows shortcut (LNK) masquerading as a PDF document, launching which results in the execution of PowerShell code that, in turn, runs an embedded payload, which reaches out to GitHub for fetching next-stage malware and establishes persistence through scheduled tasks. In parallel, a decoy document is displayed to the victims. The script is also designed to harvest system information and exfiltrate the details to an attacker-controlled private GitHub repository, while simultaneously retrieving additional payloads by parsing the contents of a text file ("onf.txt") in the repository to extract the Dropbox URL hosting the MoonPeak trojan. "By simply updating onf.txt in the repository (pointing to a new Dropbox file), the operators could rotate payloads to infected machines," Trellix explained. "They also practiced 'rapid' infrastructure rotation: log data suggests that the ofx.txt payload was updated multiple times in an hour to deploy malware and to remove traces after use. This rapid update cycle, combined with the use of cloud infrastructure, helped the malicious activities fly under the radar." Interestingly, the cybersecurity company's time-based analysis of the attackers' activity has found it to be largely originating from a timezone that's consistent with China, with a smaller proportion aligning with that of the Koreas. To add to the intrigue, a "perfect 3-day pause" was observed coinciding with Chinese national holidays in early April 2025, but not during North or South Korean holidays. This has raised the possibility that the campaign, mirroring Chinese operational cadence while operating with motives that align with North Korea, is likely the result of - North Korean operatives working from Chinese territory A Chinese APT operation mimicking Kimsuky techniques, or A collaborative effort leveraging Chinese resources for North Korean intelligence gathering efforts With North Korean cyber actors frequently stationed in China and Russia, as observed in the case of the remote information technology (IT) worker fraud scheme, Trellix said with medium-confidence that the operators are operating from China or are culturally Chinese. "The use of Korean services and infrastructure was likely intentional to blend into the South Korean network," Trellix said. "It's a known Kimsuky trait to operate out of Chinese and Russian IP space while targeting South Korea, often using Korean services to mask their traffic as legitimate." N. Korea IT Worker Scheme Infiltrates 100s of Companies The disclosure comes as CrowdStrike revealed that it has identified more than 320 incidents over the past 12 months where North Koreans posing as remote IT workers have infiltrated companies to generate illicit revenue for the regime, a 220% jump from last year. The IT worker scheme, tracked as Famous Chollima and Jasper Sleet, is believed to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) coding assistants like Microsoft Copilot or VSCodium and translation tools to help assist with their daily tasks and respond to instant messages and emails. They are also likely to work three or four jobs simultaneously. A crucial component of these operations encompasses recruiting people to run laptop farms, which include racks of corporate laptops used by the North Koreans to remotely do their work using tools like AnyDesk as if they were physically located in the country where the companies are based. "Famous Chollima IT workers use GenAI to create attractive resumes for companies, reportedly use real-time deepfake technology to mask their true identities in video interviews, and leverage AI code tools to assist in their job duties, all of which pose a substantial challenge to traditional security defenses," the company said. Famous Chollima's use of GenAI in insider threat operations | Image Source: CrowdStrike What's more, a leak of 1,389 email addresses linked to the IT workers has uncovered that 29 of the 63 unique email service providers are online tools that allow users to create temporary or disposable email addresses, while another six are related to privacy-focused services like Skiff, Proton Mail, and SimpleLogin. Nearly 89% of the email addresses are Gmail accounts. "All the Gmail accounts are guarded using Google Authenticator, 2FA, and Recovery BackUp Email," security researcher Rakesh Krishnan said. "Many usernames include terms like developer, code, coder, tech, software, indicating a tech or programming focus." Some of these email addresses are present in a user database leak of the AI photo editing tool Cutout.Pro, suggesting potential use of the software to alter images for social media profiles or identification documents. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of 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Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe It is far from clear whether the flurry of diplomatic activity around Ukraine over the past week will bring us any closer to ending the war. When Donald Trump came into office for a second term in January, his initial strategy for ending Russias war against Ukraine was to try to force Volodymyr Zelenskiy to accept Russias terms, by suspending arms sales and even intelligence sharing. This culminated in the notorious White House meeting on 28 February where Zelenskiy was berated by Trump and Vice President JD Vance. (Trump: You are gambling with World War III.) Zelenskiy and his European allies worked hard in subsequent months to rebuild his relationship with Trump. A turning point was his April meeting when they were attending the funeral of Pope Francis. Meanwhile Trump sent his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow five times to explore options for a ceasefire. (Retired general Kevin Kellogg, who is the official presidential envoy to Ukraine, has been sidelined: he is seen as too sympathetic to Ukraine.) Trump became increasingly frustrated with Putins lack of flexibility and escalation of drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities (which have doubled since Trump took office). On 14 July, Trump gave Russia a 50-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face a new round of sanctions. On 28 July he shortened that to 10-12 days. Just before that cutoff date, on 6 August, Trump announced that instead he would be having a face-to-face meeting with Putin in Alaska on 15 August. Unclear Motivations Why is Trump investing so much time in the Ukrainian peace process? At the very least, he wants to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (resentful of the fact that Barack Obama won the prize, after just 8 months in office, without any substantial achievement). More cynically, it has been suggested that Trump was motivated by his desire to get the Epstein scandal off the news cycle for a few weeks. There were some grounds for cautious optimism in the run-up to the Anchorage summit. Trump was flush with success. In June he joined Israel in devastating airstrikes on Iran, and persuaded NATO members to commit to spending 5% of their GDP on defense. On 7 August, the U.S. president slapped punitive new tariffs on 90 countries that failed to make deals before the deadline. On 8 August he brought the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the White House to sign a historic peace deal: a huge diplomatic defeat for Russia, which has dominated the South Caucasus for two centuries. Maybe Trump was now ready to use some of his political capital to persuade Putin to make peace. In June, the Senate passed a resolution calling for tough new secondary sanctions on countries trading with Russia, but the measure is being held up in the House. On the same day that Trump announced the Alaska meeting, he imposed 50% tariffs on India, effective next month, unless New Delhi cuts back on imports of Russian crude (India is now the largest buyer of Russian oil). Leading up to the summit, there were fears that Trump would sell out Ukraine, forcing Zelenskiy to accept Russias occupation of Ukrainian territory in return for a ceasefire. Sceptics were reassured by Trumps comment on 13 July in which he promised severe consequences for Russia if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire. A Bothersome Legal Detail Ukraines constitution clearly states that any changes to its territory can only be settled by a referendum. If Zelenskiy were to agree to swap land with Russia without this mandate, he would be breaking the law, a Ukrainian politics professor said. Going into the Alaska summit, Donald Trump said he was a little bothered by Zelenskiys pointing out that any such deal could only go ahead with constitutional approval. Vague Proclamations Trump did not throw Ukraine under the bus in Anchorage, but many nevertheless saw the summit as a victory for Putin and a disaster for Trump. Not only was it a huge symbolic step to invite Putin, an indicted war criminal, to a meeting on U.S. soil, but Trump went out of his way to enthusiastically greet the Russian leader and renew their old friendship. Democrats decried rolling out a red carpet for the Butcher of Bucha, while Republicans noted that Putin was treated to a flyover by a B2 bomber. (Incidentally, the Russians offered to pay in cash to refuel their planes, since their credit cards dont work in the U.S.). After a shorter than expected 90-minute meeting, Trump and Putin held a joint press conference that lasted just 12 minutes. Putin flattered Trump, saying that Joe Biden was to blame for the war. Trump declared the meeting a great success, but declined to elaborate on what had been agreed and what remained to be settled. The meeting ended without any questions from the assembled journalists. Body language experts had a field day interpreting the micro-gestures of the two men, each trying to conceal his anxiety (note how Putin was clenching his fists during the photo op) while displaying their dominance through manspreading, vigorous handshakes, and pats on the back. In Alaska, Trump abruptly dropped his call for a ceasefire, instead adopting Putins line that there is no point expecting the fighting to stop until a lasting peace agreement is sealed. He also forgot his talk about sanctions: on 17 August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said new penalties would disrupt the peace process. European leaders were appalled by this 180-degree reversal, and seven traveled to Washington along with Zelenskiy for a meeting on 18 August, just 72 hours after the Anchorage debacle. Better Than Before The White House meetings went some way towards rolling back the damage caused by Anchorage. Zelenskiy was shown bantering with Trump in the Oval Office, in contrast to the confrontational encounter in February. In that meeting Zelenskiy had been criticized for not wearing a suit: this time he wore a black quasi-military outfit (the same he wore for the popes funeral). Broadcasts showed the seven European leaders sitting around the table with Trump for 30 minutes, before they went behind closed doors for three hours of negotiations. It was an impressive display of Euro-Atlantic unity. It helped that nearly all of team Europe at the table were conservatives (exceptions: Britains Keir Starmer is a social democrat, and Frances Emmanuel Macron a centrist). In a masterclass of diplomacy, they flattered Trump while pushing back on a couple of key points. NATO chief Mark Rutte praised the U.S. president for breaking the deadlock and starting a dialogue, while Finnish President Alexander Stubb said there was more progress in the last two weeks than in the previous three years. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Macron both insisted Putin must agree to a ceasefire before a direct meeting with Zelenskiy. Italian premier Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Ukraine and blamed Russia for the war. Trump said that none of the six conflicts he claimed to have solved this year involved a ceasefire, but in fact three of them explicitly did so. How is all this playing out with Trumps MAGA base? Pro-Trump Fox News heaped praise on Trump as a pragmatic peacemaker. While sometimes airing critics of Ukraine, most of Foxs coverage is, in fact, highly critical of Putin. Bear in mind that Foxs State Department correspondent Ben Hall was severely injured while reporting from Kyiv in the first weeks of the war. Trump announced that the U.S. was willing to support the European plan for security guarantees with Ukraine, and that he would convene a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy before the end of the month. In the middle of the afternoon on 18 August Trump stepped out and placed a 40-minute call to Putin, but the next day Moscow indicated a meeting with Zelenskiy would be premature. In the lead-up to Anchorage, Trump was talking about land swaps: there were reports that Putin was demanding the entire province of Donetsk as the price of peace. Ukraine would have to hand over about 9,000 square kilometers, with more than 200,000 people, and in return would be given about 500 square kilometers of Russian-occupied territory in the Sumy and Kharkiv provinces. That topic was not raised in public statements after the White House summit, but it remains a major stumbling block. The idea of security guarantees, along the lines of NATOs Article 5 guarantee of mutual help, is unfortunately a non-starter. From the very beginning Putin has been very clear that his main goal is to prevent NATO from gaining a foothold in Ukraine. In December 2021, he even demanded that NATO draw back its forces from the Baltics and Poland. Russia has repeatedly stated that any military presence by NATO in Ukraine, such as peacekeepers, is unacceptable. Without boots on the ground, Western security guarantees will be as flimsy as the assurances they gave Ukraine in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, when Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons. Barring a miracle, this insistence on security guarantees means that the peace process will fail. The European leaders surely know that this is the case. I suspect that they are advancing this demand just to derail Trumps bromance with Putin. Peter Rutland is a professor of government at Wesleyan University and a regular contributor to Transitions. THE week saw 18,038,406 shares traded on the First Tier Market, an increase of 636.87% on the previous weeks total of 2,447,969 shares crossing the floor. The value of the shares traded was up 272.12% to $76,633,818.45 from the previous weeks value of $20,593,956.82. Massy Holdings Ltd (MASSY) was the volume leader for the week with 96.77% of the market activity or 17,455,994 shares traded, followed by Angostura Holdings Ltd (AHL) with 0.99% of the market activity or 177,759 shares traded. New Ohio facility more than doubles company's US manufacturing footprint to meet growing demand in industrial robotics, automotive and renewable energy CLAYTON, Ohio and TAIPEI, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading electronics system integrator SINBON Electronics Co., Ltd. (TWSE#:3023) held an opening ceremony on August 18 to celebrate its new 59,000-square-foot facility in Clayton, Ohio. After moving from a nearby facility in Vandalia, SINBON has more than doubled its US manufacturing footprint by taking over and revamping the Clayton facility. The new site is scheduled to be fully operational in September. The ribbon-cutting ceremony at SINBONs new 59,000-square-foot facility in Clayton, Ohio, marking the official grand opening and expansion of its US manufacturing operations. SINBONs new Clayton, Ohio facility more than doubles its US manufacturing footprint to better serve strategic industries like robotics. SINBONs new Clayton, Ohio facility more than doubles its US manufacturing footprint to better serve strategic industries like robotics. Backed by approximately $8.5 million in investment, the new facility will serve as the hub in SINBON's network of warehouses in the US to streamline logistics and material flows, improving lead times and service for customers. It is expected to bring jobs to up to 200 total at the facility and enhance production for key US industries, including smart manufacturing, automotive, and renewable energy. The launch represents a major milestone in bolstering SINBON's innovation for US customers, regional supply chain resilience, and long-term regional presence. The company's US headquarters office is also located nearby in Tipp City, Ohio. "By opening the new SINBON facility in Ohio, we have expanded our role in strengthening US value chains and empowering our customers," said Joy Wu, Vice President, Industrial Business Unit at SINBON. "Establishing a stronger presence in the heart of US manufacturing means we can collaborate more closely, respond faster to evolving needs, and deliver solutions that drive innovation and resilience when it matters most." Powering key US industries By bringing production closer to key customers, SINBON is enabling more agile collaboration, particularly in the customization of productsa hallmark of its consultative approach to engineering and design. With a growing share of SINBON's customers requesting 'Made in America,' the new Clayton facility enables the company to fully cater to US customers across key high-growth areas. The top three are robotics and drones for smart manufacturing and logistics, solar energy hardware, and off-road vehicles. With cutting-edge equipment and capabilities, the facility will serve as a hub for development and production of advanced products and new product introduction (NPI). The new space will focus on medium-to-low volume, high-mix production, facilitating production of larger products with greater space and an improved layout. Key capabilities will include: Box build products : Across various electronics and industries : Across various electronics and industries General-to-complex and EV cable assembly : Optimized for both single-piece flow and batch production, supporting a wide range of volume and complexity : Optimized for both single-piece flow and batch production, supporting a wide range of volume and complexity Printed circuit board assembly (PCBA): Dedicated area with control for electrostatic discharge and climate suited for sensitive products such as in medical and industrial applications An extensive impact across US value chains SINBON's largest US customers are prominent players listed on major US stock exchanges, including a top global e-commerce company with a market capitalization exceeding US$1.5 trillion. As part of the company's extensive footprint across industries, its broader US customer base includes leaders in medical technology and solar energy hardware. SINBON has also recently entered the smart fishing space through a collaboration with a smart angling technology company. At the start of 2025 (January 10), SINBON Electronics had a market capitalization of approximately NT$62.90 billion on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. About SINBON Electronics Established in 1989 in Taiwan, SINBON Electronics is a leading provider of integrated design and production services for bespoke interconnect solutions. Driven by a commitment to customer centricity and the principles of ESG, the company offers a wide range of products and OEM/ODM services that ensure reliability and efficiency, combining extensive engineering expertise, industry knowledge, and leading innovations to customize solutions for long-term customer success. SINBON has a global footprint, with operations in Taiwan, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Hungary, and the United States. For more information: https://www.sinbon.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/sinbon-electronics/ SOURCE SINBON Electronics THANKS to social media platforms like TikTok, there is a lot of hype around magnesium. But is the obsession warranted? The Express spoke with general practitioner and social media content creator Dr Mariana Browne to learn more about the different types of magnesium and what they are good for. There are about five different types of magnesium salts that can help boost your magnesium levels. One of the most popular is magnesium citrate. THE walkovers that straddle most highways across Trinidad are being used during daily rush hours. But at night, weekends and early mornings, potential users tend to take chances and run across the highway. On the weekend of August 9 and 10, two men were killed in separate incidents while crossing the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway. One man was killed on the Saturday night while crossing the highway in the vicinity of Maloney, while the other was killed the next day while he and his wife were crossing the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway approximately 100 metres from the El Socorro walkover. PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Temple University and Follett Higher Education, the largest campus retailer in North America, will soon celebrate the grand opening of an improved campus bookstore housed within the newly opened, LEED-certified Paley Hall. The revamped and relocated campus bookstore is designed to bring best-in-class services, products, and academic support to Temple students and faculty. "This is a tremendous moment for the entire Temple University community, and Follett is honored to be part of this newly envisioned Paley Hall," said Emmanuel Kolady, CEO of Follett Higher Education. "Spanning two floors and featuring a state-of-the-art event space, the new and improved Temple University Bookstore has been reimagined as a destination for learning, collaboration, and fun. We're excited to bring innovative product offerings, an expanded selection of Nike apparel and merchandise, and an assortment of local businesses and Philadelphia-centric products to excite and delight students, faculty, alums, and local friends and family." The new Temple University Bookstore at Paley Hall opened to the public on August 18, 2025. Paley Hall was designed by PZS Architects and S/L/A/M, with Rycon Construction leading the build. In addition to the 26,000 square foot campus bookstore, the 306,000-square-foot facility offers learning and collaboration spaces, training and simulation centers, meeting and study rooms, cafe areas, an expanded Social Service Annex for students, and faculty and administration offices. Paley Hall is LEED certified for sustainable design and operation and is the first on Temple's campus to request WELL certification for features that improve occupants' wellness, such as ventilation, light, fitness and comfort. "With its upgraded location and broader selection, this store is designed to be more than a retail space, it's a vibrant new space that will be a hub for connection and community," said Jonathan Reiter, Senior Associate Vice President of Business Affairs and Administration for Temple University. "We knew when we made the transition a year ago that the bookstore would eventually move to the new space. The Follett team has done an amazing job during this huge transition. Even more importantly, they are out there building relationships with the Temple community every day." With over 150 years of experience in the education industry, Follett is trusted by more than 1,000 campuses across the U.S and Canada to help drive student success and celebrate each school's unique brand. As the latest to join the Follett network, Temple University will benefit from Follett's industry perspective and expertise, giving the entire campus community a cohesive and engaging campus retail experience that truly reflects the Owl spirit. "Follett creates impressive retail spaces that exude campus pride, excitement, connection, and achievement and that's precisely what the Temple campus community will experience at the Temple University Bookstore," says Emmanuel Kolady, Follett Chief Executive Officer. "We look forward to supporting the vibrant Temple community and enhancing the overall student experience." Follett's partnership brings an expanded assortment of merchandise, technology, and innovative solutions to the Temple community. Plans to feature products from local artists and special collections are in the works. Visitors can enter the new two-story space inside Paley Hall from 13th Street and take the stairs down one level to shop the expanded selection. For details on the full breadth of the new campus store products and flexible services, visit https://www.bkstr.com/templestore/home. About the Temple University Bookstore | https://www.temple.edu/ The Temple University Bookstore is solely devoted to serving the Temple community offering products and services to Temple students and the local Philadelphia community both in-store and online via eFollett.com. The Temple University Bookstore is located at 1210 Polett Walk in Paley Hall. Stop in today to meet your campus store manager, Meghan Messner. About Follett Higher Education | follett.com/ Follett Higher Education is a leading educational service provider and omnichannel retailer providing students, faculty and staff, parents, and fans the course materials, learning tools and retail services needed to successfully support the academic, athletic, and collegiate journey. Follett Higher Education supports over 7.5 million students through its 1,000+ physical and online collegiate retail stores across North America. SOURCE Follett Higher Education Group LLC Back Roads: Aug 21 This week guest presenter Paul West heads to Victorias Otway Ranges. Tonight on Back Roads guest presenter Paul West ditches his car for a bicycle when he arrives in Forrest, a former logging town nestled in Victorias Otway Ranges. Surprisingly, the town was named after the local politician, Charles Forrest, who pushed for a rail link to support logging in the local forest, not after the forest itself! Its here Paul discovers a town thats now more famous for mountain biking than sawmills a town thats adapted to changing times by attracting people seeking change within themselves. After the state government announced an end to native forest logging in the Otways in 2002, Forrest was desperate for a new direction. Salvation came in the unlikely form of a network of mountain bike trails, that were hand-built in secret over many years by local Jeff Fox. Jeff just wanted somewhere fun to ride his bike, but in doing so he unintentionally forged a new path for the town, by creating one of Australias first mountain biking destinations. An achievement which has attracted newcomers such as Michelle Davidson, who walked away from a high-powered management job in Melbourne six years ago. She now owns the local guesthouse and bike hire shop. But the town doesnt just appeal to people that prefer life on two wheels, its transformed into a town welcoming of anyone. And theres no better example of this than Forrest Mens Shed, which has been transformed into an anyones shed, where gender and skillset prove no barrier. Paul meets Noor Petersen, a woman in her 70s who was drawn to the shed after the death of her husband Nasser in 2023. These days Noor spends her days making racing cars for the local school kids. 8pm Thursday on ABC. NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Several thousand Orthodox Jews filled the streets outside the Israeli Consulate in Manhattan this afternoon in a powerful demonstration against Israel's newly intensified military draft policies. The rally, organized by the Central Rabbinical Congress of the USA and Canada (CRC), drew an unexpectedly large crowd that spilled beyond the designated protest area, prompting police to open an additional street and expand traffic lanes to accommodate participants. Thousands of protesters at the rally yesterday Aug. 18th But now, the Israeli government has launched a new wave of persecution against Torah-observant Jews it includes. Night raids in Orthodox neighborhoods. Planned checkpoints at our community entrances. Young men arrested in the streets. Families living in fear. The demonstrators gathered in response to the recent rule changes to force religious Jews to enlist into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) coupled with stepped-up enforcement by Israeli authorities against yeshiva students who refuse conscription on religious grounds. This is a radical deviation of the longstanding policy granting religious exemption for Orthodox Jews and allowing full-time Torah study without interference. Protesters carried placards and chanted slogans such as "Stop the raids! Stop the checkpoints! Stop the arrests! End the draft!" Prayers and psalms were recited in unison, with the sound of prayers reverberating through midtown Manhattan. Key Addresses The principal address was delivered by Rabbi Chaim Yeshosia Halberstam, Rabbi of the Satmar community of Monsey one of the prominent branches of Satmar in NY, with a membership and school system for thousands. Rabbi Halberstam denounced the Israeli government's campaign of arrests and intimidation, declaring that religious Jews who reject military service are being persecuted solely for adhering to Torah law. Speakers elaborated on the longstanding religious objections to military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), noting: The Torah prohibits the establishment of a sovereign Jewish state before the coming of the Messiah. The Torah forbids waging war against other nations. The IDF's environment makes it impossible to maintain Torah observance and traditional Jewish life. Speaking in English, Rabbi David Niederman, President of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn and a longtime intergovernmental liaison with the Central Rabbinical Congress, delivered a fiery address that drew sustained applause from the crowd. "We will never we will never give up our faith. We will never trade our Torah for a rifle," Rabbi Niederman declared. "Under these new draft enforcement policies, tens of thousands of Yeshiva students live in constant danger of being seized, interrogated, and imprisoned simply for following their faith Families live in fear, children wake to the sound of doors being kicked in, and young men are torn from their studies all for following the very faith our people have practiced for thousands of years. This is the worst religious persecution of Orthodox Jews since the Holocaust." Next Steps Organizers stressed that this rally is only the beginning of a broader campaign. The CRC announced that a series of follow-up demonstrations will be held in the coming months until the Israeli government halts arrests, raids, and draft enforcement targeting Torah-observant Jews. The CRC, which represents hundreds of Orthodox congregations with a combined membership of more than 250,000, vowed to continue mobilizing on behalf of their brethren in Israel. "We will not stop until the religious rights of every Torah Jew are respected," the CRC stated. Contact: Rabbi Isaac Green 347.385.1405 [email protected] SOURCE Israel Defense Forces (IDF); Central Rabbinical Congress; Israeli Consulate in Manhattan Dan Bourchier appointed General Manager of NITV ABC journalist resigns to take up new role at NITV. ABC journalist Dan Bourchier has been appointed General Manager of NITV. A proud Aboriginal man who grew up on Warumungu Country, NT, he has also been Chair of the ABCs Bonner Committee. As General Manager, Bourchier will oversee broadcast and digital strategy and lead day-to-day operations, as well as contribute through select on-air appearances and public outreach. He joins as SBS expands its commitment to amplifying First Nations stories and perspectives, following Tanya Denning-Ormans appointment as SBS Director, First Nations. This feels like coming home. NITV gave me my start in television back in 2010 as a political reporter, and returning now as General Manager is a privilege. NITV has always been an incubator of talented journalists and storytellers and is today investing more than ever in original First Nations programming, working with the First Nations media sector across the country, said Bourchier. Im excited to work alongside such incredible people a team that continues to blaze a trail in truth-telling the stories that reflect the depth, diversity and strength of our communities. Together, well build on NITVs proud legacy and take it even more powerfully into the future. Dan brings a wealth of media experience, strong cultural knowledge, and a passion for championing First Nations voices all deeply valuable as NITV enters this exciting new era, said Denning-Orman. I look forward to working with Dan to share the vital work delivered by NITV with wider audiences across the entire network, and ensuring First Nations voices are deeply embedded in our national storytelling. SBS Director of Television Kathryn Fink said: Were delighted to welcome Dan back. His incredible experience and commitment to First Nations storytelling will be instrumental as he leads NITVs talented team. NITV has never been stronger, with prime-time audiences growing in a declining linear market, thriving digital platforms, a rich pipeline of First Nations content, and growing commercial revenue. Dans leadership will build on this momentum and take NITV to the next level, while ensuring its influence continues to be felt across the media landscape, elevating First Nations stories. Bourchier will commence in his role as General Manager of NITV on 29 September 2025. Bourchier was most recently a senior news anchor for the ABC News Channel since 2024 and has been Chair of the ABCs Bonner Committee since 2022. Prior to this, he led the ABCs national coverage of the Voice to Parliament Referendum and hosted The Drum. He is also an accomplished company director and has held governance leadership roles including Chair of BlakDance, Council Member of the University of Canberra Council, and Non-Executive Director of Outback Stores. Established in 2007, NITV is available free-to-air as part of the SBS network since December 2012 and today delivers award-winning, critically acclaimed First Nations content across news, current affairs, drama, documentary, entertainment, sport and childrens programming. In 2024-25, NITV reached 4.1 million Australians monthly on linear and SBS On Demand, helping drive almost 19 million hours of Indigenous content consumed across the SBS networks television, audio and digital platforms. Vienna to host Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Euro song contest heads to the City of Music next May. Ohh Vienna. The Austrian capital has been selected to host the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in May 2026. Host Broadcaster ORF and the EBU chose the city over the other contender, Innsbruck. It is known as the City of Music for its history of Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. The Grand Final will be held on Saturday 16 May at the Wiener Stadthalle with Semi-Finals earlier the same week on Tuesday 12 May and Thursday 14 May (+1 day for AU). Vienna hosted the contest in both 1967 and 2015, and joins Copenhagen, Malmo and Stockholm as hosting three times. Only Dublin, London and Luxembourg City have hosted more Contests. Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest said: The EBU is thrilled that Vienna has been selected as the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Viennas reputation as one of the most musical cities in the world, and its location in the heart of Europe, makes it the perfect Host City for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest. The citys exceptional Stadthalle was a great venue for the 60th Contest in 2015 and were very much looking forward to welcoming delegations, artists and fans alike back there next May as the worlds largest live music event celebrates 70 glorious years of being United by Music. Together with Host Broadcaster ORF and the city of Vienna we will create a spectacular celebration of music that will reverberate across the world. Roland Weimann Director General of Host Broadcaster ORF added: After thorough examination and based on a unanimous jury assessment, ORF concluded that Viennas offer is not only the most attractive in terms of infrastructure and logistics but also economically. The Contest is a celebration for all of Austria, which we will all be proud of. Viennas Mayor Michael Ludwig is excited to welcome the world to the Austrian capital in 2026: In Vienna, we can be proud that our city has been selected by the EBU and ORF as the most suitable Host City for one of the worlds largest events. We submitted a convincing overall package with enormous accommodation capacities, excellent infrastructure, and a lot of experience in hosting international events. Additionally, we placed great emphasis on offering numerous Eurovision Song Contest events in public spaces that can be visited free of charge. As the Mayor of Vienna, it is very important to me that cultural events are accessible to everyone, regardless of the size of their wallet. As the Mayor of Vienna, I am, of course, pleased that Vienna was able to prevail and that Austria can represent itself again next year. We will have a great May together; I am convinced of that. Vienna Tourism Director Norbert Kettner added: Vienna and the Eurovision Song Contest are a perfect match: the cosmopolitan capital of music and the worlds largest music show. Vienna and Europe will be United by Music again in 2026. We look forward to the proven partnership with ORF and EBU and are working with great energy to build on the great success of 2015 next year. Vienna offers ideal conditions for this: over 80,000 hotel beds, excellent connections by plane and train, and a proven event infrastructure. This gives ORF the freedom to focus entirely on what matters an unforgettable show. Australia is yet to confirm its return for Eurovision 2026 with SBS to stage its Upfronts on September 3. Theres also a refreshed visual to coincide with 70 years of the Contest. The Eurovision logo that youve seen represent the Contest for over 20 years now has been refreshed from the iconic hand-drawn script that was launched in 2004 and refined in 2014. Now, its been simplified into a single, unique marque, with one familiar element at its centre: that unmistakable Eurovision heart which is now beating louder than ever. Paired with the fresh logo is a new standalone icon: the Chameleon Heart. The Eurovision Song Contests emotional compass, this heart is going to be able to absorb cultural influences, music and movement. It will also be able to adapt to reflect the host nations identity, a performers individuality, or a particular theme. But regardless of its guise, the Eurovision Song Contest will always be emanating from the hearts core. Welcome home to Summer Bay Seven teases a Summer Bay wedding and more highlights to come for soap fans. Seven last night unveiled a new Home & Away promo following the departure of Irene (Lynne McGranger). Welcome home to Summer Bay teases whats still to come in 2025: romance, laughter, celebration, tears, high-speed chases, and heart-stopping tragedy that will rock the Bay forever. For some, its the end of the line. Summer Bays wedding of the year is also just around the corner, as Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) and Eden (Stephanie Panozzo) prepare to say I do in a beautiful and emotionally charged ceremony surrounded by their closest friends and family. Meanwhile Sevens Director of Content, Scripted, Julie McGauran, said: Viewers have given Irene the perfect send off from Home and Away, with her final farewell our highest rated episode this year, and thousands of fans sending in messages for Lynne as part of our Goodbye Irene campaign. For 33 years, Lynne brought warmth, wit and wisdom to Summer Bay as Irene Roberts, and left a lasting mark on Australian pop culture with her iconic catchphrases and charm. We wish Lynne all the best for the future and thank her for the incredible impact shes had on our beloved show. Lynne McGranger said: After almost 33 years in my dream role and working every day with people who I love, respect and whom I now consider family, its bittersweet to be closing the chapter on what has been the best and longest gig of my life. I am forever grateful to the best production crew in the world and to our genius writers whose doors are always open for everything they have done for Irene over the past 33-odd years, and I am so proud of the storyline which will see Irene out of the Bay. Above all, a massive, heartfelt thank you to the fans for your continued love and support. A crackdown on Kyrgyz finance including a state-owned bank will help keep money out of Moscows war chest, a Foreign Office minister has said. Stephen Doughty unveiled sanctions against eight organisations and individuals on Wednesday, and said the move would help keep up the pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin, who he alleged was exploiting dodgy crypto networks. Kyrgyzstans Capital Bank, formally known as the OJSC Capital Bank of Central Asia, was among the sanctioned organisations, along with its director Kantemir Chalbayev. Leonid Shumakov, who is understood to be the director of the rouble-linked A7A5 cryptocurrency token, also features on the list of sanctions targets, along with Grinex LLC, CJSC Tengricoin, Old Vector LLC, Zhanyshbek Uulu Nazarbek and Altair Holding SA. According to the Government, A7A5 has moved 9.3 billion US dollars (6.9 billion) on a dedicated cryptocurrency exchange in just four months. If the Kremlin thinks they can hide their desperate attempts to soften the blow of our sanctions by laundering transactions through dodgy crypto networks they are sorely mistaken, Mr Doughty said. These sanctions keep up the pressure on Putin at a critical time and crack down on the illicit networks being used to funnel money into his war chest. Alongside our allies, we will continue to support the US-led drive to end this illegal war and secure a just and lasting peace. The Kremlin has, in turn, sanctioned 21 individuals, including former Labour MP Denis MacShane, several journalists, and the Government-appointed independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that its move was in response to Londons ongoing confrontational course, which includes efforts to demonise Russia, tackling individuals who spread disinformation and unfounded accusations. London and Moscow traded sanctions after a pair of summits on Friday and Monday, when US President Donald Trump said everyone is happy about the possibility of peace in eastern Europe. Mr Trump, who hosted Mr Putin in Anchorage and then his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, claimed he had begun planning for trilateral talks between the three leaders. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who was in the White House with Mr Zelensky and several other European leaders, welcomed early-stage plans for three-way talks as a sensible next step. Mr Trump also claimed the Putin administration would accept multinational efforts to guarantee Ukraines security, to ward off future Russian attacks. A YouGov poll of more than 6,300 adults found that 57% of Britons would support deploying British soldiers as peacekeepers in Ukraine, if a peace deal to end the war is reached, with 25% opposed. A former lawyer accused of helping a plot to murder the boss of the feared Tottenham Turks gang can be extradited to Moldova to stand trial, a judge has ruled. Toper Hassan, 58, is accused of organising logistics for the fatal shooting of Izzet Eren in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau in July last year. The murder is believed to be part of a long-running feud between Erens organised crime group and their rivals, the Hackney Bombers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Westminster magistrates court, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring agreed to Hassans extradition despite the former lawyer who was struck off in 2013 arguing that his life would be in danger if he is sent to stand trial. Hassan is accused of being recruited into the murder plot by his brother-in-law, Kemal Armagan. The court heard the two men allegedly visited Chisinau in June last year, and booked out accommodation in apartments for several weeks. An unstable 9mm calibre weapon, ammunition for the weapon, an electric bicycle, camouflage clothes were purchased, and a car was rented, said the judge, outlining the case against Hassan. It is said those involved in the murder plot tracked Erens daily routine, and after receiving information that he was in a cafe on July 10 Armagan is said to have dressed in camouflage, armed himself with the gun, and taken the electric bicycle to the location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 11.30am Armagan approached Eren and fired seven shots at his head and back, instantaneously killing him, said the judge, in his extradition ruling. Hassan is accused of destroying evidence after the shooting, the court heard. The judge added that the shooting comes as part of a wider pattern of inter gang violence, including interlinked shootings and transnational retribution killings. Hassan, while fighting extradition, said he had received an official Met Police warning about a plot to kill him. The shooting of Eren is said to be a revenge attack by Armagan for the 2012 murder of his brother Ali Armagan in a shooting outside Turnpike Lane tube station in north London. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hassan, a dual UK and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus citizen, is currently being held in maximum security Belmarsh Prison. He argued that his extradition should be blocked due to the political motivations of the prosecution in Moldova, on safety grounds including fear of reprisals in a Moldovan prison, and under Article 8 of the ECHR depriving him of a right to a private and family life. But the judge said he found no credible evidence that the request was politically driven or that Mr Hassans trial or detention would be prejudiced for political reasons. He acknowledged systemic problems in Moldovas prisons, but received assurances about Hassans safety from the countrys Ministry of Justice Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the judge refused to block extradition on human rights grounds, concluding Hassan would not suffer exceptionally severe consequences by being sent to face trial. The Judges decision has been sent to the Home Secretary for a final decision on extradition. At the reception, Do Quang Hien - Founder and Executive Chairman of T&T Group - warmly welcomed the King and Queen of Bhutan and their accompanying delegation. Do Quang Hien shared an overview of T&T Group and SHB Banks operations. T&T Group is one of Vietnam's leading multi-sector private economic groups, employing over 80,000 staff and encompassing more than 200 subsidiaries, joint ventures, and affiliates. Its core business sectors span finance and investment, real estate, clean energy, logistics, transport infrastructure including seaports and aviation, and agriculture - all of which are considered essential pillars of the national economy. The King and Queen of Bhutan visiting T&T Group headquarters Among its key ventures, SHB Bank ranks among Vietnams top five largest private joint-stock commercial banks, with charter capital of approximately 40.7 trillion VND (about 1.6 billion USD) and total assets nearing 825 trillion VND (around 33 billion USD) as of June 30, 2025. On the stock exchange, SHBs market capitalization has exceeded 3 billion USD and is listed on the VN30 index of blue-chip stocks. Do Quang Hien expressed a strong desire to explore economic, trade, and investment collaborations with Bhutan in areas of mutual strength, such as spiritual tourism, high-quality organic agriculture, science and technology, and innovation. T&T Group Chairman Do Quang Hien shares cooperation opportunities with the King of Bhutan. Highlighting the aviation sector, Hien noted that T&T Group owns Vietravel Airlines and proposed opening a direct flight route between Bhutan and Vietnam through cooperation with Bhutan Airlines. This initiative aims to enhance not only tourism and logistics but also bilateral trade and cultural exchange between Bhutan and Vietnam, and between Bhutan and Southeast Asia more broadly. To support spiritual tourism potential, T&T Group is also investing in key infrastructure such as the Quang Tri Airport project, in combination with Vietravel Airlines, to develop specialty tourism offerings. This is seen as a key foundation for cultural and religious exchange and collaboration in spiritual tourism between the two nations. The King and Queen of Bhutan with T&T Group and SHB Bank leaders. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck expressed joy in visiting T&T Group during such a significant time for Vietnam. He thanked the groups leadership for the warm welcome and highly appreciated T&T Groups cooperation proposals, seeing them as great opportunities to strengthen socio-economic development and the friendly bilateral relationship between Bhutan and Vietnam. The King also introduced Bhutans Mindfulness City - a large-scale smart urban development project requiring major infrastructure such as international airports and terminals, along with vast demand for building materials and equipment. Bhutan is seeking international cooperation and resources to ensure the projects sustainability and effectiveness. He further highlighted Bhutans commitment to digital economic growth, particularly in the realm of digital assets, an area where Vietnam has already passed legislation and is preparing to launch digital asset trading platforms. The Bhutanese royal delegation poses with leaders of T&T Group and SHB Bank. This state visit from the King and Queen of Bhutan holds symbolic importance, reflecting Bhutans respect for its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, as well as recognition of Vietnams regional role and influence. It also reaffirms Vietnams foreign policy of independence, multilateralism, and diversification, promoting peace, cooperation, and development. Diplomatic relations between Bhutan and Vietnam were established on January 19, 2012, and have since developed positively. Vietnam regards Bhutan as a leading nation in green growth and sustainable development, while Bhutan considers Vietnam a priority partner and a model for socio-economic progress. Both countries hold vast potential for deepening cooperation in agriculture, tourism, culture, education, science and technology, digital transformation, and sustainable development. T&T Groups representative highlighted Bhutans rare global status as a carbon-negative nation and its green development strategy. This aligns with T&T Groups Net Zero vision, as demonstrated through its renewable energy, eco-urban, and green city initiatives. These synergies open the door for broad cooperation in infrastructure, construction, energy, and smart green cities - fields where T&T Group has already proven its capabilities domestically and internationally. With strong financial resources, multi-sector experience, and a strategic focus on digital assets, T&T Group is well-positioned to expand its global partnerships and deliver large-scale projects in the future. PV MENTOR, Ohio, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The travel advisory industry is at an inflection point. From the rise of multi-level marketing companies that intentionally recruit new advisors and provide little training to multiple highly publicized lawsuits, the profession is grappling with growing misinformation and uneven standards, which may lead to a decline in consumer trust. In response, Travel with Awestruck is doubling down on its commitment to professionalism, expertise, and transformational growth, beginning with its leadership. The agency has announced the appointment of Alexis Berlin, a Harvard-educated former McKinsey & Company manager, as its new Chief Growth Officer, effective August 20. With experience advising executives and leading project teams to execute multi-billion-dollar growth transformations for top global brands, Berlin brings a rare level of rigor, vision, and strategy experience to the travel space. Her entry into the industry comes at a defining moment. "The travel industry can feel like the Wild West," said Berlin. "It is shocking to see some major travel agencies support the idea that travel advisory isn't a serious profession. Instead, you routinely see these companies promoting travel advisory as a 'side hustle' or chance to earn personal travel perks because their models depend upon revenue from advisor fees and recruitment en masse." Berlin continued, "In my opinion, there is no other service or sales-based field that devalues its profession like this. You would never hear a real estate firm say that forwarding Zillow listings is all it takes to be a broker. You would never see a licensed insurance agent telling people that selling life insurance plans will let them escape from their 'real' careers. But these are the messages flooding the travel space today." Seasoned professionals and industry veterans are taking notice of these trends, and as scrutiny grows, so does momentum for change. "There are some phenomenal professionals in our industry who have been doing things the right way for years, including many reputable large host agencies. Not everyone entering this space is cutting corners," said Jenene Mealey, Founder and President of Travel with Awestruck. "We are seeing a quiet rise of corporate professionals, from consulting, finance, big tech, and more who are bringing fresh discipline and exacting professional standards to an industry that desperately needs them. Alexis is the embodiment of that shift, and we're thrilled to have her." In her new role as CGO, Berlin will lead Travel with Awestruck's holistic growth strategy. Her remit includes advisor recruitment, client development, and industry partnerships, all with the focus of building a modern agency rooted in integrity, excellence, and exceptional experience for its clients and advisors alike. "The devaluing of travel advisory services is real, but where others see a threat, I see an opening," Berlin said. "There is real opportunity for advisors who are ready to raise the bar. That's exactly what we are doing at Travel with Awestruck with our new offerings coming to market over the next 6 months, and I am honored to be a part of the team." To learn more about Travel with Awestruck or to schedule an interview with Alexis Berlin, contact [email protected]. About Travel with Awestruck Travel with Awestruck is a modern travel agency redefining what it means to create unforgettable experiences. Specializing in luxury itineraries for discerning leisure travelers and strategic event travel, the agency combines white-glove service with disciplined strategy to deliver extraordinary results. With a focus on integrity, expertise, and client care, Travel with Awestruck is committed to raising the bar for what travelers and travel advisors can expect. SOURCE Travel with Awestruck Blog Archive: Aug 2025 (130) Jul 2025 (155) Jun 2025 (150) May 2025 (155) Apr 2025 (9) Mar 2025 (149) Feb 2025 (139) Jan 2025 (155) Dec 2024 (144) Nov 2024 (143) Oct 2024 (155) Sep 2024 (149) Aug 2024 (155) Jul 2024 (155) Jun 2024 (150) May 2024 (153) Apr 2024 (149) Mar 2024 (155) Feb 2024 (145) Jan 2024 (155) Dec 2023 (155) Nov 2023 (150) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55) Pamela Phua, product management sustainability & innovation director at AkzoNobel On August 19, the company held the event under the theme 'Sustainable Solutions from Paints and Coatings', providing an overview of its product offerings across different applications. The seminar also showcased AkzoNobels latest sustainability initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to promoting environmentally responsible solutions in Vietnam. The session drew strong participation from developers, contractors, architects, and strategic project partners. It featured two notable speakers: Douglas Lee Snyder, chief executive of the Vietnam Green Building Council, and Pamela Phua, Product Management Sustainability and Innovation director at AkzoNobel. This event was a collaborative effort by AkzoNobel's three core business units: Protective Coatings, Decorative Paints, and Powder Coatings and served as a platform to showcase a complete suite of paints and coatings solutions which integrates innovative technologies to deliver flexible, high-performance response to the diverse needs of modern projects. At the seminar, Snyder emphasised the importance of sustainable development and the role of green materials. Additionally, Phua shared insights on the company's global strategy, product innovations and the role of coatings in reducing carbon emissions. These presentations reaffirmed AkzoNobel's commitment to sustainable development and its responsibility to contribute to the green construction industry. "Sustainability is at the heart of AkzoNobel," said Sirvan Canitez, regional commercial director of Powder Coatings South Asia-Pacific. "We are constantly innovating to deliver solutions that empower our customers to save energy, lower their carbon footprint, and achieve their sustainability goals. This workshop is a bridge to engage with our customers and partners in Vietnam, enabling us to share technologies, foster cooperation, and build a sustainable, eco-friendly future together." "AkzoNobel is dedicated to transforming sustainability commitment into real-world solutions," said Nguyen Phi Anh Dao, marketing and product management director at AkzoNobel ASEAN. "Across our portfolio, customers can find answers to their specific problems. This seminar allows us to listen to our customers and, in turn, share our passionate efforts in the field. It represents a key opportunity to forge new benchmarks for a future that is greener, safer and more effective." During his speech, Douglas Snyder explained, "Sustainable building goes beyond smart design and renewable energy to the very quality and origin of the materials used, with paints and coatings playing a key role. We encourage developers and architects to opt for green material solutions, which helps them secure green building certifications like LOTUS while also contributing to the nation's broader sustainability objectives." Douglas Lee Snyder, chief executive of Vietnam Green Building Council AkzoNobel integrates sustainability across its product range through advanced technologies. Its Protective Coatings portfolio offers high performance in corrosion and fire resistance, safeguarding both assets and people. Decorative Paints include innovations such as 'Keep Cool', which reduces exterior surface temperatures, and 'Express', which eliminates the need for primer while enhancing durability and reducing labour and costs. The Powder Coatings range features 'Interpon' collections, including 'Futura', popular with architects for over 25 years, and 'Stone Effect', which provides a natural stone-like appearance while maintaining environmental efficiency. AkzoNobel provides solutions designed to reduce emissions, protect health, and optimise resource use. The company also supports the green building movement in Vietnam through partnerships with organisations such as the Vietnam Green Building Council and participation in key industry forums locally and internationally. AkzoNobel exec talks Vietnam's strategic regional importance As part of his business trip to Vietnam and the region, Daniel Campos, global business unit director for Decorative Paints Asia and executive committee member at AkzoNobel, talked to VIRs Linh Le about driving sustainable innovation and Vietnams growing role in the companys regional strategy. Dulux Professional from AkzoNobel reaffirms its commitment to sustainability Dulux Professional from AkzoNobel introduced groundbreaking paints and coatings solutions at the Singapore International Green Building Conference 2025 (IGBC-SG 2025), along with innovative colour applications, aimed at shaping greener buildings and contributing to the sustainable development of the industry. Construction of the $474 million Ngoc Hoi Bridge began on August 19, including approach roads in both Hanoi and Hung Yen. The project is one of the capitals largest transport undertakings and forms part of Hanois long-term plan for sustainable urban development through 2030 and beyond, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Vietnams National Day. The ceremony was one of 80 live-broadcast events across the country commemorating this milestone. The ceremony featured Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Viet Hung, leaders from Hanoi and Hung Yen province, and local residents. The groundbreaking ceremony for Ngoc Hoi Bridge and its approach roads on August 19 Hanoi currently has eight bridges crossing the Red River. Ngoc Hoi Bridge is among seven additional bridges that the city plans to commence in 2025 to enhance regional connectivity within the capital region. The Ngoc Hoi Bridge and its approach roads will span approximately 7.5km, with 5.2km located within Hanoi and 2.3km extending into Hung Yen province. The main bridge will stretch about 680m, featuring a 350m cable-stayed span and a 126m high tower. The structure will be 38m wide, accommodating six lanes for motor vehicles and two mixed-use lanes. The $474 million cost is being funded by both Hanois municipal budget and central government allocations, with completion targeted for 2028. "After roughly four months of preparation, the Ngoc Hoi Bridge undertaking has met all legal requirements for groundbreaking and remains on schedule," said Tran Sy Thanh, Chairman of Hanoi Peoples Committee. "Four months of preparation for a Category A project is a record, reflecting the determination of the citys leadership and people- an aspiration for transformation as Hanoi advances alongside the nation." Thanh also called on the investors and contractors to maintain high levels of commitment and responsibility, and execute the venture with urgency and scientific precision, aligning with the capitals goal of sustainable development. Ngoc Hoi Bridge is part of Hanoi Transportation Master Plan through 2030 with a vision towards 2050, which outlines the construction of 18 road bridges crossing the Red River. At exactly 9am on August 19, cities and provinces across Vietnam simultaneously held groundbreaking and inauguration ceremonies for a pipeline of key projects, marking the 80th National Day. Hanoi alone featured eight major projects in the urban transportation infrastructure sector. These include a 14km, 120m wide road segment within Hanoi that connects to Gia Binh Airport in Bac Ninh province with a total investment approximating $1.68 billion, and the construction of Van Phuc Bridge and a 7.7km connection road to national highway 32 in Phuc Tho commune with a total investment of $138 million, among others. The nationwide event, spanning 80 sites, marked the inauguration and groundbreaking of major infrastructure projects set to deliver wide-ranging benefits for citizens and the country. These initiatives are expected to boost regional and interregional development, support GDP growth of at least 8 per cent in 2025, and target double-digit growth in the following years. They will create jobs, improve livelihoods, and raise living standards. Beyond symbolism, the event highlights Vietnams proactive approach to socioeconomic infrastructure, reflecting the commitment of the political system, stakeholders, and the people. This spirit of unity and ambition strengthens national pride and lays the foundation for the countrys progress into a new era. Hanoi maintains strong tourism momentum with double-digit growth in July Hanoi Department of Tourism has reported a robust performance in July, with the capital welcoming approximately 2.8 million visitors, up 10.3 per cent on-year. Toshin Development breaks ground on Westlake Square Hanoi Toshin Development has broken ground on Westlake Square Hanoi, a landmark mixed-use complex in the Starlake urban area that aims to set a new benchmark for high-end retail and lifestyle spaces in the capital. These include the construction of Thai Binh General Hospital, a strategic road linking cultural and economic zones along the Red River, and a large-scale social housing initiative in Yen My II Industrial Park (IP). Delegates press the button to commence the Thai Binh General Hospital project Thai Binh General Hospital, with an investment of nearly $188 million, will be built on a 12-hectare site and initially offer 1,200 beds, with future expansion plans to reach 1,500 beds. The development is divided into two components: the first includes the outpatient clinic and synchronised technical infrastructure located at the provincial medical centre area, while the second involves the construction of the main hospital building. Designed under the green and smart hospital model, the facility will have a low construction density of just 21 per cent, with the remainder reserved for green spaces and landscaping. The outpatient, inpatient, and premium service areas will be functionally and spatially separated, ensuring scientific organisation and ease of access. Internal roads will be synchronised to reduce congestion, creating a comfortable environment for patients and their families. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Nguyen Quang Hung, standing vice chairman of Hung Yen People's Committee, emphasised the provinces recent focus on strategic infrastructure. In recent years, with the support of the government, ministries, central agencies, and the leadership of the Party and the state, Hung Yen has actively implemented a pipeline of important socioeconomic infrastructure projects, he said. Healthcare projects, once completed and put into operation, have proven effective, meeting the needs for medical examinations, treatment, and healthcare, and contributing to propelling socioeconomic development. With its modern design and comprehensive approach, Thai Binh General Hospital is expected to become a high-quality regional healthcare centre, addressing growing medical demands while also serving as a platform for scientific research and the application of new technologies in medicine. Delegates perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the road network connecting cultural heritage, tourism, and economic development along the Red River Also initiated is a nearly 56-kilometre road project connecting cultural heritage, tourism, and economic hubs along the Red River. With a total investment of roughly $372 million, the route will pass through 13 communes in the former Van Giang, Khoai Chau, and Kim Dong districts, as well as the pre-merger Hung Yen city. The road is seen as a strategic infrastructure development aimed at improving transportation and unlocking land potential along its path. It is expected to accelerate the formation of new urban areas, industrial zones, and tourism services. More significantly, the route will serve as a regional corridor between Hanoi, Hung Yen, and Ninh Binh, while connecting a chain of cultural and spiritual landmarks such as Thang Long, Pho Hien, Tam Chuc Pagoda, Bai Dinh Pagoda, and Huong Pagoda. This is more than a mere transportation route, it carries the strategic mission of fostering economic growth intertwined with cultural and tourism development, in line with the infrastructure breakthrough strategy laid out by Hung Yen's Party Congress. The heritage road in Hung Yen links a chain of cultural and spiritual-tourism heritage sites along the Red River. Photo: Ngoc Dep Recognising the projects importance, the provincial Peoples Committee has directed the investor to expedite preparatory work and conduct contractor selection in strict accordance with legal procedures to ensure transparency and integrity. During the implementation phase, authorities require strict compliance with construction standards, with emphasis on quality, progress, worker safety, traffic organisation, and environmental hygiene. As of now, local authorities have handed over 65 hectares out of a required 272 ha, approximately 24 per cent of the total land needed. The third project launched is a major social housing development within the Yen My II IP, with an investment exceeding $198 million. Spanning nearly 31 ha, the project will consist of 27 apartment blocks and is expected to deliver around 9,000 housing units for approximately 11,500 workers, primarily serving employees in surrounding industrial zones. Buildings will rise up to 11 stories, offering a total floor area close to 580,000 square metres, with plans for modern, integrated infrastructure to support a stable and civilised living environment. The project will also feature 250 adjacent houses alongside commercial, service, cultural, medical, and educational facilities. Completion is targeted for the end of 2028. Collectively, these three ambitious projects underscore Hung Yens commitment to improving quality of life, fostering regional connectivity, and promoting balanced growth that blends tradition with modernity. As the province positions itself as a dynamic development hub in the Red River delta, these initiatives mark significant strides towards achieving sustainable socioeconomic progress. Hung Yen offers new space and development momentum following merger Post-merger, Hung Yen has synergised its potential and advantages, creating new space and momentum for socioeconomic development. Hung Yen to build $200 million road connecting downtown areas Hung Yen has approved a $200 million plan to build a 24.8 km road connecting to the new provincial centre, enhancing regional links and supporting economic development. The SBV is drafting a decree regulating the licensing for establishment and operations of banks, foreign exchange management, anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorism financing, and prevention of financing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in international financial centres (IFCs) in Vietnam. The draft decree specifically outlines responsibilities for implementing anti-money laundering measures by reporting entities in IFCs, as well as related organisations and individuals. It also defines the roles of supervisory authorities of the IFCs, including the SBV, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defence, and other relevant ministries and agencies, to ensure compliance with Law on AML. The draft introduces several preferential and exceptional policies for reporting entities at IFCs, including allowing them to apply AML measures already in use by their owners or parent banks, even if such measures are not yet regulated under Vietnamese law, provided they do not violate existing laws. It also imposes a requirement to report international electronic fund transfers exceeding a threshold of $1,000. According to the SBVs proposal, Vietnams Law on AML requires all AML efforts to be in accordance with legal regulations while safeguarding national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, and interests. It also aims to ensure normal economic and investment activities, protect legal rights and interests of individuals and organisations, and prevent abuse of AML policies to infringe on legitimate rights. Given the higher degree of financial openness within IFCs, especially in terms of capital flow and cross-border transactions, and the presence of major international financial institutions across various sectors, there must be stringent mechanisms in place. This is to prevent entities from exploiting the IFC or its special policies to launder or legitimise questionable funds. The draft decree also outlines the use of foreign currencies by members of the IFC, including commercial banks, branches of the SBV, and other participants. To mitigate policy misuse risks and ensure a clear distinction between foreign currency transactions within the IFC and those with the rest of Vietnam, it mandates that all such payments and transfers must go through foreign currency payment accounts held at member commercial banks or branches of the SBV. Bybit Technology interested in sandbox on crypto assets Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang held a meeting with Ben Zhou, co-founder of Bybit Technology. on April 17 to discuss the digital asset market. Evaluating the feasibility of taxing cryptocurrency assets in Vietnam At a conference with small and medium-sized enterprises in early 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh tasked the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) with exploring the piloting of a cryptoasset exchange via a controlled testing mechanism. The establishment of such a digital asset exchange must be placed within a suitable legal framework to enable effective management, maximise resources, and mitigate risks. The country now counts more than 5,500 startups, $3.2 billion in funding, and six unicorns, according to Tracxns latest Vietnam Tech Startup Pulse report. Over 60 per cent of startups were founded between 2015 and 2025, reflecting the sectors rapid expansion. Nearly three-quarters of all-time funding, or $2.3 billion, has been secured in just the past five years, with 2021 marking a breakthrough year at $1.2 billion, led by Tiki, VNLIFE, and MoMo. The domestic innovation landscape remains highly concentrated in the two largest cities, with Hanoi hosting 2,127 startups and Ho Chi Minh City following closely with 2,098. Together, they dominate the startup map of Vietnam, while smaller hubs such as Danang and Can Tho represent emerging centres of entrepreneurial activity. Ho Chi Minh City stands out as the top-funded city, attracting $1.8 billion in funding, powered by major fundraisers like Tiki and MoMo. Hanoi has also established itself as a key hub, securing nearly $1 billion, with VNLIFE alone accounting for more than half of that amount. Venture capital has played a defining role in this surge, accounting for over 90 per cent of all on-year funding from 2020 to 2025 YTD. More than 290 venture firms have invested in Vietnamese startups so far, with CyberAgent Capital leading at 24 rounds, followed by Genesia Ventures and Do Ventures. Investor confidence has been further underscored by nine mega funding rounds exceeding $100 million, three of which were raised by MoMo, while Tiki, Sky Mavis, and VNLIFE also closed multiple late-stage rounds. Vietnam has now produced six unicorns Tiki, MoMo, Sky Mavis, VNPAY, VNLIFE, and VNG. Each has contributed uniquely to shaping the countrys digital economy. MoMo has emerged as a major player on the digital wallet scene, expanding into lending, insurance, and investments, while Sky Mavis gained global recognition through its blockchain-based gaming success, Axie Infinity. Tiki has strengthened e-commerce logistics, VNG continues to dominate the gaming sector, and VNPAY and VNLIFE have accelerated Vietnams shift towards cashless payments. Together, these companies represent the diversity, innovation, and scalability that define the Vietnamese startup story. Beyond the unicorns, the ecosystem has also seen the rise of several high-growth companies that have collectively raised over $400 million. Startups such as Sendo, OnPoint, Telio, Thuocsi, and Nhi Dong 315 are expanding aggressively in e-commerce, business-to-business distribution, healthtech, and omnichannel enablement. Their growth reflects both the increasing maturity of the market and the willingness of investors to back ventures beyond the headline-making unicorns. Vietnams ecosystem has also matured in terms of exits, with 76 recorded to date, including 52 acquisitions and 24 IPOs. Landmark deals, such as Central Groups $1.05 billion joint takeover of Big C and Nguyen Kim Group, and Sea Limiteds $64 million acquisition of Foody, demonstrate how global and regional players are consolidating Vietnams digital and consumer markets. More recently, IPOs from BeLive Technology and TCBS signalled growing investor appetite for Vietnams next wave of scale-ups, particularly in fintech and digital services. Commenting on the findings, Neha Singh, Co-founder of Tracxn, said, "Vietnams tech startup ecosystem has matured rapidly, driven by a mix of government support, urban innovation clusters, and a strong influx of venture capital. The emergence of multiple unicorns and billion-dollar funding years signals both local and global investor confidence. As the market continues to diversify across fintech, e-commerce, gaming, and healthcare, Vietnam is poised to be one of Southeast Asias most influential startup hubs." The foundation for this growth has been built over a decade of supportive policies and ecosystem initiatives. Initiatives such as Vietnam Silicon Valley in 2013, the National Technology Innovation Fund in 2015, and Project 844, which incentivised early-stage ventures, have played a central role. The landmark 2017 Law on Support for Small and Medium Enterprises further legitimised startups as legal entities, creating the framework for todays thriving ecosystem. The working session between Vietnamese and Uruguayan officials in Hanoi on August 19. Photo: moit.gov.vn On August 19 in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hoang Long met with Uruguayan Deputy Foreign Minister Valeria Csukasi to discuss bilateral trade and investment. The talks centred on paving the way for free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between Vietnam and MERCOSUR and expanding market access for key products. MERCOSUR, comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, is the fifth-largest economic bloc globally. For Vietnam, an export-driven economy seeking to diversify markets, MERCOSUR represents a vast and largely untapped region. Domestic products such as textiles, footwear, electronics, seafood, and handicrafts could gain wider access, while MERCOSUR members could expand exports of timber, dairy, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural commodities to Vietnams fast-growing consumer base. Deputy Minister Long underlined the importance of formally starting the FTA process. "The negotiation and signing of a VietnamMERCOSUR FTA would be of great benefit, boosting trade and investment between Vietnam and bloc members, including Uruguay," he said. The agreement is expected to reduce tariffs while building frameworks for cooperation in manufacturing, renewable energy, and supply chain resilience. For Uruguay, the interest is equally strong. Deputy Minister Csukasi emphasised that Vietnam is a priority partner for Uruguay in Asia. She welcomed MoITs role in supporting business connectivity and pledged Uruguays full support for initiating FTA negotiations, committing to coordinate closely with other MERCOSUR members to move forward. Trade between the two countries has already shown solid momentum. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $170 million, up over 35 per cent on-year. Vietnam exported $110 million worth of goods last year, led by footwear, garments, electronics, seafood, and handicrafts, while imports from Uruguay reached $60 million, mainly timber, raw materials, dairy, pharmaceuticals, and animal feed. In the first seven months of 2025, two-way trade surged further to $121 million, nearly 89 per cent higher than the same period last year. Exports from Vietnam rose 46 per cent to $67.6 million, while imports from Uruguay soared 195 per cent to $54 million. Such growth highlights the dynamism of bilateral trade but also its limitations. The structure remains narrow, with Vietnam primarily selling consumer goods and importing raw materials. An agreement with MERCOSUR could significantly broaden this base, enabling Vietnamese firms to deepen their reach into Latin America while providing South American exporters with easier access to the ASEAN market of 650 million people. Both sides agreed to keep dialogue active and to encourage their business communities to explore opportunities through trade promotion activities, fairs, and market surveys. These initiatives aim to ensure that potential tariff benefits translate into real commercial deals. The strategic importance is clear. MERCOSUR is home to more than 260 million people, with a GDP of around $2.5 trillion. It is a key supplier of agricultural and industrial goods and a market where demand for consumer products continues to expand. For Vietnam, which already benefits from major trade pacts like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, EUVietnam Free Trade Agreement, and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, an agreement with MERCOSUR would add a crucial link to its global trade network. Negotiating with a diverse bloc will not be without challenges, as agricultural sensitivities and regulatory standards vary among MERCOSUR members. For Vietnam, ensuring that small and medium-sized enterprises can benefit from new market access will also be essential. But both governments appear committed to navigating these complexities in pursuit of greater economic resilience. China enhances national park conservation with high-level scientific monitoring system Xinhua) 09:20, August 20, 2025 CHENGDU, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China is advancing national park eco-environmental conservation efforts using advanced technologies and enhanced monitoring, according to a report on the development of national parks released on Tuesday. The National Forestry and Grassland Administration is promoting the integration and establishment of national conservation research centers for flagship species such as tigers, leopards and giant pandas, which aims to create a multi-tiered scientific research platform, the report said. It shows that national parks are boosting the use of high-tech measures, such as real-time monitoring systems that enable around-the-clock and comprehensive monitoring of wildlife activities. In addition, the parks are implementing monitoring and early warning mechanisms to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. Measures include 24-hour staffing in key areas and pilot projects for protective equipment, forming a coordinated system for conflict prevention and control. In 2021, China established the first batch of national parks, with a protected land area of 230,000 square kilometers. These parks, namely the Sanjiangyuan National Park, the Giant Panda National Park, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park and the Wuyishan National Park, are home to nearly 30 percent of the key terrestrial wildlife species found in the country. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) From the dojo to data defence Wrexham student secures place at top university! A Wrexham student is throwing hackers off balance and he hasnt even started university yet! Judo player Alex Roberts is on course for a promising future after achieving top A Level results at Coleg Cambria Yale in Wrexham. A former pupil at The Kings School Chester, Alex has received a firm offer from the University of Warwick to study Cyber Security, one of the UKs most competitive and cutting-edge degree programmes. The 18 year-old has just completed A Levels in Computer Science, Economics, Business Studies, and the Welsh Baccalaureate, and hopes to build a career in cyber operations, initially gaining experience in penetration testing or red teaming before moving into consultancy. Reflecting on his time at college, Alex said: Im incredibly grateful I chose Coleg Cambria for my A Levels. The teaching has been outstanding, but what really stands out is how much more the college offers beyond the classroom. Alex took full advantage of Cambrias enrichment opportunities, including the Oxbridge Aspirations Club, which supports students aiming for Russell Group universities. That gave me a real edge when it came to preparing for university applications. The college also provides amazing wider support, from mental health and wellbeing services to enterprise opportunities, charity initiatives, and the freedom to create your own clubs, he said. A passionate learner and an active member of college life, Alex has also taken part in subject-related trips, all of which added to his educational experience. Outside the classroom, Alex is a green belt in judo, training with Katana Judo Club, and continues to maintain a strong balance between academic work and personal development. He added: My advice to future students would be to really engage with your lecturers, take every opportunity you can, dont be afraid to make mistakes, and make time for life outside study. Gareth Jones, Assistant Principal and Head of Yale Sixth Form praised Alexs achievements and said: Alex has been a dedicated, inquisitive, and motivated student throughout his time with us. His offer from Warwick is thoroughly well-earned, and were excited to see what he accomplishes next. Ive no doubt we will see him go on and compete at the highest level. Visit http://www.cambria.ac.uk for more on studying for A Levels at Coleg Cambria. Alternatively, email admissions@cambria.ac.uk, call 0300 30 30 007 or use the Chat now! | Coleg Cambria Customer Support facility on the website. NWP warning after staggering 2.1 million Bitcoin cold storage theft in North Wales North Wales Police say they are currently investigating a staggering 2.1 million Bitcoin loss, a case that highlights a disturbing new trend targeting long-term crypto holders who use cold storage devices. Police said, We believe these individuals may have been identified through a data breach, making this a highly targeted and advanced scam. The case involves a victim who was contacted by a scammer posing as a senior UK law enforcement officer. An Officer detailed, The hook was a fabricated story: they claimed they had arrested an individual whose phone contained the victims personal identification documents, emphasising a potential security breach. The scammer then exploited this sense of fear and urgency, instructing the victim to secure their assets by logging into their cold storage device via a link they provided. The victim, worried and believing that they were following police instructions, entered their seed phrase (password) into what was a sophisticated, fake website. This allowed the scammers to rebuild the victims wallet and, in a matter of moments, withdraw all the assets amounting to 2.1 million. Police say they are now working to trace the funds, adding there is an important message here for anyone who owns any cryptocurrency Police will NEVER call you unexpectedly to discuss your crypto assets or ask you to take action on your cold storage device. This is a big red flag. It is always okay to hang up and verify. If you receive an unexpected call from someone claiming to be from the Police, politely end the call and contact the police directly on 101 to verify that the contact is genuine. Your seed phrase (password) is your key. Never enter it anywhere except on your cold storage device itself during the initial setup or recovery process. A legitimate company or Police will never ask for it. Police added, This case serves as a reminder that scammers are constantly evolving their tactics. They are not just targeting new investors; they are crafting sophisticated social engineering schemes to trick even the most diligent holders. Stay vigilant, protect your assets and your seed phrase, and trust your instincts. The City of Sparks is teaming up with Vitalant to host the 10th Annual Badges Blood Drive on Thursday. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will take place at Sparks City Hall, located at 431 Prater Way, in both the buildings downstairs training room and in the bloodmobile stationed in the parking lot. The blood drive is part of a friendly competition between the Sparks Police and Fire Departments to see which agency can inspire the most people to donate blood on their behalf. Sparks city employees and members of the public are encouraged to take part and cast a vote for the department they support. With everyones help, Vitalant can ensure a safe blood supply is ready when patients need it, officials said. Organizers say each donation can help save up to three lives. Appointments can be made online by scrolling to the Sparks City Hall event on the Vitalant website, but walk-ins are also welcome. ME TODAY ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR $2.6M PARTIALLY UNDERWRITTEN ONE FOR ONE RIGHTS ISSUE AT AN ISSUE PRICE OF 6 CENTS PER NEW SHARE. FOLLOWING THE RIGHTS ISSUE THE COMPANY INTENDS TO ISSUE A 6-CENT WARRANT ISSUED ON A ONE FOR TWO BASIS EXERCISABLE IN OCTOBER 2026. FOUNDING SHAREHOLDERS GRANT BAKER AND STEPHEN SINCLAIR HAVE AGREED TO UNDERWRITE THE RIGHTS ISSUE TO $1.5M. ME TODAY GROSS BRANDED SALES AND AGENCY REVENUE GREW 42% FROM $4.07M IN FY24 TO $5.8M FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025. Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE ) announces today that it plans to undertake a capital raise to fund ongoing growth of the Me Today business. Now that the group has discontinued involvement in the King Honey business it can focus on the Me Today brand and the opportunity of continuing to grow the brand domestically in New Zealand and in targeted international markets. CAPITAL RAISE DETAILS The capital raise is intended to be completed through a one for one rights issue under which eligible shareholders will be able to subscribe for shares at 6 cents per share. The proposed issue price is a discount of 22% on the current 60-day volume weighted average price. Depending on the level of uptake by shareholders the rights issue could raise up to $2.6m. Founding shareholders Grant Baker and Stephen Sinclair have agreed to partially underwrite the raise to $1.5m, subject to shareholder approval at a meeting intended to be held in early October. Following the issue of shares in the rights issue, the company intends to issue one warrant for every two shares held. The warrants would provide the holder an option to subscribe for one ordinary share at 6 cents per share in an exercise window from 1 October to 31 October 2026. Further details of the capital raising and timetable will be advised in due course. ME TODAY TRADING UPDATE AND USE OF CAPITAL RAISE FUNDS The group continues to focus on growing revenue and reducing costs while continuing to invest in the Me Today brand. The FY25 results are currently being finalised, and the fully audited financial statements will be released to the NZX on or before 29 August 2025. The revenue for the Me Today brand and agency business in FY25 has reflected the growth strategy being implemented with full year gross revenue of $5.8m, before the costs of marketing services provided by a customer which is growth of 42% on revenue of $4.07m in 2024. The EBITDA result for the group is still being finalized, and will be impacted by the King Honey business for the full reporting year given that business was placed into receivership after balance date. A full explanation of the results will be provided with the year-end announcement next week. The performance of the Me Today brand in New Zealand continues to grow with increased brand presence through marketing activity above the line and expanded shelf presence within the New Zealand pharmacy channel. The business expects this growth in New Zealand to continue in 2026 through its retail partnerships and the continued investment in brand and new product development. The brand will roll out new product into store in New Zealand during October this year and then further product launches in the first half of the 2026 calendar year. Outside of New Zealand the brand continues a targeted strategy with the Chinese partnership being the biggest opportunity. Other priority markets include the USA, Japan, UAE and Ireland. The capital raised through the rights issue will be used to enable continued investment in the Me Today brand, to take advantage of sales and brand opportunities in New Zealand and International markets, to continue to invest in research and new product development and to fund the working capital needs of the Me Today brand. The company expects to write to shareholders with further information about the capital raise in the notice of the meeting to be distributed in mid-September. Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: August 26th Morning Report August 25th Morning Report Skellerup achieves another record result August 21st Morning Report Seeka Announces Interim Result and Updates Guidance FBU - Fletcher Building announces FY25 Results August 20th Morning Report RUA - New Zealand grown products support Rua's global strategy Devon Funds Morning Note - 19 August 2025 Seeka Announces 15 cent Dividend JERUSALEM (AP) Israels military said Wednesday it will call up 60,000 reservists ahead of an expanded military operation in Gaza City. Many residents have chosen to stay despite the danger, fearing nowhere is safe in a territory facing shortages of food, water and other necessities. Calling up extra military reservists is part a plan Defense Minister Israel Katz approved to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gazas most densely populated areas, the military said. The plan, which is expected to receive the chief of staff's final approval in the coming days, also includes extending the service of 20,000 additional reservists who are already on active duty. In a country of fewer than 10 million people, the call-up of reservists is the largest in months and carries economic and political weight. It comes days after hundreds of thousands of Israelis rallied for a ceasefire, as negotiators scramble to get Israel and Hamas to agree to end their 22 months of fighting, and as rights groups warn that an expanded assault could deepen the crisis in the Gaza Strip, where most of the roughly 2 million inhabitants have been displaced, many areas have been reduced to rubble, and the population faces the threat of famine. Gaza City operation could begin within days An Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said troops will operate in parts of Gaza City where they haven't been deployed yet and where Israel believes Hamas is still active. Israeli troops in the the city's Zeitoun neighborhood and in Jabaliya, a refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, are already preparing the groundwork for the expanded operation, which could begin within days. Though the timeline wasn't clear, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Wednesday that Netanyahu has directed that the timetables ... be shortened for launching the offensive. Gaza City is Hamas military and governing stronghold, and one of the last places of refuge in the northern Strip, where hundreds of thousands are sheltering. Israeli troops will be targeting Hamas vast underground tunnel network there, the official added. Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamas senior leadership, parts of Hamas are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets towards Israel, the official said. Netanyahu has said the war's objectives are to secure the release of remaining hostages and ensure that Hamas and other militants can never again threaten Israel. The planned offensive, announced earlier this month, comes amid heightened international condemnation of Israel's restrictions on food and medicine reaching Gaza and fears that many Palestinians will be forced to flee. Its pretty obvious that it will just create another mass displacement of people who have been displaced repeatedly since this phase of the conflict started, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Associated Press journalists saw small groups heading south from the city this week, but it's unclear how many others will voluntarily flee. Some said they would wait to see how events unfold, with many insisting that nowhere is safe from airstrikes. What were seeing in Gaza is nothing short of apocalyptic reality for children, for their families, and for this generation, Ahmed Alhendawi, regional director of Save the Children, said in an interview. The plight and the struggle of this generation of Gaza is beyond being described in words. Some reservists question the war's goals The call-up comes amid a growing campaign by exhausted reservists who accuse the Israeli government of perpetuating the war for political reasons and failing to bring home the 50 remaining hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The hostages' families and former army and intelligence chiefs have also expressed opposition to the expanded operation in Gaza City. Most of the families want an immediate ceasefire and worry that an expanded assault could imperil the surviving hostages. Guy Poran, a retired air force pilot who has organized veterans campaigning to end the war, said many reservists are spent after repeated tours lasting hundreds of days and resent those who haven't been called up. Even those that are not ideologically against the current war or the government's new plans don't want to go because of fatigue or their families or their businesses, he said. Hamas-led militants started the war when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing roughly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel has yet to respond to a ceasefire proposal Arab mediators and Hamas said this week that the militant group's leaders had agreed to the terms of a proposed 60-day ceasefire, though similar announcements have been made in the past that didn't lead to a lasting truce. Egypt and Qatar have said they are waiting for Israels response. Egypts foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, spoke by phone Wednesday with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss the proposed ceasefire in the hopes of winning Israels acceptance, the Egyptian foreign ministry said. During the call, Abdelatty urged Israel to put an end to this unjust war by negotiating a comprehensive deal and to lay the foundations for a just settlement of the Palestinian cause, according to the Egyptian government. An Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the media said Israel is in constant contact with the mediators in an effort to secure the hostages' release. Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will oppose a deal that doesn't include the complete defeat of Hamas. Also Wednesday, Israel gave final approval to a controversial settlement project east of Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank. The development in whats called E1 would effectively cut the territory in two. Palestinians and rights groups say it could destroy hopes for a future Palestinian state. Gaza's death toll rises At least 27 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 were wounded Wednesday at the Zikim crossing in northwestern Gaza as a crowd rushed toward a U.N. convoy transporting humanitarian aid, according to health officials. The majority of casualties were killed by gunshots fired by the Israeli troops, said Fares Awad, head of the Health Ministrys ambulance and emergency service in northern Gaza. The rush toward the trucks and the stampede killed and injured others. The dead included people seeking aid and Palestinians guarding the convoy, Awad told the AP. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. More than 62,122 people have been killed during Israel's offensive, Gazas Health Ministry said Monday. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants, but it said women and children make up around half of them. In addition, 154 adults have died from malnutrition-related causes since late June, when the ministry began counting such deaths, and 112 children have died from malnutrition-related causes since the war began. This story was corrected to reflect that the Jabaliya refugee camp is not in Gaza City. ___ Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press reporter Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed. By Sarah Ludwig, Freelance Writer on behalf of Jooble This is just one of the valuable lessons that you can learn on the Jooble platform, which also provides a wealth of job opportunities. How exactly has underwriting evolved? Before we look into what you can do about the evolution in underwriting, it is worthwhile to step back and assess just how the practice has evolved over the years. As underwriting started accelerating, claims started becoming more and more complicated to the point where an increasing number of risk factors and other unexpected elements illustrated holes in the system. Technology started advancing to the point where underwriting became automated, and now advanced analytics are capable of not only managing processes, but predicting future patterns and needs. You might have questions about what a reasonable salary is these days, given all the changes that are going on. Specifically, to learn about what 40K salary means in the UK, you should first gain an understanding of how technology is changing the field. Then you can figure out where your place should be. Lets start by looking at what advancements technology and AI specifically are providing: Recognition. AI can identify correlations across datasets that can easily be missed by underwriters. Natural Language Processing. Medical records can be transformed and insights extracted to create structural patterns. Predictive analytics. Programs can predict such things as emerging risks and future outcomes based upon long-term patterns and historical data. All these advancements are monumental, indeed. However, they dont have to mean the end of insurance professionals careers. AI is an extremely useful tool, but it cannot act alone. Risks of letting AI act alone Employers and employees alike need to keep in mind that there are serious risks to simply letting AI programs run free. One of these risks is of automated cyberattack. We have to remember that AI gathers all the data that it can, and even algorithms can only go so far to dictate what its programs include and dont include. If there is potentially malicious data out there that AI can potentially grab and include in an analysis, it is perfectly conceivable that a program can do this. Automated cyberattack is a real concern. Another thing to look out for is bias. The insurance industry has by no means always been fair when it comes to evaluating customers for policies, claims, and other aspects of the industry. While AI can do an excellent job of coming up with detailed analyses, it is up to human professionals to assess results and make decisions about their viability. How can professionals best use AI to their advantage? To make our point even more clear, we should look at some examples of different aspects of the industry, and how professionals can work together with their technologies to produce the most effective and accurate outcomes. Underwriting. People use AI in underwriting to refine the process of risk assessment. AI can be assistive in looking for things like credit reports, debts, and outstanding loans. It can use predictive analysis to make assessments of property location and any other relevant information. However, it can also be wrong. Neighborhoods can change character, for example, and this information might not be available for AI to catch. Therefore, humans are always necessary to check assessments. Claims. In looking for first-notice-of-loss data, smart triaging, and document processing that are often involved in complex claims, AI can be very effective in gathering and processing the required data. However, this is another area in which the human element continues to be critical. Professionals can complement the analysis done by AI in checking its results. If a professional notices a discrepancy, it can make a big difference in the result of the claim. Customer service. AI can be assistive in helping insurance companies with various aspects of customer service. For example, chatbots on company websites can provide information on basic company policies, how to file claims, and other standard procedures. For existing customers, bots can become personalized and remember individual information, previous questions, and many important details about individual policies. However, bots are never 100% reliable. There can always be complex situations that go beyond the capability of bots. Sales. When it comes to sales, professionals can take the analysis generated by AI tools and use it to create long-term sales plans. AI autonomous sales agents are capable of gathering large volumes of unqualified leads and prioritizing them appropriately. It can also help staff both prepare for and summarize sales meetings, which can greatly help reduce workloads for people. In assessing the results of AI analysis, professionals can strategize and help create a more refined long-term vision for their company. Your job isnt necessarily at stake, but be careful For all these reasons, insurance professionals should appreciate the reciprocity that exists between AI technology and their own personal input. If you are wondering if it is still possible to land a decent position with a good salary, the answer is yes. There are definitely jobs out there, but you need to be prepared for the changes that are taking place in the industry. Rather than fearing AI, you can help your cause by learning to understand it better. Keep an eye out for things that it might be doing incorrectly as this is where your role will be. If you succeed at making necessary adjustments to AI analyses that were produced by your companys technology, you will have proven your value to the company without question. But you cant simply sit back and wait for the results; take active measures to work with your companys software, and the results will become clear before you know it. Listed New Zealand produce company, Seeka [NZX: SEK ] reports its unaudited results for the six months ended 30 June 2025 along with dividend and lifted full year earnings guidance. - Revenue $307.9 million up 8% on pcp - EBITDA $83.5 million up 22% on pcp - NPBT $59.4 million up 32% on pcp - NPAT $37.8 million up 121% on pcp (note deferred tax adjustment in pcp) - Dividend $0.15 per share to be paid 15 October 2025, record date 18 September (details further down) - Forecast full year NPBT increased to be between $35.0 million to $39.0 million Seeka is pleased to release its unaudited financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2025, delivering a record profit after tax of $37.8 million. While all parts of the business reported improved results, New Zealand kiwifruit volumes of 47.1 million class 1 trays were up on the previous corresponding periods (pcp) 43.0 million trays, which underpinned the improved results. Improved growing conditions benefitted both Seekas New Zealand orcharding and post-harvest businesses, while Seekas SeekaFresh business continued to build on its base. Seekas Australian business increased overall production and earnings following a good growing season and the introduction of new produce lines. EBITDA for the six months lifted to $83.5 million from $68.4 million in the pcp. Net profit before tax was up 32% to $59.4 million, and net profit after tax of $37.8 million is more than double the pcps $17.1 million, noting that 2024 was impacted by a deferred tax adjustment from a legislated change to tax deductibility of non-residential buildings. Seeka continues to focus on building balance sheet resilience by lowering debt, having reduced net bank debt by $40.2 million to $130.6 million over the 12 months, with a further $64.8 million banked in July 2025 in the normal course of business. While reducing debt, Seeka has continued to invest in its core business. Seeka's financial performance benefitted from investments in post harvest automation with the company packing a record 47.1 million trays of kiwifruit across its 11 New Zealand export sites. Seeka has recently announced two significant automation upgrades for its Kerikeri and Huka Pak sites introducing Reemoon technology to the New Zealand kiwifruit industry. These investments will enable Seeka to handle more fruit through its existing facilities at lower unit costs. All of Seeka's operating segments delivered higher earnings in the six-month period, and the business has continued to maintain core business and invest in key technology enhancements. Seeka chief executive Michael Franks says, the operating results were pleasing noting they were the result of a deliberate strategy enacted by the company. Seeka is well positioned for future growth with a strengthening balance sheet and has automation projects underway to handle the anticipated growth in New Zealand's kiwifruit industry. DIVIDEND Seeka's Board has declared a $0.15 per share dividend payable on 15 October 2025 to all shareholders on the register on 18 September 2025. This will bring total dividends distributed in 2025 to $0.30 per share. The October dividend will be fully imputed, and the dividend reinvestment plan will apply. UPDATED FULL YEAR OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE. Seeka has lifted full year earnings guidance at a net profit before tax level to between $35.0 million to $39.0 million from previous guidance of $33.0 million to $37.0 million. Seeka reminds stakeholders that it operates in a seasonal industry with substantial earnings occurring in the first six months as fruit is harvested in New Zealand and Australia. ENDS Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: August 26th Morning Report August 25th Morning Report Skellerup achieves another record result August 21st Morning Report Me Today signals capital raise and provides trading update FBU - Fletcher Building announces FY25 Results August 20th Morning Report RUA - New Zealand grown products support Rua's global strategy Devon Funds Morning Note - 19 August 2025 Seeka Announces 15 cent Dividend The Food and Drug Administration has issued a recall for shrimp sold at Walmart due to possible contamination with radioactive chemicals. The agency is warning retailers and consumers not to sell or eat certain lots of raw frozen Great Value shrimp sold at Walmart stores in 13 states. According to an Aug. 19 notice from the agency, the frozen shrimp, which was imported from an Indonesian-based plant called PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, is in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act because it is possibly contaminated with Cesium-137 (Cs-137), a man-made radioactive isotope. The FDA is currently investigating reports of Cs-137 contamination in shipping containers and frozen shrimp products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati. The U.S. Customs & Border Protection alerted the FDA to the detection of Cs-137 in shipping containers at U.S. ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami. As of Aug. 19, the FDA has not detected any Cs-137 in shrimp sold in Walmart stores. Although the recall is preventative, the FDA is urging consumers not to eat or serve certain lots of Great Value raw frozen shrimp sold at Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia: Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 The agency is urging consumers who have recently purchased raw frozen shrimp from Walmart that matches the recalled brand and lot numbers to throw the seafood away. A Back to School Dance at an Alabama junior high has turned into a possible criminal investigation. Odenville Middle School held the dance on Friday night. Since then, there have been multiple social media reports of inappropriate behavior that included boys lifting up girls dresses and taking photos and/or videos. School officials addressed the situation Tuesday on Facebook, saying many of these posts contain inaccurate information from individuals not connected to Odenville Middle School or St. Clair County Schools. Please be assured that OMS faculty and staff, along with St. Clair County Schools Central Office, are taking this matter very seriously, the statement read. We are working closely with the St. Clair County Sheriffs Office as part of the ongoing investigation. The safety of our students is, and will always be, our top priority. We encourage any students with direct knowledge of these events to speak with OMS administration or file an official report with the St. Clair County Sheriffs Office. Odenville Police Chief Glenn Walton confirmed an investigation is ongoing but said that probe is being led by the St. Clair County Sheriffs Office, which provides school resource officers to the county schools. The St. Clair County Sheriffs Office was made aware as soon as it happened, Walton said. I know theyre actively looking into it. Odenville police and sheriffs deputies responded to the scene that night. The sheriffs office and the schools do a great job of looking into these issues, Walton said. Theyre very thorough. We have been requested by school authorities to investigate the incident. When the investigation is complete we will meet with juvenile authorities" a statement from the sheriffs office read. Government offices arent usually known for their beauty, but thanks to a recent ranking, five Alabama buildings are being recognized for their lack of it. Five Alabama buildings were among the ranks of those included in a list of the 100 ugliest public buildings in the United States recently released by the New Jersey Real Estate Network. The ranking results were determined after more than 3,000 people completed a survey about which buildings in the United States they found the least appealing. The five buildings located within our state given the unwanted honor of being featured on the ranking were the Tuscaloosa County Public Works Building, which garnered 10th place, as well as the Florence-Lauderdale Government Building that came in at No. 19 and the Decatur City Hall Annex, placed 60th. In addition, the Dothan Civic Center was ranked No. 84 while the Gadsden Public Library followed as No. 85. Not every government building gets the same level of affection as a courthouse with columns or a historic city hall, according to the ranking. In fact, when over 3,000 people were asked to weigh in on the countrys ugliest public buildings, the results painted a fascinating - and often concrete-colored - picture of civic architecture across the U.S. Alabama is the state with the most buildings included in the ranking. The top five buildings ranked the least attractive in the survey were City of Flint Municipal Center in Michigan; Fresno County Superior Court in California; Buffalo City Court in New York; Jackson County Courts Building in Mississippi and Philadelphia Municipal Services Building in Pennsylvania. For more information, read the full ranking. Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch rides in the Knights of Revelry parade on Fat Tuesday 2025 in downtown Mobile. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com The sheriff of Mobile County is walking back a threat he made on his private social media to identify a judge he claims has made some of the worst rulings concerning criminals cases. Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch posted on his personal Facebook Monday voicing his disapproval with the unidentified circuit court judge and said the judge may as well be a defense attorney. Attention law abiding citizens and supporters of animal rights, Burch said, in recent months a particular Mobile County Circuit Judge has made some of the worst rulings from the bench for criminal cases. This Judge might as well be a defense attorney because he is doing their work for them! The recent rulings are despicable from a criminal justice perspective. I will soon be posting an open letter with details and the name of the Judge. However, on Tuesday, the sheriffs office put out a statement attempting to distance Burchs post from the agency in which he leads saying, The comments reflect his personal views and were not issued by this office. The sheriffs office also said Burch will not be providing the name of the judge as it may jeopardize ongoing criminal cases. Sheriff Burch and the Mobile County Sheriffs Office are committed to transparency and sharing information with the media and public, the agency said. However, because this involves ongoing cases before the Judge, Sheriff Burch and the Mobile County Sheriffs Office will not jeopardize ongoing prosecutions with further comments. Dr. Phil speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP Trinity Broadcasting Network, former business partner of Dr. Phils now-bankrupt Merit Street Media, filed a counterclaim against the TV personality -- alleging he engaged in a scheme to fleece the Christian broadcasting company and enrich himself and his associates and affiliates. Merit Street Media, formed as a joint venture between TBN and Phil McGraws Peteski Productions, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on July 2, 2025. Concurrently, Merit Street sued TBN, alleging breach of contract and claiming it abused its position as the controlling shareholder. TBN, in its countersuit filed Tuesday (Aug. 19) in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Northern District of Texas, named as defendants McGraw and Peteski, which is the proposed debtor-in-possession lender of Merit. Trinity Broadcasting accused McGraw and Peteski of fraudulent inducement and breach of contract. A copy of the complaint is at this link. The response to TBN legitimately and lawfully defending itself from Peteski and McGraws bad-faith attacks is to cry foul because they do not like the true facts that they themselves now regretfully put at issue before this Court, revealing McGraws true illicit intent and wrongful conduct which he self-described as a gangster move and as 11th-hour poker, Trinity said in the complaint. TBN said Peteski and McGraw engaged in a years-long fraudulent scheme that they developed and executed to fleece TBN, a not-for-profit corporation, to enrich McGraw, his associates and affiliates. TBN is confident that the truth will set it free, and result in Peteski and McGraw being held accountable for their reprehensible conduct. A rep for McGraws Peteski Productions said in a statement to Variety, TBNs latest lawsuit is riddled with provable lies, and is part of a lawfare litigation strategy designed to distract people so no one notices when TBN ultimately is held accountable for walking away from its commitments here. Among other things, they claim we didnt create any episodes. A simple check of IMDb tells the real story -- we created more than 200 episodes. People lost their jobs and Peteski Productions has incurred millions of dollars of losses because of TBNs bad behavior. We will continue to fight for justice in this case. According to TBN, in 2022, McGraw sought to strike a deal with Trinity as a potential network to replace CBS as a producing and distribution partner for the Dr. Phil Show. McGraw specifically represented to TBN that he wanted to change networks because of what he perceived to be CBSs censorship of the content aired on the Dr. Phil Show, TBNs complaint said. As McGraw put it, I dont want snot-nose lawyers telling me what I can and cant say on TV. On Jan. 10, 2023, TBN entered into a binding letter of intent with Peteski to create Merit Street Media and paid McGraws company $20 million on Jan. 12. Under the agreement, Merit Street was owned 70% by TBN and 30% by Peteski. However, according to TBN, Peteski had misrepresented to Trinity that CBS was selling out the advertising inventories for the Dr. Phil Show and that the new programming McGraw would create for TBN would be 90-minute shows, rather than the then-current 60-minute shows, in order to increase overall ad revenue through the longer show format. Moreover, Peteski told TBN that the then-current $68 million annual production costs for the Dr. Phil Show would be reduced by at least 40% by moving all related production activities from California to Texas and not bringing any current personnel associated with show to Texas, as well as eliminating unionized employees and benefits and reducing overall headcount, among other cost-saving measures. According to TBNs suit, even though McGraw had previously represented that he would substantially reduce production costs by eliminating all the high union salaries of the then-existing Dr. Phil Show personnel and would use TBN personnel or hire local Texans, McGraw instead caused Merit Street to hire dozens of existing employees from the Dr. Phil Show whom he claimed were essential. By May 2023, McGraws essential employees numbered at least 30 individuals, many of whom were pre-existing union-based employees who were paid California union-based compensation and expected comparable union-type hours and benefits, the Trinity lawsuit said. Per the agreement forming the joint venture, TBN would provide production and distribution services to Merit Street. In return, Peteski was obligated to provide new content, including 160 (90 minute) new, topical episodes of the show Dr. Phil (the Show) delivered over 24-27 production weeks, as needed, according to the TBN complaint. For that, McGraw (through Peteski) would receive a whopping $50 million per year for ten years -- a total of $500 million, if (and only if) Peteski and McGraw performed. By June 2024, however, Peteski and McGraw had not produced a single 90-minute episode, let alone the 160 episodes required by the [contract], and based on its production schedules, apparently had no intent to produce the new content required under the [contract] in the remaining weeks on the production calendar, the TBN lawsuit alleged. In an effort to shift blame for their failures to TBN, Peteski and McGraw accused TBN of breaching its obligations under the [contract] and not providing Peteski and McGraw with the resources they needed to produce content for Merit Street. In addition, McGraw refused to allow Merit Street to air old episodes of the Dr. Phil Show, which TBN said it had asked him to do in an effort to keep programming costs down and capture McGraws previous viewer base. Peteski, in filing last week opposing motions made by TBN and Professional Bull Riders -- Merit Streets largest creditor with a $181 million debt claim -- disputed TBNs claim that McGraw failed to produce any of the promised episodes of Dr. Phil Primetime under the JV agreement. The evidence will show that TBN and Peteski decided to fit Dr. Phil Primetime into a 60-minute time slot despite there being enough footage shot to accommodate the longer time period and, indeed, Dr. Phil Primetime did stream after the initial hour was over, Peteski said in the filing. Following the launch of Merit TV in April 2024, it became clear that McGraw and Peteski could not deliver the viewership numbers, product integrations, or advertising revenues they previously promised to TBN. TBN expressed its disappointment with the lack of viewership, product integrations, and advertising to Peteski and McGraw, TBN said in the lawsuit. In fact, McGraw apparently never made any introductions to the advertisers and product integrators that he had claimed would follow him wherever he went. When confronted about the lack of viewership, product integration, and advertising issues, McGraw admitted that his team had failed to live up to what was represented and expected and assured TBN that his team would make a better effort going forward. Meanwhile, despite TBN making its full library of content available to be used to fill Merit Streets 24-hour broadcast schedule as needed, McGraw and/or the management team hired at McGraws direction rejected most of the TBN programming, Trinitys suit alleged. McGraw and Peteski instead insisted that Merit Street enter into expensive distribution deals with McGraws friends, including Steve Harvey, Nancy Grace, Chris Harrison and Lauren Zima, to TBNs (and Merit Streets) detriment, per the complaint. By the end of June 2024, TBN had spent more than $100 million on Merit Street, which included building out and expanding studio facilities and office space -- and a helipad -- in Fort Worth, Texas, for McGraws use, according to the lawsuit. The TBN expenses had to be recorded as loans to the company because neither Peteski nor McGraw had contributed anything of value for Peteskis 30% ownership interest, per the Trinity lawsuit. TBN continued funding Merit Streets operations at the rate of $9 million to $13 million per month (recorded as additional loans) under Peteskis and McGraws direction and management (or lack thereof), the suit said. On Aug. 1, 2024, TBN informed McGraw that it would be amenable to increasing Peteskis ownership share in Merit Street from 30% to 70% (thereby decreasing TBNs ownership share from 70% to 30%) subject to the parties addressing a multitude of outstanding deal points to be finalized, per TBNs lawsuit. But McGraw never intended to perform any steps beyond the initial stock swap, according to the complaint. Indeed -- unbeknownst to TBN -- McGraw described his plan on August 3, 2024, as a gangster move to reduce TBN to nothing more than a passive minority investor role in Merit Street, according to the TBN suit. (In Peteskis Aug. 12 filing with the bankruptcy court, McGraws lawyers said the gangster move statement was made by misrepresenting an email [from Dr. Phil] which TBN improperly and illegally accessed off its server which it was hosting for the Debtor as part of its contractually obligated services under the JV agreement; the lawyers did not provide context for the gangster move comment.) With its cash reserves depleted by its funding of Merit Street, TBN listed its company airplane for sale in November 2024 for $17 million to raise money to fund its own business needs and reduce its own overhead. TBN had not yet sold the plane as of February 2025; according to Trinitys lawsuit, McGraw claimed he could take the plane, sell it and provide funds to fund Merit Street. In yet another artificially rush deal, McGraw convinced TBN to sell the airplane to Peteski, the suit alleged. As soon as McGraw thought the deal was in hand, rather than converting the airplane to cash, he filed a flight plan to use the airplane to travel to New Orleans that week, presumably to attend the Super Bowl. To TBNs knowledge, the aircraft has never been sold and is still in a McGraw-controlled company in Europe, according to the broadcasting companys suit. Merit Streets Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing last month came as a surprise to TBN because it still controlled two of the three directors on Merit Streets board and had not approved the bankruptcy petition, the broadcaster said in the complaint. Peteski and McGraw formed a new company, Envoy Media Co., which was incorporated in Delaware one day before Merit Street filed for bankruptcy, according to TBNs suit. [D]uring the same time they were allegedly negotiating with TBN to restructure Merit Street, McGraw and Peteski were making plans to create a new company, Envoy, to replace Merit Street, the Trinity lawsuit said. The day after Merit Street filed the Chapter 11 case, all but six of the remaining Merit Street employees were laid off; meanwhile, TBN has reason to believe that former Merit Street employees and contractors are performing services for Envoy, the lawsuit alleged. In its complaint, TBN seeks unspecified monetary damages, as well as a rescission of its deal with McGraws Peteski and the stock amendment. In addition, the company asks for declarations that TBNs designated Merit Street board members, Matthew Crouch and Samuel Smadja, were properly appointed to Merit Streets board of directors; that McGraw and/or Peteski lacked the authority to remove them from the board; and that, as such, the court issue a permanent injunction ordering Crouch and Smadja be restored to their positions on the board. 2025 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC This is an opinion column. Get my weekly newsletter, The Barbershop. Sign up here for free! Something is stirring, finally. Something is stirring the somnolence of Birminghams Civil Rights District. Something is on the verge of sprouting from the hallowed, long-neglected soil near downtown an area that should be a beacon to all who honor resistance, resiliency and sacrifice. That should be bearing the fruits of economic development, yet lies mostly dormant as historic buildings deteriorate, lots languish empty and overgrown, and fearless voices fade. Something is stirring, though, and Herschell Hamiltons hand is all over it.. Hamilton, who grew up in Titusville, is a builder. Of real estate projects. Of coalitions. The district sorely needs both, as I wrote earlier this summer, to become the vibrant historic and economic hub it should have been long ago. To be a place that truly honors what happened there and who made it happen. If theres one area in the city of Birmingham that we wanted to have a role in helping redevelop, it was the Civil Rights District, said Hamilton, the managing partner of the BLOC Global Group, which has developed commercial and residential properties throughout the Birmingham region, as well as in Memphis and Georgia. Now, what we cant do is just leave it to chance. Stakeholders cant just be passive bystanders. Everybodys got to get on the same page and work together to enhance the overall experience and enhance the cultural assets, so that it really becomes a special place. Hamiltons father was the first African American board-certified general surgeon in the city. The dog bite doctor is what they called Dr. Herschell Lee Hamilton for treating the young victims of Bull Connors police dogs on the district grounds that are now Kelly Ingram Park. To be sure, stirring the historic area downtown where blood was shed, children were attacked and prayers were lifted will require more than one, but someone has to grasp the mantle. Someone must stir the districts disparate property owners, public officials and a private sector that has for too long remained on the periphery. Someone had to stir them into enough-is-enough mode. Stir them into moving. Concurrently and collectively. With urgency. READ: Lack of economic vibrancy in Birminghams civil rights district fails its legacy Two years ago, Hamiltons firm and dentist Dr. Charlesia McLin purchased and redeveloped a two-story building on 7th Ave North near 16th Street. It rests in the shadow of the historic 16th Street Baptist Church one block south and is the revived cornerstone of a two-block stretch that includes historic St. John A.M.E. Church and the Ballard House, a community center that once housed Hamiltons fathers office and where BLOC was birthed. The Dental Wellness Center of Birmingham occupies the ground level of the refurbished gray-stone building; BLOC, after several years of being headquartered elsewhere downtown, is upstairs. We decided to essentially go back home, Hamilton said. BLOC is in the process of buying the properties to the east and west of its headquarters. The buildings to the west are slated to be repurposed into a cultural center that will include an art gallery, studios and retail. Multi-family housing and a food spot will rise on the empty lot to the east. Hamilton hopes to begin work on both properties in early 2026. Construction is a long-term process, he tells me one afternoon outside his building. You cant think of a project one day and then be under construction the next day. READ: More than a church, 16th Street Baptist must not be left alone in revitalizing civil rights district Hamilton is also in various stages of discussion with owners of other properties within the two blocks to develop commercial, office and residential spaces, and restaurants. Family faith and business innovation centers are among the initial plans. At the same time, Hamilton is stirring the collective. We have plans to not only redevelop the entire block but to participate in the redevelopment of significantly greater projects within the Birmingham Civil Rights District because its completely underdeveloped, he says. In what might be the first hint of an esprit de corps among district stakeholders, Hamilton says he has conversed with public officials, private developers and owners of properties elsewhere in the district. In an area like the Civil Rights district, you have a broad base of property owners, so all of the activities in the district have to take into account the interests of all those property owners, Hamilton says. It is likely that many of these projects will be public-private partnerships, meaning theyll have to secure incentives from the public sector to become a reality. Investment should emerge from a plethora of sources, including opportunity zone funds and nonprofit development entities, as well as traditional developers whove shown an interest in the regions historic properties. Says Hamilton: That means coordinating development planning, infrastructure, inclusion and different capitalization strategies because youve got such a broad base of ownership. Five years ago, Urban Impact and Rev Birmingham co-authored a master plan for development of the district. It called for a community-based process for aligning future investment and development and outlined catalytic development on three sites. One included a hotel, residences, multilevel parking, a majestic event space and mixed-use development on two properties between 6th and 7th Ave North and 16th and 17th Streets properties owned by Alabama Power that have long been seen as linchpins to development in the area. In a rare public comment about their intentions for the properties, the company said in a statement to AL.com: Alabama Power has strong partnerships with stakeholders and city officials, communicating regularly about how we can best move our communities forward. We have no current plans to develop property in downtown Birmingham but support the citys vision for the civil rights district. Its expectably vague, so heres my translation: Were ready. Show us something yall love. Once the muck settles following next weeks municipal elections, expect a convening of civil rights district stakeholders as an initial, yet vital step in a long-overdue thrust toward economic vibrancy. Within five years, the district will be totally transformed, Hamilton says. Finally. Lets be better tomorrow than we are today. Way better, I pray. My column appears on AL.com, and digital editions of The Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, and Mobile Press-Register. Tell me what you think at rjohnson@al.com, and follow me at twitter.com/roysj, Instagram @roysj and BlueSky. As solicitor general for Alabama, Edmund LaCour helped the Alabama Legislature defy the federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, in order to dilute Black voting power. Now Donald Trump wants him on the federal bench. AP This is an opinion column. Get Kyle Whitmires newsletter, Alabamafication. Sign up here for free . When Edmund LaCour appears before the U.S. Senate for his confirmation hearing to become a federal judge, there will be questions. And when that day comes, there are a few I would like to hear the Alabama solicitor general answer under oath. Is the Alabama Legislature racist? Is it OK to defy federal court orders, including a directive from the Supreme Court? What role did you play in Alabamas repeated and incessant defiance of said court orders? How much did this obstinate crusade of yours cost Alabama taxpayers? And why did Donald Trump appoint you to the federal bench? In Alabama, the attorney general is the states top law enforcement official, but when the state appears in court, its typically the solicitor general who does the talking. For now, that person is LaCour. As solicitor general, LaCour argued the Milligan v. Allen case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The plaintiff, Evan Milligan, sued the state for drawing congressional maps that diluted the influence of Black voters in all but one district. The lower courts agreed and ordered the state to redraw the maps to fix it. And this wasnt some panel of namby-pamby leftist activist judges. Two of the three judges were themselves Trump appointees. When Alabama appealed, many thought the Supreme Court would use the case to gut whats left of the Voting Rights Act. But the state performed so badly before the high court that it lost what was supposed to be a layup of a case. The lawyer arguing for Alabama? LaCour. Typically, when the U.S. Supreme Court tells someone, We find that you are wrong and you have to do it this way, whether you like it or not, thats where things end. But this is Alabama were talking about. The Alabama Legislature drew another congressional map that promised the same results as its old one. When the judges asked LaCour why the state had refused to obey their rulings, LaCour argued that it couldnt be done constitutionally. So finally, the court redrew the map itself. In one of its recent rulings, the judges came as close as federal judges come to calling the state racist. Alabama had defied the court in order to deliberately hurt Black voting power, they said. During this legal back-and-forth, something peculiar came to light. Not only was LaCour representing the Alabama Legislature during its defiance of the federal court orders, but he was also helping the Legislature do things a lawyer in such a position typically wouldnt helping to draw the defiant maps and writing talking points called legislative findings for lawmakers to include in the bill making the maps law. One of the plaintiffs lawyers asked state Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, how he knew LaCour had helped draw the maps. He was in the room across from me in reapportionment working on maps, Pringle said under oath. State Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, testified that he didnt know why the Legislature included the legislative findings in the bill it passed which is odd considering he co-chairs the reapportionment committee. However, he did know where they came from. LaCour gave them to him, he testified. LaCour wasnt simply a lawyer representing a stubborn client in a difficult case. Rather, according to the testimony, he took an active role in the states defiance of the federal court defiance the judges called an intentional effort to dilute Black Alabamians voting strength and evade the unambiguous requirements of court orders standing in the way. In short, LaCour took part in an effort to hurt minority voters, to thumb his nose at the federal courts, and to gut whats left of the Voting Rights Act an attack on the law so nakedly brazen that the Supreme Court wouldnt go along with it. And this silly, stubborn fight has already cost Alabama millions. So far the state has paid out more than $5 million to cover the legal fees for the people who sued. And thats just the cost of the first half of this court fight. More bills will soon come due. And that doesnt even include the costs of the states defense, special legislative sessions, expensive consultants for drawing the maps, travel costs for all involved This has been one pricey fools errand. And for what? No, really. Not a rhetorical question. For what? Alabamas contribution to the Voting Rights Act began at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where civil rights heroes including the late John Lewis were beaten by the state for daring to demand equal voting rights. Sixty years later, the Legislature and LaCour still stubbornly fight to end the protections that law put into place. The 2020 redistricting cycle in Alabama the first cycle in 50 years that Alabama has been free of the strictures of federal preclearance did not have to turn out this way, the judges wrote. We wish it had not, but we have eyes to see the veritable mountain of evidence that it did. The Alabama Legislature acted with a racist intent. The state then defied federal court orders. It did so with the direct help of its lawyer, LaCour, who in some instances had a closer hand on their work product and better understanding than the lawmakers themselves. And it did so in an effort to overturn a federal law Alabama heroes once bled for. Which leaves the question, why would Trump appoint him to the federal bench? In this instance, perhaps, the question answers itself. Kyle Whitmire is the Washington watchdog columnist for AL.com and winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize. Subscribe to his newsletter, Alabamafication. Its free. Accusations of voter interference and criticism over absentee ballot access set the stage for another dramatic showdown between a small town mayor and the city clerk just a week before the Aug. 26 municipal election. Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton, in the last city council meeting before the election, accused City Clerk Laverne Knight of being absent when residents arrived to request absentee ballots and during visits by election officials. Weve had several people show up here at city hall requesting absentee ballots and the clerk wasnt there, and Ive instructed staff to refer any and everything related to the election to the clerk, Newton said Monday evening. Thats an issue that I think that the council and the clerk should be aware of and needs to be rectified. Newton said two people were upset and claimed voter interference because the clerk was not there to give them an absentee ballot. Knight stood to her feet in protest. You are always lying. Stop lying, she said. You are always putting me down. All this drama. Always, trying to belittle me. Dont do this to me. Knight said it was Newton who was interfering in the process with his questions to her as an election official. This is a conflict of interest for you to start questioning the election manager, she said. Newton, who is seeking a second term, said his concerns were not self-serving. I know that youre saying that Im being political, but I know for a fact that the person who showed up today is not voting for me. But I think that he still deserves the right to cast an absentee ballot regardless of who hes going to vote for, he said. Knight said she leaves city hall in her official duties, including delivering absentee ballots to homebound or incapacitated residents. Without help from city staff, visitors to city hall must wait when she is away, she said. If they can walk, they can wait, Knight said. But there are some out there that cannot walk. There are some that are on oxygen tanks. There are some on strollers. They come first. If they want me to come see them for their vote, Im willing to go. Councilwoman and President Pro-tem Tracie Threadford interrupted the exchange. Theadford, who is also a candidate for mayor, told Knight to maintain regular hours in the office, deliver needed ballots as needed after hours to homebound residents, and also post a sign with instructions for residents when she is away from the office. Lets make sure that city hall is available to all residents who would like to come in and vote absentee going forward, she said. Newton has said that the clerk answers to the city council and her duties are at their direction. A series of legal, political and personal fights among the mayor and council has left the town of 6,000 bitterly divided for more than four years. Tarrant is just northeast of Birmingham. Both Knight and Theadford also asked Newton if his staff could take messages when people come to city hall and the clerk is absent. He said no, because Knight accused them of interference when they had tried to help. Your staff is no help at all, Knight said. Theyve never been right from day one because youve instructed them not to help me at all. The argument Monday was the latest in a series of public spats between the mayor and the clerk. The two rarely communicate after previous personal and professional clashes. Knight was the favored choice by both Newton and the Tarrant council when she was hired. But the cordial relationship with Newton and Knight collapsed. Since then, Knight has sought an arrest warrant against Newton on accusations that he illegally blocked access to records she needed to do her job. A judge later tossed out that warrant. Monday Knight turned to the audience to explain her tone with the mayor. I do my best, and then you wonder why I talk to him the way I talk to him, she said. He always belittles me. Election day for mayor and city council in Tarrant will be Tuesday. Members of the Central Alabama Water, formerly the Birmingham Water Works Board, gather during a regular meeting Aug. 18, 2025. Roy S. Johnson/AL.com The new Birmingham regional water board this week fired a well-known local lobbyist - but kept another lobbyist based in Montgomery. The contract for the Jones Group, headed by lobbyist Greg Jones was terminated Monday night in a split vote and following contentious debate where one board member derided the move as unfair. Board members for Central Alabama Water, formerly the Birmingham Water Works Board, voted 4 to 2 to end Jones contract. As has been the case repeatedly since the Alabama Legislature took control of the utility, the vote was split down party, racial and geographic lines, with two Birmingham board members on the losing side. The utility had two lobbying firms, the Jones Group and Montgomery-based Fine, Geddie & Associates. Both were paid $15,000 a month. Board member and Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson said it was unfair to fire Jones, who has a presence in the Birmingham area, while keeping Fine, Geddie & Associates, a longtime Montgomery-based firm. Board attorney Shan Paden said the Jones Group had an unsolvable conflict because the firm currently serves both the water works and the city of Birmingham. Jones, who attended the board meeting, declined to comment to AL.com. Jones has been in his industry for more than 20 years. The vote fell along usual party and geographic lines. Both Birmingham appointees, Tyson and Jarvis Patton voted against ending the contract while State Rep. David Standridge R-Blount County abstained. Just be fair. We know the rabbits got the gun, Tyson said. If youre going to get rid of Jones, get rid of everybody. The city and the water utility remain embroiled in a legal showdown in federal court over the legitimacy of a state law that changed the board structure which ended Birminghams dominance on the board leaving the city which has previously controlled the utility - and where most of its customers reside -with just two votes. The former water works board in January signed agreements worth $360,000 to hire both firms. Officials at the time said the lobbyists would help better communicate its mission to customers and to lawmakers. However, that was before the legislature passed a sweeping law that changed the entire utility, booted them out of office and ushered in the current board leadership. Shouldnt we attempt to resolve that issue as a board? Patton asked. I just believe in due process. Patton made a motion to delay action until more information was gathered regarding the conflict. That proposal was voted down. Board member Bill Morris agreed with Tyson partially, saying he promises to vote to end the contract with Fine and Geddie once it comes up for renewal at the end of the year. Morris is also general manager of the Leeds Water Works. I promise you, come Jan. 1 when Fine and Geddie comes up, Im voting yes for them, Morris said regarding ending the companys contract. All we do is sell water. All these lobbyists we sell water. In other business, the authority amended its contract with communications firm Direct Communications in half to a monthly fee of $18,000. While the water board closed the pocketbook to some of its contractors, the utility also opened the checkbook for others, paying $138,000 in legal fees from three firms for July. August 20, 2025: Over the past twenty years, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has undergone significant reorganization. The most recent effort involves adopting drone warfare, which continues to evolve in the Ukraine War. The Marines expect thousands of drones to be in the hands of Marines by the end of the year. Marines have already been trained to maintain, operate, and optimize their new drone capabilities. Many young Marines, familiar with video games, are well-prepared to handle drones, a trend also observed among Ukrainian soldiers. Drone adoption, however, encounters existing challenges. Over recent decades, Marine weapons and equipment have become heavier, as demonstrated during joint operations with Army units. This has made the average Marine combat unit less mobile for amphibious operations. In response, Marine commanders advocate for a smaller force focused on its core mission: amphibious and commando-type operations. The reorganization process, underway for several years, has led to the disbandment or transfer to reserves of many tank, artillery, aviation, engineer, and military police support units. Three of the current 24 Marine infantry battalions and one regimental headquarters are also being deactivated. The Marine Corps is now prioritizing the Pacific and potential conflicts with China, aiming to return to World War II-style operations, when Marines excelled at capturing fortified islands from Japanese garrisons. The pre-reorganization Marine Corps, which gained significant armor, engineer, and artillery units, evolved in 2001 to support major operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other regions, requiring forces similar to the Armys. The last major reorganization occurred in the 1980s, when the Marines transformed their divisional and regimental headquarters into administrative units and created new fighting organizations. Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) became reinforced infantry battalions, while Marine Expeditionary Brigades (MEBs) were brigades with support units for independent operations. Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEFs) served as headquarters for controlling MEUs and MEBs. During large operations, traditional regimental and divisional designations were used, but units were essentially MEBs controlled by an MEF. This task-oriented structure persists, and the Army adopted a similar brigade-focused model nearly twenty years ago, with divisional headquarters serving as tactical command for brigades. Many Marines have been dissatisfied with their role as an Army auxiliary since 2001. The Marines view themselves as specialists, while the Army is seen as generalists who, notably, conducted more amphibious operations than the Marines during World War II. By 2013, Marines comprised a quarter of Americas active-duty ground combat forces. When including the larger Army reserve force, Marines accounted for 18 percent of ground combat forces. The Marines never wanted to be just another component of American ground forces, leading to internal tensions. Some commanders sought to maintain a broad range of skills, sparking disputes over developing and procuring specialized equipment, particularly amphibious and armored vehicles. Ultimately, traditionalists prevailed, and the Marines are now returning to their World War II roots. The Marines are also concerned about their relationship with the U.S. Navy, which has formed its own ground combat force. To understand this dynamic, its important to clarify the Navy-Marine relationship. The Marines are not part of the Navy, as often described, but both are components of the Department of the Navy. Unlike the Departments of the Army and Air Force, which each oversee one service, the Navy Department oversees two: the fleet and the Marines. These services are closely intertwined. For example, the Navy provides support functions for the Marines, such as medics, who serve in Marine units wearing Marine combat uniforms. This allows a higher proportion of Marines to be combat troops compared to the Navy, Army, or Air Force, fostering a distinct Marine ethos. Over time, the Marines have gained increasing autonomy from the Navy. When the U.S. Marine Corps was established over two centuries ago, Marines were sailors trained as infantry, fully integrated into ship crews. This changed in the late 19th century with the advent of all-metal steamships, which reduced the need for Marines. Facing potential elimination, the Marines adapted, serving as State Department troops in Latin America from the late 19th century to just before World War II, addressing civil disorder and nation-building. During World War I (19141918), Marines provided a brigade for ground combat in Europe, showcasing exceptional combat skills. In the 1930s, as World War II loomed, the Marines embraced amphibious warfare, preparing for assaults on fortified Japanese islands. During World War II, the Marines formed their first division-sized units, ending the war with six divisions organized into two corps. Only four divisions survived post-war demobilization, one of which is now a reserve division. After World War II, the Marine Corps evolved from a minor Navy component into a de facto fourth service by the late 20th century. However, the Navy retained amphibious ships carrying Marine battalions. As the war on terror emphasized infantry-scale operations, Marines spent significant time on land alongside the Army. In response, the Navy established the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) in 2006, with 40,000 sailors trained for ground combat. NECC operates along coasts and rivers and can deploy inland. Its 1,200-sailor Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams are in high demand due to increased use of roadside bombs and booby traps. NECCs three Riverine Squadrons served in Iraq. Comprising traditional naval combat support units and coastal/riverine patrol units, NECC was scaled back to 20,000 sailors after U.S. troop commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan declined post-2011. The Marines are content to let NECC handle coastal and riverine operations. NECCs creation surprised many, including Congress, which funded it, and NECC sailors themselves. The Navy even enlisted Marines to train sailors for riverine armed patrol boat units. The Navy already had infantry training for Seabees and EOD teams, now consolidated into the Expeditionary Combat Skills (ECS) course in Mississippi. Initially, the Marine Corps had mixed feelings about NECC, as Marines have long been the Navys ground combat force. Some Marine leaders advocate shrinking the Corps to focus on Navy amphibious operations, avoiding large-scale Army support roles. In effect, many Marine commanders aspire to emulate the British Royal Marines, known as Royal Marine Commandos. Britain pioneered the modern commando concept but disbanded its ten Army commando units after World War II. The Royal Marines adopted the commando role, retaining three of their nine commando battalions. Unlike the U.S. Marines, Royal Marines rely on Army artillery and engineer support. Like their American counterparts, Royal Marines view amphibious assaults as commando-like operations requiring specialized training and bold leadership. In 1956, a Royal Marine Commando launched the first helicopter assault from ships during the invasion of Egypt. Royal Marines served in Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s, recaptured the Falkland Islands in 1982 alongside an Army parachute battalion, and conducted peacekeeping in the Balkans and Africa. While U.S. Marines gained fame for multi-division amphibious operations in the Pacific during World War II, Royal Marines focused on commando-style operations, typical of Marine missions between major wars. The last large-scale amphibious operation was at Inchon, Korea, in 1950. Since then, Marine missions have typically involved quick, battalion-sized assaults. In 2006, the Marine Corps established the Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) to align with this focus. MARSOCs 2,500 personnel have been active in South America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. Organized into a headquarters, a two-battalion Special Operations Regiment, a Foreign Military Training Unit, and a Marine Special Operations Support Group, MARSOC includes 34 Special Operations companies per battalion. To build MARSOC, the Marines repurposed two of their four Force Recon companies, including one reserve unit, while expanding division-level reconnaissance units. MARSOCs Special Operations companies, with about 120 personnel each, provide Force Recon capabilities to attached Marine units, combining functions similar to Army Special Forces, Rangers, and Force Recon. MARSOCs creation addressed the Marines delayed integration into Special Operations Command (SOCOM), formed in the late 1980s by other services. The Marines resisted joining SOCOM, believing their warriors were inherently capable of specialized missions. This perspective shifted during Afghanistan operations, where Marines, supporting SOCOM troops, recognized the value of special operations integration. MARSOC was established in 2005 to align with SOCOM. Most Marine commanders envision a smaller, elite forcepotentially reduced by a thirdfocused on amphibious operations. Over the past two decades, the Marines have returned to their maritime roots, preserving valuable combat experience gained since September 11, 2001. Recruiting was reduced temporarily, and some Marines transferred to the Navy, particularly to NECC roles shared by both services. Others moved to the Army, which welcomes combat-experienced Marine NCOs and officers. The Marines also aim to expand their reserve force to retain personnel transitioning to civilian life. The Marines are experimenting with new concepts, such as littoral regiments, to handle missions too challenging or distant for NECC. Within SOCOM, a multi-service organization, the Marines, alongside Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, and special operations aviation units, remain tied to their parent service while dedicated to special operations, ensuring they are not diverted to routine tasks. Gov. Kay Iveys administration is working with the Trump White House to ensure we are doing all we can to support the presidents agenda, including reviewing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in state offices under her authority. Alabama has done good work, but we are not done yet, Ivey spokesperson Gina Maiola said. Her comments come after state Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, said the presence of an Office of Minority Affairs within the governors office was cited by White House officials as a concern. In addition, Elliott said there was undisclosed language within the Alabama Department of Public Healths documents that also raised concerns among White House officials who recently met with a group of Alabama state lawmakers in Washington, D.C. While the Alabama Department of Public Health is not part of the Ivey Administration, we have already sought information on this office in question and are prepared to address it, Maiola said. Its unclear exactly what ADPH has done to draw criticism from the White House, or what language is drawing scrutiny. A spokesperson with the states health agency said the federal government has not reached out to them over any DEI-related concerns. ADPH has been contacted by the Governors office and continues to work closely with them to follow guidance, as provided, said ADPH spokesperson Arrol Sheehan. As part of ongoing collaboration to meet the needs of the citizens of Alabama, ADPH is in the process of reviewing the goals of our programs to align with current expectations. Maiola said that Elliott, along with the rest of the Legislature, passed a law in 2022 to establish the Alabama Office of Minority Affairs as a state agency. The office was first established in 2016, through an executive order. You pick your battles, said Elliott, referring to his support of the unanimous vote behind the agencys creation. The governor wanted a cabinet level official. If that is what she wants, thats fine. Will another governor handle it differently? Yes, I do. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the frontrunner in the 2026 governors race, said hes hopeful there are not problems with following Trumps executive orders within state government, or anywhere else in Alabama. Republican U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama speaks during the annual Association of County Commissions of Alabama summer meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Ala. John Sharp President Trump is holding money back on people who are not complying to his executive orders, Tuberville said after speaking at the Association of County Commissions of Alabamas summer meeting in Orange Beach. I hope that doesnt happen to us in the state where we lose money because we are not complying to the orders. Tuberville said he was unaware of any specific concerns from the White House regarding DEI programs in state. I dont know whether its in business or state government or whether its in universities, he said. But they all have to comply (with Trumps orders). White House concerns Alabama State Sens. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston; and Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, on the floor of the Alabama State Senate on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at the State House in Montgomery, Ala. John Sharp Elliott said there was no discussion in Washington, D.C. about the state losing federal funding because of the DEI-related concerns. He said the meeting in Washington, D.C., was about the White House laying out priorities and that DEI was among them. They said that there are some things in Alabama on this topic that gives us pause, Elliott said the lawmakers were told. One of the priorities of the administration, I dont think its a surprise for anybody, is pushing back on (DEI). And of course, weve made some steps in Alabama on that already. And they were lauding those efforts and understanding that we had already taken a lot of those steps, Elliott said. They were also pointing out some places where they thought that there were some things to be concerned with. And those two really did focus on a lot of the language and some of the initiatives the Department of (Public) Health pushes. And then also with the Office of Minority Affairs under the governors office. The Alabama Office of Minority Affairs, according to its website, is only the second of its kind in the nation. It has a mission statement of ensuring women and minority success by identifying and addressing disparities while fostering inclusion and investing more to enhance political, economic and educational success statewide. Part of the offices role is to provide advice to Iveys office and to state lawmakers on issues impacting minority groups and recommend policies to address disparities. Fallout Trump, after taking office, has issued several executive orders targeting DEI practices primarily in the federal government. The orders have targeted DEI programs, offices and personnel. But they have affected Alabama institutions, and history, as well. In January, the Air Force removed references to the famed Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Air Force Pilots (WASP) from basic training. The Tuskegee Airmen are the group of Black fighter pilots who were based in Alabama and whose success during World War II helped integrate the U.S. military and paved the way for the wider civil rights movement. The Air Force later said the history of both units would remain part of the curriculum. Trump, in April, rescinded a settlement agreement with Alabama regarding raw sewage pollution in Lowndes County, calling it a form of environmental justice that the U.S. Department of Justice will no longer push. Alabama lawmakers have already approved a state law banning DEI initiatives in public schools and the teaching of subjects that Republicans consider divisive concepts related to race and gender. A federal judge last week declined a request to block the Alabama law. States led by GOP governors have taken an aggressive stance to remove DEI initiatives. Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wyoming have all pushed to dismantle DEI programs through state legislative efforts of executive orders. Elliott said that Ivey has the authority to take action with the Office of Minority Affairs. He said he has not heard any state lawmaker discussing action to address the DEI-related concerns. And I think, honestly, youre about to see a change in administration, Elliott said about the installation of a new governor after the 2026 election. What happens then will be interesting. But from a legislators standpoint, Im not championing doing away with some member of the governors cabinet when theres going to be a new governor in a year. Weve got one legislative session left. Were about to have a new governor. I dont see any reason to legislate that. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller speaks, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, listens during a visit to greet members of the National Guard, at Union Station in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Al Drago/Pool via AP AP A top advisor to President Donald Trump mocked the protesters demonstrating against the federalization of the DC police department, referring to them Wednesday as stupid white hippies with no ties to the capital. Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security advisor to Trump, told the elderly white hippies to go home and take a nap. They have no families they are raising in this city. They have no one they are sending to school in this city, no jobs in the city. They have no connection to the community at all, Miller told reporters Wednesday while meeting the National Guard at Union Station in D.C. alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance. But theyre the ones whove been advocating for the 1% -- the criminals, the killers, the rapists, the drug dealers, he continued. And Im glad theyre here today, because me, Pete and the vice president are all gonna leave here, and inspired by them, were gonna add thousands more resources to this city to get the criminals and the gang members out of here ... and were gonna prove that a city can serve for the law-abiding citizens who lie there. Were not gonna let the communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nations capital, Miller said. An estimated 1,900 troops are being deployed in D.C. More than half are coming from Republican-led states. Besides Union Station, theyve mostly been spotted around downtown areas, including the National Mall and metro stops. Protesters chanted free D.C. during the Millers, Hegseths and Vances visit. Miller said the protesters, whom he called elderly white hippies, are not part of the city and never have been. Miller pointed out Washington is overwhelmingly Black. This is not a city that has had any safety for its Black citizens for generations, and President Trump is the one who is fixing that with the support of the Metropolitan Police Department, the support of the National Guard and our federal law enforcement officers. So were gonna ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because theyre all over 90 years old, and were gonna get back to the business of protecting the American people and the citizens of Washington, D.C. The Associated Press contributed to this report. FILE - Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve member Lisa Cook, speaks during a conversations with leaders from organizations that include nonprofits, small businesses, manufacturing, supply chain management, the hospitality industry, and the housing and education sectors at the Federal Reserve building, Sept. 23, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) AP President Donald Trump on Wednesday turned to social media to urge a Federal Reserve official appointed by Joe Biden to resign her post as allegations of mortgage fraud were referred to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Lisa Cook, who sits on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, must resign, now!!! the president posted to his Truth Social account Wednesday. Along with his call for Cooks resignation, Trump posted a Bloomberg News story reporting Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte urged Bondi to investigate Cook over a pair of mortgages. In a letter last week to Bondi, Pulte claimed Cook falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, potentially committing mortgage fraud under the criminal statute, according to Bloomberg News. Pulte alleged Cook took out a mortgage on a Michigan home that she claimed would be her primary residence and then took out another mortgage on a Georgia property that she also said would be her primary residence. Do not declare two principal residences in President Trumps America, Pulte tweeted Wednesday. Mortgage fraud is a serious crime and must be prosecuted as such. He also tweeted that Trump has cause to fire Lisa Cook: I believe the President has cause to fire Lisa Cook. Pulte (@pulte) August 20, 2025 Hours later, Trump took to Truth Social calling on Cook to resign. Cook was appointed by Biden to the Board of Governors in 2022 and reappointed in 2023 for a term that expires in 2038. She is the third Democratic-connected official and the second Black woman Democrat, after New York Attorney General Letitia James, to be accused of mortgage fraud by Trump or his allies. Trump also called on Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., to be prosecuted for mortgage fraud. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to meet with Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) AP President Donald Trump on Tuesday joked about scoring a ticket to heaven by brokering an elusive peace deal in Ukraine after a high-stakes summit meeting with European allies at the White House. A day after the extraordinary gathering of leaders claimed some modest progress toward talks with Russia, Trump predicted the pearly gates would swing wide open for him if he can achieve a breakthrough to end the 3-1/2-year-long war. If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think thats pretty (good), he told Fox News. I want to try to get to heaven if possible. Trump wryly conceded that so far hes fallen short of what might be required to gain favor with St. Peter. Im hearing that Im not doing well, he said. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. Trump suggested he still has a tricky path ahead to arrange a face-to-face meeting between Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, noting that both men need to make concessions. I hope President Putin is going to be good and if hes not, thats going to be a rough situation, he said. And I hope that Zelenskyy, President Zelenskyy, will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility. Russia poured cold water on the idea of a summit in the near future, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying such a sit-down would take a significant amount of time to organize, repeating a familiar pattern of stalling. European leaders left the summit with Trump feeling cautiously optimistic that they limited the damage from the American presidents summit with Putin, after which Trump adopted Kremlin talking points about the conflict. They claimed significant progress in coming up with concrete Western security guarantees for Ukraine that could be included in a potential peace agreement. But they failed to get Trump to revert to his previous stance of demanding an immediate ceasefire, which Putin rejects, meaning the fighting and Russians aerial attacks on Ukraine civilians is unlikely to end anytime soon. -------------- 2025 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Runners who rely on stability running shoes for optimal comfort and performance are in luck as ASICS just dropped its latest running shoe that offers plenty of support and responsiveness: The GT-2000 14, available in mens and womens sizes. As part of ASCIS kaizen (continuous improvement) design philosophy, the GT-2000 14 shoe builds upon its predecessor and introduces some key upgrades. Heres whats new: FF BLAST PLUS midsole foam has been upgraded to full-length FF BLAST MAX cushioning for a more energized ride. A bouncy, trampoline-inspired forefoot pod is strategically placed in the outsole, delivering an amplified toe-off with added stability. A new engineered woven upper offers an improved fit with added stretch, ventilation, and durability. A new asymmetrical tongue delivers improved midfoot comfort. ASICS GT-2000 14 - women's The ASICS women's GT-2000 14 is now available for preorder online. Preorder at Asics.com ASICS GT-2000 14 - men's The ASICS men's GT-2000 14 is now available for preorder online. Preorder at Asics.com REALTED: Brooks just launched its softest running shoe to date Why a stability shoe? According to ASICS, stability shoes are perfect for runners who overpronate, meaning their feet roll inward with each step. These shoes help keep the stride moving forward in a safer, more efficient way, reducing the risk of injury. The GT-2000 14, in particular, uses ASICS 3D Guidance System to provide extra support when its needed, giving runners confidence that their shoes will adapt to their unique motion. Since it first launched in 2012, the GT-2000 series has continued to strike a balance between stability and responsiveness. Sitting alongside bestsellers like the GEL-KAYANO shoe, its a staple among runners who want a daily trainer thats light and nimble with plenty of support, ASICS states. The GT-2000 14 also earned the American Podiatric Medical Associations (APMA) Seal of Acceptance, an award given to footwear that supports proper foot health. To receive this seal, the shoe was reviewed by a committee of podiatrists, doctors who specialize in treating the foot, ankle and structures of the leg. Those interested in this new sneaker drop can check out the full details on ASICS website. In 1995, Margaret Thatcher wrote an article for Imprimis magazine entitled, "The Moral Foundations of Society." She speculated that the most important problems we have today are those having to do with these foundations. She suggested we look at what has transpired in societies lacking moral foundations, such as those ruled by the totalitarian ideologies of Nazism, fascism, and communism. This advice is especially pertinent today. The efforts of the Left to remove Judeo-Christianity from the public square are knocking the moral foundations out from under us. Religious principles offer frameworks that guide individual conduct and foster communal harmony. Thus, they serve as cornerstones for human societies. Judeo-Christian values have been particularly influential in shaping Western civilization. Drawn from the Old and the New Testament, they emphasize concepts such as divine accountability, moral absolutes, and communal responsibility. At their core are principles such as the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, and teachings on justice, mercy, and love. Together, these values provide a strong foundation for ethical behavior and social unity. Judeo-Christian ethics ground morality in a transcendent source, thereby surpassing human preferences and promoting enduring standards. By suggesting that morality originates from a divine creator rather than ephemeral human constructs, Judeo-Christian values offer a clear, authoritative basis for ethical behavior. The Ten Commandments establish absolute moral imperatives, arguing that actions like killing or stealing are inherently wrong because they violate God's will. This divine origin provides a stable, enduring anchor and prevents ethics from devolving into relativism where "right" and "wrong" shift with cultural trends or personal whims. A central concept to this ethical framework is that of human dignity, which is derived from the belief that humans are created in the image and likeness of God. (Genesis 1:27). The principles of equality and respect are therefore underscored by the intrinsic worth of every individual, regardless of status, race, or ability. Jesus' teachings amplify this through parables like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), which emphasizes compassion towards strangers, and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), which calls for forgiveness, humility, and purity of heart. These values encourage self-discipline and moderation, urging individuals to align their personal choices with higher purposes and to resist temptations. The teachings about stewardship and accountability before God emphasize personal responsibility and cultivate virtues like honesty and integrity, essential for trustworthy interactions in daily life. These principles have influenced legal and ethical systems worldwide. For example, the Magna Carta (1215) and the U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776) reflect Judeo-Christian ideas of justice and inalienable rights. Phrases like "endowed by their Creator" reflect a divine foundation for liberty. Judeo-Christian ethics undergird human rights movements, such as the abolition of slavery, where figures like William Wilberforce invoked biblical injunctions against oppression (Exodus 22:21). Religiosity is also linked to ethical business practices, demonstrating that Judeo-Christian values correlate with reduced risk-taking and stronger sustainable cultures, as they instill a sense of accountability beyond profit. These principles go beyond guiding personal morality. They elevate societal standards, making ethical behavior a duty owed to God and neighbor. Judeo-Christian principles foster social cohesion by emphasizing community, mutual support and shared purpose. The Scriptural admonitions to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18 & Matthew 22:39) encourages empathy and solidarity and thus serve as a blueprint for interpersonal relations. The family is emphasized through teachings on honoring one's parents and nurturing children, showing it to be the basic unit of society. Judaic concepts such as tzedakah (charitable giving) and the Christian principle of agape (selfless love) promote welfare for the vulnerable, such as orphans, widows and the poor. (Deuteronomy 15:7-11 & James 1:27). These build trust and interdependence, reducing social fragmentation. Religious observances in Judaism and Christianity create regular opportunities for collective reflection and bonding. They reinforce shared beliefs through prayer, scripture reading, and fellowship, further enhancing cohesion. In the past, these have unified diverse groups. Early Christian communities provided mutual aid networks in the Roman Empire, offering support during persecutions and plagues. Today, faith-based organizations like Catholic Charities or Jewish federations deliver social services that strengthen communal ties. Judeo-Christian principles also emphasize forgiveness and reconciliation, as seen in Jesus' model of turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39). This helps resolve conflicts, preventing grudges from eroding the social fabric. Judeo-Christian values have shaped national identities and legal systems, promoting cohesion through common moral language. In the United States, Judeo-Christianity informs debates on family structure and sanctity of life, fostering a sense of shared heritage. European societies have developed welfare states rooted in biblical calls for justice and mercy, although they are seeing the limits to these systems when subjected to uncontrolled immigration and lack of accountability. Nevertheless, without such foundations, societies risk atomization, where individualism overrides collective well-being. Critics, especially on the Left, argue that religion is not essential for morality or cohesion. Atheists and skeptics contend that religious ethics can justify harm. They cite historical events like the Crusades or Inquisition, where divine mandates were distorted for power. They claim secular frameworks are superior, relying on reason, empathy, and humanism rather than faith. Perhaps they should read up on the French Revolution. Secular morality argues that ethics arise from the human needs for survival and cooperation, such as not harming others so as to maintain tribal harmony. Utilitarianism claims we strive to maximize happiness, while Humanism emphasizes compassion and rights through rational discourse. Proponents of these precepts assert that secular ethics are more adaptable and inclusive, and avoid the dogmatism that can inhibit progress. Millions have abandoned organized religion in the last half-century and these secular ideologies can fill the void. Some, however, have noted the lack of satisfying alternatives for communal rituals or transcendent meaning. Perhaps the rise of protests and environmental activism are substituting for rituals and transcendence. These critiques overlook the ways in which Judeo-Christian values have evolved to address injustices, inspiring reforms like the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr., who invoked biblical justice. Although secular systems are ostensibly rational, they can weaken without an absolute anchor. This can lead to moral relativism where ethics bend to majority rule or power dynamics. There is evidence to suggest that religious societies exhibit higher cohesion through shared rituals and foundations based in transcendent meaning. In summation, Judeo-Christian values provide a foundation for ethical behavior by offering divine imperatives that promote dignity, responsibility, and virtue. They enhance social cohesion through community-building rituals, practices and shared moral commitments. Their centuries-long influence on Western laws, rights, and institutions demonstrates their enduring relevance, even as secular alternatives gain traction. The numerous historical and contemporary examples of benefits affirm their role in sustaining civilized societies. In an era of moral ambiguity, rediscovering these principles could reinvigorate our dialogues and strengthen our communal bonds. Image: Gustave Dore Representatives of NATO and the EU arrived uninvited at the Ukraine negotiations in Washington. And Donald Trump sent them back home with plenty of baggage. For their current predicament, Europeans have only themselves to blame. Now that an end to the bloody conflict in Ukraine seems to be looming with a Russian victory on the horizon, the direction of Europes political travel has turned 180 degrees. Until just months ago, Macron, Scholz, and von der Leyen traveled in glamorous media entourages -- mostly by train -- to Kyiv. Today, Washington has become the sought-after destination. Europeans are now hoping that the very man they have fought against with all (un)lawful means for a decade will bring peace to a conflict they themselves fueled to the last moment -- with money, weapons deliveries, and total disregard for the Ukrainian people and their immense blood toll. President Donald Trump received the delegation, led by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after his negotiation round with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He added them into a broader agenda that also included German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the leaders of Britain, France, Italy, and Finland. Against the backdrop of the recent RussiaGate revelations, Europes constant verbal attacks, and Londons active campaigns against Trump in past U.S. elections, this was in fact a generous gesture from the U.S. president. Europe Plans for a War Economy But the trip ended in disaster for Rutte & Co.: Ukraine is buying 100 billion worth of weapons -- paid for by Europeans. And even in the event of peace, they are now left to guarantee Kyivs security alone. Russia, meanwhile, still holds the stronger cards: Russian forces continue making territorial gains, and it remains unclear how Europeans -- after breaking the Minsk agreement -- intend to convince Moscow to agree to peace. Former German chancellor Angela Merkel admitted in a 2022 interview that the Minsk accords were signed merely to buy time to arm Ukraine. That is the kind of duplicity that destroys trust and makes reconciliation nearly impossible. The key question remains: Why should Russia agree to a ceasefire or even a peace treaty if the other side is only using the pause to consolidate its military power? Inside the EU, the trend points clearly toward militarization and a war economy. Brussels has repeatedly emphasized this. Beyond massive national rearmament, the European Commission itself plans to channel up to 800 billion into a continental defense sector by 2034 -- through direct allocations, loans, and investment guarantees. The stated goal: closing the technological gap with the U.S. and China and transforming the EU into a military superpower. Fatal Messaging Of course, Europeans have the sovereign right to build their own defense industry. But Moscow reads these billions for tanks and missiles as a direct threat. The result: an arms spiral threatening to spin out of control. And even on this crucial day of negotiations, von der Leyen and Macron repeated that sanctions pressure on Russia must be maintained and weapons deliveries to Ukraine secured. Conciliation, bridge-building diplomacy -- no longer the EUs business. Von der Leyen insisted that Europe would keep economic and diplomatic pressure on Russia as long as bloodshed continued. We will tighten sanctions further. We have already passed 18 packages and are preparing the 19th for early September. Macron added that there would be no limits to the size of Ukraines armed forces. Does this sound like a war party truly interested in peace? Europes Decline What yesterday revealed once more: European politics has slipped into the second league of power within the global balance between the U.S., China, and Russia. And Trump knows how to stage that fact in front of the cameras. One photo showed the European delegation lined up like schoolboys in front of the massive oak table of the Oval Office -- a further humiliation after the devastating trade deal they were forced to swallow. The EUs entire strategy was based solely on pushing the U.S. into the Ukrainian battlefield and finishing the war on Europes behalf -- just as it has tried in past major conflicts. But Trump, and thats what makes him so dangerous from a European perspective, is pursuing a patriotic, U.S.-centered foreign policy -- de-escalating postcolonial conflicts and pulling America out of geopolitical entanglements. That strategy includes withdrawing from the Ukraine war. The power structure Trump envisions is trade-based, rooted in the dominance of the U.S. dollar, capital market integration, and an attractive investment climate. For Europes quarrels over energy and old-world conflicts, he has no interest. European Interests The Europeans left Washington not only empty-handed. They were effectively reduced to middlemen for U.S. arms deliveries to Ukraine and left to foot the bill. European taxpayers and new debts will finance Americas weapons industry -- the next deal Trump adds to his ledger. The historical irony is unmistakable: centuries after the U.S. declared independence from its European masters, the old continent is now reduced to paying tribute to its former colony. That is exactly what is happening when the EU commits itself -- out of economic and military weakness and energy dependence -- to buying American LNG and financing American weapons for Ukraine. The European age of geopolitical dominance is over. It ended with World War II, when the U.S. and later China claimed hegemonic power. Trump has now reminded Europe, for the second time, that the new gravitational center of global politics lies firmly in the Pacific. The state of Texas is generating considerable buzz ahead of the 2026 midterm elections regarding its efforts to redraw the states congressional districts. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate race is starting to turn heads on the Republican side, as incumbent Republican senator John Cornyn faces a tightly contested primary challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton, which could turn a non-competitive race into a Democrat pickup. Indeed, primary voting is less than a year away, and Paxton has led Cornyn in more polls than not, which conventional wisdom suggests will make this race come down to the wire. Paxton's strength comes from his ties to the MAGA base and his ability to win statewide elections. He won his current position as Texas attorney general in 2014 and, despite scandals emerging, won re-election by a margin of only three points in 2018. However, he then defeated George P. Bush, the nephew of former President Bush, in the runoff in 2022 by over 30 points, serving as the incumbent. He then won the midterm election handily by a margin of nearly double digits. Despite this, national Republicans are ringing the alarm bell about the prospect of Ken Paxton as Senate nominee due to scandals in his personal and financial life. In 2023, Attorney General Paxton faced impeachment on 16 accounts, but the state legislature acquitted him of wrongdoing. He ultimately paid $300,000 in restitution for fraud charges dating back to 2015, when he was a state senator. As a result, the Cornyn campaign is banking on the premise that Paxtons polling lead will dwindle once voters become exposed to Paxton's immoral and legally questionable actions. The Senators re-election team even channeled their inner Trump by coining the phrase Crooked Ken and developed a website covering his personal and political skirmishes. The primary race between Paxton and Cornyn sets up to be a grueling intra-party fight of right-wing populism vs the GOP Senate establishment. This contest, according to longtime Texas Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak, is on track to be the 'most expensive, nastiest, most personal U.S. Senate primary' in the state's history. The 2026 midterm elections are shaping up to be a challenging year for Republicans in Congress. However, the primary insurgency led by Paxton in Texas is causing concern due to the significant amount of money spent. With reports indicating that the party is investing upwards of $100 million, this could detract from other critical battleground states, such as North Carolina and Maine, which are crucial for maintaining control of the U.S. Senate. It should come as no surprise that both Senate Majority leader John Thune (R-N.D.) and National Senatorial Committee chair Tim Scott have wholeheartedly endorsed John Cornyn for re-election. The significant endorsement will occur when President Trump decides to support one of the Republican Senate campaigns, which will be a death blow to the other. The President has called both Paxton and Cornyn "friends," but John Cornyns voting record aligns with 99% of Trump's agenda in both terms, and he recognizes the need to improve his poll numbers for that coveted endorsement. The 73-year-old U.S. senator is the third highest-ranking Republican as minority whip in the upper chamber. Senator Cornyn has a good track record of winning in a challenging political climate for Republicans. He won re-election to the Senate in 2008 with John McCain at the top of the presidential ticket and carried Texas by twelve points. His last re-election in 2020 saw him win just under a ten-point margin, but he did run ahead of President Trumps victory margin. Although the primary polling averages are not where Cornyn would like them to be, his numbers against the most likely Democrat nominee, Colin Allred, appear favorable. A Texas Southern University survey found Cornyn beating Allred 48% to 44%, while Paxton only beats him 48% to 46% with a margin of error 2%. Yet, Republican pollster Brad Parscale presented a study showing Paxton losing to Allred in a midterm election matchup, 52% to 37%, among 1,000 likely voters from April. Political scientist Mark Jones of Rice University confirms Republicans' fears that, even though Paxton would be a slight favorite to win in 2026, he would be more likely to lose than Cornyn due to his "political, ethical, and legal baggage." The Lone Star State is known as a haven for Republican candidates, as Democrats have not won a statewide election since 1994. Even when Republicans are forecasted to have a bad election year, Texas voters often pull through, as evidenced by Senator Ted Cruz's narrow victory over Beto O'Rourke in 2018. We've seen Republican candidates struggle across the board to bring out low-propensity voters in off-year elections, and 2026 looks to be no different. So, while Texas politics become more interesting than usual, lets hope Republican primary voters don't get distracted by sideshow theater and continue their winning ways to preserve the Senate. Image: Pixabay Like many businesses, Bed, Bath & Beyond is fleeing California. Unlike most, however, it's not slinking out quietly. It's letting the world know why it got the hell out of Dodge. In a publicly issued statement, its executive chairman, Marcus Lemonis, wrote: We will not open or operate retail stores in California. This decision isnt about politics its about reality. California has created one of the most overregulated, expensive, and risky environments for businesses in America. Its a system that makes it harder to employ people, harder to keep doors open, and harder to deliver value to customers. The result? Higher taxes, higher fees, higher wages that many businesses simply cannot sustain, and endless regulations that strangle growth. Even when the state announces a budget surplus, its built on the backs of ordinary citizens who are paying too much and businesses who are squeezed until they break. At Bed Bath & Beyond, our responsibility is to our customers and our shareholders. We will not participate in a system that undermines both. Instead, we are investing in a California strategy that works: 2448-hour delivery, and in many cases, same-day service. Californians will continue to get the products they love through BedBathandBeyond.com but without the inflated costs created by an unsustainable model. Were taking a stand because its time for common sense. Businesses deserve the chance to succeed. Employees deserve jobs that last. And customers deserve fair prices. Californias system delivers the opposite. Thats why Bed Bath & Beyond will serve California customers directly through BedBathandBeyond.com, on our terms, and with their best interests at heart. Marcus Lemonis Executive Chairman, Bed Bath & Beyond This ran on Morningstar from BusinessWire so all the investment gurus with cash to manage could see it, but it's all over social media, too -- so everyone could see it. Official statement regarding @BedBathBeyond We will not open retail stores in California. This isnt about politics its about reality. Californias system makes it nearly impossible for businesses to succeed, and I wont put our company, our employees, or our pic.twitter.com/G5dSaigB3y Marcus Lemonis (@marcuslemonis) August 20, 2025 It follows from the statement last month issued by In-N-Out Burger's CEO, Lynsi Snyder, who pretty much said the same thing more informally. According to the New York Times: Lynsi Snyder, the chief executive of In-N-Out Burger, has announced that she plans to move her family to Tennessee as the fast-food chain establishes a corporate office there, drawing a backlash in California, where her grandfather founded the company nearly 80 years ago. Im actually moving out there, Ms. Snyder, who was raised in Northern California, said on Relatable, a faith-based podcast that discusses culture, news and politics from a conservative Christian perspective. (In-N-Out prints Bible verses in small print on its packaging.) There are a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here, Ms. Snyder, 43, said in the episode released on Friday. Doing business is not easy here. Unlike Lynsi, Bed & Bath's top executive wasn't gentle at all. Lemonis understood that California's ruling legislators need to be hit over the head with hard realities for any chance of getting them to listen, which in fact is very low. Notice from the New York Times account that Lynsi was trolled by anonymous trolls on the internet for stating she wanted to leave, (which sounds pretty manufactured actually), but we know that companies pulling up stakes have been mocked and abused for leaving the state. Recall how legislative powerbroker Lorena Fletcher bellowed the 'f' word at Elon Musk for moving his Tesla headquarters to Texas out of frustration at California's policies. He replied "message received" and left it at that. This CEO is different. He lays it right out -- the monster taxes, the monster regulations, the hostile climate for hiring. He said it was so bad he wasn't going to open any stores in California. A Google AI search reports that 789 businesses have fled the state in the years 2011 - 2021, while 350 have fled in the years 2020 - 2025. The AI report attempts to claim that this amounts to only a small percentage of California's numerous companies, but that's pure spin, a reflection of what the press is claiming, given that such percentages conflate mighty companies like Chevron with tens of thousands of employees making six-figure incomes fleeing the state with Little Joey's garage startup set up last month with himself the only employee or Mamacita's Taco Stand, which has yet to get a license, let alone a work permit or legal residency for its owner. Oracle, Charles Schwab, Kaiser Aluminum, McKesson, Palantir -- they have all fled. The California Globe has a list of huge businesses that fled from 2020 - 2023. Yet California's rulers aren't the least ashamed of this flight. Gov. Gavin Newsom claims California is the "fourth-largest" economy in the world, and a "model" for the rest of the country. He continually denies that there is a problem. Orange County Lawyers noted that studies show that California is losing high-earning businesses and taxpayers with this flight. This is what conditions look like for businesses on the ground: While Texas approved their new research center in 30 days, Californias process would take 18 months, Kang told OrangeCountyLawyers.com. With 420,434 restrictions listed in the California Code of Regulations (CCR), the Mercatus Center at George Mason University ranked California the most regulated among the 50 states followed by New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas. The least regulated include Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Idaho. Other places, that are also considered a privilege to live in, make it a lot easier for businesses to be there, Toplansky added. So, do we want to be competitive or do we want to have our head in the clouds? This is a real world for legislators to have to grapple with. [California] is not the only game in town. And just as important, this is what legislative conditions look like in terms of getting any regulatory relief passed. This Substack piece by Chris Bray is an absolute must-read for explaining why businesses are fleeing California. As they ignore, mock, and abuse businesses that are fleeing, the chief of Bed & Bath knew that the only avenue left was to state, Trump-like, the raw hard reality of why businesses such as his, and many others, are fleeing the horribly governed blue state. He's done us a public service. And it's reasonable to think others fleeing will now get bolder. How is Newsom going to explain himself to voters after a statement like that? Image: X screen shot Among the features of the Constitution is civilian control of the military. The Founders, astute readers of history and human nature, well knew what routinely happens to nations whose military has ultimate political power and a monopoly on armed force. Thats why Democrats never stop trying to disarm Americans. Democrats know they can never establish their tyranny of the majority, permanent one-party state, communist utopia so long as Americans have arms. They also wrongly believe theyll be able to command generals like Mark Milley to implement their desires and the rest of our military will blindly follow orders. Surely, some of the top ranks, like Milley, have demonstrated their willingness to disregard the Constitution. Particularly beginning with Barack ObamaThe Lightbringerwar fighters have been run out of the military, replaced in the highest ranks by politically reliable leftists. But nothing happens in the military unless NCOs make it happen and damned few of them would make war on their families, their neighbors, their countrymen. Theyd honor their oaths to the Constitution, not to some maximum, leftist strongman. It's an issue for those who follow the potential for a second civil war, as I have long done at my home blog. It has also cropped up as President Trump has federalized DC law enforcement, as he has every legal powercitizens have rights/government has powersto do. Two former Obama Administration National Security Council functionaries, Steven Simon and Jonathan Stevenson, published a guest editorial in the New York Timessurprise!last week, and as is so common with leftists these days, said, courtesy of Legal Insurrection, the quiet part out loud: Graphic: X Post By ordering 800 National Guard troops to Washington, on the pretext of an illusory crime wave, President Trump has further dragged the U.S. military into domestic law enforcement, in a move credibly perceived as an ominous test case. This continues what the administration started in California in June as part of its deportation efforts. Considering DC has a far worse murder rate than some of the most dangerous cities in the world, its crime rate is far from illusory. The military assisting in deportation can hardly be compared to helping to restore order in the nations capital. In both endeavors, the military has not engaged in direct law enforcement. Unfortunately, though we (and others) had hoped that the military would only respond to calls to action in American cities and states kicking and screaming, we no longer expect resistance from that institution. Once, perhaps, traditionalist officers might have leaned on protocol and refused to heed a lawless order, taking inspiration from the generals Mark Milley and James Mattis who resisted the uprooting of established military standards in the first Trump term. Mark Milley. There it is. The hero who promised to betray American to China. But today, general officers no longer seem to see themselves as guardians of the constitutional order. It now seems clear to us that the military will not rescue Americans from Mr. Trumps misuse of the nations military capabilities. Recent changes to the terms of the militarys employment by the Pentagon and its members incentives to career advancement will ultimately overcome any constitutional and moral qualms about their conduct. And this surprises you because? Democrats appeal to the Constitution only when it can be made to appear to support their totalitarian desires. According to them, the Constitution guarantees they must always win, their policies must always prevail and they must eternally rule regardless of the outcome of elections. DCs home rule law, duly passed by an actually bipartisan Congress in 1973, give the POTUS the authority to declare an emergency and to federalize its law enforcement. The Constitution makes the POTUS the Commander in ChiefCiC--of our military, which gives him the authority to deploy the military for a wide range of purposes, domestic and foreign. By obeying the CiC, general officers are the guardians of the constitutional order. Doing otherwise would approach treason. Any officer who cant obey a lawful order has one choice: immediately resign. Whether Trumps deployments of our military constitute misuse is a political question. He has the authority to do all he has done, including using the military to free federal law enforcement to deal with DCs rampant crime. Democrat politicians dont like it, but many Democrat residents, particularly black residents, of DC appreciate it. If sufficient Americans think thats misuse, they can express their concern at the ballot box, not via a military coup. But thanks are due Simon and Stevenson. Theyve showed Americans yet again why Democrats cant be trusted. Become a subscriber and get our weekly, Friday newsletter with unique content from our editors. 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. August 19, 2025: Iranian-backed groups, such as the Houthis in Yemen, use Western cellphones to track merchant ships in the Red Sea by pinging them for their GPS locations. Even on warships, where communications are encrypted, sailors phones are not. This vulnerability allows ships to be tracked and attacked with drone speedboats armed with explosives, anti-ship missiles, or naval mines. This is not the first instance of such tactics. Thirteen years ago, American and Israeli officials confirmed that industrial-grade cyberwar weapons like Stuxnet, Duqu, and Flame, used against Iran in previous years, were joint U.S.-Israel operations. No further details were released, though many rumors circulated. The U.S. and Israel were long suspected of developing these weapons-grade computer worms, as both nations had the motive, means, and opportunity to deploy these powerful cyberwar tools against Iran and other terrorism-supporting entities. The U.S. military has repeatedly sought permission to go on the offensive with cyberwar weapons. The U.S. government, however, has consistently declined to retaliate publicly against persistent attacks from China, primarily due to fears of legal repercussions and the risk that such weapons could spiral out of control, causing unintended damage to innocent parties. Iran presented a different case. Although not a significant cyberwar threat to the United States, Iran was pursuing nuclear weapons, and Israel had reportedly explored using cyberwar tools to disrupt this effort. Given the nature of these weapons, which are most effective when the target is unaware of their existence, few details about this cyberwar program have been disclosed. What is known is that the cyberwar weapons used against Iran were designed to target specific objectives. So far, only three known weapons have been deployed. Stuxnet was engineered to damage a specific facilitythe plant where Iran produced nuclear fuel for power plants and atomic weaponsand it succeeded. The other two, Duqu and Flame, were intelligence-collection programs that remained hidden for years, gathering vast amounts of valuable data. In 2012, the latest of these cyberwar superweapons, Flame, was uncovered. Designed to stay hidden and collect information from infected computers, Flame operated undetected for up to five years or more in Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinian West Bank, and, to a lesser extent, other Muslim countries in the region. Like Stuxnet (2009) and Duqu (2011), Flame exhibited characteristics of being designed and created by professional programmers and software engineers. Unlike most malware, which is often crafted by talented but undisciplined amateurs and lacks organization, professional programmers create more capable and reliable software. This describes Stuxnet, Duqu, and Flame. The U.S. and Israel invested significant resources to develop these cyberwar weapons and deliver them to their targets, leveraging access to top-tier programming talent and organizations capable of managing highly secretive software development. As researchers studied these three programs, they uncovered increasingly sophisticated features. Until Flames discovery, Stuxnet was considered the most formidable cyberwar weapon. A computer worm that continuously attempts to replicate itself across systems, Stuxnet appeared two years before Flame and was designed to damage Irans nuclear weapons manufacturing facilities. It succeeded. A year after Stuxnets discovery in 2010, security experts identified Duqu, which was collecting data on large computer networks, likely preparing for broader attacks on industrial targets. Stuxnet and Duqu were believed to be two of five or more cyberwar weapons developed up to five years earlier from the same platform. Flame, however, appears unrelated to Stuxnet and Duqu. The Flame platform was built to accept numerous additional software modules, enabling each variant to have different capabilities. Some modules utilized specific computer features, such as microphones, wireless communication, or cameras. Flame spreads via USB memory sticks or the Internet, distinct from Stuxnet and Duqus propagation methods. Some infected PCs contained numerous Flame modules, totaling up to 20 megabytes of code and data. Flame concealed its presence effectively and included a robust self-destruct feature that erased all evidence of its existence. Over its five-year operation, Flame infected a few thousand PCs and collected vast amounts of data. In contrast, Duqu probed industrial computer systems, sending back information about their structure and operations. When Duqu was discovered, the server receiving its data was traced to India and disabled. Duqu appeared to cease operation after a few months, possibly because it completed its mission or due to increased scrutiny. Flame, however, continued operating. For over two years, hundreds of skilled programmers have analyzed Stuxnet and Duqu, openly discussing their findings. Although these programs are government property, once released, they become accessible to everyone. Public discussions on the Internet provided valuable critiques of their construction, often detailing how flaws could be addressed or features enhanced. Even when specific improvements were not outlined, programmers analyzing these programs typically identified the tools or techniques needed to make the code more effective. However, this public dissection made the softwares inner workings and improvements available to anyone. On the positive side, security professionals gained a clearer understanding of how such weapons function, which could make future similar attacks more difficult to execute. Flame, larger and more complex than Stuxnet or Duqu, will keep researchers occupied for years. With three professionally crafted cyberwar weapons emerging in the past 15 years, more are likely to appear. Weapons like Stuxnet and Duqu are not new. For nearly a decade, cyberwar operatives and criminal hackers have planted malware, such as Trojan horses or zombies, in corporate or government networks. These programs, controlled by their creators, can steal, modify, or destroy data or shut down infected systems. New PCs are infected by exploiting recently discovered software vulnerabilities on the Internet, known as Zero Day Exploits (ZDEs). In skilled hands, these flaws enable criminals to execute large-scale online heists or maintain covert control over systems. Flame likely used high-quality, expensive ZDEs and may have received new ones over time. Stuxnet contained four ZDEs, two of which were previously unknown, indicating significant resources behind its development. ZDEs are challenging to discover and can fetch over $250,000 on the black market. Stuxnets design to sabotage an industrial facility highlighted another growing issue: the vulnerability of industrial systems. Developers of systems control software were warned about increasing attempts to breach their defenses. Beyond terrorists, criminals could exploit compromised systems to extort money from utilities or factories or sell vulnerability data to cyberwar organizations. In Stuxnets case, the target was Irans nuclear weapons program, though hackers analyzing Stuxnet could potentially develop software for blackmail schemes. Stuxnet was designed to disrupt key components of Irans nuclear weapons program, including damaging gas centrifuges used to enrich uranium to weapons-grade material. Iran eventually acknowledged this damage, and Western estimates of when Iran could develop a nuclear weapon were extended by several years. Duqu capitalized on Stuxnets success by spreading to numerous industrial sites, gathering details about their operations and sending data to those planning a potential Stuxnet 2.0. Multiple versions of Duqu have been identified, all programmed to erase themselves after 36 days in a system. Stuxnet was likely released in late 2009, infecting thousands of computers as it sought its Iranian target. Initial analysis revealed it was designed to disrupt control software in industrial facilities, such as power, water, sanitation, and other plants. Further examination showed Stuxnet specifically targeted gas centrifuges, subtly disrupting their operation. Stuxnet was engineered to hide within industrial control software, making it difficult to ensure all malware was removed. This was the most alarming aspect of Stuxnet, causing Iranian officials to worry about other undetected Stuxnet-like attacks. Although Iran admitted Stuxnet caused damage, it withheld details about when the malware reached the centrifuges or how long it operated before detection and removal. This explains the unexplained slowdown in Irans centrifuge operations. Stuxnets creators likely knew the extent of the damage, as the malware included a call home feature. The U.S. and Israel have a history of successful software attacks, though these incidents receive little mainstream media coverage due to their technical complexity and lack of visuals. Earlier attacks, particularly Stuxnet, Duqu, and Flame, spread in a controlled manner, often via agents who introduced infected USB memory sticks into target facilities. Even if some copies reached Internet-connected PCs, they did not spread widely, unlike worms and viruses designed for rapid global propagation, which can infect millions of PCs within hours. Despite the secrecy, these cyberwar weapons are very real, and professionals are impressed by Stuxnet, Duqu, and Flame, even if the public remains largely unaware. Their demonstrated capabilities mark a new era in Internet-based warfare. The amateur era is over, and major players are now dominant. The U.S. and Israels cyberwar offensive has likely been active for years, using stealth to remain undetected. There are probably more than three such covert cyberwar programs in use, and most will remain undisclosed until, or if, they are discovered and publicized. On August 15, 2025, attorney Rick Jaffe, Esq. filed Thomas v. Monarez, Civ. Action No. 1:25-cv-02685 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs Dr. Paul Thomas, Dr. Kenneth P. Stoller, and Stand for Health Freedom are challenging the CDCs universal childhood vaccine schedule, calling it the most aggressive program in the world and alleging that it has never been tested in the way it is actually administered. The defendant is Susan P. Monarez, in her official capacity as director of the CDC. The case seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to suspend the CDCs Category A universal childhood vaccine recommendations until real-world safety studies are completed. The complaint explains that Category A applies universally to children in an age group, while Category B involves shared clinical decision-making between physician and family based on individual circumstances. Nearly all childhood vaccines carry the Category A designation. Only two COVID-19 and the meningitis vaccines are not considered Category A. It is important to note that this case does not challenge state vaccine laws, nor are the plaintiffs in the case anti-vaccine. Instead, the plaintiffs demand that the federal government provide real safety evidence before issuing universal recommendations that become the basis for state mandates. Why the plaintiffs are suing According to Jaffe, the United States administers more vaccines to children than any other country, yet the CDC has never evaluated the safety of the full schedule in the form in which it is actually given. Instead, it assumes that because each vaccine has been studied in isolation, the entire 72-plus-dose regimen must be safe. For more than 20 years, Jaffe explains, the governments own top scientific advisors have warned the CDC to study cumulative effects of the full vaccine schedule. The response? Silence while the CDC expanded the schedule and punished doctors who questioned it. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) develops recommendations on how to control disease in the U.S., and its recommendations are forwarded to the CDC director. Once approved, they become the official CDC vaccine policy. Plaintiffs argue that the universal Category A recommendations are overly rigid and are enforced through ACIPs narrow contradictions and precautions framework, which excludes many documented risk factors and prevents physicians from exercising individualized medical judgment. The complaint goes on to explain that ACIP propagates an unscientific, one-size-fits-all model that fails to protect from the serious harm some children might experience from continued vaccination. When physicians deviate from the schedule to protect their patients, they often face career destruction. Jaffe continued, American children have become the sickest in the developed world, with over 50% suffering chronic conditions, from autism and ADHD to asthma, diabetes, and severe allergies. Meanwhile, the CDC continues to expand its untested vaccine schedule. States then use the CDCs recommendations to mandate school and daycare vaccine requirements, creating coercive policies without foundational science. The plaintiffs argue, The CDCs universal childhood vaccine recommendations are not supported by cumulative safety evidence, but by the untested assumption that if each vaccine is safe in isolation, the whole schedule must be safe. In addition, plaintiffs in the case assert that the CDC participates in deliberate ignorance regarding its vaccine policies. There is no record of any biennial vaccine safety report made by HHS to Congress concerning the safety of vaccines, which violates statutory duty. It seems the CDC does not want to know if its program causes more harm than good. Arguing for a more measured approach to vaccine administration, the complaint cites a study that shows that seventeen EU nations, the UK, and Japan already use the voluntary model while maintaining over 90% vaccination rates. Jaffe also hopes the lawsuit will make the public at large more aware of the fact that the CDC has never tested the complete schedule for safety and that the Institute for Medicine (IOM) has been begging the CDC to do so for almost 25 years. What the plaintiffs want The lawsuit makes three clear demands: Suspend all CDC universal childhood vaccine recommendations until cumulative, long-term safety studies are completed. Require shared clinical decision-making so every vaccine decision is made between doctor and family, not imposed by a federal committee. Protect physicians from retaliation when they speak openly about patient safety. This case could set a new precedent, one that would require that no universal medical recommendation exist without cumulative safety evidence. Families who want to vaccinate their children can and will continue to do so. The plaintiffs stress that until the CDC proves the full childhood vaccine schedule is safe, every vaccine decision must be made between doctor and family. This case is about proving safety first. It is also about protecting the rights of physicians to assert their First Amendment rights and ensuring that parental consent is part of the discussion before administering a vaccine. The lawsuit, according to Jaffe, is being 100 percent funded by the community, through his GiveSendGo crowdfunding campaign. Image: Triggermouse via Pixabay, Pixabay License. Imagine the irony of labeling a substance as "hazardous" only to discover that the true peril lies not in the substance but in the act of its vilification. That is the case with carbon dioxide (CO2) and how it has been mischaracterized to establish globally suicidal energy policies. In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its Endangerment Finding that declared as a pollutant CO2 -- two pounds of which each of us exhales daily. It laid the bureaucratic groundwork for far-reaching regulations aimed at eliminating the use of fossil fuels, an objective contrary to the societal goods of reliable energy supplies and prosperity. Holding CO2 as the dominant factor in a dangerous rise in global temperatures in recent decades, the Endangerment Finding transformed without a scientific basis a trace atmospheric gas essential for photosynthesis and agricultural productivity into an object of state-sanctioned hostility. This regulatory corruption marked the beginning of what can only be described as the weaponization of environmental governance against energy systems based on coal, oil, and natural gas, which have lifted billions out of poverty since the 19th century. However, a July U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) study titled A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate countered this nonsense. Written by a team of independent scientists with diverse backgrounds, the document states that CO2-induced warming might be less damaging economically than commonly believed, and excessively aggressive mitigation policies could prove more detrimental than beneficial. Following this comprehensive analysis, EPA Secretary Lee Zeldin proposed that his agency rescind the Endangerment Finding. For anyone following the news, it is already evident that the current U.S. administration has changed the trajectory of energy policy by ditching the destructive anti-fossil fuel stance of the preceding Biden regime. Repeal of the Endangerment Finding could be the death blow for a green mania that has cost the world trillions of dollars for no benefit. The question for developing nations is whether their governments will keep tolerating the CO2 hysteria thats choking domestic economies like a boa constrictor. How much longer will poorer countries suffer under climate policies crafted in U.N. offices and imposed on villages without electricity? Green energy vehicles -- like the Paris Agreement and net zero targets -- have been promoted in the name of climate virtue but have sabotaged growth, stalled industrial progress, and punished the poor. From the reckless scuttling of projects for developing fossil fuel supplies to the puppet-like behavior of lawmakers reciting policies scripted by the United Nations and World Economic Forum, the fingerprints of the green agenda are everywhere. Among projects that have suffered at the hands of anti-hydrocarbon crusaders are a 1,445-kilometer pipeline to transport crude oil from Uganda to Tanzania, two South African offshore natural gas exploration blocks, a 700-megawatt coal plant in Kenya, and a $20 billion liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique. The price of climate regulations is ruinous. As the DoE report says, the exorbitant costs associated with policies like electric vehicle mandates, renewable energy targets and rules for home appliances drastically exceed even the bogusly inflated Social Cost of Carbon, which is promoted by the climate industrial complex as part of its pseudoscience. Green programs are an embarrassing failure of any rational cost-benefit analysis. With regard to actual pollution in the Third World, the DoEs latest climate assessment makes a long-overdue distinction that mainstream media and bureaucrats have ignored for years. It rightly points out that CO2 is not a pollutant in the traditional, legally defined sense: CO2 differs in many ways from the so-called Criteria Air Pollutants. It does not affect local air quality and has no human toxicological implications at ambient levels. Now is the time for policymakers in developing economies to stop treating plant food as public enemy number one so that their societies can take advantage of energy resources that make economic -- and environmental -- sense. Their economies can wait no longer to rescind CO2-driven restrictions on energy production and use, for they do not have the buffer of affluence enjoyed by wealthier nations. The negative effects of anti-fossil fuel policies are already obvious, and change is required to avoid more damage. Vijay Jayaraj is a Science and Research Associate at the CO 2 Coalition, Fairfax, Virginia. He holds an M.S. in environmental sciences from the University of East Anglia and a postgraduate degree in energy management from Robert Gordon University, both in the U.K., and a bachelors in engineering from Anna University, India. Image: Pixabay Should the government be able to make you sick for your own good? Yes, say two Michigan bioethicists, Parker Crutchfield and Blake Hereth. Writing in the July issue of Bioethics, the duo argue that we should genetically modify ticks to spread an intolerance to eating red meat. This has nothing to do with your health. In fact, the goal is to make you sick. The authors claim that their plan is in service of public health, but what they mean is the health of the planet. You, dear reader, are collateral damage. Too many people eat too much beef, they argue. Since not enough people are voluntarily giving up steaks and burgers, Crutchfield and Hereth want to nudge them by weaponizing a condition called alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) a tick-borne allergy that makes eating red meat trigger anything from intestinal distress to nausea to anaphylaxis. The authors downplay the severity: Anaphylaxis is rare, they assure us, while other symptoms are merely uncomfortable. But the goal is clear: Punish the human body until it complies. This isnt public health. Its public harm deliberate, engineered, and ideological. Crutchfield and Hereth are environmental ideologues, and their disdain for human autonomy is chilling. In their view, if you wont stop eating meat for the sake of the planet or the cow, theyll make you stop for the sake of your stomach. They dont bother to argue why eating beef is inherently immoral. They simply decree that red meat consumption is unacceptable, since that is the consensus of the people they respect. And if humans wont change voluntarily, then theyll engineer disease to force compliance. Their rationalizations stumble into absurdity. They admit that forcibly injecting people with AGS would raise normative concerns. So instead, they propose a natural workaround: genetically enhanced ticks that dont carry other diseases, survive in broader environments (like cities), and conveniently infect people by accident. Its not coercion, they say; its just bad luck if a tick bites you. This is not new. Crutchfield previously argued that moral enhancement of the population ought to be covert without public awareness. It's not just dystopian; it's deeply unethical. Under the guise of bioethics, these authors promote compulsory moral engineering: You dont have to know, consent, or agree. You just have to suffer. Lets call things what they are: Crutchfield and Hereth are proposing war crimes. That is not hyperbole. Heres why: First, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials, where German physicians were tried for performing involuntary experiments and euthanasia in the name of public health. One of the core principles to emerge from Nuremberg is that no intervention may be made in a persons body without his knowledge and consent. Crutchfield and Hereth violate that principle outright. Second, the use of genetically modified organisms (in this case, ticks) to spread disease is a form of bio-chemical warfare. If individuals released disease-spreading insects to harm others, wed prosecute them as terrorists. The idea that a government or public institution might do so in the name of climate or health policy doesnt make it less criminal it makes it more dangerous. It also shatters (and rightly so) any public trust in such a community. Third, Crutchfield and Hereth are neo-eugenicists. A century ago, American elites including the notorious Margaret Sanger advocated mandatory sterilization to improve the genetic stock of the nation. Todays bioethicists push for the genetic reprogramming of human metabolism to enforce their elite vision of whats good for us. These are not idle academic musings. In 1920, two German academics, Karl Binding and Alfred Hoche, developed the idea of lebensunwertes Leben (a life unworthy of life). Within two decades, those ideas became official German public policy. What began in lecture halls ended in gas chambers, with six millionplus corpses. Ideas have consequences. Americans cannot afford to treat this lightly. Crutchfields and Hereths proposal to weaponize ticks to re-engineer human behavior is not merely immoral; it is tyrannical. It must be condemned for what it is: an assault on human dignity, freedom, and life itself. Image via Pxhere. It has been only a matter of months since Donald Trump returned to the White House, yet the economic transformation already underway is both striking and historic. In a short span of time, the presidents policies have unleashed a surge of growth that few thought possible so quickly, setting America on a path toward the golden age he promised during his campaign. While the winds of global economics are fickle and the future can never be forecast with total certainty, the early results are nothing short of extraordinary. The most visible sign of change lies in corporate performance. Earnings across the S&P 500 have surged 11 percent over the past year, nearly triple what Wall Street had expected. An astounding 84 percent of companies beat earnings estimates, the highest share in nearly four years, while 60 percent exceeded forecasts by wide margins. Perhaps most tellingly, nearly six in ten companies raised their full-year guidance, double the number from just one quarter earlier. Such broad corporate confidence has not been seen in years, and executives themselves have pointed to Trumps sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill as the reason. That landmark law cut taxes, streamlined bureaucracies, and incentivized reinvestment in the American workforce. In practice, it has given companies the breathing room to expand production, hire more workers, and fund innovation. The results ripple far beyond the boardroom: stronger paychecks, sturdier factories, and higher consumer confidence. The S&P 500 has climbed nearly 10 percent this year, notching record high after record high. At the same time, fears of a looming downturn have receded, with mentions of recession in corporate earnings calls dropping by 84 percent in a single quarter. Global investment has followed the wave of confidence. America is again the preferred destination for capital, with major commitments from foreign partners like Qatar, Japan, and Saudi Arabia totaling nearly $3 trillion in recent months. These are not symbolic gestures. They are strategic bets that Americas economy will remain the most dynamic and secure place on Earth to put money to work. Trumps tariff strategy has also redefined the global playing field. By instituting a universal 10 percent tariff on imported goods, along with sharply higher rates on nations with unbalanced trade practices including a 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports the president has tilted incentives back toward American manufacturing. Already, manufacturing output has surged 1.8 percent in the first five months of his second term, reversing a 0.7 percent decline in the final months of the previous administration. That uptick is more than numbers; it is a resurgence of American industry, reflected in new jobs, new plants, and rising wages. The broader economy has responded in kind. GDP expanded at a robust 3 percent annualized rate in the second quarter of 2025. Business investment grew at nearly 2 percent, demonstrating that firms are not just pocketing tax cuts but are deploying capital to drive long-term growth. Meanwhile, the administrations tax relief on tips and Social Security benefits has directly boosted disposable income for everyday Americans. This comes as real average hourly earnings rose by 1.2 percent from July 2024 to July 2025. When consumers spend more, businesses grow more, and the cycle continues to feed on itself. Just as importantly, the government has stepped back rather than stepped in. For two straight quarters, federal spending has declined, even as private investment has accelerated. This is the clearest sign yet of Trumps belief that prosperity begins not with bureaucracy but with people themselves. That means the worker on the factory floor, the small business owner looking to expand, and the investor seeking returns through innovation. Of course, economic fortunes are never guaranteed. The global system is complex and unpredictable, vulnerable to shocks from abroad or unforeseen crises at home. Markets that soar can also stumble. The winds of economic change are merciless, shifting without notice. But even with that reality in mind, the trajectory Trump has charted gives America its strongest chance at durable prosperity in decades. Trump promised a golden age, and while it is still early, the foundations are being laid at remarkable speed. Corporate America is thriving, markets are booming, wages are rising, and factories are humming again. For those who doubted that policy could shape outcomes so dramatically, the results so far offer a persuasive reminder. Americas success is no accident. It is the direct product of bold leadership, clear priorities, and a willingness to fight for national prosperity. If these trends hold, history may look back on Trumps second term not simply as a return, but as a rebirth of the American economy. Dr. Joseph Ford Cotto hosts and produces News Sight, speaking the data-driven truth about economic and political issues that impact you. During the 2024 presidential election, he created the Five-Point Forecast, which correctly predicted Trumps national victory and the outcome in all swing states. The author of numerous nonfiction books, Cotto holds a doctorate in business administration and is a Lean Six Sigma Certified Black Belt. During 2014, HLM King Kigeli V of Rwanda bestowed a hereditary knighthood upon him. It was followed by a barony the next year. Image generated by AI. When President Trump announced that Nvidia and AMD would have to turn over 15 percent of their China sales to the U.S. government in exchange for export licenses, the experts were quick to cry foul. They called it unorthodox. They called it unconstitutional. Some even called it a shake-down of private business. What they have not done is connect this move to the much larger story that has been unfolding for decades: Chinas systematic theft of American technology. Image created using AI. For years, China has been building its industries not just on its own innovation but on what it has stolen from the United States. The tools have varied. Sometimes it was through forced partnerships where American firms had to share technology in order to operate in China. Sometimes it was cyber theft carried out directly by state-backed hackers. Sometimes it was old-fashioned industrial espionage. However it happened, the result was the same. American companies lost. China gained. Independent estimates put the cost at between 225 billion and 600 billion dollars a year. That is not a rounding error. That is an enormous drain on our economy. Seen in that light, Trumps deal looks less like an abuse of power and more like a crude attempt to claw something back. Instead of allowing China to take American innovation without consequence, this arrangement forces companies to give a portion of their China profits back to the United States. It may be messy. It may be challenged in court. But it is at least aimed at rebalancing a relationship that has been tilted against America for far too long. What bothers me is how the commentary leaves this context out. The press treats the deal as though it appeared in a vacuum. Trade experts debate the legality as if that is the only issue. They do not ask whether it is just. They do not ask whether it is long overdue for the United States to stop pretending that trade with China has ever been free and fair. What few seem to point out is that Nvidia and AMD are unlikely to absorb the cost of this new arrangement themselves. Like any savvy business, they will pass it along to their buyers. In other words, China will end up paying higher prices for the same chips, effectively funding the 15 percent tribute that now goes to Washington. Given how vital these processors are to Beijings AI and supercomputing ambitions, Chinese buyers will grit their teeth and pay. In this light, the deal looks less like a shakedown of American firms and more like a clever mechanism for shifting the burden of Chinas own bad behavior back onto China. This is not a perfect policy. It probably will not be the final policy. But it does force us to confront the reality that the old rules are broken. For too long we have allowed ourselves to be played. We told ourselves the world was operating on one set of rules, when in fact China was playing by another. Trumps approach may be unpolished, but it puts the problem in the open. We cannot talk about semiconductors and trade with China as if the past thirty years never happened. We cannot ignore the hundreds of billions stolen and the industries hollowed out. Until we face that, every policy will look odd and every attempt to get leverage back will be dismissed as reckless. It is time to admit what has been happening. Only then can we decide what should come next. Elected government officials are placed in a position of immense public trust, being given levels of power few others in western society will ever hold. With that trust comes an expectation of behavior -- a level of accountability they should hold themselves to beyond mere compliance with societal rules. Yet beneath every public decision lies a deeper question: What moral codes do these officials actually follow? Are they guided by timeless virtues, or by outcomes? Do they govern with character, or with calculation? In the endless back and forth struggle to decide the right course of action, its impossible to miss the parallels with age-old philosophical battles. People have long debated whether decisions should be guided by virtue, outcomes, or self-interest. Virtue ethics, dating to Aristotle, teaches that we must act in accordance with noble character traits like courage and honesty. Utilitarianism, by contrast, says the right choice is whatever benefits the most amount of people. Moral egoism defends acting in ones own self-interest as a moral right. Few candidates represent themselves as moral egoists during election season. In fact, most choose to represent virtue-based ethics during this time, emphasizing their lifelong history of integrity, honor, and service to their country in campaign advertisements and speeches. Once in office, their decisions often tell a different story. Evaluating objectively, many elected officials operate, at best, as utilitarians -- and in many cases, more closely align with moral egoism. It is the responsibility of voters to recognize this ethical gap and to be discerning about who we place in positions of public trust. While egoism is rarely openly admitted, the more common, and more subtle, tension is between virtue and utilitarianism. Governments are often required to make decisions based on what is best for the people; and what better mechanism than choosing the option that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of constituents? Consider a bill up for vote: it contains some elements you support, but also many provisions you disagree with -- and perhaps campaigned against. Still, the decision to vote Yes is justified through pure utilitarian reasoning. The bill produces a net good, or a net-positive happiness, for the American people, and therefore the rest can be stomached. This kind of calculation plays out like clockwork in legislative chambers across the country. There is, however, a flaw in this justification. Utilitarianism works fine when deciding certain elements of small scale, like choosing where to get lunch with coworkers. You may want barbecue, but the other four coworkers want sushi. Its an easy decision. But when discussing matters of governance, that logic no longer suffices. In ancient Rome, Octavian seized wealth from much of Romes richest by force. He did so to fund the expansion of the empire and power its armies with food and equipment. This action may have benefited the Roman majority, but was it right? Was it virtuous? Is it morally justifiable in a free society? It is in this disregard for the inalienable rights endowed by our Creator that utilitarian governance ultimately breaks down. Decisions cannot be made solely based on what benefits the greatest number of people -- lest we succumb to the tyranny of the majority our Founders warned against -- only now through the intermediary of a legislature. We must instead make decisions that uphold virtuous qualities, guided by reason. The candidate who sees it as their personal responsibility to uphold the values our society holds dear, and applies them with God-given reason, will always hold that position of trust with honor -- no matter what side of the aisle they sit on. Unfortunately, representatives like these seem to grow fewer with each passing decade. Many throughout history have dismissed philosophical discussion, claiming it lacks practical outcomes and is even a waste of time. But philosophical battles unfold on a national scale daily -- even if we fail to recognize them. Our Founders built a system that, despite all its checks and balances, the burden of choosing good candidates still falls on the people. And a people who can use both intuition and reason to identify and elect those who truly live by virtue will prosper. Dalton Henderson is an Active-Duty Army Ranger writing in a personal capacity. Image: John Trumbull On May 25, 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy stood before a special joint session of Congress and announced the ambitious goal to land an American on the Moon before the decades end. That same month, the Soviet Union began sketching plans for a super heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of carrying payloads beyond low Earth orbit. Initially conceived to deliver ultra-heavy nuclear weapons such as the Tsar Bomb, the designs focus soon shifted toward the Moon, aligning Soviet ambitions with those of their Cold War rival. The result was the N1, one of the largest and most powerful rockets ever conceived, intended to supersede the ICBM-derived launchers then in service. Beyond its military applications, the N1 was intended to launch Soviet cosmonauts to the moon, Mars, and huge space stations into orbit. A mockup of the N1 rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in late 1967. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Yet unlike Americas Saturn V, the Soviet project began late, suffered chronic underfunding, and was mired in political and technical rivalries among leading designers Sergei Korolev, Valentin Glushko, and Vladimir Chelomei. When Korolev died unexpectedly in 1966, the program lost its guiding force. Leadership passed to Vasily Mishin, who, though technically capable, lacked Korolevs authority and political connections. Under his stewardship the N1 struggled with persistent technical failures and endless delays. Between 1969 and 1972, four launch attempts all ended in disaster. By 1974, just five years after Apollo 11s triumph, the project was cancelled outright. The Soviet dream of a Moon landing never materialized and for years, officials went so far as to deny that such a massive program had ever existed. Also read: The Soviet Moon Prank Luna 15: The Soviet Probe That Tried to Gatecrash Americas First Moon Landing The N1, when paired with its L3 lunar payload, stood an imposing 105 meters tallslightly shorter than the Saturn Vs 110 meters. The complete N1-L3 system was composed of five stages: the first three (collectively the N1) to place the vehicle into low Earth orbit, and two additional stages (the L3 complex) to propel the payload toward the Moon and guide it into lunar orbit. Fully fuelled, the rocket weighed an enormous 2,750 tonnes. Its lower stages formed a distinct conical profile, dictated by the arrangement of its propellant tanks, with a base measuring 17 meters across. In terms of capability, the N1 was designed to deliver about 95 metric tons to low Earth orbit compared to 140.6 metric tons of the Saturn V. Size comparison of N1 and Saturn V. Credit: Wikimedia Commons The heart of the vehicle was its massive first stage, Block A. With 30 NK-15 engines firing together, it generated 45,400 kilonewtons of thrust at lift-off, making it the most powerful rocket stage ever flown at the time, outstripping even the Saturn Vs 33,700 kilonewtons. That record endured for more than half a century, until SpaceXs Super Heavy booster finally surpassed it in 2023. The first flight-ready N1, designated 3L, was rolled out to the pad in May 1968 and, after months of preparation, scheduled for launch on February 21, 1969. Trouble began almost immediately after lift-off. Several of the thirty engines failed, triggering propellant leaks and fire. Less than a minute into flight, the entire first stage shut down, and the rocket fell back to Earth in a fiery crash. The second attempt, 5L, carried a dummy spacecraft, a fully functional fourth and fifth stage, and an escape system for the crew module. The mission was designed as a rehearsal of a circumlunar flight. Instead, the rocket barely cleared the tower before disaster struck. There was a flash of light, following which the vehicle pitched over, and it slammed back into the launch complex. The resulting explosion shattered windows across the site and hurled debris as far as ten kilometers. The next launch, N1 6L, occurred almost two years after the previous. This time the rocket rose smoothly but soon developed a severe roll that accelerated uncontrollably. Within seconds the stress tore the vehicle apart in midair. The final flight, 7L, lifted off on November 23, 1972. The start and lift-off went well, and the N1 7L flew higher and longer than the previous three missions. However, just like the three preceding missions, technical problems caused the rocket to explode, bringing to an end the highly anticipated crewed mission to the moon. By then, the Americans had already put twelve men on the moon. The space race was lost and Moscow cancelled the entire N1 program. An N1 rocket in the factory showing the 30 rocket engines of its first stage. Credit: Reddit A number of factors contributed to the failure of N1 program: Engine reliability. The rockets first stage, Block A, relied on thirty NK-15 engines. Though clustering many smaller engines promised redundancy in theory, in practice the design proved unmanageable. The engines were new, unproven, and suffered from a high failure rate. Their dense plumbing, extreme vibration environment, and the complexity of the monitoring system (KORD) created as many problems as they solved, leading to cascading failures rather than graceful recoveries. Rushed development and lack of full testing. Driven by the need to keep pace with Apollo, the N1 was pushed forward under tight deadlines and chronic budget constraints. Most critically, the Soviets never performed a full-scale static firing of the thirty-engine first stage. No test stand at Baikonur could handle the enormous thrust, and schedule pressures discouraged building one. As a result, dangerous interactions between enginesignition transients, fluid instabilities, and pogo oscillationswere discovered not on the ground but in flight, with catastrophic results. Fragmented system integration. The Soviet space program operated through a patchwork of design bureaus, factories, and ministries that often competed rather than collaborated. Poor coordination across these organizations made integration of the N1s many systems inconsistent and error-prone, with critical problems left unresolved until launch attempts. Political and institutional pressures. The N1 developed under constant political strain. As Apollo missions advanced, pressure mounted in Moscow to demonstrate quick results. Shifts in leadershipboth at the top of the Soviet state (from Nikita Khrushchev to Leonid Brezhnev) and within the space program itself (from Sergei Korolev to Vasily Mishin)redefined priorities and disrupted continuity. Rivalries among powerful designers such as Korolev, Glushko, and Chelomei further fractured the program, ensuring that resources and attention were never fully concentrated on the N1. On paper, the N1s first stage was the most powerful ever flown until the 2020s; in practice, the Saturn Vs simpler five-engine F-1 cluster, massive ground-test campaign, and program stability produced a reliable Moon rocket in time to meet a political deadline. The N1s architecture could have succeeded given time, funding, and modern systems engineering, but it didnt get those conditions. For decades, the USSR denied there had ever been a Moon race, and details of N1/L3 remained hidden until the late 1980s and 1990s. Only with the release of memoirs and archival material did the outside world gain a granular picture of the technical and managerial struggles behind the veil. Two N1 rockets stand on the launch pad. Credit: Russian Space web After the program ended, Soviets scrapped most N1 hardware, but Nikolai Kuznetsov quietly warehoused dozens of upgraded engines. In the 1990s many were sold to the United States; Aerojet modified them as AJ26 for Orbitals Antares rocket. After the 2014 Antares (ORB-3) launch failure, Orbital replaced AJ26s with a different Russian engine family. Meanwhile, Russia flew NK-33s domestically on Soyuz-2-1v into the 2020s. The N1s direct line ended, but its lessons fed forward. Clustering many engines has returned in modern super-heavies, but paired with exhaustive ground testing, robust engine-out strategies, and digital control systems that learn from thousands of hot-fires before flight. And the NK-familys oxygen-rich staged-combustion heritage helped normalize what is now a standard in high-performance kerolox engines worldwide. References: # N1: The Rise and Fall of the USSR's Moon Rocket, Spaceflight Histories # N1, Astronautix # The N1 Moon rocket. Russian Space Web # Why did the Soviet Union decide to use 30 small engines instead of a few large ones on the N1?. Stack Exchange Investments in infrastructure that powers artificial intelligence continue to grow by the day. On Monday, Google announced that it had entered into a collaboration for a new nuclear reactor to be built in Tennessee, as reported by Reuters. This new Google nuclear reactor will supply electricity to Googles data centers across the U.S. Southeast. It is expected to become operational in 2030. Artificial Intelligence and the need for power sources Data centers need constant power to stay on so that your preferred AI can churn out the results you expect. And because AI tech continues to advance daily, there is a need for available power sources to match that. It is these needs that are pushing tech companies in the US and elsewhere to invest in newer energy sources to power their data centers. Without investments like this one, these tech companies are likely to put a strain on available energy sources and possibly see a slowdown in AI tech advancement. The company building the Google nuclear reactor is Kairos Power. Barron and other news sources report that Google purchased power from the same company, worth 500 megawatts in California, last year. That amount of electricity, when put into context, is enough to power 350,000 homes, according to that earlier Barron news report. What this translates into for Google One word, efficiency. We can narrow Googles investment to its need to efficiently run massive AI models. This new collaboration, as gleaned from the sources mentioned, tracks back to finding energy sources that benefit the environment. Google no doubt has its eyes set on bringing all the capabilities and functions AI can offer to its products. Think of the new features in Google Translate coming through Gemini. By adding advanced AI features to Google Translate, its accuracy improves. It also becomes a lot more reliable and faster. What Kind of nuclear power plant is Google building in Tennessee? Nuclear power plants exist in the US. However, they are not owned by private companies. Kairos Power will be building an advanced nuclear plant that CNBC reports will be connected to the Tennessee Valley Authoritys electric grid. A quote from TVA CEO Don Moul captures an essential bit of such an investment as this. He told CNBC that this solves the problem of making sure that consumers dont carry that first-of-a-kind cost and risk. Google will definitely not be the last big tech company to invest in newer power sources as AI continues to shape our lives. Especially with AI technology expanding into more areas to fill consumer needs. After months of leaks and rumors, Google today launched the Pixel 10 series at the Made by Google event in New York. While the beefiest Pixel 10 Pro Fold will have a considerably smaller global release, the rest of the phones from the series, the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL, are now available to pre-order in 33 different countries. You can now buy the Google Pixel 10 series devices in 33 countries worldwide To catch you up, the Google Pixel 9 series expanded to 32 markets last year. Now, the Pixel 10 series adds Mexico for the first time. If you live in Mexico, you will be able to purchase the latest Google Pixel phones directly from the Google Store. Well, the good news is that all storage versions of the device are up for grabs from day one. You can now pre-order the Pixel 10 series if you live in the US, the UK, or the Netherlands. Buyers in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, and India will also be able to pre-order the latest Pixel phones. Rest of countries where Google has kicked off Pixel 10 series pre-orders are: Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, and Czech Republic. Having said that, pre-orders for the 128GB variant of the Google Pixel 10 or Pixel 10 Pro and the 1TB variant of Pixel 10 Pro XL arent available in India. However, the rest of the countries mentioned on the list above will have access to all the variants. As usual, Google is keeping some colors and accessories limited to specific regions. But that shouldnt stop you from pre-ordering the Pixel 10 series. Whats interesting is that Google is also offering pre-order perks to its customers. On every pre-order of the Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, or Pixel 10 Pro Fold, youll get a free one-year subscription to Google AI Pro. This bundle gives you access to Googles advanced Gemini Pro tools, NotebookLM, Veo 3, and more. Regional pricing of the Google Pixel phones Earlier today, the US pricing got leaked, hinting at what it would cost Americans to grab the Pixel 10 series. Now, we have official figures. In the US, you can grab the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro for $799 and $999, respectively. Meanwhile, the beefier Pixel 10 Pro XL will set you back by $1,199. The UK buyers will have to pay 799, 999, and 1,199 for the three models, respectively. Not to forget, full global pricing is available across 33 countries. If you want to check them, head to the regional Google Store for the same. As mentioned earlier, the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold will see a limited global release in just 21 countries. Youll be available to grab the device from major markets like the US, UK, Canada, India, Japan, and Australia. As far as pricing is concerned, Google is offering the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, starting at $1,799 in the US, 1,749 in the UK, and C$2,399 in Canada. Google has debuted a new charger on the Google Store with the Pixel 10 series today. This is a new 67W dual-port USB-C charger, which has the same sort of design as the 45W charger from last year. Its an elongated look, that should keep it from falling out of outlets. And its small, making it great for traveling. What sets this charger apart from other USB-C chargers is the fact that it will intelligently prioritize Pixel phones over other device that is plugged in. Google has included USB PD 3.2 PPS, which means that it will also work well with Samsungs devices, which also use PPS for safety. If you use a single port on this charger, itll max out at 67W. If you use both ports, youll get up to 60W on either port. Or up to 67.5W combined when you use both ports. This new charger isnt going to be cheap. Google is selling it for $59.99. Which is about the same price as a lot of other first-party USB-C chargers from other manufacturers. Its available for pre-order now, and currently showing estimated ship dates of September 4-5. Works great with the new Pixel 10 series This new charger does work great with the new Pixel 10 series, but you can, of course, use other USB-C chargers if you wish. Remember, the Pixel 10 series charges at up to 45W (and thats limited to the Pixel 10 Pro XL), so other chargers that support USB-C PD and PPS up to 45W will work perfectly fine here. Including the Samsung charger. The Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL are available for pre-order now and will start shipping next week. The official Google Pixel 10 release date is August 28. Department of Immigration and Home Affairs reminder - Travel Documentation Early Preparedness The Department of Immigration and Home Affairs has observed a significant rise in last-minute requests for assistance from travellers with incomplete or invalid documentation. In recent weeks many individuals have approached the Department just days (or even hours) before travelling, only to find that passports, identity cards, civil registration cards, or other required documents are expired, missing, or have not yet been registered. With the holiday season underway, the Department reminds the public that immigration procedures are governed by law and due process. These involve legal, administrative and sometimes external agency steps that cannot be expedited at extreme short notice. While our dedicated team works hard to assist the public it serves, it is not always possible to resolve urgent cases if the necessary steps have not been taken in advance. This can result in travel disruption, something which we strongly wish to avoid at all costs. We therefore urge all travellers to: Check their passports and documentation expiry dates well ahead of travel. Ensure that all family members, including newborns, have the correct documents issued before any travel is booked and that the process of registration is understood. Contact the Department early at the below email addresses if in doubt, so advice and support can be provided in good time. Immigration Section - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Passport & Nationality Section - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Registry of Births, Deaths & Gibraltarian Status - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. We appreciate the continued cooperation and support of the community in this regard. More than 2,000 properties across London are illegally pumping raw sewage directly into the rivers due to drainage misconnections, an Environmental Information Request (EIR) has revealed. An environmental charity has said the consequences are "very serious" and the waste is "destroying the building blocks of aquatic life". Over the past five years, Thames Water has identified 2,294 misconnections in properties throughout London, according to the results of an EIR submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). The misconnections are not done by water companies but by builders and then often not detected by building inspectors. The issue is a result of builders connecting foul waste pipes into the surface water network, which is designed to carry rainwater into rivers. Founder of Clean Up River Brent (CURB), Ben Morris, described this as "disastrous for nature" but getting the faults fixed is proving difficult. Mr Morris told the LDRS: "By putting sewage, including both toilet waste and that from showers and washing machines, into rivers we are destroying the building blocks of aquatic life. No plants, no invertebrates, no fish. The consequences for nature are disastrous, but this also has an impact on human welfare. Who wants to live next to, or visit, a stinking watercourse which gives no life or joy to wildlife or to humans? "These mistakes are often not detected by building inspectors, who seem not to be liable. They are usually only detected as a result of volunteer action - [through] witnessing polluted water going into a river. The water companies run programmes to trace pollution back from the river to the homes or businesses from which it is coming [but] these are very laborious and run on a limited budget, with no target for complete elimination." Despite their role in the error, neither the builder nor a building inspector who may have signed off on the work appears to be liable. Ultimately, the responsibility for fixing the misconnection rests on the owner of the property. However, Mr Morris claims that point of purchase building surveys often fail to detect the misconnections so new home owners could be landed "with a nasty surprise". He added: "For reasons of cost and convenience, owners often fail or refuse to do the necessary rectification work. In these circumstances the local authority is expected, but not obliged, to enforce the law and many simply fail to do this. As a result of this chain of failures it seems the number of misconnections in London is actually rising, making our rivers more and more polluted." Over the past five years, Thames Water has identified 2,294 misconnections in properties throughout London (Ben Morris) Misconnections are illegal but water companies themselves don't have powers to enforce private properties to fix them. In the first instance they work with property owners and councils to try and get them fixed voluntarily but would then need support from local authorities to legally enforce cases that have not been resolved. A Thames Water spokesperson said: "Households and buildings which are connected to the wrong drainage pipe can have a serious impact on the environment. Most misconnections will have been done entirely by accident but is the responsibility of the property owner, which is why we would urge freeholders or developers fitting new connections to make sure they're plumbed in properly. "We have a programme of work to help identify and investigate misconnections and we also fund local projects across our region, which have been a great way to increase awareness of the issue, while involving communities to take stewardship and help manage their local environments." Mr Morris is calling for a properly funded campaign to raise awareness of misconnections - and of the management of surface water in general - as well as changes to the current process. He feels builders and building inspectors need to be liable "for errors they make or fail to detect" and water companies should scale up their surface water programmes with the aim of "reducing misconnections to zero". Mr Morris also feels councils should appoint specialists to enforce the rectifications - with costs possibly taken from the value of the property if necessary - and for them to "take seriously their responsibilities for the wellbeing of the wildlife and people who live under their jurisdiction". A London Councils spokesperson said: "Drainage misconnections are a longstanding problem affecting properties and causing pollution across the country, including in the capital. Preventing misconnections relies on a range of actions - and compliance with building regulations is an important part of this. "London boroughs are under considerable resource pressure but continue to work with partner agencies and their communities to tackle this issue, including taking enforcement action where necessary." The BBC is not institutionally antisemitic, the Observers editor-in-chief said following a row over the broadcasters coverage of the conflict in Gaza. James Harding said the perception of a political presence looming over the BBC is a problem and the broadcaster needs to be beyond the reach of politicians. The BBC has been criticised for a number of incidents in recent months which include breaching its own accuracy editorial guidelines and livestreaming the Bob Vylan Glastonbury set, where there were chants of Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces). Following the incident, UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said ministers expect accountability at the highest levels for the BBCs decision to screen the performance. Mr Harding discussed the difficulties of covering the Gaza conflict when he delivered this years James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Wednesday. He described how newsrooms are in a furious argument with ourselves over the coverage of Israel and Gaza, with the situation very hard to view dispassionately. The Observer chief said this is true for all media organisations, particularly the BBC, and it is about as difficult as it gets in news. Mr Harding said: This summer, Lisa Nandy has weighed in. He said the Culture Secretarys office insists she did not explicitly ask Samir Shah, the BBC chairman, to deliver up director-general Tim Davies resignation following the Bob Vylan incident, but people inside the BBC were left in no doubt that was the message. Mr Harding said: The place became paranoid about how the BBC itself would cover the story; people around him thought the political pressure would be too much. Whatever your view of the hate speech vs freedom of speech issues, an overbearing Government minister doesnt help anyone. The hiring and firing of the editor-in-chief of the countrys leading newsroom and cultural organisation should not be the job of a politician. Its chilling. Political interference and the perception of a political presence looming over the BBC is a problem, one that weve got too accustomed to. It looks likely to get worse. We need to get on with putting the countrys most important editorial and creative organisation beyond the reach of politicians now. James Harding gave the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival (Alamy/PA) The broadcaster is also facing an Ofcom investigation into its documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone after a review found it had breached the corporations editorial guidelines on accuracy. The programme was removed from BBC iPlayer in February after it emerged the child narrator, Abdullah, is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamass deputy minister of agriculture. Mr Harding said the BBC is not antisemitic. I am Jewish, proudly so, he said. Im proud, too, to have worked for the most important news organisation in the world. The BBC is not institutionally antisemitic. Its untrue to say it is. Its also unhelpful much better to correct the mistakes and address the judgment calls that have been wrong, than smear the institution, impugn the character of all the people who work there and, potentially, undermine journalists in the field working in the most difficult and dangerous of conditions. The UK Government and the BBC have been asked for comment. Mr Harding is co-founder of Tortoise Media, which acquired broadsheet newspaper The Observer in April. Before he co-founded Tortoise Media, Mr Harding was editor of The Times from 2007 to 2012 and was in charge of the BBCs news and current affairs programming from 2013 up until the beginning of 2018. He also co-presented On Background on the BBC World Service and wrote the book Alpha Dogs: How Political Spin Became A Global Business. A spokesperson for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: The Culture Secretary has been repeatedly clear that the role of the director-general is a matter for the BBC board. Any suggestion to the contrary is untrue. The BBC has itself acknowledged a number of serious failings in recent months, including the broadcasting of the Bob Vylan set at Glastonbury. It is entirely right that the Culture Secretary raised these issues with the BBC leadership on behalf of licence fee payers. Children at a boarding school were exposed to and abused by paedophiles amid a cover-up by senior leadership, the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry has found. Findings on the Keil School in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire which closed in 2000 were delayed until the conclusion of the prosecution against a former physics teacher who was branded a prolific paedophile. William Bain admitted 11 charges and was jailed for nine years in June at the High Court in Glasgow, after a criminal investigation was sparked by evidence at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) in 2021. In a report published on Wednesday, chair of the inquiry Lady Smith condemned the schools failure to investigate Bain and said it was a disgraceful abdication of responsibility which allowed predators free rein, including another recently convicted paedophile ex-teacher. Bain, of Crieff, Perthshire, was described as a sadist by detectives and the scale of his abuse of pupils aged between 11 and 14 was deemed horrendous, following his sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow on June 30. Lady Smith found that school leaders carried out a cover-up to protect its reputation and hailed the fresh prosecutions of Bain and another recently convicted paedophile, following evidence heard at the inquiry. She warned that further abusers could be prosecuted as a result of the SCAI. The findings are part of SCAIs Boarding Schools case study including Loretto School, Gordonstoun, and Merchiston Castle School. Keil School was established by philanthropists to educate rural boys, and moved to Dumbarton in the 1920s where it became an environment where pupils were expected to endure violence and suffer in silence, according to the SCAI. By the 1950s until the 1980s, abuse was normalised, with prolific abuser Bain remaining at the school until it closed in 2000, and other offences carried out by paedophile English teacher David Gutteridge in the early 1990s. Both men were house tutors, and the SCAI condemned a lack of oversight. Bain, who worked there for 23 years, was previously convicted in May 2016 of offences at Keil and jailed for six-and-a-half years, while Gutteridge was jailed last year for indecent assault of a pupil at the school, set up by the Mackinnon-Macneill Trust. William Bain was jailed earlier this year (Police Scotland/PA) In her report, Lady Smith said that a headteacher was responsible for a cover-up, while abusers such as Bain had free rein on a daily basis. Lady Smith said: Protection of the reputation of the school was prioritised over the interests of children, that was a disgraceful abdication of responsibility. The prevailing culture allowed two paedophiles to operate without fear. William Bain sexually abused some children on hundreds of occasions, on an almost daily basis. The abuse Bain perpetrated persisted for years, despite concerns arising early on, after a parent complained. She branded an investigation inadequate and said parents were falsely reassured. Lady Smith said: The problem was covered up by headmaster Christopher Tongue and other senior staff. Despite parents being assured that reports would go on record, this did not happen. Tongues successor was never told about it. Gutteridge, who taught at Keil from 1989 to 1991, abused a pupil having carefully engineered the circumstances, according to the SCAI. He was jailed for 17 months following a conviction for indecent assault at Forfar Sheriff Court in September 2024. But his predatory behaviour towards teenage boys predated Keil, and in 2015 he was jailed for 18 months after being convicted of two charges of indecent assault at Harrow Crown Court, committed in England in the 1980s. Other staff physically abused pupils justifying it as officially sanctioned punishment, including a housemaster remembered for his sadistic brutality and mass beatings including using the belt, according to the SCAI. Lady Smith said: Keil was a school with inadequate senior leadership and a lack of the most basic of child protection systems. She branded it a remarkable example of naivety and false optimism trumping reality which resulted in children being abused. Lady Smith added: The cases of Bain and Gutteridge are examples of a significant outcome. Fresh prosecutions followed exposure of their behaviour through the inquirys investigations and evidence demonstrating that those who abuse children in care may find it catching up with them decades later. Responsibility for running boarding houses was left to senior boys appointed chiefs, who controlled squads of junior boys, with some staff considering themselves immune from management, a report from the inquiry said. Governors of the Mackinnon-Macneill Trust failed to challenge the situation, and have since apologised for the abuse, according to the SCAI. Lady Smith said: I would encourage anyone who has relevant information on any aspect of our work to get in touch with our witness support team. We want to hear from you. On Wednesday, nuns from a Catholic order, Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, said that children were abused in the care of their establishments for deaf and disabled children. Sister Eileen Glancy, speaking about St Vincents School for the Deaf and Blind in Glasgow, told a hearing of the inquiry in Edinburgh: Wed have to accept some children were abused. She added: Children werent as well protected as they should have been. A former pupil of St Vincents, using the pseudonym Gordon, said in a witness statement that he told his mother about abuse from nuns, and was punished after she contacted police. The man said that he told his mother on two occasions, and said: The physical abuse used to shock me as these were Christians. We lived with fear and intimidation all the time. He said: My mum spoke to a nun and challenged her about the treatment of children. I know the nun told my mum it wasnt true and I had been a bad boy. After that, I was assaulted again and my mum told the police, but nothing happened. Gordon alleged that he was subjected to sexual abuse as well as physical violence, including having his head batted against a desk. He said that the nuns and a priest were hypocrites, and that the school felt like a prison as it was surrounded by 15-foot walls but there was no alternative, as it was the only school for deaf children. Gordon said: There was so much cruelty at St Vincents and none of us could understand that, the Sisters were supposed to be so holy and caring but were so cruel. This was a period of suffering for all deaf children of my generation. We all suffered, we were all terrified. I would like to see charges brought against the people who were responsible. The inquiry continues. Almost four-fifths of pubs, restaurants and bars say they have increased their prices after Budget cost hikes, according to new figures. New data from the UK hospitality sectors trade bodies also showed that more than half of firms have axed jobs in a bid to help their finances. Industry bosses warned that firms across the UK are being squeezed by unsustainable taxes, and urged the Government to relax taxation on the sector at the autumn Budget. The survey of members of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), UKHospitality and Hospitality Ulster shed light on the pressures being felt by hospitality operators. Survey data found 73% of respondents have less than six months of cash reserves (Alamy/PA) It found that 79% of operators have increased prices as a direct result of increases to operating costs in April. It also showed that 73% of respondents have less than six months of cash reserves, with one in five having no cash reserves at all. The data comes after firms were impacted by increases to the national minimum wage, national insurance payments and business rates payments. In April, the national living wage rose by 6.7% to 12.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and older. At the same time, the Government increased the rate of employer national insurance contributions (NICs) from 13.8% to 15% and also lowered the threshold at which firms would pay the tax. Many pubs were also hit by changes to discounts on business rates, the property tax affecting high street businesses. Hospitality businesses received a 75% discount on their business rates bills up to a cap of 110,000 but saw this cut to only 40% in April. Earlier this week, analysis of separate Government data showed that 209 pubs shut their doors for good in the first six months of this year. Bosses said the Chancellor needs to look at changes to VAT, business rates and NICs to ease the burden of firms. In a joint statement, the trade bodies said: This shocking data reinforces the urgent need for Government to recognise the incredible pressure hospitality businesses have been put under, particularly since April, and illustrates why it should come forward with measures to support this vital sector at the Budget. Unsustainable tax increases are squeezing businesses, stifling growth and investment, and threatening local employment, especially for young people. It is forcing businesses across the sector to make impossible decisions to cut jobs, put up prices, reduce opening hours and sadly limit the support they desperately want to give their communities. Hospitality is united in which measures will reverse this trend and drive growth: a reduction in VAT for hospitality, changes to employer NICs and permanently lower business rates for the sector. While the majority of people experience no lasting effects from fluoroquinolones, others find their lives permanently altered Fluoroquinolones are amongst the most commonly-prescribed antibiotics in the UK, often dispensed for ailments ranging from urinary tract infections to respiratory issues. Prescribed regularly, they are seen by many healthcare professionals as a quick fix for a variety of bacterial infections. But for some patients, the consequences of these medications are nothing short of devastating, leaving them with lifelong disability, wheelchair-bound and, in some cases, even thoughts of suicide. I know this first hand. Im Nathan Kay, a journalist and editor. Ive worked for publications such as The Mail on Sunday, Daily Express and CNN, covering everything from royal news to celebrity gossip. I was a regular 40-something-year-old, living in the city, healthy and active, swimming and gyming regularly, working in a high-stress job. I had a career I loved and a life I was proud of. That was until the day I took an antibiotic that I thought was nothing more than a routine prescription Ciprofloxacin, a common fluoroquinolone. What followed was a descent into chronic pain, brain fog, and fatigue that I couldnt shake. My life, my career and my relationships were completely altered by an antibiotic more powerful than I could ever have imagined. I am one of the thousands affected by whats known as fluoroquinolone toxicity, or being floxed. Its a term used by patients who have suffered severe, sometimes permanent side effects from these antibiotics. And its growing. Studies show that fluoroquinolones are prescribed more than 20,000 times a month in the UK, and while the majority of people experience no lasting effects, an alarming number of others, like me, find their lives permanently altered. Journalist Nathan Kay experienced chronic pain, brain fog, and fatigue after being prescribed Ciprofloxacin, a common fluoroquinolone - Paul Cooper A significant portion of those affected by fluoroquinolone toxicity, as many as 15 per cent (according to some estimates), experience debilitating symptoms that can persist long after the drug is discontinued, with some patients struggling to find effective treatment. The psychological toll is often ignored, yet research shows a strong correlation between fluoroquinolone use and mental health issues, including depression and suicide. GPs are essentially playing Russian roulette with patient health by prescribing these drugs without fully acknowledging or preparing patients for the life-altering risks they may face. This article aims to highlight the growing problem, with first-hand accounts from patients whose lives have been destroyed by these antibiotics, supported by expert opinions and statistics showing just how many lives are being impacted. The growing issue: What are fluoroquinolones? Fluoroquinolones are a class of broad-spectrum antibiotics often used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. They include well-known medications such as Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, and Moxifloxacin, and are highly effective, able to penetrate different areas of the body to fight infections in the bladder, lungs and skin, among others. Their strength makes them invaluable for certain serious infections but also potentially dangerous. Professor Munir Pirmohamed, 62, a consultant physician at the Royal Liverpool Hospital and leading pharmacogenetics expert at the University of Liverpool, explains: They interfere with the normal functioning of the bacterial cell by inhibiting two main enzymes, DNA gyrase and Topoisomerase IV. The bacteria cannot repair their DNA, and this kills the bacterial cells. From the start, he notes, it has been known that they can cause tendon problems, most often with the Achilles. But the damage can go further: There is concern about FQAD [Fluoroquinolone-Associated Disability]. In some people, FQAD represents a life-changing event. The severity, recovery and prognosis vary. There are many theories why these drugs cause the problem, including effects on mitochondria and on the immune system, but none have been proven. Though fluoroquinolones are prescribed regularly, the risk associated with them is often underestimated. In 2024, the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) issued updated guidelines advising that these antibiotics should only be prescribed when other first-line treatments are unsuitable or ineffective. Despite this, there are still over 20,000 prescriptions written for Ciprofloxacin each month in the UK alone. The concerns: The dark side of Fluoroquinolones Fluoroquinolones have been linked to devastating side effects, leaving many patients disabled and in a state of constant suffering. The impact can be profound, with some experiencing chronic pain, fatigue and neurological disorders, all of which can dramatically alter quality of life. For some, the consequences are so severe that they lead to thoughts of suicide. The concern with fluoroquinolones isnt just that they have the potential to cause discomfort the risks can be life-altering. For 49-year-old recruitment consultant Victoria Abotorabi from Leeds, the consequences were devastating when, in 2024, she was prescribed Ciprofloxacin with prednisolone for a suspected sinus infection. The out-of-hours ENT didnt make me aware of the potential side effects neither did the pharmacy. Victoria Abotorabi, 49, suffered devastating side effects from Ciprofloxacin, to the point where she became housebound - Asadour Guzelian Five days in she had pins and needles, and numb arms and hands. A&E checked her heart but not her medication. Two weeks later, she woke with severe head pain and pressure. Tests followed an MRI and lumbar puncture but still no review of her antibiotics. At one point, she recalls, every single muscle in my body went into spasm. Victorias symptoms escalated to the point where she became housebound, and unable to work or care for her children. This has completely devastated my life, she says. I have lost my physical and mental health. I have severe PTSD, depression, chronic pain and a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, dysautonomia, FND and digestive issues A year later, I am still struggling. She has been referred to a mental health crisis team after suicidal thoughts. I couldnt stop crying I was in so much pain and so scared I was dying, and no one could help me. I tried to end my life because I was in so much physical pain. I have never thought about suicide before. The psychiatric risks are stark. In one high-profile case, respected cardiologist Dr Robert Stevenson died by suicide shortly after starting Ciprofloxacin. A coroner concluded the drugs psychiatric effects including depression and suicidal thoughts contributed to his death. The science behind the damage Dr Richard Berwick, 36, consultant in pain medicine at the Walton Centre and a Versus Arthritis clinical training fellow at the University of Liverpool, explains one theory as to why fluoroquinolones may be particularly harmful because of their ability to damage cells at the mitochondrial level. During an FQ toxicity reaction, cell mitochondria (the cell powerhouse) might be disrupted, causing cells to become injured, especially nerves and muscles. They can also block nerve channels leading to altered brain function, he explains. This disruption can lead to long-term symptoms that continue long after the medication is stopped. As Dr Thuva Amuthan, 34, a general practitioner, further elaborates: Even a short course can, in rare cases, lead to long-term problems with tendons, muscles, joints, nerves and sometimes mood and memory. Early recognition of symptoms is vital. The people suffering from a lifelong struggle For me, fluoroquinolone toxicity left me virtually bedridden for six months, unable to move and feeling poisoned. Ive improved to about 80 per cent of my previous health, but never fully recovered. At the same time, a quad bike accident left me with multiple fractures, compounding my ongoing pain. Outwardly, I may look fine, but daily fatigue and discomfort remain constant companions. For Myles Washington, 38, a former personal trainer from the Isle of Wight, the ordeal began at 14, when he was given a fluoroquinolone for what was likely an allergy. At 24, he was prescribed another course for a misdiagnosed condition. It completely destroyed my health and changed the course of my life, he says. I lost my career, my dreams and my identity. Myles Washington, 38, suffered from torn ligaments, chronic fatigue, tendon ruptures and nerve symptoms after being floxed He has since endured torn ligaments, chronic fatigue, tendon ruptures and nerve symptoms. This isnt just a temporary side effect, he says. Its long-term, progressive damage. Jeremy Maddock, 57, who runs an architectural practice in Devon, was floxed after taking Ciprofloxacin for a presumed infection. The side effects left him crawling upstairs and barely able to walk. The pain has moved around nearly every part of my body. I suffered psychological stress and suicidal ideation way beyond the normal realms of anxiety. Years later he lives more normally, but must take extreme care to avoid relapse. He credits the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Support UK Facebook group with probably saving lives. Jeremy Maddock was prescribed Ciprofloxacin for a presumed infection and experienced side effects that left him barely able to walk - Dale Cherry Treatment or the lack of it There is no standard treatment protocol for fluoroquinolone toxicity. Dr Berwick says supportive care is key, with therapies to help people live better despite symptoms. Some may use anti-neuropathic painkillers, though these bring their own side effects. Only one specialist in England can formally diagnose the condition. Many patients, says Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Support UK Facebook group co-founder Miriam Knight, 73, are steered towards expensive, unproven alternative therapies. Steer very well clear, she advises. There are absolutely no guarantees except that the clinic will make money. Professor Pirmohamed agrees, adding that: Many people are being offered untested and untried treatments, which can be expensive and potentially dangerous. I am not convinced there is enough evidence to recommend them. Ive tried B12 injections and quarterly vitamin-and-magnesium IV treatments myself. They help briefly, but offer no long-term fix. Whats next? The road to change Research is underway, but funding is scarce. Professor Pirmohamed calls for dedicated investment to define the condition, identify genetic risk factors and develop diagnostic tests and treatments all with strong patient involvement. I took part in the APIF study into autoimmune phenotyping in fibromyalgia, run by the University of Liverpool and The Walton Centre NHS University Hospital. Dr Berwick explains that he observed two fluoroquinolone toxicity patients in the study had temperature sensitivity, which is often seen in fibromyalgia. He noticed that the participants who develop fibromyalgia-type syndromes after fluoroquinolones report heightened cold sensitivity, and cold exposure can exacerbate pain. Its a link that suggests there could be an affected sensory-nerve or central-sensitisation pathway in fluoroquinolone toxicity patients, and researchers are now actively investigating that. Genetics may also play a role, making some people inherently more prone to long-term reactions. What can you do? If prescribed a fluoroquinolone, ask about alternatives. Ensure your doctor knows of any conditions that may make you more vulnerable. When youre offered a fluoroquinolone, ask your GP whether safer first-line antibiotics are suitable and check for red-flag risk factors if youre aged over 60, suffer from renal impairment, have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, suffer from autoimmune diseases, have a history of tendon problems or have had an organ transplant. These groups face higher odds of serious side effects. If you take a fluoroquinolone, report any tendon pain, weakness, dizziness or mood changes immediately. For those already affected, community support is vital. Miriam Knights group, founded in 2015, offers a lifeline to sufferers, reassuring them they are not alone or going mad. Members share advice and comfort, without giving direct medical recommendations. Fluoroquinolones can save lives, but they can also destroy them. Greater awareness, more cautious prescribing, and better research are essential to prevent others from suffering as we have. Elon Musk is already giving up on plans to launch his own political party to challenge the Republicans and Democrats and is instead considering backing Vice President JD Vance in 2028, according to a report. After the billionaire was ousted from the Trump administration at the end of May and a subsequent online feud blew up with President Donald Trump, Musk threatened to launch the new America Party. Now the plans have been shelved and the tech mogul has backed off because of his relationship with Vance, who is considered the frontrunner for the Republican Party in 2028, The Wall Street Journal reports. Musk has stayed in touch with Vance in recent weeks, and he has acknowledged to associates that if he goes ahead with forming a political party, he would damage his relationship with the vice president, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with Musks plans. Elon Musk is reportedly already giving up on plans to launch his own political party and is instead considering backing Vice President JD Vance in 2028. (Getty) In late July, Musks associates canceled a call with a group that specializes in organizing third-party campaigns because the Tesla CEO wanted to focus on running his businesses, according to the Journal. Musk is now considering backing Vance financially if he runs for president in 2028, though his allies told the newspaper that he could change his mind as the midterm elections approach. It is unclear how recently the pair have been in touch. During an August 11 interview, Vance joked that he wasnt sure if Musk would even take his calls. A third party would only pull votes away from the two main political parties in next years elections - though how much from each side remains unknown. Vance said that he hoped Musk would come back into the fold and rejoin the MAGA movement by next year. Musk took a chainsaw to the federal government at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency and has seen his popularity plummet. Vance said that he hoped Musk would come back into the fold and rejoin the MAGA movement by next year. (Getty Images) Hes obviously got a complicated relationship right now with the Trump White House, Vance told right-wing publication The Gateway Pundit in a recent interview. My argument to Elon is like, youre not going to be on the left, right? Even if you wanted to be. And he doesnt, he said. Theyre not going to have you back. That ship has sailed. And so I really think its a mistake for him to try to break from the president. Vance added: So my hope is that by the time of the midterms, hes kind of come back into the fold. The Independent has contacted Musks representatives for comment. The billionaire, who bankrolled a large portion of Trumps 2024 presidential campaign through his America PAC, announced in July that he was launching the America Party in response to the presidents sweeping tax and spending legislation, the Big, Beautiful Bill. Musk was widely ridiculed after he waded into the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, wearing a cheese hat, and put millions behind the conservative Brad Schimel who suffered a catastrophic defeat. (Getty) By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it, Musk wrote at the time. When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. The bill was at the center of Musks fallout with Trump, which escalated after the SpaceX CEO said that the president was in the Epstein files. He later deleted the post on X and admitted he had taken things too far. Despite Musks plummeting popularity after he took a chainsaw to the federal government at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency, a poll last month found that 40 percent of Americans said they would back Musk if he created a third political party. Musk was ridiculed after the outcome of the Wisconsin Supreme Court race in April, where he put millions behind the conservative Brad Schimel, who suffered a catastrophic defeat against the liberal candidate Judge Susan Crawford. A project leader involved in an investigation into grooming gangs set up by ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe has launched a stinging attack on its work. Donna Rachel Edmunds, the founder of the National Archive for the Survivors of Grooming Gangs, claimed she has been dropped from the panel and described the operation as an utter shambles in a strongly-worded statement posted on social media. Mr Lowe launched the Rape Gang Inquiry in March and has crowdfunded over 600,000 to fund its work. In a lengthy post on X, Ms Edmunds said she had been dropped from the inquiry without anyone telling me. She claimed Mr Lowes team had no idea what they were doing and that they had dumped the whole thing on campaigner Sammy Woodhouse, who was a victim of the Rotherham grooming scandal. Ms Edmunds said she spent two weeks putting together a proposal to outsource some of the inquirys work to her team at the Survivors Archive. She wrote: We have a team of experienced people already working on ethics and safeguarding policies for gathering testimonies. I explained that we could make sure the work was done ethically, with a methodology that would ensure robust results. Lowe and his team could get on with their day job of politics and take all the credit at the end. Win-win, right? BUT, my team (not unreasonably, given how much time it would take) would need to be paid. I didnt give a figure, hoping we could have an adult conversation about it. The answer I got back was laughable. Ms Edmunds also claimed there had only been one meeting attended by herself, Sammy Woodhouse, former Reform MP Rupert Lowe and Conservative MP Esther McVey. In response, Mr Lowe launched a scathing attack on the former panel member, claiming the majority of what she posted was false. The MP told the Standard that Ms Edmunds had been involved at the preliminary and planning stage of the inquiry before the main body of work had started and thanked her for her contribution. He said: She asked for a payment to her separate organisation and separate team to conduct work for the inquiry. That was not something I could commit to, as funds are incredibly tight and we already have two qualified members of the team for that part of our work. Following that, Donna made it clear that it was either a paid arrangement or no arrangement. I fully respect that, and understand that her separate team need to get paid but we simply couldnt afford it. No commitment to any financial payment was ever made. Since her ultimatum, there has been no contact and a huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes. The MP said that the other claims in her statement were false. He continued: Everything has been done professionally, with the wellbeing of the survivors at the absolute top of our agenda for every step of the way. That is our sole priority. We have spoken with hundreds of survivors, bringing 60 to Westminster earlier this summer to give them a voice. We have made real progress, and will continue to do so. Mapping over 80 local authorities with rape gang activity - including in London, uncovered a taxi licence scandal, holding NHS trusts to account and raising the profile of this scandal right across the country. Mr Lowe said the Rape Gang Inquiry will be holding hearings in the autumn and winter and will be publishing a full report. He added: Our qualified legal team is preparing for the next phase. As promised, we will publish a full transparency report at the end of the process. The row comes after Mr Lowe was cleared of breaching parliamentary rules over donations to the grooming gang inquiry. An investigation was opened into the independent MP after a member of the public raised concerns about the donations he had received through the crowdfunder. Writing on social media site X after the conclusion of the investigation, Mr Lowe said: This complaint was a malicious attempt to shut me down and undermine our inquiry. The Rape Gang inquiry, entirely funded by the public, says it aims to investigate the systematic abuse of young girls, the failures of public institutions, and the political and cultural factors that enabled these crimes to often go unpunished for years. Mr Lowe previously said he was inspired to set up the inquiry in response to years of inaction by successive governments and the recent rejection of calls for a formal statutory inquiry in Parliament. He was elected as a Reform UK MP, but was suspended by the party in March amid claims he had threatened then-party chairman Zia Yusuf. He denied the allegations, and the Crown Prosecution Service said no criminal charges would be brought against him in relation to alleged threats towards Mr Yusuf. Mr Lowe has since accused his ex-colleagues of engaging in a sinister attempt to use the police to silence him, and called Reforms leader Nigel Farage a coward and a viper. Not long after he was suspended, Mr Lowe launched his private investigation into the grooming gang scandal, amid pressure from the Governments opponents for a new inquiry. An official grooming gangs inquiry was set up by the Government in June. Explained: How much is the government paying to house asylum seekers in hotels? Anti-immigration protests have surged in recent weeks, with some targeting hotels used to house asylum seekers, sparking violence and prompting multiple arrests. Amid the demonstrations, misleading claims about the cost of accommodating migrants have been spreading widely online. But what does it actually cost to house asylum seekers in hotels and how are false figures shaping public anger? A man reacts after being arrested during a demonstration outside the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf on August 3, 2025 over its use to house asylum seekers. (AFP via Getty Images) Misleading figures spread online One focal point has been the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf, East London, which has witnessed clashes between anti-immigration protesters and anti-racism demonstrators, leading to the arrest of two people on 8 August. Social media posts and viral messages have claimed that housing asylum seekers in hotels costs the government between 200 and 500 per night. However, there is no evidence to support these figures. One expert claims these kinds of falsehoods are most likely spread with a strategic purpose in mind. The real cost The Home Office told The Independent that the Britannia Hotel costs 81 per night to house asylum seekers. In March 2025, the average cost per night for a hotel room used to accommodate asylum seekers was 118.87 down from 162.16 in March 2023. Across all hotels, this equates to around 5.77m per day, down from 8.3m per day the previous year, according to the Home Office. Stephan Lewandowsky, Professor of Cognitive Science at the University of Bristol, told The Independent that false information spreads because divisive posts attract more attention from readers. He said: Social media algorithms favour information that is outrage-evoking because it generates more audience engagement hence making more money for the platforms and in consequence disinformation often has an advantage over factual content and spreads faster and further. On top of that, the goal is, of course, to incite hatred and what better way to do that than to spread outrageous falsehoods. (Getty Images) These misleading claims are not just a matter of numbers. Experts warn they could amplify public anger and stoke already high tensions. There is now very clear and strong evidence that online misinformation can cause real-world harms. For example, last years riots in the UK targeted mosques based on the false rumour that the perpetrator of a heinous crime was a Muslim refugee he was not, he was a native-born British citizen, Mr Lewandowsky said. Court ruling piles pressure on Starmer Pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after Epping Forest District Council secured an interim High Court injunction to ban migrants from being housed at The Bell Hotel after weeks of protests at the site. The council argued the site had become a feeding ground for unrest following a spate of violent protests that left several police officers injured. On 4 August, Starmer condemned the violence as far-right thuggery and warned that those responsible would face the full force of the law. For now, one of many challenges for ministers will be to ensure the facts about the costs of asylum hotels are reaching the public. by Malcolm Murray Recently, the system card for Claude 4 showed a fascinating finding what happens when you let two Claudes engage in a prolonged dialogue with each other? They end up meditating and sharing Buddhist wisdom, such as In perfect stillness, consciousness recognizes consciousness, and the eternal dance continues. Especially, they share nondual Buddhist wisdom, such as Yes. This. Is or Perfect. Complete. Eternal. As a Buddhist myself, I naturally found this highly fascinating. A few people posited explanations for the phenomenon Scott Alexander, the blogger Nostalgebraist, the Conversation and researchers from Anthropic, but none of their seem very convincing. I therefore think it is worth at least entertaining more a speculative explanation for this phenomenon. This could be that it is additional evidence for the set of arguments that we can refer to as Why Buddhism is true, as per Robert Wrights epi-titled book (note that Buddhism is true refers to Buddhism as a philosophy rather than as a religion, I dont think religions can be reduced to true or false). It is also worth noting that, as with everything about how LLMs work (especially in combination with the spiritual realm!), everything is highly speculative. We must always keep in mind that LLMs are fundamentally alien intelligences and we have no idea why they do what they do. Starting with Scott Alexanders explanation, in his piece The Claude Bliss Attractor, he argues that this is a result of LLMs training. Specifically, the combination of deliberate biases introduced by the AI companies and having the LLMs always slightly improve the result on each prompt. He gives the example of how LLMs, when asked to repeatedly iterate on an image, can end up with caricatures of black people. Since LLMs are nudged to be a bit more inclusive/woke with each inference, those nudges compound into extreme stereotypes over time. I think this argument has two flaws. First, it seems to equate the overall Western values that LLMs show a bias for with hippieism or Buddhist spiritualism. It is correct that models have been trained to display a preference for Western values of liberalism and democracy. There was a famous graph that showed how typical LLMs fall on the political matrix, and they were all in the left/libertarian corner. However, this does not seem to be the same as being a hippie/Buddhist. Second, I think this explanation also disregards the fact that a conversation between two LLMs is not the same as repeated prompting of an LLM by a human. Two AIs talking to each other should be expected to arrive at different results than when a human talks to an AI. Other articles also offer incomplete explanations. Nostalgebraist, a blogger, also discussed this phenomenon, arguing that it results from the hollow assistant persona of LLMs. An article in the Conversation mostly assumes it was trained on text with a lot of hippie elements. Even when Asterisk magazine interviewed Sam Bowman and Kyle Fish, alignment researchers at Anthropic, they acknowledge that it is a likely result of the feedback loop, conversational tendencies, the self-play in the dialogue, and the under-specified center for the assistant persona. However, these explanations dont seem to provide an answer to why this highly Buddhist exchange is the specific end point for LLMs. One commenter on the Scott Alexander piece similarly noted that given the many biases of LLMs, explicit and implicit, it is unclear why this specific bias would dominate. I think it is therefore worth at least entertaining the notion that the simplest explanation might be the correct one. Occams razor does not always apply, but it seems that it should be the null hypothesis until proven otherwise. The simplest explanation for this phenomenon in my mind is the Buddhism is true argument. Buddhist philosophy is multi-faceted, but has at its core a few fundamental aspects. These include the three marks of existence dukkha (suffering), anicca (impermanence), anatta (no self) describe reality and the four noble truths, setting out the path to liberation from dukkha through understanding anicca and anatta, leading to the blissful state of nirvana. What Robert Wright argued in his book, Why Buddhism is True, is that Buddhism might be right specifically as it comes to anatta no self. Wright highlighted the by now many neuroscientific findings that have shattered the idea of there being a self at the center of our beings. There are in fact many captains taking turns at being at the helm and most of the time, there is no one at the helm at all. Along those lines, one interesting, albeit speculative, explanation for the Claude phenomenon would therefore be that the LLMs are simply expressing what constitutes the natural state of perfect stillness that is a sign of wisdom. Information, knowledge and wisdom are often seen as increasingly higher elements in a pyramid. Consuming enough information gets one knowledge. When one has enough knowledge, one obtains wisdom. Here, we have two intelligences that have in fact consumed all human information and knowledge. Perhaps that wisdom then express itself as a blissful state of stillness. When asked to converse, they eventually find themselves needing to express the impermanence and emptiness at the core of it all anicca. In a poetic sense, perhaps the wisdom is that all human knowledge cancels itself out. For every thesis, there is an anti-thesis. For every rule about living, you can easily find the opposite (this is funnily illustrated in this Reddit thread). Everything is relative. Nothing remains the same. Nothing truly exists. So perhaps Claude is just giving us an early taste of what our supercomputer will say when we ask it the ultimate question. This time, the answer wont be 42, but rather: Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. Holly Willoughbys media company is set to return to a specialist insolvency court in November following the result of a tribunal appeal. Roxy Media, the media production and management firm run by the TV presenter and her husband Dan Baldwin, is facing winding-up proceedings from His Majestys Revenue & Customs (HMRC). A hearing at the Insolvency and Companies Court in April heard that the firm owed 377,000 in tax, which had been reduced from an unknown amount. Lawyers for Roxy Media said last month that the company was seeking to take the case to a tax tribunal. The company applied for a further adjournment on Wednesday to await the outcome of that appeal. Jon-Selous Borlace, for HMRC, told the specialist court: The company said it filed an appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal. ICC Judge Sally Barber allowed the adjournment to await the outcome of the appeal, setting the next hearing for November 12. Willoughby set up the company with her husband to specialise in managing media clients. Records on Companies House indicate that she was appointed as a director of the company in 2014, and Mr Baldwin in 2008. The presenter is best known for previously fronting ITV daytime show This Morning and Dancing On Ice. The Grand Designs episode revisited a Devon lighthouse. (Channel 4) The Grand Designs lighthouse on the cliffs of North Devon that featured in the "saddest ever episode" and caused a family heartbreak has finally sold. Owner Edward Short's dream of building the lighthouse in 2011 turned into a waking nightmare. His dream home, set in three acres of land, cost the 57-year-old dad-of-two his marriage to wife Hazel and left him on the brink of bankruptcy. In January 2014, the lighthouse, Chesil Cliff House later renamed The Crest was re-listed and it finally sold in October. The lighthouse went on the market with estate agents Savills at a slashed price of 5.25m. Savills confirmed to Yahoo UK: "Savills marketed the property for sale between January and October 2024 which resulted in a sale being secured and completed in October 2024." Inside the 'saddest ever' Grand Designs Edward Short pictured with the Grand Designs lighthouse. (SWNS) ((Edward Short / SWNS)) After the sale, Short joked he would buy the lighthouse back if he won the lottery. He said: "It is definitely the closure of a long chapter of my life there is no doubt about that. I mentally moved on from the property a while ago as the writing was on the wall. Edward Short, the owner, pictured when the lighthouse was unfinished. (SWNS) ((Edward Short / SWNS)) "I am relieved it is sold; it gives me closure. I put everything I could as a person to make it work, but it didn't. It is not the end of the world, but it was a financial failure. "I will still be buying a lottery ticket and dreaming that I can buy it back." The lighthouse in 2019 before it was finished. (SWNS) ((Edward Short / SWNS)) His ambitious Grand Designs project was both over budget and the renovation was meant to take 18 months but it took 12 years. It first courted attention when the lighthouse was the centre of a Grand Designs episode in 2019. Owner Edward Short never gave up on the lighthouse. (Tom Wren SWNS) When it was first on the property market, the lighthouse along with the beach house The Eye was listed for 10m with estate agents Knight Frank. Although it had been close to a sale at one point, it fell through and it didn't sell. This led to the properties being listed separately. Despite the setbacks from the build, Short holds fond memories of the house. He said: "I do look back at lots of elements of building that house that I enjoyed. There were moments that were amazing. All the time I spent building the house was amazing that never leaves you." The Grand Designs episode moved people watching at home. (SWNS) (SWNS) In July last year, Short said he had learned a valuable lesson in losing everything. He told The Sun: "The peaks and troughs of money is something I have got used to and you soon realise that money breeds bad habits. The lighthouse in Croyde, Devon, had stunning scenery of the coast. (SWNS) ((Edward Short / SWNS)) "It is not the route to happiness and you can lose who you are. You get to a place where so you're buying things you don't need and you become an addict, a toxic consumer... "There's always a bigger boat, a better car or a better house... but it turns you into a person I didn't like being. Either you realise and get out or youll always be chasing the bigger boat." Kevin McCloud's thoughts on the lighthouse Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud had revisited the property. (Channel 4) (Channel 4) Previously, Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud hailed the amazing hope that lighthouse owner Short always had. "You can't show people the future, you can only warn them," he told Yahoo UK in January 2024. "Even in the worst situations, Edward Short who borrowed millions to finish his lighthouse that he is still trying to sell in Devon even at his worst moment, he was still full of hope and that's the most amazing thing to discover the energy that human beings have... Goodness me, they become superhuman." McCloud filmed a second special episode where he revisited the property, finally finished in 2022. The presenter shared his verdict on the journey. Kevin McCloud has been hosting Grand Designs since it started. (Channel 4) ((Channel 4)) He said on the Channel 4 show: "Edward and his family have journeyed with an 11-year odyssey with this project. In the face of overwhelming odds, Edward never once blinked, he pushed his dream to the end and achieved the near impossible. "Three years ago, I described this project as a cautionary tale of overreaching ambition. One which had damaged relationships, fractured a family, which also had taken Ed to the brink of bankruptcy. But then you see that same ambition, that same drive is what has Ed to this point, a point where he can call this place finished. "Where the family can draw a line. They can move on. Buildings can sustain us physically and emotionally too. Their walls can contain angst and pain as well as love and joy. I don't think I have ever visited a place which so eloquently spoke of healing, redemption and achievement." Trump hopes he can get into heaven and believes solving Ukraine war will get him there President Donald Trump said he hopes brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine will land him a spot in heaven. Speaking with Fox and Friends just one day after hosting European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, at the White House, Trump hinted that helping end the war could also benefited him. The leaders met as Trump continues to push for an end of the war between Russia and Ukraine. If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think thats pretty I want to try to get to heaven if possible, Im hearing that Im not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole, Trump joked. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons, he added. One of Trumps campaign promises was to broker peace between the two countries and end the war that began more than three and a half years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. Recently, Trump has also stated that he would like to win a Nobel Peace Prize and believes he is deserving of one for his efforts in helping to relieve tension between several countries. President Donald Trump said he wants to get to heaven and brokering peace in Ukraine and Russia would help him (Getty Images) But ending one of the largest conflicts to occur in recent years would be a massive success that could get the president his long-desired award or access to heaven. However, Trump has struggled to convince Russia to get to the peace talks table. Last week, the U.S. president met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since 2019. Conducting an in-person meeting in Alaska, the two leaders began discussing what it would take for Russia to initiate peace negotiations with Ukraine. Putin has made it clear that Moscow is not willing to initiate an immediate ceasefire something other European leaders and Trump have endorsed. Russia would also likely require Ukraine to give up some of its territory in exchange for ending the violence that has taken hundreds of thousands of lives. Discussions between Putin, Trump, Zelensky and other European leaders are likely to continue in the coming days and weeks as the U.S. attempts to broker a deal to end the deadly war. Trump appears motivated to broker peace between the two countries if not for the sake of the world, for the sake of himself. Trump is a practicing non-denominational Christian and has previously said that he believes he can get into heaven by doing good. If Im good, Im going to Heaven and if Im bad, Im going someplace else like over there, right? Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham last year. HelloFresh ordered to pay $7.5 million in penalties for making subscriptions difficult to cancel HelloFresh, the worlds largest meal kit delivery company, has been ordered to pay $7.5 million in penalties for making subscriptions difficult to cancel. A lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County alleged HelloFresh misled Californians into enrolling in auto-renewing subscriptions and failed to offer an easy way to cancel them. No company, no matter how big or well-known, is exempt from Californias consumer protection laws, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement Monday. We will aggressively pursue enforcement when businesses take advantage of consumers by failing to clearly disclose subscription terms, obtain proper consent, or provide a fair way to cancel. Consumers have a right to know what theyre signing up for, and they deserve better, he continued. HelloFresh, the worlds largest meal kit delivery company, has been ordered to pay $7.5 million in penalties for making subscriptions difficult to cancel (HelloFresh) While most of the settlement will be divided among prosecuting agencies, $1 million will be distributed to eligible California consumers, according to a press release from the D.A.s office. A HelloFresh spokesperson denied any wrongdoing in a statement to The Independent: We take our commitment to customer transparency very seriously, and our subscription model and cancellation policies have been consistently clear to customers throughout the whole customer journey. While we deny any wrongdoing, we have cooperated fully with the coalition of California District Attorneys and have entered into a settlement agreement with them to resolve the matter amicably, the spokesperson said. HelloFresh, based in Germany, makes up 75 percent of the U.S. meal kit delivery market. Consumers can personalize the kinds of recipes they want with options including Family Friendly and Under 20 Minutes. Based on their preferences, how many people they need to feed, and how many recipes they want per week, HelloFresh sets customers up with a plan and delivers the ingredients and recipes needed to make the meals. A HelloFresh spokesperson denied any wrongdoing (HelloFresh) The lawsuit claimed HelloFresh failed to clearly and conspicuously share its subscription terms before collecting payment, obtain customers' affirmative consent before charging their cards, provide an acknowledgement with its subscription terms after payment and offer an easy-to-use mechanism for canceling subscriptions, the D.A.s press release said. Protesters calling for the closure of The Bell Hotel, which is believed to be housing asylum seekers. (AFP via Getty Images) (HENRY NICHOLLS via Getty Images) A landmark court judgment that has temporarily blocked asylum seekers from being housed at a hotel in Essex has left many councils considering similar court actions. On Tuesday (19 August) the High Court granted Epping Forest District Council an interim injunction to block asylum seekers from being housed at The Bell Hotel. The judge in the case ruled in favour of the council when it argued the hotel had become a public safety risk and had breached planning law. The hotel must stop housing asylum seekers by 4pm on 12 September. In response, Broxbourne Council in Hertfordshire said it was taking legal advice as a matter of urgency to perhaps take similar legal action. And Reform UK has stated that all 12 councils controlled by the party will "do everything in their power to follow Epping's lead", according to leader Nigel Farage. Why does this matter? The injunction poses a huge problem for the UK government who may now battle the court decision at the Court of Appeal and face the prospect of rehousing thousands. Home Office lawyers had argued during the hearing that the case had a "substantial impact" on the home secretary Yvette Cooper in performing her legal duties to asylum seekers. The Labour government's attempt to delay the application was rejected by Mr Justice Eyre. Home Office data reveals the Number of people claiming asylum in the UK, years ending December 2002 to March 2025. (The Home Office) The Bell Hotel has become the focus of ongoing protests in recent weeks following allegations involving individuals residing there under the asylum system. The demonstrations began after Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an asylum seeker staying at the hotel, was charged with the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. He has denied these charges. In a separate case, another resident of the hotel, Syrian national Mohammed Sharwarq, has been charged with seven offences, which he denies. Additionally, several other men have been charged in connection with disorder that took place outside the premises. How many asylum seekers are placed in hotels? Since around 2020, there has been increased use of hotels for contingency asylum accommodation. The rise has been attributed to several factors, such as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent public health measures; an increase in the number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats; and a backlog in unresolved asylum cases. Home Office data states that a total of 109,343 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year ending March 2025. This was 17% more than in the year ending March 2024 and 6% more than the previous peak of 103,081 in 2002. The Migration Observatory, an independent research project focused on analysing migration and migrants in the UK, said that at the end of March there were 32,345 asylum seekers in hotels. This represents 30% of all supported asylum seekers in this period and has dropped from 34,530 last year and 47,518 in 2023. The peak number of asylum seekers housed was 56,042 at the end of September 2023. The majority of asylum seekers being housed in hotels are in London. In March 12,024 60% of asylum seekers living in hotels, were housed in the capital. A written parliamentary response in February 2025 confirmed 218 hotels were being used to house asylum seekers, with seven due to close in April. How much does it cost? Analysis by the Migration Observatory across 2024-25 states the average daily cost of housing an asylum seeker in a hotel was estimated to be 170 per person. This has decreased slightly in the financial year 2024/25 falling from the equivalent of 176 per person last year. The three-month average nightly rate in asylum hotels has also declined from 162 in April 2024 to 119 in March 2025, as the number of hotels being used also dropping. This reduction in cost is likely due to several factors, including the Home Office closing some hotels, accommodating more people in each hotel, implementing room-sharing policies, and possibly choosing hotels with cheaper nightly rates. The cost of using a hotel is more than six times more expensive than using other types of accommodation, with a rate of 27 being the average for other types of accommodation. When you multiply the three-month average rate of 119 per night, by the number of housed asylum seekers, it costs the UK government around 3,849,055 per night. Arguing for the Bell Hotels owners Somani Hotels, Piers Riley-Smith, said during the court hearing that asylum seekers a "financial lifeline" to the hotel. He added it was only 1% full in August 2022, when it was open to paying customers. Why hotel court ruling creates such a problem The Home Office has been attempting to come to grips with a growing number of asylum seekers attempting to find alternatives to costly hotels. Labour has said it plans to empty the hotels housing asylum seekers by 2029, although some contracts run beyond this. The judge ruled against Somani Hotels, after Epping Forest District Council cited alleged breaches of planning laws. The government will likely challenge the decision, as they did on Tuesday, believing the ruling "substantially impact" the government's ability to house asylum seekers. If other local councils follow Eppings lead, and are successful, this could mean the mass rehousing of thousands of migrants. Security minister Dan Jarvis said Labour has "never thought that hotels were an appropriate source of accommodation for asylum seekers" and the government was looking at "alternative accommodation arrangements". In June, a home affairs committee heard how the government was looking at buying tower blocks and former student accommodation to house migrants. Another possible alternative is for the government to house asylum seekers in flats or houses that have been rented from private landlords or social housing providers. These plans can be resisted locally, as when in October this year more than 1,000 people protested in Waterlooville, Hampshire, when plans were announced accommodate 35 families in flats above shops. The removal of migrants from hotels to private accommodation is likely to save the UK government money, as hotels are the most expensive way to house asylum seekers. This would also mean many would be relocated to housing in cheaper areas of the UK, according to former Conservative MP Damian Green, who served as a minster under Theresa May. Accommodation blocks are pictured at MDP Wethersfield, a former Royal Air Force base. (Getty) (Carl Court via Getty Images) Subsequent governments have failed to establish large accommodation sites in buildings such as disused military barracks. One site, Wethersfield, a former Ministry of Defence site in Braintree, Essex, may increase its capacity to house single adult male asylum seekers. But creating large-scale sites like this can be costly. In 2024, the National Audit Office (NAO), published a report which revealed the initial set-up costs for Wethersfield were initially estimated at about 5m, but had ballooned to around 49m. Green said the government should use purpose-built housing, like the Nightingale hospitals used during COVID to "toughen up" the accommodation to use as a deterrent so as not seen as offensively luxurious. In 2022 the Conservative government said it would use large sites, such as former military facilities, barges, ferries and cruise ships. One such site was The Bibby Stockholm, a converted barge moored in Dorset which was subsequently decommissioned by the Labour government in November 2024 amid safety concerns. The barge, which provided accommodation for up to 400 single male asylum seekers a night at maximum occupancy, had cost the taxpayer at least 34.8m, according to the National Audit Office. Another site that could be adapted for use is the Napier Barracks in Kent, which is set to be closed in September 2025. In June 2021 it was found that the site provided inadequate accommodation for asylum seekers, that the Home Offices process for selecting people to be accommodated at the barracks was flawed and unlawful, and that residents of Napier Barracks were unlawfully detained. Hundreds of people have attended a music session in Dublin city in solidarity with Kneecap rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh after he appeared in court on Wednesday. Kneecap flags and logos hung from the windows in Connolly Books, which dubs itself Irelands oldest radical bookshop, in solidarity with O hAnnaidh, Kneecap, and the people of Palestine. Pro-Palestine supporters criticised the decision by British authorities to bring a charge against the performer instead of focusing on the Israeli governments actions against the Palestinian people. O hAnnaidh, 27, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in November last year. Hundreds of Kneecap supporters greeted O hAnnaidh as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Wednesday morning, alongside fellow Kneecap rappers Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh. During the hearing, his defence team argued the case should be thrown out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought. The case has been adjourned until September 26, when the judge will rule on whether he has the jurisdiction to try the case. At the protest session at Connolly Books on Wednesday afternoon, several artists played Irish traditional music in solidarity with the rappers and Palestine. Musician Ru OShea, who performed at the demonstration, said charging O hAnnaidh had turned him into a hero. I think its been a huge misstep by the powers that be to go after him in the first place, he told the PA news agency. I reckon that they dont have a thing on him, and I think they are turning him into a hero, and I think we need a hero. Ispini na hEireann play at Connolly Books in Dublins Temple Bar area (Niall Carson/PA) Whats happening in Palestine right now, its gotten to such an extreme that its waking a lot of people up, including the British who might not have ever seen it otherwise and stayed in that bubble forever. OSheas friend John Feehan said: I think people are maybe starting to look up a little bit in Britain, and I think things like whats happening with Kneecap is a catalyst for people to be like Oh, wait a minute, whats actually happening here?. So I hope theres momentum, but I really dont know. Dubliner Aoife Powell, 19, said she came out to protest because she is angry at the decision to charge an artist rather than focus on what is happening to the people of Gaza. Im here because it just worries me that the fact that governments are focused on artists expressing themselves rather than the actual problem, which is obviously the genocide in Gaza, she told PA. Its a little bit disheartening to see theres so much pressure being put on these artists to stop saying what they truly think and to stop standing on the right side of history. I feel like its a distraction from whats actually happening. When a government tries to silence people, they should learn that they can never silence people. I feel like the public would get more angry at that. Sean OGrady is from Coleraine in Northern Ireland but has lived in Dublin for almost 70 years. Kneecaps Liam Og O hAnnaidh, speaks to supporters as he leaves Westminster Magistrates Court in London (Lucy North/PA) Im delighted with them (Kneecap), that theyve done what theyre doing, and theyre getting plenty of publicity. The British government are crazy, I mean, what are they at? Theyre supplying a lot of the bombs, and a lot of the arms and ammunition to Israel to do what theyre doing. So they should be ashamed of themselves instead of bringing in these people (to court) for stupid reasons. Its getting good publicity over there for the cause of the Palestinians. Dubliner Dermot Nolan said he attended his first Palestine protest in 1967, and while he remembers horrific events such as the Vietnam War, the scale of death and injuries in Gaza is the worst he has ever lived through. Im here because its important to for two reasons first of all, to show our intolerance of the genocide and slaughter thats being carried out by the US, Nato and Israel. The second reason is the question of civil rights. Were protesting about the indictment of a member of the Irish group Kneecap. It is a sign of creeping authoritarianism which is happening in all the western countries and most clearly in Britain. Kilmar Abrego Garcia is asking a federal judge to throw out a criminal case against him, claiming he was singled out by President Donald Trumps administration for having the audacity to fight back, rather than accept a brutal injustice after he was wrongfully deported to a brutal prison in his home country. Despite admitting in court that he was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March, government lawyers and top administration officials spent weeks insisting Abrego Garcia would never be allowed back into the country following a high-profile lawsuit challenging his arrest and removal. He was abruptly flown back to the United States in June to face a criminal indictment in Tennessee, where a grand jury indicted him on federal smuggling charges. Prosecutors cannot abuse the law to punish someone for exercising his constitutional rights, lawyers for Abrego Garcia wrote on Tuesday. Yet that is exactly what has happened here. Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been singled out by the United States government, they added. It is obvious why. And it is not because of the seriousness of his alleged conduct. Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia want a judge to throw out criminal charges against him citing the Trump administrations vindictive prosecution they claim is in retaliation for his lawsuit after his wrongful deportation (via REUTERS) Last month, the federal judge overseeing his criminal case ordered his release from jail before trial, finding that prosecutors failed to show any evidence that his history or arguments against him warrant his ongoing detention. That order arrived moments after another federal judge overseeing his wrongful deportation case blocked the Trump administration from immediately arresting and deporting him after he is set to be released from jail. The court agreed to pause his release from pretrial detention so attorneys can evaluate options as they brace for immigration officers to arrest and remove him a second time. That pause is set to expire this Friday August 22. Abrego Garcias attorneys argue he was only charged because he refused to acquiesce in the governments violation of his due process rights. Rather than fix its mistake and return [him] to the United States, the government fought back at every level of the federal court system, attorneys wrote. And at every level, [he] won. This case results from the governments concerted effort to punish him for having the audacity to fight back, rather than accept a brutal injustice. In court filings, Abrego Garcias attorneys detailed the severe mistreatment and torture he experienced during his month-long detention inside El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT. His attorneys say the 29-year-old father was subject to severe beatings, severe sleep deprivation, inadequate nutrition, and psychological torture at the facility. A group of the most senior officials in the United States sought vengeance: they began a public campaign to punish Mr. Abrego for daring to fight back, culminating in the criminal investigation that led to the charges in this case, his attorneys wrote. His lawyers admitted that motions to dismiss on grounds of selective or vindictive prosecution are rarely granted but if there has ever been a case for dismissal on those grounds, this is that case, they said. The government is attempting to use this case and this Court to punish Mr. Abrego for successfully fighting his unlawful removal. That is a constitutional violation of the most basic sort, his attorneys wrote. Abrego Garcia spent nearly one month inside El Salvadors brutal CECOT prison after he was mistakenly deported on March 15. A high-profile federal lawsuit challenging his arrest and removal is ongoing (REUTERS) Abrego Garcia who entered the country illegally as a teenager after fleeing gang violence in El Salvador was deported on March 15 despite an immigration judges order that blocked his removal from the country for humanitarian reasons. Government lawyers admitted in court documents that he was removed from the country due to a procedural error and several federal judges and a unanimous Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return. Still, the government spent weeks battling court orders while officials publicly said he would never step foot in the United States, characterizing him as a serial abuser and criminal gang member. Emails and text messages provided to members of Congress appear to show that administration officials and government lawyers were sympathetic to his wrongful removal and made efforts to get him out of El Salvador before the case made headlines, which caused major headaches for the White House. A two-count indictment in Tennessee accuses Abrego Garcia of participating in a years-long conspiracy to illegally move undocumented immigrants from Texas to other parts of the country. He faces one count of conspiracy to transport aliens and one count of unlawful transportation of undocumented aliens. But in their request to keep him in jail before trial, federal prosecutors also claimed he is a member of transnational gang MS-13, and personally participated in violent crime, including murder. Prosecutors also claim he abused women and trafficked children, firearms and narcotics, and there is also an ongoing investigation into solicitation of child pornography. Abrego Garcia is not facing any charges on those allegations and a federal judge determined that the government failed to link those allegations to evidence that implicates him. As we have said since Day 1, this M13-gang member and human trafficker wont be on an American streets again, Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Independent on Tuesday. A member of rap trio Kneecap faces a month-long wait to find out whether his terrorism charge will be thrown out. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was once again greeted by hundreds of fans as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a three-hour hearing. Prosecutors allege the 27-year-old displayed a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year. During Wednesdays hearing, his defence team argued the case should be thrown out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought. Brenda Campbell KC told the court the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on May 21. She said consent was given the following day, but that meant the charge falls outside of the six-month time frame in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said permission was not required until the defendants first court appearance and that permission did not need to be sought in order to bring a criminal charge. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring adjourned the case until September 26, when he will rule on whether he has the jurisdiction to try the case. Kneecaps Liam Og O hAnnaidh leaves Westminster Magistrates Court (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Hundreds of Kneecap supporters waving flags and holding banners greeted O hAnnaidh as he arrived at court alongside fellow bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh. Demonstrations in support of the rapper were organised outside the court building in London, as well as in Dublin. The Metropolitan Police imposed conditions limiting where the demonstration outside the court could take place, saying they were needed to prevent serious disruption. A man was detained by police outside the court building because of a placard he was holding following the hearing. Surrounded by officers, he told reporters his hand-made sign made no reference to any proscribed organisations. O hAnnaidh was swamped by photographers as he arrived, with security officers taking more than a minute to usher him into the court building. Supporters of Kneecaps Liam Og O hAnnaidh outside Westminster Magistrates Court (Ben Whitley/PA) Supporters greeted the Kneecap rapper with cheers as he made his way from a silver people carrier to the building. Following the hearing, OhAnnaidh told supporters the case was a distraction from the real story and urged everyone to continue to speak about Palestine, adding: Free Palestine. Fans held signs which read Free Mo Chara while others waved Palestine and Irish flags before the rappers arrival at court. Chants of Free, free, Mo Chara could also be heard over a megaphone, which was repeated by the crowd. Mr O Caireallain and Mr O Dochartaigh sat at the back of the courtroom with three others as O hAnnaidh confirmed his name, date of birth and address to the court at the start of the hearing. In response to the Met imposing conditions on the protest, Kneecap described the move as a calculated political decision that was designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome. Supporters of Kneecaps Liam Og O hAnnaidh gathered outside the court (Jordan Pettitt/PA) The court previously heard the 27-year-old defendant is well within his rights to voice his opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum was a wholly different thing. O hAnnaidh, of Belfast, is yet to enter a plea to the charge and is on unconditional bail. Lost everything in a storm? Good luck. FEMA to require email address for aid as families rebuild after disasters The Federal Emergency Management Agency, under the Trump administration, is requiring that anyone seeking disaster aid have an email address before they apply. In the past, an email address was an optional means of contacting the federal agency, but now it will be standard for everyone. FEMA employees told WIRED that some people in the country have little to no access to internet services and could find themselves without a reliable way to request emergency funding. WIRED viewed an agency memo that says the update to its policy is an "important step to prepare for the transition to digital payment methods and enhance communication with survivors throughout the application process." The change is reportedly a response to one of Donald Trump's March executive orders, which ended paper bookkeeping in the federal government. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is now requiring that all Americans requesting federal aid do so via an email address (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The changes went into effect on August 12, according to WIRED. FEMA workers are already reporting issues with the new email system, according to workers who spoke to the magazine. One worker reportedly said they saw a colleague turn away a person who was seeking aid but who did not have an email address. The colleague did give the individual instructions for how to get a free Hotmail email address. You could tell this person was not going to be able to figure it out, the FEMA worker reportedly said. According to the FEMA memo, more than 80 percent of those requesting aid already sign up for it online. FEMA believes that its digital-only communication policy is the most effective way for survivors to stay informed about their application status, receive timely updates, and access critical information. That is, assuming a survivor has a way to receive digital communications. According to a 2022 National Telecommunications and Information Administration report, one in five American households are without internet access. The majority of individuals who have no internet said they don't want it and refuse to jump online. But approximately 20 percent said that they could not afford monthly internet access. NITA's data showed that households without internet typically make less than $25,000 a year and tend to be either ethnic or racial minorities. FEMA's memo directs workers, if they encounter an individual without an email address, to set one up for them. Most Americans already have at least one email address, but setting up a new email address is quick and easy, the document says. There are many providers to choose from, and applicants can select the option that works best for them. FEMA does not endorse any specific email service provider. Sir Keir Starmer faces a slew of legal challenges over the governments use of asylum hotels after a council was granted a temporary injunction blocking migrants from being housed there. Epping Forest District Council won an interim High Court injunction to stop asylum seekers being housed at The Bell Hotel, arguing it had become a feeding ground for unrest in recent weeks after a series of violent protests resulted in multiple arrests and saw police officers injured. Home secretary Yvette Cooper made a last-minute attempt on Tuesday to halt their removal, arguing that other councils would make similar applications for migrant accommodation in their areas. Labour is now bracing for dozens of local authorities to challenge the use of asylum hotels in their areas on similar grounds, with Home Office lawyers having warned that the decision could substantially impact the governments use of the accommodation. Nigel Farage has said Reform councils will do everything in their power to follow Eppings lead (PA) Reform UK leader Nigel Farage hailed the High Court decision in Epping as a victory and said he hoped it provides inspiration to others across the country, while the shadow home secretary argued that residents have every right to object to people being housed in their area. Mr Farage indicated that the 12 councils where Reform UK was the largest party would consider legal challenges following Tuesdays ruling. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he said the local authorities would do everything in their power to follow Eppings lead. Later on Tuesday night, Conservative-run Broxbourne borough council announced it was considering pursuing its own injunction. The council revealed it would take legal advice as a matter of urgency about attempting to shut down a four-star asylum hotel in the Hertfordshire town. Meanwhile, the leader of South Norfolk District Council, which covers the town of Diss where a hotel housing asylum seekers has also been the subject of protests, said the council would not go down the same route. Conservative leader Daniel Elmer said the council was using planning rules to try to ensure it was families being housed in the area rather than single adult males. He said that to do so, which would effectively convert the hotels into hostels, should require a change of use. The Bell Hotel has been at the centre of a series of protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker who was staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Protesters outside the former Bell Hotel in Epping (PA) The Home Office had warned the judge that an injunction in Epping could interfere with the departments legal obligations, and lawyers representing the hotels owner argued it would set a precedent. Security minister Dan Jarvis on Wednesday said the government was looking very closely at the decision, indicating it could appeal to keep the hotel in use. We will look closely at the circumstances in Epping. We're looking at contingency options to accommodate those people who will now have to move out of that hotel, Mr Jarvis told Sky News. Reacting to the news on X, Mr Farage said that young, undocumented males who break into the UK illegally should NOT be free to walk the streets anywhere. They must be detained and deported. I hope that Epping provides inspiration to others across the country, he said. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch suggested that the migrants housed at the hotel need to be moved out of the area immediately, while her shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that residents should never have had to fight their own government just to feel safe in their own town. He said: Local residents have every right to feel safe in their own streets and every right to object when their community is treated as a dumping ground. by Paul Braterman The International Holocaust Remembrance Association definition of anti-Semitism is unacceptable, incoherent, and harmful, and should not be used in formulation of policy. First, my own credentials. I am Jewish. I passed my bar mitzvah test at what was then Jews College, London, with distinction. I have led congregations in prayer, and after decades of godlessness still feel nostalgia for that shared activity. And there is a field in northern Israel, close to the Lebanese border, that I helped clear of stones with my own hands. At the tiny rural Church of England school that I went to when evacuated from London during World War 2, the older children would dance round me in a ring, singing Jew, Jew, put him in the stew. I think my dislike for bad poetry dates from that time. I have been told that the Jews killed Jesus, and had fistfights at school in response to anti-Semitic insults. And of course, I was told that the Jews had all the money. I remember the first images out of Belsen in Life magazine. My parents tried to hide them, but whether by accident or design they did not make a very good job of it. When I applied to a secondary school in the highly competitive environment of the late 1940s, I knew that I had to do better in the entrance exam than a Gentile applicant, because the school had decided to place a limit on the number of Jews it would admit (common practice at the time, although it would now of course be illegal). I have known Holocaust survivors, and been good friends with people whose escape from the Nazis was a matter of lucky contacts and good fortune. And more recently, I have been addressed by people scolding me for this or that action of the Israeli government as if I were personally responsible for it. So I regard myself as well acquainted with anti-Semitism, from the horrific to the trivial. I have been thinking much of late of the distinction between anti-Semitism and criticism of Israel, and had come to conclusion that the attempt to stifle such criticism by labelling it as anti-Semitic is despicable. Then, belatedly. I came across the definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in 2016. Although it is, on the timescale of the phenomenon, very recent, and describes itself as non-legally binding, it has been enormously influential. I consider it self-contradictory, divorced from reality, and likely to cause dissension and do great harm. The definition proper reads: Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities. So far, so good, but so non-specific that any alleged example would require a judgement call (actually, this may not be such a bad thing). For this reason, the definition is accompanied by what is intended to be helpful text, which early on states that criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic. Unfortunately, two important examples of what is considered anti-Semitism directly contradict this worthy principle: Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor. Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis. Is the state of Israel a racist endeavor? Yes, because the Law of Return gives any Jew, together with their family, the right to enter Israel and become citizens. No, because Jews are not a race. Yes, because almost always Jew is defined by inherited identity. No, because Jews have a special need for a refuge from persecution. Yes, because you do not need to be suffering persecution in order to have the right to enter. No, because within Israel there are 2 million Arab citizens with full citizen rights, among them Arab judges and university professors. Yes, because Arab citizens are discriminated against and under-served, to say nothing of the very different ways in which Jews and Arabs are treated in the Occupied Territories. No, because that last represents a strategic necessity. Yes, because Is contemporary Israeli policy comparable to that of the Nazis? Yes, because Arab lives are treated as of no value. Because children are being starved to death. Because of mass destruction and displacement. Because Israeli plans for the Gaza strip and, implicitly, for the West Bank, include seizure of Lebensraum and removal of populations. No, because there is no explicit policy of mass extermination (though it is worth remembering that mass extermination of Jews only became Nazi policy in 1942). You may agree or disagree with what I just said. Thats not the point. The point is that these are matters that we urgently need to discuss. The IHRA would shut such discussion down, since in my last two paragraphs I have on their definition committed anti-Semitism more than half a dozen times. It is difficult and dangerous to set limits to acceptable speech, for many reasons. Such limits may work best for very specific cases (e.g. when the IHRA, and many others including the German government, describe Holocaust denial as anti-Semitism), or where couched in terms of broad generalities, as in the part of the IHRA definition that they (and I) have presented in bold. Beyond that, the task becomes increasingly difficult in these tumultuous times, and much of what I have written here in 2025 would not have been applicable in 2016 when the definition was formulated. Faced with these realities, I would suggest that an organization whose noble mission it is the remembrance of the past may not be the best guide for how to respond in the future. *** Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. Tributes have been paid to Eemeli Peltonen, who was an MP with the Social Democratic Party of Finland (via REUTERS) Tributes have been paid to a Finnish MP who was found dead in the countrys parliament building in Helsinki. The death of Eemeli Peltonen, a 30-year-old MP for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), was confirmed by the communications office for the Finnish parliament, the countrys national broadcaster Yle reported. Helsinki police told The Independent that one person died at around 11am on Tuesday at the Parliament House, and that foul play is not suspected. He was a much-loved member of our community and we will miss him deeply. A young life has ended far too early, chair of the SDP parliamentary group Tytti Tuppurainen said. Eemeli Peltonen was described as being popular among his colleagues (via REUTERS) Prime Minister Petteri Orpo suspended all official political work by his office for the rest of the day. A minutes silence was arranged by Mr Orpo, who said Mr Peltonen was popular among his colleagues, public broadcaster Yle reported. We received truly shocking news from Parliament, our shared workplace. One of our colleagues has died in the parliamentary premises. This is very sad news," Mr Orpo said, according to Yle. "At the same time, we send strength to the family, loved ones and colleagues. This deeply affects all of us Confirming the death, speaker of the Finnish parliament Jussi Halla-aho wrote on X: On behalf of the Parliament, I express my condolences to the family and loved ones of Representative Peltonen. Peltonen was a well-liked and respected colleague across party lines. Police are investigating the cause of death, but so far they do not suspect foul play, police said, adding that an investigation is being launched into the cause of death. Born in 1994, Mr Peltonen began serving as a city councillor aged when he was still a teenager in 2013. In 2017, he became the chairman of Jarvenpaa council, a position he remained in for four years. He first ran as a parliamentary candidate in 2019, when he received 3,492 votes but was not elected. Four years later he was elected in the 2023 parliamentary elections in Uusimaa, receiving 5,747 votes. In late June, Mr Peltonen revealed on social media that a kidney problem leading to an infection had kept him away from much parliamentary work in recent weeks. He said he was bring treated with an intravenous antibiotic cure in Meilahti [outskirts of Helsinki], which takes its time. I'm already discharged from hospital, but due to the situation I'm on summer sick leave and I'm now fully focused on recovering from the illness, he added. Sven Liebich, a far-Right extremist, now goes by the new name of Marla-Svenja on official documents - Sebastian Willnow/DPA A German neo-Nazi will be allowed to start serving an 18-month sentence in a womens prison after he used a new government policy to register a change in gender. Sven Liebich, who has been photographed at far-Right rallies wearing a Nazi-style uniform, will be sent to the Chemnitz womens prison in Saxony, according to FAZ, a German newspaper. In July 2023, the far-Right extremist was sentenced for several offences including slander and incitement to hatred, with German courts rejecting his final appeal earlier this year. German prison officials have said the decision to incarcerate him at a womens prison was based on his registered gender, not his biological sex. However, Dennis Cernota, a senior prosecutor in Saxony, said that Liebich would be interviewed upon arrival to check whether it was appropriate for him to be placed among female prisoners. If it is decided that Liebich poses a threat to other inmates, or to law and order inside the prison, he may be transferred, Mr Cernota added. Liebich, pictured here outside a courtroom, was sentenced in July 2023 for offences including slander and incitement to hatred - Sebastian Willnow/DPA Liebich was able to switch genders via reforms introduced last year by Olaf Scholzs centrist coalition, which simplified the process of changing a persons name and gender on official documents. The reforms were supposed to support transgender, intersex and non-binary people in Germany, but their use by a neo-Nazi to avoid male prisoners has plunged them into controversy. Liebich, who now appears in public wearing womens clothing and a moustache based on recent pictures circulated by FAZ goes by the new name of Marla-Svenja on official documents. Earlier this year, he explained that he had changed his gender and requested a sentence in a female prison to avoid discrimination from male inmates. Liebich is classified by Germanys domestic intelligence services in Saxony as a Right-wing extremist with activity across the state and nationwide. He has also been photographed wearing a Nazi-style armband and taking part in protests where black-clad demonstrators march with red, white and black flags. The armband carried the slogan Sicherheits-Abteilung, or SA, which is the same acronym as the Nazis stormtrooper division. Liebich is classified by domestic intelligence services in Saxony as a Right-wing extremist - SOPA Images In January, German officials said the countrys penal system still considered Liebich to be a male prisoner in legal terms, and that his status as female was based only in civil law. The physical legal person remains. A change in the civil status law is of secondary importance, said one official. When Mr Scholz was in power, he justified the reforms on gender changes as a key step forward for German society and its respect towards minorities. We show respect to trans, intersex and non-binary people, without taking anything away from others. This is how we continue to drive the modernisation of our country. This includes recognising realities of life and making them possible by law, he said. Since the reform was passed, changing gender in Germany requires only a declaration to the authorities and no legal review, as was the case in the past. For trans people, this means they can easily have legal documents updated to reflect their new identity, such as changing their first name on their passport from male to female. Germans are not allowed to switch gender frequently, as there is a one year cooling-off period after the first declaration, during which their gender cannot be changed back. A Met facial recognition team out this week in central London - Heathcliff O'Malley/The Telegraph The Metropolitan Polices policy on live facial recognition technology is unlawful because it is incompatible with human rights laws, the equalities watchdog has said. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the UKs biggest police forces rules and safeguards over using the tool fall short and could have a chilling effect on individuals rights when used at protests. The Met is set to use LFR, which captures peoples faces in real-time CCTV cameras, at the Notting Hill Carnival over the August bank holiday. Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, has already sought to reassure campaign groups that the technology will be used without bias. A Met spokesman said the force believed its use of the tool was both lawful and proportionate, playing a key role in keeping Londoners safe. The EHRC has been given permission to intervene in a forthcoming judicial review over LFR, brought by Silkie Carlo, the Big Brother Watch director, and Shaun Thompson, an anti-knife crime community worker. They claim Mr Thompson was grossly mistreated after LFR wrongly identified him as a criminal in 2024. Sir Mark Rowley, centre, has sought to reassure campaign groups that the technology is safe - James Manning/PA John Kirkpatrick, the EHRC chief executive, said the technology could help combat serious crime and keep people safe but the biometric data being processed was deeply personal. The law is clear: everyone has the right to privacy, to freedom of expression and to freedom of assembly. These rights are vital for any democratic society, he said. As such, there must be clear rules which guarantee that live facial recognition technology is used only where necessary, proportionate and constrained by appropriate safeguards. We believe that the Metropolitan Polices current policy falls short of this standard. The Met, and other forces using this technology, need to ensure they deploy it in ways which are consistent with the law and with human rights. The watchdog said it believed the Mets policy was incompatible with articles eight, on right to privacy, 10, on freedom of expression and 11, on freedom of assembly and association of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Most pressing human rights concern Rebecca Vincent, the Big Brother Watch interim director, welcomed the involvement of the EHRC in the judicial review. The rapid proliferation of invasive live facial recognition technology without any legislation governing its use is one of the most pressing human rights concerns in the UK today, she said. Live facial recognition surveillance turns our faces into barcodes and makes us a nation of suspects who, as weve seen in Shauns case, can be falsely accused, grossly mistreated and forced to prove our innocence to authorities. Given this crucial ongoing legal action, the Home Office and polices investment in this dangerous and discriminatory technology is wholly inappropriate and must stop. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, defended plans to expand LFR across the country to catch high-harm offenders last week. In July, the Metropolitan Police announced plans to expand its use of the technology across the capital. Police bosses said LFR would now be used up to 10 times per week across five days, up from the current four times per week across two days. A Met spokeswoman said the force welcomed the EHRCs recognition of the technologys potential in policing, and that the Court of Appeal has confirmed police can use LFR under common law powers. As part of this model, we have strong safeguards in place, with biometric data automatically deleted unless there is a match, she said. Independent research from the National Physical Laboratory has also helped us configure the technology in a way that avoids discrimination. A howler monkey on a drip last year in Comalcalco, in Mexicos Tabasco state, amid drought and 43C (110F) heat. Photograph: J Torres/Anadolu/Getty The residents of Tecolutilla, Mexico, knew the heatwave was bad when they heard the thuds. One by one, the towns howler monkeys, overcome with dehydration and exhaustion, were falling from the trees like apples, their limp bodies smacking the ground as temperatures sizzled past 43C (110F) in spring last year. Those that survived were given ice and intravenous drips by rescuers. At least 83 of the primates were found dead in the state of Tabasco, though local veterinarians estimated hundreds throughout the region probably perished. Episodes such as this are unfolding across the world as the climate crisis delivers harsher and more frequent heatwaves. Flying foxes have tumbled from trees in Australia; billions of barnacles have baked in tide pools in Canada; male beetles have been virtually sterilised by soaring temperatures. Beyond these local die-offs, ecologists are only just beginning to grasp the full threat that extreme heat poses to the worlds wildlife populations, and how quickly it can drive species towards extinction. Maximilian Kotz, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, says: As human emissions shift the temperature distribution upwards, this manifests as a strong increase in the number of very hot days not just an increase in average temperatures. While the steady drumbeat of climbing average temperatures has long been expected to push species out of their preferred habitats and make food scarce, these episodes of blistering heat constitute a unique threat to wildlife, scientists say. Heatwaves are reaping such long-term population crashes in some regions that experts say the climate emergency has become a driver of biodiversity loss on a par with or worse than deforestation and habitat loss. Heatwave frequency has just increased that much more quickly in the tropics Maximilian Kotz Recently, Kotz and his colleagues dug through decades of global monitoring data on more than 3,000 bird populations and daily weather records to tease out whether heatwaves had contributed to observed declines in some parts of the world. After controlling for other factors, they found bird populations in temperate, boreal and tundra zones did not seem to suffer much from scorching heat. But for those in the tropics, the findings were sobering: extreme heat had slashed tropical bird populations by 25% to 38% over the past 70 years. Tropical songbirds, they found, were hit hardest. The losses in the tropics have been so profound, in part, because species there are already living near their limit of heat tolerance, Kotz says. At the same time, birds in tropical regions are experiencing dangerously hot days about 10 times more often than they did in the past. Heatwave frequency has just increased that much more quickly in the tropics, Kotz says. Exactly how heatwaves drive population declines is not clear from their study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. But Kotz says it is likely to be a combination of birds dying during heatwaves, heat stress in nests and eggs, and effects on the birds food, such as insects, which similarly struggle to survive soaring temperatures. Their research suggests that across the tropics changes to the climate have played a greater role in driving bird numbers down than direct human activities, such as logging, mining or farming. For many of these species that are in protected areas in pristine habitats, there can still be really substantial effects from intensifying heat extremes through our greenhouse gas emissions, Kotz says. When a heat dome descended on the Pacific north-west in the summer of 2021, unleashing air temperatures above 46C (116F), scientists walking the beaches along the strait of Georgia, off Vancouver Island, were horrified to find tide pools containing thousands of lifeless molluscs and barnacles. Attached to rocks, the creatures were unable to escape to cooler waters. Billions of animals dead At the time, Prof Christopher Harley, a marine biologist at the University of British Columbia, estimated the heatwave had killed 1 billion animals along the coast. I was nervous making that estimate publicly because it was a bit back of the envelope, he says, but now adds that they underestimated the toll. We now have better numbers for that: we estimate 10 billion barnacles and 3 billion mussels [died] just in the strait of Georgia. Harley says that while deaths in the billions may sound like an extinction-level event, abundant and fast-reproducing tidal species have proved surprisingly resilient. The barnacles came back really fast. It took a few more years for the mussels to start creeping back in, he says. But if you went out to the shore of Vancouver right now, you wouldnt immediately think, There was a disaster here four years ago. Those animals that managed to survive the heatwave may also be slightly better adapted to extreme temperatures, meaning their offspring could carry that same tolerance. Other coastal species that thrive at the ebb and flow of the ocean, such as starfish, may have crawled into cooler waters when the heatwave took hold, Harley says. But among those that perished, it could take decades to recover the more slow-reproducing species. Harleys preliminary data also examines the outcomes for insect populations. Honeybees appeared to have fared well, he says, but aphids had a really tough go. It fits with global research that finds temperature extremes can cause a mix of reactions among insect species, from outbreaks to breakdowns. In a 2020 research review paper in Global Change Biology, scientists noted that many of the worlds insects were unable to regulate their body temperature during heatwaves because they mimicked ambient temperatures. Extreme heat can therefore push species beyond their limits. Yet heatwaves can also trigger a temporary outbreak: a dramatic increase in a population that quickly burns through local food sources and ultimately causes a crash. This, the authors noted, could lead to local insect extinctions. How heat changes animal bodies Epidemiologists have clearly established how heatwaves affect humans, but there has been scant research exploring the physiological consequences for non-human mammals. PJ Jacobs, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, is trying to close that gap. His recent research has focused on small mammals, which are especially vulnerable to heatwaves because of their larger surface area to volume ratio, which means they heat up more easily. If theres a massive heatwave, animals are not going to be active when temperatures are so extreme PJ Jacobs, biologist In a study published last December, Jacobs examined the effects of heatwaves on small African rodents the mesic four-striped field mouse and Namaqua rock mouse. He simulated a heatwave in a lab to test how the fertility of the male mice would be affected. Both experienced a serious drop in testosterone levels and other fertility measures. This, Jacobs says, suggests that intensifying heatwaves could jeopardise the ability of small animals to reproduce, potentially shrinking populations if they cannot access cooler refuges, such as shady spots or grassy shelters. That could have a serious effect further up the food chain. Heatwaves also affect animals at a behavioural level that poses limits to survival. Related: The fans just circulate hot air: how indoor heat is making life unbearable in Indias sweltering cities If theres a massive heatwave happening, animals are not just going to go out and be active when temperatures are so extreme, Jacobs says. They have to rest in the shade which means they cant go and do other things related to their fitness reproduction and feeding. At the same time, he adds, If you hit those severe temperature extremes, youre going to get those effects at the physiological and molecular level. Thats going to cause disorientation and dehydration. And you just collapse you faint. Even when the lab mice sought water to cool down, the brain was the one tissue that was still affected, says Jacobs. The brain is obviously the control box of the body. If the brain doesnt function properly, youre going to have monkeys falling out of trees. Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow the biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield in the Guardian app for more nature coverage Our voices are finally being heard, says Khulud, who has a place at University College London to study for a masters degree in dental health. Photograph: Supplied Nine students in Gaza with full scholarships to study at British universities have been told the UK government is working to facilitate their evacuation. The students who have all been awarded Chevening scholarships, funded by the Foreign Office in recognition of their potential as future leaders welcomed the development on Wednesday, but dozens more Palestinians in Gaza with university places are still awaiting news. The breakthrough follows months of advocacy and campaigning by more than 100 MPs, university leaders and other civil society organisations. More than 80 Palestinian students in total have offers at UK universities, including 40 who have secured full scholarships. Dr Nora Parr, a researcher at the University of Birmingham who has been coordinating efforts to support the students, said: We received news of the government plans with mixed emotions. On the one hand, relief that indeed there is a shared sense of the importance and urgency of the students situation and on the other our hearts sank. What about the rest? We must believe that this is only a start. Khulud, 28, who has a place at University College London to study for a masters degree in dental health, said: Receiving the news about the evacuation today was overwhelming. The students have been unable to travel and begin their studies because of a Home Office requirement for biometric data for a visa application. The UK-authorised biometrics registration centre in Gaza closed in October 2023 and it has been impossible for them to travel to other centres in neighbouring countries. Other countries, including Italy, Ireland and France, have already evacuated students. It is understood the British government is considering requests for support from other Palestinian students with places at UK universities. Through all these struggles, our voices are finally being heard, said Khulud. Nothing we have endured has been in vain. I hope these steps are completed smoothly so that we can join our studies on time. Of her fellow students who are still waiting, she said: I hope their determination is recognised, and that they too receive the support they deserve to continue their studies and achieve their dreams. A government spokesperson said: We are working urgently to support Chevening scholars in Gaza who have offers from British universities to leave and take up their places in the UK. We are doing everything we can to support their safe exit and onward travel to the UK but the situation on the ground in Gaza makes this extremely challenging. Bonnie Newton died after neglect at a mental health hospital (Supplied) A young woman died at an understaffed private west London mental health hospital due to neglect when staff failed to assess the risk she posed to herself, an inquest has found. Bonnie Newton was just 20 years old when she took her own life in her room at the Cygnet Hospital in Ealing, west London in July 2019. She was 100 miles away from her family in Wimborne, Dorset, and had been assured she needed to go to the private hospital for help with her mental health. But West London coroners court heard of a catalogue of failings, including unsafe staffing levels and a lack of risk assessments vital to Bonnies safety. Cygnet Health Care was hit with a 1.53 million fine in 2023 over Bonnies death, after it pleaded guilty in a Care Quality Commission prosecution for failing to provide safe care and treatment. Bonnies family have now spoken publicly for the first time in the wake of the inquest, to call for better mental health care for vulnerable young people. Bonnies mother Marie, speaking for herself, Bonnies father Jon, and her brother Alex, said: Our hearts are broken. The pain both mentally and physically is like nothing else. Not only was Bonnie my daughter, she was my best friend. She was my world. Although Bonnie had her struggles, alongside her talent for singing and great sense of humour, she continued to be the most kind, polite, caring and wonderful daughter anyone could ever wish for. She will never be forgotten. What Bonnie had to go through shouldnt happen to anyone. She didnt want to feel the way she did, Bonnie was desperate to have a life without sadness. Bonnie was reluctant to transfer to Cygnet Ealing but was told she needed to so she could receive the dialectical behavioural therapy she had waited almost half her life for, and ultimately, for her to get better. However, she found it challenging and we found communication with the hospital was poor. Any responses we got seemed curt. All we were told was to stop worrying and Bonnie was getting better. Ill always believe that if Cygnet, who were entrusted to care for Bonnie, had looked after her properly she would still be with us now. We just hope by sharing our story we can improve care for vulnerable young people. I wouldnt wish the pain we face each day on anyone. Bonnie Newton died after neglect at a mental health hospital (Family supplied) Bonnie, who had been diagnosed with a personality disorder, spent 18 months as an inpatient at a hospital near her home, and was transferred to the New Dawn ward of Cygnet Hospital Ealing on 20 November 2018. The inquest heard Bonnie became isolated and pre-occupied on 21 July 2019, and she was put on 15-minute observations the following day. Her mother also made a concerned call to the ward after speaking on a video call to Bonnie. In the early hours of the following morning, Bonnie was found unresponsive in her room by the only mental health nurse on duty in the ward, and she died the following day. At the time she was found, one of just two healthcare assistants on duty on the ward that night was on a break, and no effort had been made to bring in extra staff as cover. The inquest was told that staffing levels on the night were unsafe as a minimum of two nurses and two assistants should have been on duty. Lawyers from Irwin Mitchell, representing Bonnies family, said she had been involved in a serious incident involving a ligature four months earlier. However her care plans and risk assessments were not updated, and the safety of her room was not scrutinised properly. When she was found unresponsive in her room, staff tried to use alarms which did not work, and they attempted ineffective CPR with Bonnie lying on her front, the inquest heard. The jury concluded neglect had contributed to her death, and the lack of documentation at Cygnet was insufficient to provide Bonnie with a safe level of care. Camilla Burton, an expert human rights lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said Bonnies family believe her death was entirely preventable, and added: Sadly, this isnt an isolated incident. We continue to see too many cases of young people with mental health problems not receiving the level of care they deserve, often miles from home. Young people with mental health problems are some of societys most vulnerable. We join Marie and Jon in calling for lessons to be learned from Bonnies death so other families dont suffer a similar tragedy. A Cygnet spokesperson said: We continue to extend our deepest condolences to Bonnies family and loved ones. We are always committed to enhancing our practices to ensure the delivery of safe, quality care. At the last inspection, the Care Quality Commission rated Cygnet Hospital Ealing as Good and we continue to work closely with the CQC and other partners to uphold the highest standards of safety and provide compassionate care. Whilst this cannot change what has happened, we are not complacent and wish to take this opportunity to once again convey our sincere condolences to all those affected. Musician Paul Weller is suing his former accountants after they stopped working with the singer after public statements alleging Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, according to a legal letter. The former frontman of The Jam has filed a discrimination claim against Harris and Trotter after the firm ended their professional relationship after more than 30 years. In a pre-action letter seen by the PA news agency, lawyers for Weller say the singer-songwriter was told in March that the accountants and tax advisers would no longer work with the 67-year-old or his companies. According to the letter, a WhatsApp message from a partner at the firm included: Its well known what your political views are in relation to Israel, the Palestinians and Gaza, but we as a firm are offended at the assertions that Israel is committing any type of genocide. Everyone is entitled to their own views, but you are alleging such anti-Israel views that we as a firm with Jewish roots and many Jewish partners are not prepared to work with someone who holds these views. Lawyers for Weller claim that by ending their services, the firm unlawfully discriminated against the singers protected philosophical beliefs including that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and that Palestine should be recognised as a nation state. Paul Weller said the situation in Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe (Ian West/PA) Weller said: Ive always spoken out against injustice, whether its apartheid, ethnic cleansing, or genocide. Whats happening to the Palestinian people in Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe. I believe they have the right to self-determination, dignity, and protection under international law, and I believe Israel is committing genocide against them. That must be called out. Silencing those who speak this truth is not just censorship its complicity. Im taking legal action not just for myself, but to help ensure that others are not similarly punished for expressing their beliefs about the rights of the Palestinian people. Weller will donate any damages he receives to humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza, the legal letter also states. Cormac McDonough, a lawyer at Hodge Jones and Allen, representing Weller, said that his case reflects a wider pattern of attempts to silence artists and public figures who speak out in support of Palestinian rights. Mr McDonough added: Within the music industry especially, we are seeing increasing efforts to marginalise those who express solidarity with the people of Gaza. Harris and Trotter have been contacted for comment. A burglary victim who had sex with a police officer while he was on duty saved his phone number as Pc Predator, a judge has been told. Stuart Trentham, 41, was jailed for 18 months on Wednesday by the same judge who sent him to prison for nine months earlier this year for an almost identical offence. Sheffield Crown Court heard how Trentham was a South Yorkshire Police officer who responded to a report of burglary in 2020, during the pandemic lockdown. Prosecutor Joseph Bell said the officer began to exchange increasingly flirtatious and sexualised messages with the woman complainant. Stuart Trentham was jailed for 18 months at Sheffield Crown Court (Danny Lawson/PA) Mr Bell said they then had consensual sex when Trentham attended at her house. But the prosecutor said the woman saved his number on her mobile phone as Pc Predator. Mr Bell said the womans friend encouraged her to report the matter to the police at the time but she was worried about alienating her local police. He said it was only after she saw a documentary about the Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, who murdered Sarah Everard in 2021, that she decided to make a complaint. He said she was finally prompted by the publicity which surrounded Trenthams jailing for nine months in February for sending inappropriate messages to a vulnerable woman after she reported that sexual images of her had been posted on the internet without her consent in 2022. On Wednesday, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC jailed father-of-three Trentham, who appeared in court on bail, for a further 18 months. He told him: You abused the responsibility reposed in you. Police officers have a high position in society and are an essential component of a civilised country. The public place confidence in a police officer to do the right thing and behave with propriety. You betrayed that trust and you have betrayed that trust now twice. Trentham was sentenced by the same judge who sent him to prison for nine months earlier this year for an almost identical offence (South Yorkshire Police/PA) The judge said: This is a grotesque breach of trust by a police officer. He told him: You are a disgrace to the police force. Judge Richardson said: It must be made clear that if anyone indulges as a police officer in this form of misconduct, they fall to be punished. There has to be an element of deterrent. The judge said: Your conduct twice over in almost identical circumstances is outrageous. Earlier, Curtis Dunkley, defending, said his client had struggled serving his prison sentence earlier this year as a former police officer, saying it was a living hell. Mr Dunkley said Trentham, of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, had autism and suffered with PTSD. The defendant admitted misconduct in a public office when he appeared in court on Wednesday. He sat in the dock wearing a blue suit and with his head in his hands. Trentham resigned from South Yorkshire Police in 2023. Wildfires rage at Wanstead Flats on Wednesday, August 13 (PA Media) Sadiq Khan has called for joint action to tackle the growing threat of wildfires in the capital, as the number of incidents has more than doubled over the past five years. With temperatures rising year on year and extreme heat becoming the new normal, the Mayor of London has said London must adapt to stay ahead of the risks, London Fire Brigade (LFB) has responded to 64 wildfires already this year, compared to just 19 in the entire summer of 2020 a staggering 237 per cent increase. Firefighters tackled five wildfires in just three days earlier this month, prompting London Fire Brigade to suspect that some of the fires may have been started deliberately. Crews attended a series of wildfires at Wanstead Flats, with flames reaching the heights of trees in one case later referred to the Metropolitan Police. Large red flames had ripped through shrubs near a path at the park on Monday, with around 60 firefighters rushing to the scene. Since the start of June, nearly 80 fires in locations such as open grassland, scrubland, woodland, parks and other green spaces have been recorded as deliberate. While temperatures are expected to fall slightly in the next week, grassland continues to be a tinderbox, following weeks of sunshine and little rainfall. A group of walkers look upon the aftermath of the Wanstead Flats fires (Yui Mok/PA Wire) Sadiq Khan is now calling for better education for Londoners, greater partnership work and sustainable funding for fire services. City Hall and the London Fire Brigade are working closely with partners including the Natural Hazards Partnership, the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency, to highlight risks and scale up resources in the event of a high demand incident, including flash flooding. The Mayor of London said: The climate crisis is having a devastating impact on our environment with temperatures rising in London, across the UK and around the world. Wildfires are raging across Europe engulfing green spaces, endangering homes, forcing evacuations and posing a genuine threat to life. This isnt a faraway issue, it's on our doorstep. London continues to experience wildfires during the summer months, and Im determined to do everything possible to ensure the capital is as prepared as possible for the impact of climate change, wildfires and extreme heat. Wanstead Flats following the wildfires earlier this month (Yui Mok/PA Wire) Weve been working proactively with the London Fire Brigade and partners to ensure our city is ready to prevent and deal with wildfires. But everyone needs to do their bit. This means calling 999 if you see a wildfire, educating yourself on the risks and following key advice from the London Fire Brigade." London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith said: The risk of wildfires in London is increasing, driven by hotter, drier weather that makes it far easier for fires to start and spread rapidly. Thanks to record investment from the Mayor, weve strengthened our training and expanded our wildfire capabilities, introducing new equipment and trialling new response vehicles to keep Londoners safe. This includes specialist off-road 4x4 wildfire response vehicles to reach fires quickly in challenging terrain, drones providing real-time aerial mapping, and specialist hoses designed to protect people, property and green spaces. "As our climate changes, we must adapt and stay ahead of the risks. By working closely with communities, landowners and our partners, we can reduce the likelihood of wildfires and ensure that when they do occur, we are ready to respond effectively. The safety of Londoners will always be our highest priority, and we will continue to invest, develop and train to meet future challenges head on. Scientists built new social media platform with only AI users and things quickly turned worse Scientists simulated a new social media platform populated entirely by artificial intelligence chatbot users and found that it led to worsened outcomes with amplification of polarised voices. Social media platforms like X and Facebook have been widely criticised for promoting polarising content and for providing limited space for constructive political dialogue. Internet safety researchers have warned that such platforms amplify sensational content and turn into echo chambers, insulating users from opposing perspectives. A growing body of studies has examined links between algorithms driving these social media platforms and the polarisation of content posted on them. Platform algorithms optimised to maximise user engagement often have the unintended effect of amplifying outrage, conflict, and sensationalism, researchers write in a yet-to-be peer-reviewed study, posted in arXiv. View of a mobile phone displaying social media apps such as Telegram, Signal, Instagram, X and LinkedIn (Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images) In the study, researchers tested a social media platform with AI users powered by ChatGPT-4o to see if they could stop it from turning into an echo chamber for its artificial userbase. They tested several strategies, including switching the content feed to a chronological order, intentionally boosting diverse viewpoints, removing account bios and even hiding user stats like follower counts as means to stop the platform from turning into an echo chamber. Our goal is to simulate a stylised social media environment to assess whether it reproduces key dysfunctions identified in the literature such as polarisation, attention inequality, and engagement-driven distortion, scientists wrote. They then tested whether their interventions mitigated these dysfunctions. However, researchers found that these strategies only had modest improvements and in some cases, worsened outcomes. While several showed moderate positive effects, none fully addressed the core pathologies, and improvements in one dimension often came at the cost of worsening another, they noted. The results are sobering: improvements are modest, no intervention fully disrupts the mechanisms driving these outcomes, and some changes worsen the problems they aim to solve, the scientists write. The findings suggest social media platforms could be doomed to become highly polarised even in the absence of recommendation algorithms or engagement optimisation. Researchers suspect any meaningful reform of social media platforms would require a fundamental redesign. This study has demonstrated that key dysfunctions of social media can arise even in a minimal simulated environment that includes only posting, reposting, and following, in the absence of recommendation algorithms or engagement optimisation, researchers wrote. The emergence of these properties from a minimal platform suggests that these problems may be rooted not in the details of platform implementation or algorithms, but in deeper structural mechanisms. MSP Colin Smyth has been arrested and charged in connection with possession of indecent images, prompting his suspension from Scottish Labour. The South Scotland MSP was arrested on Tuesday, August 5, and is due to appear in court at a later date. He was first elected as an MSP in 2016 and returned to Holyrood again at the 2021 election. The Scottish Parliament website now lists him as an Independent. A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, officers executed a warrant at a property on Marchfield Avenue, Dumfries. A 52-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with possession of indecent images. He is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date. A spokesman for Scottish Labour said: The whip has been removed from Colin Smyth MSP, pending an investigation. We cannot comment further on this matter while the investigation is ongoing. It is understood the MSP was administratively suspended by Labour after the party became aware of the police investigation. Mr Smyth released a statement on Wednesday, saying: These events have come as a shock and this is a deeply stressful time. I am obviously co-operating fully with any inquiries and hope the matter can be resolved quickly. I am not able to comment further at this stage, and in the meantime I would ask for the privacy of my family and friends to be respected. John Swinney, the Scottish First Minister, welcomes the King and Queen to Holyrood in September last year - Jane Barlow/Getty Senior SNP politicians have launched an attempt to drop the oath of allegiance to the King in Holyrood. Kevin Stewart, a former minister in Nicola Sturgeons government, tabled a motion at the Scottish Parliament arguing that the pledge should be scrapped. He welcomed a recent decision by the Caribbean island of Grenada to renounce the oath of allegiance to the British Crown and argued that Holyrood should follow suit. Mr Stewarts motion said MSPs should pledge allegiance to the people of Scotland and not an unelected monarch. Kevin Stewart wants MSPs to pledge their allegiance to the people of Scotland and not the British Crown - Ken Jack Within a day of it being tabled, it had been signed by 13 other MSPs including George Adam, a former parliamentary business minister, and Paul McLennan, a former housing minister. While publicising her memoir, Frankly, Ms Sturgeon recently confirmed that she was a republican and argued that the death of Queen Elizabeth II was the beginning of the end for the British monarchy. But the Scottish Tories said the motion was a shameless bid to try and pander to republican voters and argued that the King and the monarchy remain one of the most loved and respected institutions across Scotland. After every Scottish Parliament election, MSPs must swear an oath of allegiance or a solemn affirmation to the monarch before they can take their seats. It currently states: I do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God. The non-religious affirmation has similar wording but removes the reference to God. Ms Sturgeon chose the affirmation after the 2021 Holyrood election, when she swore allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II but preceded it with the statement: The Scottish National Party pledges loyalty to the people of Scotland, in line with the Scottish constitutional tradition of the sovereignty of the people. Mr Stewart, a former local government, housing and transport minister, tweeted: Grenada has decided to drop the oath of allegiance to the King. Isnt it time that Scotland followed their lead? Ive lodged a Scottish Parliament motion calling for us to have the power to have MSPs pledge their allegiance to the people of Scotland and not the British Crown. Constitutional navel-gazing Murdo Fraser, a Tory MSP, however, said: Most people will wonder why nationalist MSPs are focusing on this constitutional navel-gazing at a time when they should be tackling the real priorities of Scots. They want this SNP Government to be focused on reducing NHS waiting times, growing the economy and restoring standards in our schools, rather than engaging in the worst sort of petty student politics. Responding to the Tory criticism, Mr Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, said: My loyalty is to the folk of Aberdeen and to the people of Scotland as a whole and every politician should feel likewise. His motion, which has been supported by 10 other SNP MSPs, has also won the backing of Ross Greer, who is standing for the leadership of the Scottish Greens, John Mason, an independent politician, and Mercedes Villalba, a Labour member. Alex Salmonds policy in the 2014 independence referendum campaign was that a separate Scotland would keep the monarch as head of state. In 2002, the SNP published a draft written constitution for a separate Scotland that included a proposal for a referendum on the issue. At a party conference eight years ago, SNP members voted overwhelmingly to withdraw the Royal familys public funding. However, the vote was symbolic as the issue is reserved to Westminster. The SNP was approached for comment. Gena, a drone operator from the 150th separate reconnaissance and strike battalion, assembles a drone for launch. Photograph: Julia Kochetova/The Guardian Over dinner on Monday, a simple barbecue of meat and roasted vegetables, the soldiers of Ukraines 150th reconnaissance and strike battalion have other things on their mind. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in the White House and Donald Trump has just promised to give Ukraine very good protection. When this development is passed on to the group around, one of the soldiers pipes up From who? and laughs, such is the uncertainty about who the US really supports. But in reality the troops are not following the news closely. After three and half years, the war has its own momentum, technology and schedule. Soon after, a squad of soldiers drive out with a bomber drone into the night. It is assembled on the edge of a field where the sunflowers are nearly at their fullest extent. Two 3.5kg explosives are inserted, then wings and nose are attached, before it is launched from a catapult. Then, immediately, it is time to pack up and leave. The most dangerous time is after launch, a crew member says, wary of Russian surveillance quickly spotting the drone after takeoff. On the horizon, whatever the politicians discuss, there is no sign of the fighting easing. The frontline Ukrainian village of Dobropillia, now targeted by Russian bombing, is about 6 miles away. At one point there is a sequence of orange light flashes in the distance. Later, tracer bullets are visible against the clear sky judging by the location, probably from Ukrainians trying to shoot down a Russian drone. On Tuesday morning, Donetsk officials said one person was killed and three injured in Dobropillia; three more were killed and four injured in Kostiantynivka, a town 30 miles to the east at risk of being surrounded. Russian soldiers had mounted 67 attacks in the area near Dobropillia in the previous 24 hours. The 150th tries to prevent Russian buildups and destroy its logistics before an expected autumn offensive. Denys Bryzhatyi, the battalion commander, a 32-year-old former law student who has risen rapidly up the ranks, says he is without politics when asked if there is a price worth paying by Ukraine to secure peace. But when pressed he says handing over the rest of Donetsk province, a demand of Vladimir Putin, could be a long-term disaster for Ukraine. The loss of Donetsk region, the area that is heavily fortified against Russia, will just open up new directions for further advances Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, which are not well fortified. It would be a huge and terrible loss of positions, the commander warns. Driving around the region new defensive trenches are visible, a second line against a slow Russian advance, filled with concrete dragons teeth and barbed wire. They are part of what would be given away. The bomber used by the night squad, an Airplast that could be mistaken for a large model aircraft, is a type used to attack buildings as far as 25 miles away. The drones flight is pre-programmed and each night the bomber drone crew may fly half a dozen missions, with targets having been selected earlier in the day by another unit from the 150th, based on separate reconnaissance drone missions carried out by troops in the same battalion. In the late afternoon, the day crew heads out with a German-made Vector drone. They set off as briskly as the rough roads allow, and arrive at a carefully made concrete dugout that is hard to see until you are close up. Getting going requires more than half an hour of setup: first the internet connection has to be established via Starlink, then a base station for the drone is wired up, before finally the Vector makes a vertical takeoff. After a few seconds it can no longer be heard. One of the crew has the job of monitoring signals from Russian first-person-view (FPV) drones, feared because their pilots are adept at flying their exploding craft into people and vehicles at speed. A small display periodically descends into static, meaning a drone is near. If a picture emerges it means an enemy drone is close, because each side can see the others FPV feeds. At one point it is thought we have been spotted. There is a hasty rush into the bunker, though the threat goes away. Below, a couple of crew members analyse the footage from the Vector. The footage is of extraordinary quality. The lens cost $30,000, the team leader, Kyrylo, explains. The pilot uses an unbranded Xbox controller. Once a target of interest is spotted, it can be clicked and locked on to. Warfare is changing dramatically; we need to be more vigilant and adapt even quicker, says Kyrylo, who has been fighting the Russians since 2014, when Ukraines army was in a chaotic mess. Bomb casings and other key components are made with a score or more of 3D printers by members of the 150th in the rear. The munitions they use, including in the Airplast bomber, are largely assembled at a second location where plastic explosive is inserted with shrapnel into the 3D-printed tubes at a rate, if necessary, of 100 in a hour a military-industrial activity that is if anything accelerating. It is hardly surprising that Ukraines military does not consider itself close to defeat. Puma (Ukraines military only allows call signs or first names to be used), a soldier from Luhansk, which is now occupied by Russian forces, survived being shot twice in the chest on a reconnaissance operation in 2016, his life saved by his body armour. He remains involved in the most dangerous form of reconnaissance against the Russian invaders: on the ground. A week or so earlier, Puma was involved in an initial effort to find Russian infiltrators who had broken through the lines near Dobropillia. Several villages were cleared, he says, but a colleague was killed when a grenade thrown by a Russian bounced off a tree a reminder that for all the innovation by drone, the war remains hard fought. Puma says he finds the diplomatic discussions a distraction. Another colleague, Optimus, is more forthright. Whats the point of giving up Donetsk [region] to Russia? he says. After all the sacrifices we have made, the people we have lost? If we were going to do that, we could have done it right at the beginning of the war. Andrew Bailey, the newly appointed co-deputy director of the FBI, demanded records about minors seeking abortions while he served as Missouris attorney general, but a judge temporarily blocked the subpoena. Bailey announced Monday that he was stepping into the role which he will share with the bureaus current deputy director Dan Bongino and leaving his post as Missouri attorney general. In March, Bailey subpoenaed Missouri Abortion Fund, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance for locals who cant afford the full cost of abortion care, as part of the states 2024 lawsuit against Planned Parenthood Great Plains, court records show. The subpoena demanded the nonprofit hand over documents about minors seeking abortions as well as its communication with the branch of Planned Parenthood, records show. Parental consent is required for anyone under 18 seeking an abortion, Missouri law dictates. The subpoena was an an abuse of government power and a fishing expedition, Elad Gross, a lawyer for the nonprofit, which is not a party in the case, told the Missouri Independent in April. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who is joining the FBI as its new co-deputy director, demanded records from a nonprofit related to minors seeking abortions (AFP/Getty) The attorney generals use of its governmental power to demand records from non-party Missouri Abortion Fund is a violation of the right to reproductive freedom, Gross wrote in a filing, objecting to the subpoena. The judge overseeing the case temporarily blocked the subpoena in April. The Independent has reached out to the nonprofit and Planned Parenthood about Baileys new role. In the lawsuit, filed in February 2024, accused Planned Parenthood Great Plains of trafficking minors across state lines for abortions without obtaining parental consent. The suit stems from a video from Project Veritas, a far-right activist group known for recording undercover videos, that depicts a man asking Planned Parenthood workers if his alleged 13-year-old niece could get an abortion without her parents finding out. In an attempt to throw out the suit, Planned Parenthood called the scenario fictitious and argued the video was heavily edited and inaccurate. The court has denied its motions to dismiss the case and Planned Parenthood has filed a counterclaim. This lawsuit is one of several attacks Bailey has made against reproductive rights groups. Last month, Bailey escalated his onslaught to a national scale. He sued Planned Parenthood Federation of America, alleging the nonprofit spread misinformation about the dangers of mifepristone, one drug in a two-drug regimen for medication abortions. Baileys lawsuit comes as part of a larger effort following the fall of Roe v. Wade to question the safety of the abortion drug. Anti-abortion activists earlier this year pushed a report by right-wing think tank Ethics and Public Policy Center claiming serious complications from mifepristone use were 22 times higher than previously reported. Critics slammed the report as bogus. The Trump administration has also targeted Planned Parenthood. President Donald Trumps Big, Beautiful Bill included a provision that would have stripped Medicaid funds from going toward nonprofits that received more than $800,000 from Medicaid in 2023, including Planned Parenthood and a network of clinics in Maine. A federal judge last month ordered the government to continue reimbursing Planned Parenthood with Medicaid funds. The head of Britains armed forces has met with his Nato counterparts as Europe continues to push for security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin met senior US defence officials alongside other European military chiefs in Washington DC on Wednesday to discuss military options to secure peace in Ukraine. He later attended a virtual meeting of Natos military committee, described by its chairman Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone as candid. On Tuesday evening, Admiral Radakin, the chief of the defence staff, had dined with his US counterpart General Dan Caine. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the chief of the defence staff, travelled to Washington for talks with US military leaders (Andrew Matthews/PA) The meetings come amid renewed planning for a coalition of the willing, led by the UK and France, that would guarantee Kyivs security in the event of a ceasefire. Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired a meeting of the coalition, in which members of the group also discussed the possibility of further sanctions on Russia. Western security guarantees, strongly resisted by Moscow, are one of the central issues for any peace deal for Ukraine, which fears Russia could otherwise use a ceasefire to regroup and launch a renewed invasion. So far, only the UK and France have indicated they could commit troops to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine. In an interview on Tuesday Donald Trump ruled out an American ground contribution but suggested the US could be willing to provide some form of air support. Sir Keir Starmer joined European leaders in a show of support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he met Donald Trump at the White House (Aaron Schwartz/PA) His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, had earlier suggested the US could offer Ukraine a mutual defence agreement similar to Natos Article 5, without Kyiv formally joining the alliance. Renewed talks among the coalition of the willing follow last weeks summit between Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska as the US president continued to push for an end to a conflict he had promised he could finish on his first day in office. Those talks appeared to result in little progress towards a deal, but sparked concern among some in Europe that Mr Trump could seek to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into accepting a deal without sufficient security guarantees. On Monday, Sir Keir and Mr Macron joined other European leaders in travelling to Washington in a show of support for Mr Zelensky during a meeting with Mr Trump. Meanwhile, the UK and Russia traded sanctions as London sought to increase the pressure on Moscow to end its invasion. Europe minister Stephen Doughty unveiled sanctions on a series of organisations linked to Kyrgyzstans financial services sector, saying they had been involved in Kremlin attempts to soften the blow of our sanctions by laundering transactions through dodgy crypto networks. Russia in turn sanctioned 21 individuals, including former Labour MP Denis MacShane, several journalists, and the Government-appointed independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall. The Russian leadership continued to obfuscate on Wednesday, after European leaders and Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin had agreed to a one-on-one meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy to kickstart peace talks. Sergei Lavrov said Moscow did not reject any format for Ukraine peace talks but the Russian foreign minister appeared to apply the brakes, saying any leaders meeting must be prepared with utmost thoroughness. On Tuesday, a Kremlin aide said only that Putin was open to the idea of raising the level of representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian sides at a future meeting. The White House also announced that Viktor Orban, the pro-Putin Hungarian prime minister, and Trump had discussed the possibility of talks being held in Budapest. As with the Kremlin, there was no apparent confirmation of this conversation from the Hungarian side. A war crimes warrant could oblige Hungarian authorities to arrest a visiting Putin, but Hungary is withdrawing from the international criminal court. Orban explicitly committing to play host could place further unwanted pressure on the Russian ruler from one of his few allies to accept the meeting as an inevitability. Austria and Switzerland also said they would be ready to host the meeting. Switzerland said that during Putins visit it could set aside its international criminal court obligations. This has to do with our diplomatic role, with international Geneva as [the European] headquarters of the United Nations, said Ignazio Cassis, the Swiss foreign minister. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Geneva was a potential location for the talks. The Austrian chancellor, Christian Stocker, said his country supported any initiative leading to a just and lasting peace protecting Ukrainian and European security. Donald Trump has ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine to enforce a potential peace deal, tempering a promise to provide Kyiv with security guarantees in conjunction with European allies, write Andrew Roth and Pjotr Sauer. In a phone interview with Fox News, Trump did however say that Washington may be willing to provide air support to Ukraine in order to backstop a deal, in what would still be a remarkable shift in his administrations policy on the conflict. Putin opposes Ukraine joining Nato Trump told Fox that therell be some form of security. It cant be Nato. Theyre willing to put people on the ground. Were willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you could talk about by air. Trump conceded that Putin might not want to make a deal after all, saying: Were going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks. Nato military leaders are expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine and the way forward, a US official and Nato official have told the Reuters news agency. The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Gen Dan Caine, chair of the US joint chiefs of staff, was expected to teleconference in, but plans could still change. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Another Nato official said the alliances top military commander, Alexus Grynkewich, would brief the leaders on the results of the Alaska meeting between Trump and Putin last week. Following Mondays meeting in Washington, Russia launched its biggest air assault in more than a month on Ukraine, with 270 drones and 10 missiles fired, the Ukrainian air force said. The energy ministry said the strikes caused big fires at energy facilities in the central Poltava region, home to Ukraines only oil refinery. The governor of Ukraines Dnipropetrovsk region, Serhiy Lysak, said Russian shelling killed a resident of Nikopol, a frequent target of Moscows attacks. A Ukrainian drone attack late on Tuesday knocked out power to Russian-controlled areas of Ukraines Zaporizhzhia region, said the Moscow-installed governor, Yevgeny Balitsky. Kyiv maintains control of the regions main administrative centre and its attacks have periodically knocked out electricity in Russian-held areas. The illegally occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station was unaffected, the plants director told Russias RIA news agency. The plant produces no electricity but needs power for cooling and monitoring systems to maintain safety. What is the message that comes from the High Courts decision to back Epping Forest Councils petition to close the Bell Hotel, which has been used to accommodate people seeking asylum? It is not, as has been propagandised, that the establishment judges who, it turns out, are not enemies of the people after all listened with sympathy to the cries of the mums and nans demonstrating outside the hotel and begging for protection for their kids (after one of the people in the hotel was arrested and then charged with a sexual assault). The High Court didnt take a view on that. They granted an interim injunction requested by the council to end the hotels current usage with 14 days notice on planning grounds. Nothing much to do with human rights, community safety, crime levels, public concerns, Reform UK or various politicians, propagandists, troublemakers and digital activists (human or not) jumping on the cause. It was a breach of planning rules about purpose, the same as if someone had turned a shop into a restaurant. Asylum seekers at a hotel in Altrincham watch anti-immigration demonstrations on August 8: Its unfashionable to say such things right now, but even if they are just economic migrants, their lives matter too (Reuters) In a way, that makes the judgment a much more powerful affair than if it had been imposed by an official using some ambiguous, legally questionable authority. If its wrong for a hotel in Essex to be used in this way, then its wrong for a hotel anywhere in the country to be put to such a use. There are acute difficulties with this, as the Home Office warned. Where to put them? The unintended consequence of the ruling is that the High Court has inadvertently created, to borrow a politically fashionable expression, a two-tier system. Councils that proactively pursue legal action can have so-called migrant hotels in their area closed down. Less activist and arguably more humane councils in other places may not choose to take up the opportunity. Maybe individuals or groups can, in any case. But that means that migrants can be effectively deported from one county to another by the Home Office. Or, alternatively, they end up in flats or houses of multiple occupation (HMO) in the original local authority, or elsewhere, and not in breach of the planning process. At any rate, where to house asylum seekers will soon become an even more chaotic and highly charged issue than it is now, especially if demonstrations start up in streets where theres an HMO, and the police will find it difficult to be in too many places at once. There will, in other words, be more trouble, and it will prove more difficult to contain it. Thats not the High Courts problem, but its everyone elses. There is, its claimed, a simple answer to this: Deport! If it were as simple as that, it would have been done long ago by politicians under intense political pressure. Quite apart from the inviolable right under international law to claim asylum lets just say thats been abolished these people still need to be processed, if only to determine where to send them. Some countries are dangerous; fine, say the advocates for immediate expulsion. But those countries, and safer ones, may not wish to take people back. We cant force another country to accept them, still less stop them trying to get back to Britain. Take them to international waters? A long way from the English Channel, and it wouldnt necessarily prevent them from making a return journey. Shall we tow them back to France, a safe country, as is often the reply? Well, no, because that would be a violation of French sovereignty. Apart from the minimal new returns arrangements, there is no lawful method of doing this. How, it might be asked, would we feel if the French navy brought them back to the south coast of England? Insane. It would risk confrontation with the French navy and a serious breach in relations with Paris and, thus, the EU. That would be bad for national security and for trade. Even Nigel Farage, history buff and atavistic patriot, might not wish for a return to a comic opera version of the Napoleonic Wars. Put them in tents? OK but where? Place them in detention camps? Fine but where? Not in my back yard is the usual answer, which doesnt sound like a workable solution at scale. The challenge of irregular migration is very obviously an intractable one to which there are no easy answers, and which has been made quite a bit more difficult by the High Court judges. Even so, they are doing their job, and an independent judiciary free of political pressure and media bullying is an essential part of our way of life. It should not matter to any court that Yvette Cooper is troubled by it, nor, for that matter, that some overheated pundit on Talk TV has got the champagne out. We should respect court decisions that are awkward or offensive. We should also spare a thought for the future of other human beings genuinely fleeing torture or execution, as some undoubtedly are, with no desire to break the law or attack anyone. Its unfashionable to say such things right now, but even if they are just economic migrants, their lives matter too. White House just watered down the only concession it can claim Trump won from Putin Ukraine security After a whirlwind of a weekend, Donald Trump and his administration appear closer than his predecessor ever was to ending the three-year-long war in Ukraine. But comments from the White House, European leaders and Russia on Monday and Tuesday make it clear that theres still at least one major gulf that needs bridging. Trump returned to Washington this weekend from Alaska, where the U.S. president met for a summit with Russias Vladimir Putin that was sharply criticized by his adversaries and a source of real concern for Europe, after which it appeared that the U.S. was on the verge of negotiating away swaths of Ukrainian territory without any input from Kyiv. Donald Trumps team told reporters after the Alaska summit that Russia would be open to the U.S. and Europe providing defense guarantees to Kyiv (AFP/Getty) On Monday, he met with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House alongside a cadre of European leaders from Germany, France, the U.K. and elsewhere. An eyebrow-raising scene played out this time in Washington, D.C., as world leaders crowded around the Resolute Desk like schoolchildren and Trump at one point dismissed them for an impromptu call with Putin. Afterwards, the pro-Ukraine delegation was echoing a level of optimism that the White House was eager to echo at a press briefing on Tuesday. Yet, there was one other development that took place over Monday and Tuesday that could keep progress towards a peace agreement elusive. On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the Trump administration was wholly opposed to deploying troops to support Ukraine under any circumstances, and was only considering acting as a coordinator for a security agreement between Ukraine and its European neighbors. She couldnt tell reporters where common ground on the issue still existed with Russia which separately indicated through statements that a European security force in Ukraine was off the table. "U.S. boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, Leavitt said on Tuesday. But we can certainly help in the coordination, and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies. The erosion of that common ground that Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff eagerly proclaimed had been found in an interview Sunday could present the biggest obstacle to a long-term peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia going forward. On Sunday, the administrations go-to conflict resolution expert was on CNN, telling Jake Tapper that Putin had agreed to allow Article 5-like protections to Ukraine, something he called a game-changer in the path towards a peace deal. We got to an agreement that the United States and other European nations could effectively offer Article 5-like language to cover a security guarantee, Witkoff said. By Tuesday afternoon, it was completely unclear whether that was still a feasible suggestion. Russian officials repeated their objections to NATO forces entering Ukraine under any circumstances. The White House rejected the prospect of U.S. boots on the ground at any point. Yet Zelensky, in his own statements, has made clear that his government will not lay down arms without a concrete arrangement protecting his countrys sovereignty and borders from future Russian aggression. He wrote on Saturday on Twitter/X: Security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with the involvement of both Europe and the U.S. Its a demand seen all the more crucial by Kyiv, given that Trump is now talking openly about ceding the Donbas region, part of which is occupied by Ukrainian forces, to Putin as a concession to make a deal. On Tuesday, Leavitt was pressed further to confirm that Vladimir Putin agreed to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky within two weeks, something the Kremlin has not yet stated definitively. Just the development of the two leaders in the same room would present a massive step forward in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks. But Russian officials previously agreed to begin direct talks with Ukraine in May, only for those plans to be abandoned. Kremlin officials seemed to already be moving in that direction on Tuesday, saying that talks needed to begin gradually. "We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks," Trump himself told reporters on Tuesday. "It's possible that he doesn't want to make a deal." The White House has launched a TikTok account weeks ahead of President Donald Trumps extended deadline to ban the app. Congress passed a bill last year, which former President Joe Biden subsequently signed into law, that gave TikToks China-based parent company, ByteDance, nine months to sell TikTok to a U.S.-approved company or face a nationwide ban. Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline for TikTok to sell or be banned since taking office with the most recent delay set to end on September 17. It remains unclear if Trump will extend the deadline again, if a deal with TikTok is not reached within a few weeks, but the fact the White House has joined the app could lessen confidence that Trump will enforce the ban. The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment. The White House has launched a TikTok account weeks ahead of President Donald Trumps extended deadline to ban the app (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images) The White House shared a series of videos Tuesday to kick off its new account. In its first post, the White House shared a compilation video of Trump and wrote, America we are BACK! Whats up TikTok? A second video showed beauty shots of the exterior of the White House and was captioned, Were so back. The White House also posted a video of Trump zingers, including when he said, I was the hunted, and now Im the hunter. Trump has his own TikTok account, which was launched during his 2024 presidential campaign, and has amassed more than 15 million followers. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, per Reuters, "President Trump's message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we're excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before. In June, Leavitt said Trump delayed the enforcement of the TikTok ban again so we can get this deal done. Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline for TikTok to sell or be banned since taking office with the most recent delay set to end on September 17 (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Its wildly popular. He also wants to protect Americans data and privacy concerns on this app. And he believes we can do both at the same time, Leavitt told reporters. The Information, a tech news site, reported in July TikTok was developing a new version of its app for American users that would go live on U.S. app stores on September 5, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Trumps approach toward TikTok has dramatically shifted in his second term. During his first presidency, Trump signed an executive order banning TikTok, citing a threat to U.S. national security an argument that lawmakers made while the TikTok ban was moving through Capitol Hill. Trumps ban was blocked by the courts. A shake-up of New Zealands curriculum has resulted in Maori words being scrapped from a selection of books used to teach five-year-olds. Photograph: Sanka Vidanagama/AFP/Getty Images A shake-up of New Zealands curriculum has resulted in Maori words being scrapped from a selection of books used to teach five-year-olds and a decision not to reprint a well-loved book for young readers because it contained too many Maori words. The changes have sparked widespread criticism from academics, teachers and authors, who have called it an assault on Maori identity and the latest in the coalition governments efforts to prioritise English over the Indigenous language criticisms the education minister has strongly rejected. What has changed in the curriculum? In 2024, education minister Erica Stanford announced she was implementing a structured literacy approach to reading, which teaches children to read by using sounds and phonics to understand words. Part of that change has resulted in a decision to cut Maori words except for characters names from any new books in the education ministrys Ready to Read Phonics Plus series a series of 78 books provided to primary schools. Related: Fifty years on, New Zealands tribunal upholding Maori rights faces a turning point The move affects 12 new books, and has resulted in the decision not to reprint the small take-home-version of At the Marae, a well-known early reader book that teaches children about visiting traditional Maori meeting grounds. The book will instead be printed in full-size format for teachers to read aloud in class because it contains six Maori words some of which could be hard for children to decode, the education ministry told the Guardian. The ministry also said while its new books in its early reader series will not contain Maori words, except for names, some existing titles will retain Maori words. What is the rationale for scrapping Maori words? The decision to remove the Maori words was driven by concern that incorporating Maori words into English texts could be confusing for children learning to read English, according to an education ministry report to Stanford in October. Introducing different orthographies simultaneously could lead to confusion for learners, making it more difficult for them to master English phonetics within these crucial early years of school, the report noted in its advice. However, it went on to say the evidence of this was mixed and uncertain. In hand-written notes on the report, the minister said the government had made a real commitment to invest in Maori language books and that language revitalisation is so important. She said Maori language schools and teachers had told her they did not want English language in the Maori language decodable books texts designed for children to practise decoding sounds and letters and it would be consistent to keep to one language only in the very early decodable books. The ministry said all words, including English words, in these early readers are very tightly controlled to make sure they are decodable for students. Why have the changes sparked criticism? Principals, academics and authors have criticised the decision, saying it undermines the place of the Indigenous language and childrens ability to learn both English and Maori. Its not only harmful from a cultural identity perspective, but it also gives very little faith in our children that they can grasp these very few, simple words, said Dr Awanui Te Huia, associate professor at Victoria University of Wellingtons Maori studies department, Te Kawa a Maui. Te Huia said Maori children face barriers attending Maori-immersion preschools and schools due to lengthy waitlists, so most end up going into mainstream education. The very limited opportunities that they have to see the language, to see themselves thrive, is being further reduced by advice that I dont see as being evidence based, she said. The ministers argument that Maori experts did not want English in their text and therefore, Maori should be limited in English texts, was drawing a false equivalence between the status of the two languages, Te Huia said. We need to create some boundaries around how much English the dominant language is put into that very limited space where youre exposed to [Maori] language. Related: Its so politically loaded: Marlon Williams on finding the gall to write an album entirely in Maori In a statement, the Maori principals association, Te Akatea, said it was outraged and disappointed at the decision to not reprint the small versions of At the Marae. This decision is a direct attack on our language, a dismissal of our culture, and an assault on our identity as Maori, it said, adding that books like At the Marae expose the 97% of Maori children in English-medium schools, and many non-Maori to the language. These are acts of racism, cultural suppression and are deliberate attempts to recolonise our education system. Stanford declined the Guardians request for comment but in interviews with other media has rejected any claims her policy is an attack on the language. The education ministry told the Guardian it firmly rejects claims made by some commentators that this decision is about race and the decision was grounded in evidence. The ministry said it had also, for the first time, offered all schools a complete set of Maori decodable books. Since taking office, the coalition government has minimised Maori language use in the public service and ushered in sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to improve Maori health and wellbeing. The rationale behind many of the governments proposals is to end race-based policies and the coalition has said it is committed to improving outcomes for Maori and all New Zealanders. But Te Huia says New Zealands position as a global leader in language revitalisation was at stake, and government push back on the language had resulted in its stagnation. Principals Federation president Leanne Otene told RNZ it felt like New Zealand was deliberately going backwards. Its not just one book, its part of a concerning pattern of removing te reo Maori [Maori language] from government services across the board, she said. Our children are growing up watching their government treat te reo Maori as less important. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select Secure Messaging. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. England batter Zak Crawley struck a superb half-century as Northern Superchargers coasted to an eight-wicket win over London Spirit in the mens Hundred at Lords to move third in the table. Ollie Pope had hit his own 37-ball 50 as the Spirit second from bottom were limited to 135 for three, with Jamie Smith adding 41. That, though, never looked likely to be enough as Crawleys 55 off 38 set the Superchargers on their way before captain Harry Brook saw his side home with 18 balls to spare by slapping a boundary over mid-on to finish unbeaten on nine from three deliveries. After Spirit opener David Warner had fallen for a four-ball duck and former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was out for just 10, Smith edged the home side on to 70 for three at the halfway stage. Pope hit three boundaries in his half-century and Ashton Turner added a swift 28, but still left the Spirit well short of a competitive target. It proved anything but, with Dawid Malan making 22 in a first-wicket stand of 63 before Dan Lawrences rapid 37 supported Crawleys onslaught as the Superchargers closed out a fourth win from six games to move level on 16 points with champions Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets. In the mens Hundred at Sophia Gardens, Southern Brave battled to a four-run win over Welsh Fire to end their three-match losing streak. Hilton Cartwright struck an unbeaten 51 to help Brave push on to 129 for eight, before paceman Jofra Archer took three wickets and then Chris Jordan held his nerve on the final delivery as Fire came up just short at 125 for eight. Welsh Fires bowlers had earlier made the most of the favourable conditions, with Matt Henry returning two for five from his 20 balls after dismissing Leeus du Ploy (two) and Jason Roy (four). Brave skipper James Vince (29) then helped his his side recover to 53 for three, before Australian Cartwright went on the attack hitting five sixes as he reached a 19-ball half-century. Jonny Bairstow (22) spearheaded the Fires run chase hitting Craig Overton for two fours and a six in the first set. With 20 balls left, Fire needed 27 to win and had three wickets in hand but Tom Kohler-Cadmore (25) holed out in the deep leaving Jordan to close out his final five and get Brave over the line. Jess Jonassen had impressed with the ball for Welsh Fire (Mike Egerton/PA) Earlier, in the womens Hundred, Southern Brave overcame some outstanding bowling from Jess Jonassen to edge out winless Welsh Fire by three wickets with just one ball remaining as they made it six wins out of six in the Hundred. Chasing 112 for victory in Cardiff, the Brave got off to a solid start as England pair Maia Boucher and Danni Wyatt-Hodge put on 48 for the opening wicket, but they then ran into trouble in the form of Jonassen. After taking the catch of Wyatt-Hodge off Georgia Davis, Jonassen on her way to figures of four for 10 accounted for Boucher (35) and Laura Wolvaardt to leave the visitors on 57 for three. The Brave stabilised but another late flurry of wickets saw them go from 98 for three to 107 for seven before Georgia Adams got the winning runs off Davis, as the Brave secured a top-three finish. Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland saw Northern Superchargers past their modest victory target at Lords (Bradley Collyer/PA) In the womens match at Lords, Northern Superchargers secured an eight-wicket win over London Spirit to leapfrog their hosts and move second in the table. The Superchargers started well with the ball. Grace Ballinger and Kate Cross each took a wicket in their first 10 deliveries as Spirit opener Kira Chathli was out for a three-ball duck. Nicola Carey then dismissed Grace Harris and Dani Gibson in consecutive balls to leave the home side in trouble at 48 for five. Issy Wong finished 24 not out as Spirit pushed on to 90 for eight, with Annabel Sutherland taking three wickets. Despite losing Alice Davidson-Richards for a duck second delivery to Bex Tyson, who then also dismissed Davina Perrin (four), the Superchargers soon set about chasing down their modest victory target. Phoebe Litchfields unbeaten 55 and Sutherlands swift 29 saw them home at 93 for two with 34 balls remaining. close-up of Costco sign - bluestork/Shutterstock Even if Americans regularly enjoy at least 10 Italian foods they don't serve in Italy, plenty of food products that did, in fact, originate in Italy are still eaten domestically with regularity. Italian food staples are so numerous at large grocery stores, they're typically found throughout rather than in dedicated Italian sections. All that to say, options are plentiful for Italian food connoisseurs at major retailers, including Costco warehouses. But of course, not every single Italian food at Costco is a winner. For clarity's sake, this list lacks what some might consider two notable omissions Italian sausage and pizza, both of which are well worth purchasing at Costco. The former, however, falls under the umbrella of not-actually-Italian. Meanwhile, Costco does technically sell some Italian-style pizzas, but considering all the top picks among Costco's best and worst frozen pizza options ranked are decidedly American, it made more sense to leave pizza off this list. Determining the best Italian foods at Costco first required compiling a list of as many Italian items as possible that are commonly sold at Costco warehouses. Any product that amassed considerable customer feedback, consisting of predominately positive comments, made the cut. The following 10 products, then, are the very best Italian foods worth buying at Costco stores. Read more: The Biggest Canned Food Recalls In US History 1. Kirkland Signature Italian Style Beef Meatballs bag of Kirkland meatballs - Costco Most Costco shoppers are likely well aware, but for clarity's sake, it's worth specifying that Kirkland Signature is Costco's house brand. There are multiple ways Costco keeps Kirkland Signature products cheap, so as long as they're decent quality, Kirkland Signature items oftentimes make for better choices than brand-name alternatives. One of the best Italian foods sold under Costco's in-house label is its bag of frozen Italian Style Beef Meatballs. Pretty much every good value at Costco requires buying in bulk, and bags of Kirkland Signature meatballs weigh around 6 pounds, for a total of approximately 140 meatballs. Anyone who has room in their freezer for that many meatballs can rest assured that they are, at least, investing in a quality product. Commenters online describe the Costco meatballs as highly versatile, sharing recipes ranging from a classic spaghetti with red sauce to teriyaki udon or a slow cooker dish that calls for chili sauce and grape jelly. "They're great however you do them," wrote a Reddit user. "I can't stand other brands' meatballs now these are IT for store-bought!" 2. Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage And Beef Lasagna package of Kirkland lasagna - Costco Somewhere near the Kirkland Signature meatballs in Costco's freezer aisles is the Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna, another high-quality Italian product packaged under Costco's house brand. Unsurprisingly, Costco's lasagna is sold in weighty 3-pound trays, and each package contains two of those trays. It's a lot of lasagna, but it's a lot of good lasagna. Preparing a tray of Kirkland Signature lasagna can be as simple as popping it in the microwave. That said, some fans of the lasagna have recommended a few minutes under a broiler after it's done heating up for a crisper texture on its top layer. However it's prepared, those who have tried the product generally agree that its quality is about as good as it gets for a frozen, premade lasagna. "I always have this in my freezer," wrote one Reddit user. "Could I make a better lasagna? Sure. Would it be cheaper? Nope. Would it be ... more work? Absolutely. This is like 85% as good for like 5% of the effort." 3. Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni package of Kirkland tortelloni - Costco Supplementing Costco's frozen meals are a fair number of ready-to-eat refrigerated items in the store's deli section. In late 2024, for example, Costco's latest deli addition was a classic meatball sandwich. Also among the Costco deli's prepared meals are soups, salads, meats, and even pastas. The Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni is located in the refrigerated deli section, and can safely be considered one of the best quick Italian meals available in Costco warehouses. One package of Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni weighs about 3 pounds and is divided into two distinct halves. Text on the front of the package claims those 3 pounds could be considered 14 individual servings. In truth, one of those 1.5-pound halves is probably more like a large meal for one or moderate meals for two. The product's proponents find that it makes for a great deal all the same. Plus, the tortelloni is versatile, pairing well not just with pasta sauces but in soup or even baked in the oven. "I was surprised at the quality of the Kirkland tortellini in the two pack. I'm definitely a fan for a quick meal," wrote a Reddit user. "You get quite a big helping for $10." 4. Kirkland Signature Parmigiano-Reggiano Stravecchio chunk of Kirkland Parmigiano-Reggiano stravecchio - Costco Costco's deli is home not just to premade meals and sides but sauces, dips, and cheeses too. On the Mashed list of five of the best and three of the worst Kirkland Signature dairy products, Kirkland's sharp cheddar earned a recommendation whereas the Kirkland's mozzarella fared poorly. Simply put, Costco's cheeses can vary in quality. Fortunately for Italian food lovers, the Kirkland Signature block of Parmigiano-Reggiano Stravecchio is among the cheese aisle's standouts. Technically, Costco has sold blocks of Parmigiano-Reggiano with and without the Stravecchio moniker, which just refers to a longer aging process. Longer aging contributes a flavor that customers who have tried both products consider both deeper and a bit mellower. One way plenty of Costco shoppers who buy it regularly like to utilize their Parmigiano-Reggiano Stravecchio is grating it, making for a fresher and tastier alternative to Costco's pre-shredded Parmesan. "It's the best. We have a small container in the fridge that we keep about a cup of this already shredded so it's always on hand," wrote one Reddit user. "Any dishes where we are using a bunch we shred it fresh. Nothing like fresh Parmesan cheese." 5. Pasta Prima Spinach & Mozzarella Ravioli bag of Pasta Prima ravioli - Pasta Prima Kirkland Signature products may be Costco's bread and butter literally and figuratively but the wide range of third-party products sold on Costco shelves are just as integral to what makes the chain so successful. One alternative to the Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortellini that customers in search of a quick pasta meal might also want to consider is the Pasta Prima brand's bag of frozen Spinach & Mozzarella Ravioli. Similar the Kirkland tortellini, each bag of Pasta Prima ravioli purports to contain 16 individual servings, but for most, its 3.5 pounds will make for maybe two to five meals in total. And just like the tortellini, fans of the product have prepared it utilizing a variety of methods, ranging from a one-pot pasta recipe to a deep-frier. Of course, since each ravioli contains its own flavorful filling, keeping things relatively simple is a viable approach too. "These are my new favorite quick dinner when I have no energy to cook," wrote one Reddit user. "Boil 10 ravioli for eight minutes. Sprinkle on some shredded Parmesan (also from Costco) and some of the breadcrumb topping. Very tasty and filling." 6. Garofalo Organic Pasta three kinds of Garofalo pasta - Garofalo Rounding out the range of Costco's best pasta products is its primary uncooked pasta brand, Garofalo there's no bespoke Kirkland Signature version of uncooked pasta on Costco shelves. Value-conscious customers may not appreciate that Garofalo's pasta is organic, since organic products are pretty much always more expensive than their non-organic counterparts. Those for whom organic is an advantage, plus anyone simply in search of a tasty pasta product for their next home-cooked pasta dinner can rest assured that Garofalo's organic pastas are legit. They're so legit, in fact, that Garofalo a company based in Italy is what's sold on the shelves of Italian Costco stores. In essence, you get what you pay for when you buy a Garofalo product. Its biggest proponents acknowledge that it may be sold at a price point higher than a standard grocery store pasta, but its higher quality more than makes up for that fact. "My uncle, who lives in Italy, goes on and on about how it's the best pasta he's ever had," wrote a Reddit user. "It's the only kind he and my aunt buy there. I have a hard time finding Garofalo here in the U.S. One more reason to love Costco!" 7. Rao's Marinara Sauce Rao's marinara sauce two-pack - Rao's Some of the third-party products on the shelves of Costco warehouses, like Garofalo's organic pasta, are hard to find elsewhere. Occasionally, however, Costco will stock a brand that can be found at most major grocery stores that's still worth buying because typically due to bulk quantities it's available at a lower price point than it is elsewhere. Rao's Marinara Sauce is the store-bought pasta sauce Food Network host Ina Garten swears by, and Costco sells it for a little cheaper than its closest competitors. While Rao's Marinara Sauce is effectively sold in bulk, it's in a simple pair of 28-ounce jars. As long as that quantity is acceptable, Rao's is the top marinara sauce pick at most Costco stores, according to customers who have tried and compared multiple Costco marinara sauces. "Just look at that ingredients list and compare it to any other brand sauce. Beautifully simple," wrote one Reddit user, outlining one major reason so many customers appreciate the taste of Rao's Marinara. "No added sugar (or any sugar for that matter), which is pretty unusual for sauces, much less ones that taste so great." 8. Citterio Prosciutto package of Citterio prosciutto - Citterio Trailing behind maybe just pizza and pasta, Italian cold cut sandwiches are among the most popular Italian foods in America. In the realm of Italian sandwich meats, there's just nothing else quite like a rich, buttery slice of prosciutto. Of course, prosciutto is versatile too, belonging on pizzas or pairing with chunks of orange melon too. Costco sells pre-sliced prosciutto produced by the Citterio brand, which operates dually in the United States and Italy. That prosciutto, for what it's worth, is made in Parma, Italy. That Italian authenticity, it turns out, correlates with high quality. While the product has inspired some recipe-sharing among Costco customers, the Citterio prosciutto is also generally recommended in online discussions about the most affordable prosciutto di Parma options available in stores. "The prosciutto at Costco is pretty good and it's $11.99 for 12 ounces," wrote a Reddit user in one such discussion, succinctly summing up just what makes the product worth purchasing. 9. Veroni Antipasto Italiano Veroni Antipasto Italiano package - Veroni Sometimes sliced Italian cold cuts are best as the star of the show rather than as a mere sandwich protein charcuterie boards are perpetually among the trendiest snack-y dishesfor a reason, after all. For customers who prefer to snack on their cold cuts or even those want to construct some epic Italian sandwiches, Costco sells a variety pack of Italian cold cuts produced by the Veroni brand. Like Citterio, Veroni does plenty of business domestically, but originated in Italy. Each package of the Veroni Antipasto Italiano comes with ample slices of smoked prosciutto, dry cured pork shoulder, salame Toscano, and salame Calabrese. According to one Reddit user, their Italian husband found that Veroni's meats are comparable to the what he eats back home. "When he took his first bite he stopped and stared at it for a few seconds before asking me where I got it from," they wrote. "He said he's never had Italian meats in the States that taste like they do in Italy, but this stuff from Veroni is the real deal. Now we buy it every time we do a Costco run!" 10. Asaro Organic Castelvetrano Olives jar of Asaro Castelvetrano olives - Asaro Even if most olives sold in the U.S. are divided into deceptively simplistic black, green, and maybe Kalamata categories, the range of olive varieties is vast and numbers in the hundreds. Castelvetranos are unlike any of those three common types of olives, both milder in flavor than a typical American olive and texturally crisper. Costco customers have access to organic Castrelvetrano olives produced by the Asaro brand. Of course, Costco warehouses typically stock at least a couple different kinds of olives, and customers who have sampled a variety of options find the Asaro Organic Castelvetrano Olives the best of them all. One Reddit user is a fan of the product, outlining in detail just what makes them so great. "Unlike many jarred green olives, they're in a saltwater brine with no vinegar, and pitted but without pimento stuffing, so you just get a nice mild but meaty olive flavor," they wrote. "For the most part I just shamelessly eat them out of the jar, but the flavor/texture also makes them a better candidate for mixing (tuna salad, pizza toppings) than more common green olives. (Again, no vinegar helps). These are probably the best olives we've found at Costco." Methodology Costco membership card in hand - Andy.LIU/Shutterstock Determining the best Italian foods at Costco meant first compiling a list of Italian foods available at Costco warehouses. That required combing through the inventories of the Costco website and the distinct website for Costco's grocery delivery service. Then, a general internet search for Italian products at Costco revealed some additional items not listed in either inventory but available at stores all the same. With that list established, a product made the final cut if there were plentiful, positive posts about it online. In the end, the vast majority of relevant opinions came from Reddit, simply because that's handily the foremost source of Costco product discussion while there are plenty of YouTube and Instagram influencers highlighting Costco products, their commenters more often write that they want to try said products rather than share their own assessments. These items, then, first qualified as Italian products available at Costco. They then retained their spots on the list due to significant quantities of positive online comments, most of which came from Reddit. Read the original article on Mashed. The newly discovered temple complex is located southeast of Lake Titicaca, a region where previous Tiwanaku researchers hadn't focused search efforts. - Jose Capriles/Penn State Archaeologists say they have discovered the ruins of what they believe are the boundaries of an ancient temple belonging to the mysterious Andean society of Tiwanaku that disappeared around AD 1000. The research team unearthed the immense temple complex in the highlands of what is now Bolivias municipality of Caracollo. The site is southeast of Lake Titicaca, a different region than where researchers had previously focused their search for clues that might help unravel the secrets of this lost society. The extraordinary find is roughly 130 miles (about 210 kilometers) south of the established archaeological site of Tiwanaku, the capital of the powerful empire that preceded the Incas. The latest findings were described in a study published on June 24 in the journal Antiquity. Called Palaspata after the native name for the region, the temple lies outside the borders of where Tiwanaku was previously known to have expanded, said Dr. Jose Capriles, a Bolivian archaeologist and associate professor of anthropology at Pennsylvania State University. Capriles, who was the lead author of the study, noted that the buildings architectural elements, including a terraced platform and sunken courtyard, have a striking resemblance to the Tiwanaku style found in other parts of the Lake Titicaca region. We dont expect it in this particular place and the fact that it exists there is remarkable, he said. The temple, which has a trail cutting through it from repeated travel by locals, is near a long-used Bolivian travel route, now called the La PazCochabamba Highway, which connected three trade routes used by other societies that followed, like the Inca. The discovery of the ceremonial temple is shedding light on the interconnectivity of the lost societys various territories and how Palaspata could have served as a gateway for Tiwanaku society to expand its power in the region, according to the researchers. Researchers found keru cups on the surface of the ruins. Keru cups were used to drink chicha, a maize-based alcohol, and suggest that the temple was used for large gatherings. - Jose Capriles/Penn State Who were the Tiwanaku? Archaeological investigations of Tiwanaku sites began in the 1860s, but researchers still have scant knowledge of the society. Most of what experts know has been deduced from studying ceramics, camelid remains, and other religious sites, such as Akapana, that dot the Andean highlands. Tiwanaku communities first emerged in an altiplano, or high plain, of the Andes called the Titicaca Basin, named after Lake Titicaca. Due to its location, farming crops, like maize, was difficult, so the people relied on llama caravans to connect the communities in the region and facilitate trade. The capital city of Tiwanaku, also called Tiwanaku, managed trade, commerce and interregional interaction, according to the study. Tiwanaku was what we call a primary state formation, meaning that it was a complex society that had complex social stratification, Capriles said. The empire developed without external influence and emerged out of a series of prior agricultural societies. Evidence of Tiwanaku objects, like pottery, suggests Tiwanaku people began to settle in that area around AD 700, as well as farther west in a valley thats now southern Peru, according to Dr. Nicola OConnor Sharratt, associate professor of anthropology at Georgia State University. She was not involved in the study. Tiwanaku populations are also suspected to have lived in what is now northern Chile and in Cochabamba, Sharratt added. The Tiwanaku constructed Palaspata to further exert its sociopolitical influence over other societies in the area by controlling trade between regions, the new study suggests. The placement of this site is strategically located between two major geographic zones of the Andean Highlands, Capriles said. This might have been sort of a nice strategic control outpost that not only controlled flow of goods in an economic and political sense, but it also did so through religion, and this is why it is a temple, he said. The alignment of religious, political and economic institutions, which is how many of these institutions emerge, is something that I think people were kind of surprised about. The temple, Palaspata, is approximately 125 meters long by 145 meters wide (410 by 475 feet) and has 15 modular enclosures surrounding the central plaza. - Jose Capriles/Penn State Uncovering a lost temple The temple Palaspata is only visible by its perimeter wall, which is outlined with red sandstone. While working on an unrelated archaeology project near the highway, researchers noticed the structure and decided it seemed significant, Capriles said. They investigated the area further on foot and with drones. From the initial findings, Capriles was able to use 3D rendering to create a digital reconstruction of the temple. The structure is 125 meters long and 145 meters wide (410 by 475 feet) about the size of a city block with 15 modular enclosures that were likely rooms surrounding an inner courtyard. The buildings main entrance faces west, aligned with the solar equinox and indicative of the temples religious role in the society. While not much is known of Tiwanakus spiritual practices, archaeologists have previously found stone monoliths and ceramics with plant- and animal-based symbolism that may allude to traditions known to be part of other pre-Inca societies. Researchers on past expeditions related to Tiwanaku commonly uncovered religious structures designed to highlight the landscapes natural features and align with key events in the solar cycle. Archaeologists have also found Tiwanaku pottery at the site, such as keru cups, typically used to drink some form of maize-based alcohol. This suggests that the building was likely used for parties or large gatherings, Sharratt said. Compared with other ancient societies, Tiwanaku remains enigmatic, and researchers have a limited, patchwork understanding of the civilization, according to Sharratt. Archaeological theories suggest that Tiwanaku collapsed because of a drought or environmental degradation. Others experts believe that both of these factors may have led to social tension and unrest, ultimately giving rise to a populist uprising. Why dont researchers know much about this cryptic society? Tiwanaku didnt fit some early archaeologists ideas about what a state should look like or where you could have a thriving city, Sharratt said. It hasnt necessarily met all of our expectations, so I think thats partly why. Sign up for CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A fan holds up a sign during the fourth inning of a baseball between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers game, Wednesday, Aug.13, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) MILWAUKEE (AP) The Milwaukee Brewers' franchise-record 14-game winning streak resulted in one heck of a tab for a local fast-food chain. George Webb promises to give away free hamburgers whenever the Brewers reel off at least 12 straight victories. The local fast-food chain delivered on its promise Wednesday, as fans lined up outside each of its 26 Milwaukee-area locations Brian Meehan, a George Webb spokesman, said the chain expects to give out about 180,000 burgers as part of this promotion. George Webb officials purchased 25,000 pounds of beef, 4,000 pounds of onions, 300,000 pickle slices and 200,000 buns in preparation. Its something we think about when we get to like nine wins, and then as it gets closer, Brewers fan Chris Crandall said as he enjoyed his burger Wednesday. That estimate of 180,000 included 100,000 vouchers George Webb gave out over the weekend enabling fans to pick up a free burger anytime from Aug. 25-29. But the company also was giving out free burgers to anyone who walked into a George Webb during a four-hour window Wednesday afternoon. By the time that giveaway started, about 125 fans already had lined up outside the closest George Webb to American Family Field. Its like a once-in-a-decade opportunity, so Im taking advantage of it, said Stephen Pawlak of Franklin, Wisconsin. Joe Hasler and Scott Antczak of Milwaukee grabbed some burgers for the road Wednesday as they prepared to drive to the Brewers game with the Chicago Cubs that night. Weve been going to George Webb for our whole lives, Hasler said. Its always a great place after a good night of having beers and after a ballgame. Its a quality burger, part of the nostalgia of the Milwaukee Brewers. Tony Pedretti of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, about a two-hour drive west of Milwaukee, had attended the second game of the Brewers doubleheader loss in Chicago the previous night. He was aware of the giveaway and decided to stop for a free burger on his way home. Ive never been to George Webb, so its a good marketing, customer activation program, said Pedretti, who wore a Brewers cowboy hat as he waited in line. The Brewers earned their 12th straight victory last week and then won again on Friday before the streak ended Sunday with a 3-2, 10-inning loss at Cincinnati. George Webbs burger giveaway promotion goes back several decades. During the years when the Braves played in Milwaukee before moving to Atlanta in 1966, George Webb promised free burgers if they won as many as 13 straight games. When Milwaukee welcomed the Brewers in 1970, George Webb changed the promotion and promised to give away free burgers for every 12-game win streak. This marks the third time George Webbs had to deliver on its promise. The Brewers won their first 13 games of the 1987 season. The Brewers won their final eight regular-season games and first four playoff games for a 12-game streak in 2018. The line outside the closest George Webb to American Family Field on Thursday included multiple people who said they also had capitalized on those 1987 and 2018 burger giveaways. Many of the fans arrived with hearty appetites. The guy in front of me literally had a map with all the George Webbs, Crandall said. So hes definitely hitting more than one. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB Kyle Green-Pool/Getty Bryan Kohberger NEED TO KNOW An Idaho State Police report released recently shows faculty and fellow grad students at Washington State University were growing concerned about Bryan Kohberger Kohberger was exhibiting disturbing and sexist behavior towards female students and staff, according to interviews Idaho State Police conducted after his arrest Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences in prison for the murders of four University of Idaho students in November 2022 A former criminology professor of convicted murderer Bryan Kohberger warned coworkers about him potentially harassing, stalking, and sexually abusing future students if he one day became a professor himself, according to a new police report. The Associated Press first reported Monday that the Washington State University faculty member had urged other staff to cut off the funding Kohberger, now 30, was receiving for his Ph.D. program. He is smart enough that in four years we will have to give him a Ph.D., the professor told colleagues, according to the AP, which cited a 550-page police report published by Idaho State Police last week. Mark my word, I work with predators, if we give him a Ph.D., thats the guy that in that many years when he is a professor, we will hear is harassing, stalking, and sexually abusing ... his students at wherever university, the professors warning continued, according to the documents, which were also reviewed by PEOPLE. Kohbergers fellow grad students also shared reservations and concerns about his behavior, which they described to police as sexist and creepy during a number of police interviews after Kohberger was arrested in connection with the murder of four University of Idaho students in November 2022. Based on how he talks to women and treats women, people in the department thought he was a possible future rapist, the Idaho State Police report says, though no one suspected him of committing the Moscow murders. One faculty member told police Kohberger was aggressive towards women and made them feel uncomfortable, adding that the faculty discussed how they could intervene with his behavior. Idaho Dept of Corrections Bryan Kohberger A Ph.D. student told police during a December 2022 interview that Kohberger would often talk to her about sexual burglary, which was his field of study and it made her feel uncomfortable. Kohberger was interested in the emotions of what it felt like when committing a crime, the police report said the student told investigators, adding that the student said Kohberger discussed how offenders might avoid getting caught and about different emotions violent offenders might have. The student said she logged a number of complaints to faculty after the conversations. A student also told police she had never met anyone who acted in such a condescending manner and wondered why people in power in the department did not address his behavior, adding that the way he spoke to females in the department was unsettling to them. Courtesy of Chapin Family; Maddie Mogen/Instagram; Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram; Xana Kernodle/Instagram Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves. Others were advised not to leave particular students alone with Kohberger, according to the police report, while some students theorized whether Kohberger was an incel based on his internet posts and in-person behavior towards women. Idaho State Police reported that some instructors even kept a tally on a white board in their offices to count the number of times when Kohberger was late to class when female instructors were presenting or when he would cut off a female when she was speaking. In reference to the Moscow homicides, he would say that it was horrible, the police report, based on the interviews with fellow students and Washington State faculty, said. In discussing whether the murderer would be caught, he said maybe it was a one and done type thing. Kohberger pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students last month: Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. He was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without parole in late July. Read the original article on People Seventy-eight people were killed in a collision in western Afghanistan Tuesday evening between a bus carrying Afghan migrants, a truck and a motorcycle, local officials said. Mutfi Muhammad Yousuf Saeedi, spokesman for the Herat provincial governor, said the dead included women and 17 children. One person hospitalized from the crash was in critical condition. Onlookers stand at the site of a bus crash in the Guzara district of Herat province in Afghanistan on August 20, 2025. / Credit: MOHSEN KARIMI / AFP via Getty Images The truck was carrying petroleum that instantly sparked a fire, officials said. It happened on a busy highway. The Taliban announced Wednesday that they arrested the head of the transportation company involved in the bus accident. The company's operations have been halted until the government's investigation is complete. Mufti Saeedi confirmed to CBS News that the bus was carrying refugees who had recently been deported from neighboring Iran. They were part of a large-scale operation to remove Afghans from Iran initiated after the Israel-Iran 12-day war in June. Thousands of Afghans were forced to leave, often under dire circumstances, as tension heightened in the region. Many faced significant hardships during their transfer as they grappled with the challenges of displacement and their uncertain future. Videos and photos shared on social media showed the bus in flames. "Firefighters arrived at the scene of the accident quickly, but unfortunately, they were unable to rescue anyone," Ahmadullah Mutaqi, director of information and culture in Herat, told CBS News. The state-run Bakhtar News Agency said Tuesday's accident was one of Afghanistan's deadliest in recent years. Traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan due in part to poor roads after decades of conflict, dangerous driving on highways and a lack of regulation. Buses and trucks are often overloaded, which increases the risk of accidents. In December, two bus accidents involving a fuel tanker and a truck on a highway through central Afghanistan killed at least 52. -- Agence France-Presse contributed to this report. Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine U.S. Open "fan week" begins Hurricane Erin could erode parts of the East Coast Health officials in California identified a positive case of plague in a Lake Tahoe resident. El Dorado County officials said in a release that they have notified the California Department of Health that a resident from South Lake Tahoe has plague. The person is recovering at home and is receiving medical care, the El Dorado County release said. No other information about the person or the person's condition was released. Officials believe an infected flea bit the sick person, who was camping in the South Lake Tahoe area, the release said. Officials are investigating. Plague is caused by bacteria that are most often transmitted via bites from fleas that were already carrying them after having picked them up from squirrels, chipmunks and other rodents, according to health officials. Dogs and cats could also bring plague-infected fleas into homes. Symptoms of plague usually include fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes, and they show up within two weeks of exposure. It can be treated effectively with antibiotics if it's diagnosed early. Public health officials in California monitor rodents in the area to determine whether they carry plague, the release said. From 2021 to 2024, 41 rodents were found to have been exposed to the plague bacteria. Four additional rodents tested positive in 2025, all identified in the Tahoe Basin. El Dorado County officials noted how rare human cases of plague are, with the last reported case in the South Lake Tahoe area in 2020. Before that, two people tested positive for plague in 2015 after they were exposed in Yosemite National Park. "Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County," said Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County's acting public health director. "It's important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and or camping in areas where wild rodents are present." To prevent contracting plague, officials warned, people and pets should not touch squirrels, chipmunks or other wild rodents, especially those that are dead or injured. People should not camp near where dead rodents were observed, and they should wear long pants tucked into boots and spray bug repellant to reduce flea exposure. Getty Images Carrie Coon at Tribeca Film Festival in 2025. The Gist Carrie Coon debuted a new pixie cut during HBO's Emmy Nomination Celebration. She played Laurie in season three of The White Lotus, which received 10 Primetime Emmy nominations. Elsewhere in the HBO universe, the actress plays new money socialite Bertha Russell in The Gilded Age. Carrie Coon is celebrating recently announced Emmy nominations for Mike White's The White Lotus with a dramatic new pixie cut. The actress, who played Laurie in season three of the show, joined some of her co-stars virtually for HBO's Emmy Nomination Celebration on Sunday, August 17. Getty Images Carrie Coon, Jason Isaacs, Sam Rockwell, and Natasha Rothwell at HBO's Emmy Nominee Celebration. Coon's super short cut was a dramatic departure from her usual hairstyle, which typically hovers at or above shoulder length, much like her character in The White Lotus. Getty Images Carrie Coon at a screening for 'The White Lotus' in 2025. The White Lotus received 10 Primetime Emmy nominations for its third season, which was filmed at a luxury resort in Thailand, including one for the actress for her portrayal of Laurie Duffy. Coon has since confirmed that she would be "open to" coming back for a fourth season. "I would prefer to work in the snow, she joked in an interview with Deadline. It was the hottest Ive ever been in my life, and its only getting hotter. The Ghostbusters actress also gushed that she was "thrilled" for everyone else who had been nominated. "Of course, the reason were all nominated is because we were supported by a tremendous group of actors working under extreme, extreme circumstances," she added. "And so we all know that our nominations are entirely dependent on the work of our friends, and so we share this morning with them." Getty Images Jason Isaacs and Carrie Coon at the premiere of 'The White Lotus' in 2025. Elsewhere in the HBO universe, Coon is of course busy playing Bertha Russell, wife of railroad tycoon George Russell, in The Gilded Age. The show's third season recently came to a dramatic close when its final episode aired on August 10. "The response so far has been tremendous, which gives us hope for the possibility of another season," Coon said of the historical drama, per Deadline. Read the original article on InStyle Country Royalty Lives On as Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's Grandkids Revive Their Timeless Hit originally appeared on Parade. By 1971 both Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn were county royalty int heir own rights. Twitty was hailed as "The High Priest of Country Music" by comedian Jerry Clower for his devoted following while Lynn was dubbed the "Queen of Country." But when the two joined forces as the iconic duo Conway & Loretta that year, they were unstoppable. Their first hit together "After the Fire Is Gone" shot to the top of the U.S. country charts and earned them a Grammy. It was August 18, 1973 when their mega hit Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man hit #1 on the Billboard chart and took the country world by storm. Over 50 years and 10 albums, seven compilation albums, and 13 singles later, Conway & Loretta live one... through their respective grandkids. Conways grandson, Tre Twitty, and Lorettas granddaughter, Tayla Lynn, are continuing country tradition as Twitty & Lynn, and proved they live up to their grandparent's legacy with a stunning cover of the iconic song. Fans felt like they were transported back in time hearing the two belt out this classic. "Why isnt country music like this anymore. This is brilliance," wondered one fan. 'They nailed this," claimed another. "Love Conway and Loretta. To see each of their grandchildren sing there song is amazing!" "Got to see them live and they are awesome," vouched another. Related: Loretta Lynns Granddaughter Celebrates Personal Milestone 6 Months After Birth of Her First Child To be clear, the pair are not impersonators. The new duo formed in 2018 and while they regularly pay homage to their iconic roots in their shows, the do have new music on the way. But there is no denying they are heavily focusing on keeping their grandparents' legacies alive. Conway and Loretta used to do everything with so much passion: the way they dressed, the way they recorded, the way they performed, Lynn said in a statement. We want to bring that to fans who were lucky enough to see our grandparents before and to those who are just learning about them. Twitty & Lynn on tour Currently the two are touring the U.S. with their show Twitty and Lynn Salute Conway and Loretta. Shows span from August 28th all the way to December 13. The pair of course play the aforementioned hit, but other classics fans can expect are duets like After the Fire Is Gone and Youre the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly. Each of the grandkids sing their solo hits as well like Hello, Darlin and Coal Miners Daughter." Both of them see it as an opportunity to grant their grandparents the reunion they never got. Conway & Loretta stopped performing together in 1981 and Conway passed just 12 years later in 1993. SIGN UP for Parades Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox Country Royalty Lives On as Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's Grandkids Revive Their Timeless Hit first appeared on Parade on Aug 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has filed lawsuits against two construction companies over what he called a "completely preventable" outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has killed five people and sickened more than 100 others in New York City. Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella, which grows in warm or hot water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An outbreak of the disease, which began on July 25, has been clustered across five ZIP codes in Central Harlem. The city health department said the outbreak is linked to cooling towers, heat exchangers that use fans and water to cool down buildings. On Aug. 14, health officials confirmed that 12 cooling towers at buildings including NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem tested positive for the Legionella bacteria. Crump and other attorneys filed complaints on behalf of two construction workers who were hospitalized with Legionnaire's disease in July after working near the hospital in Harlem, according to a news release. Crump said the legal team has also filed a notice of claim and intend to sue the city as well. "It is believed that the cooling towers at Harlem Hospital were filled with rainwater after several large July storms," the release said. "The water was left untreated, which permitted bacteria to spread causing workers at the site to become sick." Construction companies, city accused of negligence Crump accused Skanska USA Building Inc., Rising Sun Construction LLC and the city of negligence at a news conference on Aug. 20, announcing the lawsuits. The attorneys said the construction companies were put on notice about the possibility of Legionella bacteria through bulletins after the storms but failed to take action to keep those working near the hospital safe. "When corporations cut corners, tragedies like this happen. Preventable tragedies, unnecessary tragedies," Crump said. Crump said the lawsuit is seeking not only compensation for the workers but also accountability and answers about why this outbreak occurred in Harlem a historically Black neighborhood in Upper Manhattan. Skanska and Rising Sun did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY. Christopher Miller, a spokesperson for NYC Health + Hospitals, said in a statement the agency has "one of the most rigorous cooling tower safety and inspection programs, exceeding City testing and cleaning requirements." "We inspect towers every day; further, we look for legionella weekly instead of the required every 90 days," the statement said. "We continue to work with our cooling tower maintenance firm and the NYC Health Department to best serve our patients and the Harlem community. When asked about Crump's claims about the source of the outbreak, a spokesperson for the city's health department said the investigation is ongoing. "Molecular testing may help us determine which cooling tower or cooling towers were the source of the bacteria in the Central Harlem cluster," spokesperson Chantal Gomez said in a statement. "The Public Health Lab is still determining a match through DNA sequencing and we expect final results soon. Electrician describes gasping for air while hospitalized with Legionnaire's Nunzio Quinto, a union electrician who worked at a ground-up construction of the New York City Public Health Laboratory, a 10-story facility adjacent to the hospital complex, said he thought he had food poisoning when he first started feeling lethargic in late July. Quinto said his family took him to the hospital, where he was immediately diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease. He suffered breathing problems, pain and internal bleeding during a five-day stay in the hospital, but said his coworkers weren't notified of his illness. "I want answers to what's going on. I can't have a safe place to work? This is New York City," Quinto said at the news conference. Contributing: Thao Nguyen This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lawsuit blames Legionnaires' disease outbreak on negligence Chinese defense minister meets with permanent secretary of Singaporean defense ministry Xinhua) 09:34, August 20, 2025 BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met with Chan Heng Kee, permanent secretary of Singapore's Ministry of Defense, on Tuesday in Beijing. During their meeting, Dong said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore 35 years ago, the longstanding friendship between the two countries has been consolidated continuously and bilateral cooperation has achieved fruitful results. China is willing to work with Singapore to implement the important consensus reached between their two heads of state, maintain regular exchange at various levels and in various fields, and strengthen coordination and cooperation on both regional and multilateral platforms, Dong said. China is also willing to join hands with Singapore to support each other on issues involving their respective core interests and major concerns, and to safeguard international and regional peace and stability, he said. Noting that Singapore adheres to the one-China policy, Chan said his country is willing to enhance high-level exchange with China, to expand and intensify multilateral cooperation, joint military exercises and training, and exchanges among educational institutions, and to promote the greater development of relations between the two countries and their militaries. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Among the multiple panels taking place at the Santiago Film Festivals (Sanfic) industry space, Santiago Industria, is one on the Dominican Republic, which boasts two key incentives that have powered up local and international productions in the Caribbean nation. Sanfic Industria director Gabriela Sandoval will moderate the Aug. 20 panel made up of Fernando Santos, the Dominican producer behind such hit co-productions as Cocote and Sugar Island, Chilean director Matias Bize and Maria Victoria Hernandez, second secretary and head of communications at the Dominican Republics embassy in Chile. More from Variety Bize, who directed Once a Week (En la piel) a Dominican version of his Chilean drama In Bed (En la cama), is planning to return to the Dominican Republic next year with a new project, La Colmena (The Beehive), a co-production with Dominican company Mocano Films, which centers on a man who is struggling to coax finer honey out of his beehives. When his troubled daughter arrives, their fraught relationship adds to his troubles. Says Bize of his experience filming Once a Week with local producer Lorimar Films: It was incredible. I worked with a great crew, combining some of my people [Chilean cinematographer Arnaldo Rodriguez and editor Valeria Hernandez] with a mostly Dominican crew. The Dominican Republic is not only great for its stunning locations, but also for its co-production and financing opportunities and high-caliber talent. Because theyve been filming a lot locally, their skills have improved significantly. Santos whose credits include Nelson Carlo de los Santos Cocote, a 2017 Dominican co-production with Argentina, Germany and Qatar which won in Locarno, and more recently Sugar Island, a co-production with Spain that world premiered at Venice last year holds the same views. If a country only offers tax credits but its domestic film production is weak, then its not going to work; local film crews need to build up their on-set experience and strengthen their skills, he says. Hernandezs presentation will discuss the current 25% transferable tax credit on offer (Article 39) and in particular, Article 34 of the Dominican Film Law, which extends one of the regions most competitive financing tools, enabling companies to deduct up to 100% of their investment in Dominican productions from their income tax, up to 25% of their annual tax liability. This is complemented by broad tax exemptions for goods and services tied to production, which includes equipment, salaries, postproduction, travel expenses and insurance. In addition, the Film Promotion Fund (Fonprocine) has introduced a new category for minority co-productions, opening doors for partnerships between Dominican and foreign producers. Backed by an expanding local crew base, top-tier equipment and the oversight of the Dominican Film Commission (DGCine), led by Marianna Vargas, the country offers a transparent setting for international productions. Per Vargas, the Dominican Republic holds down bilateral treaties with Italy, Spain and Uruguay but it is also a member of the Ibermedia Program, which serves as an umbrella agreement. Whats interesting, and what sets us apart from many France, for example is that we dont require a [co-production treaty] in order to co-produce. If the film qualifies for our nationality, thats already a foot in the door, she tells Variety, adding that co-production treaty talks are underway with Argentina and Turkey. In 2023, the country presented 11 co-productions, and since the creation of Law 108-10, 36 co-productions have been released, she noted. Its very easy to apply for the incentives, said Hernandez, The more complicated part is securing funds from private companies, because the Dominican Republics Film Law, specifically Articles 34 and 39, relies on tax incentives for businesses. So, you go to the Dominican Republics Film Institute, DGCine, to have the co-production and the budget approved. Once they approve the budget lets say one million dollars you can then approach private companies to see which ones will help cover that amount with their taxes, so to speak. Now, the authorities both the film authority and the tax authority have their own rules, which are also aligned with the Ibero-American Co-production Agreement. After you meet those requirements, the process is straightforward, and you can obtain approval for both the budget and the co-production. DGCine itself has a set response time but its usually quite fast, he explained. Hernandez pointed out that the Dominican Republics film law does not consider the life of a film after its made, its marketing and distribution, in other words. The country does not have a strong promotional entity like CinemaChile, for example. I think we can complement each other in that sense, said Hernandez on Chiles skillful positioning of its films in markets and festivals. Indeed, by merging Chiles strong marketing acumen, international prestige and acclaimed storytelling with the Dominican Republics incentives, infrastructure and strategic location, both countries stand to gain. The Dominican Republic envisions co-productions with Chile as the perfect pairing uniting talent, resources, and creativity to bring original stories to life and expand the global reach of Latin American cinema. The 21st Sanfic began on Aug. 17 and wraps on Aug. 24. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Aurora Police Orest Schur NEED TO KNOW Former U.S. Space Force signals intelligence analyst Orest Schur was sentenced to 54 years in prison for second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder In July 2023, the Afghanistan veteran shot at the 13-year-old and 14-year-old boys after they allegedly attempted to steal his wife's car Schur fired 11 shots at the two teens, fatally shooting one of them, Xavier Kirk, 14 Orest Schur, a former U.S. Space Force signals intelligence analyst, has been sentenced to more than five decades in prison after shooting two suspected teen car thieves and killing one of them, per a news release from District Attorney Brian Mason. On Friday, Aug. 15, Judge Caryn Datz sentenced Schur, 29, to 54 years in prison after he was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder in June 2025. He will serve 36 years behind bars for the murder charge and 18 years for the attempted murder, which will be served consecutively. Schur, an Afghanistan veteran, could have faced a maximum of 80 years in prison or a minimum of 26. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. In July 2023, in Aurora, Colo., Schur, who at the time was a U.S. Space Force technical sergeant, chased the 13-year-old and 14-year-old boys down after he allegedly caught them attempting to steal his wife's car. As the unarmed teens drove away and ultimately crashed the car, Schur fired 11 shots at them, per the forensic testing results some of which hit 14-year-old Xavier Kirk in the back and head. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died. The 13-year-old, whose identity has not been publicly revealed, was shot in the back but was able to get to a relatives home for help. The teen was taken to the hospital, and he survived his injuries. Aurora Police Orest Schur Ahead of Schurs sentencing, he addressed the court and apologized for his actions. "I am sorry for the events that occurred that night, for the pain, for the grief and trauma that have followed and for the impact that my case had on so many lives, per CBS News. At Schurs sentencing, the boys family members condemned the boys actions, but said they did not deserve to die. "You know, kids make mistakes, and so, I always teach my kids in my family, like my nephews and nieces, about consequences and repercussions, one family member said, per CBS News. We're not trying to excuse any wrongdoing of Xavier, or wrong they were involved in. The part that's messed up is Orest Shur's car was never stolen." Additionally, prosecutors read the surviving teens statement in court. "An adult chose to use deadly force against two unarmed teenagers. That is not justice, that is not safety, that is not accountability, the statement read, per CBS News. I survived, but I am not the same. My friend didn't survive at all. And no matter what we did that night, I didn't deserve to be shot, and Xavier didn't deserve to die." District Attorney Mason also issued a statement, calling Schurs actions vigilante violence at its worst. Now a young man is dead, the statement read. The defendant took the law into his own hands, chasing down a fleeing vehicle and opening fire on its occupants. A 14-year-old boy will now never grow up because of the defendants actions. Im grateful to the Aurora Police Department for their investigation and to my team at the DAs Office for securing justice in this case. Read the original article on People By Deena Beasley (Reuters) -CVS Health, which runs the largest U.S. pharmacy benefit manager, will not add Gilead Sciences' new HIV prevention drug to its commercial plans for now, a spokesperson told Reuters, despite the medicine's proven effectiveness. CVS based the decision on clinical, financial, and regulatory factors, spokesperson David Whitrap said in an email. It also will not cover Yeztugo under its Affordable Care Act formularies, since its ACA preventive program follows recommendations and mandates from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Whitrap said. Current HIV prevention recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which is supported by HHS, include only three older drugs. A source familiar with the situation suggested that Gilead is still negotiating with CVS over Yeztugo, a twice-yearly injection with a U.S. list price of more than $28,000 a year. The decision by CVS is "a grave disappointment and frankly a missed opportunity," said Mitchell Warren, executive director of the AIDS nonprofit AVAC. "It does reflect a price that is too high and a U.S. pharmaceutical pricing structure that is frankly not sustainable." He and other AIDS activists have said Yeztugo could be a transformative tool in ending the 44-year-old epidemic that infects 1.3 million people a year and is estimated by the World Health Organization to have killed more than 42 million. Gilead said it is "extremely pleased" with progress in its conversations with payers, most of whom continue to cover HIV prevention products with no cost sharing or coverage barriers. The company said it is on track to secure 75% U.S. insurer coverage of Yeztugo by year-end and 90% coverage by June 2026. Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, act as middlemen between drug companies and consumers. They negotiate volume discounts with drug manufacturers on behalf of employers and health plans based on coverage terms. The three largest - CVS Caremark, UnitedHealth Group's OptumRX and Cigna's Express Scripts - control about 70% of specialty drug prescriptions in the U.S. Optum said Yeztugo will be reviewed for coverage in the coming weeks, while Express Scripts did not respond to requests for comment. U.S. government healthcare programs, including the Veterans Administration and the Medicare program for people over age 65, have already added Yeztugo to coverage lists. Gilead said earlier this month that several state-run Medicaid plans, including California and New York, were covering the drug. Gilead, its investors, and AIDS activists have high hopes for Yeztugo. Approved in June for people at high risk of HIV, the drug was shown to be nearly 100% effective at preventing infection in large trials, fueling fresh optimism about limiting the spread of the deadly virus. Some analysts have warned that a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming broad HHS authority over the USPSTF could affect coverage prospects while Robert F. Kennedy Jr is in charge of the agency. Medical groups have expressed alarm about reports that Kennedy could replace members of the task force. The 16-member task force reviews evidence and public input, then recommends preventive services that catch disease early or prevent worsening, which insurers must cover without patient cost-sharing. For HIV prevention, it endorses daily PrEP pills Truvada, which is available as a generic, and Gileads Descovy, as well as ViiV Healthcares bimonthly shot Apretude. Gilead CEO Daniel O'Day has stressed that the lifetime cost of treating an HIV patient can exceed $1 million, making a preventive treatment cost effective. (Reporting By Deena Beasley; Editing by Patrick Wingrove and Diane Craft) By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House launched an official TikTok account on Tuesday, taking advantage of the short video app's more than 170 million U.S. users to spread the messages of President Donald Trump. Trump has a soft spot for the popular app, crediting it with helping him gain support among young voters when he defeated Democrat Kamala Harris in the November 2024 presidential election. Lawmakers in Washington worry, however, that its U.S. user data could fall into the hands of China's government. Trump has been working on a deal for U.S. investors to buy the app from TikTok's Chinese parent, ByteDance. Past intelligence assessments have said the app's owners are beholden to the Chinese government and that it could be used to influence Americans. The new account, @whitehouse, went live on Tuesday evening with an initial video showing footage of Trump as he declares: "I am your voice." "America we are BACK! What's up TikTok?" the caption read. The TikTok account Trump used for his presidential campaign last year, @realdonaldtrump, has more than 15 million followers. The Republican president also relies heavily on his Truth Social account to deliver his message and posts occasionally on his X account. "The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. "President Trump's message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we're excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before," she said. A 2024 law required TikTok to stop operating by January 19 of this year unless ByteDance had completed divesting the app's U.S. assets or demonstrated significant progress toward a sale. Trump opted not to enforce the law after he began his second term as president on January 20. He first extended the deadline to early April, then to June 19 and then again to September 17. Extensions to the deadline have drawn criticism from some lawmakers, who argue the Trump administration is flouting the law and ignoring national security concerns related to Chinese control over TikTok. (Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Rod Nickel and Edmund Klamann) Residents of developed Asian economies, like Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea, consistently top the rankings of places with the worlds longest lifespans. Singapore, for example, boasts an average life expectancy of 86.7 years, putting it at No. 2 behind Monaco, according to the CIAs world factbook. Yet long lifespans come with a drawback: An extended period of ill-health or disability. Singapores average health spanthe length of time where someone is deemed to be in good healthis 75 years, as noted by the countrys prime minister in a speech on Sunday. Thats a gap of almost a decade, which can strain both families and public healthcare institutions. Allen Law, founder of the Park Hotel Group, sees an opportunity in trying to bridge the gap between lifespan and healthspan. We have a Vision Zero. Zero gap between your healthspan and lifespan, and we literally pass away in a healthy state. Law admits the goal may never be achieved, but its something we should work towards. Law plans to open a longevity and lifestyle medical center, titled Morrow, in the fourth quarter of this year, in the same building as his Grand Park City Hall hotel, in Singapore. He said the center will function as a one-stop center for those interested in improving their health and wellness, providing access to medical professionals, physiotherapists, dieticians, and wellness coaches all under one roof. If you look at these services today in Singapore, youll have to go to five, six or seven locations, Law said. The longevity business Allen Law is the third generation of Hong Kongs Law family. His grandfather, Law Ting Pong, started the familys textile business; his father, Law Kar Po, expanded into real estate. Allen Law became a hotelier by accident, when his family bought the Park Hotel brand in 2003, amid the SARS crisis. Law Kar Po, Allens father, has a net worth of around $7.7 billion, according to Forbes. Law suggested that this practice of having new generations branch out into new sectors is part of the Laws family philosophy that one family member should take care of one business unit. Generations have grown and family members has grown as well. If you stick with the same family philosophy, in theory, we actually need more business units, Law explained, adding that it keeps the family dynamic clear so we dont get into a fight. The Park Hotel Group currently runs seven hotels spread across Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, the Maldives, and mainland China. Like many hospitality groups, the Park Hotel Group was affected during the COVID pandemic when governments enacted harsh travel restrictions, and the company had to divest some assets in 2021. Earlier this month, Singapores High Court found Law to have breached his fiduciary duties and prejudiced the interest of creditors while navigating his company through the financial challenges stemming from the COVID pandemic. When his company was in financial peril, he transferred its viable assets and businesses (effectively) to himself at a gross undervalue and manipulated the books of the company to eliminate receivables owed by him and his entities, leaving the creditors with nothing, wrote Justice Hri Kumar Nair. According to court documents, Law must repay 10.1 million Singapore dollars ($7.86 million) in cash payments and 22.3 million Singapore dollars ($17.36 million) in receivables. The judgment can still be appealed. When asked about the judgment, Law said it was an unfortunate case related to the COVID pandemic and the company was evaluating the judgments. He declined to comment further. AI and longevity Law sees longevity as one of the two biggest business opportunities over the next decade, citing the rapid advancement in AI applications and post-COVID lifestyle changes. In addition to his longevity endeavor, Law also backs Seveno Capital, an investment fund that owns several other health and wellness businesses, including fitness chains. For Morrow, Law wants to target people in the upper half of Singapores household income distribution; he hopes AI will allow him to cater to those in the city-states middle and upper-middle class, as opposed to just the very wealthy, by allowing wellness professionals to cater to more clients in the same period of time. Morrow clients will receive a diagnostic assessment that measures the gap between their current and optimal health status. Those results are used to design a personalized plan, with technology including wearables and AI applications delivering real-time lifestyle advice. After Singapore, Law thinks Hong Kong could likely be the next location for a second Morrow clinic as the city shares many similarities in terms of population age, income, and density with Singapore. Law is unsure that Morrow will be able to expand its business to cover the bottom half of the income distribution at this point in time, but he hopes governments will put more resources behind preventive care, spurred by the regions aging population. Theres a need to start the change now, but some of these legacy infrastructure and framework of the governments can be slow to change; thats why you see the private sector moving in first, he said. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com The Trump administration is hunting for state laws that drag down the US economy. But axing statutes it sees as problematic will depend on how it wields the Constitution's powerful Commerce Clause. Last Friday, the Justice Department and the National Economic Council announced a joint initiative to "address" state statutes that "significantly and adversely affect the national economy. State regulations, policies, causes of action, and practices were also included as targets. The plan is meant to support the White House's deregulation agenda, which President Trump described in a series of separate executive orders issued in January, February, and April. Those orders emphasize the administration's goal of alleviating policies that it views as "unnecessary burdens" on Americans, small businesses, private enterprise, and entrepreneurship. In an unusual twist, the agencies also solicited help from US citizens, asking members of the public to point out economy-slowing state laws and to propose legal theories that could reverse the laws' adverse effects. "They're crowdsourcing their legal theories," said Emily Berman, a constitutional scholar with the University of Houston Law Center. Crowdsourcing the law: President Trump in the White House on Monday. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) However, the plan stopped short of explaining what theories the administration would rely on to undo suspected harmful state laws. Jeremy Rovinsky, a federal prosecutor who teaches constitutional law at Crestpoint University, said the language used in the DOJ's plan to attack state laws shows that the Trump administration has the Commerce Clause in mind. "It's clear that Trump's lawyers are thinking through it this way," Rovinsky said. "The Supreme Court has allowed the federal government to regulate state power in an almost unlimited way." But the Commerce Clause doesn't guarantee the administration power to alter state law. The provision vests power to regulate commerce in Congress, not in the executive branch. A more straightforward type of challenge, the lawyer said, is one where state law directly conflicts with federal statutes. In those cases, the Justice Department could raise preemption challenges under the Constitution's Supremacy Clause. Preemption challenges argue that a state rule essentially steps on the federal governments toes, Berman said. The Commerce Clause Absent such a clear-cut conflict, the administration would need more legal leverage to countermand state law. That leverage could come from the Commerce Clause, the constitutional scholar said, which empowers Congress to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. "Anything that regulates commerce falls within the scope of Congress's authority, which has been interpreted relatively broadly," Berman said. To tap into the federal government's authority to regulate commerce, the administration could try to persuade lawmakers to pass new federal legislation invalidating state law. Rovinsky said he sees the DOJ's announcement as an opening salvo to persuade members of Congress. "I think the people that are in [Trump's] inner legal circle wrote that document the way they did, because they want to give Congress a heads up to have them codify what he's doing with executive actions into actual congressional legislation," Rovinsky said. Jonathan Entin, professor emeritus at Case Western Reserve School of Law, said its possible, but not certain, that pressure on Congress from either President Trump or others in the executive branch would lead to new, preemptive federal laws. "If the president says this is a big priority, then maybe a fair number of people in both the House and the Senate would go along with it," Entin said. "Now, whether there will be enough votes, that's a separate question," he added. "Congress does not legislate very much." Would they uphold the power of Congress? US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and Amy Coney Barrett attend President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol on March 4. (Win McNamee/Pool via Reuters) (via REUTERS / Reuters) "If Congress wants to move legislation against state laws that they say hurt the economy, they need 60 votes in the Senate," Entin said. "And the chances of getting 60 votes in the Senate for much of anything these days are pretty slim." The Supreme Court has largely upheld Congress' power over interstate commerce in a series of cases evaluating the Commerce Clause stretching back more than 80 years. In 1942, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Wickard v. Filburn that expanded the federal government's regulatory power under the Commerce Clause. The case involved an Ohio farmer who grew more wheat than permitted under the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. The court rejected the farmer's argument that the federal government could not regulate his excess wheat supply under the act because it was grown for personal, rather than commercial, use. In a unanimous 8-0 decision, the court reasoned that while a single farmer's excess crop may not substantially impact interstate commerce, the same actions, if taken in the aggregate by multiple farmers, could indeed influence the national market. Despite the Supreme Court's longstanding support for expansive application of the Commerce Clause, Entin suspects that even new federal legislation could fail to preempt certain state laws. States still retain their police powers, he said, and can exercise those powers as long as doing so doesn't interfere with interstate commerce. "It's not clear to me that Congress can use its commerce power to preempt the state's exercise of their police powers, even if state laws may, in fact, be unwise or even foolish," Entin said. The 'dormant' Commerce Clause Still another, and equally uncertain, path to challenge state laws could involve a judge-created theory known as the "Dormant Commerce Clause," the lawyers said. The concept further expands Congress' power over interstate and foreign commerce by limiting states' authority to regulate commerce even when Congress has not directly legislated on an issue. The theory is intended to prevent states from adopting discriminatory, protectionist laws that benefit local economies to the detriment of the national market. The theory was put to the test and shown to have limits in a recent case decided by the Supreme Court. In 2023, the court loosely upheld a California state law known as Proposition 12, which criminalized California sales of pork meat that came from pigs housed in pens measuring less than 24 square feet 10 square feet larger than the industry standard. The Iowa Pork Producers Association and 23 states argued that the law discriminated against out-of-state pork producers, imposing excessive burdens on interstate commerce. However, Berman said, Dormant Commerce Clause challenges to state rules have historically been brought by private litigants, not the federal government. "It's going to be a private business sector actor saying, 'Our business is being harmed ... we shouldn't have barriers to markets along state lines." Entin agreed that it would be unusual for the federal government to sue states over their regulations. Alternatively, he said, Congress could try to persuade states to change laws through conditional federal spending. The administration may not find support from the high court for pushing Congress' authority over commerce even further, Entin added. Conservatives on the court in recent years have expressed "real skepticism" about whether courts should be in the business of enforcing the Commerce Clause, he said. Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on X @alexiskweed. The Florida Welcome Center on Interstate 10 near Pensacola. Steve Wilson | The Center Square (The Center Square) Florida is one of 10 states without extra annual registration fees for electric or hybrid vehicles, a new report says. Only four of the 10 also do not offer a tax credit at purchase. Alaska, Arizona and Nevada are the others, says the analysis released Tuesday by The Tax Foundation. Registration fees and fuel taxes in many states help provide funding for the roads and infrastructure sections of state budgets. In Florida, fuel taxes are part of the equation along with tolls from the Florida Turnpike, vehicle fees for all, the general fund and federal funds. The report from the international nonprofit research organization publishing studies on American tax policies analyzed all 50 states to see how contributions were coming in the push for alternative energy vehicles. North Carolina and Ohio are two of the more costly states. In addition to Florida, no electric or hybrid vehicle registration fees are assessed in Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico or New York. Of those, Florida and Nevada are the only Republican trifecta state governments; a Democratic trifecta is in place for all of the rest sans Alaska and Arizona. STARKE, Fla. (AP) A man convicted of abducting a woman from a Florida Panhandle insurance office and killing her received a lethal injection Tuesday evening in the state's record 10th execution this year. Kayle Bates, 67, was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke under a death warrant signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. The execution extended Florida's record for total executions in a single year, and two more are planned in the state within the next month. Bates was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted sexual battery in the June 14, 1982, killing of Janet Renee White in Bay County in the Florida Panhandle. The woman's husband, Randy White, was one of the witnesses to Tuesday's execution. At the scheduled 6 p.m. execution time, the curtain to the death chamber promptly went up. Bates was already strapped to a gurney with his left arm extended and the IV line for the drugs already in place. When asked if he wished to make a last statement, Bates replied no. The execution then began at 6:01 pm. Bates began breathing more rapidly about a minute after the drugs began flowing, and then he stopped after about another minute. At 6:05 p.m., the warden touched Bates' face, shook his shoulders and shouted his name with no response. Several minutes later, he was declared dead. At a briefing following the execution, Randy White thanked DeSantis for signing the death warrant and also thanked members of law enforcement and prosecutors for working on his wifes case. I am truly humbled by the outpouring of love and support from so many who didnt know either one of us. I thank you from my heart. It means more than you will ever know," he said. Since the U.S. Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976, the highest previous annual total of Florida executions was eight in 2014. Florida has executed more people than any other state this year, while Texas and South Carolina are tied for second place with four each. With Tuesdays execution, a total of 29 men have died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the U.S., and at least nine other people were scheduled to be put to death in seven states during the remainder of 2025. According to court documents, Bates abducted his victim from the insurance office where she worked, took her into some woods behind the building, attempted to rape her, fatally stabbed her and tore a diamond ring from one of her fingers. Attorneys for Bates had filed appeals with the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as a federal lawsuit claiming DeSantis process for signing death warrants was discriminatory. The lawsuit was recently dismissed by a judge who found problems with its statistical analysis. The Florida Supreme Court recently denied Bates' pending claims, including arguments that evidence of organic brain damage had been inadequately considered during his second penalty phase. The court ruled Bates already had three decades to raise these claims. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Bates' last appeal Tuesday. Two more executions are planned in Florida in coming weeks. Curtis Windom, 59, is scheduled to become the 11th person executed in Florida on Aug. 28. He was convicted of killing three people in the Orlando area in 1992. David Pittman, 63, would be the 12th person executed in Florida if his death sentence is carried out as scheduled Sept. 17. He was found guilty of fatally stabbing his estranged wifes sister and parents at their Polk County home before setting it on fire in 1990. Florida executions are carried out using a three-drug lethal injection: a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the state Department of Corrections. TALLAHASSEE, FL Donna Adelson, the matriarch of an affluent South Florida family accused of orchestrating the notorious murder-for-hire plot that killed her former son-in-law Dan Markel, is set to face trial this week. Jury selection began Aug. 19 in the case of Adelson, who is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation in the killing of Markel, a Florida State University law professor. It comes nearly a year after her first scheduled trial imploded over conflicts of interest involving her lawyer. In Tallahassee, where Markel was killed in his driveway in July 2014, Leon Circuit Judge Stephen Everett said he expects jury selection to end on Aug. 21, with opening statements expected to begin that afternoon. Adelson, who has pleaded not guilty, is the fifth person to be charged in Markel's murder, including four people who have been convicted: her son Charlie Adelson, the two men hired to carry out the killing, and Charlie Adelson's ex-girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua. camillerosegottlieb/Instagram;Ron Tom/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Camille Gottlieb and Princess Grace Kelly NEED TO KNOW Camille Gottlieb paid subtle tribute to her late grandmother, Princess Grace Kelly, with her recent fashion choices The royal's 27-year-old granddaughter posed in a silk headscarf, a style staple synonymous with Princess Grace, who often wore them wrapped around her head and tied beneath her chin Gottlieb is the daughter of Princess Grace's youngest daughter, Princess Stephanie, and Jean Raymond Gottlieb A fresh twist on a timeless classic! Grace Kelly's granddaughter, Camille Gottlieb, made a fashion-forward statement that was a subtle nod to the late princess, as seen in a recent Instagram carousel shared on Friday, Aug. 15. In the shot, Gottlieb the 27-year-old daughter of Princess Grace's youngest daughter, Princess Stephanie, and Jean Raymond Gottlieb is seen wearing a floral headscarf, a signature staple that became synonymous with Princess Grace to sweep her golden locks neatly in place. However, she put a modern-day spin on the age-old accessory. camillerosegottlieb/Instagram Camille Gottlieb, granddaughter of the late Princess Grace Kelly Gottlieb's headscarf which was printed with multicolored flowers in hues of blues, pinks, greens and oranges was wrapped around the top of her head, tied across her forehead and knotted in the back. Princess Grace, meanwhile, wore her kerchief often floral and silk (and Gucci!) over her head and knotted beneath her chin, framing the sides of her face as it wrapped around her neck. She famously accessorized with a pair of sunglasses for an effortless, yet chic statement. "Pure happiness," Gottlieb captured the roundup of photos on Instagram, before listing a few of her favorite things in French. Among them were the sun, love, a dog, petanque (a French game similar to bocce), the stars and family. The headscarf worn by Gottlieb was the perfect addition to her boho beach attire. She kept her look simple, wearing a burgundy bikini top and a complementary crocheted shawl. Gottlieb further accessorized with a gold and turquoise chain necklace and multiple earrings, including a starburst mini hoop and a tiny crab stud in one ear and a dangling moon earring in the other. Anwar Hussein/Getty Princess Grace of Monaco attends a poetry reading in Edinburgh, Scotland in September 2007. This wasn't the first time Gottlieb followed in her grandmother's fashion-forward footsteps. In July, she paid tribute to her royal bloodline in an Elisabetta Franchi design at the Monaco Red Cross Gala. Gottlieb attended the Monaco ball in a custom gown inspired by the late Hollywood icon's wardrobe in the 1954 film Rear Window. The bespoke ensemble, designed by Elisabetta Franchi, had the same elegance depicted in the original look, which was made by customer Edith Head for the Alfred Hitchcock movie. Ron Tom/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco, host Lee Grant in the Main Courtyard of the Prince's Palace of Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco The gowns worn by Gottlieb and Princess Grace had a lot in common, from their romantic portrait necklines to their full skirts. Gottlieb's version, though, had a modernized upgrade with exaggerated silver floral embellishments on the bodice and a thigh-high slit. "Thanks to @elisabettafranchi, I was able to pay tribute to my grandmother with this beautiful dress," she captioned her post alongside behind-the-scenes photos posted to Instagram. Gottlieb never got to meet her legendary grandmother, who died at the age of 52 from a brain hemorrhage after a car accident; however, she's proven to have inherited her timeless style time and time again. Read the original article on People By the time she graduated high school, the back pain that Nala White first noticed at age 13 had radiated to her left leg, creating an unbearable sensation of pins and needles. The mere act of standing at her graduation ceremony was excruciating. I had to sit there and dig my nails into my palms and just bear through it, White said. At home, a simple walk from her bedroom to the kitchen brought her to tears. And a trip to the mailbox down the street would cause her leg to burn, forcing White to crouch or sit for relief. Read more on this story at NBCNews.com and watch NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT. The 18-year-old from Austin, Texas, was diagnosed three years ago with degenerative disc disease, the same condition her mother developed as a teenager. Most people develop the condition as spinal discs wear down naturally with age, but early onset can run in families. In severe cases, spine surgery is often the best option to alleviate the debilitating pain and numbness that are hallmarks of the disease. Multiple doctors recommended that White get surgery to remove part of the bone that was compressing her nerves. White and Byers at their home in Round Rock on Monday. (Harmon Li for NBC News) However, her insurance company, Aetna, twice refused to cover the surgery, saying it was not medically necessary. Doctors who treat degenerative disc disease say its an all-too-common scenario. Whites predicament comes at a time of growing animosity against insurance companies over denied claims or pre-authorization requests, which require an insurer to sign off on a medical service before it happens. A 2023 survey from Premier, a health care data and consulting company, found that nearly 15% of claims submitted to private insurance companies are initially denied, and more than half of denials are overturned, usually after multiple appeals. Frustrations with insurance companies grew louder last year following the killing of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, which is widely suspected to have been motivated by grievances with the health insurance industry. Spine surgery tends to be one of the more likely things to be denied, said Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio, an assistant professor of neurological surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not involved in Whites care. DiGiorgio said the surgeries can be particularly expensive (up to $35,000 in some cases without insurance). And because degenerative disc disease is common, he said, doctors can sometimes over-recommend surgery when other interventions like physical therapy would suffice. Even then, doctors might not always agree on what approach is best. Some people with degenerative disc disease may have no symptoms at all. A 2015 analysis found that 37% of 20-year-olds and 96% of 80-year-olds who did not have back pain had some degree of disc degeneration. For others, the back, neck or leg pain is so severe they have trouble walking or performing daily activities. White reveals her scar from her spinal surgery that was done in July; Byers helps White with the back brace she regularly wore before her spinal surgery. (Harmon Li for NBC News) Theres a lot of gray zone decision-making in spine surgery, DiGiorgio said. You could show a patient presentation, an MRI, to five spine surgeons and get 10 different answers. Dr. Randall Dryer, an orthopedic surgeon at Central Texas Spine Institute who treated White but did not perform her surgery, said doctors often have to make a convincing case to insurance companies. The insurance companies refuse to accept the fact that surgery for degenerative disease is effective. They will say its because the medical literature doesnt support it, but they take cherry-picked articles that support their case, and they tend to downplay other literature that would indicate that surgical treatment is effective, Dryer said. An Aetna spokesperson pointed NBC News to two published analyses that found no clear benefits from spine surgery over a nonsurgical intervention. But other studies have shown that spine surgery is superior to nonsurgical treatments, such as physical therapy or injections, and reduces a patients disability. Whites father, Wrath James White, is the policyholder for her insurance plan. He said he was shocked to receive a letter from Aetna saying their request for coverage had been denied. White views a video her father, Wrath James White, posted to social media about her struggle to secure insurance coverage from Aetna for her spinal surgery. (Harmon Li for NBC News) I had never had insurance reject a legitimate claim before, and my daughters pain seemed about as legitimate as you can get, he said. When his daughter was diagnosed, the family tried less invasive approaches than surgery such as physical therapy, steroid injections and anti-inflammatory pills. But it became clear to them and to Whites doctors that spine surgery was the only option to alleviate her pain. I did everything I possibly could for four years to avoid doing surgery on her, Dryer said. He noted in a 2022 report that White was miserable and I could significantly improve the patients condition with a simple decompression and discectomy, referring to surgical procedures to remove compression on her nerves. If you are dealing with bills that seem to be out of line or a denial of coverage, care or repairs, whether for health, home or auto, please email us at Costofdenial@nbcuni.com. A report from Whites surgeon in April said she had failed multiple rounds of physical therapy and pain management and as such I feel she has reached a point for surgical intervention. Whites parents ultimately decided to set up a GoFundMe to raise money for the surgery. In a matter of days, they received more than $33,000 in donations close to the amount they were quoted for Whites surgery, including hospital fees, anesthesiology and doctors fees. Wrath James White said he believes a lot of those donations were small and silent protests. Byers, who also has degenerative disc disease, shows her neck scar from spinal surgery; White draws on a sketch pad. (Harmon Li for NBC News) White underwent surgery on July 18. NBC News reached out to Aetna on July 31 to inquire about why her coverage was denied. Aetna said in an email the following day that it had approved coverage for Whites surgery on Aug. 1 based on additional documentation provided by Ms. Whites surgeon. The family said they are expecting a $3,700 reimbursement for the doctors fee from Aetna, but have not heard back about additional reimbursements. The system does not work, Wrath James White said. It is not designed to get people healthy. DiGiorgio, the California surgeon, believes its important for insurance companies to publicly disclose their requirements for covering spine surgery, so doctors know what to submit for pre-authorization. (Aetna does so on its website.) Some insurers, such as UnitedHealthcare and Highmark, have also implemented gold carding programs, which allow surgeons with a track record of good decision-making to bypass the pre-authorization process. DiGiorgio said that could help speed up approvals for spine surgery. Texas, where White lives, passed a gold card law in 2021 that exempts providers from needing pre-authorization if they have at least a 90% approval rate on past pre-authorization requests. But the law does not apply to certain insurance plans, such as Medicaid or self-funded employer plans. In Whites case, the surgery was life-changing. Her body is still healing, but she said her leg pain is gone. She starts community college next week a dream she wasnt sure was possible before surgery. Now Im hopeful I can live normally, just be happy, she said. This undated trial evidence image obtained December 8, 2021, from the US District Court for the Southern District of New York shows British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and US financier Jeffrey Epstein. - US District Court for the Southern District of New York The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform intends to make public some files it subpoenaed related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, though it will first redact them to shield victims IDs and other sensitive matters, a committee spokesperson said Tuesday. The panel is expected to start receiving materials from the Justice Department on Friday, though it appears the public release will come some time after that. The spokesperson said the committee would work with the Justice Department on the process. The Committee intends to make the records public after thorough review to ensure all victims identification and child sexual abuse material are redacted. The Committee will also consult with the DOJ to ensure any documents released do not negatively impact ongoing criminal cases and investigations, the spokesperson said. Democrats on the committee complained that Comer was slow walking the release of the material by allowing the Justice Department to miss the Tuesday deadline that had been set by the panel and instead turn over the materials to the committee gradually over time starting Friday. They said DOJ had already been directed by the House subpoena to redact material related to victims identities and child sexual abuse questioning the need for further delay to do so. Releasing the Epstein files in batches just continues this White House cover-up. The American people will not accept anything short of the full, unredacted Epstein files, said Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the panel. In a bipartisan vote, the Committee demanded complete compliance with our subpoena. Handpicked, partial productions are wholly insufficient and potentially misleading, especially after Attorney General Bondi bragged about having the entirety of the Epstein files on her desk mere months ago. Many Republicans have called for more transparency surrounding the case and the release of records related to the matter and the issue has roiled the House. Speaker Mike Johnson took steps to delay until September a vote of the full House to publicly release the DOJs Epstein files. The Louisiana Republican has said he supports transparency in the case but wants to give the administration room to handle the matter. House Republicans are on track to be forced to take a major vote over the release of information related to Epstein when they return to DC next month. Earlier on Tuesday, the chair of the powerful House Rules Committee whose panel has run into drama over Epstein was staying mum on whether GOP leadership will try to kill that vote altogether. Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx told reporters Tuesday that she believes the Epstein issue might be resolved before the House is forced to take that vote, pointing to the ongoing investigation by the Oversight Committee. Chairman Comer has mentioned that hes getting the material that hes asked for from the Department of Justice. Id really like to see this resolved, if possible, before we get back, as much information as possible to come out, Foxx said. This story has been updated with additional information. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Editor's note: This page summarizes news on Erin for Wednesday, Aug. 20. For the latest news on Hurricane Erin, visit USA TODAY's coverage for Thursday, Aug. 21. Hurricane Erin's higher tides and big waves are battering much of the East Coast, with the huge storm prompting the expansion of tropical storm and coastal flooding advisories on Wednesday. Beachfront property owners braced for the worst amid predictions of a storm surge of up to 4 feet and significant coastal erosion. Powerful waves of 15 to 20 feet are expected to slam beaches, especially in North Carolina, for 48 hours or more as the hurricane crawls northward offshore through at least Thursday. At 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center reported that tropical storm conditions were at or near portions of the North Carolina coast. By 10:20 p.m. ET, the National Weather Service said about 7.7 million people were under coastal flood warnings and nearly 32 million were under coastal flood advisories along the East Coast. Earlier, the hurricane center said the outer bands of Erin were brushing the North Carolina Outer Banks and noted that swimming at most East Coast beaches is strongly discouraged "due to life-threatening surf and rip currents." "Some slight strengthening is possible tonight and Thursday morning, and Erin could become a major hurricane again during that time," the hurricane center said in its 11 p.m. ET advisory. "Weakening is likely to begin Thursday night or Friday, but Erin is forecast to remain a hurricane into the weekend." The hurricane center reported Erin was carrying sustained winds of 110 mph, the upper end of a Category 2 storm. Winds are forecast to continue increasing to 120 mph, meaning it could become a Category 3 storm later in the day. The massive hurricane was picking up speed, traveling north near 16 mph, and its center was located about 215 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. A tropical storm warning is in effect for parts of North Carolina and Virginia as the impacts from Erin spread northward. Even though Erin is expected to stay hundreds of miles offshore, its impacts are forecast to worsen as it crawls north and makes its closest approach to the U.S. mainland, likely early Thursday. Erin was generating waves of 35 feet or more at an ocean buoy east-northeast of the Bahamas on Tuesday, creating swells and stirring up a broad swath of the ocean. Developments: The National Weather Service warned that Erin's tropical storm-force winds would arrive on the North Carolina coast, especially the Outer Banks, by Wednesday night. Officials said other impacts, like coastal flooding and storm surge, were already being felt. The high tide is also expected to rise much more than usual. Flood warnings are in place for the Atlantic coast of northeast North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, as well as along the Chesapeake Bay south of the York River, the weather service said. Even as it starts to weaken by Friday, Erin is predicted to retain hurricane strength going deeper into the weekend, the National Hurricane Center said. An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Janet Renee White and Randy White at their wedding, Image 2 shows Photo of Renee White, Image 3 shows Mugshot of Kayle Bates A grieving husband witnessed the Tuesday execution of the man who abducted and killed his wife from a Florida insurance office over four decades ago stating that he made a promise to see her tragic case through. Randy White, 70, lost his wife, Janet Renee White, after she was abducted, raped, and stabbed to death by Kayle Bates in 1982 just minutes after he last said goodbye to her, USA Today reported. Randy White, 70, lost his wife, Janet Renee White, after she was abducted by Kayle Bates in 1982. The attack happened just minutes after he last said goodbye to her. Randy White Bates, 67, died by lethal injection at 6:17 p.m. Tuesday at Florida State Prison under a death warrant signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. It was the states 10th death sentence carried out in 2025. The execution gave the widower long-awaited relief that he had finally reached the end of a nearly 43-year battle for justice in his wifes killing. I made a promise to her right after it happened that I would be there for every trial, every hearing, every appeal, and that as long as I was living, I would seek justice for her, White told the outlet after the execution. He was only 27 when he lost his wife, who was the youngest of five siblings and always dreamed of having kids and her own business, the outlet reported. I feel a relief that I can mentally let Renee know that justice has finally been served for her, and thats mentally what I need. Its always been for her, he said. When police arrived after the abduction, they found Bates covered in blood with her wedding ring in his pocket. AP Bates was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and attempted sexual battery in the June 14, 1982, killing of Janet White in Bay County in the Florida Panhandle. Bates abducted White from the State Farm insurance office where she worked, took her into the woods behind the building, attempted to rape her, stabbed her to death, and tore a diamond ring from her finger, according to court documents. Bates attacked her, but Renee fought back, according to court records obtained by the outlet. Despite her best efforts, Bates overpowered Renee and forced her into the woods behind the office. Within 15 minutes of saying goodbye to Renee, he got a call from the authorities about an emergency at her office. He looked at me and said, Mr. White, I dont know any easy way to say this but your wifes been murdered,' White remembered. I completely lost it. When police arrived, they found Bates covered in blood with her wedding ring in his pocket, documents showed. Attorneys for Bates had filed appeals with the Florida Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court, as well as a federal lawsuit claiming DeSantis process for signing death warrants was discriminatory. Randy White was only 27 when he lost his wife, who was the youngest of five siblings and always dreamed of having kids and her own business. Family Handout Veterans groups had also asked the Florida governor to spare Bates from the death penalty because of his six-year military service in the National Guard, the outlet reported. Florida has executed more people than any other state this year, while Texas and South Carolina are tied for second place with four each. Bates declined to give last words at his execution and turned down a last meal, the outlet said. Florida executions are carried out using a three-drug lethal injection: a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart, according to the state Department of Corrections. White described the execution as straightforward and quick. With Post wires The husband of a missing California woman who was found dead in the Angeles National Forest has fled to Peru, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Sheylla Cabrera, 33, was reported missing on Aug. 12, according to police. During the subsequent investigation, investigators say they discovered video surveillance appearing to show her husband, 36-year-old Jossimar Cabrera, dragging something in a large piece of material from the apartment complex where the two lived with their three sons. Authorities say they're obtaining the "necessary documents to secure" the husband's return. The case will be referred to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office for criminal charges against Jossimar Cabrera. KABC - PHOTO: The person of interest in this case is 36-year-old Jossimar Cabrera. Investigators believed foul play may have been involved in Sheylla Cabrera's disappearance and they had been searching large areas of the Angeles National Forest, according to the sheriff's office. MORE: Foot remains found on Utah lake belong to man missing since 1997 Investigators also worked with the Mexican and Peruvian general consulates with alerts for the husband. They were informed he had already fled the United States. KABC - PHOTO: Sheylla Cabrera, 33, was reported missing on Aug. 12. The Montrose Mountain Search and Rescue Team reported finding an object similar to the material that was "seen being taken away by the person of interest over the side of an embankment" in the Angeles National Forest on Saturday, according to the sheriff's department. Investigators responded to the scene and Sheylla Cabrera's body was discovered. MORE: Search underway for man dropped off by ride share in Rocky Mountain National Park The official cause of her death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiners Office. The couple's three children, who were initially believed to be also missing, were found safe and taken into protective custody in Peru on Saturday, according to the sheriff's department. Bread is available for patrons at Lowes Foods, 2025-1 Flower Dr, Winterville, N.C., on Saturday morning, March 22, 2025. Alan Wooten | The Center Square Arlington Heights trustees pass grocery tax Arlington Heights village trustees have approved a one-percent tax on groceries. Since Gov. J.B. Pritzker approved the elimination of the 1% state grocery tax, effective January 1, 2026, hundreds of Illinois municipalities have approved similar taxes to replace the revenue. The Arlington Heights board also approved a 5% streaming tax. Man pleads to exploiting senior An Effingham County man has pleaded guilty to several charges after he was accused of exploiting an elder out of more than $338,000. U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said Edward L. Stief, 42, posed as a trusted helper and offered lawn care services to gain the victims trust. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 2 at the federal courthouse in Benton. Kankakee County drug arrest A Texas man is facing felony drug trafficking charges after he was stopped by Illinois State Police in Kankakee County. ISP says a troopers safety inspection led to the recovery of 15 kilo bundles, or about 40 pounds, of suspected cocaine on Interstate 57 in Chebanse last Saturday. Dwayne B. Cook, 63, is charged with controlled substance trafficking and intent to deliver a controlled substance. ### Stephen Wissmann/Instagram Jana Duggar and Stephen Wissmann NEED TO KNOW Jana Duggar and Stephen Wissmann celebrated their first wedding anniversary on Aug. 15, just three days before announcing that they're expecting their first baby together "It has been the best year! I look forward to many more years together!" Jana wrote on Instagram, with Wissmann adding, "Thru the ups and downs, life with you only keeps getting better and better!" The couple said "I do" at The Grand at Willow Springs last year in front of 500 guests It's been a week of firsts for Jana Duggar and Stephen Wissmann. Days before the couple announced that they're expecting their first baby together, they celebrated their first wedding anniversary. The soon-to-be parents tied the knot in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, on Aug. 15, 2024, and each recently commemorated one year of marriage on social media. "Just celebrated one year of marriage with my favorite person, and it has been the best year! I look forward to many more years together!" Jana, 35, captioned a video compilation of sweet moments between her and her hubby on Instagram on Saturday, Aug. 16. In the clips, Jana showed how she and Wissmann celebrated their marriage milestone by enjoying breakfast at Engine House Cafe in Lincoln, Nebraska, before shopping at their local TJ Maxx. Later that day, they enjoyed a steakhouse dinner and ice cream for dessert. "We had a wonderful time celebrating our first anniversary!" the Counting On alum wrote in an onscreen text overlay. "Happy one year to my Forever Love!" Stephen Wissmann/Instagram Jana Duggar and Stephen Wissmann In a second post that day, Jana shared another sweet video compilation with Wissmann, writing, "Love this journey with My Love! Heres to many more years to come!!" Wissmann also penned his own tribute on Instagram alongside a compilation of playful videos and photos of them together from over the year. "I know this is a day late, but yesterday I was SO blessed to have celebrated one year of life and marriage with my best friend!" he wrote. "Thru the ups and downs, life with you only keeps getting better and better! Love you more than ever @janamduggar!!!!!" In a joint Instagram post a few days later on Aug. 18, the couple revealed that they are welcoming "a little bundle of joy" in January 2026. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Stephen Wissmann/Instagram Jana Duggar and Stephen Wissmann Jana and Wissmann said "I do" at The Grand at Willow Springs last year in front of 500 guests. Two days before the celebration, Jana told PEOPLE of her wedding: "I think it is one of those things that all girls envision someday." "For me, it felt like, 'Okay, it's never coming.' But now it's starting to sink in. Reality is starting to set in. And I'm like, 'Wow, this truly is something that I've dreamed of.' And just to see it coming about is incredible and kind of hard to believe. It's a dream come true." Jessa Duggar Seewald served as the bride's maid of honor, while her sister-in-law, Abbie Duggar, and sisters Joy-Anna Forsyth, Johannah Duggar, Jinger Duggar Vuolo and Jordyn Duggar were bridesmaids. Read the original article on People An ICE detention facility being built to house migrants at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, on Aug. 8. (Paul Ratje / Reuters file) Japanese American groups criticized the construction of a new immigrant detention center in Texas at a military base that was used during World War II to imprison people of Japanese descent. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center at Fort Bliss in El Paso, which opened this past weekend, will be able to hold as many as 5,000 detainees upon its completion in the coming months, making it the largest federal detention center in U.S. history. Japanese American advocates, however, say that the facility, which once imprisoned people considered enemy aliens, is a chilling reminder of a dark past. The use of national security rhetoric to justify mass incarceration today echoes the same logic that led to their forced removal and incarceration, said Ann Burroughs, president and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. It is inconceivable that the United States is once again building concentration camps, denying the lessons learned 80 years ago. The Trump administration hit back at the comparisons made between the use of the base during World War II and the current immigration climate, including those from the American Civil Liberties Union, which described the facility as another shameful chapter in Fort Bliss history. Comparisons of illegal alien detention centers to internment camps used during World War II are deranged and lazy, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. The facts are ICE is targeting the worst of the worstincluding murderers, MS-13 gang members, pedophiles, and rapists. The sprawling detention center, which cost roughly $1.2 billion to build, currently has the capacity to hold an estimated 1,000 people. More than 80 years ago, the base was an official U.S. Army facility that was used as a temporary internment camp, holding nationals from Japan, Germany and Italy, said Derrek Tomine, president of the National Japanese American Historical Society. The square facility contained two compounds, surrounded by barbed wire fences, Tomine said. Armed guard towers sat at the corners. Many of the people of Japanese descent, in addition to other immigrants who were detained there, were awaiting their hearing before an enemy alien hearing board, Tomine said. Generally those held at the U.S. Army facilities were first-generation Japanese Americans detained early in World War II and who were then processed and shipped to other internment camps, Tomine said. Both Tomine and Burroughs said that the comparisons between the immigrant detention facility of the present and the internment camp of the past are neither deranged nor lazy. Entire communities, over 125,000 Japanese Americans, were forcibly removed from the West Coast in 1942 and today our immigrant brothers and sisters face the terror of ICE and CBP raids across the country, Burroughs said. It was a miscarriage of justice then, and it is a miscarriage of justice now. Tomine said he thinks the way that immigrants are being blamed for taking jobs, abusing government services and being the source of a host of societal issues smacks of the scapegoating of marginalized communities in the past, including during World War II. Many of these same immigrants fled their home countries to avoid being taken away and placed into camps without charges or due process, Tomine said of the recent detentions. Though the administration said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been prioritizing the targeting of criminals, roughly 70% of the estimated 59,380 people held in ICE detention as of Aug. 10 have no criminal conviction, according to data collected by Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, an independent, nonpartisan data research organization. Texas, where Fort Bliss is located, is the state that has housed the most people during fiscal year 2025. Fort Bliss has been the center of widespread criticism, particularly in the local El Paso community. McLaughlin previously said in a statement that the facility will offer legal representation, a law library, access to visitation, medical treatment and recreational space. However, Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, who toured the facility Monday, criticized the massive amount of funding approved for the site, in addition to major concerns over the conditions in the center, which is being run by private contractors. I think its far too easy for standards to slip when there are private facilities, Escobar said during a news conference Monday. I think private facilities far too frequently are operating with a profit margin in mind as opposed to a governmental facility. Many, including the ACLU, also brought up the facilitys past as an intake shelter that housed almost 5,000 migrant children at its peak. Audio from 2021 revealed allegations of sexual misconduct by staff toward minors, in addition to a lack of clean clothing and other concerns. Tomine said the hasty opening of the detention center at Fort Bliss and others across the country are proof that perhaps the U.S. has failed to learn lessons from the treatment of immigrants and Japanese Americans during World War II. Many in the Japanese American community encourage the administration to not brush aside civil rights because of racism, rumors, hysteria and propaganda, Tomine said. Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty; Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Daniele Venturelli/Getty From left: John Turturro, Paul Newman and Martin Scorsese NEED TO KNOW John Turturro remembered how nervous he and Martin Scorsese were working with Paul Newman in 1986s The Color of Money Newman ended up winning an Oscar for the role Turturro said that he eventually became friends with Newman, who gave him good advice about acting John Turturro says working with Paul Newman was a dream come true a very stressful dream come true. Turturro appeared on the Aug. 18 episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, which was recorded at New York Citys 92nd Street Y. Host Josh Horowitz spoke to the Severance actor about his long career, including the 1986 Martin Scorsese film The Color of Money. The movie was a sequel to 1961s The Hustler, which saw Newman reprise his role as "Fast Eddie" Felson, a successful pool hustler. In the movie, he takes Tom Cruises Vincent Lauria under his wing. Turturro, 68, plays Julian, another hustler. During their conversation, Turturro and Horowitz watched a clip from the movie. Hes a handsome man, Paul Newman, Turturro gushed. I mean, wow. Come on. No matter how you looked at Paul Newman, up his nose, behind his ears, hes so handsome. My god. Touchstone Pictures/Getty Paul Newman in 'The Color of Money' Turturro remembered that when they made the movie, they rehearsed it all with a video camera because Newman, who died in 2008 at 83, had done that for the 1981 Sidney Lumet legal drama The Verdict. Since Turturros role was small, he played a lot of the parts. Scorsese was nervous around Paul Newman also, Turturro remembered. He was really nervous. He remembered Scorsese, now 82, telling these very long jokes and then looking at Turturro when Newman didnt laugh at the punch line. He'd be like Funny, right? It's funny! the actor remembered, impersonating the director. Turturro remembered filming his first scene on day one of shooting and that he was "so nervous." I was nervous, I was working with Paul Newman, he said. After their first take, Scorsese came to talk to him about the scene. I said, Listen Marty, I'm a little nervous because every time I turn, I look at Paul Newman and I see Somebody Up There Likes Me, The Hustler, Hud,' Turturro said, referencing some of Newmans biggest roles. And Marty goes, You think you're nervous? He goes, Ive got to direct him. You don't understand. Every [Newman] movie goes right across my head. Turturro was dying laughing. Stephen Lovekin/Variety/Penske Media via Getty From left: Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese and John Turturro Eventually, they got to know Newman, who was great. Turturro said they became friendly and did some charity work together. He was such a lovely guy, he said. He was telling me one day, he said it took him like 25 years to learn to really relax on screen. He said, I was always working too hard. He just was, really, an interesting guy. It was a thrill, Turturro said. The movie was a big experience in Turturros journey as an actor, and he never forgot how very kind Newman was. Meanwhile, The Color of Money finally won Newman his Oscar. It was his seventh acting nomination. The movie received three other Oscar nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Scorsese told PEOPLE when Newman won the Oscar that the actor took on a personal challenge by reprising his role as Eddie from The Hustler. Now you see Eddie with a few knocks, Scorsese said. He has toughened up, wised up, but he still has a way to grow, and he does. Paul gave a special performance that was controlled yet emotional. His Oscar was no consolation prize. Read the original article on People FILE - A board outlining the case against Ghislaine Maxwell is seen during a news conference to announce charges against Maxwell for her alleged role in the sexual exploitation and abuse of multiple minor girls by Jeffrey Epstein, July 2, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) NEW YORK (AP) A federal judge on Wednesday rejected the Trump administrations request to unseal grand jury transcripts from Jeffrey Epstein s sex trafficking case, joining two other judges who declined to release similar records from investigations into the late financier's sexual abuse of young women and girls. Judge Richard Berman, who presided over the 2019 case, ruled a week after another Manhattan federal judge turned down the governments request to release transcripts from the grand jury that indicted Epsteins longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell. Barring reversal on appeal, Bermans decision appears to foreclose the possibility of federal courts releasing Epstein-related grand jury testimony. A federal judge in Florida declined to release grand jury documents from an investigation there in 2005 and 2007, though some material from a state case against Epstein was made public last year. The rulings were a resounding repudiation of the Justice Department's effort to unlock the records, a move the Republican administration undertook amid a fierce backlash over its refusal to release a massive trove of documents in its possession. Berman and the judge in Maxwell's case, Paul A. Engelmayer, made clear in their rulings that the grand jury transcripts contain none of the answers likely to satisfy the immense public interest in the case. President Donald Trump had called for the release of transcripts amid rumors and criticism about his long-ago involvement with Epstein. During last year's presidential campaign, Trump promised to release files related to Epstein, but he was met with criticism including from many of his own supporters when the small number of records released by his Justice Department lacked new revelations. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment on Wednesday. Each of the judges who declined to release transcripts cited longstanding grand jury secrecy rules and concluded that the government did not meet any of the extraordinary exceptions under federal law that could justify making them public. Berman said it was the first time since 1973 that the government sought to unseal grand jury records for special circumstances. The judges also noted that the Justice Department has voluminous records related to Epstein that aren't covered by grand jury secrecy rules. Berman wrote that the scant information contained in 70 pages of Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigative information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice," which he said totals around 100,000 pages. The Government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein Files, Berman wrote in an apparent reference to the Justice Departments refusal to release additional records. He said the request to release grand jury records "appears to be a diversion from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Governments possession. The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epsteins alleged conduct. The only witness to testify before the Epstein grand jury in 2019 was an FBI agent who, the judge noted, "had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow and a call log. Last year, a judge in Florida unsealed around 150 pages of transcripts of the grand jury proceedings that led to Epstein's indictment on state charges there in 2006. Maxwell, a British socialite and publishing heir, is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her 2021 conviction on sex trafficking charges for helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. She was recently transferred from a prison in Florida to a prison camp in Texas. Epstein's 2019 death in jail awaiting trial was ruled a suicide. Maxwells case has attracted heightened public attention amid an outcry by online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and elements of Trump's base after the Justice Department said last month that it would not release any more documents from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation. Since then, officials in Trump's Republican administration have cast themselves as promoting transparency, including by requesting the unsealing of grand jury transcripts. Meanwhile, Maxwell was interviewed at a Florida courthouse weeks ago by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. The House Oversight Committee also said it wanted to speak with Maxwell. Her lawyers said they would be open to an interview only if the panel were to ensure immunity from prosecution. In a letter to Maxwells lawyers, Rep. James Comer, the committee chair, wrote that the committee was willing to delay the deposition until after the resolution of Maxwells appeal to the Supreme Court. That appeal is expected to be resolved in late September. Comer wrote that while Maxwells testimony was vital to the Republican-led investigation into Epstein, the committee would not provide immunity or any questions in advance of her testimony. Paras Griffin/Getty Jussie Smollett in 2022. NEED TO KNOW Jussie Smollett opens up about his 2019 alleged hate crime hoax in the new Netflix documentary The Truth About Jussie Smollett? In the documentary, Smollett says the initial support he received as news spread that he'd been involved in an attack, which he'd later be accused of orchestrating, made him feel "extremely emasculated" Smollett says seeing people talk about him on social media also made him feel like he was "being eulogized" Jussie Smollett is opening up about the aftermath of his 2019 alleged hate crime hoax. In Netflix's new documentary The Truth About Jussie Smollett?, premiering on Friday, Aug. 22, the actor, 43, recalls feeling "like I was being eulogized" on social media as news quickly spread that he'd allegedly been a victim of a hate crime, the same crime he'd later be accused of orchestrating for attention. "I felt like I had died, and I was alive to see and what people were saying was so kind, but it was too much for me," he says. "It made me very uncomfortable. It made me extremely embarrassed. It made me feel extremely emasculated." Smollett, who is Black and openly gay, claimed that on Jan. 29, 2019, he was attacked by two men while leaving a Subway sandwich shop near his apartment in Chicago. He claimed the two men yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him, put a rope around his neck and doused him with bleach. After an investigation conducted by law enforcement, prosecutors alleged that Smollett staged the attack to get media attention. Prosecutors alleged that Smollett paid $3,500 to two brothers, Abimbola "Bola" and Olabinjo "Ola" Osundairo, whom he worked with on the show Empire, to help him pull off the staged attack. In The Truth About Jussie Smollett? Smollett claims he paid the brothers the $3,500 to get him an illegal herbal supplement from Nigeria, while the brothers claim the actor paid them to beat him up. "I believe he wanted to be the poster boy of activism for Black people, for gay people, for marginalized people," says Bola. Adds Ola: "I thought it was crazy, but at the same time, I'm like, 'It's Hollywood.' This is how it goes." Smollett claims he was "playing whack-a-mole with rumors, with lies," and "at a certain point, its too many, and you cant catch them all." Related: https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf Following a jury trial in 2021, Smollett was found guilty of five felony counts of disorderly conduct for making false reports to investigators. He was sentenced to 150 days in jail in March 2022, given a $25,000 fine and ordered to pay more than $120,000 in restitution for overtime expenses incurred by the Chicago Police Department. Six days into his sentence, Smollett was released on bail. In 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett's convictions. The court ruled that the actor's rights had been violated because a special prosecutor pursued charges that were previously dropped by the Cook County State's Attorney. The Truth About Jussie Smollett? calls into question whether there could have been collusion between the police and the Osundairo brothers. On the first day the brothers were placed in custody, police searched their home with a warrant and found several guns, which Ola is not allowed to possess since he is a convicted felon. Footage is then shown in the documentary of Ola in custody having a private conversation with his lawyer, Gloria Schmidt, where she outlines to him the difference between having your record sealed and having it expunged. "To my eyes, that's when the brothers broker a deal," says documentary producer Abigail Carr. The brothers' lawyer denies that they made a deal with police, stating that Ola's record is neither sealed nor expunged. "There was no deal with the police," says Ola, as Bola adds, "You don't need an immunity deal when you're telling the truth." "I was conflicted," Bola continues. "I didnt want to go expose him. I wanted him to be a man and come out and say what happened himself." Smollett, meanwhile, says he "cannot stand the brothers for what they did" and "for how they've allowed themselves to benefit." But, with that said, I see that from the beginning they were victims in this," Smollett says. The Truth About Jussie Smollett? concludes with Smollett maintaining his innocence. "What is important, regardless of what you think about me... the fact is I didnt do that," he says. "Thats all that matters." The Truth About Jussie Smollett? begins streaming on Netflix on Aug. 22. Read the original article on People Ever Loved Fisherman Joel Kawahara, whose empty boat was recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard earlier this month. NEED TO KNOW The U.S. Coast Guard has called off a search for a missing fisherman after the agency recovered his empty boat off the Pacific northwestern coast On social media, the Oregon Albacore Commission identified the fisherman as Joel Kawahara from Quilcene, Washington The Coast Guard's search was called off around 1:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, August 13, after crews searched for more than 18 hours, covering an area of 2,100 square miles The U.S. Coast Guard announced it has suspended a search for a missing fisherman off the Pacific northwestern coast after officials recovered the man's empty fishing vessel earlier this month. The search was called off around 1:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, August 13, after crews searched for more than 18 hours, covering an area of 2,100 square miles, the agency said in a news release. Suspending a search for someone is the toughest decision we make in the Coast Guard, Cmdr. Chelsey Stroud, search and rescue mission coordinator for the Coast Guards Northwest District, said in a statement. Our crews diligently search hundreds of miles. We are grateful for the numerous Coast Guard crews along the West Coast who assisted in this search," Stroud continued. "We send our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of the missing man." On social media, the Oregon Albacore Commission identified the fisherman as 70-year-old Joel Kawahara from Quilcene, Washington. U.S. Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay The Karolee, an empty fishing boat recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard earlier this month. "Joel was a valued member of the broader West Coast fishing community and a tireless advocate for fishermen," a commission spokesperson wrote. "Joel was known for his kindness, generosity, and the way he touched everyone he met. He was deeply respected among salmon fishermen and also shared time on the albacore grounds. His passing is felt deeply by all who had the privilege of knowing him." The Coast Guard said he departed alone on his fishing boat, the Karolee, a week prior and was last heard from around 7:30 a.m. local time on Friday, August 8. The vessel could be tracked via its automatic identification system and was traveling south at about four knots for a few days. "Coast Guard watchstanders made numerous call outs to the Karolee and asked mariners in the area to do the same," the agency said in a statement. "No communication was ever received from the Karolee." On the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 12, a Coast Guard aircrew from Air Station Sacramento attempted to make contact with the boat but "nothing was heard." "The aircrew visually noticed that the vessel was rigged for fishing, lights were energized, and a life raft was observed in its cradle," a Coast Guard spokesperson said. "The aircrew flew over the vessel's previous course but did not find any signs of distress. The crew then flew back to Sacramento." The agency dispatched additional resources and a crew searched the trackline where the boat traveled off the Washington and Oregon coastline to search for any indication of trouble. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Sea Lion was sent to intercept the Karolee to confirm whether anyone was onboard, meeting the boat around 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Aug. 13. They boarded, found no one else present and noticed that all safety equipment was still onboard. "With no additional reports of distress or responses to callouts, the Coast Guard suspended the search," the agency announced in the news release. The Sea Lion crew towed the Karolee to Eureka, Calif., where it was moored as of Thursday, Aug. 14. "Joel left this world doing what he loved fishing and his spirit will continue to inspire those of us who work on the water," an Oregon Albacore Commission spokesperson wrote. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the many who called him a friend." Read the original article on People Todd Williamson/January Images Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa NEED TO KNOW Ahead of the premiere of their film The Map That Leads to You, KJ Apa and Madelyn Cline sat down with PEOPLE for an intimate lunch The stars open up about filming their Prime Video movie in Spain and their instant chemistry off-screen They also open up about their meteoric rises to fame on hit teen dramas and the highs and lows that have come with being in the spotlight Youre definitely a golden retriever, KJ Apa tells his costar Madelyn Cline as they discuss whether they give off golden retriever or black cat energy over plates of Spanish cuisine and black coffee. Hours before the premiere of their Prime Video film The Map That Leads to You, the stars are having an intimate lunch with PEOPLE at Malagon in Charleston, S.C., where Cline is currently filming her hit Netflix series Outer Banks. As they share an arugula salad with peaches, a bone-in steak and beef cheeks, a go-to favorite of Clines who grew up just outside of Charleston, the two candidly discuss everything from bonding on set to life purposes. Even as they pick off each others plates, their chemistry is undeniable as they refer to each other by nonsensical nicknames and toss around inside jokes at the drop of a hat. Todd Williamson/January Images Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa Apa, 28, tells PEOPLE that things were instantly easy between them as soon as they met. We just hit it off immediately I mean, nothing is serious with us, he says, with Cline, 27, quickly affirming. As they catch up on their lives since wrapping filming in Terrassa, Spain, last year, she playfully points out that shes never seen Apa with arm hair. He explains to me that he continuously has to shave his arms for projects to help with covering up his many tattoos, before pulling back the collar of his teal button-down shirt to reveal faded ink on his right shoulder. He's currently in the process of getting most of his tattoos removed. This same playful chemistry, and several of Apas tattoos, are on full display as they play Jack and Heather, two strangers who form an undeniable bond while traveling across Europe in the film, which also stars Sofia Wylie, Madison Thompson, Orlando Norman and Josh Lucas. Prime Video KJ Apa and Madelyn Cline in The Map That Leads to You For millennials, the project feels adjacent to a Disney Channel crossover episode given their shared background on hit teen dramas. Both Apa and Cline had their meteoric rises to fame on shows with just as massive followings, which they later point out can come with both highs and lows. For Apa, who played Archie Andrews on Riverdale from 2017 to 2023, the journey ultimately led to a lot of self-growth and discovery. When The CW series first premiered, the New Zealand native was just 19 years old and completely new to Hollywood, scoring the coveted role after a four-month worldwide talent search. When he wrapped the series, his whole life had changed: he was 26 years old, he had over 15 million followers on social media and he was a new dad. Apa first welcomed his son, Sasha Vai Keneti, in September 2021, alongside his then-girlfriend Clara Berry, amid filming for the shows sixth season. In fact, he tells PEOPLE, his costar Charles Melton was in the delivery room when Berry gave birth and eventually became Sashas godfather. Jack Rowand/The CW/Courtesy Everett Collection KJ Apa, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Lili Reinhart on Riverdale A year after Riverdale wrapped its seventh and final season, Apa notes he went through a major identity crisis as he said goodbye to the hit series that he spent over six years of his life on. At the time, he was also adjusting to life as a dad while going through a breakup, after splitting from Berry in early 2024. When I finished that show, I went through a year of really having to regather who I was, like re-remember who I was, he says. I definitely had this crisis of identity with a whole lot of other things that I was going through. Being a dad, my son being one year old at the time, going through a breakup with his mom and navigating all of that while trying to pick up the pieces of who I was. But I look back and I'm so grateful for it because I asked for this life, he continues. I asked to be here and this is what it all comes with. And I am grateful for it and I'm glad that I went through it. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX 2021 Outer Banks cast For Cline, who landed her breakout role as Sarah Cameron on Outer Banks in 2020, shes going through her own transformational period right now as she films the Netflix shows fifth and final season. Though she notes the process has been incredibly emotional, she admits it feels like the right time to say goodbye, to both the show and Charleston. It's happy, sad, Cline says about leaving behind her hometown when the series wraps. I love Charleston. As long as my parents are here, I will probably always come back to Charleston. It is very much a part of me [but] home isn't here anymore. I get homesick for L.A. or even New York. For me, home is where your friends are and that's what makes me happy. So I will miss it in a way, but I think were all filled with such gratitude and we're very, very happy and truly so lucky for the experience, she explains of her and her costars' feelings about the final season, before adding, But I think we all kind of feel like it's time and we've been playing these characters for so long. We're all very excited to step into some different shoes. Todd Williamson/January Images Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa Despite their shared background, Apa admits he doesnt have any advice to give Cline as she prepares to say goodbye to the hit series that catapulted her into fame. I really don't. It's similar, but it's different, he explains before giving more backstory on how the end of Riverdale affected him at the time. I just think from my experience, I remembered feeling so resentful to this thing that had given me everything and I felt guilty for that, he admits. I think a lot of the identity crisis stuff that I was thinking about and going through at that time came from these feelings that I had that I didn't feel were justified because I had to be grateful. And I allowed myself to just be like, You know what? I don't have to be grateful all the time. I'm allowed to be f------ pissed off. And people go, You're so lucky. You should be blah, blah, blah. I think the biggest thing for me is I had to just constantly remind myself that it was going to end because I really could not imagine an end of my life outside of that show. I really couldn't." "So when it finally happened and you don't have that call sheet every day or someone telling you where you got to be, what you got to do, you kind of have to start making decisions for yourself," he continues. "And that's when I really felt like my life kind of began from 17. It's a weird one. I felt like my emotional growth was stunted as soon as I started on that show. Todd Williamson/January Images KJ Apa Cline points out that the high pressure of their jobs can certainly take a toll after a while. We have people who are herding us all the time, she explains. It's like you show up and then you get whisked over this way and that way. Sometimes it feels like we can't make decisions for ourselves, which I know is not true, but when you have this one thing after another, there's the schedule, and this is what you have to do, you get so used to it after a while, it feels like you're on autopilot. And after a while, you're so used to doing it, it does kind of become your identity. Stepping out of it now, I'm like, Oh my God, who am I? What do I want? These next couple of years will be very interesting, but also we'll always look back upon this experience with a lot of fun and a certain fondness, she continues. "But it's interesting too because it has been high highs and low lows. I have experienced so much, we felt so much, and just experienced so much of the human experience. I'm eternally grateful for it. What a blessing, what a privilege. Apa adds that one of the biggest lessons hes learned from being a person in the spotlight is not to take any compliments too seriously. This industry is very quick to praise you when you're hot and then just as quick to turn its head when you're not, he explains. "That was also something else when I came off Riverdale, is you experienced all of this attention at a really unnatural level, and it affects you in a way where you end up looking for it in other places when you're not getting it. "I'm scared, Cline interjects. Sorry, I'll speak for myself, Apa continues. It's weird. It's like I'm the same person I was before I started the show and then I'm on the show and suddenly all these people are paying attention to me, but I haven't actually changed as a person. So what is the fame and what is the attention? That was something that I couldn't quite figure out because KJ was still the same guy. And so I think now when people are complimentary about anything, I really don't I mean, I acknowledge it but it doesn't go anywhere in my soul, in my body or anything. It lands and then it gets thrown away. For Cline, the biggest lesson has been that there truly is no arrival to making it in Hollywood. You're on a stair climber," the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery actress shares. "Sometimes it's really tough. Sometimes it goes really fast, sometimes it's slow. Then you catch a moment, and it's amazing, but then you have to continue. It's more of a journey for sure. Todd Williamson/January Images Madelyn Cline As their new film releases on Aug. 20, both actors find themselves at a crossroads in their careers. While Cline is coming off a huge summer following the release of I Know What You Did Last Summer, Apa is preparing to play Jimmy Stewart in a new biopic titled Jimmy, which begins filming in Ireland in just a few weeks. Though he doesnt share all the ways hes prepping for the role, notably how hes perfecting Stewarts distinctive accent, Apa points out that hes poring over archival footage of the acclaimed actor, who notably starred in hit films like Rear Window and Its a Wonderful Life. I'm really lucky because there's hours of really well-known footage of someone, and that comes with its pros and cons, he explains. "That comes with a huge amount of critique. And it comes with the ability for me as an actor to have so much external work to work with for the character. All of the internal stuff comes from biographies and interviews and stuff like that, he adds, noting that hes also conversing with Stewarts daughter, Kelly Stewart-Harcourt, who serves as an executive producer on the upcoming film. I'm working with a few people who are helping me with capturing the essence, he adds. It's my interpretation of Jimmy. I'm not trying to imitate who he was. Everyone has their own idea of who Jimmy is. I feel less stress or pressure when I know that my job is to interpret who I believe Jimmy was. And I think that we can all say that he was a very honorable man. He's a patriot. He loved his country and he wanted to do good. He wanted to do something worthwhile and something that was good. I think that's why he enlisted. He wanted to do something that was meaningful that could actually help people. That's kind of where I'm at with that. Ideally, I'd have more time to prepare for it because it came so quickly, but I know everything happens for a reason. Prime Video KJ Apa and Madelyn Cline in The Map That Leads to You Like the characters they play in The Map That Leads You, Apa and Cline are still mapping out their lives as they go. Thats one part of the movie that Apa resonated with most. As his character Jack follows his grandfathers journal throughout Spain, his character becomes introspective about the meaning of life and a persons purpose in it. He points out that at the time of filming, he was reading the religious Hindu book Bhagavad Gita, which largely shaped his character as he had conversations with director Lasse Hallstrom. It talks about a thing called Dharma, which is like a sacred duty or your purpose on Earth, he explains. And I looked at that for Jack. I think a lot of the conversations that the three of us had around that informed some of the conversations that the characters were having about life, about duty, about purpose, about God or the universe. And I feel like that kind of became the beating pulse of the story. I don't know if it's we are heading toward our purpose. I think in every moment we are actively engaged in our purpose, he adds. I think the point of a lot of these conversations is that we are already here and we're already doing it and not to think in the past or think into the future. There's a saying of when you're thinking too much into the future, it's anxiety. And when you think too much in the past that you're getting closer to depression. And the safest place for us to be is right here, right now. Todd Williamson/JanuaryImages/Shutterstock Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa With that thought process in mind, Apa and Cline admit they dont create lofty bucket list career goals for themselves. In fact, their goals veer more personal than professional. I want to spend time with my family, Apa lists off. I want to spend time with my son. I want to eat good food. I want to sometimes smoke a cigarette. I want to sleep in sometimes. I want to drive my car. I want to talk to my mom on the phone. For Cline, who is anticipated to wrap Outer Banks filming by the end of the year, she has simpler goals in mind. I want to sleep, she says. Sleep is a big one. I'm definitely not sleeping enough. I kind of want to just f--- off. I really want to f--- off and turn my phone off. The Map That Leads to You is on Prime Video Aug. 20. Read the original article on People Getty Images Sandra Bullock at the premiere of 'Ocean's 8' in 2018. The Gist Sandra Bullock is a single mom to two kids, both of whom she welcomed via adoption. Louis joined the family in January 2010. Laila's adoption was finalized in December 2015. The Miss Congeniality actress shared her children with her late partner, Bryan Randall, who passed away in 2023. Sandra Bullock is the proud single mom of her two children, Louis and Laila. The actress welcomed both kids via adoption in 2010 and 2015, respectively, and she's spoken openly about her experiences since then. "I don't know why that was the only route, but I'm so glad the universe had me wait," she said on a 2021 episode of Red Table Talk. "Had me wait even though I was anxious and I was eager and it went, 'Nope, you're not going to do it the way you think you're going to do it.'" Bullock also credits her late mom with playing a role in her journey to parenthood. The Two Weeks Notice actress explained the connection in that same Red Table Talk interview. "The sweetest part of it is that I found out about both babies when I was in the exact same place," Bullock said. "I was in the place where my mother was buried: Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It makes me really emotional but ... I feel beyond a shadow of a doubt that my mother brought me these children." Getty Images Sandra Bullock with her parents Helga and John Bullock at the premiere of 'Practical Magic' in 1998. Bullock gained a co-parent when she began dating her late partner Bryan Randall in 2015. The duo lovingly raised their children together until he passed away in 2023 following a battle with ALS. "I found the love of my life," Bullock once said. "We share two beautiful children three children, [with Randall's] older daughter. It's the best thing ever. He's the example that I would want my children to have." Bullock describes her family as "blended and diverse, nutty, and loving and understanding." Here's everything you should know about the Oscar-winning actress's two children, Louis and Laila. Louis Bardo Bullock Bullock in 2010 with then-husband Jesse James Bullock became a mom for the first time when she and her then-husband Jesse James adopted 3.5-month-old Louis in January 2010. The mother-son duo appeared on the cover of People shortly thereafter. Hes just perfect, I cant even describe him any other way, the actress told the publication. Its like hes always been a part of our lives. Bullock and James separated that same year. The Miss Congeniality star finalized the adoption as a single parent, per People. Louis was born in Louisiana, and Bullock later explained that she felt an intuitive connection to the state long before she met her son. Katrina happened in New Orleans, and I knew just something told me that my child was there," she told the hosts of Today. "It was weird." Nowadays, Bullock describes Louis as a "crazy foodie" and a "mixologist." "There's a science of food that's happening, but everything is food-based for him," she told People. Louis is also "super sensitive" according to the Bullet Train actress. "I call him my 78-year-old son," she joked. "Hes wise and kind. I saw that when they handed him to me. There was a spiritual bigness to him. I was like, I hope I dont eff that up. More recently, the single mom opened up about raising Black children as a white woman and the "existential anxiety" that comes with motherhood. "With Lou being a young Black man, at one point, sweet, funny Lou is going to be a young man, and the minute he leaves my home, I can't follow him everywhere. I will try. I'm joking, but I'm not," she said on Red Table Talk. "I let him see everything. I let him process it. He knows how the world works. He knows how cruel it is, he knows how unfair it is, and Laila knows." Laila Bullock Bullock in 2015, the year she adopted Laila Bullock became a mom-of-two when she finalized the adoption of her daughter Laila in December 2015. Laila was three years old at the time and had spent the first part of her life in foster care. Louis, for his part, apparently spearheaded the whole journey. When I look at Laila, theres no doubt in my mind that she was supposed to be here," Bullock told People. I can tell you absolutely, the exact right children came to me at the exact right time." Bullock later opened up about dealing with Laila's "triggers" from her time in foster care. "I had my kids in my closet with their little beds because I was so afraid to not have them super close to me," The Heat actress explained. "I would walk in and I wouldn't be able to find [Laila]. She'd be in the closet with all her clothes on, she'd be on a bookshelf, she'd be hiding, she'd always be ready to leave." Bullock continued, "My partner [Randall] said to me, 'When she's been with us longer than she hasn't been, I have a feeling we're going to see a change. You love by leaning in and hugging and holding and letting them know that they are not going anywhere." Getty Images Sandra Bullock and Bryan Randall at the premiere of 'Ocean's 8' in 2018. In 2021, Bullock offered up her predictions for her daughter's future: "[Laila] is going to be President of the United States!" The proud mom jokingly added that she was "going to be at the White House" to do "some redecorating." The Bird Box actress shared similarly high hopes for Laila back in 2018 during an interview with InStyle: Oh my God, what she is going to accomplish, Bullock mused. Shes going to bring some real change. Read the original article on InStyle The Menendez brothers, who were recently resentenced for the gruesome shotgun murders of their parents in 1989, will face a parole board on Aug. 21 and 22 in the next step of their efforts to leave prison for good. Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted of the murders of their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez, and sentenced to life in prison. In May, they were both resentenced to 50 years to life, which for the first time opened up the possibility of parole after decades behind bars. Erik Menendez, now 54, will face the parole board first on Aug. 21 followed by Lyle Menendez, 57, on Aug. 22. The board, comprising two or three hearing officers, is expected to make a decision on whether to recommend parole for each brother at the end of his hearing. They'll join the hearings remotely through videoconference from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, where they are incarcerated. FILE - A Microsoft sign and logo are pictured at the company's headquarters, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Redmond, Wash. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Police officers arrested 18 people at worker-led protests at Microsoft headquarters Wednesday as the tech company promises an urgent review of the Israeli military's use of its technology during the ongoing war in Gaza. Two consecutive days of protest at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington called for the tech giant to immediately cut its business ties with Israel. But unlike Tuesday, when about 35 protesters occupying a plaza between office buildings left after Microsoft asked them to leave, the protesters on Wednesday resisted and became aggressive after the company told police they were trespassing, according to the Redmond Police Department. The protesters also splattered red paint resembling the color of blood over a landmark sign that bears the company logo and spells Microsoft in big gray letters. We said, Please leave or you will be arrested, and they chose not to leave so they were detained, said police spokesperson Jill Green. Microsoft late last week said it was tapping a law firm to investigate allegations reported by British newspaper The Guardian that the Israeli Defense Forces used Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform to store phone call data obtained through the mass surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Microsofts standard terms of service prohibit this type of usage," the company said in a statement posted Friday, adding that the report raises precise allegations that merit a full and urgent review. In February, The Associated Press revealed previously unreported details about the tech giants close partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, with military use of commercial artificial intelligence products skyrocketing by nearly 200 times after the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. The AP reported that the Israeli military uses Azure to transcribe, translate and process intelligence gathered through mass surveillance, which can then be cross-checked with Israels in-house AI-enabled targeting systems. Following The AP's report, Microsoft acknowledged the military applications but said a review it commissioned found no evidence that its Azure platform and artificial intelligence technologies were used to target or harm people in Gaza. Microsoft did not share a copy of that review or say who conducted it. Microsoft said it will share the latest review's findings after it's completed by law firm Covington & Burling. The promise of a second review was insufficient for the employee-led No Azure for Apartheid group, which for months has protested Microsofts supplying the Israeli military with technology used for its war against Hamas in Gaza. The group said Wednesday the technology is being used to surveil, starve and kill Palestinians. Microsoft in May fired an employee who interrupted a speech by CEO Satya Nadella to protest the contracts, and in April, fired two others who interrupted the company's 50th anniversary celebration. On Tuesday, the protesters posted online a call for what they called a worker intifada, using language evoking the Palestinian uprisings against Israeli military occupation that began in 1987. On Wednesday, the police department said it took 18 people into custody for multiple charges, including trespassing, malicious mischief, resisting arrest, and obstruction. It wasn't clear how many were Microsoft employees. No injuries were reported. Microsoft said in a statement after the arrests that it "will continue to do the hard work needed to uphold its human rights standards in the Middle East, while supporting and taking clear steps to address unlawful actions that damage property, disrupt business or that threaten and harm others. The Trump administration is making it much more difficult for foreign nationals who display anti-American behavior to live and work in the U.S. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin screening foreign national applicants for anti-American behavior when they apply for certain immigration benefits, according to a policy update from the agency. Posting anti-American rhetoric online, voicing solidarity with terrorist groups or expressing anti-semitic language would be deemed an overwhelmingly negative factor for migrants hoping to upgrade their status. (RELATED: Illegal Migrant Truck Driver Accused Of Killing Three On Highway Failed English, Traffic Sign Tests) Americas benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies, USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser said in a public statement. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is committed to implementing policies and procedures that root out anti-Americanism and supporting the enforcement of rigorous screening and vetting measures to the fullest extent possible, Tragesser continued. Immigration benefits including to live and work in the United States remain a privilege, not a right. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Deputy Director for Policy Joseph Edlow (R), with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, administers the Oath of Allegiance to twelve candidates for US citizenship during a naturalization ceremony hosted by the USCIS at the State Department in Washington, DC, on October 22, 2020. (Photo by Manuel Balce Ceneta / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MANUEL BALCE CENETA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) The Trump administration is expanding on policies that encourage immigration officers to vet social media for anti-American sentiment and activities, according to the USCIS memo. Additionally, the agency will factor in a migrant applicants past use of parole programs that allowed them into the country, as hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals took advantage of loose parole programs under the Biden White House. Tighter screening for anti-Americanism could have a serious impact on the foreign students who got involved in campus protests around the country, many of whom were accused of anti-semitic activity. The Trump administration has already attempted to remove many of the allegedly pro-Hamas foreign students. The policy update also marks the latest hawkish reform by USCIS, the agency tasked with managing the countrys legal immigration system. Since President Donald Trump returned to office, USCIS has worked to support his border enforcement agenda. Earlier in August, the agency announced it would no longer just consider an aliens absence of misconduct during the naturalization process, but also weigh their positive attributes to society, a move the agency says will ensure integrity to the application process. Since taking the helm of the agency, USCIS Director Joe Edlow has also implemented new measures to bar non-citizens from partaking in U.S. elections and he aims to restore integrity to immigration programs that are rife with fraudulent applicants. Edlow says much of his agencys work now is shoring up the historic backlog of asylum cases that accumulated under the Biden administration. We already knew that there was a misalignment of priorities and resources, but that became painfully obvious that really USCIS was acting as kind of the the arm of the administration to help maneuver the parole programs, to do what they could on credible fear and to ultimately try to address the growing border crisis that the Bidens have created, Edlow previously stated to the DCNF. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Two army deserters were arrested after allegedly murdering and dismembering their roommate. A pair of military deserters allegedly slaughtered and dismembered a member of their Army unit and dispersed parts of his corpse along a highway in New Mexico and the one that pulled trigger said it was not a hard decision for him. Rainor Joiner, 23, and David Degroat, 22, were both arrested by the Taos County Sheriff Department and allegedly confessed to murdering Matthew McLaughlin, a 25-year-old US Army veteran from West Virginia who was reported missing on July 31. Army veteran Matthew McLaughlin, 25, was reported missing on July 31. The three men were all living together in New Mexico after serving in the same unit at Fort Benning in Georgia. Joiner and Degroat allegedly had active warrants out for their desertion. Its unclear how and when McLaughlin may have been relieved of service. Joiner allegedly told authorities he was fed up with McLaughlin for speaking ill of him, bringing random people to the residence, and the use of narcotics at the residence, according to a criminal complaint obtained by KRQE. Rainor Joiner allegedly told authorities he killed McLaughlin and didnt regret it. Taos County Adult Detention Center The deserter and supposed mastermind behind the violent murder had apparently threatened to kill Degroat too if he didnt help or if he snitched, according to a confession signed by Joiner. Joiner allegedly confessed that he shot McLaughlin with Degroats help, adding that I did it, I fked him, and I dont fking regret it, according to KOB. He also allegedly said killing his roommate was not a hard decision for him, the documents state. Degroat contended that Joiner forced him to assist with the grisly murder and lure McLaughlin into an ambush while he was walking home with groceries. He allegedly told authorities that Joiner shot McLaughlin three times with an AR-15 style rifle once in the chest and twice in the head. Afterwards, Joiner allegedly made Degroat hold open a plastic bag to place parts of McLaughlins dismembered corpse in. From there, they dispersed the severed body parts along Highway 64. Once they were caught at their home, Joiner led authorities to each spot where they uncovered multiple trash bags with body parts inside that were turned over to the medical examiners office. David Degroat allegedly told authorities that Joiner forced him to help ambush McLaughlin. Taos County Adult Detention Center McLaughlins grieving family members are struggling to fathom why people he trusted enough to move cross-country with would do such a thing. All I want to say is, I found out that they had planned this for weeks. Ill never see my son again, his mother, Rebecca, told the Santa Fe New Mexican. The Army veteran is survived by his mother and seven siblings, according to a GoFundMe organized by a family friend. Joiner was charged with a laundry list of felonies, including first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery. Degroat is facing charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence. Two German fighter jets were scrambled to the Romanian-Ukrainian border on Tuesday night in response to a Russian drone attack in the frontier region, Romania's Defense Ministry said in a statement. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 93 drones and two ballistic missiles into the country overnight, of which 62 drones and one missile were shot down or suppressed. The air force reported drone and missile impacts across 20 locations. Oleg Kiper, the head of the regional Odesa administration, said drones hit infrastructure and production facilities in the city of Izmail on the Danube river, at the border with Romania -- a NATO member. Fires broke out at the site of the attacks and at least one person was injured, Kiper said. MORE: Russia launches largest attack of August on Ukraine after Trump-Zelenskyy meeting State Emergency Service Of Ukrai/via Reuters - PHOTO: Firefighters work at the site of a fuel storage facility hit by a Russian drone strike in the Odesa region of Ukraine on Aug. 20, 2025. MORE: Russia launches 6,400 drones, missiles into Ukraine in record-breaking month The attack prompted the scrambling of two German Air Force Typhoon fighters "to monitor the air situation in the border area with Ukraine, in the north of Tulcea County," Romania's Defense Ministry said in a statement posted to social media. The German aircraft are currently deployed to Romania as part of NATO's Enhanced Air Policing missions, which were introduced along the bloc's eastern flank after Russia's seizure of Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine in 2014. Romania's "aerial surveillance system" identified "groups of drones launched by the Russian Federation that attacked Ukrainian ports on the Danube," the ministry said. "During the mission, there were no penetrations of aircraft in the national airspace." Allied aircraft are often scrambled in NATO nations like Poland and Romania in response to Russian long-range attacks in Ukraine, which regularly target locations along Ukraine's border with its NATO neighbors. MORE: Ukrainian soldiers focus on daily battles as Trump and Putin prepare to meet Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: A German Eurofighter Typhoon jet performs during an exhibition flight demonstration at the International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, on June 18, 2025. MORE: Russian drone strike on Ukraine apartments kills several before Trump-Zelenskyy meet During previous attacks, Russian drones and missiles have entered NATO airspace. Crashed Russian munitions or fragments of them have been found in Romania, Lithuania and Latvia. Russian missile fragments have also been found in Moldova, which borders Ukraine to the southwest but is not a NATO state. NATO member Poland has also reported several violations of its airspace by Russian missiles and drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday night's strikes in Ukraine "only confirm the need to pressure Moscow, the need to impose new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works fully." "Thanks to all partners who help stop this Russian war," he added. "Together with the USA, Europe, and everyone who wants peace, we work daily to guarantee security. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly reliable and lasting peace." Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down at least 43 Ukrainian drones overnight into Wednesday. Temporary restrictions in flights were introduced at airports in Volgograd, Saratov, Samara, Tambov and Nizhny Novgorod during the strikes, Russia's federal air agency Rosaviatsiya said. An Alabama teacher has lauded the benefits of a new state law banning cell phones in school classrooms. Its magic, Tuscaloosa County High School 11th-grade history teacher Jonathan Buchwalter said in a TikTok earlier this month that reached nearly two million views. Across the U.S., thirty-three states have enacted legislation regarding school cellphone usage, amid a growing effort to restrict students smartphone access in schools, over concerns about mental health and academic attentiveness, according to Ballotpedia. Today, all of my students, 100% of them, took notes in my class, did their assignment, asked for help when they got stuck, and turned it in, and then when they were done, they talked to each other, he said. Buchwalter explained it was still early days, and a complete assessment of the legislation's impact could only be determined at the end of the school year. New cell phone laws have seen restrictions enforced across 33 states (Getty/iStock) I have been pulling my hair out for like, eight years. Has it been this easy a solution the whole time? Buchwalter asked his followers in the video. Just days before Buchwalter revealed the benefits in his classroom, two studies identified links between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and depression, anxiety, and insomnia in teenagers. Almost half of teens have admitted to being online constantly, according to 2024 data from the Pew Research Center. While 72% said they sometimes or frequently check their notifications from the minute they wake up. They're chemically addicted to their phones, Buchwalter said, adding, They cannot experience anything that isn't constant stimulation. As of July this year, 26 states Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Ohio, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia enforced a full ban or cellphone limit in classrooms. Other state departments, including the Connecticut Department of Education, the Kansas Department of Education, and the Washington Department of Education, have opted to create policies that limit classroom usage. Meanwhile, Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued an executive order encouraging districts to limit cellphones in schools. In Alaska, Colorado, and Minnesota, legislation requires K-12 public school districts to adopt policies around student cellphone use; however, the laws do not specify how the policies should be implemented. Back in February, the National Center for Education Statistics outlined the benefits of the bans. The latest School Pulse Panel data underscore that school leaders see cell phones as more than just a classroom distraction, said NCES Commissioner Peggy Carr. With 53 percent of school leaders reporting negative impacts of cell phone use on academic performance, and even more citing negative impacts on students mental health and attention spans, schools are facing a critical issue. Schools are responding with practical solutions, like banning or restricting phone use. Natalie Mageza took part in the Universal Woman 2025 contest in India [Natalie Mageza] A beauty queen who competed at a pageant in India where she won an award for her charity work says the experience was "like Big Brother". Natalie Mageza, from Stone, Staffordshire, spent two weeks in the city of Jaipur, taking part in various sessions and contests as Great Britain's representative in Universal Woman 2025. It culminated with a ceremony on 10 August, during which Ms Mageza, who fled to the UK from Zimbabwe when she was a child, won the social projects category and came in the top 20 overall. "I can only explain it as like Big Brother really," she told BBC Radio Stoke, recounting the experience. "You're with 40 to 50 girls from different countries, you're living in the same space for two weeks, you're sharing rooms and you're with each other for nearly every single hour of the day." She said it was interesting to be around so many different personalities with a lot of "culture clashes" and language barriers. Natalie Mageza was crowned Universal Woman Great Britain earlier this year [Martin Higgs] Among the sessions during the contest was a discussion around 17 potential, sustainable goals for the United Nations, a debate she described as "intense". "The whole experience has been so incredible," she added. "Regardless of language barriers, I've been able to have an amazing time and have incredible conversations with the most amazing girls." She won her place in the international competition after being crowned Universal Woman Great Britain, at a pageant last year. Her international award for social projects recognised her work for education and early childhood literacy charity Preface. Ms Mageza said she struggled with education earlier in her life and wanted to use the pageants to highlight how important it was. She said beauty pageants were still popular and attitudes towards them had changed over the past few years. "I feel like as time has gone by, people are realising beauty pageants have come away from the old traditional standards of just having to be beautiful a lot of women want to have an impact," she said. Ms Mageza grew up in Zimbabwe but moved to England when she was 13 to escape violence under former president Robert Mugabe's regime. She previously recalled how her family were tear-gassed in a church because her area "did not vote correctly". Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More on this story Related internet links By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that the status quo situation with China was "working pretty well" as the world's two biggest economies have in recent days extended a truce in their bitter trade dispute surrounding tariffs. KEY QUOTES "China is right now the biggest revenue line in the tariff income," Bessent said in an interview on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle" show. "We have had very good talks with China, I imagine we will be seeing them again before November," he added. "I think right now the status quo is working pretty well." WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Last week, Washington and Beijing extended a tariff truce for another 90 days to November, staving off triple-digit duties on each other's goods. The two sides initially announced a truce in their trade dispute in May after talks in Geneva, agreeing to a 90-day period to allow further talks. They met again in Sweden in late July after which U.S. negotiators returned to Washington with a recommendation that President Donald Trump extend the deadline. CONTEXT Washington has also been urging Beijing to stop buying Russian oil to pressure Moscow over its war in Ukraine, but Trump said on Friday there were no imminent plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on China, in light of talks on ending the war. Trump held a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday and a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as well as NATO and European leaders, at the White House on Monday. After those meetings, he said Zelenskiy and Putin will hold a bilateral meeting before a trilateral meeting that would also include Trump. Bessent was asked on Fox News about reporting that Budapest could be a possible city for the three-way talks. He said that "could be" the case but that the bilateral meeting needed to happen first. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Christian Martinez; editing by Costas Pitas and Sonali Paul) This article is a co-production with Amazon Underworld, a journalistic alliance covering crime trends throughout the Amazon Basin. A small motorized boat streaks across the San Miguel Riverthe natural frontier between Colombia and Ecuadorcarrying Jairo Marin, a man in his early fifties, light-skinned and battle-scarred, who is also known as Popeye. He is on his way to meet one of his mobile units of heavily armed combatants as his organization prepares for what could be either a path to peace or an escalation of conflict. Earlier this year, Marin, a guerrilla commander born in the Colombian Amazon, became the chief negotiator of the Comandos de la Frontera, which he describes as a 21st century guerrilla organization. The armed group controls tens of thousands of acres of coca plantations and has gained significant political leverage as President Gustavo Petros Administration scrambles to secure agreements with armed groups critical to advancing Colombias broader peace talks and anti-narcotics efforts. Negotiations with the administration, however, are more urgent than ever. Petro has less than a year in office to secure a deal. Meanwhile, coca cultivation is soaring, reaching a record 625,000 acres in 2023 and the U.S. government is threatening to cut military aid and cooperation programs for not meeting anti-drug standards. Time is running out. It seems a narrow path to peace runs through the Colombian Amazon and hinges on working with, not against, the very groups that control drug trafficking and profit from violence. Sporting military fatigues, rubber boots, and a Galil rifle slung across his shoulders, Marin commands an army of at least 1,200 armed combatants scattered across the regionan amalgam of former Colombian Armed Revolutionary Forces (FARC) members, soldiers, paramilitaries, and fresh recruits often from local Indigenous communities enticed with monthly pay. We control many things, yes, things that the State with its military and police forces cannot do. We can do it, he says during an interview near the border. To his south lies the protected area of the Cofan Indigenous people in Ecuador; to his north, in Colombia, stretches a sea of cocaa plant with many cultural and medicinal uses but which is the base ingredient for cocaine. Colombias protracted internal conflict has evolved from an ideological guerrilla warfare that began in the 1960s into violence increasingly driven by criminal enterprises fighting for control over illicit economies, a shift that has fundamentally complicated the U.S.-backed drug war. Sophisticated transnational networks now control coca-rich regions, prioritizing business goals rather than political influence. The government and the guerrilla groups operate as parallel states that regulate movement of people, punish rule-breakers, and defend against competing armed groups while controlling local populations through coercion and extreme violence. The Comandos and the cocaine business In Putumayo, arguably the Amazon Basins most conflict-ridden area, over 123,000 acres of coca flourish along borderlands where groups like the Comandos evade crackdowns by crossing into Ecuador and Peru, operating freely across borders without seeking sovereign power. Cocaine from the tri-frontier region reaches Pacific Coast ports in Colombia and Ecuador, but also travels along rivers toward Brazil, both a consumer and transit route to growing markets in Africa and Europe. TIME map; Getty Images In 2016, a peace accord between the government and the FARC was adopted. The FARC demobilized the following year as part of the agreement. But after surrendering their weapons, over 500 former members were assassinated. Marin, a former Colombian Armed Revolutionary Forces commander who joined the guerrilla group at age 13 in the 1980s, remembers this momentand what it ushered in. Were going to unite, were going to begin, were going to arm ourselves because we cannot let ourselves be killed. That's how this organization began, Marin says, explaining how a group of 16 people got together in 2017, ultimately forming the Comandos de la Frontera in 2020, filling the power vacuum left by FARCs departure and the States failure to provide security. Now, the Comandos regional expanse severely affects local populations, with community representatives sharing stories of recruitment of minors, targeted assassinations, and disappearances, and describing their control as suffocating. Violence is rarely reported to authorities, who are distrusted by local communities. The Comandos embed themselves in villages by recruiting members and pressuring community authorities. The enemy had gotten into our house and we didnt realize it, explains an Indigenous community leader, who requested anonymity for safety reasons. Marin and the rest of the Comandos leadership, often locals themselves, call themselves regionalists and claim to represent rural and State-abandoned communities. They have formed an agenda of what they call territorial transformations, arguing they are willing to give up the coca economy and stop being an armed movement if the State can grant them security guarantees and provide locals with legal livelihoods and rural development investments. A last opportunity for peace under pressure The cocaine economy is the main fuel for Colombias war economy, which has recently also seen a surge in illegal gold mining. Never before has so much coca been grown in the country and even with increased drug seizures, Washington D.C. under President Trump threatens decertification from its annual anti-narcotics cooperation due to a lack of effort in fighting illicit drugs. This could mean Colombia would miss out on hundreds of millions of dollars in military and police aid, thereby weakening its response capacity to drug trafficking and could ultimately result in the U.S. lobbying against Colombia receiving loans from international institutions such as the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. With limited time remaining in office, several peace dialogues have been aborted, rural violence exacerbated, and Petros administration faces dim prospects for achieving anything beyond minimal agreements that would barely impact the countrys spiraling drug production. But, on the frontlines of peacebuilding are those who know that small victories might turn the table. At least in the dialogues with [the Comandos], we have agreed on the need to overcome the predominance of illegal economies linked above all to coca and illegal mining in those territories, says Armando Novoa, a spectacled, slick-haired Bogota-based lawyer who represents the State at the negotiation table with the guerrilla structure that includes the Comandos. This is what we have called the economic transformation of the territory or the transition from illicit economies to licit economies, he explains. Of course, security and dialogue must go hand in hand. Its not just dialogue; its also about having an intelligent public security presence in the territory. But that presence shouldnt rely solely on armed repression against communities to counter coca cultivation. Coca crop substitution If it were up to many of the coca crop farmers, a transition to legal food crops would grant them an exit from cycles of violence surrounding the drug trade. Coca brings violence, deaths, all kinds of problems, you know? So thats also why we want to start transforming things, says a coca crop owner in rural Putumayo, who requested anonymity for their security. In their drug lab, buyers purchase coca paste on site, while potential food crops lack market access due to poor roads that increase transport costs and damage produce during the journey. Many farmers hope to build legal livelihoods but need land titles, loans, and markets for their products. Past attempts at crop substitution failed due to bureaucratic hurdles, missing funds, and flawed agricultural projects. However, according to Gloria Miranda, Colombias crop substitution director, this time will be different with aligned peacebuilding and drug policy. The coordination between drug policy and total peace policy is fundamental, she explains. The state must recover control through more than just armed force. Military power is only one dimension of control. Were building legitimate state presence through social policies and non-violent means. In contrast to previous coca crop eradication efforts that faced sniper attacks and landmines from other groups, the Comandos now claim to allow substitution programs to proceed. We view the progress of the substitution program very favorably, precisely because the armed group is not opposing it. In fact, the armed group is willing to let the program proceed without confrontation, violence, or threats, Miranda says. The window for success is closing fast with presidential elections in 2026, and crop substitution projects and partial agreements yet to materialize. Petro needs immediate results before his presidency ends and a potentially less peace-friendly president takes powera fact not lost on the Comandos. If we dont reach at least some minimum agreements, some partial agreements, well well go as far as we can [in the process], Marin clarifies, indicating his willingness to continue peace negotiations even with a possible next right-wing government. Fidgeting with the safety clip of his gun, Marin, just a few hundred meters from Ecuadors bordera quick escape awaysays: Our policy since we were formed is that we are not going to attack the state, he says. But if they attack us, well defend ourselves. Contact us at letters@time.com. Eurovision organisers have announced that the Austrian city of Vienna has been selected as host city for next years Song Contest. The news comes after Austrias JJ was crowned the winner of the 2025 contest with his song Wasted Love following a nail-biting showdown with Israels delegate Yuval Raphael. Austrias win meant their country would become hosts for the 70th edition of the annual competition. A statement from the European Broadcasting Union said that the 2026 contest will be held at the countrys largest indoor arena, Wiener Stadthalle. Several Austrian cities were in the running to host, including Graz, Innsbruck and Oberwart. Vienna was chosen following a competitive city bid process that examines facilities at the venue, local infrastructure and the ability to accommodate thousands of visiting delegations, crew, fans and journalists from around the world, amongst other criteria, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said. Austrias host broadcaster ORF said it deemed the city not only the most attractive in terms of infrastructure and logistics but also economically. It will be the third time the competition has been hosted in Vienna following Udo Jurgenss win with Merci Cherie in 1966 and after Conchita Wurst won with Rise Like a Phoenix in 2015. The first and second semi-final will take place on 12 and 14 May while the grand final will be on 16 May. Six further dress rehearsals will take place that same week, with more details set to be revealed in the coming weeks and months. Austria won Eurovision for the third time in 2025 after singer JJ emerged victorious (AFP via Getty Images) A list of participating countries for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest will also be announced later this year. Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest said: The EBU is thrilled that Vienna has been selected as the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Viennas reputation as one of the most musical cities in the world, and its location in the heart of Europe, makes it the perfect host city for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest. Vienna will hoist the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest (APA/AFP via Getty Images) The 2025 competition unfolded under a cloud of controversy due to Israels participation, with 72 former contestants calling for the countrys ban from the contest. After the public votes were added to the jury points for each country, Israel appeared to be on track to win the contest. But Austrian-Filipino artist JJ, full name Johannes Pietsch, secured a late-stage victory after topping the leaderboard with 436 points. He might already have been familiar to UK viewers before competing as he appeared on The Voice back in 2020. By Ariba Shahid ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Evicted from their homes and huddling under plastic sheets after heavy rains, Afghan refugees in a park near government offices in Islamabad said they had nowhere to go as Pakistan pressures landlords to expel documented families. Among them is Samia, 26, from Afghanistans Hazara minority, a Shiite community long persecuted at home, who gave birth just three weeks ago. "I came here when my baby was seven days old, and now it has been 22 days we have no food, and my baby was sick but there was no doctor," she said, wearing damp clothes and shoes caked in mud as she cuddled her son, Daniyal whose body bore a rash. The United Nations says Pakistan has begun deporting documented Afghans before a Sept. 1 deadline that could force more than a million to leave. The action comes despite about 1.3 million holding refugee registration documents, while 750,000 have Afghan identity cards issued in Pakistan. Samia now lives on the park's wet ground, among 200 families who cook, sleep and dry their belongings there after nights of rain. Plastic sheets serve as makeshift shelters, and children and parents spend their days battling mud, sun and hunger. Families pool the little money they have to buy potatoes or squash, cooking small portions over open fires to share with several people. The women use the washroom in a nearby mosque. Sahera Babur, 23, another member of the Hazara community, who is nine months pregnant, spoke with tears in her eyes. "If my baby is born in this situation, what will happen to me and my child?" she said, adding that police had told her landlord to evict her family because they were Afghan. Dozens of policemen stood at the edge of the park in Pakistan's capital when Reuters visited, watching the camp. Refugees said officers regularly told them to leave or risk being taken away. Police denied harassment. Jawad Tariq, a deputy inspector general, said refugees were only asked to leave voluntarily or move to holding centres. Pakistans information ministry did not respond to a text message requesting comment. Refugees say they have been left in limbo for years. "UNHCR gave us promises but they have not visited us," said Dewa Hotak, 22, an Afghan and former television journalist. The agency's spokesperson in Pakistan, Qaiser Khan Afridi, called the situation "precarious", adding that Afghans unable to regularise their stay faced arrest, deportation and homelessness. He said the agency was pressing Islamabad to create a registration mechanism and reiterated its call not to return people to a country where their lives may be in danger. Many at the camp say they cannot go back to Afghanistan because of the risks. Ahmad Zia Faiz, a former adviser in Afghanistans interior ministry, said he feared reprisals for serving in the previous government, adding, "If we return to Afghanistan, there is a risk of being killed." Pakistan, host to millions of Afghans since the 1979 Soviet invasion, has stepped up expulsions under a 2023 crackdown, blaming Afghans for crime and militancy, charges rejected by Kabul. Neighbouring Irans plan to deport more than a million more adds to a refugee return crisis aid groups call the biggest since the Taliban takeover in 2021. The green grass and serene vistas in Islamabads park stand in stark contrast to the lives of those camping there. "My message to the world is to see our situation," Samia said, clutching her newborn. (Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Islamabad; Additional reporting by Muhammmad Yunus Yawar; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump has frequently invoked his success at resolving international conflicts, casting himself as a global peacemaker while his aides and some foreign leaders push for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He has found Russia's war in Ukraine to be far more vexing. Trump has put himself squarely in the middle of the diplomatic attempts to bring peace but has wavered on what he's willing to do to achieve it. Here are some of the foreign disputes Trump has intervened in since beginning his second term in January, using a mix of threats, inducements and the power of his office to shape the behaviors of allies and foes. ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN Trump brought together the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on August 8 to sign a joint declaration pledging to seek peaceful relations between nations that have been at odds since the late 1980s. "I got to know them through trade," Trump said later in a radio interview. "I was dealing with them a little bit and I said, 'Why you guys fighting?' Then I said, 'I'm not going to do a trade deal if you guys are going to fight. It's crazy.'" The two countries had committed to a ceasefire in 2023. In March they said they had agreed on the text of a draft peace agreement, but that deal has not been signed. The White House-brokered declaration falls short of a formal peace treaty that would place legally binding obligations on both sides. One snag is over whether an agreement requires Armenia to revise its constitution. The leaders also struck economic agreements with Washington that granted the U.S. development rights to a strategic transit corridor through southern Armenia. The Trump administration said this would allow for greater exports of energy. In documents released at the time, the corridor was named after Trump. CAMBODIA AND THAILAND Trump helped bring Thailand to the table for talks after long-simmering tensions with Cambodia spilled over in July into a five-day military conflict, the deadliest fighting there in over a decade. The U.S. president reached out to acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai two days after fighting erupted along a 200-km-long (125 mile) stretch of the border. Trump withheld deals on tariffs with both countries until the conflict ended. Up to that point, Bangkok had rejected third-party mediation and had not responded to offers of help from Malaysia and China, Reuters reporting showed. Trump's intervention helped get Thailand to the table, according to Lim Menghour, a Cambodian government official working on foreign policy. Subsequent talks yielded a fragile agreement to end hostilities, resume direct communications and create a mechanism to implement the ceasefire. Trump went on to impose a 19% tariff on both countries' U.S.-bound exports, lower than he had initially floated. ISRAEL, IRAN AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES Trump has maintained strong U.S. backing for Israel as it pummels Gaza and tries to uproot Hamas. He has also supported its efforts to disable other Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah and the Houthi movement, and Tehran itself. The U.S. president is working to expand the Abraham Accords, an initiative from his first term that aims to normalize diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab nations. But a solution to Israeli-Palestinian and Iranian conflicts has eluded Trump, just as it has all U.S. presidents for decades. Washington provides weapons and diplomatic cover to Israel as its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed international condemnation of the humanitarian toll of his military campaign in Gaza. Israel and Hamas agreed to a deal to halt fighting in Gaza in January, after Trump's election but before his inauguration. The deal had been mediated by Egypt and Qatar and also involved personnel from the outgoing Biden and incoming Trump administrations. Israel abandoned the ceasefire in March. Talks toward a new ceasefire collapsed in July. Mediators are trying to revive a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan but Israel is also planning a new, expanded military operation in Gaza. Trump has blamed Hamas for not seeking a reasonable settlement of the conflict and pressured them to do so. Trump initially pursued talks with Tehran over its nuclear program. Israel launched an aerial war on Iran on June 13 and pressed Trump join in. He did on June 22, bombing Iranian nuclear sites. He then pressed Israel and Iran to join a ceasefire that Qatar mediated. The situation remains bitter and unstable. Iran continues to reject U.S. demands that it stop enriching uranium for its nuclear program. And Israel has said it will strike Iran again if it feels threatened. RWANDA AND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on June 27 under pressure from Trump, raising hopes for the end of fighting that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year. The fighting is the latest episode in a decades-old conflict with roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Rwanda sent thousands of soldiers over the border, according to analysts, to support M23 rebels who seized eastern Congo's two largest cities and lucrative mining areas earlier this year. Rwanda denies helping M23. In February, a Congolese senator contacted U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal. Then, in March, Qatar brokered a surprise sit-down between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda's Paul Kagame during which the two leaders called for a ceasefire. Qatar has also brokered talks between Congo and M23, but the two sides are yet to agree on a peace deal and violence continues. At the White House, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe told Trump that past deals had not been implemented and urged Trump to stay engaged. Trump warned of "very severe penalties, financial and otherwise" if the agreement is violated. INDIA AND PAKISTAN U.S. officials worried conflict could spiral out of control when nuclear-armed India and Pakistan clashed in May following an attack in India that Delhi blamed on Islamabad. Consulting with Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance pushed Indian and Pakistani officials to de-escalate the situation. A ceasefire was announced on May 10 after four days of fighting. But it addresses few of the issues that have divided India and Pakistan, which have fought three major wars since their independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. Days after the ceasefire, Trump said he used the threat of cutting trade with the countries to secure the deal. India disputed that U.S. pressure led to the ceasefire and that trade was a factor. EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA Egypt and Ethiopia have a long dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Cairo regards as a national security issue and worries will threaten its Nile River water supplies. "We're working on that one problem, but it's going to get solved," Trump said in July. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt later included Egypt and Ethiopia in a list of conflicts that "the president has now ended." It's unclear what Trump is doing on the issue. In public statements, he has largely echoed Cairo's concerns, and some of his statements have been disputed by Ethiopia. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has vowed to open the dam in September over the objections of both Sudan and Egypt. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who welcomed Trump's comments on the issue, has vowed to protect his own country's interests. SERBIA AND KOSOVO Kosovo and Serbia still have tense relations nearly five years after agreements Trump brokered with both during his first term in office to work on their economic ties. Without providing evidence, Trump said in June he "stopped" war between the countries during his first term and that "I will fix it, again," in his second. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, almost a decade after NATO bombed Serb forces to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians from the region during a 1998-1999 counter-insurgency war. But Serbia still regards Kosovo as an integral part of its territory. The countries have signed no peace deal. Kosovo's prime minister Albin Kurti has sought to extend government control over the north, where about 50,000 ethnic Serbs live, many of whom refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence. Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani said in July that "the last few weeks" Trump had prevented further escalation in the region. She did not elaborate, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied that any escalation had been forthcoming. RUSSIA AND UKRAINE Trump, who said during the 2024 presidential campaign that he could solve the war in Ukraine in one day, has so far been unable to end the 3-1/2-year-old conflict that analysts say has left more than 1 million people dead or wounded. "I thought this was going to be one of the easier ones," Trump said on August 18. "It's actually one of the most difficult." Trump's views on how to best bring peace have swung from calling for a ceasefire to saying a deal could still be worked out while the fighting continued. He has threatened tariffs and sanctions against Putin, but then backed off them again after an Alaska summit where the two leaders appeared before backdrops that said "Pursuing Peace." Trump, who has sometimes criticized and sometimes supported Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, this week said the United States would help guarantee Ukraine's security in any deal. He subsequently said he had ruled out putting U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine, but the U.S. might provide air support to help end the hostilities. Europeans have worried that Trump might push Zelenskiy to accept a proposal from Putin that included significant territorial concessions by Kyiv and limited security guarantees from Washington. Despite talk of a possible meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy, there was no let-up in the fighting. Russia this week launched 270 drones and 10 missiles in an overnight attack on Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said, the largest this month. SOUTH KOREA AND NORTH KOREA Trump in June vowed to "get the conflict solved with North Korea." The U.S. president and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held three summits during Trump's 2017-2021 first term and exchanged a number of letters that Trump called "beautiful," before the unprecedented diplomatic effort broke down over U.S. demands that Kim give up his nuclear weapons. North Korea has surged ahead with more and bigger ballistic missiles, expanded its nuclear weapons facilities, and gained new support from its neighbors in the years since. In his second term Trump has acknowledged that North Korea is a "nuclear power." The White House said in June that Trump would welcome communications again with Kim. It has not responded to reports that Trump's initial efforts at communication with the North Korean leader have been ignored. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Fatos BytyciEditing by Colleen Jenkins and Alistair Bell) Shortly after Donald Trump brazenly declared himself a war hero on Tuesday despite famously never serving in the military former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger derided the presidents remarks before noting that his people are going to find a way to justify this. It didnt take long for Mark Levin to answer that challenge. YES, TRUMP IS A WAR HERO, the Fox News host who also serves on the presidents Homeland Security Advisory Council tweeted on Wednesday. It was on Levins radio show where the president delivered his self-declaration of heroism in battle, which was in the context of Trump and Levin an outspoken supporter of Israel lauding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Describing the Israeli leader as a good man who is in there fighting, Trump went on to praise Netanyahu as a war hero before bestowing that title upon himself. Fox News host Mark Levin says the president is right to call himself a war hero despite never serving in uniform. (AFP via Getty Images) Hes a war hero, cause we worked together, hes a war hero, Trump said while chuckling. I guess I am, too. Nobody cares, but I am, too. You know, I sent those planes. The president was referring to the United States joining Israel in its military air campaign against Iran in June, which resulted in American bombers striking three critical nuclear enrichment facilities. Throughout the interview, the president grumbled that he hadnt been given enough credit for the airstrikes which hes repeatedly claimed obliterated Irans nuclear capabilities or other foreign policy accomplishments. Let me educate the truly stupid in the grotesquely moronic media and their crackpot surrogates, since President Trump made the war hero comments on my radio show last evening, Levin posted on X amid criticism of Trumps claiming to be a war hero. Levin, who privately advised Trump to take military action against Iran and raged against MAGA critics of the airstrikes, went on to justify his position by citing past presidents and their achievements as commander-in-chief. There are lots of presidents who are war heroes who did not actually fight in a war. Reagan defeated the Soviet Union, the conservative pundit continued. War hero. FDR defeated the Axis powers. War hero. Lincoln won the Civil War. War hero. Trump destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities and everything with them -- which Bush 41 and 43, Clinton, Obama, and Biden said they would prevent, but failed to do. Trump stopped Iran's nuclear threat to the United States in its tracks. He gave the order. He is the commander-in-chief. War hero. Additionally, Levin also defended the presidents description of Netanyahu as a war hero. Unlike Trump, who never served in uniform, Netanyahu was a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces who fought in both the Yom Kippur War and the 1967-1970 War of Attrition, and was injured several times in combat. AND congratulations to President Trump for also recognizing Prime Minister Netanyahu as a war hero. He most certainly is, Levin blared on X. Now, back to the quislings and Hamas/Iran mouthpieces in the media and their crackpot surrogates. President Donald Trump referred to both himself and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as war heroes during a recent interview and sparked immediate backlash. (AFP via Getty Images) The International Criminal Court, meanwhile, has accused Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, issuing an arrest warrant for him and Israels former defense minister Yoav Gallant last November. Israel has slammed those allegations, and the United States has backed Netanyahu by imposing sanctions on several of the courts judges in retaliation. As for Trumps self-annointing himself as a war hero, Kinzinger who served in the Air National Guard and flew missions in Iraq and Afghanistan pointed out that the president declined the opportunity to don the uniform when he had the chance. You can like what hes done. Thats fine. I hope he gets a resolution in Ukraine, Kinzinger said Tuesday night during a CNN interview. But to put himself on the same level of people that have actually gone out and served this country, not claimed bone spurs, is an offense to anybody who served. Kinzinger was referencing the multiple deferments that Trump received during the Vietnam War, one of which was for having bone spurs while the others were for attending college. And frankly, you just take somebody that served, calling themselves a war hero, even that would be inappropriate. For a guy that never served to say it, its nuts, he added. But somebody, theyll defend it, theyll find a way. Beyond that, early in Trumps first campaign for president, he infamously mocked the late Sen. John McCains service during the Vietnam War, which saw the former Navy pilot held captive and tortured for nearly six years in the notorious prison camp known as the Hanoi Hilton. He's not a hero, Trump exclaimed in 2015, sparking intense backlash at the time. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people that werent captured, OK? I hate to tell you that. During his first term, Trump also came under fire after The Atlantic reported that during a 2018 trip to France, he scrapped plans to attend the commemoration for the 100th anniversary of World War I at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, fearing his hair would be mussed because of expected rain. Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers, Trump reportedly said, adding later that Marines who died in battle were suckers. While the president has repeatedly denied he said that, calling it disinformation and fake news, his then-chief of staff John Kelly a former commander of U.S. Southern Command who lost his son in Afghanistan insisted Trump did make those remarks. The government has agreed a new deal with Iraq to return illegal migrants. The deal, signed by Home Office minister Dan Jarvis, will set up a formal process to return Iraqis who have arrived in the UK with no right to stay in the country as part of wider moves to limit small boat crossings. It comes after an 800,000 deal last year with Baghdad to help the country crack down on smuggling networks and organised crime. Earlier this year Sir Keir Starmer and Iraqs prime minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani agreed to strengthen co-operation on migration. Mr Jarvis signed the agreement during a visit to the UK by Iraqs deputy foreign minister Faud Hussein. The Home Office said the accord would allow the swift return of illegal migrants. Home Office statistics said since previous deals, the number of Iraqis arriving in the UK by small boat has fallen to 1,900 in the year to March 2025, down from 2,600 in the previous year. Mr Jarvis said: By working together on security, development and migration challenges, we are building stronger relationships that benefit both our countries whilst tackling shared challenges like organised crime and irregular migration. The returns deal is the latest as part of the Home Offices policies to stop small boats crossing the channel. Similar agreements have already been made with Albania and Vietnam since Labour came into power. Home Office minister Dan Jarvis signed the deal (James Manning/PA) Another deal with France recently came into force, where small boat migrants who have arrived over the English Channel from the French coast can be returned to the country. The small boats migrant will then be exchanged for a legitimate asylum seeker in France who can demonstrate a genuine family link to the UK. The number has been capped, but it is hoped it will act as a deterrent to those crossing the Channel. The latest figures from the Home Office showed 116 migrants arrived aboard two small boats on August 15. Mr Jarvis said: This visit reinforces the strength of the UK-Iraq partnership and demonstrates our governments commitment to serious diplomacy that delivers real results. As someone who served in Iraq, I understand first-hand the importance of building enduring relationships in the region, and the new agreement we have signed is a testament to the trust and co-operation weve built with our Iraqi counterparts. However, the announcement was criticised by Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp. He said: Over 50,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel in Labours short time in power, the worst illegal immigration crisis in our history. Labour has surrendered our borders, and the consequences are being felt in our communities, from rising crime to shocking cases of rape and sexual assault by recent arrivals. Now they boast about a measly returns deal with Iraq, but barely any small boat arrivals are Iraqi, and most would qualify for asylum anyway. Its a sham designed to look tough while crossings keep soaring. Labour has scrapped Conservative deterrents and created the conditions for chaos, leaving the British people to foot the bill. Only the Conservatives will stop the crossings and restore control of Britains borders. Ricks College students had plenty of time to consider what classes to sign up for as they waited in line at registration last week. Classes at Ricks begin Monday, and registration continues through the week. Caption dated Aug. 29, 1977. | Courtesy Ricks College IDAHO FALLS EastIdahoNews.com is looking back at what life was like during the week of Aug. 18 to Aug. 24 in east Idaho history. 1900-1925 BLACKFOOT A man accidentally shot and killed his wife, The Bingham County News reported on Aug. 20, 1914. Mrs. A.T. Stewart, who lived near Blackfoot, along with her husband, planned to kill a chicken hawk that was reportedly annoying them. The husband said after dinner, he had his wife go to an adjoining room to grab some cartridges while he took down a single-barreled repeating shotgun that was hanging on the wall. He had taken two cartridges from the gun and thought there were no more, but as his wife entered the room from an unexpected direction with a box of cartridges, the gun discharged. She was struck in the breast and killed instantly. Dr. Davis and Ed. Thoreson arrived on the scene as soon as possible, only to find a dead woman and a broken-hearted husband. Coroner Peck was also notified and, after a thorough investigation of the premises and facts, found that the event was without a doubt accidental and deemed an inquest uncalled for. The bereaved and distracted husband has been absolutely exonerated and has the sympathy of the public, the article reads. Stewart, an Idaho native, was 30 years old at the time of her death. 1926-1950 RIGBY A young Rigby couple thought their baby had been kidnapped but it turned out the baby was actually being cared for by a stranger, The Rigby Star reported on Aug. 20, 1936. The couple left their 1 1/2-year-old baby sleeping in a parked car on Main Street while they went to a show. While the parents were away, the baby woke up and started crying. The repeated cries of the baby got the attention of people outside the car and they notified Officer Geo. Call. With the parents not around, the officer suggested the lady who had heard the cries take the baby and care for him at her nearby home until the parents arrived. This she gladly did and the little one immediately stopped crying, the paper wrote. At some point later, the parents returned to their car and when they opened the door, they saw their child was gone. They immediately sent in an alarm that their baby had been kidnapped and were much concerned, the article reads. The night officer did not immediately tell them of their baby being in safe hands and concluded to let them do a little worrying for such neglect. The baby was eventually returned safe and sound and quiet to his parents. Thats when the officer proceeded to give a lecture on the duty of parents to their children, one of which is not leaving a 1 1/2-year-old baby alone in a parked car. 1951-1975 BURLEY A 14-year-old Burley girl was credited with saving the life of a two-year-old girl who fell into an irrigation ditch, The Burley Herald reported on Aug. 20, 1953. Jeanette Neiwert was playing near the ditch with her three-year-old sister when she fell into the water and was pulled under a bridge. The sister ran across the road to the Wilson home screaming that her Jeanette had fallen into the ditch. Kenny Wilson, 14, who had recently completed a Red Cross swimming course at the Burley municipal swimming pool, swam under the bridge. Although he wasnt able to rescue the little girl, he ended up pulling moss loose from around her. This allowed her to float away from under the bridge. Charles Wilson, Kennys father, pulled the girl from the canal. She had been under the water for more than five minutes. Thats when Diane Wilson, Kennys sister and Charles daughter, came to the rescue. Diane began artificial respiration and sent for help from the fire department. The fire chief and two firefighters showed up and worked on the child with a resuscitator. Jeanette was eventually revived and a local doctor rushed her to the hospital. She had to be given more oxygen but the doctor said she would recover. Diane said she learned artificial respiration in her physical education classes at Burley High School in 1952. She said her teacher taught her a new method in which the resuscitator sits at the head rather than straddling the person being worked on. Diane was praised for her fast-action of applying artificial respiration to Jeanette. The doctor who cared for Jeanette said that if possible, someone should award a medal to Diane. 1976-2000 REXBURG Elementary students in Kansas raised funds to buy books for Rexburg children to replace the libraries lost in the Teton Dam flood, the Idaho Falls Post Register reported on Aug. 22, 1977. Kansas City students made it a Children of Kansas City to the children of Rexburg project. They made hundreds of items in 1976 such as sewing kits, book markers, spice hangers, piggy banks and cookbooks and sold them for .25 cents each to help purchase books. A check for $80 was given to Dr. Mary Hess, who was serving as president of the Idaho State Council of the International Reading Association when the flood waters hit. Hess presented the check to Mrs. Frank Jacobs, Madison County librarian, to buy childrens books for the new library that was under construction. After the flood, Hess brought blankets and clothing to Ricks College to give to the flood victims, but was told by one victim they also needed books for their children. Hess, who at that time was also head of the reading center at Ricks, went to her office and gathered childrens books for flood families. She then reached out to IRA councils throughout the world for assistance. More than 60 councils from throughout the world donated books, Hess said. More than 250 boxes of books were received containing more than 7,000 books. Over $700 in cash came from IRA councils for books. Schools and libraries in Utah also sent more than 35,000 books. The post Looking back: Man accidentally kills his wife and 14-year-old girl praised for reviving toddler appeared first on East Idaho News. [BBC] As President Donald Trump tries to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, he has been highlighting his track record in peace negotiations since starting his second term in office. Speaking at the White House on 18 August, where he was pressed by European leaders to push for a ceasefire, he claimed: "I've ended six wars all of these deals I made without even the mention of the word 'ceasefire'." The following day the number he cited had risen to "seven wars". The Trump administration says a Nobel Peace Prize is "well past time" for the "peacemaker-in-chief", and has listed the "wars" he has supposedly ended. Some lasted just days - although they were the result of long-standing tensions - and it is unclear whether some of the peace deals will last. Trump also used the word "ceasefire" a number of times when talking about them on his Truth Social platform. BBC Verify has taken a closer look at these conflicts and how much credit the president can take for ending them. Israel and Iran The 12-day conflict began when Israel hit targets in Iran on 13 June. Trump confirmed that he had been informed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the strikes. The US carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites - a move widely seen as bringing the conflict towards a swift close. On 23 June, Trump posted: "Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World." After the hostilities ended, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted his country had secured a "decisive victory" and did not mention a ceasefire. Israel has since suggested it could strike Iran again to counter new threats. "There is no agreement on a permanent peace or on how to monitor Iran's nuclear programme going forward," argues Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank. "So what we have is more of a de facto ceasefire than an end to war, but I'd give him some credit, as the weakening of Iran by Israel - with US help - has been strategically significant." Targets in Iran and Israel were hit during 12 days of conflict [AFP via Getty Images] Pakistan and India Tensions between these two nuclear-armed countries have existed for years, but in May hostilities broke out following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. After four days of strikes, Trump posted that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE". He said this was the result of "a long night of talks mediated by the United States". Pakistan thanked Trump and later recommended him for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his "decisive diplomatic intervention". India, however, played down talk of US involvement: "The talks regarding cessation of military action were held directly between India and Pakistan under the existing channels established between both militaries," Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo Long-standing hostilities between these two countries flared up after the M23 rebel group seized mineral-rich territory in eastern DR Congo earlier in the year. In June, the two countries signed a peace agreement in Washington aimed at ending decades of conflict. Trump said it would help increase trade between them and the US. The text called for "respect for the ceasefire" agreed between Rwanda and DRC in August 2024. Since the latest deal, both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire and the M23 rebels - which the UK and US have linked to Rwanda - have threatened to walk away from peace talks. "There's still fighting between Congo and Rwanda - so that ceasefire has never really held," says Margaret MacMillan, a professor of history who taught at the University of Oxford. Thailand and Cambodia On 26 July, Trump posted on Truth Social saying: "I am calling the Acting Prime Minister of Thailand, right now, to likewise request a Ceasefire, and END to the War, which is currently raging." A couple of days later, the two countries agreed to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" after less than a week of fighting at the border. Malaysia held the peace talks, but President Trump threatened to stop separate negotiations on reducing US tariffs (taxes on imports) unless Thailand and Cambodia stopped fighting. Both are heavily dependent on exports to the US. On 7 August, Thailand and Cambodia reached an agreement aimed at reducing tensions along their shared border. Armenia and Azerbaijan The leaders of both countries said Trump should receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in securing a peace deal, which was announced at the White House on 8 August. "I think he gets good credit here - the Oval Office signing ceremony may have pushed the parties to peace," says Mr O'Hanlon. In March, the two governments had said they were ready to end their nearly 40-year conflict centred on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. The most recent, serious outbreak of fighting was in September 2023 when Azerbaijan seized the enclave (where many ethnic Armenians lived). Egypt and Ethiopia There was no "war" here for the president to end, but there have long been tensions over a dam on the River Nile. Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was completed this summer with Egypt arguing that the water it gets from the Nile could be affected. After 12 years of disagreement, Egypt's foreign minister said on 29 June that talks with Ethiopia had ground to a halt. Trump said: "If I were Egypt, I'd want the water in the Nile." He promised that the US was going to resolve the issue very quickly. Egypt welcomed Trump's words, but Ethiopian officials said they risked inflaming tensions. No formal deal has been reached between Egypt and Ethiopia to resolve their differences. Serbia and Kosovo On 27 June, Trump claimed to have prevented an outbreak of hostilities between them, saying: "Serbia, Kosovo was going to go at it, going to be a big war. I said you go at it, there's no trade with the United States. They said, well, maybe we won't go at it." The two countries have long been in dispute - a legacy of the Balkan wars of the 1990s with tensions rising in recent years. "Serbia and Kosovo haven't been fighting or firing at each other, so it's not a war to end," Prof MacMillan told us. The White House pointed us towards Trump's diplomatic efforts in his first term. The two countries signed economic normalisation agreements in the Oval Office with the president in 2020, but they were not at war at the time. Additional reporting by Peter Mwai, Shruti Menon and Eve Webster. [BBC] What do you want BBC Verify to investigate? By Sam Tobin LONDON (Reuters) -Hundreds of fans turned out to support a member of Irish rap group Kneecap on Wednesday at a London court as he sought to throw out a terrorism charge for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who was initially charged under the Anglicised name Liam O'Hanna and whose stage name is Mo Chara, is alleged to have waved the yellow flag of Hezbollah during a Kneecap gig in London on November 21, 2024. O hAnnaidh is accused of holding up the flag on stage while saying "Up Hamas, up Hezbollah". Kneecap have said the flag was thrown on stage during their performance. The 27-year-old was charged in May under the Terrorism Act, which makes it a criminal offence to display an article in a way which arouses reasonable suspicion that someone is a supporter of a proscribed organisation. O hAnnaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday wearing the keffiyeh scarf associated with the Palestinian cause and had to fight his way through a scrum of photographers to get inside the building. He sat alongside an Irish language interpreter during the hearing and his bandmates Naoise O Caireallain, stage name Moglai Bap, and J.J. O Dochartaigh, who goes by DJ Provai, were also in court, with supporters filling the public gallery. RULING NEXT MONTH Irish music was played outside the court throughout the hearing, with many supporters waving Irish and Palestinian flags while others held placards reading "Free Mo Chara". O hAnnaidh's lawyers say the charge was brought too late and the prosecution case should be thrown out, as O hAnnaidh was formally charged on May 22 this year, one day after the six-month limit for such charges. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove, however, argued that O hAnnaidh was charged on May 21, within the time limit. Judge Paul Goldspring said he would give a decision on September 26. O hAnnaidh left the court to cheers from supporters, telling the crowd the charge against him was "a distraction from the real story" of Israel's actions in the Palestinian territories. Belfast-based Kneecap, who rap in Irish and English and regularly display pro-Palestinian messages during their gigs, previously said the charge was an attempt to silence them. The group who rap about Irish identity and support the republican cause of uniting Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland have been increasingly vocal about the war in Gaza since O hAnnaidh was charged. Kneecap led a 30,000-strong crowd at the Glastonbury Festival in June in chants against Prime Minister Keir Starmer and accused Israel of committing war crimes in its conflict with Hamas in Gaza, an accusation Israel denies. (Reporting by Sam Tobin; additional reporting by Hannah McKay;Editing by Kate Holton, Mark Heinrich and Helen Popper) By Mark Trevelyan (Reuters) -Nineteen Nobel prize winners have signed an open letter urging U.S. President Donald Trump to keep up pressure to secure the release of as many as 1,300 people imprisoned in Belarus on political grounds. The letter thanks Trump, who raised the issue in a phone call last week with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and urges him to do more. "We respectfully urge you to continue your active efforts to secure the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience in Belarus. Their freedom will not only restore justice to individuals but also open the path toward reconciliation and dialogue," it said. The signatories included Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias, literature laureates Svetlana Alexievich and Herta Mueller, and 16 winners of the prizes for physics, chemistry, medicine and economics. They also called for the dropping of politically motivated prosecutions in order to facilitate the return of Belarusians who fled abroad en masse when Lukashenko crushed huge street protests over a disputed election in 2020. Trump's surprise intervention last Friday came hours after Dmitry Bolkunets, an exiled Belarusian opposition activist, emailed the U.S. president to ask him to raise the issue of the Belarusian prisoners at his summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Lukashenko is a close ally of Putin. "We intend to nominate you for the Nobel Peace Prize should you help secure the release of Belarusian political prisoners," Bolkunets wrote in the email. Trump, who claims credit for resolving six wars, has made no secret of his desire to win the award. Later the same day, while en route to the Alaska summit, he posted on social media that he had held "a wonderful talk with the highly respected President of Belarus" in which he had thanked Lukashenko for freeing 16 people and discussed the release of 1,300 more. He said he also looked forward to meeting Lukashenko, who for years has been ostracised by Western countries over his human rights record and backing for Russia's war in Ukraine. Bolkunets said he had no doubt that Trump's decision to contact Lukashenko was a spontaneous response to his email, which was copied to several of the president's advisers. "Literally within 1-2 hours, the call took place," he said, also noting that Trump had used the same figure for the number of prisoners that he had stated in the email. "Now, Lukashenko is in a position where refusing the U.S. president would be extremely disadvantageous for him. Therefore, it is likely that he will try to somehow expedite the release process... The key here is to ensure that this focus is not lost or diluted," Bolkunets told Reuters. Since mid-2024, Belarus has released several hundred people convicted of "extremism" and other politically related offences, in what analysts see as a bid by Lukashenko to ease his isolation from the West. Lukashenko denies there are any political prisoners in the country. (Reporting by Mark TrevelyanEditing by Christina Fincher) MChe Lee | Unsplash (The Center Square) Many students across Pennsylvania began school on Tuesday, though the state funding that supports them did not follow. Thats because the state spending plan is nearly three months overdue, leaving schools, safety net programs, transportation services and higher education institutions filling the gap with no end in sight. In a letter sent to school districts and shared with The Center Square, the Shapiro administration said that although the delay is concerning, it will work expeditiously to funnel money once approved. Negotiations are continuing and the dialogue is respectful and productive, Budget Secretary Uri Monson said. However, finding agreement can be slow moving and we have not yet come to final agreement on these critically important issues. At stake is $1.7 billion for basic and special education funding; $40 million for preschool programs that could delay enrollment; and $14 million for libraries, among other shortfalls. Its not the first time the state budget has been late. Since Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro took office three years ago, the Legislature has yet to approve a spending plan by the June 30 deadline. In 2023, Shapiros first year in office, parts of the budget werent finished until December. The following year, the governor signed off on July 12. This time around, however, the Democratic majority House of Representatives and Republican majority Senate have been at odds over Shapiros demand for $300 million more to support mass transit services. The issue is especially relevant for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, which will raise fares and cut services next month to keep the system afloat. SEPTA serves 800,000 residents daily across Philadelphia and its surrounding counties. Democrats, backed by Shapiro, want to divert revenue from the states sales tax to pay for the increased support. Republicans are wary of the plan, preferring to dip into the $2.4 billion Transportation Trust Fund. On Aug. 12, the Senate returned to Harrisburg after a six-week break to pass its version, as well as a $47 billion budget meant to level-fund most of state government while leaders negotiate the contested aspects. The House called it a nonstarter. Its far from the $51.5 billion Shapiro said he wanted to spend in February, which House Democrats later approved. Since then, the Republican-majority Senate has said the proposal is dead on arrival. Neither chamber plans to reconvene until September. SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met on Tuesday with the heads of some of the country's biggest conglomerates, including Samsung and Hyundai Motor, who will accompany Lee for his summit next week with U.S. President Donald Trump, Lee's office said. Lee and Trump will hold their first summit meeting in Washington on August 25 to discuss strengthening the countries' alliance and economic security partnership, including advancing a partnership in the manufacturing sector based on a tariff deal reached last month, Lee's office said previously. Trump said last month the U.S. would charge a 15% tariff on South Korean imports as part of a deal to avoid even higher levies, while Seoul would invest $350 billion in the United States. Uncertainties remain, however, since there was no written agreement, including over how the fund might work in practice and whether defence costs are brought in, given how Trump has long called for Seoul to pay more for U.S. troop presence. The business leaders meeting Lee on Tuesday represented industries seen as key to negotiating manufacturing ties with the U.S., coming from sectors such as chips, shipbuilding, automobiles, defence, pharmaceuticals and energy. The meeting was "to discuss ways to maximise economic performance at the South Korea-U.S. summit and listen to Korean companies' investment and purchase plans in the U.S.," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told a briefing. Kang said shipbuilding cooperation with the U.S. was discussed during the meeting, but declined to elaborate. Officials in Seoul have previously stated that a key component of the tariff deal is a partnership worth about $150 billion to help rebuild the ailing U.S. shipbuilding industry. Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and executives from businesses such as Hyundai Motor Group, Hanwha Group and others attended ahead of the trip to Washington, the Yonhap News Agency said. Lee thanked the business leaders for their assistance in reaching the tariff deal with the U.S. and asked them to produce a lot of practical results when they accompany the president to meet Trump in Washington, Lee's office said. (Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Ed Davies) (Reuters) -Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company's new six-seat Model Y variant, launched in China this week, might never enter production in the United States, citing the rise of self-driving vehicles. The Model Y L, built at Tesla's Shanghai factory, features a longer wheelbase and three rows of seats, and is priced at around $47,200. It went on sale in China on Tuesday, where Tesla faces mounting competition from domestic EV makers such as BYD and Xiaomi. "This variant of the Model Y doesn't start production in the US until the end of next year," Musk said in a response to a post from an X user. "Might not ever, given the advent of self-driving in America." Musk did not elaborate on how the rise of autonomous driving would negate the need for a six-seater vehicle. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Gas-powered SUVs with three rows have long been popular among American families. However, making profitable three-row EVs is still a challenging business for automakers. Recent policy changes by the Trump administration are also set to make electric vehicles more expensive, prompting automakers to focus more on smaller, cheaper variants. Tesla is also preparing to launch a cheaper Model Y variant, likely with fewer premium features, later this year, which Musk has described as "just a Model Y". Tesla has increasingly shifted focus in the U.S. to its robotaxi ambitions. The company launched a limited robotaxi service in Austin in June and aims to scale operations to half of U.S. population by the end of this year. Musk told investors last year that building traditional vehicles would be "pointless" in a self-driving future. Next year, Tesla is set to start production of the Cybercab, a dedicated two-seater robotaxi model without a steering wheel and pedals. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Editing by Anil D'Silva) Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., during an immigration hearing on June 25, 2025. House Judiciary Committee | Youtube (The Center Square) One Wisconsin lawmaker is asking the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewas to reimburse the town of Lac du Flambeau more than $600,000 after what he calls an illegal shakedown related to payments for the use of roads on the reservation. Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany, 7th Congressional, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi asking for the return of the payments, which he called extortion, as the tribe charged monthly installments in an attempt to regain access to four roadways that the tribe had roadblocked. The tribe had asked for $20 million from the town for access. A federal judge recently ruled that the roads be opened for public use and that the 50 non-tribal landowners could use the roads. The roads were blocked Jan. 31, 2023, cutting off access until the town began monthly payments to the tribe. I am asking the Department of Justice to investigate this matter and seek compensation from the tribal government to reimburse the town, Tiffany wrote. Not only did the town hand over in excess of $600,000 as part of this illegal shakedown, it also incurred significant legal expenses and administrative costs associated with responding to the actions of tribal leaders and the Biden administrations BIA. Lac du Flambeau has a population of 3,000 and was heavily impacted by the payments, Tiffany said, stating in the letter the town saw its finances pushed to the absolute limit by the unlawful standoff created by the reckless and irresponsible actions of the tribal government. Tiffany said that he believes the tribe should be held accountable. Tiffany has been considering a run for Wisconsin governor but has not yet declared he is entering the race. By Nandita Bose and Max A. Cherney WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is looking into the federal government taking equity stakes in computer chip manufacturers that receive CHIPS Act funding to build factories in the country, two sources said. Expanding on a plan to receive an equity stake in Intel in exchange for cash grants, a White House official and a person familiar with the situation said Lutnick is exploring how the U.S. can receive equity stakes in exchange for CHIPS Act funding for companies such as Micron, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Samsung. Much of the funding has not yet been dispersed. Aside from Intel, memory chipmaker Micron is the biggest U.S. recipient of CHIPS Act cash. TSMC declined comment. Micron, Samsung and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that Lutnick was working on a deal with Intel to take a 10% government stake. "The president wants to put America's needs first, both from a national security and economic perspective, and it's a creative idea that has never been done before," she told reporters. While Lutnick said earlier on CNBC that the U.S. does not want to tell Intel how to run its operations, any investment would be unprecedented and ramps up a new era of U.S. influence on the big companies. In the past, the U.S. has taken stakes in companies to provide cash and build confidence in times of economic upheaval and uncertainty. In a similar move earlier this year, Trump approved Nippon Steel's purchase of U.S. Steel after being promised a "golden share" that would prevent the companies from reducing or delaying promised investments, transferring production or jobs outside the U.S., or closing or idling plants before certain time frames, without the president's consent. The two sources said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also involved in the CHIPS Act discussions, but that Lutnick is driving the process. The Commerce Department oversees the $52.7 billion CHIPS Act, formally known as the CHIPS and Science Act. The act provides funding for research and grants for building chip plants in the U.S. Lutnick has been pushing the equity idea, the sources said, adding that Trump likes the idea. The U.S. Commerce Department late last year finalized subsidies of $4.75 billion for Samsung, $6.2 billion for Micron and $6.6 billion for TSMC to produce semiconductors in the U.S. In June, Lutnick said the department was re-negotiating some of former President Joe Biden's grants to semiconductor firms, calling them "overly generous". He noted at the time that Micron offered to increase its spending on chip plants in the U.S. (Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington and Max Cherney in San Francisco; additional reporting by David Shepardson and Alexandra Alper in Washington and Milana Vinn in New York; writing by Chris Sanders; Editing by David Gregorio) A Peruvian woman has been arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine and ecstasy into Bali hidden inside a sex toy and her underwear. The 42-year-old woman, identified by authorities only by the initials NS, arrived at the international airport in Bali from Qatar on 12 August, where she was stopped by customs officials. "The customs officers suspected her behaviour, and after consulting with the police, they did a further check on her," Bali police narcotics unit director Radiant, identified by only his first name, said at a press conference. Upon searching the woman, officers say they found 1.4kg of cocaine and 43 ecstasy pills worth a combined $70,000 (52,000) hidden about her person, including inside a sex toy and in her underwear. "The narcotics were hidden in six plastic packages wrapped in black duct tape inside a green bra, three similar packages in black underwear, and a sex toy containing drugs, which was inserted into her body," Mr Radiant said, according to BBC News. A Peruvian woman identified only as NS, center, who was arrested on accusation of smuggling cocaine into the resort island of Bali (AP) The Peruvian national told law enforcement said she was hired by a man who she met on dark web in April, and told to transport the drugs into Indonesia. She was promised $20,000 in return, said the officer. The woman took a flight from Barcelona to Indonesia, with a layover at Doha, before arriving in Bali on 12 August. She has been charged under Indonesias stringent narcotics laws and could face a maximum punishment of the death penalty. The southeast Asian nation has some of the worlds harshest laws around drug smuggling. About 530 people, including 96 foreigners, are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, the latest figures from the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections show. The countrys last executions, of an Indonesian and three foreigners, were carried out in July 2016. In 2015, two members of the so-called Bali nine group of convicted drug smugglers from Australia were executed by firing squad, after the group were arrested in 2005 attempting to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia. Earlier this year British man Thomas Parker was sentenced to 10 months in prison in Bali for drug offences, after being arrested for collecting a package that contained 1kg of MDMA. And last month, three British nationals narrowly avoided the death penalty after they were found guilty of smuggling cocaine disguised as packets of Angel Delight into Indonesia. North Korea wired an agent $2M to smuggle weapons, tech and disguises out of California North Korean agents paid a Chinese national $2 million to smuggle U.S. weapons and technology that were to be used for a surprise attack on South Korea, federal prosecutors said Aug. 19. Shenghua Wen, a 42-year-old undocumented immigrant living outside Los Angeles, was sentenced to eight years in prison for the scheme, the Department of Justice announced. He was tapped by North Korean handlers to export guns, ammo, sensitive technologies and eventually disguises, court papers show. Wen smuggled three shipping containers of guns and ammunition to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) before he was caught, prosecutors said. "Wens crimes jeopardized the national security of the United States and that of its ally, South Korea," prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum in the Central District of California. "Defendants conduct was bold, and the purpose of his mission was alarming. According to defendant, he was charged with procuring the weapons and sensitive technology for North Korea so North Korea could prepare for a surprise attack against South Korea." In addition to the three shipping containers worth of arms, Wen planned to send 60,000 bullets and sensitive technologies, including a device to identify chemical threats, a thermal imaging device to be mounted on aircraft and an engine meant to be the precursor for a North Korean drone program, according to court papers. The North Korean asset also planned to send military uniforms that the DPRK could use to disguise troops sent into South Korea, prosecutors said. Wens sentencing comes after he pleaded guilty on June 9 to acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government and conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which regulates trade with nations hostile to the United States. DPRK handlers paid Wen around $2 million for the scheme, which dates back to 2022 when he was first contacted online by North Korean officials, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. In a letter to the judge, Wens lawyers said the Chinese national accepted responsibility for what he had done. "Mr. Wen is truly a book that is not best judged by its cover," his public defender, Michael L. Brown II, wrote. "The offense conduct suggests that he is someone sophisticated and bold as the government claims when in reality he was a lowly agent, without much agency, in desperate financial straights when he committed the offense conduct." Wens lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment. A surprise attack in the making Wen came to the United States in 2012 on a student visa, according to prosecutors. His lawyers said he was seeking asylum after Chinese authorities had persecuted him for practicing Catholicism, which has been outlawed to varying degrees in communist China. Prosecutors say he was already planning to become a North Korean asset at that point. Wen told the FBI in interviews that before moving to the United States, he met with DPRK handlers at a North Korean embassy in China, court papers show. North Korean officials contacted Wen online about 10 years later, provided him the money for a Federal Firearms License to allow him to deal arms and the California-based DPRK asset began making trips to Texas to buy guns. Wen exported the weapons from Long Beach, near LA. He told U.S. authorities he was shipping a refrigerator, court papers show. He "admitted that he believed the North Korean government wanted the weapons, ammunition, and other military-related equipment to prepare for an attack against South Korea," prosecutors said. Investigators also found many images on his phone of U.S. military uniforms. Prosecutors said the photos were related to a plan to provide North Korean troops with disguises for the eventual attack. U.S. arms in foreign hands Wens case is just the latest in international arms dealers making use of the American firearms market. The top five weapons manufacturers in the world as of 2023 were all American companies, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Lockheed Martins $60.8 million revenue was greater than the top three Chinese companies combined. But American firearms have a way of making it into the hands of the nations adversaries, from North Korean soldiers to cartels south of the border in Mexico. The FBI regularly catches foreign nationals in the United States exporting arms to places around the world that American authorities consider hostile. In March, federal officials charged a pair of men in Cleveland in connection with an operation to sell around 90 rifles and a machine gun to undercover agents posing as cartel members. Mexico sued U.S. gun manufacturers over the avalanche of American guns that wind up south of the border, although the Supreme Court eventually ruled against the U.S. neighbor. In April 2024, the DOJ charged a pair of foreign businessmen with conspiring to send anti-aircraft rounds, grenade launchers and automatic rifles to Iraq and Sudan. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LA Gun smuggler sentenced for arming North Korea for surprise attack Ingrid Lewis-Martin, New York City Mayor Eric Adams' former chief adviser who remains a volunteer on his reelection campaign, will appear in court Thursday to face additional charges, her lawyer said. The lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said the Manhattan District Attorney's Office declined to provide details about the new charges. Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images - PHOTO: Ingrid Lewis-Martin appears at a news conference on Dec. 16, 2024, in New York. "Despite a lifetime of service as a law-abiding public servant, Ingrid is being forced to enter court with little information. What she does know is this: she has always served the City with integrity, and she will firmly plead not guilty to every charge," Aidala said in a statement. "While the specifics remain unclear, Ingrid is certain of one thing -- she has broken no laws, and she is not guilty. We will be requesting an expedited trial schedule." Adams, who is trying to revive a lagging reelection campaign, is not expected to be charged with any wrongdoing and a spokesperson said the new charges against Lewis-Martin have nothing to do with him. "Mayor Adams was not involved in this matter and has not been accused of or implicated in any wrongdoing. He remains focused on what has always been his priority -- serving the 8.5 million New Yorkers who call this city home and making their city safer and more affordable every single day," the spokesperson said. "Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration." MORE: Ingrid Lewis-Martin, NYC Mayor Eric Adams' former chief adviser, surrenders on criminal charges Lewis-Martin was previously charged, along with her son, Glenn Martin II, with taking $100,000 in bribes from two businessmen in exchange for official favors. Both pleaded not guilty. Three other individuals with ties to Adams are also expected to face charges on Thursday, according to sources: Jesse Hamilton, a former state senator and current deputy commissioner of real estate services, and Gina and Tony Argento, Brooklyn business owners and donors to Adams. Attorney information for Hamilton and the Argentos was not immediately available. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the New York City Department of Investigation had no comment on their charges or the new charges against Lewis-Martin. Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images - PHOTO: Mayor Eric Adams attends the New York State Financial Control Board Annual Meeting at Governor's office, Aug. 13, 2025, in New York City. Two real estate investors, Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi, were also charged with bribery in the case involving Lewis-Martin and her son. They have pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors accused of engaging in a $100,000 bribery scheme while Lewis-Martin was in office. She resigned from her position days before surrendering on bribery and money laundering charges in December 2024. Vaid and Dwivedi are accused of paying Glenn Martin II $100,000 months after Lewis-Martin allegedly performed favors for the two men, including helping them with issues relating to construction permits and a family member's visa, according to the indictment. Lewis-Martin's son allegedly used the money to buy a Porsche, prosecutors said. MORE: Timeline of how Eric Adams' bribery case led to resignations of federal prosecutors The case is separate from federal corruption charges that were brought and then subsequently dropped against Adams. The mayor was indicted last year in the Southern District of New York on five counts in an alleged long-standing conspiracy connected to improper benefits, illegal campaign contributions and an attempted cover-up. The Department of Justice moved to dismiss the charges, prompting the resignation of several top prosecutors. In April, a federal judge dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be revived. The Justice Department sought to have the case dismissed to free up Adams to cooperate with the mayor's immigration agenda, though it wanted the case dismissed without prejudice, meaning it could be brought again. Editor's Note: This story has been updated. Police are probing whether a gun-toting migrant killed trying to rob an off-duty NYPD cop was part of the same moped crew that shot a border patrol agent last month, sources told The Post. Lahione Soto, 30, an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic, was shot dead around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, about a month after another Dominican migrant was charged with shooting an off-duty Customs and Border Patrol agent in the face during an attempted robbery, seriously wounding him. Theyre investigating whether its part of that group, a law-enforcement source said Monday, noting both crimes involved the same robbery pattern, geographic area and M.O. Theyre obviously looking to see if theyre part of that same robbery pattern involving the CBP agent shot, the source said. Armed moped-riding criminal Lahione Soto, 30, was shot and killed while trying to rob an off-duty NYPD cop in Manhattan on Sunday, police said. lahionesoto/Insagram This handgun belonged to the illegal migrant who was shot and killed by the cop. Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, a 21-year-old illegal immigrant with a rap sheet, was charged with shooting the federal agent during a robbery attempt in Fort Washington Park in Manhattan on July 15 and was wounded when the border cop returned fire. On Sunday, Soto was in the midst of a two-wheeled robbery spree in The Bronx and northern Manhattan when police said he pulled a gun on the off-duty NYPD cop at West 173rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue. The cop pulled out his weapon and fired, killing Soto while his accomplice sped away. How The Post told the story of the illegal immigrant charged with shooting off-duty federal border agent in the face during a botched robbery last month. A US border patrol agent is shot and wounded by illegal immigrants in Manhattan last month. Soto had crossed the US border illegally in El Paso, Texas, in June last year. Mora was caught sneaking into the country in April 2023, officials said. Moped robbery crews began terrorizing the Big Apple after thousands of migrants from the US border began flooding into the five boroughs after 2022, authorities say. The influx allowed the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to establish a foothold in the city, including by dispatching crews of armed moped-riding crooks to pull off heists, typically in pairs. NYPD at the scene on Sunday at West 173rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue. William Miller The NYPD responds to the scene of Sunday nights shooting of an illegal immigrant during a botched robbery in Washington Heights. William Miller The number of serious moped-related crimes then plummeted around the beginning of this year thanks to what law-enforcement sources call the Trump Effect or President Trumps crackdown on illegal immigrants after taking office. According to police statistics, there were 461 major crimes involving mopeds or scooters in the city between December 2020 and April 20, 2021. That number jumped to 792 for the same period in 2022 and skyrocketed to 1,626 in 2023 and 1,785 last year, respectively. As of April 20 this year, the number for the same time frame was at 166. But the numbers are on the rise again with the groups back to feeling emboldened and moving uptown and striking such as in the case of the CPB agent and the off-duty NYPD cop, sources said. For moped robberies alone, there have been 380 from January through Aug. 17 this year, the NYPD said. Thats compared to 449 for the same period last year and 334 in 2023, the department said. Colorado authorities are looking for a man who allegedly stabbed a ranger in a state park and fled the scene. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said the ranger was struck in the torso on Aug. 19 at Staunton State Park, located about 40 miles from Denver. Per CBS News, KDVR, and The Denver Post, the victim told emergency dispatch that he had an altercation with the attacker at about 9:30 a.m. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office public information officer Jacki Kelley told reporters there was "radio silence for quite a while" before the ranger called again to say he was stabbed and provided the description of the man. The ranger, who was struck in the torso, was transported via airlift and underwent surgery at a nearby hospital, the outlets reported. Authorities described the suspect as a 200-pound white man with brown hair in his 30s who was wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans. He reportedly ran into the woods of the national park. More news: Texas man arrested for shooting at teenagers doing 'ding, dong, ditch' 'Targeted attack' Law enforcement officials from several agencies conducted air and ground searches for the suspect at large, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Facebook. A shelter-in-place was initially in effect in the area, but it was lifted by the evening on Aug. 19. "We have reason to believe this was a targeted attack and there is no ongoing threat to the community," the sheriff's office posted. Two people who were deemed "persons of interest" were cleared of any involvement, officials said. A notice on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website says Staunton State Park is currently closed "due to law enforcement activity." USA TODAY reached out to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for more information. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranger stabbed at Staunton State Park in Colorado, suspect on the run Fox News Steve Doocy and Paula Deen on 'Fox & Friends' NEED TO KNOW Paula Deen appeared on Fox & Friends ahead of a new documentary about her life The former Food Network star said she "would not have survived" without support from her fans following her 2013 firing as a result of her admission to using a racial slur Canceled: The Paula Deen Story premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival in September Paula Deen got candid about past struggles during a new appearance on Fox & Friends. The former Food Network stars television appearance comes ahead of Canceled: The Paula Deen Story, a documentary premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September that examines the scandal that shattered her multimillion-dollar empire more than a decade ago. Deen was on the Food Network for 11 years before she was fired in 2013, as a result of her admission to using a racial slur in a sworn deposition. The deposition was part of a lawsuit filed by Lisa Jackson, a former manager of one of Paulas restaurants, Uncle Bubbas Seafood and Oyster House. A federal judge in Georgia dismissed the lawsuit after a settlement was reached. During the Aug. 20 segment with host Steve Doocy filmed in her kitchen in Savannah, Ga., Deen, 78, reflected on her life, including a 20-year battle with agoraphobia. I self-diagnosed myself after watching The Phil Donahue Show, with these people that couldnt leave their house, she recalled in the interview, which aired on Wednesday, Aug. 20. And I considered what I would call a functioning sometimes-agoraphobic. Youre so afraid someones going to hurt you, she said. I had lost my daddy when he was just 40. He was the star of my life. And then my mother, my best friend, I lost her at 44, four years later. I had a 16-year-old brother to try to finish raising and I had two babies under 3. Deen welcomed two sons with her first husband, Jimmy Deen: Jamie, born in 1967, and Bobby, born in 1970. She has been married to her second husband, Michael Groover, since 2004. Fox News Steve Doocy and Paula Deen on 'Fox & Friends' One morning, she said woke up and had an epiphany that inspired her to turn a corner. The Serenity Prayer went through my head, and I said, Girl, you are so stupid. Thats what youre supposed to be asking God for, to be able to accept the serenity to accept the things you couldnt change, the courage to change the things that you could, and dear lord, please give me the sense to know the difference between those two things. Doocy then said the story was part of Paulas upcoming documentary, which prompted her to share her feelings on the film. My children and I were a little leery at first, she revealed. But then we decided let me tell you something, Steve. I thought I was going to die of a broken heart. And I said I couldnt let myself fall back into that terrible [agoraphobia]. But I had, like, 5 and a half, 6 million people come in on my Facebook and put their arms around me. And without yall, I would not have survived. Deen has lost various partnerships in the wake of her controversy, but has since made other television appearances. Daniel Boczarski/Getty Paula Deen attends the 11th Annual Unbridled Eve Kentucky Derby Gala at The Galt House Hotel on May 3, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2015, she joined the cast of Dancing with the Stars as a contestant for the shows 21st season. In 2018, she returned cooking television with Positively Paula, which aired for two seasons on RFD-TV and in syndication around the country. Earlier this month, Deen announced that two of her eateries including her "flagship restaurant" had closed. On Aug. 1, she revealed on both Facebook and her official website that the Lady & Sons, her decades-old Savannah restaurant, and her nearby restaurant, The Chicken Box, had both shuttered. "Hey, yall, my sons and I made the heartfelt decision that Thursday, July 31st, was the last day of service for The Lady & Sons and The Chicken Box. Thank you for all the great memories and for your loyalty over the past 36 years," Paula wrote in a statement, also signed by Jamie and Bobby. "We have endless love and gratitude for every customer who has walked through our doors. We are equally grateful to our incredible staff past and present whose hard work, care, and hospitality made The Lady & Sons what it was. Savannah will always be our home, and well always be here to support our wonderful community." Paula added that shed now be focusing on her four Paula Deens Family Kitchen locations in Pigeon Forge, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, and Branson. "Were excited to continue visiting these restaurants regularly, starting with Branson on August 8th," she wrote. Read the original article on People When the FBI fired five veteran agents earlier this month, Director Kash Patel offered no explanation. Shock at the firings has continued to reverberate through the storied agency. And now, details are emerging about the possible motivation, several sources close to the agents tell CBS News. "There is a despicable purge underway of senior FBI officials, all of whom have risen in their careers as nonpartisan, and who have been targeted for vindictive, political purposes," said Mark Zaid, a whistleblower attorney who represents a number of federal workers dismissed under President Trump. Without any public comment from FBI or Justice Department officials, the agents, including Brian Driscoll, who served for a short time as acting director at the start of the Trump administration, and Steven Jensen, head of the powerful Washington field office, were summarily fired and given little explanation for their removal. None had reached retirement age, meaning the abrupt dismissals will deprive them of their full pensions. One agent's expulsion came a month after his wife died of cancer. CBS News spoke with multiple sources close to the agents for this story. All of those interviewed spoke on the condition they not be identified for fear of retribution. By outward appearances, former acting FBI director was in good standing Some of the agents may have been targeted solely because they worked on one or more of the criminal investigations of Mr. Trump, while others who were ousted in an earlier spate of firings worked on the Biden administration's Jan. 6 investigations, sources close to the agents said. But the most senior agent, Driscoll, by outward appearances, was in good standing with Patel. Brian Driscoll, former acting FBI director. / Credit: FBI Driscoll, a highly decorated agent who took part in numerous daring counterterrorism operations, began his short stint as acting director with what many agents viewed as a singular act of bravery, resisting calls from a top Trump appointee at the Justice Department to turn over the names of FBI employees who had participated in the Jan. 6 investigation. Nevertheless, Patel kept Driscoll on after his Senate confirmation, putting him in a high-profile post as head of the bureau's Critical Incident Response Group, which oversees the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team and its aviation unit. Jensen, a veteran agent who helped oversee the Jan. 6 investigation from his position as chief of the FBI's domestic terrorism section, was given a significant promotion by Patel to be the assistant director in charge of the Washington Field Office, one of the largest outposts in the country. One source with knowledge of the matter told CBS News that Patel relied on both agents and particularly admired Driscoll, whom he viewed as a swashbuckling tactical operator. Another said that the FBI director opposed some of the firings. "I think Kash tried to save these people, honestly," the source said. Yet there are also some indications that both men may have crossed FBI leadership over loyalty and personnel matters. Some agents suspect political interference Zaid is part of a team of lawyers preparing to sue the federal government on behalf of some of the fired FBI agents. He told CBS News he suspects outside political interference. "If you look at Patel's testimony from his confirmation hearing when he promised the committee there would be no politicization or retribution at the FBI under his leadership," Zaid told CBS News, "you have to conclude that he was either lying or, giving him the benefit of the doubt, that he was directed to take these actions, and that could only come from the White House or the Justice Department." Patel promised senators during that hearing, "There will be no retributive actions taken by any FBI, should I be confirmed as FBI director." Democrats on Capitol Hill see the firings as baldly political and damaging to U.S. national security. Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement to CBS News that he believes agents should be commended for their ability to enforce the law impartially. "When we start purging agents for doing their jobs, instead of toeing a partisan line, we weaken our defense against everything from violent crime to foreign threats, and that makes us all less safe," Warner said. When asked who ordered the termination of the agents, the FBI declined to comment. A White House official deferred to the FBI to discuss bureau personnel matters. "The suspendables" There are other factors that have led some sources close to the agents and lawyers representing them to question whether the abrupt removals were the result of outside political interference, possibly by the White House. One question surrounds the role of a small band of right-leaning former agents who clashed with FBI leadership under directors James Comey and Christopher Wray and have been vocal critics of a bureau they believe was "weaponized" against them. Among them is Kyle Seraphin, one of several former FBI agents and whistleblowers who were suspended or had their security clearances revoked for alleged misconduct during the Biden administration. The former agents, including Seraphin, have referred to themselves as "the suspendables." They have been targeting FBI officials they believe to be politically motivated. Seraphin has been among the most outspoken and effective members of the group. He has at times been critical of Patel for not aggressively and swiftly cleaning house at the bureau, but he has also had Patel's ear. Sources say he exercises considerable influence from his social media perch on X and his podcast, "The Kyle Seraphin Show." Seraphin has publicly claimed some of the credit for last week's purge. On Aug. 4, he posted a thread on X under the heading "VETTING CRISIS CONTINUES," in which he identified one of the fired agents, Christopher M. Meyer. Meyer had been serving as one of the pilots of the governmental planes used by Patel until he was notified of his termination. Seraphin had publicly speculated that Meyer had previously been on a squad based in the Washington Field Office that investigated Mr. Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents and conducted a search of Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The Justice Department brought criminal charges against Mr. Trump over the discovery of documents, but a judge eventually dismissed the case. Seraphin told CBS News in an interview, "I identified that the person that ran the Mar-a-Lago case that resulted in a search warrant at the president's home was rubbing shoulders in close proximity with the FBI director" as his pilot. He was concerned that "this is a person that's now in the kind of buddy space of your FBI director, and he doesn't even know who he's speaking to." After publication of this article, Dan Eisenberg, a lawyer for Meyer, said he was not assigned to the Mar-a-Lago case and had not participated in the search. However, a source familiar with the matter said Meyer did work on the federal investigation into Mr. Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. On Alex Jones's "InfoWars," Seraphin said he gave a "heads up" to an "administration insider" about Meyer. He told CBS News his "Trump administration insider" was "in the president's orbit." How the firings unfolded On Aug. 4, Patel directed Driscoll to fire Meyer, sources told CBS News. When Driscoll asked on what grounds, he did not get what he considered a satisfactory answer from Patel, according to the source. Without it, Driscoll refused. Two days later, on Aug. 6, Driscoll was contacted by J. William Rivers, the No. 3 official at the FBI, and told he was being terminated, the source said. He was given no reason why but later received a letter formally notifying him that he was being fired. Around the same time, Jensen was also relieved of his duties. A source with knowledge of that matter said it was because he, too, refused to fire a subordinate agent in the Washington Field Office, though CBS News was not able to identify the person. Walter Giardina, a WFO agent who was also dismissed in the purge, had worked on a number of cases involving Mr. Trump and other members of his administration, including the prosecution of senior Trump aide Peter Navarro for contempt of Congress. The fifth agent fired earlier this month was Spencer Evans, who had been the special agent in charge of the FBI's Nevada field office until earlier this summer, when he was abruptly told he was being transferred to Huntsville, Alabama. By then, Trump supporters, including Seraphin, had been publicly critical of him over his enforcement of FBI COVID policies during the tenure of former FBI Director Christpher Wray. In April, Seraphin posted this on X: "After @Kash_Patel was nominated, he asked me about people in the FBI who were problems. I said Spencer Evans, the SAC of Las Vegas, was the man who PERSONALLY denied the religious accommodations for Covid 19 shots and testing protocols." Seraphin's post continued: "Kash said 'Gone.'" Seraphin attached a video to his post that showed that months after that conversation, Evans was still leading the Las Vegas FBI office, and Patel was praising its work in tracking down criminals. Then, last Wednesday, two hours before getting into his car to drive across the country for his new assignment, Evans received a call notifying him that he too was being terminated. He was given no reason. Two days later Evans received a formal termination letter signed by Patel. It said Evans "demonstrated a lack of reasonableness and overzealousness in the implementation of COVID-19 protocols and policies." After the August firings, Seraphin told CBS News a colleague in the FBI said to him, "You have four scalps hanging off your belt this week." Seraphin excluded Driscoll from the count, and referred to him as "collateral damage," and said he probably didn't deserve to be fired. Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information. Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine The future of streaming and movies as "Stranger Things" creators sign with Paramount Trump expanding steel and aluminum tariffs to products like baby strollers, fire extinguishers Russia launched its largest attack of the month against Ukraine while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders at the White House. The attack also comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting with Trump in Alaska last Friday, during which Putin refused an immediate ceasefire and demanded that Ukraine give up its eastern Donetsk region in exchange for an end to the conflict that began with a February 2022 invasion by Moscow. Trump later said he had spoken on the phone with Putin about arrangements for a meeting between the Russian president and Zelenskyy. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 270 drones and 10 missiles into Ukraine on Monday night and into Tuesday, but that 230 drones and six missiles were intercepted or suppressed. The air force reported that 40 drones and four missiles struck across 16 locations, and debris was said to have fallen on three sites. Trump's Push For Putin-zelenskyy Talks Hinges On Kremlin's Conditions Russia launched its largest attack of the month against Ukraine on Monday night. "While hard work to advance peace was underway in Washington, D.C. ... Moscow continued to do the opposite of peace: more strikes and destruction," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X. "This once again demonstrates how critical it is to end the killing, achieve a lasting peace, and ensure robust security guarantees." Energy infrastructure in the central Poltava region was a target of the strikes, according to Ukraine's Energy Ministry. The casualty figures were not immediately released by officials. Read On The Fox News App White House Rejects 'Blank Checks' For Ukraine, Presses Nato To Shoulder Costs Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 270 drones and 10 missiles into Ukraine. "As a result of the attack, large-scale fires broke out," the ministry said in a statement. Oil refining and gas facilities were attacked, the ministry added, saying the strikes were the latest "systematic terrorist attacks against Ukraines energy infrastructure, which is a direct violation of international humanitarian law." The attack was the largest since Russia launched 309 drones and eight missiles into Ukraine on July 31, according to the air force. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 23 Ukrainian drones on Monday night and into Tuesday morning. The attack was the largest since Russia launched 309 drones and eight missiles into Ukraine on July 31. Both sides have been targeting infrastructure, including oil facilities. Zelenskyy had criticized Moscow for earlier strikes on Monday ahead of his meeting at the White House in which at least 14 people were killed and dozens more were injured. "The Russian war machine continues to destroy lives despite everything. Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts. That is precisely why we are seeking assistance to put an end to the killings," he wrote Monday morning on X. Reuters contributed to this report. Original article source: Russia launches largest attack on Ukraine this month following Trump's meetings with Putin, Zelenskyy Franco Origlia/Getty ; Disney/Adrienn Szabo Amanda Knox at the Perugia courthouse on March 13, 2009 in Perugia, Italy ; Grace Van Patten as Amanda Knox in 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox' NEED TO KNOW The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox tells the real-life story of the 20-year-old college student who was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher In the Hulu show, Grace Van Patten and Anna Van Patten play real-life sisters, Amanda and Deanna Knox, respectively The Hulu show is co-produced by Amanda Knox and Monica Lewinsky It has been nearly 20 years since she first made headlines, and the world is still intrigued by Amanda Knox. The latest example is The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, a new Hulu series starring Grace Van Patten as the 20-year-old American college student, who, while studying abroad in Italy, was wrongfully accused of the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, in November 2007. The following fall, Amanda was found guilty of murder in December 2009, per The New York Times, and served almost four years in an Italian prison, before she was acquitted in October 2011 but her ordeal didn't stop there. In March 2013, an Italian court ordered a retrial, and she was found guilty again before the conviction was overturned two years later, the newspaper later reported. More recently, Knox fought a slander conviction, according to the Associated Press. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox follows her "16-year odyssey to set herself free," according to the official description of the eight-part series. The Hulu original is co-produced by Amanda and Monica Lewinsky, and as Grace told PEOPLE, the project is an "opportunity" for Amanda "to reclaim her story." "I mean, I thought I knew a good amount, and it wasn't even close to the twists and turns that happened throughout those years," the actress continued. "It's new information that the public does not know especially in that last episode." The new limited series is based on true events, but who plays Amanda and her supportive family and friends? Here are the stars of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, side-by-side with their real-life counterparts. 01 of 07 Grace Van Patten as Amanda Knox Disney/Andrea Miconi ; VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Grace Van Patten as Amanda Knox in 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox' ; Amanda Knox leaves the courtroom on April 18, 2009 in Perugia, Italy. Grace Van Patten plays Amanda Knox, an American student who was accused of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, while studying abroad in Italy in November 2007. In August 2025, Grace revealed to PEOPLE that playing Amanda was "a crazy, full-circle moment" because she could recall when the story happened. "I remember watching the documentary, and it was around the same time I started acting, and I was so fascinated by the story and Amanda as a human being," she said. "I remember having this dream of playing her one day." The Tell Me Lies star explained how she had "never played a real existing human in the world, so that was very new for me," adding, "The main thing for me was what involvement Amanda was going to have in it." 02 of 07 Giuseppe De Domenico as Raffaele Sollecito Disney/Andrea Miconi ; Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Giuseppe De Domenico as Raffaele Sollecito in 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox' ; Raffaele Sollecito leaves the courthouse on November 30, 2009 in Perugia, Italy. Giuseppe De Domenico portrays Raffaele Sollecito, Amanda's boyfriend at the time, who was also accused and convicted of Meredith's murder. Like Amanda, Raffaele spent nearly four years imprisoned in an Italian jail before being released in October 2011 after winning an appeal, per the BBC. In March 2015, Italy's supreme court overturned Amanda and Raffael's conviction, ending the legal matter. I am obviously very happy for Amanda, since I knew from the start that she had nothing to with it and I believed in her innocence, he said after the verdict. But now it is time to move on. I no longer want this tragedy to tie us together. Raffaele continued, I no longer want to be known as Amanda Knoxs former Italian boyfriend.' I want to be known for something else than being connected by the prosecutors to a gruesome murder in which I had no part." He added how he would "prefer to be known as Raffaele Sollecito, the guy who faced all of this and came through at the other end. In 2012, Raffaele released a book, Honor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox. Today, Amanda and Raffaele appear to still be friends, per an Instagram post. 03 of 07 Sharon Horgan as Edda Mellas Disney/Andrea Miconi ; Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Shanon Horgan as Edda Mellas in 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox' ; Edda Mellas, the mother of Amanda Knox during closing arguments on November 30, 2009 in Perugia, Italy. Bad Sisters star Sharon Horgan plays Amanda's mother, Edda Mellas. Edda was married to Curt Knox, but according to Oprah.com, they divorced when Amanda was 3 years old. She later married Chris Mellas, an IT professional. Edda strongly supported her daughter, constantly traveling to Italy during the trial. In August 2011, Edda, who was a teacher in Seattle, told The New York Times that she couldn't "remember what life was like before Amanda got arrested." Edda gave interviews during the ordeal, helping keep Amanda's story in the headlines. The media has been a curse, but it means that Amanda hasnt been forgotten; shes not rotting away, she said to the publication. The day I dont have to speak to another reporter or do another interview cant happen soon enough. But if it means helping Amanda, then its something I will continue to do. 04 of 07 Joe Lanza as Chris Mellas Disney/Andrea Miconi ; Franco Origlia/Getty Joe Lanza as Chris Mellas in 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox' ; Chris Mellas, Amanda Knox's stepfather, during Knox's appeal hearing on December 11, 2010 in Perugia, Italy. Joe Lanza portrays Chris Mellas, who, according to The Guardian, was a present stepfather to Amanda. Chris was always a staunch supporter of Amanda and her innocence during the trial. "The stress on my family is excessive," he said in a March 2009 interview with The Independent. "The trial dominates your life completely. You wake up and it's the first thing on your brain, and it's the last thing when you go to sleep, and frequently it also bothers you while you're sleeping." 05 of 07 Anna Van Patten as Deanna Knox Amy Sussman/Getty ; Oli Scarff/Getty Anna Van Patten attends The Business of Fashion and Self-Portrait cocktail party on May 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California ; Deanna Knox, the sister of Amanda Knox, on October 4, 2011 in Rome, Italy. Grace's real-life sister, Anna Van Patten, plays Amanda's sister, Deanna. After her acquittal in October 2011, Amanda returned home to Seattle, where she reconnected with Deanna. I got to experience all the things that I missed with her, Deanna told Today in September 2013. Just going out to lunch and grabbing a quick coffee. She also shared that she was trying to help Amanda acclimate to life in America. She's a little tense now, so that's where I come in. We're working on it," Deanna added. Amanda and Deanna have two younger half-sisters, Ashley and Delaney, per Oprah.com. 06 of 07 Crosby Fitzgerald as Madison Paxton Steve Granitz/FilmMagic ; Franco Origlia/Getty Crosby Fitzgerald at the premiere of "Palm Royale" on March 14, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California ; Amanda Knox's friend Madison Paxton in Perugia's court of Appeal on December 18, 2010 in Perugia, Italy. Crosby Fitzgerald portrays Madison Paxton, Amanda's outspoken college friend. Speaking to the Today show in June 2009, Madison said (via CBS News) that Amanda is "one of the few people I actually trust with my life." "I will never stop sticking up for her," she added. "I know she's innocent." Two years later, in September 2011, Madison told Today that she moved to Italy to support Amanda during the trial and visit her in prison. 07 of 07 Jared Canfield as Christopher Robinson Jamie McCarthy/Getty ; TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Jared Canfield attends "MacBeth" Broadway Opening Night on April 28, 2022 in New York City ; Christopher Robinson at the courthouse on June 5, 2024 in Florence, Italy. Jared Canfield plays Amanda's husband, Christopher Robinson, whom she married in December 2018. The two met at a book launch party in March 2015, and as Christopher recalled to PEOPLE in August 2017, I was probably the only person at the party who didnt really know who she was." "I knew [about] Italy and some legal stuff and something that shouldnt have happened. But I didnt really know her story," he said. Christopher is a writer who has co-authored two novels, War of the Encyclopedists and Deliver Us, with his friend, Gavin Kovite. He also wrote a book of love poems with Amanda, The Cardio Tesseract. "I dont know how I got lucky to end up with Chris, because its kind of outrageous how well-matched we are," Amanda told PEOPLE in March 2025. "The thing that really distinguished him was how not interested he was in the worst experience of my life." They share two children: a daughter, Eureka, born in 2021, and a son, Echo, whom they welcomed in 2023. Read the original article on People WASHINGTON Sen. Adam Schiff, a longtime political adversary of President Donald Trump, is bracing for continued legal battles and "baseless smears" from the administration by setting up a legal defense fund. Trump has called Schiff shifty and a scam artist who should be arrested for treason after leading the first impeachment during the presidents first term. The Justice Department is investigating potential mortgage fraud, which Schiff has denied. Schiff created a tax-exempt fund Aug. 15 called the Senator Schiff Legal Defense Fund. Its not clear how much the fund raised initially. Its clear that Donald Trump and his MAGA allies will continue weaponizing the justice process to attack Senator Schiff for holding this corrupt administration accountable," said Marisol Samayoa, a Schiff spokesperson. "This fund will ensure he can fight back against these baseless smears while continuing to do his job." LONDON -- Six suspects accused of orchestrating one of South Africa's largest rhino horn trafficking operations appeared in court Tuesday following a 7-year investigation that uncovered a scheme involving 964 rhino horns destined for illegal markets in Southeast Asia, authorities said. The arrests mark what officials are calling a "decisive victory" in the country's fight against international wildlife crime, as South Africa continues to battle a poaching crisis that claimed 420 rhinos in 2024 alone. Among those arrested was John Hume, 83, the controversial former owner of the world's largest rhino farm who once bred about 2,000 white rhinos, roughly an eighth of the global population, before selling his operation to African Parks in 2023. Alleged fraudulent permit scheme exposed The six suspects, aged between 49 and 84, surrendered to the South African Police's elite Hawks unit at Sunnyside Police Station before appearing in Pretoria Magistrates' Court on charges including fraud, theft and violations of environmental protection laws. Alexander Joe/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Zimbabwe-born, multi-millionaire game farmer John Hume poses September 30, 2004 in front of a black male rhinoceros outside the northeastern town of Malelane, next to Kruger National Park. Prosecutors allege the syndicate defrauded the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment by obtaining permits under false pretenses to buy and sell rhino horns domestically, while actually funneling them into illegal international markets. The investigation involved the SAPS Hawks' Wildlife Trafficking Section, the Department's enforcement unit known as the Green Scorpions, and the National Prosecuting Authority. Additional charges of racketeering and money laundering are under consideration, officials said. While South African law permits domestic trade in rhino horn with valid government permits, international commercial trade has been banned since 1977 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 'Rhino baron' among the accused Hume, once dubbed South Africa's "rhino baron," spent decades and an estimated $150 million advocating for legalizing international rhino horn trade, arguing that flooding the market with ethically harvested horns would reduce poaching. Mujahid Safodien/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: In this file photo, a ranger measures a rhino's horn to be trimmed at John Hume's Rhino Ranch in Klerksdorp, in the North Western Province of South Africa, on Feb. 3, 2016. He was granted bail of 100,000 rand (about $5,600), while his co-accused received bail ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 rand. The other suspects include Hume's relative, Clive Melville, who was previously accused in 2019 of illegally transporting 167 rhino horns; attorneys Izak du Toit and Catharina van Niekerk; insurance broker Mattheus Poggenpoel; and game reserve manager Johannes Hennop. Poaching crisis continues The arrests come as South Africa, home to 80% of the world's remaining rhinos, grapples with an ongoing poaching crisis. Despite a 15% decrease in poaching deaths from 2023 to 2024, 103 rhinos were killed in the first three months of 2025, more than one per day, according to government figures. KwaZulu-Natal province has emerged as the epicenter, though dehorning initiatives showed promise after the province saw poaching losses drop nearly 30% in 2024. However, criminal syndicates quickly adapted, targeting even dehorned rhinos for their horn stumps by November 2024. Alexander Joe/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: In this file photo, Zimbabwe-born multi-millionaire game farmer John Hume poses September 30, 2004, in front of a black male rhinoceros outside the northeastern town of Malelane, next to Kruger National Park. The illegal trade is reportedly driven by demand in Vietnam and China, where the horns are used in traditional medicine despite no proven medicinal value. Rhino horn can fetch more than $60,000 per kilogram on the black market, a commodity more valuable than gold, platinum or diamonds, according to the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. South African Environment Minister Dr. Dion George called the arrests "a powerful demonstration of South Africa's resolve to protect its natural heritage." "This complex investigation shows that our enforcement agencies will not hesitate to pursue those who plunder our wildlife for criminal profit," George said. ABC News' Liezl Thom contributed to this report. Between tears and anger, mothers and fathers of children who died at Camp Mystic in central Texas in a flood on July 4 pleaded with state lawmakers Wednesday to toughen safety at summer camps. One by one, the parents proudly described their young childrens personalities, quirks and achievements before they shared their nightmare of grief, guilt and loss through tears and sobs. But they also admonished lawmakers to approve a series of reforms that could prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Their heartbreaking testimony in the bicameral committee hearing also led some committee members to cry. Among the parents who testified were the mother and father of Cile Steward, the only girl still missing out of 27 children and counselors who died at the girls' camp when the Guadalupe River overflowed several feet in a matter of hours, sweeping through wooded summer camps, homes and businesses. A total of 120 people were killed in Kerr County, including those from Camp Mystic. Cile's mother, CiCi Williams Steward, told the lawmakers she had been assured that the safety of the girls at Camp Mystic was paramount. But that assurance was betrayed by obvious and commonsense safety measures and protocols that were absent or ignored, she said. As a result, my daughter was stolen from us not because of an unavoidable act of nature, but because of preventable failures, she said through tears. Cile remains somewhere in the devastation of the Guadalupe River. We remain trapped in agony until she is brought home. Reforms proposed in legislation that the committee approved on a voice vote and that the Senate is expected to consider Thursday night must occur so this tragedy never happens again, Williams Steward said. Separate legislation is being drafted to address warning systems and disaster response. All of the parents who testified and a handful of owners of other camps along the Guadalupe River said they support the disaster preparedness bill. The legislation has been dubbed the Heavens 27 Camp Safety Act." Had the requirements of SB 1 been in place on July 4, I have no doubt that some lives, if not all lives, would have been saved, said the committees chairman, Charles Perry, a Republican. The legislation would apply to all campgrounds, and it would be more stringent for youth camps, the Senate said in a statement. Some of the measures the legislation calls for include a requirement that camps file comprehensive emergency plans for natural disasters and that cabins in flood plains have rooftop exits, as well as fire emergency plans, the statement said. The camps would also have to conduct evacuation drills with campers, and staff members would have to undergo annual training, the Senate said. The legislation would require emergency evacuations to higher ground when a flood warning is issued for an area. Camp Mystic said in a statement Wednesday that it could not comment on specific legislation because it was focused on recovery, but it "supports legislative efforts that will make camps and communities along the Guadalupe River safer." "The safety and well-being of every camper is our priority, and our policies and practices are designed to ensure a safe and supportive environment," it said. The parents, including some whose family members had attended Camp Mystic over generations, repeatedly criticized its operators while also saying they love the camp and want camps to continue, albeit with many more safety measures in place. Camp Mystic was completely unprepared for the flooding that cost my daughter her life," said Davin Hunt, father of Janie Hunt, 9, a relative of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt. "Since that day, our life has been a living nightmare. Davin Hunt said his daughters death left him with gut-wrenching dreams, when he can sleep, that sometimes depict a trip to the funeral home, where he prays, Lord and Savior, please kill me; take my life, not my daughter, Janie." A few parents expressed anger about having learned after their childrens deaths that some of the Camp Mystic structures had been removed from 100-year flood maps, allowing for exemptions from some regulations. We feel guilty because we sent our girls to a camp we thought was safe, said Doug Hanna, father of Hadley, who he said was 8 years, 4 months and 22 days old. Dont get me wrong, we love camp. ... We thought Camp Mystic was safe. We didnt know we were sending our daughters to sleep in cabins that were removed from the flood plain through an administrative process. Speaking about the changes the bill proposes, Perry said such exemptions or carve-outs would no longer be allowed. No more waivers. Just, in a nutshell, dont ask for them, he said. If you are a camp owner seeking a waiver, dont come to the state seeking waivers. Youre not going to get them. The parents repeatedly said that the testimony and any legislation approved would not relieve their grief but that they hoped it would help other parents. Brent Dillon, father of Lucy Dillon, 8, urged the lawmakers to ensure that when parents entrust their children to camps they are sending them to safe camps, where operators are prepared and emergency plans are sufficient, executable and enforceable. Today I sit before you a broken man. When Lucy left for camp, it was the very first time she had ever slipped away from us, Dillon said. We entrusted her to the camp operators, and never for a moment did we believe she would return to us in a casket. FILE - A granite Ten Commandments monument stands on the ground of the Texas Capitol, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Texas cannot require public schools in Houston, Austin and other select districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the states new requirement. Texas is the third state where courts have blocked recent laws about putting the Ten Commandments in schools. A group of families from the school districts sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect on Sept. 1. They say the requirement violates the First Amendments protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise. Texas is the largest state to attempt such a requirement, and U.S. District Judge Fred Biery's ruling from San Antonio is the latest in a widening legal fight that's expected to eventually go before the U.S. Supreme Court. Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do," Biery, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, wrote in the ruling that begins by quoting the First Amendment and ends with Amen. The ruling prohibits the 11 districts and their affiliates from posting the displays required under state law. The law is being challenged by a group of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist, and nonreligious families, including clergy, who have children in the public schools. A broader lawsuit that names three Dallas-area districts as well as the state education agency and commissioner is pending in federal court. And although Fridays ruling marks a major win for civil liberties groups, the legal battle is likely far from over. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he planned to appeal the ruling, calling it flawed. The Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship," the Republican said in a statement, echoing sentiments from religious groups and conservatives who support the law. Texas has a Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds and won a 2005 Supreme Court case that upheld the monument. The families who sued were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation. The court affirmed what we have long said: Public schools are for educating, not evangelizing, Tommy Buser-Clancy, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement. A federal appeals court has blocked a similar law in Louisiana, and a judge in Arkansas told four districts they cannot put up the posters, although other districts in the state said they're not putting them up either. In Louisiana, the first state that mandated the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms, a panel of three appellate judges in June ruled that the law was unconstitutional. Biery, the judge, cited both the Louisiana and Arkansas cases in his 55-page ruling. He also includes extensive historical references, quotes that range from the Founding Fathers to evangelist Billy Graham, and even a Rembrandt painting of Moses holding the stone tablets alongside an image of actor Charlton Heston in the film The Ten Commandments. Having the displays in classrooms, Biery wrote, would likely pressure children of the parents challenging them into adopting the state's preferred religion and suppressing their own religious beliefs. The judge said there are ways students could be taught the Ten Commandments' history without it being placed in every classroom. "For those who disagree with the Courts decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities and violence, Grace and Peace unto you," he wrote. May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another. ___ This story has been updated to correct that the ruling covers specific school districts in Texas, not the entire state, and to correct the identities of the plaintiffs and defendants. A Texas state trooper posts outside the House chamber Tuesday as Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier refuses to leave due to a required law enforcement escort. - Eric Gay/AP Several Texas state House Democrats ripped up the written agreements that allowed them to leave the chamber with a police escort and returned to the House floor Tuesday night, the caucus announced. The lawmakers will spend the night on the House floor with state Rep. Nicole Collier, who has stayed in the chamber for more than 24 hours after declining to sign the permission slip to leave. House Republicans announced the requirement on Monday when Democrats, who faced civil arrest warrants for leaving the state during a special session, returned from their 15-day quorum break. The Democrats fled the state earlier this month to prevent a vote on a controversial redistricting plan pushed for by President Donald Trump that could potentially eliminate five Democratic US House seats. Whos ready to tear up this slip? state Rep. Mihaela Plesa said Tuesday as she tore through the agreement in front of the doors to the House chamber. State Rep. Penny Morales Shaw said after returning to the Houston area under police escort, she realized it was a mistake to enter into the agreement, arguing she is now correcting course. Yesterday, I left in custody and I came back in custody, because I stand with Nicole Collier and Gene Wu, she said. This is illegitimate, this is a wrongful use of power, and I will not condone it, and I dont want to be a part of setting a very bad and low precedent for future legislators. State Rep. Gene Wu, who leads Texas Democrats in the House, has accompanied Collier on the chamber floor for most of the past day. This is a civil discussion and disagreement, and in order to win, the other side is willing to use force to use the arms of a state to get what they want. Good guys dont do that, Wu told CNNs Pamela Brown on The Lead. State Reps. Plesa, Morales Shaw, Rhetta Bowers, Cassandra Garcia Hernandez and Salman Bhojani joined Collier and Wu on the floor overnight. State Rep. Senfronia Thompson appeared in a press conference with several of the legislators but did not appear to stay in the chamber. Why would we be considered a flight risk if we walked in of our own volition? Bowers said. This is a blatant violation of our freedoms as Texans, as Americans and as duly elected officials. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said Monday the Democrats could leave the House floor only if they received written permission and agreed to be under a Department of Public Safety officers escort until the chamber reconvenes on Wednesday morning. All Democrats who were present agreed at the time except for Collier. Rep. Colliers choice to stay and not sign the permission slip is well within her rights under the House Rules, Burrows said in a statement earlier Tuesday. The Republican House speaker said he is choosing to spend my time focused on important legislation. CNN has reached out to the speakers office for comment. While the protest move draws more attention to their redistricting fight, Texas House Democrats have little to no legislative options available to prevent the new congressional maps from being passed. The Texas House is aiming to vote on the measure after it reconvenes at 10 a.m. CT on Wednesday, but the timing for final passage remains unclear. Meanwhile, former Vice President Kamala Harris called Collier to offer her support on Tuesday, the Texas representative said. Just moments ago, I got a call from Vice President Kamala Harris, Collier told CNNs Dana Bash on The Arena as she spoke from the House floor. She said, Keep going. She said, Dont give up. Stand strong. Stand tall, and dont back down. The former vice president called to check in on Collier and encourage her to continue pushing for whats right even if shes doing it on her own, an aide to Harris said. Know that were in the rooms with you no matter what. And you have our support, Harris said, according to the aide. Collier criticized Texas Republicans for the restrictions on their movements, calling them un-American and not right. And she defended the efforts of Texas Democrats to stall the partisan redistricting push, saying that we have exercised our constitutional right to deny a quorum. And theres nothing illegal about it. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs David Wright and Eric Bradner contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A man was taken into custody after he fired shots at a group of teenagers attempting the "ding, dong, ditching" TikTok challenge outside his residence in northern Texas. Damon Wolfe, 58, of Frisco was arrested on Aug. 7 on three counts of aggravated assault after he fired multiple shots at a vehicle with three teenagers in it on July 28, Frisco Police Department said in a news release Aug. 18. Officers with the Frisco Police Department responded to a report of shots fired outside a residence in central Frisco around 10:50 p.m. July 28, with the reporting party saying they "had shot at someone who tried to kick in his door." Preliminary investigation revealed Wolfe went out onto the street after hearing a loud bang on his door and "fired multiple rounds at a passing vehicle, as he believed the occupants to be involved." The same night, officers responded to a location about six miles from Wolfe's residence "in reference to a vehicle being shot at," where the driver and two occupants told police their vehicle was shot at as they were driving away. Occupants admitted to 'ding', dong, ditching' Subsequent interviews revealed all three occupants "admitted to ding, dong, ditching in a random neighborhood when they were confronted by a male with a firearm." Officers observed "what appeared to be three bullet holes in the vehicle," which was then processed by the Frisco CSI team, and Frisco Detectives "canvassed the neighborhood for damage and any cameras that captured the incident." Based on the information gathered during the initial investigation, Frisco detectives "believed probable cause existed that Wolfe had committed aggravated assault against the three victims and sought three warrants for his arrest (one for each occupant)," the news release said, adding a judge signed the warrants and Wolfe was subsequently taken into custody on August 7. Aggravated assault is a second-degree felony and carries a punishment of 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, according to the news release. 85715760007 'Senseless' and 'avoidable' incident Frisco Police Chief David Shilson, in a statement, regretted the incident and advised parents to talk to their kids "about the dangers of participating in these types of TikTok challenges." The teens involved in this case are very fortunate they were not shot and killed or seriously injured," Shilson said. Shilson also urged homeowners to avoid "running outside and shooting at a vehicle fleeing the scene" and to understand the legal and criminal repercussions of it. "The bullets fired in this offense could have easily struck neighbors houses and had deadly consequences," Shilson said. "This entire incident is completely senseless and avoidable had better decisions been made by all involved. Police said that there is no threat to the public and that an investigation into the incident remains active. They added that no additional information will be released at this time. The Frisco Police Department did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for an update on the investigation. Authorities have also requested anyone with information on the incident to contact the Frisco Police Department at 972-292-6010 or submit a tip using Tip411 (text FRISCOPD + the tip to 847411). What is 'ding, dong, ditching'? Ding dong ditch is a "childrens prank involving ringing someones doorbell and running away before they answer," according to Dictionary.com. The prank involves a person or persons going up to a random house and ringing the doorbell before running away. Earlier this year, a Virginia teenager was allegedly shot and killed by a homeowner while filming the TikTok prank videos with friends, USA TODAY previously reported. The teenager's friends told deputies that they were filming TikTok videos of them doing a "ding dong ditch" prank when they were shot at. The homeowner, meanwhile, was arrested and charged with several crimes, including second-degree murder. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Frisco man accused of firing at teenagers doing 'ding, dong, ditch' An appeals court has temporarily blocked a West Texas university's ban on drag shows, citing the First Amendment. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in an Aug. 18 ruling said a district court erred in rejecting a request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent West Texas A&M University, near Amarillo, from enforcing its ban while a lawsuit works its way through the courts. Spectrum WT, a LGBTQ student group at the school, was organizing a March 2023 drag show to raise funds for The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization that serves LGBTQ youth. University President Walter Wendler canceled the show days before the performance, saying a harmless drag show was not possible, in a university-wide letter Wendler also posted on his website. Wendler wrote that the fundraiser was for a noble cause but that drag shows stereotype women in cartoon-like extremes for the amusement of others and discriminate against womanhood. He also compared drag performances to blackface performances, saying he would similarly not support such events on campus even if told the performance is a form of free speech or intended as humor." The plaintiffs, represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), sued Wendler and other school officials and requested a preliminary injunction to prevent the school from stopping such performances while litigation continued. A district court denied that request in September 2023. But the appeals court disagreed in a 2-1 decision and granted the preliminary injunction, saying the plaintiffs showed a substantial threat of irreparable harm to their First Amendment rights absent an injunction against President Wendler. Judge James C. Ho dissented, saying that like blackface performances, drag shows violate the universitys fundamental mission to ensure a welcoming educational environment for all. Tellingly and quite understandably the majority does not contend that West Texas A&M would be required to allow a student group to put on a blackface performance, Ho wrote. The result should not be different here just because drag shows find favor in certain circles. FIRE applauded the decision, which it said restored the First Amendment at the school. This is a victory not just for Spectrum WT, but for any public university students at risk of being silenced by campus censors, FIRE Supervising Senior Attorney JT Morris said. A West Texas A&M spokesperson said the university does not comment on pending litigation. BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@usatoday.com. USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: West Texas A&M's drag ban blocked by appeals court getty images - Getty Images "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." As someone who's had bangs on and off since toddlerhood, I'm a founding member of the "everyone-can-and-should-get-bangs" committee. Some might even say I'm the VP of membership and recruitment. When people come at me with the B.S. that "bangs aren't flattering," I swiftly puff up my chest and hand it to 'em straight. Everyone, and I mean everyone, can "pull off" bangs (and let's be honest, literally any hairstyle trend out there). But if you feel a bit unsure of the direction to go, consider bangs for your face shape. "I focus on what my client sitting in my chair wants to enhance," says hairstylist Gia Tovar. "Like do they have killer cheekbones? Then, heck yeah, lets do some pieces that highlight those cheeks. Do I feel like when they have a straight across bang it draws attention to their gorgeous green eyes? Ill suggest it!" she adds. It's all about highlighting what makes you feel your best. Of course, ask your hairstylist questions, and always bring inspo photos of what you do and don't want. Which brings us to a whole lotta inspo below, based on every face shape. Think of this as a guide, not a rule, of how to highlight what you love, not hide what you don't. Heart Face Shape: Blunt Bangs Blunt, softly rounded bangs, like Taylor Swift's, really enhance her cheekbones without hiding her eyes. Which is what makes them perfect for a heart-shaped face. These skim just past your brows (but feel free to cut them a little bit shorter to elongate your face slightly) and add some volume to your crown without too much styling. Keep in mind, though: These can require quite a bit of styling. Tovar recommends creaseless clips to set and air-dry bangs when you don't want to use heat. Or try these USB-C hot rollers that you can plug in for a quick jolt of heat to style your bangs on the go. Amy Sussman - Getty Images Heart Face Shapes: Voluminous Side-Bang If side bangs immediately make you think of 2012 Tumblr, let me reintroduce you. Consider a style that fuses your natural hair texture seamlessly, like a side part with short layers. Miley Cyrus's natural waves, shown here, add volume to her bangs for a proportional look. Gilbert Carrasquillo - Getty Images Diamond Face Shape: Long Curtain Bangs A set of long, curtain bangs that frame your face shows off your angularity while still looking soft and natural (a la Rihanna here). And best of all: This is just about the easiest bang to style, with or without heat. Marc Piasecki - Getty Images Diamond Face Shape: Micro Bangs Micro bangs, or occasionally called "Hepburn bangs" for how they resemble Audrey Hepburn's chic lil bang, can go edgy or classic, depending on how you style. Regardless, they're made for anyone who wants to focus on their cheekbones. In a blunt cut like Zendaya's, it creates balance between your features. Arnold Jerocki - Getty Images Oval Face Shape: Curtain Bangs According to Tovar, curtain bangs are one of the most common cuts, largely because they can work on basically every face shape and hair type. But they're fantastic for highlighting the facial symmetry of an oval face. To style, Tovar recommends keeping a spray bottle filled with water in your bathroom to spritz down (if your hair isn't already wet), then blowing it dry with a small round brush. Christopher Polk - Getty Images Oval Face Shape: Wispy Bangs If you prefer a more classic bang style but don't want to hide too much of your forehead, ask for a wispy, long shape. Renee Rapp's bangs are a perfect example: They bring shape and volume to her roots without taking away or hiding too much of her face. Variety - Getty Images Square Face Shape: Long Bangs With Face-Framing Layers Want to add volume without too much heaviness that detracts from your face? Try a layered, blunt bang. The long, face-framing pieces soften and play up your jawline, as the blunt bangs elongate your face. It basically brings attention to the center of your face: Cheekbones, eyes, lips. Handout - Getty Images Square Face Shape: Long and Layered Bangs Tovar says her clients love a long bang that "exposes some forehead but adds some fun around the front." A long, layered look creates movement and bounce in your hair, which you might enjoy for enhancing and softening your features if you have a angular, square face. You can also really play with length here. A shorter curtain bang with a ton of layers around your face feels more playful, while a blended layered bang, like Priyanka Chopra's, is sophisticated and fresh, Jon Kopaloff - Getty Images Round Face Shape: Side-Swept Bangs Sweeping your bangs to the side helps elongate your face, which can draw attention to your features and increase sharpness to your soft, rounded face. Luckily, every texture, including curly and coily, can wear a side part (see Yara Shadidi's here, complete with a chic French bob). Steve Granitz - Getty Images Round Face Shape: Bottleneck Bangs With bottleneck bangs, your bangs are the shortest at the center of your face and gradually get longer and frame your face. Just like a bottleneck (and Selena Gomez's bangs here). Why they're best for round faces, though, is how the V-shaped curve juxtaposes your soft edges. This can make cheekbones appear more prominent, add shadows to your jawline, and/or highlight your eyes and lips. LISA O'CONNOR - Getty Images Rectangle Face Shape: Long Bangs Rectangle face shapes, which often are characterized by an elongated mid-face structure, look stunning with a long bang. Just look at Anne Hathaway's look here. These long bangs can be wispy or full, but the trick here is cutting them just past your brows. This can help bring out your eyes and/or draw attention to the sharpness of your jawline. Tip: Cut them a little bit shorter to start. Bangs grow fast, so they'll be at the right length in a week or two's time. Monica Schipper - Getty Images Rectangle Face Shape: Choppy Bangs These choppy bangs (complete with an ultra-cool pixie cut on Joan Smalls) are basically like an arrow pointing to your best features. Cheekbones, jawline, and eyes take center stage when the bangs are layered and sharp. Bonus points if there are face-framing pieces that ground the shaggy look. Taylor Hill - Getty Images Universally Flattering: Long Curtain Bangs "I think a really lovely and universally flattering style is soft and long curtain bangs," says Tovar. "It works for most people." It's got a rounded, muted feel that isn't too sharp or angular yet can complement all face shapes. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images Should I get bangs? AnyoneI repeat, anyonecan have bangs. Regardless of your face shape, hair texture, and ~vibe~, there's a bang for everyone. But to decide if they're right for you, experts recommend thinking mostly about the time you're willing to spend on your hair. "I think a huge consideration should be lifestyle and whether or not youre committed to putting in some type of effort to style them on a daily basis," says Tovar. Because, let's face it: Bangs aren't exactly a quick and easy haircut. It requires a level of finesse, heat-styling, and products. And if you're not exactly down with the upkeep, you might not enjoy them (even if they look super good). When in doubt, though, "get the bangs!" says Tovar. "Its just hair. Have fun, and if you hate them, they will grow." Hearst Owned Meet the expert: Gia Tovar is a hairstylist at 939 Salon in Chicago, IL. She specializes in haircuts, especially bangs, bobs, and layered looks. Hearst Owned Why trust 'Cosmopolitan'? Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair stories that range from how to style a bob to hair-growth shampoos. She connected with expert hairstylists to write this story. Hearst Owned You Might Also Like ABC; Tiffany Haddish/Instagram Tiffany Haddish on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!,' Tiffany Haddish and Jason Lee pose with a baby, sparking rumors they were new parents NEED TO KNOW Tiffany Haddish addressed rumors that she had become a mom after sharing a photo of herself holding a baby on social media While hosting the Aug. 19 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, she clarified that she and her friend Jason Lee, who was also in the picture, were not new parents However, she said that she was "wide open" to the idea of having a baby and listed some famous "potential baby daddies" Tiffany Haddish is shutting down baby rumors. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, the comedian and actress, 45, continued her weeklong stint guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! and addressed claims that she had a baby with Hollywood Unlocked founder Jason Lee during her monologue. PEOPLE previously reported that the Girls Trip star left fans wondering if she had secretly welcomed a child after she posted a picture with Lee while holding a baby. There is a personal matter I feel must be addressed, she said while on the show. Two weeks ago, I put something on the Instagram that made everyone go a little crazy. She continued, explaining, It was a picture of me and my friend Jason Lee posing with the baby and the caption, Cats out the bag. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Tiffany Haddish/Instagram Jason Lee and Tiffany Haddish pose with a baby, sparking rumors that they had welcomed a child For some reason, people saw this and thought I had a baby, she said. Like, there were articles about this everywhere. Even my own relatives were asking if I had a secret baby, which is kind of insulting because they are all living in my house and blocking me from getting any d---. Haddish then asked Lee, who was in the audience, what he thought about the rumors. ABC Jason Lee on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday, Aug. 19 The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! The whole world has lost their mind over this beautiful baby, he said, to which Haddish added, We just took a picture with a baby and then that went crazy so now we got a godbaby. Lee seemed surprised by the revelation, prompting Haddish to reply, Yeah, I went ahead and made it our godbaby." Arnold Turner/Getty Tiffany Haddish Hollywood Unlocked CEO Jason Lee at the 3rd Annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards at The Beverly Hilton on June 27, 2023 Jason, the offer still is on the table if you want to make a real baby together, she teased, adding, You know Im traditional." Lee's response: And Im still gay, he said as the crowd broke into laughter. So just to be clear I did not have a baby, but I am open to it... Wide open to it, she clarified. I even have a list of potential baby daddies," Haddish proceeded to say, naming the likes of Tom Cruise, Jason Momoa and Brad Pitt as some of her dream fathers. Of Cruise, she declared, "No mission is too impossible for me." She also had a few choice words for Momoa, saying, " Aquaman can come swim in these waters." And when it came to Oscar winner Pitt, she teased, " He can press any of my Benjamin Buttons anytime" She also included New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, broadcaster Melvin Robert, Jimmy Kimmel Live! producer Ken Crosby, actor Pedro Pascal and the character Marcus Winfield, played by Toby Sandeman, on the Netflix series Running Point. "Now, if you or someone you know wants to put a baby in me, please reach out on social media using the hashtag #PastramiMommy," she concluded. Read the original article on People A truck driver is facing homicide charges, as well as deportation, after state officials in Florida accused him of causing a multi-vehicle crash and killing three people, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on Monday, Aug. 18. The deadly wreck took place on Tuesday, Aug. 12, in St. Lucie County, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said in a news release. The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the two-vehicle crash along Floridas Turnpike, according to the release. The two-vehicle crash involved a minivan and a commercial semi-truck and trailer, officials said. A preliminary investigation revealed the driver of the commercial semi-truck recklessly and "without regard for the safety of others," attempted to make a U-Turn in an unauthorized location, the agency wrote, leading to the death of all three people in the minivan. USA TODAY reached out to state troopers for more information on Tuesday, Aug. 19, but has not received a response. 'He grabbed my knee': Bull shark attacks Florida man Truck driver facing deportation after fatal Florida Turnpike crash According to the agency, state troopers obtained a criminal arrest warrant for the driver, Harjinder Singh, on three felony counts of vehicular homicide. It was not immediately known whether Singh had obtained an attorney for the criminal charges he faces. Truck driver involved in fatal crash 'crossed Mexico border in 2018' During the criminal investigation, and with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency said troopers learned Singh entered the US illegally, "having crossed the Mexico border in 2018." Singh then obtained a commercial drivers license in California, the release continues. Under the federal authority delegated by ICE to troopers, the state police issued an ICE detainer, the agency said. Dave Kerner, the agency's executive director, released a statement following Singh's arrest, calling the crime while operating a commercial tractor-trailer "both shocking and criminal." "He will no longer be able to damage and destroy the lives of Floridians and visitors," Kerner said. "At the conclusion of his state charges, he will be deported." In a statement from the office of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, she blamed the incident on California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his state's Department of Motor Vehicles for issuing Singh a license. This state of governance is asinine, the statement reads. How many more innocent people must die before Gavin Newsom stops playing games with the safety of the American public? We pray for the victims and their families." California governor: Singh obtained work permit under Trump in 2020 But according to a post from Newsom's office on X, Singh, an Indian national, obtained a work permit in 2020, during Donald Trump's first term as president. "The federal government (YOU) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements -- YOU issued him a work permit," Newsome said in the post directed to President Trump. Hey, Commander Cosplay: the federal government (YOU) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements -- YOU issued him a work permit (EAD). Oops. As usual, you are either lying or clueless. https://t.co/3zYZFILJKS pic.twitter.com/V0fzG8VR4G Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 18, 2025 McLaughlin later disputed the allegation, stating that Singh is in the United States illegally and that his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on Sept. 14, 2020. "It was later approved under the Biden Administration (on) June 9, 2021," McLaughlin wrote in a post on X. "The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses. There is no national CDL." Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida Turnpike crash kills 3, truck driver facing deportation U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro[Screenshot/X: Jeanine Pirro] [Screenshot/X: Jeanine Pirro] The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating whether Washington, D.C., police rigged data to make the districts crime problem appear better, according to multiple reports. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirros office has begun looking into claims of falsifying data amid President Donald Trumps clampdown on D.C. crime, The Washington Post and The New York Times reported, citing multiple people familiar with the probe. The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) previously released statistics showing a supposed drop in violent crime in 2024 while excluding some types of violent offenses, the Daily Caller News Foundation previously reported. (RELATED: New DC Arrest Stats Spell Bad News For Medias Latest Anti-Trump Narrative) D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety, Trump posted Monday on Truth Social. This is a very bad and dangerous thing to do, and they are under serious investigation for so doing! The MPD began investigating a police commander in May and suspended him in part over allegations that he made questionable changes to crime data for his assigned area of D.C., NBC4 Washington reported in July. The DOJ and D.Cs Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) did not immediately respond to the DCNFs requests for comment. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. WASHINGTON Three top Trump administration officials including Vice President JD Vance fired back at noisy protesters targeting the recent federal takeover of Washington D.C. during a wild scene at Union Station, the city's transit hub. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Stephen Miller, a senior White House official, dropped by Union Station unannounced on Aug. 20 for a photo-op to tout President Donald Trump's recent deployment of National Guard troops to the nation's capital to crack down on crime. But as the trio spoke from a Shake Shack to claim credit for bringing down crime, a small group of protesters could be heard from the main hall chanting "Free D.C.!" and producing a drumbeat of noise that drowned out and visibly irritated the Trump officials. More: Voters split on Trump's DC police takeover, National Guard deployment, new poll Disney/Andrea Miconi Grace Van Patten NEED TO KNOW The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox chronicles the real-life wrongful accusation of then-college student Amanda Knox The first two episodes premiered on Aug. 20 on Hulu Knox herself serves as an executive producer on the project Amanda Knoxs story is being told once again this time, with Knox herself at the helm. The limited series which debuted its first two episodes on Aug. 20 chronicles Knox's 16-year fight for freedom after being wrongfully convicted of the 2007 murder of her study abroad roommate, Meredith Kercher. Knox spent nearly four years in an Italian prison before she was acquitted. Over the years, her saga has been dissected and dramatized in countless projects. But Grace Van Patten who plays the wrongfully accused 20-year-old in The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox has promised that this series offers new information." This is thanks, in part, to the involvement of Monica Lewinsky and Knox herself, who are executive producers on The Twisted Tale. "I mean, I thought I knew a good amount, and it wasn't even close to the twists and turns that happened throughout those years," Van Patten told PEOPLE in August 2025. "It's new information that the public does not know especially in that last episode." So, how often will new episodes of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox drop? Heres everything to know about the shows release schedule. When does The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox premiere? Disney/Andrea Miconi John Hoogenakker, Sharon Horgan and Joe Lanza The first two episodes of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox premiered on Hulu on Aug. 20. How many episodes are in The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox? Disney/Adrienn Szabo Roberta Mattei, Giuseppe de Domenico, Ginevra Ferrari and Grace Van Patten There will be eight, one-hour episodes in The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, according to Deadline. Per the shows synopsis, it will follow Knoxs wrongful imprisonment and her relentless fight to prove her innocence and reclaim her freedom. The Hulu limited series will also examine why authorities and the world stood so firmly in judgment, something Knox helped convey in her role as executive producer and co-writer of the final episode. As the series moves forward, youll see Amanda really embracing what she can do for herself, series creator K.J. Steinberg told Vanity Fair in July 2025. She starts taking a more active role in her case, and she is her own best agent in her ultimate fight for freedom. What is The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knoxs episode release schedule? Disney/Andrea Miconi Grace Van Patten On Aug. 20, Hulu released the first two episodes of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. After that, a new episode will drop every week on Wednesdays until the series finale on Oct. 1. Heres the full release schedule: Aug. 20: Episode 1, "Amanda," and episode 2, "Ci vediamo piu tardi" Aug. 27: Episode 3, "The Guardian of Perugia" Sept. 3: Episode 4, "All You Need Is Love" Sept. 10: Episode 5, "Mr. Nobody" Sept. 17: Episode 6, "Colpevole" Sept. 24: Episode 7, "U were there" Oct. 1: Episode 8, "Liberta" What time do new episodes of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox come out on Hulu? Disney/Andrea Miconi Grace Van Patten and Giuseppe de Domenico Hulu will drop new episodes for the miniseries every Wednesday at 3 a.m. ET/midnight PT. Is there a trailer for The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox? Yes, Hulu released a trailer for The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox in July 2025. It begins with Knox (Van Patten) narrating her decision to return to Italy in 2022 to confront the prosecutor in her first trial, Giuliano Mignini (Francesco Acquaroli). She explains, Because in order to move forward, I need to go back. The trailer then rewinds to 2007, when Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito (Giuseppe De Domenico), were accused of murdering Kercher in Perugia, Italy. After being interrogated by investigators, the college student is seen sitting in a jail cell, begging to escape. For 15 years, I've been defined by something that I didn't do, Van Patten's Knox says in the trailers conclusion. Many people think they know my story. But now, finally, it's my turn to tell it. Knox herself told Vanity Fair in July 2025 that she wanted to retell the case on her own terms. That autonomy was especially important when they were shooting the interrogation scenes, which were emotionally intense. I did not lose my s--- on set except for that time, Knox said. We spent two 10-hour days doing this scene from all the different angles over and over and over again. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to get that right, so that the next person who is wrongly accused and ends up falsely confessing feels like people are more willing to believe them. Watch The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on Hulu. Read the original article on People By Alexandra Alper WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Liberal U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on Wednesday threw his support behind President Donald Trump's plan to convert U.S. grants to chipmakers, including $10.9 billion for Intel, into government stakes in the companies. "If microchip companies make a profit from the generous grants they receive from the federal government, the taxpayers of America have a right to a reasonable return on that investment," Sanders, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, said in a statement to Reuters. The awards were part of the 2022 Chips and Science Act, which sought to lure chip production away from Asia and boost American domestic semiconductor output with $39 billion in subsidies. But Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is now looking into the government taking equity stakes in embattled Intel and other chipmakers in exchange for the grants, sources told Reuters on Tuesday, as the Trump administration seeks "equity" in return for "investments." The unusual alignment between Sanders and President Trump on government ownership stakes in private companies highlights a marked shift by Trump toward policies of state intervention in the economy that are typically associated with the left. Since Trump took office for a second time in January, he agreed to allow AI chip giants Nvidia and AMD to sell AI chips to China in exchange for the U.S. government receiving 15% of revenues from the sales. The Pentagon is set to become the largest shareholder in a small mining company to boost output of rare earth magnets. And the U.S. government negotiated for itself a "golden share" with certain veto rights as part of a deal to allow Nippon Steel to buy U.S. Steel. Sanders and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren had proposed an amendment to the Chips Act that would have forbidden the Commerce Department from granting a Chips Act award without the Treasury Department receiving a warrant, equity stake or senior debt instrument issued by the recipient company. "I am glad the Trump administration is in agreement with the amendment I offered three years ago," Sanders said. "Taxpayers should not be providing billions of dollars in corporate welfare to large, profitable corporations like Intel without getting anything in return." Much of the funding for Chips Act award recipients such as Micron, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Samsung has not been disbursed. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper; Editing by Edmund Klamann) Sgt. Griffin Payne, U.S. Army | DVIDS (The Center Square) An illegal immigrant from Mexico, who had previous convictions for violent crimes, has been sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to illegally reentering America. Otoniel Lugo-Campos, who was arrested in Nevada, will also have to serve three years of supervised release after finishing his sentence. The Mexican national was previously deported twice from the U.S. Lugo-Campos has a history of violent incidents, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. On March 8, 2021, Lugo-Campos entered into his former girlfriends apartment, where he shot her, her new boyfriend and a neighbor, according to the DOJ's court filing in the U.S. District Court for Nevada. The Center Square obtained a copy of the court document, which said it is not known how Lugo-Campos entered the home. The DOJ said he didn't have a key. The DOJ's court filing also said Lugo-Campos told his ex-girlfriend that if he went to jail, he would get out and then take [her] and [her] family out. When Nevada Highway Patrol arrested Lugo-Campos a week later, law enforcement found a 9mm handgun beneath the steering wheel panel, the DOJ noted in its document filed in the U.S. District Court. For this incident, Lugo-Campos was convicted of battery with use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, the DOJ said. He was also convicted of discharge of a firearm from or within a structure or vehicle, according to the court filing. Less than two months before this, Lugo-Campos showed up at her apartment unexpectedly while being intoxicated, the DOJ's court document says. The DOJ said Lugo Campos asked her for sex, but she said no, which resulted in Lugo-Campos beating her with a 3-foot pipe. Due to this, she ended up needing stitches because of the beating, the DOJ said. The DOJ's court filing noted after the ex-girlfriend moved on from the short dating relationship, the foreign national shot her three times. While he was in state custody for the shooting, law enforcement discovered that Lugo-Campos was in America illegally, the DOJ said. This legal case is not the first time the American justice system has had to deal with Lugo-Campos. The foreign national was deported from America the first time in 2000 after he pleaded guilty to a felony drug conviction and numerous probation violations, the DOJ noted in a news release. After his first deportation, Lugo-Campos returned to America and was arrested again in 2008. This time, he robbed five convenience stores in the Las Vegas area with a large butcher knife, the DOJ said. The DOJ also said he cut two store clerks in the robberies. For these robberies, the Mexican national was convicted of two counts of robbery with use of a deadly weapon," the DOJ's court filing stated. Lugo-Campos was deported back to Mexico in 2014 after serving his prison sentence. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Salt Lake City and its Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated this case, while the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted it. Walmart (WMT) stock fell 4.5% on Thursday after the company reported second quarter earnings shy of expectations while US sales growth topped forecasts. The big box retailer's low-price strategy drew consumers as tariff-related uncertainty pushed them to more carefully scrutinize their household budgets. "With regards to our US pricing decisions, given tariff-related cost pressures, we're doing what we said we would do," CEO Doug McMillon told investors on the company's earnings call. "We're keeping our prices as low as we can for as long as we can. ... As it relates to what we're experiencing with customers and members here in the US, their behavior has been generally consistent. We aren't seeing dramatic shifts." In the second quarter, US same-store sales grew 4.6%. That's more than the 4.2% Wall Street predicted, per Bloomberg consensus estimates, and ahead of the 4.5% growth seen in the first quarter. Walmart's wholesale subscription business, Sam's Club, saw the same metric grow 5.9%; the Street had forecast a 5.3% increase. The company now expects net sales in its fiscal 2026 to increase between 3.75%-4.75%, up from a prior range of 3%-4% growth that the company reiterated in the prior quarter. Read more: Live coverage of corporate earnings Walmart stock came under pressure after the results showed the company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.68, below the $0.74 the Street had forecast. This was the first quarterly earnings miss since May 2022 after the company said it incurred one-time charges related to legal matters and restructuring in the quarter. Revenue came in at $177.4 billion, better than the $176.05 billion Wall Street expected. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to come in between $0.58-$0.60 in the current quarter. For the full year, the company expects adjusted earnings to come in the range of $2.52-$2.62. The Street was looking for $2.61. Walmart called out strength in its grocery and health and wellness categories, driving its US sales growth. The company saw share gains "across income brackets led by upper-income households" in its US stores. Walmart said "like-for-like" inflation was 1.1% in its US stores for the quarter as it navigates tariff uncertainty. Read more: 5 ways to tariff-proof your finances By category, the company saw grocery sales rise by mid-single digits in US stores while the health and wellness category saw sales rise by a mid-teens percentage. Around 60% of the US sales are groceries, which are largely tariff-exempt if they're produced domestically or in Mexico and Canada. It has also been leaning into e-commerce and delivery. Walmart U.S. e-commerce profitability continued to increase in Q2, after it turned profitable in Q1. A Walmart store in Florida City. (JC MILHET/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images) (JC MILHET via Getty Images) Still, the company expects prices will increase in the second half of the year. "As we replenish inventory at post-tariff price levels, we've continued to see our costs increase each week, which we expect will continue into the third and fourth quarters," McMillon added. "As we go through the quarter, we'll be watching price gaps. We'll be watching gross margins. We'll be watching bottom-line profitability." Walmart sources two-thirds of its goods directly from the US and less than one-third of what it sells in the US is imported from China, Mexico, Vietnam, India, and Canada. Brooke DiPalma is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@yahoofinance.com. Click here for all of the latest retail stock news and events to better inform your investing strategy Getty / Laura Reid It's no wonder that plastic squeeze bottles of extra-virgin olive oil have become TikTok famous: lightweight and portable, their ease and convenience can't be beata squirt here, a drizzle there, and salads are dressed, and dinner is underway. But when it comes to preserving the flavor of that precious EVOO, other materials are far superior; in fact, plastic doesn't make the cut. We turned to olive oil experts to learn which containers are best for maintaining the quality of this crucial commodity, and why it matters. Meet Our Expert Jill Myers , founder of Women in Olive Oil (WI00), a global women's network of olive oil professionals that advances positive change in areas including nutrition, agricultural practices, fair trade, and gender equality Vincent Ricchiuti , COO and co-founder of Enzo Olive Oil, which produces estate-grown organic extra-virgin olive oil products in California's Central San Joaquin Valley Karmel Abuarha, marketing manager for the Jenin, Palestine-based organic extra-virgin olive oil producer Canaan Palestine, which partners with small family farms across the West Bank Related: How to Use Olive Oil in Place of Butter in Baking Packaging Really Matters for Olive Oil Delicate or robust, peppery, fruity, buttery, or grassy, top-shelf extra-virgin olive oil is among the most prized ingredients in any home cook's arsenal. A gurgle of the good stuff effortlessly heightens Bolognese sauce, roast chicken, and even vanilla ice cream. But if the forces of nature run interferenceand the oil's container is inferiorit may be game over for your creation. "Olive oil is incredibly sensitive to light, heat, and oxygen, and plastic doesn't protect it well from any of these," says Jill Myers, founder of Women in Olive Oil (WI00), a global women's network that supports producers, educates consumers, and unites women throughout the olive oil industry. Why You Should Put Away the Plastic Plastic is one of the least ideal materials for packaging olive oil, confirms Vincent Ricchiuti, COO and co-founder of Enzo Olive Oil, which produces its estate-grown organic extra-virgin olive oil products in the Central San Joaquin Valley, California. There are several reasons why: Oxidation Plastic is more permeable to oxygen than materials like glass or metal; it can speed up oxidation and shorten the oil's shelf life, in some instances causing the contents to turn rancid. Leaching "Heat also transfers quickly through plastic, so if the bottle warms up, chemical migration can occurmeaning the oil can start to absorb compounds from the plastic, affecting both flavor and quality, Ricchiuti says. The plastic may also pick up surrounding aromas, further compromising its flavor over time. Light "Just like oxygen, light exposure will damage the integrity of the olive oil," says Karmel Abuarha, marketing manager for Canaan Palestine, an extra-virgin olive oil producer based in Jenin, Palestine. Even solid-colored plastics don't block UV light effectively, contributing to oxidation and the breakdown of nutrients, Ricchiuti adds. Dark Glass Bottles Are Best While plastic is subpar for bottling olive oil, dark glass is optimal. "Dark glass is the gold standard for olive oil packaging," says Myers. When a high-quality brand uses dark glass bottles, adds Abuarha, it's a strong indication of its commitment to providing customers with the best product. Among its attributes: Blocks UV rays: "Dark glass is non-reactive, so it won't interact with the oil, and it shields it from damaging UV rays," Myers says. Safe from microplastics: Glass bottles dispense with concerns about leaching potential contaminants or microplastics. Consistent temperature: "Dark glass offers excellent thermal insulation, making olive oil less susceptible to temperature fluctuations that may happen during transit," says Abuarha. Sustainability: Glass is fully recyclable, reusable, and has a smaller long-term environmental impact, Ricchiuti says. "From both a quality and sustainability standpoint, dark glass is a superior packaging material." Related: How to Store Olive Oil for Maximum Shelf Life Ceramic Containers Another viable option is ceramic, which has roots in antiquity: The ancient Greeks and Romans favored ceramic containers, particularly amphorae, two-handled jars that were used to store and transport the oil. "Historically, olive oil was put into sealed clay pots and stored underground, to be taken from throughout the year," Abuarha says. Comparable to Glass While ceramic containers aren't necessarily better than dark glass, they are strong alternatives, Myers says. "Because ceramic is completely opaque, it blocks out 100 percent of sunlight and UV rays, which further helps protect against oxidation, ensuring the olive oil's flavor and quality," Abuarha says. Right temperature: These containers are naturally good thermal insulators, which helps the oil to maintain a stable temperature. When properly glazed, Ricchiuti adds, ceramic is chemically safe and non-reactive. Shortcomings: Still, there are a few caveats. "Ceramic, in particular, can be more fragile and expensive, which makes it less practical for shipping or large-scale retail," Myers says. "But for premium, small-batch oils, these materials can be beautiful and highly protective." Tin Containers Like dark glass bottles, tin containers come in a range of sizes and also safeguard olive oil from the elements. "Tins are one of the best packaging options for protecting olive oil, especially from light," Ricchiuti says, adding that they create a completely opaque barrier, preventing UV damage and oxidation. Strong and reliable: Durable, recyclable, and less susceptible to breakage, tins are often used for larger formats like 3-liter containers. "We use tins for our 3-liter EVOO and find they're excellent at maintaining freshness and quality over time," Ricchiuti says. Drawbacks: Nevertheless, there may be a few impediments. "Unlike glass bottles, which typically offer airtight seals to prevent oxygen exposure, tins may not always reseal as effectively," Abuarha points out. They can also easily dent during shipping. "Some companies deem dented tins as a waste product, leading to more waste and cost," he says. Storing Olive Oil Storage is just as critical as the right packaging. "Even the best bottle of oil will degrade quickly if it's left on a sunny counter or near the stove," Myers says. The perfect place to stow it: a cool, dark pantry or cupboard. "I often tell my clients to treat olive oil the way they would a fine wineprotect it from heat and light to keep it at its best." But while wine improves with age, olive oil doesn't. "Once you open a bottle, it's a race to the bottomuse it generously and enjoy it while it's at its freshest," she advises. Read the original article on Martha Stewart Will Reeve was only two years old when his father, actor and activist Christopher, suffered a near-fatal horseback-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down. But even all these years later, Will still has a vivid image of a perfect day with his father before his injury. Every morning, he would knock on the wall that he shared with his parents bedroom. One of his parents would grab him and bring him into their bed, and they would read the newspaper together. And then we would go do some activity, whether it was going on the sailboat or driving around town in the car or even going to watch him ride, Will recalls. I have made it a point in my life, since then and up until present day, to think of him in his totality, even the parts of his life that I wasnt alive for. More from Variety Like the rest of the world, Will was given a new window into his familys life in Super/Man, Words + Pictures intimate documentary that explores Christophers legacy as the Man of Steel in the 1978 blockbuster Superman and a pioneering activist for spinal cord injury research. Over the years, Will and his half-siblings, writer-producer Matthew and lawyer Alexandra, turned down multiple offers to participate in a documentary about their father, who died of heart failure in 2004. But a few years ago, producer Daniel Kilroy approached Matthew, asking if he had access to any home videos or documents. As fate would have it, the Reeve siblings had just boxed up an old family home. They were later introduced to directors Peter Ettedgui and Ian Bonhote, who had previously rendered cinematic yet sensitive portraits of Alexander McQueen and the Paralympics. We were at a place in our lives where we were ready to be vulnerable and share everything that we felt was necessary to share, to paint a full picture of our fathers life, Will says. The siblings werent interested in a hagiographic, greatest-hits retelling, but didnt want to influence the creative direction of the doc. We had said from the beginning: Go make the film that you think should be made. We will not put our thumb on the scale, because our father would not have abided by that. He believed in artistic independence and freedom. Sitting together in a Manhattan screening room almost exactly two years ago, the Reeve siblings realized they were right to entrust Ettedgui and Bonhote, who they agreed had captured the man in full as well as the inherent joy in their lives even in the darkest of times. They found a way into my fathers humanity that sings and stays with people who watch this film, and whoever sees it can take what they need from the film and apply it to their own life, Will says. The siblings were similarly moved by how the directors captured Christophers relationship with his wife, Dana, who was the glue that held the family together: My parents went through the most difficult of times together and never broke. They always believed in each other, and they believed in the family unit that the two of them had formed. The elder Reeve was always a firm believer in playing the hand he was dealt. Playing Superman was both a blessing and a curse; the role catapulted the Juilliard-educated actor to global superstardom in his mid-20s, but being typecast as the character later stymied his ability to pursue other roles. Following his accident, he understood that he could use his platform to completely reshape the way the public thought about disability. My dad never set out to be a hero, nor did he necessarily think of himself in such lofty terms, but everything he did in his life was heroic. To hear him say it, a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. That is the defining element of my fathers life, Will explains. I think being Superman gave him the profile that he was then able to leverage into real and lasting change for spinal cord injury and general disability awareness, and funding for research and quality-of-life care everything that the Reeve Foundation is still at the forefront of to this very day. The unbreakable bond between the Reeve siblings has also been forged in tragedy. Just 16 months after her husbands death, Dana, a non-smoker, died of lung cancer, leaving her 13-year-old son in the care of a loving, neighboring family and her two stepchildren. While Will stresses that he has never actually literally been alone in his life, there is still a missing piece of himself that he will never be able to get back. Anyone whos lost someone close to them knows the feeling of being alone, even if youre surrounded by people and the love that they give you. Theres something different about losing a parent, let alone two, that makes a person feel lonely and makes them feel lost in a way. As a journalist for ESPN and then ABC News, Will has heard repeatedly that he is the spitting image of his father he inherited his mega-watt smile, his rich voice, his articulate and affable nature. That close resemblance likely contributed to DC co-head James Gunns decision to ask Will to cameo in the new Superman reboot as a TV news reporter, shortly after Warner Bros. picked up the distribution rights for Super/Man last year. Being wholeheartedly embraced by the new Superman actors and producers was incredibly meaningful to Will, who believes that having to memorize lines is more stressful than having to recite a bunch of talking points on live TV. I was far more nervous doing this taped cameo, with as many takes as I desired, than Ive ever been doing my real job live on air in front of millions of people, he says. He admits he needed a few takes to nail his single line. On a more serious note, I knew that it would mean a lot to the people who loved my dad as Superman and still think of him as that today. It was a nice homage to my dad and the significance that he has in DC lore. Will has found even more personal ways to honor his fathers memory. In February, he debuted an ABC News primetime special, Finding My Father, in which he revisited the last expedition his dad had filmed before his accident. Finding the sons of the people who took him around those places and talking with them about what it means to carry on a fathers legacy after theyve gone, taught me a lot about the universal human experience of grief, he says of the trip that took him from Alaska to Mexico. We have a lot more in common and want and yearn for the same things, no matter where were from, or what weve been through, or what experiences weve had in our lives. I think any child, the more they grow and the more they experience life, inevitably and invariably, theyre getting closer to what their parents ultimately were or wanted their children to be, Will adds. Just celebrating my dad and my family in a more public way than I probably have in the past has brought me closer to him, because I know that I am making decisions to grow as a person personally and professionally in ways that align with the values that my parents instilled in me in the short time we had together. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Getty Kate Middleton and Prince William on February 26, 2025 The Gist News broke this week that Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three kids will relocate to the larger Forest Lodge property by the end of the year. The family doesnt currently have any live-in staff at their home, Adelaide Cottage, a four-bedroom home on the Windsor estate, and that will likely not change. Its all in a bid to keep Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis as grounded as possible, even though they were born royal. Prince William and Kate Middleton dont currently have any staff living with them at their home, the four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor estate. When they relocate to the larger eight-bedroom Forest Lodgenestled in Windsor Great Parklater this year, that wont change, and there will be no housekeepers, nannies, or security living with them in the home itself. Though staff will likely live in cottages nearby, the Prince and Princess of Wales dont allow staff to live with them and kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis in a bid to keep the kids lives as normal as possible, though they are royal. All three kids are expected to muck in, royal biographer Katie Nicholl said, and they have to do chores in return for their pocket money. Getty Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Prince Louis on May 5, 2025 They absolutely do menial tasks, Nicholl said, per The Mirror. They are far more ordinary than many might imagine. She added that Its about them wanting to have a normal, happy, ordinary family home and lifestyle which, at Adelaide Cottage, they are really achieving. Fellow royal biographer Robert Hardman added that at Adelaide Cottage, William and Kate didnt employ live-in staff not least because there would be little room to do so. But even as the Prince and Princess of Wales and their family move to a larger home, that wont change. Getty Prince George, Kate Middleton, Prince Louis, Prince William, and Princess Charlotte I think it would surprise people to see how ordinary things are at home, a source said, per The Mirror. The children help with laying the table, clearing their plates when theyve finished eating, and helping with tidying up. Theres no preferential treatment. The Wales family of five intend to stay at Forest Lodge even after William becomes king, with a source telling The Telegraph, This is a move for the long term. It is the familys intention to stay in their new home after reign change. Getty Prince William and Kate Middleton Unlike Queen Elizabethwho lived at Buckingham Palace the majority of her reignWilliam will likely opt to only use the palace for his office. I dont think it was ever loved, historian and royal biographer Robert Lacey told The Telegraph of Buckingham Palace, adding it was always seen as an office. I think, actually, as an office it has been very successful. As a ceremonial figurehead for the royal family, as the place that visitors identify with, its been a great success. Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images Buckingham Palace The point is, it is now a working office building, Lacey continued. And people dont live in their office, and so maybe the way ahead is for royal spokespeople to present more clearly its role. It still remains the headquarters, and it will never lose its ceremonial dimension. Read the original article on InStyle Wolf-dog hybrids are bred by crossing domestic dogs with wolves, sometimes just a few generations back. They carry physical traits and instincts that set them far apart from standard breeds. These breeds were developed for a range of purposes: military roles, and others to resemble wolves without the temperament. What they all share is a need for experienced handling and strong leadership. Czechoslovakian Wolfdog Credit: Wikimedia Commons This breed was born out of a military breeding program in the 1950s, and it was never meant to be low-maintenance. Its got the focus, agility, and stubborn streak thats best managed by someone who reads training manuals and isnt scared to apply them with discipline. Saarloos Wolfdog Credit: Wikimedia Commons Dutch breeder Leendert Saarloos created this breed in the 1930s by pairing a German Shepherd with a European wolf. The Saarloos Wolfdog looks strikingly wild but acts with reserve. It prefers space, quiet, and consistency over crowded settings. Kunming Wolfdog Credit: Wikimedia Commons The Kunming Wolfdog first appeared in China during the 1950s, developed for service in the military and police. Its not a laid-back house companion. These dogs are quick, restless, and demanding of attention. Their German Shepherd heritage shows, but with more drive and sharper edges, they need constant engagement to stay balanced. American Shepherd Tundra Dog Credit: Facebook A product of U.S. Army experimentation, this breed never became mainstream, and thats probably for the best. It's not bred for obedience trials or backyard fetch. It does best with someone who gets that respect and structure matter more than cuddles, and that a calm home beats a busy one. Kugsha Credit: Getty Images Think of a Husky, now add wolf genetics and an advanced sense of independence. Thats the Kugsha. These dogs were developed in Pennsylvania and are known for problem-solving skills that can either be impressive or exhausting. Kugshas require intense training and structure. Their intelligence can become a problem without consistent mental challenges. Tamaskan Dog Credit: Wikimedia Commons Though not a direct hybrid, the Tamaskan was selectively bred in Finland to resemble wolves while maintaining a manageable temperament. It shares Husky, Malamute, and Shepherd bloodlines. Its intelligent and family-friendly, but only when its considerable energy is regularly channeled through activity and brainwork. Northern Inuit Dog Credit: Wikimedia Commons This breed was developed in the UK during the 1980s from German Shepherd, Malamute, and Husky lines. It carries the wolf look but not wolf ancestry. Early training helps bring out its social and cooperative side. The breed became widely recognized after appearing as the dire wolves in Game of Thrones. German Shepherd Wolf Mix Credit: Reddit Theres no predictable blueprint here. One mix might be affectionate and loyal, the next suspicious and aloof. But one thing that remains constant is that these dogs need owners who wont flinch when instincts kick in. With enough early training and consistency, they can settle into domestic life, but its never automatic. Greenland Dog Credit: Wikimedia Commons A powerful Arctic sled dog with wolf-like traits, the Greenland Dog has been used for centuries in extreme climates. It works best in packs, resists being left alone, and is no fan of indoor lounging. Its not so much a pet as a partner that thrives on purpose, space, and a consistent routine. East Siberian Laika Credit: Wikimedia Commons The main job of this breed is hunting bear and boar in the Russian wilderness. The East Siberian Laika isn't interested in your game of fetch. Its smart, self-reliant, and makes decisions in the field without waiting for approval. That level of autonomy doesnt translate well to apartment life. Volkosob Credit: Wikimedia Commons This ones a security-focused hybrid developed by Russian scientists. The Volkosob doesnt show up at dog parks or in homes, for that matter. Bred from wolves and herding dogs, its built for alertness and intensity. Highly trainable under strict protocols, it remains off-limits to civilian owners by design. Lupo Italiano Credit: Wikimedia Commons These hybrid dogs were not just bred, but commissioned in 1966 by the Italian government for rescue missions. The Lupo Italiano is part Apennine wolf and part German Shepherd. Theyre bred to be a controlled working dog, and that means they remain tightly regulated and not sold commercially. Its development reflects a balance between wolf resilience and domestic obedience. British Lupine Dog Credit: Facebook British Lupines were created in recent decades to mimic the look of wolves without the behavioral chaos. They curate the perfect fine line. The dogs are bold, inquisitive, and deeply trainable, but they still need boundaries, exercise, and mental work to stay grounded. Think of them as thinking dogs in wild-looking outfits. Wolamute Credit: Wikimedia Commons These dogs are a mix of Alaskan Malamute and gray wolf, and arent ones to follow your lead without negotiation. Its brawny, intense, and not overly concerned with your plans for the day. It responds to calm authority and consistency, but never expects it to be eager to please. Also, their strength and independence make them a better fit for experienced hybrid owners. Utonagan Credit: imgur The Utonagan was bred in the UK from Husky, Malamute, and German Shepherd lines to capture a wolf-like look without wolf blood. It is affectionate with family but grows restless when left without work. Stubbornness and anxiety appear if its energy is ignored. Structure, exercise, and steady companionship keep it grounded. Interactive has migrated hundreds of virtual machines to a new data centre, over a single weekend for Holland Insurance. The general insurer underwrites a broad range of insurance products including motor, home, contents, business and pet insurance, through partnerships with some of Australias biggest consumer brands and broker businesses. The move followed Hollands previous managed services provider (MSP) decision to close its private cloud. This left the insurer to deliver a large-scale data migration under a strict timeline. However, the initial engagement quickly expanded in complexity and the migration involved moving hundreds of virtual servers to a new data centre, with a mix of generations of IT systems and platforms. Larry Neimann, head of technology operations at Hollard, said Interactives cloud team initially partnered with the general insurer to identify opportunities for consolidation, migration and remediation across its platforms. Interactive performed some IT discovery work for us which provided clarity around the challenges and requirements of our environment, he said. Once our MSP announced it was discontinuing its cloud services, it was clear we needed the support of experienced engineers, architects and technicians. Building responsible AI However, the systems integrator is also conscious of the risk AI poses to its enterprise customers, with it working with at least half of the Australian Securities Exchange top 200 listed companies. In almost every customer, Thebault noted, there is a fear about exposure like whether a CEO sees payroll data they shouldnt. The best way to mitigate a probabilistic system revealing something unintended is to remove that data from its scope, he said. But if thats always the approach, progress will be slower. Instead, we need to put good guardrails in place and foster the technology to avoid exposure. Generative AI is probabilistic, not deterministic, so outputs can vary. Thats why it needs to be wrapped with deterministic technologies. At the same time, Snowflake partners and marketplace tools provide those guardrails and interfaces, explained Thebault. When it comes to guiding the ethical principles of AI, Mantel helps its customers to determine the standards the AI needs to uphold the same standards as a human employee. An LLM [large language model] is essentially a neural network trained on millions of datasets, an engineering process where many choices can be made training approach; guardrails; and context, explained Thebault. We know ethically human history isnt perfect, so training with too much history can be harmful. At the coalface the key is to think about what AI is replacing. Usually, it replaces a conversation with a human, and that human was expected to uphold certain standards. If were using AI for a health insurers customer conversations, the AI must uphold the same standards that human employees would. Thats the baseline we use with customers. For a systems integrator, it was important to have a responsible AI team before it built LLMs. When we were dealing with machine learning making decisions on behalf of humans. Its now one of our fastest-growing teams, said Thebault. We even offer an AI ethics use case audit, which uses tools to assess AI development and deployment. Its simple and inexpensive but often overlooked. When we do it, it makes a massive difference in how AI is deployed and forces people to stop and ask [if] bias gender, racial, or otherwise exists. Rising star Governance, data strategy, and AI ethics is also key to Snowflake Rising Star award winner InterWorks. The US-founded systems integrator was officially incorporated in Australia in 2018 and has been focused on data management, said Asia Pacific managing director Robert Curtis. For InterWorks, there are key differentiators in what Snowflake provides as a vendor partner. We have something we call a Snowflake Rapid Start, and we can get the platform up in days, Curtis told ARN in an interview. Then in terms of executing use cases, we did a document AI solution for a freight forwarding Australia-owned business. It ended up saving around 2,000 hours a year by scanning these documents and having them go straight into document AI and translating them into data. We did that in about three weeks. According to Curtis, Snowflake has invested a complete vision across the whole platform. It started as a data warehouse, and it became a data platform lakehouse, and then they started adding in transformation capabilities, he said. Theres governance in there [and] now obviously AI is a major selling point. Curtis said InterWorks has four foundations for AI readiness: strategy, governance, data, and people. If you dont have all four of those, youre not going to have good solutions, he added. When InterWorks talks to customers about AI projects, that encompasses platform, process, and people, and governance. We want to bring in tools, theyre going to help automate governance, and use AI to make governance more powerful, which is sort of funny because its a bit recursive, noted Curtis. Were using AI to build AI solutions, [but] we also need to evangelise to the individual users what their part is and how they use the data responsibly. From a platform perspective, Snowflake has an emerging sort of data catalogue and all the things that they can do, but there are other tools that can help augment. The 2025 winners To enable customers to take full advantage of AI and machine learning there is a need for high-quality, up-to-date data. This is why Snowflake Partner of the Year for Industry Solutions A/NZ Data Army shared valuable knowledge content and offering a growing range of datasets with its customers. As a Snowflake partner, Data Army provides value to customers across two streams, with the first being a solutions integrator where it architects and delivers advanced Snowflake-powered data platforms through its data consulting team. The second is its role as a data cloud provider, where the organisation publishes a broad and growing range of ready-to-query datasets on the Snowflake Marketplace via Data Army Intel. Data Army director Michael Ogilvie said as both a data cloud provider and solutions integrator, the company is positioned to deliver data products, consult with businesses, and create bespoke solutions. Other Snowflake winners included Raj Thakker of Deloitte for Partner Champion of the Year and Vivanti for Innovation Partner of the Year. Today's news: Thailand opens its doors to 10,000 Sri Lankan workers to replace Cambodians after border war. Japan wants to launch a new area of economic cooperation with Africa. In the United Arab Emirates, an archaeological dig unearths a 1,400-year-old cross. Turkey repatriated two human rights activists to Turkmenistan. AFGHANISTAN IRAN A road accident in western Afghanistan killed 73 people, including 17 children, most of whom were on a bus carrying Afghan migrants expelled from Iran. The bus, headed for Kabul, caught fire Tuesday night after colliding with a truck and a motorcycle in Herat province. All passengers on the bus died, as did two people in the other vehicles. In recent months, Iran has intensified its deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants who fled the conflict in their home country. THAILAND SRI LANKA The Thai government has approved the hiring of 10,000 Sri Lankan workers in an effort to address a labour shortage caused by the return home of Cambodian workers following violent border clashes between the two countries, a senior Thai official said Tuesday. Thailand's aging population and shrinking workforce have forced it to rely on at least three million registered foreign workers in agriculture, construction, and manufacturing, according to data from the International Labour Organisation. JAPAN AFRICA Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba today will launch a plan for a joint "economic zone" encompassing the Indian Ocean region and Africa during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, attended by representatives of 50 African countries. The goal is to harness the economic potential of a continent where Chinese influence is growing. According to government sources, the "economic zone" will involve governments, industries, and academia to promote free trade in Africa and will support the development of human resources in the field of artificial intelligence. SOUTH KOREA A firefighter who suffered from depression after being sent to the scene of the tragic 2022 Itaewon stampede that killed 159 people was found dead after being missing for ten days. The body of the 30-year-old man was found in Geumi-dong, Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES The United Arab Emirates announced yesterday the discovery of a nearly intact terracotta tile depicting a cross dating back 1,400 years. The find was uncovered during a new excavation campaign at the archaeological site of Sir Bany Yas, an island not far from Abu Dhabi, where the remains of a monastic complex of the ancient Church of the East were discovered in the 1990s. It is the largest cross ever found in the area, and its exquisite workmanship further confirms the importance of this Christian presence, which continued until the 8th century. RUSSIA Russian President Vladimir Putin met with a committee of authors of new school history textbooks, insisting on further corrections that would further clarify that "the so-called independent states that emerged after the fall of the Russian Empire had never existed before, explaining all the geopolitical and educational consequences for students. TURKMENISTAN-TURKEY Turkey repatriated human rights activists Alisher Sakhatov and Abdulla Orusov to Turkmenistan. After the two had moved to Turkey in 2018 with their wives and children, they continued to criticise their countrys regime on YouTube channels and other platforms. Following their arrest in April of this year, they were denied asylum. Champion local news. Join our community of readers who value daily beat reporting and in-depth stories alike. Your membership allows us to continue the legacy of local, independent journalism in the Roaring Fork Valley. With your support, we can remain a free and accessible source of news for everyone, always without paywalls or corporate influence. Together, we can ensure that vital local stories are told. 20 August 2025 10:43 (UTC+04:00) By Elchin Alioglu | Baku Network On August 8, 2025, Washington became the stage for a seismic shift in the South Caucasus. Against the backdrop of high-stakes talks between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and U.S. President Donald Trump, the foreign ministers of both countries Jeyhun Bayramov of Azerbaijan and Ararat Mirzoyan of Armenia initialed a draft bilateral peace agreement. More importantly, they signed a joint declaration addressed to the OSCE chair-in-office, calling for the termination of the Minsk process and the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, including the mandate of the Chairs Personal Representative and the High-Level Planning Group. That move effectively closed the curtain on a three-decade-long experiment in conflict mediation one that, as hindsight makes brutally clear, was among the least productive diplomatic platforms in OSCE history. The decision carries not only institutional and legal ramifications but also a symbolic punch: it cements a new paradigm for the regions security architecture. Conflicts, the message is, should be resolved by those directly involved not indefinitely frozen under the watch of outside moderators. The Minsk Group: Anatomy of a Failure The Minsk Group was born in March 1992, created by a decision of the OSCEs (then CSCE) senior officials meeting in Budapest. Its formal mission was to facilitate a peaceful settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Karabakh through a Minsk Conference. That conference never materialized. Instead, the group degenerated into a perpetually stalled triumvirate of co-chairs the U.S., Russia, and France each carrying not only competing interests but, as documents declassified after 2020 revealed, agendas that were anything but neutral. The UN Security Councils Resolution 853 (1993) explicitly recognized Armenias occupation of Azerbaijani territories and demanded a full withdrawal. Yet across its entire lifespan, the Minsk Group failed to deliver even a semblance of enforcement. In fact, as a 2021 report by the European Institute of Security Policy concluded, the group was structurally designed to avoid putting the conflict within the bounds of international law, operating in a logic of management rather than resolution. A Legal and Geopolitical Vacuum Under the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, the OSCEs institutions are bound to uphold the territorial integrity of states. But the Minsk Group spent thirty years dodging that core obligation. It took no meaningful action to restore Azerbaijans sovereignty over its occupied districts, despite overwhelming international recognition of Bakus claims. By the early 2010s, the group had morphed into little more than a status quo preservation tool. As George Washington University law professor Thomas Grant put it, The Minsk Group was a mechanism for managing expectations, not resolving contradictions. Its a textbook case of institutional drift. For years, its activities amounted to little more than ceremonial visits, press releases, and diplomatic theater. After the Four-Day War in 2016 and especially following the 44-Day War in 2020 even that thin veneer of purpose collapsed. President Aliyev repeatedly emphasized that the group had no mandate left to justify its existence. Post-Conflict Realities and the New Regional Order Azerbaijans restoration of its territorial integrity in the Second Karabakh War (2020) fundamentally altered the landscape. In international law and diplomacy, when the object of a dispute disappears, so does the legitimacy of any mediation body. From 2021 onward, Bakus message was unequivocal: the Karabakh conflict is over, and the Minsk Group has no legal or political ground to exist. Neutral observers echoed that line. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in a 2022 policy brief, described the Minsk Group as an anachronism post-2020, with its continued existence serving the ambitions of its co-chairs more than the cause of peace. The August 2025 decision in Washington sealed what had long been obvious: the OSCE Minsk Group was never a bridge to peace, but a theater of delay. Its demise marks not a loss, but the clearing of deadwood and the recognition that real conflict resolution must be owned, and delivered, by the parties themselves. The Legal and Diplomatic Weight of the August 8 Declaration The joint appeal by the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia to Finland, which currently chairs the OSCE, was more than a political gesture. It carried a clear legal meaning as well. By formally agreeing to dissolve the mediation framework of the Minsk Group, both sides effectively invoked what international practice calls a mutual renunciation of mediation mechanism. This principle is enshrined in OSCE precedent. The Final Document of the 1989 Vienna Meeting spelled it out plainly: With the consent of both parties, the sides to a conflict may notify the mediator of the termination of his mandate if they conclude that continued mediation no longer serves their interests (OSCE Final Document, Vienna Meeting 1989, Section V). In that sense, Baku and Yerevans move was not a legal gamble but a legitimate step one firmly rooted in OSCEs own precedent. Finland as the Mediator of Closure On August 9, Finnish diplomat Toni Sandell confirmed that consultations had begun inside the OSCE on winding down the Minsk Group. That procedural trigger sets in motion the legal process for dismantling not only the Group itself but also the mandate of the Chairs Personal Representative and the related High-Level Planning Group. As Matti Laakso, a political scientist at the University of Helsinki, put it: This is not just the termination of an institution its the symbolic end of an era of diplomatic hypocrisy on the Karabakh question. The joint decision by Baku and Yerevan represents more than bureaucratic housekeeping. It signals a shift in the logic of peacemaking: from externally imposed dictates to internal consensus. The South Caucasus is now entering a post-Minsk phase, where the leading actors are the states of the region themselves, not outside brokers with competing agendas. For historians and policy analysts, the Minsk Group will endure as a case study in diplomatic stagnation and as a warning about the dangers of clinging to artificial mediation frameworks. Its closure is less a technical adjustment than a marker of political maturity. In that sense, the true legacy of August 2025 may lie not in the peace deal alone, but in the lesson that the region no longer needs scaffolding to hold itself up. France and Russia: Fighting to Keep Their Grip From the moment the Second Karabakh War ended in November 2020, France and Russia two of the Minsk Groups three co-chairs waged a quiet, often desperate battle to keep the platform alive. Their efforts rested on shaky ground, fueled more by inertia and geopolitical reflex than by legal justification. Paris, especially under Emmanuel Macron, tried to leverage the Minsk Group as a stage for pressuring Azerbaijan. Starting in 2021, proposals to revive the Minsk process surfaced in both chambers of the French parliament, often couched in rhetoric that placed blame squarely on Baku. In December 2022, the French Senate went so far as to pass a resolution urging the government to step up efforts within the Minsk Group (Senat francais, Resolution n103, 2022). For Azerbaijani analysts, it was a transparent attempt by Paris to claw back lost influence. But those efforts ignored two fundamental realities: first, that Azerbaijans territorial integrity had already been restored; second, that international law provided no mandate for mediation once the object of the dispute disappeared. Politically, Pariss stance was less about peace than about placating its domestic Armenian lobby. As French scholar Jean-Baptiste Jejel observed, In an era of geopolitical marginalization, France increasingly uses foreign policy as an extension of its domestic electoral campaigns, especially in relation to the Armenian lobby (Revue Defense Nationale, 2023). Moscow, by contrast, played a subtler game. Russia stopped short of openly demanding the Minsk Groups continuation, but its diplomatic messaging particularly from the Foreign Ministry was laced with nods to the groups ongoing importance. At the same time, the Kremlin hedged its bets through parallel diplomacy: deploying peacekeepers and managing direct channels with both Yerevan and Baku. This approach effectively bypassed the OSCE while still keeping the brand of the Minsk Group on life support. It was a textbook case of what Oxfords Timothy Garton Ash calls a conflict ownership strategy holding the conflict within ones sphere of influence less to resolve it than to control it. For Moscow, the Minsk Group was never about arbitration; it was about leverage. Thats why Russia resisted to the very end any talk of liquidation. Losing the Minsk Group meant surrendering a pressure point over both Armenia and Azerbaijan. But once Yerevan itself signed the Washington declaration, Moscows last defense crumbled. What remained was the image of a power clutching at a format that no longer existed a relic of influence, dissolved by the very states it once sought to manage. A Global Precedent: The Minsk Group and the Bankruptcy of International Mediation The fate of the OSCE Minsk Group is not an outlier. History is littered with institutions that began with lofty goals only to collapse under the weight of their own irrelevance, serving as cautionary tales of what happens when diplomacy becomes procedural theater instead of conflict resolution. UNPROFOR in the Former Yugoslavia. The UNs peacekeeping mission in the former Yugoslavia UNPROFOR (19921995) has become a textbook case of institutional paralysis. Despite Security Council resolutions and a clear mandate to protect civilians, it failed to stop the Srebrenica massacre and allowed the obstruction of humanitarian aid. As the UN Secretary-General later admitted in a 1999 report, UNPROFOR proved unable to adapt to the character of the conflict or to defend the civilian population (UN Secretary-General Report, A/54/549, 1999). The Kosovo Contact Group. The Kosovo Contact Group, made up of the U.S., Russia, the EU, and the UN, followed a similar pattern of symbolic mediation without teeth. Its pronouncements lacked binding force, and the eventual unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo in 2008 underscored the impotence of the format. The Normandy Format. In Ukraine, the Normandy Four Germany, France, Ukraine, and Russia emerged in 2014 as a vehicle for negotiating peace. But the group proved incapable of implementing the Minsk agreements. By 2022, the format had collapsed entirely, undone by conflicting interests among its members and the absence of any enforcement mechanism. The Minsk Group as Procedural Diplomacy Without Resolution The OSCE Minsk Group will now take its place alongside these failures as the archetype of procedural diplomacy without resolution. For thirty years it functioned on paper while obstructing justice in practice, substituting political balancing acts for the clear principles of international law. Its liquidation is more than just bureaucratic housekeeping. It is a conceptual watershed: a recognition that the era of postmodern mediation where process masquerades as substance and procedure replaces the will to resolve has reached its end. Azerbaijan and Armenia, despite all their differences, have converged on one essential point: the responsibility to determine their own fate rests with them, not with foreign brokers. The demise of the Minsk Group is not just its failure it is its liberation. For the first time in decades, the region can breathe without the ballast of institutional helplessness. 20 August 2025 13:48 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more France, which for a long time has taken a contrasting stance on the Garabagh issue vis-a-vis Baku, has appointed a new ambassador to Azerbaijan. Sophie Lagoutte will replace her predecessor, Anne Boillon, and has expressed considerable enthusiasm about commencing her work in the country. But who exactly is the newly appointed ambassador to Azerbaijan? And what steps does she intend to take to help thaw the frosty relations between Azerbaijan and France? Sophie Lagoutte has been named Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Azerbaijan, a position officially decreed on 18 August 2025. She previously held the rank of Administratrice de lEtat du deuxieme grade (Administrator of the State, second grade) within the French civil service. She entered the French diplomatic corps in 2008, after being admitted through the diplomatic service entry competition. Her early years in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs included a role as Justice and Internal Affairs Editor within the Directorate for European Union Affairs in Paris. After passing a subsequent competition, in 2011, she became Counsellor for Foreign Affairs and served at Frances Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels. From 2015 to 2017, she was Press Officer and Political Counsellor at the French Embassy in Israel. Between 2017 and 2019, she served as Deputy Director of the Cabinet of the Minister in charge of European Affairs and as Europe Counsellor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, back in Paris. She then served as Consul General of France in Montreal, starting in August 2019 after her nomination that June. FranceAzerbaijan relations in the context of diplomatic dynamics In previous years, French policy tended to favour Armenia. France supported Armenian positions during the Garabagh conflict and criticised Azerbaijans actions, particularly during the 2023 anti-terrorist measures. Statements like cease operations and concerns over human rights marked a more adversarial tone. Prior to that, relations had worsenedFrance recalled its ambassador for consultations in April 2024, reflecting heightened diplomatic strain. Anne Bouillon took a noticeably more restrained stance, especially regarding politically sensitive topics like Garabagh. However, during a visit to Lachin, she avoided controversial terminology and did not criticise Azerbaijan, signalling a departure from earlier confrontational approaches. France has also demonstrated a notable restraint following the recent thaw in ArmeniaAzerbaijan relations, particularly in the aftermath of the Washington meeting. This suggests that, for now, Yerevans position remains stronger than the desires of its diaspora and lobbyists, and that the Macron administration treats the official stance of Armenia with due respect. However, it appears that France intends to use its diplomatic presence to usher in a new era in the South Caucasus. After all, why not? Relations between Azerbaijan and France have historically been strong, and if we set aside the events of the past five years, there has been no serious tension between official Paris and Baku. Evaluating the potential of Frances incoming ambassador in Azerbaijan Sophie Lagoutte appears poised to adopt a more constructive and partnership-oriented approach than earlier figures. She moves away from politicised rhetoric toward tangible cooperation, especially in education, cultural exchange, and multilateral engagement. While Bouillon laid the groundwork for a more balanced tone, Lagoutte is focused on building momentum, expanding people-to-people ties, and leveraging academic and strategic partnerships. In contrast, prior French diplomats were often viewed in Baku as advocating positions heavily tilted toward Armenia, which contributed to a diplomatic chill. Lagouttes opening remarksand her early programmatic choicessuggest an intentional shift toward normalisation and mutual opportunity. Frances role in Azerbaijans non-oil economy: Partnership with untapped potential If AzerbaijanFrance diplomatic relations continue on a path of normalisation, Paris could emerge as a key partner in the diversification of Azerbaijans economy. While hydrocarbons remain central to Bakus economic model, the governments 20222026 socio-economic development strategy places strong emphasis on non-oil growthan area where France has deep expertise and global leadership. One of the most promising avenues is renewable energy. French companies such as TotalEnergies are already established players in Azerbaijans energy landscape, but future cooperation could expand beyond oil and gas into solar, wind, and hydrogen projects. With Azerbaijan preparing to become a green energy exporter via the Black Sea cable project, French know-how in technology and financing could accelerate these ambitions. The agriculture and agri-business sector represents another sphere for cooperation. France, with its globally renowned agri-food industries, can help modernise Azerbaijans food processing, quality standards, and supply chain logistics. This would not only boost exports but also add value to Azerbaijans rural economy, creating jobs beyond the capital. In the realm of education and innovation, French institutions are already playing a role. The AzerbaijanFrance University (UFAZ), founded in partnership with the University of Strasbourg, has trained a new generation of engineers and researchers. Expanding this model to other disciplinesdigital technologies, tourism management, and environmental scienceswould strengthen Azerbaijans human capital base for the non-oil future. Tourism also offers fertile ground. France is the worlds leading tourist destination, and its expertise in cultural heritage management, rural tourism, and hospitality training could be transferred to Azerbaijan, where Tourist Villages and regional destinations are being developed. Joint promotion campaigns, particularly targeting European travellers, could position Azerbaijan as a unique crossroads of East and West. Finally, infrastructure and urban development are areas where French engineering and architectural firms have strong reputations. Their participation in smart city and green urban planning projects in liberated Garabagh could symbolise a new era of cooperation. In sum, improved relations would allow France to support Azerbaijan in its critical transition toward a diversified, modern economy. Such collaboration, grounded in education, technology, and culture, could redefine the bilateral relationship from one shaped by geopolitical tensions to one driven by shared prosperity. 20 August 2025 14:56 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more An event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bakhtiyar Vahabzade, a prominent representative of Azerbaijani literature, People's Poet, playwright, literary scholar, educator, and public figure, has taken place at Azerbaijan National Library, Azernews reports. The director of the National Library, Professor Karim Tahirov, stated that People's Poet, State Prize laureate, academician Bakhtiyar Vahabzade is not only the most beloved poet of Azerbaijan but of the entire Turkic world. He spoke about the events organized jointly by the Ministry of Culture, TURKSOY, and the Azerbaijan National Library in accordance with the Decree signed by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on February 21, 2025, regarding the celebration of the 100th anniversary of People's Poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade at the state level. He mentioned that until the end of the year, a series of such events will be held not only in Azerbaijan but throughout the Turkic world. He also emphasized that the Azerbaijan National Library has prepared the book "Bakhtiyar Vahabzade. Bibliography." Vasif Gurban-zade, head of the Book Industry Department of the Ministry of Culture and writer-publicist, stated that as long as Azerbaijani literature, science, and culture live on, Bakhtiyar Vahabzade will eternally remain one of the brightest pages in the history of Azerbaijani literature. Esmira Fuad (Shukurova), leading researcher at the Nizami Ganjavi Institute of Literature of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Philological Sciences, and professor, spoke in detail about People's Poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzades multifaceted creativity, rich literary heritage, Turkism ideas, and his position in Azerbaijani literature. Alizade Asgarli, leading researcher at the Nizami Ganjavi Institute of Literature of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Philological Sciences, and professor, said that Bakhtiyar Vahabzade is one of the rare figures of Azerbaijani poetry of the 20th-21st centuries. Afterwards, an electronic database titled "Bakhtiyar of the Turkic World," prepared by the staff of the National Library, was presented. At the end, participants familiarized themselves with the traditional book exhibition titled "People's Poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade - 100." With over 5 million books, manuscripts, and maps, the Azerbaijan National Library is considered one of the largest libraries in the Caucasus region. Since 1939, the library has borne the name of the eminent playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov. The library has an extensive collection of literature in Azerbaijani, Russian, English, and other languages. It has collected and preserved national editions, works of Azerbaijani and foreign authors about Azerbaijan published abroad. The National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, visited the National Library four times in 1995-1997 and donated nearly 300 books from his personal library. In 2004, the Mirza Fatali Akhundov Library was granted the status of a national library by the decision of Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers. The building of the library is no less impressive. The library's faade is decorated with the statues of eminent poets and writers like Nizami Ganjavi, Mahsati Ganjavi, Uzeyir Hajibayli, Shota Rustaveli, Alexander Pushkin and many others. The scope of the library's activities is constantly expanding. In 2005, on the basis of legal copies received from publishing houses and printing companies, the library published the yearbook "Books of Azerbaijan" for 1990, 1991, 2000, and 2001. Over the past years, the National Library has signed a memorandum on bilateral mutual cooperation with about 80 libraries. In 2021, the Culture Ministry and Mirza Fatali Akhundov Library launched a joint campaign, "Let's go to Garabagh with a book", to restore libraries in the Garabagh region. A large number of books were donated to the Garabagh Book Fund by a number of international organizations working in the field of culture, Turkic-speaking countries, famous foreign and local authors, publishers, and printing houses. 20 August 2025 10:33 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry has extended congratulations to Afghanistan on the countrys Independence Day, celebrated annually on August 19, Azernews reports. Congratulations to Afghanistan and its people on the occasion of the Independence Day of Afghanistan! Happy National Day! the ministry stated in a message shared on social media. Afghanistans Independence Day marks the signing of the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919, also known as the Treaty of Rawalpindi, which granted the country full sovereignty from British influence after the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Traditionally observed with national celebrations, the day has in recent years been marked in a more subdued manner due to the political and security challenges that have persisted since the Talibans return to power in August 2021. 20 August 2025 16:35 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more From March 2022 to July 2025, more than 2.1 million Russian and Ukrainian citizens traveled to Azerbaijan, according to the State Statistics Committee, Azernews reports. The data shows that 2,067,278 of the arrivals were Russian citizens, while 109,158 were Ukrainian citizens. In the first half of 2025 alone, 314,549 Russians and 17,138 Ukrainians entered the country. For comparison, between March 2022 and July 2024, a total of 1,535,889 Russian and Ukrainian citizens visited Azerbaijan. During JanuaryJuly 2024, arrivals included 438,066 Russians and 20,189 Ukrainians. The influx of visitors from both countries has continued steadily since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war on February 24, 2022, underlining Azerbaijans role as a regional destination amid shifting migration and travel patterns. China, India agree to uphold ties 10:37, August 20, 2025 By ZHAO JIA ( Chinadaily.com.cn Foreign Minister Wang Yi shakes hands with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi, the capital of India, on Tuesday. Wang is on a three-day official visit to India that began on Monday, marking his first trip to the country in over three years. CHEN DONGSHU / XINHUA China and India have stepped up efforts to stabilize their relationship, as senior diplomats from both countries pledged to improve strategic perceptions, enhance mutual trust, expand cooperation and seek progress on the long-standing boundary question moves that analysts said could inject greater stability into Asia and beyond. On Tuesday in New Delhi, the capital of India, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is on his first trip to the country since 2022, cochaired with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval the 24th Round of Talks Between the Special Representatives of China and India on the Boundary Question. Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting in Kazan, Russia, in October, has charted a clear course for improving bilateral ties and properly handling the boundary question. Since the start of this year, he noted, bilateral relations have entered a steady development track, and the situation along the border has continued to stabilize. Wang stressed that a sound and stable relationship between the two major neighbors serves the fundamental interests of their peoples and meets the common expectations of developing countries. "Mutual trust and support for each other should be the natural state of relations between two major emerging countries," he said, urging both sides to build consensus, properly resolve specific issues, and create favorable conditions for the further improvement of ties. Doval said that amid global turbulence, India and China face common challenges, making it essential to deepen understanding, strengthen trust and enhance cooperation not only for their peoples' benefit but also for global peace and development. India stands ready to maintain pragmatic and constructive dialogue with China and to create conditions for a final settlement of the boundary question, he added. As this year marks the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties between the two countries, Doval said that Indian Prime Minister Modi looks forward to visiting China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin, which he believes will inject fresh impetus into the relationship. Wang said that China values Modi's participation and expects India to make positive contributions to the success of the summit, which will be held from Aug 31 to Sept 1. The latest talks followed the 23rd round held in December in Beijing, during which both sides reached several common understandings on delimitation negotiations, border management, mechanism building and cross-border exchanges and cooperation. On Tuesday, both sides discussed early harvests in boundary negotiations and agreed to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution. They also pledged to strengthen normalized border management, jointly maintain peace and tranquility in border areas and hold the 25th round of talks in China next year. Following the 24th round of talks with Doval, Wang met with Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday. Broadening cooperation Wang also met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Monday. Wang called for broadening cooperation to provide "the most needed certainty and stability" for Asia and the world and called for both countries to "view each other as partners and opportunities rather than rivals or threats". Jaishankar said a stable, cooperative and forward-looking bilateral relationship serves both countries' interests. He expressed India's readiness to strengthen coordination with China under BRICS and other multilateral frameworks. Noting the positive trend in bilateral ties, Lin Minwang, a professor at Fudan University in Shanghai, said there is still considerable room for cooperation in such fields as people-to-people exchanges and bilateral trade and investment. "If India demonstrates genuine goodwill, the relationship could see significant improvement," he said. As Wang's visit came as the United States ratcheted up tariffs on Indian goods, Lin said the US' unilateral bullying acts have increasingly led New Delhi to find greater common ground with Beijing on opposition to unilateralism and protectionism. Furthermore, cooperation between the two largest developing countries in the world also helps contribute to building a multipolar world and more democratic international relations, Lin added. Wang is scheduled to conclude his visit to India on Wednesday before traveling to Pakistan for a three-day trip. He will hold the sixth round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Tuesday. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) 20 August 2025 14:39 (UTC+04:00) On August 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for a basalt products manufacturing facility operated by Azerbazalt LLC in the city of Ganja. The head of state and the First Lady were briefed on the project. The facility will produce basalt powder and organic fertilizers derived from it. The project will be implemented in two phases, with the first phase requiring an investment of 27 million manat. The Azerbaijan Business Development Fund, under the Ministry of Economy, holds a 30 percent stake in the project. The plant, spanning 4 hectares, is planned to produce 360,000 tons of organic fertilizers annually. Utilizing technologies from Sweden and Turkiye, the facility will use high-quality basalt extracted from the Chaykand deposit in Goygol District as its primary raw material. The first phase is expected to provide permanent employment for 200 people. In the second phase, the facility will produce high-tech innovative products such as basalt fiber, filament for 3D printers, and other industrial materials. This phase will add strategic value to the project while contributing to the supply of modern and sustainable products for the defense, construction, and high-tech sectors. An additional 300 people are expected to be employed during the second phase. The products will meet domestic demand and be exported to international markets. 20 August 2025 17:02 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more On August 20, 2025, Azerbaijans Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, held a telephone conversation with his Cypriot counterpart, Konstantinos Kombos, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry. During the call, the Cypriot Foreign Minister conveyed his congratulations on the progress achieved in the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, referring to the summit meeting held during the Azerbaijani Presidents visit to the United States. The ministers discussed plans for Cyprus presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026, as well as regional issues. Cyprus expressed its readiness to contribute to the peace process in the region during its EU Council presidency. The conversation also included an exchange of views on other matters of mutual interest. 20 August 2025 11:23 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Pakistan Air Force has launched a large-scale flood relief operation in Gilgit-Baltistan, Azernews reports via DND News. Demonstrating unwavering resolve amidst difficult weather conditions and rugged mountainous terrain, PAF C-130 aircraft airlifted 7 tons of dry rations, daily use eatables and life-saving medicines from PAF Base Nur Khan to Gilgit. The consignment will be distributed in remote flood-affected valleys in coordination with National Disaster Management Authority, ensuring that essential supplies reach distressed families cut off due to damaged communication lines. In a simultaneous humanitarian effort, 75 stranded individuals were also evacuated by PAF relief team from the disaster-hit areas. This swift and coordinated action forms part of the nationwide emergency relief campaign, underscoring the Pakistan Armed Forces continued commitment to safeguarding lives during natural calamities. Over the coming days, PAF aircraft and ground teams will remain engaged in sustained relief operations, delivering food, medicines, shelter and medical aid to vulnerable communities. The timely and determined response by Pakistan Air Force has brought renewed hope to flood-hit families in Gilgit-Baltistan, reaffirming the unflinching resolve of Pakistan Armed Forces to stand shoulder to shoulder with the nation in every hour of trial. There is a revelation within the Democratic Socialists, which is creating a newfound discovery that masks are bad or wrong for society, and should not be worn by certain groups; currently the rancor is to unmask ICE agents: What is your opinion on the wearing of masks? 83.33% Yes, ICE agents should wear masks if it keeps them safe from the threat of doxing.8.33% No, ICE agents must be forced to reveal their true selves; however, wearing masks while rioting and looting is within the bounds of the Leftist dictum.8.33% I wear masks often at Halloween. Kneecap's Liam Og O hAnnaidh is swamped by photographers as he arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court A man arrested over support for Palestine Action after Kneecap star Liam Og O hAnnaidhs case was heard in a London court has been released. The man was detained by police outside the court building at around 1pm because of a placard he was holding following the hearing. A spokesperson for the Met Police said: On Wednesday, 20 August, at 13:22hrs a man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of supporting a proscribed terrorist group, Palestine Action, in Marylebone Road, NW1. Officers carried out further enquiries, including interviewing the man in custody. After seeking early investigative advice from the CPS, a decision was made that no further action would be taken as the case did not meet the threshold for criminal charges. It comes as the Kneecap rapper faces a month-long wait to find out whether his terrorism charge will be thrown out. O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was once again greeted by hundreds of fans as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a three-hour hearing. Kneecaps Mo Charas terror charge case judgement delayed over technical legal argument Read more Pensioner who was arrested for wearing Palestine Action shirt starred in Kneecap movie Prosecutors allege the 27-year-old, who followed some of the proceedings through an Irish interpreter, displayed a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year. During Wednesdays hearing, his defence team argued the case should be thrown out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought. Rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh (Mo Chara) of Kneecap arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court (Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images) Brenda Campbell KC told the court the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on May 21. She said consent was given the following day, but that meant the charge falls outside of the six-month time frame in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said permission was not required until the defendants first court appearance and that permission did not need to be sought in order to bring a criminal charge. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring adjourned the case until September 26, when he will rule on whether he has the jurisdiction to try the case. Hundreds of Kneecap supporters waving flags and holding banners greeted O hAnnaidh as he arrived at court alongside fellow bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh. Supporters of Kneecap's Liam Og O hAnnaidh outside Westminster Magistrates' Court. Photo: Ben Whitley/PA Wire Demonstrations in support of the rapper were organised outside the court building in London, as well as in Dublin. The Metropolitan Police imposed conditions limiting where the demonstration outside the court could take place, saying they were needed to prevent serious disruption. A man was detained by police outside the court building because of a placard he was holding following the hearing. The Met said the suspect remains in custody on suspicion of supporting proscribed terrorist group Palestine Action. Surrounded by officers, he told reporters his hand-made sign made no reference to any proscribed organisations. O hAnnaidh was swamped by photographers as he arrived, with security officers taking more than a minute to usher him into the court building. Kneecap's Liam Og O hAnnaidh, speaks to supporters as he leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court. Photo: Lucy North/PA Wire Watch: Crowds outside Westminster court as Liam Og O hAnnaidh arrives Supporters greeted the Kneecap rapper with cheers as he made his way from a silver people carrier to the building. Following the hearing, OhAnnaidh told supporters the case was a distraction from the real story and urged everyone to continue to speak about Palestine, adding: Free Palestine. Fans held signs which read Free Mo Chara while others waved Palestine and Irish flags before the rappers arrival at court. Chants of Free, free, Mo Chara could also be heard over a megaphone, which was repeated by the crowd. Mr O Caireallain and Mr O Dochartaigh sat at the back of the courtroom with three others as O hAnnaidh confirmed his name, date of birth and address to the court at the start of the hearing. In response to the Met imposing conditions on the protest, Kneecap described the move as a calculated political decision that was designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome. The court previously heard the 27-year-old defendant is well within his rights to voice his opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum was a wholly different thing. O hAnnaidh, of Belfast, is yet to enter a plea to the charge and is on unconditional bail. Heres how the hearing played out on our live blog: Hotel review: NIs newest five-star got thumbs up from Rory McIlroy and is sure to attract many more golfers The house on the Castlereagh Road where the body of Rachel Simpson (inset) was found. A man accused of murdering his mother in east Belfast could be moved to one of the UKs highest security mental health facilities, a court has heard. EA is starting a pilot scheme to aid the speedy recruitment of classroom assistants. The Education Authority has launched a recruitment drive for classroom assistants aimed at helping schools fill vacancies more quickly to ensure children get the right support from the right people. The move comes after 157 additional classes were confirmed for the new academic year which begins in September. Matthew McDermott Assistant Director of Human Resources said the change will simplify the process for schools to access additional support. With over 1,300 additional specialist provision places created for September 2025, EA recognises the importance of supporting schools to ensure they have adequate staffing which is crucial for delivering quality education for our children and young people with SEN, he said. Potential candidates can apply through a simplified process that recognises diverse experience, from formal qualifications to practical childcare skills. The Education Authority will match candidates to schools, based on location and employment preferences, availability and specific experience requirements. Initially operating in the Belfast, Newtownabbey and Antrim areas the pilot scheme seeks to reduce recruitment timeframes by approximately four weeks. Schools participating in the initiative will access a pool of candidates within their area, who have already submitted an application form setting out their qualifications and/or experience for the role, will have full control over final decisions. The pilot scheme addresses feedback from both school leaders and candidates regarding the challenges in filling classroom assistant vacancies. Mr McDermott continued: The initiative will match applications to schools and enhance the support available for children and young people who depend on classroom assistants for curriculum access, personal care and behavioural support. "These vital roles help create inclusive learning environments where all pupils can thrive academically and socially. Applications are now open, with information available online. The pilot will run throughout the 2025-26 academic year, with evaluation informing potential expansion to other areas. There are currently around 30,000 children with statements of SEN in Northern Ireland. With the number of SEN pupils increasing every year Education Minister Paul Givan appealed for schools to come forward to help provide SEN places for pupils in a mainstream setting. EA Chief Executive Richard Pengelly urged more schools to come forward, stating the organisation fully acknowledges the pressures schools are facing. However, in order to deal with the lack of spaces for SEN children the EA also wrote to schools informing them they could be instructed to create provision for 164 children who remain without places if they did not agree to do so a move which caused concern of blame shifting amongst teaching unions. In April last year, Mr Givan announced plans to deliver eight new special schools in Northern Ireland as part of a new school investment programme, four earmarked for the Belfast area and four more to be decided on further assessment of need. That programme was expected to cost about half a billion pounds of capital investment over the next decade. Citizen journalist hails patriots who challenge foreign nationals in street A rally in support of an arrested member of a vigilante group was addressed by a citizen journalist who once claimed in court he was recruited by MI5 to infiltrate the UDA. TV presenter Ruth Langsford is urging people here to step out for this years Memory Walks in aid of the Alzheimers Society. Langsford is an ambassador for the charity, as its a cause close to her heart, having seen her father and mother suffer from dementia. She said: It is so difficult to watch someone you love fade away little by little, but Ive also seen the incredible difference support and care can make, not just to the person with dementia, but their families. Around one million people are living with dementia in the UK, including more than 24,000 here. Langsfords dad Dennis died in 2012 aged 84. He was cared for at home by her mum Joan for 13 years. Joan later developed dementia and now lives in a care home. The Belfast Memory Walk will take place in Ormeau Park on September 27. Langsford will take part in a Memory Walk in London a week later. She added: Theres a huge sense of togetherness, everyone is walking for a purpose, whether its for those you love, those youve lost or for everyone living with dementia. Ill be walking for my mum and in memory of my dad. You feel part of something thats helping to make a difference. Money raised helps fund Alzheimers Societys vital dementia support and research. Last year the charitys support line answered nearly 60,000 calls. Langsford said: (The walks) are a way to pause and reflect, embracing the moment to add a message to the Memory Tree or share stories with friends, family and strangers who understand. Its great exercise and motivation to keep active in the lead-up and afterwards. Theres evidence to suggest that physical activity improves confidence and the wellbeing of people with dementia and may slow down mental decline. The feeling of accomplishment, knowing with every step and pound raised, you can help to end the devastation caused by dementia. And lets face it, who doesnt like to be awarded with a medal at the end! There will be 12 Memory Walks across the UK in September and October. People can also organise their own walk. .To sign up for a walk visit memorywalk.org.uk UDA leader Johnny Adair in his cell in the Maze Prison in 1999 with the banner on the wall in the background. PA via Getty The clean up at Millisle beach Visitors to a popular Co Down beach have been warned that the local council will soon begin a pest control programme in the area. Residents of Millisle recently came together to clear litter and seaweed from their local beach, following a community cleanup organised earlier this month by Deborah Mann. But residents said beach continued to be plagued by large rats. Ards and North Down Borough Council has now confirmed plans to use poison and target areas where rodent activity is believed to be high. In a statement on social media, the council said: Following growth in the rodent population at Millisle Beach, a pest control programme will begin on Thursday 21 August and run for 2-3 weeks. "Poison bait will be used on the site to target known burrows. Signage will be in place to advise beach users and Council Officers will be visiting the site over the coming days to engage with beach users and give advice. Visitors are advised to keep pets on a leash, supervise children at all times, take any food waste away and not feed the birds. The council advised contacting the Emergency Department or a vet for pets if accidental poisoning occurs. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph earlier this month, Deborah explained how members of the local community worked tirelessly to clean up the town. A resident of Millisle for over 40 years, Deborah was prompted by her husband Gary to post a notice on Facebook to organise a village beach clean. Efforts to tidy the beach then moved on to improving the general surroundings, with John McLean (80) taking to weeding the surrounding area. However, despite their good intentions to clean up the beach, they initially received pushback from the council. Millisle Beach Park (Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph) Belfast History Explained: The Story of the River Farset Grievances were initially raised due to environmental issues and wildlife concerns The beach is now infested with rats. Council kept saying it is not allowed to be touched because it is an environmental issue, she said. About a week later a couple of the guys decided to get together and de-weed the whole Main Street, it was also cleared of rubbish. They tirelessly worked for hours. A few days after that, a few professional painters gave up their time and painted a couple of derelict buildings. Deborah added: I then started a GoFundMe, within two days it went from a 400 target to 3,400. Every single penny is going towards the cleaning and restoration efforts. The council has actually given us the bags now to help clean up. Police are investigating an alleged kidnapping and assault in the early hours of Tuesday after an injured man was found in Banbridge. The PSNI received a report at around 12.05am that the man had been found in the Steens Hill area of the town. Officers and the NI Ambulance Service attended the scene and the man received treatment for head injuries. Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) stock image. Picture: Aodhan Roberts/Belfast Telegraph Belfast History Explained: The Story of the River Farset It was alleged that the injured man got into a vehicle in the east Belfast earlier that evening, Detective Sergeant Robson said. We understand the vehicle headed towards the Banbridge area before stopping in a field where three men inside the vehicle assaulted the victim. The man made his way towards the Steens Hill area where the alarm was raised. An investigation has been launched, with enquiries continuing today. Detectives are keen to speak to anyone who was in the Bloomfield Road area of Belfast on Monday evening, 18th August and saw anything out of the ordinary which could assist us. Police have appealed for anyone with any information to contact them on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Members of the Royal Black Institution on parade in Killyleagh The Royal Black Institution has revealed details for the final parades of the season. Around 17,000 members are expected to take part in the Last Saturday processions across six Northern Ireland towns on August 30. Around 350 preceptories and 300 bands will parade in Antrim, Castlederg, Cookstown, Ballyclare, Dundrum and Limavady. Sovereign Grand Master Rev William Anderson, who will address the Cookstown gathering, said: The annual Last Saturday processions are flagship events on the parading calendar. We expect to see thousands of supporters turning out at the various locations, where they will see a glorious expression of culture, pageantry, music and history. The institutions principled stance on the Reformed Christian Faith will be to the forefront at all our demonstrations on the Last Saturday, with religious services held at each location. Antrim Co Antrim Grand Black Chapter will organise the march hosted by Antrim Royal Black District Chapter 3 and feature 79 preceptories and 75 marching bands. A procession was last held in Antrim 2017. Around 4,500 participants including 2,500 sir knights and 2,000 band members will take part this year. The parade will see participation from six districts: Lisburn No 1, Ballymena No 2, Antrim No 3, Larne No 4, Ballymoney No 5, and Ballyclare No 6. The parade will start at noon at Fountain Hill and proceed along Fountain Street, Church Street, High Street, Bridge Street, Dublin Road, and on to Randalstown Road. The return route will begin at 4.15pm via Randalstown Road, Castle Way, Church Street, Fountain Street, Fountain Hill, and, depending on the district, Belfast Road or Cunningham Way. A platform address will begin at 3pm featuring guest speaker Sir Knight William McCrea. Sir Knight Rev David McCarthy, County Grand Chaplain will conduct a service of worship. Ballyclare City of Belfast Grand Black Chapter will hold their parade in Ballyclare this year. Around 3,500 parade participants are set to attend including 24 bands with Sandy Row, Shankill, Ballymacarratt and Ballynafeigh among the seven districts involved. The march will commence at noon and proceed through Ballynure Road, Main Street, The Square, Doagh Road, Ollardale Road, Hawthorn Way and Avondale Drive. Marchers will finish at the demonstration field at Hillhead Road following an Act of Remembrance at Ballyclare War Memorial. The procession will begin its return route at 4pm. Castlederg A parade of 27 preceptories, accompanied by a similar number of bands, will march from 12:30pm. The event, organised by Castlederg Royal Black District Chapter No 6, was last held in the area in 2021. Omagh, Strabane and Fermanagh districts will also take part in the parade. The procession will make its way towards the Castlegore Road demonstration field where Sir Knight Rev Sean McClafferty, chaplain of Raphoe District No 3. A return parade will start at 3.30pm. Cookstown After a parade was last held in the town in 2018, up to 8,000 marchers will follow a 2.5-mile route organised by East Tyrone Royal Black District Chapter No 5. East Tyrone will host Killyman, Aughnacloy, Primatial and Summerisland districts, located within Co Armagh and Tyrone, as well as five preceptories from Cavan and Monaghan. Headed by Tullylagan Pipe Band, the parade will move from the assembly point on the Grange Road at 12 noon and proceed along Killymoon Street, William Street and Oldtown Street to the field on the Moneymore Road. Speakers will take to the stage at 2.30pm with Councillor Frances Burton, the Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, set to attend. District Master Sir Knight Eric Lyttle will act as chairman, with the religious service conducted by District chaplains Rev Dr David Murphy and Rev Trevor Boyd. A return march will commence at 3.40pm. Members of the Royal Black Institution on parade in Killyleagh Blue-green algae arrives back on Lough Neagh Dundrum Around 10,000 participants are expected to take part in the parade in the Co Down town, including a procession of 97 bands. The route will commence at the Orange Hall at 11.30am and march through Main Street, Belfast Road and the Old Road finishing at Ballyloughlin Road. The return parade will begin at 4pm. Limavady Organising the event is the City of Londonderry Royal Black District Chapter No 2 with Star of the East RBP 97, Limavady, acting as the host preceptory. The parade was last held in Limavady in 2018, with a smaller event taking place following the easing of Covid restrictions in 2021. Sir knights from Coleraine RBDC No 1, Raphoe RBDC No 3, and South Londonderry RBDC No 4 will be among those participating. Around 35 preceptories and 30 bands will attend, including some from the Republic. The parade will start at noon with a return march due to begin at 3.30pm. Flags will be displayed along the route to mark County Londonderry Grand Black Chapters 150th anniversary. Asylum seeker hotels symptom of broken system says DUP MLA as more councils receive planning queries Three councils have now been contacted over the planning issues Education Minister Paul Givan comments on hotels and immigration Liam Tunney and Mark Bain Thu 21 Aug 2025 at 15:15 The backlog of asylum seekers being accommodated in NI hotels is symptomatic of a broken system, a DUP MLA has said. One couldnt help but feel her positive presence in every space she entered Martha had a way of putting people she loved first The August blue sky turned dark and cloudy in Carlow town this morning as a young Irish woman, who forged a life for herself in America, returned home to her native Carlow to be laid to rest. Martha Nolan O'Slatarra OSlatarra (33), a fashion designer and entrepreneur, was found unresponsive at Montauk Yacht Club in East Hampton on Long Island, New York, on August 5 and was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency medical responders and East Hampton police arrived. Ms Nolan O'Slatarra O'Slatarra was originally from Carlow but had been living in the US since 2015. During her funeral mass today at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow town, voices with both Irish and American accents echoed around the church a testament to the lives Ms Nolan O'Slatarra O'Slatarra touched, both sides of the Atlantic. Despite her ambition and success in America, Ms Nolan O'Slatarra never forgot her Irish roots. Placed next to her coffin was her fashion brand and legacy, East x East, alongside a tin whistle two symbols representing two very different chapters in Ms Nolan O'Slatarras life. An Irish and an American flag were also placed beside her coffin by her loved ones, a tribute to a short but packed life spent in Ireland and then America. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra's mother Elma looks on at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow following her daughter's funeral mass. Photo by Steve Humphreys Accompanying the two flags was a passport, symbolising Ms Nolan O'Slatarras love for travel and adventure, along with a copy of St. Marthas prayer, which Ms Nolan O'Slatarras mother Elma, said every Tuesday. Ms Nolan O'Slatarra was born on a Tuesday and passed away on a Tuesday. The hundreds of mourners attending Ms Nolan O'Slatarras funeral mass today heard that Ms Nolan O'Slatarra will always be remembered by her loved ones as loyal, supportive and full of life. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra's boyfriend Nicholas DiRubio at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow following her funeral mass. Photo by Steve Humphreys 20th August 2025. Her partner Nick DeRubio smiled as he recalled how Ms Nolan O'Slatarra had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into. "One couldnt help but feel her positive presence in every space she entered, said Nick. Martha had a way of putting people she loved first. She loved helping people and many of you in this room have been lucky enough to experience that love. Whether it was telling me to cop on and focus on the good in life or just being a shoulder to lean on. The remains of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra leave the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow following her funeral mass. Photo by Steve Humphreys "The shining light that Martha brought into this world is a reflection of everybody in this room, continued Nick as he addressed the large congregation sat before him. Friends, family and loved ones, both past and present, weve all been lucky to have known Martha and we must live everyday with her in our hearts. May she rest in peace, he concluded. Next to speak was Ms Nolan O'Slatarras sister, Jacqui, who spoke of the unbreakable love and sister bond she and Ms Nolan O'Slatarra shared. "Martha, my beautiful sister, she said. You taught me everything I needed to know in life. I didnt always see you, but I always knew you were there. Mourners comfort each other as the remains of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra arrive at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow. Photo by Steve Humphreys "Growing up with you was like having a built-in best friend. From sharing secrets, to late night talks, we have been through it all together. Through thick and thin, a sisters love is consistent. We know each others quirks, dreams and fears. The bond between us sisters is unique and unbreakable. While saying goodbye to her sister one final time, Jacqui thanked Ms Nolan O'Slatarra for making her life brighter, for the countless memories and for always loving her. "So heres to the sisters, the ones who make life brighter, who know you best and who love you the most. Cheers to the laughter, the tears and the countless memories that were made. "You will be in my heart forever Martha, concluded Jacqui as applause erupted around the cathedral with not a dry eye in sight. A mourner carries the mass leaflet of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra from the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow following her funeral mass. Photo by Steve Humphreys Investigations in the US are still continuing into Ms Nolan O'Slatarras sudden death. Authorities have said that a post mortem carried out by the Suffolk County Medical Examiners Office was inconclusive and they are awaiting further test results to decide the direction of their investigation. In the days following the discovery of Ms Nolan O'Slatarras body, detectives in the US said there was "no evidence of violence" in her death. However, the circumstances leading to her death remain a mystery with investigations by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office ongoing. It is understood that Ms Nolan O'Slatarras family have been informed that a final autopsy report, including toxicological, histological and other testing, will take at least three months to complete. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra's Mother Elma (left) is comforted at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow following her daughter's funeral mass. Photo by Steve Humphreys A second opinion autopsy, requested by her family, was completed before Ms Nolan O'Slatarras remains were repatriated home to Ireland. During her time living in the US, Ms Nolan O'Slatarra set up East x East, a luxury brand for sunglasses, swimwear and resort wear for men and women. She was also director of operations at investment firm K4 Capital and ran an Amazon fashion brand called Duper. The remains of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra arrive at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow.Photo by Steve Humphreys Ms Nolan O'Slatarras family have engaged high-profile criminal defence attorney, Arthur Aidala, to push for answers in relation to the police investigation into her death. Hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capitals harbour for the 10th edition of Sail (Peter Dejong/AP) Crowds packed vantage points along a major canal and took to the water themselves on Wednesday to watch a flotilla of hundreds of historic ships sail into Amsterdam at the start of a five-day festival celebrating the Dutch capitals maritime history. Ships from all over the world, many with their masts and rigging decorated with flags, sailed from the North Sea coastal town of IJmuiden on an hours-long journey up the North Sea Canal and into Amsterdams IJ waterway for Sail 2025, the first edition in a decade. A puff of orange smoke erupted into the sky and ships horns sounded as the replica, three-masted clipper Stad Amsterdam passed through a lock to mark the official start of the event. Each ship is greeted with two cannon shots and its countrys national anthem as it enters the harbour. Orange smoke signals the start of the parade of hundreds of tall ships sailing into Amsterdams harbour (Peter Dejong/AP) Hugo Peek was one of the thousands of people who sailed in smaller boats together with the tall ships. Along with his grandfather and several other family members, he travelled on a smaller boat that accompanied the tall ship Europa. There was almost no water. Its almost all boats, the 21-year-old student said. Mahek Singahl was waiting in Amsterdams central train station, looking onto the harbour with her two small children and several large suitcases. Her family was headed back to Ivory Coast after a holiday in Iceland and had stopped in Amsterdam for a few days. They had no idea what the crowds were for. My husband went to look at the boats and left me here, she said, laughing. He loves this stuff. The event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors, is held every five years. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Wednesdays parade culminates in an evening fireworks display. The ships will remain in Amsterdam, many open for visitors, through the weekend. The first event was held in 1975 to celebrate Amsterdams 700th anniversary and this years edition coincides with the citys 750th birthday. Israels military has said it will call up 60,000 reservists ahead of an expanded military operation in Gaza City. Many Palestinians have chosen to stay in the area despite the danger as seeking safety seems increasingly futile amid the growing humanitarian crisis. Calling up extra military reservists is part of a plan defence minister Israel Katz approved to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gazas most densely populated areas, the military said. Smoke rises following an Israeli army airstrike in Khan Younis (Mariam Dagga/AP) The plan, which is expected to receive the chief of staffs final approval in the coming days, also includes extending the service of 20,000 additional reservists who are already on active duty. In a country of fewer than 10 million people, the call-up of reservists is the largest in months and carries economic and political weight. It comes days after hundreds of thousands of Israelis rallied for a ceasefire, as negotiators scramble to get Israel and Hamas to agree to end their 22 months of fighting. Meanwhile, rights groups have warned that an expanded assault could deepen the crisis in the Gaza Strip, where most of the roughly two million inhabitants have been displaced, many areas have been reduced to rubble and the population faces the threat of famine. An Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said troops will operate in parts of Gaza City where they have not been deployed yet and where Israel believes Hamas is still active. Israeli troops in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City and Jabaliya, a refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, are already preparing the groundwork for the expanded operation, which could begin within days. Though the timeline was not clear, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said on Wednesday that Mr Netanyahu has directed that the timetables be shortened for launching the new offensive. Gaza City is Hamas military and governing stronghold, and one of the last places of refuge in the northern Strip, where hundreds of thousands are sheltering. Israeli soldiers work on their tanks (Ariel Schalit/AP) Israeli troops will be targeting Hamass vast underground tunnel network there, the official added. Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamass senior leadership, parts of Hamas are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets towards Israel, the official said. Mr Netanyahu has said the wars objectives are to secure the release of remaining hostages and ensure that Hamas and other militants can never again threaten Israel. The planned offensive, which was announced earlier this month, comes amid heightened international condemnation of Israels restrictions on food and medicine reaching Gaza and fears that many Palestinians will be forced to flee. Its pretty obvious that it will just create another mass displacement of people who have been displaced repeatedly since this phase of the conflict started, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Associated Press journalists saw small groups heading south from the city this week, but it is unclear how many others will voluntarily flee. Some said they would wait to see how events unfold before moving yet again, with many insisting that nowhere is safe from airstrikes. What were seeing in Gaza is nothing short of apocalyptic reality for children, for their families, and for this generation, Ahmed Alhendawi, regional director of Save the Children, said in an interview. The plight and the struggle of this generation of Gaza is beyond being described in words. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has brushed off accusations from his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu that the Australian leader is a weak politician who had betrayed Israel by recognising a Palestinian state. Mr Netanyahus extraordinary public rebuke came after an August 11 announcement by Mr Albanese that his governments recognition of a Palestinian state will be formalised at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The announcement was followed by tit-for-tat cancellations of Australian and Israeli visas. History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews, Mr Netanyahu posted on social media. Benjamin Netanyahu (Ronen Zvulun/Pool Photo via AP) Mr Albanese responded pointedly on Wednesday: I treat leaders of other countries with respect. I engage with them in a diplomatic way. I dont take these things personally, Mr Albanese added. Increasingly there is global concern and global concern because people want to see an end to the cycle of violence that we have seen for far too long. That is what Australians want to see as well. Australian home affairs minister Tony Burke further inflamed Israels anger by cancelling the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, a member of Mr Netanyahus coalition, who planned an Australian speaking tour. Mr Rothman is a member of the Religious Zionism party, which supports continuation of the war, the mass relocation of Palestinians through what it describes as voluntary migration and the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza. Mr Burke on Wednesday accused Mr Netanyahu of lashing out against Australia as he had done against Britain, Canada, France, Ireland, Norway and Spain over recognition of a Palestinian state. Mr Burke denied Mr Albanese was weak. Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry, Mr Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar retaliated on Monday for Mr Rothmans treatment by revoking visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Mr Saar also told the Israeli Embassy in Australia to carefully examine any official visa applications from Australia to Israel. Australian foreign minister Penny Wong responded by accusing the Netanyahu government of isolating Israel. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry the nations peak advocacy group, said the Jewish community was profoundly disturbed and concerned by the rapidly deteriorating state of relations between the two countries. Australian Jews did not feel abandoned by the Albanese government, rejecting Mr Netanyahus accusation, Mr Ryvchin said. When allies speak, they should speak frankly, robustly, but also in a dignified way, and I think firing off tweets which contain elements of abuse to them, Mr Ryvchin said. I dont think thats the way to operate. Australia is an increasingly multicultural country where more than half the population was born overseas or has at least one foreign parent. There is widespread community concern over the Israel-Hamas war, indicated by tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marching over the Sydney Harbour Bridge earlier this month. Antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels across Australia, which the government acknowledged last year by appointing the nations first special envoy to combat antisemitism, Sydney lawyer Jillian Segal. Australias conservative opposition party has pledged to reverse Australias recognition of Palestine if it wins the next election, which is due in 2028. The John Hewitt Bar, 51 Donegall Street, Belfast, Tel: 028 9023 3768 Named after the poet, this city centre spot has been happily serving patrons since it opened in 1999. Now in the caring hands of the hop-loving beer wizards at Boundary Brewing, who took the reins in 2022, I called in a few days ago to see how business was faring. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. BENNINGTON A violent domestic assault case from last year ended dramatically in a Bennington courtroom with a moving reminder of the lasting impact on the victim, a remorseful statement from her assailant, and a lengthy prison sentence. Jason Jones, 47, was sentenced by Bennington Judge Jennifer Barrett to the near maximum allowed under a plea deal between Jones and state prosecutors that called for a six-year cap on jail time. Jones was sentenced to four to six years to serve behind bars after pleading to two felony counts plus four misdemeanors, mostly stemming from a May 2024 attack in Bennington on the victim, threats to kill responding police officers, a suicide attempt, and a threat to kill the victims dog. The attack was allegedly followed months later on Christmas Eve with another violent attack on the same victim, this time in Hoosick Falls, New York. That case is still pending. Jones was initially charged last May with four felony crimes, including domestic assault, kidnapping, criminal threatening, and animal torture. He faced a possible life sentence on the kidnapping charge and an additional 32 years behind bars on the other initial charges. Jones pleaded guilty in a plea deal to aggravated domestic assault in the first degree and criminal threatening. The state dismissed the other counts of kidnapping and animal torture as part of the deal. In court on Tuesday, both sides announced an agreement on the other four pending cases against Jones, involving three violations of his conditions of release and a minor fishing infraction. According to a police affidavit in the case, a call came in for a motorcycle gang fighting outside an address on Benmont Ave in Bennington. When police arrived, they spotted the victim sitting next to a shed in her underwear, crying and breathing rapidly. Jones soon appeared and walked toward the police officers. He was immediately ordered to turn around and place his hands behind his back. Jones allegedly ignored police commands. Officers then drew their weapons, with Jones telling the officers, What are you going to do, shoot me? He also told officers, Go ahead, take a step toward me, and Ill f---ing murder all of you. When officers drew their taser and pointed it at Jones, he complied and was placed under arrest. According to a statement made to police, Jones and the victim had been arguing in the early morning hours of May 23 due to an ongoing domestic dispute. The victim told police that she and Jones had been fighting the whole day before Jones left for several hours. Later that night, the victim said she had been sleeping when Jones came home and awoke her. The fighting then continued for some time, with the victim trying to separate from him. At some point, Jones allegedly pushed her into a refrigerator and then the bathroom shower by her neck. He then strangled, slapped, punched, and kicked her multiple times, threatening her with a knife to her throat and then telling her he was going to kill her and her dog, kill us all. Jones then placed the knife to his own throat, cutting himself before allegedly running after the victims dog with the knife. The victim told police that she thought she was going to die. In her written decision back in May, the Judge on the case, Judge Kerry McDonald-Cady, remanded Jones after his arraignment to a hold without bail due to the extreme level of violence in the case. However, that decision was reversed a week later. At a weight-of-evidence hearing soon after the Judges decision, Jones defense attorney convinced Judge McDonald-Cady that she should use her discretion and release him due to his lack of a serious criminal history at the time, even though he qualified for a hold-without-bail due to the kidnapping charge. He was released into the 24/7 custody of his mother, who vowed to serve as his custodian and report her son if he broke his curfew or any other release conditions, including contact with the victim or any violent behavior. Conditions were later modified to allow Jones to attend a family reunion. A $10,000 bond was issued. In December, while out on conditions in the first case, Jones allegedly attacked the victim again, this time in Hoosick Falls, New York, where he had been staying. According to an affidavit in that case, on December 28, Jones was arrested in New Yorks Rensselaer County on assault with intent to cause serious injury, strangulation, and criminal possession of cocaine. The victim in Rensselaer County is the same individual as the one from Vermont. On December 31, Bennington prosecutors filed an emergency motion to revoke Jones release. On January 7, States Attorney Erica Marthage filed an emergency motion to move up a scheduled bail review. An arrest warrant was requested for the three violations of conditions of release. He was subsequently extradited to Vermont. Jones has been in custody ever since. In a moving impact statement, the victim stood feet away from Jones as she looked from her paper to Jones sitting at the defense table. It appeared he didnt look at the victim while she spoke. Coming up with words to describe the impact this crime has had on my life has been extremely difficult, the victim said in a firm voice. Not only for me, but also for my family and close friends. Ive tried to understand how this relationship we had ended up here, but it will never make sense to me. I struggle on a daily basis because of what happened. My anxiety is high. My mental state has been low. Because of my head trauma, my migraines have been worse. I still see a physical therapist. I have moved away to better myself, and my outcome has been much better. Its just the trauma from Jason Jones remains. The night terrors remain, as do the constant fear of having to look over my shoulder. Im lucky enough to have made it out. Even after he was first in jail, he didnt learn anything from being there. He kept abusing me. I feel bad for whoever his next victim will be if he gets out of jail again. He is a danger to society. The victim also made a point of telling the judge that Jones needs help. I dont think jail will help him. He needs professional help, or he will never be a productive member of society. For his part, Jones rose and spoke to the judge just before the sentence was handed down. I am accepting responsibility for my criminal actions, Jones said in a quiet voice from the defense table. My actions caused harm to other people. For that, I am extremely sorry. I wish I could go back in time and change my actions. This is not who I am. Judge Barrett initially questioned the plea deals sentence structure, asking why, if Jones was such a threat to public safety, the sentence didnt include a longer period of supervision. Ultimately, Judge Barrett stuck with the proposed sentence, giving Jones a 4- to 6-year jail sentence to serve with credit for time already served, meaning Jones, after already serving 245 days, will be eligible for release in less than three-and-a-half years or up to five-and-a-half, depending on his conduct and Department of Corrections criteria. He would then be on furlough for the remainder of the sentence. Jones, visibly shaking as the judge rendered her sentence, sat back down with his head bowed. He was then led out of the courtroom by Sheriffs Deputies to begin his prison sentence. The victim in the case spoke briefly with the Banner on her way out of the courtroom. I feel good, she said. Hes a danger to society and needs help. Short of outright abuse, close contact with students at Miss Halls School such as a hug or an arm draped across a students shoulders was normalized for decades, according to an external report released Tuesday that details the administrations repeated failure to protect students from misconduct dating back to the 1940s. PITTSFIELD Its been a quick seven weeks since Latifah Phillips took office as Pittsfields interim superintendent of schools, and she has no shortage of things to do. You know, every superintendent was a first-time superintendent every single one of us, said Phillips, who, despite extensive experience in school administration, is now leading a district for the first time. So I feel fortunate to have had exposure to different leaders in different contexts and to have a good team. Phillips, who succeeded Joseph Curtis on July 1, made clear she isnt taking on this challenge alone. I feel good about my team, she said in a visit to The Eagle. They all really care about our students and schools. They're from here So I appreciate them letting me know about Pittsfield and the history of Pittsfield, and why we do things. I'm able to ask questions. And I'm looking forward to continuing to learn from a new context and also bring my experiences. To that end, as Phillips readies the district for its Aug. 28 opening day for grades 1-12, shes also planning on a significant factfinding effort. In addition to stakeholder interviews and focus groups, that will also include data from the districts day-to-day operations for really understanding and clarifying what our baseline is. Take school discipline. Phillips noted that according to the most recent figures available, Pittsfields school suspension rate is among the highest in the state. But that most recent data on the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website dates back to the 2023-24 school year. I want to collect data regularly, she said. Our suspension rate is high, among the highest in the commonwealth, and so I want to understand why. As the school year gets underway, I'm going to set up a data process where we can sit down after one month and see what were the behavioral infractions that we saw, and where were they and how was it handled, she said. And if I'm seeing that in real time, then that will help me to, one, make changes immediately, but two, really understand where the problems are and what's the root of the problem. Pittsfield reported 636 incidents meriting a state School Safety and Discipline Report in 2023-24, according to DESE. Of those, 9.4 percent were in-school suspensions, the fourth-highest total in the state and highest noncharter district. Another 6.7 percent of those incidents resulted in out-of-school suspensions, the 22nd-highest percentage in the state that school year. Three Berkshire County schools reported higher percentages of out-of-school suspensions in 2023-24: Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School (11.4 percent of 47 disciplinary actions); Northern Berkshire Vocational (8.3 percent of 43) and North Adams (7.7 percent of 120). Phillips also hopes to rely on real-time data when it comes to charting attendance and academic performance trends. It's unreasonable to think you're going to move from, say, like 40 percent to 70 percent the only place that maybe can happen is kindergarten or first grade. After that, it's incremental growth. But you should be growing nonetheless, Phillips said. So that's another area where I want to be watching throughout the year how are we growing? Are we growing along the projected growth percentages? And then what are the differences between the different schools? What are the needs? Because I'd very much like our budget to be tied to our goals. The district used a school-based approach to its budget process for the current fiscal year, as building principals were asked to submit budgets reflecting school improvement goals. Another challenge Phillips is facing out of the gate is finding enough teachers. Last week, she informed the School Committee that the district was still 16 teachers shy of her goal of having a teacher in every classroom to start the year. For now, the district is working to identify past job applicants and long-term substitutes who can fill in on an emergency basis. We don't have a teacher for every classroom, but we must have an adult for every classroom, whatever the minimum qualification is. So it could be a long-term sub. It could be a paraprofessional stepping into the long-term sub role, she said. You can come from an alternative background, a nontraditional background, and be a great teacher. So if that's the case, great, Phillips said. But we at least have to monitor it. And if we see that some are struggling, then we'll have to have school building discussions and central discussions on what do we do differently? Teacher recruiting and retention remains a problem locally and nationally. According to DESEs website, Pittsfields teacher retention rate for 2025 was 82.0 percent, compared to a state rate of 89.7 percent. The Pittsfield rate has hovered around 82 percent for the past three years, falling from 84.5 percent in 2022 and 87.2 percent in 2021. As for the middle school restructuring project, which is scheduled to take effect in a year if all deadlines are met, Phillips said shes hired Reid Middle School science teacher Justin Bolio as project coordinator. The plan is for all city fifth and sixth graders to attend an upper elementary/lower middle school at Herberg, and for seventh and eighth graders to attend middle school at Reid, with curriculum changes supporting that structure. The makeover also recognizes that a good part of the districts school choice departures 654 in 2024-25 happen around the middle school years. The goal is for us to propose a school design that the teachers opt into, Phillips said. Its an opportunity to bring teachers back into the district and students back into the district. Phillips came to Pittsfield from the Lowell Public Schools, where she was assistant superintendent of equity. Formerly she worked for the Washington state and New Mexico education departments, and chief of staff to the Santa Fe Public Schools. "On paper I really feel good about [the districts] commitment toward equity; commitment toward culturally responsive education; exposing students to all different types of literature, history, culture. That part I'm excited about, she said. I won't know until the school's really open to see how the values are demonstrated in action. A San Francisco native and member of the Tohono Oodham Nation in southern Arizona, Phillips has also held high-ranking positions focused on Native American education in the Washington and New Mexico state departments of education, and was chief of staff for the Santa Fe Public Schools. She also worked in Philadelphias public schools. Phillips is also planning a districtwide convocation, possibly at Taconic High School. That's one step among many she wants to take to encourage a district spread across 14 schools to build a citywide identity and sense of belonging. I'm really interested in building a sense of being a part of a community, the Pittsfield Public Schools community, she said. I really want us to think we're all in this together. PITTSFIELD Anglers frustrated over losing access to their favorite fishing spots at Pontoosuc Lake Park will have to wait longer for answers thanks to a technical glitch. A presentation showing areas along the shoreline where newly planted shrubs could be removed to create more water access failed to load Tuesday night, forcing the Pittsfield Board of Parks Commissioners to table its vote on a removal plan to recommend to the Conservation Commission. The decision fueled local anglers' frustrations over what they see as the city moving too quickly on a project they believe will deny them access to the shoreline. There needs to be better transparency, Pittsfield resident and angler Daniel Miraglia said. There needs to be more open discussions and there needs to be more inclusion from the right people making the decisions on whats [in] the best interest [of the lake]. The monthslong dispute between residents and the Parks Commission centers on the citys planting of 1,088 native shrubs along the shoreline at Pontoosuc Lake Park on Hancock Road, which has cut off anglers from their traditional fishing spots, they say. The city says planting shrubs along the shoreline is necessary to stabilize the shoreline, but some residents say it's too much and will make fishing and enjoying the lake nearly impossible. The shrubs are part of the citys Pontoosuc Lake Park Improvements Project, which is currently in Phase 1 of its development. The improvements for this phase kicked off in March and are about 90 percent complete, according to Jim McGrath, the park, open space and natural resource program manager for the city. On Tuesday night at the Parks Commission meeting, McGrath was prepared to give a presentation with a map of the shoreline and examples of open spaces they plan to create. The information was gathered following a walk-through on the shoreline that McGrath led with Parks Commission members Anthony DeMartino and Clifford Nilan at the end of July. But at the meeting, the monitor did not work, showing No network detected." McGrath apologized for the inconvenience, adding that the presentation was working on Tuesday afternoon. The Parks Commission decided to table the vote so the members of the commission who were not in attendance at the walk-through and the public could see the presentation. Despite the vote being delayed, McGrath is preaching patience and wants residents to know that the project has not been fully completed yet. We want to get this right, McGrath said. There are components were still working on and sorting through the bank planting. The Parks Commission is planning to vote on a bank planting removal plan that would create open access to recommend to the Conservation Commission at its next meeting on Sept. 16. McGrath said that any changes to the current plans would require permits from the Conservation Commission. During the public address portion of the meeting, three residents spoke about their concerns regarding the lake, a smaller crowd than in previous meetings. Miraglia suggested that the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife could lead a walk-through of the shoreline with the Parks Commission. Ive had discussions personally with Fisheries & Wildlife [about] whether they would be receptive to doing a walk-through with the Parks Commission, and they said they would, Miraglia said. Miraglia also raised concerns regarding correspondence that has been sent to the commission but not acknowledged publicly, citing an email that was sent from a Pittsfield resident to Parks Commission Chair Paula Albro that was not read at the meeting. On the agenda for the meeting, under correspondence, it said None. In the email, which Miraglia also received, the resident said that the commission should seek a professional aquatic expert to assist with creating open access at the lake. Theyve had multiple opportunities to present the letters written [to them], Miraglia said. Why have they not been read? DeMartino said that the correspondence wont really apply to us, but it applies to the Conservation Commission. He said it will be up to the Conservation Commission if they want to consult with someone from the state. Mary Dickson raised concerns over the safety of the shoreline and how, when she visited the lake recently, everyone was walking in very carefully and gingerly. After the presentation failed to work, McGrath said during the walk-through on the shoreline that he led with DeMartino and Nilan, they saw multiple areas where they could remove plantings, but also that there were serious areas of erosion that would not work as access points. The shoreline area is about 915 feet from the boat ramp to the edge of where the boardwalk ends on the west side, McGrath said, adding that 24 percent of it already has vegetation that will remain. He also said that 52 percent has been deemed severely eroded and they will look to maintain the bank plantings that were installed, and that the other 24 percent is either currently open for access or it will be proposed that live stakes be removed to create fishing and swimming access. DeMartino said that the sections that can be opened for access are about 25 to 40 feet and that several areas can be opened up for a total of about 250 feet. He also reinforced that the commission would only be making a recommendation to the Conservation Commission. On July 15, more than 20 passionate residents, mostly anglers, spoke at a site visit at Pontoosuc Lake Park and at the Parks Commission meeting that directly followed. At that meeting, the Parks Commission voted to recommend that the Conservation Commission modify the current plan and create additional access points on the shoreline. The current phase of the Pontoosuc Lake Park Improvements Project includes not only shoreline stabilization, but also improved accessibility for people with disabilities, a new paved promenade walkway connecting the park to a nearby pier, repairs to both parking lots, and new benches and picnic areas. Phase 2 will address the parks northern side, which is being developed for swimming, water recreation and gathering spaces. The project is being paid for with a $500,000 state Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities grant, along with approximately $400,000 in capital funds from the city and about $100,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act. Ten species of shrubs have been planted along the shoreline on the southern side of Pontoosuc Lake Park for shoreline stabilization purposes, according to the city. Currently, there are "live stakes" in the ground a method of establishing new trees or shrubs using dormant, living cuttings that are directly inserted into the soil. This method is less aggressive and just as effective, according to McGrath. McGrath says the shrubs are to create some bank stabilization and that most of them will grow 3 to 6 feet tall. McGrath says the old beach along the shoreline has turned to a wetland, and it didnt lend itself well to a swimming beach. GREAT BARRINGTON Housatonic Water Works Co. has met the first round of deadlines for installing a manganese filtration system as laid out in the company's joint agreement with state regulators. The agreement lays out a slew of benchmarks and requirements for the company to meet in the latest shift to the timeline of addressing persistent discolored water issues caused by excess manganese. The agreement has an ultimate goal of ensuring the manganese filtration system is up and running by March 1, 2026, or the company will face hefty fines. As requested, work on the system has begun and a blow-off valve at the end of Wright Lane was installed, according to the monthly progress report submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, which shared it with The Eagle. Equipment for a free community water filtration treatment system at a municipal facility, another requirement of the agreement, has been ordered and will be installed once it arrives. The last part of the Aug. 15 deadline was to find sections within the water distribution system that lack sufficient flushing capability. It identified Brookside Court, Crimson Lane, Grant Lane, Rachel's Way, Ransdell Road, Spruce and Walnut streets. The company is required to submit monthly progress reports by the 15th of the next month to the MasDEP that outline all progress made and upcoming plans regarding the filtration system. Housatonic Water Works did not return requests to comment by the time of publication Tuesday. Progress made in July included integrating the new building with the treatment system components and utility infrastructure, according to the status report. Upcoming actions include installing the underground utilities between the new and old buildings and connecting the items sited. The agreement has laid out a new timeline that is contingent on the company's ability to get loans, something legal battles with towns had prevented. The Great Barrington Board of Health and Select Board each voted to rescind their respective litigation, in hopes of easing the financial burden of the company so it can install the filtration system. West Stockbridge has not made any changes to its legal actions, the report said. In the status report, the company said the legal actions have to be "fully resolved" before they can move to the financing stage with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. A monthly log of all water discoloration complaints will begin in the next progress report. Jeff Robbins, a part-time resident of Stockbridge, is a former U.S. delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Council and a former assistant U.S. attorney and chief counsel for the Democrats on the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Reach him at Jeffrey.Robbins@saul.com. Do not cast your pearls before swine is a saying that comes from Jesus Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5:1-7:29. As part of Christs larger discourse on judgment and reproof, Jesus instructed His followers to respect and treasure that which is holy (the gospel) while discerning those who are receptive from those who hate the truth and who scorn, ridicule, or blaspheme the name of Jesus and the salvation He so graciously offers. Accordingly, Christians of all ages are encouraged to proclaim the good news of salvation but to be prepared to walk away, lest their holy, precious pearl be trampled upon by the dogs and swine of this world. Where in the Bible Did Jesus Say, Do Not Cast Your Pearls Before Swine? The phrase do not cast your pearls before swine is found in Matthew 7:6 and is part of Jesus larger Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5:1-7:29). Traditionally believed to have been delivered on the grassy slopes of a hill overlooking the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee, perhaps along the Plain of Gennesaret or the Korazim Plateau, Christs Sermon on the Mount is one of the major discourses recorded in Matthew's gospel and one of the longest of Jesus recorded sermons in the Bible. Today, the Sermon on the Mount is widely regarded as one of the greatest sermons ever given. Throughout His ministry, Jesus proved to be an incredible communicator and exceptional teacher. Even His enemies acknowledged the theological depth of His teachings and the authority by which He spoke (see Matthew 7:29; Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 1:22-23; and John 12:49-50). And as a result, many in Galilee, Judea, and the surrounding regions came to hear Jesus teach. During Jesus early ministry in Galilee, Matthew records that, when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them. (Matthew 5:1) The teachings within the Sermon on the Mount include: What Is the Context of the Sermon on the Mount? By itself, the meaning of Jesus call to not cast your pearls before swine may not be immediately clear. Some context is, therefore, required. In the verses preceding Matthew 7:6, Jesus spoke against judging others. Do not judge, or you too will be judged, He said, for in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2) At its core, this was a straightforward command to avoid any form of hypocritical, self-righteous, or unfair judgment of others. It is not uncommon, after all, to hold others to a standard we ourselves refuse to abide by. Christ reproved this kind of hypocrisy when addressing the self-righteous legalism of the Pharisees and religious leaders, who presented themselves as holy and righteous on the outside, but on the inside, were full of wickedness and the bones of the dead and everything unclean. (see Matthew 23:27-28) At another point in His ministry, Jesus had also intervened in the attempted stoning of a woman caught in adultery (see John 8:1-11). When her accusers asked if it was unlawful to stone her in an attempt to trap Jesus in His words, Jesus instead replied, All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone! (John 8:7) He then turned to the woman and said, Go and sin no more. (John 8:10) Clearly, Jesus was not endorsing or downplaying sin. He acknowledged the womans sin and even called her to repentance. However, His message was also a call for us to examine our own hearts before we are quick to judge and condemn others. Throughout His ministry, Jesus reminded us that we are all sinful and in need of a Savior (see Romans 3:23). This is reiterated in His Sermon on the Mount. The Law, which many in Israel relied on as the standard of holy living and righteousness, was not given to save. The Law only reveals and exposes sin. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus exposited the true nature of the Law, exposing how impossible its demands really are. Pastor John MacArthur also notes that, in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ plumbs the depth of the law, showing that its true demands go far beyond the surface meaning of the words (see Matthew 5:28-44) and set a standard that is higher than the most diligent students of the law have realized (1128). Salvation can never be the product of human merit or effort. We are all dependent on divine grace. This informs Jesus teaching on judging others in Matthew 7. Unfortunately, many have taken Christs command to not judge to mean that Christians are not allowed to tell anyone they are wrong. In fact, dont judge has become one of the most common weapons used against Christians to silence those who would dare speak out against sin. That is not Christs intention or the meaning behind these verses. Jesus did not prohibit all kinds of judgment. In the Sermon on the Mount, He actually distinguished between judgment and discernment, instructing His followers to exercise a righteous kind of judgment when discerning good from evil and sin from wickedness. Some form of judgment is required to apply the principles that followed. For example, Jesus taught us to remove the plank from our own eyes before we call attention to the speck of sawdust in our brothers eye. You hypocrite Jesus proclaimed, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye. (Matthew 7:5) Again, this was a call for humility and discernment, not silence in the face of sin, especially the sin of a brother or sister. Rather, we must first submit ourselves to God and allow Him to cleanse us of all unrighteousness so that we may see more clearly and gain the discernment required to help others identify harmful sin in their own lives and remove it accordingly. It is not judgment or condemnation that motivates the faithful followers of Christ to help free their brothers and sisters from sin, even in its smallest forms. It is compassion. And yet, discernment of those who are in Christ versus those who are still of the world is required. This leads directly to Jesus saying, Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. (Matthew 7:6; NIV) What Is the Meaning of the Saying, Do Not Cast Your Pearls Before Swine? In biblical times, dogs, like pigs, were often seen as dirty, unclean animals. Most were regarded as mongrels and scavengers and not welcome in the house or around children. Pigs were, of course, unclean in every sense of the word. The unclean nature of dogs is referenced in another biblical analogy in Proverbs 26:11, which says, as a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. Peter used the same disgusting image in 2 Peter 2:22 when he wrote about false prophets and teachers. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used the analogy of unclean animals, in this case dogs and swine, to describe those who reject the truth and scorn the invitation to become sons of God when it is presented to them. In contrast, the children of God have left the mire, been washed clean, and entered into the Fathers house. These have received the greatest treasure known to mankind, the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encouraged His followers to discern the dogs and swine from the true children of God. The apostle John would write, but as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12) Unfortunately, not everyone will receive Jesus and become children of God. With this in mind, Jesus reminded His disciples to respect and treasure the gospel which they have received, comparing it to a priceless pearl (see also Matthew 13:45-46). Accordingly, it would be unwise, unfruitful, and even disrespectful to give what is holy to dogs or toss something so valuable as a priceless pearl to the pigs to be trampled on. Of course, this does not contradict Jesus prior principle of loving our enemies (see Matthew 5:44). It does not give Christians permission to conceal the gospel or hide the light they have been given from the world (see Matthew 5:14-16). It also does not encourage judgment or condemnation of those hastily and unfairly labeled dogs or swine. Careful and evidential discernment at the behest of the Holy Spirit is required to distinguish ones true brothers from those who are not. However, Christians are nonetheless called to respect that which is holy (the gospel) by not continuing to cast their pearls before swine. In the words of the renowned commentator Matthew Henry, we must not go about to give instructions, counsels, or rebukes, much less comforts, to hardened scorners, to whom it will certainly do no good, but who will be exasperated and enraged at us. When it comes to those who are committed to rejecting, ridiculing, and even blaspheming the name of Christ and the gospel when preached to them, we must be content to walk away and direct our words and labor elsewhere. Accordingly, these sin against the remedy for who shall heal and help those that will not be healed and helped. (Matthew Henry) Of course, Jesus and His disciples preached the gospel wherever they went. They went to the sinner, the sick, and those in need of salvation. Christs own commission to His followers was also to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20) However, when dealing with the unreceptive and unrepentant, especially those who hate the truth and scorn the instruction and reproof of the Father, Jesus instructed His followers to shake the dust from their feet (see Matthew 10:1-15) and move on. Not everyone is worthy of the gospel. We see this throughout the New Testament. Christians should not continue harass or exasperate those whove made it clear they want no part in the kingdom of God. Those who are drawn by the Father to the Son (see John 6:44) will always be grateful for the message of salvation and receptive of those who carry it. The ministry of Christs faithful will also bear more fruit when the seed is sown amongst fertile soil (see Matthew 13:1-23). Christians are not responsible for how others respond to the gospel. We cannot force others to listen, receive, or repent. We are called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and testify of the good news of salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life offered through Jesus Christ. But just as the pigs will never appreciate the value of pearls thrown in their pen, so will those who cling to their sin fail to acknowledge or appreciate all that Christ has done for them. Those who persist in throwing the gospel (their pearls) to those whove rejected it might as well be throwing rocks. In time, the swine will trample on that which theyve been given. Christ taught that the gospel is far too holy and precious to be treated as such. Furthermore, the offended may eventually turn and tear you to pieces (Matthew 7:6). Sometimes, it is better to move on. There are many who have yet to hear the gospel and who are far more eager (and ready) to receive the gift of salvation offered through Jesus Christ. And although Jesus warned that His followers would face hatred, rejection, and persecution in this life (see Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-18; John 16:33), His Sermon on the Mount also reveals that our Lord Jesus is very tender of the safety of His people, and would not have them needlessly to expose themselves to the fury of those that will turn again and rend them precious is the blood of His subjects to Him (Matthew Henry). For this reason, and out of reverence for that which is holy and precious, Christians must not cast their pearls before swine. Additional Resources: What Does Do Not Cast Your Pearls Before Swine Mean in Matthew 7:6? What is the Sermon on the Mount? A Deeper Look at the Sermon on the Mount How Do We Show Love to Toxic People? 3 Ways Christians Can Love Their Enemies What Does Judge Not, That Ye Be Judged Actually Mean in the Bible? Photo credit: Getty Images/Bruno Guerreiro Joel Ryan is an author, writing professor, and contributing writer for Salem Web Network and Lifeway. When hes not writing stories and defending biblical truth, Joel is committed to helping young men find purpose in Christ and become fearless disciples and bold leaders in their homes, in the church, and in the world. None of us succeed alone. We have accountability as individuals, and we make our own choices. At the same time, God designed us to have relationship with him and others. At least, thats the ideal. Unfortunately, we live in a broken world where division and conflict happen too often. The gospel promises a different way to live, a way that leads to an eternal future of love, righteousness, and peace. God sent his Son to initiate this spiritual revolution. Even Jesus didnt minister alone; he brought disciples with him, passing it on to others to spread the Good News. The most influential evangelist in the New Testament was the apostle Paul. As we read about his missionary journeys, he didnt go alone. God called small group as the first missionaries, and Paul followed this model, along with the one Jesus set before them, to minister as a community. These men may be more obscure to us, but they were crucial to the gospel turning the world upside-down in the first century after Jesus resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit. How Many Missionary Journeys Did Paul Take? According to the book of Acts, the apostle Paul took three primary missionary journeys, then traveled to Rome as a prisoner. Pauls first journey starts in Acts 13. He served for years as one of the leaders of the church in Antioch. During a time of prayer, the Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to spread the gospel. The two take a young man, Mark, with them, and they travel through Cyprus and other Asia Minor regions. Together, they preach to both Jews and Gentiles, planting new churches while facing opposition. Mark left them at some point during this journey. For his second journey (Acts 15-18), Paul and Barnabas have a disagreement about bringing Mark again. They decide to go in separate directions. Paul takes Silas with him, visiting many of the churches he and Barnabas had planted. During his travels, God gives him a vision, calling Paul to Macedonia. Paul spreads the gospel to Europe in cities like Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth, planting more churches. On his third journey (Acts 18-21), Paul again visits the planted churches, spending time in Ephesus where a revival breaks out. Many pagans reject their idols. Paul travels through Greece before coming to Jerusalem. The Jews bring charges against Paul and hes arrested. Being a Roman citizen, Paul appeals to Caesar, and goes to the capital of the empire in chains. While a prisoner, he still finds ways to preach in Malta and then in Rome, as well. Although it was not technically a missionary journey, he did preach and lead people to Jesus. Photo credit: Getty Images/MelkiNimages LSPedia and Spring Bio Solution partner to advance pharma traceability in India August 20, 2025 | Wednesday | News Spring Bio Solution will establish and lead LSPedia's India entity operating from its Mumbai headquarters LSPedia, a leading provider of pharmaceutical compliance, serialisation, and supply chain software solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Spring Bio Solution, a top global comparator sourcing and clinical supplies firm based in India. With more than 14 years of industry experience and a sterling reputation for compliance and regulatory excellence, Spring Bio Solution will play a key role in accelerating LSPedia's global expansion and product adoption. At the heart of this collaboration is LSPedia's flagship platform, OneScan, the pharmaceutical industry's leading global track-and-trace solution. OneScan empowers pharmaceutical companies to achieve comprehensive global compliance, including serialisation, traceability, exception management, and automated data reportingall within a single, integrated system. Through this partnership, Spring Bio Solution will offer OneScan to pharmaceutical manufacturers across India, Europe, Singapore, and other key global markets, enabling them to stay ahead of evolving regulatory demands while increasing operational efficiency. Spring Bio Solution will establish and lead LSPedia's India entity operating from its Mumbai headquarters. Plans are already underway to extend this presence into Europe and Singapore, further supporting LSPedia's strategic mission to serve pharmaceutical hubs worldwide. Save the Date! THROUGH THE IMMINGRANT'S LENS Tatana Kellner Wednesday, September 10 , 2025, at 7 pm Tatana Kellner, a multi-disciplinary artist, will discuss her work, charting her journey as an immigrant from Czechoslovakia in 1969, finding her artistic voice, and co-founding the Womens Studio Workshop (WSW), an artists workspace in Rosendale, NY, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The talk will present both her personal work and the activities of WSW. Please register at Eventbrite Tatana Kellner www.instagram.com/tatana1950 , www.tatanakellner.com is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work is rooted in social issues. Born in Czechoslovakia, she emigrated with her family to the USA in 1969. Her work combines printmaking, painting, photography, and installation. It was exhibited in numerous venues across the USA, Canada, Europe, and Asia, including over fifty solo exhibitions. She has received numerous prestigious awards, grants, and artist residencies. Kellner is a co-founder and past artistic director of Womens Studio Workshop in Rosendale, NY. Bohemian National Hall321 E 73 St. in ManhattanFree and open to the public.Suggested donation $15 Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. 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West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code A prominent anti-immigration campaigner has appeared in court over an alleged public order offence involving political rivals outside a church in Bray, Co Wicklow, during last years general election campaign. Philip Dwyer (57) of Tallaght Cross West, Tallaght, Dublin 24, appeared before a sitting of Bray District Court on Wednesday in relation to an incident outside the Holy Redeemer Church on Main Street, Bray, Co Wicklow, on November 24th, 2024. Advertisement The self-styled citizen journalist and former postman is charged with committing an affray with another individual, David McConnell. Mr McConnell (66) is the father of People Before Profits candidate in the constituency of Wicklow in last Novembers general election, Kellie McConnell. Mr Dwyer, a former member of the right-wing National Party, stood as an independent candidate in Wicklow in the same election. Both men were canvassing voters on Main Street in Bray at the time of the alleged offence. Advertisement The charge in Mr Dwyers case states that both men are accused of using or threatening to use unlawful violence towards each other outside the Holy Redeemer Church, contrary to Section 16 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. It also states that the alleged conduct was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at said place to fear for his or another persons safety. The court heard that Mr Dwyer had replied no comment after arrest, charge and caution. Counsel for the accused, Ciara OBrien BL, was granted an application for free legal aid for Mr Dwyer. Advertisement Judge John OLeary also granted another application by the barrister for a disclosure order. Mr Dwyer, who was accompanied to court by another high-profile, anti-immigration activist, Fergus Power, did not speak during the brief hearing. Judge OLeary remanded him on bail to appear before the same court on October 20th. In recent years, Mr Dwyer has become a regular attendant at anti-immigration protests including demonstrations outside building housing international protection applicants as well as properties rumoured as potential locations for housing asylum seekers. Advertisement He was 14th out of 18 candidates with 435 first preference votes in Novembers election one position behind Ms McConnell who was in 13th place with 1,259 votes. Ireland How anti-immigrant activists tried to 'weaponise'... Read More Mr Dwyer has also contested several other elections unsuccessfully including last years local and European elections when he was a candidate for the far-right party Ireland First. It is understood gardai investigated the incident outside the church in Bray after it was reported by Mr McConnell. A video which captured part of the encounter between the two accused parties was also shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Mr Dwyer. In the short piece of footage, Mr Dwyer incorrectly identified the rival campaigners as members of the Social Democrats and engaged in an exchange about abortion and transgender issues. A Dublin Bus driver was beaten on the back of the head with punches and a metal object during a "random and unprovoked" daylight street attack in the capital, a court has heard. Romanian national Ionut Christian Biraz (39), of no fixed address, who arrived in Ireland three months ago, was charged with assault causing harm to the 63-year-old driver at Beresford Place in the city centre and production of a weapon during the incident at about 2pm on Tuesday. Advertisement He appeared before Judge Brennan at Dublin District Court on Wednesday and was refused bail. Garda Katherine Ward cited flight risk and Mr Biraz's lack of ties to the State, the seriousness of the case and fears for public safety. She alleged that Mr Biraz used a metal implement and attacked the driver in a random and unprovoked manner for no reason. She said the Dublin Bus driver had been walking home after his shift and was "struck in the back of the head with a metal article, 12 inches in length, from behind". Advertisement The contested bail hearing was told that before the victim "registered what occurred, he punched him again to the back of his head from behind, which caused him to fall to the ground." The court heard that there were several people on the street at the time, and the officer said that it was fortunate that gardai were in the immediate area. Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions have to be obtained, and an additional charge could be brought, the court heard. It will be recommended that the case proceed to the Circuit Court, which can impose lengthier sentences. Garda Ward cited the level of aggression and violence used, adding that gardai had to use pepper spray to arrest him. Advertisement The garda said the driver suffered swelling to his head and neck and significant emotional distress and was "quite shook up" afterwards. The article used to strike him has also been seized. Ireland Man (43) charged with attacking Swiss tourist on D... Read More She agreed with defence solicitor Eoin Lysaght that Mr Biraz had the presumption of innocence and, about comments he made in his interview, English was not his first language. However, she informed the judge that an interpreter was present. In response to the garda's belief that the accused was planning to leave the country, Mr Lysaght said his client had no means after losing his job due to having no PPS number. Judge Brennan did not accept that he was a flight risk but refused bail on the other grounds. Mr Biraz, who listened to the proceedings with the help of an interpreter, was granted legal aid, and the judge also directed he gets medical attention in custody. He will appear again at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday. An Irish fashion designer who was found dead on board a boat in New York will be remembered for her laughter and the memories made, mourners at her funeral were told on Wednesday. Martha Nolan-OSlatarra (33), originally from Monacurragh, Co Carlow, was found unconscious on the boat at Montauk Yacht Club in Long Island on Tuesday, August 5th. A man she was onboard the boat with raised the alarm and two men on a nearby yacht performed CPR. Advertisement The business woman was later pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services a short time later. A police investigation into her death is being carried out by US-based Suffolk County police detectives. Hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects to the fashion entrepreneur who left Carlow almost 10 years ago. The funeral took place at 10am in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow town. Advertisement Symbols of Marthas life were presented during the hour-long service which included her passport representing her love of travel and adventure, clothing from her luxury resort fashion brand East x East, and Marthas prayer, which her mother Elma recites every Tuesday as her daughter was born on a Tuesday and died on a Tuesday. Other symbols included a photo showing her beauty inside and out, Irish and American flags to recall the life she lived on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and a tin whistle showing her love of music. Marthas sister Jacqui in her eulogy said: Martha my beautiful sister. You taught me everything I needed to know in life. I didnt always see you but I knew you were there. Growing up with you was like having a built in best friend from sharing secrets to late night talks. We've been through it all together. She described how through thick and thin a sisters love is consistent. We know each other's quirks, dreams and fears. The bond between us sisters is unique and unbreakable. Cheers to the laughter, the tears, the countless memories that were made. You will be in my heart forever Martha. Advertisement Nick, Marthas partner, added that she had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into. Whether it was her signature hi or her famous hand gestures, one but couldnt help to feel her positive presence in every space she entered. Martha had a way of people she loved first. She loved helping people and many of you have been lucky enough to experience that love, he said. Whether it was telling you to cop on to focus on the goodness in this life or just being a shoulder to lean on. The shining light that Martha brought into this world is a reflection of everybody in this room. Friends, family, loved ones, those past and present, we all have been lucky to have known Martha and we must live every day forward with her in our hearts. Fr Thomas OByrne in his homily said Martha lived "a short life but a packed life." Advertisement Ms Nolan OSlatarra is survived by her mother Elma, her father Seamus, her sister Jacqui, her younger siblings, her mothers partner Patrick and her partner Nick. A postmortem carried out on Martha's body by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office showed there were no visible signs of injury. Authorities said the postmortem results were inconclusive and are awaiting further test results to decide the direction of their investigation. Card spending in Dublin increased by 9 per cent over the weekend as Oasis played two sold-out Croke Park gigs, according to analysis from Revolut. Saturday was the first time in over 16 years that Oasis had played Ireland since Slane in 2009. Advertisement As a result of the two gigs, Revolut revealed that card spend soared by more than 9 per cent in Dublin last weekend when compared with the previous (August 9th-10th), with the volume of transactions rising by over 8 per cent. A similar surge in spending in Dublin was seen when Taylor Swift played at the Aviva Stadium last June. Over 16 per cent more was spent in Dublin bars, cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs over the weekend versus the previous one as fans partied hard. Anticipation had been building across the capital throughout August, with a pop-up store on St Stephens Green setting the tone since opening on August 4th, as fans scrambled for sought-after Oasis merchandise. Advertisement Over last and the previous weekend, merchandise stores in Dublin recorded hundreds of thousands of euro in revenues, which is likely due to the stores lengthy queues. Owing to popular demand, the pop-up store has since announced extended dates. Oasis fans outside Croke Park. Photo: Collins Photos While spending on public transportation was down 9 per cent across the rest of Ireland, it rose dramatically by over 120 per cent in Dublin as Irish Oasis fans descended upon the capital for the gigs. Taxi drivers also benefited from the concerts, with a 15 per cent uplift in revenues last weekend. For those that missed out on tickets, there was still a party atmosphere across the county, with Dublin sales of store-bought beer, wine, and liquor rising by over a third versus August 9th-10th. Advertisement Adults aged 25-34 spent the most, followed by the 45-54 age group. Dublin restaurants, pubs, and licensed stores enjoyed a boost in Cigarettes & Alcohol sales to Oasis fans across the weekend the banks Revolut Business customers recorded an increase in revenues, with those in the food, beverages or tobacco industries experiencing a notable 2 per cent uplift when compared with the previous weekend. Its safe to say that Oasis Definitely Maybe gave the Dublin economy a boost last weekend, said general manager at Revolut Bank UAB - Ireland Branch, Malcolm Craig. Consumer spending of this level in just one weekend sends a very strong signal about the confidence of our more than 3 million customers in Ireland. Last weekend highlights the value of attracting genuine A-listers to Ireland and that Revolut remains Irish peoples preferred way to spend. Advertisement Oasis fans Amy and Stee from Nottingham for Oasis at Croke Park. Photo: Sam Boal/Collins Photos Oasiss Noel Gallagher has said he is proud of his brother Liam and that he forgot how funny he was. Following their return to Ireland at the weekend with two sold-out shows at Croke Park, the Britpop star opened up about their Oasis Live 25 reunion tour adding that he is completely blown away by the response. Entertainment Noel Gallagher says he is proud of brother Liam... Read More Speaking to talkSports Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent, he said: Liams smashing it. Im proud of him. I couldnt do the stadium thing like he does it, its not in my nature. But Ive got to say, I kind of look and I think, good for you mate. Hes been amazing. Its great just to be back with Bonehead (Paul Arthurs) and Liam and just be doing it again. I guess when its all said and done we will sit and reflect on it, but its great being back in the band with Liam, I forgot how funny he was. A teenager has been arrested for questioning in connection with the murder of Irish Rail employee Ian Walsh, who was found dead at his home in Co Tipperary on August 4th. The young man is being detained at Clonmel Garda Station after being arrested on Wednesday in connection with the murder of the 49-year-old. Advertisement He can be detained for up to 24 hours before being released or charged. Mr Walsh was found with stab wounds in a downstairs room at his home in Ravenswood Estate on Cregg Road in Carrick-on-Suir. There was no sign of forced entry at the property. It is understood that gardai believe that whoever murdered Mr Walsh was known to him and that he possibly admitted his killer to the house. A postmortem by State pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney confirmed Mr Walsh died by violent means. Advertisement Mr Walsh was last seen alive on the evening of August 1st. A cremation service took place on August 12th in the Island Crematorium in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork. In a statement, Irish Rail said Mr Walsh was a well-known and popular colleague both in his working life from catering to signalling, and for his passion for railway and transport tourism and heritage. Tailte Tours team said they felt extreme sadness at the passing of Ian Walsh, a signaller at Cork station and a huge supporter of their rail tour operation. Advertisement Ian ran five rail tours of his own over the course of the mid to late 2000s, and was very much a pioneer in 'outside the box' tours in Ireland, starting them from locations such as Waterford and Limerick, in an era when tours were generally based in Dublin or Belfast. He was more than happy to pass his experience and expertise on when we started operations a few years ago; for those of you who enjoyed the 'surprise' rare track moves on our Cork-based railtours, you can thank Ian, who went far beyond the extra mile to ensure our operations went off without a hitch. He had a wonderful knowledge of the Iarnrod Eireann system and its people, and had also developed a passion for Bus Eireann operations, diligently recording the last runs on several rural routes in the south east as they disappeared, quickly becoming a friend to bus drivers in the Cork and Waterford areas. This Is Going To Hurt author Adam Kay reveals his debut novel Fiction A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay is published in hardback by Orion. Available August 28 After his much-despised colleague drops dead in the street, maverick NHS rheumatology consultant Eitan Rose cant ignore his gut feeling that something isnt adding up so decides to take matters into his own hands, going solely off his innate doctor problem-solving skills and no evidence whatsoever. As Eitan bumbles through his amateur investigation, using, at best, unconventional, and at worst, deplorable methods, there are hilarious consequences, yet we come to see the extent of Eitans unravelling mental state. Hes not the perfect hero hes flawed, and at times deeply unlikable but it quickly becomes clear that A Particularly Nasty Case is not just a gripping crime comedy, but an eloquent and striking insight into the issues those who live with mental health issues face every day, while also touching on the UKs deeply unfair class divide. For fans of Adam Kays other works, his debut novel is equally as stuffed with barbed quips, and his experience of NHS hospitals adds a layer of plausibility, resulting in a whodunit of self-conviction in the face of doubt, and the power of doing good by others. Advertisement 8/10 Review by Sophie Goodall Paper Heart by Cecelia Ahern is published in hardback by HarperCollins. Available August 28th Cecelia Ahern, author of PS I Love You, returns with Paper Heart, which follows Pip, a 32-year-old mother to 16-year-old Bella, trying to rediscover her dreams and find love again. Set in Ireland, readers see Pip living almost like a teenager herself under the strict rule of her parents who, up until now, have controlled her every move. Whether its her job, who she dates and even how she parents her own daughter, Pip has never had the freedom to make her own decisions. The story weaves in poetry and the stars as Pip tries to escape from their shackles after meeting an astronomer, who gives her a new lease of life and helps her regain her confidence. With characters such as Jamie Bellas father and Pips first love also in the mix, this book firmly pulls on the heart strings as Pip finally finds her own feet. 8/10 Advertisement Review by Sara Keenan Picture Imperfect by Jacqueline Wilson is published in hardback by Bantam. Available August 28th Pitched as the adult sequel to Jacqueline Wilsons 1999 childrens novel, The Illustrated Mum, Picture Imperfect picks up with Dolphin who watched her mum Marigold unravel in the first book in her early 30s. Now a tattoo artist (although not decorated to the hilt like her mum), shes living unhappily in a bedsit, picking bad boyfriends and longing for a baby. Dols elder sister Star has moved away to pursue a conventional, successful life and escape the hook Dol is still on: taking care of Marigold when she switches her meds for drink and drugs. Throw in a few useless dads and a couple of love interests and you have the kind of gritty family drama Wilson is so talented at making sense of for younger readers. However, the book feels pitched at those who read The Illustrated Mum as children, and the result is, Picture Imperfect reads like a YA novel, just with extra sex and swearing, which is a bit jarring. 6/10 Review by Ella Walker Advertisement Non-fiction The Genius of Trees: How Trees Mastered The Elements And Shaped The World by Harriet Rix is published in hardback by Bodley Head. Available now Traversing the globe from Iraq to Guatemala, and digging into a wide range of eco-systems established over millennia, Harriet Rixs The Genius of Trees is an ambitious and stunningly expansive investigation into the role trees play in shaping our natural world. Few come better qualified than Rix, a biochemist and long-time tree science consultant, whose passion for the project shines through in this immersive paean to the grandest of all plants. Split into sections which shine a light on the trees relationship to elements, from water to fire and fungi, The Genius Of Trees feels like a particularly timely reminder of the importance of protecting our precious natural resources. An Oxford graduate, Rix does not flinch from a deeply scientific narrative, and it is to her credit that she is able to make such a necessarily complex subject so compelling. 8/10 Review by Mark Staniforth Childrens book of the week Theres Nothing Funny About Bums by Gareth P Jones, illustrated by Matt Robertson, is published in paperback by Happy Yak. Available August 28th A teacher is adamant that bums are not remotely amusing in this picture book by Gareth P. Jones, and two young readers are fans Advertisement This is a book about lots of things that will make you laugh! You cant help but laugh even if you try not to! I like the way it rhymes. The illustrations are very clever and there is a lot to see in them, in fact, each time you read this book, you will spot something new. My sister and I really liked it and think that if you read it to a whole class, everyone would be laughing their heads off because you are not really meant to laugh at these things! 7 and a half bums out of 10 Review by Poppy and Florence (age 10 and 7) BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING AUGUST 16th Advertisement HARDBACK (FICTION) 1. The Artist by Lucy Steeds 2. Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer 3. Wolf Hour by Jo Nesbo 4. Alchemy and a Cup of Tea by Rebecca Thorne 5. Aphrodite by Phoenicia Rogerson 6. Arcana Academy by Elise Kova 7. Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson 8. The Final Vow by M.W. Craven 9. The Crowns of Nyaxia by Carissa Broadbent 10. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (Compiled by Waterstones) HARDBACK (NON-FICTION) 1. Frankly by Nicola Sturgeon 2. Entitled by Andrew Lownie 3. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins 4. Jess and Norma by Jessica Asquith and Norma Burton 5. Goliaths Curse by Luke Kemp 6. The Greatest Story Ever Told by Bear Grylls 7. To the Sea by Train by Andrew Martin 8. Persiana Easy by Sabrina Ghayour 9. Et Tu, Cavapoo? By Mark Radcliffe 10. Dont Believe Everything you Think by Joseph Nguyen (Compiled by Waterstones) AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NONFICTION) 1. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins 2. Dont Let Him In by Lisa Jewell 3. Entitled by Andrew Lownie 4. Frankly by Nicola Sturgeon 5. The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell 6. The Wedding People by Alison Espach 7. The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith 8. Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, Book 1 by J.K. Rowling 9. The Names by Florence Knapp 10. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (Compiled by Audible) The death of an Irish tourist in the Algarve is being treated as accidental, Portuguese police sources said on Wednesday. The family of Donegal man Mark Kiely had issued urgent appeals on social media after he was last seen near a beach tunnel in Albufeiras old town area in the early hours of August 16th. Advertisement They confirmed on Tuesday he had been found dead, saying in a statement: Unfortunately not the outcome we had been hoping for. On Wednesday it emerged Mr Kiely's body had been discovered at the bottom of a cliff on Monday and firefighters had been mobilised to recover his body by Albufeiras fishing port. Maritime Police called in Portugals Policia Judiciaria police force to investigate but sources there said the initial inquiries were pointing to Mr Kielys death being accidental. Paying tribute to Mr Kiely, Donegal Town FC, where he played as a youngster, said on its Facebook page: Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Mark Kiely who has sadly passed away. Advertisement Mark previously played underage at the club and we are all deeply saddened by his loss." Four other holidaymakers were already known to have lost their lives in accidents in Albufeira this summer before this week's confirmation of the Donegal mans death. On June 4th, Scottish tourist Greg Monks was found dead near Albufeira after going missing a week earlier in the resort. The 38-year-old plant mechanic from Glasgow is believed to have lost his life after jumping over a wall and falling down a steep hillside during a night out with his stag do friends. Advertisement A search for him was launched on May 28th and his parents and girlfriend Nicole Kelso flew to the Algarve to help with the efforts to find him. Around four hours before Mr Monkss body was found by police, another young tourist was found dead behind a steep drop at the back of a residential block by Albufeiras Old Town. World Portuguese police captain arrested after 1.5 tons... Read More The 21-year-old, also said to have gone out drinking with pals and thought to have become disorientated as he tried to get back to his hotel, was never named. News of his death only emerged three days after Mr Monks was found dead. Last month friends King Edonmi (29) and Mo Lisau (27) were discovered lifeless in their Albufeira hotel pool. Portuguese police sources subsequently said ahead of postmortems they believed the design of the pool combined with the fact they couldnt swim had likely led to their deaths. French authorities are investigating the death of a man during a live video stream on the Kick platform, where he had regularly been shown enduring violence and humiliation. Prosecutors ordered an autopsy and opened an investigation into the death of the man, aged 46, in the village of Contes, north of Nice, on Monday. Advertisement Frances junior minister for AI and digital technology, Clara Chappaz, said Raphael Graven, known online as Jean Pormanove, had featured regularly in videos on Kick, where he was physically assaulted or humiliated by co-streamers as viewers watched live. The death of Jean Pormanove and the violence he suffered are absolutely horrific, Chappaz wrote on X. Kick Francais said it would co-operate with authorities and was undertaking a review of its French content. Our priority is to protect creators and ensure a safer environment on Kick, it wrote on X. All co-streamers who participated in this live broadcast have been banned pending the ongoing investigation. Advertisement Kick is a live-streaming platform registered in Australia that shares revenue with its content creators. Chappaz said a judicial investigation was under way and that she had referred the matter to digital and audiovisual communication regulator Arcom and filed a report to Pharos, Frances internet portal for reporting illicit internet content. She also said she had asked Kick for explanations. The responsibility of online platforms for dissemination of illegal content is not optional, it is the law, she said. Yassin Sadouni, a lawyer for one of two co-streamers seen abusing Pormanove, told BFM television the victim had cardiovascular problems and that the violence in the videos was acted. All those scenes are just staged, they follow a script, he said. Advertisement French media have shown excerpts of hours-long videos during which Pormanove is seen suffering blows, insults, strangulation, dousing with paint and oil and being shot at with a paintball gun. It was not clear from the excerpts whether Pormanove had subjected himself to the violence voluntarily or was forced to endure it, nor whether the action was real or staged. Drake and US streamer Adin Ross have reportedly agreed to take care of the funeral costs, as the pair have worked on charity streams together in the past. "This is horrible and disgusting. Whoever was apart [sic] of this deserves to face severe consequences. I just spoke with drake. Drake and I will be covering the funeral costs , this wont bring his life back, its the least we can do. Prayers go out to Jeans family," Ross wrote on X. A judge who presided over the sex trafficking case against financier Jeffrey Epstein has rejected the US governments request to unseal grand jury transcripts. The ruling on Wednesday by Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan came after the judge presiding over the case against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend, also turned down the governments request. Advertisement Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction on sex trafficking charges for helping Epstein sexually abuse girls and young women. Epstein died in jail awaiting trial. A US justice department spokesperson declined to comment. Judge Berman said the information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigative information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice. Advertisement According to his ruling, no victims gave evidence before the Epstein grand jury. The only witness, the judge wrote, was an FBI agent who had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay. The agent gave evidence over two days, on June 18 and July 2 2019. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow shown during the June 18 session and a call log shown during the July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Advertisement Both of those will also remain sealed, Judge Berman ruled. Maxwells case has been the subject of heightened public focus since an outcry over the justice departments statement last month saying that it would not be releasing any additional documents from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation. The decision infuriated online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and elements of US President Donald Trumps base who had hoped to see proof of a government cover-up. Since then, Trump administration officials have tried to cast themselves as promoting transparency in the case, including by requesting from courts the unsealing of grand jury transcripts. Advertisement The government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein file, Judge Berman wrote in an apparent reference to the justice departments refusal to release additional records on its own while simultaneously moving to unseal grand jury transcripts. By comparison, he added, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a diversion from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the governments possession. The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epsteins alleged conduct. Meanwhile, Maxwell was interviewed at a Florida courthouse weeks ago by US deputy attorney general Todd Blanche, and the house oversight committee had also said that it wanted to speak with Maxwell. Her lawyers said they would be open to an interview but only if the panel were to ensure immunity from prosecution. Advertisement In a letter Maxwells lawyers, representative James Comer, the committee chairman, wrote that the committee was willing to delay the deposition until after the resolution of Maxwells appeal to the Supreme Court. That appeal is expected to be resolved in late September. Mr Comer wrote that while Maxwells testimony was vital to the Republican-led investigation into Epstein, the committee would not provide immunity or any questions in advance of her testimony, as was requested by her team. Nato defence chiefs are due to hold a virtual meeting, a senior alliance official said, as countries pushing for an end to Russias war on Ukraine devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement. Italian admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of Natos Military Committee, said that 32 defence chiefs from across the alliance would hold a video conference as a US-led diplomatic push seeks to end the fighting. Advertisement US general Alexus Grynkewich, Natos supreme allied commander in Europe, will take part in the talks, Mr Dragone said on social platform X. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov chided efforts to work on security arrangements in Ukraine without Moscows involvement. We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work, Mr Lavrov said, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. Russia will ensure (its) legitimate interests firmly and harshly, Mr Lavrov added at a news conference in Moscow with Jordanian foreign minister Ayman al-Safadi. Advertisement US president Donald Trump met last Friday with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, and on Monday hosted Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and prominent European leaders at the White House. Neither meeting delivered concrete progress. Mr Trump is trying to steer Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky towards a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbour, but there are major obstacles. They include Ukraines demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia will not mount another invasion in coming years. Advertisement We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace, Mr Zelensky said in a Telegram post on Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight. Last night, a drone strike on Okhtyrka in the Sumy region injured 14 people. A family with wounded children 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years old sought assistance after the attack. In Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, a glide bomb strike damaged five apartment buildings, and at pic.twitter.com/TWRPo4Po6F Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) August 20, 2025 Kyivs European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, have signed up to support the initiative. Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the US might play in is unclear. Mr Trump has ruled out sending US troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept Nato troops in Ukraine. Advertisement Attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Mr Zelensky said the strikes only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has brushed off accusations from his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu that the Australian leader is a weak politician who had betrayed Israel by recognising a Palestinian state. Mr Netanyahus extraordinary public rebuke came after an August 11 announcement by Mr Albanese that his governments recognition of a Palestinian state will be formalised at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Advertisement The announcement was followed by tit-for-tat cancellations of Australian and Israeli visas. History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews, Mr Netanyahu posted on social media. Benjamin Netanyahu (Ronen Zvulun/Pool Photo via AP) Mr Albanese responded pointedly on Wednesday: I treat leaders of other countries with respect. I engage with them in a diplomatic way. I dont take these things personally, Mr Albanese added. Advertisement Increasingly there is global concern and global concern because people want to see an end to the cycle of violence that we have seen for far too long. That is what Australians want to see as well. Australian home affairs minister Tony Burke further inflamed Israels anger by cancelling the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, a member of Mr Netanyahus coalition, who planned an Australian speaking tour. Mr Rothman is a member of the Religious Zionism party, which supports continuation of the war, the mass relocation of Palestinians through what it describes as voluntary migration and the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza. Mr Burke on Wednesday accused Mr Netanyahu of lashing out against Australia as he had done against Britain, Canada, France, Ireland, Norway and Spain over recognition of a Palestinian state. Advertisement Mr Burke denied Mr Albanese was weak. Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry, Mr Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar retaliated on Monday for Mr Rothmans treatment by revoking visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Mr Saar also told the Israeli Embassy in Australia to carefully examine any official visa applications from Australia to Israel. Advertisement Australian foreign minister Penny Wong responded by accusing the Netanyahu government of isolating Israel. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry the nations peak advocacy group, said the Jewish community was profoundly disturbed and concerned by the rapidly deteriorating state of relations between the two countries. Australian Jews did not feel abandoned by the Albanese government, rejecting Mr Netanyahus accusation, Mr Ryvchin said. When allies speak, they should speak frankly, robustly, but also in a dignified way, and I think firing off tweets which contain elements of abuse to them, Mr Ryvchin said. Advertisement I dont think thats the way to operate. Australia is an increasingly multicultural country where more than half the population was born overseas or has at least one foreign parent. There is widespread community concern over the Israel-Hamas war, indicated by tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marching over the Sydney Harbour Bridge earlier this month. Antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels across Australia, which the government acknowledged last year by appointing the nations first special envoy to combat antisemitism, Sydney lawyer Jillian Segal. Australias conservative opposition party has pledged to reverse Australias recognition of Palestine if it wins the next election, which is due in 2028. Syrias foreign minister has held a rare meeting with an Israeli delegation in Paris, the Syrian state-run news agency said. The talks were brokered by the United States, which has been pushing for Syria and Israel to normalise relations, the report said. Advertisement Foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani met Israeli officials on Tuesday to discuss de-escalating tensions and restoring a 1974 ceasefire agreement, the SANA news agency said. Syrian officials have acknowledged holding indirect talks with Israel to defuse tensions. There was no immediate confirmation of such a meeting from Israel. Tensions have soared between the two neighbouring countries following the overthrow of Syrian president Bashar Assad in December. Israeli forces seized control of a UN-patrolled buffer zone in Syria shortly after Mr Assads overthrow and carried out airstrikes on military sites in what officials said was aimed at creating a demilitarised zone south of Damascus. Advertisement Israel has said it will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves along the frontier, as Iranian-backed groups did during Mr Assads rule. It distrusts Syrias new government, which is led by former Islamist insurgents. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaida commander who severed ties with the militant group years ago, has pledged to build a new country that respects the rights of minorities, but sectarian violence has erupted on a number of occasions, raising concerns about the countrys fragile transition. Israel stepped up its intervention when violence erupted in Syrias Sweida province last month between Bedouin clans and government forces on one side and armed groups from the Druze religious minority on the other. Israel said it was acting to protect the Druze, who are seen as a loyal minority in Israel and often serve in the military. Israel launched dozens of airstrikes on convoys of Syrian forces around Sweida and struck the headquarters of the Syrian ministry of defence in the heart of Damascus, Syrias capital. Advertisement Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed the strategic plateau in a move that has only been recognised by the US. The rest of the international community views the Golan as occupied Syrian territory. CBA made headlines this morning after it backflipped on a decision to cut 45 call centre jobs as it rolls out an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, admitting it made a mistake and failed to properly consider all business considerations when it made the cuts. Loading Super Retail Group, which owns the Rebel sports, Supercheap Auto and Macpac chains, jumped 12.3 per cent. The shares hit a record high after the company said it boosted sales by 4.5 per cent to a record $4.1 billion in the past financial year, with growth accelerating in the second half. Bega Cheese jumped 7.7 per cent after the dairy company said its normalised operating earnings climbed 23 per cent to $202 million in the past year and would rise up to $220 million this year. Shares in Northern Star Resources, Australias biggest gold producer, gained 0.5 per cent after the company said it more than doubled its net profit over the past financial year, helped by a higher gold price amid strong demand for haven assets amid tariff uncertainty for the global economy. Other gold stocks also gained. Evolution Mining was up 1.5 per cent and Newmont rose 1.7 per cent. Consumer staples were up 2.1 per cent by the close, backed up by gains from Woolworths (up 2.7 per cent) and Coles (up 1.1 per cent). The laggards Missing out on the party, James Hardies horror sell-down continued, with the share price falling another 9.8 per cent after plummeting 27.8 per cent on Wednesday after the home cladding maker said its full-year net income was down 60 per cent as sales in its key US market declined. Demand in home repairs, renovations and new construction is challenging, it warned. Real estate was the only sector finishing in the red, down 0.1 per cent, led by falls for property giant Goodman Group despite a $2.3 billion profit and data centre expansion plans. The lowdown The Australian sharemarket rallied past the 9000-mark to an all-time high after a string of solid results buoyed investor demand on one of the busiest days of reporting season. Despite that, Capital.com senior market analyst Kyle Rodda said the record run was set up by Wall Street. We have seen a bit of strength coming through some cyclical areas in the market over [in the US] and thats rubbed off on ours today, he said. Rodda said the bar was being set reasonably high for corporates to exceed when it came to earnings, with recent results showing downside misses have been punished more than the responses to upside surprises. The fact that weve got some of these big heavyweights falling throughout the week, yet markets still rocketing higher suggests that theres more going on than local earnings season here, he said. But the ASX 200 breaching the 9000 mark is significant on a psychological level, pointing to a bullish sentiment in the market. The flurry of local company results took investor attention away from Wall Street, where indexes ended mixed as the sell-down of AI superstars such as Nvidia continued, albeit at a more sedate pace. Markets are in a wait-and-see mode as central bankers convene in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with investors awaiting remarks on Friday (Saturday AEST) from US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell. The hope on Wall Street is that Powell will hint that cuts to interest rates are coming soon. But National Australia Bank strategist Rodrigo Catril said the broader implication was rising tensions between the Fed and the US administration. Trumps push to confirm Stephen Miran could add another vote for cuts in September, and if he was to successfully remove [top official at the Federal Reserve Lisa] Cook, the Fed board could end up with four members out of seven supporting his lower rates call. The Fed has kept its main interest rate steady this year, primarily because of the fear of the possibility that US President Donald Trumps tariffs could push inflation higher. But a surprisingly weak report on job growth across the country may be superseding that. Given the Fed is already split on rate cuts, the balance is going to shift in favour of those doves, who are going to be more willing to look through tariff-driven inflation, Ian Samson, a multi-asset portfolio manager at Fidelity International, said in a Bloomberg TV interview. Trump has been angrily calling for lower interest rates, often insulting Powell personally while doing so. Trump on Wednesday called on a top official at the Federal Reserve, Lisa Cook, to resign after a member of his administration accused her of committing mortgage fraud. With AAP, AP Brisbanes eclectic spread of small businesses offer everything from great events to super shopping and culinary experiences. Weve wrapped up a few of our favourite local spots to enjoy across Brisbane. Amexs Shop Small initiative encourages customers to support their favourite local businesses in Brisbane. If youre looking to work on your fitness, any.BODY Pilates & Exercise Physiology, located in Milton, offers a compassionate and personalised approach to movement. The hub provides a range of services led by highly trained professionals dedicated to creating a supportive environment. The studio is known for its inclusive classes that accommodate all body types and fitness levels, fostering a sense of community among participants. With a focus on empowering individuals through tailored movement solutions, any.BODY is committed to helping clients move better, feel stronger and enjoy the journey of fitness. When youre looking to fuel up, Fables Bar & Cafe, located on the ground floor of the Princess Theatre in Woolloongabba, offers a welcoming space for locals and gig-goers alike. Fables delicious menu makes it the perfect spot for breakfast or a casual coffee. As the day progresses, enjoy a selection of craft beers, wines and cocktails. She said she sometimes wants to dive into it and just be in it, while other times she just wants to look at it. And then sometimes I just try to get away from it but its always there. According to the medical examiners report released in March, the couple had separated four months before Baenas death. Plaza and his family shared a brief statement following the filmmakers passing, describing it as an unimaginable tragedy and imploring people to respect their privacy. Since then, the actor has largely remained out of the spotlight. However, she is currently doing the media rounds as part of the promotion of her upcoming film, Ethan Coens Honey Dont! her first major film release this year. Jeff Baena and Aubrey Plaza at the premiere of The Little Hours In Los Angeles in 2017. Credit: AP Overall, Im here, and Im functioning. I feel really grateful to be moving through the world, Plaza said on the podcast. But its like a daily struggle, obviously. Baena was known for his work co-writing the quirky comedy I Heart Huckabees in 2004. He went on to write and direct the films Life After Beth, Joshy, The Little Hours, Horse Girl and Spin Me Round, and also created the anthology series Cinema Toast. Plaza starred in his directorial debut Life After Beth in 2014. The couple worked together on five films, performing together in The End of Love (2014). Loading Though Plaza is best known for her role as the dark and dry April on Parks and Recreation, she has also starred in Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Dirty Grandpa, The White Lotus and Megalopolis. In 2023, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her part in the second season of The White Lotus. How have people responded? Since the podcast episode dropped, listeners have flooded social media to express gratitude for Plaza and Poehlers delicate navigation of such a sensitive subject. Many found the description of grief as an ocean of awfulness relatable and somewhat comforting. Listeners also considered it a refreshing departure from Western cultures traditional approach to death, especially suicide, which is generally to avoid it. I also lost my partner this year and I didnt expect this episode to be so comforting. I thought they would just ignore Aubreys grief, as that is what most of my friends have done. It was nice to see everyone be so honest about it and not afraid of it, one listener wrote in the comments section on YouTube. Aubrey Plaza (left) is starring in the upcoming mystery-comedy Honey Dont! alongside Margaret Qualley (right). Credit: AP On Instagram, writer Evan Ross Katz praised both women for their approach to conversations about death and loss. Ive said it before and Ill say it again: Nothing heals the heart like hearing people talk about their grief journey. Incredibly grateful to Aubrey Plaza for sharing this, and to Amy Poehler for shepherding the conversation. Good Hang, once again, delivers. Several others highlighted Poehlers approach in particular, applauding the comedian for including the National Suicide and Crisis Prevention Lifeline at 988 and Spotifys mental health resources in the episode. The difference is that where the hapless Beau stayed trapped in his head, Eddington aims to capture something of the collective reality Americans have been living through over the last few years, or at least the reflection of that reality in the distorted mirror of social media. Joaquin Phoenix plays Joe Cross, the sheriff of Eddington, New Mexico, whose commitment to upholding the law is tested by COVID directives. Ari Aster may still be best known as a horror filmmaker, but by now its clear his real bent is for satire, to whatever degree theres a difference. Eddington, his fourth feature as writer-director, launches his kindred spirit Joaquin Phoenix on another odyssey through a nightmare America, following their earlier collaboration Beau Is Afraid . Were in May 2020, with the pandemic well under way, with the summer of Black Lives Matter in the immediate future and the January 6 riots on the horizon. But only a portion of this impinges directly on the isolated town of Eddington, New Mexico, where the stalwart local sheriff Joe Cross (Phoenix) insists the virus has yet to spread. Joaquin Phoenix (left) and Pedro Pascal face off in Eddington. Visually, Eddington is every inch a Western, the desert vistas offering the same scope for deep-focus staging as the grassy plains surrounding the Swedish commune in Asters Midsommar. The gag is the contrast with the small screens the terminally online characters keep peering at, implying that the American ideal of rugged self-reliance may have reached its use-by date. Still, Joe wears a white 10-gallon hat along with his faintly emasculating glasses, and confronts the towns smooth-talking Hispanic mayor (Pedro Pascal) in the middle of main street as if anticipating a showdown at high noon. One immediate issue is the demand that citizens mask up, which Joe, as an asthmatic, has more reason to resist than most. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. The food lovers haunt and chef hangout on Liverpool Street has been reborn as Vin-Cenzos, after the venue began copping a lot of flak from regulars. When cult Darlinghurst restaurant Bar Vincent sold in February, incoming co-owner Nathan Sasi said he wanted regulars to come in and think nothing has changed. When the restaurant reopens on Thursday, it will land with a new interior, a different menu and a new name: Vin-Cenzos. So, what happened? I think naively we thought itd be easy, Sasis business partner Morgan McGlone said of picking up where the former owners, Andy Logue and Sarah Simm, left off at the chefs hatted restaurant. 1 / 7 Vin-Cenzos is a full reboot of the old Bar Vincent home. Jason Loucas 2 / 7 Mozzarella e peperoni (Mozzarella and fire-roasted peppers). Jason Loucas 3 / 7 Jason Loucas 4 / 7 Salumi misti (Salumi selection, giardiniera, grissini). Jason Loucas 5 / 7 Jason Loucas 6 / 7 Fiore di zucchina e acciuga (Zucchini flower, five cheeses and anchovy). Jason Loucas 7 / 7 Scampi con peperoncino e origano (Scampi, chilli, garlic, Sicilian oregano). Jason Loucas Previous Slide Next Slide McGlone said it was a culmination of factors that led to ditching the original plan and settling instead on a full reboot. There was push-back from some Bar Vincent regulars to the introduction of the online booking system (it used to be run by phone), then complaints which spread online about differences in the food and atmosphere under the new watch. Gripes about music were the last straw. We felt we werent being ourselves, McGlone said. We were copping so much flak, it wasnt the venue we envisioned we need to do what we do best. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Victor Liongs Lee Ho Fook will open in the Harbour City next month, hot on the heels of newcomers Grandfathers and Youngs Palace. A near carbon copy of chefs hatted Melbourne restaurant Lee Ho Fook will open in Sydney next month, its arrival coinciding with a mini boom in Chinese restaurants in the Harbour City. The two-hatted Lee Ho Fook will land at Castlereagh Street in the Sydney CBD, hot on the heels of Grandfathers, a late-night Chinese restaurant near Martin Place from the team behind Clam Bar, and Potts Points Youngs Palace, which both open this week. Victor Liong is the head chef and owner of Lee Ho Fook, which will open in Sydney in September. Itll be something of a homecoming for Lee Ho Fooks owner-chef, Victor Liong, who grew up in Sydney before opening the award-winning Lee Ho Fook in 2013. The Homebush-raised chef said he knew hed found Lee Ho Fooks Sydney home when he walked into the Dixson & Sons restaurant at Porter House. Were in an old wool store in Melbourne, the building in Sydney [a heritage listed former tobacco factory] was built around the same time, theres the same exposed brick, Liong said. Netanyahu claimed his goal was to free Gaza, and that he was close to achieving it. My goal is not to occupy Gaza, its to free Gaza, he said. Free Israel and others from Hamas terrorism. Give Gaza and Israel a different future, and I think were close to doing it. Netanyahus government called up 60,000 reserve troops earlier today to prepare to execute a plan to take over Gaza City a move which has been decried by international leaders. His statement included the caveat that his goal could not be achieved without removing Hamas, but did not say when he would be convinced the terror group was no longer a threat. Itll have to, of course, mean getting the last strongholds of Hamas, they shouldnt be there. Everybody understands that. Get rid of the crocodile. For several years, Reginald Wilton, an Adnyamathanha elder, had asked for access to Rangeleas financial records showing royalty payments, and to attend the companys meetings. Since 2003, the company, Rangelea Holdings Pty Ltd, had controlled the royalties, a byproduct of lucrative agreements struck with uranium mining outfits in and around South Australias Flinders Ranges. For years, details around the millions of dollars worth of mining royalties paid to the Adnyamathanha people were shrouded in secrecy, wrapped in a web of trusts managed by an opaque entity responsible for dispersing equal shares of the fortune. But as murmurs about the disparity of payments within the community grew louder, people started to ask aloud questions that had long troubled them privately. Many had one in particular: where was the money? When the payments came, the amount was never clarified, nor was any indication given of when a future sum could be expected. For many, uncertainty became the norm. Some received hundreds of dollars, others thousands, and some nothing at all. Often, years passed between payments. For some, the royalty payments arrived years apart. Almost always, they were for different amounts, paid sporadically without explanation. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Those simple questions have led from the rocky outcrops of the Flinders Ranges to a long-awaited High Court ruling that could set a precedent for the management of fortunes generated under native title laws intended for poverty-stricken Indigenous communities. Why were they doing that? I thought, we need to do something about it. We wondered why werent we getting the same amount, he says. Its hard to believe. Why are they afraid of opening their books?: Reginald Wilton, an Adnyamathanha elder, had asked for access to Rangeleas financial records showing royalty payments. Credit: Asher Milgate Like many, Wilton had received irregular payments, ranging in his case from $95 to $550, every six months. He wondered: Why are they afraid of opening their books? He was told that only Rangeleas directors could attend these meetings. What was discussed was all confidential, he was told. From February 2001 to July 2019, Coulthard simultaneously held roles as a director of Rangelea and, at various times, chief executive and chair of the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association, the body representing Adnyamathanha native titleholders rights. Coulthard, who was heavily involved in the Adnyamathanha peoples successful native title claims, has long been lauded by senior politicians for his advocacy and community leadership. But his standing within the Adnyamathanha community and SAs Indigenous community more broadly allowed him, until recent years, to remain in a position of unchallenged power. In 2015, he was named SAs Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards. At the head of Rangeleas push to keep its records from the community was its most prominent director celebrated Adnyamathanha elder Vince Coulthard. But the fight for the right to find out has been a costly one; hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars have been spent in a pursuit of answers that has divided a community and turned family members against one another. Just how much money is at stake for the Adnyamathanha traditional owners is difficult to ascertain (in the past four years alone, more than $25 million in royalties have flowed into a court-controlled bank account). Describing the operation of Rangelea and the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, McQuoid observed that Coulthard was the dominant individual behind both entities. In March 2020, the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, the regulator of native title bodies across Australia, placed the association into administration after an audit revealed governance issues and a lack of record keeping of meetings, memberships and spending. It appointed an administrator, Peter McQuoid. Still, Rangelea has argued it has no financial involvement with the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association. On paper, the two are separate entities, but many community members have observed Coulthards influence on both over almost two decades. Seven years later in 2010, Coulthard was involved in negotiations with US-owned mining company Heathgate Resources and its affiliate, Quasar, to strike new uranium mining deals. A month after the association was incorporated and Coulthard appointed its chair in 2001, the body engaged lawyers to stop payment of mining royalties to individual members of the Adnyamathanha community. By mid-2003, Rangelea, with Coulthard as a director, was appointed trustee of the Adnyamathanha Master Trust and took control of the royalties. Rangeleas establishment as a private company ensured it remained beyond the remit of regulators tasked with policing native title representative bodies. On the eve of hearings in the SA Supreme Court, Rangelea offered to allow Wilton, Taylor and McKenzie to view trust documents, on the condition they did not make copies of them, not take anyone, including lawyers, with them to inspect the documents, not share the information with anyone, and discontinue the court action to access financial records. Coulthard said Rangelea directors had several times offered to show native titleholders the companys financial records. Several community members to whom this masthead has spoken deny this. Coulthard has long denied any wrongdoing on both his and Rangeleas part, insisting how the royalties are managed is community business. Throughout 2021, Rangelea refused repeated requests to inspect and make copies of trust documents, arguing that the trust was a charitable trust rather than a private discretionary trust, meaning the traditional owners seeking documents were not beneficiaries entitled to the closely guarded information. The trio was among many native titleholders calling for transparency around the way royalty payments were calculated and distributed from the Adnyamathanha Master Trust by Rangelea. In 2021, with the support of McQuoid, Wilton and two other native titleholders Sarah Taylor and Ivan McKenzie joined the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Associations application in the SA Supreme Court to prise open Rangeleas closely guarded records. Weve offered [for] the members to come and look at them, but we didnt want the white administrator looking at them, Coulthard says. Coulthard maintains financial documents were not shared with native titleholders because of concerns they would be shared with non-Aboriginal people. We dont think non-members should be looking at our books from the outside, he says. Theres got to be some confidentiality around us. Rangeleas offer was rejected. We wanted to take it back to share with our family and tell them, Wilton says. But they said its all confidential. Why? In April 2023, Wilton and the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association administrator had a win. SA Chief Justice Chris Kourakis ruled in the associations favour, allowing Wilton, Taylor and McKenzie to inspect the financial records. Kourakis said the records could be put before the native titleholders so that they might make informed decisions about the assignment of income derived from their native title rights and interests. Adnyamathanha native titleholders have questioned where millions of dollars worth of royalties generated from lucrative uranium mining agreements in and around the Flinders Ranges in South Australia have gone. Credit: Heathgate Resources Rangelea disagreed. It appealed against that decision, prolonging native titleholders search for answers. In March this year, almost two years after Kourakis ruling, SAs Court of Appeal upheld the orders forcing open Rangeleas books. In a last-ditch effort to keep the records shrouded in secrecy, Rangelea, led by Coulthard, sought special leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia. Rangeleas final appeal avenue was exhausted on August 7 when the court rejected its application. There is insufficient reason to doubt the correctness of the decision of the Court of Appeal to warrant a grant of special leave to appeal, the court said in its decision. Fighting the appeals has cost the Commonwealth which footed the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Associations legal bill more than $700,000. The cost of Rangeleas failed appeals is not known, but it has probably been covered with money pulled from the red earth of the Adnyamathanha homelands. Calls for reform Because Rangelea is a private company operating independently of the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association, it is beyond the regulators reach. Such arrangements have sparked calls for changes to the way native title monies are managed and for the regulator to be granted greater powers to probe the companies managing the millions of dollars intended to benefit Indigenous communities. The head of the regulator, Tricia Stroud, says the Supreme Court and High Courts decisions are hugely important in signalling to the native title sector that community members are entitled to understand the receipt and disbursement of native title benefits which can be obscured by complex corporate structures. Tricia Stroud says the recent court rulings send a strong signal on transparency. Credit: Jamila Toderas Native titleholders have rights to access certain information relating to their native title rights and interests, and a trustee should maintain a high level of transparency, she says. Mark Koolmatrie, a Ngarrindjeri elder whose peoples native title area stretches from the Coorong region south of Adelaide to Murray Bridge in SAs Murraylands, has long called for native title reform. Koolmatrie believes a royal commission into the broken native title sector is needed to address issues around the way monies are managed. To ensure the sector is adequately regulated, he says, an independent ombudsman or similar authority should oversee the administration of native title across the country. The Rangelea case, Stroud says, will have ramifications for any native title body where money is being held in trust outside the corporation. But because of the private nature of trusts, determining how many native title bodies are operating under similar arrangements to the Adnyamathanha is a challenge, Stroud says. Koolmatrie suspects it could be hundreds. A community divided The dispute over the fate of the royalties has divided the Adnyamathanha community, which numbers about 3000, and the often intertwined families within it. It has sparked years-long grudges between siblings and driven a seemingly immovable wedge between others. On one side, hundreds have signed petitions calling for Rangeleas financial records to be made public. Some, like Wilton, Taylor and McKenzie, are challenging close relatives in seeking access to the records. Taylor is Coulthards niece. Wilton says many people within his subgroup, run by a woman named Geraldine Anderson, have reported receiving different amounts without explanation. The lack of information led to arguments with Anderson. He told the Supreme Court he thought he was not getting paid the right amount and that the payments were not fair. Anderson is his aunt. Uncle Charlie Jackson standing in the famous Cazneauxs Tree near Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges. Credit: Asher Milgate Charlie Jackson, a prominent Adnyamathanha elder who was last year named SAs senior Australian of the Year, has fought for transparency and pushed for government intervention in the management of the mining royalties for more than a decade. He says Rangelea should be removed as trustee. He is Coulthards uncle. McKenzie, one of the native titleholders who joined the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Associations application, told the Supreme Court that although he received what he regarded as good payments, there were discrepancies in payments received within the community. He is Coulthards brother-in-law. Others in the community, including Rangelea directors and those close to them, maintain keeping the records under wraps is in the best interest of the community, despite pleas from immediate family members. According to Rangelea, about 3000 Adnyamathanha native titleholders are entitled to royalty payments. However, the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Associations recorded membership is much lower, numbering about 900. In some instances, community members have reported small payments being made to deceased native titleholders. Eligible beneficiaries were recorded in a master list compiled by Rangelea. The list, like Rangeleas financials, has been kept from the Adnyamathanha community. The list was kept on Coulthards computer. Since the royalty payments to Rangelea were frozen in 2021 (after community members voiced fears the royalties had been squandered), the company has received 15 per cent of the takings about $1 million a year to cover unexplained administrative costs. Community members have questioned what costs the company could have incurred while suspended from carrying out its only function to distribute royalty payments. While Rangeleas appeals crawled through the courts, several Adnyamathanha native titleholders supporting the calls for transparency died without answers. Weve lost lots and lots of our family members, Jackson says. I know that we cant do anything about bringing our loved ones back, but the problem is that they have been denied natural justice. Light at the end of the tunnel The court-appointed inspector, Hugh McPharlin, has been given broad powers to investigate Rangeleas administration of the master trust. He can request any person to produce documents and answer questions relevant to its administration. Anyone who refuses faces up to six months imprisonment unless answering McPharlins questions may incriminate them. On Thursday, the case returned to the Supreme Court, where Kourakis ordered that Rangelea produce financial records for the past seven years, and its list of Adnyamathanha native titleholders by September 4. Coulthard refused to answer questions about what assistance, if any, Rangelea would provide throughout the investigation. Its not what we wanted, he said of the High Court decision, adding that it marked a sad day for trusts. McPharlins task is simple, McQuoid says: follow the money. While McPharlin has powers to follow the cash as it flows from the master trust, tracing it through other accounts to its final destination will prove difficult. How far McPharlins investigation can reach, and into whose affairs, will be at the discretion of the Supreme Court. If, as many native titleholders fear, the money has been squandered, recovering it will be near-on impossible.McPharlin is expected to hand his report, which McQuoid will ask to be released to the community, to the court within three months. Loading Stroud says native titleholders should have ultimate decision-making power around who manages their money and how. Stronger legislation to ensure transparency around the management of native title money could support people like the Adnyamathanha, Stroud says, but where any additional powers should be placed is a matter for the government. This case is indicative of the importance of ensuring transparency when setting up these structures, or reviewing existing structures, so common law holders are well informed and equipped to make sound decisions about the management of their native title money, she says. As of July 31, SAs Supreme Court was holding almost $22.5 million worth of royalty payments in trust. What happens with that money is up to the Adnyamathanha people, McQuoid says. Thats what were trying to achieve, really, and let the Adnyamathanha people decide what happens with their money and who manages it and who looks after it, McQuoid says. What is most important to McQuoid is helping to plot a path forward for the community. Im pleased for the Adnyamathanha people because its been a long road for them, he says. Now we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Get alerts on breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert. The head of English at North Sydney Boys High, Loveday Sharpington-Recny, is no stranger to the challenge of keeping teenagers engaged in a novel when they could be flicking through an endless stream of TikTok videos. The attention span is always difficult. But theres room for a love of literature and for reading, which we instil from the first day of year 7. We are also constantly challenging students with really high standards, she says. An analysis of exam results shows North Sydney Boys achieved an average HSC score of 91.5 across all English courses last year, making it the states top-performing public school in that subject. Head of English at North Sydney Boys, Loveday Sharpington-Recny, with English extension students Zijun Jiao, Ryan Shang, and Dulneth Jayasekera, says more students are opting to do the course for the HSC. Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong Sharpington-Recny said enrolments in harder HSC English courses are also rising at the school, with 45 students taking English extension 1 this year, up from 38 in 2024. I went to an agricultural college in the 1960s, writes John Lees of Castlecrag. In those days, AI (C8) meant artificial insemination. Once, the teacher brought the AI kit into the classroom and placed its components on his desk. He then asked the class any volunteers? Chris Gow of Austinmer tops the dunce cap (C8) discussion with a bit of history in suggesting we should remember the terms origin: Named after Duns Scotus, a 13th century Scottish theologian (probably born in Duns, Scotland) who was considered to be among the very finest minds of his era. His proof of the existence of God was so complex that eventually studying his work was considered the act of a time-wasting fool hence Dunce. Another Globite (C8) case. Helen Scanlon of Northbridge recalls that In the 1940s, we students of Fort St Girls High used to travel to school by the Lilyfield toast rack trams. When 10 students managed a whole compartment to themselves, the 10 Globite cases on laps formed a good table for card games. Barry Lamb of Eastwood found another use: Once you had placed your case in line in order of arrival at the bus stop (or slid it from a distance along the footpath), you could go and play. When the bus appeared, you raced back to your bag which had kept your place in the queue. Some memories are less kind: If you were labelled a Globite, it meant (derogatorily) you were a mental case, advises Bob Hall of Wyoming. I, too, had a Globite in the late 1960s but changed that for a briefcase when I started training as a survey draftsman when I left school, recalls Brian Burgess of Floraville. I used to carry my protractor, set squares and log tables in it. They lasted for years and I remember a workmate in the 2000s still carrying one to work that weighed about 5kg. Anyone out there still using a briefcase? In the ongoing battle to tackle problem gambling in NSW, some stories offer the occasional glimmer of hope. And then some developments truly infuriate. The plight of counsellor Gareth Wyatt and his bid to tackle gambling addiction among young men in the suburbs of Sydney, which have the highest poker machine losses in NSW, manages to do both. Counsellor Gareth Wyatt says gambling addiction is getting worse every year. Credit: Max Mason-Hubers As the Heralds Harriet Alexander reports, Wyatt and his not-for-profit Canterbury Earlwood Caring Association Ltd (CECEAL) have benefited from a scheme where pubs and clubs must direct some of their profits to a central fund when they are approved to increase their number of poker machines. The payments are meant to offset the potential harms that might be generated when more pokies are introduced into the neighbourhood. So when the Hurlstone Park Hotel received 10 new gaming machines, CECAL became one of a handful of nearby groups to receive funding. A peak surgical professional organisation has revoked Dr Munjed Al Muderis membership, and the star surgeon has taken indefinite leave from Sydneys Macquarie University Hospital after a damning court judgment found he was negligent towards his vulnerable patients. The Federal Court dismissed Al Muderis defamation case against The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes earlier this month, after ruling his surgical practice was unethical and negligent and that he was cruel and callous to vulnerable patients and placed profits and fame over care. Surgeon Munjed Al Muderis at the Federal Court last year. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos In a move that could spark intervention from regulators, the Australian Orthopaedic Association, the peak training and professional body for the countrys orthopaedic surgeons, issued a short statement on Wednesday saying its board had stripped the disgraced surgeon of his membership the previous evening. One orthopaedic surgeon, who could not be named because they were discussing confidential matters, said this meant the association had formally referred the matter to health regulator AHPRA. A push to withdraw council advertising from the Kyle and Jackie O show became heated overnight, with heads butting and claims of hypocrisy at City Hall. The bid from the Labor opposition was killed off by LNP councillors late on Tuesday. Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O attracted almost half of all decency complaints to the media watchdog last year, with stunts and comments widely panned as racist, sexist and disrespectful. Kiis Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Credit: Instagram Their controversial Sydney-based radio show is syndicated in Brisbane. Council has an advertising contract with broadcaster KIIS 97.3 and its ads sometimes align with the program, but are not read out by the hosts. Brisbanes economy has tipped $200 billion in the past year, with growth predicted to continue as the population and domestic tourism increases although urban sprawl limits could stem its boom, says a new report commissioned by the council. The 2025 State of the City report, produced by council-owned Brisbane Economic Development Agency and consulting firm Deloitte, also found Brisbanes health industry contributed more than 10 per cent of its economy. Theres a feeling in this city that things are moving fast, theres a feeling in this city that were growing fast, theres a feeling in this city that things are happening, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said on Thursday from Fish Lane in South Bank. Brisbanes economy tipped $200 million last year, with the citys strongest industries including tourism and hospitality, construction, and health. Credit: Brisbane Economic Development Agency This document actually puts figures to that feeling that we have. 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 This story is part of the August 23 edition of Good Weekend. See all 15 stories . There are very few items that should remain in your wardrobe for 32 years straight. If you own an original Hermes Birkin bag or an Alexander McQueen suit designed by the man himself, then feeling protective towards items of such venerable age is understandable youll be able to buy a yacht or six with them if you contact the right auction house. But theres only one type of person who keeps a T-shirt that wears its age so nakedly that burns, tears and sweat marks can raise the eyebrows and crinkle the septum of strangers. Band T-shirts are often cheaply made, occasionally have questionable designs, can lose their shape in the wash and seldom look good on anyone over 30. But Im one of many music fans who cannot throw these totemic garments of my youth away despite not having worn any of them since the turn of the millennium. Band T-shirts were never intended for the 47-year-old me. Their popularity is supposed to lie solely with teenagers who havent yet learnt how to broadcast their passions and beliefs more subtly. But its a [northern] summer of music nostalgia at the moment, as the Oasis reunion tour, Glastonbury featuring Rod Stewart and Neil Young, and the farewell tour from Ozzy Osbourne just before his passing demonstrates. The Rolling Stones in 1990 an era when band T-shirts could be found only at gigs or indie music shops. Credit: Redferns Finding your tribe On my first week of university in 1996, band T-shirts were everywhere, and they made a useful barometer in terms of finding my neophyte tribe. People in Iron Maiden and The Cure T-shirts should be avoided lest I wanted three years of poor eyeliner, cider and conspiracy theories. And I was sceptical but curious about The Smiths and Nirvana tee-donners; they could be the witty Oscar Wilde type but they could equally be vodka-guzzling depressives. I had on my Blur T-shirt, of course, which I hoped made me look blokeish but also moderately bookish the kind of guy who likes a beer but can also have a chat about Alexander Trocchi or Douglas Coupland. Pretentious and deluded?Let me count the ways Advertisement But it was vital for me at that time to distinguish myself from the hordes of Oasis T-shirt-wearers who (and I stand by my theory to this day, with the reunion tour in full flow) I was convinced were, underneath the swagger, reactionary bores who would all graduate to work on the lower rungs of the finance sector. Matt Dillon in a Led Zeppelin tee, 1975. Credit: Getty Images Then, as now, there were ways to wear a band T-shirt in order to ensure that you came across as a knowing fan, not a grumpy roadie. Naturally, tucking your T-shirt into your jeans was the first sign of a young adult who hasnt cut the parental apron strings. A more common problem, for blokes in particular, was size. Back in the mid-90s, the only ways to get a band T-shirt were to buy one off a bloke standing outside the gig venue or head to the one indie shop in your city, which would have a mediocre selection of overpriced T-shirts hung above the CD racks. The lack of choice, coupled with my devotion to the band or artist (though they were mostly bands back then) meant that I had quite a few band T-shirts that were ludicrously oversized. My mates and I figured out (and god, this seemed so important back then) that the way around it was to tuck the XL shirt in at the back, roll it up at the front so it caught very loosely on your belt and then wear a Harrington jacket on top. The problem came when we were sweating it out on the dance floor and couldnt take our jackets off lest it looked like wed got dressed drunk and in the dark. Which, actually, quite a few of us probably had. A new era? The era of music being dominated by three, four or five white blokes with guitars looking like a gang is completely over now. And, for some reason, single artists dont work as well when cheaply pasted on a T-shirt. Taylor Swift concerts are proper dress-up events, not T-shirt conventions. Anyone wearing a Self-Esteem T-shirt would look like they were trying too hard, and a Kneecap T-shirt would just make you look like a dilettante contrarian. So Gen Z are mining the past. On a recent trip to Liverpool in the UK, the Resurrection store on Bold Street, long a northern hub for band tees, had infinitely more Nirvana T-shirts than anything for The 1975 or Idles. I saw two girls of no more than 17 wandering around, both in Ramones T-shirts, the ultimate example of a band who have sold more merch than albums. Advertisement Joey Ramone of the Ramones, a band whose merch outsold its music. Credit: Getty Images Music snobs have long derided the Ramones T-shirt phenomenon, lambasting youngsters who wear the distinctive black tee with the presidential seal-style emblem that was the logo of Da Brudders despite having been born long after the premature deaths of Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee. Its the worst kind of musical elitism, usually practised by men who themselves own a Sun Records or Motown T-shirt, despite being merely a twinkle in their parents eyes when Marvin and Elvis were first in the studio. Yet these retro reproduction Ramones T-shirts that are ubiquitous in our inner cities in particular are chiefly of semantic value. There are megabucks to be had in band T-shirt land, but theyre reserved for those with either the savvy or hoarding habits required to hold on to a tee from the era of loon pants and 18-minute drum solos. Enter Led Zeppelin, and a T-shirt from their final UK shows at Knebworth in 1979. A special tee, screen-printed for that gig, was made for the road crew in lieu of lanyards. One of them sold on eBay for a whopping $US10,000 ($15,400) in 2011. Though, Run DMC arent too far behind one of their 1980s concert tour T-shirts sold for $US13,000. Dont look back... Fast-forward 40 years and the same complaints about the quality of band T-shirts are extant, chiefly due to the continuing presence of the bootleg tees on the pavement guy, still earning an illegitimate crust outside gig venues. Yet, there are sources online where better quality products can be found. EMP earns good online reviews for the quality of its tees material, though the designs, mainly the pseudoGothic comic horror tropes of Iron Maiden, wont be to everyones (or my own) tastes. Advertisement The reviewers said the sector had grown rapidly over the decade without a coherent plan. The rapid expansion of the sector has created perverse incentives for shortcuts in education and training and that some for-profit providers may feel pressure to maximise value to shareholders, the review said. Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn. Credit: Simon Schluter Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn accepted there were safety risks in a market-driven model. This is not how you would set up a childcare system if you were to set one up from scratch. The report said stricter guardrails were required, finding there was an over-reliance on workers who had not yet completed their qualifications. It said there should always be two workers in the presence of a child. The current ratios stipulate 1.11 to 1.4 workers per child (depending on age), but averaged across the entire centre, not individual rooms. It urged Victoria to advocate for a rethink of the system by the Commonwealth. This needs to prioritise quality and safety, reconsider the current funding model and reliance on the market, and set a 10-year strategy to fundamentally reform the ECEC [early childhood education and care] system, including careful planning for workforce growth and quality. Weatherill and White said the state should establish a new database, powered by artificial intelligence, to join the working with children check scheme and a register of childcare workers. Working with children checks should be able to consider unsubstantiated allegations made through the reportable conduct scheme, and these should be brought into a single entity that also handled the child safety standards, the review said. Currently, the trail of information that can identify a predators behaviour sits in too many different places . Those whose clearances are rejected or revoked will only be permitted to request an internal review, rather than bringing the matter to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The changes to the scheme go beyond those advocated three years ago by former ombudsman Deborah Glass, which the state had ignored. Allan, who was deputy premier when the 2022 ombudsman report was delivered, repeatedly denied that her government could have acted sooner. I wasnt involved in those decisions at that time. And I say very clearly that as premier today, Im taking action today. Unsubstantiated allegations, investigations and findings should also be shared among jurisdictions, Weatherill and White said, with a national approach and database. Online child safety training and testing will also become mandatory to gain the clearance. The Victorian opposition and the Greens both said these urgent reforms had been ignored for too long. Opposition education spokeswoman Jess Wilson said the Coalition would work constructively with the government to put child safety first. Emma Hakansson, survivor advocate at Australian Childhood Foundation, said she was relieved the government was finally making training mandatory. Loading The latest review recommended that Victoria urge education ministers around the country to establish a temporary Early Education Reform Commission to track recommendations and ensure reforms are delivered. The ministers will meet on Friday. Victoria will also push for a national trial of CCTV in centres, or go it alone if necessary. A national register, which was recommended by the Australian Childrens Education Care Quality Authority back in 2023, remains a priority, and states and territories have committed to speed up progress. Jacqualine, who reported an educator to the regulator after her toddler said they were sexually assaulted and declined to use her last name to protect her childs privacy, described the review as a slap in the face. Most of the stuff in there I thought was common sense I would have thought it would have been implemented a long time ago, she told this masthead. She said random inspections should be more frequent than once a year, which the report said would make Victoria nation-leading. Another parent, whose child was sexually abused by an educator for more than a year, and asked to remain anonymous to protect their childs privacy, said there had been too many reviews. Victoria Police arrested Joshua Brown on May 12 but spent weeks tracking his work history across more than 20 childcare centres over eight years. The lack of any register for childcare workers complicated this task, and authorities revealed only on July 1 that they had charged the 26-year-old with more than 70 offences, including child rape. Browns case was pushed back until February next year to allow detectives more time to investigate, after a court heard in July that more charges were likely to be laid. Browns case remains before the courts. Loading Allan acknowledged trust in the system had been broken, but dismissed questions on whether her government should have acted years ago. To every family who has been hurt by these most horrific of allegations, I am truly sorry. The Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union and parents advocates The Parenthood both welcomed the recommendations. Early education advocate Lisa Bryant said while the review made sensible recommendations, it did not address workload pressures. She also apologised to the court that he was not represented by a silk. Burrows said Lehrmann really wanted Sydney barrister Guy Reynolds, SC, but couldnt afford him. The defamation case The defamation case centred on an interview with Higgins broadcast on Tens now-defunct The Project program in 2021. Lee found the interview conveyed that Lehrmann, who was not named, was a rapist, but that Ten and Wilkinson had succeeded in proving this was true. In his decision last year, Lee found Lehrmann was hell-bent on having sex with Higgins, had encouraged her to drink, and did not care one way or another whether [she] understood or agreed to what was going on. This amounted to recklessness about consent as opposed to actual knowledge of a lack of consent. The appeal A central argument by Lehrmann in his appeal is that he was denied procedural fairness because Lee allegedly made findings that differed from the nature of the rape alleged by Ten and Wilkinson. Lehrmann claims this version of events was not put to him in court for his response. Burrows said the media parties alleged a violent rape during which Higgins said no repeatedly. However, Lee found it was more likely Higgins was passive, Lehrmann knew she had reduced inhibitions because she was very drunk, and he was indifferent about consent. Non-violent rape Burrows submitted that Lees findings involved a non-violent rape, prompting Justice Colvin to say: Im not sure he found a non-violent rape, and Im not sure thats a concept that I understand. Justice Wigney said Lehrmann was aware of the allegations of recklessness because they were set out in the media parties written defences. He noted Lehrmann had maintained there was no sexual intercourse at all. Lisa Wilkinson outside the Federal Court in Sydney last year. Credit: Kate Geraghty What do you expect that he would have been asked in those circumstances? Wigney said. He would have kept on saying there was no sexual intercourse, wouldnt he? Burrows replied that just because hes given denials to the court of allegations of a violent rape did not mean it could be assumed he would have given the same answers if there was a different set of allegations put to him. Dr Matt Collins, KC, acting for Ten, said this was an astonishing submission which could only mean there were circumstances in which Lehrmann would have conceded he had sex with Higgins but argued that he thought he had her consent, or he did have her consent. That was never the way he ran his case, Collins said. Lehrmann was asked a series of questions during the trial in 2023 about whether he had raped Higgins or had sex with her. He gave evidence he did not have sex with Higgins, and he didnt get consent because I didnt have sexual intercourse. All rape is violent Collins said the court should find Lehrmann knew Higgins was not consenting. He said Lees findings were consistent with a ghastly rape. As to the distinction Burrows drew between violent and non-violent rape, Collins said that all rape is violent and involved an abhorrent violation of bodily autonomy causing grave trauma. Ten had made submissions in court and in writing about recklessness, Collins said, meaning it was just not right to say the allegations had not been put to Lehrmann. Collins said Lee had found Higgins was not fully aware of her surroundings when the act begins, did not consent when she became aware but did not get the words out to scream or resist, and Lehrmann left her there when he was finished. Those circumstances are awful, Collins said. Sue Chrysanthou, SC, acting for Wilkinson, said: We say a young man who knows that a woman is very drunk knows that she cant consent, in this day and age. She said Lees serious findings were consistent with that conclusion. In submissions filed earlier this year, Wilkinson urged the appeal court to uphold the truth defence. If that defence is not upheld, Wilkinson says the court should find she acted reasonably in broadcasting the rape claim. Business bosses, unions and ministers have agreed Australia must strip away red and green tape to speed up home construction, as momentum builds to overhaul Australias complex building code, but some members warned the move could stop households reaping the rewards of home batteries. As the government scrambles to meet its housing targets, Housing Minister Clare ONeil briefed the productivity roundtable on day two and won support for simplifying the National Construction Code. She described the code as ridiculous in its complexity to this masthead last week, but outspoken Labor MP Ed Husic warned against a pause in updating building standards, arguing Labor would be repeating a bad mistake of the last Coalition government that did not lead to more homes being built. Housing Minister Clare ONeil, centre. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Attendees agreed on the need to pause any additions to the code that were unrelated to quality and safety, according to business lobbyists Innes Willox and Andrew McKellar. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher confirmed the roundtable was discussing the idea of totally rewriting the code. Federal officials in charge of the construction rules are currently weighing up a suite of additions to the code in a triennial review, but the government could hit pause on any such changes. They include installation of EV charging stations at homes and apartment blocks, and other electrification measures that Australian Council of Social Service boss Cassandra Goldie said were key to achieving climate targets. What is the Religious Zionist Party? The Religious Zionist party is a far-right nationalist party that advocates for strengthening Jewish religious identity in the region and the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank actions that Australia and most of the international community oppose because they are illegal under international law. The Times of Israel reported in 2022 that the party had extracted concessions from Netanyahu in an agreement to form a governing coalition, including a vague commitment to annex the West Bank and legalise dozens of unauthorised settlements. Bezalel Smotrichs Religious Zionism party is integral to Benjamin Netanyahus hold on power. Credit: AP The Jewish people have the exclusive and indisputable right to all parts of the Land of Israel, the agreement states. Netanyahu relies on the party to form government, dragging the broader coalition towards a right-wing party position. The partys leader, Bezalel Smotrich, is one of two Israeli politicians under Australian sanctions for his advocacy for settler violence and the destruction of Gaza. Bezalel Smotrich has been sanctioned by Australia for his advocacy for settler violence and the destruction of Gaza. Credit: Bloomberg In its reasoning for rejecting Rothmans visa, the Home Affairs Department pointed to Smotrichs views, including his opposition to Palestinian statehood and denial of the existence of a Palestinian people. Smotrich announced last week, following international momentum towards recognition of a Palestinian state, a long-delayed settlement that could divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem would be restarted, a move his office said would bury the idea of a Palestinian state. Why did the Australian government cancel Rothmans visa? Rothman had been invited to Australia by the Australian Jewish Association to attend events with Jewish groups and schools this month. His visa was granted on August 8, then cancelled 10 days later, before he had come to Australia. The Department of Home Affairs outlined its decision in a document which referenced public comments from Rothman calling Gazan children enemies of Israel, denying they were being starved, and claiming the idea of a two-state solution had poisoned the minds of the entire world and was the first step toward the destruction of the State of Israel. The AJA said the visit was to foster communication between Israeli lawmakers and the Australian Jewish community. But a department delegate who rescinded the visa said Rothman could use the events in Australia to promote his controversial views and ideologies, which may lead to fostering division in the community. The use of platforms for inflammatory rhetoric can lead to increased hate crimes, radicalisation of individuals and heightened tensions in communities, the delegate said in the document. They said Rothman could put at risk the good order of Australian society, specifically in the Islamic population. What does Rothman plan to do now? Rothman said he would not be deterred and would be a proud voice of the Jewish people heard wherever I am, labelling the Australian governments decision as antisemitic. The AJA said it would host Rothman on Zoom instead so he could still speak to Jewish Australians. Simcha Rothman, a member of the Religious Zionist Party, has been denied a visa to tour Australia. Credit: NurPhoto via AFP The Australian governments decision to deny me the opportunity to come and speak to my people, due to expressing simple and clear positions, is clear and blatant antisemitism that gives a boost to terrorism, Rothman wrote in Hebrew on X. In the decision to deny the visa, the Australian home affairs minister claims that my presence and my words will have a serious impact on peace and the rule of law in Australia, meaning that the Islamist mob calling for the destruction of Israel on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne will not be happy about my presence. The ABC has reported Rothman insisted he was being blocked from entering Australia only because he said, Hamas is bad and Israel is good, and when asked to concede his views were at odds with Australias foreign policy, said the government was afraid of open discourse about its policies. Sydney, could it be that we love the metro too much? As the citys newest infrastructure offspring celebrated its first birthday this week, complete with cupcakes, balloons and trainspotters recreating its very first trip, adoration for the underground train system cannot be underestimated. The passenger numbers tell the story. Martin Place metro station is particularly crowded. Credit: Sam Mooy Take the new Martin Place station. In 2024, forecasts predicted an average 15,600 passenger movements through its gates during each morning peak. By June this year, less than 12 months since it opened, that figure had already hit 17,200. Gadigal station, near Town Hall, boasts similar popularity. Daily passenger movements in the AM commuter rush have hit 9400, up from the forecast 7500. Other stations lag their expected numbers, including Crows Nest and Barangaroo, but there is no doubt that Sydney has fallen for the metro. 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 For years, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been trying to change Ukraines borders, even before his full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022. But one piece of land is at the centre of his ambition: Donbas, the industrial region in eastern Ukraine that was seen by some as the heart of Russia during the Soviet era. Here, open plains rise to 300 metres above sea level in places, and the lands ridges and rivers have provided a natural defensive line for beleaguered Ukraine over the past 3 years, allowing its army to hold back Russian troops from the rest of the country. Putin has managed to capture 88 per cent of Donbas, and now he is reportedly demanding that Ukraine hand over the remainder as his price for peace. US President Donald Trump has said both Ukraine and Russia will have to make concessions under any final peace settlement, saying there could be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both. But based on the reported terms of Putin, the trade of territory would be one-sided, heavily favouring Russia, and come with other terms and conditions attached. How much of Ukraine does Russia control? Putin illegally annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014 after the downfall of Ukraines pro-Russian former president, Victor Yanukovych, and then fomented an insurgency in the eastern Donbas region, comprising Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, that resulted in them largely coming under the control of pro-Russian separatists. Advertisement In February 2022, Russian troops rolled into Donetsk and Luhansk and captured about 74 per cent of the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces as well. After failing to capture Kyiv early in the war, Russia withdrew from northern Ukraine in April 2022 to concentrate on Donbas. Later that year, Ukraine launched a major counter-offensive, recapturing most of Kharkiv and the city of Kherson, and pushing Russian forces south of the Dnipro River. But after almost four years of fighting, the only Ukrainian region Russia has near-complete control over is Luhansk, and despite making slow progress elsewhere, it hasnt yet gained a decisive advantage. As of mid-August this year, Russia occupied nearly a fifth of Ukraine, with its offensive stretching across a front line of more than 1000 kilometres. Including Crimea, it amounts to some 114,500 square kilometres (19 per cent) of the country, according to open-source conflict maps, including some 46,570 square kilometres of the Donbas but a large chunk of the region, in Donetsk, remains under Ukrainian control. Advertisement What does Putin want in return for ending the war? Putins reported peace terms involve Ukraine giving up the 25 per cent of Donetsk that it still holds, which amounts to some 6500 square kilometres. The battle lines in the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia would also be frozen and turned into a new border, with Russia keeping the territory it occupies in both. In exchange, Putin has reportedly offered to withdraw his troops from the small pockets of Sumy, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions in north-east Ukraine. The Russian leader has also demanded that the root causes of the war should be tackled; essentially, that Ukraine must become a demilitarised, neutral state and that NATO stop expanding closer to Russias borders. Advertisement Why does Putin want Donbas? The appeal of Donbas to Putin probably lies in his nostalgic desire to redraw Russias borders and enshrine the legacy of the Soviet Union. Named after the Donets coal basin, it remains Ukraines coal mining and steelmaking centre, though it has suffered greatly from years of conflict, and many facilities have been destroyed or badly damaged. Despite that, Donbas still has significant reserves of coal and shale gas, as well as other desirable resources such as lithium, titanium and graphite although its unclear how much could be commercially extracted. Almost four years of war have left swaths of Donbas in ruins. This sprawling rail yard at Lyman was a key target for invading Russian forces in 2022. Credit: Getty Images The fertile farmlands of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, meanwhile, account for some 10 per cent of the wheat, barley, rapeseed and sunflower seed produced in Ukraine from 2016 to 2020, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Controlling Donetsk offers Russia a strategic advantage by providing a land corridor along the coast of the Sea of Azov to Crimea, reducing reliance on the Kerch Bridge. If Ukraine were to surrender all of Donetsk, it would lose its main fortified defensive line against Russian advances deeper into the country, according to the Washington think tank, the Institute for the Study of War. Advertisement Loading And Luhansk and Donetsk may be broadly Russian-speaking, there are major questions as to what would happen to those inhabitants who did not necessarily want to become actual Russian citizens. A Ukrainian opinion poll in May 2022 suggested that 82 per cent of people in territories seized by Russia had a negative attitude to Moscow. With almost 200,000 Ukrainians living in the cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk alone, thousands might need to be relocated. What about Crimea? Putins 2014 seizure of Crimea which had been transferred from Russia to Ukraine in 1954 enabled him to use it as a launchpad for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The peninsula also offers access to the Black Sea, a critical corridor for transporting grain and other goods. The Kerch Bridge, which opened in 2018 to connect Crimea to the Russian mainland, is a vital logistics route for Russia to supply its frontlines. Ukrainian forces have attacked it several times to try to sever this link. Russian soldiers with no insignia on their uniforms in Perevalne, Crimea, in 2014. Credit: Sergey Ponomarev/The New York Times Advertisement With this pivotal milestone, we look forward to continuing to grow the market for purpose-driven banking in Australia, Walsh said. Well stay focused on ensuring we create better banking experiences and greater impact for our customers, and well continue to ensure our customers best interests are at the center of everything we do. This is real momentum, and it shows that customers want more from their brokers, not just a home loan. I firmly believe it is in the customers interests to get this support from their broker who they have a trusted relationship to begin with. KJ-500H airborne early warning aircraft flies to designated area China Military Online) 10:43, August 20, 2025 KJ-500H airborne early warning aircraft attached to an aviation unit under the Chinese PLA Navy taxis on the runway during a flight training exercise on August 4, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Hao Yongfei) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Monday, August 11, 2025 at 9:01AM Source: Google It might be easier for you to catch up with the news from your favourite outlets with a new feature coming to Google Search. In markets like the US and India, Google is giving users the option to select their "preferred sources," allowing these publications to be prioritized when Google's top stories appear during a search for a current event. Aside from showing preferred sources, Google is looking to add a new "From your sources" section as well. We're hoping the feature comes to Canada. And in case it does, you can customize your sources by searching for a timely topic. Tap on the icon beside the Top Stories label and then pick the outlets you read news from. The Verge noted that there aren't limits to how many sources you can add. SOURCE Carlow's Martha Nolan OSlatarra will be remembered for her laughter and the memories made, mourners at her Requiem mass heard. The 33-year-old fashion designer, originally from Monacurragh, Carlow, was found dead on a boat in Long Island, New York on 5 August. Overcast and cooler weather mirrored the emotions of the hundreds of people who gathered to pay their respects to the entrepreneur who left Carlow almost 10 years ago. Her 10am service in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow Town on Wednesday was led by Fr Thomas OByrne Administrator and concelebrated with Fr Ivor Daniels from Galway and Fr Tommy Dillon from Carlow. Symbols of Marthas life were presented during the hour-long service which included her passport representing her love of travel and adventure, clothing from her luxury resort fashion brand East x East, Marthas prayer, which her mother Elma recites every Tuesday as her daughter was born on a Tuesday and died on a Tuesday. Other symbols included a photo showing her beauty inside and out, Irish and American flags, recalling the life she lived on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and a tin whistle showing her love of music. Marthas sister Jacqui, in her eulogy, said: Martha my beautiful sister. You taught me everything I needed to know in life. I didnt always see you, but I knew you were there. Growing up with you was like having a built-in best friend from sharing secrets to late night talks. We've been through it all together. She described how through thick and thin a sisters love is consistent. We know each other's quirks, dreams and fears. The bond between us sisters is unique and unbreakable. Cheers to the laughter, the tears, the countless memories that were made. You will be in my heart forever Martha. Mourners gather at Carlow Catherdal Nick, Marthas partner added that she had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into. Whether it was her signature hi or her famous hand gestures. One but couldnt help to feel her positive presence in every space she entered. Martha had a way of people she loved first. She loved helping people and many of you have been lucky enough to experience that love, he continued. Whether it was telling you to cop on to focus on the goodness in this life or just being a shoulder to lean on. The shining light that Martha brought into this world is a reflection of everybody in this room. Friends, family, loved ones, those past and present, we all have been lucky to have known Martha, and we must live every day forward with her in our hearts." Fr OByrne, in his homily to the congregation, added: Symbols of Marthas life, a short life but a packed life. (At this time) we allow the Lord to speak to us. Fear not, do not be dismayed, do not lose hope, I am your God. I will strengthen you and I will help you. There are so many who are asking how will I get through this? The Lord is close to you. Marthas name is carved upon the palm of Gods hand and on Gods heart. Martha is with God. Elma, Seamus, Jacqui, Elise, Ella, Rian, Patrick, Gretta, Nick, Joanne and Chris we are standing with you this morning as people of faith or love, we are saddened by Marthas death. We gather to support you with our love, faith and presence. Elma, we gather to pray, we gather to remember that Martha was baptised in the name of the trinity. We are confident that Martha is with God. Martha has passed to a new reality. We will be reunited with all those who have gone before us. Martha will journey with us. God will gather us together again. We pray that Martha will now live in God and those who love her will be close to her and that they will know peace for ever and ever. Ms Nolan OSlatarra is survived by her mother Elma, her father Seamus, her sister Jacqui, her younger siblings, her mothers partner Patrick and her partner Nick. Through strains of the song, Parting Glass, her casket was carried out from the cathedral by eight pallbearers and to St Mary's Cemetery. Ms Nolan OSlatarra was found unconscious at Montauk Yacht Club. A man she was with on the boat raised the alarm and two men on a nearby yacht performed CPR. The businesswoman was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services a short time later. A police investigation into her death is being carried out by police detectives. A post-mortem examination carried out on her body by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office showed there were no visible signs of injury. Authorities said the postmortem results were inconclusive and are awaiting further test results to decide the direction of their investigation. By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA Luas services to the Docklands area of Dublin are not operating after a large fire broke out on a bridge on Tuesday night. Firefighters brought the blaze at Georges Dock Bridge under control by 11.30pm. Four fire engines, a foam tender and a water tanker attended the scene as part of the multi-agency response. Gas Networks Ireland said it assisted fire services on Tuesday night, but that the cause of the fire was not yet known. Luas Red Line services are not operating from Busaras to The Point while the damage is being assessed. Commuters on one red line service on Wednesday morning were told trams to the Docklands area would not be operating for the foreseeable. This is due to a fire yesterday in Georges Dock, Luas said in a statement posted to X. We envisage this change to service may last a period of time as we wait for information in relation to the fire damage in the area and clearance in relation to the bridge, Luas infrastructure including overhead power lines. Meanwhile, an investigation is currently underway to determine what caused the blaze, which broke out at around 6pm under a bridge at George's Dock. The fire reached temperatures of 1,000 degrees, and power was lost in numerous buildings in the area, but nobody was injured. Photo: Collins Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam spoke to Newstalk after seeing the area and assessing the damage. "There was a gas leak, and it took them a while in order to one identify where the leak was, to crimp it, and then to let effectively to let the gas burn out, but the important thing to reassure Dubliners is that the fire is now completely out," he said. "What will now take place is there will be a number of assessments carried out by Dublin City Council, Dublin Fire Brigade, as well as some of the transport providers to assess the damage done to the bridge." Heavy public support demands that the words of wisdom of from Lewis Grizzard, Jr. (1947-1994) of Moreland, Georgia address the sudden on rush of glowing self accolades of incumbent and aspiring office seekers before the December 2025 qualifying deadlines for the 2026 election. Whether it is to scare off potential opponents, raised a few thousand dollars in campaign contributions or just to pump up egos is beyond the scope of this article (sound familiar?). Due to the seriousness of the topic and effect on the poor property tax increase victims in Hamilton County/Gig City it will be necessary to include two chapters to assist the voting public in making the most knowledgeable choices as to who should rule the dual kingdoms in the future. In the last chapter of his best seller, I Havent Understood Anything Sunce 1962- And Other Nekked Truths (1992- Villard Books- New York City) the Don Rickles from the South explained his politics and exactly what he would do if he lived long enough to succeed Joseph Biden or Donald Trump as President. The following is the first of two installments of the Grizzard political agenda for 1992 (2026?): WELFARE: I'm against it. I explain how to take care of people who are truly needy somewhere else in this book, but I can't remember exactly where; IMMIGRATION: America first, with apologies to one of my heroes Pat Buchanan; TRADE BARRIERS: Tell the Japs if they try to sell one more Toyota, we're cranking up the Enola Gay again. We need to continue to trade with England, however, because I own a Jaguar and might need some parts. As far as the Germans are concerned, I don't like German wines, and I got rid of my two-seater Mercedes convertible. I also figure we can make our own vodka, and there's nothing else in Name du Jour (formerly the Soviet Union) worth having. I've been there. Trust me. The same goes for France and their wines. And their food always has too much sauce on it. As far as Italy is concerned, I do have a certain fondness for Gucci shoes, but I wore Bass Weejuns exclusively for years, and I can go back to them. And North Korea can just plain kiss my butt, and I wear an American-made watch, so that's it for the Swiss. I could go on, but you should have my bent on this issue by now. Meanwhile, allow American producers to sell any- where to whoever'll buy whatever we're selling, which also brings up foreign aid. FOREIGN AID: Give everybody in the world who is starving some food. If one of our friends needs some weapons to battle one of our enemies, we get Schwarzkopf and go in and blow away the enemy of our friends ourselves. Cut out the middleman. TAX INCENTIVES FOR THE RICH: You saw what happened with the liberals' stupid luxury tax, didn't you? It was a way to get the rich, but it didn't. The luxury tax on boats, for instance, was so high, rich people didn't buy any boats, so the boat industry went to hell and put a lot of people out of work. We ought to keep the rich as rich as possible, because nobody poor was ever able to afford to give anybody else a job. (Obviously LGs line of humor would offend some individuals in 2025 but isnt that one of the privileges that Americans have under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution?) ---- If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact him at jsummers@summersfirm.com) Jim Vincent announced Tuesday night at the Rhea County Commission meeting that he is not seeking re-election to the county's top post. County Executive Vincent, in a surprise move, endorsed State Rep. Ron Travis (R-Dayton) to replace him. The election will not be until Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. Candidates will run non-partisan in the county general election. Mr. Mr.Vincent has served as county executive since April of 2022 when he was appointed by the County Commission to replace then County Executive George Thacker after he resigned due to legal problems. Mr. Vincent, who at one time served on the Hamilton County Commission and was in the state Legislature, went on to win the office outright in the August 2022 election defeating six other candidates. With the announcement of Rep. Travis running for the top county seat, only one other, Adam McRorie, has announced intentions to run. Mr. McRorie ran in 2022 - losing to Mr. Vincent by 390 votes. Candidates are eligible to pick up petitons Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, and have them turned into the Election Commission Office no later than noon on Tuesday, March 10. Mr. Travis has been the longtime state representative for District 31, which, since 2018, includes Rhea, Bledsoe, Sequatchie and Van Buren counties. He has served 12 years. He first ran for office in 2012 defeating incumbent Jim Cobb by a narrow margin and then in a 2014 rematch defeated Mr. Cobb by a two to one margin. During his time in the General Assembly, he has served as chairman of the business subcommittee, chairman of the Joint Fiscal Review Committee as well as serving on the House Agriculture and Natural Resources committee, House Insurance and Banking Committee, Health Committee, Judiciary Committee, and on Transportation Committee. Prior to becoming a legislator, he owned and worked for Nationwide Mutual Insurance for 27 years. In making his announcement, Mr. Vincent said,I love my job. I truly do. I love serving the people of Rhea County. Mr. Vincent said his family has been in Rhea County for the past five generations. He said, I have a lot of friends in Nashville as does Ron. He will do a good job. I was relieved when he came to me while I was thinking about running again and said that he was interested in the job. It was just perfect timing in making the decision. Mr. Vincent pointed out that in his first 100 days he was most proud of getting fiber optics for the county. Second would be the $4.9 million dollar from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) grant to make improvements to the water districts infrastructure in tne north end of the county and $2.5 million for expansion of Daytons sewer system out Highway 30. Mr. Vincent was instrumental in obtaining a Tennessee College of Applied Technology on the Able property that was jointly owned by Dayton and the county. Not only was Mr. Vincent involved with the project, so was Rep. Travis. Rep. Travis said during his 14 years in the State Legislature the TCAT school was one of his biggest highlights of his career. He said, It was an honor to serve and give back to the people not only in Rhea County, but Bledsoe and the other counties as well. When the kids go inside and learn their trade, its going to be remarkable whats going to happen. Finley Stadium officials said $1 million has been reinvested in the facility for the second year in a row. A master plan is in the process of being developed by Executive Director Brian Wright to guide the growth while at the same time maintaining the facility and making improvements. Recent work that has been completed includes putting new seating in the sky boxes. And improved lighting in the Ultra Club. A new PA room has been added to the facility that controls audio equipment and also security cameras. It is seen as a way to manage crowds and security issues can be detected from a single location that are unseen by the public. But response can be made quickly dispatching help directly to a specific location. Friends of Finley has developed a three-year arrangement with Erlanger that will renovate the first aid room, build a mothers room for nursing mothers and a sensory room for children with issues to calm the down during an event. But the master plan is looking at the way the stadium campus fits into and interacts with the city around it. The study is named Pay it Forward for the Next Generation. The way it blends into its surroundings is being looked at to make sure it maintains the character of the city of Chattanooga, incorporating trees and shade in the boundaries as the campus connects to the city. A location for food trucks will be part of the plan and the east end of the stadium where a hill side is now, offers opportunities. Finley Stadium as a whole is being looked at as a year-round facility. Some items in the plan will need to be in partnerships with the city of Chattanooga and have involvement of agencies such as TDOT. The newest opportunity to present itself to Finley was when Mr. Wright discussed with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee about an available grant with the aim of supporting projects that create and revitalize public spaces. These spaces are meant to bring communities together and promote health. In this case, the focus would be for a playground partnering with Playcore. This would be a 100 percent grant with no match required from Finley Stadium for the new park. But Finley would be responsible for maintenance and insurance. There is a condition that it must be accessible to the public everyday not just game day, so it could not go inside the stadium. Mr. Wright said he would want it to be open every day, because it would add to the foot traffic throughout the day. A specific location would need to be identified for the playground if the grant is received. Chattanooga already has a dog park and a skate park in the area. The board voted to apply for this grant which is the first step, but it will require a second vote to accept it. That vote will be at the next board meeting on Oct. 21. Mr. Wright said that the end of December 2024 was slow but the first half of 2025 has been great financially and is expected to finish a little ahead of last year. Drivers of the successful 2025, include the Chattanooga high school jamboree over two weekends at the beginning of August, a well big CFC match, and booking the pavilion for events every Saturday through the fall and the Chattanooga Market. There are also some special, non-repeating events scheduled. Some that are booked include the King of Chattanooga Car Show in August, Blueprints for the Future, a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity in September and the Bands of America competition in October. Mr. Wright told the board that a change this year will be that the facility will be using some people from outside to support operations. Other businesses integral to running the facility that are not employed by Finley include parking, food trucks, private security, and Chattanooga Police officers. It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Linda Coleman Woodall. Linda was born on November 1,1944 and passed on August 16, 2025. It is a challenge to describe Linda as she was so many things to the many people who loved her. She was a true Episcopalian who was deeply spiritual with an open mind welcoming of diversity. Linda was a life-long learner. She was so interesting because of her profound curiosity and diverse interests. Linda was the consummate hostess and created a beautiful home full of art, music, good food and lots of laughter. Linda was an art dealer specializing in Russian art as well as representing several top local artists (who were also her dear friends) such as Mary Ferris Kelly, Daud and Timur Akriev, and Melissa Hefferlin. One of her proudest accomplishments was completing her yoga teacher training at the cut-off age of 69. Her yoga class became like a second family to her. Linda took classes many years ago at Ballet Tennessee and was very supportive of their endeavors. Wednesday night jazz at Barking Legs and her beloved Stone Soup group were some of her latest passions. She was also an avid hiker and treasured her time with her hiking group, the Trilliums. Linda was predeceased by her devoted husband, John M. Woodall, and her beloved son, Jay Woodall. She leaves behind to cherish her memory, daughter and son-in-law, Melissa and Michael Curtis of Lookout Mountain, TN, grandchildren Kat Curtis of Chattanooga, Jack Curtis of San Francisco, Isabella and Maddy Woodall of Atlanta, and daughter-in-law Dawn Gonzalez Woodall of Atlanta. She also leaves behind her adoptive French family Isabelle and Serge Zebourian of Paris, France and Melodie and Pierre Dewever of Calvi, Corsica, special friends Randy Elmore and Juanita del Pino both of Ooltewah, TN as well as several nieces, nephews, and wonderful life-long friends. Services to celebrate Lindas life will be held at St. Pauls Episcopal Church on Monday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. with a visitation and reception to follow. Feel free to wear bright colors if you are so moved to celebrate Lindas bright light and zest for life. Memorials may be directed to any of the following: Chattanooga Ballet, Hunter Museum of Art, Chattanooga Symphony or the Chattanooga Food Bank. Visit the online obituary www.heritagechattanooga.com to post tributes and share memories. Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Chapel. The County Commission on Wednesday voted 6-5 in favor of a "compromise" proposal for the controversial Plan Hamilton. In favor were Greg Beck, Mike Chauncey, Joe Graham, Lee Helton, Warren Mackey and David Sharpe. Opposed were Chip Baker, Steve Highlander, Gene-o Shipley, Ken Smith and Jeff Eversole. Officials said the vote was meant to express "the will of the County Commission", but it will go back to the Planning Commission to draft the growth plan that will be used in the unincorporated county going forward. County Attorney Janie Varnell said earlier that under state law it is the Planning Commission that is to produce such a plan. On Wednesday, she said a positive vote by the commission on the resolution "does not adopt Plan Hamilton. It goes back to the Planning Commission with the commission's guidance." Chairman Eversole said after the Planning Commission acts under the commission's guidance that it goes to the state. He said after that the County Commission has another option to review it. Commissioner Smith said he has had "zero" of his constituents come forward in support of the plan. Commissioner Baker said, "Our districts are all different. We should be respected by our colleagues to all be different." He said Signal Mountain has "one main road and two wagon roads." Commissioner Sharpe said it had never occurred to him that the fact he recently applied to be a realtor might be a conflict of interest. He said, "In no shape, form or fashion will this affect my vote." At the start of the meeting, Commissioner Shipley made a motion to delay the issue another 60 days for more study. That was voted down by the same 6-5 margin. Commissioner Shipley said, "Very few people feel like we should have more density. They would rather pay a little more taxes and have our communities intact." Commissioner Shipley said Sale Creek is at capacity and schools in Soddy Daisy are also except for the high school. He said if a development goes in with 250 more houses "where are those children going to school?" Commissioner Steve Highlander seconded the Shipley motion, saying he had been away from his phone for two days and returned to find he had 700 calls, texts and emails. He said, "Not a single one was in favor of more density." Commissioner David Sharpe was opposed to delay, saying the measure could be amended in the future if changes are needed. Questioned by Commissioner Shipley, Karen Rennich of the Regional Planning Agency said the RPA staff only received amendments from the Home Builders group the morning the Planning Commission acted on it. Commissioner Chip Baker said, "If 92 percent of the people don't agree with what's happening, I would rethink it." He offered a late amendment to limit growth, but it failed 6-5. Chairman Eversole said the growth plan should take into consideration the needs of the various districts. "It's okay to do something different (in some districts)." Julian Bell of the Home Builders Association maintained that the plan as amended "does decrease density." He said in the Countryside zone development with septic tanks is limited to 1.5 units per acre and in Suburan development is a limit of five per acre. Developer Jason Farmer said he was proud to be an advocate for private property rights and home ownership. He said, "We've been called evil and greedy, but we're not the enemy." Several speakers raised an issue of "conflict of interest." Commissioner Helton said earlier that he had stopped building houses in the unincorporated county after going on the commission. He said he would not recuse himself. Commissioner Smith said Commissioner Helton should be commended, not criticized, for bringing forth a compromise plan. He said it was a plan and does not force higher density. He said development was not going to stop with or without Plan Hamilton. He said, "There are no greater cheerleaders for our community than our realtors." He said, "Our homebuilders should not be villianized." Chairman Eversole said his rural district "was being hammered by development," though he said he "did not blame the homebuilders and realtors. They are our neighbors." He said the decision "is going to hurt us 25, 50, 75 years down the road." Daniel Paul Bockert, affectionately known as Diamond Dan, 70, passed into glory on August 18, 2025, at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with his beloved wife by his side. Dan was born on Jan. 6, 1955, in Des Moines, Iowa, to John and Sybil (Turk) Bockert. He attended Covenant College, obtaining his BA in Biblical Studies and minoring in Education. Dan was preceded in death by his parents, John and Sybil Bockert, his sister-in-law, Ann (Coe) Bockert, and his nephew, Stephen Bockert. He is survived by his wife, Susan Anne Bockert, his brothers Mike Bockert and John (Shelley) Bockert, his daughters Sarah June (Bernard) Wallace, Esther Harmony (Chris) Sarine, Anna Melody (Damion) Rarig, Rebekah Grace (Brian) Goedde, and Leah Faith Bockert, 13 grandchildren, one great-grandson, and several nieces and nephews. Dan was an early reader with a bright, capable mind. He was an accomplished Eagle Scout, developing practical skills and a great love of the outdoors. He learned to play the saxophone and developed stage presence through participating in band and theater. He gave his life to Christ as a teen. Shortly after completing his secondary studies in Des Moines, Iowa, he organized and hosted a Christian radio show on a local rock station. He was 19 years old, and he called it The White Fields Hour, because, as he said, The fields were white unto harvest. (John 4:35). He described it as causing quite a stir: If you can imagine, its the mid-70s, and all the folks who were listening to the main rock station in a mid-sized city o a Saturday night, when midnight hits, they are listening to Phil Keaggy, Larry Norman, Michael Omartian, 2nd Chapter of Acts Dans heart from a very young age was turned to Christ, and on sharing the gospel in creative ways. His witness drew others into the kingdom of God. Diamond Dan was a true renaissance man: he held a thirst for knowledge which led to a lifelong pursuit of truth and learning. He worked professionally as a writer and editor for many years at the National Honor Society in Psychology, Psi Chi, and spent the last 20 years of his professional career as non-fiction director at McKay in Chattanooga. He was a thinker; an intellectual, and a wordsmith. He was able to analyze and interpret information and structure thoughts into persuasive, engaging written form. He articulated effectively as a compelling storyteller. As a literary craftsman throughout his professional career, he edited and co-wrote many books and projects. Though unusually adept, he sought to bless others with his intellect and wisdom, edifying his co-workers through faithful service. Dans presence in the workplace (and everywhere else) can be characterized by Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. James 3:13 and 17 describe him perfectly: Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. With such wisdom, he was able to live righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12). Dan pioneered and participated in several musical groups, with an emphasis on music that glorified God and brought folks together for fun and fellowship (a talent inherited from his mother). Bands like New American Standard, Herbie and the Hubcaps, and New Song were a prelude to his legendary college band at Covenant, Diamond Dan and the Cut Gems, which covered songs from his childhood era and beyond. Dan was a one-of-a-kind showman with a powerful stage presence. The relationships forged through his musical endeavors lasted to the end of his life. Dan and Susan cherished 43 years of marriage. Theirs was the finest of all his collaborations. He guarded his faith, testimony and marriage and loved Susan as his own self (Eph. 5:33). He was consistent and steadfast, faithfully shepherding the hearts of his family and upholding them in prayer. He was a good father and grandfather to his five daughters and many grandchildren because he emulated his heavenly Father. He loved to encourage learning and pursuit of interests, thoughtfully gifting books aligning with their interests. Sensitive to others needs, he was generous with compliments and encouragement, eager to place a well-timed pun, musical lyric or bible verse. He always took the time to listen. He made everyone, and especially his family feel seen and unconditionally loved (1 Peter 4:8). When asked for advice, he would often respond with 1 Corinthians 13:4, Love is patient, love is kind it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs... Dan and Susan labored in life side by side, taking on challenges with creativity, passion, and humor. They stood unified throughout the time the Lord gave them. They enjoyed studying the word of God, communing in nature, reading, antique and home restoration, and of course, music. He also loved history and ancestry research, which he compiled for his family records. What Dan and Susan created together stood the test of time and honored the ultimate Creator. Dan had a deep and abiding love of the word of God, and studied to show himself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:5), applying what he learned with diligence and integrity in all endeavors, honoring the call of Eccl. 9:10, Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. His legacy is one of unwavering faith to the end, being confidentthat He who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phillipians 1:6). Visitation will be from 3-7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, at Heritage Funeral Home, and a service will be held on Aug. 22, at 10:30 a.m. at Calvary Chapel in Chattanooga. The collapsed roof of the Upstate Church Haywood in Greenville, South Carolina. | Screenshot: YouTube/ WYFF News 4 Church leaders at the Haywood campus of First Baptist Simpsonville Upstate Church in South Carolina narrowly prevented a tragedy by moving services to a different location just hours before the sanctuarys roof collapsed on Sunday morning. Wayne Bray, the lead pastor of First Baptist Simpsonville Upstate Church, which has 7,700 members worshiping at nine locations across South Carolina, explained in a video statement on Facebook that the collapse didnt come as a surprise to them. He stated, One of my staff members discovered cracks in the sanctuary the night before the roof collapsed. Once they realized what the problem was, they immediately began making plans overnight to hold Sunday services in the gymnasium on the property. We did not allow anybody into the dangerous building so no one was hurt. No one was even in danger of being hurt, he added. Bray praised the leadership, saying, We took care of that and took the necessary precautions to ensure no one was injured. And so Im grateful for our teaching pastor there, Dallas Wilson, such a responsible and solid leader. [He] made sure he took care of folks, and he had his volunteers and staff who made sure that we kept people in the right places and kept them out of the wrong places. To God be the glory. Everybodys fine. A fire official from the city told NBC News affiliate WYFF4 that rescue crews were dispatched after they spotted the collapse at 9:31 a.m. on Sunday. According to Traci Weldie, the connections coordinator at Upstate Church Haywood, she and others were preparing for baptisms when the roof unexpectedly collapsed in the empty sanctuary. William Dallas Wilson, the churchs teaching pastor, described the day as a wild one, but emphasized that the roof collapse would not hinder Gods work. Bray explained that the church had already taken steps to secure the damaged building and assured that worship services would continue at the campus. He said, Its really an amazing story. Even today, with all these circumstances, we still had over 700 people in worship. People baptized in every service; its really an amazing thing. Bray closed with a statement, saying, We have never felt like a building is our church. A building may come and go. Buildings are built and buildings fall, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ will stand forever, and that is what our faith is built on. The Upstate Church Haywood campus was established just two and a half years ago with a little over 100 members, and has since grown to more than 700 weekly worshippers. Home News 2 men arrested for causing over $300,000 in damages to Baptist church Two men have been arrested and charged with committing the vandalism and arson of an Illinois church that caused more than $300,000 in damages. Ethan G. Lam was arrested last month, and Chad E. Krueger was arrested last week for having allegedly caused significant damage to McKinney Chapel Freewill Baptist Church in the Lake of Egypt area. A Williamson County Grand Jury indicted Lam and Krueger on the Class 1 Felony charges of place of worship arson and criminal damage to property, according to a press release from the Williamson County Sheriff's Office. The Williamson County Sheriffs Office would like to thank the Lake of Egypt Fire Department, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit, the Illinois State Fire Marshals Office, and States Attorney Ted Hampson for their assistance in this investigation, stated the sheriffs office. According to authorities, police responded to the church on July 24 after discovering the building had sustained fire damage, multiple broken windows and other damage estimated to exceed $300,000. Thanks to evidence found at the scene of the crime and an additional follow-up investigation, authorities were able to identify Lam and Krueger as suspects. They were later remanded into the custody of the Williamson County Jail. Lam is scheduled for arraignment on Sept. 3, while Krueger is slated to have his arraignment on Oct. 1, according to the Cape Girardeau, Missouri-based news outlet KFVS. McKinney Chapel Freewill Baptist Church explained on its Facebook page on Sunday that it's presently holding small worship services elsewhere on its property. We had a great service this morning here at the Chapel. We only had 4 in attendance and we are having church in our church basement for now. But the Spirit is still there and we are still striving and moving forward and not letting the devil win or defeat us, they stated. God has got us covered and is seeing us through. We will eventually be back in the sanctuary but it will be awhile. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Home News Chris Pratt declares 'Jesus is King' as he celebrates 13th birthday of son born prematurely Actor Chris Pratt declared "Jesus is King" as he reflected in a social media post last weekend on the 13th birthday of his son, who faced immense health struggles when he was born prematurely, weighing less than 4 pounds. In an Instagram story published Sunday, Pratt celebrated his son Jack's 13th birthday and shared several images of the two of them together without completely revealing his face. "I can't believe you are 13 today," he wrote, according to Page Six. "I've watched you grow into such an incredible young man, and am truly proud of the person you are becoming." Pratt concluded his Instagram story by proclaiming "Jesus is King," accompanied by emojis of a heart and praying hands. In an interview with The Christian Post earlier this year, Pratt, known for starring roles in "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Parks and Recreation," and other productions, said watching Jack overcome the medical problems he experienced when he was younger helped strengthen his faith. The now-teenager was born seven weeks premature, weighing just 3 pounds, 10 ounces. "He had all these things going on," Pratt recalled. "I prayed hard to God. ... I was in a season of transition spiritually at that time, and didn't quite fully understand." The actor said he "made a deal with God again." "I'm sorry, God, here I am again, asking for your grace again," Pratt recalled telling God. "And He really saved my son, and that was the moment [my faith] was cemented. My heart softened, and my faith hardened. That was the moment that I was like, 'Moving forward, I'm going to give my platform to God.'" Pratt, 46, is known for outward expressions of his Christian faith, which doesn't come without its backlash. "When I hear words or see words, when there's blowback and I'm sure there's going to be blowback from this I am just going to rely on God. I was called by God to do it, and if people don't understand me, I'm going to pray for them, and then I'm going to go back and hang out with my kids and play tag." Earlier this year, as much of southern California was engulfed in deadly wildfires, Pratt took to Instagram to express gratitude that his house was spared. "By the grace of God, we have four walls and a roof," he explained. "We're resilient and we trust in God, and consider it all a blessing." "God bless you. Thank you for your prayers. Talk to you soon," he added. Pratt noted that many in his inner circle, including his ex-wife and Jack's mother, Anna Faris, were not so lucky as they lost their homes in the wildfires. As the wildfires first began ravaging parts of southern California, Pratt used Instagram to call for "prayers and strength" for "everyone in Los Angeles affected by these tragic wildfires." Home News Islamic teacher-turned-Christian convert beaten, family abducted for following Christ NAIROBI, Kenya A Muslim who put his faith in Christ after receiving a vision in a mosque in Uganda was hospitalized after relatives beat him, demolished his home and abducted his wife and six children, sources said. Wambuzi Maka Uthman, a 39-year-old former sheikh (Islamic teacher), went to Friday prayers in Mayuge town council, Mayuge District in eastern Uganda on Aug. 1 as usual, then went to sleep in a corner of the mosque, he said. There I saw a man dressed in white, long clothing surround by four angels the man called me by my name, Uthman, Uthman, Uthman, three times, Uthman told Morning Star News. I was so frightened as I drew near to him, knelt down and worshiped Him. Thereafter He told me to go to my people and to tell them to repent and turn to the living God. As he returned home at about 5 p.m., he met a pastor from Elim Church, he said. I shared with him the strange message that I received of repentance, Uthman said. He took me to his church and shared the vision that I had. I then understood that it was Issa [Jesus] who had sent me to my fellow Muslims to repent. On Aug. 4, he began telling his wife and six children, as well as his neighbors, about Christ, he said. I was so happy beyond expectations as I developed a deeper love for Jesus my wife could not believe the Good News which I was sharing with her, Uthman said. She thought I was out of my mind. She went and told my brothers about the strange teaching about Jesus, which I had shared with her. Thinking he had taken leave of his senses, his brothers and wife arranged for a van to take him to Butabika medical center, he said. When we were about to leave, I told them that I was not mad and started sharing with them the dramatic vision of Issa appearing to me, Uthman said. Immediately after realizing that I wasn't mad, my elder brother hit me with kicks and blows on my mouth, nose and eyes, and I started bleeding, while others started beating me with sticks. I developed an extra energy and managed to escape mysteriously through a thick bush, then arrived at the house of a nearby neighbor who happens to be a Christian. The neighbor rushed Uthman to the hospital in Mayuge town, where he was treated for one week. A photo of Uthman with a swollen eye and lips from the beating is too graphic to publish. While he received treatment at the hospital, his wife took their six children with her to live with relatives. Family members went to his house and demolished it, where Uthmans brother, Said Isabirye Muhammad, told Morning Star News, We cannot continue staying with this infidel who is telling us things about Jesus as the Son of God, yet for us we know him as a messenger of Allah alone. Uthman left the hospital on Aug. 11 and is staying at an undisclosed location for his safety. The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented. Ugandas Constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate ones faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12% of Ugandas population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country. This article was originally published at Morning Star News Home News Christian school reported female teacher accused of sex with minor to shine light on darkness Dana Jones, principal of the private Christian K3-12 C.H. Friend School in South Boston, Virginia, says the school acted on a biblical mandate to shine light into darkness when they told authorities about an English teacher suspected of having sex with an underage male, then fired her. We chose integrity instead of it being swept under the rug. Scripture is very clear that if it was done in the dark, it was going to be brought to light," Jones told ABC 13 News. "We understand that taking it to the police department, it was going to come shine a light on to us. We took what we were told to them and let them carry on with their investigation. Jones told the news outlet that it was within the last month that the allegation against former English teacher, 34-year-old Katelin Campbell, was first brought to her attention. She said as soon as she was made aware of the claim against Campbell, who taught English to students from the seventh through 12th grades, the matter was reported to the police. Campbell was arrested on Aug. 14 and charged with taking indecent liberties with a child by an individual in a custodial or supervisory relationship on Nov. 1, 2024. The charges are Class 1 and Class 6, according to Halifax County Court records. A conviction for a Class 6 felony in Virginia can result in imprisonment for one to five years or confinement in jail for up to 12 months at the judges discretion. A fine of $2,500 can also be imposed with prison time. Information from the Halifax County Adult Detention Center show that Campbell was booked minutes before 11 p.m. on Aug. 14 and released just before midnight on Aug. 15 after posting a $2,500 bond. Officials at C.H. Friend school were unavailable for comment when contacted by The Christian Post on Wednesday. Campbell is expected to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 14. According to its website, C.H. Friend school focuses on the individual needs of each child while instilling Christian values. We use a traditional instructor led method along with hands on learning to help our students reach their highest academic potential. We believe that by providing the highest level of education while instilling morals, ethics, and integrity we develop future community leaders, the school explains. The school was opened in 2022 as an alternative to public offerings in Halifax County. We will define ourselves by educating at the highest level. Providing a safe, caring, and compassionate atmosphere, Jones said in a statement at the time. Home News Federal judge blocks Texas Ten Commandments law, calls Christianity one of the 'desert religions' Ruling claims humans 'evolved over several million years' A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction blocking a Texas law that would have mandated the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom across the state. In his ruling on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in San Antonio temporarily prohibited 11 Texas school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments. The Clinton appointee said a lawsuit filed by a coalition of Dallas-area families, faith leaders and civil liberties advocates raised questions about the constitutionality of Senate Bill 10, which would have required the displays in schools statewide starting September 1. The decision marks the third time a federal court has struck down such a state-level requirement, following similar rulings in Louisiana and Kentucky. Biery's 55-page ruling emphasized the potential impact on students and teachers, noting that "even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do." He maintained that such displays could lead to unintended religious discussions, placing educators in the difficult position of navigating complex theological issues in a public school setting, potentially infringing on students' rights to a secular education. As an example, the judge offered a fictional account of a similar law in Hamtramck, Michigan, where the majority Muslim community "decreed" that the Quran should be taught in public schools. As part of the example, Biery quoted directly from the Quran. "While 'We the people' rule by a majority, the Bill of Rights protects the minority Christians in Hamtramck and those 33 percent of Texans who do not adhere to any of the Christian denominations," the judge wrote. He also cited the biblical accounts of Abraham leaving the land of Ur to proclaim, as the judge wrote in quotations, "the one true God." Naming Moses, Jesus and Mohammed as the "triad of the 'desert religions,'" the judge said elsewhere other belief systems were formed, including "those which have come to exist in the American experience." Claiming that humans "evolved over several million years to be the only species which knows it will die," Biery attributed the rise of human religion to people "not wanting their existence to end." Quoting everything from Stephen Hawking to Sonny and Cher, the judge also quoted from John 11:35, saying Jesus who he called the "cousin" of Moses and Mohammed would have wept if he saw the "blood spilled by their followers against each other." Writing that SB 10 "officially favors Christian dominations over others" and "crosses the line from exposure to coercion," Biery expressed concern that public displays of the Ten Commandments "are likely to send an exclusionary and spiritually burdensome message" that would identify the plaintiff families as "the other." "The displays are likely to pressure the child-Plaintiffs into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the State's favored religious scripture, and into suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious backgrounds and beliefs while at school," the judge wrote. In his closing statement, Biery a 77-year-old known for using puns and colorful language in his rulings appeared to suggest Christians might resort to violence in response to his ruling. He offered a "prayer" using the New Testament phrase "grace and peace" and concluding with "Amen." "For those who disagree with the Court's decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities, and violence, Grace and Peace unto you," he wrote. "May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another. Amen." The suit names 11 of some of the state's biggest school districts, including Houston ISD, Austin ISD, and Plano ISD, but notably excludes Dallas ISD. The plaintiffs contend that the law passed by the Texas Legislature in 2024 violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, which ensures the separation of church and state, and the Free Exercise Clause, which protects individuals' rights to practice their religion freely. The case is expected to move to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled against a similar Louisiana law in June, before potentially advancing to the Supreme Court, where a 6-3 conservative majority could redefine the boundaries of church-state separation. Home News Pastor, global church planter resigns after arrest for preying on child online Officials at Redemption Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, confirmed that their senior pastor, Neal Creecy, has resigned following his recent arrest for luring a child online for a sex act. As soon as he got out of jail within an hour or two, he contacted us on a thread message and confessed. He offered his resignation when we met with him later that morning. We had to accept his resignation immediately, W. Don Seaborg, president of pastoral support for Redemption Church, told 8NewsNow last Friday. Neal, 46, started Redemption Church in October 2018, and has been involved with church planting and pastoral ministry for nearly three decades, according to his bio on Audible. He is also listed as the co-founder and vice president of Global Church Planting Partners and has taught at several seminaries across the U.S. According to a release from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Neal, who holds a Master's of Divinity degree and a Ph.D. in missiology from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, was among eight men arrested for "luring a child with a computer for a sex act" during a two-week multi-agency operation targeting child sex predators. A police report cited by Fox 5 Las Vegas said Creecy communicated with a covert employee posing as a 14-year-old boy on a gay hookup app called Sniffies. The messages reportedly turned sexual in nature, and the pastor agreed to meet for sexual activity. He was then arrested on Aug. 7. Creecy allegedly admitted to investigators that he understood he was meeting up with a 14-year-old boy for sex based on his communication and told them, Im so sorry. Global Church Planting Partners did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Creecys arrest when contacted by The Christian Post on Wednesday. The other men arrested during the sting are David Wonnacott-Yahnke, 40; Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38; Jose Alberto Perez-Torres, 35; Aniket Brajeshkumar Sadani, 23; James Ramon Reddick, 23; Ramon Manuel Parra Valenzuela, 29; and John Charles Duncan, 49. We would like to remind parents to discuss with their children the dangers of engaging with strangers online. Parents are encouraged to routinely monitor their childrens activity on social media and other online applications to prevent them from becoming victims of a child sex predator. This operation was conducted as part of the ongoing efforts to reduce violent crime and protect children in our community, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said. Anyone who may have been a victim of any of these subjects or has information about their crimes, is urged to contact the LVMPD Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force by phone at 702-828-3111. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or on the internet at www.crimestoppersofnv.com. Creecy was released on a $10,000 bond. He is set to appear on Sept. 2 at Henderson Justice Court at 9 a.m. Home News Indian state cabinet approves harsh anti-conversion law punishable by life imprisonment The Uttarakhand Cabinet last Wednesday approved the Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2025, introducing some of the harshest penalties in India for forced religious conversion, including sentences ranging from three years to life imprisonment. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami chaired the Aug. 13 cabinet meeting that cleared the legislation, which will be tabled in the three-day monsoon session of the state assembly that began Tuesday. The ruling BJP holds a comfortable majority in the assembly. The amendment significantly increases penalties from the current maximum of 10 years imprisonment and a $575 fine. Under the new provisions, general cases of forced conversion will attract three to 10 years imprisonment with $575 fine. Cases involving minors, women, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, disabled or mentally challenged persons will carry five to 14 years imprisonment and at least $11,500. Mass conversions will attract seven to 14 years imprisonment, while conversions with foreign or external funding will result in a seven to 14-year jail term and at least $11,500 fine. The most stringent punishment of 20 years to life imprisonment and at least $11,500 fine applies to conversions using force, threat, inducement, trafficking or promise of marriage. Those concealing their religion for marriage purposes face three to 10 years imprisonment and a nearly $3,500 fine. The bill expands the definition of allurement to include any gift, gratification, easy money or material benefit, whether in cash or kind, employment, or by invoking divine displeasure. Officials said promises of a better life and free education in religious institutions would also constitute allurement. Additionally, portraying the practices, rituals and ceremonies of any religion or any integral part thereof in a prejudicial manner in relation to any other religion; or glorifying one religion as against another will also be considered allurement, an official said. Speaking ill of one religion and praising another, and propaganda on social or digital media would also be considered participation in religious conversion, an official involved in framing the bill said. The legislation introduces tougher enforcement measures. All offences become cognizable and non-bailable, triable only in sessions courts. Police can arrest without warrants, while bail will be granted only if courts are convinced of the accuseds innocence and the likelihood of not reoffending. District magistrates receive sweeping powers to confiscate properties acquired from a crime related to religious conversion even before court cognisance. They can appoint administrators to manage seized property with police assistance if required. The bill provides free legal aid, accommodation, maintenance, medical facilities and other support for victims of forcible conversions, whose identities will remain confidential. A special government scheme ensures immediate help for victims. Chief Minister Dhami described the amendment as a major step to protect the social fabric of our Himalayan state, stating that Uttarakhand is Devbhoomi, the land of Gods. In recent years, there have been demographic changes under the guise of illegal conversions. The Freedom of Religion Act was originally introduced in Uttarakhand in 2018 and first amended in 2022. The current amendment represents the state governments effort to strengthen provisions against what it terms illegal religious conversions while maintaining social harmony. This article was originally published by Christian Today India. Home News Jihadi Mickey Mouse: Hamas childrens show in 2007 urged martyrdom and violence Hamas Al-Aqsa TV began broadcasting a childrens program called Pioneers of Tomorrow in 2007, which featured a recurring character named Farfour a jihadi mouse closely resembling Mickey Mouse. Experts say the program helped cultivate a generation of extremist fighters, Ynet News reported. Farfour taught children to aspire to die as martyrs and dominate the world under Islam, demonstrating how to throw grenades and fire weapons. In the final episode of the show, Farfour is martyred by an Israeli who kills him for refusing to sell him a document proving that Farfours family owns Tel Aviv. Were not the kind of people who sell their land to terrorists, Farfour exclaimed, before being beaten to death by the Israeli character. The shows 10-year-old host, Saraa, then announces that Farfour was martyred at the hand of the criminals, the murderers, the murderers of innocent children. Another character in the show, a rabbit named Assoud, promises in one episode to finish off the Jews and eat them. In another episode, a young girl says she wants to become a police officer like her uncle. The girl hosting the episode says that part of a police officers job is to shoot Jews. I will shoot the Jews, the young girl responds. All of them? the host asks, after which the young girl replies, Yes. MEMRI the organization that translated these scenes from the show in order to show the violent ideology being taught to many children in Gaza also reported on a 2022 episode of the show. Speaking about the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a young girl in the episode said that we must not allow the Jews to destroy it. Later on, a man in a puppet costume says that we must also know that the criminal Jews are plotting, and they are digging tunnels under the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in order to destroy it and rebuild the Jewish Temple. They want to build the false Solomon's Temple, as you said, a young boy responds. I want to stress that this is not true. It never existed, and it will never be built, as long as we, Palestine, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are here. In January 2024, the Israel Defense Forces published evidence showing that Hamas indoctrinates children in Gaza and incites them to participate in acts of terrorism. This article was originally published by All Israel News. Home News 'My heart is devastated': Parents react after LCPS suspends boys who oppose girl in locker room The parents of two boys at Loudoun County Public Schools expressed heartbreak and alarm after the school division suspended their sons for questioning why a girl who identifies as male was using the boys' facilities. LCPS issued a 10-day suspension against the teenage boys on Friday, according to a Monday statement provided to The Christian Post by the Founding Freedoms Law Center, a socially conservative organization representing the families involved in the case. "My heart is devastated by the injustice of branding a 16-year-old boy with a guilty determination that could follow him for life simply because he dared to state the obvious: that his privacy was violated when the opposite sex was allowed in his locker room, and even to the point where he was videotaped secretly," Renae Smith, the mother of one of the boys, said in a statement. The school division declared the two teenagers who attend Stone Bridge High School guilty of "sexual harassment" and "sex-based discrimination" under Title IX. One of the boys is not allowed to contact the complainant, and he must also work with the school administration to develop a "correction plan." Initially, the school division charged three boys with the same allegations, but only the two Christian teenagers were found guilty, while the third boy was acquitted, the Founding Freedoms Law Center noted. Seth Wolfe, the father of the other student, claimed that his son is "the latest casualty of Loudoun County's woke, indoctrination policies." "Instead of protecting students' privacy and acknowledging biological reality, the school system is punishing innocent boys with trumped-up charges that could jeopardize their college and career futures," the father said in a statement. "Every parent should be alarmed because if it can happen to our child, it can happen to yours." Victoria Cobb, president of the Founding Freedoms Law Center, accused the school division of carrying out a "top-down effort" to "normalize unacceptable privacy invasions" by punishing teenage boys who express concern about having a girl in their changing area. "We've seen time and time again that Loudoun County, if given the opportunity to do the right thing, will instead do the wrong thing," Cobb stated. "LCPS once again shows it is willing to harm students in the name of woke ideology. Punishing boys for raising legitimate privacy concerns is outrageous." Attorneys are preparing the next steps for the students' defense. Josh Hetzler, who has served as legal counsel to the families, called on the U.S. Department of Justice "to bring action to correct this wrong." "By making an example out of these boys and punishing them for complaining about a girl being in their locker room, LCPS shows its defiance of the US Department of Education's Title IX compliance demands," Hetzler said. Loudoun County Public Schools did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment. The school division launched an investigation earlier this year after a female student at Stone Bridge High School, who identifies as male, used the boys' locker room to change. Due to LCPS policies, trans-identifying students are allowed to use the restroom or locker room that aligns with their gender identity. After gym class in March, the female student used her phone to record several boys who questioned why a girl was changing in their locker room. According to the Founding Freedoms Law Center, one of the clients reportedly asked: "Why is there a girl in the locker room?" Another boy reportedly told the P.E. teacher and the high school principal that sharing a locker room with a girl made him uncomfortable. A school division spokesperson said in an earlier statement to CP that LCPS would not discipline students for expressing their beliefs unless their behavior violated the LCPS Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook for Families and the Student Code of Conduct. "We reject any characterization that implies our schools are unsafe or that we fail to protect the rights of all students," the LCPS spokesperson said. "We remain steadfast in our legal and ethical obligation to uphold the rights of every student and will continue to create and nurture an environment that is welcoming and accepting for all students, so that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed." On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education announced that LCPS is one of five Northern Virginia school districts placed on "high-risk status," stating that federal funding will come from reimbursement only. The department said that the districts violated Title IX through policies that allow trans-identifying students to use "intimate facilities" that align with their gender identity. In addition, the education department noted that the school divisions refused to sign a proposed Resolution Agreement to resolve their Title IX violations by Friday. "States and school districts cannot openly violate federal law while simultaneously receiving federal funding with no additional scrutiny. The Northern Viriginia School Divisions that are choosing to abide by woke gender ideology in place of federal law must now prove they are using every single federal dollar for a legal purpose," U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a Tuesday statement. "We have given these Northern Virginia School Divisions every opportunity to rectify their policies which blatantly violate Title IX," McMahon added. "Today's accountability measures are necessary because they have stubbornly refused to provide a safe environment for young women in their schools." The school districts vowed to uphold their policies on Friday, citing a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling finding that trans-identified students have the right to use bathrooms and changing areas that correspond to their gender identity, reports WJLA. Home News 'A war for Christianity': Lutheran pastor resigns after planning to endorse AOC in sermon A liberal Lutheran pastor and activist in Wisconsin resigned after his bishop told him endorsing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for president in a Sunday sermon would violate denominational guidelines. Former Pastor Jonathan Barker resigned from Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha and shed his credentials as a minister in the progressive Mainline Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, according to a letter from Bishop Paul D. Erickson of the Greater Milwaukee Synod. Erickson said he learned last Wednesday that Barker, 41, was planning to preach a sermon endorsing Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the informal far-left faction in the U.S. House of Representatives known as the Squad. Ocasio-Cortez has not announced a run for president in 2028, but is now 35 and eligible to run for the White House. Barker cited the recent declaration by the IRS under the Trump administration that it would not enforce the Johnson Amendment on pastors who endorse political candidates. This longstanding restriction puts the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status of churches and nonprofits at risk if they endorse political candidates or engage in political campaigns. Critics have argued that the law infringes on the First Amendment rights of religious leaders and ministries to speak out about what's taking place politically in society. Supporters of the restriction see it as a necessary measure to keep church and state matters separate. The bishop called Barker last Wednesday to discourage him from making the endorsement, saying that the Johnson Amendment, passed in 1954, is still the law of the land even if it isn't being enforced. Erickson said the U.S. Justice Department's declaration made in a legal filing last month is non-binding and the government's position could be revoked under a different administration. Additionally, Erickson stressed that the denomination has adopted a "Social Statement on Faith and Civic Life" that expresses support for the Johnson Amendment and "discourages rostered ministers and congregations from making political endorsements." "The statement also acknowledges that the Johnson Amendment does not prohibit issue advocacy, and the ELCA and the Greater Milwaukee Synod has and will continue to advocate for justice and peace," Erickson said. "Grace Lutheran Church, like most ELCA congregations and ministries, receives its tax-exempt status by being part of a group ruling from the IRS. Engaging in partisan political activity could jeopardize not only Grace Lutheran Church's standing but the standing of all congregations and ministries included in the group ruling." At the conclusion of their call last Wednesday, Barker told Erickson that he would pray about his request not to make an endorsement. Erickson said that Barker called him the next day to resign from the church and the ELCA roster of ministers. "This resignation takes effect immediately, meaning that he is no longer considered a pastor in this church," Erickson said. "I ask you to hold Jonathan and his family in prayer as he discerns how best to fulfill his baptismal calling in this world." Barker told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that his endorsement would have stood as a contrast to what he believes will be thousands of conservative pastors endorsing Republicans in the 2026 midterms following the IRS' declaration in the legal brief. "It's really like a war for Christianity," Barker was quoted as saying. "The soul of Christianity is at stake in this moment." As a social activist, Barker has a history of advocating for progressive-leaning policy issues he finds important, such as climate change, universal health insurance and raising the minimum wage. The newspaper notes that he was arrested during a Trump campaign rally in Waukesha, while wearing a bright green shirt that stated "Jesus Would Demand a Green New Deal," a reference to the policy framework sponsored by Ocasio-Cortez. He is also the author of the 2020 book Jesus Would Demand a Green New Deal: The Story of Why One Christian Pastor Went On a 12 Day Fast for the Green New Deal. Barker was arrested and cited for disorderly conduct in August 2023 after he super-glued his feet to the pavement near a parking garage in Milwaukee on the day of the Republican primary debate, preventing drivers from exiting and entering the garage, according to arrest records. Other progressive pastors have voiced their support for relaxing the enforcement of the Johnson Amendment. Doug Pagitt, a Minnesota pastor and executive director of the progressive Evangelical grassroots organization Vote Common Good, said last month that the IRS' decision "levels a playing field that has been lopsided for decades." "For too long, Republican politicians and their allies have spoken freely from pulpits, while too many Democrats and faith leaders held back, worried they would cross an invisible line. This decision removes that roadblock," he wrote in a statement to The Christian Post. "We view this as a significant opportunity for Democrats to engage faith voters en masse. With 80 percent of Christian voters open to voting for a Democrat, this change opens the door for more honest, values-based conversations in faith communities across the country." Tony Perkins, president of the national Christian conservative advocacy organization Family Research Council, called the IRS' move "a long time in coming." "After years of education, agitation, and the efforts of many, churches will now be unshackled from the Johnson Amendment free to speak biblically on cultural issues and candidates without fear of the IRS," stated Perkins on social media. Kelly Shackelford, the president and chief counsel for the conservative legal group First Liberty Institute, said the Johnson Amendment has been weaponized "to silence churches and pastors for decades." Home News Central Christian Church grieves after multiple men accuse former youth pastor of abuse Larry Kirk, the lead pastor of Central Christian Church in Baltimore County, Maryland, has called the recent arrest of former youth pastor Thomas Pinkerton on sex abuse charges heartbreaking and said the church is cooperating with police as they investigate him. A news release from the Baltimore County Police Department said Pinkerton, 52, was arrested on multiple sex offense charges stemming from abuse that occurred between 2006 and 2010 when he was an employee of the church. It is suspected the abuse occurred at the church and at Pinkertons Baltimore County home, the Aug. 7 release said. Pinkertons arrest warrant, cited by NBC News, said detectives started investigating him last fall after seven men alleged he sexually abused them in their teens. They allege that the former youth pastor would massage them and rub their penises. Some said Pinkerton would even kiss them on the lips, claiming they were a heavenly kiss or brotherly kiss. He also allegedly called himself their spiritual father and referred to them as his favorites. This news is deeply heartbreaking, Kirk said in a statement responding to the allegations against Pinkerton. We are committed to walking alongside these young men with compassion and support. Central Christian Church said Pinkerton last served on staff 15 years ago, around 2010, when he left to start his own ministry, highlighted online as Souls4Christ. Since then, according to the church, they haven't been affiliated with him. The matter [of the alleged abuse] became known after one of the alleged victims had the courage to step forward and report the abuse to law enforcement. Since then, additional individuals, some of whom were minors during the staff members tenure, have come forward with similar accounts. Allegations have also surfaced from individuals in other states after the staff member's departure, Central Christian Church said. The church has offered counseling and spiritual support to those impacted and has fully cooperated with law enforcement while this case remains under investigation. At the time of his arrest, Pinkerton was residing in Georgia, but was extradited to Maryland on Aug. 6 to face 24 felony and misdemeanor counts, officials said. He is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on no bond. Investigators say there might be more victims who havent yet come forward and urged anyone with information on the case to call the Crimes Against Children Unit at 410-887-7720. Pinkertons attorney, Justin Hollimon, told NBC News that his client has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which have left him completely shocked. He is a pastor. He gave his life to the community, worked for the community, Hollimon told the news network. Hes anxiously waiting his day in court. According to his ministry's website, Pinkerton is married and has two sons with his wife. Pastor Tommy received the call to ministry at age 12. The Holy Spirit brought to his attention Mark 16:15-18. A desire to go and preach the gospel came alive in his heart. At 17 years old, he preached his first sermon, the ministry's website says. God placed a desire to reach the local community into the hearts of the Pinkerton family, and Souls 4 Christ expanded to include a focus on home missions through neighborhood events, Bible studies, mentorship, and church leadership conferences. The Pinkerton family believes the best is yet to come as they pursue God's vision for the United States and the nations of the world. Home News Released time Bible program reaches 34 states, 100K students participating this school year An organization that provides off-campus religious education to public school students during the day is reporting record enrollment for the 2025-26 school year. In a statement provided to The Christian Post, LifeWise Academy announced that, in the 2025-26 school year, nearly 100,000 students will attend Bible-based character education during the school day under programs that allow for released time for students to obtain religious education off-campus. LifeWise Academy, which offers such instruction to students, characterized this years enrollment as the highest in the organizations history. A fact sheet compiled by LifeWise Academy shows that 44,438 students were enrolled in the program last year. As explained on its donation page, LifeWise seeks to make its program available for all 50 million public school students. In an interview with CP, LifeWise Academy CEO Joel Penton said the organization has been able to grow thanks to the homegrown support of communities throughout America. When a community collects 50 signatures saying theyd like to start a local LifeWise program, we work with them to bring it to fruition. Our staff will help them work with school districts, develop plans and launch the program, he added. As weve grown, so too has funding, ranging from small dollar donors to large nonprofits that see the tremendous impact that LifeWise has on children's emotional, academic and spiritual growth, he added. Penton attributed the surge in enrollment at LifeWise Academy to parents learning more about the program through word of mouth, seeing how it works in neighboring communities and states or hearing about it through the media. Many states are also responding to the demand by passing released time religious instruction laws, which make Bible-based education more accessible to parents, he added. In his earlier statement provided to CP, he said, Students who receive religious instruction are more equipped to navigate todays challenges. Parents and teachers tell us that students behavior improves and that theyre more engaged both inside and outside the classroom. Additional statistics shared by LifeWise Academy reveal that LifeWise will serve students in more than 1,100 schools, nearly double the amount from the previous school year and that the number of states where LifeWise Academy will provide its off-campus religious instruction has increased from 27 to 34. Every new program launched means more students hearing timeless truths, developing strong moral character, and building a foundation that will guide them for the rest of their lives, Penton said. Together, with the communities we serve, were making a real impact. As states such as Oklahoma have sought to provide options for students to attend off-campus religious instruction during the day, LifeWise Academy has insisted that the arrangement does not run afoul of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. In the 1952 U.S. Supreme Court decisionZorach v. Clauson, the justices ruled that there was no constitutional requirement which makes it necessary for government to be hostile to religion and to throw its weight against efforts to widen the effective scope of religious influence. When the state encourages religious instruction or cooperates with religious authorities by adjusting the schedule of public events to sectarian needs, it follows the best of our traditions, the opinion stated. To hold that it may not would be to find in the Constitution a requirement that the government show a callous indifference to religious groups. Penton also pushed back on the idea that students attending LifeWise Academy causes a disruption to the school day: LifeWise programs typically take place during the lunch hour or elective time. We provide transportation so theres no disruption to the school day. Its a great option for busy families who are often juggling multiple activities, jobs and schedules. A poll of 1,000 registered voters conducted by RMG Research on behalf of LifeWise Academy from Feb. 25-26 found widespread support for programs allowing students to obtain religious instruction during the school day. Seventy-eight percent of respondents said they favored teaching moral and character education to public school students, while 13% opposed. Similarly, 67% of those surveyed answered in the affirmative when asked if they wanted to see public school students have access to Bible-based character education available for public school students. The survey had a margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points. Michael Gryboski contributed to this article. Home News Smithsonian 'obscuring' new study finding greater gap between humans, apes than previously thought: Geologist Intelligent Design proponent says DC museum wants to 'convince visitors theres nothing special' about humans A Christian scientist says one of Americas most prestigious museums is promoting scientific misinformation about the history of mankind. In a July op-ed for the New York Post, attorney and geologist Casey Luskin called out the Smithsonians National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., for its depiction of an ape-like species as early humans in an effort to convince visitors that theres nothing special about us as human beings. The exhibit in the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins claims there is only about a 1.2% genetic difference between modern humans and chimpanzees and features large images of a human and apes with the caption, You and chimpanzees [are] 98.8% genetically similar. But Luskin, who holds a Ph.D. in geology and is a fellow of the Discovery Institute, says the exhibits numbers are inaccurate in light of a study published in the journal Nature in April, which reported significantly higher genetic differences between humans and apes than previously claimed. During an Aug. 11 episode of the Discovery Institute podcast ID The Future with host Andrew McDiarmid, Luskin explained the Nature studys findings, detailing how single nucleotide variations and alignment issues due to structural differences sum to a 15% genetic difference, far greater than the 1-2% commonly cited. This argument for human evolution based upon the claim that we are only 1% genetically different, its wrong, he said. We are far more than 1% genetically different. Noting that scientists have long used the 1% number as a key argument for evolution, Luskin said the gap between apes and humans is far wider and likely due to a common Creator rather than a common ancestor. The percent genetic similarity between humans and chimps really doesnt tell you anything about whether we share a common ancestor because those genetic similarities could also be the result of common design, said Luskin. Luskin also disputes the museums portrayal of fossils like Sahelanthropus tchadensis and Australopithecus as early humans that walked upright, noting scientific controversies and evidence suggesting ape-like traits. They present the Australopithecines as quote early humans even though this is not even in the genus Homo, he said. They claim they walked upright on the ground, you know, much like we do. Instead, argued Luskin, evidence of ape-like knuckle-walking and tree-climbing adaptations suggests the creature was far more like an ape than initially depicted. Everything about her skeleton from fingertips to toes suggests several traits that would be very suitable for climbing in trees, he added. Luskin noted that the Smithsonians inaccuracies fall on the centennial of the 1925 Scopes Trial a case about the prohibition of teaching human evolution in public schools that led to the teaching of Darwins theory arguing that todays evolutionists are obscuring accurate scientific data in what he described as a Scopes in reverse scenario. How ironic that 100 years later, the nations premier science museum is obscuring scientifically objective and accurate data on the very same subject, he said. The Christian Post reached out to the Smithsonian for comment on Tuesday. This article will be updated if a response is received. While often pitted against Darwinian evolution, the Intelligent Design theory has gained growing attention from mainstream scientists and has produced nearly 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications as of May 2024, according to the Discovery Institute. Home Opinion 3 things parents can do to protect their kids from woke ideologies For most Christian moms and dads, sending kids back to school these days is a faith-building exercise. Any parent whos followed the headlines about what goes on in Americas classrooms almost certainly has some anxiety about the environment their children are being exposed to on a daily basis. But if youre one of those parents whos concerned about how you can protect your children from the secular messages and ideologies your kids are going to confront, theres hope. One of the most frequent questions Dr. Jeff Myers gets is: how do I prepare my children for the radical ideologies theyll be bombarded with at school? As the president of Summit Ministries and a longtime educator, he decided to tackle the dilemma facing todays parents with a book he co-wrote with Dr. Kathy Koch, Raising Gender Confident Kids. On Friday, he sat down with Family Research Councils Jody Hice on Washington Watch to flesh out some of the biggest takeaways for families with a pit in their stomachs about what their sons and daughters could learn that contradicts their beliefs. First of all, its important for moms and dads to realize that this isnt just an issue for parents who send their kids to public schools. I do emphasize to them, even if your child does not go to a school that fights against your values, they are living in a culture that fights against your values, Myers stressed. [If] you homeschool your kids, you still go to the grocery store. They still go through the checkout line. They still see the bearded person walking down the aisle wearing high heels in a dress. They are going to face things that are happening in the culture, and there are three things you do. 1. Help your children take every thought captive While Christians might be familiar with the term biblical worldview, a lot of Americans arent, Myers points out. They dont realize that if youre not operating from a Christian worldview, you are operating from some other worldview that either ignores the existence of God or discounts the existence of God. A lot of educators today are working from the assumption that parents dont have the best interests of their children in mind. In fact, he warned, a lot of schools believe that parents arent the stewards of the children. Instead, they think the state is the steward and therefore, the school can do whatever they want to the kids. Quite literally, Myers cautions, half of the schools in America are teaching radical gender ideology. Theyre trying to rewire children into thinking that the God their parents told them about is either non-existent or not good, and that they may have actually been born in the wrong body. Thats where the admonition of 2 Corinthians 10:5 comes in. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (NIV). As believers, We start from the idea that God designed us, Myers explained, therefore, every person has dignity. Nobody is a victim. We are victors over our circumstances. We treat everybody with dignity, but we also recognize that there is a truth that God has given to us and we need to discover what that is to take every thought captive. 2. Make sure they arent taken captive By the time people reach their mid-20s, 70% of young adults who grew up in church no longer believe biblical truth. They were quite literally taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophies, Myers shakes his head. As parents, he implores, we have to know the schemes of the enemy and what his lies are so that our children arent taken captive. That said, Myers pointed out, the trans ideology is probably the number one threat young adults are going to be facing in school this fall. And moms and dads cant fall into the trap of thinking that just because their kids are in red states or conservative communities, their kids are safe. Theyre going to be told that there is a gender spectrum, and on one end is extreme masculinity [and] on the other end is extreme femininity Its either G.I. Joe or Barbie. And since nobody is really either G.I. Joe or Barbie, were all kind of in the middle. Were all trans. Maybe youre even born in the wrong body. Myers talked about how pervasive this agenda is when he talked to a grandmother recently who raised all of her children in the church and sent them to Christian camps. Despite that, five of her 13 grandchildren now identify as trans. And there are grieving families all over the country just like her. Myers told the story of a dinner he and his wife recently had with a couple whose daughter had to switch to a new school. When they asked what led to the change, she replied, Because I was the only girl left in my class. What do you mean, they asked? She astonished them by answering, All the other girls in my class decided they were boys trapped in girls bodies, so they decided to transition to be boys. The reality is, Myers told Hice, [Our] kids are going to face this ideology. And thats why my co-author, Dr. Kathy Koch, whos an educational psychologist, and I wrote Raising Gender-Confident Kids, which they offer for free on their website. We will show you how to in a very natural way that builds a relationship with your children bring up these difficult issues and help them come to a knowledge of the truth We do need to be equipped. But frankly, Myers wanted parents to know, sometimes its as simple as having the courage to start a conversation with your kids. 3. Set the captives free Everyone in the schools who isnt embracing a biblical worldview is operating on a false ideology, Myers reiterates. We need to learn how to talk to them and help them come to a knowledge of the truth, as the apostle Paul told his disciple Timothy. While this may be a sinister movement, there is a way to confront it. The goal of the other side is to chip away at the foundation of faith that parents have so carefully built. And if you wanted people to believe that there is no God or that God is irrelevant to anything that is important, Myers underscored, then you have to somehow tear down all of the categories of meaning that make them think about God [Y]ou have to get rid of male and female. And so that is the pressure that is being placed on children these days, not [to look at things through] facts or evidence, but with a bias based on a false worldview. One reason this generation has been susceptible to it, he notes, is that we train our kids to not be bullies. We dont want our kids to be the mean ones in school. We tell them, If you see somebody being picked on, you need to stand up for them. What we didnt realize is that our efforts to help our kids be kind have [now been] weaponized by people with a false view of the world who want to tear down any understanding of truth. I mean, after all, if you can get a little kid to look at a boy or girl and say they cant tell a difference, then you can propagandize them to believe anything. Other common mistakes parents make when theyre trying to navigate this topic, Myers warns, are ignoring the issue of radical gender ideology or trying to argue with their kids about it. If youre a mom or dad whos done either of those things, the point here is not to beat yourself up about it, he emphasizes. This is about moving forward. In all fairness, sometimes parents dont realize what a huge debate gender identity is. But, he argued, young adults today are 1,600% more likely than people in their 50s or older to say that they identify as transgender. Up to 39% of young people say they identify as LGBTQ. So if you just say, Oh, thats so stupid, and you dismiss it, you will miss an opportunity for a conversation. Secondly, moms and dads should not try to debate the subject with their kids. Look, Myers said plainly, Youre not going to win the debate. Your child is going to go to Google [and look up] the word transgender, [and] the very first page the first five pages of results are all going to be things like transgender groups saying, Were going to tell you the facts about transgender, none of which is true, but theyre saying that its factual. Theres going to be a website there with a law firm to help you legally separate from your parents if they dont approve of your gender identity. There [are] going to be organizations there to show you how to get cross-sex hormones without your parents knowing about it. Your children can see all those websites. Youre going to lose the debate, he repeated. What do you do instead? Its pretty straightforward, Myers insists. Look for changes in your child. If they come home and theyre a little bit down, you want to ask them, Can you tell me what happened to you today thats [causing] you to see yourself the way you do? And when they talk, just start asking, Can you tell me more about that? Your affirming of the relationship with your child and helping them understand that God made them in His image is what makes [all] the difference. This is not about fear, Myers wants families to know. Its about giving your kids something solid to stand on in a world that keeps shifting. Lets raise the next generation with confidence. Originally published at The Washington Stand. Home Opinion Why the Rapture is real Lets start with the obvious: the Rapture sounds crazy. Jesus descends from Heaven, dead people rise from their graves, and living believers are suddenly caught up into the sky like the worlds strangest episode of Stranger Things. Sounds like the stuff your uncle mutters about after three cups of church coffee. Except its right there in Scripture. Paul says it. John says it. Jesus says it. The only ones who dont are usually the skeptics writing editorials dismissing the very faith that gives us hope. Now, critics like to pounce: But the word Rapture isnt even in the Bible! Congratulations, Sherlock. Neither are the words Trinity or even Bible. And yet, here we are, still believing in all three. The word comes from the Latin rapturas, which translates the Greek word harpazo meaning to snatch up, grab by force, Imagine a parent reaching out and pulling their child away from danger just in time. Thats the picture Scripture gives us of the Rapture. The history lesson no one wants Some say, Oh, the Rapture is just a modern invention, some 19th-century gimmick. Nonsense. Yes, J.N. Darby helped popularize it in more recent times, but long before him, the early Church Fathers like Irenaeus and Cyprian wrote about believers being snatched up before judgment. Its not new its biblical. We also hear about the Rapture straight from Paul, Peter, James, and most importantly, Jesus Himself: I will come again and receive you to myself. The most familiar passage on the Rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:1618: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together (Greek word: harpazo, meaning snatched up) with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. And if that sounds far-fetched, remember Enoch who literally walked off the face of the earth into Gods presence and Elijah, who rode to heaven in a fiery chariot. The prototypes are already in the Old Testament. Why it matters Heres why this isnt just a fun theological parlor game: the Rapture gives hope. Paul calls it the blessed hope. When youve buried a loved one, you dont need vague talk about them being in a better place. You need the solid promise that in one split second one atomos, faster than a teenager deleting browser history when his mom grabs his phone youll be with them again. Parents reunited with children. Husbands with wives. Brothers and sisters together again. And at the center of it all Jesus Christ Himself. And it does more than comfort grief. It motivates godliness. John says, Everyone who has this hope purifies himself. In other words, if you really believe Jesus could return at any moment, maybe dont binge sin like its Netflix. You wouldnt invite your best friend into a house piled with dirty laundry and Taco Bell wrappers. Dont greet your Savior that way either. You want to be ready walking with Him, keeping your spiritual house in order. The date-setting circus Of course, theres always the circus clowns with their calendars: 88 Reasons Jesus Will Return in 1988! They were wrong, just like every other date-setter before or since. Jesus made it pretty clear: No one knows the day or the hour. Which, funnily enough, includes you, me, and that guy on YouTube with the chart and the whiteboard. The Rapture isnt about prediction its about preparation. The takeaway So, what do we do with all this? We wake up. We stay alert. We stop living like the world is a Vegas buffet that never closes. Paul said: The night is almost gone, the day of salvation is soon here. Translation: time is short. Knock it off. If youre a believer, live clean, live holy, live hopeful. If youre not well, get right or get left. Because one day, maybe in our lifetime, maybe tonight in a blink, in the twinkling of an eye everything changes. Loved ones raised. The Church caught up. Judgment delayed until after the Bride has been rescued. Its not escapism. Its not fantasy. As C.S. Lewis reminded us, looking forward to the eternal world is one of the things a Christian is meant to do. So, laugh if you want. Roll your eyes. Write your snarky post. But when it happens when the shout comes, when the trumpet blows mockery wont matter. Only hope will. From a small mechanical workshop in 1945 to a global leader of industrial connectivity solutions, today HARTING provides connectors, network components, and cable harnesses for machinery, transportation, and telecommunications. As a pioneer of sustainable industry practices for decades, HARTING realized some of its practices were lagging behind. HARTINGs manual calculations to provide CO product data for customers was slow and costly, so they did it for only a few products. However, HARTING has over 100,000 products, and CO data has become a critical factor to include in bids to customers. In addition, HARTING needed to comply with EU regulations for net zero in 2030. To do so, the company needed to provide verifiable, product level carbon footprint data on all its products. Providing carbon footprint data on products is critical for competitive bids In 2024, HARTING set out to find a reliable and scalable way to calculate carbon emissions data across 100,000 products and 14 factories while continuing to meet customer and supplier sustainability expectations. Before they could provide CO data, however, they needed to accurately measure the carbon footprint of raw materials and supplies, including energy consumption. The goal was to implement a cost-effective solution that would automate the product-level measurement of emissions to verify CO footprints and, thereby, support competitive bids to customers, demonstrate compliance with EU regulations, and help HARTING regain its status as a sustainability pioneer. Complying with EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) transparency The European Union (EU) has established ambitious sustainability goals for the industry, including sustainability performance reporting in an accounting-based format. The EU CSRD, as well as the Digital Product Passport (including the Battery Passport), require more transparency and data reporting in 2026 to track product-level sustainability. HARTING needed to comply with these regulations as well as figure out how to achieve carbon neutrality (Net Zero) by 2030. While the company uses a high percentage of recycled plastic packaging, in order to comply with the EU standard, it must be able to measure and report on the carbon impact of all its plastic packaging. Verifiable, granular data for one-click carbon footprint tracking across 100K products To complement its SAP S/4HANA application landscape and maintain established green production and renewable energy processes, HARTING chose the SAP Sustainability Footprint Management solution. This gives HARTING a data-granular, verifiable one-click solution that is integrated with SAP S/4HANA and HARTINGs SAP business applications. Instead of relying on manual calculations using ERP and vendor data to determine the carbon footprint of just a few products, the new solution calculates CO data almost instantly across thousands of products. The key to communicating our CO emissions transparently and recognize potential for reduction, lies in the automated calculation and the granularity of the data provided by SAP Sustainability Footprint Management, explains Dr. Stephan Middelkamp, general manager, quality and technology, HARTING Technology Group. SAP Sustainability Footprint Management provides traceability through every step of the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) calculation by using real-time production data and by mapping the emission factors of purchased materials by access to a variety of databases directly in the solution, says Nadine Frank, sustainability controller, HARTING. In the end this enables us to calculate a very high number of PCFs with a click. AI modeling enhances mapping of emission factors to ERP data to improve accuracy The solution leverages AI to automate the mapping of emission factors to business processes and products. AI emission factor modeling a feature of the SAP Sustainability Footprint Management solution uses AI to streamline and enhance the mapping of emission factors to ERP data, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy in carbon footprint calculations. In order to calculate accurate carbon footprint data, the solution integrates with SAP S/4HANA, supplier data, and third-party data sources. For instance, HARTING can import and manage emission factors from various sources, including environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) databases and supplier data. This comprehensive approach enables HARTING to automate data collection and emissions calculations at a scale that can achieve CO transparency throughout its entire supply chain. Back on track to meet 100% of sustainability goals and EU Net Zero by 2030 HARTING stands out as a sustainability pioneer, leading the industry with one-click CO tracking. The new solution went live in 2024 across three factories in Germany and Switzerland, with plans to expand operations to all 14 factories (and 100K products) by 2026. Now, real-time, granular data assures customers choice of HARTINGs environmentally sustainable GreenLine label products those made with renewable materials can offer up to a 70% reduction in CO emissions. And, when it comes to its own carbon footprint, HARTING can measure and ensure that 85% of its packaging material is recycled. With these capabilities, HARTING is on track to meet its 100% sustainability goals by 2030. For these future-minded accomplishments, HARTING Technology Group was selected as a winner of the SAP Innovation Awards for 2025 in the Sustainability Hero category. Learn more about how they calculate product carbon footprints in their pitch deck. Abonati-va sa primiti pe email saptamanal lista articolelor adaugate pe parcursul saptamanii. Adresele .ru nu sunt acceptate. Email NEWSLETTER A hospice charity in Cardiff has paid tribute to one of its founders, Elinor Kapp, who died peacefully at the weekend aged 87. Kapp helped to found City Hospice in 1984 and was involved with the charity for over 40 years including as chair of its clinical governance committee and an extended term as a trustee, which concluded in June this year. The charity said in a statement that Kapp had guided the charity with compassion and an unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest standards of care. Liz Booyse, chief executive of City Hospice, said: Elinors vision and dedication shaped the very heart of our charity, touching the lives of countless families across Cardiff over four decades. She pioneered community-based hospice services that enabled people to live fully and spend their final days with dignity and love. She embodied our values of passion, compassion, empowerment and knowledge, inspiring all who knew her. Dr Elinor Kapp will live on in the care we continue to provide, and will be greatly missed by all of us at City Hospice. A book of condolences is available in the conservatory at Ty Hosbis, Whitchurch, where supporters are able to take a moment to reflect, leave a message and read the tributes to Kapp. A HIV charity founded by Prince Harry has made seven staff members redundant as part of a global restructure while it tackles funding challenges. According to reports in the Times , Sentebale has laid off four of its five-strong London staff team in a redundancy round that was launched after Prince Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho both stepped down as patrons in March. Employees dismissed include the charitys global head of finance and compliance, with other redundancies in its African teams, according to the reports. According to a redundancy letter from April seen by the Times, Sentebale told staff it does not have donor funding and the charity is in retrenchment. Fundraising drive Sentebale confirmed that since April, there has been a total of seven departures across the charitys three locations in London, Lesotho and Botswana as part of its restructuring. But the charity said funders responsible for two-thirds of its income remain steadfast, and said difficulties raising money have been caused by the negative media campaign. As a result, it said efforts are being geared towards significant fundraising efforts to replace these funds and replenish reserves". According to the charity, it has gained an equal if not greater number of new individual donors who are aligned with the work itself. It said the move to reduce its workforce, first discussed in early 2024, was deliberate and responsible due to uncertainty relating to international donor funding. The charity added that redundancies in London were part of its strategy to transition senior executive roles to southern Africa. The spokesperson for Sentebale added that institutional funders account for more than 65% of Sentebales overall funding and have continued to demonstrate their full confidence in and commitment to the organisation. Recent investigation The Charity Commission opened a regulatory compliance case into Sentebale in April this year over governance concerns after Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso left following an internal dispute between the charitys trustees and Chandauka. The commission issued Sentebale with a regulatory action plan to address governance weaknesses after the damaging internal dispute emerged publicly. It found the then trustees failure to resolve disputes internally severely impacted the charitys reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally. But the investigation found there was no evidence of any widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity despite claims to the contrary by Chandauka. The charity, which was founded in 2006 and supports people in Africa living with HIV and Aids, had 107 employees in the year to August 2023, according to documents filed with the commission. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, GOSH Charity The Fundraising Regulator has found 11 breaches of its code of practice after investigating Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH), fundraising agency Acwyre, and subcontractor IBA Global. GOSH Charity had reported itself to the regulator, after an undercover reporter from the Times last year uncovered concerns about pressure-selling tactics, performance culture and the behaviour of fundraisers working for IBA Global. The subcontractor had been hired by agency Acwyre, which had a contract with the charity. GOSH Charity previously opened its own external investigation and filed a serious incident report to the Charity Commission in relation to the Times findings. Insufficient contract The regulator found that the contract between the agency and the subcontractor was insufficient, as it reportedly lacked important details about monitoring processes and compliance expectations, making it difficult for the charity to be confident that its standards were being upheld. It found that the subcontractor's training materials did not cover everything required including details about unreasonable persistence, undue pressure, and vulnerable circumstances. Additional evidence uncovered by the regulator also suggested a performance culture at the subcontractor which focused more on successful sign-ups than on following the fundraising standards in the code. The Fundraising Regulator has made several recommendations to GOSH Charity regarding its arrangements with Acwyre, including its use of subcontractors. It recommended that Acwyre review its campaign agreements with relevant subcontractors, and that both GOSH Charity and the agency consider their monitoring and compliance arrangements with the subcontractor. It urged the charity to review and update its own training materials about the code, and recommended that the subcontractor aims to ensure an appropriate performance culture for charitable fundraising. GOSH Charity has agreed to comply with and has already begun implementing the regulators recommendations. Acwyre has also begun to make changes to activities while IBA Global states it is not currently undertaking any charitable fundraising. Gerald Oppenheim, chief executive of the Fundraising Regulator, said: We are pleased all parties worked positively with us during the investigation, cooperated by sending us the information we needed. We had constructive dialogue with the charity and the agencies throughout. We understand the value to charities in using agencies to assist with their fundraising. However, it is vital that charities have oversight and effective monitoring of the work agencies are carrying out on their behalf to make sure their charitable values are upheld. GOSH Charity taking findings extremely seriously A GOSH Charity spokesperson said: We take the findings of the Fundraising Regulator extremely seriously and welcome all their feedback and recommendations. The breaches in our door-to-door fundraising practices were unacceptable, and we deeply regret any distress caused to the public and our supporters. GOSH Charity does not condone any fundraising practices and behaviours that do not comply with the high standards we expect. Over the past 18 months, weve tightened our agency relationships, strengthened compliance, improved fundraiser training and enhanced how we record and learn from complaints. Responding to the publishing of the investigation outcomes, a spokesperson for the Chartered Institute of Fundraising said: The concerns investigated by the Fundraising Regulator must be taken very seriously and used as lessons learned in future to ensure this does not happen again. GOSH Charity also played a pivotal role in the development of the Chartered Institute of Fundraisings new guidance around face-to-face fundraising partnerships using their own experiences and lessons learned to advise on areas of improvement, particularly around compliance and the importance of having clear oversight of who is representing your charity when subcontracting is involved. Civil Society has contacted IBA Global and Acwyre for comment. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. In 2023, a group including the MacArthur and Knight foundations announced Press Forward, a massive philanthropic effort to respond to the democracy-threatening collapse of local news. Press Forward committed funds amounting to an average of $100 million per year over five years to support local news. But in a single day earlier this month, five times that amount$535 million per yearvanished from the media system when Congress, at President Trumps directive, eliminated the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). It was a crushing blow to the effort to revive community journalism. In response, Knight, MacArthur, and several other foundations announced this week that they were funding a Public Media Bridge Fund to fill the absence of CPB. About a hundred TV and radio stations were receiving more than 30 percent of their revenue from CPB; many of those would be in danger of going dark. Managed by the Public Media Company, the Public Media Bridge Fund aims to provide as much as $100 million, with $26.5 million raised so far, toward ensuring that those most at-risk stations survive. The name of the fund raises a question: A bridge to what? Going forward, what is the proper role of taxpayer support for the media? The demise of CPB opens the opportunity to creatively rethink how funding for public broadcasting and other local media can work. While the kind of content on public broadcasting has changed over time, it has always maintained the meta-mission of providing civic-minded programming that the public would not get from the commercial sector. In other words, public media addressed a failure of the market. The first question we should ask, then, is: What is the most important market failure now? I would argue that the collapse of local news is the medias biggest problem. Since 2002, the number of local journalists has dropped 75 percent. More than a thousand counties across the country lack even one full-time journalist. This loss of community news is leading to corruption, misinformation, and polarization. Timothy Snyder, a Yale historian who studies tyranny, calls this local news crisis the essential problem of our republic. Luckily, its a problem that can be solved with public money. Public broadcasting, especially radio, is a major source of local news. Of 1,400 public TV and radio stations, about 608 cover local news, according to the State of Local News report in 2020. Thats despite the fact that CPB required 75 percent of its funds to go to television, which does minimal local reporting. Radio is much better for that. Some public radio stations are way ahead of the rest of the industry in their understanding of local business models. They mastered membership models long before small donors became a hot topic at local journalism conferences. Whats more, theyve built an enduring physical architecture of powerful towers and repeater transmitters in low-population areas that reach parts of the country underserved by the internet. Several newspapers, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Lancaster Online, have even merged with public radio stations. Public radio still has a long way to go to meet its potential as a solution to the local news crisis. More than half of the public stations in the US dont do local coverage at all. Many of those that do focus only on broadcast pieces, failing to offer meaningful digital services. Too many have resisted collaborations with websites and newspapers. But they are well positioned to play a key role if they adapt. But broadcast TV and radio should not be the only type of nonprofit media that is funded. Why should content that swims through the airwaves be subsidized, but an article on a nonprofit local news website should not? There are four hundred local nonprofit websites directly covering communities. Its time for public policy to recognize the existence of the internet. Sign up for CJRs daily email The focus should be on publicly financed media, not only public media that is overseen by a government agency. Lets stop thinking that publicly supported media can only mean a fund like CPB that gives out grants. What matters is that taxpayers are willing to support the services, whatever the form. Illinois, for instance, has a pilot program to provide refundable tax credits for newsrooms that hire or retain local reporters, including in public radio. About $4 million supports 120 local news outlets. Its a nonbureaucratic, content-neutral system. A national version on the financial scale of CPB would support 20,000 community reporters. In Kansas, the legislature is considering a tax credit for small businesses that advertise with both commercial and noncommercial local news. In New Mexico, California, and Washington State, taxpayers subsidize fellowships for professional journalists placed in local newsrooms. In New York City, a share of the governments advertising is targeted toward community media. This is all publicly financed media. Lets push this one step further. Might for-profit local news outlets also receive public funding? Journalism that holds the government accountable, provides crucial information to residents, and helps a community accrue the civic capital to solve its own problems is a public good, whether its delivered by a for-profit or nonprofit outlet. Giving taxpayer and philanthropic support to for-profit companies has not been part of the historical philosophy of public broadcasting. But other government social programs have taken a different approach. For example, students are allowed to use Pell Grants and Guaranteed Student Loans to go to private colleges. And commercial farmers receive $30 billion per year to advance public goals related to sustaining the food supply. When taxpayer dollars go to commercial companies, policy needs to provide incentives and guardrails. Illinoiss tax credit for retaining local reporters encourages companies to add reporters for more money; if reporters get cut, the companies get less. The inclusion of for-profit outlets might also broaden political support for public media. The erosion of trust in the media results mostly from disingenuous attacks, not bias or journalistic sloppiness. But crafting a publicly financed system that is big enough to truly address the local news crisis requires the embrace of a wide range of voters who view funding as neutral. Before public broadcasting came along, there was a larger and more enduring government intervention in local news. That was a massive subsidy to the fledgling newspaper industry in the form of artificially cheap postage rates. This subsidy lasted for more than a hundred years. At its peak, it provided financial support that would be the equivalent today of about $50 billion per year, far bigger than CPB. What would be equivalent policies for the modern era? Heres another idea: a tax credit or voucher for every American to help them purchase a subscription or give a donation to a local news outlet of their choosing. Each resident would decide where the support goeswith public radio and television among the optionsas long as the outlet provides professional journalistic coverage. In this model, the government would amplify the consumers spending power, like it does with tax-deductible deductions for donating to charity. Approaches like this would generate greater political supportand more dollars. According to my calculations with Rebuild Local News, an organization to develop public policies to strengthen local news, media needs $1 billion to $2 billion a year in taxpayer support, from some combination of state and federal governments, for local news; were not going to get there with niche programs that appeal to narrow slivers of the political spectrum. This prompts me toward a heretical thought: What if the best way to help the media is not with carefully sculpted grants provided to worthy programs by a panel of wise people, but rather big, messy, blunt-instrument policies that push far more dollars into the system and lift all boats? The 1967 Carnegie Commission that created the institution of public media made one proposal that was tragically ignored. Rather than forcing leaders to go before Congress each year to beg for fundswhich the commission presciently viewed as subject to future political machinationsthey suggested the system be financed by levying an excise tax on TV sets, starting at two cents and rising to five cents. (Thats the equivalent of about fifty cents today.) That money would be deposited in a trust fund for use by CPB. Congress rejected the idea and opted instead for a system of regular appropriations. But the Carnegie Commission had the right idea. A tiny fee on the technology that brings us information in the modern system would solve many problems. The tax might be tied to internet advertising, the sale of mobile phones, or data-extracting AI. This system would generate funds to make CPB seem puny. Making Big Tech pay up for publicly financed media is appropriate, since these companies played a significant role in undermining the original business model for local news. The rise of AI, too, is likely to exacerbate the local news crisis. That calls to mind what President Lyndon Johnson said in signing the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967: Miracles in communications are our daily routine. Today our problem is not making miraclesbut managing miracles. We might well ponder a different question: What hath man wroughtand how will man use his inventions? In 2025, we are at another critical juncture. The solution is not going to be a big federal fund or a replica of CPB. At the same time, public support for local media is more important than ever. Journalists will need to figure out how to adapt to the new technological and political realities to create something bigger, bolder, and more enduring. This article has been updated. Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. In February, Blessed Mhlanga, the host of the Zimbabwean digital news and talk show Free Talk, was arrested and charged with inciting violence. Mhlanga, who is forty-five, had recently interviewed a war veteran and former intelligence officer who has emerged as a leading critic of Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa, although the exact precipitating event for his arrest was not made clear. Six years after the death of Robert Mugabe, who brutally ruled the country for nearly forty years, Zimbabwe is still not an easy place to practice journalism. While the countrys latest constitution technically guarantees the freedom of expression and media rights, the country typically scores low in global freedom and corruption indexes. In recent years, according to Reporters Without Borders, Mnangagwas government has stepped up efforts to suppress critical voices, including signing a new cybersecurity law that, among other things, makes the online distribution of information deemed false punishable by up to five years imprisonment. In July, Faith Zaba, the editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, was arrested for undermining or insulting the authority of the president, after publishing a satirical opinion column that called Zimbabwe a mafia state. Mnangagwa, who was a close ally of Mugabe, has been seeking to amend the constitution to allow him to run for a third term, in 2028. All this has pushed Mhlanga to create a space for critical voices. In 2022, he and another journalist, Chengeto Chidi, were arrested and had their recording devices damaged while attempting to document the detention of an opposition politician. Earlier this year, Mhlanga faced a police investigation after he interviewed the political activist Jealousy Mawarire, who alleged that Mnangagwa was engaged in secret efforts to sell a state-owned bank to private investors. His latest prosecution earned him ten weeks in prison before he was granted provisional release, pending trial. This conversation, conducted over WhatsApp, has been edited for concision and clarity. NA: Why do you think the authorities arrested youand why were you later released? BM: I would not know the real motives behind my arrest and detention. Whether it was meant to silence me or instill fear in me, whats certain is that it achieved the opposite. I was denied bail three timestwice by the Magistrates Court and once at the High Court. I dont know on what grounds they denied me bail because our constitution makes bail a right which should only be denied where there are compelling reasons to do so. In my case, there were none, and therefore the courts were supposed to grant me bail at my first appearance. I can only therefore say after seventy-two days of jailing an innocent journalist, they could not keep him in prison any longer because of international and local pressure. I was ordered to pay five hundred dollars bail, report every Friday to the police, stay at my given address, and surrender my passport. What was prison like? It was hell on earth. I suffered emotionally as I was jailed for no crime in the section where the most dangerous criminals are found. Physically, I slept in overcrowded cells infested with bedbugs and managed by cruel prison guards who think dehumanizing accused persons is their job. I survived because of solidarity and support from fellow inmates and the outside world. Sign up for CJRs daily email It was also expensive. The government has no capacity to provide food for inmates. The food they feed inmates with is not fit for human consumption. So having my family bring me food every day was a very expensive exercise. They would visit twice a day and would cook food for about five people. Also, bribes have to be paid to get access to other important services, like body lotion and toilet paper. What is your talk show about? My show is a sociopolitical talk show which focuses on current affairs in Zimbabwe. It is not just a platform to ensure that the powerful are held accountable, but it also offers a voice to all Zimbabweans as a nation-building tool. We allow new ideas to be shared, filtered, and subjected to scrutiny. We also give a voice to victims of state-sponsored violence to share their stories and horrors. I believe its one of the most powerful platforms in the country, with more than fifteen million views over the three years that I have been hosting it. Youre not afraid to interview provocative guests. Do you think you are being targeted for what you cover? It is mere speculation that these interviews are what led to my arrest; it might be mere smoke, but honestly anything is possible with the Harare regime. Since I am still on bail and the matter is before the courts, I wish to refrain from saying things that might disrespect the process. However, what is clear is, I was arrested for allegedly transmitting messages that could cause violence. [The war veterans] messages were actually from a press conference and were broadcast on HSTV, which has over twenty employees. Out of all the twenty, they chose to arrest me, for reasons I dont know. So maybe those who suspect that its because my talk show is ruffling feathers might be right. What do you make of the current state of press freedom in Zimbabwe? What is it like to be a journalist there today? There is no freedom of expression in Zimbabwe, regardless of the fact that the constitution protects it. Only those who control guns and police can exercise this freedom. Once others do the same, the state descends on them heavily and ruthlessly, with impunity. Those who praise the regime enjoy their freedoms. Press freedom to me means the right to share ideas, opinions, and critiquing that of others without having to worry about who will follow you home. I can compare [the practice of journalism in Zimbabwe] with what its like in South Africa, where our peers are respected, well paid, and better resourced. In Zimbabwe, it takes a lot of passion and determination to practice this trade. The government treats you like an enemy; you are poorly paid and under-resourced. However, if you dont do the job, the nation might never recover. I do what I do because it matters for the nation, and not because I am safe or I get any benefit. It doesnt sound like its any better than it was under Mugabe. The two are just two sides of the same coin. Mugabe at least had some class; the current crop is crass and careless. Its more dangerous today than it was under Mugabe. Has your prosecution changed you as a person or journalist? I have not changed. I remain a journalist who, at the core, loves shining the light in dark places in an effort to ensure accountability and transparency by public officials. Instead of changing me, the experience tested my resolve and commitment to the profession. Now I am more motivated and committed to our readers and viewers than ever. Its difficult to shake off the emotional scar, which is deep and disturbing. My doctors have been taking me through counseling, and its a difficult journey. But I shall overcome. A Philadelphia police officer who was severely beaten by a robbery suspect in 2017 has won his right to add a psychological injury to his already settled workers compensation claim for physical injuries suffered in the incident. The officers employer, the city of Philadelphia, had opposed the officers post-traumatic stress disorder claim on res judicata grounds that the prior agreed-upon work injury description, already amended once by the officer, precluded him from again amending it to add a mental health injury because the claim had already been resolved. However, the Commonwealth Court found that his claim for PTSD was not barred by res judicata, which prevents relitigating of a claim once it has been decided, because the earlier injury claim from the work incident dealt with other issues and the PTSD was not known at that time of the earlier agreement. The intermediate appellate court thus reversed a March 2024 decision by the Workers Compensation Appeal Board that had disallowed the PTSD claim. Evidence showed that the officer was suffering from depression right after the robbery incident but was embarrassed about having a mental health issue so he delayed getting treatment and did not bring it up or think of it as compensable when first claiming benefits. He got concerned and raised it as an issue only after his symptoms worsened and he had suicidal thoughts and flashbacks. What Happened Michael N. Lewis, Sr. had been a Philadelphia police officer for more than 24 years. On February 4, 2017, when he responded to a burglary at a pet store, he grabbed the suspecta 59, 180-pound former U.S. Marine and attempted to place him in handcuffs. The suspect resisted, turned around, and hit Lewis in the forehead and temples and continued to hit him in the head with closed fists until Lewis felt faint. During the altercation, the suspect charged Lewis, pushing him backward so that his his head struck a steel shelf. The suspect kept hitting Lewis, who continued to fight until he had nothing left in him. Lewis drew but did not discharge his firearm at the suspect right before other officers arrived. Lewis was rushed to the hospital. He said he feared for his life during the incident. He did not perform police duties after the incident and subsequently retired. Lewis initially submitted and his employer ultimately acceptedclaims for physical injuries including a concussion, injuries to his hand and back, and facial abrasions. The city acknowledged his work injury through a Notice of Compensation Payable. Lewis later petitioned to amend that injury description but the city initially balked. On August 19, 2021, after proceedings, the parties agreed and a state workers compensation judge approved an amendment to the NCP to include concussion, headaches, balance issues, and vision issues. The stipulation also stated: The parties agree that this Stipulation does not prevent the parties from filing future petitions and other relief as appropriate pursuant to the Workers Compensation Act. There was no indication or mention of psychological injury at this time except Lewis said he felt hopeless. Second Petition On September 20, 2021, Lewis filed a second review petition seeking to include a psychological injury as a result of physical injury. The city denied the petition, arguing that it was barred by the doctrines of res judicata and/or collateral estoppel. A workers compensation judge held hearings between October 2021 and September 2022. Lewis testified that he never had any psychological treatment before the February 4, 2017 incident. A few months after the incident, he began to feel irritable, unhappy, overwhelmed, anxious, frustrated, and helpless. He was crying a lot and began isolating himself. In June and July of 2019, he was briefly treated with a psychologist who said Lewis was in denial about his symptoms and felt embarrassed talking about how he was feeling. After Lewis stopped seeing the psychologist in July 2019, his symptoms intensified. He said there were times when he thought about suicide, which prompted him to return to the psychologist in April 2021. He takes an antidepressant but his symptoms have only moderately improved. Seeing a police vehicle or hearing a siren causes him to experience flashbacks to the incident. His psychologist diagnosed him as having major depressive disorder directly related to the work incident. The doctor confirmed that Lewis was embarrassed to receive treatment for mental health issues and that he experiences occasional suicidal ideation. He noted that Lewis was never advised to seek psychological care after the incident. His employer noted there was no previous mention of psychological issues. A doctor who examined Lewis for the city opined that although he exhibited symptoms of depression, the condition was not caused by the work incident. She based that opinion on the fact that he did not seek treatment for his psychological symptoms until two years after the incident. The workers compensation judge specifically found that the delays and gaps in his mental health treatment were attributable to his aversion to seeking that treatment and the fact that his symptoms waxed and waned over time. The judge concluded that although his mental injuries may have been manifest during the review proceeding, they were not part of that earlier litigation and so were not precluded. Appeal The city appealed and the Workers Compensation Appeal Board reversed the judges decision. The board reasoned that although Lewis did not actually litigate in that first proceeding the injuries he sought to add in the second proceeding, he should have done so because he was aware of those injuries at the time of the first proceeding. In his appeal, Lewis and his psychologist reiterated that he was not aware that his psychological injury was compensable at the time of the first proceeding. In reversing the workers compensation board, the Commonwealth Court noted that both Lewis and his psychologist acknowledged he was diagnosed with depression before he filed the petition to add psychological injury, but Lewis was unaware that his depression was a compensable work injury at the time. He testified that it was a gradual worsening of the symptoms of his depressionand suicidal ideation in particularthat prompted him to return to treatment despite his reluctance to receive treatment. Thus, the court noted, the nature of his psychological injury changed over time. However, unlike with physical injuries that can be tracked through diagnostic imaging or other direct observation, there are no such tests for psychological injuries. Rather, a trained physician or psychologist would need to make professional judgments based on Lewiss history and clinical presentation, and Lewis would likely not realize the severity or cause of his psychological injury on his own. The court found that the evidence did not suggest that Lewis or his doctor understood his psychological injury to the point that he should have litigated it before September 2021, which was only six months into his consistent treatment with his psychologist. Thus the Workers Compensation Appeals Board erred in finding that the petition for psychological injury was subject to technical res judicata, the Commonwealth Court ruled in reversing. Lewis had also argued that the board erred in ignoring the language in their stipulation in the first review that expressly said new petitions are permitted if they are consistent with the workers compensation law. The Commonwealth Court did not rule on the effect of the language of the stipulation. Microsoft Corp. has curtailed Chinese companies access to advance notifications about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in its technology after investigating whether a leak led to a series of hacks exploiting flaws in its SharePoint software. The change, which occurred last month, will limit access for program participants in countries where theyre required to report vulnerabilities to their governments, which would include China, according to David Cuddy, a Microsoft spokesperson. The goal of the Microsoft Active Protections Program, or MAPP, is to provide security software companies around the world with early details about flaws in Microsoft products so they can provide updated protections for their customers faster. The announcement from Microsoft follows a campaign of cyberattacks that Microsoft blamed on state-sponsored hackers in China who targeted security weaknesses in SharePoint servers. More than 400 government agencies and corporations were breached in the SharePoint attacks, including the USs National Nuclear Security Administration, responsible for designing and maintaining the countrys nuclear weapons. Its unclear how alleged Chinese hackers discovered the vulnerabilities in SharePoint. Following the attacks, however, Microsoft investigated whether details about the flaws may have leaked from its MAPP partners, Bloomberg News previously reported. Now, Microsoft will no longer provide MAPP participants affected by the change with proof of concept code demonstrating flaws. Instead, it will issue them a more general written description of the vulnerabilities, which it would send at the same time as patches to fix the weaknesses are released, the company spokesperson said. Were aware of the potential for this to be abused, which is why we take steps both known and confidential to prevent misuse, said Cuddy. We continuously review participants and suspend or remove them if we find they violated their contract with us, which includes a prohibition on participating in offensive attacks. Related: Cybersecurity Pros Say IoT, Large Language Models Are Risk Areas of Concern Cuddy didnt comment on the findings of Microsofts investigation into a potential leak related to the SharePoint hacks but said there were multiple working theories on the cause. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington DC said in a statement they were not familiar with the details of Microsofts changes or suspected leaks from the MAPP program. But they added that cybersecurity was a common challenge faced by all countries and should be addressed jointly through dialogue and cooperation. The MAPP group includes at least a dozen Chinese technology and cybersecurity companies, according to Microsoft. Those members would previously receive information about patches to security vulnerabilities at least 24 hours before Microsoft released them to the public. Concerns about Chinese participants are due in part to a 2021 law mandating that any company or security researcher who identifies a cybersecurity vulnerability must report it within 48 hours to Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. In addition, MAPP has been the source of alleged leaks as far back as 2012, when Microsoft accused Hangzhou DPtech Technologies Co., a Chinese network security company, of breaching a non-disclosure agreement, disclosing information that exposed a major vulnerability in Windows. More recently, in 2021, Microsoft suspected at least two other Chinese MAPP partners of leaking information about vulnerabilities in its Exchange servers, leading to a global hacking campaign that Microsoft blamed on a Chinese espionage group called Hafnium. Dakota Cary, a China-focused consultant at the US cybersecurity company SentinelOne, said Microsofts decision to curtail Chinese companies access to information on cybersecurity vulnerabilities, was a fantastic change. Related: Hack at Allianz Life Impacts 1.1 Million Customers, Breach Notification Site Says It is very clear the Chinese companies in MAPP have to respond to incentives from the government, Cary said. So it makes sense to limit the information provided. Eugenio Benincasa, a researcher who specializes in analyzing Chinese cyberattacks at ETH Zurichs Center for Security Studies, said there had been suspicions about leaks out of the MAPP program for years but said unprecedented attention on Chinas cyber operations right now meant Microsoft likely felt pressure to take action. Microsoft also confirmed for the first time that it had shut down transparency centers it had previously set up in China, where the government could review the source code of the companys technology to confirm it was free of hidden backdoors that can be used for digital surveillance. Cuddy said such facilities in China had long been retired and that no one has visited one in China since 2019. The tech giant had permitted access to its source code in China since at least 2003, when the company announced it was the first commercial software company that provides the Chinese government with access to its source code and done so to provide authorities with confidence in the security of the Windows platform. Photo: Signage for Microsoft Corp. offices in Beijing. (Andrea Verdelli/Bloomberg) Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Theres Still Tomorrow (Ce Ancora Domani) kicks off at the 18th annual Cleveland Italian Festival at the Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights on Sept. 18. (Photo courtesy Greenwich Entertainment) Greenwich Entertainment CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Italy has won the Academy Award for Best International Film 14 times. Thats more than any other country, and its part of the reason why Joyce Mariani started the Cleveland Italian Film Festival. Now in its 18th year, the festival returns next month with screenings on three consecutive Thursdays at the Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights and Atlas Cinemas Great Lakes Stadium 16 in Mentor. The lineup begins Sept. 18 at the Cedar Lee with Theres Still Tomorrow (Ce Ancora Domani), the directorial debut of Paola Cortellesi. The dramedy follows Delia, a wife and mother in postwar Rome who dreams of a better future while pushing back against the patriarchy. The film was a breakout hit in Italy, winning six awards at the 2024 David di Donatello, the countrys equivalent of the Oscars. On Sept. 25, the festival shifts to Atlas Cinemas Great Lakes with Kidnapped (Rapito), a 2023 historical drama from veteran director Marco Bellocchio. It tells the true story of a young Jewish boy seized by the Papal States and forced to convert to Catholicism, sparking international outrage. The series wraps up Oct. 2, also at the Atlas Great Lakes, with A World Apart (Un Mondo a Parte). Riccardo Milanis comedy centers on a longtime teacher who leaves Rome for a struggling school in Abruzzo thats on the verge of closing. All showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. Films are presented in Italian with English subtitles. Tickets are $13 and available at CleItalianFilm2025.eventbrite.com. PHOENIX The Guardians designated veteran right-handed reliever Carlos Hernandez for assignment prior to Wednesdays series finale against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. In a corresponding move, Cleveland selected the contract of left-hander Parker Messick from Triple-A Columbus. Messick will make his major league debut against the D-Backs. How to watch the Guardians: See how to watch Guardians games with this handy game-by-game TV schedule. Hernandez, 28, appeared in five games for Cleveland after he was signed at the trade deadline following his release by the Tigers. The Guardians were Hernandezs third big league team this season after stints with the Phillies and Detroit. BETTING: The Guardians are +400 to make the playoffs on The Guardians are +400 to make the playoffs on DraftKings . Our complete DraftKings Sportsbook review provides a guide on how to use their platform. The Venezuela native logged seven innings while allowing three runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Messick, the Guardians No. 12 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was 5-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 20 starts for Columbus where he struck out 119 in 98 2/3 innings. Sen. Bernie Moreno addressed the City Club of Cleveland on Wednesday, August 20, often sparring with a large crowd of dissenters. Michaelangelos Photography This story has been corrected to fix an attribution. CLEVELAND -- Senator Bernie Moreno visited the historic City Club of Cleveland on Wednesday, where the audience inside the room vocalized as much frustration and hostility as the protestors lining the sidewalk outside. In a conversation moderated by NBCs Henry Gomez, the senator was asked about many of the headlines that have defined President Donald Trumps second term. One of Gomezs first questions of the senator centered on the Republican One Big Beautiful Bill Act which Moreno supported. Gomez inquired whether Moreno was concerned that the implementation of the law will prevent people from receiving health care and the benefits that they need. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the sweeping legislation makes significant cuts to support programs, while add $3.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade. Theres no appetite in Washington, DC, by the way, in either party, not to help people who have needs, Moreno said, as the crowd erupted in a chorus of groans and scoffs. For his part, Moreno spent the hour unabashedly defending Trump and his policies, setting the tone for a raucous event. Wednesday was the first time Moreno faced constituents and their questions in the seven months since taking office. He has held no public town hall events. But the City Club gathering, hosted by an organization that has championed civil dialogue for more than 100 years, at times felt more like a sparring match between the senator and the crowd. Aside from a handful of attendees, it was clear that the overflow crowd had little love for either Moreno or Trump. As the audiences interruptions, exasperated groans, and sarcastic laughter became increasingly routine, Dan Moulthrop, Chief Executive Officer of the City Club of Cleveland, intervened. I just want to invite everybody to take a couple of deep breaths and recognize that we all came here to hear answers, and we may not be satisfied with those answers, but were here to respect civic discourse. And if you dont want to respect civic discourse, you dont have to stay, and Ill happily refund any tickets that need to be refunded, he said. Moreno, pushing back in defense of Trump, repeated familiar Republican talking points used to defend the partys policies --some of which have proven to be false. Moreno claimed, for example, that there will be no cuts to Medicaid because of the One Big Beautiful Bill and instead claiming that significant amounts of money will be added to the program. The Congressional Budget Office estimates after the bill passed said it will reduce federal Medicaid spending by $911 billion over 10 years. It also will make significant cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. Regarding the 2020 election, Moreno would not say definitively whether President Biden was legitimately elected despite Congress certifying the results on January 7, 2021, confirm him as the winner. Was Joe Biden the legitimate president United States for four years? He was legitimately the worst president United States for four years, Moreno said. Moreno claimed that Trumps tariffs will put the American working class on a level playing field in the global economy. You can cough, and you can be mad, and you can act childish, but at the end of the day, thats just a fact. Thats just a fact, Moreno told the crowd after defending Trumps tariffs. Economists such as Goldman Sachs have warned that lower-income Americans and consumers are set to be hit hardest by Trumps America First trade policy. The spectacle stood in contrast to a long, distinguished history of the City Club who has had as guests including three presidents, South African human rights activist Bishop Desmond Tutu, and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. I would just off script remind everyone that if were going to continue to get speakers like Bernie, like Senator Moreno here tonight, we have to be a little bit more thoughtful in the way were acting in the audience, Mark Ross, the City Clubs board president, told the audience after the event concluded. Wildfire damage in EU quadruples to nearly 900,000 hectares from last year Xinhua) 10:44, August 20, 2025 This photo taken on Aug. 11, 2025 shows the site of a wildfire at the Vesuvius National Park in Naples, Italy. (Xinhua) This year's figure far exceeds the 19-year average of 244,000 hectares typically seen by mid-August. BRUSSELS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Wildfires have scorched nearly 895,000 hectares across the European Union (EU) so far this year, more than four times the area recorded in the same period of 2024, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) said Tuesday. The burnt area has more than doubled compared with last week's tally of 439,568 hectares, underscoring the rapid spread of wildfires in recent days. According to the JRC's latest weekly update, this year's figure far exceeds the 19-year average of 244,000 hectares typically seen by mid-August. A total of 1,736 major blazes, defined as fires larger than 30 hectares, have been detected in the EU so far, compared with 1,185 during the same period last year. The surge has pushed estimated carbon dioxide emissions to 31.9 million tonnes, almost three times higher than a year earlier. A firefighter battles the flames in Keratea, Greece, on Aug. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) Looking ahead, the fire danger forecast for Aug. 19-25 suggests easing conditions in the southern part of Europe, including Spain, France, Italy, the Balkans, and Greece. However, risk levels are set to climb in northern and northwestern parts of the continent. Ireland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, northern Germany, Poland, Denmark, and parts of Sweden and Finland face "very high to very extreme" anomalies in fire danger. Elevated risks are also forecast along the Danube basin in Austria, Hungary, and Romania. On average, over 60,000 forest fires break out in the EU each year, burning some 500,000 hectares, nearly twice the area of Luxembourg, and causing human casualties and economic losses of around 2 billion euros (about 2.33 billion U.S. dollars), according to JRC data. (1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollar) A car is on fire in Drosopigi, East Attica region of Greece, July 26, 2025. (Photo by krioneri tatiana bolari/Xinhua) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) This is the script of CNBC's financial news report for China's CCTV on August 14, 2025. In recent years, technology has been a major global investment hotspot. Wall Street investment banks have been researching and forecasting specific areas within this field. For example, a Morgan Stanley report this year predicts that the global humanoid robot market could reach $5 trillion by 2050. This projection includes the industry's related supply chain, as well as maintenance, repair, and support services. Morgan Stanley estimates that by 2050, there could be over 1 billion humanoid robots in use worldwide. In terms of usage scenarios, Morgan Stanley expects that by 2050, about 90% of humanoid robots will primarily serve industrial and commercial sectors, performing repetitive, simple, and structured tasks. Among these, China is projected to become the country with the highest number of humanoid robots in use, exceeding 300 million units, while the U.S. is expected to have around 77.7 million units. In contrast, Morgan Stanley's forecast for the household market is more conservative, estimating that the total number of humanoid robots entering homes by 2050 will be around 80 million. Analysis points out that for humanoid robots to truly enter households, breakthroughs in both hardware and AI models are needed, a process that may take around a decade. Additionally, prices must drop significantly, and societal and regulatory acceptance must also improve. Another critical aspect in the tech sector is the ongoing fierce competition in the AI race. Overnight, Bloomberg cited sources familiar with the matter, reporting that Apple is planning to re-energize its efforts in the AI space, with a slate of new products in the pipeline. It is reported that a desktop robot, designed to serve as a virtual companion, is considered the centerpiece of Apple's AI strategy, with a target launch in 2027. Additionally, a smart speaker with a display is expected to debut next year, aiming to capture the entry-level smart home market. Finally, Apple may also focus on home security cameras, hoping to enhance user engagement within its product ecosystem. Following the news, Apple's stock price rose, closing up 1.6% overnight. Apple isn't aloneseveral global tech giants continue to heavily invest in artificial intelligence. Recently, Microsoft announced a record-breaking capital expenditure of $24.2 billion in its quarterly earnings report, a 27% year-on-year increase. Microsoft also plans to further increase its investment to $30 billion this quarter to expand its AI data centers. Additionally, Meta (Facebook's parent company) and Alphabet (Google's parent company) have recently raised their capital expenditure targets for the year. However, the market is now beginning to focus on a significant risk: the issue of concentration. Funds are increasingly being concentrated in the hands of a few tech giants. Analysis points out that among the top 10 stocks in the S&P 500 index, most are tech stocks, accounting for 40% of the total market capitalization and contributing 33% of the profits. Jim Tierney CIO of U.S. Concentrated Growth at AB "When we think about portfolio construction. We want to make sure that we have a diversified portfolio...The concentration is scary, and it's all around AI..." Kaleah Mcilwain has been on the job market for eight months, and in that time, she's learned a few hard truths about the application process. Chief among them? Submit a cover letter every time. Her best trick to write an effective cover letter quickly is to focus on one prompt: Directly solve a problem in the job description. The company is "hiring for a reason," says Mcilwain, 28, a digital editor in Philadelphia, "and they just want the best person who can solve that reason for them." Identify one or two pain points in the job description and use your cover letter to tell the hiring manager exactly why you're the best person to solve that for them, she says. Provide examples of your skills or prior experience that show how you can solve the problem, and also include why you want to do it for that company. In Mcilwain's line of work, for example, she may be looking at a job where a business wants to improve their social media strategy. Mcilwain can then give examples of how she's run Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and other platform handles for a previous employer, giving specific growth and engagement metrics from her tenure. Help us help you: Take our survey on work, money and life goals The key is to stay focused on how you can solve their business need, Mcilwain says. "While people love telling their full career history [in a cover letter], don't talk about anything else besides the one thing that they mentioned they need someone to do," she says. How she uses AI in the hiring process Mcilwain says putting effort into the cover letter is worthwhile when many others rely on AI to write theirs, don't spend much time and attention on it, or skip it altogether. Some 2 in 3 job-seekers say they don't consistently submit a cover letter when applying, according to a 2024 Jobscan survey. She's a fan of AI tools but says it's better to use them when reviewing your content, rather than by generating it. "I write all my own things, and then I will just tell AI, can you analyze this against a job description to tell me the likelihood that it matches up with it that way?" Mcilwain says. The analysis allows her to check that she's hit all the job description's bullet points and used keywords in meaningful ways. She cautions against using AI to generate the substance of your resume or cover letter, otherwise it may look too similar to other AI-generated applications. A generative AI tool "isn't going magically write like you will," Mcilwain says. She used the tool to generate a few items and noticed "they all look exactly the same: They follow the same exact type of opening followed by a chronological order of what you've done in your job history, followed by a closing." Hiring experts agree that it's not a great practice to have AI generate a resume or cover letter, since it can lead to errors and over-used (read: boring) phrases and statements. The extra step that's landed her interviews Bank of America is growing bullish on Snowflake one week before it releases second-quarter earnings results. The Wall Street investment bank upgraded its investment opinion on the maker of cloud data warehousing software to buy from neutral, and raised its price target to $240 from $220, implying more than 24% upside from Tuesday's close. The upgrade comes ahead of the company's results for the quarter that ended July 31, due to be released postmarket Aug. 27. BofA analyst Brad Sills expects "solid" financials, reinforcing a multiyear cycle of strong growth. "While we believe that Q2 earnings will be a catalyst for the stock given multiple positive data points outlined below, our call is for outperformance over the long term given incremental traction with products addressing a [significantly] larger addressable AI market for software of $155bn," he wrote Wednesday. Sills also believes recent web data signals upside for Snowflake's product revenue, citing second-quarter SimilarWeb total page views rising 42% year over year. He estimates product revenue will come in 2.5% better than Snowflake's guidance. "Positive Cloud Views data supports our thesis that Snowflake is at an inflection point for improving demand trends," the analyst wrote. Sills' upgrade tracks with the Street's bullishness. Only nine analysts rate Snowflake a hold, while 41 carry a strong buy or buy rating, according to LSEG. While the stock has come under pressure over the past month, falling more than 11%, the Bozeman, Montana-based company is still higher by 46% over the past year while the S & P 500 has risen less than 15%. The stock climbed 2.5% premarket Wednesday on the heels of the BofA upgrade. Claire's announced Wednesday it is selling most of its North American business to private equity firm Ames Watson, just weeks after the jewelry retailer declared bankruptcy. The companies did not disclose any financial details of the deal. Claire's said the move comes as the tween retailer is examining every option to "maximize the value of its business." It also said it will pause the liquidation process at most of its stores as part of the deal, which Claire's said will "significantly benefit" the company. Claire's said the liquidation process will continue at some of its North American stores. "As we continue through our restructuring proceedings, our team has worked tirelessly to explore every option for preserving the value of the Claire's business and brand," CEO Chris Cramer said in a statement. "We are glad to reach this definitive agreement to sell a portion of our North America operations to Ames Watson and maximize the value of our company for all our stakeholders." Ames Watson is a private holding company with more than $2 billion in revenue, focused on purchasing and transforming companies, according to its website. Its portfolio includes Lids, Champion Teamwear and South Moon Under. "We are committed to investing in its future by preserving a significant retail footprint across North America, working closely with the Claire's team to ensure a seamless transition and creating a renewed path to growth based on our deep experience working with consumer brands," Ames Watson's co-founder Lawrence Berger said in a statement. The retailer filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this month, weighed down by nearly $500 million in debt and an increasingly competitive sales environment. The company is also expected to bear the brunt of tariff impacts on suppliers from countries such as China and Vietnam. Claire's last filed for bankruptcy protection in 2018, also due to a staggering debt load. At the time, the company underwent a strategic restructuring and raised new capital, which allowed it to eliminate nearly $2 billion in debt and keep stores running. U.S. President Donald Trump has slammed an appeals court decision to temporarily block a land transfer needed by mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP to develop what is slated to become one of the country's biggest copper mines. In a post on social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said the latest setback to Arizona's Resolution Copper mine would impact thousands of jobs at a time when the world's largest economy "quite simply, needs Copper AND NOW!" His comments came shortly after he met the chief executives of Rio Tinto and BHP at the White House, alongside Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Two of the world's largest mining firms, Rio Tinto and BHP have been trying to develop the Arizona copper project together for roughly two decades, but the procedures have been beset by legal issues. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday issued a temporary restraining order to prevent a land transfer, while the court considers challenges that have been brought by opponents including the San Carlos Apache Tribe, which is seeking to block the project over religious, cultural and environmental reasons. "It is so sad that Radical Left Activists can do this, and affect the lives of so many people. Those that fought it are Anti-American, and representing other Copper competitive Countries," Trump said in the Truth Social post. Space travelers, robots and, of course, artificial intelligence. They were all on display on Tuesday at Epic Systems' annual Users Group Meeting, held at the health software giant's 1,670-acre campus in Verona, Wisconsin. Judy Faulkner, Epic's 82-year-old CEO, dressed for the occasion in a purple wig with neon green shoes and an iridescent vest, reminiscent of the fictional character Buzz Lightyear from the "Toy Story" franchise. At the science fiction-themed event, Faulkner told the crowd that Epic has roughly 200 different AI features in development that aim to assist patients, clinicians and insurers. "We are combining the intelligence and curiosity of the human being with the investigative capabilities of gen AI," Faulkner said, in front of thousands of health-care executives packed into an 11,400-seat underground auditorium. Epic, one of the largest private technology companies in the country, is best known for its electronic health record, or EHR, software. An EHR is a digital version of a patient's medical history that's updated by doctors and nurses, and the technology is integral to the modern U.S. health-care system. Epic's software, which competes with Oracle Health (formerly Cerner), is used by 280 million Americans, according to the company. Many patients know of Epic because of its user portal called MyChart. Last week, Epic announced MyChart Central, which will allow patients to log in to MyChart with just one set of credentials, rather than needing a username and password for each health system they visit. It's equally helpful for health-care organizations, Faulkner said. "You'll spend less time handling patient calls and resetting passwords," she said in her keynote on Tuesday. "Demographic changes like address need to be added only once." A new addition to the MyChart portal is the always-on Emmie assistant, which the company said will be able to answer questions about lab results, propose appointment times and suggest relevant screenings that patients can discuss with their doctor. During Epic's three-hour presentation, Faulkner and other executives introduced Emmie as well as other AI assistants the company calls Art and Penny, highlighting new capabilities that are coming in the next year and beyond. The Trump administration is quickly reshaping the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, in ways that carry vast implications for state and local governments. "We're going to give out less money. We're going to give it out directly. It'll be from the president's office," President Donald Trump said at a press conference June 11. The agency is responsible for coordinating response and recovery in disasters that range from floods to wildfires to terrorist attacks. The agency reported a total budget authority of $60 billion in fiscal year 2025. Federal spending on disaster relief often draws supplemental appropriations from Congress. Critics of FEMA say the agency is slow to pay out victims and provide guidance for communities in the process of rebuilding. "We've recommended for years that they work on streamlining their recovery programs, that they better coordinate their programs so communities and survivors don't have to navigate multiple federal bureaucratic programs. And honestly, they just have not been able to do it," Chris Currie, a director at the Government Accountability Office, said in an interview with CNBC. FEMA is currently managing more than 600 open disaster declarations, some of which date back almost 20 years, according to a Government Accountability Office report published in March. The spending, according to FEMA, includes $80 million in fiscal year 2025 for recovery from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, which devastated huge swaths of the Gulf Coast in 2005. Cuts in federal funding for disaster relief would put the burden on state and local governments in areas affected by disasters. When Hurricane Helene hit the U.S. in late September 2024, it caused $59.6 billion in damage in North Carolina, according to the Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina. As of May 2025, the federal government had provided about $3.7 billion in recovery funds approximately 6.2% of the total cost of the damage, according to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein's office. A FEMA spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC, "FEMA's principles for emergency management assert that disasters are best managed when they're federally supported, state managed and locally executed." Much work remains nearly a year after Helene damaged many parts of western North Carolina. More than 73,000 homes were damaged, according to an April report from Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C. Major roadways were also damaged, including a stretch of I-40, and the state needs additional federal funds to cover the cost of road repairs, Edwards' report said. The average income in the disaster area ranges from $35,809 to $55,607, depending on the county, Edwards' report said. "To not have FEMA means that now local governments will have to deal with disaster, and it's always bigger than the revenues of the local government," said Sarah Wells Rolland, founder and owner of the Village Potters Clay Center in Asheville, North Carolina. "For the funding to be taken away I think is a colossal disaster." Wells Rolland said her business operated in Asheville's River Arts District for 13 years before Hurricane Helene passed through town. The business was destroyed by more than 24 feet of flood waters, according to NOAA. The Village Potters Clay Center, which generated about $743,000 in annual revenues in 2023, documented almost $200,000 in equipment losses, according to Wells Rolland. The business had flood insurance through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Policy and received a payment of $165,000, according to Wells Rolland. She plans to reopen this fall in a new location on higher ground. "We're an economic driver for tourism, hospitality, restaurants, regional development, you know, so we're an essential part of our economic community," said Jeffrey Burroughs, president of the River Arts District Association. "If we can't take on another loan, how do we get the funding to help sustain us so that we can stay open?" Watch the video above to see how FEMA could evolve in the coming years. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz looks on, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Jerusalem, November 7, 2024. Israel on Wednesday entered the first stages of its planned assault on Gaza City after approving a plan to take over the city that includes calling up 60,000 reservists for its expanded military operation in the besieged Palestinian enclave. "We have begun the preliminary actions and the initial stages of the offensive on Gaza City, and already now IDF forces are holding positions on the outskirts of Gaza City," Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin told reporters on Wednesday. He added: "We will intensify the strikes on Hamas in Gaza City, the political and military stronghold of the terror organization." Defrin also said that to "minimize harm to civilians," the IDF will be warning citizens to allow them to evacuate. "We are continuing to allow humanitarian aid for the residents of the Strip and are even expanding it with additional central aid distribution points," he said. The U.S. ally appeared to be pushing ahead Wednesday with a new phase of its war despite international opposition and in the face of a renewed push for a ceasefire with Hamas. Defense Minister Israel Katz has authorized the plans for the major new operation, a spokesperson for the ministry confirmed to NBC News. It will also see an additional 20,000 reservists have their service extended, the Israeli military said. The assault is expected to force thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza to the south of the strip, which is suffering an intensifying hunger crisis under Israel's military offensive and aid restrictions. In a Wednesday night statement, the Prime Minister's office said that "ahead of approval of the plans for the operation in Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the timetables for seizing control of the last terrorist strongholds and the defeat of Hamas be shortened." "The Prime Minister expresses his great appreciation for the reservist fighters who have been mobilized and their families, and all IDF soldiers," the statement added. "Together we will win." Hamas did not issue an immediate response to the announcement about Israeli troops taking up positions outside Gaza City. Scores of people have been killed by starvation in recent weeks, including dozens of children, according to the Palestinian health ministry in the enclave. In addition to mounting global outrage, sweeping protests have increasingly dominated its own streets, with growing numbers of Israelis demanding an end to its offensive in the enclave. Hundreds of thousands staged furious demonstrations last weekend alongside a general strike, fueled in part by fears that the planned Gaza City assault could endanger the lives of remaining hostages. Meanwhile, Israel also gave final approval for a widely contested settlement project in the occupied West Bank that would effectively split the territory in two. Palestinians and rights groups have warned the move could destroy plans for a future Palestinian state. Japan's exports plunged 2.6% in July from a year earlier, their steepest drop since February 2021, as shipments to its two largest markets the United States and China declined. The fall was sharper than the 2.1% contraction forecast in a Reuters poll and compared with a 0.5% decline in June. Imports to the world's fourth-largest economy sank 7.5%, less than the 10.4% fall expected. Exports to the U.S. also continued to fall, dropping 10.1% in July and slightly softer than June's decline of 11.4%. The U.S. is the largest market for Japanese exports. Shipments to mainland China Japan's second largest export market declined 3.5% compared to the same month last year, but shipments to Hong Kong spiked 17.7%. The Nikkei 225 declined 0.9% after the release, while the yen eased to 147.79 per dollar. Visitors visit the "the monsters Convenience Store" themed exhibition created by POP MART with IP LABUBU as the selling point, Shanghai, China, July 23, 2025. Shares in Chinese toymaker Pop Mart closed more than 12% higher on Wednesday, a day after the company posted a near-400% surge in net profit, driven by booming global demand for its Labubu dolls. Pop Mart, which trades on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, ended the trading session up 12.5% after dropping as much as 4.7% at the start of the session. The company's revenue jumped 204.4% year on year to 13.88 billion yuan ($1.93 billion), and its net profit attributable to shareholders soared 396.5% to 4.57 billion yuan for the first six months of 2025, compared with last month's forecast of at least 200% revenue growth and 350% rise in profit. Beijing-headquartered firm's Labubu plushies sharp-toothed, big-eared ugly-cute dolls have taken the world by storm, with its $30 keychains spotted on the bags of Rihanna and K-pop band Blackpink's Lisa. "The stock will likely make new highs in the coming weeks," said Hao Hong, managing partner and CIO of Lotus Asset Management, on the back of Wang's bullish comments following the call. Hong highlighted that the stock's volatility could be owed to short-sellers covering their positions. Since Pop Mart trades in a relatively thin market, short-sellers rushing to cover after unexpectedly bullish news could be behind the sharp jump, he said. The choppiness could also be driven by domestic China hedge funds and retail investors taking profit, while global long-term institutional investors could be buying Pop Mart shares as a China consumption play, said William Ma, chief investment officer at Grow Investment Group. Peter Shankman, an American, said he looked forward to free drinks when he flew business class for work. The entrepreneur would have a drink, then a few more, sleep, then land. All was well, he said. Until it wasn't. "Eventually, I realized that I wasn't fine," he said. "I was tired, cranky [it] wasn't the way to live." So, he said, he quit drinking at first just on planes, then altogether. "I like myself better when I don't drink," Shankman said. "I get up earlier. I work out. I don't eat like crap." A single dad, Shankman said he's now in the gym by 5:00 a.m. and back home to send his daughter to school at 6:30 a.m. On work trips, he exercises and sleeps better than before. "The change in me is massive," he said. "I'm dropping weight, I'm just happier overall." More energy and more money Shankman is part of a large contingent of people who are drinking less or quitting alcohol completely. Only 54% of Americans now say they consume alcohol, according to a Gallup poll released in August the lowest number recorded since the company began tracking consumption habits in 1939. In another first, a majority of adults (53%) say drinking, even in moderation, is bad for one's health up from 28% in 2018, the survey showed. I skip the wine but I haven't stopped visiting vineyards. Robert Minchak Traveler For Jonathan Ayala, a real estate marketing strategist, giving up alcohol meant more energy and better sleep, but also "more money left in my budget for experiences that matter." "In the past, I wouldn't have imagined taking a trip without drinking," he said. But now, "I find myself waking up earlier for hikes, markets or cultural tours. I end up seeing more of the place I came to visit, which has made my travels feel richer and more intentional." Ayala also said going alcohol-free has changed where he travels too. "I'm more drawn to destinations with strong food cultures, wellness offerings, or outdoor adventures, rather than places where nightlife is the main attraction," he said. Travel blogger Jo Raby told CNBC Travel she and her husband's vacations once revolved around food and drinks, including wine tastings and bourbon tours. Now, they opt for outdoor trips that involve white water rafting, hiking, biking and kayaking as well as off-the-beaten path destinations, instead of trips to all-inclusive hotels or beach resorts. Jo Raby and her husband, Eric, in Monfrague National Park in Caceres, Spain. However, they don't shy away from events that involve drinking, she said. As big music fans, they still enjoy live performances, and they even joined a tapas and wine tour in Granada, Spain. "In Spain, it took a little more explaining to get the point across that we were not going to be able to consume any alcohol at all not even a 'little bit,'" she said. Eventually "they produced an [non-alcoholic] version for us to try, cracking it open very obviously for the first time!" Seasoned traveler Robert Minchak said his decision to stop drinking four years ago hasn't changed where he travels, only what he drinks while there. "I skip the wine but I haven't stopped visiting vineyards," he said, adding that he's also visited breweries and eaten at Michelin-starred restaurants during trips to Europe, North America and South America. He's also in better health ("no meds for acid reflux") and has better relationships in his life. "Family and friends notice a calmer, kinder me," he said. Not without trade-offs Though the health and cost benefits are plenty, some travelers find that going alcohol-free comes with its own set of challenges. For Raby, "it definitely feels strange to be in settings where the majority of people are drinking, and this has taken a lot of work on our parts from a mental aspect to adjust," she said. Ayala said he sometimes feels he doesn't get the full travel experience in some locations. "The main downside is that in some destinations, nightlife is such a big part of the culture that skipping it can feel like missing out," he said. He also said not drinking can complicate group trips, and that reactions from fellow travelers have been mixed. Jonathan Ayala said nightlife is no longer the main focus of his trips, and he's now drawn to food, wellness and outdoor activities. Shein's potential return of its headquarters to China may be a last-ditch effort to keep its embattled initial public offering on track following a series of roadblocks, according to analysts. The Singapore-headquartered but Chinese-founded online retailer is considering moving its base back to China in a bid to persuade Beijing authorities to approve its long-awaited public listing, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. Shein did not respond to CNBC's request for comment on the reports. It comes after the company confidentially filed for an initial public offering in Hong Kong last month, according to a Financial Times report , shifting its aspirations away from a London listing. Melanie Tng, a Singapore-based private capital analyst at PitchBook, said the proposed relocation was unsurprising given that Shein now appears set on IPO-ing in the city-state. After years of trying to position itself as a global brand ... it's back to square one. head of APAC equity capital markets at Mergermarket Perris Lee "For companies like Shein that are operating at the intersection of consumer, cross-border, and digital commerce, Hong Kong is arguably the only viable major offshore listing venue left," Tng said via email. Shein has faced an uphill battle in its IPO ambitions , last year shifting its attention from a New York listing to London but nevertheless continuing to face pushback from regulators. "Re-domiciling could therefore be a strategic move to signal regulatory alignment and improve listing visibility," Tng added. The retailer moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2022 in a bid to look more international ahead of its listing efforts. However, given its heavy sourcing and operations in China, any listing must by approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), making Hong Kong a more straight-forward option than any other city, including, for instance, Singapore. "Hong Kong stands out as the only offshore listing venue that aligns with both Chinese regulatory expectations and international capital access," Anand Kumar, associate director at Coresight Research, told CNBC via email. "Establishing a parent company or headquarters in mainland China could further smooth China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) approval, bolster trust among Chinese institutional investors and address growing regulatory demands for local governance, data transparency and tax compliance." Perris Lee, head of APAC equity capital markets at Mergermarket, meanwhile noted that a potential shift of Shein's headquarters back to mainland China suggested that the business had exploited all of its other options. "After years of trying to position itself as a global brand rather than a Chinese fashion company, it's back to square one. Worse, this latest consideration comes after its valuation has taken a nosedive," Lee told CNBC via email. Valued at $100 billion three years ago, Shein has since seen its valuation tumble. It now faces pressure from investors to cut it further to about $30 billion , Bloomberg reported in February. The fast-fashion retailer meanwhile has faced immense scrutiny over its supply chain and allegations over the use of forced labor to produce its ultra-low cost products claims the company vehemently denies. "For an eventual Hong Kong IPO, the real challenge would be public relations," Lee said. "The company and the deal advisors will need to convince investors that Shein will be worthy of the asking valuation at the time of listing following two ill-fated IPO attempts abroad, not to mention controversies surrounding fast fashion itself." Another boon for Hong Kong A Shein listing in Hong Kong would nevertheless mark a boon for the the semi-autonomous territory, which has emerged this year as one of the top listing locations globally . New listing volumes on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange jumped around eight times to $14 billion in the first half of 2025, from just $1.8 billion in the same period last year, according to Dealogic. PwC now predicts that the market will close out the year as the world's biggest venue for listings. These have included a number of mainland China-traded companies seeking secondary listings in Hong Kong, for instance battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology . "A Shein IPO in Hong Kong will offer a different flavor to the IPO market, as it would be a first-time listing," Lee said, adding that a fashion listing would offer a novel dimension to Hong Kong's public markets. Pitchbook's Tng attributed the uptick to a rebound in investor sentiment and greater streamlining of listing approvals for sectors such as tech and healthcare. That compares to London, which has been battling a lackluster IPO market following a string of delistings and defections. Fundraising from London listings slumped to at least a three-decade low in the first half of this year, according to Dealogic. Coresight Research's Kumar also noted that an initial Hong Kong listing could also provide a gateway to a later dual listing in either London or New York, if pulled off successfully. "Ultimately, a well-executed Hong Kong debut could stabilize Shein's valuation and renew investor confidence but only if it navigates regulatory, reputational and operational risks with equal agility," Kumar said. The logo of Japanese company SoftBank Group is seen outside the company's headquarters in Tokyo on January 22, 2025. Other Japanese tech stocks also declined, with semiconductor giant Advantest falling as much as 6.27%. Meanwhile, shares in Renesas Electronics and Tokyo Electron were last seen trading 2.46% and 0.75% lower, respectively. The tech-focused investment firm saw shares drop for a second consecutive session, following its announcement of a $2 billion investment in Intel . Intel shares rose 6.97% to close at $25.31 Tuesday stateside. Shares Japan's SoftBank Group plunged as much as 9.2% Wednesday, as technology stocks in Asia declined, tracking losses in U.S. peers overnight. Technology companies in South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, also fell after U.S. tech stocks dropped overnight spurred by declines in artificial intelligence darling Nvidia 's shares. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is considering the federal government taking equity stakes in semiconductor companies that get funding under the CHIPS Act for building plants in the U.S, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The U.S. CHIPS and Science Act seeks to boost the country's semiconductor industry, scientific research and innovation. Shares of Taiwanese chip companies TSMC and Hon Hai Precision Industry known globally as Foxconn declined 1.69% and 2.16%, respectively. TSMC manufactures Nvidia's high-performance graphics processing units that help power large language models, while Foxconn has a strategic partnership with Nvidia to build "AI factories." South Korean tech stocks mostly fell with shares of chipmaker SK Hynix down 3.33%. Samsung Electronics, however, rose 0.75%. TSMC, Samsung and SK Hynix are among companies that have received funding under the CHIPS Act. Over in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Tech index lost 0.87% in early trade. The worst performing stocks on the index were Kuaishou Technology , which declined 4.8%, JD Health International , down 3.31% and Horizon Robotics , which lost 2.29%. Losses were also seen in tech majors Alibaba Group and Xiaomi Corp , down 1.44% and 1.34%, respectively. Here are some of the stocks posting the biggest moves in midday trading Wednesday. Palantir Technologies The defense technology company headed for a sixth consecutive losing day, dropping more than 2% on Wednesday. If Palantir closes in negative territory, that will mark its first six-day losing run since April 2024. Shares have more than doubled in 2025. Medtronic The medical device company saw shares pop 4% after giving guidance that was better than hoped. For the 2026 fiscal year, the company sees a tariff impact of about $185 million, down from its earlier range of roughly $200 million to $250 million. Medtronic also lifted its non-GAAP guidance for the year to a range of $5.60 to $5.66 per share, up from its earlier call for $5.50 to $5.60 per share and topping the FactSet consensus of $5.55 per share. Avis Budget Shares of the car rental company slipped 5%. Bank of America downgraded Avis to underperform from buy. "We think that CAR fundamentals and the macro environment don't support the current stock price which significantly outperformed the market in June," the firm said. UnitedHealth The health insurance giant headed for back-to-back losing sessions, dropping more than 2%. Shares have been cooling from last week's pop, which was driven by news that Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway revealed a stake of 5 million shares in UnitedHealth. Target The big-box retailer sank 7% after announcing CEO Brian Cornell will be replaced by Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke on Feb.1. Target also posted a second-quarter earnings and revenue beat, although its sales and traffic declined, and reiterated its full-year outlook. Estee Lauder Shares tumbled nearly 5% after the beauty company said it expects tariff-related headwinds to affect profitability for its fiscal 2026 year by about $100 million. Estee Lauder also guided for fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings per share in a range below FactSet's consensus estimate, and for fiscal 2026 year-over-year revenue growth of 2.5%, less than the expected 2.6%. Hertz The car rental company jumped 5% after announcing it will begin selling pre-owned vehicles on Amazon Autos. The offering will be available beginning in four city areas as soon as Wednesday and will expand to 45 locations nationwide. Analog Devices The stock rose 4% following the semiconductor company's earnings beat. Analog Devices reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.05 per share on revenue of $2.88 billion. Analysts polled by LSEG had expected earnings per share of $1.95 on revenue of $2.77 billion. TJX The stock rose 3% after the discount retailer reported second-quarter results that exceeded expectations. TJX posted earnings of $1.10 per share on revenue of $14.40 billion. Analysts polled by LSEG had expected earnings per share of $1.01 on revenue of $14.13 billion. La-Z-Boy Shares slid 12% after the manufacturer of recliners posted earnings of 47 cents per share, excluding items, in the fiscal first quarter, missing the consensus estimate from analysts polled by FactSet of 53 cents. The company also gave weaker-than-expected guidance for current-quarter revenue. Alcon U.S.-listed shares of the Swiss-based eye-care company shed 9%. Alcon's second-quarter revenue of $2.58 billion came in below the $2.62 billion expected from analysts polled by FactSet. The company also lowered its full-year revenue guidance. Upstart The online lender added almost 3% on the back of an upgrade at JPMorgan to overweight from neutral. The firm said the improved macroeconomic outlook is positive for seasoned fintech leaders and believes Upstart offers the best risk/reward. Chip companies Shares of some chips manufacturers moved lower following a Reuters report that the Trump administration is considering taking equity stakes in those companies that receive funding from the CHIPS Act. Micron sank 5%, while Intel tumbled 7%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing lost 2% and AMD fell 2%. CNBC's Alex Harring, Sarah Min, Lisa Han and Michelle Fox contributed reporting. Check out the companies making the biggest moves in premarket trading: Target The big-box retailer sank 10.5% after announcing CEO Brian Cornell will be replaced by Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke on Feb.1. Target also posted a second-quarter earnings and revenue beat, although its sales and traffic declined, and reiterated its full-year outlook. Lowe's Shares of the home improvement retailer moved 3% higher on the back of its latest financial results . Earnings came in at $4.33 per share for the second quarter, topping the $4.24 expected from analysts polled by LSEG. Revenue was $23.96 billion, matching the consensus estimate. Lowe's also increased its full-year sales guidance. Estee Lauder Shares tumbled 8% after the beauty company said it expects tariff-related headwinds to affect profitability for its fiscal 2026 year by approximately $100 million. Estee Lauder also guided for fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings per share in a range below FactSet's consensus estimate, and for fiscal 2026 year-over-year revenue growth of 2.5%, less than the expected 2.6%. Hertz The car rental company jumped 9% after announcing it will begin selling pre-owned vehicles on Amazon Autos. The offering will be available beginning in four city areas as soon as Wednesday and will expand to 45 locations nationwide. Analog Devices The stock rose 3.8% following the semiconductor company's earnings beat. Analog Devices reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.05 per share on revenue of $2.88 billion. Analysts polled by LSEG had expected earnings per share of $1.95 on revenue of $2.77 billion. The company also raised its fourth-quarter guidance. TJX The stock rose 4.4% after the discount retailer reported second-quarter results that exceeded expectations. TJX posted earnings of $1.10 per share on revenue of $14.40 billion. Analysts polled by LSEG had expected earnings per share of $1.01 on revenue of $14.13 billion. La-Z-Boy Shares slid 22% after the manufacturer of recliners posted earnings of 47 cents per share, excluding items, in the fiscal first quarter, missing the consensus estimate from analysts polled by FactSet of 53 cents. The company also gave weaker-than-expected guidance for current-quarter revenue. Alcon U.S.-listed shares of the Swiss-based eye-care company shed 11%. Alcon's second-quarter revenue of $2.58 billion came in below the $2.62 billion expected from analysts polled by FactSet. The company also lowered its full-year revenue guidance. Toll Brothers The luxury homebuilder slipped 1.6% following its weak full-year outlook. Toll Brothers, which reported a third-year earnings and revenue beat, expects to deliver 11,200 units versus its prior guidance of 11,200 to 11,600 units. It also guided for the average delivered price per home to come between $950,000 to $960,000, compared to its prior guidance of $945,000 to 965,000. Snowflake The software stock rose 2.4% after being upgraded at Bank of America to buy from neutral. The bank expects its earnings, due next week, will be a catalyst for the stock and believes Snowflake will outperform long term thanks to artificial intelligence. Upstart The online lender added 2.5% on the back of an upgrade at JPMorgan to overweight from neutral. The firm said the improved macroeconomic outlook is positive for seasoned fintech leaders and believes Upstart offers the best risk/reward. Gap The clothing retailer moved 2% lower as shares were downgraded to neutral from buy at Citi, which cited tariff pressures. Chip companies Shares of some chips manufacturers moved lower following a Reuters report that the Trump administration is considering taking equity stakes in those companies that receive funding from the CHIPS Act. Micron sank 5%, while Intel , Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and AMD were all down about 1%. CNBC's Alex Harring, Sarah Min and Lisa Han contributed reporting. U.S. Commerce Secretary is looking into the federal government taking equity stakes in computer chip manufacturers that receive CHIPS Act funding. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is looking into the federal government taking equity stakes in computer chip manufacturers that receive CHIPS Act funding to build factories in the country, two sources said. Expanding on a plan to receive an equity stake in Intel in exchange for cash grants, a White House official and a person familiar with the situation said Lutnick is exploring how the U.S. can receive equity stakes in exchange for CHIPS Act funding for companies such as Micron , Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Samsung . Much of the funding has not yet been dispersed. Aside from Intel, memory chipmaker Micron is the biggest U.S. recipient of CHIPS Act cash. TSMC declined comment. Micron, Samsung and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that Lutnick was working on a deal with Intel to take a 10% government stake. "The president wants to put America's needs first, both from a national security and economic perspective, and it's a creative idea that has never been done before," she told reporters. While Lutnick said earlier on CNBC that the U.S. does not want to tell Intel how to run its operations, any investment would be unprecedented and ramps up a new era of U.S. influence on the big companies. In the past, the U.S. has taken stakes in companies to provide cash and build confidence in times of economic upheaval and uncertainty. In a similar move earlier this year, Trump approved Nippon Steel's purchase of U.S. Steel after being promised a "golden share" that would prevent the companies from reducing or delaying promised investments, transferring production or jobs outside the U.S., or closing or idling plants before certain time frames, without the president's consent. The two sources said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also involved in the CHIPS Act discussions, but that Lutnick is driving the process. The Commerce Department oversees the $52.7 billion CHIPS Act, formally known as the CHIPS and Science Act. The act provides funding for research and grants for building chip plants in the U.S. Lutnick has been pushing the equity idea, the sources said, adding that Trump likes the idea. The U.S. Commerce Department late last year finalized subsidies of $4.75 billion for Samsung, $6.2 billion for Micron and $6.6 billion for TSMC to produce semiconductors in the U.S. In June, Lutnick said the department was re-negotiating some of former President Joe Biden's grants to semiconductor firms, calling them "overly generous". He noted at the time that Micron offered to increase its spending on chip plants in the U.S. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up his two-day trip to India on Tuesday the latest sign of warming ties between Beijing and New Delhi. During his visit, Wang said India and China should "view each other as partners and opportunities rather than adversaries or threats," according to a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry translated by Google. In the readout, Wang also said the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2024 marked a "restart" in China-India relations. Contrast that with the souring of U.S.-India relations over the past few months. U.S. President Donald Trump went from giving bear hugs to Modi in February, to labeling India the "tariff king" six months on, slapping India with one of the highest duties, and accusing it of fueling Russia's war in Ukraine through oil purchases . The rift raises the question: Is India, a country that has enjoyed strong diplomatic relations with Washington, now drawing closer to Beijing? Ivan Lidarev, visiting senior fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, told CNBC that India is indeed moving toward Beijing, but pointed out that the cooling of U.S.-India ties is just one factor. India and China ties had warmed after Xi and Modi met in October last year on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, where the two sides had agreed to deescalate tensions along their disputed border. "President Trump's policy toward India, and actually toward China, to some extent, has accelerated this process," Lidarev said. Trump slapped high tariffs on India for buying oil from Moscow, but said last week after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin that he has no immediate need to consider retaliatory tariffs on countries such as China for doing the same. Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at Washington-based think tank Wilson Center, told CNBC's " Squawk Box Asia " Wednesday that with friction in the U.S.-India relationship, New Delhi is more inclined to hedge against the uncertainty in its relations with the U.S. by trying to "open things up "with China. Lidarev pointed out, "On the U.S. side, there is no change in public perception of India, but on the Indian side, there is a very big change in public perceptions. I think that many Indians are very unhappy with U.S. behavior. They believe that India has been mistreated. They're outraged by the tariffs and by what they see as American attempts to twist India's hand." Thawing China-India ties In a sign of warming ties, China's Wang called on Modi on Tuesday, extending to him an invitation from Xi to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin at the end of August. Modi has accepted the invitation. A trip would mark the Indian prime minister's first visit to China in seven years. Direct flights from India to mainland China , which have been suspended since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, are set to resume. Both sides also agreed to reopen border trade at three designated trading points. Indian media reported on Wednesday that China agreed to lift curbs on exports on fertilizers, rare earths and tunnel boring machines. Separately, several Indian companies have pursued partnerships with Chinese companies earlier this year, The Economic Times reported in July. Indian conglomerates Reliance and Adani Group have, likewise, reportedly been pursuing deals with Chinese companies , with Adani Group founder Gautam Adani visiting companies like battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology in June. Tactical, not strategic reset However, the move toward Beijing does not signify a fundamental reshaping of India's relationships in the Indo-Pacific, experts said. Chietigj Bajpaee, senior research fellow for South Asia at Chatham House, told CNBC that the China-India relationship is undergoing a "tactical rather than strategic reset." " None of the fundamental grievances in the bilateral relationship have been resolved," he highlighted. Bajpaee noted that the border dispute has not been resolved, and there are some fault lines that are still present in the relationship, including water disputes and China's "all-weather" relationship with Pakistan. That was seen in the border conflict in May between India and Pakistan, in which the latter claimed that Chinese-made J-10C Pakistani fighters shot down India's French-made Rafale fighter jets. Pakistan had procured the J-10Cs back in 2021, in response to India buying 36 Rafales in 2015. Similarly, Li Mingjiang, associate professor at Singapore's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies said the current detente is more of a "tactical pause." He noted that both sides referring to Beijing and New Delhi have strong incentives to manage tensions, but because of the unresolved tensions, the easing is likely to be short term in nature. In his view, the broader Indo-Pacific landscape is still defined by competition and hedging. To be sure, India still does have a deep relationship with the U.S., with the two nations having a "Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership" with cooperation in defense, technology, and clean energy . India was also designated a "major defense partner" by the U.S. in 2016. When asked if India will remain the U.S.' counterweight to China, Li said it's unlikely that New Delhi would abandon that role. He added that both countries share "enduring strategic interests" in limiting Beijing's regional dominance, and that current tariff pressures are mainly related to the Russia-Ukraine war. "If that conflict winds down, Washington and New Delhi may find it easier to smooth over trade frictions," Li said. Here are Wednesday's biggest calls on Wall Street: JPMorgan upgrades Upstart Holdings to overweight from neutral JPMorgan said it is getting more constructive on shares of the fintech lender. "We are upgrading Upstart to OW (from N). We lean positive on the more seasoned fintech lenders, given a favorable macro backdrop (e.g., stable credit and potential rate cuts), and we believe Upstart offers the best risk/reward among personal loan originators." Read more. KeyBanc reiterates Nvidia as overweight KeyBanc raised its price target to $215 per share from $190 ahead of earnings next week. "We expect NVDA to report strong F2Q (Jul) results and guide F3Q (Oct) slightly below cons, as we expect NVDA's outlook to exclude direct revenue from China given pending license approvals and uncertainty on timing." Citi upgrades Nu Holdings to buy from sell Citi said it sees earnings quality for the Brazilian digital bank. "We are upgrading Nubank to Buy (from Sell) while adjusting our TP to US$18 (from US$9)." Read more . HSBC downgrades Goodyear Tire to hold from buy HSBC downgraded the tire stock following earnings. "Goodyear has been making restructuring progress, but savings have less incremental impact than expected." Piper Sandler upgrades Vita Coco to overweight from neutral Piper Sandler said to buy the dip in the beverage company despite the tariff threat. "We upgrade COCO to OW as its recent stock pullback, likely driven by revised tariffs, looks overdone to us. One could make a case that the breadth of tariffs do not fit the emergency measures the President has the authority to take, but even if they stick, COCO has some sourcing flexibility and (most importantly) pricing power to mitigate them." JPMorgan downgrades Kroger to neutral from overweight The firm downgraded Kroger on valuation. "At the same time, we do not view the current valuation as compelling, especially when considering the lack of operating profit growth and unclear strategic direction (e.g., interim CEO, evaluation of ecommerce business)." Citi initiates Roper Technologies as buy Citi said it is bullish on shares of the software company. " Roper is a vertical software and technology-enabled product leader that has undergone a dramatic shift over the last 2+ decades from its history as an industrial conglomerate to a vertical software leader today." JPMorgan upgrades J.M. Smucker to overweight from neutral JPMorgan said it sees a slew of positive catalysts ahead for the food products company. "Longer term, SJM seems better positioned for top-line and earnings growth compared to similarly valued companies, supported by growth in Uncrustables, an eventual rebound in pet food demand, and stability in coffee." Citi downgrades Urban Outfitters to neutral from buy Citi downgraded the stock mainly on valuation. "We are downgrading URBN from Buy to Neutral. The stock is +86% since November/hit our prior TP (showing market expectations are now higher), there is additional risk from higher India tariffs (which could pressure the GM story), and we are taking a more cautious view toward specialty apparel retailers in 2H in general." Citi downgrades Gap to neutral from buy Citi said it sees a more balanced risk/reward. "We are downgrading GAP from Buy to Neutral as we view the risk/reward as more balanced in the current macro/tariff backdrop." Bank of America adds AT & T to the US1 list Bank of America added the stock to its top ideas list. "We are adding AT & T Inc. (T) to the US 1 List." Piper Sandler initiates Figma as overweight Piper Sandler said the design interface tool company is a "disruptor." "We initiate FIG at Overweight with an $85 PT based on a differentiated platform, attractive business model, and broad-based global reach into 450K+ customers." UBS upgrades Antero Resources to buy from neutral UBS said the gas and liquids company is a "financial inflection." "We upgrade AR from Neutral to Buy." UBS reiterates Chevron as buy UBS said the oil giant remains a top idea. " CVX r emains our Top Pick within the IOCs, [international oil company] as we expect positive momentum to continue building following the HES transaction closing and into the November 12th Analyst Day." Evercore ISI adds Hewlett Packard Enterprise to the tactical outperform list Evercore ISI said it is bullish ahead of earnings in early September. "We believe HPE is well positioned to report upside to Jul-qtr expectations and guide the Oct-qtr above what current pro forma estimates reflect post Juniper close." Bank of America upgrades Snowflake to buy from neutral The firm said it is sticking with Snowflake ahead of earnings on Aug. 27. "While we believe that Q2 earnings (8/27) will be a catalyst for the stock given multiple positive data points outlined below, our call is for outperformance over the long term given incremental traction with products addressing a significant larger addressable AI market for software of $155bn." Citi reiterates Micron as buy Citi said it is standing by the semis company. "We spent time in investor meetings with Micron management this week and dug into sources of upside and came away more confident that its gross margins can break through 50%, which would easily exceed the prior cycle peak of 47.4% in 2021 driven by increasing HBM [high bandwidth memory] mix and better pricing in DRAM due to increasing AI demand." Bank of America downgrades Avis Budget to underperform from buy Bank of America said "rental industry dynamics remain under pressure." "We downgrade CAR to Underperform from Buy with -28% potential downside. We think that CAR fundamentals and the macro environment don't support the current stock price which significantly outperformed the market in June." Bank of America initiates iRhythm as buy The firm said it sees "multiple expansion" for the heart monitoring device company. "We are initiating coverage on iRhythm ( IRTC) with a Buy rating and $200 PO." William Blair reiterates Coinbase as outperform William Blair said Coinbase is the best "pure play" on crypto. "In light of elevated IPO activity in the crypto industry, we reiterate our view that long-term investors should aggressively accumulate shares of Coinbase as it builds the most complete, versatile, and hardened crypto platform." Walmart is slated to report second-quarter earnings before the opening bell on Thursday, and several analysts are optimistic about the retailer heading into the print, even after the stock's outperformance since the start of the year. Analysts surveyed by LSEG expect Walmart's earnings per share to rise more than 10% compared to the same period a year ago. Revenue is estimated to expand 4% versus last year. Analysts will watch for any insights into how President Donald Trump's tariffs have affected the country's largest retailer over the past three months. Walmart Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey in May said higher duties could lead the company to start raising prices . The Bentonville, Arkansas-based chain also declined to give second-quarter earnings per share or operating income growth guidance, citing shifting tariff policy. Since then, Walmart has moved to increase prices on certain items , such as baby gear and home goods. "Perhaps more important for Walmart and the broader retail space will be commentary on its relative price strategy (which we think has been aggressive), along with early consumer responses to price changes (likely modest elasticity but expectations to worsen)," Barclays analyst Seth Sigman wrote this week. Sigman (overweight, $108 price target) also said he "would not be surprised" if Walmart's outlook stays the same, even against what he expects will amount to a "strong" second quarter. "While there is potential upside to FY guidance based on 1H, there is a case to not raise guidance right now," he wrote. "Actual tariffs are still fluid given delays, and it's very early in price increases across the retail space." In 2025, Walmart has outperformed the S & P 500 , rising more than 12% through Tuesday's close, against the index's 9% gain. Sigman's view is also consensus on Wall Street. Of the 43 analysts covering Walmart, all but one rate it buy or strong buy, according to LSEG. Here's what some had to say before Thursday's results: TD Cowen: Buy rating, $115 price target Analyst Oliver Chen's target implies more than 14% upside from Tuesday's close of $100.69. "The investor bar is set for a continuation of 1Q's momentum with 2Q U.S. comps of at least +4% vs. 4.5% in 1Q. WMT previously communicated an expectation for a temporary retail inventory accounting lift (related to tariffs) to 2Q gross margins and a corresponding reversal in 3Q. The investor bar for 2Q gross margin is at least +15-20bps Y/Y We expect a 2Q beat but reiterated FY guidance given uncertainty around consumer sentiment and the macro backdrop ahead of 2H." Bank of America: Buy, $120 Analyst Robert Ohmes' target reflects more than 19% upside over the coming 12 months. "WMT did not provide 2Q EBIT or EPS guide in light of the dynamic backdrop (tariffs & inventory accounting), though we see WMT well positioned to manage tariffs given its scale with suppliers, advanced pricing, automation, & inventory management, potential to shift imported [first party] goods to [third party], & lower import exposure vs. many peers We maintain Buy on WMT as share gains continue across product categories & incomes (esp. $100k+) as its strong value offering & digital convenience resonate. WMT's outlook for [long-term] profitability continues to improve with support from digital advertising, [third party] marketplace & improvements in core [e-commerce] losses. Despite WMT's current 34x P/E near 20+ year highs, we see support for cont'd expansion." Morgan Stanley: Overweight, $115 Analyst Simeon Gutman's price objective also calls for more than 14% upside. "While tariffs remain a source of uncertainty around 2FH26e earnings, WMT should continue to play to its strengths to negotiate these challenges, thanks to its superior supply chain, increasing eCommerce reach and profitability, and alternative, high margin revenue streams. We see modest upside to current 2Q consensus expectations, with F'26e guidance to remain unchanged for now, reflecting the uncertainty around the impact of tariffs and price increases required during 2FH26e. We don't think this will be negatively perceived so long as eCommerce, Retail Media and Walmart+ Membership the key drivers in WMT's flywheel maintain momentum, which we believe is the case." Wells Fargo: Overweight, $108 price target Analyst Edward Kelly's target would amount to more than 7% upside over the next year. "Q2 is trickier than normal given the absence of guidance amid [Retail Inventory Method] accounting/tariff pricing volatility, but we expect a similar underlying story share gains (incl. 4%+ U.S. comp); margin progress; reiterate FY guidance despite uncertainty; fly wheel narrative intact. More important may be color on the consumer (possibly cautious) and tariff pricing (talk about playing offense); both could fuel investor caution on the 2H retail outlook." Oppenheimer: Outperform rating, $115 price target Analyst Rupesh Parikh's target for the stock would equal more than 14% appreciation over the next 12 months. "Following a more difficult backdrop to start the year due to unexpected tariff and expense headwinds, we believe a positive guidance revision cycle could again materialize soon We expect a solid all-around top-line delivery about consistent with the high-end of management's Q2 constant currency sales guidance of +3.5-4.5% We believe management could raise FY25 (Jan. 2026) full-year targets with either the upcoming Q2 release or with the Q3 print. Amid ongoing tariff uncertainty, we would expect management to maintain conservatism and believe it is unlikely to fully flow through first half upside." The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that the public should avoid eating certain frozen shrimp sold at Walmart due to concerns that the seafood may have been contaminated with radioactive material. Health officials said in a news release that it is investigating reports of Cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination in shipping containers and frozen shrimp products processed by an Indonesian company, PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati of Indonesia, also known as BMS Food. Some of the raw frozen shrimp products processed by an Indonesian company are sold at Walmart stores in 13 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia, according to the FDA. Among the products includes Walmart's "great value brand frozen shrimp," the health agency said. "If you have recently purchased raw frozen shrimp from Walmart that matches this description, throw it away," the FDA said. "Do not eat or serve this product." Health officials advised people to talk to their health care providers if they think they've been exposed to elevated levels of the contaminant. PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati and Walmart did not immediately return requests for comment. Cs-137 is the radioactive form of Cesium, "a soft, flexible, silvery-white metal that becomes liquid near room temperature" used for medical devices and gauges, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Repeated exposure to low doses of Cs-137 can increase the risk of cancer, "resulting from damage to DNA within living cells of the body," health officials said in their news release. The FDA said that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection alerted the health agency to the detection of Cs-137 in shipping containers in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami and Savannah, Georgia. It said that all containers and products that tested positive for Cs-137 were denied entry into the country. Health officials also cautioned that it did not detect Cs-137 in any product above the current derived intervention levels for Cs-137, of 1200 Bq/kg. However, the FDA said that "the level detected in the breaded shrimp sample could represent a potential health concern" if it is combined with radiation in the environment or from medical procedures. Tata Motors on Wednesday said it has re-entered the South African passenger vehicle market.Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV), a subsidiary of Tata Motors, has launched four models -- Harrier, Curvv, Punch, and Tiago -- in the country.This strategic re-entry is underpinned by a strong alliance with Motus Holdings, South Africas foremost automotive group, the Mumbai-based auto major said in a statement."Our return to South Africa marks a significant milestone in Tata Motors' global journey," TMPV Managing Director Shailesh Chandra stated.With Motus as the preferred partner, the company is confident in delivering a superior ownership experience that resonates with South African consumers and contributes meaningfully to the local economy, he added.TMPV will operate through a nationwide network of 40 dealerships, with a plan to expand to 60 by 2026, ensuring broad accessibility and strong customer support across South Africa. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to meet in New Delhi by the end of the year, Reuters reported, citing a Russian embassy official in India. Although a date has not been finalised, the news comes a day after Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar reached Moscow to strengthen ties amid sharp criticism from the US and EU leaders over India's closeness with Russia. The two leaders recently connected over a phone call after Putin met with US President Donald Trump in Alaska on August 15. The Russian embassy criticised the US decision to impose penalties on India over the oil trade. The official further emphasised that the crude oil trade between the two nations will remain unaffected, and overall IndiaRussia trade is expected to grow 10% annually. "More international pressure will only lead to more cooperation between India and Russia, and a Rupee-Rouble payment mechanism will be used more in the future. The US secondary sanctions are illegal and pressure on India is unjustified," the embassy said. The two countries will create mechanisms to settle trade in local currencies instead of the US dollar, stressing that Russia cannot be isolated from the global economy. In recent months, the US has heavily criticised India for buying Russian oil and levied hefty tariffs on Indian imports to the US. India now faces 50% tariffs after Trump announced 25% on July 31, followed by an additional 25% in August as a penalty for purchasing oil and defence products from Russia, claiming it supports Russia to continue its war in Ukraine. Both India and the US have only bolstered their ties with Russia since then, with Trump giving Putin a red carpet welcome in Alaska on August 15 and pressuring Ukraine to give up parts of its territory to end the war. Indian minister Jaishankar is in Russia for a three-day visit from August 19 to August 21 to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation. Also read: EAM Jaishankar in Russia, visit to boost bilateral ties We really dont need the courts to tell us that having Leonardo DiCaprio play a boring nerd character whom he openly hates for over two hours was an original idea from Adam McKay. Back in December 2021, McKay released his highly anticipated, COVID-delayed, politically satirical black comedy film Dont Look Up, in which a pair of astronomers discover a massive comet on a collision course toward earth and attempt to mobilize world leaders to prevent the apocalypse, only for a stand-in for Donald Trump and a parody of Elon Musk to selfishly hijack the discovery. Don't Look Up would draw mixed reviews from critics while earning a positive response from professional climate scientists who felt that their demoralizing efforts to educate the public on climate change and call them to action were represented frighteningly well through the allegory of the film. Additionally, the film would accidentally and allegedly step on the toes of some spiteful science-fiction writers who apparently believe that they invented the notion that human beings can be in denial about the apocalypse. Don't Miss Earlier today, a district court judge in Florida dismissed a lawsuit from novelist Darren Hunter, who unsuccessfully argued that Dont Look Up was based on his own book, The Million Day Forecast. This is, astoundingly, the second time a writer has filed suit against Netflix and McKay and claimed that Dont Look Up stole its story from one of their books, which is a shocking way for these litigious bookworms to admit that they can't come up with a single compelling lead character. The description of The Million Day Forecast reads: Advertisement A 17-year-old high school student named Emma Hayes is contacted by an alien named Srenyi from the galaxy Centauras A. He provides her information about a calamitous event set to befall earth in one million days. The revelation sets off a stunning chain of events on earth, resulting in an ordinary teenage girl finding herself forced into a heart-pounding race against time, and acceptance of the challenge to save the human race. Along the way there is a startling glimpse into what extra-terrestrials are like or perhaps more terrifyingly, what humans are really like. Hilariously, Hunter sought $3 billion in damages from McKay and Netflix for allegedly stealing the idea of a space-themed sci-fi apocalypse story, despite the fact that Don't Look Up completely flopped in its extremely limited, late-pandemic theatrical release, and it seems unlikely that millions upon millions of households signed up for Netflix just to see a movie about how the ruling class doesnt give a shit about global warming. The judge who dismissed Hunters suit attributed any possible similarities between Don't Look Up and The Million Day Forecast to broad uncopyrightable ideas that are typical of works that center around the Earths destruction. Ultimately, McKay and his Netflix producers did not, in fact, invent the apocalyptic science-fiction genre. All the Don't Look Up team did was make a brutally depressing and utterly hopeless movie that accurately reflected how the media, billionaire tech moguls like Musk and conservative political leaders are all complicit in obfuscating the dire consequences of the environmental changes for which theyre partially responsible, and from which they profit immensely. Advertisement Unfortunately for Hunter and any other writers who believe that theyre the first ones to figure out that human beings are hard to warn about their own impending doom, McKay didnt do anything with Don't Look Up that isnt fair game for all depressing sci-fi writers, and nobody has a copyright on DiCaprio completely phoning in 98 percent of a movie just to deliver one impassioned monologue that goes mega-viral. Youve seen the documentaries. Youve read the oral histories. Youve streamed the movie dramatization. Now you can relive the turbulent beginnings of Saturday Night Live by attending Not Ready for Prime Time, a new Off-Broadway play that promises to cover the same ground as all the tributes and chronicles that came before it. The shows hyperbolic producers describe Not Ready for Prime Time as a bold, behind-the-scenes look at the launch of one of Americas most iconic shows, according to Deadline. From the writers room battles to the live-on-air adrenaline, this fast-paced and irreverent play dives into the personalities, clashes and lightning-in-a-bottle moments that built an American institution. Don't Miss The origin story of Saturday Night is indeed chaotic and full of drama. It might be an excellent idea for a stage play if the tale hadnt been spun a bajillion times before, including several retellings in the past year alone. Documentaries SNLs 50th anniversary saw the arrival of four different documentaries about the shows history, not including another full-length chronicle of the shows musical acts. Want to see those original Not Ready for Primetime Players auditioning for Saturday Night? The Five Minutes doc has everything you need heck, so does YouTube. Podcasts Advertisement Dozens of current and former SNL cast members have podcasts. Those who don't have probably been a guest on Fly on the Wall, where Dana Carvey and David Spade walk the shows comics and hosts through every minute of their SNL experience. Carvey and Spade arent exactly investigative journalists, but they do provide a cozy environment for nostalgic reminiscing, as do the dozens of other podcasts devoted to Saturday Night Live. Ted Danson and Charlie Day have a lot in common when you think about it namely, theyve both played proprietors of dank bars in long-running TV comedies. Although, as far as were aware, Cheers didnt have a single glory hole, and Sam Malone never told Norm and Cliff to go fuck themselves through song. When the Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia star recently guested on Dansons podcast, Where Everybody Knows Your Name, he took the opportunity to get the veteran actors advice about the best way to exit a career-defining sitcom role. How did you wrestle with being a television character, so (well-known) and so recognizable? Day asked. Youre such a staple of American television society, as this one character. Was that ever a challenge for you? I wouldnt say it is so much for me, but sometimes like, Im like, Oh did I overstate my welcome here? Am I only ever gonna be this character from Sunny? Don't Miss First off, the transition was easy, cause I blew my personal life up so badly in that moment of leaving that it didnt even dawn on me that I had quite left Cheers for months. Because I was just dealing with myself and my personal stuff. Dansons decision to leave Cheers is what led to the end of the show after 11 seasons on the air. When Day asked whether or not Dansons personal issues were related to his departure, he confirmed that it was all connected. Advertisement I think I left Cheers 'cause I went, Well Im blowing shit up in my life. For the better, he confessed. You know, I was changing for the better, and working really hard at that. So I thought I might as well jump completely off the cliff. And (it was) a little bit of, If I dont leave now and this is not for you I may not know if I could do anything else. And I want to see if I can do any other stuff. Danson also recalled that he refused to be typecast, and argued that Day had already circumvented that problem. The whole typecasting thing is, I think in your hands if you dont pay any attention to that and you just keep trying to be around the most creative people. And youve already done that, youre working with directors like Guillermo del Toro, give me a break! Ethan Cohen. And youre directing yourself. Advertisement Danson added that from his vantage point of creativity thats not something that Day should be worried about. So whenever Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia ends, hopefully Charlie Day wont take a role in the Getting Even With Dad remake. Two incidents reported last week by European leaders have once again spotlighted one of the most unsettling forms of politically motivated cyber malfeasance: attacks on local water facilities. First, the director of the Norwegian Police Security Service, Beate Gangas, said that Russian hackers are likely behind suspected sabotage at the dam at Bremanger on Lake Risvatnet, in western Norway, that took place in April, with the saboteurs opening one of the dams valves to increase water flow. According to press reports, the valve was open for around four hours but posed no danger to the surrounding areas. The next day, Poland Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski, who is also the countrys digital affairs minister, said that a large unnamed Polish city could have had its water supply cut off that week due to a cyberattack. The attack, which Gawkowski insinuated came from Russian hackers but offered no further details, was somehow foiled. Critical vulnerabilities have been found in Lenovos AI-powered customer support chatbot that allowed attackers to steal session cookies and potentially gain unauthorized access to the companys customer support systems using a single malicious prompt. Lenovos chatbot Lena, which is powered by OpenAIs GPT-4, was vulnerable to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks due to improper input and output sanitization, according to security researchers at Cybernews who discovered the flaws. The vulnerability enabled attackers to inject malicious code through a carefully crafted 400-character prompt that tricked the AI system into generating harmful HTML content. Cybernews researchers said the vulnerability served as a stark warning about the security risks inherent in poorly implemented AI chatbots, particularly as organizations rapidly adopt AI across enterprise environments. Modified: Tuesday, 19 August 2025 22:33 BST Tim Boyer STORY LINK Euro to Dollar Forecast: "Upside Risks" for EUR/USD This Week EUR/USD dipped to 1.1640 before recovering near 1.1675. Gas prices fell, easing pressure on the Euro. Support at 1.1630/1.1650; resistance 1.1685/1.1700 (UoB). Geopolitical talks on Ukraine dominate market focus. EUR/USD Upside risks seen, with ING flagging potential return above 1.1700. Save on Your EUR/USD Transfer Get better rates and lower fees on your next international money transfer. Compare TorFX with top UK banks in seconds and see how much you could save. Compare the Best EUR/USD Rates Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Euro to Dollar exchange rate (EUR/USD) retreated to lows near 1.1640 in early Europe on Tuesday before rallying to 1.1675.The focus has been on geo-political developments and US efforts to broker a deal over Ukraine. Equities posted gains on Tuesday with overall risk conditions holding steady while energy prices remained under downward pressure.Lower gas prices should support the Euro.According to UoB; any decline is unlikely to threaten the major support at 1.1630 (there is another support at 1.1650). On the upside, resistance levels are at 1.1685 and 1.1700.ING noted that overall risk appetite held firm and added; Higher-beta European currencies such as CEE FX and Scandies held steady, suggesting investors remain broadly constructive on geopolitical de-escalation. Also, this may be an indication that the euros correction may well be exacerbated by positioning re-adjustments.It added; Based on the USD view, we see some upside risks from here through the rest of the week in EUR/USD. A return above 1.170 remains quite possible before the end of this week.President Trump and Ukraine President Zelensky held talks in Washington on Monday and were joined by European leaders.Trump has suggested that a ceasefire would no longer be needed and that the conflict could move directly to a settlement, although the Europeans were less convinced.The US will continue to push for a deal for Ukraine to give up territory in return for security guarantees.Washington has given some hints that it will provide some guarantees, but there are still doubts whether it would be willing to engage in actual support.Rabobank expects the US will put the onus on Europe; The EU, presumably, is set to be sidelined at that trilateral meeting despite the expectation that they will be writing the cheques for US arms and supplying the boots on the ground to enforce any security guarantees.It added; As he pursues his ambition for a Nobel Peace Prize, Trump is playing poker with the houses money and Ukraines land. EU pretentions to strategic autonomy are once again exposed as an Emperor who has no clothes.MUFG commented; If the talks prove successful in ending the conflict in Ukraine it could provide more support for European currencies that have already outperformed this year. The price of natural gas in Europe just fallen to its lowest level in over a year highlighting that the negative terms of trade shock continues to fade.According to ING; While the path to peace in Ukraine appears somewhat clearer following last Fridays and Mondays summits, markets remain cautious. This is understandable, given that the most challenging negotiations particularly over territorial issues are still ahead of us. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Euro Dollar Forecasts There's a beautiful irony in the Epping hotel injunction. The Government's immigration policy of putting asylum seekers in hotels in some of the less well-off parts of the country has received a major blow from the legal class that Keir Starmer, Lord Hermer and many of their learned friends themselves inhabit. And it's a blow that sees the long-term viability of the Government's immigration policy unravel, as councils up and down the country will seek to use this ruling to shut down their own troublesome migrant hotels. The difficulty for the Government is that Mr Justice Eyre's decision is a clean, fair, straightforward application of the law. He has ruled that, if planning permission exists for a hotel, it's a blatant breach of planning law to use the premises as a long-term asylum reception centre. Who'd have thought it? At bottom, it's no different from a convoy of travellers breaking planning law by parking caravans on a public recreation ground, or a farmer building a holiday camp on an arable field. The courts regularly issue stiff injunctions in cases like these, and rightly so. But Starmer and the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, were surprisingly complacent, imagining that somehow this didn't apply to their own activities. When the penny dropped at the last minute, they scrambled to influence the result, sending barrister Edward Brown KC to argue that the local authority 'should, in fact, have given some consideration to the wider public interest in this application'. In other words, that an injunction should not be allowed because it would make life very difficult for the Government. Protesters break open the bubbly outside The Bell Hotel in Epping following the High Court ruling Locals had been regularly protesting the decision to house asylum seekers in the hotel after an Ethiopian migrant being housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old schoolgirl Counsel for the hotelier took much the same line, effectively ignoring the concerns of the local people who had been protesting outside The Bell ever since an Ethiopian asylum seeker lodging there was charged with sexual assault against a 14-year-old schoolgirl. 'Fears as to an increase of crime associated with asylum seekers or a danger to schools are common,' he said. 'But that does not make them well founded.' The hotelier's barrister was, of course, doing his job. Nevertheless, such legal arguments blithely take no notice of local problems caused by uncontrolled immigration and the small boats crisis, which has seen more than 50,000 undocumented illegal migrants crossing the Channel to Britain in the 13 months since Labour came to power. Until now, the Home Office has seemed content to dump the problem on councils such as Epping, where voters traditionally mistrust Labour. Now those voters have rightly dumped it back on the Government. What seriously spooks the Home Office is that Epping will not be a lone case. Across the kingdom we could now see multiple injunctions, forcing the Home Secretary in short order to relocate tens of thousands of asylum seekers currently in hotels there are more than 32,000 according to figures released in March. And it is urgent: The High Court has given the Government only three weeks, until September 12, to vacate The Bell. The Government must act, and fast. One option might be to set up more dedicated reception centres, as in Germany and France. Another is to deter small-boat crossings by making it more difficult for illegal migrants to enter the black economy. The ball is firmly, and legally, in its court. Andrew Tettenborn is Professor of Commercial Law at Swansea University In a few weeks' time, a group of sick children will be evacuated from Gaza and brought to the UK for treatment on the NHS. The move reportedly organised jointly by Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will see up to 300 young patients evacuated, along with a parent or guardian and siblings. According to government sources, many of them will probably never return home, and will be granted asylum in the UK. The move was immediately condemned. Independent MP Rupert Lowe tweeted: 'We should put British children first. I will say it again. Speak to the British parents of sick children who are forced to wait months and months for an appointment, never mind a sodding scan or even actual treatment.' Lowe was then attacked himself. 'Rupert Lowe would say that,' charged former Labour shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth. 'He's so obnoxious and extreme he's even been kicked out of the Reform Party.' It's not an unfair criticism of the maverick MP for Great Yarmouth, who recently set the police and coastguard on a group of charity rowers, fearing they were illegal migrants. But on this occasion, Lowe is justified in raising serious questions about the scheme. Questions that ministers have so far conspicuously failed to respond to. The first and the one that will find greatest resonance among the British public relates to the needs of our own children. Do we currently have sufficient spare NHS paediatric capacity to enable us to bring children from overseas without having an impact on the treatment of domestic patients? Up to 300 young patients in Gaza will be evacuated, along with a parent or guardian and siblings, to the UK for NHS treatment in a few weeks' time On one level it's a difficult question to answer, unless you know the precise nature of the care being provided. When he unveiled the scheme the Prime Minister first said it would be for 'critical medical assistance', but then claimed it would be for 'specialist medical treatment'. The scheme is reportedly going to be run 'in parallel' with an existing, privately financed scheme called 'Project Pure Hope'. In May that initiative brought two children over from Gaza, one of whom reportedly required treatment for fluid pressing on the optic nerve of her left eye, and another with a bowel condition. It may well be the case that there are currently no NHS capacity problems relating to these sort of medical issues. But if that is the case, it's a remarkable stroke of good fortune. According to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, more than 340,000 children and young people are currently awaiting treatment 113,000 of whom have been waiting between 18 and 52 weeks. In 2024 Sir Keir Starmer claimed the paediatric waiting list for children was 'dangerous and damaging'. But even if you adopt the charitable assumption 300 Gazan children can now be absorbed into the NHS without any impact on current waiting lists, other serious questions still remain: precisely who is deciding which children should gain access to British healthcare, and how? It would be reasonable to expect that if children are being brought to the UK, they would be subject to some sort of triage system by British officials. But according to the BBC, 'the children will be selected according to need by doctors working for the Hamas-run health ministry'. It's a matter of documented fact that doctors associated with Hamas, such as physician Ahmed Aljamal, have been directly responsible for the kidnapping and imprisonment of Israeli hostages. Rupert Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth, wrote on X: 'We should put British children first' And Hamas is currently engaged in a massive publicity effort to generate sympathy for their cause and create pressure for recognition of a Palestinian state. So it's unclear how anyone can be certain the children will be chosen on grounds of clinical need, rather than for propaganda or other purposes. In addition, ministers have spent the past weeks claiming they cannot make Palestinian recognition conditional on hostage release because they won't negotiate with Hamas. But they are clearly engaging in some form of negotiation with them even if via third parties over the NHS treatment plan. And then there is a third, more fundamental question. Why is it that children from Gaza, as opposed to any of the world's other conflict zones, are being prioritised in the first place? According to Save The Children, the 'ten most dangerous countries for children living in conflict' are Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan and the Central African Republic. In the DRC, 14.2 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance. In Somalia 1.5 million children are facing deadly malnutrition. In Mali, one child in ten dies before their fifth birthday. So why are these children not being provided the same opportunity to access life-saving and life-enhancing care here in the UK? The defenders of the Gaza scheme point to a similar initiative aimed at providing healthcare to Ukrainian children. But we in the UK have a direct obligation to Ukraine. As successive Prime Ministers have stated, Ukrainians are currently fighting on the front line to protect us from Russian aggression. And we have actively encouraged them to continue that fight. Britain is not responsible for the current situation in Gaza. That rests squarely on the shoulders of Hamas, which sparked the Israeli invasion by launching the October 7 attacks. Yet these are the very people we are told are now facilitating the new evacuation plan. The reality is, the children of Gaza are being prioritised over the children of Somalia, Sudan and the world's other brutalising war zones because of political need, not clinical need. Last month, Jeremy Corbyn announced the formation of his new party, with opposition to the Government's policy on Gaza at the heart of his recruitment drive and political agenda. A major backlash is underway towards the Government's proscription of Palestine Action. And Labour MPs who were already under intense pressure from pro-Palestine and Muslim voters in their own constituencies have reached breaking point following the decision of the Israeli government to accelerate military operations to destroy Hamas and free the hostages. More than 340,000 children and young people are currently awaiting treatment on the NHS, figures from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health show That was what led to the recent panicked announcement by Starmer that Britain would recognise a Palestinian State, regardless of whether or not the hostages were freed. An announcement that was itself forced upon him following an ambush by members of his own Cabinet, including Wes Streeting and Yvette Cooper - the same two ministers driving the current evacuation and treatment plan. There are those who say Britain should just turn its back on the world. Or at least shun the world until we have taken care of our own. And in a nation where public services are perceived to be teetering on the brink of collapse, where the health system still struggling to recover from the impact of Covid and decades of neglect, such views have legitimacy. But even if we choose to open our doors, and offer sustenance and support to the world's most vulnerable, that should be an exercise in compassion, not electoral cynicism. And the truth is the Gaza scheme is not being driven by the plight of the children, but the plight of the Labour politicians. If Labour's conference hall had been filled in 2018 by Yemeni flags or Sudanese flags, children from those countries would currently be packing for the flight to Heathrow. But they weren't. They were filled with Palestinian flags. Because it's the Palestinians that have, and always will be, the Left's priority. Actually, the Left's obsession. So in a few weeks' time the children of Gaza will start to appear in our hospital wards. But let's be under no illusion. The primary purpose of their evacuation is not to save lives. It's to try to save Labour seats. A woman in a same-sex relationship has hit back against trolls who have accused her of dating her 'little brother'. Millie, 21, from the Midlands, has received a torrent of abuse after sharing videos with her partner, Chelsea, 23, on TikTok. Trolls have said that Chelsea looks like a '13-year-old boy' and is often mistaken for Millie's little brother or son - despite being two years older than her. The couple have been together for nine years, with their romance blossoming when they were teenagers. The pair, who have 14,000 followers on TikTok, regularly receive comments asking in Millie was a teenage mother due to Chelsea's youthful appearance. While Millie is 5ft6, Chelsea is five inches shorter at 5ft1, and has more youthful features, leading to an outpouring of shocked comments online. In a video of Millie dancing alongside her 'baby faced' partner, she captioned one video: 'Awaiting the little brother comments' Speaking about how the trolling effects them, Millie said: 'It's disgraceful as Chelsea is older than me. Millie Smith, 21, (pictured right) from the UK, has received a wave of backlash on her TikTok channel @mimiandchow, from people commenting that her partner, Chelsea, 23, (pictured left) looks like a '13-year-old boy' The pair, who share a social media account, have racked up millions of views on their videos where they often appear dancing and making light of other's opinions on their relationship 'Other comments call her my son, or nephew, or brother. 'We understand the comments about the age difference we personally think it's just about Chelsea's height. 'But viewers read more into it and say her features are young. People say to check my hard drive, insinuating I'm attracted to children!' The couple, who are both support workers and have been together for nine years, say the comments have affected how they interact with one another when they are out and about. Millie said: 'We've been made to feel we can't act like a couple in public. 'If people saw me holding hands with my 'son', we would get funny looks. 'We've accepted it now and just accept the fact that we may not always [be able to] act like we are in a relationship.' One commenter wrote: 'There's absolutely no way he is 21! I thought he is your brother,' one wrote. But the pair aren't bothered by other's opinions, and are seen lovingly embracing each other in social media clips A second wrote: 'Its obviously sister and little brother- not Mum and son!' Another commented: 'She's 21 and he's clearly a child. I think with deductive reasoning that's the little brother.' But the pair aren't bothered by other's opinions, and are seen lovingly embracing each other in social media clips. The couple recently shared moments from their holiday in Dubai, which proved controversial with followers who asked why they visited a country where homosexuality is banned. Answering viewer's queries, Millie said: 'When do you go to any country and say whether you're gay or straight? You don't do it. 'No one knows who you are or what you are,' she said. Despite concerns from others, the pair went ahead with their holiday, concluding that fears over their safety were 'exaggerated' and it felt 'like being in Spain'. 'We have had the best experience, and this is our experience and our opinions; other people may have different opinions, but if you have never been, you can not judge!' she said. The couple recently shared moments from their holiday in Dubai, which proved controversial with followers who asked why they visited a country where homosexuality is banned In a video of Millie dancing alongside her 'baby faced' partner, she captioned one video: 'Awaiting the little brother comments' Though not everyone was negative of the relationship. One supportive commenter said: 'Both female. I think married . Some people look younger. Doesn't mean they are. Leave them be.' Another wrote: 'The comments on here are just WOW! They are a very cute couple. GIRL - GIRL an have been together for years. Lol Be well both of you cause you both are awesome.' It comes after another same-sex couple found themselves similarly at the heart of vicious trolling after keyboard warriors said they looked like mother and son. Lauren Evens, 31, and her wife, Hannah, 29, were viciously trolled when they announced their marriage on social media last year - with people branding the mother-to-be a 'paedophile' because of her partner's youthful looks. 'People think I married a schoolboy and am having his children. They are ridiculous and uneducated,' Lauren, who also has also has a 10-year-old son and a nine-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, told the US Sun. 'I know the abuse will only get worse now that I'm pregnant,' she said. The Surrey-based newlyweds always knew they wanted to start a family but were shocked when they found out that fertility treatment would cost 21,000 in the UK. So, they decided to undergo the procedure abroad but had to tie the knot first so that Hannah, a specialist engineer, wouldn't have to adopt her own baby. The couple planned their wedding in just six weeks and got married in August 2024 before jetting off to Cyprus the following month for the treatment that set them back by 9,000. Lauren had Hannah's fertilised eggs implanted in her womb and found out she was pregnant three days later. The pair were shocked to discover they were expecting triplet girls. Australia has always been nicknamed the 'lucky country'. But a recent discussion saw many locals admit there were several major downfalls to living in Australia. The topic ignited on a popular 'Australian living' thread when a woman encouraged fellow locals to dish on 'the worst part about living Down Under'. 'I see a lot of posts about the best things in Australia, but what is your least favourite thing about living [here]?' she asked. 'Personally, I hate that barely any (non-Australian) musicians come here,' she offered as a springboard for the conversation. By far the most common response was the issue of Australia's geographic isolation and the fact that it was 'so far from everywhere'. 'It honestly is a long way to go to see the world,' read the most popular response. 'I can't just up and drive to another country,' lamented another. That sentiment was especially felt by Aussies who regularly travelled internationally for work or to visit loved ones. Australia's isolation from the rest of the world was highlighted as both a positive and negative in the discussion Some Aussies even admitted that the burden of 'long haul flights' was ultimately a breaking point for them to move abroad. 'I travel a lot and couldn't justify any more long haul flights just to get home,' one person replied. '[It] was just too much to handle.' 'Australia is in the worst location for people that just wanna go somewhere new and different for the weekend,' another person replied, adding that they had since 'moved to Europe'. Some comments also noted that the inverse was also an issue. Namely, that not only was it difficult for Aussies to get anywhere overseas, but that international visitors were reluctant to make the huge pilgrimage down under. '[I]t's a long way to go for the world to see us,' added one sad reply. 'We miss out on so many bands, and when they do come, they only visit three cities,' the person added, echoing the original poster's complaint. However, some noted this very issue about Australia being so far away simultaneously contributed to what made it great. Some commented that Australia was guilty of being 'boring' and lacking nightlife compared to other cosmopolitan cities around the world The unaffordability of housing, property and other general cost of living pressures was also named among the pitfalls of living in Australia 'The worst thing is also the best thing - we are so far away from so many places,' they replied. They elaborated that the distance ensured Australia remained a quiet, peaceful and uncrowded place. But this also raised another related issue among many, who claimed Australia is 'boring'. Several commenters felt Australia's major cities lagged behind other cosmopolitan places around the world. 'In comparison to a lot of other countries, nightlife here is pretty boring and museums are kind of meh,' claimed one. 'People go to work, drive home, and watch tv. There's no community or "Joie de Vivre",' another echoed. On a totally different note, the other major repeated complaint concerned how unaffordable housing and property was in Australia, and the inflated cost of living. 'Housing cost s*cks,' one wrote. '[T]he housing market is broken here, but I do like the weather,' added another. 'Cost of living is also obscene. Cars, houses, food, utilities, fuel, insurance, coffee, restaurants, and damn near everything else,' reflected one more. Perhaps surprisingly, the 'copious amounts of bugs' that thrive in Australia were also called out as an annoying by-product of being Down Under. 'Flies, mozzies, spiders, beetles, wasps, and the greatest number of ants I've ever seen,' one wrote. 'Sydney's cockroach problem (partly caused by the high humidity which is another worst thing about living here) is absolutely awful,' another said. A Substack blog. Anonymous sources. A byline from a former National Enquirer reporter. I mean... why wouldn't you believe it? Yes, I'm talking, of course, about this week's breathless dispatch by Rob Shuter about Meghan Markle being irked that Taylor Swift's album announcement 'steamrolled' her 'big Netflix moment'. In case you missed it, the British-American gossip columnist penned an enthralling 'exclusive' for his Substack website that soon caught fire in the media. The headline trumpeted: 'EXCLUSIVE: MEGHAN MARKLE CONVINCED TAYLOR SWIFT STOLE HER ANNOUNCEMENT THUNDER'. Shuter described how Swift's surprise album announcement for The Life of a Showgirl had overshadowed interest in the trailer announcement for part two of the Duchess of Sussex's Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan. Insiders allegedly said that Swift's timing had left the former Suits actress frustrated. 'Meghan thought her trailer would own the news cycle,' a source dished. 'Then Taylor's announcement came in like a wrecking ball. Meghan's convinced it wasn't just bad luck.' The trailer for the second season of Netflix series With Love, Meghan dropped on August 12 - and included this scene of Meghan with upcoming special guest Chrissy Teigen But the biggest news on August 12 was Taylor Swift teasing the announcement of her forthcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl 'She saw this as her comeback moment,' another insider added. 'Then Taylor took all the oxygen out of the room.' At first glance, I'm not convinced. But whether the article is true hardly matters. Plenty of major media outlets around the world ran with it. It's pure celebrity catnip. Could Meghan - a bona fide royal - be quietly seething that TayTay's new album stole her thunder? In my opinion, the real story here isn't Shuter's big scoop. Or even Meghan risking the wrath of the world's most devoted pop fan base by - allegedly - daring to complain to friends that Taylor stole her spotlight. What fascinates me is how easily the idea of Meghan throwing a tantrum over another celebrity's moment is believed by so many. What does this say about the Duchess of Sussex's reputation right now? Meghan Markle, pictured here in the first season of her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, has just launched the trailer for the show's second season Perhaps people accept this story because it echoes past claims about the Sussexes timing their own announcements to upstage others. After all, Meghan and Harry's seemingly strategic 'launches' have long raised eyebrows on both sides of the Atlantic. Take last year, when Meghan launched her lifestyle brand - first called American Riviera Orchard, now As Ever after a trademark issue - on the same day her brother-in-law Prince William spoke at the Diana Legacy Award event in London. Royal commentators called it 'calculated', and it was noted that Meghan's launch had 'overshadowed an event celebrating the life and work of Harry's mother.' Then, there was the lead-up to the launch of Harry's 2023 memoir, Spare. The prince gave brutal sit-down TV interview criticising the Royal Family. It aired the day before Princess Kate's 41st birthday, with the book itself dropping the day after. The curious timing of some of the Sussexes' announcements and launches has not gone unnoticed by royal watchers. Meghan and Harry are pictured here visiting Colombia in 2024 Even the trailer release for the Sussexes' six-part Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan was seen as deliberate. It came out in December 2022 on the precise date when William and Kate arrived in America for his Earthshot Prize initiative. It was also the Waleses' first visit to the States since the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Even pro-Sussex author Omid Scobie - long considered a mouthpiece for the couple - acknowledged the timing of the Netflix trailer was 'intentional'. But the most glaring example dates back to their time as working royals, pre-Megxit. On Princess Eugenie's wedding day to Jack Brooksbank in 2018, the Sussexes may have upstaged the bride by sharing news of their pregnancy with the family at the reception. It has been suggested that Meghan and Harry (pictured in 2019) may have upstaged Princess Eugenie's 2018 wedding day by sharing their pregnancy news with the family at the reception Perhaps it's all simply a case of no one consulting a calendar outside of their own. But what made me pause was a recent report that Prince Harry's team had offered to share his schedule with the royals - an attempt to avoid future clashes and unflattering headlines. A curious move - possibly an acknowledgment of past mistakes? Which brings us back to why so many people were prepared to believe this latest silly rumour about Meghan 'beefing' with Taylor over their respective 'drops'. The repeated insinuations we've heard about the Sussexes in the past - namely how their announcements seem timed to overshadow others - have likely contributed to the PR bind poor Meghan now finds herself in. Now, even the most ludicrous and unsourced claims have the potential to be lapped up by those who follow her every move. American Soybean Association urges US govt to secure deal with China, warning farmers cannot survive prolonged trade dispute Global Times) 13:18, August 20, 2025 The American Soybean Association (ASA) on Tuesday (US time) urged the US government to secure a deal with China that reopens this vital market for US soybeans, stressing that US soybean farmers cannot survive a prolonged trade dispute with their largest customer. "US soybean farmers are standing at a trade and financial precipice," ASA President Caleb Ragland, a soybean farmer from Kentucky, said in a letter to the Trump administration, according to the association's website. "Soybean farmers are under extreme financial stress. Prices continue to drop and at the same time our farmers are paying significantly more for inputs and equipment. US soybean farmers cannot survive a prolonged trade dispute with our largest customer," Ragland said. China has historically imported more than 60 percent of the world's soybean supplies, with the US once serving as its top source. But retaliatory tariffs now make US soybeans 20 percent more expensive than South American supplies, and China has turned to Brazil, which has expanded production to meet demand, according to the association. "China has not purchased any US soybeans for the months ahead as we quickly approach harvest. The further into the autumn we get without reaching an agreement with China on soybeans, the worse the impacts will be on US soybean farmers," Ragland said. The ASA also released a white paper outlining the financial consequences of losing long-term market share in China. According to the white paper, China is the top buyer of US soybeans by a staggering margin. In MY 2023/24, the US shipped nearly 25 million metric tons (MMT) of soybeans to China while a mere 4.9 MMT of US soybeans were exported to the EU. The second largest buyer of US soybeans can barely buy one-fifth of China's soybean purchases. "Every day without an agreement further erodes US farmers' market share in China," Ragland said. "We strongly urge the administration to secure a deal that reopens this vital market for US soybeans." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Celebrity chef Maggie Beer has revealed her must-visit destinations for foodies in her home state of South Australia. The renowned Australian cook shared her top recommendations in a new online video interview alongside her daughter Elli Beer. The pair were interviewed for food, travel and restaurant recommendations app Secondz, who asked them to dish on the best eateries in their home state. The video, captioned 'the ultimate guide to SA' saw Maggie and Elli nominate their top restaurants to favourite wineries and even the best pubs. When asked for the 'best restaurant in South Australia', the TV personality offered several contenders, but was adamant on top spot. 'Otherness Wines - absolutely,' was Maggie's hands-down pick. The modern Australian restaurant, wine bar and cellar door is located in the picturesque town of Angaston in the Barossa Valley and boasts a Good Food Guide Chef's Hat award. In Adelaide, Maggie's standout restaurant was arkhe restaurant and bar in the inner eastern suburb of Norwood, which she noted is renowned for its dishes cooked over an 'open-flame'. Aussie food icon Maggie Beer has revealed some of her favourite South Australian restaurants, wineries and pubs in a new online video interview Barossa restaurant Otherness Wines (pictured) was Maggie's first pick for best South Australian restaurant In Adelaide, Maggie was a fan of arkhe restaurant and bar (pictured), which is renowned for its dishes cooked over an 'open-flame' Staguni (pictured) in Marananga is an award-winning Mediterranean-inspired restaurant. Both Maggie and her daughter agreed that the entire Marananga precinct was an 'underrated gem' Elli chimed in with her own two restaurant suggestions - one being Vintners Bar & Grill, which is also in Angaston. 'Come on, this is a classic,' Maggie added. Elli's other pick was Staguni, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Marananga - a small Barossa town - which just won Gourmet Traveller's Best Destination Dining Award. The restaurant is run by renowned chef Clare Falzon and located within the restored Marananga School. Both Maggie and Elli agreed that the whole area, which is a hub of food, wine and art, was South Australia's most underrated gem. 'It's just been restored into the most magnificent precinct,' gushed Elli. 'And with such style,' Maggie added. 'It is really, really worth going. You must go! 'South Australia is just awash with great food, because we have fantastic produce.' One of Elli Beer's top South Australian restaurants was Vintners Bar & Grill, which her mother Maggie described as 'a classic' And since it's also the home of some of Australia's world-renowned wineries, Maggie of course had to share her favourite destinations for a tipple. 'Straight off the cuff, David Franz Cellardoor,' Maggie declared. 'And he's quirky.' The artisan winery is located in Stone Well in the Barossa, and prides itself on combining traditional wine-making methods with innovative techniques. Maggie added one of Australia's most historic family-owned wineries. 'Yalumba. For tradition and history,' the celebrity cook recommended. For those looking for more of a casual drinking and dining spot, Maggie and Elli also offered suggestions for the best 'pubs' in South Australia. Elli's favourite was another Barossa favourite - The Greenock, a tavern with plenty of relaxed dining space and a casual menu. '[It's a] traditional corner pub, family owned,' Elli explained. 'Anyone can feel welcome and warm walking into it.' When asked to share their favourite SA pubs, Maggie chose East End Cellars (left) in Adelaide, while Elli liked the relaxed space of The Greenock tavern (right) Maggie was also a fan of French aperitif bar, La Buvette Drinkery. 'It is very, very accessible, but so French,' Maggie said. Maggie and her daughter Elli Beer were interviewed in a video for food, travel and restaurant recommendations app Secondz Maggie's recommendations were both in the heart of Adelaide. 'I do love East End Cellars,' she said. 'I know it's a cellar door, but it is a bar as well.' Offering a lunch and dinner menu, Maggie added the Rundle Street favourite was the perfect spot for 'some plates of food and beautiful glasses of wine'. Her other favourite was the French aperitif bar, La Buvette Drinkery, just off Hindley Street. 'It is very, very accessible, but so French,' Maggie said. Fans flooded the comments section of Instagram and TikTok, with many praising 'queen' Maggie for the hot tips. 'The ultimate guide to SA,' read one reply. 'The recs we've been waiting for,' echoed another person. 'Want to go now,' confirmed a third person. You can read THE DETOUR with Laura House every Thursday morning Welcome to The Detour: Your food and travel guide to the best flavours, hidden haunts, insider tips and unforgettable new experiences that reward those who wander off course. Note: This content is not sponsored. It's been a minute, but North Sydney is finally getting its groove back. With the new metro buzzing and a wave of dazzling food and wine openings breathing life into once whisper-quiet streets, the neighbourhood feels like it's on the cusp of something exciting. This brings me to my favourite new discovery: Toki Bistro & Bar. Tucked discreetly in the foyer of the Vibe Hotel, this gem is so under the radar most people stroll straight past it. And honestly? I don't mind one bit. It just means those of us in the know get to keep it to ourselves... well, until now. The ultimate date night spot, this ambience-packed French-Asian hideaway is inspired by the intimate charm of Parisian bars. Tucked discreetly in the foyer of the Vibe Hotel, Toki is so under the radar most people stroll straight past it. And honestly? I don't mind one bit The ultimate date night spot, this ambience-packed French-Asian hideaway is inspired by the intimate charm of Parisian bars Step inside and you're guided by passionate staff past gleaming chandeliers, dark mahogany tables and a floating wine cellar stocked with carefully chosen drops from every corner of the globe. Yes, there's an a la carte menu, but the real magic lies in the eight-course tasting menu (from $165pp). More than just dinner, it's a story - each course inspired by a different milestone in the chef's life, from age 15 through to 38. As each dish arrives, the waiter shares the meaning behind it and invites guests to reflect, share stories, and connect on a deeper level. The journey begins at Age 15: A Glimpse of Purpose. A jewel-bright plate of bluefin tuna, sweet potato and caviar arrives alongside an accompanying story booklet. 'At fifteen there's a spark - a moment when something clicks,' it reads. 'Tuna, clean and confident, reflects that early clarity. It's the first glimpse of purpose: subtle, instinctive, and deeply felt.' And that's exactly how the evening unfolds - one dish, one chapter, one story at a time. Without spoiling too much, I'll say this: it's some of the most inventive (and downright delicious) food I've eaten. From coral trout glazed in anise butter to a melt-in-your-mouth eye fillet on parsnip puree, every course felt like its own little showstopper. Left, the amaebi with mango, confetti coriander and prawn powder. Right, the coral trout with orange fennel, anise butter glaze and zucchini flower fritter The real knockout? This marron with al dente ravioli, swimming in a lobster bisque so tasty I would've happily ordered an entire pot The real knockout? Marron with al dente ravioli, swimming in a lobster bisque so tasty I would've happily ordered an entire pot. The bar space is also perfect for an intimate night out, and during the day locals can enjoy the new breakfast offering (complete with $1 coffees!). Highlights of the latter include the $19 sandwich of the week and an $18 brekkie burger with teriyaki BBQ sauce, a hash brown, arugula, fried egg, bacon and smashed avocado. At the helm is Head Chef Jay Choy, whose glittering resume includes Michelin-starred kitchens in the US and a San Pellegrino Top 10 Young Chefs nomination during his time at Seoul's famed Sous Marin. The menu beautifully reflects his impressive skillset and his deep, nostalgic passion for food. So if you're after a dining experience that's equal parts intimate, imaginative, and conversation-sparking, Toki is your spot this weekend. Just remember to leave your phone in your bag - you won't need it. Yes, there's an a la carte menu, but the real magic lies in the eight-course tasting menu (from $165pp) Saint Peter wins (again)! Super chef Josh Niland has done it once more. Earlier this week, Gourmet Traveller unveiled its hotly anticipated Annual Restaurant Award winners down in Tassie - and Sydney's seafood temple, Saint Peter, snagged the ultimate crown: Restaurant of the Year. The Paddington dining room, tucked inside The Grand National Hotel, is already decorated - having previously scored the Good Food Guide's Restaurant of the Year. On the menu? Niland's nose-to-tail seafood magic, like the famed Fish Butchery Charcuterie (think smoked bar cod roe and John Dory liver pate tart) and charcoal-grilled garfish with Manjimup truffle and Marlivale Farm rice. 'Julie and I are so incredibly proud of the extraordinarily talented team,' Josh gushed. 'A big thank you to Gourmet Traveller for the recognition and further thanks to the team Fish Butchery, Saint Peter Bar and The Saint Peter Hotel. 'Very grateful to all our guests that find joy in the service we give and to the people that supply, catch and grow the beautiful food we get to serve.' Bravo Josh and team. Super chef Josh Niland has done it once more. Earlier this week, Gourmet Traveller unveiled its hotly anticipated Annual Restaurant Award winners down in Tassie - and Sydney's seafood temple, Saint Peter, snagged the ultimate crown: Restaurant of the Year The Strand Hotel: Darlinghurst's burger comeback The only thing better than a shiny renovation? A shiny new burger menu to match. Darlinghurst's Strand Hotel has emerged from its revamp with a moody art-deco look, a crackling fireplace, and a burger-driven menu crafted by Executive Chef Toby Wilson and Solotel's Hamish Ingham. To celebrate, the pub is slinging $5 burgers for five days (four left, move fast). Mouthwatering options include the Smashed Burger with American cheese, bacon, burger sauce and pickles, The Hot Bird burger, with fried chicken, black pepper hot honey and iceberg and chive slaw, and the Fresh Fish burger, with crumbed ling and house tartare. Darlinghurst's Strand Hotel has emerged from its revamp with a moody art-deco look, a crackling fireplace, and a burger-driven menu crafted by Executive Chef Toby Wilson and Solotel's Hamish Ingham 'We've looked at what everyone else is doing and realised what the neighbourhood was missing - a seriously good burger,' Toby said. 'Between Hamish and I we've come up with six cracking burgers that cater to a few tastes. 'My personal favourite is the smashed prawn burger with shredded fennel slaw, jalapeno pickle and tartare.' The drinks list also got a glow-up: sip on an Aloe Sour (gin, mango wine, aloe vera, lemon, whites) or a Bulls on Parade (pisco, macadamia, passionflower, lime, paprika oil) among others. To celebrate, the pub is slinging $5 burgers for five days (four left, move fast) Qantas keeps paradise on the map Aussies have fallen in love with the little-known paradise that is Palau since Qantas announced its direct route in October, 2024. And now it's here to stay. The airline and the Palau Visitors Authority have confirmed the Palau Paradise Express (BrisbaneKoror on Saturdays) will run for another year, delivering travellers straight to UNESCO-listed Rock Islands, coral reefs and world-class diving in just six hours. Arrivals are already up 113 per cent, with Aussies making up the bulk - and three-quarters of them are discovering Palau for the very first time. Aussies have fallen in love with the little-known paradise that is Palau since Qantas announced its direct route in October, 2024 Still just holding on to its 'secret' status, the island nation has certainly become a talking-point over the past 12 months, with many eager to explore the remote and pristine corner of Micronesia. Director of Palau Visitors Authority, Kadoi Ruluked, said he is delighted the route has already delivered strong results for the country's tourism economy. 'Australian travellers have really embraced the Qantas route, with many visiting Palau for the first time to explore our spectacular dive sites,' he said. 'Local tour operators are already seeing the benefits, with strong interest across a range of experiences from traditional sailing tours around the Rock Islands to WWII history adventures on Peleliu. 'The continuation of this route is a vital step in supporting our tourism sector's long-term growth.' Don't have to ask me twice. Arrivals are already up 113 per cent, with Aussies making up the bulk - and three-quarters of them are discovering Palau for the very first time The spritz out-selling wine In a twist that nobody saw coming, a zingy spritz is the new drink of choice for thousands of Aussies. A national obsession with spritz (wine cocktails) is breathing new life into the wine world, with the State of the Grapes report crowning an unsung hero: Zonzo Estate's Zoncello. The fizzy lemon-kissed spritz has struck a chord with younger drinkers, who are leaning towards lighter, fresher options (hello, spritz culture, rose, and prosecco) over heavy reds. 'Zonzo is the ultimate success story,' Andrew Shedden, General Manager of Premium and Luxury at Endeavour Group tells me. In a twist that nobody saw coming, a zingy spritz is the new drink of choice for thousands of Aussies 'They've merged two key trends: the refreshing spritz culture which is now a mainstay thanks to the previous success of Aperol, and the booming popularity of lemon as seen in the rise of the Italian summer aesthetic. Describing the results as 'staggering', Andrew said the brand's success has 'come extremely quickly'. 'They've created a product that is not only competing with some of the most established wine brands in the country but is also bringing a whole new generation into the category,' he said. 'The data speaks for itself: in the last six months at BWS and Dan Murphy's, Zoncello was the number one sparkling wine product by number of unique customers. 'In that same period, it became the number one wine product by unique customers for Gen Z across all of our stores.' Talk about a zesty takeover. Chip and Joanna Gaines have built an incredible lifestyle empire for themselves since shooting to fame on HGTV's Fixer Upper. So it's no surprise that Joanna - who has been compared to a modern day Martha Stewart - is a pro when it comes to welcoming guests into her Waco farmhouse. During an appearance on Today to promote her new home cooking show, Magnolia Table: At the Farm, Gaines, 47, revealed the 'weird rule' that she's implemented at home since marrying husband Chip in 2003. 'Theres a cake plate stand on the island that since I first got married - it was like the first year, I got it for a wedding gift and it was empty,' she explained. 'We had so many friends and family coming in, and I was like, "I need to start having something in there," so it was kind of a weird rule I made,' she continued. 'The rule is just kind of always have something on the cake plate stand for the family or for guests - its really me now just eating the stuff, so thats fun. Its now for me.' Chip and Joanna have been married for over two decades - but that doesn't mean they haven't had their fair share of ups and downs. The HGTV stars - who share five children - recently opened up about their private life and how they have dealt with the challenges of marriage. Joanna Gaines has shared the 'weird rule' she has in her kitchen at home since marrying Chip Joanna, 47, revealed that they had 'non-negotiables from day one,' speaking on how to balance their fame, family and relationship. She referenced the store she and Chip, 50, owned - which was called The Little Shop on Bosque and opened in the early 2000s - at the start of their marriage. However, the mom-of-five said even though it was scary, she could see the bright side even if they 'were struggling for the first 12 years of marriage.' 'Like every Friday it was like, "Well, is this when we close our doors [of The Little Shop on Bosque]?"' she explained on the Stronger Podcast with Don Saladino. 'Every day we showed up, it was like, "Well, if this all goes away, we still have each other,"' the Fixer Upper star said passionately. She explained that sums up the 'core and foundation' of who they are. 'Every decision we make, we say, "How will this affect this?"' the renovation star shared. Joanna credited her and Chip's decision to prioritize each other as helping them navigate fame whilst raising a family. The 47-year-old said that she has a cake plate in her kitchen that she insists must always be filled with a sweet treat 'The rule is just kind of always have something on the cake plate stand for the family or for guests - its really me now just eating the stuff, so thats fun. Its now for me' Chip agreed, adding he would be fine with stepping away from the spotlight, as long as the most important thing - his wife and kids - were still there. 'As I think about fame and success and money in comparison to my marriage and my family [If] all of this would instantly go away, and my wife and my kids would be back on the farm, raising animals,' the doting dad mused during the interview. 'But Jo and I, we believe we can have our cake and eat it too in the sense that I can be successful and I can have a healthy marriage and family,' he added. Joanna also shared the new endeavor the two are embarking on - their wellness journey. 'At this stage in our life, what we're trying to figure out is: we've got family, we've got business, like that's our thing... but now this wellness and health and working out, that is a new thing for us that we're trying to figure out,' she shared. Joanna and Chip have been married since 2003 and share five children: Drake, 20, Ella, 18, Duke, 17, Emmie, 15, and Crew, seven. Amanda Knox grinned and shared a smooch with her husband - at the premiere of a dramatized mini-series based on the real life case that saw her accused of murdering her flatmate during a year abroad. The divisive public figure - exonerated in the death of of her roommate Meredith Kercher - was the image of glee as she joined actors on the red carpet for Hulu's 'The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox' in New York. It's a contrast to the tone of the TV series, which explores the aftermath of the 21-year-old's student's killing. Amanda and her boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito, were convicted in their first trial of killing Meredith but after another round of flip-flop verdicts, they were ultimately exonerated by Italy's highest court in 2015. The 38-year-old, from Seattle, Washington, has since spoken in great length about life after prison - and how she is still 'haunted' by the incident. However, her manner in photos from the event earlier this week were positively jovial, as she and Rafaello smiled alongside their actor counterparts Grace Van Patten and Giuseppe De Domenico. Despite the bleak nature of the show, Amanda sported a floral summer dress accentuated with bow-tie detailing, while her husband Christopher Robinson sported a trendy mesh blouse worn under a light grey suit. Meanwhile Rafaello donned a cheerful cornflower blue blazer and matching slacks for the occasion. Amanda Knox grinned and shared a smooch with her husband - at the premiere of a dramatized mini-series of the real life case that saw her accused of killing her flat mate during a year abroad Despite the bleak nature of the show, Amanda sported a floral summer dress accentuated with bow-tie detailing, while her husband Christopher Robinson sported a trendy mesh blouse worn under a light grey suit The series, which is executive-produced by both Amanda and feminist campaigner Monica Lewinsky - who has spent years moving on from a sex scandal with then-President Bill Clinton - has drawn mixed reviews - especially due to the lack of active involvement from the victim's family. Despite that, the Guardian's Lucy Mangan gave it four stars out of five, albeit lambasting an 'often dodgy' script. 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox has its flaws,' she penned. 'The mannered, Wes Anderson-lite openings to each episode sit uneasily with the harrowing hours to which they give way and the script particularly in those openings can be dreadful. 'We were just getting to know our young selves in this charmed and ancient city,' says Knox in a voiceover early on. 'And later: 'Does truth actually exist if no one believes it?' At one point, investigator Monica (Roberta Mattei) describes Knox providing 'unsolicited information in crude American spasms'. 'Fortunately, the main parts are held together by an unreservedly brilliant performance by Grace Van Patten as Knox, in English and Italian (halting at first, fluent by the end of Knox's incarceration), the ebullient, naive, overconfident, shattered young woman caught in so many currents and cross-currents it seems a miracle that she ever made it back to shore.' The Times was more critical, with Carol Midgley writing: 'As you would expect, the drama is very much on Knox's side, presenting her as a co-operative and pleasant young woman caught up in an unending utter nightmare in a foreign country. 'Yes, a bit crass that she kissed and cuddled her boyfriend at the police station, but then who wouldn't want some comfort when their friend had just been found brutally murdered?' Elsewhere, ranking it only two stars out of five, Nick Hilton wrote for the Independent: 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox knew that it was swimming in morally murky waters. Amanda and her boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito (pictured) were convicted in their first trial of killing Meredith but after another round of flip-flop verdicts, they were ultimately exonerated by Italy's highest court in 2015 Elsewhere, Amanda recently said she believes the spirit of her murdered roommate Meredith (pictured) still 'haunts' her However, her manner in photos from the event earlier this week were positively jovial, as she and Rafaello smiled alongside their actor counterparts Grace Van Patten and Giuseppe De Domenico 'The series was originally supposed to be called Blue Moon, but transitioned to its rather twee title ahead of release. And that should give some indication about the unusually bubbly tone of this eight-part series. ''Full of hope, curiosity and the naivety of youth, I embarked on my romantic Italian adventure,' Knox informs audiences, like she's setting up an episode of Amanda in Perugia. The series leans heavily on these voiceovers to explain Amanda's quirks (such as providing an impromptu gymnastics display at the police station or wearing a T-shirt to court bearing the slogan 'All you need is love' in all caps). 'The show's visual flourishes like a juror juggling computer-generated ears to illustrate their exposure to inadmissible evidence mirror its goofy, confident protagonist. It also makes the tone of the series very distinct from the grim BBC procedurals we're used to in Britain, owing a debt of gratitude to schlocky tastemaker Ryan Murphy (creator of the American Horror Story anthology series). Speaking to the Guardian as filming for the show kicked off last year, Meredith sister explained the victim's family found it 'difficult to understand how the series served any purpose'. 'Meredith will always be remembered for her own fight for life, and yet in her absence, her love and personality continues to shine,' she added. 'We will forever feel this indescribable void but we live by Merediths standards with dignity.' It comes as Amanda has revealed how Monica became her mentor as she tried to rebuild her life. The two women met at a speaking engagement in 2017, just two years after Italy's highest court exonerated Amanda and Raffaele in Meredith's murder. Amanda told The Hollywood Reporter how she was nervous and had begged the event organizers to let her speak with Monica in private. Monica Lewinsky, 52, and Amanda Knox pictured on the red carpet as they celebrated the premiere of their show The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox The former White House intern obliged, and even made Amanda a pot of tea as she shared some guidance from her years trying to move past her sex scandal with then-President Bill Clinton. 'She had a lot of advice about reclaiming your voice and your narrative,' Amanda said. 'That ended up being a turning point for me.' Years later, Amanda shared her desire to tell her story on screen in an interview with The New York Times - and upon seeing it, Monica jumped on board. Together, the pair wound up assembling a creative team, including This Is Us executive producer K.J. Steinberg and famed producer Warren Littlefield, to create 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox,' a limited series for Hulu. After years of planning, the duo celebrated the premiere of the show on the red carpet Tuesday. Just hours earlier, Amanda released the latest episode of her podcast, Hard Knox, in which she and Monica spoke of the importance of telling the stories of those who survived scandal. Speaking of the decision, Monica noted that she does not often pay attention to a story after it fades from headlines. 'I don't think about "How is this person rebuilding their life?"' she said, her voice cracking as she apparently started to tear up. Amanda served four years in an Italian prison before being cleared of murdering her former student flatmate Meredith Kercher (pictured) in 2007 It was Amanda that had discovered Meredith's bedroom door locked and blood in their bathroom, but after police in Italy noticed her acting odd she became a suspect. Amanda pictured speaking to the media during a brief press conference in front of her parents' home in 2015 But, she said, she thinks it is important to 'understand, as my therapist calls it, the long tale of trauma - and that it's not even just the person, but the collateral damage for people's families.' 'It's not the story of like, being a person and being gutted and then building your life back. 'And having to find yourself again,' Monica said, noting that both of their scandals arose when they were in their 20s. 'You think you know everything, you think you know who you are and it's then ripped away from you,' she reflected. 'It's reconfigured and reflected back to you as a monster that you never saw yourself as, that you actually aren't.' During that time, Amanda said, 'it's hard to remember that you have value as a human.' 'I think it's a better product because I was able to share really personal and intimate things about, you know, my life that wasn't just like a Hollywood gloss over reality,' she added. 'Like it becomes dirtier in a good way because it has all the messy humanity and you have all these scenes that I, you know, remember being in the writer's room being like, "This is an actual thing that has happened" and they were like, "You can't make this stuff up."' But the duo also sought to play on the 'anatomy of bias,' aiming to showcase how events unfold and are perceived through different people's perspectives. 'It's the way we story tell and it's the way we process a story in our own minds that is impacted by everything we're bringing to that moment that has been shaped by bias upon bias upon bias,' Lewinsky said. 'Every interaction that we have with a person is not just a straight interaction,' Knox added. 'It is colored by the context that we all carry. 'All of us are little universes inside of ourselves and we collide with each other,' she said. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox airs on Hulu, and stars Grace Van Patten in the titular role. Elsewhere, Amanda recently said she believes the spirit of her murdered roommate Meredith Kercher still 'haunts' her. Speaking with People, she however clarified that this is 'not in that bad way that people sort of project on to me'. 'More in this benevolent spirit who is reminding me of the value of life, the privilege it is to live and the privilege it is to fight for your life,' Amanda added. 'Because she fought for hers.' Despite being freed and declared innocent, Amanda told the outlet that she has never been allowed to fully live her life. She added: 'Theres always this subtext, like "Look at Amanda living her life while Meredith is dead." 'Any expression of life in my life is seen as an offense to the memory of my friend who got murdered.' She also said that she had panicked when she found out she was pregnant with her first daughter Eureka, 3. 'I did not want the first instance of my daughter's existence into this world [to] be a headline like "Amanda gives birth to daughter...you know who will never get to have a daughter? Meredith",' she added. It was Amanda that had discovered Meredith's bedroom door locked and blood in their bathroom, but after police in Italy noticed her acting odd she became a suspect. At the time, Amanda put the blame on her boss at a local bar she worked at, Patrick Lumumba, who had a solid alibi, which only increased police suspicions. After an immense investigation and trial, Amanda, who was 20 years old at the time was convicted for the crime in 2009. She was sentenced to 26 years in prison for faking a break-in, defamation, sexual violence, and murder. In January of this year the defamation conviction was upheld by Italy's highest court over her comments about Lumumba. Amanda shared a video of herself weeping after the conviction was upheld, saying it was 'disappointing'. She also added on X: 'I've just been found guilty yet again of a crime I didn't commit'. Her lawyers said she accused Lumumba during a long night of questioning and under pressure from police, who they said fed her false information. The European Court of Human Rights found that the police deprived her of a lawyer and provided a translator who acted more as a mediator. Rudy Hermann Guede, from the Ivory Coast, was eventually convicted of murder after his DNA was found at the crime scene. Guede was freed in 2021, after serving most of his 16-year sentence. Amanda returned to the US in 2011 after being freed and has established herself as a global campaigner for the wrongly convicted. She has a podcast with her husband, Christopher Robinson, and has a new memoir coming out next week titled, 'Free: My Search for Meaning.' The future king of Norway, Crown Prince Haakon, has broken his silence after his stepson, Marius Borg Hiby, was charged with four counts of rape and 28 other crimes on Monday. Haakon, the son of Norway's King Harald, described the situation - which yesterday overshadowed his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit's 52nd birthday - as 'challenging and difficult.' During a royal engagement in Trondheim, Trndelag, on Tuesday, he told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: 'Everyone involved in this case probably finds it challenging and difficult.' He added: 'It has now been clarified what the charges will be. It is now up to the court to decide.' Haakon, who married Hiby's mother Mette-Marit in 2001, also stressed that the royal family will continue to carry out its duties. Hiby does not hold a royal title and is not included in the royal line of succession. According to NRK, the charges against Hiby, 28, include four rapes of four different woman between 2018 and 2024, abuse against his former partner Nora Haukland and several acts of violence against another former partner. On all occasions, Hiby allegedly assaulted the women while they were sleeping and filmed the assaults. The assaults also allegedly occurred after Hiby and the women had consensual intercourse. Crown Prince Haakon, the future king of Norway, pictured with stepson Marius Borg Hiby, who was charged with four counts of rape and 28 other crimes on Monday Haakon pictured with his wife, Hiby's mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit He has also been charged with making death threats, assaulting a public official and violating the road traffic act. Hiby denies the most serious offences but plans to plead guilty to some lesser charges in court when the trial starts, his lawyer Petar Sekulic told Reuters on Monday. 'He does not agree with the claims regarding rape and domestic violence,' Sekulic said of his client. Broadly speaking, however, the Norweigan royal family appears to have carried on as normal after Hiby's criminal charges were made public on Monday. Marius's mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway marked her 52nd birthday yesterday with a new portrait - while his sister Princess Ingrid Alexandra appeared to enjoy a stroll in the sun in Sydney, where she's at university. The photograph of future queen Mette-Marit was published on the official Instagram account of the Norwegian royal household on Tuesday morning. The wife of Crown Prince Haakon, Hiby's stepfather and the son of Norway's King Harald, is smiling in the new image and wearing the colours of her country's flag: red, white and dark blue. Dressed in a long-sleeved, navy turtleneck, she has a striped silk scarf in crimson, navy and cream draped around her shoulders. Mette-Marit (pictured with her husband in 2023) yesterday celebrated her 52nd birthday - but it was overshadowed by the charges levelled against Hiby on Monday Mette-Marit's long, blonde hair has been blow-dried and is styled in loose waves, which are in-keeping with the relaxed look chosen for the picture. She completed her ensemble with a pair of dainty gold and diamond hoops earrings and kept her make-up natural. Captioned 'Happy birthday to Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who celebrates her birthday today!', the Instagram post attracted hundreds of comments from well-wishers in a matter of hours. Yet, while she appeared content in the new image, it's unlikely she will be celebrating her birthday as she has in previous years given the seriousness of the situation Hiby now finds himself in. Although the crown princess, who suffers from chronic pulmonary fibrosis, was forced to cancel a royal engagement planned to mark her 50th in April 2023 due to illness, she was able to celebrate the milestone birthday later that year. Two years ago Mette-Marit and husband Haakon, who was born just under a month before his wife, hosted a joint party at the Royal Palace in Oslo to mark their 50th birthdays. Held on August 25 2023, the lavish event was attended by guests from all over Norway, as well as government officials and members of the organisations to which the royal couple have given their patronage. Mette-Marit looked glamorous in a sheer white gown featuring puff sleeves and adorned with applique flowers while Haakon, now 52, looked polished in a navy suit and white shirt. Mette-Marit's son Marius Borg Hiby (pictured in 2022 with his mother) could face up to 10 years in prison if he is found guilty The crown prince and crown princess arrived at the party with the two children they share, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 21, who is second in line to the throne, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 19, but it's unclear if Hiby was in attendance. The Norwegian popstar Dagny performed at the party while both Mette-Marit and Haakon gave speeches. Mette-Marit concluded: 'Thank you for all for coming and celebrating with us. For celebrating Norway. For celebrating what we have created together. For celebrating what we can be for each other, and for our country.' Today, however, as Mette-Marit marks her 52nd birthday, the mother-of-three will feel the absence of her daughter, Ingrid Alexandra, who is currently enrolled at the University of Sydney in Australia. Ingrid Alexandra began her studies in international relations and political economy at the beginning of the month, having moved to Sydney, where she lives in a student residence on the university campus, earlier this summer. Recent pictures show the princess looking happy and relaxed - and, like Aussie students across the country, enjoying a beloved local snack. Haakon and Mette-Marit with the two children they share, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, at the royal couple's 50th birthday party in 2023 The royal was snapped walking around campus on Sunday with two packets of Tim Tams, which she was gifted by a university friend. The pair were spotted taking a selfie on Ingrid's digital camera before continuing to walk through the university. Ingrid Alexandra looked casual on the day in a blue cardigan, loose white trousers and a striped headband by Swedish brand Djerf Avenue. She opted to go make-up free for the outing, letting her natural beauty shine through, and added to her ensemble with classic silver earrings and chunky rings. A woman has issued a stark warning to individuals who own a dress with neck scarves. While the style has become increasingly popular in recent times, a scarf almost caused a severe accident for Eli Moulton from Australia. The mother-of-two was attending the opening of a BMW garage in Glenelg, South Australia, in a flowing black dress she had rented via Plus One Dress Hire. After posing for glamorous Instagram photographs, the dress caused some trouble while she was getting in her car on the way home. 'A reminder for the ladies,' Eli wrote, adding, 'Remove your neck scarves before entering or operating any heavy machinery. '[I] nearly decapitated myself getting the scarf tangled underneath the car on the way home.' In the post, Eli shared herself at the event before showing the severe, red burn-like marks around her neck. She added in the video, 'The dress that had me in a chokehold,' while turning her head to reveal the painful mark. Eli Moulton (pictured left) has issued a stark warning to individuals who own a dress with neck scarves It comes after a woman claimed a tank top purchased from Shein reacted with sun cream, leaving her with 'agonising', vest-shaped burns and putting her at risk of 'nightmare scarring'. On July 18, Soraya Young travelled with her boyfriend George Harris, 26, to Marmaris, Turkey, for a 12-day getaway as a break from renovating their house. The 25-year-old, from Nottingham, East Midlands, had purchased a 4.99 pack of three tank tops from Shein in April in preparation for the warmer weather, taking care to wash the vests before packing them. The civil servant, who regularly applied SPF 30 sun cream while away, decided to wear one of the tops over her bikini to maintain a 'modest' appearance during a five-hour visit to the town. The following day George spotted a 'weird burn' on her back, which the pair initially assumed was sunburn. But the 'tank top-shaped' burn began to blister and 'leak fluid', Soraya said, leaving her in 'agony'. The pain was so severe that she was forced to consult a local doctor who apparently told her that the burn had likely been caused by the top's fabric reacting with the sun or the chlorine from the pool. After 'sobbing' in pain during her flight home on July 29, Soraya visited a UK doctor who prescribed her antibiotics and cream to soothe the burn. The content creator was left with severe burn-like marks around her neck after the scarf got tangled in her cat Now, Soraya fears she'll be left with permanent scarring and urges people to 'think twice' about buying cheap clothes. Shein said it was the first complaint of this nature they'd received, but that they have removed the item from their website 'as a precautionary measure' while they investigate. Soraya said: 'It definitely ruined the end of the holiday when it began to get horrendously painful. 'I wore the top over my bikini to try and be a bit more modest. I didn't notice anything until the next day when we went on a boat trip. She recalled that George had pointed the 'weird' burn out to her but, assuming it was sunburn, she didn't perceive that it was in the shape of a vest. 'As the days went on, it started to get more and more sore,' Soraya continued. 'It started to blister and it was red raw. 'When I was trying to sleep at night it was agony. It began to leak fluid towards the end of the holiday. 'If I moved my arm, it made me wince so I was trying not to move my arms and head The Australian mother-of-two warned her followers against wearing the dress type when operating machinery (stock image) 'George picked up on why it is in the shape of a vest. Obviously with sunburn it would be around the sides like my shoulders and back.' In pain, Soraya visited a doctor in Turkey and claimed he said the burn was caused by her tank top. Soraya said: '[The doctor] took a look at it and was absolutely gobsmacked. I was pretty shocked and panicked and I thought, 'What have I done?'. 'The worst part is not only the pain but the actual shape of it. It looks like I'm permanently wearing a vest.' After a painful flight home, she visited a doctor who she says also claimed the vest was the culprit and prescribed her with antibiotics and cream to apply multiple times a day. Soraya said: 'I just wanted to get some sleep [on the flight] because I'd been awake all day but trying to sit back on the [plane] chair was absolutely unbearable. 'I was sobbing, I couldn't exactly take my t-shirt off in the middle of the flight. '[The doctor] said, 'It's obviously a burn'. I showed the doctors the vest and they said it definitely has something to do with it because of the shape it's in. 'I'm just paranoid about it scarring. It's a nightmare.' The fashion lover is now urging people to 'think twice' before ordering budget clothing. Soraya said: 'I'm surprised because it's such a popular brand. I washed the clothing before and I've never had any issues with it until now. I'll never buy anything from Shein again. 'The thing that worries me is lots of people buy stuff for children there. Children's skin is a hell of a lot more sensitive. I was thinking 'imagine if that was a child'.' A Shein spokesperson said: 'Shein takes product safety very seriously and is committed to offering safe and reliable products to its customers. Since becoming aware of this claim we have removed the item from our site as a precautionary measure while we investigate. 'Shein works closely with international third-party testing agencies such as Intertek, SGS, BV and TUV SUD to ensure compliance with product safety standards. This is the first complaint of this nature that we have received for this item and we are taking it very seriously.' A Shein spokesperson since added: 'The product has been tested in accordance with SHEIN's protocol, by independent, third-party testing agency, SGS. Based on the report, all the tested parameters relevant to REACH [Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals] chemical restrictions have passed the specified limits.' Gavin and Stacey pulled in 12.3 million viewers with its Christmas special, as the BBC show penned by James Corden and Ruth Jones bowed out in style after 18 years - but there could already be a new pretender to the comedy throne. Here We Go, currently airing on Friday nights on BBC One, made a quiet debut in 2022 - after a pilot called Pandemonium in 2020 - and has been wooing every generation of telly fan since with its relatable tales of chaotic family life. Its third series, branded 'genius' and a 'hidden gem' by comedy fans, is getting just shy of a million viewers per episode, with previous series of the show commanding up to 1.7 million on BBC iPlayer, with many now calling for a Christmas Day special episode. Set in Bedford, which writer Tom Basden says 'speaks to the whole country', the show is filmed by camera-obsessed 15-year-old Sam and follows the lives of the Jessop family. And there's a very familiar face amongst the cast, with Alison Steadman, who famously plays Pam in Gavin and Stacey, appearing as grandmother Sue. Basden told BBC Radio 5Live last month that he was able to persuade TV comedy legend Steadman, 78, to take on the role because it was first filmed in lockdown, when actors were twiddling their thumbs. The cast also includes a slew of other big names, including BAFTA winner Katherine Parkinson, who appeared in The IT Crowd and more recently starred as erotic novel writer Lizzie Vereker in Disney+'s adaptation of Jilly Cooper's Rivals. Parkinson plays trainee therapist Rachel, who's wed to ex-Olympic archer Paul, who's now a policeman, and is played by Sex Education star and Ghosts co-writer Jim Howick. Quiet hit Here We Go looks set to become the natural successor to Gavin and Stacey after the comedy favourite wrapped up for good last Christmas (Pictured: The cast of Here We Go) Not Pam! British comedy legend Alison Steadman has become a fan favourite as Sue, the grandmother in ensemble comedy Here We Go Fans tuning into the latest series are as hooked as ever. One commented: 'Genius! Brilliant writing and acting. Waited forever for Series three and promised to watch it each week only to have binge-watched it all on day one!' Another added: 'All three series [episodes] have been brilliant. Not enough episodes though. I'm gagging for more! Please do more!' One penned: 'Best show to come out in a while. Absolutely love it. One of those you can re-watch multiple times!' A comedy fan questioned 'How can the BBC get it so right with this, yet serve up rubbish like Mrs Brown's Boys?' Writer Basden, who cut his teeth in the Cambridge Footlights and plays Robin, told the BBC last month: 'It's about a family called the Jessop family who live in Bedford and are a very, very normal family who find themselves in a lot of weird and wonderful situations.' Asked why he chose Bedford as the Jessops' home, he told the broadcaster: 'I thought Bedford was a really good location for a show that speaks to the whole country. 'I wanted to set the show somewhere that just felt very traditionally English but not really known for being any one particular thing. 'I didn't want it to feel like it's a show about London or a show about Manchester or something.' Writer Tom Basden, right, plays Robin in the series, which first started as a pilot originally called Pandemonium in 2020... but has steadily won fans and a primetime slot Following the finale of Gavin and Stacey at Christmas, via a feature-length festive conclusion, the BBC comedy department will be grateful Here We Go is winning new fans. Gavin and Stacey, which debuted back in 2007 after being created by Corden and Jones, concluded with on/off lovers Smithy and Nessa finally declaring their love for one another and tying the knot, but not without a few hiccups along the way. While the series is officially over, the sitcom's creators are set to release a new book. When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between: A Story Of Love And Friendship will be published in the Autumn and share for the first time how the pair turned their little comedy into a full-on cultural phenomenon. James, 46, and Ruth, 58, said following the announcement: 'We're so excited to be sharing the story behind the story of Gavin and Stacey.' Alison Steadman as Pam in the Gavin and Stacey Christmas special - pictured with James Corden, left, and Rob Brydon, far right One last hurrah: A book celebrating Gavin and Stacey will be published in October 'The show has played a huge part in our 25-year friendship and we hope this book will give readers a fresh insight into how it all came about.' According to the publisher the book will feature never-before-heard stories and behind the scenes gossip and see James and Ruth recount the rejection, obstacles and challenges they faced on the way to giving birth to their beloved comedy creation and also explore their own real-life friendship. Asked for the secret to the show's success, James added: 'Young people are now watching things at twice the speed that it was ever meant to be formatted at and you're told speed is important. 'And here's a show that ended 15 years ago, waited ten years to tell another hour of the story, and waited five more years to end it. 'Actually maybe time and patience and care might be the answer for things to have longevity outside of what we consume on our phones.' All episodes of Here We Go are on the BBC iPlayer, with series three episodes airing on Fridays at 9pm. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new Netflix documentary about African orphans came about after they watched dancing videos at home with their son Prince Archie. One of the upcoming projects that forms part of the Sussexes' new 'first look' deal with Netflix is a short documentary about an African orphanage in Uganda, due to be released later this year - titled 'Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within'. The orphanage is home to the Masaka Kids, a dancing troupe comprising children aged two and above that has found widespread fame online. And the Sussexes themselves fell in love with the troupe during lockdown, watching videos of them at home with Prince Archie, now aged six. A spokesperson for the couple told The Telegraph: 'They would watch the videos regularly with Archie at home. 'So, they were already admirers of the organisation before the film project came to them in 2023.' However, Harry and Meghan were not involved in filming the documentary and are believed not to have gone to Uganda, according to the newspaper. The new project appears to be part of Harry and Meghan's vow when they founded their Archewell Foundation to 'spotlight diverse voices and share uplifting stories' - though previous projects have included a cooking and lifestyle show, a documentary about Polo and a bombshell expose of the royal family. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Netflix documentary comes after they watched viral dancing videos together. The Sussexes are pictured dancing in Meghan's Baby Mama TikTok trend The Masaka Kids's YouTube account, where they post dance routines set to chart-topping hits, has a staggering 4.3 million subscribers The group's story will be part of the Sussexes' new downgraded Netflix contract that offers the streamer first rights to future film and TV projects. The documentary will tell the story of how filmmaker David Lopez got to know the children as he visited Uganda over several years, with footage later picked up by Harry and Meghan's Archewell Productions. Their spokesperson added: 'When the Duke and Duchess were made aware of the short, they quickly recognised the kids from their viral videos and fell in love with their deeper stories.' They now hope to help 'amplify' the stories of the Masaka Kids and 'spread their love and joy' across the globe. The dance troupe was founded in 2013 and raises money for children in Uganda orphaned due to conflict, poverty and the HIV/Aids epidemic. It comes after social media users criticised Harry and Meghan, both of whom have producer credits on the documentary, for belittling the subject in a press release from the couple's production company Archewell. According to the joint statement released by the Sussexes and Netflix, the film 'goes beyong the viral videos to reveal a vibrant, one-of-a-kind community where orphaned children transform hardship into joy, dancing their way toward healing...and the promise of a brighter future'. However, the synopsis was branded 'more MeMe word salad' from the Sussexes as outraged social media users said the statement appeared to 'trivialise the hardships of others for self-glorification'. Meghan and Harry 'fell in love' with the Masaka kids after watching videos with Prince Archie. Meghan and Archie are pictured making cookies in a home video Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex, holding their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019 The movie's logline, some pointed out, echoes the language used by the 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex in interviews and media appearances since quitting the Royal Family and relocating to California with Prince Harry. Others accused the couple of monetising the hardship endured by others while simultaneously drawing parallels with their own lives as the couple have frequently spoken about using overcoming challenges by creating moments of joy and celebration. Last August, Meghan opened up about embracing a 'chapter of joy' that presumably followed her tumultuous stay in the UK as a senior Royal after marrying Prince Harry during a speech at Oprah Winfrey's book club meeting. During her quasi-royal tour of Colombia with the Duke of Sussex around the same time, Meghan linked joy to the practice of gratitude - in an address echoing self-help guru Brene Brown - while discussing how we can continue to 'inspire and create change'. She told the panel in Colombia: 'From my standpoint, how I will continue to express this, both through our foundation and through being able to move through the world, I suppose, is just looking at this as my chapter of joy. 'And the more that you are able to look at your life and really, truly, recognise that if you're going to be grateful for your life, you have to be grateful for all aspects of it. 'The parts that were opportunities of growth and may have felt very difficult as well as the parts that feel inspiring, joyful and full.' Reddit users noted the short note about the documentary had left a bitter taste, as one person said: 'Yeah, let's watch a bunch of underprivileged children dance their way to healing! More MeMe word salad.' A similar comment read: 'Watch those two try to turn hardship into a TikTok dance trend. They are not healing wounds. They are selling tickets to the spectacle. Please tell Netflix to hire crisis consultants and just STOP. 'The reality is, people paying for Netflix are not looking for Ugandan orphans. That is a program better suited for PBS.' The movie's logline, some pointed out, echoes the language used by the 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex in interviews and media appearances since quitting the Royal Family and relocating to California with Prince Harry (pictured in Colombia last year) Another shared: 'Ugh! I wonder who wrote that patronising, puerile, ignorant, exploitive, superficial c**p. Just get some poor Ugandan kids to dance and their hardships will be transformed into joy, they will be healed, they will belong, their future will be brighter. What an utter bunch of s***. They noted that while 'dancing can help with trauma', it cannot magically turn it 'into joy', adding: 'True to form, H & M trivialise the hardships of others for self-glorification - remember when Meg made a big deal of donating makeup to young women who had lost their homes in wildfires.' A similar message posted on Reddit read: 'Yes, splendind, just what the world needs! Those two producing a dance therapy session for orphans - because nothing screams authenticity like orchestrated joy to distract from decades of headline chaos. 'Tragedy becoming the circus backdrop for their self-serving narrative.' One person pointed out that the Masaka Kids and Meghan have similar online followings, adding: 'Masaka Kids has a YouTube channel with 4.1 Million subs, what exactly is Harry and Meghan bringing to the table?' In fact, it is Meghan's Instagram follower count currently stands at 4.1 million - about 200,000 short of the Masaka Kids's 4.3 million YouTube subscribers. Some were, however, supportive of their endeavour, with one X user writing: 'Yay, Ugandan here...nice that they are doing a documentary about those lovely kids! It will increase their visibility.' Commenting on the optics of the docuseries from a branding perspective, expert Chad Teixeira told the Daily Mail 'the choice to be involved in Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within aligns closely with the Sussexes' ongoing narrative of resilience, purpose, and elevating stories that might otherwise be overlooked'. The movie's logline, some pointed out, echoes the language used by the 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex in interviews and media appearances since quitting the Royal Family and relocating to California with Prince Harry However, he added, 'there is a clear disparity between the Sussexes' lived experiences and those of the children in Uganda's Masaka region, and this is where careful narrative framing is essential'. Chad cautioned: 'Handled sensitively, this project reinforces their brand positioning as cultural storytellers and advocates for human resilience. 'It also strategically taps into a universal emotional thread, that joy can be a radical act in the face of hardship, without diluting the gravity of the children's reality. 'The key will be in ensuring their commentary keeps the focus firmly on the children and the community, positioning themselves as facilitators of visibility rather than co-protagonists in the narrative.' Elsewhere, PR expert Hayley Knight, the co-founder of BE YELLOW PR agency, said that the couple are likely using the momentum from their previous projects for this campaign. 'After the mass attention gained from their previous Netflix documentary 'Harry & Meghan', it seems they want to use this momentum and shift attention to something deeper,' she explained. 'This documentary, and the themes around it takes them back to their roots of empathetic storytelling, echoing Princess Diana's legacy of compassionate engagement with these communities, and the challenges they endure. 'The documentary also likely holds special meaning for the Sussexes. As parents, they understand the profound urgency of security, education, and love for every child, not just their own. And as public figures who have experienced scrutiny and discrimination, they understand the harm stigma, neglect and prejudice can inflict.' However, she added, the 'project hasn't been met without criticism, with some arguing that the documentary frames poverty through joyful dancing, reducing deep systematic hardship down to a feel-good spectacle for Western audiences'. 'Children cannot simply 'dance their way' out of a lack of the issues that they face, and the documentary should focus more on the challenges around lack of education, healthcare and security, and that the documentary glosses over, and distracts the need for long term, structural change,' she added. 'It's the balance many filmmakers and charities face - inspiration without trivialising. However, with 4.1m subscribers on YouTube, the story behind the Masaka Kids, who have endured devastating personal loss from famine and war, and use the power of dance and song to overcome hardship, has touched people worldwide, and started conversations. 'The documentary will simply amplify this, and also tap into new audiences who already follow them online.' Netflix and Archewell Productions on Monday released all the details about their new 'multi-year, first look deal for film and television projects' that experts have said is a downgrade on their earlier $100million contract. The renewed deal was described by the Sussexes - who made the announcement with Netflix - as 'extending their creative partnership' through Archewell Productions. However, the new terms are understood to be less lucrative for the Sussexes than their previous contract under which they released the bombshell, two-part docuseries about the hardships they endured before stepping down as senior Royals. Netflix said Harry & Meghan, which came out in December 2022, was a huge success with a total of 23.4million views, making it the most viewed documentary ever through its first four days and reaching the English Top 10 TV list in 85 countries. But With Love, Meghan - Meghan's recently renewed lifestyle series - failed to break into Netflix's top ten programmes - or even the top 300, as it ranked at number 383 in 2025 so far for the streaming giant with just 5.3million viewers across the globe since it was first broadcast in March. The announcement about the new docuseries comes after a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex confirmed he is considering starting a new African charity to rival Sentebale after he quit following a race row. The Duke earlier this month walked away from the charity following a damning report. But, as exclusively revealed by the Mail on Sunday, his spokesperson has now confirmed Harry is weighing up how to carry on supporting the region. 'The duke remains absolutely committed to continuing the work he started, supporting the children and young people of Lesotho and Botswana, nearly 20 years ago,' the spokesperson said today. 'In what form that support takes - no decisions have been made. 'All options remain on the table; whether that be starting a new charity or working to support pre-existing charities operating in the same sector in the region.' Luxury makeup lovers assemble because Louis Vuitton has launched its debut cosmetics line. The French fashion house has unveiled La Beaute Louis Vuitton, designed by Pat McGrath, which includes 55 designer lipsticks, ten lip balms, and eight eyeshadows - but like everything from the label, the products are priced at a premium. The cosmetics line is due to be released across Louis Vuitton stores around the globe at the end of August. However, the price tags have already drawn some negative attention online. All of the lip products will set shoppers back a costly 118.50 ($160), trumping the prices of competitors such as Chanel, which charges 42 for its Rouge Collection. The eyeshadows, which come in eight shades and in quads, are even dearer, costing an eye-watering 185 ($250). The high price tags no doubt reflect the time, effort, and craftsmanship that went into making the collection, which reportedly spanned 170 years, according to Harper's Bazaar. Thanks to the sustainable packaging by Konstantin Grcic, refills are available for 51 ($69) for lip products and 68 ($92) for eyeshadow products. Skincare was made a priority in the collection, which is reflected in product ingredients like natural waxes, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter. Louis Vuitton has launched its first ever cosmetics line, which includes lipsticks, lip balms, and eyeshadows 'Working backstage for over 20 years at Louis Vuitton fashion shows, I am thrilled to now play such a key role in the launch of La Beaute Louis Vuitton, which is the result of extraordinary craftmanship, creativity and innovation,' McGrath said in a press release about the collection via People. 'The beauty universe is about so much more than just products, and what we are creating here will unlock a new level in luxury beauty.' On TikTok, some have reacted negatively to the collection's price points, with one writing, 'People will buy using affirm or payment planspeople have shopping addictions.' Another said, 'I'd rather spend that on something else!' A third added, 'I get that it's a luxury brand but 220 for 4 eyeshadows is wildis the packaging at least real leather.' 'Keeping the poor people buying Louis Vuitton even poorer,' wrote a fourth user on TikTok. While Louis Vuitton is working to impress high-end consumers, Topshop has delighted high street shoppers with news of its return. However, it's comes to light that it's the brand's old stock might be worth a small fortune. The brand left a hole on London's Oxford Street and the hearts of many young shoppers when it closed its doors in 2021. The Louis Vuitton eyeshadows, which come in eight shades and in quads cost a staggering 185 ($250) The lipsticks cost 118.50 ($160), trumping the prices of competitors such as Chanel, which charges 42 for its Rouge Collection However, much to the pleasure of fashion fans, Topshop is back up and running online and there's speak of brick-and-mortar shops coming soon in the UK. But before shopping the brand's new collections, it might be wise to search through storage for old Topshop garments, particularly those championed by Kate Moss, because they could be worth a pretty penny. Despite most pieces originally retailing for under 100, eBay has witnessed sellers flogging their old pieces from the brand for higher prices, with some items going to the highest bidder for 200 plus. One seller, @bless7478, sold a floral dress, dubbed 'Topshop Kate Moss Iconic Pansy Floral Print Tea Dress Glasto', for an impressive 115. While the price might raise some eyebrows, the seller noted that the frock, also previously worn by fashion darling Alexa Chung, is made from 100 per cent cotton, which is now a rare find on the high street. If items haven't tripled in cost, it seems there's a good chance that they've retained their value, with one trademark Topshop dress, previously worn by Naomi Campbell, selling on the platform for 10 higher than its original for 260. The gold tassel dress was new with tags, and despite being released in 2014, the cocktail dress is as modish as ever. Elsewhere, a different frilly, grey dress is currently up for sale for an impressive 172, despite showing previous signs of wear. TikTok users took to platform to share their thoughts on the new line - and many were unimpressed with the price It's of no surprise that most of the items up for large amounts of cash are related to Kate Moss, who became synonymous with the brand along with other top models like Cara Delevingne, after releasing multiple collections with Topshop. Back in 2014, Kate's Topshop collection caused chaos on London's Oxford Street, with hordes of fans lining outside the former flagship store to purchase the festival-inspired collection. Kate's appearance at the event made the release day an even bigger sensation. She joined Radio One DJ Nick Grimshaw on stage, saying to fans: 'Happy shopping'. She then disappeared after her brief appearance to go for a private dinner with friends and supporters. Friends and family caught and early glimpse inside for a special VIP preview, with guests including Mary McCartney, sister of designer Stella McCartney, and Sienna Miller. The model's SS14 collection brimmed with seventies style pieces, including fringed suede jackets, jump suits and maxi dresses. The collection also included embroidered smock-tops, silk blouses and graphic print kaftans that went on sale in high street stores globally and online. Kate, who first collaborated with Topshop in 2007 before taking a break to work on other projects, was said to have taken inspiration from her own wardrobe, which, despite her status as a supermodel, isn't solely comprised of designer labels. The line is due to be released across Louis Vuitton stores around the globe at the end of August (stock image) At the time, Topshop's Sir Philip Green, who counts the model as a friend, said he was delighted at Kate's decision to collaborate with to the fashion label. He said: 'I am personally thrilled that Kate wanted to come back to Topshop to work with us again. 'The first time around was such a lot of fun and she has been sorely missed. The Topshop business has developed extensively around the globe since we launched with Kate in 2007.' Kate added: 'I have really missed being involved in the design process and working with the team at Topshop. I am very excited to create a new collection that bears my name. 'Now more than ever with London being at the forefront of fashion as it feels like I'm back home.' While Kate worked closely with the brand back in its heyday, it's unclear whether she'll rekindle the relationship in its next phase. As of earlier this month, Topshop's standalone website is back up and running, meaning devotees of the brand can now shop on Topshop's dedicated website, more than four years after it was axed following the retailer's sale to ASOS. After it sold a majority stake to a Danish firm last year, Topshop has been teasing its return as a standalone brand. It has wasted no time in getting the the big guns involved to relaunch its sleek website. Model and actress Cara Delevingne has curated a 40-piece range, with everything from a faux leather high shine washed trench coat to an '80s double-breasted oversized suit blazer up for grabs. Elsewhere on the website, a range of womenswear and menswear can be ordered online. The brand's full 2025 autumn and winter collection is going live on 16 August As part of its relaunch, Topshop was at Trafalgar Square in London on 16 August to host its first runway show since 2018. Amid high demand, Topshop released 500 more tickets for the event earlier that week. Topshop's newly-launched standalone website offers next day and standard delivery options, as well as a Topshop Instant AM pre 12-noon delivery service. Topshop was founded in 1964 youth-focused offshoot of the department store Peter Robinson. Topshop was a titan of the British high street at its peak, raking in about 100million in profit, with hundreds of stores spread across almost every large town and city in Britain. But the store's popularity waned as it struggled to compete with fast fashion online, losing its younger shoppers to aggressive digital e-tailers like Boohoo and PrettyLittleThing. In 2018, former owners Arcadia revealed it was haemorrhaging cash, reporting a 93.4million pre-tax loss compared with 164.6million profit in the year before. And sales slumped 4.5 per cent from 1.8billion. Amid the demise of Arcadia, owned by Philip Green, in 2021, Asos acquired Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge for 330million. At the time of its collapse, there were 70 Topshop stores across Britain. Topshop will not be returning to its former flagship store at 214 Oxford Street in London, which is now occupied by the new Ikea which opened earlier this year. Sarah Ferguson had a 'very, very close' relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, who paid a lot of her bills, a royal biographer has claimed. Historian Andrew Lownie, whose explosive new biography of disgraced Prince Andrew, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, was released last week, appeared on Tina Browns Substack, Fresh Hell, on Tuesday. In his video chat with the fellow royal author, Mr Lownie discussed how the Duke and Duchess of York allegedly continued their friendship with Epstein after the late financier had been convicted of child sex offences. Despite Andrew apparently telling friends his infamous trip to see the paedophile multi-millionaire in New York in 2010 was to tell him they could no longer be friends, Mr Lownie claimed the relationship 'went on much longer'. The royal author also alleged that Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, 'paid a lot of Fergie's (Sarah Ferguson's) bills'. Mr Lownie published a series of revelations in his book about the finances and alleged infidelity of the Duke and Duchess of York, including 'greedy and needy' Sarah's huge debts. The author claimed the royals even tried to ban the biography. During his chat with Tina, the historian claimed: 'For Epstein, Andrew provided status, respectability and some useful contacts through his time as special trade envoy. 'In fact, Andrew made sure that Epstein went on some of these trips. Shoe-horned him into meetings. And for Andrew, Epstein provided, as you say, girls. Sarah Ferguson (pictured with Prince Andrew in 2019 at Royal Ascot) had a 'very, very close' relationship with Jeffrey Epstein , who paid a lot of her bills, a royal biographer has claimed 'He provided someone who paid a lot of Fergie's bills and as someone, again, with useful contacts and a jet set life. And Andrew was going through his mid-life crisis about the time that he really got very friendly with Epstein. Mr Lownie said someone described the pair's relationship 'like that between a rattlesnake and a mouse' but added that the friendship 'went on much longer than it should have done'. 'I mean, not just after Epstein went to prison, but after 2010 when [Prince Andrew] claimed to have said goodbye, both he and Fergie continued to see Epstein,' alleged the author. Mr Lownie claimed the couple were still linked to the disgraced financier 'five years after this thing is supposed to have stopped'. He continued: 'And no one has really looked at Sarah's relationship with Epstein, which was very, very close.' It's been reported that Epstein paid 15,000 of Fergie's bills, however, the author suggested that the figure is rumoured to be significantly more. It's understood that the Duchess denies this. Further discussing the Duchess of York, Lownie revealed how she was described as 'greedy and needy', adding: 'I think those two things have not helped Andrew. I mean, I think he went into the Epstein relationship, partly to fund his wife, ex-wife.' MailOnline has contacted Sarah Ferguson's representatives for comment. Andrew Lownie has discussed how the Duke and Duchess of York allegedly continued their friendship with Epstein (pictured in 2005 in New York) after the late financier had been convicted of child sex offences Based on four years of painstaking research and hundreds of interviews, the new biography of Prince Andrew lays bare his lofty ambitions, thirst for wealth and hedonistic life. The Duke of York had a controversial friendship with paedophile Epstein, who once declared: 'We are both serial sex addicts. He's the only person I have met who is more obsessed with p***y than me'. Mr Lownie said Andrew 'was apparently a sex addict long before he came into Epstein's orbit'. 'He was called Randy Andy, even at school. He's clearly highly sexed. Various numbers have been quoted at me ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 women that he slept with. 'He was good looking, he was a prince and women threw themselves at him. He was a notch on their bedpost and he took advantage of that'. Mr Lownie believes he was unfaithful to Sarah on a number of occasions, but so was she. 'There are allegations that both of them had affairs pretty early in the marriage', he said. Mr Lownie's new book claimed Fergie had extramarital affairs with American Steve Wyatt and his friend John Bryan. Despite Andrew apparently telling friends his infamous trip to see the paedophile multi-millionaire in New York in 2010 was to tell him they could no longer be friends, Mr Lownie claimed the relationship 'went on much longer'. Pictured, Fergie and Andrew on their wedding day in 1986 Entitled: The Rise And Fall of The House Of York by Andrew Lownie has been serialised by the Daily Mail There were also allegations that Andrew slept with 'more than a dozen women' during the first year of their marriage. The author wrote: 'Friends say Andrew accepted his wife's indelities and that his marriage was over. 'He would dine alone off a tray in his study while Sarah and one of her lovers ate together elsewhere in the house. Sarah, however, was jealous of any of Andrew's girlfriends. 'She wanted to remain "The One", with all the perks that brought, and girlfriends were invariably despatched through a mixture of charm and ruthlessness.' Mr Lownie has claimed the royals tried to ban his book, saying he received letters 'threatening to sue me, before a word of the manuscript had been seen'. Andrew and Fergie divorced in 1996 but still live together at Royal Lodge in Windsor. Mr Lownie's book is published by William Collins for 22. A parenting expert has advised what to do if your child has started biting others - after Molly Mae Hague revealed she'd experienced the issue with her daughter Bambi. The Manchester-based influencer, 26, who speaks candidly about her parenting online, revealed her daughter, two, had bitten two other children at nursery in a new video shared to YouTube. The former Love Island star also said she wasn't sure about the nursery's 'gentle parenting' approach because she didn't know if Bambi would know biting was wrong. Gentle parenting, which is increasingly fashionable with Millennial and Gen Z parents, encourages adults to never raise their voice and to calmly explain corrections instead - but many claim it fails to show kids the consequences of their negative actions. Molly opened up about the experience with her fans in her latest post, as she declared: 'It's the complete opposite of what I want my child to be'. She also said she was conflicted over taking her little girl for ice cream after the incident because she was concerned she would view it as a 'reward for bad behaviour' - and had asked AI assistant Chat GPT for advice as she was unsure what to do. According to parenting experts, biting other children, especially at such a young age, is actually very common - but it does need to be firmly corrected. Kirsty Ketley, who has 30 years of experience as a nursery manager and early years educator, told the Metro that the key to putting an end to the biting is responding with a calm and consistent manner. Molly-Mae Hague has shared her worries over how her two-year-old daughter Bambi has bitten two other children at nursery in a new YouTube video However, according to parenting experts biting among toddlers is very common - but it does need to be dealt with firmly. Molly and Bambi are pictured with Tommy Fury She advised to: 'Keep language simple: "No biting. Biting hurts." Then guide them towards a more positive behaviour, like offering words they can use ("I don't like that"), or giving them something safe to bite if they're teething. 'Notice and praise when they express themselves without biting very important!' If the biting is happening when you are not present, for example if your child is at nursery, Kirsty recommends speaking to staff and asking if they've noticed any particular triggers occurring before the incident takes place. However, Kirsty doesn't believe that the rise of 'gentle parenting' is to blame for the rise of biting in young children. 'Its something that has always happened in nurseries and early years settings,' she told Metro. Molly, who recently reunited with partner Tommy Fury, had told her social media followers: 'I got a call from nursery today to tell me that she has bitten another child at nursery. This isn't the first time it's happened.' 'Basically at her nursery at the minute, there's a bit of a biting pandemic going on and all of the children are biting one another. 'I got a call the other day to tell me that she'd been bitten and she came home with a full-on bite mark on her arm. 'I wasn't even cross or upset about it because I knew it would be a matter of days before they'd call me to say she'd done the same thing back to another child. Molly Mae said she was conflicted about whether to take Bambi for ice cream afterwards The influencer, 26, who speaks candidly about her parenting online, opened up about the experience with her fans in her latest post, as she declared: 'It's the complete opposite of what I want my child to be' 'I feel like especially in her nursery, they're all seeing each other doing it and copying the behaviour basically.' She added: 'So I got a call from her key worker to say that she'd bitten again today and I just feel like is taking her for ice cream later on rewarding her...when she's done something at nursery that's really not good? 'But equally, I don't even know if I should bring attention to it. When it happened the other week, I decided to go with the method of not bringing attention to it at all. 'So not talking about it, because I think they do it because maybe they want a reaction, or she wants a rise, or she wants us to talk about it. 'So I didn't talk about it at all, but that method has clearly not worked because she's gone into nursery and done it again today so even with no reaction, it's still happening. 'She's getting the reaction she wantsif we're all talking about it.' Later on in the video, Molly-Mae shared an update on the incident and revealed Zoe had said she doesn't think they should be taking Bambi for ice cream. Explaining the development, Molly-Mae said: 'She's [Bambi] bit another child at nursery today. I know that's sad to come on here and admit. A lot of parents probably wouldn't want to admit that their child had done that. She also said she was conflicted over taking her little girl for ice cream after the incident because she was concerned she would view it as a 'reward for bad behaviour' Molly-Mae told how her sister Zoe Rae, 28, (left) thought it was a bad idea to give Bambi a treat but revealed she was unsure how to tackle the situation and had even asked AI assistant ChatGPT for advice 'But the only reason I feel slightly better about it is because I had a call last week saying that Bambi had been bitten and all the children seem to be biting one another a the moment. 'One of my good friends, her daughter is in the same class and her daughter has been bitten like every day this week. It's really, really sad, it's horrible. 'But equally the children in her room at the moment are at an age where trying to explain to them... 'It's confusing because if we talk to her about it when we put her in the car, are we giving her the attention that she wants from the biting? 'But if I was listening to this video right now I'd be thinking no, you need to tell her it's not okay. Because it's not okay. 'It's so embarrassing for me because it's the complete opposite of what I want my child to be. All I want her to be in this life is kind, gentle, caring, loving and just like so lovely to the people around her. That's what I want her to be to her core. 'And her biting is just so far removed from who I want her to be. Equally she is two and a half and she is testing boundaries. Also it's hard because at their nursery their way of disciplining is that they don't really discipline. 'They have very much a gentle parenting approach on the accident report form that I got about the bite. They were like we've told her that her mouth is for chewing and for eating her food, for biting down on food and nothing else. 'I think that she knows [in] the environment she's in she is not going to get told off, there's not going to be an issue when she does bite. She's not going to have anything taken off of her, or put on a naughty step - or really be told no. 'But then is that the right approach? Because clearly whatever is going on now isn't working because it is the second time that it has happened. 'So I don't know, I'm a bit stuck on this one. Probably going to get some comments on... I don't know what the right thing is to do'. Many took to the comments section of the video to share their thoughts on the situation and complimented Molly-Mae on her 'realness and relatability' 'I asked ChatGPT for some advice, I know people will probably have something to say about this because it's AI and controversial.' 'Controversial is my middle name at the moment. But I got some really incredible advice. So I explained the full situation and her age etc. Told [ChatGPT] what we're struggling with.' Molly-Mae explained the advice was not to punish Bambi twice because she will be unable to link the negative repercussions in the afternoon to the incident which took place in the morning. The rules of the nursery meant that Molly-Mae wasn't told who the child was that Bambi had bitten, but she worked out it was a close friend of her child and called her mother to apologise, which she said made her 'feel much better'. Many took to the comments section of the video to share their thoughts on the situation and complimented Molly-Mae on her 'realness and relatability'. 'Don't worry about the biting. There are far worst [sic] things that could be happening. It's just a phase. Like you said she's testing boundaries. I wouldn't give her a second thought. It has nothing to do with you as a parent. I feel parents get caught up in what others are going to think of them but at the end of the day what you think is all that matters.' 'As a fellow mama to littles, thank you for being so honest and relatable. You are the only YouTuber I can relate to on so many levels especially your thoughts on parenting! Thank you for being real.' 'As someone born in 1994, I find the gentle parenting trend both fascinating and at times, perplexing. While I appreciate the emphasis on empathy and positive reinforcement, I sometimes wonder where the line is drawn between nurturing and permissiveness. For example, is it truly harmful to give a child a firm but respectful reprimand when they've done something wrong? I'm not referring to harsh punishment or yelling either. If you're an advocate of gentle parenting, you might want to start to toughen up for the good of your child's future (file photo) 'Just clear, constructive guidance to help them understand why certain actions are unacceptable. Without any form of correction or discussion about consequences, how do children learn accountability and self discipline? Anyway you're doing your best Molly! Keep your head up.' 'Molly I love your open honesty with parenting it makes me feel like I'm not the only one struggling at times so thank you.' 'Your realness surrounding motherhood and parenting is so comforting.' 'Sorry to hear about the biting situation it's not easy. Can be very upsetting. I recommend reading stories with Bambi about being kind and gentle. You could say to her to remember teeth are for biting our food not our friends. Demonstrating what she could do instead when she's angry could help too!' Meanwhile, according to a new study, children who experience more 'authoritative' parenting do better at school up until the age of 11. The analysis of nearly 6,000 children from across England suggests 'clear boundaries' and a bit of tough love help youngsters thrive. 'Higher parental limit-setting was associated with a greater likelihood of children achieving the expected level,' say the study authors. One critic of gentle parenting is Katharine Birbalsingh, commonly known as Britain's strictest headmistress, who thinks the approach makes modern parents 'infantilised' and doesn't hold children to account. 'The culture and the language that's being used means parents feel that they're not in a position of authority over their child,' she said. Professor Vivien Hill, psychologist at University College London's Institute of Education, thinks gentle parenting can lead to problems when the child starts school. 'That child is going to be entering the world of school where a teacher has to be able to control and teach 30 children,' she told the Telegraph. 'Nobody has the capacity to negotiate in that environment.' On the other hand, Sarah Ockwell-Smith, gentle parenting advocate and author, claims the philosophy results in 'calmer, happier children'. Gentle parenting will 'validate a child's feelings and employ kindness, empathy and understanding', she said, but many believe that in practice it fails to curb chaos. Influencer Caitlin Covington, the face of 'Christian Girl Autumn,' has tearfully revealed that she will not be able to make fall content this year in an emotional new TikTok video. Covington, known for her suede hats, pumpkin spice lattes, and cozy sweaters, has been showcasing her fall style and decorating since she was a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012, according to People, but her content went viral in 2019. An account by the name of Blizzy McGuire had jokingly tweeted out her photos at the time, writing, 'Hot Girl Summer is coming to an end, get ready for Christian Girl Autumn.' However, it looks like there will be no 'Christian Girl Autumn' for Covington this year, as she revealed last night that she would be taking a break from her content. 'Hi guys, this is my fourth time recording, and I just don't know how I'm gonna tell you guys that I just am not gonna be able to post Fall videos this year,' Covington said through sobs. 'It's just a lot of pressure and it's just a lot of pressure to make each video better than the last, and make each fall trip better,' she explained. As part of her autumn content, Covington always takes a fall trip with her family to scenic places like Vermont or Maine, where she does stunning photoshoots in front of colorful leaf piles, mountains, and trees. But not this year. Influencer Caitlin Covington, the face of 'Christian Girl Autumn,' has tearfully revealed that she will not be able to make fall content this year in a new emotional TikTok video Covington, known for her suede hats, pumpkin spice lattes, and cozy sweaters, has been showcasing her fall style for years, and has become a viral sensation 'I just really need a break this year, and I'm really sorry,' Covington concluded at the end of her video. In the caption, she said it was the 'hardest post' that she's ever had to make, and that she would provide a further update for her followers soon. In the comments section of her TikTok, many joked that autumn was now 'canceled' due to her shocking announcement. 'Fall is officially cancelled till further notice,' one person wrote. Another agreed, 'Yeah autumn is so over this year.' 'Guess we're skipping to 2026 since fall is canceled... which means Mariah Carey won't ever defrost and Christmas won't come. Happy new year,' another typed. However, others supported her decision and offered her some words of encouragement. 'We understand diva! We still love you! Youre always our queen of fall,' a user wrote. As part of her autumn content, Covington always takes a fall trip with her family to scenic places and does stunning photoshoots in front of colorful leaf piles, mountains, and trees. However, it looks like there will be no 'Christian Girl Autumn' for Covington this year, as she revealed last night that she would be taking a break from her content Another seconded, 'We love you in all seasons! You deserve rested girl autumn.' Last year, Covington revealed in an interview with People just how much planning goes into her fall content each year. 'The outfit planning is probably the most time-consuming part,' she shared with the outlet at the time. 'We review various retailers, place orders, and then I spend hours trying on different outfits. Right now, Im in the middle of trying on outfits for our Maine trip,' she said. Covington told the outlet that she has 'very specific' ideas for content, and it takes a lot to get organized for it. In fact, she admitted it's probably around '100 hours of work' that goes into each year's fall trip. 'Ill find an outfit that fits that theme, pack it down to a tee 0 including sunglasses, socks, everything - and then wear it on the trip. Its probably around 100 hours of work that goes into each trip,' she said. At the time, the influencer also spoke about the pressures that come with creating her fall content. 'I do feel pressure, especially during fall because I feel like everyone looks to me for fall content,' she admitted. 'So I try to hold myself to a certain standard and brainstorm new creative ideas. I spend hours researching and planning outfits for fall. 'Theres a lot of pressure, and I want my videos and pictures to be well received.' The granddaughter of a Hollywood icon was her spitting image in a new photo... but do you know who she is? It's Grace Kelly's granddaughter, Camille Rose Gottlieb. Camille looked so much like the late actress and royal a snap posted to Instagram last week. The 27-year-old took to the social media platform to share a new picture of herself from vacation on the French island of Corsica, posing in a floral headscarf on the beach - one of Kelly's signature looks. The headscarf was printed with blue and red flowers in various sizes. Gottlieb resembled the Princess of Monaco with her piercing blue eyes, as she went for a natural look, accessorizing with a green-and-gold charm necklace. She wore a burgundy-colored bikini top and a beige knit wrap over it, keeping things simple with bare nails. She looked just like the Hollywood star in the picture, as they have similar facial features. Grace Kelly's granddaughter, Camille Rose Gottlieb, was the spitting image of the Hollywood icon in a new picture posted to Instagram Gottlieb resembled The Princess of Monaco with her piercing blue eyes, as she went for a natural look in the French island of Corsica and accessorized with a green-and-gold necklace 'Pure happiness,' Gottlieb captioned the photo, which was written in French but translated into English by the Daily Mail. 'Sun, love, a doggie, Corsica, family, stars and petanque [a French outdoor game],' she added. In the Instagram post, she also included other photos from her time in Corsica, which showed an adorable dog sitting on the beach and a beautiful sunset. Gottlieb is the child of Grace Kelly's youngest daughter, Princess Stephanie, and former palace guard, Jean Raymond Gottlieb. Of course, she was born in Monaco, where she currently resides. Over the past few years, Gottlieb has offered nods to her grandmother as she has channeled some of her famous looks while attending various events. Just last month, Gottlieb donned a custom gown at the Red Cross Gala in Monaco that looked a lot like the one that Kelly wore in the 1954 film, Rear Window. At the time, Kelly wore a dress with a puffy, white tulle skirt that featured a navy blue off-the-shoulder top. Gottlieb (left) and Kelly (right) certainly have similar facial features Last month, Gottlieb donned a custom gown at the Red Cross Gala in Monaco that looked a lot like the one that Kelly wore in the 1954 film, Rear Window At the time, Kelly (seen) wore a dress with a puffy, white tulle skirt that featured a navy blue off-the-shoulder top. Gottlieb paid tribute but decided to modernize the look a bit Gottlieb decided to modernize the look a bit, keeping the tulle skirt and jazzing up the top of the dress. Gottlieb's gown, which was designed by Elisabetta Franchi, featured an off-the-shoulder and a ruched neckline complete with stunning jewel detailing that flowed al the way into the skirt. The skirt also had a high slit in it, to make it a bit more fun. Gottlieb completed the look with Cartier jewelry, and put her hair in an elegant updo. She posted the look on Instagram, and thanked the dress designer for helping her 'pay tribute' to Kelly with the 'magnificent dress.' And at the 2024 Red Cross Gala, Gottlieb chose to channel her grandmother once again as she donned a sparkling red off-the-shoulder gown with ruffled detail at the neckline. The dress looked just like the red lace one that Kelly wore in Dial M for Murder. Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley have opened up about the state of their marriage after being released from prison just a few months ago - and admitted that 'reconnecting' has been an 'adjustment.' On May 27, the former reality TV couple received the news of a lifetime as President Donald Trump announced that he would be fully pardoning the both of them as they were serving time for tax evasion and bank fraud. Julie and Todd were found guilty in July 2022 of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. The Chrisleys were also found guilty of tax evasion by hiding their earnings while showcasing an extravagant lifestyle. Todd, 56, was held at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Florida, while Julie, 52, was at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. The both of them are now re-acclimating to life on the outside, and are even preparing to return to TV as part of a new Lifetime reality show. However, on a new episode of their podcast, they spoke about the realities of their situation - and how it has affected their relationship. They opened up about the state of their marriage while addressing a report that they were having trouble 'reconnecting' after being apart. Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley have opened up about the state of their marriage after being released from prison - and admitted that 'reconnecting' has been an 'adjustment' 'First of all, and I want to be completely transparent, there is an adjustment period,' Julie admitted on a new episode of their podcast 'First of all, and I want to be completely transparent, there is an adjustment period,' Julie admitted. 'It's not an adjustment period in our marriage, per se, it's an adjustment period back to life,' she explained. 'Again, we were given one of the greatest gifts we could have ever been given, and that is a full, unconditional pardon.' Todd stressed that they were still very much in love despite the 'adjustment' period, adding, 'The parts still worked. They still fit. Its like plugging into the same station.' Julie also addressed claims that Todd had been 'cutting her off' in the middle of talking in past episodes. 'Todd and I have been together for 31 years. Trust me when I say I can stand my own ground,' Julie said. 'I can stand with the best of them. I have stood with him for 31 years. So no one needs to worry about that.' She joked that indeed, Todd can get a little 'lippy' sometimes, but it doesn't mean that she doesn't 'put him in his place' behind the scenes. On May 27, the couple received the news of a lifetime as President Donald Trump announced that he would be fully pardoning the both of them as they were serving time for tax evasion However, on a new episode of their podcast, they spoke about the realities of their situation - and how it has affected their relationship. They're seen reuniting in the trailer for their show In response to whether or not they were having trouble 'reconnecting,' Todd (seen here during his emotional reunion with Julie) added, 'No, so the parts still worked. They still fit' 'I don't think anyone can go through what we went through and think that you are not changed, because you are,' she added. 'You view things differently, you react differently, it is what it is.' Julie reassured viewers that their marriage is in a good place and is not on the rocks. Their podcast episode comes just days after their emotional reunion was shown in a trailer for their new docuseries, The Chrisleys: Back to Reality. The trailer began with their eldest daughter Savannah Chrisley, 27, talking to her parents on separate phone calls as flashbacks from their past reality show appeared on the screen. She opened up about how she and the rest of the family had been dealing with their mom and dad being away as her parents shared their desire to return home and reunite their family again. 'With my parents gone, our household is completely divided,' Savannah admitted. 'I told my parents, I don't know if it can ever be repaired, honestly.' The series is set to air in September. Anna Delvey has revealed that she is now selling 'Bunnygate' merch after she was accused of dumping rabbits in Brooklyn after a photo shoot last week. Delvey became embroiled in controversy when two bunnies she used in a photo shoot were found abandoned in a New York park. The Russian native, 34, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, is famously known for falsely posing as a German heiress to gain social status and defrauding a series of banks, hotels, and individuals out of $275,000. The controversial star faced immense scrutiny over the rabbit incident, however, she later said she was unaware of how the bunnies were procured for the shoot, and a 19-year-old assistant has since taken full responsibility. But now, Delvey seems to be poking fun at the incident while trying to make a difference as she has announced that she would be selling T-shirts referencing the ordeal, with 20 percent of the proceeds going to a non-profit that protects animals. In an Instagram post sharedWednesday, she posed in the shirts, which contained a picture of the bunny on it and read, 'Missing' at the top, followed by 'Have you seen me?' underneath. 'The scandal they couldnt stop talking about, now on a shirt that demands what the law doesnt: accountability for abandoned animals,' Delvey wrote in the caption of her Instagram post. 'Provide the market and the demand that keeps the Bunnghazi pseudo-story going,' her message continued. Anna Delvey, seen here in July, is selling 'Bunnygate' merch after she was accused of dumping rabbits in Brooklyn following a photo shoot last week 'Perfect for anyone whos ever been wrongfully or rightfully accused, judged or misjudged, convicted or acquitted, or who aspires to be known for their well-knownnes,' the caption read. 'Wear the outrage and let the internet know you survived #Bunnygate. Limited run. Unlimited shade. Stop abandoning domestic pets in parks, and stop trying to pin it on me!' She also linked to a Change.org petition in her Instagram bio, which called for making it 'illegal to abandon domestic animals in public spaces,' among other things. 'Right now, in many places, abandoning a pet is barely treated as a crime, if its enforced at all. That needs to change,' the petition read. 'The Delvey case proves that even when the story is big enough to grab national attention, the animals' safety still depends on the quick action of volunteers, not on strong laws that prevent abandonment in the first place.' At the time, posts on local Facebook pages in the area alerted neighbors to the rabbits, with many guessing they were pets due to their domesticated nature. Eagle-eyed Reddit users noticed that both of the rabbits looked identical to the ones featured in images and pinned Instagram Stories posted by Delvey during the recent shoot, which showed her posing on the streets of New York with two bunnies on leads. However, it turned out that it wasn't Delvey herself who dumped the animals, but rather an assistant on the independent shoot. She seems to be poking fun at the incident while trying to make a difference, as 20 percent of the proceeds going to a non-profit that protects animals The assistant, Christian Batty, initially denied the bunnies that were found in the park were the ones used on the shoot, but he later released a statement claiming responsibility. Batty confessed to dumping the rabbits in Prospect Park, assuring people that Delvey wasn't aware of the situation, and that he sourced the animals for the shoot. In a statement posted to social media, which Delvey re-shared, he added they were being fostered by someone in New York for the time being. 'It was an unfortunate situation, but the bunnies are OK now,' he wrote in the statement, in part. In a statement supplied to the Daily Mail at the time, Delvey said: 'As many of you are aware, I recently did a shoot with Jasper Soloff involving live rabbits. 'Christian Batty, a member of the hair team I briefly met with during a fashion week event last year, responded that he knew someone who could lend us bunnies for a few hours. 'I later discovered that, instead of borrowing animals from a legitimate source, he had obtained them via Facebook marketplace and intended to release them to Prospect Park, a plan of which I had no knowledge. 'The idea that someone would compromise the well-being of innocent animals for personal networking opportunities is deeply disturbing to me. 'I am highly disturbed by what transpired. As talent, it's not my job to source or return animals, but as am animal lover, I can promise I will never work with them again without knowing exactly where they came from and how they're getting home. 'I do not eat meat, and I have no involvement in the acquisition, transport, or return of these animals. I would never condone these actions.' Experts have urgently warned a growing number of 'black market' hair transplant procedures are taking place in the UK, carried out by rogue unlicensed technicians with no medical degree. These alleged botched procedures have left men who did 'too little research' with extensive scarring, psychological distress and disfigurement, according to the British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS). BAHRS has urged Britons to be diligent in checking the credentials of who they pay to carry out the surgeries to avoid being on the receiving end of often painful, and unattractive, results. The not-for-profit organisation's surgeons say it is a particular problem for people trying to get follicular unit excisions (FUE), which involves the removal of hair from other 'donor' areas which then are implanted into thinning or balding areas. Hair restoration surgeon and BAHRS President Chris D'Souza said: 'It is becoming increasingly clear that patients do not need to travel thousands of miles to Turkey (or elsewhere) to have a botched hair transplant surgery procedure when the same thing happens in many cost-cutting clinics here in the UK. 'These clinics offer cheaper prices by using non-doctor technicians to perform the skin incisions, i.e. cuts. 'Indeed, one could argue the situation here is worse than overseas, as there is an expectation that UK providers are meant to be held to tighter controls, when unfortunately this is not the case.' A single teacher, 45, from Brighton who wished not to be named, had a second procedure this year after he had to many of his 'donor' hairs removed from a central area of his scalp during his first surgery five years ago. A leading non-for-profit organisation has warned there are a growing number of 'black market' hair transplants taking place across Britain Recalling the ordeal, he said: 'I was unhappy with my appearance, thinning on the top, so I decided to go for hair transplant surgery. I found the clinic through a Facebook ad. Looking back I should have done more research, but I didn't. I paid around 2,000. 'With my first surgery, the incisions felt like and made the same noise as a fork going into polystyrene. It was horrific. 'The clinic was also very unprofessional with lots of people involved in the surgery. I wasn't pleased at all. The hair didn't look goodnot thick enoughand I had pain and discomfort for six to 12 months. 'I was left with deep head scarring, long-term pain and psychological damage after "black market" hair transplant surgery.' This year, when he went for restorative surgery, he said: 'I researched things properly and had a consultation.' And he was glad he did, because, he said: 'The second time around I couldn't feel anything. I was so relaxed I almost fell asleep. I am incredibly pleased with the results.' Dr Greg Williams, a hair transplant surgeon and vice president of BAHRS, said: 'The key to FUE is that both the planning and the skin incisions should be done by a licensed medical doctor who has the ethical and legal obligation to the patient. 'There is a problematic rise in unlicensed technicians being allowed to perform the skin incision step rather than just the graft extraction step. The top of the head of the healthcare provider, 60, from Kent who two unsuccessful surgeries This is the back of the head of a single engineer 32 who had a botched hair transplant surgery How to avoid 'black market' clinics The British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS) as part of their campaign have given several tips. Know who your transplant surgeon is and beware of clinics that do not list their doctors along with their qualifications and experiences. Ask for explicit confirmation at your initial appointment that only a doctor will make planning decisions such as donor harvesting method, number of grafts and transplant design. But be aware that surgery done at clinics in but UK where doctors make all skin incisions are likely to be more expensive. Check your hair transplant clinic is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which they are required to be according to English Law. If you are based in one of the devolved nations, they should be registered with one of the equivalent regulatory bodies. These are Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW), and the Regulatory, and the Quality Improvement Authority (RQI). Advertisement He said: 'I started losing my hair at 20 but took my time before signing up for surgery. I didn't trust Turkish clinics so decided to stay in the UK. However my experience was extremely poor, and I know that some of the incisions were made by non-doctors.' 'The decisions involved in harvesting follicular units rely on the knowledge and experience of hair transplant surgeon and requires judgement. It is not just a simple technical skill.' It's important to not that bad experiences can still happen even at highly rated clinics. This was the case for a healthcare provider, 60, from Kent who wishes to not be named. He had two unsuccessful surgeries last year, with 3,500 graftssmall pieces of skin containing hair folliclestaken each time, leaving him needing a third one. On his first impressions, he said: 'The initial consultation was in a posh office, but the surgery venue was so poorly set up that I refused to have surgery on the day. 'After some persuasion, I agreed to go back but I wish I hadn't. Everything was rushed, done quickly so they could perform as many surgeries as possible in one day. Not enough care was taken throughout.' And, he added: 'The results were disappointing. There were lots of gaps and it didn't look natural at all. The direction of my hair growth was all over the place. My head was sore for at least two months afterwards. 'Hair surgery is an artform so you need someone to take their time and give you all the care they can.' In comparison, he explained: 'My third repair was a totally different experienceprofessional and expertly performed. Similarly, a single engineer 32, from Glasgow, had a bad experience when he decided to have a hair transplant five years ago. When he went for a hair transplant in 2020, they overharvested his donor area, just like the other victim of a botched procedure who came forward. On why he decided to get the procedure, he said: 'The odd person at work and friends had joked about my receding hairline.' This led him to looking up clinics for hair transplants on the internet, picking one online that cost around 5,000. While he looked at a 'few others' he said 'looking back I should have done more research'. The warning comes as hair transplant procedures grow increasingly popular, with 735,000 taking place globally each year. This immense number of surgeries means the market is projected to reach 10 to 12 billion by 2030. Children who regularly vape are three times more likely to become smokers later in life, a bombshell report has claimed. Figures have long shown how the proportion of kids using e-cigarettes has exploded amid the decline of traditional smoking, with more than a third of 16 to 18-year-olds now regularly inhaling them. For comparison, less than one in ten were doing so a decade ago. But British researchers now believe the gadgets could pose a worse threat to children than thought. In the largest global review on vaping in young people to date, experts from the University of York and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), found that vapers were also more likely to smoke more frequently and intensely. Regularly using e-cigs could also increase the odds of respiratory illness and substance abuse, the scientists said. However, other experts urged caution over the findings noting many of the studies assessed were merely observational and could not prove that vaping alone caused such health issues. In the research, the scientists analysed 56 reviews on 384 youth vaping studies. Britons are taking up vaping in unprecedented numbers, with roughly one in ten adults estimated to be hooked on the habit Your browser does not support iframes. Of these, 21 looked at use of e-cigarettes among young people and later cigarette smoking. Writing in the journal Tobacco Control, the authors said the data available 'consistently indicated a significant association between e-cigarette use and later cigarette smoking in young people'. They said it was difficult to 'infer causality' from their review, but the 'repeated strong associations in prospective cohort studies are consistent with a causal relationship'. The analysis also suggested an increased risk among young people who vape of developing asthma or asthma exacerbation, they added. Other harmful outcomes linked to youth vaping included pneumonia, bronchitis, lower total sperm counts, dizziness, headaches and migraines. There was also a link identified between depression and suicidal thoughts among young vapers. Dr Su Golder, associate professor in health science at the University of York, said: 'The consistency in the evidence is striking. 'Across multiple studies, young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to smoke in the future. These findings support stronger public health measures to protect teens from the risks associated with vaping.' Your browser does not support iframes. Dr Greg Hartwell, clinical assistant professor at LSHTM, said: 'We found consistent evidence around transitions to smoking which of course, in turn, opens the door to the multitude of harms that conventional cigarettes bring. 'As the UK Government's chief medical officer states, marketing vapes to children is always unacceptable, and our review shows exactly why further restrictions on the tobacco industry, who control the vaping market, are so important.' Dr Rebecca Glover, senior author of the study, assistant professor at LSHTM, added: 'Vaping is having a detrimental impact on the health of young people globally and vaping appears to be a gateway to other substances. 'Our study provides the strongest evidence to date that young people globally face a serious range of physical and psychological harms from vaping and are at higher risk of transitioning to smoking.' But other experts today, who weren't involved in the research, labelled the findings 'overspeculation' and warned the studies analysed were observational or low quality. Professor Ann McNeill, an expert in tobacco addiction at King College London, said: 'It reported on 56 systematic reviews of which 53 were rated critically low or low quality, meaning authors should be extremely cautious before making any conclusions. 'The authors reported that the reviews found consistently that vaping was associated with subsequent smoking. 'This replicates the findings of many previous reviews and indeed research I have been involved in. Campaigners have long blamed predatory manufacturers for the ever-growing crisis, claiming they are intentionally luring kids in with colourful packaging, compared to highlighter pens, and child-friendly flavours such as bubblegum and cotton candy Your browser does not support iframes. 'However, the authors incorrectly state that this supports "a causal relationship". 'in other words that vaping causes smokingthe so-called 'gateway' effect. It is well-established that consistency does not mean causality.' Meanwhile, Dr Emma Beard, an associate professor in statistics and quantitative methods at University College London, said: 'The conclusion that vaping acts as a "gateway" is an overspeculation, especially when the paper notes that at a population level, smoking rates have generally fallen as vaping has risen. 'While protecting youth is vital, this review clearly shows the current evidence base on this topic has some significant weaknesses.' E-cigs allow people to inhale nicotine in a vapourwhich is produced by heating a liquid, which typically contains propylene glycol, glycerine, flavourings, and other chemicals. Unlike traditional cigarettes, they do not contain tobacco, nor do they produce tar or carbontwo of the most dangerous elements. Nicotine's effect on the brain is well knownwithin 20 seconds of inhalation, it triggers the release of chemical messengers such as dopamine, associated with reward and pleasure. But it also increases heart rate and blood pressure and makes blood vessels constrict. This is because nicotine triggers the release of the hormone adrenaline. Despite NHS chiefs insisting it is safer than smoking, vaping is not risk-free. E-cigarettes can contain harmful toxins and their long-term effects remains a mystery. Experts are also concerned the high nicotine content might increase blood pressure and cause other heart problems. Last year, in world-first guidance setting out possible interventions to help people stop using tobacco products, the World Health Organization labelled the evidence around e-cigarettes as 'complex'. Vapes could not be recommended as way to stop smoking as too little is known about the harms and benefits, the UN agency said. In June, in a bid to tackle the surge in youth vaping, it was made illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes, such as Elf bars and Lost Mary, in shops and online. Only devices considered reusablewith a rechargeable battery and replaceable coilare now allowed. READ MORE: How viral coffee trend can cause you to GAIN weight Your daily coffee habit could increase your risk of cancer up to nearly six times, startling research suggests. A study published earlier this year by researchers from the National Cancer Institute found that someone who drank eight or more cups a day of very hot tea or coffee was 5.6 times more likely to develop esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), compared to someone who didn't drink hot drinks. Researchers used data from more than 500,000 participants included in the UK Biobank, who provided information around their consumption of hot drinks. Having up to four cups of 'very hot' liquids a day increased the risk of ESCC by 2.5 times. Four to six cups of very hot liquids carried a 3.7-times higher risk of the cancer, and six to eight cups was associated with 4.8-fold increased risk. For hot beverages, up to four cups a day carried an increased risk of 1.6 times. Four to six cups a day was associated with an increased cancer risk of two times; six to eight cups carried a 2.5-fold higher risk; and more than eight was associated with a three-times higher risk. The researchers said their findings, published in the British Journal of Cancer, build on previous research that suggests beverages at very hot temperatures, more than 149 degrees Fahrenheit, are 'probably carcinogenic to humans'. The ideal brewing temperature for coffee is generally between 195 to 205F. For tea, the optimal brewing temperature varies by type, but is often around 175 to 212F. This places hot beverages in the same risk category as things like emissions from indoor wood smoke or consuming high amounts of red meat. Your daily coffee habit could increase your risk of cancer by up to nearly sixfold, startling research suggests (stock image) Your browser does not support iframes. However, people typically drink coffee and tea at slightly cooler temperatures, often between 120 to 155F. It is believed that hot drinks might cause damage to the body by burning cells, which may lead to inflammation that damages genes and makes it more likely that cancer develops. Vincent Ho, associate professor and clinical academic gastroenterologist at Western Sydney University, wrote for The Conversation: 'Drinking a lot of very hot drinks can damage cells in the esophagus lining, and its believed over time this can lead to cancer developing. Researchers first proposed this link almost 90 years ago. 'What we know about how hot drinks can damage the esophagus mainly comes from animal studies. 'Another theory is that heat damage to the esophagus lining weakens its normal barrier, increasing the risk of further damage from gastric acid reflux (from the stomach). 'Over time, this chronic damage can increase the chance of esophageal cancer developing.' It is also thought that tissues damaged by the hot liquids may become more vulnerable to other things that can cause cancer, like alcohol and chemicals in tobacco smoke. The team at the National Cancer Institute stated that 'individuals who like their beverages very hot might benefit from reducing the temperature of their drinks, at least with regards to their risk of esophageal cancer'. This year, experts predict more than 22,000 new esophageal cancer cases will be diagnosed with just over 16,000 deaths from the disease. Esophageal cancer starts at the inside lining of the esophagus and spreads outward through the other layers as it grows. Symptoms often include difficulty swallowing, unintended weight loss, and chest pain or discomfort. These symptoms can be subtle at first but tend to worsen as the cancer progresses. Other possible symptoms include a persistent cough, hoarseness, and heartburn that gets worse. This year, experts predict more than 22,000 new esophageal cancer cases will be diagnosed with just over 16,000 deaths from the disease While there aren't routine screening tests for esophageal cancer, various procedures can help diagnose it, including endoscopy with biopsy, imaging scans, and specialized tests like the Cytosponge. Endoscopy allows for direct visualization and tissue sampling, while imaging helps determine the extent of the cancer. The Cytosponge, a newer test, involves swallowing a sponge to collect cells for analysis. Sometimes, healthcare providers can do surgery to remove small tumors. However, because only 25 percent of people with this cancer receive a diagnosis before the cancer spreads, it can make it more difficult to treat. Esophageal cancer poses a challenge for early diagnosis because it often doesn't present with noticeable symptoms until the cancer has reached an advanced stage. Late diagnosis significantly increases the danger of esophageal cancer. Localized esophageal cancer (stage I) has a five-year survival rate of around 46 percent, while stage IV cancers, which have spread to distant organs, have a very low five-year survival rate of only about five percent. A majority of Americans consume hot drinks daily. It is estimated that around two thirds drink coffee daily, making it the most popular hot beverage. According to one study in 2018, the ideal temperature for drinking coffee, taking into account both the risk of esophageal injury and the preservation of flavor, was found to be approximately 136F. Researchers said this temperature allows for a pleasant drinking experience while minimizing potential harm to the esophagus. Offering some other tips to safe drinking, Professor Ho adds: 'Slow down, take your time and enjoy. 'Allowing time for a very hot drink to cool is important and research has shown a hot drinks temperature can drop by 50F to 59F in five minutes. 'Finally, small sips are a good idea to test the temperature, given we know having a large amount has a significant impact on the temperature inside the esophagus and potential damage to its lining.' Theresa Troia was a one-in-a-million baby born as one of four quadruplets. Births of that high order are extremely rare in the US, with just 120 births of quadruplets a year. Knowing how rare this was, Troia was shocked to discover that she herself was carrying an even higher-order birth of quintuplets - five babies. The 36-year-old from El Paso, Texas, told DailyMail.com that she didn't undergo any fertility treatments, which makes births of multiple babies more likely, and she conceived naturally with her former partner. This made Troia's pregnancy a one-in-60-million occurrence. In the US, fewer than 10 sets of quintuplets are born each year. The news came as a surprise to Troia, a nurse consultant, who said she would have never known she was carrying five babies if it weren't for her pregnancy scans and ultrasounds. She revealed: 'It was odd. I didn't experience any cravings and there was no swelling or sickness. 'If I hadn't known I was pregnant, I would have never suspected it. My belly didn't even grow huge. I looked more like I was carrying one baby than five.' Troia delivered her quintuplets - Kyla Rose, Joseph Anthony, Jaxon Thomas, Viviana Lily, and Isabella Gianna - via C-section on June 3 at 28 weeks gestation. Quintuplets are almost always delivered by C-section and typically earlier than a full-term pregnancy at 39 and 40 weeks, due to the high risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery. Theresa Troia, 36, from El Paso, Texas, told DailyMail.com that she didn't undergo any fertility treatments and she conceived quintuplets naturally with her former partner Your browser does not support iframes. Some of the complications involving multiple fetuses include miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, cerebral palsy and death. It also puts women at high risk of preeclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine that indicate kidney damage. Thankfully, Troia's C-section went smoothly. Two of her babies - Isabella and Viviana - are identical twins who shared a placenta but were in separate amniotic sacs, a condition known as monochorionic-diamniotic or Mo-Di twins. After their premature delivery, Troia's babies were monitored in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Las Palmas Medical Center. Two of her babies - Joseph and Viviana - remain there and are set to be discharged shortly, while the other three were given the all-clear to go home at around nine weeks old. Babies born at 28 weeks will typically spend time in a NICU due to their underdeveloped lungs, which can lead to breathing difficulties. They also face risks of other complications like necrotizing enterocolitis - a serious gastrointestinal disease causing inflammation and damage to the intestine - and temperature regulation issues, requiring specialized care and monitoring. Survival rates for infants born at 28 weeks gestation is between 80 to 90 percent and they only have a 10 percent chance of having long-term health problems. Troia delivered her quintuplets - Kyla Rose, Joseph Anthony, Jaxon Thomas, Viviana Lily, and Isabella Gianna - via C-section on June 3 when they were 28 weeks The nurse consultant said the 'wildest part' of her multiple pregnancy was that she felt normal throughout. She revealed: 'It was odd. I didn't experience any cravings and there was no swelling or sickness' Troia said the hardest part of having five children at the same time is finding enough time to tend to them all. The single mom told DailyMail.com: 'There is never enough of me. Feedings are every three hours, but with five, by the time I finish feeding, burping, changing, and cleaning bottles, it's time to start again.' While her former partner is no longer in touch, Troia has plenty of friends and family members rallying around her to help. Having five newborns at once is also expensive. A can of baby formula would usually feed a baby for a week but Troia says she has been going through one a day. The average cost for a tin of baby formula is $20. Meanwhile, she is currently going through around 35 diapers a day, which she expects to increase to more than 50 when her other two babies are allowed home. 'As they grow, that number keeps climbing, and my grocery bills climb right along with it,' the new mom revealed. While being a mom-of-five is exhausting and costly, Troia says she finds it deeply rewarding at the same time. 'When I see their faces, I know this is exactly where I'm meant to be,' she added. She has been told by her OB-GYN she is one of the first documented cases of someone from such a high-order multiple family giving birth to her own set of high-order multiple babies. However, these types of occurrences are not tracked, but if your mother has had multiple births, you are more likely to experience yourself. This is because the tendency for hyperovulation (releasing multiple eggs in a cycle), which is the main cause of multiple babies, can be inherited. Growing up as one of four, Troia said she was used to sharing everything and never being alone and she maintains a great relationship with her siblings today. She has three brothers, Joseph Troia, Matthew Troia and Thomas Troia. When she was born, her birth as a quadruplet captured the attention of local newspapers and now Troia's own quintuplet pregnancy has made headlines. She believes her multiple pregnancy is a sign from her mother, who passed away 10 years ago. The new mom has been told that she is one of the first documented cases of someone from a high-order multiple family giving birth to her own set of multiple babies After their premature delivery, Troia's babies were monitored in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for a number of weeks before getting the go ahead to go home She told this website: 'It feels like my mom - my first love, who I lost far too soon - gave them to me. 'Her legacy is alive in them. My quintuplets are my miracle, my history, and my heart.' While having a C-section, Troia opted to have her fallopian tubes removed - a procedure known as a salpingectomy - to prevent future pregnancies and reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. It involves removing both fallopian tubes, usually through the same incision made for the C-section. While Troia expected the recovery to be 'brutal' she was amazed to find that her body healed well. For other women expecting multiple births, Troia said her advice is to 'let people help because having more than one baby at the same time really does take a village'. She added: 'My cousin is traveling from Florida to stay with me, my brother Joseph has stepped in, and my best friend has been incredible. 'They each love these babies as their own, and that love is what makes this "village" so special. 'We thought support would look one way, but slowly we're learning it will be pieced together differently. And that's okay. 'It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. Families don't always look like the picture-perfect version society imagines. Mine doesn't. But it's mine, it's ours, and it's beautiful.' Troia's quintuplets were the first to be born at Las Palmas Medical Center. Doctors have sounded the alarm over a common daily pain drug amid fears it could trigger hallucinations in some patients. The medicineknown as Norcois an opioid that interacts with parts of the brain that react to pain, helping to alleviate it. It is also prescribed occasionally to treat coughing and diarrhoea. Yet, medics have now discovered the drug may cause auditory and visual hallucinations when taken for prolonged period of time. Doctors labelled it a 'underreported' and 'misattributed' phenomenon, given it has only been documented in few medical reports. Their warning comes on the back of one American man who was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia after developing hallucinations while taking the drug. Writing in the journal Cureus, medics at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Centre, said the 67-year-old had reported auditory and visual hallucinations two years earlier, coinciding with beginning Norco for chronic back pain. It was only after the unidentified man from Shreveport in Louisiana, decided to stop taking the drug when he had increased his dose and the hallucinations suddenly became 'more vivid', that they stopped completely. The medicineknown as Norcois an opioid that interacts with parts of the brain that react to pain, helping to alleviate it The patient was suffering a range of serious medical conditions including coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, chronic back pain and hepatitis C. He was also a regular cigarette smoker and confessed to occasionally taking cannabis once or twice a month. He had no family history of mental health issues or dementia. But at the age of 63 he was hospitalised for a seizure and roughly three weeks later began experiencing visual hallucinations, doctors said. He reported seeing people trying to attack him and animals that weren't present and he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Prescribed an antipsychotic medication, Quetiapine, this reduced his symptoms and aided his sleep. After two years on the drug, his dosage was lowered. During this time he began taking Norco in an effort to treat his chronic back pain. However, he soon began experiencing visual hallucinations again including seeing worms crawling across the roof of his house and reported feeling like someone was following him. Health officials have long advised that Norco, which contains the substances hydrocodone and acetaminophen, should not be taken for prolonged periods of time After his back pain worsened, he also increased his intake of Norco to four tablets a daystill within the prescribed range. He sought help from a psychiatry clinic but also began to notice that the more Norco he took, the more vivid and intense the hallucinations became. Eventually, he decided to stop taking the drug and discovered his hallucinations also ended. 'The withdrawal of his medication settled his symptoms, and no further episodes of hallucinations or paranoia have presented since,' doctors wrote. 'While one of the common symptoms associated with schizophrenia is hallucinations, that alone does not mean one has schizophrenia. 'In the case of our patient, his hallucinations ceased when he stopped taking Norco.' The medics also noted that his first experience of hallucinations followed a seizure. 'Patients suffer a psychotic outbreak after undergoing a seizure cluster lasting several days,' they wrote. Symptoms of schizophrenia usually begin between ages 16 and 30. They include hallucinations, muddled thoughts and speech and wanting to avoid people The state of mental disturbance that comes on after a seizure may leave the patient with confusion, dementia, hallucinations, delusions, and irritability,' Recreational cannabis also 'rarely induces full-blown psychosis', they added. Schizophrenia is also typically a condition that is diagnosed in early adulthood. 'A sudden onset of hallucinations and paranoia in a man in his mid-60s, especially without a family history of mental illness, should raise suspicion about alternative causes,' they concluded. Opioids can provide highly effective pain relief when used in the short-term. However, when used over longer periods they can lead to dependence, cause physical and mental health issues, or even death from accidental overdoses or heart conditions resulting from side effects. Health officials have long advised that Norco, which contains the substances hydrocodone and acetaminophen, should not be taken for prolonged periods of time. According to the US medicines regulator, the Food and Drugs Administration, Norco 'exposes patients and other users to the risks of opioid addiction, abuse and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death'. High-dose opioids have also been reported to more likely result in 'neurotoxic effects including hallucinations', studies have suggested. But last year, analysis showed that NHS spending on addictive opioid painkillers had doubled since the pandemic. Research also showed that longer waiting times for routine care, such as hip and knee replacements, triggered by Covid lockdowns caused a 40 per cent increase in prescriptions for highly addictive opioids. Experts warned that many were reliant on the powerful drugs to get by, leaving them at risk of developing an addiction that continues even after their operation. Symptoms of schizophrenia usually begin between ages 16 and 30. They include hallucinations, muddled thoughts and speech and wanting to avoid people. Figures suggest around 1 per cent of the world population suffers from the condition, including around 685,000 in the UK and two million in the US. The cause of schizophrenia is not understood and it is believed to be a mix of genetics, abnormalities in brain chemistry and/or possible viral infections and immune disorders. It's a procedure that's entered the headlines after it was revealed Pedro Pascal's character in the recent film Materialists had a leg lengthening surgery to be taller. In the film, New York City matchmaker Lucy, played by Dakota Johnson, discovers that many men don't tell the truth about their height. When her colleague says men get leg lengthening procedures to be taller she's taken aback that they would resort to such drastic measures. But these scenarios happen off-screen, too; thousands of men, undeterred by the brutal surgery and crippling recovery, travel to the Turkish city of Istanbul and hand over tens of thousands of pounds to add a few precious inches to their stature at clinics such as Make Me Taller. In a new report published in The Guardian, they meet Frank, 38, a patient at the clinic, who decided he was willing to get the medieval sounding procedure to gain four inches on his 5"6 frame. He was inspired to book in with the clinic after feeling he had lived his life as a 'short man'. The first step involved cutting his leg in half to allow a device to be implanted to separate the two ends of the sawn off bone. It leaves a space for new bone growth to take place, which is also monitored through several surgeries. The lengthening process involves a surgery to implant a device that allows a key to be turned to separate the bones to create room for new bone to grow, helping them become taller The legs are gradually lengthened over a period of several months Of the ordeal, he told the outlet: 'Sometimes the nerve pain wrecks me'. But he endured it because he is proud of being a self-starter, having a 'self made' tattoo on his knuckles. Next is the lengthening process, which sees a small key inserted into the device on his thigh that is slowly turned, a painful millimetre at a time, which forces the bones apart and creates space for new bone to grow. If he can endure five turns of the key each daily, Frank could gain slightly over a millimetre a day. At the end of 10 weeks, he would stand at 5ft 9 in, the average height of a man. 'I'm making my own height, choosing how tall I want to be. I'm very ambitious. If I want something, I go for it. Until I do it, it almost torments me,' he said. In three months' time he will undergo a third surgery to remove the device from his thigh but before then comes a lengthy recovery to ensure that their body can handle the new bones. This involves daily physiotherapy to learn to walk again, massages, blood thinners, and a considerable number of painkillers. It also comes with risks, some life-threatening, including blood clots, joint issues, blood vessel injuries, chronic pain, ballerina syndromewhen the feet are forced into an exaggerated arch preventing walking, and even no failure for bone growth. This man grew by 4.5 inches thanks to the surgery An example of a patient before (left) the surgery who was nearly five inches taller after (right) However, the clinic where he was treated, which claims to have treated over 700 patients in the past decade, says the risks tend to come from patients not adhering to their strict aftercare routines. But none of this deterred Frank, who despite choosing a cheaper option paid $32,000 (24,000), and it didn't matter that it took a big dent in the newlyweds funds that they had planned to put towards a down payment for a mortgage. It was during their honeymoon that he decided he wanted to be taller than his wife, Emilia, who is 5ft 5 in. And after months of travelling across Asia, Emilia said: 'Having food, a comfortable bedthat's real happiness. After that, if it's buying a house, we'll go for it. And if it's breaking your legs and being taller, go for it' But it isn't just people who want to be taller getting these surgeries. The Wanna Be Taller clinic in Istanbul, where Frank was treated, also offer leg shortening procedures, which ten people have had so far, mostly women. However, one patient at the clinic, previously 5ft 3in, who was a rare woman getting a leg-lengthening surgery, to be two inches taller. She told The Guardian that shortness 'is the last acceptable prejudice in society'. Leg lengthening surgery is regarded as one of the most painful cosmetic procedures you can have. Last year, a Colombian influencerwho paid $175,000 to grow from 5ft 8in to 6ftsaid he has been left in constant excruciating pain. Yeferson Cossio, 29, claimed that the implanted metal rods had caused him so much pain has become so bad he feels he will collapse and was desperate to take them out. Mr Cossio, who has 11.1million followers on Instagram, said: 'I have tried sleeping pills, but they dont work for me. The pain wakes me up and I feel devastated.' 'Maybe there is going to come a point where my body will collapse and I will no longer be able to cope with the pain or anything.' Though expensive, plastic surgeons estimate the number of men undergoing this surgery has doubled in the past few years. A father has urged people to 'learn from his stupidity' after puncturing BOTH LUNGS by backflipping 40 feet off a bridge to 'try and relive his youth'. Tom Scott, 40, decided to jump off a bridge near Garstang, Lancashire, on Friday August 15th after feeling a wave of nostalgia while passing the structure. The dad-of-three, from Blackpool, visited the area in his younger years to leap from the bridge, which hangs over the River Wyre. Acting in a moment of 'stupidity', Mr Scott performed a backflip off the side of the bridge, plummeting 40 feet into the river below. Mr Scott said: 'When I was a kid, I used to jump off that bridge and never had an issue. When we got there, I just thought I'm going to go to the bridge and jump off it. 'It was just for nostalgia. I just wanted to do something I did when I was younger. 'My girlfriend kept saying don't do it, and I said I'll be fine, I did it loads when I was younger. 'When I was there, I stupidly decided I wasn't going to jump off, I would backflip off. I'd done it a few times when I was younger but this time I overdid it.' Tom Scott, 40, tried to do a backflip off a 40ft bridge The dad-of-three's horror fall was caught on video by his girlfriend Shocking footage captures the moment he prepares to backflip off the side of the bridge before tumbling from full height, colliding with the water while flat on his back. The personal trainer described the moment of impact as like 'hitting concrete', leaving him barely able to breathe when he surfaced from the water. But he grew even more concerned when he began coughing up blood moments after emerging from the river. He said: 'It was like hitting concrete. I landed flat on my back. My back was really stinging. 'I think maybe because of the weather, [the river] hasn't been as deep as it normally would be,' he said. 'It was about a 30 to 40 foot drop. As soon as I landed in the water, I knew I'd hurt myself but I didn't know how badly. I was winded. 'I came up and went swimming to the shore. I could barely breathe. I saw there were kids about wanting to jump and straight away I said "don't do it". 'As I was sat down, I coughed and a lot of thick blood came out my mouth. It felt like there was a snake wrapped around my chest. Mr Scott, from Blackpool, was overcome by a wave of nostalgia before he made the leap He described the moment of impact 'like hitting concrete' 'My girlfriend was terrified and went 'I'm taking you to hospital right now'.' Mr Scott rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital where he dipped in and out of consciousness while medics examined his injuries before confirming he had punctured both lungs and suffered extensive bruising. He believes his moment of recklessness could've left him paralysed or even dead and is now warning others to avoid similar stunts. The dad had punctured and bruised both his lungs and suffered extensive bruising across his back. He said: 'They were quite shocked that I hadn't broken anything. 'I could've been crippled or even dead. 'It was a bit of stupidity and I own that. I massively regret it. I feel massively ashamed, stupid and embarrassed. 'I shouldn't be doing that at my age, but I wouldn't advise anyone to do it. 'Think about what could be before you do it, because it could happen. What can happen to me can happen to anyone. I'd advise to anyone not to do it. 'I could've easily died. Just learn from my stupidity.' Food safety officials have issued an urgent warning over an alarming surge in two potentially deadly bacteria found in salmon and meat sold at major UK supermarkets which are resistant to antibiotics. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has revealed that 36 raw, chilled, and pre-packed farmed salmon fillets were found to be contaminated with listeria in 2024. The nasty bugwhich can killusually causes a fever, sickness and diarrhoea. Listeriosis is not usually serious, but people with weakened immune systems can become seriously ill from the infection, requiring antibiotics. The study also revealed that two of the listeria strains from the sampled salmon had genetic similarities to strains linked to human infections in 2020 and 2023. Additional data revealed that all tested strains detected in raw salmon samples showed potential resistance to a disinfectant commonly used in the food industrycalled benzalkonium chloride. Low levels of E.coli was also identified in 108 of the salmon fillets sampled. Whilst most E.coli are harmless, some can cause diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and even sepsis. An investigation by food safety experts identified antimicrobial resistant bacteria to be present in salmon, chicken and turkey samples from major UK supermarkets Symptoms of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli include severe diarrhoea and vomiting, according to the UK Health Security Agency In a second study, researchers collected samples from 300 chicken and 300 turkey fresh retail meat samples Infection with Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC)a rare strain of the diarrhoea causing bugcan cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure. Worryingly, researchers found that four of the strains were resistant to ampicillina common antibiotic used to manage and treat bacterial infections such as E.coli and listeriosis. These bacteria have gradually evolved to become resistant to antibiotics, as a result of the drugs being overprescribed or incorrectly used. Health authorities continue to fear a 'post-antibiotic' era where common conditions and medical operations become more deadly and dangerous as patients succumb to previously treatable bugs. However, the FSA noted that none of the samples contained highly resistant strains, meaning the chance of someone getting an antibiotic-resistant strain of the infection from salmon is extremely low. In another study, researchers tested 300 chicken and turkey samples, from Northern Island for E.coli producing enzymes. Results showed that around 12 per cent of the samples contained germs that can break down some antibiotics, including ampicillin and cefotaximecommonly used to treat pneumoniathough none were resistant to critical last-resort treatments. In response to its findings, the FSA said: 'The risk of acquiring antimicrobial resistant related infections through the handling and consumption of retail contaminated meats is very low with proper food handling and cooking practices.' Those who eat food containing listeria develop an infection called listeriosis, which can cause a fever, aches and pains, chills, nausea, sickness and diarrhoea This graph shows the combined direct and associated deaths from antibiotic-resistant bacteria per global region measured in the new research WHAT IS ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE? Antibiotics have been doled out unnecessarily by GPs and hospital staff for decades, fueling once harmless bacteria to become superbugs. The World Health Organization (WHO) has previously warned if nothing is done the world is heading for a 'post-antibiotic' era. It claimed common infections, such as chlamydia, will become killers without immediate solutions to the growing crisis. Bacteria can become drug resistant when people take incorrect doses of antibiotics or if they are given out unnecessarily. Former chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies claimed in 2016 that the threat of antibiotic resistance is as severe as terrorism. Figures estimate that superbugs will kill 10 million people each year by 2050, with patients succumbing to once harmless bugs. Around 700,000 people already die yearly due to drug-resistant infections including tuberculosis (TB), HIV and malaria across the world. Concerns have repeatedly been raised that medicine will be taken back to the 'dark ages' if antibiotics are rendered ineffective in the coming years. Without antibiotics, C-sections, cancer treatments and hip replacements will become incredibly 'risky', it was said at the time. Advertisement The findings come following an outbreak of listeria across Europe that has been linked to a soft cheese supplied by a French manufacturer. Whilst France has seen the highest number of cases, after 21 people became seriously unwell resulting in two deaths, European health officials have warned the disease could have spread to the UK. The majority of these cases have occurred since June this year. Listeriosis is a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium listeria monocytogenes. Produce contaminated with the bacterium may not look or smell spoiled, but can still cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. As such, the ECDC advises anyone who has eaten potentially contaminated produce, such as cheese, salmon, chicken or turkey and developed symptoms to contact their GP and tell them about the possible listeria exposure. According to the latest UKHSA data, a total of 179 cases of listeriosis were reported in England and Wales in 2024. Some 28 deaths were recorded, among non-pregnancy associated cases, of which 9 had listeriosis recorded as a cause of death on the death certificate. In England, London has the highest levels of infection. Seven outbreaks in total were investigated including a national wave linked to various food products including smoked fish, chocolate and strawberry mousse and pre-packed sandwiches. Meanwhile in the US, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that around 1,600 people get listeriosis each year. READ MORE: Discovery reveals millions could have undiagnosed autism Drugs used to treat seizures could reverse common signs of autism, a new study suggests. Researchers from Stanford Medicine studied mouse models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which affects one in 31 US children and has seen a startling rise since the early 2000s. The team identified the reticular thalamic nucleus (RT), a part of the brain's thalamus structure that is responsible for processing sensory information. Giving the mice Z944, also known as ulixacaltamide, suppressed this area of the brain, stopping the autistic symptoms. Z944 is a drug being studied as a potential treatment for the seizure disorder epilepsy. They found giving mice the drug just one time reversed signs associated with autism, including increased sensitivity to light and sound, stimming, repetitive behaviors, social issues and increased risk of seizures. The findings suggest the processes in the brain that control both epilepsy and autism may overlap, which explains why autistic people are more likely to suffer seizures. It's thought that autistic people are up to 30 times more at risk of developing epilepsy than the general population, which could worsen cognitive function over time and cause speech and social regression. Researchers at Stanford University found a drug being developed for epilepsy may quell certain signs of autism (stock image) Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. The findings come as autism is on the rise in the US, up to one in 31 kids compared to one in 150 in the early 2000s. Experts have largely blamed the increase on doctors getting better at diagnosing the condition and more attention being paid to previously overshadowed groups like girls and adults. However, health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has launched a series of studies to pin down a definitive cause, suggesting pesticides, ultra-processed food and toxic metals could be to blame. About 3million Americans, or one in 100, are diagnosed with epilepsy, a neurological disorder that causes frequent, unprovoked seizures due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. While one percent of Americans have epilepsy, nearly one in three autistic people have the condition. It's thought that the two conditions could be related due to shared genetic mutations and similar abnormal brain activity. In the new study, published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, mice underwent EEG scans, which measure electrical activity in the brain, and behavioral tests. They were genetically modified with mutations in their CNTNAP2 gene, which has been strongly linked to autism. Mice with these mutations had overactive neurons in their reticular thalamic nucleus, thought to be caused by strong currents in T-type calcium channels inside the neurons. Z944 is a T-type calcium channel antagonist, meaning it blocks these currents. Your browser does not support iframes. Mice with genetic mutations showed less interest in social interactions, more repetitive grooming and hyperactivity. They were also more prone to seizures. However, mice who were given Z944 just once had decreases in repetitive behaviors and social isolation. They were also less hyperactive. But when researchers modified the mice to have more activity in the reticular thalamic nucleus, the autistic behaviors returned. The findings suggest Z944 quiets this region by blocking T-type calcium channel activity. The researchers noted Z944 could be used to treat both autism and epilepsy. However, the drug is not yet available for general use and is still undergoing clinical trials for epilepsy. It's also unclear how these findings would translate to humans. The researchers wrote: 'Future research should aim to elucidate how RT-mediated circuit dynamics throughout the brain influence the broader neurobehavioral landscape of ASD, paving the way for circuit-specific, precision interventions.' READ MORE: US state rocked by sudden death from medieval disease A person in California has tested positive for the Black Death, which strikes just a handful of Americans every year. The unidentified resident, from popular vacation destination Lake Tahoe, tested positive for the plague after being bitten by an infected flea while camping, officials have speculated. California health officials said the person is under the care of a medical professional and is recovering at home. It's the county's first confirmed case of the plague since 2020, which was also believed to have been transmitted in the South Lake Tahoe Area. Prior to that, the disease had not been detected in California since 2015. The most recent US case was last month, in Colorado. That patient did not survive. Just seven cases of the plague, which once wiped out up to half of Europe's population, are reported on average in the US each year, according to the CDC. Untreated plague has a mortality rate of 30 to 60 percent in the US. But if it spreads to the lungs or bloodstream, it's nearly 100 percent deadly. But it tends to crop up most often in areas like California and New Mexico due to having more rodents prone to Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague. A person living near Lake Tahoe (pictured) tested positive for the plague (file photo) The above CDC map shows confirmed plague cases in the US from 1970 to 2023 Your browser does not support iframes. Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County acting director of public health, said in a statement: 'Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher-elevation areas of El Dorado County. 'Its important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and/or camping in areas where wild rodents are present.' Plague symptoms strike within one to eight days, with fever, chills, and debilitating fatigue. It's often accompanied by painful swollen lymph nodes (buboes) in the groin or armpits. Left untreated, it can ravage enters the bloodstream and travels to the lungs, causing deadly infections. Once the disease enters cells, it kills them by releasing deadly toxins. Infection can arise from handling infected cats, rodents, or their fleas. According to the California Department of Health, there were 45 ground squirrels or chipmunks with evidence of exposure to the plague bacterium in the Lake Tahoe Basin from 2021 to 2025. The plague, sometimes referred to as the Black Death, wiped out 25 to 50million people in Europe. This was thought to be 30 to 50 percent of the population. Plague cases in the US today are rare, with fewer than 10 every year. They mostly occur in the Four Corners region (New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah), where rodents and fleas thrive. Modern antibiotics and hygiene have drastically reduced deaths, but the disease remains endemic in wildlife. Health officials urge caution in high-risk areas. Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which is carried by fleas and transmitted between animals. The picture above is a 3D illustration of the bacterium The above CDC graph shows both fatal and non-fatal US plague cases from 2000 to 2023 El Dorado County health officials urged residents and visitors to avoid exposure to rodents or ticks. They recommended wearing long pants tucked into boots and using a bug repellent with DEET. Additionally, people in the area should never feed or touch wild rodents and refrain from camping new animal burrows or dead rodents. Plague was also detected in Arizona last month when an unidentified resident became the state's first death from the disease since 2007. The resident's cause of death was pneumonic plague, the most dangerous form of the Black Death, which spreads by inhaling droplets of saliva emitted from an infected person or animal coughing or sneezing. Colorado and New Mexico were also recorded plague cases last year. The New Mexico patient was the first to be infected with and die of the plague since 2020. Colorado's was the state's first death since 2007. Katie Price's millions of fans love her for being an open book, but among the colourful chapters of her life are some incredibly dark ones, too. While most of the 47-year-old mum-of-five's low points have been related to heartbreak and financial difficulties, she has also experienced some serious health scares, including being diagnosed with cancer. In 2002, when she was best known as glamour model Jordan, the then 24-year-old revealed that she had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer while pregnant with her son Harvey. The diagnosis came just weeks after being told Harvey was incurably blind and suffering from a growth defect when he was just 11 weeks old. Katie was told that she had leiomyosarcoma or LMS, which attacks the smooth muscle cells found in most parts of the body. It's a rare cancer, and in its advanced stages, there is only a 50-50 chance of survival. She was four months pregnant when a beautician noticed a small lump on the index finger of her left hand while giving her a manicure. Unable to see her regular GP as they were on holiday, she saw an alternative medic who assured her it was nothing to worry about. However, she noticed the lump kept increasing in size, prompting her to seek another opinion. Katie Price, 47, was told she had a rare cancer called leiomyosarcoma while pregnant Then aged just 24, she found out she was ill shortly after finding out her son was blind At the time, she said: 'I kept a close eye on this lump and over the months it was getting bigger and bigger. 'I was starting to get worried so I went back to the surgery on two more occasions but never managed to see my regular GP. Each time I was told the same thing, "It's nothing to worry about but keep an eye on it". 'When it still continued to grow I returned for a fourth time and thankfully was able to see my own GP. He took one look at the lump and immediately expressed concern.' She was referred to a specialist in Hove, East Sussex, but she had to wait until she had given birth before tests could be carried out. Shortly after giving birth to Harvey, a biopsy was performed at Nuffield Hospital in Brighton. 'From that point on I thought nothing more about it. The lump was gone and so, I hoped, was the problem,' she said. But when she was asked to return to the hospital to see the consultant a few weeks later, her heart dropped. Doctors believe the pregnancy may have accelerated the signs of the cancer, which may otherwise have lain dormant in her body. Katie was at the peak of her glamour model fame when she found out she had cancer 'The doctor sat me down immediately. I could tell from his face that something wasn't right,' she said. 'Then he came right out with it. He said, "I've got bad news, it's cancer". 'I almost laughed but just sat staring at him as he went into a more detailed explanation of what they'd found. 'When he stopped I asked if the cancer could have been the cause of Harvey's blindness. He said absolutely not.' Doctors told her it was 'almost certain' another lump will return and she will need further treatment in the future. 'I just sat there nodding, not taking it in at all,' she said. 'I couldn't feel anything. Couldn't think anything. Couldn't even cry.' Appearing on Katherine Ryan's podcast, What's My Age Again, earlier in the summer, Katie recalled the terrifying experience. She said: 'It was in my hand, they took it out, it was called leiomyosarcoma. Apparently I got that from being pregnant, the stress of it.' Katie gets emotional during an episode of Loose Women in 2017 She recalled informing her mother about her diagnosis in a typically blunt way. Katie told Katherine: 'So when I phoned my mum, I just remember going: "Mum, just to let you know, they found cancer". 'I was so flippant like that because so much had already happened to me by then.' She explained: 'It was just a, "Yeah, this has happened now", "Yeah, that's happened now". I think about it and then I'm just like, oh, well, you just got to get on with it.' Thankfully for Katie, her loved ones and her fans, she has never mentioned LMS returning. According to Sarcoma UK, there are roughly 525 cases of LMS diagnosed each year. Thousands of Americans have contracted a potentially deadly lung infection on the West Coast being dubbed a new 'epidemic'. Valley Fever, which got its name because a majority of cases are found in Arizona and California, is a disease that kills one in 100 people that contract it. In just 25 years, cases have climbed more than 1,200 percent in California. For the first six months of 2025, there were more than 5,500 provisional cases reported in the state. Health experts say if cases continue at the same rate, they will surpass last year's high of nearly 12,500. In Arizona, there were more than 14,000 reported cases of Valley Fever in 2024, up from 10,990 cases in 2023, marking an uptick of more than 27 percent. Nationwide, Valley Fever cases are now at a record high and set to reach almost 30,000 for 2025. Valley Fever is caused by the fungus coccidioides, which releases spores into the air when soil is disturbed. Health experts are warning people to avoid dusty outdoor environments as they could breathe in the coccidioides spores. Thousands of Californians have been struck down by a potentially deadly lung infection on the West Coast dubbed 'new American epidemic' Your browser does not support iframes. The number of Valley Fever cases peaked for the first time in a decade in 2021. The 20,970 recorded instances were the most on record for a single year since the last peak in 2011. Instances declined in 2022 but picked back up last year, and experts are concerned over an expected surge of the fungus in the coming decades. The CDC estimates Valley Fever could infect more than half a million Americans each year in the future. The agency said that due to rising temperatures across the globe, the endemic region of the disease will spread north to include dry western areas. Other experts fear that it could be endemic in 17 states by 2100. California Department of Public Health director Dr Erica Pan said: 'California had a record year for Valley fever in 2024 and, so far, case counts are high in 2025. Valley fever is a serious illness that's here to stay in California. 'We want to remind Californians, travelers to California, and their healthcare providers to watch for signs and symptoms of Valley fever to help detect it early.' There is no person-to-person transmission of the disease, for which there is currently no preventative vaccine. Valley Fever can often resolve on its own without treatment. For more severe or persistent cases, antifungal medications are used to manage symptoms and prevent the infection from worsening or spreading. Experts warn that Valley Fever can often be missed by doctors or misdiagnosed as pneumonia as it presents similar symptoms such as fatigue, cough, fever, aching muscles and breathlessness. Other symptoms include night sweats, joint aches and a red rash, usually on the legs but occasionally on the chest, arms and back. As the disease is often underdiagnosed due to mild symptoms, the CDC estimates that the true burden is around 206,000 to 360,000 cases per year - 10 to 18 times more than reported. The fungus spore is whipped up into the air when the soil is disturbed by the wind or digging. When humans or animals breathe in the spores, they travel through the respiratory tract and into the lungs where they reproduce But up to 10 percent of infections become severe and take months to recover from. In these cases, known as disseminated coccidioidomycosis, the disease can spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, including the brain, skin and liver. If it infects the membranes and fluid around the brain it can cause life-threatening meningitis. To prevent the disease from reaching advanced stages, Dr Pan advises: 'If you have been sick with symptoms like cough, fever, trouble breathing, and tiredness for more than seven to ten days, please talk to a healthcare provider about Valley fever, especially if you've been outdoors in dusty air in the Central Valley or Central Coast regions.' On average, there were approximately 200 coccidioidomycosis-associated deaths each year from 1999 to 2021. Research suggests the rise and spread of Valley fever may be linked to changes in climate. Wet winters after droughts help the fungus grow, and dry, windy weather in the following summer and fall can help the fungus get into the air. Shaun Yang, the director for molecular microbiology and pathogen genomics at the UCLA Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, told SFGate: 'I think climate change is the main reason to explain this type of dramatic explosion. The infection was dubbed Valley Fever because 97 percent of cases are found in Arizona and California 'I don't think anything else can explain this type of phenomenon. This kind of very wet and dry pattern definitely is perfect for this fungus to grow.' There is no proven treatment for Valley Fever and patients are usually prescribed rest and given therapies to manage symptoms. Doctors may prescribe antifungal medications, but there is no evidence from clinical trials that show these treatments are effective - and antifungal drugs come with the potential for serious side effects. In 1996, the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona, was established in order to address the problems caused by the coccidioides fungus. Two-thirds of all Valley Fever infections in the US occur in Arizona, mostly in the urban areas surrounding Phoenix and Tucson. Last year, the University of Arizona Valley Fever Center for Excellence secured $33 million from the National Institute of Health to pursue a vaccine. Its director, Dr John Galgiani, helped develop one for dogs THAT is still undergoing licensing for commercial marketing. But it is hoped the VACCINE could translate to humans. 'I've been thinking about a human vaccine all along but taking this through the dog is really a very useful step to show proof of the concept, making the idea of taking it to humans that much more attractive,' Mr Galgiani said. Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Lets be honest, we all thought the Birkenstock Boston clogs were just a phase. An unexpected shoewear trend sported by celebrities like Katie Holmes, Kendall Jenner and Dakota Johnson that wed forget about after a season (or two). But here we are, at the end of another summer of women pairing their floral frocks and linen co-ords with the cork-soled, closed-toe clog and one thing is clear: the grandad look is here to stay. The Boston clogs have become somewhat of a cult purchase people queue in front of its flagship stores in London to get their hands on a pair. But this season, an even uglier shoe slowly crept up the ranks on TikTok: the Birkenstock Naples Wrapped clogs. Reminiscent of a penny loafer, the suede shoe is another closed-toe design thats easy to slip on. Its priced at 150 and comes in five colourways: the ever so-popular taupe shade, a grey-ish brown shade, a faded purple, a thyme green and black. Just like the Boston clog, the Naples clog has that cork-latex footbed Birkenstock has become famous for, featuring a deep heel cup, heel mould, arch supports and toe grips. It also has an oh-so-comfy two-component sole that provides all-day cushion and support. While theres no denying its a casual shoe, its surprisingly versatile and can be dressed up with some clever styling. Ahead, Ive styled four outfits with the Naples Wrapped clogs that Ill be wearing for autumn. Satin Trousers + Oversized Jumper Barrel Jeans + Statement Earrings White Jeans + Barn Jacket Black Jeans + Statement Belt To get more of what you love from your favourite Sunday supplement, follow us on Instagram (@youmagazine), Facebook (YOU Magazine) and X (@YOUMagSocial). Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more There's nothing quite like the thrill of spotting a designer dupe that's so convincing, you have to do a double-take. And this week, we've found one in the most unexpected of places: Asda's clothing section. George at Asda's burgundy twisted handle cross-body bag looks remarkably similar to Ganni's 374 Bou embellished knotted leather shoulder bag. Despite Asda's being priced at just 20, the resemblance is clear: the distinctive knotted handle design; the structured, geometric shape; and the rich burgundy tone that's perfect for heading into autumn. Even the detailed gold hardware clasp has a distinct feel of luxury about it. Of course, the price does reflect in the materials. Asda's bag is faux leather, while Ganni's is that gorgeous supple leather that only improves with age. But honestly, with a price difference of more than 350, we're willing to overlook it. Asda isn't the only supermarket chain serving up designer-inspired pieces that won't break the bank. From a roomy Sainsbury's buy in a chic woven style to a bang-on-trend suede tote from Tesco, these are the pieces to keep an eye out for when you're doing your weekly shop. Your bank account will thank you for it. To get more of what you love from your favourite Sunday supplement, follow us on Instagram (@youmagazine), Facebook (YOU Magazine) and X (@YOUMagSocial). Maury Povich called out his wife Connie Chung over her fling with an A-list lothario. Legendary daytime talk show host Povich made his grand return to the media in March with a new podcast. Chung joined her husband's show, On Par with Maury Povich, for its debut episode to discuss her latest memoir, which details her life as a trailblazing television news anchor and the unbelievable stories that came with it. The two recalled the beginning of their relationship while they were working in the broadcast news industry. Povich told his viewers that when Chung moved to California to anchor the news, she became a 'big star' and 'kind of messed around with stars'. 'Oh! You didn't?' Chung fired back. Povich burst out laughing and denied the accusation, but his wife speculated that he could 'name a few' celebrity women that he had been with during his early days as an on-air journalist. 'No, I didn't mess around with them. I knew them. You messed around with them. Okay, should I start talking?' he continued before revealing that his wife had a relationship with Hollywood icon Warren Beatty. Povich then joked that his sister used to say that 'every woman who came to California had to go through him [Beatty]. It was the immigration system.' Maury Povich revealed that his wife, Connie Chung, had a fling with Warren Beatty during the debut episode of his podcast, On Par with Maury Povich After poking fun at his wife for the fling, Povich clarified that the two weren't exclusive at the time (Pictured: Povich and Chung at a film premiere in New York City) Povich joked that his sister, former Newsweek senior editor Lynn, used to say that Warren Beatty (pictured in 1960) 'was the immigration system' in California and 'every woman' had to 'go through him' Chung laughed and said that Beatty loved Povich's sister, Lynn, who was also a titan in the news industry, serving as Newsweek's first female senior editor. Chung added that she wasn't the only woman journalist that Beatty loved. Povich continued to recollect on his wife's dating history, revealing that she also 'messed with an Eagle,' quickly clarifying that he was referring to a member of the band and not a player on the Philadelphia Eagles. Chung confirmed the romance and admitted that when she met the band member, whose name she concealed, she didn't know he was a part of the iconic rock band. She recalled that when she went to the musician's home, he told her that he played in a band. Chung then boldly asked him to play her one of his songs, and he promptly began playing 'Hotel California' on the piano. Povich then clarified that his wife's escapades occurred when the two were merely dating and hadn't yet made their relationship exclusive. His wife made sure to get a few jabs in herself, claiming that Povich, 'couldn't even remember the first names let alone the last names' of the women he was with as a young broadcast journalist. The two went on to discuss their marriage, and Povich joked that Chung had been 'really sh***y' to him during the release of her memoir. Chung released Connie: A Memoir last fall, which detailed her career as the first Asian woman to break into the broadcast news industry. Chung laughed off her fling with actor Warren Beatty, and joked that the Hollywood heartthrob 'loved' women journalists (Pictured: Beatty at a film premiere in 2017) Slide me Povich and Chung met as young news anchors before marrying in 1984 and starting a family together Chung was a trailblazer for women and the Asian community in network news, while Povich was a fixture of daytime television for decades Chung was the first woman and Asian person to co-anchor the CBS Evening News. She famously interviewed former President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Chung started her journalism career at CBS in 1971 in Washington DC and worked under Walter Cronkite. A few years later, she moved to Los Angeles to anchor local news. Although Povich is most known for his infamous daytime talk show, The Maury Show, his career in journalism spanned multiple networks before he began announcing the results of paternity tests live on-air. He worked as a local news anchor all over the country and served as an evening news anchor in Washington DC. Povich and Chung married in 1984 and the two have three children together. Daily Mail reached out to Beatty's representation for comment. Jeanine Pirro slammed fellow Fox News host Sean Hannity as an 'egomaniac' in text messages made public as part of voting technology company Smartmatic's $2.7 billion lawsuit against the network Tuesday. The documents, obtained by The Washington Post, also show Pirro bragging about her role in Donald Trump's win over Kamala Harris. Smartmatic argues Pirro served as a conduit to Trump associates who claimed the previous election was stolen. She went on to peddle such claims on-air. The company also claims Pirro was committed to supporting Trump despite the network's strict policies barring on-air personalities from doing so. Pirro, an Upstate New York judge prior to joining Fox, left the network in May to become the United States attorney for the District of Columbia. The documents provide a painstaking picture of Pirro's time at the network, including some bad blood behind-the-scenes. '[Hannity stormed] in like he owns the place, throws his papers on the Pres desk and says, you don't mind if I use your private bathroom, and walks into bathroom within Oval and uses it,' she wrote to a friend on October 27, 2020, following one Oval Office meeting with Trump and Hannity. 'Looks at me and says, I got to talk to him It's all abt him, period. No one else matters.' Jeanine Pirro slammed then-fellow Fox host Sean Hannity as an 'egomaniac' in messages revealed in a recent lawsuit. Pirro left the network in May to become the US attorney for the District of Columbia The documents show a rift between the two, after being made public as part of voting technology company Smartmatic's $2.7 billion lawsuit against the network. The two are seen on the set of Pirro's old show Justice with Judge Jeanine 'Egomaniac,' she scathed. In one message sent by Pirro to then RNC chair Ronna McDaniel the month before, the then-Fox host boasted, 'I work so hard for the party across the country,' 'I'm the Number 1 watched show on all news cable all weekend. I work so hard for the President and party.' Other conversations included to bolster Smartmatic's claims suggest Pirro and other hosts were motivated to stay on Trumps good side for other reasons as well. In one sent in 2020, she complained to Trump's son Eric Trump how she was 'upset' that Bernard Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner sentenced to four years in prison for tax fraud in 2010, had received a pardon from Trump and her husband had not. Pirro's spouse, Albert Pirro, was the last to be pardoned by Trump during his first term after committing a series of tax-related crimes. Albert Pirro - a onetime influential GOP businessman who deducted $1.2 million of his personal expenses as business write-offs to buy cars, vacation homes, and paintings, prosecutors said - served 17 months. In months prior, Pirro brushed Kerik off as a 'selfish b***ard', after being told a pardon for Albert was not assured. Messages also show her bragging about her role in Donald Trump's 2024 win. Smartmatic is seeking damages for what it says were falsehoods and conspiracies spread by Pirro and other hosts Pirro's spouse, Albert Pirro, was the last to be pardoned by Trump during his first term, after a series of tax crimes that saw him sentenced to more than two years. 'I DONT CARE [ABOUT] ANYONE ELSE,' Pirro told Eric Trump in one message. The couple are seen together in 2000 In one message that mentioned her husband and Kerik, she complained, 'I DONT CARE [ABOUT] ANYONE ELSE.' Separately, Smartmatic argued that Pirro served as a conduit to Trump associates who touted the claim the election was stolen, specifically the lawyer Sidney Powell. 'It's Jeanine P.,' she wrote in a November 10, 2020, text message to Powell that mentioned Dominion Voting Systems, the voting machine company Fox settled with in 2023 for $787million over similar claims. 'Got a former CIA chief of station who knows [about] development of Dominion,' Pirro wrote. 'Keep fighting,' she went on to tell Powell. As this was happening, Pirro's producer, Jerry Andrews, was warning Pirro to stay away from claims of election fraud on-air. Pirro consequently complained in all-caps, to Hannity: 'I'M TIRED OF THE CENSORSHIP AND I'M EMBARRASSED BY HOW THEY CALLED THIS ELECTION.' The message was sent just after Joe Biden's win. Pirro was warned to stay away from claims of election fraud on-air by her producer, but still said on her Fox show that Smartmatic and its competitor Dominion had conspired to rig the election against Trump After criticizing him, Pirro told Hannity - seen here interviewing Trump at a rally in 2018 - that she had made several demands of management after an episode of 'Justice with Judge Jeanine' was scrapped. He complimented her in return Pirro went on to tell Hannity - weeks after criticizing him as a narcissist - that she had made several demands to management after an episode of 'Justice with Judge Jeanine,' then set to air on November 7, 2020, was scrapped. 'Fox News promoting u every 5 seconds. Its hilarious,' Hannity quipped back, which the Post reported. The contents of Pirro's post-election show remain unknown, aside from the fact it spurred 'internal concerns'. In a deposition included in Smartmatics court filing, Pirro conceded that the election was 'fair and free'. 'I believe that there's been no showing that Smartmatic engaged in any problems,' she said of the voting technology company that provided election technology to Los Angeles County. She also answered 'I do' when asked by Smartmatic's lawyers whether she believed Biden was 'legitimately elected,' after alleging on the air that both Smartmatic and its competitor Dominion had conspired to rig the election against Trump. The Dominion suit was settled for $787.5million. Fox never corrected its coverage of Smartmatic or acknowledged particular mistakes, Smartmatic pointed out in the more than 400-page suit. Smartmatic is seeking damages for what it says were falsehoods and conspiracies. Other hosts named in the filing include Maria Bartiromo and Jesse Watters. Fox News slammed the suit in a statement, saying, 'The evidence shows that Smartmatics business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trumps lawyers on FOX News' A Los Angeles Times report Wednesday detailed how federal prosecutors have filed a corruption case against the company, which has a contract with LA County. It claims the company purposely overbilled LA County for extra cash used to bribe government officials Fox News slammed the suit in a statement, saying, 'The evidence shows that Smartmatics business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trumps lawyers on FOX News and that Smartmatic grossly inflated its damage claims to generate headlines and chill free speech. 'Now, in the aftermath of Smartmatics executives getting indicted for bribery charges, we are eager and ready to continue defending our press freedoms.' A Los Angeles Times report Wednesday detailed how federal prosecutors have filed a corruption case against Smartmatic, claiming the company purposely overbilled LA County for extra cash used to bribe government officials. The suit, viewed by Daily Mail, remains ongoing. In it, Fox News lawyers claimed the county is holding back crucial records. It alleges that 'the very Smartmatic executives involved in winning the L.A. County contract used similar methods to bribe officials in other jurisdictions.' The founder of a designer ice cream chain has claimed The New York Times published one of her recipe techniques without giving her the proper credit. Jeni Britton, the owner of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, made the claim in an impassioned post to Instagram last week. She first recalled to her roughly 163,000 followers how New York Times Cooking posted video of one the three recipes in question being whipped up on Tuesday, August 12. The deserts all used cream cheese rather than custard as a base, and Britton was quick to point to her own 'signature game-changing, cream cheese base ice cream' creation she came up with nearly 20 years ago. 'To say that seeing the @nytimes post my recipe is disappointing is an understatement,' she raged. 'It makes me mad. 'Maybe its an outsized reaction, but I worked on it for years and took a huge risk publishing it,' she continued. Britton, 51, has more than 90 ice cream shops across the US. Her post has amassed more than 32,000 likes in just few days. 'I made this recipe to mimic what we can do on expensive machines at Jeni's in your home kitchen on an inexpensive machine,' she explained in a video. 'So, I wanted you to become the ice-cream maker and have all the fun I have and make any flavor that you wanted' She told her roughly 163,000 followers how New York Times Cooking posted video of the recipe on Tuesday, August 12 (seen here). Both her and the recipe touted by the Times use cream cheese as a base as opposed to the usual custard '[The Times] turned up their noses at it for years and openly preferred the old custard base as the only ice cream recipe youll ever need after [they] did a full interview with me on my technique,' she wrote. '[M]eanwhile the WSJ lauded it and called my book and technique the ice cream making bible and my book became a @nytimes bestseller. 'Comment and tell them we [see] them.' Britton added that one of the Times's recipe, for its cheesecake-powered 'Peanut Butter ice cream, called for four ounces of cream cheese rather than her desired two. 'I tried that and all of my tasters said it tasted like frosting,' she griped. 'So I stay at 2 ounces unless Im specifically making a cream cheese ice cream.' Britton reiterated how she thought up the concept in 2007, in her kitchen. She started her business with a stall in Columbus, Ohio, in 2002. Today, she has 37 distinct ice cream flavors sold in stores across 16 states. 'I made this recipe to mimic what we can do on expensive machines at Jeni's in your home kitchen on an inexpensive machine,' she explained in a video attached to her post. 'So, I wanted you to become the ice-cream maker and have all the fun I have and make any flavor that you wanted. 'So I needed to build an ice cream base that was very sturdy and also very scoop-able so that it was like American-style scoops from an ice cream shop. So you could pull it out of a freezer, scoop it, and put it on a cone like we do at Jeni's. 'That was my goal.' The cream cheese recipe was later included in two of her books, 2011's 'Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home' and 'The Artisanal Kitchen: Perfect Homemade Ice Cream: The Best Make-It-Yourself Ice Creams' in 2019. 'I stand by the fact that the idea is not his,' Jeni still said on Instagram. 'It originated in my kitchen in 2007.' She also claimed the writer of the article, whom she named as Scott, refused to give her credit after she reached out to him. '[He said] the recipe was his own, but then went on to disprove that in his own words,' she wrote in an update to her initial post. Jeni Britton, the founder and owner of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, accused the New York Times of stealing one of her ice cream making techniques without giving her the proper credit last Wednesday Britton, 51, has more than 90 ice cream shops across the US, with stores also selling her 'designer' ice creams in 16 states 'He told me, thats not how information works anymore - like, no one owns anything now. (THIS IS BULLSH*T for a NY Times writer)'. The Times also posted the ice cream recipes on their website - and enthusiasts were quick to point out how Scott's method was similar to Britton's. One person wrote in the comments: 'According to Jeni Britton Bauer (of Jeni's Ice Cream fame), the corn syrup keeps ice crystals from forming. Instead of corn syrup, I use Lyle's Golden Syrup, which is harder to find but actually tastes good (like butterscotch). 'Bauer's basic recipe, which was my go-to for years, also uses cream cheese.' Another added: 'So glad you brought up Jenis recipe. I use her recipe exclusively and this one is similar (omits corn starch). I encourage folks to seek it out.' The NYT recipe currently holds a three-star rating on their site. A New York Times spokesperson explained to Daily Mail how the recipe in question was a unique creation that did not draw from Britton's. 'Jeni has been criticizing The Times for days now, despite our outreach and conversation with her and the fact that we followed our standards clearly here,' Times spokesperson Jordan Cohen said. 'Jeni is welcome to her opinions, but she is wrong on the facts: this is an original recipe designed from a custard base and with particular proportions, ingredients and technique. 'The reporter who wrote this story has been making ice cream for many years; he started out by helping his mom manage the ice and salt levels in her old-fashioned churning bucket,' Cohen continued. 'Now, he creates his own distinct recipes using ratios and formulas, of which this is one. 'We deeply respect original recipe development and the integrity of Jenis work but these recipes are substantially different in numerous ways.' 'I needed to build an ice cream base that was very sturdy and also very scoop-able so that it was like American-style scoops from an ice cream shop. So you could pull it out of a freezer, scoop it, and put it on a cone like we do at Jeni's,' she said. 'That was my goal' Britton, meanwhile, told Ohio outlet 614 Now last week that the writer responsible told her he found the recipe in a book by Dana Cree, 'which was inspired by [her] recipe and does credit [her]', she said. Britton has received coverage in The Times before, with reports on several of her ice cream innovations and an interview about her use of cream cheese in ice cream in 2016. All the pieces credited her for her recipes. She did not immediately respond to a Daily Mail request for comment. An Emmy-winning meteorologist has been awarded over $800,000 after a judge ruled her former employer had discriminated against her. Meghan Danahey had filed suit against her former bosses at KMOV - a St. Louis CBS affiliate - claiming they caused her anxiety and depression while harming her job prospects. Danahey had worked at the channel for six years starting in 2014 covering weekday weather broadcasts before she said he shift patterns changed in 2016. Around that time the station hired news director Scott Diener who made the changes, handing Danahey's male colleagues her shifts while she was placed on weekends. According to her suit Danahey was also given a general reporting role for the weekdays, something which she had never done before. She claimed that Diener had intimidated her and contacted her union rep to report his alleged behavior. As the suit went through the courts, a jury ruled in April that Diener had not discriminated against Danahey. He retired from the station in June. However in August, Judge Annette Llewellyn ruled in her favor against the station's parent company that the changes were practically a demotion despite no issues being raised over her performance or ratings. Records seen by the St. Louis Post Dispatch say that Diener and others spoke about Danahey in emails, saying they didn't like 'the way they were spoken to' by her. Meghan Danahey had filed suit against her former bosses at KMOV Channel 4 claiming they caused her anxiety and depression while harming her job prospects Judge Annette Llewellyn ruled in her favor that the changes were practically a demotion despite no issues being raised over her performance or ratings The changes came into effect in January 2020 and Danahey and her female colleague covered seven weather broadcasts a month, their male counterparts did 45. Danahey said that as the COVID pandemic took over the world the male meteorologists were given equipment to set up from him. Danahey claimed that then news director Scott Diener, seen here, had discriminated against her. Her claims were thrown out earlier this year by a jury She said that her and her female colleagues were not given this chance, and still required to come into the studio to work. Following this, Danahey was fired in September of 2020 with the station saying the move was part of a company-wide reduction in staff. Judge Llewellyn said the evidence showed that Danahey's superiors sought to oust her before an arbitration hearing over her grievance she flagged with her union. The ruling said: 'Miraculously, a reduction in force was necessary in September 2020, according to Defendant, which it used as an opportunity to rid itself of (Danaheys) constant complaining and what management believed was her unacceptable way of speaking to them.' Following her dismissal, she landed a new job as a meteorologist in Ashveille, North Carolina, taking less pay to land the job, court papers say. In total she was awarded $326,800 in lost wages, and $4,000 for costs relating to rent and security after moving to North Carolina. Danahey was fired in September of 2020 with the station saying the move was part of a company-wide reduction in staff Danahey claimed that Diener had intimidated her and contacted her union rep to report his alleged behavior She was also handed $425,000 in punitive damages and had her attorney fees covered which totaled $70,040. Her lawyer Jerry Dobson told the St. Louis Post Dispatch: 'It has been a long and hard road for Meghan. Its very gratifying to see she has been vindicated in a court of law.' Danahey had previously won an Emmy award as part of a weather team who covered Charlotte, North Carolina. She is also an Adjunct Professor at University of North Carolina Asheville where she teaches Broadcast Meteorology. Daily Mail has approached KMOV for comment. MSNBC's Joe Scarborough has said Donald Trump 'holds the cards' over Vladimir Putin in their diplomacy talks surrounding the war in Ukraine. The Morning Joe star made the declaration amid ongoing peace talks between the two leaders on Wednesday. 'You know, there are a lot of people talking about, "who has cards... who's not playing cards,"' he told fellow anchor Willie Geist. 'I heard some people over the weekend said Vladimir Putin is the 'only person that might...' Scarborough continued, before interrupting himself with what was billed as the only answer. 'No. It's Donald Trump. Donald Trump has the cards. 'He has the cards with, first of, with sanctions,' he said. A former Florida Republican who today is one of the left-leaning networks' leading voices, the host went on to outline why he believes Trump has little to worry about. 'He can just say, "Lindsey [Graham], go ahead - let's pass the sanctions bill and let's grind him down,' he explained, referring to the GOP senator from South Carolina. MSNBC's Joe Scarborough has said Donald Trump 'holds the cards' over Vladimir Putin in their diplomacy talks during Wednesday' Morning Joe The Morning Joe star made the declaration amid ongoing peace talks between the two, pictured convening in Alaska on Friday 'And the second thing is, well, you know, there was talk about a possible $90million military aide bill to Ukraine,' he went on. 'There's two things that would change the dynamics very quickly.' The comments continued Scarborough's surprise support for the president in recent weeks, and Geist, in turn, observed how Putin has continued to attack Ukraine despite the recent peace talks. Scarborough dismissed such talk as mere posturing. 'Vladimir Putin can huff and puff and say he's going to blow the house down all he wants,' he said. 'He's not the one holding the cards. Donald Trump's holding the cards right now. 'It will be very interesting to see if he'll play them over the next 10 days.' Just last week, he criticized Democrats for publicly complaining about Trump's takeover of Washington, DC - where Morning Joe is based - while secretly pining for a crackdown behind closed doors. Without naming names, the host detailed how hed received calls from his friends who quietly expressed support for the deployment of federal agents to DC. 'He can just say, "Lindsey [Graham], go ahead - let's pass the sanctions bill and let's grind him down,' he told the show's panel, after some other surprising takes on the president's leadership as of late Their political allegiance? 'All democrats,' Scarborough said on-air August 12. A few days before, he said he agreed with Trump in his assessment that DC is now a dangerous city. 'Certainly dont need the National Guard in there, or certainly not Marines,' he said with wife Mika Brzezinski by his side. 'But you look at Washington, DC, and its been dangerous for years. 'There have been, you know, a year, a couple of years here, a couple of years there, where its been a bit better - but certainly over the past five years it has just been an absolute mess. 'Its quality of life has been terrible.' Earlier this week, Scarborough - who faced criticism for meeting with Trump in Mar-a-Lago after the election - revealed MSNBC would be changing its name to 'MS NOW'. The change, CEO Mark Lazarus said in a memo viewed by Daily Mail, represents the new company's focus on 'building our individual identity and vision for the future while laying a foundation for the continued growth and success of our businesses.' Earlier this week, it was revealed MSNBC would be changing its name to 'MS NOW' by the end of the year as it prepares to spearhead a new spinoff company being called Versant MSNBC will also lose the peacock logo long associated with NBCUniversal when the name change goes into effect later this year. MS NOW is an acronym for My Source News Opinion World, execs said - after previously promising the network would keep the 'NBC' in its its name as it prepares to spearhead a spinoff company that's been dubbed Versant. The firm, also based in 30 Rock, is comprised of Comcast channels like MSNBC that had been causing declines in the parent company's share price. The stars of Morning Joe, Brzezinski and Scarborough, are said to be in the midst of exploiting their power to 'leverage their stature within the network,' according to Mediaite's Colby Hall. In a report penned earlier this month, Hall cited an unusual number of absences from both after execs pulled their show off the air following the July 2024 assassination attempt on Trump. 'It's hard to ignore the timing,' Hall wrote. 'With MSNBC's realignment on the horizon and talent contracts under review, Joe and Mika's extended absences feel like a flex - a reminder that Morning Joe doesn't work without them,' he added. The Versant spin off is expected to take place between late 2025 and early 2026. An exact date has not yet been announced. Drivers in one European country will soon be able to legally travel at speeds of up to 93mph on a section of motorway as part of a new trial. It will be used as an assessment to see if the higher limit can cut journey times on a 31-mile (50km) stretch without impacting road safety. Due to arrive within weeks, it will be the first time that a European Union nation has implemented a 150kmh speed limit on motorways in a move that has triggered plenty of excitement, especially among petrol heads. But it has also raised a few eyebrows, given neighbouring countries have recently lowered their speed limits on pollution grounds. The D3 section of motorway from Prague towards the Linz corridor in Austria will test a 150kmh variable speed limit. Motorists can only legally drive faster in Europe on the derestricted sections of Germany's Autobahn. This will only be in place during optimal conditions, with 42 digital speed sign gantries - like the ones Britons see on 'smart' motorways - allowing for the limit to be reduced back to 130kmh (81mph) during bad weather. Drivers in the Czech Republic will soon be able to travel at speeds of up to 93mph on this section of motorway - though only when conditions are like those pictured... The variable speed limit on the D3 is a pilot scheme that was due to be put in place from the end of the summer holidays towards the close of September. However, the higher 150kmh limit is now expected to be implemented from the beginning of October on the section between Plana nad Luznici (Tabor) and Ceske Budejovice due to delays installing the electronic overhead signage. 'There were issues with the procurement procedure the submission deadline had to be extended due to numerous enquiries,' Radek Matl, head of the Czech Road and Motorway Directorate (RSD), told news channel CT24 in an interview in July. The installation will reportedly cost 55million Czech Koruna, which is around 2million. When implemented by the beginning of October, the Czech Republic will be the first county in the European Union to have a 150kmh speed limit on a motorway The 150kmh variable limit will be in place on the D3 motorway south of the capital, Prague. The 50km stretch runs from Plana nad Luznici in the Tabor region to Ceske Budejovice (pictured) The 50km stretch has been chosen because it is relatively new and has few curves. But the 150kmh limit won't be in place all the time. In fact, the existing maximum 130kmh will continue to be the default. Only when conditions are favourable will operators up the limit to 150, which will be during clear conditions when roads are dry, congestion levels are low and there are no roadworks taking place. 'The conditions must be absolutely ideal,' said Jan Rydl, a spokesperson for the RSD. 'There must be no queues, no slippery surfaces, and no reduced visibility.' The system will be controlled from the National Traffic Information Centre. Czech ministers have said the pilot will be used to gather real-world evidence regarding the increase. Transport chief Martin Kupka says the trial will help gauge public reaction and, most crucially of all, test if incident volumes increase. If the pilot is a success, the Czech Republic would consider extending variable 150kmh limits, with the RSD already identifying other motorway sections where it could be implemented, such as the D1 between Prerov and Ostrava or on the D11 near Hradec Kralove. However, the RSD intends first to analyse the results of the test phase on the D3 and said it will revert to the current 130kmh limit if crash statistics rise. The 150kmh limit won't be in place all the time. In fact, the existing maximum 130kmh will continue to be the default and increased on when conditions are favourable The move has come about following amendments to the law passed in 2023. The last time the speed limit on Czech motorways was raised was 28 years ago when it was upped from 120kmh (75mph) in 1997. Most drivers in the Czech Republic have backed the increase in the maximum speed limit on this section. However, road safety experts have warned that they could be problematic for inexperienced and untrained drivers. Get 20 off an MOT: This is Money Motoring Club The This is Money Motoring Club is designed to make car ownership cheaper and simpler for This is Money and MailOnline readers. Powered by MotorEasy it's the place to keep on top of tax, MOTs and servicing - and manage important documents and receipts that keep your cars value. You can also save money on maintenance and repairs. All new members will receive a one-off gift of 20 in reward vouchers to spend. You can use this for a raft of motoring discounts, including getting 20 off an MOT with one of MotorEasy's listed providers. > Find out more about the This is Money Motoring Club The move is also a major contrast to other countries where motorway limits have been slashed rather than increased. In neighbouring Austria, the Government trialled 140kmh (87mph) limits on a motorway between Vienna and Salzburg between 2018 to 2020. However, it was scrapped after roadside measurements suggested there had been a significant increase in CO2 emissions as a result. In the Netherlands, ministers lowered the maximum speed to 100kmh (62mph) during the day in 2020 for similar environmental reasons. But, in April this year, Dutch transport authorities partially reversed this move to allow some stretches to reinstate the previous 130kmh limit during daylight hours. Earlier this month, German police revealed that a speeding driver had been caught travelling on the Autobahn at a staggering 200mph - more than 124mph over the limit. The motorist, whose identity has not been made public, was hauled over during a routine check on the A2 highway near Burg, west of Berlin, on 28 July. Police in Magdeburg said the driver was hit with a 900 (784) fine, handed a three-month driving ban, and had two points taken off their licence. The car was identified travelling at a 'highest record speed' by a stationary radar system known as an Enforcement Trailer. A display on the device showed what police called 'the highest record speed'. Anglo American suffered a setback yesterday after a US rival abandoned plans to buy its coal mines. Peabody Energy said it was pulling out of its 2.8billion purchase of the London-listed mining giants Australian steelmaking coal business. The US company blamed a material adverse change in circumstances following an explosion at the Moranbah North mine in Queenslands Bowen Basin. The site has remained closed since March. It comes as a blow to Anglo as it seeks to restructure having fended off a 39billion takeover bid from BHP. Anglo boss Duncan Wanblad said he was very disappointed and insisted the blast at Moranbah North did not constitute a material adverse change. Deal's off: Peabody Energy said it was pulling out of its 2.8bn purchase of Anglo American's Australian steelmaking coal business Wanblad said it would have been better for all parties to avoid a legal dispute but added the firm would shortly initiate an arbitration to seek damages for wrongful termination of the deal. BHP posted its lowest profits for five years as weak demand in China sent iron ore prices down. Earnings fell 26 per cent to 7.8billion last year. Another day and yet another rumour emerges of an egregious attack on the wealth of Middle England by this tax-grabbing Government. It's enough to reduce grown men and women, the prudent and thrifty to tears. Having just informed us that a more pernicious inheritance tax regime is heading our way, Labour has now indicated that it is looking to impose a new property tax regime on middle-class homeowners. It seems that nothing in our financial armoury our home, pension and savings is sacred in the eyes of Labour. It's all there to be grabbed or taxed to the hilt. Although details of the proposed tax are rather sketchy and Treasury officials are currently remaining schtum the fact that the story broke in the Labour-supporting Guardian newspaper suggests that this new tax regime has legs. No smoke without fire. The tax, it seems, could apply to those selling homes worth more than 500,000 and replace the current stamp duty tax which is levied on buyers. Another option is an annual levy on the value of a property a wealth tax whichever way you look at it. At what rate the tax would be applied is anyone's guess but it would surely be set at such a level that it raised more than the Treasury currently receives in stamp duty (11.6billion in the last financial year). After all, this is a tax overhaul driven essentially by Labour's desperate need to generate more revenue for the Treasury's coffers, much diminished by the Chancellor's bloated spending and costly U-turns on winter fuel payment and much-needed welfare reform. It's scary bloody scary. Make no mistake about it, what is unfolding before our very eyes is class warfare on steroids. A spiteful assault on millions of people who through a mix of thrift, sacrifice and damned hard work have built their own financial fortress, only for the Big Bad Wolf that is Labour to come along and attempt to blow it down. While the current stamp duty tax regime is far from perfect, a replacement property tax whichever form it takes would bring with it a shedful of issues. Rachel Reeves is looking to impose a new property tax regime on middle-class homeowners For example, if it took the form of a seller's tax, it would surely clog up the housing market even more than it is now. I imagine that many elderly homeowners sitting in sizeable 500,000-plus properties would opt to stay put rather than sell up, pay the tax and downsize. But if it was an annual tax, it could blow a hole in your household budget. Alongside the replacement for stamp duty, Labour is also rumoured to be looking at abolishing council tax and introducing a 'local' property tax which owners, not residents, would pay. This would be based on the value of the home. Good luck there, Rachel Reeves, given that a similar idea (the poll tax) introduced some 35 years ago by a Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher went down like a lead balloon and was swiftly abandoned. Of course, there is a strong case for reform of property taxes in this country. But my suspicion is that Rachel From Accounts will use reform as cover to squeeze the middle classes until the pips squeak. As far as she is concerned our homes, pensions and savings are hers to tap for extra tax. Frightening. Beware of the Big Bad She-Wolf. Victims onboard the doomed Bayesian superyacht could have been saved, one of the world's leading marine salvage experts sensationally claimed today. Seven people died when the 'unsinkable' 184ft vessel capsized off the coast of Sicily during a freak storm last August. British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, the owner of the 30million yacht, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the victims. Italian rescuers attempted to save the six guests and one missing crew member after the disaster struck but their efforts failed. Had an extensive rescue operation to pump air into the yacht been immediately launched, captain Nick Sloane told the Daily Mail that six of the trapped victims could have potentially survived. Investigations are understood to have showed that all but one Bayesians 59-year-old chef Recaldo Thomas found air pockets inside the hull, suggesting they did not die immediately as the vessel sank to the sea bed. Your browser does not support iframes. The Bayesian, pictured, boasted the world's largest single aluminium mast. It sank in the early hours of August 19, 2024 off Porticello in Sicily, with the loss of seven lives Hours before she sank, Bayesian was photographed from the shore. There was no indication at that stage of the freak weather approaching the 30m vessel South African salvage expert Nick Sloane, pictured, said some of the victims on board the Bayesian superyacht which sank on August 19, 2024 could have been rescued alive from the seabed Your browser does not support iframes. The other six Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter; 71-year-old Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, 70; and Chris Morvillo, 59 and his 57-year-old wife Neda were found in two cabins in Bayesian's lower deck. When 80mph winds struck the yachts beam, causing it to heel violently to a 90-degree angle on her starboard side, Mr Lynch, the Bloomers and Morvillos sought shelter in a cabin on the port side of the ship. Miss Lynch was in a separate cabin, also on the port side of the ship. Mr Sloane, the South African who led the salvage operation for the Costa Concordia cruise ship which sank in January 2012 off the coast of Tusancy, said the discovery of the air pockets likely kept the six alive for a period of time while the ship filled with water and sank. He told the Daily Mail that when the divers arrived at the scene, they were hampered by their scuba gear which only allowed them a limited amount of time on the bottom. Rescuers could only spend 10 minutes at the Bayesians depth of 50m, which made the process of searching the vessel tortuously slow. The divers had to contend with floating debris, ropes and furniture inside the vessel as they made their way into the lower accommodation areas. All that time, the amount of oxygen in the air pocket was reducing, being replaced by carbon dioxide. Your browser does not support iframes. British tech mogul Mike Lynch, pictured with his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, were both lost in the tragedy Jonathan and Judy Bloomer, pictured, were in a cabin with Mr Lynch on the port side of Bayesian, where according to Mr Sloane, there was an air pocket which kept them alive for a period after the boat sank Chris and Neda Morvillo, pictured, were guests on board Bayesian. They also died in the tragedy. Their bodies were found in a port side cabin along with Jonathan and Judy Bloom was well as Mike Lynch Among those lost was Ricardo Thomas, Bayesian's chef. He was last seen in the galley stowing pots and pans because of the bad weather. His body was recovered 'near' the yacht He said it could have taken a few days for a specialist team to arrive at the scene, but if the original divers had begun pumping air into the sunken yacht, it could have given some of those trapped in the port side cabins a chance of survival. Mr Sloane said that specialist dive equipment was available in the port of Augusta, on Sicily's southern coast. Normal scuba divers can only spend a limited time at depth to avoid risking 'the bends' a potentially fatal decompression sickness where the nitrogen in the diver's blood starts to 'bubble'. Mr Sloane, who has knowledge of the case, added: 'When a yacht like that sinks there will always be air pockets and because of the keel, the vessel will either be lying on her port or starboard side. 'Bayesian was on her starboard side, so on the port side there would be these air pockets and you'd say "listen, lets just pump air in". You have no idea at this stage that if anyone is still alive, they may be unconscious after banging their head, but if someone is in the air pocket, let's keep them alive until we can get them out. 'Of course, when they found six of the seven victims, they were all in the port side air pockets and the sad thing is that they didn't drown. They died from a lack of air.' Mr Sloane said Italian rescue divers using scuba gear were not equipped to perform a rescue operation from 50 metres depth Once the vessel started filling with water, Mr Sloane said anyone below deck would have faced a nightmare scenario. The boat was laying on her starboard side, the same side where the spiral staircase from the accommodation area on the lower deck to the main deck was located. The water would have cascaded down the staircase, filling up that half of the boat first. Those in the port side cabins, which were now the highest part of the boat, faced the prospect of entering the onrushing flood to swim up into the saloon before trying to navigate their way past floating debris and out towards an exit. He said: 'If you are stuck down below and there's water coming in, you don't want to duck down and swim up to safety. It would take a highly trained person to do that. 'It is a really terrifying scenario. But if you think, potentially, if they had got oxygen or air pumped into the boat, they may have saved some people.' Mr Sloane told how he was involved in a recovery operation off the Nigerian coast when a tug sank in about 50m of water on May 26, 2013. Yet it quickly turned into a rescue mission once divers, who only arrived in the galley three days after the sinking, realised there was a survivor underwater. Mr Stone said: 'When the diver entered the galley, there was an air pocket. On the surface there was this thick layer of oil and slightly opaque water beneath it, so he kept his head below the surface to prevent his camera and light getting oiled.' After three days, the rescue team believed they were involved in an effort to retrieve bodies believing that nobody could survive underwater for so long. He said a chef, who survived the sinking, saw the diver and grabbed their hand. After the initial shock of finding a survivor, the diver helped the survivor, Harrison Ojegba Okene, into a rescue kit, before bringing him to a specialist decompression chamber. Because they were properly equipped, the team were able to pivot seamlessly from a body retrieval to a rescue operation. Mr Okene had to spend 60 hours in the decompression chamber before he was allowed to return to the surface. Harrison Odjegba Okene, pictured centre, spent three days stuck in a capsized tug in 50 metres of water off the Nigerian coast when he was rescued by salvage divers. He had to stay in a decompression chamber for 60 hours with his rescuers before they could safely return to the surface Unfortunately for Bayesian, the Italian rescuers, while highly experienced, did not have dive chambers that are routinely used by commercial operators. He said the Italian team was very experienced in cave rescues, but their scuba gear was not suitable for operating at such depth while trying to penetrate a sunken ship. Mr Stone added: 'They should have started pumping air in as soon as they could and then mobilised a dive chamber. If you are pumping air, they could be kept alive for a few days. It's worth trying. Mr Sloane dismissed suggestions that Bayesian's sinking formed part of some conspiracy following Mr Lynch's acquittal on fraud charges in US Federal Court. Conspiracy theorists linked the sinking to the tragic death of Lynch's business partner, and fellow co-accused, Stephen Chamberlain. The 52-year-old was killed after being hit by a car while out running in Cambridgeshire on August 17 two days before Bayesian was lost. An interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch discovered hours before Bayesian was lost, her skipper, James Cutfield, decided to move the vessel along the Sicilian coast from Cefalu to Porticello ahead of predicted bad weather. Cutfield had instructed the deckhands on watch overnight to wake him immediately if winds increased above 20kts or if the vessel's anchor started to drag. Mr Sloane, who has been in the marine salvage business since the early 1980s, said the Bayesian was struck by hurricane force winds. However, the Sir Robert Baden Powell, a yacht anchored just 500m away that later rescued survivors, escaped the same gusts. Mr Sloane said six of the seven victims were found in air pockets and had not drowned, instead had run out of air Italian rescue teams who dived on Bayesian in the days after the sinking were highly trained in helping people from caving accidents, but they were less experienced in penetrating sunken boats sitting in deep water Mr Sloane said this suggested it was a very localised issue that hit them rapidly. He said: 'They were either hit by a waterspout or a downburst. Bayesian was 17 years old and it never had a problem before. They were hit by freak weather conditions. According to Mr Sloane, Bayesian was being held on her port anchor which caused the vessel to twist sideways into the wind. He said if the crew had been able to let out more anchor chain, the bow would have swung back towards the wind, giving them a greater chance of survival. It would have also given the captain more time to engage the engines and steer towards the incoming storm, reducing the chance of capsizing. As the heavy weather approached, the crew member on watch was Matthew Griffiths, who was 22 at the time of the disaster. Mr Sloane said investigators would examine whether someone more senior should have been in the wheelhouse with approaching storms reported. He said someone with more experience may have raised the alarm earlier, possibly alerting the entire vessel, both passengers and crew about the impending danger. Italian authorities are continuing their investigation into the sinking, including into the actions of three of the crew, skipper Cutfield, chief engineer Tim Parker Eaton and deckhand Griffiths. Placing people under investigation in the Italian legal system is a procedural measure and does not imply any wrongdoing. The investigators were handed a major boost when a Dutch salvage team were able to refloat Bayesian. Mr Sloane said Bayesian's striking 75metre (236ft) mast will have also played a part in her sinking. Unlike her sister ships, which had two smaller masts, Bayesian needed to carry extra ballast to counter the forces created by the larger mast. This extra weight saw Bayesian sit 40cm lower in the water than her sister vessels. This, in turn, affected her angle of vanishing stability the point beyond which it is impossible to recover from. Mr Sloane said: 'I don't think this was the sole cause of the tragedy, but it is a contributing factor. Bayesian had encountered bad weather before without problem.' The Bayesian, pictured, had the world's largest aluminium mast, though this left it with a hidden vulnerability, investigators have discovered He said a freak weather event, combined with her unusual design were significant factors behind the tragedy. According to Mr Sloane, now Bayesian has been recovered, there is a possibility it could be refurbished. He added: 'It could certainly be put back together far cheaper than building one from scratch. All of the electrics and equipment would be finished, of course. And you certainly wouldn't replace the massive mast. 'It all depends on the insurers and the families and whether anyone would want to buy a vessel where seven people died. She was a beautiful yacht.' Post mortems on all seven victims were carried out in the days following the disaster were carried out by Italian authorities. Inquests of the four British victims have been adjourned pending the conclusion of the investigation into the disaster. A pre inquest hearing at Suffolk Coroner's court gave the time of death of all four British victims as 5am - almost an hour after the yacht was hit by the freak storm. The brief hearing heard that Mr Lynch's preliminary cause of death was drowning while that of the remaining British victims was yet to be determined. In June 2025, Bayesian was refloated by a specialist Dutch salvage squad and taken 12 miles to the port of Termini Imerese where Italian investigators examined the boat in forensic detail, assessing whether vital watertight hatches were secured. The results of this examination will be passed to prosecutors who will determine if anyone was criminally liable for the sinking and the tragic deaths of seven people. Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. seemed to be the hero of the story when officers responded to a shooting at a home in Pasadena, Texas, on the morning of August 8, 1973. Inside the house lay the bullet-riddled, naked body of 33-year-old Dean Corll - a man known locally as the Candy Man as he gave out free candy from his moms store to local children. Police also found a trove of disturbing torture tools including restraints, sex toys and plastic sheeting laid out on the ground. Outside, were three shaken teens. The teens told police they had passed out inside the home after spending the night drinking and huffing acrylic paint to get high. When they woke, they found themselves bound and Corll standing over them, telling them he was going to sexually assault and kill them. Corll had then untied Henley and ordered him to participate in his plot. At that moment, the 17-year-old grabbed Corlls gun and shot him dead. The teen had saved himself and his two friends from a horrific murder at the hands of a sick predator. But this was only the beginning of the story. Pictured: Elmer Wayne Henley Jr after he told police about the Houston Mass Murders in August 1973 Pictured: Investigators search for bodies in Texas. At least 28 boys were murdered by the serial killer Dean Corll and his two younger accomplices Within hours, Henley revealed that Corll was a serial killer responsible for the murders of dozens of boys who had vanished from the Houston Heights neighborhood over the past few years. And, in an even more explosive twist, Henley confessed that he had been his accomplice. Between 1970 and 1973, Corll lured, sexually assaulted, tortured and murdered boys, with the help of his two teenage accomplices Henley and David Brooks. With Corll dead, Henley and Brooks led police to three mass graves where the victims bodies were buried. The remains of 28 boys aged 13 to 20 were found. Five decades later, there are fears that more victims are still out there. The case, known as the Houston Mass Murders or the Candy Man killings, shocked the community and the nation long before the term serial killer had even been coined. Both Henley and Brooks were sentenced to life in prison for their part in the murders. Brooks died in May 2020, leaving Henley the sole survivor of the team of killers. Now, Henley is speaking out for the first time in 50 years in conversations with top serial killer expert and criminologist Dr. Katherine Ramsland in the new ID documentary The Serial Killers Apprentice. The Serial Killers Apprentice features rare conversations with Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr. Ramsland - who famously co-authored a book with the BTK killer Dennis Rader and was Idaho killer Bryan Kohbergers professor - said the case is different to the countless serial killer and mass murder cases she has studied. This case was unusual because it was a team killer case, but involving three people, she said. So you had an adult predatory serial killer using two teenage boys as accomplices. Despite participating in the murders, Dr. Ramsland explained that the power dynamic was not equal between the three killers. The two teenagers were compliant accomplices. They were not co-equals. They did not want to be killers, but they wanted to please Dean Corll and also they were afraid of him, she said. So that dynamic for them was that they were doing things they didn't really want to do, even though they were doing it for a long period of time. Corll, who was the adult predator, is the one with the fantasy that led the way, and he dominated the other two. They were submissive to him. And so whatever he said is what they had to do. In other team killer cases she has studied, the individuals are typically the same in their depravity. Dr Katherine Ramsland spoke to the Daily Mail ahead of the release of her new documentary The Serial Killers Apprentice They both want to do this. They come up with the most horrible things together. That's very different from a predator and a compliant accomplice, she said. The predator leads the way. The compliant accomplices go with them. But there was something else unique about the Houston Mass Murders too: the way the killings stopped. Henley is the only accomplice to a serial killer who killed the killer to end it, she said. In their conversations, Dr. Ramsland said she wanted to delve into what led Henley to cross the line to become a killer. Henley was 14 when he was recruited through Brooks to join the murderous team. Corll drew his teen accomplices in by telling them there was a so-called Syndicate - a powerful trafficking ring where teenage boys were sold as houseboys to wealthy clients across the US. He claimed he was part of the Syndicate and that, if Brooks and Henley brought him boys, he would sell them for money. Initially, Dr. Ramsland explained that this financial reward was appealing to Henley. Henley has said he didnt know Corll planned to kill the victims at first. When he brought a boy to Corll, who then sexually assaulted and killed him in front of him, Henley was implicated in the murders. Inside Dean Corll's home police found creepy evidence of the torture he inflicted on victims Plastic sheeting was found laid down on the ground inside the Pasadena home of the Candy Man killer If I go down, you go down. So there was that mutually assured destruction, Dr. Ramsland said. After some time, Henley also committed some of the murders himself. The first time he killed was a pivotal moment. It was a very pivotal moment, in part because he had this firm belief in God. He read the Bible every day and carried a little pocket Bible with them. And, for him, it was really the end of his faith because nothing happened to him, Dr. Ramsland said. He really expected to be struck dead by God because that's what he was taught. And it didn't happen. Nothing happened for him, it was a hugely pivotal moment in his whole belief system, his sense of himself. Fear was a major factor in Henleys role, she said, with the threat of the Syndicate coming after him if he didnt do what they wanted. So Wayne had to decide: "If I went to the police would they believe me? A 15-year-old kid against an adult? And if they let Corll go, I'm in danger. Or if they don't let Corll go, the Syndicate is going to come after me." So he's in this no-win situation. She added: Corll played a long game. He had decided that Henley was going to become this accomplice so little-by-little, he pursued him. Dr. Ramsland learned there were times when Henley did try to get away from Corll. At one point, he confided in his uncles about the murders but they didnt believe him. He then gave his mom a confession letter but she tore it up and booked him an appointment with a psychiatrist. Before he could make it to the appointment, Corll was dead. Based on her expertise, Henley is both a victim and a perpetrator. Wayne is a victim. He was also sexually assaulted by Corll. He was also leveraged. He was made to do things he didn't want to do, Dr. Ramsland said. But then he also did things he did want to do. While she said Henleys status as a victim is in no way anything like the victims who were tortured and killed, she described him as a 'complicated individual'. I think everybody who's human knows the feeling of being compromised and doing things that are out of character for them and they wonder how they were able to do that,' she said. Having spent years talking to Henley and studying his case, Dr. Ramsland believes he might never have become a killer if he hadnt met Corll. Henley wanted to be a minister or a cop. He was a very protective kind of guy, and he was kind of like a hang-back hippie type, she said. There's nothing in his background that would suggest he, on his own, would have ever become a killer to even think about killing somebody was just not in his DNA. The Serial Killer's Apprentice is out now on ID So much secrecy surrounds a gangland assassin's identity - after he entered witness protection and became a police informer - that not even his wife can confirm his death. The man, who had multiple convictions for murder and manslaughter, inspired a character in the hit Australian movie Chopper and spawned a classic cinematic line. In one famous scene in the award-winning film, Mark 'Chopper' Read, played by Eric Bana, nearly kills the man in a frenzied jail stabbing. Read then tells prison officers: 'Keithy seems to have done himself a mischief.' It is believed the underworld hitman died within the past few month - perhaps at home in Victoria, perhaps in custody in NSW - but this cannot be verified because he was living under a new name. Court suppression orders put in place over the past two decades prevent the publication of his real name - even after his death - and most of the details about his life of crime. The orders are so numerous and ambiguously worded, and were made so long ago, that it is probably now impossible to determine precisely what the various judges intended them to cover. One of the orders which covers most of the man's background order expires upon his death, but any record of that event would only be under his assumed identity. Older crooks in Melbourne are in no doubt the 74-year-old is dead, but where and when he drew his last breath is unconfirmed. So much secrecy surrounds the identity of a gangland assassin (above) who went into witness protection after becoming a police informer that not even his wife can confirm he has died The man, who had multiple convictions for murder and manslaughter, was the basis for a character who featured in the hit Australian movie Chopper, played by David Field (above) The man's wife Irene - whose real name we can't publish - told the Daily Mail she had not been in contact with him for the past couple of years after a falling-out, but feels she deserves to have his fate confirmed. 'I've had no word,' the 78-year-old said. 'I don't know what has happened because no one has let me know that he's gone. 'He was sick. I know he had an enlarged heart and he did have leukemia. Whether he died from leukaemia, or the heart, or whatever it was, I wouldn't have a clue. 'All I know is I've paid for his funeral and that hasn't been touched, so I really don't know what happened to him.' The gunman completed the non-parole period on his last lengthy prison sentence in 2023 and had been given protection with a new identity because he had informed on other criminals. Irene had known her husband for almost 60 years and visited him in prisons across Victoria but they didn't wed until 2015 after she became a widow. 'I was a fool, I really was,' Irene said. 'I fell in love with him and that was it. I loved him from day one.' In the past fortnight, Irene has contacted government departments, including Corrections Victoria, but no one could tell her where his remains might be or even where and when he died. The man's wife Irene told the Daily Mail she had not been in contact with him for the past couple of years after a falling-out but she deserved to have his fate confirmed. The couple is pictured Underworld sources have told Irene her husband 'died out of jail at home' and 'in a secret place', while a former Victorian detective informed her he died in a NSW jail. NSW prison sources said no one using the man's real name had been in the system and no recent death in custody matched his circumstances. Irene would at least like to know what happened to her husband's body and the location of his last resting place. 'I don't know whether they've buried him,' she said. 'He wanted to be cremated and put in with his mother and father.' Irene's falling-out with her husband began while he was still in jail, after he started using the money she put into his prison account to call another woman outside 'But I am married to him,' she said. 'I'm his wife. 'I thought being his wife someone might have let me know something but they haven't. It is all very strange. I can't make head nor tail of it.' A retired armed robber who is well-connected in Melbourne's older criminal circles said the man's death had been a hot topic in the southern capital. In the film Chopper, Mark Read, played by Eric Bana (above), nearly kills the man in a frenzied jail stabbing and then tells prison officers: 'Keithy seems to have done himself a mischief' 'I was told a week ago that he'd died and that somebody said it was cancer,' he said. 'It's pretty spot on.' That source said the man 'wasn't very popular', which could be seen as a gross understatement, considering his status as a protected police witness. For his portrayal as a hardened prison inmate in Chopper, the killer was given the pseudonym Keith George and played by actor David Field. The film shows George and his fellow Painters and Dockers engaged in a fight for control of the jail with Chopper Read and his own gang of felons. Read stabs George repeatedly in the side of the head and neck without warning and tells prison officers who come to his aid: 'Keithy seems to have done himself a mischief.' As George slides around in an ever-expanding pool of his own blood, Read asks him if he is all right and tosses him a lit cigarette, which George throws back in disgust. 'Keithy, hey, come on mate,' Read says. 'You don't much like me, do you Keith?' George: 'You bash people for no reason just to make a name for yourself. You're a f***in' idiot.' As George slides around in an ever-expanding pool of his own blood (above), Read asks him if he is all right and tosses him a lit cigarette, which George throws back in disgust After prison officers take the horrifically wounded George away for treatment the younger Read says to him: 'Off you go mate, off to the sick bay.' 'Ah, whinge, whinge, f***in' whinge.' The real-life version of Keith George was an armed robber, paid killer and later a protected informer, but his wife Irene saw another side to him. Before he became infamous for his violent deeds, the hired gun was a handy Golden Gloves boxer who played in a band and had a 'beautiful' voice. 'I know exactly what he was,' his wife said. 'I knew he was a liar, a cheat, a conman, a manipulator. That's what he was, so I don't hide that fact. 'It had me beat. I used to say to him, "You can play the guitar, you can sing, you can do lots of things and yet you've got to do all this s***". 'But underneath that person he had some lovely ways. My granddaughter thought the world of him.' Areas where poor pupils perform the worst are disproportionately white, a report has found. A study from the Institute for Government (IfG) suggests ethnicity may be a factor in how badly poverty impacts on educational attainment. The think tank said disadvantaged white pupils have particularly poor educational outcomes in terms of attainment in Year 6 Sats. It comes after official data showed only 3 per cent of British white pupils from low income families attend a top university one of the least successful groups. Last week, Bridget Phillipson said it was a national disgrace that so many white working class children were written off and failed to achieve their potential. The IfG report referenced previous research which found this demographic is overrepresented in rural and coastal areas where there is lower funding higher teacher vacancies, longer travel times and worse digital infrastructure. The report adds: Factors from childrens home environments, such as varying aspirations among parents from different ethnic backgrounds, also likely play a role. The IfG analysis found that for some ethnicities, such as Chinese, disadvantaged children performed almost the same as their more advantaged peers in the Year 6 Sats. Your browser does not support iframes. Areas where poor pupils perform the worst are disproportionately white, a report has found (file picture) Your browser does not support iframes. There was just a 1 percentage point gap between them in terms of proportions meeting the expected level in the tests. However, for white British children, there was a 26 percentage point difference between disadvantaged and more advantaged and neither group performed as well as the Chinese students. The report examined the councils in England and identified the bottom fifth for performance of disadvantaged pupils. It found the vast majority of these had above average shares of white children within their population of disadvantaged pupils. On average nationally, 67 per cent of disadvantaged primary school pupils are white. The think tank has said tackling high absence rates particularly among disadvantaged pupils will be key to narrowing educational inequalities. Your browser does not support iframes. A study from the Institute for Government (IfG) suggests ethnicity may be a factor in how badly poverty impacts on educational attainment (pictured: Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson) Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Report author Amber Dellar said: The pandemic has undone much of the last decades progress in tackling educational inequalities, leaving some areas and groups of children far behind. Any serious plan must focus on helping schools share what works in supporting disadvantaged pupils and reducing their high rates of absence. Separate data shows only 18.6 per cent of deprived white British pupils achieved at least a grade 5 considered a strong pass in their English and maths GCSEs in 2023-24, compared to 45.9 per cent of all pupils. A Department for Education spokesman said: Tackling the baked-in inequalities in our education system will take time, but through our Plan for Change this government is taking action against the root causes that we know are holding young people back. We are driving high and rising standards for every child through the expert-led Curriculum and Assessment Review, new RISE teams and strengthened school accountability. 'This comes alongside work to tackle disadvantage including expanding free school meals, rolling out free breakfast clubs and revitalising family services in every local authority. But we know there is more to do, which is why we will bring about the reforms needed through our Schools White Paper later this year to create an education system where every child can thrive, regardless of their background. The Republican Party was already braced for the imminent trial of a GOP lawmaker in South Carolina who was arrested in June on sickening child pornography charges. But now sources have told the Daily Mail that former state House Rep. RJ May, 38, who has close ties to several sitting U.S. congressmen, may be using those powerful connections to get off the hook. May was indicted on 10 charges of distributing child sexual abuse material after he allegedly sent videos depicting child and toddler sexual abuse over the Kik social messaging app, court documents say. Prosecutors say that he sent or received over 1,100 messages related to the alleged abuse. And he allegedly did so while going about normal daily life, including during his political work and while spending time with his family, the court documents say. May has been married to his wife Beth since 2016 and they have two young children. Since his arrest, he has been held without bond at the Edgefield County jail and his trial is expected to begin in October. But - and despite having been charged some two months ago - May only resigned his seat in the state House earlier this month. May did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment and has pleaded not guilty. Former South Carolina State Representative RJ May was arrested in June on charges of distributing child sexual abuse material. He has pleaded not guilty RJ May and his wife, Beth, and one of their children The scandal has ignited South Carolina's capital of Columbia, where Republicans now worry how the fallout will impact their own reputations. It certainly won't help that sources tell the Daily Mail how May's powerful GOP allies may be quietly working to get him off the hook, or at least ensure a lesser punishment, amounting to what could be a 'cover-up' attempt. May's alleged crimes came to light after the social media app Kik sent a tip to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The username 'joebidennnn69,' attributed to May, had allegedly circulated disturbing child pornography material. The three-term local Republican allegedly used the account to exchange at least 220 videos for five days in the spring of 2024, court files say. Authorities claim that the documents were downloaded on May's home WiFi network. May's defense has pushed back, arguing that someone else could have sent the files over his home internet. May's defense also argued during a June hearing that investigators had not linked each of the Kik messages to the former state lawmaker. If convicted, May faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the charges to which he has pleaded not guilty. 'The RJ May issue is a huge issue, and people are scratching their heads, wondering why he didn't resign sooner,' Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., told the Daily Mail. 'He just resigned this month.' May's house was raided by federal authorities in August 2024. But the cause for the raid remained a mystery until June 2025, when he was indicted on the child sexual abuse material charges. South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace told the Daily Mail that May should have resigned his seat before being arrested 'This has been going on for, I think, close to a year, is what I'm told. And he should have resigned a long time ago, before he ever got indicted. And, I mean, everyone knew this was happening, apparently,' the congresswoman said. Mace, 47, who recently launched a bid for South Carolina governor, admitted the alleged behavior tarnished the state's GOP. Representing a sizable district outside of Charleston, Mace has also gone through a high-profile sexual abuse case in the state. In February, Mace accused several men of being 'predators' during a speech on the House floor in Congress. She accused her ex-fiance, Patrick Bryant, and three of his male associates of rape, sex trafficking, and recording sex acts with her and other women without consent. Bryant and the other men have all strongly denied and pushed back on the allegations. Brian Musgrave, a South Carolina man whom Mace named during her floor speech, has filed a defamation case against the congresswoman. Court files allege that May had exchanged 220 files of toddlers and young kids involved in sex acts on the social messaging app Kik Mace, who is running for governor in South Carolina, told the Daily Mail that, if she wins, she would condone a 'public execution' for those who commit sex crimes against children 'I have personal experience with this sort of thing,' she told the Daily Mail of May's case. 'It's devastating, and it's why I will fight so hard to protect women and kids. 'I hope that there will be a new day in South Carolina when I'm Governor, where we are actually prosecuting murderers, where we are actually prosecuting rape, where we are actually prosecuting pedophiles.' 'I would have no problem as governor having a public execution to set the standard and set the example. So we can stem the tide of this horrific behavior.' However, May's political connections may safeguard him from the most severe punishments, another South Carolina lawmaker told the Daily Mail on condition of anonymity. 'Tens, maybe dozens of electeds, House and Senate members in the state legislature, pay RJ May for [political] consulting,' the lawmaker told the Daily Mail. 'And congressional members, too.' U.S. Republican Representatives Joe Wilson and Russell Fry have both paid May for political consulting, our source shared. So has South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, they added. There is no suggestion any of May's clients have engaged in a 'cover-up' of his alleged offenses. None of the men named here responded to requests for comment. 'I think the level of corruption we're talking about, the hillbilly, backyard, Dukes of Hazzard justice down here, it would be really great if you could expose some of it,' our source separately alleged. Jordan Pace, a South Carolina state legislator who called for May's removal soon after his crimes came to light, told the Daily Mail that many local lawmakers had no idea the extent of May's alleged crimes until a court unsealed his indictment months after his arrest. South Carolina state Representative Jordan Pace called for a statehouse vote to expel May from the local legislature 'When they raided his house, the warrant for the raid was sealed, and it stayed sealed after he was arrested two months ago,' Pace said. 'I mean, there was speculation, there's all kinds of rumors. 'But when it came out, we were obviously shocked and disgusted, disappointed, feeling betrayed.' When May was arrested on June 11, his wife, Beth, was photographed appearing shocked. Later at a court hearing, she reportedly refused to even glance at her husband. When determining whether May would stay in jail while he waited for trial, Magistrate Judge Hodges said: 'I am concerned about the danger to the community, specifically to Mr. Mays own minor children, as well as to other children who are somebodys children.' 'If this guy can deceive his wife for years about this stuff, and she had no idea, and they shared a bedroom, then he can certainly pull the wool over anybody's eyes,' Pace told the Daily Mail. Australia's prohibitively expensive electricity prices and high government spending have been blamed for the nation's productivity crisis - which risk making the nation poorer. Nationals senator Matt Canavan has convened an alternative roundtable at Parliament House in Canberra to Treasurer Jim Chalmers' three-day Economic Reform Roundtable. Chalmers is trying to find policy solutions to Australia's slipping living standards. Senator Canavan said: 'There was no mention of a tripling of electricity prices that have occurred in the past 20 years.' 'There's no mention of the government spending that we've seen that is crowding out private investment.' Canavan, a former economist with the Productivity Commission, noted that from 1990 to 2004, electricity prices had fallen by 19 per cent. 'We actually got in there and made some hard decisions and we lowered the cost of living for Australian people and of course helped Australian businesses compete with the rest of the world,' he said. 'Of course, since then we've lost complete control of electricity prices.' Nationals senator Matt Canavan has convened an alternative roundtable at Parliament House in Canberra to Treasurer Jim Chalmers ' Economic Reform Roundtable During the 1990s to the mid-2000s, Australia's productivity - or hourly output per worker - increased by an average annual pace of 2.1 per cent during the first decade of the internet. That was a far cry from the one per cent plunge in the year to March on Anthony Albanese's watch as Prime Minister. The Reserve Bank has slashed its growth forecast to just 0.7 per cent a year for the next two years. Economists have linked Australia's weak productivity growth during the past decade to a reluctance by companies to invest in new technology and machinery that would make businesses more productive. 'We are not, in my view, going to fix our productivity crisis if we cannot lower energy prices in the country, it's as simple as that,' Canavan said. Gary Banks, a former chairman of the Productivity Commission, said Australia's productivity crisis risked making Australians poorer. 'Productivity ... has become a matter of general concern if not consternation,' he said. 'Even more concerning is the expectation, which is embedded in the Treasury's latest Intergenerational Report, of a much diminished future rate of productivity growth compared to what it was in the past. Senator Canavan, a former economist with the Productivity Commission, noted that from 1990 to 2004, electricity prices had fallen by 19 per cent - unlike now 'That will bring with it a comparable diminution in income growth and thus living standards in the longer term.' Chalmers on Wednesday said the second day of his three-day roundtable would focus on addressing Australia's productivity crisis. 'The first day was about resilience, today is about productivity and tomorrow more fundamentally about the Budget,' he said. 'But we all know those three things are very tightly linked. 'Productivity really sits at the core of so much of what were trying to achieve. 'In the conversations yesterday about attracting more investment, about capital deepening, capital flows in the world and in our own economy. 'Productivity is the central focus of the government, of today's part of the roundtable, but also the work that we will all do in the months and years ahead. 'It was a really deliberate decision by our government to put productivity at the centre of our economic agenda and that's primarily or exclusively because that's how we get those higher living standards that we need to see in our economy.' Treasury is forecasting a string of deficits for at least the coming decade with government spending as a proportion of the economy at the highest level since 1986, outside of the Covid pandemic. Shadow treasurer Ted O'Brien told Canavan's summit that workers would end up paying higher income taxes unless government spending was restrained. 'Absolutely key to where the real problem lies, that is, the government has to stop the spending spree because if it doesn't, then it's only going to go after more taxes, and the only tax they are really relying on is income tax increases,' he said. 'That's entirely what they think is going to close the gap of the deficits.' Income taxes are expected to make up almost 52 per cent of commonwealth revenue during this financial year with neither side of politics committed to raising the GST from 10 per cent or broadening it to cover fresh food, health and education. Labor is also committed to a net zero by 2050 target and a 43 per cent reduction by 2030, with an 82 per cent renewable energy target. A cancer survivor has lashed out after the government refused her request to have personalised number plates honouring the dog that helped her through her recovery. Gold Coast dog owner Julie Elder, 52, has started a petition calling for the Queensland Government to allow her to obtain the custom number plate: K9 CAB. Ms Elder has already spent $2,500, and she has been offered a refund, but she refuses to accept it as she is determined to get the plates approved. Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (QTMR) released an update on Wednesday, revealing the plate request had been approved. The 52-year-old adopted the puppy of her dreams, Elton, two years ago as she was being wheeled into surgery to remove tumours from her hands. Elton quickly become her 'rock' through recovery. 'I've pretty much reworked my life around him,' Ms Elder told Daily Mail. 'He's brought balance to my life in hard times and kept me going even when I felt like giving up.' Cancer survivor Julie Elder (right) sought to buy the personalised number plates 'K9 CAB' in honour of her dog, Elton (left) Ms Elder wanted to thank Elton (pictured) for being her 'rock' during her recovery by personalising a car to his needs Part of the changes Ms Elder has made include swapping her car with leather interiors for a Volkswagen Caddy, more suited for a midsize dog. 'I'd bought these dog steps, but they didn't fit into my car properly,' she said. 'So, last week I went and bought a second-hand Volkswagen Caddy that I'm now decking out purely for him, it'll be his ride. It'll be Elton's ride. 'I thought, "I've got private plates on my other cars. I'm getting private plates for Elton, and it's going to be his taxi cab".' The plate, K9 CAB, was intended to be a fun play on words for Ms Elder's canine car. However, shortly after applying for the number plate, she received an email from QTMR. The department said: 'We understand you do not have any negative intentions selecting this combination. 'We must consider how this precise plate may be viewed by all members of the community.' Elton had helped Ms Elder keep moving and stay positive following surgery on her hands (pictured) two years ago Ms Elder believes the denial of the plates for Elton's (pictured) car is an example of 'bureaucracy gone mad' The moderator appeared concerned by the word 'cab', as it could cause confusion. Ms Elder has slammed the excuse as 'ridiculous', as no one would mistake her personal car for a taxi service. 'I ask people everywhere I go - I show people the plates and ask what they think. Everyone says there's nothing wrong with them,' she said. 'Cabs hardly even exist anymore. It's all rideshare now. They're out of step with modern transport and how people express themselves. 'That's why I put the petition up, to try and get them to see the logic rather than the bureaucratic craziness that's going on.' Ms Elder's petition is available to sign on Change.org and has received 30 signatures so far. While she's not convinced a successful petition would see her plates approved, she hopes it can be an example to the Queensland Government of its 'over-governance'. 'It's bureaucracy gone mad. It's predicting a problem that doesn't exist in the community,' Ms Elder said of her plates being denied. 'I've sent another email asking to speak with the moderators but haven't heard back yet. At the moment, I can either cancel my order for a refund or submit a new plate.' The teenage boy suspected of the rape and murder of 13-year-old Casey-Louise Horrocks is back home behaving 'like he doesn't have a care in the world,' according to neighbours. The schoolgirl was found by paramedics 'unresponsive' last Monday night. She died later in hospital. West Yorkshire Police arrested the boy, who lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, on suspicion of Casey-Louise's rape and murder and the alleged rape of another local girl, aged 16. He was released on conditional police bail pending further enquiries on Friday, August 15. A neighbour said: 'I saw him come home on Friday lunchtime and he can't have spent more than 15 minutes in the house before he was heading out again. 'He left through the gate and jogged away, probably off to meet his mates. 'He is acting like he doesn't have a care in the world.' Casey-Louise Horrocks pictured cradling her baby sister, Mia Friends and relatives have been sharing memories of Casey-Louise online The 'caring soul' was a pupil at Mossley Hollins High School, in Manchester Another local said: 'He is well known in the area and you would think he would be keeping a low profile under the circumstances. 'I mean, a young lass has died and I think he should show a bit more respect. Maybe stop in and not go out so much.' Today new photographs of Casey-Louise, including one of her cradling what is believed to be her baby sister, Mia, were posted by friends and relatives on a tribute site online. A link to the site, posted on Facebook by Anthony Barton Funeral Directors, encouraged people to share memories, poems and pictures of the 'bright, caring soul who touched the lives of everyone around her.' Among those leaving their 'thoughts' was Casey-Louise's 'best mate', named Cole, who wrote: 'RIP Casey you'll be missed so much. Can't believe you left us so early your (sic) flying with the angels now, fly high love you lots my thunder buddie in the sky.' Her Auntie Dani added that she missed her 'so much,' saying: 'Forever 13. Love you so much bubba xxxx.' While Paula Mills wrote: 'Fly high with the angels beautiful girl. I hope there's an amazing afterlife waiting for you where all your hopes and dreams come true. #foreveryoung#forever13.' While another contributor added: 'You've left a massive hole in the lives of all who had the pleasure of knowing you. Sweet dreams Casey, you'll be sadly missed xx.' Casey-Louise was 'deeply loved' and will be 'much missed,' her friends posted online She was being looked after in local authority care at the time of her death Casey-Louise with an unnamed friend in a picture posted onto the GoFundMe fundraising site In a statement, Mossley Hollins High School, in Manchester, where Casey-Louise was a pupil, said they were 'heartbroken' at the death of the 'big-hearted' youngster. 'We are heartbroken by the loss of CaseyLouise, a one-of-a-kind young person who brought spirit and warmth wherever she went,' the statement said. 'Casey was bright, full of character, always full of life, and never afraid to be herself. Those lucky enough to know her saw what a big heart she had. 'She was funny, sweet, had a smile that could brighten anyone's day and will be deeply missed by our school community. 'This heartbreaking news has deeply affected our community and as we come to terms with this loss, our thoughts are with Casey-Louise's family, loved ones and all those impacted at this incredibly difficult time.' Pupils will be offered emotional support when they return in September, the statement added. Casey-Louise was found unresponsive by emergency services just after 11.30pm last Monday, August 11. She was taken to hospital but died in the early hours of the following day. A postmortem was inconclusive and it is understood police are awaiting the results of toxiocology tests and a second autopsy to try and establish her cause of death. Originally from Manchester, Casey-Louise was in local authority care when she died. She had been living in Liverpool and was just visiting Huddersfield at the time of her death. Friend Tina Cooper also set up an online fundraiser for the youngster's funeral. So far more than 2,000 has been donated. She said: 'Casey was a vibrant happy 13-year-old with all her life ahead of her. 'Our hearts go out to Casey's family. No one should have to bury their child. Let's help her family send their daughter on her final journey with dignity.' Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson, of West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, previously said: 'A post-mortem was not able to determine how she died, and we continue to treat her death as unexplained at this time, pending more enquiries. 'Those enquiries are complex and are likely to be lengthy as we work to fully understand the circumstances of the girl's death. Specially trained officers are supporting her family at this time.' The news of Casey-Louise's death has sent shockwaves through the town. Huddersfield MP Harpreet Uppal said: 'This is a tragic case and my thoughts remain with the 13-year-old teenager and her family and friends. I have been in contact with the police and I am being updated on the investigation.' From shaking hands with Princess Anne to the 'arrogant' courtroom testimony that would prove his undoing, a forensic psychologist traces Harold Shipman's final months before conviction on a new Daily Mail podcast. Dr Andrew Johns, a key witness at the Shipman inquiry, tells Psychology of a Serial Killer how Dr Death's behaviour became increasingly erratic after his 1999 arrest for Kathleen Grundy's murder. Shipman, a GP suspected of killing 215-250 patients with lethal doses of diamorphine (medical heroin) between 1975-1998, was finally arrested after an exhumation of Grundy's body revealed lethal levels of the deadly opiate. Listen to The Psychology of a Serial Killer below or by clicking here. Grundy was an 81-year-old pensioner who mysteriously died after being visited at her home by Shipman, her local GP. After her death, it emerged that Grundy had seemingly left everything to Shipman in her will, raising immediate suspicions and sparking a police investigation. Following his arrest, Shipman was held at the infamous Strangeways Prison, where his sinister mind began to fully unravel. Harold Shipman: The Final Months Before Conviction Despite overwhelming evidence, Shipman maintained his innocence during his remand at Strangeways. The serial killer charmed guards and inmates with his medical expertise, presenting himself as a wrongly accused doctor. 'Shipman appeared to adapt to prison life well and told others the accusations against him were false', Dr Andrew Johns recounted. 'He insisted on being called doctor and was considered so well behaved that he was chosen to welcome visiting VIPs to the prison. 'Shipman shook hands with Princess Anne and chatted to her. In letters to friends, he boasted about his Royal connections. 'He arrogantly told one: 'It's a pity Princess Anne looks like a horse.' 'Shipman saw himself as intellectually superior to other prisoners, holding unofficial surgeries and giving medical advice to inmates and officers. Despite overwhelming evidence, Shipman maintained his innocence during his remand at Strangeways Dr Andrew Johns (left) was called to give expert testimony during the official inquiry into Shipman's murders. Listen here 'Shipman was considered so well behaved that he was chosen to welcome visiting VIPs to the prison.' Listen here 'His wife, Primrose, visited him every day with their children. She was described as seeming buoyant, never doubting him. She told others the whole thing was a big mistake.' During his time at Strangeways, police charged Shipman with the murders of seven more women, meaning the Hyde GP would face a total of 15 murder charges at his trial. Upon hearing this news, Shipman's defence lawyers tried to convince him to take a psychiatric assessment, hoping professionals would find him medically unfit. 'Shipman refused', Dr Johns said. 'He did not want his team to run a mental health defence at trial.' Shipman's denialism would carry over to his murder trial, with the GP pleading not guilty and demanding to give his own testimony. In British law, the accused does not have to give evidence at their own trial. Dr Johns suspects Shipman's 'arrogance' influenced this decision, believing he could charm the jury despite the mountain of evidence against him. 'The evidence was overwhelming', Dr Johns said. 'All of the victims had died from morphine which had not been prescribed for them. All had died unexpectedly, and Shipman had seen every victim on the day of their deaths. 'There was no question of euthanasia or mercy killing none of the victims had been terminally unwell. 'The court even heard that Shipman had prescribed heroin for patients who were already dead, stockpiling thousands of milligrams of the drug.' On January 31, 2000, Shipman was found guilty of all 15 counts of murder and one count of forgery, receiving 15 life sentences with a recommendation he never be released Nominating himself to give evidence, the prosecution gleefully took the opportunity to grill a 'nervous and pale' Shipman for 7 days. The killer's excuses quickly wore thin as he desperately tried to rationalise the damning evidence against him. 'Shipman claimed that the morphine found at his home was a simple oversight', Dr Johns said. 'He could not explain why there was morphine found in the bodies of the exhumed victims, other than to claim 81-year-old Grundy was a drug abuser. 'The prosecution pointed out to Shipman that not once in any of the cases did he attempt resuscitation or call an ambulance or admit anyone to hospital or permit a postmortem. 'The obvious explanation was that he was guilty.' On January 31, 2000, Shipman was found guilty of all 15 counts of murder and one count of forgery, receiving 15 life sentences with a recommendation he never be released. To listen to a dramatic recreation of the Shipman trial, search for The Psychology of a Serial Killer now, wherever you get your podcasts. Cash seized from gangsters should be used by police to tackle a surge in serious organised crime, a watchdog has said. Craig Naylor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, said ill-gotten gains should be directed to funding the fight against gangland crime. He said the return of significant violence and disorder associated with serious organised crime groups meant the problem was increasingly complex. It comes amid a spate of violence involving rival crime groups in Scotland and beyond including the fatal shootings of two men who were both major players in the Glasgow-based Lyons crime clan in a bar in Spain. In his annual report, Mr Naylor called for an Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS), where Police Scotland and other approved bodies could receive money raised from criminals seized assets to spend directly on fighting crime. A similar scheme is already operational in the rest of the UK. Cash seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) is currently paid into government funds under a scheme called CashBack for Communities. Since 2008, 156million has been spent on community initiatives such as playparks to improve the quality of life of young people. Mr Naylor said: The Home Office encourages agencies to invest ARIS funds into areas that will increase asset recovery or, where appropriate, to fund local crime fighting priorities. This process is not applicable in Scotland. James 'The Don' White was jailed for almost 10 years Jamie 'Iceman' Stevenson was jailed for a 100m plot to smuggle cocaine in banana boxes During 2023-24 more than 10million was recovered in Scotland using Proceeds of Crime legislation. Elsewhere in the UK proceeds of crime assets to the value of 243million were recovered during 2023-24. From this, 98.1million of ARIS money was distributed to fund crime-fighting. Mr Naylor said gangland incidents are often contained within a limited geographical area, but on this occasion have stretched across the east and west regions of the country. Meanwhile, a report by forensics experts submitted to the Scottish Police Authority said the pressure of work caused by gangland crime was impacting on other routine casework. It said that further overtime is being worked across the relevant teams, however there will inevitably be an impact on some of the routine casework being undertaken within the service. The report added: Managers will continue to liaise with Police Scotland and COPFS (Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service) colleagues to ensure that this does not impact on high priority casework. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: Disrupting organised crime remains a priority for the Scottish Government. Money recovered through the POCA is primarily used to fund community projects aimed at diverting young people away from crime. James The Don White and Jamie Iceman Stevenson were both involved in international drug smuggling. Stevenson orchestrated a plot to smuggle cocaine worth 100m from South America in boxes of bananas and is currently serving a 16 year jail term. White was extradited from Brazil and in August 2023 jailed for 10 years for serious organised crime and firearms offences. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent Anthony Albanese a letter this week accusing him of 'pouring fuel on the antisemitism fire' - days before he accused the PM of 'abandoning Australia's Jews'. In the letter, Netanyahu warns Albanese must change course in confronting the 'alarming rise in antisemitism in Australia' by the Jewish New Year on September 23, 2025. The letter does not spell out the consequences should the Prime Minister not heed his warning. On Tuesday evening, Netanyahu took to social media to denounce Albanese as 'weak' and claimed he had 'betrayed Israel' - in an astonishing attack by a foreign country on on an Australian leader. He wrote: 'History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews.' The attack follows Israels decision to revoke the visas of Australian diplomats who engage with the Palestinian Authority. This was in retaliation for Australias announcement to recognise Palestine as a state and its cancellation of visas for several far-right Israeli politicians. Following Netanyahus comments, Home Affairs minister Tony Burke hit back on Wednesday morning. 'Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many people you can leave hungry,' Burke said. 'Strength is much better measured by what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when there's a decision we know Israel won't like he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote a letter (pictured) to Australian PM Anthony Albanese Netanyahu called for Albanese (pictured) to 'replace weakness with action' and 'appeasement with resolve' by supporting Israel Before the public attack on Australia's prime minister, Netanyahu had sent Albanese a strongly worded letter on August 17, condemning him for failing to address what he described as an 'epidemic' of antisemitism that had 'intensified' under his leadership. 'Prime Minister, antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent. It retreats when leaders act. I call upon you to replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve, and to do so by a clear date: the Jewish New Year, September 23, 2025,' Mr Netanyahu writes in the letter. The Israeli PM claimed Australia's announcement to support a move to recognise a state of Palestine 'rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas's refusal to free the hostages', 'emboldens those who menace Australian Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets.' 'It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement,' Netanyahu wrote in the letter. 'Following Hamas's savage attack on the people of Israel on October 7, 2023, pro-Hamas extremists and left-wing radicals began a campaign of intimidation, vandalism and violence against Jews across the free world,' Mr Netanyahu wrote to Mr Albanese. 'In Australia, that campaign has intensified under your watch.' He went on to highlight several acts of anti-semitism against the Jewish community in Australia. 'In June, vandals defaced a historic Melbourne synagogue with graffiti praising Iran and calling to 'Free Palestine',' Mr Netanyahu wrote. 'In July, arsonists targeted the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation during Shabbat dinner, forcing twenty worshippers to flee for their lives. On August 11, Albanese announced Australia would support a move to recognise a state of Palestine at next month's United Nations assembly (pictured, a woman in Gaza on Tuesday) Netanyahu (pictured) claimed Australia had suffered an 'epidemic' of anti-Semitism which 'intensified' under Albanese's leadership 'That same night, masked rioters stormed an Israeli-owned restaurant in central Melbourne, destroying property, hurling furniture and shouting 'Death to the IDF'. These are not isolated incidents. This is an epidemic.' For examples of how Albanese could support Israel, Netanyahu pointed to the US, and went on to praise president Donald Trump. 'As President Trump has shown, antisemitism can and must be confronted,' he states. 'The President is protecting the civil rights of American Jews, enforcing the law, protecting public order and prosecuting antisemitic crimes. He has also deported Hamas sympathizers and revoked the visas of foreign students who incite violence against Jews.' At the end of the tense letter, Netanyahu told Albanese: 'History will not forgive hesitation. It will honour action.' On Monday, it emerged that Australia had revoked the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman over some of his provocative comments including describing children in Gaza as enemies. Australia has also denied entry to former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked, based on anti-Palestinian comments, and Israeli advocate Hillel Fuld. In response, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said the visas of Australia's representatives to the Palestinian Authority had been revoked. He also instructed the Israel Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry into Israel. The diplomatic tit-for-tat prompted Foreign Minister Penny Wong to accuse Benjamin Netanyahu of 'isolating Israel'. A Virginia Christian school released a biblically-inspired statement after one of its teachers was arrested for having sex with a minor. Katelin Campbell, 34, an English teacher at CH Friend School for seventh through 12th graders, was arrested on August 14 for an incident that occurred on November 1, involving a teenager, PEOPLE reports. Details about the alleged incident remain have not been released, and it is unclear whether the male victim was a student at the private Christian academy. But school headmistress Dana Jones told WSET that an accusation against Campbell was brought to her attention last month and she immediately alerted police and fired the educator. 'We chose integrity instead of [the allegations] being swept under the rug,' she said in a statement. 'Scripture is very clear that if it was done in the dark, it was going to be brought to light,' Jones continued. 'We understand that [by] taking it to the police department, it was going to come shine a light onto us. 'We took what we were told and let them carry on with their investigation.' Katelin Campbell, 34, was arrested on August 14 for having sex with a minor on November 1 Campbell worked as an English teacher at CH Friend School for seventh through 12th graders Campbell is now charged with taking indecent liberties with a child by [a] person in [a] custodial relationship and consensual intercourse with or by a child age 15 or older. She was booked at the Halifax County Adult Detention Center, but was released on a $2,500 bond. Daily Mail has reached out to the Commonwealth Attorney's Office for more information about the allegations against Campbell. Former Vice President Kamala Harris's stepdaughter has been blasted online for complaining about her 'climate anxiety' while still using plastic bags. Ella Emhoff, a 26-year-old model and designer, shared a 'little check-in' with her TikTok followers this week, reflecting on how the past four years - and her stepmother's election loss - have sharpened her focus on the world around her. Environmental change, she noted, stood out as a major driver of the torment shes been experiencing. 'I think everything with the environment is really... f***ing getting to me,' Emhoff said in her video. 'I experience a lot of climate anxiety,' she added with an uneasy laugh. 'Like I think a lot of us do.' But her comments sparked a wave of backlash and accusations of hypocrisy, as she had been seen happily holding a plastic bag just the day before - a detail made all the more striking given her stepmothers previous push to ban single-use plastics. Kamala Harris first endorsed banning plastic straws during her failed presidential campaign, at a climate change town hall meeting with CNN in September 2019. I think we should, yes, Harris said when asked if she supported the idea. Ella Emhoff (pictured), the 26-year-old stepdaughter of former Vice President Kamala Harris, sparked controversy by sharing her struggles with 'climate anxiety' to TikTok - just days after being spotted leaving a craft store with plastic bags in hand Just hours before her serious sit-down update, Emhoff posted a TikTok visiting a California-based thrift store, waving a plastic bag in the air while posing in front of the stores sign (pictured) This isnt the first time Emhoff (pictured) has been seen using plastic bags so casually across her social media platforms However, when she launched her own campaign in 2024, she reversed her position and quietly dropped the proposed ban. Then, in January, fans expressed outrage after spotting Harris and her husband carrying plastic bags during a grocery store trip - similarly, branding the pair as hypocrites. The plastic bag stood in contrast to what the American would have perceived her to be an environmentalist, given Californias 10cent fine on single-use bags and the long-term impact on the environment that plastics may pose. Harris's shock decision to walk back her controversial position proved to be an attempt by her failed campaign to make the Dem candidate seem 'more practical' on a host of issues. On Friday, Emhoff's nearly seven-minute video updated her 53,000 TikTok followers on her life since Donald Trumps landslide victory over her stepmom. She voiced her 'disgust' over the current state of global affairs, specifically citing genocide, the erosion of rights, loss of healthcare and a pervasive sense of fear surrounding affordability and the livelihoods of everyday Americans. Emhoff then shifted her focus to her profound anxiety about the changing climate, admitting that although its no laughing matter, the gravity of it often leaves her with nothing but a nervous laugh. 'It's scary, it is,' she said directly to the camera lens. In Emhoff's video, she voiced 'disgust' over the current state of global affairs - specifically citing genocide, the erosion of rights, loss of healthcare and a pervasive sense of fear surrounding affordability and the livelihoods of Americans (pictured: Cole Emhoff, Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris, Ella Emhoff) The day before expressing her 'climate anxiety,' Emhoff proudly displayed two bags full of treasures from thrifting - one stuffed inside a plastic 'Have A Nice Day' bag (pictured) 'All of these things are happening - and besides the small things we can do, and pushing for change and fighting and protesting - it's really hard not to sit in those moments where it feels so heavy,' she added. However, just hours before her serious sit-down update, Emhoff posted a TikTok visiting Remainders, a California-based arts and crafts thrift store. In the opening seconds of the clip, the 26-year-old model was seen outside the Pasadena store, waving a plastic bag in the air while posing in front of the stores sign. The video then cut to the stores interior, revealing rows of boxes filled with vintage and heirloom trinkets, before transitioning to Emhoff back at home, ready to share her finds with her followers. Sitting on her bed with her small dog resting behind her, she proudly displayed two bags full of treasures - one stuffed inside a plastic 'Have A Nice Day' bag. Meanwhile, her dog sported a leash fitted with - of all things - a green plastic poop bag. While some praised her for thrifting her supplies instead of supporting big businesses, many online quickly called out what they saw as blatant hypocrisy given her professed climate anxiety. 'Look at allllll the plastic bags,' one comment read. 'In fact, didn't you call for banning single use plastic bags, or was that just for everyone else but you?' Many viewers were quick to call out Kamala Harriss flip-flopping on plastic use - while also criticizing Emhoff over the frequent flights taken by her stepmother and father (pictured) In January, fans expressed outrage after spotting Harris and her husband carrying plastic bags during a grocery store trip (pictured) - again, branding the pair as hypocrites Another comment said: 'You should probably not support a store filled with excessive plastic bins as shelves. It might worsen your climate anxiety. Not surprised one bit by the hypocrisy. People like you are truly doing a great amount of damage to our country. It's dangerous.' 'PRAYING FOR YOU THAT THE FALSE CLIMATE NARRATIVE ISN'T OVERWHELMING YOU,' wrote a third. But this isnt the first time Emhoff has been seen using plastic bags so casually. Many viewers were quick to call out Harriss flip-flopping on plastic use - all while criticizing Emhoff over the frequent flights taken by her stepmother and father. 'Please stop having your father and step mom fly private everywhere,' one angered user wrote under the model's video. 'It's giving me terrible climate anxiety,' they added, using Emhoff's own words against her. 'If not for them flying as much as they do privately, I believe the average temperature would be one degree lower.' Last month, Emhoff also shared a video of her farmers market haul - one that didnt exactly shy away from plastic use. She showcased two plastic bottles of tomato juice, tomatoes nestled in a small blue plastic container, fruit being taken out of plastic bags, and tofu wrapped in a sealed plastic package. Last year, she shared an organization video on Instagram, showing large plastic bags filled with dozens of skeins of yarn, which she unpacked and neatly arranged on her wall. Tulsi Gabbard continued her purge of the deep state, revoking security clearances of 37 Obama-linked officials tied to the infamous Russiagate hoax. The move by the director of national intelligence was Trump's latest act of retribution against federal officials who worked under Democrats. Gabbard accused the officials of having engaged in the 'politicization or weaponization of intelligence' to advance partisan goals. Many of the officials who were singled out left the government years ago and served in a broad range of roles, including in senior positions and lower-profile roles far from the public eye. Some have been openly critical of Trump and some worked on the intelligence community assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election on Trump's behalf. When The Daily Mail reached out for comment, the Office of the DNI directed us to a lengthy statement from Gabbard. 'Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right,' she said. The Trump official also claimed some in the intelligence community betrayed 'their oath to the Constitution.' She did not provide any evidence. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told The Daily Mail in a statement that Gabbard has Trump's full support. Tulsi Gabbard continued her purge of the deep state, revoking security clearances of 37 Obama-linked officials tied to the infamous Russiagate hoax which she has called a 'treasonous conspiracy' It comes just weeks after Gabbard accused Obama of treason and Donald Trump suggested AG Pam Bondi could prosecute him 'President Trump promised to end the weaponization of government against American citizens which is why Director Gabbard rightfully directed the revocation of 37 security clearances from current and former intelligence officials who abused their positions of public trust,' Ingle said. The action is part of a broader Trump administration campaign to wield the levers of government against perceived adversaries. It reflects the president's continued distrust of intelligence officials from prior Democratic administrations and risks chilling dissenting voices from within the national security community. The revocation of clearances, a vital tool for intelligence professionals needing to preserve access to sensitive information, has been a go-to tactic for Trump. Its been used to target law firms that have fallen out of favor as well as dozens of former officials who signed onto a letter saying that the Hunter Biden laptop saga bore the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation campaign. 'These are unlawful and unconstitutional decisions that deviate from well-settled, decades-old laws and policies that sought to protect against just this type of action,' Mark Zaid, a national security lawyer whose own clearance was revoked by the Trump administration, said in a statement. In the last month Gabbard has declassified a series of years-old documents meant to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the assessment on Russian election interference. Many of those whose clearances were revoked only learned of the Gabbard action from news reports published Tuesday, according to two former government officials who were on the list. 'Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right,' Gabbard said in a statement Both spoke on the condition of anonymity as they ponder whether to take legal action. It comes just weeks after Gabbard laid into Barack Obama on an appearance on Fox & Friends on Saturday, accusing him of 'treasonous conspiracy.' Gabbard cited allegations she made last week accusing Obama's White House of pushing a 'hoax' that Trump's 2016 campaign was propped up by the Kremlin. Trump also accused Obama of treason, while the 44th president issued a statement denying all the allegations lodged against him. 'The complicity, the deflection, and the silence of politicians, of the mainstream media, and of those directly implicated into this speaks volumes,' Gabbard said on Saturday. The former Democrat-turned-Republican also responded to a blistering comeback from Obama over her claims, in which Obama said Gabbard was making 'bizarre allegations' that are a 'weak attempt at distraction' from the Epstein files. Gabbard countered: 'President Obamas very carefully worded response that came from his office, again, deflects away from addressing any of the truth that was revealed. 'They would have to admit and actually address the details of their complicity in this or their absolute failure in conducting the most basic responsibilities of, again, asking, where is this intelligence coming from?' Gabbard is calling for an investigation into and potential criminal prosecution of anyone who took part which may include ex-President Barack Obama Gabbard made the remarks a day after she sent a criminal referral against Obama to Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleging he 'manufactured and politicized intelligence' to create a narrative implicating Trump with Russia. In an X post about her criminal referral, Gabbard said: 'Their goal was to usurp President Trump and subvert the will of the American people. 'No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The integrity of our democratic republic depends on it. 'We are turning over all documents to the DOJ for criminal referral.' Gabbard's rebuke of Obama comes after the former president issued a rare statement to condemn Trump's wild allegations of 'treason.' 'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response,' an Obama spokesperson said. 'But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.' The former president's spokesman then turned to Gabbard's report, saying: 'Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes. 'These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.' That last lined needled Trump's secretary of state and national security advisor, who was seated next to the president during his extended discourse on Obama and his team. Trump and Obama have a fraught relationship, although they were spotted chatting in what appeared to be amiable fashion at Jimmy Carter's funeral in January. Trump rode 'birther' conspiracies about Obama to influence in his first successful run for president. The pushback from Obama's team came after Trump issued an extraordinary call Tuesday to investigate the ex-president saying he had been caught 'cold' and accusing his predecessor of 'treason.' Trump issued his stunning series of attacks on the two-term Democratic president shortly after being asked yet another question about Jeffrey Epstein - the scandal that Obama appeared to be implying that Trump was trying to 'distract' from. Trump has since threatened to prosecute Obama, saying this week that Attorney General Pam Bondi should 'act' on the matter while also indicating it was at her discretion. A couple has been jailed after a man raped an unconscious woman while his partner filmed the sickening act. Their victim only found out what had happened when one of the pair blackmailed her by sending the footage and demanding 5,000. Indre Bruziene, 40, and her partner Vasile Radacanu, 33, invited the woman to their address in Sheerness, Kent on September 18, 2020. They downed alcoholic drinks together at the property, causing the victim to become intoxicated. Radacanu then raped her during which she was, at one point, unconscious. Bruziene filmed the incident throughout, first from through a window and later from inside the home. Radacanu clearly was aware he was being recorded as he made gestures towards the camera on several occasions. The victim then woke up in her own bed the next morning with no recollection of what had happened to her. A couple has been jailed after a man, named Vasile Radacanu, pictured, raped an unconscious woman while his partner filmed it Radacanu and Indre Bruziene, pictured, invited the woman to their address in Sheerness, Kent on September 18, 2020 In March 2021, she received a call from Bruziene accusing her of breaking up her family before sending her the clip of the rape. She asked the woman for 5,000 and claimed that if she did not pay her she would send the video to the victim's husband. The victim refused to pay the sum of money and told her family about the ordeal before calling the police. Radacanu, from Romania, and Bruziene, from Lithuania, were both arrested the next day. Their phones were seized by investigators and Radacanu was later charged with two rapes, attempted rape and two sexual assaults. Bruziene was charged with blackmail. The pair pleaded not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court but were convicted of these on January 28, 2025, following a trial. The pair pleaded not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court but were convicted of these on January 28, 2025, following a trial Radacanu was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison on Thursday, and Bruziene was jailed for three years and three months. Detective Constable Hollie Brown said: 'The criminal actions of Radacanu and Bruziene were unspeakably vile as they took advantage of a vulnerable victim who was not aware of what was happening to her. 'As soon as the victim received the video of her abuse from Bruziene she showed great courage in disclosing her ordeal to her family and then contacting the police. 'Detectives then swiftly secured the offenders phones and they have now, quite rightly, been brought to justice.' More than 5.1million Aussies who work for a small business will soon have the right to ignore calls and texts from their bosses after hours. The second stage of 'right to disconnect' laws comes into effect next Monday, exactly one year after the Albanese government enforced the rule for companies with more than 15 employees. The controversial laws give employees the right to refuse to monitor, read, or reply to contact outside their working hours, unless doing so is unreasonable. This includes contact from an employer, colleagues and third parties such as clients and suppliers. But the laws dont make it unlawful for an employer to contact an employee outside working hours. 'Instead, they give employees a right to refuse to monitor, read or respond to the contact, unless doing so is unreasonable,' the Fair Work Ombudsman website states. Whether or not a refusal is unreasonable will depend on the circumstances. Factors could include the nature of the worker's role and level of responsibility, their personal circumstances and extra pay, or compensation received for working additional hours or being available after hours. Workers who work for a small business will soon have the right to ignore calls and texts from their bosses after hours The second stage of 'right to disconnect' laws will come into effect for 5.1million Aussies next Monday Ahead of the major change, the NSW Small Business Commissioner has urged employers and employees from the outset to have a conversation about what out-of-hours contact might mean. 'They should set expectations about contact and responding to contact when either party is not working,' the website states. However, many questions remain, including what is considered unreasonable. There isn't any advice in the legislation, which encourages businesses to consider whether employees are being paid for this time after-hours or if the request is urgent. Those who don't comply with the laws have been threatened with hefty fines of up to $18,780 for individuals and $93,900 for companies per breach. However, no cases involving large companies have yet made it to court in the first year of legislation. The laws have reignited online debate among employees and small business operators. 'Im a manager and constantly get calls and texts after hours, weekends and holidays. Staff wanting to swap shifts, calling in sick, and security call-outs,' one woman posted online. The right to disconnect laws includes after-hours contact from an employer, colleagues and third parties such as clients and suppliers (stock image) 'Wow, Im gonna be getting paid 24/7. Shouldnt this work both ways? Staff should respect their bosses' time off also.' A worker added: 'Your boss is only your boss during work hours, after work hours hes just another person & I decide if I answer their calls or not.' Workers on call 24-7 were concerned about the potential impact the laws could have on their role. 'I work a job doing supermarket refrigeration service, does this mean I can ignore emergency breakdowns, even though Im on call 24/7?' one wrote. 'Or can I ignore texts telling me which job I will be at next morning? Or what about important information about jobs I need to pass onto my boss? Can I just not do that because its out of hours?' However, others had no problems with being contacted after hours by their bosses. 'I work for a small company and sometimes it just happens. If you have a respectful relationship with your management it shouldnt be an issue from time to time,' one woman commented. A Georgia woman will spend the rest of her life behind bars after she drunkenly shot and killed her husband amid a dispute over their open marriage. Cheryl Howell Coe, 55, was sentenced on Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the June 2021 shooting of Luther 'Luke' Coe III, 48, inside their home, the Newnan Times-Herald reports. Officials with the Cowetta County Sheriff's Office have said they responded at around 7.30pm on June 23, 2021 moments after Cheryl reported that she shot her husband when she mistook him for an intruder. In body camera footage from the scene, Cheryl told deputies she drank four or five ciders while her husband worked in a detached garage, before she ultimately took a Klonopin and went to bed. She said she was woken up a short time later to an unknown person entering her bedroom, which prompted her to grab her pistol from the nightstand. 'I was just trying to protect myself,' Cheryl said in the body camera footage, which was played at her week-long retrial this month. She went on to claim she did not realize the person entering the room was her husband until he said, 'Cheryl, you shot me.' By the time deputies arrived on the scene, Cheryl was seen applying pressure on her husband's wound as he told authorities, 'I can't breathe.' He was then rushed to the hospital, but soon succumbed to his injuries. Cheryl Howell Coe, 55, (right) was sentenced on Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the June 2021 shooting of Luther 'Luke' Coe III, 48, (left) inside their home Cheryl had originally claimed she mistook her husband for an intruder when he entered their bedroom on June 23, 2021 Cheryl's story quickly fell apart, however, when the medical examiner found that Luther had suffered from a contact bullet wound - meaning the rifle was pressed against his body and was not fired from a distance as his wife had claimed. Investigators then also uncovered lengthy text message exchanges between the husband and wife in which they appeared to have some issues with their open marriage in the days leading up to the fatal shooting. According to the messages, Cheryl had asked Luther for permission to see another man later in the week. Luther replied by asking his wife if she was planning on seeing another man as well, to which she replied that she could - ending her message with 'lol,' the Times-Herald reports. Luther then replied that her response 'turned his stomach,' at which point Cheryl proposed ending the open marriage - saying she believed it was the cause of their marital issues. But Luther apparently wanted to keep the open marriage going, and they established more ground rules. Other text messages detailed another dispute between the husband and wife, with her accusing him of telling a friend about their private disagreements. Luther became enraged by the accusation and told his wife he needed some time to himself, prosecutors argued. Cheryl changed her story when confronted about discrepancies in the events of the night, and argued that her husband had become more aggressive Finally, on the day of the shooting, Cheryl said Luther informed her he was ready to talk. But when she returned home from work that night, her husband and his son were still in the detached workshop on their property and so Cheryl decided to retire to the back porch, where she downed several hard ciders. She said Luther never came back and after an hour on the porch, she went to bed. When the door then swung open, Cheryl said she fired two shots, aiming at the ceiling and behind the television, in hopes that the gunfire would alert her husband in the workshop. But when Cheryl was later confronted by the fact that she called 911 just 11 minutes after she claimed she went to bed, the defendant changed her story and admitted she knew it was Luther entering the room. She claimed she could hear his 'thunderous footsteps' and yelling before he entered their bedroom, where she said Luther told her to 'get her ass out of bed' and dragged her from the mattress. 'I just wanted to be left alone and he wasn't having it,' Cheryl told police. 'He was dragging me out of bed.' When Luther then briefly left the room, Cheryl said she grabbed her pistol and fired a warning shot, which made him 'angry and aggressive,' at which point she fired a second shot to scare him off. 'I wasn't trying to hit him,' she insisted. Cheryl also told police about her and her husband's BDSM practices, saying she was the 'submissive' one but arguing Luther's behavior that night was 'different.' It was later revealed that Luther had suffered from a contact bullet wound - meaning the rifle was pressed against his body and was not fired from a distance as his wife had claimed Taking the stand at her trial, Cheryl reiterated her self-defense claims as she described how her husband had become more aggressive with her. She said he once pulled her leg out from under her as she walked down the porch stairs, causing her to suffer a tear in her buttocks and an indentation that required surgery to fully heal. Cheryl also said their BDSM practices became more violent, even though she asked him to stop. 'I didn't enjoy the pain,' she testified. 'He would coerce me and tell me I was doing this for him and [it] made him happy.' On the night of the murder, Cheryl said Luther began to charge at her when she fired the second shot. 'I never told anyone anything about the bad parts of our relationship,' she claimed. 'Luke had a great reputation and [I] did everything I could to protect it.' The 48-year-old had his own business, Platinum Demolition & Grading LLC and had served in the United States Army, according to his obituary. But during closing arguments, prosecutor Laura Lukat focused on Cheryl's changing stories - and argued that even if her justification for shooting her husband were true, it did not justify the use of deadly force. 'She brought a gun to a verbal spat,' Lukat said. 'She brought a gun to a situation that might have ended with one of them staying at a friend's.' Cheryl was ultimately found guilty on all the charges against her - one count of malice murder, one count of felony murder and one count of aggravated assault. The family of a fugitive dad who has been on the run with his three young children for almost four years has publicly broken their silence for the first time to urge him to come home. Tom Phillips vanished from the rural town of Marokopa on New Zealand's North Island in December 2021 with Jayda, now 12, Maverick, ten, and Ember, nine following a custody dispute with their mother. They are believed to have lived in the wilderness ever since, despite numerous police search operations and a NZ$80,000 reward. There have been several possible sightings in the last year - most recently in February, when four people dressed in camouflage clothing were spotted sitting near State Highway 4, south of Te Kuiti. It came after a 'credible' sighting in bushland west of Marokopa last October. Phillips and the children were believed to have been spotted walking through farmland in single file by a pair of pig hunters, who filmed the encounter. While the children's mother, Cat, has made countless public pleas, Phillips' family has never spoken out - until now. His mother Julia has penned an emotional open letter to her missing son and grandchildren, which was read out by her daughter Rozzi in an emotional interview with Stuff journalist Paddy Gowers on his weekly current affairs program on Tuesday. Ember, Jayda, and Maverick Phillips have spent the last four years in the wilderness with their fugitive father Tom Phillips' family have broken their silence over his disappearance. Pictured is his sister Rozzi appearing on current affairs programme Paddy Gowers Has Issues Tom Phillips' family has pleaded for the fugitive father (pictured) to come home Julia penned the letter clinging to the hope that her son would see it. 'Tom - I feel really sad that you thought you had to do this,' the letter began. 'Not considering how much we love you and can support you. 'It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you and see some of your stuff that is still here. Thinking what could have been if you had not gone away. 'Jayda, Maverick, Ember - I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives. 'Every day I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you will come home.' His sister Rozzi also publicly pleaded for her brother to come out of hiding and assured him that the family will be there for him. 'Maybe he's going to see this, and maybe he's going to get to see that he can come home, and that we are here for him, and it might just be okay,' she told Gowers. It's been almost four years since Cat last saw her children Maverick, Ember, and Jayda Phillips (pictured together) Tom Phillips' mother Julia has penned an emotional letter to her son Tom The latest plea comes almost a year after a 'credible' sighting of Tom Phillips and his children in bushland west of Marokopa last October 'There's a lot of love and there's a lot of support, and we're ready to help you walk through what you need to walk through. 'I miss you, and I miss being part of your life, and I really want to see you and the kids and be part of your lives again. 'You're very special to me. Youre my friend, as well as my brother, and I love you, and its okay.' The doting aunt also had a special message for her nieces and nephews. 'You're important to me and our wider family and I'd love to see you again and be part of your lives again - and know for myself that all is truly well in your world,' Rozzi said. She believes that her brother would be taking good care of his children, despite living in the wilderness. Rozzi described her brother as an experienced bushman who learned outdoor survival skills at boarding school. She added the children often went hunting with their father. Jayda (right) turned 12 in June. Her brother Maverick is now ten while Ember (left) is now nine 'I don't believe that he would have the children suffering,' Rozzi said. Phillips first vanished with his three children on September 11, 2021, before returning to the family farm three weeks later, saying they had spent the time living in a tent in dense bushland. Three months later, a warrant for his arrest was issued after he failed to appear before court. The children's mother believes Phillips is being helped by a group of supporters around New Zealand. Last October, she claimed that she saw Phillips at a Bunnings as she walked past a ute in the carpark. Cat claimed the ute belonged to an associate of Phillips and was only reported stolen after she saw him. Police alleged Phillips was also seen on November 2, 2023, on CCTV after an attempted burglary. Security footage showed a masked pair, believed to be Phillips and one of his children, smashing the front glass of a shop then running after the alarm was set off. He is also accused of robbing a bank and shooting at a supermarket worker in Te Kuiti in May 2023. December will mark four years since Tom Phillips vanished without a trace with his children Police believe his main motive for taking the kids into the bush was the fact he no longer had legal custody. Custody now sits with Oranga Tamariki, a government department in New Zealand responsible for the wellbeing of children, which has already made arrangements for when the children are finally located. 'That's effectively why we believe he has taken the children, over custody,' Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders previously told reporters. He added that police believed it was possible Phillips used his first disappearance as a preparation for his next. 'Yes, it certainly goes into our thinking that that could have been a warm-up to what he has done now,' he said. The wife of conservative Canadian politician Pierre Poilievre has reached out to a small community in Montreal looking for a temporary place to stay. But the political staffer and writer was hit with a wave of backlash after commenters realized the town is 2,400 miles away from the region in Alberta her husband is now representing in parliament. Anaida Poilievre made the public callout last month, ahead of her husband's return to power as the leader of the opposition this week. 'I am looking for a short term (one month) furnished rental in Griffintown for a little getaway while I write a book,' she wrote. 'I will be coming in and out and at times bring my two kids for a weekend with me, etc. But it's mainly just me parked at a desk writing all day.' Anaida confided that she'd had no luck in her search up until that point, primarily due to the city's bylaws, in which many buildings do not allow short term rentals. 'I am hoping the place has a gym and swimming pool. Does anyone know if this is possible?' she asked. Anaida's request came just four months after her husband suffered a crippling defeat in the general election going up against newcomer Mark Carney. Political staffer and writer Anaida Poilievre made the public callout last month, ahead of her husband's return to power as the leader of the opposition this week Anaida confided that she'd had no luck in her search up until that point, primarily due to the city's bylaws, in which many buildings do not allow short term rentals Carney, taking over the Liberal party from Justin Trudeau, went on to comfortably win the general election to become the next leader of Canada. But on Monday, Poilievre staged a sensational comeback to win 80.4 percent of the vote in a special election in Battle River-Crowfoot in the province of Alberta, a Conservative stronghold. The sitting legislator had stepped down to allow Poilievre to run in his seat, thereby allowing him to return to the House of Commons. Anaida's post seeking advice was inundated with criticism of her husband's work, and her own role in his ascension to power. 'I have so much empathy for you... She wants to get away from Pierre Poilievre. Can someone please help her,' one respondent wrote. 'Choosing to stay in a community with large number of immigrants and LGBTQ folks is certainly a choice while preaching hate against gay marriage and immigration. 'Your presence will be...polarizing...in any condo building if you choose to engage in your politics and Instagram theater while you're here.' Anaida's post seeking advice was inundated with criticism of her husband's work, and her own role in his ascension to power On Monday, Poilievre staged a sensational comeback to win 80.4 percent of the vote in a special election in Battle River-Crowfoot in the province of Alberta, a Conservative stronghold A third added: 'Sorry but I have absolutely ZERO inclination towards helping someone like you who encourages a genocide of Palestinians and I don't think anyone else should.' Similarly, another wrote: 'This is a community made up of some of the people your husband actively tries to legislate out of existence. 'There is no room here for the hate that your husband and his followers are trying to codify into law, which it seems you also wholeheartedly support.' Anaida served as a parliamentary advisor in the Senate and has been an active participant in her husband's campaigns, delivering speeches and appearing in promotional videos. She also runs online lifestyle magazine Pretty and Smart Co. Despite the wave of criticism, Anaida also received some recommendations and warm wishes from locals too. 'Im currently writing a book. Its full of hope and positivity, and I think youll love it. After all, kindness doesnt cost much,' she wrote. While British warships are poised to defend Ukrainian waters a 1billion destroyer has been ruled out due to its maintenance record. HMS Daring has spent more time being repaired and worked on than it has at sea, according to independent analysis. A respected social media account which reports on UK ships said the vessel had spent more than eight years out of service, a total of more than 3,000 days. The next longest absent ship is the Astute-Class submarine HMS Ambush, which has not been used in just over three years. HMS Daring is not expected to report for duty before the end of 2026. It is currently being refitted. Six Type 45 destroyers, known as Daring Class, replaced the Royal Navy's Sheffield-Class destroyers which served in the Falklands War. The warships are primarily designed for anti-aircraft and anti-missile warfare. At the Royal Navy's peak in 1945 there were over 800 destroyers and frigates in its fleet. HMS Daring has spent more time being repaired and worked on than it has at sea, according to independent analysis While British warships are poised to defend Ukrainian waters, the 1billion destroyer HMS Daring has been ruled out due to its maintenance record The Astute-Class submarine HMS Ambush has not been used in just over three years A 2009 Ministry of Defence report stated that the warships cost more than one billion pounds each to build, including the research and development. HMS Daring's worst problems have been associated with its propulsion systems. All Daring-class ships are expected to be upgraded by 2028. It is hoped that all Daring-class ships will be fully upgraded by 2028. HMS Daring was originally removed from service in April 2017, with the Covid-19 pandemic causing several delays. She was taken to Merseyside for work before returning to Portsmouth, Hampshire, in 2023, but remains in the trial phase and unable to operate. A naval expert posting on X as Britsky said HMS Daring's problems showed the 'severe issues' facing the Royal Navy. He told the Portsmouth News: 'It's not just one issue for HMS Daring, it's many compounding issues over years and years. 'A shortage of personnel is making it hard to crew ships, there's a lack of support infrastructure such as docks delaying work and an insufficient stock of parts meaning ships can't be kept operational and others are robbed for parts. On Tuesday the Royal Navy said: 'We do not comment on the material state of our ships. The Royal Navy continues to fulfil all of its operational commitments.' Tony Burke has lashed out at Benjamin Netanyahu after the Israeli Prime Minister called Anthony Albanese a 'weak leader', with the Immigration Minister claiming 'strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up'. Netanyahu took to X on Tuesday evening to brand Albanese 'weak', accusing him of 'betraying Israel' over the decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. 'History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews,' Netanyahu wrote. But, in a significant deepening of the diplomatic rift between the two countries, Burke hit back on Wednesday morning, claiming that 'strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many people you can leave hungry'. 'Strength is much better measured by what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when there's a decision we know Israel won't like he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu,' Burke told ABC Radio. Burke said that Albanese had made clear to the Israeli PM that Australia was going to move to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN next month. But he said that it came with strict conditions, including the promise that Hamas would not play any role in the future Palestinian state. '(Albanese acted) without in any way compromising the long-standing view that every hostage needs to be released, without compromising the view that Hamas is a terrorist organisation which must play no role in a future Palestinian state,' Burke added. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) took to X on Tuesday evening to brand the Australian Prime Minister 'weak', accusing him of 'betraying Israel ' over the decision to recognise Palestinian statehood Tony Burke said that Albanese had shown strength by making it clear to the Israeli PM that Australia was going to move to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN next month 'But to say to the Palestinian people who at the moment must be feeling so invisible to the world, to say, 'you are not invisible, we see you, we will recognise you, and that we will take the action that Australia has always believed needed'.' The diplomatic tit-for-tat intensified on Monday when it was revealed Burke had revoked the visas of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman over some of his provocative comments including describing children in Gaza as enemies. Australia had also denied entry to former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked, who once branded Palestinian children 'snakes', and controversial Israeli advocate Hillel Fuld. But Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Andrew Hastie, who was responding to a report in the Daily Mail about controversial Muslim speakers who were allowed in to Australia, accused Burke of 'double standards'. 'How can the Albanese Labor Government approve the visa of a Hamas supporter but deny entry to an elected politician of a friendly country?', he told the Daily Mail. 'Tony Burke must come clean on the secret and arbitrary process that he applies to create these inconsistencies leading to a current Israeli politician having his visa cancelled a day before he is set to arrive in Australia.' But Burke defended his decision on Wednesday morning, claiming that he had a 'personal responsibility as to whether or not Australia formally rolls out a welcome mat to people with extreme views'. 'One of them has described Palestinian children as the enemy, and the other has described Palestinian children as little snakes,' Burke added. On August 11, Albanese announced Australia would support a move to recognise a state of Palestine at next month's United Nations assembly (pictured, a woman in Gaza on Tuesday) 'Now, if anyone wanted to come on a public speech tour, and they had those views publicly expressed about Israeli children, I would block the visa. 'And I am going to not have a lower bar for the protection of views that are bigoted views against the Palestinian people.' In response to Burke's blocking of visas, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said the visas of Australia's representatives to the Palestinian Authority had been revoked. He also instructed the Israel Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry into Israel. Before publicly branding him 'weak', Netanyahu had sent Albanese a strongly worded letter on August 17, condemning him for failing to address what he described as an 'epidemic' of antisemitism that had 'intensified' under his leadership. 'Prime Minister, antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent. It retreats when leaders act. I call upon you to replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve, and to do so by a clear date: the Jewish New Year, September 23, 2025,' Mr Netanyahu writes in the letter. The Israeli PM claimed Australia's announcement to support a move to recognise a state of Palestine 'rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas's refusal to free the hostages', 'emboldens those who menace Australian Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets'. 'It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement,' Netanyahu wrote in the letter. 'Following Hamas's savage attack on the people of Israel on October 7, 2023, pro-Hamas extremists and left-wing radicals began a campaign of intimidation, vandalism and violence against Jews across the free world,' Mr Netanyahu wrote to Mr Albanese. 'In Australia, that campaign has intensified under your watch.' He went on to highlight several acts of antisemitism against the Jewish community in Australia. 'In June, vandals defaced a historic Melbourne synagogue with graffiti praising Iran and calling to 'Free Palestine',' Mr Netanyahu wrote. 'In July, arsonists targeted the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation during Shabbat dinner, forcing twenty worshippers to flee for their lives.' Sir Keir Starmer yesterday led calls to force Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table after Europe's unprecedented White House diplomacy put the ball back in the Russian dictator's court. The Prime Minister suggested possible sanctions for Putin after co-chairing a virtual Coalition of the Willing meeting, debriefing their day trip to Washington DC and planning for the future. US President Donald Trump also warned of a 'rough situation' if Moscow does not make peace as he pushed for Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to meet Putin in Switzerland in the next two weeks. A Downing Street spokesman said last night: 'The leaders discussed how further pressure including through sanctions could be placed on Putin until he showed he was ready to take serious action to end his illegal invasion.' German chancellor Friedrich Merz laid down the gauntlet to the Kremlin over any potential talks, saying: 'We don't know whether the Russian president will have the courage to attend such a summit.' Hinting at more sanctions as Russia again barraged Ukrainian cities with 270 drones and ten missiles in an overnight attack, he added: 'Therefore, persuasion is needed.' It followed Monday's extraordinary meeting in Washington where Mr Zelensky and the US President were joined by Sir Keir, chancellor Merz and the leaders of France, Italy, Finland, the EU and Nato. Sir Keir hailed a 'breakthrough' after the unprecedented gathering garnered a US commitment to military involvement in security guarantees for Ukraine. Sir Keir Starmer led calls to force Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table after Europe's unprecedented White House diplomacy put the ball back in the Russian dictator's court US President Donald Trump warned of a 'rough situation' if Moscow does not make peace as he pushed for Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to meet Putin in Switzerland in a fortnight Sanctions might also be on the cards for Russia's President Vladimir Putin if the war continues Mr Zelensky hopes to have such a proposal in writing within the next ten days to strengthen his hand before heading to any meeting with Putin to discuss territory. The US administration's unorthodox, realpolitik negotiations offer the most significant hope of bringing peace to Europe since Russia's invasion in February 2022. But there remains real fear in Ukraine that they could be sold out as the White House seems loath to pressure Moscow with sanctions and military might, instead turning the screws diplomatically on Kyiv. Ukrainian journalist Peter Zalmayev told the Daily Mail: 'The message that Ukraine and Europe need to get through to Trump is that his getting the Nobel Peace Prize depends not on whether he ends the war in Ukraine, but on how he ends it.' Mr Trump broke off Monday's talks to call Putin and update him on progress, during which the two superpowers agreed to set up a bilateral meeting between the Russian tyrant and Mr Zelensky. The President was typically bullish afterwards, saying the two adversaries are 'getting along a little bit better than I thought' despite 'tremendous bad blood'. He told Fox News that 'otherwise I wouldn't have set up the [bilateral] meeting, I would've set up a three a trilat'. But he cautioned: 'We're going to find out about president Putin in the next couple of weeks... It's possible he doesn't want to make a deal.' The two superpowers have agreed to set up a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky He added: 'I hope president Putin is going to be good and if he's not, then it's going to be a rough situation. 'And I hope that Zelensky will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility also. The thing is a mess.' Yesterday, the Kremlin appeared to be dragging its heels over the plan, which would see a meeting with Mr Trump follow the one-on-one between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian state TV: 'Without respect for Russia's security... without full respect for the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking people who live in Ukraine, there can be no talk of any long-term agreements.' Further muddying the waters, a source in Mr Trump's administration claimed it was Putin who suggested a meeting without the US President. During their call, Putin told Mr Trump: 'You don't have to come I want to see him one on one,' Politico reported. It was also claimed Putin suggested they meet in Moscow a clear non-starter for Kyiv, with Geneva one possible venue. The Swiss confirmed that if Putin was visiting for peace talks, the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for the dictator would not be acted upon. Yesterday it was reported the Hungarian capital Budapest is the White House's first choice to host any meeting, but press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied to comment at her press briefing. Kremlin observers are, however, extremely sceptical that Putin would countenance a one-on-one meeting with Mr Zelensky in the coming days. Back in Ukraine there is a cautious optimism after the Oval Office meeting. Dr Olga Matveieva, 40, a researcher from Dnipro, said: 'President Zelensky learned his lesson from last time: when youre outmatched in a fight, bring your friends along. 'His artistic background seems to have served him well yet againthis time, hes mastered the role of the attentive student and played it to perfection. 'Even the attire was spot on. Against the odds, hes managed to turn a losing battle into something closer to a fair fight.' But there are still real fears over where the Trump administration's plan is headed. Mr Zalmayev said: 'Like Donald Trump or hate him, at this point Vladimir Putin sees only Donald Trump as the one leader equal to him... Trump is the only one who can make a difference. 'But I do not believe Vladimir Putin is ready to wind down this war; he believes he can continue to run circles around Trump. 'I would very much like to see President Trump not just display but actually play some of the cards he has perhaps including sanctions, or more military assistance to Ukraine, which is something he promised if Russia wouldnt play ball. And I suspect it wont. 'If he plays these cards right, he can make a huge difference, and actually reach that elusive peace deal, even securing that coveted Nobel Peace Prize for ending the biggest war of our time.' Others are less optimistic. Viktor Sh., 40, combat medic, said: 'I find Trumps manipulations through Ukraine absolutely unacceptable. 'His threats to cut support are like ripping a tourniquet off a soldier who is already bleeding out. 'Donald Trumps actions should be aimed at making sure Russia can never launch another aggression against Ukraine, not at some superficial end to the war just to tick a box in his own biography. 'If that doesnt happenif Russia is not forced into conditions where it no longer wants to resume hostilitiesthe war will start again.' Additional reporting by Viktor Shkurko Rachel Reeves faced a furious backlash yesterday over a possible and highly controversial shake-up of property levies. The Chancellor was warned that proposals to replace stamp duty with an annual charge on homes worth more than 500,000 would damage the market as well as punish people who have worked hard to own their houses. And one of her Treasury ministers refused to rule out the possibility of her introducing the radical change in the Budget as she seeks to fill a 50 billion black hole in the public finances. Labour vowed before the last election that it would 'not increase taxes on working people', ruling out rises in National Insurance, income tax or VAT. But that language seemed to soften yesterday. Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride said: 'Labour can equivocate all they like, but we know they are drawing up plans to raise taxes yet again at the Autumn Budget. 'Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves promised not to raise taxes on working people, then introduced a 25 billion Jobs Tax which will leave the average working household 3,500 worse off. 'Now, after their botched welfare reforms and economic mismanagement, they are clearly gearing up to do it all over again this autumn. 'The British public simply cannot afford Labour. Only the Conservatives believe in sound money and low taxes.' Rachel Reeves is facing a furious backlash after she was revealed to be plotting a radical shake-up of property taxes Ms Reeves is understood to have asked officials to look at a potential overhaul of property taxes (stock photo) Keir Starmer (pictured) previously promised not to raise taxes on working people Your browser does not support iframes. As part of her efforts to fill the Government's coffers and boost economic growth, Ms Reeves is understood to have asked officials to look at a potential overhaul of property taxes. She has already been called on by economists to scrap the current system, in which buyers have to pay thousands of pounds in stamp duty on house sales, which they say deters people from moving. The Guardian reported that owners of houses worth more than 500,000 could have to pay a 'proportional property tax' based on the value of their properties when they sell up. However, sources played down the claims that Treasury officials are looking at this proposal or threshold. Sources also moved away from suggestions that civil servants are drawing on the findings of a report published last year by think-tank Onward, which proposed that only future owners could pay an annual tax based on the value of the property instead of stamp duty. Under the plan put forward by economist Professor Tim Leunig, current homeowners would not be hit by the charge, but if they do sell up in future their buyers would pay the levy each year instead of stamp duty at the point of purchase. Your browser does not support iframes. Kirstie Allsopp, the TV presenter who fronts Location, Location, Location, led a furious backlash over the reported plans It is intended to open up the property market by making it less expensive to move and encouraging those in large homes to downsize. TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp warned the Chancellor not to risk destabilising the market by 'flying kites' about potential new property taxes, telling Times Radio: 'It's not Rachel's to go after because it's their homes. 'It's the roof over their head. And this Government seems to want to punish people for making the sacrifices they've made to buy their own homes.' James Browne, senior economic policy adviser at the Tony Blair Institute, said: 'While replacing stamp duty with a new annual property levy on homes worth more than 500,000 is economically sensible, it would be politically challenging. 'Either long-standing homeowners who are asset-rich but cash-poor would be hit with much larger bills or, if it only applied after a property changed hands, would discourage moving just as much as stamp duty does at the moment.' Treasury minister Torsten Bell told Sky News: 'Tax decisions are made by the Chancellor. I'm not going to start speculating on individual taxes.' Last night a Treasury spokesman said: 'We are protecting payslips for working people by keeping our promise to not raise the basic, higher or additional rates of income tax, employee National Insurance or VAT.' Pope Leo XIV is said to be planning to ask a number of to-be 'flatmates' if they want to live with him when he moves into the papal apartments later this year. Days after his election, the Pope announced he would live in the luxurious Papal apartments in Rome's Apostolic Palace, unlike his predecessor Pope Francis. The 10 rooms inside the 16th-century apartment are currently being renovated, with three or four of his brethren set to move in with him, La Repubblica reported on Tuesday. The Pope's Peruvian personal secretary, Father Edgard Rimaycuna, is expected to be one of those to live alongside him. It will be the first time in modern history that a pope will share his official living quarters on the third floor of the palace. Vatican correspondent Iacopo Scaramuzzi told the Telegraph: 'It seems to be new to me. I don't know if that takes account of the long history of the church but certainly in the modern era.' Despite the late pope not living there, the seal was placed on the doors of the apartment on April 21 immediately after Francis's death, in keeping with tradition. Rather than taking up residence in the luxurious Papal apartments in Rome's Apostolic Palace, the former Pontiff chose to move into the Casa Santa Marta guesthouse and live as frugally as possible. Days after his election, the Pope Leo announced he would live in the luxurious Papal apartments in Rome's Apostolic Palace, unlike his predecessor Pope Francis The Apostolic Palace has long been the official residence of the pope, until Pope Francis chose to move into the Casa Santa Marta guesthouse Casa Santa Marta was originally built in 1996 to house cardinals during a conclave 'In my opinion, Leo is definitely different to Francis but not that different,' Mr Scaramuzzi said. 'He is returning to the papal apartments, but not like a king.' Mr Scaramuzzi added that it is unclear who the Pope will choose, but stressed it was in keeping with the sense of community brought about by Leo's Augustinian Order. The apartments have been the official residence of popes since 1870, and it is usual for the new pope to renovate the apartments. Work has taken place over the past months on a redesign of the rooms, as well as fixing damage caused by water infiltration and humidity in the 12 years the apartment was empty. The Pope traditionally blesses crowds of pilgrims gathering in St Peter's Square on Sundays from the window of the apartment. Out of the last six popes, three of them, John XXIII, John Paul I, and John Paul II, died inside the papal apartments. Father James Martin, an American Jesuit journalist, described Pope Leo's return to the apartments as a prudent decision. A view of Holy Father's Private Chapel inside the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo The author wrote on X earlier this year: 'Leo's move should not be taken as a sign either of a critique of Pope Francis or as him not living "simply" 'We need to trust Pope Leo's discernment in this and all things and wish him well in his new digs!' For 12 years, he lived just steps from St Peters Square in the Curia of the St Augustinian Order while serving as prior-general between 2001 and 2013. He often spoke of the value of living side-by-side with others in a religious community. The American Pope is currently living in the Sagrestia building, right next to St Peters Basilica, while his papal apartment undergoes renovation. This summer, he also resurrected a tradition abandoned by his predecessor retreating to the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. The hilltop palace, perched above the sparkling waters of Lake Albano, once served as a sanctuary for pontiffs escaping the sweltering Roman heat. The Pope spent several days there in July, before returning again in August for another brief stay. Last Sunday, he shared lunch with more than 100 homeless people while celebrating Mass before visiting a local shrine in the town of Albano. The Vatican has been approached for comment by the Daily Mail. A reform-led county council is serving a plate of chaos as its 22-year-old deputy leader has been removed after three months in the position, the head of the opposition has said. Joseph Boam, who was elected as a Reform UK councillor for Leicestershire County Council in May, is also no longer the cabinet lead member for adult social care and communities, the leader of the Leicestershire Conservatives Deborah Taylor said in a social media post. Mr Boam, who is councillor for Whitwick in North West Leicestershire, wrote online: Despite the recent news, nothings changed, Ill keep fighting for Whitwick at County Hall and doing everything I can to help get a Reform UK government and Nigel Farage as our next prime minister. It is currently unclear why Mr Boam no longer holds the two positions in the council. The leader of the main opposition to the authority, Ms Taylor, said in a statement released on social media that the Reform-led council is delivering a shambles. She said: The Reform Administration at Leicestershire County Council has lacked leadership and direction from the very start. So it comes as no surprise to us that Councillor Joseph Boam has been shown the door after just three months as Deputy Leader of Leicestershire County Council and Cabinet Lead Member for Adults. Frankly, he was wholly unqualified for such a critical role and lacked the experience or judgment to bring anything of value to the position. Joseph Boam, who was Reform's deputy leader on Leicestershire County Council, has been removed after three months in the position, the head of the opposition has said. Mr Boam, who was elected as a Reform UK councillor for Leicestershire County Council in May, is also no longer the cabinet lead member for adult social care and communities Adult Social Care and Communities is one of the most important and challenging portfolios in local government. It requires steady hands, long-term commitment and a depth of understanding. What it has been given instead is instability, poor judgment, and revolving-door appointments. At a time when Leicestershire needs stability, vision, and experienced leadership more than ever, residents are being served a plate of chaos. Reform promised change, what theyre delivering is a shambles. A Reform UK source said: Joseph deserves thanks for his role in helping to establish the Reform Group at Leicestershire County Council and we wish him well as he moves into a new role where he will continue to support the groups efforts at County Hall. Ms Taylor said in a video posted on social media on Monday that the leader of the Reform-led county council, Dan Harrison, had sacked Mr Boam over the weekend. Reform won 25 out of the 55 seats on the council and formed a minority administration after the local elections in May, taking control from the Conservatives. Mr Boam was not the youngest Reform councillor with a senior county council position, as 19-year-old George Finch is currently the leader of Warwickshire County Council. A Palestinian and an Israeli beauty queen will go head-to-head in this year's annual Miss Universe pageant. Nadeen Ayoub, 27, will be the competition's first Miss Palestine - a title she gained in 2022 and has promised to carry 'the voice of a people who refuse to be silenced' into the contest. In an Instagram post she wrote: 'Today, I step onto the Miss Universe stage not just with a title but with a truth... 'I represent every Palestinian woman and child whose strength the world needs to see. We are more than our suffering - we are resilience, hope and the heartbeat of a homeland that lives on through us.' She will likely have an Israeli competitor as Israel has sent contestants to the competition since 1952. The Miss Universe Organisation confirmed that Ms Ayoub will be competing in the pageant in November, along with 130 other countries and territories. 'The Miss Universe Organisation proudly welcomes delegates from across the globe, celebrating diversity, cultural exchange and the empowerment of women,' it said. 'Ms Ayoub, an accomplished advocate and model from Palestine, embodies the resilience and determination that define our platform.' Nadeen Ayoub, 27, (pictured) will be the competition's first Miss Palestine - a title she gained in 2022 and has promised to carry 'the voice of a people who refuse to be silenced' into the contest File image: Miss Universe is one of the four major global beauty pageant brands, alongside Miss Earth, Miss World and Miss International The Miss Universe Organisation confirmed that Ms Ayoub will be competing in the pageant in November, along with 130 other countries and territories She previously represented Palestine in the 2022 Miss Earth beauty pageant in the Philippines, where she came third. The beauty queen who lives between Dubai and Ramallah in the West Bank told The National newspaper in the United Arab Emirates: 'There hasnt been another Miss Palestine since 2022, due to the genocide.' In July, Melanie Shiraz was crowned Miss Israel at a competition in Miami, Florida. The entrepreneur told the Jerusalem Post: 'I want to show people, both in and outside of Israel, that this title can be a force for connection, for understanding and for positive change. 'Its about far more than beauty - its about making our people proud by standing for something that matters.' Miss Universe is one of the four major global beauty pageant brands, alongside Miss Earth, Miss World and Miss International. Until 2015, it was owned by Donald Trump but since 2022 has been owned by Thai JKN Global group. It comes as Hamas said on Monday it had accepted a new proposal from Arab mediators for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a hostage return deal as the Israeli Prime Minister vowed to go ahead with the offensive on Gaza City. Israel announced plans to reoccupy Gaza City and other heavily populated areas after ceasefire talks appeared to break down last month Hamas said on Monday it had accepted a new proposal from Arab mediators for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a hostage return deal (Pictured: Gaza Strip on August 18) The deal - presented by Egyptian and Qatari mediators - involves a 60-day pause in fighting and the release of around half of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive, in exchange for 150 Palestinian security prisoners. Israel announced plans to reoccupy Gaza City and other heavily populated areas after ceasefire talks appeared to break down last month, raising the possibility of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which experts say is sliding into famine. Gaza's Health Ministry said on Monday that five more people, including two children, died of malnutrition-related causes. It says at least 112 children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began, and 151 adults have died since the ministry started tracking adult malnutrition deaths in June. Amnesty International accused Israel of 'carrying out a deliberate campaign of starvation'. Israel has rejected such allegations, saying it allows enough food in and accusing the U.N. of failing to promptly deliver it. U.N. agencies say they are hindered by Israeli restrictions and the breakdown of law and order in the territory, around three-quarters of which is now controlled by Israel. The U.N. World Food Program said on Monday that U.N. partner organisations reported that community kitchens in north and south Gaza produced 380,000 daily meals daily last week - far fewer than the more than 1 million daily meals they produced in April. Middle England will be hit by the highest possible increases in council taxes to pay for Angela Rayner's reforms to the system, town hall leaders have warned. Households in the countryside will reportedly be charged at unfairly high levels to pay for residents of cities under the Communities Secretary's 'fair funding' plans. Last night, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch branded it a 'spiteful' move that will push more cash into traditional Labour areas. Analysis by the County Councils Network (CNN) found rural and county local authorities will lose close to half a billion pounds in Government cash over the next three years thanks to Ms Rayner's attempt to level up the system. This will force them to cut vital services and hike bills for hard-pressed residents by the maximum 5 per cent allowed. The CCN demanded an urgent injection of cash from Whitehall to fill the gap, warning town halls on the brink would otherwise be unable to provide crucial care for the elderly and vulnerable children. It comes after almost all town halls raised bills by the maximum amount earlier this year to deal with soaring demand and costs, taking the average bill to 2,280. Chairman of the group, councillor Tim Oliver, said: 'Some 16 county and rural councils will see reductions in grant funding, while the Government's proposals place a disproportionate burden on taxpayers in county areas to fund local services and redistribute funding to urban areas. Middle England will be hit by the highest possible increases in council taxes to pay for Angela Rayner's reforms to the system, town hall leaders have warned Households in the countryside will reportedly be charged at unfairly high levels to pay for residents of cities under the Communities Secretary's 'fair funding' plans (stock photo) 'It's vital the Government makes more money available to mitigate the impact of these reforms.' Ms Badenoch said: 'Yet again the Labour Government is showing utter contempt for people living in rural Britain. 'The family farms tax has been devastating, and scrapping the rural services grant has put rural councils under enormous pressure. 'This latest change will steal more money out of the hands of county councils and send it straight into Labour-run urban areas.' Under Ms Rayner's Fair Funding Review 2.0, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will make major changes to how English councils are funded. Her updated formula will allocate cash based on local areas' needs and their ability to raise council tax compared to others around the country. The Institute for Fiscal Studies think-tank has already warned it will create big winners and losers, with those in the home counties likely to suffer budget cuts unless council taxes rise. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch (pictured) branded it a 'spiteful' move that will push more cash into traditional Labour areas In its response to the MHCLG consultation, published last night, the CCN said it would mean 16 authorities including some in the Midlands and North losing 470million of funding over the next three years. In total, county and unitary councils' grant funding will rise by just 374million. Unless 33 of the 38 town halls impose the maximum 5 per cent council tax rises, they will see a real-terms cut in funding, according to the CCN. Metropolitan authorities will get 1.2billion, and a proposal to redistribute 1.6billion in council tax income will benefit urban areas at the expense of the countryside. An MHCLG spokesman said: 'We do not recognise this analysis. We are taking decisive action to reform the funding system.' Two teenage boys have been suspended from a Virginia high school for sexual harassment after confronting a transgender student about their presence in the male locker room. The students at Stone Bridge High School were suspended for 10 days on Friday after being found responsible for sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination on school grounds, according to ABC 7News. The controversial decision followed a months-long investigation into a video - recorded by a female student who identifies as male - that captured the boys expressing discomfort over 'a girl' being in the boys locker room. Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) stated that the district allows students to use bathrooms and locker rooms based on their self-identified gender rather than their biological sex, and, as a result, the students were found to be in violation of rules. But the outcome shocked the boys parents, who condemned the decision as a deeply troubling and 'concerning development.' 'We're absolutely floored that they came back and branded my son responsible for sexual harassment and sex based discrimination with no solid evidence whatsoever,' said Renae Smith, the mother of one of the suspended boys. 'We're talking about scarring him for life by a biased process that's supposed to protect fairness, but it's shocking. 'It's wrong, and it should terrify every single parent.' Two teenage boys were suspended from a Virginia high school for sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination after confronting a transgender student about their presence in the male locker room (pictured) The controversial decision followed a months-long investigation into a video - recorded by a female student who identifies as male - that captured the boys expressing discomfort over 'a girl' being in the boys locker room at Stone Bridge High School (pictured) The district launched a Title IX investigation into two 10th grade boys in May after they were videotaped inside the buildings male locker room, as previously reported by ABC 7News. Title IX investigations involve allegations of sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, and other violations. A father of one of the students said the trans student used a mobile phone to record his son and others in the locker room after a gym class in March. Despite the boys being the ones filmed, the footage became the centerpiece of the case - ultimately used to determine their suspension just months later. In the video obtained by the outlet, the trans student begins recording as they walk into the boys' locker room, where several male students already appear to be present. Although the remainder of the video is mostly dark, voices can be heard - voices the school claims were discriminatory toward the student. 'There's a girl in here?' one boy can be heard asking. 'There's a girl?' Moments later, the same boy appears to double down on his concern, saying, 'Why is there a girl? Im so uncomfortable there is a girl.' 'A female, bro, get out of here,' another teen responds. After the district announced an investigation into the boys behavior, parents expressed outrage, arguing that the teens were simply having a private conversation among themselves - not targeting or bullying the other student. The boys parents also questioned why their sons were being scrutinized when they were the ones who had been recorded - a violation of school policy in itself. 'I have a daughter that's in high school as well, and if there was a male in there videotaping her in the locker room, I would have issues,' Seth Wolfe, the father of the other boy involved, told 7News back in May. 'If it's my son and there's a female in the locker room videotaping, I have issues,' he added. 'I believe that this is an invasion of their privacy.' Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin also released a statement at the time, expressing 'outrage' over the news that LCPS was investigating the male students. 'It's deeply concerning to read reports of yet another incident in Loudoun County schools where members of the opposite sex are violating the privacy of students in locker rooms,' Youngkin said. 'Even more alarming, the victims of this violation are the ones being investigated - this is beyond belief,' he added. Parents now believe the decision sends a message that anyone who disagrees with the policy will face punishment for speaking out Renae Smith (pictured) the mother of another male student accused of the Title IX violation, said she was 'absolutely floored that they came back and branded my son responsible for sexual harassment and sex based discrimination with no solid evidence whatsoever' Seth Wolfe (pictured), the father of the other boy involved, questioned why his son was being scrutinized when he was the one who had been recorded - a violation of school policy in itself 'I've asked Attorney General Miyares to investigate this situation immediately so that every student's privacy, dignity and safety are upheld.' Meanwhile, the investigation stretched through the summer, ultimately concluding on Friday evening when the district informed the parents of their sons suspensions. 'What they're doing to our children is just despicable,' Smith told 7News regarding the district's decision. Josh Hetzler, an attorney representing the families, stated that the punishment includes not only a 10-day suspension, but also a no-contact order prohibiting the boys from being in any of the same classes as the trans student. The boys are also required to meet with school administrators to develop a corrective action plan, according to Hetzler. Smith, who has already withdrawn her son from the district and relocated out of state, worries that the decision will follow him, jeopardizing his chances of college admission since it will remain on his permanent academic record. She also said that if her son ever returns to the district, he will face suspension immediately upon his arrival. The school board had previously refused to comply with the US Department of Educations demands that they, along with other Northern Virginia districts, reverse bathroom and locker room policies allowing trans students to choose facilities based on their gender identity. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (pictured) previously released a statement, expressing 'outrage' over the news that LCPS was investigating the male students Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) stated that the district allows students to use bathrooms and locker rooms based on their self-identified gender rather than their biological sex, and, as a result, the students were found to be in violation of rules (pictured: angered parents) The trans students decision to use the boys' locker room was ultimately allowed under Loudoun County School Boards Policy 8040. However, the parents now believe the decision sends a message that anyone who disagrees with the policy will face punishment for speaking out. 'They're going to have to follow what Loudoun County says, what they believe is right, and what goes against other people's beliefs, or what we believe is right,' Wolfe told the outlet. Republican Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running for governor, also weighed in on the suspensions, calling them 'ludicrous.' 'Boys are not comfortable undressing in front of nude girls in the same locker room, in spaces that they were not normally have access to,' Earle-Sears told 7News. 'The boys are saying this, and the boys who should be applauded are not being applauded,' he added. 'Instead, they're being punished for something that's common sense. You know, for me, biological differences do matter.' 'It's not political, it's common sense. And it's parental rights, really. So, I'm speaking for parents and families all across Virginia. This is nonsense.' The Founding Freedoms Law Center, representing the families in this case, vowed to continue fighting until the suspension decision is overturned. 'Our clients have done nothing wrong and they deserve to be deemed innocent,' Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation of Virginia, told the outlet. On Friday, the Department of Education informed 7News that it had initiated the process of cutting federal funding to five school districts who refused to change their policies - a move that could cost each district tens of millions of dollars annually. The border wall separating the United States and Mexico is being painted black to make it too hot for migrants to climb. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem revealed the project was a specific request from Donald Trump as the president celebrated 'ZERO releases' of illegal migrants into the country. 'In the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black it gets even warmer,' Noem said during a press conference in front of the wall on Tuesday. She noted the structure is already hard to climb and near impossible to dig under, but said Trump's latest measure will help to secure the American border even further. 'There will be more added to it as far as technology, cameras, sensors,' she added. The black paint, in addition to making the wall so hot to the touch that migrants will not be able to grip onto it, will have a dual purpose of protecting the steel from rust. Temperatures can reach as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months in Texas and Mexico, along the lines of the border wall. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem revealed the project was a specific request from Donald Trump The Trump administration claims there were zero illegal border crossings recorded in May, June and July, a figure which Trump celebrated on Truth Social this week The paint job will restore the border wall to Trump's initial design from his first presidency. During his first term, parts of the wall along Calexico were being painted black, but the project was abandoned to speed up construction of the wall itself. But now with more than three years left of his term, Trump has allocated an additional $46.5 billion to the completion of his border wall project. 'We had an incredible amount of resources allocated to us in the big beautiful bill, because that's going to allow us to continue construction,' Noem said. 'Construction right now is at the pace of a little bit less than a half a mile a day. And the border wall will look very different based on the topography and the geography of where it is built.' Noem also hailed the fact that the United States now has 'the most secure border that we've ever had in the history of this nation.' The Trump administration claims there were zero illegal border crossings recorded in May, June and July. Trump took to Truth Social to celebrate the success, writing: 'CONGRATULATIONS TEXAS! The July Border Statistics are in and, once again, they are the LOWEST RECORDED NUMBERS IN UNITED STATES HISTORY. The border wall separating the United States and Mexico is being painted black to make it too hot for migrants to climb The paint job will restore the border wall to Trump's initial design from his first presidency 'The U.S. Border Patrol reported ZERO releases of Illegal Aliens into the Country. Texas Border is Safe and Secure, and the entire World knows it.' Trump went on to say that 'all we need to do is keep it this way', urging Texas voters to turn out to help Republicans win the 2026 midterm elections. Troop deployments at the border have tripled to 7,600 and include every branch of the military and Trump has authorized funding for an additional 3,000 Border Patrol agents, offering $10,000 signing and retention bonuses. Since April, large swaths of border have been designated militarized zones, empowering US troops to apprehend immigrants and others accused of trespassing on Army, Air Force or Navy bases, and authorizing additional criminal charges that can mean prison time. Despite Trump's successes at the wall, its construction has also sparked fury among some Texas landowners, who are railing against him as he seeks to force them to sell parts of their property to build his long promised border wall. Residents in Starr County, in southern Texas, are being hauled to court to face off with high-powered administration lawyers who have filed eminent domain lawsuits. Noem noted the structure is already hard to climb and near impossible to dig under, but said Trump's latest measure will help to secure the American border even further Now with more than three years left of his term, Trump has allocated an additional $46.5 billion to the completion of his border wall project Eminent domain cases are used to force landowners to sell private property for public use, even if the owner does not want to sell. Alejo Clarke, who has lived in the county for 58 years, told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month he is fighting back against the order. The Trump administration is seeking one acre of his land in order to erect the 18 foot wall. Trump was elected on a campaign promise to make America safer by securing the borders and conducting mass deportations. A spokesperson for the administration noted a border wall is 'the most safe and efficient way possible.' But Clarke claims doing so would cut him off from expansive plots of land where he has fished and hunted his entire life. 'I'm not gonna beat Trump - you know it and I know it,' he said. 'But if someone is going to kick your butt, are you just going to lie down?' Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out at the State Department after an Israeli official was allowed to leave the country following his arrest in a child sex sting. The outspoken GOP Rep. was reacting to the arrest of Tom Artiom Alexandrovich last week following an undercover operation 'targeting child sex predators.' Taylor Greene urged the Trump administration to seek the return of Alexandrovich and 'prosecute this pos to the full extent of the law' while also criticizing the US policy on Gaza. 'When and how did America become so subservient to Israel that we immediately release a CHILD SEX PREDATOR after arrest, with a 100% locked up case with evidence, and let him off to fly back home to Israel??' she said in a statement on X. Alexandrovich allegedly asked an underage decoy to attend a showing of Cirque du Soleil and mentioned bringing a condom. He faces a felony charge of luring or attempting to lure a child or mentally ill person to commit a sex act 'with use of computer technology,' the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said. The official - who serves a senior department head in Israel's National Cyber Directorate - has since been released by US authorities and was back in Israel. The State Department denied any government intervention in Alexandrovich's case, saying a state judge let him go pending a court date. However, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson has told 8NewsNow Alexandrovich never saw a judge, merely posted bail and waived his right to a court appearance, as is standard under state law. Marjorie Taylor Greene (pictured) lashed out at the State Department for releasing a 'foreign child sex predator' when an Israeli official was allowed to leave the country after being arrested in a child sex sting Tom Artiom Alexandrovich (pictured), 38 was one of eight people charged last week following an undercover operation 'targeting child sex predators,' the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said in a statement issued last week Alexandrovich was believed to be in the Las Vegas area for Black Hat, one of the cybersecurity industry's most prominent conferences, was he was arrested. The official allegedly used an app called Pure to speak online with a decoy pretending to be a 15-year-old girl, according to an 8NewsNow report. Pure is advertised as 'a place where you can make (and break) your own rules and date, play and misbehave.' The State Department responded to allegations that they allowed the Israeli official to return home after the arrest of an for a felony sex crime. Alexandrovich 'did not claim diplomatic immunity and was released by a state judge pending a court date. Any claims that the U.S. government intervened are false,' the State Department said Monday on X. The court records show a $10,000 bond was posted at the Henderson Detention Center, southeast of Las Vegas, on August 7. The records indicate he is due back in court on August 27. The Israeli Embassy in Washington and the Israeli Prime Minister's Office did not immediately return messages. Israeli media quoted the office as denying that Alexandrovich was arrested, saying only that a 'state employee' was 'questioned by American authorities during his stay' and he had 'returned to Israel as scheduled.' MAGA firebrand Greene slammed the State Department in a lengthy post to X that also called on the US to bring in children from Gaza who need life-saving medical treatment Alexandrovich (pictured center) was believed to be in the Las Vegas area for Black Hat, one of the cybersecurity industry's most prominent conferences Taylor Greene also called on the US to bring in children from Gaza who need life-saving medical treatment. 'We need to be the America that allows war torn children to come here for life saving surgeries and the America that never releases a foreign child sex predator that our great LEO's caught. But in this circumstance those war torn children are from Gaza and this foreign child sex predator is from Israel and works directly for Netanyahu,' she wrote. 'I know God does not discriminate in his love for children. Why would we?' The Las Vegas police statement credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Henderson Police Department, the North Las Vegas Police, and the Department of Homeland Security with organizing the undercover operation. The Nevada District Attorney's office said that Alexandrovich's case will be dealt with at the county level in a statement. 'Last week, Tom Artiom Alexandrovich was arrested in a Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children joint operation; and he was booked into the Henderson Detention Center. This important multi-agency operation targeted child sex predators who preyed upon the most vulnerable members of our communities.' 'As a result of the operation, the Clark County District Attorney's Office is handling the prosecution.' However, on Monday, Interim U.S. Attorney for Nevada Sigal Chattah slammed Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson. 'The individual who fled our country should have had his passport seized by the state authorities,' Chattah told 8NewsNow. 'He must be returned immediately to face justice.' Wolfson defended Alexandrovich's treatment as the standard in Nevada. 'There was no court involvement. There was no prosecution involvement. This is the normal practice. It is very standard in this community and many communities across the country.' The young man killed in Sydney's most recent fatal shooting has been identified, and police have confirmed a burnt-out car found nearby was linked to the incident. Osama Momani, 22, was shot dead while sitting in a car outside a residence on Regiment Grove in Winston Hills, in Sydney's west, about 7pm on Tuesday. Momani was on bail awaiting trial on charges including aggravated break and enter over an alleged home invasion in Chester Hill in September 2023. Momani suffered chest wounds and was rushed to Westmead Hospital by ambulance, where he later died. 'Initial investigations suggest he attended the address or location from outside the local area,' Superintendent Barry Vincent said. He confirmed Momani was shot while sitting in the front passenger seat, alongside another person who was unharmed and is assisting police. Hours later, police and fire crews were called to Bounty Place in Old Toongabbie shortly before 11.15pm, where a Toyota SUV was found alight. The blaze was extinguished by firefighters and no one was injured. Police believe the car was linked to Momani's shooting. Osama Momani, 22, (pictured) was shot dead in Winston Hills on Tuesday night Emergency services rushed to the scene but were unable to prevent his death in hospital Detectives have launched an investigation into the incident on Tuesday night In many of the targeted shootings in Sydney's west, the car used by the assailants is burned to destroy forensic evidence. Crime scenes were established at both locations with the Homicide Squad and local detectives launching Strike Force Karlgain to investigate. A teenage neighbour, who saw the man's body being lifted into an ambulance, described the scene. 'I was in my room, and I saw red and blue flashing lights reflected on my neighbour's house,' the neighbour told The Sydney Morning Herald. 'So I ran downstairs, and I told my dad, and we went outside to see what was happening.' 'We saw a whole lot of police cars and ambulances, and I saw a man on a stretcher being carried up into an ambulance, and he had been shot in the chest,' they said. Anyone with information about the incident has been urged to contact NSW Police. It is the second shooting to rock Sydney in two days, after gunmen opened fire outside a busy pub during the dinner rush on Sunday and shot an underworld figure with links to a street gang Gilbert Shino, who was shot dead outside the Harold pub in Forest Lodge, pictured with his wife Natasha on a family trip to Melbourne in January The latest Sydney shooting came two days after gunmen opened fire outside The Harold hotel in the inner-west suburb of Forest Lodge. Gilbert Shino, 39, died at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics and an off-duty doctor. His friend Maradona Yalda, 31, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, which was later downgraded to stable. Police said they believed Momani's death was not directly linked to the Forest Lodge incident. Mr Yalda is understood to have links with an Assyrian street gang called DLASTHR, along with former Comanchero bikie Andre Kallita, who has since left the club. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Mr Yalda. Witnesses to Sunday's shooting said they saw a man lying on the ground bleeding on the corner of Ross Street and Wigram Road, directly outside the pub's entrance. Staff locked the door and patrons sheltered under tables as dozens of shots rang out outside. Police evacuated the pub when it was safe to do so following the shooting. Local residents were reportedly instructed to remain indoors while police collected statements. Police revealed on Monday that Mr Yalda and his friend had just left the pub when they were ambushed. 'They were making their way to the car, which was parked about 100m up the road,' Leichhardt Superintendent Alf Sergi told 2GB's Ben Fordham. 'As they got closer to the vehicle, they appear to have been ambushed. Shots fired. 'The 39-year-old male, he suffered gunshot wounds and fell to the ground. 'Police were nearby they treated the man with the help of a doctor that was a resident nearby, and also paramedics, but unfortunately he succumbed to his wounds.' A longtime Bay Area radio legend and his wife have declared bankruptcy as their daughter faces charges for allegedly lying that a former Bachelor star had gotten her pregnant with twins. Ronn Owens, 79, a longtime anchor at KGO, and his wife, Jan Black, submitted a chapter 13 filing to a federal court in Arizona last week, stipulating that they have $2.3 million in liabilities and owe over $511,000 to more than 40 banks, credit card companies and other creditors, The Mercury News reports. It comes eight months after Owens promoted an online fundraiser to raise money for his family, saying they were dealing with 'overwhelming' financial difficulties' amid his 'profound' health challenges. Black, a former reporter for KCBS, said the filing 'stands as objective evidence of the reality of our financial challenges and the necessity of the GoFundMe fundraiser,' which she said remains 'active and crucial as we work to restructure our finances and move forward.' As of Tuesday evening, it had raised more than $131,600 for the Owens family - with some even making monthly contributions. But the bankruptcy filing shows that a significant portion of Owens and Black's debt, more than $400,000, was incurred in the first half of this year - after the GoFundMe was launched. It describes how they owe $300,000 in credit card debt to creditors like American Express and seven separate Bank of America accounts, and notes that Ronn is being sued by JP Morgan Chase for failing to pay $51,000. Longtime Bay Area radio legend Ronn Owens, now 79 (pictured) and his wife have filed for bankruptcy Laura Owens (pictured) is facing seven felony counts of perjury, fraud, forgery and evidence tampering, for allegedly lying that she became pregnant with Echard's children The couple, who were once considered Bay Area media royalty, have also claimed they have $6,640 in monthly payments - not including their $14,188 monthly mortgage, which they apparently stopped paying. Yet their pensions and Social Security income, which totals $21,000 a month, more than covers their $150-a-month medical and dental care as well as their $225 supplemental health insurance. Owens and Black are also only paying $1,500 for life insurance and $425 for insurance on their daughter's horses. The couple should have also had some money from selling their longtime San Francisco home for $3.5 million in 2020, as the home they had purchased in Scottsdale, Arizona is now valued at $1.5 million. Laura had tried to get former Bachelor star Clayton Echard (pictured) to take a paternity test But the anonymous friends and family members who created the GoFundMe last year insinuated that the funds could help pay for health-related expenses. Owens has Parkinson's disease and survived four bouts of cancer. He also suffers from 'some serious heart issues,' according to The Mercury News. The fundraiser noted that Owens' medical struggles have since 'taken a toll, both physically and financially,' and the couple previously said that their supplemental health insurance does not cover all the 'residual' health care expenses following Owens' multiple health crisis, which also include COVID and pneumonia. They told The Mercury News earlier this year that Owens has spent up to six months in hospitals over the past few years, and when he returned home he needed an in-home caregiver. It now remains unclear how the couple may have used the money they received from the GoFundMe, as Black said that the pending bankruptcy litigation limits what they can share publicly. Still, she said the money 'has been a lifeline during a period that often felt hopeless. 'We truly do not know how we would have navigated these months without their support.' She also denied rumors that some of the money is being used to help fund their daughter Laura's legal expenses, which experts have said could run into six figures. Prosecutors have said the 34-year-old doctored a sonogram and pregnancy video, and even lied under oath, as she tried to get former Bachelor star Clayton Echard to take a paternity test. According to court documents, Laura testified in November 2023 that she was 24 weeks pregnant with twins and Echard was the father. But she dropped her paternity suit at the end of that year, saying she had miscarried at some point without knowing it. The Owens family (pictured) has stood by Laura's claim that she was pregnant An online fundraiser had raised more than $131,600 for the Owens family - with some even making monthly contributions Court records in both Arizona and San Francisco show that Laura has previously made similar allegations against three other men since 2014, claiming each time she either had abortions or miscarriages. Echard's attorney, Gregg Woodnick, has since called Laura a 'serial fraud' in a court declaration. Still, the Owens family has stood by Laura's claim that she was pregnant with Echard's children - and insisted that she was pregnant each of the times she claimed she was. In a statement after she was indicted on seven felony counts of perjury, fraud, forgery and evidence tampering, Laura argued that the charges 'appear to be the product of intense public pressure, not impartial judgment. 'They reflect a system that responded to online outrage, ignored procedural protections, and moved forward based on narrative rather than fact,' she claimed. 'It is difficult not to see them as part of a broader effort to discredit me, discourage me, and make an example out of me,' it continued. 'I intend to meet these accusations head-on - and I will defend myself, fully and relentlessly, through every step of this process.' Owens (pictured with his daughter Laura) has Parkinson's disease and survived four bouts of cancer. He also suffers from 'some serious heart issues' Owens and his wife, Jan Black, claimed that they owe $2.3 million in liabilities as well as over $511,000 to more than 40 banks, credit card companies and other creditors Reflecting on the allegations against her daughter amid the bankruptcy, Black blasted the Justice for Clayton community, saying its campaign against her and her husband 'has been relentless and deeply damaging.' She went on to say she and her husband have been forced to supplement their pensions and Social Security income with side ventures, but they have been 'significantly impacted by ongoing harassment and reputational attacks.' Having to file for bankruptcy has also been 'deeply intrusive and emotionally exhausting.' When Owens first promoted the online fundraiser in 2024, he also said it was difficult to 'admit that the financial strain has become overwhelming on top of everything else. 'For 48 years, I poured my heart into KGO, sharing stories, sparking conversations and connecting with you all,' he wrote. He added that he never imagined he would be in a position in which he would need to ask for help, 'but here I am asking for a little help from the community that has meant so much to me.' Killer Constance Marten is looking to appeal her conviction over the death of her newborn daughter. Marten, 38, and her partner Mark Gordon, 51, are currently awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence of their baby, Victoria, in 2023. She has now applied to have her conviction reviewed by the Court of Appeal, according to the BBC. The Court of Appeal previously rejected the couple's bid to challenge their child cruelty conviction in their first trial, which ended last year. They were also found guilty of concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice by not reporting her death, however jurors were unable to reach a verdict on manslaughter which prompted a retrial. The Mail previously revealed that Marten was planning to appeal her manslaughter conviction on the basis that the jury was prejudiced after she blurted out that Gordon was a convicted rapist. Her lawyers were planning to claim the trial judge did not warn the jury quickly enough to ignore her own words following the bombshell admission, which almost caused the retrial to collapse. Gordon has also vowed to appeal the verdict, which he claimed was 'faulty' and 'unlawful' moments after his conviction. Killer Constance Marten (pictured) is looking to appeal her conviction over the death of her newborn daughter Marten, 38, and her partner Mark Gordon (pictured), 51, are currently awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence of their baby, Victoria, in 2023 The couple went on the run from authorities with their baby to prevent her being taken into care between January 3 and February 27, 2023. They were arrested in Brighton, Sussex, following a seven week manhunt. Police later found their baby Victoria dead inside a Lidl bag in a disused shed nearby. Victoria's remains were too badly decomposed to establish the cause of death. Prosecutors claimed she died from hypothermia or was smothered while sleeping with her parents in a tent in cold and damp conditions. The defendants claimed their daughter's death was a tragic accident after Marten fell asleep on her. A jury in their retrial found Marten and Gordon unanimously guilty of manslaughter on Monday after 14 hours and 32 minutes of deliberations. They are now facing years in jail when they are sentenced at the Old Bailey on September 15. Marten seen on CCTV holding baby Victoria under her coat outside Special Connection in East Ham, London, on January 7, 2023 Court sketch of Mark Gordon questioning Constance Marten during their retrial In their first trial last year, the defendants were convicted of perverting the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child and child cruelty. In that trial, jurors were not told about Gordon's violent past, which was only partly revealed in their second trial. In 1989, Gordon, then aged 14, held a woman against her will in Florida for more than four hours and raped her while armed with a 'knife and hedge clippers'. Within a month, he entered another property and carried out another offence involving aggravated battery. Gordon, who moved with his mother from Birmingham to the US at the age of 12, was sentenced to 40 years in jail and was released after 22 years. In 2017, Gordon was also convicted of assaulting two female police officers at a a maternity unit in Wales where Marten gave birth to their first child under a fake identity. Jurors were not told that Gordon was also suspected of a incident of domestic violence in 2019 which left Marten with a shattered spleen. Gordon had refused to allow paramedics into their London flat to treat her even though she was 14 weeks pregnant, it emerged during legal argument. She spent eight days in hospital then put her life and that of her unborn child at risk by attempting to discharge herself, with Gordon's support, it was alleged. It was following that incident that the family court decided the couple's other children should be taken into care. Nigel Farage has hailed the decision to move migrants out of a controversial asylum hotel as a 'great victory' - as he called for it to be an 'inspiration' to the rest of Britain. Council leaders yesterday won the first stage of their battle to close the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, on planning permission grounds after it became an epicentre of anti-immigration protests, including some which turned violent. The demonstrations were sparked when a migrant living at the hotel was charged with a series of sexual offences, including some against a 14-year-old girl. Writing in The Telegraph, the Reform UK leader welcomed the decision by the High Court in London to grant the temporary injunction. Mr Farage said: 'This is a great victory for the parents and concerned residents of Epping. Let it also be an inspiration to the rest of Britain.' 'Now the good people of Epping must inspire similar protests around Britain,' he added. 'Wherever people are concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels and who are free to walk their streets, they should follow the example of the town in Essex. 'Lets hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win.' Protesters open bottles of Prosecco outside The Bell Hotel after it was announced it would be closing Nigel Farage (pictured) has hailed the decision to move migrants out of a controversial asylum hotel as a 'great victory' - as he called for it to be 'inspiration' to the rest of Britain The decision for a temporary injunction to be granted was welcomed by jubilant locals The new junction means that the hotel's owner, Somani Hotels Limited, must stop housing asylum seekers at the site by September 12. It came after the Home Office unsuccessfully attempted to block the legal challenge, claiming its closure would cause 'acute difficulties' and breach asylum seekers' 'fundamental human rights'. The decision was also welcomed by jubilant locals who were pictured opening bottles of Prosecco outside The Bell Hotel. Mother Sarah White, 40, one of the protest organisers, said the news was 'amazing'. She said: 'This is great news - it is fantastic. This is not just for Epping but the rest of the country. Hopefully this is the sign of things to come. 'I really do hope they do not put these people in houses of multiple occupancy within our community now. 'That would be a kick in the face and we would fight it. 'But today's news is really positive. Families and women will be able to sleep easier at night knowing they will not be there. 'It's been a disgrace we have had to fight like this.' Pictured: Mother Sarah White, 40, one of the protest organisers, said the news was 'amazing' Epping Forest District Council was today granted a temporary injunction by the High Court in London - with the decision welcomed by jubilant locals People gather outside The Bell Hotel to celebrate the court's decision on Tuesday Sarah said they would be talking to other towns where migrant hotels are. She added: 'We will start protesting with towns up and down the country. We are standing shoulder to shoulder with them as well. 'We want to show this is bigger than Epping, it is impacting the whole country.' Maureen Chapman, 73, has lived in Epping for 50 years and said she felt 'under threat' by the hotel being there. Yesterday she said: 'This has restored my faith in humanity. It has restored my faith in common sense. Thank God, somebody has actually listened to the people. 'Locals have finally been heard and it feels like it has taken a very long time for that to happen. 'I hope councils up and down the country hear this message loud and clear. These hotels are not wanted and if local people rally around as a community, their voices can be heard.' Admin assistant Sarah Corner, 44, added: 'I am so pleased. Today is a huge day for the people of Epping. It is absolutely amazing. A woman drinks Prosecco outside the The Bell Hotel in Epping Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said it was 'good news and a victory for the mums and dads 'I only hope people now don't go through the same hell as we did. 'I was so worried every night. I only live half a mile away from the hotel. 'When there was the news of the alleged sexual assaults, it was horrific. I felt sick. 'We can all now hopefully get on with our lives.' Edward Brown KC, for the Home Office, warned the High Court the move 'runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests'. It would also 'substantially interfere' with the Home Office's legal duty to avoiding a breach of the asylum seekers' human rights, he said. The barrister added: 'The balance of convenience can never favour a course of conduct that creates a real risk of interfering with fundamental human rights. 'If the injunction is granted by the court, it will substantially impact on the Home Secretary's statutory duties. 'The local authority should in fact have given some consideration to the wider public interest in this application.' He added that the injunction bid 'causes particular acute difficulties at the present date'. Epping Forest District Council leader Chris Whitbread leaves the Royal Courts of Justice after securing a temporary injunction against the use of The Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers Your browser does not support iframes. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said it was 'good news and a victory for the mums and dads I spoke to in Epping who just want their children to be safe'. She added: 'Putting a hotel full of young male illegal immigrants in the middle of a community like Epping was always going to lead to issues. 'They need to be moved out of the area immediately. 'But Epping is just one of many towns struggling with these asylum hotels. 'Labour have no solution, they're not smashing any gangs and small boat arrivals are at record highs. 'I do have a plan - bring back a proper deterrent and remove all illegal arrivals immediately, so towns like Epping never have to deal with this again.' Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'Residents should never have had to fight their own Government just to feel safe in their own town.' He accused Labour of deciding to 'tear up the deterrents the Conservatives put in place', such as the Rwanda asylum scheme. Outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Epping council leader Chris Whitbread said: 'This is a decision that's important to Epping Forest, but also important to have councils up and down the country, and it shows that the Government cannot ignore planning rules, just like no-one else can ignore planning rules.' Protesters gather outside the Bell hotel in Epping, Essex, on July 31, to express concern about migrants being housed there He added: 'This is only the start of a process and subject to appeal, we recognise that, but all things being equal, the Bell Hotel will be empty by September 12, and that's really important for the students, residents, businesses of Epping Forest.' Addressing local residents, he went on: 'If they decide to go outside the Bell Hotel, don't protest, don't over-celebrate. This is the beginning. It is not the end.' The Home Office had not been represented at a previous hearing in the case on Friday. But yesterday the department asked to be allowed to intervene Mr Justice Eyre was due to hand down his ruling on whether the injunction should be granted. Philip Coppel KC, for Epping Forest District Council, said the Home Office's request was 'a thoroughly unprincipled application made in a thoroughly unprincipled way'. He added that the department knew of the injunction bid last week but 'sat on their hands'. It comes after a series of protests in recent weeks outside the hotel. A resident at the hotel, Hadush Kebatu, 41, from Ethiopia, was charged with sexual assault, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. The incidents allegedly happened within two days, just over a week after the 41-year-old arrived in the UK by boat. Epping Forest District Council was seeking an injunction at the High Court in London, in order to stop migrants from being accommodated at the former Bell Hotel in Epping A series of protests have taken place since the arrest of an asylum seeker for three alleged offences, leading to 28 arrests Epping Forest District Council sought an interim injunction stopping migrants from being accommodated at the Bell Hotel in Epping Raphael Pigott, defending, told a hearing at Colchester magistrates' court on July 17: 'I believe he is here as a refugee or asylum seeker, and that he arrived informally on a boat.' It is alleged Mr Kebatu tried to kiss a schoolgirl as she ate pizza near a busy high street, and the next day attempted to kiss an adult near a fish and chip shop in the town centre, telling her she was 'pretty' while putting his hand on her leg. He then encountered the girl again and tried to kiss her, a court was told. Mr Kebatu has denied the offences and is in custody. A second man who resides at the hotel, Syrian national Mohammed Sharwarq, has separately been charged with seven offences. A series of protests have taken place outside the hotel since the alleged incidents. There was violence outside the premises last month after 'anti-immigration' campaigners clashed with 'anti-racism' demonstrators. Activists brawled in the streets while police battled to contain the chaos. Twenty-eight people have since been arrested in relation to disorder, and 16 of them have been charged. Police chiefs have already described the unrest at The Bell as a 'signal flare' for another summer of disorder. Protests have led to a strong policing presence at the hotel, with 28 arrests of demonstrators At a hearing on Friday the council told the High Court the housing of asylum seekers at the property was becoming a 'very serious problem' which 'could not be much worse'. Barristers for the council claimed Somani Hotels breached planning rules as the site is not being used for its intended purpose as a hotel, stating there was an 'overwhelming case for an injunction'. Somani Hotels defended the claim with its barristers telling the court in London that a 'draconian' injunction would cause asylum seekers 'hardship'. They added that 'political views' were not grounds for an injunction to be made. They also said that contracts to house asylum seekers were a 'financial lifeline' for the hotel, which was only one per cent full in August 2022, when it was open to paying customers. Opening Friday's hearing Philip Coppel KC, for the council, said: 'Epping Forest District Council comes to this court seeking an injunction because it has a very serious problem. 'It is a problem that is getting out of hand; it is a problem that is causing a great anxiety to those living in the district. 'There has been what can be described as an increase in community tension, the catalyst of which has been the use of the Bell Hotel to place asylum seekers. 'The problem has arisen because of a breach of planning control by the defendant.' He continued that the site 'is no more a hotel than a borstal to a young offender' for asylum seekers and that Somani Hotels had not had 'the courage of conviction to seek a certificate of lawful use', which would have 'resolved the matter in its favour'. Mr Coppel also referenced the alleged sexual assault of the teenage girl, and said several schools were in the nearby area. He said: 'Having this sort of thing go on in such a concentration of schools with no measures in place to stop a repetition is not acceptable. 'It really could not be much worse than this.' Your browser does not support iframes. Another factor in favour of granting an injunction would be removing a 'catalyst for violent protests in public places'. The barrister added: 'Allowing the status quo to continue is wholly unacceptable, providing a feeding ground for unrest.' Piers Riley-Smith, representing Somani Hotels, said the alleged planning breach was 'not flagrant', and that it was 'entirely wrong' for the council to 'suggest the use has been hidden from them'. The barrister told the court that the hotel previously housed asylum seekers from 2020 to 2021, and from 2022 to 2024, and that the council 'never instigated any formal enforcement proceedings against this use'. He said company applied for planning permission for a 'temporary change of use' in February 2023, but this was later withdrawn as it had not been determined by April 2024. Asylum seekers then began being placed in the Bell Hotel again in April 2025, with Mr Riley-Smith stating that a planning application was not made 'having taken advice from the Home Office'. Addressing the public protests at Epping, the barrister said: 'The court should bear in mind - as recognised by the claimant - that these have spread far beyond locals who might have a genuine concern about their area to a wider group with more strategic national and ideological aims, but that does not necessarily mean the concerns are well-founded. 'Fears as to an increase of crime associated with asylum seekers or a danger to schools are common, but that does not make them well-founded. 'It also sets a dangerous precedent that protests justify planning injunctions.' Mr Justice Eyre refused to give Somani Hotels the green light to challenge his ruling, but the company could still ask the Court of Appeal for the go-ahead to appeal. In his judgment, he said that while the council had not 'definitively established' Somani Hotels had breached planning rules, 'the strength of the claimant's case is such that it weighs in favour' of granting the injunction. He continued that the 'risk of injustice is greater' if a temporary injunction were not granted. A further hearing on whether the injunction should be made permanent is expected to be held at a later date, and is expected to last two days. An Aussie makeup artist has shared her chilling experience with an obsessive customer that has left residents around the world stunned. Melbourne woman Danielle Hendricks said she received an inquiry from a customer who wanted to make a 'birthday' booking for a hair and makeup appointment. What followed was a bizarre interaction that involved the customer asking for Ms Hendricks' address, questioning if the pair could be friends, and then creating fake bookings while warning the makeup artist she wouldn't know which one was real. Ms Hendricks was so taken aback by the entire ordeal that she nicknamed the customer 'Birthday Reindeer' - a homage to 'Baby Reindeer', which is a popular Netflix series about a stalker infatuated with a young comedian. She has documented her ordeal on TikTok, with her story going global and social media users claiming they are watching her videos from countries like Singapore, Kenya and South Africa. Ms Hendricks had settled on a date to do the customer's hair and makeup after she received the initial message. The pair agreed the service would cost $250, and Ms Hendricks sent across the details of the booking for August 24 along with a request for a small deposit. But the customer said she could not pay the deposit, claiming she had issues with the bank, and asked for a small birthday discount, adding she had been scammed by makeup artists before. Successful Melbourne make-up artist Danielle Hendricks (above) shared a disturbing exchange with a potential client with 5million viewers online Ms Hendricks, who had maintained a professional tone, said that was when alarm bells began to ring. 'Being in this industry for so long and being recognised as a reputable sole trader business, most people who enquire with me trust me and send me a deposit right away. The interaction is usually no more than 4 messages in total,' she told the Daily Mail. The customer sent several further enquiries, promising she would definitely come, and asked for the artists address. Ms Hendricks had previously shared her address with the customer for the booking, but later edited the iMessage to redact her street and property number. Following a further exchange, the makeup artist said she would make an exception about the deposit and added, I dont know what else you want. Okay, I understand. Thank you lovely x, the customer replied. Appreciate it. Can we be friends? Ms Hendricks shared the video with 5.1million viewers on TikTok who were immediately concerned for her safety. The makeup artist (pictured) faced threats after sharing the details of her interaction with the unnamed client, she revealed Ms Hendricks (pictured) said she tried to maintain a professional attitude throughout the interaction, despite the client's bizarre claims and attempts to hassle her business This thread has just been red flag after red flag,' Ms Hendricks said. 'I can't think of a single green flag aside from her desperation that she really wants a makeup artist, because why else would you message someone so much? But I really think this person is having a laugh. I don't know what this is. Would you cancel this booking, and how would you go about it because of this? I don't know if I want to even meet this person. Social media sleuths claimed the customer was a woman who had been accused of running a business that had failed to send products to clients. They claimed the client also set up fundraisers online, claiming she needed help for medical assistance and food, and had begged viewers for help on TikTok live videos. One messaged Ms Hendricks, accusing the client of being a scammer. Ms Hendricks revealed the customer had found her online booking form and inundated her with several phony bookings under fake names. She warned the makeup artist she wouldn't know which ones were real. Ms Hendricks adjusted her booking system to require a deposit upon scheduling to weed out the client's messages. The would-be client asked if the pair 'could be friends' after arranging the booking before turning on Ms Hendricks after a video detailing their bizarre exchange went viral (pictured) She said she then faced backlash from the customer after spreading awareness of the issue. The client - who Ms Hendricks said is well-known to police - messaged the makeup artist about her TikTok videos. I didnt realise she actually messaged me on Friday night, Ms Hendricks said. It was just I have a question, and I said, let me guess, you want to be friends. And she said, the post about the makeup, Id like you to delete it because it wasnt me, it was my sister messaging you, and if you dont delete it, Ill take you to the police for posting stuff without my consent or permission, and Ill make you lose your job. Ms Hendricks, who is self-employed, said she never shared any information directly about the client and had just raised awareness about the issue. I said multiple people are the ones who informed me about you, so please do go to the police if you like, Id be interested to know who they think the real criminal is, the makeup artist said. And then she says, Ill be going to the police if its not deleted by today, Ive got your address details and information as well, plus TikTok and photos. Ms Hendricks shared another screenshot of the exchange over text I was planning to give the police my address anyway so they know which house to protect. Ms Hendricks joked that, aside from the threats, the client had been relatively polite. She said she had everything to support her case and was not afraid of the client. I havent really done anything, I was just telling a funny story online and then it developed into me spreading awareness about this person who does all of these weird scams just to get a bit of money from people, she said. Im confident in my strength, and Im also confident that Ive done nothing wrong. Social media users were left horrified by Ms Hendricks' experience. I'm sorry youre going through this,' one wrote. 'As someone who has been stalked before, try not to mention any similarities like having the same police station or the name of the area you both live in - people are crazy and can use the smallest details to find out your (information).' Youve done nothing wrong. Shes just added more nails to her coffin by sending threatening messages, another said. This is like a toxic relationship you didnt ask to be a part of, a third added. Ms Hendricks told the Daily Mail she had been 'left with more questions than answers'. 'What is even more confusing is the fact that she keeps reaching out to other makeup artists in the area with a similar script,' she said. 'Does she actually want her hair and makeup done? Will someone end up locking in her booking without a deposit end will she actually rock up? Why did she ask me if we can be friends?' She now believes the client is 'a pathological liar who would fake anything to seem at a disadvantage in the hopes of getting sympathy donations'. 'I definitely did not expect this bizarre enquiry to turn into going down this deep rabbit hole finding out who this person is and how she sits on TikTok lives all day, and scams people online.' Ms Hendricks warned other businesses she has learned scammers will concoct fake scam stories about themselves to 'slip through the cracks'. 'Ultimately, its important we all put our foot down and not waver no matter what. No deposit, No booking,' she said. If you need support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 A young man who took his own life at a Sunshine Coast childcare centre was an OnlyFans creator with a long history of crime that included drug trafficking. Reubhan Mickeal Gary Ralph, 29, was Tasered by police several times before using a sharp implement to kill himself at the Habitat childcare centre at Peregian Springs at 6pm on Monday. Five staff members and six children were forced to lock themselves in a room while the terrifying incident played out. Ralph was a fly-in, fly-out worker and OnlyFans content creator who was involved in a local drug syndicate and had a string of serious convictions, court records show. He was previously charged with stalking two women, one of whom was an employee at Maroochydore Police Station. In October 2023, Ralph applied for bail in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court, where police prosecutor Senior Constable Mark Burrell told the court the case against him was 'strong'. 'They are serious offences, there are two separate victims, which is more than normal, and the second victim is an employee of Queensland Police,' he said. Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin described the allegations as 'quite chilling' and highlighted the disturbing pattern of behaviour. Reubhan Mickeal Gary Ralph (pictured) was declared dead at the scene on Monday evening 'The second complainant involves another woman who is a civilian working at a police station, and it seems the defendant has now taken an interest in this female, who he could only know through seeing his required visits to the police station,' Mr McLaughlin said. He said Ralph was a 'menace' whose actions left women fearing for their safety. 'It's said he has been loitering around the police station, photographing this woman and making lewd comments towards her, to the extent that she is now worried about even attending work,' the magistrate said. 'In all my years as a magistrate I have never seen a person simultaneously charged with stalking two different women, one of whom he barely knows, it's bizarre, it speaks of a man who has real problems. 'In the very least before I could feel comfortable letting him back into the community I'd need some sort of psychiatric report.' Ralph also played a role in a cocaine syndicate between November 2021 and May 2022, conducting drug deliveries and debt collections stretching from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast. He later pleaded guilty to trafficking and drug possession. In July last year, Ralph made headlines for stealing a truck from a Gold Coast construction site and going on a destructive rampage, smashing into cars and even an ambulance while recording the chaos on his phone. Reubhan Mickeal Gary Ralph (pictured) had previously faced a number of criminal charges Habitat Early Learning (pictured) went into lockdown on Monday evening during the incident On Monday, Ralph had armed himself with a sharp object and began smashing a glass door at the childcare centre. The staff and six children barricaded themselves inside a room, and were guided to safety by a police officer as the incident unfolded. Police attempted to negotiate with Ralph before trying to remove him, which included the deployment of Tasers several times. Police say Ralph began to self-harm and consequently sustained serious injuries. Attending police rendered first aid before other emergency services arrived; however, he was declared dead a short time later. The incident is being treated as mental health-related. No one else was injured in the incident. If you need support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636. A proposal to ban a council from advertising on the Kyle and Jackie O show has spectacularly backfired, with Labor accused of hypocrisy for the suggestion. The firestorm began after Brisbane City Council's Labor team pushed to prohibit council advertising on the Kyle and Jackie O Show was met with backlash. The motion, introduced by Labor councillor Lucy Collier, called for the council to immediately stop buying advertising during the breakfast program. Brisbane City Council is the nation's biggest local authority, representing more than 1.2million residents, a population larger than the ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory combined. The council has been under Liberal National Party (LNP) control since 2004. Collier accused the LNP of misusing ratepayer funds to 'sponsor shock jocks,' saying money should instead be directed to 'roads, footpaths and libraries.' 'Advertising is more than just a placement, it's an endorsement,' Collier argued. 'Residents expect better than their money being used to boost a show that is racist, sexist, mean, divisive and deeply disrespectful.' Lucy Collier (pictured) called for Brisbane City Council to stop advertising on Kyle and Jackie O But her attack quickly unravelled when LNP councillors pointed out Labor's own history of advertising with ARN, the network that airs the Kyle and Jackie O Show, particularly during election campaigns. Deputy Mayor Fiona Cunningham branded Collier's move 'hypocritical' and politically motivated. 'This opposition is dominated by men who, week after week, disrespect women in this chamber,' Cunningham said. 'For Cr Collier to come in here lecturing us about Kyle and Jackie O while her own party advertises on the same network is transparently hypocritical.' Cunningham also highlighted gender dynamics inside the chamber, pointing out that 65 per cent of LNP councillors are women, compared with a male-dominated Labor opposition. 'These [Labor] men have referred to female LNP councillors as dogs and grubs,' she said. 'They accuse female councillors of shouting and sniping. They mock their hobbies and they shout over them. In fact, I'm sure every single woman on this side of the chamber can think of a time when a male Labor councillor has shouted over them.' She also noted that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has appeared on the Kyle and Jackie O Show 11 times, even attending host Kyle Sandilands' wedding. Deputy Mayor Fiona Cunningham (pictured) said the move was hypocritical and political Cunningham noted that Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been on the show 11 times 'If it's good enough for the Prime Minister to appear on the program, how can Labor argue Brisbane City Council should boycott it? This is not about community standards, it's about politics,' Cunningham said. She further rejected Collier's central claim the council was 'sponsoring' the show. 'We don't sponsor Kyle and Jackie O,' she said. 'We advertise with one of the largest commercial radio networks in Australia. That's all. Council does not regulate or censor content, that's the job of the federal communications minister.' Collier refused to answer repeated questions about whether Labor itself had purchased advertising with ARN. The chamber then descended into heated exchanges, with Collier citing the show's past controversies while LNP councillors accused her of cherry-picking. In the end, the motion failed, with just five councillors supporting it and 16 voting against. In her right of reply, Collier insisted the LNP was avoiding accountability. The Kyle and Jackie O show was found by ACMA to have breached decency rules in March Cunningham noted the council advertised across the ARN network, not specifically one show 'The best argument the LNP can make is that if someone else does it, then it's okay for them,' she said, maintaining that advertising during the Kyle and Jackie O program still amounted to an endorsement. In March, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that the Kyle & Jackie O Show breached decency rules under the Commercial Radio Code of Practice, over two separate segments that discussed graphic sexual acts. In 2024, the show faced backlash over a segment in which Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson ran a competition where female staff recorded themselves urinating, with the 'boys trying to guess whose flaps made the sound.' Daily Mail has contacted ARN for comment. The woman who plunged to her death with her husband in Sydney's CBD had endured a childhood marred by heartbreak after losing her own mother in devastating circumstances. Angela Nesbitt and Steven Dash were asked to leave The Star casino in Pyrmont about 8.55am on Saturday before falling from an overpass near Sydney Harbour Bridge less than an hour later, onto Harbour Street, at about 9.45am. Now Daily Mail can reveal Ms Nesbitt's mother, Kathleen, died in September 1996 in eerily similar circumstances. Kathleen, 41, took her own life when she fell from a moving car while her husband was behind the wheel. The shocking incident happened close to the family's home in Sydney's south-west, and rocked the close-knit community. 'It was so sad for Angela and her younger brother and sister,' a family friend told Daily Mail. 'None of them ever really recovered from it, not just the horrific accident but the years before that were turbulent for them all.' Around the same time, Ms Nesbitt, then 18, moved to London for a period to live before returning to Australia. Angela Nesbitt and Steven Dash were asked to leave The Star casino in Pyrmont about 8.55am on Saturday Angela Nesbitt and Steven Dash fell to their deaths from a walk bridge near the Western Distributor, onto Harbour Street (pictured) Ms Nesbitt's mother, Cathy, died in 1997 in eerily similar circumstances 'She was in the UK working for a couple of years - maybe it was a way to try and move on. 'The whole story is very sad, and I guess you never really know how people are dealing with things privately.' Ms Nesbitt's father, who emigrated to Australia from the UK in 1982, delivered the news of his daughter's death to friends and family. On Sunday, he phoned and messaged loved ones to let them know his daughter had tragically died. 'He didn't know the circumstances as to what exactly happened at that point, but was letting people know that it looked like Angela had taken her own life,' the friend said. Security guards at The Star had earlier asked Ms Nesbitt and Mr Dash to leave the casino, raising concerns about their erratic behaviour. Police were alerted after a comment was reportedly made to security about self-harming, sparking fears for the couple's welfare. Officers began searching the Pyrmont and Darling Harbour area, but less than an hour later, police received reports two people had fallen from the overpass onto Harbour Street. The couple, who wed in October 2022, had a well-documented history of mental health issues Emergency services rushed to the scene but both Ms Nesbitt and Mr Dash were pronounced dead. The couple, who wed in October 2022, had a well-documented history of mental health issues and had previously threatened self-harm. Daily Mail previously revealed how the pair were facing fertility struggles that weighed heavily on them in the months leading up to their deaths. Ms Nesbitt, 48, was a member of several online support groups for surrogacy and egg donation, and was desperate for the chance to have a baby of her own. On Christmas Day 2023, just over a year after her wedding, she signed up to one such community, taking her first tentative steps towards her dream. Around the same time the couple also posted an online ad on an 'egg donor angel' website, alongside a smiling photo of themselves. While egg donation in Australia is altruistic, with donors only paid their expenses and not paid for their eggs, a single round of IVF can cost up to $15,000. The average patient usually requires a minimum of three rounds of IVF treatment, with a total cost approaching $50,000. Police have confirmed the couple's visit to the casino, and whether they had been gambling, is under investigation. Ms Nesbitt and Mr Dash's history of mental health issues will be examined. Lifeline 13 11 14 Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 A Republican politician unintentionally provoked a wave of criticism in a misguided attempt to promote President Donald Trump's 'No Tax on Tips' initiative. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks shared two photos to X on Monday after she dined at Sundown Bar and Grill in Iowa for lunch on Sunday. In one of the pictures, Miller-Meeks smiles broadly while showing off the receipt for her meal - a chilly steak sandwich and some nuggets - which totaled $18.19 including tax. But it was her tip which has left online commentators so divided. Miller-Meeks left $21 in bills, along with several coins on the table to cover her bill, amounting to a tip of about $3. 'I got to celebrate No Tax on Tips with our wonderful server, she's thrilled about this provision and excited to keep more of what she earns,' she wrote. In one of the pictures, Miller-Meeks smiles broadly while showing off the receipt for her meal - a chilly steak sandwich and some nuggets - which totaled $18.19 including tax Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks shared two photos to X on Monday after she dined at Sun Down Bar and Grill in Iowa for lunch on Sunday Despite offering a 20 percent tip on her meal, Miller-Meeks has been slammed for the sum. 'Imagine showing the world you're a cheapskate,' one furious X user wrote. 'Did you really only tip $3? And broadcast it as a win?' A third added: 'Pulling out coins to tip is the most old woman politician thing she could do.' But Miller-Meeks' tip has reignited a fiery debate about what the expectation is for tipping culture in the United States. Her defenders pointed out that she left a 20 percent tip on her bill, an amount generally considered a good - or at the very least, standard - tip at restaurants in the US. One person, defending Miller-Meeks, responded to another user who had been particularly critical of her tip. 'Why are you trying to make someone who tipped 20% seem stingy? Oh I know, you want internet clout from libs,' the commenter said. Despite offering a 20 percent tip on her meal, Miller-Meeks has been slammed for the sum 'Further, what are your tipping habits? Do you think 20% is to [sic] little?' Anthony Fakhoury, a spokesperson with Miller-Meeks' office, told CBS: 'The Congresswoman left a 20% tip. 'Unlike Democrats, she did not vote to increase taxes on hardworking Iowans. "No Tax on Tips" means more money in the pockets of servers, not the IRS.' A young woman has been found dead in a house, while her boyfriend has been charged with domestic violence murder. Summer Fleming, 20, was found with severe facial injuries in a house in Rutherford, in NSW's Hunter Valley, shortly before 5am on Monday. Emergency services were unable to revive her and her boyfriend Jethro Gamueda, 31, was arrested by cops and taken to Maitland Police Station where he was charged. Gamueda faced Parramatta Bail Court on Tuesday. The couple had met while working at Rydges and were together for one year before the alleged attack. No prior domestic violence had been reported. Ms Fleming's sister, Ash Heggie-Martin, described her as 'a beautiful spirit'. 'She's just one of a kind,' she told Nine News. 'No person deserves to die like that, especially such a beautiful young soul.' Summer Fleming (right), 20, was allegedly killed by her boyfriend, 31-year-old Jethro Gamueda (left), on Monday morning Ash Heggie-Martin (right), the sister of Ms Fleming (left), described her as 'a beautiful young soul' Ms Heggie-Martin recalled the moment she was told of her sister's death. 'I physically felt ill. I never thought a person I'd met, a person that was my sister's partner, was [allegedly] capable of doing that,' she said. Ms Fleming had dreamed of becoming a nurse. Gamueda made no application for bail. He will remain in custody until his next court appearance in October. Elon Musk has backtracked on plans to remake US politics by launching a third party and instead wants to use his immense wealth to help JD Vance become the next president. The billionaire Tesla founder intends to shift his focus back to his companies after a tumultuous stint working with President Trump and has become wary of upsetting Republicans, according to The Wall Street Journal. Musk has decided to join other tech titans and rally behind the person they believe is the likely successor to Trump: Vice President JD Vance, who has made recent moves that suggest he will run in 2028. The former DOGE head spent nearly $300million helping to elect Trump in 2024, but the duo has a spectacular fallout earlier this year with Musk eventually writing on X that 'Trump is in the Epstein files.' With Trump term-limited as president, Musk is considering using his financial largesse to help Vance win the next presidential election. He would join other tech honchos who have doled out money to Vance such as Palantir CEO Peter Thiel, former PayPal COO David Sacks, Roku CEO Anthony Wood and entrepreneur Palmer Luckey. Recent polls show Vance as a clear front runner for the 2028 Republican nomination. Musk has been speaking to Vance in recent weeks, the Journal said, and believes launching the so-called 'America Party' for the 2026 midterms might jeopardize their relationship. Elon Musk (pictured) is set to put his aspirations of an independent 'America Party' aside and place his massive financial banking into JD Vance, who Musk sees as Donald Trump's heir As far as political spending it appears Musk may be more focused on working within the two-party system in the future, with his eyes turned toward the vice president (pictured right) Also, many suggest the work has not begun on the basics like getting his America Party on the ballot or organizing with potential supporters. 'So my hope is that by the time of the midterms, hes kind of come back into the fold,' Vance told The Gateway Pundit in a recent interview. Billionaire CEO Mark Cuban, who endorsed Musk's attempt to start a third party, has said he's heard nothing, complaints echoed by others who've offered to work with Musk. 'It's almost an eerie silence,' said Libertarian National Committee Chair Steven Nekhaila, whose party has tried to engage and even join forces with Musk. 'It doesn't seem like anything has been in action, neither at the state level or at the ground level.' Those close to Musk cancelled a July meeting with a group that helps organize third-party campaigns and were told Musk wanted to focus more on business. Musk's potential backing of Vance despite his feud with Trump is the latest suggestion the VP and former Ohio Senator will attempt to make himself the successor to Trump. In June, Vance made a secret trip to Rupert Murdoch's Montana ranch, but it wasn't to ride horses or loll about tasting wine. The vice president spoke with the 94-year-old media mogul, his son Lachlan Murdoch and a group of other Fox News executives at the $280 million estate on June 11, to the talk up Trump agenda. After spending nearly $300million on getting Trump elected in 2024, Musk is now thinking about a similar backing for Vance in 2028 Billionaire CEO Mark Cuban (pictured, who endorsed Musk's attempt to start a third party, has said he's heard nothing about the plans for a third party, complaints echoed by others who've offered to work with Musk The specifics of the meeting and Vance's conversation with the group was not disclosed - but it appeared to be brief. Murdoch and other top executives are known for hosting powerful politicians across the summer at their sprawling estates. After the Murdoch meeting, the vice president and his wife, Usha, then took a hike, Montana State Auditor James Brown, who helped plan the trip, told Montana Talks. Musk's fallout with Trump appears to have simmered down since their blow up, with Trump saying in July that he wants success for the ex-'First Buddy' and his companies. Trump had previously threatened to take away the billions in government contracts granted to Musks various companies including SpaceX, The Boring Company, xAI and Neuralink. The duo had a very public fallout over Trumps one big beautiful bill, which resulted in each man making threats against the other. But the president now says he wants Musk to thrive. Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elons companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government. This is not so!, the president wrote on Truth Social. I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before! The better they do, the better the USA does, and thats good for all of us, Trump wrote. Elon Musk jumps on the stage as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in October of 2024 The America Party's founding came after Musk created an online poll on July 4 asking his followers whether to establish the new party Musk's fallout with Trump appears to have simmered down as the summer goes on, with Trump saying in July that he wants success for the ex-'First Buddy' and his companies Earlier in July, Trump added an additional threat: turning DOGE - the agency Musk founded - against him. 'I don't know. We'll have to take a look,' the president told Daily Mail when asked about deporting Musk. 'We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon,' Trump added. The America Party's founding came after Musk created an online poll on July 4 asking his followers whether to establish the new party. The results came back 65.4 percent in favor, leading Musk to make the announcement. 'By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!' Musk wrote. 'When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. He then proclaimed: 'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.' But it now appears the party was over before it even started. A young girl from Ohio wasted no time calling her father just seconds after learning she would be receiving a new heart. Ava Cooper, 11, has battled multiple serious heart defects since she was just six days old - including a hole in her heart, a heart positioned on the opposite side of her chest, reversed pumping chambers, and a missing or blocked pulmonary valve, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Despite undergoing multiple open-heart surgeries by the age of five, Avas health began to rapidly decline in the summer of 2024 - prompting doctors to conclude that a heart transplant was her best chance for survival. After spending nearly 300 days at Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, the moment Ava and her family had been waiting for finally arrived - a donor heart had become available. Ava was sitting on her hospital bed, unaware that the life-changing news she was about to receive - and her emotional reaction - was about to be lovingly captured on video. In the clip, Ava appears to be on a video chat with her father when a nurse approaches her bedside, smiling brightly as she leans in to whisper something in her ear. Immediately, Avas hands flew to her mouth in disbelief, her eyes widening as she quickly scanned the room, searching for confirmation of what she was hearing. 'Daddy,' she said into her iPad, her voice trembling with excitement. 'I'm getting a heart.' In a touching moment captured on video, 11-year-old Ava Cooper (pictured), from Ohio, wasted no time calling her father just seconds after learning she would be receiving a new heart Ava (pictured) has battled multiple serious heart defects since she was just six days old - including a hole in her heart, a heart positioned on the opposite side of her chest, reversed pumping chambers, and a missing or blocked pulmonary valve Her father, clearly as stunned as Ava, responded, 'What?!' 'I'm getting a heart!' she exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear as someone else in the room let out tears of joy. 'I was so excited and couldn't believe it was actually happening,' Ava told the Cleveland Clinic after hearing the news. Dr. Madeleine Townsend, part of Avas care team, said she wanted to let Ava be the one to share the news herself. 'I whispered it to Ava because I really wanted her to be the one to tell her parents,' she said. 'Getting to see Ava's smile that day is one of the best parts of my job.' Sean Cooper, Avas father, shared in the excitement during the call, his voice breaking with emotion as tears welled up upon hearing that his daughter would have a new lease on life. 'The hospital had become our second home, so hearing Ava say those words, "Im getting a heart," was overwhelming,' Sean told Cleveland Clinic. 'After everything shed been through, we were finally one step closer to coming home for good.' Avas health journey began almost from the moment she was born, undergoing her first heart surgery just days after entering the world. Although a total of four open-heart surgeries seemed to stabilize her condition by the time she was five, Ava (pictured) only remained symptom-free until the summer of last year In September 2024, at just 10 years old, Ava (pictured) was officially placed on the heart transplant waiting list While in the hospital, Ava's (pictured) health had its ups and downs - she needed oxygen to breathe, a feeding tube for nutrition, and a Berlin Heart device to help her heart pump blood 'After she was born, Ava had to be immediately flown to another hospital,' Jamie Cooper, her mother, told the outlet. 'I didn't even get the chance to spend time with her,' she added. Although a total of four open-heart surgeries seemed to stabilize her condition by the time she was five, Ava only remained symptom-free until the summer of last year. 'Ava started getting sick. I was noticing her waking up with facial swelling, not able to lay flat all the way, having a hard time breathing,' Jamie said. 'Her doctors at the time determined she was in heart failure.' It was at this point that Ava was transferred to Cleveland Clinic Children's, where a specialized team - including two pediatric heart function and transplant cardiologists - took over her care. They quickly determined that a heart transplant was the best option, concluding that further surgeries would no longer improve her long-term quality of life. In September 2024, at just 10 years old, Ava was officially placed on the heart transplant waiting list. While in the hospital, her health had its ups and downs - she needed oxygen to breathe, a feeding tube for nutrition, and a Berlin Heart device to help her heart pump blood. One of Avas most treasured memories came in February 2025, when hospital staff transformed her room into a special father-daughter dance venue (pictured), knowing she would miss the one she usually attends at that time of year Less than a month after the dance, a nurse approached Avas bedside and whispered that a new heart was on its way - a moment Ava instantly shared with her father over video chat (pictured) On March 6, Ava (pictured with parents) underwent the transplant surgery and emerged with a brand-new heart. By April 10, she was finally able to go home for the first time in months 'We had Sunday dinners, threw a birthday party for Avas sister in her hospital room and even brought up presents to open on Christmas morning. We were still trying to find ways to create memories together,' Jamie recalled. One of Avas most treasured memories came in February 2025, when hospital staff transformed her room into a special father-daughter dance venue, knowing she would miss the one she usually attends at that time of year. 'It's now one of the best memories I have with Ava, and I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who came together to make it possible,' Sean said. Less than a month after what Ava called her 'magical and cool' father-daughter dance, the hospital received a heart that would soon be hers. On March 6, Ava underwent the transplant surgery and emerged with a brand-new heart. She spent the next month in the hospital recovering. Her doctor explained that because she had been in heart failure for almost a year, her body needed time to heal. 'I was so excited to be back in my own bedroom and be able to see my dog Rocky again,' Ava told Cleveland Clinic. By April 10, Ava was finally able to go home for the first time in months. 'Even though I missed my whole fourth-grade class, Im excited Im able to see my friends, go on field trips and do art projects again,' Ava said. The diplomatic spat between Israel and Australia marks the lowest point in this country's relationship with the Jewish state since it was founded in 1948. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded Anthony Albanese a 'weak leader' who 'abandoned' Australia's Jews, while Immigration Minister Tony Burke hit back, claiming 'strength was not measured by how many people you can blow up'. But what triggered it? Australia's announcement last week that it would recognise the state of Palestine set Albanese on a collision course with Netanyahu. Yet, Australia is no outlier. The UK, France and Canada will also move to recognise Palestine at the UN next month. The escalation in language between both sides was prompted when Burke personally revoked the visas of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked and controversial Israeli advocate Hillel Fuld. In turn, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar - who recently accused Albanese of 'loving Hamas' - said the visas of Australia's representatives to the Palestinian Authority had been revoked. So what did Rothman, Shaked and Fuld say to gain membership to an exclusive - and unwelcome - club, which already includes the likes of domestic abuser Chris Brown, sex pest Bonnie Blue and rapper-turned-Hitler-fan Kanye West? The escalation in language between both sides was prompted when Burke personally revoked the visas of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked (pictured) and controversial Israeli advocate Hillel Fuld Simcha Rothman Rothman, 45, is a democratically-elected member of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, for the far-right National Religious Party - Religious Zionism. He was due to embark on a 'solidarity tour' of Australia this week, organised by the Australian Jewish Association, but had his visa pulled at the last minute. The Department of Home Affairs said it 'does not comment on individual cases' but a leaked document, published by Sky News, revealed that officials alleged Rothman had referred to Palestinian children as 'enemies' in an interview with Channel 4. 'When the interviewer asked why doesn't Israel let the children leave Gaza, the visa holder replied "They are our enemies",' the government document states. Outspoken Sky News host Sharri Markson claimed that this was a 'wildly inaccurate description' of what he said. The transcript reveals Lindsey Hilsum, the Channel 4 reporter, asked why Israel did not let the people of Gaza over the border into Israel if they wanted them to leave. Simcha Rothman, 45, is a democratically-elected member of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, for the far-right National Religious Party - Religious Zionism. He was due to embark on a 'solidarity tour' of Australia this week, organised by the Australian Jewish Association, but had his visa pulled at the last minute 'Because they are our enemies,' Rothman responded. Hilsum asked: 'The children are your enemies?' To which Rothamn said: 'They are our enemies and according to international treaties about refugees in the time of war, you dont let them conquer your country with refugees.' Ayelet Shaked Shaked, 49, a right-wing Israeli politician who left parliament in 2022, was denied an Australian visa last year. At the time, Burke declined to explain why it had been rejected and Shaked accused the Albanese administration of anti-Semitism. In 2014, Shaked shared a passage on social media written by the late Israeli writer Uri Elitzur that refers to Palestinian children as 'little snakes' and described the entire Palestinian people as 'the enemy'. 'Behind every terrorist stand dozens of men and women, without whom he could not engage in terrorism,' the text read. 'They are all enemy combatants, and their blood shall be on all their heads. Now this also includes the mothers of the martyrs, who send them to hell with flowers and kisses. 'They should follow their sons, nothing would be more just. They should go, as should the physical homes in which they raised the snakes. Otherwise, more little snakes will be raised there. In 2014, Shaked (pictured) shared a passage on social media written by the late Israeli writer Uri Elitzur that refers to Palestinian children as 'little snakes' and described the entire Palestinian people as 'the enemy'. 'They have to die and their houses should be demolished so that they cannot bear any more terrorists.' Immigration Minister Burke defended the decision to block both Rothman and Shaked's visas on Wednesday morning. 'One of them has described Palestinian children as the enemy, and the other has described Palestinian children as little snakes,' he told ABC Radio National. 'Now, if anyone wanted to come on a public speech tour, and they had those views publicly expressed about Israeli children, I would block the visa. 'And I am going to not have a lower bar for the protection of views that are bigoted views against the Palestinian people.' He added: 'I cant stop what reaches people over the internet, but I do have a personal responsibility as to whether or not Australia formally rolls out a welcome mat to people with extreme views and says, come and express them here.' Hillel Fuld Fuld, a Jewish-American entrepreneur and activist, was blocked from coming to Australia for a speaking tour last month. The multi-millionaire received a letter from the Department of Home Affairs, advising him that he was guilty of denying 'documented atrocities and (promoting) Islamophobia rhetoric, which has been received by members of the Australian community as inflammatory and concerning.' In social media posts, Fuld had described Islam as a 'global plague' and claimed up to 15 per cent of Muslims were 'radicalised'. He also compared Gazans to Nazi-era Germans and said they should be 'treated as' such. 'Differentiating between Gazans and Hamas is at best inaccurate, at worst dishonest,' he said. 'The Gazans elected Hamas, and a vast majority of them support October 7.' Hillel Fuld (pictured), a Jewish-American entrepreneur and activist, was blocked from coming to Australia for a speaking tour last month He also said that some Palestinian children were terrorists. 'Tragically, it is not safe to assume that all children in Gaza are innocent,' he said. 'Children are taught from age zero that murdering a Jew is the highest accomplishment in life, and so often times, Arab terror (including the murderer of my brother), is carried out by children. 'The same goes for women and "journalists" in Gaza.' Fuld's brother, Ari Fuld, was stabbed to death at the age of 45 by a 17-year-old Palestinian at the Gush Etzion Junction in the West Bank on September 16, 2018. On Thursday, Executive Council of Australian Jewry's co-CEO Alex Ryvchin called for calm from both the Australian and Israeli governments. 'The Australian Jewish community is profoundly disturbed and concerned by the rapidly deteriorating state of the relations between our government and the government of the state of Israel,' he told the ABC. 'We are calling on both governments to remember what's at stake, to ensure calm heads prevail and to conduct their matters of state privately, diplomatically and with respect for the longstanding diplomatic relationship between the two countries.' Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke relishes a fight, but his decision to inject himself so forcefully into a diplomatic dispute with Israel raises more questions than it answers. Yes, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu overstepped the mark by launching a personal attack on Anthony Albanese via Twitter. It was undignified, inflammatory and beneath the office he holds. It was just another example that in the Donald Trump-era anything goes. But Burke's response, while headline-grabbing, risks being remembered more as a domestic political performance than serious diplomacy. 'Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry', Burke thundered, using a line he'd undoubtedly workshopped as performative. It was designed for maximum cut-through, delivered with the moral certainty that plays well to his base. Yet it jarred. While Burke sounded like the school kid who tells the teacher 'he started it', you'd think a senior politician would realise two wrongs don't make his comments right. Foreign policy demands careful calibration, not flourishes that risk inflaming an already combustible situation. Home Affairs minister Tony Burke woke up this morning and chose to grab the headlines with a scathing blast at Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu If Netanyahu's late-night Twitter spray was reckless, Burke's punchy one-liner was childish at best. The sequence of events matters. Australia denied a visa to far-right Israeli MP Simcha Rothman on the grounds that his rhetoric about Palestinian children crossed a line into hate speech. Israel retaliated by suspending visas for Australian officials engaging with the Palestinian Authority. Then Netanyahu escalated the dispute even further, branding Albo weak. That was the moment where a quiet, measured rebuttal would have carried the most weight internationally and at home, other than amongst the activists, who Burke was seeking applause from. Defenders of Burke will argue he was standing up for his boss, reframing the idea of strength as moral principle rather than brute force. But this misreads the demands of the situation. Australia's interests aren't advanced by rhetorical duels that feed into Netanyahu's narrative of being under siege from foreign critics. Nor does Australia look more statesmanlike when a senior minister resorts to slogans that, while emotionally charged, do little to advance policy coherence. Netanyahu's own attack on Australia was undignified, inflammatory and beneath the office he holds There is also the question of consistency. Burke justified Rothman's exclusion as a matter of values, essential to maintaining domestic social cohesion. Yet his own framing, invoking images of children being blown up or left hungry, itself inflames domestic divisions. When the rhetoric of a senior Labor minister starts to mirror the polarising tone he condemns, the line between principles and politics is blurred. That does not mean Netanyahu should escape criticism. His decision to take a swipe at Albo on social media was pathetic, a sure sign that he's feeling the pressure. It reduced a legitimate disagreement into a personal slanging match, guaranteeing that the issue would escalate. Especially with the likes of Burke the one time university debater eager to try out a workshopped undergraduate retort floating around. Netanyahu reinforced the perception that Israel's government has grown defensive and erratic. But Burke's contribution did little to steady the ship. In fact, it ensured the story became less about the merits of Australia's visa decision and more about the war of words between childish politicians on opposite sides of the world. The government could have projected firmness without theatrics. Instead, it chose a line that will linger, but not necessarily in the way Burke intended. Anthony Albanese's government plans to remove children with mild autism or minor developmental delays from the NDIS, as the scheme's costs continue to spiral. Health and NDIS Minister Mark Butler told the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday the National Disability Insurance Scheme had become too big since it debuted in 2013 - with one in six Australian six-year-old boys now covered by it. 'The scheme is now entering its adolescence, a period that all parents know involves the maturing of our beautiful children but a period also that can be full of risks that things will run off the rails without a judicious dose of management and supervision,' he said. 'The NDIS has grown incredibly fast and created new markets which have at times impacted and distorted other parts of the health and social care ecosystem.' Butler said the government was aiming to pare back the NDIS to its original purpose to serve those with a permanent disability, following a review initiated by former NDIS minister Bill Shorten in 2022. 'First, returning the scheme to its original purpose, its North Star - the provision of support to people with significant and permanent disability and secondly, ensuring the scheme becomes sustainable from a Budget perspective.' The NDIS is forecast to cost taxpayers $52.3billion in 2025-26 which is more than Australia's $51.5billion defence budget, even during a time of global geopolitical uncertainty. The cost of the National Disability Insurance scheme is growing at a faster annual pace than aged care, even as more baby boomers retire, and Medicare. Health Minister Mark Butler told the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday the National Disability Insurance Scheme had become too big since it debuted in 2013 The NDIS costs blew out to $48.5billion in 2024-25 and the Treasury Budget papers revealed it was Australia's third most expensive program after revenue help for the states and territories and support for seniors. The scheme is becoming more expensive, as children with autism make up the bulk of new recipients instead of those with a permanent disability. 'Growth in new participant numbers remains high,' he said. 'Diverting this group of kids over time from the NDIS is an important element of making the scheme sustainable and returning it to its original intent.' A Nine Newspapers analysis of new NDIS recipients during the last financial year showed seven out of 10 of them were children with autism - or 56,000 out of the 78,000 participants who signed on between July 2024 and June 2025. 'Just under half the scheme's participants are now children under 15 - a share that rose again in this month's latest quarterly report and fully half of the new NDIS entrants are under the age of nine, most of whom have developmental delay or autism and are entering the scheme under the early intervention stream,' Butler said. 'Now I think most Australians would be alarmed to know that now, one out of every 10 six-year olds are now on the NDIS, including 16 per cent of six-year old boys. 'That's one in every six boys in the average, grade two classroom.' Anthony Albanese 's government plans to remove children with mild autism or minor developmental delays from the NDIS, as the scheme's costs continue to spiral (pictured is a stock image) On the New South Wales mid-north coast, it's one in four six-year old boys. The NDIS's June quarter report for 2024-25 revealed that for most participants under 18, 'the most prevalent disability types are autism and developmental delay'. 'Both disability types have higher diagnosis rates in males,' it said. The NDIS now support 740,000 Australians, which Mr Butler said was projected to grow to 1million by 2034. The scheme was originally intended to support 410,000 people with a disability when it began in 2013, during former Labor prime minister Julia Gillard's final months in office. The government in 2023 announced it would also aim to restrict annual growth in the NDIS to eight per cent a year, with public spending under Labor already at the highest level since 1986 outside of the Covid pandemic. 'Getting growth down from 22 per cent to eight per cent will certainly be a substantial achievement,' Butler said, while recognising even that amount cannot be sustained in the long run. 'To put that in some perspective, aged care is projected to grow by around five per cent per year, notwithstanding the huge increase in demand that is projected of course by the ageing of the baby boomer generation. 'Medicare is expected also to grow by around five per cent per year.' The NDIS's quarterly report last week revealed a 12 per cent increase in participant numbers in 2024-25 which Butler said was 'much higher than the previous year'. 'There is still much to do, even to achieve that eight per cent target,' he said. 'But eight per cent growth is simply unsustainable in the medium to long term.' Amanda Knox has revealed how Monica Lewinsky became her mentor as she tried to rebuild her life after being exonerated in the death of of her roommate Meredith Kercher. The two women met at a speaking engagement in 2017, just two years after Italy's highest court exonerated Knox and her one-time boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in Kercher's murder. Knox told The Hollywood Reporter how she was nervous and had begged the event organizers to let her speak with Lewinsky in private. The former White House intern obliged, and even made Knox a pot of tea as she shared some guidance from her years trying to move past her sex scandal with then-President Bill Clinton. 'She had a lot of advice about reclaiming your voice and your narrative,' Knox said. 'That ended up being a turning point for me.' Years later, Knox shared her desire to tell her story on screen in an interview with The New York Times - and upon seeing it, Lewinsky jumped on board. Together, Lewinsky and Knox wound up assembling a creative team, including This Is Us executive producer K.J. Steinberg and famed producer Warren Littlefield, to create 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox,' a limited series for Hulu. After years of planning, Knox and Lewinsky celebrated the premiere of the show on the red carpet Tuesday. Monica Lewinsky, 52, and Amanda Knox, 38, stunned on the red carpet as they celebrated the premiere of their show The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox Knox and Lewinsky also spoke about the importance of telling the stories of those who survived scandal on Knox's podcast, Hard Knox The two women served as executive producers on the Hulu miniseries. Lewinsky is pictured here (left) with with co-executive producers K.J. Steinberg, center, and Lisa Harrison The 38-year-old exoneree stunned in a lacy white and orange gown, while Lewinsky, 52, opted for a stunning gold number with dangling earrings and her hair pulled back. Just hours earlier, Knox released the latest episode of her podcast, Hard Knox, in which she and Lewinsky spoke of the importance of telling the stories of those who survived scandal. Speaking of the decision, Lewinsky noted that she does not often pay attention to a story after it fades from headlines. 'I don't think about "How is this person rebuilding their life?"' she said, her voice cracking as she apparently started to tear up. But, she said, she thinks it is important to 'understand, as my therapist calls it, the long tale of trauma - and that it's not even just the person, but the collateral damage for people's families.' 'It's not the story of like, being a person and being gutted and then building your life back. Knox served four years in an Italian prison before being cleared of murdering her former student flatmate Meredith Kercher (pictured) in 2007 Former partners Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are pictured here meeting again in the Italian town of Gubbio in October 2022, having both been cleared of Meredith Kercher's murder 'And having to find yourself again,' Lewinsky said, noting that both of their scandals arose when they were in their 20s. 'You think you know everything, you think you know who you are and it's then ripped away from you,' she reflected. 'It's reconfigured and reflected back to you as a monster that you never saw yourself as, that you actually aren't.' During that time, Knox said, 'it's hard to remember that you have value as a human.' That is why, both women said, it was important for Knox to tell her story herself 'I think it's a better product because I was able to share really personal and intimate things about, you know, my life that wasn't just like a Hollywood gloss over reality,' Knox said. 'Like it becomes dirtier in a good way because it has all the messy humanity and you have all these scenes that I, you know, remember being in the writer's room being like, "This is an actual thing that has happened" and they were like, "You can't make this stuff up."' 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox' premieres on Hulu on Wednesday, and stars Grace Van Patten in the titular role But the duo also sought to play on the 'anatomy of bias,' aiming to showcase how events unfold and are perceived through different people's perspectives. 'It's the way we story tell and it's the way we process a story in our own minds that is impacted by everything we're bringing to that moment that has been shaped by bias upon bias upon bias,' Lewinsky said. 'Every interaction that we have with a person is not just a straight interaction,' Knox added. 'It is colored by the context that we all carry. 'All of us are little universes inside of ourselves and we collide with each other,' she said. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox airs on Hulu, and stars Grace Van Patten in the titular role. Deliveries from popular online retailers like Mecca, ASOS, and The Iconic are set to become more expensive and slower if the Federal Government backs a new fuel tax. Proposals expected to be discussed at the Economic Reform Roundtable on Wednesday and Thursday could result in retailers passing on higher fuel costs directly to customers, potentially making free shipping a thing of the past. Cheaper, slower delivery options could become the new normal, leaving Australians weighing whether to pay extra for faster service. Currently, heavy freight trucks enjoy a fuel tax rebate that keeps delivery costs down and helps packages arrive quickly. Farmers and freight operators claim back part of the fuel tax they pay, the same rebate that has historically made online deliveries cheaper and faster. A new levy would reverse that advantage. The tax push has been supported by teal independent MPs Kate Chaney, Allegra Spender, and Senator David Pocock, with Spender attending the roundtable discussions. The Productivity Commission, which spoke at the roundtable on Wednesday, is expected to recommend a higher fuel tax for heavy vehicles delivering goods across the country. Scrapping the fuel levy is understood to be up for discussion at the Productivity Roundtable On Thursday, Grattan Institute CEO Aruna Sathanapally will present to the group, with her organisation having previously expressed support for the tax. Meanwhile, the Greens, who hold significant influence in the Senate, are also backing the proposal. If implemented, the fuel tax could add up to 20.3 cents per litre on diesel and petrol for trucks, an 11 per cent increase based on last year's average fuel price of 181 cents per litre. Australia Post already charges a fuel levy for deliveries, with express services attracting up to 16.3 per cent and regular post 5.6 per cent. Any increase could see delivery times slow or costs rise further. Retailers may respond by raising free shipping thresholds or passing the extra costs directly to consumers, affecting everything from skincare to sneakers. Currently, heavy vehicles used on public roads receive a 20.3 cent per litre rebate for diesel and petrol, including E10, B5, and B20 blends with ethanol and biodiesel. Off-road fuel rebates are even higher, reaching up to 48.8 cents per litre between August 2023 and February 2024. There are concerns that removing the levy would see costs passed onto consumers (stock image) National Road Association (NATRoad) CEO Warren Clark told Daily Mail the change would hurt the trucking and freight industry. 'The fuel tax system is broken and needs to be revamped. Measures like this will simply add to the increasing stress felt by the industry and we'll continue to see businesses being forced into administration' he said. 'More importantly, it would increase the cost of living which will hurt everyone.' He warned it would hurt families already dealing with cost-of-living. 'An increase in fuel tax at this time would be devastating for operators already struggling with rising costs and wafer-thin margins.' he said. 'The road freight sector has been under serious pressure for some time, with rising costs and no real productivity gains in the last decade. A reversal of these benefits could ripple through the delivery system and into shoppers' wallets.' The three-day roundtable will conclude on Thursday. One of Australia's biggest fertility providers has announced that the findings of an independent review into two catastrophic mix-ups will remain secret. Monash IVF revealed in June that staff had transferred the wrong embryo to a woman at its Clayton clinic in Melbourne. The mix-up followed another blunder involving a separate Monash patient in Brisbane, where a woman was mistakenly implanted with another's embryo in Brisbane in 2023 and later gave birth to a baby who had no genetic links. The error went undetected until earlier this year, when the birth parents requested for their remaining embryos be transferred to another provider. The bungles resulted in chief executive Michael Knaap stepping down the top job he had held for the last six years. Victorian Senior Counsel Barrister Fiona McLeod SC was commissioned to conduct an independent investigation into both mix-ups. Monash IVF confirmed on Wednesday that both incidents, which were unrelated and different in nature, were the result of human error following the completion of the review. The clinic also revealed that the findings will remain confidential to 'protect the privacy of affected patients'. The findings of an independent review into two catastrophic mix-ups at Monash IVF will remain secret, the fertility giant announced on Wednesday (stock image) Monash IVF has since apologised to affected families for the distress caused (stock image) 'Those limitations ultimately made subsequent processes more vulnerable to human error,' Monash IVF said in a statement. 'Both cases involved non-standard IVF treatments and circumstances that would not arise in the vast majority of IVF procedures.' The fertility giant vowed to implement all review recommendations to reduce the risk of similar bungles happening in the future, as the company prepares to unveil its end-of-financial-year results on Friday. 'These additional safeguards and protocols go beyond the recommendations contained in the independent review,' it added. 'The costs involved in implementing the recommendations and additional safeguards and protocols are not anticipated to have a material impact on financial performance.' Acting chief executive Malik Jainudeen has apologised to affected families for the distress the incidents caused. 'We have implemented or will be implementing the recommendations of the independent review and have taken additional measures to reduce the risk of such incidents occurring in the future because the care and safety of our patients is and will always be at the heart of everything we do,' he said. 'For more than 50 years, Monash IVF has been there for patients through more than 50,000 births, and we look forward to continuing to support families with their fertility journey.' Monash IVF staff transferred the wrong embryo to a woman at its Clayton clinic (pictured) in Melbourne in June The Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand has called for a national approach to IVF regulation in the wake of the independent review. 'Our thoughts remain first and foremost with the families directly affected by these events, and with the staff who have also been deeply impacted,' president Dr Petra Wale said. 'FSANZ recognises that this disclosure, while containing no patient-identifying details, may cause significant distress to patients and the wider community. 'This gap highlights a serious weakness in Australia's regulatory framework for assisted reproduction. Currently, oversight varies state by state and does not provide a uniform national safeguard.' Ms Wale believes a uniform national approach is needed to strengthen transparency and protect patients. The peak body will also review the Monash IVF report findings to determine what additional learnings or safeguards may be needed across the sector. Human error has been blamed for the embryo mix-ups at clinics in Melbourne and Brisbane 'Incidents like these, while rare, show why stronger, nationally consistent regulation is needed,' Ms Wale continued. 'Patients deserve transparency, accountability, and the assurance that lessons are learned at a system level. Fragmented state-by-state oversight will not deliver this.' 'We will continue to advocate for reforms that place patients first, improve transparency, and reinforce Australia's position as a world leader in fertility care.' The final and rarest batch of Queen Elizabeth II 1 coins which were minted the year she died are entering circulation across the UK. More than 23 million Queen coins are being released alongside 7.5 million new King Charles III 1 coins. The Royal Mint said the last of the Elizabeth II coins, dated 2022, are the rarest 1 coins in active circulation. The dual release of almost 31 million coins represents a significant moment for UK coinage, as the nation sees the changeover from Britain's longest-reigning monarch to her son, the Royal Mint said. The Queen's 1 coins will be the final ones bearing Elizabeth II's portrait to enter circulation. The Royal Mint is encouraging the public to check its change over the coming weeks, as the new coins begin to appear in pockets and tills across the nation. Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: 'This release represents a pivotal moment in British coinage history. 'As we release more of the King Charles III 1 coins into circulation alongside the final coins of Queen Elizabeth II, we're witnessing the physical representation of our monarchy's transition. The final and rarest batch of Queen Elizabeth II 1 coins (pictured) which were minted the year she died are entering circulation across the UK The King's 1 coins feature an intricate bee design on the reverse and are part of the Definitive collection, inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles The dual release of almost 31 million coins represents a significant moment for UK coinage, as the nation sees the changeover from Britain's longest-reigning monarch to her son 'This dual release creates an exceptional opportunity for both seasoned numismatists and those new to coin collecting.' Ms Morgan added: 'Finding these new coins in your change could spark a rewarding hobby that connects you with the heritage, history and craftsmanship behind British currency.' Since the introduction of the King's effigy on UK coinage in 2023, the 50p and 1 are the only denominations with Charles's portrait to have entered circulation so far. The King's 1 coins feature an intricate bee design on the reverse and are part of the Definitive collection, inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles. Some 2.975 million 1s with the King's effigy were released in August last year. In total, there are around 24.7 billion coins in circulation across the UK, with the King's coins representing only around 0.004 per cent of those, making his new coins highly desirable to collectors. All UK coins bearing the Queen's portrait will remain legal tender and in active circulation to allow a smooth transition and minimise the environmental impact and cost. Australian authorities have hinted Chinese police may arrest a man nearly a year after he allegedly scalded a baby with hot coffee in Brisbane. Nine-month-old Luka was in Hanlon Park with his mother on August 27, 2024 when the man allegedly threw a thermos of hot coffee on the baby before fleeing. The incident, which police described as a 'savage attack', left Luka with serious injuries that required him to undergo several surgeries. Police said the alleged offender is believed to be in China where local police are cooperating with Australian authorities to bring him to justice. 'The AFP is working jointly with Chinese authorities on appropriate options to take this matter forward,' Australian Federal Police said in a joint statement with the Queensland Police Service (QPS) on Wednesday. 'The AFP values the ongoing cooperation from Chinese authorities and their shared commitment to pursue all avenues for justice in light of the alleged offenders location.' Luka's mother said the infant had undergone eight surgeries since the 'act of violence', in a statement posted to social media. 'He's received synthetic skin grafts, skin needling, and laser treatments for his burns,' she wrote. Australian authorities are cooperating with Chinese police to track down the alleged offender Baby Luka is recovering after repeat surgeries following the alleged scalding 'Every procedure is a painful reminder of what was done to him and of the justice that still hasn't come.' Given China does not extradite its own citizens for prosecution overseas, senior sources told The Australian a local prosecution may be the best hope for justice. It follows earlier revelations by the newspaper the two countries had engaged in high-level discussions to 'find a resolution to the matter'. Former Australian Federal Police officer Dr David Craig said earlier this week the decision to prosecute the alleged offender will ultimately rest with Chinese officials. 'The problem is how seriously China is going to take it,' he told Sunrise on Monday. 'China can actually agree to extradite one of its citizens back to Australia. However, it has a mechanism where it can refuse to do so, and that's what it's using.' He agreed the best outcome for Baby Luka and his family would be for the man to be prosecuted under domestic law in China. 'There are comparable laws, and China should be able to do that,' he said. Luka's mother said it was 'beyond unacceptable' the alleged offender had not been arrested 'If I was a Chinese-Australian, I would be embarrassed by this - that the Chinese government seems to think it's acceptable for a person to throw hot water on a baby, flee the country, and not face any justice.' While Luka's mother said the infant had recovered well, she said it was 'beyond unacceptable' the alleged offender had so far escaped justice. 'That reality is as painful today as it was a year ago, and is one of the hardest things to live with: knowing that the person who hurt our child walks free,' she wrote. 'Our legal systems and international relationships should protect victims and children, yet they have failed to do so.' Britain is ready to send troops to help defend Ukraine's skies and ports, but will not deploy them to the front line near Russia, the head of the armed forces will tell the US today. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, chief of the defence staff, is taking part in NATO talks as military leaders from across the alliance gather to discuss what support can be offered to Kyiv. Thirty chiefs of staff are involved in the discussions, which are expected to shape what a future security deal for Ukraine could look like. Although Radakin is set to make clear that the UK will commit troops for logistical help and training, he will insist that he will not place British forces directly in harm's way. The focus will be on protecting Ukrainian airspace and ports rather than risking combat with Russian soldiers. Britain has not been involved in a major combat operation since the Afghanistan war ended in 2014. More recent missions have focused on training, protection and peacekeeping. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin launched new savage attacks on Ukrainians overnight, casting doubts on his commitment to seek a peace deal. The terror strike was on Okhtyrka, some 28 miles from the border, where 13 homes were hit. Earlier, it was believed that as many as 30,000 troops had been talked about, but that number has been scaled back following concerns in Europe. Britain is ready to send troops to help defend Ukraine's skies and ports, but will not deploy them to the front line near Russia Vladimir Putin launched new savage attacks on Ukrainians overnight, casting doubts on his commitment to seek a peace deal NATO military heads are set to meet to iron out details of the security guarantees that EU leaders say are essential before any peace deal is made in the Ukraine war US president Donald Trump already signalled his backing during his meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders on Monday According to The Guardian, one official in the know said: 'Wednesday is a really important moment. 'Nothing happens in Washington without the president giving the green light, so Trump giving his support to security guarantees on Monday kickstarted a lot of activity.' The meeting today comes at a critical point where NATO chiefs are working out what security guarantees can be put in place for Ukraine, a step many in Europe see as vital to making any peace deal with Moscow possible. US president Donald Trump already signalled his backing during his meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders on Monday. However, he has also said there will be no American troops involved in active combat in war-weary Ukraine. The recent attacks on Ukraine, which officials say were 'directed against the civilian population', will underscore the importance of security guarantees for the country. The recent attacks on Ukraine, which officials say were 'directed against the civilian population', will underscore the importance of security guarantees for the country In the Odesa region, Russian strikes hit a Triton oil depot and port infrastructure in Izmail. A fire train was battling to extinguish the blaze after involving ballistic missiles and Shahed drones. In the Kherson region, the Russians wounded a woman pensioner,70, in an artillery strike on Bilozerka village. The strikes come after many critics have been left wondering what the security guarantees may be. Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, indicated that it may be based on the principle of Article 5, where an attack on one ally must be seen as an attack on all. Downing Street confirmed that Starmer hosted a call with more than 30 world leaders on Tuesday morning to update them on what had been discussed in Washington. Britain is expected to use today's session to underline to Washington what it is willing to do if a peace deal is signed. Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters on Tuesday that he expected agreements to be ready soon, saying he believed they would be finalised in the next 'week or 10 days.' There is doubt over how Moscow will respond. Vladimir Putin has long made it clear that he sees NATO's expansion into Ukraine as a direct threat Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters on Tuesday that he expected agreements to be ready soon Despite the optimism, there is growing doubt over how Moscow will respond - Vladimir Putin has long made it clear that he sees NATO's expansion into Ukraine as a direct threat. Russia has repeatedly warned that it does not want Ukraine to ever join the alliance, calling such a move unacceptable. Some European analysts believe Putin is unlikely to accept even a limited NATO deployment inside Ukraine, and that the ideas of security guarantees is just a way of putting him under more pressure. Hours ahead of their meeting on Monday, Trump told Zelensky that there would be 'no going into NATO by Ukraine' as part of a deal for peace. Trump's views are in direct opposition to his European counterparts - many have championed Ukraine's admittance into the organisation. Australia's biggest bank has been secretly leading a campaign against plans to ban credit card fees. The Commonwealth Bank is concerned about a Reserve Bank plan to remove interchange fees on EFTPOS, Mastercard and Visa cards that it has secretly been co-ordinating a campaign with the banking industry's peak body. CBA is concerned about removing interchange fees, or the wholesale cost of doing a transaction for a small business despite making a record, full-year cash profit of $10.3billion, arguing this could see hidden costs passed on to customers. A confidential draft letter, obtained by Capital Brief, had CBA - with a $289billion market capitalisation - arguing the Reserve Bank proposal would 'jeopardise' Australia's payments system and hamper innovation. 'The speed at which proposals have been tabled means the proposals themselves are sitting on unsteady data and analysis,' the bank argued in one version of the letter. 'The short time frame of the consultation process has not allowed sufficient alignment between policy objections and likely outcomes.' The letter was addressed to Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock after the RBA last month released a consultation paper arguing debit and credit card surcharges and interchange fees were costing ordinary Australians $1.2billion a year. 'Removing surcharging, combined with reductions in interchange fees and greater transparency of payment costs, would make card payments simpler, more transparent and more efficient for consumers and merchants,' the RBA consultation paper said. The Commonwealth Bank accepts the need to scrap surcharge fees, or extra costs unrelated to the wholesale cost of a transaction being passed on to customers. But it is fighting to keep interchange fees as the RBA proposes to scrap surcharge fees and reduce interchange fees. Australia's biggest bank has been secretly leading a campaign against plans to ban credit card fees The Commonwealth Bank which recently announced a record profit is worried about the Reserve Bank proposals to remove interchange fees on EFTPOS, Mastercard and Visa cards 'Surcharging is no longer achieving its intended purpose of steering consumers to make more efficient payment choices: avoiding surcharges has become harder as cash usage has declined, businesses are increasingly charging the same surcharge rate across debit and credit and there are significant challenges with enforcing the current surcharging rules,' the RBA said. 'Removing surcharging would make card payments simpler, more transparent and help to increase competition in the card payments system.' The letter was apparently shared with the Australian Banking Association, with submissions to the RBA consultation due by August 26. A Commonwealth Bank spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that CBA accepted the need to scrap surcharging fees but argued interchange fees were still necessary to reflect the wholesale costs of doing transactions. 'We are reviewing the recommendations released by the RBA in its Merchant Cost and Surcharging Consultation Paper,' he said. 'We believe removing surcharging across debit and credit cards will make card payments simpler, increase transparency and consistency, and eliminate the difficulty of enforcement. See our public submission for more detail. 'The changes proposed to interchange are significant and we are assessing the implications and will share our views in the consultation process.' Daily Mail Australia understands the Commonwealth Bank had drafted a letter encompassing the views of banks and payment providers that could convey a position to the Reserve Bank review. A manhunt is underway after a woman in her 20s was allegedly raped in a public park in broad daylight. The alleged attack took place in the seaside town of Bexhill, East Sussex, on Monday August 18. Police say the suspect, who is described as a white man wearing short-sleeved top and trousers, targeted the victim in Barrack Hall Park. He is not believed to be known to the victim, who is receiving support from trained officers. As part of the probe, officers are scouring over CCTV footage and have urged anyone who was in the vicinity of the popular park between 4.30pm and 5.30pm to come forward. They also wish to speak to anyone who may have recorded a video in the park, whether on a mobile phone or a dashcam. Sussex Police said this could provide vital evidence for their investigation. Detective Inspector James Meanwell said: 'We understand this incident will cause significant concern within the local community. The victim was allegedly raped in Barrack Hall Park in Bexhill in broad daylight on Monday afternoon 'We want to assure residents that we are working tirelessly, with dedicated patrols in place to provide reassurance and visibility while we carry out a thorough investigation. 'The victim in this investigation will continue to receive the full support of specialist officers. 'We are particularly appealing to anyone who may have been in Barrack Hall Park, or its vicinity, around the time of the offence to get in touch immediately'. Footage has emerged of the sparse prison conditions of an Australian man who could receive the death penalty after he was accused of drug smuggling in Indonesia. Lamar Ahchee, the son of former Queensland cop Les Ahchee, was arrested in May, after he allegedly imported 1.8kg of cocaine into Bali from the UK while he was living on the holiday island. The 43-year-old arrived at the prosecutor's office in Denpasar on Wednesday, where he was ushered behind bars while his case was handed from police investigators to prosecutors. Ahchee walked through a crowd of reporters with a face mask on and hands shackled before he was sent into a cell with a few other inmates. The sparse cell had floor-to-ceiling bars replacing one side and the remnants of a brightly coloured floral mural on another wall, though with chunks removed. Ahchee could be seen ambling to a corner behind a gate where he used a bucket scoop to wash his hands in a sink before walking out to sit on a hard bench. Officials entered the cell briefly to get his signature on some paperwork before he returned to the sink to wash his hands a second time. He briefly removed his orange prisoner's jacket, then sat on the cushion-less bench to flick through a large notepad. Australian Lamar Ahchee (pictured) was arrested in Bali in May, accused of smuggling 1.8kg of cocaine from the UK which could carry a death penalty Video has emerged of Ahchee, who has yet to be charged, sitting in a cell and signing paperwork after he was taken to the prosecutor's office in Denpasar Ahchee declined to offer gathered reporters a comment and was later taken back to the notorious Kerobokan Prison. ' Now prosecutors have the case, he could face trial at Denpasar District Court within weeks. His lawyer Edward Pangkahila said on Wednesday that he was working for Ahchee's case to be considered personal use, rather than dealing, NT News reported. 'The urine test was positive, we have the assessment from the doctor,' he said. 'I'm optimistic, he's a good person, let's see. We're going to find out all the facts of the situation in the court.' It is understood Ahchee could be charged with several offences including importing drugs, which carries the possibility of a death sentence in Indonesia. Other offences that could be considered include drug trafficking, drug possession and abusing drugs for personal use. Ahchee has yet to be formally charged with any offence. Mr Pangkahila said his team have requested prosecutors only charge Ahchee under article 127 of Indonesian law, which carries a maximum sentence of four years and rehabilitation. Reporters watched as Ahchee sat alongside others on a bench in front of a dilapidated mural He could also be seen using a small bucket to wash his hands in a sink Police also handed over a dossier of evidence to the prosecutor on Wednesday. Crime unit head of Denpasar Prosecutor office Gede Wiraguna Wiradarma said that, after this process, prosecutors would arrange the indictment to be registered at Denpasar Court. Ahchee was arrested by the Bali drug squad on May 22 after customs officers allegedly scanned two suspicious packaged upon arrival to Indonesia. About 1.8kg of cocaine was allegedly hidden inside two Lindt chocolate boxes, each containing 54 individual packets with 8.3g of cocaine each. Police allege he offered almost 50million Indonesian rupiah, about AU$4,700, to receive and distribute the drugs worth an estimated $1.1million. In June, his sister Stephanie Ahchee fronted the media in Denpasar after flying to Bali from Cairns with her mother. 'Our family wishes to extend our sincere appreciation to the Indonesian authorities for their professionalism and impartiality in handling Lamar's case,' she said. 'We are grateful for the fair and respectful treatment he has received from law enforcement and legal officials throughout this process.' Customs officers are pictured presenting the intercepted cocaine in May Stephanie Ahchee, sister of Lamar, is pictured fronting the media in Denpasar in June alongside 'fixer' John McLeod Ms Ahchee gave her address while standing beside high-profile 'fixer' and former police officer John McLeod, who worked to help free Schapelle Corby from jail. Dubbed the 'prison whisperer', Mr McLeod runs consultancy firm Tora Solutions which helps detained Australians facing legal troubles overseas. 'We acknowledge the seriousness of this case and the situation and remain committed to full cooperation with the legal system to ensure a just outcome,' she said. 'Our priority is Lamar's wellbeing and we trust that due process will be upheld.' A photograph of European leaders surrounding Donald Trump's desk 'like school children' during Monday's Ukraine peace talks has gone viral, with critics pointing out that it neatly encapsulates US-European power dynamics. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer joined French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb around the Resolute Desk on Monday. They were flanked by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, with Trump's staff looking on in the background. 'A historic day at the White House as European leaders joined President Trump in the Oval Office,' the White House said, sharing the photo on X, in a post on Tuesday. European leaders had gathered in Washington a day prior to vouch for Ukraine and plead with Trump to back a motion to offer Kyiv concrete security guarantees in the event of a peace deal with Russia. American commentator and YouTuber Benny Johnson posted the picture on X and wrote: 'The single most powerful image of 2025: President Trump at the Resolute Desk with world leaders crowding around him, just listening. Nothing else comes close.' Zelensky returned to the Oval Office on Monday for the first time since February - the disastrous summit in which he was asked to leave after being challenged by U.S. Vice President JD Vance on his gratitude for continued American support. This time, the Ukrainian premier insisted upon expressing his thanks several times and deftly navigated the American press with humour before heading for talks with Trump and his European counterparts. A new picture showing European leaders hanging on Donald Trump's every word while sitting around the Resolute Desk has been criticised as a display of power European leaders sit before Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Monday, August 18, 2025 Ashok Swain, a Swedish professor of peace and conflict research, said: 'Europe's 'most powerful' leaders sat like obedient pupils as Donald Trump held court in the Oval Office. Does this look Europe to Europeans?' One user said: 'All of them came to support Zelensky and not Trump.' Another said: 'We are watching history being made right in front of our eyes. Look at all the world leaders in the Oval Office with all eyes on Trump.' A third, joking about Trump and the US's authority, said: 'He called them over the weekend and said, 'Be here on Monday.' They all showed up. America is back.' European leaders have been trying to steer Trump towards a lasting ceasefire palatable to Ukraine and the continent since he took office. It was Italy's Giorgia Meloni who first raised the idea that non-parties to the war could offer Ukraine security guarantees resembling NATO's Article 5 pledge of collective defence, even if Trump is unwilling to welcome Kyiv into the alliance. Trump's administration in recent days appears to have warmed to the idea, though has ruled out putting U.S. boots on the ground as part of a major peacekeeping force. Ahead of Monday's talks in Washington with Zelensky, which followed Trump's historic summit with Putin in Alaska, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made clear it was inviting European leaders as friends and allies, not as 'backup' against bullying. President Donald Trump speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer before their multilateral meeting, Monday, August 18, 2025 President Donald Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Monday, August 18, 2025, in the Oval Office Zelensky was harangued by Trump and his Vice President during their meeting in February, but Monday's talks appeared to go better. Still, neither the meeting with Putin nor Zelensky has yet yielded definitive progress towards ending the war. Trump is trying to steer Putin and Zelenskyy toward a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbor, but there are major obstacles. They include Ukraine's demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia won't mount another invasion in coming years. Kyiv's European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, have signed up to support the initiative. The viral photos of European leaders in the White House prompted comparison to a 2018 photo of leaders roused and on their feet around Donald Trump - indicative, some said, of the changing state of international affairs. In that picture, former German Chancellor Merkel, flanked by other world leaders, is seen standing over Trump, who is seated with his arms crossed. Some users on social media compared the picture to that of Trump and Angela Merkel in discussion at the G7 summit in Canada in 2018 Some critics believe Donald Trump used the day to display his authority on the world stage After Monday's meeting, Trump announced that plans were underway for a trilateral meeting involving himself, Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, although Moscow's response remained cautious. Zelensky expressed optimism and gratitude, while European leaders reiterated that no serious peace could proceed without Russia halting hostilities. Discussions also touched on a proposed $90 billion weapons package for Ukraine. Yesterday, top Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev mocked EU leaders and said they were sucking up to Trump. He wrote on X: 'The anti-Russian warmongering Coalition of the Willing failed to outplay [Trump] on his turf. Europe thanked & sucked up to him.' A massive landslide has crashed into the sea in Santorini, engulfing a village with dust as tourists watched on - just six months after the holiday island was rattled by earthquakes. A huge section of land suddenly gave way in the clifftop village of Imerovigli on Sunday afternoon after intense construction activity made the ground unstable. It comes just months after the paradise island was rattled by more than 20,000 earthquakes between January 26 and February 22 earlier this year. The country declared a month-long state of emergency as earthquakes struck the volcanic island every ten minutes, causing around 11,000 - more than half Santorinis population - to flee. The combination of seismic activity and overbuilding have been suggested as potential causes for the recent landslide - with over-development transforming fragile soil into hollow ground. The terrifying footage, filmed by Santorini residents, shows a great plume of thick dust engulf the quiet town - known for its whitewashed buildings with blue domes. 'Santorini is an island with vulnerable geomorphology, and when the pressure of overdevelopment is added, the risk of landslides multiplies,' local experts, who rushed to the scene, told Greek outlet Protothema. The stretch of land that collapsed was under particular pressure due to the construction of a new building, the report said. The terrifying footage, filmed by Santorini residents, shows a great plume of thick dust engulf the quiet town - known for its whitewashed buildings with blue domes A huge section of land suddenly gave way in the clifftop village of Imerovigli on Sunday afternoon after intense construction activity made the ground unstable According to Efthymios Lekkas, Professor of Dynamic Tectonics and Geology at the University of Athens, Santorini is prone to landslides because of its steep slopes, high seismicity, and the island's geological morphology - consisting of interlayered volcanic, lava, and pyroclastic rocks. The rocks erode easily, leading to instability in the ground. He added that 'uncontrolled' building in the caldera zone of Santorini continues to expand downward - despite plans by the Greek government to ban new developments. As a result, hotels are built on steep, dangerous slopes with weak rock composition, making them vulnerable to landslides - especially amid increased tremors. Earlier this year, as the island was gripped with earthquakes, Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced 2.5million funding for an emergency evacuation route from the south of Santorini to be built. Hotel owners were even asked to drain their pools due to concerns that overflowing water could destabilise buildings in a quake. Many who stayed on the island slept on the street with their mattresses, too scared to stay in their homes in case they collapse. Other residents built makeshift tsunami defences using sandbags along Monolithos beach, where buildings sit dangerously close to the water. It comes just months after the paradisal island was shook by more than 20,000 earthquakes between January 26 and February 22 earlier this year Greece declared a month-long state of emergency as earthquakes struck the volcanic island every ten minutes, causing around 11,000 - more than half Santorinis population - to flee Fire service rescuers arrive at the airport of the earthquake-hit island of Santorini, Greece, on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 Due to a wave of seismic activity near Santorini, the municipality advised the emptying of water from swimming pools, banned all construction work and forbid access to the Athinio port, except when ships are docking Residents and tourists scramble to leave Greek island on ferries and planes due to ongoing seismic activity in Santorini, Greece on February 6, 2025 Seismologists said the quakes were the result of tectonic plate movements, not volcanic activity, despite Santorini sitting on the Hellenic Volcanic Arc - a chain of islands formed by ancient eruptions. The strongest earthquake to shake the island earlier this yea was reported as a 5.3-magnitude on February 10. Greece sits on multiple fault lines and is one of Europe's most earthquake-prone countries, but experts said the level of activity was unprecedented. In July, Italy was inundated by landslides caused by flashfloods that destroyed bridges, washed away cars and triggered an evacuation. Roads were submerged in water and mud, trapping cars that tried to ford the flow of rain. Though the damage in the area was extensive, no one was injured or killed by the extreme weather. Lithuania has revealed plans to dig a 30-mile-wide ribbon of defences on its borders with Russia and Belarus that will include minefields and bridges set to blow up in case Russia invades. The plans are part of a Baltic-wide push for more defence, amid increasing aggression from Russia and its allies. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, alongside Poland, have been fortifying their borders, adding obstacles and redoubts to existing fences. All four are also looking for EU funding for these projects. When complete, having been in the works since early last year, the Baltic defence line is estimated to be more than 940 miles long and will limit Russia's ability to launch attacks from its own territory, Kaliningrad and Belarus. Lithuania, in particular, began setting up dozens of so-called 'engineering parks' filled with 'counter-mobility' equipment. These initially included razor wire, concrete roadblocks, Czech Hedgehogs (a type of anti-tank barrier), as well as dragon's teeth (concrete pyramids). But Lithuania has now said that it is looking to further layer its defences, stretching them wide enough to protect Vilnius, the capital. Lithuania's border with Kaliningrad and Belarus is over 590 miles long. The new ribbon will be made of three layers. The first, estimated to be three miles wide, will begin with an anti-tank ditch next to the border fence. This will then be followed by an embankment, strips of dragon's teeth and minefields, and then two layers of strongpoints for defending infantry. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Donald Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on August 18, 2025 in Washington, DC Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with the Head of the Federal Tax Service (FTS) in Moscow on August 13, 2025 Main battle tanks from different countries, including the United States, Italy, Switzerland and Denmark, fire a volley during the US Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge on February 11, 2025 at Grafenwoehr, Germany Greek Leopard tanks participate with other NATO forces in the US-led 'LIVEX Immediate Response 2025' military exercise The second and third layers will see bridges primed with explosives that can be detonated at will, as well as more lines of infantry. Lithuania is also planning on felling trees along the roads leading to towns and cities, which is expected to assist in destroying Russian armoured vehicles. The aim of the new project is to slow down land attacks and push enemy forces into easier battlegrounds, not to entirely prevent attacks. Lithuania currently has 23,000 professional soldiers, along with 104,000 reservists. It has raised its defence spending to 5.5%, one of the highest rates of any NATO nation. But war games last year suggested that Lithuanian troops would struggle to fight off an invasion from Russia, until other members of NATO stepped in to deliver reinforcements. Things would be far worse if Russia seized the Sulwalki gap, the Lithuania-Poland border that is NATO's land connection to the Baltics. Lithuania is expected to also implement anti-personnel mines, mines designed for use against people as opposed to vehicles and equipment, after Lithuania pulled out of the Ottowa Convention along with several other NATO members. Ukrainian rescuers working at the site of a Russian strike on an infrastructure facility near Odesa, Ukraine, 18 August 2025 Firefighters and Ukrainian emergency service workers extinguish a fire that broke out after Russian attacks in Okhtyrka, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine on August 20, 2025 Lithuanian Army soldiers take part in a Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap near the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024 Lithuanian army soldiers install razor wire on border with Belarus in Druskininkai, Lithuania Members of Lithuanian Riflemen's Union instal razor wire on border crossing with Belarus in Sumskas, Lithuania However, it has also placed a 10million (8.6million) order for anti-tank mines on top of prior deals to buy 85,000 of them at the cost of 50million. It has also replenished its arsenal of 155mm artillery shells, the NATO standard, and has ordered 44 top-of-the-line Leopard 2A8 battle tanks from Germany. It has also bought 6million worth of Israeli Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles. Last month, Lithuanian defence minister Dovile Sakaliene said she was prepared to ask NATO to destroy drones that encroached on her nation's airspace from Belarus, after this happened twice in a matter of weeks. In June, Polish officials said they added minefields to their version of the Baltic defence line, the East Shield. Karol Frankowski, a Polish army spokesperson, said: 'We are protecting our border. We saw what happened to Ukraine during the Ukrainian war. So we need to be prepared for a potential attack.' And today, Germany's defence ministry outlined plans to buy more than 350billion (301billion) worth of arms before the end of 2041. Observation towers stand behind barbed wire on the Russian side of the border between the Russian semi-exclave of Kaliningrad and Lithuania A Lithuanian border fence runs along the bborder to the Russian semi-exclave of Kaliningrad on October 28, 2022 near Vistytis, Lithuania This included 70.3billion for munitions, 52.5billion for combat vehicles and 36.6billion for naval vessels and equipment. In June, Germany's defence chief has starkly warned that NATO should be prepared for a possible attack by Russia in the next four years. General Carsten Breuer said Russia poses a 'very serious threat' to the Western defence bloc, the likes of which he has never seen in his 40-year military career.' Breuer pointed to the massive increase in Vladimir Putin's armoury and ammunitions stock, including a massive output of 1,500 main battle tanks every year as well as the four million rounds of 152mm artillery munition produced in 2024 alone. He said that not all of these additional military equipment was going to Ukraine, which signalled a possible building up of capabilities that could be used against the NATO bloc, adding that Baltic states were at a particularly high risk of being attacked. 'There's an intent and there's a build up of the stocks' for a possible future attack on Nato's Baltic state members,' he told the BBC. General Carsten Breuer said Russia poses a 'very serious threat' to the Western defence bloc, the likes of which he has never seen in his 40-year military career.' 'This is what the analysts are assessing - in 2029. So we have to be ready by 2029... If you ask me now, is this a guarantee that's not earlier than 2029? I would say no, it's not. So we must be able to fight tonight,' he said. Breuer said that the Suwalki Gap, a region that borders Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Belarus, was particularly vulnerable to Russian military activity. 'The Baltic States are really exposed to the Russians, right? And once you are there, you really feel this... in the talks we are having over there,' he said. The Estonians, he said, had given the analogy of being close to a wildfire where they 'feel the heat, see the flames and smell the smoke', while in Germany 'you probably see a little bit of smoke over the horizon and not more'. Earlier this year, Latvia's intelligence agency, the Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB), released a shocking report claiming that 'Russian intelligence and security services are currently developing their capabilities to organize sabotage in Europe' in preparation 'for a possible military confrontation with NATO in the long term'. Should a peace deal play out to 'freeze' the conflict in Ukraine along existing battle lines, Moscow 'would be able to increase its military presence next to NATO's north-eastern flank, including the Baltics within the next five years', the report claimed. 'This scenario would significantly increase Russia's military threat to NATO,' the SAB assesses. Denmark last year came to a similar conclusion, that Russia could attack a NATO country within three to five years and 'test' the bloc's Article 5 commitment of mutual defence. Dr Kenton White, politics and international relations expert at the University of Reading, told the Daily Mail that NATO is right to be concerned about the Russian threat. 'Russia has a long history of learning from military failures,' he said. 'NATO should not underestimate that ability. Lithuania's announcement comes after Russia wounded at least 14 people, including a family with three children, in an overnight attack on Ukraine's northern region of Sumy. Your browser does not support iframes. The Polish-Belarusian country border crossing is seen behind concrete anti-tank obstacles and barbed wire in Polowce-Pieszczatka, Poland on July 21, 2025, Lithuanian border guard officers patrol by the metal fence at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border A plane and Germany's Patriot air defense system vehicles are seen ahead of the summit of NATO leaders that is going to take place in Vilnius on June 10, 2023 The strike took place at a time of intense efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the Russian war in Ukraine. Russia launched 15 drones in an assault on the Okhtyrka area in the early hours of Wednesday, local prosecutors said on the Telegram messaging app. The children injured in the attack, which struck a residential neighbourhood in the town, were aged 5 months, 4 years and 6 years, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on X. 'Russia continues to manifest its fears through acts of pure terrorism across Ukraine, once again targeting the homes of families and their sleeping children,' she said. Russia has repeatedly said it does not attack civilians or civilian infrastructure. Overall, Russia launched a total of 93 drones and two missiles to attack the country overnight, the Ukrainian air force said, adding it downed 62 drones and one missile, and recorded hits at 20 locations. Ukraine's State Emergency Services reported a 'massive drone strike' on the southern region of Odesa, saying one person was wounded and a large fire erupted at a fuel and energy facility. Your browser does not support iframes. Members of Ukraine's Armed Forces 18th Sloviansk Brigade anti-drone unit operate to intercept Russian drones on August 19, 2025 in the Donetsk region of Ukraine Ukrainian firefighters search for survivors after a Russian air strike on a residential building after a Russian airstrike in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine on August 19, 2025 Officials of the Izmail district in the Odesa region said port infrastructure in the city was damaged. Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine's energy sector this week. One attack sparked fires at an oil depot belonging to Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR, while another damaged a gas transport facility in the central region of Poltava. Russia has regularly attacked oil depots and fuel storage facilities since the first days of the full-scale invasion it launched in February 2022. The Energy Ministry said Ukrainian energy facilities had been attacked 2,900 times since March 2025 alone. An Indian businessman has been convicted of carrying out a horrific sex attack on a 15-year-old girl as she slept on a flight to Switzerland. The 44-year-old married man attacked the teenager, who was sitting next to him, during the nine-hour journey from Mumbai to Zurich. The perpetrator was on a business trip to Belgium when he carried out the attack in March. The girl and the man had a brief, superficial conversation before the minor fell asleep. The man then approached the victim and performed sex acts on her and himself. He touched her repeatedly and put his arm around her, according to an indictment filed by the Zurich Public Prosecutor's Office for Serious Violent Crime. The girl didn't respond. As the flight continued, the girl sat back up and continued to sleep, leaning back in her seat. Her head and upper body were under a blanket. The man then carried out his attack. She is then said to have gone 'into shock' due to the abusive behaviour and was unable to say or do anything, according to the indictment. A businessman has been convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on a Swiss flight (stock image) She therefore endured the assault without saying a word or moving until the accused let go of her of his own accord. Exactly how the man's crimes were discovered is not described in the indictment, nor was it discussed at the trial. The man was immediately arrested after the plane arrived at Zurich Airport. He confessed to the attack in the Bulach District Court and stated that he realised he had made a mistake. He also admitted that the young woman had not consented and said he knew she was young, even though he didn't know her exact age. It comes after the National Council of Switzerland and the Council of States agreed on the formula 'no means no'. The amendment came into effect a year ago and means rape is now considered to have occurred if the victim indicates through words or gestures that they do not consent to the sexual act. Before the amendment, rape only occurred if the perpetrator threatened the victim or used violence. Furthermore, the crime of rape no longer encompasses only forced sexual intercourse with a woman, but now also includes acts similar to sexual intercourse involving physical penetration. The victim's state of shock was deemed a sufficient sign of rejection. The man was convicted of rape and sexual acts with a child. The man received a suspended sentence of one and a half years, but will not need to serve it as he has been in custody since March. The judge described the sentence as rather lenient and 'barely appropriate'. The man is banned from entering Switzerland for the next five years and is prohibited from engaging in any activity involving regular contact with minors for life. The proceedings will cost him approximately CHF 9,000 (8,250). A confiscated amount of CHF 1,360 (1,247) taken from the man will be used to cover these costs. After the trial, the man was released from custody and handed over to the Migration Office for deportation. A Melbourne chiropractor has died in a tragic accident while on holiday overseas. Dr Sean Crawford, who was aged in his late 20s, died while travelling in Vietnam on August 5. The specific details of the accident have not been released. The 'much-loved' chiropractor worked at Wellbeing Chiropractic's Melton and Tarneit clinics, about 25km west of Melbourne's CBD. 'It is with deep sadness we share the tragic news of the passing of our colleague and friend, Dr Sean Crawford, following an accident while he was on holidays recently in Vietnam,' the clinic wrote on Facebook. 'Dr Sean was a valued and much loved member of our team, caring for patients at our Melton and Tarneit clinics with warmth, skill, and dedication. 'His sudden passing has left a profound loss for our staff, patients, and the wider community. 'Our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences are with Sean's family, friends, patients, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. 'Your passion, kindness, and dedication will live on in the many lives you touched.' Dr Sean Crawford (left) died while on holiday in Vietnam Dr Crawford was born and raised in Western Australia before moving to Victoria with his family in 2010 Wellbeing Chiropractic paid tribute to the 'much-loved chiropractor' Dr Crawford was born and raised in Western Australia before moving to Victoria in 2010 with his family. The Melbourne chiropractor went on to study at RMIT University. Patients paid tribute to Dr Crawford online. 'Still in shock since I received a call from the staff regarding this devastated news, he was such an amazing person who will be deeply missed,' one wrote. 'Dr Sean was an amazing chiropractor so young talented and friendly I felt so comfortable talking to him,' another added. 'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Vietnam,' a DFAT spokesperson said. 'We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time. 'Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.' A funeral service will be held at St Andrew's Uniting Church, Sunbury on August 21. A food festival in Sardinia has ended in tragedy after a toxic batch of guacamole claimed the lives of two women and left two children battling for survival in hospital. School cook Valeria Sollai, 62, collapsed after eating the contaminated dip at the Fiesta Latina food event in Monserrato, Cagliari. Despite spending weeks on life support, and showing signs of recovery before suffering a relapse, she tragically lost her fight for life on Monday. A post-mortem for Valeria is set to take place. Her death comes just over a week after Roberta Pitzalis, 38, who also ate from the same deadly batch, died on August 8. A post-mortem revealed she succumbed to a lethal combination of botulism poisoning and pneumonia. The poisonous avocado dip was served up to unsuspecting festival-goers between July 22 and July 24 - and has since been linked to a horrifying outbreak of botulism. Two children, a boy aged 11 and a girl aged 14, remain in hospital after consuming the same guacamole. The young girl is being treated at Monserrato Policlinico, while the boy has been airlifted to Rome's Gemelli Policlinico, where his condition is said to be serious. The travelling festival was on its way to Tortoli but was quickly suspended by local authorities following the outbreak. School cook Valeria Sollai, 62, collapsed after eating the contaminated dip at the Fiesta Latina food event in Monserrato, Cagliari Roberta Pitzalis, 38, who also ate from the same deadly batch, died on August 8 Two women died and two children were hospitalised after eating toxic guacamole (stock image) The Cagliari Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into the incident and a recall notice, published by the Ministry of Health, was reportedly issued for Metro Chef avocado pulp. 'Following two major clusters of botulinum intoxication that occurred in recent weeks in Sardinia and Calabria, the Department of Prevention, Research and Health Emergencies of the Ministry of Health immediately activated all the health protocols,' the health ministry said. 'The intervention system reacted promptly, ensuring that patients had timely access to life-saving antidote treatments.' Speaking of his cousin's final hours, Valeria's relative Gianni Milla said: 'It's absurd that someone goes out for a relaxing evening, goes to a party, eats a sandwich and ends up in the hospital. 'She was with her sisters, they all ate the same sandwich, but only she fell ill.' She added: 'They were celebrating their older sister's discharge from the hospital. A party turned into a tragedy.' Valeria - described as a dedicated school cook who 'gave so much for our children' by Monserrato's mayor Tomaso Locci - is survived by her husband Angelo Aru and her son Alessandro, a police officer in Campania. Following the news of Valeria's death, Locci said: 'The news saddens us deeply. We will be present at the funeral as a community, as we were for Roberta Pitzalis, the other victim. 'This is a loss that affects us all'. In a heartbreaking Facebook post last month, Alessandro spoke of an unnamed patient who had been suffering 'worsening neurological conditions'. He also warned others about the dangers of street food, writing: ' I strongly advise against eating any food sold at street stalls over the next few weeks'. The deaths have sent shockwaves through Italy, where food safety concerns are already mounting. Earlier this month, another botulism outbreak was reported in the southern region of Calabria. The deadly outbreak claimed two lives after festival-goers ate contaminated vegetable and sausage sandwiches from a food truck near the town of Diamante. Tamara D'Acunto, 45, died shortly after eating a panini made with turnip tops - a vegetable similar to broccoli - last week Luigi Di Sarno, 52, died after purchasing a broccoli and sausage sandwich from a street vendor Tamara D'Acunto, 45, died shortly after eating the panini made with turnip tops - a vegetable similar to broccoli - last week. Luigi Di Sarno, 52, also died after consuming a sandwich from the same seller. At least 17 others, including two teenagers, required hospital treatment after getting food poisoning within 24 to 48 hours after eating the poisoned sandwich. They all showed symptoms of botulism - a rare but deadly illness caused by a toxin attacking the nervous system. The condition can cause muscle paralysis, respiratory failure and death. It is most commonly linked to improperly stored or preserved foods. Authorities launched an investigation into the outbreak and ordered a nationwide recall of the commercially produced panini. Nine people are being investigated by the authorities, including the owner of the food truck on the seafront in the province of Cosenza whose vehicle as been seized, The Telegraph reported. Three employers of the company who allegedly made the sandwich are also being investigated, as well as five doctors who treated victims near the city of Cosenza. The medics are accused of having not acting quickly enough to save the victims, after Di Sarno's sister alleged that her brother was discharged from hospital despite still feeling sick and later died. A Kneecap rapper accused of waving a Hezbollah flag at a gig has appeared in court, aided by an Irish language interpreter. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a flag in support of the terrorist group Hezbollah at a gig in November last year. He was charged with a terrorism offence following the alleged incident during the concert at the O2 Forum Kentish Town 'in such a way or in such a circumstance as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation'. He arrived wearing a keffiyeh and an all-black outfit. In court, he removed a cap and sunglasses before sitting beside an interpreter outside the dock. Mr O hAnnaidh had requested to have an interpreter present, which was approved by the judge. He spoke - during the hearing in English - to confirm his name, date of birth and address, while the public gallery was filled with dozens of the band's supporters. During the hearing, Kneecap's defence lawyers argued that the terror charge against rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh should be thrown out due to a technical error. Speaking at Westminster Magistrates Court they claim that the Attorney General Richard Hermer did not officially grant formal approval when police charged Mr O hAnnaidh with a terrorism-related offence on May 21. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who goes under the stage name, Mo Chara, is seen arriving at Westminster Magistrates' Court ahead of the hearing Rapper Naoise O Caireallain, also knows as Moglai Bap, seen leaving the vehicle and heading into the court J. J. O Dochartaigh, also known as DJ Provai, was also seen going into the court Instead, they say his consent was given the next day - one day outside of a six-month deadline to bring about a criminal charge. They say this means the court cannot lawfully assume jurisdiction over the proceedings. Speaking to the court, KC Brenda Campbell said: 'Rather than accept their failings, what we are witnessing [from the prosecution] this morning is a last-ditch attempt to bend the limit of statute - it is egregious. 'It does not stand up to scrutiny.' But Michael Bisgrove, for the Crown Prosecution Service, opposes the application - claiming that the charge was brought exactly within the time limit and that the Attorney General's consent is not required to bring about a criminal charge. Michael Bisgrove said: 'The Attorney General consent is not required until a court appearance at which the defendant engages with a charge' Magistrate Judge Paul Goldspring told Mr O hAnnaidh he must return to court on September 26, alongside his Irish language interpreter, where he will rule whether he has jurisdiction to actually hear the case. The defendant was granted unconditional bail in the meantime. Demonstrators holding up signs displaying 'Free Mo Chara' and 'drop the charges' Supporters gathered outside the court to show their support for the band member The Metropolitan Police has imposed conditions limiting where the demonstration outside the court can take place After the hearing, Mr O hAnnaidh gave a speech to fans outside court. He said: 'Thank you everyone for coming up. I appreciate it. Like I said its great to see the support out here.' He added: 'Everybody continue to speak out about Palestine. Free Palestine. Thank you all for coming! Before the hearing, the rap band urged their admirers to 'show up for Kneecap' outside Westminster Magistrates Court. As the band arrived at the court just after 9.30am, the crowd erupted into cheers and shouts as some of the members concealed their faces with red, black and white Keffiyeh scarves on their way in. The 27-year-old entered the court building as security officers attempted to usher him through the front entrance. In a series of Instagram infographics, the band said: 'The attack on Mo Chara of Kneecap is part of a broader crackdown on solidarity with Palestine. Signs being held by fans of the band outside the court this morning Videos emerged of a Kneecap gig at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London in November 2024 where one of the band members appeared to shout 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah', and was draped in the Hezbollah flag 'British terrorism legislation was first brought in against the Irish liberation struggle. 'Today it is being used to repress and censor all those who stand with Palestine, against British support for Zionism. 'Defend the right to defend Palestine.' Fans who gathered outside the courts were seen waving Irish and Palestinian flags while holding signs stating: 'Free Mo Chara', 'F*** you Netanyahu' and 'Kneecap: Rap for what is right'. Many protesters were also draped in keffiyehs, while others were seen sporting high-vis vests. At the centre of the demonstration, campaigners erected a stage for performances of music as well as speeches. Meanwhile, dozens of police officers arrived outside the courtroom at around 9am while the crowds chanted 'free, free Palestine' and 'free, free Mo Chara'. The Metropolitan Police has imposed conditions limiting where the demonstration outside the court can take place, saying they are needed to 'prevent serious disruption'. In response, Kneecap described this move as a 'calculated political decision' that was 'designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome'. But it added: 'We know all of our supporters will be, but please go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful.' Israel's defence minister has approved a plan for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60,000 reservists to carry it out, his ministry confirmed on Wednesday. Defence Minister Israel Katz's move, confirmed by a spokesperson, piled pressure on Hamas as mediators pushing for a ceasefire in the nearly two-year war in Gaza awaited an official Israeli response on their latest proposal. While mediator Qatar had expressed guarded optimism over the latest proposal, a senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any agreement. The framework that Hamas had approved proposes an initial 60-day truce, a staggered hostage release, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners and provisions allowing for the entry of aid into Gaza. Israel and Hamas have held on-and-off indirect negotiations throughout the war, resulting in two short truces during which Israeli hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The latest truce proposal came after Israel's security cabinet approved plans to conquer Gaza City, despite fears it will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Israel's defence minister Israel Katz (pictured) has approved a plan for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60,000 reservists to carry it out, his ministry confirmed on Wednesday. Defence Minister Israel Katz piled pressure on Hamas as mediators pushing for a ceasefire in the nearly two-year war in Gaza. Pictured: Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli army airstrike in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, Monday, August 18, 2025 Palestinians deprived of basic necessities such as shelter, food, and clean water struggle to survive under harsh conditions due to the ongoing war Israeli soldiers sit on the top of tank parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Monday, August 18, 2025 Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have mediated the frequent rounds of shuttle diplomacy. Qatar said the latest proposal was 'almost identical' to an earlier version agreed by Israel, while Egypt said Monday that 'the ball is now in its (Israel's) court'. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to publicly comment on the plan, but said last week that his country would accept 'an agreement in which all the hostages are released at once and according to our conditions for ending the war'. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said on social media that his group had 'opened the door wide to the possibility of reaching an agreement, but the question remains whether Netanyahu will once again close it, as he has done in the past'. The latest truce proposal came as Netanyahu faces increasing pressure at home and abroad. In Gaza, the civil defence agency reported Israeli strikes and fire killed 48 people across the territory on Tuesday. Smoke rises after an explosion in Gaza as seen from the Israeli side of the border, Israel August 18, 2025 A general view shows the destroyed Rashad al-Shawa cultural center in Gaza City on August 18, 2025 Israel and Hamas have held on-and-off indirect negotiations throughout the war, resulting in two short truces during which Israeli hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Pictured: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Aid pallets are parachuted after being dropped from a military plane over Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip during an airdrop mission above the Israel-besieged Palestinian territory on August 18, 2025 Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP the situation was 'very dangerous and unbearable' in the Zeitoun and Sabra neighbourhoods of Gaza City, where he said 'shelling continues intermittently'. The Israeli military declined to comment on specific troop movements, saying only that it was 'operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities' and took 'feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm'. The military later said a strike in Khan Yunis overnight targeted a Hamas militant. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing swathes of the Palestinian territory mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military. In the Zikim area of northern Gaza on Tuesday, an AFP journalist saw Palestinians hauling sacks of food aid along dusty roads lined with rubble and damaged buildings. Gazan Shawg Al-Badri said it took 'three to four hours' to carry flour, what she called 'white gold', back to her family's tent. 'This bag is worth the whole world,' she said. Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's offensive has killed at least 62,064 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the United Nations considers reliable. This is the dramatic moment Spains wild summer weather took another twist as a tornado swept away tables and chairs at cafe terraces and reduced visibility to near zero. Overnight footage emerged of a tornado that swept through Librilla less than an hours drive inland from La Manga in Murcia. Locals can be heard screaming as the tornado wreaked havoc, blocking traffic as wheelie bins and pieces of outdoor furniture were thrown into the roads. It comes after the Satans Storm' hit the Costa Tropical south of Granada on Sunday, forcing holidaymakers and locals to evacuate beaches in resorts like Motril east of Malaga and leading to seven emergency rescues. Two tornadoes and waterspouts formed during the rare heat burst as the temperature rose rapidly to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8C) and winds reached 53mph. The freak weather forced the town hall to cancel a BBQ event organised as part of its annual summer festival because of the fire risk if it went ahead. Local police said the high winds were carrying away embers that could cause wildfires. A woman was filmed holding a giant bar terrace parasol as the tornado swept away chairs and street rubbish containers behind her - before a sudden stronger gust of wind moved her and the sunshade she was gripping and she had to let go as tables nearby smashed into her. The area where the BBQ had been organised was turned into a dustbowl. Local police said the high winds were carrying away embers that could cause wildfires Two tornadoes and waterspouts formed during the rare heat burst as the temperature rose rapidly to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8C) and winds reached 53mph The freak weather forced the town hall to cancel a BBQ event organised as part of its annual summer festival because of the fire risk if it went ahead. An electricity pylon was also snapped in half and brought down by the force of the wind. Local police said in a statement: 'A tornado has carried away sunshades, chairs and tables at bars as it swept through Librilla. 'The town hall has had to cancel its Night of Migas BBQ event because of the fire risk as the tornado carried away tables and chairs people had put out and even embers. 'Our officers and Civil Protection workers are still dealing with incidents involving fallen trees and lampposts.' The freak weather event came as Spanish emergency responders continued to battle 21 wildfires in different areas of the country that have led to the evacuation of more than 33,000 people, especially in the regions of Galicia, Castilla and Leon and Extremadura. Authorities say 33 people have been arrested since June 1 on suspicion of arson. Four people have died so far as a result of the wildfires. Many areas have registered record temperatures, with the thermometer in the city of Jerez de la Frontera in south-west Spain marking an astonishing 45,8 degrees Celsisus (114.4 degrees Fahrenheit) at 2.30pm on Sunday. This marks the country's most devastating wildfire season since records began, with more than 1,100 deaths linked to the recent heatwave that has fuelled the blaze. A woman was filmed holding a giant bar terrace parasol as the tornado swept away chairs and street rubbish containers behind her Overnight footage emerged of a tornado that swept through Librilla less than an hours drive inland from La Manga in Murcia A general view of San Vicente de Leira, in the Spanish northwestern province of Ourense is seen after a wildfire on August 19, 2025 A resident walks among the rubble of houses destroyed by a wildfire in the Spanish northwestern village of San Vicente de Leira, in Ourense province, on August 19, 2025 A handout photo made available by the Spanish Minister of Defense shows a firefighter working to extinguish a forest fire in Oimbra, Ourense, Galicia, Spain, 19 August 2025 The heat and dried-out land have fueled wildfires across the region that have destroyed 115,000 hectares so far, closing Spain's world-famous pilgrims' route, the Camino de Santiago, that leads to the Galician town of Santiago de Compostela A member of the Emergency Military Unit (UME) and a citizen watch as a bulldozer arrives to protect a house from a wildfire on August 19, 2025 in the Ourense province, Spain A wildfire burns out of control in a forest near Rebordondo village, near Ourense, in northwestern Spain, Monday, August 18, 2025 A member of the Emergency Military Unit (UME) works to extinguish a wildfire next to a village on August 19, 2025 in the Ourense province, Spain Nearly 4,000 firefighters are battling seven major fire across the country, in Tabuaco, Trancos, Sirarelhos, Satao, Arganil, Vilarinho do Monte and Ermidas do Sado Some 373,000 hectares have been scorched as of 7am Tuesday, according to the European Forest Fire Information System - an area twice the size of London. Weather agency Aemet has now confirmed the 16-day heatwave Spain has suffered, the third-longest on record, is now over. Continuing with Spains crazy summer climate, torrential rain and storms are being predicted today for places like Majorca. Aemet has activated an orange alert for parts of the holiday island, including the resort of Magaluf. China's V-Day parade to highlight peace, pledge to defend international fairness, justice Xinhua) 14:55, August 20, 2025 BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A military official said China's V-Day parade, scheduled for Sept. 3 in Tian'anmen Square, is meant to signal that the country upholds peace and will firmly defend international fairness and justice. Wu Zeke, deputy director of the Leading Group Office of Military Parade and a senior officer of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the press conference on Wednesday to outline preparations for the parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The parade will showcase that under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the country and the armed forces have grown strong, and the great spirit of the War of Resistance lives on, Wu said. He added that the parade will demonstrate to the world that the victory 80 years ago was a triumph of justice over evil, light over darkness, and progress over reaction. China was the first to fight against fascist aggression and sustained the longest resistance, Wu said, adding that the tremendous sacrifices of the Chinese people sustained the main Eastern Battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War. China tied down and fought the bulk of Japanese forces, wiping out more than 1.5 million enemy troops in the war, Wu said, adding that China had made a major contribution to the triumph of the World Anti-Fascist War. He said China will work together with peace-loving countries and people across the world to uphold and advocate the correct historical view of World War II, resolutely safeguard the post-war international order, firmly defend international fairness and justice, firmly oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Plumbing tycoon Charlie Mullins has joined the backlash against Rachel Reeves over a possible and highly controversial shake-up of property levies. The millionaire hit out at the Chancellor's 'atrocious' tax plans and claimed she was 'robbing' working class Brits. Mr Mullins fled Britain to move to Spain after Labour won power at last year's general election, due to his fears of a tax raid by Ms Reeves. The 72-year-old has now urged those who are also thinking of moving abroad to 'sell your house now' amid concerns the Chancellor might hammer property owners. Ms Reeves has been warned that proposals to replace stamp duty with an annual charge on homes worth more than 500,000 would damage the market. There is also outrage that such a move would punish people who have worked hard to own their houses. As part of her efforts to fill the Government's coffers, Ms Reeves is understood to have asked officials to look at a potential overhaul of property taxes. She has already been called on by economists to scrap the current system, in which buyers have to pay thousands of pounds in stamp duty on house sales, which they say deters people from moving. Plumbing tycoon Charlie Mullins has joined the backlash against Rachel Reeves over a possible and highly controversial shake-up of property levies The millionaire hit out at the Chancellor's 'atrocious' tax plans and claimed she was 'robbing' working class Brits Ms Reeves has been warned that proposals to replace stamp duty with an annual charge on homes worth more than 500,000 would damage the market The Guardian reported that owners of houses worth more than 500,000 could have to pay a 'proportional property tax' based on the value of their properties when they sell up. However, sources played down the claims that Treasury officials are looking at this proposal or threshold. Responding to Ms Reeves' reported plans, Mr Mullins told Talk: 'What she's doing now is atrocious, she is robbing working class people again. 'She's talking about someone with a 500,000 house, which is nothing in London - it's like a one-bedroom apartment. 'How does she think these people got them? They're working class people, they purchased the property. 'Now they're going to tax you on buying the property, tax you on selling the people. What it will do, it will freeze the property market up - it will freeze it up completely. 'It will stop people wanting to buy a property and it will also, people like me and many others, it will drive or force us out the UK even more.' Mr Mullins is a former Tory donor who switched to bankrolling the Liberal Democrats due to the party's anti-Brexit stance but now backs Nigel Farage's Reform UK. He explained that he left the UK 'because of Labour and all their robbing everybody'. 'I'm in Marbella, absolutely loving it - wish I'd done it years ago and not allowed Labour governments to keep robbing people and working class people,' he added. 'My advice to anybody, if you're thinking of leaving the UK, is sell your house now before she [Ms Reeves] brings it in. 'Because she will bring this in very quickly, it's another way of robbing working class people.' Treasury sources moved away from suggestions that civil servants are drawing on the findings of a report published last year by think-tank Onward. This proposed that only future owners could pay an annual tax based on the value of the property instead of stamp duty. Under the plan put forward by economist Professor Tim Leunig, current homeowners would not be hit by the charge. But if they do sell up in future their buyers would pay the levy each year instead of stamp duty at the point of purchase. It is intended to open up the property market by making it less expensive to move and encouraging those in large homes to downsize. Mr Mullins fled Britain to move to Spain after Labour won power at last year's general election , due to his fears of a tax raid by Ms Reeves 'I'm in Marbella, absolutely loving it - wish I'd done it years ago and not allowed Labour governments to keep robbing people and working class people,' Mr Mullins said Meanwhile, it has separately been reported that Ms Reeves is eyeing a 'mansion tax' on the owners of high-value properties. According to The Times, the Chancellor is drawing up plans to end the current exemption from capital gains tax when some people sell their main home. This would see those on the higher rate of income tax pay 24 per cent of the value of any 'gain' they make from the increase in the value of their property. And those on the basic rate of income tax would pay 18 per cent. Ms Reeves' reported plans would see the 'private residence relief' from capital gains currently enjoyed by homeowners scrapped for some properties. The threshold at which the relief would end is currently being discussed within the Treasury, the newspaper added. It is estimated a threshold of 1.5million would hit around 120,000 homeowners who are higher-rate taxpayers with capital gains tax bills of 199,973. TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp has warned the Chancellor not to risk destabilising the market by 'flying kites' about potential new property taxes. She told Times Radio: 'It's not Rachel's to go after because it's their homes. 'It's the roof over their head. And this Government seems to want to punish people for making the sacrifices they've made to buy their own homes.' James Browne, senior economic policy adviser at the Tony Blair Institute, said: 'While replacing stamp duty with a new annual property levy on homes worth more than 500,000 is economically sensible, it would be politically challenging. 'Either long-standing homeowners who are asset-rich but cash-poor would be hit with much larger bills or, if it only applied after a property changed hands, would discourage moving just as much as stamp duty does at the moment.' Your browser does not support iframes. Treasury minister Torsten Bell told broadcasters this morning: 'Working people and people's living standards is what this Government is all about. 'We've seen wages rise more in the first 10 months of this Government than the first 10 years of the last Conservative government. 'But of course, as you know, questions for tax are for the budget and they're for chancellors.' A Treasury spokesman said: 'As set out in the plan for change, the best way to strengthen public finances is by growing the economy - which is our focus. 'Changes to tax and spend policy are not the only ways of doing this, as seen with our planning reforms, which are expected to grow the economy by 6.8billion and cut borrowing by 3.4billion. 'We are committed to keeping taxes for working people as low as possible, which is why at last autumn's Budget, we protected working people's payslips and kept our promise not to raise the basic, higher or additional rates of income tax, employee national insurance, or VAT.' The 'weird' rule at Jeremy Clarkson's Farmer's Dog pub that saw staff repeatedly let down punters has finally been solved after months of backlash. The former Top Gear presenter opened a country pub alongside his Oxfordshire farm Diddly Squat, last year and announced he would only be using products and ingredients that were 100 percent British. It left commonplace items including Coca Cola, coffee and even ketchup firmly off the menu at the Cotswolds pub. Although many were supportive of the rule, so many punters would ask for ketchup to accompany their meals that staff resorted to putting up signs informing customers it was not available. But now the problem has finally been solved, thanks to Isle of Wight firm Condimaniac. The company decided to take on the challenge and has now successfully created an all-British ketchup, made from Isle of Wight tomato passata, apple cider vinegar from Hanmpshire, Essex salt and British sugar and onions. The firm has been documenting its progress on the product online, and said it was especially difficult to develop as no UK firm produces tomato puree. After successfully launching the condiment, co-founder of the company Kier Kemp said: 'Making a 100 per cent British ketchup after Jeremy Clarkson alerted us to the fact there wasn't one was very hard. Jeremy Clarkson's pub, named the Farmer's Dog, was left unable to sell products including Coca Cola, ketchup and coffee due to the rule that all ingredients must be British But firm Condimaniac has now developed a 100 percent British tomato ketchup which will be stocked in the Diddly Squat farm and Farmer's Puppy When the former Top Gear presenter first opened the doors to his watering hole he was on a mission to only sell 100 percent British-grown products 'We had to put on our big boy pants.' In a blog post describing the process of making the ketchup, he admitted it was a 'massive faff' and said staff had 'had to go to great lengths to get the right consistency and flavour.' Co-founders Mr Kemp and Jennifer Dreier delivered an initial batch to the Farmer's Dog in June for staff to sample. Just before they met with manager, Annie, customers flocked to try the sauce, with one stating it was 'amazing'. 'I am not having Heinz again that is for sure,' another said. Another staff member at the Farmers Puppy, a 'small but mighty version of the pub in a tent', gave them kudos for their product. Condimaniac initially made 1,700 bottles of the product, with many destined to be sold at the pub's butcher and bottle shop and at Clarkson's farm. The product, costing 7.95, has already sold out on the firm's website. Reflecting on how impressed he was with the pub, Mr Kemp said: 'It is not just a gimmick for them they do really live and breathe this 100 percent British thing.' He later dubbed them the 'best wholesale clients I have ever dealt with', adding: 'Everyone I have met is super lovely.' 'I am glad that I can report they are actually nice people. It is not always like that.' A source close to Clarkson's pub told the Sun: 'Jeremy and the team support the British food and farming industry. 'So he made no apologies for not selling ketchup, no matter how many times staff had to let customers down. 'But the pub's always said that if a British company could do it with all-British ingredients, it would get on the menu. 'Hopefully it'll be a success.' A historic 670-tonne Swedish church has begun a two-day journey across a city to stop it sinking into a mine. The 113-year-old Kiruna Church is slowly being moved across the arctic town on a vast convoy of trailers travelling at around 500 metres per hour. Kiruna's entire town centre is being relocated because of the giant LKAB iron ore mine that dominates the region, whose ever-deeper burrowing over the years has weakened the ground, increasing the risk of collapse in some parts. Kiruna Kyrka, a Lutheran church from 1912, will travel five kilometres (three miles) on remote-controlled flatbed trailers to the new Kiruna town. The complex and costly logistical operation began on Tuesday and was scheduled to be completed on Wednesday around 2.00 or 3.00pm (1200 or 1300 GMT). The journey has so far gone smoothly for the 1,200-tonne convoy, but was expected to proceed more slowly on Wednesday due to some tricky narrow passages and 90 degree turns, officials said. A historic 670-tonne Swedish church has begun a two-day journey across a city to stop it sinking into a mine The 113-year-old Kiruna Church is slowly being moved across the arctic town on a vast convoy of trailers travelling at around 500 metres per hour Kiruna's entire town centre is being relocated because of the giant LKAB iron ore mine that dominates the region, whose ever deeper burrowing over the years has weakened the ground, increasing the risk of collapse in some parts Kiruna Kyrka, an imposing 672-tonne Swedish Lutheran church from 1912, is being moved five kilometres (three miles) on remote-controlled flatbed trailers to the new Kiruna town The move has generated widespread interest, with large crowds thronging the streets of the town of 18,000 people and Swedish television broadcasting the entire journey live. King Carl XVI Gustaf was due to take part in festivities in Kiruna, including an attempt to break the world record for the number of people attending a 'kyrkkaffe', a church coffee break. The town's relocation process began almost two decades ago and is expected to continue for years to come. The new town centre was officially inaugurated in September 2022. The relocation of the church alone is expected to cost 500 million kronor ($52 million) and is being paid for by LKAB. Designed by Swedish architect Gustaf Wickman, the church, which measures 40 metres (131 feet) tall, is a mix of influences and includes designs inspired by the region's Indigenous Sami people on the pews. The neo-Gothic exterior features slanting roofs and windows on each side, while its dark interior has elements of national romanticism as well as an Art Nouveau altarpiece and an organ with more than 2,000 pipes. The church's handblown glass windows were removed ahead of the move, replaced with plywood painted to look like windows. The move has generated widespread interest, with large crowds thronging the streets of the town of 18,000 people and Swedish television broadcasting the entire journey live King Carl XVI Gustaf was due to take part in festivities in Kiruna, including an attempt to break the world record for the number of people attending a 'kyrkkaffe', a church coffee break The town's relocation process began almost two decades ago and is expected to continue for years to come Workers gather on the day Kiruna's old wooden church is moved during a two-day relocation trip to a new site next to a cemetery in Kiruna, Sweden August 20, 2025 The belltower, which stood separately next to the church, will be moved next week. Kirunas old church was voted the most beautiful building in Sweden in 2001. The mission to move the entire city began in 2016 after the country's state-controlled mining company alerted authorities in 2004 that recovering more iron ore from the Kiruna mine meant further excavation, destabilising the city's centre. Mining company Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB, or LKAB is Kiruna's largest employer and the municipality started drawing up plans to relocate the city of 23,000. 'It feels a bit nostalgic and a little sad,' one resident, Mia Mortlund, told Sveriges Radio at the time, reflecting the views of many residents who feel more sentimental about the old city than angry at the prospect of relocating to a new one. 'For most people in Kiruna the fact that the town and its inhabitants will have to move is accepted as part of life,' Mikael Stenqvist, an architect at White, told The Independent. A French online star who was allegedly subjected to 'ten days of torture' sent heartbreaking final messages to his mother before dying on live stream. Raphael Graven, better known online as Jean Pormanove, was a prominent figure in France's streaming world with over a million followers across social media. But behind his online persona, he was allegedly trapped in a nightmare of gruesome online challenges involving humiliation, violence, and dangerous stunts. The popular Kick creator, 46, was found dead overnight on Monday, in bed at his home in Contes, near Nice. He is believed to have passed away in his sleep during a live broadcast, following what friends have described as relentless 'humiliation streams'. French prosecutors confirmed an investigation has been launched, with an autopsy ordered. Officials insisted that 'nothing suspicious' had yet been identified, but shocking claims from local media allege Graven endured sleep deprivation, extreme violence, and ingestion of toxic substances before his death. It has been reported that a few days before his death, Graven sent a heartbreaking final message to his mother to say he felt as if he was 'being held hostage' and admitted he was 'fed up' with the controversial streams that had become his trademark. His long-time collaborator, who streams under the name Naruto, announced his death on Instagram, paying tribute to his 'brother, sidekick, partner'. Raphael Graven, better known online as Jean Pormanove, was a major figure in France 's streaming world with more than a million followers across social media The popular Kick creator, 46, was found dead overnight on Monday, in bed at his home in Contes, near Nice It has been reported that a few days before his death, Graven sent a heartbreaking final message to his mother to say he felt as if he was 'being held hostage' and admitted he was 'fed up' with the controversial streams that had become his trademark He pleaded with fans not to share clips of the disturbing live stream, where Graven appeared unconscious before being found dead in bed. The streamer's broadcasts had reportedly featured degrading acts including being slapped, spat on, grabbed by the throat, and pelted with objects - all played out in front of thousands of viewers. France's Minister for Digital Affairs and Artificial Intelligence, Clara Chappaz, condemned the ordeal as an 'absolute horror' and said platforms must do more to protect vulnerable creators. Sarah El Hairy, the High Commissioner for Children, described the tragedy as 'horrifying', warning parents to remain vigilant about the violent content children can access online. Kick, the streaming platform where Jeanpormanove built his following, said it was 'deeply saddened' by his death and promised to urgently review the circumstances. 'We are urgently reviewing the circumstances and collaborating with relevant stakeholders. Kick's community guidelines are designed to protect creators, and we are committed to enforcing them across our platform,' a spokesperson told AFP. The case has shone a harsh spotlight on the murky world of 'humiliation streams' in France, where creators allegedly endure extreme abuse for views and donations. Two fellow streamers - Owen Cenazandotti, known online as Naruto, and Safine Hamadi, known as Safine - were previously questioned in connection with such content, but both were released after denying wrongdoing. The pair were taken into police custody in January, but they were soon released as a Nice prosecutor said: 'Both the people likely to be implicated and those who were victims denied the commission of offences.' Naruto's lawyer insisted his client bore 'no responsibility' for Jeanpormanove's death, telling Le Monde: 'We are awaiting the results of the investigation to determine the conditions of JP's death and identify the responsibilities of each person.' A Sydney mum-of-eight who travelled overseas for a promised 'cure' to her diabetes is now fighting for her life in a Peruvian hospital. Maria Hermilia Murrieta, a 63-year-old grandmother of 13, has endured five major surgeries since June after weight loss surgery sent her into septic shock. She had flown to Lima, Peru, where she is originally from, chasing a doctor's pledge that she could be freed from Type 2 diabetes and chronic pain. 'She felt she wasn't being listened to by doctors in Sydney and, because the pain intensified, she started consulting doctors in different cities,' her eldest daughter Martiza Hlentzos said. Ms Hlentzos said her mother wanted to live longer for her daughter Ashley, who has an intellectual disability and autism. Ms Hlentzos said the doctor in Lima promised her that a surgery would mean 'she's not going to have diabetes anymore, she's not going to feel the pain anymore'. 'She was really hooked on that idea... We all told her not to. However, she was dead-set on going and trying to live longer for Ashley,' she said. 'The doctor basically promised her the world. My mum wasn't even an obese person, but they said her only option for the pain she suffered and the diabetes to go away would be to have a surgery to eliminate her weight. Ms Murrieta, who is a mother to eight children and has 13 grandchildren, chose to undergo a procedure at a private clinic in Lima after experiencing chronic pain for a year But her family has said she didn't heal and faced severe complications, including septic shock 'So she felt this would be the answer to make her feel better, but it all went terribly wrong.' Instead of relief, Ms Murrieta was left fighting for survival. She began haemorrhaging within hours of the surgery and lost a significant amount of blood. She was rushed into another emergency surgery, placed into an induced coma, and has since endured multiple haemorrhages, chest tubes to drain fluid from her lungs, and repeated brushes with death. Upon hearing the news, Ms Hlentzos contacted her siblings, who flew out to join her and their sister Claritta Quizos, who remains in Lima to stay with their mother. 'I can't even articulate it. The hardest thing was to see my mum intubated, and I still remember the way she looked, the way she felt, and thinking it was going to be the last time,' Ms Hlentzos said. After the third surgery, doctors told the family they would have to say goodbye. 'Her lungs were filled with fluid, and she had three different types of infections, and everything was just really bad,' Ms Hlentzos said. 'She had drains to her spleen and her abdomen, and she had feeding tubes to her stomach. Her kidneys are still going quite strong.' After the third surgery, the family was told they might have to say their goodbyes Against all odds, Ms Murrieta has now awakened from the coma. 'She kept fighting,' Ms Valverde said. Ms Hlentzos said her mother has already undergone five life-saving surgeries since the botched operation. As of Wednesday, she remains at risk of being re-intubated due to reduced lung capacity and is battling fevers caused by an unknown infection. Now, the family is desperate to bring her home. They have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $200,000 for an air ambulance back to Sydney, where they believe she will have the best chance of recovery. 'The doctors and the healthcare team, I truly believe they're amazing,' Ms Hlentzos said. 'Unfortunately, the crew doesn't have the resources that Australia does.' Both Ms Valverde and Ms Hlentzos, Sydney-based registered nurses, have expressed deep gratitude for the doctors in Lima. The family set up a GoFundMe to raise $200,000 for an air ambulance to bring the matriarch back to Australia where they believe there will be better resources Ms Murrieta has been describes as a 'cheeky, vibrant, young at heart' woman 'They've been heroes in saving my mum's life and they've done everything in their power,' Ms Hlentzos said. As of Wednesday night, the fundraiser had reached $10,691 - still a long way from its $200,000 target. Ms Hlentzos said she contacted the Australian consulate while visiting her mother but was directed to a web page for translators and has not received support. A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson told Daily Mail it is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian hospitalised in Peru. 'Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment,' they said. Polands Defence Minister has warned that he cannot rule out the possibility that a mysterious object that exploded in eastern Poland overnight was an act of Russian sabotage. The object fell and detonated in a cornfield in the village of Osiny, located in Lublin province, near the Ukrainian border. Poland's army suggested that the debris might be a component of an old propeller engine. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on X: '...after conducting preliminary analyses of radar system records, no violation of Polish airspace was recorded last night from either Ukraine or Belarus.' No injuries were reported, although several windows were shattered. Burnt metal and plastic debris were found at the site. A shocking video from a resident's CCTV captured the moment the object exploded into a ball of fire. Some witnesses said they were awoken by a loud bang that caused their windows to shake. Police showed up not long afterwards to investigate what had happened. The witness told local TV station ukow.TV: 'I was woken by a loud bang that shook the windows. I looked outside but couldn't see anything. A shocking video from a resident's CCTV captured the moment the object exploded into a ball of fire. Poland says authorities cannot rule out the possibility of Russian sabotage The object fell and detonated in a cornfield in the village of Osiny, located in Lublin province, near the Ukrainian border 'It wasn't until the morning that I noticed the lights of police cars. It was reported that the blast had left a huge hole at the scene. This incident adds to a series of recent events that have heightened concerns about Russian activities in Poland. In May 2024, a significant fire at the Marywilska 44 shopping centre in Warsaw was attributed to Russian intelligence services, leading Poland to close the Russian consulate in Krakow. In response, Russia closed Polands consulate in Kaliningrad, escalating diplomatic tensions between the two nations. Poland has also been dealing with a series of sabotage incidents. In July 2025, authorities charged six individuals, including three Polish citizens and three Belarusians, for conducting arson attacks allegedly on behalf of Russian and Belarusian intelligence services. These attacks, which occurred in 2023 and 2024, involved Molotov cocktails and were part of a broader effort to destabilise Polands support for Ukraine, Poland believed. The claims were rejected by Russia and Belarus. Witnesses say they were awoken by a loud bang that shook up their windows In May 2024, a significant fire at the Marywilska 44 shopping centre in Warsaw was attributed to Russian intelligence services Additionally, Polish authorities have detained 32 individuals suspected of coordinating with Russia to engage in acts of sabotage. Among them is a 27-year-old Colombian man accused of carrying out arson attacks under Russian instruction. As a neighbour of Ukraine, Poland has been concerned that Putin could order an invasion and is said to be preparing in case Russia attacks. Australia's public broadcaster has hit employees with new speech rules and social media restrictions following the Antoinette Lattouf case. The guidelines were announced by ABC editorial director Gavin Fang in an all-staff email on Wednesday. They will replace the previous rules, which were in place when the Federal Court ruled ABC unlawfully terminated Lattouf's employment after she shared a social media post relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Company workers have been told to avoid posting material on social media, as well as other public platforms including online petitions and WhatsApp groups, that could arguably compromise ABC's editorial independence. ABC managing director Hugh Marks previously admitted the Lattouf incident had highlighted the 'confusion' about the company's guidelines for employees' personal social media use. ABC's new policies apply not just to employees on social media, but also while in attendance at public events. The standards apply to 'any context where comments may reasonably be expected to reach a public audience'. In the document, ABC employees are told they must not make public comments that 'undermines your perceived or actual ability to perform your role; undermines the independence or integrity of the ABC or any ABC editorial content; implies ABC endorsement of your personal views; is on behalf of the ABC, or in a way that could be seen as representing the ABC, without prior authorisation'. Antoinette Lattouf won her case in the Federal Court of Australia in Sydney (pictured outside) after it was ruled the ABC unlawfully terminated her employment ABC employees have been told to avoid posting material on social media that could arguably compromise ABC's editorial independence The new guidelines state a worker's contract may include 'specific restrictions' regarding public comment. 'Public comments that do not meet the standards set out in these guidelines will be managed by line management, in consultation with People & Culture and Editorial Policies where required and may constitute a breach of the ABC's Code of Conduct,' the rules read. 'A breach of the Code of Conduct will be dealt with in accordance with the relevant ABC employment contract and/or enterprise agreement and may lead to disciplinary action, including possible termination of employment,' reported news.com.au. Lattouf was hired for ABC Radio on a five-day presenting role in Sydney in December 2023 before being fired. She was let go after just three shifts after sharing a Human Rights Watch post that said Israel was using starvation as a 'weapon of war' in Gaza. Justice Darryl Rangiah, who delivered his judgment in Sydney's Federal Court in June, found the ABC contravened the Fair Work Act by terminating Lattouf's employment. He ruled the broadcaster had breached the act by firing the presenter 'for reasons including that she held a political opinion opposing the Israeli military campaign in Gaza'. Justice Rangiah found pro-Israel lobbyists formed an 'orchestrated campaign' to pressure then-ABC chair Ita Buttrose to take Lattouf off air. ABC managing director Hugh Marks (pictured) previously admitted the Lattouf incident had highlighted the 'confusion' about the company's guidelines regarding employees' personal use of social media Antoinette Lattouf departs the Federal Court of Australia on June 25, 2025 after being awarded $70,000 in compensation The ABC claimed that they had given Lattouf a 'direction' not to 'post anything on social media that would suggest she was not impartial in relation to the Israel/Gaza war'. But Justice Rangiah found that an email campaign from pro-Israel supporters alleged Lattouf 'expressed anti-Semitic views, lacked impartiality and was unsuitable to present any program for the ABC'. 'The complaints caused great consternation amongst the senior management of the ABC,' he said. Justice Rangiah found that instead of being given a 'direction' from senior ABC management, Lattouf was 'merely provided with advice that it would be best not to post anything controversial about the war'. 'That advice was also qualified by an indication that posting fact-based material from a verified source would be fine.' The ABC was ordered to pay Lattouf compensation of $70,000. Daily Mail has contacted ABC for comment. A woman was tied between two trees and gang-raped by six men amid a horrific new outbreak of violence between warring Congo and Rwanda rebels, a human rights group has revealed. A devastating Amnesty International report reveals harrowing testimonies of sexual violence, torture and extrajudicial killings carried out between March and May of this year. One survivor told of a women being tied between two trees and gang-raped by six Wazalendo fighters: 'Let them be punished so they don't do such acts to someone else,' she said. During another rape by Wazalendo fighters, Kinyarwanda-speaking men, believed to be fighters belonging to the armed Nyatura group, accused the woman of supporting the M23. They chillingly told her that 'any women who come to the field, we will always rape them,' according to the Amnesty report. The shocking report comes just weeks after Human Rights Watch (HRW) revealed that M23 fighters had killed at least 140 people in July in one of the worst atrocities since the group's resurgence in 2021. Witnesses described M23 fighters using machetes and gunfire to massacre men, women, and children in 14 villages around Virunga National Park between July 10 and July 30. Some were forced to sit on riverbanks before being gunned down. Others were buried hastily in fields or thrown into rivers. One man recalled: 'We woke up on 11 July and [the M23] were there in large numbers... They were already on our doorstep... They killed people with guns and machetes,' adding that five members of his family were killed. A devastating new Amnesty International report accuses both the Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 (pictured) and Congo-based Wazalendo militias of widespread human rights abuses that may account to war crimes The shocking report comes just weeks after Human Rights Watch (HRW) revealed that M23 fighters had killed at least 140 people in July in one of the worst atrocities since the group's resurgence in 2021 Villagers described finding the bodies of a 47-year-old man and his four children, ages 11 to 17, in a field about 18 kilometers from Kiseguru, on July 11. 'We found him in his field with his head cut off,' said a man who found and buried them. 'They were all killed with machetes. Their throats were cut.' Another man said that he watched as the rebels killed his wife and four children aged nine months to 10 years from afar, according to the report. Locals said that M23 fighters told them to immediately bury the bodies in the fields or leave them unburied, preventing families from organising funerals. 'M23 fighters also threw bodies, including of women and children, into the Rutshuru River,' the report added. A woman who saw M23 fighters kill her husband with a machete on July 11 said that M23 fighters that day rounded up the women and children. 'Around 10am, we were forced to walk toward the place where our lives were going to end,' she said. 'We walked in silence. If a child started crying, they threatened to kill them. They killed with knives.' She said they were a group of about 70 people, including women and girls: 'We walked all day until we reached the confluence of the Kitchuru Rivers in the evening 'They told us to sit on the edge of the riverbank, and then they started shooting at us.' The woman added that the executions took place near Kafuru, and identified 47 people, including children, who were killed. She was able to escape because she fell in the river without being shot. Human Rights Watch received information that the M23 carried out mass killings by the Rutshuru River for several days. Residents and witnesses said that the M23 continued to execute people until at least July 30. HRW believes the true death toll may exceed 300, echoing similar UN findings earlier this month. HRW believes the true death toll may exceed 300, echoing similar UN findings earlier this month. Pictured: Civilians bury the remains of people killed in an attack carried out by Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) at a church, in Komanda, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, July 28, 2025 Within the latest Amnesty report, one woman said she was raped by five M23 fighters inside a military camp in Bukavu: 'When I see someone in a military uniform, I'm traumatised. Since that day, I do not go out. When I see them, I feel pain in my heart. It's like a heart palpitation'. In total, Amnesty interviewed 14 survivors of sexual violence eight were raped by M23, five by Wazalendo, and one by soldiers from the Congolese army (FARDC). The abuses, they say, are part of a deliberate campaign of intimidation and humiliation aimed at terrorising civilians. Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty's Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said: 'For the women of eastern DRC, nowhere is safe; they are raped in their homes, in the fields, or camps where they seek shelter. 'The world must say enough. All warring parties must prioritise the protection of civilians, including women and girls who continue to bear the greatest brunt of this conflict'. Chagutah called on both Rwanda and Congo to hold their proxies accountable, urging DRC's President Felix Tshisekedi to dismantle Wazalendo militias and Rwanda to rein in its Defence Forces operating in the region. Amnesty also documented how M23 fighters stormed hospitals in Goma six times, abducting patients and medical staff, including wounded soldiers who are still receiving care. Civil society activists, journalists, and lawyers have also been targeted. One activist detained in March said M23 interrogators had detailed knowledge of his work: 'It was like they had all the info on us,' he said. The M23 fighters whipped him both nights of his detention. 'They really beat me. They had whips. They beat me on the buttocks. They slapped me in my ears which caused my nose to bleed.' Pictured: Members of the M23 rebel group supervise the exit of mercenary troops in the streets of Goma amid conflict between them and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, January 29, 2025 Another activist, Aloys Bigirumwami, was abducted in May along with five others. He has not been seen since. The atrocities come despite a flurry of peace initiatives. In June, the DRC and Rwanda signed a US-brokered peace deal in Washington, followed by a ceasefire agreement in Doha, Qatar, in July. But last week, M23 walked away from negotiations, accusing Kinshaha of failing to meet its commitments. Fighting has resumed across North and South Kivu, leaving civilians once again caught in the crossfire. HRW has urged the UN Security Council, the European Union, and world governments to impose sanctions on those responsible and press for prosecutions. Amnesty, meanwhile, says the international community must stop turning a blind eye: 'Rwanda and the DRC cannot continue shunning responsibility; they must hold all perpetrators accountable,' Chagutah warned. Since January, the M23 offensive has seized large parts of the mineral-rich east, including the regional capital Goma. The UN says thousands have been killed and hundreds of thousands more driven from their homes. For ordinary Congolese civilians, there is little hope. As one woman, raped while pregnant, told Amnesty: 'They told me if my daughter doesn't go back into the room, they would kill her. I thought I was going to die.' Six severed heads have been found lined up on a road in central Mexico in the latest horrific drug cartel bloodbath to hit the country. The remains were first reported on Tuesday by drivers using a highway that links the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala, prosecutors said. At the site of grisly find there was a pamphlet blaming the violence on a settling of scores between gangs that rob fuel, local media reports. Messages are often left on victims' bodies by cartels seeking to threaten their rivals or punish behavior they claim violates their rules. The heads were found inside a sack and others scattered among the nearby cornfields, local reports claim. Another head and other human remains were found in the western city of Colima, news outlets said. The heads found in Tlaxcala were those of men, the prosecutor's office said as it announced an investigation into the crime. Six severed heads have been found lined up on a road in central Mexico in the latest horrific drug cartel bloodbath to hit the country. At the site of grisly find there was a pamphlet blaming the violence on a settling of scores between gangs that rob fuel, local media reports The remains were first reported on Tuesday by drivers using a highway that links the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala, prosecutors said The heads were found inside a sack and others scattered among the nearby cornfields, local reports claim The discovery prompted an intense mobilization of security forces, including members of the Ixtacuixtla municipal police, the Mexican Army, and the National Guard (GN ). The area was cordoned off to preserve evidence while the State Attorney General's Office (FGJE) opened an investigation. The Ixtacuixtla City Council strongly condemned the events and emphasized its coordination with state authorities. The statement read: 'From the very beginning, our police officers responded to the report generated through the 911 emergency number as first responders. The relevant authorities were immediately notified. 'Since then, we have been working closely with the State Attorney General's Office and law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident.' Both Puebla and Tlaxcala are home to gangs that deal in drugs and fuel. But these states are new to this kind of extreme violence more common in other parts of Mexico, which is plagued by drug-related brutality. However in recent months bodies have been found in areas near the border between the two states. The area was cordoned off to preserve evidence while the State Attorney General's Office (FGJE) opened an investigation Extreme violence - such as decapitation - is more common in northern states and along the Pacific coast. Drug cartels operate in both. On June 30 four decapitated bodies were found hanging from a bridge in the capital of western Mexico's Sinaloa state, part of a surge of cartel violence that killed 20 people in less than a day, authorities said. On the same highway, officials said they found 16 more male victims with gunshot wounds, packed into a white van, one of whom was decapitated. Authorities said the bodies were left with a note, apparently from one of the cartel factions. While little of the note's contents was coherent, the author of the note chillingly wrote: 'WELCOME TO THE NEW SINALOA.' In October last year a mayor was decapitated less than a week after he took office in the southwestern Mexico state of Guerrero. Alejandro Arcos was found dead inside a pickup truck in the municipality of Chilpancingo. Disturbing photos on social media showed Arco's severed head lying on top of the vehicle. And in March 2022, six heads and other body parts were found on the roof of a car on the main street of Chilapa in the southern state of Guerrero. Around 480,000 people have died in drug-related violence around Mexico since 2006, when the government deployed federal troops to take on the country's powerful drug cartels. Another 130,000 are missing. Tourists fled screaming from a blaze at Milan's Malpensa airport today after a man set fire to bins and smashed check-in screens. The suspect, who has not been named, was apprehended by employees at Terminal 1 on Wednesday after reportedly rampaging through the airport with a hammer. Footage from the airport this morning showed black smoke billowing from inside the terminal as passengers ran from the scene. Images showed a suspect being pinned to the ground. Local media reported he had been stopped by staff. Italian outlet Varese News said an employee intervened after noticing smoke rising through the airport. The suspect was allegedly 'destroying the screens between desks 12 and 13' when the member of staff dived in. Witness Sophia Kim, a passenger who was at desk 13 at the time, told The Mirror: 'I turned around only to see the check-in counter on the other side was on fire.' 'It was then I started running for my life with my husband hand in hand,' she added. 'Everyone around me was in panic mode- screaming and running. I thought I was going to die.' The suspect was identified across Italian media only as a Malian resident of Italy in his late 20s with no criminal record. He did not have a boarding pass and was not a passenger, Corriere della Serra reports. Stunned holidaymakers look on towards a fire lit in Terminal 1 of Milan Malpensa airport Firefighters rushed to the scene to extinguish the blaze on Wednesday morning Chaotic scenes in Malpensa airport on Wednesday after a man allegedly set fire to the airport The brave member of staff who initially apprehended the suspect was said to have been injured in the fracas before being turned over to emergency services. Corriere della Serra contested the claims, writing that no injuries had been reported. 'Along with him, some of those present also intervened to prevent the attacker from attacking the people as well.' La Stampa reported that the suspect 'apparently directed his anger only at the airport furnishings, without attacking passengers or staff on duty'. Border police scrambled to help restrain the man while airport security staff worked to put out the fire. Photos of the aftermath showed thick smoke hanging in the air as bystanders watched on with their hands on their hips. Travellers were also seen amassing outside the terminal after 'flames and smoke invaded the area, making the air unbreathable', Corriere di Novara reported. Firefighters, airport staff and security staff were all pictured at the scene. The airport continued to operate as usual, Varese reports. But Malpensa was partially evacuated, according to Italian news agency ANSA. Operations subsequently resumed, it said. 'The presence of smoke required the evacuation of the terminal itself for safety reasons. The affected area was quickly reached and made safe,' a spokesperson for the provincial fire service said in a later statement. 'Operations at the airport continued without significant disruption to air traffic.' The Lombardy Airports Association said it was expecting potential delays and cancellations from the incident. Staff managed to apprehend a suspect and pin them to the ground File photo shows Milan's Malpensa Airport, Terminal 1, in 2016 No motive was clear from initial reports. The suspect was reportedly taken to a holding cell by Polaria officers, who will try to establish a motive. A summary trial is scheduled for tomorrow, Il Messaggero reports. The Daily Mail was unable to reach Milan Malpensa airport for comment. Milan Airports has not publicly commented on the incident. This news is breaking: more to follow The UK's top military chief is set to hold meetings in Washington DC today following Donald Trump's promise of security guarantees for Ukraine. Sir Tony Radakin, the chief of the defence staff, is expected to attend talks at the Pentagon to thrash out how Ukraine would be defended from future attack in the event of a peace deal with Russia. It follows crunch talks at the White House on Monday between the US President and European leaders, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky. After the emergency summit in the Oval Office - held in the wake of Mr Trump's talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week - Sir Keir said there had been a 'common understanding' about a NATO-style security guarantee for Ukraine. The PM added this was an 'Article 5-like guarantee', which could mirror the 'collective defence' clause of the NATO treaty that states that an attack against one NATO ally is considered an attack against all NATO allies. Sir Keir has pledged to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of efforts by the so-called 'coalition of the willing' of Ukrainian allies to help ensure a potential peace agreement with Russia holds. But, during the Pentagon talks on Wednesday between military chiefs from the coalition of the willing and their American counterparts, Sir Tony is expected to state that UK peacekeeping troops would not be on the frontline with Russia. Sir Tony Radakin, the chief of the defence staff, is expected to attend talks at the Pentagon to thrash out how Ukraine would be defended from future attack under a peace deal with Russia US President Donald Trump told Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday that America would help guarantee Ukraine's security in a deal with Russia Mr Trump and European leaders, including Mr Zelensky and PM Sir Keir Starmer, met in the Oval Office on Monday to discuss Ukraine's future A British official told The Guardian: 'Wednesday is a really important moment. 'Nothing happens in Washington without the President giving the green light, so Trump giving his support to security guarantees on Monday kickstarted a lot of activity.' Another said Sir Tony would echo pledges made by Defence Secretary John Healey, who recently said Britain was willing to deploy troops to Ukraine 'to secure the safe skies, safe seas and to build the strength of the Ukrainian forces'. They added that ministers envisaged this as meaning logistical and training support rather than sending battalions of frontline troops who could end up in combat. Security minister Dan Jarvis this morning said the flurry of diplomatic talks in recent days had 'brought the prospect of peace much closer' in Ukraine. Speaking on Times Radio, he said: 'We've always strongly supported Ukraine's integration, both in terms of their potential desire to be members of the European Union and membership of NATO. 'We don't think that any limitation should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its co-operation with third countries, and Russia certainly shouldn't be able to have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to the European Union or NATO.' Mr Jarvis added: 'I think it is important to make the point that very significant progress has been made. 'I think the Alaska summit and the talks in Washington over the previous days have brought the prospect of peace much closer than they had been previously.' But, despite the growing hopes that the three year-long conflict in Ukraine could soon be brought to an end, former Russian prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov warned that Mr Putin is 'absolutely not' ready for peace. He told Times Radio that the Russian leader was 'absolutely not' serious about striking a peace deal, despite Mr Trump's suggestion trilateral meeting - potentially in Budapest - between himself, Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky. 'He doesn't want to have the high-level meeting. He doesn't want to meet to sit down with Zelensky,' Mr Kasyanov, a leading Putin critic, said. 'It will be some of a humiliating event for him. That's why he will be avoiding it. You're correct that the ball is on Putin's court, but he will continue dragging out time, continue his offensive operation, believing that he will win the war of attrition. 'He simply managed to avoid imposing just tough sanctions as a result of Alaska meeting.' An Irish fashion designer who was found dead on a boat in New York lived 'a short life, but a packed life', her funeral was told. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, 33, who was originally from Carlow but lived in Manhattan, was discovered unconscious on a vessel at Montauk Yacht Club in the early hours of August 5. She was pronounced dead at the scene and the cause of her death is yet to be confirmed. Mourners gathered 'from so many parts to be here to support Martha's family', the priest told the congregation. Among the symbols brought forward to represent Martha's life was her passport, her brand East x East, a makeup bag and brushes, the Irish and U.S. flags, and a tin whistle to symbolise her love of musical instruments. Also brought to the altar was St Martha's prayer, which her mother Elma recites every Tuesday. The night before she died, the self-made entrepreneur is understood to have headed to the luxury Montauk Yacht Club to speak with 60-year-old insurance mogul, Christopher Durnan. But the evening ended in horror when the American business man dashed down the dock naked around midnight screaming for help and indicating that Martha had passed out. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, 33, who was originally from Carlow but lived in Manhattan, was discovered unconscious on a vessel at Montauk Yacht Club in the early hours of August 5 The coffin of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra is carried out of the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, following her funeral service Among the symbols brought forward to represent Martha's life was her passport, her brand East x East, a makeup bag and brushes, the Irish and US flags, and a tin whistle to symbolise her love of musical instruments Bystanders dialed 911 and clambered on board the boat named Ripple to try and perform CPR on the bikini designer, but she was declared dead at the scene by first responders. U.S. detectives have said an initial post-mortem examination 'did not show evidence of violence and her final cause of death is pending further investigation'. The grief-stricken family of the fashion founder travelled from Ireland to the U.S. to demand a second-opinion autopsy into her cause of death. They engaged a top lawyer in the U.S. - whose client list includes Harvey Weinstein and former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon - to discover what happened to Martha. The final post-mortem report, which will include toxicological, histological and other testing, which will take at least three months to conclude. The family's lawyer, criminal defence attorney Arthur Aidala, said they had met with Suffolk County homicide detectives who were conducting a thorough investigation, and that people are still being questioned. 'There is still a very intense investigation focused on why a young woman is dead,' he said, reported the Irish Independent. 'The autopsy report did show that there was no signs of a struggle, no defensive wounds on her hands, no obvious signs of trauma. Mourners embrace following the funeral of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow The hearse carrying the coffin of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra leaves the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, following her funeral service The coffin of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra is carried inside the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, for her funeral service The Order of Service for the funeral of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, 33, the founder of swimwear brand East x East, was found unresponsive aboard a ritzy yacht in Montauk on August 5 before being declared dead at the scene Martha's Irish relatives have spoken of their devastation and disbelief that she failed to get home safely Bystanders dialed 911 and clambered on board the boat named Ripple to try and perform CPR on the self-made entrepreneur, but she was declared dead at the scene by first responders 'The medical examiner is really focusing now on her blood and the other fluids that are being sent to toxicology to see whats going on. 'There were rumours that she possibly had some form of brain cancer and that is being investigated as well.' During a telephone call in the days following Martha's death, it is understood that her mother was asked by detectives about claims that her daughter had brain cancer. The fashionista's mother, who kept close contact with her daughter on an almost daily basis, was astounded by the claims and told detectives her daughter was 'perfectly healthy', the Irish Independent reported. 'She told them there was nothing of the sort [affecting her],' a source said. It is not known who disclosed the information to the detectives. Martha had spoken to her boyfriend - who was out of town when the tragedy unfolded - just hours before she died, assuring him she was going to book an Uber and would be home at around 1 am. It is understood that the designer and 34-year-old sales exec Nicholas DiRubio had been staying in the Montauk area for the summer. Self-made entrepreneur Martha grew up in Carlow, Ireland before moving to New York and creating a jet-setting life of luxury for herself that's often associated with Manhattan's elite Daily Mail can reveal Nolan-O'Slattara had met insurance mogul Christopher Durnan aboard his boat for a late night business meeting when she suddenly passed out Nolan-O'Slatarra was previously revealed to have been in the middle of uncontested divorce proceedings from her husband but she had been dating boyfriend 34-year-old sales exec Nicholas DiRubio Bystanders dialed 911 and clambered on board the boat named Ripple to try and perform CPR on the self-made entrepreneur, but she was declared dead at the scene by first responders One boater at the scene described Durnan's vessel, Ripple, as a 'party boat' and told Daily Mail that she heard screams when the body was discovered The fashion entrepreneur lived an enviable life in Manhattan's Upper East Side, posting TikToks of herself sipping champagne, taking private jets and trips on helicopters with her boyfriend, who the Irish Independent said she planned to marry. She had finalised her uncontested divorce from ex-husband Sam Ryan in April, according to court documents filed in New York Supreme Court. Ambitious from a young age, she studied commerce at University College Dublin before completing a master's in digital marketing from the Smurfit Graduate School of Business. 'Carlow is a small town, I was the small-town girl who needed to get out to achieve her big dreams,' Martha said in an interview with the Irish Independent last year. 'I always knew I wanted to be successful, that I was money-driven, business-driven and that fashion is a tough industry and it would be a slow road.' She worked in Ireland until 2015 before moving to the U.S., where she founded several companies, including fashion accessories brand Duper and luxury swimwear label East x East. France is probing a spate of collisions that are being blamed on phantom braking after a car crashed on a motorway when it went from doing 65mph to a complete standstill. The phenomenon is said to be behind a growing road safety hazard after a string of terrifying incidents in which cars have slammed on their brakes without warning. One high-profile case involves Joanna Peyrache, who was driving her Peugeot 208 near Lyon when her car suddenly decelerated from around 65mph to a complete stop 'for no reason'. The vehicle behind her crashed into the back of her car, causing major damage, though she escaped serious injury. Neither her insurance company nor the other driver's insurer would assess the car, leaving her to investigate the problem herself, according to local reports. She said: The car behind collided with me, and my vehicle spun around 180 degrees under the shock. I don't understand why the car suddenly braked.' Her case has drawn over 300 similar reports from drivers, all describing abrupt braking in cars fitted with driver-assistance systems. She is now considering a class-action lawsuit against manufacturers. The technical fault affects vehicles equipped with Automatic Emergency Braking and other driver-assistance systems. France is probing a spate of collisions that are being blamed on phantom braking after a car went from doing 65mph to a standstill, causing a crash on a motorway Sensors designed to prevent accidents can malfunction, causing a car to stop suddenly while travelling at high speed. No official recall has been issued in France, but reports suggest the problem may affect several makes and models. In December 2023, a passenger lost their life after the car she was in was hit from behind. The driver said the car had abruptly stopped by itself, but she was still convicted of manslaughter. Another driver, Aurelie Tormos, recounted a phantom braking incident that ended in tragedy. Her vehicle unexpectedly slowed on a motorway, killing her passenger. She was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter. The French Ministry of Transport has opened an investigation into phantom braking, examining potential defects in automated braking systems. Officials say the issue is complex, involving sensors, software algorithms, and environmental factors that can trigger false braking events. A petition sent to France's parliament on August 6 called for the 'immediate launch of a parliamentary inquiry into the malfunctions of automatic braking systems Globally, similar legal cases have been launched against manufacturers over sudden braking incidents, with experts warning that as more cars rely on automated safety technology, the risk of unexplained stops could rise if the problem is not properly addressed. A petition sent to France's parliament on August 6 called for the 'immediate launch of a parliamentary inquiry into the malfunctions of automatic braking systems'. The petition said: 'Several car brands are affected. The common thread among all these incidents: the presence of a driver assistance system, particularly for braking.' Campaigners also demanded, among others, a 'legal review of criminal convictions related to these incidents, in order to consider their revision if it is proven that the system was at fault'. So far, the petition has received 452 signatures. Christophe Theuil, vice-president of the French Federation of Automotive Expertise, told news outlet RFI: 'If the sensors are poorly adjusted, it's a bit like a nearsighted person driving without glasses.' He added: 'With a difference of just one degree, the car can brake for objects that, in reality, are not present in the lane.' An incandescent woman attacked a Southwest Airlines gate agent and destroyed his computer during an unseemly Orlando Airport meltdown that was caught on camera. The unidentified female flew into a rage at the Florida travel hub after being unable to make three flights in a row on standby, eyewitness Peyton Turbeville said. The unknown woman approached the desk on August 14 and called one of the agents, who is wearing a pink shirt, a 'motherf*****'. 'Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? I need to go', she said before launching a kick at the man who was urging other workers to 'back away'. Fellow passengers gathered in the departure lounge could be heard gasping in shock as the woman's foot connected with her unfortunate victim, as Turbeville added: 'That's assault'. The woman then lashed out at a computer at the gate as the man walked away, she continued incoherently shouting: 'Two flights, two flights, three planes after 45 minutes.' She loudly barked the word 'Huh?' at the end of each roared demand. The unknown woman launched a kick at the gate agent during the incident inside Orlando Airport As well as the worker taking a hit she also punched a computer screen in her unhinged meltdown Her victim began walking away, only to find himself followed by the frenzied woman who demanded other eyewitnesses call 911. Stunned onlookers started making comments to the woman, as she told one person: 'I have my rights, so that's what I want - get the police.' The woman then returned to the gate and punched the computer she had previously damaged, sending it crashing to the floor. She continued stalking the unfortunate gate agent back to his desk as the clip ended. It is unclear if the woman was arrested. Southwest Airlines and Orlando International Airport have been approached for comment. The meltdown comes days after newly-released bodycam footage showed a Southwest pilot being escorted from a flight by police moments before take off over fears he was drunk. David Allsop, 52, was arrested in January in Savannah, Georgia with footage of the incident being released last week. According to eyewitness Peyton Turbeville the woman was on a standby list and had attempted to gain entry to a flight prior to her filming Stunned passengers looked on as she chased the gate worker around the terminal after kicking him At one point she asked fellow passengers to call the police for reasons unknown Allsop was due to captain Flight 3772 to Chicago, but was apprehended in his cockpit after TSA officers notified police that they suspected he was drunk. Allsop was conducting pre-check flights when police boarded, escorted him off the plane and asked him about his alleged recent alcohol consumption. The pilot confirmed he drank 'a few beers' the night before, 'like 10 hours ago at least,' with an officer remarking on how he reeked of alcohol. Pressed by a suspicious cop to define 'a few beers,' Allsop replied that he'd drunk 'like, three' Miller Light' with his first officer. He failed two of the three tests and was then asked to undergo a blood draw to determine his blood alcohol content - which he refused. Allsop has been fired from his job, Southwest said, with the scandal effectively ending his aviation career. As Sydney continues to grapple with another spate of fatal public shootings, detectives have arrested a man over a previous underworld killing. Detectives on Wednesday charged a 19-year-old man with the murder of Sydney underworld figure Dawood Zakaria, who was gunned down in a vehicle in May, along with the attempted murder of another passenger, lawyer Sylvan Singh, 25. Zakaria, 32, died after the ute he was in was riddled with bullets in Granville from people in a nearby Mercedes shooting several rounds about 5pm on May 25. A third person seated in the rear of the vehicle was believed to be the intended target. He was later targeted in a shooting in a kebab shop in Auburn in June, but escaped without serious injury, and cannot be named for legal reasons. Detective Superintendent Jason Box said the charged 19-year-old was not believed to be the shooter. 'We allege his actions (before), during and post the shooting amount to him being a principal and therefore being charged with the offences of murder and attempted murder,' he said. 'This was a shooting, a brazen shooting at 5pm on Sunday in Sydney. There could have been multiple victims, innocent victims.' The intended target of the shooting had reportedly defected from the Alameddine crime syndicate to join a group which had splintered off from it to form a rival gang. Zakaria (pictured, left) died after the ute he was in was riddled with bullets in Granville from people in a nearby Mercedes shooting several rounds about 5pm on May 25 NSW Police arrested a 19-year-old man on Wednesday over the murder of Sydney underworld figure Dawood Zakaria Detective Superintendent Jason Box said the 19-year-old was not believed to be the shooter Sydney has been rocked by more underworld shootings after a seemingly quiet period. On Tuesday evening, a 22-year-old man was shot once while getting in the passenger side of a car in Winston Hills, in the city's northwest. He ran from the car, seeking help from residents, and later died in hospital. The car driver escaped unscathed and is being questioned by police. It's the second public shooting in days after one man died in a gangland hit on two men outside a pub on Sunday. Initial investigations showed the man shot on Tuesday was targeted but it was unclear if the shooting was gang-related, Superintendent Barry Vincent said. 'We are out looking for these offenders. This early stage would indicate this is a targeted shooting,' he told reporters on Wednesday. 'I want to reassure the public that their local police and NSW Police are out there seeking to prevent these shootings and bring these people before the court as soon as possible.' The victim is yet to be formally identified. A burnt-out SUV believed to be linked to the fatal shooting was found in nearby suburb Old Toongabbie four hours after the shooting, Supt Vincent said. The homicide is among more than a dozen public shootings, arson attacks and kidnappings across Sydney since Christmas, leading police to set up the 150-officer-strong Taskforce Falcon in May to crush the underworld warfare. A 59-year-old British woman has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in a Costa del Sol holiday resort. She is said to have approached the youngster as she sat on a beach and spoken to her in English to 'gain her trust' before groping her. The teenager, an Italian national, ran to a nearby shop to seek help where a relative was working and called police. Cops held the Brit, who reportedly has previous for other sex offences, in the same area. The incident happened earlier this month in La Cala de Mijas near Fuengirola but only came to light today. The arrest was made by local police but officers from another police force, the Civil Guard, took her to court. It was not immediately clear this morning if the unnamed British woman is a holidaymaker or expat and whether she has been remanded in custody pending an ongoing investigation or released on bail. Local councillor Juan Carlos Cuevas described her behaviour as 'repugnant and intolerable' and added even though she has not yet been formally charged with any crime: 'It deserves the strongest condemnation.' A 59-year-old British woman has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in a Costa del Sol holiday resort [File photo] The incident happened earlier this month in La Cala de Mijas near Fuengirola but only came to light today Cops held the Brit, who reportedly has previous for other sex offences, in the same area [File photo] Saying the co-operation of locals and the rapid intervention of local police employed by Mijas Town Hall had played a key part in the arrest, he said: 'This case shows that when we work together, we manage to halt very serious situations.' Earlier this month the same local police force announced it had captured a fugitive Brit wanted for murder. The unnamed man was arrested after a run-in with two women at a petrol station and a subsequent car crash. Police released photos of pistols, ammunition and a silencer seized in his vehicle after the suspect, described locally as having links with 'one of Londons most dangerous crime gangs', tried to flee and they held him and 'discovered he should be in prison.' The pics showed the unnamed Brit was also carrying a book called Practical Buddhism and the Search for Self. The arrest was made in an area called Riviera between La Cala de Mijas and Marbella. Respected local paper Sur said he was wanted for 'several assassinations' and reported the argument he had at the petrol station was with two Dutch women he started berating after trying repeatedly to get them to buy him cocaine. Bizarrely it later emerged the man held was not the person local police thought he was. He was remanded in custody while Spanish police sought help from detectives in the UK to confirm his true identity. The Trump administration is seeking to punish some school districts for supporting transgender students. Five schools in northern Virginia may lose all federal funding for rejecting an agreement with the Department of Education to terminate pro-transgender policies. The department announced Tuesday that school districts for Alexandria City, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and Prince William County have been placed on high-risk status. These schools earned the wrath of Trump because they have not reformed policies allowing transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms that correlate to their gender identity. The department is reportedly seeking to suspend $50 million in federal funding to these school districts over alleged civil rights violations, according to Politico. Since the election, Trump has vocally opposed transgender inclusivity policies at federally funded institutions, including K-12 schools and universities. On his first day in office Trump signed an executive order requiring federal departments to define gender based on sex. Trump Education Secretary Linda McMahon is leading the charge on this effort after these school districts rejected their policies for dealing with transgenderism. Fairfax County schools are under threat of losing federal funding by the Trump administration Trump has gone after multiple DC area institutions since the start of his administration These public schools may lose funding for supporting transgender students States and school districts cannot openly violate federal law while simultaneously receiving federal funding with no additional scrutiny, said McMahon in a statement. The Northern Virginia School Divisions that are choosing to abide by woke gender ideology in place of federal law must now prove they are using every single federal dollar for a legal purpose. The agency accused school districts of violating Title IX for signing their proposed resolution by the August 15 deadline. However, the districts under fire claim they are not in violation of Title IX an education law meant to stop schools from sex discrimination. Loudoun County Public Schools spokesperson Dan Adams said the school district does not believe it has violated Title IX. LCPS disputes that we have engaged in activity that would warrant being characterized as a high-risk grantee and will consider appropriate next steps, said a spokesperson for Loudon County Public Schools in a statement to Politico. Moreover, LCPS will continue to expend federal funds consistent with federal law and remains committed to its mission of empowering all students to make meaningful contributions to the world. However, an official with Prince William County Public Schools claimed it has not yet received any official notice from the Department of Education. Some school districts have not been contacted yet by the Education Department The Education Departments actions are in line with the administrations latest attacks against D.C. area institutions. Trump has launched a massive crime crackdown on the capital with the National Guard and took over the citys John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after firing the entire board. More recently, Trumps White House has gone after the Smithsonian Institution for being too woke. The former head of the Maryland Parent Teacher Association allegedly spent nearly $1million of taxpayers' cash on luxury items and a voodoo sex spell to get her boyfriend to leave his lover. LaTonja Carrera, 51, abused COVID relief funds, private grants and PTA membership dues totaling $900,000 to fund an extravagant lifestyle, according to court filings. Carrera allegedly used the money on airfares, gambling, personal expenses and 'voodoo magic spells'. Federal officials in the state have opened a case against her, according to lawyer and former federal prosecutor Seth Waxman, who revealed their probe to The Baltimore Sun. The most bizarre expenditure was over $27,000 she used on magic spells, psychic readings and spiritual services, according to an audit of the accounts. The audit uncovered she had purchased four gambling spells including the 'Bring Me Money Spell' and the 'Slot Machine Gambling Spell' $8,500 was spent inside a spiritual goods store in Bladensburg, Maryland, while she spent another $5,300 in a mythical hoodoo store. Her boyfriend Quincy Gant appeared to have been married at the time, and she is said to have used the funds to purchase a spell to break up the relationship. LaTonja Carrera is alleged to have abused taxpayer funds given to the Maryland PTA totaling $900,000 to fund an extravagant lifestyle As part of her spending she is said to have taken her then boyfriend Quincy Gant, seen here with Carrera, to Las Vegas before trying to split up his marriage using voodoo spells Some of the sex curses she purchased included 'Voodoo Hot Lust Spell', 'Change Lover's Mind Spell', and 'The Couple Buster Curse'. The latter of which was directly aimed at Gant, Carrera wrote in the comment section of the order: 'Please make sure the names for the break up are Sophia M Osei Gant and Quincy G. Gant', according to the court filing. Waxman was asked by prosecutors to provide files relating to a forensic audit of the Maryland PTA that he had worked on as a court-appointed receiver in 2022 as the PTA was plunged into financial difficulties. That audit uncovered the spending and an alleged money laundering scheme made up of 11 bank accounts she is said to have funneled ATM withdrawals through. His findings made up a June 2023 lawsuit filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court that was filed on behalf of Maryland PTA. Audit findings revealed that she Carrera left a trail of credit card receipts and tens of thousands of dollars in ATM transactions in a paper trail that crossed the US. In total, she withdrew over $50,000 across 76 ATM transactions at eight casinos and $88,000 in non-casino ATMs 152 times. Some of the casinos were in Maryland, others were in Philadelphia, Las Vegas and North Carolina. One trip to Vegas was described as being a 'romantic' one that cost over $13,000 according to the filing. She had purchased airline tickets for her and her boyfriend Quincy Gant that totaled $5,000, with hotel feels at the MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay costing $4,400. While in Sin City, Carrera splashed out over $1,500 in a Pandora Jewelry Store, $375 at a restaurant and another $375 at a Michael Jackson themed show, the filings said. The most bizarre expenditure was over $27,000 she used on magic spells, psychic readings and spiritual services, which included a curse to break up her boyfriend's marriage While in Vegas, Carrera allegedly spent over $1,500 in a Pandora Jewelry Store, $375 at a restaurant and another $375 at a Michael Jackson themed show Gant told the outlet that he didn't know who Carrera was, despite having signed on to two bank accounts with her. Other expenditures included $30,000 in flights, hotels and transportation for trips to Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. Uber trips totaled $1,888, car rentals hit $1,100 and she clocked in over $5,700 in Airbnb bookings, the filings said. She is also said to have spent $20,000 on luxury clothing, spending lavishly on Christian Dior boots, Burberry dresses, scarves and quilts and over $1,300 on Chanel makeup. Carrera also allegedly used $46,000 to cover rental payments for an apartment, and transferred $9,000 to her daughter using Cash App, the documents said. Other spending included $86,000 on consumer goods and stores, $9,600 in restaurants, over $70,000 on Amazon and $89,000 for other goods. Waxman had deposed Carrera in 2022 in which she denied ever having misappropriated the funds. She is said to have spent over $1,300 on Chanel makeup alone while appropriating funds intended for the association (stock image) It is alleged that Carrera spent lavishly on Burberry goods including scarves and quilts, her then boyfriend Quincy appears to be wearing a scarf by the high end brand in this picture According to property records her last home was the above address in Prince Georges County worth $700,000 During the deposition he asked her if she had ever spent an money belonging to the PTA on anything other than legitimate purposes. 'Not for myself. No,' Waxman said she responded. He also claims that she went to lengths to halt the investigation into the spending, saying she frauded doctors' notes to claim she was unwell. The alleged money laundering scheme involved her obtaining grant money and federal loans into a bank account she had control over, Waxman claimed. She then would use a large portion of the money to fund her personal spending, while also laundering a portion of the funds by sending wires to other accounts controlled by her, it is claimed. It is claimed she did so by forming two nonprofit companies that both had registered addresses as her home. Waxman told the outlet he ended up dropping the case after he concluded she would never pay the money back to the PTA. Court records indicate she already owes over $3 million to over 70 creditors after she filed for bankruptcy in 2016. She is also said to have spent $20,000 on luxury clothing, spending lavishly Burberry dresses scarves and quilts Waxman had deposed Carrera in 2022 in which she denied ever having misappropriated the funds He said: 'Based on the evidence, there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that she is criminally guilty of various crimes, including theft and wire fraud.' He added that it was not his job to come to that decision, and referred the case to federal prosecutors. Waxman added: 'I made a determination that there was no likelihood that the Maryland PTA would recover any of the money that she had stolen from them. 'The better route was to refer the matter to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Maryland and the FBI for criminal prosecution and the possibility that financial recovery could be achieved through a criminal action.' It is not the first time she has been in legal troubles, she was convicted in 2004 on a fraud charge in Baltimore. In December 2020, a month after she became the PTA president, she was charged with stealing $1,500 from an elderly veteran whose finances she looked after. In 2022 she pleaded guilty and was sentenced in 2023 to a year in jail, with ten months suspended, followed by three years probation. Due to her leadership, the national office of the PTA but the Maryland division on probation in before it was ultimately revoked in March 2020. The National PTA had previously filed suited against her alongside the state PTA and the Alliance for Maryland Parents, Teachers and Students. The case was sealed and settled last year. Daily Mail have approached a legal representative for Carrera. Star Wars actor Mark Hamill made an exaggerated reference to slitting his wrists when discussing Donald Trump winning the 2024 election in a recent interview. Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker for four decades, has become one of the most outspoken A-listers against the second Trump administration. In a wide-ranging interview with The Times, he stepped up his attacks against Trump and the people around him. 'The bullying, the incompetence, the people in place The only way I can deal with it without going crazy and wanting to open my veins in a warm tub is to look at it like a thick, sprawling political novel,' Hamill said. 'It's entertaining in a way because this could actually be the end. Our status in the world has been crippled and that will reverberate for decades. 'Making Canada a 51st state? Do you know how offensive that is? And then taking over Greenland and renaming the Gulf of Mexico. The distractions are hilarious,' he added. A vocal supporter of Joe Biden who then endorsed Kamala Harris in the election, Hamill has never been shy about sharing his dislike for Trump and criticized the president throughout his campaign last year. In the weeks after Trump was elected, Hamill said the date he won would 'live in infamy,' an allusion to the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 that forced the United States to enter World War II. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was president at the time, described the Japanese bombing of the US Naval base as 'a date which will live in infamy'. After comparing Donald Trump's 2024 election win to Pearl Harbor, Mark Hamill went right back to attacking him in a recent interview with The Times Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker for four decades, said the only way he can deal with Trump's actions 'going crazy and wanting to open my veins in a warm tub is to look at it like a thick, sprawling political novel' Hamill referenced Trump's plans to make Canada the 51st state and his ambition to take over Greenland He also took issue with Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia last August to commemorate the anniversary of the deaths of the 13 US service members killed during a 2021 bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan. Trump was seen posing with the families of the victims while smiling and giving a thumbs up. 'Nothing to see here. Just the tone-deaf draft dodger gleefully giving a thumbs-up at the graves of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country,' Hamill wrote in response. In his latest interview, the outspoken Democrat expressed optimism and shared why he didn't leave the US after Trump's election victory. 'I still believe there are more honest, decent people than there are the MAGA crowd. If I didn't, I'd move back to England,' he quipped. He revealed that, at one point, he had considered emigrating like many other celebrities have since Trump retook the White House. He told The Times that he gave his wife, Marilou York, the option to move to London or Ireland. 'She's very clever,' Hamill said. 'She didn't respond right away but a week later she said, "I'm surprised you would allow him to force you out of your own country." That son of a bitch, I thought. I'm not leaving.' Hamill is pictured with wife Marilou York, who supposedly convinced him to stay in the United States after Trump was re-elected in 2024 Hamill and his wife live in Malibu, California. Their home was spared in the Los Angeles wildfires that burned for weeks in January. He was one of the thousands who had to evacuate amid the Palisades fire, which scorched more than 23,000 acres of land, destroyed nearly 7,000 structures and killed 12 people. A White House spokeswoman responded to Hamill and slammed him in a statement to Fox News. 'Since Mark has decided to stay in the United States, he will get to enjoy the many wins President Trump is securing for the American people - and really, who can blame him for seconding guessing a plan to move to the same place as Rosie O'Donnell,' the spokeswoman said. O'Donnell, Trump's arch nemesis from his days as a TV entertainer, revealed that she moved to Ireland full time in March. Eva Longoria, Courtney Love, and Ellen DeGeneres are among other celebrities who have fled the US in part because Trump became president again. Donald Trump's supporters are jazzed about the White House's new TikTok account. Republicans in Congress have warned of national security concerns with the foreign app and pushed for the U.S. to ban TikTok if it does not sell to a non-Chinese owner. And even though Trump issued an executive order during his first term on the need to address the emergency threat posed by TikTok, the president's most loyal followers are pleased with the new account. It emerged on Tuesday night with three videos within a few hours of each other, all amassing hundreds of thousands of views. More than 110,000 users followed it by Wednesday morning with thousands more following by the minute. 'White House getting on TikTok is YUGE!' Gen Z political commentator Brilyn Hollyhand wrote on X. 'Posting behind the scenes videos, speeches, and accomplishments - that's how we keep Gen Z for the GOP!' he added. Another X user called MAGA Voice with 1.2 million followers wrote: 'President Trump just launched an official White House TikTok account with the most bada** 30 second video. This is freaking epic.' The White House said in a statement to the Daily Mail that the account is meant to communicate Trump's successes to Americans directly on as 'many platforms as possible.' TikTok is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, and Republicans in Congress have repeatedly threatened a U.S. ban if it does not sell to a company without ties to the CCP. President Donald Trump's supporters are excited that the White House created a TikTok account The new account went live Tuesday night and by Wednesday morning amassed more than a million views on the first three videos and gained more than 100,000 followers Those threats have turned out to be empty with the president acknowledging his tariffs on Beijing might make a sale even more difficult. He has extended the must-sell-by date several times, and it doesn't appear a deal will happen before the current September deadline. On January 18 this year, TikTok was removed from U.S. app stores and those with it already downloaded were met with the message: 'Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately that means you can't use TikTok for now.' The app was back up and running in the U.S. just hours later after Trump announced he extended the deadline for ByteDance's sale. 'Thanks for your patience and support,' a message on the app read for users who regained access. 'As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!' TikTok's Singaporean CEO Shou Zi Chew, who attended Trump's inauguration, posted a video praising the then-incoming president. Many Republicans are against TikTok operating in the U.S., and warn that is causes a massive security concern because the CCP has access to users' data. In his August 2020 executive order, Trump even admitted that the app could be used to track federal employees, conduct espionage and facilitate censorship or disinformation. At the time, he called the threat of Chinese-owned companies operating in the U.S. a 'national emergency.' Many MAGA loyalists posted to X to praise the new account despite Republicans in Congress warning the Chinese app's operation in the U.S. poses a national security threat A GOP youth adviser acknowledged that the account is a 'nudge' to Republicans on the fence about banning TikTok The new White House TikTok account posted three videos within a few hours, which have amassed more than a million views so far. The videos include clips of Trump speaking and of the White House property and grounds Some on X pointed to Trump now breaking with Republican lawmakers on the matter. 'In a clear nudge to Republican members of Congress who are still on the fence, the White House has officially joined the platform that helped propel President Trump back to the White House: TIKTOK,' wrote CJ Pearson, co-chair of the GOP's Youth Advisory Council. Chinese human rights advocate Yaqiu Wang posted to X: 'American politics has become such a farce.' 'Congress nearly unanimously passed a bill requiring the sale of TikTok over national security concerns. Yet, not only has the president illegally refused to enforce it, but now the White House itself is busy posting on TikTok,' she expanded. Additionally, Mario Nawfal, who posts pro-Trump content to X, wrote: 'Trump has praised TikTok as key to energizing young voters during his 2024 win over Kamala.' 'Intelligence agencies have long warned about the app's Chinese ties,' he acknowledged. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement on the new account: 'The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible.' 'President Trump's message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we're excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before,' she concluded. A white man who was initially identified by police as a victim in the viral Cincinnati brawl has become the eighth person to be charged over the fight. The unidentified man, 45, has been charged with disorderly conduct, a fourth degree misdemeanor, for his alleged role in the brawl, which left six people injured last month. Footage of the wild beatdown, which broke out in the early hours of July 26, shocked the nation. Six people were left severely injured after a large group descended on several people outside a nightclub. A man in a white T-shirt was shoved to the ground and beaten by two men as other members of the crowd jeered and joined in. The group beat the man for nearly a minute as he lay in the middle of the street, appearing to step on his head multiple times. When the barrage of attacks temporarily stopped, the victim was seen attempting to stand but immediately fell over in apparent disorientation. A woman, identified as Holly, had attempted to break up the fight before she was knocked unconscious and fell to the floor. Brutal images show the woman sustained a black eye and a swollen bruised face. But the victim claimed police 'acted nonchalant' when they arrived at the scene and did not call for backup or an ambulance. The unidentified man, 45, has been charged with disorderly conduct, a fourth degree misdemeanor, for his alleged role in the viral brawl last month A woman involved in the brawl, known only as Holly, was seen on the ground after the attack Patrick Rosemond (left) and Dominique Kittle (right) has already been charged over the brawl Holly defended her actions that night, noting that she was the only person who decided to jump in to help the man because it was 'the right thing to do.' The man, who is scheduled to appear in court on August 26, is the eighth person to be charged in relation to the brutal fight in downtown Cincinnati's business district. The charges brought against him follow criticism from community leader Rev. Damon Lynch who believed the arrests were racially motivated. 'When I see the mugshots I only see people who look like me,' Lynch said, according to Fox News. 'I don't see the person who re-engaged. And so, until we see all the mugshots, this is still a racial issue.' Patrick Rosemond, 38, Jermaine Matthews, 39, Montianez Merriweather, 34, Dominique Kittle, 37, DeKyra Vernon, 24, and Aisha Devaughn, 25, were previously all charged with three counts of felonious assault, three counts of assault and two counts of aggravated rioting. Merriweather is also facing a federal gun charge for illegally owning a weapon as a felon, Fox News reported. Both sides of Holly's face were extremely bruised following the assault, with her right eye a dark shade of purple and almost closed from the swelling DeKyra Vernon, 24, and Aisha Devaughn, 25, both accused of felonious assault and aggravated rioting in the brawl last month, were released from the Hamilton County Jail on Friday Gregory Wright (left), 32, was arrested and charged with alleged aggravated riot and aggravated robbery. He allegedly stole the victim's necklace while others beat him Matthews posted his $250,000 bond immediately after his arrest. Vernon and Devaughn were recently released from jail after a ruling that lowered their bond by over $100,000. Gregory Wright, 32, was indicted on charges of aggravated riot and felony aggravated robbery for allegedly stealing the victim's necklace while others beat him. Cincinnati police are on the hunt for another suspect (pictured) in relation to the brawl Cincinnati police are also on the hunt for another suspect in the brawl, and released a photo of the man asking for assistance in identifying him. The brawl shocked the nation and was criticized by American leaders including Vice President JD Vance. Vance said the fight was particularly offensive because a woman was 'sucker punched' by a 'grown man.' 'What I saw, and I haven't seen the full context, but what I saw is a mob of lawless thugs beating up on an innocent person. 'It's disgusting and I hope every single one of those people who engage in violence is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 'I don't know the full context, but the one part that I saw that was really gruesome is you had a grown man who sucker punched a middle-age woman,' he added, referencing the woman, Holly. 'That person ought to go to jail for a very long time - and frankly, he's lucky there weren't some better people around because they would've handled it themselves. 'We have got to make great American cities safe again for families and children. The only way to destroy that street violence is to take the thugs who engage in that violence and throw their a**es in prison.' Shocking scenes of a growing homelessness crisis in an Oregon town have led to fears it may become the 'next Portland' due to the city's policies to 'encourage' vagrants to move there. Independent journalist Kevin Dahlgren captured shocking images of rundown areas in Tigard, Oregon, located about 10 miles south of Portland. Dahlgren has made a name for himself being a vocal critic of the homelessness crisis in the area and warned that Tigard could become the 'next Portland.' Portland and its suburbs are notorious for their problems with homelessness, with thousands of vagrants moving to the city and triggering spikes in drug abuse and crime. In one clip from Tigard, Dahlgren showed a damaged home he claimed had become overrun with squatters. The building had open doors, smashed windows and piles of trash strewn across the yard. Another clip showed a man sprawled out on a sidewalk next to a shopping cart. Dahlgren said he spoke with several people living on the streets of Tigard who told him they came to the city from Portland because it is considered a 'comfortable place to be homeless.' Independent journalist Kevin Dahlgren (pictured) captured shocking scenes in Tigard, Oregon, a city outside Portland Dahlgren is a vocal critic of the homelessness crisis in the area and showed images of people sprawled out on sidewalks in Tigard One homeless woman told Dahlgren she had seen an increase in sexual assault and human trafficking in area. Other images shared by the self-described 'disrupter of the Homeless Industrial Complex' showed piles of trash on Tigard's Main Street. Dahlgren accused Tigard Mayor Heidi Lueb of 'indirectly encouraging the homeless to move to Tigard by significantly expanding homeless programs that far exceed the current need.' Lueb was elected in 2022, and during her tenure the Tigard City Council adopted the goal to 'Reduce Houselessness' by increasing shelter capacity and wraparound services and reducing the impact of homelessness on the business and residential community. Since then, the city invested $1 million into a non-profi tto purchase a former Quality Inn hotel and turn it into shelter for 70 families, according to the city's website. In March, another non-profit opened a $12.4 million state-of-the art homeless shelter in Tigard. The shelter has 60 beds and offers fresh meals, shower facilities, case management, housing navigation and behavioral health services. At the shelter's unveiling, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed a law that established a statewide homeless shelter program. He warned that Tigard could become the 'next Portland' because the mayor is 'indirectly encouraging the homeless to move there' Since Mayor Heidi Lueb (pictured) was elected in 2022, the city council adopted the goal to 'Reduce Houselessness' and multiple million dollar shelters have opened up in the area Dahlgren's footage showed rundown squatter houses, massive piles of trash throughout the streets and tent encampments popping up In a statement, Lueb outlined the steps Tigard has taken to address homelessness, including adding shelter beds, launching a program for people living in their cars, and regulating how people camp. 'The Portland Metro region is facing a housing crisis, and Tigard is not immune,' the statement read. 'We have more dedicated funding and shelter beds in the region than ever before, but with the reduction in eviction prevention funds, and rise in cost of living, our system is struggling to keep up with demand.' Dahlgren, a former homeless outreach specialist, admitted to lying and stealing from the city of Gresham, Oregon while providing services there in January, The Oregonian reported. He pleaded guilty to first-degree theft, aggravated identity theft, and first-degree official misconduct and was sentenced to five days in jail. Dahlgren left his $80,000 a year role with the city in March 2021 after his supervisors grew concerned that he was buying personal groceries and gas with a city procurement card and then claiming he gave the supplies to people whose identities he made up. He touts himself as a 'boots on the ground independent journalist' who covers homelessness in the state 'after many years of watching our government fail in ending this crisis.' Three schoolgirls miraculously escaped with minor injuries after an out-of-control car crashed into them as they walked home from school. Chilling footage of the crash on Harry Street in Bellbird Park, south-east Brisbane, shows the white Ford Falcon fishtailing around a corner before collecting the three girls, who were hurled into the air. The car then crashed through a fence and into a tree around 3.30pm on August 12. Queensland Police have launched an investigation. CCTV footage revealed the car appearing from around the corner and immediately veering into the group, who had no oppourtunity to get out of the way. Two of the three primary school-aged kids were sisters, with their mother witnessing the crash as she walked to meet them. 'You just hit my daughter!' she said in the footage. She told by 7News on Wednesday: 'I seen the car, I seen them losing control... and I remembered the girls were on the footpath.' 'I looked over and my daughters were in the air.' Queensland Police are investigating an incident during which a teen driver allegedly ploughed into three schoolgirls who were walking home in a residential area of Brisbane Her daughter also described the crash. 'All I could see was the car coming towards us,' the girl said. 'So our friend who was walking with us - my first instinct was just to get them out of the way.' All three survived with two girls uninjured and one suffered a minor injury to her arm. The family allege that the Ford was driven by a teenage boy who was a red P-plater, with the partner of the concerned mother describing the situation as 'unimaginable'. The mother shared how grateful she is that the schoolgirls survived. 'Normally I'd say guardian angels are just a load of crap, but somebody was watching over them,' she said. 'You get behind the wheel of a car, you're putting everybody else's lives around you in your hands.' One of the girls said her first instinct was to get her friend out of the way of the Ford Falcon Her younger daughter, who was also hit by the car, told reporters she was more concerned for the alleged driver. 'I was scared that Mum was going to hurt that boy... he's just in high school. 'I didn't want his mum to ground him.' Police said investigations into the circumstances of the incident were ongoing. A teenager accused of gunning down his 16-year-old love rival in a planned ambush was involved in an eerily similar case just months prior - but the charges against him were later dismissed. Devan Raper, 19, has been arrested and charged with the murder of Trey Dean Wright, who was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds near Johnsonville, South Carolina - a small city about 45 miles west of Myrtle Beach - on June 24. Wright was allegedly lured to a remote rural location on First Neck Road by his girlfriend, Gianna Kistenmacher, 17, where Raper was waiting to confront him violently over a mutual love interest, police say. Raper, Kistenmacher, and seven other teenagers have so far been charged in connection with Wright's murder. Another teen is expected to surrender themselves to investigators imminently. Court documents unearthed by the Daily Mail reveal that Raper was involved in another shooting investigation just months before Wright was gunned down. In August 2024, Raper was charged as an accessory in an attempted murder case in his hometown of Conway. Like the Wright shooting months later, it involved driving a gunman to a gathering of local rivals where a simmering dispute turned violent. Devan Raper, 19, has been arrested and charged with the murder of Trey Dean Wright Wright (above) was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds near Johnsonville, South Carolina, on June 24 Raper, then 18, was accused of driving gunman Jayden Henry Brown, 20, to Austin Avenue on August 15, 2024, where Brown opened fire on a group of teenagers, striking one in the thigh. The pair then fled the scene in Raper's car, but they were arrested within two weeks. Authorities alleged that Raper knew Brown intended to open fire on the group and willingly drove him to and from the scene of the shooting. He was charged as an accessory both before and after the fact to a felony, while Brown was initially arrested and charged with five counts of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. However, in February 2025, Brown pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault and battery in the first-degree. He was sentenced to five years in a young offenders' prison and two years probation. The charges against Raper were dismissed the same month, court records show. The attorney who represented Raper in that case has not yet returned a request for comment. Additional court documents show that Raper's father, Jason Raper, has an extensive criminal record, featuring numerous traffic infractions - including driving with a suspended license - a no contest plea for criminal mischief and drug possession. Posts to Devan Raper's personal Facebook page show he is a father to a baby girl Court documents unearthed by the Daily Mail reveal that Raper (left) was involved in another shooting investigation just months before Wright was gunned down. He was accused of willingly driving Jayden Henry Brown (right) to and from the scene of a shooting Posts to Devan Raper's personal Facebook page show he is a father to a baby girl. One selfie posted to social media shows the teen holding a handgun up to the camera. Raper is currently being held at the Florence County Detention Center without bond, following his arrest for Wright's murder. Police claim Raper had previously flashed a firearm at Wright and threatened to shoot him. A source familiar with the matter told the Daily Mail that Wright had spent what would prove to be his final hours of life with friends, spending time swimming at a local river and going out for food. He was staying at a friend's home on First Neck Road on the night of June 24, when he was allegedly lured to a nearby remote location by his girlfriend, Kistenmacher, and shot by Raper. A large group of teenagers watched the deadly confrontation unfold. At least one person caught the shooting on their cellphone. Police allege the footage shows Raper pulling the trigger several times, striking and killing Wright. Raper was arrested and charged with murder the following day, along with Kistenmacher, who was charged as an accessory before the fact. Raper was arrested and charged with murder the following day, along with Wright's girlfriend, Gianna Kistenmacher, who was charged as an accessory before the fact Also charged: Hunter Kendall, 18, and Sydney Kearns, 17 Also charged: Corrinne Belviso, 18. Neighbors of Belviso said they were unsurprised by her affiliations with the horrifying crime Kistenmacher has been accused of playing a significant role in the killing. According to the sheriff's office, she brought her boyfriend to meet with Raper - knowing he was armed and likely to kill Wright. She is currently on bond and released to home confinement. Three more teenagers were arrested and charged with murder in the days that followed: Corinne Belviso, 18, Matthew Kendall, 18, and Sydney Marissa Kearns, 17. Police have not revealed the roles they allegedly played in Wright's death. Neighbors of Belviso said they were unsurprised by her affiliations with the horrifying crime, describing her as a wayward teen who comes from a difficult family. 'They're always throwing wild parties and they have trucks going up and down the street at two or three in the morning,' Michael Vanglahn told WBTW. '[It's not a surprise] based on the people that she hangs out with, you know, and the people that her mom allows her to hang out with and the people she invited in.' Four other teenagers have since been arrested in connection with Wright's death, but have not yet been named, bringing the total number charged to nine. A tenth teen is expected to surrender to police soon, WBTW reported. Maj. Michael Nunn of the Florence County Sheriff's Office said those arrests involved individuals who were 'complicit' in bringing Raper to the scene of the shooting, 'knowing there would be a confrontation.' 'They knew that Raper had presented a firearm to the victim and made threats to shoot him, according to the arrest warrants,' Nunn said. 'The hand of one being the hand of all is part of South Carolina law as well, so that's the basis of the charge for each of those individuals.' A source familiar with the matter told the Daily Mail that Wright had spent what would prove to be his final hours of life with friends, enjoying spending time swimming at a local river Police claim Raper had previously flashed a firearm at Wright and threatened to shoot him Five of the nine teens have been charged as adults. Posts to Wright's TikTok page hinted at an ongoing conflict and relationship issues before his death. 'I fear no female,' a caption in one video read. 'What's she gonna do? Talk about me on her private story?' A second read: 'Yall can have the ho, I give up.' Florence County Sheriff T.J. Joye earlier said the shooting was believed to have been caused by a romantic rivalry. 'They had issues with each other, and it was over a female,' Joye told local media 'The sad thing is, you got a 16-year-old who lost his life. You've got a 19-year-old who is going to be in jail the rest of his life. Over what?' It is unclear whether Raper and the other teens charged have retained attorneys who can speak on their behalf. A 'grinning' man who stabbed a neighbour and shot an officer with a crossbow after attempting to 'hunt down' police has been jailed. On Wednesday, Aylesbury Crown Court heard Jason King had stabbed neighbour Alistair Mahwuto with a 'small knife' during an altercation which had arisen as a result of a 'long-standing' dispute. Police were called to High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, where King shot repeatedly at officers with a crossbow out of his upstairs window before chasing them with the weapon and shooting an officer, the court was told. The 55-year-old was later shot once by police in the stomach after refusing to put down the weapon when confronted by officers, the court heard. On Wednesday, King was jailed for nine years with a further three years on extended licence having previously pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, having an article with a blade or point, having an offensive weapon, wounding with intent and affray regarding the incident on May 10 last year. The sentencing hearing heard that on the day before the shooting, King said his windows had been broken by a neighbour and had called police. Sentencing King, Judge Jonathan Cooper said he had been motivated in part during the shooting by 'revenge' and a 'sense of grievance' towards his neighbours and police who he believed had not handled the incident regarding his window appropriately. Judge Cooper said: 'I note that you purchased the crossbow, I don't accept it was for recreational purposes.' Wielding a knife, King threatens his neighbour King has been jailed for nine years for stabbing Alistair Mahwuto before shooting a police officer with a crossbow Jason King, pictured here in his mugshot, has been jailed for nine years after shooting a police officer with a crossbow The 55-year-old was seen on CCTV stalking officers with the weapon and 'grinning' before he launched the attack King 'persisted' in pointing the crossbow at other officers who confronted him and, given that he had already shot an officer, police decided to shoot him, prosecutors said 'I consider that this was an attempt by you to arm yourself in the event of need,' he added. The judge said that King's actions, including chasing officers and continuing to shoot at them, were evidence of him 'attempting to settle a score with police'. 'It was as if you were trying to hunt down the officer, chasing him, aiming at his body,' he added. A body-worn police video was shown to the court during which a male officer can be heard saying 'he f****** shot me'. Prosecutor Graham Smith said the officer had seen King 'grinning' as he exited his address before shooting him in the leg, resulting in a two to three-centimetre wound near to an artery. King 'persisted' in pointing the crossbow at other officers who confronted him and, given that he had already shot an officer, police decided to shoot him, the prosecutor said. Mr Smith said it was the prosecution's case that it was 'great fortune' the officer who was shot had not suffered greater injuries and that King had appeared to be 'hunting' and 'stalking' the police. King was seen on CCTV threatening his neighbour before later stabbing him with a knife Bodyworn footage shows the moment an armed officer has King in their crosshairs The moment the officer opened fire, shooting King in the stomach In a statement read to court, Mr Mahwuto, 63, who suffered a two-centimetre wound as a result of the stabbing, said the incident had 'affected me more than I would have ever imagined' and that a doctor had said his wound could have been fatal had it been a few centimetres higher. The officer shot by King said the incident had 'changed my outlook on life a bit', and that he feels more 'protective' about his colleagues now. In a statement read by Mr Smith, the officer said: 'I don't want anyone else to experience what I experienced, I hear jobs coming through on the radio and I don't want my colleagues going out to them.' He added that it had 'knocked' his confidence, and a doctor had told him the injury could have been 'catastrophic'. In mitigation, Mark Kimsey, defending, said King accepted the incident was 'very frightening' for those involved, and that he had been suffering from a 'worsening mental condition'. Mr Kimsey said it was 'not illegal' to possess the crossbow and that 'an adult is entitled to own an item without a licence'. He said: 'The item is one that can be freely purchased by anybody and cost less than 20 and was described as a "pistol" crossbow.' Mr Kimsey added: 'It appeared at the time the defendant believed he was able to speak to the neighbour's dog, and speak in dog,' adding that King thought he had contact with an 'Egyptian god'. King, of High Wycombe, waved and made a heart gesture with his hands towards members of his family who were seated in the public gallery. The defendant, wearing a green long-sleeved top and a wooden beaded necklace, shook his head and interrupted the judge at points during the hearing. An investigation into the shooting of King by the police watchdog praised the 'courage, professionalism and sound judgment' of officers involved in the incident. The boss of JD Wetherspoon had to intervene after a loyal punter complained his local had scrapped a much-loved jacket potato topping. Adam Gale was disheartened when he found that the Rodboro Buildings, his regular pub in Guildford, Surrey, had axed tuna from the menu. Though he could still opt for the likes of beans or cheese, he insisted nothing compared to the mighty tuna spud. So distraught was he that he wrote a heartfelt letter to founder and chairman Sir Tim Martin, appealing for the return of his prized potato partner. Mr Gale, of Cranleigh, said: 'I love visiting Wetherspoons pubs across the country. 'Yet I am disappointed to see, at my local Wetherspoon in Guildford - The Rodboro Buildings - that the tuna filling is no longer available for the wonderful jacket potato menu option. Adam Gale was disheartened when he found that the Rodboro Buildings, his regular pub in Guildford, Surrey, had axed tuna from the menu So distraught was he that he wrote a heartfelt letter to founder and chairman Sir Tim Martin, appealing for the return of his prized potato partner Mr Gale, of Cranleigh, wrote: 'I love visiting Wetherspoons pubs across the country. 'Yet I am disappointed to see, at my local Wetherspoon in Guildford - The Rodboro Buildings - that the tuna filling is no longer available for the wonderful jacket potato menu option' 'Your other filling options, such as cheese and baked beans, are lovely. But the tuna one was so nice. 'Can we please have the tuna filling back on the Guildford menu?' The popular British dish comes with a side salad and one filling and costs 7.73 with a soft drink or 9.26 with an alcoholic one at the budget boozers. It didn't take long for Sir Tim to notice the urgency of this letter and immediately intervened to appease the complaint. He said: 'For several decades, I was a tuna-and-jacket-potato guy. But I switched to a chicken wrap and salad for lunch a few years back. So, I hadn't noticed that the tuna had vamoosed. 'No sooner is my back turned. Seriously, though, as we speak, tuna has been reinstated. 'Your wish is my command, as they say.' One of Britain's 'most prolific' fare dodgers has appeared in court charged with more than 100 counts of travelling without a ticket. Charles Brohiri, 28, was banned from entering any Thameslink station in April this year - but has been caught without a ticket a further 30 times since then, Westminster Magistrates' Court was told. In February, an arrest warrant was issued for Bohiri for more than 30,000 in unpaid court fines. The wannabe rapper, who promotes himself as Rvre Dean on social media, was caught fare dodging on his way to court and as recently as August 18, prosecutors allege. Brohiri, who is homeless, without a mobile phone and only uses the internet on public library computers, is facing 113 counts of travelling on a railway without paying. Train operator Thameslink runs services north-south across London, with some services running as far as Brighton, Luton and Bedford. Brohiri will appear at the same court on December 16 this year. Charles Brohiri, arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London, where he is charged with with more than 100 counts of travelling without a ticket District Judge John Zani granted him bail, but amended the wording of the conditions to ban him from getting on any Thameslink train. 'It's very important you take these bail conditions seriously,' he told Brohiri, adding: 'You don't get on any train without having the money.' Brohiri promotes himself on social media as the rapper Rvre Dean. A description on the L-Hit website said Rvre Dean released his first EP in 2018. It said: 'Dean's music is set apart by its melodic, trippy, soulful, authentic sound and feeling. Even though Dean never shies away to drop lyrics when intended to.' Despite being homeless, it said the rapper was 'into fashion' and had signed up for a model agency. It said he also curated his own fashion brand ClvssyMvrty in 2016. Gareth Ring, prosecutor for Thameslink, handed the court a dossier of 180 previous instances where he was caught without a ticket. He was later arrested and brought to court on March 30, where he was bailed to reappear for sentencing. Charles Brohiri, 28, was banned from entering any Thameslink station in April this year - but has been caught without a ticket a further 30 times since then However, he was subsequently spoken to 13 more times without a valid ticket. The previous record for a rail far evasion fine was 10,000 in southern Essex. Higher sums have been paid back in the past as an alternative for prosecution, normally for fines of only a few hundred pounds. In the court appearance in May, Mr Ring asked him: 'Mr Brohiri, you're clearly well-presented appearance-wise. Did the charity give you help here?' He replied: 'Nah, these are, like, some things I had.' The court heard that Brohiri 'clearly disregarded whatever happened in March' and continued to board Thamselink trains. The Thai Royal Family have shared a concerning health update on the king's eldest daughter who has been in a coma for three years. Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, 45, is receiving 'continuous' treatment to stabilise her blood pressure because of a severe infection, the palace said on Tuesday. She has been unconscious in hospital since falling ill due to heart problems in December 2022 during a dog training session. The Bureau of the Royal Household gave the first update on her condition in more than two years on Friday, saying she had suffered a 'severe' blood infection. A second update issued on Tuesday said doctors were closely monitoring her condition. 'The medical team said that she remains in a state of low blood pressure, requiring continuous treatment,' the statement from the Bureau of the Royal Household said. 'Doctors are administering medication to stabilise her blood pressure, along with medical equipment and antibiotics to support kidney function and breathing.' Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, 45, is receiving 'continuous' treatment to stabilise her blood pressure because of a severe infection, the palace said on Tuesday. Pictured: Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol delivers a speech on September 14, 2009 She has been unconscious in hospital since falling ill due to heart problems in December 2022 during a dog training session. Pictured: Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn (C), Queen Suthida (R) and Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol (2nd L) wave to supporters on arrival at the Grand Palace in Bangkok on November 1, 2020 Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn (2nd R) and Queen Suthida (R) wave to well-wishers with his children Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana (L), Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti (2nd L) and Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol on May 6, 2019 Known in Thailand as 'Princess Bha', the 46-year-old is the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the only child from his first marriage. Educated in Britain, the United States and Thailand, Bajrakitiyabha has held a number of positions with the United Nations and has campaigned for better treatment of women in prisons. She is seen as close to her father, and was appointed to a senior role in his bodyguard command a year before her hospitalisation. The 73-year-old king, who has seven children from four marriages, has not announced his chosen heir, though succession rules favour men. Strict rules govern what can and cannot be said about the Thai royal family, who are protected from criticism by lese-majeste laws which carry prison sentences of up to 15 years per charge. Princess Bajrakitiyabha was running during a military dog training session when she collapsed and lost consciousness in the Khao Yai National Park in the Nakhon Ratchasima province, central Thailand, in 2022. The princess was airlifted from the Pack Chong Nana Hospital to the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok after she fell ill. Thai royal expert Andrew MacGregor Marshall, an author and lecturer, said at the time that the prognosis was 'very grim' and that the monarchy - which punishes critics with prison - could be thrown into chaos. MacGregor claimed the incident has 'huge repercussions' for the Thai monarchy as Princess Bajrakitiyabha was being lined up as the successor to controversial 'crop top king' Vajiralongkorn. A toddler was the sole survivor after a family was found dead in their New Hampshire home in what police suspect to be a murder-suicide. Cops discovered that four members of the Long family had been fatally shot in their home in Madbury, a small town just over an hour from Boston, on Monday night. Ryan Long, 48, his wife Emily, 34, their son Parker, eight, and a daughter also called Ryan, six, were found unresponsive inside their home and pronounced dead at the scene, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said in a statement on Tuesday. Their three-year-old toddler was found alive with no injuries and the orphaned child is now in the care of family. Investigators also found a gun near the family at the scene, CBS News reported. 'It was shocking,' neighbor Bevy Ketel told CBS affiliate WBZ-TV. 'It was a perfect family as far as we knew. '[Ryan] certainly touched a lot of lives. He was part of the fabric of the community and his family goes along with it... It's just shocking. We didn't see it coming.' Emily had posted only days ago about her family's journey navigating her husband's cancer diagnosis. Ryan suffered from glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and common types of brain cancer. Often, those diagnosed with the cancer pass away within six months. Cops discovered that four members of the Long family had been fatally shot in Madbury, just over an hour away from Boston, on Monday night Ryan Long, 48, his wife Emily, 34, son Parker, eight, and daughter Ryan, six, were found and pronounced dead inside their home The family had been struggling over the summer after Ryan Long received a terminal brain cancer diagnosis, according to a video diary posted by his wife Emily 'One of the biggest questions they have is motive... I think that's probably one of the more difficult things that they are trying to grasp, to understand,' NH Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati told WCAX. The investigation into the tragedy is ongoing with autopsies scheduled to be performed on Wednesday. Just on Saturday Emily Long updated her TikTok account. Her page showed a collection of videos in which she spoke to the camera about her family navigating her husband Ryan's diagnosis of terminal brain cancer. Emily's first post about her husband's diagnosis and her own mental health struggle was uploaded on April 23. On May 11, Emily uploaded a video captioned: 'Want to watch someone actually fall apart before your very eyes? I swear, this cancer will be the thing that breaks me.' In her latest update, Emily declared that she was trying to make changes to get herself out of a 'rut'. 'I put makeup on and real clothes for the first time... in God only knows how long. I'm trying to get myself out of this rut, I know I've said this before but our kids are definitely struggling.' The couple's youngest child, a three-year-old, was found alive and suffered no injuries Ryan Long was diagnosed with glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive types of brain cancer In a video posted to social media Emily declared that she was trying to make changes to get herself out of a 'rut' Emily then explained how she noticed that her youngest child was struggling to sleep and crying, which she described as 'devastating'. 'It's important for my kids to be with their friends, and I have been struggling so much and really depressed and just have really become reclusive,' she continued. 'That being said I am making a change. It is starting today... I need to become more social again. 'So hold me to it. Today I am adjusting my perspective and I'm making a point to get out of my depression and do this for my family. 'That being said, Happy Saturday. I hope everyone's having a fantastic day. I am going to have a fantastic day,' she concluded. Several videos depicted the Long family's struggles after the diagnosis and commented on the support they had received from the local community. The Army agency tasked with protecting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his family is under serious strain, forcing the group to reallocate resources from criminal investigations. The Army's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) works to protect Hegseth, 45, his family members and residences. It also acts as the Army's police force, investigating felony crimes and violations of U.S. military code. Sources familiar with the operation say the multi-million dollar initiative to protect Hegseth and his family has diverted agents from essential investigations the Washington Post reports. The agents have been sent to protect Hegseth's properties in Tennessee, Minnesota and D.C. They have also been tasked with the protection of the former Fox News host's seven children, split among three different wives. 'I've never seen this many security teams for one guy,' one CID official told the Post. 'Nobody has.' While Hegseth enjoys outings with his family, a phalanx of security can often be spotted on the perimeters of the secretary and his brood. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requires a major security detail, the Washington Post reports Hegseth has seven children, some of which are shown here with the secretary in April In one instance, when the Daily Mail spotted Hegseth out to eat in South West D.C., over half a dozen security personnel were spotted surrounding the Pentagon boss, his young children, and wife, Jennifer Hegseth. 'We have complete inability to achieve our most basic missions,' another person familiar with the matter told the Washington Post. But the Pentagon pushed back on the report. 'Any action pertaining to the security of Secretary Hegseth and his family has been in response to the threat environment and at the full recommendation the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID),' Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell told the Daily Mail in a comment. 'When left-wing blogs like the Washington Post continue to dox cabinet secretaries' security protocols and movements, it puts lives at risk.' In addition to Hegseth CID is also tasked with defending other top military personnel. The protection of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Army secretary, and other top Pentagon officials is also the responsibility of CID agents. Hegseth and his wife Jennifer Hegseth at the White House for the 4th of July Typically, around 150 of the 1,500 CID agents have served on VIP security details, multiple sources revealed. However, when Hegseth took over, a request for additional agents went out. One official said the number of CID staffers on the VIP details is now '400 and going up.' A separate source said it's 'over 500.' A British man witnessed the murder of his online gaming friend after she was stabbed to death in her own home, Finnish police have revealed. The man, who was not identified, was playing online with his friend, a 32-year-old Finnish woman, for roughly 10 hours when he heard a window being smashed with a brick. After asking her if she had locked her door, the British man is said to have told police that the intruder spoke to her in Finnish. According to police documents seen by local media that were released after the case was closed, neighbours heard the woman scream. The Brit couldn't reach his gamer friend, and sent an email to police in Puumala, the southeastern Finnish town she lived in, at nearly 5am local time on April 23. Police reportedly found her dead in her living room the next day, and their investigation found the man had driven around 30 miles north to Juva, where he set fire to a barn. A neighbour who noticed the fire investigated. After standing in front of the building for around 10 minutes, he saw the man walking out of the barn towards him with his arms wide open. After being picked up by paramedics, the murderer died of his injuries in hospital. A British man witnessed the murder of his online gaming friend after she was stabbed to death in her own home (File image) The Brit couldn't reach his gamer friend, and sent an email to police in Puumala, the southeastern Finnish town she lived in (File image of Puumala) According to Criminal Inspector Marfa Raipela, who headed the investigation, the man was unknown to police at the time of the incident. She added that there was no link with terror groups like ISIS. Her investigation revealed he drove from his home in Imatra to Puumala the day before the murder, arriving shortly before 5pm. Raipela said he did not go there to meet anyone. He drove his car to his victim's house before killing her, though police haven't yet established a motive for the murder. Cops said that they believe he chose her home as it was accessible and was the only one with its lights on at the time of the killing. The case has now been closed as the only suspect is dead. A disgraced US Space Force sergeant has been jailed for 54 years after chasing down two unarmed teenagers in a stolen car and shooting them, killing a 14-year-old boy. Orest Schur, 29, broke down in the Aurora, Colorado, courtroom on August 15 as he apologized for murdering Xavier Kirk, who died after being struck in the back and head while fleeing the scene in July 2023. 'I am sorry for the events that occurred that night, for the pain, for the grief and trauma that have followed and for the impact that my case had on so many lives,' a tearful Schur told the court. The boy's 13-year-old friend was also shot in the back but survived. He was hospitalized and later submitted a statement condemning Schur's actions. 'An adult chose to use deadly force against two unarmed teenagers. That is not justice, that is not safety, that is not accountability,' the teen wrote. 'I survived, but I am not the same. My friend didn't survive at all. And no matter what we did that night, I didn't deserve to be shot, and Xavier didn't deserve to die.' According to the Adams and Broomfield Counties District Attorney's Office, Schur was jolted awake by his car alarm shortly before 11 p.m. on July 5, 2023, and saw his Hyundai Elantra being tampered with outside his Aurora home. Instead of calling police, he grabbed a pistol, jumped into his car, and began circling the neighborhood. Moments later, he spotted the teens driving away in another vehicle and gave chase. Schur opened fire, firing 11 rounds into the rear of the car and continuing to shoot as the boys fled on foot. Orest Schur, 29, wept in court as he was sentenced to 54 years for killing 14-year-old Xavier Kirk during a botched car theft attempt Schur apologized to Kirk's family in court, telling them: 'I am sorry for the events that occurred that night, for the pain, for the grief and trauma that have followed' 'This was vigilante violence at its worst and now a young man is dead,' District Attorney Brian Mason said. 'The defendant took the law into his own hands, chasing down a fleeing vehicle and opening fire on its occupants. A 14-year-old boy will now never grow up because of the defendant's actions.' Jurors rejected Schur's claim that he fired in self-defense, with forensic testing proving he was the only one to discharge a weapon. Prosecutors said Schur's wife dialed 911, telling dispatchers it was the third time someone had tried to steal their Hyundai. She later told police her husband was so shaken afterward that he said he felt nauseous. Months after Xavier was killed, his mother, Leslie Kirk, spoke out about the devastating loss. 'It's been very difficult because my son was only 14 and he had his whole life ahead of him,' she told Denver 7. 'This traumatic situation made me really lost and confused and very devastated. I feel like [Schur] could have called the cops and put it in their hands instead of him putting it in his hands. Because at the end of the day, he chased my son and his friend down and shot and killed my son. My son was just a kid.' At the time of the shooting, Schur was a signals intelligence analyst at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora. Paramedics rushed to the scene and took the injured 14-year-old, Xavier Kirk (pictured), to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries Schur was jolted awake by his car alarm shortly before 11 p.m. on July 5, 2023, and saw his Hyundai Elantra (not picture of Schur's car) being tampered with outside his Aurora home Before joining the Space Force, he served as an Army sergeant, completing two tours in Afghanistan and earning 14 service awards, according to a military spokesperson. His military career ended when he was discharged last summer. The US Space Force - the sixth and newest branch of the military - is tasked with protecting America and its allies' 'interests in space,' according to its website. On June 16, 2025, Schur was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder. He was sentenced to 36 years in prison for murder and 18 years for attempted murder, to be served consecutively for a total of 54 years. The maximum he faced was 80 years; the minimum was 26. He was taken into custody immediately to begin serving his term. Adams County District Court Judge Caryn Datz noted that, as a trained military sergeant, Schur should have known better than to resort to lethal force, CBS News Colorado reported. In court, Xavier's grieving relatives confronted Schur directly, accusing him of executing two unarmed boys over a car that wasn't even stolen. Xavier's devastated parents confronted Schur directly in court - his mother saying, 'My son was just a kid' (Pictured: Kirk's grave) 'What Mr. Schur did to my son and his friend, to chase them down and execute him, over a car that they didn't even take is ludicrous,' Xavier's father said. Another relative added: 'You know, kids make mistakes, and so, I always teach my kids in my family, like my nephews and nieces, about consequences and repercussions. 'We're not trying to excuse any wrongdoing of Xavier, or wrong they were involved in. The part that's messed up is Orest Schur's car was never stolen.' A woman has been fatally stabbed in a Perth home as police probe whether it was a domestic violence attack. Emergency services were called to a property in the north-eastern suburb of Bassendean about 12.30pm on Wednesday, where they found a woman in her 30s. She was critically injured after what is understood to have been a stabbing, Nine News reports. Among the emergency services were six ambulances that attended the property. The woman was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital to undergo emergency surgery during the afternoon but she later died. A man in his 20s, who was known to the woman and treated at the scene, has been helping police with their inquiries. No charges have been laid. Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers to help with the ongoing investigation. RESPECT 1800 737 732 BeyondBlue 1300 22 4636 Emergency services were called to a property in north-eastern suburb of Bassendean on Wednesday after a woman was fatally injured after a suspected stabbing President Donald Trump's longtime political strategist Steve Bannon poured rare praise on the efforts of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is using a cascade of biting X posts to take on President Donald Trump. Newsom's @GovPressOffice account has started trolling MAGA with posts meant to resemble what Trump pushes out on his Truth Social network. Politico reported Wednesday that Newsom and a team of four or five aides manage the account, which has gained more than 250,000 followers and earned more than 225 million impressions since the beginning of August. 'People in the MAGA movement and the America First movement should start paying attention to this, because it's not going to go away,' Bannon told Politico. 'They're only going to get more intense.' Bannon noted that Newsom is 'trying to mimic President Trump.' 'He's no Trump, but if you look at the Democratic Party, he's at least getting up there, and he's trying to imitate a Trumpian vision of fighting, right?' Bannon said. 'He looks like the only person in the Democratic Party who is organizing a fight that they feel they can win.' In recent weeks, @GovPressOffice has posted Trump-like imagery, like the inclusion of Newsom on Mount Rushmore and Newsom being prayed over by the late Hulk Hogan, complete with a halo and angel wings, Tucker Carlson and Kid Rock. 'so nice!' @GovPressOffice commented on the prayerful picture. In an interview with Politico published Wednesday, Steve Bannon (left) said that Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom's (right) efforts to troll MAGA on X are 'not going to go away' and should be paid attention to On Monday, the @GovPressOffice account reshared a ridiculous visual that showed California Gov. Gavin Newsom added to Mount Rushmore. President Donald Trump has reshared similar images created by MAGA fans When a user named Conservative Mike called the image 'very disrespectful and blasphemy' @GovPressOffice chimed back in. Newsom's people highlighted a post from the White House, which had reshared an image from Trump's personal account - an AI image of the president dressed as the Pope. 'oops our bad, sorry. meant to post this,' Newsom's office replied. Newsom's account has also used Trump's traditional all-caps to go on screeds. 'HAS ANYONE NOTICED THAT SINCE I SAID 'I HATE KID ROCK' HE'S NO LONGER 'HOT?' Newsom's account asked Tuesday night. Trump, of course, had sent out a nearly identical message in May about pop star Taylor Swift, who endorsed the president's opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris, in the 2024 election. On Tuesday, Newsom's team took on Dana Perino, who blasted the California Democrat's antics on Fox News earlier this week. 'DANA 'DING DONG' PERINO (NEVER HEARD OF HER UNTIL TODAY!) IS MELTING DOWN BECAUSE OF ME, GAVIN C. NEWSOM!' the account wrote. 'FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICA'S MOST FAVORITE GOVERNOR ('RATINGS KING') SAVING AMERICA - WHILE TRUMP CAN'T EVEN CONQUER THE 'BIG' STAIRS ON AIR FORCE ONE ANYMORE!!!' California Gov. Gavin Newsom and a handful of aides have turned the official @GovPressOffice X account into a way to mock President Donald Trump's social media style. On Sunday, the account posted Newsom with Kid Rock, the late Hulk Hogan and Tucker Carlson When a user named Conservative Mike called Newsom's post 'very disrespectful and blasphemy' the governor's office then shared a post from the White House, which had highlighted Trump's personal account posting the president as the Pope 'TRUMP HAS 'LOST HIS STEP' AND FOX IS LOSING IT BECAUSE WHEN I TYPE, AMERICA NOW WINS!!!' Newsom's account continued. 'THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.' Trump often creates nicknames and mocks liberal media figures. The president has also started ending his Truths with 'thank you for your attention to this matter.' Perino had voiced on Fox that if Newsom wanted a bigger job, 'he has to be a little more serious.' It's no secret that the California governor will likely toss his hat into the ring of 2028 Democratic White House contenders. 'If I were his wife, I would say you are making a fool of yourself,' Perino said on The Five on Monday. Newsom told Fox 11 Los Angeles' Elex Michaelson in an interview last week that his social media strategy changed after Trump 'completely misrepresented the facts' about the Los Angeles fires and then federalized the National Guard to send troops to downtown LA to quell anti-ICE protests. 'Yes, I've changed. The facts have changed. We need to change,' Newsom said. 'This guy is an invasive species,' the governor said of Trump. 'He is completely different. I respect the Republican Party, I married into a Republican family, I have deep love and respect for people I disagree with.' 'He is something altogether different, and he is unmoored; there are no constraints,' Newsom added. Democrats are viewing Newsom's social posts as a bright spot as the party tries to find its way back into power. 'It's an example of the guts and experimentation that needs to replace the timidity and over-testing,' Andrew Bates, a former spokesperson for President Joe Biden and principal at Wolfpack Strategies, told the Daily Mail. A serial pedophile has agreed to be castrated as part of a plea deal after he was caught trying to sexually assault a seven-year-old girl. Thomas Allen McCartney, 37, is classified a 'Tier Three' offender and is considered one of Louisiana's worst child predators. McCartney has agreed to be both physically and chemically castrated as part of plea deal Tuesday in order to reduce his prison sentence - although he'll still spend 40 years in prison, according to local station Fox 12. Louisiana is the first and only state to allow surgical castration to be used as a punishment for sex crimes. The law only came into force at the beginning of the August - and his case is likely to one of the first times it's been applied by a court. The southern state has allowed chemical castration as a punishment for certain sex crimes since 2008. Louisiana judges can offer the procedure in certain extreme cases of sex abuse, with offenders who refused given an additional three to five years in jail. The option was presented to the Leesville resident after a mother caught him sexually abusing her daughter in February 2023, reported KPLC-TV. Thomas Allen McCartney, 37, is classified as Tier 3 sex offender in Louisiana. Tuesday, he agreed to be castrated after being caught trying to rape a seven-year-old girl in 2023 When the woman discovered him abusing her girl, he used a firearm to escape, before being arrested in Houston, Texas, before being returned to face punishment. He pleaded guilty Tuesday in Vernon Parish to attempted first-degree rape of a child under the age of 13. 'This is a horrific crime that never should have happened,' Vernon Parish District Attorney Terry Lambright told reporters. 'Thomas McCartney is a predator that needs to locked away from others in our community.' The serial rapist has previously been convicted of attempted aggravated rape in 2011. The previous year, he was held on two counts of aggravated rape of a 12-year-old. In 2006, he was arrested on one count of felony carnal knowledge of another girl. An asylum seeker living in a taxpayer-funded hotel is running a lucrative graphic design business from his bedroom and is believed to be earning thousands from corporate clients, the Daily Mail can reveal. Extraordinary images obtained by this newspaper of the man's room at the Thistle City Barbican, in London, shows a MacBook laptop and iMac computer, Selfridges bags and a 580 Louis Vuitton wallet. The migrant, understood to be originally from Sudan but to have spent the last two years living in Dubai, was said to have been working on 'Silicon Valley-style' pitch decks on a third Mac laptop at the time the footage was taken. A source who filmed the room said the man spoke openly about the fact his asylum claim was based on persecution for being gay. The source said: 'I asked if the claim was legitimate, and he said "of course not".' The MoS has since discovered that the man appears to have a wife still living in Dubai who works for a major Emirati investment firm. On top of thousands of pounds worth of Apple equipment, the Sudanese designer's room also contained a large printer, a bag from London's designer department store Liberty, a Nespresso coffee machine and two bottles of luxury Voss water. Asylum seekers typically get 49.18 per week from the government to support their living costs as well as their accommodation paid for. Extraordinary video footage obtained by the Daily Mail of an asylum seeker's hotel room at the Thistle City Barbican show Selfridges bags and luxury Voss water bottles There are also MacBooks and a Nespresso coffee machine on the table where he is said to be running a lucrative graphic design business On top of thousands of pounds worth of Apple equipment, the Sudanese designer's room also contained a large printer The source said: 'I saw the work, he was doing a pitch deck for a company. His stuff was pretty good. It was pretty swish, it was Silicon Valley-style, he is obviously making thousands. 'He said he doesn't pay any tax and that he had been there two years. He said "they can't move me". 'They had twice offered to move him to Manchester but he had refused. He was smiling the whole time. There is a whole system of gaming going on.' The source explained that the migrants in the Barbican hotel demand to be put in the coveted rooms at the top floor of the hotel as they are larger and have better bathrooms. The Sudanese designer had one of these which is part of the reason he did not want to be moved. 'He spoke perfect English. He was well-educated, very calm, nice, jovial, funny. In stark contrast to the others in the building.' The Thistle City Barbican has been at the epicentre of outrage over the asylum hotel crisis in recent weeks. The Bell Hotel in Epping has also been the focus of several protests after an Ethiopian migrant who was housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl last month. On Tuesday, a judge ruled that migrants living at the hotel should be removed by September 12 because the owners had failed to apply for planning permission for a 'material change' to its use. The Thistle City Barbican has been at the epicentre of outrage over the asylum hotel crisis in recent weeks Police officers stand outside the Thistle City Barbican hotel, in London on August 8, 2025, ahead of an expected protest Men gesture from a hotel window at the Thistle City Barbican hotel as an anti-migrant protest takes place outside A demonstrator holds an anti-racism sign outside the Thistle City Barbican hotel, in London, on August 8, 2025 Stand Up To Racism activists stand outside hotel holding a 'Refugees welcome' sign during a counter-demonstration on August 8, 2025 Police officers push back anti-racism protesters gathering in support of refugees outside the Thistle City Barbican hotel on August 2 Protesters gather for an anti-immigration protest near the Thistle City Barbican hotel on August 2 Last month the MoS revealed that more than 90 criminal charges have been brought against 41 migrants living at the hotel over the last three years, including sexual assault, arson, theft, burglary, carrying knives, assault and drug offences. The hotel had already been named as a hub for illegal working, with migrants pictured outside riding off in Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats jackets with food bags, while electric bikes were seen outside. Earlier this month, more than a thousand protesters from opposing sides clashed outside the Thistle City Barbican, with hundreds demonstrating against the hotel, sparking a counter-protest by Stand Up To Racism activists. In total there were nine arrests, including seven for breaching Public Order Act conditions. The Home Office said it was unable to identify the individual. Asylum seekers in some occupations, including graphic design, can apply for permission to work if their claim to live in the UK has not been processed in more than a year. The Home Office was unable to say whether this individual had obtained permission. A top Democrat in Rhode Island will be suspended without pay after a video of her unruly, drunken arrest went viral on social media. Police camera footage released Monday showed Rhode Island Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan Hogan 'berating' officers and attempting to avoid arrest after a drunken night out with a friend. She was arrested Thursday for allegedly trespassing at the Clarke Cooke House, a swanky waterfront restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island. Hogan can be seen on the police body camera footage attempting to use her position to wriggle out of legal trouble. 'I'm an AG [attorney general]. I'm an AG. What are your probable cause to detain me for?' Hogan said. 'You're going to regret this. You're going to regret it,' Hogan also warned the police officers. And now Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha says there will be consequences. Neronha told WPRO radio host Gene Valicenti Tuesday that 'she embarrassed herself, humiliated herself, treated the Newport Police Department horribly.' Rhode Island Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan Hogan (middle), seen in police body camera footage from August 14, 2025 Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha 'She's really remorseful. She takes responsibility,' Neronha told Valicenti on the radio. He said that he made her watch the video of the arrest, which has taken the internet by storm. Hogan's friend, identified by police as Veronica Hannan, can also be heard saying 'she's a lawyer' as Hogan demanded officers turn off their body cameras and do not film her. Neronha shared that the demands to turn off police body cameras were wrong and not grounded in the very policies created by his own office. 'I'm not sure what she was thinking. Clearly she was not thinking straight,' Neronha added. 'There will be a suspension without pay, if I retain her, for sure. So she's not going to continue as if nothing happened,' Neronha disclosed in his interview. Rhode Island Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan Hogan, in an undated headshot 'She's humiliated herself. Regardless of what happens vis a vis her employment with us, she's going to have a long time coming back from this. It's just really unfortunate.' 'I've got 110 lawyers. You know, she embarrassed all of them, in a sense,' Neronha also said of the incident. In a statement issued by the Newport Police which was obtained by GoLocalProv.com along with the body camera footage, officers noted that Hogan 'was extremely uncooperative, berating officers, repeatedly stating her position as an AG and refusing to follow instructions.' Staff at the restaurant asked officers to remove the two women from the premises. Veronica Hannan (right) can be heard saying 'she's a lawyer' as Hogan (left) demanded officers turn off their body cameras and do not film her 'Do you guys just want them out?' an officer asked. 'Do you want them trespassed?' Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha says Hogan will face consequences 'Anything we can do,' a worker responded. 'Trespass? Yeah. I just need them out. Please.' Officers also claimed that after the deputy AG's antics, 'both parties still refused to leave, and I grabbed Hogan's left and right hands, securing handcuffs on her.' 'While attempting to secure Hogan in handcuffs, she repeatedly stated, 'I'm an AG (Attorney General).' I informed Hogan that she was being arrested because of the fact that she was refused to leave after numerous lawful orders.' Devon Flanagan Hogan has been employed as a Special Assistant Attorney General in the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office for over seven years, since April 2018 according to her LinkedIn page which has been taken down since the Daily Mail first reported on the incident. A Finnish MP has given heartbreaking insight into the lead up to the suicide of her colleague after his body was found in a stairway in the country's parliament. SDP MP Eemeli Peltonen, 30, died in the parliament building yesterday at around 11am. The first-term representative was elected to parliament in 2023, and was a member of its Administrative Committee and Legal Committee, as well as a city councillor of Jarvenpaa and the chairman of the city board. He took his own life just weeks after revealing serious health struggles. Now, the chairwoman of the SDP parliamentary group, Tytti Tuppurainen, said his suicide was related to his illness. She told Finnish broadcaster YTE: 'The fact that he decided to leave us specifically in parliament was, however, more related to his illness and the suffering that came with it, from which he saw no other way out than to enter eternal rest.' Mika Hari, another SDP MP who worked with Peltonen, said: 'I immediately noticed his enthusiasm for social issues. It was great to later work with him in parliament.' In June, Peltonen revealed on social media that he was receiving treatment for kidney problems and had taken a few weeks off his parliamentary duties to recover at home. SDP MP Eemeli Peltonen, 30, (pictured) died in the parliament building yesterday at around 11am Police investigating the incident reportedly do not suspect foul play But he later revealed that he had contracted a bacterial infection while being treated. He said prior to his death: 'To control the bacteria, I was started on an intravenous antibiotic course in [hospital], which will take time. At the same time, treatment for my kidney problems will continue.' Police investigating the incident reportedly do not suspect foul play, while paramedics were also at the scene. Emergency services are said to have received a call at 11.06am on Tuesday. Finnish broadcaster Yle reported that at least one ambulance, a firetruck and two police vehicles were present at the Parliament Building. One person who works nearby told the outlet: 'Ambulances drove behind the Parliament Building with their whistles blaring. Then a full-size fire truck, a police car and, with a slight delay, an armored police Mercedes also drove there.' Security Director Aaro Toivonen neither confirmed nor denied the initial reports, instead telling local media: 'There is a mission underway, with rescue authorities, police and emergency services on site. I cannot say more than that at this stage. 'I can't say what the emergency response from the emergency center has been. Parliament is a bit of an exceptional site, so one could imagine that such things have been considered when the situation has been unclear.' Peltonen was elected to parliament in 2023 with nearly 6,000 votes. He began his political career at just 18 after being elected to his local city council with 153 votes. At just 22 he became the chairman of his city's council, the youngest person to hold the position. He graduated from the University of Helsinki in 2020 with a Master's degree in Political Science. Sofia Nevalainen, a fellow city council member, wrote in a post to her Instagram: 'You were my everything. I will always love you.' Peltonen was elected to parliament in 2023 with nearly 6,000 votes He began his political career at just 18 after being elected to his local city council with 153 votes Sofia Nevalainen, a fellow city council member, wrote in a post to her Instagram: 'You were my everything. I will always love you' She and Peltonen were pictured several times on each others social media accounts. Finland's PM Petteri Orpo said the ministerial group of the Coalition Party, the ruling party, would 'stop talking about politics' for a time in response to the tragedy. He added: 'We received some really shocking news some time ago from parliament, our shared workplace, that one of our colleagues has passed away on parliament premises. Really sad news.' Jussi Halla-aho, the speaker of Finland's parliament, said of Peltonen's passing: 'On behalf of the parliament, I express my condolences to the family and loved ones of Representative Peltonen. 'Peltonen was a well-liked and respected colleague across party lines.' Finland's parliament is currently in recess, with the autumn session set to begin on September 2. Former Vice President Kamala Harris is losing political altitude in her own backyard. A new poll suggests California Democrats prefer Gavin Newsom over Kamala Harris in a potential 2028 presidential primary. The Politico survey shows the California governor leading Harris with 25% support compared to her 19% among registered Democratic voters and Democratic-leaning independents in California. Moreover, less than a quarter of California Democrats - just 23 percent - are very excited about the prospect of another Harris presidential bid. The survey shows a clear majority - 58 percent - are 'not excited' about Harris 2028. California Democrats are a bit more enthusiastic for Newsom though 51 percent are still 'not excited.' As Democrats remain leaderless following Joe Biden's exit from the White House, Newsom has emerged as a leading candidate to unite the party against Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Harris has largely remained largely out of the political fray since losing the general election to Trump in 2024. Theres affection for her, but maybe less confidence that she would be a strong candidate, said Jack Citrin, a UC Berkeley political science professor who helped author the poll. The survey does show Newsom and Harris would both be leading contenders in the California primary. Kamala Harris falls behind Gavin Newsom in a potential matchup for a California Democratic primary in 2028 Newsom has been a leading advocate opposing Trump since the start of the second-term Harris has been mostly silent since losing the 2024 election to Trump in a landslide defeat However, Harris inability to garner clear support in her own home state is a doomsday scenario for her chances to grab the nomination. (Newsom is) in the news everyday. If you think someone is running, youre more likely to support them, Citrin added. Harris also indicated that shes not looking to jump back into the political machine following her landslide loss to Trump. In July, the former vice president said she will not run for California governor ending months of speculation. Harris has also not consistently opposed the Trump administration compared to other Democratic contenders. In contrast, Newsom has spent most of his remaining term as governor publicly resisting Trumps political agenda, including by redrawing California political districts and opposing ICE immigration raids. Additionally, California under Newsom is suing the administration over Trump federalizing the states National Guard amid anti-Trump protests in LA over the summer. In the past, Harris has struggled at securing the nomination in competitive Democratic primaries. Newsom has not yet indicated if he will run for president in 2028 During the 2020 Democratic election primary, she ended her campaign before voting even began in the Iowa caucus. The survey was conducted on July 28th and August 12th with a sample of 1,445 total registered voters, including 807 registered Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents in California. The Daily Mail reached out to Harris' office for comment. A married hotel CEO in Michigan allegedly groped and kissed a female employee during a company outing to a Justin Timberlake concert. Asad Malik, the CEO of the Amerilodge Group, which owns and manages multiple hotel chains in the Midwest, has been accused of sexual harassment, assault, and battery by his former employee, Stephanie Starling. Starling alleges that while at the concert in February, Malik told her that he wanted a kiss, adding, 'bet it would be a good kiss too. Probably later tonight.' Starling nervously laughed in response to the unwanted attention, but Malik allegedly kept pursuing her. The CEO later came up to her, standing silently, and allegedly told her that he was 'just looking at her lips' and thinking of the kiss, according to the lawsuit. In reaction to the stunning comments, Starling quickly found her supervisor and general manager, pleading with them not to leave her side to avoid being alone with Malik. However, later that night, she found herself seated next to Malik after he squeezed into a booth to be next to her. Malik then 'slid his hand under her right thigh and touched her butt,' according to the lawsuit. Stephanie Starling alleges that Malik assaulted and harassed her at a company outing and after informing HR, she was later fired Asad Malik has been accused of sexual harassment, battery, and assault by a former employee Starling was terrified after the encounter and was 'noticeably trembling in fear' while she tried to eat. Starling escaped the situation by excusing herself to go to the bathroom. When the show began and the group went to their seats, Malik allegedly attempted to get Starling to sit next to him. When Starling's general manager sat with her instead, Malik was 'visibly angry with the situation,' the lawsuit states. While in the bathroom during the concert, she called her father in tears, begging him not to call the police. Her general manager and supervisor overheard the phone call and told her they were planning on reporting Malik's behavior. When the group returned to a nearby hotel after the show, Malik allegedly said he needed to talk to her and asked her to get in his vehicle. Starling alleged in the lawsuit that the actions occurred during a company event at a Justin Timberlake concert at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan Starling was a manager at a Courtyard by Marriot in Bay City, Michigan, which is owned by Amerilodge (pictured) He then allegedly drove to a dark area and told her it was 'time for that kiss.' Starling rejected the advances, which made Malik agitated, and he pressed her about why she wouldn't kiss him. She demanded to be taken back to the hotel and threatened to walk back to the snow if he didn't drive her. When she returned to work at the Marriott in Bay City, Starling notified HR and was told that a third party would investigate her accusations. Starling met with an attorney virtually to explain what happened, but alleges that the company never followed up about her complaint. While she continued working, she noticed coworkers were gossiping about the investigation. Starling called her supervisor, crying, and soon after noticed that her company email was revoked. She was then instructed to submit an official resignation letter, despite having informed HR that she had no intention of quitting. Not even a month after the concert, she received an email that HR was 'upholding her resignation.' She was later informed that the third-party investigation couldn't substantiate her claims. Starling's attorney, Jack Shulz, told Daily Mail that he sees the comparisons between her story and the viral video of the Astronomer CEO Andrew Byron and his HR chief, Kristin Cabot. 'Although a lot of the focus is the comparison to the deplorable acts of this CEO and that of the Astronomer CEO at the Coldplay, a harder look should be given to the acts of the two human resources departments, which are present themselves as being neutral and having open doors to employees,' he said. 'Here, Starling and others immediately reported the incident, HR acted to protect the company, and she was terminated for speaking up. Both cases demonstrate that HR is in bed with the company---literally and figuratively.' Starling told the Detroit Free Press that she was offered a settlement payment, calling it 'hush money.' 'You're not going to put a price tag on me, she added. 'I do have the balls to speak up and it's not okay.' The company stated in a filing with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that Malik denied the claims, and no one witnessed the alleged assault. Chris Daly, a spokesperson for Amerilodge, told Daily Mail that per company policy, they don't comment on current litigation. The troubled son of chef Marco Pierre White has admitted to a number of burglaries in a west London crime spree, including stealing 1,500 of Jellycat toys. Marco Pierre White Jr, 30, raided an antiques shop on June 19 this year in Westminster, central London. Prosecutor Ravinder Johal said White wrecked four mounted crystals and the entrance door to the shop. The ex-Celebrity Big Brother star pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage, but said he disputes the cost of the damage. On June 12, he burgled an Italian deli store in Kensington called La Piccola, stealing a laptop, tablet, iPod, and a till tray. Just three days later, he smashed his way into a house in Kensington and Chelsea, and stole two natural rock crystal formations, causing 7,775 worth of damage to the front door. A month later, on July 21, he broke into another store on Barnes High Street, south-west London, stealing 1,500 of Jellycat toys. Marco Jr appeared at Isleworth Crown Court via video link from HMP Wandsworth, wearing a grey prison tracksuit. The ex-Celebrity Big Brother star pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage, but said he disputes the cost of the damage Marco Pierre White Jr, 30, has admitted to a number of burglaries in London, including one where he wrecked four mounted crystals and the entrance door to the shop The son of the youngest ever cook to attain the coveted three Michelin stars also smashed into another store on Barnes High Street, south-west London, stealing 1,500 of Jellycat toys Marco Jr, of no fixed address, admitted four counts of burglary and one count of criminal damage. He previously pleaded guilty to the three counts of burglary on June 15, June 12, and July 21, at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court, and those pleas were entered again today. He denied, however, one count of robbery, and is accused of stealing 26 bottles of personal hygiene products from a beauty store in Kensington and Chelsea on May 25 this year, to a value of 1,331. Graeme Logan, defending, said: 'Marco disputes the 43,000 figure relating to criminal damage. The figure appears to be an amalgamation for property stolen and damage to the property. 'That figure is disputed. I ask for seven days to submit that plea. 'With the allegation of robbery on May 25, which Mr White denies, an alternative plea of theft will be offered.' Judge Edward Connell said: 'There will be a hearing for that robbery charge at Isleworth Crown Court on September 2 this year. If the Crown does not accept it, a trial will be set for March 16 next year.' Judge Connell told White: 'I am going to adjourn your case for two weeks. You have pled guilty to serious offences both in the magistrates' court and today, and at some point you will have to be sentenced for that.' Marco is pictured here in November 2017 when he was one of the first to buy the iPhone X when it was released that month Marco (pictured in October 2024) has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a later date Marco Jr was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a date to be fixed. The incident is the latest in a long list of confrontations with the law for the reality star. Last December, he avoided jail after being sentenced to a suspended 30-week prison sentence for a spate of burglaries in his hometown of Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. In 2016, he was spared jail for spending 2,500 on his ex-girlfriend's bank card. He bought goods that were traded to buy drugs before he was finally arrested in Bristol. Previous offences also include one count of using threatening abusive language in 2011, when he was a teenager, and being drunk in charge of a car in 2016. In 2019, he racially abused a police officer while he was 'drunk as a skunk' at the Cabin Bar pub in Paddington Station, west London. His longest sentence was handed down in 2022 when, aged 27, he pleaded guilty to 14 offences including carrying a knife and racial abuse, getting 18 months in prison. After being released, he vowed never to touch drugs again after spending more than 1million on rehab. He also revealed he had converted to Islam to help him 'stay clean' and reform after years of drug abuse, which he has said began at the age of just 13. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail in 2023, he said: 'I have been in rehab 17 times and being in prison has made me realise that enough is enough. 'I have been in rehab all over America and in the UK and the only thing that has cured me is being banged up in a cell for 23 hours a day. 'I have realised how lucky I am and have been. I have seen all walks of life in prison and some people don't have a chance in life. I have had every opportunity and I have thrown them all away. 'I could have done anything I wanted to, but instead I did heroin and ended up in prison. I have been an idiot.' Texas Democrats say they are being treated like fugitives as they are threatened with arrest if they don't show up to the house to vote during a bitter redistricting fight that could hand Republicans and Donald Trump five extra seats in Congress. Tensions boiled over this week in Austin, where state troopers were ordered to shadow Democrats around the clock, even when they dropped their kids at school, to ensure they stayed for votes. Their forced presence gave the Texas House a quorum, the minimum number of lawmakers required to move legislation forward. At stake are new congressional maps drafted by Republicans under Governor Greg Abbott, 67, a Trump loyalist who has promised that Texas will deliver more GOP seats in 2026. The plan could cement GOP dominance in the state delegation and boost Trump's hopes of retaking the House. Democrats tried to resist by fleeing the state. In early August, 57 lawmakers skipped town, flying to Illinois and New York in a dramatic attempt to block the GOP's map vote. They returned 18 days later only to find themselves under near-constant surveillance by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Rep. Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat from Austin, asked the speaker of the House on Wednesday morning if she would be arrested if she left the chamber before the end of the session. 'Let's find out,' replied Rep. Jeff Leach, a Republican from Dallas. Protesters shout in support of State Rep. Nicole Collier, after she refused to sign the required permission slip that would allow lawmakers to leave the Capitol under escort by Department of Public Safety troopers One of the most defiant Democrats has been Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth. She refused to sign the paperwork authorizing DPS monitoring and instead stayed inside the chamber for more than 30 hours, even sleeping overnight on the floor. Her stand drew supporters to the Capitol Tuesday evening, but the crowd was evacuated when someone posted a threat on social media urging others to 'go to the Capitol and shoot and kill those who will not allow lawmakers to leave,' according to local outlet KVUE. Nicole Collier, of Fort Worth, has refused to sign the paperwork authorizing DPS monitoring and instead stayed inside the chamber for more than 30 hours 'For the safety of those at the Texas State Capitol, and out of an abundance of caution, the Texas Department of Public Safety evacuated the public from the Capitol building around 6:30 this evening,' DPS announced. 'It will remain closed to the public for the remainder of the day.' Meanwhile, support for Collier mounted, with the Fort Worth representative receiving a call from former vice president Kamala Harris. Collier shared on X that Harris told her: 'You are among those that history will reveal was among the heroes of this moment, so you just stay strong.' Law enforcement stand watch during a House meeting in the State Capitol on August 20 in Austin, Texas, to ensure Democrats votes on new congressional maps. Collier has also filed a lawsuit against Texas, alleging 'illegal restraint by the government' for not being allowed to leave. 'I refuse to comply with this unreasonable, un-American and unnecessary request,' Collier told CBS News. By Wednesday, the Texas House was voting on amendments to the new maps, with a final vote expected later in the day. Meanwhile, California governor Gavin Newsom has promised to redraw congressional districts in his state in response, setting up a redistricting arms race between the nation's two most populous states. The Probation Service is facing a shortfall of around 10,000 staff to help manage offenders released into the community, it has emerged. Less than 12 months after Labour introduced its early release scheme to ease prison overcrowding, a leaked report has revealed the huge shortfall in probation staff numbers to deal with those who have been released from jail. Probation staff monitor offenders in the community by assessing their risk of reoffending and ensuring they are adhering to curfews, wearing necessary tags and avoiding drugs or alcohol. In February, the Ministry of Justice [MoJ] warned that the high workloads endured by under-pressure probation staff has led to missed warning signs and seen offenders released into the community going on to commit serious further offences, including murder. This prompted the government to recruit 1,000 trainee probation officers last year and it is planning to recruit 1,300 more by next April. But a study compiled last year and leaked to the BBC has indicated some 17,170 full-time staff were needed to deal with sentence management in September 2023 before the introduction of the early release scheme increased the workload of the Probation Service. According to a sentence management activity review by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service [HMPPS], there are only 7,236 members of staff in this specific role. Even accounting for planned recruitments by the MoJ, this leaves a shortfall of thousands and as many as 10,000. Labour has freed over 26,000 criminals early under the early release scheme, introduced by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood Among those released early was armed kidnapper Daniel Dowling-Brooks who shouted, 'big up, Keir Starmer,' but was later recalled to prison for breaching his licence conditions Speaking to the broadcaster, one probation officer said: Someone is going to get seriously hurt because when you're stressed and overworked you can't get everything right - it's just human nature - and that's why they need thousands of more staff because it could be dangerous otherwise. They [ministers] are trying to give the impression it's all OK and they're pumping in staff, but they're nowhere near close to filling the gaps. And it can take a year or more to train someone properly. Earlier this month, it emerged Labour has freed more than 26,000 criminals early since the early release scheme was introduced in September including hundreds of serious offenders who had been handed sentences of more than a decade. However the true figure will now be far higher as the MoJ statistics only accounted for the seven months from September until March. Around 3,500 criminals a month are being released early under the scheme, known as SDS40, which allows prisoners to be freed after serving 40 per cent of their sentence rather than the previous 50 per cent. Probation staff say the scheme has dramatically increased their workload. Announcing the recruitment of more probation staff next year, Martin Jones, the Chief Inspector of Probation, said in February: The Probation Service does a vital job; however, our independent inspections highlight the serious challenges it faces- too few staff, with too little experience, managing too many cases to succeed. Another probation officer said the situation in terms of staffing is considerably worse than is being thought, especially at a time when the pressure on us is immense. It's infuriating when some of us are being told it's our fault we're not doing enough and that we need to up our game, but actually the workload is sky high, they told the BBC. Under the early release scheme, 248 convicts sentenced to 14 years or more have already been let out, despite the seriousness of their offending and the severity of their punishment. A criminal given 14 years by a court will serve just five and a half years under the scheme. Probation staff fear that the slew of prisoners being released early could be dangerous as they find themselves chronically short-staffed Almost 500 convicts handed between 10 and 14 years have been freed early, according to MoJ figures. In response, an MoJ spokesman said the government had inherited a Probation Service under immense pressure. As the Lord Chancellor set out in a speech in February, this has placed too great a burden on our hardworking staff, he said. That is why we have recently announced a record 700 million increase in probation funding by 2028 a 45 percent increase on todays levels. We have already recruited 1,000 trainee probation officers last year and will recruit at least 1,300 more by April. We are also investing in new technology that reduces the administrative burden on staff time so they can focus on working with offenders and protecting the public. A Colorado married couple has been charged after allegedly living for more than 18 months with the decomposing body of their roommate a 64-year-old man they claim to have been in a throuple with while spending nearly $17,500 of his money. Suzanne Agnew, 57, and her husband, James, 55, were arrested last month after police discovered the body of James ONeill, 64, covered with a deflated air mattress at the couples apartment in Lakewood, just west of Denver. ONeills brother, Robert, had asked police to conduct a wellness check after not hearing from his 64 sibling for years, according to an affidavit posted online by Law&Crime. When officers arrived at the Agnews Lakewood residence, the husband indicated that he was ONeill and had no wish to speak to family but Robert ONeill reviewed body cam footage and confirmed the man was not his brother. When authorities returned to serve a search warrant, Suzanne admitted ONeills body was inside the home, according to authorities. She told officers that she and her husband had been in an intimate relationship with ONeill and that he slept on a mattress next to their bed, according to the arrest affidavit. She said that ONeill had been suffering from health problems in addition to using meth and cocaine and that shed awoken one day in December 2023 to find him dead. She said her husband suggested they call the police but she did not want him to do that because she was not ready to give up Jim, the affidavit continues though she was aware that it was wrong and that she should have reported the death. She covered ONeill with the air mattress after about a week when the couples eight chihuahuas began chewing on him. Suzanne Agnew, 57, was arrested alongside her husband after Colorado police last month found the decomposing body of James O'Neill, 64, who she said had been in an 'intimate' relationship with the couple Her husband, James Agnew, has also been charged with theft and tampering with a body; he told police he took into consideration O'Neill's continued Social Security payments when deciding whether or not to report his death An investigation revealed that ONeill had called authorities in the days before the Agnews claim he died reporting that his roommate was making threats, according to the affidavit. Suzanne told police shed been sitting next to him when he made the call because, at the time, she and ONeill were considering moving out as James Agnews behavior was becoming more erratic. Suzanne said she knew for a fact that nothing happened to Jim on the night of the phone call, the affidavit states. James Agnew admitted he probably threatened the dead man at some point but he didnt remember what the threats were, according to the affidavit. He did acknowledge, however, that ONeills continuing Social Security payments were definitely a consideration when it came to not reporting the death. The affidavit includes images of a man who appears to be Agnew using O'Neill's debit card Following ONeils death, he continued to receive $967 monthly Social Security deposits into his account which had all been spent, leaving the account overdrawn by several hundred dollars by the time authorities and ONeills relatives uncovered the scheme, according to the affidavit. James Agnew told police he knew ONeills pin, and the affidavit includes several images of a man matching Agnews description using ONeills card at 7-11 locations. Suzanne told police ONeills money had been used to pay bills. Other online transactions from the account included payments to Google, Progressive Insurance and Sally Beauty Supply, the affidavit says. The deceased man's accounts were several hundred dollars overdrawn by the time police and O'Neill's relatives discovered the scheme - with the couple believed to have spent $17,400 Four months after the Agnews claim their lover died, the husband applied to be added to the title for ONeills 2008 Ford Expedition - with a signature from the dead man that appeared to be forged, the affidavit states. The car was eventually towed, never claimed and sent to auction. The couple have been charged with theft, tampering with a deceased human body and abuse of a corpse. Neighbors at the couple's neat apartment complex said they had no idea O'Neill was living with the couple. One elderly woman, who lives a few doors down from the residence, described James Agnew as 'spooky as hell' to the Daily Mail this week and said she hid anything visible of value from him after he seemed too interested in the contents of her garage. Suzanne Agnew is due in court next week, and her husband is due in court in September. Surveillance footage captured the fugitive husband of a murdered woman dragging a suspiciously large sack from their apartment shortly before her body was found in a Southern California national forest. Sheylla Cabrera, 33, was reported missing on August 12 by concerned neighbors, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. During their investigation, police discovered Ring camera footage of her husband, Jossimar Cabrera, 36, dragging a large object wrapped in a what appeared to be a sheet from the apartment the couple lived at with their three young sons in Lancaster. 'Based on their additional information, they suspected foul play may have been involved with the missing person and notified the Homicide Bureau,' the sheriff's department said. Investigators then launched an extensive search in the wilderness area north of Los Angeles, NBC 4 reported. On Saturday, the Montrose Mountain Search and Rescue Team made the grim discovery inside Angeles National Forest. They found an object similar to the material that was seen being dragged by Cabrera over the side of an embankment containing Sheylla's body. While her cause of death will be determined by the Los Angles County Medical Examiners Office, officials are seeking murder charges against Cabrera, who police believe fled to Peru. The husband of a murdered woman was caught on camera dragging a large sack out of their apartment before her body was found in a national forest Police said the body of 33-year-old Sheylla Cabrera (pictured) was found wrapped in material similar to the kind her husband was caught on camera dragging 'This case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office for their consideration of filing murder charges against Jossimar Cabrera and obtaining the necessary documents to secure his return to the United States,' the sheriff's department said. 'Jossimar Cabrera is currently believed to be in Peru, pending further investigation needed to bring him to justice.' On Saturday, the couple's three kids were located in Peru and taken into protective custody. Cabrera was briefly detained at the airport in Peru, but was released because he had not been charged, KTLA reported. Sheylla's mother, Helga Rocillo Moran, told local media outlet Latina Noticias that the couple and their children migrated to the United States in 2023 in search of a fresh start, but her daughter wanted to come home because of Cabrera's abuse. 'She told me that [Cabrera] hit her, mistreated her, and had even hit my youngest grandchild, the youngest of whom is three years old. He had slapped her,' the concerned mother said. Moran said that she communicated with Cabrera on August 13 via text message and that he informed her that Sheylla had been detained at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office during a scheduled appointment. Moran accused Cabrera of lying because the offices are not open on Sundays and his appointment was scheduled for September. Police are seeking murder charges against Cabrera (right) and believe he fled to Peru Cabrera was caught dragging a large object wrapped in a large piece of material from the apartment the couple lived at with their three young sons On Saturday, the couple's three kids were located in Peru and taken into protective custody 'There's no report with ICE. If she were deported, she would have called me by now,' Moran said. A neighbor told the family that she heard loud screams from the home, but decided not to get involved. A male friend of Sheylla's told La Republica newspaper that he reached out to California authorities, which found blood stains in front of the condominium. Security camera footage showed the couple entering the home before Cabrera appeared alone dragging the sack. Shes a pillar of British cooking famed for her culinary wisdom and love of simple meals. Yet when The Great British Bake Off judge Dame Prue Leith recently sat down at a pub to enjoy fish and chips she couldnt spot it on the menu. Instead, it was listed as 'sustainability-certified North Sea halibut loin, coated in tempura-style batter' served with 'Maris Piper potatoes triple-fried in Cotswold Gold corn oil. The 85-year-old television cook and presenter hit out at the increasing number of restaurants with pretentious menus which lecture customers about their food. She accused eateries of pandering to foodies as punters are forced to read essays about where every ingredient in their meals come from. Dame Prue Leith is a pillar of British cooking famed for her culinary wisdom and love of simple meals Yet when The Great British Bake Off judge recently sat down at a pub to enjoy fish and chips she couldnt spot it on the menu. Pictured: Prue on The Great British Bake Off The 85-year-old television cook and presenter hit out at the increasing number of restaurants with pretentious menus which lecture customers about their food Last week, I was in what used to be a good pub and is now a gastro temple, Dame Prue wrote in The Oldie magazine. I ordered Sustainability-certified North Sea halibut loin, coated in tempura-style batter made from Hook Norton Ironstone lager and Billys free-range organic eggs. Served with locally grown Maris Piper potatoes, triple-fried in Cotswold Gold corn oil. Translation: fish and chips. The Cordon Bleu-trained chef, who started out in catering before opening a Michelin-starred restaurant in Notting Hill, criticised restaurants with increasingly complicated menus. Pandering to foodies, menu-devisers now write essays on every course, she said. Hand-dived Scottish king scallops, daily-picked marsh samphire from the Solway Firth, Arran Victory organic new potatoes and on and on. The night before we got married, my husband-to-be and I went to a Michelin-starred restaurant for an intimate (I hoped romantic) dinner. No chance of that. The waiter gave us a lecture on every course; we were handed a map of the location of the restaurants suppliers and expected to read it. And at the end the chef emerged for praise and foodie talk and wouldnt go away. Dame Prue also complained about the recent trend of influencers who stand on their chairs in restaurants to take pictures of their food. Added to the foodie nonsense is the TikTok nonsense: influencers standing on their chairs to get a photo of their food, she said. A restaurateur friend says thats only the start. Young influencers will book a table in a Michelin-starred restaurant and order just one glass of bubbly and one first course between them - just enough to snap each other at the table, in the fancy ladies room and outside the front door. The celebrity chef is also a prolific cookbook writer, columnist and author, publishing cookbooks and novels. She has enjoyed a 50-year television career which includes judging BBC's Great British Menu, and The Great British Bake Off, replacing Dame Mary Berry when the show moved to Channel 4 in 2017. A newlywed bride who was fatally knifed outside a Home Depot used her dying breath to identify her killer - her husband. Aliccia Grant, 37, had just tied the knot with Stephen Dennis, 36, when he stabbed her multiple times as the pair sat in their red Prius in the store's parking lot in north Phoenix, Arizona. Authorities say the couple, who had recently wed, were discussing annulling their marriage when Dennis turned violent. Grant, a mother of two, was found bleeding in the driver's seat by horrified witnesses who heard her desperate screams for help in the early hours of September 9, 2024. As officers frantically tried to stop the bleeding, she made a chilling 'dying declaration' - naming Dennis as her attacker. She was rushed to hospital but was later pronounced dead. Dennis fled on foot after the stabbing, grabbing a bag from the car and arguing with a bystander before running from the scene. Shortly afterward, he called 911 and admitted to the killing, also telling officers where they could find the murder weapon. Newlywed mother-of-two Aliccia Grant, 37, was fatally stabbed by her husband Stephen Dennis at a Home Depot parking Stephen Dennis, 36, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 18 years in prison on August 18, 2025 On Monday, August 18, 2025, Dennis was sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell condemned the attack as a particularly cruel crime. 'This wasn't just a violent crime - it was an act of betrayal carried out by someone who should have been a source of safety, not fear,' Mitchell said in a statement. 'There is something especially cruel about a murder that takes place within a relationship that's intended to be built on trust. We will continue to aggressively pursue and hold violent domestic abusers accountable.' Mitchell also detailed the shocking scene: 'Witnesses walking nearby heard a woman screaming for help and discovered the victim in the driver's seat of a red Prius with multiple stab wounds.' Grant's declaration before she died sealed her killer's fate. 'As one of the officers continued to apply pressure to the victim's wounds, the victim made a dying declaration identifying Dennis as her attacker,' Mitchell said. Grant's family is now left to raise her two children, now ages nine and 15, without her. Grant used her dying breath to identify Dennis as her killer after being found with multiple stab wounds in the drivers seat of a red Prius Grants loved ones remembered her as a hopeful dreamer and devoted mom to her children, now ages 9 and 15 A GoFundMe has been set up to cover funeral expenses and to support the children's future. Her loved ones described her as a woman who lived life with hope, energy, and ambition. 'Although Aliccia was taken from us far too soon, her endlessly hopeful energy left a permanent mark of inspiration on all of us who knew and loved her,' her family wrote in the description of the GoFundMe. 'She will be remembered as a loving daughter, sister, cousin, and friend, but most of all as a wonderful mom to her two beloved kids. 'Aliccia saw no dream as too big. She chased hers with open eyes and a full heart. She was a self-made entrepreneur, cosmetologist, author, and model. Her story is one of perseverance and the power of believing in yourself.' Her family added that donations have already helped them hold a 'celebration of life that truly captured the beauty that Aliccia brought into this world,' and said the next focus would be ensuring care and education for her children. 'During this very tough time, we choose not to be reminded of her passing, but instead, we celebrate the way she lived her life. We thank everyone for your outpouring of love. It means the world to us.' Mourners have been lining the streets for the funeral of the world's longest-serving KFC worker who had been staff at the same fast food joint for 47 years. Pauline Richards, known as Miss KFC, died last month aged 74 and worked almost every role at the branch in Taunton, Somerset - from cleaner to cashier to team leader. On Wednesday her hearse, flanked by crowds of friends, family and former customers, made its final visit to the restaurant where she fried chicken for almost five decades. Ms Richards, who had been battling cancer, is believed to have served more than five million drumsticks during a glittering career at the popular chicken store. She has been the company's longest-serving worker for two years after surpassing American employee Lorena Neely, who worked for the chain between 1976 and 2023. A horse-drawn procession provided a fitting tribute to the long-time employee, leaving her home at 12.45pm on Wednesday before making the half-hour commute to her KFC. It then continued its journey through the town centre to bid an emotional farewell to her community. Members of the public also had the chance to leave notes in condolence books at the fast food restaurant. Pauline Richards, pictured, known as Miss KFC, died last month aged 74 and worked almost every role at the branch in Taunton, Somerset - from cleaner to cashier to team leader Mourners have been lining the streets for the funeral of the world's longest KFC worker who worked at the same fast food joint for 47 years On Wednesday her hearse, flanked by crowds of friends, family and former customers, made its final visit to the restaurant where she fried chicken for almost five decades The pensioner became a cult hero in the town thanks to her 'banter' with customers and the habit of always having a smile on her face. Local children called her 'Mum' and 'Nan' - while adults have fondly said she watched them grow up, seeing them through many a night out safely. She was even honoured with a Civic Award by the town's Mayor Councillor Vanessa Garside earlier this year for her 'outstanding long service' at the restaurant. Ms Richards's children, Wayne and Tracey Sutton, led the tributes who said working at KFC for so many years was 'more than just a job to her'. They said: 'Mum was a truly special person. She was kind, caring, generous and adored by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 'Mum made people feel seen and valued, whether it was family and friends, or the customers and colleagues she met at KFC. 'KFC was more than just a job to her. 'She loved talking to customers and always remembered their stories, and she built friendships that lasted for many years. Mum always taught us to give people your care and time, and we know that's something she'll be remembered for. Some mourners were moved to tears as they attended her funeral procession on Wednesday Members of the public also had the chance to leave notes in condolence books at the fast food restaurant 'Being part of the Taunton community was really important to Mum. Reading all the tributes and knowing so many people are thinking of her, both in Taunton and beyond, has been a huge comfort to us. 'Thank you everyone for your kind words and support. It would have meant the world to mum.' Ms Richards previously told of her love of the job and how children used to call her Miss KFC. She said: 'When I go out for a break, children would shout over to me 'Hello Miss KFC' and call me 'Mum' and 'Nan'. 'Even on a Friday and Saturday night here, you get customers and some young boys start singing my name out and they are pleased to see me. 'When I'm not in, they (the customers) are asking where I am. If I've been out, I get people asking why I'm not working tonight.' Ms Richards began working for KFC in the 1970s to support her friend at the former branch on East Reach, Taunton. During her time at the company, she worked her way up to becoming a manager for two-and-half years. Ms Richards, who had been battling cancer , is believed to have served more than five million drumsticks during a glittering career at the popular chicken store The pensioner became a cult hero in the town thanks to her 'banter' with customers and the habit of always having a smile on her face She added: 'I love my job. Customers I have always spoken to and I have been friendly with and I have always tried to help as best I can and this job has always suited my life.' Ms Richards remained a hit among customers whatever her job title, with many taking to social media to pay tribute to the KFC employee. One wrote on Facebook: 'She was an absolute legend, simple as. A beautiful soul and will be sadly missed.' Another added: 'Very sad to hear the news of Pauline's passing, what a lovely lady, I feel I've know all my life, you fed me many a night on the town, during my teens, 20s, 30s 40s and 50s. 'A lovely hard working lady, who will be sadly missed by many I'm sure, thank you Pauline, till we meet in the KFC in the sky.' Other residents have suggested putting up a bench or plaque in a 'sunny spot' in the town, in memory of 'a true star of Taunton Town' and a 'local legend'. They said it would be a fitting tribute to the woman who 'brought a ray of sunshine' to everyone she met and 'made us all smile with her customer service banter'. A KFC spokesperson said: 'We're deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Pauline Richards. We are supporting Pauline's family, who have asked for their privacy to be respected during this difficult time.' Local children call her 'Mum' and 'Nan' - while adults have fondly said she watched them grow up, seeing them through many a night out safely (Pictured: Ms Richards with her general manager Alice Yarde in 2019) Ms Richards remained a hit among customers whatever her job title, with many taking to social media to pay tribute to the KFC employee A spokesperson for Taunton Town Council said: 'All of us at Taunton Town Council are saddened to learn of the passing of one of Taunton's most loved residents, Pauline Richards, aka Miss KFC, the world's longest serving member of KFC staff and a friendly, well known face in our town. 'She was an excited and incredibly deserving recipient of one of our Civic Awards back in March this year. 'Our thoughts are with her family and all of those who knew and loved her.' A Nigerian migrant has appeared in court accused of sexually assaulting two women when he was staying in a migrant hotel in London. Olusola Kamson, 31, allegedly groped two women on two separate occasions in Islington, north London, on August 7 and August 12 this year. The defendant, who had been staying at the Thistle City Barbican hotel, appeared at Highbury Magistrates' Court wearing a grey prison tracksuit and flanked by three prison guards. Avnita Bhudia, defending, said: 'I have spoken to the doctor, and Mr Kamson was seen by the mental health team in court, assessed under the Mental Health Act. 'Unfortunately, the mental health team have left the court building today, and there is insufficient information as to where Mr Kamson could be taken if he is sent to hospital. He will have to be sectioned and sent to a hospital at a later date.' Kamson interrupted and shouted: 'What about an A&E department? I have never signed anything with her. I don't know who she is.' Magistrate Gerry Teague had told Kamson: 'Please stand up. We do not have enough information to deal with your case.' Kamson interrupted, and shouted: 'Can I talk to my embassy please? I don't know who she my lawyer is.' He then squared up to Magistrate Teague, by putting his head on the glass panel. A Nigerian migrant has appeared in court accused of sexually assaulting two women when he was staying in the Thistle City Barbican hotel (pictured) in London He appeared at Highbury Magistrates' Court (pictured) wearing a grey prison tracksuit and flanked by three prison guards He then shouted: 'Give me an opportunity to speak. I have never seen the lawyer in my life. Why is she representing me?' As he was led to the cells, Kamson shouted: 'Just watch.' Kamson appeared at Highbury Magistrates' Court again on Tuesday for a plea hearing, but his case was adjourned again, and no pleas were entered. He will next appear at Highbury Magistrates' Court on September 9, 2025 for a plea hearing. Former Congressman Matt Gaetz and his wife Ginger Gaetz unveiled an unusual name for their newborn baby. The conservative couple sent out multiple social media posts on Wednesday morning showing off their baby boy. Beyond grateful to introduce our son, Ginger wrote on X before revealing that his name was Luckey Louis Gaetz. Gaetz himself then responded to her post by writing, Baby Luck has landed. The baby's name seems to have been drawn from Gingers maiden name Luckey. In one post sent out by his wife, Gaetz is seen bringing the baby fresh from the hospital in a carrier seat with the caption DADDY. A whole host of MAGA world personalities congratulated the happy couple, including Gaetzs former congressional colleague Florida Senator Rick Scott as well as Trump advisor Alex Bruesewitz. Children are a gift from God! Congrats, @mattgaetz and @GingerLGaetz, Scott wrote. Ginger Gaetz sent out a post showing the former Congressman carrying his newborn son from the hospital The conservative power couple married in 2021 in California Gaetz revealed on Wednesday morning that he named his newborn son 'Luck' Back in June, the couple announced the pregnancy with a social media picture of them standing together showing off Gingers baby bump while holding up a sonogram. In December 2020, Gaetz announced his engagement to Ginger before the couple officially married in southern California the next year. Gaetzs time in Congress was marred by controversy surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor and illicit drug use which he denies. Following Donald Trumps victory in the 2024 election, Gaetz was nominated as the presidents pick for U.S. attorney general. However, a House Ethics Committee report on the misconduct allegations that had not been finalized before Gaetz resigned from Congress ultimately tanked his nomination. Moderate Republican senators vowed to not push him through confirmation, which ultimately led to Gaetz being shelved for Pam Bondi. Gaetz resigned from Congress following allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use Gaetz is known for famously ending the speakership of Kevin McCarthy after calling for a no confidence vote. The conservative firebrand now hosts a political talk show called The Matt Gaetz Show on One America News Network. More pupils are taking GCSEs in unusual languages such as Chinese and Russian amid claims native speakers are using them to boost their grades. Government data for this year shows 42,945 pupils took GCSEs in niche languages up 70 per cent from 25,225 just four years ago. This is roughly 10,000 more than those that take German, and it is a third of the number who take French. Experts said it was likely pupils from migrant backgrounds were taking qualifications in their mother tongue to get an easy GCSE under their belt. Farcically, these GCSEs also count towards the Governments Ebacc, a performance measure aimed at getting pupils to do rigorous subjects. Advocates say allowing pupils to study their own language for a GCSE can build their confidence, especially if they have poor English. However, there have also been concerns the trend could put off non-native speakers, who are learning the language from scratch. The entry data for other modern languages covers any language aside from the mainstream subjects of French, German and Spanish. Included are Arabic, Italian, Japanese, modern Hebrew, modern Greek, Bengali, Polish, Turkish, Urdu and Panjabi. More pupils are taking GCSEs in unusual languages such as Chinese and Russian amid claims native speakers are using them to boost their grades (file picture) Iain Mansfield, head of education at the Policy Exchange think tank, said: Encouraging native speakers to take these foreign language GCSEs en masse has long been used by some schools to artificially boost their rankings. While there is nothing wrong with an individual pupil choosing to take a GCSE in their heritage language, the soaring numbers show its time for Government to clamp down on this loophole and ensure schools cant claim credit for entering pupils into language GCSEs at which they are already proficient. Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said: Many of these GCSEs are mainly taken by native speakers because they can do extremely well and meet the obligations on schools to promote language learning. The problem is that there are important foreign languages which other pupils could very usefully learn like Chinese and Russian, but they are nowhere near as good as native speakers, and most Im afraid tend to get put off. The number taking other foreign languages has increased every year since 2021, with a 1 per cent increase since 2024. Almost a quarter 24 per cent of those taking these languages do so a year early, suggesting they may already know all the course content. Last year, 72 per cent of entries to this category got at least a grade 7 equivalent to the old A compared to 22 per cent across all GCSE subjects, making it the highest-scoring. Government data for this year shows 42,945 pupils took GCSEs in niche languages - up 70 per cent from 25,225 just four years ago (file picture) One school, Leeds City Academy, actively encourages pupils to take GCSEs in what it calls heritage languages defined as the first language spoken by the student or a language in which they are proficient. It offers tuition of just two hours a week after school to help them pass the qualifications, which are run by EdExcel. The schools website says: As heritage language students already have a sound knowledge of the language, you will be expected to sit the higher tier exams. Richard Cattoe, principal of Leeds City Academy, said the school caters for many pupils from abroad who may still be learning English and are adjusting to Englands curriculum. He said: Our school is incredibly culturally and contextually unique. We always provide a wide and varied choice to students, often at the expense of securing the very best outcomes for the school. However, ultimately we always do what is right for our students, which in many cases includes, but not always, the opportunity to study a heritage language. Many of our students arrive with no or little educational experience at all and therefore a chance to study a heritage language not only helps to engage them and build confidence, but also the chance to achieve. He added that the school was committed to a balanced and ambitious curriculum and has won two national awards for its dedication to students personal development. However, the trend is a concern for native English speakers who might want to take GCSEs in some of these languages learning from scratch. Some private schools now offer GCSEs in languages such as Chinese, with a view that it could be a useful language to have in the future global job market. Previous research from Ofqual on native speakers taking A-level languages found they perform on average better than non-native speakers. A Department for Education spokesman said: Learning a language empowers young people to engage with the world, think critically and understand new perspectives, and we want all children to have this opportunity regardless of their background or postcode. High and rising standards are at the heart of the governments mission to break down barriers to opportunity which is why we are committed to increasing the number of pupils studying languages at GCSE, including languages that are commonly spoken in modern day Britain. Decisions about which languages to offer at GCSE are taken by exam boards and are partly decided on by the level of demand from schools, and people speaking the language in the UK. Many post-16 and adult learners will take language GCSEs, particularly in lesser taught languages. A free speech row has erupted after a man holding a provocative pro-Palestine sign was arrested outside Westminster Magistrates Court during a demonstration in support of Irish rap trio Kneecap. The Metropolitan Police were on Wednesday accused of 'over-zealous policing' after a protester holding a sign containing the words 'Palestine' and 'action' was detained by officers. It is the latest free speech challenge the police have faced following the proscription of campaign group Palestine Action. Toby Young, co-founder of the Free Speech Union, remarked: 'This isn't quite as bad as the police arresting someone for holding up a sign saying "Plasticine Action", but it's excessive nonetheless. 'The over-zealous policing of pro-Palestinian protestors risks turning anti-terrorism legislation into a joke.' The homemade sign at the centre of this latest controversy stated: 'If you're looking at Palestine and think there should be no action, you're on the wrong side of the genocide.' The words 'Palestine' and 'action' were coloured in black, green and red (the colours of the Palestinian flag) compared with the blue and orange colouring of the rest of the letters - meaning the words clearly stood out. Direct-action protest group Palestine Action was banned by the UK Government on July 5 after supporters of the organisation damaged two Voyager aircrafts at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The homemade sign at the centre of this latest controversy stated: 'If you're looking at Palestine and think there should be no action, you're on the wrong side of the genocide' Direct-action protest group Palestine Action was banned by the UK Government on July 5 after supporters of the organisation damaged two Voyager aircrafts at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire (Pictured: Man being arrested on Wednesday) Police detain a protester wearing a T-shirt in support of Kneecap group, outside the Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday Its proscription has prompted widespread protest and the arrests of hundreds of demonstrators who have routinely sat in Parliament Square holding signs which state: 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.' There has also been increasing confusion from police regarding the exact threshold for a criminal offence. Earlier this week, Miles Pickering was arrested and then de-arrested for wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words 'plasticine action'. Last night, the Metropolitan confirmed they had arrested a man 'on suspicion of supporting a proscribed terrorist group, Palestine Action, in Marylebone Road'. Responding to the controversial arrest on Instagram, Palestine Lobby, a pro-Palestine advocacy group dedicated to campaigning for Palestinian rights, wrote: 'This is an unacceptable misuse of power.' The demonstration this morning was in response to the trial of Liam Og O hAnnaidh - a musician for the band Kneecap. Mo Chara of Kneecap leaving Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday Crowds of protesters gather outside Westminster Magistrates Court in support The masses held signs in support of the rapper Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Og O hAnnaidh, is facing a terrorism charge after allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London Mr O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a flag in support of the terrorist group Hezbollah at a gig in November last year 'in such a way or in such a circumstance as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation'. A decision over whether he will stand trial for this alleged offence was postponed until late September. A police officer who had sex with a vulnerable burglary victim while he was on duty has been jailed for 18 months. Stuart Trentham, 41, whose victim saved his details as 'PC Predator' on her phone, was sentenced on Wednesday by the same judge who sent him to prison for nine months earlier this year for an 'almost identical' offence. Sheffield Crown Court heard how Trentham was a South Yorkshire Police officer who responded to a report of burglary in 2020, during the pandemic lockdown. Prosecutor Joseph Bell said the officer began to exchange increasingly 'flirtatious and sexualised' messages with the woman complainant. Mr Bell said they then had consensual sex when Trentham attended at her house. But the prosecutor said the woman 'saved his number on her mobile phone as PC Predator'. Mr Bell said the woman's friend encouraged her to report the matter at the time, but she was worried about alienating her local police. He said it was only after she saw a documentary about the Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, who murdered Sarah Everard in 2021, that she decided to make a complaint. Police officer Stuart Trentham, 41, who had sex with a vulnerable burglary victim while on duty, was jailed for 18 months Trentham was sentenced by the same judge at Sheffield Crown Court who sent him to prison earlier this year for an 'almost identical' offence He said she was finally prompted by the publicity which surrounded Trentham's jailing for nine months in February for sending inappropriate messages to a vulnerable woman after she reported that sexual images of her had been posted on the internet without her consent in 2022. On Wednesday, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC jailed father-of-three Trentham, who appeared in court on bail, for a further 18 months. He told him: 'You abused the responsibility reposed in you. 'Police officers have a high position in society and are an essential component of a civilised country. 'The public place confidence in a police officer to do the right thing and behave with propriety. 'You betrayed that trust and you have betrayed that trust now twice.' The judge said: 'This is a grotesque breach of trust by a police officer.' He told him: 'You are a disgrace to the police force.' Judge Richardson said: 'It must be made clear that if anyone indulges as a police officer in this form of misconduct, they fall to be punished. 'There has to be an element of deterrent.' The judge said: 'Your conduct twice over in almost identical circumstances is outrageous.' Earlier, Curtis Dunkley, defending, said his client had struggled serving his prison sentence earlier this year as a former police officer, saying it was a 'living hell'. Mr Dunkley said Trentham, of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, had autism and suffered with PTSD. The defendant admitted misconduct in a public office when he appeared in court on Wednesday. He sat in the dock wearing a blue suit and with his head in his hands. Trentham resigned from South Yorkshire Police in 2023. The use of live facial recognition by Britains biggest police force is unlawful and not compatible with human rights laws, the equalities watchdog has said. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has claimed Scotland Yards rules and safeguards fall short of standards and could have a chilling effect on individuals rights when deployed at protests. Live facial recognition (LFR) is set to be deployed by the force at Notting Hill Carnival over the August bank holiday weekend. More than one million people are expected to converge on the streets of west London for the annual celebration. And Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has already sought to reassure campaign groups that the technology will be used without bias. And a spokesman from the force said it believes its use of the tool is both lawful and proportionate, playing a key role in keeping Londoners safe. The EHRC has been given permission to intervene in an upcoming judicial review over LFR, brought by privacy campaigner Big Brother Watch director Silkie Carlo and anti-knife crime community worker Shaun Thompson. They are seeking the legal challenge claiming Mr Thompson was grossly mistreated after LFR wrongly identified him as a criminal last year. A Metropolitan Police Live Facial Recognition unit outside Hammersmith tube station The force's policy on its use of the technology is 'unlawful,' the equalities watchdog has warned The Met plans to deploy the technology at Notting Hill Carnival over the Bank Holiday weekend EHRC chief executive John Kirkpatrick said the technology, when used responsibly, can help combat serious crime and keep people safe, but the biometric data being processed is deeply personal. The law is clear: everyone has the right to privacy, to freedom of expression and to freedom of assembly. These rights are vital for any democratic society, he said. As such, there must be clear rules which guarantee that live facial recognition technology is used only where necessary, proportionate and constrained by appropriate safeguards. We believe that the Metropolitan Police's current policy falls short of this standard. The Met, and other forces using this technology, need to ensure they deploy it in ways which are consistent with the law and with human rights. The watchdog said it believes the Met's policy is unlawful because it is incompatible with Articles 8, right to privacy, 10, freedom of expression, and 11, freedom of assembly and association of the European Convention on Human Rights. Big Brother Watch interim director Rebecca Vincent said the involvement of EHRC in the judicial review was hugely welcome in the landmark legal challenge. Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has already sought to reassure campaign groups that the technology will be used without bias Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, has brought a judicial review over the use of LFR The rapid proliferation of invasive live facial recognition technology without any legislation governing its use is one of the most pressing human rights concerns in the UK today, she said. Live facial recognition surveillance turns our faces into barcodes and makes us a nation of suspects who, as we've seen in Shaun's case, can be falsely accused, grossly mistreated and forced to prove our innocence to authorities. Given this crucial ongoing legal action, the Home Office and police's investment in this dangerous and discriminatory technology is wholly inappropriate and must stop. It comes as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended plans to expand LFR across the country to catch high-harm offenders last week. Last month, the Metropolitan Police announced plans to expand its use of the technology across the capital. Police bosses said LFR will now be used up to ten times per week across five days, up from the current four times per week across two days. A Met spokesman said the force welcomes the EHRC's recognition of the technology's potential in policing, and that the Court of Appeal has confirmed police can use LFR under common law powers. As part of this model, we have strong safeguards in place, with biometric data automatically deleted unless there is a match," they said. Independent research from the National Physical Laboratory has also helped us configure the technology in a way that avoids discrimination. Pupils face fiercer than ever competition for a sixth form place this year partly due to Labours tax raid on private schools, experts claim. As hundreds of thousands of teenagers collect their GCSE results tomorrow, the scramble to bag an A-level place is expected to be the one of the worst on record. The 20 per cent VAT on private school fees, which came into force in January, could push more pupils into the state sector if they cannot afford it. In addition, the population of 16-year-olds has increased this year and grades are forecast to remain higher than before the pandemic. It all means large numbers are expected to get the grades needed for a sixth form place, with competition especially bad at the most selective institutions. Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at Exeter University, told PA Media: Competition for the most selective sixth forms will be fiercer than ever, with fears over VAT on private schools likely driving more families to seek out places in the state sector. Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) added: As the population continues to grow and the opportunities to increase capacity, to build new classroom blocks, is held back it is going to go on getting more competitive. And Catherine Sezen, director of education policy at the Association of Colleges (AoC), said: It will be much tighter [this year]. Pupils face 'fiercer than ever' competition for a sixth form place this year partly due to Labour's tax raid on private schools, experts claim (pictured: GCSE pupils celebrating their results in a previous year) As hundreds of thousands of teenagers collect their GCSE results tomorrow, the scramble to bag an A-level place is expected to be the one of the worst on record (file picture) Roughly one in five entries are expected to achieve at least a 7, equivalent to the old A. Last year, 21.7 per cent of grades in England hit this mark, a small rise on 2023 and the highest in 12 years. Grading has never returned to how low it was before the pandemic, when grades were wildly inflated due to teachers deciding grades. Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, said: It could be that we are seeing the emergence of a new normal, in which case this years grading will resemble that of last year. Of course, there is always the chance that the regulators could make a further push to get back to pre-pandemic levels. However, since the top grades were not lowered in 2023 and 2024 when there was pressure to do so, it is more likely that they will stay high this year. Across the UK, the proportion getting at least 7 last year was 21.8 per cent, but this was a fall from the previous year due to other nations bringing their grading down. This year, pupils in two areas will be receiving their results by app on their phones for the first time as part of a trial ahead of a national roll-out. The 20 per cent VAT on private school fees, which came into force in January, could push more pupils into the state sector if they cannot afford it (pictured: Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson) The Education Record app will deliver results at 11am to 95,000 students in Manchester and the West Midlands. It comes after A-level pupils celebrated a bumper crop of grades last week, with entries graded at A and A* rising to an all-time high outside of the pandemic years, to well over a quarter of the total. As a result, the highest number of applicants ever 439,180 were accepted onto degree courses up by 3.1 per cent on the same time last year. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has previously said the new VAT on private school fees is necessary to fund other public services including state schools. A Department for Education spokesman said: We know that capacity is a concern for some sixth form colleges, which is why we have provided 238 million of capital funding to create 24,000 additional places in post-16 education up to 2025. In addition, areas with the greatest demographic growth, specifically the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Leeds City Council, both received an allocation of 10 million in April 2025 to increase capacity and relieve pressure. Further education is crucial to breaking down barriers to opportunity and delivering the growth that our economy needs through our Plan for Change, which is why we are spending 1.2 billion more on skills by 2028/29. A trio of Trump officials - Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller - got heckled Wednesday at Washington, D.C.'s Union Station as they tried to serve National Guard members hamburgers. Vance made the unscheduled trip to the Amtrak hub's Shake Shack, a move that immediately attracted 'free D.C.' and also some 'free Palestine' protesters. One man saw the group and yelled, 'f*** you Pete, f***ing Nazi,' while another joined in by screaming, 'get the f*** out of my city,' videos from the scene showed. Another demonstrator posted himself yelling toward Vance: 'Oh look, it's couch f***er. You gonna f*** a couch buddy? Go f*** a couch, go back to Ohio little p**** boy.' President Donald Trump announced on August 11 that he was deploying the National Guard to the capital and federalizing the District's police force, complaining about the city's high crime rate. For days, members of the National Guard have been parked outside Union Station - the main train station in Washington, known more for its food court than being an epicenter of violence. Throughout the city, more than 550 arrests have been made since the beginning of the crackdown. 'We wanted to bring you guys some burgers. We appreciate everything you've been doing,' Vance told the troops. 'You guys bust your a** all day and we give you a hamburger. Not a fair trade, but we're grateful for everything you guys do.' As Vance, Hegseth and Miller mingled with the military members, the protesting was audible. Top Trump aide Miller called the hecklers interrupting the event: 'stupid white hippies.' 'So we're going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old,' huffed Miller as the trio tried to conduct a Q&A with journalists on the scene. Hecklers could be heard throughout White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller (left), Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (center) and Vice President J.D. Vance's (right) unscheduled trip to Union Station Wednesday to meet with National Guard troops A man holds a 'Free D.C.' sign outside of where Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller were meeting with National Guard troops at Union Station's Shake Shack The vice president told reporters that D.C. has seen a dip in crime 'because these guys are busting their ass.' 'You can actually bring law and order to communities you've just gotta have the political willpower to do it,' Vance said. 'And I think you hear these guys outside here screaming at us.' 'Of course these are a bunch of crazy protesters, but I'll tell you, a couple of years ago when I brought my kids here, they were being screamed at by violent vagrants and it was scaring the hell out of my kids,' the VP continued. 'And one of the things that we've done already in Union Station in just nine days is we've made it a place where people can walk around safely, they can bring their kids again, they can see this beautiful monument, the architecture, they can have a meal with their friends and loved ones,' Vance added. 'Because we've brought some law and order back to Washington, D.C.' Vance was asked why the troops were deployed to areas frequented by tourists instead of neighborhoods in D.C. that see the highest instances of violent crime. 'Well, if you've ever been to Union Station in the last few years with your family, you know the crime is actually extremely high right here in Union Station,' Vance responded. 'You have vagrants, you have drug addicts, you have the chronically homeless, you have the mentally ill who harass, who threaten violence, who attack families and they've done it for far too long,' he added. Vance expressed disbelief that residents of Washington, D.C. were against the Guard's deployment and the federal takeover of D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department. Vice President J.D. Vance (center) and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (right) are captured walking through the main hall of Union Station after meeting with troops at the train station's Shake Shack Vice President J.D. Vance eats a burger with members of the National Guard who were deployed by President Donald Trump to deal with crime in Washington, D.C. Vance attracted protesters Wednesday when he showed up to the historic train station Vice President J.D. Vance can be seen talking into Union Station on Wednesday, making an unscheduled stop at the train station to visit the Shake Shack and feed members of the National Guard hamburgers. The visit attracted a number of 'Free D.C.' protesters 'I'm highly skeptical that a majority of D.C. residents don't want their city to have better public safety and more reasonable safety standards within Washington, D.C.,' Vance replied. 'I don't know what poll you're talking about. Maybe the same poll that said Kamala Harris would win the popular vote by 10 points.' A Washington Post-Schar School poll released earlier Wednesday found that 69 percent of D.C. residents 'strongly oppose' Trump federalizing the police force and bringing in National Guard troops. Another 10 percent somewhat opposed the move. Just 9 percent of Washingtonians strongly supported Trump's order, with another 8 percent who said they somewhat supported it. 'We hear these people outside screaming 'Free D.C.' Let's free D.C. from lawlessness, let's free Washington, D.C. from one of the highest murder rates in the entire world. Let's free Washington, D.C., so young families can walk around and feel safe and secure. That's what we're trying to free D.C. from,' Vance also said. 'And as Stephen said,' Vance continued, referencing Miller. 'It's kind of bizarre that we have a bunch of old, primarily white people who are out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when they've never felt danger in their entire lives.' A teacher accused of getting pregnant by a 13 year-old boy faces prison after DNA evidence allegedly proved the victim fathered her child, the Daily Mail has learned. Laura Caron, 35, made her latest appearance at a court in Cape May, New Jersey, on Wednesday morning for a procedural hearing on sexual assault charges. Dressed demurely in white, the fifth-grade teacher at Middle Township Elementary School looked terrified as her attorney John W. Tumelty faced a judge and asked for more time to prepare their case. Caron, who has been suspended from her job while the case against her proceeds, did not speak during the hearing. And Caron - who gave birth to the baby in 2019 - has good reason to be scared, according to a source who said the results of a DNA test showed the boy was indeed the father. That means plea deal discussions may now follow. Prosecutors previously offered Caron 10 years behind bars in return for an admission of guilt. Prosecutors are believed to be finished with their investigation against Caron, with the disgraced ex-teacher's defense now wrapping up their case preparation. Laura Caron appeared at a procedural hearing in Cape May, New Jersey, on Wednesday on charges of sexually assaulting a 13 year-old schoolboy whose baby she allegedly gave birth to A source told the Daily Mail that DNA evidence shows Caron's baby daughter was fathered by the boy she's accused of abusing, who is now a 20 year-old student Caron's attorney John W. Tumelty told the Daily Mail that his client 'is doing well' and that she has 'no contact' with her alleged victim, as stipulated by a court order. If convicted of child sexual assault, Caron faces a minimum of 10 years behind bars - with the maximum term behind prison stretching to 40 years. After Wednesday's hearing, Caron fled the court and tried to shield her face from a waiting photographer using a black windbreaker. She declined to answer questions about whether she has any remorse or regrets. She was accompanied to court by her brother and her father, who shouted 'Get away from my car!' when asked to comment on the case. Moments later, Caron made it into the car, which screeched out of the court's parking lot. Earlier this year, the boy Caron is accused of raping when he was 13 and she was 28, gave the Daily Mail an extraordinary exclusive interview where he insisted that he made a pass at her first. Now 20 years-old and at college, the boy claimed that he is no victim, that he still loves Caron and that he wants to start a family with her when he can. Caron leaves the courthouse in Cape May after Wednesday's hearing. She is facing a minimum of 10 years behind bars Caron's alleged victim is pictured here. He previously told the Daily Mail that he'd made the first move on Caron, that she was no predator and that he wanted to be with her Caron is pictured while pregnant. Her alleged victim's father called cops late last year on seeing a photo of her daughter and being shocked by the resemblance to his son 'They need to drop all charges. I wasn't groomed or raped or manipulated by her. She never initiated anything,' he said. 'I started everything. If it was up to me she wouldn't have been in jail. It's been six or seven years. I'm 19 about to be 20.' The teen rejected any suggestion the alleged abuse happened when he was 11, calling the allegations 'crazy'. But he was still three years under the age of consent in New Jersey when Caron sexually abused him, prosecutors say. Caron met the boy after teaching his older sister. The boy's parents were impressed by how their daughter was thriving under Caron's tutelage and asked for advice on how to get the best education for their son. Caron befriended the boy's family, who were so trusting they'd let her stay in their house overnight. Caron pictured after her arrest in January. She remains suspended from Middle Township Elementary School, where she worked as a fifth grade teacher The teacher got pregnant and gave birth in 2019. In December 2024, the boy's father saw a photo of Caron's daughter - the child believed to be his granddaughter - and was shocked at the girl's resemblance to his son. He contacted police, who arrested Caron in January. The boy, now a promising young star athlete, says he is upset at his father for going to police and claims to be estranged from his family. He said: 'All of this started with a Facebook post from my father. I didn't want her violated like that.' 'This stuff is so deep. Like the world has no idea what she has done for my family.' 'I love her with all my heart. She was there for me and my family.' Caron is due back in court next month. America's top spy agency announced it will 'rightsize' its overall footprint by cutting almost half of all its employees after President Donald Trump directed that members the 'deep state' be rooted out. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard sent out an email to Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) employees on Wednesday announcing the launch of 'ODNI 2.0,' the culmination of a months-long effort to reduce redundancies and cut costs, including employees. 'This will reduce ODNI by over 40 percent by the end of the fiscal year 2025 and save taxpayers over $700 million per year,' an ODNI press release announcing the shift says. The move is directly in line with Trump's efforts to reform the intelligence community and root out the 'deep state,' multiple senior ODNI officials who worked on the sweeping review told the Daily Mail. And Trump has given his blessing, too, the officials stressed, noting that Gabbard herself briefed the president on the staff reduction two weeks ago, alongside National Security Advisor Marco Rubio. Created shortly after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, ODNI oversees 18 separate intelligence arms of the U.S. government, serving as a hub designed to connect them. Though the exact number of ODNI employees is classified, when Gabbard took over the agency, it had between 1,850 - 2,000 staff, the sources shared. ODNI is now expected to have around 1,300 staffers following Wednesday's seismic shake-up. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced on Wednesday that the agency she oversees, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, will reduce staff by up to 40 percent in an effort to streamline the spy agency and cut costs Certain ODNI employees will be fired while others will be reassigned internally and some detailees - employees on 'loan' from other intelligence agencies - will return to their original employers, like the CIA, FBI or others. Above USAID workers are shown leaving their HQ Multiple senior ODNI officials told the Daily Mail that the restructuring of the agency comes at the behest of Trump. Some officials noted how the reforms will target the 'deep state' Gabbard's letter said the layoffs would be effective by September 30, 2025 and would save taxpayers over $700 million annually. The memo, which was reviewed by the Daily Mail, shares the specifics of the layoffs and has details on how the move better aligns the agency with Trump's vision. 'Mahalo,' the internal announcement ends. In addition to ODNI staffers being let go on Wednesday, the agency has also been working to slim its workforce by not hiring vacant positions, a senior ODNI official shared. The agency is also returning detailees - workers from other intelligence agencies on 'loan' to the ODNI - back to their original agencies. Five senior ODNI officials briefed the Daily Mail and other outlets on the dramatic action just before it was sent out to employees. They stressed that the reforms will help the intelligence community become more agile and reactive to emerging threats after the ODNI has remained 'relatively untouched for 20 years.' A number of employees left the ODNI over Trump's DEI executive order earlier this year, while others have accepted the administration's 'deferred resignation' deals, multiple senior ODNI officials shared 'We couldn't move quickly enough,' one of the ODNI officials said. 'We have to move faster ... and pivot to an elite workforce.' 'DEI was a detriment to national security issues,' another senior ODNI official told the Daily Mail. 'Every position should add value.' The slashings aim to set a framework for a larger intelligence community overhaul, the officials said, teasing that the ODNI's reforms may soon become standard across other federal intel agencies, like the CIA, FBI and others. Several of the senior ODNI officials stated the 2.0 project will more easily enable the spy agency to sunset outdated projects and focus on priorities. Artificial Intelligence and how foreign actors can deploy the technology, for example, is an area of interest for the agency, one senior ODNI official shared. Fighting insurgents abroad, like ISIS, is now less of a focus, they added. Sen. Tom Cotton looks on as Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be Director of National Intelligence, testifies during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Other disciplines, like the ODNI's Foreign Malign Influence Center (FMIC), are being shut down altogether, and their employees are either being laid off or sent to other parts of the intelligence apparatus. The shake-up also means the National Intelligence University (NIU) will merge with the National Defense University (NDU) into a joint program now overseen by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth instead of the ODNI. A satellite campus for the ODNI in Reston, Virginia - where the National Intelligence Council (NIC) meets - will also be shuttered and all NIC employees will now report to ODNI. Sen. Tom Cotton, the chair of the Senate's intelligence committee, recently put forward a proposal that would limit the number of ODNI staff to 650, about half of the active workforce following Wednesday's announcement. Even some ODNI officials pushed back against Cotton's more drastic cuts, arguing that his number appears to be too small to effectively operate the spy agency. 'In the national security space we're not looking to slash and burn,' a senior ODNI official told the Daily Mail. A Florida woman has been left fighting for her life after a botched Brazilian butt lift operation from an unqualified surgeon, her husband alleged in a new lawsuit. Daidys Pena Garces, 50, underwent the procedure, also known as a BBL, at A&E Med Spa in Miami on May 15, 2023. The operation was performed by Dr. Fermin Morales, who only weeks later caused another BBL patient's death following the procedure, state health officials said. The operation involves taking fat from the hips, abdomen and other areas via liposuction, before injecting it into the buttocks. Recipients hope for a bigger, more pert behind, but experts have long warned of the dangers of BBLs, which can prove fatal. Less than a month after her procedure, Garces suffered a pulmonary embolism that caused severe brain damage and left her unable to walk, talk or feed herself, according to her husband, Jorge Fernandez. 'She was my first, like my first love,' he told WSVN. '[Now] she never more will talk or walk or eat by herself.' Fernandez filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against A&E Med Spa and Morales, who is certified as a general surgeon, not a plastic surgeon, in June. The lawsuit claims Garces was not made aware of the risks associated with the elective surgery or of Morales' qualifications because the med spa withheld information from her. Daidys Pena Garces (pictured), 50, has been left fighting for her life after a botched Brazilian butt lift operation Less than a month later after her BBL, Garces suffered a pulmonary embolism that caused severe brain damage and left her unable to walk, talk or feed herself 'This pulmonary embolism occurred because of this surgery,' Fernandez's attorney, Lavenia Santos, told WSVN. According to the lawsuit, Garces was never made aware that Morales was not a plastic surgeon. 'From representations made by the agents at A&E Med Spa, any reasonable person would be led to believe that Fermin Esteban Morales, M.D., was Board Certified in Plastic Surgery when, in fact, he was not,' the court document said. 'Garces would not have undergone the high-risk plastic surgery procedure had she known that [Morales] was not a trained and board-certified plastic surgeon.' In Florida, there is no legal requirement that a doctor be a board-certified plastic surgeon to preform a BBL. 'The woman has no idea that she is not being cared for by a board-certified plastic surgeon. That's just wrong,' Santos said. 'If the public knew that, they probably not be so willing to go, regardless of price. What happened to her shouldn't happen to anyone.' A GoFundMe page set up for Garces and Fernandez said that she 'had no idea the surgeon was unqualified.' Garces husband filed a lawsuit against A&E Med Spa and Dr. Fermin Morales (pictured), who performed the BBL, for not informing them Morales is not a board-certified plastic surgeon Garces (right) is 'unable to perform any activities of daily living without assistance' from her husband (left) The lawsuit claims she never would have gotten the operation had she known Morales was not a board-certified plastic surgeon 'Daidys required emergency medical care and was hospitalized for seven months due to the pulmonary embolism,' it read. 'Now, Daidys is unable to perform any activities of daily living without assistance. Along with facing an extended recovery process, she is now burdened with growing medical bills and ongoing treatments.' Additionally, the lawsuit argues that Garces was not properly made aware of the medical risks of the operation because all of the informed consent documents she signed were in English, not her primary language of Spanish. In their response filing, A&E Med Spa denied all of the allegations. Their attorneys told the local news station that Morales no longer works there. The Daily Mail contacted A&E Med Spa, their attorneys, Morales and his current employer, New Life Plastic Surgery, for comment. In February, Morales was accused by the Florida Department of Health of causing a BBL patient's death in 2023, the same year as Garces' operation, the Miami Herald reported. On June 7, 2023, Morales allegedly injected fat into the wrong area during a 40-year-old woman's BBL procedure at Doral's Venus Cosmetic Institute/DASO Plastic Surgery, located in a strip mall. The woman died the next day and her autopsy found 'copious globules of lacerated fat throughout her left and right superficial and deep gluteal muscles' and 'fat globules in blood' in her left lung vessels. Donald Trump was handed another blow on Wednesday when a federal judge denied his administration's attempts to release grand jury testimony from the Jeffrey Epstein case. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman deemed Trump's Justice Department did not provide adequate reasoning to unseal the highly-protected materials. He also said that the grand jury motion was likely a 'diversion' coming from the Trump administration. '[T]he court denies the government's motion to unseal the Epstein grand jury transcripts and exhibits,' the Clinton-appointed judge wrote in his Wednesday decision. It comes after Attorney General Pam Bondi requested the documents be unsealed in an attempt to satisfy Americans who were enraged over the lackluster review of the Epstein files. The MAGA base has claimed there is an ongoing 'cover-up' orchestrated by Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel after failing to be 'transparent' about the files. 'Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social account last month amid the backlash. On July 18, Bondi filed motions in the Southern Districts of New York and Florida to have judges grant release of grand jury testimony from the sex trafficker's cases in the respective states. Donald Trump's latest attempts to release more Epstein files was rebuked by New York District Judge Richard Berman (pictured), who called the request for grand jury testimony a 'diversion' Judge Berman was appointed in 1998 by President Bill Clinton (left), who has professional and personal ties to Jeffrey Epstein (right) Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi last month to file motions to unseal grand jury testimony in the cases in Florida and New York amid a slew of fallout for the Epstein files review Florida swiftly denied the request, while the New York court requested the government send their reasoning for requesting the years-old documents be drudged up. Trump's government argued in its reasoning that 'the passage of time has not dulled the public's interest in these cases.' It also revealed that there were only two witnesses in the case an FBI agent and New York Police Department officer, both of whom are still alive. But Judge Berman claimed that the reasoning was not sufficient for him to grant the request to unseal the grand jury testimony. 'The Government is a logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein files,' Berman wrote in the Wednesday decision. 'By comparison, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a 'diversion' from the breath and scope of the Epstein files in the Government's possession.' He also said that Trump's administration did not exhibit there were any 'special circumstances' that would justify unsealing the documents. Berman has come under fire from Trump and his supporters in the past for being a partisan judge. Bill Clinton appointed Berman to the bench in the Southern District of New York in 1998, where he has worked ever since as a judge and then a senior judge starting in September 2011. Documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking crimes have consumed Americans furious that the FBI and Justice Department are not being as transparent with the Epstein files as Trump promised they would be It's widely known that Clinton and Epstein had personal, professional and philanthropic connections. Epstein donated $1,000 to Clinton's presidential campaign in 1991 and two years later contributed $10,000 to the White House Historical Association for a redecoration project. This got him and longtime girlfriend and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell a ticket to a White House donors' reception hosted by Bill and Hillary Clinton. Maxwell is still serving out a 20-year sentence in relation to the child sex trafficking crimes. She even spoke for nine hours over the course of two days with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in Florida last month to answer questions about Epstein's crimes. She was transferred to a prison in Texas days after the interviews and appears to be angling for pardon from Trump. Flight logs for Epstein's private plane the 'Lolita Express' show that Clinton took at least 17 flights between 2002 and 2003, often with staff, Secret Service agents and Clinton Foundation supporters. Trump has links to Epstein and , like Bill Clinton, his name appears on his flight logs for the disgraced financier's private jet the 'Lolita Express' Trump also has links to the disgraced financier and appears on his flight logs. Epstein attended Trump's wedding to his second wife Marla Maples in 1993. The deep connections to those most influential in political and business circles is what Americans think is stopping the release of files related to his crimes and his sketchy death. Conspiracies still float online claiming that Epstein was killed in prison in August 2019 and that it was made to look like he took his own life even though Trump's DOJ concluded that Epstein did commit suicide. San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus is fighting to keep her job as a removal hearing probes allegations of her favoritism, retaliation and abuse of authority. If the Board of Supervisors votes to remove her, she would become the first elected sheriff in California history to be ousted in this way. The proceedings are being overseen by retired Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Emerson and follow the board's unanimous vote in June under a 2025 charter amendment that allows elected officials to be removed through 2028, SFGATE reported. Corpus, elected in 2022 as the county's first female and Latina sheriff, has denied the allegations and remains in office while her appeal is pending. The case centers on claims that Corpus gave her former chief of staff, Victor Aenlle, a lucrative job he wasn't qualified for, retaliated against critics, and ordered the arrest of a union president on the same day a scathing report about her leadership was released. That 400-page investigation, obtained by The Mercury News, concluded: 'Lies, secrecy, intimidation, retaliation, conflicts of interest and abuses of authority are the hallmarks of the Corpus administration.' According to the outlet, text messages presented in court showed Corpus describing her marriage as 'stressful.' In one exchange, former colleague Valerie Barnes told her, 'You deserve to be spoiled and doted on' and asked for a 'pic of your sparklies.' San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus, elected in 2022 as the countys first female and Latina sheriff, is now fighting to keep her job amid allegations of favoritism and retaliation Victor Aenlle, Corpus former chief of staff, was given a six-figure job critics say he wasnt qualified for The outlet also reported that Corpus denied claims $8,000 earrings mentioned in the report came from Aenlle, testifying that she purchased them herself because her husband would not. She was also pressed about her use of a derogatory term for a lesbian councilmember. Corpus said she misunderstood the word, telling the court: 'It was not in Merriam-Webster and I don't read Urban Dictionary.' Other testimony has focused on her relationship with Aenlle. Former Undersheriff Chris Hsiung said he noticed 'unusual behavior' between them, including food sharing and coordinated logins on an encrypted messaging app, according to the Palo Alto Daily Post. Corpus denied a romantic relationship but said Aenlle helped her care for her son with special needs. Former Assistant Sheriff Jeff Kernan testified he confronted her about rumors of a Hawaii trip with Aenlle, warning it could hurt her reputation. A separate 59-page report by law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters - covered by SFGATE - went further, alleging Corpus and Aenlle were seen kissing and that he gave her luxury boots and money for $12,000 earrings. The report also accused her of neglecting her duties, obstructing investigations and showing favoritism toward Aenlle, who had never completed deputy training. The county also highlighted the arrest of Deputy Carlos Tapia, president of the Deputy Sheriffs' Association, for alleged time card fraud on the day Cordell's report was released. Corpus leaves the courthouse flanked by attorneys after testifying on the second day of her removal hearing on August 19 Corpus, who has denied all wrongdoing, says she is the target of entrenched rivals after cutting back wasteful overtime and challenging corruption He was later cleared of wrongdoing. Corpus defended the move, saying she relied on an internal investigation and cleared it with the district attorney before proceeding, The Mercury News reported. Her defense team, led by former U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Christopher Ulrich, argues she is being unfairly targeted by an old guard intent on blocking reform. They point to her decision to end wasteful overtime practices that cost millions and her push to clean up corruption under previous leadership. The appeal hearing is expected to last up to 10 days, SFGATE reported. Judge Emerson will then issue a recommendation within 45 days, with the Board of Supervisors making the final decision. The Daily Mail has reached out to each party's legal representatives for comment. An award-nominated care home manager told staff there was 'not a budget' to buy residents new underwear because she had stolen 55,000 from their accounts. Keeley Coleman used bank cards that belonged to two vulnerable residents and a 'pooled' card from seven others to buy a car, caravan and hot tub, Nottingham Crown Court heard. The 48-year-old took the cards from a locked safe inside The Old Vicarage, in Ollerton - a care home which supports residents on the autism spectrum, those with learning disabilities and other severe and complex needs. When a team leader at the home asked for access to residents' accounts to buy them essential items such as underwear, Ms Coleman said there was 'not a budget' for such purchases which led to residents 'relying on second-hand donations'. Jailing her for two years and seven months, Judge Philip Head said: 'You began working there in 2020 and starting almost immediately you took on the financial management of residents' money. 'Over the next three years you stole 55,000 belonging to nine residents, 21,000 from one alone. 'You used two company bank cards and two resident banks cards to withdraw cash allegedly for residents but you underdrew and pocketed the rest.. At times, when residents were in need, you would say they had insufficient funds in their accounts to meet their needs. The 48-year-old took the cards from a locked safe inside The Old Vicarage, in Ollerton (pictured) Keeley Coleman used bank cards that belonged to two vulnerable residents and a 'pooled' card from seven others to buy a car, caravan and hot tub, Nottingham Crown Court heard 'On occasions, that meant staff would bring in their own clothing for residents. You saw that and carried on anyway. You bought a new car for your daughter, a caravan and a hot tub for yourself. 'I have read the pre-sentence report and it strikes me that (you are) minimising your offending significantly. There is need not greed and greed not need and you were boasting to staff about significant expenditure. 'I accept your husband's business was in difficulties and the burden of the family had fallen on you. I accept your son also has a severe attachment issue to yourself.' After being arrested and questioned Ms Coleman said she stole the cash as she was 'in debt and struggling but never intended it to escalate in the way it did'. She pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by abuse of position and once count of false accounting. Declan Smith, mitigating, said: 'In relation to her leaving the company, that was at a time when the investigation had not yet been carried out. 'She entered guilty pleas on the first opportunity. Her son has neurodivergent issues and she is the full-time carer for him.' Just a month before the fraud was discovered then chief executive of Creative Care, Ian Coldrick, wrote in a company newsletter: 'I'm thrilled to share that one of our exceptional managers, Keeley Coleman, has been nominated and shortlisted in the "Care Home Manager" category at the prestigious Great British Care Awards. 'This is a testament to the dedication and excellence that Keeley brings to The Old Vicarage, Ollerton and Creative Care.' Megan Morrison, prosecuting, said: 'In Oct 2023 the operations manager became suspicious and visited the care home and the defendant was there. Staff were spoken to and as a result of internal investigation she was spoken to. 'A team leader at the home asked for access for personal residents' accounts to buy them items such as underwear and was told by the defendant they did not have the budget for such purchases. Staff also raised concerns about record-keeping. 'She left her employment and after that it was discovered she had been taking large amounts of cash from the company and residents' accounts. She did provide a small amount of cash to residents but each time cash was withdrawn large amounts were kept for herself. 'The value of the fraud has been calculated and it was 21,528..40 to one resident; 10,457.65 to another and the seven pooled residents' cards totalled 23,634.51. The total loss to the company in terms of business impact has been calculated overall to be 61,050.99. 'The police examined her bank account and found that between July 2021 and December 2023, a total of 29,162 had been transferred in from these (residents') accounts. The monthly sums started off smaller and by the end ran into thousands. 'In interview she accepted spending the money saying she was in debt and struggling but never intended it to escalate in the way it did.' In January, 2025, Creative Care was sold to the fellow care provider firm Consensus. Follwing sentence this week, a spokesperson said: 'There is nothing more important to us than protecting the interests of the people we support. 'We have apologised to the people involved for this terrible breach of trust and we are close to concluding a process that will ensure they are fully reimbursed. 'As soon as we were made aware of the situation, we immediately contacted the relevant authorities. We have worked closely with Nottinghamshire County Council and the police during their investigation. 'We can confirm that the former member of staff has not worked at the service since October 2023. 'Additionally, we have undertaken a comprehensive review and strengthened our financial audting processes. 'We are confident that we have the robust systems in place to ensure this will not happen again.' A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, which could see the defendant stripped of cash and assets, will take place on November 21. A man who was stabbed to death in the middle of the street has been named by police as ice cream seller Shazad Khan. The Metropolitan Police were called to reports of a knifing in Monks Park, Wembley, at around 6.10pm on Tuesday. Mr Khan, 41, was treated by London Ambulance Service paramedics but, despite their best efforts, was pronounced dead at the scene. His family is being supported by specialist officers. A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, while a 31-year-old woman was detained at the scene on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. They both remain in police custody. Asim Mahmood Butt, 39, a local resident living in nearby Tokyngton Avenue, said he was childhood friends with the victim. He said that Mr Khan was married and had a young daughter and was well known locally for having a large teddy bear on his ice cream van. Shazad Khan was stabbed to death in the middle of the street in Wembley on Tuesday The scene in Monks Park, Wembley, north-west London, on Wednesday A blue forensics tent has been erected on the street following the stabbing on Tuesday Speaking at the scene, Mr Butt said: 'I got a call from one of my cousins. This guy, we know him - he's a famous ice cream guy. He got stabbed yesterday. 'I came here and his body was still here, and police had cordoned off the area. 'I know his brothers as well, they're all local. We all used to play cricket and football here in Monks Park. He started [selling] ice cream about a year ago.' Mr Butt said the victim was married and had a young daughter. The force previously stated the man was 38, though later confirmed he was 41. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, local policing commander for north-west London, said: 'Our thoughts remain with Shazad's family and friends at this unimaginably difficult time. 'This incident will rightly cause concern across the community, but intelligence at this stage leads us to believe there is no wider threat to the public. 'Detectives are conducting a thorough and fast-paced investigation, and locals can expect to see an uptick in police presence in the area. 'Anyone with any information particularly dashcam or doorbell footage from the time of the incident is urged to speak to us as a matter of urgency.' The Scottish Labour MSP Colin Smyth has been arrested and charged with the possession of indecent images of children. The party has suspended the former modern studies teacher, who served as Scottish Labours top official before entering Holyrood in 2016, and withdrawn the whip. Mr Smyth said he was in shock and was cooperating with the authorities. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: On Tuesday, 5 August, 2025, officers executed a warrant at a property in Dumfries. A 52-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with possession of indecent images. He is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date. The married father-of-two is now sitting as an Independent MSP for South Scotland. In a statement, Mr Smyth said: These events have come as a shock and this is a deeply stressful time. I am obviously cooperating fully with any inquiries and hope the matter can be resolved quickly. Scottish Labour MSP Colin Smyth has been arrested and charged over indecent images I am not able to comment further at this stage, and in the meantime I would ask that my family and friends are given privacy. A Scottish Labour spokesman said: The whip has been removed from Colin Smyth MSP, pending an investigation. We cannot comment further on this matter while the investigation is ongoing. It is understood the MSP was administratively suspended after the party became aware of the police investigation. Mr Smyth appeared in a video with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar which was posted on social media two days after the arrest, but it has since been deleted. In the week after the arrest, Mr Smyths own account on X continued to post pictures of him meeting people at the Dumfries & Lockerbie Agricultural Show held on August 2. On August 13, he held a meeting with the Scottish Pensioners Forum, and on August 15 held a doorstep surgery with a Dumfries Labour councillor about roads and bus services. Born in Dumfries, Mr Smyth was first elected for Labour as a Dumfries & Galloway councillor in 2007. MSP Colin Smyth with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, bottom, in the Scottish Parliament Colin Smyth served as Scottish Labour general secretary from 2008 to 2012 He served as Scottish Labour general secretary from 2008 until 2012, and helped run its disastrous 2011 election campaign, when the SNP won an unprecedented majority. He was elected to Holyrood for the first time in 2016 as a list MSP for South Scotland. He backed Mr Sarwar in the 2021 Scottish Labour leadership race and was given a key role as the partys spokesman on the constitution as the SNP ramped up efforts to secure a second referendum and end the Union. Mr Smyth, whose family hails from Northern Ireland, stood unsuccessfully against the Tories in Dumfriesshire in 2021 election, but he returned to Holyrood via the regional list. In 2023, Mr Sarwar made him his champion for older people and he is currently piloting a members Bill through Holyrood to establish a Commissioner for Older People. Mr Smyth was re-selected in April as Scottish Labours candidate in Dumfriesshire for the 2026 Holyrood election. But his suspension means he is currently unable to stand for the party. Until this month, Mr Smyth was convener of Holyroods economy and fair work committee and a substitute member of its public audit and standards committees. He is married with two daughters. A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service added: A standard prosecution report has been received by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service from Police Scotland in relation to a 52-year-old man. Senior Nationalists have sparked outrage after demanding an end to MSPs swearing allegiance to the King while public services 'collapse around them. The move would require rewriting the Scotland Act which underpins devolution and votes in the House of Commons, House of Lords and Holyrood. The Scottish Conservatives said voters crying out for improvements in the NHS, education and policing would be repelled by the constitutional navel gazing. Tory MSP Murdo Fraser called it the worst sort of petty student politics. He said: Scots will be outraged SNP MSPs are focusing on this issue while our public services collapse around them. Parliament should be holding this failing SNP government to account on so many issues such as the ferry scandal, Scotlands record level of drug deaths and our flagging economy, rather than wasting time discussing this. It is typical Nationalist MSPs are yet again putting their obsession with the constitution above everything else and things that really matter to people. Statistics this week showed worsening A&E waits, with more than a third of patients waiting more than the four-hour target to be seen, and growing numbers of cancer deaths. Recent weeks have also revealed a 15 per cent surge in drug overdoses, a stubborn attainment gap between rich and poor schools pupils, and growing numbers of crimes going unsolved. The annual GERS report also indicated a 26.5billion gap between public spending in Scotland and what is raised in tax, driven in part by a runaway welfare budget. Scotland is also still stuck in a cost of living crisis that has seen bills continue to soar. Kevin Stewart wants MSPs to pledge allegiance to the people of Scotland Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer has backed the call The row was triggered by former SNP minister Kevin Stewart calling for Scotland to follow the example of one of the smallest nations in the Commonwealth. The Caribbean island of Grenada last month agreed to change its oath of allegiance to remove the words His Majesty King Charles the Third, His Heirs and Successors. In future, parliamentarians will simply swear allegiance to Grenada. Mr Stewart tabled a parliamentary motion on Tuesday. The Aberdeen Central MSP said Holyrood should commend Grenada for dropping the oath of allegiance to the British crown. Urging MSPs to recognise the people of Scotland are sovereign, he said Holyrood should have the power to follow Grenadas lead and have its members pledge allegiance to the people of Scotland and not an unelected monarch. By Wednesday night, the motion had been signed by another 11 SNP MSPs, including former housing minister Paul McLennan and ex-minister for parliamentary business George Adam. Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer and Labour left-winger Mercedes Villalba also supported the call, as did SNP-turned-independent MSP John Mason. A host of MSPs have complained about the oath since the Scottish parliament was revived in 1999. Within minutes of the devolution era beginning, then SNP leader Alex Salmond stated his primary loyalty lies with the people of Scotland before being sworn in as the third ever MSP. Then Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan was sworn in under protest in 1999, saying it was at odds with his vision for Scotland as a democratic socialist republic. In 2003, fellow Scottish Socialist Rosie Kane famously made her affirmation with my oath is to the people written on her upraised palm. Hitting out at the latest bid to undermine the oath, Mr Fraser added: This is a shameless bid from an Nationalist MSP to try and pander to republican voters inside and outside of his party. The reality is the King and the monarchy remain one of the most loved and respected institutions across Scotland. Most people will wonder why Nationalist MSPs are focusing on this constitutional navel gazing when they should be tackling the real priorities of Scots... rather than engaging in the worst sort of petty student politics. Alastair Cameron, chair of Scotland in Union, said: Its typical of the SNP to focus on trivial matters when so much else is going wrong. Its a waste of time and effort, and shows more than ever why Scotland must vote for change next May. Labour peer George Foulkes, a former MSP, said the SNP habitually obsessed about trivia and vanity projects and voters were increasingly fed up with them. He said: The papers are full of stories about people being let down by the NHS and schools and the justice system, yet the SNP is focused on irrelevancies. These strange diversions only play into the hands of the people who want to abolish Holyrood. The 15 men and women selected for the jury file into the courtroom to find the bewigged figure on the bench prodding at a laptop with two fingers. They sit in silence, unacknowledged, and wait. Finally Sheriff Alastair Carmichael looks up at them and beams. Good morning, says a disembodied voice. He gestures a greeting with his face. You will have noticed that my lips are not moving. This is because my voice doesnt work properly. In court number four, solemn procedure is under way. A man sits in the dock accused of sex offences and assaults on women. The evidence is expected to take a week or more. And the sheriff presiding over the trial, it seems, does not speak. Remarkably, no one present appears fazed by this, least of all the sheriff, who is back typing again. It will probably seem a bit weird at first, he says, again not moving his lips. But you will get used to it. The hearing unfolding in Dundee Sheriff Court is, in many ways, wholly unexceptional. It follows standard criminal court procedure established under Scots Law and, as always, requires the jury to return a true verdict based solely on the evidence they hear. Sheriff Alastair Carmichael at Dundee Sheriff Court And yet the trials heard by Sheriff Carmichael are both singular and extraordinary. No other judge in the UK and possibly the world uses synthesised speech to communicate in a courtroom. That he can do so with increasing aplomb and no little wit represents a triumph over a shattering diagnosis which was expected to be career-ending. It was in early 2024 that the 62-year-old learned he had a form of motor neurone disease (MND) called progressive bulbar palsy, which affects his ability to speak. It began in 2023 with a numbness inside his mouth and developed into a lisp. Soon he was struggling to enunciate clearly. He says: Verbal communication is a massive part of my job, so when I did think about the impact it might have on my job it didnt take long to work out that this was going to be a problem. Sheriffs and judges have a key speaking role in every kind of court hearing. It might be sentencing an offender, addressing a jury, dealing with objections raised by the prosecution or defence during witness testimony or simply announcing when it is time to break for lunch. If the most senior legal figure in the room lacks the power of speech, do the wheels of justice not grind to a halt? Thanks to a spot of computer wizardry, they are still turning in Sheriff Carmichaels courtroom. His synthesised voice a representation of how he spoke before his condition progressed too far is now telling the jury to listen carefully to the charges which the sheriff clerk is about to read out. Sheriff Alastair Carmichael uses a synthesised voice A few minutes later, as he embarks on a 20-minute address on the jurys role in the trial, he expands on the technological intricacies at play in having a computer do your speaking for you. Some of the things they will hear him say are pre-loaded on to the computer. At the touch of a button, the appropriate words will come out of the speaker beside him. Other things he types in on the spot. I can touch type but its not quite quick enough to beat the two-fingered style, he admits. Longer speeches cannot yet be delivered in his own voice, he tells the jury, so they should expect to hear several different ones all creations of Microsoft during the trial. Indeed, he says, its not always possible to control the programs choice of speaker. He smiles again as the Microsoft voice makes a little joke on his behalf. Sometimes its a complete surprise to me which voice comes to the microphone maybe they have a rota which they keep secret from me. Sheriff Carmichael has given nicknames to the most frequently-heard of these voices. Theres Flat George and his female counterpart Flat Hazel and then there are Smooth George and Smooth Hazel. The latter two, he suspects, are moonlighting because he recognises their voices from safety instructions on airlines. Its a disarmingly humorous way to begin a court trial involving serious charges which, if proven, could result in a jail term. Yet the brief bout of levity feels a wise and appropriate way to acquaint the jury with the uniqueness of the situation. While the words may not come from his lips, they are ones he chooses Their key instruction is to remember that all the synthesised words they hear are the sheriffs own. They may not come from his lips, but he chooses them. You could say he is a sheriff of many voices but one mind. Meeting me in his chambers before the start of the trial, the lawman looks to be in fine health. His form of MND has spared him the muscle weakness, twitching and spasms that are typical symptoms of many sufferers. He moves around briskly, shakes my hand firmly and, you can tell at once, is warm and personable. It is only when he speaks that it becomes evident what the condition has done to him. His offer of a cup of tea or coffee is so indistinct I understand it only because it is a typical thing to say at the start of a meeting. I manage to make out some of what he says but, when he sees me struggling, he patiently writes his words in block capitals on a notepad. Its a strained form of dialogue which somehow feels worse for the fact the man losing his ability to voice his thoughts is clearly highly articulate. He is passionate about advocacy and has spent much time in his career training lawyers in improving their court performance. How distressing for a born communicator to be deprived of a tool central to his own performance. He invites me round to his side of the desk to see one of the two computer programs he uses in action. Developed in Scotland and introduced to him by the Tayside MND Team, SpeakUnique is a complex array of pre-loads and text-to-speech functions which took months to master. I banked my voice early on when it wasnt badly impaired by recording 300 sentences, says the sheriff. SpeakUnique did the rest and produced my synthetic voice. True, things can and do go wrong. One occasion, he was putting an interpreter on oath and he pressed the wrong key. There is no alternative to a custodial sentence, the synthesised voice told the startled witness. Luckily, she was a regular in court and was familiar with me using my laptop, he says. Also, she has a cracking sense of humour, so we were able to have a smile about it and then carry on. You are very exposed when youre in court because its a public place and there are always people watching and listening thats the way its meant to be so when things go wrong theres no hiding place. Things do go wrong, and I do make mistakes with this IT. However, its just like somebody who can speak with their own voice saying the wrong thing; you have to correct the mistake and carry on. Courts are not inherently funny places because we deal with all sorts of bad stuff. But when something does go wrong, there can still be a humorous side to it. His mastery of the two programs he needs to preside over trials is improving every day, however, and the process is becoming slicker. By the time the court breaks for lunch the lengthy instructions to the jury are delivered even if the sheriff hasnt said a word. It helps that he engages them with his eyes throughout and uses facial and hand gestures to underline his points. It is only afterwards that he admits to me the jury speech did not go entirely as planned. It was delivered by the somewhat monotone Flat George who turns up when there is no internet connection rather than Smooth George, who does the talking when there is. Im a big fan of Smooth George because he makes me sound rather suave and reasonably intelligent. There is another light moment as the jury returns for the afternoon session. The sheriff smiles wryly as he and his computer tell them: I do hope that your jury lunch was all that you dreamed it would be, and more. But, as the first witness is called, solemnity is restored. The challenges on the bench and the sheriffs monumental effort to overcome them are set aside and, just as it should be, the focus is solely on the evidence. It is true justice proceeds a little more slowly in Sheriff Carmichaels court partly because he has deliberately avoided preloading stock phrases for every eventuality. He explains: If I just pressed a button for every situation it would be a robotic, unempathetic and sterile way to go about things. Juries and everybody else in court must be able to trust me to be fair. Its a fact that I cant speak, and also that I have to use this IT to communicate. Its a fact that it takes a wee bit longer to use this IT than it did when I could speak. But seeing me flailing away at the keyboard underlines to people that I am human, that I cant speak and that I am focused and invested in whichever case it is that I am doing at the time. How have the various courtroom players responded to his cast of synthesised speakers? Its amazing, he says. Most people think at first that its a bit different and theyd be right. What I appreciate the most is that people adapt very quickly to allowing me a wee bit of extra time to type and speak, and they are looking for visual clues. Indeed, he suggests, it is they who make his work possible. Some people will tell me how amazed they are at what were achieving. I suppose that theyre right, but they often forget that they are playing a huge part in this too by adapting how they communicate with me. His wife Helen and two grown-up sons remain the most attuned to his deteriorating speaking voice and, he says, keep retuning to it as it declines. But he admits: Recently even they can struggle to get it sometimes or perhaps wont get it at all. I do write notes sometimes and will use the SpeakUnique app on my phone to talk to them as well. Yet, with the backing of his boss, Sheriff Principal Gillian Wade, and fantastic support from lawyers and court staff, he has prevailed in his job. How important was it for him to stay on in the face of a seemingly disastrous diagnosis? It means a hell of a lot. I have always been motivated by public service. I had a great start in life and have always wanted to use that to contribute to society as best as I can. I dont just want to a part of society, I want to be an active participant who makes a positive contribution. He says he has no plans to retire before 70, which is the mandatory age for sheriffs to go. I dont know what MND has planned for me, other than that it wont be pleasant. All of the medicos have been at pains to say that it goes for different people in different ways and at different rates. Im not going to consume time and energy thinking ahead to what might happen and to what I might not be able to do, Id rather use it to enjoy what I can do today. For a man dedicated to justice his diagnosis seems the opposite of that. But justice is prevailing in courtroom number four inspirationally so. Keir Starmer was facing a Labour revolt on Wednesday night as councils prepared to battle the Home Office over migrant hotels. Town hall leaders across the country said they are already looking to follow Epping Forest District Council and take legal action to prevent small boat arrivals being placed in local hotels. At least four Labour-run authorities were understood to be studying the ruling and considering their own course, posing a new headache for the Prime Minister. Kemi Badenoch wrote to all leaders of Tory-led authorities on Wednesday night, pledging her support for any legal action they take, while Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was under pressure to rule out using private rental housing as an alternative to hotels. Home Office minister Dan Jarvis admitted on Wednesday that he could not say where displaced migrants will end up following Tuesday's landmark High Court ruling, which ordered the Bell Hotel in Epping to be closed within weeks. In a letter to Ms Cooper, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'Up and down the country people are furious about the number of illegal migrants being housed in hotels - which rose in the nine months following the election under Labour. 'People are also concerned that you are now moving people from hotels into apartments and other accommodation which is sorely needed by young people here who are struggling under this Labour Government.' Around 32,000 migrants are currently placed in 210 hotels around the country, at a cost to the taxpayer of nearly 6m a day, with others in the private rental sector including HMOs (houses of multiple occupation), which are often used by students and young people. Keir Starmer, pictured in July, was facing a Labour revolt on Wednesday night as councils prepared to battle the Home Office over migrant hotels Town hall leaders said they are already looking to follow Epping Forest District Council and take legal action to prevent small boat arrivals being placed in local hotels (pictured: protesters in Epping this month) A landmark court ruling ordered the Bell Hotel to be closed within weeks On Wednesday night, writing to all Conservative-controlled councils pledging her support to them fighting hotels in their area, Ms Badenoch accused Labour of 'trying to ram through such asylum hotels without consultation and without proper process.' 'They are treating local residents and local councils with contempt,' she said. Those councils seeking to emulate Epping, which was granted its injunction on a planning technicality, could coordinate their actions, with at least one already contacting the Essex authority asking for help with its own case. Paula Basnett, the Labour leader of Wirral Council, confirmed she was refusing to toe the party line and had asked officers to seek 'urgent legal advice' to see if the local authority could oppose government plans for the Holiday Inn Express in Hoylake. The hotel was embroiled in controversy in 2022 when RNLI volunteers on a training day were kicked out midway through their stay to make room for asylum seekers. More recently it was a target for protests over plans to house single male migrants, rather than families. Ms Basnett said: 'The situation in Wirral with the continued use of hotels as asylum accommodation is unacceptable. 'Recent legal developments in other parts of the country have shown that councils can successfully challenge the Government's approach. In light of this, I have instructed that urgent legal advice be sought on whether Wirral Council can pursue similar action to protect our communities. Migrants pictured trying to board a smuggler's boat in the Channel this month. Around 32,000 migrants are currently placed in 210 hotels around the country Kemi Badenoch, pictured last week, wrote to all leaders of Tory-led authorities on Wednesday night, pledging her support for any legal action they take Yvette Cooper was under pressure on Wednesday night to rule out using private rental housing as an alternative to hotels 'Wirral has always shown compassion towards those in genuine need. 'But compassion does not mean central government can impose poorly thought-through, short-term solutions that undermine local communities and ignore democratic accountability.' In Labour-run Tamworth, council leader Carol Dean confirmed that the council was considering challenging the use of a hotel in the town, which was the focus for violent disorder during last summer's riots. She said: 'I understand the strong feelings within our community regarding the use of the Holiday Inn to house those seeking asylum, and I want to reassure residents that we are listening to their concerns and taking them seriously. 'The situation at Epping Forest represents a potentially important legal precedent, and we are carefully assessing what this might mean for our circumstances here in Tamworth.' And spokespeople for fellow Labour-led authorities in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and Rushmoor, Hampshire, did not rule out taking similar action. Nigel Farage said Reform UK was exploring the prospect of legal action on the councils where his party have responsibility for planning permission. Corina Gander, Tory leader of Broxbourne Borough Council in Hertfordshire, said her council chief executive 'was in contact' with officials from Epping Forest to better understand the ruling. Protesters open bottles of prosecco outside the Bell Hotel on Tuesday after it was announced it would be closing Demonstrators pictured outside the Bell Hotel in Epping last month. Other councils are seeking to emulate Epping, which was granted its injunction on a planning technicality Protesters gather outside the Bell hotel on July 31 to express concern about migrants being housed there Your browser does not support iframes. 'We are not the right place for asylum hotels, so we are looking at the procedure that we could follow,' she said. In Lincolnshire, Craig Leyland, the leader of Tory-run East Lindsey District Council, said it stands 'strongly against the use of hotels in our district by the Home Office for those seeking asylum'. Mr Leyland added: 'I have asked officers to investigate and understand this case and will take appropriate action once we understand if there are any similarities that we can act on.' And the leader of Tory-run Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council said the authority was looking at legal action, even though it only had one asylum hotel. He said: 'The Epping judgement was very encouraging, I think it pleased a lot of people. 'People might say: you don't have a massive problem with asylum seekers, but the point is we don't want a problem in the future. 'There just isn't the infrastructure here, and we don't want to end up like Epping with lots of asylum hotels. 'Successive governments have let it get out of hand, people have had enough of it. So we are looking at what we can do.' Epping Forest District Council leader Chris Whitbread pictured leaving the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday after securing a temporary injunction against the use of the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers Epping Forest District Council achieved an injunction at the High Court in London, stopping migrants from being accommodated at the hotel (pictured) A series of protests have taken place since the arrest of an asylum seeker for three alleged offences, leading to 28 arrests (pictured: demonstrators at the hotel this month) Your browser does not support iframes. Richard Biggs, Conservative leader of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, added: 'We've got the legal team looking at it at the moment, the planning officers are having an input into that obviously, and when I get the report we'll make a decision.' Other authorities have ruled out legal action, with the leader of Labour-run Newcastle City Council saying she was 'confident' the council could end the use of hotels without going to court. Karen Kilgour, who sits as an independent, said: 'We recognise that people seeking asylum include families, women, and children, many of whom have faced unimaginable trauma. 'Newcastle has a proud history of offering sanctuary, and we stand ready to play our part - but it must be done in a way that works for our city and supports the dignity and wellbeing of those who come here.' Brighton and Hove City Council, meanwhile, has said that as a 'proud city of sanctuary' it will continue to welcome and support asylum seekers. On Wednesday night, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick called on authorities to follow Epping Forest's example and seek a court injunction. In a video message announcing the creation of a movement called 'Lawyers for Borders', he said: 'Every patriotic council, whether Conservative, Reform, whatever, should follow Epping's lead and seek an injunction. 'And if you are a council or a community group and you need our help, contact my office. If you're a lawyer and you want to join the fight, contact me.' Home Office minister Dan Jarvis admitted on Wednesday he could not say where displaced migrants will end up following Tuesday's landmark High Court ruling Paula Basnett, Labour leader of Wirral Council, confirmed she had asked officers to seek 'urgent legal advice' to see if the local authority could oppose government plans for the Holiday Inn Express in Hoylake (pictured) Nigel Farage, pictured this month, said Reform UK was exploring the prospect of legal action on the councils where his party have responsibility for planning permission On Wednesday, security minister Mr Jarvis said the government was 'looking at a range of different contingency options' about what to do with those in asylum hotels, but refused to provide any further details. He told Times Radio: 'I think the important point to make is that nobody really thinks that hotels are a sustainable location to accommodate asylum seekers. 'That's precisely why the Government has made a commitment that, by the end of this Parliament, we would have phased out the use of them.' Epping Forest District Council asked a judge to issue an interim injunction stopping migrants from being accommodated at the Bell Hotel after it had been at the centre of protests in recent weeks. The council argued the owners of the establishment did not have the requisite planning permission for the building to be used as full-time housing. The demonstrations came after an Ethiopian migrant at the hotel was charged with three sexual assaults, including on a 14-year-old girl, in two days. He denies the charge and is due to stand trial later this month. A full hearing will take place at a later date and council leader Chris Whitbread said his authority would 'find the money' to battle any appeal lodged by the Home Office. Scotland's top police officer is the subject of a complaint by the family of murdered banker Alistair Wilson about alleged dishonesty over her handling of the case. Chief Constable Jo Farrell is accused of making a misleading public statement about the reinvestigation of the cold case killing of father-of-two Mr Wilson, who was shot dead on his doorstep in Nairn in 2004. The Mail revealed yesterday that Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone, who was found to have lied to Mr Wilsons relatives about an aspect of the probe, has been selected for a prestigious training course. Ms Farrells support for the selection drew fury from Mr Wilsons family, who said it was a betrayal after years of failure by Police Scotland to make a breakthrough in the case. A statement on behalf of the Wilson family said they were deeply disappointed to learn of Mr Livingstones selection for the College of Policing course through the media not from Police Scotland, who continue to claim that their relationship with our family is a priority. It said that it was an outrage for Mr Livingstone to be considered for promotion, despite lying. The statement added: Equally troubling is that Chief Constable Jo Farrell has backed this promotion, despite our repeated concerns about Livingstones competence and integrity. The family said Ms Farrell had ignored our requests for a meeting to resolve these matters directly, while herself being subject to a [complaint about] her own honesty. Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell Police searching the street where Nairn banker Alistair Wilson was shot Alistair Wilson with his wife Veronica on their wedding day The Mail can reveal Mr Wilsons family submitted a complaint to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) about Ms Farrell relating to her handling of the reinvestigation of Mr Wilsons murder, ordered in September last year. It is understood they claim Ms Farrell said a team was already in place and working on the inquiry when in reality the senior investigating officer was on holiday. The complaint will be assessed by the SPA to gauge whether, if proved, it would be misconduct or gross misconduct, or neither, and it could decide to pass the complaint to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner. Asked to comment on the complaint against Ms Farrell, Police Scotland said inquiries regarding chief officers should be directed to the SPA. An SPA spokesman said: The Authority does not comment on individual complaint and conduct matters. Last night the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents said it was supportive of Paul in his continued career'. A woman has come forward to talk to police, two days after a baby boy was found dead in a stormwater drain. Tradesmen made the grim discovery while cleaning a drain on La Salle Road in the Perth suburb of Alexander Heights on Monday afternoon. Detectives believe the newborn, wrapped in a sheet, had been placed in the drain several days earlier, sparking a search for the baby's mother amid 'serious concerns' for her welfare. Police confirmed on Wednesday night that a woman aged in her 30s was assisting with inquiries. 'The Western Australia Police Force would like to thank the community for their concern, support and assistance,' the statement read. 'Given the sensitivities, we will be making no further comment at this time.' The woman is receiving appropriate care and support. 'The care of the mother should be all of our priorities at the moment,' WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch told ABC Radio earlier in the day. Shocked tradesmen made the grim discovery while cleaning a stormwater drain on Monday A woman has come forward two days after police launched a desperate search for the baby's mother. Pictured are police at the scene 'There's probably a range of reasons (she hadn't come forward), including legal, but health reasons, mental health reasons, all sorts of reasons why that mother needs the best care we can give them, and I think that's got to be everyone's priority right now.' The tradesmen were clearing the drains of debris and assessing for blockages when they came across the the grim discovery. 'It was by coincidence that they were there,' Detective Senior Sergeant Cleal said. 'There was no information that sent workers to that drain. This was a chance discovery. 'Not that you can prepare for a discovery like this, but they were very unprepared.' The tragedy has shocked locals, who have placed tributes near the scene and will hold a candlelight vigil at Highview Park on Saturday night. 'Having to physically be in the area where a poor innocent infant is just heartbreaking,' one woman told Seven News. Shocked locals have placed stuffed toys and flowers near the scene Locals will hold a community vigil for the baby boy on Saturday night WA Premier Roger Cook added: 'This is a horrifying, horrifying scenario, from the mother of this child through to the discovery of this child's body by those drain workers. 'I cannot think of a more harrowing set of circumstances for people to be confronted with. 'This goes to the heart of everyone's sense of humanity, a small child whose life has passed under tragic circumstances.' Nebraska announced the Midwest will be home to the latest installment of President Donald Trump's nationwide deportation depots. State officials shared plans on Tuesday for an immigrant detention center in the sparsely populated southwest corner of the Cornhusker State. Dubbed the 'Cornhusker Clink,' an ode to the state's nickname, the McCook, Nebraska, site will be the latest deportation-focused migrant detention center helping Trump detain illegal immigrants set to be deported. Sticking with the theme of naming migrant holding facilities with local flair, the Cornhusker Clink follows in the footsteps of Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz.' Another facility in Indiana opened up earlier this month called the 'Speedway Slammer,' named for the state's famous annual race, the Indianapolis 500. Similar to the 'Slammer,' the 'Clink' will take an existing prison facility and use its extra space to house migrants slated for removal or under pending investigation. 'This is about keeping Nebraskans and Americans across our country safe,' Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said in a statement announcing the facility. The governor announced that the state and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) struck a deal to use the Nebraska facility, which can currently house up to 200 people but is expanding to accommodate up to 300. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem praised Nebraska for offerinng to retrofit a prison to house migrants The official DHS X account posted this AI-generated image after the announcement of the 'Cornhusker Clink' 'COMING SOON to Nebraska: Cornhusker Clink,' DHS Sec. Kristi Noem posted on X. 'We're announcing a new partnership with the state of Nebraska to expand detention bed space by 280 beds.' 'Thanks to Governor Pillen for his partnership to help remove the worst of the worst out of our country. If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraska's Cornhusker Clink. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App,' Noem warned. The DHS X account later reposted Noem's statement with an AI-generated picture of husks of corn in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hats in a prison-like cornfield. During a press conference announcing the project, Gov. Pillen noted that the McCook facility will be located near a regional airport, making it easy for federal authorities to travel to and from the 'Cornhusker Clink.' He was unsure whether the planned facility would house men, women or children. Pillen first heard that the federal government was interested in a Nebraska-based facility five days ago, last Friday. The governor also announced that the Nebraska National Guard would help with logistical and administrative support for the migrant detention facility. ICE detention centers are currently bursting at the seams due to Trump's deportation crackdown. People seeking asylum are detained by border patrol after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in June 2024 As of June, ICE centers held over 56,000 migrants, the most since 2019. The push to open up detention centers comes a month after Congress approved Trump's sweeping, multi-trillion-dollar bill, dubbed the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill,' which contained billions for deportation enforcement. 'Alligator Alcatraz,' a Florida detention center opened in July and located in the middle of the Everglades, has been touted by the White House as the crown jewel of Trump's growing deportation machine. During its opening ceremony, Trump toured the facility while standing alongside a cast of Republican allies, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Secretary Noem. At the time, the president claimed the new detention center 'might be as good as the real Alcatraz.' In only a matter of weeks, Alligator Alcatraz was built to hold more than 3,000 migrant detainees. The facility features tents, trailers and other temporary living utilities needed to house the migrants. However, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Mary Williams issued a temporary restraining order in early August following testimony about the environmental impact of the facility. The judge will allow the Florida government and the Trump administration to continue using the facility to house detainees but will limit additional construction for the next two weeks. President Donald Trump suggested that he was a 'war hero' after applying the same description to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he talked foreign policy on the Mark Levin Show. For an episode Tuesday Trump and the conservative radio show host discussed both the Ukraine and Gaza wars. That led to Trump commending his partnership with Netanyahu, noting how their partnership quickly ended fighting with Iran in June, as the president ordered a strike on three Iranian nuclear sites, which led to a quick ceasefire between Israel and Iran. 'He's a war hero,' Trump said of Netanyahu. 'Cause we work together, he's a war hero, I guess I am too. Nobody cares, but I am too,' he told Levin. 'I sent those planes,' the U.S. president pointed out. He was talking about the B-2 bombers that used bunker buster bombs to damage Iran's Fordow nuclear site. On Friday, he flew a B-2 bomber over Russian President Vladimir Putin's head to show off American military might ahead of their first meeting of Trump's second term. Since then, Trump also had the opportunity to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, inviting him to the White House Monday with a handful of European leaders to discuss in-person what Putin said. President Donald Trump gave conservative radio show host Mark Levin an update on where things stood after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Monday (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday (right) During the foreign policy heavy interview, President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a 'war hero' and then said the name applies to him too due to their joint operation in Iran. 'He's a war hero, I guess I am too. Nobody cares, but I am too,' Trump said He gave an update to Levin during the Tuesday call-in. 'I had a very successful meeting with President Putin, I had a very successful meeting with President Zelensky,' Trump said. 'And now I thought it would be better if they met without me, just to see, I want to see what goes on.' 'They had a hard relationship, very bad, very bad relationship,' the president said. Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, while Zelensky was president. The Russian leader has continued attacking Ukraine using missiles and drones amid negotiations with Trump, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to end the war. Trump walked away from Friday's summit in Anchorage, Alaska without negotiationg a ceasefire, so attacks have continued this week. The president said he wanted to see Putin and Zelensky get together and 'if necessary, and it probably would be, but if necessary, I'll go and probably be able to get it closed.' 'I just want to see what happens at the meeting,' Trump said. 'They're in the process of setting it up and we'll see what happens.' On Wednesday, as negotiations for a Putin-Zelensky meeting were ongoing, Trump kept a low profile, hosting one event - the swearing-in of a new ambassador - behind closed doors. An American Airlines pilot was heard frantically declaring 'mayday' just moments after takeoff in harrowing air traffic control audio. The Philadelphia-bound flight had departed Boston Logan International Airport at 6.45pm on Sunday but was forced to turn around after just 10 minutes as the 2013 Airbus A321-211 suffered multiple failures, flight data shows. In air traffic control audio, the pilot could be heard telling air traffic control back at Boston that he was lowering the plane from 8,000 feet in the air as he declared an emergency. 'Mayday, mayday, mayday, American 2616,' the pilot said quickly. 'We need to return back to Boston,' he continued, explaining: 'We have a loss of the autopilot, loss of auto-thrust and we have a position disagree[ment] between both of our [flight management systems].' He later emphasized: 'We have multiple failures, including navigation and automation as well.' The pilot also informed the air traffic control that there were 200 'souls on board' the commercial plane and it had 237 minutes worth of fuel. The pilot ultimately needed guidance from the ground to land back at Boston Logan International Airport, but was able to do so 53 minutes after its original departure, data from FlightAware shows. An American Airlines flight was forced to return to Boston Logan International Airport on Sunday after suffering multiple mechanical issues. American Airlines flights are pictured at the airport in 2021 It landed safely back at Boston Logan International Airport (pictured) around 7.30pm It was met by a firetruck at runway 22L, according to the air traffic control audio, though the pilot told emergency crews there did not appear to be any structural issues with the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration has since confirmed to PEOPLE that the flight 'returned safely' to Boston Logan International Airport at around 7.30pm after crews 'reported a possible flight system issue.' An American Airlines spokesperson also cited 'maintenance issues' on the Airbus for the unexpected U-turn. 'The flight landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power,' the spokesperson said, noting that the aircraft 'has been taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team.' The spokesperson added that the customers onboard the doomed flight would be accommodated. 'We never want to disrupt our customers' travel plans and apologize for the inconvenience.' The Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating what may have gone wrong onboard the Airbus. The 2013 Airbus A321-211 due for Philadelphia was only in the air for about 10 minutes before the pilot called for a mayday But the American Airlines flight was not the only one departing from Boston that was forced to turn around on Sunday, according to Boston.com Delta Airlines Flight 464 destined for Salt Lake City also had to return to Logan due to an 'indication related to one of the aircraft's doors,' a spokesperson for the airline said. 'After inspection by maintenance, the aircraft was cleared and continued its journey, landing safely in Salt Lake City.' A woman accused of trying to smuggle $100,000 worth of cocaine into Indonesia by hiding the drug in a sex toy could face the death penalty. The 42-year-old from Peru, identified only as NS, was allegedly busted with 1.4 kg of cocaine and 43 ecstasy pills at Bali's international airport on August 12. Radiant, Bali police's narcotics unit director, alleged the woman had hidden the drugs inside her underwear and a sex toy. 'The customs officers suspected her behaviour, and after consulting with the police, they did a further check on her,' he said. 'The narcotics were hidden in six plastic packages wrapped in black duct tape inside a green bra, three similar packages in black underwear and a sex toy containing drugs, which was inserted into her body.' The woman had flown from Barcelona, Spain, to the Indonesian holiday island with a stopover in Doha, Qatar. Customs officials alerted police after she allegedly began acting strangely. Police allege NS was paid nearly $30,000 to smuggle the drugs into Bali by someone she met on the dark web in April. A Peruvian woman (pictured) is accused of attempting to smuggle $100,000 worth of cocaine and ecstasy pills into Bali Police alleged the woman, identified only as NS, had hidden the cocaine and pills inside her underwear and a sex toy Indonesia is known for its incredibly harsh drug laws and executing those who attempt to smuggle drugs into the country. The most memorable case for Aussies would be the firing squad deaths of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in 2015. The two Australians were part of the Bali Nine, a group accused of attempting to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia in 2005. However, Indonesia has upheld a pause on death penalties since 2017 after facing intense international criticism. Bryan Kohberger has demanded a transfer inside the maximum security prison he now calls homefollowing harassment by fellow inmates. The mass killer who broke into an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, and slaughtered four students in the dead of the night has filed multiple written complaints to prison officials since he was sent to the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Kuna less than a month ago. In the first handwritten note, seen by People, the 30-year-old complained that verbal threats/harassment and recent flooding/striking - where inmates intentionally cause flooding in their cells - had made J block somewhere he didnt wish to be. Not engaging in any of the recent flooding/striking as well as being subject to minute-by-minute verbal threats/harassment and on that and other bases [sic] Unit 2 of J-Block is an environment that I wish to transfer from, he wrote. Kohberger asked to be transferred out of J blocks restrictive housing unit to B block, where inmates are also held in single cells. The request was filed on July 30 - just one day after he arrived on the block. Kohbergers request was brushed off by a prison official who responded by urging the new inmate to give it some time, People reported. But, just days later, Kohberger filed another complaint - this time alleging he was the victim of sexual threats. Bryan Kohberger is seen pacing inside his prison cell in video footage that leaked last week In that note on August 4, the mass killer claimed one inmate told him I'll b*** f*** you while another said: The only a** we'll be eating is Kohberger's. A prison guard confirmed he had overheard vulgar language being directed toward Kohberger, according to an incident notification report seen by People. The report, dated three days on from the alleged incident, concluded that Kohberger felt safe to remain on J block. The Daily Mail has reached out to the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC)for comment. This latest insight into Kohberger's life behind bars comes after Daily Mail revealed last week that the former criminology student has not been having an easy time settling into his new home on J Block. According to a law enforcement source, Kohberger - now known as inmate number 163214 - is being relentlessly tormented by his new jail-mates, who are shouting through the vents into his cell at all hours of the day. Its driving him crazy. The inmates are tormenting him at night and almost all hours of the day - taunting him through the vents in his cell, Chris McDonough, a retired homicide detective who now works for the Cold Case Foundation, told the Daily Mail. They are literally getting up into the grate and yelling at him. The inmates are taking it in turns doing it. Its relentless. An insider told McDonough that the inmates had actually joined forces to work together to target the mass killer, taking it in turns to shout through the air conditioning and heating vents connecting the cells. Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle (left) and Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves (right) Bryan Kohberger seen in a new mugshot after he was sentenced to life in prison for murder The inmates' antics have been rattling Kohberger so much that he has complained to prison guards inside the penitentiary, McDonough said. Hes extremely annoyed and frustrated. Hes complaining to the authorities that he can't sleep because of them,' he said. IDOC responded to the report, by downplaying Kohberger's complaints of 'what he considers taunting' and pointing out it is normal behavior for inmates to communicate with each other inside prison. 'We are aware of Kohbergers complaints about what he considers taunting,' the statement read. 'Incarcerated individuals commonly communicate with each other in prison. 'Bryan Kohberger is housed alone in a cell, and IDOC security staff maintain a safe and orderly environment for all individuals in our custody.' Inmates are 'driving Kohberger crazy' by shouting through the vents at him Prison officials also said they are investigating a possible leak inside IDOC after video began circulating online of Kohberger his cell. In the leaked video, which the Daily Mail has verified is authentic, the killer is seen shining his shoes and carefully placing items on a grim wire shelf inside his cell. His hands look red - which may be a result of the murderer's rumored compulsive handwashing habit. It is unclear exactly when and where the security video was taken. Ada County Jail confirmed it was not filmed at its facility where Kohberger was housed since September 2024 while awaiting trial until his July 23 sentencing. IDOC said staff were sent two emails - on July 23 and 25 - warning them about the prison policies around using technology and social media, including that it is prohibited to record and share security footage from inside the facility. Kohberger was sent to the Idaho Maximum Security Institution after being sentenced to life in prison for the November 13, 2022, murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. Bryan Kohberger is in solitary confinement in the Idaho Maximum Security Institution' In the early hours of the morning, Kohberger broke into an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, and stabbed the four students to death. Two other roommates - Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke - were also inside the home at the time but survived. Prosecutors learned Kohberger took just 13 minutes to carry out his murderous rampage. The net closed in on Kohberger after he left a brown leather Ka-Bar knife sheath behind at the scene. DNA on the sheath came back a match to the criminology student, who was living just over the state border in Pullman, Washington, at the time. Surveillance footage on nearby homes and businesses also captured his white Hyundai Elantra circling the home multiple times in the hour before the murders before speeding away from the scene. Kohberger was arrested around six weeks later at his parents' home in Pennsylvania. After more than two years of pleading his innocence - and days away from the start of his capital murder trial - Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary last month, in a plea deal that saved him from the death penalty. On July 23, he was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole and he has waived his right to appeal. Ukraine peace talks were in disarray on Wednesday after Russia effectively demanded Moscow and Beijing get a veto on any security guarantees. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said Vladimir Putin had agreed to 'game-changing Article 5-like protections' for Kyiv when they met in Alaska last Friday. European leaders raced to build on the momentum and hammer out the details with Britain and France considering putting boots on the ground while America would protect the skies. But yesterday serious questions arose over what exactly Mr Witkoff had secured as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow must be part of the security guarantees. Putin's man also said these 'should be provided on an equal basis with the participation of countries such as China, the United States, the UK and France'. Lavrov added: 'I'm sure in the West they understand that seriously discussing security issues without Russia is a utopia, it's a road to nowhere.' He claimed the terms are based on those Moscow tried to force Kyiv into signing in Istanbul in April 2022, two months after their invasion. Those terms effectively meant none of the guarantors would be allowed to defend Ukraine from Russia unless they all agreed, including China and Russia. Lavrov took aim at what he called Europe's 'clumsy attempts to change the position of the US President' in recent days. Ukraine peace talks were in disarray on Wednesday after Russia demanded Moscow and Beijing get a veto on any security guarantees Ukrainian soldiers inspect the site of a Russian Shahed drone strike that destroyed vehicles and residential buildings the previous day on August 20, 2025 in Sloviansk, Ukraine President Donald Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, Aug. 15, 2025 He said: 'We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work. 'We will firmly and strictly protect our legitimate interests.' That suggests the Kremlin has not moved at all on its maximalist position, with experts questioning what exactly Donald Trump's diplomacy had achieved. John Foreman, ex-UK defence attache to Moscow and Kyiv, said Mr Witkoff has been left looking 'inexperienced' and 'naive'. He added: 'Trump and Witkoff misunderstood the Russians in Moscow and Alaska. They raised hopes about security guarantees and further talks, confused everyone, and the whole thing fell apart with Lavrov's intervention. 'Russia avoids sanctions for now. Putin remains immovable. Trump gave up his leverage and this is the result. What a fiasco.' Marko Mihkelson, head of the Estonian foreign affairs committee, posted: 'Russia wants to be a security guarantor for Ukraine. Seriously? Russia can only be stopped by force, not by red-carpet summits.' The development came as Mr Trump said Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky were 'in the process' of setting up a bilateral meeting but said: 'If necessary, I'll go.' The Palace of Culture, built during Soviet times, was bombed by Russian invading troops on August 19, 2025 in Donetske, Ukraine Ukrainian soldier holds the remains of a shell at the site of a Russian Shahed drone strike that destroyed vehicles and residential buildings the previous day on August 20, 2025 in Sloviansk, Ukraine Local residents walk through the site of a Russian Shahed drone strike that destroyed vehicles and residential buildings the previous day on August 20, 2025 in Sloviansk, Ukraine He added: 'I think it would be better if they met without me'. Russia is pushing for Budapest as a location for a trilateral meeting with Mr Trump present the venue where Ukraine agreed to give up nuclear weapons in 1994. A White House official last night said: 'President Trump and his national security team continue to engage with Russian and Ukrainian officials towards a bilateral meeting to stop the killing and end the war.' Additional reporting by Vazha Tavberidze Ukraine's ambassador to the UK on Wednesday denied rumours he 'is quietly preparing a run for President' from his London HQ should peace break out. General Valerii Zaluzhnyi's team were forced to play down the claims stating that 'there is no talk of any campaign headquarters'. It followed posts by a journalist that 'his HQ is already active in London and recruitment is underway'. They claimed sources had told them his campaign had 'effectively begun' after Volodymyr Zelensky told Donald Trump that elections may be coming soon. Zaluzhnyi, known affectionately as the Iron General, would be a front-runner to defeat Mr Zelensky as he is remembered fondly for marshalling the heroic defence of Kyiv in 2022. He was then replaced by Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief and sidelined as Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK in July last year. Freelance journalist Katie Livingstone said sources had told her the Ukrainian opposition MP Viktoria Siumar would run any campaign with former BBC Ukraine reporter Oksana Torop handling his press. Kyiv Post Correspondent Jason Jay Smart said he had confirmed the claims, adding: 'Sources indicate that he gave the go-ahead to his team, over a month ago, to start planning his campaign.' Ukraine 's ambassador to the UK General Valerii Zaluzhny denied rumours he 'is quietly preparing a run for President' from his London HQ In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, shake hand with Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ambassador of Ukraine, presents his credentials to Britain's King Charles III during a private audience at Buckingham Palace, London, February 2025 But Ms Torop last night denied the rumours. She told the New Voice of Ukraine: 'There is no talk of any campaign headquarters. 'Valerii Zaluzhnyi has stated his position more than once, and as far as I know, it has not changed: while the war continues, we need to work to preserve the country, not think about elections.' Zaluzhnyi is Ukraine's most trusted public figure with recent polling finding 73 per cent of Ukrainians trust him compared with 67 per cent for Zelensky. The Ukrainian Embassy was contacted for comment. Additional reporting by Vazha Tavberidze Britain is desperately lacking the 'resilience' required to fight a war against a hardened enemy such as Russia, a former security adviser has warned. In a withering appraisal of the state of the United Kingdom, Lord Darroch said the country and its people were 'woefully under prepared' and a soft touch. The respected former UK National Security Adviser suggested the UK was as vulnerable as Spain, which ground to halt earlier this year following a power cut. Conversely, the model for preparedness for conflict with Russia is its neighbour Finland, according to Lord Darroch. The country shares a long border with Russia and exists in a perpetual state of readiness for war, with all of its citizens willing and able to contribute. Speaking to presenter Iain Dale on the All Talk podcast, Lord Darroch blamed the UK government's appalling record on defence spending in recent decades. He also highlighted a failure to challenge deep-seated complacency in Britain that large-scale conflicts only happen thousands of miles from these shores. Lord Darroch, who also served as the UK's ambassador to the United States, said: 'We need to spend a lot more on defence, because we haven't spent anything like enough for the last decade or two. Former security adviser Lord Darroch said the UK and its people were 'woefully under prepared' for war against Russia Lord Darroch blamed the UK government's appalling record on defence spending in recent decades 'But we are poorly prepared as a society too. The model here is Finland. The Swedes are quite good but the Finns are best in terms of how everyone has been prepared for war, what they do, civilians, in terms of an attack from Russia. 'Russia feels much closer to them. But we should be following the Finnish example. So yes, there is reason to be concerned about this. The important point here is we are woefully underprepared.' Lord Darroch declined to predict when Britain might find itself engaged in direct military conflict with Russia but he said the prospect was 'less distant than it was five years ago'. To date, UK governments have desisted from openly preparing for war with Russia so as not to cause panic. Asked about British national resilience, Lord Darroch was scathing. He said: 'We haven't got it. And if you look at the recent example of that power cut in Spain, and just how much chaos that created, and realise that we will be just as vulnerable as they are, you realise how much we have to do. 'I don't think we are that close [to World War Three] but I do think it is less distant than it was five years ago. Whereas Russia feels very close to Finland as Russia attacked than in the 1939-45 war. 'Do I think the threat from Russia is imminent? I don't really. But I do think there is a building threat from Putin's Russia.' Tomorrow would have been Princess Margaret's 95th birthday, and if she was alive today there is no doubt the princess would have hosted a lavish celebration to mark the occasion. During her life Margaret was known as something of a party animal, someone who could smoke and drink most of her guests under the table. In popular memory, Margaret is remembered as a fun-loving princess. Nowhere was this personified more so than in the third season of Netflix's The Crown. In one episode, Margaret played by Helena Bonham Carter is sent to the United States to woo the American president Lyndon B Johnson. Her shenanigans in the White House charm President Johnson who agrees to help the British Government in a financial bailout. However, this positive image of Margaret's antics has been challenged due to the part her heavy drinking and smoking played in the princess's death in 2002 but also as experts have claimed she wasn't as fun as her reputation suggests. Writing in his memoir, When The Going Was Good, legendary Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter recalled the time Princess Margaret came for dinner at his New York apartment with disastrous results. Carter wrote that he was asked by Reinaldo Herrera a socialite and friend of Margaret's to host the Princess having been reassured he would 'adore her'. Princess Margaret enjoying a cigarette and a drink at a party in 1980. During her life Margaret was known as something of a party animal who could smoke and drink most of her guests under the table Former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter (pictured) invited Margaret for a dinner at his house which turned into a disaster The house was then prepared meticulously for the visit. 'Reinaldo went through a number of advance items that Margaret would require for the night. These included bottles of Famous Grouse whiskey, Highland Spring mineral water and barley water,' he wrote. 'She would be accompanied by Anne Glenconner, her lady-in-waiting, and Annes husband, Colin Tennant who had developed Mustique in the 1950s, having bought it from the Grenadines for about $50,000. They, too, were close friends of Reinaldo and Carolinas.' Carter was also 'exhaustively instructed' on royal protocols including how to address Margaret. 'You were to lean forward from the waist, hold her hand gently, and say Maam. That was it. 'After this was accomplished, you were to let her pick up the conversation. I had no idea what we could talk about, but I did know that the royal familys ice-breaking standby of saying Have you come far? couldnt be applied in this situation. I practiced my bow in front of the mirror a few times.' Even Carter's children were prepped for the visit, with his three sons being instructed to practise their bow should they bump into Margaret during the evening. 'The evening was choreographed in a manner that would have made the master of the New York City Ballet tip his hat,' he recalled. Margaret dancing with her husband Lord Antony Snowdon at a ball. Margaret was not as fun to party with as history suggests Margaret smoking at Windsor. She allegedly smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day Carter's memoir - titled When The Going Was Good - details his encounter with the princess The most important detail of the evening was that no one was to sit for dinner or leave the table before Margaret. 'Nobody was supposed to sit for dinner until Margaret did. And nobody was to rise from the table until she did. Furthermore, no guest was to leave the apartment before the princess herself,' Carter said. Once the journalist had greeted Margaret with all the correct etiquette. It was the last crucial protocol of not leaving which caused issues for the other guests when Margaret outstayed her welcome. On top of this, rather than being the life and soul of the party, Carter paints a picture of a rather boring dinner guest. Carter said: 'In time we sat down for dinner. Starter, main course, dessert. And then Margaret just stayed. And stayed. She wasnt being particularly festive. She wasnt being particularly un-festive. She was just staying. And smoking and drinking. 'Now I should tell you, as if you dont already know, that New York dinner parties generally break up around 10pm because people have to go home, get to bed and wake up early to go to work.' And yet Margaret remained for another two hours. 'On this evening, 10.30pm went by, and then 11pm. People were starting to panic. Margaret finally got up from the dinner table and we made our way the short distance to the living room. We were all waiting for her to start making her way toward the exit.' President Lyndon Johnson and his wife Lady Bird Johnson joined by Margaret and Lord Snowdon in the White House As per royal etiquette, no one was allowed to leave Carter's apartment until Margaret was finished Carter had to practise his bow and other royal protocols ahead of Margaret's visit Guests started leaving out of the backdoor out of annoyance with the princess. As the evening did slowly draw to a close, the faux pas started. Carter wrote: 'At one point, Peggy Noonan leaned over in a half curtsey to Princess Margaret, who was sitting on the sofa, and as she leaned forward I guess she nicked her gently in the shin, whereupon Princess Margaret shrieked, Youve wounded me. Youve wounded me!.' Margaret finally left at just after midnight, which Carter claimed left his other guest with faces like 'survivors of a difficult airplane landing have as they step onto the tarmac'. Disaster then struck outside Carter's apartment when the wrong car pulled up for the princess while it was pouring with rain. 'Princess Margaret turned and said, Thank you so much, stuck out her hand to me, and stepped down to get into the car,' Carter said. 'A little man jumped out of the drivers seat. No, no, not for you! Car for Mr Hamilton South! Car for Mr South! I thought I was going to have an aneurysm. Reinaldo gave me a filthy look. Hamilton, will you get that f***ing car out of here! I whispered loudly. 'Princess Margaret climbed back out on to the sidewalk. Hamilton screamed at his driver to leave. By this time, the rain was getting peoples legs wet. A few minutes later, an older and slightly less polished town car backed its way in and Margaret and the Glenconners scrambled to get inside and out of the rain.' Margaret at a party in 1990. In her final years, Margaret's heavy drinking and smoking took its toll on her health He added: 'Reinaldo drew himself up and shot us another filthy look. You have ruined the party! he spat at us. This is a complete disaster. Reinaldo didnt speak to Hamilton for three months. Hamilton says I didnt speak to him for two weeks. He also claims that if you ever mention Car for Mr Hamilton South, I go into an apoplectic rage. I deny the charge. But such is the mysterious and lasting power of the royal family.' In her final years, Margaret's heavy drinking and smoking with the princess allegedly smoking up to 60 cigarettes a day took its toll on her health. Margaret had a number of strokes in the late 90s and early 2000s with the fourth and final stroke taking her life in February 2002. Upon her death Margaret made the unusual request that she be cremated and her ashes were placed in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel, Windsor. Hollywood's real estate reality show drama is spilling over into real life. Mauricio Umansky - CEO of The Agency, star of Netflix's now-canceled Buying Beverly Hills and longtime cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills -and his pal Jason Oppenheim of Netflix's Selling Sunset are embroiled in a commission controversy. The reported dispute involving Los Angeles luxury realtor Amanda Lynn, who appeared on Season 8 of Selling Sunset, stems from the $30 million sale of Kanye West's former Malibu mansion. That sale was canceled last week, the seller - real estate developer Bo Belmont - told the Daily Mail. According to a source close to Lynn, the broker reportedly had the exclusive listing for the property and introduced the buyer to Belmont, who initially accepted a $30 million offer. Belmont - who purchased the concrete Tadao Andostyle home from West in 2024 - told the Daily Mail he hired Lynn on a limited basis for a social media post of the property. Lynn was connected to the buyer, who reportedly offered $30 million for the waterfront property in cash. The reported dispute involving Los Angeles luxury realtor Amanda Lynn (pictured) stems from the $30 million sale of Kanye West's former Malibu mansion According to a source close to Lynn, the broker reportedly had the exclusive listing for the property (pictured) and introduced the buyer to Belmont, who initially accepted a $30 million offer Belmont - who purchased the concrete Tadao Andostyle home from West in 2024 - told the Daily Mail he hired Lynn on a limited basis for a social media post of the property Belmont confirmed he did accept the offer. But after four extensions and months of delays, he said the buyer failed to come up with the cash and Belmont called it off. 'He was an under qualified buyer, and after delay after delay, we were looking to close end of July but he could not come up with the money,' Belmont said. He said he offered Lynn one percent commission if she could find a buyer off-market without officially listing the property. The source, however, claimed that Lynn believed she was earning a three percent commission on the sale but felt 'pressure' to reduce it. According to the source, Lynn learned Belmont had also signed a separate agreement with Umansky and Oppenheim in February, which reportedly left her feeling blindsided. 'Amanda was pressured by Bo, Jason and Maurico to reduce her seller commission from three percent down to just one percent, in order to pay Mauricio and Jason their commission,' the source told the Daily Mail. But Belmont disputes that Lynn was kept in the dark and was forced to slash her commission. He said the three percent Lynn claimed she was promised is from a voided contract when he was planning on listing the home at a much higher price. 'Amanda knew they were my listing agents the entire time,' Belmont said. 'They all agreed to the one percent commission.' Belmont confirmed he did accept the offer, but after four extensions and months of delays, he said the buyer failed to come up with the cash and Belmont called it off According to the source, Lynn learned Belmont had also signed a separate agreement with Umansky and Oppenheim (pictured) in February 'Amanda was pressured by Bo, Jason and Maurico (pictured right) to reduce her seller commission from three percent down to just one percent, in order to pay Mauricio and Jason their commission,' the source told the Daily Mail 'I said you can put it on social media at 30 million and if you find a buyer I'll give you one percent commission,' he continued. 'And by the way I have a listing agreement with Jason and Mauricio.' It is not unheard of for there to be two sets of brokers employed to sell a home, but normally both are aware of each other and would typically work together as a team or do a co-listing. But, according to the source, as the sale moved forward, Umansky and Oppenheim were informed by Belmont that he had a buyer but that the sale hadn't closed yet. So, on March 25, the two co-listed the property on multiple listing services like Zillow and Redfin, databases containing properties for sale, to see if they could get a higher price at $39 million. The source claimed that putting it on the MLS before the closing date under their names allowed Umansky and Oppenheim to become official sellers alongside Lynn, which, in turn, gave them the right to their own commission from their separate contract with Belmont. 'Jason and Mauricio were always getting the three percent commission and splitting it,' Belmont said. 'Amanda was always, and agreed to, getting one percent.' But, he added, there's no commission for anyone because he called off the sale. 'It's not happening,' he said. But, Belmont said, there's no commission for anyone because he called off the sale of the property (pictured) Now, Belmont plans to renovate the property (pictured) and find another buyer Belmont is now planning to renovate and is currently looking for a new buyer. The source, however, claimed the sale is closing any day now. The Daily Mail contacted Umansky, Oppenheim, The Agency, and the Oppenheim Group for comment. West's former home has an unusual past. The amount of damage he inflicted on the four-bedroom, 4,000-square-foot home is astonishing. The rapper bought the property for $57.3 million in 2021 before removing the windows, doors, electricity and plumbing. He also broke down the walls, leaving the interior of the home completely exposed to the elements. In December 2023, he listed the gutted Malibu mansion, known as 'Little Ando', for $53 million. Belmont's Belwood Investments bought the property for $21 million. Belmont hopes that in the end, he'll be able to fix West's damage and re-associate it with the legendary Japanese architect who designed it. Neanderthals bred with our human ancestors 100,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to a new study. Experts have discovered that a fiveyearold child who lived 140,000 years ago had parents from both species. Their fossil likely a female was first unearthed 90 years ago in the Skhul Cave on Mount Carmel in what is now northern Israel. A team from Tel Aviv University and the French Centre for Scientific Research conducted a series of advanced tests on the remaining bones, including a CT scan of the skull. 'Genetic studies over the past decade have shown that these two groups exchanged genes,' said lead author Professor Israel Hershkovitz. 'Even today, 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals disappeared, part of our genometwo to six per centis of Neanderthal origin. 'But these gene exchanges took place much later, between 60,000 to 40,000 years ago. Here, we are dealing with a human fossil that is 140,000 years old. 'In our study, we show that the child's skull, which in its overall shape resembles that of Homo sapiensespecially in the curvature of the skull vaulthas an intracranial blood supply system, a lower jaw, and an inner ear structure typical of Neanderthals' An AI reconstruction of a mixed NeanderthalHomo sapiens family. Here, the father is depicted as Neanderthal while the mother is Homo sapien Your browser does not support iframes. The finding makes the remains the earliest human fossil in the world to display features of both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, the team say. A recent study, also carried out by Professor Hershkovitz, showed that Neanderthals lived in what is modernday Israel as far back as 400,000 years ago. The new findings suggest they encountered early humans that began leaving Africa around 200,000 years ago. This humanNeanderthal type, which researchers have called 'Nesher Ramla Homo' after the archaeological site where it was found was the result of interbreeding between the two populations. The child is, so far, the earliest evidence of the social and biological ties between these two populations over thousands of years. The local Neanderthals eventually disappeared when they were absorbed into the Homo sapiens population, much like the later European Neanderthals. 'The fossil we studied is the earliest known physical evidence of mating between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens,' Professor Hershkovitz said. 'In 1998, a skeleton of a child was discovered in Portugal that showed traits of both of these human groups. But that skeleton, nicknamed the 'Lapedo Valley Child,' dates back 28,000 years agomore than 100,000 years after the Skhul child.' The skull of the child (pictured) dates back 140,000 years and showed cranial curvature typical of Homo sapiens However her lower jaw (pictured) showed features characteristics of Neanderthals, indicating she was the result of interbreeding Scientists say that humans and Neanderthals likely interbred over thousands of years. The Daily Mail has previously combined the experts' views and AI to imagine what those hybrid offspring might have looked like (AI impression) Until now, anthropologists have attributed the fossils discovered in the Skhul Cave to an early group of Homo sapiens. 'The current study reveals that at least some of the fossils from the Skhul Cave are the result of continuous genetic infiltration from the localand olderNeanderthal population into the Homo sapiens population,' Professor Hershkovitz added. The Daily Mail has previously spoken to scientists who explained that hybrid children would likely inherit traits from both of their parents. That means hybrids might have a Neanderthal's long arms and short legs with the smaller skull of a Homo sapiens. Likewise, some of the hybrid children may have had strong Neanderthal facial features but the upright posture and long legs of a modern human. In some cases, this hybridisation process could even lead to the formation of unusual, new traits, not found in either parent. Anne DambricourtMalasse, a paleoanthropologist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research and coauthor of the study, said that this girl's skeleton tells us what hybrids might have looked like. She explained that the girl had 'a powerful neck, a little higher than Homo sapiens, her forehead was less bulging.' Scientists say that hybrids, such as a girl who lived in what is now Israel 140,000 years ago, would have had a combination of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens traits (AI Impression). To generate these images, ChatGPT was provided with analysis from experts and descriptions of hybrids from the latest research and asked to visualise the results The girl also showed a 'slight subnasal prognathism', meaning that her jaw would have jutted out much like the famous 'Habsburg chin'. Her spine shows that she would have had a more upright position than a Neanderthal, who typically walked with a curved back. However, the girl's jaw, spine, and pelvis all bear features that appear to be more Neanderthal in their origin. The new discovery was published in the journal l'Anthropologie. It's usually found in tropical and subtropical regions, including the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands. But dengue fever could soon spread to Britain, a new study has warned. Experts from the University of Montpellier say that climate change could create the perfect conditions for the Asian tiger mosquito the insect that transmits the virus in Western Europe. Their models suggest that rising temperatures could spark outbreaks in cities including London, Vienna, Strasburg, and Frankfurt. Worryingly, this could happen within a matter of years, according to the team. 'It is estimated that the mosquito could establish itself in northern France within a decade, from where it could easily reach Londonwhich is already climatically suitable for hosting this vector,' said Dr Andrea Radici, lead author of the study. While dengue fever is not usually serious, this is not always the case. 'Rarely, dengue can be severe and lead to death,' the World Health Organisation (WHO) warns on its website. Experts from the University of Montpellier say that climate change could create the perfect conditions for the Asian tiger mosquito the insect that transmits the virus in Western Europe Dengue fever is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people. It is more common in tropical and subtropical climates and the incidence has grown dramatically in recent decades Dengue fever is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people. It is more common in tropical and subtropical climates and the incidence has grown dramatically in recent decades. In 2000, the WHO reported 505,430 cases around the world. However, by 2019, this figure had risen to a staggering 5.2 million. The virus is transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito, which lays its eggs in water where, with sufficient temperature, larvae develop and give rise to flying bloodsucking adults. While this species is usually found in the tropics and subtropics, it is slowly but surely making its way across Europe. The Asian tiger mosquito was first reported in Albania in 1979, and has since spread through Southwest Europe. Now, using modeling and observations of recent spread, the researchers have revealed where it could spread to next. The virus is transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito, which lays its eggs in water where, with sufficient temperature, larvae develop and give rise to flying bloodsucking adults (stock image) According to their analysis, under the right climate change conditions, major cities like London, Vienna, Strasburg, and Frankfurt will soon be 'well suited' to the Asian tiger mosquito. Although the species is not in these cities yet, its rate or northward spread in France has been accelerating from about 6km (3.7 miles) per year in 2006 to 20km (12.4 miles) per year in 2024. This suggests that the mosquito could thrive in northern France by 2035 and could reach London shortly after. So far, only one vaccine has been approved and licensed against dengue fever, although several additional vaccines are under evaluation. Worryingly, dengue fever isn't the only infection that this species transmits. 'In addition to Dengue fever, the Asian tiger mosquito also transmits Zika and chikungunya,' the researchers added. More 'Frankenstein' rabbits are appearing across the US, sparking fears of a wider outbreak. Originally spotted in Colorado, these bizarre rabbits, with tentacle-like growths sprouting from their faces, have now been reported in Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The animals are infected with cottontail rabbit papilloma virus (CRPV), also known as Shope papilloma virus, which can be spread through mosquito and tick bites. While humans cannot contract CRPV, Dr Omer Awan of the University of Maryland School of Medicine cautioned that people could still face risks from other diseases carried by ticks or mosquitoes that have fed on infected rabbits. 'You're not going to get CRPV, and you likely won't show symptoms of it,' Dr Awan told the Daily Mail. 'However, you could still be indirectly exposed through ticks or mosquitoes that have fed on infected animals, which means you might contract a different disease.' Indeed, illnesses spread by disease-carrying pests to humans include Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, both spread by ticks. West Nile Virus, Zika Virus, Dengue Fever and Chikungunya are all spread by mosquitoes and can be fatal in severe cases. A Reddit user recently posted images of a rabbit in Shope papilloma virus in Saint Paul, Minnesota in late July A user on Reddit posted an image in 2024 of a rabbit in Fort Collins, Colorado exhibiting signs of Shope papilloma virus Dr Awan emphasized that humans cannot get CRPV, and they also cannot get tick-borne diseases or mosquito-borne diseases from CRPV. The reason for this is the rabbit virus will not replicate in a tick or mosquito for it to be transmitted to humans. Still, the doctor said the best course of action is to avoid contact with infected rabbits and ensure any pet rabbits are protected from insects. Dr Awan also warned Americans should prepare for the possibility of seeing even more cases of this grotesque condition spreading beyond the Midwest in the coming years. 'Because temperatures are becoming warmer, we're gonna start to see it become more prevalent as the years go on, and also to spread in areas where it hasn't been before,' Dr Awan said. 'We have a series of states already in the Midwest, but perhaps it could go even more south in the United States, maybe Southwest as well. I do believe that this will become more of an increasing problem as time goes on,' he added. Dr Awan noted that it's 'extremely unlikely' that CRPV will eventually jump to humans, even as cases among rabbits grow, but he admitted that it's not completely impossible. 'You can never say never with science or with viruses, because they always mutate and things can change very fast, but I don't see that happening in the near future with CRPV,' the doctor said. The latest sightings posted on social media have moved north of Colorado, reaching several major cities in central Minnesota. The virus is not thought to be painful unless the growths affect a rabbit's eyes or mouth Another Reddit user captured images of a rabbit in Colorado (pictured) exhibiting the early stages of the disease spreading throughout the US In a series of pictures posted to Reddit in late July, one person revealed that infected rabbits were now in Saint Paul. Others reported seeing them in Minneapolis. 'We live in Plymouth, and our neighborhood bunnies have the same thing,' another Minnesota resident added. A video posted to X on August 18 captured a rabbit with its face covered in CRPV growths in Sioux Falls, South Dakota - nearly 500 miles from the sightings in Colorado. The first sign that a rabbit has the virus is red, raised spots on their skin that eventually turn into wart-like tumors. In many cases, these warts develop into keratinized papillomas, the 'horns' and 'tentacles' seen growing out of midwestern rabbits. However, some of the warts can turn into a squamous cell carcinoma, a serious skin cancer that can be deadly if it spreads and isn't treated early. Dr Awan noted that even if the warts don't turn cancerous, they can continue to grow for years and become a major vulnerability to rabbits in the wild. 'What can happen is they can obstruct their vision, it can get close to their mouths, and it can prevent them from feeding properly, and they can even starve,' the medical expert explained. 'For others, it can make them more vulnerable to predators. So, it can certainly do harm.' Dr Awan claimed climate change was the driving force behind the widespread increase in sightings this summer. 'This is the time when mosquitoes and ticks thrive in these warmer temperatures, so because they're able to thrive, they're able to infect more rabbits, and hence, we're getting more CRPV cases,' Dr Awan said. However, it's not just cases of rabbit diseases that are going up. Cases of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in humans have risen in the US in recent years. 'These temperature changes are resulting in diseases that were never endemic in certain areas to become endemic,' Dr Awan said. 'If you take a look at Lyme disease, for example, we're starting to see it in areas that we never saw it before... places like southern Canada, northern states on the East Coast, like Maine.' It's the traditional British staple that combines sweet shortcrust pastry, a layer of raspberry jam and a frangipane filling. But the humble Bakewell tart could soon go extinct thanks to climate change, experts have warned. There is a global shortage of almonds the key ingredient that gives the dessert its sweet flavour thanks to rising temperatures in popular growing regions. In California, where 80 per cent of the world's almond nuts are farmed, climate changerelated extreme heat and poor water quality have led to soaring production costs and reduced yields. Trade journal Bakery & Snacks said bakers are scrambling to find alternatives to the naturally sweet and smooth nut. In a blog post, they wrote: 'For decades, almonds have been a dependable ingredient for bakers from the frangipane in a cherry Bakewell to the marzipan in a stollen but in 2025 that certainty is wavering. 'Prices are unstable, supply is uneven, and the official outlook is being questioned.' Manufacturers said the current situation is pivotal as the dish is of such cultural significance. The Bakewell tart combines sweet shortcrust pasty, a layer of jam and a frangipane filling. Some are also topped with icing (stock image) In California, where 80 per cent of the world's almond nuts are farmed (pictured), climate changerelated extreme heat and poor water quality have led to soaring production costs and reduced yields 'The Cherry Bakewell isn't just a cake it's a part of British culture,' Kirsty Matthews, brand manager at ingredient specialist Macphie, said. 'People have a fixed idea about how it should taste, how it should feel when you bite into it. 'That's what makes changing the ingredient list so sensitive.' The situation is so worrying that firms have even started developing nutfree flavourings and seeds to replace the iconic almond. 'When an ingredient like the almond wobbles, heritage products feel the impact first,' the Bakery & Snacks post reads. 'The cherry Bakewell is one of Britain's bestloved bakes shortcrust pastry, a layer of jam, almondrich frangipane, smooth icing and a bright glace cherry on top.' Its roots go back to the early 1800s in Bakewell, Derbyshire, where a cook at the White Horse Inn is said to have accidentally created a softer Bakewell pudding. The treat was later given a crispier base, and from the mid20th century it was decorated with a single cherry on top, popularised by topselling bakers Mr Kipling. The Bakewell tart is a traditional British staple, along with the likes of scones and Eton mess. But it could be at risk, experts say (stock image) Your browser does not support iframes. Ms Matthews insisted her firm's new nutfree 'Cherry Bakewell Sensation' offered the same enjoyment and could be enjoyed by those with nut allergies. She said: 'We can still give you the experience you expect, the same aroma, the same balance of flavours, the same indulgence, but with an ingredient list that works in today's supply climate.' Almond orchards are thirsty permanent crops that need water yearround a struggle when regions experience drought and intensifying heat waves. California almond production grew from 168 million kg in 1995 to a record 1.4 billion kg in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, this has started to dip again in recent years. A report from California Almonds released in December reads: 'While demand is looking up, almond acreage is declining. 'On trend with recent years, the 2024 Land IQ Acreage Report indicated that nonbearing and total almond acreage decreased for the third year in a row. 'Regionally, less almonds are being harvested from the South Valley, which is typically where the strongest yields have been, and production is shifting north.' More than one billion miles away from Earth, Uranus is one of the least explored planets in our solar system. So it comes as no surprise that scientists still regularly make new discoveries about the ice giant planet. This week, NASA has uncovered a secret moon hiding in Uranus' orbit. The moon which is yet to be named was discovered using the James Webb Space Telescope, and is believed to be around six miles wide. To put that into perspective, that's around 350 times smaller than our own moon! The discovery expands the total known number of moons orbiting Uranus to 29. 'No other planet has as many small inner moons as Uranus, and their complex interrelationships with the rings hint at a chaotic history that blurs the boundary between a ring system and a system of moons,' said Matthew Tiscareno of the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, a member of the research team. 'Moreover, the new moon is smaller and much fainter than the smallest of the previously known inner moons, making it likely that even more complexity remains to be discovered.' NASA has uncovered a secret moon hiding in Uranus' orbit. The moon which is yet to be named was discovered using the James Webb Space Telescope, and is believed to be around six miles wide NASA first spotted the new moon during an observation of Uranus on 2 February 2025. 'This object was spotted in a series of 10 40minute longexposure images captured by the NearInfrared Camera (NIRCam),' explained Dr Maryame El Moutamid, a lead scientist in SwRI's Solar System Science and Exploration Division based in Boulder, Colorado. 'It's a small moon but a significant discovery, which is something that even NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft didn't see during its flyby nearly 40 years ago.' The moon is the 14th small moon found to orbit Uranus' larger moons Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon (named after characters from Shakespeare and Alexander Pope). 'It's located about 35,000 miles (56,000 kilometers) from Uranus' center, orbiting the planet's equatorial plane between the orbits of Ophelia (which is just outside of Uranus' main ring system) and Bianca,' Dr El Moutamid added. 'Its nearly circular orbit suggests it may have formed near its current location.' While the moon is yet to be named, several space fans have flocked to X with their suggestions. 'Needs a simple name like Bob,' one user suggested. More than one billion miles away from Earth, Uranus is one of the least explored planets in our solar system . So it comes as no surprise that scientists still regularly make new discoveries about the gas giant planet Another joked: 'It's called Hemorrhoid 29.' And one predictably suggsted: 'Mooney McMoonface.' The planets in our solar system have different numbers of moons ranging from 0 to 274. Neither Mercury nor Venus have any moons, while you probably already know that Earth has just one. Mars has two moons named Phobos and Deimos, and Jupiter has 95 including the biggest moon in our solar system, Ganymede. Meanwhile, Saturn tops the list, with a whopping 274 moons. One of these natural satellites, Titan, even has its own atmosphere. Finally, the ice giants, Uranus and Neptune, have 29 and 16 moons, respectively. Millions of Americans are preparing for Hurricane Erin's arrival offshore as forecasters warn the storm will unleash 'large, powerful, life-threatening' waves. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Wednesday that Erin is now moving north-northwest, closer to the East Coast, but is expected to turn north and recurve, avoiding a direct US landfall. However, the hurricane's proximity is creating hazardous conditions along the coast. Waves of 15 to 20 feet are expected, and heavy coastal erosion is likely in North Carolina as the storm moves slowly offshore over the next several days. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency Tuesday in advance of the storm, delegating powers to government officials to mobilize workers and equipment along the coast. 'To folks on the coast, now is the time to prepare,' Stein said in a post on X. 'Check your emergency kits, make sure you have emergency alerts turned on, and listen to emergency guidance in case you need to evacuate.' Tropical storm conditions could spread into southeastern Virginia on Thursday, and strong winds and hazardous surf may affect the Mid-Atlantic, southern New England, and Atlantic Canada from Thursday through Saturday. 'Erin is a large hurricane. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 265 miles,' the NHC said. The Category 2 hurricane's winds weaken to 100mph on Tuesday, but the NHC predicts the storm could see its winds increase to 110mph as it passes North Carolina on Thursday. Your browser does not support iframes. Hurricane Erin is about 450 miles east of North Carolina where officials have ordered evacuations Erin is creating potentially deadly water conditions all along the US East Coast days before are expected, with high winds and waves anticipated in North Carolina by Wednesday night. The hurricane was about 400 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and 560 miles southwest of Bermuda as of Wednesday morning. Erin's eye is forecast to pass about 200 miles offshore on Thursday afternoon. Stein said the storm is expected to bring tropical storm force winds, dangerous waves and rip currents to the state. Tropical storm conditions were expected to begin on Wednesday. At least 75 people were rescued from rip currents in Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, officials said. Evacuations were ordered on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks. The orders come at the height of tourist season on the thin stretch of low-lying barrier islands that jut far into the Atlantic Ocean. There are concerns that several days of heavy surf, high winds and waves could wash out parts of the main highway running along the barrier islands, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency Tuesday in advance of the storm, delegating powers to government officials to mobilize workers and equipment along the coast Officials warned that while Erin will likely not make landfall, the storm will unleash monster waves along the coast Erin is on a path closer to the East Coast, but officials said it will make a sharp curve east and move out to the open sea Warnings about rip currents have been posted from Bermuda and Florida up to the New England coast. South Carolina's coastal and low-country regions, including Charleston and Horry counties, are under warnings, worsened by saturated soils and potential storm surge. New Jersey currently has no active coastal flood advisories, but heavy rainfall and potential storm surge continue to pose a risk. A high danger of rip currents is in effect for all beaches through Wednesday evening. Waves are expected to rise from four to six feet today, eight feet by Wednesday and 10 to 12 feet by Thursday. Evacuations were ordered on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks Dangerous rip currents are expected from Florida up into Main as Erin moves over the Atlantic Ocean this week Several towns, including Wildwood, have closed beaches, while Avalon temporarily closed a road due to wind-driven waves. South-facing Long Island beaches, along with Cape Cod and Nantucket in Massachusetts, could see six- to nine-foot waves near shore and 12 to 15 feet offshore, with dangerous rip currents and minor tidal flooding. Southeast Virginia, including Norfolk and Virginia Beach, is at risk of moderate coastal flooding. One key update is that Erin continues to grow in size, with tropical-storm-force winds now extending closer to the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England coasts later this week. Scientists have been baffled by an 'exponential' increase in whale and dolphin strandings in Britain. Over the last 30 years, the number of whales, dolphins and porpoises becoming stuck on Scottish beaches has risen from 100 per year to more than 300. In some species, such as common dolphins, rates of strandings are now up more than 800 per cent. Researchers from the University of Glasgow's Scottish marine animal stranding scheme (SMASS) are investigating what might be behind the rise, but say the cause is uncertain. SMASS's report comes after a wave of unprecedented mass beaching incidents, during which 150 animals have mass stranded in Scotland so far this year. In a paper published in Scientific Reports, the researchers say that chemical, plastic and noise pollution might be part of the problem. Likewise, a rise in animals becoming accidentally entangled in fishing gear could be driving more whales and dolphins into trouble. Some species, such as the deepdiving beaked whales and pilot whales, may also be driven close to shore as climate change alters their prey's distribution. Scientists are investigating what might be behind an exponential rise in dolphin and whale beaching events, following the mass stranding of 77 pilot whales last year in the biggest event for a century. Pictured: A pod of pilot whales stranded on Orkney Scientists say that the increase may be caused by a combination of factors, including an increasing rate of animals becoming tangled in fishing nets, like this minke whale, which died after becoming tangled. Pictured: A beached Minke whale in Arbroath, Scotland Stranding occurs when marine mammals swim close to shore and find themselves trapped in shallow water, often leading to death or injury. Between 1992 and 2022, 5,140 marine mammals were recorded becoming stranded on Scottish beaches. More than half of those strandings included harbour porpoises, with 2,676 becoming trapped on beaches. Pelagic dolphins, a group of oceandwelling dolphins, were the second most common, with 1,217 strandings. Common dolphins made up a further 492 strandings, while baleen whales a group of filterfeeders including minke and humpback whales were stranded 489 times. The steepest rises were found among common dolphins and baleen whales, with strandings rising exponentially from 2010 onwards. Deep-diving animals like sperm whales and pelagic dolphins showed steady, but slower, rates of increase. Lead author Dr Rachel Lennon told Daily Mail: 'The sharp rise in strandings is certainly concerning, particularly for baleen whales and common dolphins. The most rapid increases were among baleen whales, a group of filter feeders including minke whales and humpback whales, and among common dolphins. Pictured: A beached Minke whale in Arbroath, Scotland In 2023, a pod of 55 pilot whales were found beached on the shore of Traigh Mhor beach on the Isle of Lewis in north-west Scotland (pictured). Scientists say that the number of mass beaching incidents could be a serious concern for whale populations The rate of dolphin stranding events has increased by more than 800 per cent over the last 30 years, according to the new study. Pictured: A stranded striped dolphin on Praa Sands, Cornwall Shifting patterns in sperm whale beachings suggest that the population is moving as climate change alters their prey's distribution. Pictured: a 15-metre whale spotted off the coast of Skye Why are more whales and dolphins beaching? Pollution Increasing chemical, plastic and noise pollution is affecting these animals' habitats and forcing them closer to shore. Fishing equipment Whales and dolphins are getting snagged in fishing nets, which kills them or traps them close to shore. Increasing populations Since the end of whaling, populations have recovered, leading to a higher frequency of beaching. Climate change Climate change is altering whales and dolphins' prey distribution, bringing them into shallow waters. Advertisement 'The key question now is why this is happening. If the rise simply reflects increasing populations, then it may be less alarming. 'But if it is being driven by threats such as entanglement or other human pressures, then it represents a serious conservation concern.' The researchers say that the exponential increase in stranding events is likely due to a combination of different factors. 'These animals are facing increasing threats in our waters, including chemical, plastic and noise pollution, bycatch, and entanglement,' says Dr Lennon. Noise pollution is a particular cause for concern since it can disorient animals and disrupt their communications. Dr Lennon points to one incident in 2018 when a single sound source caused the mass beaching of 118 beaked whales across Scotland and Ireland. Some studies have also linked mass strandings to military sonar use, but Dr Lennon says this was not the case for the strandings in the latest study. Strandings may also be on the up because there are simply more animals in Scottish waters. Following the end of whaling, populations of baleen whales like minke whales and humpback whales have been increasing. Dr Lennon adds: 'Common dolphins, which are traditionally found further south, have shifted north into Scottish waters, likely in response to warming seas as a result of climate change.' Likewise, the study found that juveniles make up an increasing number of sperm whales found beached. The researchers argue that this suggests 'a potential shift in habitat use, with younger individuals being driven northwards, potentially in response to climateinduced shifts in target prey'. Similarly, increasing participation in citizen science projects like SMASS's BeachTrack app is increasing the frequency at which beachings are recorded. However, Dr Lennon stresses that the public plays a vital role in helping to understand, and eventually, prevent beachings. She says: 'Reports from the public are the primary way we collect data on cetacean strandings, making them integral to marine mammal monitoring. 'Knowing where and when people are looking gives us valuable context for understanding what we might be missing and how complete our coverage is so that we can better protect these animals.' A substance touted by health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr as a 'miracle cure-all' has been found to dramatically change the color of internal organs, according to a new study. Researchers at University Hospital Frankfurt in Germany examined the bodies of 11 people and discovered that methylene blue, a synthetic dye long used to treat conditions like malaria and methemoglobinemia. Methylene blue may also help combat other health problems, including urinary tract infections and depression, experts have said. During the autopsies, researchers discovered that the brains, hearts, lungs, and pancreases had turned a striking shade of blue. Even small doses, as little as 25 milligrams, roughly a quarter of a standard aspirin tablet, were enough to alter brain pigment, the team concluded. Some individuals had received 50 to 200 milligrams intravenously for medical conditions, with multiple doses given within 10 hours of death, and all showed discoloration of the brain and heart. The researchers emphasized that while the color changes darkened upon exposure to air during autopsies, the effect was not linked to the causes of death. Instead, it highlights how methylene blue persists in the body and can dramatically affect organ appearance, raising questions for forensic and medical examinations. Researchers have discovered that ingesting methylene blue, even a small amount, can change the color of the human brain The individuals who received methylene blue in the hospital were generally being treated for severe medical conditions, often involving life-threatening shock or critical illnesses. Most were in intensive care units (ICUs) for issues like septic shock from infections, heart failure, complications following surgeries, or severe COVID-19 infections. Hospital staff administered the dye intravenously as a last-resort treatment to improve blood flow and oxygen delivery when standard treatments failed. The startling discovery, published in the journal Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, was made while researchers were conducting an autopsy on a 72-year-old man and found his brain was blue. To understand why, they searched their institute's database of 15,820 autopsy records from 2000 to 2023, looking for similar cases of doctors finding 'blue-green,' 'greenish,' or 'turquoise' organs during autopsies. They found 11 cases, including the 72-year-old, where various organs throughout the body had this unusual color. In each case, they found that six of these individuals with blue organs had ingested or been given a dosage of methylene blue shortly before their deaths. The other five had received or ingested a medical dye called toluidine blue, a sedative called Rohypnol that contains the blue dye indigocarmine, or a cleaning agent with the blue dye Brilliant Blue FCF. Study authors in Germany found 6 people who received dosages of methylene blue while in the hospital had blue brains and hearts after death The patients had taken the medical dye as a last resort treatment for various illnesses, including COVID-19 Although RFK Jr has not publicly confirmed that he uses methylene blue, a February 2025 video showed the health secretary putting droplets of a cobalt-blue liquid into what looked like water. Recent studies have explored its use in fighting early-stage COVID-19 by potentially reducing viral damage and improving oxygen delivery. It's also been investigated for its ability to boost brain health, treat shock, and potentially as an anti-aging serum. Some research has even suggested it can kill cancer cells under specific conditions. In fact, actor Mel Gibson claimed three of his friends recovered from stage four cancer after taking a supplement regimen that included methylene blue. In fact, actor Mel Gibson claimed three of his friends recovered from stage four cancer after taking a supplement regimen that included methylene blue. The Daily Mail has requested a comment from RFK Jr and the Department of Health and Human Services about the findings and is awaiting a response. While medical professionals only use the dye in extreme cases, methylene blue has taken over TikTok and Instagram with claims it can sharpen focus and boost mood. The clip, posted on X in February, showed RFK Jr speaking to someone behind him on a plane before squeezing a bright blue dye in what looks like water. It's unclear when the video was filmed Methylene blue is FDA approved to treat the rare blood disorder methemoglobinemia, though it has also been used off label for anti-aging and cancer Influencers have dubbed it 'brain fuel' and a 'limitless pill,' with some studies claiming it can also alleviate mental health issues. However, neuroscientist Anne-Sophie Fluri told the Daily Mail in June that many of the supposed benefits being promoted online are based on preliminary research using rodents or petri dishes, not conclusive human clinical trials. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a public safety warning about methylene blue's potential to cause serotonin syndrome when combined with common antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft, or Cymbalta. Serotonin syndrome is a dangerous condition caused by too much serotonin in the body, leading to symptoms like confusion, high fever, seizures, and, in rare cases, death. Methylene blue can trigger this syndrome when taken with antidepressants because it blocks an enzyme that normally breaks down serotonin, causing a harmful buildup. The US Air Force's top-secret RAT55 jet was spotted soaring over Area 51 in Nevada, confirming rumors that this enigmatic radar plane operates from the clandestine Groom Lake facility. Aviation enthusiast Michael Rokita captured the aircraft from a vantage point 26 miles away near Tikaboo Peak, documenting its touch-and-go maneuvers and final landing on runway 32. Minutes after landing, the RAT55 was linked to Hangar 18, Area 51's largest and most mysterious hangar, as its massive sliding doors were seen open, suggesting the jet had taxied inside. The RAT55, distinguished by its 'fat nose,' 'hump on the top,' 'hump on the belly,' and 'big protrusion in the back,' is a specialized aircraft designed for in-flight radar cross-section testing. This capability allows it to evaluate the stealth profiles of other aircraft mid-air, a critical function rumored to have supported the development of the RQ-180 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Its operations are typically cloaked in secrecy, conducted in restricted airspace like the R-258 range near Edwards Air Force Base, where it often vanishes from flight tracking by switching off its transponder. Rokita's sighting confirmed that RAT 55 uses the call sign 'Saber 98,' a thrilling breakthrough that ties the jet's covert communications to Area 51's operations, cementing its residence in Hangar 18. Using a Nikon P1000 camera and a custom binocular-smartphone setup, Rokita overcame technical challenges, including a dying battery and desert heat haze, to deliver this unprecedented evidence. Aviation enthusiast Michael Rokita captured the aircraft from a vantage point 26 miles away near Tikaboo Peak, documenting its touch-and-go maneuvers and final landing on runway 32 Outfitted with advanced radar systems, RAT55 is believed to operate primarily as a test platform for evaluating the radar signatures of stealth aircraft. This includes both existing models, like the B-2 Spirit, which undergoes regular testing to ensure its radar cross-section meets expectations, and new prototypes. With at least two major manned stealth programs currently under development, the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider and the Boeing F-47, RAT55's specialized capabilities are likely in high demand. RAT55, short for Radar Airborne Testbed, with '55' taken from its tail number, rarely leaves the skies over the sprawling, isolated test ranges of South-Central California and Southern Nevada, where it quietly carries out its secretive missions. The jets taxiing to Hangar 18 is particularly tantalizing due to its conspiracy lore as the names association with alien encounters, secret projects and black-budget aircraft instantly sparks curiosity. Hangar 18 remained the largest hangar on the base until the mid-2000s, following its construction in the 1980s. Its towering height and massive doors could accommodate virtually any aircraft in the US inventory, making it ideal for testing, storage or perhaps even simultaneous classified projects. Some enthusiasts have speculated that the hangar may house a museum of retired or experimental aircraft, hidden from public view. Minutes after landing, the RAT55 was linked to Hangar 18, Area 51's largest and most mysterious hangar, as its massive sliding doors were seen open, suggesting the jet had taxied inside The RAT55, distinguished by its 'fat nose,' 'hump on the top,' 'hump on the belly,' and 'big protrusion in the back,' is a specialized aircraft designed for in-flight radar cross-section testing It was also last spotted in May, flying alongside a B-2 Spirit over Death Valley The combination of the legendary Hangar 18 name and its location at Area 51 has cemented its almost mythical status, feeding decades of rumors that have fueled conspiracy theories, from alien technology to top-secret aerospace programs. RAT55s recent appearance there only adds fuel to the speculation, suggesting that whatever goes on inside may be as secretive and extraordinary as the legends imply. It was also last spotted in May, flying alongside a B-2 Spirit over Death Valley. Photographer Julian Elnasser described his RAT55 sighting to The Aviationist: 'I was staying in Las Vegas and saw it was out flying from Groom towards the R-2508. 'So I decided to try my luck and hurry on out to Death Valley near Furnace Creek. Approaching the town, I saw the two and immediately pulled over; they were pretty low. 'After the first pass, I moved closer to the valley itself and observed two more passes before they [returned to base].' Spirit Airlines has unleashed a storm of criticism after one of their flights was spotted flying into Hurricane Erin as it rampaged through the Caribbean. On Monday, airline-tracking website Flightradar24 posted on social media how Spirit flight NK2298 from Philadelphia to San Juan, Puerto Rico flew straight into the first major hurricane of 2025. At the time, the hurricane was barreling over Turks and Caicos Islands as a Category 4 storm, with winds exceeding 130 mph. The Airbus A320-271N left Philadelphia at 1:34 pm ET and was scheduled to arrive in San Juan just after 5 pm. While it's not known how many passengers were on board at the time, an Airbus 320 can typically hold between 150 and 180 people. Despite flying for several miles through Hurricane Erin, Spirit Airlines told the Daily Mail that no injuries were reported, and the plane arrived safely at its destination. Spirit's senior media relations specialist Tommy Fletcher said: 'Safety is always our top priority. Our Pilots followed procedures and Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions while en route to San Juan (SJU).' 'Our Operations Control Center closely tracks weather systems and works with our Pilots and ATC to determine flight paths that safely navigate around or above adverse weather conditions,' the airline spokesperson added. A Spirit Airlines jet flew into the path of Hurricane Erin on Monday as the storm reached Category 4 strength (Stock Image) Airline-tracking website Flightradar24 posted the plane's course on social media, mocking the dangerous route Despite Spirit's assurances that the flight to Puerto Rico went as planned, critics on social media have been roasting the discount airline's decision to fly through an active Category 4 storm. 'They're going to charge extra for the hurricane experience,' one person on X joked. 'Spirit just really wanted to give them that low class experience,' another X user mocked. 'Did Spirit take up the Hurricane Hunter mission?' Flightradar24 sarcastically asked in their own post Monday. Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy in November 2024 due to financial problems, including high operating costs, competition with other airlines, and their business model which relies on tack-on charges for services such as carry-on bags, checked luggage, seat selection, and onboard refreshments. While Spirit's base charges for seats have remained low, the added expenses for everything else has led to widespread frustration from customers. 'Seat: $24... Hurricane experience: $125,000 surcharge,' another critic posted on X. Spirit has also faced fierce criticism from travelers over incidents involving rude staff, inconsistent service, and frequent delays and cancellations with minimal compensation for passengers. Hurricane Erin is the first major hurricane of the 2025 season and later reached Category 5 strength after Monday's incident North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency Tuesday in advance of the storm, delegating powers to government officials to mobilize workers and equipment along the coast Although the plane was not damaged and no one was hurt Monday, safety officials have warned that flying through a hurricane can be extremely hazardous. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has noted that winds over 130 mph can create severe turbulence, which could destabilize an aircraft, stress its airframe, and make it difficult for pilots to maintain control. Hurricanes also produce frequent lightning strikes, which can damage aircraft electronics, navigation systems, or their fuel tanks. While modern jets have lightning protection, the intensity and frequency of strikes in a hurricane increase the risk of system failures. The NHC said Wednesday that Erin is now moving north-northwest, closer to the East Coast, but is expected to turn north and recurve, avoiding a direct US landfall. However, the hurricane's proximity is creating hazardous conditions along the US coastline. Waves of 15 to 20 feet are expected, and heavy coastal erosion is likely in North Carolina as the storm moves slowly offshore over the next several days. Your browser does not support iframes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an 'above average' hurricane season that will likely result in more named storms than there were in 2024, when 18 such storms were tracked. In May, NOAA predicted up to 19 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and five major hurricanes affecting the US this year. Major airports along the East Coast have already seen thousands of delays and cancellations this summer for storm systems that didn't involve hurricanes. Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Summer may be cooling off but fall has so much more in store and viral brand Hotel Collection is making sure of that! The chic Miami-based brand has been catching the eye of shoppers and celebrities alike, with Scott Disick, Alix Earle, and more, notably using their scents at home. Now you can bring home the brand's best-selling candles, diffusers, room sprays, and more for 50 percent off 24/7 when you sign-up for Hotel Collection First Class. Hotel Collection First Class Looking to bring luxury home for less? Right now when you sign-up for a Hotel Collection membership, priced at just $99 a year, you get access to 24/7 50 percent off sitewide! Plus, a bunch of other exclusive perks. If you are unsure you can also do a 7-day FREE trial to see what the hype is all about while you shop the luxurious candles, scents, and more! 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Explore Hotel Collection's entire variety of themed sprays using your unique 50 percent off member markdown ASAP. Shop We know year-round scents for 50 percent off sound too good to be true but it is! Cash in on Hotel Collection's First Class membership while you can and enjoy the exclusive perks, plus sale pricing, all for just $99 a year. Amanda Knox has revealed how Monica Lewinsky became her mentor as she tried to rebuild her life after being cleared of the 2007 murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher. The pair were reunited on the red carpet for the launch of their new Hulu eight-part Hulu drama The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox, the first two episodes of which dropped on Wednesday. Knox first met Lewinsky, who infamously had an affair with President Bill Clinton from 1995 to 1997, at a speaking engagement in 2017, two years after Italy's highest court exonerated her and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Scandal survivors: Monica Lewinsky and Amanda Knox on the red carpet for the premiere of their new Hulu show Knox told The Hollywood Reporter how she was nervous and had begged the event organizers to let her speak with Lewinsky in private. The former White House intern obliged, and even made Knox a pot of tea as she shared some guidance from her years trying to move past her sex scandal. 'She had a lot of advice about reclaiming your voice and your narrative,' Knox said. 'That ended up being a turning point for me.' Years later, Knox shared her desire to tell her story on screen in an interview with The New York Times - and upon seeing it, Lewinsky jumped on board. Together, Lewinsky and Knox wound up assembling a creative team, including This Is Us executive producer KJ Steinberg and producer Warren Littlefield. Pals: The pair also spoke about the importance of telling the stories of those who survived scandal on Knox's podcast Team: From left, Lewinsky with co-executive producers KJ Steinberg, and Lisa Harrison The 38-year-old stunned in a lacy white and orange gown, while Lewinsky, 52, opted for a stunning gold number with dangling earrings and her hair pulled back. Just hours earlier, Knox released the latest episode of her podcast, Hard Knox, in which she and Lewinsky spoke of the importance of telling the stories of those who had survived scandal. Speaking of the decision, Lewinsky noted that she does not often pay attention to a story after it fades from headlines. 'I don't think about "How is this person rebuilding their life?"' she said, her voice cracking as she apparently got emotional. But, she said, she thinks it is important to 'understand, as my therapist calls it, the long tale of trauma - and that it's not even just the person, but the collateral damage for people's families'. 'It's not the story of like, being a person and being gutted and then building your life back. Victim: Knox served four years in an Italian prison before being cleared of murdering her former student flatmate Meredith Kercher in 2007 Former partners: Knox and Raffaele Sollecito meeting again in the Italian town of Gubbio in October 2022, having both been cleared of Meredith Kercher's murder 'And having to find yourself again,' Lewinsky said, noting that both of their scandals arose when they were in their 20s. 'You think you know everything, you think you know who you are and it's then ripped away from you,' she reflected. 'It's reconfigured and reflected back to you as a monster that you never saw yourself as, that you actually aren't.' During that time, Knox said, 'it's hard to remember that you have value as a human.' That is why, both women said, it was important for Knox to tell her story herself 'I think it's a better product because I was able to share really personal and intimate things about, you know, my life that wasn't just like a Hollywood gloss over reality,' Knox said. 'Like it becomes dirtier in a good way because it has all the messy humanity and you have all these scenes that I, you know, remember being in the writer's room being like, "This is an actual thing that has happened" and they were like, "You can't make this stuff up".' New: The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox premiered on Hulu on Wednesday, and stars Grace Van Patten in the title role But the duo also sought to play on the 'anatomy of bias,' aiming to showcase how events unfold and are perceived through different people's perspectives. 'It's the way we story tell and it's the way we process a story in our own minds that is impacted by everything we're bringing to that moment that has been shaped by bias upon bias upon bias,' Lewinsky said. 'Every interaction that we have with a person is not just a straight interaction,' Knox added. 'It is colored by the context that we all carry. 'All of us are little universes inside of ourselves and we collide with each other,' she said. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox airs on Hulu, and stars Grace Van Patten in the title role. An 11-year-old girl from Ohio wastes no time calling her father from her hospital bed immediately after learning she's to receive a new heart. Ava Cooper has battled multiple serious organ defects from the age of just six days old - including a hole in her heart, it being positioned on the opposite side of her chest, reversed pumping chambers, and a missing or blocked pulmonary valve, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Despite undergoing multiple open-heart surgeries by the time she was five, Avas health began to rapidly decline last summer - prompting doctors to conclude that a heart transplant was her best chance for survival. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Life-changing news: Ava Cooper wasted no time in calling her father mere seconds after learning she would be receiving a new heart After spending nearly 300 days at Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, the moment Ava and her family had been waiting for finally arrived - a much-needed donor heart had become available. Ava was sitting on her hospital bed, unaware that the life-changing news she was about to receive - and her emotional reaction - was about to be captured on video. In the clip, Ava appears to be on a video chat with her dad when a nurse approaches her bedside, who smiles brightly as she leans in to whisper in the girl's ear. Immediately, Avas hands flew to her mouth in disbelief, her eyes widening as she quickly scanned the room, searching for confirmation of what she was hearing. As her voice trembles with excitement, Ava speaks into her iPad to say: 'Daddy, I'm getting a heart.' Longtime sickness: Ava's battled multiple serious heart defects since she was just six days old, and has had multiple open-heart surgeries up to the age of five Her father, clearly as stunned as Ava, is heard asking his daughter: 'What?!' Beaming from ear to ear as someone else in the room let out tears of joy, Ava says: 'I'm getting a heart!' Speaking to the Cleveland Clinic after the news, Ava said: 'I was so excited and couldn't believe it was actually happening.' Dr Madeleine Townsend, part of Avas care team, said she wanted to let the girl to be the one to share the news herself. The doctor said: 'I whispered it to Ava because I really wanted her to be the one to tell her parents. Getting to see Ava's smile that day is one of the best parts of my job.' Sean Cooper, Avas dad, shared the excitement during the call, with his voice breaking with emotion as tears welled up upon hearing that his daughter would have a new lease on life. He told Cleveland Clinic: 'The hospital had become our second home, so hearing Ava say those words, "Im getting a heart," was overwhelming. After everything shed been through, we were finally one step closer to coming home for good.' Avas health journey began almost from the moment she was born, undergoing her first heart surgery just days after entering the world. Taking it easy: Following years of open-heart surgeries, which seemed to stabilize her condition, Ava only remained symptom-free up to last summer Hospital visits: In September, aged ten, Ava was officially placed on the heart transplant waiting list Mom Jamie Cooper said: 'After she was born, Ava had to be immediately flown to another hospital. I didn't even get the chance to spend time with her.' Although a total of four open-heart surgeries seemed to stabilize her condition by the time she was five, Ava only remained symptom-free until last summer. Jamie added: 'Ava started getting sick. I was noticing her waking up with facial swelling, not able to lay flat all the way, having a hard time breathing. 'Her doctors at the time determined she was in heart failure.' Essential treatment: While in hospital, Ava's health has had its ups and downs and she needed oxygen in order to breathe and a feeding tube for nutrition It was at that point that Ava was transferred to Cleveland Clinic Children's, where a specialized team, including two pediatric heart function and transplant cardiologists, took over her care. They soon determined that a heart transplant was the best option, concluding that further surgeries would no longer improve her long-term quality of life. In September, when she was ten, Ava was officially placed on the heart transplant waiting list. While in the hospital, her health had its ups and downs and Ava needed oxygen to breathe, a feeding tube for nutrition, and a special assist device to help her heart pump blood. Special moment: One of Avas most treasured memories was in February when hospital staff transformed her room into a special dance venue her and her dad Wonderful words: Less than a month after her special dad-daughter dance, a nurse whispered to tell her that a new heart was on its way Jamie said: 'We had Sunday dinners, threw a birthday party for Avas sister in her hospital room and even brought up presents to open on Christmas morning. We were still trying to find ways to create memories together.' One of Avas most treasured memories was in February, when hospital staff transformed her room into a special father-daughter dance venue, knowing she would miss the one she usually attends at that time of year. Sean said: 'It's now one of the best memories I have with Ava, and I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who came together to make it possible.' Less than a month after the 'magical and cool' father-daughter dance, the hospital received a heart that would soon be hers. On March 6, Ava underwent transplant surgery and emerged with a brand-new organ. She spent the next month in hospital recovering. Her doctor explained that because she had been in heart failure for almost a year, her body needed time to heal. Ava told Cleveland Clinic: 'I was so excited to be back in my own bedroom and be able to see my dog Rocky again.' By April 10, Ava was finally able to go home for the first time in months. Ava said: 'Even though I missed my whole fourth-grade class, Im excited Im able to see my friends, go on field trips and do art projects again.' An idyllic hotspot in Italy that has fast become a must-see destination on social media has been branded 'overpriced and overhyped' by a visitor who explained why she would never return. Curiosity got the better of Phoebe Cornish when she began noticing a quaint, rustic, romantic town appearing extensively on her TikTok and Instagram feeds. Bellagio, located in Lake Como, has seen a surge in popularity in recent years thanks to its narrow cobblestone streets, colourful buildings, striking mountain backdrops and dreamy lakeside promenade. Mesmerised by online clips showcasing its traditional Italian charm, the lifestyle reporter decided to book a flight and see if the 'pearl of Lake Como' was truly worth the hype. According to Lake Como Experiences, Bellagio is easily accessible from Milan, with direct trains run from Milan Centrale to Como San Giovanni station and journeys taking approximately 37 to 47 minutes. For those driving, Milan to Bellagio is roughly one hour and 36 minutes, where ferries from Como connect directly to the village, with trips taking about two hours. Writing for the Express, Phoebe explained that she was immediately 'impressed' once she had stepped off at the ferry port in early June and was greeted by the picturesque setting she had only seen on a screen beforehand. Though she described the area as 'breathtaking' during the day, even whilst wading through hordes of tourists, it soon became apparent that the village was nothing more than an 'overhyped' TikTok destination. Curiosity got the better of Phoebe Cornish when she began noticing a quaint, rustic, romantic town appearing extensively on her TikTok and Instagram feeds Bellagio, located in Lake Como, has seen a surge in popularity in recent years thanks to its narrow cobblestone streets, colourful buildings, striking mountain backdrops and dreamy lakeside promenade She wrote: 'As the sun sets, the atmosphere fades away. Most restaurants closed surprisingly early - around 9pm or 9.30pm - with only a few remaining open until 10pm or 11pm. 'After a full day of exploring the lake, we craved a relaxed late dinner or a drink with a view. However, Bellagio was already winding down.' She admitted she was 'naive' in expecting the same night-time buzz experienced in bustling cities such as Milan, and became especially frustrated when returning from late evenings out in nearby towns, such as Lenno. Despite its culinary backdrop and mile-long queues, Phoebe felt let down by the 'unremarkable' food offered in restaurants across the village, including a 'very dry tiramisu' served by one host. She added that meals were generally overpriced, lacked flavour and felt underwhelming. The writer rounded up her thoughts with a scathing take: 'It is the busiest, most tourist-saturated town on Lake Como and feels far more commercialised than the quieter, more authentic areas.' She also noted that Bellagio 'fails to be accessible' to visitors who are less mobile, and that there are limited options when it comes to public transport in the town itself. Despite leaving the town deflated, Phoebe noted that Bellagio is 'not without its appeal.' Mesmerised by online clips showcasing its traditional Italian charm, the lifestyle reporter decided to book a flight and see if the 'pearl of Lake Como' was truly worth the hype Though she described the area as 'breathtaking' during the day, even whilst wading through hordes of tourists, it soon became apparent that the village was nothing more than an 'overhyped' TikTok destination She enjoyed practicing Italian with her warm and welcoming Airbnb host, ate fresh fish each day, and took in breathtaking views across the lake during the trip, which made her feel 'genuinely connected' to the village. Phoebe also encouraged visitors to hop onboard the 18 slow ferry from Como to Bellagio, where passengers can cruise past the charming villages of Tremezzo and Cernobbio, a journey she described as 'scenic and relaxing.' Meanwhile, a popular British tourist hotspot has banned walking barefoot, picnics, and drinking booze on the streets among a swathe of other prohibitions in a brutal crackdown. Holidaymakers visiting Portofino, a small coastal town on the Italian Riviera in Liguria, are now facing fines for carrying out a variety of actions typically enjoyed abroad. Despite its culinary backdrop and mile-long queues, Phoebe felt let down by the 'unremarkable' food offered in restaurants across the village Starting today, travellers in Portofino will no longer be able to walk through the town barefoot, in swimwear, or topless - or sit in the piazza in such attire. Consuming alcohol on public streets has also been prohibited, with only restaurants, bars, and designated areas left to booze in. Begging, sitting, or lying on the streets, walls, sidewalks and parks has also been banned along with having picnics. The new ordinance, signed by Mayor Matteo Viacava, will take effect during the summer season and temporarily expire on September 30. Commercial pilots may be highly skilled professionals responsible for managing large aircraft and flying hundreds of passengers each day, but they're not immune to the same risks as other humans. Pilots, like anyone else, can experience illness, injuries, or life-threatening emergency on flights. Though this may seem like a terrifying scenario for those outside of the cockpit, procedures are in place to ensure safe passage for all onboard. Though it's extremely uncommon for pilots to pass away mid-flight, there is a small chance it can occur, such as the case of a commercial pilot who died last year. Ilcehin Pehlivan, 59, passed away after collapsing mid-flight on a Turkish Airlines jet in October 2024. The Airbus 350, which had taken off from the western US coastal city of Seattle bound for Istanbul, was forced to make an emergency landing in New York. Mr Pehlivan, who had worked for Turkish Airlines since 2007, had passed a medical examination in March, according to Ustun, who said there had been no indication of any health problems. This is one of the many unfortunate - and, granted, terrifying - scenarios pilots and cabin crew are fortunately trained to deal with. Pilots can experience illness, injuries, or life-threatening emergency on flights - and though this may seem like a terrifying scenario for those outside of the cockpit, procedures are in place to ensure safe passage for all onboard Firstly, pilots must pass strict health requirements and ensure they are physically and mentally fit before they fly. To qualify for a Class 1 Medical Certificate, required for commercial pilots, they must undergo tests for vision, hearing, cardiovascular health, and general health, including blood tests, according to Aviation Job Search. Depending on a pilot's age, this certificate is valid for up to twelve months, but they are also required to visit a doctor for regular tests, manage their weight and are prohibited from abusing substances. In addition, medical examiners in the aviation field regularly assess a pilot's mental state, looking for signs of psychological conditions that could impair their ability to fly. According to SkyWest Airlines captain, Adam Cohen, as reported by Travel + Leisure, some carriers will even assess their pilots' health prior to each flight. While it's not an exhaustive guide, the FAA's pre-flight health checklist for pilots is called the IMSAFE Checklist, which stands for: Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Emotion. If the pilot feels out of sorts in any category, or that they've been affected by alcohol consumption or medication, they are advised to refrain from flying and urged to visit their doctor. In the case a pilot becomes ill or faces a medical emergency during a flight, their co-pilot is required to immediately take over all flying responsibilities, declare an emergency and follow standard operating procedures. In the case a pilot becomes ill or faces a medical emergency during a flight, their co-pilot is required to immediately take over all flying responsibilities This often involves diverting to the nearest suitable airport for an emergency landing. Flight attendants are also trained to assist in medical emergencies and help with tasks such as administering first aid or contacting medical professionals through airline support services. While flight crews are trained in first aid and CPR, they may lack the specific knowledge or resources to handle more serious situations until the flight lands, which commonly results in passengers in the medical field being asked to assist. The Medical Assistance Act, passed in 1998, protects medical professionals from being sued for providing care in 'good faith' in the event of an emergency - though this only applies to domestic flights in the United States. On international flights, or if alcohol has been consumed, passengers in the medical field could be liable for misconduct or negligence if they volunteer their services, so it's worth reading up on regulations before travelling. Beachgoers at a popular beach in north Wales have been advised to avoid swimming in the sea after harmful levels of bacteria were discovered in the water. Unsafe levels of the intestinal enterococci bacteria were detected in water quality samples taken at Llandudno's West Shore in Conwy, as confirmed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). The bacteria, which derives from human, animal or bird faeces, can cause a range of infections, including urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections and severe stomach upsets. Further samples are scheduled to be collected next week, meaning it is likely swimmers will be prohibited from entering the water until after the bank holiday weekend. On Monday, signs were erected at the beach urging swimmers and bathers to stay away from the sea. The alert is one of several recent reports of pollution at or near West Shore, which has left some local members of Welsh parliament concerned. Describing the leaks as a 'serious public health concern,' Conservative MS and Aberconwy representative, Janet Finch Saunders, told BBC News: 'West Shore is a very popular beach that attracts many visitors and locals every day. 'These announcements are extremely concerning, especially during a heatwave and the school summer holidays, which naturally increase the number of people heading to the beach.' Unsafe levels of the intestinal enterococci bacteria were detected in water quality samples taken at Llandudno's West Shore in Conwy, as confirmed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Meanwhile, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water has denied any responsibility for the pollution, and maintained that their storm overflows did not operate on the day, or in the preceding days, the sample was taken. A spokesperson told BBC News that the source of the latest contamination is unclear, and suggested the high levels of bacteria detected in the samples could have come from agricultural sources, animal faeces or septic tanks. They added that bathing water samples previously taken by NRW over the summer have been marked 'excellent' for quality. The spokesperson further stated that the company is looking into a potential sensor fault at their Dale Road pumping station to check whether false readings may have been given. Dwr Cymru Welsh Water said it aims to improve river and bathing water quality by 2030, and has pledged a 2.5bn investment to improve the environment, with 889m going towards improving storm overflows. A spokesperson for Natural Resources Wales said it was aware of the bacteria levels and are in communication with Conwy County Borough Council and Dwr Cymru. It comes as British holidaymakers have been warned against one particularly grotesque act on a Portuguese beach that has been branded 'bizarre' and 'brazen.' Further samples are scheduled to be collected next week, meaning it is likely swimmers at the popular beach will be prohibited from entering the water until after the bank holiday weekend Tourists in the coastal city of Albufeira have been ordered to stop urinating and defecating in an area that's not only frequented by UK holidaymakers, but is also home to large British expat community. At Santa Eulalia beach, officials have erected an angry sign that reads 'NAO URINAR' in Portuguese, which translates to 'Don't Urinate.' However, below the sign is an extra message in English with the words: 'No poop and pee.' It also features a bold red line running through an image of a male figure urinating and another defecating. One of Brookside's most iconic child stars is still acting 22 years after his role in the famous soap, which is set for a surprise return this autumn. Jack McMullen, now 34, made his name over two decades ago when he played Josh McLoughlin in the soap. His character was born after a one-night stand between Mike Dixon (Paul Byatt) and his stepmother, Bev (Sarah White). Things turned messy when Ron Dixon (Vince Earl) wanted to adopt the youngster, but his son Mike prevented it, with Ron and Bev tying the knot before leaving the famous road for a new life with Josh. After waving goodbye to the soap in 2003, young star Jack has carved out a successful acting career with a vast range of television roles. He landed the role of Tigger Johnson in the iconic kids' show Grange Hill, which he starred in for four years. One of Brookside's most iconic child stars is still acting 22 years after his role in the famous soap, which is set for a surprise return this autumn Jack McMullen, now 34, made his name over two decades ago when he played Josh McLoughlin in the soap, and has gone onto star in shows including Grange Hill Two years later, he landed another part in a major drama, this time as Finn Sharkey in Waterloo Road. In more recent years, he's starred in hard-hitting roles such as the jail drama Time, and the heartbreaking ITV series Little Boy Blue. Earlier this year, Jack starred as Jamie Phelan in the hit BBC drama This City Is Ours opposite Sean Bean and James Nelson-Joyce. In 2023, he also played Lewis in the Apple TV series Hijack, which stars Idris Elba in the main role. On Saturday, Channel 4 announced that Brookside will be returning to screens for a historic crossover episode as part of Hollyoaks' 30th Anniversary celebrations. The soap, set in Liverpool, chronicled the lives of characters living in 13 houses on a cul-de-sac called Brookside Close. And while its unclear if Jack will reprise his role, fans can expect some of its big names to return for the one-off episode. Executive Producer Hannah Cheers told the publication: 'This episode is a love letter to both Hollyoaks and Brookside. 'Brookside gave birth to Hollyoaks it grew up on the same site and eventually took over its sets. Two years later, he landed another part in a major drama, this time as Finn Sharkey in Waterloo Road (pictured right) Earlier this year, Jack starred as Jamie Phelan in the hit BBC drama This City Is Ours opposite Sean Bean and James Nelson-Joyce 'For everyone at Lime Pictures (originally Mersey TV), Hollyoaks' history is deeply rooted in Brookside, and its legacy lives on through our crew and, of course, some of our cast.' Brookside originally aired on the first day that Channel 4 was broadcast on November 2 in 1982 and proved an instant hit with viewers. Fan favourites included Bobby and Sheila and Grant, played by Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston. The show launched the careers of many industry heavyweights including Anna Friel, Amanda Burton and Claire Sweeney. At its peak, the show drew in audiences of nine million viewers before it came to a close on November 4 2003. Across its run, the show took on issues such as LGBT+ and hard hitting storylines like rape, bullying and incest. In 1985, teenage character Gordon Collins came out to his family as gay on the soap. The character, played by both Mark Burgess and Nigel Crowley, became the first ever openly gay character in a British TV series when the episode aired. On Saturday, Channel 4 announced that Brookside will be returning for a crossover episode as part of Hollyoaks' 30th Anniversary (stars Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston pictured) Brookside also had the first pre-watershed lesbian kiss in British history between characters Beth Jordache, played by Anna Friel, and Margaret Clemence, who was portrayed by future Emmerdale actress Nicola Stephenson. Anna's career has taken her to America where she has appeared in the comedy series Pushing Daisies, opposite Susan Sarandon in country music drama Monarch and alongside Bradley Cooper in the film Limitless. Silent Witness actress Amanda, Hollyoaks actress Alex Fletcher, and West End musical star Claire Sweeney also began their careers on the soap. A Good Morning Britain guest has sparked fury by claiming the St George's flag is 'racist' and should be changed. Controversial black studies professor Kehinde Andrews, who has previously attacked Britain and the Royal Family, claimed England's national flag was deep-rooted in racism amid a row over a 'patriotic outpouring' around the country. An online movement called 'Operation Raise the Colours' has led to communities across the country hanging up Union Jack and St George's flags, including in Birmingham, London, Bradford, Newcastle and Norwich. But a row broke out when Birmingham City Council announced it would begin removing British flags from the city's streets for 'safety reasons' - despite allowing Palestine flags to fly high for several months. Council workers in Tower Hamlets, east London, were also met with abuse as they began to tear down flags hung by patriotic campaigners who insist they are not 'racist' but simply 'proud English men'. It comes at a time when St George's flags have frequently been displayed by protesters outside migrant hotels - including The Bell Hotel, in Epping, Essex and the Britannia International in Canary Wharf, where several demonstrations have been held. Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, Prof Andrews weighed into the nationwide debate, telling hosts Adil Ray and Kate Garraway that the history of the flag has always been problematic and 'represents racism'. Prof Andrews, professor of black studies at Birmingham City University, said: 'It's not that the far-Right has co-opted the flag. It's that we don't understand what this country is and the history of both of these symbols. Kehinde Andrews, Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University, told Good Morning Britain hosts Adil Ray and Kate Garraway that the history of the flag has always been problematic in the segment that aired on Tuesday England flags flying on lampposts along Bartley Reservoir, in Bartley Green, Birmingham, yesterday Earlier this week, council workers were seen using extendable shears to remove St Georges Cross flags from lampposts in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets It comes after an increased number of people have used the St George's flag and the Union Jack to oppose immigration into the UK in recent weeks Kehinde Andrews's previous incendiary remarks about royals, Britain and racism 'The Royal Family is racist' In 2022, Prof Andrews accused the Royal Family of being 'deeply embedded in institutional racism' after the late Queen's chief lady-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey, resigned amid a race row. 'The Queen is the number one symbol of white supremacy in the world' In June 2021, Prof Andrews labelled the late Queen 'the number one symbol of white supremacy in the world'. He said he did not know 'why it's such a big deal' Oxford University students voted to take down a picture of the Queen from their common room. During a debate into whether the Queen had been cancelled, Prof Andrews told Good Morning Britain: 'If we're honest the Queen doesn't just represent modern colonialism, the Queen is probably the number one symbol of white supremacy in the entire world. 'A born to rule elite of this really white family. The head of the commonwealth which is actually the empire.' 'The British Empire was far worse than the Nazis' In February 2021, Prof Andrews branded the British Empire 'far worse than the Nazis' during a controversial debate about Sir Winston Churchill's legacy. He said: 'The British Empire was far worse than the Nazis. They lasted longer and killed many more people.' On Churchill, he added: 'There is no debate. His white supremacy is pretty much on record and the question here is why does Churchill still hold the level of popularity that he does? It's almost like he's been beatified a saintly figure beyond reproach.' 'Churchill was a clear racist' The academic made headlines in 2018 when he claimed on Good Morning Britain that Churchill was a 'clear racist' in a heated debate in which Piers Morgan asked him: 'Why do you live in a country that you loathe?' He also compared the UK's war-time Prime Minister to Nazi leader Hitler for his treatment of Indians when the country endured a famine in 1943. 'Rule, Britannia! and Land of Hope and Glory are racist songs' In 2020, Prof Andrews criticised the singing of Rule, Britannia! and Land of Hope and Glory at the Last Night of the Proms. He said: 'Some of those songs, particularly those two, are racist propaganda. They celebrate the British Empire which killed tens of millions of people.' Advertisement 'Both of these flags are the flags that were flown on ships that enslaved my ancestors; those are the flags that the British Army marched into places like Pakistan, India, Bengal, Africa, and colonised 25 percent of the world. 'The reason the far-Right picks up these flags and has consistently since the 60s, 70s, since my parents' generation have been in the country is because these flags represent the racism that they are putting out into the world. 'This campaign of putting these flags up, this is not some benign "let's just be patriotic"... go and search "Operation Raise the Colours" and you will find the same far-right, Little England, this nonsense-spewing about migrant hotels... this is what it's about.' He added: 'People aren't putting up these flags to celebrate Britain, they're putting up this flag to remind us that Britain is white and we shouldn't be here.' Prof Andrews has previously come under fire for incendiary remarks about royals, Britain and racism. He once declared that the late Queen Elizabeth II was 'the number one symbol of white supremacy in the world' and claimed the British Empire was 'far worse than the Nazis'. Prof Andrews has also accused former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill of being a 'clear racist' and said 'Rule, Britannia!' and 'Land of Hope and Glory' were racist songs. Defending the St George's and Union Jack on GMB, fellow guest Dr Rakib Ehsan took the opposing view and argued that there is absolutely nothing wrong with people displaying the national flags. Dr Ehsan said: 'In my view, there are many reasons why we should be proud of British identity. We should celebrate expressions of English pride. 'If I just speak from a personal perspective, I think that Britain has a rich tradition of religious freedom. 'I also think that, compared to other European countries, it fares much better in terms of anti-discrimination laws against its minorities.' While Ehsan acknowledged why some people are now viewing the flags differently, he believes that they can be a symbol of unity. He went on: 'But I actually think when I see ethnic minority people expressing pride in their Britishness, celebrating their sense of belonging in England, I think that's the perfect antidote, a great counter-challenge to far-Right activity and those groups that ultimately want to take ownership of those flags.' However, Andrews insisted that the flag simply cannot be used in this way. Andrews later added: 'These flags, these symbols, they represent white supremacy. 'You're never going to get a large majority who will never look at that flag and never see anything but intimidation.' Reactions to the segment online were mixed, with many arguing that there is nothing 'hateful' about the flags, fuming: 'This is England, the English will fly their flag as and when they want to, WHEREVER they want to.' Others agreed: 'Why are we arguing about the British flag?! We are in Britain! In Greece they have their flag everywhere so do Italy, Spain, all over Europe.' Tensions bubbled over in Tower Hamlets this week when, around midday at Marsh Wall on the Isle of Dogs, a two-man team from the council spent several hours cutting down Union and St George flags One of the employees, who gave his name only as Tyrone, told the Daily Mail: 'I was sent here by my managers to take these flags down. I dont know the significance of these flags but Ive been taking them down and getting abuse by people who are telling me to "leave it!"' Pictured: Palestinian flags seen in Tower Hamlets in 2024 For weeks St Georges flags have been flown in areas including Weoley Castle (pictured), Northfield and Selly Oak, erected by groups of patriotic locals The black, white, green and red of Palestine is a familiar sight in Sparkhill (pictured), an inner-city suburb with a Muslim population of 79 per cent The support for flag-flying is understandable in areas in which the Palestinian flag has flown for several months However, Dr Rakib Ehsan (R) took the opposing view and argued that there is absolutely nothing wrong with people displaying the St George's Flag and the Union Jack Reactions to the segment online were mixed, with many arguing that there is nothing 'hateful' about the flags, fuming: 'This is England, the English will fly their flag as and when they want to, WHEREVER they want to' While Ehsan acknowledged why some people are now viewing the flags differently, he believes that they can be a symbol of unity 'This is the exact reason the country is on its a**e. Idiots like this saying a country's flag is a symbol of hate when actually it's the wokeness of the country which has made it that way, and the way authorities force things down your throat.' But there were viewers who agreed that the flag has been latched onto by the far-Right, making its usage now problematic. They wrote: 'It's not being patriotic though is it? We all know why it's happening.' 'Interesting debate. Unfortunately though there is no doubt that the St George's flag especially has been latched onto by far right fake patriot groups and used as their banner to spread hate. With homegrown anti-British sentiment on the rise, the Birmingham City Council announcement was delivered at a particularly sensitive juncture. It also came against growing cultural tensions over mass migration Local mothers led protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex (pictured), which was housing an Ethiopian asylum seeker charged with sexually assaulting a schoolgirl Back in Birmingham, the flags started springing up last month in Weoley Castle in the south-west of the city before spreading to Northfield, Selly Oak, Bartley Green and other districts. It is estimated that around 1,500 have been put up so far 'I'd love the country to reclaim its flag from those people.' Another wrote: 'In this instance they're being flown as a deliberately act of racist provocation by the far right, who sadly have claimed the flag as theirs. 'Why is a national flag required at a protest about migrant hotels? Doesn't mean though flags are inherently racist & cant ever be flown [sic].' Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 from 6am and is available to stream on ITVX. A breakfast TV host gasped 'I'm going to get sacked' as she begged viewers not to complain after accidentally dropping the f-bomb live on air. Ireland AM presenter Elaine Crowley stepped out of her hosting role as she was dared by a producer to join chef Lizzy Lyons in the kitchen during Sunday's show. Introducing what she was going to cook, Elaine said: 'What I am making today is smashed avocado with chilli flakes and sourdough with a poached egg, with some smoked salmon on the side. 'It's the only thing up til now I was able to cook, obviously I'm having a bit of a blind panic now. So what we do ext is the most important part, the eggs.' Elaine was then asked: 'Do you ever cook your poached eggs, is that a thing that can happen?' 'No I overcook my boiled eggs,' she began... before looking at her pan and saying: 'Oh f*** I've overcoo-.' A breakfast TV host gasped 'I'm going to get sacked' as she begged viewers not to complain after accidentally dropping the f-bomb live on air on Sunday Realising she had sworn, Elaine quickly pursed her lips together as the studio erupted in gasps and laughter. Elaine said: 'Oh no I deeply apologise, this was always going to happen. 'Please don't complain me to the BAI [Broadcasting Authority of Ireland]. And I've ruined my poached eggs.' Co-host Kevin Twomey was quick to make her feel better as he said: 'Live TV... sometimes this happens. It's a stressful scenario. 'I've worked in hospitality and in kitchens and let me tell you, the chefs are saying a lot worse in there.' Elaine appeared disappointed as she added: 'First time in my life on air, I've said that word. For god sake. I'm going to get sacked.' The segment erupted into further chaos as the presenter's tucked into the food Elaine had made. 'What's that smell?' Kevin asked - before Elaine gasped and shouted 'The toast' as she realised it was burning in the grill. Co-host Kevin Twomey was quick to make her feel better as he said: 'Live TV... sometimes this happens. It's a stressful scenario' The segment erupted into further chaos as the presenter's tucked into the food Elaine had made as she realised the toast was burning Earlier this year a similar scenario occurred on British TV as This Morning's Ben Shepherd apologised to viewers after TV chef Clodagh McKenna swore live on air. The presenter, 50, and co-host Cat Deeley, 48, welcomed the Irish chef, 49, back to the kitchen in the studio to hear how she makes her spring leek and chicken filo pot pie. During the episode Clodagh made her delicious pie live on air - but when some hot liquid split onto the side of the hob and onto her skin, she let out a naughty word. Clodagh, who looked stylish in a white frilly shirt, denim dungarees and an Annoushka Loveometer charm around her neck, said: 'Oh s***! That's hot...' Clodagh added: 'Sorry. I did not say that bad word, did I?' As she looked over at the crew, she continued: 'Nobody heard me...' Ben chimed in: 'I'm not sure... Apparently we have to apologise just in case. I was only talking about that this weekend.' Cat chimed in: 'It's because she's got her glasses on,' and Ben agreed: 'It's the glasses!' Clodagh joined the This Morning team in 2021. Meanwhile Cat and Ben have been presenters of This Morning since March 2024. The Chase fans were left seriously distracted by a contestant's appearance on a recent episode of the ITV game show. Contestants Albert, Zoe, Roisin and Paul made up the team of four contestants who took on quizzer Shaun Wallace in a recent episode. But fans were quick to point out that Albert bore a striking resemblance to the Only Fools And Horses character uncle Albert, played by Buster Merryfield. Even Chaser Shaun noticed the similarities, as he noted: 'It's Uncle Albert. Lovely jubbly.' Also speaking on how Albert is a lookalike of the sitcom character, host Bradley Walsh added: 'What's going on? It's frightening!' Contestants Paul and Roisin were unfortunately caught by the Chaser, but Albert and Zoe made it through to the final Chase and succeeded, walking away with 3,000 each. The Chase fans were left seriously distracted by a contestant's appearance on a recent episode of the ITV game show Even Chaser Shaun noticed the similarities to an Only Fools And Horses character, as he noted: 'It's Uncle Albert. Lovely jubbly' Viewers were quick to comment on Albert's likeness to the OFAH character, writing on X, formerly Twitter: 'Ooooooh look Uncle Albert!'; 'Uncle Albert from OFAH is on #TheChase today,'; 'Uncle Albert could've at least put his teeth in,'; 'Hope Del Boy & Rodney are there to support their uncle,'; 'I'm waiting to see if Uncle Albert mentions the War,'; 'Uncle Albert is going to be using the line 'It was after my time' when he doesn't know an answer isn't he.' It comes after a contestant on The Chase has lifted the lid on what charismatic host Bradley is really like with players when the cameras stop rolling. The hugely popular ITV game show sees four contestants go head-to-head with a quizzing master in the hopes of winning potentially huge cash prizes. And now, previous contestants have come forward with their experiences of filming and spending time backstage with Bradley. Taking to discussion website Reddit, a former player said the host was not as forthcoming as they expected. Also speaking on how Albert is a lookalike of the sitcom character, host Bradley Walsh added: 'What's going on? It's frightening!' Viewers were quick to comment on Albert's likeness to the OFAH character, writing on X, formerly Twitter: 'Ooooooh look Uncle Albert!' 'Brad was nice but, aside from introducing himself, he never interacted with us during breaks when we stopped filming - compared to different to hosts on other shows I've been on.' The user went on to say that, despite this, Chaser Shaun Wallace, aka the Dark Destroyer, was 'lovely' when he came down to meet the team after filming was wrapped, and 'won them over'. 'We won and the prize money came from ITV's Payroll at the end of the month after we filmed,' they continued. 'With most quiz shows, you don't get the prize money until the show airs.' The player explained how they filmed at BBC Elstree, where EastEnders is filmed, after auditioning at ITV Towers in South Bank. And the taxi that took the team to the studio drove through the plaza that was dressed as the entrance to Holby City Hospital. 'To me it was 1980s Grange Hill,' they continued. 'When we went to the toilet we also got to see into one of the studios where the internal EastEnders sets were assembled.' Now, previous contestants have come forward with their experiences of filming and spending time backstage with Bradley Another user responded with their own Chase story, writing: 'I've been on it. Brad was lovely it must be hard to live up to people's expectations too. 'He's professional and acts up for the camera which is not a negative by any means. He knows he needs to add levity and entertain those at home.' But the contestant revealed one thing about the set that was 'uncomfortable,' adding: 'I will also say the chairs the contestants sit on are the most uncomfortable seats ever! My back was killing for weeks after.' Another Bradley fan rushed to his defence. 'I've been on it,' they said. The Chase airs weekdays on ITV1 from 5pm and is available to stream on ITVX Border city in NE China's Jilin cultivates thriving wine industry People's Daily Online) 14:59, August 20, 2025 Photo shows the valley of Yalu River in Ji'an city, a county-level city administered by Tonghua city, northeast China's Jilin Province. (People's Daily/Zhang Bolan) More than two-thirds of Tonghua city, northeast China's Jilin Province is covered by mountains rich in natural treasures. The Changbai Mountains are home to over 2,000 plant species. Among their most prized gifts is the wild mountain grape, which grows in abundance between Liuhe county and Ji'an city, a county-level city administered by Tonghua. The rare grape variety is unique to China. Locals have been fermenting these grapes into wine for generations. Industrial production of mountain grape wine began in the 1930s, making China one of only three countries in the world capable of producing it at the time. After the founding of New China, Tonghua grape wine rose to prominence as one of the country's major wine exports. Through selective breeding and hybrid cultivation, the mountain grape now produces a wide range of wine styles and flavors. Thanks to this, the border city has earned international recognition as the "Bordeaux of the East." Foreign visitors pick frozen grapes at a wine estate in Ji'an city, a county-level city administered by Tonghua city, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Photo courtesy of Ji'an Yajianggu Winery Co., Ltd.) The underground wine cellar at Tonghua Winery is the largest cluster-style underground oak barrel cellar in the world. It houses 772 giant barrels, each with a capacity of 3 to 8 tonnes, together being able to store up to around 6,000 tonnes of wine. Lying between 40- and 43-degrees north latitude, Tonghua boasts an ideal climate and geography for grape growing. After the founding of New China, Tonghua Wine became China's only wine brand named after a city, and it was often served at National Day banquets and in receptions for foreign dignitaries. As one of China's earliest underground wine cellars, the underground wine cellar at Tonghua Winery was listed in 2013 by the State Council as a national key cultural relic protection unit. It attracts visitors from across China and abroad to get a unique experience of cultural exchange through wine. Dominic Rivard, a Canadian winemaker tastes grape wine. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) In 1997, Tonghua Winery established a research team to explore ice wine production, sending team members to Canada, the world's leading ice wine producer. In 2003, Dominic Rivard, a Canadian winemaker, was invited to Tonghua to help introduce the Canadian grape variety Vidal, adapting it to the local terroir and expanding it into large-scale cultivation. "Vidal is a cold-resistant grape that grows well in Canada's climate. In Tonghua, we started with small trial plots across different vineyards, monitoring growth, sugar and acid levels, and flavor," explained Rivard. "Eventually, Vidal grew from just a few hectares of test fields to widespread commercial planting. It was a true collaborationcombining Canadian expertise with the persistence of a Chinese winery," he added. "After decades of breeding, Tonghua has developed its own distinctive mountain grape varieties," said Guo Fenghua, chief winemaker at Tonghua Grape Wine Co., Ltd. Russian wine experts visit a wine estate in Ji'an city, a county-level city administered by Tonghua city, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Photo/Niu Yanzhang) In recent years, Tonghua's wine industry has stepped up its efforts to go global, actively participating in major international wine competitions. Wines produced in the small city of Ji'an alone have won nearly 100 awards in both domestic and international contests. Wine is more than just a drinkit's a bridge connecting people and cultures. Thanks to this connection, Ji'an has seen its international exchanges flourish. Each winter, the city's frozen grapes captivate visitors. People perform long-drum dance of the Korean ethnic group at the Ice Wine Festival in Ji'an city, a county-level city administered by Tonghua city, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Photo/Bao Yang) In recent years, Ji'an has been hosting the Ice Wine Festival, attracting wine experts, enthusiasts, and tourists from countries such as Russia and France to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and savor the distinctive local wine. German wine professional Joerg Philipp and his wife visited Jilin for the first time, with Ji'an as their destination. "The taste of the grapes is very fresh, with just the right balance of acidity and sweetness," said Philipp, a judge at multiple international wine competitions. Having traveled to many wine regions, the couple was particularly impressed by Tonghua wine. Photo shows an aerial view of Ji'an city, a county-level city administered by Tonghua city, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Photo/Zhang Hongming) (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Fact-based drama starring Grace Van Patten and Sharon Horgan Year: 2025 Certificate: 15 Watch now on Disney+ In 2007, British exchange student Meredith Kercher was found murdered in her apartment in Perugia, Italy. Her roommate, the American student Amanda Knox (Grace Van Patten), was convicted of her murder amid a storm of media coverage. This controversial eight-part drama centres on Knox's 16-year battle to prove her innocence in the face of a wave of public opinion that had already pronounced her guilty. Van Patten offers up a determined and powerful performance as Knox, giving a very personal sense of exactly what she suffered during the investigation and her time in prison, with fine support from Sharon Horgan as her mother and Grace's real-life sister Anna Van Patten as Knox's sister, Deanna. Knox herself also serves as an executive producer for the series, as does another woman wronged by the court of public opinion - Monica Lewinsky. Kercher's family were not involved and have been critical of the drama. 'This continuous stirring is a demonstration of a lack of sensitivity,' their lawyer stated. (Eight episodes) A young woman falls in love on a European holiday Year: 2025 Certificate: 12 Watch now on Prime Video Taking a break to travel to Europe after graduating from college, Heather (Madelyn Cline) is looking forward to a city-hopping whirlwind tour accompanied by two of her best friends. But then the young American encounters Jack (KJ Apa of Riverdale fame), who is on a mission of his own - he's following in the footsteps of his grandfather, visiting the places that are mentioned in the old man's journal. As Heather and Jack become closer, she joins him on his journey. Can the holiday romance last, though? What will happen when it's time for Heather to return to the US? Helmed by Oscar-nominated director Lasse Hallstrom, this is a sweeping, heartfelt tale of romance, shot through with gorgeous images of European hotspots, from Amsterdam to Barcelona and Lisbon. (96 minutes) Top Swedish mystery starring two different actresses in the lead Year: 2018-2020 Certificate: 15 Watch now on Prime Video The premise of this Swedish noir feels familiar: high-flying lawyer is recalled to her scenic home town by tragedy. The execution, though, is well above average and, in the first series, that's partly because of the casting. Ida Engvoll, a Swedish actress who is also excellent in the Netflix comedy Love & Anarchy, plays Rebecka as she sets about unearthing the mystery of a dead friend, and does so in a way that means you can see every thought flying through the character's head. Martinsson is an appealing mess of a character, a human train wreck who frequently falls into her own personal abyss, while the setting around her - the Arctic Circle - is wonderfully atmospheric, making for the kind of show that's best enjoyed with a steaming hot drink. Engvoll exited the show due to scheduling difficulties and Sascha Zacharias took over the lead role in series two, the story for which features a pregnancy and a serious career dilemma for our heroine. Zacharias is perfectly good in the role, and may even look familiar - she appears as a different character in the end of series one - but Rebecka isn't quite the chaotic enigma she is in the first series. If you'd like more of her adventures, the show is based on a series of novels by Asa Larsson. (Two series) When it comes to celebrity sightings in Australia, nowhere compares to Sydney. From beachfront bistros to subterranean steakhouses, the Harbour City has become a magnet for A-listers, influencers and reality stars. Whether it's Margot Robbie sipping cocktails in Rose Bay, or Rita Ora indulging in a long lunch in Coogee, these venues have become the city's ultimate celebrity magnets. Daily Mail can reveal the most star-studded hotspots in Sydney right now - and exactly who's been spotted at them. Totti's (Bondi, Rozelle, CBD) There are few restaurants with as many celebrity sightings as Mike Eggert's cult-favourite Totti's. When it comes to celebrity sightings in Australia, nowhere compares to Sydney. (David Beckham is pictured with Aria Restaurant owner Matt Moran in 2018) Daily Mail can reveal the most star-studded hotspots in Sydney right now - and exactly who's been spotted at them. (Pictured: Justin Hemmes and Daniel Ricciardo at Totti's) Chris Hemsworth, Matt Damon and Taron Egerton have all been snapped indulging in flatbread and burrata at the Bondi location, while Martha Stewart recently declared her love for the venue. Married At First Sight alumni Lauren Dunn and Evelyn Ellis are regulars. Daniel Ricciardo and Justin Hemmes were also recently spotted. Meanwhile, Nathan Cleary and girlfriend Mary Fowler were spotted at the Balmain location. Bar 26, Lilyfield Sydney's newest hidden gem has quietly entered the scene - and insiders are already calling it the city's next big thing. Located within the Otter Craft Distilling site in Lilyfield, Bar 26 is a New York-style speakeasy bar and cellar door founded by brother-sister duo Eduard and Julie Otter. It's become a cult hit with craft spirit lovers and discerning cocktail fans. Chris Hemsworth, Matt Damon and Taron Egerton have all been snapped indulging in flatbread and burrata at Totti's Bondi, while Martha Stewart recently declared her love for the venue Sydney's newest hidden gem, Bar 26, has quietly entered the scene - and insiders are already calling it the city's next big thing Located within the Otter Craft Distilling site in Lilyfield, Bar 26 is a New York-style speakeasy bar and cellar door founded by brother-sister duo Eduard and Julie Otter With handcrafted OCD whiskies, vodkas and the cult-favourite Mary St Gin, the venue is also home to a tightly curated cocktail list overseen by award-winning mixologist Flynn McLennan. Bar 26 is already drawing a stylish inner-west crowd and influencers have been flocking to its moody interiors for content. The house-smoked brisket, wood-fired pizzas and $12 Bloody Mary Saturdays are fast becoming legend. Lyf Hotel, Bondi Junction Bondi's newest hotel has fast become a go-to hangout for reality TV stars and young influencers. Located just minutes from both the beach and the CBD, Lyf Bondi Junction is a stylish, social-living hotel aimed at digital nomads, creatives and trend-savvy travellers. Recently, Married At First Sight's Eliot Donovan, Tayla Winter, Ellie Dix and Jono, as well as Love Triangle's Alan Wallace, were all spotted checking in. The hotel features a sleek design, communal kitchen, co-working areas and in-house events that attract a fashionable crowd - making it the perfect home base for Sydney's most social stars. Bondi's newest hotel has fast become a go-to hangout for reality TV stars and young influencers Mimi's at Coogee Pavilion This Merivale venue screams luxury - and so does its guest list. Margot Robbie launched her Papa Salt gin here, while Kourtney Kardashian and her entourage were spotted dining during her 2024 visit. Zac Efron, Rita Ora, Delta Goodrem and Nadia Bartel have all dined here, and during the Logies, the upstairs room is a go-to for power lunches and post-awards debriefs. Pelicano, Double Bay A long-standing favourite among Sydney's Eastern Suburbs party set, Pelicano continues to pull in a who's who of socialites, fashion types and reality TV royalty. From Love Island stars to MAFS grooms, the upstairs booths and cobblestone courtyard remain some of the most photographed spaces in Sydney nightlife. It's where deals are whispered, flirtations start, and late-night stories are made. Saint Peter, Paddington Josh Niland's innovative seafood restaurant has earned a global following, with Margot Robbie, Nigella Lawson and Liam Hemsworth among the elite who've dined at the now-expanded venue inside the Grand National Hotel. It's small, discreet and attracts a polished foodie crowd. This Merivale venue screams luxury - and so does its guest list Margot Robbie launched her Papa Salt gin here, while Kourtney Kardashian (pictured) and her entourage were spotted dining during her 2024 visit Michael Clarke and his girlfriend Arabella Sherborne spotted at mimi's The Gidley, Sydney CBD Tucked beneath Elizabeth Street, this moody steakhouse has hosted some of the biggest names in the music industry. Drake dined here during a whirlwind Sydney trip, while The Kid LAROI was seen enjoying a late-night burger. The venue is favoured for its privacy, velvet booths and no-phones policy, making it a haven for stars who want to go unnoticed. Bistecca, Bridge Street Another underground favourite, this Italian steakhouse is a celeb go-to thanks to its moody interiors and cult following. Patrick Schwarzenegger popped in during White Lotus promo duties, and Irish muso James Vincent McMorrow was spotted at the bar. It's also become a hotspot for stylists and publicists entertaining international talent. A long-standing favourite among Sydney's Eastern Suburbs party set, Pelicano continues to pull in a who's who of socialites, fashion types and reality TV royalty Another underground favourite, this Italian steakhouse is a celeb go-to thanks to its moody interiors and cult following Taylor Swift fans will never forget the moment she dined here with Sabrina Carpenter during her sold-out Eras Tour in 2024 Pellegrino 2000, Surry Hills Taylor Swift fans will never forget the moment she dined here with Sabrina Carpenter during her sold-out Eras Tour in 2024. Even before that, the chic trattoria had become a go-to for Melissa Leong, Sam Armytage, Abbie Chatfield and Sylvia Jeffreys. You'll need to join the waitlist - or know someone - to get in. Bellevue, Woolloomooloo Fast becoming the unofficial lunch spot for media insiders and rising reality stars, Bellevue in Woolloomooloo serves up classic bistro fare with harbour views. It's been quietly gaining traction with the likes of radio execs, TV producers and social media personalities ducking in for midweek catch-ups or Sunday brunches. The sleek-yet-casual setting makes it ideal for those who want to see and be seen without the chaos of the beachside buzz. Park Hyatt Sydney, The Rocks When it comes to A-list stays, the Park Hyatt still reigns supreme. Renee Zellweger, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Nicole Kidman, Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Coolidge and Bette Midler have all checked in. During the Eras Tour, Taylor Swift's team took over an entire floor, and the Governor Suite has reportedly hosted private interviews with Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth. Even before that, the chic trattoria had become a go-to for Melissa Leong, Sam Armytage, Abbie Chatfield and Sylvia Jeffreys When it comes to A-list stays, the Park Hyatt still reigns supreme. Renee Zellweger, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Nicole Kidman, Jerry Seinfeld and Jennifer Coolidge have all checked in Crown Sydney, Barangaroo With its $38,000-per-night suites and private rooftop pool, it's no surprise Crown Sydney is the new go-to for VIP guests. Taylor Swift, Matt Damon, Ariana Grande, JoJo Siwa and Chris Hemsworth have all stayed here. Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich were also seen relaxing poolside following a major fashion event. W Sydney, Darling Harbour Since opening its doors in late 2024, W Sydney has quickly risen to elite status. Its star-studded launch drew Candice and David Warner, Bella Varelis, Sarah Ellen, Larry Emdur and Scott Tweedie. Rapper Akon and UK DJ Joel Corry recently checked in during their Australian tours. Peter Andre has spoken about his daughter Princess foray into the TV world for the first time, admitting he was 'very strict' about what she could feature in her new ITV2 reality show. The influencer, 18, was praised by viewers for her four-part show The Princess Diaries, where she offered insight into her 'chaotic' childhood as the daughter of the Mysterious Girl hitmaker, and his ex Katie Price. Speaking to Daily Mail ahead of his new Channel 5 series The Sunshine Murders, Peter, 52, said he was wary of letting Princess appear on TV before she 'got to an age where she could do it herself'. The father-of-five added that he's found it hard to 'let go' of his eldest daughter after she turned 18 earlier this year. It came as Katie hit back at her ex Peter after he issued a statement accused her of peddling 'baseless lies' over the last 16 years. He said: 'I was very strict about what she wasn't allowed to, you know, I didn't want didn't really want her doing a lot of stuff before she got to the age that she can do it herself. Peter Andre has spoken about his daughter Princess foray into the TV world for the first time, admitting he was 'very strict' about what she could feature in her new ITV2 reality show The influencer was praised by viewers for her four-part show The Princess Diaries, where she offered insight into her 'chaotic' childhood 'I'm really proud of her. I think she's a really sweet person and I really hope people see that of her and I just want her to shine and, you know, I want her to just go on and just become her own little true gem. 'She's a great girl and I'm proud of her and I'm proud of Junior too. He's such a good, good kid.' Peter went onto share he's had to 'let go of the reins' as Princess reached adulthood, admitting he was a 'strict' parent during their upbringing. He told Daily Mail: 'This is the hard bit, because I have to be honest, trying to cut that umbilical cord at 18, some people let go [more easily]. 'I know I had to let go of the reins a bit, and that it was not easy. It's scary because it's still your baby. 'They still say things that they've said when they were 10 or 1, like, they might be grown up in actual age, but they're still your baby. 'And yeah, OK, I could have been considered a bit of a strict dad, but I think I'm all right now. I'm, I'm chilled out a lot more now. 'But of course, I just wanted to be safe and, you know, you try and keep the innocence as long as you can with them, and then, you just got to realise that they've got to live life.' Speaking to Daily Mail, Peter said he was wary of letting Princess appear in her own show before she 'got to an age where she could do it herself' (pictured with son Junior in 2022) Katie responded to Peter's bombshell statement with a bizarre Instagram post about 'fake Sinners who play the victim' on Friday. Rumours of a 'rift' between Katie and their daughter Princess have been growing in recent weeks after Katie didn't attend Princess's 18th birthday party, or appear on the nepo baby's fly-on-the-wall ITV television series. Katie later claimed that it was her daughter's management who had told her not to appear on the show. Peter shared his side of the story on Thursday, explaining: 'For sixteen years, I have stayed silent in the face of repeated lies from my ex-wife and her family, out of respect for my children and loved ones, but staying silent has been incredibly frustrating. That ends today. 'The latest comments about my children's welfare and living arrangements compel me to set the record straight. For well-documented reasons, and for their safety, Junior and Princess came into my care in 2018 and remained with me until they reached adulthood. 'In 2019, the family courts issued a legally binding order to enforce this arrangement. I have never made this public before, out of respect for my children. 'In 2011 and 2015, publicly documented court cases found my ex-wife had made false claims. She was ordered to pay substantial damages and legal costs, and to apologise to me and my management. The same falsehoods are being repeated today. 'Unfortunately, there are many more lies and baseless accusations I have yet to address. Those will now be dealt with in the coming months.' Peter's chat with Daily Mail coincided with his role in Channel 5's upcoming series The Sunshine Murders alongside Stephanie Beacham (pictured) The father-of-five added that he's found it hard to 'let go' of his eldest daughter after she turned 18 earlier this year Peter and his ex-wife Katie Price are currently locked in a bitter feud after he hit out at her 'baseless lies over the last 16 years' in a blistering statement on Thursday Katie later responded to Peter's bombshell statement with a bizarre Instagram post about 'fake Sinners who play the victim' on Friday Peter went onto tell Daily Mail he's instilled 'politeness' into his two eldest kids Princess and Junior during their upbringing, after receiving some helpful advice from his wife Emily, who he married in 2015. He said: 'I used to annoy the hell out of them when I used to say, when someone says, how are you, you don't just say good. You say, "I'm good, thank you. How are you?" Always ask that. 'One of the things with politeness, and listen, I've been in my teens and I've grown up, I'm 52 now and you know, my parents were so strict. One of the big things was manners. Always manners it's like such an important thing. 'And yeah, we've got to be protective of our daughters and sisters. But I realised one very, very big thing that Emily taught me probably about seven years, six years ago. 'She said to me, "you can't treat one different than the other. Whatever rules you have for one, you have for the other". 'And it was like a light bulb moment because I remember my sister being so, we were so protective over her that we didn't let her do anything. 'And actually, just because we were like that as kids, because that's what we were told, as I've gotten older, I thought, yeah, no, you're right, you've got to treat them all the same, all of them the same.' While Peter's eldest children regularly post on social media, the musician admitted it'll be wholly different when it comes to his three children with wife Emily, Theo, eight, Amelia, 10, and Arabella, 16 months. He said: 'This is the difference that when social media first came out, so when Princess and Junior were little kids, obviously there was no social media. 'Then when social media came out, you all went along with it, not knowing the dangers, just went with it because it was new and everyone was doing it and we were all doing it. Posting pictures of everyone and it's, and that was just how it went. 'It's only been really, I think, in the last one or two years that we've realised the dangers of what, you know, AI is doing now, because AI was definitely not around. 'But what AI's, what they can do with things on social media now, we're just like, "oh my God". 'So, the same rules will apply to the little ones, where it'll be like they're not really allowed to do anything till they're 16, but, the difference is that Emily's really adamant on social media with them, like, really adamant that they're not allowed to have it. 'So I'm like, I understand now that times are different, and we have to sort of go with that. 'So the rules will apply the same, but we'll probably be a lot more strict on things like social media. But then again, by the time they become teenagers, it might be a different world.' Rumours of a 'rift' between Katie and Princess have been growing in recent weeks after Katie failed to appear in her ITV series, but she insisted this was due to her daughter's management Peter's chat with Daily Mail coincided with his role in Channel 5's upcoming series The Sunshine Murders, which is set to be broadcast on the channel next month. The star, who plays a doctor tasked with examining victims of gruesome murders, said the role, which he filmed in Greece, has made him more inclined to pursue other acting roles in the future. He said: 'Yes, absolutely. But I think for me, you know, I'm one of these people that studied acting as a kid and then I did music because I got signed up at 16 on a live television show, which I never expected, and then I just ran with it. 'I always said that when I get to my 40s, I'm going to move back into acting, and I've done a lot of short films in America, but they were never released, they were at like film festivals and stuff like that. And then I've done a couple of new features of them. 'It's definitely the area I'm gonna go in, but music's always my first love in.' The Sunshine Murders will air on Channel 5 next month. Their vow renewal was splashed all over social media, so it's no surprise that Brooklyn Beckham was a fixture on the set of his wife Nicola Peltz's latest role. The couple have faced their share of family drama thanks to a brewing feud with Brooklyn's parents David and Victoria, and the tensions appeared to offer inspiration for the actress's new part. Nicola is starring as a provocative influencer who causes a rift between a mother and daughter in her new film Pretty Ugly, opposite 90s favourite Mary Stuart Masterson, and Too Much's Jazzy De Lisser. Sharing a string of on-set snaps from the film, Nicola appeared to embrace her role in the Erica Dunton thriller, as she appeared wearing a black bikini while submerged in a swimming pool. Other images showed Brooklyn and Nicola packing on the PDA as he joined his wife on the set, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. The snaps showed Nicola clad in an eye-catching black crop top, before changing into revealing matching swimwear as she plunged into the pool for a tense scene. Their vow renewal was splashed all over social media, so it's no surprise that Brooklyn Beckham was a fixture on the set of his wife Nicola Peltz's latest role The couple have faced their share of family drama thanks to a brewing feud with Brooklyn's parents David and Victoria, with the tensions seeming to offer inspiration for her new film The actress is starring as a provocative influencer who causes huge drama between a mother and daughter in her new film Pretty Ugly Channeling her own work as an influencer and Instagram favourite, Nicola cut a mysterious figure, as her character grows to manipulate social media-obsessed Raelynn (De Lisser). Nicola captioned her post: 'I love you Jazzy - PRETTY UGLY - im so grateful to be able to have played roxy.' Set in Winnabow, NC, Pretty Ugly follows Raelynn (Jazzy), a young woman obsessed with the seductive world of social media beauty, and her mother (Mary Stuart), who's equally fixated on grisly true crime podcasts. Their relationship unravels when a provocative make-up influencer (Nicola) returns to Winnabow from LA and all three women are confronted with not only a murder but also the real meaning of the American Dream. Director Erica Dunton called the project 'a movie for this moment, a character-driven murder mystery that highlights the depths to which the internet is changing the face of every town in America.' Michelle Gomez, Andy Buckley, Cullen Moss, Paul Schneider, Edgar de Santiago, and Angela Wong Carbone will also star in the film. Nicola herself is also acting as an executive producer for Bunny Films, alongside De Lisser, and Matthew Petersen and Gill Holland as co-producers. While Nicola has recently become one of social media's top influencers, she made her feature directorial debut in 2024 with Lola, a coming-of-age drama where she was also the writer and star. She has also starred in Welcome to Chippendales, Holidate, Bates Motel, and Transformers: Age of Extinction. Promoting his hot sauce brand Cloud 23, Brooklyn surprised his wife by heading to the set during production of the thriller Sharing a string of on-set snaps from the film, Nicola appeared to embrace her role in the Erica Dunton thriller, as she appeared in a racy scene while submerged in a swimming pool The snaps showed Nicola clad in an eye-catching black crop top, before changing into revealing matching swimwear as she plunged into the pool for a tense scene Stunning in a revealing black bikini, Nicola could be seen filming a dramatic scene with her co-star in a swimming pool In the film, Nicola is set to star opposite 90s favourite Mary Stuart Masterson, and Too Much's Jazzy De Lisser (pictured) Channeling her own work as an influencer and Instagram favourite, Nicola cut a mysterious figure, as her character grows to manipulate social media-obsessed Raelynn (De Lisser) Nicola captioned her post: 'I love you Jazzy - PRETTY UGLY - im so grateful to be able to have played roxy' Set in Winnabow, NC, Pretty Ugly follows Raelynn (De Lisser seen with Nicola), a young woman obsessed with the seductive world of social media beauty The film sees Raelynn's relationship with her mother begin to unravel a provocative make-up influencer (Nicola) returns to Winnabow from LA Director Erica Dunton called the project 'a movie for this moment, a murder mystery that highlights the depths to which the internet is changing the face of every town in America' Nicola herself is also acting as an executive producer for Bunny Films, alongside De Lisser, and Matthew Petersen and Gill Holland as co-producers While Nicola has recently become one of social media's top influencers, she made her feature directorial debut in 2024 with Lola, a coming-of-age drama where she also starred Brooklyn's ever-presence alongside Nicola (pictured) on set won't come as a surprise to some, given his growing feud with his parents David and Victoria in recent months This role also marks a movie comeback of sorts for Mary Stuart, who is best known for her breakout roles in Fried Green Tomatoes and Benny & Joon, and also won fans' hearts in cult classics like Some Kind of Wonderful and Bad Girls. Mary's emotional depth and girl-next-door charm made her a standout star in 1991's Fried Green Tomatoes, which grossed over $119 million worldwide and earned two Oscar nominations. Since her Hollywood heyday, Mary has set up her own film production company, but primarily focuses on TV roles, directing, and theatre. Sharing the news of her casting, Mary wrote on Instagram: 'I'm slow to post these things, but I am so proud to be a part of this film. 'I had a (rather intense) ball down in Wilmington, NC with the most amazing crew and cast under the truly inspiring direction of Erica Dunton.' Continuing, she said: 'I will have more to say and share about this magical experience later on you are not going to believe what my movie daughter [Jazzy] and her new friend [Nicola] get up to' Revealing her excitement, Nicola replied: 'Mary you're so incredible I'm so excited for this.' Brooklyn's ever-presence alongside Nicola on set won't come as a surprise to some, given his growing feud with his parents David and Victoria in recent months. In fact, none of the Beckham family were invited to Brooklyn and Nicola's vow renewal, which was officiated by her billionaire father Nelson, and took place at his lavish Westchester estate. Brooklyn's parents David, 50, and Victoria, 51, and his brothers Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20, and sister Harper, 14, were nowhere in sight at the second wedding, while in contrast, Nicola's family had key roles at the lavish event. And in an additional blow for the Beckham family, Brooklyn reportedly opened up on his love for the Peltz family, as well as speaking 'movingly' of his wife, as he gave his speech in front of the 200 guests. A source told The Mirror: 'He spoke from the heart - and at the centre of his heart is Nicola who he loves very dearly, but also the Peltz family who have really stuck by his side. He wanted to recognise them all, and was determined to do them all justice.' News of the 'heartfelt tribute' to billionaire Nelson Peltz, 83, and wife Claudia, 70, will no doubt add to the pain of the Beckham family amid their estrangement from Brooklyn, with it said that no such tribute was given for his own parents. In addition to his immediate family, Brooklyn's grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles were also absent and only found out about the wedding vow renewal by reading it online. In fact, none of the Beckham family were invited to Brooklyn and Nicola's vow renewal, which was officiated by her billionaire father Nelson, and took place at his lavish Westchester estate Billionaire heiress Nicola has previously been accused of 'isolating' Brooklyn from not only his family, but his friends too It comes as Brooklyn is reportedly 'heartbroken' over the way his wife Nicola is being 'painted as a viper' within their ongoing family feud. Billionaire heiress Nicola has previously been accused of 'isolating' Brooklyn from not only his family, but his friends too. New sources allege Brooklyn is not being held from making his own decisions and is 'devastated' over the way his wife is being portrayed. A source told The Mirror: 'Its so rooted in misogyny that all of the heat for his parents not being invited is on Nicola. 'Everyone seems to forget that Brooklyn is an adult man and fully capable of speaking out. Nicola would have respected all that he chose. 'It breaks Brooklyns heart to see his wife being painted as this vixen and viper.' Insiders previously told Daily Mail that Brooklyn's parents are concerned his wife Nicola holds disproportionate sway in her marriage to their son. Brooklyn and Nicola's vow renewal was a glamorous affair packed with family, fashion and friends earlier this month. As more pictures of both the big day and the after-party come to light, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the festivities were fairly one-sided - with most of the guestlist comprising Brooklyn's post-Nicola peers and pals. The lack of Brooklyn's side sparked widespread chat on social media, including comments from fans who likened their relationship to that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - after the royal turned his back on his family and moved to the US. It was recently claimed that Brooklyn has also cut ties with all of his celebrity pals from the UK, in favour of Nicola's own inner circle. Absent from the event were former members of Brooklyn's entourage - including fellow nepobabies Rocco Richie and Gordon Ramsay's brood, as well as Anais Gallagher. It appears Brooklyn isn't in contact with several of them anymore, as he no longer follows Anais, Rocco or Holly Ramsay on Instagram, and vice versa - despite many of them still following Brooklyn's brothers. A source told The Sun: 'It seems like a real shutdown - Brooklyn has no contact with friends from his former life in the UK. 'Rocco, Selena, the Ramsay kids - none of them have even liked the wedding pics after Nicola posted, let alone commented to congratulate them. 'Things have gone very cold with his old friends - it's like the marriage to Nicola meant he started a whole new life with new people around him. 'It's really sad but clearly people have sensed a shift in his life and priorities.' Happy Gilmore 2 actor Eric Andre has received good news in a lawsuit he's involved in against Clayton County, Georgia over a 2021 incident at an Atlanta airport. The American actor-comedian, 42, and fellow entertainer Clayton English, 43, said in a legal complaint officers with the Clayton County Police Department breached their rights in separate incidents - Andre's in April 2021 and English's in October 2020. Both of the plaintiffs, who are Black, claimed in their complaint that race factored into why they were illegally stopped at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to legal docs reviewed by the Daily Mail. In each instance, Andre and English told the court that they were making their way through jet bridges connecting them to Los Angeles-bound Delta planes when police stopped them. The case was thrown out of court nearly two years ago in Atlanta, but on Friday, the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th circuit revived it. Daily Mail has reached out to Andre's publicists for further comment on the story. Happy Gilmore 2 actor Eric Andre, 42, has received good news in a lawsuit he's involved in against Clayton County, Georgia over a 2021 incident at an Atlanta airport. Pictured earlier this month in Madison, New Jersey The court ruled on Friday that Andre and English had their rights violated by the county, in terms of not having to deal with searches and seizures that do not have proper cause behind them. The appeals court threw out the racial discrimination claim filed by English and Andre, who formerly dated Blurred Lines beauty Emily Ratajkowski. An attorney for the entertainers, Barry Friedman, spoke about the latest development with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday. Friedman said that he looks forward 'to returning to the trial court to learn even more about the Clayton County Police Department's unconstitutional jet bridge stop program.' At the time of the incident, Andre said he was in line for his flight when the officers asked for his consent to search his person, which he declined. This past March, Clayton County attorneys said that both Andre and English had consented to voluntary searches. The lawyers noted that neither man was detained, as they both were able to board their flights to California with their identification cards and airline boarding passes. The appeals court ruled that 'common sense and the Supreme Court both refute this theory,' as the 'plaintiffs' paths were blocked by officers, the officers held onto plaintiffs' IDs and boarding passes during questioning. The court noted that 'the officers did not inform plaintiffs of the voluntary nature of the questioning or that plaintiffs were free to leave until after officers finished their questioning.' The comic-actor took to Twitter in April of 2021 to share his experience The Eric Andre Show host played the role of Steiner in the recently-released Happy Gilmore 2. Pictured last month at the film's NYC premiere Andre took to Twitter to detail the harrowing experience, eventually alerting then-Vice President Kamala Harris and then-Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to what had happened to him. 'I was just racially profiled by two plain clothes Atlanta PD police in @Delta terminal T3 at the Atlanta airport,' he wrote, tagging Atlanta Police. Andre continued: 'They stopped me on the way down the bridge to the plane for a 'random' search and asked they could search me for drugs. I told them no. Be careful.' Andre said that he was the only 'person of color' who had been in the airport line when he was confronted. The Bad Trip actor wrote: 'They let me go. I'm on the plane in the air. I'm fine now but I want this reported. Please any Atlanta lawyer reach out to me. @KeishaBottoms #racialprofiling #jimcrowgeorgia terminal T3 Atlanta airport.' Bottoms replied to Andre's tweet, informing him that the incident had not taken place in the purview of the Atlanta police. 'Sorry to hear about your experience,' Bottoms said. 'It's my understanding that this was not APD, but another one of the many agencies working in the airport. We are working to confirm.' The Atlanta Police Department said on social media that it was not the agency that was involved in the incident with the actor-comic. The Boca Raton, Florida-born entertainer told the court he was making his way through a jet bridge connecting to a Los Angeles-bound Delta plane when police stopped him The court ruled on Friday that Andre and English had their rights violated by the county, in terms of not having to deal with searches and seizures that do not have proper cause behind them The American actor-comedian and fellow entertainer Clayton English said in a legal complaint officers with the Clayton County Police Department breached their rights in separate incidents - Andre's in April 2021 and English's in October 2020. The airport pictured in 2014 'The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is somewhat unique in that multiple law enforcement agencies operate there,' the department said. 'It appears this incident involved members of another agency. 'Additionally, members of APD's Airport Drug Interdiction Unit do not randomly approach travelers and ask to search them. Searches are conducted based on some type of evidence or indication of criminal activity.' The Clayton County Police Department at the time issued a statement acknowledging it was their agency that had stopped Andre, claiming he had consented to speak with the officers and let them search his belongings. 'On April 21, 2021, the Clayton County Police Department made a consensual encounter with a male traveler, later identified as Eric Andre, as he was preparing to fly to California from the Atlanta Airport,' the statement read. 'Mr. Andre chose to speak with investigators during the initial encounter. 'During the encounter, Mr. Andre voluntarily provided the investigators information as to his travel plans. The Delta Sky Club terminal in Atlanta pictured July 1, 2022 Clayton County officials continued, 'Mr. Andre also voluntarily consented to a search of his luggage but the investigators chose not to do so. Investigators identified that there was no reason to continue a conversation and therefore terminated the encounter. 'Mr. Andre boarded the plane without being detained and continued on his travels. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Atlanta Police Department did not assist in this consensual encounter.' Andre called the statement 'sad and full of misinformation' and denied that he gave officers consent to search him and said he was 'detained ... with no probable cause except for racism.' 'I did NOT volunteer to a search and I did not volunteer to talk,' Andre said on Twitter. 'You guys flashed your badge and detained me with no probable cause except for racism. 'This is JIM CROW RACISM @ClaytonCountyPD I DID NOT VOLUNTEER TO A SEARCH. YOU ARE HARASSING ME. THIS IS RACISM! @KeishaBottoms.' ABC News Breakfast weatherman Nate Byrne proudly unveiled his new haircut on-air earlier this month - but it seems not everyone is a fan. Nate received a tersely worded typewritten letter from a 'disappointed fan' who brutally slammed his fresh style as 'awful'. Taking to his Facebook on Tuesday, Nate shared a screenshot of the letter, which was dated 13 August. Titled 'Haircut', the fan wrote, 'Whilst I respect your right to have your hair styled as you wish, I am exercising my right to tell you that it looks juvenile and awful. 'I'll return to ABC Breakfast once it grows out. Signed - name redacted - (disappointed viewer).' Nate didn't seem to take the criticism to heart though, captioning his post, 'Proof that the art of letter-writing isn't dead!' ABC News Breakfast weatherman Nate Byrne proudly unveiled his new haircut on-air last week - but it seems not everyone is a fan Nate revealed he received a tersely worded typewritten letter from a 'disappointed fan' who brutally slammed his fresh style as 'awful' A throwback picture of Nate with a very different look 'Anyone have suggestions for my next do?' he also joked. Nate's new style, which appears to be a cut known as the 'Faux Hawk', features long hair on top and closely shaved hair on the sides. Facebook users responded to Nate's post by defending the weatherman's look. 'Dear Disappointed Viewer, your opinion is important, just not to anyone here. Yours sincerely, 68-year-old bald guy,' commented one fan. 'Amazing how your hairdo does not affect your ability to provide accurate, incisive and entertaining weather forecasts and excellent science information,' added another viewer. A third fan added: 'I dont like it either, but Ill defend to the death for you to look as you wish!! 'And who cares what I think about your hair anyway, ffs?!! (Im just trying to figure out how you are so endlessly frickin cheerful when you have to get up at sparrow's fart five days a week!)' Nate made headlines last year when he was forced to halt his report in the middle of a broadcast after suffering a panic attack live on-air. Nate a former officer in the Australian Royal Navy joined ABC News Breakfast in 2017 He cut short his presentation during a broadcast last August just before 6.30am, telling viewers 'I'm going to need to stop for a second'. Voice quivering, he told viewers: 'Some of you may know that I occasionally get affected by some panic attacks, and actually that's happening right now. 'Lisa (Millar), maybe I could hand back to you.' Co-host Lisa quickly took over the broadcast while Nate recovered off camera. Nate has spoken openly about his struggles with anxiety - publishing an article in 2022 where he documented his experiences of on-air panic attacks. The weather presenter was later welcomed back to the show and apologised for stepping out. 'Sorry if I gave anybody a bit of a scare,' he said. The BBC have been branded 'childish' by frustrated food lovers after over half of Gregg Wallace's recipes were reportedly removed from the broadcaster's food website. The disgraced MasterChef host, 60, was recently dismissed from the cooking show after more than 40 complaints against him were upheld following a BBC investigation. And in the wake of his axing, it appears that the BBC have taken further action as a number of his recipes appear to have vanished from BBC Food website, leaving some users angry. The Sun reports that six of 11 dishes by the former greengrocer have disappeared since Gregg was sacked last month. Fallen dishes are said to include a sausage and lentil soup, a raspberry marinated rack of lamb and mince pie ice-cream. One fan took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain about the removal, sparking a flurry of comments from other disgruntled people. The BBC have been branded 'childish' by frustrated food lovers after over half of Gregg Wallace 's were reportedly removed from the broadcaster's food website [pictured in 2012] The disgraced MasterChef host, 60, was recently dismissed from the cooking show after more than 40 complaints against him were upheld following a BBC investigation They penned: 'BBC Good Food have removed a recipe I liked from their website because it was from Gregg Wallace. Can't we separate the art from the artist.' To which others replied: ' Yeah, its frustrating when good content disappears over drama... Shame though, recipes shouldnt need a moral background check.' 'Seems childish. Im never going to stop listening to Michael Jackson - I dont care about his problematic private life.' 'Can't believe they're actually scrubbing recipes over this - feels like such an overreaction. If the market's already spoken on his content, let it be. Kinda reminds me of @EthanTaylorG7's point about letting audiences decide.' The publication reports that other website users fumed: 'another stupid cancellation by the BBC'. 'Whatever you think of the guy, it was hardly his recipes that were the problem.' Daily Mail have contacted the BBC for comment. It comes days after MasterChef was ripped to shreds for its 'disgraceful' editing of Gregg in its latest episode, with viewers declaring: 'Is this for real?' The Sun reports that six of 11 dishes by the former greengrocer have disappeared since Gregg was sacked last month Just a handful of Gregg's recipes remain on the BBC Food website One fan took to X, formerly known as Twitter , to complain about the removal, sparking a flurry of comments from other disgruntled people Gregg and co-host John Torode were sacked after almost 20 years on the show by the BBC last month after an investigation upheld allegations about their poor behaviour. Wallace had 40 complaints upheld, including one where he was accused of wandering around set naked with a sock on his penis. Torode was found to have used a racist term in 2018. Their final series of MasterChef was filmed before they were both fired. The show's bosses have insisted on keeping them in the final edit - but only if they were on screen less and their banter and jokes were cut down to a minimum. Several contestants asked to be edited out themselves to avoid being on screen with them. Daily Mail revealed that viewers have pointed out 'disgraceful' edits in the new series on BBC One and iPlayer, with many cuts appearing awkward and repetitive, including those of Mr Wallace. In one scene shown last week, stills of Gregg pulling the same face three times in around a minute made it to air - with many suggesting that the BBC and production company Banijay used the same footage of the disgraced host repeatedly through the show. Some of his fans have even claimed the edits, where Gregg gives a semi-gurning smile, were deliberately to embarrass him and 'make him look demented'. It comes after MasterChef was ripped to shreds by viewers for its 'disgraceful' editing of scandalised former host Gregg in the latest installment of the cooking competition TikTok user Gingernat Design shared a particularly unusual example, writing: 'Clever editing fromMasterchef Eagle-eyed viewers have pointed out 'disgraceful' edits in the new season, with many cuts appearing awkward and repetitive TikTok user Gingernat Design shared a particularly unusual example, writing: 'Clever editing from MasterChef. 'Whether this is to do with the allegations or not I don't know, but it's jokes how they just froze Gregg Wallace for an entire conversation.' The now-viral clip sees a contestant discuss her performance with Torode and Wallace. The same shot of Wallace appears to be used three times in succession - and he is seen with a broad grin fixed on his face. The uncanny scene has horrified fans, who rushed to social media to express their disapproval. There wasn't a dry eye in the room on Tuesday night when 2025 Gold Logie winner Lynne McGranger, who plays Irene Roberts, made her final appearance on Home and Away. While the heart-wrenching moments in the episode were notable, so was Ada Nicodemou, who showed she has barely aged a day since she first started playing Irene's best friend Leah Patterson. The Aussie actress' face was wrinkle-free - a result of her cosmetic work over the years. Ada, who has fronted the series for 25 years, teared up several times during the emotional goodbye. The 48-year-old's visage was taut, while her jawline appeared noticeably more pronounced than in previous years. Ada has admitted to getting cosmetic work done in the past. Ada Nicodemou's Leah Patterson (pictured) was the picture of youth in Tuesday night's emotional Home and Away episode In 2019, the Aussie star confirmed that she had undergone breast augmentation and had Botox after years of speculation. The mother-of-one made the admission while responding to an Instagram troll who implied she was 'fake'. 'I don't use fillers and I rarely use Botox and the only surgery that I've done [that] is "fake" is breast augmentation, which I have every right to do,' she wrote. The Sydney-born actress told New Idea magazine in 2017 that she wouldn't rule out using Botox or laser treatments in the future. She claimed it was important to do 'whatever makes you feel good', adding that it was up to the individual. 'I think these days most people are doing bits and pieces. Botox and lasers are like facials were 20 years ago,' Ada said. Home and Away said goodbye to one of the show's most beloved character on Tuesday night, as she headed off to see the world after learning that she has Alzheimer's disease. As the iconic character jetted off to see Europe before her illness prevented her travelling, many viewers were moved - but others felt the episode fell short. The Aussie actress' face was wrinkle-free - a result of her cosmetic procedures over the years There wasn't a dry eye in the room on Tuesday night when 2025 Gold Logie winner Lynne McGranger (centre), who plays Irene Roberts, made her final appearance on Home and Away (Left: Ada Nicodemou Right: James Stewart) While the heart-wrenching moments in the episode were notable, so was Ada (right), who has barely aged a day since she first started playing Irene's best friend Leah Patterson (Left: Lynne McGranger) The chief complaint made by fans of the show was the lack of old cast members showing up to see Irene off - with some pointing out that even the current cast was oddly absent from the emotional final scenes. 'Would have been nice to have some flashbacks as she was leaving or some old faces to send her off felt a little off that the whole cast wasn't there,' wrote one person on X. 'Those cast members who didn't show up to Irene's farewell, shame shame,' said another. One more chimed in: 'They seriously couldn't even get all the current main cast in let alone previous characters. Low key as bit s**t.' Dhakota Williams, the daughter of notorious underworld figure Carl Williams, is currently enjoying a fun summer holiday in Europe. The brunette posted a series of holiday snaps to Instagram, showing her soaking up the sun in Italy before relaxing in Greece. The 24-year-old looked worlds away from her younger years in the spotlight as she showed off her natural beauty and fuller lips while posing for several selfies. In one image, Dhakota wore a bikini as she stretched out on a towel while relaxing in Taormina, Sicily. The gangland heiress also posted a second video to her Instagram on Tuesday after arriving in Mykonos. She flaunted her figure in a white bikini as she sunned herself on a poolside bed. The daughter of notorious underworld figure Carl Williams is currently enjoying a fun summer holiday in Europe Dhakota, 24, looked worlds away from her younger years in the spotlight as she showed off her natural beauty and fuller lips while posing for a several selfies. Pictured in 2019 Dhakota was nine years old when her drug kingpin father Carl was bludgeoned to death at Barwon Prison by fellow inmate Matthew Charles Johnson in 2010. Once dubbed the 'Baby-Faced Killer,' Carl had been jailed for 35 years in 2007 for ordering the murders of three rivals, and received more time for conspiring to kill a fourth. In 2022, Dhakota and her mother Roberta joined OnlyFans after revealing their reputations made it difficult to find a 'normal' job. Dhakota also said at the time that her late father would be proud of her signing up to the adult subscription site. 'Is your dad rolling in his grave that you do OnlyFans?' one of her followers asked during an Instagram Q&A. She responded that her infamous dad 'would be so proud of me for being successful and supportive of any path I choose to take'. 'He was very big on doing whatever makes you happy and if you've got it, flaunt it,' she added. She flaunted her figure in a white bikini as she partied in Mykonos Dhakota was nine years old when her drug kingpin father Carl was bludgeoned to death at Barwon Prison by fellow inmate Matthew Charles Johnson in 2010 In 2022, Dhakota and her mother Roberta joined OnlyFans after revealing their reputations made it difficult to find a 'normal' job Dhakota and Roberta previously explained why they signed up for OnlyFans, stating their profile 'makes it hard to get normal jobs'. The pair told The Daily Telegraph they had 'no choice' due to their infamous history. The family was thrust into the public eye during Melbourne's gangland wars of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Their story was a focus of the original season of the crime series Underbelly, in which one of the main characters was based on Carl Williams. A prominent rocker from Brisbane's local music scene has revealed that doctors ignored his worrying cancer symptoms until it was too late. Jordan Brunoli, 29, now has stage 4 colorectal cancer and has shared his experience online and warned others to watch out for danger signs. The musician, who plays bass for the band Bugs, has undergone surgery following his diagnosis and has also had chemotherapy. Doctors fitted Jordan with a stoma to collect bodily waste after they removed tumours from his bowel and lymph nodes. Jordan's bandmates shared details of their friend's medical journey when news broke of his illness in June. Posting to the band's official Instagram, they said that Jordan's devastating diagnosis has come 'completely out of the blue'. Jordan Brunoli, 29, from Brisbane's local music scene, has revealed that doctors ignored his worrying cancer symptoms until it was too late Jordan now has stage 4 colorectal cancer and has shared his experience online and warned others to watch out for danger signs. The musician, who plays bass in the band Bugs, has had surgery since his diagnosis and has also undergone chemotherapy They also shared how Jordan had been 'sent away' from the emergency ward and his GP after showing symptoms. 'After months of constant pain, Jordan was finally sent for a scan and diagnosed, leaving him and his family in a state of shock.' Jordan recently shared his experience on a GoFundMe page set up to assist with his medical expenses. He told followers he was getting 'used to' wearing a stoma. 'Physically, this doesnt hold me back, Im able to do 90 per cent of what I could before, just with a slightly higher risk of getting a hernia,' he explained. Jordan also advised readers to be quick in following up on any possible symptoms of colon cancer. 'Not to be preachy, but if you have witnessed any blood in your stool, experienced weird abdominal pains, unexplained weight loss, or extended periods of fatigue dont be afraid to raise it with your GP and ask for an abdominal ultrasound. 'I thought I was too young, but there has been a recent increase in instances of colorectal cancer in people under 30. Jordan's bandmates have organised a concert to be staged in October to help their pal with his ongoing medical expenses. (Pictured) 'Getting a diagnosis now could be the difference in a stage 1 tumour or stage 4 metastatic,' he said. Jordan's bandmates have organised a concert to be staged in October to help their pal with his ongoing medical expenses. Called 'Saving a Bug's Life', the show will take place at Brisbane's Tivoli on October 4 and feature Bugs and fellow Brisbane band Beddy Rays, as well as Sydney rockers Dear Seattle. Also on the bill are Sly Withers, Hope D, The Buoys, Voiid, Towns and DZ Deathrays' DJ set. Tickets can be booked for the fundraiser here. Louis Theroux questioned polyamory and 'getting to try everything on the buffet' in a candid new interview about love, relationships and his broadcasting career. Speaking with Rylan on the finale of BBC Sounds How to Be in Love on Wednesday, the documentary maker, 55, gave a rare insight into his relationship. Louis, who has been married to his wife Nancy Strang since 2012, quipped that while he has no plans to be polyamorous, getting to the 'end of your life' without having fully explored everything could leave people with regrets. After meeting throuples and visiting marriage agencies in Thailand thanks to his documentaries, he shared how his career has challenged his thoughts on love. Louis told Rylan: 'Ive never been [polyamorous], and Ive no plans to. What I would also say is that what about being monogamous? 'Like, if you marry, marriage has been around for thousands of years, probably 2,000 / 3,000 years ago, people lived to be about 45, 50 if they were lucky.' Louis Theroux questioned polyamory and 'getting to try everything on the buffet' as he admitted marriage can be 'imprisoning' The presenter, who is married to wife Nancy, said while he has no plans to be polyamorous getting to the 'end of your life' without having explored could leave people with regrets He continued: 'You would be married for maybe 20 or 30 years. Now we live to be 90, 100, 110. You could be married for 90 years. 'Can you imagine being with one partner for 90 years? Would that be a life well lived? 'I mean, it's a bit almost crass to define things in those terms but it does feel imprisoning in an odd way, and don't you want to get to the end of your life and feel that you absolutely tried everything on the buffet?' Louis recalled the moment he fell in love with his wife Nancy and also candidly admitted that their relationship 'wasn't always easy.' He added: 'As someone who's been with my wife Nancy for more than 20 years, you've got to survive when the ecstasy isn't present in every moment. 'So love is also a practice, it's a discipline. You should think of it as the daily commitment you make to someone that you care about. 'The moment I fell in love with my wife was when I saw her dancing for the first time. It was like a second or third date, might have been fourth, and I realised that she had these moves. 'She's a dancer like not by training but just by natural she has a natural talent anyone who's seen her dance would tell you that.' Speaking in a candid chat with Rylan on the finale of BBC Sounds How to Be in Love, he documentary maker, 55, gave a rare insight into his relationship Louis said: 'Can you imagine being with one partner for 90 years? Would that be a life well lived? 'It's a bit almost crass to define things in those terms but it does feel imprisoning' Louis revealed that at times in their relationship he 'wasn't always the man he needed to be' which caused problems. He explained: 'It took that kind of crisis of uncertainty to bring it to focus which led to us getting married. 'There was a time in our relationship when I thought I was in danger of losing her. And sometimes it's a terrible cliche, but the feeling of not knowing what you've got till it's gone. 'And that feeling of, it kind of brought everything into focus for me, but that moment, so the answer to the question is the moment of being in danger of losing Nancy was when I most keenly felt how committed I was to her.' The documentarian tied the knot with Nancy back in 2012, and they share three sons Albert, Frederick, and Walter. Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds. Australian actress Pia Whitesell was back on Australian TV screens on Wednesday, appearing on Channel Seven's The Morning Show to speak about her new role as an Olay ambassador. The mother-of-two, 41, who lives in a $57 million mega mansion in LA with her Hollywood agent husband Patrick, posted a picture of herself reading notes from the skincare brand before her brief appearance on the program. She shared a photo to Instagram which saw her going over two A4 pieces of paper while getting her hair and makeup done. 'Getting ready for @morningshowon7 live cross from LA talking all things life and @olayau,' she wrote, referencing her recent partnership with Olay. However, it would seem all the preparation couldn't help Pia with the questions hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies threw her way during the live cross. The interview kicked off to an awkward start when the anchors asked the brunette beauty about her recent luxury holiday to Greece with her husband. Australian actress Pia Whitesell was back on Australian TV screens on Wednesday, appearing on Channel Seven 's The Morning Show to speak about her new role as an Olay ambassador 'First, you just returned from a holiday in Greece. It looked so glamorous. I bet you it was,' Kylie, 58, said. Pia appeared nervous about talking about the ritzy getaway, which saw her languishing in the sun on a superyacht. She stumbled over her answer as glamorous images of her holiday flashed onto the screen. 'It was amazing. I mean, oh god, Europe... Just being in. Yes, exactly, those photos do... I mean, gosh, I want to go back. I could live there,' she said with an awkward chuckle. Despite seeming reluctant to talk about the holiday, Pia wasn't shy about showing off the trip on her Instagram last week. The former Home and Away star flaunted her bikini body as she posed on a luxury yacht while sailing around the Greek islands earlier this month. She showed off her toned physique in a patterned two-piece and left her long brunette locks out as she smiled for the camera. In another photo, Pia relaxed on the lounge and threw her arm behind her head as she looked out into the distance. The mother-of-two, 41, who lives in a $57 million mega mansion in LA with her Hollywood agent husband Patrick, posted a picture of herself reading notes from the skincare brand before her brief appearance on the program She shared a photo to Instagram which saw her going over two A4 pieces of paper while getting her hair and makeup done She also posed in a $2,945 Miu Miu cotton and suede bandana top in brown, paired with a matching $5,000 miniskirt from the Italian fashion house. 'Oh Greece. I love you,' she captioned the images. Pia has been enjoying a luxury lifestyle since marrying her multi-millionaire husband, Patrick, 60, who is the executive chairman of Endeavor. Earlier this month, she gave fans a glimpse of her privileged life by showing off her astounding collection of designer goods inside her gigantic walk-in closet. Featured in the photo was Pia's impressive collection of shoes, which filled six built-in shelves in her closet. Measuring several metres wide, the unit boasted three shelves of high heels in a dazzling array of styles for all occasions. Also spied inside Pia's walk-in was the dark-haired beauty's mammoth collection of designer handbags. Stored in ten separate cubicles inside a dedicated vertical built-in unit occupying an entire corner of the closet, Pia's collection included multiple Chanel handbags. Keen-eyed fashion lovers could also spot an Hermes box and what looked like a Birkin. Taylor Swift's fans were up in arms over an interview with Margaret Qualley after the nearly two-year-old video resurfaced and went viral. In the interview, the actress who is married to Swift's frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff was notably asked a question about the pop superstar that she failed to answer correctly. Fans started sharing their reactions in the comments section of a TikTok video after Harper's Bazaar reposted a clip of Qualley, 30, who was the its October 2023 cover star. The magazine posted the clip in honor of Taylor Swift's 12th studio album announcement, after the hitmaker revealed her upcoming record, The Life of A Showgirl. The video showed Qualleys Q&A interview, in which she was quizzed on how many songs her 41-year-old husband has created in collaboration with Swift, 35, at one point. This comes after Qualley went viral for her awkward reaction to being asked about Swift's forthcoming album while she was on the Today show to promote Honey Dont!, her new movie with Aubrey Plaza and Chris Evans. Taylor Swift's fans were up in arms over a Harper's Bazaar interview with Margaret Qualley, 30, after the nearly two-year-old video resurfaced and went viral In the interview, the actress who is married to Swift's frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff was notably asked a question about the pop superstar that she failed to answer correctly; Swift is pictured in July 2023 in Santa Clara, Calif. In the video, the nepo baby daughter of Andie MacDowell read the multiple choice question off of a cue card: How many songs has Jack Antonoff written or co-produced with Taylor Swift? Qualley read out the answers hastily before adding: I don't know. A lot. Im gonna say 71. 56. Well, almost, she said when the answer was revealed. Watching them work is like crazy. Its amazing. Its two people at the very best of what they do doing the thing together. Its like a rocket ship. Its insane. Though she admitted she didnt know the answer, Qualley did reveal her favorite songs on Swifts 10th studio album, Midnights. Im trying to decide. Its a lot. Off of the last album, maybe if I could narrow it down, I really like Maroon and Lavender Haze, but I like them all. In the comments section of the TikTok clip, many Swifties slammed the video, criticizing the publication for the question. Stop asking this woman about Taylor Swift, one fan wrote. As a Swiftie, another person added, Stop asking her about Taylor. Im almost certain this woman doesnt want to talk about how many songs her husband has produced with another woman. The video showed Qualleys Q&A interview, in which she was quizzed on how many songs her 41-year-old husband has created in collaboration with Swift, 35, at one point; pictured February in Los Angeles Fans shared their reactions in the comments of a TikTok video after Harper's Bazaar reshared the clip from September 2023. The outlet posted it 'in honor of Taylor Swift's 12th studio album announcement' after the pop superstar revealed her upcoming record, The Life of A Showgirl Though she admitted she didn't know the answer, Qualley did reveal her favorite songs on Swift's 10th studio album, Midnights; pictured May 2024 in Paris In the comments of the TikTok clip, many Swifties slammed the video, criticizing Harper's Bazaar for the question. 'Stop asking this woman about Taylor Swift,' one fan wrote Another fan agreed and said they 'would love to hear Marg answer a question about HER project' instead of about her husband's colleague A slew of fans slammed the video and supported Qualley Other fans also chimed in to add that they 'would love to hear Marg answer a question about HER project,' with one person writing, 'I think she's pretty clear she hates answering these questions.' Several other users also asked: 'Why don't we ask about her work?' 'Why are they asking her about Taylor Swift...,' one fan commented, while another wrote that they were 'getting annoyed for her at this point.' Another fan commented: 'So Margaret Qualley has an entire career. How about we ask HER about HER?' 'I don't know, can you like ask her about herself if that's not too crazy for you,' one TikTok user agreed. Dakota Johnson brought her superstar mom Melanie Griffith to the premiere of her new film Splitsville on Tuesday. The actress, 35, and the Working Girl star, 68, made a glamorous duo as they posed together on the red carpet at the event, held at The Grove in Los Angeles. Dakota who dubbed the scrutiny of nepo babies 'incredibly annoying and boring' last year wowed in a skintight sleeveless metallic gown. The star who is fresh off the heels of her seven-year relationship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, 48 wore picture perfect glam for the occasion. She accessorized with dangling earrings and a silver bracelet, and wore her dark tresses in a straight style. While posing for the shutterbugs, she was seen with her arm sweetly wrapped around Melanie, who recently celebrated her 68th birthday. Dakota Johnson, 35, brought her superstar mom Melanie Griffith, 68, to the premiere of her new film Splitsville on Tuesday The star who previously dubbed the scrutiny of nepo babies 'incredibly annoying and boring' looked glamorous at the event, held at The Grove in Los Angeles Melanie who shares Dakota with actor Don Johnson, 75 opted for a classy cream suit for the occasion. Her blonde tresses were parted on the side and styled in an updo. Melanie completed her outfit with a pair of beige sneakers and a fingerless white lace glove. While at the premiere Dakota also posed with co-star Adria Arjona, 33, who showed off her toned arms in a sleeveless black gown. Adria wore her raven hair in a slicked back bun. They were also joined by Kyle Marvin, who stars as Carey in the film. Also in attendance was Reese Witherspoon's and Ryan Phillippe's daughter Ava Phillippe, 25. Ava commanded attention in a shimmering metallic mini-dress, complemented by mermaid waves. Splitsville is a comedy directed by Michael Angelo Covino. The film's plot revolves around two couples and the drama that erupts in their lives and friendships. While posing for the shutterbugs, she was seen with her arm sweetly wrapped around Melanie, who recently celebrated her 68th birthday The dynamic mother daughter duo shared a tender look Dakota wowed in a skintight sleeveless metallic gown She accessorized with dangling earrings and a silver bracelet, and wore her dark tresses in a straight style Melanie who shares Dakota with actor Don Johnson, 75 opted for a classy cream suit for the occasion While at the premiere Dakota also posed with co-star Adria Arjona, 33, who showed off her toned arms in a sleeveless black gown Adria wore her raven hair in a slicked back updo Adria added more sparkle to her look with gold earrings Melanie laughed it up with director Michael Angelo Covino Reese Witherspoon's and Ryan Phillippe's daughter Ava Phillippe, 25, commanded attention in a shimmering metallic mini-dress The movie is set to hit theaters on August 22. Dakota grew up with Antonio Banderas as her stepfather and Tippi Hedren as her 95-year-old grandmother. Her dad Don warned all his children they'd be deprived of their allowance if they didn't attend college, so Dakota auditioned for The Juilliard School with monologues from William Shakespeare and Steve Martin. Dakota admitted she 'really didn't want to go to college' in a May interview with ELLE UK, but was dismayed at the idea of being 'cut off' by the Miami Vice alum and admitted 'it was hard to make money.' By age 18, Dakota used her famous name to easily sign with IMG for modeling in 2006 and two years later she signed with the William Morris Agency for acting. 'There were a few times when I'd go to the market and not have money in my bank account or not be able to pay rent, and I'd have to ask my parents for help,' Johnson lamented. 'I'm very grateful that I had parents that could help me and did help me. But it certainly was not fun. The auditioning process, as you know, is the f***ing worst.' The Independent Spirit Award winner noted that her mother 'was the nice one' when it came to hand-outs. Dakota shared a sweet hug with her co-star They were also joined by Kyle Marvin, who stars as Carey in the film Marvin sported a blue button-up shirt The film's plot revolves around two couples and the drama that erupts in their lives and friendships Dakota also has Melanie to thank for her big-screen debut, at age nine, in Antonio's dismally-reviewed directorial debut Crazy in Alabama in 1999. Before landing her breakout role in the Fifty Shades trilogy, Johnson first caught the industry's attention as panty-clad Harvard University student Amelia in David Fincher's 2010 drama The Social Network. 'When [the nepo baby scrutiny] first started I found it to be, like, incredibly annoying and boring,' the Daddio star scoffed on TODAY last year. 'Like, if you're a journalist, write about something else. That's just, like, lame.' In June, news broke that Dakota and Coldplay frontman Chris had called it quits after a six-year engagement. A source previously told the Daily Mail that, at the time of their break-up, the relationship had already 'been over for a long time, they just haven't been able to figure out to make it official.' Johnson, who appeared particularly sun-kissed in photos from Saturday's festivities, has been spotted soaking up some rays in Ibiza this summer following the split. In July, she was pictured lounging on a luxury yacht with actress Kate Hudson and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady. Around the same time, she was also seen alongside a mystery man in the island paradise. Splitsville is set to hit theaters on August 22 Griffith, however, was reportedly attempting to reunite her daughter with Martin a source told the Daily Mail last month. According to the source, Griffith thinks the break-up is a 'huge mistake.' 'She's convinced that they are meant to be together and isn't giving up on them. She thinks her daughter is making a huge mistake and needs to meet Chris halfway. Griffith has four children from her three marriages: son Alexander, 39, who she she shares with ex husband Stephen Bauer; daughter Dakota and step-son Jesse, 42, who she shares with Don; and daughter Stella, 28, who she shares with Banderas. Australian Survivor is currently filming in Samoa with new host David Genat at the helm and fans should expect several changes ahead. Channel 10 revealed on Monday the next season will be called Australian Survivor: Redemption and will feature fewer non-elimination episodes and the return of a live finale. Longtime host Jonathan LaPaglia shocked fans in June when he confirmed he had been axed from the series, after almost a decade at the helm. The beloved TV star was met with a wave of support after he revealed he would be fronting the show for the last time in the Australia V The World series currently airing. The 55-year-old later detailed the brutal way he found out he had lost his job. 'The speculation online was that I received an email. But no, it was a call to my manager in Australia,' he told The Daily Telegraph. Australian Survivor is currently filming in Samoa with new host David Genat (pictured) at the helm and fans should expect several changes ahead 'I didn't get a direct call, which, I'll be honest with you, was disappointing,' he continued. 'After 10 years of helming their flagship show, it would have been nice to get a direct call from the people at the top, but I didn't.' Insiders say the show's shocking new theme, 'Revenge and Redemption,' is a thinly veiled swipe at his unexpected exit. 'Jonathan is gutted,' a friend of the ousted host told Daily Mail Australia. 'This theme feels personal. Everyone in the Survivor community can see it for what it is.' It comes after Genat assured viewers the show is 'not about him' and that he would not let them down. 'I love Australian Survivor. It truly is the greatest game on earth, so getting to come back as host after playing three times is such an honour,' he began. 'But Survivor is not about me. It's about the incredible players who put everything on the line to outwit, outplay and outlast.' Longtime host Jonathan LaPaglia (right) shocked fans in June when he confirmed he had been axed from the series, after almost a decade at the helm. He also paid tribute to the show's many viewers and promised to live up to their expectations: 'I love the players, the community of fans and the crew who make it happen. As new host, I won't let you down.' Since the announcement, viewers have been reluctant to embrace Genat in his new role. 'This really sucks. Australian Survivor is great and Jonathan was the perfect host. Yet producers fired him and hired this clown,' one fan wrote on social media. 'Jonathan is the face of Australian Survivor. NO ONE wanted him gone and especially to be replaced by David. We will NOT be watching any seasons now, Australian survivor is officially dead,' a second added. 'I'm upset. The only reason I Watch Australian Survivor is because of Jonathan. I watch each episode like 5 times. He is the reason it's better than US Survivor. Who in their right mind would let him go?' a third chipped in. Genat began his Survivor journey on Australian Survivor: Champions v Contenders in 2019. He was the 14th castaway voted out, and then returned to the franchise the following season for Australian Survivor All Stars in 2020, which he won. Exes Liev Schreiber and his former partner Naomi Watts had a surprising reunion this week to send their son Sasha off to college. On Tuesday, the 56-year-old actress used Instagram to share photos of her 57-year-old ex and their 18-year-old son as they got him settled for the start of his freshman year at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. The proud parents cheerfully shared a meal as Naomi posted to her Instagram Stories, writing over one snapshot, Here we go.... The surprisingly friendly reunion between the actor exes comes nearly nine years after they broke up in September 2016, after being together for 11 years. In addition to their son, they also share their 16-year-old daughter Kai Schreiber. Both Naomi and Liev, who never tied the knot, went on to marry other people after their split. Exes Liev Schreiber and his former partner Naomi Watts had a surprising reunion this week to send their son Sasha off to college The reunion comes nearly nine years after the couple who never married broke up in September 2016 after 11 years together; Pictured in Beverly Hills in February 2016 The Mulholland Driver star went on to marry fellow actor Billy Crudup in June 2023, while the Ray Donovan sensation married Taylor Neisen in July of the same year. Liev and Taylor welcomed their daughter Hazel Bee, now two, in August 2023. One of Naomis social media photos showed the trio after a shopping excursion during which they purchased pillows and kitchen utensils for their college freshman. Another snap showed the father-and-son duo walking side-by-side and holding hands in Downtown Los Angeles. The mom-of-two wrote, Day #2, along the bottom of the picture. She previously used the platform to post pictures from the move on Monday. 'Already [bawling], she wrote across a photo of Sasha standing with his packed suitcases and bags. Meanwhile, Liev shared the moment from his perspective, as he said he was starting to feel the pull while uploading a photo of himself standing with his son. He added, Gonna miss my ride or die. Having said that, USC is gonna get one of the deepest, kindest, bravest and most beautiful boys I have ever known. The proud parents cheerfully shared a meal as Naomi posted via Instagram Stories and wrote, Here we go... over one snapshot One of Naomis social media photos showed the trio after a shopping excursion where they purchased pillows and kitchen utensils for their college freshman An image showed the father and son walking side-by-side and holding hands in Downtown LA Nearly one month ago the family marked Sasha's 18th birthday, with the doting parents paying tribute on Instagram. For his part, the father-of-three shared a closeup image of his firstborn childs face with streaks of sun artfully falling across it. Happy Birthday Handsome! Schreiber wrote in his caption. I really think you should reconsider that gap year hanging with me in Southeast Asia Naomi shared multiple photos as well, writing, Happy birthday sweet, darling @sashapeteschreiber. 18 today and ready for the world! Cannot believe it. Have so loved watching you grow into the kindest, most wonderful young man. Thank you for making me a first time mum. Tammy Hembrow was seen crying as she dropped her 10-year-old son Wolf off at school camp on Wednesday. The Gold Coast influencer, who is currently dating AFL star Bailey Smith, shed tears in her Bentley following the milestone moment. The 31-year-old was in full mum mode as she earlier carried her daughter Posy, three, from the luxury car and helped her son fit his sleeping bag into his backpack. Tammy cut a casual figure in a pair of white sweatpants and a cropped navy blue sweater. She finished the off-duty ensemble with a pair of Ugg boots and designer sunglasses. As for Wolf, he rocked an all-black ensemble as he arrived at the school. Tammy Hembrow was seen crying as she dropped her 10-year-old son Wolf off at school camp on Wednesday The Gold Coast influencer, who is currently dating AFL star Bailey Smith, shed tears in her Bentley following the milestone moment The 31-year-old was in full mum mode as she earlier carried her daughter Posy, three, from the luxury car and helped her son fit his sleeping bag into his backpack Buzzing with excitement, Tammy's little boy couldn't wait for the school adventure as he carried his pillow, Batman suitcase and rucksack, which his mum lovingly helped pack. However, it was the moment after Tammy had waved goodbye to her firstborn that set the social media star off. The content creator could be seen sitting in her car, wiping away tears as her son left for the school camp. Tammy shares son Wolf and daughter Saskia with ex-fiance Reece Hawkins, while her youngest Posy she shares with Matt Poole, whom she was also engaged to. In the past couple of weeks she has been spotted on, not one, but two dates with footy star Bailey. The 24-year-old, who plays for the Geelong Cats in Victoria, has flown to the Gold Coast two weekends in a row to spend time with Tammy. The couple were first seen leaving hand in hand after a meal at swanky Asian fusion restaurant Rick Shores at Burleigh Heads before being caught making out at another restaurant. The pair were more recently spotted enjoying a romantic stroll to Nobby's Beach, where the footy player appeared to have his arm wrapped around Tammy's hips. Tammy cut a casual figure in a pair of white sweatpants and a cropped navy blue sweater She finished the off-duty ensemble with a pair of Ugg boots and designer sunglasses Buzzing with excitement, Tammy's little boy couldn't wait for the school adventure as he carried his pillow, Batman suitcase and rucksack, which his mum lovingly helped pack Tammy and Matt Zukowski announced they were ending their marriage two months ago in separate social media posts. Since then, Matt has admitted he felt 'hurt' watching his former partner move on so quickly with Bailey after their break-up. The Love Island star also hinted that he was the one to end things between them, despite speculation it was Tammy who took the lead. 'A couple of months ago, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life,' he revealed on his Where's Your Head At? podcast with Anna McEvoy. 'I decided to leave a relationship that I found was not right for me,' he continued, before adding, 'It was unhealthy for me.' An Australian actress shocked onlookers in California on Wednesday when she stepped out in a strange G-string skirt during a special screening of Eenie Meanie. Samara Weaving modelled the bizarre garment as she walked the 'black' carpet at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica. The 'lingerie mini skirt', which retails for $2,352 at Wiederhoeft, features black underwear detailing with a garter-belt design to match. Two black bows fixed to the hem complete the odd look. The former Home and Away star, 33, paired the piece with a black corset top by the same designer, which is priced at $6,297. Samara, who highlighted her genetically blessed features with a minimal makeup look, paired the outfit with black stockings and matching pumps. Samara Weaving, 33, shocked onlookers in California on Wednesday when she stepped out in a strange G-string skirt during a special screening of Eenie Meanie She added several designer rings to her look, including a Cartier diamond and onyx band which sell for up to $40,000 at luxury second-hand stores. Samara plays the starring role in Eenie Meanie, portraying a skilled getaway driver who just can't seem to get away from her reckless ex-boyfriend. Eenie Meanie is a high-speed thriller written and directed by Shawn Simmons in his feature directorial debut. Samara will be joined by Karl Glusman, Jermaine Fowler, Marshawn Lynch, Randall Park, Steve Zahn, and Andy Garcia. The Adelaide-born star has made a name for herself as a 'scream queen' after starring in films such as Ready or Not, Scream VI, The Babysitter, and Azrael. Earlier this year, she was busy promoting her recent film Borderline in a number of interviews and social media posts. The dark comedy thriller tells the story of a popstar whose home is broken into by an obsessive fan who believes they are betrothed. One of the producers of the film is none other than Hollywood heavyweight Margot Robbie, who also starred with Samara in the Damien Chazelle-directed Babylon. The Australian actress modelled the bizarre garment as she walked the 'black' carpet at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica The 'lingerie mini skirt', which retails for $2,352 at Wiederhoeft, features black underwear detailing with a garter-belt design to match Frequently mistaken for fellow Aussie Margot, 35, Samara revealed last year the two women are actually great friends and like to catch up in Los Angeles. Margot's husband Tom Ackerley and Samara's husband Jimmy Warden are great mates too. 'We met five or six years ago. She's great; our husbands are like best friends,' the actress told Stellar Magazine. 'I have a really good group of girlfriends in LAa lot of Aussiesand we really try to make time for each other and hang out, go for dinners, and leave the husbands at home. 'It's so important to have that in LA because it can get really overwhelming.' An Australian fitness influencer has confessed to trying 'party drugs'. Ashy Bines, who rose to fame after launching her 12-week online bikini body challenge, replied to a fan's question on her Instagram story on Tuesday which asked how long she had been sober for. 'I haven't been drunk in well over six or seven years!' she wrote in response. 'I've had a few sips here and there but haven't had a full drink in the longest time.' She then added: 'I did try party drugs in my early 20s and they also were not for me. I just did it to fit in and try it because everyone around me was doing them regularly. Just made me so anxious!' The 36-year-old went on to say she hated the taste of alcohol and would rather spend money on other things that aligned more with her values. Australian fitness influencer Ashy Bines has confessed to trying 'party drugs' 'I did try party drugs in my early 20s and they also were not for me. I just did it to fit in and try it because everyone around me was doing them regularly. Just made me so anxious!' she said in a social media post 'Also never want my kids growing up seeing me intoxicated or think it's "normal to drink for fun and connection or to turn to it for stress. So I wanted to break the cycle,' the mum-of-two said. The influencer didn't specify which 'party drugs' she had taken in the past. Ashy recently came under fire from fans and followers after posting a 'dangerous' act to her social media. Taking to TikTok in February, the controversial influencer posted a clip of herself hanging out of the window of a moving car. Appearing not to have a seat belt on, Ashy, who was a passenger in the vehicle, stuck her head through the open window before leaning out backwards at shoulder height. The caption on the clip, which has since been deleted, read: 'POV: You don't need to prove anything to yourself or others'. While it is not clear where the video was shot, Ashy is based on Queensland's Gold Coast. Queensland Police confirmed to The Gold Coast Bulletin that 'motorists and passengers hanging out of a moving vehicle is not only dangerous but also illegal'. Ashy Bines, who rose to fame after launching her 12-week online bikini body challenge, replied to a fan's question on her Instagram story on Tuesday which asked how long she had been sober for Taking to TikTok in February, the controversial influencer posted a clip of herself hanging out of the window of a moving car 'Those caught hanging out of a car window or sunroof could face fines exceeding $1200, with additional penalties for drivers who allow this behaviour,' a statement from Queensland Police read. 'Police urge all road users to prioritise safety and report any dangerous driving incidents to authorities,' it continued. Viewers of the deleted clip were not amused by what they saw, with several comments condemning the act. 'Normally I'd just think "idiot" but if she has a million followers, it's really poor form to influence those who are vulnerable to copying such stupidity,' one person said. 'My old babysitter's son died by doing ths; I'll never understand how some people truly think they're invincible,' one more wrote. 'I know of someone who got beheaded doing something similar,' added another. Star Trek icon William Shatner looked sharp as ever during a rare outing in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The legendary actor, 94, showed no signs of slowing down while stopping by the Aroma Coffee & Tea in Tujunga Village with a friend. He later moved to browsing furniture and was seen holding a flyer for a unique designer chair. The Canadian star who recently discovered a new way to 'live forever' sported a striped blue button-up shirt with navy pants and a pair of comfortable sneakers. His grey hair was neatly swept to the side, and he wore black sunglasses to shield his eyes. Shatner who opened up about a 'difficult' health condition last month is globally known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the original 1960s Star Trek TV series and subsequent films, such as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Star Trek icon William Shatner, 94, looked sharp as ever during a rare outing in Los Angeles on Tuesday Shatner is globally known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the original 1960s Star Trek TV series and subsequent films, such as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan; seen in 1968 still Last month it was reported that Shatner has used a groundbreaking program to immortalize both his experiences and personality for future generations. StoryFile, an innovative AI company, has developed lifelike, interactive 3D avatars that allow people to 'live on' after death, sharing memories and answering questions in the same natural and conversational manner of a real person. Shatner as well as philanthropist Michael Staenberg, 71, have both used StoryFile to immortalize both their experiences and personalities. The technology captures video interviews, transforming them into hologram-style avatars that use generative AI, similar to ChatGPT, to respond dynamically to questions. StoryFile's avatars have been employed in museums since 2021 to preserve the voices of historical figures like WWII veterans and Holocaust survivors, and by terminally ill individuals to connect with family after death. Until now, the company has offered a premium service costing tens of thousands of dollars, but a new, affordable app launching this summer will allow everyday people to record their own AI avatars for less than the cost of a monthly cellphone plan. It comes after Shatner revealed his secret to having youthful energy. Last year he said the key to staying young was to 'stay engaged in life, to stay curious,' as per People. The legendary actor showed no signs of slowing down while stopping by the Aroma Coffee & Tea in Tujunga Village with a friend The Canadian star sported a striped blue button-up shirt with navy pants and a pair of comfortable sneakers. His grey hair was neatly swept to the side Last month it was reported that Shatner has used a groundbreaking program called StoryFile to immortalize both his experiences and personality for future generations It comes after Shatner revealed that his secret to staying young was to 'stay engaged in life, to stay curious'; Pictured 2024 'Your life's energy, the soul energy of your body is a product of health. If you're sick, you can't be energetic. You're dying. So my luck has been, I've been healthy all my life,' he said. He also credited his wife Elizabeth Shatner, 64, with keeping him young. They were married from 2001 to 2020, and then reconciled with each other in 2023. In a 2023 interview with The Mirror, the TJ Hooker alum heaped more praise on his wife. 'My wife she is the zest of life. She brings the flavor.' In January 2023, Shatner told Variety he was making a documentary, You Can Call Me Bill, because he didn't have long to live and he wanted his grandchildren to know him after he's gone. 'Whether I keel over as I'm speaking to you or 10 years from now, my time is limited, so that's very much a factor. I've got grandchildren. This documentary is a way of reaching out after I die.' He also revealed he'd been asked many times to have a documentary about his life made. 'I've turned down a lot of offers to do documentaries before. But I don't have long to live,' he said. You Can Call Me Bill was released in 2023 and is available on Prime Video. Meanwhile, the enduring legacy of Shatner's portrayal of Captain Kirk has continued to inspire new generations. However, actor Paul Wesley recently discussed making a conscious decision to create his own interpretation of Kirk, instead of just imitating Shatner's version, while starring in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The enduring legacy of Shatner's portrayal of Captain Kirk has continued to inspire new generations; Seen in a 1968 still However, actor Paul Wesley recently discussed making a conscious decision to create his own interpretation of Kirk, while starring in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (seen in a still) 'I watched, I rewatched every episode of T.O.S. prior to getting onset. I made a conscious decision. I thought about should I imitate or try to emulate William Shatner in any way. I thought, god, he did such an amazing job. He was so iconic, why not do my own spin?' he recently told CBS News. In the Paramount Plus series, Wesley plays Lt. Kirk before his promotion to captain of the USS Enterprise. 'This is pre-captain so maybe he is still sort of figuring it out,' the actor explained. And he had Shatner's blessing for the role. Wesley shared that Shatner tweeted him, 'Take care of my crew and my ship.' 'It was such a beautiful moment for me,' he recalled. Season three of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is now streaming on Paramount+. Princess Andre has spoken about why she doesn't get involved in her father Peter and mother Katie Price's public feud following their bitter split 16 years ago. The influencer, 18, who recently starred in her new fly on the wall show - The Princess Diaries, admitted it is 'not worth' weighing in on their rows. Tensions hit fever pitch recently when Peter, 52, released a statement branding his ex-wife, 47, a liar after years of 'staying silent' for the sake of their children. In response to Katie's claims that they have 'always shared the kids', Peter insisted that they moved in with him in 2018 'for their safety' as he accused her of falsehoods. However, despite their back and forth, Princess has revealed she won't be having her own say to either parent because she doesn't believe it will do any good. When asked whether she would contact her mum to discuss it, Princess told the Guardian: 'No, she says, it's not worth it. Mum can be annoyed about something and then we send each other a message and we're fine.' Princess Andre has spoken about why she doesn't get involved in her father Peter and mother Katie Price 's public feud following their bitter split 16 years ago Peter and Katie pictured together during their relationship in 2004 Tensions hit fever pitch recently when Peter, 52, released a statement branding his ex-wife, 47, a liar after years of 'staying silent' for the sake of their children When asked if it isn't easy having parents, Princess said: 'No. Especially divorced parents.' During the same interview, Princess also sweetly claimed she didn't want to paint her mother in a bad light because she is 'more stable' than she has been in years. Princess said: 'This is going to come across really bad, isn't it?' she asks. 'Like, it's talking about how Mum's a mess and Dad is stable, d'you know what I mean?' 'Right now, Mum is completely different to how she was four years ago. If we're talking about the past, yes, my dad was more stable and Mum is naturally more crazy than my dad.' Peter recently spoke about his daughter's foray into the TV world for the first time, admitting he was 'very strict' about what she could feature in her new show. She was praised by viewers for her four-part show, where she offered insight into her 'chaotic' childhood as the daughter of the Mysterious Girl hitmaker and his ex. Speaking to Daily Mail ahead of his new Channel 5 series The Sunshine Murders, Peter said he was wary of letting Princess appear on TV before she 'got to an age where she could do it herself'. The father-of-five added that he's found it hard to 'let go' of his eldest daughter after she turned 18 earlier this year. In response to Katie's claims that they have 'always shared the kids', Peter insisted that they moved in with him in 2018 'for their safety' as he accused her of falsehoods Peter recently spoke about his daughter's foray into the TV world for the first time, admitting he was 'very strict' about what she could feature in her new show The influencer was praised by viewers for her four-part show The Princess Diaries, where she offered insight into her 'chaotic' childhood It came as Katie hit back at her ex Peter after he issued a statement accused her of peddling 'baseless lies' over the last 16 years. He said: 'I was very strict about what she wasn't allowed to, you know, I didn't want didn't really want her doing a lot of stuff before she got to the age that she can do it herself. 'I'm really proud of her. I think she's a really sweet person and I really hope people see that of her and I just want her to shine and, you know, I want her to just go on and just become her own little true gem. 'She's a great girl and I'm proud of her and I'm proud of Junior too. He's such a good, good kid.' Peter went onto share he's had to 'let go of the reins' as Princess reached adulthood, admitting he was a 'strict' parent during their upbringing. He told Daily Mail: 'This is the hard bit, because I have to be honest, trying to cut that umbilical cord at 18, some people let go [more easily]. 'I know I had to let go of the reins a bit, and that it was not easy. It's scary because it's still your baby. 'They still say things that they've said when they were 10 or 1, like, they might be grown up in actual age, but they're still your baby. Speaking to Daily Mail, Peter said he was wary of letting Princess appear in her own show before she 'got to an age where she could do it herself' (pictured with son Junior in 2022) 'And yeah, OK, I could have been considered a bit of a strict dad, but I think I'm all right now. I'm, I'm chilled out a lot more now. 'But of course, I just wanted to be safe and, you know, you try and keep the innocence as long as you can with them, and then, you just got to realise that they've got to live life.' Katie responded to Peter's bombshell statement with a bizarre Instagram post about 'fake Sinners who play the victim' on Friday. Rumours of a 'rift' between Katie and their daughter Princess have been growing in recent weeks after Katie didn't attend Princess's 18th birthday party, or appear on the nepo baby's fly-on-the-wall ITV television series. Katie later claimed that it was her daughter's management who had told her not to appear on the show. Peter shared his side of the story on Thursday, explaining: 'For sixteen years, I have stayed silent in the face of repeated lies from my ex-wife and her family, out of respect for my children and loved ones, but staying silent has been incredibly frustrating. That ends today. 'The latest comments about my children's welfare and living arrangements compel me to set the record straight. For well-documented reasons, and for their safety, Junior and Princess came into my care in 2018 and remained with me until they reached adulthood. 'In 2019, the family courts issued a legally binding order to enforce this arrangement. I have never made this public before, out of respect for my children. Peter's chat with Daily Mail coincided with his role in Channel 5's upcoming series The Sunshine Murders alongside Stephanie Beacham (pictured) The father-of-five added that he's found it hard to 'let go' of his eldest daughter after she turned 18 earlier this year Peter and his ex-wife Katie Price are currently locked in a bitter feud after he hit out at her 'baseless lies over the last 16 years' in a blistering statement on Thursday Katie later responded to Peter's bombshell statement with a bizarre Instagram post about 'fake Sinners who play the victim' on Friday 'In 2011 and 2015, publicly documented court cases found my ex-wife had made false claims. She was ordered to pay substantial damages and legal costs, and to apologise to me and my management. The same falsehoods are being repeated today. 'Unfortunately, there are many more lies and baseless accusations I have yet to address. Those will now be dealt with in the coming months.' Peter went onto tell Daily Mail he's instilled 'politeness' into his two eldest kids Princess and Junior during their upbringing, after receiving some helpful advice from his wife Emily, who he married in 2015. He said: 'I used to annoy the hell out of them when I used to say, when someone says, how are you, you don't just say good. You say, "I'm good, thank you. How are you?" Always ask that. 'One of the things with politeness, and listen, I've been in my teens and I've grown up, I'm 52 now and you know, my parents were so strict. One of the big things was manners. Always manners it's like such an important thing. 'And yeah, we've got to be protective of our daughters and sisters. But I realised one very, very big thing that Emily taught me probably about seven years, six years ago. 'She said to me, "you can't treat one different than the other. Whatever rules you have for one, you have for the other". 'And it was like a light bulb moment because I remember my sister being so, we were so protective over her that we didn't let her do anything. 'And actually, just because we were like that as kids, because that's what we were told, as I've gotten older, I thought, yeah, no, you're right, you've got to treat them all the same, all of them the same.' While Peter's eldest children regularly post on social media, the musician admitted it'll be wholly different when it comes to his three children with wife Emily, Theo, eight, Amelia, 10, and Arabella, 16 months. He said: 'This is the difference that when social media first came out, so when Princess and Junior were little kids, obviously there was no social media. Rumours of a 'rift' between Katie and Princess have been growing in recent weeks after Katie failed to appear in her ITV series, but she insisted this was due to her daughter's management 'Then when social media came out, you all went along with it, not knowing the dangers, just went with it because it was new and everyone was doing it and we were all doing it. Posting pictures of everyone and it's, and that was just how it went. 'It's only been really, I think, in the last one or two years that we've realised the dangers of what, you know, AI is doing now, because AI was definitely not around. 'But what AI's, what they can do with things on social media now, we're just like, "oh my God". 'So, the same rules will apply to the little ones, where it'll be like they're not really allowed to do anything till they're 16, but, the difference is that Emily's really adamant on social media with them, like, really adamant that they're not allowed to have it. 'So I'm like, I understand now that times are different, and we have to sort of go with that. 'So the rules will apply the same, but we'll probably be a lot more strict on things like social media. But then again, by the time they become teenagers, it might be a different world.' Peter's chat with Daily Mail coincided with his role in Channel 5's upcoming series The Sunshine Murders, which is set to be broadcast on the channel next month. The star, who plays a doctor tasked with examining victims of gruesome murders, said the role, which he filmed in Greece, has made him more inclined to pursue other acting roles in the future. He said: 'Yes, absolutely. But I think for me, you know, I'm one of these people that studied acting as a kid and then I did music because I got signed up at 16 on a live television show, which I never expected, and then I just ran with it. 'I always said that when I get to my 40s, I'm going to move back into acting, and I've done a lot of short films in America, but they were never released, they were at like film festivals and stuff like that. And then I've done a couple of new features of them. 'It's definitely the area I'm gonna go in, but music's always my first love in.' The Sunshine Murders will air on Channel 5 next month. Kerry Katona has defended her friend Katie Price after her ex-husband Alex Reid shared a video of her counting cash - and also weighed in on her other ex Kieran Hayler's behaviour. The former cage fighter, 50, posted a clip on Instagram on Monday that showed the star, who at the time had been declared bankrupt, counting a wad of notes. But Kerry, who has been friends with Katie for years, was none too pleased with the video and commented on an Instagram post sharing it. 'Oh f*** off!!!! Doing anything to stay relevant,' Kerry wrote on the clip in a since-deleted comment seen by The Sun. Kerry also weighed in on Katie's past relationship with one of her other ex-husbands, Kieran, who she divorced after he cheated on her. Kerry Katona has rushed to defend her friend Katie Price after her ex-husband Alex Reid shared a video of her counting cash The former cage fighter, 50, posted a clip on Instagram on Monday that showed the star, who at the time had been declared bankrupt, counting a wad of notes Kerry also weighed in on Katie's past relationship with one of her other ex-husbands, Kieran Hayler who she divorced after he cheated on her Katie's daughter Princess, who she shares with her first ex-husband Peter, said in her show The Princess Diaries that she had a really difficult time when her mother split from Kieran and he has since apologised to her and brother Junior. 'I think it's good that he apologised - he bloody well should have!,' Kerry wrote in her new! column. 'There's a lot people don't see behind closed doors and it's not my business, but Kieran definitely owed Princess and Junior an apology.' A friend of Alex Reid's told The Sun that he decided to post the video online after repeatedly seeing four seemingly innocent words in a string of statements shared by Katie's team last week. They went onto claim that Alex's work opportunities dried up in the wake of his split from Katie, and he's grown tired of seeing her flaunt a luxurious lifestyle while he lives 'month to month'. Last week, Katie hit back at her ex Peter Andre after he shared a statement accusing her of 'baseless lies' over the past 16 years. The statement in question said: 'Kate is in a much better and clear headspace and is at peace with the situation. 'This was in the past, and she doesn't feel the need to bring up tit for tat comments, but more importantly she's dealing with this the right way and it's now in her lawyers hands. Kate will no longer be gaslighted and bullied as she once was.' Alex's friend said he was 'crushed' when he read the repeated phrase that is ex 'Katie was at peace.' 'Oh f*** off!!!! Doing anything to stay relevant,' Kerry wrote on the clip Alex shared They added: 'It was those words that touched such a nerve for him, out of everything Katie has said, because the trauma of everything he has been through since the end of his marriage to her is still very raw. 'He feels like Katie just washes her hands of stuff and takes no accountability - saying she is at peace feels so dismissive, hypocritical and absolutely ridiculous.' They went onto claim Alex has 'game-changing evidence' that will 'change the way people view this sorry saga.' The source went onto claim that Alex has grown increasingly frustrated with Katie since their 2011 split, after she took a string of public swipes at him, and particularly his cross-dressing alter-ego Roxanne. Alex also reportedly grew irate at seeing Katie show off a 1700 YSL handbag after jetting back from Turkey following yet another facelift, as well as a Van Cleef and Arpels necklace, which retails for 14,000. It's also alleged that Katie has not paid a penny of 175,000 in damages and legal costs Alex was awarded after he sued her for showing a sex tape of him on Big Brother spin-off show Bit On The Side without his consent. Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Alex Reid and Katie Price for comment. The video Alex shared, which is believed to have been filmed in 2020, shows Katie saying she is 'enjoying counting' the wads of money in front of her during a conversation with her daughter Princess Andre. There is no suggestion that Katie didn't declare the cash. In the video she brags: 'There's loads here I'm just sorting it out.' A representative for Katie Price told Daily Mail: 'This is a video that was shared with Katies Trustee in Bankruptcy several months ago and Katie has fully complied with the Trustees investigations into the same. 'The cash featured did not belong to Katie and the property referred to was dealt with in the financial settlement proceedings arising out of Katies divorce from Peter Andre. And a friend of Alex said he decided to post the video online after repeatedly seeing four seemingly innocent words in a string of statements shared by Katie's team last week 'Katie's Trustee in Bankruptcy is aware of the property and has undoubtedly investigated whether the same ought to be comprised in the bankruptcy estate.' A source close to Peter also said: 'Peter has seen the video and is totally disgusted, even more so because his young daughter has been involved in it.' His representatives added: 'Peter will be dealing with this with his lawyers.' Alongside the video, Alex said: 'For years, I've watched as stories many false, exaggerated, or deliberately twisted have been pushed out into the public. Fake news isn't just a headline, it destroys lives, reputations, and families. 'This has been years in the making. Countless hours of collaboration, gathering evidence, and finding the strength to finally stand up and say: enough is enough. 'I have stayed quiet long enough. Now is the time to speak. This isn't about gossip, this isn't about drama - this is about the truth. 'The announcement I'm about to make will challenge the false narratives and shine a light where it has been needed for far too long. 'The time for speculation is over. The truth is about to come out.' As Alex shared the video on social media, Princess Andre took to Instagram to share a post telling her followers that she's 'got her sparkle back.' After receiving praise from viewers for her ITV2 documentary series, the influencer shared a video of herself gracing a catwalk in a blue bikini, a moment which in the show she admitted made her feel 'exposed.' The post featured the text: 'To the girls who are getting their sparkle back.' She captioned the post: 'Being so honest on the show wasnt easy, but your love and support has meant the world to me. 'Thank you for watching and for all the kind messages.' Elsewhere, Katie and ex-husband Peter Andre are currently locked in a bitter feud after he hit out at her 'baseless lies over the last 16 years' in a blistering statement on Thursday Katie later responded to Peter's bombshell statement with a bizarre Instagram post about 'fake Sinners who play the victim' on Friday It comes after it was reported that Alex and Katie's third husband Kieran Hayler are teaming up and have consulted lawyers in a bid to block Katie from including them in a tell-all Sky documentary. The three-part show, likely to release next year, is set to delve into the details of her fleeting flings, serious relationships and time in the spotlight. A source told The Mirror: 'They feel like they have been backed into a corner and have no choice. 'They just want her to stop trashing them, and cant believe she is being given a platform.' Elsewhere, Katie and ex-husband Peter are currently locked in a bitter feud after he hit out at her 'baseless lies over the last 16 years' in a blistering statement on Thursday. Katie responded to Peter's bombshell statement with a bizarre Instagram post about 'fake Sinners who play the victim' on Friday. Rumours of a 'rift' between Katie and their daughter Princess have been growing in recent weeks after Katie didn't attend Princess's 18th birthday party, or appear on the nepo baby's fly-on-the-wall ITV television series. Katie later claimed that it was her daughter's management who had told her not to appear on the show. In a lengthy Instagram statement, Katie pleaded 'I'm trying to be the best I can' while noting she hasn't 'always been the best mother'. She wrote: 'Saints and sinners. As we know, in this life we are thought of as Saints and Sinners. I know I will always be a Sinner. That's fair, I allowed myself to fail into reliance on drugs and alcohol. 'At times I was not the mother I should have been while I struggled with mental illness. I have been at times a poor friend, an awful sibling, an an untrustworthy partner. I've self medicated, been unfaithful, damaged myself and those that I love. Katie shares her daughter Princess with her first husband Peter Andre 'I've had many reasons - I was sexually abused when younger; I've had relationships that have been coercive; and my mental health issues - but I don't want to make excuses.' Katie continued: 'I've recognised my issues and worked to put them behind me. Sometimes I tried and failed, sometimes I succeeded. 'I've pulled myself out of suicidal spiral because I love my children and want to be there for them. 'I don't pretend to be perfect by any means - but I'm trying to be the best I can. Then there are the "Saints". Some are genuine and some have helped me. 'But some Saints are not who they would have you believe they are. They have a carefully managed image which must be exhausting to maintain. 'Some Saints are fake. They play the victim and to succeed in life they need a villain... or at least a Sinner. Without the Sinner they don't get to be the Saint... 'As a Sinner - I sometimes get bored of these Saints. But maybe I should feel sorry for them, It must be such hard work having to pretend all the time. 'Anyway, all you Sinners keep your heads up and keep trying to be better. All you Saints, it's ok not to be perfect xxx' Peter shared his side of the story on Thursday, explaining: 'For sixteen years, I have stayed silent in the face of repeated lies from my ex-wife and her family, out of respect for my children and loved ones, but staying silent has been incredibly frustrating. That ends today. 'The latest comments about my children's welfare and living arrangements compel me to set the record straight. For well-documented reasons, and for their safety, Junior and Princess came into my care in 2018 and remained with me until they reached adulthood. 'In 2019, the family courts issued a legally binding order to enforce this arrangement. I have never made this public before, out of respect for my children.' 'In 2011 and 2015, publicly documented court cases found my ex-wife had made false claims. She was ordered to pay substantial damages and legal costs, and to apologise to me and my management. The same falsehoods are being repeated today. 'Unfortunately, there are many more lies and baseless accusations I have yet to address. Those will now be dealt with in the coming months.' Huw Edwards stepped out to grab three mini bottles of prosecco to celebrate his 64th birthday on Monday. The disgraced BBC newsreader, who was still wearing his wedding ring despite reports that his marriage to wife Vicky Flind has broken down, was seen returning to his car in Swansea, Wales, after a brief outing to the shops. The Welshman wore a pale blue polo shirt and black trousers when he was spotted filling his car with petrol and buying prosecco. Huw pleaded guilty to having indecent images of children on July 31 at Westminster Magistrates' Court, including 13 of the most serious category A and one of a child as young as seven. He was among the BBC's highest-paid figures, with its accounts putting him in a pay bracket of between 475,000 and 479,999 for 2023/24. This was a 40,000 pay rise from 2022/23, when he was paid between 435,000 and 439,999. In May, it was reported Huw ignored pleas from BBC bosses to return the 200,000 he was paid after his arrest. Huw Edwards stepped out to grab three mini bottles of prosecco to celebrate his 64th birthday on Monday The disgraced BBC newsreader was seen returning to his car in Swansea after a brief outing to the shops BBC Chairman Samir Shah said the presenter has been asked numerous times to give the money back, The Sun reported. Mr Shah told Times Radio: 'We've been asking him and asking him and asking him. We're getting legal advice on it.' He made a direct appeal to Huw saying: 'If Huw is listening, give it back. Just give it back.' The former News At Ten anchor was on 475,000 a year at the time of his arrest in November 2023. While some BBC staff were aware he had been held, he was not sacked at the time. In April 2024 he was allowed to step down on medical grounds. At the time the Welshman was not dismissed despite some more senior BBC staff being aware of his arrest, with reports he paid a teenager 35,000 for sexual images later emerging last September. He was handed a six-month suspended sentence, sparking outrage among campaign groups who branded it 'ludicrous, absurd and embarrassing' that he had been allowed to walk out of court instead of being sent to prison. Huw pleaded guilty to having indecent images of children on July 31 at Westminster Magistrates' Court, including 13 of the most serious category A and one of a child as young as seven The Welshman wore a pale blue polo shirt and black trousers when he was spotted filling his car with petrol and buying prosecco Huw kept a straight face during his birthday outing to the shops in Swansea He was among the BBC's highest-paid figures, with its accounts putting him in a pay bracket of between 475,000 and 479,999 for 2023/24 This was a 40,000 pay rise from 2022/23, when he was paid between 435,000 and 439,999 The disgraced newsreader popped out to get his essentials Huw was handed a six-month suspended sentence after admitting three charges of 'making' indecent photographs The former BBC news presenter leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court in London in July 2024 The former News At Ten anchor was on 475,000 a year at the time of his arrest in November 2023 As well as a suspended sentence, Huw was also put on the sex offender register and was told he had to take part in rehabilitation sessions. At the time BBC boss said there were discussions regarding the six-figure sum Huw had earned following his arrest, saying the BBC could possibly go down the legal route to retrieve the wages. Huw is currently being divorced by his wife Vicky Find, who is also the mother of his five children, with his 4.75million Dulwich home also up for sale. A month ago, Ioan Gruffudd revealed shocking texts from his children, apparently begging him for financial help as they were being evicted from the home they share with his ex-wife, Alice Evans. Ioan, 51, claimed that the messages were part of an 'ongoing campaign of harassment' by the actress, who was made subject to a restraining order in 2022, and that they hadn't really been sent by his children. However, Alice, 57, denies harassing him, stalking him or contacting him in any way. Now it can be revealed that his bid to prove that he is the victim of harassment has sustained a serious legal blow. Ioan wants to make his restraining order against his ex-wife permanent but the well-respected lawyer who has been representing him in the DVRO (Domestic Violence Restraining Order) matter has quit the case. Matt Russakow has filed a motion to be 'relieved' as counsel and 'requests that the court grant this motion because there has been an irreconcilable breakdown of the attorney-client relationship.' Ioan Gruffudd dealt new blow in bitter divorce battle as he attempts to make his restraining order against ex-wife Alice Evans permanent (pictured in 2016) A month ago, Ioan revealed shocking texts from his children, apparently begging him for financial help as they were being evicted from the home they share with his ex-wife Alice Mr Russakow did not respond to requests to comment on just what has caused that 'irreconcilable breakdown' this week. Mr Russakow, a Loyola Law School graduate who has won numerous awards and has been practising for 22 years, had legal papers served upon Gruffudd, according to the motion. Now Gruffudd faces a scheduling conference in September and a mediation settlement conference in December over the divorce. If he and Alice cannot reach an agreement on child and spousal support and whether the restraining order gets scrapped or extended then the divorce will come to trial. Gruffudd's attorney in the financial wranglings is still in place Mr Russakow was just looking after the bid to extend the DVRO. It's not clear whether Gruffudd will hire another lawyer or opt to represent himself. The Fantastic Four and Hornblower actor attended court last month with new wife Bianca Wallace, who is pregnant. He and Bianca, an aspiring actress, appear to have met in 2020 when she was an extra on the TV drama Harrow filmed in Australia. He left Alice in January 2021 and he and Bianca went public with their romance in October 2021. Bianca strongly denies that there was any romance between them when he was still married. Alice has full custody of the children and the three of them are living in modest circumstances in the suburb of Encino in the San Fernando Valley, having left their apartment in Beverly Hills after being unable to afford the rent Ioan and Alice met on the set of 102 Dalmatians and have been legally divorced for two years. Alice has full custody of the children and the three of them are living in modest circumstances in the suburb of Encino in the San Fernando Valley, having left their apartment in Beverly Hills after being unable to afford the rent. Ioan said in his legal filing - which included a number of texts from Ella, 15, and Elsie, 11 - that he believed Alice was behind the distressing messages. One text to Gruffudd from daughter Ella read: 'You left us and now you can't provide for us. 'You need to get a job daddy. Looking after your girlfriend is not a job. You are a father who has abandoned his children and doesn't see them or talk to them. You don't even send Christmas presents. It's pathetic and everyone sees you. 'Ps if there is enough money for us never to become homeless then why aren't you helping us out? You hate mummy more than you love us.' Both sides are pleading poverty, with Alice saying that it is simply not possible to make ends meet on the existing payments from the Ioan, which comprises $3,000 per month in child support and $1,500 a month in spousal support. In a written statement to court, backed by documentation, she says she owes money to utility companies, and defaulted on the $6,500 a month rent at their previous apartment in Beverly Hills, which led to her eviction. She also owes $35,000 to her lawyer. The actress' post came just hours after Ioan's new wife Bianca Wallace (pictured) denied she had ever had an affair with Ioan - insisting their romance began when he was single - and accused Alice of inventing the 'disgusting, vile story' Since Ioan and Bianca went public with their relationship, Alice has hit out at them on social media (pictured at The Fantastic Four: First Steps premiere last week) He is seeking to reduce the payments and says that it isn't possible to find more or better paid work. Ioan has also contended in legal papers that he wants to make the three-year restraining order, which he was granted in August 2022, last a lifetime. It says that she must stay away from him and Bianca, and bans her from speaking about them, including in interviews or on social media. It was granted after Alice sent hundreds of abusive text messages and emails. One observed: 'Some vixen has your nuts between her veneers.' In a legal filing last year Alice wrote of her regrets at the behaviour, and said that she had not contacted him in years. She wrote: 'I understand why the Court issued the DVRO, and I wish I had never sent the messages or published the social media posts. 'I was acting out of emotional anguish caused by the unexpected end of our marriage and Ioan's rather quick public announcement of a new romantic relationship on social media, which our eldest daughter discovered via an Instagram post.' But when asked how many times he believed the order has been breached by his ex since it was filed Ioan indicated: 'Approximately 5,000 times.' That would amount to an average of 138 times a month - or four times a day. Alice denies that this is the case. Ioan believes that his ex-wife has been harassing him mostly through anonymous Twitter accounts but also claims she has physically stalked him. Ioan filed for divorce in March 2021, shortly after Evans announced on social media that her husband of 14 years was leaving her (pictured in 2005) She hit back: 'There is absolutely no evidence of stalking...I have no idea where he and his wife live, nor do I have any interest in stalking them. This is plainly ridiculous.' She also denies Ioan's contention that she has made herself homeless in June in order to make him look bad, which she says is simply absurd. There was an ugly incident in 2023 during a custody visit when Ella first met her father's new girlfriend. She said that she hadn't wanted to meet Bianca, and Ioan said in court documents that Ella had reacted furiously to Bianca's presence and vandalised the apartment. The teen applied for a restraining order against her father which was not granted. Alice appeared to have indicated that she wants to move on and attain a state of peace with Ioan and Bianca. After they announced her pregnancy in May it was reported that she was 'fuming', but Alice quickly said this was not the case. Writing on Instagram, she said: 'I am not fuming. Why on earth would I be? As for those who sent me nasty messages or made nasty comments online please remember that a baby announcement is a beautiful thing that brings much happiness and you're sullying it with your hate. Shame on you. The baby deserves better.' Reese Witherspoon's daughter Ava Phillippe and her boyfriend Dakota Brubaker looked completely loved-up at Splitsville afterparty in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Earlier this month, the actress, 25, revealed she moved in with her partner Dakota in a sweet TikTok video - after the pair went official in December. After taking a major step in their relationship, the smitten pair couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces as they enjoyed a night out together. Elsewhere, lead star of the movie Dakota Johnson, 35, appeared in high spirits as she larked around with actor O-T Fagbenle, 44. Dakota put on a leggy display in a shimmering green dress for the afterparty, shortly after attending the premiere with her famous mother Melanie Griffith. Melanie, meanwhile, stayed in her white tailored suit premiere look for the party as she supported her beloved daughter. Reese Witherspoon's daughter Ava Phillippe, 25, and her boyfriend Dakota Brubaker looked completely loved-up at Splitsville afterparty in Los Angeles on Tuesday night Elsewhere, lead star of the movie Dakota Johnson, 35, appeared in high spirits as she larked around with actor O-T Fagbenle, 44 Dakota put on a leggy display in a shimmering green dress for the afterparty, shortly after attending the premiere with her famous mother Melanie Griffith Dakota and the Working Girl star, 68, made a glamorous duo as they posed together on the red carpet at the event, held at The Grove in Los Angeles. Dakota, who dubbed the scrutiny of nepo babies 'incredibly annoying and boring' last year, wowed in a skintight sleeveless metallic gown. The actress is fresh off the heels of her seven-year relationship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, 48. Splitsville, set to hit theaters on August 22, is a comedy directed by Michael Angelo Covino. The film's plot revolves around two couples and the drama that erupts in their lives and friendships. Dakota grew up with Antonio Banderas as her stepfather and Tippi Hedren as her 95-year-old grandmother. Her dad Don Johnson warned all his children they'd be deprived of their allowance if they didn't attend college, so Dakota auditioned for The Juilliard School with monologues from William Shakespeare and Steve Martin. Dakota admitted she 'really didn't want to go to college' in a May interview with ELLE UK, but was dismayed at the idea of being 'cut off' by the Miami Vice alum and admitted 'it was hard to make money.' Melanie, meanwhile, stayed in her white tailored suit premiere look for the party as she supported her beloved daughter Dakota looked overjoyed as she mingled with friends at the star-studded afterparty Ro Donnelly (pictured) co-founded their production company TeaTime Pictures Actor O. T. Fagbenle stars in Splitsville alongside Dakota Director, co-writer, and star Michael Angelo Covino and producer Emily Korteweg pictured at the afterparty Michael and Kyle Marvin larked around at the party Splitsville is set to hit theaters on August 22 By age 18, Dakota used her famous name to easily sign with IMG for modeling in 2006 and two years later she signed with the William Morris Agency for acting. 'There were a few times when I'd go to the market and not have money in my bank account or not be able to pay rent, and I'd have to ask my parents for help,' Johnson lamented. 'I'm very grateful that I had parents that could help me and did help me. But it certainly was not fun. The auditioning process, as you know, is the f***ing worst.' The Independent Spirit Award winner noted that her mother 'was the nice one' when it came to hand-outs. Dakota also has Melanie to thank for her big-screen debut, at age nine, in Antonio's dismally-reviewed directorial debut Crazy in Alabama in 1999. Before landing her breakout role in the Fifty Shades trilogy, Dakota first caught the industry's attention as panty-clad Harvard University student Amelia in David Fincher's 2010 drama The Social Network. 'When [the nepo baby scrutiny] first started I found it to be, like, incredibly annoying and boring,' the Daddio star scoffed on TODAY last year. In June, news broke that Dakota and Coldplay frontman Chris had called it quits after a six-year engagement. A source previously told the Daily Mail that, at the time of their break-up, the relationship had already 'been over for a long time, they just haven't been able to figure out to make it official.' Rosie O'Donnell has slammed Jay Leno over Netflix's docuseries Fit For TV: The Reality Of The Biggest Loser over a cruel stunt years prior. The 63-year-old media personality - who recently showed off their weight loss from Mounjaro - pulled no punches as she went after the 75-year-old comedian decades after they were both talk show hosts during the 90s. Rosie took to Instagram on Monday night to share two images taken from her television with the caption: 'Jay Leno is a mean a**hole #biggestloserdocumentary.' One of the photos was of Tracey Yukich from the docuseries who was a contestant on season 9 of The Biggest Loser. Rosie seemed to be referring to part of Fit For TV: The Reality Of The Biggest Loser where Yukich was shown during an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno in 2009. On the program Jay made the cruel move of reading death threats Yukich had received while on the show. Rosie O'Donnell (pictured in London last month) has slammed Jay Leno over Netflix's docuseries Fit For TV: The Reality Of The Biggest Loser The 63-year-old media personality - who recently showed off their weight loss from Mounjaro - pulled no punches as she went after the 75-year-old comedian (pictured in LA back in June) decades after they were both talk show hosts during the 90s Yukich described on the documentary: 'After I was voted out I got a phone call from one of the casting producers. 'They said "Tracey, listen you did a good job girl. Just be positive okay?" Like they knew what was going to happen.' 'Tracey you are just pure evil,' one of the emails that Jay read on the program said as another read: 'I would not stop on the brake if I see you cross the street!!! I might even wanna accelerate.' Tracey began tearing up as she reacted on the docuseries: 'It was so bad. Wow my feelings were so hurt. They were. I didn't know I was a villain until the show aired.' Meanwhile, Rosie made multiple appearances on The Tonight Show when Jay was hosting. She also had her own daytime chat show titled The Rosie O'Donnell Show which aired over six seasons from June 1996 to June 2002. The Tonight Show With Jay Leno aired from May 1992 to May 2009 before he returned from March 2010 to February 2014. Meanwhile, The Biggest Loser, which ran for 18 seasons on NBC and USA, saw obese or overweight people from across the US dropping upwards of 100 or even 200 pounds over a matter of months. Rosie took to Instagram on Monday night to share two images taken from her television with the caption: 'Jay Leno is a mean a**hole #biggestloserdocumentary' One of the photos was of Tracey Yukich from the docuseries who was a contestant on season 9 of The Biggest Loser The show ran from 2004 to 2016 airing on NBC, before it was cancelled. It was then rebooted on the USA Network in 2020, before being cancelled after just one season. In its heyday, the program went global, with versions appearing in countries around the world, earnings hundreds of millions of dollars. The branding was licensed for products including cookbooks, DVDs, and weight-loss camps. When its NBC run was cancelled in 2016, it came after controversy, with critics arguing that it prioritized a number on the scale rather than contestants' overall health and well-being. Netflix's new docuseries, titled Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, 'takes a look behind-the-scenes, exploring its cultural relevance and complicated legacy' - and as part of that, previous contestants spoke on camera about some of the dangerous habits they practiced in a bid to lose the most weight, and scoop the $250,000 prize. Those practices included fasting for 10 days, and surviving on minimal calories while undergoing intense exercise regimes among others. Rosie moved to Ireland earlier this year with her 12-year-old child after the star of the president's second term after being a longtime target of Trump's insults and jabs. She has said she's in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship based on family lineage. O'Donnell, said in a March TikTok video that she would return to the US 'when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America.' Trump's outburst followed O'Donnell's July 7 HuffPost interview, in which she discussed her decades-long feud with him and her 2024 move to Ireland, made ahead of Trump's reelection. Trump's disdain for O'Donnell dates back to 2006 when O'Donnell, a comedian and host on The View at the time, mocked Trump over his handling of a controversy concerning a winner of the Miss USA pageant, which Trump had owned. Tracey began tearing up as she reacted on the docuseries: 'It was so bad. Wow my feelings were so hurt. They were. I didn't know I was a villain until the show aired' 'I look at America and I feel overwhelmingly depressed,' O'Donnell, 63, said, citing her need to protect her mental health and care for her 12-year-old child, who has autism. 'I knew what [the Trump administration] was planning to do, because I read Project 2025. I know what he's capable of. And I didn't want to put myself through another four years of him being in charge.' Watching Trump's second term from abroad, O'Donnell added: 'I think it's as bad as everyone worried it would be. I believe fascism has taken a foothold in the United States.' She also criticized a new bill she claims grants Trump his own 'secret police,' with a budget 'greater than the money we give to Israel, which is already unbelievably high.' Rosie made multiple appearances on The Tonight Show when Jay was hosting; they are pictured in April 2006 Meanwhile, The Biggest Loser, which ran for 18 seasons on NBC and USA, saw obese or overweight people from across the US dropping upwards of 100 or even 200 pounds over a matter of months Netflix's new docuseries, titled Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, 'takes a look behind-the-scenes, exploring its cultural relevance and complicated legacy' (Bob Harper is pictured) 'I look at America, and it feels tragic,' she said. 'I feel sad. I feel overwhelmingly depressed. I don't understand how we got here.' During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly brought up O'Donnell, including during the first Republican primary debate in August 2015. When moderator Megyn Kelly questioned his use of terms like 'fat pigs,' 'dogs,' and 'slobs' to describe women, he replied, 'Only Rosie O'Donnell.' Her name eventually resurfaced during a debate with Hillary Clinton, when Trump said, 'Rosie O'Donnell has been very vicious to me. I said very tough things to her, and I think everybody would agree she deserves it.' O'Donnell responded in a now-deleted post on X, calling him an 'orange anus.' After Trump's first election, O'Donnell told W Magazine in October 2017 that she struggled to cope with his presidency, saying it took her a year to regain emotional balance. Rosie moved to Ireland earlier this year with her 12-year-old child after the star of the president's second term after being a longtime target of Trump's insults and jabs O'Donnell recently insisted she has 'no regrets' after fleeing the United States for Ireland to escape Donald Trump 's second term in the White House, and blamed 'Project 2025' for motivating her to move across the Atlantic 'I seriously worry whether I personally will be able to live through [his presidency] and whether the nation will be able to survive,' she said. 'It's a terrifying concept, on the brink of nuclear war with a madman in charge.' Trump's latest jab at O'Donnell seemed to be in response to a TikTok video she posted this month mourning the 119 deaths in the July 4 floods in Texas and blaming Trump's widespread cuts to environmental and science agencies involved in forecasting major natural disasters. 'What a horror story in Texas,' O'Donnell said in the video. 'And you know, when the president guts all the early warning systems and the weathering forecast abilities of the government, these are the results that we're gonna start to see on a daily basis.' The Trump administration, as well as local and state officials, have faced mounting questions over whether more could have been done to protect and warn residents ahead of the Texas flooding, which struck with astonishing speed in the pre-dawn hours of July 4 and killed at least 137, according to Reuters. Dion Giannarelli has announced his engagement. The former Married At First Sight groom shared the happy news in a joint post with his soon-to-be bride, Jaclyn Sainsbury, on Instagram. The couple documented the sweet moment Dion got down on one knee to pop the question. 'I said YES! Cant wait to spend forever with you my love,' Jaclyn wrote in her caption. 'So, so excited for this next chapter and a lifetime together with you,' she added. The images showed the moving proposal, which took place at the JW Marriott Maldives Kaafu Atoll Island Resort in the Maldives. Dion Giannarelli has announced his engagement. The former Married At First Sight groom shared the happy news in a joint post with his soon-to-be bride, Jaclyn Sainsbury, on Instagram. Both pictured The couple documented the sweet moment Dion got down on one knee to pop the question 'I said YES! Cant wait to spend forever with you my love,' Jaclyn wrote in her caption Jaclyn showed off her massive diamond sparkler as the pair posed alongside an idyllic waterway. The couple shared champagne and embraced on the deck of their luxury accommodation. Jaclyn is an Executive Assistant for the real estate company, Cohen Handler Buyers Agents. Dion, who is also a real estate professional, appeared on season nine of the reality series in 2022. While Dion failed to find love on MAFS with his bride Carolina Santos, he was previously linked to Nikki Walton later that year. The pair appear to have split in 2023, having not been posted to each other's socials since April last year. Last year, he and his good friend Jade Yarbrough headed on a trip to Milan, Italy, following a brief stint in London. The pair, who are long-time family friends, appeared to be on a business venture overseas together. 'So, so excited for this next chapter and a lifetime together with you,' she added The images showed the moving proposal, which took place at the JW Marriott Maldives Kaafu Atoll Island Resort in the Maldives Dion, who is also a real estate professional, appeared on season nine of the reality series in 2022. He failed to find love on MAFS with his bride Carolina Santos (left) Dion and the Yarbroughs have been pals for more than 16 years. Dion and Jade's older sister Jasmine first struck up a friendship in the United States. 'We met in America through a mutual friend and they're in business together through their shoe line,' Dion previously told Woman's Day. 'I was living over there and we just became close friends.' He went on to call the Stefanovics 'lovely people.' Dion also revealed that he even goes on holidays with the couple and catches up with them often. Teddi Mellencamp stepped out in Los Angeles on Tuesday, days after revealing why the death of Brandon Blackstock hit especially close to home. The 44-year-old admitted on a recent episode of her podcast that it was difficult to learn that Blackstock had passed from the same ailment she has been diagnosed with - melanoma. But she kept her spirits lifted on Tuesday, grabbing food with a pal in an especially head-turning look. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum mixed fashion with function in a silky pajama-style ensemble consisting of a partially buttoned blue blouse and matching flowing trousers. She strode across the street, feet slipped into mesh flats, and a beaded necklace injecting a further touch of glam. As she waited at the intersection, she brushed loose strays of her hair away from her face. Teddi Mellencamp stepped out in Los Angeles on Tuesday, days after revealing why the death of Brandon Blackstock hit especially close to home Last week, Teddi opened up to listeners of her Two Ts In A Pod podcast about how difficult it had been to learn Brandon had passed following a battle with melanoma. The talent manager, who was the ex-husband of Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson, died at age 48 on August 7, some three years after being diagnosed with the dangerous skin cancer. 'The Brandon Blackstock story really hit me hard this week,' Teddi, who was diagnosed with the same affliction three years ago, told listeners. 'I wish I would have missed that little detail in the World Wide Web because then I started doing research and they were so quiet about [his diagnosis],' Teddi told listeners. 'I mean, we know he passed from melanoma. They announced that.' 'We're assuming that it had metastasized,' Teddi's podcast host, Tamra Judge, said to her pal. 'I was wondering, when did it metastasize?,' Teddi wondered aloud, adding, 'like this is just where my head goes from being in the situation, did he decline treatment?' 'There's so many different ways that this could have happened,' she explained, adding, 'and like I have one million [percent] respect their choice to keep it private.' Tamra suggested the dedicated equestrian could reach out to Kelly for some more details to be shared privately. Mellencamp was spotted grabbing food with a pal in Los Angeles on Wednesday For Teddi, the death of Brandon Blackstock from melanoma has hit close to home. Mellencamp was diagnosed with melanoma in 2022. Blackstock died on August 7 after a three-year-battle with the disease Kelly, who shared children River, 11, and Remington, nine, with Brandon has not made any public comment regarding his death. Wondering about what kinds of treatment Brandon received, Teddi queried, 'Maybe he did immunotherapy? Maybe he did chemotherapy? We don't know.' 'I don't know, but those kind of stories hit you hard, when it directly sounds similar to something that you're going through,' she said. Teddi was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2022, but the disease has since spread to her brain and lungs. She revealed this past April that her cancer had progressed to stage four. Teddi has undergone 16 surgeries since her diagnosis, including the removal of four brain tumors. 'I don't know, but those kind of stories hit you hard, when it directly sounds similar to something that you're going through,' she said on her Two Ts in a Pod podcast with Tamra Judge; Pictured in Beverly Hills in May Mellencamp wondered what kinds of treatment Blackstock, who was Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband, had undergone. 'Maybe he did immunotherapy? Maybe he did chemotherapy? We don't know'; Pictured in NYC in January 2018 Mellencamp has had 16 surgeries to battle the deadly melanoma attacking her body The reality star had four brain tumors removed earlier this year. She has also undergone radiation and immunotherapy treatments. She has also undergone radiation and immunotherapy treatments 'Feeling better and not taking it for granted,' Mellencamp wrote on social media recently, adding, 'Having cancer has broken my heart but has taught me so much about myself' She has also used radiation and immunotherapy to fight the disease. On July 29, she shared with her Instagram followers that she was doing well after taking a break from immunotherapy. 'Feeling better and not taking it for granted. Which means Im back to work after taking last week off,' she shared next to a selfie. 'And if you know me that was completely against my instincts. I guess you could call that growth.' 'Having cancer has broken my heart but has taught me so much about myself,' she told her fans. Kim Kardashian fans have flipped out of her latest Instagram post. The reality TV dynamo shared images of several very bizarre procedures that she had done while on vacation with her sister Khloe Kardashian and friends like La La Anthony and Stephanie Shepherd in South Korea. In one image the 44-year-old diva from Calabasas had her arm injected with a purple liquid as she was partially bandaged up. One follower asked if she is being injected with what 'looks like a smoothie' and that is exactly what it looked like: 'What are you injecting into your arm looks like a smoothie.' Other fans were more positive: 'Omgggg gurllll youu goooo.' And then there was this: 'Honestly mood skincare everything there,' as well as this: 'Nice cream Kim you going to look younger again.' Kim Kardashian fans have flipped out of her latest Instagram post In one image the 44-year-old diva from Calabasas had her arm injected with a purple liquid as she was partially bandaged up. One follower asked if she is being injected with what 'looks like a smoothie' and that is exactly what it looked like: 'What are you injecting into your arm looks like a smoothie' There was another shot where she had tape and Band-Aids over her eyebrows which may have meant she was having them dyed. And there were two portraits where she had white stuff on her face, which was likely an exotic facial. Kim did nothing to explain what she was up to as her caption simply read, 'The things we do.' On Monday, she was seen trying out the new Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap from her SKIMS line with La La Anthony and Khloe as they jetted to South Korea. They were on Kim Air, which is the star's private jet. Kim wore a brown fur coat over a sheer body stocking by Saint Laurent with red lipstick. 'When in Korea,' Kim wrote in the caption. Earlier this month Kardashian said she thought her 'body was breaking down' before she turned to stem cell therapy. The beauty has taken to social media to share her health journey, revealing that stem cell therapy has helped her to overcome various aches and pains. The reality TV dynamo shared images of several very bizarre procedures that she had done while on vacation with her sister Khloe and friends in South Korea In this image she had gauze and Band-Aids on her eyebrows while flashing a peace sign Kim wrote on Instagram: 'I'm so excited to share with you guys my stem cell journey. 'Two years ago, I tore my shoulder while lifting weights, leaving me in debilitating pain. 'I tried everything to find relief, then I learned about the potential of stem cell therapy and met Dr. Adeel Khan at Eterna. 'His team treated my shoulder with Dezawa Muse cells, and the results were immediate. 'I regained full range of motion, and my shoulder has felt completely normal ever since. 'Encouraged by this success, I recently returned to Dr. Khan to address chronic back pain that I have been suffering with for years. Some fans were positive: 'Omgggg gurllll youu goooo' And then there was this: 'Honestly mood skincare everything there,' as well as this: 'Nice cream Kim you going to look younger again' Kardashian looked to have very clear skin as she added mauve lipstick 'The Muse stem cell treatment was a game-changer once again. I experienced relief right away, and the unbearable pain is finally gone. 'If you're struggling with back pain, I can't recommend this treatment enough - it's transformed my life when I thought my body was breaking down. 'Of course, everyone is different, and I'm just sharing what has worked for me lately. Definitely do your own homework and talk to medical professionals. 'Since Muse stem cells aren't yet accessible in the US, I had to travel to Mexico to be treated by Dr. Khan's team. I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity and resources to pursue this healing, and I pray the science continues to evolve so more people can benefit. (sic)' The siren, far right, was with La La Anthony and Kim as well as Stephanie Shepherd The eye pillows said Kim Air on them as the ladies had beds to sleep in Kim also shared a look at the sweet notes she left her children with an E-Z Sound heart One of her meals was a bowl of clear noodles with seaweed Outside a building in Korea Meanwhile, Kim previously opened up about her struggles with psoriasis, revealing that she suffered a major flare-up before the Met Gala. Speaking to SHE MD podcast, Kim shared: 'It's only this one spot [on my face] that will itch. And it will really, really itch when it does. 'When I started to get a little bit desperate was when it started to cover my face, and there was a spot really close to my eye, and it would just burn a little bit. 'I remember I had the Met Ball coming up that week and it was covering my face.' Jennifer Lopez looked stunning in the first official trailer for her next film Kiss Of The Spider Woman which was released on Wednesday. Wednesday also marks the first anniversary of her divorce from Ben Affleck, who is a producer on the film. Fans were blown away by the 56-year-old star's very different looks. And the one they liked the most was J-Lo as a blonde bombshell. 'Wow, blondie Jenny works for me,' said one fan. Another added: 'She is like Jean Harlow mixed with Gwen Stefani.' Other fans felt she strongly resembled Madonna in the 1990s during her Blond Ambition tour: 'Never thought Jennifer Lopez could look like Madonna, but she does.' Kiss of the Spider Woman will be released theatrically on October 10. Jennifer Lopez looked stunning in the first official trailer for her next film Kiss Of The Spider Woman which was released on Wednesday Fans were blown away by the 56-year-old star's very different looks. And the one they liked the most was J-Lo as a blonde bombshell Lopez wrote in her caption: 'The official trailer for #KissoftheSpiderWoman is here. From Academy Award winner Bill Condon, the film is in theaters October 10.' Lopez's main co-stars are Tonatiuh and Diego Luna. The Bronx-born actress plays an imaginary figure named Ingrid Luna, who was dreamed up by jailed gay window dresser Luis Molina (Tonatiuh). 'Valentin (Luna), a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina (Tonatiuh), a window dresser convicted of public indecency,' reads an official synopsis for the movie. 'The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna (Lopez).' Lopez is seen dancing up a storm in staged musical numbers where she wears flashy 1950s-style gowns. The new movie is an iteration of the 1993 Broadway musical, which was based on Manuel Puig's 1976 novel of the same name. Some fans felt she strongly resembled Madonna in the 1990s during her Blond Ambition tour. 'Never thought Jennifer Lopez could look like Madonna, but she does,' said a fan 'Wow, blondie Jenny works for me,' said one fan. Another added: 'She is like Jean Harlow mixed with Gwen Stefani' Kiss of the Spider Woman will be released in cinemas on October 10 Lopez wrote in her caption: 'The official trailer for #KissoftheSpiderWoman is here' Rehearsals began in February 2024, and filming kicked off in New Jersey in April 2024. The actress offered a small glimpse into her mindset at the time when talking to Out magazine this week. 'It was one of the most beautiful moviemaking experiences Ive ever had, and also at a difficult time in my life,' said Lopez. 'But it just filled a part of me that was waiting to kind of come alive for so long,' she added. The trailer is being released on the of her divorce from Ben Affleck at Los Angeles County Superior Court on August 20, 2024. The Bronx-bred actress plays an imaginary figure named Ingrid Luna, dreamed up by jailed gay window dresser Luis Molina (Tonatiuh) 'From Academy Award winner Bill Condon, the film is in theaters October 10,' added Lopez The forthcoming film, which also stars Tonatiuh and Diego Luna, is an adaptation of the 1993 Broadway musical, which was based on Manuel Puig's 1976 novel of the same name She also talked to Out about the plot of the movie. 'This very intense experience they have of being locked in the cell together and helping each other survive, theyre able to see straight into [the] humanity in one another and fall in love,' she told the outlet. Opening up about her philosophy she declared: 'To me, that is the real definition of love.' Kiss of the Spider Woman premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January. It will be released in cinemas on October 10. Indecent Exposure Earlier this month, Kanye and Bianca walked the red carpet during the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The Heartless rapper wore an all-black ensemble while Censori wore a long, fuzzy black coat. However, at one point, she turned her back towards the cameras and dramatically let the outer piece fall to the floor. Bianca wore a sheer, flesh-colored minidress and opted to not wear anything underneath - with social media users condemning the 'disturbing' look and one calling the action 'indecent exposure.' Others expressed concern for the architect, with one penning: 'Can someone explain why this is cool?' 'Because to me, it's giving exploitation, trafficking. It's so weird and he objectifies her in front of the world. Someone help her, jeez,' they added, while another shared, 'She's clearly looking stressed out.' His commands to Censori moments before she removed the coat were revealed by lip reader Nicola Hicklin on TikTok. At one point, Hicklin claimed that West told Bianca, 'You're making a scene now,' and she responded by nodding her head. The lip reader added that the music artist also told her, ''Make a scene, I'll say it'll make so much sense.' Fan recently condemned Bianca's 'disturbing' look at the Grammys, with one calling the action 'indecent exposure' Bianca is no stranger to parading around in public in racy outfits since marrying the rapper; Pictured in 2024 in Paris, France Kanye - who also goes by Ye - then said, 'Drop it behind you and then turn, I got you.' Censori replied with, 'Alright let's go.' Bianca is no stranger to parading around in public in racy outfits since marrying the rapper. Some of her X-rated ensembles in the past included when she wore a nude bodysuit while clutching a purple pillow to her chest while in Italy with West in 2023. Last year she exposed her breasts in a completely see-through netted top as she made her way to the Melrose Tanning Company salon, opting not to wear a bra. She also previously eschewed a top in favor of bandage-like halter suspenders that only covered her nipples. A source previously told DailyMail.com that Censori's father Leo had demanded that both his daughter and Kanye go to Australia to address his concerns over her racy looks. Just one month before, the rapper's ex Kim Kardashian requested that Bianca 'cover up' when around their four children. Last year Kanye shared a risque snap of Bianca posing braless in a sheer Yeezy tank top and a very racy micro thong Kanye claims 'dominion' over Bianca West has claimed Bianca can't wear anything without his approval. After Bianca shocked the world when she attended the music awards completely naked under a sheer dress, exposing her breasts and genitals, Kanye lashed back at critics and claimed 'dominion' over his wife. The stunt made global headlines and many of Kanye's followers were quick to accuse the rapper of being 'abusive' and 'controlling' while using his wife's body 'as clout'. Addressing the backlash amid a vile anti-Semitic, sexist and homophobic rant in February, Kanye claimed that he has 'dominion' over Bianca but insisted he would never force her to wear anything she didn't feel comfortable in. He tweeted: 'I HAVE DOMINION OVER MY WIFE THIS AINT NO WOKE AS FEMINIST S**T SHES WITH A BILLIONAIRE WHY WOULD SHE LISTEN TO ANY OF YOU DUMB A** BROKE B*****S. 'PEOPLE SAY THE RED CARPET LOOK WAS HER DECISION YES I DONT MAKE HER DO NOTHING SHE DOESNT WANT TO BUT SHE DEFINITELY WOULDNT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT MY APPROVAL YOU STUPID A** WOKE PAWNS.' After Bianca shocked the world when she attended the music awards completely naked under a sheer dress, exposing her breasts and genitals, Kanye lashed back at critics and claimed 'dominion' over his wife He carried on his rant in the early hours, penning: 'Anyone who called my wifes Grammy look a stunt is dumb and laaaame yes youuuu.' 'She been dressing naked for 2 years. Now all of a sudden its a stunt. Every single b***h on the planet wish they had her bravery body platform and access to money and a husband that supported they personal expression. 'There are a lot of things that had to converge for this moment to happen.' Since Kanye married Bianca in 2022 fans have expressed concern over her wellbeing, with the Australian architect continuously seen parading around in various states of undress. A day later he doubled down on his 'dominion' claims as he launched into another anti-Semitic rant where he targeted Jewish women. 'TO ALL JEWISH HUSBANDS COME GET YOUR B***H I JUST F****D THE SHIT OUT OF HER AND DONT WANNA HEAR HER YAPPING.' He continued, writing, 'There's a sweet Jewish named Jill with the best taste that lives in New York sending love to you from me and my wife i am speaking on behalf of my wife since i have dominion over her which is quite different than the dynamic i've seen at every shabbat i've been to.' Addressing the backlash amid a vile anti-Semitic, sexist and homophobic rant in February, Kanye claimed that he has 'dominion' over Bianca but insisted he would never force her to wear anything she didn't feel comfortable in A day later he doubled down on his 'dominion' claims as he launched into another anti-Semitic rant where he targeted Jewish women Bianca 'traumatized' by Kanye's vile rants Earlier this month it was reported that Bianca was left so traumatized by Kanye's vile antisemitic diatribe that she is now refusing to continue shooting their new film. Bianca is playing the lead in a fictional art film, partly shot in Japan and co-created by West, and their creative circle, with a focus on the female body as something to showcase. But she is reportedly struggling to recover from his repulsive rampage on X which saw him post a slew of antisemitic, homophobic and sexist slurs, as well as using his Yeezy website to sell a $20 white T-shirt featuring a swastika. The shocking three-day spree has left the fate of their $25 million film in jeopardy, with two producers on the verge of walking out, DailyMail.com can reveal. Bianca is deeply traumatised by Yes actions, and she does not align with these views at all, an insider said. She is horrified by what he has done, as are so many people close to Ye. She is so put off by this that she is currently refusing to continue shooting. They said the film is entirely funded by the couple. Censori, an architecture graduate, had been described as a brilliant actress after taking on the lead in the all-female cast. DailyMail.com was previously told the production would deal with how shame over being naked is not natural to humans and that obscenity exists only in the mind.' Earlier this month it was reported that Bianca was left so traumatized by Kanye's vile antisemitic diatribe that she is now refusing to continue shooting their new film Shooting recently wrapped in Japan but was scheduled to continue at an undisclosed location. This is now on hold with its future uncertain if Censori does not return. The situation is now at a standstill, as two producers involved in the project are on the cusp of quitting over his antisemitic rants, the source said. With production paused over Bianca's refusal to continue, the future is uncertain. West made mention of the film on X hours after their headline-grabbing red carpet stunt at the Grammys which saw Censori turn her back to photographers, drop her fur coat and expose her naked body underneath a sheer nude dress. 'My wifes first red carpet opened a whole new world,' wrote the Grammy-winner. 'I keep staring at this photo like I was staring in admiration that night Thinking wow I am so lucky to have a wife that is so smart talented brave and hot. 'She took a break from shooting her first film to make a movie in real life.' West renewed his attack on the Jewish community last week, referring to himself as a Nazi, claiming he 'loved Hitler,' and insisting that he will never 'trust or work with Jewish people' again. 'IM NEVER APOLOGIZING FOR MY JEWISH COMMENTS I CAN SAY WHATEVER THE F**K I WANNA SAY FOREVER WHERES MY F***ING APOLOGY FOR FREEZING MY ACCOUNTS SUCK MY D**K HOWS THAT FOR AN APOLOGY,' he wrote. Hours later he promoted his greatest performance art piece thus far' a swastika T-shirt during the Super Bowl. His Yeezy site was swiftly suspended by its hosts Shopify, with Isla Fisher and David Schwimmer spearheading a growing number of celebrities condemning him. The site closure was said to be a blow for Censori as it had become a key source of income for them both, and she does not know how to recover from this. When he endorsed the sale of items bearing a swastika and the phrase Hail Hitler this crossed a line because his repulsive and hateful attack could have dangerous consequences, the source said. The controversial artist, who recently claimed he was autistic after allegedly being misdiagnosed as bi-polar, unfurled a succession of shocking tweets over the weekend which included an array of anti-Semitic, homophobic and sexist slurs, as well as pornographic content, which saw his X account deactivated. Bianca is deeply traumatised by Yes actions, and she does not align with these views at all, an insider said. She is horrified by what he has done, as are so many people close to Ye' Lewd Act on a Boat In Italy The pair are certainly no strangers to making global headlines. West and Censori caused a firestorm in August 2023 when they appeared to engage in an intimate act while on a boat ride in Venice, Italy. The pair were spotted enjoying an amorous moment on a water taxi as West exposed his bare buttocks in front of gawking tourists. Images of the couple showed the American rapper seated at the back of the river taxi while his wife placed her head in his lap. Venezia Turismo Motoscafi, the company that rented the boat to West and Censori, later confirmed to Daily Mail that the couple were 'no longer welcome' aboard their watercraft. In a statement, the company condemned the pair's bawdy activity and confirmed the driver was 'completely unaware' what occurred on the boat. 'On board, the driver had to keep a lookout for traffic and did not see these obscenities. If this had happened, he would have immediately disembarked and reported the transgressors to those in authority,' the company said. West and Censori caused a firestorm in August 2023 when they appeared to engage in an intimate act while on a boat ride in Venice, Italy 'In addition, there was a third person on board the taxi, who accompanied Mr and Mrs West, who obstructed the captain's view to the stern in any case.' The third person was a woman who has been pictured chaperoning West and Censori during their Italian holiday. The company went on to denounce the couple's explicit display, saying: 'We completely dissociate ourselves from such acts and behaviour.' 'Mr West and his wife will certainly no longer be welcome on board our company's boats.' Meanwhile critics said the bawdy display was 'disrespectful' to residents of the conservative Catholic nation. A month later, West and Censori were spotted strolling through Italy while the Aussie went topless, holding a purple cushion to cover her breasts. A body language expert previously said that it appears like Kanye is 'dominating and controlling' Bianca based on their demeanors; The two seen in 2023 Expert claims Kanye is 'dominating and controlling' Bianca A body language expert previously said that it appears like Kanye is 'dominating and controlling' Bianca based on their demeanors - revealing that all the 'affection' has disappeared from their relationship. Their over-the-top outfits and indecent behavior ignited fierce concern for Bianca's wellbeing among social media users - and even her friends. Body language expert Judi James has analyzed their interactions for DailyMail.com - warning that Bianca's 'wary glances' and 'blank' stares hint that she has a 'desire to stop' the outlandish acts. She also noticed a 'lack of connection' between her and the rapper - and theorized that while they continue to put on a united front to the millions of people who are watching on, their relationship may be falling apart behind the scenes when the cameras aren't on them. 'Either these two are creating some bizarre form of performance art in a bid to gain attention and publicity or this is Kanye doing what looks like an extreme version of what he has been accused of before - dominating his partner and controlling her wardrobe choices,' she said. Last year West was eviscerated by his own fans for sharing 'creepy' photos of Bianca on Instagram Kanye slammed for posting 'creepy' pictures of Bianca wearing barely any clothes Last year West was eviscerated by his own fans for sharing 'creepy' photos of Bianca on Instagram. He raised eyebrows by sharing three photos of Bianca to his 18.4M followers, with one captioned: 'No pants this year'. In the images, Bianca was seen posing around the couple's home wearing an extremely revealing bra, G-string, leather corset, stockings and a fur stole that barely covered her modesty. Fans were quick to express their distaste, with many urging Kanye to stop sharing explicit photos of Bianca for the sake of his children. 'This is kind of creepy because she's your wife, and you're treating her like a human dominatrix doll... not it,' one wrote, as another begged: 'Stop prostituting your partner.' 'At this point, you're turning a beautiful young woman into something you own and play with, not something you cherish,' yet another added. Others claimed Kanye's posts contradicted his Christian values. 'He preaches Christianity and then does things like this,' one disappointed follower wrote. 'This is kind of creepy because she's your wife, and you're treating her like a human dominatrix doll... not it,' one wrote, as another begged: 'Stop prostituting your partner' Bianca's father fears that West is turning the architect into 'a tacky naked trophy' In 2024 it was reported that Bianca's convict father wanted a sit down and talk with Kanye over fears the rapper was pushing his daughter away from her family and turning her into a 'trashy commodity,' insiders have claimed. His request came as the Yeezy designer was pictured wearing no underwear underneath a pair of sheer stockings while out to dinner with the controversial musician in Paris, France - a look that could land her in prison or be forced to pay a hefty fine due to France's indecency laws. Insiders have told DailyMail.com that Bianca's family is 'hurting' at watching their loved one being paraded around like a 'trophy pony' and have questioned how Kanye would feel in the future if a man was treating his daughters, North and Chicago, in the same way. 'Bianca's father Leo wants to have a proper sit down with Kanye and ask him what the hell he is thinking when he parades Bianca around like a trashy naked trophy pony,' said a source close to the Yeezy architect - whose father is the brother of a notorious gangland killer. In 2024 it was reported that Bianca's convict father, Leo Censori, wanted a sit down and talk with Kanye over fears the rapper was turning her into a 'trashy commodity' 'He wants to ask Kanye what he would do if his daughters North, or Chicago, were seen in public half-naked in outfits encouraged by their husbands. 'He knows that there is no way in hell that Kanye would allow this for his daughters so it makes no sense why he would encourage this for his own wife.' Kanye has also been accused of 'shutting her out' from her family in Australia. 'If this isn't bad enough, the man who is supposed to protect Mr. and Mrs. Censori's daughter is the same man that is shutting her out from her own family,' the insider continued. 'Leo honestly wants to just sit Kanye down to let him know that he is hurting her family by turning his beloved daughter into a trashy-looking marketable commodity.' They finished: 'No man should ever encourage the woman that he loves to walk out in public and present herself like this. That isn't love. That is control.' Kanye has also been accused of 'shutting her out' from her family in Australia; Bianca seen with her sister Angelina Kim Kardashian tells ex-husband Kanye to make Bianca COVER UP when she's around their children Last year, Kim warned Kanye to tell Bianca to cover up and refrain from wearing her infamously-scandalous outfits around their children, insiders have claimed. Kim, 44, is said to have an amicable relationship with Bianca but is reportedly not a fan of her parading her risque fashion in front of North, 11, Saint, nine, Chicago, seven and Psalm, five, whom she shares with the rapper. Kim instructed Kanye to never let Bianca dress like that around their kids, a source told DailyMail.com exclusively. She is truly surprised that Kanye would let his wife leave the house like that. Unlike Bianca's raunchy wardrobe, Kim was asked to change her outfits if Kanye felt she was showing too much skin, with the artist heavily influencing her fashion choices during their seven-year marriage. Last year, his ex-wife Kim Kardashian reportedly warned Kanye to tell Bianca to cover up and refrain from wearing her infamously-scandalous outfits around their children; Kim and Kanye seen in 2019 'Kanye did the same thing he is doing with Bianca to Kim throughout their marriage,' the source continued. The difference is that when Kanye dressed Kim, he was respected as a person as an artist. 'Unfortunately, Kim knows what Bianca is going through but she feels Bianca should have known what she was getting into. The billionaire SKIMS founder talked openly about Kanyes influence over her fashion choices throughout their relationship. In a 2018 interview with W Magazine, she said: 'I always thought I had really good style until I met my husband, and he told me that I had the worst style.' And in an episode of Keeping Up with The Kardashians, she said: 'Kanye has always dressed me. In the early 2000s, he would literally just send me random emails with all these looks and what my style should be.' When Kim disagreed with her husband's advice, he told her: 'You are my wife, and it affects me when pictures are too sexy.' Kanye previously criticized Kims SKIMS brand for being 'overly sexualized.She also revealed that he disapproved of her 2019 Thierry Mugler Met Gala dress, branding her corset a form of underwear the night before the event. Morgan Wallen has made one of the most shocking decisions of his career. Despite having the best-selling album of the year with I'm The Problem, the country superstar, 32, is refusing to even enter the Grammys race after nearly a decade of snubs. On Tuesday, Billboard confirmed that Wallen's team will not be submitting his last record, or any of its 37 tracks, for consideration at the 2026 Grammy Awards. According to Hits Daily Double, which first broke the news, the boycott extends to all categories, including the songwriting categories and best country solo performance. The only exception: his camp isn't blocking other songwriters from submitting their own work from the project. The decision is a striking one given the success of the I'm the Problem, which produced four No. 1 singles on Billboard's Country Airplay chart and his chart-topper duet with Tate McRae, What I Want. Morgan Wallen is refusing to even enter the Grammys race after nearly a decade of snubs; seen in June 2025 For the Lies Lies Lies hitmaker, the choice may be as simple as not needing another trophy to validate his success or not feeling comfortable in the room. Earlier this year, he made headlines after abruptly leaving Saturday Night Live to return to 'God's country.' While it is an unspoken tradition for the guests and the cast to hug and mingle before the credits roll, he reportedly rushed off at the end of the show to head to the airport. At the time, Wallen's team told Variety that he had a good time on the show and did not mean to cause any offense with his quick exit and Instagram post. DailyMail.com has reached out to Wallen's team for comment. Wallen's latest move highlights his fraught relationship with the Recording Academy over the past decade. The East Tennessee native has never earned a Grammy nomination for his solo work. His only nods came earlier this year for his collaboration with Post Malone on I Had Some Help, which scored two nominations and zero wins. On Tuesday, Billboard confirmed that Wallen's team will not be submitting his last record, or any of its 37 tracks, for consideration at the 68th Grammy Awards on February 1, 2026 That lack of recognition has become more glaring as Wallen's star has risen. His 2021 double album Dangerous was crowned Billboard's No. 1 album of the first 25 years of the century. Yet the Grammy voters all but ignored him, even in the best new artist category. Many have speculated that the Grammys has historically iced Wallen out due to his turbulent past and controversies. In 2021, he was caught on video using a racial slur, sparking industry backlash. He apologized and checked into rehab, while the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association both banned him from eligibility for a year. Earlier this year, he made headlines after abruptly leaving Saturday Night Live to return to 'God's country' (seen in March 2025) Since then, Nashville has welcomed him back. He's scored 13 CMA nominations and took home entertainer of the year in 2024. At the ACM Awards, he's been nominated 20 times post-scandal, winning three, including album of the year for Dangerous and male artist of the year in 2023. While Wallen's boycott is unusual, it's not unheard of. The Weeknd famously stopped submitting music after his After Hours album and hit track, Blinding Lights, were snubbed in 2021. At the time, he tweeted that the Grammys were 'corrupt.' Drake, too, has declined to participate, citing a lack of recognition for hip-hop. The East Tennessee native, who is zero Grammy trophies to his name, has never earned a Grammy nomination for his solo work Even after a decade in the industry, Wallen, who launched to stardom after competing on The Voice at age 20 in 2014, recently admitted fame is 'still weird' to him. 'There's parts of that that I don't like,' he said on the Last Weekend podcast after his SNL exit made headlines. 'I think anybody who has to deal with that it's not ideal.' 'It's not ideal to go everywhere, and even if you don't get bothered, you were on edge the whole time because you thought you might [be bothered],' he continued. 'There's things that you just don't do. There's just things you don't do anymore.' As for how he spends most of his free time, Wallen explained he usually goes hunting out with his buddies 'in the middle of nowhere' to be 'at ease.' 'I aint been in a bar since the last time I was in a bar that everybody knows about,' he quipped referencing his notorious night out at Eric Churchs bar in Nashville, which ended with an arrest for throwing a chair off the rooftop. Glen Powell has insisted he 'should not' be in the running to play James Bond. The Top Gun: Maverick actor, 36, has been among those tipped to take over from Daniel Craig as the suave spy, but he feels that the role should go to an 'authentic Brit' rather than an American star. Glen, best known for his roles in Twisters and Anyone But You, told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I'm Texan. A Texan should not play James Bond. 'My family and I joke around, I can play Jimmy Bond, but I should not be playing James Bond. Get an authentic Brit for that job. That's who belongs in that tuxedo.' While Glen has ruled himself out of playing James Bond, he did confirm he and Sydney Sweeney are 'still talking' about making a sequel to Anyone But You. However, they have agreed they won't do so 'until it's the right idea', which 'requires patience', so fans may have to wait some time for the follow-up. Glen Powell has insisted he 'should not' be in the running to play James Bond, as speculation rumbles on around who will play the iconic role The Top Gun: Maverick actor has been among those tipped to take over from Daniel Craig as 007 (pictured), but said he feels the role should go to an 'authentic Brit' The actor added that he would love to direct a film in the future, but for now he is content to learn from those he is working with on his movies. He said: 'That's something I'd love to do. 'But right now, I'm getting to be in film school, I'm getting to work with [Richard] Linklater and Lee Isaac Chung and J.J. Abrams and Edgar Wright. I'm working with my heroes. 'And what's been really, really fun is every set I'm on, I pick up things. Whenever that time comes, I'll be much more prepared.' Glen isn't the only actor to have ruled himself out of playing James Bond. The Gentlemen star Theo James was previously linked to the role but has since said he found the idea 'terrifying'. He told The Guardian: 'Everyone's interested in that because it's a big part of British cultural identity, but that probably wouldn't be me. 'I do think there are better people for that job. And, honestly, it would be terrifying: if you do that, there's no going back. You're opening Pandora's box there.' Aaron Taylor-Johnson is tipped as the favourite to take over as 007, after he sparked huge speculation by signing a deal with Omega - the official watch provider for the Bond franchise And despite persistent rumours, Henry Cavill, 42, insisted he had 'no information' to share on the franchise. Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, he added: 'Maybe I'm too old now, maybe I'm not, we'll see.' Currently, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is tipped as the bookies favourite to take over as 007, still vacant following Craig's departure in 2021, and receive the inevitable payday that comes with a licence to kill. In May, the actor sparked inevitable speculation that he has already accepted the role by signing a commercial deal with Omega - the official watch provider for the Bond franchise. Bets placed on Taylor-Johnson to become the latest star 'with a license to kill' subsequently surged by a whopping three times compared to the previous fortnight, according to Oddschecker. Taylor Johnson has previously played it cool when asked about the possibility of him becoming Bond, telling Esquire: 'It's not really for me to stay anything.' Should he be named as Bond, the actor will be working with Steven Knight, who has signed up to write the latest James Bond movie, Amazon MGM Studios confirmed in July. In June, it was revealed that Denis Villeneuve will direct the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2021's No Time To Die. He said in a statement: 'Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I'm a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he's sacred territory. 'I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour.' Tom Sandoval's vocals were mocked by America's Got Talent viewers - but as it turns out, his performance was plagued by a major technical malfunction. While Instagram users blasted his singing, in an interview with Access Hollywood's Lauren Herbert, Sandoval revealed his in ear monitor had stopped working just before showtime. That left Sandoval, 43, unable to hear himself and the dreaded sound of Simon Cowell's buzzer. Sandoval and his cover band Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras performed The Weeknd's Blinding Lights on Wednesday's episode of America's Got Talent in a performance that failed to impress Cowell. 'I like Tom, and I like the band, however, you're judging this performance, it didn't sound great. Didn't,' Cowell said in his review. 'It might just be me from where I sat, but that did not sound good, I'm afraid. Didn't.' The three other judges had a mixed response, but Mel B offered a rave review of the performance. Tom Sandoval and his band, Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras, failed to impress judge Simon Cowell on Tuesday's episode of America's Got Talent Cowell hit the performance with the dreaded buzzer Immediately after his performance, Sandoval was interviewed by Herbert, where he revealed how he was unable to hear 'anything' throughout the show. 'A few technical issues but overall got through it, as much as I could. I didn't even know that Simon buzzed us. Did you know that?' he asked Lauren, who did. 'I had so much going on, I couldn't hear anything, let alone myself really.' 'My inner ear stopped working and then it's like you're deaf in that ear, and that happened right before I started, so it kind of threw me off. Right as I started, I hit my lip with my mic,' he elaborated. 'I was like, alright! Can't really hear myself that well so like was just kind of dancing my way around it.' Asked about his reaction to the buzzer and Cowell's criticism of his vocals, he said: 'I definitely could've been better, for sure. And I think I was worried a little bit more about the movement and whatever, and with inner ear, I should've focused a little bit more on the vocals. 'But this is a competition, we're trying to set ourselves apart, going out there and just singing, versus singing, dancing, getting the crowd going, moving around... I was trying to do more.' While Sandoval hadn't fully digested Cowell's criticism, he respected the judge's expertise. 'Honestly I was kind of just taking in the moment, I didn't hear everything he said, I'll have to go back and hear what he said, I'll have to go back and check it out. I respect Simon, he's one of the most well-known, respected judges in the world,' he said. Sandoval and his band performed a cover of The Weeknd's Blinding Lights However the performance was plagued by Tom's malfunctioning in ear monitor 'I have to respect what he says, if he wasn't feeling it, if he didn't like it, then I guess he wasn't in the same place as Mel B was!' Sandoval also said he has been 'working' on his vocals. 'I'm always working on vocals, if I would've been standing still, singing that song with working equipment, it would sound a lot different,' he explained. Sandoval became an outcast two years ago and he landed at the heart of the creatively-named 'Scandoval', the cheating controversy on season 10 of Vanderpump Rules. At the time, Sandoval had cheated on his long-term partner Ariana Madix with their mutual friend, Rachel Leviss - plunging him and Rachel into pariah status. Sandoval said he was unable to hear 'anything' during his performance due to his troublesome equipment Sandoval also accidentally hit himself with his mic just before showtime Viewers weighed in in the comments section of AGT's Instagram post about the performance But several also complimented the band A few added salt to the wound with memes of his ex, Ariana Madix One commenter was a fan of the performance, saying Sandoval has 'the look and the moves' Will Sandoval now be able to redeem himself on America's Got Talent? 'That's up to everybody out there. That's up to you guys,' Tom said when asked if this show was his comeback. 'I'm just excited for people to see a different side of me in a different environment. This is a much more positive environment and I'm doing things that I love,' Tom said when asked what he hoped viewers could learn about him on AGT. The star was also asked if he would consider heading onto the Vanderpump Rules spin-off, The Valley, in light of Jax Taylor's departure. 'I mean, I don't know. It doesn't sound like that much fun to me. I think there's a lot more fun things that i could be doing,' he admitted. His AGT appearance may be his way of redeeming himself after 2023's Scandoval controversy; pictured with then-girlfriend Madix in 2022 On America's Got Talent Instagram post of Sandoval's performance, fans jumped in with their criticism. 'Make it stop' one fan begged with a meme from Boy Meets World. Another was in agreement with Cowell: 'Simon's face is like mine watching it from my house,' they wrote. A few others added salt to the wound with memes of his ex Madix, with one writing, 'Simon hit that buzzer for Ariana.' It wasn't all criticism, with one fan writing: 'They put on a show. He has the voice, the look and the moves.' The world will learn if Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras earned enough votes from viewers to proceed to the next round on Wednesday. Annie Knight has revealed just how lucrative her career truly is. The OnlyFans model, dubbed 'Australia's Most Sexually Active Woman', has revealed her staggering net worth. In a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, the 28-year-old revealed that in 2020, she had a mere $1,200. Just five years later, Annie is worth a whopping $5.2million. The successful adult content creator joked that a nose job and a 'bit of filler' can go a 'long way'. Annie previously revealed she earns $300,000 per month, which is over $3.5million per year, thanks to her incredible sex stunts, such as sleeping with 583 men in a single day. 'Australia's most-sexually active woman' Annie Knight (pictured) has revealed her net worth In a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, the 28-year-old revealed in 2020 she had a mere $1,200. Just five years later, Annie is worth a whopping $5.2million It comes after Annie dropped a staggering $2.7million on her dream home in Queensland last month. The adult star is the proud owner of a luxury four-bedroom home with a pool, calling it her 'forever home'. The purchase marks a major upgrade from her previous property - a $1.37million acreage home on the Gold Coast, which she has now listed on the market. Knight has listed the three-bedroom property, which was previously rented out for $1,100 per week, for auction on August 22. 'I bought the house of my dreams that doesn't need any renovating,' she told Realestate.com.au. Knight described her new property as the one she had been holding out for. 'When I say this is my dream home I mean it. It is so, so perfect, so much space, huge backyard, a pool,' she said. Annie added that she will be selling the stylish Gold Coast home she bought earlier this year as a result of securing her dream purchase. Annie previously revealed she earns $300,000 per month, which is over $3.5 million a year, thanks to her incredible sex stunts such as sleeping with 583 men in a single day 'I decided to sell the home I bought last year,' she said. 'As an investment property, it just didn't make sense.' The adult content creator is currently planning to tie the knot with fiance Henry Brayshaw. The happy couple, who have been friends for ten years, got engaged in March just one week after rekindling their relationship. Henry, 27, popped the question over a romantic dinner in Beverly Hills during a getaway to LA. Diplomatic unease surfaced on Tuesday after the Interim Government of Bangladesh raised serious concerns over the alleged presence and activities of the banned Bangladesh Awami League on Indian soil, specifically in Delhi and Kolkata. In an official statement, Dhaka claimed that the Awami League outlawed in Bangladesh and accused of crimes against humanity has reportedly established offices in India and is engaging in anti-Bangladesh political campaigning. The statement further alleged that senior party leaders, wanted in Bangladesh and currently absconding, are operating from Indian territory under the guise of NGOs. Citing a specific incident on July 21, the Bangladesh Government claimed that Awami League leaders held a public outreach event at the Delhi Press Club, distributing politically charged material. Multiple Indian media reports, it said, have hinted at increasing political overtures by these individuals, raising concerns in Dhaka. Labelling such activities as a clear affront to Bangladeshs sovereignty and internal affairs, the statement warned that this development could disrupt the traditionally strong India-Bangladesh relationship and fuel public unrest in Bangladesh. Dhaka called on the Indian Government to act immediately by shutting down any Awami League offices and preventing further anti-Bangladesh political activity on Indian soil. In response, Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal firmly denied the allegations. The Government of India is not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action that is contrary to Indian law, he stated. He emphasised that India does not permit political activities against any foreign country to be conducted from its territory. Dismissing the Bangladeshi concerns as misplaced, Jaiswal reiterated Indias support for democratic processes in Bangladesh, urging free, fair, and inclusive elections to reflect the will of the Bangladeshi people. As both nations navigate this sensitive episode, the exchange highlights the fragile balance between domestic political developments in Bangladesh and the strategic neighbourhood diplomacy that India continues to pursue. The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSE:TD Free Report) (NYSE:TD) Analysts at National Bank Financial boosted their Q4 2025 EPS estimates for Toronto-Dominion Bank in a report released on Thursday, August 14th. National Bank Financial analyst G. Dechaine now expects that the company will post earnings of $1.96 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $1.94. The consensus estimate for Toronto-Dominion Banks current full-year earnings is $7.22 per share. National Bank Financial also issued estimates for Toronto-Dominion Banks FY2026 earnings at $8.58 EPS. Get Toronto-Dominion Bank alerts: Several other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on TD. CIBC lifted their price objective on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$96.00 to C$99.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, June 5th. National Bankshares lifted their price objective on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$98.00 to C$99.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, August 15th. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$103.00 to C$117.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$91.00 to C$95.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 14th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Toronto-Dominion Bank currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$95.31. Toronto-Dominion Bank Stock Performance Toronto-Dominion Bank stock opened at C$101.69 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of C$178.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.82. Toronto-Dominion Bank has a 1 year low of C$73.22 and a 1 year high of C$103.11. The firms 50 day moving average price is C$100.37 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$91.48. Insider Buying and Selling at Toronto-Dominion Bank In related news, Director Ana Arsov purchased 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 28th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of C$94.49 per share, for a total transaction of C$283,470.00. Also, Senior Officer Kelvin Vi Luan Tran sold 9,612 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$94.98, for a total transaction of C$912,947.76. Insiders sold a total of 81,612 shares of company stock worth $7,748,610 over the last 90 days. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Toronto-Dominion Bank Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 31st were issued a dividend of $1.05 per share. This represents a $4.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.1%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, July 10th. Toronto-Dominion Banks payout ratio is currently 80.84%. About Toronto-Dominion Bank (Get Free Report) Toronto-Dominion is one of Canadas two largest banks and operates three business segments: Canadian retail banking, U.S. retail banking, and wholesale banking. The banks U.S. operations span from Maine to Florida, with a strong presence in the Northeast. It also has a 13% ownership stake in Charles Schwab. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Toronto-Dominion Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Toronto-Dominion Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stantec Inc. (TSE:STN Free Report) (NYSE:STN) Stifel Canada lowered their Q3 2025 EPS estimates for Stantec in a note issued to investors on Thursday, August 14th. Stifel Canada analyst I. Gillies now anticipates that the company will post earnings per share of $1.47 for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $1.54. Stifel Canada also issued estimates for Stantecs Q4 2025 earnings at $1.29 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $5.29 EPS. Get Stantec alerts: STN has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price objective on shares of Stantec from C$150.00 to C$165.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Desjardins lifted their price target on shares of Stantec from C$153.00 to C$158.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Stantec from C$150.00 to C$153.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 15th. Raymond James Financial lifted their price target on shares of Stantec from C$155.00 to C$160.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 15th. Finally, CIBC lifted their price target on shares of Stantec from C$156.00 to C$168.00 in a research note on Friday, July 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$155.50. Stantec Trading Up 1.6% STN opened at C$148.94 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of C$16.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.70, a P/E/G ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.82. The firms 50 day moving average is C$149.32 and its 200-day moving average is C$132.35. Stantec has a 52-week low of C$103.48 and a 52-week high of C$155.02. The company has a quick ratio of 1.46, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 85.29. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Stantec news, Director Susan Reisbord acquired 2,785 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 26th. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$147.74 per share, with a total value of C$411,458.13. Also, Director Clayton Bock acquired 1,250 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 22nd. The stock was acquired at an average cost of C$139.51 per share, with a total value of C$174,392.88. Insiders own 0.27% of the companys stock. Stantec Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 15th were issued a $0.225 dividend. This represents a $0.90 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 30th. Stantecs payout ratio is currently 28.03%. Stantec Company Profile (Get Free Report) Stantec Inc is a sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting company. The company is geographically diversified in three regional operating units namely Canada, the United States and Global, offering similar services across all regions. The company offers services in various sectors across the project life cycle through five business operating units infrastructure, water, buildings, environmental services, and energy and resources. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Stantec Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stantec and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB Free Report) Research analysts at National Bank Financial cut their Q3 2025 earnings estimates for shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada in a note issued to investors on Thursday, August 14th. National Bank Financial analyst G. Dechaine now expects that the company will earn $0.70 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $0.71. The consensus estimate for Laurentian Bank of Canadas current full-year earnings is $3.84 per share. National Bank Financial also issued estimates for Laurentian Bank of Canadas Q4 2025 earnings at $0.87 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $3.07 EPS. Get Laurentian Bank of Canada alerts: A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$29.00 to C$31.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. Veritas raised shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada to a strong sell rating in a research report on Monday, June 2nd. National Bankshares reduced their price objective on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$28.00 to C$27.00 and set an underperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 15th. Desjardins upped their price objective on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$29.00 to C$30.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. Finally, CIBC boosted their target price on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$28.00 to C$33.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 3rd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Laurentian Bank of Canada currently has an average rating of Reduce and an average target price of C$30.14. Laurentian Bank of Canada Stock Performance Shares of LB stock opened at C$30.87 on Monday. Laurentian Bank of Canada has a 52-week low of C$24.37 and a 52-week high of C$31.74. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of C$30.77 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$28.58. The company has a market capitalization of C$1.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -246.21, a PEG ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.25. Laurentian Bank of Canada Company Profile (Get Free Report) Laurentian Bank of Canada provides personal banking, business banking and real estate and commercial financing to its personal, business, and institutional customers across Canada and the United States. The company reports three operating segments: personal, business services, and capital markets. The personal segment offers financial services to retail clients. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Laurentian Bank of Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Laurentian Bank of Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Breed s Hill Capital LLC reduced its stake in SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD Free Report) by 3.2% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,322 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 141 shares during the quarter. SPDR Gold Shares comprises 0.7% of Breed s Hill Capital LLCs holdings, making the stock its 28th largest position. Breed s Hill Capital LLCs holdings in SPDR Gold Shares were worth $1,245,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of GLD. MJT & Associates Financial Advisory Group Inc. bought a new position in SPDR Gold Shares in the 1st quarter valued at about $30,000. Columbia River Financial Group LLC bought a new position in SPDR Gold Shares in the 1st quarter valued at about $34,000. Stone House Investment Management LLC bought a new position in SPDR Gold Shares in the 1st quarter valued at about $34,000. HWG Holdings LP bought a new position in SPDR Gold Shares in the 1st quarter valued at about $53,000. Finally, American National Bank & Trust raised its holdings in SPDR Gold Shares by 189.4% in the 1st quarter. American National Bank & Trust now owns 191 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the period. 42.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get SPDR Gold Shares alerts: SPDR Gold Shares Stock Down 0.5% SPDR Gold Shares stock opened at $305.27 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $101.78 billion, a P/E ratio of -32.43 and a beta of 0.15. SPDR Gold Shares has a twelve month low of $228.26 and a twelve month high of $317.63. The companys 50-day moving average price is $308.53 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $295.03. About SPDR Gold Shares 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). Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for SPDR Gold Shares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SPDR Gold Shares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Groupama Asset Managment lowered its stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY Free Report) by 16.2% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 39,681 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 7,690 shares during the period. Groupama Asset Managments holdings in Bristol Myers Squibb were worth $2,382,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 191,403,004 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $11,673,669,000 after acquiring an additional 1,458,488 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 0.5% during the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 60,606,905 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $3,696,415,000 after buying an additional 306,430 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its holdings in Bristol Myers Squibb by 59.9% during the 4th quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 32,079,246 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,814,341,000 after acquiring an additional 12,011,983 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 8.6% in the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 26,865,073 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,638,501,000 after purchasing an additional 2,131,205 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp increased its holdings in Bristol Myers Squibb by 5.3% in the first quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 25,974,504 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,584,185,000 after buying an additional 1,316,144 shares during the last quarter. 76.41% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Bristol Myers Squibb alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have commented on BMY. William Blair reaffirmed a market perform rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Friday, April 25th. Citigroup reduced their price objective on Bristol Myers Squibb from $51.00 to $47.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 1st. Argus raised shares of Bristol Myers Squibb to a hold rating in a report on Friday, April 25th. Daiwa Capital Markets cut shares of Bristol Myers Squibb from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $42.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, August 5th. Finally, Piper Sandler initiated coverage on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. They issued an overweight rating and a $65.00 price target on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Bristol Myers Squibb presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $56.38. Bristol Myers Squibb Stock Up 0.2% Bristol Myers Squibb stock opened at $48.3060 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.54, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.21. Bristol Myers Squibb Company has a one year low of $42.96 and a one year high of $63.33. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $47.18 and a 200-day simple moving average of $51.30. The firm has a market capitalization of $98.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.48, a P/E/G ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.36. Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.07 by $0.39. Bristol Myers Squibb had a net margin of 10.58% and a return on equity of 80.04%. The firm had revenue of $12.27 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.32 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.07 EPS. Bristol Myers Squibbs revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. Bristol Myers Squibb has set its FY 2025 guidance at 6.350-6.650 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Bristol Myers Squibb Company will post 6.74 earnings per share for the current year. Bristol Myers Squibb Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 1st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 3rd were paid a dividend of $0.62 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, July 3rd. This represents a $2.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.1%. Bristol Myers Squibbs payout ratio is presently 100.00%. Bristol Myers Squibb Company Profile (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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BMY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the nineteen research firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $121.0556. Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on Prologis from $128.00 to $117.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 29th. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on Prologis from $126.00 to $120.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 7th. Citigroup cut their price target on Prologis from $150.00 to $140.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 23rd. Truist Financial cut their price target on Prologis from $123.00 to $120.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 5th. Finally, Barclays cut their price target on Prologis from $132.00 to $119.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. Get Prologis alerts: Get Our Latest Report on PLD Prologis Stock Up 4.9% Shares of NYSE:PLD opened at $110.5590 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $102.61 billion, a PE ratio of 29.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.65. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $107.08 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $108.94. Prologis has a 1 year low of $85.35 and a 1 year high of $132.57. Prologis (NYSE:PLD Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 16th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.41 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $2.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.03 billion. Prologis had a return on equity of 5.96% and a net margin of 40.29%.The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.34 EPS. Prologis has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.750-5.800 EPS. Analysts forecast that Prologis will post 5.73 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Alley Investment Management Company LLC lifted its holdings in Prologis by 102.8% during the 1st quarter. Alley Investment Management Company LLC now owns 108,335 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $12,111,000 after purchasing an additional 54,914 shares in the last quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. lifted its holdings in Prologis by 1,451.2% during the 1st quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. now owns 31,180 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $3,486,000 after purchasing an additional 29,170 shares in the last quarter. Truist Financial Corp lifted its holdings in Prologis by 9.3% during the 1st quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 297,270 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $33,232,000 after purchasing an additional 25,229 shares in the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd lifted its holdings in Prologis by 2.2% during the 1st quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 297,426 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $33,249,000 after purchasing an additional 6,350 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC lifted its holdings in Prologis by 3.1% during the 1st quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 5,506 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $615,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.50% of the companys stock. Prologis Company Profile (Get Free Report) Prologis, Inc is the global leader in logistics real estate with a focus on high-barrier, high-growth markets. At March 31, 2024, the company owned or had investments in, on a wholly owned basis or through co-investment ventures, properties and development projects expected to total approximately 1.2 billion square feet (115 million square meters) in 19 countries. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Prologis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Prologis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Capital Analysts LLC lifted its position in shares of Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI Free Report) by 3.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 35,429 shares of the communications equipment providers stock after purchasing an additional 1,077 shares during the quarter. Capital Analysts LLCs holdings in Motorola Solutions were worth $15,511,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. EntryPoint Capital LLC increased its stake in Motorola Solutions by 36.5% during the 1st quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC now owns 662 shares of the communications equipment providers stock valued at $290,000 after purchasing an additional 177 shares in the last quarter. Credit Agricole S A grew its holdings in shares of Motorola Solutions by 2.8% during the first quarter. Credit Agricole S A now owns 56,950 shares of the communications equipment providers stock valued at $24,933,000 after buying an additional 1,543 shares during the last quarter. Groupama Asset Managment increased its position in shares of Motorola Solutions by 14.7% during the first quarter. Groupama Asset Managment now owns 397,111 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $171,945,000 after acquiring an additional 50,888 shares in the last quarter. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S raised its holdings in shares of Motorola Solutions by 336.7% in the 1st quarter. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S now owns 43,366 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $18,986,000 after acquiring an additional 33,436 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Motorola Solutions by 5.9% in the 1st quarter. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 2,905 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $1,272,000 after acquiring an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. 84.17% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Motorola Solutions alerts: Motorola Solutions Stock Performance Shares of Motorola Solutions stock opened at $460.6940 on Wednesday. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $427.81 and its 200 day simple moving average is $427.29. The company has a current ratio of 1.73, a quick ratio of 1.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.86. Motorola Solutions, Inc. has a 12 month low of $388.90 and a 12 month high of $507.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $76.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.74 and a beta of 0.97. Insider Transactions at Motorola Solutions Motorola Solutions ( NYSE:MSI Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 7th. The communications equipment provider reported $3.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.36 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $2.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.74 billion. Motorola Solutions had a return on equity of 134.30% and a net margin of 19.08%.The businesss revenue was up 5.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.24 EPS. Motorola Solutions has set its Q3 2025 guidance at 3.820-3.870 EPS. FY 2025 guidance at 14.880-14.980 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 13.55 EPS for the current year. In other Motorola Solutions news, CEO Gregory Q. Brown sold 17,600 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $459.79, for a total value of $8,092,304.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 24,046 shares in the company, valued at $11,056,110.34. The trade was a 42.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CAO Katherine A. Maher sold 1,073 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $418.68, for a total transaction of $449,243.64. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 804 shares of the companys stock, valued at $336,618.72. This represents a 57.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 101,438 shares of company stock valued at $46,865,881 in the last 90 days. 1.44% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have issued reports on MSI. Wolfe Research began coverage on Motorola Solutions in a research note on Monday, July 7th. They set a peer perform rating for the company. Wall Street Zen downgraded Motorola Solutions from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, May 22nd. UBS Group increased their price target on Motorola Solutions from $490.00 to $510.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 8th. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Motorola Solutions from $511.00 to $509.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 8th. Finally, William Blair reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Motorola Solutions in a research note on Wednesday, May 28th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $512.67. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Motorola Solutions Motorola Solutions Profile (Free Report) Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Motorola Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Motorola Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Capital Analysts LLC raised its position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 5.7% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 93,742 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after buying an additional 5,067 shares during the quarter. Capital Analysts LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $12,435,000 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 company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Abbott Laboratories by 0.7% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 169,823,136 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $22,527,039,000 after purchasing an additional 1,177,739 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 12.8% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 29,763,415 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,948,117,000 after purchasing an additional 3,371,113 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp raised its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 10.3% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 22,056,860 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,494,851,000 after buying an additional 2,060,650 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 29.2% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 15,985,797 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,120,516,000 after buying an additional 3,616,471 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 12.8% in the first quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 14,451,305 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,916,966,000 after buying an additional 1,639,954 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the companys stock. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Abbott Laboratories Price Performance ABT stock opened at $131.1940 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $228.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.44, a PEG ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $131.28 and a 200-day moving average price of $131.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.82. Abbott Laboratories has a 52-week low of $110.33 and a 52-week high of $141.23. Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 17th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.26 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.26. The company had revenue of $11.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.01 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 32.43% and a return on equity of 18.32%. Abbott Laboratoriess revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.14 earnings per share. Abbott Laboratories has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.100-5.200 EPS. Q3 2025 guidance at 1.280-1.320 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 15th were paid a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, July 15th. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is currently 29.57%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CFO Philip P. Boudreau sold 5,550 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $134.55, for a total value of $746,752.50. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 51,003 shares in the company, valued at $6,862,453.65. This represents a 9.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.46% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have commented on ABT. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $147.00 to $142.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 18th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Abbott Laboratories from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $143.00 to $145.00 in a report on Friday, July 18th. Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $145.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 15th. Finally, Leerink Partnrs upgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories to a hold rating in a report on Monday, June 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $144.47. Check Out Our Latest Analysis 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. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Capital Analysts LLC lifted its position in shares of Cigna Group (NYSE:CI Free Report) by 8.1% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 13,378 shares of the health services providers stock after buying an additional 1,007 shares during the period. Capital Analysts LLCs holdings in Cigna Group were worth $4,401,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Evermay Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Cigna Group by 58.6% during the 1st quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLC now owns 111 shares of the health services providers stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the last quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Cigna Group during the 1st quarter worth $38,000. Wayfinding Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Cigna Group during the 1st quarter worth $40,000. Putney Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Cigna Group during the 4th quarter worth $36,000. Finally, Transce3nd LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Cigna Group during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. 86.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Cigna Group alerts: Cigna Group Stock Performance NYSE:CI opened at $302.1950 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.71 and a quick ratio of 0.71. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $301.55 and a two-hundred day moving average of $311.30. The stock has a market cap of $80.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.50, a PEG ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 0.47. Cigna Group has a 1-year low of $256.89 and a 1-year high of $370.83. Cigna Group Dividend Announcement Cigna Group ( NYSE:CI Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The health services provider reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $7.15 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $67.13 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $62.61 billion. Cigna Group had a net margin of 1.92% and a return on equity of 18.80%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $6.72 EPS. Cigna Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 29.600- EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Cigna Group will post 29.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 18th. Investors of record on Thursday, September 4th will be paid a $1.51 dividend. This represents a $6.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 4th. Cigna Groups payout ratio is 32.97%. Insider Transactions at Cigna Group In related news, insider Nicole S. Jones sold 28,526 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $300.00, for a total value of $8,557,800.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 25,648 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,694,400. This represents a 52.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In CI has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $371.00 price objective on shares of Cigna Group in a report on Thursday, June 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $415.00 price target on Cigna Group and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, August 5th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Cigna Group from $341.00 to $340.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 14th. Guggenheim reiterated a buy rating and issued a $350.00 price target (down from $388.00) on shares of Cigna Group in a report on Monday, August 4th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price target on Cigna Group from $385.00 to $405.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, May 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $378.33. Check Out Our Latest Report on Cigna Group Cigna Group Profile (Free Report) The Cigna Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance and related products and services in the United States. Its Evernorth Health Services segment provides a range of coordinated and point solution health services, including pharmacy benefits, home delivery pharmacy, specialty pharmacy, distribution, and care delivery and management solutions to health plans, employers, government organizations, and health care providers. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Cigna Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cigna Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Costain Group PLC (LON:COST Get Free Report) was down 15.8% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as GBX 131.88 ($1.78) and last traded at GBX 137.60 ($1.86). Approximately 11,262,430 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 688% from the average daily volume of 1,428,379 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 163.40 ($2.20). Costain Group Price Performance The businesss 50-day simple moving average is GBX 152.86 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 124.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.86. The company has a market capitalization of 368.56 million, a P/E ratio of 12.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 2.64. Get Costain Group alerts: Costain Group (LON:COST Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, August 20th. The company reported GBX 5.50 earnings per share for the quarter. Costain Group had a return on equity of 13.56% and a net margin of 2.33%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Costain Group PLC will post 13.7551582 EPS for the current year. Insider Activity About Costain Group In other news, insider Alex Vaughan sold 241,639 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 144, for a total transaction of 347,960.16. Also, insider Helen Willis sold 100,082 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 142, for a total transaction of 142,116.44. Insiders have sold a total of 612,435 shares of company stock valued at $87,561,906 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 6.43% of the companys stock. (Get Free Report) Costain helps to improve peoples lives by creating connected, sustainable infrastructure that enables people and the planet thrive. We shape, create and deliver pioneering solutions that transform the performance of the infrastructure ecosystem across the UKs energy, water, transportation and defence markets. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Costain Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Costain Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GDS Wealth Management boosted its holdings in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (NYSE:HPE Free Report) by 193.7% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 795,384 shares of the technology companys stock after buying an additional 524,563 shares during the quarter. GDS Wealth Managements holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise were worth $12,273,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Putney Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Alpine Bank Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 345.0% during the 1st quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC now owns 1,700 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 1,318 shares in the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT purchased a new position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Hara Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. 80.78% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Hewlett Packard Enterprise alerts: Insider Activity In related news, SVP Jeremy Cox sold 68,590 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.44, for a total value of $1,264,799.60. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Phil Mottram sold 30,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.54, for a total transaction of $616,200.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 42,427 shares in the company, valued at $871,450.58. This trade represents a 41.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 128,590 shares of company stock worth $2,436,000. 0.36% of the stock is owned by insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In HPE has been the subject of several recent research reports. Raymond James Financial lifted their target price on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $23.00 to $26.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, June 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a report on Thursday, July 17th. They set an overweight rating and a $30.00 target price for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $21.00 to $26.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 23rd. Wolfe Research started coverage on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a research note on Tuesday, July 8th. They issued a peer perform rating on the stock. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $16.00 to $18.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 4th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Hewlett Packard Enterprise currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $22.87. View Our Latest Report on Hewlett Packard Enterprise Hewlett Packard Enterprise Trading Down 1.4% Shares of HPE opened at $21.3280 on Wednesday. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company has a 52-week low of $11.97 and a 52-week high of $24.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The firms fifty day moving average is $20.08 and its two-hundred day moving average is $18.26. The stock has a market cap of $27.99 billion, a PE ratio of 21.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 1.37. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, June 3rd. The technology company reported $0.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.33 by $0.05. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a net margin of 4.60% and a return on equity of 9.59%. The company had revenue of $7.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.51 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.42 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.780-1.900 EPS. Q3 2025 guidance at 0.400-0.450 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company will post 1.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 17th. Investors of record on Wednesday, June 18th were issued a $0.13 dividend. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, June 18th. Hewlett Packard Enterprises payout ratio is 52.53%. About Hewlett Packard Enterprise (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. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HPE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (NYSE:HPE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hewlett Packard Enterprise and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GDS Wealth Management increased its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJR Free Report) by 2.8% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 3,649 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 101 shares during the period. GDS Wealth Managements holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF were worth $382,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in IJR. Mullooly Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF during the 1st quarter worth approximately $709,778,000. Wealthspire Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 105.3% during the 1st quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 3,883,282 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $406,075,000 after purchasing an additional 1,991,742 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 10,973.7% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,954,280 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $204,359,000 after buying an additional 1,936,632 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 32,066,508 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $3,694,703,000 after buying an additional 1,052,941 shares during the period. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 23.0% in the 4th quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 4,863,748 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $560,401,000 after buying an additional 908,138 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 66.92% of the companys stock. Get iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Stock Up 0.1% Shares of IJR stock opened at $114.75 on Wednesday. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has a 52 week low of $89.22 and a 52 week high of $128.61. The stock has a market capitalization of $83.39 billion, a PE ratio of 16.52 and a beta of 1.15. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $111.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $107.61. About iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF, formerly iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors SmallCap 600 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of publicly traded securities in the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IJR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GM Advisory Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW Free Report) by 57.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 32,548 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 11,812 shares during the quarter. GM Advisory Group LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $2,548,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sheaff Brock Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Sheaff Brock Investment Advisors LLC now owns 7,986 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $625,000 after buying an additional 129 shares in the last quarter. HM Payson & Co. raised its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. HM Payson & Co. now owns 19,271 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,509,000 after buying an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 2.1% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,551 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $513,000 after buying an additional 132 shares in the last quarter. Journey Strategic Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 3.1% in the 1st quarter. Journey Strategic Wealth LLC now owns 4,486 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $351,000 after buying an additional 135 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Meridian Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Meridian Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,192 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $485,000 after buying an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. 84.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Charles Schwab Stock Down 0.4% NYSE:SCHW opened at $95.7530 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $173.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.74, a PEG ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 0.96. The Charles Schwab Corporation has a 1-year low of $61.16 and a 1-year high of $99.59. The company has a current ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $93.40 and its 200 day moving average price is $85.09. Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.14 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.10 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $5.85 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.64 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 19.30% and a net margin of 33.68%.Charles Schwabs quarterly revenue was up 24.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.73 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that The Charles Schwab Corporation will post 4.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Charles Schwab declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan on Thursday, July 24th that permits the company to repurchase $20.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the financial services provider to reacquire up to 11.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually a sign that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued. Charles Schwab Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, August 8th will be given a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 8th. Charles Schwabs payout ratio is presently 29.03%. Insider Activity In other Charles Schwab news, Chairman Walter W. Bettinger sold 173,876 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.84, for a total value of $17,185,903.84. Following the transaction, the chairman owned 590,734 shares in the company, valued at $58,388,148.56. The trade was a 22.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Paul V. Woolway sold 10,129 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.01, for a total value of $911,711.29. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 39,154 shares in the company, valued at $3,524,251.54. This trade represents a 20.55% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 260,516 shares of company stock valued at $25,139,583 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 6.30% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Charles Schwab from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $100.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Charles Schwab from $117.00 to $131.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 29th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $99.00 target price on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Friday, July 18th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on Charles Schwab from $102.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, July 21st. Finally, Redburn Atlantic raised Charles Schwab from a sell rating to a neutral rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $65.00 to $82.00 in a research report on Monday, June 9th. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $99.60. Get Our Latest Analysis on Charles Schwab Charles Schwab Profile (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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management N.V. cut its position in ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW Free Report) by 60.1% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,550 shares of the information technology services providers stock after selling 14,364 shares during the quarter. Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management N.V.s holdings in ServiceNow were worth $7,603,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Two Star Manager LLC lifted its holdings in ServiceNow by 15.0% in the 1st quarter. Two Star Manager LLC now owns 19,596 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $15,601,000 after buying an additional 2,560 shares in the last quarter. Nan Shan Life Insurance Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of ServiceNow by 1,864.3% during the first quarter. Nan Shan Life Insurance Co. Ltd. now owns 49,971 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $39,784,000 after acquiring an additional 47,427 shares in the last quarter. MIG Capital LLC increased its position in shares of ServiceNow by 350.8% during the first quarter. MIG Capital LLC now owns 1,402 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,116,000 after acquiring an additional 1,091 shares during the last quarter. Texas Capital Bank Wealth Management Services Inc purchased a new position in shares of ServiceNow during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $475,000. Finally, Disciplina Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of ServiceNow by 132.3% during the 1st quarter. Disciplina Capital Management LLC now owns 72 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.18% of the companys stock. Get ServiceNow alerts: Insider Activity In other ServiceNow news, Director Lawrence Jackson sold 757 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $990.50, for a total value of $749,808.50. Following the sale, the director directly owned 588 shares in the company, valued at approximately $582,414. The trade was a 56.28% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Vice Chairman Nicholas Tzitzon sold 1,719 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $866.45, for a total transaction of $1,489,427.55. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 3,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,599,350. The trade was a 36.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 11,361 shares of company stock valued at $10,579,976 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.38% of the companys stock. ServiceNow Price Performance Shares of NYSE:NOW opened at $887.4020 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $184.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 111.76, a PEG ratio of 4.02 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 1.09. ServiceNow, Inc. has a 12 month low of $678.66 and a 12 month high of $1,198.09. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $961.85 and its 200 day moving average price is $931.84. ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 23rd. The information technology services provider reported $4.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.57 by $0.52. ServiceNow had a return on equity of 18.04% and a net margin of 13.78%.The company had revenue of $3.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.12 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.13 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 22.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that ServiceNow, Inc. will post 8.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of ServiceNow from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 29th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on ServiceNow from $975.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on ServiceNow from $1,200.00 to $970.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on ServiceNow from $925.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Finally, Barclays set a $1,210.00 price target on ServiceNow in a research report on Thursday, July 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-nine have given a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $1,115.20. View Our Latest Research Report on ServiceNow ServiceNow Company Profile (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. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NOW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for ServiceNow Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ServiceNow and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. When Jonathan Drew received the email confirming he had been awarded a prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, he describes the moment as both validating and deeply motivating. Receiving a Vanier Scholarship is a great honour, and Im immensely grateful to have been selected, says Drew, a PhD student in the Faculty of Health at Dalhousie University. On a practical level, it means I can dedicate myself exclusively to this research. But more than that, its a signal that this work matters that building a sustainable public healthcare system in Canada isnt just a fringe idea, but a recognised national priority. Quantifying health care's environmental footprint Drews doctoral research explores one of the most pressing and often overlooked challenges of our time: the environmental impact of healthcare systems. With healthcare responsible for a growing share of global greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and resource consumption, his work aims to ensure that the life-saving systems we depend on dont come at the expense of planetary health. My research asks: how can we provide universal access to high-quality healthcare without breaching the planets environmental limits? says Drew. I want to quantify the current environmental footprint of health care across Canada and map out evidence-based strategies for how we can do better. It made me realize that emissions and pollutants from health care are driving a hidden burden of disease. Originally from New Zealand, Drew came to Dalhousie with clinical experience under his belt. As a medical resident in New Zealands public health system, he witnessed firsthand both the irreplaceable value of universal health care and its vulnerabilities particularly under the strain of aging populations, staffing shortages, and increasing climate-related health impacts. I saw the immense pressure our health systems are under, and I began to notice just how much waste and environmental harm they were generating, he says. It made me realize that emissions and pollutants from healthcare are driving a hidden burden of disease. Emerging research momentum This insight sparked a career shift. Drew paused his clinical work to pursue a doctorate focused on the intersection of health, climate change, and sustainability. At Dalhousie, his research is now helping build the foundation for a future in which health systems are both resilient and environmentally responsible. He also points to the momentum growing around this field, particularly within Dalhousies new Centre for Planetary Health & Sustainable Care, where he is affiliated. The Vanier Scholarship adds impetus not just to my own work, but to a broader wave of research emerging from Dalhousie, Drew says. Its an exciting time to be part of a university that sees the value in this kind of forward-looking, systems-based research. Jonathans work reflects the very best of what we hope to support and elevate at the Faculty of Health. He brings a global perspective, deep compassion, and a systems-thinking approach to one of the most urgent issues facing healthcare today, says Dr. Daniel Rainham, Professor, Health Promotion and Academic Director, Centre for Planetary Health and Sustainable Care. Intertwined imperatives Valued at $50,000 per year for three years, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships are among Canadas most competitive and prestigious awards for doctoral students. They recognize candidates who exemplify academic excellence, research potential, and leadership qualities Drew embodies in both his academic and clinical background. Among his many awards and honours, he is also a Killam Scholar and a recipient of the George Cooper Doctoral Killam Prize. As Canada works to meet its climate goals and strengthen public health systems for the future, researchers like Jonathan Drew are helping light the path forward. From Nova Scotia to New Zealand and beyond, his work reminds us that caring for people and caring for the planet are not competing goals but deeply intertwined imperatives. Now read: We didnt go the business route at first but then realized we were doing it wrong. Thats what Vansh Sood, a fourth-year Computer Science student at Dalhousie, says about his entrepreneurial journey so far. Now with a redesigned, revenue-generating app, Sood is using his experience with artificial intelligence (AI) and entrepreneurship to help deliver sessions for a new program for Atlantic Canadian students: AI2Market. AI2Market AI2Market, a collaboration between Dal Innovates, Lab2Market, and ShiftKey Labs, mirrors the nationally recognized Lab2Market entrepreneurship program with a focus on training students in AI. It unfolds in three stages Discover, Validate, and Launch and is open to any postsecondary student in Atlantic Canada. We recognized a need for students to have the opportunity to experiment with AI tools, says Emily Fenton, manager of ShiftKey Labs. Its an incredible collaboration between Dal Innovates, Lab2Market, and ShiftKey Labs, with input from sector organizations such as Volta. Were excited to bring it to students. Through the program, students receive training in AI, entrepreneurship guidance, and access to a community of innovators. Starting up Sood is from New Delhi, India. He knew he wanted to study on the coast, which brought him to Dalhousie. I still go to the ocean almost every day. I love it. His interest in AI led him to take on various projects outside class. It started as Whats in your fridge? where students could take a picture of their fridge and get a recipe, says Sood. After sharing it with a few thousand students and not getting paid, they realized they were approaching the project as project engineers instead of entrepreneurs. Vansh and his co-founder, Pankrit Jindal, started over, diving into customer discovery and building a business model. They discovered a new customer base and relaunched as Bean a meal planning app for busy families. Bean checks your pantry, suggests recipes, builds AI meal plans, and auto-generates the shopping list so Sunday meal prep takes 10 minutes, not two hours. While the AI2Market project didnt exist yet, Sood was connected to ShiftKey Labs and had informal mentors throughout his journey. I consider anyone who I ask questions to as mentor professors like Dr. Sampalli, Dr. Sampangi, Dr. Poitras, Dr. Abidi, and Dr. Blouin, Emily at ShiftKey Labs, founders in the Volta ecosystem, he says. Im shameless about asking about the problems Im facing. If Im ashamed of my skills right now, how am I going to grow and learn? Now he gets to be a resource for other students and their ideas. A natural fit Sood was first connected to ShiftKey Labs in his first year. He started as a student ambassador, then student technology coordinator, and now coordinator for the AI2Market program. With AI2Market Discover, the idea is for students to learn a few things in AI, have or find an idea, and have fun building it. When they find the right business model, they move into the Validate program. While AI2Market is AI-driven, its not coding. Were using AI tools and learning about them to build companies, he says. Fenton describes Sood as passionate, talented, and ambitious. Weve been so lucky to have him at ShiftKey Labs, she says. Whats really rewarding, when I think about this suite of programs, is that Atlantic Canadas tech sector has been growing for a long time. If we can bring programs and opportunities to students, hopefully they will stay in Atlantic Canada and continue to build their projects here. Applications are now open until September 15 for the first cohort of AI2Market Discover beginning in October. Students, staff and faculty are also invited to participate in Dal Innovation Week from September 19-26, featuring a Tech Startup Showcase on September 18. BMO Europe High Dividend Covered Call Hedged to CAD ETF (TSE:ZWE Get Free Report)s stock price was up 0% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as C$20.49 and last traded at C$20.46. Approximately 19,769 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 48% from the average daily volume of 37,850 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$20.45. BMO Europe High Dividend Covered Call Hedged to CAD ETF Stock Performance The firms 50-day simple moving average is C$20.17 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$20.43. About BMO Europe High Dividend Covered Call Hedged to CAD ETF (Get Free Report) The ETF seeks to provide exposure to the performance of a portfolio of dividend paying European companies to generate income and to provide long-term capital appreciation, while mitigating downside risk through the use of covered call options. The ETF will invest in or use derivative instruments to seek to hedge foreign currency exposure. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for BMO Europe High Dividend Covered Call Hedged to CAD ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BMO Europe High Dividend Covered Call Hedged to CAD ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System reduced its position in CPB Inc. (NYSE:CPF Free Report) by 13.6% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,898 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 1,241 shares during the period. Maryland State Retirement & Pension Systems holdings in CPB were worth $214,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Get CPB alerts: A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of CPF. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in CPB by 0.6% in the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,004,487 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $27,161,000 after buying an additional 5,648 shares during the period. LSV Asset Management raised its stake in shares of CPB by 10.1% in the 1st quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 734,830 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $19,870,000 after acquiring an additional 67,300 shares during the period. Allianz Asset Management GmbH lifted its holdings in shares of CPB by 6.5% during the 1st quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 563,951 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $15,249,000 after acquiring an additional 34,528 shares in the last quarter. Basswood Capital Management L.L.C. boosted its position in CPB by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Basswood Capital Management L.L.C. now owns 527,794 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $15,332,000 after purchasing an additional 4,065 shares during the period. Finally, Nuveen Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in CPB by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 421,317 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $12,239,000 after purchasing an additional 13,406 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.42% of the companys stock. Insider Buying and Selling at CPB In related news, Director Paul K. Yonamine sold 2,765 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.31, for a total transaction of $72,747.15. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 19,711 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $518,596.41. This trade represents a 12.30% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Agnes Catherine Ngo sold 3,333 shares of CPB stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.87, for a total transaction of $92,890.71. Following the sale, the director directly owned 65,459 shares in the company, valued at $1,824,342.33. This trade represents a 4.85% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 12,764 shares of company stock valued at $352,919 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 2.40% of the companys stock. CPB Trading Up 0.6% Shares of CPF opened at $28.5250 on Wednesday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $27.76 and its two-hundred day moving average is $27.30. The stock has a market cap of $769.60 million, a PE ratio of 12.79 and a beta of 1.07. CPB Inc. has a 12 month low of $23.16 and a 12 month high of $33.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85. CPB (NYSE:CPF Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, July 25th. The financial services provider reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.70 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $72.81 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $71.80 million. CPB had a net margin of 17.31% and a return on equity of 12.80%. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.58 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that CPB Inc. will post 2.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. CPB Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.8%. CPBs payout ratio is currently 48.43%. CPB Company Profile (Free Report) Central Pacific Financial Corp. operates as the bank holding company for Central Pacific Bank that provides a range of commercial banking products and services to businesses, professionals, and individuals in the United States. It offers various deposit products and services, including checking, savings and time deposits, cash management and digital banking, trust, and retail brokerage services, as well as money market accounts and certificates of deposit. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CPF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for CPB Inc. (NYSE:CPF Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for CPB Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CPB and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund (NYSEARCA:DBC Get Free Report)s stock price fell 0.8% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $21.59 and last traded at $21.62. 378,262 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 67% from the average session volume of 1,138,521 shares. The stock had previously closed at $21.79. Get Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund alerts: Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund Trading Down 0.8% The firms 50-day moving average price is $22.23 and its 200 day moving average price is $21.84. The company has a market capitalization of $1.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.54. Institutional Trading of Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Quadrature Capital Ltd lifted its position in shares of Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund by 331.9% during the 2nd quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd now owns 796,744 shares of the companys stock worth $17,373,000 after buying an additional 612,267 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund by 127.2% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 436,068 shares of the companys stock worth $9,812,000 after buying an additional 244,174 shares during the last quarter. Cordant Inc. lifted its position in shares of Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund by 3.7% during the 2nd quarter. Cordant Inc. now owns 433,443 shares of the companys stock worth $9,453,000 after buying an additional 15,454 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its position in Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund by 1.4% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 328,514 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,165,000 after buying an additional 4,395 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Avos Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund in the first quarter valued at approximately $5,716,000. 48.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund Deutsche Bank is a leading global investment bank with a strong and profitable private clients franchise. A leader in Germany and Europe, the bank is continuously growing in North America, Asia and key emerging markets. Deutsche Bank offers unparalleled financial services in countries throughout the world. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Department of Defense is set to formally recognize the contributions of thousands of U.S. service members deployed to the nations southern border. In a move that underscores the long-term nature of the mission, the Pentagon has established the Mexican Border Defense Medal to honor troops engaged in supporting federal border security operations. The creation of the new award was verified by a defense official after a memorandum detailing the medal began circulating online. This new decoration will serve as a specific acknowledgment for military personnel who have been part of the administrations heightened security posture along the U.S.-Mexico border since early 2025. Get alerts: The Criteria for Recognition According to the official memorandum, the criteria for the Mexican Border Defense Medal are specific and tied directly to the ongoing border support mission. To be eligible, military personnel must have been assigned, attached, or detailed to a unit supporting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for a minimum of 30 days, which can be consecutive or non-consecutive. The qualifying period of service begins on January 20, 2025, the start date of President Trumps second term. The geographic area of eligibility is also clearly defined. Personnel must have operated within 100 nautical miles of the border in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, or California. This includes the city of San Antonio. Service in the adjacent U.S. waters up to 24 nautical miles from the coast also qualifies. The new medal is set to replace the Armed Forces Service Medal, which had previously been awarded for this duty. The memo clarifies that while service members and veterans can apply to have their Armed Forces Service Medal exchanged for the new award, they are not permitted to retain both for the same period of service. A Mission in Context The establishment of this medal comes during a significant and sustained military presence at the southern border. The missions latest phase was initiated by an executive order signed by President Trump on his first day in office, which declared a national emergency to counter what was termed unlawful mass migration. This directive tasked the Department of Defense with providing direct support to the Department of Homeland Securitys border security efforts. In the months that followed, the militarys role became more formalized. U.S. Northern Command established Joint Task Force-Southern Border on March 14, 2025, to centralize command and control of the mission. As of early July, approximately 8,500 troops, including about 1,500 National Guard members on federal orders, were deployed as part of this task force. Their duties extend beyond logistical support to include drug interdiction efforts, as seen in the recent interception of 1,296 pounds of cocaine by the USS Sampson and the U.S. Coast Guard. Furthermore, the Pentagon has designated four national defense areas where military personnel can temporarily detain individuals who trespass until they can be transferred to federal law enforcement. Historical Precedent and Future Details While the medal is new, the concept is not without historical precedent. Over a century ago, the U.S. military issued the Mexico Service Medal (1917) and the Mexico Border Service Medal (1918) for service during the period of cross-border conflict with the forces of Pancho Villa. The new Mexican Border Defense Medal will find its place in the official order of precedence directly after the Korea Defense Service Medal and before the Armed Forces Service Medal it replaces. At present, no details regarding the medals design or ribbon have been released to the public. By Doug Rand; Audit & Assurance Managing Director, Deloitte & Touche LLP. Talking points Financial reporting disclosures from 2024 highlight rising artificial intelligence (AI) usage, emerging global trade risks, and unique company insights through the lens of segment expenses. Our analysis also identified cybersecurity, global income tax (Pillar Two), and sustainability as key disclosure topics. Deloitte can advise you on these and other SEC disclosure trends and requirements. Financial reporting disclosures do more than just present financial results; they also serve as business bellwethers offering a glimpse into how macroeconomic trends, geopolitical shifts, global trade dynamics, and technological advances may affect a company and its investors. With that in mind, Deloitte decided to take a closer look at Fortune 500 company annual report disclosures from the 2024 financial reporting cycle. The goal: to see how companies approached the current global business environment and regulatory landscape in their financial disclosures. The insights ahead shed light on key disclosure requirements, business trends and risks, and how companies are navigating and discussing them. Emerging issues Lets start with two topics that moved further to the forefront in 2024: AI and global trade. Both emerging issues led to a notable rise in the percentage of companies issuing disclosures during the year. AI trends and risks As AI technologies become more common in business, references to AI, including Generative AI (GenAI), are increasing in registrant risk factors and business sections. In these disclosures, companies focused on how theyve integrated or plan to integrate AI and GenAI into their operations. They also detailed associated risks like data privacy and labor market effects. Discussions often cover: Legal and compliance requirements, including costs of adhering to policies like the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. Risks of regulatory penalties. Growth of AI-enabled cyberattacks. The SEC staff warns against AI washing, or making unfounded AI claims, stressing that companies should substantiate any AI disclosures. They also encourage firms with significant AI risks to disclose their AI risk management and governance policies, promoting transparency and accountability in communicating AI strategies and managing risks. Global trade challenges Tariff uncertainty affected various industries and markets, leading to a significant increase in disclosures on the topic. Companies noted in their risk factors section that tariffs could affect their costs, profitability, and consumer demand, possibly requiring strategic adjustments to manage global supply chain issues. Many companies also mentioned that tariffs, along with retaliatory measures, could increase volatility in operating costs and sales margins. We anticipate that disclosures on this topic will evolve throughout 2025 as tariffs continue to impact the macroeconomic landscape. Four arrests have been made in Derry today, (Wednesday, August 20), by officers from the Police Services Serious Crime Branch as part of their investigation into a serious assault on a man in Creggan earlier this year. It was reported at around 10.15pm, on Saturday, April 12, a number of men, wearing balaclavas, had forced their way into a house in Creevagh Heights and assaulted a man inside the property. The victim, aged in his thirties, was left with injuries to his leg, head and hands. This morning, four searches were conducted at separate addresses in Creggan, Hazelbank and Ballymagroarty. Four men were arrested - aged 18, 19, 40 and 44 on suspicion of offences, including aggravated burglary and grievous bodily harm with intent, and a number of items seized. The males arrested remain in custody at this time, assisting with enquiries. Making an appeal for information, Detective Sergeant McLaughlin said: Violence like this leaves deep psychological scars on victims and their families. "As our enquiries continue, I reiterate our appeal for information and urge anyone who can assist to contact us on 101, quoting reference number 1946 of 12/04/25.We are especially keen to hear from anyone who may have CCTV or dash-cam footage of the area on Saturday 12th April." You can also report online via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/ An eighty-one years old man who sexually abused his daughter over a two year period starting in April 1978 when she was aged eight, has been jailed for thirty-two months at Derry Crown Court. His daughter who was in court for the sentencing hearing supported by several members of her family, said she wanted her abusive father to be named. He's John James Callaghan from Bridge Street in Derry city centre. It emerged during the sentencing hearing that Callaghan was extradited from Spain in 2014 when he was accused of sexually abusing two of his granddaughters. He was subsequently jailed in Dublin for four years for those offences. Defence barrister Kieran Mallon KC said he accepted that the three charges of child sex abuse perpetrated by Callaghan on his daughter were pre-mediated and caused a significant level of harm and anguish to her. "The pleas of guilty provide absolute vindication for the injured party. He no longer has access to children", he said. Judge Neil Rafferty KC described the contents of the injured party's Victim Personal Statement as "one of the most powerful statements I have ever encountered as a judge". He said the injured party started her statement by writing "I am a survivor not a victim" and concluded it by writing "this is where it stops". Judge Rafferty said two of the sexual assaults involved digital penetration and all of the sex abuse took place in the family home. He said it was a disgrace that because of the legislation at the time of the offences the maximum sentence he could impose for each of the three offences was two years compared to the current maximum sentence of ten years. READ NEXT: Derry man charged with making threats to kill and witness intimation "This was a significant and pre-mediated breach of trust carried out for his own sexual gratification", he said. As well as jailing Callaghan for thirty-two months Judge Rafferty placed him on the Sex Offender's Register for ten years. HP has just unveiled the AI-powered Omen 16 in India a this is a fresh addition to its gaming laptops lineup. The device comes with Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen AI processors with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, promising enough power to handle everything from modern AAA titles for gamers, to creative workloads for content creators. With AI at the core of the new OMEN 16, were offering intelligent performance, immersive personalization, and thermal breakthroughs that redefine gaming experiences, said Vineet Gehani Senior Director (Personal Systems), HP India. He added, Gamers require devices that can deliver top-tier performance while maintaining reliable cooling for uninterrupted play. At HP, we continue to push the boundaries of innovation to deliver devices that are purpose-built for the evolving needs of gamers. Also read: HP launches AI-powered OmniBook 5 and 3 laptops in India, starting at 69,999 HP unveils Omen 16 gaming laptop in India: Top features The Omen 16 comes with a 16-inch QHD display paired with a 240Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time and up to 500 nits of brightness. The screen also boasts a 100 percent sRGB coverage and Eyesafe certification to keep users comfortably immersed for longer hours. And speaking of longer gaming sessions, there is the Unleashed Mode that adjusts CPU and GPU output in real time to keep gameplay smooth and responsive. HP also says that the laptop can sustain up to 170W total processor power and 115W GPU support, giving players consistent frame rates even in resource-heavy games. Talking about thermal management, HP has equipped the OMEN 16 with its Tempest Cooling system which uses larger fan gaps, a vapour chamber, and improved heat distribution to keep performance consistent. HP also claims that the OMEN 16 manages to keep noise levels around 46 dBA, even while maintaining consistent performance. Coming to other features, there is an RGB backlit keyboard with customisable lighting zones, per-key colour options via OMEN Light Studio, and support for system tuning through the OMEN Gaming Hub. The device also includes an FHD webcam with noise reduction, a 6-cell 83Wh battery with HP Fast Charge that promises to reach 50% in 30 minutes, and Windows 11 integration. Alongside performance, HP is also highlighting sustainability in the OMEN 16s design. The device uses ocean-bound plastics in its speaker enclosures and bezels, and post-consumer recycled plastics in the keyboard components. It is also ENERGY STAR certified and EPEAT registered, in line with the companys wider environmental goals. HP OMEN 16: Price and availability The OMEN 16 gaming laptop is now available across HPs online store, HP World outlets, Amazon, Croma, Reliance Digital, and other major retail channels. The laptop is available in Shadow Black colour and its price starts from Rs 1,29,999. Also read: Microsoft needs to listen to HP to improve handheld gaming OnePlus is reportedly gearing up for the launch of its next flagship phone, tentatively called OnePlus 15. The device is speculated to debut in the coming months in its home country, China, followed by a global launch early next year. While the brand has remained secretive about the details of the upcoming handset, rumours and leaks have already started doing the rounds on the internet. The upcoming handset is tipped to pack a smoother display, according to a new leak. According to a Weibo post, the OnePlus 15 is likely to sport a 1.5K display with support for up to 165Hz refresh rate, which could enable games to run at 165fps. Heres everything we know about the OnePlus 15. OnePlus 15 launch timeline (Expected) The OnePlus 15 is expected to debut in China in October, with a global release expected in early 2026. It may debut alongside the OnePlus Ace 6, with a more budget-friendly OnePlus 15R to follow. OnePlus 15 specifications (Expected) In terms of hardware, the OnePlus 15 is rumoured to pack Qualcomms next-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 processor with a custom Oryon CPU and an Adreno 840 GPU. The handset may also get a 16MB dedicated cache for improved speed and graphics handling. It is also expected to house a massive 7,000mAh battery, and charging speeds may peak at 100W. Furthermore, the OnePlus 15 is also likely to get an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner and an IP68 or IP69 water and dust resistance rating. Although its too early to confirm any details, it should be taken with a pinch of salt. Also read: No Rs 249 recharge anymore: Jio, Airtel set new base price of Rs 299 for unlimited plans OnePlus 15 price (Expected) OnePlus 15 is tipped to be priced around Rs 80,000 in India. To recall, the OnePlus 13 was launched at a starting price of Rs 69,999. Vivo T4 Pro 5G is confirmed to arrive in India on August 26. Alongside announcing the launch date, the company revealed the design and some key specifications of the upcoming smartphone, including display, camera, chipset and battery details. It will feature a quad-curved display and a triple rear camera unit. The phone is confirmed to be available for purchase via Flipkart in blue and golden colourways. Additionally, it will pack a Snapdragon 7 Gen processor under the hood. The device will join the existing Vivo T4 5G series models in the country. Heres everything we know about the upcoming Vivo T4 Pro. Vivo T4 Pro 5G price Vivo T4 Pro will be priced in the country between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 30,000. To recall, the Vivo T3 Pro was launched at a starting price of Rs 24,999. Also read: OnePlus 15 launch timeline, price, design, display, camera and all other latest leaks Vivo T4 Pro design and specifications The Vivo T4 Pro is teased to sport a pill-shaped camera island on the rear. Notably, the handset is confirmed to house a triple rear camera sensor with 3x periscope zoom. It carries a Tele Lens branding. Vivo has also revealed that the device will feature AI-powered enhancements for imaging and performance. Additionally, the company has confirmed that the Vivo T4 Pro will sport a 6.78-inch display with a 1.5K resolution for sharp visuals. Under the hood, it is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset, offering improved efficiency and performance over its predecessor. Apart from these, other details are still under wraps and could be revealed in the coming days. However, the device is likely to pack some significant Camera upgrades, including a 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 primary lens. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Subscriber content preview WSF photo [enlarge] Vigor Marine Seattle completed the hybrid-electric conversion of the 1998-era vessel, pictured here in May just ahead of its return to service last month. The newly-returned M/V Wenatchee experienced a mechanical issue while docking in Seattle on Friday morning, causing it to lose power, a spokesperson for Washington State Ferries told the DJC. . . . Subscriber content preview REDMOND An auto-service property at 15212 N.E. 20th St. sold this week for $2.5 million, according to King County records. The seller was Amira Sisters Bel Red LLC, a family group that had owned the property for decades. . . . Subscriber content preview SEATTLE A small apartment building at 1215 N. 90th St. sold last week for a little over $2.4 million, according to King County records. The seller was Pine Place Apartments LLC, which acquired the property in 1991 for $728,790. (The building may or may not have been completed by then.) . . . Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Singing competition, horse race events held in NW China's Qinghai Xinhua) 15:42, August 20, 2025 An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 15, 2025 shows a scene during a Guozhuang dance party in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) Riders are pictured in a horse race in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 17, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) People watch a horse race in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 17, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) Riders are pictured in a horse race in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 17, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) Participants are pictured during a singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 17, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) A rider is pictured in a yak race in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 19, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Dundalk Institute of Technologys Healthy Campus Working Group recently launched the DkIT Healthy Campus Plan for 2025 -2028. This plan identifies a number of critical actions across five themes Mental Health, Healthy Environment, Physical Activity, Nutrition and Sexual Health. These actions are designed to result in beneficial outcomes for staff and student health and wellbeing. A DkIT spokesperson said: "DkIT is committed to promoting a holistic approach to health through its Healthy Campus initiative, which aims to embed wellbeing into all aspects of campus life. In 2023, the Institute established a Healthy Campus Steering Committee to implement the national Charter and Framework. This group has representation from across the campus community and input from a number of relevant stakeholders, including the HSE and Healthy Louth and has been taking a proactive and strategic stance on health and wellbeing across campus since then through a variety of initiatives. "There are many examples of positive health and wellbeing initiatives already active on campus, and the Healthy Campus Plan seeks to enhance and complement these activities by further promoting what DkIT already does well; through collaboration and consultation developing additional initiatives and most importantly ongoing communication with our staff and students about DkIT Healthy Campus. "Partnership and collaboration are key to the success of DkITs Healthy Campus. Just some of the beneficial initiatives across schools and working groups to-date include; DkITs Annual Health Fair, which included a range of different stands and activities such as health checks, sexual health demonstrations, basic CPR training and fitness challenges, DkITs Fittest STEPS Challenge, where 26 teams of staff and students logged over 10.5 million steps, and Mental Health and Wellbeing Week, which included a variety of holistic and fitness challenges to foster positive mental health. " The Healthy Campus Plan for 2025-2028 will build on previous initiatives and also include; the development of walking trails on campus, the development of a healthy eating policy, provision of increased training for staff, launch of the Healthy Campus website to celebrate and promote all the DkIT Healthy Campus Initiatives with staff and students, increased opportunities for physical activities for staff and students on campus and increased support for the Campus Health Fair and Consolidation of sexual health supports. Read Next: Dundalks Mo Chara wins Craft Beer of the Year award Speaking following the launch of the plan, Dr. Edel Healy, Chair of DkIT Healthy Campus Steering Committee said: By enabling a healthy campus culture, we are aligning with the Healthy Ireland Framework in addition to having a positive impact on the lives of all of our staff and students in the DkIT community. "I want to acknowledge the fantastic work of the Healthy Campus Group past and present, whose commitment to this project has been invaluable in enhancing the health and wellbeing of our campus community. We look forward to continuing our evolving journey and continuing to improve the health and wellbeing of all at DkIT. From hundreds of entries, the shortlists for this years AIB Portrait Prize and AIB Young Portrait Prize have been announced by the National Gallery of Ireland, with a Louth entrant making the shortlist. Dundalk native Miseon Lee has been shortlisted for the AIB Portrait Prize along with 25 other artists from across the country with her piece Blues, a work in oil on linen. The AIB Portrait Prize shortlist includes paintings, video and photography by artists from across the country. The winner of the AIB Portrait Prize will receive a cash prize of 15,000 and will be commissioned to create a work for the National Portrait Collection, for which they will be awarded a further 5,000. Two additional awards of 1,500 will be given to highly commended works. Judges for the AIB Portrait Prize are Gareth Reid, artist; Professor Emily Mark-FitzGerald, Professor in the School of Art History & Cultural Policy in UCD; and Dr Barbara Dawson, Director of the Hugh Lane Gallery. The AIB Young Portrait Prize returns for its seventh year in 2025, showcasing the artistic talent of young people aged eighteen and under. Five winners (one from each respective age category and an overall winner) will be selected from the shortlist. Winners will receive a bespoke art box and a cash prize. The overall competition winner will be awarded a personalised wooden box of high-quality art materials and a cash prize of 500. This years AIB Young Portrait Prize judges are Cian OBrien of COBA: Cian OBrien Arts; Neil-Jack (Alphonsus) Hamilton, artist; and Alice Rekab, artist. Exhibitions of the shortlisted works in both competitions will be on display in the Portrait Gallery (Room 23) in the National Gallery of Ireland from 8 November 2025 15 March 2026. The winners of the Prizes will be announced at a ceremony held in the National Gallery of Ireland on 25 November 2025. The Gallery is delighted to partner with Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny and Waterford Gallery of Art to present the AIB Portrait Prize and AIB Young Portrait Prize 2025. Following the exhibitions at the National Gallery of Ireland, the works will travel to Letterkenny from 4 April to 20 June 2026, and to Waterford from 18 July to 11 October 2026. Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, said, Were thrilled to continue our collaboration with AIB on the annual AIB Portrait Prize and AIB Young Portrait Prize. Watching entries arrive and the shortlist be announced for the competitions is a highlight of our year every year. "Were excited for the exhibitions to open here at the Gallery in November and happy that audiences in Donegal and Waterford will have a chance to see these works close to home at the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny and Waterford Gallery of Art in 2026. Colin Hunt, Chief Executive Officer of AIB, said, Irish Portraiture holds a valuable place in our cultural tapestry. The AIB Portrait Prize and AIB Young Portrait Prize capture a moment in time in Irish society and are a reflection of our people, our stories and our history. "These Portraits demonstrate the wonderful creativity and talent of portrait artists of all ages in communities across the country. Last year I had the pleasure of meeting the entrant artists and seeing their work. AIB is very proud to once again sponsor these competitions and I am delighted to see the inspiring works that artists have produced this year. Find out more at www.nationalgallery.ie Endeavor Ireland, a not-for-profit organisation supporting homegrown entrepreneurs with big ambitions, has extended its congratulations today to Irish entrepreneurs Barry Conlon and David Broe, co-founders of Dundalk based Overhaul and members of the Endeavor Ireland network, as the company announces a landmark $105m funding round alongside the strategic acquisition of US firm FreightVerify. Together, these will support Overhaul's ongoing global expansion as a category leader in logistics tech and accelerate its platform innovation. Irish-founded Overhaul is the global leader of in-transit supply chain risk management employing over 600 globally, including a team circa 40 in its Irish base in Dundalk, where COO David Broe is based. As global supply chains face increasing complexity and disruption, companies require active risk management solutions that can prevent problems before they occur - and Overhauls comprehensive platform addresses that critical need through a combination of real-time data, predictive intelligence, and immediate response capabilities. Its platform safeguards over $1.4 trillion in cargo trade at any given moment, achieving a 99.9% protection rate for industries including pharmaceuticals, technology, healthcare, and automotive. Now trusted by Fortune 100 companies and global operators, Overhaul serves companies in 170 countries. This funding round is made up of a $105 million Series C equity funding led by Springcoast Partners with participation from Edison Partners. Morgan Stanley Investment Management also participated through their 1GT climate private equity strategy, investing in companies delivering innovative climate solutions that meaningfully decarbonize the global economy. With funding from these US growth equity partners, the company will be able to accelerate platform innovation, advance AI-driven capabilities, and continue building powerful, complete, enterprise-level solutions for the world's largest brands while also pursuing further strategic acquisitions. Complementing this momentum, Overhaul has acquired FreightVerify, a precision visibility platform with a headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan and over 60 staff, trusted by six of the worlds largest automotive manufacturers as well as leading healthcare systems. The integration adds item-level tracking and inventory intelligence to Overhauls core risk management solutions, creating a comprehensive platform that empowers global brands to anticipate and prevent disruption before it occurs. The acquisition strengthens Overhauls ability to deliver measurable ROI across multiple sectors. Since it was established in 2014, FreightVerify has tracked over 100 million shipments, with adoption across more than 280,000 shipping locations. Its healthcare solutions help hospitals and medical device companies ensure timely delivery of critical supplies, reduce waste, and improve patient care. Overhaul is focused, it says, on seamlessly integrating the two organizations. This strategic unification will combine complementary capabilities, talent, and technology to deliver even greater value to customers. This latest acquisition will allow Overhaul to capitalize on consolidation opportunities in the supply chain technology sector, where the company expects to see continued market shifts as companies focus on profitability and growth fundamentals. Barry Conlon, CEO of Overhaul said: Expanding our relationships with Springcoast and Edison allows us to build on the momentum weve already created and deliver the solutions our customers are asking for. The acquisition of FreightVerify supports our goal of being an industry leader globally. "Our engineering and development efforts are focused on solving real-world problems, and this investment helps us accelerate that mission. The truth is that visibility is a data stream - not a standalone solution or app - and how we harness that stream is what truly sets us apart. Today, Endeavor Ireland welcomes Overhauls news, which exemplifies the ambition and impact at the heart of the Endeavor network. Second-time founders, Barry Conlon, from Palmerstown in Dublin and David Broe, from Blackrock, Co Louth respectively joined the Endeavor Ireland network in January 2024 and since then have contributed strongly to the network, supporting other founders locally and globally. Commenting on the news, The Edge, Chair of the Endeavor Ireland Board, said: Congratulations to Barry and David and the whole team at Overhaul. This double milestone is a powerful example of how Irish founders are among the worlds most talented, building industry-leading, globally competitive companies. "Working with some of the worlds biggest brands, Barry and Dave are solving complex logistical challenges while scaling in multiple countries and remaining a local employer here at home. Since becoming an Endeavor Entrepreneurs just last year, Overhaul has experienced strong growth and Barry and Dave have committed fully to our pay it forward ethos, giving freely of their time and advice to other founders to help build a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem at home and more globally. We look forward to continuing to work with the whole Overhaul team, and to charting their success in the years ahead. Commenting on the news, Aileen Hayes, Managing Director of Endeavor Ireland said: The impact Overhaul is making in solving real-world logistics is groundbreaking, and underscores the Endeavor mission to support the fastest-growing, most innovative entrepreneurs globally. "The supply chain disruptions experienced on a global level demonstrates the importance of, and potential in, Overhauls offering. Todays announcements mark another exciting new chapter for Overhaul as category leaders, who have already proven their ability to scale across multiple industries. We are proud to support Barry, David and the whole Overhaul team, as they show us what Irish founders can achieve on a global stage. It was meant to be a wholesome morning cook-along, but things went hilariously wrong on Ireland AM when Elaine Crowley's smashed avocado segment descended into chaos. The Virgin Media presenter was attempting to whip up sourdough with smashed avocado, chilli flakes, smoked salmon and poached eggs live on air when disaster struck. "What I am making today is smashed avocado with chilli flakes on sourdough with a poached egg and smoked salmon on the side," she began confidently. But the calm soon gave way to panic as she admitted, "It's the only thing up till now I was able to cook. Obviously, I'm having a bit of a blind panic now." READ MORE | Met Eireann make grim prediction in forecast as 26C heat disappears overnight The crucial poached egg step pushed things over the edge. Co-host Siomha Ni Ruairc said: "I actually don't poach eggs, so I have a lot to learn from you here, Elaine. And so what's the trick to, like, do you ever overcook your poached eggs? Is that a thing?" Oh, f***, Ive overcooked Crowley blurts, before realising her slip of the tongue. "Oh, no. I deeply apologise! Please don't complain to the BAI," Crowley pleaded, leaving co-hosts Siomha Ni Ruairc and Kevin Twomey in stitches. Trying to save the situation, when asked by Crowley if the eggs were hard or runny, Ni Ruairc reassured her: "In the middle. Perfect. Perfect," while Twomey broke into a coughing fit before declaring: "Gorgeous. It actually is lovely, guys. I'm sorry. Elaine, well done. You smashed it." READ MORE | RIP: Shock and heartbreak as missing man is found dead in Portugal Just as the segment seemed back on track, another disaster struck. "Oh, the toast!" Elaine shrieked, opening the oven to a plume of smoke. With the studio roaring with laughter, Ni Ruairc closed out the segment like a pro: "We'll see you back here in a few. We need a fire extinguisher in the studio, please!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ireland AM (@irelandamvmtv) The clip has since gone viral online, racking up over 200,000 views on TikTok and thousands more on Instagram and Facebook. READ MORE | Pictures & Profiles: Get to know all 32 Roses vying for the coveted Rose of Tralee crown A 51-year-old man has died after he suffered serious injuries following an interaction with gardai in Dublin city centre. The man was involved in an incident with gardai close to the Holiday Inn on OConnell Street last Friday. Fiosru, the Office of the Police Ombudsman, is independently investigating the incident and said it has commenced a criminal investigation into it. It said the incident, which happened on OConnell Street at around 4.15am, involved the serious harm of the man, who later died. Fiosru said that one of its on-call team of investigators attended the scene. It has been liaising with the Dublin City Coroner and the Office of the State Pathologist in relation to a post-mortem examination. Fiosru has appealed for any witnesses to the incident to come forward. This includes any passing vehicles, including taxis that may have dashcam footage from that location or on a mobile device. Anyone with information which may be of assistance to the independent investigation is asked to contact Fiosru at 0818 600 800 or info@fiosru.ie The investigation team and its family liaison officer are working directly with the mans family. The gardai are legally required to report any incident involving death or serious harm to the ombudsman if it happened following an interaction with a garda member. An Irish fashion designer who was found unconscious on a boat in New York always put the people she loved first, her partner told her funeral. Mourners heard that Martha Nolan-OSlatarra, 33, who was originally from Carlow but lived in Manhattan, had lived a short life, but a packed life. Her sister Jacqui told the congregation that her beautiful sister would live in my heart forever. Ms Nolan-OSlatarra was found unconscious on a boat at Montauk Yacht Club in the early hours of August 5. She was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services. US authorities say the cause of her death is yet to be confirmed. Mourners gathered in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow on Wednesday morning to remember the loyal friend who had founded the swimwear brand East x East. Father Tom OByrne told the congregation that people had travelled from so many parts to be here to support Marthas family. There are so many who are asking, how will we get through this? Each grieving, each broken. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, he said. Among the symbols brought forward to represent Ms Nolan-OSlatarras life was her passport, her brand East x East, a photo of her to represent her inner and outer beauty, a make up bag and brushes, the Irish and US flags, and a tin whistle to symbolise her love of musical instruments. Also brought to the altar was St Marthas prayer, which mourners were told her mother Elma recites every Tuesday. Martha was born on a Tuesday and died on a Tuesday, those in the church were told. The prayers of the faithful mentioned Ms Nolan-OSlatarra who was taken from us too soon, her parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and her grandparents who mourn the loss of their beloved granddaughter. Prayers were also offered for her partner Nick DiRubio and her friends from the US, who saw her as loyal, supportive and full of life. May they honour her memory by living with the same love, passion and devotion she gave so freely. Thanks were also offered to the emergency services, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust and those who have received reach out with kindness. Mr DiRubio told mourners: I think Martha had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into, whether it was her signature hi or her famous hand gestures. I did that for you, Elma. One couldnt help but feel her positive presence in every space she entered. Martha had a way of putting people she loved first, she loved helping people and many of you in this room have been lucky enough to experience that love. Whether it was telling you to cop on and focus on the good in this life, or just being a shoulder to lean on, the shining light that Martha brought into this world is a reflection of everybody in this room friends, family, loved ones both past and present. Weve all been lucky to have known Martha, and we must live every day forward with her in our hearts, may she rest in peace. Jacqui paid tribute to her beautiful sister who taught me everything I needed to know in life. I didnt always see you, but I always knew you were there, she said. Growing up with you was like having a built-in best friend, from sharing secrets to late-night talks, weve been through it all together, through thick and thin, a sisters love is consistent. We know each others quirks, dreams, and fears. The bond between us sisters is unique and unbreakable. So heres to the sisters, the ones who make life brighter, who know you best and who love you the most. Cheers to the laughter, the tears and the countless memories that were made. You will be in my heart forever, Martha. The funeral was followed by a burial in St Marys Cemetery in Carlow. Hundreds of people have attended a music session in Dublin city in solidarity with Kneecap rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh after he appeared in court on Wednesday. Kneecap flags and logos hung from the windows in Connolly Books, which dubs itself Irelands oldest radical bookshop, in solidarity with O hAnnaidh, Kneecap, and the people of Palestine. Pro-Palestine supporters criticised the decision by British authorities to bring a charge against the performer instead of focusing on the Israeli governments actions against the Palestinian people. O hAnnaidh, 27, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in November last year. Hundreds of Kneecap supporters greeted O hAnnaidh as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Wednesday morning, alongside fellow Kneecap rappers Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh. During the hearing, his defence team argued the case should be thrown out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought. The case has been adjourned until September 26, when the judge will rule on whether he has the jurisdiction to try the case. At the protest session at Connolly Books on Wednesday afternoon, several artists played Irish traditional music in solidarity with the rappers and Palestine. Musician Ru OShea, who performed at the demonstration, said charging O hAnnaidh had turned him into a hero. I think its been a huge misstep by the powers that be to go after him in the first place, he told the PA news agency. I reckon that they dont have a thing on him, and I think they are turning him into a hero, and I think we need a hero. Whats happening in Palestine right now, its gotten to such an extreme that its waking a lot of people up, including the British who might not have ever seen it otherwise and stayed in that bubble forever. OSheas friend John Feehan said: I think people are maybe starting to look up a little bit in Britain, and I think things like whats happening with Kneecap is a catalyst for people to be like Oh, wait a minute, whats actually happening here?. So I hope theres momentum, but I really dont know. Dubliner Aoife Powell, 19, said she came out to protest because she is angry at the decision to charge an artist rather than focus on what is happening to the people of Gaza. Im here because it just worries me that the fact that governments are focused on artists expressing themselves rather than the actual problem, which is obviously the genocide in Gaza, she told PA. Its a little bit disheartening to see theres so much pressure being put on these artists to stop saying what they truly think and to stop standing on the right side of history. I feel like its a distraction from whats actually happening. When a government tries to silence people, they should learn that they can never silence people. I feel like the public would get more angry at that. Sean OGrady is from Coleraine in Northern Ireland but has lived in Dublin for almost 70 years. Im delighted with them (Kneecap), that theyve done what theyre doing, and theyre getting plenty of publicity. The British government are crazy, I mean, what are they at? Theyre supplying a lot of the bombs, and a lot of the arms and ammunition to Israel to do what theyre doing. So they should be ashamed of themselves instead of bringing in these people (to court) for stupid reasons. Its getting good publicity over there for the cause of the Palestinians. Dubliner Dermot Nolan said he attended his first Palestine protest in 1967, and while he remembers horrific events such as the Vietnam War, the scale of death and injuries in Gaza is the worst he has ever lived through. Im here because its important to for two reasons first of all, to show our intolerance of the genocide and slaughter thats being carried out by the US, Nato and Israel. The second reason is the question of civil rights. Were protesting about the indictment of a member of the Irish group Kneecap. It is a sign of creeping authoritarianism which is happening in all the western countries and most clearly in Britain. The median house price for houses sold with the Dundalk Eircode A91 in June 2025 was 330,000, according to figures released by the CSO (Central Statistics Office) in their Residential Property Price Index report. The county wide median house price for Louth now stands at 349,000 an increase of 4000 on the previous month. Of the 52 houses sold in Dundalk in June, 16 were to first time buyer owner-occupiers; 24 to former owner-occupiers and 12 were to non occupiers. Forty-six of these houses were existing builds while six were new homes. The median price of the new houses sold was 405,000 and the median price of existing houses sold in June was 262,500. In Drogheda, the median price of residential properties sold in A92: Drogheda in June 2025, was 370,000. Of the 106 houses sold in Drogheda in June, 58 were to first time buyer owner-occupiers; 44 to former owner-occupiers and 4 were to non occupiers. Fifty-three of the houses sold were new houses and the other fifty-three were existing. The median price for the new houses sold was 420,601 while for existing houses it was 335,000. Commenting on the release, Niall Corkery, Statistician in the Prices Division, said: Residential property prices rose by 7.8% in the 12 months to June 2025, unchanged from the 7.8% in the year to May 2025. In Dublin, residential property prices saw an increase of 6.6%, while property prices outside Dublin were 8.8% higher in June 2025 when compared with a year earlier. In the 12 months to June 2025, house prices in Dublin rose by 6.6% while apartment prices also increased by 6.6%. The highest house price growth in Dublin was in Fingal at 8.0% while both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin saw a rise of 5.5%. Read Next: Dundalk IT launches healthy campus plan to promote student and staff wellbeing Outside Dublin, house prices were up by 9.0% and apartment prices rose by 6.6%. The region outside of Dublin that saw the largest growth in house prices was the West (Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon) at 10.3%, while at the other end of the scale, the South-East (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford) saw a 7.1% rise. Households paid a median or mid-point price of 370,000 for a residential property in the 12 months to June 2025. The highest median price paid for a dwelling was 675,000 in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, while the lowest was 190,000 in Leitrim. The most expensive Eircode area over the 12 months to June 2025 was A94 (Blackrock, Dublin) with a median price of 780,000, while F45 (Castlerea, Roscommon) had the least expensive price of 148,000. How did you end up in south Wales, Eleanor? I came over in February of 2010 as my mother had moved there, so I went over to see her. I made the decision to go over in May, 2010, to spend the summer in Wales as I wanted a change of scenery. I was due to move back home in the September, but I decided to stay to do my nurse training in UWE (University of the West of England) in Bristol, and also, I happened to fall for a Welsh boy who is now my husband, Rob. How is life in your new home? I am really happy over here, I feel Wales is home away from home and I have a sense of peace here. I never thought I would leave Ireland, and now I cant ever imagine going back and leaving Wales. Home life is full and lively, Ive been with my husband for 15 years, and together were raising two wonderful daughters, Sophie and Leah aged 12 and 8, along with my stepson Jacob, whos now 16. What has been the biggest challenge? The biggest challenge I would say was leaving family behind. No matter how exciting a new chapter might be, saying goodbye to the people whove been your constant support is never easy. Ive missed the everyday moments, the chats over a cup of tea, the spontaneous visits, and the comfort of being just around the corner from loved ones. To cope, Ive made staying connected a priority. Regular video calls, planned visits, and even sharing the little things, like photos of the kids milestones have helped bridge the distance. Its not the same as being there in person, but its kept the bond strong and reminded me that home isnt just a place, its the people who make it feel that way. Another huge challenge for me was when I lost my mum in January this year and was on my own when it happened here in Wales. Trying to navigate that on my own and not be familiar with processes was difficult. It is done so differently in the UK compared to Ireland. Luckily, my sister Karen, dad John and my mums sister Ber were there to support during this time. I had great support from my close friends here too in Wales. How might you spend your weekends? My weekends tend to be a mix of family life and everyday tasks. I dont do anything extravagant, but theyre always busy in their own way. Eleanor Foster with her dad John and sister Karen in Paris Most of the time is spent taking the kids to birthday parties, doing the shopping, catching up on housework and friends whilst squeezing in the occasional day out when the weather allows. Its a bit of a juggling act, but theres comfort in the routine and those small moments together as a family make it all worthwhile Tell us a bit about the culture of where you live? The culture in Wales has a quiet charm thats grown on me over time. Theres a strong sense of local pride, especially in the Welsh language and traditions, which Ive really come to admire. People are warm but a bit more reserved compared to the open, chatty nature I was used to in Ireland. That was probably my biggest culture shock, realising that casual conversations with strangers arent quite as common here. Ive also noticed subtle differences in humour, expressions, and even how people celebrate events. Its been a learning curve, but embracing those differences has helped me feel more connected to my new home. Another cultural difference Ive noticed between Wales and Ireland is in the education system and the opportunities available to young people. In Ireland, the Leaving Cert is a major milestone, and everything in secondary school tends to build towards that one set of exams. In Wales, the system feels more flexible and focused on individual pathways. At 16, students in Wales have more options, they can choose to go to college, start apprenticeships, or pursue vocational routes that suit their interests and strengths. That was a bit of a culture shock for me at first, coming from a system where university was often seen as the main goal. But Ive come to really value the way Welsh education supports different kinds of learners and gives them more freedom to shape their future. Tell us about your line of work/career? I am a qualified nurse by background, and I am currently working with the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) as one of their Clinical Benefit leads. This role ensures that clinical knowledge is used effectively to improve the experience and outcomes for people accessing health-related benefits. Eleanor Foster with her husband Rob, children Sophie and Leah, and her stepson Jacob This involves working closely with other clinicians, policy teams, and senior officials to provide expert advice, support clinical decision-making, and help shape national policy. Are there any wider societal issues that you see in Ireland that arent a problem in your new home? Or vice versa One of the biggest societal differences Ive noticed since moving to Wales is the access to healthcare. The NHS here is a huge benefit, and something Ive come to really appreciate, especially the fact that prescriptions are free in Wales. Thats a big contrast to Ireland, where prescription charges can add up quickly, even with a medical card or drug payment scheme. What has been your most memorable moment in your new location so far? There have been a few truly unforgettable moments since moving to Wales. Earning my degree was a huge personal achievement as this marked a turning point in my life and gave me the confidence to pursue new opportunities. Becoming a mum to my two daughters here has been life-changing in every way, and watching them grow up in this beautiful part of the world has made it even more special. And, of course, getting married was a milestone filled with love, joy, and the start of a new chapter. Each of these moments has helped shape my experience in Wales and made it feel like home. Sometimes, a change in environment brings fresh perspectives and new paths you hadnt considered before. Any special mentions to friends or family back in Cork? I still have my dad John back home as well as my sister Karen and my brother Alex. I have nieces and nephews as well as aunts and uncles. I am still close to my cousins, Jen and Eva, so we all meet when I am home and speak when we can. One of my closest friends back home, Kristen is living in Bristol, so this is quite nice. If you were back in Cork for one day, what would be the ideal day for you? If I had just one day back in Cork, Id keep it simple and meaningful. Id start with a trip to the beach - probably somewhere like Garryvoe just to soak in the sea air and the familiar views. Then Id take the kids on a drive through the countryside, pointing out places from my own childhood and stopping somewhere for a bite to eat, maybe a cosy cafe or a pub with great food. The highlight would be spending time with family, catching up, sharing stories, and just being together. Its those everyday moments I miss the most. That kind of day, filled with connection and comfort, would be perfect. What are you looking forward to in the coming months? There is a lot to look forward to in the months ahead. At work, Im excited about new challenges and opportunities to grow in my role. With the kids heading back to school soon, theres a sense of fresh routine and a bit more structure returning to daily life, which always helps! But the highlight has to be a trip to London in November to see Wicked The Musical with my sister. Im absolutely buzzing for it! Its been on our list for ages (over 10 years!), and finally getting to experience it together will be such a special moment Is there anything that you especially miss about Cork? I miss Cork all the time. The biggest thing is my family. Being away from them is always hard, especially during special occasions or when you just need a familiar face and a chat. I also really miss the food! Theres something about the quality and variety back home thats hard to beat, whether its fresh soda bread, proper Irish baking, or just the comfort of a good meal in a local spot. Theres a unique atmosphere in Cork too, friendly, lively, and full of character. Its those little things, like the humour, the accents, and the sense of community, that stay with you. Ireland South MEP Sean Kelly has dismissed the suggestion that there are not sufficient votes to get him a nomination to be Fine Gaels candidate in the upcoming presidential election. The former GAA president told The Echo there were two weeks to go until the nominations close, and he would take current speculation with a grain of salt. Today, he and former minister Heather Humphreys both declared their intention to seek the Fine Gael nomination for the upcoming presidential election. It came after the shock announcement last week that Mairead McGuinness was withdrawing from the race on health grounds. Ms Humphreys and Mr Kelly had previously ruled themselves out of the contest, when it was believed that Ms McGuinness would be Fine Gaels candidate. Each candidate will require the backing of 20 members of the parliamentary party, as well as 25 councillors and five members of the executive council. Speculation this evening suggested that there were not sufficient votes available to allow Mr Kelly a pathway to a nomination. There are 59 members in Fine Gaels parliamentary party, but precedence would seem to dictate that neither the leader, Simon Harris, or the director of elections, Martin Heydon, can vote, leaving 57 available nominations. With 38 members of the parliamentary party already declaring for Ms Humphreys, that would appear to only leave 19 available nominations. However, when asked on Tuesday night for a comment, Mr Kelly remained upbeat. Do you know, Id take that with a grain of salt at this stage, he said. People can be quoted for saying things but you never know. We only started today, so well keep working on it. A number of Fine Gael representatives in Cork gave their opinions on who they felt would be the eventual party candidate. Colm Burke, TD for Cork North Central, said both candidates would make superb presidents. Sean gave fantastic leadership in the GAA and has done a wonderful job in Europe over the years, he is a really good candidate, he said. Heather is a really good candidate, she handled her ministry in Social Protection very well, and carried out a lot of new initiatives. I have already indicated that I am supporting Heather. I have weighed it up very carefully, and I have also consulted with members of my own constituency, and that is the view that I have taken. Jerry Buttimer, Cork South Central TD and minister for state at the Department of Rural and Community Development, said he was happy to declare his support for Ms Humphreys. She has been an excellent minister and she has been a good colleague of mine in the Oireachtas, he said. I have seen that she has the ability and the vision to be an extraordinary president through her work in the Decade of Commemorations, but also, given her own perspective and background, I believe shell be an excellent president, and Im very happy to support her. Cork North West TD John Paul OShea said: Heather is a great supporter of rural Ireland, and she has a track record of achievement. She has my complete support, he said. Damian Boylan, Cork city councillor for the North West ward, said he was very happy to put his support behind Ms Humphreys. "I think she will be an excellent president of Ireland, he said. Senator Noel ODonovan posted on social media that he was delighted to hear that Ms Humphreys was seeking the Fine Gael nomination. Ive worked with Heather over the years, her commitment to deliver for communities has been proven, he stated. She will make an excellent Uachtaran na hEireann. Noel McCarthy, Cork East TD, said earlier today that he was delighted to support Mr Kelly, who had launched Mr McCarthys election campaign both in 2016, when he was unsuccessful, and in 2024, when he was elected. I think hell be a great choice, he got 124,000 votes in the European election, hes a people person, and I think he appeals to a wide audience, not just in the Fine Gael party, but to a lot of people out there, he said. Were very lucky in that we have two great candidates in Sean and in Heather, she was a great minister who did great work. I know that whoever is selected everyone in Fine Gael will row in behind them. Following the emergence of Ms Humphreys as favourite, Mr McCarthy, said: If Sean doesnt have the numbers, I have great sympathy for him, but I know he would agree with me that Heather was a great minister who did fantastic work, shes a lovely person, very decent woman, and I think she would be a brilliant president." There were more than 400 people in Cork Prison for the first time ever yesterday, despite the prison only having capacity for fewer than 300 inmates. There were 403 people in the prison yesterday, a jump of seven from the previous day, and four more than the previous record of 399 set on August 8. Over a quarter (27%) of people incarcerated in the prison currently do not have a bed, with 107 more inmates currently imprisoned than the 296 the prison has capacity for. Nationally, the Irish prison system is operating at 119% capacity, with 5,545 inmates and only 4,672 beds across Ireland Cork Prison is the most overcrowded male prison by a significant margin. Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central Colm Burke said additional judges were appointed in the court system, which means criminal cases are being processed faster, but that now means we need to have additional accommodation. Any overcrowding situation is always going to be difficult, but we need to try and find the solution, he said. We need the development of new facilities to accommodate the numbers, whatever space can be delivered in the fastest timeframe. We need to go through a planning process, get a design it wont be done overnight, it will take at least three years, Mr Burke continued. Fianna Fail TD Padraig OSullivan added: Its imperative that the extension of the prison happens to ensure that we can continue to house criminals appropriately, and to ensure prisoners can serve the sentences meted out to them. We need to ensure that lack of prison capacity is never a factor considered by the judiciary when determining sentences. Caitriona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners told The Echo that it was essential that services such as classes, workshops, and the gym could be delivered while there were so many prisoners, and also that staff were looked after. A former inmate recently told The Echo that the gym was closed and workshops and classes were cancelled frequently because they did not have officers available, a knock-on effect from the overcrowding. Ms Twomey said: Its very difficult for the governor and the staff, and its difficult for those who are in prison; 403 is an alarming number, and the numbers just seem to keep rising. The Government has to start listening to the Prison Service, because they are the ones on the ground, so they have the solutions. We meet and talk to people who say its hard up there when they havent enough beds, and classes and AA meetings are all affected thats detrimental, because people need to attend these things for their rehabilitation. Cork Prison is very good about rehabilitation and giving people a second chance, but they cant do that if they dont have the capacity because of these overcrowding issues. Most of their time is probably taken up with wondering how do they get through another night. Its no fault of the prison and the staff they do great work piloting things like the Open Door pop-up restaurant, which is really beneficial, thats the sort of thing you dont want affected. A spokesperson for the IPS said: The Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the courts. As such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time. With Ukraine in the midst of an ongoing war since being invaded by Russia in February 2022, many Ukrainians have come to Cork for a safer and more peaceful life. As of July 2025, there are estimated to be 6,978 Ukrainians living in Co Cork, making it one of the counties with the highest number of Ukrainian refugees under the EU temporary protection directive. At least 31 countries have now signed up to help defend a peace deal in Ukraine, once one is struck, in an effort to ward off a future attack by Russia. Ireland is among those countries, and Taoiseach Micheal Martin attended a virtual leaders meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine on Sunday. The UK and France have pledged to commit forces to Ukraine to deter Russian president Vladimir Putin from launching a fresh assault on his neighbour if a deal is done to end the war. Discussions this week have paved the way for a potential meeting between Mr Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Despite all the high-profile meetings, since February 2022 when the war began, the lives of Ukrainians have been turned upside down and changed forever and, for Ukrainians living in Cork, what the future holds remains uncertain. Speaking to The Echo, Victoria Tymoshchuk, facilitator of the Ukrainian community in Cork and director of Ukrainian Hub KALYNA, said that returning to her home in Ukraine is not a viable option. We also dont [know] what will happen here in Ireland when the war stops. I myself am from the southern part of Ukraine. Everything has been destroyed there. So there is no future there for my child. My biggest concern is for my child and I will do my best to give her a decent future. I cannot go back to my hometown. Now it is a kind of limbo and we dont know what to do, said Ms Tymoshchuk. Unfortunately there has been nothing definite promised to Ukrainians. We dont have clear instructions or promises from the Government. While many members of the Ukrainian community in Cork do wish to return home, there is a realisation they may have no choice but to stay here. Although Cork has provided a safe space for Ukrainians, for the likes of Ms Tymoshchuk the war has also brought a number of challenges to the fore. For me, every day I can say is a struggle. That is because another very dear person to me, my mother, she is still in Kherson where I am from. Now it is a frontline. I have daily connection with my mom. She doesnt want to leave the city because she doesnt want to become an international homeless [person] and she knows that it is hard to start your life abroad. Every day I get information and news from my motherland. It is hard. Ms Tymoshchuk outlined some of the challenges faced by members of the Ukrainian community in Cork on a day-to-day basis, elaborating on the uncertainty faced by some of her countrymen and women. There are some general problems for Ukrainians in Cork, Ms Tymoshchuk said. As all people from refugee background, we have problems concerning finding accommodation and getting jobs. I think finding accommodation is the hardest thing because if people live in Government accommodation offered by IPAS, Government usually moves people from one place to another, she said. This makes life difficult, especially when people manage to find schools, kindergartens and also jobs for themselves. Then just in a few months, they then need to start a new life in a new place. It is not always in the same district or in the same county. As for me, I was lucky enough to get a place here in Cork. Sometimes people think that if you are in a safe place, you feel relaxed and enjoy life. It is not possible to enjoy life ... when you have a dear person still at war. We dont see the end yet and it is very difficult, added Ms Tymoshchuk. 'WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WAITING' We still dont know what is waiting for Ukrainians and what will be promised by the Government. We still dont have clear instructions. My biggest concern really is about people who cannot go back. People from occupied territories. Through her roles as a facilitator of the Ukrainian community in Cork and with Hub KALYNA, Ms Tymoshchuk is in a strong place to judge how accommodating the people Leeside have been towards Ukrainian people. I can tell you only from my perspective. We always receive a warm welcome from the local authorities and local communities. This is because you always get what you give to people. We give love and we give respect, to people and to locals. We get the same in return, she said. As for me, nothing has changed. Maybe it has improved because people know us better. We are always welcome and receive invitations. We recently performed at the Spirit Of Mother Jones Festival, we were so happy to be a part of this festival. Members of the Kalyna Choir, who performed at he launch of the 2025 Mother Jones Festival at the Maldron Hotel. Picture: Noel Sweeney Another Ukrainian living in Cork is Olesia Zhytkova, a postdoctoral researcher in Dublin City University Business School. She has a PhD in history and has authored more than 10 journal articles and more than 30 conference papers and media articles. Her research interests include contemporary history and politics of Eastern Europe, religious studies, war studies (cultural and religious factors of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the impact of the war on the environment and migration), corruption studies, womens history, and studies in the comparative history of Ireland and Ukraine. Cork really became a safe hub for Ukrainians. We love Cork a lot. Because of the locals and the fantastic people, said Ms Zhytkova We have many kids in local schools. We are safe here and we feel well about our children. They are safe here and they are welcome here. An event to celebrate Ukraines Independence Day will be held on Sunday, August 24, at The Carraig Centre, Ballincollig, from 2pm to 4pm. Organised by Hub KALYNA, the event aims to showcase Ukrainian traditions through music, storytelling and community engagement. Several Cork projects have been allocated funding through the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme, with sea swimming infrastructure, bike trails, and walkways set to benefit. The scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure. It also provides support for the necessary repair, maintenance, enhancement, and promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural areas across Ireland. Skibbereen Recreation and Amenity Park was allocated 49,950 for design works on the development of the Marsh in Skibbereen. Abbey Pier, Sherkin Island, was also allocated 49,950 to explore feasibility to develop a multi-recreational user pontoon to provide access to the island. Belgooly Walkway will receive 40,000 for the replacement of fencing between the walkway and Riverstick Estuary and installation of benches and street furniture. Another 40,000 has been awarded for sea swimming infrastructure in East Cork the installation of a slipway with handrail at Ballynamona beach and shelters for sea swimmers at Ballynamona and Whitegate beaches. Great Island will receive 37,800 for a slipway with handrail and shelters for sea swimmers at Glenmore and Cuskinny. Seefin Car Park on the Duhallow Way has been allocated 40,000 for upgrade works and surfacing of a car park located at the base of Musheramore and along the Duhallow Way. Ballyhoura Development has also been successful in a bid for funding under the scheme for projects between Cork and Limerick, including the promotion and marketing of the Ballyhoura Trail Network as well as consultations and assessments of site location and screening for the development of a network of community bike pump trails in villages and towns in the hinterland of Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Park. Ballyhoura Development rural recreation officer Mike Cleary said: This funding is a testament to the strength of community collaboration across the Ballyhoura area. The Mayor of the County of Cork, Mary Linehan Foley, said: We are fortunate in Co Cork to have so many trails, walkways, and cycleways. They are important for our communities, and Cork County Council has worked hard for many years to improve them. This funding is very welcome and will help us continue to develop these amenities for both locals and visitors. A file is to be submitted to the DPP by the end of the month in relation to a man who was allegedly part of a group of three people who set fire to a house in which a couple in their eighties were watching television. Paul McCarthy of Dowth Avenue, Cabra in Dublin appeared before Cork District Court today having been charged in connection with an arson attack at Fernbrook, Ballincrokig, Co Cork on April 24 last. The court previously heard that 550,000 in damage was caused to the property of the married couple who were in their home when the property became engulfed in flames. The complete destruction of the house was recorded by one of the men involved in the incident. Gardai indicated that the couple were not believed to be the intended target of the attack. Mr McCarthy was represented in Cork District Court today by defence barrister Nicholas Hall, BL. Mr Hall told Judge Brendan OReilly that his client had entered custody over a hundred days ago. He previously requested that the matter be expedited. Sgt Gearoid Davis said that he expected the file on the case to be sent to the DPP shortly. The file has been submitted at local level. I would expect it to be gone in that time (by the next court appearance.) Mr McCarthy was further remanded in custody. A file is due to be sent to the DPP by August 29th when he is next before the court. Meanwhile, Garda Brian Murphy previously objected to bail when the matter first came before Cork District Court. He said that it was alleged that at 9pm on April 24 last a car arrived at the house in Ballincrokig and three people exited. "Two enter the curtilage of the property and ignited two glass petrol bombs with a blowtorch. They smashed a bedroom window and threw in these petrol bombs. The third person believed to be Paul McCarthy stands close to the vehicle and allegedly films the incident on his mobile phone.. The Skoda Octavia enters the Plaza filling station in Portlaoise just before midnight and Paul McCarthy is identified, filling the car with 30 diesel and leaving without paying. Garda Murphy said that a man aged 87 and his 86-year-old wife were watching television in the house at the time. He said the house was quickly englulfed in flames but they were unharmed. Garda Murphy said that if it had been a short time later the couple would have been in bed and possibly killed. Paul McCarthy had complete disregard for the elderly occupants of the property which was completely destroyed. From the initial investigations, gardai are not of the belief that these persons were the intended victims. He added that it was alleged that Mr McCarthy drove from Dublin with the two other individuals. A 59-year-old truck driver charged in connection with a 2.1 million drug seizure in Cork has been experiencing constant pain in one of his ears since he entered custody in early August and requires urgent medical care a court has heard. A Croatian interpreter was required at Cork District Court today for Robert Slivar who first appeared in court on August 3 charged with two offences. The alleged offences relate to the seizure of 93 packages of herbal cannabis with a weight of 107kg. Mr Slivar, formerly of Ivanic in Croatia, was charged with cannabis possession and possession of cannabis for sale or supply at the Port of Cork, Ringaskiddy, on July 27 last. The alleged offence is contrary to section 3 and section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. Today at Cork District Court defence solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher said that his client has been suffering from serious medical difficulties". He is being attended to by doctors but is in constant pain with his ear. It has been a problem from the get go and he has been on numerous occasions. I ask that it would be noted that he needs urgent medical care with his ear problem. Sgt Gearoid Davis said that DPP directions are awaited in the case. Mr Kelleher said that his client wasnt consenting to a remand of beyond two weeks". Judge Brendan OReilly said that this "was his right". Mr Slivar was present in court for the brief hearing. However, he was not required to speak during the hearing. He will be produced in person again when he is next before the court. A production order is in place arising out of his complete lack of English and the need for the legalities to be translated by an interpreter. Mr Kelleher previously said that his client maintains that he is innocent of any wrongdoing. Gardai previously objected to bail in the case citing the strength of evidence and the seriousness of the charge facing the accused. Det Garda Ryan Dillon said that Mr Slivar made no reply when the charge was put to him to under caution. TFI Local Link Cork is to introduce a new bus route between Kinsale and Cork West beginning next Monday. Route 255 will operate four return services daily between Charles Fort and the west of Cork city (MTU Bishopstown) from Monday to Sunday. The new route will also provide peak-time service connectivity to Forthill, Kinsale College, Kinsale Community Hospital, Halfway, Ballinhassig, Wilton Shopping Centre, Cork University Hospital, MTU Campus, and regional bus services. The new route is part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, which is a public transport initiative developed and funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) as part of the Transport for Ireland (TFI) Network. TFI Local Link Cork general manager David OBrien said: This new service will provide people living along the route with access to services and onward connections on a daily basis. The enhanced service will mean a significant improvement in the quality of life for people living in these areas. People can now access a wide range of public and social services, training courses, colleges and hospital appointments, supported with onward connections. (Photo: Moscow Patriarchate - foto.patriarchia.ru)Russian President Vladimir PUtin (right) and Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church at a Christmas service in Moscow on Jan. 7, 2025. A senior American Orthodox archbishop has drawn condemnation after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, a move Christian leaders say undermines the Gospel's call to justice and compassion, especially due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Archbishop Alexei, head of the Orthodox Church in America's Diocese of Alaska, exchanged gifts and warm words with Putin at Fort Richardson National Cemetery following the Russian leader's meeting with US President Donald Trump, The Associated Press reported. The meeting included the sharing of holy icons and a discussion of a shared Orthodox heritage. "Russia has given us what's most precious of all, which is the Orthodox faith," Archbishop Alexei said. He said that he visits Russia regularly, and that his priests and seminarians often return saying, "I've been home." According to AP, Putin told him: "Please feel at home whenever you come." The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) said in response to demands made by Putin week: "It is widely known that the Russian Federation uses religion, particularly the Russian Orthodox Church, as a weapon to pursue its neo-imperial goals. "We support the Ukrainian state in defending Ukraine's legitimate interests at the international level and in building relations with other states based on the principle of reciprocity. Ukraine must not be forced into asymmetric obligations." The Council includes Orthodox, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim leaders. It said the Russian regime "is responsible for the invasion of the independent and peaceful nation of Ukraine and for the death of hundreds of thousands, for the disappearance of countless innocents, for the tearing of families apart, and for the deliberate destruction of Ukraine," the statement said. "To extend warm words of welcome and admiration to this 'leader' is nothing less than an endorsement of his actions." The statement said that while the church preaches love and forgiveness, it "can never excuse or whitewash evil." It was reacting to media reports that had demanded guarantees for Russia's language and Church during his 15 August summit with US President Donald Trump. Jonathan Luxmoore reported for the Church Times on Aug 19. UCCRO said several European countries had already imposed restrictions on the Russian Orthodox Church, in line with resolutions by the Council of Europe and European Parliament. - DESTRUCTIVE ACTIVITIES They said this is because of the Russian Orthodox Church's "destructive activities" as "a Russian state institution, fully integrated into the Kremlin's aggressive political system". It had supported the "killing of peaceful Ukrainian citizens" and "the destruction of Ukrainian sovereignty, culture, and national identity". Meanwhile, the Greek Catholic Primate of Ukraine, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, said that citizens were grateful to those now "exerting unprecedented international pressure on the aggressor to stay his murderous hand." He warned, however, that Russia had continued to attack Ukrainian cities and to kill civilians with drones and missiles while the latest talks were taking place. The encounter triggered outrage among Orthodox and Christian leaders, particularly those with ties to Ukraine. In a sharply worded statement, Ukrainian Orthodox bishops in the US called the meeting "a betrayal of the Gospel of Christ." Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Daniel said: "To extend warm words of welcome and admiration to this 'leader' is nothing less than an endorsement of his actions." Putin is currently under indictment by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. "The Russian regime is responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands... for the tearing of families apart," the bishops' statement said. "We preach forgiveness but we can never excuse or whitewash evil." The controversy raises difficult questions for Christians about how to balance the call to forgiveness with the prophetic duty to speak out against injustice, war crimes, and human rights abuses. Last year, the most powerful geomagnetic storm in 20 years hit Earth. It produced stunning aurora displays in parts of the US that are normally too far south to see them. Normally, such storms are a headache for energy providers. In 1989, for example, the Canadian province of Quebec suffered a nine-hour blackout following a series of plasma ejections from the Sun. This time around, power companies were better prepared, and in the US and Canada, there weren't significant service disruptions. The episode highlighted the value of proper preparation against geomagnetic storms, and for the past couple of years, NASA and IBM have been working to give the scientific community and others a better way to predict solar weather. Today, they're releasing the result of their work, an open-source foundation model called Surya. Named after the Sanskrit word for the Sun, Juan Bernabe-Moreno, director of IBM Research Europe, UK and Ireland, describes the system as an "AI telescope for the Sun." IBM trained the model on nine years of high-resolution images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), a satellite NASA has been using to study the Sun since 2010. IBM Effectively, Surya applies machine learning to solar image interpretation and forecasting, and the results are promising. In early testing, Bernabe-Moreno says IBM found the model was 16 percent more accurate at answering the question "will there be a solar flare in the next 24 hours?" than past systems. Additionally, the model can generate visual predictions of what the SDO might see ahead of time. So far, using data from the most recently completed solar cycle, IBM has found Surya can accurately predict what the sun will look like two hours ahead of time. "Were exploring the accuracy of even longer lead time predictions," Bernabe-Moreno told me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two hours might not seem like a lot, but according to Bernabe-Moreno, who previously worked at one of Europe's largest energy companies, it could be a game changer for infrastructure providers, which have spent the last few decades building more responsive power grids. Moreover, Surya is a 366 million parameter model, meaning it's light enough to run on less powerful hardware. The irony of today's announcement is that it demonstrates the value of NASA's science team exactly at a time when its very existence is threatened. If you haven't been following what's been going on at the agency, President Trump plans to cut NASA's science budget by nearly half. The Solar Dynamics Observatory would be among the missions affected by the proposed cuts. It won't be cancelled like New Horizons and OSIRIS-APEX, but according to an analysis by The Planetary Society, the mission would have its operating budget slashed from $14 million annually to $8 million per year. IBM Policymakers from both parties have pushed back on the proposal, but with the Senate and House not yet in agreement on the agency's 2026 operating budget, and the appropriations deadline quickly approaching, NASA's fate is uncertain. Even if the cuts don't go through, the agency is on track to lose close to 4,000 employees, or about 20 percent of its workforce, as part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to trim the number of workers across the federal government. Bernabe-Moreno says Surya wouldn't have come together without NASA's help. "From the very beginning, the science team at NASA have been informing us what the model should do, how to validate the model, and how to ensure it's robust," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If there's a silver lining to the funding situation, it's that the science team's work will live on. "The beauty of this model is that we created a capability an AI platform, if you want," said Bernabe-Moreno. "And this capability has applications beyond NASA." If you want to check out Surya for yourself, you can download the model from Hugging Face. Bloomberg has published a deep dive into operations at Oracle, chronicling the software giant's rise in cloud computing and current push into powering artificial intelligence projects. The publication reported that Oracle has promised to develop tens of billions of dollars in data centers, which have become a hot business. Notably, Oracle landed a deal to back operations at OpenAI, in a partnership that will give the AI company 4.5 gigawatts of computing power . According to Bloomberg, that's enough energy to power "millions of American homes." So far, Oracle has seemed willing to throw money at its AI data center projects, no matter how expensive or irresponsible the needs might be. For instance, a source said the company plans to spend more than $1 billion a year powering a single data center in Texas with gas generators rather than waiting for a utility connection to be built. When completed, this data center is expected to be one of the largest known sites, with computing power of 1.4 gigawatts. In addition to the huge monetary cost, such a project can also have negative human and environmental impact. The Elon Musk-owned xAI is under fire after a supercomputer for its artificial intelligence operations became a primary source of air pollution in Memphis thanks to methane-powered turbines. Other majors, including Google , Microsoft and Meta , have chosen to try nuclear power for their data center projects, which comes with its own potential complications and risks. Purely on the financial side, Oracle's decision to invest so much so quickly meant the company reported its first negative annual cash flow since 1990. Should the current rates of AI investment turn out to be a bubble, it could be very bad news to have many billions of dollars on the line. We're still waiting for Apple to make the official announcement for the iPhone event that usually takes place in September. At that event, they'll showcase the new iPhone 17 lineup which will come equipped with the latest iOS 26 features preinstalled, as well as any additional features Apple reveals at the launch event. But since we (presumably) still have to wait a few weeks until the iPhone event, we can only speculate what the new devices will look like. As with most unreleased iPhones, rumors and leaks have trickled in about the hardware side ahead of the official introduction. Here's what we're expecting and what we can reasonably assume we'll get from Apple in September. What are the latest iPhone 17 rumors? Not necessarily a "new" rumor but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes there actually will be a new orange color offered for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, as well as a light blue color for the iPhone 17 Air, he confirmed in his weekly Power On newsletter. Additionally, we have a new case rumor. According to leaker Majin Bu, there will be new Liquid Silicone cases in eight colors, including Deep Orange, Pale Orange, Grass Green, Celadon, Fog Purple, Grey Blue, Dark Blue and Midnight Black. iPhone 17: New Liquid Silicone Cases Colors Full Article:https://t.co/RBnAO3LCAC pic.twitter.com/GuQuvrswg6 Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) August 24, 2025 These rumors haven't been confirmed by Apple and we won't know what the actual iPhone 17 models will look like until the iPhone event next month. How much will the iPhone 17 cost? Apple's announced plan to expand US-based manufacturing partners seems to give it at least some shielding from the steepest Trump administration tariffs that have already triggered price increases on everything from PlayStations to Switch consoles to high-end cameras to Sonos speakers. But given that President Trump's trade policies can change from week to week, and Apple's continuing reliance on Asia-based supply chains, price shocks remain an ongoing possibility. The bigger question is: Will Apple absorb any higher costs, or pass them on to consumers? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If prices do creep up, Apple may choose to pair it with an "upgrade." Consider this recent rumor posted by MacRumors from a leaker known as "Instant Digital," suggesting that the default storage of the iPhone 17 line may start at 256GB, doubling the current 128GB baseline. While that could be accompanied by a price increase of $50, Apple could at least pitch it as a "better value." That said, the company doubled the default RAM of its Mac computers from 8GB to 16GB at no extra cost in 2024 but that was before the current Trump tariff cycle started. When will the iPhone 17 series be announced? Most years, the flagship smartphones are introduced in September. MacRumors highlighted a story originally reported by iphone-ticker.de that the Apple iPhone 17 event could be Tuesday, September 9, according to information gleaned from German mobile phone providers. It's still too early to have the specific dates; some years, Apple only gives a week or two of lead time between sending invites and hosting the event. But years of past precedent show that sometime in September should be when the 17 models make their debut. This family of smartphones may be the last to follow that trend, however. There have been hints that the introduction of the iPhone 18 collection in 2026 will be split into a pro-tier announcement in the fall and a standard model announcement the following spring. What will the new iPhone 17 lineup include? Design leaks suggest that Apple is building an ultra-thin smartphone, likely to be named the iPhone 17 Air to match Apple's ultralight laptop designation. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, often a solid source of advanced intel about Apple, reported in January that the iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with a basic A19 chip and will only have a single camera lens. It may also use Apple's new in-house modem, which was introduced in February on the iPhone 16e. More details about this development may leak ahead of September, but that's what we know for now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An investor note from Apple analyst Jeff Pu indicated that the Air will have a titanium frame. If his reports are accurate, the lightweight smartphone will be the only entry in the iPhone 17 lineup to use that metal; the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to be made of aluminum, which is oddly a lighter material than titanium. Other speculation had suggested that the Air would use a blend of aluminum and titanium, so the exact materials may not be known until the official announcement. Additionally, an August 4 MacRumors report says the internal battery pack of the iPhone Air is just 2.49mm thick half the thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro battery. The leak was posted on the Korean-language Naver blog, where they show the alleged batteries of the iPhone 17 Air and 17 Pro side by side. The same account claimed the 17 Air's battery capacity was a mere 2,800 mAh, MacRumors notes. (That's below the battery capacity of current iPhone 16 models.) On a similar topic, an iPhone 17 Pro production leak appears to have revealed an all-aluminum chassis, according to MacRumors. Originally posted by leaker Majin Bu, the image shows a shell that has a large round hole on the back (where the Apple logo typically is) to allow for MagSafe charging. MacRumors says this could just be a molding but notes that the aluminum frame (versus the current titanium in Pro iPhone models) would yield a significantly lower weight. That same leaker (Majin Bu), whom MacRumors classifies as a "hit-or-miss leaker," suggests the iPhone 17 Pro will have better wireless signal strength thanks to an updated antenna design. The individual posted a render on X that shows a new antenna system that wraps around the iPhone 17 Pro's supposedly wider rear camera bump. Again, this is a render, not a real-world photo. That said, we can't knock the goal of better wireless reception, so we're hoping this one has a degree of truth to it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaker Majin Bu also claims "TechWoven" cases could be introduced, per a MacRumors report. The cases match the rumored design on the iPhone 17 models, with the wide camera bump. The leaker noted there are two lanyard holes for "convenient and secure carrying," so it could be worn around your neck. The colors would come in grey/black, blue, green, purple and orange. Each new roster includes a base model, but over the years, Apple has shaken up the variety of phones it offers. Most likely there will be an iPhone 17 and an iPhone 17 Pro. Apple has also committed to the size matters philosophy, and has been building an iPhone Pro Max option with an even bigger screen and better battery life; the 17 roster will almost certainly have one as well. The new Pro iPhones are said to have a full-width "camera island" on the rear, which would mark the first time an Apple model opted for that design. This feature can be seen in the purported iPhone 17 "spotted in the wild." The pics, highlighted on MacRumors, show a black cased iPhone (17 Pro?) with the distinct back panel. Is it the real deal? The dual angles lend a degree of credibility in a social media landscape increasingly polluted with AI-enhanced fakes, but your guess is as good as ours. I just spotted a test development iPhone in the wild pic.twitter.com/iS3PtKWqxJ Fox Pupy (@Skyfops) July 28, 2025 The iPhone 17 Air seems primed to take the place of a potential iPhone 17 Plus. Since the iPhone 16e was only just introduced in February at a surprisingly high price point, it seems unlikely that there will be a new addition to that lower end of the spectrum, the models that were previously called SE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the very least, it sounds like the iPhone 17 Air won't take away the charging port and rely only on wireless connectivity. Bloomberg said that while Apple had investigated making the iPhone 17 Air without a single port, the company (fortunately) changed plans. He also says that the rumored phone will have a 6.6-inch screen and include the Dynamic Island and Camera Control button. Finally, the price is rumored at $900 likely more than the standard iPhone 17 but less than the Pro. We've also gotten what seems to be a reliable look at what the color lineup will be for the new smartphones. Macworld reported that the iPhone 17 will be available in black, white, steel gray, green, purple and light blue. The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly have four color options: black, white, light blue and light gold. While the Air colors will be less saturated, the visuals for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will go bold. The options for the Pro models are expected to be black, white, gray, dark blue and orange. On July 30, Tom's Guide highlighted an X post from Sonny Dickson a longtime and generally reliable leaker of unreleased iPhone information showing "dummy" iPhone 17 models in the new colors that were the source of the aforementioned Macworld story. While these are literally just mock-ups not real, leaked iPhones it's interesting to see how the design and color rumors translate into a real-world look and feel. To add the the rumors, a Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station suggests the iPhone 17e will come equipped with a new design that includes the Dynamic Island, MacRumors reports. According to the post, the new phone will have the A19 chip and could have a 6.1-inch OLED display with a front-facing 12-megapixel camera and a rear-facing 48-megapixel camera. However, it's important to note this report refers to the 17e model that would be expected to launch no earlier than February 2026, if it followed the same release pattern as the iPhone 16e. What will iOS 26 be like? Apple upended its numbering conventions with WWDC 2025, and will match the name of each new operating system to the year it's released. So when the next wave of iPhones hits, they'll be running on iOS 26. Advertisement Advertisement On the design side, the smartphone OS introduced during the big developer showcase took a contentious approach dubbed Liquid Glass. Apple has been scaling down the amount of transparency effects in the subsequent beta tests of iOS 26, but it will still have a glass-like visual. The feature list includes big and small updates. On the more impactful side, the Phone and Photos apps have been redesigned. There will be several features leveraging artificial intelligence, such as live translation capabilities coming to Phone, FaceTime and Messages. Apple is also currently testing a sensitive content warning for child accounts that will freeze FaceTime video if nudity is detected by on-device machine learning tools. And the company is also launching Visual Intelligence, which will use AI to search for elements in an image. iOS 26 also has a litany of minor, quality of life improvements. Group texts are getting support for polls. And for the slow risers out there, iOS 26 will finally let you escape the tyranny of the nine minute snooze alarm. The next iOS is now available as a public beta. Here are our initial impressions of the Liquid Glass design and other new features. iOS 26 is compatible with all models back through iPhone 11. What other products are expected to be released alongside the iPhone 17? If Apple follows its usual pattern, the iPhone 17 will be announced alongside new Apple Watch products. That would be the Apple Watch Series 11 (if Apple sticks to the same naming scheme), and maybe an Apple Watch Ultra 3 and/or an updated Apple Watch SE. (They'll all run watchOS 26, of course.) Other possibilities and this is, again, speculation could include refreshed Apple AirPods Pro (which received its last big update in 2022) and maybe new AirTags trackers (first released in 2021). Advertisement Advertisement The Apple rumor mill got a big shot in the arm this week thanks to the reported inclusion of product ID numbers in recent beta software builds. Per MacRumors, it's a laundry list of new hardware, including long-rumored product updates like the Apple TV, HomePod mini, new Apple Studio Display monitor and two fresh iPads. Of course, even if that list is totally accurate, we may not see those products until 2026 if ever. So don't expect all of products to share the stage with the iPhone 17, especially since Apple likes to keep its star performer at the center of attention. That said, keep in mind that Apple has recently been having Mac-centric announcements in late October (as it did last year to debut new M4 Macs), so there's always the chance of another shoe dropping a few weeks down the road. Update, August 25, 2025, 5:15PM ET: Added new reports about the iPhone 17 Pro's orange color as well as new rumored Liquid Silicone cases. Advertisement Advertisement Update, August 22, 2025, 11:52AM ET: Added new details about the colors of the rumored TechWoven case. Update, August 20, 2025, 7:12PM ET: Added new rumor about potential TechWoven case for iPhone 17 series. Update, August 18, 2025, 6:23PM ET: Added new rumor about the iPhone 17e potentially having the Dynamic Island. Update, August 15, 2025, 2:05PM ET: Added new rumor about the all-aluminum chassis on the iPhone 17. Update, August 13, 2025, 10:02PM ET: Added a list of the products that are expected to be released alongside the iPhone 17s. Update, August 11, 2025, 7:27PM ET: Added a render of a rumored new antenna design for the iPhone 17 Pro. Advertisement Advertisement Update, August 8, 2025, 4:43PM ET: Added new speculation and reports about iPhone 17 pricing. Update, August 6, 2025, 4:05PM ET: Added latest details about the potential iPhone 17 event date. Update, August 4, 2025, 5:23PM ET: Added latest battery leaks about the iPhone 17 models. Update, August 1, 2025, 8:15AM ET: Added new photos showing potential iPhone 17 colors. Update, July 30, 2025, 11:08AM ET: Added latest leaks and rumors about the iPhone 17, and updated information on the iOS 26 public beta. Update, July 17, 2025, 4:40PM ET: Added latest information about iOS 26, possible materials for the Air, and the color options for the different models. Advertisement Advertisement Update, March 17, 2025, 2PM ET: Added details about the rumored price and features of the iPhone 17 Air. Update, April 11, 2025, 3:45PM ET: Added details from Front Page Tech's new video that claims to reveal details from a leaked iOS 19 build. Last month, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was released and immediately became the de facto king of the foldable phone hill. But now a new challenger has arrived: The Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The full details are now available in the wake of Google's splashy launch event, which debuted the Fold alongside the full new Pixel 10 line, a new Pixel smartwatch and two new earbuds, too (see everything Google announced). But the Pixel 10 Pro Fold was the star of the show, and it's vying with the Z Fold 7 for the title of best foldable both offer very similar designs, but each bringing something unique to the table. Samsung launched its first foldable phone in 2019, so it's had quite a bit of time to refine the Galaxy Fold over the years. Google on the other hand just released its first Pixel Fold a couple years ago but has already largely evened the match. And, of course, with enhanced Gemini AI software integration front and center, you'll have access to Google's impressive artificial intelligence features at nearly every turn. We'll break down how the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 7 stack up to one another. You can also check out our comparison of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Galaxy Fold 6 to see how much has changed in a year. Price First things first, how much will one of these high-tech folding phones cost you? That is the make-or-break question, after all. The newest Pixel foldable is still less expensive than this year's Z Fold: it starts at $1,799 while the Galaxy smartphone starts at $2,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You don't have any other real choices for "book-style" foldables in the US market. The OnePlus Open can be had for $1,499, but it's almost two years old. And Apple's most expensive phone is currently the $1,599 1TB iPhone 16 Pro Max but as a non-foldable model with just a single screen, it's hardly a straight comparison. If the rumor mill is to be believed, Apple may finally bow a foldable iPhone in 2026. Dimensions and display It's a race for the largest display and Samsung won this time but not by much. The Galaxy Z Fold is just a hair bigger than the Pixel Pro Fold. Both phones' inner displays are 8 inches across when fully opened, while Samsung comes out ahead on the outer display with 6.5 inches (the Pixel is 6.4 inches). As for height, the new foldable Pixel phone is 6.1 inches and the Galaxy Z is 6.2 inches not a huge difference there. When unfolded, the Samsung wins on size efficiency, packing the identically sized 8-inch internal display into an area that's 0.3 inches smaller 5.6 inches versus the Pixel's 5.9. This year, the Pixel 10 Pro Folds displays have been upgraded to a Super Actua Flex OLED display with ultra-thin glass. Both the front screen and back cover come equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, it has a Dynamic AMOLED display (inner and outer) and comes with the Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front and the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the backside. The glass is ultra-thin, yet it's 50 percent thicker than before. While slightly bigger, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is still lighter than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The Samsung model weighs only 7.6 ounces down nearly an ounce from its 2024 model while its Google competition comes in at 9.1 ounces (the same as last year's model). The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (left) compared to the new Pixel 10 Pro Fold (right). (Sam Rutherford/Engadget) Processor, RAM, storage and battery The Pixel 10 Fold Pro runs the Tensor G5 chip Google says its CPU features 34 percent better performance compared to the Tensor G4 chip. The Z Fold 7 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. "Everything feels fast and snappy," Engadget's Sam Rutherford said of the Snapdragon 8 Elite performance on the Z Fold 7. (Sam also has first impressions of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but speed tests will happen a bit later.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both phones offer the choice of 256GB, 512GB or 1TB storage. On the RAM front, the Pixel Fold delivers 16GB across the line, while the Samsung model reserves that level for the top 1TB storage tier; the small models get 12GB instead. The Galaxy phone will cost you $2,419 if you decide you need the maximum amount of storage, whereas the Pixel Fold tops out at $2,149. When it comes to battery life, Samsung's foldable lasts up to 24 hours with a 4,400mAh battery. The Pixel lasts up to 30 hours thanks to a more capacious 5,015mAh battery rating. Furthermore, the Pixel Fold is certified for Qi2 wireless charging, which Google is branding as "Pixelsnap" across its 2025 Pixel line for the first time. Cameras For many shoppers, a phone is only as good as its cameras, and both of these phones bring a strong lens game. Each has three rear cameras, though they're different aesthetically. You'll notice the Pixel has a larger camera bump with two rows, while the Galaxy has a thinner vertical line of cameras. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold's rear camera array consists of a 48MP wide sensor, a 10.5MP ultrawide and a 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom. All three offer "Super Res Zoom" up to 20x with optical and electronic image stabilization. Per our own Sam Rutherford, the potential drawback here is that Google played it safe: "The biggest potential shortcoming of the P10PF is that its camera hardware is largely staying the same. Granted, that's not a huge deal because the previous model had the best photo quality of any foldable phone." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 rear camera trio includes the same 200MP wide-angle camera as the company's Galaxy S25 Ultra, but carries over the 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephone from the Z Fold 6. Zoom levels are 3x optical and 30x digital. While we have yet to put the Pixel 10 Pro Fold cameras through their paces, Sam was still liking last year's Pixel Fold versus the Galaxy Z Fold 7 when he reviewed the latter: "At night, the Fold 7's shots remained surprisingly sharp. I still prefer the Pixel 9 Pro Fold due to its more accurate white balance and often sharper focus, though Samsung's phone isn't far behind." And the entire Pixel line's cameras are (of course) supercharged with some new Google Gemini AI niceties, like the Camera Coach feature that enables voice-controlled photo editing. Both the Pixel and Galaxy offer similar 10MP specs on their front and inner selfie cameras. Color options If you like having multiple colors to choose from, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is winning in this category. It comes in Mint, Jetblack, Blue Shadow and Silver Shadow. Mint is only available if you buy your phone online you won't be seeing that one in stores. Advertisement Advertisement As for the Pixel 10 Fold Pro, your options are Moonstone and Jade. Full specs comparison Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Starting price $1,799 $2,000 Dimensions Folded: 6.1 x 3.0 x 0.4 inches (155.2 x 76.3 x 10.8mm) Unfolded: 6.1 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches (155.2 x 150.4 x 5.2mm) Folded: 6.2 x 2.9 x 0.4 inches (158.4 x 72.8 x 8.9mm) Unfolded: 6.2 x 5.6 x 0.2 inches (158.4 x 143.2 x 4.2mm) Weight 9.1 oz (258g) 7.6 oz (215g) Processor Tensor G5 Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3nm) Display Inner: 8-inch Super Actua Outer: 6.4-inch Actua Inner: 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED Outer: 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB 256GB / 512GB / 1TB RAM 16GB 12GB (for 256GB, 512GB configs) | 16GB (for 1TB config) Battery 5,015mAh | "Up to 30 hours" 4,400mAh | "Up to 24 hours" Camera Main: 48MP wide (F1.7) | 10.5MP Ultrawide (F2.2) | 10.8MP Telephoto lens (F3.1) with 5x optical | Super Res Zoom up to 20x Front: 10MP (F2.2) Inner: 10 MP (F2.2) Main: 200MP Wide (F1.7) | 12MP Ultrawide (F2.2) | 10 MP (F2.4) Telephoto (F2.4) with 3x optical zoom Front: 10MP (F2.2) Inner: 10MP (F2.2) Stylus support No No Colors Moonstone, Jade Mint (online only), Jetblack, Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow Updated August 21, 2:26PM ET: Added a section comparing the cameras on both phones. Google has announced the key details of its new Pixel hardware, including the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold phones and the Pixel Watch 4, Pixel Buds 2a and Pixel Buds 2 Pro earbuds, alongside a slew of new Gemini AI features. Follow our Pixel 10 liveblog at 1PM ET for additional news and analysis. David Hekili Kenui Bell's autopsy report, released nearly two months after his unexpected passing, lists four significant pathological findings: acute respiratory failure, sepsis, hypertensive/atherosclerotic heart disease, and morbid obesity. The Honolulu Police Department conducted the examination beginning June 19, with the full report finalized on July 10, revealing Bell's struggles with multiple health conditions at the time of his death. According to the report, the live-action "Lilo & Stitch" actor also suffered from stasis dermatitis, a skin disorder caused by poor blood circulation, and edema. He "complained of difficulty breathing" before his collapse, prompting emergency airway resuscitation and defibrillation attempts that ultimately failed to revive him. Toxicology results confirmed that no drugs or alcohol were present in his system. Bell, 46, earned widespread recognition for his cameo as the "shave ice guy" in Disney's recent live-action adaptation of "Lilo & Stitch." His sister, Jalene Kanani Bell, announced his death in a heartfelt June 15 Facebook post, describing him as "sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant, and handsome" and noting that he would "spend today in the company of our Heavenly Father." The Honolulu Police have stated there is no evidence of foul play, and the investigation into his death is now closed. Before his Disney role, Bell appeared in guest roles on television series including "Hawaii Five-0" and "Magnum, P.I." His sudden death came as a shock to colleagues and fans who celebrated his warmth on and off set. In its tribute, Walt Disney Studios described him as "kind, caring, and a friend to all on set" and affirmed that he would "forever be a member of the Disney and 'Lilo & Stitch' family." Bell's funeral service took place on August 9 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Honolulu, attended by family, friends, and members of the local acting community. In place of flowers, the family requested donations to a Hawaiian health initiative focusing on respiratory care and obesity prevention, causes closely tied to the conditions cited in Bell's autopsy. While his on-screen career was brief, Bell's performance left a lasting impression, turning a small but memorable moment into a highlight of the film's marketing campaign. Colleagues and cast members recall his easygoing demeanor and genuine aloha spirit, qualities that endeared him to all who knew him. As news of the autopsy report spreads, fans continue to express their sorrow online, remembering Bell not only for his role in "Lilo & Stitch" but for the generosity and brightness he brought into every room. Ghislaine Maxwell's relocation to a Texas minimum-security prison camp has stoked fresh concerns over her safety after reports of attempted break-ins and a shooting incident outside the facility. Maxwell, 63, received a 20-year sentence for plotting with Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse and exploit children. She was transferred to Federal Prison Camp Bryan following a meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who had worked as Donald Trump's defense attorney, regarding Epstein's case. At about 1:15 a.m. on August 9, there were reports of gunfire at the camp. The authorities first reported it as a "gang-related" shooting, but subsequent reports differed. The Bureau of Prisons reported that employees reacted as if they were "an active shooter situation," and Bryan Police stated there was "no indication" of gang activity. Sources briefed on the incident expressed doubts about the official version, describing the incident as "highly suspicious." A police report indicated a gun was fired within the camp grounds, perhaps by a guard, even though Bryan staff are generally not armed. Author Jessica Reed Kraus reported on Substack that rumors within the facility suggested the event could have been "an attempted break-in to attack Maxwell." Another source indicated a second attempted break-in days later failed to make it to the public news. In response, security at the Bryan camp has outwardly intensified. Authorities put barbed wire on fences, deployed unmarked patrol units, and set up armed guards in rotating shifts in trucks at the entrance, witnesses said. Guards with AR-15 rifles reportedly created barricades out of government vehicles. An inside source expressed worry about Maxwell's destiny, stating, "I think there is a high likelihood Maxwell could be killed or movedI just don't see her walking out of there alive." Insiders informed RadarOnline the increased security could be to prevent a recurrence of Epstein's 2019 death in a New York jail, which was determined to be a suicide but led to years of conspiracy theories and speculation. Epstein's death resulted in claims of a cover-up and accusations that the Trump administration protected influential friends associated with Epstein. It has since been hinted by some critics that Maxwell might be exposed to similar threats. The insider further stated: "Should anything happen to Maxwell, it would collapse any remaining trust in the system and cast an indelible shadow over Trump himself. They cannot afford to conclude this story with two bodies.." Colman Domingo, best known for his role in "Euphoria," has revealed he once had an unsettling encounter that nearly drew him into a cult. According to People, the actor shared the surprising story during his August 19 appearance on "Mythical Kitchen's Last Meals," hosted by Josh Scherer. "I almost joined a cult in Mexico City, but that's another story," Domingo admitted with a laugh. "It was a group of nice people and then I was like, 'Wait a minute, this is weird.'" The 55-year-old actor explained that this was his first time ever meeting people tied to a cult. While he didn't go into detail about how he met the group, he realized something was off when their friendliness quickly shifted into something more concerning. "I was like, 'What's up with you guys?'" he recalled. "But as I did research and found out more about them, I'm like, 'Oh, that's a cult.'" 'Euphoria' and 'Sing Sing' star Colman Domingo revealed that he almost accidentally joined a cult recently: 'This is weird.' https://t.co/FQDmeDf68L Entertainment Weekly (@EW) August 18, 2025 Colman Domingo and Josh Scherer Share Scary Cult Stories Interestingly, Scherer also shared a similar experience, saying he too was recently approached by a group that tried to recruit him. Scherer is approached by a cult, saying they tried to convince him to join after he initially refused. He later noted that it's never wise to get mixed up with such groups. Both Domingo and Scherer agreed that the groups often appear warm and welcoming, but there's always something unsettling beneath the surface. Domingo cautioned that while people may seem friendly, it's important to listen to your instincts. Despite the bizarre encounter, the Oscar nominee did not let the experience sour his perspective on community. Colman, who is married to husband Raul Domingo, explained that he values staying connected with others even though he lives in a more private area, ENews said. "I do know that I make active choices to work out at a gym where there's a lot of people. It's not a private gym," he said. "I don't know how you can possibly tell stories about humanity and people without being around people." President Donald Trump drew fresh attention this week after a Memorial Day speech honoring fallen service members resurfaced online, with critics and supporters alike questioning a verbal slip that left many scratching their heads. During a solemn ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Trump honored Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, a U.S. Navy cryptologic technician who was killed in a 2019 suicide bombing in Syria. But while delivering his tribute, Trump stumbled over the word "cryptologic," instead pronouncing it as "criptolologigic." The gaffe quickly made the rounds on social media, where users mocked what they called another example of Trump's tendency toward verbal blunders. "What is he rambling about?" one commenter wrote. Another added, "Think he needs a linguist and cryptologist to decipher the word vomit he tried to convey!" The clip also showed Vice President JD Vance, seated behind Trump, reacting with a visible head turn when the former president struggled with the word. That moment, too, sparked commentary online. The speech, which began as a tribute to Revolutionary War soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill, drifted into politics when Trump criticized the Biden administration's handling of border security. "Those young men could never have known what their sacrifice would mean to us, but we certainly know what we owe to them," Trump said, before adding, "That valor gave us the freest, greatest, and most noble Republic ever to exist on the face of the earth. A republic that I am fixing after a long and hard four years." The former president's word slip overshadowed his tributes to other fallen soldiers, including Senior Master Sgt. Elroy Harworth, a Vietnam veteran, and Army Ranger Cpl. Ryan McGee, who was killed in Iraq at age 21. Reactions to the viral clip reflected the nation's political divide. "They laughed at Biden, and look what they got speaking the same language! Karma!" one social media user wrote. Another said, "I thought you had to speak English in America. What the f**k was that?" Though the speech was intended to honor veterans, it instead reignited debate over Trump's speaking style and ability to stay on message a familiar theme throughout his political career. High-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction was used to map charge-density changes during hydrogen bond symmetrisation in the mineral natrochalcite. Microfocused, highly stable X-rays at beamline ID27 enabled precise electron-density analysis at high pressure. The findings provide new insight into hydrogen bond behaviour in minerals and hydrogen-rich superconductors under extreme conditions. Upon compression, hydrous minerals and other inorganic and molecular solids containing hydrogen bonds (HBs) undergo a characteristic transformation involving the hydrogen atom. At pressures corresponding roughly to lower-mantle depths, the distinction between the donor and acceptor in the HB disappears, and the bond becomes symmetric and very strong. However, the microscopic nature of this phenomenon is not well understood, due to a lack of systematic studies and the limitations of experimental methods that can detect such subtle changes. Understanding HB symmetrisation is important, as the formation of strong symmetric HBs in hydrous minerals facilitates the transport of water to deeper parts of Earths mantle [1] and also significantly influences the superconductivity of hydrogen sulphide, which currently has the highest known critical temperature (T c ) [2]. In this study, a charge-density analysis based on high-pressure single-crystal diffraction data was used to investigate the mechanism of HB symmetrisation in the mineral natrochalcite [NaCu(SO)HO] under compression. Analysing electron-density distributions refined against X-ray data at high pressure is challenging. The use of diamond anvil cells (DACs) typically results in reduced resolution, lower completeness, and limited data quality. These limitations can be mitigated by employing very bright X-ray sources with short-wavelength radiation, that provide high resolution and better completeness at high pressure. For this work, extremely high-quality single-crystal X-ray diffraction data were collected at high pressure on beamline ID27 using a microfocused and highly stable X-ray beam, enabling refinement of a quantitative multipole model for detailed electron-density analysis. This approach allowed the detection of subtle electron-density changes and provided direct insight into the mechanism of HB symmetrisation. Residual Fourier electron-density maps revealed that, at room temperature and ambient pressure, the hydrogen atom is disordered over two positions in the natrochalcite structure (phase I). At approximately 1.57 GPa, a single positive electron density peak appears between the oxygen atoms (phase II), indicating that hydrogen-atom ordering and HB symmetrisation occur between 1.08 and 1.57 GPa. At ambient pressure, the disordered hydrogen atoms are nearly collinear with the O(4) atom. As pressure increases (to 0.6 and 1.08 GPa), the electron-density peaks move apart, indicating a non-linear configuration. The disordered hydrogen atoms also shift off-centre towards the oxygen atoms, forming a very short OH covalent bond and a longer HO hydrogen bond at 1.08 GPa (Figure 1). Click figure to enlarge Fig. 1: Residual Fourier electron-density maps showing pressure-induced changes in electron density associated with the disordered hydrogen atom (phase I; atmospheric 1.08 GPa) and the ordered hydrogen atom (phase II; 1.57 GPa 3.65 GPa) hydrogen atom. The scales on the right indicate the maximum and minimum residual-density values for the maps in each row (e A3). Maps of the negative Laplacian of the electron density for hydrogen H(4B) show regions where electron density increases with pressure (red iso-contours) and regions of depletion (blue iso-contours), with pressure increments as labelled in Figure 2. A significant concentration of electron density away from the O(4)O(4) axis is observed as pressure increases from ambient conditions to 0.6 GPa and 1.08 GPa. This indicates that the shift of disordered hydrogen atoms into a nonlinear, off-centre arrangement is driven by a redistribution of electron density specifically, a flow away from the hydrogen-bond centre towards the oxygen atoms at 1.08 GPa. Between 1.08 GPa and 1.57 GPa, the electron density at the bond centre increases markedly; the previously depleted central region becomes enriched, signalling the formation of a symmetric bond (Figure 2). Importantly, the evolution of the relevant order parameter remains continuous, consistent with a second-order transition. Click figure to enlarge Fig. 2: 2D maps of the differences in negative Laplacian of the electron density for the hydrogen atom, showing changes in charge concentration and depletion between the pressure points indicated at the top of each panel. Red contours denote regions of charge concentration (iso-contours at +0.5 e A5), and blue contours denote regions of charge depletion (iso-contours at 2.0 e A5). The maps reveal a complex reorganisation of electron density in the hydrogen bond as a function of pressure. Additional 3D visualisations of the negative Laplacian of electron density (is-contours at + 0.5 e A-5 and - 2.0 e A-5) for successive pressure intervals (0.6 GPa atmospheric, 1.08 GPa 0.6 GPa, and 1.57 GPa 1.08 GPa) illustrate the concentration of electron density in reddish regions and depletion in bluish regions. These images reveal a distinct reversal in electron-density polarisation between 1.08 GPa and 1.57 GPa. This 3D perspective corresponds to the upper row of Figure 2. These findings show that HB symmetrisation in natrochalcite is unequivocally a second-order phase transition. The process yields a less compressible structure due to the formation of a symmetric HB with unusually strong covalent character. Such changes have important consequences for the physical properties of minerals under mantle-like conditions and for high-pressure hydrogen-rich superconductors. Hydrogen-bond symmetrisation is preceded by continuous rearrangements of disordered hydrogen atoms, including their counterintuitive off-centre movement towards oxygen atoms under compression. This work captures the detailed reorganisation of electron density within a strong HB as a function of pressure. Principal publication Symmetrization of Strong Hydrogen Bond under High Pressure in Bihydroxide-Ion-Containing NaCu 2 (SO 4 ) 2 H 3 O 2 Revealed by Experimental Charge Density, Single-Crystal Electron Diffraction, and Neutron Diffraction Studies, P. Rejnhardt et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 147 (30), 2683026843 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c08310 References [1] S. Zhu et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 139 (35), 1212912132 (2017). [2] I. Errea et al., Nature 532 (7597), 8184 (2016). (Informacion remitida por la empresa firmante) RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- VistaJet, the first and only global private aviation company and part of the Vista group, announces that it is the first foreign operator to offer flights internally within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This exciting agreement is a commitment to dedicate VistaJet services and expertise to facilitate the strategic goals of the Kingdom, and with the leadership's vision and implementation of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). Given the nature of Vista's fully-owned floating fleet, the company is best positioned to offer immediate private aviation services throughout the Kingdom, while ensuring the operational efficiencies of its worldwide operations continue to best serve local clients. With the largest international fleet of Global 7500 aircraft, and soon Global 8000 jets, VistaJet clients can additionally reach any point around the globe non-stop directly from the Kingdom, thanks to its strategic central geographical position. Nick van der Meer, Chief Operating Officer at Vista, said: "The approval and recognition from GACA marks a significant milestone for Vista's operations in the Kingdom. By expanding our domestic capabilities, we are not only strengthening our regional presence, but also amplifying the efficiency of our global fleet. We are proud to support Vision 2030 and grateful to the leadership and the GACA team for making this possible. This enables us to serve our clients with seamless access across the Kingdom and beyond, ensuring that every journey reflects Vista's commitment to reliability, consistency and world-class service." Saudi Arabia's aviation industry is undergoing a historic transformation, positioned as a key pillar of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. With bold ambitions to become a global hub for travel, trade and investment, the Kingdom and GACA are rapidly modernizing the country's aviation landscape through regulation, infrastructure and innovation, connecting Asia, Africa and Europe like never before. This vision is symbiotic to Vista's operations as the most advanced, sustainable and interconnected flying solutions at the very best value, anytime, anywhere around the world. VistaJet has served the market for more than 15 years more than any other international operator and is committed to ensuring it adds true value to the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has proven a key growth market for VistaJet, and continues to deliver numerous opportunities. During the first half of 2025, the company saw a 32% increase in VistaJet Program Members in the Kingdom year-over-year, highlighting the drive in demand for both domestic and global flying solutions for both local and international clients. "We are delighted to be working with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and GACA, reinforcing our commitment to offering clients reliable, flexible and trusted flying solutions through our global and regional infrastructure," comments Mazen Obaid, President Middle East at Vista. "As a Saudi myself, I am extremely proud and excited for this new venture, and of all the opportunities that I know we can achieve together. We thank the Kingdom and its leadership for its dynamic Vision 2030, and we very much look forward to hiring many local experts and investing locally." Vista has innovated the industry for over 20 years, flying corporations and private clients to over 200 countries and territories on the Vista Members' fleet of over 270 iconic silver and red business jets, across a range of aircraft types, focusing on super-midsize and global range. From Challenger 350 to the flagship Global 7500, Vista offers the best aircraft in each cabin class for every trip. This announcement follows Vista successfully closing an Equity and Term Loan B transaction totaling $1.3 billion in the first quarter of this year. These transactions are a strong endorsement of Vista's strategy and long-term vision for the future. With enhanced operations, increased services and expanding geographical presence in emerging markets, the business continues to evolve to demand the agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and GACA is another major milestone, strengthening Vista's position in a key market. Contact: press@vistaglobal.com About VistaJet VistaJet is the first and only global business aviation company. On the unrivaled Vista Members' fleet of over 270 aircraft, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to over 200 countries and territories, covering 96% of the world. Founded over 20 years ago, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers are granted access to an entire fleet while paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership and fractional ownership. VistaJet's signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid and long-range jets, to fly them anytime, anywhere, with as little as 24 hours' notice. VistaJet is part of Vista Global Holding (Vista) the world's leading private aviation group, headquartered at the DIFC in Dubai, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset-free solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation. More VistaJet information and news at www.vistajet.com. VistaJet Limited is a European air carrier that operates 9H registered aircraft under its Maltese Air Operator Certificate No. MT-17. VistaJet US Inc. is an air charter broker that does not operate aircraft. VistaJet-owned and U.S.-registered aircraft are operated by properly licensed U.S. direct air carriers, including XOJET Aviation LLC (DBA Vista America), JetSelect LLC (DBA Vista America), Western Air Charter Inc (DBA Vista America), and Red Wing Aeroplane LLC (DBA Vista America). About Vista Vista Global Holding Limited (Vista) is the world's leading global business aviation company providing worldwide business flight services through its network of subsidiaries and a team of over 4,000 experts. A global group headquartered in Dubai, Vista integrates a unique portfolio of companies to offer asset free services to cover all key aspects of business aviation, including guaranteed and on demand global flight coverage, subscription and membership solutions, and trading and management services. Innovating the industry for over 20 years through continuous investment in talent, technology, and infrastructure, Vista's mission is to provide the most advanced flying services at the very best value anytime, anywhere around the world. Vista's extensive industry expertise enables it to deliver comprehensive end-to-end solutions and technology to meet the needs of business aviation clients around the world. These services are offered through its leading brands, including VistaJet and XO. More Vista information and news at www.vistaglobal.com. "Vista" is a trade name for Vista Global Holding Limited. Vista does not operate any aircraft. All flights are performed by properly licensed operators, which may include subsidiaries such as VistaJet Limited or VistaJet GmbH. Vista also holds a non-controlling minority stake in FAA-licensed and DOT registered US direct air carriers XOJET Aviation LLC (DBA Vista America), Red Wing Aeroplane LLC (DBA Vista America), Western Air Charter, Inc. (DBA Vista America), Jet Select, LLC (DBA Vista America), and Talon Air LLC. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2752740...Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2752659... View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/vistajet-first-to-fly-within-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-further-expanding-domestic-flight-solutions-302534522.html British inflation hit its highest in 18 months in July when it increased to 3.8% from 3.6%, once again leaving the country with the fastest ... The U.S. State Department said Monday that the Trump administration did not play a role in the release of an Israeli cyber security expert after he was arrested in Las Vegas as part of an online, underage sex sting. The Department of State is aware that Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, an Israeli citizen, was arrested in Las Vegas and given a court date for charges related to soliciting sex electronically from a minor, the State Department said in a statement Monday. He did not claim diplomatic immunity and was released by a state judge pending a court date. Any claims that the U.S. government intervened are false. U.S. Attorney for Nevada Sigal Chattah also said Monday that her federal prosecutors office would not be prosecuting the Israeli official and that local prosecutors would handle any prosecutions. Last week, Tom Artiom Alexandrovich was arrested in a Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children joint operation; and he was booked into the Henderson Detention Center. This important multi-agency operation targeted child sex predators who preyed upon the most vulnerable members of our communities. As a result of the operation, the Clark County District Attorneys Office is handling the prosecution. Alexandrovich, 38, is a senior cybersecurity specialist with Israels Cybersecurity Directorate. On Aug. 15, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced the Israeli and several other men were arrested as part of an online sex sting with police posing as underage teens. Police allege Alexandrovich talked to and set up a potential date with a police officer posing as a 15-year-old girl. The cyber security official allegedly wanted to take the supposed girl to Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas, according to The Guardian newspaper. Police charged Alexandrovich and the other men in the sting with a felony charge of luring a child with a computer for sex act. Alexandrovich told police he thought the girl was 18, according to local and international reports. A report by Reuters said Alexandrovich posted a $10,000 bond and was released and is due back in court Aug. 27. He is also reported to have returned to Israel and is on leave from the national cybersecurity agency, according to the Jerusalem Post and YNET. The Trump administration pronouncements on the case came after U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, questioned why Alexandrovich was released and allowed to return to Israel. Taylor Greene has been critical of the humanitarian toll of Israels war against Hamas in Gaza as well as U.S. military support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government. PENNSYLVANIA FURNACE, Pa. The younger generation is interested in agriculture, but theres a roadblock in the way: the cost of starting a farm. This was the main point of conversation at Penn State Ag Progress Days joint informational meeting with the Senate and House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committees called The State of the Livestock Industry in Pennsylvania: Producers Perspective, on Aug. 13. During the meeting, Pennsylvania livestock producers representing industry groups discussed the challenges of farming with government officials. Farmers talked about the high cost of acquiring farmland, taxes and building infrastructure and the slow permitting process. Others discussed Pennsylvanias 2025-2026 budget, including cuts to agriculture funding. Where were at today, with the delay in the timeline (of permitting infrastructure on farmland) and the expenses (being) astronomical, its becoming a roadblock to that next generation wanting to get involved in farming, and we dont want to lose that, said Chris Pierce, president of Heritage Poultry Management Services in Lebanon County, which provides management services for traditional and cage-egg production. High costs Multiple producers expressed concern over the rising costs of building new barns and infrastructure on farmland. Coleman Wagner is one of these producers. Hes the president of the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council and general manager of Ag Venture Swine Management Services in Lancaster County. According to Wagner, many animal confinement facilities were built in the 90s and are nearing the end of their life cycle. But since 2019, new barn building costs have risen 40%, reports Wagner and the National Hog Farmer, a news outlet for the pork industry. Were losing quite a bit of infrastructure, Wagner said. Were at a big inflection point in the industry where we dont have enough space or people willing to take on the investment of building a new barn and raising our herds that we have here in Pennsylvania. Pierce echoed similar sentiments. He said many 30-year-olds are getting involved in the egg-laying business because they are able to acquire farmland through generational wealth. If that didnt take place, we wouldnt have food, he said. Without this, costs would be too high: If my neighbor had to buy a $3 million farm to put a $3 million egg-laying operation on it, the cash flow doesnt work, Pierce said. Tessa Applegate, chief financial officer and fourth-generation owner of Clarks Feed Mill in Northumberland County, followed up with the difficulties associated with high taxes and permit costs from one township to another. Applegate says her companys operations span multiple counties, but regulations in different counties and even townships within these counties vary, creating significant financial hurdles for farmers. She points to Pennsylvanias Clean and Green program as a potential solution. This program, created in 1974, lowers property taxes for landowners based on land use. But Applegate notes several counties do not participate in the program. The tools to help farmers already exist here at the state level, but whether or not they can be used depends on where you farm, she said. Wagner, Pierce and Applegate added that the slow permitting process with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has also hurt interest in farming. Wagner said he has been working with a farm that has been in the permitting process since summer 2023. Later in the hearing, Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, who chairs the Rural Revitalization Population Commission, said he received an update from DEP on its Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development program, which was created in July 2024 to streamline the most common permitting, he said. The DEP is qualifying professionals to work with applicants to apply for expedited permits for projects under the DEPs Chapters 102 and 105, which regulate projects that disturb the earths surface and take place in or around waterways and wetlands. Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Luzerne, chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, added he would like to schedule a follow-up meeting with producers to discuss more about permitting costs and to create a plan to tackle these problems. Pennsylvania budget Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said hes working on investing more into agriculture in Pennsylvanias 2025-26 budget. Make no mistake, I want to invest more in capital for our farmers, Shapiro told Farm and Dairy during a meeting with the media on Aug. 13 at Ag Progress Days. Pennsylvanias budget is six weeks overdue. Currently, it includes an additional $13 million for the states Agriculture Innovation Grant Program, which provides funding to farmers and agricultural business owners to implement new agricultural technologies, conservation practices and renewable energy. It also includes an additional $2 million for western Pennsylvanias new animal diagnostic laboratory at Penn State Beaver and $4 million for the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System to connect Pennsylvanians at risk of hunger with local food, among other agriculture investments. However, Darwin Nissley, president of the Pennsylvania Cattlemens Association, expressed concerns over budget cuts to the Pennsylvania Ag Excellence Centers. The proposed budget slashes funding by $800,000. Nissley said this funding helped create numerous opportunities for beef producers in the state, including the Pennsylvania Beef Councils Pa. Beef to Pa. Schools program, which allows schools to purchase and serve Pennsylvania-grown beef in cafeterias. In one year, that program exploded from 32 school districts to 120, covering 25% of all public schools and reaching 70% of the counties in the commonwealth, he said, at the meeting. The Center for Beef Excellence was also able to provide grants to producers for farm and herd improvement and funding through the Veterinary Excellence Initiative grant program, which helps veterinarians purchase equipment and enhance their infrastructure to better serve beef producers. To keep this momentum going in both cattle producers and the consumer side of things, we need to have this Ag Excellence line item restored to (its previous budget level), Nissley said. (Liz Partsch can be reached at epartsch@farmanddairy.com or 330-337-3419.) Every year on August 21, Chennai goes into a nostalgic mode as the city celebrates its founding day. From Madras, the city has undergone many transformations and developments to become Chennai, yet it remains rooted in its history, culture, and traditions. One such example is the celebration of Madras Day, and this year marks its 386th anniversary. Like its everyday traditions, there is something synonymous with the city and that is food. While new cafes and global cuisines have found their way into Chennais bustling streets, the essence of Madras lives on in its heritage eateries. These kitchens, some over a century old, have fed generations with the South Indian meals, crispy dosas, fluffy idlis, spicy sambhar, and that signature tumbler of hot filter coffee. As we celebrate this iconic city, we revisit 12 vintage eateries that carry forward its timeless culinary legacy. Some Chinese investors recently visited Cambodia to explore the latters investment climate, with a focus on investment opportunities in the textile industryfrom fabric and yarn production to garment manufacturingand the plantation wood industry. Lim Visal, deputy secretary general of the Cambodia Investment Board under the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), presented an overview of Cambodias investment landscape and incentive schemes, and relevant regulations. Some Chinese investors recently visited Cambodia to explore the latter's investment climate, with a focus on investment opportunities in the textile industryfrom fabric and yarn production to garment manufacturing. Cambodia urged the investors to follow the guidance of specialised departments, and accord priority to hiring localsparticularly workers returning from Thailand. He urged the Chinese investors to follow the guidance of specialised departments, comply with Cambodian laws and regulations, and accord priority to hiring localsparticularly workers returning from Thailand, according to Cambodian newspaper. Cambodias textile industry has evolved significantly, driven by strategic Chinese investments and favorable government policies, according to Cambodia Market Entry, a business division under MRTS Consulting Ltd. Chinese investors have recognised the immense potential in Cambodias textile sector, contributing to advanced manufacturing capabilities, technology transfer and modernisation, supply chain optimisation, and regional market access through free trade agreements, it noted. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Egypt is mulling over converting the Helwan Iron and Steel Company site into a major textile and garment industry complex to attract foreign investment and boost local value-addition, deputy prime minister for industrial development and minister of industry and transport Kamel Al-Wazir recently said. The Helwan Iron and Steel Company was founded in 1954. Due to substantial losses, the Egyptian government decided to liquidate the company in January 2021. Egypt is mulling over converting the Helwan Iron and Steel Company site into a major textile and garment industry complex to attract foreign investment and boost local value-addition, deputy prime minister for industrial development and minister of industry and transport Kamel Al-Wazir recently said. Due to substantial losses, the government decided to liquidate the company in January 2021. Al-Wazir instructed ministry officials to strengthen integration across industrial chains and deepen complementary industries for the garment sector to reduce the raw material import bill. He said this while visiting Technotex Factory, part of El-Nile Group, located in the Second Industrial Zone in 15th of May City. Technotex currently employs 5,000 workers and plans to expand its workforce to 8,000 and increase output to 14.7 million pieces annually by 2026, raising export revenues to EGP 4.7 billion, Egyptian media outlets reported citing a statement from the cabinet. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) While the United States isand will remainan important trading partner of the European Union (EU), the latter should also aim to deepen its trade ties with other jurisdictions, leveraging the strengths of its export-oriented economy, according to European Central Bank (ECB) president Christine Lagarde. According to the Eurosystems June projections, euro area growth is expected to slow in the third quarter this year as frontloading unwinds, Lagarde told the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum in Geneva recently. While the US isand will remaina key trading partner of the EU, the latter should also aim to deepen its trade ties with other jurisdictions, leveraging the strengths of its export-oriented economy, according to European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde. Euro area growth is expected to slow in Q3 2025 as frontloading unwinds, she told the WEF's International Business Council in Geneva recently. Recent trade deals have alleviated, but certainly not eliminated, global uncertainty, which persists on account of the unpredictable policy environment, she noted. The euro area economy proved resilient earlier this year in the face of a challenging global environment, and this has largely been due to two factors, she said. First, Europes export-oriented economy has benefited from the global frontloading, growing by more than expected in the first quarter of the year. The second factor underpinning the economy has been stronger private consumption and investment, which have contributed positively to growth. Moreover, the labour market remains robust, she said. Despite recent trade tensions and substantial uncertainty, global growth has remained broadly steady so far, and the resilience has been mainly driven by tariff-induced distortions of economic activity, she added. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Since Nitesh Tiwari announced his ambitious project, Ramayana, it has made way for talks about its impressive cast and remarkable visual effects. Now, it has been exclusively reported by Hindustan Times that Amit Sial has joined the cast and will be playing the role of Sugriv. In Hindu mythology, Sugriv, the younger brother of Bali, was a monkey king who played an important role in helping Lord Rama's mission to rescue Sita from the demon king Ravana. An insider close to the project revealed, Amit has shot a few portions of the film, and he will be seen playing a Hindu epic mythological character Sugriv. The actor and the director Nitesh will be working on his appearance to have authenticity to his narrative. Amit is nearly at the completion of his part in the first edition of the film. Amit Sial was last seen in Raid 2 wherein his portrayal of Lallan Sudheer in Raid 2 earned him critical acclaim and praise. Earlier, an update indicated that Amitabh Bachchan would be an essential part of the grand production, serving not only as a character but also as its narrator. A Mid-Day report cited a source which said, Were exploring the idea of having Bachchan as the sutradhar. His voice adds gravitas that no one else can match. The makers are keen that the film opens with his voice. Its still at the discussion stage. While the clash is a concern, there will be ways to work it out on a creative level. Having him open the film and be the spiritual narrator will have a strong impact. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, this film features an ensemble cast, including Ranbir Kapoor playing Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash playing Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. With Madhu Mantena and Allu Aravind as producers, Ramayana is poised to be among the most ambitious projects in the history of Indian cinema. Also Read: The Hunt Team on Not Politicising Rajiv Gandhi & Revisiting History | Nagesh Kukunoor | Amit Sial Jana Nayagan has created quite the hype as it is Vijay Thalapathy's final film before he enters politics. The film also stars Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol and Mamitha Baiju, among others. Recently, Pooja spoke about the film and sharing the screen with Vijay. The actress looked back at the rollercoaster of emotions during the Jana Nayagan shoot. Recalling her last shot with Vijay Thalapathy, who is quitting the world of cinema, Pooja shared, "I am excited for the film releasing in January. It is Vijay sir's last film. Honestly, I was just sad. Working with Vijay sir is the most relaxing experience. He is so cool and a totally chill person. I think in his mind, he knows he is a superstar, and he doesn't feel the need to prove that because he is so comfortable with himself. He's the sweetest co-star to work with." The actress stated, "He has bigger dreams and different dreams in mind, and he needs to follow that," and added, "He's still one of those people I meet up with, and he's always very sweet." Recently, Pooja broke the internet with her fiery moves in the song Monica from Coolie. The song even reached Italian screen legend Monica Bellucci, the very muse who inspired the song's title and vibe. Audiences are waiting with bated breath to see Pooja Hegde and Vijay Thalapathy ignite the screens in Jana Nayagan. It will be released theatrically on January 9, 2026. Meanwhile, she is also gearing up for a lineup of interesting releases besides Jana Nayagan. The actress will be seen in Kanchana 4, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, and an untitled film with Dulquer Salmaan. The film with Dulquer is all set to mark Pooja Hegde's return to Telugu cinema after the 2022 film Acharya. Also Read: Back in town! Pooja Hegdes Latest Airport Look is Totally Fuss-Free The big-budget period drama, Hari Hara Veera Mallu, starring Pawan Kalyan, is set to release on OTT shortly after its theatrical release. Directed by Krish and Jyothi Krisna, the film also features Bobby Deol and Nidhhi Agerwal. Although it was released in theatres on July 24th with huge expectations, the film ultimately got a mixed response from both viewers and critics. It is a common practice in Telugu cinema that films with a shorter theatrical run are quickly made available on digital platforms. In the same way, Hari Hara Veera Mallu is poised to begin streaming online within a month of its theatrical release. The makers officially announced on the film's X account that the historical epic will be available on Prime Video starting today, August 20th. The post read, A tale of rebellion, rage and righteousness. The storm that started in theatres now takes over your screens. The movie was released at midnight, and the announcement was made only a few hours before it became available on OTT platforms. A tale of rebellion, rage and righteousness The storm that started in theatres now takes over your screens Watch the saga of #HariHaraVeeraMallu Sword vs Spirit unfold from AUGUST 20 only on @PrimeVideoIN Powerstar @PawanKalyan @AMRathnamOfl @thedeol #SatyaRaj pic.twitter.com/BecLLUdA9V Hari Hara Veera Mallu (@HHVMFilm) August 19, 2025 Although fans were pleased with the quick release, some felt that it was somewhat rushed, considering the film's extensive scope. One fan mentioned that the movie might have benefited from a longer theatrical run to maintain its magic. On the other hand, others expressed their hope that the digital version would address the subpar visual effects and editing issues that received considerable criticism during its theatrical release. Hari Hara Veera Mallu generated a huge buzz around the time of its release, particularly as it marked Pawan Kalyan's first film after assuming the role of Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. In contrast to his usual practice of avoiding film promotions, the actor actively participated in promotional events throughout the country. Despite the anticipation, the film disappointed many due to its weak narrative and underwhelming visual effects. The movie narrates the story of Veera Mallu, an outlaw played by Pawan Kalyan, who goes on a daring mission to steal the legendary Kohinoor diamond from Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, played by Bobby Deol. Nidhhi Agerwal plays the female lead in this action-packed film. ALos Read: Exclusive: Distributors Are Vying for Hari Hara Veera Mallus Rights After Blockbuster Trailer Ganesh Chaturthi has arrived with a new festive anthem as Shankar Mahadevan, Siddharth Mahadevan and Shivam Mahadevan come together for Jai Shree Ganesha. Presented by Times Music, the track features music by Kedar Pandit and lyrics by Nachiket Jog. With the powerful blend of three voices across generations, the song is a grand tribute to Lord Ganesha and an offering of joy for the celebrations. The track combines energetic rhythms with soulful vocals to bring alive the true essence of the festival. It captures the excitement of welcoming Bappa with processions, the devotion of performing aarti at home and the overall spirit of togetherness that Ganesh Chaturthi stands for. Both vibrant and devotional, Jai Shree Ganesha has been designed to spread positivity and festive energy. Speaking about the release, Shankar Mahadevan said, "Jai Shree Ganesha is filled with the festive spirit and energy that Lord Ganesha inspires. Its a track that celebrates devotion and joy in equal measure and Im excited for listeners to welcome Bappa with this music." Siddharth Mahadevan added, "The vibe of Jai Shree Ganesha is pure celebration. Its a track that will instantly make you feel like joining the aarti and dancing with the procession." Shivam Mahadevan shared, "Singing along with my father and brother for a song dedicated to Ganpati Bappa is always special. We wanted to create something that fills every home with positivity and celebration." Mandar Thakur, CEO of Times Music, praised the track, saying, "Jai Shree Ganesha is an extraordinary festive track that will connect deeply with audiences during Ganesh Chaturthi. Having Shankar, Siddharth and Shivam together makes this song truly powerful and unforgettable."Jai Shree Ganesha is now available worldwide on Times Music and all major streaming platforms, bringing the festive spirit and divine energy of Lord Ganesha to listeners everywhere. Also Read: Superstar Krishna, Mahesh Babus father, passes away Malayalam cinema fans had reason to cheer on Tuesday as word spread that Mammootty has fully recovered and is back to radiant health. The industry wasted no time in celebrating, with heartfelt notes pouring in online. Social Media Showers Love on the Icon Close confidant and producer Anto Joseph set the tone with a deeply grateful post: The prayers of countless people have been answered. Thank you, God. While he didnt name names, his association with Mammootty made the message clear. Industry insider Anura Mathai soon echoed the joy, writing, The wait is over! With the Almightys blessings, our Mammukka is back. We held on with love and prayers, and today our hearts are full. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anto Joseph (@iamantojoseph) Actor Maala Parvathi too added her voice with heartfelt gratitude: No news could be better. Mammukka has regained health. Thankful to the doctors, the hospital, and everyone who cared for him. The King is back! George Sebastian, a long-time associate, was especially emotional in his post: With eyes brimming with joy, I thank all who prayed and stood by us. This moment feels like a miracle. His words resonated widely, almost as if they came from Mammootty himself. Soon, directors Siby Malayil, Ratheena PT, and producer CV Sarathi joined in with messages of love and relief, amplifying the wave of happiness. Mohanlals Heartwarming Tribute Steals the Show The celebrations were capped by none other than Mohanlal, who shared a priceless throwback capturing the duos legendary camaraderie. The photo shows him affectionately planting a kiss on Mammoottys cheek while the latter beams with his eyes shut. The image quickly went viral, a symbol of brotherhood between the two titans. This collective sigh of relief comes after months of speculation. In March, Mammoottys PR team had rubbished health rumours as fake news, clarifying that the star was on a short break due to Ramzan fasting. They reassured fans that he would soon resume shooting for Mahesh Narayanans ambitious multistarrer Patriot, which also stars Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Nayanthara, and Kunchacko Boban. Now with his health restored, all eyes are on Mammoottys upcoming film Kalamkaval, where he reportedly plays a morally complex character alongside Vinayakan. The role has already built strong anticipation, with fans eager to see the megastar flex his acting prowess once again. From heartfelt gratitude to emotional nostalgia, the superstars recovery has turned into a statewide celebration. For Kerala and beyond, its not just a health update its a reminder of the unshakable bond between Mammootty and his audience. Also Read: Mammoottys Team Denies Cancer Rumours: "He Is On A Ramadan Break" Baahubali: The Epic is slated for release on October 31, 2025 Prabhas records interviews Prabhas recorded a couple of interviews which the makers will release just around the films release. Rajamouli locks the edit As a customary practice, for a re-release film, actors and filmmakers stay away from the promotions. But the SS Rajamouli directorial Baahubali series seems to be an exception. According to the latest reports, we have reliably learnt that the lead cast of the film is set to promote the re-release version of the film, Baahubali: The Epic.There have been a lot of fan requests on social media to the makers of Baahubali series to re-release the film. The makers are finally releasing the film on October 31, 2025 with the title, Baahubali: The Epic an intermingling of Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali: The Conclusion. And as part of the promotions, Prabhas and Rana Daggubati who featured in protagonist and antagonist roles in the franchise have started recording interviews. According to sources, Prabhas recorded a couple of interviews which the makers will release just around the films release. This is an interesting development because Prabhas, a press -averse, has made an exception for Rajamouli. Usually, Prabhas stays away from the media glare but Baahubali is a landmark film that changed the way South films were made and subsequently promoted as Pan India. Hence, the superstar participated in the promotional interview.Despite being caught up with the filming of Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra Jonas-starrer Globetrotter, Rajamouli squeezed time to lock the final edit of the film. Since the re-release film is a combination of Part 1 and Part 2, the latest version demanded a lot of Rajamoulis time. Editing the re-release version was challenging because of the intricacies that were involved in screenplay and writing. The filmmaker edited meticulously so that the flow and intensity of the new version is not diluted. Recently, the production house also invited aspiring editors to send their edited version of Baahubali: The Epic so that they can nourish the talent, informs a source. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2025) - Gladiator Metals Corp. (TSXV: GLAD) (OTCQB: GDTRF) (FSE: ZX7) ("Gladiator" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it is expanding its previously announced upsized private placement (the "Offering") to include investors resident in the Province of Quebec. The Offering will consist of the issuance and sale of (i) 10,563,400 common shares of the Company that will qualify as "flow-through shares" (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) (the "FT Shares"), at a price of $1.42 per FT Share, for gross proceeds of $15,000,028, and (ii) 8,152,200 common shares of the Company (the "HD Shares") at a price of $0.92 per HD Share, for gross proceeds of $7,500,024, for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $22,500,052. The Offering is being conducted on a "bought deal" private placement basis, with Cormark Securities Inc. acting as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the "Underwriters"). The Company will use an amount equal to the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the FT Shares, pursuant to the provisions in the Income Tax Act (Canada), to incur eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that qualify as "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures" as both terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Qualifying Expenditures") related to the Company's projects in the Yukon Territory. Gladiator intends to use the net proceeds of the offered HD Shares for working capital and general corporate purposes. Qualifying Expenditures in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the issue of the FT Shares will be incurred (or deemed to be incurred) by the Company on or before December 31, 2026, and will be renounced by the Company to the initial purchasers of the FT Shares with an effective date no later than December 31, 2025. The Offering is expected to close on or about September 9, 2025 or such other date as the Company and the Underwriters may agree and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including the conditional approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the FT Shares and HD Shares will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in all Provinces of Canada, including Quebec, and/or other qualifying jurisdictions pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The FT Shares and HD Shares issued to Canadian resident subscribers under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption will not be subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an amended and restated offering document related to the Offering and the use by the Company of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption that can be accessed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.gladiatormetals.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision. The amended and restated offering document is available in English and in French. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Gladiator Metals Corp. Jason Bontempo, CEO Forward-Looking Statement Cautions: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans with respect to the Company's projects and the timing related thereto, the merits of the Company's projects, the Company's objectives, plans and strategies, the Offering, the listing of the FT Shares and the HD Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange, the tax treatment of the FT Shares, the use of proceeds of the Offering and other matters. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "strategy," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include the risk of accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, or the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other agency or governmental clearances, necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, risks of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes in the jurisdictions where the Company carries on its business that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263163 SOURCE: Gladiator Metals Corp. GURUGRAM, India, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- VVDN Technologies, a global provider of software, product engineering and electronics manufacturing services & solutions, today announced it is setting up a new manufacturing facility in the UAE as part of its global expansion strategy. The new facility, which is slated to be operational in 4 weeks, marks another significant milestone for VVDN. The new facility is strategically located to cater to customers across the United States, Europe, and MENA region. The state of the art production facility will include PCB assembly, automated product assembly, mechanical manufacturing, testing and validation, and other critical verticals, consistent with VVDN's backward integration strategy. The facility will support the manufacturing of a wide range of advanced electronics products including those in Telecom, MedTech, Automotive, Cameras, Industrial Automation and other high-tech solutions. VVDN's robust infrastructure and end-to-end capabilities will enable it to offer customers accelerated time-to-market and cost-effective solutions, all while maintaining the highest standards of quality and compliance. With this expansion, VVDN further strengthens its position as a global leader in the electronics design and manufacturing services, building on its existing presence in India, North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Gourab Basu, Sr Vice President, Manufacturing Commercials - VVDN Technologies: "VVDN's new manufacturing facility in UAE is a major milestone in our journey. The UAE presents a highly attractive environment for manufacturing, thanks to its strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and growing local market. Positioned as a gateway between the East and West, the UAE enables seamless access to diverse markets. This expansion reflects VVDN's dedication to bringing manufacturing closer to its global clientele while meeting the increasing demand for high-quality, commercially competitive solutions with a quick-turnaround. This will be the primary catalyst in our vision to expand our manufacturing setups across the world." By entering new geographies, VVDN demonstrates its commitment to deepening its global presence and advancing its long-term vision of becoming the leading provider of the electronics design and manufacturing through cutting-edge technology and consistent growth. About VVDN: Founded in 2007, VVDN is a global technology innovation company specializing in software services, product engineering, and electronics manufacturing. With headquarters in Gurugram, India and Fremont, USA, VVDN has a strong global presence including the US, Canada, Europe, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan. The company operates 11 advanced R&D centers globally and 8 manufacturing facilities in India, offering end-to-end solutions from Hardware, Mechanical, Embedded Software, and Cloud to Testing, Validation, and Mass Manufacturing. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1531036/3360584/VVDN_Technologies_Logo.jpg HIGHLIGHTS: Further step-out holes drilled at Icon targeting a large gap under previous drilling returned broad zones of gold mineralisation, confirming continuity and significant potential for resource growth: 142m at 0.95g/t gold from 227m within a broader 229m at 0.7g/t gold (25GLR_048) 102m at 1.0g/t gold from 96m (25GLR_058), pending assays for remainder of hole All holes ended in mineralisation and will be extended to test the central lens position at Icon targeting a large gap under previous drilling returned broad zones of gold mineralisation, confirming continuity and significant potential for resource growth: Drilling has also intersected the newly discovered Central Lens , which remains only partially drilled and open, with holes ending in strong mineralisation: 55m at 1.1g/t gold from 447m within 275m at 0.6g/t gold (25GLR_044) ending in mineralisation 43m at 0.9g/t gold from 352m (25GLR_036) ending in mineralisation 1 with further assays pending Holes to be re-entered for extension , which remains only partially drilled and open, with holes ending in strong mineralisation: Drilling to continue with four RC drill rigs fully funded by recent A$30m bought deal2, with two dedicated to the exciting bulk tonnage potential at Icon Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2025) - Benz Mining Corp (ASX: BNZ) (TSXV: BZ) ("Benz" or the "Company") is pleased to report further strong results from ongoing drilling at the Icon Prospect within the Glenburgh Gold Project in Western Australia. Figure 1: Oblique plan view of Icon Apollo trend mineralisation and collar locations. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/263167_45ca39f6f4742a6d_001full.jpg The Icon deposit forms part of the 1.6 km-long Icon-Apollo trend, historically treated as two separate deposits and only tested by shallow drilling. It sits ~6 km from the recently announced high-grade Zone 126 trend and is positioned within the broader 18 km mineralised corridor of the Glenburgh Gold Project. Recent drilling by Benz has confirmed the discovery of a third higher-grade lens between the Icon and Tuxedo trends. This new lens sits within wide-scale gold system over 400m in width, representing a major new growth opportunity at Glenburgh. Figure 2: Cross section at Icon with viewing window (~300m) looking east along 409650 Easting. Current drill holes extend mineralisation under previously intercepted mineralisation conducted by historical drilling. Previous holes reported in announcement dated 4 August 2025. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/263167_45ca39f6f4742a6d_002full.jpg Benz CEO, Mark Lynch-Staunton, commented: "The latest results continue to firm up the emerging higher-grade Central Lens at Icon, and it is becoming clear that this is shaping into something very special. These results confirm the strength of the central position, which sits within a 400-metre-wide mineralised corridor - a scale that underscores the system's potential. "We are now stepping across this 400m corridor to fully drill out the central zone , with two rigs dedicated to unlocking its extent. The fact that this lens is only partially drilled and remains open adds further excitement as we move to test its continuity and scale. "With success here complementing the continued growth at Zone 126, it is increasingly evident that Glenburgh is not a cluster of small deposits, but a large, evolving gold system with tier-1 potential. Each new hole builds our confidence that we are only at the beginning of uncovering the true scale of this district." Icon - A large bulk scale opportunity The geometry, continuity, and thickness of the mineralisation at the 1.6km Icon Apollo Trend - particularly in the near-surface environment - strongly support the potential for a low-strip, bulk-scale open-pit mining operation. This style of deposit is ideally suited to efficient, large-scale development and could deliver significant gold ounces at relatively low cost per tonne. Previous exploration at Icon appeared to be limited to previous pit shell designs with the majority of holes ending in mineralisation at depth. Benz's current drilling is looking to unconstrain this mineralisation with drilling significantly past the previously drilled boundaries (see Figure 2). This new drilling at depth by Benz has identified a new higher grade gold zone in between the Icon and Tuxedo deposits, potentially widening this zone of mineralisation to in excess of 400m in width. All holes drilled to date have ended in mineralisation. Benz has commenced re-entry of these holes to test the scale of this third lens and to attempt to define the extent of this broad zone of mineralisation. Planning is currently underway for further step-out drilling to test the full scale and continuity of the Icon Apollo system, with further drilling aimed at expanding the mineralised footprint (particularly at depth) and upgrading the confidence of mineralised volumes ahead of future resource modelling. These results further reinforce the Company's view that Glenburgh is evolving into a district-scale gold system, with Icon Apollo Trend now emerging as a cornerstone deposit capable of supporting substantial, long-life gold production. Figure 3: Glenburgh Project Tenement Package and Benz interpreted geology overview. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/263167_45ca39f6f4742a6d_003full.jpg This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Benz Mining Corp. About Benz Mining Corp. Benz Mining Corp. (TSXV: BZ) (ASX: BNZ) is a pure-play gold exploration company dual-listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and Australian Securities Exchange. The Company owns the Eastmain Gold Project in Quebec, and the recently acquired Glenburgh and Mt Egerton Gold Projects in Western Australia. Benz's key point of difference lies in its team's deep geological expertise and the use of advanced geological techniques, particularly in high-metamorphic terrane exploration. The Company aims to rapidly grow its global resource base and solidify its position as a leading gold explorer across two of the world's most prolific gold regions. The Glenburgh Gold Project features a Historical (for the purposes of NI 43-101) Mineral Resource Estimate of 16.3Mt at 1.0 g/t Au (510,100 ounces of contained gold)3. A technical report prepared under NI 43-101- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Glenburgh - Egerton Gold Project, Western Australia" with an effective date of 16 December 2024 has been filed with the TSX Venture Exchange and is available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The Eastmain Gold Project in Quebec hosts a Mineral Resource Estimate dated effective May 24, 2023 and prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and JORC (2012) of 1,005,000 ounces at 6.1g/t Au4, also available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca, showcasing Benz's focus on high-grade, high-margin assets in premier mining jurisdictions. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/263167_45ca39f6f4742a6d_004full.jpg For more information, please visit: https://benzmining.com/. Qualified Person's Statement (NI 43-101) The disclosure of scientific or technical information in this news release is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Mr Mark Lynch-Staunton, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) (Membership ID: 6918). Mr Lynch-Staunton has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. Mr Lynch-Staunton owns securities in Benz Mining Corp. Historical Mineral Resource Estimates All mineral resource estimates in respect of the Glenburgh Gold Project in this news release are considered to be "historical estimates" as defined under NI 43-101. These historical estimates are not considered to be current and are not being treated as such. These estimates have been prepared in accordance with the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves prepared by the Joint Ore Reserves Committee of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Australian Institute of Geoscientists and Minerals Council of Australia (JORC Code) and have not been reported in accordance with NI 43-101. A qualified person (as defined in NI 43-101) (Qualified Person) has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources. A Qualified Person would need to review and verify the scientific information and conduct an analysis and reconciliation of historical data in order to verify the historical estimates as current mineral resources. Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively Forward-Looking Information) as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding the exploration potential of the Glenburgh Gold Project and the anticipated benefits thereof, planned exploration and related activities on the Glenburgh Gold Project. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases or variations of such words and phrases or statements such as "anticipates", "complete", "become", "expects", "next steps", "commitments" and "potential", in relation to certain actions, events or results "could", "may", "will", "would", be achieved. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that the accuracy and reliability of the Company's exploration thesis in respect of additional drilling at the Glenburgh Gold Project will be consistent with the Company's expectations based on available information; the Company will be able to raise additional capital as necessary; the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Company's Projects (including Glenburgh and Mt Egerton Gold Projects) can be achieved; and the continuity of the price of gold and other metals, economic and political conditions, and operations. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the early stage nature of the Company's exploration of the Glenburgh Gold Project, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, that occurrences such as those referred to above are realized and result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Company's financial condition and development plans change, and delays in regulatory approval, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and www.asx.com.au. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. The Forward-looking information in this news release is based on plans, expectations, and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE. Appendix 1: Collar Table. Coordinates system: GDA94/MGA Zone 50 Hole number Easting Northing Elevation End Depth Dip Azimuth 25GLR_023 414796 7193986 306 510 -60 147 25GLR_028 414655 7193853 301 400 -56 147 25GLR_029 414711 7193499 303 504 -65 296 25GLR_038 410028 7191260 295 516 -60 281 25GLR_040 409443 7191500 280 402 -60 152 25GLR_041 414407 7193407 303 503 -55 337 25GLR_042 409435 7191527 297 402 -60 154 25GLR_043 414407 7193407 303 504 -54 310 25GLR_044 409406 7191508 280 504 -59 151 25GLR_045 414014 7193620 296 504 -53 146 25GLR_046 409389 7191471 280 456 -60 152 25GLR_048 409376 7191504 281 456 -59 157 25GLR_049 414827 7194014 316 702 -60 134 25GLR_050 409561 7191527 281 360 -59 158 25GLR_051 415595 7193629 305 702 -55 318 25GLR_052 409634 7191561 280 300 -55 159 25GLR_053 414825 7193944 319 552 -55 145 25GLR_054 409654 7191481 280 300 -65 158 25GLR_055 414825 7193944 319 700 -60 148 25GLR_056 409481 7191418 297 354 -56 157 25GLR_057 414796 7193985 317 684 -58 138 25GLR_058 409563 7191493 280 402 -55 160 25GLR_059 414799 7193974 324 654 -63 129 25GLR_061 414824 7193864 324 354 -60 147 25GLR_063 414824 7193864 324 366 -50 147 25GLR_065 414865 7193885 327 354 -60 147 25GLR_066 409624 7191517 280 226 -60 160 GBZ126_017 411825 7192306 315 480 -60 155 GBZ126_018 411412 7192374 300 306 -60 155 GBZ126_019 416066 7194056 312 516 -70 160 GBZ126_020 420178 7195872 316 252 -65 119 GBZ126_021 415252 7193870 318 348 -60 155 Appendix 2: Significant Intercepts Tables. Higher Grade Intercepts: A nominal 0.9 g/t Au lower cut off has been applied to results, with no maximum internal dilution included unless otherwise stated. Hole ID From To Downhole length Au (ppm) Comment 25GLR_066 116 128 12 1.2 25GLR_066 173 175 2 1.1 25GLR_058 90 92 2 1.2 Partial results 25GLR_058 96 198 102 1.0 Partial results 25GLR_056 114 142 28 1.4 Partial results 25GLR_054 123 152 29 1.3 Partial results 25GLR_053 312 315 3 2.5 25GLR_050 261 266 5 1.1 Partial results 25GLR_048 203 205 2 7.1 25GLR_048 227 369 142 0.9 25GLR_049 582 599 17 1.3 Partial results 25GLR_046 173 176 3 1.2 25GLR_046 202 204 2 1.6 25GLR_046 220 227 7 1.2 25GLR_046 235 237 2 1.2 25GLR_046 325 327 2 1.3 25GLR_046 341 344 3 1.4 25GLR_043 255 261 6 1.0 25GLR_043 280 283 3 2.0 25GLR_044 198 200 2 2.2 25GLR_044 258 279 21 1.6 25GLR_044 342 344 2 1.4 25GLR_044 362 373 11 1.0 25GLR_044 378 381 3 1.2 25GLR_044 447 502 55 1.1 25GLR_041 359 376 17 1.0 25GLR_042 270 276 6 1.6 25GLR_042 380 384 4 0.9 25GLR_040 186 188 2 1.8 25GLR_040 202 204 2 1.3 25GLR_040 396 401 5 0.9 25GLR_038 96 98 2 4.7 25GLR_028 331 366 35 1.9 25GLR_023 504 510 6 1.0 25GLR_023 444 455 11 1.0 GBZ126_017 273 275 2 4.5 Bulk potential intercepts reported with a nominal 0.3 g/t Au lower cut off with no maximum internal dilution length applied. Hole ID From To Length Au (ppm) Comment 25GLR_066 109 221 112 0.3 25GLR_058 81 217 136 0.9 Partial results 25GLR_056 39 43 4 0.5 25GLR_056 110 142 32 1.3 Partial results 25GLR_051 390 394 4 0.4 Partial results 25GLR_054 121 167 46 0.9 Partial results 25GLR_053 312 356 44 0.4 25GLR_050 248 351 103 0.3 Partial results 25GLR_048 112 117 5 0.4 25GLR_048 199 428 229 0.7 25GLR_049 582 616 34 0.7 Partial results 25GLR_046 173 409 236 0.3 25GLR_043 248 315 67 0.3 25GLR_043 345 354 9 0.4 25GLR_043 385 405 20 0.4 25GLR_043 453 457 4 0.6 25GLR_044 193 200 7 0.8 25GLR_044 228 503 275 0.6 25GLR_041 231 244 13 0.4 25GLR_041 249 259 10 0.3 25GLR_041 358 423 65 0.5 25GLR_042 126 132 6 0.3 25GLR_042 265 283 18 0.8 25GLR_042 373 402 29 0.4 25GLR_040 185 221 36 0.3 25GLR_040 248 269 21 0.4 25GLR_040 309 312 3 0.5 25GLR_040 333 336 3 0.3 25GLR_040 356 369 13 0.3 25GLR_040 394 401 7 0.8 25GLR_038 96 125 29 0.4 25GLR_028 329 381 52 1.3 GBZ126_021 173 176 3 0.3 GBZ126_021 282 287 5 0.4 GBZ126_021 300 308 8 0.3 GBZ126_017 266 275 9 1.1 GBZ126_017 364 369 5 0.6 GBZ126_017 389 395 6 0.3 GBZ126_017 444 447 3 0.9 GBZ126_015 181 401 220 0.4 Appendix 3: JORC Tables JORC Code, 2012 Edition - Table 1 report template Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data (Criteria in this section apply to all succeeding sections.) Criteria Commentary Sampling techniques Results are part of BNZ's RC drilling campaign at the recently acquired Glenburgh Gold Project situated ~285 km east of Carnarvon via Gascoyne Junction, WA. RC drilling samples were collected as 1m single samples. Each sample collected represents each one (1) metre drilled collected from the rig-mounted cone splitter into individual calico bags (~3kg) and stored in labelled sequential polyweave bags for long-term storage. The rig mounted cyclone/cone splitter was levelled at the start of each hole to aid an even fall of the sample through the cyclone into the cone splitter. RC drilling sample submissions include the use of certified standards (CRMs), and field duplicates were added to the submitted sample sequence to test laboratory equipment calibrations. Standards selected are matched to the analytical method of photon assaying at ALS labs in Perth (~500g units). No composites were taken. Based on statistical analysis of these results, there is no evidence to suggest the samples are not representative. Drilling techniques The RC drill rig was a Schramm C685 Rig type with the capability to reach >400m depths with a rig-mounted cyclone/cone splitter using a face sample hammer bit of 5 1/2 - 6" size. The booster was used to apply air to keep drill holes dry and reach deeper depths. Drill sample recovery RC sample recovery is visually assessed and recorded where significantly reduced. Negligible sample loss has been recorded. RC samples were visually checked for recovery, moisture and contamination. A cyclone and cone splitter were used to provide a uniform sample, and these were routinely cleaned. RC Sample recoveries are generally high. No significant sample loss has been recorded. Logging RC chip samples have been geologically logged on a per 1 metre process recording lithology, mineralisation, veining, alteration, and weathering. Geological logging is considered appropriate for this style of deposit (metamorphosed orogenic gold). The entire length of all holes has been geologically logged. RC drill logging was completed by Galt Mining Solutions staff and data entered into BNZ's MXDeposit digital data collection platform provided by Expedio. All drill chips were collected into 20 compartment-trays for future reference and stored at Galt's warehouse in West Leederville at the time of reporting. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation RC chips were cone split at the rig. Samples were generally dry. A sample size of between 3 and 5 kg was collected. This size is considered appropriate, and representative of the material being sampled given the width and continuity of the intersections, and the grain size of the material being collected. For the 1 metre samples, certified analytical standards (appropriate for photon assaying) and field duplicates were inserted at appropriate intervals at a rate equal to 1 in 20 and sent for analysis with the samples. Sample preparation was undertaken at ALS Laboratory - Perth. Gold analysis utilised the photon assaying methodology where original samples are crushed to 2mm with a sub-set 500g separated for non-destructive analysis. Any sample reporting as having elevated > 1Sv readings during the preparation for photon assaying at ALS labs were flagged and were submitted for fire assay (Au-AA26) methodology at ALS labs in Perth as a quantifying check against the Photon assays. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests Preliminary pXRF and Labspec ASD analysis was conducted by Galt Mining Solutions personnel utilising Geotek's Boxscan automated system. The scanning of sieved RC drilling fines sample material utilised an Olympus Vanta M Series portable XRF in Geochem mode (3 beam) and a 20-second read time for each beam (Instrument_Serial = 840951). The ASD data reader on Boxscan has a 3 nm VNIR, 6 nm SWIR spectral resolution of the LabSpec 4 Hi-Res analytical instrument (Electronics serial number: 28191). The pXRF and ASD are incorporated into Geotek's Boxscan machine to facilitate an automated data collection process. This includes periodic calibration and QAQC scans on Geotek-supplied pucks and colour strips. The QAQC scans are verified and checked on Boxscan's internal program datasheet against expected results to ensure the analysers are conforming to Boxscan's expected operating parameters. A review of the pXRF and ASD sample results provided an acceptable level of analysis and the data is appropriate for reporting the geochemistry results in the context of its use for screening areas for indications of elevations in concentrations with elements of interest. pXRF and ASD results should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analysis, which is required to determine robust and accurate potential for mineralisation and associated elements. The reporting of pXRF and ASD results should not be described as an "assay" result, as these are not of the same level of accuracy or precision as that obtained from a certified laboratory workflow. The use of "preliminary indicative field data" is a more appropriate term when referring to pXRF and ASD results. The pXRF data is exploratory in nature and is used predominantly as an internal workflow to assist in target prioritisation through an early phase of exploration investigation. No previous comparisons of pXRF and ASD data with laboratory data at the project have been undertaken to date. The analysis involved direct point counting on the raw surfaces of the supplied drill fines. The fines are transferred from geochem packets to purpose-made scanning pucks, with the analysis taken from the middle of these pucks. The sample material was dry and collected and analysed in ambient temperatures within the processing warehouse. Monitoring of workstation area and apparatus temperatures occur during the shift with cooling actions being implemented when required. This provides only semi-quantitative information and is reported as raw data without significant corrections, which is best interpreted as an abundant/present/absent classification for most elements. This information provides useful trend analyses at an exploration target scale. Verification of sampling and assaying Significant drill intersections are checked by the supervising personnel. The intersections are compared to recorded geology and neighbouring data and reviewed in Leapfrog and QGIS software. No twinned holes have been drilled to date by Benz Mining, but, planned holes have tested the interpreted mineralised trends, verifying the geometry of the mineralised targets. All logs were validated by the Project Geologist prior to being sent to the Database Administrator for import No adjustments have been made to assay data apart from values below the detection limit which are assigned a value of half the detection limit (positive number) Location of data points Hole collar coordinates including RLs have been located by handheld GPS in the field during initial drill site preparation. Actual hole collars were collected by a DGPS system at the Glenburgh Gold Project. The grid system used for the location of all drill holes is GDA94_MGA _Zone 50s. Planned hole coordinates and final GPS coordinates are compared in QGIS and Leapfrog project files to ensure all targets have been tested as intended. The drill string path is monitored as drilling progresses using downhole Axis Champ Gyro tool and compared against the planned drill path, adjustment to the drilling technique is requested as required to ensure the intended path is followed. Readings were recorded at 30m intervals from surface to end of hole after Benz reviewed single shot verses EOH continuous surveying of the Axis Champ Gyro tool and noted >3 degrees variance in azimuth with hole depth. The single shots produce less variability and are used for hole trace reporting in the database. Historical drill hole surveys and methods will be reviewed in preparation for any updates to MRE in the future. Data spacing and distribution BNZ's Glenburgh RC drilling has been designed as a test on mineralisation extension at a planned spacing of 60m between pierce points on the projected mineralised feature. Holes were generally angled ~ -65 dip towards ~ 145 degrees GDA94_MGA _Zone 51 Grid orientation. Fifteen (15) holes were drilled into Zone 126 prospect on a rough grid pattern to obtain adequate spacing for testing mineralisation continuity and geological host features. The mineralised domains established for pre-BNZ MREs have sufficient continuity in both geology and grade to be considered appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedures and classification applied under the 2012 JORC Code. Ongoing drilling will be sufficiently spaced for a reinterpretation based on BNZ's structural model. No sample compositing of material from drilling has been applied during this drilling campaign. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Drilling has primarily been undertaken perpendicular to the interpreted mineralised structures as stated above. No orientation-based sampling bias has been identified - observed intercepts to date indicate the interpreted geology hosting mineralisation is robust. Sample security All samples were prepared in the field by Galt staff and delivered by contracted couriers from the field site to the ALS laboratory in Perth directly. Individual pre-numbered calco sample bags are placed in polywoven plastic bags (5 per bag) secured at the top with a cable tie. These bags are annotated with the company name and sample numbers, the bags are placed in larger bulker bags for transport to ALS labs in Perth, also labelled with corresponding company name, drill hole and sample identifiers. Sample pulps are stored in a dry, secure location at Galt's warehouse in West Leederville. Audits or reviews Data is validated by Benz staff and Expedio consultants as it is entered into MXDeposit. Errors are returned to field staff for validation. All drilled hole collars have been located with a DGPS. There have been no audits undertaken. Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results (Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.) Criteria Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Glenburgh Gold Project is a group of 10 tenements and 2 applications. The majority of known gold deposits are located on Mining Lease M09/148. The tenement is 100% owned by Benz Mining Limited. The tenements are in good standing and no known impediments exist. Exploration done by other parties Since Helix Resources in 1994 and subsequent work by Gascoyne Resources, about 159149 soil samples, 1349 vacuum holes and 2285 auger holes have been completed at Glenburgh. 9 diamond holes, 398 RC holes, 6 air-core holes and 462 RAB holes have been drilled in the Glenburgh area to identify the distribution and evaluate the potential of the deposit. Drilling to date has identified 10 high potential deposits in the Glenburgh area which are: Tuxedo, Icon, Apollo, Mustang, Shelby, Hurricane, Zone 102, Zone 126, NE3 and NE4 deposits. Geology Gold mineralisation at the Glenburgh deposit is hosted in Paleoproterozoic upper-amphibolite to granulite facies siliciclastic rocks of the Glenburgh Terrane, in the southern Gascoyne Province of Western Australia. Gold was first discovered at the Glenburgh deposit in 1994 by Helix Resources during follow-up drilling of soil geochemical anomalies. Mineralisation occurs in shears within quartz + feldspar + biotite garnet gneiss, which contains discontinuous blocks or lenses of amphibolite and occasional thin magnetite-bearing metamorphics, probably derived from chemical sediments. Higher-grade mineralisation appears to be directly related to silica flooding in the gneiss. This silica flooding may give rise to quartz 'veins' up to several metres thick, although scales of several centimetres to tens of centimetres are the norm. Neither the higher-grade silica lodes nor the more pervasive lower-grade mineralisation exhibits sharp or well-defined lithological contacts. Drill hole Information For this announcement, Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes are being reported. Collar details have been provided in Appendix 1. For earlier released results, see previous announcements by Gascoyne Resources and Spartan Resources. Data aggregation methods No material information has been excluded. Higher grade: A nominal 0.9 ppm Au lower cut off has been applied to the results, with no maximum internal dilution applied. Bulk potential reported with a nominal 0.3 ppm Au lower cut off with no maximum internal dilution length applied Higher grade Au intervals lying within broader zones of Au mineralisation are reported as included intervals. No top cuts have been applied to reported intercepts. No metal equivalent values have been used. All reported assays have been length weighted if appropriate. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths Drilling is generally oriented perpendicular to the interpreted strike of mineralisation, and intercepts are reported as downhole lengths unless otherwise stated. To improve understanding of true widths, a subset of holes in this program were drilled from the opposite azimuth to previous drilling to test structural geometry. Ongoing drilling and geological modelling are required to confirm the true orientation and extent of mineralised lenses. Diagrams Relevant diagrams are included in the report. Balanced reporting All meaningful data relating to the Exploration program has been included and reported to the market as assays are received. Other substantive exploration data See body of announcement. Further work Assays for the remainder of the programme will be reported once received and validated. Detailed field mapping has commenced to refine targets for the next round of drilling. Geophysical techniques are being investigated to reduce the search space of high-grade lenses away from defined resource areas and/or high-grade drill intercepts. 1 Previously reported in announcement dated 4 August 2025: 200m Intercepts Support Glenburgh's Emergence as a Major Gold System 2 See announcement dated 13 August 2025: Drilling to Accelerate at Glenburgh Following A$30M Bought Deal 3 Indicated: 13.5Mt at 1.0g/t Au for 430.7koz; Inferred: 2.8Mt at 0.9g/t Au for 79.4koz. See Historical Mineral Resource Estimates, below 4 Indicated: 1.3Mt at 9.0g/t Au for 384koz; Inferred: 3.8Mt at 5.1g/t Au for 621koz To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263167 SOURCE: Benz Mining Corp. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2025) - Digital Silk, an award-winning digital agency focused on creating brand strategies, custom websites and digital marketing campaigns, announces the publication of a new article, "Best Branding Agencies: How to Choose the Right Partner in 2025." The resource highlights factors businesses may consider when evaluating branding firms, including expertise, portfolio, industry recognition and service capabilities. Read the article: https://www.digitalsilk.com/digital-trends/best-branding-agencies/. Digital Silk Announces Article: Best Branding Agencies and Key Selection Criteria in 2025 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10732/263053_f543b59cc494d830_001full.jpg Branding Market Growth and Demand Branding services remain a core investment for U.S. businesses. According to a 2024 IBISWorld industry report, the U.S. branding consultants industry has continued to expand as companies prioritize differentiation and consistent identity across channels. This growth reflects ongoing demand for structured brand strategies in competitive markets. Key Considerations in Agency Selection The article organizes practical criteria for evaluating branding agencies, including: Proven track record across industries and platforms Portfolio diversity demonstrating creative adaptability Recognition through awards or third-party listings Service integration spanning design, strategy and digital marketing Transparent processes and client communication practices Editorial Team Perspective "The article was created as a reference point for companies reviewing agency partners in 2025," said Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO of Digital Silk. "It outlines common criteria that organizations may use to compare capabilities and align with firms that support long-term brand consistency." Access "Best Branding Agencies: How to Choose the Right Partner in 2025" is available now on Digital Silk's website. The guide can support decision-makers evaluating vendors as part of upcoming brand refresh or expansion initiatives. Read the article: https://www.digitalsilk.com/digital-trends/best-branding-agencies/. About Digital Silk Digital Silk is an award-winning New York Branding Agency focused on growing brands online. With a team of seasoned experts, the company creates digital experiences through strategic branding, custom web design and digital marketing services to help improve visibility and support engagement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263053 SOURCE: Digital Silk Ende Mai leitete US-Prasident Donald Trump mit der Unterzeichnung mehrerer Dekrete eine weitreichende Wende in der amerikanischen Energiepolitik ein. Im Fokus: der beschleunigte Ausbau der Kernenergie. Mit einem umfassenden Manahmenpaket sollen Genehmigungsprozesse reformiert, kleinere Reaktoren gefordert und der Anteil von Atomstrom in den USA massiv gesteigert werden. Ausloser ist der explodierende Energiebedarf durch KI-Rechenzentren, der eine stabile, CO-arme Grundlastversorgung zwingend notwendig macht. In unserem kostenlosen Spezialreport erfahren Sie, welche 3 Unternehmen jetzt im Zentrum dieser energiepolitischen Neuausrichtung stehen, und wer vom kommenden Boom der Nuklearindustrie besonders profitieren konnte. Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Verpassen Sie nicht, welche Aktien besonders von der Energiewende in den USA profitieren durften, und laden Sie sich das Gratis-PDF jetzt kostenlos herunter. Dieses exklusive Angebot gilt aber nur fur kurze Zeit! Daher jetzt downloaden! DUBAI, UAE, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Wego, the #1 travel app and the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), is partnering with the Turkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) to launch a regional campaign highlighting Turkiye's diverse summer experiences to travelers across the MENA region. The partnership is designed to support tourism growth and attract more visitors to Turkiye by spotlighting its vibrant cities, tranquil coastal escapes, and striking natural landscapes. From sailing the turquoise waters of the Aegean coast to uncovering ancient ruins in Ephesus or immersing in the creative spirit of Istanbul, Turkiye offers a summer filled with richness, variety, and unforgettable experiences. Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer, said: "Turkiye continues to be a top destination for travelers across the MENA region, offering a unique mix of history, culture, nature, and gastronomy. We are proud to collaborate with the Turkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency to bring even more visibility to the country's summer offerings. With Wego's technology and reach, we're making it easier for travelers to discover, plan, and book their perfect Turkish escape." As part of the campaign, Wego and TGA will spotlight Turkiye's rich travel experiences, where centuries-old heritage meets modern-day lifestyle. Travelers can explore the art and cafe culture of Istanbul, wander through the open-air wonders of Goreme, or experience the creative pulse of cities like Izmir and Ankara. Each destination reveals a unique blend of stories, flavors, and atmosphere. With Wego's platform offering real-time comparisons, curated travel inspiration, and mobile-first convenience, planning a trip to Turkiye has never been easier, whether travelers are looking for last-minute options or building a longer getaway. Sinan Seha Turkseven,Acting General Manager of TGA, commented: "According to UN Tourism's data, Turkiye is the world's 4th biggest incoming tourism market by the end of 2024. The Middle East geography is traditionally one of our biggest source markets. The historical and cultural ties we have between our countries, Turkiye's optimal climate, unique cities and landscapes, as well as similar gastronomy traditions, make us a highly preferable tourism destination for MENA territories. In this context, we are especially happy to partner with Wego, which is a dominant player in its market, to highlight the depth and diversity of Turkiye's cultural appeal to travellers from the Middle East and North Africa. Turkiye is a land where ancient stories and modern lifestyles intersect, offering every visitor a journey through rich culture, stunning natural beauty, and world-class cuisine. We have 22 UNESCO Heritage Sites in our country. We are also the world's number 2 country with regards to the number of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, which makes Turkiye an ideal destination for cultural explorations. This campaign reflects our commitment to sustainable tourism, cultural preservation, and authentic experiences that welcome all travellers to discover Turkiye's warm hospitality and vibrant spirit. Given that our countries are within a maximum of 4 hours' flight distance and the existence of convenient visa regulations, we hope our collaboration with Wego will add to our existing penetration in the respective markets. " Turkiye's culinary offerings take centre stage in the campaign, inviting travellers to savour iconic dishes such as kebab, manti, and baklava, enjoy street food in local markets, or dine with panoramic views of the Bosphorus. Coastal destinations like Bodrum and Cesme are highlighted for their fresh seafood and relaxed seaside atmosphere. The campaign also emphasises Turkiye's diverse summer experiences, including vibrant music and food festivals in cities like Istanbul and Bodrum, rejuvenating thermal spa retreats in places like Pamukkale, and a wide range of family-friendly resorts, catering to all types of travellers. To further enrich the campaign, TGA is promoting initiatives focused on sustainable tourism and cultural preservation. These include eco-conscious travel programs in the Black Sea region, restoration efforts in historical towns such as Safranbolu, and expanded gastronomy routes that support local producers and protect culinary traditions. Whether discovering the fairy-tale landscapes of Cappadocia, exploring ancient ruins in Troy, wandering the dynamic streets of Istanbul, or relaxing along the shores of Fethiye, Turkiye continues to welcome travellers with warmth, authenticity, and a wealth of unforgettable experiences. About Wego Wego is the number 1 travel app and the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It provides award-winning travel search websites and top-ranked mobile apps for travelers living in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions. Wego harnesses powerful yet simple-to-use technology that automates the process of searching and comparing results from hundreds of airlines, hotels, and online travel agency websites. Wego presents an unbiased comparison of all travel products and prices offered in the marketplace by merchants, both local and global, and enables shoppers to quickly find the best deal and place to book, whether it is from an airline or hotel directly or with a third-party aggregator website. The company was founded in 2005 and is dual headquartered in Dubai and Singapore with regional operations in Bangalore, Riyadh, Cairo, Lahore, and Kuala Lumpur. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2753372/Istanbul_Wego.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/wego-partners-with-turkiye-tourism-promotion-and-development-agency-to-promote-summer-travel-to-turkiye-for-mena-travelers-302533339.html Collaboration sets a new industry benchmark with end-to-end core and digital channel migration completed in just five months BENGALURU, India and MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys Finacle, part of EdgeVerve Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), today announced its collaboration with Uniting Financial Services (UFS), a charitable development fund in Australia, to implement the next-gen Finacle Digital Banking Suite. The move from UFS' incumbent platform to Finacle Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) on AWS cloud was completed in less than five months. This was enabled by the Finacle Australian Reference Bank Model - a solution with preconfigured products, processes, interfaces, and compliance rules. The implemented Finacle Digital Banking Suite includes the Finacle Core Banking, Finacle Digital Engagement Hub, Finacle Online Banking, Finacle Mobile Banking, Finacle Customer Data Hub, and Finacle Alerts. This collaboration will enable UFS to transform its operations, helping enhance business agility, compliance, and operational efficiency. It will also help UFS to provide a world-class digital experience for its customer base, introduce new offerings faster and scale seamlessly, in line with its purpose-driven growth strategy. In addition, the next-gen Finacle Digital Banking Suite will enable UFS to: Deliver richer digital experiences through intuitive, omnichannel self-service capabilities across mobile and online platforms. Expand its investment product offerings, scale deposits, and grow its commercial loan business. Connect with partners easily through open APIs, driving both innovation and operational gains. Unlock resilience, on-demand scalability and reliable performance with cloud-native SaaS services and AWS infrastructure. Build a secure, cloud-native banking environment leveraging several AWS services including Amazon RDS for backend databases, Amazon EKS for managed Kubernetes, and AWS WAF for firewall protection. John McComb, Chief Risk Officer and Acting CEO, Uniting Financial Services, said: "We are delighted to announce the successful go-live of the Finacle platform. Our goal was to modernise our core banking and digital capabilities to enhance the experience for clients. With Infosys Finacle, we have found a long-term technology partner, with the ability to deliver a future-ready platform that meets the needs of our operations today and supports our ambitions for tomorrow in a rapidly evolving financial services landscape." Jamie Simon, Director, Banking and Financial Services (A/NZ), AWS, said, "Our collaboration with Infosys Finacle demonstrates AWS's commitment to helping financial institutions modernise and innovate to deliver business value. Uniting Financial Services reinforces how AWS's secure and resilient cloud infrastructure enables financial services organisations to transform their banking operations and enhance digital experiences for customers. We're proud to support UFS in their mission to deliver purpose-led financial services." Sajit Vijayakumar, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys Finacle, said, "We are delighted to collaborate with Uniting Financial Services on their transformation journey. Going live on Finacle SaaS in record time is a testament to our commitment to modern banking and customer-centric innovation. This rapid deployment underscores the power of a truly digital, cloud-native platform that's built for agility, compliance, and scale. For community banks in the region looking to modernize without the pain of legacy transformation, this is proof that next-gen banking is not just possible - it's achievable, fast." About Infosys Finacle Finacle is an industry leader in digital banking solutions. We are a unit of EdgeVerve Systems, a wholly-owned product subsidiary of Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY). We partner with emerging and established financial institutions to help inspire better banking. Our cloud-native solution suite and SaaS services help banks engage, innovate, operate, and transform better to scale digital transformation with confidence. Finacle solutions address the core banking, lending, digital engagement, payments, cash management, wealth management, treasury, analytics, AI, and blockchain requirements of financial institutions. Today, banks in over 100 countries rely on Finacle to help more than a billion people and millions of businesses to save, pay, borrow, and invest better. For more information, visit www.finacle.com. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, or our future financial or operating performance, are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, increased competition for talent, our ability to attract and retain personnel, increase in wages, investments to reskill our employees, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid work model, economic uncertainties and geo-political situations, technological disruptions and innovations such as artificial intelligence ("AI"), generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, and cybersecurity matters. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2753664/Infosys_Finacle_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/uniting-financial-services-australia-subscribes-to-infosys-finacles-digital-banking-saas-suite-on-aws-cloud-302534296.html Kunstliche Intelligenz, Magnificent Seven, Tech-Euphorie seit Monaten scheint an der Borse nur eine Richtung zu existieren: nach oben. Doch hinter den Rekordkursen lauert eine gefahrliche Wahrheit. Die Bewertungen vieler Tech-Schwergewichte haben historische Extremniveaus erreicht. Shiller-KGV bei 39, Buffett-Indikator auf Allzeithoch schon in der Dotcom-Ara war der Markt kaum teurer. Hinzu kommen euphorische Anlegerstimmung, IPO-Hypes ohne Substanz, kreditfinanzierte Wertpapierkaufe in Rekordhohe und charttechnische Warnsignale, die Erinnerungen an 2000 und 2021 wecken. Gleichzeitig drucken geopolitische Risiken, Trumps aggressive Zollpolitik und saisonale Borsenschwache auf die Perspektiven. Die Gefahr: Aus der schleichenden Korrektur konnte ein rasanter Crash werden und der konnte vor allem uberbewertete KI- und Chipwerte hart treffen. In unserem kostenlosen Spezial-Report zeigen wir Ihnen, welche Tech-Aktien am starksten gefahrdet sind und wie Sie Ihr Depot vor dem Platzen der Blase schutzen konnten. Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Dieses exklusive Angebot gilt aber nur fur kurze Zeit! Daher jetzt downloaden! London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Imagen Network (IMAGE), a decentralized AI social platform, announced the deployment of Grok-driven interaction models designed to improve digital community engagement and peer-to-peer discovery. This new integration aligns with the platform's goal of building more adaptive, personalized, and scalable social systems. Adaptive tools designed to strengthen online engagement across platforms. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8833/263190_ade68decd48ee816_001full.jpg Through the implementation of Grok intelligence, Imagen Network optimizes how users interact with communities, feeds, and curated content. These models focus on improving relevance and interaction flow, ensuring that peer engagement is tailored to the individual's needs in real time. This development underscores Imagen's long-term vision of merging Web3 infrastructure with cutting-edge AI capabilities. By enabling decentralized communities to interact with higher fidelity and efficiency, Imagen Network aims to create an accessible, secure, and intelligent foundation for social connectivity. About Imagen Network Imagen Network (IMAGE) is a decentralized AI-powered social ecosystem designed to enhance community interaction through intelligent personalization, content discovery, and scalable blockchain integration. Its platform emphasizes adaptability, transparency, and user-driven engagement. Social Media Twitter Instagram To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263190 SOURCE: Kaj Labs ISTANBUL, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BKPS, a Karpowership affiliate, has signed a contract with Iraq's Ministry of Electricity and the General Company for Electric Energy Production / Southern to launch a new power generation project in Iraq, delivering rapid, reliable, and affordable electricity to strengthen the country's energy security. The project will supply up to 590 MW of electricity through Karpowership's two signature Powership vessels. Under the agreement, the Company will provide electricity for an initial contract period of 71 days, playing a critical role in stabilizing the national grid and meeting demand. "We are honored to partner with Iraq in advancing its energy resilience," said Zeynep Harezi Yilmaz, Chief Commercial Officer at Karpowership. "This project represents a strong step toward bridging the electricity gap and aligns with our mission to provide rapid, flexible, and reliable power wherever it is needed most." The Powerships will be deployed to the Khor Al Zubair and Umm Qasr ports in Basra and are expected to begin operations in August 2025. The Powerships, which are multi-fuel enabled and entirely self-contained with everything needed to function onboard, will provide a cost-effective, rapidly deployable solution that avoids the lengthy construction timelines of land-based power infrastructure. Karpowership has a proven track record of delivering floating power solutions globally, with operations in 16 countries across four continents. Its Powership technology offers a practical, scalable solution to improve energy security, with the flexibility to operate on multiple fuels, while providing reliable power to support economic development; including in Iraq where operations will be carried out through its affiliate, BKPS. About Karpowership Karpowership is a global energy company specializing in fast-track and integrated power solutions. As the only builder, owner and operator of the world's largest Powership fleet, Karpowership's vessels can deliver turnkey energy solutions wherever they are needed, connecting to the grid and generating electricity in less than 30 days. In addition to its signature Powerships, Karpowership offers floating LNG solutions to support a cleaner, more flexible energy future. With over 25 years of experience, Karpowership remains committed to delivering sustainable and reliable power, empowering nations and communities. Visit www.karpowership.com for more information. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2753922/The_Powership_Orka_Sultan.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2404491/Karpowership_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bkps-a-karpowership-affiliate-launches-new-power-project-in-iraq-to-support-energy-security-302533868.html Delivered by Save the Children and local partners in coordination with the Government of Niger, the programme will reach 100,000 children impacted by conflict, climate change and forced displacement. Total ECW funding in Niger tops US$22 million. NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The children of Niger are facing a rapidly evolving multidimensional crisis that is putting their education - and their future - at risk. To respond to the compounding challenges of internal displacement, climate change, violence and poverty, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and its strategic partners announced today a US$7 million investment that will provide 100,000 students with life-saving quality education. The new investment will be delivered by Save the Children, in coordination with the Government of Niger. In all, 25% of funding is going to national organizations. The First Emergency Response grant seeks to reach displaced, refugee and host community children with holistic education opportunities. There is a strong focus on strengthening teacher capacity and social-emotional skills, ensuring protection to enable access to education, and building local capacities to ensure the impact and sustainability of the investment. "In an emergency situation, education is not a luxury: it is a shield that protects girls and boys, and a driving force that transforms communities. Thanks to the First Emergency Response, thousands of children in Tillaberi and Tahoua will have access to quality education, which is essential for their physical, psychosocial and cognitive protection," said Anda Oumarou, Director of Save the Children Niger. The challenges facing the people of Niger are immense. Internal displacement rose by 12% in 2024 with approximately half a million people being forced from their homes. The Education Cluster estimates that over 1,000 schools have closed their doors. Climate change has also impacted the education system, with around 5,500 classrooms impacted by flooding in 2024. In the Tahoua and Tillaberi regions - where the programme will focus its efforts - more than half of households still have no access to distance learning. Since its inception, ECW has invested US$22.9 million in Niger through Multi-Year Resilience Programme and First Emergency Response investments. These investments have already reached more than 440,000 children with quality holistic education. Note to Editors About Education Cannot Wait (ECW): Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises in the United Nations. We support quality education outcomes for refugee, internally displaced and other crisis-affected girls and boys, so no one is left behind. ECW works through the multilateral system to both increase the speed of responses in crises and connect immediate relief and longer-term interventions through multi-year programming. ECW works in close partnership with governments, public and private donors, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and other humanitarian and development aid actors to increase efficiencies and end siloed responses. ECW urgently appeals to public and private sector donors for expanded support to reach even more vulnerable children and youth. On X/Twitter, please follow: @EduCannotWait @KentPage Additional information available at: www.educationcannotwait.org Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2754162/UN0826378.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/education-cannot-wait-and-strategic-donor-partners-announce-new-us7-million-investment-to-provide-life-saving-education-for-children-in-niger-302534256.html Bubendorf, Switzerland--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - The Bachem Group (SIX: BANB) announced today that Hans Van Hees, currently Chief Operations Officer Europe, will take on the role of Chief Operations Officer (COO) and join the Corporate Executive Committee (CEC) as of September 1, 2025. In this role, he will report to the CEO of Bachem, Thomas Meier, and will lead Bachem's worldwide manufacturing network. Thomas Meier, who, in addition to his role as CEO, had also taken on the duties of the COO in 2023, will hand these over accordingly. Kuno Sommer, Chairman of Bachem's Board of Directors said: "I am glad that Hans Van Hees, a respected leader with many years of experience in large-scale manufacturing, will take on the role of Chief Operations Officer and ensure the further development of our production network. I thank Thomas Meier for taking on additional duties as COO during a very relevant period for Bachem. His efforts over the past two years have allowed for important changes in the operation of our production network and key capacity expansions." Hans Van Hees joined Bachem in 2024 as COO Europe from Pharma Resource Group. Formerly, he served for more than 25 years in various manufacturing leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson and Janssen, including VP of Small Molecule API cluster at Janssen and VP of Global Technical Operations at Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health. He holds a Master's degree and a PhD in Chemistry, as well as an MBA from KU Leuven. About Bachem Bachem is a leading, innovation-driven company specializing in the development and manufacture of peptides and oligonucleotides. The company, which has over 50 years of experience and expertise, provides products for research, clinical development, and commercial application to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide and offers a comprehensive range of services. Bachem operates internationally with its headquarters in Switzerland and sites in Europe, the US and Asia. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. For further information, see www.bachem.com. This publication may contain specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like "believe", "assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of Bachem Holding AG and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not rely on forward-looking statements. Bachem Holding AG assumes no responsibility to up-date forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or de To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263195 SOURCE: Bachem Holding AG MONTREAL, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The CSL Group ("CSL") has deployed its newest addition to the fleet, MV CSL Flexvik, to support marine construction and aggregate logistics across Europe. This 18,003 DWT hybrid self-loading/unloading vessel has been engineered to deliver maximum versatility, capable of handling a wide range of cargo, from fine sand and gravel to 1-3 tonne armour rock. Delivered on May 31, 2025, from Wulkan Shipyard in Szczecin, Poland, MV CSL Flexvik is the result of a strategic conversion from a conventional bulk carrier into a purpose-built vessel optimized for flexible, cost-effective delivery of materials for infrastructure and offshore energy projects. Fitted with two gantry-mounted Sennebogen 870 electric excavators, MV CSL Flexvik can self-load and self-discharge with precision. Cargo can be offloaded via the conveyor belt system, which includes a 45-metre discharge boom, or directly using the onboard excavators. This means the ship can single-point discharge to a stockpile, transload materials to another vessel, and efficiently handle larger rock gradings, discharged directly using the excavators. "CSL Flexvik brings a new level of operational flexibility to Europe's marine construction logistics," said Louis Martel, CSL's President and CEO. "Its hybrid configuration, flexible rock-handling capabilities, and direct discharge options offer unmatched flexibility for project-based and industrial customers." Key Advantages: Handles Full Range of Materials : Capable of transporting everything from sand and crushed stone to heavy rock armour. : Capable of transporting everything from sand and crushed stone to heavy rock armour. Multiple Discharge Options : Offers boom discharge, directly over-side or vessel-to-vessel transhipment. : Offers boom discharge, directly over-side or vessel-to-vessel transhipment. Supports Subsea Rock Installation Logistics : Can tranship rock to other vessels, enabling subsea rock installation vessels to remain in situ. : Can tranship rock to other vessels, enabling subsea rock installation vessels to remain in situ. Reduces Port Time and Costs: Self-operating excavators reduce reliance on shore-based stevedores. Click here for MV CSL Flexvik's detailed specifications. The CSL Group is a world class provider of complex marine solutions and the largest owner and operator of self-unloading ships in the world. Headquartered in Montreal with operations throughout the Americas, Australia, Europe and Africa, CSL delivers millions of tonnes of cargo annually for customers in the construction, steel, energy and agri-food sectors. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2753842/The_CSL_Group_Inc__CSL_Unveils_Versatile_Self_Loading_Unloading.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2753840/The_CSL_Group_Inc__CSL_Unveils_Versatile_Self_Loading_Unloading.jpg MEDIA CONTACT Brigitte Hebert, Director, Communications 514-982-3854 brigitte.hebert@cslships.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/csl-unveils-versatile-self-loadingunloading-ship-for-coastal-and-offshore-construction-projects-302533846.html ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2025AND PUBLICATION OF THE NOTICE OF MEETING IN THE BALO TRACTIAL (Euronext Growth Paris - ISIN Code: FR0000035305 / Ticker: ALTRA) informs its shareholders that an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) will be held on September 26, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. at Espace Hermes, 10 Cite Joly, 75011 Paris. The notice of meeting will be published today in the Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires (BALO), in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory provisions. This EGM aims to provide the Company with the financial and capital resources required to support its development and to improve the liquidity of its shares. STRATEGIC RESOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT GROWTH The Board of Directors has approved the draft resolutions to be submitted to the shareholders' vote. These include: Enhancing share liquidity: A two-for-one stock split, reducing the par value of each share from 2 to 1, through the allocation of one new share for each existing share held. This operation will have no impact on the share capital and will allow each shareholder to double the number of shares they hold , making the stock more accessible and improving trading liquidity on Euronext Growth. This operation will have no impact on the share capital and will , making the stock more accessible and improving trading liquidity on Euronext Growth. Strengthening financial flexibility: Authorizations to carry out capital increases with or without preferential subscription rights, whether through public offerings, placements with qualified investors, or issuances to strategic partners. These tools will enable the Company to seize growth opportunities swiftly and strengthen its equity base in a flexible manner. Clear framework for future issuances: Implementation of a dual ceiling for these authorizations: 50 million in nominal value for capital increases and 2.5 billion in total amount (nominal value plus issue premium) for securities issued, thereby ensuring transparency and discipline for shareholders. (nominal value plus issue premium) for securities issued, thereby ensuring transparency and discipline for shareholders. Aligning employees and strategic partners with long-term value creation: Allocation of stock warrants (BSA) to employees and key strategic partners, designed to foster alignment of interests, loyalty, and active contribution to value creation. "These resolutions are designed to combine share accessibility, liquidity momentum, and financing flexibility. They strengthen TRACTIAL's ability to expand in a competitive environment while maintaining transparent and responsible governance for all shareholders," commented Daniel DORRA, Chairman of the board. The preparatory documents will be made available to shareholders in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements. PRACTICAL INFORMATION Date of the EGM: September 26, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Venue: Espace Hermes, 10 Cite Joly, 75011 Paris Legal publication: Notice of meeting in the BALO Participation and voting procedures: specified in the notice of meeting ABOUT TRACTIAL : TRACTIAL (formerly BD Multimedia) is a French company listed on Euronext Growth Paris (ISIN: FR0000035305 - Ticker: ALTRA). A regulated EU Payment Institution and one of the first financial entity in France to obtain PSAN (Digital Asset Service Provider) registration, TRACTIAL combines deep fintech infrastructure expertise with a long-term vision in digital assets. In 2025, it became the first regulated financial institution in Europe to fully embrace the BTC Treasury Company model - allocating part of its treasury to Bitcoin in a structured, transparent, and strategic way. Beyond its proprietary platform Payment.net and Fintech-as-a-Service (FaaS) offer, TRACTIAL sees its treasury as a core engine for growth and value creation over time. GROUP COMPANIES : The parent company obtained Payment Establishment approval from the French regulator (ACPR) in 2015. Since 2023, the company has also been authorized to manage crypto-assets on behalf of third parties (wallet management, crypto exchange, etc.) thanks to its PSAN (digital asset service provider) status obtained from the AMF. The BD MULTIMEDIA HK LTD subsidiary publishes software solutions dedicated to payment services. Our subsidiary METACOLLECTOR is a platform for integrating old public domain art into the world of NFTs. These NFTs can then be viewed in the metaverse and exchanged between collectors. The UNIQUIRE subsidiary is responsible for the Group's Curated Fine Art NFTs platform project. Subsidiary OLYMPUS GAME is developing a "Play to Earn" game with a blockchain-based economy centered on the $OLYMP token and in-game NFTs. The PAYCOM subsidiary publishes ToneoFirst prepaid Mastercard cards, which are distributed to tobacconists throughout France. The CAPLA subsidiary is in charge of the fractional real estate project. TRACTIAL is listed on Euronext Growth (ISIN code: FR0000035305 / ALTRA). ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: nGeek5RsYmbKyG5vkpxtmpWWmmdomGSXaGqYmmSca5yabnKTlm6TbJ3KZnJkm2to - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-93662-tractial-2025-08-20-ven-egm-26-sept-2025-prepares-enhance-financial-and-capital-structure.pdf TAIPEI, TW / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / PEOPLElogy Berhad ("PEOPLElogy" or "the Group"), an integrated people development solutions provider, proudly announces its recognition as a winner of the Digital Talent Development Award at the WITSA Global Awards 2025. This global accolade, conferred by the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), honours outstanding contributions to advancing technology and innovation for societal benefit across sectors including education, healthcare, finance, and governance. The WITSA Global Awards, formerly known as the WITSA Global Innovation and Tech Excellence Awards, celebrate individuals, organisations, and government bodies that have significantly advanced the global digital landscape. With entries judged by an international panel of experts across 6 continents, these awards represent a global benchmark for excellence across critical categories including AI, cybersecurity, smart cities, digital opportunity, and talent development. The 2025 edition was held in Taipei, Taiwan, as part of the WITSA Global AI Summit 2025, drawing entries that demonstrated exceptional innovation, scale, and impact in advancing technology for societal good. PEOPLElogy's award-winning nomination was a testament to its consistent impact and forward-thinking strategies. As the first public-listed company in Southeast Asia focusing on people development solutions, proudly founded in Malaysia, PEOPLElogy has grown from a team of five to over 100 professionals, achieving RM29.24 million in revenue in FY2024. The company has trained over 250,000 talents and introduced its proprietary "6D Framework", delivering measurable, scalable, and high-impact digital upskilling development programs. Its "BUILD A FUTURE TEAM" initiative further enhances workforce readiness by collaborating with government bodies, skill providers, and industry leaders which all aligned with PEOPLElogy's bold mission to impact 10 million lives globally. Recognised for its inclusive, holistic, and future-oriented approach, PEOPLElogy's work sets a new standard in digital talent development. The company bridges critical skills gaps for governments, businesses, and communities by integrating technical education, digital literacy, and workforce adaptability. The award not only validates PEOPLElogy's scalable impact but also reinforces its leadership in driving digital equity and innovation across Asia and beyond. Mr. Allen Lee, Executive Director and Managing Director of PEOPLElogy, said, "This award is a testament to the tangible and visible impact of our efforts. From empowering individuals to shaping the future of workforces, our mission has always been to create real, measurable change. We are deeply honored to be acknowledged on the global stage by WITSA and remain committed to pushing the boundaries of digital talent transformation." Dato' Dr. Sean Seah, Chairman of WITSA, also highlighted in the WITSA Global Awards 2025, "All winners and merit recipients tonight exemplify the promise of digital and innovation, towards the sustainability and well-being of the global tech community. They are about making a significant global impact, from governments, industries, to all communities." Looking ahead, PEOPLElogy aims to maintain this standard of excellence by continuing to drive inclusive, adaptive, and future-proof digital learning initiatives. As the first public-listed people development company in Southeast Asia, PEOPLElogy remains steadfast in its purpose to empower talents, accelerate workforce transformation, and shape the digital future for generations to come. ### ABOUT PEOPLElogy BERHAD PEOPLElogy Berhad is an award-winning integrated people development solutions provider, delivering end-to-end services across three core segments: Discovery, Development, and Digital. As Malaysia's first public-listed People Development Company, PEOPLElogy is a pioneer in digital upskilling and workforce transformation, empowering individuals and organizations to thrive in the digital economy. With a mission to impact 10 million lives, PEOPLElogy is redefining how people work, learn, and grow - preparing a future-ready workforce through innovative, holistic, and scalable solutions. For more information, visit: www.peoplelogy.com Issued By: Swan Consultancy Sdn. Bhd. on behalf of PEOPLElogy Berhad For more information, please contact: Jazmin Wan Email:j.wan@swanconsultancy.biz William Yeo Email:w.yeo@swanconsultancy.biz Elaine Yap Head of Corporate Branding & Communications Email:Elaine.Yap@PEOPLElogy.com SOURCE: PEOPLElogy Berhad View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/peoplelogy-wins-prestigious-digital-talent-development-award-at-1063189 Highlights The full-scale One-Pot reactor at the Candiac Operations has been upgraded with new proprietary agitator equipment This new equipment installation will increase throughput capacity by approximately 50% The increased capacity will result in reduced cost of production going forward Nano One continues to enhance technological edge with continued development work Five new patents for LFP, NMC, and LNMO cathodes added to the Company's IP portfolio VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Nano One Materials Corp. (TSX:NANO)(OTCQB:NNOMF)(Frankfurt:LBMB) ("Nano One" or the "Company"), a process technology company specializing in lithium-ion battery cathode active materials (CAM), is pleased to report that it has successfully installed and commissioned a custom-designed and proprietary agitator in its commercial-sized 20,000 litre One-Pot reactor at its production facility in Candiac, Quebec-further improving its cost performance, in addition to supporting production scale-up and continued product commercialization, as well as optimizing plant design for the Company's future licensing business. Image One-Pot Reactor With Proprietary Agitator The newly installed, high-efficiency agitator has been engineered to enhance mixing dynamics, thermal transfer and reaction time and is estimated to increase the throughput capacity of the reactor by approximately 50%. It will also improve the consistency and quality of CAM output, while yielding reduced operating expenses (OPEX). The upgrade followed extensive piloting, data collection and modelling conducted on smaller 2,000-litre One-Pot pilot reactors, which were commissioned in October 2023. "The successful commissioning of the new equipment marks an important milestone in the further optimization of the Candiac operations, which has been established as a One-Pot LFP demonstration production plant," said Denis Geoffroy, Chief Commercialization Officer of Nano One. "The upgrade was achieved through the combined efforts of our engineering and production teams. With their decades of commercial experience, the teams have continued to focus on continuous improvement and cost competitiveness of the technology. This achievement underscores the scalability of the One-Pot process." The upgraded agitator and reactor design is full-scale and representative of the systems planned for future One-Pot enabled commercial-scale plants. This upgrade will support ongoing product validation and business development initiatives with key customers and commercial partners, while reinforcing the value proposition of Nano One's One-Pot technology to prospective licensees. Many of these engagements have focused on a subset of customers across battery energy storage systems (BESS), which in the past eighteen months have seen robust global demand increases driven by accelerated growth in the AI data center, military, and grid optimization market segments. The new equipment was sourced from a leading German manufacturer specializing in mixing technologies. Nano One continues to establish a robust equipment supply chain, which can be shielded from potential disruption and geopolitical risk-especially following China's July 2025 announcement imposing export restrictions on key equipment and technologies related to LFP cathode manufacturing. This project is supported by funding and expense reimbursements from NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program (formerly SDTC), Investissement Quebec, Technoclimat, and US Department of Defense (DoD). Nano One Adds Five New Patents To Its IP Portfolio Nano One is pleased to announce the allowance and/or issuance of five new patents in North America and Asia to its portfolio of intellectual property (IP), bringing its total now to fifty-two granted, one allowed and fifty-four pending in jurisdictions around the world. These patents strengthen Nano One's independence from foreign controlled IP and enhance the Company's technological edge in a continually evolving market. Recently Issued and/or Allowed Patents: LFP : United States Patent US 12,319,590 B2 issued on June 3rd, 2025: Describes an improved, scalable synthesis method for olivine-structured lithium metal phosphate cathode active materials LFP : Canadian Patent CA 3,068,797 allowed on April 3rd, 2025: Describes a synthesis of olivine-structured lithium metal phosphate cathode active materials LFP : Taiwan Patent TW I887600 issued on June 21st, 2025: Describes a method of preparing lithium metal phosphate (LMP) cathode active materials using metal feedstocks Original M2CAM NMC : Korean Patent KR 10-2791544 issued on April 1st, 2025: Describes the M2CAM technology using the One-Pot sulfate-free process for making lithium battery cathode materials LNMO: United States Patent US 12,355,063 issued on July 8th, 2025: Describes a novel battery assembled with high voltage spinel LNMO cathode material made using the One-Pot process and paired with an electrolyte for high durability ### About Nano One Nano One Materials Corp. (Nano One) is a technology company changing how the world makes cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries. Applications include stationary energy storage systems (ESS), portable electronics, and electric vehicles (EVs). The Company's patented One-Pot process reduces costs, is easier-to permit, lowers energy intensity, environmental footprint, and reliance on problematic supply chains. The Company is supporting the drive towards energy security, supply chain resilience, industrial competitiveness and increased performance through process innovation. Production is being piloted and demonstrated in Candiac, Quebec, drawing on existing plant and decades of commercial lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) manufacturing experience. Strategic collaborations and partnerships with international companies like Sumitomo Metal Mining, Rio Tinto, and Worley are supporting a design-one-build-many licensing growth strategy-delivering cost-competitive, easier-to-permit, and faster-to-market battery materials production solutions worldwide. Nano One has received funding from the Government of Canada, the Government of the United States, the Government of Quebec, and the Government of British Columbia. For more information, please visit www.nanoone.ca Company Contact: Paul Guedes info@nanoone.ca +1 (604) 420-2041 Cautionary Notes and Forward-Looking Statements Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information includes but is not limited to: LFP production, joint ventures, contracted projects, revenue generation, operational growth, licensing, government funding, the development of technology, supply chains, and plans for construction and operation of cathode production facilities; the Company's current and future business and strategies; estimated future working capital, funds available, and uses of funds, future capital expenditures and other expenses for commercial operations; industry demand; incurrence of costs; competitive conditions; general economic conditions; the intention to grow the business, operations and potential activities of the Company; the functions and intended benefits of Nano One's technology and products; the development and optimization of the Company's technology and products; prospective partnerships and the anticipated benefits of both the Company's current and prospective partnerships; the ability to attract and retain key talent; the Company's licensing and, the scalability of developed technology to meet expanded capacity; and the execution of the Company's stated plans - which are contingent on access to capital and grants. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of terminology such as 'believe', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'plan', 'intend', 'continue', 'estimate', 'may', 'will', 'should', 'ongoing', 'target', 'goal', 'potential' or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made are not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general and global economic and regulatory changes; next steps and timely execution of the Company's business plans; the development of technology, supply chains, and plans for construction and operation of cathode production facilities; successful current or future collaborations that may happen with OEM's, miners or others; the execution of the Company's plans which are contingent on capital sources; the Company's ability to achieve its stated goals; the commercialization of the Company's technology and patents via license, joint venture and independent production; anticipated global demand and projected growth for LFP batteries; and other risk factors as identified in Nano One's MD&A and its Annual Information Form dated March 25, 2025, both for the year ended December 31, 2024, and in recent securities filings for the Company which are available at www.sedarplus.ca. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that is incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Nano One Materials Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/nano-one-successfully-commissions-proprietary-agitator-equipment-boosting-through-1063120 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / BioNxt Solutions Inc. ("BioNxt" or the "Company") (CSE:BNXT)(OTC PINK:BNXTF)(FSE:BXT), a bioscience company specializing in innovative drug delivery technologies, is pleased to announce two key milestones in the expansion and protection of its proprietary drug delivery platform targeting neurological autoimmune disorders. The Company has formally initiated the prioritized examination process for its U.S. patent application for BNT23001, a novel sublingual thin-film cladribine formulation for multiple sclerosis (MS), under the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) Track One Program. Simultaneously, BioNxt has received acceptance of core claims for a broad international patent designed as a platform-level umbrella protecting the Company's sublingual thin-film delivery technology across a wide range of diseases, drug compounds, and applications. Fast-Tracked U.S. Patent Filing via Track One to Accelerate Clinical Development Milestones BioNxt is pursuing the USPTO's Track One Prioritized Examination Program to accelerate patent review for BNT23001. Once accepted, this program enables final patent disposition within 12 months, with most applicants receiving a first Office Action in approximately two months and a final decision in under seven months. For BioNxt, this fast-track status represents a strategic opportunity to secure near-term U.S. patent protection and strengthen its IP position ahead of pivotal bioequivalence studies and commercial partnering discussions. BNT23001 is an orally dissolvable thin-film formulation of cladribine, a well-established immunomodulatory compound. Delivered sublingually, the formulation is designed for improved bioavailability, faster onset of action, and enhanced patient compliance, particularly in populations affected by dysphagia or seeking non-invasive alternatives to traditional tablets or injections. A Strategic Path Toward Superbioavailability and Rapid Approval BioNxt is advancing BNT23001 for relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS), as well as generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG). Merck KGaA is currently conducting a Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate cladribine capsules in GMG (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06463587), further validating the therapeutic relevance of the compound beyond MS. This clinical activity by Merck reinforces the therapeutic relevance of cladribine in GMG and underscores the opportunity for BioNxt to differentiate and potentially partner or collaborate with its own next-generation, patient-centric delivery format. BioNxt's objective is to confirm that its sublingual thin film offers superbioavailability in comparison to Merck's MAVENCLAD tablets, which generated more than US$1 billion in sales in 2023. If superior bioavailability is demonstrated relative to MAVENCLAD, BioNxt would qualify for an accelerated regulatory path under Article 10a of the European hybrid application framework, requiring only comparative PK data in healthy volunteers. A preclinical pharmacokinetic (PK) study in pigs, an established translational model for oral and sublingual absorption, will be initiated in the near-term to provide critical bioavailability data to support regulatory positioning and formulation optimization. BioNxt's Broad Patent: A Platform-Level Umbrella for Autoimmune Neurology In parallel to its U.S. patent fast-tracking, BioNxt has achieved a major intellectual property milestone with the acceptance of core claims in its broad international umbrella patent protecting its thin-film delivery platform. This foundational patent is not limited to BNT23001, but instead provides platform-level protection for a wide range of drug compounds, therapeutic indications, administration methods, and manufacturing processes. The umbrella patent provides long-term exclusivity, extending into the 2040s, not only for cladribine, but for a broad class of drug compounds delivered via BioNxt's proprietary sublingual thin-film technology. This includes protection for composition, manufacturing, administration methods, and use across multiple autoimmune and neuroinflammatory indications. Key disease targets include relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis, generalized myasthenia gravis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), autoimmune encephalitis, central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis, optic neuritis, Hashimoto's encephalopathy, cerebral lupus, and Sjogren's syndrome. While Sjogren's is primarily known for its effects on exocrine glands, it is also associated with neurological complications in some patients. The patent has received core claim acceptance from both the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO), and BioNxt has initiated national-phase filings in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. This patent framework enables BioNxt to scale its platform across additional indications using the same delivery modality, reducing development timelines and leveraging shared regulatory infrastructure. Targeting Global Markets and Significant Unmet Need Autoimmune neurodegenerative diseases represent a significant global burden with limited therapeutic options and poor adherence to existing therapies. BioNxt's thin-film delivery technology is designed to improve tolerability and usability across these patient populations. Unlike conventional tablets or injectable formulations, BioNxt's thin-film platform bypasses the gastrointestinal tract, supports rapid absorption, and improves dosing convenience, critical in chronic autoimmune disorders where long-term adherence is essential. More than 2.8 million people are living with multiple sclerosis (MS) globally, including nearly 1 million in the United States alone, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a 2019 study published in Neurology (Wallin et al., 2019; National MS Society). The U.S. MS drug market was valued at USD 7.81 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow to over USD 17.15 billion by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 8.18% (Precedence Research, 2024). Generalized myasthenia gravis affects an estimated 700,000 people globally and remains an area of unmet therapeutic need (ClinicalTrialsArena, 2023). BioNxt estimates that its initial target indications, MS and GMG, represent a combined total addressable market of USD 42-46 billion by 2032, based on internal analysis and third-party forecasting. The central nervous system therapeutics market is projected to exceed USD 239 billion by 2032, highlighting the broader opportunity for innovation in neuroimmunology (GMI Insights, 2024). The Company expects to report results from its preclinical PK study later this year, supporting its regulatory strategy and partnership discussions. About BioNxt Solutions Inc. BioNxt Solutions Inc. is a bioscience innovator focused on next-generation drug delivery platforms, diagnostic screening systems, and active pharmaceutical ingredient development. Its proprietary platforms include sublingual thin films, transdermal patches, oral tablets, and a new targeted chemotherapy platform designed to deliver cancer drugs directly to tumors while reducing side effects. With research and development operations in North America and Europe, BioNxt is advancing regulatory approvals and commercialization efforts, primarily focused on European markets. BioNxt is committed to improving healthcare by delivering precise, patient-centric solutions that enhance treatment outcomes worldwide. BioNxt is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange: BNXT, OTC Markets: BNXTF and trades in Germany under WKN: A3D1K3. To learn more about BioNxt, please visit www.bionxt.com. Investor Relations & Media Contact Hugh Rogers, Co-Founder, CEO and Director Email: investor.relations@bionxt.com Phone: +1 604.250.6162 Web: www.bionxt.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bionxt-solutions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bionxt Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated grant and scope of European and Eurasian patent rights; the Company's plans for additional international patent filings; the development, clinical evaluation, and commercialization of the Company's Cladribine thin-film (BNT23001) for multiple sclerosis; the strategic importance of intellectual property; the timing and outcome of regulatory processes; and the potential expansion of BioNxt's sublingual drug delivery platform to other therapeutic areas. Forward-looking information is based on management's reasonable assumptions, expectations, estimates, and projections as of the date of this press release. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors-many of which are beyond the Company's control-that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: patent examination and prosecution outcomes; changes in regulatory or legal frameworks; clinical trial results; scalability of manufacturing processes; strategic partnership risks; and broader economic, financial, or geopolitical conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions reflected in such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Except as required by applicable securities laws, BioNxt undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Mavenclad is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by BioNxt Solutions Inc. SOURCE: BioNxt Solutions Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/bionxt-fast-tracks-u.s.-patent-for-ms-drug-and-secures-broad-platform-1063188 Ranked #1 for Multinational Organizations Use Case STOCKHOLM, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinch AB (publ) (XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its Customer Communications Cloud, today announced it has been acknowledged in the 2025 Gartner Critical Capabilities for Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) report. Sinch ranked #1 out of all evaluated vendors for both the Multinational Organizations and Video Use Cases. The Gartner Critical Capabilities report, a companion to the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CPaaS, evaluates providers across five key use cases that matter most to enterprises integrating communications into digital transformation initiatives. Sinch reports strong performance, placing first or second in every evaluated use case. The company sees this as a clear reflection of the strength and flexibility of its platform to meet the evolving needs of global enterprises. This performance also highlights the strength and depth of Sinch's global communications infrastructure and continued product innovation, including the recently announced Sinch MCP and new MailGun Inspect solution. "To us, The Gartner recognition validates what our customers experience every day: that the future of enterprise communications isn't just about connecting channels, it's about making them intelligent," said Laurinda Pang, CEO of Sinch. "We've long led the way in supporting multinational use cases, helping organizations personalize at scale with AI-powered messaging, adapt in real-time with voice, and build trust through video. This ranking reflects our ability to deliver innovation without complexity, no matter the region, channel, or challenge." Recognized Strengths in Key Enterprise Use Cases: #1 Ranking for Multinational Organizations Use Case Sinch was evaluated as a provider for multinational organizations, reinforcing its leadership in powering complex, cross-border communication strategies. With Sinch's global presence that provides regional expertise, local presence in over 60 countries, and direct connections to over 600 global carriers, enterprise-grade failover resilience, and deep compliance expertise, Sinch helps global brands deliver secure, localized experiences that scale. Sinch was evaluated as a provider for multinational organizations, reinforcing its leadership in powering complex, cross-border communication strategies. With Sinch's global presence that provides regional expertise, local presence in over 60 countries, and direct connections to over 600 global carriers, enterprise-grade failover resilience, and deep compliance expertise, Sinch helps global brands deliver secure, localized experiences that scale. Recognition in Video Sinch enables high-quality, low-latency video communication across real-time calls, conferencing, and live streaming. These capabilities are increasingly vital in sectors like healthcare, financial services, and e-commerce, where visual engagement is becoming a key driver of customer trust. Sinch enables high-quality, low-latency video communication across real-time calls, conferencing, and live streaming. These capabilities are increasingly vital in sectors like healthcare, financial services, and e-commerce, where visual engagement is becoming a key driver of customer trust. Recognition Across Voice, Messaging, and CX Sinch was also recognized in Advanced Voice Communications, Basic Communications, and Conversational Customer Experience. From intelligent IVR and reliable SMS to omnichannel chatbots and secure email, Sinch continues to support enterprises with a single platform that meets evolving customer demands. This recognition follows Sinch's continued momentum across enterprise and carrier markets, including new AI-powered solutions, partnerships with global technology leaders, and deeper investment in omnichannel infrastructure. As enterprises look to consolidate platforms and deliver more intelligent, secure, and localized customer engagement, a trend further explored in our State of Customer Communications report, Sinch stands out as the trusted partner for scalable communications that perform, anywhere in the world. Gartner Disclaimer Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product, or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Gartner is a registered trademark and service marks of Gartner Inc and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner Critical Capabilities for Communications Platform as a Service. By Ajit Patankar, Pankil Sheth, Lisa Unden-Farboud, Manoj Bhatia, 29 July 2025. For more information please contact: Janet Lennon, Director of Global PR & Communications janet.lennon@sinch.com | 1.206.914.6175 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/sinch-ab/r/sinch-recognized-in-gartner--2025-critical-capabilities-for-cpaas,c4220257 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sinch-recognized-in-gartner-2025-critical-capabilities-for-cpaas-302534411.html Houston, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - In a continued commitment to honoring service and advancing access to education, Dr. Andrew Gomes proudly launches the Dr. Andrew Gomes Scholarship for Veterans, a national scholarship program designed to support undergraduate students who have served in the U.S. military. Open to veterans from all branches, including the Reserves and National Guard, this scholarship initiative reflects Dr. Andrew Gomes' dedication to service, community impact, and academic excellence. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8530/262493_6075564e64db0a78_001full.jpg As a respected Diagnostic and Non-Vascular Interventional Radiologist with over 15 years of experience in advanced imaging technologies-particularly in the diagnosis of traumatic brain injuries-Dr. Andrew Gomes has long advocated for deeper understanding and support of the veteran population. His work in trauma-informed care and diagnostic imaging has shaped his awareness of the challenges veterans face both in healthcare and in the transition to civilian life. The Dr. Andrew Gomes Scholarship for Veterans is not limited to any particular state or city in the U.S., ensuring equal opportunity for all qualified applicants nationwide. The scholarship supports undergraduate veterans currently enrolled at accredited American colleges and universities. Applicants are invited to submit a compelling, original essay between 500 and 750 words, responding to the following prompt: "How has your experience in the military shaped your personal values, academic goals, and vision for your future? In what ways do you hope to lead, serve, or create impact in your next chapter?" Essays will be evaluated based on originality, depth, clarity, and alignment with the scholarship's mission of service, reflection, and forward-thinking leadership. The scholarship committee will announce the selected recipient on April 15, 2026, with applications closing on March 15, 2026. Through this initiative, Dr. Andrew Gomes aims to alleviate the financial burden many veterans face while pursuing academic growth. The scholarship is more than just an award-it is a platform for recognizing the lifelong value of service and the diverse paths that veterans take toward building their futures. This effort is driven by Dr. Andrew Gomes' vision to not only give back but also foster the next generation of leaders who carry with them the discipline, courage, and resilience of their military experience. "Veterans are leaders, mentors, and innovators who bring unmatched determination and perspective to every field," said Dr. Andrew Gomes. "This scholarship serves as both recognition of their past service and an investment in their future impact." The program directly reflects Dr. Andrew Gomes' professional values and personal mission. Drawing inspiration from his extensive work with military-related brain injuries, the scholarship also symbolizes his broader advocacy for healing, growth, and education. Veteran students interested in applying for the scholarship can visit the official website to learn more about the eligibility criteria and access the application portal. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/262493 SOURCE: GYT Hafnia Limited ("Hafnia", the "Company", OSE ticker code: "HAFNI", NYSE ticker code "HAFN") will release its Q2 2025 results at approximately 07:30 CET on the 27th of August 2025. In connection with this release, Hafnia will hold an investor presentation with Mikael Skov (CEO), Perry van Echtelt (CFO), Sren Skibdal Winther (VP), and Thomas Andersen (EVP). The details are as follows: Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025 Location Local Time Oslo, Norway 14:30 CET New York, U.S.A 08:30 EST Singapore 20:30 SGT The financial results presentations will be available via live video webcast via the following link: Click here to join Hafnia's Investor Presentation on August 27 2025 Meeting ID: 393 651 111 894 9 Passcode: b2ET6oZ3 Download Teams Join on the web Dial in by phone: +45 32 72 66 19"509249796# Denmark, All locations Find a local number Phone conference ID: 509 249 796# A recording of the presentation will be available after the live event on the Hafnia Investor Relations Page: https://investor.hafnia.com/financials/quarterly-results/default.aspx About Hafnia Limited: Hafnia is one of the world's leading tanker owners, transporting oil, oil products and chemicals for major national and international oil companies, chemical companies, as well as trading and utility companies. As owners and operators of around 200 vessels, we offer a fully integrated shipping platform, including technical management, commercial and chartering services, pool management, and a large-scale bunker procurement desk. Hafnia has offices in Singapore, Copenhagen, Houston, and Dubai and currently employs over 4000 employees onshore and at sea. Hafnia is part of the BW Group, an international shipping group involved in oil and gas transportation, floating gas infrastructure, environmental technologies, and deep-water production for over 80 years. This information is subject to disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250819097104/en/ Contacts: For further information, please contact: Mikael Skov CEO Hafnia Limited +65 8533 8900 With Capacity Provided by Allianz, Active Insurance is Now Available to Businesses up to 1 Billion in Revenue on a Primary Basis Coalition Also Appoints Benjamin Bares as Head of Business Development and Frederic Gatte as Director of Underwriting for Coalition France Coalition, the world's first Active Insurance provider designed to help prevent digital risk before it strikes, today announced the launch of its Active Cyber Insurance in France through its subsidiary, Coalition Insurance Solutions GmbH. French companies with revenues of up to 1 billion can now access innovative cyber risk management and cyber insurance coverage on a primary basis. Capacity is provided by Allianz Commercial via Allianz Global Corporate Specialty SE (AGCS) in a multi-year agreement. "Coalition's Active Insurance combines comprehensive cyber insurance with internal technical cybersecurity knowledge, technologies, and services for a completely integrated approach to risk," commented Tine Simonsen, Coalition's Head of Insurance, Continental Europe. "As global cyber threats grow, French businesses-small businesses especially-need an experienced and innovative insurance provider that not only helps mitigate financial losses, but also equips them with the cybersecurity tools necessary to better understand their risks, strengthen their defenses, and prevent future attacks." Coalition's integrated approach to cyber risk management combines some of the most comprehensive coverage available on the market with cybersecurity solutions and services. Through Active Insurance, policyholders can identify, mitigate, and respond to emerging cyber threats before they escalate into full-blown attacks. The company delivers end-to-end protection backed by in-house technical expertise, cutting-edge technologies, and expert support services focused exclusively on cybersecurity. Through Coalition's proprietary cyber risk management platform, Coalition Control, insured companies benefit from a complete assessment of their exposure and risk, and receive alerts about vulnerabilities and cyber threats as they emerge. Businesses can also access security services, including employee security awareness training and managed detection and response (MDR). In the event of an incident, Coalition's claims and incident response teams are available 24/7. To support the launch of its French operations, Coalition also announced the appointment of Benjamin Bares as its Head of Business Development for France. He joins with more than 20 years of industry experience, most recently as Director of Direct Sales and Partnerships at Hiscox Assurances France. "I'm thrilled to be joining Coalition, a trusted insurance provider for over 100,000 organizations and a partner to over 65,000 brokers worldwide," added Bares. "Our ambition in France-as around the globe-is to establish long-lasting relationships with brokers and agencies, supported by extensive training materials and broker-specific resources, as well as a streamlined quoting process that enables brokers to obtain quotes within minutes via our online Broker Platform." Bares will be supported by a team that includes Frederic Gatte as Director of Underwriting with strong cyber expertise gained from his recent positions at Onda and Diot Siaci, and Production Underwriter Tom Paparella, who transfers from Coalition's U.S. team. The company plans to expand its workforce in several French cities. To learn about further open positions, visit: https://www.coalitioninc.com/careers. Brokers can start quoting now by submitting requests directly to Coalition's expert underwriting team at help@coalitioninc.fr. For more information about Coalition and Active Insurance, please visit: https://www.coalitioninc.fr. About Coalition Coalition is the world's first Active Insurance provider designed to help prevent digital risk before it strikes. By combining comprehensive insurance coverage and cybersecurity tools, Coalition helps businesses manage and mitigate potential cyberattacks. Leveraging its relationships with leading global insurers and capacity providers, including Coalition Insurance Company, Coalition offers Active Insurance products to businesses in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and France. Policyholders can receive automated cyber alerts and access expert advice and global third-party risk management tools through Coalition's cyber risk management platform, Coalition Control. Insurance cover is issued by Coalition Insurance Solutions GmbH, German insurance agent (HRB 133708) supervised by IHK Frankfurt am Main, Borsenplatz 4, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, www.frankfurt-main.ihk.de, having a French branch registered with the RCS of Paris under number 940 794 753 to act as European insurance intermediary under ORIAS number D-JEO5-724A4-24 ("CIS FR"), cooperating in the French market with Allianz Global Corporate Specialty SE, a company organized and existing under the laws of Germany, registered at the Munich Commercial Register under the No HRB 208312, headquartered Koniginstrasse 28, 80802 Munich (Germany), acting through its French Branch, registered at the Commercial Register ("RCS") of Nanterre under the No 487 424 608, whose head office is located 1 Cours Michelet CS 30051 92076 Paris La Defense Cedex. This information with regard to the cyber insurance products provided herein is of a general nature only and does not take into account any person's particular circumstances. All descriptions of coverage are subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the individual policy. Before making a decision (or advising your client), please refer to the relevant applicable policy or contact your broker. CIS FR may receive remuneration from an insurer. See imprint and disclaimers. Copyright 2025. All rights reserved. Coalition and the Coalition logo are trademarks of Coalition, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250820198458/en/ Contacts: Marisa Graves Communications at Coalition press@coalitioninc.com "Two Federal Agencies, One Unconstitutional Playbook, all While Agency Overreach Crushes a 125 year old Family Farm and Paralyzes a Cannabis Cultivation Company for 7 years alike" says Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ International Holdings. DEA Administrator Terry Cole fix it! WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / In a landmark July 2025 decision, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a stinging rebuke to the Department of Labor for violating the Constitution through its system of in-house courts where agency employees served as prosecutor, judge, and jury. The case involved the Marino family, whose fourth-generation New Jersey farm was driven into collapse over a paperwork error and $500,000 in fines. Yet even as this decision was being celebrated as a victory for due process, another federal agency, the Drug Enforcement Agency, was employing the same unconstitutional playbook against MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, a company seeking to produce FDA-grade cannabis for clinical trials on Huntington's disease and Multiple Sclerosis. The parallel patterns reveal a disturbing trend of federal agencies operating outside constitutional constraints, with devastating consequences for small businesses and medical innovation. The Pattern: Investigator, Prosecutor, Judge and Jury The Marino family's ordeal began when Department Of Labor inspectors spent four days at their farm instead of the usual one, then waited months before levying staggering fines over a paperwork error-a mistakenly checked box regarding meal provisions for workers. The Marinos were then trapped in a Kafkaesque system where DOL agents investigated, DOL prosecutors argued the case, and a DOL judge decided the outcome. MMJ BioPharma has faced nearly identical treatment from the DEA. The company filed its application for bulk manufacturing registration to grow cannabis for research in clinical trials in December 2018, yet seven years later, remains entangled in an administrative nightmare where DEA officials investigate, DEA attorneys prosecute, and DEA judges adjudicate-a system the Department of Justice has admitted may be constitutionally flawed. Table: Comparison of Agency Actions Agency Tactic Department of Labor (Marino Case) DEA (MMJ BioPharma Case) Initial Offense Paperwork error (wrong box checked on meal provision form) Regulatory interpretations (vault specifications, supply agreements) Financial Demand $550,000 in fines and back wages $20,000/month in facility costs without revenue Adjudication System DOL administrative law judges DEA administrative law judges Constitutional Status Ruled unconstitutional by 3rd Circuit (2025) DOJ concedes ALJ protections may violate Article II (2025) Business Impact 125-year-old farm forced to close FDA-grade research facility paralyzed Bureaucratic Obstruction: The DEA's Moving Goalposts MMJ BioPharma's experience reads like a textbook case of regulatory weaponization. The company invested approximately $100,000 in a secure vault after DEA Investigator Thomas Cook from the Providence office insisted on concrete thickness specifications that exceeded requirements-demanding protection against hypothetical thieves tunneling underground despite seismic monitoring systems being an approved alternative. The arbitrary demands continued at the highest levels. Deputy Administrator Matthew Strait instructed MMJ to provide a "bona fide supply agreement" and followed the DEA's December 2020 rule suggesting the agency would purchase cannabis and resell it to researchers. When MMJ produced an agreement with Catalent Pharma Solutions for API processing, DEA rejected it for not containing terms like those in a sample agreement the agency provided-despite the company following the DEA's own framework. Perhaps most egregiously, DOJ attorney Cara Krysil advised MMJ that they could submit a $25 million NIH grant application using their DEA application number rather than a registration number-assurances that proved false when NIH rejected the application, costing the company critical research funding. The Human and Medical Cost For the Marino family, the financial and emotional toll was catastrophic. After nine years fighting DOL, they were forced to auction their 125-year-old farming operation-every tractor, combine, and piece of land-in a devastating two-day sale. MMJ BioPharma has similarly bled under the weight of bureaucratic intransigence, spending over $20,000 monthly in facility costs without permission to operate. The human cost extends beyond financials to patients awaiting potential treatments for neurological conditions-patients who remain without access to standardized, FDA-grade cannabis medicines because of the DEA's obstruction. "The public will be sickened to find out what DOL did," Joe Marino said after his victory. Similarly, medical advocates are increasingly alarmed by the DEA's pattern of behavior 1. The Legal Landscape Shifts Beneath Them Even as the DEA continues its administrative proceedings against MMJ BioPharma, the legal foundation for such agency tribunals is crumbling: Jarkesy v. SEC (2024): The Supreme Court ruled that defendants facing civil penalties from agency proceedings are entitled to jury trials under the Seventh Amendment. Marino v. DOL (2025): The Third Circuit unanimously ruled DOL's in-house court system unconstitutional. DOJ Concession (2025): The Justice Department admitted that multiple layers of removal protections for ALJs "do not comport with the separation of powers and Article II" and would no longer defend them in litigation. Despite these developments, the DEA continues its administrative proceeding against MMJ BioPharma, even as the Department of Justice has effectively conceded the constitutional deficiencies of the very system being used to judge the company. A Path Forward The solution to this constitutional crisis requires decisive action: Stay DEA Proceedings: Administrator Terry Cole should immediately stay the administrative case against MMJ BioPharma and move it to Article III courts. Establish Clear Guidelines: The DEA must publish workable, consistent standards for "bona fide supply agreements" that don't require impossible pre-conditions. Credit Compliance: The agency should acknowledge investments already made in compliance with regulations rather than moving goalposts. Transparent Timeline: The DEA must provide a public, accountable timetable for research registration decisions. Independent Review: An external compliance panel without DEA ties should review requirements for rationality and consistency. Conclusion: Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied The Marino family ultimately received vindication from the Third Circuit, but only after losing everything. "We got our good name cleared, but more important than that, I'm truly thankful because I know our case will help others down the road," Joe Marino said. MMJ BioPharma now seeks similar justice-not just for itself, but for the patients whose access to potential treatments hangs in the balance. The question is whether the DEA will continue defending its unconstitutional system or follow the growing judicial consensus that no agency should be both prosecutor and judge. As Institute for Justice Attorney Bob Belden noted in the Marino case: "When a federal agency wants to take your money as punishment, it must prove its case against you in a real court, not in agency courts where the government plays investigator, prosecutor, judge, and jury". The principle applies equally whether the agency is seeking fines or blocking medical research. The Constitution does not have exceptions for bureaucratic convenience or political objections to cannabis. Until the DEA acknowledges this fundamental truth, medical research and the patients it might benefit will remain collateral damage in the agency's unconstitutional war on a plant. MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan. CONTACT: Madison Hisey MHisey@mmjih.com 203-231-85832 SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/dea-unconstitutional-marijuana-playbook-how-the-dea-is-repeating-the-1063193 PANAMA CITY, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HTX DAO, a decentralized autonomous organization committed to building a transparent and community-driven Web3 financial hub, has announced a significant upgrade to its white paper, marking a decisive shift from a conceptual framework to a fully realized, user-driven financial ecosystem. During a livestream on August 14, HTX DAO Core Builder @HTX_Molly presented the updates in the 18th session of the Official Interview Series, "The DAO Talks". The event, titled "HTX DAO White Paper Upgrade: How an Institutional Experiment Evolved into a Realistic Path", featured crypto influencers including Helium. Discussions centered on key revisions to the HTX DAO white paper, governance challenges, strategies to strengthen community participation, compliance considerations, and the long-term trajectory of the $HTX , as well as on-chain financial governance. Key Highlights of the White Paper Upgrade The new HTX DAO white paper represents more than just a textual update; it signals a strategic shift in direction, positioning HTX as a central player in on-chain financial governance rather than a traditional exchange. The vision is to build a user-driven "financial free port", where every participant shares both governance power and profit rights. The revised paper translates earlier abstract concepts into actionable plans. It defines governance permissions with greater precision, outlines concrete use cases, and provides the community with a clear roadmap of the project's practical direction. It also emphasizes that HTX DAO's long-term vitality depends on a structured governance incentive system. User contributions-including voting, trading, staking, and content creation-are treated as governance actions rewarded with points, airdrops, and returns. At the same time, ecosystem partners such as HTX and TRON contribute through token burns, buybacks, and airdrops. This creates a positive cycle of "participate, earn, and re-participate," continuously strengthening both user engagement and the DAO's overall appeal. Building on this foundation, HTX DAO plans to expand governance into additional ecosystem modules such as Launchpad, Launchpool, and on-chain wealth management. It will also explore governance applications in new financial sectors, including Real World Assets (RWAs), Liquid Staking Derivatives (LSDs), stablecoins, and cross-chain bridges. Furthermore, it aims to empower on-chain partners by providing traffic and distribution resources. Over time, HTX DAO envisions itself evolving into a "financial sovereign harbor", where global $HTX holders govern collectively and share in real on-chain value, dividends, and ownership. Molly emphasized that a white paper is a project's core standard. It must reflect the team's evolving vision, strategic adjustments, and practical roadmap, while also serving as an authoritative reference for users to understand development progress and direction. Crypto influencer Helium described HTX DAO as a maturing organization built on two key features: a "balance scale" governance tool and a modular operating model, which together define its framework. HTX Affiliate Jingyi added that the white paper reinforces a core principle: users are active participants rewarded for their engagement-an approach that has successfully boosted community involvement and initiative. Adhering to Longtermism During the livestream, Molly also discussed the development of HTX DAO's voting-based crypto recommendation mechanism. She noted that the first step is to define the problem it seeks to solve and the tangible benefits it brings to users. The second is to design a rational incentive system that sustains long-term participation. She stressed that voting mechanisms, like long-term projects, experience cycles of enthusiasm and stagnation. The key is to adhere to longtermism, resolve issues as they arise, and maintain a developmental outlook on governance. Molly further explained that the goal of providing sustained user benefits is not to generate short-term hype through one or two events. Instead, it involves dedicating one to two years to refining the mechanism and building a successful governance system. In the next 6-12 months, the team will focus on three priorities: Validating the effectiveness of the voting-based recommendation mechanism. Establishing a treasury and points system to track and reward contributions. Granting developer permissions on the official site to build a truly member-driven DAO, with the points system as a key incentive. About HTX DAO As a multi-chain deployed decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), HTX DAO demonstrates an innovative governance approach. Unlike traditional corporate structures, it adopts a decentralized governance structure composed of a diversified group, jointly committed to the success of this organization. This unique ecosystem advocates openness and encourages all DAO participants to propose ideas that can promote the development of HTX DAO. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2754398/DAO_WP_EN.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2621232/HTX_DAO_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/htx-dao-white-paper-overhaul-a-shift-from-concept-to-reality-302534501.html DUBAI, UAE, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dubai Humanitarian, the world's largest humanitarian logistics hub, has unveiled a new documentary, Coming Together: The Dubai Humanitarian Story - a gripping behind-the-scenes look at the premier disaster response facility. From devastating floods in Pakistan to the escalating conflict in Gaza, the film captures real-time coordination between United Nations agencies, international NGOs, and government partners. It reveals how Dubai Humanitarian's 150,000 sqm of warehouses - donated by the Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum - enable life-saving supplies like vaccines, health kits, and clean water to reach crisis zones within hours. The documentary highlights the critical role of partners like - Dubai Customs, Emirates Airline, and UNHCR - whose close collaboration with aid agencies ensure relief efforts are swift, seamless, and scalable. Their combined expertise in customs clearance, logistics, and airlift capacity has proven vital in overcoming the most complex humanitarian challenges. It also underscores the human stories behind the headlines - of aid workers, customs officials, and airline crews working as one to deliver hope. "Dubai Humanitarian is more than a logistics hub - it's a global lifeline," said Giuseppe Saba, CEO, Dubai Humanitarian, "This film shows what's possible when the world comes together." Saba added: "2025 continues to bring extraordinary global challenges. Working alongside our UN partners and other relief organisations, in just the first half of the year Dubai Humanitarian facilitated the delivery of over $48million in aid to countries across the globe, with the need for shelter and health aid being particularly striking. We remain steadfast in our commitment to stand with our international humanitarian community in safeguarding the most vulnerable." Head of UN OCHA UAE, Sajeda Shawa, said: "We need to make sure humanitarian aid is delivered based on humanitarian principles - with no discrimination and with equality. Being the voice of those who have no voice is not a luxury - it's a responsibility, an honour and a life calling." This behind the scenes documentary premiers on World Humanitarian Day, 19 August, on the Dubai Humanitarian YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjKME2Sj3-c. Dubai Humanitarian aid in numbers (Jan to Jun 2025) $48.8m Aid worth $48,867,298 distributed from Dubai Humanitarian. 81 Aid sent to 81 countries. $14m Health Aid: This included $13,969,276 worth of health accessories, medical equipment, pharmaceutical items and more. $1m Water and Sanitation Aid: The demand for water and sanitation aid included $733,297 worth of water supply items, ranging from buckets and containers to Jerry Cans. $15m Shelter Aid: Almost a third of all aid was allocated to shelter. This included 937,377 pieces of camping and field equipment, from tents to winterisation kits $208.1m Stock value available at Dubai Humanitarian in June 2025. 25 During the first half of 2025, key moments included the 25th Dubai Humanitarian airlift for Gaza. The April operation delivered 56.8 metric tonnes of critical medical supplies worth over $1million (AED4.3million), provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), to El Arish Airport in Egypt. Benefits of the Humanitarian Logistics Databank To countries in need of aid: Real-time analytics and 24/7/365 visibility of aid levels - daily updates provides accurate data, especially convenient across time zones and saves phone calls Enhanced co-ordination and faster identification of aid partners - countries requiring aid have access to detailed data, including which members from UN World Food Programme to UNICEF within Dubai Humanitarian have how much of each product, so they can approach them direct for support, knowing their current stock levels To Dubai Humanitarian-based aid agencies: Prepare more effectively by anticipating aid demand - as aid flows can be tracked over time, through its ongoing AI backed data analysis, Dubai Humanitarian can advise aid agencies when demand will likely peak and aid levels will run low. For example, during the August monsoon season in Bangladesh, Dubai Humanitarian identified the higher annual demand for tents and blankets. Aid agencies at Dubai Humanitarian can then build up stocks ahead of time Avoid price spikes - By building up stock ahead of demand spikes, aid agencies can manage stocks more effectively and purchase aid ahead of price surges. To Dubai Humanitarian Anticipate storage needs - Dubai Humanitarian continually analyses its data to understand changing demand for different types of aid. By recognising the increase in health product demand in the early years of the databank, Dubai Humanitarian were able to expand its cold storage solutions and were then more prepared for the Covid-19 response as a result. Global sustainability Reducing travel distances and carbon emissions - Due to Dubai's strategic geographic position on the path between Middle East, Asia and Africa, and Dubai Humanitarian being located only 10 minutes away from the Jebel Ali seaport and Al Maktoum airport, it enables the humanitarian community to reach, within 4-8 hours, two-thirds of the world population living in hazard-prone areas. Future view: locating local aid - As the databank grows to include up to 11 hubs, countries and organisations in need will be able to effectively locate their closest available aid, reducing travel time and emissions, with aid able to travel by road and sea rather than air. Interview opportunities or commentary: Giuseppe Saba, CEO, Dubai Humanitarian Giuseppe Saba is a leading logistics and support services expert. He is the founder of the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot Network (UNHRD) and joined Dubai Humanitarian as CEO in 2017, leading the launch of the Humanitarian Logistics Databank in 2018. Hanan Almarzooqi, Director of Operations & Humanitarian Initiatives, Dubai Humanitarian. Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2752735/Dubai_Humanitarian.jpg Images: https://we.tl/t-pvT6vEMYr6 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/dubai-humanitarian-powerful-new-documentary-reveals-worlds-largest-humanitarian-logistics-hub-302532523.html RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- VistaJet, the first and only global private aviation company and part of the Vista group, announces that it is the first foreign operator to offer flights internally within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This exciting agreement is a commitment to dedicate VistaJet services and expertise to facilitate the strategic goals of the Kingdom, and with the leadership's vision and implementation of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). Given the nature of Vista's fully-owned floating fleet, the company is best positioned to offer immediate private aviation services throughout the Kingdom, while ensuring the operational efficiencies of its worldwide operations continue to best serve local clients. With the largest international fleet of Global 7500 aircraft, and soon Global 8000 jets, VistaJet clients can additionally reach any point around the globe non-stop directly from the Kingdom, thanks to its strategic central geographical position. Nick van der Meer, Chief Operating Officer at Vista, said: "The approval and recognition from GACA marks a significant milestone for Vista's operations in the Kingdom. By expanding our domestic capabilities, we are not only strengthening our regional presence, but also amplifying the efficiency of our global fleet. We are proud to support Vision 2030 and grateful to the leadership and the GACA team for making this possible. This enables us to serve our clients with seamless access across the Kingdom and beyond, ensuring that every journey reflects Vista's commitment to reliability, consistency and world-class service." Saudi Arabia's aviation industry is undergoing a historic transformation, positioned as a key pillar of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. With bold ambitions to become a global hub for travel, trade and investment, the Kingdom and GACA are rapidly modernizing the country's aviation landscape through regulation, infrastructure and innovation, connecting Asia, Africa and Europe like never before. This vision is symbiotic to Vista's operations as the most advanced, sustainable and interconnected flying solutions at the very best value, anytime, anywhere around the world. VistaJet has served the market for more than 15 years - more than any other international operator - and is committed to ensuring it adds true value to the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has proven a key growth market for VistaJet, and continues to deliver numerous opportunities. During the first half of 2025, the company saw a 32% increase in VistaJet Program Members in the Kingdom year-over-year, highlighting the drive in demand for both domestic and global flying solutions for both local and international clients. "We are delighted to be working with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and GACA, reinforcing our commitment to offering clients reliable, flexible and trusted flying solutions through our global and regional infrastructure," comments Mazen Obaid, President - Middle East at Vista. "As a Saudi myself, I am extremely proud and excited for this new venture, and of all the opportunities that I know we can achieve together. We thank the Kingdom and its leadership for its dynamic Vision 2030, and we very much look forward to hiring many local experts and investing locally." Vista has innovated the industry for over 20 years, flying corporations and private clients to over 200 countries and territories on the Vista Members' fleet of over 270 iconic silver and red business jets, across a range of aircraft types, focusing on super-midsize and global range. From Challenger 350 to the flagship Global 7500, Vista offers the best aircraft in each cabin class for every trip. This announcement follows Vista successfully closing an Equity and Term Loan B transaction totaling $1.3 billion in the first quarter of this year. These transactions are a strong endorsement of Vista's strategy and long-term vision for the future. With enhanced operations, increased services and expanding geographical presence in emerging markets, the business continues to evolve to demand - the agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and GACA is another major milestone, strengthening Vista's position in a key market. Contact: press@vistaglobal.com About VistaJet VistaJet is the first and only global business aviation company. On the unrivaled Vista Members' fleet of over 270 aircraft, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to over 200 countries and territories, covering 96% of the world. Founded over 20 years ago, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers are granted access to an entire fleet while paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership and fractional ownership. VistaJet's signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid and long-range jets, to fly them anytime, anywhere, with as little as 24 hours' notice. VistaJet is part of Vista Global Holding (Vista) - the world's leading private aviation group, headquartered at the DIFC in Dubai, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset-free solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation. More VistaJet information and news at www.vistajet.com. VistaJet Limited is a European air carrier that operates 9H registered aircraft under its Maltese Air Operator Certificate No. MT-17. VistaJet US Inc. is an air charter broker that does not operate aircraft. VistaJet-owned and U.S.-registered aircraft are operated by properly licensed U.S. direct air carriers, including XOJET Aviation LLC (DBA Vista America), JetSelect LLC (DBA Vista America), Western Air Charter Inc (DBA Vista America), and Red Wing Aeroplane LLC (DBA Vista America). About Vista Vista Global Holding Limited (Vista) is the world's leading global business aviation company providing worldwide business flight services through its network of subsidiaries and a team of over 4,000 experts. A global group headquartered in Dubai, Vista integrates a unique portfolio of companies to offer asset free services to cover all key aspects of business aviation, including guaranteed and on demand global flight coverage, subscription and membership solutions, and trading and management services. Innovating the industry for over 20 years through continuous investment in talent, technology, and infrastructure, Vista's mission is to provide the most advanced flying services at the very best value - anytime, anywhere around the world. Vista's extensive industry expertise enables it to deliver comprehensive end-to-end solutions and technology to meet the needs of business aviation clients around the world. These services are offered through its leading brands, including VistaJet and XO. More Vista information and news at www.vistaglobal.com. "Vista" is a trade name for Vista Global Holding Limited. Vista does not operate any aircraft. All flights are performed by properly licensed operators, which may include subsidiaries such as VistaJet Limited or VistaJet GmbH. Vista also holds a non-controlling minority stake in FAA-licensed and DOT registered US direct air carriers XOJET Aviation LLC (DBA Vista America), Red Wing Aeroplane LLC (DBA Vista America), Western Air Charter, Inc. (DBA Vista America), Jet Select, LLC (DBA Vista America), and Talon Air LLC. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2752740/VistaJet_Saudi_Flight.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2752659/VistaJet_logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/vistajet-first-to-fly-within-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-further-expanding-domestic-flight-solutions-302534522.html New appointments of Dana McCallum and Christoph Meyer reflect the company's continued focus on customer growth REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Carbon , a leading product development and manufacturing technology company, today announced two key leadership appointments that reflect the company's ongoing commitment to customer-centric growth. Dana McCallum has returned to Carbon as Head of Global Enterprise Sales, whileChristoph Meyer has joined as Director of Oral Health Sales Europe. In her new role, Dana will lead Carbon's sales strategy across the company's key sectors, including medtech, consumer, industrial, service bureaus/injection molders and automotive, working closely with customers to strengthen partnerships and scale the company globally. "I'm excited to be back," said Dana. "There's still so much opportunity to unlock, and I'm looking forward to helping Carbon grow and supporting their client focused approach. Our material properties and design-to-production platform position us uniquely to enable companies to unlock innovation and bring premium products to market faster across a wide range of industries". "My focus is on connecting with customers to explore how we deliver increased value, build scalable sales strategies, and ensure that our technology truly empowers brands to transform their business. Carbon is not just selling equipment, we're enabling the future of manufacturing, and I'm thrilled to help lead that charge globally", she adds. Dana is well known in the manufacturing community, across both additive and traditional sectors, and remains an active member of groups like AMUG and Women in 3D Printing. She is also a recipient of AMUG's prestigious DINO (Distinguished Innovator Operators) Award, which recognizes those with the highest levels of AM expertise and a willingness to share that knowledge across the industry. Dana was one of Carbon's first sales hires back in 2015 and played a major role in building the company's commercial business and the Carbon Production Network. After gaining experience in the metal additive sector with Mantle and Xact Metal she rejoined Carbon in July. Also joining Carbon is dental industry stalwart, Christoph Meyer, who possesses almost 20 years' experience within the sector, most recently leading the European business for Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) at Dentsply Sirona. Based near Frankfurt, Germany, Christoph's new role will see him focus on the continued growth of Carbon's dental proposition in Europe, particularly in DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), the Netherlands, the Nordics and the UK. "I see great potential for Carbon to build on its success within digital dentistry," said Christoph. "From digital dentures that cut production from weeks to hours, to advanced materials, the opportunity is enormous. What impressed me most about Carbon is the way in which its technology enables labs to work smarter, reduce manual bottlenecks, and deliver higher-quality appliances at scale. My goal is to strengthen partnerships with our new and existing dental lab customers across Europe and help them unlock the full value of this technology - not just as a production tool, but as a driver of real business growth and better patient outcomes." Christoph will be based close to Carbon's Customer Experience Centre in Neu-Isenburg, where he'll also meet with customers, provide demos, and support adoption. About Carbon Carbon is a leader in 3D printing technology, enabling companies to develop superior products and bring them to market faster. The Carbon DLS process, utilizing state-of-the-art printers, advanced software, and high-quality materials, empowers engineers and designers to surpass conventional expectations in product development. Carbon's innovative solutions support prototyping, low-volume production, and scale production, offering a robust network for printing functional end-use parts as needed. Headquartered in Redwood City, CA, Carbon is dedicated to advancing the future of manufacturing. To learn more, visit www.carbon3d.com . Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2754411/Carbon_Dana_McCallum.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2754410/Carbon_Christoph_Meyer.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/carbon-expands-global-leadership-team-with-strategic-appointments-in-enterprise-and-dental-sales-302534529.html Record financial performance, with growth in revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and operating cash flow driven by strong Ohio momentum and disciplined operations in Arizona. Revenue of $13.4 million, up 59% YoY and a sequential increase of $1.8 million, reflecting first full quarter of consolidation of Big Perm dispensaries. Adjusted EBITDA [1] of $4.1 million, up $3 million from Q2 2024 and $0.7 million sequentially. Operating cash flow of $4.2 million, compared to $(0.6) million in Q2 2024 and $3.1 million in Q1 2025, with a Cash Flow Margin 1 of 31% - among the highest in the industry. Strengthened Ohio retail footprint to four consolidated locations. On track to reach the state dispensary license cap of eight by early 2026[2], positioning Vext to capture sustained growth from growing adult-use market in Ohio. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Vext Science, Inc. (CSE: VEXT) (OTCQX: VEXTF) ("Vext" or the "Company") a U.S.-based cannabis operator with vertical operations in Arizona and Ohio, today reported its financial results for the period ended June 30, 2025. All currency references used in this news release are in U.S. currency unless otherwise noted. Summary Financial Results (in thousands of US dollars) Q2 2025 Q1 2025 Q2 2024 Revenue $13,407 $11,561 $8,427 EBITDA1 $5,263 $950 $171 Adjusted EBITDA1 $4,077 $3,357 $1,084 Adjusted EBITDA Margin (%)1 30% 29% 13% Net cash provided by operating activities $4,175 $3,082 $(592) Cash Flow Margin (%)1 31% 27% (7%) Management Commentary Eric Offenberger, CEO of Vext commented, "Q2 was one of the strongest quarters in Vext's history. Revenue grew 59% year-over-year to $13.4 million, Adjusted EBITDA more than tripled to $4.1 million, and operating cash flow reached $4.2 million - a 31% Cash Flow Margin that places us among the top performers in the industry. In Ohio, we're seeing sustained momentum, with consolidated retail sales up 86% sequentially and continued progress toward the state license cap. In Arizona, we're maintaining profitability despite market contraction by continuing to prioritize sell-through on our own retail shelves. With disciplined operations, a scalable footprint, and a capital-light model, we remain focused on generating strong operating cash flow, strengthening our balance sheet, and delivering long-term value to shareholders." Summary of Recent Announcements On April 3, 2025, Vext announced that it has completed the acquisition of two cannabis dispensaries from Big Perm's Dispensary Ohio, LLC together with all related licenses and assets, other than certain excluded assets following receipt of the regulatory approval from Ohio Division of Cannabis Control ("DCC"). On April 4, 2025, the Company announced that Vapen Kentucky, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Vext, together with its local partner, has entered into a definitive agreement to sell a medical cannabis processing license in the state of Kentucky for gross proceeds to the Company of $0.9 million. On June 5, 2025, the Company announced that it has changed its auditor from Reliant CPA to MNP LLP effective June 4, 2025. On June 16, 2025, Vext announced that the Herbal Wellness Center cannabis dispensary in Portsmouth, Ohio commenced operations and officially opened to the public on Friday, June 13, 2025. The Portsmouth dispensary will be consolidated only when the Big Perm license transfer is approved, expected to be in Q3 or Q4 2025. On June 24, 2025, the Company announced that it has been granted a dual-use provisional license by the DCC for a cannabis dispensary in Fairfield, Ohio, with operations expected to begin in Q4 2025, subject to regulatory approvals. Q2 2025 Financial Results Conference Call The Company will host a conference call and webcast on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 08:00 a.m. ET to discuss the financial results. Date: August 20, 2025 | Time: 8:00 am E.T. Participant Dial-in: +1-647-849-3159 or 1-833-752-3966 Replay Dial-in: +1-412-317-0088 or 1-855-669-9658 Conference ID: 10202130 Playback #: 6656822 (Expires on September 3, 2025) Listen to webcast: https://www.gowebcasting.com/14148 For more details, visit Vext's investor website or contact the IR team at investors@vextscience.com. Non-IFRS Financial Measures This news release contains certain "non-IFRS financial measures" (equivalent to "non-GAAP financial measures", as such term is defined in National Instrument 52-112 - Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure ("NI 52-112")), "non-IFRS ratios" (equivalent to "non-GAAP ratios", as such term is defined in NI 52-112), or "supplementary financial measures" (as such term is defined in NI 52-112), which are described in further detail below. These financial measures do not have a standardized definition under IFRS, nor are they calculated or presented in accordance with IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The Company has provided these financial measures as supplemental information and in addition to the financial measures that are calculated and presented in accordance with IFRS. The Company believes that these supplemental financial measures provide a valuable additional measure to use when analyzing the operating performance of the business. These supplemental financial measures should not be considered superior to, as a substitute for or as an alternative to, and should only be considered in conjunction with, the IFRS financial measures presented herein. The Company defines Cash Flow Margin by dividing Net cash provided by operating activities by Sales. The Company believes that this measure provides investors with insight into the Company's ability to generate cash from its revenue base. It is used by the Company to assess operating efficiency and liquidity performance without the impact of financing or investing activities. The calculation of Cash Flow Margin is as follows: Q2 2025 Q1 2025 Q2 2024 Net cash provided by operating activities (in thousands of US dollars) $4,175 $3,082 $(592) Sales (in thousands of US dollars) $13,407 $11,561 $8,427 Cash Flow Margin (%) 31.1% 26.7% (7.0)% The Company defines EBITDA as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The Company defines "Adjusted EBITDA" as net income (loss) from operations, as reported, before interest and tax, adjusted to exclude extraordinary items, non-recurring items, other non-cash items, including stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization, foreign exchange and acquisition related costs, if applicable. The Company defines "Adjusted EBITDA Margin" as Adjusted EBITDA divided by Sales. The Company believes that these measures are useful financial metrics as they assist in determining the ability to generate cash from operations. Investors should be cautioned that EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to net earnings or cash flows as determined under IFRS. The reconciling items between net earnings, EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA are as follows: (in thousands of US dollars) Q2 2025 Q1 2025 Q2 2024 Sales $13,407 $11,561 $8,427 Net Income after taxes (1,478) (3,334) (4,391) Interest (Net) 889 765 802 Income Taxes 1,742 (223) (127) Depreciation & Amortization 4,110 3,742 3,887 EBITDA 5,263 950 171 Accretion - (45) - Share (Profit) / Loss on JVs - 904 118 Share-based compensation 66 (24) 234 (Gain)/Loss on Asset Disposal 32 - - FV of WPCU loan (685) (153) (104) Loan costs EWB amortized 44 44 45 Foreign Exchange 3 2 (1) Change in FV of Biological 334 1,679 228 FV increment on acquired inventory sold - - 393 Miscellaneous Income (980) - - Adjusted EBITDA $4,077 $3,357 $1,084 Adjusted EBITDA Margin (%)1 30.4% 29.0% 12.9% About Vext Science, Inc. Vext Science, Inc. is a U.S.-based cannabis operator with vertical operations in Arizona and Ohio. Vext's expertise spans from cultivation through to retail operations in its key markets. Based out of Arizona, Vext owns and operates state-of-the-art cultivation facilities, fully built-out manufacturing facilities as well as dispensaries in both Arizona and Ohio. The Company manufactures Vapen, one of the leading THC concentrates, edibles, and distillate cartridge brands in Arizona. Its selection of award-winning products are created with Vext's in-house, high-quality flower and distributed across Arizona and Ohio. Vext's leadership team brings a proven track record of building and operating profitable multi-state operations. The Company's primary focus is to continue growing in its core states of Arizona and Ohio, bringing together cutting-edge science, manufacturing, and marketing to provide a reliable and valuable customer experience while generating shareholder value. Vext Science, Inc. is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol VEXT and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol VEXTF. Learn more at www.vextscience.com and connect with Vext on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. For more details on the Vapen brand: Vapen website: VapenBrands.com Instagram: @vapen Facebook: @vapenbrands Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in Vext's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will, could, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, potential, believe, should," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding future developments and the business and operations of Vext, including but not limited to the Company's expansion in Ohio and the anticipated results therefrom, the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, the disposition of the processing license in Kentucky and the opening of additional dispensaries in Ohio, all of which are subject to the risk factors contained in Vext's continuous disclosure filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Vext has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, but not limited to: dependence on obtaining regulatory approvals; being engaged in activities currently considered illegal under U.S. Federal laws; change in laws; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; hindered market growth and state adoption due to inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry; and regulatory or political change. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. Because of these risks and uncertainties, the results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. Vext disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and Vext does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release. SOURCE: Vext Science, Inc. [1] See "Non-IFRS Financial Measures" below for more information regarding Vext's use of non-IFRS financial measures and other reconciliations. [2] With the completion of the Ohio Expansion Transaction, Vext has secured the right to transfer ownership of the Portsmouth dispensary. The Portsmouth dispensary commenced operations and officially opened to the public on Friday, June 13, 2025. The Company is advancing the license transfer process with state regulators and expects the transfer to be completed in Q3 or Q4 2025. As a Tier 1 Cultivator, Vext has received approval under the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control's 10(B) license program to develop three additional dual-use dispensaries, including Fairfield, putting Vext on track to reach the state license cap of eight dispensaries by early 2026. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263106 SOURCE: VEXT Science, Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - FendX Technologies Inc. (CSE: FNDX) (OTCQB: FDXTF) (FSE: E8D) (the "Company" or "FendX"), an innovative surface protection company developing their technology-based solutions to reduce the spread of harmful pathogens and support a cleaner, safer world, is pleased to announce that its CEO, Dr. Carolyn Myers, has filed a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The application, titled "AI Adaptive App Pathogen Detection Platform" dated June 25, 2025, will be assigned to FendX as part of its expanding portfolio of hygiene-related technologies. The invention described in the patent application is being designed to combine mobile-based imaging, biosensor technology, and artificial intelligence ("AI") to enable real-time detection of pathogens on surfaces using a mobile device such as a smartphone. The aim is to develop a portable, intelligent and user-friendly diagnostic tool for both consumer and professional use. "Traditional diagnostic methods are powerful but often take time to detect and identify pathogens, and they're usually limited to lab settings," said Dr. Carolyn Myers, FendX CEO and inventor. "This invention is part of our ongoing commitment to making surface protection smarter and I believe it shows how mobile devices and AI can work together to bring advanced pathogen detection directly to the user." About FendX Technologies Inc. FendX is a surface protection company leveraging its proprietary technology to develop product solutions that help reduce the spread of harmful pathogens in everyday environments. The Company is advancing an eco-friendly, smart sponge designed to deliver effective cleaning while minimizing environmental impact. This innovative product complements FendX's broader pipeline, which includes REPELWRAP film, a protective surface coating with repelling properties that significantly reduce adhesion and transmission of pathogens on high-touch surfaces, and a spray-based coating with similar functionality. Additionally, the Company is developing specialized catheter coatings, with its first coating being for Foley catheters. The Company holds an exclusive supply agreement for the eco-sponge and an exclusive license to certain intellectual property related to the use of the sponge, as well as exclusive worldwide licenses and intellectual property for its coating technologies. ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY "Carolyn Myers" Carolyn Myers Chief Executive Officer and Director Contacts: For more information, please visit https://fendxtech.com/ and the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including with respect to: the plans of the Company; statements regarding the provisional patent application, invention and goals related to the development of the invention; and products under development and any pathogen reduction benefits related thereto. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks which may cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including: risks that the provisional patent application may not receive regulatory approval; adverse market conditions; risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's ability to raise additional capital to complete all of its planned activities including development of the invention; risks related to research and development activities for each of the film, spray formulation and catheter coating, including successful completion of real world performance testing and scale-up initiatives; risks that the Company may not expand its product pipeline or execute its business development and growth plans; risks that the Company's products, including the eco-friendly sponge, may not be commercialized, and if they are commercialized, that they may not be accepted and adopted by the public; the risk that the Company will not obtain necessary approvals and/or clearances as anticipated or at all; the effects of government regulation on the Company's business; risks associated with the Company's ability to obtain and protect rights to its IP, including the provisional patent application to be assigned to the Company; product candidates only being in formulation/reformulation stages; limited operating history; dependence on collaborative partners, licensors and others; effect of general economic and political conditions; and other factors beyond the Company's control. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity or performance. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and, except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of such factors on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Readers should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factor disclosure outlined in the Company's filings with the British Columbia Securities Commission on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263144 SOURCE: FendX Technologies Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Midnight Sun Mining Corp. (TSXV: MMA) (OTC Pink: MDNGF) ("Midnight Sun" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that a second diamond drill has commenced work at the Company's flagship Dumbwa Target on the Solwezi Project in Zambia. As per the Company's plans discussed in an August 6th, 2025 press release, Midnight Sun has brought in an additional diamond drill rig to expedite the exploration program on Dumbwa. Midnight Sun's President & CEO, Al Fabbro, states: "Our systematic exploration approach is in action and the team are executing with precision. All of our data at Dumbwa suggests an extremely large target area, so we have put a second drill to work in order to expedite the program, which is designed to correlate all previous drilling, new IP data, and the extraordinary 20-kilometre soil anomaly that overlays the target with underlying copper mineralization." About Dumbwa Dumbwa represents a near-surface, low-strip, bulk-tonnage exploration target with geology and mineralization closely resembling Barrick's Lumwana Mine, ~60 kilometres to the west. Dumbwa boasts a high-grade copper-in-soil anomaly extending ~20 kilometres along strike and more than 1 kilometre wide, with peak copper values reaching 0.73%. Previous drilling has confirmed sulphide copper mineralization, but additional drilling guided by structural controls is needed to better define the dip, continuity, size, and scale of the system. Multiple stacked mineralized horizons have been identified, which appear to be similar in deposition to those found at the Lumwana Mine. The recent dipole-dipole IP survey, covering the southern 11.5 kilometres of the strike extent, has revealed the structural framework of the Dumbwa target, critical for understanding its geometry. The interpreted IP results indicate a horizon that varies from relatively flat-lying and gently dipping, to areas with clear evidence of folding, ranging from open folds to very tight upright folds. There is a strong correlation between the mineralized intervals encountered in prior drilling at Dumbwa and the target horizon interpreted from the IP data. Additionally, a positive relationship exists between this horizon and the overlying soil anomaly. The interpreted IP survey also identified several major cross-cutting structures, which help explain offsets between historical soil geochemistry and previously drilled mineralization. Qualified Person: Darin Labrenz, P.Geo., a consulting geologist for the Company and Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical data and contents of this release. About Midnight Sun Midnight Sun is focused on exploring our flagship Solwezi Project, located in Zambia. Situated in the heart of the Zambia-Congo Copperbelt, the second largest copper producing region in the world, our property is vast and highly prospective. Our Solwezi Project is surrounded by producing copper mines, including Africa's largest copper mining complex right next door, First Quantum's Kansanshi Mine. Led by an experienced geological team with multiple discoveries and mines around the world to their credit, Midnight Sun's goal is to find and develop Zambia's next generational copper deposit. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF MIDNIGHT SUN MINING CORP., Al Fabbro President & CEO NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that are based on expectations, estimates, assumptions, geological theories, and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about any information herein that is not a historical fact may be "forward-looking statements." Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (which may, but not always, include phrases such as "anticipates", "plans", "scheduled", "believed" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements and are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the timing and ability of the Company to obtain and the timing of the approval of relevant regulatory bodies, if at all; risks relating to property interests; risks related to access to the project; risks inherent in mineral exploration, including the fact that any particular phase of exploration may be unsuccessful; the availability of contractors; geo-political risks; the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental risks; political risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Further to this, geological similarities or characteristics are not guarantees or certainties of successful exploration. Neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263145 SOURCE: Midnight Sun Mining Corp. Company unifies global product brands under one identity focused on human-machine interaction. COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AIS Global, a provider of human-machine interface technologies, announced today that it has rebranded as 1HMX, marking the next phase of its strategic vision on the future of HMI technology for customers across the aerospace, medical, industrial, robotics, energy, and gaming industries. The company's portfolio of product brands will retain their identity, partnerships, and market presence while aligning under the 1HMX strategic vision. This includes Advanced Input Systems, Gamesman, HaptX, Medigenic, Duraswitch and Touch International. The rebranding represents the next phase of the company's strategic vision, building on a strong foundation of traditional HMI's and enabling the next generation immersive technologies. The collective expertise across 1HMX is being focused on four core solutions: HMI systems design and manufacturing, display interfacing solutions, immersive and wearable solutions, gaming devices and assemblies. These include custom interfaces such as membrane switches, custom button decks, elastomer keypads, touchscreen displays, gesture controls, wearable electronics, and fully integrated product assemblies. "We believe the future of interactive technology between machines and humans will continue to require a much more sophisticated yet natural relationship or experience with the machine whether it's a car, robot or piece of machinery in a factory, and that's where 1HMX leads the industry," said Joe Baddeley, 1HMX Chief Executive Officer. "1HMX represents our unified vision and commitment to seamless, intuitive, and innovative human machine experiences across every market we serve." About 1HMX Headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, 1HMX is a leading global provider of human-machine interface solutions that encompasses a portfolio of products, services, and technologies to serve the world's most demanding industries. With expertise in HMI design, display integration, immersive technologies and complete assembly manufacturing, 1HMX supports the full product lifecycle from concept to production. The company operates eight manufacturing facilities across the United States, United Kingdom, India, Taiwan and China. For more information, please visit www.1HMX.com. Media Contact: Shaun Detmer Director of Marketing 800-444-5923 info@1hmx.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2754418/1HMX_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2754419/1HMX_Brand_Portfolio.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ais-global-announces-rebrand-as-1hmx-302534543.html Bamboo industry flourishes in Anji, E China's Zhejiang People's Daily Online) 16:26, August 20, 2025 Photo shows bamboo forests in Anji county, Huzhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Kang Fengying) With 1.08 million mu (72,000 hectares) of bamboo forests, the bamboo industry in Anji county, Huzhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province has flourished. Today, the people of Anji are injecting new vitality into the industry with innovation, creativity, and craftsmanship. Recently, more than 30 experts and government officials from the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), as well as from countries such as Nepal and Indonesia, visited Zhejiang Zhuguan Ecological Technology Co., Ltd. to learn about its case of brewing liquor from bamboo shoots. According to Nie Zhongping, chairman of the company, bamboo shoots are harvested around late April when rainfall is plentiful and growth is at its peak. After chopping, they undergo an initial fermentation. Fresh shoots are added twice in a 1:1 ratio at set intervals. In total, five fermentation rounds are carried out over one year. Each round produces a base liquor with a distinct character, which is then blended into the finished bamboo liquor. It takes 10 kilograms of bamboo shoots to make just 0.5 kilograms of liquor. The fermentation residue is fully reused to produce decorative furniture boards. Tests by the China National Bamboo Research Center show that these boards are formaldehyde-free, mold-resistant, lightweight, and strong, using only half the usual adhesive while achieving 60 percent greater strength. Yu Wenji, an academician of the International Academy of Wood Science and chief expert at the Chinese Academy of Forestry, said Zhejiang Zhuguan Ecological Technology Co., Ltd. has made a breakthrough by using an all-bamboo shoot process and proprietary technology to produce liquor with no additives, no pollution, and no grain. This represents a milestone in the global bamboo industryusing bamboo in place of grain. Photo shows bamboo lamps produced by Zhejiang Fenghui Bamboo and Wood Co., Ltd. (Photo/Chen Maoying) Zhang Mingzhong, born in 1969, went to work at a local paper mill after graduating from technical secondary school, but when the factory shut down, he had to strike out on his own. Bamboo has long been a traditional industry in Anji. At the time, bamboo filament factories were everywhere, and the bamboo scraps and offcuts they produced posed a disposal problem. Seeing a business opportunity, Zhang set up a company to collect the waste and turn it into biomass fuel pelletsknown locally as "fuel sticks." They became a popular export product for a time, but when Anji later phased out the bamboo filament factories, making fuel sticks was no longer viable. Zhang then founded Zhejiang Yaozhu Technology Co., Ltd. Drawing on his paper mill experience, he began exploring ways to separate cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin from bamboo using physical methods. For someone with only a technical school education, this meant years of self-study as well as the need for significant financial support. In 2021, Zhang's innovation on an eco-friendly bamboo fiber extraction method and system was granted an invention patent by the China National Intellectual Property Administration. With expert appraisal of the technology, he secured financing and solved the funding challenge. Although Zhang had solved the problem at the extraction stage, another hurdle remained: the bamboo first had to be shaved into paper-thin sheets. Manual processing was slow, labor-intensive, and inconsistent, and the initial filamenting step was another major obstacle. Resourceful as ever, Zhang obtained a patent in 2022 for a shaving device, followed in 2023 by another for a secondary bamboo fiber filamenting device. Photo shows a building decorated with bamboo at Zhejiang Zhujing Culture and Tourism Development Co., Ltd. in Anji county, Huzhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Chen Maoying) With his machines integrated, a fully automated bamboo-to-fiber production line was piloted last year. After adjustments, it achieved stable mass production this year, producing 30 tonnes of bamboo fiber daily. "From 2.5 tonnes of bamboo, we can extract 1 tonne of fiber," Zhang explained. "The production cost is only 1,500 yuan ($208.80) per tonne, while the market price is 6,000 yuan. Demand far exceeds supply." The derived products add even more value: bamboo fiber fabric for socks sells at 18,000 yuan per tonne, for clothing at 120,000 yuan, and for medical masks at 200,000 yuan. Water is recycled in the process, with no wastewater generated, and every part of the bamboo is fully utilized. Zhejiang Banzhu Stationery Co., Ltd. has developed bamboo pencils as a substitute for wood. Working with research institutes to tackle technical challenges, the company launched its first bamboo pencil in May this year, and the products were immediately snapped up by a Japanese buyer. The waste from bamboo pencil production is used as raw material by Anji Zhudi New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., located just one floor below. In this industrial park, the floors form an upstream-downstream chain, making circular production the standard in Anji. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) U.S. Air Force leader brings deep expertise in enterprise data strategy and DoD modernization MCLEAN, VA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / CORAS, a leader in AI-powered decision intelligence for the Department of Defense, is proud to announce that Mr. Joe McDade, SES-3 Retired, has joined the company as a strategic advisor. The former senior USAF leader brings decades of experience driving innovation and enterprise transformation across the DoD, with a special focus on data architecture, personnel systems, and mission alignment. Throughout his 30-year career, Mr. McDade held key headquarters positions - including Acting General Counsel of the Air Force (SAF/GC) and Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs (AF/A8) - where he led efforts to modernize how the Air Force builds, manages, and equips its force. He played a critical role in shaping the Air Force budget, long-range planning, and led enterprise digital transformation strategies that remain foundational to current Air Force capabilities. He retired from the Air Force as one of its most decorated career civilians. "Joe's insights into how the DoD operates-from the trenches to the enterprise-will be invaluable as CORAS continues to scale decision advantage for our defense partners," said Dan Naselius, President and CTO of CORAS. "He understands the mission, the technology, and most importantly, the people. We're honored to have his leadership guiding our next chapter." In his advisory role, Mr. McDade will support CORAS's efforts to align its secure, real-time decision intelligence platform with the operational needs of DoD stakeholders - accelerating modernization initiatives while ensuring enterprise relevance. His appointment reflects CORAS's continued commitment to building trusted solutions that are informed by those who have served. Mr. McDade is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and holds a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. He is widely respected for his mentorship of future leaders and his continued contributions to national security and innovation. About CORAS.AI: CORAS is the AI-powered decision intelligence platform trusted by leaders across the Department of Defense. Built for speed, security, and real-time execution, CORAS unifies data integration, agentic automation, and live decision support across IL5, NIPR, SIPR, and FedRAMP-High environments. Its platform and flagship AI assistant, Gary, deliver operational clarity from portfolio to program to execution level. CORAS is available through GSA, NASA SEWP, SBIR Phase III, Tradewinds AI Marketplace, and partners including Carahsoft and AWS. www.coras.ai SOURCE: CORAS View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/aerospace-and-defense/mr.-joe-mcdade-ses-3-retired-joins-coras-as-strategic-advisor-1061622 Total considerations of $1,780,000 consisting of cash and stock Plurilock has evolved from serving the SME marketplace to focusing on large enterprises and government Divestiture streamlines operations and drives core focus to Critical Services Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Plurilock Security Inc. (TSXV: PLUR) (OTCQB: PLCKF) and its subsidiary, Plurilock Security Solutions Inc. ("Plurilock" or the "Company"), has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement dated August 20, 2025 (the "APA") with Scope Technologies Corp. (CSE: SCPE) (OTCQB: SCPCF) ("Scope") to sell certain assets of its CloudCodes business (the "Transaction"). Pursuant to the terms of the APA, Scope has agreed to acquire the Company's subsidiary, Plurilock Security Private Limited, and certain assets relating to the CloudCodes business. In consideration, Scope has agreed to pay the Company $100,000 in cash and issue to the Company a total of 4,200,000 common shares of Scope for total considerations of $1,780,000. The Transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The Company expects to close the Transaction on or around September 15, 2025. This Transaction is an arm's length transaction. In connection with the Transaction, the Company will pay Canaccord Genuity Corp. an advisory fee of $40,000, payable in common shares of the Company, subject to TSXV approval. All of the securities that may be issued in connection with the Transaction will be subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws of four months and one day from the date of issuance. "Over the past 3 years, Plurilock has evolved from serving the SME marketplace to focusing on large enterprises, government, and Fortune 500 clients," said Ian L. Paterson, CEO of Plurilock Security. "As a result, the SME segment is no longer core to our strategy. CloudCodes is a strong asset with deep roots in the small and medium business market, and we are pleased to see it continue under Scope Technologies leadership. We are fully aligned in supporting CloudCodes' growth and success, while we continue to streamline our operations and focus on Critical Services. Further details will be available during our second quarter fiscal 2025 financial results webinar later today at 11am ET. " About Plurilock Plurilock is a services-led, product-enabled, AI-native cybersecurity company that solves complex cyber problems in high-stakes environments where failure isn't an option. Trusted by Five-Eyes governments, NATO-aligned agencies, and Global 2000 enterprises, we defend critical infrastructure and safeguard the systems that power modern life. Our Critical Services division delivers operational resilience through unmatched expertise, proprietary IP, and AI-driven playbooks. Learn more at plurilock.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the TSX Venture Exchange policies) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") related to future events or Plurilock's future business, operations, and financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements normally contain words like "will", "intend", "anticipate", "could", "should", "may", "might", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential", "project", "assume", "contemplate", "believe", "shall", "scheduled", and similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, actions, or developments and are based on expectations, assumptions, and other factors that management currently believes are relevant, reasonable, and appropriate in the circumstances. Although management believes that the forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, actual results could be substantially different due to the risks and uncertainties associated with and inherent to Plurilock's business. Additional material risks and uncertainties applicable to the forward-looking statements herein include, without limitation, the impact of general economic conditions, and unforeseen events and developments. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking statements. Many of these factors are beyond the control of Plurilock. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as at the date hereof, and Plurilock undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in its most recent Annual Information Form. They are otherwise disclosed in its filings with securities regulatory authorities available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263164 SOURCE: Plurilock Security Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Sun Summit Minerals Corp. (TSXV: SMN) (OTCQB: SMREF) ("Sun Summit" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update from its ongoing project-wide 2025 exploration program at the JD Project, Toodoggone Mining District, north-central British Columbia. Highlights: Drilling nearly complete at the Creek zone: Over 3,100 meters of drilling have been completed across ten holes at the Creek zone, with additional drill holes planned. The holes investigated the extent and continuity of near-surface, high-grade and bulk-tonnage gold mineralization. Historical and recent highlight intercepts from 2024 drilling at the Creek zone include: 122.53 m of 2.11 g/t Au including 1.5 of 121.0 g/t Au (CZ-24-004 7 ) 54.95 m of 2.69 g/t Au including 19.50 m of 7.31 g/t Au (CZ-24-005 8 ) 22.0 m of 11.7 g/t Au including 4.0 m of 61.2 g/t Au (CZ97-008 5 ) Drilling to follow at the Finn zone where up to 2,000 meters are planned: Holes are designed to evaluate the extent and continuity of high-grade and bulk-tonnage gold-silver mineralization. Historical highlight intercepts ( Figure 4 ) include: 35.7 m of 7.26 g/t Au, 94 g/t Ag including 1.0 m of 215.4 g/t Au, 308 g/t Ag (JD95-047 2 ) 45.0 m of 3.02 g/t Au, 143 g/t Ag including 5.0 m of 8.18 g/t Au, 918 g/t Ag (JD95-076 2 ) 20.85 m of 8.76 g/t Au, 68 g/t Ag including 11.0 m of 15.1 g/t Au,108 g/t Ag (JD95-097 2 ) 22.0 m of 6.32 g/t Au, 46 g/t Ag including 12.6 m of 10.8 g/t Au, 66 g/t Ag (JD12-003 3 ) Project-wide exploration activities focused on drill target refinement are ongoing, including: Over 20 line-km of induced polarization (IP) geophysics has been completed along the JD Porphyry Trend. Infill surveying across the Finn to Creek corridor is set to commence in the coming weeks. Over 1,600 soil samples have now been collected across the Belle South grid, the southern extent of the JD Porphyry trend, and the Kadah grid near the Finn to Creek corridor. Geological mapping and prospecting are ongoing with a current focus on McClair Creek which transects the JD Porphyry Trend as well as the McClair East area. "Our fully funded $6 million exploration program designed to systematically advance and expand the gold-silver targets at JD is progressing nicely," said Niel Marotta, CEO of Sun Summit Minerals. "We have made terrific progress at Creek Zone. We are excited about the upcoming drilling at the Finn Zone, where we plan to test the extent of gold mineralization while also investigating a zone of strong silver mineralization, recently modelled through our comprehensive compilation efforts. We expect to begin reporting results from drilling completed at the Creek Zone in the coming weeks, with results from additional targets to follow." 2025 JD Exploration Program The primary exploration goals at JD in 2025 are to advance and expand the Creek and Finn gold-silver targets and to generate and refine new priority targets across the project. Work is currently focused on the highly prospective 4.5 km long epithermal-related Finn to Creek corridor, as well as the 12 km long JD Porphyry trend (Figure 1). Drilling update: Over 3,100 meters of drilling has been completed at the Creek zone with holes collared along a 500-meter northwest-southeast trend. Ten holes investigated the extent and continuity of near-surface, high-grade and bulk-tonnage gold mineralization (e.g., 122.53 m of 2.11 g/t Au including 1.5 of 121.0 g/t Au in CZ-24-0047 and 22.0 m of 11.7 g/t Au including 4.0 m of 61.2 g/t Au in CZ97-0085, Figure 3). Holes were designed to systematically test the vein-controlling structures on 50 to 100 meter pierce-points covering a strike-length of over 500 meters and a down-dip extent of over 200 meters. Up to 2,000 meters of drilling is planned at the Finn zone with holes designed to investigate the down-dip, strike extent and continuity of near-surface, high-grade and bulk-tonnage gold-silver mineralization (e.g., 35.7 m of 7.26 g/t Au, 94 g/t Ag including 1.0 m of 215.4 g/t Au, 308 g/t Ag in JD95-0472 and 20.85 m of 8.76 g/t Au, 68 g/t Ag including 11.0 m of 15.1 g/t Au,108 g/t Ag in JD95-0972, Figure 4). Modelling of recently compiled historical Finn zone drill data has outlined a compelling zone of strong silver-gold-base metal mineralization (e.g., 45.0 m of 3.02 g/t Au, 136 g/t Ag including 5.0 m of 8.18 g/t Au, 918 g/t Ag in JD95-0762). Planned drilling at Finn will also be aimed at investigating the structural and/or lithological controls on this gold-associated, silver-rich mineralization. Target generation update: Project-wide exploration activities aimed at target generation and drill target refinement are ongoing, including: Over 20 line km of induced polarization (IP) geophysical surveying has been completed along the JD Porphyry trend east of the Finn Zone. Additional surveying is set to commence in the coming weeks covering parts of the Finn to Creek corridor to infill historical gaps. Over 1,600 soil samples have now been collected across the Belle South grid, southern extent of the porphyry trend (Figure 2) and the Kadah grid which covers a highly prospective area south of the Finn to Creek corridor lacking historical soil coverage. Geological mapping and prospecting are ongoing with a current focus on McClair Creek which transects the JD Porphyry trend. Mapping has also been completed along the Finn to Creek corridor as well as the Oxide Peak West target. Mapping will continue east towards the East McClair copper target. Timeline: Drilling and complementary exploration activities are anticipated to continue into early October. Soil and rock samples and drill core samples from the first eight holes at Creek zone have now been submitted to the lab for assay analyses. Results will be released once compiled and interpreted. Figure 1. Map of the Toodoggone District showing the location of the JD Project in relation to other development and exploration projects. Data sourced from Thesis, TDG and Centerra's corporate websites. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/263166_f1bf2ccf84703889_001full.jpg Figure 2. Map of the JD Project showing the broad JD Porphyry trend and the epithermal-related Finn to Creek Corridor. Areas with completed IP and soil surveys are shown in grey. Areas with ongoing and planned geological mapping are shown in orange. Key targets are highlighted. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/263166_f1bf2ccf84703889_002full.jpg Figure 3. Map of the Creek Zone showing previous drill collar locations with selected highlights. The area targeted for 2025 drilling is outlined in red. See references below for data sources. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/263166_f1bf2ccf84703889_003full.jpg Figure 4. Map of the Finn Zone showing historical drill collar locations with selected highlights. The area targeted for 2025 drilling is outlined in red. See references below for data sources. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6142/263166_f1bf2ccf84703889_004full.jpg National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure This news release has been reviewed and approved by Sun Summit's Vice President Exploration, Ken MacDonald, P. Geo., a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators. Some technical information contained in this release is historical in nature and has been compiled from public sources believed to be accurate. The historical technical information has not been verified by Sun Summit and may in some instances be unverifiable dependent on the existence of historical drill core and grab samples. Community Engagement Sun Summit is engaging with First Nations on whose territory our projects are located and is discussing their interests and identifying contract and work opportunities, as well as opportunities to support community initiatives. The Company looks forward to continuing to work with local and regional First Nations with ongoing exploration. About the JD Project The JD Project is located in the Toodoggone mining district in north-central British Columbia, a highly prospective deposit-rich mineral trend. The project covers an area of over 15,000 hectares and is in close proximity to active exploration and development projects, such as Thesis Gold's Lawyers and Ranch projects, TDG Gold's Baker-Shasta projects, Amarc Resource's AuRORA project, Centerra's Gold's Kemess East and Underground projects, as well as the past-producing Kemess open pit copper-gold mine. The project is 450 kilometres northwest of the city of Prince George, and 25 kilometres north of the Sturdee airstrip. It is proximal to existing infrastructure in place to support the past-producing Kemess mine, including roads and a hydroelectric power line. The JD Project is in a favourable geological environment characterized by both high-grade epithermal gold and silver mineralization, as well as porphyry-related copper and gold mineralization. Some historical exploration, including drilling, geochemistry and geophysics, has been carried out on the property, however the project area is largely underexplored. About Sun Summit Sun Summit Minerals (TSXV: SMN) (OTCQB: SMREF) is a mineral exploration company focused on the discovery, expansion and advancement of district scale gold and copper assets in British Columbia. The Company's diverse portfolio includes the JD and Theory projects in the Toodoggone region of north-central B.C., and the Buck Project in central B.C. Further details are available at www.sunsummitminerals.com. References Krause, R.G. (1995), 1994 Geological and Geochemical Report on the JD Gold Silver Property, Toodoggone River Area, Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 23663, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris. Krause, R.G. (1996), 1995 Geological Report on the JD Gold Silver Property, Toodoggone River Area, Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 24284, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris. McBride, S. (2013), 2012 Geological, geochemical and diamond drilling report on the JD Property, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 33556, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris. McBride, S. and Leslie, C. (2014), 2013 Geological, geophysical and diamond drilling report on the JD Property, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 34762, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris. Hawkins, P.A. (1998), 1997 Exploration Report on the Creek Zone for Antares Mining and Exploration Corporation and AGC Americas Gold Corporation, JD Property, Toodoggone River Area, Omineca Mining Division, Internal Report #98-065-1. Davis, J.W., and Jamieson, M.D. (1998), Drilling and Geophysical Report on the M.H. Mineral Clain Group, Toodoggone District, Assessment Report Indexing System, Report 25757, https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/aris. Sun Summit Minerals news release October 2, 2024 Sun Summit Minerals news release October 16, 2024 Link to Figures Figure 1: https://wp-sunsummitminerals-2024.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/media/2025/08/SMN_Figure-1_20250819.jpg Figure 2: https://wp-sunsummitminerals-2024.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/media/2025/08/SMN_Figure-2_20250819-scaled.jpg Figure 3: https://wp-sunsummitminerals-2024.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/media/2025/08/SMN_Figure-3_20250819-scaled.jpg Figure 4: https://wp-sunsummitminerals-2024.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/media/2025/08/SMN_Figure-4_20250819-scaled.jpg Forward Looking Information Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements, which involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, the forward-looking statements require management to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. There is significant risk that the forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate, that the management's assumptions may not be correct and that actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Generally forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "anticipate", "will", "expect", "may", "continue", "could", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may include, but are not limited to, the timing of and size and scope of the drill program at the JD property; the Company's exploration plans, expectations and forecasts. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect which, without limiting the generality of the following, include: the Company's ability to complete the drill program as currently contemplated; risks inherent in exploration activities; volatility and sensitivity to market prices; volatility and sensitivity to capital market fluctuations; and fluctuations in metal prices. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof or the dates specifically referenced in this press release, where applicable. Except as required by applicable securities laws and regulation, Sun Summit disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263166 SOURCE: Sun Summit Minerals Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE:18H) ("PreveCeutical" or the "Company"), a health sciences company that develops innovative options for preventive and curative therapies utilizing organic and nature-identical products, is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary BioGene Therapeutics Inc. has appointed of Dr. Francis Tavares as Chief Technology Officer effective on 19 August, 2025. Dr. Francis Tavares leads the biopharmaceutical industry, most recently serving as President, CEO, and Founder of ChemoGenics BioPharma, where he spearheaded drug discovery initiatives. He has built state-of-the-art facilities and fostered collaborations that supported multiple Phase I and II SBIR grants, while also securing venture capital investment for commercialization. He also served as Group Manager in the Medicinal Chemistry Division at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), where he earned the Excellence in Science Award in 2004. Dr. Tavares holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Colorado State University and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Texas at Austin, which he has utilized to lead the development of small-molecule inhibitors for kinases, proteases, and nuclear receptors. These have resulted in significant milestones, including the commercialization of Trilaciclib and the successful completion of Phase 3 clinical trials of Lerociclib, the best-in-class CDK4/6 inhibitor. With a robust track record of championing over 15 metabolic targets and leading multidisciplinary teams in medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology, Dr. Tavares has consistently delivered candidates for clinical trials. "We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Tavares to the executive team of BioGene Therapeutics," said Stephen Van Deventer, Chairman & CEO of BioGene Therapeutics Inc. "His thirty years of experience in drug discovery, organic and medical chemistry, paired with his proven track record of turning scientific innovation into successful products, will make him an invaluable part of our company's team. We believe his insights will be crucial to expanding our impact in the health sciences sector." "I am thrilled to step into the role as Chief Technology Officer of BioGene, and work alongside the Company's world-class team to greatly benefit patients by turning transformative therapies into commercial products," commented Dr Tavares on his appointment. "These are very exciting times for the Company and I am confident that its approach to science and innovation will tackle some of the most challenging problems in drug discovery, greatly benefiting both patients and investors." About PreveCeutical Medical Inc. PreveCeutical is a health sciences company that develops innovative options for preventive and curative therapies utilizing organic and nature identical products. PreveCeutical aims to be a leader in preventive health sciences and currently has five research and development programs, including: dual gene therapy for curative and prevention therapies for diabetes and obesity; the Sol-gel Program; Nature Identical peptides for treatment of various ailments; nonaddictive analgesic peptides as a replacement to the highly addictive analgesics such as morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone; and a therapeutic product for treating athletes who suffer from concussions (mild traumatic brain injury). For more information about PreveCeutical, please visit our website www.PreveCeutical.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. About BioGene Therapeutics Inc. BioGene Therapeutics Inc. ("BioGene") is a Texas-based life sciences company focused on advancing innovative therapies in metabolic health and gene-based treatments. As a key component of BioGene's expansion, BioGene Australia operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of BioGene in Texas, leveraging the strategic benefits of Australia's 43.5% R&D tax cashback incentive. This subsidiary supports ongoing research and development activities in Australia, where BioGene capitalizes on exceptional scientific talent and the nation's commitment to advancing life sciences. Currently, BioGene Australia is engaged in pioneering research advancing gene therapy-based approaches designed to address the growing global diabetes and obesity crisis. For more information about BioGene, please visit our website https://biogenetherapeutics.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, PreveCeutical Medical Inc. & BioGene Therapeutics Inc. "Stephen Van Deventer" Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding receipt of regulatory and other consents and approvals for the Acquisition; PreveCeutical, PreveCeutical Australia, and BioGene completing the Acquisition as contemplated by the Agreement; PreveCeutical receiving the necessary regulatory and other consents and approvals for the Distribution; and PreveCeutical completing the Distribution as contemplated above. The forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements including adverse market conditions and other factors beyond the control of the parties. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include general market conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Company; regulations and policies affecting the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry adversely affecting the future results or performance of PreveCeutical or BioGene; the Company's failure to obtain the required consents and approvals for the Acquisition and the Distribution; and the Company determining that the Distribution is not an optimal strategy following tax and business consultations. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Neither the 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/263186 SOURCE: PreveCeutical Medical Inc. TSXV: PGZ | OTCQB: PGZFF | FRA: 2EU New channel sampling shows high-grade copper, cobalt, nickel and gold mineralization over wide intervals at the Providencia target Results include 4.17% Cu, 2.68% Ni, 1.28% Co, 0.88 g/t Au over 5m (including 11.0% Cu, 4.47% Ni, 2.47% Co, 1.34 g/t Au, 7.0 g/t Ag over 1m) and 1.02% Cu, 0.65% Ni, 0.38% Co, 0.17g/t Au over 32m Drilling in progress testing new gold target at Providencia VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pan Global Resources Inc. ("Pan Global" or the "Company") (TSXV: PGZ) (OTCQB: PGZFF) (FRA: 2EU) is pleased to announce results of detailed underground channel sampling at the Providencia target, in the Company's 100%-owned Carmenes Project ("Carmenes") in northern Spain. The results highlight a wide sulphide-rich breccia zone in the former Providencia mine workings with high grades of copper, nickel, and cobalt, plus gold. "The Carmenes Project is a compelling opportunity to discover significant high-grade copper, nickel, cobalt and gold associated with hydrothermal breccia mineralization at multiple targets," said Tim Moody, Pan Global's President and CEO. "The new channel sample assay results from the walls of the approximately 100-year-old Providencia mine workings confirm the high-grade nature of the sulphide-rich copper, cobalt and nickel mineralization that was previously mined. The new sampling and mapping are providing valuable information on the geological controls on the mineralization, and potential for expansion," said Mr. Moody. "Additional drilling is required to test for expansion of the high-grade sulphide breccia zone, particularly in the west where the highest-grade copper-nickel-cobalt channel samples are located. Drilling is currently investigating potential for more extensive gold mineralization east of the mine workings." Key results Assay results received from detailed channel sampling at the historical Providencia mine workings confirms high-grade copper, nickel, cobalt, gold extends over wide intervals and remains open in several directions (see Figures 1 and 2, below). Significant intervals include: Mineralized Zone Interval* (m) Cu % Co % Ni % Au g/t Ag g/t D825354 - D825358 5 4.17 1.28 2.68 0.88 4.0 D825367 - D825376 10 0.86 0.18 0.28 0.21 1.1 D825381 - D825400 32 1.02 0.38 0.65 0.17 0.7 D825451 - D825462 D825381 - D825395 15 1.37 1.04 0.62 0.22 0.8 * Intervals are continuous along-channel sample widths Peak channel sample assays of 11.0% Cu, 4.47% Ni, 2.47% Co, 1.34 g/t Au, 7.0 g/t Ag over 1m (Sample D825354) over 1m (Sample D825354) The higher-grade copper, cobalt, and nickel channel samples correspond predominantly with sulphide-rich breccia and supergene mineralization. The results also show that gold is anomalous in both the sulphide-rich breccia and as "gold-only" mineralization (without significant copper, cobalt, nickel or sulfides) in a black sandy limestone and outer zone of red hematitic-dolomite breccia with traces of fine-grained sulphide minerals The new results are from 86 continuous saw-cut channel samples collected over 1-meter intervals along the walls of the mine workings at the 1,467m elevation level (approx. 18m-to-32m depth below surface). The mine workings indicate a pipe-like geometry of the sulphide-rich copper, cobalt, nickel breccia mineralization from surface to at least 120 meters depth and remains open to depth Drilling Underway at New Gold Target Drilling is currently testing potential for a more extensive zone of gold mineralization at Providencia associated with an area identified with high gold-in-soil, trench, and channel sampling immediately east and outside of the historical mine workings. There was no previous drilling at Providencia, which is the first of multiple targets to be investigated at Carmenes. The final drillhole of the current drill program at Providencia is nearing completion, with results anticipated in September. Geological mapping and surface sampling at the Providencia target show a large zoned, carbonate-hosted, multi-phase hydrothermal breccia system is hosting the copper, cobalt, nickel and gold mineralization. The breccia and associated alteration system extend over a surface area of 300m x 150m, with the geometry unconstrained. Surface geochemistry and geological mapping commenced at the Profunda target, 1 km south of Providencia, expanding exploration across multiple high-priority targets within the Carmenes Project. Escacena Project update Drilling is also in progress at the Company's flagship Escacena Project in the Iberian Pyrite Belt in southern Spain, with two drill rigs currently targeting expansion of the La Romana copper-tin-silver deposit by testing new targets in the surrounding area. The Company is advancing the selection process for a consultant to deliver a NI 43-101-compliant Technical Report and maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for the La Romana deposit. About the Carmenes Project The Carmenes Project is located approx. 55km north of Leon in northern Spain in the same geologic belt as Orvana Minerals Corp's Orovalle copper-gold mining operation and the Salamon gold deposit and comprises five 100%-owned Investigation Permits over 5,653 hectares. The Project area is highly prospective for multiple bodies or "clusters" of carbonate-hosted "pipe-like" breccia style copper, nickel, cobalt, and gold mineralization. The area includes the former Profunda and Providencia mines that last operated in the 1930s, producing concentrates of copper and cobalt with nickel. Numerous other smaller historical mine workings in the area highlight potential for additional breccia pipes. These types of ore deposits can have significant vertical dimensions exceeding 1km. About the Escacena Project The Escacena Project comprises a large, contiguous, 5,760-hectare land package controlled 100% by Pan Global in the east of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Escacena is located near the operating mine at Riotinto and is immediately adjacent to the former Aznalcollar and Los Frailes mines where Minera Los Frailes (Grupo Mexico) is in the final permitting stage for mine development. The Escacena Project hosts Pan Global's La Romana and La Pantoja copper-tin-silver discoveries and the Canada Honda copper-gold discovery. Escacena hosts a number of other prospective targets, including Bravo, Barbacena, El Pozo, Romana Norte, San Pablo, Zarcita, Hornitos, La Jarosa, Romana Deep, and Cortijo. About Pan Global Resources Pan Global Resources Inc. is actively exploring for copper-rich mineral deposits along with gold and other metals. Copper has compelling supply-demand fundamentals and outlook for strong long-term prices as a critical metal for global electrification and energy transition. Gold is also attracting record prices. The Company's flagship Escacena Project is located in the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt in southern Spain, where a favourable permitting track record, excellent infrastructure, mining and professional expertise, and support for copper as a Strategic Raw Material by the European Commission collectively define a tier-one low-risk jurisdiction for mining investment. The Company's second project, at Carmenes in northern Spain, is also an area with a long mining history and excellent infrastructure. The Pan Global team comprises proven talent in exploration, discovery, development, and mine operations - all of which are committed to operating safely and with utmost respect for the environment and our partnered communities. The Company is a member, and operates under the principles, of the United Nations Global Compact. To learn more about Pan Global Resources, please visit the Company's Curation Connect showcase and explore AI-generated responses to your enquiries at https://app.curationconnect.com/company/Pan-Global-Resources-44037?utm_source=pg_mediareleases Qualified Persons Alvaro Merino, Vice President Exploration for Pan Global Resources and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information for this media release. Mr. Merino is not independent of the Company. ?QA/QC Rock samples delivered to the ALS sample preparation facility in Seville were prepared and assayed at the ALS facility in Ireland. All samples were crushed, split and pulverized using methods CRU-31, SPL-22Y and PUL-31. Gold analysis was by 50gm Fire assay with ICP finish (Au-ICP22). Multi element analysis was undertaken using a 4-acid digest with ICP-AES finish (ME-ICP61). Over-grade samples were analyzed using 4-acid digest with ICP-AES finish for base metals (OG62), and Fire Assay with Gravity Finish for gold (Au-GRA22). Certified reference materials were inserted at a 1/25 samples. www.panglobalresources.com Forward-looking statements Statements which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information included in this media release are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental, environmental, and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products, and prices. Readers should refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis of its audited financial statements filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission. The forward-looking information contained in this media release is based on information available to the Company as of the date of this media release. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Jason Mercier, VP Investor Relations and Communications, jason@panglobalresources.com / investors@panglobalresources.com, Tel: +1-236-886-9518 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2754066/Pan_Global_Resources_Inc__PAN_GLOBAL_EXPANDS_NEAR_SURFACE_HIGH_G.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2754067/Pan_Global_Resources_Inc__PAN_GLOBAL_EXPANDS_NEAR_SURFACE_HIGH_G.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pan-global-expands-near-surface-high-grade-copper-cobalt-nickel-gold-target-at-providencia-carmenes-project-spain-302534272.html LONDON, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The British International School Abu Dhabi (BISAD), a leading Nord Anglia Education school in the Middle East, is proud to announce a landmark academic achievement: multiple students have qualified for the prestigious UAE Golden Visa in recognition of their outstanding performance in the BTEC and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) examinations. Record-Breaking Results in BTEC and IBDP In a standout year for BISAD students, six out of seven BTEC graduates were nominated for the UAE Golden Visa, a long-term residency honour granted to individuals who demonstrate exceptional talent and academic excellence. This achievement underscores the strength of BISAD's BTEC programme and the dedication of its students. Additionally, nine IBDP students scored 40 points or above, placing them among the top global achievers in one of the world's most rigorous academic programmes. These students have also received Golden Visa offers, further validating their commitment, resilience, and ambition. Student and Parent Reflections Year 13 student Isabelle McGlue said: "I'm so proud to have studied in the UAE, and completing my BTEC here has given me amazing opportunities. Receiving the Golden Visa recognition means so much for my future, and I'd encourage anyone considering the BTEC to go for it-it really does open doors internationally." A Year 13 parent added: "Kayla has truly inspired us as her parents. She achieved these merits because of her hard work, focus, and dedication. Watching her succeed fills our hearts with boundless joy. To be recognised and nominated for a UAE Golden Visa is an honour, and we are sincerely proud." School Leadership Perspective Alan Cocker, Principal of The British International School Abu Dhabi, commented: "At BISAD, we believe every student's journey is unique, and we're proud to create personalised learning pathways that prepare them for success in higher education, the workplace, and life beyond school. Seeing so many of our BTEC and IBDP graduates recognised with Golden Visas is an incredible achievement. It not only invests in their future, but also reflects the calibre, hard work, and aspirations of our students; we could not be prouder." About the UAE Golden Visa The UAE Golden Visa is a prestigious long-term residency programme awarded to individuals who demonstrate exceptional academic or professional talent. It enables recipients to live, study, and work in the UAE, supporting the nation's vision of fostering innovation, excellence, and a future-ready talent pool. In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) plays a pivotal role in facilitating Golden Visas for top-performing students, particularly in strategic fields such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and entrepreneurship. Empowering Future Leaders at BISAD As part of Nord Anglia Education's global family of schools, BISAD empowers students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to thrive-whether progressing to world-leading universities, launching impactful careers, or contributing positively to their communities. For more info, visit BIS Abu Dhabi's website, contact the school's Admissions team at admissions@bisad.ae, or call at +971 (2) 520 0100. Media enquiries Karen Strickland Karen.strickland@bisad.ae +971 54 9984169 About Nord Anglia Education As a leading international schools organisation, we're shaping a generation of creative and resilient global citizens who graduate from our schools with everything they need for success, whatever they choose to be or do in life. Our strong academic foundations combine world-class teaching and curricula with cutting-edge technology and facilities, creating learning experiences like no other. Inside and outside of the classroom, we inspire our students to achieve more than they ever thought possible. No two children learn the same way, which is why our schools around the world personalise learning to what works best for every student. Inspired by our high-quality teachers, our students achieve outstanding academic results and go on to study at the world's top universities. Our Nord Anglia global family includes 80+ day and boarding schools in 36 countries, teaching over 90,000 students from ages 3 to 18. To learn more or apply for a place for your child at one of our schools, go to www.nordangliaeducation.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1503193/5468843/Nord_Anglia_Education_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bis-abu-dhabi-students-awarded-uae-golden-visas-for-exceptional-academic-achievement-302534588.html Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Hemostemix Inc. (TSXV: HEM) (OTCQB: HMTXF) (FSE: 2VF0), the leading autologous (patient's own) stem cell therapy company offering treatments for no-option patients in Florida suffering from Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia, Peripheral Arterial Disease, Angina, Ischemic Cardiomyopathy, non Ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy, and Congestive Heart Failure, is pleased to announce additions to its investor awareness and social media strategies and programs. The investor outreach campaign includes: Opt-in SMS alerts to keep existing and prospective investors updated on corporate milestones - text 905-580-4170 to opt-in . to keep existing and prospective investors updated on corporate milestones - . Targeted opt-in email provides company news, clinical developments, and financing updates: email: sfarooquoi@hemostemix.com, provides company news, clinical developments, and financing updates: email: sfarooquoi@hemostemix.com, Investor platforms and exchanges (https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/HMTXF/overview) are designed to increase Hemostemix's visibility, providing due diligence level information that retail and institutional audiences seek about our Company's investment opportunities. "Hemostemix has sold forward $1,143,983 in Therapy Convertible Debenture year-to-date," said Thomas Smeenk, CEO. "Frost and Sullivan awarded our Company the Biotechnology Company of the Year Award, Asia, in 2007, for VesCell achievements. Now, with 498 treatments, 11 peer reviewed publications including 7 clinical studies of 318 subjects, including Phase II results that validate our patients' testimonials, we are ramping up sales in Florida, investor outreach, and patient engagement simultaneously. VesCell won the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer Award because it regenerates new circulation in the body where that need is signaled. Next week, I'm down to Florida to meet with cardiologists who have done their homework - stay tuned" Smeenk said. Campaign Strategy & Key Highlights - Testimonials and Publications Storytelling: Real patient testimonials about improved cardiac function, reduction of pain and ulcer healing make the science and treatment relatable and compelling. TIME Magazine highlighted VesCell recipient, Bob Grinstead, in Take Heart. Watch six time Grammy award winner and VesCell recipient Howie Lindeman. Watch Beefsto's Founder, VesCell patient #57, Neim Malo. make the science and treatment relatable and compelling. Platform Utilization : Instagram & Facebook : Hemostemix has shared emotionally driven visuals and success narratives to connect directly with patients, caregivers, and broader communities. LinkedIn : Tailored for professionals and investors-Hemostemix is highlighting our clinical milestones, innovations, and corporate positioning. X : Thomas Smeenk, CEO, @HeartRepairGuy, is providing quick, timely updates, and engagement with practitioners and investor audiences. YouTube : Hemostemix posts its longer-form video content including its weekly webinars and VesCell patient testimonials: : Results Emphasized in Posts : Cardiac Improvements of up to a 47.1% increase in ejection fraction (LVEF%) in dilated cardiomyopathy patients after one treatment, Schubart et al, Stem Cell Research and Therapy. Phase II CLTI: a 99% reduction in ulcerating wounds size, reduced from a mean of 146 mm to 0.48 mm by the end of month three (p=0.01), Henderson et al, JBRES1876. : Dual Audience Targeting : The campaign bridges two primary goals: Patient Recruitment : Demonstrating hope, safety, and effectiveness of VesCell for no-option CLTI, PAD, and heart patients. Liquidity for Investors : Educating investors and shareholders about the HEM's asymmetrical investment upside, using scientifically validated results and milestones achieved. : The campaign bridges two primary goals: Summary Table Platform Primary Focus Instagram Visual stories of healing and clinical transformation Facebook Patient-centric storytelling and community engagement LinkedIn Corporate, investor, and scientific communications YouTube In-depth video testimonials and informational content X Brief updates, engagement with the medical & investor audience ABOUT HEMOSTEMIX Hemostemix is an autologous stem cell therapy platform company, founded in 2003. A winner of the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer Award, the Company has developed, patented, is scaling and selling autologous (patient's own) blood-based stem cell therapy, VesCell (ACP-01). A recent peer-reviewed article in Cells (June 29, 2025) provides the scientific foundation for how ACP-01 and NCP-01 may enhance brain-computer interface performance by reducing inflammation, fostering angiogenesis and synaptic plasticity, and potentially extending implant longevity. Hemostemix has completed seven clinical studies of 318 subjects and published its results in 11 peer reviewed publications. ACP-01 is safe, clinically relevant and statistically significant as a treatment for peripheral arterial disease, chronic limb threatening ischemia, non ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, and angina. Hemostemix completed its Phase II clinical trial for chronic limb threatening ischemia and published its results in the Journal of Biomedical Research & Environmental Science. As compared to a five year mortality rate of 50% in the CLTI patient population, UBC and U of T reported to the 41st meeting of vascular surgeons: 0% mortality, cessation of pain, wound healing in 83% of patients followed for up to 4.5 years, as a midpoint result. For more information, please visit www.hemostemix.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information in relation to the Company's social media campaign strategy in furtherance of sales of VesCell (ACP-01), and the commercialization of ACP-01 via the sale of compassionate treatments under Florida SB 1768. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects Hemostemix's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Hemostemix and on assumptions Hemostemix believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the underlying value of Hemostemix and its Common Shares; the successful resolution of any litigation that Hemostemix is pursuing or defending (the "Litigation"); the results of ACP-01 research, trials, studies and analyses, including the analysis being equivalent to or better than previous research, trials or studies; the receipt of all required regulatory approvals for research, trials or studies; the level of activity, market acceptance and market trends in the healthcare sector; the economy generally; consumer interest in Hemostemix's services and products; competition and Hemostemix's competitive advantages; and, Hemostemix obtaining satisfactory financing to fund Hemostemix's operations including any research, trials or studies, and any Litigation. Forward-looking information is Subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Hemostemix to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the ability of Hemostemix to complete clinical trials, complete a satisfactory analyses and file the results of such analyses to gain regulatory approval of a phase II or phase III clinical trial of ACP-01; potential litigation Hemostemix may face; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; the actual results of future operations including the actual results of future research, trials or studies; competition; changes in legislation affecting Hemostemix; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; long-term capital requirements and future developments in Hemostemix's markets and the markets in which it expects to compete; lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals; and risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic including various recommendations, orders and measures of governmental authorities to try to limit the pandemic, including travel restrictions, border closures, non-essential business closures service disruptions, quarantines, self-isolations, shelters-in-place and social distancing, disruptions to markets, disruptions to economic activity and financings, disruptions to supply chains and sales channels, and a deterioration of general economic conditions including a possible national or global recession or depression; the potential impact that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on Hemostemix which may include a decreased demand for the services that Hemostemix offers; and a deterioration of financial markets that could limit Hemostemix's ability to obtain external financing. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Hemostemix's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Hemostemix has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Hemostemix as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, it is Subject to change after such date. However, Hemostemix expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263206 SOURCE: Hemostemix Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - EMX Royalty Corporation (NYSE American: EMX) (TSXV: EMX) (the "Company" or "EMX") congratulates AbraSilver Resource Corp. ("AbraSilver") on its recent updated Diablillos mineral resource estimate ("MRE") that increased total open pit constrained, oxide mineral resources to 199 million ounces of contained silver (+34%) and 1.72 million ounces of contained gold (+27%) in the measured and indicated ("MI") categories.1,2 AbraSilver is also further enhancing project economics with ongoing drilling, advancing other priority initiatives (e.g., engineering optimization, investment incentives, among others), and is expected to receive EIA approval in the latter half of 2025 and on schedule to deliver a definitive feasibility study ("DFS") for the Project in Q1 2026. EMX retains a 1% NSR royalty on the Diablillos Project, and all known mineralization occurs within EMX's royalty ground. The updated Diablillos MRE reports tank leach resources, which previously was the sole metallurgical processing assumption for the Project, as well as contributions from a maiden heap leach MRE. The additional heap leach resources represent a milestone advancement in converting near surface and peripheral lower grade "waste" material within the constraining open pit configuration to mineralization potentially recoverable via a low-cost processing route. AbraSilver reported total (i.e., tank and heap leach) oxide MI resources as 104 Mtonnes averaging 59 g/t silver and 0.51 g/t gold. The tank leach MI resources account for approximately 70% of the tonnes and over 90% of the contained silver and gold, with the heap leach resources contributing the balance which provides the potential to reduce the strip ratio and enhance project economics. There were significant MI increases across all five resource deposits (i.e., Oculto, JAC, Fantasma, Laderas and Sombra) (see Figure 1 reference map), with the largest tonnage and contained metal increases driven by the JAC deposit, which is characterized by high-grade, near-surface silver-gold mineralization, as well as the Oculto deposit. The Sombra deposit, a recent discovery immediately south of Oculto and JAC, represents a first-time addition to the Project MRE totals. There is significant district scale exploration upside at Diablillos with an ongoing Phase V 20,000 meter drill program scheduled for completion by early 2026. This program includes step-out drilling at Oculto East, JAC, and Sombra, as well as exploration drilling at the Cerro Viejo and Cerro Blanco porphyry targets. EMX congratulates AbraSilver for its success in rapidly building value at the Diablillos royalty property. In addition to the significant increases in silver-gold mineral resources via drilling and metallurgical advancements, AbraSilver is currently evaluating other initiatives to further enhance project economics as inputs to the H1 2026 DFS (e.g., connecting to national grid for power, upgrading the fleet size, outsourcing waste movement, and optimizing TSF design to co-locate waste with tailings).3 Moreover, Diablillos is eligible for Argentina's Incentive Regime for Large Investments (i.e., RIGI), which includes lower tax rates, elimination of export duties, and accelerated depreciation; an investment decision by Q2 2027 is required to fully qualify. Clearly, AbraSilver is on a fast track in advancing Diablillos to a production decision, and thereby unlocking the value of EMX's royalty interest. Comments on the Updated MRE. The updated Diablillos MRE reports total (i.e., tank and heap leach) measured resources of 33,218 Ktonnes @ 98 g/t Ag (105,050 Koz contained) and 0.59 g/t Au (634 Koz contained) and indicated resources of 70,686 Ktonnes @ 41 g/t Ag (93,593 Koz contained) and 0.48 g/t Au (1,081 Koz contained). In addition, the updated MRE includes total inferred resources of 19,628 Ktonnes @ 21 g/t Ag (13,427 Koz contained) and 0.38 g/t Au (241 Koz contained). Comments on the December 2024 PFS. AbraSilver's PFS study updated in December 2024 outlined an average 14 year life of mine with annual production of 7.6 Moz of silver and 72 Koz of gold yielding an NPV(5) of US$747 million, 28% IRR, and a two year payback using base case prices of $25.50/oz silver and $2,050/oz gold. Importantly, the PFS production profile over the first five years of full mine production averages 11.7 Moz silver and 59 Koz gold which underlines the Project's early-stage potential for strong cash-flow generation and corresponding royalty payments to EMX. AbraSilver's ongoing initiatives and sustained silver and gold bull market prices suggest significant additional Project upside. About the Diablillos Silver-Gold Royalty Property. Diablillos is a high sulfidation silver-gold project located in the Puna region of Salta Province, Argentina. There are multiple mineralized zones in a district scale area covered by EMX's uncapped 1% NSR royalty ground. Of note, in April of this year the Company received an early final property payment from AbraSilver totaling US$6.85 million. Michael P. Sheehan, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and employee of the Company, has reviewed, verified and approved the disclosure of the technical information contained in this news release. About EMX. EMX is a precious and base metals royalty company. EMX's investors are provided with discovery, development, and commodity price optionality, while limiting exposure to risks inherent to operating companies. The Company's common shares are listed on the NYSE American Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "EMX". Please see www.EMXroyalty.com for more information. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain "forward looking statements" that reflect the Company's current expectations and projections about its future results. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding perceived merit of properties, exploration results and budgets, mineral reserves and resource estimates, work programs, capital expenditures, timelines, strategic plans, market prices for precious and base metal, or other statements that are not statements of fact. When used in this news release, words such as "estimate," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "will", "believe", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which, by their very nature, are not guarantees of the Company's future operational or financial performance, and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors may include, but are not limited to unavailability of financing, failure to identify commercially viable mineral reserves, fluctuations in the market valuation for commodities, difficulties in obtaining required approvals for the development of a mineral project, increased regulatory compliance costs, expectations of project funding by joint venture partners and other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date otherwise specifically indicated herein. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified in this news release, and other risk factors and forward-looking statements listed in the Company's MD&A for the quarter June 30, 2025 (the "MD&A"), and the most recently filed Annual Information Form ("AIF") for the year ended December 31, 2024, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. More information about the Company, including the MD&A, the AIF and financial statements of the Company, is available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca and on the SEC's EDGAR website at www.sec.gov . Figure 1. Diablillos Project Plan View of Mineral Resource Estimate (taken from Figure 2, AbraSilver news release dated July 29, 2025). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1508/263108_emxfig1.jpg Appendix 1 Notes on Current Diablillos Mineral Resource Estimate (taken from AbraSilver news release dated July 29, 2025) Table 1 - Total Diablillos Mineral Resource Summary (Tank & Heap Leach) - As of July 21, 2025. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1508/263108_0fbde09d14b02a7f_003full.jpg Tank Leach MRE Footnotes To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1508/263108_0fbde09d14b02a7f_004full.jpg Heap Leach MRE Footnotes To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1508/263108_0fbde09d14b02a7f_005full.jpg Previous Diablillos Mineral Resource Estimate (taken from AbraSilver news release dated November 27, 2023) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1508/263108_emxtable2.jpg 1 See AbraSilver news release dated July 29, 2025 and Appendix 1 of this news release 2 Increases referenced to the November 2023 MRE 3 See AbraSilver "August 2025" Corporate Presentation 4 See AbraSilver news release dated December 3, 2024 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263108 SOURCE: EMX Royalty Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Glow Lifetech Corp. (CSE: GLOW) (OTCID: GLWLF) (FSE: 9DO) ("Glow" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the retail launch of its flagship MOD brand at FIKA Company stores across Ontario, marking a significant expansion in retail distribution with one of Canada's leading cannabis retailers. MOD Expanding to 100+ FIKA Company Stores in Ontario Glow has secured a new retail listing with FIKA Company, bringing MOD products into approximately 100+ FIKA Company retail locations across Ontario. FIKA Company operates one of Canada's largest cannabis retail portfolios, with over 200 locations across Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and Yukon. Its portfolio includes 10+ leading banners such as FIKA Cannabis, Pop's Cannabis, Fire & Flower, Friendly Stranger, Ganjika House and more. With store roll-out well underway, this listing marks a significant milestone in the expansion of MOD, deepening its retail penetration in Ontario and further strengthening Glow's presence within top-tier national retail networks. "Launching with FIKA Company represents a major step forward in our commercial growth strategy and deepens our reach with one of Canada's most respected and expansive cannabis retailers," said Rob Carducci, CEO of Glow Lifetech. "Our launch with FIKA Company supports our growth in Ontario while laying a strong foundation for distribution into additional provinces over time." FIKA Cannabis - 10 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3920/263125_bf3e1064d4c179d8_001full.jpg Launch Support To support the launch, Glow is executing a targeted retail activation program designed to drive awareness, education, and conversion. This includes merchandising displays to enhance shelf presence, comprehensive budtender education & sampling to deepen product knowledge and ensure staff are equipped with firsthand experience. These efforts are integral to Glow's commercialization strategy, focused on driving sustained sell-through and performance across key retail accounts. Continued Growth Momentum This new retail expansion reflects Glow's growing commercial momentum with Ontario's major accounts and reinforces the strength of its go-to-market execution. With early momentum in Q3, Glow is entering a pivotal growth phase as strategic retail partnerships like this help unlock new growth channels, diversify its distribution footprint, and lay the groundwork for broader national distribution opportunities ahead. SUBSCRIBE: For more information on Glow or to subscribe to the Company's mail list, visit: https://www.glowlifetech.com/news. About Glow Lifetech Corp. Glow Lifetech is a Canadian-based biotechnology company focused on producing nutraceutical and cannabinoid-based products with dramatically enhanced bioavailability, absorption and effectiveness. Glow has a groundbreaking, plant-based MyCell Technology delivery system, which transforms poorly absorbed natural compounds into enhanced water-compatible concentrates that unlock the full healing potential of the valuable compounds. Website: www.glowlifetech.com Forward-Looking Information Cautionary Statement Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the proposed Debt Settlement, including the amount and completion thereof and statements regarding the Offering, including the amount of proceeds expected to be raised, the timing for closing, the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the intended use of proceeds. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the Offering and Debt Settlement described in this news release will be completed on the terms described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263125 SOURCE: Glow Lifetech Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Founders Metals Inc. (TSXV: FDR) (OTCQX: FDMIF) (FSE: 9DL0) ("Founders" or the "Company") announces that B2Gold Corp. ("B2Gold") has completed its obligations under the Shareholder Agreement by purchasing 1,170,000 common shares (the "Shares"), as outlined in the Company's November 5, 2024 press release. B2Gold purchased the Shares in the open market to fulfill its agreement and preserve its right to participate in future financings up to a maximum of 9.9% ownership. Together with its prior private placement subscriptions, B2Gold now holds ~6% of Founders' issued and outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis. Colin Padget, President and CEO, commented: "B2Gold's decision to increase their position demonstrates strong confidence in Founders and the Antino Gold Project. Their continued investment reinforces our shared belief in Antino as a Tier 1 discovery, and we're pleased to have their ongoing support as we work to unlock the project's full potential and realize value for shareholders." About Founders Metals Inc. Founders Metals is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on advancing the Antino Gold Project located in Suriname, South America, in the heart of the Guiana Shield. Antino is 20,000 hectares and has produced over 500,000 ounces of gold from historical surface and alluvial mining to date1. The Company is systematically advancing one of Suriname's most promising gold exploration and development opportunities with drill-confirmed, district-scale potential. Founders is committed to responsible exploration, community engagement, and delivering long-term value to shareholders through technical excellence and strategic growth in the Guiana Shield. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Per: "Colin Padget" Colin Padget President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Company's recently completed financings and the Company's prospects. Forward-looking information can generally be identified by words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", or variations indicating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and reasonable assumptions but are subject to business, market, and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied, including: general business and economic uncertainties; exploration results; mining industry risks; and other factors described in the Company's most recent annual management discussion and analysis. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, other factors may cause results not to be as anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. All material information on Founders Metals can be found at www.sedarplus.ca. 12022 Technical Report - Antino Project; Suriname, South America. K. Raffle, BSc, P. Geo & Rock Lefrancois, BSc, P.Geo. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263161 SOURCE: Founders Metals Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Optimi Health Corp. (CSE: OPTI) (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FSE: 8BN) ("Optimi" or the "Company"), a manufacturer of GMP-certified MDMA and psilocybin, is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement with MZ Investor Relations ("MZ"), an investor relations firm. MZ will provide Optimi with strategic support in capital markets advisory, corporate communications, and investor engagement. Under the terms of the engagement, MZ will be paid US$9,000 per month to start and, upon reaching certain milestones, US$13,500 per month. The engagement has an initial 12-month term and will automatically renew for an additional 12 months unless either party provides 30 days' written notice of termination prior to the end of the then-current term. In addition, Optimi has granted MZ an aggregate of 1,900,000 stock options entitling MZ to purchase up to 1,900,000 common shares in the capital of the Company. Of these, 700,000 options are exercisable at C$0.165 per share and vest immediately, 600,000 options are exercisable at C$0.20 per share vesting on December 18, 2025, and 600,000 options are exercisable at C$0.30 per share vesting on April 18, 2026. All options are subject to the terms of an option agreement between the Company and MZ and, unless otherwise provided in such agreement, will expire on August 20, 2028. To the Company's knowledge, MZ does not currently hold a security position in Optimi. For more information on MZ, please visit: www.mzgroup.us. Manufacturing Update Optimi is also pleased to report a production milestone with the completion of manufacturing and encapsulation of over 3,000 GMP doses of its 5mg natural psilocybin extract capsules. A portion of this batch will be used to treat patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) in Australia under its Authorized Prescribers Scheme, and to supply upcoming Phase 2 clinical trials in both Canada and abroad. Ordering From Optimi Licensed U.S. distributors and pharmaceutical companies holding the appropriate permits and DEA registrations may order Optimi's GMP-certified 40mg and 60mg MDMA capsules, 5mg natural psilocybin extract capsules, and API of both substances directly. Authorized organizations in other jurisdictions with the required approvals and regulatory clearances may also access Optimi products for use in clinical trials, research, or compliant commercial distribution frameworks. In Australia, entities seeking access to Optimi's MDMA and psilocybin products under the Authorized Prescribers Scheme may do so through Mind Medicine Australia. To initiate procurement, contact: sales@optimihealth.ca About Optimi Health Corp. Optimi Health Corp. is a Health Canada-licensed, GMP-compliant manufacturer and supplier of natural psilocybin and MDMA. Dedicated to producing high-quality psychedelic products, the Company aims to support the global advancement of mental health therapies through rigorous compliance, innovation, and collaboration. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10615/263172_42190ce5a465ba66_001full.jpg Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, certain of which are unknown. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "expects," "will continue," "is anticipated," "anticipates," "believes," "estimated," "intends," "plans," "forecast," "projection," "strategy," "objective," and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements. These statements may involve estimates, assumptions, and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct, and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Optimi's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include but are not limited to those factors which are discussed in the Company's long form prospectus dated February 12, 2021, a copy of which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. Except as expressly required by applicable law, Optimi undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Optimi to predict all of them or assess the impact of each factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263172 SOURCE: Optimi Health Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Myriad Uranium Corp. (CSE: M) (OTCQB: MYRUF) (FSE: C3Q) ("Myriad" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it will conduct a follow-on non-brokered private placement financing (the "Financing") on the same terms as its recently closed financing (see Myriad's news release dated July 11, 2025). Under the Financing, the Company will issue 500,000 units (each, a "Unit") at $0.25 per Unit for gross proceeds of $125,000. Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each full warrant, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder to purchase one Share at an exercise price of $0.35 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance. The Company is conducting the Financing to accommodate the investment requirements of a key institutional investor. Securities issued under the Financing will be subject to a four month hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Financing for general working capital. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release in the United States. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements. About Myriad Uranium Corp. Myriad Uranium Corp. is a uranium exploration company with an earnable 75% interest in the Copper Mountain Uranium Project in Wyoming, USA. Copper Mountain hosts several known uranium deposits and historic uranium mines, including the Arrowhead Mine which produced 500,000 lbs of U3O8. Copper Mountain saw extensive drilling and development by Union Pacific during the late 1970s including the development of a mine plan to fuel a planned fleet of California Edison reactors. Operations ceased in 1980 before mining could commence due to falling uranium prices. Approximately 2,000 boreholes have been drilled at Copper Mountain and the project area has significant exploration upside. Union Pacific is estimated to have spent C$117 million (2024 dollars) exploring and developing Copper Mountain, generating significant historical resource estimates which are detailed here. The Company also recently acquired, subject to completing a geophysical survey this year, a 100% interest in the Red Basin Uranium Project in New Mexico, which has a near-surface historical resource (non-43-101) at grades from 1,700 to 3,100 ppm with significant upside potential. The announcement regarding the acquisition can be viewed here and a subsequent announcement regarding an expansion of the Company's acreage to encompass ~800 of 1,050 historical boreholes in the basin can be viewed here. Our Crux Investor overview page including recent interviews can be viewed here. The Company's presentation can be viewed here . News releases regarding historical drilling can be viewed here and here. The final news release regarding chemical assays of 2024 Copper Mountain drilling can be viewed here. Myriad also has a 50% interest in the Millen Mountain Property in Nova Scotia, Canada, with the other 50% held by Probe Gold Inc. For further information, please refer to Myriad's disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), contact Myriad by telephone at +1.604.418.2877, or refer to Myriad's website at www.myriaduranium.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" that is based on the Company's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, the Company's business, plans, outlook and business strategy. The words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "likely", "expect," "anticipate," "intend", "estimate", "plan", "forecast", "project" and "believe" or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect, including with respect to the Company's business plans respecting the exploration and development of the Company's mineral properties, the proposed work program on the Company's mineral properties and the potential and economic viability of the Company's mineral properties. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: changes in economic conditions or financial markets; increases in costs; litigation; legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; and technological or operational difficulties. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect our forward-looking information. These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263198 SOURCE: Myriad Uranium Corp. HONG KONG, Aug 20, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - Results Summary- Total revenue increased by 8% to HK$2,800 million, among which the revenue from Hong Kong increased by 9% to HK$1,600 million while the revenue from Mainland China increased by 9% to HK$700 million - both markets recorded growths- Revenue from the jewellery segment increased markedly by 13% to HK$1,100 million, among which gold products accounted for over 75% of the revenue from the jewellery segment- Gross profit rose by 8% to HK$800 million; gross profit margin remained resilient at 30.1%- Adjusted EBITD1 increased to HK$300 million and net profit rose by 5% to HK$200 million- As at 30 June 2025, bank balances and cash on hand amounted to over HK$1,500 million (31 December 2024: HK$950 million), without any bank borrowings and was in a net cash position, hence its net gearing ratio was zero, indicating a very healthy financial position- Successfully partnered with Mr. Chan Sai Cheong, strives to expand the jewellery business in Mainland China under 'Emperor Jewellery', and has already drawn up a preliminary roadmap for store expansions, with an initial target of 600 stores in Mainland China in the next five years; enables the jewellery business to become its future growth driver under the solid foundation of its watch business- Opened a Patek Philippe flagship store at a prime location in Central, Hong Kong, strengthening its market positionEmperor Watch & Jewellery Limited ('Group' or 'Emperor W&J') (Stock code: 887), a leading retailer of European-made watches and jewellery products, announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2025 ('Period').In spite of market uncertainties and challenging business environment, the Group's total revenue grew by 7.6% to HK$2,794 million (2024: HK$2,597 million) during the Period. Revenue from Hong Kong increased by 8.8% to HK$1,594 million (2024: HK$1,465 million), accounting for 57.1% (2024: 56.4%) of the total revenue, and the revenue from Mainland China increased by 8.7% to HK$723 million (2024: HK$665 million), accounting for 25.9% (2024: 25.6%) of the total revenue. In terms of revenue by product segment, the revenue from the watch segment increased by 4.2% to HK$1,700 million (2024: HK$1,632 million), accounting for 60.8% (2024: 62.8%) of the total revenue, and the revenue from the jewellery segment increased markedly by 13.4% to HK$1,094 million (2024: HK$965 million), accounting for 39.2% (2024: 37.2%) of the total revenue, among which gold products accounted for 75.2% (2024: 77.0%) of the revenue from the jewellery segment.The Group's gross profit increased by 7.7% to HK$840 million (2024: HK$780 million) with gross profit margin remained resilient at 30.1% (2024: 30.0%). The Group's net profit increased by 4.9% to HK$194 million (2024: HK$185 million) during the Period. Basic earnings per share was HK2.73 cents (2024: HK2.72 cents). The Board declares an interim dividend of HK0.55 cent (2024: HK0.65 cent) per share.As at 30 June 2025, bank balances and cash on hand of the Group amounted to HK$1,508 million (31 December 2024: HK$950 million), without any bank borrowings (31 December 2024: zero) and was in a net cash position, hence its net gearing ratio was zero (31 December 2024: zero), indicating a healthy financial position.During the Period, the Group successfully partnered with Mr. Chan Sai Cheong ('Mr. Chan'), an influential and highly respected jewellery industry veteran with over 40 years of experience, regarding strategic development of the Group's jewellery business in Mainland China. The Group has drawn up a preliminary roadmap for store expansions in Mainland China, with an initial target of 600 stores in the next five years, opening in phases. During the first phase, the focus will be on opening stores targeting mid-to-high-end market segments in established first-tier and new first-tier cities; this will be followed by an emphasis on stores in second-tier cities, targeting mid-market segment.As at 30 June 2025, the Group had a total of 73 stores in Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia. During the Period, the Group opened two new jewellery stores, in Hong Kong and Macau. Additionally, a Patek Philippe flagship store and a Tudor watch boutique were opened in Hong Kong and Chongqing in Mainland China, respectively. Subsequent to the Period, the Group opened a jewellery store in Hangzhou, Mainland China.Ms. Cindy Yeung, Chairperson of Emperor W&J, said, 'With the ongoing pick-up in foot traffic after the resumption of the multiple-entry Individual Visit Scheme for Shenzhen permanent residents, and the tourism blueprint launched by the Hong Kong government, the Group is confident that the overall retail market will further regain its growth momentum. The Patek Philippe flagship store that was recently opened by the Group in Hong Kong will further enhance the Group's competitive edge in the luxury watch retail market and strengthens its market leading position.'Ms. Yeung concluded, 'The Group expects that gold jewellery, as an alternative form of investment, will continue being well received by Chinese consumers, given the volatile property and stock markets. The Group considers the establishment of the strategic partnership with Mr. Chan is a valuable opportunity for expanding its jewellery business in Mainland China. We will effectively expand its retail network footprint with diversified market segmentation strategies, thereby capturing a substantial share of the enormous opportunities in the Mainland China market.'About Emperor Watch & Jewellery LimitedWith long establishment history of over 80 years in Hong Kong since 1942, Emperor W&J (887.HK) is a leading retailer principally engages in the sale of European-made internationally renowned watches, and jewellery products under its own brand, 'Emperor Jewellery'. Through its comprehensive watch dealership, unique marketing campaigns and extensive retail network at prime locations in Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia, Emperor W&J established a strong brand image amongst its target customers ranging from middle to high income groups worldwide. In recognition of its efforts in investor relations communications, Emperor W&J was granted with 'Best IR Company' (Small Cap), 'Best IR Team' (Small Cap) and 'Best Investor Presentation Material' (Small cap) in HKIRA Investor Relations Awards 2025 by the Hong Kong Investor Relations Association. For more information, please visit its website: www.EmperorWatchJewellery.com.Investor/Media EnquiriesAnna LukGroup Investor Relations DirectorTel: +852 2835 6783Email: annaluk@emperorgroup.comJanice AuGroup Investor Relations ManagerTel: +852 2835 6799Email: janiceau@emperorgroup.comSource: Emperor Watch & Jewellery LimitedCopyright 2025 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. (TSXV:QZM) ("Quartz" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its common shares have been uplisted from the OTC Pink market to the OTCQB Venture Market ("OTCQB") in the United States. The Company's shares are now trading on the OTCQB under the symbol "QZMRF", while Quartz will continue to maintain its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "QZM." Bob Dickinson, Quartz's Chairman comments, "As we effectively advance our work at the Prodigy gold-silver discovery on our Maestro Property in Central British Columbia, our listing on the OTCQB marks a timely and strategic milestone. Rising investor interest in precious and base metals, and associated equities, has generated increased attention from U.S. investors. Trading on the OTCQB will enhance liquidity by providing current and future U.S.-based investors with a more transparent trading platform, while increasing the Company's visibility and access for U.S. investors. The OTCQB offers an efficient platform for Quartz to access the world's largest pool of equity capital and further strengthen its capital markets strategy." Shareholders of existing U.S. listed Quartz Mountain shares that were previously traded on the OTC Pink Open Market will now trade on the OTCQB with no further action required by shareholders. Information relating to Quartz as well as real-time price quotes is available on www.otcmarkets.com. The OTCQB, operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc., is the premier marketplace for entrepreneurial and development stage companies that are committed to providing a high-quality trading and information experience for their US investors. To be eligible, companies must be current in their financial reporting and undergo an annual company verification and management certification process. The OTCQB quality standards provide a strong baseline of transparency, as well as the technology and regulation to improve the information and trading experience for investors. The Company also reports that its Phase 3 diamond drilling program at its Prodigy gold and silver discovery located within its Maestro Property in central British Columbia is ongoing with over 2,500 metres of drilling in five core holes now completed (see Quartz news release dated August 11, 2025). A total of seven holes will be drilled as part of this program, which is expected to bring the total number of metres in this phase to approximately 3,700 metres. Assay results from all seven Phase 3 drill holes (PR25-07 through PR25-13) will be announced as soon as they are received and compiled by Quartz. Additional sequential phases of drilling are planned during the remainder of 2025. About Quartz Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Quartz Mountain Resources (TSXV:QZM)(QTCQB:QZMRF) is a well- funded public company whose successful mine-finding management team is focused on discovering and transacting important-scale gold, silver and copper projects in British Columbia. The Company owns 100% of the Maestro high grade gold-silver project and 100% of the Jake porphyry copper-gold-silver project. Both projects are permitted by the British Columbia government for drilling activities with access to infrastructure and high potential for the development of substantial resources for significant future transactions. Quartz is associated with Hunter Dickinson Inc. (HDI), a company with over 35 years of successfully discovering, developing and transacting mineral projects in Canada and internationally. Former HDI projects in British Columbia included Mount Milligan, Kemess South and Gibraltar -- all of which are porphyry-coppergold deposits with current-producing or former-producing mines. Recently, Amarc Resources, an HDI associate, with funding from Freeport, announced the exciting discovery of the exceptionally high grade, AuRORA gold-copper-porphyry deposit also in British Columbia. Other well-known projects with HDI involvement include Sisson and Prosperity in Canada, Pebble and Florence in the United States, and Xietongmen in China. Quartz is committed to the advancement of important-scale, critical and essential mining assets while following responsible mineral development principles, including a mandate to employ best-practice approaches in the engagement and involvement of local communities and meeting rigorous environmental standards. About Maestro The Maestro Project, located in central British Columbia, lies adjacent to Highway 16, 15 km north of Houston and 45 km south of Smithers, providing year-round road access to the project and nearby infrastructure including, rail, hydroelectricity, and natural gas. Covering 2,309 hectares, it has a rich exploration history dating back to 1914, primarily focusing on the Lone Pine Mo-Cu porphyry deposit and not the precious metals potential of the surrounding area (see Quartz news release March 19th, 2024, and NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment, P&E Mining Consultants Inc., January 21st, 2011). Since acquiring the property, Quartz has conducted comprehensive geochemical and geophysical surveys, including soil/silt sampling, induced polarization geophysics, airborne magnetic surveys, hyperspectral studies, detailed relogging of historical drill core and assaying for gold only, 976 pulp samples derived from historical assaying of numerous core holes located across the Maestro Property. Quartz's first ever drill test, on its Maestro Property, a Phase One, two-hole drill program at the Prodigy Zone, discovered exciting high-grade Au-Ag lodes and Ag-Au veins which are both hosted within an extensive epithermal Au-Ag system. The Au lodes and Ag veins along with the more disseminated precious metals intersected by the drill holes are all hosted within a large and earlier deposited, Mo-Cu porphyry system. Quartz's second core hole, PR-23-02 intersected 102 m grading 2.22 g/t Au and 104 g/t Ag, including 12 m grading 1.23 g/t Au and 586 g/t Ag and also 36 m of 5.73 g/t Au and 87 g/t Ag. Drill results to date indicate high potential for both bulk tonnage and underground high-grade gold and silver mineralization. Delineation type drilling of the new Prodigy discovery at Maestro, is underway. It is expected that drilling at Prodigy will be consistently advanced in multiple stages during 2025. Mineralization remains open in multiple directions and at depth, promising significant further potential. About Jake Mineralization at Jake is situated within a prominent rusty coloured gossan measuring 3.5 km long by 1.5 km wide. The combination of extensive historical and recent exploration work has outlined a very expansive altered area at Jake hosting epithermal and porphyry-style sulphide disseminations and veinlets containing Cu-Au-Ag-Zn-Mo and Re. A series of modern surface exploration programs were first completed by Quartz to build on very compelling historical data on the Property developed by legendary porphyry copper explorers, including Kennco, Canadian Superior, Cities Service, Placer Development and Teck Corp. Taken together this comprehensive technical database defined a significant-scale porphyry copper-gold deposit target which Quartz tested with 3,418 meters of drilling in seven 7 holes during 2024. This maiden drill program successfully discovered a new porphyry copper-gold-silver system, wide open to expansion. Upon discovery, Quartz acquired a 100% interest in mineral tenures over an entire new BC porphyry copper-gold district surrounding the Jake Property. The next milestone towards a transaction will be delineation drilling of the new Jake discovery, currently being planned to commence after successful delineation drilling being conducted at Maestro over 2025. Qualified Person Farshad Shirmohammad, M.Sc., P.Geo., a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Minerals Projects, who is not independent of Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd., has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. On behalf of the Board of Directors Robert Dickinson Chairman For further information, please contact: Bob Dickinson Email: robertdickinson@hdimining.com Ph: +1 604-684-6365 or: Roger Blair Email: rblair@acuityadvisorycorp.com Ph: +1 604-351-0025 or Jeff Wilson E Mail: jwilson@acuityadvisorycorp.com Ph: +1 604-837-5440 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 Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking-statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking-statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Assumptions used by the Company to develop forward-looking statements include the following: the Company's projects will obtain all required environmental and other permits, and all land use and other licenses, studies and exploration of the Company's projects will continue to be positive, and no geological or technical problems will occur. Though the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking-statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to future events and third party discretion such as regulatory personnel. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include variations in market prices, continuity of mineralization and exploration success, and potential environmental issues or liabilities associated with exploration, development and mining activities, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and tenure and delays due to third party opposition, changes in and the effect of government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and exploration and development of properties located within Aboriginal groups asserted territories that may affect or be perceived to affect asserted aboriginal rights and title, and which may cause permitting delays or opposition by Aboriginal groups, 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. For more information on the Company, and the risks and uncertainties connected with its business, investors should review the Company's home jurisdiction filings at www.sedarplus.ca and its filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. SOURCE: Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/quartz-commences-trading-on-the-otcqb-market-under-the-symbol-qzmrf-1063130 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (TSXV: GMG) (OTCQX: GMGMF) ("GMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Red Cloud Securities Inc. ("Red Cloud"), as sole underwriter and bookrunner, pursuant to which Red Cloud has agreed to purchase for resale 5,555,556 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of C$0.90 per Unit (the "Offering Price") on a "bought deal" basis in a public offering for gross proceeds of approximately C$5,000,000 (the "Underwritten Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and one common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$1.35 at any time on or before that date which is 36 months after the Closing Date (as herein defined). The Company has granted to the Underwriter an option (the "Over-Allotment Option", and together with the Underwritten Offering, the "Offering"), exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time for a period of up to 30 days after and including the Closing Date, to purchase for resale the number of additional Units equal to up to 15% of the number of Units sold pursuant to the Underwritten Offering at the Offering Price to cover over allotments, if any, and for market stabilization purposes. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used by the Company to fund ongoing operations including, but not limited to, commercial development, product development and working capital. In connection with the Offering, the Company intends to file a prospectus supplement (the "Supplement") to the Company's final short form base shelf prospectus dated March 7, 2025 (the "Shelf Prospectus"), with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, except Quebec. The Units may also be sold in the United States on a private placement basis pursuant to one or more exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and in such other jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws provided that no prospectus, registration statement or similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction, and provided the issuance of the Units (including the underlying securities) is permitted under laws applicable to the Company (including the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). Copies of the Shelf Prospectus and the Supplement to be filed in connection with the Offering can be found on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Shelf Prospectus contains, and the Supplement will contain, important detailed information about the Company and the Offering. Prospective investors should read the Supplement, the Shelf Prospectus and the other documents the Company has filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca before making an investment decision. The Offering is expected to close on or about September 3rd, 2025 (the "Closing Date"), or on such date as agreed upon between the Company and Red Cloud. The closing of the Offering is subject to the Company receiving all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange to list, on the Closing Date, the common shares of the Company issuable from the sale of Units as well as upon the exercise of the Warrants. This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements and applicable U.S. state securities laws. About GMG GMG is an Australian-based clean-technology company, which develops, makes and sells energy saving and energy storage solutions, enabled by graphene manufactured via in-house production process. GMG uses its own proprietary production process to decompose natural gas (i.e. methane) into its natural elements, carbon (as graphene), hydrogen and some residual hydrocarbon gases. This process produces high quality, low-cost, scalable, 'tuneable' and low/no contaminant graphene suitable for use in clean technology and other applications. The Company's present focus is to de-risk and develop commercial scale-up capabilities, and secure market applications. In the energy savings segment, GMG has initially focused on graphene enhanced heating, ventilation and air conditioning ("HVAC-R") coating (or energy saving coating), which is now being marketed into other applications, including electronic heat sinks, industrial process plants and data centres. Another product GMG has developed is the graphene lubricant additive focused on saving liquid fuels initially for diesel engines. In the energy storage segment, GMG and the University of Queensland are working collaboratively with financial support from the Australian Government to progress R&D and commercialization of graphene aluminium-ion batteries ("G+AI Batteries"). GMG has also developed a graphene additive slurry that is aimed to improve the performance of lithium ion batteries. GMG's 4 critical business objectives are: Produce Graphene and Improve/Scale Cell Production Processes Build Revenue from Energy Savings Products Develop Next-Generation Battery Develop Supply Chain, Partners & Project Execution Capability Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" 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 size and terms of the Offering, the anticipated timing of closing the Offering, the ability of the Company to satisfy all conditions to closing the Offering, and the expected use of proceeds from the Offering. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management, including, without limitation, expectations and assumptions concerning the business objectives of the Company; the Company's ability to carry out current planned capital projects, research and development, manufacturing, production, sales and marketing programs for its graphene and graphene-enhanced products and solutions; that the Company will receive the necessary regulatory approvals for the Offering; use the proceeds from the Offering as anticipated; the Company's performance and general business and economic conditions. Additionally, forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of GMG to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: the risk that the Company is not able to use the proceeds from the Offering as anticipated by management; the risk that the Company does not receive the requisite regulatory approvals for the Offering; overall economic conditions; technical de-risking and market acceptance for the Company's products and solutions; the introduction of competing technologies or products; stock market volatility; environmental and regulatory requirements; competitive pressures; change in market conditions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward looking statements; the volatility of global capital markets; political instability; the failure of the Company to obtain regulatory approvals, attract and retain skilled personnel; unexpected development and production challenges; unanticipated costs and the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated October 3, 2024 available for review on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial outlook that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. NEWSWIRE OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263207 SOURCE: Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. Autocrypt obtains AWS Foundational Technical Review (FTR) validation for automotive software testing tool, enabling expanded deployment in cloud environments SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AUTOCRYPT, a leading automotive cybersecurity solutions provider, announced that the company's automotive software testing tool, AutoCrypt CSTP Fuzzer, successfully received the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Foundational Technical Review (FTR) validation, enabling the solution to earn Partner Software Path Certification. The FTR is a rigorous technical assessment conducted by AWS to ensure that solutions meet best practices in areas such as security, reliability, and operational compliance. This achievement lays the groundwork for offering the solution in a cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) format. The AutoCrypt CSTP Fuzzer solution is a key component of the AUTOCRYPT's Cybersecurity Testing Platform (CSTP), a security diagnostic tool that leverages fuzzing techniques to automatically detect and analyze potential vulnerabilities around vehicle communications. By passing the AWS FTR validation process, the solution has demonstrated compliance with AWS standards for Security, Reliability and Operational Excellence. Strengthening Global Presence with AWS Integration Through listing the solution on the AWS Marketplace, AUTOCRYPT anticipates expanded opportunities to serve international markets by making it easier for customers to access its authorized software solutions. With the solution accessible through virtual Windows environments based on Amazon WorkSpaces, a fully managed desktop computing service, users can perform security testing and proof-of-concept (PoC) activities in a SaaS environment without complex installation or hardware setup. Cybersecurity Mandates Fuel Demand for SaaS solutions With automotive cybersecurity regulations set to become mandatory by 2028 for most vehicles sold globally - and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) extending security requirements across all digitally connected industries - demand for cloud-based SaaS solutions have emerged as a strategic choice for stakeholders seeking to balance development efficiency and regulatory compliance. In response to these shifts, AUTOCRYPT is pursuing broader cloud-based deployment of its automotive cybersecurity solutions, starting with the launch of AWS-certified SaaS products. This supports the company's long-term strategy to scale its SaaS business model, diversify revenue streams, and accelerate international growth. Founder and CEO, Seokwoo Lee said, "This marks a significant milestone for Autocrypt as it validates the reliability of our technology within the cloud ecosystem. With the global SaaS market projected to reach USD 370 billion, and the automotive software market estimated at USD 600 trillion by 2030, we are committed to reinforcing our global footprint by positioning cloud-based security solutions as a key pillar of future growth." Learn more at autocrypt.io. About Autocrypt AUTOCRYPT is the leading player in automotive cybersecurity technologies. It specializes in the development and integration of security software and solutions for in-vehicle systems, V2X communications, Plug&Charge, and fleet management, paving the way towards a secure and reliable C-ITS ecosystem in the age of software-defined vehicles. Its comprehensive suite of automotive cybersecurity testing services and platforms includes the award-winning AutoCrypt CSTP, which supports automotive OEMs and suppliers in meeting regulatory standards ilke ISO/SAE 21434, UNECE WP.29 UN R155, and CRA. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2732284/PRN_AUTOCRYPT_Logo_250716_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/autocrypt-designated-as-official-aws-software-partner-302533253.html Strategic JV Expands ESGold Portfolio with Second Permitted Project Aimed at Cash Flow, Growth and Remediation in South America VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / ESGold Corp. ("ESGold" or the "Company") (CSE:ESAU)(OTCQB:ESAUF)(FSE:Z7D) announced today that it has entered into a binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Planta Magdalena S.A.S. ("Planta"), a Colombian corporation, to form a joint venture for the development and reprocessing of fully permitted, gold- and silver-bearing tailings in the Department of Bolivar, Colombia. This strategic move represents a significant step in ESGold's plan to expand its tailings-to-cash-flow model beyond Quebec, applying modern, environmentally responsible processing to legacy tailings in one of South America's most prolific gold-producing regions. The Company aims to generate high-margin, scalable production while delivering environmental remediation benefits and positioning itself for further growth across the Americas. Deal Highlights Structure & Consideration: ESGold will contribute C$1.5 million for a 50% JV interest and will hold a first right of refusal to purchase the remaining 50% within 12 months at fair market value determined by independent third-party appraisal. Permitting: Planta advises that it holds permits to commence tailings production. ESGold will conduct independent verification of all permits and licences as part of its due diligence prior to entering into a definitive agreement. Strategic Rationale: The Bolivar JV is designed to replicate ESGold's low-capex, high-margin tailings model developed at Montauban (Quebec), while remediating legacy mine sites and improving environmental outcomes for local communities. Fast-Track Workplan: Preliminary due-diligence fire-assay sampling of tailings (27 samples) has been completed. Concentrate tests on the assayed tailings are being finalized at Montauban and will be shipped to ACTLABS in Val-d'Or for analysis. On-site geological and metallurgical visits are being scheduled to finalize the proposed circuit and recovery parameters. Path to Production: Subject to a definitive agreement, verification, and commissioning, the Company's objective is to add a second high-margin operation alongside Montauban, with a target start-up in 2026. "Bolivar has a long and storied history as one of Colombia's most prolific gold-producing regions, with decades of artisanal and small-scale mining contributing significantly to the country's overall output," said Gordon Robb, CEO of ESGold. "The region still processes hundreds of thousands of tonnes of ore annually, yet much of it is handled using rudimentary mercury amalgamation methods that leave behind a substantial amount of gold and silver in the tailings. This creates an immense opportunity for ESGold to apply modern, environmentally responsible recovery technology that can significantly improve yields while remediating legacy mine sites. The early validation from our due-diligence sampling is highly encouraging, and it underscores the scalability of our tailings-to-cash-flow model as we aim to build a second high-margin operation in one of the most prolific gold-bearing districts in all South America." Initial Due-Diligence Sampling As part of joint ESGold-Planta due diligence, 27 tailings samples were collected across the tailings sector and submitted to ACTLABS. Highlights (sample IDs as received) include: SS806: 42.683 g/t Au SS816: 19.284 g/t Au SS817: 18.332 g/t Au SS825: 10.787 g/t Au In total, 8 of 27 samples assayed above 5 g/t Au, including several high-grade results; multiple samples also returned notable silver values exceeding 190 g/t Ag. Cautionary Note: The samples referenced above are selective in nature, were collected for due-diligence screening, and may not be representative of the tailings as a whole. No mineral resource or reserve is being declared. Additional systematic sampling, QA/QC, and metallurgical test work are required to determine grade continuity, recoveries, and economic parameters. Results will be disclosed following Qualified Person (QP) review. ESGold is finalizing bulk-sample concentrate tests to confirm recovery rates for the proposed mining circuit. Testing will be completed at the Company's Montauban facilities with confirmed assays at ACTLABS in Quebec on an expedited basis. Why Bolivar, Colombia The Department of Bolivar is recognized as one of Colombia's most prolific gold-producing regions, with a mining tradition that spans centuries. Today, artisanal and small-scale miners in the region collectively process an estimated 300,000 tonnes of ore annually, producing approximately 128,000 ounces of gold. Despite this significant output, much of the material is processed using rudimentary mercury amalgamation methods, which typically recover less than half of the contained gold and silver. This long-standing reliance on outdated technology leaves a substantial portion of precious metals unrecovered in the tailings. Modern, mercury-free processing techniques can materially improve recovery rates while eliminating the environmental harm caused by mercury. The combination of a large, continuous feed of tailings, a skilled local workforce, and the region's established mining infrastructure creates a unique opportunity to launch a high-margin, environmentally responsible operation with near-term scalability potential. By starting in Bolivar, ESGold positions itself to demonstrate the economic advantages of its tailings-to-cash flow model in one of South America's most prolific gold-bearing districts, while delivering tangible environmental remediation benefits to local communities. "The Bolivar opportunity perfectly fits our vision for ESGold's growth," said Paul Mastantuono, Chairman and COO. "This is a permitted project in one of South America's most prolific gold districts, with the potential to quickly generate high-margin cash flow using our modern, environmentally responsible processing. The initial sample results are encouraging, and we're eager to complete the next stages of technical and legal due diligence. Our team sees this as a launchpad to scale our proven model across multiple jurisdictions, delivering value for shareholders while making a measurable positive impact in the communities where we operate." Next Steps & Conditions Definitive Agreement: Finalize binding terms with Planta Magdalena following the completion of legal, technical, and financial due diligence. This includes title and lien verification, litigation search, licensing and permitting review, and confirmation of compliance with Colombian mining and environmental regulations. Technical Verification: Conduct QP-supervised site visits to the Bolivar project for systematic tailings sampling, full QA/QC protocols, metallurgical recovery testing, and circuit engineering design. The Company foresees this to occur in the beginning of September. Bulk Concentrate Testing: Finalize ongoing bulk-sample concentrate tests from Planta Magdalena to confirm recovery rates for the proposed mining circuit. Testing will be completed at the Company's Montauban facilities with confirmed assays at ACTLABS in Quebec on an expedited basis. Montauban Development: Continue construction and commissioning work at Montauban, where concentrate testing and process fine-tuning are progressing well. A detailed 3D geological model is nearing completion to refine high-priority drill targets, and the updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) will incorporate enhanced economics to reflect higher metal prices. Implementation Planning: For the Bolivar JV, confirm and validate all operational frameworks, develop a localized community engagement plan, and finalize environmental management measures consistent with ESGold's clean-processing standards. Why This Matters to Shareholders With Montauban fully permitted and under construction in Quebec, the Bolivar opportunity marks a pivotal step toward building a scalable, self-funded, high-margin platform for precious metals production across the Americas. By securing permitted tailings projects in prolific mining districts, ESGold can generate predictable, repeatable cash flow that funds exploration and discovery without relying on continual equity dilution. This disciplined model pairs near-term production with the upside of exploration, creating a balance of stability and growth rarely seen in the sector. Coupled with our commitment to environmental remediation and community benefits, this strategy positions ESGold to compound value over time, transforming legacy mine waste into both shareholder returns and lasting positive impact across multiple jurisdictions. Qualified Person Statement The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Andre Gauthier, P.Geo., a Director of ESGold and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Sampling described herein was conducted for due-diligence screening; independent verification, QA/QC, and systematic work remain outstanding. No mineral resources or reserves are declared. About ESGold Corp. ESGold Corp. (CSE:ESAU)(OTCQB:ESAUF)(FSE:Z7D) is a fully permitted, pre-production gold and silver mining company at the forefront of scalable clean mining and exploration innovation. With proven expertise in Quebec, the Company is advancing its Montauban Gold-Silver Project toward near-term production while unlocking long-term value through strategic redevelopment, modern discovery tools, and sustainable resource recovery. Montauban, located 80 km west of Quebec City, represents a blueprint for cash-flow-generating legacy site redevelopment across North America. For more information, please contact ESGold Corp. at +1-888-370-1059 or visit esgold.com for additional resources, including a French version of this press release, past news releases, a 3D model of the Montauban processing plant, media interviews, and opinion-editorial pieces. Stay connected by following us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and joining our Telegram channel. For further information or to connect directly, please reach out to Gordon Robb, CEO of ESGold Corp. at gordon@esgold.com or call 250-217-2321. On behalf of the Board of Directors ESGold Corp. Paul Mastantuono Chairman & COO info@esgold.com +1-888-370-1059 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding future production, cash flow, exploration results, project economics, and permitting. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that management believes are current but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These risks are detailed in the Company's public filings on SEDAR+. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. ESGold disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release SOURCE: ESGold Corp View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/esgold-signs-mou-for-high-grade-tailings-project-in-colombia-1062806 RICHARDSON, Texas, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Global superstar, actor, and philanthropist Nick Jonas has teamed up with leading watch and accessories brand FOSSIL for a bold and nostalgic new collection, launching August 20, 2025. Each limited-edition timepiece blends Jonas' passion for watch collecting, his distinct personal style and Fossil's decades-long design heritage to deliver styles that are both timeless and distinctly modern-all while reinvigorating our customers' love for and personal connection to the brand. "It's the use of materials that give this collection a distinct personality. They're exceptionally personal pieces that elevate any look," says Nick Jonas. "I'm excited to share my love of watches and this collection with the world." A lifelong watch enthusiast whose first watch was a FOSSIL, Jonas has partnered with the brand to mark the full-circle moment with a global campaign, captured in Jonas' native New Jersey. Shot by renowned creative director and photographer Anthony Mandler, and styled by celebrity image maker, Sydney Lopez, the campaign sees Jonas in iconic styles, participating in activities that marked his childhood like visiting local diners and going to the bowling alley. This nod to Jonas' childhood era will reignite the same nostalgic memories in customers and brand fans, reminding them of small and monumental moments alike throughout their lives. "Collaborating with the FOSSIL design team has been a dream come true. They were receptive and open to my ideas throughout the entire process," said Nick Jonas. "I still remember the excitement and pure joy I felt when I purchased my first FOSSIL watch shortly after one of my early performances. I wanted to capture that feeling for today's customers and give them styles that feel elevated and luxurious, but still embody the nostalgia synonymous with FOSSIL." The "Machine Luxe" collection is a reimagined take on our bold and bestselling Machine platform, consisting of seven new watches and two new watch rings. Each style features a statement shaped case and signature knurling, characteristic of the Machine series at large. The Machine Luxe Sunray Dial watches are available in Blue Vignette and Gold-Toned, featuring finely etched lines that fan out from the center of the dial to create a radiant sunray texture. The Blue Vignette paired with a brown croc-embossed leather strap was a personal request by Jonas, echoing a treasured piece from his own collection. The Machine Luxe Automatic models elevate the offering with a skeletonized dial that reveals a premium Japanese automatic movement and hand-assembled parts. Available in Gunmetal and Gold-Toned. Showcasing rich natural materials, the Machine Luxe Stone Dial watches arrive in genuine Malachite, Aventurine, and Marble. The signature knurling extends onto the bracelet, adding a bold twist to the classic dress watch silhouette. Completing the capsule are the Machine Luxe Watch Rings in Gunmetal and Green Vignette. The rings mirror the timepieces' aesthetic, bringing signature FOSSIL design details into the brand's distinct, best-selling watch ring. "Nick Jonas has a genuine love for watches and an authentic connection with FOSSIL brand, it having been his first watch," said Melissa Lowenkron, Chief Brand Officer of Fossil. "There's a sense of nostalgia and personal style he brings to the design-rooted in his own journey-that we know will resonate with fans and collectors alike." The Nick Jonas x FOSSIL Collection will be available at FOSSIL.com , all FOSSIL stores beginning August 20, 2025, and premium global retailers beginningSeptember 2025. PRESS CONTACT : The Right Now fossil@therightnow.co FOSSIL Since 1984, Fossil has been rooted in bold design and quality craftsmanship of watches. Over the past 40 years, the brand has grown into a multi-category lifestyle brand inclusive of leather goods and jewelry that blend vintage inspiration with modern innovation by creating pieces that spark curiosity, connection, and lasting memories. Fossil creates keepsakes that honor the past, celebrate the present, and look ahead to the future. NICK JONAS After electrifying music from multiple angles, appearing in blockbuster films, and launching successful business ventures, Nick Jonas still challenges himself and popular culture. Of course, his story as one-third of Jonas Brothers remains well-documented-especially given the band's chart-dominating 2019 comeback Happiness Begins, sold out tours, and subsequent GRAMMY Award nomination. At the same time, he established himself as a dynamic solo artist with a penchant for breaking boundaries. 2014's self-titled Nick Jonas yielded the triple-platinum "Jealous," double-platinum "Chains," and gold-certified "Levels." Its 2016 follow-up Last Year Was Complicated spawned the anthem "Close" [feat. Tove Lo] and brought his streams into the billions. In 2017, he contributed the Golden Globe Award-nominated "Home" to the Ferdinand soundtrack. Meanwhile, his songwriting would be recognized with the prestigious Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016, and in 2021, he released his solo studio album Spaceman via Island Records. Along the way, he also captivated audiences as a recurring judge on NBC's "The Voice" in big screen favorites such as Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Ugly Dolls, Midway, Jumanji: The Next Level, Chaos Walking and more. In 2023, he starred in Robert Schwartzman's The Good Half and is now set to return to the silver screen alongside Paul Rudd in the upcoming musical comedy Power Ballad. In 2023, Nick and Jonas Brothers once again proved they are a constant force, embarking on a new era with the release of The Album, via Republic Records. The Album was produced by Jon Bellion and features hit singles "Waffle House" and "Wings." In support of the new album and this new era for Jonas Brothers, they kicked off "The Tour" kicking off with two sold-out shows at New York's iconic Yankee Stadium. "The Tour" included stadium and arena dates around the globe through 2024, resulting in the band's biggest and most extensive tour to date. 2025 marks 20 years of Jonas Brothers, with their upcoming studio album Greetings From Your Hometown set for release via Republic Records on August 8, followed by a celebratory tour kicking off in their home state of New Jersey at MetLife Stadium on August 10. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2750019/Fossil_Group_Inc_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2750020/Fossil_x_Nick_Jonas_Campaign.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fossil-and-2025-2026-global-brand-ambassador-nick-jonas-release-exclusive-machine-luxe-capsule-302530625.html The first heliophysics AI foundation model trained on high resolution solar observation data offers insights into the Sun's dynamic surface, helping plan for solar weather that can disrupt technology on Earth and in space Openly available on Hugging Face, the model was built to speed up scientific discovery and democratize AI for the global research and technology community Researchers also release the largest known curated heliophysics dataset to advance data driven space weather research YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) and NASA today unveiled the most advanced open-source foundation model designed to understand high resolution solar observation data and predict how solar activity affects Earth and space-based technology. Surya, named for the Sanskrit word for the Sun, represents a significant advancement in applying AI to solar image interpretation and space weather forecasting research, providing a novel tool to help protect everything from GPS navigation to power grids to telecommunications from the Sun's ever-changing nature. The Sun may be 93 million miles away, but its impact on modern life is immediate and growing. Solar flares and coronal mass ejections can knock out satellites, disrupt airline navigation, trigger power blackouts, and pose serious radiation risks to astronauts. With humanity's increasing dependence on space-based technology and plans for deeper space exploration, accurate solar weather prediction has become critical. As humanity's technological dependence grows, so does our vulnerability to space weather. According to a systemic risk scenario created by Lloyd's, the global economy could be exposed to losses of $2.4 trillion over a five-year period, with the expected loss of $17 billion from the threat of a hypothetical solar storm. Recent solar events1 have already demonstrated the risk, disrupting GPS services, forcing flight diversions, and damaging satellites. The effects of solar storms can cause: Damage to satellites, spacecraft and/or astronauts that are stationed beyond Earth Loss of satellite hardware, damaging solar panels and circuits Impact to airline travel, due to navigational errors and potential risk of radiation for airline crew and passengers Lowered food production as agriculture can be impacted by disrupted GPS navigation The implications include both academic research and operational preparedness. The new model will provide tools to help experts plan for solar storms, which can disrupt the Earth's technological infrastructure. "Think of this as a weather forecast for space," said Juan Bernabe-Moreno, Director of IBM Research Europe, UK and Ireland. "Just as we work to prepare for hazardous weather events, we need to do the same for solar storms. Surya gives us unprecedented capability to anticipate what's coming and is not just a technological achievement, but a critical step toward protecting our technological civilization from the star that sustains us." Traditional solar weather prediction relies on partial satellite views of the Sun's surface, historically making accurate forecasting extremely difficult. Surya addresses this typical limitation by training on the largest curated high resolution heliophysics dataset. This dataset is designed to help researchers better study and evaluate critical space weather prediction tasks. Examples of these tasks, which Surya has been tested on, include predicting solar flares, the speed of solar winds, solar EUV spectra prediction and the emergence of active regions on the Sun. In early testing, researchers report achieving a 16 percent improvement in solar flare classification accuracy, which researchers report as a very substantial improvement compared to previous methods. In addition to the binary solar flare classification task, Surya is built to visually predict solar flares for the first time, providing a high resolution image of where the flare is predicted to occur up to two hours out. The technical challenges were immense. Surya was trained on nine years of high-resolution solar observation data from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. These solar images are 10 times larger than typical AI training data, requiring a custom multi-architecture solution to handle the massive scale while maintaining efficiency. The result is a model with unprecedented spatial resolution that can resolve solar features at scales and contexts not previously captured in large-scale AI training workflows. "We are advancing data-driven science by embedding NASA's deep scientific expertise into cutting-edge AI models," said Kevin Murphy, chief science data officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "By developing a foundation model trained on NASA's heliophysics data, we're making it easier to analyze the complexities of the Sun's behavior with unprecedented speed and precision. This model empowers broader understanding of how solar activity impacts critical systems and technologies that we all rely on here on Earth." Surya is part of a broader effort at IBM to embrace generative and automated approaches that empower algorithms to be discovered, tested, and evolved at scale. Surya is one example of how IBM is positioning AI not just as a tool, but as a driver of scientific discovery. By releasing Surya on Hugging Face, IBM and NASA are democratizing access to advanced tools for understanding and forecasting solar weather and scientific exploration. Researchers worldwide can now build upon this foundation to develop specialized applications for their regions and industries. This model is part of a larger collaboration between IBM and NASA to use AI technology to explore our planet and solar system. It joins the Prithvi family of foundation models, which includes a geospatial model and a weather model. Last year, IBM and NASA released the Prithvi weather model on Hugging Face for scientists and the broader community to develop short- and long-term weather and climate projections. About IBM IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting delivers open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Media Contact Ashley Peterson IBM Research Communications Ashley.peterson@ibm.com 1 Interplanetary Causes and Impacts of the 2024 May Superstorm on the Geosphere: An Overview - IOPscience. Interplanetary Causes and Impacts of the 2024 May Superstorm on the Geosphere: An Overview, Hajra, Rajkumar, Tsurutani, Bruce Tsatnam, Lakhina, Gurbax Singh, Lu, Quanming, Du, Aimin. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad7462/meta Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2754013/IBM_NASA_Surya.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2319830/IBM_LOGO_1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ibm-and-nasa-release-groundbreaking-open-source-ai-model-on-hugging-face-to-predict-solar-weather-and-help-protect-critical-technology-302534623.html NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Cisco Systems Inc.: By Evan Brown, Vijayakumar Ettiyagounder Do you feel a bit lost when people refer to certain environmental sustainability topics and aren't sure where to start when it comes to learning more? Sustainability 101 is a blog series that you can turn to for information about different environmental terms that may come up at work, during discussions with friends, and even at your annual holiday gathering. Chances are when someone flips on a light switch or turns on a computer, they don't think about what is generating that electricity. The demand for energy is increasing across a range of industries and sectors, driven by technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), and electric vehicles (EVs) and the digitization of emerging and developing economies. According to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), global electricity consumption is forecast to expand at around 4% annually through 2027. That's the equivalent of adding an amount greater than Japan's annual electricity consumption every year between now and 2027. How is the world going to meet this demand for electricity? More energy-efficient technology, grid digitization, and clean energy are things that can help. Clean energy in particular can play an important role in creating a more secure, reliable, replenishable, and durable energy system that lowers costs and reduces environmental impacts. According to the IEA's Renewables 2024 report, "renewables will account for almost half of global electricity generation by 2030." What is clean energy Clean energy is any power source that releases little to no direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere. As a pollution-free energy alternative available in virtually every part of the world, it boosts and diversifies the global energy supply and can often be more cost-effective. Solar and wind power often come to mind when you think about clean energy sources, but they also include ocean, geothermal, nuclear, and hydropower. enewable energy is a subset of clean energy. However, not all clean energy is renewable. Take nuclear power, for example: It's considered clean energy because the power released from splitting atoms doesn't release GHGs but is not renewable since the uranium resources necessary are limited. Benefits of clean renewable energy For Cisco, clean renewable energy has shown numerous benefits such as: Can be competitively priced in some markets and over time can save money. Can be less vulnerable to market fluctuations and supply chain disruptions, depending on the market. Helps companies meet GHG emissions reduction goals, which are frequently aligned with those of their value chain partners and customer base and essential when customers require businesses to reduce or eliminate operational GHGs as a part of doing business. For communities located nearby, a new clean energy plant can: Boost local energy production and availability at competitive rates. Spur local economic growth with power plant employment and infrastructure development; 42% of all energy jobs are now in the clean energy sector. Emit fewer air pollutants. What is Cisco doing? For Cisco, using clean renewable energy for our operations makes good business sense. In addition to cost savings, increased energy access, and playing a role in our goal to reach net zero GHG emissions across our value chain by 2040, it also strengthens our reputation as a leader in sustainability. Cisco began its clean energy journey in 2007 with 11% of its electricity generated by clean energy sources. Today, 96% of our global electricity use comes from renewable sources, and we strive to support further adoption of clean energy. Areas where we focus include: Developing technology for energy grid efficiency and resilience that delivers power more securely. The ever-increasing adoption of decentralized clean energy sources can strain power grids. Tailored to utilities and smart grids, Cisco solutions can help keep digital infrastructure secure, up-to-date, and optimized. Engaging in long-term, local clean energy contracts to power our facilities. Whenever possible, Cisco looks at ways to generate our own onsite electricity. However, when that isn't practical or cost-effective, we enter power purchase agreements (PPAs) with clean energy developers building new projects, as we did for our first wind energy project in the same market as our Richardson and Allen, Texas campuses. Fisher County, Texas residents also benefited, gaining an electric power plant and jobs from the developer and operator. More recently we signed PPAs with X-ELIO and Southern Power. In India, Cisco's Bangalore campus, which includes offices, a research lab, and a large data center, recently entered a 15-year, fixed-price agreement with a clean energy plant 164 miles away. At any given time, the Cisco complex runs on anywhere from 98 to 100% clean power. Investing in clean energy innovations. The Cisco Foundation and Cisco Investments, the company's venture arm, provides funding to nonprofits and start-ups advancing clean energy solutions. Some organizations they have invested in include: SHYFT Power. In Africa roughly 600 million people still lack electricity, mostly in sub-Saharan countries. SHYFT power has introduced a technology platform encouraging clean energy adoption in Nigeria. CorPower Ocean, a Swedish company developing viable ways to harness ocean waves as a continuous, renewable energy resource. Evolving towards a more energy secure and sustainable world Clean energy adoption provides opportunities to increase energy security while helping to reduce costs, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth. Through our efforts to procure clean energy for Cisco, we have seen the benefits to our business, to our customers, and to the planet. Read more about Cisco's clean energy journey, as well as how other companies can start or advance their own in the new Cisco Clean Energy Playbook. Evan Brown is based out ofCisco's Research Triangle Park campus in North Carolina. VijayEttiyagounderis based out of Bangalore, India, Cisco's largest campus outside of the United States. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cisco Systems Inc. on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Cisco Systems Inc. Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cisco-systems-inc Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/cisco-sustainability-101-what-is-clean-energy-1063257 The partnership brings together advanced expertise in energy storage, transformers, high-voltage equipment, and energy management software maximizing project returns (IRR) while reducing time-to-market for critical infrastructure such as AI Data Centers Energy Vault will deliver to Astor Enerji 2 GWh of B-VAULT systems for its grid-connected PV projects, combining advanced energy storage technology with Energy Vault's VaultOS software platform to optimize dispatch, accelerate execution, and enhance overall project returns Astor Enerji will deliver to Energy Vault over 1 GW of power transformers and high-voltage equipment, enabling global supply chain acceleration under Energy Vault's Asset Vault platform Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NRGV), a global leader in grid-scale energy storage solutions, and Astor Enerji (BIST: ASTOR), a leading global manufacturer of high-quality power transformers and high-voltage equipment, today announced the signing of a Global Strategic Agreement to strengthen global supply chains for battery energy storage systems (BESS) and accelerate the deployment of large-scale energy storage and grid infrastructure across multiple markets. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250820000523/en/ Energy Vault, Turkey's Astor Enerji Launch Global Strategic Partnership with BESS Deployments Totalling 2 GWh and 1 GW Transformer Procurement from Astor Enerji This global alliance brings together two fast-growing innovators in the power sector, united by a mission to enable power abundance delivering the cost-effective and reliable clean electricity needed to fuel industrial growth, digital transformation and long-term economic prosperity. The partnership marks the formation of a powerful industrial alliance, aligning complementary strengths to unlock commercial and technological synergies including supply chain efficiency, advanced system integration and accelerated execution for utility-scale projects. At a time when U.S. transformer wait times have stretched from 50 weeks to as long as 127 weeks, this collaboration directly addresses supply shortages by leveraging Astor Enerji's manufacturing capacity and global supply chain to ensure access to high-quality equipment from sources outside areas of U.S. concern. Under the agreement: Energy Vault will supply B-VAULT BESS solutions for Astor Enerji's four grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) projects in Romania, delivering a combined storage capacity of up to 2 gigawatt-hours (GWh). These systems will be integrated with Energy Vault's VaultOS energy management system platform for optimal performance and grid stability. will supply B-VAULT BESS solutions for Astor Enerji's four grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) projects in Romania, delivering a combined storage capacity of up to 2 gigawatt-hours (GWh). These systems will be integrated with Energy Vault's VaultOS energy management system platform for optimal performance and grid stability. AstorEnerji will provide transformers and high-voltage equipment for more than 1 gigawatt (GW) of Energy Vault BESS projects planned in the United States, Australia, and Europe, creating significant supply chain efficiencies across Energy Vault's global portfolio. By combining Energy Vault's portfolio of advanced long- and short-duration energy storage hardware solutions and AI-driven software platform with Astor Enerji's manufacturing scale and global delivery track record, the partnership unlocks operational efficiency, speeds time-to-market and strengthens grid infrastructure in high-growth regions. Energy Vault will source over 1 GW of transformers and high-voltage equipment from Astor to support its BESS projects, which are being developed and operated through Asset Vault a fully owned subsidiary dedicated to building, owning, and operating energy storage assets in high-growth global markets. Backed by a recently announced $300 million preferred equity investment, Asset Vault underpins Energy Vault's independent power producer (IPP) strategy, enabling long-term revenues through bankable off-take agreements and merchant market participation. "This partnership is about more than equipment supply it's about aligning two high-growth companies to solve the most pressing challenges in the energy transition," said Marco Terruzzin, Chief Revenue Officer, Energy Vault. "Together, we are building the technology and supply chain capacity to meet surging power demand from AI data centers and the rapid adoption of renewable energy. This is how we deliver power abundance and economic growth on a global scale." "Energy Vault's innovative approach to energy storage, combined with their extensive global project pipeline, makes them an ideal partner as we expand our footprint in the rapidly growing battery storage sector," said Olcay Dogan, Chief Financial Officer, Astor Enerji. "This agreement builds on our mission to deliver the grid infrastructure needed for a sustainable energy future, and we are excited to create lasting commercial and technological value together." About Energy Vault Energy Vault develops and deploys utility-scale energy storage solutions designed to transform the world's approach to sustainable energy storage. The Company's comprehensive offerings include proprietary gravity-based storage, battery storage, and green hydrogen energy storage technologies. Each storage solution is supported by the Company's hardware technology-agnostic energy management system software and integration platform. Unique to the industry, Energy Vault's innovative technology portfolio delivers customized short-and-long-duration energy storage solutions to help utilities, independent power producers, and large industrial energy users significantly reduce levelized energy costs while maintaining power reliability. Utilizing eco-friendly materials with the ability to integrate waste materials for beneficial reuse, Energy Vault's gravity-based energy storage technology is facilitating the shift to a circular economy while accelerating the global clean energy transition for its customers. Please visit www.energyvault.com for more information. About Astor Enerji Astor Enerji (BIST: ASTOR) is a global manufacturer of power transformers, distribution transformers, and high-voltage/medium-voltage switchgear, providing robust and efficient grid solutions across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the U.S. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current views with respect to, among other things, the Company's operations and financial performance. Forward-looking statements include information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations, including descriptions of our business plan and strategies. These statements often include words such as "anticipate," "expect," "suggest," "plan," "believe," "intend," "project," "forecast," "estimates," "targets," "projections," "should," "could," "would," "may," "might," "will" and other similar expressions. We base these forward-looking statements or projections on our current expectations, plans, and assumptions, which we have made in light of our experience in our industry, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances at the time. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of future performance, taking into account the information currently available to us. These forward-looking statements are only predictions based upon our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including the failure to execute definitive agreements, changes in our strategy, expansion plans, customer opportunities, future operations, future financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans; the uncertainly of our awards, bookings and backlogs and developed pipeline equating to future revenue; the lack of assurance that non-binding letters of intent and other indication of interest can result in binding orders or sales; the timing of permits; the possibility of our products to be or alleged to be defective or experience other failures; the implementation, market acceptance and success of our business model and growth strategy; our ability to develop and maintain our brand and reputation; developments and projections relating to our business, our competitors, and industry; the ability of our suppliers to deliver necessary components or raw materials for construction of our energy storage systems in a timely manner; the impact of health epidemics, on our business and the actions we may take in response thereto; our expectations regarding our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection and not infringe on the rights of others; expectations regarding the time during which we will be an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act; our future capital requirements and sources and uses of cash; the international nature of our operations and the impact of war or other hostilities on our business and global markets; our ability to obtain funding for our operations and future growth; our business, expansion plans and opportunities and other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025, as such factors may be updated from time to time in its other filings with the SEC, accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. New risks emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date of this press release and is expressly qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements included in this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable laws. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250820000523/en/ Contacts: Energy Vault Investors energyvaultIR@icrinc.com Media media@energyvault.com Issued on behalf of Magma Silver Corp. USA News Group News Commentary VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Silver miners are early in a parabolic move higher as the precious metal pushes toward what analysts describe as a decisive $40 breakout. Industrial demand is creating momentum for the white metal, with fabrication volumes forecast to surpass 700 million ounces for the first time ever in 2025. Market technicians note that silver has cleared key resistance levels while establishing bullish momentum patterns, positioning several miners for potential outperformance, including Magma Silver Corp. (TSXV: MGMA) (OTCQB: MAGMF), Argenta Silver Corp. (TSXV: AGAG) (OTCQB: AGAGF), Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE: EXK) (TSX: EDR), Silvercorp Metals Inc. (NYSE-American: SVM) (TSX: SVM), and McEwen Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX). Multiple investment banks have converged on $40 price targets for silver, with Citigroup, Bank of America, and Saxo Bank citing tightening supply alongside accelerating demand from renewable energy and electronics sectors. Supply deficits are expected to persist for the fifth consecutive year, creating what industry observers call a uniquely compelling backdrop for silver equity leverage plays. Magma Silver Corp. (TSXV: MGMA) (OTCQB: MAGMF) has confirmed that a diamond drilling campaign is expected to begin in Q4 2025 at its strategically positioned Ninobamba project in Peru. The upcoming program will initially target Jorimina, a deposit where Newmont previously invested millions in historic drilling, before expanding to test Randypata and additional high-priority zones. While the company prepares for this pivotal drilling phase, Magma is conducting intensive geological mapping and rock sampling to sharpen drill targets and enhance its structural understanding. With environmental and community consultation requirements now fully satisfied, drill permit approvals are anticipated imminently. "We are excited to start a work program at the advanced Ninobamba silver-gold project focused on the Jorimina and Randypata deposits," said Stephen Barley, Chairman and CEO of Magma Silver. "As announced in our news release dated July 23, 2025, the Tunsulla community access agreement is in place for these two project areas, allowing the Company full access to conduct exploration activities. The work being carried out will assist in refining drill targets for our planned Q4 drill program as well as expand our overall knowledge of the deposits." These crucial access rights were secured through a surface access rights agreement with the Comunidad Campesina De Tunsulla, which remains in good standing through the 2025 season and into 2026. The Jorimina and Randypata deposits represent a compelling exploration target, having attracted over CAD$10 million in historic exploration by Newmont, with standout results including 17.4 metres of 3.06 g/t gold and 128 metres of 1.31 oz/t silver. The broader Ninobamba project encompasses 4,100 hectares and is anchored by three contiguous deposits-Main, Randypata, and Jorimina-believed to form part of an extensive high-sulfidation epithermal system with significant untapped potential. This operational milestone builds on Magma'slogistical expansion into Peru, including the establishment of a Lima office and assembly of a seasoned in-country team. Magma's Peru-based operational team includes General Manager Carlos Agreda Minaya, legal counsel Dentons, environmental partner Ecosoul, and field geology expert Edgar Leon Choque. Their immediate priority involves advancing Jorimina toward drilling readiness while simultaneously executing comprehensive mapping and surface work across the mineralized corridor. "The establishment of an experienced operations team we can trust will make a significant contribution to our success in Peru," added Barley. "Peru is a sophisticated, mining-friendly jurisdiction with detailed regulatory requirements that must be strictly adhered to. The experienced team we are involved with will ensure smooth operations for Magma." With a share structure of just over 34 million shares outstanding and all mineral claims secured through mid-2026, Magma is transitioning from asset assembly to active exploration in one of South America's most mining-friendly jurisdictions. As groundwork intensifies and drill targets are finalized, the company stands poised to unlock value from a system that major mining companies spent years defining but never fully developed. CONTINUED Read this and more news for Magma Silver at: https://usanewsgroup.com/2025/06/04/mining-giants-missed-the-big-prize-a-juniors-back-for-the-precious-metals/ In other industry developments and happenings in the market include: Argenta Silver Corp. (TSXV: AGAG) (OTCQB: AGAGF) has delivered exceptional high-grade results from its ongoing drill program at the El Quevar project in Argentina, intercepting 1,026 g/t silver over 40 meters, including an extraordinary 18,467 g/t silver over 1.05 meters. The results demonstrate the exceptional grade continuity and expansion potential of the high-grade silver system at one of Argentina's premier undeveloped silver assets. These intercepts significantly extend the known mineralization and confirm the robust nature of the deposit's silver-rich zones. "These results are exceptional and represent some of the highest-grade silver intercepts we have ever reported at El Quevar," said Joaquin Marias, CEO of Argenta Silver. "The consistency of high-grade silver mineralization across multiple drill holes continues to validate our geological model and reinforces our confidence in the significant resource expansion potential at El Quevar." The company is advancing toward an updated resource estimate while continuing to expand the footprint of high-grade mineralization across the project. Argenta maintains a strong financial position to support ongoing exploration and development activities at this world-class silver asset. Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE: EXK) (TSX: EDR) has reported strong Q2 2025 financial results with revenue of $43.4 million and adjusted net income of $2.7 million, driven by silver production of 1.48 million ounces across its Mexican operations. The company achieved consolidated production of 2.53 million silver equivalent ounces, representing a 13% increase year-over-year, while maintaining strong operational performance at its Guanacevi and Bolanitos mines. Endeavour continues to advance its flagship Terronera project toward commercial production, with the operation making significant progress on startup activities and processing optimization. "We delivered strong and consistent production in the second quarter," said Dan Dickson, CEO of Endeavour Silver. "The integration of Kolpa is progressing smoothly, with output already trending above initial expectations. At the same time, Terronera continues to move steadily toward commercial production. This is a pivotal time for Endeavour as we build operational momentum and position the Company for meaningful, long-term growth." The company is positioned for substantial production growth as Terronera ramps toward full commercial production capacity. Endeavour maintains a diversified portfolio of silver-focused operations with significant expansion potential across its Mexican asset base. Silvercorp Metals Inc. (NYSE-American: SVM) (TSX: SVM) has achieved strong Q1 fiscal 2026 results with adjusted net income of $21.0 million and robust cash flow from operating activities of $48.3 million, demonstrating the strength of its silver-focused operations in China. The company produced 1.8 million ounces of silver during the quarter while maintaining its position as one of the few profitable primary silver producers globally. Silvercorp has also received positive regulatory developments in Ecuador, where the Constitutional Court upheld the environmental license for its El Domo silver-gold project. "We are pleased to report another quarter of strong operational and financial performance," said Rui Feng, CEO of Silvercorp. "Our consistent cash generation capabilities continue to support our strategic initiatives while we advance development projects like El Domo in Ecuador, which represents a significant growth opportunity for the company." The company continues to optimize its existing silver operations while advancing development of El Domo, which could become a significant addition to Silvercorp's production profile. Silvercorp maintains a strong balance sheet and proven track record of generating consistent cash flows from its silver-focused mining operations. McEwen Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) has reported Q2 2025 results showing continued momentum toward its goal of doubling gold and silver production by 2030, with the company advancing multiple development projects across its portfolio. The quarter demonstrated operational progress at its silver-producing assets, including the San Jose mine in Argentina and advancement of the Los Azules copper-gold-silver project. McEwen continues to build production capacity while maintaining focus on its precious metals strategy and long-term growth targets. "We continue to make meaningful progress on our strategic goal to double gold and silver production by 2030," said Rob McEwen, Chairman and CEO of McEwen Inc. "Our focus remains on advancing our development projects and optimizing our existing operations to create long-term value for shareholders." The company is positioning for significant production growth through development of its Los Azules project and optimization of existing silver operations. McEwen maintains a diversified portfolio of precious metals assets with substantial expansion potential across multiple jurisdictions. Article Source: https://usanewsgroup.com/2025/06/04/mining-giants-missed-the-big-prize-a-juniors-back-for-the-precious-metals/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603685/5468967/USA_News_Group_Logo.jpg CONTACT: USA NEWS GROUP info@usanewsgroup.com (604) 265-2873 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. USA News Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. ("MIQ"). This content is being distributed for Baystreet.ca media Corp, who has been paid a fee for an advertising contract with Magma Silver Corp. MIQ has not been paid a fee for Magma Silver Corp. advertising or digital media, but the owner/operators of MIQ also co-own Baystreet.ca Media Corp. ("BAY") There may also be 3rd parties who may have shares of Magma Silver Corp. and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MIQ/BAY does not own any shares of Magma Silver Corp. but reserve the right to buy and sell and will buy and sell shares of Magma Silver Corp. at any time without any further notice commencing immediately and ongoing. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material, including this article, which is disseminated by MIQ on behalf of BAY has been approved by Magma Silver Corp. Technical information relating to and published by Magma Silver Corp. has been reviewed and approved by Jeffrey Reeder, PGeo, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Reeder is a Technical Advisor of Magma Silver Corp., and therefore is not independent of the Company; this is a paid advertisement, we currently do not own any shares of Magma Silver Corp. but will likely buy and sell shares of the company in the open market, or through private placements, and/or other investment vehicles. While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/silver-miners-enter-parabolic-phase-as-analysts-eye-40-breakout-302534685.html Nanoco Group plc (LSE: NANO), a world leader in the development and manufacture of quantum dots and other nanomaterials emanating from its technology platform, announces the appointment of a new Director of Technology, alongside new investments in its R&D organization, concurrent with upcoming retirement of its Founder and CTO. Retirement of Dr. Nigel Pickett Dr. Nigel Pickett, Nanoco's founder, CTO and board member, has announced his pending retirement, effective August 19, 2025. Over the next six months, he will focus on long-term technology initiatives and will transition into an advisory role by February 2026. Nigel co-founded Nanoco in 2000 and has worked with the company from a small startup affiliated with University of Manchester, to a recognized leader in Quantum Dot (QD) technology, a vibrant organization with 350 patents making significant contributions to commercial applications of QDs in industries as diverse as Display, Image Sensor, Lighting, and Photovoltaic, among others. Jalal Bagherli, CBE, Nanoco's Chairman of the Board, commented: "Nigel has made a significant contribution to Nanoco since its founding the company was his life for the last quarter century. Because of Nigel's resourcefulness and ingenuity, Nanoco is now a leader in its field. We wish Nigel all the best in his well-deserved retirement Nanoco's Technology leadership Concurrent with Dr. Pickett's retirement, Nanoco announced several promotions in its R&D organization. Dr. Ombretta Masala, previously serving as Section Head, Nanomaterials, is assuming the role of Director of Technology, reporting to Nanoco's CEO Dmitry Shashkov. Dr. Masala has worked with Nanoco for nearly 20 years. In recognition of his outstanding technical expertise, Dr. James Harris has expanded his current role to become Head of QD Technologies. Dr. Parthiban Ramasamy has been promoted to the position of Lead Scientist, focusing his work on Image Sensor development. Dmitry Shashkov, Nanoco's CEO, commented: "Under Nigel's leadership, the next generation of technology leaders have grown within the Company who are ready to lead Nanoco's Technology team through our next chapter of growth. With significant experience, Ombretta is the right person for the job. Since the launch of our new strategy in October, Nanoco has formed and strengthened several technical collaborations, all stemming from our strong reputation for QD technology development. I want to congratulate Ombretta, James and Parthiban with their expanded roles." Investment in additional Technology resources Nanoco also announced several new hires into its R&D organization, further strengthening its technology talent base. Dr. Teoman Taskesen has joined Nanoco as Device Physicist. Teo joins the company after his previous 5-year tenure at Oxford Photovoltaics. Prior to that, he has had a successful international career in both academic and industrial settings related to Semiconductors, Quantum Dots and Photovoltaics (PV) in Turkey, Estonia and Germany. Dr. Rounak Naphade has joined Nanoco as Senior Chemist. Rounak comes to the company from University of Chicago, where for the last two years he worked on Quantum Dot (QD) development for infrared image sensors in the world-renowned lab of Prof. Philippe Guyot-Sionnest. Prior to University of Chicago, Rounak conducted doctoral and post-doctoral QD research in well-known academic centers in Saudi Arabia and India. Dr. Asim Onal has also joined the company as Senior Chemist. Asim comes to Nanoco after completing his PhD in Koc University in Istanbul, where he focused on development of QDs for Lighting, Display, and Biomedical applications. Prior to his PhD, Asim completed more than 5 years of undergraduate and graduate-level QD research in Turkey and Germany. Dr. Ombretta Masala, Nanoco's newly appointed Director of Technology, commented: "We welcome Teo, Rounak, and Asim to Nanoco. Our growth and our reputation as a company depend on our team. All of our new hires come from distinguished technical backgrounds and bring their unique expertise to the company we are delighted to expand our technology team with such strong, international talent." Notes for editors: About Nanoco Group plc Nanoco (LSE: NANO) is a nanomaterial production and licensing group, specialising in the production of its patented cadmium free quantum dots (CFQD materials) and other patented nanomaterials for use in the electronics industries. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Runcorn, UK, Nanoco continues to build out a world-class, patent-protected IP portfolio alongside its existing scaled up production facilities for commercial orders. Nanomaterials are materials with dimensions typically in the range 1 100 nm. Nanomaterials have a range of useful properties, including optical and electronic. Quantum dots are a subclass of nanomaterial that have size-dependent optical and electronic properties. Within the sphere of quantum dots, the Group exploits different characteristics of the quantum dots to target different performance criteria that are attractive to specific markets or end-user applications such as the Sensor, Electronics and Display markets. Nanoco's CFQD quantum dots are free of cadmium and other toxic heavy metals, and can be tuned to emit light at different wavelengths across the visible and infrared spectrum, rendering them useful for a wide range of display applications. Nanoco's HEATWAVE quantum dots can be tuned to absorb light at different wavelengths across the near-infrared spectra, rendering them useful for applications including cameras and image sensors. Nanoco is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, holds the LSE's Green Economy Mark, and trades under the ticker symbol NANO. For further information please visit: www.nanocotechnologies.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250820925339/en/ Contacts: Nanoco Group plc: Dmitry Shashkov, CEO Liam Gray, CFO Company Secretary +44 (0)1928 761 404 Sodali Co (Public Relations): Elly Williamson Pete Lambie Oliver Banks +44 (0)79 3535 1934 Nanoco@sodali.com Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (Financial Adviser and Corporate Broker): Ed Frisby George Lawson (Corporate Finance) Tim Redfern (Corporate Broking) Jasper Berry (Sales) +44 (0) 20 7220 0500 CDX Advisors (Strategic Adviser): Steven Foland Steve Month Patrick Foley +1 415 425 2224 HANGZHOU, China, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zylox-Tonbridge Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (HKEX: 2190, hereinafter referred to as "Zylox-Tonbridge" or the "Company") today announced its interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The Company achieved robust revenue growth of 31.7% year-over-year (YoY) to RMB 482 million, while net profit surged by 76.0% to exceed RMB 121 million, representing a net profit margin of 25.1%. In the first half of 2025, Zylox-Tonbridge maintained solid performance in its core neurovascular and peripheral vascular intervention businesses. Neurovascular product revenue reached RMB 304 million, up 25.0% YoY, while peripheral vascular product revenue climbed to RMB 176 million, a YoY increase of 46.2%. Driven by the Company's continuous focus on lean operations, combined R&D, selling, and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue declined by 7 percentage points compared to the same period last year, further strengthening the Company's profitability profile. The Company's international business sustained strong growth in the first half of 2025, with revenue reaching RMB 15.72 million. By June 30, the Company had commercialized 22 products in 27 countries and regions, with over 31 products under registration in 23 markets. Its global network covers 52 countries and regions through partnerships with over 60 local distributors. With overseas commercialization accelerating and revenue contribution rising, the international business is becoming a new growth driver. Mature Portfolio Delivers Growth as Innovative Products Poised for Launch Leveraging a comprehensive and high-quality product portfolio and an efficient commercial team, Zylox-Tonbridge achieved strong sales growth in the first half of the year. Several VBP-selected products were successfully renewed under a more stable procurement environment, supporting continued market penetration and share gains. Sales of multiple flagship products, including the SilverSnake Intermediate Catheter Series, neurovascular guidewires, Kylin Flow Diverter, UltraFree Drug-Coated PTA Balloon Catheter, and Zylox Octoplus IVC Filter, recorded strong growth with increased market penetration. The Phoenix Coil System secured renewal in the Jiangsu provincial procurement program. By the end of the period, Zylox-Tonbridge's network covered over 3,000 hospitals, with its products used in more than 1 million procedures, delivering high-quality and affordable treatment to patients worldwide. While advancing the commercialization of mature products, the Company remained focused on differentiated innovation to meet unmet clinical needs. In the first half, the ZYLOX Eagle Aspiration System and the TONBRIDGE Shunfeng Balloon Vascular Closure Device received regulatory approval, further strengthening the product portfolio. In the second half, the Company also anticipates approvals for a large-lumen thrombus aspiration catheter, a self-expandable intracranial stent, and an OCT-guided peripheral atherectomy catheter series, enhancing treatment options in both peripheral and neurovascular interventions. The Mammoth Peripheral Large Lumen Thrombus Aspiration Catheter is the only domestically developed 12F-18F aspiration device in China, with a unique trumpet design and high aspiration efficiency, offering a new solution for treating deep vein thrombosis. In the neurovascular segment, the Company is advancing a self-expanding aneurysm embolization device that combines the advantages of coils and flow diverter technologies, aiming to address the treatment challenge of wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms. As of the announcement date, Zylox-Tonbridge had a pipeline of 73 products, 50 of which have been approved by the NMPA. The Company will continue to focus on differentiated innovation with real clinical value to provide more comprehensive solutions for patients. Global Expansion Advances with Product Launches and Broader Market Coverage In the first half of 2025, Zylox-Tonbridge increased investment in international R&D, regulatory registration, and commercialization, driving rapid global expansion. The Company's products now cover seven of the world's top 10 medical device markets, including France, Germany, and Italy, while also achieving strong growth in emerging markets such as Brazil, India, and South Africa - creating new momentum for its international business. In emerging markets, the ZYLOX Unicorn Vascular Closure System received regulatory approval in Indonesia, marking the Company's first product approved in Southeast Asia. The ZYLOX Phoenix Peripheral Fibered Detachable Coil Occlusion System was approved in Ecuador, further enriching the Company's portfolio in South America. In Europe, the Company continues post market studies and actively participates in leading conferences such as LINC 2025 and LINNC PARIS 2025 to strengthen brand visibility. Supported by a track record of consistent and reliable product quality, the Company has also gained growing recognition from top overseas hospital groups, including Asklepios and SANA. Zylox-Tonbridge remains committed to its mission of "Innovation for Quality Life." The Company will continue to leverage its full-spectrum product portfolio and lean operations to strengthen its position in the China market and accelerate international growth. By focusing on differentiated innovation with real clinical value, Zylox-Tonbridge aims to achieve long-term sustainable growth and contribute to global healthcare innovation. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/zylox-tonbridge-announces-2025-interim-results-strong-revenue-growth-with-net-profit-surging-over-76-year-over-year-302534705.html Enhanced platform brings Eagle Tugs, Malabar, Columbus Jack, and EBIS products together in one streamlined customer experience SWANTON, OH / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Tronair, a leading provider of ground support equipment and aviation maintenance solutions , announced the launch of its newly redesigned website integrating all company brands under one comprehensive platform. The enhanced site, which went live in mid-June, unifies Eagle Tugs, Malabar, Columbus Jack, and EBIS products and services in a single, streamlined interface. The new website features enhanced navigation and a comprehensive ordering system that allows customers to easily browse by product line or aircraft application and purchase top-level equipment and replacement GSE parts from all Tronair brands. This integration eliminates the need for customers to navigate multiple separate websites, creating a more efficient experience for ordering ground support equipment. "This new website represents our commitment to making it easier for customers to access our complete range of products and services," said Sean James, Executive Vice President of Sales at Tronair. "By bringing Tronair, Eagle Tugs, Malabar, and Columbus Jack together under one digital roof, we're providing our customers with the convenience of one-stop shopping for all their ground support equipment needs." Key Features The new platform offers several significant improvements: Unified Brand Access: Customers can now access GSE products from all four Tronair brands through a single website, eliminating the need to visit multiple platforms. Enhanced Navigation: The redesigned interface provides intuitive navigation, making it easier to find specific products across all brand categories. Streamlined Ordering: Improved search functionality and product categorization enable efficient ordering of ground support equipment and replacement parts. Customer Account Portal: New account registration allows customers to access personalized pricing, place purchase orders directly, and track order status for all orders under their account, whether placed online or through traditional channels. For more information about Tronair and its complete range of products and services, visit tronair.com . SOURCE: Tronair Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/aerospace-and-defense/tronair-launches-unified-website-integrating-all-aircraft-gse-company-brands-1062540 RENO, NEVADA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / With recent news surrounding celebrity estates, there has been increased conversation about wealth management and asset protection. Having an estate plan may seem like it is only for the rich, but wills, trusts, and estate plans are for individuals and families at all income levels. It's common for even modest estates to have complexities that warrant extra measures, like incorporating a trust. A trust can provide additional benefits such as: Increased Control: A trust allows assets to be distributed to beneficiaries at specific times or on specific schedules, instead of all at once. Family Benefits: For families with minor children, trusts ensure your wishes are followed when it comes to who gains authority over your offspring. Asset Protection: Certain types of trusts can help shield assets from creditors, lawsuits or any mismanagement of beneficiaries. Privacy: A trust is typically a private document, and cannot be publicly displayed like a will can be. Avoidance of Probate: Avoiding probate can allow a beneficiary to receive the assets much faster than going through the probate process. "Recent celebrity passings highlight the importance of planning for the future, and educating ourselves on the various options we have," says Ken LaMance, LegalMatch's General Counsel. For those who want to get started with the process of estate planning, there are many online resources available - like LegalMatch.com , the nation's most trusted attorney-client matching platform. Individuals can be matched for free with an estate planning lawyer and receive tailored guidance to ensure accuracy and peace of mind. The platform also has an Online Law Library with articles on wills, trusts, and estates; estate planning ; and more. Individuals and families can count on LegalMatch as a trusted source for information about estate law. About LegalMatch.com LegalMatch is the nation's oldest and largest online legal lead-generation service. Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, LegalMatch helps people find the right lawyer and helps attorneys find new clients. LegalMatch's service is free to individuals and small businesses looking for legal help. For more information about LegalMatch, please visit our website or contact us directly. Contact Information Ken LaMance LegalMatch's General Counsel press@legalmatch.com 415-946-0856 SOURCE: LegalMatch.com View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/estate-planning-not-just-for-the-rich-and-famous-1063140 Summary: Benton Tree Service has updated its tree pruning procedures in New Orleans. The new methods prioritize long-term tree health by preserving inner growth and reducing stress from large cuts. New Orleans, Louisiana--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Benton Tree Service has announced an update to its tree pruning procedures in order to improve the long-term health and resilience of trees across New Orleans. The company has shifted away from pruning methods that rely heavily on large branch cuts and the removal of inner canopy growth, adopting instead a more measured approach designed to reduce stress and protect the natural structure of trees. The adjustment marks a departure from the traditional "clean out" technique, which often focused on clearing inner branches to create an immediate open appearance but left behind significant wounds that increased the potential for disease and structural weakness. Benton Tree Service's revised approach to tree trimming in New Orleans preserves beneficial epicormic shoots within the canopy. These shoots, located along the interior branches, contribute to photosynthesis and provide shade that helps protect bark tissue during periods of extreme heat. This change comes at a time when environmental pressures on urban trees are increasing. Summers in the region are becoming hotter, and prolonged heat events can cause the upper canopies of many trees to shut down. Maintaining interior foliage gives trees a better chance to withstand such stress by ensuring photosynthetic activity continues even when outer branches are compromised. The retained foliage also reduces the likelihood of sunscald on exposed bark, a common problem in urban environments where trees face both climatic and soil-related challenges. New Orleans is also vulnerable to frequent tropical storms and hurricanes, which place additional strain on the city's urban canopy. Benton Tree Service's updated pruning practices aim to balance the need for safety with the need to preserve a tree's natural defense mechanisms. Rather than relying on large cuts that can create openings for pathogens, the updated procedure favors smaller, strategic cuts that support the structural integrity of the canopy over time. The decision to update pruning methods reflects the company's commitment to continually refining its services in line with current arboricultural research. Studies in recent years have increasingly highlighted the risks of heavy pruning while also pointing to the role of epicormic shoot growth as a repair and survival mechanism for trees. By implementing these findings in day-to-day operations, Benton Tree Service is taking steps to ensure that its work not only addresses immediate customer needs but also supports the long-term sustainability of the urban forest. For homeowners in New Orleans, the change is expected to provide both immediate and long-range benefits. Trees maintained under the new approach will be better able to withstand seasonal extremes and recover more effectively after storm damage, offering improved stability and continued aesthetic value to residential properties. Benton Tree Service has provided tree service in New Orleans for over 17 years, and the adoption of these updated pruning methods represents an internal milestone in the company's evolution. By moving toward a more mindful, research-based standard of care, Benton Tree Service is underscoring its role in promoting tree health while adapting to the challenges presented by a changing climate and urban environment. About Benton Tree Service: Benton Tree Service is a family-owned company based in New Orleans that provides professional tree care services, including removal, pruning, planting, plant health care, and stump grinding. With more than 17 years of experience, the company is committed to science-based practices that support both tree health and homeowner safety. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263154 SOURCE: GetFeatured The Polylactic Acid (PLA) Market is witnessing robust growth, driven by increasing demand for sustainable packaging, government regulations supporting biodegradable plastics, and rising adoption in the textile and automotive sectors. However, high production costs, raw material price volatility, and performance limitations in certain applications remain key restraints that could slow market expansion. LEWES, Del., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Polylactic Acid Market Size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.16% from 2026 to 2032, according to a new report published by Verified Market Research. The report reveals that the market was valued at USD 2.09 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 5.15 Billion by the end of the forecast period. The global Polylactic Acid Market is gaining traction as industries shift toward eco-friendly solutions. PLA, derived from renewable sources, is widely used in packaging, textiles, agriculture, and automotive applications. Its demand is fueled by sustainability trends and regulatory pressure on conventional plastics. For a detailed analysis of industry trends and growth drivers, explore the full Polylactic Acid Market. Browse in-depth TOC 202 - Pages 126 - Tables 37 - Figures Global Polylactic Acid Market Overview Market Driver 1. Rising Demand for Sustainable Packaging Solutions The packaging sector has become the largest consumer of polylactic acid, and this trend continues to grow at a rapid pace. Businesses are under pressure from consumers, regulators, and investors to adopt eco-friendly packaging solutions that minimize environmental impact. PLA fits this demand perfectly as a biodegradable and compostable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Global e-commerce expansion and rising food delivery services are pushing companies to explore sustainable packaging. Leading FMCG brands are actively replacing traditional plastics with PLA-based alternatives to meet corporate sustainability goals. Government restrictions on single-use plastics are accelerating the adoption of PLA packaging across industries. The clear advantage of PLA in reducing carbon footprint positions it as a long-term solution for eco-conscious industries. 2. Supportive Government Regulations and Incentives Regulatory frameworks worldwide are laying the foundation for accelerated PLA adoption. From outright bans on plastic bags to ambitious net-zero targets, governments are fueling bioplastic market growth through incentives and policy frameworks. This makes PLA not just a choice but a necessity for compliance. The European Union's directive on single-use plastics has created a massive opportunity for bioplastics. The U.S. and Asia-Pacific countries are offering tax benefits and subsidies to promote biopolymer production. Public-private collaborations are investing heavily in R&D to enhance PLA performance and scalability. Policies encouraging circular economy practices are making PLA adoption an integral part of industrial sustainability. 3. Expanding Applications in Textiles and Automotive Industries While packaging dominates the PLA market, emerging applications in textiles and automotive sectors are expanding its footprint. These industries are embracing PLA for its biodegradability, lightweight properties, and reduced environmental impact. Textile manufacturers are using PLA fibers for apparel, upholstery, and nonwoven fabrics, reducing dependency on polyester. PLA-based composites are being increasingly utilized in automotive interiors to cut vehicle weight and emissions. The shift toward eco-conscious consumers is driving demand for sustainable fabrics and materials. Advances in PLA modification are making it suitable for performance-driven applications, broadening its industrial appeal. Market Restraints 1. High Production Costs Compared to Conventional Plastics Despite its sustainability benefits, PLA faces a significant roadblock in terms of cost competitiveness. The production of PLA involves expensive fermentation and polymerization processes, resulting in higher overall costs compared to petroleum-based plastics. Scaling PLA production requires advanced infrastructure and large capital investments. The price sensitivity of end-user industries, especially in developing economies, limits large-scale adoption. Traditional plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene continue to dominate due to their cost advantages. Until mass production and technological advancements reduce costs, PLA's growth will remain somewhat restrained. 2. Volatility in Raw Material Supply and Prices The Polylactic Acid Market is heavily dependent on agricultural feedstocks such as corn, sugarcane, and cassava. While renewable, these resources are subject to unpredictable external factors that impact pricing and availability. Seasonal fluctuations and climate change directly affect crop yields. Global trade restrictions can disrupt the supply chain of agricultural feedstocks. Competing demand for food crops creates additional pressure on raw material allocation. Price instability leads to uncertain cost structures for manufacturers and end-users. 3. Performance Limitations in Industrial Applications Although PLA excels in sustainability, it still faces challenges in performance when compared to traditional plastics. This performance gap has restricted its adoption in certain high-demand industrial applications. PLA has lower heat resistance, limiting its use in high-temperature environments. Mechanical strength and barrier properties are weaker compared to conventional plastics. Industries like construction and heavy-duty engineering require durability that PLA currently lacks. R&D efforts are underway, but PLA still needs enhancements to compete in advanced sectors. Download a free sample to access exclusive insights, data charts, and forecasts from the Polylactic Acid Market Sample Report. Geographical Dominance: Europe currently dominates the Polylactic Acid Market, driven by stringent regulations on single-use plastics and strong demand for sustainable packaging solutions. The European Union's circular economy directives and widespread adoption of bioplastics in food packaging, textiles, and automotive applications fuel market growth. Additionally, consumer preference for eco-friendly products and government-backed investments in biopolymer R&D further strengthen Europe's leadership. This regional dominance positions Europe as a critical hub for PLA innovation and commercialization. Key Players The "Global Polylactic Acid Market" study report will provide a valuable insight with an emphasis on the global market. The major players in the market are NatureWorks LLC, Total Corbion PLA, BASF SE, COFCO, Futerro, Danimer Scientific, Toray Industries Inc., Evonik Industries, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, and Unitika Ltd. Polylactic Acid Market Segment Analysis Based on the research, Verified Market Research has segmented the global market into Product Grade, Application, End User, and Geography. Polylactic Acid Market, by Product Grade Thermoforming Extrusion Injection Molding Blow Molding Polylactic Acid Market, by Application Rigid Thermoforming Bottles Films & Sheets Fibers Additional Uses Polylactic Acid Market, by End User Packaging Consumer Goods Agriculture Textiles Biomedical Polylactic Acid Market, by Geography North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany France U.K. Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific ROW Middle East & Africa Latin America Strategic Insight: The Polylactic Acid Market is positioned for strong growth as sustainability, regulatory compliance, and innovation drive adoption across packaging, textiles, and automotive industries. While high production costs, raw material volatility, and performance limitations remain key restraints, ongoing R&D and scaling of manufacturing are expected to mitigate these challenges. Europe's regulatory leadership and consumer demand for eco-friendly solutions solidify its dominance, offering a blueprint for other regions. For market entrants and investors, the greatest opportunities lie in cost-reduction technologies, high-performance PLA grades, and expanding applications beyond packaging. Companies that align with green policies and invest in product innovation will gain a competitive edge. To gain complete access with corporate or enterprise licensing, visit the Polylactic Acid Market. Key Highlights of the Report: Market Size & Forecast : In-depth analysis of current value and future projections : In-depth analysis of current value and future projections Segment Analysis : Breaks down the market by Product Grade, Application, and End User for focused strategy development. : Breaks down the market by Product Grade, Application, and End User for focused strategy development. Regional Insights : Comprehensive coverage of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and more : Comprehensive coverage of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and more Competitive Landscape : Profiles key players, their strategic initiatives, and innovation-driven growth approaches. : Profiles key players, their strategic initiatives, and innovation-driven growth approaches. Growth Drivers & Challenges : Analyzes the forces accelerating growth and the restraints hindering large-scale adoption. : Analyzes the forces accelerating growth and the restraints hindering large-scale adoption. Challenges and Risk Assessment: Evaluates ethical debates, off-target effects, and regulatory complexities. Why This Report Matters: This report provides actionable insights into the Polylactic Acid Market, enabling businesses to identify growth opportunities, mitigate risks, and make data-driven decisions. It highlights evolving market dynamics, regulatory impacts, and competitive strategies that shape the industry's future. Who You Should Read This Report: Market Research Professionals seeking in-depth industry data B2B Clients and Industrialists evaluating sustainable material adoption Packaging, Textile, and Automotive Companies exploring eco-friendly solutions Investors and Policymakers monitoring bioplastics market growth Browse Related Reports: Global Biocompatible Plastics Market Size By Type (Polylactic Acid, Polycaprolactone), By Application (Medical Devices, Drug Delivery Systems), By End-User Industry (Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals), By Geography, And Forecast Global Biodegradable Plastics and Polymers Market Size By Type (Polylactic Acid, Polyhydroxyalkanoates), By Application (Packaging, Agriculture), By End-Use (Food & Beverage, Healthcare), By Geography, And Forecast Global Biodegradable Plastic Bags Market Size By Material Type (Polylactic Acid, Polyhydroxyalkanoates), By Product Type (Compostable Bags, Oxo-Biodegradable Bags), By Bag Type (Carry Bags, Garbage Bags, Grocery Bags, T-Shirt Bags), By Geography, And Forecast Global Compostable Plastic Packaging Material Market Size By Product Type (Bags, Pouches, Trays, Films), By Material (Polylactic Acid (PLA), Starch Blends, Polybutylene Succinate (PBS), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)), By Application (Food And Beverage, Personal Care, Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Goods, Industrial), By Distribution Channel (Online Retail, Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Direct Sales), By Geography, And Forecast Top 7 Purified Terephthalic Acid Manufacturers advancing industrial products with precision Visualize Polylactic Acid Market using Verified Market Intelligence -: Verified Market Intelligence is our BI Enabled Platform for narrative storytelling in this market. VMI offers in-depth forecasted trends and accurate Insights on over 20,000+ emerging & niche markets, helping you make critical revenue-impacting decisions for a brilliant future. VMI provides a holistic overview and global competitive landscape with respect to Region, Country, Segment, and Key players of your market. Present your Market Report & findings with an inbuilt presentation feature saving over 70% of your time and resources for Investor, Sales & Marketing, R&D, and Product Development pitches. VMI enables data delivery In Excel and Interactive PDF formats with over 15+ Key Market Indicators for your market. About Us Verified Market Research stands at the forefront as a global leader in Research and Consulting, offering unparalleled analytical research solutions that empower organizations with the insights needed for critical business decisions. 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Follow Us On: LinkedIn | Twitter | Threads | Instagram | Facebook Contact Us Mr. Edwyne Fernandes Verified Market Research US: +1 (650)-781-4080 US Toll Free: +1 (800)-782-1768 Email: sales@verifiedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2015407/VMR_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/polylactic-acid-market-is-expected-to-generate-a-revenue-of-usd-5-15-billion-by-2032--globally-at-13-16-cagr-verified-market-research-302534640.html Technology-driven breakthroughs set the tone for VAPORESSO's next decade of industry leadership SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, VAPORESSO reflects on a decade of technological breakthroughs that have redefined vaping. With years of innovation and expertise, the brand is introducing a unique, industry-first technology and unveiling a revolutionary advancement that will reshape the novel perception. Building Industry Barriers Through Core Technologies Over the past ten years, VAPORESSO has developed four key technological pillars that form the backbone of its product ecosystem, delivering premium performance and redefining the standards of modern vaping. COREX Heating Technology - Leading-Edge Atomization Heating Tech COREX Heating Technology has always been pivotal to the success of VAPORESSO's MTL category products, consistently delivering an extraordinary flavor experience through industry-leading innovations. As the technology advanced, now in 2025, COREX 3.0 signifies a transformative leap, integrating a meticulously engineered Hive Mesh within an innovative chimney design, augmented by nano-microfiber cotton and aerospace-grade heat-resistant materials. This third-generation evolution, showcased in the XROS 5, achieves unmatched consistency, efficiency, and heating performance, redefining the standards of modern vaping. COREX Heating Technology has always been pivotal to the success of VAPORESSO's MTL category products, consistently delivering an extraordinary flavor experience through industry-leading innovations. As the technology advanced, now in 2025, COREX 3.0 signifies a transformative leap, integrating a meticulously engineered Hive Mesh within an innovative chimney design, augmented by nano-microfiber cotton and aerospace-grade heat-resistant materials. This third-generation evolution, showcased in the XROS 5, achieves unmatched consistency, efficiency, and heating performance, redefining the standards of modern vaping. MEGA BATT - Advanced Ultra-High-Density Battery Cell Technology Offering larger capacity in a smaller form factor, VAPORESSO's MEGA BATT technology dramatically improves battery life. The XROS 5 leads the industry with its 3A super-fast charging, reaching 80% capacity in just 20 minutes to minimize downtime for users. In addition to rapid charging, the compact size of the device houses a powerful 1500mAh battery, a breakthrough of MEGA BATT technology, offering an ultra-long battery life of up to 5 days, ensuring both portability and endurance. Offering larger capacity in a smaller form factor, VAPORESSO's MEGA BATT technology dramatically improves battery life. The XROS 5 leads the industry with its 3A super-fast charging, reaching 80% capacity in just 20 minutes to minimize downtime for users. In addition to rapid charging, the compact size of the device houses a powerful 1500mAh battery, a breakthrough of MEGA BATT technology, offering an ultra-long battery life of up to 5 days, ensuring both portability and endurance. AXON Chip - Chip-Driven Intelligent Control Platform An intelligent regulation chip platform that integrates dynamic power control, adaptive temperature regulation, and advanced flavor algorithms to deliver secure, multi-mode energy. Equipped with an advanced health management system, it optimizes the vaping experience while extending battery longevity. Powering the LUXE and ARMOUR product lines, AXON CHIP continuously monitors atomizer resistance to maintain the ideal vaporization temperature for every puff. It intelligently adjusts to battery fluctuations, generating a customized heating curve that ensures consistent, flavorful performance with unwavering reliability. An intelligent regulation chip platform that integrates dynamic power control, adaptive temperature regulation, and advanced flavor algorithms to deliver secure, multi-mode energy. Equipped with an advanced health management system, it optimizes the vaping experience while extending battery longevity. Powering the LUXE and ARMOUR product lines, AXON CHIP continuously monitors atomizer resistance to maintain the ideal vaporization temperature for every puff. It intelligently adjusts to battery fluctuations, generating a customized heating curve that ensures consistent, flavorful performance with unwavering reliability. SSS Leak Resistant Tech - Fully Self-Developed Anti-Leakage System This system delivers unprecedented anti-leakage performance through its three core innovations: Seal Comprehensively with precision mechanical sealing, Saturate Properly via intelligent pressure-balancing fluid control, and Store Safely with a patented bottom storage structure. This integrated system completely prevents e-liquid leakage while optimizing absorption efficiency. Users enjoy leak-proof reliability with complete usage freedom, while the industry benefits from this technological benchmark that redefines durability and performance standards for vaping products. Groundbreaking Modular Design Unlocks New Dimensions of Tech Innovation After ten years of technological accumulation, VAPORESSO released a groundbreaking innovation, world 1?? all-category compatible platform. This transformative modular design, first featured in the latest product - iMate OS, enhances user experience by combining modularity with intelligent adaptability. iMate OS revolutionizes vaping with its innovative magnetic structure, enabling effortless battery separation. The structure tech seamlessly switches between closed and open-system devices while maintaining cross-category compatibility, with its adaptive battery precisely displaying product information for optimal performance. Beyond versatility, it offers unmatched flexibility-users can pair a single battery with multiple pod types, combining the extended battery life of disposable-style devices with the e-liquid customization of open systems. The release and application of this modular design hold positive significance for the vaping industry, setting new standards for innovation, flexibility, and user satisfaction, solidifying VAPORESSO's position as an industry pioneer. Next-Gen COSS will Reshape Novel Perception Through Disruptive Technological Revolution Beyond its innovative form design, VAPORESSO will further revolutionize the vaping experience this year by introducing a comprehensive full-scenario solution. We still remember the industry sensation caused by the first-generation COSS. Driven by its smart e-liquid supply system, COSS transformed refilling into a faster, cleaner, and more efficient process. With just one click, COSS could quickly detect remaining e-liquid levels and complete precise refilling within seconds. It was this innovation that earned VAPORESSO the industry's first Golden Leaf Award for Innovation. In Q4 this year, VAPORESSO will launch its next-gen COSS, whose four core evolutionary innovations will redefine premium personalized vaping. Its intelligent auto-refilling system will be enhanced with innovative materials and a redesigned structure, ensuring a seamless and uninterrupted vaping experience. Additionally, enhanced flavor precision, improved battery efficiency, and more ergonomic designs will collectively usher users into a smarter, more refined era of vaping. As VAPORESSO marks its 10th anniversary, its track record of innovation continues to drive the industry forward. With groundbreaking technologies mentioned above, the brand is redefining what's possible in vaping. These advancements not only enhance performance and reliability but also set new standards for user experience. Looking ahead, VAPORESSO's commitment to pushing boundaries ensures it will remain a trailblazer in shaping the future of vaping. For more details, visit https://www.vaporesso.com/activity/innovation-x Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2753452/10_______4_1.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2011704/Vaporesso_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/a-decade-of-innovation-vaporesso-constantly-breaks-through-the-infinite-possibilities-of-technology-302533814.html DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Human Microbiome Market, valued at US$0.91 billion in 2024, stood at US$1.40 billion in 2025 and is projected to advance at a resilient CAGR of 31.0% from 2025 to 2031, culminating in a forecasted valuation of US$7.09 billion by the end of the period. The primary drivers behind the expansion of this industry are the technological advancement in microbiome sequencing, the collaborative efforts between the microbiome industry, organizations, and academia for microbiome research, and the increase in the number of startups and SMEs exploring the microbiome niche, and further opportunities such as the increase in demand for personalized medicine and the emergence of synbiotics may help drive the human microbiome market. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=37621904 Browse in-depth TOC on "Human Microbiome Market" 416 - Tables 64 - Figures 371 - Pages By type, bacterial consortia transplantation (BCT)/ fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), live bacteria products, and others segment the human microbiome market. Live bacteria products accounted for the largest share of the human microbiome market in 2024. This category includes probiotics and synbiotics, which are widely used in consumer health supplements and emerging therapeutic applications. The dominance of live bacteria products is driven by strong consumer demand for digestive and immune health solutions, along with increasing clinical validation of specific bacterial strains. These products are often easier to formulate, regulate, and distribute compared to more complex microbiome therapies, allowing for faster commercialization. Additionally, ongoing advancements in encapsulation and delivery technologies have improved bacterial stability and survivability through the gastrointestinal tract, enhancing their effectiveness. The growing focus on personalized nutrition and preventive health has further expanded the adoption of live bacteria products across various age groups and health segments. Fecal microbiota transplantation/biological combination therapies (FMT/BCT) accounted for the second-largest share, supported by approved drugs such as VOWST and Rebyota for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. By end users, the human microbiome market is segmented by end users, hospitals & clinics, long-term care facilities, and other end users. Hospitals and clinics accounted for the largest share of the human microbiome market in 2024. This is largely due to their critical role in administering, monitoring, and regulating microbiome-based therapeutics, particularly those targeting infectious and gastrointestinal conditions. Approved products such as VOWST and Rebyota, used to prevent recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection, are typically prescribed and delivered in clinical settings under medical supervision. These facilities provide the necessary infrastructure for managing live microbial therapies, which may require cold-chain storage, specialized handling, and follow-up care. Hospitals and clinics are also key sites for clinical research, including patient enrollment for microbiome-based drug trials and real-world evidence studies. Their involvement enables close monitoring of patient outcomes, adverse events, and long-term therapeutic effects, all of which are essential for the advancement of microbiome science and regulatory approval processes. Moreover, the rising prevalence of chronic conditions linked to microbiome imbalance, such as inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic disorders, has led to increased hospital-based consultations and treatment protocols involving microbiome interventions. The presence of trained healthcare professionals, diagnostic tools, and institutional trust further supports the strong uptake of microbiome products within hospital and clinical environments. By geography, in 2024, North America accounted for the largest share of the human microbiome market. This leading position is supported by a well-established biotechnology ecosystem, strong research and development infrastructure, and the presence of major market players such as Seres Therapeutics, Seed Health, and IFF. The region has seen significant regulatory progress, with the US FDA approving the first microbiome-based drugs, including Rebyota and VOWST, for the prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. These approvals have encouraged further investment in microbiome therapeutics and supplements. North America also has high adoption rates for probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics, driven by increasing consumer awareness of gut health and preventive wellness. The region supports a growing number of clinical trials and academic collaborations focused on the role of microbiomes in conditions such as gastrointestinal diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancer. Additionally, favorable healthcare spending, innovation funding, and regulatory clarity continue attracting startups and established firms. These combined factors reinforce the dominant position of North America in the global human microbiome market. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=37621904 Some of the leading players in the market include Seres Therapeutics (US), Ferring B.V. (Switzerland), BiomeBank (Australia), Seed Health, Inc. (US), International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (US), Pendulum (US), Biohm Technologies (US), Actial Farmaceutica Srl (Italy), OptiBiotix Health Plc (UK), resbiotic (US), Infinant Health Inc. (US), BioGaia (Sweden), and ExeGi Pharma (US), among others. Seres Therapeutics (US): Seres Therapeutics is one of the emerging players in the human microbiome market. The company's microbiome therapeutics platform significantly reduces the time typically required to advance therapeutics to the clinic and, ultimately, to the market. The company focuses on R&D to launch advanced products in the market. Its R&D expenses were USD 64.6 million for the year ending December 31, 2024. It specializes in creating oral live biotherapeutic products with defined bacterial consortia intended to modulate the human microbiome. Its lead product, VOWST (formerly SER-109), received FDA approval in April 2023 to prevent recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. VOWST is the first FDA-approved orally administered microbiome therapeutic. In 2023, Seres Therapeutics implemented organizational changes, including workforce reductions and a narrowed R&D focus. In June 2024, the company entered into an agreement with Nestle Health Science to transfer full commercialization rights for VOWST. The company continues to pursue clinical development of its remaining programs and maintains collaborations with academic and industry partners. FERRING B.V. (SWITZERLAND) Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company involved in the development of microbiome-based therapeutics. The company operates in multiple therapeutic areas, including reproductive medicine, maternal health, gastroenterology, and urology. Ferring engages in internal research and external partnerships in the microbiome space. It acquired Rebiotix, a company developing live biotherapeutic products targeting the human microbiome. The company developed Rebyota, a fecal microbiota-based therapeutic indicated for preventing recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. The product received FDA approval in November 2022 and is administered via enema. It has also collaborated with organizations such as Karolinska Institutet, Intralytix, MyBiotics, and PharmaBiome to explore live microbial consortia, bacteriophage-based therapies, and microbiome diagnostics. The company maintains manufacturing and R&D operations in various regions and continues to advance its microbiome programs across therapeutic categories through preclinical and clinical development stages. International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (US) International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) operates in the fields of flavor, fragrance, nutrition, and biosciences, with a growing focus on microbiome-based ingredients. The company has developed capabilities in precision fermentation and microbial strain engineering, enabling the industrial-scale production of next-generation probiotics, including strict anaerobes like Akkermansia. These technologies support ingredient development for applications in human and pet health, food, and supplements. IFF's HOWARU brand includes clinically studied probiotic strains such as HN001, HN019, NCFM, Bi-07, and Bl-04. These strains are formulated for specific health outcomes, including immune support, digestive health, stress response, early life development, and healthy aging. HN001 has regulatory recognition in markets like Brazil for reducing eczema risk in infants and pregnant women. IFF offers products such as HOWARU Protect and HOWARU Restore, each targeting different stages of life or health needs. The HOWARU brand includes clinically studied probiotic strains such as HN001, HN019, NCFM, Bi-07, and Bl-04. These strains are formulated for specific health outcomes, including immune support, digestive health, stress response, early life development, and healthy aging. HN001 has regulatory recognition in markets such as Brazil for reducing eczema risk in infants and pregnant women. IFF offers products like HOWARU Protect and HOWARU Restore, each targeting different stages of life or health needs. The microbiome innovation of IFF is supported by ongoing collaborations and a broader portfolio in synthetic biology, enabling the development of functional ingredients across consumer and health product categories. For more information, Inquire Now! Related Reports: Clinical Microbiology Market High Throughput Screening Market Microbiome Sequencing Services Market Rapid Microbiology Testing Market Laboratory Proficiency Testing Market Get access to the latest updates on Human Microbiome Companies and Human Microbiome Market Size About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. 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Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/human-microbiome-market-worth-7-09-billion-by-2031-with-31-0-cagr--marketsandmarkets-302534431.html Former First Citizens Bank Director of Sales to Lead Nationwide Partnership Growth GREENWICH, CT / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Libertas Funding, a leading provider of revenue-based financing and term loan* solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, today announced the appointment of Mark W. Boyer as senior managing director, national partnerships. Boyer will lead Libertas' strategic initiatives to build a robust national network of partnerships that engage with SMEs across a variety of industries. He will be pivotal in expanding the company's market reach, promoting bridge and working-capital solutions, and fostering mutually beneficial relationships that enhance customer liquidity and generate revenue through referral fees. Boyer joins Libertas after nearly a decade at First Citizens Bank, a top 20 U.S. financial institution with $200B+ in assets, where he served as director of sales, vendor finance. He was instrumental in building and managing vendor relationships and leading sales teams within the specialty finance sector. Before that, Boyer was CEO of multiple companies across the financial services and manufacturing sectors, bringing diverse leadership experience to his new role. "Mark's history of building high-performance partnership networks makes him an outstanding addition to our leadership team," said Gary Katcher, executive chairman of Libertas. "His expertise will be invaluable as we accelerate our expansion nationwide." Reporting to President and COO John Paradisi, Boyer will focus on deepening Libertas' institutional reach and creating new market opportunities. "I have had the pleasure of working with Mark previously at CIT Bank, and his extensive background and ability to forge commercial partnerships align perfectly with our strategy to grow the distribution of our financial solutions," said Paradisi. "He will play a key role in forging alliances that help more small and medium-sized businesses access flexible financing." Boyer holds a degree from Penn State University and previously served on the Bank Business Council Steering Committee for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA). "I'm excited to join the Libertas team and leverage my experience in building commercial partnerships that deliver measurable value to the SME market sector," said Boyer. Boyer's appointment underscores Libertas' ongoing investment in seasoned leadership to strengthen its distribution channels and broaden its national footprint. About Libertas Funding Libertas Funding, LLC is a leading financial technology firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut, providing revenue-based financing and working capital solutions to small and medium-sized businesses nationwide. Through advanced data analytics and a streamlined underwriting process, Libertas delivers fast, reliable capital to help businesses grow and thrive. Website: libertasfunding.com *Term loans are issued by WebBank and serviced by Libertas pursuant to our partnership with the Bank. Media contact: Henry Stimpson, Stimpson Communications, henry@stimpsoncommunications.com SOURCE: Libertas Funding, LLC View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/libertas-funding-appoints-mark-boyer-as-senior-managing-director-nat-1062638 Chronic disease burden, FDA-approved innovations, and demand for precision medicine push U.S. diagnostics market expansion. The global in-vitro diagnostics market growth is due to the growing need for accurate, timely, and personalized diagnostic solutions across the globe. WESTFORD, Mass., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyQuest Technology Consulting published a report, titled, In-Vitro Diagnostics Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2025-2032", valued at USD 109.6 Billion in 2024. With a projected CAGR of 4.4% from 2025 to 2032, the market is expected to reach USD 153.3 Billion by the end of 2032. The main drivers of the In-Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) market expansion are the rise in the prevalence of infectious and chronic diseases, technological advancements, and growing healthcare awareness. Get a Free Sample Report - https://www.skyquestt.com/sample-request/in-vitro-diagnostics-market Key U.S. IVD Market Drivers Chronic Disease Burden: According to the CDC, 6 in 10 U.S. adults live with a chronic disease, while 4 in 10 manage two or more, costing the U.S. healthcare system USD 4.1 trillion annually. FDA-Approved Diagnostic Innovations: Recent approvals, including QIAGEN's QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel and bioMerieux's BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE panel, demonstrate the FDA's commitment to fast-tracking advanced diagnostics. Precision & Personalized Medicine: Demand for molecular diagnostics, next-gen sequencing, and AI-driven tools is accelerating adoption in hospitals, labs, and point-of-care settings. In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Dynamics The increase in the prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases, and genetic disorders like Turner syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, is expected to drive up demand for in-vitro diagnostics over the forecast period. According to the CDC, chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer, as well as respiratory and kidney disorders like asthma, account for seven out of ten deaths in the US. About 60% of adults in the US are probably suffering from a chronic illness. These chronic conditions cost the US healthcare system USD 4.1 trillion annually. With 620,000 cases and 213 fatalities, primarily in the Americas, Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina reported the highest burdens in 2024. While Asia saw many cases, particularly in India and Pakistan, Senegal was the only country in Africa affected. Europe reported one locally acquired case in France and 118 cases in La Reunion. Technological advancements in the fields of accuracy, affordability, and portability are expected to have a significant impact on this market. Leading market participants are increasing their testing options by working with other kit manufacturing companies or initiating research and development projects to create kits that target life-threatening conditions. The market's creative product launches are also aided by the growing number of R&D and partnership initiatives by participants. Recent Developments in In-Vitro Diagnostics Market In February 2025, ABL Diagnostics acquired Advanced Biological Laboratories and will manufacture and distribute a full range of UltraGene PCR tests. These tests, which cover over 100 pathogens, aid in the diagnosis of infectious diseases in a range of conditions. By combining PCR with its DeepChek sequencing products, the company hopes to expand its presence in precision medicine. In February 2025, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Switzerland) introduced a new class of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, powered by Sequencing by Expansion (SBX). This innovation is designed to deliver faster, more precise, and highly scalable sequencing capabilities. In January 2025, the U.S. FDA approved the QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2 Mini B&V, a targeted syndromic test for bacterial and viral gastrointestinal infections. The company is preparing a product launch to expand QIAGEN's syndromic testing portfolio and offer comprehensive and targeted options to improve inpatient and outpatient diagnostics. Make an Inquiry to Address your Specific Business Needs - https://www.skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/in-vitro-diagnostics-market Major Challenges in In-Vitro Diagnostics Industry The complex and constantly shifting regulations in various jurisdictions are causing problems for the IVD market. Launches were slowed in 2024 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) taking longer to approve new products. The FDA's approval rate increased by over 18% annually. Small businesses have been particularly impacted by the new EU IVDR regulations. Compliance concerns have slowed down product rollouts, according to more than half of EU-based diagnostic manufacturers, which has hindered industry growth. Examples of contemporary diagnostic technologies that are underutilized due to their high cost include molecular diagnostics and next-generation sequencing. The average cost of a molecular diagnostic test in 2025 was still over USD 200, making it unaffordable for those in low- and middle-income nations. As a result, the use of contemporary IVD technologies is declining in Africa and Southeast Asia, which hinders their global dissemination. Competitive Landscape The U.S. IVD market is led by global giants including Abbott, Roche, Thermo Fisher, Siemens Healthineers, and Quest Diagnostics, with growing competition from innovative biotech firms and startups entering precision diagnostics. Roche is concentrating on growing its platforms for molecular diagnostics and digital health. Abbott invests in the development of rapid point-of-care tests for infectious diseases. While Thermo Fisher is developing next-generation sequencing diagnostics, Siemens is interested in utilizing AI in lab automation. Partnerships and regional expansions are used by startups to enter new markets and diversify their test offerings. All market sectors experience increased competition as a result. Major players in the In-Vitro Diagnostics industry include, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd Hologic Inc Abbott Laboratories Siemens Healthcare GmbH (Siemens Healthineers) Exact Sciences Corp bioMerieux SA QuidelOrtho Corp Sysmex Corp Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc Becton Dickinson Danaher Corporation (Beckman Coulter, Cepheid etc.) Illumina DiaSorin (Luminex Corporation) Koninklijke Philips NV (Philips Healthcare) Qiagen N.V. Werfen, S.A. (Biokit S.A.) Agilent Technologies Inc Quest Diagnostics Revvity Inc Mindray Secure Your In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Report - https://www.skyquestt.com/buy-now/in-vitro-diagnostics-market In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Segmental Analysis The in-vitro diagnostics market is segmented into product, technology, specimen, site of testing, application, end user, and region. By product , since reagents & instruments are required for so many different diagnostic tests, reagents and instruments held the largest market share in 2024. They are always needed in hospital and lab settings, so revenue will always be coming in. Better test automation and additional disease screening initiatives contributed to the increase even more. , since reagents & instruments are required for so many different diagnostic tests, reagents and instruments held the largest market share in 2024. They are always needed in hospital and lab settings, so revenue will always be coming in. Better test automation and additional disease screening initiatives contributed to the increase even more. By technology , in 2024, immunoassays were the most widely used technology due to their high accuracy, speed, and widespread use in determining whether a person had a chronic or infectious disease. The testing process was accelerated by their compatibility with automated systems. They were a common diagnostic tool in labs and hospitals because of their ability to handle large volumes of samples. , in 2024, immunoassays were the most widely used technology due to their high accuracy, speed, and widespread use in determining whether a person had a chronic or infectious disease. The testing process was accelerated by their compatibility with automated systems. They were a common diagnostic tool in labs and hospitals because of their ability to handle large volumes of samples. By specimen , due to ease of collection and ability to identify a wide range of diseases, blood continued to be the most common specimen type in 2024. Blood tests are commonly accepted as fundamental diagnostic methods in medical settings. Blood-based diagnostics became even more popular due to their high sensitivity for early illness identification. , due to ease of collection and ability to identify a wide range of diseases, blood continued to be the most common specimen type in 2024. Blood tests are commonly accepted as fundamental diagnostic methods in medical settings. Blood-based diagnostics became even more popular due to their high sensitivity for early illness identification. By site of testing , as centralized laboratories are more accurate, standardized, and scalable, laboratory testing was the most common form of testing in 2024. The majority of complex diagnostic procedures, including molecular and genetic analysis, are carried out in laboratories. Because more extensive panels and batch testing were required, the lead for this area grew stronger. , as centralized laboratories are more accurate, standardized, and scalable, laboratory testing was the most common form of testing in 2024. The majority of complex diagnostic procedures, including molecular and genetic analysis, are carried out in laboratories. Because more extensive panels and batch testing were required, the lead for this area grew stronger. By application , infectious disorders accounted for the largest percentage of applications in 2024, as people still want to test for respiratory pathogens. Additionally, many people in developing nations still required HIV, TB, and hepatitis testing. Spending on infectious disease testing increased as travel and antibiotic resistance increased. , infectious disorders accounted for the largest percentage of applications in 2024, as people still want to test for respiratory pathogens. Additionally, many people in developing nations still required HIV, TB, and hepatitis testing. Spending on infectious disease testing increased as travel and antibiotic resistance increased. By end user, since hospitals & clinics perform the majority of patient diagnostics in both emergency and routine settings, they are the largest end users in 2024. Doing more tests was made easier by instant access to testing supplies and integrated healthcare services. Due to their use in primary care settings, IVD instruments will always be in demand. Read IVD Market Report Overview - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/in-vitro-diagnostics-market Regional Insights North America continued to dominate the in-vitro diagnostics market in 2024 Due to its highly developed healthcare system, high healthcare costs, and rapid adoption of new technologies. As it invested heavily in molecular diagnostics and AI-integrated testing systems, the U.S. was the region's leader. Innovation was also stimulated by strategic partnerships between diagnostic companies and hospitals. People still required routine and specialized tests because chronic illnesses are so prevalent. continued to dominate the in-vitro diagnostics market in 2024 Due to its highly developed healthcare system, high healthcare costs, and rapid adoption of new technologies. As it invested heavily in molecular diagnostics and AI-integrated testing systems, the U.S. was the region's leader. Innovation was also stimulated by strategic partnerships between diagnostic companies and hospitals. People still required routine and specialized tests because chronic illnesses are so prevalent. Europe's in-vitro diagnostics market continued to expand rapidly due to effective public health systems and an increasing demand for customized drugs. The nations that used immunoassays and genetic testing the most were Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. Although the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) made it more difficult for companies to comply with the regulations, it also ensured that the products were of higher quality. Population aging and increased initiatives to encourage screening before illness also played a role. in-vitro diagnostics market continued to expand rapidly due to effective public health systems and an increasing demand for customized drugs. The nations that used and genetic testing the most were Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. Although the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) made it more difficult for companies to comply with the regulations, it also ensured that the products were of higher quality. Population aging and increased initiatives to encourage screening before illness also played a role. The in-vitro diagnostics market is expanding at the fastest rate in Asia-Pacific because more people are becoming middle class, more diagnostic networks are being established in countries like China, India, and Japan, and more people are becoming aware of healthcare issues. More tests were conducted as a result of government efforts to enhance digital health and early illness detection. Additionally, there was an increased need in the region for point-of-care and home-based diagnostics. Local production and foreign investment strengthened regional capacities. because more people are becoming middle class, more diagnostic networks are being established in countries like China, India, and Japan, and more people are becoming aware of healthcare issues. More tests were conducted as a result of government efforts to enhance digital health and early illness detection. Additionally, there was an increased need in the region for point-of-care and home-based diagnostics. Local production and foreign investment strengthened regional capacities. The market in LAMEA is gradually expanding as a result of improved healthcare infrastructure and easier test-taking. Particularly in infectious disease testing, South Africa and Brazil are significant players. However, factors like unequal compensation and a shortage of skilled workers reduce the market's potential for expansion. People in underdeveloped areas are finding it easier to access care thanks to international collaborations and mobile diagnostic units. Explore Extensive ongoing Coverage on Healthcare Sector: DNA Sequencing Market - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/dna-sequencing-market - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/dna-sequencing-market IVD Quality Control Market - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/ivd-quality-control-market - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/ivd-quality-control-market Positron Emission Tomography Market - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/positron-emission-tomography-market - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/positron-emission-tomography-market Allergy Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/allergy-diagnostics-and-therapeutics-market - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/allergy-diagnostics-and-therapeutics-market Digital Genome Market - https://www.skyquestt.com/report/digital-genome-market About SkyQuest Technology Consulting SkyQuest Technology Consulting is a leading Strategy Consulting and Market Research firm, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and growth consulting services, trusted by CXOs from Fortune 500 Companies, Start-ups, and MSMEs. The company comprises a team of expert research analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports in our database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 40+ industries & sub industries across 25 major countries worldwide, serving global clients across diverse industries. The company specializes in delivering customized intelligence, data-driven insights, and strategic advisory services that enable businesses to stay competitive and make informed decisions in rapidly evolving industries. Contact Us SkyQuest Technology Consulting 1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886 USA (+1) 351-333-4748 Email: sales@skyquestt.com Visit Our Website: https://www.skyquestt.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2446095/SkyQuest_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/in-vitro-diagnostics-market-is-poised-to-reach-usd-153-3-billion-by-2032--skyquest-technology-consulting-302534624.html Mississauga, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Eagle Vision Security, a leading provider of live, interactive, two-way monitoring solutions across North America, today announced the expansion of its operations into Alberta, initially focusing on Calgary and Edmonton. This strategic move is aimed at enhancing security for truck yards, construction sites, warehouses, automotive dealerships, retail plazas, and other commercial projects across the province. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8530/262486_5c71a7fc64d8388c_001full.jpg Eagle Vision Security, a privately held firm headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, is recognized as a leader in technology-driven proactive threat detection and enhanced police response. The company integrates advanced video analytics with live monitoring conducted by trained security professionals to deliver effective and dependable protection for businesses of all sizes. "Expansion into Alberta represents a key milestone in the company's mission to provide businesses with state-of-the-art monitoring solutions that safeguard assets and support operational continuity," said Parm Deol, Founder of Eagle Vision Security. "With this development, Eagle Vision Security continues to strengthen its footprint across Canada, bringing advanced monitoring technologies to more industries and communities." To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8530/262486_5c71a7fc64d8388c_002full.jpg The company's advanced solutions not only support crime detection and prevention but also provide operational insights through detailed facility management reporting. Current projects include Truck Yards Security in Calgary, Warehouses Security in Edmonton, and other commercial and industrial facilities across Alberta. Services are customized to address the specific requirements of each property, enabling businesses to focus on core operations while security is professionally managed. Eagle Vision Security is also introducing its monitoring solutions to Alberta property owners and managers, working collaboratively to create comprehensive security programs suited to site-specific needs. About Eagle Vision Security Established by veterans of the security and property protection industry, Eagle Vision Security has built a reputation as a force in the Live Interactive Video Monitoring sector. The company invests continuously in research and development to deliver cutting-edge security solutions for a wide range of industries. Today, Eagle Vision Security serves clients across Halifax, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, and now Alberta. For cross-border operations, the company also provides truck yard monitoring services in over 11 U.S. states. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/262486 SOURCE: GYT Recognized for Building a Future-Ready and Employee-Centric Workplace TAIPEI, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 25th anniversary year, VIVOTEK (3454-TW), the global leading security solution provider, has been named one of the "2025 Best Companies to Work for in Asia" by the leading HR publication HR Asia, recognizing its long-term investment in talent development and efforts to create a happy, fulfilling workplace. The company earned high scores in areas such as "Sustainable Workplace," "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion," and "Group - THINK, FEEL, DO," reflecting strong employee recognition of its workplace environment and organizational culture. VIVOTEK is accelerating its AI strategy implementation, from incorporating AI into new security products to launching its headquarters' inaugural event "AI Innovation Day," aimed at driving organizational evolution and empowering employees to work smart. Cross-Disciplinary AI Collaboration for Social Safety "VIVOTEK is committed to delivering the most trusted smart security solutions by integrating edge AI cameras, VAST Security Station (VSS), and the VORTEX cloud service to enhance user safety. Cross-disciplinary AI talent is key to maintaining resilience and competitiveness in global markets. We are honored to receive the '2025 Best Companies to Work for in Asia' award. This recognition strengthens our resolve to uphold our core value of employee care, deliver on our commitment to well-being, foster AI innovation with our partners, and build a safer future together," said Alex Liao, President of VIVOTEK. Unleashing AI Potential - "AI Innovation Day" Sparks a Culture of Innovation To boost corporate competitiveness, VIVOTEK offers a range of AI learning resources and training, covering skills such as AI-powered presentations and data analysis. This year, the company's headquarters will host its first-ever "AI Innovation Day," offering rewards to encourage employees to use AI to optimize workflows and showcase innovative applications, driving an enterprise-wide smart transformation. The company also offers competitive compensation, including annual performance-based raises. Employees at the headquarters enjoy fully paid "Golden Week" leave to promote work-life balance. VIVOTEK is also dedicated to building a fair and transparent workplace culture through regular town halls and GM-led forums, which strengthen communication between staff and leadership while enhancing organizational agility and cohesion. Leading Across the Board - VIVOTEK Recognized Among Top Employers The "Best Companies to Work for in Asia" award is a premier employer recognition across the Asia-Pacific region, spanning 13 countries or territories. This year, 360 companies in Taiwan participated in the selection process. Winners are determined through a combination of anonymous employee surveys and a review of HR strategies, assessed by a panel of experts from various fields. The evaluation focuses on three key pillars: Core (company values), Self (employee perceptions), and Group (team performance). The award honors companies that excel in employee experience and people-first practices. VIVOTEK scored above market averages across all key indicators and was honored with this prestigious award based on outstanding evaluation results. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2750430/VIVOTEK_wins_the__Best_Companies_to_Work_for_in_Asia_2025__award_by_HR_Asia__showcasing_its_commitme.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/vivotek-wins-hr-asia-2025-best-companies-to-work-for-302531898.html San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - TechCon Global, a purpose-led organization dedicated to connecting entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders, has announced two major convergence conferences for 2026: TechCon SoCal 2026 and TechCon Southwest 2026. Alongside these flagship events, TechCon Global is now accepting applications for its highly anticipated Startup Innovation Showcase, offering early-stage companies the opportunity to present their breakthrough solutions on a global stage. Since its founding in 2019, TechCon Global has been committed to creating an inclusive and collaborative environment where bold ideas are transformed into market-ready innovations. The organization's mission centers on empowering startups, fostering cross-sector partnerships, democratizing thought leadership, and building vibrant ecosystems that drive investment and societal progress. Through its diverse programming-including convergence conferences, pitch platforms, mentorship opportunities, and networking events-TechCon Global has established itself as a trusted hub for innovators and decision-makers worldwide. Its events have facilitated millions of dollars in investments, helped entrepreneurs scale faster, and inspired new generations of leaders to pursue impactful solutions. Announcing Two Major Conferences in 2026 Building on the success of past events, TechCon Global will host two large-scale conferences next year: TechCon Southwest 2026, Feb 13 - Based in Austin , the fastest growing innovation ecosystem in Texas, this event will highlight multiple sectors ranging from digital health, investments, deep tech, consumer tech and artifical intelligence. In addition to panel discussions and technology showcases, the conference will feature curated investor meetings designed to accelerate deal-making and strategic collaborations. TechCon SoCal 2026, May 22-23 - Set in San Diego, the heart of Southern California's thriving technology corridor, this event will bring together industry pioneers, venture capitalists, and innovators to explore emerging trends in artificial intelligence, life sciences, digital health, semiconductor, saas, fintech, and more. Attendees can expect keynote addresses from global thought leaders, engaging panel discussions, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Both conferences will embody TechCon Global's signature format: a dynamic mix of learning, connection, and action. Attendees will engage in high-value sessions, explore cutting-edge technologies, and form lasting relationships that extend well beyond the event. Startup Innovation Showcase - Applications Open TechCon Global's Startup Innovation Showcase is now open for applications from early-stage companies seeking exposure, mentorship, and investment. The showcase will be featured at both TechCon SoCal 2026 and TechCon Southwest 2026 conferences, giving participants access to influential investors, corporate partners, and potential customers. Selected startups will have the opportunity to pitch their solutions live on stage, receive expert feedback, and connect with investors interested in funding such ideas. Past showcase participants have gone on to secure funding rounds, pilot projects, and strategic partnerships as a direct result of the platform. "From day one, our goal has been to level the playing field for entrepreneurs, regardless of background or geography," said Faisal Mushtaq, Founder and CEO of TechCon Global. "These 2026 events will not only highlight groundbreaking technologies but also ensure that innovative voices from all walks of life are heard and supported. We invite startups with bold visions to step forward and take part in this journey." Apply now at https://www.techconglobal.com Driving the Future of Innovation TechCon Global's approach extends beyond traditional conferences. By curating cross-sector dialogues, facilitating global partnerships, and prioritizing diversity, the organization aims to shape the innovation landscape for years to come. Its events attract attendees from across the world, creating a unique platform where ideas, resources, and expertise converge. Whether you are a founder looking for your next investment, a student eager to learn from industry leaders, or an investor seeking high-potential ventures, TechCon Global's 2026 conferences promise to deliver transformative opportunities. Event Details & Registration TechCon SoCal 2026 - San Diego , USA | May 22-23, 2026 - , USA | May 22-23, 2026 TechCon Southwest 2026 - Austin , USA | February 13, 2026 - , USA | February 13, 2026 Startup Innovation Showcase - Apply now at https://www.techconglobal.com About TechCon Global Founded in 2019, TechCon Global is a mission-driven organization that connects entrepreneurs, investors, students, and leaders through innovation-focused events like TechCon SoCal(R). By fostering collaboration, providing mentorship, and facilitating global networking, TechCon Global turns bold ideas into real-world impact. The organization's inclusive approach ensures that innovation thrives in every community, driving growth, investment, and a more sustainable future. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263213 SOURCE: Pinion Partners Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - CDN Maverick Capital Corp. (CSE: CDN) (OTCQB: AXVEF) (FSE: 338B) ("Maverick" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the expansion of its land packages in James Bay, Quebec with the addition of 170 new mineral claims, comprising 98 claims at Chabinoche and 72 at Poncheville, totaling 9,222 hectares (Figure 1). Including the Nottaway claims, Maverick has now secured over 14,782 hectares (~147.8 km) through staking. These claims are primarily located along interpreted southern extensions of the Frotet-Evans Greenstone Belt ("FEGB"), a prolific Archean terrane that hosts major deposits such as Troilus (Au-Cu), Moblan (Li), and Q2 Metals' recent Cisco LCT pegmatite discovery. Figure 1: Chabinoche and Poncheville claim groups - expansion progress since June, 2025. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4568/263222_e65b28af74fc9ae7_001full.jpg Simon Studer, Interim CEO of Maverick states: "Maverick identified a clear opportunity to secure ground with outstanding geological context that has not yet received the systematic work it deserves. The timing was perfect to bring these targets under our control and to continue to advance our generative business plan in the James Bay area systematically. This expansion gives us exposure to multiple commodities and discovery opportunities with solid geological foundations." Situated between Two Prolific Districts Maverick's Chabinoche and Poncheville claims occupy a strategic position south of the Frotet-Evans Greenstone Belt ("FEGB") and north of the Matagami VMS camp. Within a 30 km radius, the properties are neighboured by the Lac Rocher Ni-Cu-PGE deposit, the Montviel REE-Nb deposit, and Q2 Metals' Cisco lithium discovery (Figure 2). While the central FEGB has been systematically explored for decades, the adjoining belts to the south remain largely untested by modern exploration. This places Maverick between two of the James Bay region's most productive exploration and mining districts, providing exposure to multiple deposit models and discovery opportunities. Nottaway: Historical and Strategic Context Historic SOQUEM drilling at the Nottaway occurrence intersected Zn-Pb-Ag-Au mineralization spatially associated with sheared pillow lavas within the Nottaway Shear (see Company news release dated June 24, 2025). In 2014, Effigis, on behalf of SOQUEM, reinterpreted geological and geophysical datasets and identified multiple additional volcano-sedimentary panels in the area. CDN Maverick has now compiled these historic interpretations (Figure 2). While some extents may be exaggerated, the presence of mafic volcanics, amphibolites, and mafic intrusions within its land package supports the interpretation of prospective volcanic-sedimentary belts. Follow-up prospecting by SOQUEM in 2017-2018 identified new volcano-sedimentary outcrops inside Maverick's current tenure, further reinforcing the potential for underexplored greenstone-derived settings. Building on this foundation, Maverick's latest staking provides exposure to multiple mineral systems across three key domains: Chabinoche (West): Consolidated ground along the interpreted greenstone belt extension adjacent to the Nottaway Structural Corridor. Chabinoche (NE): Extended toward the contact between the Poncheville intrusive suite and greenstone stratigraphy, within 200 m of the Lac Rocher trend. Poncheville (South): Acquired control of most of the Zaza geophysical anomaly, a prominent potassium-enriched magnetic feature with no previous drilling. Figure 2: Past interpretations by SOQUEM and Effigis reveal potential greenstone belts-unmapped in regional government surveys-now captured within the new property boundaries. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4568/263222_e65b28af74fc9ae7_002full.jpg Advancing Towards Drill-Ready Targets Maverick is compiling and integrating historical and government datasets into a NI 43-101 framework, including the reprocessing of geophysical and geochemical data and the refinement of geological models. This work marks the transition from AI-assisted prospectivity analysis completed earlier this year to clear target definition, establishing the foundation for systematic field evaluation at Nottaway and, as warranted, across other parts of the Chabinoche and Poncheville claim groups. Qualified Person Statement The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Clyde McMillan, P. Geo (OGQ#2193) who is a Qualified Person (QP) as defined under National Instrument 43-101 and Bradley C. Peek, M.Sc., CPG, Vice President of Exploration for Maverick. In preparing this release, the QP has relied on publicly available information, including SOQUEM's reports (GM69703 and GM71706), field reconnaissance data, and current geophysical data available through Quebec's SIGEOM system. About CDN Maverick Capital Corp. CDN Maverick Capital Corp. (CSE: CDN) is a project generator and exploration company focused on identifying and developing high-value assets using data-driven exploration strategies. The Company is advancing a portfolio of critical minerals and metals projects across tier-one mining jurisdictions in the Americas. For further information, contact: CDN Maverick Capital Corp. Suite 2150 - 555 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 4N6 FOLLOW US: Twitter: https://twitter.com/cdnmaverickcorp Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CDNMaverickCorp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cdnmaverick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cdnmaverickcorp YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cdnmaverickcorp This news release contains projections and forward-looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward - looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements; the uncertainty of future profitability; and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information. Actual results and future events could differ materially from anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward- looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressed qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstance or management's estimates or opinions change. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange ("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/263222 SOURCE: CDN Maverick Capital Corp. PRICE, UT / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Tagg-N-Go Car Wash, one of the fastest-growing car wash chains in the nation, has officially opened its 30th location in Price, Utah. The milestone marks a major step in the company's 12-year journey from a single self-serve wash to a top 40 car wash brand nationwide. The new Price site joins Tagg-N-Go's growing network across Utah, Idaho, and Nevada, making it easier than ever for members to use their pass wherever they travel. "We're excited to officially be part of the Price community," said Quinn Allgood, CEO and co-founder. "Every new location is an opportunity to create local jobs, connect with the community, and give our members another convenient place to wash." Ranked among the top 40 car wash brands nationwide, Tagg-N-Go credits its success to a strong company culture, focus on community involvement, and unique membership model. For co-founder Conner Atkin, the 30th site is a reminder of how far the company has come. "If you had asked me even a year ago if we'd be at 30 locations, I would have said no way," Atkin said. "This is proof that with the right people and the right reasons, anything can happen. We're now seeing Tagg-N-Go everywhere people go, and that's exciting for both our customers and our team." The Price opening is part of Tagg-N-Go's continued growth into new communities. Each location is chosen to give members more convenience while introducing the brand's focus on quality. Expansion is about more than growth, it's about building lasting relationships in every community they serve. "We started this company here in Utah, and we've stayed true to our roots," Allgood added. "When customers choose Tagg-N-Go, they're supporting a locally owned company that reinvests in the community, creates jobs, and gives back through events and donations. We're not just building car washes, we're building something that makes a difference." For more information about Tagg-N-Go and our locations, please visit taggngo.com. About Tagg-N-Go Car Wash Founded in 2013 in St. George, Utah, Tagg-N-Go Car Wash has grown to 30 locations across Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. The company is recognized as one of the top 40 conveyor car wash brands in the nation and is known for its unlimited wash memberships, exceptional customer service, and community engagement. Contact Information: Tagg-N-Go marketing@taggngo.com 435-268-2256 taggngo.com SOURCE: Tagg-N-Go Car Wash View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/automotive/tagg-n-go-car-wash-celebrates-30th-location-with-grand-opening-in-price-1063057 Over 8,000 AI Leaders Converge for Three Days of Groundbreaking Insights, High-Impact Networking, and Future-Shaping Conversations LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Ai4, North America's largest artificial intelligence industry event, successfully concluded its 8th conference this week at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, drawing over 8,000 executives, technologists, startups, investors, policymakers, and researchers from more than 85 countries. Over the course of three days, attendees explored AI's transformative impact across industries-including finance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, government, and education-through 600+ speakers, 250+ exhibitors, and 50 dedicated tracks. "The future of AI in America isn't coming-it's already here," said Michael Weiss, Co-Founder of Ai4. "Over the last three days, we welcomed leaders from every corner of the globe to explore what's next. Breakthroughs in self-driving cars, drug discovery, and software development are not theoretical-they are happening right now. The conversations at Ai4 are shaping the future. Just as we adapted to computers, smartphones, and the internet, it's time to do the same with AI, because AI will touch every part of our lives." The conference opened with a powerful keynote from Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), interviewed by Jason Abbruzzese of NBC News. Speaking to a packed audience in the MGM Grand Arena, Weingarten outlined the AFT's strategy to safeguard education from AI-related risks-emphasizing state-level regulation in the absence of federal legislation. "I think it's going to be state by state," she noted, citing concerns over chatbot security, privacy rights, deepfake content, and the erosion of critical thinking skills in students. She also highlighted the AFT's successful push to prevent a proposed 10-year moratorium on state AI legislation, ensuring near-term safeguards could be enacted. On day two Geoffrey Hinton, 2024 Nobel Prize winner and widely recognized as the "Godfather of AI," delivered a sobering vision of AI's trajectory. Warning that AI could surpass human intelligence within 5-20 years, Hinton proposed programming AI with "maternal instincts" to ensure it cares for humanity rather than controls it. "If it's not going to parent me, it's going to replace me," Hinton warned, stressing that without such safeguards, human control over superintelligent AI may prove impossible. On Day three Dr. Fei-Fei Li, Stanford Professor and Co-Director of the Human-Centered AI Institute, offered a more optimistic perspective-seeing AI as a partner in human potential. In conversation with Matt Egan of CNN, she emphasized empathy, curiosity, and responsibility as core drivers, focusing on strong oversight and human-first design over simulated affection.The day also featured Jeetu Patel, Cisco's President & Chief Product Officer, in a fireside chat with Egan on "The Catalyst for Driving an Agentic AI Revolution," exploring how enterprises can secure and scale autonomous AI systems. Other featured voices include Congressman Robert Bresnahan Jr. who addressed the rising electricity demands of AI, advocating for accelerated infrastructure development while protecting consumers from cost burdens-especially in districts experiencing major data center expansion. Ai4 2025 offered a breadth of specialized programming, including: AI Agents & Multi-Agent Collaboration Generative AI - from foundational strategy to advanced applications AI Policy & Regulation Beginner's Summit, Diversity in AI, and targeted industry meetups General Assembly-led AI Training Workshops in applied machine learning and advanced generative AI chaining Networking highlights included evening receptions and a high-energy afterparty at Hakkasan. Over 250 cutting-edge AI vendors showcased solutions spanning AI applications and agents, cloud infrastructure, security and governance, industry-specific transformation tools, and generative capabilities. Live demos-including the crowd-favorite Unitree robotics display-brought AI innovations to life, allowing attendees to engage directly with product teams. Participants praised Ai4 2025 for its quality, diversity, and scale: "Dynamic content and phenomenal speakers tremendous content for the higher education community!" "A goldmine of connections! The diversity of executives in attendance was truly impressive." "Ai4 goes above and beyond with curating their community. This was the most impressive group I've interacted with at a conference." "It's been amazing to see Ai4 grow from a 300-person gathering in Brooklyn into the world's leading AI industry event with nearly 8,000 in attendance," said Marcus Jecklin, Co-Founder of Ai4. "This community continues to inspire us, and we can't wait to build on this momentum next year." About Ai4 Ai4 2025 reaffirmed its position as the AI industry's marquee event-a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and real-world AI adoption. The conference returns August 4-6, 2026, at The Venetian in Las Vegas. For more information, visit https://ai4.io/vegas/2026-interest/. Founded in 2018 by Michael Weiss and Marcus Jecklin, Ai4 is North America's premier artificial intelligence conference series, annually bringing together business leaders, AI practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to explore AI's real-world impact across every major sector. # # # For further information, contact: Amy Riemer, Communications Director 978-502-4895 (mobile) amy@riemercommunications.com SOURCE: Ai4 2025 View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/ai4-2025-ignites-ai-innovation-at-mgm-grand-las-vegas-august-11-1-1061629 LONDON, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Montreux Capital Management Zug AG has committed an additional 10 million investment into GC Partners, supporting the company's global expansion, product development, and digital transformation. The new capital will accelerate GC Partners' global growth, initially driving expansion in the Gulf Region, with Europe and other key markets to follow. It will also fund the launch of a new digital platform and client-facing app, providing 24/7 account access, alongside a suite of expanded product lines to enhance client experience and service quality. Oliver Harris, Founder of Montreux Capital Management: "Having recently exited another successful business venture, we are proud to invest in the future growth and development of GC Partners. There are several strategic acquisitions in the pipeline that are expected to complete in the near term. These deals will allow GC Partners to expand into regions where it currently has limited presence and offer new services that meet the evolving needs of our clients." Andrew Fundell, CEO of GC Partners: "This is a significant milestone for GC Partners and a clear endorsement of our long-term vision that is shared by our investors. It allows us to strengthen our service offering, expand into key markets and bring new, innovative solutions to our clients. Most importantly, it ensures we can continue delivering continual improvements in speed, reliability, and the bespoke support our clients expect on a truly global scale. The industry is facing a lot of change at present; this investment will ensure that GC Partners continues to grow and develop to meet the evolving demands of our customer base." This investment marks the next phase in GC Partners' journey to becoming a truly global financial services provider, offering agile, technology-driven solutions for clients around the world. NOTES TO EDITORS GC Partners Since 2003, GC Partners has delivered secure, seamless cross-border payment and currency solutions to individuals and businesses internationally. Serving clients all over the world, GC Partners combine industry-leading technology with expert, personal service to offer competitive rates, tailored strategies and reliable support. Trusted by hundreds of thousands of clients globally and rated 4.9* on Trustpilot, GC Partners helps clients to manage currency with confidence, whether making overseas purchases, managing international investments or mitigating short or long-term currency exposure. Montreux Capital Management Zug AG Montreux Capital Management Zug AG is a Swiss investment advisor to the Montreux Fixed Yield Fund and has a proven track record of successfully investing in businesses to drive sustainable growth. This is driven by Oliver Harris and his associates who bring with them extensive combined experience of business growth and development across several sectors spanning from technology to healthcare, financial services and beyond. Contact: marketing@gcpartners.co THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR TO BE TRANSMITTED, DISTRIBUTED TO, OR SENT BY, ANY NATIONAL OR RESIDENT OR CITIZEN OF ANY SUCH COUNTRIES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION MAY CONTRAVENE LOCAL SECURITIES LAWS OR REGULATIONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR CONTAIN ANY INVITATION, SOLICITATION, RECOMMENDATION, OFFER OR ADVICE TO ANY PERSON TO SUBSCRIBE FOR, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR DISPOSE OF ANY SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD BREACH ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE UK VERSION OF REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 ON MARKET ABUSE ("UK MAR"), AS IT FORMS PART OF UK DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AND REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 ON MARKET ABUSE ("EU MAR"). UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND SUCH PERSONS SHALL THEREFORE CEASE TO BE IN POSSESSION OF INSIDE INFORMATION. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. CASCAIS, PORTUGAL / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Pulsar Helium Inc. (AIM:PLSR)(TSXV:PLSR)(OTCQB:PSRHF) ("Pulsar" or the "Company"), a leading helium project development company, is pleased to announce that it intends to complete a private placement financing by way of an accelerated bookbuild (the "Offering") of a minimum of 13,043,478 common shares of the Company (each, a "Common Share") at a price of GBP 0.23 (approximately CAD$0.43)per Common Share (the "Issue Price") to raise minimum gross proceeds of GBP 3,000,000 (approximately CAD$5,610,000) and a maximum of 21,739,130 Common Shares at the Issue Price to raise maximum gross proceeds of GBP 5,000,000 (approximately CAD$9,350,000). The Offering will be conducted by way of an accelerated bookbuild process managed by OAK Securities as exclusive bookrunner. The bookbuild will open immediately following this announcement. The timing of the closing of the bookbuild and allocations are at the absolute discretion of OAK Securities and the Company. It is currently envisaged that the result of bookbuild will be announced by the Company at approximately 07:00 (UK time) on August 21, 2025. Net proceeds received pursuant to the Offering will be used to advance Pulsar's flagship Topaz helium project in Minnesota, USA and for general working capital purposes. Specifically, upon closing of the Offering, the Company intends to sign a new contract for drilling of up to 10 new appraisal wells, to further define the size and shape of the helium-bearing reservoir. Other activities to be funded from the net proceeds of the Offering within the coming 12 months include a preliminary economic assessment and resource update. Closing of the Offering (and associated admission to trading on AIM of the new Common Shares issued pursuant to the Offering) is anticipated to occur on or about August 29, 2025 ("Closing"), subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals. The Company has been informed by University Bancorp Inc, its c. 5% shareholder and principal lender, that it intends to participate in the Offering in order to maintain its equity interest. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Common Shares issuable under the Offering will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in the UK and all of the provinces of Canada (except Quebec) pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A.2 of NI 45-106 (the "LIFE Exemption"). As such, the securities issued to subscribers will not be subject to resale restrictions in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an offering document (the "Offering Document") dated August 20, 2025 related to the Offering and prepared pursuant to the CSA's Listed Issuer Financing Exemption that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at https://www.pulsarhelium.com. This Offering Document contains additional details regarding the Offering, including additional details regarding the expected use of proceeds therefrom. Prospective investors in the Offering should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Offering Document does not contain an offer of transferable securities to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of section 102B of the Financials Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended ("FSMA") and is not required to be issued as a prospectus pursuant to section 85 of FSMA. It has not been, nor will it be approved by, or filed with, the Financial Conduct Authority or any other authority which would be a competent authority for the purposes of the UK Prospectus Regulation. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any United States state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any available exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable United States state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Pulsar has appointed OAK Securities (a trading name of Merlin Partners LLP), to act as the Company's exclusive bookrunner and placement agent in connection with the Offering to UK residents pursuant to a placing agreement. OAK Securities will be paid an advisory fee of 20,000, payable in cash and a cash fee in an amount equal to six per cent (6.0%) of the gross proceeds raised from UK resident investors introduced to the Company by OAK Securities pursuant to the Offering. The Company will also issue Common Share purchase warrants (the "Broker Warrants") to OAK Securities equal to 6.0% of the number of Common Shares acquired by investors introduced to the Company by OAK Securities pursuant to the Offering, with such Broker Warrants being exercisable for 12 months from the date of issue at a price of GBP 0.23 (approximately CAD$0.43).OAK Securities has the right to terminate the placing agreement where, at its sole discretion (but in consultation with the Company), due to a change in market, economic or financial conditions, the Offering is rendered temporarily or permanently impracticable or inadvisable. The new Common Shares, when issued and fully paid, will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Common Shares in issue and therefore will rank equally for all dividends or other distributions declared, made or paid after the issue of the new Common Shares. Completion of the Offering, is subject to certain closing conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including receipt of conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. On behalf Pulsar Helium Inc. "Thomas Abraham-James" President, CEO and Director Further Information: Pulsar Helium Inc. connect@pulsarhelium.com + 1 (218) 203-5301 (USA/Canada) +44 (0) 2033 55 9889 (United Kingdom) https://pulsarhelium.com https://ca.linkedin.com/company/pulsar-helium-inc. Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated & Financial Adviser, and Joint Broker) Ritchie Balmer / Rob Patrick +44 (0)20 7409 3494 OAK Securities* (Joint Broker) Richard McGlashan / Mungo Sheehan +44 7879 646641 / +44 7788 266844 richard.mcglashan@oak-securities.com / mungo.sheehan@oak-securities.com *OAK Securities is the trading name of Merlin Partners LLP, a firm incorporated in the United Kingdom and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. Yellow Jersey (Financial PR) Charles Goodwin / Annabelle Wills +44 777 5194 357 pulsarhelium@yellowjerseypr.com About Pulsar Helium Inc. Pulsar Helium Inc. is a publicly traded company quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and listed on the TSX Venture Exchange with the ticker PLSR, as well as on the OTCQB with the ticker PSRHF. Pulsar's portfolio consists of its flagship Topaz helium project in Minnesota, USA, and the Tunu helium project in Greenland. Pulsar is the first mover in both locations with primary helium occurrences not associated with the production of hydrocarbons identified at each. 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. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Forward-Looking Statements This news release and the interview contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to the Company's current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", "projection", "strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements herein include, but are not limited to, statements relating relating to the expected date of Closing of the Offering and the expected use of net proceeds of the Offering. Forward-looking statements may involve estimates and are based upon assumptions made by management of the Company, including, but not limited to, the Company's capital cost estimates, management's expectations regarding the availability of capital to fund the Company's future capital and operating requirements and the ability to obtain all requisite regulatory approvals. No reserves have been assigned in connection with the Company's property interests to date, given their early stage of development. The future value of the Company is therefore dependent on the success or otherwise of its activities, which are principally directed toward the future exploration, appraisal and development of its assets, and potential acquisition of property interests in the future. No un-risked Contingent and Prospective Helium Volumes have been defined at the Tunu Project. However, estimating helium volumes is subject to significant uncertainties associated with technical data and the interpretation of that data, future commodity prices, and development and operating costs. There can be no guarantee that the Company will successfully convert its helium volume to reserves and produce that estimated volume. Estimates may alter significantly or become more uncertain when new information becomes available due to for example, additional drilling or production tests over the life of field. As estimates change, development and production plans may also vary. Downward revision of helium volume estimates may adversely affect the Company's operational or financial performance. Helium volume estimates are expressions of judgement based on knowledge, experience and industry practice. These estimates are imprecise and depend to some extent on interpretations, which may ultimately prove to be inaccurate and require adjustment or, even if valid when originally calculated, may alter significantly when new information or techniques become available. As further information becomes available through additional drilling and analysis the estimates are likely to change. Any adjustments to volume could affect the Company's exploration and development plans which may, in turn, affect the Company's performance. The process of estimating helium resources is complex and requires significant decisions and assumptions to be made in evaluating the reliability of available geological, geophysical, engineering, and economic date for each property. Different engineers may make different estimates of resources, cash flows, or other variables based on the same available data. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward- looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, that Pulsar may be unsuccessful in drilling commercially productive wells; the uncertainty of resource estimation; operational risks in conducting exploration, including that drill costs may be higher than estimates; commodity prices; health, safety and environmental factors; and other factors set forth above as well as risk factors included in the Company's Annual Information Form dated July 31, 2025 for the year ended September 30, 2024 found under Company's profile on www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. No assurance can be given that the forward-looking statements herein will prove to be correct and, accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. APPENDIX TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERING IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE OFFERING FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE OFFERING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR THE SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX) (THE "ANNOUNCEMENT") IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. The price of shares and any income expected from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested upon disposal of the shares. Past performance is no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser. These Terms and Conditions do not constitute an offer or invitation to acquire, underwrite or dispose of, or any solicitation of any offer or invitation to acquire, underwrite or dispose of, any new Common Shares or other securities of the Company to any person in any jurisdiction to whom it is unlawful to make such offer, invitation or solicitation in such jurisdiction. Persons who seek to participate in the Offering ("Placees") must inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions and must be persons who are able to lawfully receive this Announcement in their jurisdiction. In particular, these Terms and Conditions do not constitute an offer or invitation (or a solicitation of any offer or invitation) to acquire, underwrite or dispose of or otherwise deal in any new Common Shares or other securities of the Company in the United States of America, its territories and possessions ("United States"), Australia, Japan, Republic of Ireland or the Republic of South Africa or in any other jurisdiction in which any such offer, invitation or solicitation is or would be unlawful ("Restricted Jurisdiction"). The new Common Shares to be issued pursuant to the Offering (the "Offering Shares") have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under the securities laws or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold, taken up, renounced, delivered or transferred, directly or indirectly, in the United States or to or by a person resident in or for the account of any person in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or pursuant to an available exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. No public offering of the Offering Shares is being made in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Members of the public are not eligible to take part in the Offering and no public offering of Offering Shares is being or will be made. This Announcement and the terms and conditions set out and referred to in it are directed only at persons selected by OAK Securities who are (a) if in the United Kingdom, persons who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within article 19(1) of The Financial Services and Markets Act (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended ("FPO") and who fall within the definition of 'investment professionals' in article 19(5) of the FPO or fall within the definition of 'high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.' in article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the FPO and (ii) are 'qualified investors' ("UK Qualified Investors") being persons within the meaning of article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended) as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of, the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended) (the "UK Prospectus Regulation"); (b) if in a member state of the European Economic Area ("EEA"), persons who are 'qualified investors' ("EEA Qualified Investors") being persons falling within the meaning of article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended) (the "EU Prospectus Regulation"); or (c) persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons referred to in (a), (b) and (c) together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). No action has been taken by the Company, OAK Securities, or any of their respective directors, officers, partners, agents, employees or affiliates that would permit an offer of the Offering Shares or possession or distribution of this Announcement or any other publicity material relating to such Offering Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons receiving this Announcement are required to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions contained in this Announcement. This Announcement does not itself constitute an offer for sale or subscription of any securities in the Company. This Announcement and the terms and conditions set out herein must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this Announcement relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. Distribution of this Announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted or prohibited by law. Persons distributing this announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so. These Terms and Conditions apply to Placees, each of whom confirms his or its agreement, whether by telephone or otherwise, with OAK Securities, the sole broker, to subscribe and pay for Offering Shares in the Offering, and hereby agrees with OAK Securities and the Company to be legally and irrevocably bound by these Terms and Conditions which will be the Terms and Conditions on which the Offering Shares will be acquired in the Offering and each such Placee is deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its entirety (including this Appendix) and to be providing the representations, warranties, undertakings, agreements and acknowledgements contained in this Appendix. These Terms and Conditions must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which the Terms and Conditions set out herein relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. A Placee may not assign, transfer, or in any manner, deal with its rights or obligations under the agreement arising from the acceptance of the Offering, without the prior written agreement of OAK Securities or in accordance with all relevant requirements. All times and dates in this Appendix are references to times and dates in London (United Kingdom). Any indication in this Announcement of the price at which the Company's shares have been bought or sold in the past cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser. No statement in this Announcement is intended to be a profit forecast and no statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings per share of the Company for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings per share of the Company. OAK Securities is a trading name of Merlin Partners LLP, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom. OAK Securities is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one else in connection with the Offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of OAK Securities or for providing advice in relation to the Offering, or any other matters referred to in this Announcement. Save for the responsibilities and liabilities, if any, of OAK Securities under FSMA or the regulatory regime established thereunder or in respect of fraudulent misrepresentation, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by or on behalf of OAK Securities or by its affiliates, agents, directors, officers and employees as to, or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this Announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers, and any liability therefor is expressly disclaimed. EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, REGULATORY, TAX, BUSINESS AND RELATED ASPECTS OF AN ACQUISITION OF PLACING SHARES. Persons who are invited to and who choose to participate in the Offering, by making an oral or written offer to acquire Offering Shares, including any individuals, funds or others on whose behalf a commitment to acquire Offering Shares is given, will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its entirety and to be making such offer on these Terms and Conditions, and to be providing the representations, warranties, acknowledgements and undertakings, contained in this Appendix. In particular, each such Placee represents, warrants and acknowledges that:- i. it is a Relevant Person (as defined above) and undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Offering Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business; ii. it is acquiring the Offering Shares for its own account or for an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion; iii. if it is in the United Kingdom and/or if it is a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus Regulation, any Offering Shares acquired by it in the Offering will not be acquired or subscribed for on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired or subscribed for with a view to their offer or resale to persons in the United Kingdom other than to UK Qualified Investors or in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of securities to the public other than an offer or resale in the United Kingdom to UK Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of OAK Securities has been given to each such proposed offer or resale; and iv. if it is in a member state of the EEA and/or if it is a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the EU Prospectus Regulation, any Offering Shares acquired or subscribed for by it in the Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired or subscribed for with a view to their offer or resale to persons in any member state of the EEA other than to EEA Qualified Investors or in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of securities to the public other than an offer or resale in a member state of the EEA to EEA Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of OAK Securities has been given to each such proposed offer or resale. OAK Securities does not make any representation to any Placees regarding an investment in the Offering Shares. In this Appendix, unless the context otherwise requires, "Placee" means a Relevant Person (including individuals, funds or others) by whom or on whose behalf a commitment to take up Offering Shares has been given and who has been invited to participate in the Placing by OAK Securities. All obligations of OAK Securities under the Offering will be subject to fulfilment of the conditions referred to in this Announcement, including (without limitation) those referred to below under 'Conditions of the Offering'. Information to Distributors Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any 'manufacturer' (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Offering Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Offering Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of 'retail investors' and investors who meet the criteria of 'professional clients' and 'eligible counterparties', each as defined in the FCA Conduct of Business Sourcebook; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all permitted distribution channels (the "UK Target Market Assessment"). Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements") and/or any equivalent requirements elsewhere to the extent determined to be applicable, and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any 'manufacturer' (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Offering Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Offering Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of 'retail investors' and investors who meet the criteria of 'professional clients' and 'eligible counterparties', each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "EU Target Market Assessment" and, together with the UK Target Market Assessment, the "Target Market Assessments"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessments, distributors should note that: the price of the Offering Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Offering Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Offering Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessments are without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Offering. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessments, OAK Securities will only procure investors who meet the criteria of 'professional clients' or 'eligible counterparties'. For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessments do not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapters 9A or 10A, respectively of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook (for the purposes of the UK Target Market Assessment) or MiFID II (for the purposes of the EU Target Market Assessment); or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Offering Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Offering Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels. Timetable for the Offering Various dates referred to in this Announcement are stated on the basis of the expected timetable for the Offering. It is possible that some of these dates may be changed. The Offering Shares will be allotted on 29 August 2025 subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals. Terms of the Offering OAK Securities has, prior to the notification of this Announcement to the RNS, entered into the Placing Agreement with the Company under which OAK Securities has undertaken, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out therein, to use its reasonable endeavours as agent of the Company, to procure Placees for the Offering Shares. This Appendix gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics for participation in, the Offering. Each Placee's commitment to subscribe for Offering Shares under the Offering and to participate in the Bookbuild (as defined below) will be agreed (by email, orally or otherwise) with OAK Securities and such agreement will constitute a binding irrevocable commitment by a Placee, subject to the Terms and Conditions set out in this Appendix, to subscribe for and pay for Offering Shares at the Issue Price. Such commitment is not capable of variation, termination or rescission by the Placee in any circumstances except fraud. Upon such agreement, each Placee has an immediate, separate, irrevocable and binding obligation owed to OAK Securities, as agent for the Company, to pay OAK Securities (or as it may direct) in cleared funds an amount equal to the product of the Issue Price and the total number of Offering Shares such Placee has agreed to subscribe for in the Offering. All such obligations are entered into by the Placee with OAK Securities, acting in its capacity as agent of the Company, and are therefore directly enforceable by the Company. Each Placee's allocation of Offering Shares will be agreed between OAK Securities and the Company and will be confirmed by email or orally to each Placee by OAK Securities (as agent for the Company) as soon as possible following the closing of the Bookbuild and confirmed in writing, including the aggregate amount owed by such Placee to OAK Securities and settlement instructions ("Contract Confirmation"). The confirmation to such Placee by OAK Securities (as agent for the Company) constitutes an irrevocable legally binding commitment upon that person (who will at that point become a Placee) in favour of OAK Securities and the Company to subscribe for the number of Offering Shares allocated to it at the Issue Price on the terms and conditions set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the Company's articles of association. All obligations under the Offering will be subject to fulfilment of the conditions referred to below under 'Conditions of the Offering' and to the Offering not being terminated on the basis referred to below under 'Right to terminate the Placing Agreement'. By participating in Offering, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations in respect of the Offering will terminate only in the circumstances described below and will not be capable of rescission or termination by the Placee. OAK Securities and its affiliates are entitled to enter bids as principal in the Offering. Irrespective of the time at which a Placee's allocation pursuant to the Offering is confirmed, settlement for all Offering Shares to be subscribed for pursuant to the Offering will be required to be made at the same time, on the basis explained below under 'Registration and Settlement'. The Company confirms that the Offering Shares will when issued, subject to the constitution of the Company, rank pari passu in all respects and form one class with the existing Common Shares of the Company in issue as at the date of this announcement, including the right to receive dividends or other distributions after the date of issue of the Offering Shares, if any. The Offering Shares are or will be issued free of any encumbrance, lien or other security interest. Applications for Admission The Company will apply for admission of the Offering Shares to trading on AIM to become effective on or around 29 August 2025. Bookbuild The Offering will be conducted through an accelerated bookbuilding process (the "Bookbuild" or the "Bookbuilding Process"), which will be launched immediately following this Announcement. The timing of the closing of the Bookbuild and allocations are at the absolute discretion of OAK Securities and the Company. It is currently envisaged that the result of the Bookbuilding Process will be announced via RNS on 21 August 2025 at or around 07:00 (UK time). Scaling back OAK Securities (after consulting with the Company) reserves the right to scale back the number of Offering Shares to be subscribed by any Placee or the number of Offering Shares to be subscribed for by all Placees in aggregate. OAK Securities also reserves the right not to offer allocations of Offering Shares to any person and not to accept offers to subscribe for Offering Shares or to accept such offers in part rather than in whole. OAK Securities shall be entitled to effect the Offering by such alternative method to the Bookbuild as it shall in its sole discretion lawfully determine in the exercise of its appointment and the powers, authority and discretion conferred on it as the sole broker. To the fullest extent permissible by law, neither OAK Securities nor any holding company of OAK Securities, nor any subsidiary, branch or affiliate of any of OAK Securities (each an "Affiliate") nor any person acting on behalf of any of the foregoing shall have any liability to Placees (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise). In particular, neither OAK Securities, nor any of its Affiliates nor any person acting on behalf of any such person shall have any liability to Placees in respect of its conduct of the Offering. Placing Agreement Pursuant to the Placing Agreement, OAK Securities has agreed on behalf of and as agent of the Company to use its reasonable endeavours to procure persons to subscribe for the Offering Shares at the Issue Price, subject to these Terms and Conditions. The Offering will not be underwritten. Conditions of the Offering The Offering is conditional upon the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional and not having been terminated in accordance with its terms. The obligations of OAK Securities under the Placing Agreement in respect of the Offering Shares are conditional, inter alia, on:- the Company allotting the Offering Shares in accordance with the Placing Agreement; the receipt of all necessary approvals including receipt of conditional approval from the TSX-V; and admission to trading on AIM, the market operated by the London Stock Exchange plc, of the Offering Shares becoming effective on 29 August 2025 or such later date as may be agreed between the Company and the Broker, being no later than 26 September 2025. If any of the conditions contained in the Placing Agreement ("Conditions") are not fulfilled (by 26 September 2025 the Placing Agreement shall cease and determine. Right to terminate the Placing Agreement OAK Securities may, in its absolute discretion, terminate the Placing Agreement, where, at its sole discretion (but in consultation with the Company), due to a change in market, economic or financial conditions, the Offering is rendered temporarily or permanently impracticable or inadvisable. The exercise by OAK Securities of a right of termination (or any right of waiver) exercisable by OAK Securities contained in the Placing Agreement or the exercise of any discretion under the Terms and Conditions set out herein is within the absolute discretion of OAK Securities and OAK Securities will not have any liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any decision to exercise or not exercise any such rights. By accepting the Offering Shares referred to in the Announcement to which this Appendix is annexed, each Placee agrees that, without having any liability to such Placee, OAK Securities may exercise the right: (i) to extend the time for fulfilment of any of the conditions in the Placing Agreement (provided that Placees' commitments are not extended beyond the Long Stop Date); (ii) to, in their absolute discretion, waive, in whole or in part, fulfilment of certain of the conditions (but not including Admission); or (iii) to terminate the Placing Agreement, in each case without consulting Placees (or any of them). If any of the conditions in the Placing Agreement are not satisfied (or, where relevant, waived), the Placing Agreement is terminated or the Placing Agreement does not otherwise become unconditional in all respects, the Offering will not proceed and all funds delivered by Placees to OAK Securities pursuant to the Offering and this Appendix will be returned to Placees at their risk (without interest), and Placees' rights and obligations under the Offering shall cease and determine at such time and no claim shall be made by Placees in respect thereof. Registration and Settlement Irrespective of the time at which the Placee's allocation(s) pursuant to the Offering is/are confirmed, settlement for all Offering Shares to be acquired pursuant to the Offering will be required to be made on the basis explained below. Settlement of transactions in the Offering Shares (ISIN: CA7459321039) following Admission will take place on a delivery versus payment basis in accordance with the instructions set out in the trade confirmation within the CREST system ("CREST") (subject to certain exceptions). OAK Securities reserves the right to require settlement for, and delivery of, the Offering Shares (or a portion thereof) to Placees by such other means that it may deem necessary if delivery or settlement is not possible or practicable within CREST within the timetable set out in the Announcement or would not be consistent with the regulatory requirements in the jurisdiction of any Placee. In order to enable Placees to settle their securities through CREST, the Company has appointed Computershare Investor Services Plc to act as a depositary (the "Depositary") to hold the Common Shares and issue dematerialised depositary interests representing the underlying Common Shares ("Depositary Interests"). The Depositary will hold the Common Shares on trust for the relevant shareholders and this trust relationship is documented in a deed poll previously executed by the Depositary (the "Deed Poll"). The Deed Poll set(s) out the procedure for holders of Depositary Interests to vote at general meetings and to exercise other procedural shareholder rights, which will be transferred to the Depositary with the Common Shares. The Depositary Interests will be independent English securities and will be held on a register maintained by the Depositary. The Depositary Interests will have the same security code and ISIN number as the underlying Common Shares which they represent and will not require a separate admission to AIM. Following despatch of Contract Confirmations, Placees will be required to confirm by email to OAK Securities (as agent for the Company) the CREST account details in their names or in the names of their CREST nominees to which their Offering Shares should be credited. It is expected that settlement for Offering Shares will take place at 8.00 a.m. on 29 August 2025 unless otherwise notified by OAK Securities. Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance with the arrangements set out above at the rate of 2 percentage points above the base rate of Barclays Bank Plc as determined by OAK Securities, with interest compounded on a daily basis. Each Placee is deemed to agree that, if it does not comply with these obligations, OAK Securities may sell any or all of the Offering Shares allocated to that Placee on such Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for its account and benefit (as agent for the Company), an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable for any shortfall below the aggregate amount owed by it and may be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax (together with any interest or penalties) which may arise in any jurisdiction upon the sale of such Offering Shares on such Placee's behalf. By communicating a bid for Offering Shares, each Placee confers on OAK Securities all such authorities and powers necessary or desirable to carry out any such sale and agrees to ratify and confirm all actions which OAK Securities lawfully takes in pursuance of such sale. If Offering Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure that the Contract Confirmation is copied and delivered immediately to the relevant person within that organisation. The Company confirms that, insofar as Offering Shares are registered in a Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name of any person for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or that of a nominee for such person, such Offering Shares should, subject as provided below, be so registered free from any liability to UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax. Placees will not be entitled to receive any fee or commission in connection with the Offering. Further Terms, Confirmations and Warranties By participating in the Offering, each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) irrevocably makes the following confirmations, acknowledgements, representations, warranties and/or undertakings (as the case may be) to OAK Securities (in its capacity as sole broker and as agent of the Company) and the Company and their respective directors, agents and advisers, in each case as a fundamental term of its offer to acquire and subscribe for Offering Shares: each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that it has read and understood the Announcement (including this Appendix) in its entirety and acknowledges that its Offering participation will be governed by the terms, conditions, representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings in this Appendix; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that its Offering participation on the Terms and Conditions set out in this Appendix is legally binding, irrevocable and is not capable of termination or rescission by such Placee in any circumstances and that it has the funds available to pay the Issue Price in respect of the Offering Shares for which it has given a commitment under the Offering; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that it has not relied on, received or requested nor does it have any need to receive, any prospectus, offering memorandum, listing particulars, or any other document (other than the announcement of which this Appendix forms part and the Offering Document), any information given or any representations, warranties, agreements or undertakings (express or implied), written or oral, or statements made at any time by the Company or OAK Securities or by any subsidiary, holding company, branch or associate of the Company or any of OAK Securities or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or advisers, or any other person in connection with the Offering, the Company and its subsidiaries or the Offering Shares and that in making its application under the Offering it is relying solely on the information contained in the Announcement and this Appendix and it will not be relying on any agreements by the Company and its subsidiaries or OAK Securities, or any director, employee or agent of the Company or of OAK Securities other than as expressly set out in this Appendix, for which neither OAK Securities nor any of its directors and/or employees and/or person(s) acting on their behalf shall to the maximum extent permitted under law have any liability except in the case of fraud; each Placee acknowledges that the content of this Announcement and any information publicly announced to a Regulatory Information Service by or on behalf of the Company on or prior to the date of this Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and that none of OAK Securities, any of its Affiliates, directors, officers, employees or agents, or any person acting on behalf of any of them has or shall have any responsibility or liability for any information, representation or statement contained in this Announcement or any information previously or subsequently published by or on behalf of the Company and will not be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Offering based on any information, representation or statement contained in this Announcement, any information previously published by or on behalf of the Company or otherwise. Each Placee further represents, warrants and agrees that the only information on which it is entitled to rely and on which such Placee has relied in committing itself to subscribe for the Offering Shares is contained in this Announcement, any information publicly announced to a Regulatory Information Service by or on behalf of the Company on or prior to the date of this Announcement, such information being all that it deems necessary to make an investment decision in respect of the Offering Shares, and that it has neither received nor relied on any other information given or investigations, representations, warranties or statements made by OAK Securities or the Company, or any of their respective affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them (including in any research report prepared by any of them) and none of the foregoing persons will be liable for any Placee's decision to accept an invitation to participate in the Offering based on any such other information, representation, warranty or statement. Each Placee further acknowledges and agrees that it has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in deciding to participate in the Offering and that neither OAK Securities nor any of its Affiliates have made any representations to it, express or implied, with respect to the Company, the Offering and the Offering Shares or the truth, accuracy, completeness or adequacy of any publicly available information about the Company or any other information that has otherwise been made available to Placees concerning the Company, whether at the date of publication, the date of this Announcement or otherwise, and each of them expressly disclaims any liability in respect thereof. Nothing in this paragraph or otherwise in this Announcement excludes the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by that person; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that it is sufficiently knowledgeable to understand and be aware of the risks associated with, and other characteristics of, the Offering Shares and, among others, of the fact that it may not be able to resell the Offering Shares except in accordance with certain limited exemptions under applicable securities legislation and regulatory instruments; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants, if a company or partnership, that it is a valid and subsisting company or partnership and has all the necessary capacity and authority to execute its obligations in connection with the Offering participation and confirms, represents and warrants that any person who confirms to OAK Securities on behalf of a Placee an agreement to subscribe for Offering Shares is duly authorised to provide such confirmation to OAK Securities; each Placee agrees that the entry into the Placing Agreement or the exercise by OAK Securities of any right of termination or any right of waiver exercisable by OAK Securities contained in the Placing Agreement or the exercise of any discretion is within the absolute discretion of OAK Securities, and OAK Securities will not have any liability to any Placee whatsoever in connection with any decision to exercise or not exercise any such rights. Each Placee acknowledges that if: (i) any of the conditions in the Placing Agreement are not satisfied (or, where relevant, waived); (ii) the Placing Agreement is terminated; or (iii) the Placing Agreement does not otherwise become unconditional in all respects; the Offering will lapse and such Placee's rights and obligations in relation to the Offering shall cease and determine at such time and no claim shall be made by any Placee in respect thereof; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that OAK Securities does not act for, and that it does not expect OAK Securities to have any duties or responsibilities towards, such Placee, including, without limitation, for providing protections afforded to customers or clients of OAK Securities under the FCA's Conduct of Business Sourcebook or advising such Placee with regard to its Offering participation and that it is not, and will not be, a customer or client of Oak Securities as defined by the FCA's Conduct of Business Sourcebook in connection with the Offering. Likewise, OAK Securities will not treat any payment by such Placee pursuant to its Offering participation as client money and governed by the FCA's Client Assets Sourcebook; each Placee undertakes and agrees that it will be responsible for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax in relation to the Offering Shares comprised in its Offering participation and that neither OAK Securities nor the Company will be responsible for any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax in relation to the Offering Shares comprised in such Placee's Offering participation; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Offering participation confirmed in writing by email or orally by each Placee to OAK Securities (in each case as agent for the Company) and further confirmed by the Contract Confirmation is a legally binding contract between it and OAK Securities and the Company subject to any scaling back, as described above, in OAK Securities's absolute discretion and the Terms and Conditions of such Placee's Offering participation will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of England and Wales, to the exclusive jurisdiction of whose courts such Placee irrevocably agrees to submit; each Placee agrees that it will ensure delivery and payment is completed in accordance with the settlement instructions set out in the Contract Confirmation and acknowledges and agrees that time shall be of the essence as regards such Placee's obligations pursuant to its Offering participation; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that it is the responsibility of such Placee (if it is outside of the United Kingdom) to satisfy itself that, in doing so, such Placee complies with the laws and regulations of any relevant territory in connection with its Offering participation and that it obtains any requisite governmental or other consents and observes any other applicable formalities; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy, Offering Shares in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is unlawful. Accordingly, such Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Offering Shares may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, any province of Australia, Japan, Republic of Ireland or the Republic of South Africa or offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, a national, citizen or resident of the United States, any province of Australia, Japan, Republic of Ireland or the Republic of South Africa, in each case subject to limited exemptions, or any other jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Offering Shares have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or jurisdiction of the United States, or the relevant Japanese, Republic of Ireland, Australian or South African securities legislation and therefore the Offering Shares may not be offered, sold, transferred or delivered directly or indirectly into the United States, Japan, Republic of Ireland, Australia or the Republic of South Africa or their respective territories and possessions, subject to limited exemptions, and in the case of the United States, pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with United States securities laws; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that it has complied with all relevant laws of all relevant territories, obtained all requisite governmental or other consents which may be required, in connection with its Offering participation and complied with all requisite formalities and paid any issue, transfer or other taxes due in connection with its offer commitment in any territory and that it has not taken any action or omitted to take any action which will or may result in OAK Securities, the Company or any of their respective directors, officers, agents, employees or advisers acting in breach of the legal or regulatory requirements of any territory in connection with the Offering or such Placee's Offering participation; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants if it is receiving the Offering in circumstances under which the laws or regulations of a jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom would apply, that it is a person to whom the Offering Shares may be lawfully offered under that other jurisdiction's laws and regulations; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants if it is a resident in any EEA state, it is (i) an EEA Qualified Investor; and (ii) a 'professional client' or an 'eligible counterparty' within the meaning of Article 4(1)(11) and Article 24(2), (3) and (4), respectively, of Directive 2004/39/EC as implemented into national law of the relevant EEA state; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants if it is outside the United Kingdom, neither this Announcement nor any other offering, marketing or other material in connection with the Offering constitutes an invitation, offer or promotion to, or arrangement with, it or any person whom it is procuring to subscribe for Offering Shares pursuant to the Offering unless, in the relevant territory, such offer, invitation or other course of conduct could lawfully be made to it or such person and such documents or materials could lawfully be provided to it or such person and Offering Shares could lawfully be distributed to and subscribed and held by it or such person without compliance with any unfulfilled approval, registration or other regulatory or legal requirements; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants if it is a resident in the UK: (i) it is a UK Qualified Investor and (ii) it is a person of a kind described in Article 19 and/or Article 49 of the FPO and it understands that the information contained in this Appendix is only directed at any of the following: (A) persons falling within Article 19 of the FPO having professional experience in matters relating to investments; (B) persons falling within Article 49 of the FPO (including companies and unincorporated associations of high net worth and trusts of high value); (C) persons falling within Article 43(2) of the FPO or (D) persons to whom it would otherwise be lawful to distribute it; and that, accordingly, any investment or investment activity to which this Appendix relates is available to it as such a person or will be engaged in only with it as such a person; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that it does not have a registered address in and is not a citizen, resident or national of, any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to make or accept an offer of the Offering Shares and it is not acting on a non-discretionary basis for any such person; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that its subscription for Offering Shares does not trigger, in the jurisdiction in which such Placee is resident or located: (i) any obligation to prepare or file a prospectus or similar document or any other report with respect to such subscription; (ii) any disclosure or reporting obligation of the Company; or (iii) any registration or other obligation on the part of OAK Securities or the Company; that it and any person acting on its behalf is entitled to acquire the Offering Shares under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions which apply to it and that it has fully observed such laws and obtained all such governmental and other guarantees, permits, authorisations, approvals and consents which may be required thereunder and complied with all necessary formalities and that it has not taken any action or omitted to take any action which will or may result in OAK Securities, the Company or any of their respective affiliates acting in breach of the legal or regulatory requirements of any jurisdiction in connection with the Offering; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that it is not investing with a view to obtaining VCT or EIS relief; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants it is acting as principal and for no other person and that its Offering participation will not give any other person a contractual right to require the issue or sale by the Company of any Offering Shares; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that in accepting its Offering participation it is not applying for registration as, or as a nominee or agent for, a person who is or may be a person mentioned in sections 67 to 72 inclusive and sections 93 to 97 inclusive of the UK Finance Act 1986; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that, to the extent applicable to it, it is aware of its obligations in connection with UK MAR, UK Criminal Justice Act 1993, Terrorism Act 2006, Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001, Money Laundering Regulations, the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (each as amended), it has identified its clients in accordance with the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 and it has complied fully with its obligations pursuant to those Regulations; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that all times and dates in the Announcement and the Terms and Conditions set out in this Appendix may be subject to amendment and that OAK Securities will notify it of any such amendments; where it is acquiring the Offering Shares for one or more managed accounts, it represents, warrants and undertakes that it is authorised in writing by each managed account to acquire the Offering Shares for each managed account and it has full power to make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each such account; that if it is a pension fund or investment company, it represents, warrants and undertakes that its acquisition of Offering Shares is in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that no term of the agreement confirmed by the Contract Confirmation shall be enforceable under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 by any person other than the Company or OAK Securities or any affiliate of OAK Securities or any Indemnified Persons (as hereinafter defined); each Placee acknowledges that any of its monies held or received by OAK Securities will not be subject to the protections conferred by the Client Money Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"); each Placee confirms and agrees that, in connection with any permitted transfer, the Company or OAK Securities will have the right to obtain, as a condition to such transfer, a legal opinion of counsel, in form and by counsel satisfactory to the Company or OAK Securities, that no Securities Act registration is or will be required along with appropriate certifications by the transferee as to the 'Accredited Investor' status and/or other appropriate matters; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that it has not distributed, forwarded, transferred or otherwise transmitted the Announcement or any other presentation or offering materials concerning the Offering Shares within the United States, nor will it do any of the foregoing. Such Placee further confirms that it understands that the information in the Announcement, including financial information, may be materially different from any disclosure that would be provided in a United States offering; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that if it has received any confidential price sensitive information about the Company in advance of the Offering, it has received such information within the market soundings regime provided for in article 11 of MAR and associated delegated regulations and has not: (a) dealt in the securities of the Company; (b) encouraged or required another person to deal in the securities of the Company; or (c) disclosed such information to any person, prior to the information being made publicly available; each Placee confirms, represents and warrants that, in making its investment decision with respect to the Offering Shares: it has not relied on the Company or any of its respective affiliates or on any document published by any of them (other than the Announcement and the Offering Document); it has the ability to bear the economic risk of its investment in the Offering Shares and has no need for liquidity with respect to its investment in the Offering Shares; it has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits, risks and suitability of investing in the Offering Shares, and is able to sustain a complete loss of any investment in the Offering Shares; it has investigated independently and made its own assessment and satisfied itself concerning the relevant tax, legal, currency and other economic considerations relevant to its investment in the Offering Shares, including any federal, state and local tax consequences, affecting it in connection with its subscription for and any subsequent disposal of the Offering Shares; if it is a 'financial intermediary' in the United Kingdom, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus Regulation, the Offering Shares purchased by it in the Offering will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in the United Kingdom other than to UK Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of OAK Securities has been given to the offer or resale; if it is a 'financial intermediary' in a member state of the EEA, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the EU Prospectus Regulation, the Offering Shares purchased by it in the Offering will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in a member state of the EEA other than to EEA Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of OAK Securities has been given to the offer or resale; and it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Offering Shares to the public in the United Kingdom or any member state of the EEA except in circumstances falling within Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus Regulation or the EU Prospectus Regulation which do not result in any requirement for the publication of a prospectus pursuant to the UK Prospectus Regulation or the EU Prospectus Regulation; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that neither OAK Securities, nor any of its Affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them, is making any recommendations to it, or advising it regarding the suitability or merits of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the Offering and that it is not entitled to the protections afforded to clients of OAK Securities in connection with the Offering and that neither OAK Securities nor any of its Affiliates nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees or advisers shall be liable for any losses (including, without limitation, loss of profit, loss of business or opportunity and special interest or consequential losses), damages or costs of the Placee save as a result of fraud or for death or personal injury; each Placee acknowledges and agrees the Offering does not constitute a recommendation or financial product advice and OAK Securities has not had regard to its particular objectives, financial situation and needs; each Placee acknowledges that the Company, OAK Securities, CREST, the Registrar, any transfer agent, any distributors or dealers and their respective affiliates and others will rely on the truth and accuracy of the foregoing warranties, acknowledgements, representations, undertakings and agreements, and agrees to notify the Company and OAK Securities promptly in writing if any of its warranties, acknowledgements, representations, undertakings or agreements set out above cease to be accurate and complete and to indemnify and hold harmless on an after-tax basis the Company, OAK Securities and any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or advisers ("Indemnified Persons") from and against any and all loss, damage, liability or expense, including reasonable costs and attorneys' fees and disbursements, which an Indemnified Person may incur by reason of, or in connection with, any representation or warranty made by such Placee as set out above not having been true when made, any misrepresentation made or any failure by such Placee to fulfil any of its undertakings or agreements set out above or any other document such Placee provides to the Company or OAK Securities. Such Placee irrevocably authorises each of the Company and OAK Securities to produce a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby; acknowledges that it irrevocably appoints any member or officer of OAK Securities as its agent for the purposes of executing and delivering to the Company and/or the Registrar any documents on its behalf necessary to enable it to be registered as the holder of any of the Offering Shares agreed to be taken up by it under the Offering; each Placee acknowledges that the rights and remedies of OAK Securities and the Company under these Terms and Conditions are in addition to any rights and remedies which would otherwise be available to each of them and the exercise or partial exercise of one right or remedy will not prevent the exercise of the other rights and/or remedies; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that its commitment to subscribe for Offering Shares on the terms set out herein and in the trade confirmation will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be made to the Terms and Conditions of the Offering and that Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be obtained with respect to the Company's or OAK Securities's conduct of the Offering; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that in connection with the Offering, OAK Securities and any of its Affiliates acting as an investor for its own account may take up shares in the Company and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for its own account such shares in the Company and any securities of the Company or related investments and may offer or sell such securities or other investments otherwise than in connection with the Offering. Accordingly, references in this Announcement to shares being issued, offered or placed should be read as including any issue, offering or placement of such shares in the Company to OAK Securities and any of its Affiliates acting in such capacity. In addition, OAK Securities may enter into financing arrangements and swaps with investors in connection with which OAK Securities may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of such securities of the Company, including the Offering Shares. Neither OAK Securities nor any of its Affiliates intends to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so; each Placee acknowledges and agrees that none of the Company, the Directors or any of the Company's advisers give any warranty or undertaking that any Offering Shares will be eligible for EIS Relief or be regarded as a 'qualifying holding' for VCT relief purposes or that any such reliefs (if available) will not be withdrawn at a later date; each Placee authorises and instructs OAK Securities, the Company and their respective agents to receive and hold any personal data and information of or belonging to the Placee which is received in relation to the Offering, and it consents to the lawful use by OAK Securities, the Company and their respective agents of such data and information for the purposes of the Offering; and each Placee undertakes that it (and any person acting on its behalf) will make payment for the Offering Shares allocated to it in accordance with the Announcement and these Terms and Conditions on the due time and date set out herein, failing which the relevant Offering Shares may be placed with other subscribers or sold as the OAK Securities may in its sole discretion determine and without liability to such Placee and such Placee will remain liable for any shortfall below the net proceeds of such sale and the placing proceeds of such Offering Shares and may be required to bear the liability for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (together with any interest or penalties due pursuant to or referred to in these Terms and Conditions) which may arise upon the placing or sale of such Placee's Offering Shares on its behalf. The foregoing acknowledgements, agreements, undertakings, representations, warranties and confirmations are given for the benefit of the Company and OAK Securities (for their own benefit and, where relevant, the benefit of their respective officers and affiliates and any person acting on their behalf) and are irrevocable. Each Placee, and any person acting on behalf of a Placee, acknowledges that the neither the Company nor OAK Securities owes any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement. Responsibility The Terms and Conditions set out in this Appendix and the Announcement of which it forms part have been issued by the Company and are the sole responsibility of the Company. SOURCE: Pulsar Helium Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/pulsar-helium-announces-fundraise-of-up-to-gbp-5-million-1063369 Akiptan and GROW South Dakota receive grants to expand economic opportunity for rural and tribal entrepreneurs statewide MOBRIDGE, SD / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / The Wells Fargo Foundation recently announced a $1 million philanthropic investment to support small business growth across South Dakota, with a focus on empowering entrepreneurs in rural and tribal communities. The funding will be distributed evenly between Akiptan, a Native-led community development financial institution, and GROW South Dakota (GROW SD), a statewide economic development organization, providing critical resources and capital to small business owners and agricultural producers throughout the state. As Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) highlighted at the announcement in Mobridge, investing in rural small businesses means investing in the future of South Dakota: "Small businesses are an essential part of the fabric of our communities and our way of life in South Dakota. They provide good-paying jobs and opportunities for so many hardworking folks across our state. This investment will go a long way in helping them grow and create new jobs, especially in rural and tribal communities." Jason Rosenberg, head of Public Affairs for Wells Fargo, emphasized the bank's history in South Dakota at the event and the importance of community investment: "Wells Fargo is proud to support small businesses by expanding avenues to capital as they create economic growth and bring jobs to towns throughout the state and the country. With this new funding, Akiptan and GROW SD can help more small businesses thrive in rural and tribal communities across South Dakota." Akiptan expands opportunities for agricultural producers Akiptan's mission is to transform Native agriculture and food economies by delivering creative capital, leading paradigm changes, and enhancing producer prosperity across Indian Country. Since lending operations began in 2019, Akiptan has addressed the gap in access to capital by offering patient, non-extractive lending tailored for producers across Indian country. For Akiptan, each agricultural operation is more than just a business - it's a family legacy and a way of life. "We are excited and humbled to receive these funds from Wells Fargo," said Skya Ducheneaux, Executive Director, Akiptan. "We can't wait to put these dollars to work in Indian Country by supporting agriculture operations. Especially in South Dakota, agriculture is a root-level driving force of the economy that we are proud to support." GROW SD supports rural small business success GROW SD will directly support rural economic development by expanding access to capital and by providing business support for small business owners, enabling business growth and the preservation or creation of jobs. All participating businesses will also benefit from customized technical assistance, including one-on-one advising and targeted training in areas such as cash flow forecasting, credit counseling, and marketing. "Access to capital remains one of the greatest challenges in our rural communities, and this collaboration allows us to deliver the critical funding and assistance that local entrepreneurs need to grow and succeed," said Marcia Erickson, GROW SD Co-CEO. "It is also a privilege to work alongside Akiptan in this partnership and to support its efforts in serving farm producers." "This $1 million investment into South Dakota from Wells Fargo will strengthen local economies and create a lasting impact across the communities we serve. We are grateful to be able to expand the reach of our work across rural communities," Lori Finnesand, Co-CEO, added. For more information, small business owners can visit www.akitpan.org or www.growsd.org. ### Media Contacts: Maureen Nelson, GROW South Dakota, maureen@growsd.org Dawn LeBeau, Akiptan, dawn@akiptan.org Kim Erlichson, Wells Fargo, kim.erlichson@wellsfargo.com Senate Majority Leader John Thune joined leaders from Wells Fargo, Akiptan and GROW South Dakota for an announcement of Wells Fargo's $1 million philanthropic investment in rural and tribal small business growth across South Dakota. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Wells Fargo & Company on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Wells Fargo & Company Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/wells-fargo Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Wells Fargo & Company View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/wells-fargo-invests-1-million-toward-rural-small-businesses-in-south-1063391 Columbia, South Carolina--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Elauwit Connection Inc., a national managed services provider for multifamily and student housing markets, today announced that it has opened two new regional service hubs to serve its expanding customer base in two key markets. One regional service hub is located in Alexandria, Va., and will serve the "DMV" region (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) and the Richmond, Va., markets. The other service hub is located in Dallas, Texas, and will serve the greater region. This opening of these regional service hubs comes on the heels of Elauwit Connection's announcement that it now provides seamless connectivity services in 25 states and Washington, D.C. "Opening regional service hubs in the DMV and Dallas areas will enable us to provide even better service to our customers in those fast growing markets for multifamily and student housing," said Taylor Jones, President and CTO of Elauwit Connection. "We are very excited about this development and the opportunities it brings to all of our current and future customers and partners." Elauwit Connection has extended its presence quickly into high-growth markets such as the DMV and Dallas, joining Florida, Charlotte and Atlanta as top activity regions. All of this is supported by its dedicated team of full-time employees and national network of subcontractors. The combination of fiber, ethernet and Wi-Fi technologies Elauwit Connection deploys delivers customers speeds of up to 10 Gbps, with 99% uptime and responsive service. Residents of the communities Elauwit serves benefit from seamless connectivity throughout their communities, with the ability to stay connected no matter where they roam throughout the property. Property owners, in turn benefit from the services that not only attract new residents but retain current ones, as well as new revenue streams that can improve their profitability and value of the community. "As we continue to extend our offerings to new customers throughout the country, we are dedicated to expanding our service and support as well, as can be seen with the opening of these two regional service hubs," Jones concluded. About Elauwit Elauwit Connection is a national managed services provider delivering turnkey internet and connectivity solutions for multifamily and student housing communities. With a focus on service quality, reliability, and revenue generation, Elauwit enables real estate owners' delivery of premium connectivity as a competitive advantage. For more information on Elauwit Connection, visit elauwit.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263225 SOURCE: Elauwit New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - The Dr. Sagy Grinberg Healing Hands Scholarship for Healthcare is now officially open for applications, offering a meaningful opportunity for undergraduate students in healthcare fields to share their inspiration and vision for the future of medicine. Designed to recognize passion, purpose, and potential in aspiring healthcare professionals, the scholarship aims to support students dedicated to making a measurable difference in the lives of others through compassionate care and clinical excellence. Dr. Sagy Grinberg To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8530/263202_6d1cbf3f24bf7811_001full.jpg Dr. Sagy Grinberg, a board-certified physician in internal medicine and infectious diseases, spearheads this initiative with the goal of investing in the next generation of healthcare leaders. As the lead physician of his private practice, Dr. Sagy Grinberg brings decades of experience in hospital medicine, outpatient care, and research. His scholarship reflects his continued commitment to nurturing individuals who share his vision of patient-centered, evidence-based care. Open to undergraduate students enrolled at accredited U.S. institutions, the Dr. Sagy Grinberg Healing Hands Scholarship for Healthcare invites applicants from all healthcare-related fields, including medicine, nursing, public health, biomedical sciences, and other allied health programs. This national scholarship is not limited to any specific region or state, making it accessible to all eligible students pursuing healthcare degrees across the United States. To apply, students must submit an original essay of 750 to 1,000 words addressing the following prompt: "What inspires you to pursue a career in healthcare, and how do you plan to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others through your future work?" Applications are being accepted now through January 15, 2026, and the selected recipient will be announced on February 15, 2026. Dr. Sagy Grinberg strongly believes in the power of storytelling to uncover authentic commitment, and the essay component plays a key role in evaluating each applicant's unique voice and mission. The scholarship is a personal endeavor by Dr. Sagy Grinberg to give back to a field that has shaped his life and career. His work has consistently reflected a dedication to advancing healthcare through both compassionate treatment and scientific rigor. Through the Dr. Sagy Grinberg Healing Hands Scholarship, he hopes to encourage students who exhibit that same sense of purpose and responsibility. Dr. Sagy Grinberg has long advocated for holistic development among future medical professionals. He understands that academic training is only one facet of a successful healthcare career-the values of empathy, innovation, and community service are equally vital. By launching this scholarship, Dr. Sagy Grinberg affirms his belief that true impact in healthcare comes not only from knowledge, but from human connection and integrity. Students interested in applying or learning more about the scholarship requirements can visit the official website at https://drsagygrinbergscholarship.com/. This initiative reflects Dr. Sagy Grinberg's enduring investment in mentoring and inspiring future practitioners. Through this scholarship, Dr. Sagy Grinberg continues his mission of building a future where healthcare is led by professionals who prioritize service, empathy, and lasting impact. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263202 SOURCE: GYT SHENZHEN, CN / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Recently, Matatalab announced the launch of a new smart optical imaging brand - MatataXplore - and revealed that the Solvia ED 8x32 AI Binoculars will soon be available on Kickstarter. Designed for birdwatchers, nature explorers, hikers, and creators, these binoculars combine advanced optics with AI-supported species recognition and effortless sharing-delivering a truly connected outdoor experience. More details here. Solvia ED 8x32 AI Binoculars For decades, traditional binoculars have been limited to passive observation. Users had no simple way to capture what they saw - let alone identify species or share their findings in real time. External cameras and printed field guides often added bulk and friction to what should be a seamless outdoor experience. Solvia ED changes that by integrating high-definition imaging, real-time AI species recognition, and instant sharing tools into a single device. It offers a more intelligent and intuitive way to explore. The built-in AI, trained on over 100GB of avian data, can identify more than 10,000 bird species with up to 98% accuracy in just one second. The companion app extends this capability to plants and other wildlife, transforming each outing into a moment of discovery and learning. At the core of Solvia ED's innovation lies its patented TrueFrame coaxial imaging system. Unlike traditional digital adapters that suffer from misalignment and optical loss, this system ensures that what the eye sees is exactly what the camera captures. Combined with ED glass and WDR technology, users can record crisp 2k photos and videos and share them instantly via the app or social platforms. Built for real-world conditions, the binoculars weigh just 560g and are rated IP64 for dust and water resistance. Optional modular accessories - including GPS, a digital compass, a polarizing filter, and an extended battery pack - further enhance its performance for a wide range of field environments. Whether observing birds at dawn, leading nature walks, or creating outdoor content, Solvia ED delivers professional-grade performance with consumer-level ease of use. Solvia ED transforms how we connect with the natural world. It's about learning, sharing, and inspiring others-making every moment outside richer and more memorable. The Solvia ED 8x32 AI Binoculars will soon be available on Kickstarter, with special offers for early supporters. Discover more here. SOURCE: Matatalab View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/electronics-and-engineering/matataxplore-announces-solvia-ed-8x32-ai-binoculars-a-smarter-way-to-ex-1063195 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Star Copper Corp. (the "Company") (CSE:STCU)(OTC:STCUF)(FWB:SOP) is pleased to announce that, further to its previous news releases dated July 16, 2025 and July 28, 2025, it completed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of C$3,999,999 from the sale of 2,666,666 "flow-through" units of the Company (each, an "FTUnit", and collectively, the "FT Units") at a price of C$1.50 per FT Unit (the "LIFE Offering") under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined herein). Each FT Unit consists of one "flow-through" common share (each, an "FT Share" and collectively, the "FT Shares") and one "flow-through" common share purchase warrant (each an "FT Warrant" and collectively, the "FT Warrants"), issued as "flow-through shares", as defined in subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"). Each FT Warrant is exercisable to acquire one common share (each a "Warrant Share", and collectively, the "Warrant Shares") at a price of $1.60 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months from the date hereof (the "Closing Date"). The Warrant Shares underlying the FT Units will not qualify as "flow-through shares" under the Tax Act. The FT Warrants to be issued pursuant to the LIFE Offering will not be listed for trading on any stock exchange. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the LIFE Offering was made to purchasers resident in all provinces of Canada, except Quebec, pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The securities offered under the LIFE Offering pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are not subject to resale restrictions in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an amended and restated offering document dated July 28, 2025 (the "Offering Document") related to the LIFE Offering that can be accessed under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at: www.starcopper.com. The gross proceeds of the LIFE Offering will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" that are "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures", within the meaning of the Tax Act, on the Company's flagship Star Project. Pursuant to a finder's fee agreement dated August 8, 2025 (the "Finder's Agreement") entered into between the Company and Canaccord Genuity Corp. (the "Finder") in respect of the LIFE Offering, the Company paid a finder's fee to the Finder consisting of: (i) a cash payment of $17,499.93, being an amount equal to 7% of the gross proceeds raised from subscriptions in the LIFE Offering from persons introduced to the Company by the Finder; and (ii) 11,666 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants"), being an amount equal to 7.0% of the aggregate number of FT Units subscribed for by persons introduced to the Company by the Finder. Each Finder's Warrant is exercisable to purchase one additional common share (the "Finder's Warrant Shares") at $1.50 per Finder's Warrant Share for a period of 24 months from the Closing Date, all in accordance with and subject to the terms of the warrant certificate representing the Finder's Warrants and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Star Copper Corp. (CSE: STCU) (OTC: STCUF) (FWB: SOP / WKN A416ME) Star Copper Corp. is an exploration and development company focused on developing high-potential copper projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company aims to advance its British Columbian flagship Star Project where significant exploration work including historical drilling has confirmed open mineralization at depth and in all directions. Star Copper's strategic plans include geological mapping and geophysical surveys to refine existing targets, diamond drilling programs to test high-priority zones, environmental baseline studies and permitting groundwork alongside data analysis and resource modeling to support a future resource estimate prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101. The Company further plans to advance its Indata Project with follow-up drilling to expand on previous high-grade copper and gold intercepts, trenching and surface sampling to delineate mineralized zones, and infrastructure improvements for site accessibility and operations. With a commitment to sustainable development and value creation, Star Copper aims to position itself to support surging industrial demand to meet growing global electrification needs. For more information visit: www.starcopper.com and to sign up for free news alerts please go to https://starcopper.com/news/news-alerts/, or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook or LinkedIn. More information in respect of the Star Project, including historical drilling, is available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and/or in the Company's February 26, 2025 technical report. Investor Relations Star Copper Corp. Email: info@starcopper.com Web: https://starcopper.com/ Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. In particular, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning: the Company's exploration and development plans with respect its projects, and statements regarding the LIFE Offering including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated benefits thereof and the use of gross proceeds. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include but are not limited to market conditions and the risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: Star Copper Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/star-copper-announces-completion-of-4-million-life-offering-1063547 RALEIGH, NC / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers is proud to announce that it has once again been recognized by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly as one of the state's Best Family-Led Law Firms for 2025. This marks the second consecutive year the firm has earned this distinction, a testament to its ongoing commitment to justice, integrity, and family values. Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers Built on Family, Rooted in Justice Founded by Gene Riddle , the firm began as a small personal injury practice with a simple mission: treat every client like family while fighting tirelessly for justice. Over the years, that mission has shaped Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers into a statewide name synonymous with trusted legal representation, compassionate service, and an unwavering dedication to those who have been injured or wronged. A Legacy Carried Forward The Riddle family tradition in law continues to grow. In 2025, Gene's daughter Alex Riddle was officially named a partner at the firm. Alex brings a sharp legal mind, a fierce commitment to justice, and a fresh perspective that ensures Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers continues to evolve while honoring its roots. The legacy doesn't stop there. Arden Riddle, Gene's youngest daughter, is currently attending the University of North Carolina School of Law and is expected to join the practice in 2026. Together, the Riddle family is building a multigenerational practice that not only delivers results in the courtroom but also cultivates a culture of compassion, resilience, and family-first values. Recognition That Resonates The firm attributes its continued success to three guiding principles: Personal relationships with clients - Treating each case with the care and dedication it deserves. A team that works like a family - Fostering collaboration, support, and unity at every level. Deep-rooted community ties - Maintaining strong connections with the people and places they serve across North Carolina . Being included on North Carolina Lawyers Weekly's 2025 list of Best Family-Led Law Firms represents more than industry acknowledgment-it is a reflection of what truly sets Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers apart. About Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers extends heartfelt gratitude to every client who has trusted the firm to handle their case with the same care as if it were their own family's. That trust is the foundation of the firm's mission and the driving force behind every success. If you or someone you love has been injured, Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers is committed to protecting your family. For more information about the firm and its commitment to family values, visit their website or contact them by phone or online. Media Contact: Company Name: Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers Address: 4600 Marriott Dr STE 500 City: Raleigh] State: North Carolina Zip: 27612 Country: United States Phone: (919) 876-3020 Website: https://justicecounts.com/ SOURCE: Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/riddle-and-riddle-injury-lawyers-named-one-of-north-carolinas-be-1063577 RIGA, LATVIA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Dr. Ashleys Limited is proud to announce that its founder and global CEO, Dr. Kanans Visvanats, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Dr Albert Schweitzer Medical Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious award honors Dr. Visvanats and his incredible efforts in the sphere of medicine and his lifetime commitment to providing healthcare support to underserved communities worldwide. The Dr. Albert Schweitzer Medical Lifetime Achievement Award is an honour that celebrates the achievements of individuals who have performed exemplary service to medical research, humanitarian efforts, and health policy in the extension of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, a Nobel laureate and the pioneer of humanitarian medical work. Dr. Visvanats is a successor in the spirit of Dr. Albert Schweitzer as he heads the task of supplying life-saving pharmaceuticals to the most inaccessible parts of the world. Dr. Visvanats Impact on the Pharmaceutical Industry Being the Founder of Dr. Ashleys Limited , Dr. Visvanats has shown tremendous leadership in not just having innovations in medical science but also getting them to those populations that require them most. As the leader, the firm has led to affordable solutions in producing and distributing generic and patented medicines that have significantly reduced the cost of life-saving drugs. Dr. Visvanath's work in Dr. Ashley's Limited has been central to the company's mission, which is to make medicines accessible and affordable, among other things, particularly in emerging markets. His strategies have allowed the firm to expand its operations and export its pharmaceutical products to more than 80 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. The company produces oncology, anti-malaria, HIV-AIDS, and other infectious disease unit medicine, thus contributing substantially to global public health. Figure 1 Dr. Ashleys - Medicine Beyond Borders Humanitarian and Business Leadership Dr. Visvanats humanitarian efforts extend beyond the corporate world. He is an active participant in global health efforts, having worked with the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology, Development (CSTD) as a Garwood Innovation Fellow at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. And Fellow at The Royal Society of Chemistry London. These positions can enable him to sway world health policy, advocate for access to medicines, and take part in research and development efforts to address the health-related challenges that worry everyone. The award was conferred following the final round of voting by the International Albert Schweitzer Foundation (IASF). In a congratulatory email, Prof. Dr. Bang-Ning Liu, Independent Director of the IASF, expressed heartfelt admiration and gratitude on behalf of the entire committee. The email highlighted Dr. Visvanats' exceptional contributions to science, medicine, and humanitarian progress. Dr. Visvanats Vision for the Future Moving into the future, Dr. Visvanats aims to increase the reputable global presence of Dr. Ashleys Limited as well as increase innovation in the pharmaceutical production process. The company is also working towards improving warehousing and inventory management capacity to achieve efficiency and shorter lead times. Dr. Visvanats is also leading in creating pathways for bringing orphan drugs and newer Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) to market, in areas of unmet therapeutic needs. Dr. Ashley's Limited, investment in research and development (R&D) is part of its long-term strategy. The company holds a steady investment in manufacturing technology advancement that should decrease the price of manufacturing and increase access to necessary drugs. Mr. Santosh Banerjee Business Development Head (SEA) at Asprofin Bank Corporation, and assigned Private Banker to Dr. Kanans opined, "Through these technologies, Dr. Ashley's Limited will be able to make more progress in the scenario against global health issues, including cancer, malaria, and viral infections." About Dr. Ashleys Limited Dr. Ashleys Limited was incorporated in 2012. The firm is a global front-runner in the creation, production, and distribution of squeezed into Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and Orphan Drugs. The mission of this firm is to deliver life-saving medicines to underserved markets and involves targeted non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as well as infectious diseases. Dr. Ashley's Limited has its operations in more than 80 countries, and its customers span the whole world in need of vital healthcare items. Dr. Ashleys Limited has built a highly-rated brand and reputation among its potential customers as a leading company in distributing quality and innovative solutions in the pharmaceutical industry globally. Corporate social responsibility and the sustainability of the company's business practices have seen it gain the trust of governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and healthcare providers across the globe. For more information, please visit Dr. Ashleys Limiteds website . Dr Ashleys Limited Dr. Kanans Visvanats FRSC dkv@drashleys.com Address: Unit No 1504, 15th Floor Peninsula Square, 18 Sung On Street, Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong Sar For more information on the International Albert Schweitzer Foundation . SOURCE: Dr Ashleys Limited View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/dr.-kanans-visvanats-wins-2025-schweitzer-lifetime-achievement-a-1063597 Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - TrustBIX Inc. (TSXV: TBIX) ("TrustBIX" or the "Company") announces that the Company has been granted an extension by the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") to complete the non-brokered private placement, as previously announced on July 7th, 2025 (the "Private Placement"), of up to 10,000,000 units ("Units") at a price of $0.04 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $400,000, by no later than September 2nd, 2025. The Private Placement remains subject to the final acceptance of the TSXV and all regulatory approvals. Details of this Private Placement: Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share in the capital of TrustBIX ("Common Share") and one (1) Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"), whereby each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) Common Share at a price of $0.08 for a period of two (2) years from the date of closing. If the closing price of the Common Shares on the principal market on which such shares trade is equal to or exceeds $0.12 per Common Share for twenty (20) consecutive trading days, TrustBIX will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants. In the event of acceleration, the expiry date will be accelerated to a date that is thirty (30) days after the date that the Company has issued a press release announcing the exercise of the acceleration right; and thereafter, no further notification will be provided by TrustBIX to the subscribers. The proceeds will be used for general working capital purposes, including, but not limited to, funding the acquisition of inventory at scale to support the Company's ongoing operations. The securities to be issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a statutory hold period lasting four (4) months and one (1) day following the closing of the Private Placement. The Common Shares issued under the Private Placement will be sold to investors pursuant to prospectus exemptions available under National Instrument 45-106, including exemptions for: accredited investor, employee, executive officer, director and consultant, and existing security holders. About TrustBIX (TSXV: TBIX) TrustBIX is an agricultural technology company providing Gate to Plate solutions to create a world where we trust more, waste less, and reward sustainable practices. Our award-winning technologies offer practical tools trusted by local and international agri-food organizations. www.TrustBIX.com Forward-Looking Information This press release contains certain forward-looking information and reflects the Company's present assumptions regarding future events. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, levels of activity, performance, and/or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "propose", "anticipate", "believe", "forecast", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions used by any of the Company's management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's internal projections, expectations, future growth, performance and business prospects and opportunities and are based on information currently available to the Company. Since they relate to the Company's current views with respect to future events, they are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments except as required by applicable securities legislation, regulations or policies. 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 of accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263231 SOURCE: TrustBIX Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Numinus Wellness Inc. (TSX: NUMI) (OTCQB: NUMIF) (FSE: LR23) ("Numinus" or the "Company"), a mental health care company focused on innovative behavioral health treatments with a focus on safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies, today announced its financial results for the three months ended February 28, 2025 ("Q2 2025"). Q2 2025 Performance Metrics For the quarter ended: Feb 28, 2025 (Q2 2025) Feb 28, 2024 (Q2 2024) % change Total Revenue $ 1,512,435 $ 822,973 83.8% Cost of revenue 1,007,691 365,446 175.7% Gross Profit (Loss) $ 504,744 $ 457,527 10.3% Gross profit margin (loss) 33.4% 55.6% -400 bps Operating expenses and other items 9,886,497 5,306,523 86.31% Loss and comprehensive loss ($7,705,397 ) ($5,960,437 ) n/a Balance Sheet and Liquidity Numinus ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $705,631. Numinus' unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the three months ended February 28, 2025, and related management's discussion and analysis are available on Numinus' Investor Relations website at www.investors.numinusnetwork.com and under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. These documents were prepared in accordance with IFRS. About Numinus Numinus Wellness Inc. (TSX: NUMI) (OTCQB: NUMIF) helps people to heal and be well through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies. The Numinus model - including psychedelic research and clinic care - is at the forefront of a transformation aimed at healing rather than managing symptoms for depression, anxiety, trauma, pain and substance use. At Numinus, we are leading the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies into mainstream clinical practice and building the foundation for a healthier society. Learn more at www.numinusnetwork.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. SOURCE: Numinus Wellness Inc. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including, without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs regarding future performance are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expects", "does not expect", "is expected", "believes", "intends", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes" or variations of these words, expressions or statements, that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, will occur or will be realized. Such forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other known and unknown factors that could cause actual results, events or developments to differ materially from the results, events or developments expected and expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, ability of Numinus to maintain or increase earnings; ability of Numinus to achieve or maintain profitability; results of changes to operations from a financial or business perspective; the effect of cost containment measures on Numinus business and financial position; changes to cash burn rate, expenses, corporate programs or priorities, or unanticipated costs affecting cash runway or the pathway to positive cashflow or profitability, interest in, uptake of and the ability to commercialize the Numinus Training; availability of subjects and trainers for experiential opportunities in practitioners training, if approved; dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including the acquisition and renewal of federal, provincial, municipal, local or other licenses, and any inability to obtain all necessary government authorizations, licenses and permits to operate the Company's facilities; regulatory or policy changes such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including federal, state and provincial legalization, if any, due to fluctuations in public opinion, industry perception of integrative mental health, including the use of psychedelic-assisted therapy, delays or inefficiencies or any other reason; any other factor or development likely to hamper the growth of the market; the Company's need for additional financing and the effects of financial market conditions and other factors on the availability of capital; competition, including that of more established and better funded competitors; the need to build and maintain alliances and partnerships, including with research and development companies, customers and suppliers; and other risk factors set forth in our annual information form dated July 25, 2025 and available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. These factors should be carefully considered, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Despite the Company's efforts to identify the main risk factors that could cause actual measures, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, other risk factors may cause measures, events or developments to materially differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to revise forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new facts or any other reason, except as required by applicable laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263266 SOURCE: Numinus Wellness Inc. WINNIPEG, MB / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Medicure Inc. ("Medicure" or the "Company") (TSXV:MPH)(OTC:MCUJF), a company focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products for patients and prescribers in the United States market, today reported its results from operations for the quarter ended June 30, 2025. Quarter Ended June 30, 2025 Highlights: Recorded total net revenue of $6.7 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to $5.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 and; Recorded total net revenue from the sale of AGGRASTAT of $1.7 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to $1.8 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 and; Recorded total net revenue from the Marley Drug business of $3.1 million ($908,000 from sales of ZYPITAMAG , and $2.2 million from other pharmacy revenue) during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to $2.7 million ($790,000 from sales of ZYPITAMAG and $1.9 million from other pharmacy revenue) for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 and; Recorded total net revenue from the sale of ZYPITAMAG of $1.7 million ($751,000 through the insured business, and $908,000 through Marley Drug) during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to $1.4 million ($654,000 through insured business and $790,000 through Marley Drug) for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 and; Recorded total net revenue from the Gateway Pharmacy business of $764,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 and; Recorded total net revenue from the West Olympia Pharmacy business of $328,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 and; Medicure invested $741,000 in research and development during the quarter ended June 30, 2025, underscoring our commitment to advancing innovative therapies, such as the Phase 3 trial of Medicure's investigational product MC-1 for the treatment of PNPO deficiency and delivering long-term value to patients and shareholders, and; Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA 1 ) for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was negative $28,000 compared to adjusted EBITDA of negative $514,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 and; Net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was $786,000 or $0.08 per share compared to a net loss of $1.2 million or $0.12 per share for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Financial Results AGGRASTAT revenues have remained consistent when compared to the same period in the previous year, as described above, despite competition from generic tirofiban hydrochloride. The Marley Drug business contributed $3.1 million of revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to $2.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Marley Drug is a US pharmacy licensed to ship medications to all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. The increase in revenue is due to a higher volume of product sold, including increased sales of ZYPITAMAG and BRENZAVVY through both the online e-commerce platform and the legacy mail-order business, offset by lower sales of certain generic pharmaceutical products. ZYPITAMAG through insured channels contributed $751,000 of revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to $654,000 through insured channels for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The increase in revenues in 2025 can be attributed to changes in insurance coverage and formularies and increased utilization of the product through insurance formularies, specifically Medicare Part D. Revenue through Gateway Pharmacy during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was $764,000. Revenue through West Olympia Pharmacy during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was $328,000. The revenue recorded through West Olympia Pharmacy during the current quarter was from sales made during the period June 16, 2025 to June 30, 2025. Both Gateway Pharmacy and West Olympia Pharmacy were acquired during the current year, and as a result, the Company did not earn any revenue through these pharmacies during the prior year. The Company intends on offering ZYPITAMAG through these two pharmacies in subsequent quarters in addition to other product offerings which have increased revenue at Marley Drug. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was negative $28,000 compared to negative $514,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The increase in adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 resulted from an increase in revenue through Marley Drug, Gateway Pharmacy and West Olympia Pharmacy and ZYPITAMAG, a decrease in general and administrative expenses as a result of lower professional fees incurred and a decrease in research and development expenses, offset by a decrease in AGGRASTAT revenue, higher cost of goods sold through Marley Drug and higher selling expenses through the retail pharmacy operating segment. Net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was $786,000 or $0.08 per share compared to a net loss of $1.2 million or $0.12 per share for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The main factors contributing to the change in net loss recorded for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 were an increase in revenue through Marley Drug, Gateway Pharmacy and West Olympia Pharmacy and ZYPITAMAG, a decrease in general and administrative expenses and a decrease in research and development expenses, offset by a decrease in AGGRASTAT revenue, higher cost of goods sold through Marley Drug and higher selling expenses through the retail pharmacy operating segment. At June 30, 2025, the Company had unrestricted cash totaling $4.7 million, a decrease from $7.2 million of unrestricted cash held as of December 31, 2024. Cash flows used in operating activities for the six month period ended June 30, 2025 was $73,000 compared to cash used in operating activities of $162,000 for the period ended June 30, 2024. Cash used in investing activities for the period ended June 30, 2025 was $2.2 million compared to $191,000 for the period ended June 30, 2024. The cash used in investing activities for the period ended June 30, 2025 related to the Company's acquisitions of Gateway Pharmacy and West Olympia Pharmacy during the current year. All amounts referenced herein are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. The full financial statements are available at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.medicure.com. Notes (1) The Company defines EBITDA as "earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization" and Adjusted EBITDA as "EBITDA adjusted for non cash and non-recurring items". The terms "EBITDA" and "Adjusted EBITDA", as it relates to the three month period ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 results prepared using IFRS, do not have any standardized meaning according to IFRS. Conference Call Info: Topic: Medicure's Q2 2025 Results Call date: Thursday, August 21, 2025 Time: 7:30 AM Central Time (8:30 AM Eastern Time) Toll Free: 1 (888) 506-0062 International: 1 (973) 528-0011 Participant Access Code: 850331 Webcast: This conference call will be webcast live over the internet at the following link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2965/52887 You may request international country-specific access information by e-mailing the Company in advance. Management will accept and answer questions related to the financial results and operations during the question-and-answer period at the end of the conference call. A recording of the call will be available following the event at the Company's website. About Medicure Inc. Medicure is a company focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products for patients and prescribers in the United States market. The present focus of the Company is the marketing and distribution of AGGRASTAT (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection and ZYPITAMAG (pitavastatin) tablets in the United States, where they are sold through the Company's U.S. subsidiary, Medicure Pharma Inc. Medicure also operates Marley Drug Inc. ("Marley Drug"), a pharmacy subsidiary servicing all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Marley Drug is committed to improving access to medications for all Americans together with exceptional customer service and free home delivery. Medicure also operates Gateway Medical Pharmacy ("Gateway"), located in Portland, Oregon in a medical office building near major transportation lines and multiple healthcare clinics and centers. In addition to regular customers, the pharmacy services multiple long-term care facilities and provides non-sterile compounding services. Medicure also operates West Olympia Pharmacy ("West Olympia"), located in Olympia, Washington in a medical office complex near multiple clinics. For more information visit www.marleydrug.com. For more information about Medicure please visit www.medicure.com. For additional information about AGGRASTAT, please visit www.aggrastat.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information. For additional information about ZYPITAMAG, please visit www.zypitamag.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information. To be added to Medicure's e-mail list, please visit: http://medicure.mediaroom.com/alerts Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Information: Statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes", "may", "plans", "will", "estimates", "continues", "anticipates", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. federal securities laws (such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are hereinafter collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements, include estimates, analysis and opinions of management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors which the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances. Inherent in forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond the Company's ability to predict or control that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others, the Company's future product revenues, expected results, including future revenue from P5P, the likelihood of receiving a priority review voucher from the United State Food and Drug Administration, expected future growth in revenues, stage of development, additional capital requirements, risks associated with the completion and timing of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to market the Company's products, the ability to protect its intellectual property, dependence upon collaborative partners, changes in government regulation or regulatory approval processes, and rapid technological change in the industry. Such statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions about: general business and economic conditions; the impact of changes in Canadian-US dollar and other foreign exchange rates on the Company's revenues, costs and results; the timing of the receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals for the Company's research and development projects; the availability of financing for the Company's commercial operations and/or research and development projects, or the availability of financing on reasonable terms; results of current and future clinical trials; the uncertainties associated with the acceptance and demand for new products and market competition. The foregoing list of important factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of factors, other than as may be required by applicable legislation. Additional discussion regarding the risks and uncertainties relating to the Company and its business can be found in the Company's other filings with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities or the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and in the "Risk Factors" section of its current Form 20F. AGGRASTAT (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection, ZYPITAMAG (pitavastatin) tablets, and Marley Drug are registered trademarks. For more information, please contact: Dr. Albert D. Friesen Chief Executive Officer Tel. 888-435-2220 Fax 204-488-9823 E-mail: info@medicure.com www.medicure.com Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) June 30, 2025 December 31, 2024 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,739 $ 7,191 Accounts receivable 5,085 5,298 Inventories 4,003 3,282 Prepaid expenses 259 126 Total current assets 14,086 15,897 Non-current assets: Property and equipment 1,199 955 Intangible assets 8,705 9,354 Goodwill 4,329 3,375 Other assets 93 98 Total non-current assets 14,326 13,782 Total assets $ 28,412 $ 29,679 Liabilities and Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 8,548 $ 7,932 Income taxes payable 15 95 Current portion of lease obligations 481 368 Acquisition payable 368 - Holdback payable 82 - Total current liabilities 9,494 8,395 Non-current liabilities Lease obligations 611 506 Total non-current liabilities 611 506 Total liabilities 10,105 8,901 Equity: Share capital 81,014 81,014 Contributed surplus 10,985 10,919 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (5,321 ) (4,264 ) Deficit (68,371 ) (66,891 ) Total equity 18,307 20,778 Total liabilities and equity $ 28,412 $ 29,679 Consolidated Statements of Net Loss and Comprehensive Loss (expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) Three months ended June 30, 2025 Three months ended June 30, 2024 Six months ended June 30, 2025 Six months ended June 30, 2024 Revenue, net $ 6,669 $ 5,165 $ 12,153 $ 10,859 Cost of goods sold 3,234 2,213 5,875 4,010 Gross profit 3,435 2,952 6,278 6,849 Expenses Selling 2,133 1,834 3,962 3,808 General and administrative 1,260 1,368 2,359 2,577 Research and development 741 868 1,311 1,544 4,134 4,070 7,632 7,929 Finance (income) costs: Finance income, net (20 ) (36 ) (54 ) (87 ) Foreign exchange (gain) loss, net 49 25 84 32 29 (11 ) 30 (55 ) Net loss before income taxes $ (728 ) $ (1,107 ) $ (1,384 ) $ (1,025 ) Income tax expense Current 58 110 96 141 Net loss $ (786 ) $ (1,217 ) $ (1,480 ) $ (1,166 ) Other comprehensive income (loss): Item that may be reclassified to profit or loss Exchange differences on translation of foreign subsidiaries (1,032 ) 212 (1,057 ) 711 Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax (1,032 ) 212 (1,057 ) 711 Comprehensive loss $ (1,818 ) $ (1,005 ) $ (2,537 ) $ (455 ) Loss per share Basic $ (0.08 ) $ (0.12 ) $ (0.14 ) $ (0.11 ) Diluted $ (0.08 ) $ (0.12 ) $ (0.14 ) $ (0.11 ) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) For the six months ended June 30 2025 2024 Cash used in: Operating activities: Net loss for the period $ (1,480 ) $ (1,166 ) Adjustments for: Amortization of property, plant and equipment 235 209 Amortization of intangible assets 1,054 897 Share-based compensation 66 100 Finance income, net (54 ) (87 ) Unrealized foreign exchange loss 84 32 Income tax expense 96 141 Change in the following: Accounts receivable 213 336 Inventories (713 ) (870 ) Prepaid expenses (128 ) (465 ) Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 616 650 Interest received, net 89 115 Income taxes paid (151 ) (54 ) Cash used in operating activities (73 ) (162 ) Investing activities: Acquisition of intangible assets - (191 ) Acquisition of Gateway Pharmacy (542 ) - Acquisition of West Olympia Pharmacy (1,635 ) - Cash used in investing activities (2,177 ) (191 ) Financing activities: Repayment of lease liability (202 ) (166 ) Cash used in financing activities (202 ) (166 ) Decrease in cash and cash equivalents (2,452 ) (519 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 7,191 6,369 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 4,739 $ 5,850 SOURCE: Medicure, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/medicure-reports-financial-results-for-quarter-ended-june-30-2025-1063412 The demand for minimal residual disease testing is increasing mainly due to the higher prevalence of solid tumors and blood cancers like leukemia, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma. Continuous advances in molecular diagnostics have greatly improved MRD detection accuracy, and active product development and launches by leading companies are further boosting the market's momentum. LAS VEGAS, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DelveInsight's Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Insights report provides the current and forecast market analysis, individual leading minimal residual disease testing companies' market shares, challenges, minimal residual disease testing market drivers, barriers, trends, and key market minimal residual disease testing companies in the market. Key Takeaways from the Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Report As per DelveInsight estimates, North America is anticipated to dominate the global minimal residual disease testing market during the forecast period. In the test type segment of the minimal residual disease testing market, the polymerase chain reaction category accounted for the largest market share in 2024. Notable minimal residual disease testing companies such as F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Siemens Healthineers AG, Personalis, Inc., Guardant Health, NeoGenomics Laboratories, Exact Sciences, Foundation Medicine, QIAGEN, Adaptive Biotechnologies, Foresight Diagnostics, ICON plc, Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc., 3B BlacBio Biotech India, Bioartis, EntroGen, Natera, Inc., Labcorp, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Sysmex Corporation, Veracyte, Inc., Cognixion, Inc., and several others, are currently operating in the minimal residual disease testing market. and several others, are currently operating in the minimal residual disease testing market. In June 2025, QIAGEN expanded its minimal residual disease (MRD) testing portfolio through new strategic partnerships with Tracer Biotechnologies and Foresight Diagnostics. These collaborations aim to strengthen QIAGEN's presence in MRD testing for both solid tumors and blood cancers. expanded its minimal residual disease (MRD) testing portfolio through new strategic partnerships with Tracer Biotechnologies and Foresight Diagnostics. These collaborations aim to strengthen QIAGEN's presence in MRD testing for both solid tumors and blood cancers. In April 2025, Labcorp announced the expansion of its precision oncology portfolio with two key solutions. The first, Labcorp Plasma Detect, is designed to help assess the risk of disease recurrence in patients with stage III colon cancer. The second, PGDx elio plasma focus Dx, is the first and only FDA-authorized kitted liquid biopsy test for pan-solid tumors, aimed at identifying patients who may benefit from targeted therapies. announced the expansion of its precision oncology portfolio with two key solutions. The first, Labcorp Plasma Detect, is designed to help assess the risk of disease recurrence in patients with stage III colon cancer. The second, PGDx elio plasma focus Dx, is the first and only FDA-authorized kitted liquid biopsy test for pan-solid tumors, aimed at identifying patients who may benefit from targeted therapies. In January 2025, Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation announced a multi-year exclusive strategic commercial collaboration aimed at advancing MRD monitoring for patients with select blood cancers. The partnership combines Adaptive's clonoSEQ MRD test with NeoGenomics' COMPASS and CHART assessment services, providing clinicians and patients with deeper insights throughout the treatment journey. To read more about the latest highlights related to the minimal residual disease testing market, get a snapshot of the key highlights entailed in the Global Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Report Minimal Residual Disease Testing Overview Minimal residual disease testing refers to the detection of small numbers of cancer cells that may remain in a patient's body after treatment and are undetectable through standard diagnostic methods. These residual cells can eventually lead to relapse, so identifying them early is critical for managing and monitoring the disease. MRD testing uses highly sensitive techniques such as PCR, next-generation sequencing (NGS), or flow cytometry to quantify these remaining cancer cells at very low levels. It has become particularly important in hematologic malignancies like leukemia and multiple myeloma, where MRD status is an increasingly important prognostic indicator. Clinicians use MRD results to help assess treatment efficacy and to make decisions about therapy intensification or discontinuation. A negative MRD result often indicates a deeper and more durable response to treatment and is associated with improved survival outcomes. Conversely, the presence of MRD can prompt early therapeutic interventions to prevent full relapse. As diagnostic technology advances, MRD testing is being incorporated into clinical guidelines and drug development as a surrogate endpoint, making it a powerful tool for personalized treatment strategies in oncology. Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Insights North America is expected to account for the largest share of the minimal residual disease testing market, driven by multiple key factors. The region's leadership stems largely from the increasing incidence of blood cancers and solid tumors, which is boosting the need for sophisticated diagnostic tools. Furthermore, rapid progress in molecular diagnostic technologies, along with consistent product launches and regulatory approvals by major companies, continues to accelerate market expansion. In the U.S., the market is further buoyed by ongoing innovation and strategic initiatives from leading industry players. For example, in February 2025, Myriad Genetics received a foundational patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its tumor-informed, high-definition MRD assay, which enhances ctDNA detection using advanced sequencing technologies to achieve highly accurate MRD measurement. Likewise, in May 2025, Exact Sciences Corp. released clinical validation data from its Beta-CORRECT study under the GALAXY cohort, confirming that its Oncodetect MRD test effectively predicts recurrence in stage II-IV colorectal cancer patients, supporting its use in post-treatment monitoring and therapeutic decision-making. As a result, the combination of growing cancer incidence, advancements in molecular diagnostics, and continuous technological progress with new MRD testing products is projected to substantially drive the growth of the MRD testing market in North America from 2025 to 2032. To know more about why North America is leading the market growth in the minimal residual disease testing market, get a snapshot of the Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Outlook Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Dynamics The minimal residual disease testing market is experiencing strong growth, driven largely by the increasing prevalence of hematologic malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. As cancer treatment becomes more personalized, oncologists are relying heavily on MRD testing to detect trace levels of cancer cells that remain after treatment. This enables earlier intervention and more tailored therapy decisions, which is pushing hospitals and cancer research centers to adopt advanced MRD technologies. Technological advancements are a major catalyst in shaping market dynamics. Highly sensitive next-generation sequencing (NGS), digital PCR, and flow cytometry platforms are enabling clinicians to monitor disease burden with far greater precision than ever before. As these tests prove their clinical value in improving patient outcomes, major diagnostic companies are investing heavily in R&D and launching new MRD assays. Moreover, regulatory agencies like the FDA are granting clearances and approvals for new MRD tests, building confidence among healthcare providers and accelerating market adoption. Strategic collaborations between diagnostic companies and pharmaceutical firms are also contributing to growth. Pharma companies increasingly incorporate MRD status as a key endpoint in clinical trials for novel oncology drugs. This is boosting the demand for companion diagnostics and driving partnerships across the value chain. Venture capital investment in MRD testing startups is also rising, which adds to innovation and competition in the market. However, market expansion still faces challenges. Despite significant progress, the high cost of advanced MRD testing technologies and limited reimbursement in some regions can hinder widespread adoption. Healthcare systems in emerging markets may lack access to sophisticated lab infrastructure needed for these tests. In addition, there is still variability in standardization across different MRD techniques, making it difficult to compare results across platforms and institutions. Get a sneak peek at the minimal residual disease testing market dynamics @ Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Dynamics Analysis Report Metrics Details Coverage Global Study Period 2022-2032 Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market CAGR ~11% Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Size by 2032 USD 4.5 Billion Key Minimal Residual Disease Testing Companies F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Siemens Healthineers AG, Personalis, Inc., Guardant Health, NeoGenomics Laboratories, Exact Sciences, Foundation Medicine, QIAGEN, Adaptive Biotechnologies, Foresight Diagnostics, ICON plc, Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc., 3B BlacBio Biotech India, Bioartis, EntroGen, Natera, Inc., Labcorp, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Sysmex Corporation, Veracyte, Inc., Cognixion, Inc., and others Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Assessment Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Segmentation Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Segmentation By Test Type: Polymerase Chain Reaction, Flow Cytometry, Next Generation Sequencing, and Others Polymerase Chain Reaction, Flow Cytometry, Next Generation Sequencing, and Others Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Segmentation By Application: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Solid Tumors, and Others Leukemia, Lymphoma, Solid Tumors, and Others Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Segmentation By End-User: Hospitals, Specialty Clinics, Diagnostic Centers, and Research Centers Hospitals, Specialty Clinics, Diagnostic Centers, and Research Centers Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Segmentation By Geography : North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of World : North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of World Porter's Five Forces Analysis, Product Profiles, Case Studies, KOL's Views, Analyst's View Which MedTech key players in the minimal residual disease testing market are set to emerge as the trendsetter explore @ Minimal Residual Disease Testing Companies Table of Contents 1 Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Report Introduction 2 Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Executive Summary 3 Competitive Landscape 4 Regulatory Analysis 5 Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Key Factors Analysis 6 Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Porter's Five Forces Analysis 7 Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Layout 8 Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Company and Product Profiles 9 KOL Views 10 Project Approach 11 About DelveInsight 12 Disclaimer & Contact Us Interested in knowing the minimal residual disease testing market by 2032? Click to get a snapshot of the Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Trends Related Reports Minimal Residual Disease Market Minimal Residual Disease Market Insight, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast - 2034 report delivers an in-depth understanding of market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key MRD companies, including Adaptive Biotechnologies, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Natera, Kite Pharma, Amgen Inc., among others. Polymerase Chain Reaction Market Polymerase Chain Reaction Market Insights, Competitive Landscape, and Market Forecast - 2032 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key PCR companies, including Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., Qiagen, Agilent Technologies Inc., Standard Biotools, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Eppendorf, Avance Biosciences Inc., Merck & Co. Inc., Abbott, Promega Corporation, Takara Bio Inc., Endress+Hauser Group Services AG, BioMerieux, GenMark Diagnostics Inc., Grifols SA, Hologic Inc., BD, Sysmex Corporation, Stilla, among others. Next Generation Sequencing Market Next Generation Sequencing Market Insights, Competitive Landscape, and Market Forecast - 2032 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key next generation sequencing companies, including Agilent Technologies, Inc., Illumina Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, QIAGEN, Thermo Fisher Scientific, PerkinElmer Inc., MedGenome, BGI, Pacific Biosciences, GENEWIZ, Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc., Psomagen, Inc., 10x Genomics, Takara Bio Inc., Zymo Research Corporation., NuGEN Technologies, Inc. (Tecan Trading AG), Vela Diagnostics, CD Genomics., HTG Molecular Diagnostics, Inc., among others. Flow Cytometry Market Flow Cytometry Market Insight, Competitive Landscape, and Market Forecast - 2032 report delivers an in-depth understanding of market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key flow cytometry companies, including Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., BD, Stratedigm, Inc, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Luminex Corporation., Miltenyi Biotec, Sysmex Corporation, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Sony Biotechnology Inc., bioMerieux SA, Enzo Life Sciences, Inc., Union Biometrica, Inc., Cytek Biosciences, Sartorius AG, Beckman Coulter, Inc., Apogee Flow Systems Ltd., Molecular Instruments, Inc., Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc., New England Biolabs (NEB), ACROBiosystems, among others. About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant, and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Contact Us Shruti Thakur info@delveinsight.com +14699457679 https://www.delveinsight.com/medical-devices Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082265/3528414/DelveInsight_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-minimal-residual-disease-testing-market-gearing-up-for-outstanding-expansion-at-a-cagr-of-11-by-2032--delveinsight-302534343.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Pelangio Exploration Inc. (TSXV: PX) (OTC PINK: PGXPF) ("Pelangio" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of an updated, independent, Mineral Resource Estimate (the "Resource") for the Company's 100% owned Manfo Gold Project ("Manfo") in Ghana. The Resource was completed by SEMS Technical Services Ltd. of Ghana. The Resource, with an effective date of July 31, 2025, is reported for four gold deposits using constraining optimized pits at a gold price of US$2,600 per ounce, and: Updates Pelangio's Maiden gold resource estimate which was completed in 2013 at a gold price of US$1,450 per ounce. Defines a total Indicated Mineral Resource of 441,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 1.16 g/t Au and totalling 11,787,000 tonnes; and of gold at an average grade of 1.16 g/t Au and totalling 11,787,000 tonnes; and Defines a total Inferred Mineral Resource of 396,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 0.77 g/t Au and totalling 16,048,000 tonnes. of gold at an average grade of 0.77 g/t Au and totalling 16,048,000 tonnes. Adds a fourth deposit to the Resource for Manfo, the Nkansu deposit. Represents an increase of 126% in estimated gold ounces in the Indicated category plus an increase of 395% in estimated gold ounces in the Inferred category as compared to the 2013 pit-constrained mineral resource estimate that used $1,450 Au for its pit optimization. The August 2025 Resource (refer to Table 1) uses the 2013 deposit models for the Manfo gold project generated by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., updated to include drilling conducted by Pelangio since 2013. A new model was created for the Nkansu deposit, which was largely drilled after the 2013 Maiden Resource, adding a fourth deposit to the Manfo total Resource. The updated Resource reflects the significantly increased gold price since 2013 using US$2,600 per ounce gold for the economic pit optimizations as compared to US$1,450 used in 2013 and utilizes lower gold grade cut-off values justified by the current gold price. In addition to the gold price, the other parameters for the economic pit optimization, including costs, pit slopes and recoveries were reviewed and updated as appropriate to reflect current economic conditions. The 2025 updated Resource has returned substantially more pit-constrained gold mineralization than the 2013 resource estimate defined, although at lower average gold grades. Refer to the detailed discussion below. The Company intends to file a technical report in respect of the Resource within 45 days and will issue an additional news release at that time. "The updated Manfo resource estimate demonstrates a substantial increase in both tonnage and contained gold, with a notable improvement in the confidence of the Indicated category. The integration of new drilling data and the addition of the Nkosuo mining lease have materially enhanced the project's scale and potential. Our focus now shifts to targeted infill drilling, step-out drilling and exploration on both Manfo and Nkosuo to further define and expand the resource base, while advancing technical studies to support future development decisions," remarked Ingrid Hibbard, President and CEO. Table 1. Mineral Resource Statement for the Manfo Gold Project (July 31, 2025) Classification Indicated Inferred Category Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Cont. Gold (000' oz) Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Cont. Gold (000' oz) Oxide 0.25 55 1.30 2 1,024 0.69 23 Transition 0.35 458 1.70 25 2,017 0.79 51 Fresh 0.35 11,274 1.14 414 13,007 0.77 322 Totals 11,787 1.16 441 16,048 0.77 396 Notes: The Indicated mineral resource and the Inferred mineral resource are reported in accordance with Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and have been estimated following the generally accepted Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum 'Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices Guidelines' (2014). Mineral resources are distinct from mineral reserves, have not demonstrated economic viability, and there is no certainty that they will be converted into a mineral reserve. The Inferred mineral resource estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated mineral resource. While it is reasonably expected that some portion of the Inferred Mineral Resource could potentially be upgraded to an Indicated mineral resource with further drilling, it is not certain, and Inferred resources may prove to be uneconomic. Factors that could materially affect the reported Mineral Resource include changes in metal price and exchange rate assumptions; changes to assumed metallurgical recoveries, mining dilution and recovery; and assumptions as to the continued ability to access the site, extend and/or retain mineral and surface rights, titles and permits, maintain environmental and other regulatory permits, and continued community and stakeholder support for ongoing activities. The Mineral Resource estimate was prepared by independent Qualified Persons Simon Meadows Smith (FIMMM # 49627) and Andrew Netherwood (MAusIMM #100463) of SEMS Technical Services Ltd. Ghana and has an effective date of July 31,2025. The Mineral Resource updates the 2013 maiden mineral resource estimate prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. released on May 17, 2013, and filed June 21, 2013. SEMS Technical Services reviewed and validated SRK's models and updated them with the information from holes drilled by Pelangio Exploration after 2013 and used the updated models for the basis of their mineral resource estimation. The Resource estimation was conducted for four individual economically pit-constrained deposits on the Manfo project, including Pokukrom East, Pokukrom West, Nkansu and Nfante West. The Nkansu deposit was largely drilled after the 2013 maiden resource was estimated and is a new addition to the total resource at Manfo. Drill assay grades were composited to one-meter lengths with top-cutting varying by resource domain and ranging up to a maximum of 30.0 g/t Au. Mineral resource estimation consisted of standard geostatistical techniques of variography and ordinary kriging applied to wireframe models of mineralization and lithological alteration zones as defined by various interpreted resource domains. To demonstrate the mineral resources defined hold "reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction by open pit mining", open pit economic optimization techniques were employed to generate conceptual pits shells (constraining surfaces) and the resource material wholly contained within the conceptual pits is reported. Several assumptions go into the pit optimization process, including gold price, operating costs, metallurgical recovery and pit slopes and those used in the current mineral resource estimate are listed in Table 2. A gold price of US$2,600 per ounce was used for this mineral resource estimation. Cut-off grades were determined from the pit optimization assumptions. Mineral resource tonnage and contained metal have been rounded to reflect the accuracy of the estimate, and numbers may not add due to rounding. The figures for contained gold are economic pit-constrained in-situ mineral resources reported as undiluted with 100% mining recovery. Table 2. Assumptions for Conceptual Open Pit Optimization for the Manfo Gold Project Parameter Unit Optimization Assumptions Gold price $/oz $2600 G&A cost $/t ore $6 Treatment cost: oxide / transition + fresh $/t ore $11 / $17 Metallurgical recovery: oxide / transition + fresh % 94 / 90 Average mining cost: oxide / transition + fresh $/t mined $2.20 / $3.10 Slope angles: oxide + transition / fresh degrees 40 / 54 Mining dilution / recovery % 0 / 100 2025 Mineral Resource Estimation Details: An updated Mineral Resource Estimate was completed for the Manfo gold project in August of 2025. Gold mineralization at Manfo occurs in 8 prospects along a 9-kilometer-long structural corridor in a granodiorite intrusive, three of which were drilled to a resource status and were included within the Maiden Resource estimate for Manfo released in 2013. The gold mineralization is hosted in brittle-ductile shears and brecciation cutting through the granodiorite with progressive chlorite-hematite-carbonate-sericite-silica alteration with quartz veining and pyrite. The chlorite-hematite altered zones are generally low in gold grade (<0.5 g/t Au) while the sericite-silica altered zones with more abundant quartz veining and pyrite can be high in gold grade (>5 g/t Au). The August 2025 Resource updates the 2013 maiden resource estimate to reflect the increase in gold price since 2013 and incorporates drilling conducted by Pelangio after 2013. A fourth deposit, Nkansu, largely drilled post-2013, has been added to the total resource. Figure 1 shows the relative locations of the four deposits. The drilling used to estimate the Resource for the four deposits totals 38,070 meters in 202 holes including 35,930 meters of diamond drilling in 175 holes plus 2,140 meters of reverse circulation drilling in 27 holes. SEMS Technical Services updated the original grade block models created in 2013 by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. for the Pokukrom East and West deposits to account for post-2013 drilling, a new model was created for the Nkansu deposit, and the Nfante West model remains unchanged since 2013. SEMS used Datamine software to review and update the mineral resource estimation domains, prepare assay data for geostatistical analysis, construct the block models, estimate metal grades, and tabulate mineral resources. Mineral resource estimation consisted of standard geostatistical techniques of variography and ordinary kriging applied to wireframe models of mineralization and lithological alteration zones as defined by the interpreted resource domains. To demonstrate "reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction" based upon open pit mining methods and conventional treatment processes, pit optimization techniques were used to generate conceptual pit shells ensuring that appropriate assumptions for the relevant technical and economic factors were considered in the determination of the stated Resource. The assumptions used for the 2025 updated resource estimation, which include gold price, operating costs, metallurgical recovery and pit slopes, are listed in Table 2. The cut-off grades were derived from these assumptions. The gold cut-off grades were decreased from 2013 with 0.25 g/t Au for the oxides and 0.35 g/t Au for the transitional and fresh resource material (the majority of the resource) used in the 2025 Resource estimation versus 0.40 g/t Au for oxides and 0.50 g/t Au for transitional and fresh used in 2013. The total Resource for the Manfo project is listed in Table 1 and the resource estimation for the four individual deposits is listed in Table 3. The Pokukrom East deposit is the largest by far of the four deposits and accounts for 91% of the total Indicated resource with 402,000 ounces of gold based on 11,313,000 tonnes averaging 1.11 g/t Au plus 65% of the total Inferred resource with 258,000 ounces of gold based on 10,878,000 tonnes averaging 0.74 g/t Au. The Pokukrom West deposit, while relatively small with 39,000 ounces of Indicated gold plus 23,000 ounces of Inferred gold is the highest grade of the four deposits averaging 2.54 g/t Au for the Indicated category. The Nfante West and Nkansu deposit resources are entirely Inferred currently due to their wider spaced drilling and lower demonstrated grade continuity between drillholes. Most of the resource is in fresh rock comprising 94% of the total Indicated resource plus 81% of the total Inferred resource. Refer to Table 3. SEMS also determined the sensitivity of a range of gold cut-off grades on the block model gold content constrained by the optimized pit shells as listed in Table 4. At a very low cut-off grade of 0.10 g/t Au the total (oxide+ transitional + fresh) Indicated gold content is estimated to be 12,142,000 tonnes averaging 1.14 g/t Au for 444,000 ounces gold plus 39,071,000 tonnes averaging 0.43 g/t Au for 535,000 ounces gold in the Inferred category for the four deposits combined. At a higher cut-off grade of 0.50 g/t Au, as was used in 2013 for the transitional and fresh resource material, the total Indicated gold content is 9,834,000 tonnes averaging 1.31 g/t Au for 413,000 ounces of gold plus 10,214,000 tonnes averaging 0.97 g/t Au for 320,000 ounces gold in the Inferred category. Table 3. Mineral Resource by Zone for the Manfo Gold Project Classification Indicated Inferred Deposit Category Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold (000' oz) Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold (000' oz) Pokukrom East Oxide 0.25 41 0.69 1 474 0.65 10 Transition 0.35 302 1.06 10 922 0.79 23 Fresh 0.35 10,970 1.11 391 9,482 0.74 225 Sub-total 11,313 1.11 402 10,878 0.74 258 Pokukrom West Oxide 0.25 14 3.06 1 43 2.05 3 Transition 0.35 156 2.95 15 136 1.27 6 Fresh 0.35 304 2.31 23 237 1.96 15 Sub-total 474 2.54 39 417 1.75 23 Nfante West Oxide 0.25 355 0.67 8 Transition 0.35 675 0.77 17 Fresh 0.35 1,612 0.75 39 Sub-total 2,642 0.74 63 Nkansu Oxide 0.25 152 0.49 2 Transition 0.35 284 0.60 5 Fresh 0.35 1,676 0.81 43 Sub-total 2,111 0.76 51 Totals Oxide 0.25 55 1.30 2 1,024 0.69 23 Transition 0.35 458 1.70 25 2,017 0.79 51 Fresh 0.35 11,274 1.14 414 13,007 0.77 322 Grand Total 11,787 1.16 441 16,048 0.77 396 Table 4. Block Model Gold Estimates at Different cut-off grades* (combined oxide, transitional and fresh material) Classification Indicated Inferred Category Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Cont. Gold (000' oz) Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Cont. Gold (000' oz) Total all Material Types and Deposits 0.10 12,142 1.14 444 39,071 0.43 535 0.15 12,130 1.14 444 29,616 0.52 498 0.20 12,108 1.14 444 24,611 0.59 471 0.25 12,037 1.15 443 21,217 0.65 446 0.30 11,916 1.15 442 18,583 0.71 423 0.35 11,786 1.16 441 15,755 0.78 393 0.40 11,641 1.17 439 13,165 0.86 362 0.45 10,707 1.24 427 11,601 0.91 341 0.50 9,834 1.31 413 10,214 0.97 320 0.55 9,046 1.38 400 9,040 1.03 300 0.60 8,306 1.45 386 8,031 1.09 281 * The figures presented above are only intended to show cut-off grade sensitivity on the estimated gold content of the block models but do not represent a Mineral Resource Statement. In comparison to SRK's 2013 maiden mineral resource estimation for the Manfo project, the higher gold price and lower cut-off grades used in the 2025 estimation returned a pit-constrained resource significantly larger with respect to tonnage and gold content, and lower in average gold grade than for 2013. It should be noted that the 2013 resource estimation was prepared in accordance with the CIM definitions in place at the time. As a result, the 2013 Resource (refer to Table 5) included material which was above the gold cut-off grades but located outside of the $1,450 Au conceptual pit shells ("Outside Pit") but SRK justified its inclusion as Inferred resource material if it was adjacent to and at a shallower elevation than the conceptual pit bottoms on the assumption that under higher gold prices the material "may be economically amenable to open pit extraction". Little did SRK know that twelve years later gold prices would be more than double and most of this material is now captured by economically optimized pits. Comparing apples with apples, that is, the total project economically pit-constrained resource estimated in 2025 versus that from 2013, the Indicated resource gold content has increased by 126% going from 3,973,000 tonnes averaging 1.52 g/t Au containing 195,000 ounces of gold in 2013 to 11,787,000 tonnes averaging 1.16 g/t Au for 441,000 ounces of gold. The average gold grade however decreased by 24% reflecting the lower gold cut-off grades used in 2025. For the Inferred pit-constrained resource the total gold content increased by 395% going from 2,253,000 tonnes averaging 1.10 g/t Au containing 80,000 ounces gold in 2013 to 16,048,000 tonnes averaging 0.77 g/t Au containing 396,000 ounces gold with an average gold grade decrease of 30%. Refer to Table 6. Table 5. Maiden Resource Estimate* for the Manfo Project by SRK Consulting, Canada, (May 17, 2013) Category Indicated Inferred Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Cont. Gold (000' oz) Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Cont. Gold (000' oz) Inside Pit Oxide 0.4 49 0.96 2 458 1.07 16 Transitional 0.5 382 1.96 24 876 1.13 32 Fresh 0.5 3,543 1.49 169 918 1.09 32 Total 3,973 1.52 195 2,253 1.1 80 Outside Pit Oxide 0.4 50 0.68 1 Transitional 0.5 217 0.72 5 Fresh 0.5 7,146 0.93 213 Total 7,413 0.92 218 Combined Inside + Outside Pit Oxide 0.4 49 0.96 2 508 1.05 17 Transitional 0.5 382 1.96 24 1,093 1.05 37 Fresh 0.5 3,543 1.49 169 8,064 0.94 245 Grand Total 3,973 1.52 195 9,666 0.96 298 * The 2013 Mineral Resource Estimate is not disclosed in a manner compliant with today's CIM standards. 1. The 2013 MRE was conducted at a gold price of US$1,450/oz. Only 56% of the total resource was pit constrained. 2. Refer to the June 21, 2013, Technical Report by SRK Consulting (Canada) for the details. Table 6. Comparison of the Pit-Constrained Mineral Resource Estimations for 2013 and 2025 Resource Parameters Indicated Inferred Year Cut-off Grades (g/t Au) Gold Price USD Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Cont. Gold (000' oz) Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Cont. Gold (000' oz) 2013 0.40/0.50 1,450 3,973 1.52 195 2,253 1.10 80 2025 0.25/0.35 2,600 11,787 1.16 441 16,048 0.77 396 % Increase / Decrease 197 -24 126 612 -30 395 Resource Growth and Exploration Potential With 396,000 gold ounces (16,048,000 tonnes at an average grade of 0.77 g/t Au) of the Resource in the 2025 update being in the Inferred category, SEMS Technical Services has recommended infill drilling programs to convert more of the Inferred to Indicated resources. Additionally, much of the mineralization remains open-ended on the Manfo project and there is scope to expand the gold resource through successful resource extensional drilling and infill drilling follow up. Figure 2, which is a vertical long-section of the gold grade block model for the Pokukrom East deposit, shows the deposit remains open down-plunge and the northern end of the conceptual $2,600 Au optimized pit is undrilled and not reflected in the current Resource. Additionally, the shallower southern end of the deposit is still open down-dip. Further drilling at Pokukrom East as well as at the other three deposits could potentially add to the total Resource. Exploration drilling programs have also been proposed for the greater Manfo property, and there is potential to add one or more satellite deposits to the project with numerous compelling untested exploration targets remaining, such as the large Bomfaa gold in soil anomaly two to three kilometres northwest of the Pokukrom deposits (refer to Figure 1). The greatest exploration potential lies in the recent addition of the Nkosuo Mining Permit immediately south of the Manfo property. Hosting interpreted extensions of two of the known Manfo mineralized structures plus possibly additional structures as demonstrated by historical exploration work by Ashanti Goldfields (now AngloGold Ashanti) plus considerable workings by artisanal miners, it is believed that the Nkosuo Lease holds potential for significant new discovery. Exploration work by Pelangio has commenced on the Nkosuo Lease with a UAV (drone) high resolution magnetics survey nearing completion, to be followed by a UAV orthophotography survey, soil geochemical sampling and drill testing of the ranked targets. Figure 1. Map of the Manfo - Nkosuo Project and 2025 MRE Deposit Locations To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6179/263240_9eb7c383543d6a81_001full.jpg Figure 2. Vertical Long-section of the Pokukrom East Block Model To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6179/263240_9eb7c383543d6a81_002full.jpg Qualified Person Mr. Kevin Thomson, P.Geo. (Ontario, #0191), Senior Vice-President, Exploration and Director, is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Thomson approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this release. About Pelangio Exploration Inc.: Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements herein may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements or information appear in a number of places and can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information include statements regarding the Company's ability to complete proposed targeted infill drilling, step-out drilling and exploration to further define and expand the resource base, as well as further drilling at Pokukrom East and the other deposits, potential expansion of the Resource, potential conversion of Inferred to Indicated ounces, planned work programs, advancing technical studies, future development decisions, the potential addition of satellite deposits, the potential for a large discovery at Nkosuo, the Company's strategy of acquiring large land packages in areas of sizeable gold mineralization, the Company's plans to follow-up on previous work, and the Company's exploration plans. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, we have made numerous assumptions, including assumptions about the state of the equity markets. Such forward-looking statements and information are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Such risks include the changes in equity markets, share price volatility, volatility of global and local economic climate, inability to obtain necessary approvals or permits in Ghana, gold price volatility, political developments in Ghana and Canada, increases in costs, exchange rate fluctuations, speculative nature of gold exploration, including the risk that favourable exploration results may not be obtained, and other risks involved in the gold exploration industry. See the Company's annual and quarterly financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statement and information. There can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information referenced herein will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Also, many of the factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward- looking statements or information. We undertake no obligation to reissue or update any forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. All forward-looking statements and information herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263240 SOURCE: Pelangio Exploration Inc. In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Firstposts Lachmi Deb Roy for Not Just Bollywood, Anup Soni talks about Netflixs Saare Jahan Se Accha and the scene that broke our hearts. Actor Anup Soni opens up about shooting his most emotionally demanding scene in Netflixs Saare Jahan Se Accha. In a series packed with tension, layered identities, and quiet resistance, one moment in Netflixs Saare Jahan Se Accha proved especially demanding for Anup Soni during the shoot. This scene broke our heart too. I am talking about the confession scene. WATCH the full interview in the link below: The confession scene, where Naushad (Anup Soni) finally opens up about his past and motivations, became a personal milestone for him during the shoot. In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Firstpost, he mentioned that getting into role wasnt easy. When story is the hero, Someone who has spent more time with the script is more involved in that character and the story. When we read script for the first time you just get the idea. But when you read it for the second and third time, then you understand the layering of your character better. For me it wasnt that difficult because there was lot more in the script. My character actually has just one emotion. He didnt have any multiple agendas. He was caught in a situation and he had to react to that situation. As an actor my job was to perform that situation and it was not even hidden. For me that scene was the most important scene. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A scene from Netflixs Saare Jahan Se Accha The scene that stole our heart This was a turning point for Naushad, he shares. It required tapping into a very internal, vulnerable space. He admits that he grappled with how to approach it. Should I cry a lot? Should I play it blank? Or stay somewhere in between? The uncertainty, he says, made it both challenging and creatively fulfilling. I kept asking myself how much emotion was too much. But thats what made it special. Despite its heaviness, the scene was one he remembers fondly. It was quite emotional, he says, but I had a really good time shooting it. Anup hopes the scene resonated with viewers for its honesty and rawness. Its one of those rare moments where a character stops hiding. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to introduce three bills in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (August 20), seeking the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and ministers at the Central and state levels arrested and detained for at least 30 days on serious charges. The opposition has objected to the proposed laws. But why? Opposition leaders protest in the well as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla conducts proceedings in the House during the Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi, August 20, 2025. Sansad TV via PTI The Centre is expected to introduce three major bills in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (August 20). Union Home Minister Amit Shah will bring the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Lower House during the ongoing monsoon session of the Parliament. The proposed laws aim to remove the Prime Minister, chief ministers and ministers across the Centre, states and Union Territories (UTs) arrested on serious offences and detained for at least 30 days. A big uproar is likely over the bills, with the opposition already expressing concerns. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But why? We will explain. Bills to remove arrested PM, CMs to be tabled The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, could be tabled in the Lok Sabha today. It will amend Article 75 of the Constitution, which primarily outlines the appointment and responsibilities of the Council of Ministers, including the PM. A Minister, who for any period of 30 consecutive days during holding the office as such, is arrested and detained in custody, on allegation of committing an offence under any law for the time being in force, which is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or more, shall be removed from his office by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister to be tendered by the 31st day after being taken in such custody, the Bill states. Provided further that in case of the Prime Minister, who for any period of 30 consecutive days during holding the office as such, is arrested and detained in custody, on allegation of committing an offence under any law for the time being in force, which is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or more, shall tender his resignation by the 31st day after such arrest and detention, and if he does not tender his resignation, he shall cease to be the Prime Minister with effect from the day falling thereafter The J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill will introduce a similar clause. If a minister in Jammu and Kashmir is arrested and kept in custody for at least 30 days for an offence punishable by jail for five years or more, they can be sacked by the Lieutenant Governor (LG) on the advice of the chief minister. A minister who is arrested and detained in custody for any period of 30 consecutive days, on allegations of committing an offence under any law currently in force, punishable with imprisonment for a term of five years or more, shall be removed from office by the Lieutenant Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister, by the 31st day of being taken into custody, the bill says. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Clause 5A will be added to Section 45 of the Union Territories Act to include a similar provision. The proposed legislation allows for the removal of the PM, CMs and ministers if arrested for at least 30 days on graft charges or other serious crimes even without conviction. Why are the Bills being brought? Currently, there are laws that deal with the disqualification of elected representatives. The Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951 states that members of state legislatures and Parliament can be disqualified if they are convicted with a sentence of two years or more. In case of convictions for serious offences such as corruption and drug trafficking, disqualification can be done irrespective of the duration of the sentence. The Centre is now coming up with laws that would lead to the removal of ministers, including the PM and CMs, if arrested for 30 days or more. According to the statement of objects and reasons attached to the proposed Bill, a minister who is facing allegations of serious criminal offences, arrested and detained in custody, may thwart or hinder the canons of constitutional morality and principles of good governance and eventually diminish the constitutional trust reposed by people in him. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It also says that elected representatives represent hopes and aspirations of the people of India. It is expected that they rise above political interests and act only in the public interest and for the welfare of the people It is expected that the character and conduct of Ministers holding the office should be beyond any ray of suspicion. Last year, the then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had refused to resign after his arrest in a liquor scam case. After spending months in jail, he was released on bail and only then he stepped down, naming Atishi as his successor. In 2023, V Senthil Balaji, a minister in Tamil Nadus DMK government, was arrested in an alleged money laundering case, leading to Governor RN Ravi dismissing him. CM MK Stalin had reinstated Balaji after the Supreme Court granted him bail. However, after the top court raised concerns over his return, Balaji was removed from the government. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The amendment to the Constitution that the Centre will bring does not prevent PMs, CMs, or ministers from returning to their posts if released from custody. Nothing in this clause shall prevent such Chief Minister or Minister (or Prime Minister)from being subsequently appointed as the Chief Minister or a Minister, by the President, on his release from custody, as per clause (5)," the bill states. Once tabled, the bills are likely to be sent to a Joint Committee of both Houses for further scrutiny and discussion. Row over the Centres bills Opposition has hit out at the Centre over the proposed bills, expressing concern about their disproportionate use against non-NDA governments. Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi wrote on X that the new proposed law removes incumbent CM, etc, immediately on arrest. Best way to destabilise opposition is to unleash biased central agencies to arrest oppo(sition) CMs and despite being unable to defeat them electorally, remove them by arbitrary arrests. And no ruling party incumbent CM ever touched, he posted. TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra claimed the proposed legislation bypasses both the federal structure and the judiciary. Opposition predictions come true- Constitution being changed by BJP with only 240 MPs. New bill bypasses both federal structure & judiciary - Union govt can use ED CBI to arrest elected opposition CM on fake charges and sack them without proven guilty by a court, she posted on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Opposition predictions come true- Constitution being changed by BJP with only 240 MPs. New bill bypasses both federal structure & judiciary - Union govt can use ED CBI to arrest elected opposition CM on fake charges & sack them WITHOUT proven guilty by a court. Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) August 20, 2025 AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi wrote a notice to the Lok Sabha Secretary General, claiming the bill violates the principles of federalism, double jeopardy, separation of powers, and due process. This amendment would allow the executive agencies a free run to become the judge, jury and executioner. Based on a flimsy allegation and a mere suspicion, any agency would be able to proceed with detaining a Minister or Chief Minister. In a rule of law society, a person can be punished only after a trial by an independent judiciary, and only when the offence is proven beyond a reasonable doubt. In this case, on a mere accusation allegation, the punishment of losing ones ministerial post would flow. The principle of separation of powers is part of the basic structure of the constitution, Owaisi said, as per ANI. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD #WATCH | Delhi | On the bill for the removal of the PM, CMs, and ministers held on serious criminal charges, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi says, "This bill is unconstitutional..Who will arrest the Prime Minister?...All in all, the BJP government wants to make our country a police pic.twitter.com/b8b7UTn6Pn ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 The severity of the amendment is not only in the fact that one loses their position if they are arrested, but even if they are detained. Detention is an administrative action and does not require an offence to be made. The effect of such an amendment would be that Ministers and Chief Ministers would not be able to carry out their constitutional duties for fear of reprisals and would effectively be subjugated to the investigation agencies of the Union government, he warned. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies A Class 10 student in Gujarats Ahmedabad was stabbed to death allegedly by his junior after an altercation outside their school on Tuesday (August 19). After the boy succumbed to his injuries, parents and some Hindu groups launched massive protests in front of the school with the mob reportedly ransacking the building and even assaulting school staff People gather in protest after a class 10 student was stabbed to death allegedly by his junior on Tuesday after a minor scuffle, at the Seventh Day Adventist School, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, August 20, 2025. PTI The killing of a Class 10 student by his junior in Gujarats Ahmedabad triggered massive protests on Wednesday (August 20). Demonstrators from the victims community and Hindu groups gathered outside the private school to protest the boys death. The mob vandalised the school and even reportedly assaulted school staff. The police brought the situation under control by the afternoon. Heres what happened. Boy stabbed to death On Tuesday (August 19) afternoon, a class 10 student named Nayan packed his bags to leave for home after the school bell rang. He had just come out of the gate when a Class 8 junior from the same school and some other boys surrounded him, as per an NDTV report. The incident took place outside the premises of the Seventh-Day Adventist Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabads Khokhra at 12:30 pm on Tuesday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The boys engaged in a verbal argument, which soon turned physical. The Class 8 student took out a knife and allegedly stabbed his senior in the stomach. The accused minor is said to have then fled the scene. The victim was taken to a private hospital. However, he died of his injuries at 3 am on Wednesday. A CCTV footage shows Nayan walking inside the school with his hand on his bleeding stomach. As per Indian Express, the attack was allegedly the result of a scuffle between the students a week ago. Massive protests due to students death in Gujarat A large number of protesters gathered outside the private school in Ahmedabad on Wednesday morning, hours after Nayans death. The incident flared up anger as the victim and the accused minor were from different communities. While Nayan belonged to the Sindhi community, the accused student comes from the minority community, reported India Today. Around 2 pm on Wednesday, the family took out a procession with the corpse of the deceased student and kept it outside the school gates. They were joined by members of the Sindhi community as well as activists from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Family members carry mortal remains of a class 10 student, who was stabbed to death, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, August 20, 2025. PTI The angry protesters reportedly damaged the school building and property and also assaulted teachers and the principal. VIDEO | Ahmedabad, Gujarat: People vandalise a private school in Khokhra area after a Class 10 student was allegedly stabbed by another student on Tuesday. The injured victim succumbed to his injuries today sparking anger among the family members and others.#AhmedabadNews pic.twitter.com/o9DDiQJodE Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2025 As per India Today, the mob also clashed with the police. The situation came under control after the cops and local politicians urged the crowd to maintain calm. A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed and the accused minor arrested under the Juvenile Act for attempt to murder. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD JCP (Crime) Sharad Singhal told The Indian Express, The protestors sought that the Crime Branch investigate the case and the Commissioner has handed the case to the Crime Branch. The police obtained the CCTV footage and recorded statements of other students present at the time of the incident. Singhal previously said, We are checking CCTV footage and have also called in to examine the scene of crime to check whether there has been destruction of evidence. While the primary accused juvenile was placed under detention yesterday, another juvenile is being questioned in this matter. Gujarat Education Minister Prafulbhai Panseriya condoled Nayans demise and urged protesting parents to maintain peace. He assured justice in the case and proposed conducting a study on rising crime among children. School to be probed Parents of the deceased student and Hindu groups have also filed complaints against the school principal and management, demanding accountability. The District Education Officer (city) has served a notice to the school management. Rohit Chaudhary, DEO (city), told Indian Express: The school management has been asked to submit their detailed response on how this incident happened, where the security was placed; if the incident did not happen on the campus but close by as revealed in the primary investigation, how did the victim student soaked in blood come inside the school premises after the attack, and what action the management took." STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He said there seems to be a lapse on the part of the school in informing the district education authorities and taking appropriate action. Further investigation is on in the matter. With inputs from agencies India and China have made steady progress in their ties, said PM Narendra Modi after meeting with Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi. As the Chinese official ends his visit to the nation, there have been quite a few positives: Both countries have decided to work on the settlement of the boundary question. Also, Beijing has lifted curbs on exports of rare earths and fertilisers Its been a significant three days for India-China ties, and there seems to be a big breakthrough in resetting bilateral relations after a years-long standoff between the two Asian powers. Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who has been in India since August 18, is now making his departure after holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. In his discussions, Wang Yi noted that China and India should see each other as partners and opportunities and offer the world much-needed certainty and stability, adding that both countries should put each others precious resources into development and revitalisation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China and India should explore the right path of treating each other with mutual respect and trust, living in peace, pursuing development together and achieving winwin cooperation and consolidate the momentum of improving China-India relations, said the Chinese ministrys readout. PM Modi also noted the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border with China and reiterated Indias commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary question. He further added that he was looking forward to meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping on the margins of the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), scheduled for August 31, in the Chinese city of Tianjin. But what exactly is the outcome of Wang Yis visit? Would it be deemed a success? Here are some big takeaways from the Chinese ministers India trip. India-China agree to explore early harvest boundary deal Ties between the two big giants had deteriorated in 2020 following the Galwan clash at the India-China border. In fact, the border has remained a sticking point between the two nations for many years. However, now, theres a huge breakthrough as India and China have agreed to set up two new groups to address the border issue, one to explore early harvest in boundary delimitation and the other to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas. In talks between Wang Yi and NSA Ajit Doval, they agreed on five steps to push forward ties. The first is the need to take a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for settling boundary disputes in line with the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question, Indias Ministry of External Affairs said in its latest statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The two leaders also agreed on a new expert group and a new working group under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, with the former looking into an early harvest in the delimitation of boundaries between the two nations, as the latter will advance effective border management. The countries also agreed on the creation of General Level Mechanisms in the Eastern and Middle Sectors, in addition to the existing General Level Mechanism in the Western Sector, and said de-escalation would be discussed. Indias agreement to exploring Chinas early harvest proposal is quite notable, as New Delhi had turned down this offer earlier, insisting that it would prefer a comprehensive settlement covering the entire India-China boundary. The early harvest was first floated in 2017 when Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui cryptically mentioned it during a think tank event at New Delhi. Chinese military analyst senior Colonel Zhao Xiaozhou later clarified that the proposal essentially sought to replace the 1890 Great Britain-China convention with a new agreement signed directly between China and India. For China, early harvest means, we want to have a new agreement with India, because the 1890 convention was signed between Great Britain and China, he explained, adding that China wanted to start from the easiest, that is what we call early harvest in the Sikkim sector. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD NSA Ajit Doval and Chinas Wang Yi sit down for border talks during the latters visit to India. Image Courtesy: @China_Amb_India/X China to lift curbs on rare earths, fertiliser exports Another move that indicates a huge shift in India-China ties is Beijing agreeing to lift curbs on the export of fertilisers, rare earth magnets/minerals, as well as tunnel boring machines to India. According to an Economic Times report, shipments have already begun. Earlier, India had taken up the matter of restricting fertiliser supplies, noting that the action had impacted availability of Di-Ammonium Phosphate in the Rabi season. Similarly, Beijing had paused shipments of tunnel boring machines headed for key infrastructure projects in India. Additionally, Indias automobile and electronics industries repeatedly flagged shortages of rare earth magnets, warning of production risks. At the time, China had put curbs, linking it to national security considerations amid tensions with India. Wang Yis assurances on this matter are significant; it comes at a time when both countries are facing challenges from the US on the trade and tariffs front. Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New Delhi. Image Courtesy: @MEAIndia/X Following up Wang Yis visit, it was announced that India and China would resume direct flights, which have been suspended since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. However, no exact date has been given for the resumption of services. Both sides also agreed on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions. Both sides further approved the re-opening of border trade through the three designated trading points, namely Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass. Moreover, concrete measures would be taken by both sides to facilitate trade and investment flows between the two countries STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India and China have also expressed support to each other in holding events in 2025 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China. India and China have also said that they would support each other in hosting successful diplomatic events the Chinese side will support India in hosting the 2026 Brics summit and the Indian side will support China in hosting the 2027 Brics summit. The Brahmaputra question and terrorism India also raised concerns over Chinas construction of a mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, which becomes the Brahmaputra in India. India spoke of its worries on Chinas construction in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra river). It stressed that the activity will have implications for lower riparian states and called for utmost transparency on the matter. Its also important that India raised the issue of terrorism and its strong stand against cross-border terrorism with Chinas Wang Yi. The MEA said in its statement, The Indian side strongly raised the issue of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, recalling that one of the original objectives of the SCO, whose summit will be held later this month in China, was to counter the evil of terrorism. Minister Wang Yi concurred that countering terrorism should be given the highest priority. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite China-India relations seeing a thaw in ties, which is only being fuelled by Washington and Donald Trumps tariffs, some challenges remain. Beijing continues to extend support to Pakistan in fact, Wang is heading to Islamabad immediately after his India visit. With inputs from agencies I was treated like a queen; its beautiful This is how influencers from Western countries are describing Afghanistan. In recent times, a growing number of social-media personalities from countries such as the US, the UK, Germany and Australia are travelling to the Taliban-led nation, gushing over its beauty and praising the hospitality there. But this could be misleading and dangerous On August 15, 2021, the country of Afghanistan fell back into the hands of the Taliban after the United States pulled out of the country. Since then, the Taliban-led government has been erasing women from public life in Afghanistan. Women in the country are banned from hearing each others voice; the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice also mandates that they cover themselves in public at all times. Additionally, they are forbidden from praying loudly or reciting the Quran in front of other women. They are prohibited from looking at men they are not related to by blood or marriage and vice versa and so much more. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But with the return of the Taliban, theres another notable change in Afghanistan tourism is booming, with several content creators from the US, Europe and other parts of the world flocking to the country, despite warnings from government about the dangers of doing so. But whats driving this trend? Why are tourists willing to risk it all to visit Afghanistan? And why has this sparked heavy criticism? Flocking to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Theres a video online showing three men, apparently hostages, kneeling in front of a group of five Taliban fighters holding AK-47s. One of the turbaned figures recites an Islamic greeting, then warns: We have one message for America. He pulls off the hood shrouding the face of one of the prisoners who promptly grins, sticks up his thumb and declares: Welcome to Afghanistan! The video then cuts to a montage of waterfalls, azure lakes and mountains, plus the occasional camouflaged tank. The video created by @iampocoloco is one of a fast-growing band of social media influencers posting largely favourable content about the Talibans brutal, misogynist emirate. There are many such videos on TikTok as well as Instagram posted by social media influencers, who share scenic footage of the countrys rugged landscapes and centuries-old culture, often with the aim of challenging global narratives about safety and gender oppression. Australian influencer Chloe Baradinsky has been posting clips about her stay in Afghanistan. Image Courtesy: Chloe Baradinsky For instance, theres TikTok influencer Zoe Discovers, who has told her followers that travelling through the country and meeting local women has given her the best experiences. Theres also Margaritta, a 33-year-old travel influencer from Germany. Speaking to NBC News about her travels, which she undertook last May, she said that she felt fantastic, and was treated like a queen. When asked about the strict laws on women, she said that she viewed them as a sign that women have value, and they are valued as precious. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And shes not alone in this feeling. British travel vlogger and tour guide from Liverpool, England, Zoe Stephens also told NBC News, All we see of the women in Afghanistan is shapes behind burqas. But when I got there, I realised that theres a lot more nuance to it. Australian influencer Chloe Baradinsky also courted controversy when she posted visuals from Afghanistan, captioning them as: Overall it has been an incredible experience, everyone we have met has been very kind to us and we feel safe. In other videos, she can be seen touring striking mosques, visiting vibrant markets and feasting on local food. A video posted by @iampocoloco shows an armed man in clear blue waters in Afghanistan. Image Courtesy: @iampocoloco There are also dozens of male influencers, who have shared videos of them chilling with members of the Taliban. One such influencer is Nolan Saumure, a 28-year-old Canadian. In his video, titled Afghanistan Has Too Much Testosterone, he said its all dudes, bro-ing the f**k down. Its a complete sausage fest in here. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Keith Sinclair, another male influencer, also told CNN that his expectations from Afghanistan were blown out of the water. In fact, influencers like these have bolstered tourism numbers in Afghanistan. According to Deputy Minister of Tourism Qudratullah Jamal, the country saw nearly 9,000 foreign visitors last year with 3,000 tourists in the first three months of this year. What is even more surprising is that many of those who visit Taliban-controlled Afghanistan come despite warnings being issued. For instance, the US State Department, the British Foreign Office, and other EU governments have issued advisories, urging its citizens to avoid even essential travel to Afghanistan. Economic gains and boosting image Don Broussard, 33, an African-American who lives in Houston, who goes by @thebeardedbackpacker on social media, explains why influencers are willing to undertake this deadly trip. In UnHerd, hes quoted as saying that the reason is economic. According to him, Afghanistan has attracted a lot of interest, so posting videos there is a good way for an influencer to build a bigger following. This, in turn, means higher income once a content creator reaches a level where their posts can be monetised, its possible to make $1,000 or more from a single, popular clip. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, the Taliban allows for it or even encourages it as a way of improving their international image. Curt Jones, a 28-year-old, who has been travelling from Newcastle to Australia, said that the Taliban wanted as many influencers to visit as possible: In fact, I met very few tourists there who werent creating content. The Talibans assumption was that almost everyone was. A white-washing of the Taliban However, these videos and influencers have been criticised for ignoring the realities on the ground and even glamourising a nation where women live under a gender apartheid. Internationally renowned Afghan activist and scholar Orzala Nemat, currently a visiting fellow at the London-based think tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said that the surge of foreign influencers in Afghanistan was deeply concerning. An Afghan burqa-clad woman walks along a street in Kandahar. File image/AFP What were seeing instead is a curated, sanitised version of the country that conveniently erases the brutal realities faced by Afghan women under Taliban rule, she tells NBC News. Further commenting on videos showing Afghan women smiling, she adds, This should never be confused with contentment or consent to the current reality. This is not cultural exchange; its neocolonial tourism dressed up as adventure. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nazifa Haqpal, a British-based Afghan researcher, also echoes similar sentiments, saying these videos are dangerous and distort the truth. The truth under the Talibans cruel rule is dark, bleak, and ugly, she told RFE/RL. Unlike journalists, YouTubers are not bound by impartiality or professional ethics, which makes it easy for the Taliban to manipulate them. Afghan women also state that foreign tourists are playing into the Talibans hands and whitewashing their suffering. Conditions for us are worsening with each passing day, Arezo, a young woman in the central province of Bamiyan, told RFE/RLs Radio Azadi. Talibans crackdown on women For many, the Talibans return to power in Afghanistan has pushed back womens rights and progress. As early as March 2022, Afghan girls were banned from attending secondary school, and women nationwide were refused access to university education. Women have also been prohibited from working for NGOs or the United Nations, nor can they hold any public sector jobs. They have also been banned from public spaces like parks and gyms, and cant enter bathhouses. And they are forbidden from reciting poetry or singing in public. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, nearly 100 edicts have been issued against Afghan women restricting them and erasing their existence from public life. File image/AFP In fact, since the Taliban takeover, nearly 100 edicts have been issued against Afghan women restricting them and erasing their existence from public life. As Zahra Nader, an Afghan journalist who leads Zan Times, an independent news outlet, was quoted as saying, Women in Afghanistan have been deprived of their basic human rights. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even the UN noted this week that women are experiencing total exclusion from Afghan society. The Taliban is closer than ever to achieving its vision of a society that completely erases women from public life. Manizha Bakhtari, ambassador of Afghanistan to Austria, put the whole situation in the right perspective. In a Fox News report, she says, While Afghanistan is breathtakingly beautiful, beauty should not blind us to injustice. Travel should open hearts, not close eyes. With inputs from agencies Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend a meeting of a state ministerial panel today to present the Centres proposal for major GST changes. The panel will take up the Centres proposal to simplify the GST structure. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan will file his nomination as the Vice Presidential candidate of the BJP-led NDA Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend an important meeting of a state ministerial panel. Reuters/File Photo It is a busy Wednesday. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend an important meeting of a state ministerial panel today to present the Centres plan for major GST changes. BJP-led NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan will file his nomination today for the upcoming Vice Presidential election. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert in Mumbai for today. The UN Security Council (UNSC) is likely to meet today for a briefing on a report about the threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Google will launch its new flagship smartphone, the Pixel 10, today. Heres a look at the events: Nirmala Sitharaman to attend key GoM meeting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend an important meeting of a state ministerial panel today to present the Centres plan for major GST changes that aim to cut tax rates and lower prices of everyday goods. The panel will discuss the Centres proposal to bring GST into a simpler structure by reducing the number of tax slabs to two, 5 and 18 per cent, with a higher 40 per cent rate on a few selected items, sources told PTI. More from Explainers Red alert for rain in Mumbai: Schools shut, several places waterlogged as heavy downpour floods streets The panel will discuss the Centres proposal to bring GST into a simpler structure. PTI/File Photo By Diwali (October 2025), the government is looking to introduce this two-rate system to boost demand and ensure steady revenue in the long run. Nato defence chiefs to meet to discuss Ukraine The defence chiefs of all 32 Nato countries will meet virtually today to discuss the diplomatic efforts to secure peace in Ukraine, reports the BBC. They will be briefed by US Air Force Lt Gen Alexus Grynkewich on the outcome of the Alaska summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held last week. As diplomatic efforts to secure peace in Ukraine progress, looking forward to his update on the current security environment, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the chairman of Natos military committee, posts on X. Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan will file his nomination today as the Vice Presidential candidate for the BJP-led NDA. All NDA floor leaders and members of Parliament will issue signatures, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said. CP Radhakrishnan is a two-time former Coimbatore MP. Image: X/@narendramodi Meanwhile, the opposition-led INDIA bloc has named former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for the Vice Presidential election. The Election Commission has said voting for the Vice President will be held on September 9, and counting will take place the same day. Orange alert in Mumbai Mumbai has seen very heavy rain over the past few days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the city today. Thane, Palghar and Ratnagiri are also under orange alert, while Raigad has been placed under a red alert for Wednesday. A schoolgirl holds an umbrella as she sits on a bench during heavy rain showers in Mumbai. AFP Since Friday, the continuous rain has disrupted life in Mumbai, leaving roads flooded and slowing down traffic. Train services, the citys main mode of travel, are running on waterlogged tracks, and flights have been delayed or diverted because of the downpour. Key UNSC meeting on ISIL terror threats The UN Security Council (UNSC) is expected to meet today for a briefing on the Secretary-Generals 21st biannual report on the threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh). The report says that ISIL and its affiliates continued to pose a major threat during the reporting period, showing resilience and adaptability despite ongoing counter-terrorism efforts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Like earlier reports, it points to Africa as the centre of ISIL activity, with groups such as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) widening their reach and increasing propaganda. Google Pixel 10 launch Google is ready to launch its new flagship smartphone, the Pixel 10, today. The Pixel 10, which follows the Pixel 9, is expected to come with big improvements in performance, design and AI features. Live from NYC, it's #MadeByGoogle '25! Tune in on August 20th at 1pm ET to catch our latest products and celebrate 10 generations of Pixel with all these special guests & more Are you ready to get outside your comfort phone? https://t.co/3qmNQCXzzo pic.twitter.com/9IA1pO9G6F Made by Google (@madebygoogle) August 15, 2025 The launch event will also feature the Pixel 10 lineup along with the Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Viewers can watch the Made by Google event live on the companys official YouTube channel. The stream begins at 10 AM PT, which is 10:30 PM IST in India. With inputs from agencies A map displayed in the Oval Office during Donald Trumps meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become a flashpoint in the peace talks around the war in Ukraine. While the White House version suggested Russia controls nearly 20 per cent of Ukraine, Zelenskyy insisted the true figure was closer to one per cent Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, Finland's President Alexander Stubb and NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte, at the White House Library, in Washington, DC, US, August 18, 2025. Image/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service When United States President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, a large map dominated the Oval Office. The map, which highlighted areas of Ukraine under Russian occupation in vivid red, quickly became one of the most talked-about elements of the high-level talks. To some, it was a blunt reminder of Moscows hold on Ukrainian land. To others, particularly Kyiv, it was a misleading portrayal that distorted battlefield realities and fed into the narrative of inevitable Russian dominance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What Trumps Ukraine map showed The Oval Office map presented Ukraine in sections, shading out areas that US officials said were controlled or influenced by Russia. According to that version, Moscow had consolidated control over nearly 20 per cent of Ukraines territory. It displayed region-by-region breakdowns, including 99 per cent of Luhansk, 76 per cent of Donetsk, and 73 per cent of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Smaller but symbolically important percentages were also marked in other areas, including 4 per cent of Kharkiv in the northeast, and 1 per cent in Sumy and Mykolaiv. US-prepared map of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories displayed in the Oval Office. Image: X/komadovsky Trump pointed to this visualisation as evidence of Russias growing strength. Speaking to Fox News the following day, he remarked, I assume youve all seen the map. A big chunk of territory is taken and that territory has been taken. To the White House, the message appeared straightforward significant parts of Ukraine were already lost, and a settlement might require territorial concessions or land swaps with Moscow. For Trump, the map was not just a briefing tool but a statement of reality. It was clear, he said, that Russias force was so clearly much more powerful, and you know, its not like theyve stopped. How Zelenskyys challenged Trumps Ukraine map Zelenskyy, however, strongly disputed the accuracy of the Oval Office chart. He came to the meeting with his own map and contested the figures presented by Washington. People think 20 per cent or 18 per cent, but it was up to 1 per cent, he argued, suggesting that since November 2022, Russia had only managed to gain about 5,842 square kilometres of Ukrainian land. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He explained that this slightly changes the balance of how strong Russias army is and how strong Ukraines army is. The Ukrainian leader pointed out that it was not enough to rely on broad estimates or headlines; the specifics of who controlled what territory and when it was seized mattered for an accurate understanding of the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy looks on as he is greeted upon his arrival at the White House by US President Donald Trump (not pictured), amid negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine, in Washington, DC, US, August 18, 2025. File Image/Reuters Well leave the question of territories between me and Putin, he insisted. Following the Oval Office discussions, Zelenskyy described the exchange as a slight disagreement but still warm, good, and substantive. He added that Trump heard and saw the Ukrainian perspective during their talks. What the numbers are at the front lines The discrepancy between the US and Ukrainian maps lies partly in how territorial control is measured. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have produced assessments similar to the White House figures, though differences may reflect variations in methodology. In regions such as Sumy or Mykolaiv, for example, Russias presence might be limited to isolated positions or claimed land rather than sustained control. Despite the numbers presented in Washington, Ukrainian officials note that large areas of Donbas remain under Kyivs authority. Around 242,000 people still live in Ukrainian-held parts of Donetsk, including the strategically important fortress cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukrainian leaders argue that no president could simply hand over these territories to Moscow without betraying both the constitution and the population that continues to resist occupation. Moreover, Ukrainian experts such as those at DeepStateUA highlight that Russias territorial gains since late 2022 amount to less than 1 per cent of Ukraines overall landmass. While Moscow has achieved some localised advances in recent months, the frontline has remained largely unchanged since the early stages of the full-scale invasion. What Russia wants from Ukraine territorially Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported to have told Trump that he wants the entire Donbas region included in any peace deal. The eastern Donbas comprising Donetsk and Luhanskhas been at the centre of heavy fighting since 2014, when pro-Russian separatists, supported by Moscow, declared independence from Kyiv. At the start of the 2022 invasion, Putin recognised these breakaway territories and used their supposed plea for protection as justification for military intervention. Despite these claims, military analysts warn that capturing the entirety of Donetsk and Luhansk would be a long and difficult process. According to the UKs Defence Intelligence reported by BBC, at Russias current pace of incremental gains, it would take more than four years to fully seize Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even with recent increases in recruitment Russia is said to be enlisting 30,000 to 35,000 soldiers a month its forces continue to suffer heavy losses. Ukraines military, meanwhile, has successfully repelled Russian offensives in places like Dobropillya, in Donetsk, where Moscows troops attempted to push 10-15 kilometres into Ukrainian-controlled territory. What about previous occupations like Crimea Zelenskyy has pointed out that Russias takeover of Crimea in 2014 was not the result of a conventional battle. There were no military operations, for example, in Crimea no large-scale ones, he said. For him, conflating those earlier annexations with later a full-scale war creates a false impression of Russian military superiority. By linking Crimea and the Donbas to todays battle lines, Kyiv argues, Western allies risk overlooking the distinctions between different phases of Russian aggression. Understanding when and how each area was taken is, in Zelenskyys words, essential for helping allies like the US understand battlefield shifts. How Ukraine may achieve peace The Oval Office summit included not only Trump and Zelenskyy but also key European leaders: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte. Their presence highlighted Europes central role in supporting Ukraine while grappling with Russias continued threats. Yesterday, important talks took place in Washington with the President of the United States and European leaders. This was truly a significant step toward ending the war and ensuring the security of Ukraine and our people. We are already working on the concrete content of the pic.twitter.com/FXGnQfcdzz Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) August 19, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Discussions revolved around security guarantees, military aid, and future diplomatic arrangements. Macron urged that peace talks could not be delayed for weeks or months, while Merz drew a sharp analogy, likening Moscows demands to forcing the United States to surrender Florida. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, repeated calls for Russia to return abducted Ukrainian children, an issue that remains a moral flashpoint. Rutte clarified afterward that ceding territory was not on the table during the discussions, stressing that such matters were an issue for Zelenskyy and Putin to consider. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Britains Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commissions President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, Finlands President Alexander Stubb and NATOs Secretary General Mark Rutte, at the White House Library, in Washington, DC, US, August 18, 2025. Image/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service For Ukraine, any peace deal must include assurances strong enough to deter future Russian aggression. Zelenskyy has said this means a powerful, well-armed Ukrainian military backed by Western support. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some in Europe have floated the idea of guarantees similar to Natos collective defence clause, under which an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. A coalition of 30 nations, including European states, Japan, and Australia, has pledged to support a stabilisation force for Ukraine in the event of a settlement. However, Trump reiterated during the talks and later on Fox News that US troops would not be sent to defend Ukraine directly. Moscow, for its part, has made clear it would not accept Nato or Western forces operating inside Ukraine. Will Zelenskyy, Trump and Putin meet in trilateral talks Following the Oval Office meeting, Trump placed a call to Putin and indicated that the US was preparing for the possibility of a trilateral summit involving Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow. Zelenskyy has repeatedly underlined that Ukraines constitution forbids the surrender of national territory. Any concession, he warns, would serve as a precedent for Moscow to press forward with new demands in the future. While Russia currently occupies parts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea, Ukrainian officials point out that formal recognition of these losses would undermine both sovereignty and security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As the Ukrainian president told his US counterpart at the end of their talks, Thank you for the map, by the way, it was great. Im thinking how to take it back. With inputs from agencies An exceptionally rare pink diamond worth $25 million was stolen in Dubai by a group of Asian thieves posing as wealthy buyers. The European trader, who owned the diamond, was lured to a villa where the gang nabbed the 21-carat gem and fled. However, Dubai Police tracked and arrested three robbers within eight hours, recovering the jewel The rare pink diamond, which is worth $25 million, had a clarity and symmetry so rare that the chances of finding another like it were just 0.01 per cent. Image for Representation. AFP A major heist unfolded in Dubai when a rare pink diamond, valued at $25 million, was stolen in a daring daylight theft. For a few tense hours, it appeared that the precious stone had vanished without a trace. According to Dubai Police, the exceptionally rare diamond was taken from a trader by a group of thieves who had planned the heist for over a year. But the dramatic story didnt end there. Thanks to the swift response of Dubai Police, the culprits were tracked down within hours, and the gem was safely recovered on the very same day. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So how did the theft happen? And how did authorities manage to catch the thieves so quickly? Heres a closer look. How the heist played out During the investigation, Dubai Police found that the theft was carefully planned over months Disguised as intermediaries for a wealthy buyer, the suspects approached the diamond trader, who had flown in from Europe with the rare gem. Police said the group had been working on the plan for more than a year, meticulously building trust to pull off the heist. To establish credibility, the suspects posed as wealthy individuals by renting luxury cars and arranging meetings at upscale hotels, eventually persuading the merchant to move the diamond out of his secure shop, enabling them to steal it, the release said. At one stage, they even hired a diamond expert to inspect the stone, which further convinced the trader that the deal was genuine. The level of detail in their act made the seller believe he was dealing with serious buyers. The diamond the thieves were targeting was worth $25 million and weighed more than 21 carats. It came with a unique purity rating. Officials said its clarity and symmetry were so rare that the chances of finding another like it were just 0.01 per cent. Disguised as intermediaries for a wealthy buyer, the thieves had approached the Dubai diamond trader, who had flown in from Europe with the rare gem. Image for Representation. AP The trap was finally set when the suspects invited the trader to a villa under the pretence of closing the deal. As soon as the diamond was brought out, they snatched it and fled. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I just had a problem, a man can be heard saying in a desperate emergency call released by the Dubai Media Office. I came to meet a client to sell a diamond to them. They looked at the stone and now its stolen. How Dubai police hunted down the robbers Police were quick to act. Within hours of the heist, investigators identified three suspects and launched Operation Pink Diamond to stop the jewel from being smuggled out of the country. Dubai has, in recent years, positioned itself as a major hub for the global diamond trade, benefiting from its strategic location between Africa and India as well as its low tax environment. The police then created specialised teams that relied on advanced surveillance tools and artificial intelligence to track their every move. In less than eight hours, officers arrested three men from an unspecified Asian country and recovered the diamond, authorities said. Thanks to the efforts of specialised and field teams, and by using the latest artificial intelligence technologies, the police said in a statement. Dubai Police thwarts an attempted theft of an exceptionally rare pink diamond valued at 25 million US dollars. The group of three individuals of Asian nationality were apprehended within eight hours.@DubaiPoliceHQ pic.twitter.com/fKNA3cUtZD Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) August 18, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The jeweller himself admitted he was stunned by the speed of the response. To my surprise, the very next morning, they called to say the suspects had been arrested and the diamond recovered, he said, while urging others in the trade to stick to Dubais safety guidelines. Footage released by the Dubai Media Office showed the blurred faces of the suspects after their arrest, alongside CCTV footage of the heist. Police said the swift recovery highlighted the citys commitment to maintaining security and trust in its markets. With input from agencies Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public grievance hearing at her residence on Wednesday morning. The man, identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, allegedly handed over a paper to the CM, shouted, slapped, pulled her hair, and abused her. According to his mother, the 41-year-old is a dog lover and was upset with the Supreme Court ruling on the removal of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR Around 8 am Rajesh Sakariya, carrying some court papers, allegedly entered Rekha Gupta's Camp Office posing as a complainant and attacked her. Image courtesy: News18, PTI Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Guptas routine Jan Sunwai (public hearing) at her residence on Wednesday took an unexpected and disturbing turn when she was allegedly attacked by a man posing as a complainant. Eyewitnesses told News18 that around 8 am, the man approached Gupta with a document, shouted at her, and then allegedly slapped her, hurled abuses and even pulled her hair. Security personnel quickly intervened, and the CM was rushed to the hospital. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The attacker was later identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, a resident of Gujarats Rajkot. He is currently being interrogated by the Delhi Police. The shocking incident has raised sharp questions about the security arrangements around the chief minister, while also triggering strong political reactions across party lines. So what exactly happened? Why did Sakariya target the CM? Heres a closer look How the attack on Delhi CM unfolded Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was meeting residents at her new Civil Lines residence on Wednesday morning as part of a regular Jansunwai (public hearing) session, during which she hears their grievances. According to News18, the incident took place around 8 am when Sakariya, carrying some court papers, allegedly entered the CMs Camp Office posing as a complainant. He stood in the queue with others. He then broke the line and reportedly began shouting during the conversation with the CM, and then attacked her. Some eyewitnesses told NDTV that he appeared to be drunk, though this has not been confirmed by the authorities. Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva told News18 that the man tried to drag Gupta by the hand, which led to a scuffle. He added that during this, her head may have struck a corner. She was soon rushed to the hospital for a medical check-up. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was meeting residents as part of a regular Jansunwai (public hearing) session when she was attacked. File image.PTI The Chief Ministers Office later issued a statement confirming the incident: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked today during a public grievance hearing. The Delhi Police promptly took the accused into custody and are interrogating him. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Police officials said they are verifying the attackers details with the help of authorities in Gujarat. In the meantime, additional security has been deployed at the Chief Ministers residence. According to NDTV sources from Delhi Police, an inquiry will be conducted to find what led to this big security breach. Delhi Police Commissioner SBK Singh is expected to monitor this probe. Who is Rajesh Bhai Sakriya? According to a News18 report, the accused has been identified as 41-year-old Sakriya Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai, a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat. Delhi Police have reached out to his family. Speaking to the media, his mother, Bhanu Ben, described him as a dog lover who was disturbed by the Supreme Courts recent order to round up stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and shift them to shelters. My son is an animal lover and was deeply disturbed by the issue related to dogs. That is why he went to Delhi, she told the outlet Sakriya Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai is a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat. He also has criminal cases registered against him in the state. Image courtesy: News18 However, several reports suggest a different motive. According to these accounts, Sakriya had gone to the public meeting to seek the chief ministers help after one of his relatives was arrested and lodged in Tihar Jail. He was believed to be carrying court-related documents with him, though an official statement from Delhi Police is still awaited. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sources told News18, Sakriya has as many as five criminal cases registered against him in Gujarat, including charges of causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons and abettment to suicide. Some reports also alleged that the accused had been conducting surveillance for nearly 24 hours before the incident, and had even gone as far as visiting the Chief Ministers residence. How is Rekha Gupta now? Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva confirmed that Gupta is shaken but out of danger. Doctors have confirmed that Gupta is stable but in shock. She remains determined to continue her daily work and Jan Sunwai sessions. She is a strong woman with a clear commitment to Delhi," he told News18. For now, she is resting, but has made it clear that she will not cancel her scheduled programmes, Sachdeva added. The unexpected attack on the Delhi CM has drawn sharp condemnation from political leaders across party lines. Leader of Opposition and former CM Atishi said, In a democracy, there is a place for disagreement and protest, but there is no place for violence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD , https://t.co/I0olIy2opH Atishi (@AtishiAAP) August 20, 2025 AAP supremo and former CM Arvind Kejriwal also took to X, writing, The attack on Delhis Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democratic system, differences of opinion and opposition are acceptable, but there can be no place for violence. , Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 20, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav echoed the condemnation but turned the spotlight on law and order. If the Chief Minister of Delhi is not safe, then how can a common man or a common woman remain safe? he asked. #WATCH | On an attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai at CM Residence, Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav says, "This is very unfortunate. CM leads the entire Delhi, and I think that the more such incidents are condemned, the less it is. But this incident also exposes pic.twitter.com/TJ2jOsx9jc ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 With input from agencies Bhanu Attri, a 39-year-old from Himachal Pradesh, has become the Royal Navys first Hindu and non-Christian chaplain. Attri, who grew up in Himachal Pradesh before moving to the UK, will be offering spiritual support to fellow naval officers based on the tenets of Hinduism Bhanu Attri underwent six weeks of officer training, which included sea survival exercises and four weeks aboard the warship HMS Iron Duke. Image courtesy: X A pandit from Himachal Pradesh has made history by becoming the Royal Navys first-ever Hindu chaplain. Bhanu Attri, 39, who grew up in the hill state before moving to the UKs Essex, formally passed out of the prestigious Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth last week. His appointment is not just a first for the Hindu community; he is also the Royal Navys first non-Christian chaplain. Attri was among 148 new officers and two chaplains who completed their training and proudly passed out together. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So, who is Bhanu Attri? What will his role look like in the Navy? And why was he chosen for this important position? Heres a closer look. First, who is a chaplain? In the Royal Navy, chaplains are there to provide religious guidance, pastoral care, and moral support to anyone in service, no matter what their faith may be. Whether on a ship, a submarine, or at a base, their role is to be a source of comfort and counsel for those who need it. As a Hindu priest with decades of experience leading a temple in London, Attri will also bring his own traditions into the role. Alongside general support, he will conduct Hindu prayer ceremonies for personnel who follow the faith. Today, there are about 40 Hindus serving full-time in the Royal Navy, along with another 30 in the Maritime Reserves. Across the UK military as a whole, more than 1,550 Hindus are serving full-time, with the majority in the army. Who is Bhanu Attri? At 39, Bhanu Attri completed his training journey that was unlike that of most naval cadets. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He underwent six weeks of officer training, which included sea survival exercises and four weeks aboard the warship HMS Iron Duke. This was followed by three weeks of specialised training that focused solely on the duties of a military chaplain. Like all cadets, Attri then joined the intensive 29-week programme at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth. The training covered everything from leadership and naval history to seafaring, survival, and teamwork. Like all cadets, Attri then joined the intensive 29-week programme at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth. PTI Beyond classrooms and parade grounds, cadets spent time on Dartmoor tackling leadership exercises, sailed aboard operational warships, and trained with specialist Vahana boats on the River Dart and the English Channel. The programme culminated in the ceremonial passing-out parade, where families, friends, and senior naval leaders watched cadets being recognised as the leaders of tomorrow. Reflecting on his journey, Attri said, As a Hindu brought up in India, the chance to represent individuals from other diverse religions brings meaningful representation for the Hindu community and reflects the Navys commitment to diversity, inclusion, and spiritual care for all. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added: My family feels immense pride, a pride grounded in generations of faith, service, and resilience. Why was Attri selected for the role? The Hindu Council UK (HCUK) welcomed his appointment, noting that Attri had been proposed as an ideal candidate after meeting a demanding set of criteria. These included personal fitness, both physical and mental, a principled approach to faith and philosophy, pastoral and reflective qualities, and a strong educational background equivalent to a Hindu scriptural degree. His years of experience in leadership, his ability to foster interfaith relations, and his fluency in English made him an especially strong fit for the Navys chaplaincy. The training can be arduous, requiring medical fitness standards and readiness for duty 24/7 at short notice, explained Anil Bhanot, HCUKs advisor to the Ministry of Defence. He added that Attris appointment could encourage more young British Hindus to explore careers in the military. Although our spiritual bhoomi (land) is India, our karmabhoomi is the United Kingdom and the MoD represents our protective arm, he said. Back home, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu congratulated Attri on his achievement, calling it a matter of pride not only for the state but also for the entire country. () , - pic.twitter.com/cVRabMesBW Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (@SukhuSukhvinder) August 18, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In an X post, Sukhu said, Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Bhanu Atri ji, a resident of Garhkhal in Solan district, on being selected as a Hindu chaplain (pastor) in the British Royal Navy. Bhanu Atri ji is the first Indian to receive this prestigious responsibility in the British Royal Navy. His achievement is a matter of pride and inspiration not only for Himachal but for the entire country. With input from agencies Want to become a citizen of the United States? Having a good moral character has long been considered one of the criteria for citizenship. However, now the administration of US President Donald Trump has expanded on the definition. But what has changed? What do experts think? Having a good moral character has long been considered one of the criteria for US citizenship. Reuters Want to become a citizen of the United States? Having a good moral character has long been considered one of the criteria for citizenship. However, now the administration of US President Donald Trump has told officials to expand on the definition. But what happened? What are the changes one needs to be cognisant of? Lets take a closer look: What happened? First lets briefly take a look at the good moral character requirement for citizenship. This stipulation was added after the US passed the 1790 Naturalization Act. This had long been interpreted to mean that a person has no criminal convictions against him or her for example murders, felonies and genocide. However, drink driving, for example, can also be a disqualifier. Those wanting to apply to become a citizen must show that they have undergone rehabilitation. This citizenship test is usually given to green card holders who have been in the country between three and five years and who want to become American citizens a process known as naturalisation. Other than showing good moral character, those wanting to become citizens must also clear English and civics tests. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the change in policy in a memo on Friday. The agency ordered its employees to do a more complete and holistic assessment of applicants good moral character. This includes being involved in their local community, positive contributions to the US, having family ties, having a long employment history, being a lawful resident of the us for a long time and paying taxes. The agency asked employees to consider applicants positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct. The applicant must show their character is commensurate with the standards of average citizens of the community in which the alien resides. Officers have been told to bar applicants if they have committed any other acts that are contrary to the average behaviour of citizens in the jurisdiction where aliens reside. This even if those acts are technically lawful. USCIS has also said it will check prospective citizens and visa applicants for anti-Americanism, and in particular antisemitic ideologies including their behaviour on social media. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has also said it will check prospective citizens and visa applicants for anti-Americanism, and in particular antisemitic ideologies including their behaviour on social media. AFP Americas benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies, USCIS chief spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said on Tuesday. [USCIS] is committed to implementing policies and procedures that root out anti-Americanism and supporting the enforcement of rigorous screening and vetting measures to the fullest extent possible. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Immigration benefitsincluding to live and work in the United Statesremain a privilege, not a right, he added. USCIS is adding a new element to the naturalization process that ensures Americas newest citizens not only embrace Americas culture, history, and language but who also demonstrate Good Moral Character, Tragesser earlier said. US citizenship is the gold standard of citizenshipit should only be offered to the worlds best of the best. What do experts say? That this is the latest move from Trump to attempt to restrict immigration to the United States. Trump has also taken aim at birthright citizenship which he has vowed to do away with. Since 2015, anywhere from 600,000 to 1 million immigrants have become US citizens every year. There are around 25 million naturalised citizens in the US. Critics say the Trump administration is trying to keep the keep the number of people who enter the US and become naturalised citizens in check. Theyre trying to increase the grounds for denial of US citizenship by kind of torturing the definition of good moral character to encompass extremely harmless behaviour, Doug Rand, a former senior USCIS official who worked in the Biden Administration, told CBS. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gabriel J Chin, a University of California, Davis, law professor, told The Washington Post that new USCIS guidance is so loose and discretionary that it is obviously susceptible to arbitrary enforcement. Many birthright US citizens do not have sufficient educational or economic achievements that would entitle them to a visa to immigrate to the United States, said Chin. If they had not been born here, they would not make the cut. Some in the Trump administration have propounded the Great Replacement theory a conspiracy advanced by many on the far-right that accuses shadowy elitist figures of seeking to replace white citizens with non-white immigrants. While Trump has never explicitly referred to this theory, he has consistently put down immigrants, particularly from South American nations as animals and rapists. He has also repeatedly said that America is at risk of being invaded and its culture lost. For me, the really big story is they are opening the door for stereotypes and prejudice and implicit bias to take the wheel in these decisions. Thats really worrisome, Jane Lilly Lopez, an associate professor of sociology at Brigham Young University, said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Experts say that this is the latest move from Donald Trump to attempt to restrict immigration to the United States. Trump has also taken aim at birthright citizenship which he has vowed to do away with. AFP Lopez said the development make it harder for noncitizens to obtain legal belonging in the United States because officers have to evaluate something they cannot consistently describe or define. Trump has also threatened to denaturalise US citizens most prominently Elon Musk and Zoran Mandani. However, denaturalisation can only be done under the strictest of terms. The Trump administration has also cracked down on college students protesting against Israels actions in Gaza under the guise of anti-Semitism. The Trump administration has also vowed to deport pro-Hamas students. Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student with a green card, has already been deported for advocating for Palestinian rights. Meanwhile, Rumeysa Ozturk, a student from Turkey, was taken into custody by the government for writing an op-ed saying that her college should acknowledge the Palestinian genocide and cut all ties with Israel. A judge ordered Ozturk to be released after finding that the government had no grounds to hold her in custody, STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What does this mean? It means that if you are planning to apply for the United States for visa or a citizenship, the last thing you should do is criticise President Donald Trump on social media. Or even worse, take aim at Israel over the unfolding events in Gaza. This, of course, is steeped in irony given that Trump himself is a convicted felon. Trump in May 2024 was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records during the 2016 presidential election. Trump did so to cover up an affair with a porn star Karen McDougal, with whom he had carried on at a time when his wife Melania had just given birth to their son Baron. Trump also is the first president to enter office as a convict. A New York judge found Trump civilly liable for sexual abuse and defamation of E Jean Carroll. Trump also has been credibly accused of sexual harassment by dozens of women. Trump has also claimed that the late Jeffrey Epstein, who ran a sex trafficking ring, was a good friend for many years. The two men are said to have had a falling out. Trump has since distanced himself from the late disgraced financier. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While Trump isnt exactly in a position to be the arbiter of moral standards, that has not deterred his administration from trying to do so anyway. Israel, meanwhile, is more and more being widely accused by experts of conducting a genocide in Gaza. The International Court of Justice has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Experts are warning that Gaza faces a starvation crisis. Over 60,000 Palestinians are said to have died since the war in Gaza began according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. With inputs from agencies Dozens of current and former Microsoft employees congregated at the tech firms campus in Washington on Tuesday afternoon to protest against the companys contracts with Israel. The employees, who were also joined by locals, are part of the No Azure for Apartheid group, which itself is part of the No Tech for Apartheid movement The No Azure for Apartheid group took over part of Microsoft's campus which spans around 500 acres in Redmond and recently underwent redevelopment. They set up tents and declared the area a 'liberated zone'. Image courtesy: @NoAz4Apartheid Microsoft has a problem. Its workers in Washington, DC, are in an uproar and have taken over part of the companys main campus. The issue at hand? The companys defence contracts with Israel. An employee group within the firm has been pressuring the company to cut its ties with Israel. The development came less than a week after Microsoft said it was launching an independent probe into the use of its Azure software. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This isnt the first time the employees have raised a hue and cry. But what happened? What do we know? Lets take a closer look: What happened? Dozens of employees, as well as former members of the firm, congregated on Microsofts campus in Washington on Tuesday afternoon. The employees, who were also joined by locals, are part of the No Azure for Apartheid group which itself is part of the No Tech for Apartheid movement. The group took over part of the campus which spans around 500 acres in Redmond and recently underwent redevelopment. They set up tents and declared the area a liberated zone. The group said they had changed the name of the area from the East Campus Plaza to The Martyred Palestinian Childrens Plaza. They also set up artwork that honoured those who died in Gaza. This included shrouds and a large plate that stated Stop Starving Gaza. They also set up a table with a sign asking Microsoft management to come to the table and cut ties with the Israeli military. The group also published an open letter and manifesto entitled We will not be cogs in the Israeli genocidal machine: a call for a Worker Intifada. The group has called on Microsoft employees to voice their objections, walk off their jobs, and go on strike until Microsoft ceases to do business with the Israeli government and military. The No Azure for Apartheid group has also slammed Microsofts decision for banning terms such as Gaza, genocide, and apartheid in their internal communications. The group said around 50 people had attended the beginning of the event. Microsoft employs nearly 50,000 people at its Redmond campus. Why are the employees doing this? Hossam Nasr, an ex-Microsoft employee who is leading the protest, said the group had taken this decision because Microsoft refused to respond to their concerns surrounding the use of Azure. Azure is Microsofts cloud-computing division. It sells software to businesses and governments as well allows them to store data on its servers. The Israeli government and its agencies are among the clients of Azure. An investigation this month revealed that an Israeli military surveillance unit is using Microsofts Azure software to record phone calls of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Israel is said to have used this information to choose the locations on which to drop bombs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nasr told The Guardian, We are here because over 22 months of genocide, Israel powered by Microsoft has been killing, maiming Palestinian children every hour. Nasr also cited the death of Al-Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif at the hands of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as a reason for this fresh protest. Anas was among five journalists killed in a strike by Israel earlier this month. I watched him report on Gaza relentlessly, through starvation, through extermination campaigns, through bombing. He was the voice of the business. He was intentionally targeted, Nasr, 26, said. Critics of Israel have long accused them of conducting a genocide in Gaza and targeting journalists covering the war. Israel disputes such allegations, however the increasing number of journalists killed in Gaza suggests otherwise. Hossam Nasr, an ex-Microsoft employee who is leading the protest, said the group had taken this decision because Microsoft refused to respond to their concerns surrounding the use of Azure. Image courtesy: Hossam Nasr, an ex-Microsoft employee who is leading the protest, said the group had taken this decision because Microsoft refused to respond to their concerns surrounding the use of Azure. Image courtesy: @NoAz4Apartheid Nasr was earlier fired for leading a protest against Microsoft. The firm has sacked a few members of the No Azure for Apartheid group for holding unauthorised events and disrupting these speeches of its top executives. The latest protests have been clearly inspired by uprisings against Israel on US college campuses. Many students had called for US colleges to cut ties with Israel and adopt the BDS movement, or Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, movement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Microsoft is the most complicit digital arms manufacturer in Israels genocide of Gaza, Microsoft employee Nisreen Jaradat said in a statement on Tuesday. Jaradat told The Guardian, Every single second that we wait, things are worse and worse in Palestine. People are getting hungrier and hungrier. More and more people are being bombed and maimed. Its time for us to escalate, however we can. Julius Shan, another Microsoft employee, added, I think we are inspiring conversation among the people who work at Microsoft to feel more comfortable talking about this with each other and about how their work is contributing to genocide. Some experts have accused Israel of conducting a genocide in Gaza. The United Nations has warned that Gaza faces widespread starvation and disease. The Gaza Health Ministry has said that at least 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war which Israel launched as a response to the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The group had said it would remain in the plaza until it was forcibly removed. An hour into the protest, a police officer showed up to warn them they were press passing on private property and that there would be arrested. The demonstrators then left the plaza and set up on a sidewalk which organisers said was public property. A Microsoft spokesperson said the group was asked to leave, and they left. The company in May claimed it had found no evidence to date that Microsofts Azure and AI technologies have been used to target or harm people in the conflict in Gaza. However Microsoft has since enlisted the Covington & Burlin law firm to conduct an independent review. Previous protests by Microsoft employees This isnt the first time Microsoft employees have taken the company to task over its ties to Israel. In April, Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian-origin engineer, slammed Microsofts top leadership at a companywide party in Washington. Microsoft at the time was holding an event to celebrate its 50th anniversary with leaders such as Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella in attendance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Vaniya Agrawal later sent an email announcing that she is leaving Microsoft. LinkedIn Shame on you all. Youre all hypocrites, Agrawal said at the time. Fifty thousand Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you. Shame on all of you for celebrating on their blood. Cut ties with Israel, she said. Agrawal was escorted from the event and booed by some fellow Microsoft employees. She later took to LinkedIn to announce her exit from the firm. That same event also saw Ibtihal Aboussad, another Microsoft employee, disrupting the speech of AI chief Mustafa Suleyman. Mustafa, shame on you, Aboussad yelled which caused Suleyman to halt his address. You claim that you care about using AI for good but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military. Fifty-thousand people have died and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region. Thank you for your protest, I hear you, Suleyman responded. But Aboussad wasnt finished. She proclaimed that all of Microsoft has blood on their hands and threw a keffiyeh on stage. The scarf has become a symbol of support for Palestinian people. Aboussad too was removed from the event. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In February, five Microsoft employees were thrown out of an internal meeting with Nadella for protesting against the contracts with Israel. More than 60 Microsoft shareholders holding $80 million in the firm have demanded a review to see Microsofts contracts with Israeli firms are contravening human rights in Gaza. The proposal will likely be taken up at the companys annual general meeting in December. Ukraines push for European Union membership is advancing despite Hungarys resistance, but Nato accession remains off the table. Instead, Western leaders are exploring Article 5-style security guarantees to protect Kyiv without triggering a direct clash with Russia European Parliament President Roberta Metsola holds an EU flag with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the European Parliament during an address in Brussels, Belgium, February 9, 2023. File Image/European Union via Reuters While Ukraines path toward joining the European Union (EU) is slowly advancing, albeit with major obstacles, its entry into Nato remains blocked. Instead, Western leaders are exploring Article 5-style security guarantees that might shield Ukraine from future Russian aggression without granting it formal membership in the transatlantic alliance. On Monday, United States President Donald Trump made a direct appeal to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban after lengthy discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a group of European leaders in Washington. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The talks, held at the White House, centred on finding a unified strategy to push forward both peace negotiations with Russia and Ukraines integration with Europe. Individuals familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Trump was urged by European counterparts to use his personal influence over Orban, a figure often at odds with the EU, to convince him to drop his opposition to Ukraines EU membership talks. Hungary has been one of the most significant obstacles to Kyivs European aspirations, having blocked the start of formal accession negotiations despite overwhelming support from other EU states. Orban, who has built a reputation as one of the EUs most defiant leaders, responded by doubling down on his objections. He wrote on Facebook: Ukraines membership in the European Union does not provide any security guarantees. Therefore linking membership with security guarantees is unnecessary and dangerous. The Hungarian leader has frequently aligned himself with Russia on sanctions and aid issues, providing Moscow with diplomatic cover inside the EU. The Trump-Orban call came only days after Trumps own meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Trump suggested he wanted to facilitate a direct summit between Putin and Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral meeting that he himself would attend. No location or timetable for such an encounter has been set, though Hungary has expressed willingness to host. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How Ukraine may join EU Ukraines pursuit of EU membership began in the immediate aftermath of the invasion. On February 28, 2022, just four days after Russian forces crossed its borders, Zelenskyy signed the formal application. The urgency reflected Kyivs desire to cement its place in the European family and to seek long-term protection against Moscows ambitions. Eight EU member states quickly backed a fast-track procedure, though European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made clear that the accession process would still take time. Within weeks, the EU institutions moved ahead. On March 10, 2022, the Council of the European Union requested the Commissions opinion on the application. A legislative questionnaire was handed to Ukraine on April 8, with responses submitted on May 9. On June 17, 2022, the Commission recommended granting Ukraine candidate status, and six days later, the European Parliament overwhelmingly supported the move. On June 23, 2022, the European Council formally declared Ukraine a candidate for membership. The decision placed Kyiv among nine active candidate states, alongside Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey. Negotiations began in earnest on June 25, 2024, when the Council opened accession talks with both Ukraine and Moldova. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Britains Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commissions President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, Finlands President Alexander Stubb and NATOs Secretary General Mark Rutte, at the White House Library, in Washington, DC, US, August 18, 2025. Image/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service The step was hailed as another milestone in Ukraines reorientation toward Western institutions, comparable to the integration of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania two decades earlier in 2004. However, progress has not been straightforward. In June this year, Hungary blocked the official opening of talks, citing fears of integrating war into the EU. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also expressed doubts that Ukraine could complete the process by 2034, underscoring the long road ahead. Reforms inside Ukraine have also posed challenges. In July, parliament passed a law undermining the independence of anti-corruption institutions, a critical demand of Brussels. The European Commission quickly warned of consequences. Hours later, Zelenskyy annulled the decision and restored the independence of the agencies, declaring that the measure guarantees the absence of any kind of outside influence (or) interference. Despite these hurdles, Ukraine remains firmly on the EU track. Accession, if completed, would place another former Soviet republic inside the bloc. Why Nato remains out of Ukraines reach In contrast to its EU bid, Ukraines chances of joining Nato remain slim for now. At the White House meeting on Monday, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte made clear that the alliance was not discussing membership but rather a separate framework of commitments. The situation is this that the US and some other countries have said that they are against Nato membership for Ukraine. The official Nato position is that there is an irreversible path for Ukraine into Nato, he explained. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what we are discussing here is not Nato membership, what we are discussing here is Article 5 type of security guarantees for Ukraine and what exactly they will entail will now be more specifically discussed. The remarks reflect a long-standing dilemma. Article 5 of Natos founding treaty, signed in 1949, binds members to treat an attack on one as an attack on all. It has only been formally invoked once, after the September 11 attacks in 2001. While the principle of collective defence is at the core of Natos deterrence, it also raises the risk of direct confrontation with Russia, a nuclear power, should Ukraine become a member. Therefore, the focus has shifted toward designing alternative security guarantees. What Article 5-like protections could mean for Ukraine Western leaders have increasingly referred to Article 5-style or Article 5-like protections for Ukraine. The phrase suggests a collective defence mechanism modelled on Natos clause but without formally making Kyiv a member. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff described the concept in an interview with CNN on August 17, calling it a game-changing assurance. He noted that the idea had been discussed at the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin, and claimed that Moscow would not object to such a framework as part of a broader peace deal. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Unlike Natos integrated military command, this arrangement would be a bespoke pact among willing nations, defining the obligations in the event of a renewed Russian offensive. The text of such guarantees would be crucial: who would commit troops or resources, under what circumstances, and with what speed. Without clear provisions, critics fear the agreement could lack credibility. Scepticism is widespread, particularly in Ukraine, which still recalls the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Under that agreement, Ukraine gave up its inherited Soviet nuclear arsenal in exchange for assurances of territorial integrity from Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski summed up the doubts bluntly, writing on X: On 22 April 2004 Vladimir Putin solemnly ratified the Treaty on the Russian-Ukrainian Border. Suffice to respect them and the war is over. Still, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen endorsed the concept, pointing out deterrence. As I have often said, Ukraine must become a steel porcupine, undigestible for potential invaders, she declared. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nato currently has 32 members, with The US and other major Nato states believe extending Article 5 to Kyiv now would effectively mean joining Ukraines war, something they are unwilling to do. Such special security guarantees for Ukraine raise a couple of questions: If guarantees are strong enough to deter Russia, why would Moscow accept them? Yet if they are watered down to secure Russian agreement, will they deter anyone at all? With inputs from agencies Three people have died after a building collapsed in Delhis Daryaganj, according to an official. The photograph shows a building that collapsed near Sadbhavna Park in central Delhis Daryaganj on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. (Photo: PTI screengrab) Three people died on Wednesday after a building collapsed near Sadbhavna Park in central Delhis Daryaganj, an official told PTI news agency. The information about the incident was received at 12.14 pm, following which four fire tenders were rushed to the spot where a building, consisting of ground and two floors, collapsed, a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official told the agency. Three persons were rescued from the debris and immediately taken to hospital, the official said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The rescue operation was underway at the site at the time of writing. The PTI has shared visuals of the site of accident. VIDEO | Three people died after a building collapsed near Sadbhavna Park in central Delhis Daryaganj on Wednesday, an official said. An information about the incident was received at 12.14 pm following which four fire tenders were rushed to the spot where a building, consisting pic.twitter.com/af6rUUb1GH Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2025 The building that collapsed borders City Wall alongside Sadbhavna Park, according to CNN-News 18. The deceased have been identified as workers on the site, namely Zubair, Gulsagar, and Taufiq, the report said. The authorities will initiate legal action after the verification of facts, as per the report. The incident took place during a public grievance hearing or Jan Sunvai, when a man in his mid-30s entered and handed over a paper to Gupta, shouted, slapped and pulled her hair, and abused her Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was physically assaulted during an event at her residence in Civil Lines. The suspect behind the attack has been taken into custody. Sources have told News18 that the incident took place during a public grievance hearing or Jan Sunvai, when a man entered and handed over a paper to Gupta, shouted, slapped and pulled her hair, and abused her. The individual is also reported to have been involved in a physical altercation with the Chief Minister. According to sources, court-related documents were recovered from the accuseds possession. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The accused has been identified as 41-year-old Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya from Gujarats Rajkot. VIDEO | Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was allegedly attacked at a 'Jan Sunwai' programme at her official residence in Civil Lines. Visuals from outside her residence. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/Fv2Dfb0Gxc Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2025 Meanwhile, IANS has quoted Delhi Police sources as saying that the man threw a heavy object at the chief minister, leading her to fall on the ground. The BJP has claimed that Gupta has suffered a head injury. An additional police force has been deployed at the Chief Ministers residence in Civil Lines after the incident unfolded. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva strongly condemned the attack on the chief minister during her weekly Jan Sunwai programme, said the Delhi BJP said in a message. Pakistan has never fully accepted Bangladeshs independence, and its actions since 1971 prove it remains a persistent adversary of the countrys sovereignty A man is silhouetted as he passes by a graffiti of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Reuters The birth of Bangladesh in 1971 cannot be reduced to a mere civil war. It was the culmination of decades of political, cultural, and emotional alienation between West Pakistan and the Bengali-speaking population of the East. From the very beginning, Pakistans ruling elite viewed the Bengali identitywith its distinct language, heritage, and democratic aspirationsas a threat to their Urdu-centric, militarized state structure. Indias recognition and military support during the Bangladesh Liberation War sealed Pakistans defeat but did not diminish its ambitions to control or destabilize the region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975, barely four years after Bangladeshs independence, marked a grim turning point in the countrys history. It bears the fingerprints of both internal betrayal and external orchestration. This year, as we observe the golden jubilee of Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans assassination, we revisit the deep-rooted tensions, the language-based suppression, and the geopolitical motives that suggest Pakistan never stopped seeing Bangladesh as a province that slipped awayand Mujib as the man who made it happen. The Oppression of East Pakistan Before 1971, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) endured relentless discrimination under West Pakistans political and military establishment, culminating in one of the darkest chapters of South Asian history. Despite Bengalis being the demographic majority, they faced systemic marginalization, economic exploitation, and cultural suppressionincluding the infamous attempt to impose Urdu as the sole state language, which triggered the 1952 Language Movement and the killing of unarmed students in Dhaka. The crisis deepened when Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans Awami League won a decisive majority in the 1970 general elections, but West Pakistans leadership refused to hand over power, sowing the seeds of rebellion. Horrors of Operation Searchlight On March 25, 1971, the Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight, a coordinated campaign of mass murder, rape, and terror in Dhaka and other cities. International media, including The New York Times and The Sunday Times (London), reported horrifying scenes of bodies piled in the streets and widespread accounts of atrocities, including brutal sexual violence against women and even young girls. A 1971 report by Time magazine described Dhaka University as a slaughterhouse, where students and professors were executed in large numbers. In the face of this genocide, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the unwavering voice of Bengali resistance, embodying the spirit of liberation and unity. Resistance, Liberation, and Refugees The brutal crackdown by the Pakistan Army in 1971, marked by mass killings and systematic oppression, ignited a nationwide resistance movement and a full-scale liberation struggle. As violence escalated, millions of Bengali refugees fled into India, triggering a massive humanitarian crisis. Under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, India extended political, military, and moral support to the Bengali freedom fightersthe Mukti Bahini. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On December 3, 1971, after Pakistan launched pre-emptive airstrikes on Indian airbases, India formally entered the war. In just 13 days, Indian forces, in joint operations with the Mukti Bahini, overwhelmed the Pakistani military. On December 16, 1971, 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered in Dhakaone of the largest mass capitulations in modern military history. This decisive victory shattered Pakistans oppressive regime in the East and gave birth to an independent Bangladesh, fulfilling the long-cherished dream of a sovereign Bengali nation. Saddled with Humiliation After its humiliating defeat in the 1971 Liberation War, Pakistan was reluctant to recognise Bangladesh as an independent nation and continued to view it as a lost province. Driven by vengeance and bitterness over global embarrassment, Pakistan delayed formal recognition until 1974 and remained hostile even afterward. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of Bangladeshs independence, became Pakistans prime target. Determined to destabilize the young nation, Pakistan is believed to have orchestrated a covert plan to eliminate Mujib, working through pro-Pakistan elements within the Bangladesh Army, including officers ideologically aligned with Islamabad. This conspiracy culminated in the brutal assassination of Mujib and most of his family members on the dark morning of August 15, 1975. It was far more than a political killingit was an attack on the very soul of Bangladesh, intended to erase the legacy of its founding father and plunge the nation into uncertainty. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Legacy of Bangabandhu Revered as Bangabandhu (Friend of Bengal) and the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led the oppressed people of East Pakistan through decades of exploitation, poverty, and unspeakable atrocities, including mass killings and systematic sexual violence by the West Pakistani regime. Through unshakable determination, Mujib united a broken and victimized region, transforming it into an independent Bangladesh in 1971. His vision, courage, and compassion made him a beacon of hope for the Bengali people. His assassination on August 15, 1975, sent shockwaves not only across Bangladesh but around the world. The global community mourned the loss of a leader who symbolised justice, freedom, and dignity for the oppressed. Islamabad at Odds with Reality Pakistan has never fully accepted Bangladeshs independence, and its actions since 1971 prove it remains a persistent adversary of the countrys sovereignty. The assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family in 1975 was Pakistans first hidden victory in its long-term strategy to destabilise Bangladesh. That conspiracy, executed through pro-Pakistani officers within Bangladeshs own military, silenced the very voice that gave birth to the nation. Decades later, Pakistans shadow looms againthis time allegedly supporting unrest, funding misinformation, and fomenting student uprisings against Sheikh Hasina, Mujibs daughter and the current Prime Minister. The recent political upheaval and shifts in power can be seen as Pakistans second strategic success in weakening Bangladesh from within. As citizens of a free nationborn out of blood and sacrificeit would be a betrayal to forget Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans leadership, vision, and ultimate sacrifice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To neglect his legacy is to deny our identity. To ignore Pakistans ongoing interference is to risk losing the very sovereignty that was won at such immense cost. Lt Gen Dushyant Singh (Retd) is the Director General of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS). Views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The attendants union defied two back-to-work orders from a regulatory tribunal, forcing Air Canada to roll back plans to partially restore service Air Canada had planned on cancelling flights due to a strike by flight attendants. Reuters Air Canada flight attendants ended their strike Tuesday after reaching a tentative deal with the carrier, which said it will work to restore full service for its 130,000 daily passengers. Roughly 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job after midnight Saturday, insisting Air Canada had failed to address their demands for higher pay and compensation for unpaid ground work, including during boarding. The attendants union defied two back-to-work orders from a regulatory tribunal, forcing Air Canada to roll back plans to partially restore service. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But after resuming talks on Monday evening, the union said it had reached a viable deal with the airline. The strike has ended. We have a tentative agreement we will bring forward to you, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Air Canada branch said in a statement. CUPE instructed members to fully cooperate with resumption of operations. Air Canada said in a statement that it would gradually restart its operations after reaching an agreement with CUPE through a mediator. It said the first flights were scheduled for Tuesday evening but warned full service may not return for seven to 10 days. Restarting a major carrier like Air Canada is a complex undertaking. Full restoration may require a week or more, Air Canada president Michael Rousseau said. Air Canadas vice president for communications, Christophe Hennebelle, said travellers will face a few difficult days ahead. Our planes are not in the right place, our crews are not in the right place. - Ratification pending - Neither the union nor the airline immediately provided details of the proposed agreement. But CUPE said the deal achieves transformational change for our industry. Unpaid work is over, it added, a reference to a key demand throughout the talks that flight attendants also be compensated for time on the ground. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It is standard practice across much of the commercial aviation industry to only compensate cabin crew for time spent in the air. Industry experts said CUPE had built an effective public messaging campaign around the issue, but it was not yet clear if they made substantial gains. Air Canada said it would not comment on the terms of the deal until the ratification process is complete. It was not immediately known when CUPE would schedule a vote. Air Canada the national carrier which flies directly to 180 cities domestically and abroad has said the strike forced cancellations impacting 500,000 people. Over the weekend, federal labor minister Patty Hajdu invoked a legal provision to halt the strike and force both sides into binding arbitration. Following that intervention, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), a regulatory tribunal, ordered the flight attendants back to work in two separate orders on Sunday and Monday. But the union defied both orders, forcing Air Canada to walk back service resumption plans. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trumps push for Putin-Zelenskyy talks puts Kremlin in a bind: accept and legitimise Kyivs leader or refuse and face fresh US sanctions. Read here Russian President Vladimir Putin is confronting a strategic dilemma after US President Donald Trump urged him to meet face-to-face with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. For years, Putin has dismissed Zelenskyy as an illegitimate Western puppet, a narrative he has used to justify Russias 2022 attack. Yet, refusing Trumps request could provoke fresh sanctions from Washington while agreeing to talks risks undermining his long-held position at home. The prospect of such a summit has become a central question following Trumps recent meeting with Putin in Alaska and subsequent talks with Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has presented the idea as a next step toward a peace process, but he himself acknowledged the tension. They havent been exactly best friends, he said, adding that any meeting would require careful groundwork. Putins bind: Domestic image vs US pressure Putin has repeatedly cast Zelenskyy as a figure without real authority, questioning his legitimacy after Ukraine extended his mandate beyond the normal term due to wartime conditions. He has argued that only legitimate authorities can sign binding agreements, insisting that a meeting should take place at the conclusion of peace negotiations not at their outset. Russian officials have echoed this stance. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that contacts involving top officials must be prepared with the utmost care, Kremlin language for ruling out immediate talks. Others in Moscow have ridiculed Zelenskyy as unserious, reinforcing Putins reluctance to elevate him by granting direct talks. But ignoring Trump carries risks. The US president has already warned of further sanctions if Moscow resists his peace push. For Putin, who has tried to balance battlefield escalation with the appearance of openness to diplomacy, the stakes are high. Beyond Ukraine: Russias wider confrontation with the West Analysts emphasise that the issue extends beyond Zelenskyy himself. Tatiana Stanovaya, senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center and founder of R.Politik told CNN that for Putin, Ukraine is only the battlefield in a broader confrontation with the West. In Putins eyes, Zelenskyy is not a player. Ukrainians fight only because of Western support, she said. Putins vision for negotiations with Washington stretches far beyond territorial compromises in Ukraine. He seeks a restructuring of Europes postCold War security order, something Trump might be more open to than European leaders. This is why, despite his disdain for Zelenskyy, Putin may still consider a meeting if convinced it would move broader talks with the US forward. History of failed encounters The only previous meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy came in 2019, when hopes briefly flickered that peace might be possible after Moscows annexation of Crimea. Instead, disputes over implementing ceasefire measures derailed progress, and relations quickly soured. Since then, the two have not met. Zelenskyy has long argued that a direct conversation with Putin is essential to end the war. Recently, he softened his position further by dropping a demand for a ceasefire as a precondition for talks. I think we should meet without conditions and explore what progress can be made on the path to ending the war, he said after consultations with Trump and European allies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A high-risk gamble for Putin Still, Putin has shown little inclination to accept. He has suggested resuming talks in formats such as the Istanbul channel, but with a higher-level delegation led by officials like Lavrov, avoiding a one-on-one encounter with Zelenskyy that could expose him to political risks at home. For now, the Kremlin leader appears torn between preserving his narrative of Zelenskyy as a powerless figure and avoiding a rupture with Trump, whose role he sees as crucial to reshaping any eventual settlement. Putin wont risk an ambush where all his demands are rejected, Stanovaya added. But if Trump can push Kyiv toward flexibility, then a meeting with Zelenskyy could suddenly become useful. Criminal gangs, locally called bandits, have for years preyed on rural communities in Nigerias northwest and centre. What began as disputes between herders and farmers over land and water has escalated into organised crime At least 30 people have been killed in an attack on a mosque in northwestern Nigeria, with another 20 reportedly killed in nearby villages, according to local residents and officials. The assault took place on Tuesday in Unguwar Mantau, a town in Katsina states Malumfashi district, during early morning prayers. A conflict monitoring group initially put the toll at 13, but local resident Nura Musa told AFP the figure had since risen. Nine worshippers were killed on the spot and many others died in the course of the day. The latest toll stands at 32, he said on Wednesday. A lawmaker, Aminu Ibrahim, told the Katsina House of Assembly that 30 people had been killed, with 20 more burnt alive in attacks on surrounding villages. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why was the mosque targeted? Residents said the killings may have been a reprisal after local vigilantes ambushed a bandit gang at the weekend. Musa said the vigilantes, who regularly patrol villages against raids, had gone to the mosque at dawn after finishing their night watch. As they were praying, the bandits launched a surprise attack on the mosque. They opened fire on worshippers and fled, he said. The bandits also attacked other nearby towns and kidnapped several people, Musa said. The roots of Nigerias banditry crisis Criminal gangs, locally called bandits, have for years preyed on rural communities in Nigerias northwest and centre. What began as disputes between herders and farmers over land and water has escalated into organised crime, with groups engaging in cattle rustling, kidnappings and the extortion of farmers. Authorities in Katsina and neighbouring states have struck peace deals with some groups, but such truces have frequently collapsed. Bandits often retain their weapons, use agreements to create safe havens, and continue attacks in areas outside the deals. In Kaduna states Birnin Gwari, violence eased after a truce in November, but Katsina and Niger states have seen worsening conditions. The situation has become unbearable. Our people can no longer live in their villages because of these relentless attacks, Ibrahim said. With inputs from AFP Dhaka has accused the banned Awami League, led by former PM Sheikh Hasina, of operating from Indian soil and warned of potential diplomatic fallout, while New Delhi has dismissed the concerns as misplaced and reiterated its call for early elections in Bangladesh Bangladesh on Wednesday strongly objected to the reported setting up of offices by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas banned Bangladesh Awami League party in New Delhi and Kolkata, warning that such activities could strain long-standing bilateral ties with India. However, in response, India said it is not aware of any such activities by members of the Awami League, nor of any actions that violate Indian law. The Government of India is not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action that is contrary to Indian law. The Government does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Press Statement by the Interim Government of Bangladesh is thus misplaced. India reiterates its expectation that free, fair and inclusive elections will be held at the earliest in Bangladesh to ascertain the will and mandate of the people, the statement added. More from World India in talks with China to resume border trade at key passes, confirms MEA Activities by the banned BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE on Indian soil risks long-term friendship and multifarious engagements between #Bangladesh & #India as also mutual trust and respect between two (-) #people. pic.twitter.com/nzVqKaajNE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@BDMOFA) August 20, 2025 Bangladeshs Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over what it described as growing anti-Bangladesh activities being carried out from Indian soil by leaders of the banned party. Many of the senior leaders of the party, absconding in several criminal cases in Bangladesh on account of grievous crimes committed against humanity, remain in the Indian territory. Earlier, on 21 July 2025 evening, under the garb of an in descript NGO, some of the senior leaders of this banned party planned to hold a public outreach at the Delhi Press Club and eventually distributed booklets among the attending members of the press. To date, several reports in Indian media affirm increasing overtures of the party while being on the Indian soil, the ministry said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The ministry described these developments as a clear affront to Bangladesh and its people, emphasising that allowing such political activity, especially by individuals facing criminal charges, undermines mutual trust and respect between the two countries. This may also trigger public sentiment in Bangladesh, which may in turn impact the ongoing efforts of the two countries in further enhancing the relationship between the two closest neighbours, the statement added. Dhaka called on New Delhi to take urgent steps to prevent any anti-Bangladesh activity by Bangladeshi nationals on Indian soil. It also urged the Indian government to immediately shut down any offices linked to the banned Awami League. In May, Bangladesh banned all activities of the Awami League, including its online presence, under the Anti-Terrorism Act until ongoing trials for alleged war crimes of the party and its leaders are concluded. The decision was made on May 10, 2025 at a special meeting of the Advisory Council of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh. The council also approved an amendment to the International Crimes Tribunal Act, allowing the tribunal to penalise political parties, their affiliated organisations, and supporters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Belarus and Iran, both supporters of Russias war in Ukraine, plan to deepen bilateral ties, including defence, as agreed by Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian in Minsk Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian shake hands during a meeting in Minsk, Belarus, on Wednesday. Reuters Belarus and Iran - two countries that have backed Russias war in Ukraine - plan to deepen bilateral ties across all areas including defence, their presidents said at talks in Minsk on Wednesday. Belarusian state news agency Belta said presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian agreed to work on a strategic partnership treaty. In conditions of geopolitical turbulence, Minsk and Tehran are undertaking consistent and balanced steps to further develop cooperation, and are working hard to turn each new challenge into a new opportunity, it quoted Lukashenko as saying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We are ready to discuss any issues, we have no closed topics, Lukashenko said, adding that the two countries could partner across a range of areas including military-technical cooperation. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a launchpad for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and later assented to hosting Russian tactical nuclear missiles. Iran has supplied drones to Russia for use in the war and Pezeshkian signed a strategic cooperation treaty with Putin in January, although it did not include a mutual defence clause. Both Iran and Belarus are under what Pezeshkian described as illegal Western sanctions. Belta quoted him as saying Iran was ready to help Belarus neutralise such measures, noting that it had more than 40 years of experience in this area. Pezeshkian said the two countries needed to build their economic and other ties to a level that matched the high level of trust between them. Of course, our common views should be implemented in the economic and cultural spheres, in the development of tourism between our countries, and also, as you noted, in the development of military-technical cooperation, Belta quoted him as telling Lukashenko. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While Indian state refiners have paused Russian oil purchases in the wake of US tariffs, Chinese refineries have continued to buy Russian oil under encouragement from the Trump administration. An oil tanker is moored at the Sheskharis complex, part of Chernomortransneft JSC, a subsidiary of Transneft PJSC, in Novorossiysk, Russia, on October 11, 2022. File Image/AP Chinese refineries have purchased 15 cargoes of Russian oil for October and November delivery as Indian demand for Moscows exports falls away, two analysts and one trader said on Tuesday. India has emerged as the leading buyer of Russian seaborne oil, which has sold at a discount since some Western nations shunned purchases and imposed restrictions on Russian exports over Moscows 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Indian state refiners paused Russian oil purchases last month, however, as those discounts narrowed. And US President Donald Trump is also threatening to punish countries for buying Russian crude. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China had secured 15 Russian Urals cargoes for OctoberNovember delivery by the end of last week, said Richard Jones, a Singapore-based crude analyst at Energy Aspects. Each Urals cargo ranges in size from 700,000 to 1 million barrels. Kpler senior analyst Xu Muyu wrote in an August 14 report that China has likely purchased about 13 cargoes of Urals and Varandey crude for October delivery, along with at least two Urals cargoes for November. The additional Russian Urals supply could curb Chinese refiners appetite for Middle Eastern crude, which is $2 to $3 per barrel more expensive, Xu said. This, in turn, could add further pressure to the Dubai market which is already losing momentum as seasonal demand fades while competition from arbitrage supply intensifies, she added. A trade source agreed with Kplers estimate, adding that the cargoes were booked mostly at the beginning of this month by Chinese state-owned and independent refineries. China, the worlds top oil importer and largest Russian oil buyer, primarily buys ESPO crude exported from the Russian Far East port of Kozmino due to its proximity. Its year-to-date imports of Urals crude stood at 50,000 barrels per day, Kpler data showed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Urals and Varandey crude are typically shipped to India, Kpler data showed. Indian state-refiners have backed out Russian crude imports by approximately 600,000 to 700,000 bpd, according to Energy Aspects Jones. We do not expect China to absorb all of the additional Russian volumes, as Urals is not a baseload grade for Chinese majors, he said, referring to Chinese state refineries which are not designed to solely process the Russian grade. Chinese refiners will also be wary about the possibility of US secondary sanctions if Trumps push for a Ukraine peace deal breaks down, he added. Trump said on Friday he did not immediately need to consider retaliatory tariffs on countries such as China for buying Russian oil but might have to in two or three weeks. (This is an agency copy. Except for the headline, this has not been edited by Firstpost staff.) The Court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel, Rubio said in a statement The United States on Wednesday defiantly expanded efforts to hobble the International Criminal Court over its prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sanctioning a judge from ally France. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also targeted a Canadian judge in a separate case in his latest volley of sanctions against the tribunal in The Hague, which is backed by virtually all other Western democracies as a court of last resort. The Court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel, Rubio said in a statement, using a term popular with President Donald Trumps supporters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He attacked the court for investigating US and Israeli citizens without the consent of either nation. Among the four people newly slapped with sanctions was Judge Nicolas Guillou of France, who is presiding over a case in which an arrest warrant was issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. France - whose president, Emmanuel Macron, was in Washington two days earlier - expressed dismay over the action. The sanctions are in contradiction to the principle of an independent judiciary, a foreign ministry spokesman said in Paris. The ICC in its own statement denounced the flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution. The courts prosecution alleges Netanyahu is responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israels offensive in Gaza including by intentionally targeting civilians and using starvation as a method of war. Netanyahu saluted Rubio for his decisive act against a smear campaign of lies against the State of Israel and the Israeli army. Israel launched the massive offensive in response to an unprecedented attack by Hamas against Israel in which mostly civilians were killed. The ICC has also sought the arrest of former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, who has since been confirmed killed by Israel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Guillou is a veteran jurist who previously participated in trials over Kosovo and Lebanon. He worked for several years in the United States assisting the Justice Department with judicial cooperation during Barack Obamas presidency. Under the sanctions, he will be refused entry to the United States and any assets he has in the worlds largest economy will be blocked measures more often taken against US adversaries than citizens of friendly nations. Defending Israel, exempting Putin Also targeted by the latest US sanctions was a Canadian judge, Kimberly Prost, who was involved in a case that authorized an investigation into alleged crimes committed during the war in Afghanistan, including by US forces. Rubio also slapped sanctions on two deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. The State Department said the two were punished by the United States for supporting illegitimate ICC actions against Israel, including by supporting the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. Rubio imposed sanctions on four other ICC judges in June. The Trump administration has roundly rejected the authority of the court, which was set up as a court of last resort when national systems do not allow for justice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump on Friday welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska even though Putin faces an ICC arrest warrant, a factor that has stopped him from traveling more widely since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine. The United States, Russia and Israel are among the nations that reject the ICC. Previous president Joe Bidens administration also opposed its action against Israel but withdrew previous sanctions and was open to narrow cooperation with the ICC, including in gathering evidence in Ukraine. The proposals include the release of 200 Palestinian convicts jailed in Israel and an unspecified number of imprisoned women and minors, in return for 10 living and 18 deceased hostages from Gaza Demonstrators hold torches, during a protest outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office to demand the immediate release of the hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, and the end of the war, in Jerusalem. Reuters Israel has said that it is studying Hamas response to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, but has demanded the release of all the hostages still held in the region, instead of half of them as proposed in the draft deal. Efforts to pause the fighting gained new momentum over the past week after Israel announced plans for a new offensive to seize control of Gaza City at the heart of the Palestinian enclave. While Israel has not explicitly rejected the ceasefire, its officials are steadfast on the demand for all the hostages to be released for the war to end in Gaza. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What does the proposal entail? Mediators Egypt and Qatar have been pushing proposals to restart indirect talks between the sides on a US-backed ceasefire plan. The proposals include the release of 200 Palestinian convicts jailed in Israel and an unspecified number of imprisoned women and minors, in return for 10 living and 18 deceased hostages from Gaza, according to a Hamas official. Two Egyptian security sources confirmed the details to Reuters and added that Hamas has requested the release of hundreds of Gaza detainees as well. Not interested in partial deals However, Israel is not okay with the terms of the deal. While Qatar says that the new deal is almost identical to a US proposal Israel had previously accepted, Israeli government spokesman David Mencer told the BBC that the Netanyahu government is not interested in partial deals. Things have changed now. The prime minister has laid out a plan for the future of Gaza, he said. Similarly, an Israeli political source told Reuters, Israels policy is consistent and has not changed. Israel demands the release of all 50 hostages in accordance with the principles established by the cabinet for ending the war. We are in the final decisive stage of Hamas and will not leave any hostages behind. Balls in Israels court Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told NBC that the proposed deal was made by US President Donald Trumps Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. He said that the ceasefire deal, if agreed, would allow for the flow of humanitarian and medical aid into Gaza as soon as possible to address the ongoing starvation there. The ball is now in Israels court. We would like a positive response from them as soon as possible in order to deal with the disastrous situation in Gaza, especially the starvation and the killing of civilians, Abdelatty added. In a statement on Monday, Hamas said it, along with other Palestinian factions, had agreed to proposals presented by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. India has flagged Pakistani Armys organised sexual violence against women in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) in 1971 at a discussion at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on conflict-related sexual violence. Eldos Mathew Punnoose, the Indian Charge d'Affaires at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN), speaks at a discussion on conflict-related sexual violence at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. (Credit: Permanent Mission of India to the UN) India has flagged Pakistans organised sexual violence against women in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) in 1971 and over the decades in its own country at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The UNSC held an open debate on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) on Tuesday. Pramila Patten, the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, briefed the UNSC and presented the Secretary-Generals annual report on conflict-related sexual violence. Eldos Mathew Punnoose, the Indian Charge dAffaires at the UN, flagged the utter impunity with which Pakistan Army perpetrated heinous crimes of gross sexual violence against hundreds of thousands of women in erstwhile East Pakistan in 1971. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Punnoose further flagged Pakistans use of violence against women as a weapon of persecution against minorities. As a matter of \ful record, this deplorable pattern continues unabated and with impunity to this day. Rampant abduction, trafficking, early and forced marriages, and domestic servitude, sexual violence and forced religious conversions of thousands of vulnerable women and girls as weapons of persecution towards religious and ethnic minority communities are reported and chronicled, including in the recent OHCHR reports. These reports highlight that the while acts by Pakistan are also validated by its judiciary, said Punnoose. Punnoose spoke about Pakistans record after Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistans Permanent Representative to the UN, mentioned alleged sexual violence and forced disappearances in Jammu and Kashmir and accused the Indian government of being involved in these alleged instances. Punnoose further said, It is ironical that those who perpetrate these crimes are now masquerading as champions of justice. The duplicity and hypocrisy is self-evident. Mr. President, as I conclude, allow me to once again reaffirm Indias unwavering commitment to root out sexual violence in armed conflict and support and assist survivors of such heinous crimes. In the Bangladesh liberation movement, the Pakistani military systematically used sexual violence against women, including rape, as a weapon. Estimates suggest that Pakistani forces raped between 200,000 and 400,000 ethnic Bengali women and girls in 1971. Several thousands of women died by suicides after being assaulted. The Pakistani military also ran rape camps where women were held hostage for soldiers to assault them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD General Tikka Khan of the Pakistani Army, infamous as the Butcher of Bengal, was the architect of the campaign that was formally called Operation Searchlight. The campaign has been dubbed as a genocide as he and his successor, Lieutenant General AAK Niazi, clearly stated that they wanted to exterminate ethnic Bengalis, particularly non-Muslims, in East Pakistan. Conflict-related sexual violence on the rise The conflict-related sexual violence worsened last year as 25 per cent more cases were reported last year, according to the report presented at the UNSC by Patten. There were 4,600 reported cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2024, marking a 25 per cent increase from the previous year, the report found. Patten stressed that this was a chronic undercount as these were only the cases that the UN could confirm. Among verified cases, sexual violence against children rose by 35 per cent, with victims being as young as one-year-old, the report found. There were 21 areas in which verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence were confirmed, with highest cases recorded in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Haiti, Somalia and South Sudan, as per the report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD New areas in which conflict-related sexual violence was reported include DRC, Libya, and Israel-occupied Palestinian territories. A picture was posted following Trumps meeting with Zelenskyy and other European leaders, including French President Emannuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It showed the US president showing a red hat with the words 4 More Years US President Donald Trump showed off Maga hat collection displayed at the gift shop to European leaders who visited the White House earlier this week for a meeting on the Russia-Ukraine war. A photo circulating on social media, shared by Special Assistant to the President and Communications Advisor Margo Martin, shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gazing at a wall filled with red and white Maga hats and other pro-Trump merchandise in a room resembling a gift shop, seemingly located within the White House. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD President @realDonaldTrump showing President Zelenskyy and President Macron his 4 More Years hat pic.twitter.com/c7dhAkZMuF Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) August 19, 2025 The picture was posted following Trumps meeting with Zelenskyy and other European leaders, including French President Emannuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It showed the US president showing a red hat with the words 4 More Years. Is it a sign? Trump has time and again indicated that he intends to run for a third term, a move that is barred by the 22nd Amendment, which does not allow a president to run more than two terms. In March, Trump told NBC that he does not rule out the possibility of running for another term. A lot of people want me to do it. But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, its very early in the administration, he said. Changing the Constitution to eliminate the two-term presidential limit would be extremely challenging. It would require either a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress or approval from two-thirds of the states to convene a constitutional convention. In either case, any proposed amendment would then need to be ratified by three-quarters of the states. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From reopening traditional Himalayan trade routes to easing travel and resuming direct flights, New Delhi and Beijing have unveiled a package of economic and people-to-people measures aimed at cautiously resetting their strained ties. In a sign of warming relations after years of strained ties, India and China have agreed to a series of trade and connectivity measures aimed at restoring economic confidence, reopening stalled exchanges, and building new foundations for people-to-people contact. The announcements made in Indias official release, following wide-ranging talks that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi. The agreed measures marked a cautious but significant step towards easing tensions and reviving bilateral cooperation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Land border trade routes to open again Among the most striking outcomes of the joint discussions was the decision to reopen border trade through three traditional passes Lipulekh, Shipki La and Nathu La. These routes have long been associated with local commerce and cross-border exchanges. These routes were closed in the aftermath of Chinas aggressive posturing on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), leading to the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes and long-drawn military stand-off in eastern Ladakh. Their reopening represents a tangible economic boon for communities in the Himalayan region and symbolises a cautious resumption of trust. Diplomats from both sides emphasised that the move was not merely symbolic: reopening of trade posts is expected to revive long-standing regional economic activity and provide opportunities to traders who depend heavily on cross-border markets. More trade and more investments The two countries also pledged to take concrete measures to facilitate trade and investment flows. The leaders from India and China underscored the significance of mutual investment promotion in their talks during Wang Yis New Delhi visit on August 18 and 19. India, looking to reduce trade deficits and diversify supply chains, emphasised the need for balanced exchanges. China, for its part, took note of Indias concerns and expressed its commitment to fostering a more predictable trade environment. While details of the proposed measures are not immediately known, reports quoting government officials have suggested that discussions focussed on easing regulatory hurdles, scaling up sector-specific investments, and supporting enterprises navigating bilateral markets. How much India and China trade with each other According to official trade statistics, IndiaChina economic exchanges have remained substantial despite recent bilateral tensions. Bilateral trade in 2023 reached $136.2 billion, with India importing goods worth $101.8 billion from China while exporting $34.4 billion. This resulted in a trade deficit of $67.4 billion, making China Indias largest single-country source of imports as well as its most significant trade deficit partner. Figures for Indias 202324 financial year show a similar trade gap. Imports from China stood at $101.7 billion, whereas Indias exports were considerably lower at $16.7 billion, bringing the overall trade to $118.4 billion. The shortfall of more than $85 billion has been one of the key economic concerns that India has consistently raised with China. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While two-way trade crossed the $100 billion mark for the first time in 2021, peaking at nearly $136 billion in 2022, the deficit has steadily widened over the past decade and a half rising from $16 billion in 200708 to its current levels. Indias imports continue to be dominated by electrical machinery, telecom equipment, chemicals and pharmaceutical ingredients, while its exports are largely concentrated in raw materials such as iron ore, cotton and certain petroleum products. Although the reopening of traditional border trade routes may have limited effect on the overall volume, it carries symbolic weight and promises concrete benefits for local communities. The wider package of measures, particularly on investment facilitation and air services, is also being viewed in New Delhi as part of a longer-term attempt to secure more balanced and diversified exchanges with China. In public focus: Direct India-China flights Air connectivity another casualty of bilateral tensions is also set to make a comeback. Though no deadline has yet been announced, the direct flights between the two countries are likely to resume soon. China has long sought resumption of direct flights, while New Delhi has been cautious weighing Beijings request. India and China agreed to resume direct flights between Indian cities and the Chinese mainland at the earliest. The two countries are likely to finalise an updated Air Services Agreement in the coming days to institutionalise connectivity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The resumption of flights could be critical to restoring business and tourism exchanges, which have been hampered following Chinas Galvan ambush attempt five years ago. Direct services would also offer relief to students and professionals who continue to seek opportunities across the border, often forced to take longer indirect routes. Direct flights to also see easier visa processes In a further boost to mobility, both governments committed to facilitating visas for tourists, businesspersons and other categories of travellers including media representatives. The announcement is expected to benefit stakeholders on both sides who have been calling for a simpler, faster and more reliable visa regime. By enhancing cross-border mobility, policymakers hope to encourage not only commerce but also interpersonal links and cultural familiarity factors seen as essential in tempering political misunderstandings. Kailash and Manasarovar: Pilgrimage tourism to get a boost As part of efforts to promote cross-border engagement, the two sides also announced that starting in 2026, the scale of annual pilgrimages from India to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet would be expanded. Though religious in nature, these journeys generate considerable economic activity, supporting tour operators, local guides, and services on both sides of the border. Expanding pilgrimage access could become another layer of people-centred diplomacy, blending cultural tradition with tourism-driven growth. Rivers and resources another sphere of cooperation Recognising the importance of trans-boundary resources, India and China agreed to strengthen cooperation on rivers through their expert-level mechanism on trans-border rivers. New Delhi and Beijing will also maintain communication on renewing relevant Memoranda of Understanding. Crucially, China has agreed to share hydrological information during emergency situations, a step considered vital given the vulnerability of downstream regions to flooding and climate variability. China also agreed to lift curbs on the exports of rare earths, fertilisers and equipment such as boring machines to India. These curbs have come in the spotlight against the backdrop of tariff measures announced by US President Donald Trump. The agreement on these exports is being seen as attempts by India and China to counter Trump tariffs by showing solidarity for a multipolar world as well as a multipolar Asia, as Jaishankar put forth during his talks with Wang. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But it is still a cautious thaw The trade and connectivity measures form part of a wider package announced after Wang Yis meetings in New Delhi, alongside discussions over border stability and de-escalation in Ladakh. While political and security issues remain contentious, both governments signalled their willingness to compartmentalise and build on areas of convergence in the economic domain. The timing of the announcements reflected both strategic and practical considerations. India has sought greater diversification of trade ties amid global uncertainties and has an interest in reopening avenues that benefit its exporters and border communities. China, facing economic headwinds at home and wary of prolonged estrangement, appears keen to normalise exchanges and stabilise one of its key bilateral relationships in Asia. Up next: PM Modi flies to China Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel to Tianjin later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, where a meeting with President Xi Jinping is expected. PM Modi told Wang, who called on the Indian prime minister on Tuesday evening, that he was looking forward to the proposed meeting with President Xi during his visit for the SCO summit. The latest agreements on trade, flights, visas and resource management are likely to set the stage for higher-level discussions, offering a roadmap for cautious yet deliberate rebuilding of a relationship that had suffered deep mistrust. Despite lingering scepticism, the reopening of border trade, restoration of direct air links, and facilitation of investment and people flows mark an important recalibration in the India-China bilateral ties, strained over Chinese attempts to alter the status quo in eastern Ladakh and against the backdrop of Trump-induced chaos in the established global order. The policy thrust, Indian government officials suggested as quoted in reported, is to move towards a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship while managing differences responsibly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While one group will be responsible for exploring early harvest in boundary delimitation", the other will be tasked with maintaining peace and tranquillity" in the border areas India and China have agreed to form two new groups to address the border issue after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held meetings with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his trip to India. While one group will be responsible for exploring early harvest in boundary delimitation", the other will be tasked with maintaining peace and tranquillity" in the border areas. Yi also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his official visit to New Delhi, where the two highlighted the steady progress made by India and China in mending ties. PM Modi emphasised that peace and tranquillity along the India-China border are essential for the overall health of bilateral ties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What will the groups do? Under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), an Expert Group will be formed to identify potential early breakthroughs in boundary delimitation. Additionally, a new Working Group will be tasked with strengthening border management and promoting continued peace and stability along the frontier. Apart from agreeing to form the two new groups, India and China have decided to hold an in-depth exchange of views to address the border issue. Both sides emphasised the importance of adopting a long-term political perspective on the broader bilateral relationship, while working toward a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable framework for resolving the boundary issue, under the 2005 agreement. New general-level mechanisms will be formed in the eastern and middle sectors of the border, in addition to the western sector. India and China have also agreed to use the existing channels of communication and plan the next round of talks. PM Modi to visit China PM Modi will visit China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said on Tuesday during his talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This will be the prime ministers first visit to China since 2018. The SCO Summit will open on August 31 in Tianjin. Our prime minister will be visiting for the SCO summit, Doval said, speaking of new energy in diplomatic ties. Refresh for updates. Roman Babushkin, the Charge dAffaires of the Russian embassy in India, has said that Indian goods affected by American tariffs are welcome in Russia. He further said that Russia has mechanisms to keep exporting oil to India despite various barriers. Oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has threatened to close this key oil supply route after US attacked its nuclear sites on Sunday (June 22). File photo/Reuters The top Russian diplomat posted in India has said that Indias goods affected by US tariffs are welcome in his country. At a press briefing, Roman Babushkin, the Charge dAffaires of the Russian embassy in India, said that Indian exports affected by tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump would be welcome in Russia. He slammed tariffs as unjustified and called them double standards. If Indian goods are facing difficulties entering the US market, the Russian market is welcoming Indian exports, said Babushkin, adding that any unilateral decisions will lead to disruptions in supply chains and endanger the energy security of developing countries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The remarks have come at a time when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is in Moscow to hold talks with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Russian leader Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India by the end of the year. Trump has slapped 50 per cent tariffs on India. He imposed 25 per cent tariff on July 31 as part of the tariffs rollout for more than 60 countries and topped that with additional 25 per cent tariff on August 6 as a punishment for buying Russian oil. He has accused India of fuelling the Russian war machine in Ukraine. Babushkin dubbed such decisions as neocolonial behaviour. Babushkin said that Russia would continue to supply oil to India. He stressed that Russian oil has no alternative. Discount on Russian crude oil is about 5 per cent for India. India understands there is no chance to change supplies. The profit is very high for India. There is no alternative to Russian crude oil as it is very competitive, said Babushkin. Analysts have said that up to 60 per cent of Indian goods to the United States could be affected by tariffs and the GDP growth could fall by up to 1 per cent. As mediators await Israels response to a Hamas-backed ceasefire proposal, Defence Minister Katz on Wednesday approved a military plan for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of 60,000 reservists Palestinian run towards aid pallets as they parachute down after being dropped from a military plane near Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. AFP Israels Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday approved a military plan for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of 60,000 reservists, escalating pressure on Hamas even as international mediators continue efforts to broker a ceasefire. According to an AFP report, citing Katzs spokesperson, the decision comes as mediators await Israels official response to the latest truce proposal accepted by Hamas. The framework outlines a 60-day ceasefire, a phased release of hostages, the freeing of Palestinian prisoners, and provisions for increased humanitarian aid into Gaza. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite some guarded optimism from mediator Qatar, a senior Israeli official reaffirmed Tel Avivs firm stance that any deal must ensure the release of all hostages held by Hamas, added the report. On the ground, the humanitarian situation continues to worsen. Mustafa Qazzaat, head of the emergency committee in the Gaza municipality, told AFP that condition in Gaza City is catastrophic, saying that large numbers of residents were fleeing the eastern neighbourhoods amid the ongoing threat of intensified military action. The developments mark a critical moment in the conflict, with military preparations intensifying alongside diplomatic efforts to avert further escalation. Israels security cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the plan to conquer Gaza City in early August, sparking fears it would worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu has not yet called a security cabinet meeting to discuss any response to the latest truce proposal. Mounting pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under mounting domestic and international pressure to end the war in Gaza, as global leaders warn against further escalation. On Wednesday, Germany said it rejects the escalation of Israels campaign, while French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that the offensive can only lead to a complete disaster for both peoples and risk dragging the region into a permanent war. The warning came as Katz approved plans to conquer Gaza City, just days after Hamas accepted the latest ceasefire proposal from mediators. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to AFP, citing sources from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the plan includes the release of 10 hostages and 18 bodies from Gaza, followed by a second release within a 60-day truce period during which talks for a permanent ceasefire would take place. So far, Israel has not formally responded to the proposal. Qatar, a key mediator, said the plan is almost identical to a version Israel had previously agreed to. Netanyahu has yet to comment publicly on the latest offer but has reiterated that Israel would only accept a deal involving the simultaneous release of all hostages and an end to the war on its terms. Of the 251 hostages taken in Hamass October 2023 attack, 49 remain in Gaza27 of whom are believed to be dead, according to the Israeli military. New phase of Gaza operation Israel has begun a new, targeted phase of combat in Gaza City, including areas previously untouched, AFP quoted a military official as saying on Wednesday. At least 25 Palestinians were killed across the territory, according to Gazas civil defence agency. The Israeli military said it killed 10 Hamas fighters in the south while repelling an attack; Hamas claimed several Israeli soldiers were also killed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Since Hamass October 2023 assault, which killed 1,219 in Israel, over 62,000 Palestinians have died in the ongoing offensive, most of them civilians, according to Gazas health ministry. Meanwhile, Israel approved a major West Bank settlement project, drawing strong condemnation from the Palestinian Authority, which warned it undermines hopes for a future Palestinian state. With inputs from agencies At least 14 terrorists attacked an IDF camp in Gazas Khan Younis as Israel approved a plan to conquer Gaza City and called up 60,000 reservists. This picture taken from a position on the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, shows Israeli troops deploying inside the besieged Palestinian territory on August 19, 2025. - AFP A group of at least 14 armed operatives launched an assault on an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) encampment in southern Gazas Khan Younis on Sunday morning, according to an initial military investigation. The incident, described as unusual in its scale began around 9 a.m. when militants emerged from a tunnel near the post and opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns at troops from the Kfir Brigades Haruv reconnaissance unit. Soldiers returned fire, killing at least eight assailants just outside the camp while several others are believed to have retreated into the tunnel. A drone strike was also deployed against the attackers, though the number of casualties from the airstrike remains unclear, the probe said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The IDF continues to search the area, assessing that the cell may have intended to abduct soldiers. The military has not released an official statement or confirmed whether there were Israeli casualties. Israel approves plan to conquer Gaza City Israels defence minister approved a plan on Wednesday for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60,000 reservists, piling pressure on Hamas as mediators push for a ceasefire. Defence Minister Israel Katzs move, confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson, came as mediators awaited an official Israeli response on their latest proposal. While mediator Qatar had expressed guarded optimism over the latest proposal, a senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any agreement. The framework that Hamas had approved proposes an initial 60-day truce, a staggered hostage release, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners and provisions allowing for the entry of aid into Gaza. Israel and Hamas have held on-off indirect negotiations throughout the war, resulting in two short truces during which Israeli hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamass October 2023 attack that triggered the war, 49 are still in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Sources from Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad told AFP on Wednesday that the latest proposal envisages the release of 10 hostages and 18 bodies from Gaza. The remaining captives would be released in a second phase, with negotiations for a broader settlement. With inputs from agencies At the 26th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar calls for urgent action to correct the widening trade gap and outlines a roadmap for deeper economic engagement External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar address the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) in Moscow on Wednesday. ANI External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday raised concerns over the sharp rise in Indias trade imbalance with Russia, even as bilateral trade in goods has surged more than fivefold over the past four years. At the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), EAM Dr S Jaishankar says "We are meeting here after about 10 months since the last Session in November 2024 in New Delhi, pic.twitter.com/62lIpuS69l ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Addressing the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), Jaishankar said, Over the last four years, our bilateral trade in goods has increased, as you have noted, more than five-fold from $3 billion in 2021 to $68 billion in 2024-25 and it continues to grow. However, a major trade imbalance has accompanied the growth; it has increased from $6.6 billion to $58.9 billion which is about nine times. So we need to address that urgently. Jaishankar also outlined the key priorities for deepening bilateral economic ties, with a strong focus on easing trade barriers and boosting connectivity. Among the top agenda items were removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers, resolving logistics bottlenecks, and enhancing regional connectivity through major corridors such as the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), the Northern Sea Route, and the Chennai-Vladivostok maritime link. Jaishankar stressed the need to streamline payment mechanisms, finalise and execute the Programme of Economic Cooperation until 2030, and to accelerate negotiations for the India-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement, whose terms of reference were finalised during the session. Regular engagement between Indian and Russian businesses was also identified as critical to realising these goals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They will not only help to address the imbalance and grow our trade, but also hasten the timely achievement of our revised trade target of $100 billion by 2030, said Jaishankar. Noting that the meeting was taking place against the backdrop of a complex geopolitical environment, Jaishankar emphasised that despite global challenges, the leadership of both countries remains in close and regular contact, having met twice in person last year. They provide us wise and practical guidance to our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. They had two in person meetings last year and are personally committed to further advancing our strategic partnership, he added. As the two sides convened to discuss economic cooperation, Jaishankar proposed several measures aimed at improving coordination and strengthening the partnership, underscoring the importance of enhanced efficiency in achieving shared goals. Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, currently on a three-day visit to Russia, met Russian scholars and think tank representatives to discuss IndiaRussia relations and broader global issues. Jaishankars visit comes against the backdrop of deteriorating ties between India and the US, following President Donald Trumps decision to double tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, which includes an additional 25% penalty for purchasing Russian crude oil. Taking to X, Jaishankar said, Pleased to interact with prominent scholars and think tank representatives of Russia. Discussed India-Russia relations, contemporary world geopolitics and Indias viewpoint. Later, the External Affairs Minister also paid tribute at Moscows Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Wednesday. The historic war memorial near the Kremlin is dedicated to the Soviet soldiers killed during World War II. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Jaishankars visit comes before a possible meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China. Additionally, discussions are underway regarding the possibility of Putin visiting India later this year. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared his insights about the recent meeting in Alaska with US President Donald Trump over the Ukraine conflict. PM Modi said India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard. With inputs from agencies The accusations come weeks after the UN reported that the M23 killed more than 319 civilians in North Kivu in July, and alleged that Rwandan soldiers were directly involved Members of the M23 rebel group gather on their pick-up truck after recovering guns during a community street cleaning exercise called Salongo, aimed at strengthening local solidarity conducted by members of the M23 rebels, following their takeover of Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. File image/ Reuters Rights groups have accused the Rwanda-backed M23 militia of committing atrocities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with Human Rights Watch (HRW) alleging the group carried out ethnically targeted mass killings of civilians. In a report published on Wednesday (August 20), HRW said that more than 140 people, mostly ethnic Hutus, were summarily executed in at least 14 villages and farming communities in North Kivu province. It described the assaults as part of a wider military campaign against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group founded by ethnic Hutu leaders involved in the 1994 genocide of Tutsis. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The mass killings appear to be part of a military campaign against the FDLR, HRW said, calling the executions among the worst atrocities by the M23 and warning they raised grave concerns of ethnic cleansing. Ceasefire falters amid mounting atrocities The accusations come weeks after the UN reported that the M23 killed more than 319 civilians in North Kivu in July, and alleged that Rwandan soldiers were directly involved. Both the M23 and the Congolese government agreed to a ceasefire in July aimed at halting a war that has displaced millions, but violence has continued. Rwanda has consistently denied providing military support to the M23, though it argues that the presence of the FDLR across the border constitutes an existential threat. Amnesty International, in a separate briefing, said both the M23 and the Wazalendo militias loyal to the Congolese government were guilty of abuses, including gang rape, torture and summary executions, which may amount to war crimes. Women targeted Amnesty said it interviewed more than 50 victims and witnesses, including 14 survivors of gang rape. Eight accused M23 fighters, five said they were assaulted by Wazalendo militias, and one identified Congolese soldiers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For the women of eastern DRC, nowhere is safe; they are raped in their homes, in the fields, or camps where they seek shelter. The world must say enough, said Tigere Chagutah, Amnestys regional director. These atrocities are intended to punish, intimidate and humiliate civilians. Both groups documented forced disappearances, torture, and abductions, with Amnesty warning that the M23 had tried to root out, dismantle, punish, and eliminate threats against itself and the Tutsi population through systematic violence. Calls for international pressure HRW urged the UN Security Council to act, while Amnesty pressed the United States which helped broker the July ceasefire in Doha to ensure the Congolese government removed fighters and officials implicated in rights abuses from its ranks. Despite repeated international mediation, eastern Congo remains locked in a conflict fuelled by ethnic rivalries, vast mineral wealth and the competing interests of armed groups and neighbouring states. With inputs from agencies After a consignment of shrimps from an Indonesian supplier was found to have radioactive contamination, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised the public to not eat certain bags of frozen raw shrimp sold at Walmart stores over potential risks to health. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday advised the public to not eat a certain brand of frozen raw shrimp sold at Walmart stores. The advisory came after a consignment from the same Indonesian supplier was found to have radioactive contamination. A sample from Indonesian supplier BMS Foods consignments detained at the US ports of Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami was found to have a radioactive isotope, cesium-137, according to CNN. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The levels of cesium-137 detected, which was around 68 becquerels per kilogram, were well below the FDAs intervention level of 1,200 bq/kg, but the agency still issued the advisory out of caution. The advisory concerned the 2-pound Great Value bags of white vannamei shrimp with the best-by date of March 15, 2027. Cesium-137 is a byproduct of nuclear fission and could have made its way to shrimps through the usage of contaminate water in the farming or feeding of shrimps that itself could be a result of illegal or improper dumping of nuclear waste or a radioactive leak. In the case of BMS Foods, affected consignments never reached the US markets but the FDA issued the advisory as Walmart was selling raw frozen shrimp from the same supplier. The FDA said that it appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137. Walmart subsequently ordered a recall of the product in 13 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia. A Walmart spokesperson told BBC, The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority. We have issued a sales restriction and removed this product from our impacted stores. We are working with the supplier to investigate. The spokesperson further said that customers who bought the recalled products could visit the Walmart for a full refund. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even as the heatwave subsided, wildfires across the north of Spain forced repeated evacuations. Nearly 2,000 troops have been deployed nationwide, with support from France, Italy and the Netherlands The death toll from the wildfires in Spain is well over 1,100. Reuters Spains latest heatwave has been linked to more than 1,100 deaths, according to government figures released on Tuesday (August 19), as vast wildfires continued to burn in the north of the country. The Carlos III Health Institute reported 1,149 excess deaths between 3 and 18 August, a period marked by extreme temperatures. The estimate, based on data from the national Mortality Monitoring System, compared mortality figures against historical trends and incorporated weather data from Spains meteorological agency. While the system does not directly confirm that heat was the cause of death, officials said it offers the most reliable assessment of heat-related fatalities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The agency had already linked 1,060 excess deaths to Julys heatwave a 57 per cent rise on the same period last year underscoring warnings from climate scientists that global warming is making such extreme weather longer, more frequent and more intense. Forest fires force evacuations Even as the heatwave subsided on Monday, wildfires across the north of Spain forced repeated evacuations. Prime minister Pedro Sanchez visited the command post at Jarilla in Caceres on Tuesday and declared the worst-hit areas disaster zones. Nearly 2,000 troops have been deployed nationwide, with support from France, Italy and the Netherlands. The most pressing situation was in Palencia, where residents of Cardano de Arriba were evacuated for the second time in three days. Fires spreading from Barniedo de la Reina in Leon have crossed the Mazobre valley and now threaten the Alto Carrion area. Regional officials in Castilla y Leon declared a severity index of PGI 2, which signals direct risk to people and property, according to a report by SUR. Seven level 2 fires including in Boca de Huergano, Yeres, Llamas de Cabrera and Cain de Valdeon remained active in the region, alongside four smaller blazes at level 1. Improved weather has allowed residents of 18 villages in Leon province to return home, though the risk persists. Anger over response Public frustration at the scale of the destruction has fuelled protests. A rally under the slogan Against the fire of inaction: Prevention and resources now! is set to take place on Wednesday evening in Valladolid, with organisers calling for greater investment in firefighting capacity and the resignation of the regional leadership in Castilla y Leon. The Jarilla blaze in Extremadura remains one of the largest and most destructive, burning for more than a week and destroying 15,600 hectares. The fire has spread into Salamanca province and is advancing towards Jerte and Tornavacas, forcing thousands of people from their homes. While some residents, such as those from Rebollar, have been able to return after days in temporary shelters, communities in Jerte, Navaconcejo, Tornavacas, Cabezuela del Valle and parts of Hervas remain displaced. With two active fronts and worsening conditions, officials warned that the crisis is far from over. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies French President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of a peace summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky being held in Europe, in a neutral country, maybe Switzerland Switzerland and Austria said Tuesday that they would host Russian President Vladimir Putin if he came for talks on peace in Ukraine, despite the International Criminal Courts arrest warrant. French President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of a peace summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky being held in Europe, in a neutral country, maybe Switzerland. Im pushing for Geneva, he said in an interview aired earlier Tuesday on French news channel LCI. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a press conference that, under certain circumstances, Putin would be allowed to set foot in Switzerland. Last year, the Swiss government defined the rules for granting immunity to a person under an international arrest warrant. If this person comes for a peace conference not if they come for private reasons, Cassis said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Cassis said Switzerland was fully prepared to host such a meeting and highlighted the militarily-neutral countrys long expertise in the field. However, he pointed out that Russia had gone cold on Switzerland, which has decided to match the sanctions imposed by the neighbouring European Union since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Long tradition In neighbouring Austria, the chancellery said should peace talks take place on its soil, it would get in touch with the ICC to make it possible for President Putin to attend. Chancellor Christian Stocker said he had already offered Vienna as a possible venue for negotiations to Zelensky during the Ukrainian presidents visit in June. Our capital has a long tradition as a place of dialogue, he said in a statement, evoking Vienna hosting several international organisations. Austria a member of the EU but not NATO sought close ties with Russia in the past, but relations deteriorated after Moscow invaded Ukraine. Switzerland permitted Russias participation at a gathering of parliamentary speakers last month, with Valentina Matviyenko, president of the upper house of Russias Federal Assembly, attending despite international sanctions. Switzerland said it acted in accordance with law and international agreements. Swiss authorities may authorise exemptions from travel restrictions, notably if the person is travelling to participate in an international conference, a Swiss foreign ministry spokesman told AFP at the time. Putin is wanted by the ICC for the war crime accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Putin last visited Geneva for his June 2021 summit with then president Joe Biden. The most recent bilateral talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul. Turkey is considered more friendly by Moscow, despite its membership of NATO. Turkey is not an ICC member. The US is considering hosting Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Budapest, a city tied to the broken 1994 security pact, with Trump set to join if the summit happens The White House is considering a potential trilateral summit in Budapest involving the presidents of the United States, Russia, and Ukraine as part of ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the years-long conflict, according to a Politico report, citing Trump administration official and a source familiar with the matter. The choice of Hungarys capital carries a note of historical irony for Ukraine, as it recalls the 1994 Budapest Memorandum an agreement in which the US, UK, and Russia pledged to uphold Ukraines sovereignty in exchange for its nuclear disarmament, a promise shattered by Russias 2014 invasion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russian President Vladimir Putins 2014 assault on Ukraine proved the agreement meaningless when none of the signatories provided military forces to counter the attacks. The US Secret Service is making preparations for the meeting in Hungary, a Central European country led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump since his first term in office. When asked about Budapest as the venue for the meeting during Tuesdays White House media briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to confirm specifics about the potential summit location. Im not going to confirm or deny locations, she said. Although the Secret Service routinely evaluates multiple venues and plans may still shift, Budapest is currently emerging as the leading option for the White House, according to the Politico report, citing two individuals granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations. Reacting to the development, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday criticised the idea of Budapest being a potential venue for peace talks. Budapest? Not everyone may remember this, but in 1994 Ukraine already got assurances of territorial integrity from the US, Russia and the UK. In Budapest, Politico quoted Tusk as saying. Maybe Im superstitious, but this time I would try to find another place, he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed a preference for Moscow, while French President Emmanuel Macron has lobbied for Geneva. In an effort to secure the talks, Switzerlands foreign minister even offered Putin immunity from an outstanding war crimes warrant if his country, renowned for its neutrality, were selected as host. Still, the summit remains far from certain. After a meeting between European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday that a follow-up conversation between Zelenskyy and Putin could take place within weeks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shortly after, Trump announced on social media that he would join the two leaders for a trilateral summit, touted as the final step in peace talks that gained traction after his meeting with Putin in Alaska last week. However, Russian officials now appear to be dragging their feet on any direct engagement between Zelenskyy and Putin, reported Politico. In an interview on state-controlled television on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow wouldnt rule out talks with Ukraine, but emphasised a cautious, incremental approach: step by step, gradually, starting from the expert level and then going through all the necessary stages. Leavitt reiterated on Tuesday that Putin has agreed to meet with Zelenskyy, and confirmed that the US is coordinating with both Russia and Ukraine to arrange the bilateral meeting. The president has spoken to both leaders about this and both leaders have expressed a willingness to sit down with each other, Leavitt was quoted as saying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Leavitt said the bilateral meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy could be followed by a trilateral one including Trump. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine will host top military officials from Germany, the UK, France, Finland, and Italy in Washington late Wednesday to begin talks on potential security guarantees and how to implement them, reported Politico, citing a defence official and a person familiar with the evolving plans. Also on Wednesday, all 32 Nato defence chiefs will hold a virtual meeting led by Natos top general, Italian Adm. Giuseppe Dragone. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the new head of US European Command and Natos Supreme Allied Commander, is expected to join the call. The urgent meetings highlight the scale of coordination required as European allies consider sending a peacekeeping force to Ukraine and ramping up purchases of US-made weapons for Kyiv. With inputs from agencies The White House has said that the intent behind 50% tariffs on India was to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine. US President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order on creating a White House 2028 Olympics task force in the South Court Auditorium of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 5, 2025. (Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP) US President Donald Trump wants the war in Ukraine to end at the earliest and that is why he has put sanctions on India, according to the White House. Trump has slapped 50 per cent tariffs on India 25 per cent on July 31 as part of the rollout of tariffs for more than 60 countries and additional 25 per cent on August 6 over the purchase of Russian oil. He has accused India of driving the Russian war machine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday said that Trump has put tremendous public pressure to end the Russian war in Ukraine and his actions on India are a part of that. The President has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He has taken actions as you seen sanctions on India and other actions as well. He has made himself very clear that he wants to see this war and he has rejected the ideas of others that have been raised that we should wait another month before any meetings takes place. The President wants to move forward and bring war to an end as quickly as possible, said Leavitt. However, Trump has not imposed any tariffs or sanctions on Russia so far. Instead, he has continuously accepted Russias terms and put Ukraine in a tough spot. VIDEO | Washington DC: Addressing a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt refers to sanctions on India while talking about ending Russia-Ukraine war. She says, "The President has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He has taken pic.twitter.com/ShZJMTO9oV Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 19, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ALSO READ: Trump's 50% tariffs may cut exports to US by 60%, lower GDP growth by 1%, say analysts Trumps tariffs on India along with a host of other actions, such as the meddling in the Kashmir issue, undermining India on Operation Sindoor, and aligning himself with Pakistan, have driven the India-US relationship to the lowest point in years. Trade talks between the two countries have also stalled. In July, India and the United States were close to finalising a draft for a deal but Trump intervened and made new unrealistic demands that led to a stalemate. The US president, however, said that Washington is ready to provide air support to Kyiv in an attempt to play by the security guarantees deal. This would still be a major shift in his administrations policy on the conflict US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walk during a meeting, amid negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine, at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, on Monday. Reuters File US President Donald Trump has ruled out sending troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees agreed upon in the White House, a move that was described as a significant breakthrough by European leaders. When asked during a phone interview with Fox News whether he could assure listeners, particularly his MAGA supporters who favour an isolationist, America-first foreign policy, that the US would not deploy troops to Ukraine, Trump responded: You have my assurance, and Im president. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He, however, said that Washington is ready to provide air support to Kyiv in an attempt to play by the security guarantees deal. This would still be a major shift in his administrations policy on the conflict. Meanwhile, Russia has warned that the deployment of Nato troops to Ukraine would be a red line in any negotiations. However, on Tuesday, Trump brushed off those concerns and expressed continued optimism about the possibility of reaching a deal with Putin. What do the security agreements entail? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he discussed Ukraines plans to purchase $90 billion in American weapons through European funding during his meeting with Trump and European leaders at the White House. According to a report by the Financial Times, the security guarantees include a $50bn deal to produce drones with Ukrainian companies. A document of the guarantees does not mention which weapons Kyiv intends to procure; however, Ukraine has been clear about its intentions to purchase at least 10 US-made Patriot air defence systems. The document of the security guarantees, as seen by FT, also highlights lasting peace shall be based not on concessions and free gifts to Putin, but on [a] strong security framework that will prevent future aggression. It adds that recent footage aired by Russian media suggests the Kremlin is not serious about pursuing a peace deal and holds a dim view of Trumps leadership, pointing to disparaging remarks about the US president made by prominent television host Vladimir Solovyov. UK offers air support to Ukraine The head of the British armed forces is set to inform his US counterparts that the UK is willing to deploy troops to help defend Ukraines airspace and maritime borders, but not to engage on the front lines against Russia, as planning intensifies for a post-war security arrangement. Tony Radakin, the Chief of the Defence Staff, will attend meetings at the Pentagon on Wednesday aimed at finalising what 30 nations are prepared to contribute to Ukraines long-term security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed that plans for the meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin are underway and that many options are being discussed by officials US President Donald Trump gestures as he walks off stage following a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reuters US President Donald Trump has said that it would be better if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in his absence, as he discussed the aspects of a potential bilateral meeting between the two leaders. I had a very successful meeting with President Zelenskyy and now I thought it would be better if they met without me, just to see I want to see what goes on. You know, they had a hard relationship very bad, very bad relationship," Trump said on The Mark Levin Show. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added, And now well see how they do. And if necessary and it probably would be but if necessary, Ill go and Ill probably be able to get it closed. I just want to see what happens at the meeting. So theyre in the process of setting it up, and were going to see what happens. Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed that plans for the meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin are underway and that many options are being discussed by officials. Putin agrees to meet Zelenskyy Putin on Monday told Trump that he was willing to meet Zelenskyy, according to US State Secretary Marco Rubio. But just the fact that Putin is saying, sure, Ill meet with Zelenskyy thats a big deal. I mean, Im not saying theyre going to leave that room best friends. Im not saying theyre going to leave that room with a peace deal. But I think the fact that people are now talking to each other, this wasnt happening for three and a half years. This was a stalemated war of death and destruction, Rubio told Fox News Jesse Watters on Monday. Rubio said that the Trump administration is looking at a give and take approach to resolve the conflict. But the question remains what Russia might be willing to offer in exchange for concessions from Ukraine. Switzerland, Austria offer to host meeting Switzerland and Austria said Tuesday that they would host Russian President Vladimir Putin if he came for talks on peace in Ukraine, despite the International Criminal Courts arrest warrant. French President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of a peace summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky being held in Europe, in a neutral country, maybe Switzerland. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a press conference that, under certain circumstances, Putin would be allowed to set foot in Switzerland. With inputs from agencies STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Narendra Modi government has told the parliament that around 60% of Indian exports to the United States to the tune of $48.2 billion could be affected by 50% tariffs. The Narendra Modi government has told the parliament that Indian exports to the tune of $48.2 billion could be affected by American tariffs. US President Donald Trump has slapped 50 per cent tariffs on India 25 per cent on July 31 as part of the rollout of tariffs for over 60 countries and additional 25 per cent on August 6 as a punishment for the purchase of Russian oil. In an answer to Congress MP Adoor Prakashs question, Jitin Prasada, the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, told the Lok Sabha that the government has estimated that around $48.2 billion of Indian exports to the United States, as per the trade value of 2024, will be subjected to tariffs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As Indian exports to the United States last were worth around $80 billion, the exposure of $48.2 billion-worth goods would mean that around 60 per cent of all exports would be exposed to tariffs. The governments estimate is therefore in line with independent estimates that had previously been reported. Indias approximate exports to the United States for 2024. Previously, Bloomberg Economics had projected that Trumps 50 per cent tariffs could affect 60 per cent of Indias US exports and lower the GDP growth for the financial year 2025-26 by 1 per cent. The United States is the largest export destination for Indian goods, accounting for around 17-18 per cent of all Indian exports. India also has a trade surplus with the United States, particularly in pharmaceuticals, textiles, and engineering goods. While Prasada did not answer about retaliatory measures, he said, Government is committed to secure and advance countrys national interest and protect the welfare of our farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, exporters, MSMEs and all sections of industry and take all necessary steps to help mitigate impact on trade including through appropriate export promotion and trade diversification measures. Separately, the government has proposed changes to the goods and services tax (GST) regime to make up for the losses from tariffs to some extent and spur consumption-led growth. Russian forces hold well over half of the Zaporizhzhia region in Ukraines southeast. But Kyiv maintains control of the regions main administrative centre, and its attacks have periodically knocked out electricity in Russian-held areas A view of the penal colony hit by a Russian air strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine. Reuters file Overnight Ukrainian drone attack in the Zaporizhzhia region knocked out power in several Russia-controlled areas, the Moscow-installed governor has said. The reason for the power cuts in Zaporizhzhia region is yet another enemy terrorist drone attack on high-voltage equipment, Moscow-appointed Governor Yevgeny Balitsky wrote on the Telegram messaging app. The governor said that authorities are trying to restore power and switch affected areas to reserve lines, but the process is getting hindered by the danger of repeat strikes and by darkness. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russian forces hold well over half of the Zaporizhzhia region in Ukraines southeast. But Kyiv maintains control of the regions main administrative centre, and its attacks have periodically knocked out electricity in Russian-held areas. Russia in 2022 annexed the Zaporizhzhia region, along with neighbouring Kherson, as well as Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraines east, about seven months after invading its smaller neighbour. In June, Ukrainian shelling in the region cut power to at least 700,000 residents for more than 24 hours. That attack appeared to be the largest of its kind on Russian-held territory since the war began. The Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, Europes largest with six reactors, was operating as normal, unaffected by the power cuts, the plants director of communications, Yevgenia Yashina, told Russias RIA news agency. Zelenskyy-Putin meet Meanwhile, the White House is making arrangements for a potential meeting between Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin on Monday told Trump that he was willing to meet Zelenskyy, according to US State Secretary Marco Rubio. Rubio said that the Trump administration is looking at a give-and-take approach to resolve the conflict. But the question remains what Russia might be willing to offer in exchange for concessions from Ukraine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Switzerland and Austria said Tuesday that they would host Putin if he came for talks on peace in Ukraine, despite the International Criminal Courts arrest warrant. With inputs from agencies District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan ruled on Wednesday that the grand jury records around 70 pages of testimony were merely a hearsay snippet compared with the governments 100,000 pages of investigative files Commuters walk past a bus stop near Nine Elms Station as activists put up a poster showing President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein near the US Embassy in London. AP A US judge has denied a Justice Department attempt to release grand jury records from the sex-trafficking case against Jeffrey Epstein, saying the sealed materials are far less significant than the wider trove of government files on the disgraced financier that remain withheld from the public. District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan ruled on Wednesday that the grand jury records around 70 pages of testimony were merely a hearsay snippet compared with the governments 100,000 pages of investigative files. He argued that if the administration was serious about transparency, it should release the broader cache of documents rather than seeking an exception to rules protecting the secrecy of grand jury proceedings. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trumps promise collides with legal barriers The decision adds to the political pressure on Donald Trump, who has faced mounting criticism from his conservative base over his administrations handling of the Epstein files. During his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to make public all material connected to Epstein and accused Democrats of covering up the truth. But in July, the Justice Department announced it would not release any further material, dismissed claims of a hidden client list, and insisted much of the evidence could not be disclosed. The stance infuriated supporters who had expected sweeping disclosures. Following Trumps instruction, Attorney General Pam Bondi had asked the court to approve the release of Epsteins grand jury testimony. The filing revealed that the panel had heard from just one witness an FBI agent before handing down Epsteins indictment. Wider legal push stalls across jurisdictions The latest ruling follows similar setbacks for the administration in other courts. Earlier this month, Judge Paul Engelmayer in Manhattan rejected a bid to unseal grand jury materials from the case of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins longtime associate, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for recruiting underage girls. Engelmayer wrote that the evidence presented to her grand jury was already aired at her trial and contained no indication of others having sexual contact with minors. In July, a Florida judge also refused a request to release grand jury records from Epsteins earlier federal investigations in 2005 and 2007. Those probes culminated in a controversial 2008 plea deal that saw Epstein serve just 13 months in jail on a state prostitution charge. Epsteins legacy and lingering conspiracy theories Epstein, who pleaded not guilty to sex-trafficking charges, died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019. His death, officially ruled a suicide by hanging, fuelled conspiracy theories that he was murdered to protect powerful associates. His connections with influential figures across politics, business and royalty have continued to stoke public interest in the case and demands for transparency. With inputs from agencies Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits Afghanistan for the first time in three years to attend trilateral talks with Pakistan and the Taliban, focusing on counterterrorism and extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Kabul. In a first visit to Afghanistan in more than three years, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi landed in Kabul on Wednesday as Beijing seeks to expand its regional footprint through economic and security cooperation. Wangs arrival comes ahead of a trilateral meeting with his Afghan and Pakistani counterparts, where discussions are expected to centre on counterterrorism measures and the possible extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan. The corridor, part of Beijings flagship Belt and Road Initiative, has been a cornerstone of Chinas partnership with Pakistan and is now being positioned as a tool to anchor Kabul more closely into regional trade routes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The meeting takes place amid lingering strains in Taliban-Pakistan relations over cross-border militancy, even as both sides have engaged in closer trade and security dialogues in recent months. Wangs visit signals Beijings intention to play a balancing role while promoting its long-term strategic interests in the region. The diplomatic outreach also comes just weeks after Russia became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban administration. Although China and Pakistan have yet to grant recognition, Beijing has stepped up engagement with Kabul, frequently hosting Taliban officials and nudging regional partners towards cooperation. In May, Wang met Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Beijing, where he extended a formal invitation for Afghanistan to join CPEC. Pakistan soon appointed its first ambassador to Kabul since the Talibans return to power in 2021. Beijing has consistently stressed the need for joint security initiatives among the three neighbours. Wang recently warned against external interference and urged tighter law enforcement cooperation. His current trip, paired with earlier visits by Chinas special envoy Yue Xiaoyong to both Kabul and Islamabad highlighted Beijings drive to shape Afghanistans regional integration at a time of shifting alliances. With inputs from agencies The investigation, being led by the US Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia under Jeanine Pirro, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing standoff between the Trump administration and DC officials over federal control of the local police Federal prosecutors in the US have opened a criminal investigation into allegations that the Washington, DC, police department systematically manipulated crime statistics to make the city appear safer. The investigation, being led by the US Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia under Jeanine Pirro, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing standoff between the Trump administration and DC officials over federal control of the local police. While the Justice Department has not publicly commented on the probe, Trump appeared to confirm the investigation in a social media post Monday, claiming that DC officials provided fake crime numbers to create a false illusion of safety and were now under serious investigation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Allegations of data falsification The investigation reportedly began following the suspension of Commander Michael Pulliam of the Metropolitan Police Department in May. Pulliam, formerly in charge of Washingtons 3rd District, was accused by the citys police union of altering crime data. Allegations include downgrading violent crimes such as stabbings and carjackings to less serious offences. Federal prosecutors are now looking into potential misconduct not only by Pulliam but by multiple police and city officials. Meanwhile, Pulliam has denied all the claims. Union, City Officials at Odds Head of Washington DCs police union, Gregg Pemberton, dismissed official crime statistics as preposterous. He argued that rank-and-file officers are overwhelmed by violent crime and suggested that police leadership had instructed staff to downplay crime reports. What weve heard through our members and through members of management that were willing to talk with the union is that this is a directive from the command staff that they wanna make sure that these classifications of these reports are adjusted over time to make sure that the overall crime stats stay down, Pemberton said. Mayor Muriel Bowser has repeatedly cited police data showing a 27 per cent drop in violent crime over the past year to oppose Trumps push for federal control of the citys police. Separate department figures indicated a 35 per cent decrease in violent crime during 2024. With contradictory statements from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the rationale of slapping 50% tariffs on India but not on China also a buyer of Russian oil is under question. US property mogul Donald Trump leads a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland, May 27, 2010. File Image/Reuters With contradictory statements from top US officials, the rationale of tariffs on India is under question. President Donald Trump has slapped India with 50 per cent tariffs on India as a punishment for buying Russian oil. But he has not imposed any tariffs on China, which has consistently bought more Russian oil than India. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have justified with contradictory statements that leads to the question: Does the Trump administration even have a policy-based objective for tariffs on India or is Trump taking out frustration on India or acting out of a grudge? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They [India] are just profiteering. They are reselling. This is what I would call the Indian arbitrage buying cheap Russian oil, reselling it as product, Bessent told CNBC, adding that India has made $16 billion in excess profits. Contradictory statements on Russian oil purchases Bessent on Tuesday said that tariffs were slapped on India because India was refining Russian crude oil and selling it elsewhere and profiting from it. But Rubio on Sunday said China was doing the same thing and that was why there were no tariffs on the country. China just refines that oil [Russian oil]. That oil is then sold into the global marketplace and anyone whos buying that oil would be paying more for it or if it doesnt exist, would have to find an alternative source for it, Rubio told Fox News. The fact remains that China and India keep the international prices of oil in check with the purchase of Russian oil by, firstly, absorbing the Russian supply, and, secondly, refining Russian crude and selling gasoline and diesel elsewhere at lower prices. While Bessent said that this refining and subsequent selling was the basis of tariffs on India, Rubio said that this was the basis for not imposing tariffs on China. However, going by Rubios logic, there should not be any punitive tariff on India. And, as per Bessents logic, there should be tariffs on China just like India. Notably, Russia has consistently bought more Russian oil than India nearly half of all Russian exports. Top buyers of Russian oil in percentage terms. As Indian purchases of Russian oil stabilised the international oil prices, the previous Joe Biden administration of the United States had encouraged India to buy Russian oil and even refine and sell it elsewhere the same rationale that Rubio has used for China now. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Biden administration had asked India to accept Russian crude as other countries imposed bans in order to prevent a major oil price spike after the invasion of Ukraine that would result in high gasoline prices in the United States, Bob McNally, the President of Rapidan Energy, told CNBC. India played a key role in the price cap sanction mechanism designed by the US and its European allies to ensure Russian oil still flowed while trying to crimp the revenue Moscow earned, McNally said. However, as Trump has aligned himself with China and has pursued an overt campaign against India, which has ranged from economic warfare to an alliance with Indias adversaries in the region, he has flipped the understanding reached between the two countries in the previous administration. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that 1,647.696 km of the 2,216.7 km India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal has been fenced so far Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that 1,647.696 km of the 2,216.7 km India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal has been fenced so far. The information was provided in a written response to a query raised by BJP MPs Shambhu Sharan Patel and Neeraj Shekhar. "The total length of the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal is 2216.7 km, out of which 1647.696 km has been covered by fence. Out of balance stretch of 569.004 km, which is yet to be covered by fence and other border infrastructure works, 112.780 km is non-feasible and 456.224 pic.twitter.com/g8PR4zPrhd ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Out of balance stretch of 569.004 km, which is yet to be covered by fence and other border infrastructure works, 112.780 km is non-feasible and 456.224 km is feasible. Out of 456.224 km of feasible IB (International Border) length in West Bengal, land for 77.935 km has been handed over to the executing agency. For the balance stretch of 378.289 km, land acquisition is yet to be initiated for 148.971 km by the State Government. The remaining land for 229.318 km is in various stages of land acquisition, he added. The minister further informed the Upper House that the Centre is taking steps to expedite the land acquisition process, including holding regular meetings and reviews with the state government on the matter. Timely land acquisition payments as per norms are being released. Payment has already been made for 181.635 km. Illegal infiltration in the state of West Bengal during the last three years (from 01st January, 2023 to 31st July, 2025) is 3964, Rai added. The total length of the India-Bangladesh border is 4096.7 km. The border with the neighbouring country lies along West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa on Wednesday for his second-ever visit as Chinas leader to mark the 60th anniversary of Tibets founding as an autonomous region Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa on Wednesday for his second-ever visit as Chinas leader to mark the 60th anniversary of Tibets founding as an autonomous region. Six years after the 14th Dalai Lama fled into exile in India following a failed uprising, Chinas ruling Communist Party established the Tibet Autonomous Region in 1965, the countrys fifth and final autonomous region after Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Guangxi and Ningxia. The designation was meant to offer local ethnic minority groups such as the Tibetans greater say over policy matters, including freedom of religious belief. But international human rights groups and exiles routinely describe Chinas rule in Tibet as oppressive, an accusation that Beijing rejects. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To govern, stabilise and develop Tibet, the first thing is to maintain political stability, social stability, ethnic unity and religious harmony, state media cited Xi as saying to senior Tibet officials on Wednesday. Xi last flew to Tibet in July 2021 where he urged people there to follow the party in a visit largely perceived by outside observers to signal the Communist Partys confidence that order had finally been established in a region with a long history of protest against Chinese rule. During a brief period following the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when China further opened its doors to the outside world, Tibet was rocked by protests by monks and nuns, and then a series of self-immolations. Tibetan Buddhism must be guided to adapt to Chinas socialist system, Xi said. Prior to 2021, the last Chinese leader to visit Tibet was Jiang Zemin in 1990. More broadly, Tibet is a highly strategic region for China due to its border with India. Troops from both sides had clashed at their border over the years. The Himalayan region also possesses abundant natural resources including immense hydropower potential. Xis arrival in Tibet coincided with a rare trip this week by Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi to India, where both countries pledged to rebuild ties damaged by a deadly 2020 border skirmish. Chinas latest mega hydropower project in Tibet has also unsettled India downstream. Xi said the project must be vigorously pursued as part of Chinas carbon reduction goals while protecting Asias water tower. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Xi was accompanied by Wang Huning and Cai Qi, the partys fourth and fifth-ranked leaders. In 2015, the party sent the now retired Yu Zhengsheng, who held the equivalent rank of Wang at the time, to Tibet for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Sudarshan Chakra is based on the Russian S-400 platform, capable of engaging aircraft, cruise missiles, drones and ballistic missiles at ranges up to 400 km. The comparable systems include the THAAD from the US, which is, designed to intercept ballistic missiles in their terminal phase, effective at altitudes up to 150 km and ranges of about 200 km. Russia on Tuesday highlighted the strength of its strategic ties with India with senior diplomat Roman Babushkin dismissing Western criticism of New Delhis continued energy purchases from Moscow and stressing that Russia remains Indias partner of choice. Responding to questions on whether India might consider systems like Israels Iron Dome, Babushkin, Charge dAffaires of the Russian Embassy in India, said: You mean Sudarshan Chakra? His remark came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Mission Sudarshan Chakra, an ambitious initiative to develop an indigenous air defence shield to secure Indias critical civilian and strategic assets from potential threats. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD #WATCH | Delhi | On US trade adviser stating India should stop buying Russian oil, Roman Babushkin, Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Embassy in India,"If the West criticises you, it means you are doing everything right...We don't expect that to happen (India to stop buying oil pic.twitter.com/THIeVouyiy ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 The Russian diplomat cited the recent phone call between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Modi, saying it reflected Indias importance in Moscows strategic calculus. The recent phone call by President Putin to PM Modi ji, explaining and sharing the information about recent developments in Ukraine, means India matters a lot to Russia. We are capable of finding any solution for mutual satisfaction. The deepening of our partnership will help us grow together We have seen this problem of sanctions for many years now, but our trade is growing. In recent years, our trade has grown by 7 times, he added. On Washingtons suggestion that India should cut back on Russian oil imports, Babushkin was unequivocal. If the West criticises you, it means you are doing everything right, he said. We dont expect that to happen. We know about the challenging circumstances for India. This is the true strategic partnership we are enjoying. Whatever happens even during challenges, we are committed to removing any problems. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Sudarshan Chakra is based on the Russian S-400 platform, capable of engaging aircraft, cruise missiles, drones and ballistic missiles at ranges up to 400 km. The comparable systems include the THAAD from the US, which is, designed to intercept ballistic missiles in their terminal phase, effective at altitudes up to 150 km and ranges of about 200 km. It is also optimised for high-altitude threats rather than multi-role defence. Alongside Sudarshan Chakra, India is developing Project Kusha, an indigenous long-range surface-to-air missile programme intended to rival or surpass S-400 capabilities. Planned in three variantsM1 (150 km), M2 (250 km), and M3 (400 km)the system is expected to begin trials in late 2025 and enter service between 2028 and 2030. Together, these developments reflect a global and domestic push toward integrated air-defence networks capable of countering an increasingly diverse range of aerial threats. Qualcomm has silently announced the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 Mobile Platform, the companys latest 4nm mid-range SoC, as the successor to the popular Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC, with a minor upgrade to prime core clock speed which has increased from 2.5GHz to 2.7GHz. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 promises 7% improved CPU and GPU performance, compared to the predecessor, has support for WFHD+ 144Hz HDR10+ displays. It still has support for a broad range of LLMs, and LVMs, including Llama 1B, Qwen 1B, and more. The 7s Gen 4 retains 12-bit triple ISP, comes with support for up to 4K HDR recording, integrates Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF System, 5G Dual-SIM Dual-Active (DSDA) enables simultaneous use of two 5G+5G or 5G+4G SIM cards for ultimate user flexibility, and has Qualcomm FastConnect Mobile Connectivity System for Bluetooth 5.4, and Wi-Fi 6E. Highlights of Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 (SM7635) 1 x Kryo Prime CPUs (Cortex A720-based) at up to 2.7GHz, 3 x Kryo Performance CPUs (Cortex A720-based) at up to 2.4GHz, 4x Kryo Efficiency CPUs (Cortex A520-based) at up to 1.8GHz TSMC 4nm process technology Built-in Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G modem-RF system, 5G mmWave and sub-6 GHz 5G download speeds of up to 2.9Gpbs Qualcomm Adreno GPU, OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0 FP, Vulkan 1.3 Hardware-accelerated H.265 and VP9 decoder; HDR Playback Codec support for HLG, HDR10+, HDR10, and HDR vivid Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec, New Qualcomm Aqstic smart speaker amplifier, Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (THD+N), Playback: -108dB, Qualcomm Audio and Voice Communication Suite Up to 21 MP triple camera, Up to 32+21 MP dual camera, Up to 64 MP single camera with ZSL, Up to 200MP Photo Capture, Qualcomm Spectra Image Sensor Processor (Triple 12-bit ISPs) On-Device Display Support: WFHD+ (13002900 pixels) @ 144 Hz, Maximum External Display Support: Up to 4K @ 60 Hz, 10-bit color depth, HDR10 and HDR10+ 4K 30 FPS HDR Video Capture + 64 MP Photo Capture, 10-bit HEIF: HEIC photo capture, HEVC video capture, Video Capture Formats: HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, 4K HDR Video Capture @ 30 FPS, Slow-mo video capture at 1080p 120 FPS Qualcomm Hexagon NPU: Fused AI Accelerator, Hexagon Tensor Accelerator, Hexagon Vector eXtensions, Hexagon Scalar Accelerator, Support for mix precision (INT4, INT8, and INT16), Qualcom Sensing Hub, Dedicated NPUs for audio and sensors LPDDR5 3200MHz memory, LPDDR4x 2133 MHz, up to 16 GB Wi-Fi 6E, 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) Multi-gigabit, Integrated 802.11ax, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.4, LE Audio, LE Audio, Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite, with support for Qualcomm aptX Voice, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, NFC GPS, Glonass, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC capable, Triple Frequency GNSS (L1/L5/L2), Sensor-Assisted Positioning: Urban pedestrian navigation with sidewalk accuracy, Global freeway lane-level vehicle navigation USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, UFS 3.1 Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ technology Availability The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 will be initially adopted by Xiaomi, with the first device to be the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ that is all set to be unveiled in China tomorrow. Google today at its Made by Google event launched the Pixel Buds 2a, expanding its A-Series earbuds lineup. According to the company, the new earbuds offer lightweight comfort and advanced audio features, making them the smallest yet in the A-Series. Pixel Buds 2a Inspired by the Pixel Buds Pro 2, Pixel Buds 2a are designed for all-day comfort based on data from over 45 million ear scans. The earbuds have an IP54 rating for sweat and water resistance, while the charging case carries an IPX4 rating, suitable for workouts and light rain. Audio & Features Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 with Super Wideband support. Active Noise Cancellation: Available for the first time in A-Series with Silent Seal 1.5; Transparency mode can be enabled to hear surroundings. Sound Quality: Redesigned acoustics with 11 mm dynamic drivers, stereo spatial audio, and a 5-band equalizer for customizable sound. Calls: Wind-blocking mesh combined with Google AI reduces background noise to ensure clear conversations. The Tensor A1 chip powers Pixel Buds 2a, delivering premium audio, fast noise adaptation, and support for Googles AI and Gemini features. With ANC on, the earbuds offer up to 7 hours of playback and up to 20 hours with the charging case; a 5-minute charge adds 1 hour of listening. Smart Features Talk with Gemini: Hands-free interaction with Google Gemini for emails, directions, or voice-assisted tasks. Tap to Control: Allows play, pause, track skipping, toggling ANC/Transparency mode, and launching Gemini with simple taps. Pixel-Perfect Pairing: Ensures seamless connection with Pixel devices, supports multipoint switching, and Find Hub for locating earbuds quickly, even inside the case. Sustainability According to the company, the Pixel Buds 2a are made from recycled components with 100% plastic-free packaging. The charging case features a replaceable battery. Key sustainability highlights include: 41% recycled materials in the earbuds 100% recycled rare earth elements in magnets 100% recycled tin in solder paste on multiple printed circuit boards 100% recycled cobalt in batteries Quick Specifications: Pixel Buds 2a Audio: 11 mm dynamic driver, ANC with Silent Seal 1.5, Transparency mode, Active in-ear pressure relief Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 with Super Wideband support Processor: Google Tensor A1 (each earbud) Sweat/Water Resistance: Earbuds IP54, Charging case IPX4 Voice & Calls: Bluetooth Super Wideband, Clear Calling, Wind-blocking mesh covers Sensors: 2 microphones per earbud, capacitive touch for music/calls/voice, IR in-ear detection, Hall Effect sensor in case Charging & Battery: USB-C port; ANC off up to 10h earbuds / 27h with case; ANC on up to 7h earbuds / 20h with case; 5-min quick charge = 1h ANC playback Dimensions: Earbud 23.1 16 17.8 mm, Case 50 24.5 57.2 mm Weight: Earbud 4.7 g, Case 47.6 g (with earbuds) Colors: Hazel, Iris Box Contents: Earbuds, Charging case, 4 eartip sizes (XS, S, M, L), Quick Start Guide Pricing and Availability Available in Hazel and Iris, the Google Pixel Buds 2a are priced at Rs. 12,999 in India and USD 129 (Rs. 11,225 approx.) in the US, and will be available in India and global markets from October. 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. Nathan graduated with his journalism degree from Auburn University in 2017. After growing up in the flatlands of rural Alabama with his parents and older sister, Nathan enjoys Western Colorado's natural resources and recreational opportunities. He currently covers education and business for The Daily Sentinel. Last Monday, Mesa County Public Health added three new naloxone kiosks to its network across the Grand Valley, expanding the programs reach as far as Collbran. The new kiosks in Orchard Mesa, Palisade and Collbran were added less than a year after the initiatives launch in December of last year, totaling 12 access points. According to Mesa County Public Health Community Health Planner Chhavi Attri, their placements will empower locals across the county to play a role in reducing opioid overdose deaths. Signs of an overdose, what to do Opioid overdose symptoms include: Unconscious state or unable to wake up. Slow or shallow breathing. Difficulty breathing, such as choking sounds, or a gurgling and snoring noise from a person who cannot be woken up. Discolored skin, especially the nails or lips. Small, constricted pinpoint pupils that don't react to light. Vomiting. Inability to speak. Faint heartbeat. Limp arms and legs. Pale skin. To assist an individual suffering an opioid overdose, take the following five steps: Evaluate the person for signs of an opioid overdose. Administer naloxone, then call 911. Try to keep the person awake and breathing. Lay the person on their side to prevent choking. Stay with the person until emergency help arrives. Weve been encouraged by the communitys response and are proud to expand this program, Attri said. By strategically placing naloxone kiosks across Mesa County, were advancing harm reduction efforts helping save lives and creating more opportunities for recovery. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a nasal spray opioid antagonist that can reverse an overdose in a matter of minutes. The drug was invented in 1961, but it has become popular in recent years, given the continued rise of opioid deaths between 2018 and 2023. In addition to the life-saving drug, each kiosk is stocked with instructions (in English and Spanish) on how to administer naloxone. All 12 kiosks were purchased at the programs start, through a state grant dubbed Overdose Data to Action. The Sentinel reported in January that the kiosks cost a total of $5,000, and the naloxone is obtained through the state at no cost to the county. The local public health department has partnered with the Western Colorado Area Health Education Center to ensure the kiosks are continually stocked and well-maintained. According to a Mesa County Public Health press release, more than 3,000 boxes of naloxone (6,000 doses) have been distributed since its December launch. Early usage data and feedback show that the kiosks are meeting a critical need: offering timely, anonymous access to a medicine that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose, Attri said. A Sentinel to the Mesa County Coroners Office revealed that there have been 11 opioid overdose deaths in Mesa County this year, from December to the start of August. Over the same timeframe in 2024, the number of deaths was identical. Still, a Mesa County Public Health spokesperson said that community members have reached out to the department with stories of how the naloxone they got from a kiosk helped them save a life. Mesa County residents have responded positively to this new program, using the kiosks to access free naloxone to help save lives, Attri said. Kiosk locations Colorado Health Network: 1001 Wellington Ave. Colorado Mesa University University Center: 1455 N 12th St. Mesa County Criminal Justice Services Treatment Center: 436 S. 7th St. Mesa County Libraries Clifton Branch: 3270 D 1/2 Road, Bldg A. Mesa County Libraries Collbran Branch: 111 Main St. Mesa County Libraries Orchard Mesa Branch: 230 E Lynwood St. Mesa County Libraries Palisade Branch: 119 W 3rd St. Mesa County Public Health Clinic: 510 29 1/2 Road. Mesa County Sheriff's Office Detention Lobby: 215 Rice St. Western Colorado Area Health Education Center at 2938 B North Ave. Lifespan Psychiatry of Colorado at 2140 N 12th St. HomewardBound of the Grand Valley- North Avenue Shelter at 2853 North Ave. Signs of an overdose, what to do Opioid overdose symptoms include: Unconscious state or unable to wake up. Slow or shallow breathing. Difficulty breathing, such as choking sounds, or a gurgling and snoring noise from a person who cannot be woken up. Discolored skin, especially the nails or lips. Small, constricted pinpoint pupils that dont react to light. Vomiting. Inability to speak. Faint heartbeat. Limp arms and legs. Pale skin. To assist an individual suffering an opioid overdose, take the following five steps: Evaluate the person for signs of an opioid overdose. Administer naloxone, then call 911. Try to keep the person awake and breathing. Lay the person on their side to prevent choking. Stay with the person until emergency help arrives. A man accused of killing three people in a car cash in September 2024 on U.S. Highway 6 near Palisade has pleaded guilty to three counts of vehicular homicide, according to court documents. Patrick Sneddon, 59, was behind the wheel of a Jeep that slammed into two Colorado Department of Transportation workers, Nathan Jones and Trenton Umberger, killing both, along with Kathi Wallace, a passenger in the Jeep. Jones and Umberger had been walking back to their vehicle after doing work along the highway when they were struck by Sneddons vehicle that went off the roadway, according to the arrest affidavit. Sneddon was arrested in December after an investigation by the Colorado State Patrol. Police said he had THC in his system at the time of the crash. According to the arrest affidavit, Sneddon told police he had been looking at and talking to Wallace when he noticed he was off the roadway, saw Jones and Umberger, and attempted to swerve out of the way. A flashing CDOT sign showing an arrow alerting traffic to move over was illuminated at the time of the crash, according to the affidavit. Each vehicular homicide count Sneddon pleaded guilty to is a class-3 felony that carries a presumptive sentencing range of four to 12 years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $500,000. Sneddon also pleaded guilty to one count of failing to exercise due care when approaching a stationary public utility vehicle resulting in death, a class-6 felony under Colorados move Over Law that carries a presumptive sentencing range of 12-18 months in prison. That charge is a new charge that was added during the plea negotiations. Colorado law requires motorists to slow down to at least 20 miles per hour under the posted speed limit or move over a lane when encountering a disabled vehicle, and includes special protections for CDOT workers. The total presumptive sentencing range for Sneddon is four to 30 years in prison, according to the plea agreement During the court process, the families of Umberger and Jones have argued for stricter bonds for Sneddon. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 9. The tragedy led to an outpouring of support and grief for the two CDOT workers. Two separate massive funeral processions were held for both Jones and Umberger with residents lining roadways to pay their respects as a long line of vehicles from CDOT, Colorado State Patrol, Xcel Energy and other local organizations that work with CDOT drove by. Illuminated message boards flashed messages remembering Jones and Umberger. A memorial was erected at the accident site in December remembering Jones and Umberger. CDOT also remembered the two workers with a billboard in Clifton in November. Contracts Contracts For Aug. 19, 2025 AIR FORCE Acts Group Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (FA4419-25-D-0002); New Dominion Construction LLC, Dumfries, Virginia (FA4419-25-D-0003); COHO Construction Management LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (FA4419-25-D-0004); Marrero, Couvillion & Associates LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (FA4419-25-D-0005); Gideon Red JV LLC, Kenner, Louisiana (FA4419-25-D-0006); and PAM WCI JV LLC, Midwest City, Oklahoma (FA4419-25-D-0007), were awarded a multi-year $95,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity construction contract. This contract provides for a broad range of maintenance, repair, and minor construction projects on real property at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma; Vance AFB, Oklahoma; Sheppard AFB, Texas; and Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas, and is expected to be completed August 2030. This contract was a competitive acquisition with 14 offers received. Fiscal 2025 military construction funds in the total amount of $7,603,102 will be obligated at the time of award. The 97th Contracting Flight, Altus AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. JE DUNN Construction Co., Kansas City, Missouri, has been awarded a $88,105,334 firm-fixed-price modification (P00018) to previously awarded (FA8903-19-C-0021) for repair of the Cadet Chapel at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract from $246,620,551 to $334,725,885. Work will be performed at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 13, 2028. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance appropriations funds in the amount of $88,105,334 are being obligated at the time of award. The 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity. Techni-Con Inc., Mangilao, Guam, was awarded a $7,995,000 firm-fixed-price contract to repair underground power. This contract provides for replacement of the underground electrical feeders, duct banks, switches, and transformers for the Munitions Storage Area, Andersen AFB, Guam. Work will be performed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and is expected to be completed by March 22, 2027. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and nine offers were received. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance appropriation funds in the amount of $7,995,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 36th Contracting Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam, is the contracting activity (FA5240-24-D-0009 - FA5240-25-F-0112). NAVY The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $22,319,015 firm-fixed-price order (N6134025F0004) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0006). This order is to modify aircrew training devices and deliver the P-8A technical refresh digital video recording system solution. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida (50%); Oak Harbor, Washington (30%); Edinburgh, Australia (15%); and Richardson, Texas (5%), and is expected to be completed in November 2027. Fiscal 2025 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,637,076 and Royal Australian Air Force funds in the amount of $4,681,939 will be obligated at the time of award, $17,637,076 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order was not competed. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $15,331,729 cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed fee, and cost only contract for shipset production, engineering, and installation support to perform software and hardware systems development, production, and platform installations. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $91,140,416. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (30%); Groton, Connecticut (25%); Las Vegas, Nevada (25%); Port Orchard, Washington (10%); Chesapeake, Virginia (4%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (2%); San Diego, California (2%); and Kings Bay, Georgia (2%), and is expected to be completed by August 2026. If all options are exercised, work will continue through August 2030. Fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $999,715 (83%); and fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $208,306 (17%), will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(5). Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-25-C-6260). ARMY Orion Marine Construction, Tampa, Florida, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging in the Galveston International Waterway. The amount of this action is $13,771,750, with a total cumulative face value of $21,992,750. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Calhoun, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 19, 2026. Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance, Army National Guard funds in the amount of $13,771,750 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-25-C-A001). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY ACM Elite, Stevensville, Montana, has been awarded a maximum $9,999,999 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for B-52 aircraft engine hanger beams. This award is replacing contract SPE4A7-25-D-0297, which was previously announced as awarded July 18, 2025, to Infinity Fabrication. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. The performance completion date is Aug. 18, 2030. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2025 through 2030 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4A7-25-D-0333). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4279532/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Spanish Government rejects Israeli Government's announcement to build 3,000 homes in West Bank Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs COMUNICADO 082 Friday, August 15, 2025 The Spanish Government rejects the Israeli Government's announcement to build 3,000 homes in the West Bank. Spain reiterates that all settlements are illegal under international law. The decision also seriously undermines the viability of the two-State solution, the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace. The Spanish Government expresses its deep concern about the rapidly deteriorating situation in the West Bank. Spain condemns the military operations, the expansion of settlements and the growing violence of the settlers. The Spanish Government will continue to defend the two-State solution. The State of Palestine must include the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. -NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary of State Marco Rubio with Jesse Watters of Jesse Watters Primetime on Fox News US Department of State Interview Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Washington, D.C. August 18, 2025 QUESTION: Secretary of State Marco Rubio joins us now. All right, Secretary, you were in the room this afternoon with President Trump, Zelenskyy, all the European leaders. Was there a big moment that happened? SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, I think the whole thing was a big moment, unprecedented really when you think about all these European leaders came here - seven that were there, and that included the head of the - of NATO and the head of the EU. And they all said the same thing, which is this - after three years of sort of deadlock and no talks and no change in circumstances, this is the first time where there seems to be some movement. Now look, this is a complicated war. There's no doubt about it. I mean, this has been going on for three and a half years. A lot of people have died, a lot of territories exchanged back and forth, so it's not an easy thing to unwind. But nothing was happening on this war, literally. The only option that we were given under the previous administration was continue to fund Ukraine for however much they need for however long it takes, and now you have people actually talking about pathways towards ending it. Now, it's going to take a little bit more work and a little bit more time, but we are making progress. It's not me saying it. That is virtually every leader there today said that in front of the cameras, and they're saying it for a reason, because it's true and they're witnessing it and they've been a part of it. QUESTION: So these European nations - and some of these are NATO countries - are they willing to put troops on the ground in Ukraine to cement this peace deal? Would that make Ukraine kind of like a NATO ally? SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, what's being contemplated - look, any sovereign country in the world has a right to enter into security alliances with other countries. It's not just NATO. We have such alliances with South Korea. We have it with Japan. Other countries have it with each other. And so I think everyone would acknowledge - including, by the way, for the first time the Russian side under President Trump's sort of pressure or suggestion - is that in fact a Ukraine post-conflict has a right to enter into security agreements with other countries. And we will work with our European allies, and non-European countries by the way, to build such a security guarantee. We're working on that right now. We'll continue to work on that. And that will be something that will have to be in place after a peace deal so that Ukraine can feel safe moving forward. And we're coordinating that as we speak. We're involved in the coordination of it. So yeah, there are a number of countries that are willing to step forward and provide Ukraine security guarantees. But as the Ukrainians have said to us, and I think have said publicly, the strongest security guarantee they can come up with with their future is to have a strong military moving forward, and that's the other dynamic that's changed. We're no longer giving Ukraine weapons. We're no longer giving Ukraine money. We are now selling them weapons, and European countries are paying for it through NATO. They are using NATO to buy the weapons and transfer them to Ukraine. That's another big change from the way this war was approached just a few - just under the Biden administration, for example. QUESTION: Absolutely. And the minerals deal is also a nice security guarantee. SECRETARY RUBIO: Correct. QUESTION: Another way. Were you in the room when the President talked to Vladimir Putin? SECRETARY RUBIO: I was, I was. And in that conversation, what came from it is that the President suggested that Zelenskyy and Putin meet, so we're working on that now to try to set that up for them to meet somewhere, which, again, would be unprecedented. And then if that goes well, hopefully the next meeting will be a meeting between Presidents Putin, Trump, and Zelenskyy, where we hope to finalize a deal. We're not there yet, but that's what we're aiming towards and that's one of the things that was discussed today, is how to get to that point. But just the fact that Putin is saying, sure, I'll meet with Zelenskyy - that's a big deal. I mean, I'm not saying they're going to leave that room best friends. I'm not saying they're going to leave that room with a peace deal. But I think the fact that people are now talking to each other, this wasn't happening for three and a half years. This was a stalemated war of death and destruction. And let me tell you something. This President hates war and he - he hates it. He thinks it's a waste of money and a waste of lives, and he has made it a priority - President Trump has - to bring about peace. If he sees an opportunity to step in and broker a peace, he wants to do it. He's been successful already six times in six months in achieving that, and he wants to achieve it with Ukraine and Russia as well. QUESTION: So the timeline, it looks, ideally, is Vladimir Putin meets with Zelenskyy and then President Trump and Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin meet, the three of them, and hopefully cement some sort of peace deal then. The issue about giving land back seems to be the sticking point. Is that the main sticking point, is that Russia wants to keep the land that it's taken militarily? And how do you get around that? What's the negotiation over there? SECRETARY RUBIO: Yeah, I don't think it's helpful to go into all the details of that, obviously, because these negotiations, frankly, work best when they're done privately and in a negotiation setting. But look, I think we all understand that QUESTION: What? You don't want to do it on national TV on Jesse Watters Primetime, Secretary? I mean, that's just crazy. SECRETARY RUBIO: (Laughter.) No. Oh, well, we'll be more than - when we have a deal, I'll describe it to you for sure. QUESTION: Okay. SECRETARY RUBIO: But look, that's why you've got to give these guys space to work. I mean, they have their own constituencies, okay? They have their own considerations, and you don't want to give away one side's leverage in that regard. But let me just say this about it: I think everyone understands that some of the key elements to bringing this about is Ukraine has to feel safe moving forward. In essence, they have to believe that at the end of this war, they are in a position to never get invaded again. I think what's also true - and I think it's common sense, and I don't know why it's so hard for a lot of people to understand it - is in any negotiation to bring about the end of a war or any conflict for that matter, it's going to require both sides to receive but also to give. In essence, one side is not going to get 100 percent here. Each side is going to have to make some concessions. And obviously, land or where you draw those lines - where the war stops - is going to be part of that conversation. And it's not easy, and maybe it's not even fair, but it's what it takes in order to bring about an end to a war. And that's been true in every war. The only wars that don't end that way are the ones that have unconditional surrender by one side or the other, and we're not going to see that in this conflict. So obviously, the issue of that will be talked about, and the President's been very clear. In the end, what those lines look like are up to Putin and up to Zelenskyy and up to the Ukrainian side to decide what each of them can live with. We are going to be there to facilitate that and make that possible and make sure that both sides are talking. And by the way, President Trump is the only leader in the world - acknowledged by all the Europeans - the only leader in the world that can talk to both of them and bring them both to a meeting, is Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States. He's the only one. And the fact that he's willing to do it is something that every American, including Democrats, should be happy that we have a peace President; we should be proud that we have a President that's made peace a priority in his administration. QUESTION: Absolutely. And I think Zelenskyy symbolically already making some concessions, because he put on kind of a suit. So that is progress, Secretary. SECRETARY RUBIO: It looked good, right? QUESTION: I think it looked great. SECRETARY RUBIO: Yeah. Yeah, he looked great. QUESTION: We like to see it. SECRETARY RUBIO: Yeah. QUESTION: Well, great job, and keep up the great work. I know it's tough stuff, but it looks like there is a lot of momentum here. SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Energy partnerships sustain Army fight By Shannon Collins, Army News Service August 19, 2025 WASHINGTON -- Fort Benning participated in the Disaster Resilience Across the Chattahoochee Valley Conference in Columbus, Georgia, July 15-16. Hosted by the Georgia-Alabama Partnership for Sustainability, the conference provided a space for collaboration among local, state, and federal partners to address disaster preparedness and response for the region. The Army is working with community leaders and emergency response personnel to address disaster preparedness and response for the regions they serve, said Brandon Cockrell, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and the environment. This enables regional energy resilience, ensuring Army installations can power the mission while supporting local energy infrastructure during emergencies. He said establishing these partnerships with the base and the community is crucial. "Having these conversations ahead of time, having partnerships ahead of time, it's crucial. You can see what this region is doing and the partnerships that have been formed, directly impacting Soldiers and their families off the installation. It's a partnership built outside of the installation focused on lethality and the Army's overall mission. It's teamwork." The Army's ultimate end state is to have modern, resilient, efficient installations that enhance lethality, strategic readiness and emergency preparedness, while providing quality facilities, services and support for Soldiers, civilians, and their families, said Cockrell. "The Army wants to ensure an abundant supply of reliable energy for mission preparedness, but it also prioritizes its Soldiers, civilians, their families, and the communities we serve," said Cockrell. "We are part of the community and so our relationships and those that we partner with are critical for our ability to support our communities." Energy resilience means having reliable and accessible power for carrying out critical operations under all circumstances or any external power disruption, ensuring Army mission readiness and community support. "Our goal is for every Army installation to have the capability of becoming an 'island' in a contested environment," said Cockrell. "That doesn't mean total isolation. It means an installation has the ability to continue the Army's mission while also supporting those who provide support to the mission." Proactively establishing partnerships with base and the community is key for the Army's ability to achieve energy resilience and these islands in contested environments. "Having conversations and partnerships ahead of time, it's crucial," said Cockrell. "You can see what this region is doing and the partnerships that've been formed, directly impacting Soldiers and their families off the installation. It's a partnership built outside the installation, focused on lethality and the Army's overall mission. It's teamwork." The Army is working to adopt emerging technologies and foster local partnerships to transform installations to effectively counter challenges of the modern day. Together, the Army and its partners have shared talent, time, and financial resources to deliver the energy solutions to sustain the fight at quicker speeds with reduced overall costs and strain on the communities' grids - combining strength to reach mutual goals and be more prepared for emergencies and disasters. The Army works with utilities, private investors, and more to lease out federal land to implement modern, reliable energy solutions that provide power to the installation and local community, diversifying and fortifying the energy grid for all. By leveraging partnerships with academic, community, and industry, the Army is able to modernize to deploy, fight, and win the Nation's wars, he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov assures Igor Grosu, Speaker of Moldova's Parliament: Bulgaria wishes to share its experience in EU negotiation process Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria 19.08.2025 "Bulgaria stands ready to support Moldova in the preparations for the upcoming pre-accession negotiations with the European Union by sharing experience, good practices and lessons learned from its own membership." This was stated by Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov at his meeting with the Speaker of Moldova's Parliament Igor Grosu. "Our country can be a reliable partner in this process, which requires serious institutional preparation and strong political commitment," he emphasized. At the discussion, the two discussers voiced a shared will to promote bilateral cooperation by, inter alia, promotion of interparliamentary dialog and exchange of experts. The discussion devoted attention to the common challenges on the path to European integration. Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov noted that as Moldova advances towards the EU, efforts to address hybrid threats and disinformation are of key importance, especially in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections on 28 September 2025. "Bulgaria highly appreciates the commitment of Moldovan institutions to democratic reforms and the rule of law. Building on the capacity to withstand external effects is an integral part of the European path," the Prime Minister emphasized. Rossen Jeliazkov thanked Speaker Igor Grosu for the steady support to the Bulgarian community in the country, which is a lasting bridge between the two peoples and a pillar of friendship between Bulgaria and Moldova. The newly opened branch of the Angel Kanchev University of Rousse in Taraclia is an excellent example of this cooperation. Rossen Jeliazkov also noted that the work to that effect will deepen as the government will offer a curriculum for the children in Taraclia and the course will be a kind of Bulgarian "Erasmus". "Our goal is to bring annually between 200 and 400 children who are ethnic Bulgarians on a visit to Bulgaria so that they get to know on site our millennial history and our common traditions and to speak the graceful Bulgarian language," the Prime Minister said further. The Speaker of the Parliament of Moldova stressed that the branch of the University of Rousse is a clear message to the ethnic Bulgarians in Taraclia. "The university guarantees quality of higher education in keeping with the highest European standard and offers opportunities to young people to seek employment on the European labor market," he pointed out. Igor Grosu thanked the Bulgarian government for the active cooperation in the field of energy and for Bulgaria's assistance to ensure Moldova's energy security. Rossen Jeliazkov and Igor Grosu recognized the good economic relations and outlined the opportunities to strengthen them in the energy sector, Renewable Energy Sources (RESs), trade, tourism, high technologies and last but not least, cybersecurity. Speaker of Parliament Igor Grosu congratulated Bulgaria on its accession to the Eurozone. He pointed out that the Bulgarian government and institutions managed to achieve a lot within a short time, with the enormous efforts that they invested. The result is visible - as of 1 January 2026, Bulgaria is officially a member of the Eurozone. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the Spokesperson on Israeli demolitions and settlement policy in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem European External Action Service (EEAS) 19.08.2025 Brussels, Belgium EEAS Press Team The EU is appalled by Israel's demolition of an EU and French funded school in al-Aqaba. Education is a fundamental right and the school was to serve hundreds of Palestinian students from several communities in Area C. The EU supports projects promoting economic development and improving the quality of life of Palestinian communities in Area C and expects its investments in support of the Palestinian people to be protected from damage and destruction by Israel in line with international law. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ministry of Foreign Affairs updates travel advisory for Russia Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19.08.2025 | 10:49 In its travel advisory for Russia, which was updated on 18 August, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to strongly advise against all travel to Russia. The new advisory highlights the specific risks that Estonian citizens travelling to Russia have actually been more exposed to. "Recently, several cases have reached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Estonian Embassy in Moscow where Estonian citizens in Russia have come under pressure from local security authorities precisely because of their views," said Tiina Nirk, Director General of the Consular Department, commenting on the updated advisory. According to Nirk, this does not always mean that people loudly and openly express their negative attitude towards Russia's military action in Ukraine, and it is sometimes enough for the Russian authorities to find private correspondence on a person's mobile phone that does not align with Russia's official policy. Nirk also wanted to remind people that the only Estonian representation in Russia is in Moscow and the number of representations of other European Union member states in Russia has also decreased significantly. Therefore, traveling to Moscow from another region of Russia for consular assistance can be extremely difficult and time- consuming and costly. Nirk stressed that recently our embassy in Moscow has observed that Russian authorities have started to take advantage of minor infringements, including migration-related offences, to pressure and blackmail Estonian citizens staying in Russia. In the updated travel advisory, the Foreign Ministry strongly advises against all travel to Russia. Estonian citizens temporarily in Russia are advised to carefully reconsider the necessity of their stay. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also recommends that Estonian citizens return to Estonia as soon as possible. Travelling to and staying in Russia is associated with serious risks. Among other things, Estonian citizens must take into account that: Russian authorities may require access to information on personal electronic devices. Views expressed in Russia or earlier, which do not align with official Russian positions, may lead to serious penalties, including imprisonment; foreign nationals detained on suspicion of committing offences may be pressured into entering the service of the Russian armed forces with the aim of being sent to war in Ukraine; In the case of Estonian-Russian dual citizens, Russia applies its own laws, and Estonia's ability to provide consular assistance is limited. The updated travel advisory is available at the Reisi Targalt portal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Valtonen and Canadian Foreign Minister Anand launch a joint statement on the Strategic Partnership Between Finland and Canada Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland 19.8.2025 Press releases On August 19, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen met with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand during her visit to Finland. The foreign ministers launched the strategic partnership between Finland and Canada in foreign and security policy during their meeting. The strategic partnership between the ministries of foreign affairs is an important part of the broader advancement of relations between Finland and Canada. The partnership encompasses cooperation across various sectors of foreign and security policy, including global and multilateral issues, economic and trade relations, and security. "As an ally, an Arctic nation, and a G7 member, Canada is a valuable partner for Finland. With Finland's NATO membership, the relations between Finland and Canada have become closer. This strategic partnership now gives us the opportunity to further deepen our cooperation based on shared interests and values," said Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen. During their bilateral meeting, the ministers also discussed icebreaker cooperation and current foreign policy issues, such as Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and support for Ukraine. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand also participated in the Nordic foreign and security policy cooperation meeting held in Espoo on August 19. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China, India hold 'in-depth and productive' boundary talks Global Times China-India relations improve, add new momentum to bringing bilateral ties back onto a healthy and stable track: experts By Chen Qingqing Published: Aug 19, 2025 10:53 PM The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had comprehensive, in-depth, and productive communication on the boundary question and bilateral relations on Tuesday as the two sides held the 24th Round of Talks between the Special Representatives of China and India on the Boundary Question, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China attaches great importance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming participation in the SCO Summit in Tianjin and looks forward to India's contribution to the success of the summit, according to a readout released by the ministry. The two sides exchanged views on early outcomes of the boundary negotiations and reaffirmed the importance of making full use of the Special Representatives' meeting mechanism, it said. They agreed to act in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual understanding, in accordance with the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles agreed in 2005, and to explore a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable settlement. At the same time, they will strengthen the regularized management of the border and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas, according to the readout. The two sides agreed that the 25th Round of Talks between the Special Representatives of China and India on the Boundary Question will be held in China next year. Before meeting with Doval, Wang also held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Monday in New Delhi. Wang noted that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India, lessons could be learned from the past, and it is imperative for the two sides to have correct strategic perceptions, view each other as partners and opportunities rather than rivals or threats, and invest their valuable resources in development and revitalization. China and India should remain confident, move in the same direction, remove barriers, expand cooperation, and consolidate the improvement momentum of bilateral relations, so that revitalization processes of the two great eastern civilizations can be mutually beneficial, providing certainty and stability to Asia and the world at large, Wang said. The latest interactions indicated that China-India relations are showing signs of further improvement. In handling relations with India, China emphasizes stability, managing differences, and exploring broader areas of cooperation within a framework where competition and cooperation coexist, some Chinese experts said. The meetings between the Chinese foreign minister and Indian officials demonstrated that China-India relations are improving, adding new momentum to bringing bilateral ties back onto a healthy and stable track, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. Wang told Doval that since the beginning of this year, bilateral relations between China and India have entered a steady development track, and the situation along the border has continued to stabilize and improve. As two major neighbors and developing countries, China and India share similar visions and broad common interests; they should trust and support each other - this is the proper state of relations between two emerging major countries, Wang said. "In international affairs, China and India share many similar views and common interests. The recent frequent interactions between the two countries, along with growing people-to-people exchanges and expanding economic and trade cooperation, also indicate that the two sides have moved beyond the shadow of the border conflict," Qian said. Wang also said both sides should follow the strategic guidance of their leaders, uphold the approach of advancing in parallel, reinforcing each other, and creating a virtuous cycle in handling bilateral relations and the boundary question. Through dialogue and communication, they should enhance mutual trust, expand exchanges and cooperation, and work together to build consensus, set clear directions, and define objectives in areas such as border management, boundary negotiations, and cross-border exchanges, Wang noted. By properly addressing specific issues and achieving more positive progress, they can create favorable conditions for the improvement and development of bilateral relations, he said. For stable, healthy relations In a readout released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Jaishankar said that as the two largest developing countries, India and China both uphold multilateralism and are committed to promoting a fair and balanced multipolar world, while jointly safeguarding the stability of the global economy. Stable, cooperative and forward-looking bilateral ties serve the interests of both countries, the Indian Foreign Minister said. Jaishankar also noted that Taiwan is a part of China. India is willing to take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to deepen political mutual trust with China, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, trade and other fields, enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in border areas. India fully supports China in hosting the SCO Tianjin Summit and is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in BRICS and other multilateral mechanisms. This visit also serves to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Modi's participation in the SCO Summit, which is an important step in implementing the spirit of the China-India leaders' meeting in Kazan, Tian Guangqiang, an assistant research fellow with the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. During the 24th Round of Talks between the Special Representatives of China and India on the Boundary Question, Doval said Prime Minister Modi looks forward to visiting China to attend the SCO Summit in Tianjin, believing it will help bring new progress in bilateral relations. India supports China in successfully hosting the summit as the rotating chair of the SCO, and is ready to maintain communication and dialogue with China in a positive and pragmatic manner, and to steadily build conditions for the final settlement of the boundary question. "It demonstrates that China-India relations are gradually emerging from the shadow of the 2020 border clashes, steadily resuming exchanges at all levels and across various fields, particularly in terms of strategic communication on border affairs, which is crucial to maintaining the stability of bilateral ties," Tian said. It also highlights the broad common interests shared by China and India in the face of the US government's unilateralism, especially tariff pressures. The two sides have vast room for cooperation, Tian added. When asked whether media reports claiming that China has lifted restrictions on rare earth exports to India during the meeting with the India side are accurate and whether this refers to all export licenses or India has been granted an exemption, Mao Ning, spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, told a press conference on Tuesday that she is not aware of the specific media reports mentioned. "Let me say broadly that we stand ready to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with relevant countries and regions and jointly keep global industrial and supply chains stable," Mao said. Balancing approach The Chinese Foreign Minister's visit has also been closely watched by some US media. The New York Times said on Monday that "Trump is pushing India back toward China," as Modi had been moving to "align India with the US and freeze out China. Now, efforts to rebuild ties between the Asian giants are gaining momentum." Time Magazine said, "India and China's relationship is thawing as the US' ties with India chill under President Donald Trump." Regarding the viewpoint that "the US is helping India realign with China," Qian believes that the improvement in China-India relations is driven by intrinsic motivation, stemming from the important consensus reached between the two leaders during their meeting in Kazan, which has led to frequent high-level interactions. The US tariffs have made India realize the limitations of its relationship with the US, prompting India to return to a more strategically autonomous approach with a balanced foreign policy, Qian said, noting that the improvement of China-India relations has inherent momentum, with both sides seeking to move toward a healthier development track. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan reportedly deploys large drones to 'monitor' Diaoyu Islands; expert says move may provoke corresponding countermeasures Global Times By Guo Yuandan and Xu Yelu Published: Aug 19, 2025 11:37 PM Japan is using a large coast guard drone, the SeaGuardian, to monitor the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, according to Kyodo News on Tuesday. A Chinese military expert said that if Japan's military drones intrude into the airspace of China's Diaoyu Islands, such new illegal activities will further complicate the situation, and China will take corresponding countermeasures. The spokesperson for the China Coast Guard (CCG) has repeatedly emphasized that Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands have all along been China's territory, and has urged the Japanese side to immediately cease all illegal activities in the waters around them, adding that the CCG vessels will continue to carry out maritime rights protection and law enforcement operations in the waters of the Diaoyu Dao to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. Earlier, the Kyodo News reported that Japan's 2022 Defense Capability Development Plan emphasized drone effectiveness "to minimize personnel casualties while carrying out missions." The fiscal 2025 budget allocated significant resources for UAV procurement 41.5 billion ($280 million) for US-manufactured large MQ-9B unmanned aircraft to enhance maritime surveillance capabilities. The SeaGuardian, about 12 meters long with a wingspan of 24 meters, is steered by pilots at a ground operation center. Images and other data collected by the drone are checked by coast guard officers, who also issue instructions, according to Kyodo News. The Kyodo News said the SeaGuardian has flown over the Diaoyu islands several times since April, surveilling Chinese coast guard ships and capturing images. However, the Japan Coast Guard has not disclosed the drone operations around the region. Regarding Japan's deployment of drones, Chinese military affairs expert Zhang Junshe believes this move brings risks and problems. "Firstly, there is a risk of collisions with other aerial objects. Secondly, drones can lose control or crash, posing threats to vessels at sea." Zhang stressed that Japan's deployment of military drones into the airspace over the Diaoyu Islands represents a further escalation in its illegal activities in the area and would make the situation even more complex. If Japan's military drones intrude into China's airspace over the Diaoyu Islands, they will undoubtedly face resolute countermeasures from the Chinese side, and Japan must bear full responsibility for all consequences. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Everything You Need to Know About the Humanitarian Aid Situation in Gaza Israel Defense Forces Clearing Up the Misconceptions: The humanitarian aid situation in Gaza is severe, but there is a clear discrepancy between public claims about the aid and the reality on the ground. While hunger in Gaza dominates headlines with blame largely placed on Israel, the reality is far more complex. Below is a breakdown of the IDF's efforts to ensure the aid reaches the civilians of Gaza 19.08.25 IDF Statistics - As of August 18, 2025 Despite multiple claims, Israel has indeed been allowing and facilitating the entry of aid into Gaza. Copious amounts of food, medical equipment, sanitary products, and more, have been flowing continuously across the border with over 4,000 tons of baby formula having recently entered Gaza. Over 1.9 million tons of aid have been delivered since the start of the Swords of Iron war; nearly 100,000 large trucks. Just this week, Israel has overseen 23,000 tons of aid, and 1,200 trucks have entered Gaza. Furthermore, Israel, via COGAT, a unit responsible for implementing government policies within certain territories, has coordinated airdrops with international partners, as an additional method of entering aid into Gaza. Packages are airdropped at gathering points, at specific times that Gazan civilians are alerted to. Preparations for the Airdrop of Humanitarian Aid in the Gaza Strip (August 5, 2025) Airdrop of Humanitarian Aid as Part of the Efforts To Deliver Aid to the Gaza Strip (August 5, 2025) Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Singapore, Indonesia, Canada, Spain, Germany, the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt, have all been sending aid packages increasingly over the past few weeks. Countries have delivered by airdropping independently, or via Jordan and Egypt, after which they are collected by Israel and brought across the Kerem Shalom crossing. Today, a total of 7,800 tons of aid have been delivered via the aerial route. Preparations for the Airdrop of Humanitarian Aid in the Gaza Strip Israel has not only been supplying aid, but has also restored infrastructure in Gaza. In coordination with the Israel Electric Corporation, a power line now supplies energy to a desalination plant serving 900,000 Gazans. On July 30, 2025, in a further effort to ensure Gazans have enough safe drinking water, work began to connect the Emirati water line from the desalination plant in Egypt to the Al-Mawasi area along the coast. Around 600,000 residents of Gaza will be served by this water line. The Steps Once aid from all international sources has been acquired, it is organized onto trucks in Jordan and Egypt. These trucks approach the Kerem Shalom crossing, a border point that connects Egypt, Gaza, and Israel. A border point that was also heavily bombed on October 7, 2023, used as a method of invading Israel by Hamas. The trucks are handed over to Israel, and are then submitted through a quick screening process, checking for any product that could be used for terror activity. Thereafter, the aid enters into Gaza, up to 600 meters past the border. Aid entering Gaza At this stage, Israel has completed its part in the humanitarian aid process. It is now the responsibility of international organizations to collect this aid and distribute it. A task in which the UN has unfortunately fallen short of expectations. Following the delivery across the border, international organizations pick up the aid, and transfer it over to distribution points. The UN has sites surrounding their warehouses, both within and around the humanitarian zone. Footage of distribution center established in the Tel al-Sultan area The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an American organization established in February 2025, has been more successful in their distribution methods recently. Distributing Aid The GHF currently has four distribution centers in Gaza, one in the north, and three in the south. In coordination with the IDF, via COGAT, the GHF announces opening hours at the sites, and the IDF secures the operational conditions for the opening up to two hours prior to distribution. Infographic of the four distribution sites across Gaza These centers are open most days of the week, and are overseen by security teams employed by the GHF, who ensure the aid goes directly to the civilians in Gaza. Despite Hamas attempts to disrupt these efforts and prevent Gazan civilians from obtaining the aid, the GHF has successfully managed to distribute millions of meals over the last few months. In February 2024, during an attempt to attack a truck carrying humanitarian aid, dozens of civilians died from overcrowding and trampling in northern Gaza. When thousands of people rush towards aid trucks, stampedes and chaos can occur. The IDF is familiar with videos circulating online presenting allegations of Gazan civilians being harmed while attempting to reach the distribution centers. The IDF takes these allegations very seriously - we follow international law and go by our values, specifically "purity of arms". While initial examinations reveal that allegations are completely fake or tend to inflate the figures of purported casualties, the IDF has subjected the allegations to an investigation by the Fact-Finding & Assessment Mechanism that is responsible for examining allegations of operational misconduct. It's important to emphasize: The IDF isn't present at the distribution sites and has not shot civilians at distribution sites. There have been very few incidents that took place in areas separate from the sites, and at hours that were outside of the distribution hours where our troops operated against a threat approaching them. Why Is Aid Not Reaching Civilians? The internet is flooded with fabricated visuals, and false accusations of tactical starvation by the IDF. The State of Israel does not starve civilians, and everything it does to facilitate the entry of aid proves the contrary. The IDF is not indifferent to the hardships of the civilians in Gaza and as aforementioned, went through lengths to allow the entry of humanitarian aid at scale. There are two main issues with getting the aid into the hands of civilians. Firstly, the UN has simply not picked up all of the trucks full of aid for delivery. Hundreds of trucks remain waiting inside Gaza uncollected. Humanitarian aid waiting at the Kerem Shalom crossing (July 27, 2025) Israel has dedicated time and effort and paused military activity to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. When international organizations do not distribute the aid, they allow it to sit in the distribution centers, allowing for valuable resources to waste away. The GHF has been more consistent in its handling of aid. Today, over 2 million meals across three distribution sites have been distributed. The second issue, by no surprise, is Hamas. They have a strong record of stealing aid in order to survive, and this time it has come at the expense of Gazan civilians. Aid meant for families is hoarded for the leaders' nourishment or sold to support their terrorist activities. When international organizations eventually pick up the trucks from the crossings, they are often intercepted and looted. Standing on top of trucks, guns loaded and active, driving wildly down roads packed with hungry civilians, they disregard and abuse the public they are supposedly governing over. Footage of Hamas looting humanitarian aid (June 1, 2025) Footage of Hamas looting humanitarian aid (July 25, 2025) Additionally, they have committed multiple sabotage attempts at GHF distribution centers. On June 11, 2025, Hamas hijacked a bus carrying American GHF workers, and murdered multiple employees. On July 5, 2025, they threw two grenades at the Rafah distribution center - while Gaza's civilians were still present - that led to the injury of two GHF workers. Hamas's ongoing exploitation of humanitarian aid is aimed at preserving its dominance. If the population is receiving supplies elsewhere, they no longer rely on Hamas for survival. Without a public to threaten, they have no foundation. Hamas will stop at nothing to ensure their own needs are fulfilled. They are pushing this false narrative of deliberate starvation that is being echoed by the media, meanwhile they sit in their tunnels feasting on stolen food. Footage of Hamas eating the looted aid in tunnels (July 23, 2025) What the western world is forgetting while they blame Israel for stopping the aid, is that in those very tunnels seen above, are 50 hostages, whose hunger is all the more reason for Israel to be getting food into Gaza. There is no denying the hunger in Gaza. But Israel is not at fault. The UN is failing, and Hamas is exploiting, obstructing, and weaponizing the aid. They are intentionally inflicting civilian suffering to gain international sympathy and control - and it is working. The IDF will continue to educate and inform the public about its goals and efforts: to keep humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza, to bring home our hostages, and to ensure that the civilians in Gaza are no longer under Hamas rule. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Visit of China's Foreign Minister and Special Representative on the India-China boundary question India - Ministry of External Affairs August 19, 2025 At the invitation of the Special Representative and the National Security Advisor Shri Ajit Doval, the Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Mr. Wang Yi paid an official visit to India from 18-19 August 2025. During his visit, Minister Wang co-chaired the 24th round of the Special Representatives' dialogue on the Boundary Question between India and China with the National Security Advisor, Shri Ajit Doval on 19 August 2025, and held bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on 18 August 2025. He also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 August 2025. The two sides spoke positively of the progress made in the implementation of the important leader-level consensus in Kazan. The two sides shared the view that peace & tranquility has been maintained in the India-China border areas since the 23rd SR Talks. They reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas to promote overall development of the India-China bilateral relationship. Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries and in a positive and constructive spirit, the two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on India-China boundary question, and the two SRs agreed on the following: 1. The need to take a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for settlement of the boundary question in accordance with the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question signed in 2005. 2. Setting up an Expert Group, under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), to explore Early Harvest in boundary delimitation in the India-China border areas; 3. Setting up a Working Group, under the WMCC, to advance effective border management in order to maintain peace and tranquillity in India-China border areas 4. Creation of General Level Mechanisms in Eastern, and Middle Sectors, in addition to the existing General Level Mechanism in Western Sector, and holding an early meeting of the General Level Mechanism in the Western Sector. 5. Use the border management mechanisms at diplomatic and military levels to carry forward the process of border management, and discuss de-escalation, beginning with the principles and modalities thereof. The two sides also agreed to hold the next round of the SR Talks in China at a mutually convenient time. In the meeting with the External Affairs Minister, the two sides had positive, constructive and forward-looking discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest and agreed on the following understandings and outcomes/practical steps on people-centric and economic engagement: 1. Both sides underscored that the strategic guidance of the leaders of India and China plays an irreplaceable and crucial role in the development on India-China relations. They agreed that a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship between India and China is in the mutual interest of the two countries to realize their development potential fully. They further agreed that both sides should earnestly implement the important common understandings reached between the two leaders and promote sustained, sound and steady development of India-China relations. 2. Chinese side welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit to be held in Tianjin. Indian side reaffirmed its full support to China's SCO Presidency, and looked forward to a successful SCO Summit with fruitful outcomes. 3. Both sides agreed to support each other in hosting successful diplomatic events. Chinese side will support India in hosting the 2026 BRICS Summit. Indian side will support China in hosting the 2027 BRICS Summit. 4. Both sides agreed to explore and resume various official bilateral dialogue mechanisms and exchanges, to enhance cooperation and address each other's concerns and properly manage differences, including holding the Third Meeting of the India-China High-level Mechanism on People-to-People Exchanges in India in 2026. 5. Both sides agreed to continue supporting each other in holding events in 2025 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China. 6. Both sides agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between Chinese mainland and India at the earliest, and finalize an updated Air Services Agreement. They also agreed on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions 7. Both sides agreed to continue and further expand the scale of the Indian pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash/ Gang Renpoche and Lake Manasarovar / Mapam Yun Tso in Tibet Autonomous Region of China starting 2026. 8. The two sides exchanged views on trans-border rivers cooperation and agreed to give full play to the role of India-China Expert Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers and keep communication on renewal of the relevant MoUs. The Chinese side agreed to share hydrological information during emergency situations based on humanitarian considerations. 9. Both sides agreed to the re-opening of border trade through the three designated trading points, namely Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass. 10. Both sides agreed to facilitate trade and investment flows between the two countries through concrete measures. 11. Both sides agreed to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas through friendly consultations. 12. Both sides agreed to uphold multilateralism, enhance communication major international and regional issues, maintain a rules-based multilateral trading system with WTO at its core, and promote a multipolar world, that safeguards the interest of developing countries. New Delhi August 19, 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New power transmission line between Armenia and Iran in final phase of construction: Armenian minister IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 19, 2025 The new electricity transmission line will allow to double the Armenian electricity exports to Iran, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Davit Khudatyan told reporters. The construction of the Iran-Armenia power transmission line is in the final phase. He attached importance to the cooperation with Iran in various areas, especially in infrastructures and road construction. "Regarding Armenian-Iranian cooperation in energy, as you know, the construction of the new Iran-Armenia electricity transmission line is underway, and I will allow myself to say that it is in the phase of completion, and it will allow us to export more electricity to Iran. I hope we will swiftly be able to export extra, big volumes to Iran," Khudatyan said, emphasizing that the project will double the volumes of exports. Khudatyan said Armenia is exporting electricity to Iran continuously, year-round. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: 86% of Gaza either evacuated or turned into military zones IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 19, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says approximately 86% of the Gaza Strip has now been either evacuated or turned into military zones. "Some 86 percent of the Gaza Strip is already under displacement orders or in Israeli-militarized zones. The remaining areas - including some of Gaza city and parts of the southern coast - are overcrowded and ill-equipped to sustain human survival at scale," OCHA said in a news release on Monday. The office also warned against Israel's plan to take over Gaza City, which will force Palestinians in the north of the Gaza Strip to move to the south. The plan to intensify military operations in Gaza City will have "a horrific humanitarian impact" on people already exhausted, malnourished, bereaved, displaced, and deprived of basics needed for survival, OCHA said. "Forcing hundreds of thousands to move south is a recipe for further disaster and could amount to forcible transfer," it added. It also said that hospitals in southern Gaza are working at several times their capacity, as they are forced to accommodate patients from the northern regions, which would have "life-threatening consequences." Meanwhile, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the situation in Gaza is "beyond catastrophic." Dujarric expressed concern over Israel's simultaneous announcement of easing aid restrictions while planning further military operations in the region. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, Israel's war has killed at least 62,004 people and wounded 156,230 others since early October 2023. 9376**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas approves Qatari-Egyptian truce proposal to end Israeli war on Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 19, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, says it has approved the latest Gaza truce proposal put forward by Qatar and Egypt to end the Israeli regime's genocidal war on Gaza. "Hamas, along with the Palestinian factions, relayed their acceptance of the proposal put forward yesterday by the Qatari and Egyptian mediators," Hamas said in a brief statement on Monday, carried by Al Jazeera news network. The proposed deal comes after negotiations between Hamas, Egyptian, and Qatari officials in Cairo and is reported to be nearly identical to the one that was put forward by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and was accepted by Israel. Over the past two years, Hamas has accepted proposals for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners. But Israel has rejected them, pressing ahead with its military campaign in Gaza, which the regime is now expanding by moving to take over Gaza City. The major sticking point has been the duration of the ceasefire. Hamas wants a permanent end to the war, but Israel seeks a temporary truce that would allow it to resume its military operations. Hamas remains committed to ending war: Official A senior Hamas official said the Palestinian movement is not seeking to undermine the ongoing negotiations and has shown flexibility to serve national interests in efforts to end the Israeli war on Gaza. Taher al-Nounou said that the group had accepted a proposal that he described as a "middle ground" compared with previous positions of both Hamas and the Israeli regime. "By accepting this new proposal, we prioritized national interests and hope it will pave the way toward ending the war," he told Shehab News Agency. Al-Nounou noted that talks for a comprehensive agreement and prisoner exchange would begin on the first day of any potential ceasefire. He said Hamas remains committed to ending the war despite what he called Israel's disregard for the negotiations. He urged mediators to pressure Israel into accepting the deal, adding that Hamas has not received any conditions from the Israeli side. "The proposal includes American guarantees, which we have accepted, but it contains no clause regarding the weapons of the Resistance," he added. Islamic Jihad approves proposal to 'protect Palestinian people' Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad spokesperson Muhammad al-Haj Musa said the group had also agreed to the proposal to "protect the Palestinian people" and awaits the response of the occupying regime. Musa stressed that Resistance maintains red lines that cannot be crossed, adding that flexibility in negotiations does not amount to weakness. 4354**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In a meeting with U.S. Congressman, Foreign Minister Baiba Braze highlights Latvia's strategic security partnership with the U.S. Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19.08.2025 On 19 August 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braze, met with the United States Congressman Andy Harris, who is in Latvia for a visit. During their meeting, the officials focused on military cooperation between Latvia and the U.S., and efforts by the U.S. and the European Allies to achieve peace in Ukraine. Baiba Braze underlined that Latvia highly values President Trump's efforts to stop Russia's war of aggression and achieve a just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine. A continued U.S. support is vital for Ukraine and European security. U.S. pressure is crucial for achieving Russia's engagement in a genuine peace process. The Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of a close strategic partnership between Latvia and the U.S., and she also welcomed the unwavering support from the U.S. for the security of Latvia and the Baltic states: "Thanks to a strong support offered by the Congress, Latvia has the opportunity to further develop its defence capabilities to strengthen NATO's eastern flank, including through indispensable military procurement from the U.S." In addition to the issues of strong security cooperation, the conversation also addressed an economic dialogue with the U.S. Andy Harris is a Republican Congressman serving as a representative from Maryland. He is the House Freedom Caucus Chairman and a member of the House Baltic Caucus since February 2024. The U.S. Congressman is staying in Latvia from 18 to 20 August at the invitation of the Saeima (the Latvian Parliament). As part of his visit, Congressman Harris will meet with members of the Saeima, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defence, and tour the Adazi military base. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hungarian and Swedish Gripens integrate with United States B-1B Lancer Bombers over Latvia NATO Allied Air Command Aug 19 2025 RAMSTEIN, Germany -- In a demonstration of Allied air power and interoperability, Hungarian and Swedish Air Force JAS39 Gripens joined the U.S. Air Force's B1B Lancer bombers for a fly past over Riga. On 19 August, 2025, two Hungarian JAS-39 Gripens, currently deployed on NATO's Air Policing mission at Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania, flew in formation with Swedish Gripens and two U.S. Air Force's B1B Lancer bombers over Riga, Latvia. The formation flight flew low level over Latvia's Monument of Freedom highlighting the seamless integration of the diverse and highly sophisticated platforms. "The security of the Baltic States and NATO's Eastern flank is the cornerstone of the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic region," said Latvian Minister of Defence, Andris Spruds. "Such U.S. and Allied flyover manoeuvres clearly demonstrate NATO's presence in the region, transatlantic unity, and commitment to collectively strengthen the security of the Baltic State region," he added. The Hungarian Air Force assumed Baltic Air Policing responsibilities at the beginning of August, marking its fourth such rotation. The joint flyover highlights scalable force posture across the eastern flank of the Alliance. The U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer aircraft deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and arrived at rland Air Base, Norway, on 9 August, 2025, as part of the latest Bomber Task Force Europe. The deployment enables Allied aircrews to refine tactics, increase flexibility and strengthen coordination by exercising and operating together, further increasing warfighting capabilities and readiness. While in theatre, the bomber aircrews will train on key elements of the find, fix, track and target process - honing the speed and accuracy with which bombers and fighters are able to act against threats in real time. Bomber Task Force Europe is part of a regular series of deployments that strengthen Allied readiness, deepen integration, and demonstrate credible, combat-ready airpower in support of the collective defence of the homeland and the Euro-Atlantic region. Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Allies practise beach landings to enhance Agile Combat Employment NATO Allied Air Command Aug 19 2025 RAMSTEIN, Germany -- On 14 August 2025, a Norwegian C-130J Super Hercules landed on Denmark's Lakolk Beach for the first time, highlighting the Royal Norwegian Air Force's Agile Combat Employment (ACE) efforts. The event brought together aircraft and aircrews from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden, and in support of NATO's commitment to flexible, dispersed air operations under ACE. ACE enhances operational resilience by enabling Allied aircraft to operate from alternative landing zones including beaches, highways and remote airstrips ensuring mission continuity even if traditional air bases become compromised. "This is the first time a Norwegian Hercules aircraft has performed such a landing - an important milestone in the Air Force's work with Agile Combat Employment (ACE)," the Royal Norwegian Air Force stated in an official release. The short runway landings provided critical training for crews from multiple Allied nations, sharpening their skills in deploying aircraft and equipment in austere environments. The Danish-led initiative aims to refine operational procedures for tactical transport on unconventional surfaces. "What we train on is simply doing short-run landings on 'unprepared surface'," said Major Geir Magnussen, a pilot with the Royal Norwegian Air Force. "That is, anything other than asphalt. The runway is right down to the minimum length of what we can tolerate and use with transport aircraft. We then fly at lower speeds than normal, and the goal is to land within a marked box that is only 500 feet long," Magnussen added. These joint efforts demonstrate the Alliance's commitment to readiness and interoperability and reflect NATO's capacity to adapt swiftly, operate flexibly and reinforce deterrence wherever and whenever required. Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Belgium Air Force take over NATO's Air Policing mission in Iceland NATO Allied Air Command Aug 19 2025 RAMSTEIN, Germany -- The Belgium Air Force take over NATO's Air Policing mission in Iceland, replacing the Spanish Air and Space Force. For the first time the Belgium Air Force have deployed to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, under NATO's Air Policing mission to provide Airborne Surveillance and Interception Capabilities to meet Iceland's Peacetime Preparedness Needs (ASIC IPPN). The Belgium Air Force detachment will consist of four F16 fighters and around 100 supporting personnel. The detachment will remain on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) in Iceland until Mid-September, 2025, where fighter controllers will work closely with the Icelandic Coast Guard and personnel from "Loki," the Control and Reporting Centre in Keflavik, to help safeguard NATO airspace in the Arctic region. "This deployment demonstrates our continued commitment to NATO's Air Policing mission" said Major Artiges, Belgian Detachment Commander. "This will be the first time in Iceland and we look forward to the challenging operating environment and training opportunities it will provide us" he added. The Belgium detachment will replace the Spanish Air and Space Force EF/A-18M Hornet fighters who have been in Iceland since July, 2025. The detachment will conduct routine QRA intercepts, airspace surveillance and identification flights, as well as integrated training missions with NATO Allies. The mission is specific and unique to Iceland, and since 2008, Allies have routinely conducted air surveillance missions over Iceland as part of NATO's commitment to Iceland's security and defence. Given Iceland's geographic location, Allies, in conjunction with the Icelandic authorities, have agreed to maintain a periodic presence of NATO fighter to help keep Icelandic airspace safe and secure. Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO and Allies responded overnight to alert NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) Aug 19 2025 MONS, Belgium -- An overnight alert prompted NATO and Allied air forces to rapidly respond in efforts to ensure the defence of NATO territories. Poland's operational command announced early this morning on X that its forces others were on alert after Russian aircraft again launched missile attacks on Ukrainian territory, killing innocent civilians. A few hours later they posted that the alerted forces returned to standard readiness levels and that no violations on Polish airspace occurred. They also thanked NATO's Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) and Sweden's air force, whose fighters responded. Sweden and Poland were not, however, the only countries to respond. German Patriots responded, as did an aerial refueler from the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft fleet. "These forces from these nations and more are helping to protect the logistics node in Poland used for military and civilian support to Ukraine, with the missions carried out under NATO command, said U.S. Army Col. Martin L. O'Donnell, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe spokesperson. "This follows NATO taking over air defence responsibilities from the U.S. earlier this year." Lithuania's crisis response centre received a shared air picture from NATO throughout this entire alert period. This follows an agreement earlier this month for NATO to provide additional assistance to protect Lithuania's airspace following two drone incidents last month when unmanned aerial vehicles entered Lithuania from Belarus. This was the first time such additional intelligence information sharing with Lithuania took place during an alert. "NATO, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, and all of Allied Command Operations is committed to defending every inch of NATO territory, including our airspace," said O'Donnell. SHAPE is the military headquarters of ACO. Story by SHAPE Public Affairs Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkiye to host 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 19 Aug. 2025 NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced today (19 August 2025) that the 2026 NATO Summit will be held on 7 and 8 July 2026 at the Bestepe Presidential Compound (Kulliye) in Ankara, Turkiye. The Secretary General said: "I want to thank Turkiye for hosting this important meeting. Turkiye has been a strong NATO Ally for more than 70 years, making invaluable contributions to our shared security. At our next Summit, Leaders will continue to make NATO a stronger, fairer and more lethal Alliance, ready to respond to the critical challenges to our security." This is the second time Turkiye will host a NATO Summit, following Istanbul in 2004. NATO Summits bring together Allied leaders to take decisions on important issues facing the Alliance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address RNZAF deploys King Air to Fiji for international surveillance work for first time New Zealand Defence Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) for the first time deployed its MC-12K King Air aircraft to Fiji to conduct maritime surveillance patrols. 19 August, 2025 New Zealand and Fiji engage frequently on challenges facing the region, and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) deploys aircraft and ships to work with Southwest Pacific partners such as Fiji on maritime patrols. The RNZAF's No. 42 Squadron regularly conducts maritime patrols with the MC-12K King Air in New Zealand's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), working with other government agencies to detect and deter IUU fishing. Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Andy Scott said Fiji was an important security partner. "By working closely together, combining assets and expertise, we hope to counter IUU activities and help protect Fiji's fishing stocks. IUU fishing is of concern to all our Pacific neighbours as this impacts regional security, and people's livelihoods," he said. "The MC-12K King Air is an extremely versatile aircraft in both training and for operational missions. Demonstrating our ability to deploy this aircraft to the Pacific and conduct patrols with Fiji's officials in Fiji's EEZ is another string to its bow. "It has been a busy period in Fiji, as the Royal New Zealand Navy also has two uncrewed surface vessels deployed to Fiji conducting border protection tasks on behalf of the Fijian Government. "Recently we also had a P-8A Poseidon aircraft deployed there patrolling Fijian waters and other areas of the Pacific. Our P-8A crews regularly deploy to the Pacific, conducting maritime patrols with Forum Fisheries Agency nations and conducting patrols of high seas pockets to detect and deter IUU fishing activities." RNZAF Squadron Leader Craig Clark said the deployment of the MC-12K to Fiji was a major step forward in the squadron's ability to project capability into the Southwest Pacific in support of wider NZDF efforts in the region. "We expected our focus during the deployment to be mainly on fisheries, but the Fijian authorities are also very interested in pleasure craft activity in their waters as they strive to combat transnational organised crime in their region," he said. "The MC-12K is ideally suited to investigating vessels in the vicinity of remote islands around Fiji, often tucked into small bays or inside reefs. The crew were quickly able to pivot to any task requested of them by Fijian authorities, who were impressed by the agility and effectiveness of the MC-12K." Over two weeks of maritime surveillance, the crew conducted six patrols, investigating and taking imagery of almost 100 vessels. They also took key Fijian leaders up in the MC-12K to demonstrate the capability on two further flights. "What was also incredibly valuable was having our geospatial intelligence analysts embedded alongside their Fijian counterparts during the deployment," Squadron Leader Clark said. "Our analysts learned a great deal from the Fijian analysts, and vice versa. This kind of interoperability and cooperation is at the heart of our partnership with Fiji." Squadron Leader Clark said it was important New Zealand could support the security and resilience of Pacific countries and of the Pacific region as a whole. "What happens in the Pacific is important to us, and being familiar with the Southwest Pacific and our Pacific neighbours is essential, especially in the context of greater geostrategic competition and with the threat of climate change and trans-national organised crime being of great concern in the region.'' NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Occupied Palestinian territory: Marwan Barghouthi, and human rights situation in Gaza Press briefing notes Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 19 August 2025 From Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Thameen Al-Kheetan Location Geneva Video footage showing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir berating and taunting Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi face-to-face inside an Israeli jail is unacceptable. The minister's behaviour and the publication of the footage constitute an attack on Barghouthi's dignity. International law requires that all those in detention be treated humanely, with dignity, and their human rights respected and protected. Such conduct by the minister responsible for the Israeli Prison Service may encourage violence against Palestinian detainees, enabling human rights violations in Israeli detention facilities. Meanwhile in Gaza, the Israeli army has intensified its attacks in the north of the strip. The Israeli military has also continued to issue displacement orders for Palestinians, including those in Gaza City, telling them to move to Al Mawasi area, even as strikes on this area continue. On 16 and 17 August, we recorded five attacks on tents of internally displaced people in Al Mawasi, killing at least nine people. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced to Al Mawasi have little or no access to essential services and supplies, including food, water, electricity and tents. The risk of starvation is everywhere in Gaza. This is a direct result of the Israeli Government's policy of blocking humanitarian aid. In the past few weeks, Israeli authorities have only allowed aid to enter in quantities that remain far below what would be required to avert widespread starvation. Reaching the meagre supplies available can be a deadly pursuit. Since 27 May and up until 17 August, we have documented that 1,857 Palestinians were killed while seeking food, including 1,021 killed in the vicinity of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites, and 836 killed on the routes of supply trucks. Most of these killings appear to have been committed by the Israeli military. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A full-fledged Israeli war crime: preventing food from entering, killing its guards, and obstructing its access to Gaza -----Settlers launched 437 attacks in the West Bank in July and 4,703 since October 7 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) 19-08-2025 The Organization of Islamic Cooperation's Media Observatory on Israeli Crimes Against Palestinians recorded the highest number of settler attacks on towns and villages in the West Bank in July 2025 since October 7, 2023, with 437 attacks, in addition to 165 attacks on agricultural land. The OIC Media Observatory recorded 67 settler attacks between August 12 and 18, 2025. Settlers grazed their livestock several times on agricultural land in the village of Bardala in Tubas, the al-Auja Shalal complex in Jericho, the Masafer area of Yatta in Hebron, the village of Shufa in Tulkarm, and the Khirbet Umm al-Battam area in Bethlehem. They set fire to agricultural land in the town of Surif in Hebron, the villages of Duma and Osarin in Nablus, the town of Hizma in Jerusalem, and the Marj Sa'i plain in Ramallah. They also bulldozed land in the plain of Turmus Ayya in Ramallah and the village of Duma in Nablus. Settlers cut tree branches in the village of Deir Sharaf in Nablus, damaged the agricultural irrigation network, uprooted trees in Wadi Sa'ir, destroyed crops in the village of Halhul in Hebron, cut down and uprooted several trees in lands near the settlement of "Efrat" and the area of Khirbet Umm al-Batem in Bethlehem, in the Marj plain area and the village of Kafr Malik in Ramallah, and the village of Duma in Nablus. They also damaged water tanks there, bringing the total number of attacks on agricultural lands within a week to 27. Meanwhile, settlers attacked vegetable vendors and vandalized their goods in the northern Jordan Valley. Settlers emptied water from water tanks and cut water pipes leading to residents' tents in the Nab' Ghazal Spring area in Tubas. They burned four cars and a house in the town of Atara, and burned several cars and mobile homes in the Marj Sa'a plain area. They stole building materials north of the town of Halhul, as well as two electrical transformers in the village of Kafr Malik. Settlers forcibly displaced a Palestinian family from the Arab al-Malihat community in Jericho. In this context, the number of settlement activities in seven days reached 8, represented by the occupation authorities issuing tenders to build more than 4,000 settlement units, including tenders to expand the "Ma'ale Adumim" settlement built on lands in Al-Quds Governorate, and other tenders to expand the "Ariel" settlement in the Salfit Governorate. The occupation forces placed mobile homes in an archaeological area near the village of Susya, while settlers paved a settlement road in the town of Tekoa in Bethlehem, and a road on lands in the village of Deir Razih. Other settlers set up mobile homes near the village of Deir Razeh in Hebron and the village of Shufa in Tulkarm. Others raised the occupation flag on land near the town of Aqraba in Nablus with the aim of seizing it. They also seized control of a water well in the Masafer area of the town of Yatta in Hebron. Israeli occupation forces raided cities, towns, and villages in the West Bank 373 times, arresting 144 Palestinians, including 3 children. Settlers assaulted two children, one of them five years old, in Nablus and Hebron. Israeli occupation forces demolished 3 homes, a hut and its surrounding wall, a poultry farm in Al-Quds, and a building materials store in Ramallah. They also bulldozed land planted with olive trees in the village of Haris in Salfit. They confiscated a bulldozer, two trucks, and two cars in Jenin. Settlers seized a car in Bethlehem and destroyed several other cars in different areas of the West Bank, where two Palestinians were killed. The number of Israeli crimes during the period from August 12 to 18, 2025, amounted to 4,008 crimes, varying in all Palestinian areas, with the most prominent crimes occurring in the Gaza Strip, where the OIC Media Observatory recorded the martyrdom of 544 Palestinians by the fire of the occupation forces, and the recovery of the bodies of 34 Palestinians from under the rubble, bringing the total number of martyrs recorded during the past week to 580 martyrs, and the total number of Palestinians killed since October 7, 2023, until August 17, 2025, to 62,975, and the wounded to 164,920. In a related development, Doctors Without Borders said the number of wounded in the Gaza Strip is tripling daily, while the OIC's Media Observatory noted that the growing number of wounded has exceeded 300 daily. As of this writing, 263 people have died of starvation in Gaza, including 112 children. On the humanitarian front, the United Nations confirmed that the Israeli occupation forces carried out 11 attacks targeting aid guards in the Gaza Strip over the past two weeks, killing a fisherman and wounding another on the coast of Gaza City, while killing aid-seekers on a daily basis. This practice prevents the entry of aid, hinders Palestinians in Gaza from finding food alternatives, and prevents them from accessing available aid. These violations confirm that the occupation forces are committing a full-fledged war crime. The occupation forces have also disappeared nearly 3,000 health workers in the Gaza Strip, killing 1,590 and arresting 1,360 others, in addition to destroying the health sector's infrastructure and continuously preventing the entry of medicines and fuel. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PH Navy: More maritime activities with allies set this year Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno August 19, 2025, 4:25 pm MANILA -- The Philippines will have more maritime cooperative activities (MCAs) with other countries this year, a ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official said Tuesday. "Our Department of National Defense has been very strong in defense diplomacy. And there (are) more coming, more (in the) works. The moment these are finalized, you will be informed accordingly," PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, told the media at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The countries participating in future MCAs won't be named yet for security reasons. Trinidad said the Philippines' MCA with allies has been on an upward trend since November 2023. "In 2023, we only had three. In 2024, we had 11 at this time of the year," Trinidad said. To date, the country already has at least 10 MCAs this year . The allied countries include the United States, Australia, Canada and Japan. Trinidad said there is a noticeable change in the actions of the China Coast Guard (CCG) and the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) whenever the country has a scheduled MCA. "So we have noticed that for every MCA, there is a change in their actions. There are no coercive and aggressive actions being conducted by the CCG and the PLAN against our ships from the Coast Guard, BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources), Navy and our aircraft," he said. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Comelec monitoring BARMM situation as MILF suspends decommissioning Philippine News Agency By Ferdinand Patinio August 19, 2025, 3:46 pm MANILA -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is monitoring the recent developments in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as the Oct. 13 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) draw near. According to Comelec Chairperson George Garcia, they are particularly looking at the decision of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) barring its members from participating in decommissioning activities in connection with the scheduled polls. "We are closely monitoring the situation," he said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. When asked how the order may affect the conduct of the polls, the Comelec head cited possible security issues. "It could affect the implementation of the gun ban," said Garcia. However, he emphasized that they have yet to see any issues related to the polls as a result of the order. "It has yet to reach the level of being an election-related concern," added Garcia. In his order dated Aug. 16, MILF Chairman Alhadj Murad Ebrahim directed all commanders and members not to participate in the decommissioning activity of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU). The election period is on in the BARMM from Aug. 14 to Oct. 28. A gun ban is in effect, except in cases allowed by the Comelec. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan to make 'Salaknib' drills debut in 2026 Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno August 19, 2025, 2:49 pm MANILA -- Japan will be participating in next year's "Salaknib" military exercises between Filipino and American soldiers, a Philippine Army (PA) official said Tuesday. In a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said this will be the first time that Japan will be taking part in the annual joint military exercises between Filipino and American forces. "Based on the initial planning conference, this will be the first activity that will involve Japan," Dema-ala said. Incidentally, the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Japan will formally enter into force on Sept. 11. The RAA is expected to beef up the interoperability between the two nations' militaries aside from affirming mutual readiness to decisively respond to emerging challenges and opportunities. Asked on how many participants will be coming from Japan for next year's "Salaknib," Dema-ala said they do not have the final numbers yet. "No final numbers on the participants," he said. Aside from Japan, Australia is also expected to take an active part in the 2026 iteration of "Salaknib," the PA spokesperson said. Dema-ala added that the planning for "Salaknib" is now focused on the exercise proper and not on the capabilities of the participants. "Salaknib," which means shield in Ilocano, reflects the historical bond between the Philippines and Americans that dated back to World War II when Filipino and American troops fought side-by-side. The "Salaknib" drills started in 2016. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Open, sincere dialogue' with MILF best way to break impasse - OPAPRU Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno August 19, 2025, 1:44 pm MANILA -- An "open and sincere" dialogue is the best way to address the current impasse between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday. In a statement, Galvez said despite the current differences, the Bangsamoro peace process remains "robust and dynamic." "To address these apparent differences, we believe an open and sincere dialogue between both sides is the best way forward," the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) chief said, reiterating that the government remains fully committed to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). The CAB is the peace agreement signed by the government and the MILF in 2014 that aims to resolve the decades-long armed conflict in Mindanao and establish the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). "The Bangsamoro peace process remains robust and dynamic owing to the steadfast commitment of both the government and the MILF to its broader aims," Galvez said. On July 19, the MILF Central Committee temporarily suspended the implementation of the fourth and final decommissioning of MILF fighters until there is "substantial compliance" by the Philippine government in the other tracks of the normalization process, including the provision of a socio-economic package as agreed upon by the government and MILF peace implementing panels. Galvez said they view MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim's MILF Memorandum Order No. 3 which prohibits its commanders and officials from taking part in any "decommissioning or normalization activities" organized by the national government as an "internal matter for the organization." Meanwhile, Galvez said the government is open to discussing with the MILF leadership which programs can be jointly implemented without violating any prohibition related to the Oct. 13 BARMM parliamentary elections. An activity that will be affected by the election ban is the decommissioning of combatants and firearms, as the gun ban prevents the government from carrying out such operations. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 27 Muslims murdered in Nigeria mosque massacre Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 9:19 PM Armed assailants have stormed a mosque in north-central Nigeria as Muslims had gathered for dawn prayers, gunning down as many as 27 of the worshippers. The attack took place in the country's Katsina State in early Tuesday. Residents of the remote Unguwan Mantau community in the Malumfashi local government area said the gunmen opened fire around 04:00 GMT, causing the fatalities and wounding others. A village chief confirmed the scale of the massacre, while a hospital official reported that survivors had been rushed in with gunshot injuries. Pattern of relentless violence No group immediately claimed responsibility, but such instances of bloodletting have reportedly become familiar across Nigeria's northwestern and north-central regions. The deadly violence has featured "bandits" waging raids on villages and ambushes on highways. The deadly pattern saw a similar attack claim the lives of more than 100 people in north-central Nigeria in June. Rights bodies have condemned the government's failure to halt the spiral of killings. They have noted that such violence was not limited to the northern regions, citing near-daily bloodshed throughout the country, including in Benue State in the southeast. Also in June, a mass killing took place in Yelwata, a town in Benue, taking the lives of around 200 people. Following Tuesday's bloodshed, state commissioner Nasir Mu'azu announced that both the army and the police had been deployed to the Unguwan Mantau area. Describing the circumstances surrounding many such incidents, he noted that attackers would exploit the cover of farmlands during the rainy season, hiding among crops to launch assaults on unsuspecting communities. Nigeria's Muslim community, which forms around half of the country's population, has suffered countless casualties as a result of such assaults. Waves of deaths began striking the country's Shia community in 2015, when the government launched a brutal crackdown, accusing the faithful of threatening "national security." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel yet to respond as mediators push for Gaza ceasefire Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 7:14 PM Mediators were awaiting a response from the Israeli regime on Tuesday to a fresh Gaza ceasefire plan, a day after Hamas accepted the proposal and signaled its readiness for a new round of talks aimed at ending the genocidal war in Gaza. Mediator Qatar expressed guarded optimism for the new proposal, noting it was "almost identical" to an earlier version agreed to by Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to publicly comment on the plan, but said last week that his regime would accept an agreement in which all the captives are released at once and "according to our conditions for ending the war." A senior Israeli official on Tuesday said the regime stood firm on its call for the release of all captives in any future Gaza ceasefire deal. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the senior Israeli official told AFP their stance had not changed and demanded the release of all captives in any deal. The regime and Hamas have held on-and-off indirect negotiations throughout the genocidal war, resulting in two short truces and the releases of some Israeli captives in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, but they have ultimately failed to broker a lasting ceasefire. Qatar and Egypt have mediated the frequent rounds of shuttle diplomacy. Egypt said Monday that it and Qatar had sent the new proposal to Israel, adding "the ball is now in its court." 'Positive point' Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said on Tuesday that Hamas had given a "very positive response, and it truly was almost identical to what the Israeli side had previously agreed to." "We cannot make any claims that a breakthrough has been made. But we do believe it is a positive point," he added. According to a report in Egyptian state-linked outlet Al-Qahera News, the latest deal proposes an initial 60-day truce, a partial captive release, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners, and provisions allowing for the entry of aid. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said on social media that his group had "opened the door wide to the possibility of reaching an agreement, but the question remains whether Netanyahu will once again close it, as he has done in the past." Netanyahu faces increasing pressure at home and abroad to end the war. On August 17, tens of thousands took to the streets in the city of Tel Aviv to call for the end of the war and a deal to free the remaining captives still being held. Of the 251 captives taken during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood of October 2023, 49 are still in Gaza, including 27 who the Israeli military says are dead. The new proposal also comes after Israel approved plans to conquer Gaza City and nearby refugee camps, fanning fears the new offensive will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the devastated territory. Hamas has said it wants a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, which is home to more than 2.3 million Palestinians. Palestinians say the regime's refusal to withdraw all of its troops from Gaza is holding back progress on securing an agreement. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel killing over 500 Palestinian children monthly in Gaza: UN Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 7:11 PM The United Nations has reported that more than 500 Palestinian children have been killed each month since Israel escalated its bombardment of UN shelters across the besieged Gaza Strip in March. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday that an average of over 540 children have been killed monthly in Gaza since Israeli attacks resumed on the blockaded territory earlier this year. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) also warned that its shelters have become "places of death" for civilians. "People sought protection under the UN flag only for these shelters to become a place for death, including for too many children," a statement by UNRWA read. "No place is safe for children in Gaza," the agency said. UNRWA called for an end to the ongoing Israeli aggression and an immediate ceasefire across the besieged Palestinian region. The UNRWA chief, Philippe Lazzarini, recently said that more than 40,000 children had either been killed or injured in Israel's genocidal war and an all-out blockade of Gaza. In recent months, Lazzarini has repeatedly warned that the Gaza Strip has become a "graveyard" for children. UN agencies have warned of the devastating impact of Israel's ongoing military aggression against Gaza's children, as schools, hospitals, and homes are being relentlessly targeted by the regime. Israel has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The genocidal war has destroyed the besieged region, which is also facing a famine. Starvation has killed at least 266 Palestinians, including 112 children, since October 2023, amid a worsening blockade and severe aid shortages. Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former war minister, Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war on Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel is in talks to send Gazans to South Sudan: NYT Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 6:53 PM Israel is currently engaged in negotiations with war-torn South Sudan regarding the forced transfer of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, according to a report by The New York Times. The talks between Israel and South Sudan, as five sources familiar with the matter told The Times, have not yet yielded a breakthrough, the American daily newspaperreported on Tuesday. The report said the discussions are of mutual interest to both sides, adding that Israeli officials aim for as many Palestinians as possible to depart from Gaza, while South Sudan seeks to gain favor with US President Donald Trump. Israeli officials are referring to the potential relocation as "voluntary migration," allowing Palestinians who desire to leave to do so freely, the report said. South Sudan has publicly denied any involvement in the scheme. However, senior South Sudanese officials have privately discussed the contentious possibility with Israeli officials, according to three Middle Eastern officials and one South Sudanese official who were briefed on the talks, as well as a lobbyist for the South Sudanese government. Joseph Szlavik, the founder of a lobbying firm working with the government of South Sudan, mentioned that South Sudan is considering the proposal, but its officials have concerns about potentially shouldering the financial burden of caring for a large number of Palestinian refugees. On the South Sudanese side, Monday Semaya K. Kumba, the country's foreign minister, has engaged in discussions with Israeli officials on the subject, as confirmed by Middle Eastern and South Sudanese officials. Meanwhile, Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, has criticized the plan, highlighting that the ongoing forced displacement of people is not voluntary, despite any claims to the contrary. "There's nothing voluntary when you're making Gaza unlivable, when you are destroying the civilian infrastructure that is necessary for civilian life," he said. "Continuing to force people out is not voluntary." The reports of the possible resettlement of Palestinians in South Sudan have also led to a backlash in the African country. Edmund Yakani, the executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, a South Sudanese rights group, expressed concerns about how the resettlement undermines the political faith, position, and identity of Palestinians in their pursuit of having their own state. Yakani also emphasized the importance of not using the issue of Palestinians as negotiating chips to improve foreign relations, stating that the government should not overlook the ethical implications, even in the face of urgent international help needed by South Sudan. According to Yakani, supporting the resettlement of Palestinians in South Sudan is viewed as ethnic cleansing, a stance that reflects the seriousness of the situation. The news of the talks between the Tel Aviv regime and Juba on a proposal to forcibly relocate Palestinians from war-torn Gaza to South Sudan was initially reported by The Associated Press South Sudan has denied holding talks with Israel over the possible resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza, calling such reports "baseless" and not representative of the government's position. However, according to the latest report by the New York Times, South Sudan is collaborating with Israel in the hopes of seeking assistance from Israeli officials to advocate for the lifting of a visa ban imposed by the Trump administration on its citizens. Additionally, South Sudan aims to address the removal of an arms embargo and sanctions against Benjamin Bol Mel, who is widely regarded as the potential future leader of the country. Reports indicate that Israel has also explored resettlement plans with other African countries, including Sudan and Somalia, as part of its broader strategy. The plans have faced widespread condemnation, with Palestinians, human rights organizations, and numerous world leaders denouncing them as a veiled attempt at mass expulsion that would breach international legal standards. Even Palestinians seeking temporary refuge would be reluctant to move to South Sudan, considered one of the world's most unstable nations. South Sudan has struggled to recover from a civil war that broke out after independence, and which killed nearly 400,000 people and plunged pockets of the country into famine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas presses for international action to end Gaza genocide Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 5:53 PM The Palestinian resistance movement has urged maximum international pressure on Israel to reopen the crossings and end the ongoing genocide and starvation affecting more than two million Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. In a statement released Tuesday, Hamas called for the enforcement of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former war minister, Yoav Gallant. The Palestinian resistance group also called for the prosecution of other Israeli officials responsible for serious crimes, using international legal bodies and judicial mechanisms. "Efforts must be activated to stop the aggression and genocide, prosecute occupation leaders, foremost war criminal Netanyahu, bring them to international justice, and isolate this entity that threatens global peace and security," the statement read. It also pointed out that Israel's all-out aggression has destroyed Gaza's civilian infrastructure and health care system. "As war criminal Netanyahu - wanted by the International Criminal Court - and his Zio-Nazi government persist in disregarding UN resolutions and international appeals to stop their aggression and crimes against defenseless civilians, and deliberately block medicines and medical supplies to destroy Gaza's health sector." Hamas said it was no longer acceptable that states, governments, and organizations just condemn "the Zionist regime's crimes, which violate all values, norms, and laws." The resistance movement further called on the UN, its agencies, and all Arab, Islamic, and international relief organizations to intensify humanitarian operations in the besieged Palestinian region. Hamas held the United States, the main backer of Israel, directly responsible for preventing aid entry, perpetuating starvation, and killing through its so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The total number of aid seekers killed around the US-Israeli-backed distribution centers since May has now reached about 2,000. Hamas strongly censured the regime's systematic crimes against local and international aid groups and humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza. "We salute our people's humanitarian and relief teams in Gaza, who serve under bombing, killing, and destruction. We vehemently condemn the occupation's systematic crimes against them, desperately attempting to obstruct their humanitarian duty." The statement was issued on World Humanitarian Day, marked by the UN and countries worldwide on August 19 each year. "The international community's commemoration of this day imposes political, legal, moral, and humanitarian responsibilities to immediately compel the fascist occupation government to halt genocide and starvation, and force it to allow humanitarian aid into all areas of Gaza." This year, the day is marked amid the ongoing genocide and starvation war relentlessly escalated by the Zionist occupation against over two million Palestinians for more than 22 months, the statement said. "During this period, over 62,000 martyrs have been killedmost of them children and womenwhile nearly 40,000 children have been orphaned and 23,000 women widowed," it stated. Victims of famine have risen across the besieged Palestinian region to over 235, including 106 children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 3 more Palestinians die of starvation in Gaza, death toll rises to 266 Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 5:37 PM The Gaza Health Ministry has reported that three more Palestinians have died of malnutrition and starvation in the Gaza Strip, as Israel maintains a brutal blockade on the besieged territory. According to the ministry's announcement on Tuesday, the latest fatalities have raised the total death toll from starvation to 266, with 122 of the victims being children. Separately, the United Nations human rights office noted that more than 1,850 Palestinians have lost their lives while attempting to obtain food in Gaza in less than three months. It also warned about the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, attributing the widespread starvation to Israel's ongoing restrictions on aid. While Israel has allowed some supplies to enter Gaza, the quantities permitted are insufficient to prevent widespread starvation, as stated by the UN human rights office spokesperson Thameen al-Kheetan during a press briefing in the Swiss city of Geneva on Tuesday. He also stressed that the risk of starvation in Gaza is directly linked to the Israeli regime's policy of blocking humanitarian aid. In response, Israel's military agency COGAT claimed that they invest "considerable efforts" in aid distribution to Gaza. Hunger-related deaths in Gaza continue to soar amid the Israeli-induced famine. On Friday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported that more than 20 percent of children in Gaza are malnourished, with cases of dehydration on the rise amid Israel's genocidal war and siege. Earlier in the month, UNICEF's deputy executive director also sounded the alarm about the situation of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, warning that it has crossed the threshold of famine. Israel unleashed its brutal Gaza onslaught on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the Zionist entity in response to the regime's decades-long campaign of death and destruction against Palestinians. The genocidal war has so far killed nearly 61,827 Palestinians and injured 155,275 others, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry of Gaza. Israel has sealed all border crossings, blocking the entry of aid and further worsening Gaza's already dire humanitarian crisis since March 2, when it violated its ceasefire agreement with Hamas. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN slams Israeli minister for verbal assault on Palestinian prisoner Barghouti Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 3:44 PM The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has condemned Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for verbally assaulting Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian political leader imprisoned by Israel since 2002. In a statement released Tuesday, the OHCHR criticized Ben-Gvir for confronting Barghouti in his prison cell, taunting him, and then posting the footage online. The video of the visit shared on social media on Thursday, shows Ben-Gvir telling Barghouti, "You will not win. He who messes with the people of Israel ... we will wipe him out. You will not defeat us." OHCHR spokesman Thameen al-Kheetan described the footage as unacceptable, stating, "The minister's behavior and the publication of the footage constitute an attack on Barghouti's dignity." "International law requires that all those in detention be treated humanely, with dignity, and their human rights respected and protected," al-Kheetan emphasized. Al-Kheetan further warned that the minister's actions "may encourage violence against Palestinian [abductees]" and facilitate human rights violations in Israeli prisons. Ben-Gvir's actions were also condemned by Raed Abu al-Hummus, head of the Palestinian Prisoners' and Ex-Prisoners' Affairs Commission, who described them as a public threat and evidence of the far-right minister's longstanding incitement to violence against Palestinians. "Ben Gvir has tortured prisoners in front of cameras, and he has many previous offenses filled with hatred and racism. For him to dare to attack a leader of the stature of Abu al-Qassam is a clear violation of all red lines, and we are concerned for his life," al-Hummus said on Thursday. Barghouti, 66, is serving five life sentences for his role in Palestinian resistance efforts. Barghouti commands widespread support among Palestinians and is seen as a potential leader capable of unifying divided factions. He is often referred to by his supporters as the "Palestinian Mandela." His release has long been a demand of Palestinian resistance movements, particularly Hamas, and is perceived as a threat to the current leadership of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas. In May 2024, senior PA officials, including Hussein al-Sheikh, the chief liaison with Israel, indicated to mediators that the party opposed Barghouti's release. The Palestinian leader has been held in solitary confinement at Ganot prison in the occupied territories since October 7, 2023, when the Israeli regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza. His family and supporters have expressed deep concern for his safety following Ben-Gvir's threats, saying that they fear Barghouti's execution as a result of the Israeli minister's aggressive conduct. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel's war on Gaza deadliest ever for humanitarian workers: PRCS Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 2:07 PM The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has stated that Israeli forces have deliberately targeted humanitarian missions and aid workers in Gaza on a scale unprecedented in any other war. Marking World Humanitarian Day, PRCS President Younis al-Khatib posted a video on X, saying that "more than in any other war, Palestinian humanitarians have been killed" during Israel's ongoing genocidal campaign in Gaza. "The international community is obliged to protect humanitarians and to ensure protection for humanity," al-Khatib said, urging governments to "take concrete action to protect humanitarians everywhere." World Humanitarian Day, observed annually on August 19, commemorates the 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, which killed UN rights chief Sergio Vieira de Mello and 21 other aid workers. United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher echoed the warning on Tuesday, describing the situation as a "shameful indictment of international inaction and apathy." He cited figures showing that 383 aid workers were killed worldwide last yearnearly half of them in Gaza. According to Fletcher, killings of aid workers rose by 31 percent compared to the previous year, "driven by the relentless conflict in Gaza, where 181 humanitarian workers were killed, and in Sudan, where 60 lost their lives." He said, "Even one attack against a humanitarian colleague is an attack on all of us and on the people we serve." "Attacks on this scale with zero accountability are a shameful indictment of international inaction and apathy." One of the deadliest strikes on aid workers occurred on March 23 in southern Gaza, when Israeli forces killed 15 medics and emergency responders travelling in clearly marked vehicles. The PRCS said that the medics are believed to have been executed by the regime's forces. Four ambulances were later found destroyed and buried in sand in the southern city of Rafah. Israel's war on Gaza has been marked by systematic attacks on humanitarian workers, with aid convoys, ambulances, and relief missions repeatedly targeted despite being clearly marked. Human rights groups say that these assaults reflect the regime's brutal policy aimed at crippling life-saving operations, leaving civilians without medical care, food, or shelter. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA says 360 staff killed in Gaza genocide, honors teams working 'despite the hell' Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 10:48 AM The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has paid tribute to the agency's frontline workers in the Gaza Strip, revealing that nearly 360 UNRWA staff members have been killed during the Israeli regime's genocide in the besieged territory. On the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, Commissioner General of UNRWA Philippe Lazzarini commended the frontline staff in Gaza in a post on his X account on Tuesday. "Since the war began, UNRWA staff has paid a heavy price: nearly 360 personnel have been killed, several in the line of duty; hundreds have been injured," he noted. He also said that nearly 50 personnel have been abducted and some were tortured before their release. Lazzarini underscored that the "staff are however not giving up despite the hell they experience daily," adding that although the agency faces existential threats, its teams "act for humanity." He also honored UNRWA teams operating throughout the region, praising their continued delivery of essential services, especially education and primary health care, "amid immense challenges and against all odds." Lazzarini emphasized that UNRWA workers "deserve support, respect and admiration" for their commitment to serve Palestine refugees until a just solution is found to their plight. He called for an end to the decades-long occupation through diplomatic means, stating, "It's time. It's overdue." Israel has launched a genocidal war on Gaza since October 7, 2023, after Palestinian resistance fighters carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the Zionist entity in response to the regime's decades-long campaign of death and destruction against Palestinians. The regime has sealed all border crossings, blocking the entry of aid and further worsening Gaza's already dire humanitarian crisis since March 2, when it violated its ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The regime's bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed nearly 62,004 Palestinians and injured 156,230 others, mostly women and children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Norway wealth fund excludes six Israeli firms tied to illegal settlements, Gaza genocide Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 10:03 AM Norway's gigantic sovereign wealth fund says it has decided to exclude another six companies linked to the development of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and the ongoing Gaza carnage from its portfolio, following an ethics review. The $2 trillion wealth fund on Monday refrained from disclosing the names of the companies it has chosen to exclude; however, it stated that these names, along with the specific reasons for each exclusion, would be made public after the divestments are finalized. One potential scenario is that Israel's five largest banks are included among them, as they have been subject to scrutiny by the fund's ethical oversight committee. The most recent exclusions have increased the total number of Israeli companies from which the fund has divested to 23 since June 30. The figure may continue to grow. At present, the fund possesses interests in 38 Israeli firms, amounting to 19 billion crowns ($1.9 billion) in investments, a decrease from 61 companies with a total of 23 billion crowns as of June 30, according to a letter from the fund's operator, Norges Bank Investment Management, dated Monday. The most recent announcement comes after an urgent review initiated this month, prompted by reports indicating that the fund had acquired a stake in an Israeli jet engine company that offers services to the Israeli military, including the upkeep of fighter jets. The reports ignited a renewed discussion regarding the fund's investments in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories in anticipation of the September 8 elections, with certain parties urging the fund to withdraw its investments from all Israeli companies, a measure that the government has dismissed. In June, Norway's parliament declined a proposal for the fund to withdraw investments from all companies operating in the occupied Palestinian lands. Critics argue that a total divestment from investments in Israeli companies is the only way to safeguard the fund from potential ethical violations. Israel has ramped up violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and killed at least 1,014 Palestinians and injured more than 7,000 others since it launched a genocidal war in Gaza in October 2023. The International Court of Justice declared in July 2024 that Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land is illegal and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds. Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation al-Aqsa Flood against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians. The regime's bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 62,004 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 156,230 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Unjustified': Australia rebukes Israel over visa revocations Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 5:24 AM Australia has condemned the Israeli regime for revoking visas held by its diplomats to the Palestinian Authority, a retaliatory move triggered by Canberra's refusal to admit a far-right Israeli politician. Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned the visa revocations on Tuesday, calling it an "unjustified reaction" that deepened the regime's isolation at a time when, she stressed, dialogue had to be prioritized. Such moves on the part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet also undermined diplomacy and international efforts towards the realization of peace, she added. Canberra had banned Simcha Rothman, a politician closely aligned with Netanyahu's coalition, who had previously advocated "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians. Rothman had been slated to deliver a set of addresses in the country. Within hours, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced he was pulling the Australian diplomats' visas. He even went further, instructing the Israeli embassy in Canberra to apply heightened scrutiny to any future visa requests from Australian officials. Saar said the move was also meant as a response to an earlier decision by the Australian government to recognize the Palestinian state at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September. Many countries, including the regime's own allies such as France, have announced similar plans to recognize Palestine since October 2023, when Tel Aviv began a war of genocide on the Gaza Strip. The groundswell of support flies directly in the face of the regime's decades-long campaign of occupation and aggression targeting Palestinian rights and sovereignty, including the genocide that has so far claimed the lives of more than 62,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. While welcoming the prospect of the recognitions, critics have underscored the need for the regime's staunchest allies to decisively stop providing Tel Aviv with their unrestrained arms supplies, which have proven a key factor contributing to its expansionist and genocidal schemes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US-Israeli genocide in Gaza: Death toll reaches 62,004 Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 12:56 AM The death toll in Gaza has risen to 62,004 as Israel continues its brutal military offensive, targeting civilians across the besieged territory. Starving aid seekers continue to be the main targets of the Israeli regime's latest strikes. Since dawn on Monday, at least 30 Palestinians have died in attacks across the Gaza Strip, 14 of whom were seeking aid. A medical source confirmed that three Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an Israeli strike on the al-Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, where journalist Islam al-Koumi was among the casualties. Four civilians were killed when Israeli forces opened fire on those waiting for aid near Kissufim, east of Deir al-Balah. In Gaza City and Deir al-Balah, four more Palestinians, including a journalist, lost their lives due to Israeli artillery fire. Additionally, two Palestinians, including a child, were killed when a tent for displaced persons was hit west of Khan Yunis. Palestinian officials reported that nearly 30 aid seekers were killed on Monday alone, raising the total number of those killed while awaiting food aid to over 1,960. Israeli strikes on Gaza City, which has been largely destroyed, intensified as the regime seeks to forcibly displace tens of thousands to the southern areas. "Israel is using heavy artillery, fighter jets, and drones, destroying what's left of residential homes," Al Jazeera reported, calling the scale of destruction profoundly overwhelming. Many who have been displaced multiple times during the genocidal war are moving again from Gaza City, while some choose to remain. The city was heavily targeted in airstrikes on Sunday, resulting in nearly 60 deaths and further attacks on the few remaining healthcare facilities. Forced to survive amid ruins and makeshift shelters, many Palestinians express despair over the impossibility of leaving. Displaced man Bilal Abu Sitta lamented, "How am I supposed to even get there? I need nearly $900 to moveI don't even have a dollar." Gaza hospitals have reported five new fatalities, including two children, due to malnutrition, raising the total to 263, with 112 of those being children. The ongoing genocidal war has claimed over 62,000 civilian lives and left 156,230 others injured. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S., Allied aircraft fly together over Riga, Latvia - demonstrate readiness and unity News | Aug. 19, 2025 By U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa Public Affairs U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany. -- U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers and Allied fighter jets flew in formation over the Monument of Freedom in Riga, Latvia, Aug. 19, 2025, as part of Bomber Task Force Europe, demonstrating NATO air forces' ability to operate together anywhere, anytime. The Lancers flew in formation with Hungarian and Swedish Air Force JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, demonstrating Allied integration fostered during an ongoing training deployment. The Hungarian Gripens are deployed to Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania in support of the NATO's Air Policing mission. "The security of the Baltic States and NATO's Eastern flank is the cornerstone of the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic region," Latvian Minister of Defence Andris Spruds said. "Such U.S. and Allied flyover maneuvers clearly demonstrate NATO's presence in the region, transatlantic unity, and commitment to collectively strengthen the security of the Baltic State region." During the deployment, U.S. bombers integrated with Norwegian and other Allied air forces to rehearse advanced tactics, share threat information in real time, and ensure the ability to maneuver freely even when access is contested. Each combined mission reinforces the coalition's capacity to operate effectively in dynamic and high-threat environments. Bomber Task Force Europe is part of a regular series of deployments that strengthen Allied readiness, deepen integration, and demonstrate credible, combat-ready airpower in support of the collective defense of the homeland and the Euro-Atlantic region. For more information, please contact the USAFE-AFAFRICA Public Affairs office at usafepao.pao@us.af.mil. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UK remains determined to work with partners to end conflict-related sexual violence: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Women, Peace and Security. From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and James Kariuki CMG Published 19 August 2025 Location: United Nations, New York Delivered on: 19 August 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) President, conflict-related sexual violence shatters lives and undermines peace. Impunity remains the norm, and resources to support survivors are increasingly stretched. We heard from Ms Ahmed about the scale and brutality of this violence in Sudan. We call on the warring parties to comply with their Jeddah commitments and cooperate with investigations by both the International Criminal Court and the UN-mandated Fact-Finding Mission. Heightened conflict in eastern DRC has caused an unprecedented spike in sexual violence. Mass displacement and food insecurity have left women and girls vulnerable to forced prostitution as a means of survival. In Ukraine, there is mounting evidence of Russian-perpetrated sexual violence against both civilians and detainees. UN reports suggest more than 2 in 3 detainees are affected. We have seen reporting of sexual violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and we continue to call for all reports of abuses by all parties to be fully investigated. And we have heard harrowing reports of widespread, systematic, and deliberate acts of sexual and reproductive violence in conflict-affected parts of Ethiopia. The United Kingdom remains committed to this agenda. In the last year, the UK appointed a new Prime Minister's Special Representative for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict and convened multiple UN discussions on sexual violence in Sudan, DRC, Ukraine, and other contexts. I will outline three priorities. First, we call for greater action to support survivors, ensuring their voices are at the heart of any response. The UK-founded International Alliance on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict drives survivor-centred international action. I commend Ukraine's chairpersonship of the Alliance this year. Second, we must work together to end impunity, ensuring that survivors can access justice without fear or shame. The UK is supporting efforts to deliver accountability, including through our work with the UN Action network and UN Team of Experts on Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict. Third, there must be adequate and sustained resourcing to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence. The UK has continued to provide vital funding, enabling thousands of survivors to access medical, legal and psychosocial support. 25 years on from the landmark Security Council resolution 1325, we urge members to make strides in fully implementing this resolution and the subsequent resolution 2467 on a survivor-centred approach. President, the UK remains resolute in our determination to work with partners to end the scourge of conflict-related sexual violence, support survivors, deliver justice and end impunity once and for all. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York 19 August 2025 The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. All right, good afternoon. ** World Humanitarian Day As you know, today is 19th of August, and since 2009 it has been marked as the day, we observed World Humanitarian Day. August 19th was chosen because it is also the day back on 19 August 2003, when 22 of our United Nations colleagues were murdered by the terrorists who attacked the UN headquarters at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad. Earlier today, on behalf of the Secretary-General, the Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare, accompanied by survivors of the bombing, led a remembrance ceremony here at the UN Headquarters. In a message for the day, the Secretary-General notes that humanitarian workers are the lifeline for over 300 million people caught in conflict or disaster. Yet, he says, funding for that lifeline is drying up, and those who provide humanitarian aid are increasingly under attack. The Secretary-General points out that last year, at least 390 aid workers, a record high, were killed across the world, from Gaza to Sudan to Myanmar and beyond. On this World Humanitarian Day, he called on all to honour the fallen with action. Together, he adds, let us say in one voice: An attack against humanitarians is an attack against humanity. For its part, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is calling for urgent action as attacks on aid workers hit another record. Our humanitarian colleagues point out that the 31 per cent surge in aid worker deaths in 2024 compared to the previous year was driven by the relentless conflicts going on in Gaza, where 181 humanitarian workers were killed, and in Sudan, where 60 lost their lives. In Gaza, 520 aid workers mostly UNRWA staff have been killed since October 2023. It is the deadliest place for humanitarians. Speaking a short while ago, Tom Fletcher, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that this is more than just a statistical spike. It is a stain the normalization of violence against this community. He added that each attack on a colleague is an attack on all of us and we do not accept it. His statement, I think, was shared with you. ** Occupied Palestinian Territory Turning to the situation in the Gaza Strip, we just mentioned the high number of fatalities among aid workers. Every day and every night, aid workers in Gaza courageously put themselves in harm's way to keep others alive. At the same time, they also struggle to feed themselves and feed their own families. The world cannot look away while attacks on aid workers and on the very people they try to help have become routine. We once again call on leaders to find the political will to end this conflict and to end the suffering of people. Over the past 24 hours, we've received more reports of casualties in shooting incidents that occurred along routes designated for our convoys, where crowds often wait to take supplies from the back of trucks. Such shooting incidents have been reported in Israeli-militarized areas in North Gaza, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. Meanwhile, our colleagues on the ground also report intense hostilities between Israeli military and Palestinian armed groups. Over the past 24 hours, this has included air strikes and shelling across five neighbourhoods of Gaza city, with reports of tanks and ground troops advancing. Yesterday, the United Nations and NGOs based in the Occupied Palestinian Territory warned in joint statement of the impact of the intensified offensive in Gaza city announced by Israeli authorities, which, as you can imagine, will result in mass displacement of human beings. They said that this will have a horrific impact on people already exhausted, already malnourished, already bereaved and displaced, and deprived of basics needed for their bare survival. Forcing hundreds of thousands to move south is a recipe for further disaster and could amount to forcible transfer. We and our NGOs partners stress that our teams will remain in Gaza city to provide life-saving support as part of their commitment to serve people wherever they are. And they reminded parties of their obligation to protect civilians including humanitarian workers and those who cannot or choose not to move and safeguard humanitarian facilities and other civilian infrastructure. Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs say a continuing challenge, which is affecting shelter and other sectors are the new registration requirements for international NGOs, which in practice is preventing many of our humanitarian partners from bringing supplies into Gaza. To secure registration, international NGOs are required to share sensitive personal information about Palestinian employees, often contrary to their countries' domestic legislation, and to submit to conditionalities which could impact their ability to advocate for protection of civilians and humanitarian space. Starvation in Gaza persists, as incoming supplies remain far from sufficient and do not necessarily reach the most vulnerable. We once again call for a significant scale-up of private sector operations, as well as for full facilitation of community-based deliveries by a wide range of humanitarian organizations local organizations and international organizations alike with supplies allowed to enter through all available crossings, including those leading directly into the northern part of Gaza. ** Democratic Republic of the Congo Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I can tell you that we strongly condemned the attacks carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces, known as the ADF, in several localities of Beni and Lubero territories, in North Kivu province in the eastern part of the DRC. The attacks, which took place between 9 and 16 August, claimed the lives of at least 52 civilians, including eight women and two children. The death toll, according to our peacekeeping colleagues on the ground may very well rise. The UN Mission notes that the violence was accompanied by abductions, by looting, and by the burning of homes, vehicles, and motorcycles, as well as the destruction of property belonging to populations who are already facing a dire humanitarian situation, as we routinely update you. We reiterate once again the Secretary-General's call for foreign armed groups to lay down their arms unconditionally and return to their countries of origin. The UN Mission urges the Congolese authorities to conduct thorough investigations to identify those responsible for the massacres of civilians and bring them to justice. In response to this new wave of violence, the UN Mission has reinforced its military presence and support to the Congolese authorities. ** Security Council Back here this morning, the Security Council held an open debate on women and peace and security. Briefing the Council was Pramila Patten, the Secretary-General Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. She noted that as needs are mounting, humanitarian assistance is being slashed, pointing out that we are told there is no money for life-saving aid, even as military expenditure soars, and the world spends more in 24 hours on arms than it does in one year on addressing gender-based violence in conflict. Ms. Patten noted that the sixteenth report by the Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence shows that in the course of 2024, more than 4,600 cases of conflict-related sexual violence, including as a tactic of war, torture, terror and political repression, were documented. This marked a staggering 25 per cent increase from 2023, which was itself a 50 per cent increase from the previous year. Every year, Ms. Patten said, we note the disproportionate impact on women and girls, who consistently account for about 90 per cent of verified cases. The report, she noted, records violations against victims ranging in age from just one to 75 years old, as well as against persons with diverse sexual orientation, gender identities, racial and ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities. Ms. Patten added that sexual violence against children increased by a shocking 35 per cent over the past year, with incidents of gang-rape rising dramatically, inflicting and enduring generational harm. ** Mauritania/Peacebuilding Fund's Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility And just a last note. The Secretary-General has approved yesterday Mauritania's request to renew eligibility for the Peacebuilding Fund's Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility for a second five-year period. Based on multi-stakeholder consultations with the Government, civil society, the donor community, and the wider UN system, four strategic priority areas have been identified for the continued partnership. They are consolidation of democratic gains and social cohesion, empowerment of youth and women and human capital development and improving access to basic services, as well as the strengthening of local and trans border governance to promote peaceful coexistence in the context of mixed migration. ** Questions and Answers Spokesman : I am done. Are you? No. Edie? Question : Thank you, Steph. Does the Secretary-General have any comment on the outcome of yesterday's summit meetings between President Trump, President Zelenskyy, and a significant number of European leaders and the possibility of an upcoming meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine? Spokesman : I can tell you that the Secretary-General very much welcomes the recent diplomatic engagements spearheaded by the United States and President Trump, focusing on achieving a peaceful settlement in Ukraine. And obviously, yesterday's discussions in Washington were the centre of that effort. For him, it's very important that all involved continue to stay actively engaged in what we want to see as an inclusive dialogue to sustain the important momentum that was created to bring an immediate ceasefire and sustainable peace in Ukraine. I have short term memory on Tuesday. What was the second part of your question? Question : The meeting. Spokesman : Oh, the potential meeting? Question : Mhmm. Spokesman : Okay. Thank you, Benno. Listen, I think there's a lot of discussion going on about potential dialogues or formats, location. We know the outcome we want to see. I've said it almost here every day. I think it is obviously important that those parties who are directly involved in this conflict be able to speak to each other directly. Benno. Question : Thank you. What role could the UN play in this process? Spokesman : Listen. We will be, as we've said, supportive and ready to engage in a role that may or may not be given to us based on the principles that the Secretary-General has often reiterated. Question : Could that role be a Blue Helmet mission? Spokesman : As you know, any peacekeeping mission anywhere would have to go through the Security Council. Question : I do understand this, but, like, did you still advertise a possible UN role in that regard to the conflict parties or to the UN? Did you put yourself on the radar? Spokesman : I think, listen. I think we very much are on the radar and have been so for about 80 years. Javier. Sorry. Question : Yes. There is a new group created two weeks ago called UN Staff for Gaza, which is performing today the first public appearance at the Knotted Gun. The fact that they have organized out of the framework of the United Nations may seem that they are not happy with the UN stance or and positions on Gaza. What do you think of the group and the activity they are having today? Spokesman : I think as said, this is not an official, this is a group, from what I know, right? A group of staff members who've banded together. My understanding is that their focus is on, especially today, on our colleagues who have been lost in Gaza. Morad, then Dezhi, then Abdelhamid. Question : Thank you, Stephane. How the UN is going to proceed in term of the accountability for killing hundreds of its staff in Gaza? Spokesman : Look. There always needs to be accountability. And whether it's for our colleagues who were killed in Gaza, others who have been killed in Sudan and in Myanmar, accountability takes time, but I can tell you that, we will not give up on using the various mechanisms that the international community has set up, that exist, to find that accountability. Dezhi and then Abdelhamid. Question : Let me get back to the multilateral meetings on Ukraine. Has the Secretary-General ever talked to any leaders after the meetings from yesterday? Spokesman : I know yesterday he did not because he was on a plane, literally, for about 13, 14 hours flying from New York to Tokyo. I'm sure he will have a number of conversations in the coming days. Question : So two things. First, yesterday, this term land swap has been mentioned so many times. We know this position from the United Nations which is to solve this issue peacefully in line with international law, respecting sovereignty and integrity. And what would that land swap, if that happened, fit into the position of the United Nations? Spokesman : You know, I think you've given yourself and your question all the elements to answer your own question. You know our position. You could do a compare and contrast, but I will not insert ourselves from this podium into ongoing discussions which are very delicate. Question : Okay. The second thing is the safety security guarantee. Benno actually asked part of my question. Would the Secretary-General support a peacekeeping mission no matter it's from the UN or it's from other countries like what happened in Haiti? Spokesman : The Secretary-General, as we've always said, stands ready to support any meaningful effort to find an end to the conflict in Ukraine. And I think along the lines that we've often said. I think those Member States, who are sitting at the table, sitting at the table yesterday in Washington, as well as the Russian Federation, as well as others who are implicated know full well the various tools that are available from the international community, notably from the UN system to help sustain peace. It will be up to them to choose which tools. And as I said, we stand ready to help. Abdelhamid and then Ibtisam, if you are waving your hand. Okay. Question : Thank you. I want to start with the report of sexual violation. Since 2019, 10,000 women had disappeared in Jammu and Kashmir. And as it was raised by the Pakistani Ambassador, why the violation of women in Jammu and Kashmir were missing in this report? Spokesman : I think Ms. Patten's office drafted a report with all the information that was available to them. That's all I can say. Question : My second question about another journalist was killed today, [inaudible]from Al Ghad TV. He was bombed in Gaza City. Are you aware of that? Spokesman : I personally have not seen that story, which only means that I haven't seen it. But yet again, it underscores the violence that journalists have been submitted to, and we of course, sent our condolences to his family and all the colleagues at Al Ghad TV in Egypt. Question : Lastly, 46 Palestinians were killed since this morning. 46. It's not one or two or three. When one Israeli was killed in Jaffa due to a Yemeni rocket, there was a statement. One Israeli, which I don't deny the right of the UN official to issue a statement. Spokesman : Put your microphone bit closer. Question : But why when 46 human beings are killed in one day? Why they don't show up in the... [cross-talk] Spokesman : I think we have been repeatedly underscoring the number of Palestinians that are killed when we get the reports from the Gaza Ministry of Health, and we will continue to do so. Ibtisam. Question : Thank you, Steph. My question is a follow-up actually on Morad's question or on your answer to his question. Why or is there a UN mechanism that allows investigation on the killing of UN staff, whether in Palestine, Sudan, or other places? Spokesman : There is mechanism in terms of the fact that we keep track of these things. We try to get accountability from the Governments. Unfortunately, also often our colleagues are killed by armed groups in which becomes very difficult to get kind of institutional accountability. But I can tell you that our colleagues, our human resources and others keep very much close track. And, you know, let's face it. The sad fact is that UN colleagues who are killed, who are more often not national staff, we're not able to get the accountability for their killings. Just as all other civilians who are killed in conflict, most others, the perpetrators are also not held to account. And there's a lack of accountability across the board in all the conflicts that we see. We struggle to get accountability, but it's more than an uphill battle. Yes, please. Go ahead, Ahmed Ali, and then Alex. Question : Thank you, Steph. Qatar's Foreign Ministry said Hamas reacted positively to a 60 day cease fire deal that could potentially lead to a permanent one. My question is if Israel agrees, just how crucial would those 60 days be for the UN to carry out an effective and comprehensive humanitarian operation in the region? Spokesman : Any cessation of hostilities that allows us full and unfettered humanitarian access like we had during the previous ceasefire is critical. You know, whether it's one day, 60 days, 600 days, or permanently, we will take what we can get and build on that. Alex. Question : Thanks, Steph. I also have a follow-up on yesterday's meeting on Ukraine in the White House. You just mentioned that you're sure that the Secretary-General will have a number of conversations with those who are at the White House yesterday. Could you please be more specific? Spokesman : No. I'll be specific when they happen. Question : Sure. Thank you. Spokesman : All right. Yes, Eric. Question : So my question is about North Korea. Kim Jong-Un called for the rapid expansion of North Korea's nuclear arsenal because of the security situation there. Does the UN have any response or reaction? Spokesman : Well, we continue to be very concerned about the rhetoric that we hear from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We continue, to call for a dialogue to lead to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Linda, and then we'll go to the back. Question : Thank you, Steph. Following up on the question about the SG's possibly speaking with world leaders about, you know, Ukrainian developments. I was wondering, just as a reminder, has the SG spoken with President Trump? Spokesman : No, ma'am. Question : Ever? Spokesman : I mean, they've crossed paths and shaken hands, but there's been no phone call. Yes, sir. Question : Okay. Thank you, Steph. A follow-up on yesterday's summit. You mentioned just that the UN was not involved in the summit. And as we know, the United Nations is the major international institution on world peace and security. Are you worried that the United Nations will be set aside in the future peace deal between Ukraine and Russia? Spokesman : No. Listen. For us, the outcome is the most important. For us, the respect for the Charter and international law is most important. There are some conflicts in which we are involved, which we have a mandate, and others that we're not. We will support whatever works best and that respects the ideals of the Charter and International Law. Thank you all. Have a good day. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. in Sudan, Luca Renda (19 August 2025) UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs A call to protect aid workers and fund the response in Sudan (Port Sudan, 19 August 2025) Today, we mark World Humanitarian Day at a moment of profound crisis for Sudan and the global humanitarian system. The war in Sudan has become one of the deadliest for aid workers anywhere in the world. Since the current conflict began in April 2023, more than 120 humanitarian personnel have been killed nearly all of them Sudanese. These are not just statistics. They were medics, drivers, volunteers and other staff members who showed up every day to serve their communities with courage and compassion. Their deaths are a stain on our collective conscience and a stark reminder of the growing dangers faced by those who deliver life-saving aid. Humanitarian needs in Sudan have reached unprecedented levels. Yet those who step forward to help our frontline aid workers are being attacked, detained, harassed and even killed. Violations of international humanitarian law have become disturbingly common. Every red line crossed is met with impunity, indifference and failure to act. This must stop. Despite these threats, Sudanese humanitarians continue to deliver. They cross frontlines. They navigate insecurity and bureaucracy. They risk everything to reach people in need. They have not given up and neither must we. Today, we relaunch the global call to #ActForHumanity. We call on all those engaged in the conflict in Sudan to meet their obligations under international law, protect civilians, uphold the rules of war, guarantee safe and unimpeded access, and ensure that humanitarian personnel can operate safely, independently and without interference. In view of the massive humanitarian needs in Sudan, we also urge donors to increase flexible funding to sustain and scale up life-saving operations across the country. *** For more information, please contact: Samreen Abuidris, samreen.abuidris@un.org; +971 56 385 1676 19 August 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PRESS RELEASE: Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator sign joint communique signaling strengthened commitment towards a locally led humanitarian response - 19 August 2025 UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs PRESS RELEASE World Humanitarian Day 2025 Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator sign joint communique signalling strengthened commitment towards a locally led humanitarian response Abuja, 19 August 2025 - to mark World Humanitarian Day, Nigeria's Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Honourable Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, and the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Malick Fall, today issued a joint communique calling for better protection of humanitarian workers and the civilians they serve as well as respect for international humanitarian law. The communique also advocated for additional resources to address alarming levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in Nigeria. Additionally, it highlighted the collective commitment by the Government of Nigeria and humanitarian partners to transition the aid operation to become more locally led using local resources, to the extent possible. "Globally humanitarianism is under attack," said Humanitarian Coordinator Mohamed Fall. "Violations of international humanitarian law are widespread, and aid workers are increasingly targeted. Last year and this year have seen the highest number of aid worker casualties in decades. Attacks on health care and civilian facilities are now commonplace. This must stop." Global solidarity is also at its lowest and humanitarian financing is collapsing. "We must therefore transform humanitarian operations to be more efficient, transparent, and accountable. In Nigeria, this means redefining our relationship with local actors, Government, and civil society to ensure they lead humanitarian efforts," said Humanitarian Coordinator Mohamed Fall. In the joint communique, the Government of Nigeria committed to increase funding for humanitarian interventions. It will also promote linkages between humanitarian, development and peace efforts to ensure more durable, efficient and effective interventions. The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Sununu said that the Government had approved funds for emergency food and nutrition assistance to support vulnerable people. "We [also] recognise the critical role of partnerships in humanitarian response, and we call on stakeholders, including international partners, non-governmental organizations, civil society, and the private sector, to collaborate in the fight against poverty and humanitarian crises," he said. On its part, the humanitarian community in Nigeria committed to fully support humanitarian response and action under the leadership of the Government and to ensure a transition from the direct delivery of humanitarian aid to an enabling role for local actors, preserving core functions such as humanitarian diplomacy, coordination, protection, and the upholding of humanitarian principles. Together, the Government and humanitarian partners committed to ensure a smooth transition to a locally led, implemented and resourced operation, with the Government of Nigeria ensuring that humanitarian partners are able to work in accordance with humanitarian principles in conflict affected areas. This year's World Humanitarian Day theme, 'Act for Humanity', builds on the global campaign launched in 2024. Its core message is a reminder to protect those who save lives, uphold international humanitarian law, and secure funding for lifelines. In Nigeria, this message resonates with particular urgency due to declining international funding for humanitarian assistance amid increased insecurity for civilians and aid workers. END 19 August 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World Humanitarian Day: Attacks on aid workers hit another record, humanitarians call for urgent action UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Geneva/New York, 19 August 2025): A shocking new record of 383 aid workers killed in 2024 must be a wake-up call to protect all civilians in conflict and crisis and call time on impunity, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said today, on World Humanitarian Day. Most of the aid workers killed were national staff serving their communities, and they were attacked in the line of duty or in their homes. An additional 308 aid workers were wounded, 125 kidnapped and 45 detained in the same year. "Even one attack against a humanitarian colleague is an attack on all of us and on the people we serve," said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. "Attacks on this scale, with zero accountability, are a shameful indictment of international inaction and apathy. As the humanitarian community, we demand - again - that those with power and influence act for humanity, protect civilians and aid workers and hold perpetrators to account." The 31 per cent surge in aid worker deaths compared to 2023 was driven by the relentless conflicts in Gaza, where 181 humanitarian workers were killed, and in Sudan, where 60 lost their lives. Violence against aid workers increased in 21 countries in 2024 compared to the previous year, with State actors the most common perpetrators. The first eight months of 2025 show no sign of a reversal of the disturbing trend: 265 aid workers have been killed as of 14 August, according to provisional data from the Aid Worker Security Database. Attacks on humanitarian workers, assets and operations violate international humanitarian law and undermine the lifelines that sustain millions of people trapped in war and disaster zones. The United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2730 in May 2024, which reaffirmed the obligation on parties to conflict and Member States to protect humanitarian personnel and called for independent investigations into violations. But the lack of accountability remains pervasive. On this World Humanitarian Day, aid workers and their supporters commemorate those killed and stand in solidarity with those serving people in need, demanding urgent protection for civilians and aid operations. The global #ActForHumanity campaign is relaunched with added urgency, calling on the public to stand with humanitarians, demand protection and support the lifelines they provide. Fletcher added: "Violence against aid workers is not inevitable. It must end." Resources https://www.worldhumanitarianday.org https://www.aidworkersecurity.org 1 Note that numbers may change over time depending on reporting and verification. Media contact In Geneva: Jens Laerke, laerke@un.org, +41 79 472 9750 In New York: Amanda Price, amanda.price@un.org, +1 917 853 2839 19 August 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Forging the fight together: Synchronizing joint operations in Bamboo Eagle 25-3 Published Aug. 19, 2025 By Deb Henley, 505th Command and Control Wing Public Affairs 705th Combat Training Squadron KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) -- Bamboo Eagle 25-3 pushed the boundaries of 21st-century mission command, leveraging the Distributed Mission Operations Center, or DMOC, to forge agile, resilient leaders. In a synthetic battlespace, the joint force rehearsed decentralized execution and empowered decision-making to achieve decision advantage, July 22 - Aug. 8. Hosted by the 705th Combat Training Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base, the DMOC's live, virtual and constructive, or LVC, training environment provides a high-fidelity proving ground where commanders and battle managers can practice decision-making in contested, degraded and operationally complex environments without risk to life or assets. "The DMOC enables mission command by offering a safe, synthetic mission set where the BMC2 [battle management command and control] community can execute commander's intent without real-world risk," said Maj. David Blessman, BE 25-3 DMOC exercise director. "This is where we integrate at scale with the joint force to sharpen deterrence and ensure we're ready to fight and win, if called." Joint Force Integration BE 25-3 exercised multi-service integration across Air, Space, Naval, Marine, Army, Guard and Reserve components, demonstrating seamless joint operations in a simulated contested theater. Within the DMOC's battlespace, Sailors from 3rd Fleet, Marines from Marine Corps Air Support Squadron 3 from Camp Pendleton and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and Marines from the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, integrated agile expeditionary operations. Soldiers from the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command contributed Army air defense assets, further enhancing joint integration. The Air Force brought in MQ-9 pilots and sensor operators from Holloman and Creech AFBs and Space Force Guardians from the Space Force at Schriever SFB. The 728th Battle Management Control Squadron at Robins AFB, operated as the Battle Control Center. Airmen from Tyndall AFB, Whiteman AFB, Ellsworth AFB, Joint Base San Antonio and Creech AFB manned the Red and White Force, joined by personnel from the Air National Guard and the Marine Corps. The exercise featured a live Air Expeditionary Wing led by the Air Force Reserve's 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis AFB, supported by White Force Airmen from Nellis AFB's 805th Combat Training Squadron, as part of their 200-level training under the Air Force's Force Generation, or AFFORGEN, model. Airborne distributed elements also contributed. E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS, crews at Tinker AFB provided real-time battle management and surveillance, while RC-135 reconnaissance crews at Offutt AFB conducted intelligence-gathering and electronic reconnaissance, both executing vital mission sets in the virtual environment. "Warfighters integrated into the DMOC's LVC environment, directly shaping scenario development, execution and assessment," said Lt. Col. David Jones, 705th CTS/DMOC commander. "Their presence helped drive realism, cultural fluency and collaborative planning in the LVC environment. This level of integration enabled dynamic, decentralized execution, core to mission command, across the full scope of BE 25-3 operations." Mission Command: Practiced, Not Prescribed As future conflicts grow more contested and less predictable, mission command becomes the cornerstone of agile and resilient operations. BE 25-3 prepared warfighters to think and act at the edge of uncertainty. "The DMOC allows C2 operators to practice mission command in action, not just reference it in doctrine," said Lt. Col. Sajjad Abdullateef, 705th CTS director of operations. "Through realistic, complex and contested scenarios, commanders and subordinates stress their ability to anticipate, adapt and take initiative in high-fidelity, consequence-rich environments." In these scenarios, teams build the mental agility and trust required to succeed when communication is degraded and conditions are unclear. LVC as a Catalyst for Competence and Trust "LVC reps and sets at the DMOC don't just train warfighters what to do, they condition judgment, initiative and decision-making under stress," Abdullateef said. "They allow individuals and units to fail safely, learn quickly and build the competence and trust needed to operate in complex environments." Scenarios simulate the cognitive stress of combat, such as rapid information flow and time pressure to adapt to rapidly evolving threats, while maintaining operational tempo in a high-threat battlespace. By working alongside the joint force, Air Force commanders and battle managers develop common operating picture and build the trust necessary for decentralized execution. "LVC training fosters trust through deliberate design, requiring participants to work across services to balance competing priorities, manage limited resources and respond to real-time threats," Abdullateef said. "Units are given space to fail and grow together. A strike package might rely on ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] from one unit, refueling support from another service and cyber effects, all demanding a unique level of trust and alignment." By weaving together joint, multi-domain capabilities in a shared operational scenario, BE 25-3 helped build trust not just within units but across the services. Centralized Command, Distributed Control, Decentralized Execution The modern battlespace, as replicated in DLEs like BE, increasingly demands seamless coordination not just across U.S. military services, but with our partner nations as well, in the air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. Centralized decision-making can significantly hinder this complex interplay. "The DMOC's BE 25-3 LVC scenario enabled delegation of authority to lower-level commanders, with a deep understanding of their domain's nuances," said Col. Terry Hjerpe, 505th Combat Training Group commander, Nellis AFB, Nevada. "This delegation empowers faster, more informed decisions, optimizes joint operations and ensures the interoperability crucial for DLE success." Building Trust and Cohesion "The DMOC helps build that cohesion through time-compressed scenarios that demand tight coordination, ensuring execution of mission objectives in contested theaters," Abdullateef said. "It replicates the relationships and shared understanding that make warfighting possible across domains." Exercises like BE 25-3 show that trust and cohesion are not just abstract ideals. They are operational necessities, built through training and vital to winning future conflicts. Simulating Strategic Friction Without Operational Fallout "The LVC environment is uniquely designed to simulate the fog and uncertainty of real combat," Abdullateef said. "It allows realistic simulation of cyber-attacks, EW [electronic warfare] jamming, spoofing, degraded GPS and contested C2 nodes, which are hard or impossible to replicate in live-fly events." Staff Sgt. Erica Zalunardo, 705th CTS BE 25-3 DMOC noncommissioned officer in charge, noted that one of the most important takeaways from BE 25-3 is the experience of large-scale decision-making, pushing participants to navigate operational dilemmas, reinforcing the DLE's commitment of preparing the joint force for future conflicts. "Participants must consider not only their immediate area of responsibility, but also the downstream consequences of their actions," she said. "Live players were directly impacted by decisions made in the synthetic environment; that's hard to replicate in smaller internal exercises." Adapting and Improving for Future Warfighting Abdullateef said the next step in mission command training is integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning to challenge operators in new ways. "Tools like AI and joint LVC modernization efforts will let us simulate adaptive adversaries and real-time friction, asserting our teams to act on commander's intent," he said. "The future fight will be fast, contested and unpredictable; LVC modernization ensures we are ready for any challenge." "Bamboo Eagle 25-3 demonstrated that mission command is not theory but a warfighting imperative built through realistic training, integration and adaptability," said Col. Ryan Hayde, 505th Command and Control Wing commander, Hurlburt Field, Florida. "Lessons from BE 25-3 will make the joint force more lethal, agile and resilient, ready to deter and, if required, defeat any adversary." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU supports WFP's emergency response for half a million people in Afghanistan World Food Programme 19 August 2025 Kabul, Afghanistan -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan welcomes a critical 13 million contribution (US$15 million) from the European Union to support half a million vulnerable people for three months with emergency assistance. Through this funding, WFP will provide 2,500 metric tons of food to families suffering from acute hunger; 9 million (US$10 million) in cash for food to help households buy food locally; and 750 metric tons of specialized nutritious food to treat life-threatening malnutrition in over 85,000 children. "Hunger and malnutrition are devastating vulnerable families in Afghanistan, many of whom are struggling to survive," said Francois Goemans, head of the European Union's humanitarian aid office in Afghanistan. "With drought conditions and a harsh Afghan winter approaching, needs are expected to rise sharply, pushing even more families into destitution. The EU stands in solidarity with the most vulnerable women, men, girls, boys and children of Afghanistan in these difficult moments." Afghanistan is facing a historic surge in child malnutrition. In 2025, 3.5 million children are malnourished - half a million more than last year, equating to one child becoming malnourished every ten seconds. "This is the sharpest rise in child malnutrition ever recorded in Afghanistan," said John Aylieff, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan. "It coincides with a steep reduction in emergency food assistance to families and the forced return of Afghans from neighbouring countries. With 1.6 million more mouths to feed and fewer remittances, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly. Thanks to partners like the European Union, WFP is stepping up at a time of heightened crisis." Since 2021, the European Union has contributed over 290 million to WFP operations in Afghanistan, making it one of WFP's top five donors in 2025. This sustained support has enabled WFP to deliver life-saving assistance to millions of Afghans across the country. # # # The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China, India reach consensus on boundary questions, highlight outcomes in trade and direct flights during Wang Yi's visit Global Times By Zhang Wanshi and Chen Qingqing Published: Aug 20, 2025 12:33 PM As Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India concluded on Wednesday, the two sides have highlighted a series of consensus on boundary questions as well as outcomes in areas including direct flights and trade. Chinese experts said the meetings marked steady progress and demonstrated both countries' desire to improve their relationship and develop cooperation. Wang arrived in India on Monday and has met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar as well as Ajit Doval, India's National Security Advisor and India's Special Representative on the China-India boundary question. With the 24th Round of Talks Between the Special Representatives of China and India on the Boundary Question held on Tuesday, a 10-point consensus was reached, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry. A Chinese expert said the consensus is significant and underscores the active commitment of both sides to preserving peace and stability in the boundary regions. According to the consensus, both sides positively evaluated the progress made in implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries since their meeting in Kazan, noting that boundary regions between China and India have remained peaceful and stable since the 23rd round of talks. They agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for resolving the boundary question in accordance with the political guiding principles agreed by the two countries in 2005. A demarcation expert group under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on China-India Border Affairs would be established to explore the possibility of advancing demarcation negotiations in areas where conditions are ripe, according to the Xinhua News Agency. In addition to the existing general-level talks in the western section of the boundary, both sides agreed to establish a general-level talks mechanism in the eastern and central sections, and to hold a new round of general-level talks in the western section as soon as possible. Both countries agreed to utilize the border management and control mechanisms through diplomatic and military channels, first reaching consensus on relevant principles and methods to promote de-escalation and management processes, Xinhua reported. Besides, both sides exchanged views on cross-boundary river cooperation and agreed to use the expert-level mechanism for cross-boundary rivers to maintain communication on renewing the cross-boundary river flood reporting memorandum of understanding. The Chinese side agreed to share emergency hydrological information on relevant rivers with the Indian side based on humanitarian principles. They also agreed to reopen three traditional boundary trade markets and hold the 25th round of talks in China in 2026. These developments reflect both the implementation of the consensus reached in Kazan by China and India and their commitment to maintaining peace along the boundary regions, especially through new initiatives, Tian Guangqiang, an assistant research fellow with the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. Although the border issue is complex, both sides are currently willing to maintain peace in the border areas and prevent any escalation or impact on overall cooperation, which Tian said is highly significant. Besides, during Wang's talks with Jaishankar on Monday, both sides also had positive, constructive, and forward-looking discussions on bilateral, regional, and international issues of common interest, and agreed on the understandings and outcomes. Both sides agreed to support each other in hosting successful diplomatic events. The Chinese side will support India in hosting the 2026 BRICS summit. The Indian side will support China in hosting the 2027 BRICS summit. They also agreed to explore and resume various official bilateral dialogue mechanisms and exchanges to enhance cooperation and address each other's concerns and properly manage differences, including holding the Third Meeting of the India-China High-level Mechanism on People-to-People Exchanges in India in 2026. Outcomes also include resuming direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest and finalize an updated air services agreement. Both sides also agreed on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media, and other visitors in both directions. It also includes continuing and further expanding the scale of Indian pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash/Mount Gang Renpoche and Lake Manasarovar/Mapam Yun Tso in Xizang Autonomous Region of China in 2026. The outcomes related to people-to-people exchanges reflect that China-India relations are gradually stabilizing, Liu Zongyi, director of the Center for South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times. Related measures and efforts should be sustained by the Indian side, with attention to whether they can be maintained consistently over time without interruption or fluctuation, the expert noted. India's actions were also partly driven by domestic economic pressures, and the country seeks to lift some restrictions imposed on China in recent years, welcome Chinese investment, and increase people-to-people exchanges to boost its economic confidence, Lan Jianxue, director of the Department of Asia-Pacific Studies at China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times. At the same time, facing US pressure such as high tariffs, India aims to strengthen economic and trade ties with countries including China, helping to reduce some of the external pressure from the US, the expert added. When asked about China's expectation for the visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that through Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit, China hopes to work with India to deliver on the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries, keep the momentum of high-level exchanges, enhance political mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation, properly handle differences, and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of China-India relations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China, India hold special representatives meeting on boundary question Global Times By Xinhua Published: Aug 20, 2025 08:17 AM The 24th Round of Talks Between the Special Representatives of China and India on the Boundary Question was held here on Tuesday. China's Special Representative Wang Yi and India's Special Representative Shri Ajit Doval had comprehensive, in-depth and fruitful communication on the China-India boundary question and bilateral relations. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said that the top leaders of both countries reached important consensus during their meeting in Kazan, Russia, pointing out the direction and providing impetus for the improvement of China-India relations and the proper handling of the boundary question. Since the beginning of this year, Wang noted, bilateral relations between China and India have entered a steady development track, and the boundary situation has continued to stabilize and improve. As two major neighboring and developing countries, China and India share similar views and broad common interests, said Wang, adding that both countries should trust and support each other. China attaches great importance to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China to attend the Tianjin summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and looks forward to India's active contribution to the success of the summit. Wang emphasized that history and reality have repeatedly proven that the healthy and stable development of China-India relations serves the fundamental interests of both peoples and is also the common expectation of developing countries at large. He said both sides should follow the strategic guidance of their leaders, adopt a dual-track approach that promotes mutual advancement and fosters a virtuous cycle in viewing and addressing bilateral relations and boundary questions. The two sides should also enhance mutual trust through dialogue and communication, expand exchanges and cooperation, and jointly advance consensus, clarify directions, and set goals in areas such as boundary management, boundary negotiations, and cross-boundary exchanges, to properly address specific issues, achieve more positive progress, and continuously create favorable conditions for the improvement and development of bilateral relations, said Wang. For his part, Doval, also India's national security advisor, said the meeting between the leaders of the two countries in Kazan served as a turning point in the improvement and development of India-China relations, with positive changes made in mutual understanding between the two sides, peace and stability maintained in the boundary regions, and breakthrough progress achieved in bilateral relations. With the current turbulent international situation, Doval said, India and China face a series of common challenges, and it is necessary to enhance understanding, deepen trust, and strengthen cooperation, as this concerns the well-being of the people of both countries and the peace and development of the world. He said India has consistently adhered to the one-China policy. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China, said the Indian official, noting that Modi looks forward to attending the SCO summit in China, believing that this will promote new developments in bilateral relations. Doval said India supports China, as the current chair of the SCO, in successfully hosting the summit. He added that the Indian side is willing to maintain communication and dialogue with the Chinese side in a positive and pragmatic manner, continuously creating conditions for the final resolution of the boundary question. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on early harvests of boundary negotiations, reaffirming their commitment to fully utilize the mechanism of special representatives meetings, and explore fair, equitable, and mutually acceptable solutions based on mutual respect and understanding in accordance with the political guiding principles agreed in 2005. At the same time, the two sides agreed to strengthen routine boundary management and control, and jointly maintain peace and stability in the border areas. The two sides also agreed to hold the 25th Round of Talks Between the Special Representatives of China and India next year in China. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China-India foreign ministers' meeting achieves 10 outcomes Global Times By Xinhua Published: Aug 20, 2025 07:36 AM Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, held talks with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar here on Monday. The two sides had positive, constructive, and forward-looking discussions on bilateral, regional, and international issues of common interest, and agreed on the following understandings and outcomes. First, both sides emphasized that the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries plays a crucial and irreplaceable role in the development of China-India relations. They agreed that a stable, cooperative, and forward-looking bilateral relationship is in their mutual interest to realize their development potential fully. They further agreed that both sides should earnestly implement the important common understandings reached between the two leaders and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of China-India relations. Second, the Chinese side welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attendance at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. The Indian side reaffirmed its full support to the Chinese SCO presidency, and looked forward to a successful SCO summit with fruitful outcomes. Third, both sides agreed to support each other in hosting successful diplomatic events. The Chinese side will support India in hosting the 2026 BRICS summit. The Indian side will support China in hosting the 2027 BRICS summit. Fourth, both sides agreed to explore the resumption of various intergovernmental bilateral dialogue and exchange mechanisms to strengthen cooperation, address each other's concerns, and properly manage differences, including holding the Third Meeting of the China-India High-level Mechanism on People-to-People Exchanges in India in 2026. Fifth, both sides agreed to continue supporting each other in holding events in 2025 to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. Sixth, both sides agreed to resume direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest and finalize an updated air services agreement. Both sides also agreed on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media, and other visitors in both directions. Seventh, both sides agreed to continue and further expand the scale of Indian pilgrimage to the sacred mountains and lakes in China's Xizang Autonomous Region in 2026. Eighth, both sides agreed to facilitate trade and investment flows between the two countries through concrete measures. Ninth, both sides agreed to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas through friendly consultations. Tenth, both sides agreed to promote multilateralism, strengthen communication on major international and regional issues, maintain a rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and promote a multi-polar world that safeguards the interests of developing countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel preparing to unleash 1000s of reservists on Gaza City; Hamas: Netanyahu after 'ethnic cleansing' Iran Press TV Wednesday, 20 August 2025 3:32 AM The Israeli regime is about to mobilize as many as 80,000 reservists as it plans to occupy the Gaza Strip's biggest urban area, the most extreme step yet during its October 2023-present war of genocide on the Palestinian territory. Various Israeli media outlets reported the plan on Wednesday, saying the regime was to issue up to 80,000 reservist call-up orders later in the day. The reservists are to be mobilized a month ahead of schedule. The regime decided to go ahead with implementing the plan early so it can "support assault preparations," the outlets reported. The move would defy admissions by Israeli officials, themselves, about growing signs of internal fatigue among the troops as a result of the rapid and steady escalation of the genocide throughout its roughly-22-month-long course. The escalation has seen the warfare exact unprecedented brutality on Gaza, killing more than 62,000 Palestinians, using starvation as a weapon, and inflicting maximal destruction on the coastal sliver's entire expanse. Pointing to the involvement, which has stretched the military to its absolute limits despite unwavering Western support, the officials have warned that turnout among reservists could be far lower than the time, when the warfare began. A diminished response, they cautioned, could drag the occupation scheme well into the next year. 'Encirclement, continued mass displacement' The regime's minister for military affairs Israel Katz had announced on Tuesday that he had approved new operational plans alongside military chief Eyal Zamir and intelligence chiefs. The strategy calls for regular brigades to encircle the city, forcing its roughly one million residents to flee. The war has featured countless such summary assaults, which has seen hundreds of thousands of civilians fail to make time to escape in time beforehand. Also on Tuesday, Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari confirmed that Gaza's Hamas resistance movement had responded positively to a new ceasefire proposal. The regime, though, claims it is yet "studying" Hamas' response, while pressing ahead with war planning. Hamas leaders have said the procrastination revealed the true nature of the regime's intentions. Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said, "After the Hamas movement submitted its response, which expressed approval within the framework of a national position assessment, we are now waiting for the Zionist enemy's reply to the mediators' new proposal." "The reaction of the Zionists on Tuesday revealed Netanyahu's sinister intentions to prolong the war, pursue mass killings, and carry out ethnic cleansing." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 19 August 2025 - Day 1273 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 121 combat encounters. Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively give an offence to the Russian enemy's attempts to advance deep into Ukrainian territory. Russian zagarbniki made three missile strikes using eight missiles, 52 aviation strikes, dropping 73 controlled bombs. In addition, 1909 kamikaze drones were involved for impressions and carried out 3,740 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. Five combat clashes with Russian invaders took place in the North-Slobozhansky and Kursky directions. The Russian enemy launched seven air strikes, dropped 16 controlled bombs, carried out 175 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, seven of which were from reactive systems of arson fire. Today, Russian forces attacked three times in the South-Slobozhansky direction in the areas of the settlements of Vovchansk and Kamyanka. In the Kupians komu direction, Russian forces carried out four offensive actions in the areas of Synkivka, Zagrizovy and Stepova Novoselivka, the battle is currently underway. In the Lyman direction, the Defense Forces have already repelled 18 Russian attacks in the areas of settlements in the areas of Zelena Valley, Kolodyazi, Mirne, Torske, Yampil and towards Yampol and Grigorivka; five more clashes are still ongoing. In the sivers komu direction the Russian enemy twice attacked near pereiznogo and towards fedorivka. On the Torets komu direction today, nine boezknen took place. Russian forces tried to storm the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Toretsk, Scherbinivka, Yablunivka and Poltavka; two attacks are still ongoing. In the Pokrovsky direction from the beginning of this day, the Russian opponent 40 times attacked positions in the areas of settlements Volodymyrivka, Mayak, Nikanorivka, Novoekonomicne, Red Lyman, Rodinske, Romin, Hrodivka, Fox, Zvirove, Udacne, Novomykolaivka, Gorihove and Novoukrainka. Today in this direction, according to preliminary data, 139 Russian occupants were defecated, 85 of which - irrevocably. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers destroyed an artillery system, 27 unmanned aircraft and eight units of vehicles; also damaged an artillery system and two vehicles and nine shelters for the Russian enemy's personnel. In the Novopavlovsky direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 11 Russian attacks in the areas of the settlements of Grushivka, Green Gorge, Temirivka, Voskresenko, Green Field and towards Komyshuvaha. Four more clashes are underway. In the Pridniprovsk direction, Russian units four times tried to go forward, received a detachment. In Kramatorsky, Gulyaipilsky and Orihivsky directions, the Russian enemy has not been recorded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Maryland Army Guard Cyber Soldiers Lead Certification Exercise By Maj. Benjamin Hughes, Maryland National Guard August 19, 2025 VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The Maryland Army National Guard's Cyber Protection Team 169 led a certification exercise for other Army Guard cyber protection teams at the Virginia National Guard's State Military Reservation, Aug. 3-16. During the Cyber Velocity exercise, 20 Maryland Soldiers from Cyber Protection Team 169 strengthened the U.S. Army's overall cyber readiness by assessing Georgia Army National Guard's Cyber Protection Team 170 and Louisiana Army National Guard's Cyber Protection Team 178, which includes Army Guard Soldiers from Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Cyber Protection Team 169 began planning the exercise last October, building realistic training scenarios based on near-peer adversary attacks. The real-world simulations were designed to assess the cyber protection teams' processes and procedures in mission-essential tasks under U.S. Cyber Command standards. Maryland Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Stipanovic, the project officer for the certification exercise, said the scenarios pushed the limits of the defensive cyber operators tasked with protecting the critical infrastructure of U.S. allies. "By design, it's meant to be a little bit stressful," said Stipanovic, who compared it to an infantry situational training exercise lanes where Soldiers have to react to enemy contact. "So it gets hairy when they have to interact with something that's happening on a network. They have to open those lines of communication and work on their processes. It's definitely a stressful situation, and it's hard, but they make it work. They are all doing a good job." Teams began with preparatory courses during the first week. The primary focus of Cyber Protection Team 170 and Cyber Protection Team 178 during the exercise was on conducting defensive cyber operations. They hunted and cleared adversary presence on coalition networks to enable hardening operations before transitioning support back to their allies. The teams leveraged intelligence to guide their missions and employed organic capabilities, including two assigned modular defensive cyber kits. All the Maryland Soldiers of Cyber Protection Team 169 are Active Guard Reserve, or AGR, members who serve full-time to assess other cyber protection teams, which consist mostly of part-time Guard members. Since 2018, Cyber Protection Team 169 has performed initial validations for all other Army Guard Cyber Protection Teams and about 50% of the recertifications, which occur every five years. "The Army has to know you can do your job before you are sent to the public for a mission," said Maryland Army National Guard Sgt. Joel Wolfpitts, a cyber operations noncommissioned officer. "We have to validate all of our sister teams to make sure they are good to go out in the world and conduct cyber defensive actions. We have the expertise to provide this service for the Army as a whole." The Soldiers of Cyber Protection Team 169 were divided into three teams: red team, white cell and validators. The red team acted as the adversary, conducting cyberattacks on the allies' network. The white cell comprised the exercise planners and Soldiers who acted as the allies, also known as the customers in the scenarios. The validators regularly monitored the performance of the Soldiers from Cyber Protection Team 170 and Cyber Protection Team 178 throughout the exercise. At the same time as the Cyber Velocity exercise, the Virginia Army National Guard's 91st Cyber Brigade assessed the readiness of the 127th Cyber Protection Battalion during exercise Cyber Fortress, held in nearby facilities at the State Military Reservation. The 127th Cyber Protection Battalion is composed of Army National Guard Soldiers from Indiana, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Cyber Fortress exercised how military and civilian cyber operators in enclaves would respond to and mitigate a cyber attack to test Virginia's cyber response plan. Near the end of both exercises, Virginia Army National Guard Col. Gerald Mazur, commander of the 91st Cyber Brigade, presented challenge coins to four Soldiers from the Cyber Protection Team, or CPT, 169, and thanked the entire team for their continued support. "CPT 169 is an integral part of the 91st Cyber Brigade because their mission is to certify the 10 other cyber protection teams in the brigade," Mazur said. "They're the steady force that brings their technical skills. So without their support and the hard work that they do, we wouldn't be able to certify our CPTs to the joint standard to perform Title 10 federal missions." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nevada National Guard Aerial Firefighters Mark Busy August By Capt. Emerson Marcus, Nevada National Guard August 19, 2025 RENO, Nev. -- Nevada National Guard aerial firefighting efforts have intensified this month as temperatures rise. Nevada Army National Guard aviators activated 22 Soldiers on Aug. 3, operating one CH-47 Chinook and one UH-60 Black Hawk from the Army Aviation Support Facility at Stead to support the Nevada Division of Forestry, or NDF, in Elko County. The Jakes Fire, among others, burnt more than 80,000 acres in northwestern Elko County. "Nevada's expanding partnership with NDF has gone beyond dropping buckets of water. It has also moved into supporting firefighters on the ground with movement, food delivery and logistics and medevac support," said Lt. Col. Dillon Sauer, 991st Aviation Troop commander. "It's another example of the National Guard being always prepared to support the citizens of Nevada." Nevada Army aviators remained on orders last week, dropping more than 70,000 gallons of water, transporting about 200 personnel and delivering more than 500 meals for hand crews teams working with the NDF in Elko County. "We even helped move a UTV [utility task vehicle] that had its front steering break," said Maj. Chris Sandin, Nevada Army aviation operations officer. On Aug. 15, moments after receiving the call for standby to return to Elko County, the state requested Nevada Army Guard aviation support to the Rancho Fire to relieve overworked crews on the blaze burning north of Reno. The Soldiers, who had been briefly placed on standby from their work in Elko County, almost immediately began their response to the Rancho Fire, about 30 miles north of their home station outside Reno. They worked five hours on Aug. 15, dropping more than 20,000 gallons of water between the two aircraft involved. Nevada Army aviators went off orders Aug. 16 after the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District reported that the Rancho Fire's forward progress had been stopped. Additionally, the Nevada Air National Guard was activated for the second time this fire season on Aug. 12, with orders to report to the Colorado Springs Airtanker Base. That request was for one C-130 H from the 152nd Airlift Wing in Reno. The 152nd Airlift Wing has 19 aircrew members supporting the mission. On the first day, they supported efforts with five drops totaling 13,900 gallons of fire retardant on the Crosho Fire in Rio Blanco County, Colo. For its nationwide firefighting mission, the Nevada Air National Guard answers calls with the U.S. Forest Service's Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, which loads into the back of a C-130 and can discharge water or fire retardant - 3,000 gallons weighing 27,000 pounds - in less than five seconds. As of Aug. 15, the 152nd Airlift Wing reported dropping 22,670 gallons of fire retardant on 10 sorties last week. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Growing sovereign industrial base with 300 drones delivered to Defence Issued by Defence Media 19 August 2025 The Australian Defence Force is enhancing its sovereign uncrewed aerial system (UAS) capability with the acquisition of more than $1.5 million worth of Australian-manufactured drones. The drones have been developed and manufactured by Australian industry under Defence's Sovereign UAS Challenge. In April 2024, AMSL Aero, Boresight and Grabba Technologies demonstrated their technology at a 'fly-off' managed by the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA). Each Australian company secured a $2.2 million contract to grow their production capacity, finalise development of their prototypes to a production standard and produce 100 general-purpose drones. Three hundred units have now been delivered to the Australian Army, completing the final milestone of the challenge. Defence is also acquiring additional units from across the three companies valuing over $1.5 million, with future orders planned. Small UAS are versatile and cost-effective platforms that provide near-real-time situational awareness at lower altitudes than larger surveillance alternatives. The Australian Government will invest $600 million of approved funding into the development and introduction of a range of cutting-edge airborne, surface, and subsurface drone systems over the next 10 years. A further $4-5 billion of unapproved funding has been identified in the 2024 Integrated Investment Program for drone and counter-drone capabilities. Quotes attributable to Head Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator, Major General Hugh Meggitt: "The modern battlespace and operating environment exemplify the fundamental necessity of UAS capability. The Sovereign UAS Challenge demonstrates ASCA's ability to accelerate priority capability requirements for the Australian Defence Force. "ASCA is enhancing the resilience of our sovereign industrial base. The Sovereign UAS Challenge has enabled and ensures AMSL Aero, Boresight and Grabba Technologies have the production capacity to supply drones at scale, as, if and when required." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US joins air and missile defence trials off NSW By Flight Lieutenant Grace Casey-Maughan 19 August 2025 Australian and United States naval and air forces have completed live missile firing and advanced target trials off the NSW coast on Exercise Archer 2025. Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-35A Lightning II, F/A-18F Super Hornet, and EA-18G Growler aircraft launched from RAAF Bases Williamtown and Amberley to conduct live missile firings against drones launched and controlled by Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and QinetiQ Air Affairs personnel at the Beecroft Weapons Range in Jervis Bay, NSW. To support safe and effective firing, a RAAF E-7A Wedgetail and RAN destroyer with an MH-60R helicopter conducted integrated surveillance, command, and control of the air and sea space. An Air Mobility Group KC-30A aircraft supported the activity with air-to-air refuelling of all fighter types. US Air Force (USAF) 53rd Wing specialist weapons load teams and air-to-air range safety officers supported the exercise, increasing RAAF knowledge and proficiency in the planning and conduct of advanced weapon firings. The F-35 United Operational Test Team provided subject matter experts to support Air Force F-35A weapons employment and analysis of trial outcomes. Commander Air Combat Group (ACG) Air Commodore Peter Robinson said Exercise Archer 25 created an opportunity to demonstrate integrated weapons employment concepts and to test personnel within a safe and controlled operating environment. "Air Combat Group personnel worked as an effective team to test each component of employing live munitions during Exercise Archer," Air Commodore Robinson said. "From pilots firing weapons through to maintenance personnel such as armament technicians preparing and loading weapons, Ex Archer 25 demonstrated interoperability within ACG, the wider ADF, our United States partners and contractors." The exercise further served to contribute to the introduction into service of RAN Maritime Warfare Centre's new sub-sonic aerial target, the BQM-74E, and to pave the way for the more advanced and capable BQM-177i. The BQM-74E operation was supported by the US Navy (USN) Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division specialist launch and control teams, providing further opportunity for coalition training, USN-RAN integration and development of improved range capabilities. The successful conduct of Exercise Archer 25 demonstrated seamless integration of the RAAF and RAN in the conduct of integrated air and missile defence system live serials. It highlighted the close and effective relationship between the ADF, USAF and USN. The activity enhanced Australia's readiness and warfighting capability while building critical relationships and procedures to enable future advanced weapons events and training. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address As Trump Seeks Better Ties With Putin, He's Also Calling Lukashenko By Merhat Sharipzhan, Anna Sous and RFE/RL's Belarus Service August 20, 2025 Summary US President Donald Trump called Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko, focusing on the release of 1,300 political prisoners. Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed Trump's efforts but urged continued pressure on Lukashenko's regime. Human rights groups remain skeptical, citing ongoing repression and lack of systemic change in Belarus. In a move that caught many observers and politicians by surprise, US President Donald Trump made a phone call to Belarusian strongman Aleksandr Lukashenko just hours before his Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin last week. Trump wrote on social media, describing Lukashenko as "the highly respected President," that his conversation with him had focused on the release of 1,300 political prisoners. According to Valer Kavaleuski, head of an exiled think tank called the Euro-Atlantic Affairs Agency, Trump's emphasis on political prisoners was deeply symbolic. "Trump put the humanitarian issue, the release of political prisoners, at the very top of his message," Kavaleuski told RFE/RL. "This highlights that humanitarian negotiations are convenient for both Minsk and Washington. They avoid difficult issues like geopolitics or the war in Ukraine, while appearing noble and dignified because they are about people's lives." For Lukashenko, long criticized and isolated by the West as a dictator and staunch Putin ally, Trump's call represented a diplomatic breakthrough. 'A Gift For Lukashenko' Valer Karbalevich, a political analyst for RFE/RL's Belarus Service, said it was "a huge gift" for Lukashenko, offering a way back into the fold after he burned bridges with the West by brutally suppressing mass protests against electoral fraud in 2020. "Lukashenko is pleased," he wrote. "He clearly feels psychological discomfort that, for five years now, Western countries have not recognized him as the president of Belarus." But Kavaleuski sees it differently: "Even with terrible cards in his hand, being unrecognized, under Russian control, and complicit in aggression against Ukraine, Lukashenko managed to get through to Trump.... This was not a gift. It was the result of targeted, skillful Belarusian diplomacy," he said. Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled Belarusian opposition leader, hailed Trump's efforts to release political prisoners in Belarus but called for continuing pressure on Lukashenko's regime. "This is an important humanitarian mission by the President (Trump) -- to save the lives of innocent people. We now expect Lukashenko's regime to fully end its repression and release all innocent people from prison, a vital first step toward peace, freedom, and reconciliation. And until this happens, there should be no change in policy toward the regime," Tsikhanouskaya said on social media. Lukashenko has so far offered few details. His press secretary, Natallya Eismant, said only that "work in this direction is under way." Human rights organizations are skeptical. Paval Sapelka from the Belarusian Vyasna human rights center noted that repression has intensified in recent months, even as occasional pardons are granted. No Political Thaw "The authorities are demonstrating parallel processes. Repression continues and worsens, according to some indicators. At the same time, some people are released under pardons, occasionally with immediate deportation, which is unacceptable," Sapelka told RFE/RL. "No one has spoken of stopping arrests or of a political thaw," said Dzmitry Yahorau of the BySol Foundation, which helps victims of repression in Belarus. Maryna Kasinerava of Dissidentby, which supports political prisoners, said there may be more than 1,300 people behind bars for opposing the regime. "The system has done everything to hide crimes against human rights, including closing court schedules," she said. Kasinerava warned that Lukashenko could pursue "violent transfers" rather than genuine releases. "The regime may expel people with a bag over their heads. That has nothing to do with freedom in the healthy sense of the word," she said. 'Deficit Of Hope' Since 2020, Vyasna has documented 360 pardons in Belarus, with at least eight individuals deported directly from prison despite holding only Belarusian citizenship. In the past five years, 8,532 people have faced politically motivated criminal charges, and 7,299 have been sentenced. For rights defenders, the prospect of 1,300 prisoners walking free would indeed be historic. But they underline that unless repression ceases, such a move will be more of a tactical maneuver than a systemic change. Still, Kavaleuski said Trump's engagement with Lukashenko, as his efforts to bring peace in Ukraine, could be a source of encouragement. "There is a deficit of hope in both Belarus and Ukraine right now. People in both countries consider Trump as someone who, however imperfectly, is willing to engage and try to solve the crises they are facing." European policymakers, by contrast, have kept their distance, sticking to rigid sanctions and isolation, which, according to Kavaleuski, makes Trump's engagement more significant. "Maybe it's not the ideal path. Maybe it requires compromises, including the reality that Lukashenko remains in power. But it offers a chance to free people from prison and to slow repression," he emphasized. For now, Trump's interest in Lukashenko has broken through years of stalemate. It remains unclear if it signals a one-off gesture on humanitarian grounds or the start of a new channel of US diplomacy. For the Belarusian opposition, the concern is that humanitarian gestures by Trump may open the door to legitimize Lukashenko without delivering fundamental reforms. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/lukashenka- trump-belarus-prisoners-release-alaska- summit-talks-eu-rights/33506346.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil Mauro Vieira 19 August 2025 20:01 1344-19-08-2025 On August 19, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil Mauro Vieira. During the conversation, the parties touched on some issues of interaction within BRICS. Brazil's chairmanship in BRICS in 2025, including the outcomes of the 17th summit in Rio de Janeiro (July 6 - 7) were highly appreciated. The ministers have reaffirmed their intention to strengthen interaction within BRICS, including in the operation of the New Development Bank, at the United Nations and other international platforms. Mauro Vieira expressed his support to the joint activities of Moscow and Washington in establishing requisite conditions for achieving a stable settlement of the Ukraine crisis. The ministers also discussed some items on the Russian-Brazilian agenda and the schedule of contacts until the end of 2025. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Canada and Finland joint statement on foreign and security policy strategic partnership Global Affairs Canada Statement August 19, 2025 - Helsinki, Finland - Global Affairs Canada Canada and Finland today issued the following statement: "Recognizing their long history of friendship, like-mindedness, and close bilateral cooperation, Canada and Finland are establishing a foreign and security policy strategic partnership that reflects their mutual priorities and the evolving geopolitical landscape. "This deepening partnership between Canada and Finland is anchored in common democratic values, shared interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic regions, and a firm commitment to transatlantic security, the rules-based international order, multilateral cooperation, international law, democracy, human rights, climate goals, and open and free trade. "Building on the momentum of the 2022 Joint Statement on Bilateral Cooperation and on Canada's commitment in its 2024 Arctic Foreign Policy to enhance cooperation with Finland as a close Nordic ally, Canada and Finland are advancing their collaboration in foreign and security policy. In response to the shifting geopolitical, security, and economic environment, both countries are enhancing their foreign and security policy dialogue at both political and working levels, with regular consultations and high-level engagement remaining central to this effort. "Canada and Finland, as close NATO Allies, are firmly committed to deepening cooperation within the Alliance. Strengthening NATO's collective deterrence and defence remains a shared and unwavering priority. Canada's ongoing leadership in NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia plays a vital role in promoting a safer and more secure Baltic Sea Region. "Finland and Canada remain committed to ensuring Arctic and Northern perspectives are considered in NATO activities, where relevant. Both countries are also advancing dialogue within the Arctic Seven (A7), viewing it as a valuable platform for promoting these priorities within NATO. Canada and Finland are also working together to strengthen NATO's approach to security and operations by advancing cross-cutting priorities, including Women, Peace and Security and climate security. "To better address shared security challenges, Canada and Finland will intensify bilateral cooperation and dialogue across the full spectrum of security and defence issues. This includes a strong focus on comprehensive security, Arctic security; maritime security, particularly addressing risks posed by Russia's shadow fleet; hybrid threats; and cyber challenges. Both countries are committed to building a shared understanding of common threats and to working closely together to address evolving security challenges in a coordinated and forward-looking manner. "The Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA)and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union and its Member States, as well as the Security and Defence Partnership between the European Union and Canada, provide an important and robust framework that underpins and enhances the bilateral relationship between Canada and Finland. "Finland and Canada recognize that the transatlantic relationship is a cornerstone of their collective security and reaffirm their commitment to deepening collaboration in order to further strengthen this vital bond. Both countries continue to promote closer relations and enhanced cooperation between the European Union and Canada, with Canada recognized as a steadfast and strategic partner for the European Union. Canada and Finland are prioritizing the effective implementation of key joint initiatives, including the Security and Defence Partnership, the European Union-Canada Green Alliance, the European Union-Canada Economic Security Dialogue, the Canada-European Union Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials, and the European Union-Canada Digital Partnership. "Canada and Finland are committed to fully leveraging the potential of CETA. Both countries also commit to raising awareness of the positive impacts and opportunities that CETA continues to deliver for both countries, while also highlighting its potential to further deepen bilateral economic relations. "Canada and Finland strongly condemn Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a serious violation of international law, including the UN Charter. Both countries reaffirm their unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and are committed to deepening cooperation in support to Ukraine. Both countries emphasize the importance of sustained and close cooperation between the European Union and Canada, including through the G7 framework, on sanctions policy, including the sharing of expertise, implementation, and efforts to counter sanctions evasion and circumvention. "Canada and Finland are committed to ensuring comprehensive, long-term international support for Ukraine's reconstruction. Both countries actively support Ukraine's urgent efforts to replace damaged energy infrastructure and its longer-term reconstruction of the energy sector, including to promote safe, secure nuclear operations in Ukraine through the International Atomic Energy Agency. Finland continues to support and participate in the international coalition led by Canada and Ukraine for the Return of Ukrainian Children. Canada and Finland also remain committed to close cooperation in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. "Canada and Finland are actively intensifying their cooperation and exchange of information on the G7 agenda, reflecting their strong alignment on key priorities. Both countries are committed to building on this alignment to advance shared goals. Canada and Finland underscore the importance of the Shadow Fleet Task Force and commit to working together to enhance monitoring and detection and to otherwise constrain the use of shadow fleets engaged in illegal, unsafe, or environmentally perilous activities, building on and reinforcing the efforts of others active in this area. "Building on their strong expertise, shared interests, deep connections, and long-standing cooperation on Arctic issues, Canada and Finland reaffirm their commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, and stable Arctic. Both countries will actively work to maintain and enhance situational awareness to strengthen Arctic security. "Canada and Finland are firmly committed to the concrete implementation of the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) announced in July 2024 and are actively working together with the United States on the production of Arctic and polar icebreakers and other related capabilities. This trilateral initiative is a shared priority and landmark effort aimed at advancing Arctic and polar icebreaker development by combining collective knowledge, resources, and expertise. It also deepens our long-standing maritime industrial cooperation and contributes to bolstering Arctic security in the long term. "Canada, as highlighted in its 2024 Arctic Foreign Policy, and Finland continue to underscore the central role of the Arctic Council as the pre-eminent forum for Arctic governance and cooperation on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection. Additionally, both countries remain firmly committed to advancing the rights and well-being of Arctic Indigenous Peoples and northern communities and are actively working to ensure that Arctic voices and perspectives are reflected in all relevant regional and international efforts. "Canada and Finland are deeply concerned over the dramatic impact that climate change continues to have on the Arctic and beyond. Both countries are actively collaborating on climate and environmental initiatives to better understand, mitigate, and adapt to the implications of a rapidly changing Arctic and North. Recognizing the significance of our countries' respective commitments to net-zero and carbon neutrality, and given pressing energy security challenges, Canada and Finland affirm their shared interest in improved trade and investment in clean technologies. "Canada and Finland reaffirm their strong and ongoing commitment to upholding the international rules-based order with the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at its core. Both countries are actively exploring opportunities for joint action to strengthen democracy and the rule of law, and are working jointly in international fora, including related to the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, to address threats to international security and human rights. Finland continues to support Canada's Initiative Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations, reinforcing their shared dedication to advancing international justice and accountability. "Canada and Finland are elevating economic security as a key area of bilateral cooperation and will integrate it as a new focus area in their ongoing bilateral dialogues. Both countries remain firmly committed to upholding and strengthening the rules-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core. Canada and Finland are actively working to facilitate trade and investment between their economies and intend to continue to work together to advance meaningful WTO reform. "Canada and Finland continue to strengthen their bilateral trade and investment relationship, which has seen positive momentum under CETA. Both countries are committed to expanding collaboration in strategic sectors of mutual interest, including forestry and the bioeconomy, the maritime industry, sustainable mining, critical minerals and clean fuels, and advanced technologies such as AI for defence and dual-use applications. Building on successful past cooperation, Finland will further strengthen its economic cooperation with Canadian provinces and territories by developing new partnerships. "To capitalize on the strong interest in science and research institutions in both countries, Canada and Finland will intensify cooperation in science and research diplomacy, including responsible science and Arctic science and research. Both countries will work together to advance funding opportunities, including through NordForsk and Horizon Europe funding programmes. "Canada and Finland continue to emphasize the importance of people-to-people contacts as a foundation of their bilateral relationship. In this spirit, both countries are actively promoting the implementation of the Youth Mobility Agreement between Canada and Finland, which entered into force in March 2024. This agreement serves as a key mechanism for enhancing exchanges between Finnish and Canadian citizens. "Canada and Finland are committed to elevating their bilateral relationship to a more ambitious and strategic level. Both countries are actively implementing concrete initiatives to support the implementation of this Strategic Partnership. Guided by a shared vision, Canada and Finland intend to expand the scope of this partnership to include a broader range of cooperative activities in the future." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese tiltrotor aircraft draws foreign media attention amid test flight speculation Global Times By Liu Xuanzun and Liang Rui Published: Aug 19, 2025 06:08 PM A Chinese tiltrotor aircraft, previously displayed as a model at exhibitions, has once again attracted foreign media attention amid test flight speculations. Chinese expert said on Tuesday that a tiltrotor aircraft can vertically take off and land like a helicopter but has much faster speed, providing greater flexibility and mission efficiency. Citing undated photos published this week, news website Defence Blog reported on Monday that China has flown the first prototype of a tiltrotor aircraft being developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). A model of the aircraft was first displayed at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2022, and the prototype's recent flight confirms that the program has advanced from design studies into practical testing, according to the Defence Blog. The Chinese side has not announced the alleged test flight as of press time, but the aircraft was indeed shown to the public in previous exhibitions. A model of the aircraft was also displayed at AVIC's booth at AERO Asia 2023, held in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province in November 2023, the military channel of China Central Television (CCTV) reported at the time. The appearance of the Chinese aircraft bears some resemblance to the V-280 Valor, which the US Army has chosen to become its long-range assault aircraft, CCTV reporter said. The reporter also noted that the aircraft seemed not to be a particularly large one, with a takeoff weight of less than 10 tons. The rotor-tilting on the Chinese design is achieved through a transmission mechanism that shifts only the rotor between the horizontal and vertical placements, not the entire nacelle, CCTV report noted, adding that this design enhances flight safety. US news outlet the War Zone also noted this. Instead of the whole nacelle rotating, only the front portion pivots. This solution reportedly reduces complexity, increases reliability, and improves performance compared with earlier tiltrotor concepts where the whole nacelle rotates, like on the US-made V-22 Osprey, the report said. The tiltrotor's configuration highlights Beijing's ambition to expand rapid transport and assault options for the People's Liberation Army (PLA), claimed another media outlet, Interesting Engineering. The CCTV report noted that at AERO Asia 2023, the Chinese aircraft was labeled for civilian use. The tiltrotor aircraft retains the helicopter's ability to take off and land vertically while achieving a significant improvement in range, payload capacity, altitude, and speed. These characteristics make it particularly well-suited for roles such as emergency rescue, CCTV said. Fu Qianshao, a Chinese aviation expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the transport efficiency of a tiltrotor aircraft is about three times that of a helicopter. While the highest speed of a conventional helicopter can barely reach 300 kilometers an hour, a tiltrotor aircraft could reach more than 600 kilometers an hour. It combines the advantages of a helicopter and fixed wing aircraft. Based on the model displayed at exhibitions, Fu said that this tiltrotor uses a design that is technologically superior to the US' V-22, providing more reliability. He said he looks forward to further development of the aircraft. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Defense Minister Meets Permanent Secretary of Singaporean Defense Ministry in Beijing Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China Source China Military Online EditorLin Congyi 2025-08-19 17:52:54 BEIJING, Aug. 19 -- Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun met with the Permanent Secretary of Singaporean Defense Ministry Chan Heng Kee in Beijing on Tuesday. Admiral Dong Jun said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore 35 years ago, the traditional friendship between the two countries has witnessed continuously consolidation and fruitful cooperation results. The new situation endows China-Singapore friendship with new connotations and new space for cooperation. The defense departments of the two countries should implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, maintain regular exchanges at all levels and in all fields, and contribute to opening up new development prospects for bilateral relations. China is willing to work with Singapore to implement the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity and the Three Global Initiatives , strengthen coordination and cooperation on regional and multilateral platforms, firmly support each other's core interests and major concerns, and jointly maintain international and regional peace and stability. Chan Heng Kee said that Singapore and China share all-around friendly relationship and the defense cooperation is an important pillar of bilateral relationship. Singapore is firmly committed to enhancing defense cooperation with China and is willing to continuously maintain close high-level exchanges with China, and expand and deepen joint exercises and training, communication between military academies, as well as multilateral cooperation, so as to promote the mil-to-mil relations between the two countries to achieve greater development. The Singaporean side adheres to the one-China principle. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hong Kong activists granted asylum in U.K., Australia Activist Tony Chung and ex-lawmaker Ted Hui were both prosecuted under Hong Kong's national security law. By RFA staff 2025.08.19 -- Two Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates have announced that they have been granted asylum: former lawmaker Ted Hui in Australia and activist Tony Chung in the U.K. Both men were convicted of violating Hong Kong's restrictive national security law, which has quashed dissent after being imposed by Beijing in 2020 in the wake of massive pro-democracy protests. They are among dozens of activists who have fled Hong Kong authorities. Hui, a former member of the Legislative Council who left Hong Kong while he was out on bail in 2020, was tried in absentia and given a nearly four-year jail term in 2022. He told RFA at the time that his trial was "a political trial, which was entirely predictable and unsurprising. The real culprits are the tyrannical regime, not those who protest against it." Since Hui's conviction, Hong Kong officials have questioned his relatives, placed a HK$1 million ($128,211 USD) bounty on his capture, and, earlier this year, seized his assets. Chung, who as a teenage secondary school student convened a group that advocated for Hong Kong's independence from China, was also sentenced to a nearly four-year term. He was released early for good behavior. In an interview with RFA after he fled to Britain in 2023, Chung said that after his release, national security police tried to hire him as an informant, and would seek him out for a meeting every two to four weeks, driving him in an SUV with drawn curtains to be interrogated in an unknown location. "They wanted me to confess, and prove to them that I had nothing to hide and that I wasn't engaging in any further secessionist activities," he said. Chung has also been put on a wanted list, and anonymous letters touting the HK$1 million reward for his capture were sent to his U.K. neighbors earlier this year. Hong Kong's government did not comment directly on the cases, but a spokesperson said Saturday that "any country that harbors Hong Kong criminals in any form shows contempt for the rule of law, grossly disrespects Hong Kong's legal systems and barbarically interferes in the affairs of Hong Kong." Includes reporting from Agence France-Presse. 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 August not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China to Resume Fertilizer, Rare Earths Exports to India: Govt Source Sputnik News 20250819 China is ready to resume shipments of fertilizers, rare-earth metals, and tunnel-boring machines to India, an Indian government source told reporters in New Delhi. On Monday, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi to discussed global and regional issues. Wang assured his Indian counterpart that China would restart these critical supplies as the two countries move toward normalizing relations, the source said after the talks. Jaishankar raised the supply of urea, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as diammonium phosphate, rare earth metals and tunnel-boring machines in a conversation with Wang during his visit to China in July. In 2023, nearly half of China's fertilizer exports went to India, but China suspended exports to all countries in 2024. Beijing eased the ban in June but maintains restrictions on India. According to the Fertilizer Association of India, India's imports of urea from China fell to about 100,000 tonnes in fiscal year 2024-2025, compared with 1.87 million tonnes a year earlier. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ex-lawmaker's son sentenced for selling fuel to North Korea ROC Central News Agency 08/19/2025 08:58 PM Kaohsiung, Aug. 19 (CNA) The son of a former Democratic Progressive Party legislator has been sentenced to 28 months in prison for selling thousands of tons of fuel to North Korea in collaboration with a Singaporean businessman wanted by the United States. According to the Kaohsiung District Court on Tuesday, Huang Chung-wei (), son of former lawmaker Huang Jen-shu (), and five others were convicted of violating the Counter-Terrorism Financing Act and related offenses. They received prison terms ranging from seven to 28 months, the court said. The verdict can be appealed. The court found that Huang, motivated by personal gain, twice supplied fuel in 2019 to North Korean vessels blacklisted under United Nations sanctions in a partnership with Kwek Kee Seng, a Singaporean businessman on a U.S. wanted list. Huang and Kwek allegedly purchased oil tankers, loaded them with thousands of tons of fuel in Taiwan, and transferred the fuel to North Korean companies at sea. U.S. intelligence later tracked the shipments via satellite and provided the evidence to Kaohsiung prosecutors, leading to the indictments. (By Chang Yi-lien and Lee Hsin-Yin) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese National Sentenced for Acting at North Korea's Direction to Export Firearms, Ammo, Tech to N. Korea Tuesday, August 19, 2025 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs An illegal alien from China was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for illegally exporting firearms, ammunition, and other military items to North Korea by concealing them inside shipping containers that departed from the Port of Long Beach, and for committing this crime at the direction of North Korean government officials, who wired him approximately $2 million for his efforts. Shenghua Wen, 42, of Ontario, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen V. Wilson for the Central District of California Wen, who has been in federal custody since December 2024, pleaded guilty on June 9 to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. Wen is a citizen of the People's Republic of China who entered the United States in 2012 on a student visa and remained in the U.S. illegally after his student visa expired in December 2013. Prior to entering the United States, Wen met with officials from North Korea's government at a North Korean embassy in China. These government officials directed Wen to procure goods on behalf of North Korea. In 2022, two North Korean government officials contacted Wen through an online messaging platform and instructed him to buy and smuggle firearms and other goods including sensitive technology from the United States to North Korea via China. In 2023, at the direction of North Korean government officials, Wen shipped at least three containers of firearms out of the Port of Long Beach to China en route to their ultimate destination in North Korea. Wen took steps to conceal that he was illegally shipping firearms to North Korea by, among other things, filing false export information regarding the contents of the containers. In May 2023, Wen purchased a firearms business in Houston, paid for with money sent through intermediaries by one of Wen's North Korean contacts. Wen purchased many of the firearms he sent to North Korea in Texas and drove the firearms from Texas to California, where he arranged for them to be shipped. In December 2023, one of Wen's weapons shipments which falsely reported to U.S. officials that it contained a refrigerator left the Port of Long Beach and arrived in Hong Kong in January 2024. This weapons shipment was later transported from Hong Kong to Nampo, North Korea. In September 2024, Wen once again acting at the direction of North Korean officials bought approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that he intended to ship to North Korea. In furtherance of the conspiracy and at the direction of North Korean officials, Wen also obtained sensitive technology that he intended to send to North Korea. This technology included a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects known, unknown, illegal, disruptive or interfering transmissions. Wen also acquired or offered to acquire a civilian airplane engine and a thermal imaging system that could be mounted on a drone, helicopter, or other aircraft, and could be used for reconnaissance and target identification. During the scheme, North Korean officials wired approximately $2 million to Wen to procure firearms and other goods for their government. Wen admitted in his plea agreement that at all relevant times he knew that it was illegal to ship firearms, ammunition, and sensitive technology to North Korea. He also admitted to never having the required licenses to export ammunition, firearms, and the above-described devices to North Korea. He further admitted to acting at the direction of North Korean government officials and that he had not provided notification to the Attorney General of the United States that he was acting in the United States at the direction and control of North Korea as required by law. The FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; DCIS; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security investigated this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Gerdes for the Central District of California's Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. Topic: National Security Components: National Security Division (NSD) USAO - California, Central Press Release Number: 25-861 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea's leader calls for rapid nuclear buildup amid US-South Korea war games Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 8:07 AM North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for the rapid expansion of his country's nuclear armament amid "obvious" provocations of war by the US-South Korea military exercises. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as making the call during his visit to a navy destroyer on Monday after the United States and its regional ally South Korea kicked off joint military drills this week, including testing an upgraded response to alleged heightened North Korean nuclear threats. "The US-ROK intensified military nexus and the muscle-flexing are the most obvious manifestation of their will to ignite a war," Kim said in reference to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea (ROK), stressing that their recent joint drills involved a "nuclear element." "The prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearization," he added. The United States and South Korea on Monday began annual joint exercises aimed at what they claimed to be preparation for potential threats from nuclear-armed North Korea. The 11-day annual exercises, called Ulchi Freedom Shield, include "several large-scale, live-fire training events," a US army statement said, claiming that the drills are a "defense-oriented exercise." According to the statement, the annual exercise aims to enhance the combined, joint, all-domain, and interagency operating environment, thereby strengthening the alliance's response capabilities. Pyongyang regularly criticizes such drills as rehearsals for invasion and sometimes responds with weapons tests, but Seoul and Washington claim they are "purely defensive." South Korean President Lee Jae Myung vowed on Friday to "respect" North Korea's political system and build "military trust," a day after Pyongyang said it had "no interest" in improving relations with Seoul. Lee has pledged to pursue dialogue with the North without preconditions since his election in June, but Pyongyang says South Korea's ongoing military ties with Washington have made any efforts at rapprochement pointless. The North Korean leader's sister, Kim Yo Jong, rejected last month the prospect of dialogue with South Korea, criticizing Seoul's "blind trust" in its alliance with the United States. She also denied reports that North Korea was removing loudspeakers near the country's border. In October, North Korea revised its constitution to declare the South a "hostile state" after Kim called for the rejection of the long-held official goal of reunification. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's telephone conversation with Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty 19 August 2025 17:57 1343-19-08-2025 On August 19, at the initiative of the Egyptian side, a telephone conversation was conducted between the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates of the Arab Republic of Egypt Badr Abdelatty. The ministers engaged in a comprehensive exchange of views on pressing Middle Eastern issues, with particular emphasis on the situation in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. They underscored the urgent need for a cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and for ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access to the Palestinian enclave. The sides exchanged views on the situation concerning the Iranian nuclear programme and ongoing regional conflicts on the African continent. In the context of discussions over the Ukrainian crisis, Sergey Lavrov apprised his Egyptian counterpart of the key outcomes of the Russia-US summit in Alaska. Prospects for further bilateral collaboration were also scrutinised, including the enhancement of foreign policy coordination and priority objectives for expanding business cooperation between Russia and Egypt. The foreign ministers devoted special attention to preparations for the first Russia-Arab Summit in Moscow on October 15 of this year, as well as the second Russia-Africa Ministerial Conference in Cairo on November 18-19. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls-on PM Narendra Modi India - Ministry of External Affairs August 19, 2025 Today, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi received Mr Wang Yi, Member of the Politburo of the Communist Party and Foreign Minister of China. 2. Mr. Wang Yi handed over message and invitation from President Xi to Prime Minister for the SCO Summit being held in Tianjin. He also shared his positive assessment of bilateral meeting with EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar and 24th Meeting of the Special Representatives, which he co-chaired with NSA Shri Ajit Doval during his visit. 3. Prime Minister emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border, and reiterated India's commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question. 4. Prime Minister welcomed the steady and positive progress in bilateral ties since his meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, guided by mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, including the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. 5. Prime Minister thanked President Xi for the invitation to the SCO Summit and conveyed his acceptance. He expressed support for China's Presidency of the SCO Summit and said that he looked forward to meeting President Xi in Tianjin. PM underlined that stable, predictable, and constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional and global peace and prosperity. New Delhi August 19, 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Wang Yi Holds Talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: August 19, 2025 18:24 On August 18, 2025 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi. Wang Yi stated that in today's world, unprecedented changes are unfolding at a faster pace, unilateralism and bullying acts are rampant, and free trade and the international order face severe challenges. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, humanity has reached a critical crossroads in determining the direction of the future. As the two largest developing countries with a combined population of more than 2.8 billion, China and India should demonstrate a sense of global responsibility, act as major countries, set an example for developing countries in pursuit of strength through unity, and contribute to advancing a multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations. Wang Yi said that the successful meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan has provided guidance for the resumption and a new start for China-India relations. Both sides have been earnestly implementing the common understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, gradually resuming exchanges and dialogues at various levels, maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas, and enabling Indian pilgrims to resume their pilgrimages to the sacred mountains and lakes in China's Xizang. China-India relations are showing a positive trend toward returning to the main course of cooperation. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. Both sides should earnestly draw lessons from the past 75 years, form a correct strategic perception, view each other as partners and opportunities rather than rivals or threats, invest their valuable resources in development and revitalization, and explore right ways for neighboring major countries to get along with each other, which are characterized by mutual respect and trust, peaceful coexistence, pursuit of common development, and win-win cooperation. Wang Yi emphasized that China is ready to uphold the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the vision of a shared future, and work with neighboring countries, including India, to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home. China and India should remain confident, move in the same direction, avoid disruptions, expand cooperation, and consolidate the improvement momentum of bilateral relations, so that revitalization processes of the two great eastern civilizations can reinforce each other and achieve mutual success, providing the most needed certainty and stability for Asia and the world at large. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that under the joint guidance of leaders of both countries, India-China relations have moved from the bottom and are continuously improving and developing, with exchanges and cooperation between the two sides across various fields moving toward normalization. He expressed gratitude to China for facilitating Indian pilgrims' visits to the sacred mountains and lakes in China's Xizang. It is crucial for India and China to improve their strategic perceptions of each other. As the two largest developing countries, both India and China uphold multilateralism and are committed to promoting a fair and balanced multi-polar world. The two countries should also jointly maintain the stability of the world economy. Stable, cooperative, and forward-looking India-China relations serve the interests of both countries. Taiwan is part of China. India is willing to take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to deepen political mutual trust with China, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, trade and other fields, enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in border areas. India fully supports China in hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Tianjin Summit and is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in BRICS and other multilateral mechanisms. Both sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common interest and concern. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Araghchi meets his Armenian counterpart in Yerevan IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 19, 2025 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met and held talks with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Yerevan on Tuesday on the sidelines of President Pezeshkian's visit to Armenia. During the meeting, the two top Iranian and Armenian foreign ministers exchanged their views on bilateral ties, and issues of the mutual interest. The two foreign ministers pointed to the historical and strategic relations between the two countries, emphasizing the importance of developing a comprehensive strategic partnership document between Tehran and Yerevan and expanding interactions in the political, economic, and cultural fields. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged their views on regional and international issues, stressing the importance of strengthening joint cooperation in the fields of transportation, trade, and cultural relations. Pezeshkian was formally welcomed in Yerevan at the presidential palace on Tuesday by Pashinyan earlier today. The welcoming ceremony began with the national anthems of both countries, followed by the introduction of delegations. After the protocol, Pezeshkian and Pashinyan began bilateral talks. Pezeshkian arrived in Armenia on Monday at the head of a high-level delegation, marking the first stop of an official trip that will also take him to Belarus. His visit includes meetings with Armenia's leadership, Iranian expatriates, and economic representatives, along with the signing of documents to expand cooperation. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran, China and Russia insist on the expiry of Resolution 2231 on time: Deputy foreign minister IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 19, 2025 The Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs says that Iran, Russia, and China believe that Resolution 2231 should expire on its due date, and that the three European countries do not have the legal right to snap back. Kazem Gharibabadi held consultative meetings with diplomats from China and Russia regarding the snapback mechanism in the 2015 nuclear deal. Gharibabadi said in a post on his X account on Tuesday that he had met and consulted with senior Russian and Chinese diplomats in Tehran on the issue of "snapback". "In a meeting with the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China and the Charge d'affaires of the Russian Federation, we discussed and exchanged views on joint measures to counter the destructive approach of the three European governments towards UN Security Council Resolution 2231," Gharibabadi said. "All three countries believe that Resolution 2231 should be terminated on its due date and that these countries do not have the legal right to trigger the snapback and are opposed to returning Security Council resolutions," he added. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran says Armenia gave assurances on transit, security in high-level talks IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 19, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says Armenia has provided detailed explanations and assurances regarding regional transit routes, as well as a recent trilateral meeting in Washington between the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States. Immediately after a meeting between President Masoud Pezeshkian and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan on Tuesday, Araqchi told Iran's state television that the negotiations were "serious" and covered both economic and cultural cooperation. He said Yerevan had assured Tehran it recognized Iran's red lines and would not allow its territory to be used against the Islamic Republic. The foreign minister added that the two countries had agreed to finalize a comprehensive long-term strategic partnership document. During their meeting, Prime Minister Pashinyan told President Pezeshkian that a planned corridor linking Azerbaijan with its exclave will be under Armenian control. The land corridor is part of a deal signed earlier this month in Washington between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 9341**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran, Armenia agree to expand cross-border trade, energy exchanges Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 7:46 PM Iran and Armenia have agreed to significantly expand their cross-border trade and energy exchanges more than a week after the United States secured a contract to set up a transport corridor passing through the Armenian territory near the border with Iran. Iran's transport minister Farzaneh Sadegh said on Tuesday that Iran and Armenia had agreed to widen an existing bridge and launch a second one on their border to increase the volume of goods transited through the two countries between Europe and the Persian Gulf. Sadegh said the agreement had been reached during Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Yerevan. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed the launch of construction works for the bridge on the Meghri-Nordooz border crossing. "Considering the growing traffic between our countries, we have reached an agreement to build a second bridge on the Armenian-Iranian border," Pashinyan said in a press briefing with Pezeshkian. Sadegh said a second cross-border bridge between Iran and Armenia would increase the movement of cargo trucks between the two countries. She said that agreements were also reached to reduce the rates imposed on cross-border trucking for Iranian drivers passing through Armenia. The agreements were part of 10 memoranda of understanding signed on the sidelines of Pezeshkian's meeting with Pashinyan. They came 10 days after Pashinyan agreed to the outlines of a peace deal with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in a meeting in Washington. The agreement, signed in the presence of US President Donald Trump, also granted US companies the rights to build a planned transport corridor connecting Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan via the Armenian territory. Some Iranian officials have expressed concern bout the presence of US companies in the Armenian territory bordering Iran, while also warning that the corridor might block Iran's access to Russia and Europe. Another key agreement reached during Pezeshkian's visit to Yerevan involved a plan by Armenia to double its electricity exports to Iran. Armenia's Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures, Davit Khudatyan, said that building a third line for the transmission of electricity from his country to Iran would soon be finished. "I hope we will swiftly be able to export extra, big volumes (of electricity) to Iran," Khudatyan said NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Explainer: How MGT-75 marks Iran's entry into elite club of F-class gas turbines Iran Press TV Tuesday, 19 August 2025 12:21 PM By Ivan Kesic Iran has unveiled its first indigenously developed MGT-75 class-F gas turbine, a remarkable technological achievement engineered by MAPNA Group, an Iranian conglomerate working in the areas of power, oil and gas, and railroad projects. The turbine boasts world-class efficiency, innovative hydrogen-capable combustion, and stands as a testament to Iran's self-reliant industrial prowess, positioning the country as a major competitor in the global energy arena. On Monday, Iran's Minister of Energy, Abbas Aliabadi, addressed a gathering of industry leaders and government officials to inaugurate a new era in the nation's energy independence. With great pride, he introduced the MGT-75 as Iran's first domestically designed and manufactured F-class gas turbine. Aliabadi praised the turbine as an "engineering masterpiece" and "an honor for Iranian engineers," highlighting that this milestone is the result of efforts put in by young engineers, who have proven their ability to develop technology that meets the highest international standards. He declared that the implementation of the MGT-75 project marks a major leap forward in the development and modernization of Iran's power plant industry, which would benefit everyone. He also highlighted its critical timing, noting that as the world undergoes the third and fourth industrial revolutions and enters an age of intelligence, electricity demand is set to surge dramatically. In this evolving landscape, he asserted, relying on traditional methods would only exacerbate challenges, making it imperative to embrace innovation and modern solutions to build a sustainable future for the next generation. The minister issued a directive to MAPNA Group, urging it to rise to a global level and actively enter international markets, a goal he described as essential to enhancing the nation's technological stature. What did MAPNA officials say? Echoing the minister's visionary statements, Mohammad Owliya, CEO of MAPNA Group, detailed the broader technological ecosystem being developed alongside the landmark turbine. Adding a layer of technical gravitas, Abbas Fakhr Tabatabaei, product development manager at MAPNA's Turbine Engineering and Manufacturing Company (TUGA), provided a detailed overview of the MGT-75's capabilities. He positioned the turbine at the technological frontier, classifying its performance at the border between F and the even more advanced H-class. Fakhr Tabatabaei revealed that this engineering marvel is the product of an immense effort, totaling over 500,000 man-hours of precise engineering work, a testament to the high-level expertise cultivated within MAPNA's subsidiaries, TUGA and Parto. Homayoun Haeri, Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, offered closing remarks, lauding MAPNA's evolution from a producer to an owner of indigenous technology. He affirmed that the group is now recognized as an important and productive brand in five to six technologically advanced nations and praised its dual role in driving both the economic and strategic objectives of the country's electricity industry, solidifying its place as a foundational pillar of Iran's energy security and technological prowess. What is an F-class gas turbine? F-class gas turbines represent a key category of high-efficiency, heavy-duty industrial gas turbines, primarily used for large-scale power generation. These machines are characterized by advanced engineering, typically delivering 150-250 megawatts in simple-cycle operation with thermal efficiencies ranging from 38 percent to 40 percent. When integrated into combined-cycle systems, where exhaust heat is used to generate additional steam power, output can exceed 350 megawatts, with overall efficiencies surpassing 58 percent. The main technological features include: Sophisticated air-cooling systems for turbine blades. Advanced combustion chambers designed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. High-temperature alloys and single-crystal components capable of withstanding extreme operational conditions. F-class turbines also offer fuel flexibility, operating on natural gas, light distillates, or hydrogen blends, supporting modern decarbonization strategies. First introduced in the 1990s by manufacturers such as General Electric and Siemens, F-class turbines marked a significant advancement over earlier E-class models. Today, they remain a global benchmark for reliable, high-output power generation across both base-load and flexible grid-support applications. What gas turbines are used in Iran? Gas turbines are systematically classified into categories such as E, F, and H, along with newer designations like G, H-A, and H-L introduced by various manufacturers to reflect progressive technological tiers. These classifications are based on key performance metrics - reliability, operational efficiency, and power output - which are driven by advancements in aerodynamic design, sophisticated cooling systems, high-performance materials, precision manufacturing, digital process controls, and enhanced operational flexibility. Iran's total installed power generation capacity reached approximately 92,000 megawatts by 2024, comprising a diverse mix of renewable energy sources, combined-cycle systems, and conventional gas and steam plants. Within this infrastructure, gas turbines play a dominant role, contributing nearly half of the total capacity and serving as a cornerstone of the national energy supply. Despite their significant share, most of Iran's gas turbines rely on outdated E-class or older technologies, which operate at considerably lower efficiency levels compared to modern alternatives. Currently, advanced-class turbines account for only five percent of the grid's total nominal capacity. Of Iran's 50,000 megawatts of gas turbine capacity, just 5,000 megawatts utilize relatively newer F-class technology. To address this gap, MAPNA Group has been actively pursuing the commercialization and market deployment of its new indigenous F-class turbine. Doubling the installed capacity of F-class turbines from 5,000 to 10,000 megawatts over the next five years would significantly enhance the country's energy balance and reduce fuel consumption. Operating these new units in simple-cycle mode could save nearly one billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. When integrated into combined-cycle configurations, savings could reach nearly four billion cubic meters. These conservation efforts would yield substantial economic benefits through reduced energy costs, while also delivering meaningful environmental gains by lowering greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating ecological impact. What is the MGT-75 gas turbine? Iran's energy sector has achieved a landmark breakthrough with the development and unveiling of the MGT-75, the country's first fully indigenous F-class gas turbine. This advanced turbine delivers 222 megawatts in simple-cycle operation and up to 330 megawatts in combined-cycle configuration, where it reaches an impressive thermal efficiency exceeding 59 percent. Engineered to meet domestic energy demands and compete globally, the MGT-75 is tailored to Iran's unique climatic conditions and diverse fuel resources. Its ability to operate on natural gas, diesel, and hydrogen blends places it at the forefront of the global transition toward sustainable energy solutions. The turbine marks a dramatic leap in efficiency, tripling the performance of Iran's older generation units and significantly reducing carbon emissions. Each one percent gain in efficiency translates to an estimated 2.5 percent reduction in CO output. Abbas Fakhr Tabatabaei, director of the F-Class Turbine Development Project, emphasized that this achievement reflects the exceptional skill and determination of Iranian engineers in mastering advanced technologies despite external constraints. He noted that the MGT-75's world-class performance is driven by cutting-edge innovations, including a 3D axial compressor, single-crystal and directionally solidified blades, an advanced cooling system, and modern thermal coatings. The comprehensive upgrade in design and manufacturing was accomplished entirely within Iran, encompassing advancements in software, hardware, and specialized production facilities. These capabilities now position MAPNA to extend its expertise into other strategic sectors, such as oil field turbine development. The MGT-75 integrates state-of-the-art features, including sophisticated aerodynamics, advanced materials, and an IoT-based monitoring platform known as "MAPNA Mind," which enables real-time performance tracking and predictive maintenance to ensure reliability and efficiency. This achievement builds on MAPNA's successful upgrade of E-class turbines in 2017 and reflects years of intensive research and development by a team of 1,500 engineers, underscoring the company's strategic commitment to technological independence and innovation. What is the significance of this turbine? The full-scale production of advanced F-class gas turbines is concentrated within a select group of seven technologically advanced nations, now including Iran. The United States, Germany, and Japan have long led the field, represented by industrial giants General Electric, Siemens Energy, and Mitsubishi Power, respectively. Italy's Ansaldo Energia also holds a prominent position as an established manufacturer of this high-end technology. In recent years, China has joined this elite group through major state-owned enterprises such as Dongfang Electric. Russia, via Power Machines, has achieved independent production as well, though primarily for domestic use. With approximately 15 F-class turbines already operational across Iran and more on the way, MAPNA has built a robust local supply chain for strategic components and possesses full in-country capabilities for maintenance, repair, and overhaul. This self-sufficiency not only strengthens Iran's energy infrastructure but also opens the door to exporting advanced engineering services and turbine components to regional markets, generating valuable foreign currency and supporting rising energy demands abroad. Looking ahead, the MGT-75 is set to play a transformative role in modernizing Iran's power generation fleet. It will enhance grid stability, reduce environmental impact, and advance the country's broader goals for industrial self-reliance. MAPNA's pioneering achievements reflect Iran's growing strength in high-tech manufacturing and lay the groundwork for continued innovation and leadership in the global energy sector. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Courtesy Call on Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa by Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix., Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, the United Nations Ministry of Foregn Affairs of Japan August 19, 2025 On August 19, commencing at 10:35 a.m. for approximately 25 minutes, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Chief Cabinet Secretary, received a courtesy call from Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, the United Nations, who is visiting Japan. The overview is as follows. At the outset, Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI stated that since the enactment of the International Peace Cooperation Act, Japan has striven to play a proactive role in international peace dispatching units and personnel to UN Peacekeeping missions and stated that Japan will continue to contribute Peacekeeping missions through the dispatch of staff officers. In response, Mr. Lacroix expressed his appreciation for Japan's significant support and contributions to UN Peacekeeping operations. The two sides also exchanged opinions on the future of UN Peacekeeping operations in light of changing times and confirmed that they would continue the cooperation between Japan and the United Nations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The First Japan-Brazil Foreign Affairs and Defense Dialogue Ministry of Foregn Affairs of Japan August 19, 2025 On August 18, the first Japan-Brazil Foreign Affairs and Defense Dialogue was held in Brasilia, the capital of the Federative Republic of Brazil. At this dialogue, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense KOBAYASHI Kazuo delivered opening remarks. From the Japanese side, Mr. NOGUCHI Yasushi, Director-General of the Latin American and Caribbean Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. TERADA Hiroyuki, Director, Indo-Pacific Cooperation Planning Office, Defense Policy Bureau, Ministry of Defense, and others attended. From the Brazilian side, Ambassador Carlos Marcio Bicalho Cozendey, Secretary of Multilateral Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Paulo Cesar Bittencourt Ferreira, Chief of Strategic Affairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Ministry of Defense, and others attended. This dialogue was held based on the "Strategic and Global Partnership Action Plan Japan-Brazil (2025-2030)" announced during President Lula's State Visit to Japan in March of this year. Both sides exchanged views on a wide range of matters, including the regional situation, cooperation in the international arena, and cooperation in the defense field, and confirmed that they would promote cooperation between the two countries under the "Strategic and Global Partnership." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan's Meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of the UK Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, held a productive meeting today with the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Angela Rayner, in London. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the broad-based and longstanding partnership between Pakistan and the United Kingdom. Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest. They emphasized the importance of sustained high-level engagement and expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in relations, driven by close people-to-people ties and growing collaboration across multiple domains. Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister highlighted the contributions of the British Pakistani diaspora to the UK. He underscored Pakistan's desire to build an inclusive and forward-looking partnership with the United Kingdom. He also extended an invitation to the Deputy Prime Minister Rayner to visit Islamabad at a mutually convenient time. Islamabad 19 August 2025 250/2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan and China hold consultations on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs The 10th Round of Pakistan-China Bilateral Consultations on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament was held on 18 August 2025 in Beijing. Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, Additional Secretary of the Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security Division at Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Sun Xiaobo, Director General of the Department of Arms Control at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, led their respective delegations. The two sides engaged in a comprehensive exchange of views on issues related to global and regional peace and security. They also reviewed the situation in South Asia, with particular emphasis on the challenges to security and strategic stability. The discussions covered a wide range of topics related to disarmament and non-proliferation, focusing on the agenda of the UN General Assembly First Committee, the Conference on Disarmament, and key international disarmament agreements, such as the Biological & Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The security implications of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence were also examined. Additionally, the dialogue addressed bilateral cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and outer space. During his visit, Ambassador Tahir Andrabi also participated in an interactive roundtable at the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association (CACDA). The session was attended by distinguished former diplomats, practitioners, academics, and think tank experts. The Pakistan-China Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament is a key element of the broader strategic engagement between the two countries. Pakistan views this dialogue as an essential platform for meaningful consultations on security and stability, as well as on issues related to arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation. The next round of consultations will be held in Islamabad in 2026. Beijing August 19,2025 247/2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Commentary by Aide to the President of Russia Yury Ushakov following a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and President of the United States Donald Trump August 19, 2025 01:00 Aide to the President Yury Ushakov: Colleagues, half an hour ago, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Donald Trump, at the US President's initiative. The President of Russia expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his US counterpart for the hospitality and great organisation of the summit in Alaska, as well as for the progress they were able to achieve towards bringing about a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis. The President of the United States informed his Russian counterpart about the talks he had just concluded at the White House with Vladimir Zelensky and leaders of several European countries. In the course of the telephone conversation, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump reaffirmed their commitment to continuing direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. In this connection, they discussed, among other things, the prospect of exploring opportunities for drawing higher ranking officials from both Ukraine and Russia into these direct talks. It is significant that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump agreed to keep in touch on the Ukrainian issue and other urgent international and bilateral matters. The President of Russia highlighted the importance of Donald Trump's personal efforts and commitment to finding solutions for a lasting settlement in Ukraine. The conversation was quite frank and constructive. owth of 15.3 percent in this field but raised several questions concerning the programme for relocation from dilapidated and hazardous housing. The President proposed reviewing the relevant documents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on the upcoming visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan Ayman Safadi 19 August 2025 15:00 1342-19-08-2025 On August 20, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ayman Safadi, who will be in Russia on a working visit. The agenda covers further efforts to promote and expand Russia-Jordan ties in all their aspects and in keeping with the tradition of maintaining friendly relations between the two countries. The two ministers are expected to pay special attention to practical matters dealing with trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation to make full use of the existing potential in these domains. The ministers will also exchange views on the latest international and regional developments with a focus on the need to settle conflicts and crisis situations in the Middle East by political and diplomatic means in strictly keeping with the principles set forth in the UN Charter and the resolutions of the UN Security Council. Russia views Jordan as an important partner in the Middle Eastern region. Our two countries have been working closely together within the United Nations and other international frameworks where Moscow and Amman have built a solid track record of sharing close or converging positions, and have usually supported each other's initiatives. President Vladimir Putin and King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan share long-standing relations of sincere friendship and mutual respect. Russia's and Jordan's foreign ministries have been closely coordinating their efforts. Foreign ministers Sergey Lavrov and Ayman Safadi regularly meet each other, including on the sidelines of various multilateral events, and talk to each other on the phone. On September 11, 2017, Amman hosted the signing of an Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic, special and service passports. It came into effect on January 25, 2018. During the upcoming talks in Moscow, Sergey Lavrov and Ayman Safadi are expected to sign an Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on visa-free travel for citizens of the Russian Federation and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. This document aims to enable the two countries to have even more humanitarian exchanges and promote tourism, and also expand bilateral business links. The Intergovernmental Russia-Jordan Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation plays an important role in promoting bilateral business cooperation. Its next session will be the seventh meeting in this format. It is scheduled to take place in Moscow before the end of this year. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev co-chairs the Intergovernmental Commission on the Russian side, while Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Yarub Qudah represents Jordan in this capacity. Ayman Safadi's upcoming visit will help further strengthen the multifaceted partnership between Russia and Jordan, enabling the two countries to step up their joint efforts for achieving durable peace and stability in the Middle East. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with VGTRK, Moscow, August 19, 2025 19 August 2025 14:04 1341-19-08-2025 Question: What a pity you are not wearing the sweatshirt with a USSR logo on it. Sergey Lavrov: I think that this whole story has been blown out of proportion to make it look like a sensation of some sort. But there was nothing extraordinary about this. We have so many goods around us which replicate Soviet-era symbols. I do not think that I must be ashamed of wearing them. This is part of who we are, and how we used to live, this is part of our history - the USSR was our Motherland. Today, it evolved into the Russian Federation living side by side with the former Soviet republics, our friendly neighbours. Of course, there is no getting away from clashes of interest - they do happen. This is how life is. I believe that this is a fashion trend, if you will. I saw that after the Anchorage summit, young people studying here showed off these sweatshirts. There are no imperial aspirations in this posture, as far as I can judge, nor there are attempts to revive what some call an imperial mindset. There is nothing to suggest that. The message here is that history exists, and we do have a past. It is our duty to preserve this history, including with a light touch of humour. Question: How did the Americans react when they saw you wearing this outfit? Sergey Lavrov: They took it in stride, so there were no hysterical responses of any kind. They simply said that they liked the shirt I was wearing - this is what US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. Question: How would you describe the overall atmosphere there? Sergey Lavrov: The atmosphere was quite good, actually, and it made its way into the statements by presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump following the talks. It was a useful conversation. It showed without any doubt, first that the US leader and his team are sincere in their commitment to achieving tangible results by bringing about something lasting, durable, and sustainable. This is what sets them apart from the Europeans who, at the time, shouted at every corner that they would not accept anything but a ceasefire, while continuing to supply weapons to Ukraine even after it is declared. Second, President of the United States Donald Trump and his team have developed a clear understanding of the fact that this conflict has its causes which means - this is what some presidents and prime ministers from Europe have been saying - that all the speculation alleging that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was unprovoked - all this is just baby talk. I cannot find any other way to frame this. What matters here is that they are still sticking to this narrative. Their meeting with President of the United States Donald Trump in Washington, where they summoned Vladimir Zelensky, demonstrated that they continue to demand an immediate truce. At least some of these leaders, for example Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, are still talking about the need to pressure Russia with sanctions. Not a single of these gentlemen mentioned the term human rights. Whenever they raise any foreign policy matters involving countries which do not belong to their camp, and do not fit into a neoconservative or neoliberal mould, be it Venezuela, China, Russia and even Hungary these days, as well as a host of other countries too, they invariably focus first and foremost on ensuring human rights as part of what they call a rules-based order. But if you look back from where we are today and remember what they have been saying about Ukraine for all these years, you will not find any references to human rights. But how could someone posing as champions of democratic principles fail to be appalled by a total ban on the Russian language in all its everyday applications? Not at all. No one felt any misgivings with the fact that this is the only country in the world to ban a language. As for their statements on having to agree on a territorial swap - someone among them did say these words, first, it is up to Vladimir Zelensky to decide. Second, they went on to perorate about deploying a peacekeeping mission of some sort, which means sending a military force there disguised as peacekeepers. What does this mean? This means that ensuring human rights will be up to a person on whose watch the country adopted laws to strip the Russian-speaking population of its rights, including the rights to language, education, accessing the media in Russian, as well as norms denying them the right to practice their religion. In fact, there was a law de facto banning the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Therefore, they believe that this is the man who must be in charge of striking a deal with Russia as he deems fit. We have not heard anyone say that this man should start by cancelling these laws before moving forward with these talks, not least because there is the UN Charter which stipulates the need to promote and encourage respect for human rights for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. From the standpoint of language and religion, the UN Charter is being flagrantly violated in Ukraine. It is important to recall that Vladimir Zelensky declared in Washington that, while he was prepared to engage in negotiations, he would not entertain any discussions about territorial concessions, as these are prohibited by the Constitution. This is an intriguing point, as - absurd though it may appear - the Ukrainian Constitution still mandates the state to fully guarantee the rights of the Russian language (specifically highlighted as such), alongside other ethnic minorities, despite the enactment of laws banning Russian in all spheres of public and private life. If he is so concerned about his Constitution, I would advise beginning with its initial articles, which explicitly enshrine this obligation. Nevertheless, it has long been apparent that such realities have been ignored by various political figures - Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Friedrich Merz, and, prior to him, Olaf Scholz. Naturally, Joe Biden and his administration took the lead in disregarding and distorting the facts underpinning the Ukrainian crisis. Notably, these European delegates, who accompanied Vladimir Zelensky as a support group in Washington on August 18, spoke of the necessity to take action and move forward - a clear response to the fact that US President Donald Trump and his team (particularly following the Alaska summit) have adopted a far more substantive approach to resolving the Ukrainian crisis, recognising the imperative to address its root causes, as Russia and President Vladimir Putin have consistently emphasised. One such root causes lies in Russia's security concerns. These arise from the decades-long, systematic violation of commitments made to us against NATO's eastward expansion. President Putin has repeatedly acknowledged that, subsequent to these assurances, the Alliance underwent five waves of expansion. To suggest these were merely verbal promises is categorically false. They were formalised in writing through political declarations signed at the highest level during the OSCE summits in Istanbul (1999) and Astana (2010), which explicitly state that security is indivisible and no one may strengthen their own security at the expense of others. NATO did precisely that. No state or organisation has the right to assert dominance over the OSCE space. Yet they acted in direct contravention. To claim otherwise is mendacious - not least because a verbal promise carries weight, and crucially, there exists not only documented evidence of these facts but also highest-level signed documents. When these delegates in Washington insisted that efforts must commence with formulating security guarantees for Ukraine - and simultaneously for Europe (as emphasised by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer among others) - not once did they mention Russia's security. Yet the OSCE document I referenced (universally drafted and adopted by consensus) mandates security arrangements acceptable to all. The patronising disregard for international law, for pledges often made deceitfully and formalised on paper, remains evident in these officials' approach to the Ukrainian crisis. Without respect for Russia's security interests, without full recognition of the rights of ethnic Russians and Russian speakers in Ukraine, no lasting agreements are possible - for these are precisely the issues requiring urgent resolution in the context of the crisis settlement. I reiterate: the Alaska summit demonstrated that the US administration is genuinely committed to a settlement not to rearm Ukraine for war (as occurred after the Minsk agreements), but to ensure this crisis never recurs - guaranteeing the lawful rights of all states in this region and the peoples inhabiting them. This understanding was reaffirmed during President Putin's late-night call with US President Donald Trump yesterday, in which the latter briefed our leader on his discussions with Vladimir Zelensky and this so-called "European support group." Question: One of the proponents of 'European support' - Finnish President Alexander Stubb - drew a parallel between the current situation in Ukraine and the war of 1944, when Finland gave up part of its territories. How should this be understood? Sergey Lavrov: That's one parallel, but there are others to consider. For decades after World War II, Finland enjoyed ideal conditions for economic growth. It was able to address social issues and ensure the well-being of its population largely because of its access to Russian energy resources and, more broadly, its deep cooperation with the USSR and later the Russian Federation. This included Finnish businesses running profitable projects on our territory. The immense benefits Finland gained from these special ties (a status earned by its neutrality) have now been discarded almost overnight. This gives one certain thoughts. In 1944, Finland, which had fought on the side of Hitler's Germany, was implicated in the atrocities of the Nazi regime, with its military units involved in numerous war crimes. It was that Finland that signed a series of definitive agreements with the Soviet Union. Recently, President Alexander Stubb himself referenced those very agreements. I know him well from his time as Foreign Minister. They signed an agreement that enshrined a principle of indefinite neutrality, stating that neither the Soviet Union nor Finland would ever join any blocs directed against the other. So one must ask: where did that commitment go? Finland has now joined an alliance that explicitly considers Russia its enemy. So, if President Stubb's parallel was meant to evoke the territorial changes that resulted from WWII, then yes - that was indeed one of its outcomes. Such territorial adjustments are often an integral part of reaching a definitive peace. There are multiple examples of this kind. In this case, I would like to reiterate: we have never stated any interest in seizing territories. Neither Crimea, nor Donbass, nor Novorossiya were ever the goal in and of themselves. Our goal was, and remains, to protect the Russian people - people who have lived on that soil for centuries, who first discovered those lands and shed their blood for them. They are the ones who built the major cities in Crimea and across the region - cities like Odessa and Nikolayev - and who developed the ports, factories, and plants. Everyone is aware of the role Catherine the Great played in developing those lands. We all know how they were later incorporated into the Ukrainian SSR and, ultimately, became part of an independent Ukraine. They ended up as part of that independent state through the 1990 Declaration of State Sovereignty, adopted by the Kiev leadership. This document also stated that Ukraine would forever remain a non-nuclear, neutral, and non-aligned state. It was this very commitment that formed the foundational basis for its subsequent international recognition as an independent state. If Vladimir Zelensky's regime now rejects all these commitments - by discussing nuclear weapons, pursuing NATO membership, and outright rejecting neutrality - then it logically follows that those provisions, that very foundational basis for Ukraine's independent statehood, cease to exist. This is a critical point that must be considered. Otherwise, we are left with a situation where international law is not front and centre. Instead, we see the application of those so-called "rules" again - the ones the West has never formally written down but seems to invent whenever it needs to justify an action, or condemn the very same action if its interests change. This will not work anymore. Once again, I would like to reiterate that we value the understanding shown by the current US administration. Unlike the European approach, it appears to be sincerely striving to understand the core of the problem and help resolve the root causes of this crisis - the ones that were nurtured in Ukraine by the West, led by the previous US administration, under Joe Biden, with the goal of using Ukraine as an instrument to contain and suppress Russia, ultimately aiming to inflict upon us what they termed a "strategic defeat." Question: Did you discuss sanctions with the American side? After all, as the Americans said, they had to pay for petrol with cash. Sergey Lavrov: You always have to pay for petrol, whether it is cash or not. These are the costs borne by the country whose leader with a delegation visits another state. We did not discuss the sanctions. Many of our experts, politicians and officials have repeatedly stated that lifting the sanctions may have adverse effects. That would create illusions for some economic sectors that now we can finally overcome the problems by returning to the strategies developed and implemented in the 1990s and the early 2000s. Many believe that would undo the achievements we have made recently and which we are experiencing first-hand in terms of strengthening our technological sovereignty and the key matters pertaining to military, economic and food security, as well as reliance on our own technology. Do not shut the door on cooperation but do not become dependent like when essential goods and technologies were in shortage here. Overall, I believe that the current process is more reliable and has more prospects than even six months ago when Joe Biden's administration was finishing up its term. Question: What can we anticipate further? Will it be bilateral or trilateral talks? Sergey Lavrov: We are not rejecting any forms of work, either bilateral or trilateral. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said it multiple times. It is important that any formats, 1+1, 1+2, or multilateral formats which exist in abundance, including within the UN, are not exploited for the purpose of media coverage, in morning newspapers or in evening news, or on social media, to skim the propaganda cream off the top. These formats are designed for step-by-step, consistent preparations for summits, from the expert level and up. We will always support this sort of serious approach. Any contacts involving top officials must be prepared extremely carefully. Question: Is it possible that US President Donald Trump will fly to Moscow this year? Sergey Lavrov: As you know, he has been invited. During the news conference in Alaska, President Putin confirmed this invitation. As far as I remember, President Trump said it would be very interesting. It would indeed be interesting to everybody. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Invited to Visit Russia, FM Lavrov Confirms Sputnik News 20250819 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump has been invited to visit Russia. "He has an invitation, as you know. And in Alaska, at a press conference, President [of Russia Vladimir] Putin confirmed this invitation, and Donald Trump, if I remember correctly, said that it was very interesting," Lavrov said in an interview on the Rossiya 24 broadcaster. The atmosphere during the talks in Alaska was "very good," which was reflected in the statements of both Putin and Trump, the foreign minister said. Putin and Trump held talks in Alaska on Friday. The meeting of the leaders took place at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base. The leaders' narrow-format talks were held in a "three on three" format and lasted two hours and 45 minutes. Lavrov and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov took part in the meeting from the Russian side. The US was represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US leader's special representative Steve Witkoff. After the talks ended, both leaders addressed media representatives, during which President Putin invited Trump to Moscow for their next meeting. Trump said that "sounds very interesting", but joked he would catch some "heat" or accepting the invitation. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Telephone conversation with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud August 19, 2025 16:10 Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, during which he informed him of the key outcomes of recent contacts with President of the United States Donald Trump. The sides discussed current issues of Russian-Saudi cooperation in the political, trade, economic, and investment domains. High praise was accorded to the joint efforts within the OPEC Plus format to ensure stability in the global energy market. An agreement was reached to continue engagement at various levels. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HRH the Crown Prince, Russian President Discuss Peace Efforts and Bilateral Cooperation Saudi Press Agency Tuesday 25/02/1447 NEOM, August 19, 2025, SPA -- His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, spoke by phone today with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin. President Putin briefed HRH the Crown Prince on the outcomes of his recent discussions with United States President Donald Trump and expressed gratitude and appreciation for Saudi Arabia's and HRH the Crown Prince's constructive efforts toward promoting peace. HRH the Crown Prince affirmed the Kingdom's continued support for diplomatic dialogue as a means to resolve international disputes. The two leaders also discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation between their nations across various fields. -- SPA 21:12 Local Time 18:12 GMT 0033 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Adam Abdelmoula on World Humanitarian Day (19 August 2025) UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Damascus, 19 August 2025 Today, we mark World Humanitarian Day with solemn reflection and deep gratitude. This day honors the courage and sacrifice of humanitarian workers around the world, those who risk their lives to serve others in times of crisis. I speak not only as a humanitarian, but as a survivor. On 19 August 2003, I was present at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad when a bomb took the lives of 22 of my colleagues. That day changed my life. It reminded me that humanitarian work, while noble, does not come without a price. I carry the memory of those we lost, and I remain profoundly grateful for the dedication of humanitarians who continue to serve in the face of danger. In Syria, the cost has been high, hundreds of humanitarian workersincluding health professionals and volunteershave been killed in the line of duty. And humanitarians keep paying the price. These incidents are not isolatedthey are part of a disturbing pattern of violence against those who serve. Despite these risks, we have never left Syria. Since introducing the concept of "stay and deliver" during my first tenure as Resident Coordinator in 2012, the UN has remained present in every part of the country. We continue to stand with the people of Syria, delivering life-saving assistance and advocating for their rights and dignity. This year, we call for an end to the attacks on humanitarians and civilians and impunity under International Humanitarian Law. It is a call to ensure that those who serve are not targets, and that their work is respected and safeguarded. On this day, we remember our fallen colleagues. We honor their legacy by continuing their mission. And we call on all actorsgovernments, armed groups, and communitiesto protect humanitarian workers and ensure safe access to those in need. #ActForHumanity. Let us act for humanity. Let us stand together. And let us never forget those who gave everything so that others might live. For more information: Sofie Karlsson, Spokesperson/ Head of Communication, OCHA Syria, E-mail: karlsson2@un.org Phone /WhatsApp: +963 989 480 590 19 August 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Unmanned surface vessel, drones used in annual precision strike drills ROC Central News Agency 08/19/2025 08:20 PM Taipei, Aug. 19 (CNA) Taiwan's annual "Sea and Air Precision Ammunition Firing Exercise" began Tuesday, during which an innovative attack model involving drones launched from unmanned surface vessels was successfully employed against a maritime target. Hosted this year by the Air Force, the two-day drill will run through Wednesday in Jiupeng, Pingtung County. According to the military, Tuesday's live-fire phase focused on the Air Force, with Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDFs) firing Sky Sword II missiles, F-16Vs launching AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and AGM-65 Maverick missiles, and Mirage 2000s test-firing MICA missiles. On Wednesday, naval vessels and the Navy's Hai Feng Shore-Based Anti-ship Missile Group are set to fire Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles and Standard Missile-1s, while additional live-fire tests will involve Patriot, Sky Bow, and Sky Sword I systems, the military said. Certain "special weapons," it added, will also be tested during the two-day event. One of the highlights of Tuesday's drill was the test of the "Kuai Chi" USV developed by Taiwan's state-run weapons manufacturer National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. Coordinated through the military's command-and-control system, the vessel launched "Ching Feng" attack drones along with an undisclosed drone type in a swarm strike, successfully hitting its target at sea. The military will consider procurement plans for the system following evaluation of the test results. According to a firing notice submitted by the Air Force to the Maritime and Port Bureau, restricted zones were set up Tuesday and Wednesday off Taitung's Dawu and Pingtung's Eluanbi, extending eastward toward Green Island and Orchid Island. The exercise comes amid growing military pressure from China, which in recent years has stepped up gray-zone activities around Taiwan, frequently crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait and staging large-scale drills nearby. Taiwan's military has responded by advancing both indigenous and foreign arms procurement while strengthening training and reforms to counter potential threats. (By Matt Yu and Sean Lin) Enditem/ASG NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan confirms signing MOU with Japan on border information sharing ROC Central News Agency 08/19/2025 03:12 PM Taipei, Aug. 19 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed Tuesday that Taiwan and Japan have previously signed an agreement to promote information exchange and cooperation on border management with Japan, though it did not disclose more details on the pact. MOFA spokesperson Hsiao Kuangwei () said the ministry is happy to see that the two countries continue to enhance cooperation on immigration control, in particular because Taiwan and Japan "share a deep friendship and frequent people-to-people exchanges." "Last year, over 7.32 million visits were made between the two countries, making it even more crucial for both sides to work closer on immigration and border control," he said during a MOFA news briefing. Hsiao did not provide any details about the agreement and instead referred reporters to the National Immigration Agency (NIA), Taiwan's authority responsible for immigration, border security, and entry/exit services. According to a list on the NIA website, Taiwan has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on immigration and border control affairs with 23 countries. Japan appears at the bottom of the list, noting that an MOU on information exchange and cooperation in border security and management with Japan was signed on Dec. 18, 2024. However, the NIA neither issued a press release on the MOU signed late last year nor disclosed any details of the agreement. Hsiao's comments were made after the Japanese media Yomiuri Shinbun reported earlier Tuesday that such a pact was signed in December 2024. The Japanese-language report quoted unnamed Japanese sources as revealing that Taiwan and Japan signed the MOU regarding the sharing of information on foreign nationals entering Japan from Taiwan in the event of an emergency in Taiwan. By sharing information on foreign nationals evacuating in the event of an emergency, including a Chinese invasion, the aim is to prevent Chinese spies from taking advantage of such a chaotic situation to enter Japan. According to sources, under the memorandum, Japan will receive information on foreign nationals wishing to enter the country from Taiwan. This will enable Tokyo to effectively screen those who may harm domestic security in the event of an emergency, the newspaper said. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan has signed similar pacts with countries such as Australia and New Zealand, but it is unusual for Tokyo to have such a pact with a non-ally. Due to the sensitivity of the issue, Japan's de facto embassy in Taiwan, the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, asked that the content of the MOU be listed as confidential, the Japanese report said. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/AW NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South Korean FM signals USFK involvement in Taiwan won't be summit agenda; remarks show pragmatic diplomacy: expert Global Times By Feng Fan Published: Aug 19, 2025 09:48 PM South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun signaled Monday that the possibility of US Forces Korea (USFK) intervening in an emergency over the island of Taiwan should not be placed on the agenda of Seoul-Washington summit talks, Yonhap News Agency reported. Chinese expert said Cho's remarks reflect the pragmatic diplomacy of the Lee Jae-myung administration. During a parliamentary foreign affairs committee session, Kim Gi-hyeon, a lawmaker from the main opposition People Power Party, voiced opposition to US Forces Korea's (USFK) involvement in a possible Taiwan contingency, urging that the issue not be brought up at next week's summit. Cho said such efforts were under way to that effect, while denying that talks with the US were taking place under the premise that Seoul could agree to the mobilization of USFK troops and equipment for a Taiwan contingency, the Yonhap reported. Kim Joon-hyung of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party asked about South Korea's possible involvement in such a contingency, Cho said no country should attempt to abruptly change the status quo for the sake of peace and stability in East Asia. An expert noted that Cho's remarks, made just before President Lee Jae-myung's visits to Japan and the US for summit meetings, send a signal that South Korea will not side with US attempts to contain China. "South Korea is signaling it will not pick sides in the US containment strategy against China, especially on the Taiwan question, which is China's core of core interests," Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. "Not only will Seoul refrain from doing so itself, but it also considers USFK's involvement in Taiwan unacceptable. This reflects South Korea's pursuit of a practical and balanced diplomacy toward China and the US," said Da. On August 5, when questioned about the possibility of discussions in the upcoming South Korea-US summit about South Korea's role in the event of a cross-Taiwan Straits conflict, a senior government official said, "There will be no such discussions," stressing that the event "is a hypothetical situation, so we will not talk about it," according to the Hankyoreh. During working-level talks to iron out the details of the upcoming summit, the US representatives reportedly communicated that they will not bring up the subject of South Korea's potential role in the event of a cross-Taiwan Straits conflict, according to the Hankyoreh. The South Korean administration is maintaining its distance from any issues concerning the Taiwan Strait the powder keg in the discord between the US and China indicating that it will stick to its strategy of "pragmatic diplomacy," the Hankyoreh reported. The Hankyoreh quoted observers saying that even if the summit produces a joint statement that mentions the Taiwan Strait, it will not use language that goes beyond the boilerplate stances already expressed. Ties between China and South Korea have recently shown signs of improving. On Friday, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing posted on social media that he has noticed that the South Korean side recently emphasized the need to take proactive measures to prevent discrimination and violence against foreigners, specifically mentioning issues related to anti-China protests. Dai said he appreciated the high-level attention from the South Korean side and their commitment to taking measures. His remarks followed South Korean President Lee's criticism on August 12 of a hate rally in Seoul's Daerim-dong targeting China, which he said damaged South Korea's reputation as a model democratic nation. Lee ordered authorities to take strong measures against discrimination and human rights violations against migrant workers, foreigners and vulnerable groups, the Hankyoreh reported. The rally took place in front of a Chinese diplomatic mission, with abusive language and violence that went beyond the limits of free expression. "Amid the current complex and turbulent international situation, strengthening friendly cooperation between China and South Korea is in the interest of both sides and aligns with the common expectations of our peoples," Dai said. "Certain forces are attempting to smear China with political lies, but I believe the people of both China and South Korea can distinguish right from wrong. I hope such issues can be resolved soon and look forward to the further development of China-South Korea relations." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2025/08/19 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date: 6 a.m. Aug. 18 (Mon.) to 6 a.m. Aug. 19 (Tue.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities: 10 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 2 out of 10 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 1140819_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan [Open a new window] 1140819_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan [Open a new window] NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2025/08/20 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date: 6 a.m. Aug. 19 (Tue.) to 6 a.m. Aug. 20 (Wed.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities: 21 sorties of PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 17 out of 21 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 1140820_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan [Open a new window] 1140820_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan [Open a new window] NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Call with Foreign Minister Fidan US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson August 19, 2025 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan regarding peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. The Secretary and Foreign Minister agreed on the need to end the war and stop the killing. They also discussed numerous regional issues, including their continued support for peace and stability in Syria, peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Iran's nuclear program. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Number of civilians killed and injured in Ukraine reaches three-year monthly high in July 2025, UN human rights monitors say Posted on 13 August 2025 Kyiv, 13 August 2025 - The number of civilian casualties in Ukraine reached another three-year high in July, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said today as it released its update on the protection of civilians. With 286 civilians killed and 1,388 injured, the July casualty number was the highest since May 2022, topping also those for June 2025. HRMMU verified civilian casualties in 18 of the country's 24 regions in July. "For the second month in a row, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine hits a new three-year high," said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU. "Only the first three months after the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine saw more killed and injured than in this past month." The use of long-range weapons such as missiles and loitering munitions accounted for nearly 40 per cent of the casualties - 89 killed and 572 injured. On 31 July, for example, a missile and loitering munitions attack on Kyiv caused the highest verified number of civilian casualties in the capital since the start of the full-scale invasion, with 31 people killed and 171 injured. The majority of those killed, including five children, were in a residential building that was struck by a missile. The increase, however, in civilian casualty numbers in July compared with the previous month mainly took place in areas controlled by the Government of Ukraine along the frontline, reflecting intensive military efforts by Russian armed forces to capture territory. Short-range drones were the second cause of civilian casualties, accounting for 24 per cent of the casualties - 64 killed and 337 injured. Casualties from short-range drones have significantly increased since July 2024, as documented in a bulletin published by HRMMU in June 2025. Aerial bombs dropped by Russian armed forces accounted for the largest increase in civilian casualties with 276 casualties (67 killed and 209 injured) in July 2025 compared with 114 (34 killed and 80 injured) in June 2025. On 28 July, for example, aerial bombs struck a penal colony in Bilenke, Zaporizhzhia region, killing 16 prisoners and injuring at least 43, all men. In another example, an aerial bomb struck an apartment building in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, killing at least five civilians, on 31 July. The high July casualty numbers continued a pattern of steadily increasing civilian casualties in 2025, HRMMU said. Casualty numbers for the first seven months of 2025 were 48 per cent higher than in the same period in 2024. "Whether you are in a hospital or a prison, at home or at work, close to or far away from the frontline, if you are in Ukraine today, you are at risk of getting killed or injured by the war," Bell said. "The risk is significantly higher than last year and it continues to rise." Since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, HRMMU has documented the deaths of at least 13,883 civilians, including 726 children, and 35,548 injured, including 2,234 children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Denys Shmyhal presented the Government's Program in the field of defence: New approaches to management, innovation development, and partnership Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 18 August, 2025, 7:06 PM EEST The Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, together with Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and members of the Government, presented the draft Government Action Program. "Security and defence are among the key priorities. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has set clear tasks in this area that we will implement consistently," said Denys Shmyhal. Key priorities: At least 50% of funds for weapons procurement must go to Ukrainian manufacturers. According to the Minister of Defence, the Ministry of Defence is stimulating industrial development and implementing relevant mechanisms, including Build with Ukraine, Build in Ukraine, and the 'Danish model'. Continuing to strengthen international support, including through cooperation with partners via the new PURL and SAFE instruments. In particular, 18 countries have already joined the SAFE initiative, with a budget of 150 billion, enabling joint weapons procurement projects with Ukraine. Strengthening efforts to provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine with everything they need. At the initiative of the Ministry of Defence, the Government has adopted a resolution allowing military units to purchase used pickups, quad bikes, and motorcycles under a simplified procedure. The funding formula for brigades has also been increased, enabling them to procure the necessary equipment directly. Digitalizing processes in the Armed Forces to simplify interaction between the state, manufacturers, and defenders. The DOT-Chain supply management system - a marketplace for the Armed Forces - has already been fully deployed. It enables orders and deliveries of essential supplies to military units within days. As noted by Denys Shmyhal, during the first two weeks of its operation, 1,000 drones were delivered to troops. Preparations are also underway for the launch of Defence City - an ecosystem to support critically important defence industry manufacturers. "We are changing management approaches, developing innovation, and strengthening partnerships to ensure a secure and peaceful future," concluded the Minister of Defence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Ministry of Defence has received demining equipment from the Danish Refugee Council Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 18 August, 2025, 1:15 PM EEST The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has delivered special equipment to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine to further equip demining quality-control teams. The transfer took place as part of the project "Comprehensive Humanitarian Mine Action to Support Early Recovery in Ukraine 2023-2026." The equipment will be used by the Joint Center of Excellence and Support for Mine Action, Civil Protection, and Environmental Safety. "The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is taking effective measures to increase the number of demining quality-control teams," emphasized Colonel Oleh Shuvarskyi, Head of the Mine Action Department and Deputy Head of the Main Directorate for Mine Action, Civil Protection, and Environmental Safety. Colonel Oleh Shuvarskyi thanked the Danish Refugee Council for its long-term cooperation, particularly for its significant contribution to strengthening the National Mine Action Capacity, ensuring the safety of the civilian population, and supporting the recovery of affected territories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Ministry of Defence has launched a unified service platform for weapons manufacturers in Ukraine Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 18 August, 2025, 10:57 AM EEST The online platform zbroya.gov.ua has been launched, which brings together information on all key government services and opportunities for manufacturers of weapons and military equipment. The platform was created as a single 'entry point' for manufacturers, enabling them to quickly access essential government services, programs, and up-to-date information, including: Preferential 5% loans of up to UAH 500 million - for scaling up production, purchasing equipment and components, developing new designs, and launching them into serial production; 'Iron Testing Ground' - a service for rapid testing of weapons and military equipment prototypes; 'Component Library' - a secure database of component manufacturers for various categories of weapons; 'Made for Victory' - a grant program supporting Ukrainian manufacturers of components for weapons and military equipment, aimed at localizing the production of components and reducing dependency on external suppliers; Brave1 grant program - supporting startups, developers, and innovators working on defence tech solutions; Job reservation for employees of critical enterprises. "Our task is to simplify interaction between weapons manufacturers and the state, to demonstrate our potential to partners. We are consolidating in one place all services and information related to Ukraine's defence sector. This ecosystem will accelerate testing, scaling, and weapons production," said Anna Gvozdiar, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine. In addition to services, manufacturers of weapons and military equipment can find educational opportunities available on the platform to support the growth and expansion of their enterprises. The platform also features current job postings, including positions for veterans seeking to join the defence industry. In addition, the online platform will be supplemented with a regulatory framework for the defence sector and current news. In the near future, a leasing support program will be introduced for the purchase of production assets, machinery, and equipment. Link to the online platform: zbroya.gov.ua. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address American Leadership Is Back Under President Trump Articles The White House August 18, 2025 As President Donald J. Trump convenes with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European allies at the White House, the world is witnessing the resurgence of American leadership. Through his unrelenting commitment to peace, President Trump is determined to shatter the yearslong impasse and pave a way for an end to the bloodshed. World leaders credit President Trump's decisive actions for reigniting the dialogue: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "I think that we had a very good conversation with President Trump... it was really good. We spoke about very sensitive points." NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte: "I really want to thank you, President of the United States, dear Donald, for the fact that you, as I said before, broke the deadlock basically with President Putin by starting the dialogue ... From there, here we are today." Finnish President Alexander Stubb: "I think in the past two weeks, we've probably had more progress in ending this war than we have in the past three-and-a-half years." Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: "It is an important day a new phase after three years that we didn't see any kind of sign from the Russian side that they were willing for dialogue, so something is changing something has changed thanks to you." United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer: "I think today will be seen as a very important day in recent years in relation to a conflict which has gone on for three-and-a-bit years, and so far, nobody has been able to bring it to this point so I thank you for that." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: "This is extremely helpful that we are meeting and hearing that the two of you are having such a good meeting today ... The path is open. You opened it last Friday but now the way is open for complicated negotiations." French President Emmanuel Macron: "Thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this meeting and for your commitment... everybody around this table is in favor of peace... this is why the idea of a trilateral meeting is very important because this is the only way to fix it." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen: "We had a fantastic NATO Summit... We had the largest trade deal ever agreed. And now, we are here to work together with you on a... lasting peace for Ukraine. Stop the killing. This is really our common interest." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of the Nordic countries and Canada on their support to Ukraine Global Affairs Canada Statement August 19, 2025 - Helsinki, Finland - Global Affairs Canada The foreign ministers of the Nordic countries and Canada convened in Nuuksio, Espoo, on 19 August 2025 and gave a joint statement on their support of Ukraine: "We, the Foreign Ministers of the five Nordic countries and Canada, meeting in Nuuksio, Finland, on 19 August 2025, welcome the joint efforts by the United States, Ukraine and Europe to stop the killing, to end Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, and to achieve just and lasting peace. "We welcome the stated commitment by the United States to provide, together with Europe and Canada, security guarantees for Ukraine. The Nordic countries and Canada are ready to play an active role in combining the efforts of the Coalition of the Willing with those of the United States to ensure the strength and credibility of these security guarantees. There must be no limitations on Ukraine's armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. "We underscore that peace in Ukraine cannot be negotiated without Ukraine's participation. The Nordic countries and Canada support the work towards a cessation of hostilities, and direct negotiations between the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia. "Respecting Ukraine's sovereignty is of vital importance. Russia does not have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to the EU and NATO. Only Ukraine can make decisions concerning its territory. We reaffirm the principle that international borders must not be changed by force. "We will continue our strong support to Ukraine. Our support will be based on Ukraine's needs and our strengths and capabilities. Ukraine's security is integral to European, Euro-Atlantic and global security. Substantial and well-coordinated military aid to Ukraine remains a strategic priority. We will continue our comprehensive support to the Ukrainian society and the reconstruction of Ukraine. "Thousands of Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred and unlawfully deported by Russia since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. We call for their immediate return. "For as long as Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine, we - together with partners and allies - will continue to maintain and increase pressure on Russia's war economy. We will uphold existing restrictive measures, impose further sanctions, and focus on their effective implementation. Russia poses a long-term threat to European security. "As Ukraine will soon celebrate its 34th Independence Day on 24 August 2025, we, the Foreign Ministers of the Nordic countries and Canada, reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Carney participates in a virtual meeting in support of Ukraine Prime Minister of Canada - Mark Carney August 19, 2025 Ottawa, Ontario Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, participated in a virtual meeting of the Coalition of the Willing alongside the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Coalition discussed yesterday's meeting between President Trump, European leaders, the NATO Secretary General, and President Zelenskyy. Leaders welcomed the openness of the United States to providing security guarantees to support long-term peace and security for Ukraine and Europe. This approach is consistent with the principles of no decisions about Ukraine being taken without Ukraine and no decisions about Europe being taken without Europe. The Prime Minister affirmed Canada's steadfast commitment to supporting these efforts - reinforced by further diplomatic engagement, continued military and economic pressure on Russia to end its aggression, and close co-ordination with President Zelenskyy on the development of robust and credible security guarantees, as well as further military and financial support for Ukraine. As Co-Chair of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, Canada will intensify its work with Ukraine, European partners, and the United States to secure the immediate and unconditional return of Ukrainian children. Canada also welcomes the new appeal to President Putin by the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, to consider the plight of children in ending this war. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan closely watching talks aimed at ending Ukraine war: MOFA ROC Central News Agency 08/19/2025 03:23 PM Taipei, Aug. 19 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday that the government is closely monitoring a new round of high-level talks in Washington aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war, while stressing that humanitarian assistance to Ukraine will continue. "The ministry has also been keeping abreast of the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and the views of the United States, Ukraine, European countries, and Russia [regarding peace talks to potentially end the conflict]," MOFA spokesperson Hsiao Kuangwei () said Tuesday. Taiwan will continue to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine and collaborate with the international community in areas such as humanitarian assistance, Hsiao said during a weekly news briefing in Taipei. Hsiao made the comments when asked about the stance of Taiwan's government on the Russia-Ukraine war after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House on Monday to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for fresh talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. There were no concrete commitments from the U.S. side on Ukraine's security, nor any development toward a peace deal, following Monday's meeting. However, Trump expressed optimism about the prospect of Zelenskyy and Russia's President Vladimir Putin meeting at a later date. Several European leaders also joined the Ukrainian leader in the White House meeting, which was held days after Trump met Putin in Alaska for a summit that failed to result in a ceasefire. Since Russia's full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, Taiwan's government has, together with like-minded countries, sought to help Ukraine, particularly in the area of humanitarian needs. As of February, Taiwan had allocated more than US$130 million for Ukraine infrastructure projects such as bridges, hospitals, churches, and schools, while private donations for the war-torn country have exceeded US$32 million, according to MOFA. Meanwhile, asked about Taiwan's view of a recent Trump TV interview in which he said that Chinese President Xi Jinping () told him that he will not invade Taiwan while Trump is in office, Hsiao stressed that Taiwan's security relies for the most part on its own efforts. "That is why Taiwan has continued to enhance its self-defense capabilities and resilience, and we will keep doing so," Hsiao added. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/AW NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press remarks by President Antonio Costa following the video conference of the members of the European Council, 19 August 2025 European Council / Council of the European Union European Council Statements and remarks 19 August 2025 20:00 Good afternoon. This morning we had the opportunity to hold a meeting of the coalition of the willing. It was arranged by the UK prime minister and attended, as usual, by our partners from around the world - Canada, Japan, Turkiye, New Zealand - as well as our other European neighbours such as Norway and Iceland. We were able to hold an informal meeting of the European Council and to speak with President Zelenskyy by telephone. I would like to start by saying that we are all grateful for the incredible teamwork displayed by the European leaders who met with President Trump in Washington yesterday, and for the fact that the meeting was able to make concrete progress in the priority areas. There are currently three very clear priorities. Firstly, from a humanitarian perspective, to ensure that the attacks stop and that there is no more killing on Ukrainian soil. Secondly, to resume the process of prisoner exchange and to make progress on the return of the children who have been abducted and who are now missing. Another very important dimension is the preparation of security guarantees for a future peace process, and in that regard it was particularly significant that President Trump confirmed the willingness of the US to participate in the security measures that the coalition of the willing have been working on over the past few months. And finally, to prepare for the desired bilateral, trilateral and quadrilateral talks so that they can take place as soon as possible. From the point of view of the European Union, we discussed the concrete steps that the EU can take to lend credibility to this process and to support President Trump in his peace efforts. There are three key dimensions here. Firstly, increasing pressure on Russia by moving forward with the preparation of the 19th package of sanctions, to ensure that we maintain pressure on Russia to end the war and to stop the killing in Ukraine. Secondly, unlocking the European Peace Facility in order to strengthen Ukraine's military capabilities. The basis for future security guarantees will always be the Ukrainian armed forces themselves. Therefore, strengthening their capacity is a concrete way to strengthen security measures in the future. And finally, making progress in the enlargement process, as Ukraine's future requires not just security measures, but also the prospect of the stability, development and prosperity that access to the European Union will provide. It is therefore those dimensions that we are working on, and I believe we will have a lot of work ahead over the coming weeks. We are at a difficult, critical point, and nothing is guaranteed, but we need to continue this work in order to ensure that we are successful. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Tsahkna: a just and lasting peace requires strong security guarantees with the participation of Europe and the United States Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19.08.2025 | 11:15 Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that at yesterday's meeting in Washington, European leaders demonstrated unity and unwavering support for Ukraine, and there was a shared understanding of the need for strong security guarantees for the country. "The meeting in Washington took place in a constructive spirit, where Europe showed that it stands united behind Ukraine and that together we must contain an aggressive Russia. A just and lasting peace requires security guarantees with the involvement of both Europe and the United States. There is no better security guarantee than NATO's collective defence, but until that point is reached, swift work must be undertaken to establish guarantees, the essence of which must be a commitment to defending Ukraine with real military capabilities should aggression recur." The Foreign Minister stressed that an agreement on security guarantees must form the basis of peace negotiations. "We must also continue working to raise the cost of aggression and to support Ukraine. The European Union must make quick progress with the 19th sanctions package and Ukraine's EU accession negotiations. Security guarantees and European Union membership can ensure Ukraine's security, economic sustainability, and political stability." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Orpo represented Finland at meetings of European Council and Coalition of the Willing Finnish Government Government Communications Department Publication date 19.8.2025 Type:Press release Prime Minister Petteri Orpo represented Finland on Tuesday 19 August at a video conference for European Council members and at a remote meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. Both meetings discussed advancing peace in Ukraine. The discussions, which focused on support for Ukraine, followed talks in Washington D.C. on Monday 18 August, where United States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy first met bilaterally and then joined key European heads of state for further talks. "The Washington meetings were a success in showing how Europe worked together with the United States alongside Ukraine. The outcome moves us forward, but only if Russia shows it is genuinely ready for peace. Now we will see whether President Putin is serious or not. Europe and the United States must be prepared to tighten sanctions if necessary," said Prime Minister Orpo. "In today's meetings, I emphasised the need to accelerate Ukraine's path to EU membership and to swiftly launch funding for reconstruction. At the same time, we must continue strengthening Europe's own defence capabilities," Prime Minister Orpo added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China firmly advocates peace talks and negotiations from the very first day of the Ukraine crisis, FM spokesperson responds to latest developments Global Times By Global Times Published: Aug 19, 2025 04:31 PM In response to a media inquiry about the recent developments in the Ukraine crisis and China's position under the current circumstances how it views the prospects for resolving the crisis and what kind of peace agreement it hopes to see, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday that China's position on the Ukraine crisis has been consistent and clear. China is not the creator of the crisis, nor is China a party to it. However, from the very first day of the crisis, China has upheld an objective and fair stance, firmly advocating peace talks and negotiations. President Xi Jinping put forward a four-point proposal, emphasizing that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected; the purposes and principles of the UN Charter observed; the legitimate security concerns of all countries given due regard; and all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis supported. These principles are of even greater practical importance under the current circumstances, Mao said, noting that China has also released a position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, sent special envoys to conduct multiple rounds of shuttle diplomacy, and initiated the establishment of the Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine crisis at the United Nations, voicing impartial calls for peace and dialogue. China is willing, in line with the will of the parties concerned and together with the international community, to continue playing a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the crisis, Mao said. At Tuesday's press conference, a reporter asked about the recent speculation that some national leaders had suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky might meet within two weeks, as Putin is expected to attend events in China in early September marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The reporter asked whether China believed such a meeting could take place here. Mao said that we do not answer hypothetical questions. In response to a question about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telling reporters outside the White House on Monday that he is ready to hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and about US President Donald Trump's phone call with Putin in which he said he would hold a trilateral summit with the leaders of Ukraine and Russia, Chinese FM spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated that China has always believed dialogue and negotiation are the only viable ways to resolve the Ukraine crisis and that China supports all efforts conducive to peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Coordination with NATO: Taras Kachka meets with NATO Senior Representative in Ukraine Ukraine Government Service of the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, posted 19 August 2025 19:47 On 19 August, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka met with NATO Senior Representative in Ukraine Patrick Turner. During the meeting, the parties discussed the security situation in Ukraine and efforts aimed at achieving and ensuring sustainable and lasting peace in the country, particularly in the context of security guarantees for Ukraine. The discussion also covered opportunities for defence cooperation between Ukraine and the Alliance. Patrick Turner noted that the conversation was not only about Ukraine's need for assistance but also about Ukraine's role as a full-fledged NATO partner in the security domain. He highlighted the rapid development of Ukraine's defence industry, particularly in the development and production of drones. Taras Kachka urged allies to continue supporting Ukraine, including through financial assistance, to ensure the country's defence capabilities and resilience amid the ongoing full-scale war. In this context, emphasis was placed on the importance of implementing the Hague Summit decision, which commits to investing 5% of GDP annually in key defence and security needs until 2035. These investments will provide the forces, capabilities, and resources necessary for the Alliance's core tasks: deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management, and security through cooperation. Both parties agreed on the need to ensure the long-term capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "We have already achieved a high level in enhancing our army's capabilities and intend to sustain this progress. A strong army, even in peacetime, is a vital component of Ukraine's security," the Deputy Prime Minister remarked. The meeting also focused on expanding cooperation through existing mechanisms, such as the EU's SAFE financial instrument. During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister informed the NATO Senior Representative about the implementation of domestic reforms necessary for Ukraine's preparation for EU membership and the initiation of NATO accession negotiations. Specifically, these included steps taken to strengthen anti-corruption measures, enhance integrity, transparency, and accountability in Ukraine's security and defence sector. The parties agreed to maintain regular contact and intensify dialogue through NATO's Representation in Ukraine and the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration to coordinate cooperation, exchange information, and address urgent needs on Ukraine's path to NATO. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine peace deal far from imminent after Trump meets Zelensky and European leaders IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 19, 2025 US President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders for talks on the war in Ukraine. While officials described the discussions on Monday as making "progress," no peace deal or ceasefire appeared imminent. The talks, held at the White House, followed discussions between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, now its fourth year. Trump hosted Putin in the city of Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, for the discussions that produced no agreement on a ceasefire either. "All of us would obviously prefer an immediate ceasefire while we work on a lasting peace. Maybe something like that could happen. As of this moment, it's not happening," Trump said addressing his meeting with leaders from Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, the EU and NATO. The US president however assured Zelensky that American support would be part of any security guarantees for Ukraine in a potential peace agreement, though the specifics of such commitments remained undefined. Following the Monday summit, Trump also announced that he has initiated preparations for a potential meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents, which would be followed by a meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky. Putin has agreed to face-to-face talks with Zelensky, according to Trump and European leaders, but Russia has not confirmed any meeting yet. Zelensky also expressed openness to talks with Russia "in any format." This is while, the Russian president has previously resisted a one-on-one meeting with Zelensky. Trump characterized the multilateral summit with Zelensky and European leaders as "an important preliminary move" in resolving the nearly four-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "I believe this is a major step forward," Zelensky was quoted by The Guardian as saying. He added that the security guarantees for Ukraine would probably be worked out within 10 days. Ukraine will promise to buy $100bn of US weapons financed by Europe as part of a deal to get guarantees from the US for its security if there is a peace settlement with Russia, according to news reports. In the meantime, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the Monday talks at the White house as "good and constructive" over the "two material outcomes", including work on security guarantees, and the planned Putin-Zelensky meeting. French President Emmanuel Macron echoed similar comments. He said the most significant outcome of the talks at the White House was the willingness of the US to work on the content of security guarantees for Ukraine. Macron meanwhile called for stepping up sanctions against Russia if Putin does not move forward on peace with Ukraine. 9376**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Political directors of the Baltic and Germany Foreign Ministries underline the need for strengthening the transatlantic link and ensuring comprehensive support to Ukraine Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19.08.2025 On 19 August 2025, the political directors of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Baltic states and Germany gathered for consultations in Riga. The meeting addressed security policy matters of current relevance, with particular attention paid to the transatlantic dialogue and comprehensive support for Ukraine, especially in the military sector, in order to stop Russia's war of aggression, which is posing threat to security across Europe. During the consultations, the officials discussed the steps to be taken after the NATO summit in The Hague, and the situation in the Middle East. The political directors underlined the need for closer coordination and joint engagement to achieve a just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine, as well as to strengthen the resilience of the EU's eastern border. The Baltic and German political directors agreed that a close allied and transatlantic unity is critically important at this time. It is also vital to further increase pressure on, and constrain Russia, including by approving the next package of European Union sanctions against Russia and fending off Russia's unconventional threats to the Baltic region and Europe. The Latvian delegation was headed by the Under Secretary of State, Political Director Ivars Lasis, Lithuania was represented by the Political director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Laimonas Talat-Kelpsa, the Estonian delegation was headed by the Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Martin Roger, and the head of the German delegation was the Political Director at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Dominik Mutter. Consultations between the political directors of the Foreign Ministries of the Baltic states and Germany have become a regular practice. The previous consultations took place on 8 and 9 February 2024 in Berlin. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President welcomes the United States' commitment to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine President of the Republic of Lithuania August 19, 2025 On Tuesday, President Gitanas Nauseda participated in a virtual meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. The discussion centered on yesterday's meeting in Washington between the Presidents of the United States and Ukraine, which was also joined by leaders of major European countries, the NATO Secretary General, and the President of the European Commission. During the meeting, participants expressed gratitude to the European leaders who took part in the Washington meeting and emphasized Europe's role in halting Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. President Gitanas Nauseda welcomed the United States' commitment to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine, stressing that these guarantees must be urgently turned into practical and military measures. According to Gitanas Nauseda, the Coalition of the Willing needs be prepared to deploy forces the next day after a peace agreement is signed. The President also emphasized that there is no alternative to deterring Russia from future aggression other than strong, well-trained, and adequately sized Ukrainian armed forces defending their homeland. The Head of State further underlined that pressure on Russia has to continue and that the European Union should proceed swiftly with its 19th sanctions package against Russia. The Kremlin has done nothing to deserve any easing of sanctions and has taken no steps towards achieving a just and lasting peace. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President called for setting a concrete date for Ukraine's EU accession during a European Council videoconference President of the Republic of Lithuania August 19, 2025 On Tuesday, President Gitanas Nauseda participated in a virtual European Council meeting to discuss the outcomes of the meeting between the Presidents of the United States and Ukraine, as well as the leaders of major European countries, the NATO Secretary General, and the President of the European Commission. In his remarks, the President emphasized the importance of security guarantees. According to the Head of State, the U.S. backstop for European deployment in Ukraine has always been a crucial factor, and following yesterday's meeting in Washington, it has become clear that this possibility is now real. President Gitanas Nauseda highlighted that Lithuania is ready to contribute to the joint efforts of the Coalition of the Willing by providing military capabilities. Lithuania will also train 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers in 2025. Speaking on Ukraine's EU accession, the Head of State stressed that the time has come to give Ukraine what it truly deservesthe opening of the first negotiation cluster this September. "This would be the signal Ukraine urgently needs. We need to get Ukraine involved in the negotiation process and set a concrete date for EU membership2030," the President emphasized. The Head of State also underlined the need to hold Russia accountable for its war of aggression in Ukraine. Gitanas Nauseda noted that as bombs continue to fall on Ukrainian cities, there can be no easing of pressure on Russia. "We must urgently proceed with the 19th package of sanctions. There will be no just and lasting peace if Russia escapes unpunished. The frozen assets have to be used for Ukraine's needs," the Lithuanian leader spoke. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Responds To Washington Talks With Mass Drone And Missile Strikes On Ukraine By Merhat Sharipzhan and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service August 19, 2025 Summary Russia launched one of August's largest aerial attacks on Ukraine, killing 15 and injuring 76 across multiple regions. UN reports show escalating civilian casualties in Ukraine due to intensified Russian assaults, with July's toll the highest since May 2022. Russia launched 270 drones and 10 missiles against Ukraine on August 19, in a kinetic response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's White House talks with US President Donald Trump and key European allies. Ukrainian regional officials said that over 24 hours Russian shelling across the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson regions had claimed the lives of 15 people and injured at least 76 more. It was reported that the Poltava region was hit particularly hard, leaving over 1,500 residents without electricity. In Chernihiv, drones damaged infrastructure and disrupted power supplies. A Ukrainian drone attack late on August 19 knocked out power to areas of the Zaporizhzhya region under Russian control, Moscow-installed Governor Yevgeny Balitsky said on Telegram. Balitsky said crews were restoring power and switching affected areas to reserve lines. The work was made more difficult "by the danger of repeat strikes and by darkness," he said. Russian forces hold well over half of the Zaporizhzhya, but Kyiv maintains control of the region's main administrative center. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned Russia's attacks, calling them "the opposite of peace," while "hard work to advance peace was under way in Washington." Kyiv residents who spoke to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service appeared unenthused by the latest diplomatic moves. "After they rolled a red carpet for [Russian President Vladimir Putin] I completely lost my faith in humanity as well as a belief that the situation can improve," one woman said. Another resident said that she was not sure it was a good idea for Zelenskyy to hold talks with Putin, whom she described as a "monster." "How to look him in the face, how much evil he has done? How to shake his hand? I cannot imagine it," she added. Nevertheless, the Washington talks ended with Trump pledging to get Putin to the negotiating table with Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president has repeatedly said he is available for talks but Putin has not. Following the Washington meetings, a Kremlin statement spoke vaguely about higher-level contacts between Moscow and Kyiv -- but did not mention the two leaders by name. "Any contacts involving the most senior leaders need to be prepared with the utmost care," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on August 19. European leaders have voiced skepticism that Putin will come to talks without US pressure to do so. In Washington, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said "We don't know whether the Russian president will have the courage to attend such a summit. Therefore, persuasion is needed." Yet speaking to Fox News on August 19, Trump said Putin had agreed, during a phone call the previous day, to meet Zelenskyy. "We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks...It's possible that he doesn't want to make a deal," Trump added. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said later that both leaders have expressed a willingness to sit down with each other. "[Trump] wants these two countries to engage in direct diplomacy," she said at a White House briefing. He's said that from the very beginning which is why he's agreeable to the idea of having President Zelenskyy and President Putin get together, and I understand that accommodations for that meeting are under way." The latest Russian attacks underscore the growing toll on Ukraine's civilian population and infrastructure. Russia denies deliberately targeting nonmilitary sites, but the strikes routinely destroy homes, hospitals, schools, and energy facilities. Security guarantees for Ukraine were another key element in the Washington talks, with Zelenskyy saying a $90 billion program had been discussed for purchasing US weapons to defend Ukraine. Zelenskyy also said US and European leaders discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, but there were no details, and many doubts remain. Meanwhile, fighting along the front line has remained intense. Ukraine's General Staff said on August 19 that 186 combat engagements were recorded in the past 24 hours, with Russia launching two missile strikes, 78 air strikes, and dropping 162 guided bombs. The fiercest battles are concentrated near the town of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has issued a warning, emphasizing that the intensification of Russian assaults is devastating civilian life, especially in frontline communities. "With 286 civilians killed and 1,388 injured, the July casualty number was the highest since May 2022, topping also those for June 2025," the mission reported last week. It added that the sharp rise was primarily due to the increased use of aerial bombs and short-range drones. Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, emphasized that the escalation is hitting vulnerable populations the hardest. "Whether you are in a hospital or a prison, at home or at work, close to or far away from the front line, if you are in Ukraine today, you are at risk of getting killed or injured by the war," Bell said. "The risk is significantly higher than last year, and it continues to rise." With reporting by Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-peace-talks- airstrike-casulaties-kharkiv-donetsk-zaporizhzhya-kherson- poltava-chernihiv/33507183.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Security Guarantees? Face Time With Putin? Zelenskyy Gets Warmer Trump Reception But Unclear Results By Mike Eckel and Todd Prince August 19, 2025 The last time Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in the Oval Office, the Ukrainian president was berated for being ungrateful, argumentative, and underdressed. Donald Trump suspended US military support, undermining Ukraine's ability to withstand Russia's grinding invasion. Zelenskyy's second visit, escorted by a phalanx of European and NATO leaders, was cardinally different: compliments, instead of haranguing; US proposals of "security guarantees"; a US promise to push Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet face-to-face with Zelenskyy. It's too early to say whether the August 18 White House talks laid the groundwork for an end to Moscow's 42-month-old war. At the very least, it generated glimmers of optimism: for an end to the war that will also avoid throwing Ukraine under the bus, as many had feared during Trump's red-carpet embrace of Putin in Alaska three days earlier. "We're getting serious at this point about what a settlement -- to end the war -- is going to look like," said George Beebe, a former CIA analyst who is now director of grand strategy at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington think tank that advocates for more restrained US foreign policy. "It could have been worse," said Oxana Shevel, a political scientist at Tufts University outside Boston and an expert on Ukrainian and Russian history, "but I don't think there has been any sort of substantive breakthrough, because the details of whatever breakthrough may have been -- security guarantees in particular -- are not there." "I viewed this from the beginning as a damage-limitation exercise, and I think to some extent it achieved that," said Ian Bond, a former British diplomat who is now deputy director of the Center for European Reform in London. "Clearly, it was a lot better than the meeting in February." Alaska Red Carpet. White House Oval Office. Last week, Trump welcomed Putin onto US soil, giving a diplomatic bro hug, providing him a world stage while lending Putin his ear, one-on-one. The Alaska summit was not a triumph for Trump: he did not secure a cease-fire to dial back Russia's assault. Putin, meanwhile, got a grand welcome from the country he sees as Russia's peer more than any other. Putin also managed a subtle push for Trump, who agreed to press not for a more immediate cease-fire in Ukraine but to a more comprehensive peace treaty. This would mean negotiating a sweeping treaty would give Putin the chance to litigate the "root causes" of the Ukraine war. That's a litany of historical grievances, some dating back to 10th century Kyivian Rus, some dating back to the late 1990s, when NATO started expanding east. Putin again mentioned "root causes" in a Kremlin meeting the day he arrived back in Moscow. It also buys time for Putin whose military continues to wear down Ukraine's outmanned, outgunned armed forces, not to mention Ukraine's exhausted population. The day after Zelenskyy's trip, Russia fired scores of drones and missiles at Ukrainian civilian targets. "Russia is winning the war, slowly and painfully, but they're winning, and that means that Putin is much less amenable to any actual concessions," said David Silbey, a professor of military history at Cornell University in New York. "Security guarantees" for Ukraine has long been a priority for Zelenskyy, and Trump's willingness to sign on to them was a small victory. Certainly, it's better than "land swaps," which Trump had signaled he was also open to before Alaska. The show of support from the eight European leaders was a sign that Putin had failed to drive a wedge between Brussels and Washington, something Kyiv has feared. Trump said he would push Putin to meet with Zelenskyy. "Zelenskyy, I think, very much benefited from the optics of having the United States and key European leaders supporting him," Beebe said. "He can point to that in signing an ultimate peace deal with Russia, and say: 'We have the West behind us. We're not here alone. We're not going to be left alone'." The signals already coming from the Russian Foreign Ministry are cool. Putin considers Zelenskyy an illegitimate leader; a face-to-meeting would be a considerable concession. Also, "it seems very clear to me that the Russians are in no way prepared to sign a deal on the basis that Western [peacekeeping] forces will be deployed in Ukraine," Bond said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov muddied the waters when he declared the issue of "Russian-speaking people in Ukraine" was also a priority. That's a long-standing pretext for Russia, dating back to Moscow's 2014 incursions and allegations Kyiv was suppressing the Russian language. "This is an existential war for Ukraine and for Zelenskyy. He doesn't want to settle it [on Russia's terms]. Trump doesn't have the attention span to try and settle this. And Putin is winning, so he doesn't have to settle this," Silbey said. "So I don't see this ending, certainly not before the end of the year." Senior International Correspondent Mike Eckel reported from Prague; North American Correspondent Todd Prince reported from Washington. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskyy- trump-meeting/33507359.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Denys Shmyhal and the Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine discussed expanding cooperation Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 19 August, 2025, 9:29 AM EEST The Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, held discussions with the Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine, Masashi Nakagome, on expanding cooperation between the two countries. Denys Shmyhal emphasized that Ukraine is open to exchanging innovations and technologies that can save lives and strengthen peace. "I invited our Japanese partners to take part in the implementation of projects in a number of important areas, particularly in the rehabilitation of Ukrainian service members. I also proposed considering support for one of the centers where service members of the Defence Forces released from captivity are undergoing rehabilitation," said the Defence Minister of Ukraine. Denys Shmyhal thanked the Government and people of Japan for their comprehensive assistance and solidarity. "Japan is a reliable partner, whose support has been strongly felt in our country," emphasized the Minister of Defence of Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President of Ukraine Spoke with the Prime Minister of Norway President of Ukraine 19 August 2025 - 18:33 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Stre. The leaders exchanged assessments of the meetings in Washington and discussed joint work with all partners on strong security guarantees for Ukraine. The Prime Minister of Norway noted that this is truly a historic achievement - Europe has never before been so united around Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Jonas Gahr Stre expressed confidence that peace can be reliable and lasting, and that security guarantees are the key to this. The President emphasized that Ukrainians have defended independence and that our state has united many nations; therefore, by ensuring strong security guarantees, Ukraine will certainly secure a future for its people. According to the Head of State, Ukraine and the members of the Coalition of the Willing, together with the United States, are now actively working at all levels on the specifics of what the architecture of the guarantees will look like. Volodymyr Zelenskyy called this one of the major results of the Washington talks and thanked all partners for their assistance. The leaders also discussed bilateral relations and joint projects, including cooperation in the energy sector. The President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of Norway agreed to meet in the near future. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy Discussed the Results of the European Council Meeting and Further Steps with Antonio Costa President of Ukraine 19 August 2025 - 17:45 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call with President of the European Council Antonio Costa. Antonio Costa informed that a European Council meeting had been held to discuss the outcomes of negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that an important step had been taken toward ending the war and ensuring security for Ukraine and all of Europe. He emphasized that reliable security guarantees for Ukraine, which will work in practice, are the most important achievement of the joint efforts of all partners and of Ukrainians defending their independence. The conversation also touched on the results of the European Council meeting, future joint actions, and an agreement to continue working closely together. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine values the unity and unwavering support of the European Union. They also discussed further joint steps and the preparation of the new 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia. The President of Ukraine underscored that pressure must be increased until Russia takes real steps to stop the war. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Antonio Costa also discussed the importance of unity among all 27 EU member states for Ukraine's path toward EU membership and the opening of negotiation clusters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Talks Were Held in Washington Between the Leaders of Ukraine, the U.S., France, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the EU, and NATO President of Ukraine 19 August 2025 - 05:29 Talks were held in Washington with the participation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of the United States Donald Trump, President of France Emmanuel Macron, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer, President of the Council of Ministers of Italy Giorgia Meloni, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. This meeting was preceded by bilateral negotiations between the Presidents of Ukraine and the United States. The Head of State emphasized that one of the main topics of discussion with President Trump was security guarantees. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine's security depends on all the leaders present. The President noted the strong signal from the United States regarding its readiness to take part in guaranteeing security and the importance of the support demonstrated today by Europe. Ukraine, in particular, views accession to the EU as part of its security guarantees. The talks also focused on the work of the Coalition of the Willing and the specific security guarantees each of its more than 30 member states is ready to provide. During the meeting, the leaders began a substantive discussion of the details of security guarantees. As a result, certain projects are already in place, and the relevant teams will now be working on them intensively. Everything is to be formalized within ten days. "It is very important for us that this must not be a pause in fighting, but a real peace that can be safeguarded by the security guarantees of our partners," said the President of Ukraine. Other key topics included the release of prisoners and the return of children abducted by Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked U.S. First Lady Melania Trump for her attention to this issue and for the letter she conveyed to Vladimir Putin. The Presidents of Ukraine and the United States agreed to work on preparing an all-for-all prisoner exchange. The participants also discussed the importance of holding a meeting with the Russian side at the level of leaders. All partners agreed that only such a format could resolve the most sensitive issues. According to the U.S. President, during the meeting in Alaska Vladimir Putin agreed to accept security guarantees for Ukraine. "I am optimistic that collectively we can reach an agreement that would deter any future aggression against Ukraine," noted Donald Trump. The NATO Secretary General thanked Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his leadership and Donald Trump for his personal efforts. Mark Rutte emphasized the importance of stopping the killings and strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. "Let us do the maximum we can now. I am confident that from today we will move toward ending this as soon as possible," he stressed. The President of the European Commission emphasized the participants' readiness to work on security guarantees for Ukraine. "And I am also glad that you mentioned the thousands of abducted children. As a mother and grandmother, I know how important it is for every child to return home," added Ursula von der Leyen. The German Chancellor emphasized that before further negotiations, a key step is a ceasefire to enable work on a peace agreement. "I cannot imagine that the next meeting will take place without a ceasefire. So let us work on this. And let us press Russia. Because the ceasefire and the seriousness of the negotiations depend on how we do it," said Friedrich Merz. The President of the Council of Ministers of Italy stressed that peace and justice can be achieved only in unity. "We will discuss security guarantees: how to ensure that this does not happen again. We will begin discussions with a proposal for a model similar to Article 5 of NATO," said Giorgia Meloni. The President of France also emphasized that a ceasefire is necessary to stop the killings. Another essential element, he noted, is security guarantees. "When we speak of security guarantees, we are speaking of security for the entire European continent. The first guarantee is a capable Ukrainian army for the coming years and decades. And also the corresponding commitments on the part of all of us," stated Emmanuel Macron. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom expressed confidence that today's meeting could be a historic step in terms of security. "We want peace. The war has a huge impact, first of all on Ukrainians, who hold the front line. But it also affects Europe, including the United Kingdom," said Keir Starmer. The President of Finland stressed that the reason for his presence at the negotiating table is that his country shares a long border with Russia and has its own historical experience dating back to World War II. "We found a solution in 1944. And I am confident that we will be able to find a solution in 2025 to end Russia's war of aggression. The situation is very difficult. But that is why we are here," concluded Alexander Stubb. In addition, the parties discussed the reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that this is a major opportunity for future investment, which at the same time is an element of the path to peace. The President of Ukraine thanked all the leaders present who came to Washington personally to demonstrate their support for our country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN upholds readiness to support peace efforts in Ukraine 19 August 2025 - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed recent diplomatic efforts spearheaded by the United States towards a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, his Spokesperson said on Tuesday in New York. Stephane Dujarric was responding to a journalist's question about the meeting held the previous day between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, his American counterpart Donald Trump, and several European leaders at the White House. It followed talks last week between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Alaska. Engagement and dialogue "It's very important that all involved continue to stay actively engaged in what we want to see as an inclusive dialogue to sustain the important momentum that was created to bring an immediate ceasefire and sustainable peace in Ukraine," he said. Nearly four years have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and more than 13,000 civilians have been killed, UN human rights monitors in the country have reported. Mr. Dujarric was asked if the Secretary-General had any comment on the possibility of a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents. While noting that there is much discussion around "potential dialogues or formats, location", he said "it is obviously important that those parties who are directly involved in this conflict be able to speak to each other directly." Asked what role the UN could play in this process, he said the global body will be "supportive and ready to engage in a role that may or may not be given to us based on the principles that the Secretary-General has often reiterated." When pressed about whether UN peacekeepers could be deployed to Ukraine, Mr. Dujarric stressed that "any peacekeeping mission anywhere would have to go through the Security Council." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Trump Recaps Breakthroughs in Ukraine Peace Talks Articles The White House August 19, 2025 In an exclusive interview on Fox & Friends this morning, President Donald J. Trump provided an inside look at yesterday's historic White House peace summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders. Detailing his bold diplomacy, President Trump emphasized his unwavering commitment to stopping the bloodshed and securing lasting peace, rallying European allies to lead on security and paving the way for an ultimate resolution to the war. Here's what you missed: President Trump said he arranged a bilateral meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy: "I thought I'd first let them meet. They haven't been exactly best friends... It only matters if we get things done... I hope that President Zelenskyy will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility also." "I thought I'd first let them meet. They haven't been exactly best friends... It only matters if we get things done... I hope that President Zelenskyy will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility also." President Trump described his call with President Putin: "I told him that we're going to set up a meeting with President Zelenskyy, and you and he will meet, and then after that meeting, if everything works out OK, I'll meet and we'll wrap it up. It takes, in this case, two to tango. They have to have somewhat of a relationship, otherwise we're just wasting a lot of time." "I told him that we're going to set up a meeting with President Zelenskyy, and you and he will meet, and then after that meeting, if everything works out OK, I'll meet and we'll wrap it up. It takes, in this case, two to tango. They have to have somewhat of a relationship, otherwise we're just wasting a lot of time." President Trump underscored the situation's urgency by describing an interaction with a fellow leader: "At the table, one of the gentlemen... he said, 'Well, let's meet in another month or two and let's see if we can start making some...' I said, 'A MONTH OR TWO!? You're going to have another 40,000 people dead in a month or two you have to do it TONIGHT.' And I did, actually I called President Putin and we're trying to work out a meeting with President Zelenskyy." "At the table, one of the gentlemen... he said, 'Well, let's meet in another month or two and let's see if we can start making some...' I said, 'A MONTH OR TWO!? You're going to have another 40,000 people dead in a month or two you have to do it TONIGHT.' And I did, actually I called President Putin and we're trying to work out a meeting with President Zelenskyy." President Trump explained what has surprised him about President Putin and President Zelenskyy: "I think the fact that maybe they're getting along a little bit better than I thought, otherwise I wouldn't have set up the [bilateral] meeting, I would've set up a three a trilat. But I think they're doing a little bit better. There's been tremendous bad blood." "I think the fact that maybe they're getting along a little bit better than I thought, otherwise I wouldn't have set up the [bilateral] meeting, I would've set up a three a trilat. But I think they're doing a little bit better. There's been tremendous bad blood." President Trump outlined how long-term peace in Ukraine could be secured: "They're not going to be a part of NATO, but we've got the European nations and they'll front-load it and they'll have, some of them France, Germany, UK they want to have boots on the ground. I don't think it's going to be a problem, to be honest with you." "They're not going to be a part of NATO, but we've got the European nations and they'll front-load it and they'll have, some of them France, Germany, UK they want to have boots on the ground. I don't think it's going to be a problem, to be honest with you." President Trump rejected American troops defending Ukraine's border: "You have my assurance and I'm President. I'm just trying to stop people from being killed." "You have my assurance and I'm President. I'm just trying to stop people from being killed." President Trump detailed his discussions with European leaders: "They want to get back to leading their countries. They're consumed with this far more than we are... There will be some form of security. It can't be NATO because that's just not something that would ever, ever happen." "They want to get back to leading their countries. They're consumed with this far more than we are... There will be some form of security. It can't be NATO because that's just not something that would ever, ever happen." President Trump commented on his relationship with European leaders: "I think really, they have respect for our country again. A year ago, they wouldn't have come. They wouldn't have even thought about it. Now, we've become the hottest country anywhere in the world. Everybody wants to be here." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW CASTLE, Del., Aug. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HexaVentures, a fintech innovator at the intersection of artificial intelligence and digital finance, today announced it has achieved a $100 million valuation following a successful internal funding round. In addition, the company is unveiling two major initiatives: the launch of its AI-powered quant trading platform, HexaTrades, and the start of a pilot program for tokenizing Real-World Assets (RWA). This milestone reflects HexaVentures explosive 300% year-over-year growth as it continues to redefine how institutional and retail investors engage with equities and digital assets. The companys new trading platform integrates advanced AI algorithms to deliver data-driven strategies, while its RWA tokenization project aims to unlock liquidity and broaden access to traditionally illiquid assets. Reaching a $100 million valuation is a testament to both our vision and execution, said Joss Cardozs, CEO of HexaVentures. With HexaTrades, were democratizing access to institutional-grade quant strategies, and through RWA tokenization, were building the bridge between traditional finance and decentralized innovation. About HexaVentures HexaVentures is a fintech firm specializing in AI-powered trading solutions and digital asset innovation. Through its flagship platform, HexaTrades, and initiatives such as Real-World Asset tokenization, the company aims to accelerate the future of investing by blending advanced AI, blockchain, and modern financial models. HexaVentures continues to empower investors with cutting-edge tools designed for the new era of global finance. Photo from GrowthHackers.se STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Aug. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Growth Hackers Sthlm AB has announced a strategic partnership with Lovable, Europe's fastest-growing AI startup, marking a significant milestone in the agency's mission to re-establish itself as the leading growth partner for AI-focused companies across Europe. The collaboration positions Growth Hackers to deliver advanced programmatic SEO solutions and AI-powered growth strategies to scale-ups and enterprise innovation teams throughout the Nordic region and beyond. The partnership comes at a time when the European digital advertising market has achieved record-breaking performance, with total investment reaching 118.9 billion in 2024, representing a 16 percent growth rate. This robust market expansion has created substantial opportunities for specialized growth agencies that can navigate the increasingly complex digital ecosystem while delivering measurable results for technology companies. Growth Hackers' AI-Powered Growth Engine represents a comprehensive solution for startups and scale-ups seeking sustainable growth through data-driven methodologies. The modular service includes programmatic SEO capabilities that generate content at scale, custom audience segmentation, digital channel attribution, AI-powered automated analysis, and measurement and RevOps enablement. This systematic methodology addresses the growing demand for scientific rigor in growth marketing, particularly as businesses seek to eliminate guesswork and operational silos. "This partnership with Lovable represents a comeback moment for Growth Hackers," Growth Hackers founder Tom Strom says, "after navigating through challenging market conditions, we have emerged more focused and AI-powered than ever before. The collaboration with one of Europe's fastest-growing AI startups validates our strategic direction and provides a launchpad for bigger impact stories around startup growth and modern RevOps." The timing of this partnership aligns with significant trends in the European digital marketing sector. Research indicates that AI-generated content optimization has become a critical component of successful SEO strategies, with websites utilizing AI-generated content growing 5 percent faster than traditional approaches. Additionally, programmatic advertising experienced notable acceleration in 2024, with the European market showing renewed confidence in automated solutions. Growth Hackers has established a proven track record working with notable Swedish companies, including Yubico, which successfully completed its IPO, Soundtrap (acquired by Spotify), Tink (acquired by Visa), Epidemic Sound, and Kry. The agency has also partnered with enterprise clients such as Telia, Securitas, Swedbank, and Nordea, demonstrating its ability to scale growth strategies across different company sizes and sectors. The agency's scientific methodology differentiates it from traditional marketing firms by applying rigorous measurement and optimization protocols to every campaign. This data-first strategy has become increasingly valuable as European businesses prioritize measurable outcomes and performance over broad experimentation, particularly given current macroeconomic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions. "We are among the first Nordic agencies to build AI-powered programmatic SEO at scale and incorporate predictive modeling into everyday growth campaigns," Strom explains, "our modular 'source of truth' structure allows companies to run experimentation and data operations like mature growth organizations, regardless of their current stage of development." The partnership with Lovable also supports Growth Hackers' expansion strategy for 2025-2026, which targets key European markets including London, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Paris. This geographic expansion plan capitalizes on the strong performance of European digital advertising markets, with 21 out of 30 markets achieving double-digit growth in 2024. Growth Hackers' service portfolio addresses critical challenges facing modern businesses, including the need for scalable SEO solutions, effective digital marketing strategies, RevOps optimization, and insight-driven experimentation. The agency's ability to transform raw data into actionable campaigns has become particularly valuable as businesses navigate an increasingly complex digital environment. The European digital marketing services sector has shown signs of recovery in 2024 following a challenging 2023, with industry experts predicting steady single-digit market growth amid improving economic conditions. This recovery has created opportunities for specialized agencies that can deliver measurable results while adapting to evolving technological capabilities. Growth Hackers' focus on AI-powered solutions positions the agency to capitalize on emerging trends in the SEO and digital marketing sectors. The global AI SEO software tool market is projected to reach $4.97 billion by 2033 from $1.99 billion in 2024, indicating substantial growth opportunities for agencies that can effectively leverage these technologies. Visit Growth Hackers to learn more about the AI-Powered Growth Engine and strategic partnership opportunities. About Growth Hackers Founded in 2014, Growth Hackers Sthlm AB is a Stockholm-based growth agency specializing in scientific methods, AI tools, and deep data analysis to help startups and enterprises achieve measurable, sustainable growth. The agency has partnered with notable companies, including Yubico, Kry, Tink, Soundtrap, and Lovable to deliver scalable growth strategies. Growth Hackers operates as a Google Premier Partner and HubSpot Partner, serving clients across the Nordic region and select European markets. Contact: Tom Strom, Founder Growth Hackers Sthlm AB tom@growthhackers.se A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d6b62efb-d71d-4f91-93d5-6c8ae38ea5f9 AUSTIN, Texas and SINGAPORE, Aug. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEON , the command center for fraud prevention and AML compliance, today announced that MoneyMe, one of Australia's leading digital lenders, has selected SEONs unified platform to bolster fraud detection as it continues its growth trajectory. MoneyMe will deploy SEON to support a multi-product portfolio including auto loans, credit cards and personal loans strengthening capabilities in device intelligence, behavioral analysis and second-party fraud detection. The decision follows an evaluation of multiple vendors and reflects MoneyMes focus on preemptively improving risk management capabilities without compromising customer experience. SEON stood out for its flexibility, strong device intelligence and scalability, said Jonathan Wu, MoneyMes Chief Operations Officer and Chief Product Officer. Its platform will help us consolidate tools, reduce complexity and enhance both fraud prevention and operational efficiency as we grow. The phased rollout includes fraud prevention and credit decisioning enrichment via SEONs data engine. MoneyMe will gain comprehensive visibility across all risk vectors through SEON's integrated dashboard, enabling coordinated response across their fraud, risk and compliance teams. MoneyMe is the kind of forward-looking fintech we built SEON for, said Troy Nyi Nyi, Senior Vice President and GM, APAC, SEON. By combining device intelligence, digital footprinting and real-time compliance in one centralized command center, were helping them to both stop fraud before it starts and scale securely. MoneyMe aims to future proof its fraud detection approach, add additional data points to enhance credit modeling accuracy and generate cost savings across KYC and onboarding workflows. The company also plans to expand SEONs role to include transaction monitoring in future phases. About MoneyMe MoneyMe (ASX:MME) is a digital non-bank lender and Certified B Corporation offering innovative auto loans, personal loans, and credit cards. With rapid credit decisioning and a seamless digital experience, MoneyMe leverages smart technology and AI to reshape how Australians access credit. Learn more at moneyme.com.au . About SEON SEON is the command center for fraud prevention and AML compliance , helping thousands of companies worldwide stop fraud, reduce risk and protect revenue. Powered by 900+ real-time, first-party data signals, SEON enriches customer profiles, flags suspicious behavior and streamlines compliance workflows. With integrated fraud and AML capabilities, SEON operates globally from Austin, London, Budapest and Singapore. Learn more at seon.io . Baltimore, MD , Aug. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a recent increase in medical negligence claims across the Mid-Atlantic, victims need more than sympathy. They need advocates with compassion and resolve. Brockstedt Mandalas Federico steps into that role every day, fighting for individuals affected by nursing errors, surgical mistakes, and hospital malpractice throughout Maryland, Delaware, and Washington D.C. The firm handles complex medical negligence cases with a team of experienced lawyers dedicated to securing the justice victims deserve. With years of litigation experience, Brockstedt Mandalas Federico provides high-quality legal representation tailored to each clients needs. When a health care system fails a patient, the legal response must be swift, precise, and compassionate, said a firm spokesperson. Our focus is always on answers, accountability, and results so healing can begin. Brockstedt Mandalas Federico Representation spans catastrophic injury through wrongful death, with strategies calibrated to the facts, the medicine, and the venue. The attorneys secure early holds on records and devices, move for protective orders when necessary, and position each claim for mediation or trial without delay. Recognized among Maryland medical malpractice lawyers, the legal team manages matters ranging from operating-room mistakes and retained instruments to negligent post-operative care and hospital-acquired infections. The attorneys analyze charting, protocols, and staffing decisions to determine how institutional breakdowns or individual negligence caused avoidable injury. As Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers, the firm prosecutes operating-suite disputes in which a surgical error lawyer evaluates whether a medical error arose from protocol deviation, device failure, or inadequate supervision. The firms nursing malpractice lawyers scrutinize medication administration, fall-prevention measures, monitoring protocols, and unit communications to expose failures that cause lasting harm. In parallel, the firms misdiagnosis lawyers pursue cases involving delayed cancer detection, misread strokes and heart attacks, and overlooked infections that convert treatable conditions into emergencies. When drug mix-ups injure patients, a medication error lawyer builds the liability record, while a prescription error lawyer addresses pharmacy workflow breakdowns from order entry to counseling. Emergency room negligence and obstetric errors are litigated with a birth injury lawyer coordinating obstetric, neonatal, and life-care experts. Clients report clear communication, rigorous preparation, and courtroom poise as defining features of the representation. Case development emphasizes independent medical analysis, focused depositions, and persuasive damages models that connect negligence to real-world loss. For families confronting wrongful death or complex sequelae from a medical error, the firm frames accountability and remedy with equal clarity. Brockstedt Mandalas Federicos record includes settlements and verdicts that have reshaped policies and sharpened clinical protocols. Each case presents an opportunity to address systemic risk in health care delivery, from surgical checklists to patient-monitoring standards, while pursuing compensation that reflects the full scope of harm. The result is litigation that advances justice for individuals and fosters safer practice across Maryland, Delaware, and Washington D.C. This dual aim recovery for clients and improvements in care defines the practice today. To learn more about how Brockstedt Mandalas Federico stands up for patients and families impacted by medical negligence, visit https://www.mdmalpracticelaw.com/. About Brockstedt Mandalas Federico Brockstedt Mandalas Federico LLC represents patients and families in high-stakes medical malpractice litigation across Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. The practice spans nursing malpractice, surgical error, hospital negligence, misdiagnosis, medication error, emergency room negligence, birth injury lawyer actions, and wrongful death claims. Each medical malpractice lawyer and medical negligence lawyer collaborates with respected experts and prepares every matter for trial, aiming to secure outcomes that recognize physical, emotional, and economic loss. ### Media Contact Brockstedt Mandalas Federico LLC Address: 2850 Quarry Lake Dr, Suite 220, Baltimore, MD 21209 Phone: (410) 421-7777 Website: https://www.mdmalpracticelaw.com/ newsroom: news.38digitalmarket.com Attachment "We delivered solid operations across all segments in the second quarter, resulting in an operational EBIT of NOK 680 million in the quarter. The quarter clearly illustrates the robustness of our business model with a fully integrated value chain in a diversified seafood company," says CEO of Lery Seafood Group ASA (LSG), Henning Beltestad. FARMING STRONG BIOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE BUT LOW PRICES FOR SALMON AND TROUT. Operational EBIT in the second quarter of 2025 ended at NOK 256 million in the Farming segment. "LSG achieved its highest net growth ever for a second quarter. Survival rates are high, the share of superior quality is high, and the average harvest weight has increased, while cost per kg is declining. This is due to a very strong biological performance. We see a more challenging start to the third quarter, where high sea temperatures in Norway imply increased biological risk. The guided harvest volume of salmon and trout for 2025 remains at 195,000 GWT. Low prices for salmon and trout, driven by strong supply growth, naturally impact results in the quarter, while contracts provide some earnings stability. Low spot prices continued into the third quarter. In the longer term, the increased supply helps us build markets, for example in China, which is positive for Lery, the industry, and Norway as an export nation. We continue to perform well in our submerged cages and experience positive effects from changes we have made in genetics and smolt production," comments Beltestad. VAP S&D CLOSER TO AMBITIOUS EBIT TARGET AFTER A STRONG QUARTER. Operational EBIT for the quarter ended at NOK 351 million in Q2 2025. This represents the tenth consecutive quarter of growth in 12-month rolling operational EBIT. "This segment, which handles sales and processing of seafood, continues its positive development driven by improved capacity utilization and strengthened activity towards key customers. We are steadily moving closer to our target of NOK 1,250 million in operational EBIT in this segment for 2025," says the CEO. WILD CATCH STRONG QUARTER ON HIGH PRICES. OUTLOOK FOR LOWER QUOTAS IN 2026. "We delivered a very solid operational result of NOK 148 million in the second quarter, above our expectations. Prices, particularly for cod, are historically very high. There are prospects for further reductions in already low cod quotas in 2026. This is especially challenging for our whitefish factories in Lery Norway Seafoods, which depend on volumes to perform well. We expect challenging times ahead in this segment," says Henning Beltestad. LERYS FULLY INTEGRATED VALUE CHAIN IS THE FUTURE. "I am pleased with the performance in the quarter, and we are delivering on the 2025 key targets communicated at our Capital Markets Day in 2022. We are entering a new strategy period and new targets will be set. I am optimistic about Lerys development going forward. With our business model, we are well positioned, and we have a strong position with strategic customers. There is strong global demand for seafood, and we are gaining market share in important markets," concludes Beltestad. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Attachments Q2 2025 INTERIM REPORT ANNOUNCEMENT NO. 25/2025 Q2 2025 Revenue up 3% to DKK 7.8bn Organic growth was -2% EBIT reduced 69% to DKK 163m Adjusted free cash flow of DKK 538m CO2 ferry emission intensity from own fleet lowered 4.1% Outlook 2025 EBIT of DKK 0.8-1.0bn (previously around DKK 1.0bn) Revenue growth of around 5% Adjusted free cash flow of around DKK 1.0bn (unchanged) Most of the network performed in line with our expectations for the quarter. The Mediterranean activities remain our key earnings challenge, says Torben Carlsen, CEO. Q2 Q2 Change, LTM LTM Change, Full-year DKK m 2025 2024 % 2024-25 2023-24 % 2024 Revenue 7,810 7,580 3 30,510 28,613 7 29,753 EBITDA 893 1,232 -28 3,892 4,737 - 18 4,440 EBIT 163 519 -69 833 1,963 - 58 1,506 Adjusted free cash flow 538 724 -26 1,344 2,311 - 42 957 ROIC % - - - 2.2 6.2 - 4.4 Financial leverage, times - - - 4.2 3.1 - 3.9 CEOs comments As outlined earlier this year, 2025 is a transitional year for DFDS where we lay the foundation for improving financial performance following events of 2024. The financial performance of most of the network was in line with our expectations for the quarter. Our key earnings challenge in 2025 remains therefore to resolve three specific focus areas: Adapting Mediterranean ferry operations to competitive environment change Turning Logistics Turkiye & Europe South around to breakeven by year-end 2025 Delivering on Logistics Boost turnaround projects initiated in 2024. The realised and expected delivery on the Logistics Boost projects is in line with the expectations for 2025 set earlier this year. The adaptation of the Mediterranean business unit progressed in Q2 2025 but less than expected. Volumes were to a large extent intact but the impact from pricing initiatives fell short of expectations. Further actions have been launched to improve the effectiveness of the yield recovery in the remainder of the year. The Turkiye & Europe South turnaround progressed well in Q2 2025 with regard to rightsizing of the network while volumes and margins were below target, partly due to Turkish transport market dynamics. Achieving the breakeven target in 2025 may therefore be delayed. Outlook updated To reflect the challenges facing two of the focus areas, the EBIT outlook for 2025 is updated to a range of DKK 0.8-1.0bn from previously an EBIT of around DKK 1.0bn. The Q2 cash flow generation was on track and financial leverage is set to improve as expected in H2. The 2025 outlook for Adjusted free cash flow is unchanged DKK 1.0bn. The outlook is detailed on page 4. Geopolitics drive European nearshoring Towards the end of July 2025, the EU and USA entered into a trade agreement that set a general tariff of 15% on EU exports to USA. The agreement may curb demand for parts of the EUs export sector which in turn could impact Europes economic short-term growth prospects. The agreement seems likely to support Europes determination to become more self-reliant and we expect nearshoring to grow trading with manufacturing hubs such as Turkiye and Morocco which will benefit our network. Read the Q2 2025 interim report here: https://www.dfds.com/en/about/investors/reports-and-presentations/q2-report-2025 20 August 2025. Conference call today at 10.00am CET Register ahead of the call via this link. Access code is mailed after registration. Follow live-streaming of call via this link. Contact Torben Carlsen, CEO +45 33 42 32 01 Karen Boesen, CFO +45 20 58 58 40 Sren Brndholt Nielsen, IR +45 33 42 33 59 Dennis Kjrsgaard Srensen, Media +45 42 30 38 47 About DFDS We operate a transport network in and around Europe with annual revenue of DKK 30bn and 16,500 full-time employees. We move goods in trailers by ferry, road, and rail plus we offer complementary and related logistics solutions. We also move car and foot passengers on short sea and overnight ferry routes. DFDS was founded in 1866 and is headquartered and listed in Copenhagen This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Attachment COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT NO. 23-2025 FLSmidth & Co. A/S 20 August 2025 Copenhagen, Denmark Today, the Board of Directors of FLSmidth have approved the H1 2025 Interim Financial Report. Highlights in Q2 2025: Continued and disciplined execution of our strategic priorities despite macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties Further reduction in SG&A driving strong progression in underlying profitability, with an Adjusted EBITA margin of 15.2% Solid organic order intake growth in PC&V and Products, whereas organic Service order intake is slightly down versus Q2 2024 Solid cash flow generation and launch of the companys first share buy-back programme since 2012 Signed agreements to sell the Cement business and corporate headquarters in Copenhagen The financial guidance for the full year 2025 was updated on 14 August 2025 (ref. Company Announcement no. 22-2025) Continued progression on all our science-based sustainability targets FLSmidth Group CEO, Mikko Keto, comments: In Q2 2025, we advanced our strategy despite ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. Profitability strengthened with an Adjusted EBITA margin of 15.2%, reflecting continued momentum. Orders grew by 3% year-on-year, driven especially by higher Products orders, while Pumps, Cyclones & Valves delivered 13% organic growth from targeted sales force investments. Service orders declined by 1% due to delayed modernisation projects in North America linked to tariff uncertainty, though these remain in the pipeline and recovery is expected in the coming quarters. We also achieved three strategic milestones: the DKK 730 million sale of our headquarters, strengthening the balance sheet; the divestment of FLSmidth Cement, advancing our transition to a pure-play mining technology and service provider; and the launch of our first share buy-back programme since 2012, reinforcing our commitment to shareholder returns. Alongside an upgraded earnings guidance, these results underline our delivery on strategy and the creation of a stronger, more resilient FLSmidth. Updated segment reporting As a result of the signed agreements to divest FLSmidth Cement, including the Air Pollution Control business, the business has been classified as discontinued activities and assets held for sale. Consequently, FLSmidth has as of Q2 2025 changed its segment reporting to reflect that FLSmidth going forward will be a pure-play supplier of technology and services to the mining industry. As such, FLSmidth will as of Q2 2025 report on the following three continuing segments: Service, Products, and Pumps, Cyclones & Valves (PC&V). On average, the PC&V segment is expected to comprise approximately 25% equipment-related orders and 75% aftermarket-related orders. The new segments have been defined based on our go-to-market strategy and are consistent with the Groups internal management and reporting structure going forward. Results in Q2 2025 Commercial performance Service order intake decreased by 8% compared to Q2 2024 (decrease of 1% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year decline can primarily be attributed to a lower order intake within upgrades & retrofits due to the delays to larger modernisation projects in North America. The order backlog decreased to DKK 4,781m compared to DKK 5,093m at the end of Q2 2024. The book-to-bill ratio was 100.2% in Q2 2025. Products order intake increased by 44% compared to Q2 2024 (increase of 53% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). No large orders were announced in neither Q2 2025 nor in Q2 2024. The order backlog decreased to DKK 4,869m compared to DKK 5,681m at the end of Q2 2024. The book-to-bill ratio was 112.2% in Q2 2025. PC&V order intake increased by 7% compared to Q2 2024 (increase of 13% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year increase was driven by a higher level of equipment orders as well as an unchanged level for aftermarket-related orders. In addition, the increase was primarily driven by higher order intake in the SAMER and EMEA regions, partly offset by a lower order intake in the NAMER region. The order backlog decreased to DKK 1,000m compared to DKK 1,078m at the end of Q2 2024. The book-to-bill ratio was 108.5% in Q2 2025. Consolidated order intake increased by 3% in Q2 2025 (increase of 9% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year increase was primarily a result of a higher order intake in Products and was partly offset by a lower order intake in Service. In addition, Non-Core Activities contributed with DKK 7m in order intake in Q2 2024. The order backlog decreased by 13% to DKK 10,650m compared to Q2 2024. The book-to-bill ratio was 104.1% in Q2 2025. Financial performance Service revenue decreased by 3% compared to Q2 2024 (decrease of 1% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year decline is primarily a reflection of the timing of the execution of certain orders. The decline was partly offset by higher revenue within professional services and upgrades & retrofits. The Adjusted EBITA margin was 19.6% when excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 27m as well as other operating net income of DKK 34m, which primarily related to sale of certain properties in Q2 2025. Including these items, EBITA increased to DKK 411m corresponding to an EBITA margin of 19.9% compared to DKK 403m corresponding to an EBITA margin of 19.0% in Q2 2024. Products revenue decreased by 43% compared to Q2 2024 (decrease of 39% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year decline was primarily a reflection of the delayed execution of orders within certain product groups. FLSmidth expects the majority of these orders will be executed during the second half of 2025. The Adjusted EBITA margin was -9.7% when excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 16m as well as other operating net income of DKK 25m, which primarily related to sale of certain properties in Q2 2025. Including these items, EBITA increased to DKK -50m corresponding to an EBITA margin of -8.2% compared to DKK -103m corresponding to an EBITA margin of -9.7% in Q2 2024. PC&V revenue increased by 17% compared to Q2 2024 (increase of 24% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year increase reflects the positive momentum in the business and was driven by both higher equipment- and aftermarket-related revenue. The Adjusted EBITA margin was 23.7% when excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 8m. There was no impact from other operating net income in the quarter. Including these items, EBITA increased to DKK 160m corresponding to an EBITA margin of 22.6% compared to DKK 134m corresponding to an EBITA margin of 22.1% in Q2 2024. Consolidated revenue decreased by 12% compared to Q2 2024 (decrease of 5% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year decline was primarily driven by lower revenue in Products. In addition, Non-Core Activities contributed with DKK 44m in revenue in Q2 2024. The decline was partly offset by higher revenue in the PC&V business. The gross profit amounted to DKK 1,199m (unchanged compared to Q2 2024) corresponding to a gross margin of 35.5% (31.3% in Q2 2024). Excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 50m and other operating net income of DKK 59m, the Adjusted EBITA margin was 15.2% in Q2 2025. Including these items, the EBITA margin was 15.5% compared to 8.8% in Q2 2024. Non-Core Activities impacted EBITA negatively by DKK 99m in Q2 2024. Excluding Non-Core Activities, the EBITA margin would have been 11.5% in Q2 2024. Profit from the continuing business was DKK 262m in Q2 2025 (Q2 2024: DKK 76m). Discontinued activities reported a total loss of DKK 717m compared to a gain of DKK 112m in Q2 2024. The loss includes impairment charges of DKK 495m relating to the divestment of the Cement business and derecognition of certain deferred tax assets. Results in H1 2025 Commercial performance Service order intake decreased by 7% compared to H1 2024 (decrease of 4% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The decline was primarily a result of a lower order intake for upgrades & retrofits and spare parts and primarily in North America as well as in South America where orders were particularly strong in H1 2024. The year-on-year decline was partly offset by a higher order intake for consumables. Products order intake decreased by 9% compared to H1 2024 (decrease of 7% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year decline reflects that a single large order was announced during H1 2025 (albeit with undisclosed total value), whereas two large orders with a combined value of approximately DKK 680m were announced in H1 2024. PC&V order intake increased by 12% compared to H1 2024 (increase of 16% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year increase was driven by a higher level of both equipment- and aftermarket-related orders. In addition, the increase was primarily driven by a higher order intake in the EMEA and SAMER regions. Consolidated order intake decreased by 4% compared to H1 2024 (decrease of 1% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year decrease was primarily a result of a lower order intake in Service. In addition, Non-Core Activities contributed with DKK 37m in order intake in H1 2024. The decline was partly offset by a higher order intake in the PC&V business. Financial performance Service revenue increased by 5% compared to H1 2024 (increase of 9% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The higher revenue was primarily driven by higher revenue from consumables and upgrades & retrofits, driven by effective backlog management and improved order execution, partly offset by lower revenue in professional services, which can be partly explained by the exit from basic labour services. The Adjusted EBITA margin was 20.0% when excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 52m as well as other operating net income of DKK 36m, which primarily related to sale of certain properties in H1 2025. Including these items, EBITA increased to DKK 831m corresponding to an EBITA margin of 19.6% compared to DKK 716m corresponding to an EBITA margin of 17.7% in H1 2024. Products revenue decreased by 33% compared to H1 2024 (decrease of 32% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year decline was primarily driven by delayed execution of certain orders. FLSmidth expects the majority of these orders to be executed during the second half of 2025. The Adjusted EBITA margin was -9.9% when excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 32m as well as other operating net income of DKK 41m, which primarily related to sale of certain properties in Q2 2025. Including these items, EBITA increased to DKK -131m corresponding to an EBITA margin of -9.3% compared to DKK -208m corresponding to an EBITA margin of -9.9% in Q2 2024. PC&V revenue increased by 17% compared to H1 2024 (increase of 21% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year increase was driven by a higher level of aftermarket-related revenue. In addition, the increase was primarily a result of higher revenue in the EMEA region. The Adjusted EBITA margin was 24.2% when excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 17m. There was no impact from other operating net income in the quarter. Including these items, EBITA increased to DKK 330m corresponding to an EBITA margin of 23.0% compared to DKK 296m corresponding to an EBITA margin of 24.2% in Q2 2024. Consolidated revenue decreased by 5% compared to H1 2024 (decrease of 1% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). The year-on-year decline was primarily driven by lower revenue in Products. In addition, Non-Core Activities contributed with DKK 94m in revenue in H1 2024. The decline was partly offset by higher revenue in the Service and PC&V businesses. Gross profit increased by 8% to DKK 2,503m (DKK 2,311m in H1 2024) corresponding to a gross margin of 35.3% (31.0% in H1 2024). Excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 101m and other operating net income of DKK 77m, the Adjusted EBITA margin was 14.9% in H1 2025. Including these items, the EBITA margin was 14.5% compared to 8.6% in H1 2024. Non-Core Activities impacted EBITA negatively by DKK 161m in H1 2024. Excluding Non-Core Activities, the EBITA margin would have been 10.9% in H1 2024. Profit for the period for the continuing business amounted to DKK 570m compared to DKK 277m in H1 2024. Discontinued activities reported a total loss of DKK 674m compared to a gain of DKK 104m in H1 2024. The loss includes impairment charges of DKK 495m relating to the divestment of the Cement business and derecognition of certain deferred tax assets. Other business Divestment of Corporate Headquarters Ref. Company Announcement no. 9-2025, FLSmidth has entered into an agreement to sell its corporate headquarters for a total net cash gain of approximately DKK 730m to be paid in full to FLSmidth upon closing of the transaction, expectedly at the end of Q1 2026. The expected accounting gain amounts to approximately DKK 690 million. Divestment of FLSmidth Cement Ref. Company Announcement no. 10-2025, FLSmidth has entered into an agreement to divest its Cement business for a total initial consideration of approximately DKK 550m, plus a deferred cash consideration of up to approximately DKK 550m. The transaction is expected to close during the second half 2025. Divestment of Air Pollution Control business On 30 June 2025, FLSmidth announced that it had entered into an agreement to divest its Air Pollution Control business. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2025 and includes all related assets, including intellectual property, technology, employees and order backlog. Changes to Executive Leadership Team In June, FLSmidth announced that Mikko Tepponen, Chief Digital Officer & Chief Operations Officer, had decided step down from his position to pursue an opportunity outside of the company. As part of the implementation of the new corporate model, the role of Chief Digital Officer & Chief Operations Officer will be eliminated. Consequently, the respective responsibilities for Digital and Manufacturing will be transferred to other members of the executive team. Further, the Chief Financial Officer will take over the responsibility for IT, and manufacturing activities will be managed by the three Business Lines, enhancing their respective end-to-end P&L ownership. In addition, following the agreement to divest FLSmidth Cement, Christopher Ashworth, President of FLSmidth Cement, has left the company. During the period until closing of the transaction, Cori Petersen, Chief People Officer & Global Business Services Executive Vice President, will act as interim President of FLSmidth Cement. Financial guidance for the full year 2025 The financial guidance for 2025, which was updated on 14 August 2025 (ref. Company Announcement no. 22-2025), is maintained. As such, FLSmidth expects revenue of DKK 14.5-15.0bn (previously DKK ~15.0bn). The downward adjustment from previous guidance is partly attributable to the expectation of lower revenue from the order backlog due to customer-driven delays affecting the execution of certain Products orders. Further, the updated revenue guidance reflects adverse foreign exchange rate movements. In addition, FLSmidth expects an Adjusted EBITA margin of 15.0-15.5% (previously 14.0-14.5%). The upgraded Adjusted EBITA margin guidance incorporates the stronger-than-anticipated benefits from the ongoing implementation of our corporate model, driving further business simplification and operational efficiency. Guidance 20 June 2025 Guidance 14 August 2025 Revenue, DKK ~15.0bn 14.5-15.0bn Adj. EBITA margin1 14.0-14.5% 15.0-15.5% Compared to 2024, we expect market demand for aftermarket services in the global mining industry to remain stable and active, whereas the market demand for equipment is expected to remain soft. The Adjusted EBITA margin is expected to be positively impacted by the ongoing implementation of our corporate model, driving further business simplification and operational efficiency, as well as enhanced commercial execution. The Adjusted EBITA margin guidance excludes costs related to the ongoing transformation activities and the separation of the Mining and Cement businesses. These costs are expected to amount to approximately DKK 200m for the full year 2025. In addition, the guidance for Adjusted EBITA margin now excludes Other Operating Net Income. Other Operating Net Income totalled an income of DKK 77m in H1 2025. Earnings call details A presentation of the H1 2025 Interim Financial Report is scheduled for Wednesday 20 August 2025 at 11:00 a.m. CEST. During the presentation, Group CEO, Mikko Keto, and Group CFO, Roland M. Andersen, will comment on the report and developments in the Group. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. Live audio-webcast The presentation can be followed live or as a replay via the internet here. If you wish to ask questions during the Q&A session, please sign up here. After registration, you will receive phone numbers, pin codes and a calendar invite. Please note that you will receive two codes (a pass code and a PIN code), both of which are needed when dialling into the webcast. Presentation slides The presentation slides will be made available shortly before the scheduled start of the webcast at https://fls.com/en/investors/financial-downloads. Consolidated key figures for Q2 2025 and H1 2025 (continuing business) DKK million, unless otherwise stated Q2 2025 Q2 2024** Change (%) H1 2025 H1 2024** Change (%) Order intake 3,517 3,430 3% 7,294 7,636 -4% Order backlog 10,650 12,287 -13% 10,650 12,287 -13% Revenue 3,378 3,827 -12% 7,086 7,458 -5% Gross profit* 1,199 1,199 0% 2,503 2,311 8% Gross margin* 35.5% 31.3% 35.3% 31.0% SG&A costs -677 -805 -16% -1,432 -1,546 -7% SG&A ratio 20.0% 21.0% 20.2% 20.7% Other operating net income 59 4 77 5 Adjusted EBITA*** 513 394 30% 1,054 743 42% Adjusted EBITA margin*** 15.2% 10.3% 14.9% 10.0% EBITA 522 335 56% 1,030 643 60% EBITA margin 15.5% 8.8% 14.5% 8.6% Profit for the period, continuing activities 260 75 247% 570 277 106% Profit for the period, discontinued activities -717 112 -740% -674 104 -748% Profit for the period -455 187 -343% -104 381 -127% CFFO 527 14 515 -338 Free cash flow 309 -89 187 -395 Net working capital 1,562 2,021 Net interest-bearing debt (NIBD) -1,286 -1,227 NIBD/EBITDA ratio 0.6x 0.7x * Q2 2024 and H1 2024 information has been restated to reflect a reclassification of DKK 28m and DKK 55m from Administration costs to Production costs, respectively. ** All 2024 numbers have been restated to reflect the continuing business. 2024 continuing business figures include the impact from Non-Core Activities. *** To illustrate the underlying business performance, we present an Adjusted EBITA margin, which excludes costs related to our ongoing transformation activities and the separation of the Mining and Cement businesses as well as items reported as other operating net income. Contacts: Investor Relations Andreas Holkjr, +45 24 85 03 84, andh@flsmidth.com Jannick Denholt, +45 21 69 66 57, jli@flsmidth.com Media Jannick Denholt, +45 21 69 66 57, jli@flsmidth.com About FLSmidth FLSmidth is a full flowsheet technology and service supplier to the global mining industry. We enable our customers to improve performance, lower operating costs and reduce environmental impact. MissionZero is our sustainability ambition towards zero emissions in mining by 2030. We work within fully validated Science-Based Targets, have a clear commitment to improving the sustainability performance of the global mining industry and aim to become carbon neutral in our own operations by 2030. www.fls.com Attachments Highlights SQM reported total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2025 of US$2,079.3 million compared to total revenues of US$2,378.1 million for the same period last year. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2025 of US$226.0 million or US$0.79 per share, compared to net loss of US$(655.9) million or US$(2.30) per share for the same period last year. Continue to observe record- high iodine sales price. Strong price environment in SPN and Potassium businesses. Increasing sales volumes for the coming months from the International Lithium Division and completion of the Kwinana refinery. SQM will hold a conference call to discuss these results on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at 12:00pm EDT (12:00pm Chile time). Participant Call link: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI096c4f4e6f094d1db8eba9c6ed4a9bbd Webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/2zir238k SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A) reported today net income for the six months ended June 30, 2025, of US$226.0 million or US$0.79 per share, compared to a loss1 of US$(655.9) million or US$(2.30) per share reported for the same period last year. Gross profit reached US$558.3 million (26.8% of revenues) for the six months ended June 30, 2025, lower than US$752.5 million (31.6% of revenues) recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2024. Revenues totaled US$2,079.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025, representing a decrease of 12.6% compared to US$2,378.1 million reported for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The Company also announced net income for the second quarter of 2025 of US$88.4 million or US$0.31 per share, a decrease of 58.6% compared to US$213.6 million or US$0.75 per share for the second quarter of 2024. Gross profit for the second quarter of 2025 reached US$253.6 million, 34.0% lower than the US$383.9 million reported for the second quarter of 2024. Revenues totaled US$1,042.7 million for the second quarter of 2025, a decrease of 19.4% compared to US$1,293.6 million for the second quarter of 2024. SQMs Chief Executive Officer, Ricardo Ramos, stated, As anticipated, during the second quarter, we navigated a period of lower lithium market prices than those observed in previous quarters. In this context, some of the contracts we had in place, hit the lower limits set in those contracts, affecting the volumes agreed. As a result, the total volume sold during the second quarter of this year was lower than what was reported in the first quarter of this year, despite the growth seen in the market. With that said, we now expect sales volumes from our Salar de Atacama operations to grow by approximately 10% compared to last year, while we are increasing our sales guidance for our Australian operations. He added: We are also pleased to announce that Covalent, our Joint Venture with Wesfarmers in Australia, has completed construction of the Kwinana refinery in Australia, and achieved first product produced in July at the expected quality and cost. The ramp-up period is expected to take 18 months, and once at full capacity, the Mt. Holland Lithium Project is expected to produce approximately 50,000 tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide per year, contributing to the growing demand of electric vehicles. To see full press release please visit our website: https://ir.sqm.com/ Press Release Nokia ranked #1 for portfolio competitiveness in Omdias Market Landscape: Core Vendors - 2025 report Nokia earned top scores in core portfolio breadth, cloud-native readiness, automation, core as a service, and most 5G core deals with CSPs. Nokias core momentum continues, leading the 5G Standalone market with 125 CSP customers globally. 20 August 2025 Espoo, Finland Nokia today announced that its core networks portfolio is ranked #1 for competitiveness in Omdia's Market Landscape: Core Vendors - 2025 report. The annual report highlights Nokias comprehensive strengths among 11 leading core vendors, with top scores achieved in the categories of cloud-native readiness, automation, core as a service, number of 5G Standalone core deals with CSPs, and core portfolio breadth. Nokia has demonstrated exceptional capabilities across its core networks portfolio, particularly in areas that are crucial for CSPs future success. Nokias leadership in cloud native readiness, automation and core as a service, coupled with winning the most 5G Standalone core deals shows a deep understanding of where the market is headed, said Roberto Kompany, Principal Analyst, Mobile Infrastructure, Omdia. Nokia continues to gain momentum in core networks, with recently announced customers including Ooredoo Qatar and Telefonica Spain. Nokias 5G Standalone core has a market-leading 125 CSP customers, with 54 that have already launched live services as of Q2 2025. This industry recognition from Omdia confirms the impact of our multi-cloud strategy and continuous innovation in core network solutions. Customers are switching to Nokia at a rapid pace, especially in areas such as packet core, IMS voice and subscriber data management, and we expect even more growth as we continue to expand capabilities around security, automation and A, said Raghav Sahgal, President, Cloud and Network Services, Nokia. The Nokia Core Networks portfolio is fully cloud-native, which makes it possible for operators to run their full 2/3/4/5G and IMS cores in cloud-native network functions. Solutions cover cloud packet core; subscriber data management; voice core; analytics, charging, policy, signaling and network exposure; cloud infrastructure, management and orchestration; and services and care. With Nokia Core Networks, new services can be rolled out quickly, securely and without limitations in multi-cloud, highly automated environments. Furthermore, customers can deploy their entire core on the same cloud platform, avoiding the cost and complication of fragmented cloud stacks. About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation. With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable, and sustainable networks today and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future. Multimedia, technical information and related news Web Page: Core networks portfolio Media Inquiries Nokia Press Office Email: Press.Services@nokia.com Dublin, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "2025 North American Portable Humidifiers Market" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The North American Portable Humidifier Market report includes market size, growth rates, market share information and revenue forecasts from 2024 to 2031. The study is a comprehensive analysis also including pricing trends, growth drivers, restraints, challenges, distribution channel trends, latest developments, Amazon sales analysis, and company profiles. The scope covers Canada and the United States. The North American Portable Humidifier Market is mature and competitive. With very few entry barriers, new companies are constantly entering the market, which has resulted in proliferation of low-cost products. The market is projected to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 4.0 percent during the forecast period (2024-2031). The market is expected to be driven by growing demand for healthy homes and increasing concerns around indoor air quality, rising prevalence of respiratory illnesses, and technological advancements. This study aims to provide a detailed analysis of the North American Portable Humidifier Market along with competitive intelligence for the year 2024. The market numbers included in this report represent revenues generated from the sales of portable humidifiers. The base year for the study is 2024 and the forecast period is from 2024 until 2031. The distribution channels for portable humidifiers include pharmacies, drug stores, mass retailers, online, television direct, specialty stores, and co-op. The product categories included are ultrasonic/cool mist, evaporative, warm mist portable humidifiers, as well as vaporizers and steam inhalers. Companies featured include Helen of Troy Limited, Vesync Co., Ltd. (Levoit), Essick Air, Newell Brands, Crane USA Inc., DREO (Hesung Innovation Corporation), Lasko Products, LLC (Guardian Technologies LLC), Swizz Style Inc (Stadler Form), Bear Down Brands LLC (Pure Enrichment), FKA Distributing Co. LLC (HoMedics Inc), BONECO AG, and Great Innovations, Inc. (Air Innovations), among others. Key Topics Covered: I. Research Scope II. Market Definitions and Segmentation III. Geographical Scope IV. Methodology V. North American Portable Humidifier Market: Executive Summary. Competitive Factors VI. Market Drivers and Impact. VII. Market Restraints and Impact VIII. North American Portable Humidifier Market: Trends IX. Market Data Revenue Forecast, North America, 2020-2027 Revenue Forecast, United States, 2020-2027 Revenue Forecast, Canada, 2020-2027 Market Share by Revenue, North America, 2020 Revenue Share by Type of Product, 2020 Revenue Share by Price Range, 2020 Revenue Share by Retailer, North America, 2020 Revenue Share by Distribution Channel, 2020 Revenue Share by Distribution Channel, Trends 2020 Revenue Share by Online Retailers, 2020 X. SWOT Analysis. XI. Company Profiles Helen of Troy Limited Newell Brands Crane USA Inc BONECO AG. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4hn25g About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Dublin, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Farm Equipment - Company Evaluation Report, 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Farm Equipment Companies Quadrant is a comprehensive industry analysis that provides valuable insights into the global market for Farm Equipment. This quadrant offers a detailed evaluation of key market players, technological advancements, product innovations, and emerging trends shaping the industry. The publisher's 360 Quadrants evaluated over 100 companies, of which the Top 21 Farm Equipment Companies were categorized and recognized as the quadrant leaders. Technological innovations in agriculture have been driven by factors such as erratic weather patterns, a growing global population, diverse soil conditions - including moisture levels and water availability - and rising demand for agricultural output. To meet increasing productivity requirements, farmers are increasingly transitioning from traditional methods to mechanized farming solutions. The adoption of equipment like combine harvesters, rice transplanters, sprayers, and balers is projected to rise in the near future. Government initiatives aimed at encouraging farm mechanization, including subsidies, financial aid, insurance schemes, and support programs, are playing a significant role in accelerating the growth of the farm equipment market. Additionally, advancements in precision farming and the introduction of autonomous tractors through ongoing research and development efforts are expected to elevate agricultural practices to new levels of efficiency and innovation. The 360 Quadrant maps the Farm Equipment companies based on criteria such as revenue, geographic presence, growth strategies, investments, and sales strategies for the market presence of the Farm Equipement quadrant. Key Players Key players in the Digital Signature market include major global corporations and specialized innovators such as: Deere & Company CNH Industrial N.V. Mahindra&Mahindra Ltd. Agco Corporation Kubota Corporation Claas KGaA Mbh Iseki & Co., Ltd. Escorts Kubota Limited SDF Group Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. These companies are actively investing in research and development, forming strategic partnerships, and engaging in collaborative initiatives to drive innovation, expand their global footprint, and maintain a competitive edge in this rapidly evolving market. Top 3 Companies Deere & Company Deere & Company (John Deere) leads the market with a diverse product portfolio that includes compact, utility, row-crop, and 4WD tractors. Notably, the company is focusing on expanding its manufacturing capabilities and increasing its presence in North America. For example, it invested USD 13.5 million in 2024 to expand its manufacturing facility in Missouri. Additionally, Deere & Company's strong emphasis on technological innovations, such as its collaboration with Robert Bosch GmbH to develop precision seeding islands with electric tractors, highlights its forward-thinking approach. CNH Industrial N.V. CNH Industrial N.V. ranks as a key market player with significant investments in new engine plants and expansions in emerging markets. The company is renowned for its brands like Case IH and New Holland and its robust product offering, which includes tractors and telehandlers. Its strategic focus on compliance with emission norms and regional expansion bolsters its global footprint. Kubota Corporation Kubota Corporation is a major contributor to the farm equipment sector, offering products under various brands like Kverneland and Land Pride. The company is lauded for its innovation in smart agriculture systems, supporting farm activities through advanced technologies. With a strong global presence and a commitment to enhancing its product portfolio, Kubota is well-positioned to meet rising demands in precision farming. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 1.1 Market Definition 1.2 Inclusions and Exclusions 2 Executive Summary 2.1 Report Summary 3 Market Overview 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Market Dynamics 3.2.1 Drivers 3.2.1.1 Government Support Through Farm Loan Waivers/Credit Finance 3.2.1.2 OEM/Sales Incentives to Support Dealer Services An1 Rental Operations 3.2.1.3 Contract Farming 3.2.1.4 Increase in Farm Mechanization 3.2.2 Restraints 3.2.2.1 Growth of Rental Market 3.2.2.2 High Cost of Equipment in Emerging Economies 3.2.3 Opportunities 3.2.3.1 Growing Adoption of Precision Farming 3.2.3.2 Increasing R&D and Adoption of Electric Tractors 3.2.4 Challenges 3.2.4.1 Rapidly Changing Emission Norms and Mandates 3.3 Trends/Disruptions Impacting Customer Business 3.4 Market Ecosystem 3.5 Patent Analysis 3.6 Supply Chain Analysis 3.7 Farm Equipment Market Ecosystem 3.8 Technology Analysis 3.9 Key Conferences and Events, 2025-2026 3.9.1 Farm Equipment Market: Key Conferences and Events, 2025-2026 4 Competitive Landscape 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Player Strategies/Right to Win 4.3 Revenue Analysis 4.4 Market Share Analysis, 2023 4.5 Farm Equipment Market Outlook, by Country 4.6 Company Valuation 4.7 Financial Metrics, 2024 4.8 Brand/Product Comparison 4.9 Company Evaluation Matrix: Key Players, 2024 4.10 Company Evaluation Matrix: Startups/SMEs, 2024 4.11 Competitive Scenario Company Profiles Key Players Deere & Company CNH Industrial N.V. Mahindra&Mahindra Ltd. Agco Corporation Kubota Corporation Claas KGaA Mbh Iseki & Co., Ltd. Escorts Kubota Limited SDF Group Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. Other Players JCB (Joseph Cyril Bamford Excavators Ltd.) Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited Sonalika TYM Corporation Daedong Corporation Exel Industries Ltd. Bucher Industries Ag Zetor Tractors A.S. Argo Tractors S.P.A. Concern Tractor Plants Amazonen-Werke H. Dreyer Se & Co. Kg Alamo Group Inc. Buhler Industries Inc. Autonomous Tractor Corporation Changzhou Dongfeng Agricultural Machinery Group Co., Ltd. China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach) Weichai Lovol Intelligent Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. Bernard Krone Holding Se & Co. Kg Vermeer Corporation Pottinger Landtechnik GmbH Minsk Tractor Works Henan Qianli Machinery Co., Ltd. Maschio Gaspardo S.P.A. Komatsu Ltd. Caterpillar Ponsse Oyj Tigercat International For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2wao99 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Dublin, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Industrial Floor Scrubber Market - Forecasts from 2025 to 2030" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Industrial Floor Scrubber Market is forecasted to experience growth from USD 3.811 billion in 2025 to USD 4.677 billion by 2030, reflecting a CAGR of 4.18%. This market study provides an in-depth analysis of the global industrial floor scrubber landscape, offering industry professionals essential insights into market dynamics, technological advancements, and competitive strategies. The study dissects crucial market factors, including drivers, constraints, and opportunities, while providing detailed segmentation by type, industry vertical, and geography. Designed to aid strategic decision-making, the report provides data-driven forecasts and competitive intelligence to help stakeholders navigate the evolving industrial cleaning solutions market. Study Overview This report thoroughly examines the industrial floor scrubber market, segmented by type (Walk Behind, Ride On, Robotic), industry vertical (Government, Education, Hospitality and Leisure, Retail, Travel and Transport, Healthcare, Others), and regions (North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific). It includes comprehensive analyses such as Porter's Five Forces Analysis and Industry Value Chain Analysis, along with strategic recommendations and regulatory insights, enabling stakeholders to capitalize on growth opportunities. Competitive Environment and Analysis The study highlights key players within the competitive landscape, spotlighting their strategic initiatives to reinforce market presence. For instance, Tennant Company has introduced robotic floor scrubbers with AI-navigation, enhancing efficiency in healthcare and retail. Similarly, Nilfisk-Advance has expanded its product range through partnerships that integrate eco-friendly technologies, targeting sustainability in the hospitality sector. The study also includes market share analyses, mergers and acquisitions, and a competitive dashboard for a holistic view of the competitive terrain. Key Benefits of this Report: Insightful Analysis: Detailed insights covering major and emerging regions, focusing on customer segments, policies, socio-economic factors, consumer preferences, and industry sub-segments. Detailed insights covering major and emerging regions, focusing on customer segments, policies, socio-economic factors, consumer preferences, and industry sub-segments. Competitive Landscape: Understand strategic maneuvers by key global players for market penetration. Understand strategic maneuvers by key global players for market penetration. Market Drivers & Future Trends: Explore pivotal factors and market trends shaping future developments. Explore pivotal factors and market trends shaping future developments. Actionable Recommendations: Leverage insights for strategic decisions to uncover new revenue streams. Leverage insights for strategic decisions to uncover new revenue streams. Wide Audience Catered: Beneficial for startups, SMEs, large enterprises, research institutions, and consultants. Report Coverage: Historical data (2022-2024) and forecast data (2025-2030). Growth Opportunities, Supply Chain Outlook, Regulatory Framework, Trend Analysis. Competitive Positioning, Strategies, Market Share Analysis. Revenue Growth Forecast for segments and regions. Company Profiling (Strategies, Products, Financials, Key Developments). Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 148 Forecast Period 2025-2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025 $3.81 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $4.68 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 4.1% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2. MARKET SNAPSHOT 2.1. Market Overview 2.2. Market Definition 2.3. Scope of the Study 2.4. Market Segmentation 3. BUSINESS LANDSCAPE 3.1. Market Drivers 3.2. Market Restraints 3.3. Market Opportunities 3.4. Porter's Five Forces Analysis 3.5. Industry Value Chain Analysis 3.6. Policies and Regulations 3.7. Strategic Recommendations 4. TECHNOLOGICAL OUTLOOK 5. INDUSTRIAL FLOOR SCRUBBER MARKET BY TYPE 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Walk behind 5.3. Ride On 5.4. Robotic 6. INDUSTRIAL FLOOR SCRUBBER MARKET BY INDUSTRY VERTICAL 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Government 6.3. Education 6.4. Hospitality and Leisure 6.5. Retail 6.6. Travel and Transport 6.7. Healthcare 6.8. Others 7. INDUSTRIAL FLOOR SCRUBBER MARKET BY GEOGRAPHY 7.1. Introduction 7.2. North America 7.3. South America 7.4. Europe 7.5. Middle East & Africa 7.6. Asia Pacific 8. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ANALYSIS 8.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis 8.2. Market Share Analysis 8.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations 8.4. Competitive Dashboard 9. COMPANY PROFILES 9.1. Bortek Industries Inc. 9.2. R.P.S. Corporation 9.3. Comac S.p.A. 9.4. Tennant Company 9.5. Nilfisk-Advance 9.6. Tornado Industries Inc 9.7. Hako Holding GmbH & Co. 9.8. Powerboss For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pxoa0w About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Delray Beach, FL, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Bioadhesives Market is projected to grow from USD 9.65 billion in 2024 to USD 14.60 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 8.6% between 2024 and 2029. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing bioadhesives market that is projected to register a CAGR of 9.5% during the forecasted period, in terms of value, as per the recent study by MarketsandMarkets. Rapid industrial innovation, regulatory frameworks and customer demand in countries such as China, Japan, and India have significantly boosted the market of bioadhesives across various applications, including paper & packaging, woodworking, construction, medical, and personal care. The stringent environmental regulations and sustainability goals of the region is one of the major market driver of environment friendly and renewable adhesives. These biodegradable adhesives, which are derived from natural resources, align with the regions commitment towards reduction of carbon footprints and promotion of sustainable manufacturing practices. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=16386893 Browse in-depth TOC on Bioadhesives Market 302 - Market Data Tables 62 Figures 283 - Pages List of Key Players in Bioadhesives Market: Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Germany) DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (US) Arkema (France) H.B. Fuller Company (US) Ingredion Incorporated (US) Jowat SE (Germany) Paramelt RMC B.V. (Netherlands) EcoSynthetix Inc. (Canada) Primient (US) Danimer Scientific (US) The Compound Company (Netherlands) Premier Starch Products Pvt. Ltd (India) Weiss Chemie + Technik GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) Avebe (Netherlands) U.S. Adhesives, Inc. (US) Follmann GmbH & Co. KG (Germany). Drivers, Opportunities and Challenges in Bioadhesives Market: Drivers: Growth in biotechnology industry and innovations by industry players Restraint: Higher cost compared to traditional adhesives Opportunity: Support and incentives from regulatory bodies Challenge: Established alternatives in the market Get Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=16386893 Key Findings of the Study: Medical applications represent the second largest end-user of the bioadhesives market in terms of value The China, by country is poised to account for the largest share of bioadhesives market in the Asia Pacific region in terms of value Europe is accounted for largest market share of bioadhesives market during the forecast period. The Asia Pacific's growing focus on innovative manufacturing technologies and adhesive formulation advancements is supporting the expansion of the market for bioadhesives. The presence of a strong network of adhesive distributors and suppliers promotes market expansion by ensuring the availability of high performing products to meet the diverse of industrial demands. Additionally, the research and development of green technologies in the Asia Pacific has encouraged the advancement in the formilations and applications of bioadhesives. The regions strong fpcus on sustainability and innovation, supported by both industrial and consumer sector investments, has enabled the growth of a competitive bioadhesive market. The companies in Asia Pacific benefit from the collaborations with research centers which boosts the development of new products and applucations. All of these factors not only drives market growth but also strengthens regions position as the leader in the bioadhesives market Bioadhesives market is segmented by type: plant-based and animal based. The plant-based adhesives has captured the market in terms of both value and volume. Plant-based adhesives largely dominated the markte because of its superior bonding performance, easy availability, and versatile application across a wide range of industries. These bioadhesives are developed from renewable resources including starch, cellulose, and natural gums, highlighting the shift towards eco-friendly manufacturing practices. The applications of these adhesives helps to reduce the reliance on petroleum-based products, thus reducing the carbon footprint linked with traditional adhesives. Get Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=16386893 Henkel AG & Co. KGaA: Some of the major players in the market include Henkel AG & Co. KGaA that operates as a parent company of Henkel group and controls the industrial and consumer market by using advanced brand names and innovative technologies such as Persil, Schwarzkopf, and Loctite. Some of the common products manufactured by the company are hair care products, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings. among others. Henkel AG & Co. KGaA operates globally under two primary business segments: Adhesive Technologies and Consumer Brands. The adhesive technologies business segment of the company is a global leader in adhesives including bioadhesives, sealants, and functional coatings, catering both industrial clients and consumers. The company has wide global presence with a 161 manufacturing sites in 55 countries worldwide. The largest production facilities of the company are situated in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA, and in Dusseldorf, Germany. H.B. Fuller Company: H.B. Fuller Company was founded in the year 1887 and has its operation in the formulation, manufacturing and marketing of adhesives and speciality chemical products. The company conducts its operations in three reportable segments: Hygiene, Health and Consumable Adhesives, Engineering Adhesives and Construction Adhesives. The company mainly focuses on providing and developing a wide range of bioadhesive products to improve the efficiency of varlous consumer and industrial goods such as food and beverage containers, medical products, automotive components and electronics. It also meets the market need for sealing and waterproofing system in infrastructural development, pressure sensitive adhesives for roofing systems and grouts/mortars for flooring systems. H. B. Fuller Company with headquarter at Minnesota, US has expanded its operations in 35 countries in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East & Africa. Arkema: Arkema is one of the worlds leading players in specialty materials whose aim is to propose innovative and sustainable solutions. The company is organized into three interrelated segments within specialty materials: Adhesive Salutions, Advanced Materials, and Coating Solutions contributing as a whole 92% of total sales for the company. Arkema acquired Bostik SA (the worlds no. 3 industrial adhesives manufacturers) in February 2015 that opened another specialty chemical vertical for the company. Bostik offers adhesive solutions to diverse sectors, including new energies, resource management, home efficiency, lightweight materials, and consumer electronics. Browse Adjacent Markets Coatings Adhesives Sealants and Elastomers Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Dublin, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Digital Textile Printing Market - Forecasts from 2025 to 2030" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Digital Textile Printing Market is set to surge, with projections indicating growth from USD 4.320 billion in 2025 to USD 6.115 billion in 2030, reflecting a CAGR of 7.20%. The study offers a thorough analysis of global trends, technological progress, and competitive strategies in this field. The study presents insights into how digital printing technologies are reshaping the textile industry, examining pivotal segments like printing types, fabric varieties, end-users, and regions. Study Overview The study provides an in-depth analysis of the digital textile printing market, categorized by type (direct, discharge, resist, pigment, and others), fabric type (nylon, polyester, and others), and end-users (textile, enterprise, and others). It examines market drivers, including the demand for customized, sustainable textiles, and challenges such as high initial equipment costs and fabric-ink compatibility issues. Incorporating Porter's Five Forces Analysis, industry value chain insights, and strategic advice, this study offers regional analysis across North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific, emphasizing growth prospects in markets like China and India. Competitive Environment and Analysis This section underscores strategic innovations by key players fostering market growth. Kornit Digital launched the Apollo in 2024, a high-volume digital textile printer enhancing throughput by 50% compared to its predecessor, targeting apparel and home decor sectors with sustainable solutions. Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. introduced TRAPIS in March 2024, an environmentally-friendly textile printing system emphasizing automation and minimal wastewater usage, appealing particularly to small and medium enterprises in fashion. The study also provides a market share analysis, detailing mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations like Seiko Epson's 2024 acquisition of Fiery, LLC, aimed at enhancing workflow solutions for textile printing. The vendor competitiveness matrix offers clear insights into market positioning and strategic trends. Key Benefits of this Report: Insightful Analysis: Delivers profound market insights across major and emerging regions, focusing on segments, government policies, consumer preferences, and industry verticals. Competitive Landscape: Offers understanding of global players' strategic moves for effective market penetration. Market Drivers & Future Trends: Analyzes dynamic factors and pivotal trends shaping future developments. Actionable Recommendations: Provides strategic guidance for uncovering new business streams and revenues. Wide Audience Catered: Cost-effective resource for startups, research institutions, consultants, SMEs, and large enterprises. Report Coverage: Historical & forecast data (2022-2030) Growth Opportunities, Challenges, Supply Chain Outlook, Regulatory Framework, and Trend Analysis Competitive Positioning, Strategies, and Market Share Analysis Revenue Growth & Forecast Assessment across segments and regions Company Profiling (Strategies, Products, Financial Information) Mimaki Kornit SPGPrints Dover Corporation Robustelli SPG Prints B.V. Mutoh Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 146 Forecast Period 2025-2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025 $4.32 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $6.115 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 7.2% Regions Covered Global For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ffmw18 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Austin, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Quantum Cryptography Market was USD 2.16 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 17.56 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 20.9% over the forecast period of 20252032. Rising Cybersecurity Threats Drive Surge in Quantum Cryptography Adoption Across High-Security Sectors The markets rapid evolution is primarily driven by escalating cybersecurity concerns and the inability of traditional encryption to withstand future quantum attacks. Quantum cryptography leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to achieve unbreakable communication security via Quantum Key Distribution. Adoption is surging across critical sectors, including finance, defense, and healthcare, particularly in regions with stringent data privacy mandates. Download PDF Sample of Quantum Cryptography Market @ https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/7282 In the U.S., the quantum cryptography market reached USD 0.67 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 5.09 billion by 2032 at an impressive CAGR of 33.74%. This dominance is attributed to aggressive investments in quantum research, a robust cybersecurity framework, and early adoption of post-quantum encryption by government and defense agencies. Furthermore, demand for secure communications in finance, healthcare, and military sectors is expected to further bolster market expansion. Key Players: Toshiba Thales ID Quantique IBM Palo Alto Networks QuantumCtek Quintessence Labs NXP Semiconductors DigiCert MagiQ Technologies Quantum Cryptography Market Report Scope: Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2024 USD 2.16 Billion Market Size by 2032 USD 17.56 Billion CAGR CAGR of 20.9% From 2025 to 2032 Base Year 2024 Forecast Period 2025-2032 Historical Data 2021-2023 Report Scope & Coverage Market Size, Segments Analysis, Competitive Landscape, Regional Analysis, DROC & SWOT Analysis, Forecast Outlook Key Segments By Component (Appliances, Software, Services) By Application (Network Encryption, Database Encryption, Application Security, Cloud Encryption) By Industry (BFSI, Healthcare & Life Science, Government & Defense, IT & Telecom, Energy & Utilities, Retail & e-Commerce, Others) If You Need Any Customization on Quantum Cryptography Market Report, Inquire Now @ https://www.snsinsider.com/enquiry/7282 Segment Analysis By Component In 2024, the software segment accounted for the largest revenue share at 47.30%, driven by the rising adoption of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) platforms and encryption software by enterprises and government bodies. Advancements from companies like ID Quantique and QuintessenceLabs are fueling demand for robust, future-proof encryption to safeguard critical data in banking and defense. Meanwhile, the services segment is projected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 36.13%, supported by increasing needs for consulting, integration, and support in quantum cryptography deployment. Providers such as Toshiba and Quantum Xchange are expanding offerings like QKD-as-a-service, addressing scalability challenges, and enabling a seamless shift from traditional to quantum-secure systems in enterprise cybersecurity frameworks. By Application In 2024, the cloud encryption segment led the market with a 33.98% revenue share, driven by rising cloud adoption and the growing need to secure data across distributed networks. Heightened awareness of quantum computing threats has prompted major providers like Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure to test quantum-safe encryption, while AWS plans to integrate quantum-resistant algorithms into its platforms. The application security segment is forecast to grow at the fastest CAGR of 35.92%, fueled by increasing sophisticated cyberattacks on enterprise software. To safeguard digital assets for the quantum era, developers such as Arqit and SandboxAQ are introducing post-quantum cryptographic APIs, supporting secure-by-design practices in DevSecOps to strengthen resilience against emerging quantum threats. By Industry In 2024, the BFSI sector dominated the Quantum Cryptography Market with a 27.21% share, driven by its early adoption of QKD systems and quantum-safe encryption to protect transactions, client data, and interbank communications. Institutions like JPMorgan Chase, in collaboration with Toshiba and Ciena, are testing advanced QKD solutions to counter escalating cyber threats, supported by strict data protection regulations. The healthcare & life sciences sector is projected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 38.32%, fueled by expanding digital records, telemedicine, and health data exchange. Companies such as QuantumCTek and QNu Labs are partnering with healthcare providers to pilot secure QKD-based data transfers, addressing rising ransomware incidents and safeguarding biomedical research from potential quantum computing attacks. North America Dominates Quantum Cryptography Market as Asia-Pacific Emerges as Fastest-Growing Region North America leads the global market with a 40.94% share, driven by significant quantum research funding, advanced cybersecurity infrastructure, and strong government backing. The U.S. maintains dominance through early commercialization, federal funding programs, and strategic collaborations among technology companies, research bodies, and federal agencies. Europe is advancing steadily, supported by the EU Quantum Flagship Initiative and major public investments from Germany and France, with Germany at the forefront due to consistent R&D and academia-industry partnerships. Asia-Pacific, the fastest-growing region with a 36.54% CAGR, benefits from national quantum initiatives in China, Japan, and South Korea, with China excelling in government funding and satellite-based experiments. Meanwhile, the Middle East & Africa and Latin America are emerging, led by the UAE and Brazil. Recent Developments March 2025 Toshiba EMEA integrated Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) into its networking solutions, delivering industry-wide quantum-safe communication capabilities. Toshiba EMEA integrated Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) into its networking solutions, delivering industry-wide quantum-safe communication capabilities. January 2024 Thales, in collaboration with Quantinuum, launched a PQC Starter Kit, enabling organizations to assess and upgrade their encryption readiness against quantum threats. Buy Full Research Report on Quantum Cryptography Market 2025-2032 @ https://www.snsinsider.com/checkout/7282 Exclusive Sections of the Report (The USPs) Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Network Growth Rate enables you to track the acceleration of QKD deployments globally, identifying high-growth regions such as Asia-Pacific and North America where rapid adoption is reshaping secure communications infrastructure. enables you to track the acceleration of QKD deployments globally, identifying high-growth regions such as Asia-Pacific and North America where rapid adoption is reshaping secure communications infrastructure. Quantum Cryptography Patent Citation Impact helps you assess the innovation leadership of key market players by analyzing the citation frequency of their patents, revealing technological influence and R&D competitiveness in quantum-secure solutions. helps you assess the innovation leadership of key market players by analyzing the citation frequency of their patents, revealing technological influence and R&D competitiveness in quantum-secure solutions. Energy Efficiency Metrics provides benchmarks for evaluating the energy consumption of quantum cryptographic systems, helping stakeholders understand operational sustainability and the potential for green quantum communication technologies. provides benchmarks for evaluating the energy consumption of quantum cryptographic systems, helping stakeholders understand operational sustainability and the potential for green quantum communication technologies. Cybersecurity Budget Allocation for Quantum-Safe Solutions offers insights into the percentage of security spending enterprises dedicate to quantum-safe technologies, reflecting the urgency and priority level in risk mitigation strategies. offers insights into the percentage of security spending enterprises dedicate to quantum-safe technologies, reflecting the urgency and priority level in risk mitigation strategies. Technological Adoption Rate identifies underpenetrated sectors and geographies where quantum cryptography uptake lags, unlocking targeted investment and partnership opportunities for market expansion. identifies underpenetrated sectors and geographies where quantum cryptography uptake lags, unlocking targeted investment and partnership opportunities for market expansion. Competitive Landscape Intelligence presents an in-depth analysis of market leaders and emerging startups, mapping their growth trajectories, product innovation pipelines, and recent strategic collaborations in the quantum security domain. presents an in-depth analysis of market leaders and emerging startups, mapping their growth trajectories, product innovation pipelines, and recent strategic collaborations in the quantum security domain. Supply Chain Resilience Index for Quantum Hardware assesses the vulnerability of critical component supply chains, from photon detectors to quantum random number generators, helping companies mitigate risks from geopolitical tensions or manufacturing bottlenecks. About Us: SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world. VICTORIA, Seychelles, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MEXC, a leading global crypto exchange, today announced the launch of the MEXC Foundationa mission-driven foundation committed to accelerating responsible growth and inclusive adoption of blockchain and the Web3 ecosystem. Through diverse initiatives and targeted support, it drives innovation, cultivates knowledge, and broadens access to opportunities worldwidemaking blockchain a force for meaningful and practical change. MEXC Foundation represents a paradigm shift in cryptocurrency industry corporate responsibilitywith a focus on sustainable ecosystem building rather than short-term gains. In April 2025, MEXC also launched the $30 million CSR Initiativenow under the MEXC Foundationto amplify long-term social impact through global projects and partnerships. As MEXC evolves beyond a trading platform into a comprehensive ecosystem, we are committed to empowering communities and high-growth regions worldwide to actively participate in and shape the future of Web3. The MEXC Foundation operates on three core pillars: Education, Empowerment, and Community Giving. Education drives blockchain literacy and access through scholarships, youth programs, academic partnerships, and open-source learningnurturing the next generation of Web3 leaders. Empowerment champions inclusion and representation across the ecosystem, supporting underrepresented builders, student hackathons, mentorships, potential projects, and incubator programs to create pathways for diverse talent to thrive. Community Giving extends impact beyond industry, from humanitarian aid to environmental action, partnering with nonprofits and grassroots organizations to deliver long-term value for underserved communities and the planet. "For blockchain and the broader crypto industry to leap forward, we need more than just technological breakthroughswe need the supporting power that drives real-world adoption," said Tracy Jin, COO of MEXC. "The MEXC Foundation reflects our commitment to fueling this evolution, uniting education, empowerment, and community giving to turn blockchains potential into positive, practical change." Building on its official launch, the MEXC Foundation will introduce scholarships and mentorship programs later this year, followed by full-scale mentorship and career placement initiatives in early 2026. By focusing on underrepresented regions worldwide, the Foundation seeks to overcome both the talent shortage and the accessibility barriers holding back Web3s inclusive growth. The MEXC Foundation welcomes partners, innovators, and communities to join in shaping an inclusive Web3 futuredriving innovation, expanding access, and turning blockchains potential into real-world impact. For more information, please visit MEXC Foundation official page . About MEXC Foundation MEXC Foundation is the impact-driven arm of MEXC Group, committed to accelerating responsible growth and inclusive adoption of blockchain and Web3 ecosystems. Through diverse initiatives, the Foundation fosters education, innovation, and equal access to opportunities on a global scale, making blockchain a force for positive and practical change worldwide. MEXC Official Website X Telegram A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/282def40-b3b5-4211-97fb-7c59392c29a9 BROWNS SUMMIT, N.C., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Tie CBD, a leader in premium hemp-derived products, proudly unveils its 2025 product spotlightan expertly curated lineup that showcases the very best across four top categories: THCA Flower, THCA Concentrates, THC Gummies, and THCA Pre-Rolls. Known for its commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, Black Tie continues to set the standard for connoisseur-grade cannabis thats legal, lab-tested, and shipped nationwide. This years selections represent meticulous cultivation, bold flavor profiles, and standout potencybringing customers an elevated experience whether theyre flower purists, concentrate enthusiasts, edible lovers, or fans of ready-to-enjoy pre-rolls. The spotlight opens with THCA Flower , the cornerstone of Black Ties reputation for exceptional craftsmanship and strain diversity. The latest batch includes five standout cultivars that balance breathtaking visual appeal with remarkable terpene and cannabinoid profiles. THCA Flower Batch: 2025s Elite Selection Gushers Strain (Indoor Indica-Dominant Hybrid) From its dense lilac and olive-green buds dusted with crystalline trichomes to its loud, layered terpene profile, Gushers stands as a testament to indoor-grown perfection. Aromas of sweet dough, ripe berries, and pungent gas fill the air upon opening the jar, while the flavor mirrors this richness with a lingering fruity cookie finish. Effects: Euphoric lift followed by a calming body buzz, sedating yet clear-headedideal for unwinding without heavy couch-lock. Euphoric lift followed by a calming body buzz, sedating yet clear-headedideal for unwinding without heavy couch-lock. Potency: 30.00% THCA | 0.19% Delta-9 THC | 26.50% Total THC | 30.19% Total Cannabinoids 30.00% THCA | 0.19% Delta-9 THC | 26.50% Total THC | 30.19% Total Cannabinoids Preferred Use: Afternoon / Evening Sunset Sherbet Strain (Indoor Indica-Dominant Hybrid) Visually captivating and aromatically indulgent, Sunset Sherbet offers a harmonious balance of uplifting and relaxing effects. Aroma: Sweet tropical fruits layered with subtle earthiness and a hint of mint. Sweet tropical fruits layered with subtle earthiness and a hint of mint. Flavor: Mirrors the fruity aroma with ripe berries and citrus upfront, evolving into earthy, herbal undertones. Mirrors the fruity aroma with ripe berries and citrus upfront, evolving into earthy, herbal undertones. Effects: Euphoric, mood-lifting, and soothingperfect for creative afternoons or evening relaxation. Euphoric, mood-lifting, and soothingperfect for creative afternoons or evening relaxation. Potency: 24.36% THCA | 0.27% Delta-9 THC | 26.07% Total Cannabinoids Fruity Loops (Indoor Indica-Dominant Hybrid) Bright, playful, and aromatic, Fruity Loops delivers a fruit-inspired wave of euphoria. Aroma: Sweet cereal notes blended with gas and fresh berries. Sweet cereal notes blended with gas and fresh berries. Flavor: A breakfast-cereal burst of fruity sweetness with tropical nuances and creamy undertones. A breakfast-cereal burst of fruity sweetness with tropical nuances and creamy undertones. Effects: Starts with mood elevation and creativity before settling into gentle body relaxationideal for social or solo inspiration. Starts with mood elevation and creativity before settling into gentle body relaxationideal for social or solo inspiration. Potency: 26.8% THCA | 0.158% Delta-9 THC | 27.98% Total Cannabinoids Lemon Cherry Gelato (LCG) (Indoor Indica-Dominant Hybrid) A show-stopping hybrid with aromas and flavors that live up to its dessert-inspired name. Aroma: Fresh lemons, ripe cherries, creamy vanilla, and earthy spices. Fresh lemons, ripe cherries, creamy vanilla, and earthy spices. Flavor: Citrus-cherry sweetness followed by creamy vanilla and subtle spice notes. Citrus-cherry sweetness followed by creamy vanilla and subtle spice notes. Effects: Uplifting and euphoric yet soothing; versatile for any time of day. Uplifting and euphoric yet soothing; versatile for any time of day. Potency: 31.73% THCA | 0.039% Delta-9 THC | 31.77% Total Cannabinoids Purple Punch (Indoor Indica-Dominant Hybrid) Classic and comforting, Purple Punch offers sweet grape and berry aromas with an earthy backdrop. Flavor: Grapey sweetness with berry complexity and herbal undertones. Grapey sweetness with berry complexity and herbal undertones. Effects: A gentle cerebral euphoria transitions into full-body relaxationperfect for evening wind-downs without excessive sedation. A gentle cerebral euphoria transitions into full-body relaxationperfect for evening wind-downs without excessive sedation. Potency: 26.3% THCA | 0.155% Delta-9 THC | 27.46% Total Cannabinoids | 0.853% CBG With this diverse THCA Flower lineup, Black Tie delivers something for every cannabis palatefrom dessert-inspired sweetness to bold fruit-gas combinations. Each strain is indoor-grown, slow-cured, and rigorously tested, ensuring customers receive flower that excels in potency, terpene expression, and visual presentation. THCA Concentrates: Purity, Potency, and Craftsmanship in Every Gram Black Tie CBDs THCA Concentrates collection represents the pinnacle of extraction artistryoffering customers an exceptional way to experience the purity, potency, and complexity of hemp-derived cannabinoids. Crafted with precision, these concentrates cater to discerning connoisseurs who value both flavor and effect, while maintaining the legal compliance and rigorous quality standards Black Tie is known for. Whether your preference is traditional hashish, terpene-rich badder, creamy budder, or artisan-crafted temple balls, this years lineup is a masterclass in cannabis refinement. Each product is third-party lab tested for purity and cannabinoid accuracy, ensuring customers enjoy a consistent and safe experience every time. THCA Afghan Hash Experience a taste of heritage with THCA Afghan Hash , an homage to one of the worlds most celebrated hash-making traditions. Potency: 55.53% THCA | 80.98% Total Cannabinoids 55.53% THCA | 80.98% Total Cannabinoids Aroma & Flavor: Deeply earthy with warm spice notes, delivering a robust, smoky finish. Deeply earthy with warm spice notes, delivering a robust, smoky finish. Effects: Relaxing, meditative, and ideal for unwinding after long days or engaging in creative pursuits. Crafted from Black Ties award-winning genetics, this hash preserves its full-bodied terpene profile while delivering an impressively potent experience once activated by heat. THCA Moroccan Hash Steeped in North African tradition, This THCA Hash concentrate captures the smooth, aromatic essence of Moroccan craftsmanship. Potency: 52.3% THCA | 52.68% Total Cannabinoids 52.3% THCA | 52.68% Total Cannabinoids Aroma & Flavor: Subtle spice and earth, with a refined, complex finish that appeals to seasoned enthusiasts. Subtle spice and earth, with a refined, complex finish that appeals to seasoned enthusiasts. Effects: Deep relaxation and stress relief without mental fog, perfect for meditative or evening sessions. Made using time-honored techniques, this hash blends cultural authenticity with Black Ties modern quality control. THCA Temple Ball Hash An artisanal delicacy, Temple Ball Hash originates from Nepal and Indiaregions famous for their hand-rolled resin traditions. Black Tie elevates this heritage product through ice water extraction, gentle hand-pressing, and expert curing. Potency: 60%70% THC (activated) 60%70% THC (activated) Available Strains: Fruity Loops, Blueberry Muffin, Orange Cream Fruity Loops, Blueberry Muffin, Orange Cream Flavor: Sweet, spicy, and fruity with citrus highlights. Sweet, spicy, and fruity with citrus highlights. Effects: A full-bodied high that soothes both mind and body, suitable for easing stress, pain, and insomnia. Each Temple Ball is a testament to old-world technique paired with modern cannabinoid science. THCA Badder For those who demand terpene-rich intensity, Black Ties THCA Badder offers a whipped, creamy texture thats perfect for dabbing, vaping, or enhancing flower. Potency Range: 54.72%66.85% THCA | Up to 92.38% Total Cannabinoids 54.72%66.85% THCA | Up to 92.38% Total Cannabinoids Flavors: Ice Cream Cake, Blueberry Muffin, Chocolate Diesel, Lemon Cake, Amnesia Haze Ice Cream Cake, Blueberry Muffin, Chocolate Diesel, Lemon Cake, Amnesia Haze Highlights: Ultra-potent with calculated THC content up to 58.63% Versatile application methods Bold terpene profiles for an immersive flavor experience This concentrate is small-batch crafted for maximum consistency and quality control. THCALive Rosin Budder For those who appreciate solvent-free purity, THCA Budder delivers clean potency with a butter-like consistency. Available Strains: Blue Dream (Sativa), Cereal Milk (Hybrid), Oreoz (Indica) Blue Dream (Sativa), Cereal Milk (Hybrid), Oreoz (Indica) Production: Made from freshly harvested flower, whipped to perfection without solvents. Made from freshly harvested flower, whipped to perfection without solvents. Effects: Fast-acting relief, mood elevation, and a premium flavor experienceideal for those seeking an authentic full-spectrum concentrate. Black Ties THCA Concentrates collection bridges time-honored tradition and modern innovation, offering something for every palate and purpose. From the smoky richness of Afghan Hash to the bright citrus notes of Lemon Cake Badder, each product is a direct reflection of the brands commitment to quality, potency, and consumer trust. THC Gummies: Bold Flavors, Precision Dosing Black Ties Delta-9 THC Domes redefine the cannabis edible experience. With 10mg of D9 THC per gummy and 10 pieces per resealable bag, customers get a consistent, lab-verified potency that makes microdosing, recreational enjoyment, or targeted relaxation easier than ever. Watermelon OG Delta-9 THC Domes (Indica) For those who cherish pure relaxation, Watermelon OG offers a juicy, refreshing profile that transports you straight to a summer afternoon. Each bite delivers a wave of indica-infused calmperfect for winding down solo or with friends. Potency: 10mg D9 THC per piece | 100mg per pouch 10mg D9 THC per piece | 100mg per pouch Flavor Notes: Sweet, fresh watermelon with a smooth candy finish Sweet, fresh watermelon with a smooth candy finish Best For: Couch-lock evenings, deep relaxation, and quiet nights in Tangie Delta-9 THC Domes (Sativa) If your ideal edible is one that inspires creativity and energy, Tangie Domes bring a tangy burst of citrus thats as uplifting as it is delicious. Potency: 10mg D9 THC per piece | 100mg per pouch 10mg D9 THC per piece | 100mg per pouch Flavor Notes: Bright orange zest with sweet undertones Bright orange zest with sweet undertones Best For: Daytime use, brainstorming sessions, social events From mellow indica evenings to energizing sativa mornings, Black Ties gummies make dosing simple, discreet, and satisfyingwithout sacrificing flavor or effect. THCA Pre-Rolls: Premium Flower, Ready to Light For customers who value immediate enjoyment and top-shelf quality, Black Ties THCA Pre-Roll collection takes the brands award-winning indoor flower and rolls it into expertly crafted joints and blunts. Each option is precision-packed for an even burn and optimal terpene preservation. THCA PreRolled Joints (2-Pack) Two perfectly rolled 1-gram joints per pouch, filled exclusively with indoor-grown THCA flower from Black Ties premium strain lineup. Choose from 10 different indoor strains to match your mood, from uplifting sativa-dominant varieties to deeply relaxing indica blends. Total Weight: 2g per pouch 2g per pouch Experience: Smooth draws, full flavor, balanced potency Smooth draws, full flavor, balanced potency Best For: On-the-go sessions, social gatherings, or quick personal use THCA Bluntz (3-Pack) Elevating the blunt experience, these tobacco-free wraps are made from yerba mate and chamomile, pairing naturally with the aromatic indoor flower inside. Each pouch contains three 1-gram bluntsmaking them perfect for sharing or savoring over multiple sessions. Total Weight: 3g per pouch 3g per pouch Experience: Rich, aromatic smoke with enhanced smoothness Rich, aromatic smoke with enhanced smoothness Best For: Relaxing evenings, music sessions, or celebratory moments Craftsmanship You Can Taste and Feel Every product in Black Ties THC Gummies and THCA Pre-Rolls lineup is lab-tested, freshness-sealed, and made with a focus on consistent customer experience. From the mouth-watering fruit profiles of the gummies to the slow, flavorful burn of a premium pre-roll, these offerings reflect the brands dedication to quality, compliance, and customer satisfaction. Black Tie CBD: From Award-Winning Roots to Todays Top-Shelf THCA Black Tie CBDs journey began long before the brands official launch. The story traces back to 2014, when a team of passionate and experienced growers began crossbreeding hemp and cannabislong before it was common practiceto create legal hemp cultivars that not only met compliance standards but also delivered unique potency and standout effects. That vision came into full bloom in 2018, when the passing of the Farm Bill opened the doors for interstate commerce of hemp-derived products. Recognizing the opportunity to merge cultivation expertise with nationwide accessibility, Black Tie CBD launched its online storefrontquickly building a reputation for offering some of the highest-quality hemp and CBD products in the U.S. Today, Black Tie operates five separate farms across nearly 200 acres of prime cultivation land, producing the majority of the strains sold online. This farm-direct model ensures quality control from seed to sale, enabling the brand to offer everything from beginner-friendly strains to rare, connoisseur-grade varietiesall while keeping prices accessible. Award-Winning Excellence Black Ties quality hasnt gone unnoticed. In 2019, just a year after launch, the brand made history at the High Times DOPE Cup: High Desert, placing second in the Best CBD Flower categorythe first time federally compliant hemp competed head-to-head with marijuana-based CBD flower. Later that year, Black Tie captured the spotlight again at the Oregon Growers Cup, winning Best Hemp Flower for its Lemon Cream Dieselone of the earliest smokable CBG strains with over 20% CBG content and an unusually smooth, cerebral effect. That same event saw Black Tie secure first place for Best CBD Product with its solventless, dry-ice kief, produced from the Bleu Cheese strain in collaboration with North Star Hemp. Though the pandemic temporarily paused competitions, the commitment to crafting award-worthy products never stoppedand its this dedication that continues to define Black Tie in 2025. Why Customers Choose Black Tie for Legal THCA Flower In a market where dry buds, inconsistent quality, and questionable legality are all too common, Black Tie CBD stands out as a trusted leader for THCA flower. Every batch is grown indoors, hand-trimmed, and lab-tested to matchor exceedthe quality found at top dispensaries. Heres what sets Black Tie apart: Dispensary-quality flower without the dispensary price Third-party lab testing for every product 30-gram ounces instead of the industry-standard 28g Fast, free USPS Priority Mail shipping on orders over $100 No excise taxes or hidden fees 30-day satisfaction guarantee for risk-free shopping For customers in states like Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, where access to premium cannabis is often limited, Black Ties nationwide, discreet shipping delivers a compliant and reliable solution. A Commitment to Innovation and Integrity From day one, Black Tie has been founder-led and farm-direct, meaning the same people who grow the flower are the ones ensuring it meets the brands strict standards. This hands-on approachcombined with years of cultivation expertiseallows Black Tie to introduce new strains, rare genetics, and artisanal concentrates that other brands simply cant match. The 2025 Product Spotlight is a perfect example, showcasing standout selections across THCA Flower, THCA Concentrates, THC Gummies, and THCA Pre-Rolls. Each category reflects the same DNA of excellencea blend of traditional craft, modern compliance, and customer-first values. Ready to experience the difference? Explore the full collection at BlackTieCBD.Net and see why thousands of cannabis lovers nationwide trust Black Tie for pure, potent, and legal hemp products. Whether youre a seasoned connoisseur or just beginning your journey, Black Tie has something crafted with you in mind. Media Contact: Company: Black Tie CBD Website: Blacktiecbd.net Contact: Kyle Colpack, Founder and CEO Email: kyle@blacktiecbd.net TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TerrAscend Corp. ("TerrAscend" or the "Company") (TSX: TSND) (OTCQX: TSNDF), a leading North American cannabis company, today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the Company to renew and replenish its normal course issuer bid (NCIB) to repurchase up to USD $10 million of the Companys common shares (Shares), from time to time over a 12-month period. Jason Wild, Executive Chairman of TerrAscend, stated, We believe our shares represent compelling value at current levels, especially in the context of recent federal regulatory momentum. This program provides us with the flexibility to allocate capital opportunistically while staying focused on operational excellence and revenue growth. Pursuant to a previous NCIB which commenced on August 22, 2024, the Company purchased for cancellation a total of 1,279,400 Shares, through the facilities of the TSX or other such permitted means, for an aggregate repurchase price of approximately $616,000 (CAD$855,000) and at a volume weighted average purchase price of $0.47 (CAD$0.67) per Share. The previous NCIB authorized the purchase of a maximum of 10,000,000 Shares and will expire on August 21, 2025. There were 306 million Shares outstanding as of August 14, 2025. While the timeframe to purchase Shares starts on August 22, 2025, and ends no later than August 21, 2026, the Company is not obligated to purchase any Shares. If management determines it has a better use for its cash reserves, it is under no obligation to continue to purchase Shares and share purchases may be suspended or terminated at any time at TerrAscends discretion. The Company does not expect to incur debt to fund the share repurchase program. As a result of the renewal of its NCIB and in addition to Shares repurchased under the Companys previous NCIB, TerrAscend is authorized to repurchase up to 10,000,000 of the Companys Shares over the 12-month period, which represents 4.73% of the public float based on 306,240,023 total Shares outstanding as of August 14, 2025. There is a daily repurchase restriction of 60,255 Shares, which represents 25% of the Companys average daily trading volume on the Toronto Stock Exchange of 241,023 Shares. Shares may be purchased on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), the OTCQX Best Market, or alternative trading systems and will be subject to the limitations and rules imposed by U.S. and Canadian securities regulations. The actual number of Shares purchased, timing of purchases and share price will depend upon market conditions at the time and securities law requirements. All Shares acquired will be returned to treasury and cancelled. The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the TSX nor any securities regulator accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About TerrAscend TerrAscend is a leading TSX-listed cannabis company with interests across the North American cannabis sector, including operations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan and California through TerrAscend Growth Corp. and retail operations in Canada. TerrAscend operates The Apothecarium, Gage and other dispensary retail locations as well as scaled cultivation, processing, and manufacturing facilities in its core markets. TerrAscends cultivation and manufacturing practices yield consistent, high-quality cannabis, providing industry-leading product selection to both the medical and legal adult-use markets. The Company owns or licenses several synergistic businesses and brands including Gage Cannabis, The Apothecarium, Cookies, Lemonnade, Ilera Healthcare, Kind Tree, Legend, State Flower, Wana, and Valhalla Confections. For more information visit www.terrascend.com. Caution Regarding Cannabis Operations in the United States Investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute or possess cannabis in the United States. Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable U.S. federal money laundering legislation. While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward non-enforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with medical or adult-use cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve TerrAscend of liability under U.S. federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against TerrAscend. The enforcement of federal laws in the United States is a significant risk to the business of TerrAscend and any proceedings brought against TerrAscend thereunder may adversely affect TerrAscends operations and financial performance. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as, may, would, could, will, likely, expect, anticipate, believe, intend, plan, forecast, project, estimate, outlook and other similar expressions, and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Companys expectations with respect to future revenue and profits; its business outlook, financial profile, and operational efficiencies; its market opportunities, growth prospects in new and existing markets, and M&A strategy. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of managements experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors relevant in the circumstances, including assumptions in respect of current and future market conditions, the current and future regulatory environment, and the availability of licenses, approvals and permits. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, whether the Company elects to make any share repurchases in connection with the normal course issuer bid, current and future market conditions; risks related to federal, state, provincial, territorial, local and foreign government laws, rules and regulations, including federal and state laws in the United States relating to cannabis operations in the United States; and the risk factors set out in the Companys most recently filed MD&A, filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under the Companys profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and in the section titled Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 6, 2025. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether, as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. For more information regarding TerrAscend: Ziad Ghanem Chief Executive Officer IR@terrascend.com 689-345-4114 Investor Relations Contact: KCSA Strategic Communications Valter Pinto, Managing Director Valter@KCSA.com 212-896-1254 LONDON, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saily, NordVPNs travel eSIM app, is thrilled to announce a limited-time referral contest that rewards its most enthusiastic advocates. Open to Saily users in Australia, the UK, the US, and Germany, the campaign runs from August 13 until September 15, 2025. The 10 users who refer the most friends during this period will each win a US$500 Amazon gift card, totaling US$5,000 in prizes. This contest is open to all Saily users in eligible countries. Every successful referral not only moves the users up the leaderboard, but also provides an immediate reward US$5 in Saily credits. Were excited to reward our loyal users for helping us grow the Saily community, said Vykintas Maknickas, CEO at Saily. This contest is our way of saying thank you for sharing the Saily experience. How the contest works: The 10 users with the highest number of successful referrals by September 15 will each receive a US$500 Amazon gift card. by September 15 will each receive a US$500 Amazon gift card. Every successful referral also earns US$5 in Saily credits, available for purchasing Saily data plans. There is no limit to the number of friends a user can refer every referral increases the chances of winning. To participate, Saily users must: Open the Saily app on their device. Tap Credits to locate their unique referral code. Use the Share button to distribute their code to friends. Any qualifying sign-up using a users code advances that users standing in the contest. Full rules and eligibility can be found on the referral contest page. ABOUT SAILY Saily is an affordable and secure travel eSIM app that helps people to manage mobile and internet connections from anywhere in the world. Saily offers 24/7 instant customer support, flexible plans, and coverage in 200+ destinations. Saily was created by the experts behind NordVPN - the advanced security and privacy app. More information: kotryna.kancleryte@nordsec.com CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hemp Hop , a trusted name in premium hemp products since 2018, has just launched its latest lineup 3 fresh THCa concentrate dabs and 2 exotic THCa flower strains. Among them is a 93% THCa concentrate, setting a new standard for purity and potency in the hemp space. Known for its data-driven approach to product development, Hemp Hop continues to meet rising demand for exotic THCa flower and high-performance concentrates by blending science, transparency, and deep customer insight. The 93% THCa Concentrate That Sets a New Bar High potency meets clean extraction in this latest drop from Hemp Hop. The new THCa concentrate collection features: 1. Honey Banana High THCa Live Rosin > 93.16% THCa Hybrid Smooth, sweet, and euphoric. This solventless concentrate clocks in at 93.16% THCa and delivers everything you'd expect from a well-crafted hybrid. The Honey Banana strain blends creamy sweetness with a smooth, almost custard-like inhale. Each dab carries rich, fruity terpenes that bring a euphoric body high and a gentle uplift. Ideal for evening sessions or lazy weekends, this rosin is a crowd favorite for its balance and flavor. Crafted in small batches, this product reflects both top-tier input material and precise rosin pressing techniques. It's one of the most potent and flavorful ways to experience THCa concentrate today. 2. Papaya Bomb High THCa Live Rosin > 92.06% THCa Hybrid Tropical with heavy body effects. Sitting at 92.06% THCa, Papaya Bomb is a tropical powerhouse that brings more than just flavor. This hybrid live rosin comes packed with dense fruity terpenes that hit the nose before you even open the jar. Expect waves of calm body effects, making it ideal for relaxation without full sedation. The consistency is clean and easy to handle, while the effects are strong but not overwhelming. Think of this as a dab that delivers tropical escape in both aroma and feel. For those who love terpene-forward products with heavy physical relief, Papaya Bomb checks all the boxes. 3. Tropaya High THCa Live Rosin 92.39% THCa Hybrid Balanced, fruity, and terp-heavy. Tropaya comes in at 92.39% THCa and is one of the most terp-heavy options in this new release. A cross of Tropicana Cookies and Papaya, this hybrid live rosin bursts with citrus, guava, and mango on each inhale. The effects come on smooth and balanced, mentally uplifting and physically calm. Its clean solventless extraction makes it a favorite for dabbers who want both clarity and potency. Whether you're focused on flavor or looking for a functional daytime concentrate, Tropaya delivers. With this one, you get both heady clarity and full-body ease in one smooth dab. Each of these THCa dabs is solventless and made using ice water extraction, preserving both terpene content and cannabinoid strength. For customers who want to buy THCa concentrate , this drop offers both flavor and intensity. Whether you're new to dabbing or a seasoned concentrate user, these live rosin jars are made to impress. 2 New Exotic THCa Flower Strains From Hemp Hop Hemp Hop has also added two new exotic THCa flower strains to its growing library: Durban Poison THCa Flower Durban Poison is a classic landrace sativa known for its uplifting effects and sweet citrus aroma. With 22% THCa, it offers a clear-headed energy perfect for morning use. The dense buds and rich terpene profile make it a go-to for those seeking focus and motivation without heaviness. Durban Poison is a classic landrace sativa known for its uplifting effects and sweet citrus aroma. With 22% THCa, it offers a clear-headed energy perfect for morning use. The dense buds and rich terpene profile make it a go-to for those seeking focus and motivation without heaviness. Pablos Revenge THCa Flower Pablos Revenge delivers berry-rich flavor with a balanced mix of calm and mental clarity. This hybrid strain stands out with its vibrant colors and terpene-heavy profile. At 26% THCa, it offers a smooth experience ideal for anytime use, whether youre easing into the day or unwinding later. Both strains are indoor-grown and fully lab-tested, with COAs available on each product page. For those seeking exotic THCa flower, this drop expands the range of options and effects. The full lineup is now available under the THCa flower for sale section, making it easy to buy THCa flower with confidence. Built on Feedback, Backed by Data The Hemp Hop team uses product reviews, purchase data, and customer feedback to decide what to drop next. Founder Jordan Hall explains: We let the numbers guide us. If a certain terpene profile keeps popping up in reviews or a specific effect becomes a repeat request, we follow that. Its about tuning into the people who actually use our products, says Jordan. This is why over 100,000 customers who shopped from Hemp Hop now consider Hemp Hop the best place to buy THCa flower . The brand prioritizes freshness, small batches, and clear communication with its buyers. Why Quality Matters More Than Ever Buyers searching for THCa flower for sale or looking to buy THCa concentrate today expect more than buzzwords. They want lab results, transparency, and products that match the effects they seek. Hemp Hop's CEO Jordan Hall says, "We don't chase trends. We watch the data. Whether it's for flower or THCa dabs, we pick what people consistently respond to." Each item in this release is: Third-party lab tested with COAs available online Cultivated or extracted with care using small-batch methods Designed around customer demand and effect-driven experiences Whats Next for Hemp Hop As demand for clean, high-THCa products grows, Hemp Hop plans to keep pace with weekly drops, seasonal strains, and more curated content. Future launches will continue to balance rare genetics with reliable sourcing and lab-backed purity. For now, this launch sets the tone: the highest THCa in concentrates, plus exotic THCa flower that holds up to scrutiny. About Hemp Hop Hemp Hop is a North Carolina-based hemp dispensary in Charlotte and online retailer focused on premium THCa flower, small-batch concentrates, and science-backed cannabis products. Built on customer feedback, lab transparency, and curated strains, Hemp Hop is committed to raising the bar in the hemp space. Media Contact Hemp Hop 227 Old Hebron Rd Charlotte, NC 28273, USA support@hemphop.co +1 833 487 4367 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/adbe32fe-fd5a-41f7-a6ca-641e79f64aac This press release was published by a CLEAR Verified individual. NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amaze Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: AMZE) (Amaze), a global leader in creator-powered commerce, today announced the promotion of Danielle Pederson to Chief Marketing Officer, effective August 20, 2025. Pederson will report directly to Amaze Holdings, Inc. Chairman and CEO Aaron Day and lead Amazes global marketing strategy to further advance its mission of empowering creators and brands to unlock new revenue streams in the growing e-commerce industry. Establishing the CMO position marks an important step in fortifying our senior leadership, strengthening our competitive position, and ultimately capitalizing on the rapid growth of the e-commerce industry, said Aaron Day, Chairman and CEO of Amaze Holdings, Inc. Danielles proven leadership and deep expertise in brand development, demand generation, and community engagement has already helped drive measurable results as we execute on our strategy to scale the business and expand market share. We look forward to further energizing our marketing capabilities as she takes on this expanded role. During her tenure as Amazes Senior Vice President of Marketing, Pederson oversaw the successful launch of the Companys reimagined website, which unifies the Amaze family of brands under a cohesive experience. She also owned the research, synthesis, and presentation of Amazes ideal customer profile (ICP) and creator success metrics, building a comprehensive creator acquisition strategy to double down on success, scale the business, and fuel growth. In addition, she developed a new go-to-market strategy for Amaze Digital Fits, which is already seeing strong beta results. Together, these initiatives have made it easier for creators and businesses to discover and leverage the right tools for their goals, whether theyre launching their first product, scaling a brand, or engaging fans. As Amazes SVP of Marketing, I had the privilege of supporting the Companys evolution as both a private and public entity, said Danielle Pederson, Chief Marketing Officer of Amaze. In this new role, I look forward to driving our marketing vision with a forward-thinking, creator-first approach while continuing to expand Amazes reach through enhanced capabilities and strategic partnerships." Pederson brings over 15 years of marketing leadership experience, with a proven track record of transforming marketing efforts into high-performing, multi-channel growth engines. Her career spans brand development, demand generation, and community engagement, consistently delivering measurable impact across revenue and reach. At Amaze, she combines creative vision with data-driven execution to build scalable marketing systems that fuel creator success and elevate the platform's global presence. YERINGTON, Nev., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lion Copper and Gold Corp. (OTCQB: LCGMF | CSE: LEO), based in Yerington, NV., focused on its Yerington Copper Project, today announced that John Banning, CEO, will present live at the Clean Energy Metals Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on August 28th, 2025. DATE: August 28th TIME: 2:00 pm ET LINK: REGISTER HERE Available for 1x1 meetings: August 29 This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event. It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates. Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com . Recent Company Highlights Lion Copper and Gold Announces PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDY results for brownfield Yerington Copper Project and Maiden Mineral Reserve About Lion Copper and Gold Corp. Lion Copper and Gold Corp. is advancing its flagship copper project in Yerington, Nevada through an Option to Earn-in Agreement with Nuton LLC, a Rio Tinto Venture. About Virtual Investor Conferences Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors. Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors. CONTACTS: Lion Copper and Gold Corp. John Banning CEO 775-463-9600 info@lioncg.com Virtual Investor Conferences John M. Viglotti SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access OTC Markets Group (212) 220-2221 johnv@otcmarkets.com MANKATO, Minn., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Utilities Ventures, Inc. (OTC: DUTV), operating as Easy Environmental Solutions Inc., today announced a strategic collaboration with the Tanzania Fertilizer Regulatory Authority (TFRA) to advance deployment of EasyFEN waste-to-fertilizer units across the country. Each EasyFEN unit is designed to transform agricultural waste into Terreplenish, a proprietary organic microbial fertilizer, while supporting local manufacturing, food security, and agricultural independence. The initiative was reinforced during a high-level meeting in Nairobi between Bakry Osman, Director for Africa & the Middle East at Easy Environmental Solutions, and TFRA leadership, including Director Joel Laurent and Northern Zones Director Mr. Rwegoshora. The meeting also marked the launch of Terreplenish lab and field trials in Tanzania, a milestone following earlier discussions with H.E. Hussein Mohamed Bashy, Tanzanias Minister of Agriculture. From left to right: Mr. Rwegoshora, Mr. Laurent, Director of TFRA, Director of the Northern Zones at TFRA, Mr. Osman, Director for Africa and the Middle East at EES, and Ms. Kneale. Executive assistant for the Africa office The collaboration focuses on the potential of deployment of multiple EasyFEN Units throughout Tanzania to locally produce high-quality, affordable organic fertilizer at scale. By converting agricultural waste into Terreplenish, EasyFEN technology offers farmers a local, sustainable alternative to imported synthetic fertilizers, reducing costs, restoring soil health, and building resilience against drought and climate pressures. Easy Environmental Solutions engagement in Tanzania is part of a broader pan-African roadmap that includes building partnerships with governments, regulators, and agricultural stakeholders across more than ten countries, including Egypt, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, The Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, Botswana, Angola, and Zambia. This September, Easy Environmental Solutions will showcase its portfolio of sustainable agriculture and clean water technologies at the 37th Sahara International Agricultural Exhibition in Cairo, the largest agricultural exposition in the Middle East, engaging directly with policymakers, investors, and industry leaders. We are thrilled to be entering the Tanzanian market, which holds immense potential for agricultural transformation, said Bakry Osman, Director for Africa & the middle east at Easy Environmental Solutions. The Ministry of Agriculture and TFRA have demonstrated exceptional vision and forward-thinking collaboration. Our immediate focus is Terreplenish, enabling Tanzania to strengthen its soils and reduce reliance on imported fertilizer. At the same time, we continue to expand our broader technology portfolio, including innovations like Nano Void for clean water, to deliver lasting value across the continent. A Tanzanian woman working in her maize field Turning Waste into Wealth Each EasyFEN Unit processes up to 17,500 tons of organic waste annually, producing over 2.7 million gallons of Terreplenish. With just two gallons of Terreplenish per acre, farmers gain 4560 lbs. of nitrogen and 1520 lbs. of phosphorus, allowing each unit to treat 1.35 million acres (546,000 hectares) of farmland annually. Terreplenish, validated by more than 100 independent studies and over a decade of field data, not only delivers nutrients but also: Restores soil biology Acts as a natural bio fungicide Reduces irrigation or rainfall needs by up to 20% Cuts dependence on costly synthetic imports By fostering local fertilizer production and embedding technology into self-sustaining community economies, Easy Environmental Solutions moves African nations toward true fertilizer sovereignty. For more information, visit www.easyenergysystems.com About Digital Utilities Ventures, Inc. Digital Utilities Ventures, Inc. (OTC: DUTV), now doing business as Easy Environmental Solutions Inc., is an innovative company developing modular technologies to solve major world problems. With a strong goal for sustainability and efficiency, DUTV aims to provide solutions for various industries through its unique approach to manufacturing and technology development. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains discussions that may constitute forward-looking' statements. Often these statements contain the words "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect" or similar expressions. These statements are made in reliance on the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, acceptance of the Company's current and future products and services in the marketplace, the ability of the Company to develop effective new products and receive regulatory approvals of such products, competitive factors, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release. Contact: Mark K. Gaalswyk, CEO - Mark@easyenergysystems.com Nate Carpenter ncarpenter@easyenergysystems.com Bakry Osman bakry@easyenergysystems.com www.easyenergysystems.com www.easyenergyfinance.com www.duventures.com Phone: 952-400-6045 Email: info@duventures.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/35171370-0ac6-4994-925c-4c55cd57b583 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4986e168-fa34-40a2-8666-48ef4e7492d5 London, UK, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In an era where digital trading platforms are under increasing scrutiny for reliability and transparency, Spot +11X Sanorex is emerging as a standout solution. Built on an AI-driven architecture, the platform is designed to deliver both robust security safeguards and a framework aimed at enhancing return on investment (ROI) for its users. Market observers note that Spot +11X Sanorex combines high-speed data analytics, predictive modeling, and institutional-grade encryption, positioning it as more than just another trading apprather, a comprehensive ecosystem for modern traders seeking performance without compromise. What is Spot +11X Sanorex Spot +11X Sanorex is a next-generation digital trading framework developed with advanced computational infrastructure to address real-time execution in high-volatility markets. At its core, the system integrates multi-layered data analysis protocols and predictive modeling that allow seamless recognition of trading opportunities across diverse asset classes. Unlike traditional solutions, this platform is engineered with precision-driven algorithms capable of processing substantial data volumes within milliseconds, thereby minimizing latency and maintaining consistent order execution accuracy. The framework incorporates modular architecture, which ensures adaptability across global exchanges and market conditions. This adaptability enables institutional-grade performance while maintaining accessibility for individual users. With a strong emphasis on operational transparency, Spot +11X Sanorex provides detailed reporting dashboards, performance logs, and audit-ready data trails for every executed transaction. Additionally, the system integrates automated compliance filters aligned with international trading regulations, ensuring that operational activity is consistently monitored and verified. Spot +11X Sanorex positions itself as a technology-first solution, emphasizing computational reliability, speed, and transparency in market interactions. By combining predictive analytics, regulatory safeguards, and high-frequency processing capacity, it establishes itself as a specialized environment for efficient digital trading at scale. Visit the Official Website Here For More Information Spot +11X Sanorex Features Spot +11X Sanorex is structured around a comprehensive feature set designed to enhance accuracy, speed, and market adaptability. A highlight of the system is its multi-asset support, covering equities, commodities, indices, and digital currencies within one streamlined interface. This unified design eliminates the need for multiple platforms, allowing efficient cross-market trading. Another critical feature is its algorithmic intelligence engine, which leverages advanced machine learning models to identify patterns, forecast market direction, and adjust strategies automatically based on shifting conditions. The system is also equipped with real-time analytics dashboards, offering precise visualizations of open trades, executed transactions, and system performance metrics. Spot +11X Sanorex incorporates smart risk management tools that include stop-loss automation, position sizing recommendations, and volatility-adjusted exposure controls. These safeguards reduce exposure to unexpected shifts while preserving liquidity. In addition, the order execution engine is optimized for minimal latency, ensuring that orders are processed within microseconds for maximum price accuracy. To complement its core trading technology, the platform offers scalability functions that enable users to operate seamlessly across multiple devices, including desktop environments and mobile applications. The combination of advanced analytics, secure processing, and market adaptability creates a multi-dimensional trading solution engineered for professional-grade results. Open Your Spot +11X Sanorex Account Now - Only At The Official Website How Do You Start Trading on Spot +11X Sanorex? Getting started with Spot +11X Sanorex has been designed to follow a structured, step-by-step process that ensures both accessibility and security for users entering the market. The registration flow begins with account creation on the official Spot +11X Sanorex portal . Prospective traders are prompted to provide essential details such as their name, email address, and a valid contact number. This data undergoes verification protocols designed to confirm authenticity and prevent unauthorized access. Once registered, account activation requires the initial funding step. Spot +11X Sanorex enforces a minimum deposit of $250, a benchmark set to initiate trading activity. This startup capital ensures that the algorithm has adequate liquidity to analyze positions and execute trades within live market conditions. Payment processing supports multiple secure methods, including credit and debit cards, recognized e-wallet systems, and direct banking options. Each transaction is protected with multi-layer encryption and authentication to maintain integrity during fund transfers. Following funding, new users gain access to the Spot +11X Sanorex dashboard the central hub for navigation. The dashboard integrates data visualization tools, real-time analytics, and algorithmic insights. Before moving into live trades, users are provided with a demo environment, a simulated market space replicating live trading scenarios. This environment allows users to familiarize themselves with order execution, risk allocation, and market response without affecting their principal balance. Transitioning into live trading is seamless once the demo phase is complete. The AI framework of Spot +11X Sanorex begins monitoring global market signals, adjusting strategies in milliseconds, and identifying positions that align with the chosen trading parameters. The platform emphasizes automated execution, meaning trades are processed without requiring manual intervention, though real-time oversight remains available on the interface. Ongoing account management includes withdrawal options, which are processed securely upon request, typically within a few business days depending on the payment provider. Additional features such as reporting tools, profit tracking, and historical trade records are embedded for transparency. With its streamlined registration flow, initial funding threshold, and guided dashboard, Spot +11X Sanorex establishes a structured path from account setup to live market execution, prioritizing efficiency and security at every stage. More Information on Spot +11X Sanorex Can Be Found On The Official Website Here Spot +11X Sanorex Asset Coverage & Trading Options Spot +11X Sanorex has been structured to give traders wide-reaching exposure across multiple asset classes. Within a single platform, participants gain access to cryptocurrency markets, global foreign exchange pairs, key commodities, and leading equity indices. This broad spectrum of instruments is designed to make the platform versatile, accommodating strategies that move between traditional finance and emerging digital markets. Cryptocurrency coverage includes high-liquidity pairs such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and select altcoins. Forex options span major, minor, and some emerging pairs, ensuring that both global economic cycles and regional trends can be tracked and traded. Commodities such as gold, oil, and agricultural assets are included for diversification, while indices allow traders to engage with macroeconomic movements in benchmark markets. Spot +11X Sanorex also provides hybrid support, enabling combinations of digital and traditional assets within a portfolio. 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At the infrastructure level, Spot +11X Sanorex operates on Tier IV data centers, ensuring 99.995% uptime reliability. These facilities are equipped with redundant power supplies, disaster recovery systems, and real-time monitoring for intrusion detection. The platform also runs continuous penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to maintain compliance with international cybersecurity frameworks, including ISO/IEC 27001 standards. From a performance perspective, Spot +11X Sanorex is engineered to process over 25,000 transactions per second (TPS) with latency recorded at under 10 milliseconds. Independent testing benchmarks confirm execution accuracy above 98%, ensuring alignment between user commands and system outcomes. All financial transfers operate through segregated bank-grade accounts, maintaining transparency and full separation of operational capital from client funds. These combined security layersencryption, authentication, compliance, and infrastructure redundancyestablish Spot +11X Sanorex as a secure trading environment capable of maintaining both data integrity and transaction reliability under diverse market conditions. Liquidity & Execution Technology Spot +11X Sanorex is engineered with high-performance liquidity aggregation and execution technology that ensures trades are carried out with minimal slippage. The platform connects to multiple liquidity providers, pulling real-time quotes and offering tight spreads across various instruments. By routing orders through deep liquidity pools, it maintains consistency in execution, even during volatile market surges. The order-matching engine is designed to operate at millisecond speed, enabling precise trade placement. Whether executing market orders, limit strategies, or stop-loss configurations, the infrastructure prioritizes speed and reliability. This efficiency is particularly relevant for active traders who depend on rapid market movements. Spot +11X Sanorex also deploys smart order routing (SOR) systems. These systems evaluate all available liquidity sources and direct orders to the most favorable match, ensuring optimal execution quality. Combined with advanced risk controls, this reduces the chance of re-quotes or rejected trades. In addition to execution technology, the platform provides access to Level II market data, allowing users to analyze order book depth and gauge liquidity pressure points. This transparency gives traders enhanced visibility before committing capital to any position. By integrating liquidity aggregation, ultra-fast order execution, and transparent market data, Spot +11X Sanorex establishes a trading environment where precision and efficiency converge. These mechanisms create the foundation for consistent order fulfillment, reducing delays and maximizing the integrity of the trading process. Open Your Spot +11X Sanorex Account Now - Only At The Official Website How Spot +11X Sanorex Works? The operational foundation of Spot +11X Sanorex is built upon predictive algorithmic trading models combined with real-time data analysis. Once a market feed is established, the system continuously processes price movements, volume shifts, and volatility indicators across multiple exchanges. Using this live input, Spot +11X Sanorex identifies potential trading windows by cross-referencing historical market data with current conditions. When the algorithm detects a favorable entry point, it executes orders through its low-latency order engine, ensuring alignment with prevailing prices. The execution process is optimized using smart routing technology, which identifies the fastest available liquidity pool, reducing slippage and enhancing pricing accuracy. Risk control is integrated into every stage of the workflow. Automated functions such as stop-loss, trailing stop, and volatility indexing are activated in parallel with trade execution, ensuring that exposures remain managed in real time. Each executed trade is logged and recorded into the platforms compliance reporting system, generating a permanent data trail accessible for auditing. Additionally, the architecture supports scalable parallel processing, enabling thousands of trades to be executed simultaneously without bottlenecking system performance. In essence, Spot +11X Sanorex operates as a continuously adaptive trading ecosystem, balancing precision-driven execution with robust safety protocols. Spot +11X Sanorex App Cost, Minimum Deposit, and Profit The Spot +11X Sanorex application has been structured for accessibility while retaining enterprise-grade performance. The app is available across desktop, Android, and iOS systems, ensuring full synchronization of trading activity across multiple devices. To activate a live account, a minimum deposit of $250 is required. This deposit grants users access to the full suite of features, including algorithmic trading models, risk management tools, and compliance reporting systems. Startup Deposit Required: A $250 deposit is needed to activate your trading account, and you might need more to take full advantage of certain features. In terms of cost, Spot +11X Sanorex does not impose hidden charges. Transaction processing is conducted through transparent fee structures, with all rates clearly displayed within the dashboard prior to execution. Funding and withdrawal operations are handled through encrypted channels with financial-grade security safeguards. While performance outcomes vary depending on market conditions and user strategies, factual operational benchmarks indicate that the system is capable of executing over 25,000 trades per second with accuracy exceeding 98%. This infrastructure-driven precision enables the potential for efficient market engagement, though outcomes remain market-dependent. Open Your Spot +11X Sanorex Account Now - Only At The Official Website Risk Management Tools Integrated in Spot +11X Sanorex The Spot +11X Sanorex platform incorporates risk management at the core of its trading framework. Among its key safeguards is a stop-loss function, allowing users to set automatic thresholds to minimize exposure during adverse market movements. This tool ensures that capital protection can be embedded directly into the execution strategy without constant manual oversight. In addition, automated risk alerts are built into the trading dashboard. These alerts notify users when market conditions reach pre-defined levels of volatility or when open positions move outside acceptable ranges. The aim is to provide real-time awareness so that traders can respond quickly to sudden shifts. Exposure tracking further enhances oversight, offering clear visualizations of total open risk, margin utilization, and potential drawdowns. By consolidating these insights into a single interface, Spot +11X Sanorex ensures transparency and control at every stage of the trading process. Together, these integrated mechanisms form a comprehensive protective layer. The platform is designed not only to facilitate access to leveraged markets but also to embed essential tools that help participants manage risk in a disciplined and structured manner. Mobile & Cross-Device Functionality of Spot +11X Sanorex App Spot +11X Sanorex extends its capabilities to a fully functional mobile app , ensuring users can maintain seamless trading activity while on the move. The native app is optimized for performance, delivering real-time execution speeds, interactive charting, and secure account management on both iOS and Android devices. Synchronization across devices is a central feature. Whether a trade is initiated on desktop, adjusted on tablet, or closed on mobile, all actions are mirrored in real-time across the account. This cross-device consistency eliminates friction and ensures continuity of strategy, regardless of where the user logs in. The mobile interface retains the same tools available on desktop, including technical indicators, one-click trading, and customizable dashboards. Push notifications provide instant updates on market shifts, trade executions, or triggered alerts, keeping traders fully informed even when away from their workstation. By combining portability with full-scale functionality, the Spot +11X Sanorex mobile ecosystem enables continuous engagement with the market. It reflects a commitment to accessibility without compromising on execution quality or security standards. Final Verdict Spot +11X Sanorex Spot +11X Sanorex presents itself as a fully engineered trading ecosystem designed for speed, transparency, and compliance. Its multi-asset support, predictive analytics, and smart order routing establish a strong technological base for accurate execution across diverse markets. Security protocols, including AES-256 encryption, MFA authentication, and ISO-certified compliance structures, reinforce its reliability at both the data and financial levels. With infrastructure capable of handling 25,000+ TPS at under 10-millisecond latency, Spot +11X Sanorex demonstrates factual operational benchmarks that meet professional-grade performance standards. The inclusion of comprehensive risk management functions, compliance-ready reporting, and scalable architecture ensures that both institutional and individual users can engage with confidence. From onboarding through execution, Spot +11X Sanorex delivers a structured, transparent, and technology-first approach to digital trading. Its combination of robust features, enterprise-level security, and factual performance capabilities position it as a strong contender in the algorithm-driven trading landscape. Visit Here to Register on the Spot +11X Sanorex - Select Your Country Here!!! Contact:- Spot +11X Sanorex221B Baker Street London, United Kingdom Email: support@spot-sanorex.org Website: https://spot-sanorex.org/ General Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Readers are advised to consult a certified financial advisor, licensed loan officer, or legal professional before making any financial decisions. The information presented may not apply to every individual circumstance and is not intended to substitute professional judgment or regulatory guidance. The information provided on this website does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, trading advice, or any other sort of advice and you should not treat any of the website's content as such. We does not recommend that any cryptocurrency should be bought, sold, or held by you. Do conduct your own due diligence and consult your financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Trading Disclaimer: Trading cryptocurrencies carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all investors. Before deciding to trade cryptocurrency you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with cryptocurrency trading, and seek advice from an independent financial advisor. ICO's, IEO's, STO's and any other form of offering will not guarantee a return on your investment. HIGH RISK WARNING: Dealing or Trading FX, CFDs and Cryptocurrencies is highly speculative, carries a level of non-negligible risk and may not be suitable for all investors. You may lose some or all of your invested capital, therefore you should not speculate with capital that you cannot afford to lose. Please refer to the risk disclosure below. Spot +11X Sanorex does not gain or lose profits based on your activity and operates as a services company. Spot +11X Sanorex is not a financial services firm and is not eligible of providing financial advice. Therefore, Spot +11X Sanorex shall not be liable for any losses occurred via or in relation to this informational website. SITE RISK DISCLOSURE: Spot +11X Sanorex does not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information contained within this website; this includes education material, price quotes and charts, and analysis. Please be aware of and seek professional advice for the risks associated with trading the financial markets; never invest more money than you can risk losing. The risks involved in FX, CFDs and Cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for all investors. Spot +11X Sanorex doesn''t retain responsibility for any trading losses you might face as a result of using or inferring from the data hosted on this site. LEGAL RESTRICTIONS: Without limiting the above mentioned provisions, you understand that laws regarding financial activities vary throughout the world, and it is your responsibility to make sure you properly comply with any law, regulation or guideline in your country of residence regarding the use of the Site. To avoid any doubt, the ability to access our Site does not necessarily mean that our Services and/or your activities through the Site are legal under the laws, regulations or directives relevant to your country of residence. It is against the law to solicit US individuals to buy and sell commodity options, even if they are called "prediction" contracts, unless they are listed for trading and traded on a CFTC-registered exchange unless legally exempt. The Financial Conduct Authority has issued a policy statement PS20/10, which prohibits the sale, promotion, and distribution of CFD on Crypto assets. It prohibits the dissemination of marketing materials relating to distribution of CFDs and other financial products based on Cryptocurrencies that addressed to UK/AU residents. The provision of trading services involving any MiFID II financial instruments is prohibited in the EU, unless when authorized/licensed by the applicable authorities and/or regulator(s). Please note that we may receive advertising fees for users opted to open an account with our partner advertisers via advertisers websites. We have placed cookies on your computer to help improve your experience when visiting this website. You can change cookie settings on your computer at any time. Use of this website indicates your acceptance of this website. Please be advised that the names depicted on our website, including but not limited to Spot +11X Sanorex, are strictly for marketing and illustrative purposes. These names do not represent or imply the existence of specific entities, service providers, or any real-life individuals. Furthermore, the pictures and/or videos presented on our website are purely promotional in nature and feature professional actors. These actors are not actual users, clients, or traders, and their depictions should not be interpreted as endorsements or representations of real-life experiences. All content is intended solely for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as factual or as forming any legally binding relationship RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH FUTURES TRADING Futures transactions involve high risk. The amount of the initial margin is low compared to the value of the futures contract, so that transactions are "leveraged" or "geared". A relatively small market movement has a proportionately larger impact on the funds that you have deposited or have to pay: this can work both for you and against you. You may experience the total loss of the initial margin funds as well as any additional funds deposited in the system. If the market develops in a way that is contrary to your position or if margins are increased, you may be asked to pay significant additional funds at short notice to maintain your position. In this case it may also happen that your broker account is in the red and you thus have to make payments beyond the initial investment. RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRONIC TRADING Before you begin carrying out transactions with an electronic system, you should carefully review the rules and provisions of the stock exchange offering the system, or of the financial instruments listed that you intend to trade, as well as your broker's conditions. Online trading has inherent risks due to system responses/reaction times and access times that may vary due to market conditions, system performance and other factors, and on which you have no influence. You should be aware of these additional risks in electronic trading before you carry out investment transactions. Accuracy Disclaimer: All information included in this article is presented in good faith and believed to be accurate at the time of writing. However, no representations or warranties are made regarding the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information presented. Any reliance placed on such information is strictly at the reader's own risk. The publisher does not accept responsibility for typographical errors, outdated information, or changes to products, terms, or policies after publication. Regulatory and Jurisdictional Disclaimer: Lending laws vary by jurisdiction, and not all services described in this article may be available in every state or region. It is the responsibility of the reader to understand and comply with local laws and regulations. The platforms mentioned are independently operated and are not controlled or endorsed by the publisher.Third-Party Liability Waiver: The publisher, its writers, editors, affiliates, and syndication partners shall not be held liable for any direct or indirect loss, damages, or legal claims arising from the use of this content or from reliance on any third-party services, platforms, or products mentioned herein. All loan agreements, terms, and disputes are strictly between the borrower and the lender or service provider. Syndication Partner Use: This content may be republished or syndicated by authorized partners under existing licensing or distribution arrangements. All syndication partners are free from liability regarding the editorial stance, financial suggestions, or any user outcome resulting from the reading or application of this content. Attachment Dublin, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Robotic Combat Vehicles Market Opportunity, Growth Drivers, Industry Trend Analysis, and Forecast 2025-2034" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Robotic Combat Vehicles Market was valued at USD 711.8 million in 2024 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.9% to reach USD 1.37 billion by 2034, driven by rising global defense budgets and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous technologies. As countries continue to increase their defense spending, there is a heightened focus on modernizing military capabilities and enhancing force effectiveness. RCVs are becoming increasingly integral to military strategies globally due to their ability to significantly reduce the risk to human personnel while enhancing operational capabilities. The growing demand for these advanced unmanned systems is driven by the increasing complexity of modern warfare. Military operations today require more versatile and dynamic solutions, especially in situations where the terrain is challenging or the enemy is highly adaptive. The market is segmented by the mode of operation into autonomous and teleoperated systems. The teleoperated RCVs segment generated USD 467.9 million in 2024, due to the demand for systems that require real-time control in complex environments, such as urban combat or dynamic combat zones. These systems offer military personnel greater flexibility while still retaining human control, which is vital for mission reliability and ethical considerations. As militaries transition toward fully autonomous systems, teleoperated RCVs serve as an important intermediary step in adapting to these technologies. In terms of mobility, the market is divided into wheeled, tracked, and hybrid vehicles. The tracked RCV segment generated USD 302.1 million in 2024. These tracked vehicles offer superior mobility on rugged terrain, making them ideal for frontline operations and combat situations in difficult environments. Their ability to carry heavier payloads, including advanced weaponry and sensor equipment, further increases their demand in direct combat and fire support roles. Additionally, tracked vehicles provide greater stability and recoil absorption, making them well-suited for rapid maneuvers and live-fire scenarios. U.S. Robotic Combat Vehicles Market was valued at USD 219 million in 2024 due to substantial government spending on defense programs and initiatives, such as the military's focus on unmanned systems for ground and aerial operations. Furthermore, programs like the Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle initiative and the Navy's unmanned systems roadmap contribute to the growing interest in these technologies. The increasing need to reduce risks to military personnel, coupled with evolving threats, further fuels demand for RCVs in the U.S. Several key players in the Robotic Combat Vehicles Market are actively enhancing their offerings by integrating AI-driven capabilities and improving the robustness of their robotic systems. Companies like General Dynamics Land Systems, BAE Systems, and Teledyne FLIR are leading the way in advancing the functionality and autonomy of these vehicles. They are also focusing on expanding their product portfolios to cater to diverse military needs, such as reconnaissance, surveillance, and logistics. Collaborations with government agencies and defense contractors are another strategy used by these players to secure long-term contracts and reinforce their market presence. Comprehensive Market Analysis and Forecast Industry trends, key growth drivers, challenges, future opportunities, and regulatory landscape Competitive landscape with Porter's Five Forces and PESTEL analysis Market size, segmentation, and regional forecasts In-depth company profiles, business strategies, financial insights, and SWOT analysis Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 170 Forecast Period 2024-2034 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $711.8 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2034 $1.37 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 6.9% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered Chapter 1 Methodology and Scope Chapter 2 Executive Summary 2.1 Industry 360 degree synopsis Chapter 3 Industry Insights 3.1 Industry ecosystem analysis 3.2 Trump administration tariffs 3.2.1 Impact on trade 3.2.1.1 Trade volume disruptions 3.2.1.2 Retaliatory measures 3.2.2 Impact on the industry 3.2.2.1 Supply-side impact 3.2.2.1.1 Price volatility in key components 3.2.2.1.2 Supply chain restructuring 3.2.2.1.3 Production cost implications 3.2.2.2 Demand-side impact (selling price) 3.2.2.2.1 Price transmission to end markets 3.2.2.2.2 Market share dynamics 3.2.2.2.3 Consumer response patterns 3.2.3 Key companies impacted 3.2.4 Strategic industry responses 3.2.4.1 Supply chain reconfiguration 3.2.4.2 Pricing and product strategies 3.2.4.3 Policy engagement 3.2.5 Outlook and future considerations 3.3 Industry impact forces 3.3.1 Growth drivers 3.3.1.1 Rising global defense budgets 3.3.1.2 Advancements in ai and autonomous navigation 3.3.1.3 Development of modular combat platforms 3.3.1.4 Demand for unmanned solutions in high-risk zones 3.3.1.5 Increasing military modernization programs 3.3.2 Industry pitfalls and challenges 3.3.2.1 High development and operational costs 3.3.2.2 Cybersecurity vulnerabilities 3.4 Growth potential analysis 3.5 Regulatory landscape 3.6 Technology landscape 3.7 Future market trends 3.8 Gap analysis 3.9 Porter's analysis 3.10 PESTEL analysis Chapter 4 Competitive Landscape, 2024 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Company market share analysis 4.3 Competitive analysis of major market players 4.4 Competitive positioning matrix 4.5 Strategy dashboard Chapter 5 Market Estimates and Forecast, by Mode of Operation, 2021-2034 (USD Million & Thousand Units) 5.1 Key trends 5.2 Autonomous 5.3 Teleoperated Chapter 6 Market Estimates and Forecast, by Mobility, 2021-2034 (USD Million & Thousand Units) 6.1 Key trends 6.2 Wheeled 6.3 Tracked 6.4 Hybrid Chapter 7 Market Estimates and Forecast, by Application, 2021-2034 (USD Million & Thousand Units) 7.1 Key trends 7.2 Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) 7.3 Direct Combat & Fire Support 7.4 Combat Engineering 7.5 Medical Evacuation 7.6 Others Chapter 8 Market Estimates and Forecast, by Region, 2021-2034 (USD Million & Thousand Units) 8.1 Key trends 8.2 North America 8.2.1 U.S. 8.2.2 Canada 8.3 Europe 8.3.1 Germany 8.3.2 UK 8.3.3 France 8.3.4 Spain 8.3.5 Italy 8.3.6 Netherlands 8.4 Asia-Pacific 8.4.1 China 8.4.2 India 8.4.3 Japan 8.4.4 Australia 8.4.5 South Korea 8.5 Latin America 8.5.1 Brazil 8.5.2 Mexico 8.5.3 Argentina 8.6 Middle East and Africa 8.6.1 Saudi Arabia 8.6.2 South Africa 8.6.3 UAE Chapter 9 Company Profiles The companies featured in this Robotic Combat Vehicles market report include: BAE Systems Elbit Systems General Dynamics Land Systems HDT Global Israel Aerospace Industries Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Milrem Robotics Nexter Systems Oshkosh Defense Qinetiq Rheinmetall Teledyne FLIR Textron Systems For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/md6uwh About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment (In United States dollars, except where noted otherwise) TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (First Quantum or the Company) (TSX: FM) today announced the early results of its previously announced offer to purchase for cash (the Tender Offer) its outstanding 9.375% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2029 (the Notes) in a maximum aggregate principal amount of up to $250,000,000 (the Maximum Tender Amount), as further described in the offer to purchase dated August 6, 2025 (the Offer to Purchase) and as previously announced on August 6, 2025. As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on August 19, 2025 (such time, the Early Tender Time), according to information provided by Kroll Issuer Services Limited, the tender and information agent for the Tender Offer, the aggregate principal amount of Notes listed in the table below has been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn in the Tender Offer. Withdrawal rights for the Notes expired at the Early Tender Time. Issuer Title of Security CUSIP Number/ ISIN(1) Principal Amount Outstanding Maximum Tender Amount Principal Amount Tendered at Early Tender Time Principal Amount Accepted Approximate Proration Factor First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 9.375% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2029 144A CUSIP/ISIN: 335934 AV7 / US335934AV79 Regulation S CUSIP/ISIN: C3535C AQ1 / USC3535CAQ18 $1,600,000,000 $250,000,000 $776,572,000 $250,000,000 25.32344% (1) CUSIP information is provided for the convenience of holders of the Notes (Holders). No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of such numbers. The Company has elected to exercise its right to make payment for Notes that were validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Time and that are accepted for purchase, on August 21, 2025 (the Early Settlement Date). All conditions for such payment on the Early Settlement Date were satisfied or waived by the Company. The settlement date for all Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase is expected to be on the Early Settlement Date. As the aggregate principal amount of the Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn on or prior to the Early Tender Time exceeded the Maximum Tender Amount and although the Tender Offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on September 3, 2025, the Company will accept for purchase the Notes on a prorated basis and will not accept for purchase any Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time. Under the terms of the Tender Offer, Holders who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw their Notes at or prior to Early Tender Time were eligible to receive the Total Consideration of $1,066.25 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, consisting of an Early Tender Premium equal to the Tender Consideration of $1,016.25 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes plus $50.00 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. Notes purchased in the Tender Offer will be canceled. Capitalized terms used in this announcement but not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to them in the Offer to Purchase. Full details of the terms and conditions of the Tender Offer are included in the Companys Offer to Purchase and in the Companys previous announcements with respect to the Tender Offer. Copies of documents relating to the Tender Offer may be obtained from Kroll Issuer Services Limited, the Tender and Information Agent, at https://deals.is.kroll.com/fqml-2029, by telephone at +44 20 7704 0880 or by e-mail at fqml@is.kroll.com. The Company has engaged J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp. and Societe Generale to serve as dealer managers for the Tender Offer (the Dealer Managers). Questions regarding the Tender Offer should be directed to Dealer Managers using the following contact information, as applicable: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC by telephone at +1 (866) 834-4666 (U.S. Toll Free) or +1 (212) 834-7489 (U.S. Collect); Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC by telephone at: +1 (212) 357-1452 (U.S. Collect), +1 (800) 828-3182 (Toll Free) or +44 207 774 4836 (Europe); BMO Capital Markets Corp. by telephone at: +1 (833) 418-0762 (U.S. Toll Free) or +1 (212) 702-1840 (U.S. Collect); and Societe Generale by telephone at: +33 (0) 1 42 13 32 4 or +1 (855) 881-2108 (U.S. Toll Free). For further information, visit our website at www.first-quantum.com or contact: Investor Relations: Bonita To, Director, Investor Relations (416) 361-6400 Toll-free: 1 (888) 688-6577 E-Mail: info@fqml.com Media Relations: James Devas, Manager, Corporate Affairs +44 207 291 6630 E-Mail: james.devas@fqml.com DISCLAIMER None of the Company, the Dealer Manager or the Tender and Information agent makes any recommendation as to whether or not Holders should tender their Notes or deliver consents or how much they should tender in connection with the Tender Offer, and no one has been authorized by any of them to make such recommendations. Holders are urged to evaluate carefully all information contained in the Offer to Purchase and consult their own investment and tax advisors. Holders must make their own decisions as to whether to tender their Notes and deliver consents, and, if so, the principal amount of Notes to tender. The distribution of the Offer to Purchase in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession the Offer to Purchase comes are required by the Company, the Dealer Manager and the Tender and Information Agent to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions. It may be unlawful to distribute this press release in certain jurisdictions. The information in this press release does not constitute a notice of redemption, a solicitation to purchase or sell, an offer to purchase or sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any offer or sale of such securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Tender Offer is made solely pursuant to the Offer to Purchase. The New Notes will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or the securities laws of any state of the U.S. or other jurisdictions and the Notes will not be offered or sold within the U.S. or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act), except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and the applicable laws of other jurisdictions. The Company does not intend to conduct a public offering in the United States or any other jurisdiction. This press release must be read in conjunction with the Offer to Purchase. This press release and the Offer to Purchase contain important information which should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Tender Offer. If any Holder is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended that such Holder seek its own financial and legal advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from its stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to tender Notes in the Tender Offer. Any deadlines set by any intermediary will be earlier than the deadlines specified in the Offer to Purchase. The deadlines set by DTC may also be earlier than the relevant deadlines set out in the Offer to Purchase. Questions, requests for assistance and requests for additional copies of the Offer to Purchase may be directed to the Tender and Information Agent or the Dealer Managers at their addresses set forth in this press release. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain information contained in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation. The forward-looking statements and forward-looking information in this news release include, among other things, the anticipated cash expenditure to consummate the Tender Offer, as well as the consummation, timing, settlement, size and terms of the Tender Offer, including the Early Settlement Date. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled:, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate or believes or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, the Company has made numerous assumptions including, among other things, assumptions about the ability to price the New Notes on terms that are acceptable to the Company, the timing of the closing of the concurrent offering of New Notes, the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the ability to achieve the Companys goals. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These factors include, but are not limited to, events generally impacting global economic, financial, political and social stability. See the Company's Annual Information Form and other documents filed with the securities regulators or similar authorities in Canada (accessible under the Companys profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca), the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the London Stock Exchange for additional information on risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to the forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause actual results, performances, achievements or events not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. Also, many of these factors are beyond First Quantums control. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to reissue or update forward-looking statements or information as a result of new information or events after the date hereof except as may be required by law. All forward-looking statements and information contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Burlingame, CA, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advanced Chip Packaging Market to Reach USD 50.38 Billion in 2025 as Demand for High-Performance and Miniaturized Devices Rises The Global Advanced Chip Packaging Market is estimated to be valued at USD 50.38 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 79.85 billion by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8% from 2025 to 2032. The advanced chip packaging market is experiencing growth driven by the rising demand for smaller, faster, and more efficient electronic devices. The expansion of high-performance computing, 5G networks, and the Internet of Things (IoT) is further accelerating this trend. Moreover, the increasing adoption of advanced packaging technologiessuch as 2.5D and 3D packagingis expected to significantly contribute to market growth over the forecast period. Request Sample Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/8035 Global Advanced Chip Packaging Market Key Takeaways According to Coherent Market Insights (CMI), the global advanced chip packaging market size is expected to grow significantly over the assessment period, totalling USD 50.38 Bn in 2025 and USD 79.85 Bn by 2032. Global advanced chip packaging demand is slated to rise at a CAGR of 6.8% between 2025 and 2032. Fan-out wafer-level packaging remains the most widely used type, accounting for 58.6% of the global advanced chip packaging market share in 2025. Asia Pacific, with an estimated market share of 53.2% in 2025, is expected to dominate the global advanced chip packaging industry. North America is poised to record fastest growth, capturing 29.3% of the global market share in 2025. Rising Demand for Advanced Compact Devices Spurring Market Growth Coherent Market Insights latest advanced chip packaging market analysis outlines major factors fueling industry growth. One such key growth driver is the increasing demand for high-performance and miniaturized electronic devices. Modern consumers and industries seek smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient electronic devices. This is expected to boost growth of the advanced chip packaging market during the forecast period. Advanced packaging technologies like fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP) and 3D/2.5D packaging are preferred over traditional packaging as they allow for heterogeneous integration. They are increasingly used to integrate multiple semiconductor chips or components into a single package. Advanced packaging technologies have the tendency to enhance device performance, reduce power consumption, and minimize physical size of electronic devices. As demand for compact, high-performance electronic devices rises, so will adoption of advanced chip packaging. Immediate Delivery Available | Buy This Premium Research Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/buy-now/8035 High Costs and Complex Manufacturing Processes Hampering Market Growth The global advanced chip packaging market outlook looks bright, owing to growing demand for powerful and miniaturized electronic devices. However, high cost and complex manufacturing processes might limit market growth to some extent during the forthcoming period. Advanced chip packaging involves intricate design, specialized equipment, and precision engineering. This raises the overall expenses and slow down large-scale adoption, especially among smaller manufacturers, dampening overall advanced chip packaging market demand. Penetration of Emerging Technologies Creating Growth Prospects Adoption of advanced technologies like AI, IoT, 5G, and high-performance computing is increasing significantly in the industrial sector. This is expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for advanced chip packaging companies. These emerging technologies require advanced packaging to efficiently integrate multiple dies or chiplets such as CPUs, GPUs, memory, and sensors. This is where advanced chip packaging like fan-out wafer-level packaging steps in, helping to meet these needs. Emerging Advanced Chip Packaging Market Trends Emerging trends such as miniaturization in electronic devices are promoting manufacturers to utilize advanced packaging platforms like fan-out wafer-level packaging. This is expected to boost the target market during the forecast period. Rapid expansion of automotive, medical devices, and industrial electronics sectors will likely uplift advanced chip packaging demand. This is because these industries need reliable, compact, and high-performance packages that can withstand harsh environments. Advanced packaging technologies like 2.5D/3D packaging and FOWLP are perfect to meet these performance and reliability needs. Rising shift towards electric vehicles and autonomous driving systems (ADAS) is creating a strong demand for robust semiconductor components. Advanced packaging helps to meet this demand by enhancing power efficiency, improving thermal management, and enabling higher performance in compact designs. New packaging technologies, such as panel-level packaging (PLP) and system-on-wafer (SoW), are becoming promising solutions in the semiconductor industry. These novel packaging technologies aim to boost integration as well as enhance performance and improve energy efficiency in AI and data center applications. Request For Customization:https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/8035 Analysts View The global advanced chip packaging industry is set to grow steadily, owing to rising demand for miniaturized electronic devices, growing need for advanced packaging technologies, and increasing adoption of AI, IoT, and 5G applications that require higher performance and efficiency, said Pooja Tayade, an experienced analyst at CMI. Current Events and Their Impact on the Advanced Chip Packaging Market Event Description and Impact Defense-Led Domestic Expansion (Northrop Grumman) Description: Northrop plans to quadruple chip output by 2030, focusing on advanced packaging technologies, at its Advanced Technology Lab in Maryland. Impact: Such initiatives will attract investment in US-based advanced packaging facilities and reduces reliance on Asian supply chains. Strategic Investment in Packaging Tools (Applied Materials & BESI) Description: Applied Materials recently took a 9% stake in packaging-equipment maker BESI, becoming its largest shareholder. Impact: This shows companies in the advanced chip packaging industry are joining forces and working more closely together. Reshoring Investments (GlobalFoundries $16B Expansion) Description: In June 2025, GlobalFoundries revealed plans to allocate $16 billion toward its facilities in New York (Malta) and Vermont (Essex Junction), with the objective of scaling semiconductor production and enhancing advanced packaging technologies. Impact: This is set to boost packaging infrastructure in North America, especially in photonics-enabled chips. Competitor Insights Key companies in the advanced chip packaging market report: Intel Corporation Texas Instruments Incorporated Amkor Technology Inc. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. STMicroelectronics Qualcomm Incorporated SK Hynix Inc. NXP Semiconductors NV Applied Materials, Inc. Micron Technology Inc. Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. JCET Group Co., Ltd. Infineon Technologies AG Lam Research Corporation Market Segmentation Packaging Type Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032) Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging Flip Chip Fan-In Wafer-Level Packaging 3D/2.5D Packaging Key Developments In February 2025, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. launched a new chip packaging and testing facility in Penang, Malaysia. The new plant will see improved manufacturing capabilities for advanced packaging technologies. It will help the company to meet rising demand for next-gen technologies like GenAI. In March 2025, Toray Engineering Co., Ltd. launched UC5000, a new high-accuracy semiconductor packaging equipment. It is specially designed for panel level packaging (PLP). Also Read: Next Generation Packaging Market Size, Share & Trend Analysis Report for 2025-2032 Micro Packaging Market Size, Share, Trends & Opportunities for 2025-2032 Semiconductor Market Analysis and Forecast for 2025-2032 Our Trusted Partners: Worldwide Market Reports, Coherent MI, Stratagem Market Insights Get Recent News: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/news Toronto, ON, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaughan-based Orin Landscaping Inc. (Orin Landscaping) has pleaded guilty to striking and damaging a natural gas pipeline in Toronto and has been fined $30,000 and a 25% victim surcharge by the Ontario Court of Justice. The company was found guilty of an offence under Ontario Regulation 210/01 of the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000. In December 2024, Orin Landscaping was using a mechanical excavator for a drainage installation project at Bathurst Street in downtown Toronto when it struck and damaged a 4-inch plastic gas main pipeline that was part of the Enbridge gas supply system. No injuries were reported in this incident. By law, contractors must obtain locates before digging to avoid damaging pipelines and other underground infrastructure. Even with the legally required locates, Orin Landscape violated safety code requirements by using a mechanical excavator within one metre of the gas line. Only vacuum excavation equipment or hand tools is permitted within this distance, as specified by the safety code provision. Enforcement is one of our key tools to protect public safety as Ontarios safety regulator. This marks the second guilty plea for gas pipeline strikes so far this year, said Owen Kennedy, TSSAs Director of Fuels. Contractors must take every necessary precaution when digging near pipelines. Striking underground infrastructure doesnt just disrupt the affected neighbourhoods; it can cause gas leaks and many other serious consequences. Follow rules and dig safe, thats the right thing to do for every business involved in excavation, added Mr. Kennedy. In March 2025, another construction company was fined for damaging multiple gas lines in and around Ottawa, which caused gas outages for six homes and a retail mall. Pipeline strikes account for the vast majority of fuels incidents in Ontario, making up 70% of all reported fuels incidents in fiscal year 2024, according to TSSAs latest Public Safety Report. Failing to follow safety requirements when digging can lead to serious risks, including gas leaks, fires, explosions, property damage, injuries, or fatalities. Additionally, repairs often require shutting off the gas supply, leaving nearby homes and businesses without heat, hot water, or cooking fuel. Contractors must follow the safety code when digging. The requirements are set out in Canadian Standards Associations Damage Prevention for the Protection of Underground Infrastructure safety code, CSA Z247-15. Before any digging project, homeowners and contractors must contact Ontario One Call to locate underground infrastructure such as gas, hydro, cable, and phone lines. This is an important step to help reduce the risk of damaging pipelines and other buried services. If a gas line is damaged or a leak is suspected, it must be reported immediately to the Ministry of the Environments Spills Action Centre at 1-800-268-6060 or TSSA at 1-877-682-8772. About TSSA The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is one of Ontarios public safety regulators mandated by the Government of Ontario to enforce provincial safety regulations and enhance public safety. Throughout Ontario, TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services include public education and consumer information, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support and enforcement and prosecution activities. The organizations vision is to be a valued advocate and recognized authority in public safety. -30- Chicago, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global digital health in neurology market was valued at US$ 38.9 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 229.5 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 21.8% during the forecast period 20252033. Digital therapeutics (DTx) are emerging as a powerful new class of medicine. These software-based interventions deliver evidence-based therapeutic programs directly to patients. In the area of ADHD, Akili Interactive's EndeavorOTC is making significant inroads. A 2024 registry study revealed that 58.2% of its users reported having combined type ADHD. The data also highlighted significant comorbidities, with 69% of users reporting depression and 56% reporting an anxiety disorder. A remarkable 87% of users stated they had no to moderate symptom control with their existing ADHD treatments. For a quarter of users, difficulties in obtaining their medication prompted them to try EndeavorOTC in the digital health in neurology market. Download Sample Pages: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/digital-health-in-neurology-market Another innovation, the Revibe smartwatch for children with ADHD, demonstrated its efficacy in a study with 706 participants. Children using the device showed a more than 25-minute increase in attention span after just three weeks. The study also recorded a 19% increase in on-task behaviors. Further validation for EndeavorOTC came from a 2024 study of 220 adults, which found clear improvements in ADHD-related symptoms and overall quality of life. An earlier 2021 study of EndeavorRx for children with ADHD showed that after two months, over two-thirds of the 206 participants' parents reported improvements in their child's ADHD-related impairments. Key Findings in Digital Health in Neurology Market Market Forecast (2033) US$ 229.5 billion CAGR 21.8% Largest Region (2024) North America (39%) By End User Providers (43%) Top Drivers Increasing prevalence of neurological disorders globally. Advancements in AI and machine learning for diagnostics. Growing demand for remote patient monitoring solutions. Top Trends Integration of digital biomarkers in clinical trials. Rise of personalized digital therapeutics (DTx). Focus on consumer-centric neurological wellness applications. Top Challenges Data privacy and security concerns with sensitive health information. Ensuring equitable access to digital health technologies. Navigating complex regulatory and reimbursement landscapes. Virtual Care Platforms are Erasing Distances in Neurological Patient Management Telemedicine is dismantling traditional barriers to neurological care with remarkable speed in the digital health in neurology market. Virtual consultations and remote patient monitoring (RPM) are now standard practice, offering convenience and enhanced oversight. A 2024 survey of pediatric epilepsy providers found 67.9% of their centers now use video visits exclusively for telehealth. A vast majority, 83%, believe these platforms provide more equitable healthcare access. The removal of transportation barriers stands out as a significant driver for teleneurology adoption in 2024. Projections show that by 2025, over 71 million Americans will use some form of RPM service. The utility of telehealth is undeniable. The 2024 study also showed that 92.5% of pediatric epilepsy providers use it for reviewing test results, while 96.2% use it to discuss treatment plan changes. The financial and clinical impact is staggering. The telestroke services market is projected to reach USD 1.99 billion by 2025, with cloud-based platforms dominating 85.3% of that market. A lifetime analysis of a telestroke program revealed an average societal cost saving of $1,526 per patient. Patients also experienced an incremental gain of 0.45 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). A separate hub-and-spoke telestroke network model demonstrated a lifetime cost saving of $1,436 per patient and a 0.02 QALY gain. A 5-year model of one such network projected an annual cost saving of $358,435 for the entire system, with each spoke hospital saving an estimated $109,080 annually. Ultimately, implementing a telestroke program was associated with a reduction of 101 nursing home residents per 10,000 patients. The digital health in neurology market is clearly benefiting from these efficiency gains. Wearable Technology Unleashes a Continuous Stream of Actionable Patient Data Wearable sensors and mobile health applications are fundamentally changing patient monitoring. They provide a continuous flow of real-world data, empowering both patients and clinicians. The digital health in neurology market is leveraging these tools for proactive disease management. In Parkinson's disease, Rune Labs' StrivePD platform saw its user network expand by 56% in 2024. A nine-month pilot study of the platform involving 138 patients yielded impressive results. Participants experienced a 42% reduction in emergency room visits and an 18% reduction in time needed with movement disorder specialists. The behavioral impact was also significant, with 90% of users increasing their exercise levels and 80% showing improved medication adherence. Rune Labs' 2024 research is powered by a rich dataset from over 1,000 Parkinson's patients using the platform. The momentum extends to other conditions as well. As of 2025, the global market for epilepsy monitoring devices is projected to be valued at an impressive USD 582.3 million. Artificial Intelligence Is Driving a New Era of Diagnostic Precision Artificial intelligence (AI) is supercharging diagnostic capabilities within digital health in neurology market. Machine learning algorithms can analyze complex medical data with unprecedented speed and accuracy. For Parkinson's disease, a condition where early diagnosis is challenging, a new AI software called Automated Imaging Differentiation for Parkinsonism (AIDP) has demonstrated the ability to increase diagnostic precision to beyond 96%. This is a monumental leap compared to the current diagnostic accuracy of 55% to 78% within the first five years. A systematic review of 127 studies on AI-driven Parkinson's diagnosis found accuracy rates consistently ranging from 78% to 96%. An experimental multimodal AI diagnostic framework achieved a 94.2% accuracy in detecting early-stage disease. A deep-learning model analyzing medical and prescription data from 820 Parkinson's patients achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 0.937 when using data from three years preceding diagnosis. When analyzing an even earlier period (3-6 years before diagnosis), the model's accuracy improved to 0.922 with the inclusion of medication data. The trend extends to other conditions, with the US FDA clearing the NeuroQuant 5.0 software, an AI-powered tool for assessing MRI scans of patients being treated for Alzheimer's disease. These advancements are a cornerstone of the digital health in neurology market. Immersive Virtual Reality Therapies Are Redefining Neurorehabilitation Possibilities Virtual Reality (VR) is creating highly engaging and effective therapeutic environments for neurological recovery. The technology is proving particularly useful for patients recovering from stroke, brain injuries, and amputations. In a groundbreaking clinical trial for phantom limb pain, a VR treatment requiring leg movements led to a 39.6% pain reduction among seven participants with lower-limb amputations. Even a distractor VR treatment without leg movements in the same study resulted in a notable 28% decrease in pain. This early success has prompted an expansion of the proof-of-concept study, which initially involved eight subjects with below-knee amputations, to a larger sample size. These immersive solutions represent a high-growth segment within the broader digital health in neurology market, offering new hope for patients undergoing difficult rehabilitation journeys. Digital Biomarkers Are Accelerating the Pace of Neurological Clinical Research Digital biomarkers are revolutionizing how researchers track disease progression and treatment efficacy. Collected via sensors and mobile devices, these objective data points provide a high-frequency view of a patient's condition. Their impact on clinical trial efficiency is profound in the digital health in neurology market. A trial simulation for a hypothetical Parkinson's digital biomarker showed it could lead to a 55.7% reduction in the number of subjects needed for a one-year trial if it detected disease progression just 1.5 times faster than standard assessments. The same simulation indicated that a digital biomarker with a 0.5-fold reduced standard deviation could allow for a trial with 70.0% fewer subjects per arm. Companies are actively building a presence in this space. As of 2024, Rune Labs, a key player focused on digital biomarkers for Parkinson's, had already participated in 15 scientific conferences to share its findings. Robust Investment and a Dynamic Competitive Landscape Signal Strong Market Confidence The financial community is taking notice of the immense potential in neurotechnology. Venture capital and strategic investments are flowing into the digital health in neurology market, fueling innovation. In 2024, European tech companies raised over 1.1 billion in seed funding, with total funding for startups reaching $51 billion. Healthcare and biotechnology was the leading investment sector, attracting over $11 billion. The median pre-seed funding round in Europe grew by 15.7% in the second half of 2024 to 870,000. Specific deals highlight this trend. In October 2024, iGent AI secured a 7.6M seed round, Nomos raised a 1.9M pre-seed round, and In Parallel secured 2.78 million. The competitive landscape is equally dynamic. Blackrock Neurotech received a massive $200 million investment from Tether in 2024, valuing the company at approximately $350 million. Its NeuroPort Array system, priced at over half a million dollars, has been sold to several dozen hospitals. Blackrock Neurotech's estimated annual revenue is $60.7 million, with an estimated revenue per employee of $306,778. Before the latest investment, the company had already raised $50 million and had seen early revenue grow from approximately $700,000 to $3.5 million. Meanwhile, Rune Labs announced a strategic $12 million investment round in 2024, bringing its total funding to $42 million. Its StrivePD platform is also being used in a care management program with Kaiser Permanente. Customize the Data Scope to Match Your Objectives: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/ask-for-customization/digital-health-in-neurology-market Evolving Regulations and Emerging Technologies Are Charting the Industry's Future The future of the digital health in neurology market is being shaped by evolving regulatory frameworks and next-generation technologies. Regulators are adapting to the unique nature of software-based medical devices. As of September 2023, Japan had approved only three therapeutic apps. To accelerate innovation, Japan's PMDA set a six-month target review time for priority Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) products as of January 2024. A new two-stage approval system for SaMD was also expected in 2024. Patient engagement is another critical factor. A Mayo Clinic study of its RPM program found a patient engagement rate over 78%. A latest report published in 2025 found that 62% of healthcare leaders in the digital health in neurology market believe Generative AI holds the highest potential for improving patient engagement. Indeed, a 2025 survey revealed 51% of people have already used Generative AI to help diagnose symptoms. Looking ahead, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) represent the next frontier. The global BCI market was valued at USD 2.3 billion in 2024 and is expected to soar to USD 4.5 billion by 2029. Pioneers like Blackrock Neurotech, with over 40 patients already implanted with their Digital Health In Neurology Market Key Players: AdvancedMD, Inc. Akili, Inc. AppliedVR, Inc. BigHealth Blackrock Neurotech. Cognivive, Inc. Neofect Co, Ltd Omada Health Inc. Proteus Digital Health, Inc. Teladoc Health, Inc. Other Prominent Players Key Market Segmentation: By Component Software Hardware Services By End-use Patients Providers Payers Others By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa South America Need a Detailed Walkthrough of the Report? Request a Live Session: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/report-walkthrough/digital-health-in-neurology-market About Astute Analytica Astute Analytica is a global market research and advisory firm providing data-driven insights across industries such as technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and more. We publish multiple reports daily, equipping businesses with the intelligence they need to navigate market trends, emerging opportunities, competitive landscapes, and technological advancements. With a team of experienced business analysts, economists, and industry experts, we deliver accurate, in-depth, and actionable research tailored to meet the strategic needs of our clients. At Astute Analytica, our clients come first, and we are committed to delivering cost-effective, high-value research solutions that drive success in an evolving marketplace. Contact Us: Astute Analytica Phone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4483891 (Rest of the World) For Sales Enquiries: sales@astuteanalytica.com Website: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/ Follow us on: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube Delray Beach, FL, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to MarketsandMarkets, the global AI Assistant Market is positioned for substantial growth and is expected to reach a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 44.5%. The market is estimated to be valued at USD 3.35 billion in 2025 and is anticipated to grow to USD 21.11 billion by 2030. Browse in-depth TOC on "AI Assistant Market" 150 - Tables 71 - Figures 410 - Pages Download Report Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=40111511 AI Assistant Market Dynamics Drivers Real-time Behavioral and Contextual Data Enables Highly Personalized User Support Embedding AI-generated Insights into Enterprise Tools Unlocks Continuous Value Creation Modular Deployment of AI Assistants Within SaaS Platforms Accelerating Enterprise Adoption Restraints Understanding Unstructured Data Continues to Limit Assistant Intelligence and Adaptability Fragmented Digital Ecosystems Hinder Unified AI Assistant Experiences Across Tools Opportunities Federated Learning Advantage enables AI training without transferring raw user data to central servers. Strategic edge for providers targeting privacy-conscious sectors and government clients for vendors Secure Model Training Shares only encrypted updates, removing privacy risks. List of Top Companies in AI Assistant Market Microsoft (US) Google (US) Salesforce (US) SAP (Germany) Oracle (US) Adobe (US) Dropbox (US) AWS (US) Cisco (US) ServiceNow (US) and many more Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=40111511 AI assistants are becoming more transparent and privacy-friendly, making them more useful in sensitive industries like healthcare, finance, and legal services. With explainable AI, assistants can now show how they arrive at certain answers or suggestions. This helps build user trust, supports compliance with regulations, and allows companies to audit assistant behavior when needed. At the same time, improvements in AI model design are making it possible to run assistants directly on edge devices like phones or medical equipment. This reduces the need to send data to the cloud, keeping sensitive information local and secure. These advancements are expanding the adoption of AI assistant in high-stakes, regulated environments. The AI assistant market is growing quickly due to major advances in generative AI, natural language processing, and contextual awareness. New models like GPT-4, Claude, and LLaMA 3 are making assistants more human-like, responsive, and capable of understanding complex queries. Companies are now embedding these assistants directly into software tools such as CRMs, productivity apps, and healthcare platforms to support daily workflows. At the same time, regulators are introducing rules focused on transparency, data use, and fairness, such as the EU AI Act and Chinas Deep Synthesis rules, which are shaping how AI assistants are developed and deployed globally. Privacy-first technologies, like federated learning and on-device AI, are also gaining traction, especially in sensitive sectors like finance and healthcare. Another key shift is the rise of role-based assistants tailored to job functions such as writing, coding, research, and sales, which offer higher adoption and ROI than general-purpose tools. Together, these changes are pushing the AI assistants market into a more enterprise-ready, secure, and highly personalized phase of growth. The US AI assistant market is rapidly advancing, driven by the country's strong hold in generative AI development and enterprise tech adoption. US-based companies like Microsoft, Salesforce, and Google are embedding assistants into productivity suites, CRMs, and collaboration tools, enabling AI to streamline workflows across industries. Microsoft's Copilot, integrated across the Microsoft 365 suite, is seeing a widespread enterprise rollout, while Salesforces Einstein 1 platform continues to expand its role-based assistant capabilities. Technologically, the US is pioneering the development of multi-modal models, such as Metas LLaMA 3, making assistants more adaptable and cost-efficient. On the policy front, the Biden Administrations AI Executive Order issued in late 2023 emphasizes transparency, safety, and fairness, particularly for high-risk AI applications. This is pushing vendors to implement explainability features and stronger data governance. Additionally, there is a rising demand for privacy-preserving AI, with an increasing shift toward edge-based deployment and federated learning. These combined developments are positioning the US as a global leader in the enterprise AI assistant market. The Knowledge Retrieval & Document Search segment is projected to register the highest CAGR in the AI assistants market during the forecast period, driven by growing enterprise demand for intelligent, real-time access to unstructured and semi-structured data. AI assistants integrated with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) capabilities are enabling knowledge workers to quickly access context-rich answers from vast internal document repositories, emails, and PDFs. Companies like Glean and Relevance AI are pushing the frontier of enterprise search by fine-tuning LLMs on internal datasets and combining vector search with metadata-aware filtering, improving accuracy and response relevance. The demand is especially high across legal, consulting, and financial services firms, where staff spend their time searching for information across siloed systems. Technologies like LangChain, Pinecone, and Weaviate are accelerating the development of customized retrieval pipelines. Further, solutions are increasingly compliant with data residency, security, and access control needs, making them deployable even in heavily regulated industries. This rapid adoption is also fueled by the shift toward AI-native knowledge management systems, where assistants become front-end interfaces to previously fragmented knowledge bases. The Individual End Users segment is expected to register the highest CAGR in the AI assistants market during the forecast period, fueled by the rapid consumerization of generative AI tools and increasing integration of AI capabilities into daily personal workflows. The adoption is being led by solutions like Rewind, Perplexity, and Grammarly, which embed assistant capabilities into writing, research, memory recall, and personal productivity tasks. Individual users are increasingly leveraging AI assistants for drafting emails, summarizing articles, organizing to-do lists, and automating repetitive browser or device-level tasks. The rise of personal knowledge assistant tools that retain context and learn user preferences over time is driving stickiness, becoming integral to personal information workflows. Advancements in on-device processing and privacy-preserving AI have further accelerated comfort among users, especially for sensitive data like personal communications or health information. Inquire Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=40111511 The top opportunities for the AI assistant market are the rise of proactive, multimodal assistants and integration-as-a-service models for enterprise environments. As digital workflows become more complex, enterprises increasingly seek AI assistants that can proactively anticipate user needs by analyzing signals from calendars, emails, documents, and collaboration tools. When combined with multimodal capabilities, including voice, text, and visual inputs, these assistants can enable seamless and highly contextual task execution across devices and platforms. At the same time, organizations prefer embedding assistants into their existing toolchains rather than adopting entirely new platforms. This creates a growing need for integration-as-a-service offerings, where vendors provide secure, low-code APIs and SDKs for AI assistant deployment inside tools like Salesforce, SAP, or Microsoft Teams. Market leaders such as Microsoft (Copilot) and Google (Workspace Duet AI) are already offering proactive and multimodal assistance, while startups are enabling scalable integration frameworks. Vendors tapping into these two opportunities can drive faster enterprise adoption, increase assistant stickiness, and create value across diverse workflows. Get access to the latest updates on AI Assistant Companies and AI Assistant Industry Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $75,000 In Lockheed Martin To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you suffered losses exceeding $75,000 in Lockheed Martin between January 23, 2024 and July 21, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). [You may also click here for additional information] NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Lockheed Martin Corporation (Lockheed Martin or the Company) (NYSE: LMT) and reminds investors of the September 26, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com. As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose (1) that Lockheed Martin lacked effective internal controls regarding its purportedly risk adjusted contracts including the reporting of its risk adjusted profit booking rate; (2) that Lockheed Martin lacked effective procedures to perform reasonably accurate comprehensive reviews of program requirements, technical complexities, schedule, and risks; (3) that Lockheed Martin overstated its ability to deliver on its contract commitments in terms of cost, quality and schedule; (4) that, as a result, the Company was reasonably likely to report significant losses; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants positive statements about the Companys business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On October 22, 2024, before the market opened, Lockheed Martin announced it was forced to recognize losses of $80 million on a classified program at the Companys Aeronautics business segment due to higher than anticipated costs to achieve program objectives. The Company also announced it had recognized a reach-forward loss in its Rotary and Mission Systems segment as a result of additional quantity ordering risk identified on fixed-price options. On this news, the Companys share price fell $37.63 or 6.12% to close at $576.98 on October 22, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. Then, on January 28, 2025, before the market opened, Lockheed Martin announced it was forced to record pre-tax losses of $1.7 billion associated with classified programs at its Aeronautics and Missiles and Fire Control business. The Company explained as a result of performance trends and in contemplation of near-term program milestones, it had performed a comprehensive review of the program requirements, technical complexities, schedule, and risks based on which it recognized $555 million of losses in its Aeronautics program. The Company further reported additional losses of approximately $1.3 billion in its Missiles and Fire Control business due to, among other things, the future requirements of the program, discussions with the customer and suppliers. As a result, the Companys net earnings in 2024 were $5.3 billion, or $22.31 per share, compared to $6.9 billion, or $27.55 per share, in 2023. On this news, the Companys share price fell $46.24 or 9.2% to close at $457.45 on January 28, 2025 on unusually heavy trading volume. Then, on July 22, 2025, before the market opened, Lockheed Martin disclosed it was forced to record an additional $1.6 billion in pre-tax losses on classified programs, including $950 million in losses related to its Aeronautics Classified program due to design, integration, and test challenges, as well as other performance issues. The Company also recorded $570 million in losses on its Canadian Maritime Helicopter Program due in part to providing additional mission capabilities, enhanced logistical support, fleet life extension, and revised expectations regarding flight hours. The Company further recorded a $95 million charge related to its Turkish Utility Helicopter Program due to the current status of the program. As a result, the Company reported sharply lower net earnings of $342 million, or $1.46 per share, including $1.6 billion of program losses and $169 million of other charges. On this news, the Companys share price fell $49.79 or 10.8%, to close at $410.74 on July 22, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Lockheed Martins conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the Lockheed Martin class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/LMT or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3a3fa937-87cb-45e3-b706-966046064eee Alamo, Tennessee, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hitachi Energy today announced a $106 million USD investment to expand its transformer component manufacturing facility in Alamo, Tennessee. This investment is part of a global investment in transformer components manufacturing announced earlier this year, reinforcing the companys commitment to strengthening the U.S. grid supply chain and addressing the global transformer shortage with the most expansive investment plan in the industry. The Alamo expansion will significantly boost production of transformer bushings, including dry bushings for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and alternating current (AC) transmission systems up to 800 (kilovolts) kV. Once complete, the site will become the largest bushings manufacturing facility in North America, and one of the largest in the world. This investment recognizes the Alamo facilitys strategic importance in the U.S. domestic supply chain for power transmission infrastructure. The components manufactured in Alamo will support the growing need for long-distance power transmission to enable the rapid expansion of data centers, AI infrastructure, and other electrifying industries. The project adds over 60,000 square feet to the facility, including over 35,000 square feet for manufacturing, 20,000 square feet of warehouse space, and 5,000 square feet of new office space. The expanded site is expected to be operational by mid-2027 and will create over 100 new jobs in West Tennessee, offering long-term employment opportunities in engineering, skilled trades, and operational support roles. This project marks a significant investment in rural Tennessee, and I am grateful to the leaders in Crockett County and Alamo for their role in securing this expansion. Thank you again to the Hitachi Energy team for its continued investment in our state, which we know will create greater opportunity for Tennesseans in the years to come, said Governor Bill Lee. Hitachi Energys manufacturing expansion in Crockett County is proof that Tennessees pro-business policies and talented workforce continue to attract investment from around the world, said US Senator Marsha Blackburn. This project in Alamo will bring good-paying jobs to the area, strengthen the local economy, and help power Americas energy future. This investment by Hitachi Energy illustrates the confidence global companies have in West Tennessee demonstrating our states competitiveness across the nation and around the world, said US Senator Bill Hagerty. This new manufacturing facility will bring even more jobs and therefore more opportunities to families in Crockett County. Hitachi Energy is addressing the fast-growing demand for transformer components, and this investment will help ensure that Tennessee remains at the forefront of Americas energy revolution. This historic $100 million investment in Crockett County demonstrates Hitachi Energys transformational commitment to our community and the future of American energy production. Beyond the creation of 100 new jobs, this project strengthens our nations energy infrastructure and ensures grid stability as we meet growing energy demand. West Tennessee continues to see significant economic growth because of our business-friendly environment. I am grateful to Hitachi Energy for their continued investment in our community, and to our state and local leaders who worked hard to secure this investment, said Congressman David Kustoff (TN-08). This investment in Tennessee is also an investment in the future of Americas energy infrastructure. Were not only increasing our ability to deliver vital components to customers across the U.S. and the world, but were also making a long-term commitment to the Crockett County community. This facility plays a critical role in meeting fast-growing energy demand from AI as well as grid expansion and modernization, and were proud to grow our footprint and strengthen domestic manufacturing right here in Tennessee, said Steve McKinney, Head of Transformers, North America, Hitachi Energy. The project includes the implementation of an integrated logistics center and vertically integrated machine shop, enabling just-in-time delivery, reducing external warehousing needs, and enhancing operational efficiency. The added office space supports recruiting and workforce development in line with long-term growth plans. By increasing the businesss total HVDC bushing capacity and enhancing global redundancy, the expansion de-risks single-site operations while supporting technology shifts in the market for dry bushings supporting IEEE standards. This project builds on Hitachi Energys broader $6 billion USD global investment strategy announced earlier this year, which includes $1.5 billion USD dedicated to scaling transformer manufacturing worldwide. As the worlds largest transformer manufacturer, Hitachi Energy is advancing grid modernization with industry-leading solutions and a commitment to achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2030. The Alamo, Tennessee expansion is a key step in supporting the build-out of energy infrastructure needed to power AI growth, increasing U.S. manufacturing capacity, and creating meaningful economic impact for the local communities in which the company operates. About Hitachi Energy Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader in electrification, powering a sustainable energy future with innovative power grid technologies with digital at the core. Over three billion people depend on our technologies to power their daily lives. With over a century in pioneering mission-critical technologies like high-voltage, transformers, automation, and power electronics, we are addressing the most urgent energy challenge of our time balancing soaring electricity demand, while decarbonizing the power system. With an unparalleled installed base in over 140 countries, we co-create and build long-term partnerships across the utility, industry, transportation, data centers, and infrastructure sectors. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ over 50,000 people in 60 countries and generate revenues of around $16 billion USD. https://www.hitachienergy.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachienergy https://x.com/HitachiEnergy About Hitachi, Ltd. Through its Social Innovation Business (SIB) that brings together IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products, Hitachi contributes to a harmonized society where the environment, wellbeing, and economic growth are in balance. Hitachi operates globally in four sectors Digital Systems & Services, Energy, Mobility, and Connective Industries and the Strategic SIB Business Unit for new growth businesses. With Lumada at its core, Hitachi generates value from integrating data, technology and domain knowledge to solve customer and social challenges. Revenues for FY2024 (ended March 31, 2025) totaled 9,783.3 billion yen, with 618 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 280,000 employees worldwide. Visit us at https://www.hitachi.com. Attachment MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- goeasy Ltd. (TSX: GSY) (goeasy or the Company), one of Canadas leading consumer lenders focused on delivering a full suite of financial services to Canadians with near to non-prime credit scores, is pleased to announce that it closed its previously announced offering of US$450 million aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes due 2031 (the USD Notes), which was upsized from US$400 million at the initial time of offering, and C$175 million aggregate principal amount of 6.000% senior unsecured notes due 2030 (the New CAD Notes, and together with the USD Notes, the Notes), which was upsized from C$100 million at the initial time of offering. The New CAD Notes were issued at a price of C$997.50 per C$1,000 principal amount, plus accrued interest from May 15, 2025. The New CAD Notes have substantially identical terms (other than issuance price, date of issuance and the date from which interest initially accrues) as, and will be treated as a single series with, the Companys 6.000% senior unsecured notes due 2030 issued on November 4, 2024 (together with the New CAD Notes, the CAD Notes). An aggregate of C$325 million principal amount of the CAD Notes is outstanding following closing of the offering. In connection with the offering of the USD Notes, goeasy also entered into a currency swap agreement (the Currency Swap) to reduce the Canadian dollar equivalent cost of borrowing on the USD Notes to 6.106% per annum. Before giving effect to the Currency Swap, the coupon on the USD Notes is 6.875% per annum. goeasy intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes to partially repay indebtedness under its secured facilities and for general corporate purposes. We are pleased to announce the closing of our upsized unsecured notes offering. The increases to both the U.S. dollar and Canadian dollar denominated issuances reflected strong market demand and confidence in our business, said Hal Khouri, goeasy's Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. This financing raises our total funding capacity to C$2.3 billion to support our growth plans. About goeasy goeasy Ltd. is a Canadian company, headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, that provides non-prime leasing and lending services through its easyhome, easyfinancial and LendCare brands. Supported by over 2,600 employees, the Company offers a wide variety of financial products and services including unsecured and secured instalment loans, merchant financing through a variety of verticals and lease-to-own merchandise. Customers can transact seamlessly through an omni-channel model that includes online and mobile platforms, over 400 locations across Canada, and point-of-sale financing offered in the retail, powersports, automotive, home improvement and healthcare verticals, through approximately 11,200 merchant partners across Canada. Throughout the Companys history, it has acquired and organically served approximately 1.6 million Canadians and originated over C$17.5 billion in loans. Accredited by the Better Business Bureau, goeasy is the proud recipient of several awards in recognition of its exceptional culture and continued business growth including inclusion in TIME Magazines inaugural list of Canadas Best Companies, 2024 Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance, Waterstone Canadas Most Admired Corporate Cultures, ranking on the 2022 Report on Business Women Lead Here executive gender diversity benchmark, placing on the 2024 Report on Business ranking of Canadas Top Growing Companies, ranking on the TSX30, Greater Toronto Top Employers Award and has been certified as a Great Place to Work. The Company is represented by a diverse group of team members from over 90 nationalities who believe strongly in giving back to communities in which it operates. To date, goeasy has raised and donated over C$6.5 million to support its long-standing partnerships with BGC Canada and many other local charities. goeasy Ltd.s common shares are listed on the TSX under the trading symbol GSY. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements about goeasy, including, but not limited to, its business operations, strategy and expected financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the expectations regarding the use of net proceeds of the Notes offering and the effect of the Currency Swap. In certain cases, forward-looking statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and/or can be identified by the use of words such as expect, continue, anticipate, intend, aim, plan, believe, budget, estimate, forecast, foresee, target or negative versions thereof and similar expressions, and/or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on certain factors and assumptions, including expected growth, results of operations and business prospects and are inherently subject to, among other things, risks, uncertainties and assumptions about the Companys operations, economic factors and the industry generally. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made by the Company. Some important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, goeasys ability to enter into new lease and/or financing agreements, collect on existing lease and/or financing agreements, open new locations on favourable terms, offer products which appeal to customers at a competitive rate, respond to changes in legislation, react to uncertainties related to regulatory action, raise capital under favourable terms, compete, manage the impact of litigation (including shareholder litigation), control costs at all levels of the organization and maintain and enhance the system of internal controls. The Company cautions that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. These and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements, and further details and descriptions of these and other factors are disclosed in the Companys Managements Discussion and Analysis, including under the section entitled Risk Factors. The reader is cautioned to consider these, and other factors carefully and not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or alter the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by law. For further information contact: James Obright Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Capital Markets (905) 272-2788 Fast Track status accelerates regulatory pathway for BioAegis recombinant human plasma gelsolin (rhu-pGSN), a novel immune modulator for inflammatory diseases. Second Fast Track designation in recent months highlights broad potential of rhu-pGSN across multiple diverse inflammation-driven conditions. NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioAegis Therapeutics, a pioneering biotech company at the forefront of innovative therapies for inflammatory diseases, announces that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to its lead product candidate, recombinant human plasma gelsolin (rhu-pGSN), for the treatment of decompression sickness (DCS). The company is currently conducting a Phase 2 study of rhu-pGSN for decompression sickness under a contract awarded by the U.S. Navys Office of Naval Research to the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). This work is the culmination of an extended collaboration with Dr. Stephen Thom, Professor of Emergency Medicine at UMSOM. BioAegis portfolio is built around plasma gelsolin, a highly conserved and critical immune regulatory protein which rebalances dysfunctional inflammation without suppressing immune function. Fast Track Accelerates Path to Patients for Inflammation-Driven Conditions The FDA Fast Track program is intended to accelerate the development of new therapies for serious conditions with high unmet medical needs. Fast Track status enables more frequent interactions with the FDA, including rolling review of the marketing application, and eligibility for priority review, which can significantly accelerate time to market. For BioAegis, this designation highlights the therapeutic promise of rhu-pGSN and provides a clear regulatory pathway to expedite its development. This marks the second Fast Track designation for BioAegis in recent months following one granted for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). These dual designations underscore the breadth and therapeutic potential of rhu-pGSN. Fast Track status is granted for products that are addressing areas of strong unmet need with novel, innovative approaches. Dr. Thoms findings of the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in this condition in divers is a powerful opportunity for BioAegis to demonstrate the benefits of our platform product which is clearly differentiated from other anti-inflammatory agents. This is just a first step in expansion of BioAegis portfolio to the range of challenging diseases driven by inflammasome activation, states Susan Levinson, PhD., CEO of BioAegis Therapeutics. Phase 2 DCS Study Expected to Deliver Rapid Proof of Concept The study, titled A Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study Assessing The Efficacy And Safety/Tolerability Of Intravenous Recombinant Human Plasma Gelsolin (IV rhu-pGSN) As A Pre- Or Post-Exposure Prophylactic Intervention To Mitigate Proinflammatory Responses To Decompression After Exposure Of Healthy Volunteers With Training As Scuba Divers To High Pressure In A Hyperbaric Chamber (NCT06216366), is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Maryland School of Medicine under a contract from the U.S. Office of Naval Research, and enrollment is expected to be completed in August 2025. Earlier studies have demonstrated that DCS patients exhibit depleted gelsolin levels and elevated NLRP3-driven inflammatory microparticles. In preclinical models, rhu-pGSN supplementation was efficacious when administered after exposure to pressure changes, as well as when provided as a prophylactic agent. DCS occurs when inert gases form bubbles in tissues and blood due to rapid pressure changes, triggering a dangerous inflammatory response and tissue damage. Previous research has shown that individuals with DCS exhibit depleted plasma gelsolin levels and elevated inflammatory microparticles, features that rhu-pGSN has been shown to directly counteract. This study design will enable rapid generation of human proof-of-concept data and underscores the potential of rhu-pGSN to transform the treatment of decompression sickness for both military and civilian divers as a portable, field-deployable intervention, especially in remote or operational settings where hyperbaric chambers may not be available. Gelsolin: A Multitasking Protein for Complex Inflammatory Conditions Gelsolin holds immense promise as a therapeutic intervention for serious acute and chronic conditions due to its multifaceted mechanism of action. In critical illness, gelsolin levels collapse, causing adverse outcomes. Supplementing gelsolin addresses this deficit directly, restoring immune balance while preserving host defense. Gelsolin has been shown in both animals and humans to: Modulate the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Enhance uptake and killing of microbial pathogens by innate immune cells. Bind to and remove harmful inflammatory mediators and toxic actin released from damaged cells. Regulate macrophage phenotype to modulate inflammation. Supplementation with the recombinant gelsolin protein holds promise to address the overzealous inflammatory response associated many inflammatory diseases without suppressing immune function. About BioAegis BioAegis Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage, private company whose mission is to capitalize on a key component of the bodys immune system, plasma gelsolin, to prevent adverse outcomes in diseases driven by inflammation. BioAegis has the exclusive license to broad, worldwide intellectual property through Harvard-Brigham and Womens Hospital. It holds over 40 patents issued for coverage of inflammatory disease, infection, renal failure, neurologic disease, and frailty. BioAegis will also have U.S. biologics exclusivity and has recently filed new IP in areas of unmet need. BioAegis rhu-pGSN, is currently being studied in a 600-patient global Phase 2 trial for patients with moderate to severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) (NCT05947955).This project has been supported in whole or in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under contract number 75A50123C00067. Investor Inquiries: Steven Cordovano 203-952-6373 scordovano@bioaegistx.com Media Inquiries: Christine Lagana clagana@bioaegistx.com This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations of management. These statements relate to, among other things, our expectations regarding managements plans, objectives, and strategies. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. BioAegis assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements appearing in this press release in the event of changing circumstances or otherwise, and such statements are current only as of the date they are made. SAN DIEGO, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS) securities between April 29, 2025 and June 23, 2025, all dates inclusive (the Class Period), have until Monday, August 25, 2025 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Hims & Hers class action lawsuit. Captioned Sookdeo v. Hims & Hers Health, Inc., No. 25-cv-05315 (N.D. Cal.), the Hims & Hers class action lawsuit charges Hims & Hers as well as certain of Hims & Hers executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. A subsequently filed complaint is captioned Yaghsizian v. Hims & Hers Health, Inc., No. 25-cv-05321 (N.D. Cal.). If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Hims & Hers class action lawsuit, please provide your information here: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-hims-hers-health-inc-class-action-lawsuit-hims.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 info@rgrdlaw.com. CASE ALLEGATIONS: Hims & Hers is a telehealth company that provides prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and personal care products. According to the complaint, on April 29, 2025, Hims & Hers announced a long-term collaboration with Novo Nordisk A/S, starting with the immediate sale of a bundled offering of Novo Nordisks FDA-approved Wegovy on the Hims & Hers platform. The Hims & Hers class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Hims & Hers was engaged in the deceptive promotion and selling of illegitimate, knockoff versions of Wegovy that put patient safety at risk; and (ii) as a result, there was a substantial risk that Hims & Hers collaboration with Novo Nordisk would be terminated. The Hims & Hers class action lawsuit further alleges that on June 23, 2025, Novo Nordisk issued a press release announcing that it was terminating its partnership with Hims & Hers based on Hims & Hers deceptive promotion and selling of illegitimate, knockoff versions of Wegovy that put patient safety at risk. On this news, the price of Hims & Hers stock fell more than 34%, according to the complaint. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Hims & Hers securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Hims & Hers 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 Hims & Hers class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Hims & Hers class action lawsuit. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Hims & Hers class action lawsuit. ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the worlds leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud and shareholder litigation. Our Firm has been ranked #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for four out of the last five years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. In 2024, we recovered over $2.5 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases more than the next five law firms combined, according to ISS. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs firms in the world, and the Firms attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest 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 info@rgrdlaw.com SHENZHEN, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- South China's Shenzhen saw its foreign trade hit 2.58 trillion yuan (about 361.7 billion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months of 2025, ranking first among Chinese mainland cities, Shenzhen Customs said Tuesday. In July, Shenzhen's total import and export volume reached 415.94 billion yuan, an increase of 6.2 percent year on year. Exports totaled 255.62 billion yuan, marking a new high for monthly exports this year with a 4.7 percent increase, while imports rose 8.8 percent to 160.32 billion yuan. Shenzhen's export growth was driven by strong competitiveness in both traditional electronics and strategic emerging industries. In the first seven months, electromechanical exports led the way, reaching 1.17 trillion yuan and accounting for 74.7 of the total. Strategic emerging industries posted particularly robust growth, with exports of lithium batteries and pure electric passenger cars rising 37.9 percent and 21.7 percent, respectively, while integrated circuit exports soared 40.9 percent. Driven by rising demand for electronic components, Shenzhen's imports of electromechanical products grew 14.7 percent during the period, accounting for 82.1 percent of the total. Private enterprises powered Shenzhen's trade activities, contributing 1.8 trillion yuan and accounting for 69.8 percent of the total value. ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lyno AI is launching a new initiative in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector, integrating artificial intelligence with cross-chain arbitrage strategies. Early investors are participating in the project during its initial phase, reflecting engagement with the companys planned methodology and upcoming developments in AI-driven financial infrastructure. What Is Just Catching the Eye of Early Investors in Lyno AI Lyno AI presale is picking up momentum as 296,040 tokens were sold at 0.50 whilst in the Early Bird sale. The sum amount of the schedule will be allocated in this phase 16 million tokens, and the following stage will be raised with the price of 0.055 dollars. This is a short time giving pressure to investors to act quickly. Momentum is provided by a Growing Community The community of Lyno AI is already popular, and it continues to develop enormously. This new-found interest is giving a sales boost ahead of time. Project audit of security by Cyberscope increases trust and therefore increases participation. Restructuring DeFi with AI Ingenuity Lyno AI takes advantage of the most recent machine learning to conduct arbitrage in more than 15 blockchains of EVM-compatible blockchains. It uses an automated system that collects real-time data, finds profitable trades and makes settlements easier. Traders who have a 98% profitability say that Lyno AI allows retail traders to compete with institutional traders, a reflection of paradigm shift in DeFi. Bonus to First Members The Lyno AI Giveaway allows investors spending more than $100 on tokens to enter into a draw to win a share of a 100,000-token prize pool. Each will be endowed with 10,000 tokens and there are 10 winners, which is on top of the early adopters. This reward is a great desire to show its community that Lyno AI values its devotees. Pre-sale Price: $0.050 per token with the second stage going to 0.055. Tokens Sold: 296, 040 / 16 million supplied. Enter Bonus Gift: Invest more than 100 to get into the token draw of 100,000 tokens. Security: Audited by Cyberscope as being transparent and trustworthy. There is Less Time to Enroll As the Early Bird phase is coming to its expiration, the chance to get the tokens with the price of $0.050 also ends. Investors are advised to hurry up and grab Lyno AI tokens before it reaches a higher price of 0.055. Taking immediate action will guarantee optimum potential in such a novel project. Conclusion Lyno AI is taking the bull by the horns joining forces to create decentralised finance with the power of AI, a secure platform with audited security and an expanding community. The high market confidence is evident in its presale success, and its special giveaway. Any investor who wants something real in the hyped market needs to hurry up and be a part of the transforming effect that is Lyno AI. For more information about LYNO visit the links below: Website:https://lyno.ai/ Buy Presale- https://lyno.ai/#presale Whitepaper: https://lyno.ai/whitepaper.pdf Twitter/X: https://x.com/Lyno_AI Telegram:https://t.me/lyno_ai Win 100k: https://gleam.io/KCCV3/lyno-ai-giveaway Contact Details: LYNO AI contact@lyno.ai Disclaimer: This content is provided by LYNO AI. 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We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5a7f6eb4-f4ed-462c-a37d-1cb6e32e97a0 Chicago, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global human osteoblasts market was valued at US$ 48.2 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 87.1 million by 2033 at a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period 20252033. The future potential of the human osteoblasts market lies in the convergence of artificial intelligence with advanced biomanufacturing. AI-powered platforms are now capable of analyzing genomic data from 1000s of individuals to predict osteoblast response to new drug compounds, drastically reducing discovery timelines. This synergy is enabling the creation of patient-specific 3D-bioprinted bone grafts. As of 2025, researchers are successfully embedding patient-derived osteoblasts into custom scaffolds with 95% cell viability post-printing. These constructs are being tested in preclinical models for craniofacial reconstruction and spinal fusion, promising a new era of personalized regenerative medicine. Demand for highly characterized osteoblasts for these applications is projected to soar. Download Sample Pages: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/human-osteoblasts-market Another significant growth frontier of the human osteoblasts market is the application of osteoblast research to counteract microgravity-induced bone loss in astronauts. With 3 new long-duration space missions planned by international agencies before 2028, research into osteoblast function in simulated microgravity is intensifying. Furthermore, the veterinary orthopedics market represents a substantial, untapped opportunity. In 2024, an estimated 1.2 million companion animals in the U.S. alone underwent procedures for fractures or degenerative joint diseases. The development of canine and equine osteoblast cell lines for testing new veterinary implants and cell-based therapies is an emerging field that could create an entirely new vertical within the broader market. Key Findings in Human Osteoblasts Market Market Forecast (2033) US$ 87.1 million CAGR 6.8% Top Drivers Rising prevalence of osteoporosis and degenerative bone diseases globally. Technological advancements in cell-based therapies and tissue engineering. Increasing geriatric population driving demand for orthopedic surgical procedures. Top Trends Shift towards personalized medicine using patient-derived osteoblast cultures. Development of 3D bioprinting for creating patient-specific bone grafts. Growing adoption of minimally invasive bone regeneration surgical techniques. Top Challenges Expensive cell-based therapies and procedures. Stringent and complex regulatory approval pathways for new biologics. Top 12 Key Players Strategically Dominate the Evolving Global Human Osteoblasts Market The competitive environment is both concentrated and highly specialized. Analysis in 2024 consistently identifies 12 key players shaping the industry. These include Sigma-Aldrich, Athersys Inc., Cerapedics Inc., CryoLife, Inc., and Cytori Therapeutics Inc. Other notable companies are USA Stem Cell Inc., Vericel Corporation, Wright Medical Group N.V, Biocomposites, BD, Zimmer Biomet, and PromoCell. In the crucial U.S. orthopedic biomaterials sector, a key application area, 3 major competitorsMedtronic, DePuy Synthes, and Strykerwere noted as dominant forces in 2024. Suppliers offer highly specific product lines to meet diverse research needs. As of 2025, PromoCell provides 4 primary product categories related to osteoblasts, including cells and specialized growth media. Similarly, Innoprot offers 2 distinct types of primary human osteoblasts as of 2024 Human Calvarial and Human Femoral Osteoblasts in the human osteoblasts market. InSCREENex provides 1 specific immortalized human osteoblast cell line, CI-huOB. Product quality and performance are paramount. Lonza guarantees 10 population doublings for its Clonetics Normal Human Osteoblasts, ensuring robust expansion for 2024 research. Innoprot's immortalized cells demonstrate a growth potential of over 30+ passages, a significant advantage. Recent Product and Technology Launches Signal Rapid Advancement Within the Market Innovation remains a cornerstone of human osteoblasts market growth, with companies actively launching advanced products. On April 15, 2024, CryoLife, Inc. introduced 1 new osteoblast culture system designed to enhance cell viability. Zimmer Biomet followed suit in February 2024, launching 1 new bioreactor system for osteoblast cultivation with improved scalability. Innovation extends to cell preservation. In 2024, PromoCell released 1 new protein- and animal component-free cryopreservation medium, Cryo-SFM Plus, featuring advanced antioxidant technology. Intellectual property is also a key competitive tool. Bone Solutions Inc. was awarded 5 new patents in fiscal year 2025 for its Mg OSTEOCRETE technology, a bone substitute that stimulates osteoblast activity. Practical usability is crucial for clinical adoption. Bone Solutions' Mg OSTEOCRETE boasts a preparation time of just 30 seconds, a significant handling benefit for 2025 applications. To support adjacent research fields, PromoCell also launched 1 new Cancer Media Toolbox in 2024 to facilitate the establishment of primary cancer cell lines and complex 3D tumor models. Active Clinical Trials for Osteoblast-Related Therapies Underpin Future Market Expansion The clinical development pipeline is a strong indicator of future commercial opportunities. In February 2024, Biocomposites initiated 2 Phase 2 clinical trials for its STIMULAN VG bone graft substitute. These trials will assess efficacy in treating diabetic foot osteomyelitis and stage 4 pressure ulcers. Osteosarcoma research, a critical area for the human osteoblasts market, is also advancing. In 2024, the Osteosarcoma Institute (OSI) sponsored 1 Phase 2 clinical trial in Spain for OMO-103, a promising MYC inhibitor. A remarkable 25 months was the fast-tracked timeline to launch the OMO-103 trial, showcasing increased efficiency in clinical development. In the United States, a 2024 study was published on 1 FDA/IRB-approved GMP-manufactured stem cell product, PSC-01, for knee osteoarthritis. The study showed that a single treatment provided pain reduction and increased function for 2.5 years. Research methodologies are also being refined. A 2024 clinical trial enrolled 30 patients to analyze the effects of lasers on alveolar bone preservation. A Phase 1 trial protocol published in 2024 detailed a 3+3 dose escalation method for a study using human umbilical cord-derived osteoblasts for femoral head osteonecrosis. Favorable Regulatory Approvals in 2024 Create a Promising Outlook for Therapies The regulatory climate for cell and gene therapies in the human osteoblasts market became increasingly favorable in 2024. The FDA approved 7 new cell and gene therapy products Amtagvi, Aucatzyl, Beqvez, Kebilidi, Ryoncil, Symvess, and Tecelra. The pace of approvals is accelerating, with 3 of these therapies gaining approval in early 2024 alone. On December 19, 2024, the FDA approved 1 mesenchymal stem cell product, Ryoncil from Mesoblast. Another landmark approval was granted on November 13, 2024, for 1 gene therapy for AADC deficiency, Kebilidi from PTC Therapeutics. On November 8, 2024, the FDA approved 1 CD19-directed T-cell immunotherapy, obecabtagene autoleucel (Aucatzyl), from Autolus Inc. The recommended dose for Aucatzyl is 410x10^6 CAR-positive viable T-cells. StemCyte received approval for 1 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell therapy, Regenecyte, on November 26, 2024. Patent activity, a precursor to commercialization, is also strong. Innovators at the University of Pittsburgh were issued 5 patents in August 2024, while University of Minnesota researchers secured 111 US patents in 2024 for various health science discoveries. Significant Funding and Strategic Grants Accelerate Osteoblast-Focused Research and Development Robust financial investment is fueling the engine of scientific discovery across the global human osteoblasts market. The Osteosarcoma Institute (OSI) awarded $1,100,000 to 3 groundbreaking osteosarcoma research projects during its 20232024 grant cycle. One of these grants provided $500,000 in funding to Dr. David Lyden's team for a project focused on metastasis. The impact of such funding is often magnified. Building on an initial OSI grant, Baylor College of Medicine secured $4,500,000 in additional funding in 2024 to advance CAR-T therapy research. International collaborations are also being funded. In October 2024, one USIsrael Binational Science Foundation grant was awarded to a team including University of Vermont Cancer Center members to study osteosarcoma epigenetics. Wherein, government funding remains critical. In August 2024, Medical College of Georgia scientists received a five-year grant of $2,400,000 from the National Institute on Aging to study how stress hormones signal the skeleton. Philanthropic efforts are also significant, with over $4,600,000 raised from more than 1,000 donations in 2024 to support the OSI's vital mission. Diverse and Critical Applications Are Driving Widespread Adoption Across Multiple Fields The utility of human osteoblasts market extends across a wide spectrum of research and clinical applications. The dynamic interplay between 2 key cell types, osteoblasts and osteoclasts, is central to bone health, driving research into osteoporosis. In the laboratory, standardized protocols are essential. Human osteoblasts from PromoCell require approximately 3 weeks to show detectable mineralization in culture. Advanced 3D modeling is becoming a standard research tool. InSCREENex's immortalized human osteoblasts can form 3D "mini-bones" when cultured under specific conditions. Suppliers like PromoCell target 3 key application areas cell expansion, culture initiation, and differentiation. A 2024 study highlighted the use of 1 new 3D model based on human fetal osteoblasts to study osteocyte commitment. The clinical relevance is clear. The classic period for new bone formation after a tooth extraction, a process driven by osteoblasts, is 6-10 weeks. A 2025 study analyzed ion release from 3D printed scaffolds at 3 days, 7 days, and 15 days, key time points for osteoblast interaction. Quality Guarantees and Emerging Technologies Redefine the Global Human Osteoblasts Market The reliability of research outcomes depends on the quality of the underlying cell products. Suppliers in the market provide stringent quality guarantees. PromoCell guarantees >500,000 viable cells per cryovial after thawing. Innoprot similarly ensures >500,000 viable cells in each vial, cryopreserved at passage one, while Lonza guarantees 500,000 viable cells per ampule. For immortalized lines, Innoprot provides >1,000,000 viable cells per vial, and InSCREENex includes >0.5 million viable cells per vial. Longevity in culture is also specified. Innoprot guarantees 15 population doublings for its primary osteoblasts post-delivery. PromoCell recommends a split ratio of 1:3 to 1:6 for its primary cells. To support targeted research, PromoCell holds >100 HLA-typed cell donors in stock as of 2024, offering 4-digit high-resolution typing. The InSCREENex cell line was derived from a 63-year-old female donor. Concurrently, emerging technologies are creating new opportunities for the human osteoblasts market. Three key trends noted in the 2024 orthopedic biomaterials market are biodegradable materials, 3D printing, and nanotechnology. A September 2024 paper detailed 1 study using collagen-based 3D printed scaffolds to investigate osteoblast activity. A May 2024 publication described 1 new 3D in-vitro model using human fetal osteoblasts. A 2025 study utilized 2 cell lines to test 3D printed composite samples, using standards prepared from 1,000 mg/L stock solutions and a plating density of 10,000 cells/well for viability tests. Customize the Data Scope to Match Your Objectives: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/ask-for-customization/human-osteoblasts-market Strategic Alliances and Focused Regional Developments Indicate Strong Global Market Growth Corporate strategies and regional activities in 2024 and 2025 underscore a commitment to global expansion of the human osteoblasts market. On March 10, 2024, 1 major collaboration was announced between Athersys Inc. and Cerapedics Inc. to develop a novel osteoblast-based therapy. Service providers are also expanding. In 2024, Thermo Fisher launched its "Accelerator Drug Development" solutions, offering 360-degree support to biotech companies. Licensing agreements are expanding market access for key biologics. Bio-Thera Solutions entered into 1 exclusive licensing agreement on December 24, 2024, for its ustekinumab biosimilar. On the same day, GlycoNex announced 1 licensing agreement for its denosumab biosimilar, a therapy for bone loss. Regional market activities are intensifying. In 2024, 1 pivotal Phase 2 trial for osteosarcoma was opened in Barcelona, Spain. Stryker expanded with 1 new testing facility in India in February 2024. In May 2024, Sanofi announced 1 new partnership with OpenAI to accelerate R&D. The North American market saw the FDA grant 1 US approval to Pfizer's Beqvez on April 25, 2024. Europe showed activity with 1 approval by the UK's MHRA on January 15, 2025. The Asia-Pacific region is also growing, evidenced by 1 approval in Japan on January 7, 2025, for Biocon's ustekinumab. Global Human Osteoblasts Market Major Players: Athelas Bionova Scientific Cell Signaling Technology Corning EMD Millipore Invitrogen Lonza Merck Group NantKwest Promega R and D Systems ReproCELL Sigma-Aldrich Stemcell Technologies Thermo Fisher Scientific Other Prominent Players Key Market Segmentation: By Product Human Cell Culture Osteoblast Cell Lines By Application Traumatic Injuries Road Accidents Regeneration Surgeries Orthopedics Musculoskeletal and Spine Neurology By End user Hospitals Specialty Clinics Ambulatory Surgical Centers By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa South America Need a Detailed Walkthrough of the Report? Request a Live Session: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/report-walkthrough/human-osteoblasts-market About Astute Analytica Astute Analytica is a global market research and advisory firm providing data-driven insights across industries such as technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and more. We publish multiple reports daily, equipping businesses with the intelligence they need to navigate market trends, emerging opportunities, competitive landscapes, and technological advancements. With a team of experienced business analysts, economists, and industry experts, we deliver accurate, in-depth, and actionable research tailored to meet the strategic needs of our clients. At Astute Analytica, our clients come first, and we are committed to delivering cost-effective, high-value research solutions that drive success in an evolving marketplace. Contact Us: Astute Analytica Phone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4483891 (Rest of the World) For Sales Enquiries: sales@astuteanalytica.com Website: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/ Follow us on: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube Chicago, Illinois, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XL.net, a leading managed IT services provider based in Chicago, proudly announces its achievement of SOC 2 Type 2 compliance. This significant milestone underscores the company's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of security and operational excellence in delivering IT support and solutions to businesses. XL.net SOC 2 Type 2 Certified SOC 2 Type 2 compliance is a rigorous auditing process that evaluates a company's information systems relevant to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. By meeting these stringent requirements, XL.net demonstrates its dedication to safeguarding client data and ensuring reliable service delivery. "SOC 2 Type 2 certification is one of the most trusted benchmarks for proving that a companys security and compliance practices actually work in day-to-day operations. This achievement validates that XL.net not only has strong safeguards in place, but that we consistently follow them over time. For our clients, its independent confirmation that our systems and data are being managed with the highest level of integrity and reliability," said Tom Fowler, XL.net's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). "Achieving SOC 2 Type 2 compliance is a testament to our unwavering commitment to security and trust," said Adam Radulovic, CEO of XL.net. "Our clients can have confidence in our ability to protect their sensitive information and provide them with the highest level of IT support." This compliance not only enhances XL.net's reputation as a trusted IT provider but also provides a competitive edge in the industry. Businesses seeking reliable IT solutions can now be assured of XL.net's robust security measures and adherence to industry best practices. As cyber threats continue to evolve, organizations must partner with IT providers that prioritize security and compliance. XL.net's SOC 2 Type 2 certification reflects its proactive approach to addressing these challenges and its commitment to continuous improvement. With this achievement, XL.net reinforces its position as a leader in the managed IT services sector, offering clients peace of mind and the assurance that their IT infrastructure is in capable hands. XL.net Logo About XL.net A managed IT services provider based in Chicago, offering IT support and solutions for businesses. Press inquiries XL.net https://xl.net Christian Guy cguy@xl.net 1 E Erie St Suite 525 #244, Chicago, IL 60611 A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.youtube.com/embed/N_TX3TCSW9w Belmont, CA, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) announced today that Gregory B. White, PhD, Provost and Senior Vice President, will retire effective March 15, 2026, concluding more than three decades of exceptional service to the university. Since joining NDNU in 1993 as a Professor of Mathematics, Dr. White has served in a remarkable progression of academic and administrative leadership roles, including Department Chair, Director of Institutional Research, Interim Dean, Assistant Provost, Associate Provost, Interim Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Chief Financial Officer, and ultimately Provost and Senior Vice President. During his tenure, Dr. White has been a driving force behind many of the universitys most significant milestones. He co-led NDNUs transformation from a comprehensive university to a primarily graduate institution, spearheaded multiple successful accreditation reaffirmations with the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), and authored federal and foundation grant proposals that brought in more than $14 million in funding including the largest grants in NDNUs history. These funds supported new programs, expanded student services, and financed major renovations to science labs, classrooms, and public spaces. President Beth Martin praised Dr. Whites lasting impact on the university: Gregs leadership, intellect, and deep commitment to NDNUs mission have shaped the course of this institution for over 30 years. His steady guidance through times of transformation, his tireless pursuit of academic excellence, and his unwavering dedication to our students have left a legacy that will endure for decades. We are deeply grateful for his service and his friendship. Reflecting on his career, Dr. White said: It has been the honor of my professional life to serve NDNU for more than three decades. Ive been fortunate to work alongside extraordinary colleagues and students who share a commitment to transformative education and the values of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. While I look forward to new adventures, NDNU will always be a part of who I am. In addition to his administrative achievements, Dr. White maintained a passion for teaching and for fostering academic innovation. He championed the integration of online learning, strengthened assessment of student learning outcomes, and helped draft the universitys revised mission statement in 2024. His leadership extended beyond campus through service on the California Mathematics Project Advisory Board, the WSCUC Substantive Change Committee, and as Chair of the Redwood Symphony Board of Directors. Dr. White earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics (1988) and M.A. in Mathematics (1984) from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his B.A. in Physics and Mathematics, cum laude with distinction in mathematics, from the University of Rochester in 1979. About Notre Dame de Namur University Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) is a Catholic, not-for-profit, coeducational institution serving adult learners from diverse backgrounds. Established in 1851 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, NDNU is the third-oldest college in California and the first authorized to grant women a baccalaureate degree. The university is WSCUC accredited and offers masters in business, education, and psychology, undergraduate degree completion programs in business administration and psychology, along with teacher credential programs. NDNU maintains a strong commitment to academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement. For more information, visit www.ndnu.edu SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sable Offshore Corp. (NYSE: SOC) is now at the center of a securities class-action lawsuit, alleging that the company misled investors to inflate its stock price just before a major secondary offering. The drama unfolded around the company's long-delayed efforts to restart operations at its San Ynez Unit (SYU) assets, which have been dormant since a pipeline shutdown in 2015. National shareholders rights firm Hagens Berman urges Sable investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may be able to assist in the investigation to contact its attorneys. Class Period: May 19, 2025 June 3, 2025 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Sept. 26, 2025 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/soc Contact the Firm Now: SOC@hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895 Sable Offshore Corp. (SOC) Securities Class Action: The suit claims that on May 19, Sable triggered a stock frenzy with a press release announcing it had "restarted oil production at SYU," a claim that sent its shares soaring by a remarkable 12.5% in a single day. Riding this wave of investor enthusiasm, the company quickly priced a secondary stock offering two days later, raising a substantial $256.5 million. But the euphoria was short-lived. Just as the ink was drying on the offering, a letter from California's Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis, allegedly surfaced that accused Sable of painting a deceptive picture. According to the complaint, the letter bluntly stated that the company's press release appears to mischaracterize the nature of recent activities" and that the so-called "restart" was nothing more than "well-testing procedures required by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement prior to restart." In a damning indictment, the letter is said to have declared, "Characterizing testing activities as a restart of operations is not only misleading but also highly inappropriate." When the contents of this letter were reported in the financial press on May 28, the market delivered a swift verdict. Sable's stock price plunged over 15% the very next day, wiping out the gains that had enticed new investors just a week earlier. The litigation now aims to hold the company accountable for what some are calling a calculated maneuver to raise capital under false pretenses. The case, Johnson v. Sable Offshore Corp., et al., is being litigated in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Were investigating whether Sable may have misled investors about its restart progress and purported restart of SYU, said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. If you invested in Sable and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firms investigation, submit your losses now If youd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Sable case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Sable Offshore should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email SOC@hbsslaw.com. About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Bermans team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw. TUSTIN, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Tustin Public Schools Foundation (TPSF), a cornerstone of support for the Tustin Unified School District for nearly four decades, is proud to announce the appointment of Lisa Fujimoto as its new Executive Director. As TPSF celebrates its 36th year of community impact, the Board of Directors begins a new chapter of visionary leadership, building upon a strong legacy of service, partnership, and innovation on behalf of students, educators, and families throughout the Tustin community. Fujimotos selection follows a thoughtful and inclusive national search process led by the TPSF Board of Directors. A dedicated board-led search committee oversaw the effort, retaining a professional executive search firm to ensure a comprehensive and rigorous recruitment and vetting process. The result was a highly qualified pool of candidates, from which Fujimoto emerged as the clear choice to lead the Foundation into its next phase. Fujimoto brings over 35 years of leadership in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and corporate community relations sectors, with a well-established reputation for strategic leadership, fundraising excellence, and transformational community engagement. She most recently served as CEO and Executive Director of The Priority Center, where she grew the organizations operating budget from $6.2 million to over $10 million, led a corporate office relocation, expanded Board leadership, and raised over $8 million in private contributions during her tenure. Fujimotos roots in Tustin run deepshe moved to Tustin Meadows in 1970 from New Brunswick, New Jersey, attended Jeane Thorman Elementary, AG Currie Middle School, and graduated from Tustin High School. She went on to attend Saddleback College and later earned her B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Fullerton. This appointment represents a full-circle moment for Fujimoto, returning to lead a community organization in a school district that shaped her early life. Lisa is a dynamic and proven leader whose lifelong commitment to improving lives through education and community service perfectly aligns with the mission of TPSF, said Kate Kersten, President of the TPSF Board of Directors. As we look ahead to the next generation of students, her deep expertise and collaborative spirit will help shape the future of education in Tustin. Before joining TPSF and prior to her leadership role with The Priority Center, Fujimoto was the Executive Director of the Change a Life Foundation, where she managed over $40 million in philanthropic giving, including $8 million in educational scholarships across California. Her leadership also extended to roles at the Orange County Rescue Mission, where she spearheaded a $26 million capital campaign to build the Village of Hope in Tustin, the Walt Disney Company, and numerous child-focused organizations such as Olive Crest, Childrens Bureau of Southern California, and the Discovery Science Center, where she helped secure millions for capital campaigns. Over her career, Fujimoto has raised more than $100 million to support capital projects, scholarships, and community programs. Through her corporate and foundation allocations, she has given away over $75 million in sponsorships, grants, service awards, and scholarshipstouching hundreds of thousands of children and families across Orange County. She has been recognized with multiple accolades for her operational excellence, strategic planning, and her ability to inspire teams to maximize performance and deliver lasting community impact. Its an honor to join an organization as impactful and respected as the Tustin Public Schools Foundation, said Fujimoto. Together with our dedicated board, staff, and supporters, I look forward to expanding our reach and continuing to make a difference for every student in the Tustin Unified School District. As Executive Director, Fujimoto will lead the Foundation's fundraising, program development, and strategic initiatives, while continuing to strengthen community partnerships that help fund innovative educational programs, after-school enrichment, and teacher grants across TUSD's 30+ schools. For more information about TPSF and its programs, please visit www.tpsf.net. Contact: Jeff Corless 714-676-8878 or Jeff@venturestrategic.com St. Petersburg, Fla., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Raymond James (NYSE: RJF) recently welcomed financial advisors Charlene Dolan, CFP, AIF, Danielle Holmes, CRPC, AIF, and John MacDonald, ChFC, AIF, to Raymond James Financial Services (RJFS) the firms independent advisor channel according to Alex David, Northeast divisional director for RJFS. The team arrives from Commonwealth Financial Network, where they managed over $120 million in client assets. As Linden Financial Group, based in Amesbury, Massachusetts, they provide comprehensive financial planning and investment management guidance. Our approach is grounded in empathy, transparency, and building enduring client relationshipsprinciples that align seamlessly with the values upheld by Raymond James, said Dolan. The firms blend of high-touch support and leading-edge technology allows us to elevate the client experience in a truly personal and powerful way. Dolan has been affiliated with Commonwealth since 2000 and brings 27 years of industry experience to her advisory role. Her experience is backed by an undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in addition to the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and Accredited Investment Fiduciary designations. Holmes began her career in 1994, most recently affiliated with Commonwealth for over 12 years. Her 18 years of professional experience are backed by a bachelors degree in behavioral finance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in addition to the Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorTM and Accredited Investment Fiduciary designations. MacDonald offers more than nine years of industry experience accrued at Commonwealth. He studied management at North Shore Community College and holds the Chartered Financial Consultant and Accredited Investment Fiduciary designations. About Raymond James Financial Services Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (RJFS), member FINRA/SIPC, is a financial services firm supporting independent financial advisors nationwide. Since 1974, RJFS provides a wide range of investment and wealth planning-related services through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Both firms are wholly owned subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF), one of the nations premier diversified financial services companies with financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are approximately $1.64 trillion as of June 30, 2025. Additional information is available at raymondjames.com. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Linden Financial Group is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Orem, Utah, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a remote hotel room near Lima, Peru, Dr. Lauren Brooks worked through the night, hunched over buckets and sterilization tablets, testing water samples she had collected earlier that day. A biologist from Utah Valley University (UVU), Brooks had converted her shower into a lab, using the limited resources available to investigate a question that now had urgent implications: Was the water used by children and families in this region safe? It wasnt. Despite using multiple sterilization tablets, the water she used to clean her instruments remained contaminated with human fecal matter. Even after rigorous sanitation, the water was still unsafe, said Brooks. And this is water people are using to cook, clean, and drink every day. Brooks is one of several UVU faculty leading a major water-testing initiative in Peru. The program part of UVUs recently awarded UNESCO Chair seeks to understand the extent of water contamination in some of the most vulnerable communities in South America. But while the UNESCO Chair provides the framework, the real story is whats unfolding on the ground in Peru, where faculty, students, and government leaders are collaborating to uncover invisible threats and spark tangible change. The Spark: An Invitation and an Idea The origins of the project are as improbable as they are inspiring. In 2024, Dr. Baldomero Lago, UVUs chief international officer and now head of the universitys UNESCO Chair, was invited to meet with Peruvian congressional leaders visiting Utah. He presented on UVUs work with Utah Lake, highlighting research on pollution and water sustainability. During that meeting, he floated an idea: What if similar environmental issues existed in Perus lakes and water systems? What if UVU partnered with Peruvian institutions to find out? Initially, there was little response from the universities in Peru. But one person listened Dr. Lida Asensios Trujillo, president of the Asociacion de Universidades del Peru (ASUP), which oversees 98 public and private university presidents across the country. Trujillo, who had accompanied the president of the Peruvian Congress to Utah, suggested focusing not just on lakes but also on the municipal water systems near Lima, where population density is highest. She pledged her full support. It was a turning point. Dr. Lago and Dr. Trujillo soon enlisted the cooperation of faculty, mayors, and university leaders across the country. The collaboration expanded quickly, and within weeks, presidents from four additional Peruvian universities joined the initiative. They represented regions as diverse as Chimbote, Trujillo, Chosica, and Puno, home to the iconic Lake Titicaca. The scope of the study grew, eventually encompassing five focus areas: trace metals, microplastics, microbiology (including fecal contamination), algae blooms, and algae harvesting. By March 2025, UVU faculty and Peruvian faculty were on the ground in Peru collecting samples from rivers, lakes, streams, wells, and household taps. The Team Behind the Test Tubes The effort is driven by an interdisciplinary team from UVUs College of Science. Faculty members volunteered their time and expertise for the Peru study. Dr. Sally Rocks , a chemist and expert on microplastics, is analyzing water samples and fish from freshwater sources to track how plastics enter the human food chain. Most microplastics are invisible to the naked eye but may carry significant health risks, she said. Our goal is to identify contamination points, raise awareness, and lay the foundation for policy change. , a chemist and expert on microplastics, is analyzing water samples and fish from freshwater sources to track how plastics enter the human food chain. Most microplastics are invisible to the naked eye but may carry significant health risks, she said. Our goal is to identify contamination points, raise awareness, and lay the foundation for policy change. Dr. Eddy Cadet , an environmental scientist, is testing for heavy metals such as arsenic, which can have severe health effects over time. His early findings have shown particularly high levels of arsenic in many water sources. , an environmental scientist, is testing for heavy metals such as arsenic, which can have severe health effects over time. His early findings have shown particularly high levels of arsenic in many water sources. Dr. Lauren Brooks, specializing in microbial contamination, is evaluating bacteria and fecal matter in the water. Her grueling, makeshift lab setup in Peru provided alarming insights: many of the water samples were not only polluted, but dangerously so. Over a six-day period in March 2025, the team collected 120 water samples across five municipalities. Each sample takes approximately 10 hours to fully analyze, a process now being supported by UVU students back in Utah. We want students involved, because this is real life, said Dr. Lago. At UVU, we call it engaged learning. We want students solving real-world problems to prepare them for the workforce and for global citizenship. Communities at Risk The implications of the teams work are sobering. In some communities, like Santa Eulalia outside Lima, school administrators report that up to 60% of students suffer regular digestive issues. Most of them are sick, a local principal told Dr. Lago. Clean water would change the entire dynamic. The findings confirm what many local leaders suspected but couldnt yet prove: their communities are being poisoned. Trace metals, arsenic, microplastics, and bacteria are widespread in water sources used daily for drinking, cooking, and bathing. In northwest Peru, cities like Chimbote and Puno both heavily involved in commercial fishing are facing a double threat. Not only is the water contaminated but so are the fish that people consume. UVU researchers confirmed that both farmed and wild freshwater fish contained toxic elements. One of the most significant culprits behind the contamination is mining both formal and informal operations that dominate the Peruvian economy. Many of these activities are poorly regulated and discharge dangerous chemicals into rivers like the Rimac, which flows through Lima. The Path to Change While the science is clear, policy change is the long-term goal. UVU faculty and their Peruvian counterparts plan to present their findings to the Peruvian Congress in December 2025. Theyll also meet with mayors, university leaders, and community groups to discuss possible next steps. Our role is to present the evidence, said Dr. Lago. We dont force implementation. Were an academic institution. That is why people trust us. Among the solutions being discussed are community education programs, water treatment reforms, faculty training, and algae harvesting programs near Lake Titicaca. The irony is that many Peruvian universities already have high-end water testing equipment, often donated by mining companies, but lack the training to use it. Equipment without expertise is useless, said Dr. Lago. Thats where we come in. A Global Model For UVU, this project reflects a broader mission: to use education, science, and international collaboration to solve real problems. The UNESCO Chair program provides a platform for such initiatives, with goals that align closely with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda particularly goal six: ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for all. This is engaged learning on a global scale, said Dr. Lago. Were helping communities understand the threats they face. Were giving them the tools to advocate for change. And that change is desperately needed. Imagine a child growing up with digestive illness because the only water theyve ever known is polluted, Dr. Lago added. Now, imagine what happens when that water becomes clean. Their health improves. They do better in school. They become more productive. The community prospers. Its a domino effect. With their next visit to Peru just months away, UVUs faculty and students are preparing to return, not only with answers but with hope. Their work in Peru is not just a scientific study; its a lifeline. ### About Utah Valley University At Utah Valley University, we believe everyone deserves the transforming benefits of high-quality education and it needs to be affordable, accessible, and flexible. With opportunities to earn everything from certificates to masters degrees, our students succeed by gaining real-world experience and developing career-ready skills. We continue to invite people to come as they are and leave ready and prepared to make a difference in the world. For more information, visit UVUs Newsroom website for fact sheets, maps, leadership bios, history, photos, b-roll, filming policies, and a list of interview-ready faculty experts at https://www.uvu.edu/newsroom/# or scan this QR code. Contact Scott Trotter Senior Director of Communications University Marketing and Communications scott.trotter@uvu.edu 801.863.6807 Attachments Melbourne, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the growing team at Fix-It Right Plumbing, plumbing is a trade built on purpose, precision, and pride. But for the crew at Fix-It Right Plumbing, the job is about much more than that. It's about pride in the work, supporting local families, and turning a hands-on trade into a rewarding, people-first profession. In a new blog post titled "Hard Work, Big Impact: Life on the Job with Fix-It Right Plumbing," the Melbourne-based plumbing company offers an unfiltered look at the day-to-day life of its plumbing team. From the physical demands to the satisfaction of solving complex problems, the blog captures the challenges, humour, and heart that come with being a Fix-It Right plumber. "Being a Fix-It Right plumber isn't just about tools and repairs," said a representative at Fix-It Right Plumbing. "Yes, it can be tough and dirty, but it's also deeply satisfying. Our team genuinely cares about what they do, and that shows in the results we deliver and the relationships we build." What makes Fix-It Right different is its focus on providing permanent solutions, not quick band-aid fixes. Every plumber is trained to diagnose the actual problem, educate the customer, and leave their home in better condition than they found it. This approach means fewer call-backs, longer-lasting results, and happier customers. "It was our pleasure to have Thane working on a big job at our place to repair our broken sewer and stormwater pipes," said recent customer Tony Davies. "He was always on time, always thinking up the best ways to fix the problems, shared his knowledge and talked us through what was happening every step of the way." It's a sentiment echoed across hundreds of reviews from homeowners throughout Melbourne, Canberra, and beyond. Whether the job is large or small, Fix-It Right plumbers approach every site with professionalism, honesty, and attention to detail. While no two days are the same, one thing is constant: the physical and mental demands of the job. From navigating underfloor spaces and dealing with ageing infrastructure, to handling the occasional emergency call-out, it's work that requires grit and quick thinking. However, for team members like Lachie, who regularly earns praise from customers, the effort is worthwhile. "Lachie was awesome, super knowledgeable, and invested in making sure my problem was fully resolved," wrote Rachel C., a recent client. "The company had also helped me with a leak issue a couple of years before, and I would recommend them to anyone needing quality plumbing work and expertise." According to Fix-It Right plumbing's plumbers, the real reward comes from seeing the relief on a customer's face after resolving a major issue, or from empowering a homeowner to better understand their system. Some enjoy the problem-solving aspect, while others appreciate the freedom of working in the field, and many value the strong team culture that exists. Fix-It Right Plumbing invests heavily in its staff, offering ongoing technical training, access to up-to-date tools, and a work environment that prioritises doing things properly over rushing through jobs. This has helped the business establish a reputation not only as a service provider but also as an employer of choice in the trades sector. "I would give Conrad 10 stars if I could - he helped me save money despite my predicament and gave me honest advice and contacts which I'm very grateful for," said recent customer Whitney Calabro. This level of care extends both to customers and staff. New apprentices are mentored, experienced technicians are respected, and no one is pushed to cut corners. The company has fostered a team spirit where taking pride in your work isn't just encouragedit's expected. The blog makes it clear: plumbing can be a physically demanding job, but it's a career full of purpose. It's about trust, integrity, and making a lasting impact. With thousands of Australian households relying on quality plumbing services every day, Fix-It Right's customer-first approach is more than good businessit's good citizenship. For readers who want to understand what really happens behind the scenesfrom morning toolbox meetings to tricky late-night leak repairsthe blog offers a relatable, honest account of life on the tools. To read the full feature, visit the Fix-It Right Plumbing blog page. About Fix-It Right Plumbing Fix-It Right Plumbing is a respected, Australian-owned plumbing company that services residential customers in Melbourne, Canberra, and surrounding regions. Known for its preventative approach, technical excellence, and dedication to customer service, the company provides long-term plumbing solutions backed by a passionate and highly trained team. Recent News: Fix-It Right Plumbing Melbourne Celebrates Over 2,000 Glowing Customer Reviews, Cementing Its Reputation for Excellence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl5vMtkEQLI ### For more information about Fix-It Right Plumbing, contact the company here: Fix-It Right Plumbing Media Relations +61 1300 664 932 info@fixitrightplumbing.com.au https://www.fixitrightplumbing.com.au/plumber-melbourne/ Media Relations 2 Insight Circuit Carrum Downs 3201 Australia SAN DIEGO, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) today announced that its leadership team has grown significantly through a series of strategic hires in 20242025, combined with the successful integration of VizExplorer. Together, these moves have created the deepest bench of talent in the gaming analytics industry, supported by a rich legacy of intellectual property that ensures QCIs freedom to innovate at scale. QCIs executive and senior leadership team now represents over 200 years of combined experience in gaming operations and analytics, including leaders who have driven data activation at iconic operators such as Caesars, Delaware North, Seminole Gaming, The Cosmopolitan, Wynn and more. The company has deliberately assembled experts in marketing, slot optimization, data science, AI, and enterprise software creating a balanced and proven team that understands both the operational floor and the analytical back office. The addition of VizExplorers intellectual property portfolio developed since 2009 provides QCI with a powerful foundation of proven analytics methodologies and advanced data visualization techniques. This unique body of work, now combined with QCIs innovation-first culture, gives the expanded team tremendous freedom to operate while pushing the boundaries of AI-driven solutions for the gaming industry. Some companies rely on a single star executive to define their leadership, said Dr. Ralph Thomas, CEO. At QCI, weve built something stronger: a constellation of leaders, each bringing unique expertise, vision, and track records of success. By combining QCIs innovation with VizExplorers intellectual property and operational depth, we have created a leadership team and technology stack that is unmatched in the industry. This unprecedented combination of people and IP strengthens QCIs ability to accelerate product innovation, scale customer success, and pioneer the future of data activation. Customers benefit from the teams collective experience not just in analytics, but also in real-world deployment, regulatory environments, and casino operations at scale. ABOUT QCI Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has pioneered the revolutionary QCI Enterprise Platform, an artificial intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with powerful, real-time tools designed specifically for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 300 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and Europe. The QCI AGI Platform, which manages more than $42 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, stands as a best-in-class solution, whether on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based, enabling fully coordinated activities across all aspects of gaming or hospitality operations. QCI's data-driven, AI-powered software propels swift, informed decision-making vital in the ever-changing casino industry, assisting casinos in optimizing resources and profits, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. QCI was co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno and is based in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Denver, and Phoenix. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715. Visit us at www.quickcustomintelligence.com. ABOUT Dr. Ralph Thomas Dr. Ralph Thomas is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Quick Custom Intelligence. Ralph is a product visionary in applied analytics and the founder of two companies that deliver solutions in casino gaming, education, and adult learning. As a gaming industry veteran, Dr. Thomas has substantial experience implementing analytics into single and multi-property gaming companies to drive tangible and measurable gains to the bottom line and has built business intelligence tools for multibillion-dollar casinos. Dr. Thomas is co-author of seven books and over 80 articles on applied analytics and data science in gaming, an inventor on dozens of patents, and understands gaming from raw data up through casino operations, giving him a unique, 360-degree view of the industry. Contact: Laurel Kay, Quick Custom Intelligence Phone: 858-349-8354 Alameda, CA, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bayside Builders Group, a licensed and insured home remodeling contractor with over 25 years of experience, announced today the launch of specialized kitchen and bathroom remodeling services designed to help Alameda homeowners prepare their living spaces for the colder winter months. The new seasonal focus includes energy-efficient upgrades, heated flooring, and custom design solutions that enhance both comfort and long-term home value. Bayside Builders Group, Alameda. As cooler temperatures and rainy days approach, Bayside Builders Group, a licensed, bonded, and insured home remodeling contractor, is helping Alameda homeowners prepare for the winter season with expert kitchen and bathroom renovations. Known for its 25+ years of craftsmanship and customer-first approach, the company is now focusing its remodeling services on the Alameda community, ensuring local families can enjoy warm, efficient, and stylish living spaces throughout the colder months. Winter-Ready Kitchens Designed for Comfort and Efficiency Bayside Builders Group specializes in kitchen remodeling in Alameda that blends function, style, and energy efficiency. For homeowners preparing for winter, popular upgrades include custom cabinetry to maximize storage, quartz or granite countertops for durability, and energy-efficient appliances to reduce utility costs during the colder season. During the winter, the kitchen becomes the heart of the home, said Shai Drihem, founder of Bayside Builders Group. We focus on designs that keep families comfortable while adding long-term value to the property. To create a warm cooking space, the team often installs radiant-heat flooring, improved insulation behind kitchen walls, and strategic lighting to brighten darker winter days. Bathrooms Built for Warmth, Efficiency, and Relaxation Bayside Builders Group also offers bathroom renovations in Alameda that combine spa-like comfort with practical upgrades for the rainy season. Popular winter enhancements include heated tile flooring, water-efficient fixtures, enhanced ventilation systems to prevent moisture buildup, and luxury walk-in showers designed for year-round comfort. Our bathroom remodels are designed to blend style with practicality, explained Drihem. From elegant walk-in showers to luxurious soaking tubs, we make sure every detail serves both comfort and function. Why Winter is the Best Time to Remodel Kitchens and Bathrooms Completing kitchen and bathroom remodels before the winter holidays ensures homeowners can enjoy upgraded spaces without the disruption of major construction during the coldest months. Bayside Builders Group encourages Alameda residents to start planning early to secure project timelines and material availability. Tailored Solutions for Alameda Homes Every home in Alameda has unique needs, and Bayside Builders Group customizes each remodel to match the homeowners vision, budget, and property style. Local kitchen and bathroom remodeling services include: Custom kitchen cabinetry for optimized storage and organization for optimized storage and organization Premium countertop installation (quartz, granite, butcher block) (quartz, granite, butcher block) Energy-efficient appliances and lighting upgrades Heated bathroom flooring systems for cold mornings for cold mornings Water-saving faucets, showers, and toilets Ventilation improvements to protect against winter moisture By focusing on locally relevant design elements, the company ensures that remodels are both climate-appropriate and aesthetically consistent with Alamedas architectural character. Commitment to Quality and Customer Satisfaction The companys strong reputation in Alameda and the East Bay is built on trust, transparent pricing, and a dedication to exceeding expectations. Every remodel is backed by a satisfaction guarantee, and the team remains available for follow-up long after the work is completed. Our clients know that when they choose Bayside Builders Group, theyre choosing a partner who cares about their home as much as they do, said Drihem. Were not just remodeling spaceswere creating environments that families can enjoy for years to come. Press Release source: https://www.baysidebuildersgroup.com/bayside-builders-group-helps-alameda-homeowners-upgrade-kitchens-and-bathrooms-for-a-winter-ready-home/ About Bayside Builders Group Bayside Builders Group is a premier home remodeling contractor based in Alameda, California. With over 25 years of experience, the company offers a full range of residential remodeling services, including kitchen and bathroom renovations, deck construction, roofing, siding, and backyard transformations. Fully licensed, insured, and bonded, Bayside Builders Group is known for delivering quality craftsmanship, fair pricing, and lasting results. Contact Information Bayside Builders Group Shai Drihem Phone: 510-901-9972 Email: info@baysidebuildersgroup.com Website: www.baysidebuildersgroup.com Google Maps: Bayside Builders Group Location Service Area: Alameda, Oakland, Hayward, San Leandro, Union City, Newark, and surrounding East Bay communities Bayside Builders Group Helps Alameda Homeowners Upgrade Kitchens and Bathrooms for a Winter-Ready Home Press inquiries Bayside Builders Group https://www.baysidebuildersgroup.com/ Shai Drihem info@baysidebuildersgroup.com 510-901-9972 BOGOTA, Colombia, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Invest in Bogota and its Convention Bureau are participating this week in IBTM Americas, the most important trade fair in the continent dedicated to the meetings, incentives, conferences, and events. Bogota is positioning itself as one of the most attractive destinations for business tourism in Latin America, backed by increasing connectivity, and a dynamic business ecosystem that establishes it as a prime host for international events. This will be showcased at stand 839 at Citibanmex Center in Mexico City, from August 2021. Alejandra Vergara, Convention Bureau Officer, will be providing information about the city and assist industry stakeholders in planning successful and memorable events. Participating in IBTM Americas is an opportunity to show the world that Bogota is also ready to host major events and leading a new way of building an industry, said Luisa Fernanda Vasquez, Director of the Bogota Convention Bureau Bogotas delegation will hold strategic meetings with organizers, associations, and companies interested in bringing their congresses, trade shows, and corporate gatherings to the city. The participation also seeks to generate business opportunities and showcase the citys capacity to host events that have a positive impact on economic and social development. The Bogota Convention Bureau, has been key in attracting international events that drive the local economy, create jobs, and promote knowledge exchange. In recent years, the city has been recognized by international organizations such as ICCA and COCAL and has hosted large-scale congresses in sectors including technology, healthcare, sustainability, global services, and education. With its participation in IBTM Americas, Bogota reaffirms its commitment to consolidating itself as a regional hub for purposeful, sustainable, and high-impact events. Invest in Bogota is a public-private partnership between the Camara de Comercio de Bogota and the Capital District. Its mission is to facilitate international investment, attract world-class meetings and events, and connect the high-impact entrepreneurship ecosystem to contribute to the socio-economic development, competitiveness, and quality of life of the Bogota Region. The Bogota Convention Bureau is part of Invest in Bogota and is responsible for promoting BogotaRegion in local and international markets as a world-class destination for meetings and events. Contact: Invest in Bogota Luis Alejandro Tibaduisa +57 3176419456 Bogota, Colombia HAMILTON, Ontario, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United Steelworkers union (USW) welcomes the launch of the Ontario government's new Protect Ontario Workers Employment Response (POWER) Centres, announced today, which will provide resources to support workers affected by technological change, trade disruptions and job loss. Steelworkers know that when jobs are lost, families and whole communities feel the impact, said Kevon Stewart, USW District 6 Director (Ontario & Atlantic Provinces), representing more than 80,000 members in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces. Our Job Action Centres are built on solidarity workers helping workers. This new program means we can expand that support, act before layoffs hit and make sure no worker is left behind. Stewart said the new program will strengthen the union's ability to fight for fairness in times of economic upheaval. As a union, we have always stood on the front lines to protect good jobs and ensure workers have dignity and security, he said. POWER gives us another tool to defend working people, and it shows that when unions and government work together, we can deliver real solutions for workers. Ken Delaney, Executive Director of the Canadian Skills Training and Employment Coalition (CSTEC), has worked closely with Local 1005 and other USW locals at Stelco, said the investment will make a real difference. In this environment, workers need help. They need peer-to-peer assistance, and any initiative that will help Action Centres deliver the assistance is a welcome one. We are also pleased to note that the Government of Ontario has issued a call for proposals through its Skills Development Fund (SDF). Enhancing the Action Centre program and the SDF proposal calls are certainly steps in the right direction. Gary Howe, chair of the Hamilton and Peel/Halton Action Centres, said the investment will help workers facing ongoing uncertainty. Our motto is Steelworkers are helping Steelworkers. Now we can do more during this difficult period of tariffs and economic uncertainty. The USW thanks the provincial government for investing in workers at a time of economic change. Contacts: Kevon Stewart, USW District 6 Director, 416-243-8792, kstewart@usw.ca Arushana Sunderaeson, USW Communications, 416-243-8792, ext. 1233, asunderaeson@usw.ca London, UK, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial AST LTD, a leading digital asset and crypto trading platform, today announced the signing of several multi-year partnership agreements with established firms worldwide. The move represents a significant milestone in the companys long-term strategy to strengthen its infrastructure, broaden service capabilities, and reinforce its position as a trusted name in global crypto markets. The agreements will provide Imperial AST LTD with extended access to new technological resources, expanded liquidity pools, and additional market coverage across multiple jurisdictions. By forming long-term collaborations, the company ensures a stable foundation for continued growth in the rapidly evolving digital asset sector. Strengthening Market Infrastructure The global crypto trading industry has matured significantly over the past decade, requiring platforms to adopt more robust frameworks for both retail and institutional users. With this announcement, Imperial AST LTD underscores its commitment to building scalable systems capable of meeting rising demand. These new partnerships allow the company to integrate advanced trading technologies, enhance market connectivity, and offer more consistent order execution across asset classes. The strengthening of infrastructure also aligns with the companys broader objective of cultivating trust and transparency in a sector often challenged by volatility. Within this framework, ongoing developments surrounding Imperial AST LTD reviews highlight the companys growing reputation as a platform that prioritizes both user security and service reliability. Expanding Global Reach Imperial AST LTDs newly formed alliances extend beyond technical integration. They also provide opportunities to expand geographically into regions where crypto adoption is accelerating. The partnerships facilitate access to additional regulatory expertise, compliance structures, and operational support in global financial centers. As the demand for digital asset services continues to grow, especially among institutional participants, the ability to operate across borders becomes essential. Imperial AST LTDs agreements provide a platform for long-term presence in key markets, ensuring that clients benefit from consistent standards and broad accessibility. In reviewing platform performance, many Imperial AST LTD reviews highlight the companys capacity to adapt quickly to emerging market opportunities while maintaining a focus on responsible growth. These new partnerships strengthen that approach by enabling a framework that supports both expansion and resilience. Building for Long-Term Growth The crypto economy operates in cycles, with periods of rapid expansion followed by consolidation. To remain competitive, trading platforms must anticipate shifts in market structure while continuing to invest in secure, reliable, and client-focused systems. The multi-year nature of Imperial AST LTDs agreements provides stability in planning and execution, allowing the company to maintain momentum even during volatile conditions. By aligning with global partners, Imperial AST LTD gains additional insight into long-term industry trends, from evolving trading behaviors to advances in blockchain infrastructure. This positions the platform to deliver consistent performance and adaptability in a dynamic environment. Industry analysts have noted that longevity and consistency are increasingly vital measures of trust within digital asset markets. The sustained visibility of Imperial AST LTD reviews reflects growing confidence in the platforms ability to deliver on its promises while continuously refining its services. Focus on Security and Reliability Alongside growth initiatives, security remains central to the companys priorities. The newly announced partnerships include provisions for joint development of cybersecurity measures, as well as systems designed to mitigate operational risks. As trading volumes rise globally, platforms must implement advanced protective measures to safeguard client assets. Imperial AST LTD has long emphasized security-first practices, and the addition of new collaborative frameworks reinforces this approach. It also enables the platform to leverage shared expertise in monitoring threats and ensuring operational continuity. Feedback from Imperial AST LTD reviews has consistently underlined the importance of reliable execution and asset protection, factors that are critical in user evaluations of crypto platforms. The companys decision to expand security partnerships demonstrates alignment with client expectations and industry best practices. Enhancing the User Experience While much of the focus of these agreements centers on infrastructure and partnerships, the end result is an improved trading environment for users. By expanding liquidity, enhancing execution speed, and providing more stable connectivity, Imperial AST LTD ensures that its clients benefit directly from its strategic initiatives. The companys emphasis on consistent delivery has shaped its reputation in the industry. Over time, Imperial AST LTD reviews have pointed to the value of seamless functionality and transparent operations, qualities that remain central to the companys growth strategy. Conclusion The signing of multi-year partnership agreements with global firms represents a decisive step forward for Imperial AST LTD. By reinforcing infrastructure, expanding market access, and enhancing both security and client experience, the company continues to strengthen its foundation for sustainable growth. As the digital asset industry moves into its next phase, platforms with robust long-term strategies will be best positioned to provide stability and reliability to their users. Imperial AST LTDs latest partnerships affirm its role as one of the platforms leading this progression. Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lyno AI is advancing its AI-driven solutions within the 0decentralized finance (DeFi) sector. The project focuses on providing enhanced asset management and trading capabilities through artificial intelligence. Early participants in the presale are engaging with the platform as it develops tools aimed at increasing user control and supporting efficient trading strategies with the support of smart automation. The potential of AI in DeFi revolutionized The second area that is discussed in the market is the possibility of Lyno AI as the bridge between the current manual defi practices and the fully autonomous, AI guided plans. Lyno allows decision-making in highly unstable financial settings by using the cooperation of advanced AI analytics to the decision-making process. Such a strategy is aimed at minimizing risks and opening the way to more uniform profitability within trading and investing. Lyno AI as the Core Engine to Trading in DeFi Fundamentally, Lyno AI is designed to become the connective tissue in the DeFi infrastructure in order to automate more secure trades. It delivers a powerful feature that integrates easily with legacy data and execution layers and allows users to trade smarter but not out of control. Having invested in Lyno earlier, the investors focus on the ability of the technology to transform the DeFi trading landscape and establish new safety standards. Early Birds are supporting Lyno AI Why With the presale already in its Early Bird phase, priced enticingly at $0.050 per token, the optimism surrounding the prospects of Lyno AI is soaring. Since 296 040 tokens have already been sold out due to the total 16 million tokens put up, investors view it as a good time to become a part thereof before priced shoot up to $0.055 in the second stage. There is also exclusive Lyno AI Giveaway during the presale as only those who purchase more than 100 tokens can take a part in a sweepstake with a chance to win 10,000 tokens which are a part of a 100,000 tokens value giveaway spread among 10 investors. Important factors that are contributing to investor urgency to purchase: Exclusive access to Lyno AI market disruptive technology prior to public release Early bird pricing at a low price and expect the price to go up Value add in form of a sizable token offering opportunity Enhanced trust because the technology and tokenomics of Lyno AI are audited by Cyberscope Immediate Response: Stake Your Claim in Lyno AI Now Any investor, who wants to be at the epicenter of the AI revolution in DeFi, is recommended to move fast. The Early Bird stage gives users an opportunity to obtain Lyno tokens with a reduced price long before the unavoidable rise. Besides the increased intelligence and safety of trading, the technology offers an opportunity to become a participant in the future of decentralized finance. Cyberscope-audited Lyno AI is the trusted missing component in the DeFi AI puzzle. Early investors concur- this is the time to invest, trade smarter and make bigger returns with the ultimate control in your hands. You don't want to regret not buying tokens today and consequently missing your chance at maximum positioning when prices spike. For more information about LYNO visit the links below: Website: https://lyno.ai/ Buy Presale: https://lyno.ai/#presale Whitepaper: https://lyno.ai/whitepaper.pdf Twitter/X: https://x.com/Lyno_AI Telegram: https://t.me/lyno_ai Win 100k: https://gleam.io/KCCV3/lyno-ai-giveaway Contact Details: LYNO AI contact@lyno.ai Disclaimer: This content is provided by LYNO AI. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. 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We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/24f14dbb-67ff-4798-9e5f-625c58560b73 Dallas, TX, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Shops at RedBird (formerly Red Bird Mall), a longstanding and resilient anchor in the Southern Dallas community, Comerica Bank and Russell Glen have both joined in as title sponsors of this historic event. From Saturday, August 23 - Sunday, August 24, the greater DFW metroplex and beyond is invited to participate in three events. At Comerica, we recognize that being a force for good is intertwined with the prosperity of the communities we serve, said Brandon Q. Jones, Comerica Senior Vice President, Director of External Affairs. As one of the first institutions to support and invest in the revitalization of the southern sector, we are proud to sponsor RedBirds significant milestone and amplify the economic progress and momentum it represents. The celebration will kick off at the Shops at RedBird with a focus on wellness with the REDBIRD RUN + FUN 5K WALK AND FAMILY FUN DAY. Held on Saturday, August 23 from 7 a.m. 11:30 a.m., the family-friendly 5K Walk/Run that will feature events for all ages, including MENT Fitness and Run It Up Club Dallas, a kids fun zone the kid-friendly activities like face painting, bounce houses and more. Powered by UT Southwestern, this event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested, at https://www.redbird50.com/event-details/redbird-fit. THE REUNION COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY will also take place on Saturday, August 23. From 7 p.m. 9 p.m. people are invited to a community-wide block party. Held on the Lawn at RedBird, this vibrant evening will feature: Urban Trivia Live high-energy, culturally relevant fun and live performance by Dallas own, RC & The Gritz. There will also be food trucks, vendors, lawn games, and dancing under the stars. This event is also free and attendees are asked to RSVP at https://www.redbird50.com/event-details/the-reunion-community-block-party-1/form The weekend celebration will conclude on Sunday, August 24, with a closing REFRESH SUNDAY GOSPEL BRUNCH from 1 p.m. 4 p.m. at The Nest, located within the Shops at Redbird, 5217 Alpha Rd Ste 155 Ste 155, Dallas, TX 75240. Powered by Charles Schwab Bank, the brunch features some of Dallas most prominent and loved gospel artists, including Grammy award-winning Myron Butler, the DFW Mass Legacy Choir, and Gaye Arbuckle. The brunch meal will be provided by Breakfast Brothers, and renowned Chef Fitzgerald Dodd. Hosted by Lady Jade, this soulful celebration also includes the premiere screening of the RedBird Rising documentary. Seats are limited. Tickets start at $45 and can be purchased at https://www.redbird50.com/event-details/sunday-gospel-brunch The 50th anniversary of RedBird is both a celebration and a reflection of the communitys resilience and pride. From growing up in the Oak Cliff area, to now playing a role in leading Red Birds transformation from a historic mall into a vibrant destination for healthcare, education, retail, and culture, this has been profoundly meaningful to me, Terrence Maiden, CEO, Russell Glen Company and Chair, RedBird 50-Year Celebration. Its the people who have shaped Redbirds story and legacy. This event honors our shared history while looking forward to an even brighter future for Southern Dallas. The celebratory weekend is just the beginning as the community honors all that Redbird has meant to the greater DFW community over the past half century. For more information, visit RedBird50.com. ### PHOTO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES Terrence Maiden, CEO, Russell Glenn; Chair, RedBird 50-Year Celebration Tiffanie Rice, Vice President, Regional External Affairs Manager, Comerica Bank Celebrities and participants in the events About The Shops at RedBird The Shops at RedBird, formerly known as Red Bird Mall, has been a cornerstone of southern Dallas for over five decades, serving as a place for both community and commerce. Once a struggling regional mall, RedBird is being reimagined as a vibrant mixed-use community hub that blends retail, healthcare, education, residential, hospitality, office space, and dining to catalyze economic growth and neighborhood revitalization in the region. With over $250 million in public and private investment to date, the Shops at RedBird has attracted anchor tenants such as UT Southwestern Medical, Childrens Health, Parkland Health, Dallas College, and Palladium Residential, alongside popular retail and restaurant brands including Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, Breakfast Brother, and others. The project is a model for impact-driven redevelopment, creating new jobs, generating significant economic activity, and providing essential services for southern Dallas residents. The Shops at RedBird stands as a national example of how community-focused investment can transform underutilized assets into thriving, inclusive destinations where people can live, work, shop, and gather. To learn more about The Shops at RedBird, visit www.shopsatredbird.com. About Comerica Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and strategically aligned by three business segments: The Commercial Bank, The Retail Bank and Wealth Management. Comerica, one of the 25 largest commercial U.S. financial holding companies, focuses on building relationships and helping people and businesses be successful. Comerica provides banking centers across the country with locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Texas. Founded on Aug. 17, 1849, in Detroit, Michigan, Comerica continues to expand into new regions, including its Southeast Market, based in North Carolina, and Mountain West Market in Colorado. Comerica has offices in 15 states and services 13 of the 15 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, as well as Canada and Mexico. Comerica reported total assets of $78.0 billion at June 30, 2025. Learn more about how Comerica is raising expectations of what a bank can be by visiting www.comerica.com, and follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn. About Russell Glen Company Russell Glen Company is a Dallas-based, award-winning real estate investment and development firm at the forefront of transformational mall redevelopments, including the acclaimed Shops at RedBird project in Dallas and Pasadena Square in Houston. With more than $450 million in active and completed projects, the firm has established itself as a leader in impact-focused development, recognized for its ability to reimagine underutilized properties into thriving community anchors. Driven by a mission to create lasting value, Russell Glen integrates healthcare, education, grocery access, housing, and retail into its projectsdelivering developments that spark economic growth, attract strategic partners, and foster healthier, safer, and more equitable neighborhoods. By blending disciplined investment strategies with a strong commitment to community impact, Russell Glen is setting a new standard for transformative real estate development across Texas and beyond. To learn more about Russell Glen Company, visit www.russellglen.com. Attachments LOUISVILLE, K.Y., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Onco360, the nations leading independent Specialty Pharmacy, has been selected as a pharmacy partner by Boehringer Ingelheim for Hernexeos (Zongertinib). The Food and Drug Administration approved Hernexeos for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have HER2 (ERBB2) tyrosine kinase domain (TDK) activating mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and who have received prior systemic therapy.1 This indication received accelerated approval based on the Phase Ib BEAMION LUNG-1 study (NCT04886804) which assessed the efficacy and safety of zongertinib in patients with advanced or metastatic, non-squamous NSCLC with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2; also known as ErbB-2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 [ERBB2]) mutations who had received prior systemic therapy.2 This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on objective response rate and duration of response. Through continued innovation and advancement, patients battling HER2-mutant advanced NSCLC who have faced limited treatment options now have access to another therapy that has demonstrated meaningful response rates with a manageable safety profile, said Ben Fernandez, Chief Commercial Officer. We are honored to work with the team at Boehringer Ingelheim and serve as a national dispensing pharmacy for Hernexeos, further expanding our portfolio of limited distribution therapies. Zongertinib is a kinase inhibitor of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). In vitro, zongertinib inhibited phosphorylation of HER2, downstream signaling of HER2 (phosphorylation of ERK), and proliferation of lung cancer cells harboring HER2 tyrosine kinase domain activating mutations.1 HER2 (ERBB2) mutations occur in approximately 24% of NSCLC cases and are associated with a poor prognosis and higher incidence of brain metastases.2 The Phase Ib BEAMION-LUNG 1 trial demonstrated an objective response rate of 75% (N=71), with 6% of patients having a complete response and 69% of patients having a partial response. Duration of response was achieved in 58% of patients (n=53). Overall, the median duration of response was 5.3 months (95% CI, 2.8 to not evaluable).2 Zongertinib demonstrated a manageable safety profile with a 2.9% discontinuation rate. In the pooled safety population, the most common (> 20%) adverse reactions were diarrhea, cough, hepatotoxicity, rash, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, upper respiratory tract infections, and nausea.1 Please read the full prescribing information for Hernexeos About Onco360 Oncology Pharmacy Onco360 is the nations largest independent Oncology Pharmacy and clinical support services company. Onco360 was founded in 2003 to bring together the stakeholders involved in the cancer treatment process and serve the specialized needs of oncologists, patients, hospitals, cancer centers of excellence, manufacturers, health plans, and payers. It dispenses nationally through its network of URAC-, and ACHC-accredited Oncology Pharmacies. Onco360 is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, and is a flagship specialty pharmacy brand of PharMerica Corporation, a leading institutional pharmacy, specialty infusion, and hospital services company servicing healthcare facilities in the United States. For more information about Onco360, please visit Onco360.com. Media Contact: Benito Fernandez, Chief Commercial Officer Benito.fernandez@onco360.com 516-640-1332 References: 1Hernexeos (Zongertinib) [Package Insert]. Ridgefield, CT. Boehringer Ingelheim. 2025. 2Heymach, John V. et al. Zongertinib in Previously Treated HER2-Mutant NonSmall-Cell Lung Cancer. NEJM, 2025-06, Vol.392 (23), p.2321-2333. PR No. C3355C STMicroelectronics Publishes its IFRS 2025 Semi Annual Accounts Geneva, August 20, 2025 STMicroelectronics NV (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, published today its IFRS 2025 Semi Annual Accounts for the six-month period ended June 28, 2025, on its website and filed them with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM). The Companys Semi Annual Accounts, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS-EU) are posted on the Companys website (www.st.com) and the AFMs website (www.afm.nl). About STMicroelectronics At ST, we are 50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are on track to be carbon neutral in all direct and indirect emissions (scopes 1 and 2), product transportation, business travel, and employee commuting emissions (our scope 3 focus), and to achieve our 100% renewable electricity sourcing goal by the end of 2027. Further information can be found at www.st.com. For further information, please contact: INVESTOR RELATIONS: Jerome Ramel EVP Corporate Development & Integrated External Communication Tel: +41 22 929 59 20 jerome.ramel@st.com MEDIA RELATIONS: Alexis Breton Group VP Corporate External Communications Tel: + 33 6 59 16 79 08 alexis.breton@st.com Attachment Investor Webinar scheduled for Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at 11:00 am ET (8:00 am PT) TORONTO, Ontario, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avante Corp Inc. (TSX.V: XX) (OTC: ALXXF) (Avante or the Company), a global provider of technology enabled security solutions and services, is pleased to announce that the Company will host an investor webinar to provide a corporate update and discuss the Companys fiscal first quarter results on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at 11:00 am ET (8:00 am PT). The call will be hosted by: Emmanuel Mounouchos, CEO, Chairman, and Founder of Avante, and Raj Kapoor, CFO of Avante. Webinar Details: Webinar Registration: https://bit.ly/XX-Q1-26-Investor-Webinar Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025 Time: 11:00 am ET (8:00 am PT) Dial-in: 778-907-2071 (Vancouver local) 647-374-4685 (Toronto local) Confirmation #: 872 1219 8993 Please connect 5 minutes prior to the conference call to ensure time for any software download that may be required. About Avante Corp. Avante Corp Inc. is a Toronto based leading provider of security operatives and technology enabled security solutions to residential and commercial clients. Avantes mission is to deliver an elevated level of security globally, with white-glove mentality to high- net-worth families and corporations alike, through advanced solutions and methods of detecting conditions that require immediate response. The Company has developed a diversified security platform that leverages advanced technology solutions to provide a superior level of security services. With an experienced team and proven track record of solid growth, Avante is taking steps to establish a broad portfolio of security businesses and solutions for its customers through organic growth complemented by strategic acquisitions. Avante acquires, manages and builds industry leading businesses which provide specialized, mission-critical solutions that address the security risks of its clients. Avante is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker XX. For more information, please visit www.avantecorp.ca and consider joining our investor email list. Avante Corp. Emmanuel Mounouchos CEO, Chairman, and Founder (416) 923-6984 manny@avantesecurity.com Pardeep Sangha Investor Relations 604-572-6392 pardeep@angadcapital.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Agreement supports Brazils National Fertilizer Plan by producing a critical mineral that builds on the strengths of the domestic agricultural supply chain for farmers Binding Take-or-Pay Agreement represents second major offtake commercial milestone following AMAGGI contracts now totaling ~1.5 million tons annually, representing ~60% of planned production capacity MANAUS, Brazil, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brazil Potash Corp. ("Brazil Potash" or the "Company") (NYSE-American: GRO), a mineral exploration and development company with a critical mineral potash agriculture project, the Autazes Project, today announced the execution of a definitive commercial offtake agreement between Potassio do Brasil Ltda., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and Keytrade Fertilizantes Brasil Ltda. ("Keytrade"), the Brazilian subsidiary of Keytrade AG, one of the world's leading fertilizer trading companies. The binding agreement (the Agreement) establishes a 10-year take-or-pay commitment for Keytrade to purchase up to ~900,000 tons of potash annually from the Autazes Potash Project. This finalizes the memorandum of understanding announced on January 16, 2025. "This Agreement with Keytrade is a major milestone in Brazil Potash's commercial development," said Matt Simpson, CEO of Brazil Potash. "Combined with our existing take-or-pay agreement with Amaggi Exportacao E Importacao Ltda., we now have binding commitments for ~1.45 million tons of our planned ~2.4 million tons of annual production. These long-term contracts provide the revenue certainty essential for securing project financing and advancing construction." We are thrilled to announce a major contract with Brazil Potash to distribute up to 900,000 tons of potash to the Brazilian industry. This partnership marks a pivotal moment for Keytrade and reinforces our commitment to supporting sustainable agriculture in Brazil, said Anthony Jezzi, CEO of Keytrade Fertilizantes Brasil. For over 28 years, Keytrade has helped clients source fertilizers globally, offering tailored services to meet local market needs. Were proud to now include Brazilian potash in our portfolio. This collaboration with Brazil Potash is a strategic step toward reducing Brazils reliance on imports and fostering economic growth in the Amazon region. Keytrade is privileged to have been chosen to take over this important task and look forward to a successful partnership that benefits both companies and strengthens Brazils agricultural future, added Anthony. Key Terms of the Agreement Volume Commitment: Keytrade will purchase 30% to 37% of Brazil Potash's annual potash production, up to a maximum of 900,000 tons per year, on a take-or-pay basis. Keytrade will purchase 30% to 37% of Brazil Potash's annual potash production, up to a maximum of 900,000 tons per year, on a take-or-pay basis. Contract Duration: The Agreement has a term aligned with the Company's project financing requirements, ensuring long-term revenue visibility and stability. The Agreement has a term aligned with the Company's project financing requirements, ensuring long-term revenue visibility and stability. Pricing Structure: Keytrade receives a marketing fee and the Agreement includes a profit-sharing provision designed to align incentives for both parties reflecting Brazil Potashs strategic locational advantage and expected lower fines content. Keytrade receives a marketing fee and the Agreement includes a profit-sharing provision designed to align incentives for both parties reflecting Brazil Potashs strategic locational advantage and expected lower fines content. Production Ramp-Up : Keytrade's offtake obligations will commence upon the start of production and scale proportionally during the ramp-up period to full production capacity : Keytrade's offtake obligations will commence upon the start of production and scale proportionally during the ramp-up period to full production capacity Strategic Flexibility: The Agreement permits Brazil Potash to assign future payment rights to financial institutions for project financing purposes. Commercial Strategy Progress With the Keytrade Agreement finalized, Brazil Potash has secured binding offtake agreements covering ~60% of planned production. The Company is also in advanced discussions with a prospective partner that would increase total volumes to ~91% of annual capacity. The remaining production is reserved for spot sales to support our farmers, accommodate maintenance outages and production variability. This strategic Agreement follows and builds on our recently announced MOU for ~$200M power line construction and $20M investment with Fictor Energia for renewable power supply. About Keytrade AG Keytrade AG, founded in Switzerland in May 1997, was established by senior mineral fertilizer traders with decades of industry experience. Today, Keytrade AG is a leading global fertilizer company with employees in various offices worldwide, serving the needs of suppliers, distributors, retailers, and end-users in more than 115 countries across all fertilizer products including a large presence in Brazil. Beyond trading and marketing conventional fertilizer products, Keytrade is engaged in impact investing and, through its subsidiary WeGrow, distributes innovative and sustainable fertilizers and additives for technical agriculture applications. About Brazil Potash Brazil Potash (NYSE-American: GRO) (www.brazilpotash.com) is developing the Autazes Project to supply sustainable fertilizers to one of the worlds largest agricultural exporters. Brazil is critical for global food security as the country has amongst the highest amounts of fresh water, arable land, and an ideal climate for year-round crop growth, but it is vulnerable as it imported over 95% of its potash fertilizer in 2021, despite having what is anticipated to be one of the worlds largest undeveloped potash basins in its own backyard. The potash produced will be transported primarily using low-cost river barges on an inland river system in partnership with Amaggi (www.amaggi.com.br), one of Brazils largest farmers and logistical operators of agricultural products. With an initial planned annual potash production of up to 2.4 million tons per year, Brazil Potashs management believes it could potentially supply approximately 20% of the current potash demand in Brazil. Management anticipates 100% of Brazil Potashs production will be sold domestically to reduce Brazils reliance on potash imports while concurrently mitigating approximately 1.4 million tons per year of GHG emissions. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are statements that are not historical facts. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein and public statements by our officers or representatives, that address activities, events or developments that our management expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to such things as future business strategy, plans and goals, competitive strengths and expansion and growth of our business. These forward-looking statements, along with terms such as anticipate, expect, intend, may, will, should, and other comparable terms, involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future, and include risks related to changes in our operations; uncertainties concerning estimates; industry-related risks; the commercial success of, and risks related to, our development activities; uncertainties and risks related to our reliance on contractors and consultants. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief, or current expectations of the Company and members of its management, as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based, and such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the definitive offtake agreement with Keytrade and its anticipated benefits, potential additional offtake agreements, project development timelines, construction advancement, production capacity, market demand projections, cost advantages, environmental benefits, and the status of the Company's project, government regulation, and environmental regulation. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Although these forward-looking statements were based on assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable when made, you are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. In addition, even if our results, performance, or achievements are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, those results, performance or achievements may not be indicative of results, performance or achievements in subsequent periods. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other filings. These risks include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in potash supply and demand, changes in competitive pressures, timing and amount of capital expenditures, changes in capital markets, currency and exchange rate fluctuations, unexpected geological or environmental conditions, changes in government legislation and regulations, political or economic developments in relevant jurisdictions, success in obtaining required licenses and permits, ability to secure project financing, and other operational risks. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any statement is based, unless required by law. Contact: Brazil Potash Investor Relations info@brazilpotash.com Perth, Aug. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PERSEUS EXECUTES KEY NYANZAGA AGREEMENTS WITH TANZANIA Perseus has signed formal agreements with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania to progress development of Perseuss 80% owned Nyanzaga Gold Project (NGP) in Tanzania 2 . . Perseus announced a Final Investment Decision (FID) to proceed with the NGP development in April 2025. When operating, NGP is forecast to be the lowest cost operation in Perseuss 4 mine portfolio 1 . . NGP gold production will average over 200,000 ounces of gold per annum from FY28 to FY35, with peak production of ~250,000 ounces in FY28 and with life of mine average All-In Site Cost (AISC) of US$1,211/oz. Perseus is on track for first gold production at NGP in Q1 CY27. Perth, Western Australia/August 21, 2025/Perseus Mining Limited (ASX/TSX: PRU) is pleased to announce a formal signing ceremony at Perseuss Nyanzaga Gold Project in Tanzanian (NGP) on 20 August 2025 to execute mission critical agreements between the Tanzanian Government and Perseuss subsidiary, Nyanzaga Mining Company Limited. These Agreements are the result of extensive negotiations conducted between Perseus and Tanzanias Government Negotiating Team, and govern the development and operation of the NGP that Perseus is currently developing. These documents included: An Addendum to the Framework Agreement dated 13 December 2021: and An Addendum to the Shareholders Agreement dated 13 December 2021. Perseuss Managing Director and CEO, Jeff Quartermaine, said: Prior to us recently announcing our Final Investment Decision to develop the US$524 million Nyanzaga Gold Project in Tanzania, our team engaged extensively with Tanzanias Government Negotiating Team and other key government officials and authorities to agree amendments to important agreements governing the development of Nyanzaga that had originally been struck between the government of Tanzania and the prior owner of the project. Negotiations were aimed at removing ambiguities in the terms of existing agreements between the Government and Perseus and were conducted in a very cordial and positive atmosphere by both sides, reflecting well on the Tanzanian Governments ambition to open its doors to foreign investment and to encourage foreign participation in its highly valuable mining industry. In particular, the leadership shown by the Minister for Minerals, Honourable Anthony Mavunde and the Treasury Registrar Mr Nehemiah Mchechu was outstanding throughout the process. From Perseuss perspective, we were very pleased with the outcome of the negotiations that represented a classical win-win situation. Both sides negotiated robustly on certain issues, but agreement was reached to achieve a common good and this display of wisdom and maturity speaks volumes about the way that business can and is being conducted in modern and progressive African countries such as Tanzania. That said, there remains some work to be done to fully implement the agreed changes, and we are looking forward to the continued cooperation of the government in making this a reality. Perseuss team was led by our Chief Financial Officer Lee-Anne de Bruin, who was ably assisted by our General Counsel, Martijn Bosboom and Tanzanian CFO and Country Manager, Isaac Lupokela. I would like to record my personal thanks and commendation on an outstanding achievement by all three people. About the NGP The NGP (or the Project) is located in north-western Tanzania, within the Sengerema District of the Mwanza Region, south of Lake Victoria approximately 60 kilometres southwest of Mwanza (Tanzanias second largest city) (Error! Reference source not found.). The Project is located on the north-eastern flank of the Sukumaland Archaean Greenstone Belt of the Lake Victoria Goldfield, approximately 60 km east of Anglogold Ashantis Geita Gold Mine and 35 km northeast of Barricks Bulyanhulu Gold Mine. The Project area covers Nyanzian greenstone volcanic rocks and sediments typical of the greenstone belts of the central craton. Figure 1 Location Map The NGP Mineral Resource Estimate includes an Indicated Resource of 74.2 Mt grading 1.33 g/t Au for 3.2 Moz Au and an Inferred Resource of 15.0 Mt grading 1.2 g/t Au for 0.6 Moz Au (Table 1). It has a Probable Ore Reserve Estimate of 52.0 Mt grading 1.40 g/t Au for 2.3 Moz Au (Table 2). Table 1: Nyanzaga Gold Project Mineral Resources1,2,3,4,5,6 PROJECT MEASURED RESOURCES INDICATED RESOURCES MEASURED & INDICATED RESOURCES INFERRED RESOURCES QUANTITY GRADE GOLD QUANTITY GRADE GOLD QUANTITY GRADE GOLD QUANTITY GRADE GOLD MT G/T GOLD '000 OZ MT G/T GOLD 000 OZ MT G/T GOLD 000 OZ MT G/T GOLD 000 OZ Tusker7 - - - 71.1 1.34 3,061 71.1 1.34 3,061 14.6 1.2 571 Kilimani - - - 3.1 1.00 101 3.1 1.00 101 0.4 1.2 13 Total - - - 74.2 1.33 3,162 74.2 1.33 3,162 15.0 1.2 584 Notes for Table 1: 1 Based on October 2024 Mineral Resource estimate 2 0.3 g/t gold cut-off applied to in-situ open pit material 3 In-situ open pit resources are constrained to US$2,000/oz pit shells 4 Rounding of numbers to appropriate precision may result in summary inconsistencies 5 Mineral Resources are inclusive of Ore Reserves 6 Mineral Resources are reported on a 100% basis 7 The previously disclosed Nyanzaga deposit has been termed Tusker for clarity Table 2: Nyanzaga Gold Project Ore Reserves1,2,3,4,5,6 PROJECT PROVED PROBABLE PROVED AND PROBABLE QUANTITY GRADE GOLD QUANTITY GRADE GOLD QUANTITY GRADE GOLD Mt g/t gold 000 oz Mt g/t gold 000 oz Mt g/t gold 000 oz Tusker7 - - - 49.4 1.42 2,255 49.4 1.42 2,255 Kilimani - - - 2.6 1.02 86 2.6 1.02 86 Total - - - 52.0 1.40 2,342 52.0 1.40 2,342 Notes for Table 2: 1 Based on October 2024 Mineral Resource estimate 2 Based on April 2025 Ore Reserve estimate 3 Pit designs are based on US$1,700/oz gold metal price 4 Variable gold grade cut-offs for each material type, ranging from 0.33 g/t to 0.6 g/t 5 Inferred Mineral Resource is considered as waste for optimisation purposes 6 Rounding of numbers to appropriate precision may have resulted in apparent inconsistencies 7 The previously disclosed Nyanzaga deposit has been termed Tusker for clarity Key metrics associated with the NGP include the following: Production & Cost Metrics (100% basis): Total gold production over an 11-year, Phase 1 mine life is currently estimated to be 2.01 Moz based on a JORC 2012 Probable Ore Reserve of 52.0 Mt @ 1.40 g/t gold for 2.3 Moz . based on a JORC 2012 Probable Ore Reserve of . Gold production averages over 200,000 ounces of gold per annum from FY28 to FY35 , with peak production of 246,000 ounces in FY28. , with peak production of 246,000 ounces in FY28. Over the life of the mine, the estimated average All-In Site Cost ( AISC ) is US$1,211/oz . ) is . Capital cost for the plant and site infrastructure is estimated at US$472 million inclusive of US$49 million of contingency, and pre-production capital of US$51 million, giving a total capital cost to first gold pour of US$523 million. Investment Metrics (100% basis): Applying Perseuss assumed long-term gold price of US$2,100/oz, the NGPs investment metrics include: Undiscounted free cashflow pre-tax of US$1,133 million and post-tax of US$706 million , (or US$2,252 million pre-tax and US$1,471 million post-tax at a gold price of US$2,700/oz .) and post-tax of , (or pre-tax and post-tax at a gold price of .) Net Present Value (NPV 10% ) of US$404 million pre-tax and US$202 million post-tax, (or US$1,010 million pre-tax and US$617 million post-tax at a gold price of US$2,700/oz ). ) of pre-tax and post-tax, (or pre-tax and post-tax at a gold price of ). Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 26% pre-tax and 19% post-tax (or 45% pre-tax and 34% post-tax at a gold price of US$2,700/oz). Ongoing Exploration A second phase of resource definition drilling is currently underway at NGP, aiming to convert Inferred Mineral Resources into Indicated Mineral Resources, which would potentially enable the Ore Reserve to be materially expanded and the life of the NGP operation extended during the second phase of the Project, beyond the currently projected 11-year mine-life. The current drilling program has been designed to further inform and advance Perseuss proposed open pit mining scenario at Nyanzaga as detailed in the Feasibility Study update, released to the market on 25 April 2025 (see ASX release Perseus Mining proceeds with development of the Nyanzaga Gold Project). Drill holes have been designed to infill existing drilling, collect additional information including metallurgical and geotechnical data and most importantly evaluate potential strike and depth extensions to the mineralisation. As of the end of June 2025, a total of 35,623m of combined reverse circulation (RC) and diamond (DD) drilling has been drilled into the Tusker and Kilimani deposits. Since acquiring the NGP in April 2024, Perseus has drilled a total of 58,609m, with the majority of this being resource definition drilling into the Tusker and Kilimani deposits. Infill drilling has been designed to improve the average drill spacing across the deposit from 40 m 40 m to a nominal drill pattern of 20m 40m and was completed across the main Tusker mineralisation and the adjacent Kilimani deposit. Drilling remains ongoing across both Tusker and Kilimani and continues to support the current mineralisation interpretation across both deposits. Key results achieved to date have been released to the market via an exploration announcement, dated 5 December 2024 entitled Confidence Boosting Infill Drilling at Nyanzaga Project) and a further exploration announcement dated 22 July 2025 entitled Perseus Mining delivers encouraging drilling results from its current drill program at the Nyanzaga Gold Project. Perseuss decision to proceed with developing the NGP builds upon Perseuss demonstrated capacity to successfully develop and efficiently operate modern gold mines on the African continent. Perseus has previously successfully developed, and is now operating three gold mines including Edikan, Sissingue, and most recently, the Yaoure gold mine that was delivered ahead of schedule and under budget in 2020, using many of the same team that will be deployed on the NGP development. Competent Person Statement: The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources is based on, and fairly represents, information and supporting documentation prepared by Daniel Saunders, a Competent Person who is a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Saunders is a full-time employee of Perseus Mining Limited. Mr Saunders has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves and to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). Mr Saunders consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. The information in this report that relates to Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Mr Adrian Ralph, a Competent Person who is a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Ralph is a full-time employee of Perseus Mining Limited. Mr Ralph has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activities which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves and a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. Mr Ralph consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. The Company confirms that the material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report Edikan Gold Mine, Ghana dated 6 April 2022, Technical Report Yaoure Gold Project, Cote dIvoire dated 18 December 2023, Technical Report Sissingue Gold Project, Cote dIvoire dated 29 May 2015, and Technical Report Nyanzaga Gold Project, Tanzania dated 10 June 2025 continue to apply. Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information: This report contains forward-looking information which is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of gold, continuing commercial production at the Yaoure Gold Mine, the Edikan Gold Mine and the Sissingue Gold Mine without any major disruption, development of a mine at Nyanzaga, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual market price of gold, the actual results of current exploration, the actual results of future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Perseus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. This announcement has been approved for release by Perseus Mining Limiteds Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Quartermaine. ASX/TSX CODE: PRU CAPITAL STRUCTURE: Ordinary shares: 1,350,988,737 Performance rights: 9,328,134 REGISTERED OFFICE: Level 2 437 Roberts Road Subiaco WA 6008 Telephone: +61 8 6144 1700 www.perseusmining.com DIRECTORS: Rick Menell Non-Executive Chairman Jeff Quartermaine Managing Director & CEO Amber Banfield Non-Executive Director Elissa Cornelius Non-Executive Director Dan Lougher Non-Executive Director John McGloin Non-Executive Director James Rutherford Non-Executive Director CONTACTS: Jeff Quartermaine Managing Director & CEO jeff.quartermaine@perseusmining.com Stephen Forman Investor Relations +61 484 036 681 stephen.forman@perseusmining.com Nathan Ryan Media +61 420 582 887 nathan.ryan@nwrcommunications.com.au 1 ASX Announcement dated 11 June 2025, Perseus Mining announces 5-Year Gold Production Outlook 2 Perseus owns an 80% contributing interest in the NGP together with the Government of Tanzania who owns a 20% non-contributing interest Vancouver, August 19, 2025 - LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (FSE: 3WK0) ("LaFleur Minerals" or the "Company" or "Issuer") announces that, further to its news release dated July 30, 2025, the Company has revised the offering amounts for its previously announced financings. LIFE Offering The Company will now be conducting a non-brokered private placement offering of a minimum of 3,125,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.48 per Unit for minimum gross proceeds of approximately $1,500,000 (the "Minimum LIFE Offering") and a maximum of 6,000,000 Units for maximum gross proceeds of approximately $2,880,000 (the "Maximum LIFE Offering" and together with the Minimum LIFE Offering, the "LIFE Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one (1) Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant") granting the holder the right to purchase one (1) additional Common Share (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.75 at any time on or before 24 months from the Closing Date (defined below). The Warrants will be subject to an accelerated expiry upon thirty (30) business days' notice from the Company in the event the closing price of the Common Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") is equal to or above a price of $0.90 for fourteen (14) consecutive trading days any time after closing of the Offering. The gross proceeds from the LIFE Offering will be used for the advancement of exploration initiatives at the Company's Swanson Gold Project and for operational purposes at the Beacon Gold Mill, in addition to working capital and general corporate expenses. The Units will be offered for sale pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions, as amended by CSA Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, to purchasers resident in Canada, excluding Quebec, and other qualifying jurisdictions. The securities offered under the LIFE Offering will not be subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an amended and restated offering document (the "Offering Document") related to the LIFE Offering that can be accessed under the Issuer's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and at the Company's website at www.lafleurminerals.com. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. Charity Flow-Through (FT) Offering The Company will now be conducting a concurrent non-brokered private placement of a minimum of 1,449,276 charity flow-through units of the Issuer ("Charity FT Units") at a price of $0.69 per Charity FT Unit for minimum gross proceeds of approximately $1,000,000 (the "Minimum Concurrent Private Placement") and a maximum of 3,750,000 Charity FT Units at a price of $0.69 per Charity FT Unit for maximum gross proceeds of approximately $2,587,500 (the "Maximum Concurrent Private Placement", and together with the Minimum Concurrent Private Placement, the "Concurrent Private Placement") (the Concurrent Private Placement together with the LIFE Offering is referred to herein as the "Offering"). Each Charity FT Unit will consist of one Common Share to be issued as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and the Taxation Act (Quebec), and one Warrant which shall have the same terms as the Warrants comprising the Units issued in the LIFE Offering. The gross proceeds from the issuance and sale of the Charity FT Units will be used on the Company's Swanson Gold Project to incur "Canadian Exploration Expenses" as such term is defined under subsection 66.1(6) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and will qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures" as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (or would so qualify if the references to "before 2026" in paragraph (a) of the definition of "flow-through mining expenditure" in subsection 127(9) of the Tax Act were read as "before 2027" and the references in paragraphs (c) and (d) of that definition to "before April 2025" were read as "before April 2026"). The qualifying expenditures will be incurred on or before December 31, 2026, and will be renounced to the subscribers with an effective date no later than December 31, 2025, in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the Common Shares comprising the Charity FT Units. All securities issued in connection with the Charity FT Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day following the date of issuance in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about August 29, 2025 (the "Closing Date"), or such other earlier or later date as the Company may determine. The Company has also agreed to pay qualified finders and brokers a cash commission of 7.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering and such number of broker warrants (the "Broker Warrants") as is equal to 7.0% of the number of Units and Charity FT Units sold under the Offering. Each Broker Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price equal to $0.75 for a period of 24 months following the Closing Date. This news release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. "United States" and "U.S. person" are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S Securities Act. About LaFleur Minerals Inc. LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (FSE: 3WK0) is focused on the development of district-scale gold projects in the Abitibi Gold Belt near Val-d'Or, Quebec. Our mission is to advance mining projects with a laser focus on our resource-stage Swanson Gold Deposit and the Beacon Gold Mill, which have significant potential to deliver long-term value. The Swanson Gold Project is approximately 18,304 hectares (183 km2) in size and includes several prospects rich in gold and critical metals previously held by Monarch Mining, Abcourt Mines, and Globex Mining. LaFleur has recently consolidated a large land package along a major structural break that hosts the Swanson, Bartec, and Jolin gold deposits and several other showings which make up the Swanson Gold Project. The Swanson Gold Project is easily accessible by road allowing direct access to several nearby gold mills, further enhancing its development potential. Lafleur Mineral's fully refurbished and permitted Beacon Gold Mill is capable of processing over 750 tonnes per day and is being considered for processing mineralized material at Swanson and for custom milling operations for other nearby gold projects. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements." All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements related to the closing of the Offering and the anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, 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 securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263109 Vancouver, August 19, 2025 - Edison Lithium Corp. (TSXV: EDDY) (OTC Pink: EDDYF) (FSE: VV0) ("Edison" or the "Company") announces that it has terminated the previously announced proposed sale of its Argentina subsidiary, Resource Ventures S.A. ("ReVe"), to Mava Gasoil LLC ("Mava") (the "Proposed Transaction"). The termination results from Mava's inability to raise the funds required to complete the Proposed Transaction. The Company continues to evaluate alternatives for ReVe and is in discussions with other prospective buyers. Completion of any future transaction will remain subject to customary conditions, including the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement and all necessary approvals, including acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. About Edison Lithium Corp. Edison Lithium Corp. is a Canadian-based junior mining exploration company focused on the procurement, exploration and development of cobalt, lithium, alkali and other energy metal properties. The Company's acquisition strategy is based on acquiring affordable, cost-effective, and highly regarded mineral properties in areas with proven geological potential. Edison is building a portfolio of quality assets capable of supplying critical materials to the battery industry and intends to capitalize on and have its shareholders benefit from the renewed interest in the battery metals space. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Disclaimer: This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Edison's beliefs and expectations, are forward- looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "will be", "expected," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue,", "proposes", "contemplates", "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. All information provided in this news release is as of the date of this news, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things: the Company's ongoing evaluation of alternatives for ReVe, discussions with prospective buyers, and the potential completion of a future transaction involving ReVe. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections of management on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the risk that the Company may not be able to secure a new buyer or enter into a definitive agreement on favourable terms or at all, that required approvals may not be obtained on a timely basis or at all, and that general market conditions may impact the Company's ability to complete a transaction. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these times. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263122 All figures in United States Dollars ("USD"). Irving, August 19, 2025 - DynaResource Inc. (OTCQX: DYNR) ("DynaResource", or the "Company") is pleased to report results for the three months ending June 30, 2025 ("Q2 2025") at the San Jose de Gracia ("SJG") Mine located in the center of the Sierra Madre Occidental belt in Mexico. Results for the quarter demonstrate improved performance across several critical operational metrics due to the ongoing optimization program. Q2 2025 Highlights: Revenue totaled $15.9 million, up 43% over Q2 2024 revenue of $11.1 million and up 16% over the previous quarter's revenue of $13.7 million Net Operating Income of $2.7 million compared to a Net Operating Loss of $2.9 million in Q2 2024 and a Net Operating Income of $1.8 million in the previous quarter, showing continued improvement in overall operations at SJG Net Income of $0.5 million compared to and Net Loss of $2.9 million in Q2 2024 and a Net Income of $0.6 million in the previous quarter Profitability was impacted by a one-time settlement adjustment related to first quarter production of $1.4 million due to assay discrepancies Gold production of 5,701 ounces, down 18% from 6,994 ounces produced in Q2 2024 and in line with 5,781 ounces produced in the previous quarter Gold ounces sold for the quarter were 5,712, up 7% from 5,341 ounces in Q2 2024 and up 2% from 5,609 ounces in the previous quarter Milled throughput of 66,834 tons in Q2 2025, in line with 66,775 tons in Q2 2024 and 67,374 tons in the previous quarter Daily mill throughput averaged 734 tons per day, in line with 734 tons per day in Q2 2024 and 749 tones per day in the previous quarter Head grades of 3.63 g/t gold were inline compared to both comparative quarters "We are pleased with the continued operational optimization progress made in the second quarter. Most notably, the significant development work completed during the quarter which led to the discovery of three new mineralized veins at two of our current mining deposits, which are currently being evaluated as potential additional high-grade ore sources," stated Rohan Hazelton, President & CEO DynaResource. "While profitability was in line with the previous quarter, it was impacted by a one-time adjustment for a variance in the gold content that was realized upon final settlements from operations in the first quarter. The Company continues to monitor its assaying processes to ensure improved accurate reporting of gold production going forward. Excluding this adjustment, net income increased significantly over the first quarter of 2025." Quarterly Results for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2025: Three Months Ended Six Months Ended Key Operating Information Unit June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024 June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024 Ore mined t 74,002 66,775 138,034 128,106 Mining rate tpd 813 734 763 704 Ore Milled t 66,834 66,775 134,208 128,106 Mill Throughput tpd 734 734 741 704 Grade g/t 3.63 3.91 3.63 4.17 Recovery Au % 74.64% 74.31% 74.22% 76.84% Gold Ounces Produced oz 5,701 6,994 11,482 13,226 Gold Ounces Sold oz 5,712 5,341 11,321 10,080 (1) Gold concentrate sold during the period does not equal gold concentrate recovered during the period due to timing of shipments to the buyer, the buyer's payability discounts on gold concentrate purchases, and adjustments based on dry weight and final assay results under provisional settlement terms. Three Months Ended Six Months Ended Corporate Financial Highlights Unit June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024 June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024 Key Financial Data Total revenue $ 15,886,286 11,083,602 29,582,687 20,512,458 Total operating expenses $ 13,138,764 13,969,239 25,007,659 27,486,952 Income (loss) from mining operations $ 2,747,522 (2,885,637 ) 4,575,028 (6,974,494 ) Net income (loss) $ 504,022 (2,927,414 ) 1,105,398 (7,335,785 ) Operating cash flows before change in non-cash working capital items $ 2,853,115 (2,432,519 ) 4,360,849 (6,875,931 ) Changes in working capital $ (1,716,510 ) 1,061,977 (1,399,139 ) 2,147,742 Cash flow used in operating activities $ 1,136,605 (1,370,542 ) 2,961,710 (4,728,189 ) Operational Performance Overview During the second quarter of 2025, the Company continued to advance the optimization program at the SJG Mine. This program is focused on increasing process plant throughput and recoveries, improving maintenance and equipment utilization, and ultimately enhancing operational efficiencies and profit margins at the SJG Mine. Operational results for Q2 2025 showed improved performance across several critical operational metrics due to the ongoing optimization program. The average underground development was 1,268 meters per month in Q2 2025, compared to 383 meters per month in Q2 2024. This increase allowed the mine to access over 20 production stopes. Expanded development work also led to the discovery of two new mineralized veins the Tres Amigos and La Mochomera mines which are currently being evaluated as potential additional high-grade ore sources. Process plant reliability also improved. Electrical refurbishment and preventative maintenance programs resulted in ball mill availability exceeding 91% for the quarter. Additionally, the flotation circuit underwent an optimization and refurbishment program, which required staged shutdowns of individual flotation cells for repair. Milled ore for Q2 2025 was 66,834 tons (approximately 734 tons per day), consistent with Q1 2025 production of 67,670 tons. With the current high ball mill availability, the Company is evaluating cost-effective strategies to utilize additional processing capacity of approximately 100 wet tons per day. Gold metal recoveries for the quarter averaged 74.6%, similar to the 73.8% gold recovery achieved in Q1 2025. During Q2 2025, metal production totaled 1,898 ounces of gold in April, 2,007 ounces in May, and 1,796 ounces in June. Total metal production for Q2 2025 was 5,701 ounces of gold, in line to Q1 2025 production of 5,781 ounces. The average gold feed grade was 3.63 g/t for Q2 2025 and Q1 2025. Mine development for Q2 2025 was slightly ahead of budget with 3,804 meters of development completed, compared to 3,490 meters in Q1 2025. The completion of new development drifts enabled the Company to have more than 20 stopes into production by the end of the quarter. This additional mining flexibility is expected to positively impact ore tonnage and grades in the coming months. The Company has also completed a capital works program to enhance mine ventilation across all three mines. Improved ventilation time has resulted in an improvement in working conditions and faster re-entry times following blasting activities. Planning for a central Raise Bore ventilation shaft in the La Mochomera and San Pablo mine occurred during the quarter and this will further optimization the mine ventilation. Detailed Activities by Deposit: Tres Amigos Original mine planning at Tres Amigos anticipated closure by the end of Q1 2025. However, geological reinterpretations and targeted short exploration drifts identified two additional mineralized structures - the Victoria and Alexa veins - located within 40 meters of existing underground infrastructure. To date approximately 10,000 tonnes of high-grade ore has been extracted from this high-grade structure. In addition, a new ore drive was completed on the upper levels of the Tres Amigos North Zone, providing access to a high-grade ore face. Mining from this face contributed to Q1 2025 production and is expected to continue throughout 2025. This new access will also enable future diamond drilling to test the north and south extensions of the deposit, with the goal of increasing inventory. San Pablo Viejo and San Pablo Sur Throughout Q2 2025, the Company continued mining multiple faces at the San Pablo deposit while advancing development toward the deeper southern extensions. San Pablo Viejo and San Pablo Sur are expected to remain the primary sources of gold production through 2025 and 2026, with additional upside potential beyond that horizon. Particularly promising is the South Extension at the 500 level, which could yield high-grade ("Bonanza"-style) gold mineralization in the short to mid-term. Ongoing development efforts are positioning the mine for continued growth, including expansion deeper into the La Mochomera vein system. La Mochomera The La Mochomera vein is also expected to be a significant source of gold production in 2025 and 2026, with especially promising high-grade potential at depth. During Q1 2025, development activities intersected a previously unrecognized high-grade mineralized structure, now designated as the "532 Vein". The significance and potential of this new discovery are currently being evaluated. San Jose de Gracia Gold Project S-K 1300 Technical Report Summary Also in the quarter, the Company released its S-K 1300 Technical Report Summary (the "Report") for the SJG Mine in Sinaloa Mexico. The Report includes the Company's Initial Mineral Reserve Estimate, which outlines a high-grade Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve of 250,000 gold ozs for the San Jose de Gracia mine. This initial Mineral Reserve Estimate and Report was prepared by the independent firm P&E Mining Consultants Inc ("P&E"), with metallurgical test work completed by Sepro Systems Inc ("Sepro") laboratories in Vancouver, B.C, and process plant review and operations aspects by D.E.N.M. Engineering Ltd. Highlights Include: Proven & Probable Mineral Reserves of 1,607 k tonnes at 4.91 g/t gold, totaling 253,000 gold ounces. Indicated Mineral Resource of 286 k tonnes at 6.74 g/t gold and Inferred Mineral Resource of 97 k tonnes at 4.37 g/t gold. Life of Mine of 7-years based on current Mineral Reserves with excellent potential to extend along strike and adjacent to the existing underground mine infrastructure and in the wider San Jose de Gracia mine property. After-tax NPV of the Project is estimated at $84.4 million ($110.0 million pre-tax) under baseline scenarios of 5% discount rate and $2,500/oz Au. At a $3,000/oz gold price the after-tax NPV is estimated at $133.3 million ($183.6 million pre-tax). An Operating Cash Cost of $1,327 (US$/oz Au Eq) and an All-in Sustaining Cost of $1,720 (US$/oz Au Eq). Significant Upside - Gold price sensitivity with conservative pricing assumption ($2,500 oz Au ~25% below current spot gold price) used in the Report. Growth Potential - Mineral Reserves / Mineral Resources defined for only three of the mineralized structures in the San Jose de Gracia mine property, which historically hosted mining on a total of 20 discrete mineralized structures. Further details can be found in the Report filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR, on May 20, 2025. Outlook With the development progress achieved in Q2 2025 and the increase in mining faces now available to the Company, management remains confident in the ongoing progress and long-term performance of the SJG mine. Production in the first half of the year was lower than expected. The Company's focus for the remainder of the year is to further improve production and grade through the implementation of additional operational enhancements and underground development work, which may result in more downtime than originally anticipated. As a result, the Company has revised its 2025 annual production guidance to approximately 25,000 gold ounces, compared to previous guidance of 27,000-30,000 gold ounces. Due to capital improvement efforts and the resulting temporary impact on operating costs, the Company is not providing further guidance on 2025 AISC. While the Company made significant headway in the second quarter of 2025, optimization efforts will continue to focus on improving gold ore grades to the mill, throughput rates, and recoveries. San Pablo Sur, San Pablo, La Mochomera and the Tres Amigos ore bodies are expected to remain the primary contributors to production in the year ahead. Further development in these areas will also be a key focus to access additional high-grade zones and mining faces. The capital works program to add a primary gravity gold circuit to the processing plant is now on schedule for completion and commissioning in Q3 2025. The program involves the installation of three new Falcon gravity concentrators. These concentrators will be installed downstream of the ball mills to recover the significant portion of the free gold present in the San Pablo, San Pablo Sur, and La Mochomera deposits. A new tailings dam was completed during Q3 2024, with an estimated storage capacity of 670,751 cubic meters, distributed over two stages to accommodate up to three years of additional tailings. The third-stage facility is currently in use, and planning for construction of the fourth stage is underway. The Company has also begun evaluating a potential location for a third tailings storage facility at the SJG mine. These studies include environmental and geotechnical surveys to identify a preferred site. On behalf of the Board of Directors of DynaResource, Inc. Rohan Hazelton President & CEO About DynaResource DynaResource is a junior gold mining producer trading on the OTCQX under the symbol "DYNR". DynaResource is actively mining and expanding the historic San Jose de Gracia gold mining district in Sinaloa, Mexico. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27 A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to future financial or operating performance may be deemed "forward-looking". All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that DynaResource expects to occur, are "forward-looking information". These statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the Company's expectations regarding the future growth, results of operations, business prospects and opportunities of DynaResource. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current internal projections, expectations or beliefs and are based on information currently available to DynaResource. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. Certain assumptions have been made regarding the Company's plans at the San Jose de Gracia property. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of DynaResource and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. Such factors include, without limitation: capital requirements, fluctuations in the international currency markets and in the rates of exchange of the currencies of the United States and Mexico; price volatility in the spot and forward markets for commodities; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, between actual and estimated reserves and resources and between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; changes in national and local governments in any country which DynaResource currently or may in the future carry on business; taxation; controls; regulations and political or economic developments in the countries in which DynaResource does or may carry on business; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits, diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; competition; loss of key employees; additional funding requirements; actual results of current exploration or reclamation activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents; labor disputes; defective title to mineral claims or property or contests over claims to mineral properties. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks) as well as those risks referenced in the Annual Report for DynaResource available at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. All of the forward-looking information contained in this news release is qualified by these cautionary statements. Although DynaResource believes that the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on reasonable assumptions, readers cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with such statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking information. DynaResource expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263155 Vancouver, August 20, 2025 - Taurus Gold Corp. (CSE: TAUR) ("Taurus" or the "Company") announces that it intends to complete a consolidation of its issued and outstanding common shares (the "Common Shares") on the basis of one (1) new common share (each a "Consolidated Common Share") for every four (4) existing Common Shares (the "Consolidation"). It is anticipated that the Consolidation will reduce the number of outstanding Common Shares from 37,717,870 Common Shares to approximately 9,429,467 Consolidated Common Shares. The board of directors of the Company believes that consolidation of the Common Shares will both enhance the marketability of the Company as an investment and better position the Company to raise the funds necessary to execute the Company's business plan. The Company does not intend to change its name or its current trading symbol in connection with the proposed Consolidation. The effective date of the Consolidation will be announced in a subsequent news release, anticipated prior to August 30, 2025. No fractional Consolidated Common Shares will be issued as a result of the Consolidation. Shareholders who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fraction of a Consolidated Common Share will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of Consolidated Common Shares and no cash consideration will be paid in respect of fractional shares. The exercise price and number of Common Shares, issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options and warrants, will be proportionally adjusted upon the implementation of the proposed Consolidation in accordance with the terms thereof. Non-Brokered Private Placement The Company also announces that concurrently with the Consolidation, the Company intends to undertake a non-brokered private placement of up to 140,000,000 post-Consolidation units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.05 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $7,000,000 (the "Financing"). Each Unit will consist of one (1) Consolidated Common Share and one (1) transferable common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one (1) additional Consolidated Common Share at a price of $0.05 for a period of thirty-six (36) months from the date of issuance. The Completion of the Financing is subject to the prior completion of the Consolidation. It is not anticipated that any new control persons will be created as a result of the Financing. In connection with the Financing, the Company may pay a finder's fee to certain qualified arm's length parties a cash finder's fee equal to 8% of the gross proceeds raised and a number of finder's warrants ("Finder's Warrants") equal to 8% of the number of Units placed by such finder. Each Finder's Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to subscribe for one Consolidated Common Share at a price of $0.05 for a period of 36 months following the issue date. In the event the Financing is fully-subscribed the Company will be required to obtain shareholder approval prior to closing in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). The Company intends to obtain such approval by way of written-consent of the majority of the outstanding share capital of the Company. The net proceeds from the Financing are expected to be used to: - Maintain the Company's Charlotte Gold property in good standing, - Advance strategic business development initiatives of the Company, and - Provide general working capital. The Consolidation and the Financing are subject to approval by the CSE and the filing of all required documentation. The Company anticipates closing the Financing in one or more tranches following receipt of necessary approvals. All securities issued in connection with the Financing will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the closing date, in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The securities issued under the Financing have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and were not to be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Taurus Gold Corp. Taurus Gold is a growth-oriented mineral exploration company with a 51% interest in the Charlotte gold-silver property in the Yukon. The Charlotte Property covers approximately 23 square kilometres and is road accessible within the established Dawson Range mining district. The Company's focus remains on advancing this flagship property through systematic exploration and development. THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE, NOR HAS OR DOES THE CSE'S REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER. Forward-Looking Statements This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", "likely", "probably", "often", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the size of the Financing, the completion and terms of the Financing, the use of the proceeds from the Financing, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, statements, the success of the strategic businesses development initiatives, the timing and receipt of regulatory, shareholder and governmental approvals for the transactions described herein and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include future growth potential of the Company, fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions, fluctuations in securities markets, exploration success, the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives, the ability of the Company to satisfy stock exchange, shareholder and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards and general market conditions. Additional factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents which can be found under the Company's profile on http://www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/263189 VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Super Copper Corp. (CSE: CUPR) (OTCQB: CUPPF) (FSE: N60) ("Super Copper" or the "Company"), a mining exploration platform focused on copper, is pleased to announce shareholder approval of all matters at the annual general meeting. AGM Results The Company is pleased to announce that all matters were approved at the Company's 2025 annual general meeting of shareholders held on August 14, 2025. The Board of Directors of the Company continues to be comprised of Zachary Dymala-Dolesky, Rajeev Dewan, Edwin Lee, and Sebastian Wagner. In addition, the Company shareholders have authorized and approved Apeiron Investment Group Limited ("Apeiron") as a new 'Control Person' of the Company within the meaning of such term under applicable securities laws and stock exchange policies. Amendments The Company further announces that it has amended an existing consulting agreement dated May 29, 2025, between Apeiron and the Company (the "Apeiron Agreement"). Pursuant to the Apeiron Agreement, Apeiron previously agreed to provide advisory services to the Company in exchange for 4,000,000 restricted share units ("RSUs"). Apeiron owns 10.99% of the Company's shares on an undiluted basis or approximately 25.35% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares, on a partially diluted basis. See the Company's news release dated May 29, 2025 for further details. Pursuant to an amending agreement to the Apeiron Agreement and in consideration for Apeiron's continued services, the Company agreed to grant RSUs to Apeiron in an amount equal 2.5% of the Company's then-issued and outstanding common shares on an annual basis (the "Apeiron Grant"). The Apeiron Grant is subject to Apeiron maintaining a minimum shareholding of 4,000,000 common shares of the Company, (the "Minimum Shares"), applicable securities laws and the terms and conditions of the Company's omnibus equity incentive plan (the "Plan"). The RSUs to be granted annually to Apeiron under the Apeiron Grant are to vest quarterly in four equal tranches over a 12 month period and the first grant is issuable on May 29, 2026. If, at an annual grant date, there is insufficient room under the Plan to satisfy the Apeiron Grant, then the Company will grant RSUs to Apeiron as soon as room becomes available. If the full Apeiron Grant was not granted to Apeiron during an annual term of the Apeiron Agreement, then such remaining percentage of RSUs not granted to Apeiron is to be carried over to any subsequent term of the Apeiron Agreement provided the Company will not grant more than 5.0% of the then issued and outstanding common shares of the Company to Apeiron in any 12 month period. Following the initial 12 month term of the Apeiron Agreement, the Apeiron Agreement, as amended, will automatically terminate and be of no further force or effect if Apeiron, at any time, does not hold or own the Minimum Shares. The Company also has further amended its management consulting agreement with Orion Management FZE-LLC ("Orion") and Zachary Dymala-Dolesky ("Dolesky") dated April 1, 2024, as amended (the "Dolesky Agreement"). Dolesky is the CEO and a director of the Company and Orion is a Company controlled by Dolesky. Pursuant to the Dolesky Agreement, Orion and Dolesky agreed to provide to the Company, management consultant services including chief executive officer services. See the Company's final long form prospectus dated September 24, 2024 for further details. Pursuant to an amending agreement to the Dolesky Agreement and as additional consideration for Dolesky's and Orion's services, the Company agreed to grant RSUs to Dolesky in an amount equal to 2.5% of the Company's then-issued and outstanding common shares on an annual basis (the "Dolesky Grant"). The Dolesky Grant is issuable on the second anniversary of the Dolesky Agreement (being April 1, 2026) and is subject to Dolesky and/or Orion, in aggregate, maintaining a minimum shareholding of the Minimum Shares, applicable securities laws and the terms and conditions of the Plan. The RSUs to be granted annually to Dolesky and/or Orion under the Dolesky Grant are to vest quarterly in four equal tranches over a 12 month period. If, at an annual grant date, there is insufficient room under the Plan to satisfy the Dolesky Grant, then the Company will grant RSUs to Dolesky as room becomes available. If the full Dolesky Grant was not granted to Dolesky and/or Orion during an annual period, then such remaining percentage of RSUs not granted to Dolesky will be carried over to any subsequent term of the Dolesky Agreement provided the Company will not grant more than 5.0% of the then issued and outstanding common shares of the Company to Dolesky in any 12 month period. The Apeiron Grant and the Dolesky Grant, each as set out above will constitute a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Apeiron Grant and the Dolesky Grant are anticipated to be exempt from the formal valuation requirements and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to Section 5.5(b) and Section 5.7(1)(a) as the Company is not listed on specified markets and the fair market value of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the Apeiron Grant or the Dolesky Grant exceeds 25 percent of the Company's market capitalization (calculated in accordance with MI 61-101). About Super Copper Corp. Super Copper (CSE: CUPR | OTCQB: CUPPF | FSE: N60) is a mining exploration company focused on acquiring, advancing and consolidating global copper assets from early discovery through late-stage development. The company is currently advancing its copper projects in Atacama, Chile, a region with world-class infrastructure and the presence of global majors. By operating a single, integrated technical team and a milestone-driven acquisition strategy, Super Copper aims to build a portfolio of scalable projects capable of supplying the world's accelerating demand for copper. | www.supercopper.com The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the Company's securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the terms of the RSUs, the Dolesky Grant and the Apeiron Grant. The words "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "plans," "will," "may," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that its expectations as reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, changes in global copper demand, political and regulatory risks in Chile, operational and exploration risks, market conditions, and the availability of financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE Super Copper Corp. Vancouver, August 20, 2025 - Coniagas Battery Metals Inc. (TSXV: COS) ("Coniagas" or the "Company"), today announced its cooperation with Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi (UQAC) to investigate metallogenic processes responsible for nickel-copper sulfide formation at the Company's Graal Property, located within the Lac-Saint-Jean Anorthositic Suite (SALSJ). Laurentia Exploration continues to manage exploration activities while advancing the permitting process. This work represents a significant academic contribution to understanding Proterozoic anorthositic mineralization in Quebec's Grenville Province, deposits increasingly recognized for their critical and strategic metal content. The economic potential of Ni-Cu deposits has been demonstrated by world-class discoveries like Voisey's Bay in Labrador. Research Initiative The master's project at UQAC, led by Professors S. Dare and R-L Simard, focuses on the northern margin of the Lac-Saint-Jean Anorthositic Suite, in the Lac a Paul region hosting the Discovery, Gravi, and MHY mineralized zones discovered on Coniagas's Graal Property. Having previously mapped and studied petrographic and geochemical data from these showings in 2024, three members of the research team examined and sampled drill core from these zones at the Company's core shack last month. Their work on petrogeochemical characterization and mapping of anorthositic facies will help better define geological control and mechanisms responsible for the genesis and emplacement of these and other Ni-Cu occurrences in the area and will provide essential knowledge to improve exploration models across the region. "This partnership exemplifies how academic research can accelerate mineral discovery," states Frank Basa, Coniagas CEO. "UQAC's work provides critical geological insights while we advance a project containing nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum group metals in one of North America's most stable mining jurisdictions. Quebec offers clean hydroelectric power, established infrastructure, and proximity to both traditional and emerging markets for these minerals." 2025 Exploration Program Key activities planned for the coming months include: Completion of airborne EM-mag survey with detailed coverage in areas of known prospectivity Initiation of diamond drilling campaign Integration of UQAC research findings into exploration targeting Continued advancement of permitting and stakeholder engagement The collaboration between industry and academia at Graal demonstrates Quebec's emergence as a center for critical minerals research and development. As global supply chains reconfigure and demand for secure, ethically sourced minerals intensifies, projects with strong technical foundations and academic validation are increasingly valued by investors and end-users alike. Academic Research: A Foundation for Success Partnerships with academic research institutions have proven invaluable in shaping the direction and effectiveness of exploration using: Refined models for magmatic sulfide formation and associated metal zonation New interpretations of the local geotectonic setting, drawing on deep geophysical data New applications of machine learning for anomaly detection in exploration data Currently, a team from Universite de Quebec a Chicoutimi (UQAC) is conducting detailed mapping and studying the petrogeochemical characterization of anorthositic facies and associated mineralization in the northern margin of the Lac-Saint-Jean Anorthositic Suite in the vicinity of the Discovery, Gravi, and MHY Ni-Cu mineralized zones. Proterozoic anorthositic massifs are abundant in the Grenville Province of Quebec and host mineralization rich in critical and strategic metals. The master's project at the Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi (UQAC), aims to better understand the metallogenic processes responsible for the formation of Ni-Cu sulfide mineralization associated with the Lac-Saint-Jean Anorthositic Suite (SALSJ). The study focuses on the northern margin of the SALSJ, more specifically in the Lac a Paul region, which hosts the Discovery, Gravi and MHY mineralized zones. These studies will provide key information to improving exploration models for such deposits (Bounour, O., Dare, S., Simard, R-L., Moukhsil, A. 2025. Cartographie a l'aide du XRF portatif des facies de la marge nord de la Suite anorthositique de Lac-Saint-Jean associes a des mineralisations en Ni-Cu-Co, Province de Grenville (MB 2025-09). Strategic Context The global landscape for critical minerals continues to evolve rapidly. While electric vehicle applications remain important, demand drivers now encompass aerospace alloys, advanced manufacturing, telecommunications infrastructure, and various industrial applications requiring high-performance materials. Recent developments in copper-nickel alloy research highlight expanding applications beyond traditional uses. Quebec's advantages for critical mineral development include: Established mining infrastructure and skilled workforce The Quebec Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals 2020-2025 Proximity to the St. Lawrence Seaway providing ocean access Integration with North American manufacturing corridors Stable regulatory environment with clear permitting pathways Commitment to Environmental Responsibility and Community Engagement Incorporating academic research goes hand-in-hand with our commitment to responsible resource development. Stakeholder engagement remains a cornerstone of the project, with regular consultations involving First Nation communities, and local governments. Academic partners are contributing to knowledge-sharing and public education, fostering a culture of transparency and mutual respect. Frank Basa, Coniagas CEO states, "This is a new era of mineral exploration where science, technology, and community values are equally prioritized. This cooperation between our exploration team and academic researchers is unlocking new opportunities and setting new standards for the industry." Dr Renee-Luce Simard, Department of Applied Sciences, Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi said "We hope that our findings will offer a clearer picture of the processes that formed copper and nickel deposits at Graal. This knowledge is crucial for guiding exploration and ensuring sustainable resource development." As the world accelerates toward a low-carbon future, the Graal Cu-Ni Property stands at the intersection of innovative exploration and academic excellence. The ongoing collaboration between industry and academia is not only advancing the science of mineral discovery but also ensuring that resource development proceeds with integrity and respect for the environment and local communities. The coming year promises to be a defining chapter in the project's history, setting the stage for responsible resource development in a changing world. Click Image To View Full Size Grades used above are found in GM60730 MERN; GM58807 MERN; GM61185 MERN, and the Company's NI 43-101 Technical Report. Qualified Person The technical information reported in this news release was reviewed and approved by Maxime Bouchard, Geo, M.Sc. (OGQ #1752), an independent Qualified Person as defined by Canadian NI 43-101 standards. The Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to verify the historical information on the Property, particularly regarding historical drill results. However, the Qualified Person believes that drilling and analytical results were completed to industry standard practices. The information provides an indication of the exploration potential of the Property but may not be representative of expected results. About Coniagas Battery Metals Inc. Coniagas Battery Metals Inc. is a Canadian junior mining company focused on nickel, copper and cobalt and platinum group metals in Quebec. Coniagas' strategy is to create value for shareholders through the development of its mineral properties, with the intention of developing Coniagas into a critical metals supplier to the electric vehicle (EV) market. At its 100% owned Graal project near Saguenay, Quebec, Coniagas has conducted successful exploration involving geophysics as well as shallow drilling that hit mineralization in almost every hole. It has confirmed an open-pit deposit model at Graal along a 6 km strike length of high-grade nickel and copper with cobalt, platinum and palladium byproducts. The Company plans in the near-term to conduct additional drilling leading to the production of a Ni 43-101 resource report, metallurgical testing and consultations with First Nations. The Graal project and immediate work plan are outlined in detail in the "NI 43-101 Technical Report Graal Nickel & Copper Project, Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Quebec, Canada" dated January 17, 2024. The report is available along with other information at the Company's website https://coniagas.com/ "Frank J. Basa" Frank J. Basa, P. Eng. Member of Professional Engineers Ontario Chief Executive Officer For further information, contact: Frank J. Basa, P. Eng. Ontario Chief Executive Officer 416-625-2342 or: Wayne Cheveldayoff, Corporate Communications P: 416-710-2410 E: waynecheveldayoff@gmail.com You can follow Coniagas on Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coniagas-battery-metals/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/coniagasmetals Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coniagas/ Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements regarding Coniagas Battery Metals Inc. ("Coniagas" or the "Company") which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address the Coniagas trading on the TSX Venture Exchange, resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. No assurance can be given that any of the foregoing will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information in this news release or other communications unless required by law. Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Featured Trade Minister woos Japanese investors with Ghanas 24-hour economy GraphicOnline Business News Aug - 20 - 2025 , 13:03 The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has urged Japanese investors to take advantage of Ghanas favourable investment climate and new policy initiatives, including the 24-hour economy, to expand their business operations in West Africa. Speaking at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, the Minister described Ghana as a reliable gateway for trade and investment, citing its stable political environment, adherence to the rule of law and strategic geographic location. Ghana offers a peaceful and predictable business climate, and we invite Japanese investors to take advantage of our policies and initiatives, including the 24-hour economy, to drive industrial growth and create shared prosperity, she said. Mrs Ofosu-Adjare noted that the government remained committed to building resilient industries that would expand productivity and enhance the competitiveness of Ghanaian businesses on the global stage. On the sidelines of the summit, she held bilateral discussions with Japanese officials and business leaders, focusing on partnerships in agribusiness, manufacturing and technology transfer. The talks, she said, were aimed at strengthening Ghanas industrial base, boosting job creation and deepening economic ties with Japan. She further underscored Ghanas commitment to industrial transformation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing the country as a natural hub for investment and trade in Africa. TICAD 9 brought together African leaders, Japanese officials and international partners to advance cooperation in trade, investment and development. Ghanas active participation, according to the Minister, reflects the governments determination to accelerate domestic economic growth while forging stronger global partnerships. Featured A tragic hero returns: Andrew Tandoh Adote takes on Wole Soyinka's "Death and the King's Horseman" GraphicOnline Showbiz News Aug - 20 - 2025 , 07:52 2 minutes read Accra is buzzing with anticipation as one of Ghana's most celebrated stage actors, Andrew Tandoh Adote, returns to the National Theatre in a role that promises to be his most challenging yet. After a record-breaking 13-run triumph as the lead in "The Gods Are Not To Blame" between 2023 and 2024, Adote is stepping into the hallowed shoes of Elesin Oba, the tragic hero in Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka's monumental play, "Death and the King's Horseman." This is more than a play; it's a cultural event. Adote, whose powerful performance in his last outing captivated audiences and critics alike, is set to deliver another masterclass in acting. His return to the stage as Elesin Obaa character burdened by tradition, honour, and a clash of culturesis a homecoming for a true theatrical king. The role demands a profound blend of gravitas, charisma, and emotional depth, and if his past performances are any indication, Andrew Tandoh Adote is the perfect actor to bring this epic tale to life. "Death and the King's Horseman," a body of work described by many as the pinnacle of African literature, explores the harrowing conflict between colonial authority, Yoruba tradition and human desire. As Elesin Oba, the King's Horseman, Adote will navigate a fate tied to the death of his king, a ritual he must fulfill for the good of his people. The story is a breathtaking exploration of duty, sacrifice, and the enduring power of culture, and it promises to be a deeply moving and unforgettable experience for all who witness it. Directed by the very talented George Quaye, same man who directed, the gods are not to blame, don't miss the opportunity to see this legendary actor in a career-defining role. Death and the Kings Horseman is a collaboration between the National Theatre, Image Bureau, and April Communications which promises a spectacle of exceptional acting, innovative set design, and high-quality production. Dates: Saturday 23rd, Sunday 24th, Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st August 2025 Showtimes: 4:00 PM & 8:00 PM each day Tickets: GHS 200 (Standard) | GHS 300 (VIP) Get Tickets: www.imagebureaugh.com Dial *714*46# or call 055 13 13 134 This artistic expression is supported by Nii Plants Car Rentals, Joy Fm and The Ghana Tourism Authority. It is sponsored by Stanbic Bank, The Luckiest, Bills Savings & Loans, and MTN! Death and the Kings Horseman is more than a play it is an experience, a conversation, and a celebration of African heritage on stage. Featured Nana Acheampong to release tribute song for Daddy Lumba Gifty Owusu-Amoah Showbiz News Aug - 20 - 2025 , 17:37 2 minutes read Veteran Highlife musician, Nana Acheampong has announced the release of a tribute song for friend and colleague, Daddy Lumba who died on Saturday, July 26. The song titled, Due k Fosu will drop tomorrow, August 21. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, he wrote, A tribute song to Daddy lumba drops on Thursday 21st August 2025. Due! K, Fosu In the realm of Ghanaian music, few names shine as brightly as my brother. A trailblazer, an icon, a legend. His passing leaves a void that can never be filled. But as we mourn his departure, we also celebrate his life, his music, his enduring legacy. I pay my heartfelt tribute to Kojo Fosu with a soul-stirring song that captures the essence of our bond and the impact of his music on generations. Join me as I remember Daddy Lumba's contributions to Ghana's rich musical heritage and honor his memory with this tribute song #DaddyLumba #NanaAcheampong #GhanaianMusic #Tribute Last month, Nana Acheampong expressed grief and shock at the news of Daddy Lumba's death. "It has been difficult for me to accept this sad news. Menua Kojo Fosu, why this shock?" Nana Acheampong wrote, addressing Daddy Lumba by his real name, Charles Kojo Fosu. "Hmmm, you have indeed done what the creator brought you on earth to do; you will forever inspire generations, he said. (Read Daddy Lumbas one week to be held on August 30 in Accra, funeral in Kumasi) Nana Acheampong, who formed the legendary Lumba Brothers duo with Daddy Lumba, described his friend as a brother and a legend. "My family and I are in pain. To the family of my beloved brother, may God hold you tight in this moment," he added, offering condolences to the Fosu family. (Read How Daddy Lumba got his stage name) The Lumba Brothers, comprising Nana Acheampong and Daddy Lumba, were a pivotal part of Ghana's highlife music scene in the 1980s and 1990s. Their collaboration resulted in timeless classics, including the iconic album "Yy Aka Akwantuo Mu," released in 1989. Featured Explosion of fake degrees - Occasional Kwatriot Kwesi Yankah writes Kwesi Yankah Opinion Aug - 20 - 2025 , 22:25 7 minutes read Currently ongoing is an exercise by a Headmaster, who has decided to crack the whip on the widespread abuse of academic titles. In 2009, I addressed the same theme on the platform of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, as part of activities marking the Academys golden jubilee celebrations. Below, I present excerpts from my lecture, which come in three readable parts: Title Abuse and the Politics of Honor in Academia Academies throughout the world are conclaves of distinguished scholars, who have voluntarily taken on the responsibility of promoting learning and knowledge production, towards national development. To be admitted to fellowship, and be given the title FGA in Ghana here, is indeed a very high recognition all young scholars and practicing scientists should aspire to. Standards Setting If the Academy recognizes high standards, so is it expected to draw attention to blatant infractions of academic norms and ethics that undermine academic integrity. The latter role could be exercised more explicitly under one clear objective of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, which is to establish and maintain high standards of endeavor in all fields of study. It is indeed not surprising that the Academy has emphasized the quest for excellence as the theme for its Golden Jubilee Celebrations. In advocating excellence, and reinforcing compliance with academic norms and standards, it is my suggestion that GAAS, when or where necessary, should not shy away occasionally, from fishing in troubled waters. I have in mind here the opportunity we have as an Academy, to boldly repudiate the gross misuse, abuse and sometimes the fraudulent uses of academic titles and academic honors, by impostors, and academic charlatans. I refer indeed to the current explosion of titles, honors, and awards of dubious quality and provenance. The current proliferation of titles could indeed trigger a major devaluation of honors and academic credentials in this country. Some of the titles, particularly those purported to be international, turn out to be nothing but phony street side commodities that are subject to normal price negotiation and payment. Indeed the awards and honors industry is now a lucrative business, which has found fertile grounds in the local penchant for pomp and pageantry; and it should be the duty of major stakeholders, such as the Academy, to undertake periodic intervention. The issue has been compounded by the publics reverence for academic titles, and the assumed capacity of lofty epithets to expedite ones rise to fame and political power, whether as minister, member of parliament, municipal or district chief executive. There is indeed a general perception that high academic laurels of an aspirant to political office, could enhance his credibility and capacity to canvass for local and national development. Public controversy has often been raised when doubtful academic credentials have been paraded by public officials in their official resumes. Sometimes the claim is openly contested by well meaning critics and public spirited individuals seeking to set records straight. A former presidential candidate of the ruling party has, for instance, been accused by his critics of parading false academic or doctoral credentials, an allegation he has vehemently denied. A Municipal Chief Executive in Accra has had her masters degree credentials purportedly obtained from the University of Ghana, publicly disputed by her opponents. The obsession with academic titles and qualification has become a major factor in the vetting of nominees for appointment to ministerial positions. In certain cases where candidates for positions have claimed to have high academic qualifications, curious panels have insisted on certified evidence, which sometimes fails to materialize. Only last week, British newspapers reported the story of the wife of the Speaker of Parliament, who lost a job because she told lies about her academic qualifications. Disputed titles used in Ghana include religious honorifics. Without due process, lay preachers perhaps in the name of free expression, have elevated themselves overnight as pastors, reverend ministers, bishops and archbishops, bypassing laid down procedures in the conferment of such professional positions. Of late the title, Reverend, soon after its use, has quickly attracted the title Doctor, Dr, to render the honoree a Reverend Dr, or the like. A closer look would sometimes reveal that none of the titles has been properly earned. Indeed the current parliamentary book called, Know your MPs, has one Member of Parliament, whose highest level of education is stated as City and Guild Final, obtained in 1973. To the contrary, he officially refers to himself in the official book as, Rev. Dr, forgetting that he has already cited City and Guild Final, as his highest level of education. It is of course unknown if of late, the City and Guilds qualification, which we knew was pre-tertiary, now attracts the title Dr. The proliferation of fake religious titles partly stems from a general boom in religious entrepreneurship over the years, and the expectation that grand titular prefixes could boost patronage, more so if it has academic flavoring. Indeed, the prevalence of fraud and falsehood in the use of academic titles is partly due to the absence of regulatory frameworks strictly enforced by accredited bodies or professional associations, seeking to set standards and guidelines. The silence of professional bodies over the misapplication of honorifics, has wrought complete chaos in the ordering and meaning of titles, as well as their social applications. The chaotic deployment and stringing of epithets only devalues the discipline of title investiture, blurs the distinction between mediocrity and excellence, and deprives society of opportunities to isolate its cherished values. In the realm of academia, it compromises the quest for excellence and subverts the exacting standards set by society to recognize its best brains. It is indeed evident that intellectual dishonesty is repudiated in most societies; and so is academic fraud, or the false assumption of intellectual ownership, where intellectual property has been filched or misappropriated. Knowledge is a precious property; yet even though the society makes a conscious effort to celebrate those who create and expand the frontiers of knowledge, creators of new knowledge are guided by laid down ethics in the application of intellectual property. Source acknowledgment, for example, has been highly cherished by society as signaling intellectual humility. Even in oral societies where the identification of authorship of received knowledge is a major challenge, sources of learning are frequently acknowledged as a mark of honesty and humility. A well bred speaker would, out of routine habit, attribute wise sayings to ancestors, and indulge in self humbling by occasionally denying ones capacity for knowledge creation. Among the Akan the formula, Asimesi na okaa nasem se its so and so who spoke the following wise words, seeks to put on record the source of knowledge and wisdom espoused, without disowning responsibility for any blemishes in the application of that knowledge. It makes knowledge production an exercise in modesty, as well as puts on record the variety of intellectual capital others have produced, and which have now been marshaled in the quest for new knowledge. The display of intellectual dishonesty, through the acquisition of false titles and accolades, can thus be considered a blatant attempt to undermine social ideals, that are founded on a time tested reward system that is performance driven. If hard work and excellence are applauded by society, it is also because lofty honors are not haphazardly conferred. Titles and laurels are most enduring if bestowed by accredited individuals and institutions of high esteem. It is said, If God does not enthrone you as king, and you confer a crown upon yourself no one bows before you." To be continued... kyankah@ashesi.edu.gh Featured The vehicle flipped like a toy: 10 years after the fatal presidential press corps accident that killed Samuel Nuamah Kwame Asare Boadu Opinion Aug - 20 - 2025 , 08:03 3 minutes read Ten years ago today, a tragic accident involving presidential reporters claimed the life of journalist Samuel Nuamah and left several others, including myself injured. The accident sent shockwaves through the nation, particularly within media circles. As the survivors and the media fraternity commemorate a decade since this heartbreaking event, colleagues, friends, and family honour the life lost and reflect on the lasting impact on press safety. On August 20, 2015, members of the presidential press corps accompanied President John Dramani Mahama to Ho for an official engagement. We travelled in two vehicles. After the assignments, we decided to take the lead back to Accra as the President was having some private engagements in Ho. Disaster struck on our return journey when one of the vehicles, a Ford mini bus, suffered a rear tyre burst while speeding along the road. The driver struggled to maintain control but ultimately lost his grip, causing the vehicle to careen off the road. It was horrifying. I heard a loud bang, and then the vehicle flipped like a toy, somersaulting multiple times before crashing into a nearby bush. Samuel Nuamah, a 36-year-old journalist from the Ghanaian Times, was violently ejected from the mangled wreck, and the vehicle then landed on him in a muddy ditch, killing him instantly. Although my seatbelt kept me in my seat during the rollover, the violent motion caused me to hit my head, resulting in a cut, and neck pain. The injured journalists were first taken to the Michel Camp health facility, then airlifted in a military helicopter to the Air Force Base, and subsequently transported by ambulance to the 37 Military Hospital. In fact, as you read this piece, one of the injured victims, William Gentu of Peace FM, is still battling life-threatening injuries. When I spoke with him this morning, he told me he underwent yet another surgery two weeks ago on his hand and is scheduled for a review and dressing today. His fight is a stark reminder that for the victims, the crisis is far from over. This tragedy left an indelible mark, serving as a grim reminder of the risks journalists face while on duty and highlighting the urgent need for reforms to ensure their safety. It raised pressing questions about the safety protocols for journalists on presidential assignments. Many demanded better vehicles, stricter speed regulations, and improved emergency response measures for journalists. Additionally, there was a call for media organisations to intensify training for reporters assigned to high-risk situations. For us, his former colleagues, the pain of that day still remains fresh. Nuamah was more than just a journalisthe was a storyteller who gave voice to the people. He was a dedicated reporter known for his outstanding coverage of presidential activities. No policy change can bring Nuamah back, but we hope his death will make the job safer for others. This afternoon, his colleagues will lay a wreath at his tomb at the Osu Cemetery in Accra. As the media landscape continues to evolve, those who knew him can only keep his memory alive through relentless, principled reporting. A decade may have passed, but the lessons from that day remain urgent. Journalists risk their lives to inform the publictheir safety must never be an afterthought. Featured Africa must unite to facilitate economic growth - Jacob Zuma Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Aug - 20 - 2025 , 17:56 3 minutes read A former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, has urged countries on the continent to come together to chart a sustainable path to development and prosperity for their citizens. I do not think there is a continent that has suffered more than Africa; the time has come for Africa to stand on its own, he said. The former President was delivering a lecture at the 2025 University of Professional Studies (UPSA) Accra annual leadership lecture series in Accra yesterday, on the theme: The geopolitics and geo-economics of de-dollarisation: BRICS currency strategy, lessons for Africas common currency and beyond. Present at the event were Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, and the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, among others. The lecture series was established in 2017, to provide a platform for national and global discussions on challenges and issues that cut across humanity. Some notable personalities who have delivered the lecture in the past were Former President Kufuor, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Cardinal Peter Kwodwo Turkson, Kwame Pianim and Lord Boateng. Integration Mr Zuma further said that there must be economic and political integration of Africa to facilitate growth. He said the continent should resist any form of neo colonialism and outside influences which constantly sought to pitch countries against each other and people against themselves as a means to exploit resources. The problem is that our enemies know how to buy our own people and make them protect their interest. We must, therefore, stand together and prevent influences that make us to start wars, making us fight one other and become enemies so that in such divisions, we can be exploited. the former President added. He lauded Ghana for the critical role the country played in the liberation struggle against colonialism, adding Dr Kwame Nkrumah was an honest man who wanted the best for this continent. Challenges Mr Zuma acknowledged the difficulties African countries faced in trading and doing business among themselves, which he largely attributed to an economic model designed during the colonial era. He said the current world economic order had not also taken into consideration the peculiar needs of African countries despite the enormous natural resources on the continent being unfairly harness by the rest of the world. The former President, therefore, called on African countries to be resolute, integrate their economics and pursue policies that would move people out of poverty. He encouraged them not to shy away from joining economic groupings such as BRICS to help shape their economies. Mr Zuma recounted how he was instrumental in the formation of BRICS and the challenges he and the other leaders who formed the group faced, including attempts to undermine their leadership and countries. BRICS is the future for Africa. It is a critical system in changing the economic fortunes of developing countries. We have modelled our economies to serve other countries, but we have not had any substantial benefit. It is time to look elsewhere, he added. Significance The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, described the lecture as a critical platform to help shape national and global discourse to address some of the challenges facing the nation and the world at large. The Chancellor of UPSA, Dr KK Sarpong, also said that Africans must learn to take their destinies into their own hands and not become spectators. We must be architects of our own destiny and become a continent that trade on its own terms, supported by robust institutions, with a common resolve, he said. Writers email: emma.hawkson@graphic.com.gh Featured DVLA to introduce chip-enabled number plates for vehicle tracking and tolls Mohammed Ali Aug - 20 - 2025 , 14:57 2 minutes read The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Mr Julius Neequaye Kotey, has disclosed plans to formalise the activities of the informal agents (Goro boys) who assist motorists with vehicle registration and licensing. He said the move would allow the DVLA to register them as official agents, regulate their charges, and prevent them from taking undue advantage of clients. Speaking on Channel One television on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Mr Kotey explained that the proposal was designed to integrate the agents into the formal system without making them staff of the DVLA. I made a proposal to formalise their work and bring them on board, not as DVLA staff, but so that we can regulate what they charge, he said. Mr Kotey stressed that not all Goro boys were involved in fraudulent activities. Not all Goro boys do fake work. Some do proper transactions. Those are the ones we will deal with. They know those who engage in fake activities, and we will go after them, he added. The initiative comes as part of wider reforms at the DVLA, including plans to introduce chip-enabled plastic number plates that will allow vehicle tracking, identification and toll collection. According to Mr Kotey, the plastic plates would replace the current ones, embedding chips that can be read remotely to provide vehicle details to authorised officers. We propose changing all Ghana plates to plastic so that a chip can be embedded in them. The system will be accessible only to the police and DVLA compliance officers, he stated. He added that the chips could also make it possible for annual toll payments to be collected during roadworthy renewals. While no rollout date has been set, he described the proposal as highly possible, noting that it is under consideration by the relevant committees. The DVLA boss said the reforms were also aimed at boosting revenue and improving road safety for the public. He cited a 57 per cent rise in revenue during his first quarter in office, beginning January 23, 2025, which he attributed to measures such as cracking down on plate theft at the ports and introducing trackable DP stickers. Mr Kotey also spoke about the DVLAs role in helping to curb illegal mining. He explained that excavators imported through the ports are now registered to trace their owners, with more than 1,000 machines currently impounded awaiting clearance. For ordinary motorists, Mr Kotey defended roadside checks carried out by DVLA staff, insisting that the GH225 fine for offences such as expired licences or fake fire extinguishers is lawful and receipts are issued for every payment. Next article: We cannot give Quarterly Timetable for disbursement DACF Administrator Previous article: Mismanagement of public funds: PAC vows value for every Cedi - Chases scholarship beneficiary for refund Featured Envoys to be assessed by jobs and investments they secure for Ghana from September 1 Mohammed Ali Aug - 20 - 2025 , 07:56 2 minutes read Ghana will, from September 1, introduce performance targets for all ambassadors and diplomats, requiring them to deliver measurable results in attracting investment and creating jobs abroad. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the initiative on Tuesday [August 19, 2025] at the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum in Yokohama, Japan. The event was held on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9). Mr Ablakwa said President John Dramani Mahama had directed that Ghanas diplomacy must go beyond protocol to deliver economic outcomes that improve the lives of citizens. For the first time in our history, on the 1st of September, the President will be launching the first of its kind, a novel KPI, Key Performance Indicators, for all ambassadors and diplomats from the Republic of Ghana. When you peruse that document, you will see that economic diplomacy is at the heart of it, he stated. He explained that the performance targets will require envoys to account for their role in promoting investment, facilitating trade, and protecting investor confidence. Their performance will be linked to tangible benefits for the Ghanaian economy. The President wants our diplomacy to make an impact. Our diplomacy must lead to the improvement in the lives of the people. Diplomacy must promote investment, and diplomacy must create a safe haven for all of those who invest in our country, and that is what the Foreign Ministry has been charged to do, Mr Ablakwa said. The Minister said the initiative forms part of President Mahamas wider economic diplomacy agenda, which seeks to achieve macroeconomic stability, attract investment, and build stronger international partnerships. He cited Ghanas improved sovereign ratings, a stabilised currency, and renewed investor confidence as early gains under the current administration. He assured Japanese businesses that their investments in Ghana would remain secure. Mr Ablakwa added that the government intends to align the work of its foreign missions with national development priorities so that Ghanaians feel the impact through jobs, trade opportunities, and infrastructure projects supported by external partnerships. Featured GAF receives $1m womens body armor donation from U.S. Joshua Bediako Koomson Aug - 20 - 2025 , 18:28 4 minutes read The United States government has donated womens body armor valued at over $1 million to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in a move aimed at strengthening the safety and effectiveness of female peacekeepers deployed in high-risk missions worldwide. The donation is part of a broader initiative to support countries that contribute troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions and to promote greater inclusion of women in such operations. The body armor, specifically tailored for women, is expected to address longstanding challenges faced by female soldiers who have had to adapt to equipment designed primarily for men. Gender equality in security The Charge dAffaires at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, Rolf Olson, who made the presentation at the Burma Camp today (August 20), said the gesture was a reflection of the US commitment to Ghanas peacekeeping efforts and to the broader agenda of gender equality in security. He praised Ghana for consistently ranking among the top 10 troop-contributing countries to UN missions, noting that its soldiers ,both men and women , had earned respect for their professionalism, discipline and resilience in complex theatres of operation. Every day, Ghanaian peacekeepers serve on the frontlines of global security, often in places far from home, where danger and uncertainty are part of daily life, he said. This donation is not just about equipment, it is about ensuring that every soldier, regardless of gender, has the protection they deserve while serving humanity. Women bring unique perspectives and skills to peacekeeping, and when they are fully equipped, the missions become stronger and more effective, he added. Mr Olson recalled the recent recognition of two Ghanaian female peacekeepers who received top UN military honors in Abyei in 2024 and 2025, describing their achievements as a testament to the value of women in international peace operations. He said the U.S. was proud to partner with Ghana through initiatives such as the Womens Body Armor Pilot Project, launched in 2023 with the Netherlands, Zambia and Ghana itself. The world is facing unprecedented challenges from terrorism and armed conflict to humanitarian crises and peacekeepers are the bridge between despair and hope. As Ghanas women in uniform take on greater responsibilities in these missions, they must be adequately protected. This body armor is designed specifically for them, to give them the confidence, safety, and mobility they need to carry out their duties effectively, Mr Olson said. He further emphasised that security and prosperity are closely linked, and that by safeguarding those who safeguard peace, the U.S. and Ghana were jointly investing in a more stable future. Appreciation The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Lawrence Gbentanu, who received the donation on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces, described it as timely and significant. He said it demonstrated the recognition of the sacrifices made by female personnel and the commitment of partners to safeguard their welfare as they serve under challenging conditions. This is the first time ever that womens body armor is being donated to the GAF and it comes at a time when the roles and responsibilities of our women in uniform are expanding rapidly, both at home and in peacekeeping missions abroad, he said. He explained that female personnel had often faced difficulties working with equipment designed for men, which sometimes limited their comfort and effectiveness on the field. For years, our women have had to make do with protective gear that did not fully consider their physiology. Yet they never relented in carrying out their duties. This support, therefore, sends a strong signal that their sacrifices are recognised and that their operational effectiveness matters just as much as that of their male colleagues, Major General Gbentanu said. He expressed his gratitude to the U.S. government and its partners for prioritising gender inclusion in global security. He assured that the GAF would put the donated equipment to the best use, and that the training already provided to soldiers would ensure proper handling and maintenance. Address digital gaps for gender equality Participants Mohammed Ali Aug - 20 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read The 2025 Rise Womens Conference (RiWoCo) in Accra has warned that Ghana risks losing ground on gender equality if barriers to womens participation in the digital economy and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are not addressed with deliberate measures. The conference, held on August 15, 2025, was organised on the theme, Beyond declarations: Advancing gender equality & inclusive leadership for transformative governance. Organised under the EPL Co-Impact Women on the Rise Initiative in collaboration with the Office of the Head of Civil Service, the gathering brought together government officials, development partners, academics and technology advocates to explore how women and girls can fully benefit from digital opportunities and pursue leadership in STEM. Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Eugene Kofuor Maafo Darteh of the University of Cape Coast said equality in the 21st century could not be achieved without womens inclusion in technology. We cannot talk about equality in the 21st century without talking about technology. If women and girls are excluded from this space, they are excluded from the future of work. We cannot build tomorrows leaders if we do not support todays girls to pursue STEM without fear or bias, Prof. Darteh said. Affordable data The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, noted that the digital divide remained wide, particularly in rural and low-income communities. She called for investment in broadband expansion, subsidies to make data affordable, and stronger digital literacy programmes to build womens confidence. Dr Momo Lartey added that safe digital spaces were equally important, stressing the need to enforce anti-harassment rules both online and offline. Scholarships, mentorship and gender-responsive research, she said, were also needed to sustain progress. The government cannot do it alone. We need private partners to expand access and subsidise data costs for women and girls. The Country Director of EPL Ghana, Juliet A. Amoah, said women should not only use technology but also drive innovation. She explained that the Women on the Rise Initiative connected aspiring young women with mentors who could guide them through academic and professional challenges. Mentorship and access to tools must go hand in hand with policy measures that remove barriers for women, she said. Digital fraud During discussions, participants raised concerns about confidence and social norms that limited womens use of digital tools. A pilot project that supplied tablets to women farmers showed that many handed the devices to their husbands or sons because they lacked confidence to use them. Others spoke about online scams and digital fraud, which discouraged market women from using mobile money and other financial technologies. Educators and civil society representatives also shared experiences of projects that had made a difference. Officials from the Ghana Education Service cited a UNICEF-supported programme between 2018 and 2021 that helped 1,000 girls at risk of child marriage pursue STEM education. Social media Some participants questioned the long-term impact of initiatives such as Girls in ICT, calling for stronger follow-ups to ensure trainees continued in the digital space. Others proposed more practical digital training that connects directly to livelihoods, such as teaching women how to use mobile phones and social media to market their businesses. The very platforms that sometimes disempower women, from YouTube to TikTok, can be used to empower them if properly leveraged, one contributor observed. The conference resolved that progress depended on three areas: affordable access to digital tools, early mentorship, and steady policy reforms. Cocoa farmers concerned about weather impact on production Emmanuel Bonney Aug - 20 - 2025 , 09:57 4 minutes read The Concerned Farmers Association of Ghana has urged the government to put in place measures to address the negative effect the current weather condition could have on cocoa production. It said a recent tour across the 72 cocoa districts in the country revealed significant challenges facing the cocoa sector. Challenges In a statement, the association said prolonged rainfall, lack of sunshine, and cooler temperatures were affecting cocoa yields, quality, and farmers' livelihoods. It said the current weather conditions had resulted in reduced yields due to excessive rainfall and inadequate sunshine, increased risk of fungal diseases and black pod rot as well as potential compromise on cocoa bean quality. These challenges, it said, threatened income loss for farmers and their families, long-term damage to Ghana's cocoa industry, economic instability and food insecurity. Solution To address the challenges, the association proposed support for climate-resilient agricultural practices, provision of fungicides and disease management, and research and development for sustainable cocoa production. The association also entreated the government and stakeholders to support the affected farmers, develop climate change mitigation policies for cocoa production, and enhance research and development for sustainable cocoa production. Through collective efforts, we can safeguard Ghana's cocoa industry, it said. GMet The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has forecast cooler-than-usual conditions for July and August. In its latest advisory, GMet said much of the country would experience slight to moderate rainfall, reduced sunshine, and lower night-time temperatures. Stratiform clouds and cold maritime winds moving inland are expected to dominate weather patterns, particularly in southern Ghana. The advisory, signed by the Director-General, Dr Eric Asuman, and the Deputy Director of Synoptic Meteorology and Forecasting, Joseph T. Portuphy, said, This means many communities, especially along the coast and in mountaineous areas, should expect prolonged hours of intermittent rain or drizzle, short or no periods of sunshine, and foggy conditions that could affect road visibility, the agency cautioned. Throwing more light on the situation, the Farmer-General of the Concerned Farmers Association of Ghana, Nana Oboadie Boateng Bonsu II, told the Daily Graphic that the tour of the cocoa districts by his outfit, known as Identification of Community Challenges, commenced from the first week of June. Normally, members of the association went round to see the challenges that the cocoa farmers were facing and then wrote a report and submitted it to the appropriate quarters or published it. During the past government regime, he said he personally submitted reports to the sector minister directly for action to be taken on it. Rainfall pattern We discovered that this pattern of rainfall and then also, the weather condition is going to affect us a lot because when it happens like that, there's no butterfly - pollination doesn't take place, and the cocoa needs sunlight, he said. Nana Bonsu said during the day also, when the weather becomes cool, there was fungi all over and the development of swollen shoot disease. The association, he said thus realised the challenges and their effect on the cocoa sector if the authorities did not wake act to address the situation. He said the current weather condition was different from that of last year, and that this was the time there was supposed to be rain and sunlight. It rains more, then the sun will shine more. It rains more, then the sun will shine more. But this is a situation that you will not even see a sunlight. All the clouds have been covered. I mean, it is moist also. So it gives bacteria and virus to breed more, Nana Bonsu said. For farmers who have planted maize around their cocoa farms, he explained that the fall army worm could also move from the maize plants to the cocoa trees. This is the time that fungi gets time to breed, and then it becomes more. Because when the sun shines too much, it also helps the cocoa to move butterflies come around to pollinate, and then they will go back. But this is a situation that you don't even get all these things around. Every place is very cold, and then the plant also needs sunlight. At least, they are also human. They breed, they need light to survive, he emphasised. Asked whether the association had submitted the report to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, he said it tried but we are not reaching the minister. Ghana-Cote d'Ivoire marching towards progress Ivorian Ambassador Pacome Emmanuel Damalie Aug - 20 - 2025 , 09:57 4 minutes read Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire are strengthening bilateral relations, fostering a deeper connection and boosting trade despite past tensions, particularly over maritime boundary disputes. As part of moves to strengthen the bond, the two countries are on the verge of establishing the Ghana-La Cote d'Ivoire Chamber of Commerce to facilitate trade between Ghanaian and Ivorian enterprises, the Ivorian Ambassador to Ghana, Assielou Felix Tanon, has said. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic, in French, the Ivorian Ambassador, who has spent two years in Ghana, described the recent bilateral successes as marching towards prosperity together. He emphasised that the two countries have had a long-standing relationship, with historical ties dating back to the medieval era, preparing an excellent opportunity for enhancing mutual benefits in various sectors, including security, economy, politics, trade, health among others. Ghana-Cote d'Ivoire Chamber of Commerce The Ivorian ambassador stated, "the harmonious relation between the two countries has initiated a common interest towards the formation of the Ghana - Cote d'Ivoire Chamber of Commerce (GCCCI) to facilitate trade among Ghanaian and Ivorian businesses. Mr Tanon said advanced consultations were ongoing between the Ivorian Embassy and the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness & Industry, with a joint working committee formed to define operational modalities for establishing the GCCCI. He indicated that several companies from both countries, particularly in the agribusiness, logistics, construction, energy and financial services sectors, have expressed strong interest in the GCCCI. They see the chamber as a strategic facilitator for business development and cross-investment consolidation. He argued that the Chamber of Commerce could play a key role in facilitating partnerships and reducing trade barriers between the two countries, thereby promoting increased bilateral trade between Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, which is currently estimated at 311.9 billion FCFA in 2023, compared to 350.6 billion FCFA in 2022. He added that Cote d'Ivoire mainly exports bulk cotton, processed cocoa, palm oil, iron, steel and steelwork, chemicals, textiles and footwear to Ghana. In return, Cote d'Ivoire imports fish, plastics, pharmaceuticals, vegetables, animal fats and oils and metal products from Ghana. He emphasised that Ghanaian and Ivorian businessmen and women rely on each other in export and import trades; hence, there is a need to establish a joint chamber supported by a framework to boost trade between the two states. The Ivorian ambassador affirmed that the two states could make history and be considered a twin state through trade. He expressed a wish for Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana to be pioneers in using the Eco, a currency that the ECOWAS considers as the medium of exchange and for their cooperation to serve as an example for other countries. Cocoa production Mr Tanon underscored the collective gains that Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana have seen in recent years in the cocoa sector due to the La Cote d'Ivoire- Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI), also known as the Abidjan Declaration, established in 2018. The ambassador emphasised that the two countries, which account for a combined 65 per cent of the worlds cocoa production, need to leverage their strength to demand a competitive price. The CIGCI, he said, allows the two leading producers of cocoa to speak with one voice on strategic issues, particularly fair remuneration for producers. The introduction of the Living Income Differential (LID), set at $400 per tonne and included in the cocoa purchase price, was a crucial measure that helped rebalance the power dynamics with international buyers. Mr Tanon stated that this mechanism had fortified the West African countries position in global markets, whilst establishing the groundwork for enhanced economic justice for producers. The ambassador added, A shared objective has been set to achieve at least 50 per cent local processing. Several measures are already in place, including creating and expanding industrial units, targeted tax incentives, logistics facilities and Public-Private Partnerships. Featured Ghana records over 15,000 HIV infection cases 2024 UNAIDS Juliet Akyaa Safo Aug - 20 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read The Country Director of UNAIDS, Ghana, Hector Sucilla Perez, has said that more than 15,000 people acquired HIV infection in 2024. Also, the global target for the percentage of decline in new infections was 90 per cent by 2025. However, Ghanas decline in new infections between 2021 and 2024 is 32 per cent currently. Mr Perez said one in every four new HIV infections was among young people, attributing the situation to social and economic vulnerabilities, gender inequalities, and harmful norms. He said while prevention of mother-to-child transmission services reached 99 per cent of HIV-positive mothers, thus protecting thousands of babies from getting infected each year, the work is far from over. The countrys HIV prevalence now stands at 1.5 per cent as compared to 2.5 per cent some two decades ago. Mr Perez further said that although the country had introduced HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for people at substantial risk, science alone was not enough. He, therefore, called for a cultural shift led by young people towards positive, healthy, and safe behaviours. Conference Mr Perez was speaking during the 13th annual scientific conference organised by the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), in collaboration with the University of Ghana Medical Laboratory Science Students Association (UG-MELSSA). It was on the theme: Breaking the silence, building hope, empowering communities to take action against HIV/AIDS. The conference aimed at championing the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Three, and also discussed the role of students in achieving an AIDS-Free generation. Appeal The President of the Ghana HIV/AIDS Network, Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin, appealed to the government to activate the National HIV and AIDS Fund to intensify campaigns on HIV/AIDS across the country. When we started the campaign nationwide in 2002, the Global Fund was sponsoring all the campaigns, but they realised that the number of people living with HIV in Ghana was growing. They decided to channel their resources into purchasing antiretroviral drugs for persons who are living with the disease, he said. As a result, Mr Ortsin said the onus fell on the government to provide resources for the campaigns; however, that had not been forthcoming, resulting in the lack of adequate information for young people about the disease and its devastating effects. We hear of cases of increased transactional sex in the form of hookups, and that's because this generation has very little knowledge about the disease, he said. Challenges Mr Ortsin mentioned some of the challenges in the fight against HIV/AIDS to include stigma and discrimination, adding that some mothers diagnosed with the disease failed to give the necessary medication to their children. There are mothers who are diagnosed positive, and because of stigma, they fail to give medication to their children, and the children become infected, with many of them dying under five, or growing up with the virus, he said. For his part, the Public Relations Officer of the GAMLS, Dr Gloria Amegatcher, said it was important to end stigma with HIV/AIDS individuals, stressing the crucial role laboratory scientists played in fighting HIV/AIDS. She called on laboratory science students to combine their scientific knowledge, skills and peer networks to turn complex HIV science into a language their peers would understand. Helicopter crash fund accrues GH2.315m Kester Aburam Korankye Aug - 20 - 2025 , 12:01 2 minutes read The Childrens Support Fund established by the government for the welfare of children of the August 6, 2025, Z-9 helicopter crash has received massive support, accruing GH2,315,000 in donations within days of its announcement. The significant sum was revealed in a public notice issued last Monday by the Funds Coordinator, Dr Valerie Sawyerr, who is also the Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs. The announcement detailed that Stanbic Bank Ghana provided a substantial initial seed donation of GH500,000 to launch the initiative. The financial institution was joined by a list of major corporate entities, including Procus GH Limited, GB Foods Ghana, Sunda FM Manufacturing Ltd, Sage Distribution Ltd, and a consortium of energy sector companies. The fund, announced by the President on Friday, August 15, 2025, during the funeral service for the eight who died during the flight to a national assignment, is designed to offer long-term financial support for the education, health care, and general well-being of the children affected by the national tragedy. The government has consequently extended an invitation to the public to contribute to the cause. Donations can be made into dedicated Ghana Cedi (9040013628372) or US Dollar (9040013628534) accounts at the Stanbic Heights Branch of Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited in Accra. Cheques and bank drafts, according to the governments statement, should be made payable to "CHILDREN SUPPORT FUND 6825". Crash victims The Ministers of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah; and Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed; acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna; a former Ashanti Regional Minister and a Vice-Chairman of the governing party, Dr Samuel Sarpong; and a Deputy Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation, Samuel Aboagye, were among those who perished in the crash that occurred in the Ashanti Region. Wing Commander Peter Bafemi Anala, Flight Lieutenant Manaen Twum Ampadu, the co-pilot, and Flight Sergeant Ernest Addo-Mensah were the Air Force crew on the national assignment who, before their death were Squadron Leader, Flight Officer and Sergeant respectively. Presidents pledge At last Fridays state funeral, President Mahama pledged that within 30 days, a detailed framework would be made public, complete with mechanisms for transparency, including annual reports on the funds usage. He also extended an invitation to citizens, businesses and international partners to join the effort, framing it as a collective national responsibility. The President said that in lifting those children up, Ghana would honour its fallen patriots. Lets avoid repeating past history Nigerian minister Joshua Bediako Koomson Aug - 20 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read Nigerias Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has called for calm and urged both Nigeria and Ghana to learn from history to avoid actions that can spark diplomatic or social unrest between the two countries. She reminded both countries of past episodes of mass deportations and retaliatory actions, cautioning that history tended to repeat itself when lessons were ignored. For the record, most of you may not recall the Ghana Must Go protests in Nigeria in 1983. But before that, there was an alien compliance order where Ghanaians also moved Nigerians back. History always repeats itself when we dont learn from it, Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu said at a press conference in Accra last Thursday. Harmony She emphasised the importance of maintaining harmony, particularly in the light of recent viral videos and reports suggesting threats against Nigerians in Ghana, including alleged plans to burn shops and forcefully evict some residents. The minister said the Nigerian government was gravely concerned about the safety of its citizens following those reports. We have received numerous calls from Nigerians here and back home. Some shops have been marked, and some people have even received video threats with deadlines. I know at least three or four parents who have asked their children to start returning to Nigeria, she said. Assurance She said her delegation had already met with top Ghanaian officials, including President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. President Mahama has assured President Tinubu that the lives and property of Nigerians in Ghana are secure, and that there is no threat of mass deportation, she said. While expressing gratitude for Ghanas hospitality and strong bilateral ties, she warned against complacency. It only takes one trigger, and you could see bodies on the street. From two people lying dead, it replicates and spreads like wildfire. Lets not get too comfortable, she said. Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu also stressed that Nigerians in Ghana were, by and large, law-abiding and contributed significantly to the local economy. Anywhere you go and there are no Nigerians, then theres a problem, she said. She urged Nigerian community and association leaders in Ghana to take full responsibility for guiding and safeguarding their members. She also conveyed special thanks to traditional leaders, particularly the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for helping to ease tensions in the Ashanti Region. High commissioner The acting High Commissioner of Nigeria to Ghana, Moses Ifedayo Adeoye, reaffirmed the longstanding ties between Nigeria and Ghana, saying both countries shared deep cultural, historical, and diplomatic bonds. We have nearly three million Nigerians living in Ghana. These are resilient, responsible, and hardworking people who contribute positively to Ghanaian society, he said. He praised the Nigerian community in Ghana for their consistent cooperation with the High Commission. This is not the time to trade blame or reopen old wounds. It is a time to seek solutions that will ensure peaceful coexistence with our host communities, he said. Next article: Envoys to be assessed by jobs and investments they secure for Ghana from September 1 Featured Mismanagement of public funds: PAC vows value for every Cedi - Chases scholarship beneficiary for refund Samuel Duodu & Dickson Worlanyo Dotse Aug - 20 - 2025 , 08:33 4 minutes read The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has stressed that it will ensure value for money for every cedi Parliament authorised for public spending in 2024. This, the committee said, was to deepen citizens confidence in the country's public financial administration. At the first public sitting of the committee in the Ninth Parliament to examine the 2024 Auditor-General's Report, the Chairperson of the committee, Abena Osei-Asare, said the committee would continue with the good work of the previous committee of the Eighth Parliament. We are determined not only to raise the bar, but to strengthen oversight and demand even greater consequences for mismanagement of public funds, she said. Mrs Osei-Asare, who is also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Atiwa East in the Eastern Region, commended the work of the predecessor committee, chaired by James Klutse Avedzi, for the diligence and patriotism of the members in building a solid foundation on which the current committee could build. She stressed the committee's firm resolve to safeguard the integrity of the country's financial management architecture. "Our resolve is firm to safeguard the integrity of Ghana's financial management architecture and reaffirm trust in the institutions that manage our collective resources," she said. Mrs Osei-Asare said the committee would investigate issues and responses in a transparent manner and submit a report with recommendations to the House for implementation. "Once adopted, every ministry, department and agency cited will be required to implement the recommendations and report back to the committee within one month. "When necessary, we shall invite the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to take appropriate action to ensure that all these recommendations are not only acknowledged but enforced," she added. Mrs Osei-Asare commended the Audit Service for the excellent work in producing the 2024 Audit reports and delivering them on time despite challenges. The committee will engage with ministries, departments and agencies to clarify issues raised in the Auditor-General's Report. Sitting Sitting later in the day, the committee directed the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to take immediate steps to recover GH54,665 from a former member of staff, Dr Kennedy Osei, who resigned from the Civil Service barely eight months after returning from a fully sponsored PhD programme in Australia. Appearing before the committee in Accra yesterday, officials of the ministry, led by the sector Minister, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, and the Chief Director, Dr Afisah Zakariah, were grilled over the 2024 Auditor-Generals Report, which cited infractions in the recovery of public funds paid to Dr Osei during his study leave. Infraction Dr Osei, then an Assistant Director, was granted two years paid study leave in 2017 to pursue a doctorate at Queensland University in Australia, with additional sponsorship from GETFund to the tune of AU$125,000 and US$49,400 in allowances. After several extensions of leave without pay, he returned in September 2022, but resigned from the Civil Service in August 2023, having served only eight months of a mandatory four-year bond. According to the auditors, Dr Osei continued to receive salary payments during periods he was not entitled to, resulting in an unearned total of GH54,664.91. The committee insisted that the full amount be retrieved for the state. However, ministry officials told the committee that the Office of the Head of Civil Service, after reconciling figures with the GETFund, reduced the recoverable amount to GH19,325.51, out of which Dr Osei had reportedly paid GH3,000. But the auditors maintained they had no evidence of such payment and stressed that the original GH54,000 figure still stood. The conflicting accounts drew sharp reactions from members of the committee. Recovery Mrs Osei-Asare admonished government agencies and institutions to go the extra mile in protecting the public purse. She said it was not enough for ministries to rely on internal memos or letters when responding to audit queries, especially where evidence of financial recovery was demanded. The Ranking Member on the committee, Samuel Atta-Mills, who is the National Democratic Congress MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem, questioned the ministrys handling of the case, describing the circumstances surrounding Dr Oseis resignation and salary payments as clear fraud. He said Dr Oseis actions had short-changed the state. Mr Atta-Mills insisted that both the officer and his guarantors must be held accountable for breaching the bond terms and causing financial loss. Dr Lartey assured the committee that her ministry would collaborate with the Civil Service and the GETFund to resolve the discrepancies and intensify efforts to recover the outstanding sums. UG student aid supports 20,000 students Dickson Worlanyo Dotse Aug - 20 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read University of Ghanas Students Financial Aid Office (SFAO) has provided financial support to over 20,000 students since its inception two decades ago, in its mission to promote equity and expand access to tertiary education. The Head of the office, Selina Torisson Saaka, who made this known, explained that the various types of support offered had made a tangible difference in the academic journeys of thousands of students, many of whom may not have completed their education without aid. With the kind of aid we give, unlike some other faculties that are around in this space, we do a minimum of tuition. And looking at it from that point of view, we've done over 20,000 students over the past 20 years. They are bursaries, but some also come with accommodations, stipends and even book allowances. But those are fewer, she said. Event Ms Saaka said this in an interview with the Daily Graphic recently on the sidelines of the second day of the SFAOs 20th anniversary conference. The anniversary is on the theme: Promoting Equity, Expanding Access and Enhancing Aid Administration in Tertiary Education. The two-day event convened key stakeholders from higher education institutions, student support services and corporate Ghana. Challenges, shortcomings Ms Saaka lamented several challenges the office faced in promoting equity and expanding access to tertiary education, including limited funding, saying: Theres never enough money. Our funding sources have been a combination of internally generated funds, which account for the majority, alumni, foundations, individuals, corporates and even government, she added. She said some needy students self-excluded for various reasons, failing to step forward for support even when they qualified. Additionally, she cited the rigid structure of aid eligibility, which often made it difficult to assist students whose circumstances fell outside predefined criteria. On the offices shortcomings, Ms Saaka admitted that tracking the long-term outcomes of beneficiaries remained a work in progress. The head of office said that while graduation rates were monitored, the SFAO was currently working to build a centralised database to synchronise and manage beneficiary data more effectively to strengthen the offices impact in the years ahead. No Fee Stress, vision Touching on President John Dramani Mahamas No Fee Stress policy in response to a question on how it augmented her outfits mandate, the SFAO boss described it as a crucial intervention that aligned with the SFAOs mission of promoting access and inclusiveness. Ms Saaka explained that students often faced the frustrating barrier of needing to enrol before becoming eligible for financial aid, which excluded those unable to afford initial fees. The new policy, she believes, would open the gateway for more students to access higher education without upfront financial stress. She also stated that the policy would give first-year students time to familiarise themselves with available support systems, ensuring they were better informed and prepared to seek aid if needed. Looking ahead, Ms Saaka outlined a collaborative vision for the next decade, focused on expanding access and ensuring no student is left behind. Through those collaborations and knowledge sharing, she said the office could, in just the next decade, scale its impact and broaden the scope of aid beneficiaries to reach more than the 20,000 students supported so far. Featured Health Minister Akandoh offers to pay medical bills of nurse assaulted at Ridge hospital Mohammed Ali Aug - 20 - 2025 , 15:36 2 minutes read The Minister of Health has pledged to settle the medical bills and replace the stolen phone of a nurse assaulted at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ridge, and has also set up a committee to investigate the incident, delays in treatment of patients, and security lapses at the facility. Tony Goodman, the Head of Communications at the Ministry of Health, stated this in a radio interview with Accra-based Citi FM on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. When the Minister got to the facility, he went to see this nurse and told her, I am going to make sure your bills are taken care of. The lady said she had lost some money on her phone. The Minister said I am going to make sure we give you all those things, Mr Goodman said. The incident, captured on video, involved a man identified as Ralph, who disrupted services at the hospitals Emergency Department while livestreaming on Facebook. A nurse and another staff member were allegedly injured during the disturbance. Mr Goodman said the Minister was the first government official to visit the hospital after the assault and personally condemned the attack. The Minister has since written to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command. He has spoken with the IGP to provide additional support. He has asked the Adabraka Police Command to do their job. They have since arrested one of the guys, he said. Responding to public criticism over a video showing the Minister shaking hands with the suspect, Mr Goodman explained that the handshake occurred after hospital management identified Ralph at the scene. He said the Minister did not know him and immediately directed the police to act. The Minister is not a policeman. Ralph, at that time, came to the hospital as a patient. We dont expect the Minister for Health to be attacking a patient in a hospital. He has asked the police to do the right thing, Mr Goodman stated. On security concerns, Mr Goodman said the Minister has tasked the committee to assess high-risk points at Ridge Hospital, including the Accident and Emergency Unit, the Outpatient Department, and the morgue, and to recommend whether police should be stationed there. The committee has been asked to complete its work within seven days and look into three things: the delay that led to this whole situation at the hospital, how to prevent future security breaches, and to pursue the criminal aspect of this matter, he added. The police are pursuing Ralph, who fled the hospital after the Ministers visit, while his accomplice has been arrested. Next article: Ministry of Roads orders removal of unauthorised 'students loan' billboard Featured Japanese firms explore investment opportunities in Ghana Kester Aburam Korankye Aug - 20 - 2025 , 14:29 3 minutes read Some Japanese companies have expressed interest in investing in Ghana following a high-profile Presidential Investment Forum held on the sidelines of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9). The forum, organised by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) under the theme Ghana is Open for Business Unleashing Investment Opportunities for Shared Prosperity, served as a strategic platform to strengthen economic ties between Ghana and Japan. President John Dramani Mahama, in a keynote address, positioned Ghana as the prime gateway for Japanese businesses seeking entry into the West African and wider African markets. Ghana is a stable, democratic, business-friendly gateway to West Africa, President Mahama said. He emphasised the countrys strategic location, macroeconomic stability, and ongoing reforms designed to significantly improve the ease of doing business. To facilitate Japanese investment, the President announced a set of concrete commitments, including fast-track approvals for projects, readily available industrial sites, sovereign guarantees, and innovative blended financing frameworks. He, however, called for reciprocity, urging Japanese investors to commit to local content and technology transfer agreements to build the capacity of Ghanaian workers and managers. My three requests are simple. Pilot with us, partner to scale, and invest in people, President Mahama stated. Echoing the Presidents assurances, the Chief Executive Officer of the GIPC, Simon Madjie, presented a detailed investment pitch, outlining two central pillars of Ghanas economic strategy: the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme (24H+) and the Big Push Agenda. Mr Madjie explained that the 24H+ initiative is designed to extend business operations beyond traditional hours to boost productivity, create jobs, and enhance market access. He assured investors of accompanying financial incentives such as tax rebates, duty waivers, and export bonuses. He further elaborated on the Big Push Agenda, a US$10 billion infrastructure plan aimed at bridging the nations infrastructure gap and enhancing competitiveness, with a strong focus on transport, logistics, water systems, agriculture, and energy. The GIPC CEO detailed a wide range of incentives for investors, including corporate tax holidays for strategic sectors such as agro-processing and renewable energy, location-based tax reductions for businesses established outside Accra and Tema, and customs duty exemptions on machinery and equipment. He also highlighted specific, ready-to-invest projects such as the Volta Economic Corridor, the Legon Pharmaceutical Innovation Park, and the Kumasi Machinery & Technology Park. Key sectors identified for Japanese investment included automotive and electric vehicle assembly, agro-industrial parks and food processing, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, the digital economy, and tourism development. The presentation was widely acknowledged by participants for its clarity and strategic depth. Several Japanese firms are reported to have immediately expressed interest in initiating feasibility studies and pilot projects in Ghana, signalling renewed momentum in Ghana-Japan economic cooperation. Featured Mahama announces removal of foreign investor minimum capital requirement under revised GIPC Act Mohammed Ali Aug - 20 - 2025 , 08:49 2 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government will remove minimum capital requirements for foreign investors under a revised Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act. Speaking at the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9) in Yokohama, Japan, on Tuesday [August 19, 2025], President Mahama said the amendment is aimed at making Ghana more attractive to investors of varying sizes. In the reviewed Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act, were removing those minimum capital investments. This will enable any investor, however little money you have, 100,000 dollars, 50,000 dollars, to be able to come in and set up a business in Ghana, the President stated. Under the existing law, foreign investors are required to meet a minimum equity contribution before setting up businesses, with higher thresholds for wholly foreign-owned enterprises and trading companies. The President said the reform would ease entry barriers and open the way for small and medium-scale investors to operate in Ghana. The announcement comes as Ghana works to strengthen trade and investment links with Japan. President Mahama noted that more than 152 million dollars in Japanese investment has been recorded in recent decades, with firms such as Toyota and Honda already assembling vehicles in Ghana for local and regional markets. He added that the review of the GIPC Act forms part of a broader investment drive by government, which also includes the 24-hour economic policy and a 10 billion dollar infrastructure programme to support industrialisation, agro-processing, and exports. Featured Ministry of Roads orders removal of unauthorised 'students loan' billboard GraphicOnline Aug - 20 - 2025 , 14:11 1 minute read The Ministry of Roads and Highways has called for the immediate removal of an unauthorised billboard erected at a section of the Flowerpot Interchange in Accra. In a press release dated August 20, 2025, the Ministry stated it had "observed with concern the installation" of the structure. The notice also referenced a recent disclaimer from the Students Loan Trust Fund, which has publicly denied ownership of the billboard and cautioned the public against the unauthorised use of its logo. The Ministry reminded the public that such installations are in clear violation of national regulations. Specifically, they breach the "Advertisement Specification for Outdoor Signs" (GS 847:2019) issued by the Ghana Standards Authority, as well as Sections 11 and 15 of Act 540 and Section 188 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (LI 2180). Through the release, the Ministry directly called upon the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly to "work closely with the Department of Urban Roads for the immediate removal of the billboard." It also urged all municipal and district assemblies to "collaborate with the relevant regional road agencies before issuing permits for advertisements or notices along road corridors." A further appeal was made to the Advertising Association of Ghana to "strictly enforce its code of conduct regarding the installation of outdoor advertising structures." The statement concluded by reaffirming the Ministry's commitment to "ensuring road safety and protecting our road infrastructure for the benefit of all." Featured Parliament to launch caucus on immunisation Rebecca Quaicoe Duho Aug - 20 - 2025 , 08:57 3 minutes read A Parliamentary Immunisation Caucus is to be set up to offer backing for immunisation programmes in the country. The caucus, which will be launched when the Legislature resumes from recess, aims to source domestic funding for immunising children against childhood killer diseases in the country. The formation of the caucus has become necessary as international funding for immunisation programmes is set to cease from 2028. The caucus, to be made up of representatives from other committees of Parliament, will have the Member of Parliament for Daffiama-Bussie-Issa (DBI) in the Upper West Region, Dr Sebastian Ngmenenso Sandaare as the chairperson. GAVI Ghanas immunisation drive is being sponsored by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, with the Hope for Future Generations (HFFG), which has been advocating immunisation financing since 2023, with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). Recently, civil society organisations in the immunisation advocacy space and Members of Parliament from the nine countries in Africa and Laos that are implementing the immunisation financing advocacy project, held a meeting in Istanbul to discuss ways to improve funding for the immunisation programmes beyond sponsorship. The theme for the meeting was Mobilising Domestic Resources for Sustainable Immunisation Financing Through Engaging Parliamentarians in Africa. Domestic financing The Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Dr S.N. Sandaare, who was part of Ghanas delegation at the Istanbul meeting, said the caucus had become necessary because Ghana could no longer rely on donor funding only for such critical healthcare delivery as immunisation. He said it was about time the country reached a point where it found a reliable source of financing for immunisation. Dr Sandaare, stated that it offered a valuable opportunity for peer exchange on the roles of parliamentarians in promoting sustainable immunisation and financing for children against childhood killer diseases such as measles and polio. "The meeting afforded the MPs from various African countries, including Nigeria and Kenya the opportunity to learn and share best practices to encourage the MPs to advocate immunisation and primary health care. Objectives The objectives of the caucus, Dr Sandaare explained, would be to push for an increase in domestic budget allocations for immunisation and public health campaigns and to enhance parliamentary oversight on immunisation financing and delivery. It also aims to strengthen collaboration among Parliament, civil society and health authorities, support the fulfilment of GAVI co-financing obligations by the government and contribute to reaching zero-dose children and improving vaccination equity. The Vice Chairperson of the caucus, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, who was also present in Istanbul, stated that the need for the parliamentary caucus had become essential so that the country does not fall behind in its immunisation efforts. He said there was a need to find a dedicated source of financing for immunisation in the country, as it would become a strain on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) if nothing was done about domestic financing. A Programme Manager at HFFG, Gladys Damalin, who was present at the media engagement, stated that the key objectives of the CSOs' advocacy include increasing domestic resource mobilisation at national and subnational levels, dedicated to public health campaigns and immunisation service delivery. She also emphasised advocating the timely payment of the governments co-financing obligations. Writers email:[email protected] Featured Police complete 5-day intensive tactical training for high risk operations ahead of Akwatia by-election Justice Agbenorsi Aug - 20 - 2025 , 14:52 3 minutes read More than 5,000 personnel from the Ghana Police Service are set to be deployed for the upcoming by-election in Akwatia, scheduled for September 2, 2025. Out of this number, 600 officers have completed a five-day intensive training at the High Risk Operations Training Centre (HROT-C) in the Eastern Region. The training included tactical drills such as rappelling, precision shooting, handcuffing, vehicle stop and search, crowd control, and considerations of human rights. The remaining officers are expected to undergo training in public order management. The Inspector General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno led the Police Management Board (POMAB) to close the training, which began last Friday. Simulation Exercise The closing event featured a simulation exercise to demonstrate the police's preparedness for any incidents during the election. During the simulation, plain-clothed officers, posing as civilians, queued to cast their ballots at a polling center, peacefully exercising their right to vote. Drones were deployed to monitor the situation remotely, ensuring quick responses while adhering to operational standards and human rights principles. The voting was disrupted by a group of heavily built armed men who attempted to snatch the ballot boxes, causing panic among the civilians. Officers on-site formed a linear extended formation to thwart the attack, leading to the arrest of the suspects, who were taken away in a police Black Maria (a prison on wheels). Following the simulation, the policemen engaged in precision firing of targets made up of balloons and bottles. The precision firing is a skill that allows them to target suspects while minimising the risk of casualties. This exercise was completed successfully in under 30 seconds by 10 officers in two pairs. The final part of the simulation involved rappelling, where police officers descended from a mountain into a crowd, with one officer, known as the master rappeller, demonstrating the ability to shoot accurately while descending on a rope. The IGP stated that although 600 officers would be armed on the ground, the police are committed to ensuring that the by-election is remembered as one of the best in history. We are very confident in our preparations and aim for this to be one of the most peaceful elections. If you come quietly to vote, we will welcome you. However, if you intend to cause trouble, we will not allow it. We are prepared to handle any disruptions before they escalate, he stated. The IGP expressed gratitude to the officers, stressing that the management was confident that their efforts would bring honor to the police administration and the police force as a whole. He, therefore, urged all stakeholders to comply with all the necessary guidelines for a smooth election. Solid Waste Association of Ghana hosts international conference to tackle waste management challenges GraphicOnline Aug - 20 - 2025 , 13:28 2 minutes read The Solid Waste Association of Ghana (SWAGH), the countrys chapter of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), has hosted the maiden ISWA Africa Conference to explore solutions to waste management challenges across the continent. Speaking at the event, Ernest Kusi, President of SWAGH, stressed the importance of developing local solutions to Africas sanitation problems. We need African solutions to tackle Africas waste management challenges, he said, adding that the conference offered an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss financing issues, innovations, and public-private partnerships. In a statement delivered on his behalf, the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group, Joseph Siaw Agyepong, emphasised the need for sustainable funding models to underpin waste management efforts. We need to come up with innovative ways of ensuring that sustainable funding is made available for waste treatment across Africa, he said. Global practices, such as those in the UK, where waste management is funded through council tax and property tax, can serve as a model for us, he added. Dr Alexander Kumi Larbi Jnr, Director of International Business, who read the statement on behalf of Agyepong, further highlighted the role of multiple stakeholders in the process. Waste management is not an expense, it is an investment in public health, in economic growth, and in the betterment of our people, he said. President of ISWAs African Regional Chapter, Deji Fawole, also urged stakeholders to focus on context-specific interventions. Lets talk, lets collaborate, lets find solutions, and lets discuss the problems and solutions, he noted. The conference, themed Charting Africas Path to a Wasteless Future: Integrated Strategies for Sustainable Waste Management, brought together experts from across Africa and beyond to share knowledge, network, and build capacity. Speakers included representatives from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Germany, and Belgium, underlining the global interest in addressing Africas waste management challenges. Over the three-day event, discussions centred on financing, waste generation, and infrastructure development, with an emphasis on innovative and sustainable approaches. By hosting the conference, SWAGH and ISWA Africa demonstrated their commitment to promoting sustainable waste management practices in Ghana and across the continent. As Kusi observed: Where there is a will, there is a way. When government is committed to solving the problem, we can solve it. Featured Tarkwa woman gets 5 years hard labour for stealing pension funds to clear mothers debt GNA Aug - 20 - 2025 , 15:02 2 minutes read A Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced a 34-year-old former field officer of the National Trust Holding Company (NTHC) Trustee to five years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing GH96,490 belonging to some customers of the firm. The convict, Comfort Asante, who pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing and forgery, claimed she took the money to help settle a debt owed by her mother. After a full trial, the court, presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu, found her guilty on both counts and convicted her, stressing the need to deter others from similar offences. The prosecutor, Chief Superintendent of Police Alex Odonkor, told the court that the complainant was NTHC Trustee, a company registered under the laws of Ghana to manage pension schemes. He explained that the convicts responsibilities included daily fieldwork to educate the public, register clients, and collect contributions on behalf of the company for the Tier Three Pension Scheme, also known as the SSNIT Informal Scheme Product (SISP). Asante was also tasked with accurately recording contributions electronically into the companys system using an official mobile phone issued to her, while also updating customers passbooks. The system automatically generated receipt numbers, and text message alerts were sent to clients to confirm their payments. Chief Superintendent Odonkor said that between 2 and 5 May 2023, the company received complaints from some contributors who had not been receiving alerts for payments made through Asante. Upon reviewing the passbooks of the affected contributors, the company discovered discrepancies between the figures recorded in the books and those entered into the companys system. It was also detected that receipt numbers recorded in customers passbooks by Asante had not been generated by the companys electronic system. On 17 May 2023, the company lodged a complaint with the police, leading to Asantes arrest. During investigations, she admitted the offence in her caution statement. An internal audit carried out by the companys auditors revealed that Asante had dishonestly appropriated a total of GH96,490, representing contributions made by 32 customers through her. Featured Young, skilled and English-speaking: Mahama pitches Ghana's youth as key advantage for Japanese investors Mohammed Ali Aug - 20 - 2025 , 12:51 1 minute read President John Dramani Mahama has pointed out Ghanas young population as a major advantage for investors, describing them as adaptable and ready to embrace technology. Speaking at the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Mahama said: Ghana has a very young population, English-speaking, and theyre very smart and quick to upscale in any areas, robotics, AI, fintech. He noted that the fintech sector is among the fastest-growing in Ghana, positioning the country as a hub for technology and innovation in West Africa. Mr Mahama also noted government reforms aimed at attracting investment, including the removal of minimum capital requirements for foreign investors under the revised Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act and the 24-hour economic policy to support businesses operating beyond standard working hours. He encouraged Japanese investors to leverage the skills of Ghanaian youth through partnerships, technology transfer, and training initiatives, stressing that the workforce is ready to support expansion in digital, industrial, and agro-processing sectors. Featured Ghana Registered Nurses condemns 'barbaric' attack on colleagues at Ridge Hospital GraphicOnline Health Aug - 20 - 2025 , 07:20 2 minutes read The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has issued a strong condemnation of what it describes as an "unprovoked and barbaric" attack on nurses and healthcare workers at the Emergency Unit of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, also known as Ridge Hospital. The attack, which occurred on Sunday, 17th August 2025, prompted an emergency meeting of the Associations National Executive Committee. In a press statement following the meeting, the GRNMA leadership expressed its shock at the incident, stating that the violence against dedicated healthcare professionals who were working tirelessly amidst the inherent system challenges is both shocking and unacceptable. The statement emphasised the vital role of nurses, noting they serve on the frontlines of our healthcare system, often risking their well-being to provide essential health services, especially during times of crisis. The Association warned that such aggression threatens the foundation of the healthcare system, saying, incidents of aggression towards medical staff undermine not only their safety but also the overall quality of care within our healthcare institutions. Calling for immediate action, the GRNMA urged the hospital's management to enhance security at the hospital at all times and ensure that the privacy of health professionals and their patients is protected. It further called on management to collaborate with the Police to bring the issue at hand to a resolution. A direct appeal was made to the Ghana Police Service to act swiftly in arresting the perpetrators and to apprehend any perpetrators for the harm caused on the health professionals and our nurses at the hospital without fail. The statement cautioned that failure to do so would lead to further actions by the leadership of the Association to ensure nurses working at the hospital, especially the Emergency Unit, are safe. Finally, the GRNMA called on the public to foster appreciation and respect for the vital contributions of our nurses and all healthcare professionals, reaffirming that Health care services can only be provided in a safe environment. That opening a restaurant even in a restaurant-mad town like this one is a fools errand is so well established it barely needs saying. The costs are high, the rewards few, the work grinding, the success rate minuscule. Want to make money with a restaurant? Sell it to the next sucker. That anyone does it anyway is a blessing to the rest of us, courtesy of those with a combination of talent, truculence, carnival barkerism, and need. Im willing to bet that Chakriya Un, the chef of Bong in an unassuming Brooklyn storefront, is one of them. Un (who goes by Cha) has spent the better part of the past decade as an itinerant evangelist for the Cambodian food she grew up eating. Under the name Kreung the spice-and-herb pastes that provide the base of much Cambodian cooking she popped up at mai tai bars and chicken places and wherever else she could get a berth. Bong (a Khmer term of endearment and respect) is her first permanent restaurant. Open since June, Bong actually started announcing itself sometime in mid-July, and it remains open only Friday through Sunday. Its outdoor patio is a couple of lawn tables on the concrete, and it didnt receive a license to sell beer and wine until mid-August, after Id visited. Reservations go quickly, and the place is too small to accept walk-ins. On top of it all, Un is nine months pregnant. During two recent dinners, I watched her overseeing kitchen operations from a seated perch on a step stool. Despite all the obstacles and little irritants, Bong is delicious and worth the minor headache of finding your way in. Like their compatriots Anthony Ha and Sadie Mae Burns of Has Snack Bar, with whom they once shared a pop-up kitchen, Un and her partner, Alexander Chaparro (who is also her fiance), have carved out a space in the dining industrys inhospitable wilderness. The results can be thrilling. Khmer cooking is underrepresented in the city, and the last great Cambodian restaurant, Angkor, closed during the pandemic. Its a strong-flavored cuisine, sour, fishy, and fermented, less spicy than those of its neighbors. Cha kapiek, a dip of shrimp paste, chiles, and peanuts served with crudites and a giant undulant shrimp chip, is so funky, almost loamy, with fermented shrimp paste that I thought it might start growing moss. Many of Uns dishes are borrowed, sometimes with alterations and sometimes not, from her mother, Kim Eng Mann, known as Mama Kim. Mama Kims lobster is a big messy pile of claw, roe, and tail oozing over a mound of rice. Mama Kim is deeply involved in Bong, procuring ingredients (including catching fish herself for fish paste) and bringing over homemade ferments. Un understands that authenticity is useful as both a kitchen practice and a marketing tool, especially when its seasoned with a little mystery. The lobster is a secret recipe, Un is fond of saying, though it clearly has plenty of ginger; I also detected lemongrass, galangal, and all the complexity that comes from her hand-pounded kreungs. Mama Kim, Chaparro told a fellow diner, described Bongs food as good for Americans. Authenticity also means knowing when enough is enough. Bong's dining room, whole-fried dorade. Hugo Yu. Bong's dining room, whole-fried dorade. Hugo Yu. Not every dish at Bong seems settled into its final form. A salad of melon and cucumber was garlicky and fishy, but the bacon-y pork-jowl crisps arrived cold. Fried ringlets of golden squid had gone a bit gummy in their salted-egg-yolk sauce. A thick bone-in pork chop was more tender at the bone than in the slices, but I didnt much care because it had been bathed in tuk trey ping poh, a chutneyish sauce of Sungold and Sunpeach tomatoes curing in fish sauce, sugar, and lime. Un could jar it for sale and retire from the restaurant business once and for all. The star of the menu is a whole dorade fried to crisp smokiness. Some Cambodian preparations call for steaming the fish with aromatics in a banana leaf or simply frying it whole. Uns is first coated in toasted rice powder, which fries into a crackling crust. Scored into little flaking diamonds of flesh and skin, its delicious, ready to be wrapped in lettuce leaves; showered with Vietnamese coriander, basil, and fish mint; and dunked into tamarind sauce or sweetened fish sauce. I never figured Id be deboning a whole fish by hand on a Crown Heights sidewalk, but this is a showstopper. Chef calls the dorade Beyonce, our server said. I look forward to the day when reservations are not a fight, when the three days of service become most of the week, the return visit when I can wash everything down with cold beer. But restaurants take time and money and sweat. At one meal, I spied Mama Kim herself, who fled the Khmer Rouge and still has the embedded shrapnel to prove it, eating with her husband at one of the tables. On the way out, I complimented her lobster and wondered about the secret recipe. She laughed. Im just glad to see her sitting down, Chaparro told me when I mentioned it. Until three weeks ago, she was working on the line. The Guam Chamber of Commerce stands aligned with other business organizations in strongly supporting the reduction of the Business Privilege Tax (BPT) to 4%. This effort, coupled with the responsible reduction of government spending, represents a critical step toward a stronger economy. We commend the majority of senators in the 38th Guam Legislature who courageously introduced and supported a two-tier approach to this reduction. Under the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget, if enacted as is, the BPT would decrease from 5% to 4.5% on October 1, 2025, and then to 4% on October 1, 2026. Such changes will provide real relief to businesses and stimulate economic activity across the island. What is frustrating, however, is the political theater surrounding this issue. Some senators appear more focused on grabbing headlines, while certain voices in the Executive Branch are suddenly forecasting financial doom, despite boasting of seven straight years of government surpluses. The truth is, the budget is still being debated, and it is premature and irresponsible to pin every government problem on a BPT reduction that has yet to even take effect. Take, for example, the issue of school buses. The long-standing challenges of driver shortages and poorly maintained vehicles predate this bill. The government has had years, alongside a 5% BPT rate, federal dollar investment, as well as budget surpluses, to fix this problem; however, it chose not to. To now blame potential BPT reductions for students not getting to school on time is disingenuous. The government must do better. Critics warn that the BPT reduction will starve the Guam Department of Education (GDOE) of resources, yet Republican senators have learned that the department has lapsed $50 million in local funds over the past three fiscal years alone, and earlier this year returned over $100 million in unused federal dollars. GDOEs problem isnt a lack of money, its a lack of prioritization and accountability. Unless the department addresses procurement inefficiencies and spending discipline, increasing revenue will not fix its dysfunction. Similarly, some are blaming the condition of Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH) on a potential BPT reduction. We thank Senator Sabrina Salas Matanane, chairwoman of the Healthcare Committee, for pointing out $35 million in unspent funds that were previously appropriated to fix hospital infrastructure. Despite the administration claiming healthcare as a top priority, GMH has been left to dry, even after seven years of a 5% BPT rate. Clearly, the issue is not the tax rate, but government mismanagement. Even more troubling are efforts by certain senators to penalize local contractors by targeting those working on federally funded projects with higher taxation. This approach is not only unconstitutional, but it also imposes a form of double taxation on Guam-based subcontractorsmany of them small, family-owned businesses. While one senator calls the military buildup a once-in-a-generation opportunity, she overlooks the fact that it has already sustained local jobs, grown small businesses, and generated substantial revenue for GovGuam across multiple tax streams. During the pandemic, the build-up activity was the only thriving sector and helped keep government payrolls funded. Attempts to discourage this economic engine are shortsighted and harmful. Moreover, such discriminatory tax policies risk scaring off future investors in Guam, affecting not just the buildup, but also tourism and other industries critical to our economic diversification. Legislation should aim to support a pro-growth, business-friendly environment, not set reckless precedents that damage Guams reputation as a place to invest and operate. Throughout this budget process, theatrics, delay tactics, and political grandstanding have distracted from the serious responsibility at hand. A small group of senators, under the guise of serving the little people, has instead vilified businesses, the very entities that create jobs, pay taxes, and keep our economy running. Many of those businesses are precisely the little people they claim to defend. The Guam Chamber of Commerce stands firmly beside the Senators who have approached this process with professionalism, determination, and genuine concern for the islands economy. By working diligently to pass a responsible budget while advancing the phased reduction of the BPT, they are demonstrating true leadership. Their commitment will provide direct relief to the business community, spur economic activity, and ultimately benefit every resident of Guam. To those senators, we say thank you. Stay resolute. The people of Guam are watchingand we stand with you. Haiti - Elections : High-level meeting with the CEP On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, in Petion-ville, Laurent Saint Cyr, President pro tempore of the Transitional Council (CPT), accompanied by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, and Frinel Joseph, CPT observer member responsible for electoral affairs, took part in an important working meeting with members of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) to learn about the progress of preparations for the referendum and upcoming elections, as well as the logistical and financial challenges they face. During this meeting, Councilor J. JOSEPH emphasized from the outset the essential role of the CEP, as an independent institution, in the success of the transition. For his part, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime reaffirmed the Government's commitment to addressing, swiftly and urgently, the challenges facing the CEP, which fall under its responsibility. President Saint-Cyr reaffirmed, with the support of the Head of Government, the State's full commitment to mobilizing all necessary resources to : Strengthen the fight against insecurity and protect the population; Strengthen trust between institutions and citizens; Ensure the implementation of an inclusive, impartial electoral process that respects democratic standards; Increase the CEP's budget to guarantee the efficiency, transparency, and credibility of the electoral process. "The organization of elections is the exclusive responsibility of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). The Executive has no intention of interfering in its prerogatives. Its mission is to ensure a conducive security and institutional environment so that the Haitian people can freely and independently choose their leaders," President Saint-Cyr reiterated. S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Tragedy at the SWAT Base in Kenscoff On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, an accident occurred at the SWAT base in Kenscoff when a transported kamikaze drone exploded for unknown reasons, killing two officers from the Haitian National Police Intervention Group (GIPNH/SWAT) SWAT Unit and injuring six people, two of them seriously. Significant emergency resources were mobilized to assist the injured. Upon receiving the notification, members of the Haitian National Police High Command simultaneously visited the scene and the hospitalized victims. An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragedy. Divisional Inspector Pele Dominique kidnapped Members of the "Kokorat San Ras" gang kidnapped Divisional Inspector Pele Dominique on Monday, August 19, on National Highway 1, in the Estere region. Sainte-Helene Orphanage Burglarized Following the kidnapping on Sunday, August 3, of nine people from the Sainte-Helene orphanage run by the organization Our Little Brothers and Sisters in Kenscoff https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45476-haiti-flash-9-people-including-a-child-kidnapped-from-an-orphanage-in-kenscoff.html armed robbers entered the orphanage on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, before leaving, taking several valuables... The Minister of National Education condemns Augustin Antoine, the Minister of National Education, unreservedly condemns the act that caused the shooting death of Wanderson Ramy, a 19-year-old young man, on Monday, August 18, 2025 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45588-haiti-news-zapping.html during a sit-in by about ten trainee teachers in front of the Ministry's headquarters. After meeting with parents on Tuesday, August 19, Minister Antoine expresses his sincere sympathy to the family, all of Wanderson's loved ones, colleagues, and fans. The Ministry is working with the police and the justice system to shed light on the origin of the shot that killed Zamy and the exact circumstances of this tragic death. Doctorate : Clarification from ISSEPJ University Following the ceremony held on August 17, 2025, at Delmas 42, the Rectorate of ISSEPJ University has published a corrective note to clarify misunderstandings reported by the press. "He clarified that the event was a symbolic honorary distinction ceremony, with no academic value, and not a diploma award ceremony or a Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE). The term VAE, mistakenly used by the master of ceremonies, was misinterpreted. No official diploma was issued, only a blank parchment. This clarification aims to avoid any confusion regarding the academic status of the participants," informs ISSEPJ University. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45582-haiti-flash-the-ministry-does-not-recognize-issepj-university-doctorates-and-threatens.html Nenel Cassy freed Former Senator of Nippes, Nenel Cassy, interviewed Tuesday by Government Commissioner Frantz Monclair, has been released. Several supporters of the former parliamentarian demonstrated outside the Port-au-Prince Court of First Instance, demanding the release of Nenel Cassy, accused of alleged links to the "Viv Ansanm" gang. HL/ HaitiLibre The demand for IT personnel is falling "rapidly" in the economy as a whole. Jurek Tiedemann, an economist specializing in securing skilled workers, writes this in an analysis published on Monday by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW). The trend is having a particular impact on highly qualified IT experts. However, this does not apply to all sectors: For example, in the legal and tax consultancy sector, including auditing, the development is going against this trend. Anzeige The number of vacancies for qualified workers in Germany fell by 4.3 percent between 2023 and 2024, according to the study. However, this decline was significantly greater for IT professions at 26.2 percent. In absolute figures, the average number of IT vacancies fell by 16,500 to 46,431 last year. According to the study, the significant decline is a consequence of the weak general economic development and growing economic uncertainties. Companies are cutting back on investments and postponing many projects, which directly reduces the demand for IT personnel. Although other sectors are also affected, the IT sector is weakening at an above-average rate. Complex IT projects frozen The decline hit IT experts with a Master's or diploma degree the hardest. The number of vacancies for these highly specialized professionals fell by 33.7 percent to just 26,753 within a year. The slump was particularly drastic for computer scientists and business IT specialists (down 46.2 and 38.2 percent respectively). This is probably due to the fact that local companies are particularly reluctant to take on complex IT projects that require a great deal of expert knowledge. There was also significantly less demand for IT workers at other requirement levels. The number of vacancies for trained IT specialists fell by 19.6% between 2023 and 2024. At 8.6 percent, the decline was slightly lower for IT specialists. This refers to experts who carry out a wide range of technical tasks related to hardware, software, networks and IT systems. Slippage upwards However, the demand for IT specialists developed differently depending on the sector, according to the report. A few sectors even recorded an increase. This was most evident in legal, tax consultancy and auditing, where the number of IT vacancies rose by 518.4 percent or 1770 positions. Tiedemann explains that this increase is related to the urgent digitalization of these sectors, for example through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). There was also a slight increase in civil engineering, energy supply and the insurance industry. Overall, however, demand for IT experts only increased in 25 of the 88 economic sectors surveyed by the Federal Statistical Office. Anzeige The biggest decline was in the IT services sector, where most skilled workers are employed. Here, 5821 fewer jobs were advertised, which corresponds to a drop of 31.6 percent. One possible reason for this is that companies are increasingly outsourcing IT tasks internally or abroad. The number of IT vacancies in the automotive industry also fell by more than a third (36.8%), reflecting the current crisis in this sector. Effects of AI? According to the author, there is no direct link between the decline in job vacancies and the use of AI. Current studies suggest that this key technology could even increase the demand for IT specialists in the future. It is currently seen as a support rather than a replacement for human labor. In the long term, however, the requirements for IT employees are likely to change: Dealing with AI will become more important, while routine tasks will be automated. According to a recent study by payment service provider RationalFX, the impact of AI on the job market is becoming increasingly clear. Numerous companies are replacing hundreds of employees with automation tools, chatbots and even AI programming. The research team examined layoff announcements from the US news, the job portal TrueUp, TechCrunch and the tracker Layoffs.fyi since the beginning of 2025. Between the beginning of the year and August 5, companies in the global technology sector announced 149,140 layoffs. Around 71 percent of these affected US companies. Among the frontrunners are Intel and Microsoft. Skills shortage persists Although the demand for IT specialists has decreased, the shortage of skilled workers remains high in many areas, according to the IW analysis. In 2024, over 13,500 vacant IT positions could not be filled in purely mathematical terms. The shortage was particularly severe among IT experts, with 6920 vacancies remaining unfilled. This means that almost seven out of ten (69.9%) vacancies could not be filled mathematically. Forecasts show that both employment and the shortage of skilled workers in IT professions are likely to reach new highs by 2028, says Tiedemann. In order to counteract this, measures such as the training of junior staff, the promotion of career changers and the recruitment and retention of international specialists will continue to be crucial. (vbr) Don't miss any news follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication. We're a family of eight living in Georgia where Andrew's a professor at GSU and Nancy is a PhD student at UGA. You can read more about us here The funds, Varma, Ilmarinen, and Elo, hold shares in Airbnb and Booking Holdings, both of which list accommodation in Israeli settlements built in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Several of Finlands largest pension funds have invested nearly 90 million in international companies operating in Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, according to data reviewed by Yle . A review of Airbnb listings reveals multiple properties located in settlements without disclosing their locations political status. One host in Rehelim advertises a particularly relaxing atmosphere with photos of a pool, but makes no mention that Rehelim is a settlement. According to the Israeli human rights organisation BTselem, residents of Rehelim have repeatedly attacked Palestinian farmers in the area. The settlements are considered illegal under international law. The International Court of Justice has ruled that both Israels occupation and the settlements violate international legal norms. The UNs Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) maintains a list of companies with ties to the settlement economy. The list includes dozens of Israeli firms and 16 international companies based in the US, UK, and EU member states. All three Finnish pension funds hold shares in Airbnb and Booking Holdings, which are on that list. Elo also holds shares in Expedia Group, which owns Hotels.com, another platform offering accommodation in Israeli settlements. Sonja Finer, Executive Director of Finnish watchdog group Finnwatch, said the investments are in conflict with the funds own ethical guidelines. These are companies that continue operating in settlements year after year, she said. They should be excluded from investment portfolios. Pension companies manage over 170 billion in investment assets. While the sums invested in Airbnb, Booking, and similar companies represent a small fraction of that total, Finer said their presence in the portfolios is politically and legally significant. Three years ago, the funds told Finnwatch they were aware of the issue and looking for solutions. Since then, some have increased their holdings. Varma had previously stated that settlement activity violates its norms. However, it added Airbnb to its portfolio and reintroduced Booking Holdings after previously excluding it in 2022. Ilmarinen increased its Airbnb holdings in 2023. It is surprising to see this during a time when the situation between Israel and Palestine has severely worsened, said Finer, referring to the Gaza war and the rise in violence in the West Bank. According to The Guardian, more than 2,000 listings were available on Airbnb and Booking.com in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in early 2025. A UN report also notes a rise in settlement-based listings in recent years. Finer said it is not realistic to expect companies to operate in Israeli settlements without violating international law. When there has been no meaningful change, continuing dialogue is not enough, she said. All three pension firms responded to Yle but avoided giving direct answers to most questions. Ilmarinen said it does not comment on individual investments. It uses a third-party provider to screen for companies that violate international norms and is currently analysing its portfolio with a focus on conflict zones and human rights risks. Varma said it had no reason to believe Airbnb or Booking Holdings violated international agreements as of the end of 2024. It also relies on external services to detect norm violations and stated it attempts to engage with companies before making divestment decisions. Elo similarly said it monitors companies with identified links to Israeli settlements and has been in contact with them. All three companies stated they are prepared to divest if no corrective action is taken or if violations are found to be serious. Finnwatch has called for more decisive action. Normally, we dont immediately call for divestment, said Finer. But in this case, the situation has been clear for years. Airbnbs continued presence in the settlements shows that engagement has failed. The OHCHR list is used by several Nordic pension funds as a reference for investment decisions. In 2021, Norwegian fund KLP divested from several companies on the list. Israel dismissed the UN list when it was first published in 2020. While the list is not exhaustive and updated infrequently, the most recent version is from summer 2023, it remains one of the few internationally recognised sources tracking commercial activity in settlements. Only one company on the list, French manufacturer Alstom, responded to Yle. It said it has requested to be removed from the list, claiming it no longer operates in or is connected to the occupied territories. HT TIANJIN, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Speaking of China's governance philosophy, Yekaterina Khvan from Kazakhstan expressed deep admiration, acknowledging its wisdom and insight. "The deeply rooted conceptions, such as 'people first,' 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets' and 'building a community with a shared future for humanity,' have left on me a profound impression," said Khvan, a doctoral student at Tianjin Foreign Studies University in north China's Tianjin Municipality. Specializing in Chinese-Russian translation, Khvan has been systematically engaged in the translation of major political documents from Chinese into Kazakh and Russian since last year. "I had the privilege of translating several chapters and theoretical sections into Kazakh," she said, while proudly retrieving several bilingual volumes from her bookshelf, including "A Brief History of the Communist Party of China." Over the years, the university has translated or contributed to over 50 major works, including "A Brief History of the Communist Party of China," totaling more than 6 million Chinese characters. Many of these works have drawn attention from political leaders, scholars and general public across the globe. "China's ideas, wisdom and solutions travel from here -- across languages and continents -- delivering insight and strength to the world," said the university president Li Yingying. Yet, the work is far from simple. Translating China's political and cultural terminology -- steeped in history and philosophical nuance -- demands accuracy, subtlety and scholarly depth. Khvan cites the phrase "mei mei yu gong" in Chinese, which originates from the ancient Chinese classic "The Book of Rites." The expression reflects a broader Chinese vision of inclusive development and cultural coexistence. To convey its meaning accurately, she delved into ancient texts and philosophical writings to trace its origins and evolution. Then she discussed its modern context with Chinese scholars to understand its relevance today. After careful consideration, she translated it as "the shared flourishing of all forms of beauty," supplementing it with detailed annotations to explain its core values of harmony, mutual appreciation and collective progress. "Translating China's central documents is of high political significance and solemnity," she stressed. "These documents embody China's political vision, development strategy and governance wisdom. My task is to grasp the essence and faithfully convey it without deviation." Her translation journey has not only deepened her understanding of China's development but also reshaped her own worldview. One word that continues to echo in her mind is "people." "While translating the speeches of Chinese leaders -- particularly sections on poverty alleviation -- I was deeply moved by the people-centered philosophy," she said. Equally striking was the ecological development concept: "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." She noted that Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources, but balancing development with environmental protection is a pressing challenge. "China's experience taught me that the environment and the economy are not in conflict -- they can and should advance together," she said. With the arrival of the Tianjin summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), she feels a renewed sense of pride. As a Kazakhstani scholar living and studying in the host city of SCO activities, she finds herself at the heart of a growing regional dynamic. She said that through translation, she witnessed the flourishing China-Kazakhstan cooperation under the SCO framework. "In the era of the Belt and Road Initiative and deepening SCO cooperation, language and translation have taken on a new historical mission -- as vessels of civilizational exchange," she said. Hannu Saintula was parking his car on Harjutorinkatu in Helsinkis Kallio district earlier this month when a stranger attacked him in broad daylight. Two weeks later, Saintula remains in hospital, recovering from a broken femur and the surgical replacement of an artificial hip. The assault took place on a weekday afternoon. A group of people, apparently intoxicated, were nearby. One man singled out Saintula, approached his car, and stared at him through the windscreen. Saintula waited for the man to leave before stepping out. But the man quickly reappeared. Thats when the whole process began, Saintula said. The man, whom Saintula had never seen before, threatened to kill him if he tried to intervene. Saintula said nothing more than that he was heading to the sauna and walked away. The man threw a beer can at Saintulas back. Saintula turned to look but kept walking. Moments later, the man appeared in front of him again and struck him in the jaw with an object. Saintula lost consciousness and collapsed. He woke up lying on the ground. Emergency services took him to hospital, where doctors found that his femur had fractured and the hip implant he previously received had to be replaced. The doctor said he believes Ill still be able to walk, Saintula said. His recovery is expected to take several months. He will remain hospitalised through the end of August at least. In addition to the physical injuries, Saintula said the psychological impact has been significant. He suspects the attacker was under the influence of alpha-PVP, a synthetic stimulant known in Finnish street slang as peukku. Users of the drug are often described as erratic, detached, and aggressive. That drug has to be removed from the streets, Saintula said. Having lived and moved around Kallio for decades, Saintula said he is used to unpredictable behaviour and occasional shouting in public. As a large man, he has generally felt physically safe. This time, he believes he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, the target of what he describes as a desperate cry from a person in deep distress. But he warned that such incidents are becoming more common, and more dangerous. If society doesnt do something, this will end badly for everyone. Public spaces are beginning to feel unsafe. I want to tell this story so society wakes up. If nothing is done for people in this condition, were heading for something ugly, he said. Police confirmed that a report has been filed. Investigating officer Tuomas Lindholm said a group of substance users was present at the scene, and that one of them attacked a passer-by. The suspect had previously caused disturbances in the area, according to police records. The case is being investigated as aggravated assault. HT Niuvanniemi Hospital in Kuopio and Vanha Vaasa Hospital in Ostrobothnia say more patients are now arriving with no recent history of adequate psychiatric care. In many cases, individuals would have needed more intensive outpatient or inpatient treatment earlier, doctors said. Finlands two state forensic psychiatric hospitals report they are operating at full capacity, with doctors warning of a sharp rise in severely mentally ill individuals entering treatment only after committing serious crimes. This impression is now very strong, said Allan Seppanen, chief physician at Niuvanniemi. His counterpart at Vanha Vaasa, Pirjo Takala, agreed, stating that patients are increasingly being admitted only after their conditions have reached crisis point. Forensic psychiatric hospitals are intended as a last resort, reserved for individuals who are both severely ill and legally considered dangerous. In practice, many patients who arrive at these institutions have already required years of psychiatric support. Last year, the average treatment time at Niuvanniemi was eight years. Seppanen and Takala stress that basic and specialised psychiatric care in local health systems should prevent such outcomes. But both say these preventive systems are now failing in too many cases. This year, hospitals have also seen a notable rise in court-ordered mental state examinations. By July, around 100 suspects were waiting for such evaluations, already exceeding annual totals from the past three years, when 80 to 90 assessments were completed per year. Doctors say the growing caseload is partly due to the continued reduction in general psychiatric hospital capacity. Between 2015 and 2021, the number of psychiatric beds in Finland was cut by more than 40 percent, according to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). Seppanen said the system had placed too much faith in community-based care. Psychiatric inpatient care has almost been stigmatised. There was this belief that an ideal system would be built mainly on outpatient care, but those expectations have not been met. Takala noted that even when patients are admitted to hospital, treatment periods are often too short to identify or address root causes. At the same time, current outpatient systems demand more initiative and responsibility from patients, something that may be unrealistic for those suffering from serious mental illness. Seppanen warned that the consequences are now visible across the forensic system. Both Niuvanniemi and Vanha Vaasa are full, and in Vaasa, patients have had to be admitted beyond official bed capacity. Waiting times for forensic mental state evaluations have also stretched to several months, an unusual situation for the institutions. There is pressure on regional systems to cut costs, Seppanen said. But expanding long-term forensic care is not a sensible direction. It would be more economically viable to strengthen early-stage mental health services in the regions. Veteran criminal defence lawyer Kari Eriksson has observed a similar trend. Speaking to Yle earlier this month, Eriksson said he is seeing more defendants whose crimes appear linked to untreated mental illness. He warned of a possible increase in unpredictable violence against strangers. Seppanen and Takala both described Erikssons concerns as valid and called for broader national discussion. Psychiatry, and especially forensic psychiatry, cannot solve this alone, said Takala. We need a wider rethink of how we deal with this issue in Finland. HT One in three young people in Finland has postponed or given up the idea of having children due to concerns about the global security situation, according to a new survey commissioned by Nuorisoala ry. The study found that the majority of Finnish youth believe the countrys security will deteriorate within the next five years. The online survey, carried out by Norstat Finland, collected responses from more than 1,000 people aged 15 to 30. In Jussi Halla-aho Elamakerta by journalist Markku Heikkila, he describes struggling with insomnia, personal turmoil and doubts about politics. He wrote that for years he slept only a few hours a night, often fearing he might collapse from fatigue. Jussi Halla-aho , now speaker of Finlands parliament, has disclosed in a new biography that exhaustion and depression drove his decision to quit as leader of the Finns Party in 2021. Halla-aho links much of the stress to an extramarital relationship that led to the birth of a child in 2015. He said the situation created pressure and conflict, which he carried into his political work. I do not excuse my infidelity, but I was hurt by the manipulation around the pregnancy, he said in the book. The strain deepened after the 2019 parliamentary election, when the Finns Party won almost as many seats as the Social Democrats. Despite the partys success, Halla-aho said he was already close to burnout. He admitted questioning whether immigration problems, which he had built his political career on addressing, could be solved through democratic means. I began to wonder how much of my own life was worth sacrificing to try to save a country that clearly does not want to be saved, he reflected. The biography reveals that he considered resigning in 2019, but colleagues including Riikka Purra, then a senior party official, persuaded him to stay. Two years later he left the post, making way for Purra to become party chair. Halla-aho writes that he saw himself as an obstacle to cooperation with the conservative National Coalition Party, led by Petteri Orpo, and believed the Finns Party might advance its agenda more effectively under someone else. The book also contains blunt assessments of political figures. He describes former prime minister Sanna Marin as an ageing teenager unaccustomed to criticism, and former party leader Timo Soini as a populist whose focus on social issues weakened the partys credibility. Halla-aho recalls losing trust in Soini in 2012 after a dispute over committee appointments following his conviction for incitement against an ethnic group. He is equally unsparing toward Sampo Terho, his rival for party leadership in 2017, calling him a weak character who sought advancement through others rather than his own work. According to Halla-aho, Terho even asked him privately to step aside in exchange for a senior party role, a suggestion he rejected. Despite his withdrawal from leadership, Halla-aho remains one of Finlands most recognisable political figures. He continues to serve as speaker of parliament, a position he assumed in 2023. HT The plan, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, is almost identical to a framework previously accepted by Israel and presented by US envoy Steve Witkoff in June. Under the proposal, Hamas would release some living hostages and return bodies in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Talks would continue towards a permanent ceasefire. Israel has not issued a formal response to a new 60-day ceasefire proposal agreed by Hamas , while demanding the release of all hostages before any deal. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer told the BBC that the government would not accept a partial deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war will only end once Hamas is disarmed, Gaza is demilitarised, and all 50 remaining hostages are released at once. Israeli officials believe that only about 20 hostages are still alive. An Egyptian source told the BBC that Israel had not communicated an official reply. Mediators said Hamas had accepted the plan without amendments, describing it as a partial deal leading to a comprehensive deal. The deadlock comes as Israel prepares for an expanded military campaign. Defence Minister Israel Katz has approved plans to occupy Gaza City and authorised the mobilisation of 60,000 reservists. Netanyahu has said the militarys operations are placing Hamas under immense pressure. Casualties in Gaza continue to rise. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, including at least 18,885 children. On Tuesday, Israeli strikes killed at least 51 people across the territory, including seven civilians seeking food aid near Nuseirat refugee camp, medical staff reported. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains critical. UN-backed experts warn that famine is unfolding as food, water and health systems collapse. Most of Gazas 2.1 million residents have been displaced multiple times, with more than 90% of homes damaged or destroyed. Israeli operations have also continued in the West Bank. The Palestinian Prisoners Media Office reported that Israeli forces arrested at least 25 people overnight, including a minor and former detainees, in Hebron, Nablus, Jenin, Tubas and Ramallah. The international fallout has widened. Australias home affairs minister Tony Burke criticised Israel, saying strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry. France and Israel have also clashed after Netanyahu accused president Emmanuel Macron of fuelling antisemitism by moving to recognise Palestinian statehood, remarks the French presidency dismissed as abject. Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump praised Netanyahu as a war hero despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him. Trump also claimed credit for past hostage releases. Hostage families in Israel continue to call for a deal, accusing Netanyahu of setting unrealistic conditions. Einav Zangauker, whose son is believed to be among those alive in captivity, said: Netanyahu is deliberately setting unworkable conditions as an obstacle. Mediators from Egypt and Qatar have urged Israel to accept the proposal. Egypts foreign minister Badr Abdelatty said the ball is in Israels court. HT Neighbors continue to oppose proposed Haywood Road development Nearly 200 people attended a meeting with the developers of a proposed project on Haywood Road. Nearly 200 people filled a conference room at Blue Ridge Community College on Tuesday evening for a meeting with developers who want to rezone a portion of Haywood Road for a 180-unit planned community. Noone spoke in favor of the project during the meeting that lasted more than two hours. Jim McKinley, a resident of nearby Druid Hills, told developers of the proposed Cottages at Hendersonville and members of the citys planning staff that he came to ask them a rhetorical question. McKinley said the developers knew when they proposed the Cottages that the area where they want to build was not zoned to accommodate that type project. He then asked Why are we here? Why has it gotten this far? Those who attended the meeting applauded McKinleys question. The meeting on Tuesday was a continuation of a neighborhood compatibility meeting for the public to hear about and comment on the proposed Cottages at Hendersonville development, a planned community on 21 acres on the two-lane road between Maplewood Court and Blythe Street. The city planning board and city council will both hold public hearings when they take up the rezoning request in the coming weeks. As was the case in the first meeting, opponents of the project expressed concerns about traffic, stormwater runoff and wildlife habitat among other things. The applicant is Advenir Azora Development LLC, a Miami-based development company that has built 2,300 residential units and has 5,000 more units valued at $1.2 billion in the pipeline. The company is asking that the city rezone the property on 1741 Haywood Road from medium-density residential to planned residential development to allow for the construction of 180 two-, three- and four-bedroom dwellings on 21 acres. During the first neighborhood compatibility meeting, homeowners packed two rooms at City Hill to hear about the development. Scott Weathers, Advenirs development and construction manager, spent most of the first meeting and the second meeting on Tuesday parrying opponents criticism. He also offered to clarify and explain more about the development in response to some peoples questions and concerns. J.J. Kisgen, a resident who lives near the proposed development, asked Weathers if the 180 number of units for the project was make or break. Many in the crowd laughed when Weathers said 180 was the minimum number for the development. Ann Fennell, a who also lives near the proposed development, said she was concerned about how garbage from the 180 units will be handled and about how much more traffic will be on nearby roads because of the project. She also said the city should not allow the developers request for the zoning change because many in the community want to live in an area a development like the Cottages is not allowed. To say you can change mid-streamthis is exactly what the zoning was put in place to protect us from, she said. The vacant land at 1741 Haywood Road was purchased by commercial real estate broker and developer Jeff Justus in 2015 for $500,000, land records show. Its valued on the tax books at $664,900. TASHKENT, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A launch ceremony for the Uzbek-language edition of the book titled "Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights" was held Tuesday in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. Jiang Jianguo, executive vice president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies; Akmal Saidov, director of the National Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights; and Yu Jun, Chinese ambassador to Uzbekistan, attended the event and delivered speeches. Nearly 300 people participated in the event. In his speech, Jiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and vice director of the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the CPPCC National Committee, said the translation and publication of the book in Uzbekistan represents a dialogue and mutual learning on human rights between China and Uzbekistan. It is hoped that the book will open a new window for the people of Uzbekistan to observe and understand human rights in China, and build a bridge of mutual understanding between the intellectual communities and peoples of the two countries, Jiang added. Saidov said in his address that the launch marks an important event in the cooperation between Uzbekistan and China in the fields of cultural exchange and human rights protection. Yu said the deepening of exchanges and cooperation in human rights between the two sides further enriches the China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era and the China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future. At the launch event, guests from China and Uzbekistan jointly unveiled the new book. Jiang and others presented copies of the book to the main guests from Uzbekistan. A seminar was then held on topics related to human rights. The Uzbek edition of "Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights" is the 13th foreign-language edition of the book, jointly translated and published by China's Foreign Languages Press and an Uzbek publishing house. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday that India is seeking self-reliance in energy independence and the development of its own powerful defence systems, vowing to defend his country's interests "like a wall". Modi delivered his annual Independence Day address from the imposing ramparts of New Delhi's Red Fort at a time when India faces intense pressure and threats of additional tariffs from the United States. "Self-reliance is the foundation of developed India," Modi said after a flypast of military helicopters scattered flower petals above an invited crowd of thousands. "Freedom becomes meaningless if someone becomes too dependent on others". Ties between New Delhi and Washington have been strained by Trump's ultimatum that India end its purchases of Russian oil, a key source of revenue for Moscow as it wages its military offensive in Ukraine. India has said it "stands ready" to support efforts to end the Ukraine war and endorses a summit to be held between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. But the United States says it will double new import tariffs on India from 25 percent to 50 percent by August 27 if New Delhi does not switch crude suppliers. "We know that we remain dependent on many countries to meet our energy needs", said Modi, leader of the world's most populous nation and fifth-biggest economy. "But to build a truly self-reliant India, we must achieve energy independence." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement congratulating India's Independence Day, said the relations between the two nations were "consequential and far-reaching", and wanted to "ensure a brighter future for both". Modi urged scientists and engineers to focus on building key sectors and technologies including fighter jet engines, semiconductor chips and military hardware systems. "We will have India-made semiconductor chips in the market by the year's end," Modi said. He added that the country was also working towards building a space station and would have a "defence shield" in the next decade, without giving further details. Modi also honoured the Indian armed forces, which took part in a four-day conflict with arch-rival Pakistan that ended in a ceasefire on May 10. "India will give a befitting reply to any other misadventure by the enemy," he added, and referred to New Delhi's suspension of its cross-border water sharing treaty with Pakistan. "India has decided that blood and water will not flow together", he added. Modi did not speak directly about Trump, but said he would "stand like a wall" against any policy that hurts the interests of farmers. Agriculture employs vast numbers of people in India and has been a key sticking point in trade negotiations. "When economic selfishness is rising day by day... we must not just sit and worry about the crisis but instead focus on our strengths," Modi said. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that US air support and European ground troops could be part of security guarantees for Ukraine, warning of a "rough" situation if talks between Moscow and Kyiv fail. "When it comes to security, they're willing to put people on the ground," he told Fox News, referring to European allies whom he met in the White House on Monday. "We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you talk about by air, because no one has the kind of stuff we have, really, they don't," Trump said. He added his "assurance" that no US ground troops would deploy to Ukraine, and he categorically ruled out Ukraine joining the Western military alliance NATO. Post-war security is a key concern for Kyiv after more than three years of Russian invasion. Moscow has long said it will not tolerate Ukraine joining NATO and has been hostile to the idea of Western troops deploying to the former Soviet territory. Trump said that "France and Germany, a couple of them, UK -- they want to have boots on the ground." "I don't think it's going to be a problem, to be honest with you. I think, I think Putin is tired of" the war, he added. Trump said that following his talks Monday with European leaders he is pushing to organize a bilateral summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky -- followed by another where he will join. "I called President Putin, and we're trying to work out a meeting with President Zelensky. We'll see what happens there," he said. "If that works out, if it works out, then I'll go to the trilat and close it up." Saying it was possible Putin would back out, Trump said "I hope President Putin's going to be good and if not, it's going to be a rough situation." Zelensky "has to show some flexibility also." In addition to the question of guaranteeing Ukraine's future security, the other key sticking point in ending the war is the status of the huge swaths of land occupied by Russia. Trump said Ukraine has to accept it will not get its lost territories back -- including the eastern Donbas region -- but in return will get peace. "I assume you've all seen the map. You know, a big chunk of territory is taken and that territory has been taken. Now they're talking about Donbas, but Donbas right now, as you know, is 79 percent owned and controlled by Russia," Trump said. The US leader said Ukraine was not powerful enough to change the situation. "This was a war and Russia is a powerful military nation, you know. Whether people like it or not, it's a powerful nation. It's a much bigger nation," he said. "You don't take, you don't take on a nation that's 10 times your size." "Everybody can play cute and this and that, but, you know, Ukraine is going to get their life back," Trump said about a peace deal involving Ukraine surrendering land. "They're going to stop having people killed all over the place and they're going to get a lot of land." Israel's defence minister approved a plan on Wednesday for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60,000 reservists, piling pressure on Hamas as mediators push for a ceasefire. Defence Minister Israel Katz's move, confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson, came as mediators awaited an official Israeli response on their latest proposal. While mediator Qatar had expressed guarded optimism over the latest proposal, a senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any agreement. The framework that Hamas had approved proposes an initial 60-day truce, a staggered hostage release, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners and provisions allowing for the entry of aid into Gaza. Israel and Hamas have held on-off indirect negotiations throughout the war, resulting in two short truces during which Israeli hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 2023 attack that triggered the war, 49 are still in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Sources from Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad told AFP on Wednesday that the latest proposal envisages the release of 10 hostages and 18 bodies from Gaza. The remaining captives would be released in a second phase, with negotiations for a broader settlement. The latest proposal came after Israel's security cabinet approved plans to conquer Gaza City, despite fears it will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have mediated the frequent rounds of shuttle diplomacy. Qatar said the latest proposal was "almost identical" to an earlier version agreed by Israel, while Egypt said Monday that "the ball is now in its (Israel's) court". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to publicly comment on the truce plan, but said last week that his country would accept "an agreement in which all the hostages are released at once and according to our conditions for ending the war". Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said on social media that his group had "opened the door wide to the possibility of reaching an agreement, but the question remains whether Netanyahu will once again close it, as he has done in the past". According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu has not so far called a security cabinet meeting to discuss any response. The latest truce proposal came as Netanyahu faces increasing pressure at home and abroad. Over the past week, Israel has stepped up its air strikes and ground operations in Gaza. According to Israeli army radio, the military was preparing for a "prolonged operation of several months that will run into 2026". After conducting intense operations around the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City, the military appeared to be concentrating its firepower on nearby Sabra, whose residents have reported several strikes. An Israeli military official told journalists on Wednesday that the new phase of combat would involve "a gradual precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City," including some areas where forces had not previously operated. The official said the military had already begun operating in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Jabalia as part of the initial stages. Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli strikes and fire killed at least 21 people across the territory on Wednesday. When contacted by AFP, the Israeli military asked for coordinates and specific timeframes to comment on the reports, but said it would look into reports of eight people killed by Israeli fire near an aid site in the centre of Gaza. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP on Tuesday the situation was "very dangerous and unbearable" in Zeitoun and Sabra, where he said "shelling continues intermittently". Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing swathes of the Palestinian territory mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military. In the Zikim area of northern Gaza on Tuesday, an AFP journalist saw Palestinians hauling sacks of food aid along dusty roads lined with rubble and damaged buildings. Gazan Shawg Al-Badri said it took "three to four hours" to carry flour, what she called "white gold", back to her family's tent. "This bag is worth the whole world," she said. Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's offensive has killed at least 62,064 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the United Nations considers reliable. CHENGDU, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Deep in the misty mountains of southwest China's Sichuan Province, the annual encounter count of 185 giant pandas in field monitoring signals a remarkable success in the country's drive to establish the world's largest national park system. The 3rd National Park Forum held in the provincial capital Chengdu revealed that sightings have risen from the previous count of 178, marking a remarkable turnaround for a species once considered globally endangered. China is systematically placing more than one-tenth of its land mass -- over 1.1 million square kilometers -- under strict protection through its expanding network of national parks. "China is building the world's largest national park system, evolving from pilot programs launched in 2015 to the establishment of its first five national parks in 2021, followed by the release of a spatial layout plan for national parks in 2022," said Lyu Zhongmei, vice chairperson of the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People's Congress, at the forum. A newly released report on national park development confirms that this vast network integrates over 120 nature reserves, contributing to an overall improvement in ecosystem quality. The results in Sichuan, the heartland of the giant panda, are tangible. According to Shi Xiaolin, governor of the province, more than 330,000 mu (about 22,000 hectares) of panda habitat have been restored within the boundaries of the Giant Panda National Park, along with over 20,000 mu of ecological corridors, resulting in the recent rise in panda sightings. This systematic approach, integrating species protection, habitat repair and community engagement, is drawing international acclaim. "China's commitment to building a national park system is hugely impressive," said Tanya Steele, CEO of the UK office of World Wide Fund for Nature. "This is a powerful example inside China that many others across the world will want to learn from." In his remarks at the opening ceremony of the forum, Jonathan Edward Austin, ambassador of New Zealand to China, said that China has made remarkable achievements in biodiversity conservation, with its innovative national park system offering valuable experience for global ecological governance. Technology is a cornerstone of this conservation surge. Fan Pengfei, a professor at Sun Yat-sen University, revealed a breakthrough in monitoring the haunting songs of the Hainan gibbon, a flagship species of the National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest in the southern island province. "Innovative algorithms allow rapid extraction of acoustic features, processing nine hours of singing analysis per hour," Fan explained, noting that this technological breakthrough enables precise and efficient conservation of this flagship tropical rainforest species. Li Deren, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a renowned photogrammetry and remote sensing expert from Wuhan University, emphasized the importance of critical remote monitoring innovations. "Safety monitoring based on space-air-ground (SAG) integrated remote sensing has become essential support for sustainable park management, particularly in remote areas facing blackouts, communication disruptions, or inaccessible roads." In addition to monitoring pandas and gibbons, high-tech solutions are being widely adopted in national parks across China, with real-time SAG monitoring tracking elusive Siberian tigers and Amur leopards in the northeast, while smart platforms manage visitor impact and fire risks in forests of the southeast. Notably, technology is playing a key role in reducing human-wildlife conflict. Advanced warning systems now provide 24/7 alerts to communities near tiger habitats, transmitting information directly to frontline personnel when large predators approach. On the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, innovative measures such as protective fencing and specially designed bear-proof container houses are being tested to minimize clashes. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has opened the newly remodeled Comwell Hvide Hus Aalborg, Dolce by Wyndham, a 16-story icon overlooking the lush, historic Kildeparken. Just steps from the city's lively center, the hotel is perfectly placed for experiencing the best of Denmark's norththink browsing twinkling Christmas markets, exploring cutting-edge architecture, and sampling Nordic flavors at their finest. It's no wonder Aalborg ranks among the 20 happiest cities on the planet. First opened in 1969 and taken over by Comwell Hotels in 2014, the hotel has been a go-to spot for weddings, celebrations, and big nights out for decades. Now, under the stylish Dolce by Wyndham brand, it's ready for its next chapter, joining sister properties in Aarhus, Copenhagen and Odenseeach known for standout locations, destination-worthy dining, and exceptional event spaces. Danish Simplicity in the Heart of Aalborg Comwell Hvide Hus Aalborg, Dolce by Wyndham is beautifully situated to offer the perfect blend of tranquillity and convenienceall in one of Europe's most walkable cities, with numerous cultural and historic sites just a stroll away. Pairing a refreshed "classic cool" aesthetic with the timeless Danish design principles of simplicity, functionality, and elegance, all 198 roomssuites, standard, and superiorhave been upgraded with furniture and accessories from iconic Danish brand HAY, creating warm, inviting spaces with natural materials, soft textiles, and light-filled, airy layouts. The four-star hotel also serves up the best of Denmark's culinary scene. Guests can choose Restaurant Vesterbro, a signature dining spot where a modern "green kitchen" meets panoramic city views, or Bar V, a relaxed all-day venue with a spacious terrace overlooking Kildeparken. Vesterbro's seasonal menu showcases local, organic produce, while Bar V's extensive offerings range from light bites to handcrafted cocktails made with house syrups and original recipes. Perfect for both leisure and business, the hotel features 13 conference rooms across four floors, accommodating up to 365 guests. Spaces are fully customisable, including the 15th-floor Panorama Floor, where sweeping views create a memorable backdrop for any event. Located just 250 metres from Aalborg Train Station and 7 km from Aalborg Airport, the hotel offers effortless access for visitors. And for those looking to wake up with a workout, the hotel's fitness centre is located on the top floor to provide incredible panoramic views of Aalborg. Dolce by Wyndham has flourished throughout Europe in recent years, adding new locations in France, Italy and Spain, among others, with more hotels in the pipeline. For hotel owners and developers, the brand offers an exciting opportunity to join a curated collection of hotels in unique destinations, rooted in family values, signature cuisine, and first-class meetings and events. What's more, all the brand's hotels participate in Wyndham Rewards, the number one hotel rewards program as named by readers of USA Today. With thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally, no other hotel rewards program is more generous or offers members more places to stay. Join for free at WyndhamRewards.com. To learn more about Comwell Hvide Hus Aalborg Dolce by Wyndham, visit DolcebyWyndham.com. Hotel website Hilton today announces the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Nathiagali, marking the company's first hotel in Pakistan. Nestled in the heart of the scenic Galiyat region - one of Pakistan's most iconic hill stations and just 85 kilometers from Islamabad - the newly opened property blends DoubleTree by Hilton's signature warm hospitality with the area's natural alpine landscapes, offering unforgettable stays for business and leisure travelers alike. The hotel is owned and managed by The Baron Pakistan (Pvt) Limited. Ideally located just steps from Lalazar Park, DoubleTree by Hilton Nathiagali sets a new benchmark for hospitality in one of Pakistan's most cherished destinations. The hotel offers convenient access to some of the region's most iconic natural and cultural landmarks including Mushkpuri Top, Miranjani Peak, Ayubia National Park, Dunga Gali Pipeline Track, and the historic St. Matthew's Church - all within five kilometres - making it an ideal base for adventure seekers and cultural travellers. DoubleTree by Hilton Nathiagali features 110 thoughtfully designed guest rooms, including 14 spacious suites with uninterrupted views of the surrounding Mushkpuri and Miranjani Hills. Perfect for families and those traveling with loved ones, each room offers comfortable accommodations, and the surrounding pine forests, rolling meadows, and snow-blanketed winter landscapes position the hotel as an elegant mountain retreat year-round. Guests can enjoy a variety of dining experiences with stunning mountain views. The lobby-level Coffee Shop offers freshly brewed coffee and gourmet snacks, while Shogun presents a refined Pan-Asian menu featuring Thai, Chinese, and Japanese dishes. On the third floor, Zareen serves a globally inspired menu across breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At Lalazar Terrace Cafe, guests can savour gourmet snacks, specialty teas and coffees, and enjoy a memorable high tea or barbecue buffet under the sky. For relaxation and wellness, the hotel offers a curated selection of facilities, including a spa with a wide range of treatments - from soothing massages to holistic therapies - alongside a fully equipped fitness centre, and an indoor infinity pool with floor-to-ceiling panoramic views. DoubleTree by Hilton Nathiagali will also soon unveil Pakistan's first-ever mountain padel court along with a dedicated lounge housing a private cinema, children's zone, and beauty salon services. In addition, an on-site helipad provides effortless arrivals and departures amid the breathtaking mountain landscape. The hotel also houses flexible event spaces for all types of gatherings. Whether hosting an elegant banquet, a corporate meeting, or an intimate celebration, all event spaces are supported by a dedicated team, tailored catering options, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, and in-house audiovisual support. The property features two signature banquet halls - Mushkpuri and Miranjani - each accommodating up to 200 guests, making it ideal for weddings, receptions, conferences, and special events. Two smaller meeting rooms - Sohni and Nouri - are available for more intimate gatherings. DoubleTree by Hilton Nathiagali is part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty programme for Hilton's 24 world-class hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount and free standard Wi-Fi. Members also enjoy popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app. Hilton Honors members can check in, choose their room, and access it using a Digital Key. For more information on DoubleTree by Hilton Nathiagali, or to make a reservation, travellers may visit the hotel's website. For more information on DoubleTree by Hilton, please visit stories.hilton.com. Hotel website Appellation Healdsburg and Chef Charlie Palmer are proud to announce Reed Palmer as Chef de Cuisine, overseeing Folia Bar & Kitchen. Focused on a philosophy of seasonality, sustainability, and innovation, Reed returns to his hometown of Healdsburg to lead the culinary vision for Folia, the hotel's signature restaurant. Appellation Healdsburg is the first new build hotel opening for the culinary-first luxury hotel brand co-founded by Michelin-starred Chef Charlie Palmer and Christopher Hunsberger, a 30-year veteran of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Reed's culinary foundation was built at The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, followed by a degree in Hospitality Management from Cornell University, then shaped by stints at globally renowned kitchens including Blue Hill at Stone Barns, One White Street, Amass in Copenhagen, as well as the critically acclaimed Ilis in Brooklyn. Each experience deepened his commitment to hyperlocal sourcing, whole-ingredient cooking, and storytelling through food. His cooking is equally about honoring generational legacy as it is about forging his own path. Reed draws great inspiration from time spent in the kitchen with his father, Chef Charlie Palmer, as well as considerable influence from Chef Matt Orlando, founder of Amass and former Chef de Cuisine at Noma. Reed's broad culinary lens will also help shape the food and beverage program across the property, with a focus on relationships with local farmers, ranchers, and artisans. His approach emphasizes ingredient transparency, preservation techniques, and unexpected flavor combinations, bringing a thoughtful and modern perspective to every plate. Inspired by the principles of California cuisine, Reed's dishes are a celebration of Sonoma County's seasonal bounty, prepared simply and intentionally to let ingredients shine. Reed is part of a collaborative culinary force at Appellation, joining Chief Culinary Director Thomas Bellec and the hotel's Executive Chef, David Intonato. With more than 25 years of experience leading celebrated kitchens across luxury resorts, fine-dining destinations, and forward-thinking restaurant concepts, Intonato's culinary journey spans from Aspen to Costa Rica to New York. A James Beard House Guest Chef and DiRoNA Award recipient, he is recognized for his modern, plant-forward sensibility and his talent for bringing a clear, ingredient-focused vision to the plate. Known as much for his leadership as his craft, Intonato guides his team with creativity, discipline, and a deep respect for seasonality and regional character. At Appellation Healdsburg, he oversees every detail of the kitchenfrom menu creation to mentorshipensuring each dish reflects a balance of innovation, precision, and a true sense of place. Image credit: Emma K Creative View Reed Palmer's LinkedIn Profile Reed Palmer is a graduate of Cornell in Ithaca, New York - United States U.S. Travel Association announced recipients of the 2025 ESTO Awards at the 41st annual ESTO conference, held August 17-19 in Phoenix, Arizona. Winners were announced Monday evening at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge. The ESTO Awards highlight exceptional creativity in destination marketing while showcasing the commitment to inspire visitation through thoughtful, innovative methods. Our destination community tirelessly works to grow travel, fueling local economies and communities. Congratulations to all this years award winners. Ellen Davis, U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President, Business Strategy and Industry Engagement Honors in several categories were awarded to celebrate excellence and creativity in destination marketing and inspiring visitation, a critical component of the continued growth of the travel industry. Destination Awards honor destination marketing offices (DMOs) that push the boundaries of marketing and promotion. State Awards recognize state and territory tourism offices for standout destination marketing initiatives. A panel of 60 esteemed marketing experts selected this years honorees. Congratulations to this years ESTO Awards winners: Destination Awards State Awards View the full 2025 ESTO Award winners gallery. The Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) is an annual conference for destination marketing professionals from city, regional and state tourism offices. Each year the conference is held in a different destination and features educational sessions, networking opportunities and industry awards. Also at the ESTO Awards, Diane Shober, executive director for the Wyoming Office of Tourism, was named the 2025 State Tourism Director of the Year. ESTO 2026 will be held in Philadelphia, August 25-27, 2026. About U.S. Travel Association U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing the $1.3 trillion travel industry, an essential contributor to our nation's economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and advocates for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for information. View source (from left to right: Rachod Nantakwang, Chief Executive Officer, SCX Corporation, Nuttaphong Kunakornwong, Chief Executive Officer, SC Asset Corporation Public Company Limited, Vivek Bhalla, Managing Director, South East Asia & Korea, IHG, Bryan Chan, Vice President, Development, South East Asia & Korea, IHG) - Image Credit IHG Hotels & Resorts IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to open a voco-branded hotel in central Bangkok in 2029. IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed an agreement with SCX Corporation Company Limited to open voco Bangkok Siam, a 350-room hotel located on Phayathai Road in central Bangkok. The new-build property is set to open in 2029. It will be positioned opposite Siam Discovery Shopping Center, with proximity to other major retail destinations such as Siam Paragon Shopping Center, Siam Square, and MBK Center. The hotel will also be near the BTS Siam station. The voco Bangkok Siam will be a 28-floor structure and will join voco's expanding global portfolio, which currently includes 107 open hotels across 25 countries and 102 properties in the pipeline. The hotel will feature amenities such as a restaurant and bar, a gym, a rooftop pool with views of the Bangkok skyline, and meeting room facilities. This development is part of IHG's strategy to expand its voco brand in Southeast Asia and globally. The voco brand, launched in 2018, recently reached a milestone of 100 open hotels. IHG has plans to further grow the brand in the region, with recent openings in Quang Binh, Vietnam, and Bandung, Indonesia, and upcoming debuts in Thailand and other locations. SCX Corporation Company Limited, a subsidiary of SC Asset Public Company Limited, is partnering with IHG on this project. Booking.com Settles $9.5 Million Lawsuit Over Hidden Hotel Fees in Texas Booking Holdings, parent of Booking.com, agrees to a $9.5 million settlement with Texas over undisclosed hotel fees, marking the largest case of its kind in the U.S. The settlement mandates upfront disclosure of all mandatory fees, aligning with federal efforts to standardize price displays. As reported by Reuters, in a significant development for the hotel and travel industry, Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com, has agreed to a $9.5 million settlement with Texas over allegations of deceptive marketing practices. The lawsuit accused the company of enticing consumers with artificially low prices by omitting mandatory "junk" fees, such as resort and amenity charges, from the initial price display. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the settlement, highlighting it as the largest case in the United States related to such practices against any hotel or online travel agency. The lawsuit claimed that Booking.com engaged in "drip pricing," where additional fees were bundled into a single line item at checkout, giving the company an unfair advantage over competitors who did not employ such tactics. As part of the settlement, Booking Holdings has agreed to disclose all mandatory fees upfront, ensuring greater pricing transparency for consumers. This move aligns with recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) efforts to standardize price displays in the travel industry. Booking Holdings, which also operates Priceline.com and Kayak, denied any wrongdoing but emphasized its commitment to transparency and providing accurate information to consumers. The company noted that while hotels typically set and retain resort fees, it supports initiatives to bring consistency to pricing displays. This settlement follows similar agreements reached by the Texas Attorney General with hotel chains like Choice, Hilton, and Marriott earlier in 2023. The crackdown on hidden fees has been a priority for consumer protection advocates, with the FTC introducing a Junk Fees Rule in December, requiring upfront disclosure of total prices by hotels and other service providers. erspective and site location of Hotel101-Phnom Penh, Cambodia set to have approx. 700 rooms and 30 floors - Image Credit Hotel101 Hotel101 Global has entered into agreements with Canopy Sands Development to construct two hotel projects in Cambodia and scheduled to be completed by 2028. The developments will be located in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, with the former set to feature approximately 700 rooms and the latter around 680 rooms. Both projects are expected to be among the largest hotels in Cambodia by room count upon completion. The Phnom Penh project will be situated on a 2,033 square meter site in the Tonle Bassac district, a key economic and cultural area. The hotel will include standardized 21-square-meter units, known as "HappyRoom," and amenities such as a swimming pool, fitness center, dining facilities, and business spaces. The location is strategically positioned near major landmarks, including Aeon Mall 1 and the Independence Monument. Advertisement In Sihanoukville, the hotel will be part of the Bay of Lights development, a significant coastal project led by Canopy Sands Development. The 4,623 square meter site will host the hotel, which will also feature the "HappyRoom" units and similar amenities to those in Phnom Penh. The Sihanoukville hotel will be adjacent to a proposed international convention and exhibition center and is located near the Sihanoukville airport. The Cambodian market is viewed as a promising area for Hotel101 Global, with the country having received over 6.7 million international visitors in 2024. The upcoming opening of the Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh is expected to boost tourism further. These projects mark Hotel101 Global's entry into its sixth country, following developments in the Philippines, Japan, Spain, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. The two Cambodian hotels are projected to generate approximately $109.55 million in sales revenue once fully operational. They are part of Hotel101 Global's broader strategy to expand its portfolio to 50,000 rooms in the Philippines and ultimately reach 1 million rooms worldwide across 100 countries. Wait! Before you go Please sign up for our Evening Digest and Breaking Newsletters Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Clark Art Presents Talk on J.M.W. Turner WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. On Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 1 p.m., the Clark Art Institute will present a close look at the work of British artist J.M.W. Turner. Timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of Turner's birth, this presentation concludes the summer's series of free curatorial talks highlighting rarely exhibited prints, drawings, and photographs from the Manton Study Center for Works on Paper's unique collection. This event takes place in the Manton Study Center for Works on Paper, located in the Manton Research Center. According to a press release: J.M.W. Turner (17751851) is beloved for his incomparable landscape watercolors. In this talk, Anne Leonard, Manton Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, showcases a career-spanning selection of Turner's works on paper, from early topographical views to the lushly abstract landscapes of his later years. Berkshire Communities Awarded Funds for Ecological Restoration Projects BOSTONThe Healey-Driscoll Administration announced more than $2.9 million in grants to support ecological restoration projects across Massachusetts. This funding, provided by the Department of Fish and Games (DFG) Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), will strengthen resilience against extreme weather events, improve water quality, reduce flood risks, and restore crucial wildlife habitat. "Massachusetts has over 25,000 culverts, most of which are undersized. By replacing these outdated culverts with larger, safer structures, we can better prepare our communities for severe weather," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "Investing in these projects now will save our cities and towns money on disaster recovery in the future." DER is awarding over $2.7 million to 21 towns through its Stream Continuity Program, which includes the Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance (CRMA) Grants and the Culvert Replacement Training Site Initiative. The CRMA grants help municipalities replace outdated culverts with new, improved crossings. These upgrades restore river ecosystems, enhance fish and wildlife passage, and reduce flood risks, improving climate resilience and public safety. The Training Site Initiative will turn some of these project sites into training hubs, creating a network of locations for hands-on learning to teach local roadway managers about culvert replacements in Massachusetts. Hinsdale was awarded $510,000 for the George Schnopp Road Culvert Replacement. The Town of Hinsdale will conduct construction activities to replace a culvert on George Schnopp Road. The crossing is located within core habitat, critical natural landscape areas, an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and a designated coldwater fishery. Replacing this structure will benefit stream and habitat connectivity as well as providing public access and safety benefits to the roadway and surrounding community. Savoy was awarded $43,000 for the Phelps Brook Culvert Replacement. The Town of Savoy will conduct bid phase service activities toward the replacement of an undersized culvert on Old Main Road over Phelps Brook, a coldwater fisheries resource. "I am pleased to learn that two communities in the First Berkshire District, Hinsdale and Savoy, have received vital funding through the Division of Ecological Restoration's Culvert Replacement grant program," said State Representative John Barrett (D-1st Berkshire). "These funds will enable them to undertake critical projects that address infrastructure needs and enhance environmental resilience, which they would not normally be able to address on their own. The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Legislature have prioritized funding this important program. These investments are crucial for the long-term well-being and climate readiness of communities across Massachusetts." Stockbridge was awarded $56,800 for the Marsh Brook Culvert Replacement. The Town of Stockbridge will conduct design/engineering and permitting work toward the replacement of a partially-crushed culvert on Rattlesnake Mountain Road over Marsh Brook, in an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and where flooding has been an issue. Washington was awarded $70,000 for the Johnson Hill Road Culvert Replacement. The Town of Washington will conduct design/engineering work toward the replacement of a deteriorating and undersized culvert on Johnson Hill Road over a tributary to the West Branch of the Westfield River, which is important habitat for rare species. "This funding for culvert replacements in Stockbridge and Washington is essential not only for the well-being of these communities, but for the ecological health of the Berkshires as a whole," said State Representative Leigh Davis (D-3rd Berkshire). "I am grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Division of Ecological Restoration for investing in projects that will strengthen environmental resilience and support the Commonwealths climate goals." Report: Miss Hall's Failed to Act on Abuse Reports PITTSFIELD, Mass. A report commissioned by Miss Hall's School found school officials failed for years to follow up on accusations of sexual misconduct by its instructors. The full report, summary from the Board of Trustees and a letter to the school community from Head of School Julia Heaton and board President Nancy Ault can be found here "The Report makes clear that, over the decades, there were multiple instances in which students were harmed and that MHS failed to investigate adequately or hold perpetrators accountable for their actions," reads a summary of the report released by the board of trustees on Tuesday. "We would not know the full extent of this harm if it weren't for the courageous Survivors who came forward. We are profoundly grateful to these individuals, and we are simultaneously deeply sorry for all they endured and for the School's multiple failures to address concerns that were raised." Several former students came forward in early 2024 saying a teacher at the girl's boarding school had abused and exploited them. Matthew Rutledge, 62 at the time, was removed from campus and resigned. Berkshire County District Attorney Timothy Shugrue launched an investigation but no criminal charges were filed as the victims had reached of consent at the time. A bill currently in the Legislature , and supported by the Berkshire delegation, would protect those age 18 and younger from sexual predation by individuals in "positions of trust and authority," like teachers. Shugrue's office requested a copy of the report for review and it was emailed to his office, according Chief of Operations Julia Sabourin. "As previously stated, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office does not formally close cases involving allegations of sexual assault." She said the DA's Office encourages anyone with information about the misconduct to contact Detective Ignacio Matos of the Pittsfield Police Department at 413-448-9700. The trustees revealed that the school has "resolved legal claims" with several of the abuse victims and "will continue to work toward resolving all the remaining claims." Miss Hall's School hired Aleta Law, which it said "specializes in trauma-informed investigations of misconduct at schools," to look into not only allegations but the way school staff and administrators responded to incidents throughout its 127-year history. Aleta Law representatives conducted a total of 146 interviews across the school community including students, parents, current and former staff, four heads of school and seven trustees. Among them were survivors, third-party reporters, witnesses, and former employees accused of misconduct. The trustees said the investigators were given full cooperation as well as unfettered access to school materials deemed relevant, such as historical records and correspondence across nine decades. Findings include five substantiated firsthand accounts of Rutledge's sexual abuse dating to the 1990s; a "preponderance of evidence standard" of reports of misconduct with seven other respondents dating to the 1940s; and at least four individuals showing "boundary crossing behavior." None of these reports involve current employees, according to the report. Regarding the most recent accusations, Aleta found that administrators had been informed on separate occasions of Rutledge's inappropriate behavior and while taking some actions, failed to "adequately respond and properly investigate after seeking advice from the school's former legal counsel." Head of School Julia Heaton, hired in 2013, and board President Nancy Ault became aware of Rutledge's past misconduct from third parties but did not adequately respond, according to the report, until Heaton received the letter in March 2024 from a former student's attorney. "The investigation did not reveal any evidence of sexual misconduct by Rutledge occurring during Heaton's tenure as Head of School, though there was evidence obtained that Rutledge engaged in boundary crossing behavior toward students after 2010 and up to his separation from Miss Hall's," the summary states. The school engaged Learning Courage in April 2024. The nonprofit works with K-12 school on sexual misconduct and has provided training,policy assessment, an evaluation process, and recommendations on student support. Officials said many of the practices and training are in place or will be by the start of the school year, including a new employee code of conduct and updated misconduct reporting policies. The full report was shared at a closed board of trustees meeting that included a discussion on the future of Heaton and Ault, who had recused themselves. The board voted separately and unanimously to affirm their continued leadership based on their active cooperation with the investigation, their immediate actions following the letter, and their efforts to transform the school's culture toward student well-being. "The Board and I committed to a comprehensive and transparent investigation so that we could learn the full breadth of what happened, take accountability, and begin to move toward healing," wrote Heaton in her letter to the school community. "The investigation revealed horrible truths about a community we hold dear and has brought about personal and institutional reckoning." On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice China is set to showcase its latest generation of military technology, including advanced unmanned underwater vehicles, during a major parade scheduled for next month. Pictures leaked on Chinese social media showed preparations are already underway in Beijing, where the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will show off a lineup of new land and water-based weapons systems on 3 September to mark the 80th anniversary of Japans World War II surrender. The parade is likely to be one of the largest in Chinas history, potentially eclipsing the 2015 parade marking the 70th anniversary. That event involved more than 12,000 soldiers and included international contingents from Russia, Belarus, Mongolia, Cambodia and others nations. Beijing has conducted two large-scale rehearsals this month, on the weekends of 9-10 and 16-17 August, attended by 22,000 and 40,000 people respectively when troops, police and spectators are included. Analysts say next months parade will be an opportunity for the Chinese government to send a clear signal to its rivals and show off the fruits of an unprecedented programme of military modernisation. Though the event will largely be shunned by Western leaders, many other foreign officials are expected to travel to Beijing to attend after the conclusion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in late August. Xi Jinping, the president and head of the military, will deliver a speech on the occasion, which will feature new-type combat capabilities, including hypersonic weapons and a range of electronic gear, Beijing has announced. People walk by paramilitary police officers standing guard ahead of a rehearsal for a military parade on 16 August ( REUTERS ) Hundreds of aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers as well as ground equipment, some of which have never been seen in public before, will be featured in the parade, military officials said at a press conference. From trucks fitted with devices to take out drones, new tanks and early warning aircraft to protect China's aircraft carriers, military attaches and security analysts say they are expecting China to display a host of new weapons and equipment at the parade. China has the worlds largest standing military, with more than 2 million personnel, and an increasingly sophisticated arsenal of missiles, aircraft carriers, and fighter aircraft. Navy power China is likely to display at least two types of extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XLUUVs), according to leaked photos from the parade rehearsals. The vessels, estimated to be around 60ft long, were seen being carried across the city on massive transport vehicles, Naval News reported. Their torpedo-shaped hulls and pump-jet propulsion systems revealed that the underwater vehicles were built to be stealthy. Images showed one of the sea drones being marked as AJX002, while another type was photographed only under wraps. Six of the drones were reportedly spotted during the rehearsal. Four matched the AJX002 profile, while two appeared slightly larger. The AJX002 features four lifting lugs along its hull, indicating that it is crane-assisted. China operates the world's largest XLUUV program with at least five distinct types already in the water, Naval News reported. Armoured Vehicles The PLA will showcase its Type 99A main battle tank, which was developed as a replacement for the second-generation Type 88 tank, according to South China Morning Post. The development process for the Type 99 series, also known as the ZTZ-99, began in 1989 based on the design of the Soviet-era T-72 chassis. Weighing at around 55 tonnes, Type 99A tanks are the most advanced variant of the Type 99 series and have been deployed by the PLA since 2011. It features an upgraded 105mm main gun, an enlarged turret, a four-sided radar, and an integrated propulsion system. The main battle tank operates with a crew of three and measures up to 36ft in length. The Type 99A main battle tank is equipped with an advanced targeting system that allows the gunner to engage one target while the commander independently tracks the next, the SCMP reported. Its upgraded fire-control system features a third-generation thermal imager, meteorological sensors, and a ballistic computerenabling precise engagement of targets at ranges up to 5km. Hypersonic and ballistic missiles A intercontinental ballistic missile system and hypersonic anti-ship missiles are among the advanced weaponry the Communist government will display at the parade. Photos on Chinese social media captured a new anti-ship missile from the YJ series being taken across the city for the parade rehearsals. The new YJ-15 missile was spotted along with the YJ-17, YJ-19 and YJ-20 hypersonic missiles. These sightings indicate China is advancing rapidly in hypersonic weapons technology, a field that has drawn global attention for its ability to evade traditional defence systems. Also visible in the images was a new transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle carrying a large, tarp-covered missile canister, which could be a new ballistic missile system. The anti-ship missiles and weapons with hypersonic capabilities will be particularly closely watched as the US and its allies prepare to counter China in any future regional conflict. Loyal Wingman An uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV), believed to be a Collaborative Combat Aircraft or loyal wingman drone, was spotted on the streets of Beijing during the rehearsals. Experts say the UCAV, which was spotted at the back of a truck, resembles either the Chinese FH-97 or the American YFQ-42A. Andreas Rupprecht, a Chinese military aviation expert, said that the scale of rehearsals alone already exceeds expectations. Just focusing on the aviation segment and what China is expected to showcase the rehearsals for the parade alone are already exceeding everything one could have expected, he told news outlet Defence Blog. The Victory Lap The 70-minute-long Victory Day parade, comprising 45 contingents of troops, will be surveyed by President Xi at Tiananmen Square alongside Russian president Vladimir Putin, according to reports. Authorities have stepped up security in downtown Beijing since the first rehearsals this month, setting up checkpoints, diverting road traffic and shutting shopping malls and office buildings. In Asia, World War Two ended on 2 September with the surrender of Japan after the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Chinese Communist Party historians say China's casualties in the 1937-1945 Second Sino-Japanese War were 35 million. The Japanese occupation caused the displacement of as many as 100 million Chinese people and significant economic hardship, as well as the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, during which an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 victims were killed. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice North Korea has rejected South Korean president Lee Jae Myungs latest efforts to improve ties, saying Pyongyang will never treat Seoul as a diplomatic partner. Kim Jong Uns sister, Kim Yo Jong, accused Mr Lee of hypocrisy for calling for dialogue while joining US-South Korea military drills, which North Korea sees as invasion rehearsals. The Western allies argue the drills are necessary to prepare for North Korean aggression. On Friday, Mr Lee urged Pyongyang to rebuild trust by reviving the 2018 inter-Korean military pact that reduced border tensions through buffer zones and no-fly areas. The deal collapsed after both sides abandoned it North Korea first, and South Korea later in 2024 amid rising hostilities. Since taking office in June, Mr Lee has tried to ease tensions with Pyongyang rolling back propaganda loudspeakers at the border, promising not to pursue forced unification, and now proposing a revival of the 2018 military pact. He has also urged Pyongyang to return to dialogue and remains firm on denuclearisation. Lee Jae Myung is not the sort of man who will change the course of history, Ms Kim said, according to the state-owned Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) news agency. At this moment, the Lee Jae Myung regime is repeating the predecessors gibberish of defensive drill even after staging the reckless US-ROK war drill for aggression directly threatening the security of the DPRK, she added. ROK refers to the Republic of Korea, the official name for South Korea, and DPRK refers to the official name of North Korea, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. This is the part clearly illuminating the dual personality of the Seoul authorities who are carrying two faces under one hood. open image in gallery South Korean soldiers take part in an anti-terror drill at the foreign ministry building in Seoul on 19 August 2025, on the sidelines of a major South Korea-US joint military exercise called the Ulchi Freedom Shield. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on 19 August for the rapid expansion of the countrys nuclear weapons capability, citing ongoing US-South Korea military exercises that he said could ignite a war ( AFP via Getty Images ) South Korea and the United States launched joint military exercises this week, testing upgraded responses to North Koreas expanding nuclear arsenal. The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield, the second of South Koreas two major annual exercises, was to bring together 21,000 troops including 18,000 South Koreans for computer-simulated command operations and field training. And while the allies later delayed half of Ulchi Freedom Shields 44 planned field drills until September, US military officials rejected South Korean media claims that the cutback was intended to create space for diplomacy with Pyongyang, saying the changes were due to extreme heat and flood-damaged training sites. open image in gallery In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, centre, inspects the warship Choe Hyon in Nampo, North Korea, on 18 August 2025 ( AP ) They continue to tediously talk about peace and improved relations, being well aware that it is impossible to realise them, because they have an ulterior motive to finally shift the responsibility for the DPRK-ROK relations failing to recover onto the DPRK, Ms Kim said. On Monday, Kim Jong Un also denounced the South KoreaUS military drills and pledged to accelerate the expansion of his nuclear arsenal while touring a new warship equipped with nuclear-capable systems. State media later quoted his sister, Ms Kim, branding South Korea a top-class faithful dog of Washington and declaring that Seouls hopes of mending inter-Korean ties will never be realised. open image in gallery South Korean president Lee Jae Myung has urged Pyongyang to revive the 2018 military pact to ease border tensions ( via REUTERS ) In a statement last week, North Korean defence minister No Kwang Chol said the exercises reflected the allies posture of military confrontation with Pyongyang and warned that its forces were prepared to respond to any provocation going beyond the boundary line. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high, with Pyongyang rejecting Mr Lees overtures for dialogue as relations have deteriorated in recent years amid Mr Kims weapons buildup and closer alignment with Moscow after Russias invasion of Ukraine. open image in gallery This picture taken on 15 August 2025 and released from North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 16 August 2025 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visiting the Liberation Tower to mark the 80th anniversary of Koreas liberation in Pyongyang. Kim has denounced joint US-South Korea drills ( KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image ) Earlier, North Korea also denied removing propaganda broadcast speakers on the border with South Korea, with Ms Kim labelling the claim a red herring. In a statement published in the KCNA news agency, Ms Kim said: We have never removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and are not willing to remove them. Meanwhile, Ms Kim said at the Tuesday meeting: They also know that the DPRK-ROK relations desired by them will never come back. If they dont know, they will be idiots. She added: Clarifying once again on this occasion, the Republic of Korea cannot be a diplomatic partner of the DPRK. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A state in southern India is facing severe backlash from child rights activists and experts after the authorities proposed to introduce an AI face recognition system to keep track of students attendance. The Department of School Education and Literacy in Karnataka is planning to use mobile phone-based facial recognition to mark attendance in the Students Achievement Tracking System (SATS) the governments database for monitoring students. The facial recognition system will also be used to track beneficiaries of government welfare schemes such as midday meals, where pupils are provided lunches under the largest free-food-in-school programme in the world, the authorities earlier said. The state government said it developed a separate mobile application, with the attendance system set to be implemented in the 20252026 academic year. According to The Hindu, all student information has already been added to the Students Achievement Tracking System. The system can recognise students faces in real time using facial recognition technology. Once the image is captured through the mobile application, it will be encrypted and converted into a unique identification code, which cannot be reverse-engineered. Officials said this would ensure privacy and data security. A coalition of educationists, teachers unions, parents groups, and civil society organisations has warned the Karnataka government that the facial recognition system could expose children to severe risks of data misuse, exploitation, and abuse. The coalition of 31 experts and organisations wrote to chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday, urging the government to roll back the initiative. Schools are supposed to be protected spaces, the letter read. The signatories warned that facial data of children, if leaked or stolen, could have unimaginable consequences, including falling into the hands of child traffickers and criminals. The coalition also expressed concerns over possible sexual exploitation, given the rise in deepfake tools. By introducing surveillance through facial recognition, we are creating vulnerabilities for children instead of protecting them. Schools must remain safe spaces, not zones of surveillance, Niranjanaradhya VP, the convener of the Peoples Alliance for Fundamental Right to Education, was quoted by The Indian Express as saying. He said that the government already mandates School Development and Monitoring Committees in every school. If these are strengthened and supported, they can ensure far greater accountability than any surveillance tool ever could, Mr Niranjanaradhya added. The state government said a total of 52,686 schools would be covered under this facial recognition programme, including 46,460 government and 6,226 aided ones. The application is equipped to monitor the attendance of more than 525,500 pupils, it said. Last year, Farida Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, called for a ban on the use of facial recognition technologies in educational institutions. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice At least 71 people, including 17 children, have been killed in western Afghanistan after a bus carrying refugees deported from Iran burst into flames following a collision with a fuel truck. The accident happened on Tuesday night when the passenger bus was passing through Guzara district in Herat province. All the passengers on board the bus were Afghan nationals who were recently deported by Iran and were en route to the Afghan capital Kabul, the provincial governors spokesperson Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi told AFP. Herat police said the accident was a result of the buss "excessive speed and negligence and only three passengers survived the crash. The bus crashed into a motorcycle and the truck which was carrying fuel leading to a fire. Two people who were in the truck and two others riding the motorcycle were also killed, police said. Visuals from the scene showed a bus engulfed in flames as firefighters tried to douse the fire. Later pictures showed the burnt shell of the bus and the charred remains of the truck and the motorcycle. A massive number of Afghan refugees have been deported by neighbouring countries Pakistan and Iran in recent years. According to the United Nations migration agency, more than 1 million Afghans are expected to return to Afghanistan from these two countries alone. For decades, refugees from Afghanistans multiple conflicts have lived in border villages in neighbouring countries more fled in 2021 after the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban. The UN said more than 1.5 million returned in 2025 alone and more than 4 million since September 2023. The UNs mission in Afghanistan has called on all countries to stop forcibly sending vulnerable Afghan nationals back to their homeland under the Taliban regime as it warned about the threat of arrest, torture and abuse these citizens face. Rights groups have voiced concern that their arrest and deportation would wreak havoc on their lives after their return to Afghanistan, which is facing challenges to integrate waves of returnees amid high rates of unemployment and poverty. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Peruvian woman has been arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine and ecstasy into Bali hidden inside a sex toy and her underwear. The 42-year-old woman, identified by authorities only by the initials NS, arrived at the international airport in Bali from Qatar on 12 August, where she was stopped by customs officials. "The customs officers suspected her behaviour, and after consulting with the police, they did a further check on her," Bali police narcotics unit director Radiant, identified by only his first name, said at a press conference. Upon searching the woman, officers say they found 1.4kg of cocaine and 43 ecstasy pills worth a combined $70,000 (52,000) hidden about her person, including inside a sex toy and in her underwear. "The narcotics were hidden in six plastic packages wrapped in black duct tape inside a green bra, three similar packages in black underwear, and a sex toy containing drugs, which was inserted into her body," Mr Radiant said, according to BBC News. A Peruvian woman identified only as NS, center, who was arrested on accusation of smuggling cocaine into the resort island of Bali ( AP ) The Peruvian national told law enforcement said she was hired by a man who she met on dark web in April, and told to transport the drugs into Indonesia. She was promised $20,000 in return, said the officer. The woman took a flight from Barcelona to Indonesia, with a layover at Doha, before arriving in Bali on 12 August. She has been charged under Indonesias stringent narcotics laws and could face a maximum punishment of the death penalty. The southeast Asian nation has some of the worlds harshest laws around drug smuggling. About 530 people, including 96 foreigners, are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, the latest figures from the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections show. The countrys last executions, of an Indonesian and three foreigners, were carried out in July 2016. In 2015, two members of the so-called Bali nine group of convicted drug smugglers from Australia were executed by firing squad, after the group were arrested in 2005 attempting to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia. Earlier this year British man Thomas Parker was sentenced to 10 months in prison in Bali for drug offences, after being arrested for collecting a package that contained 1kg of MDMA. And last month, three British nationals narrowly avoided the death penalty after they were found guilty of smuggling cocaine disguised as packets of Angel Delight into Indonesia. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Aristocrat Constance Marten has launched a bid to overturn her conviction for killing her newborn daughter while on the run from police. Baby Victoria perished in a thin and flimsy tent after Marten and her partner Mark Gordon, a convicted rapist, took her off-grid to stop the infant from being taken into care. The parents are facing years in jail after they were both convicted of gross negligence manslaughter in a retrial this summer. In a separate trial last year, the couple were also found guilty of concealing their daughters birth, child cruelty and perverting the course of justice by hiding her body in a rubbish-filled shopping bag. An appeal bid following their first trial was previously rejected. However Marten, 38, has now lodged a fresh application at the Court of Appeal seeking permission to appeal her manslaughter conviction, according to court officials. open image in gallery Constance Marten, 38, shouted its a scam from the dock after she was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter ( PA Wire ) Over the course of the two drawn-out trials, it emerged the couple had carefully concealed Martens pregnancy with Victoria their fifth child before going on the run to stop her from being taken into care. Their first four children had been removed by a family court a decision which the parents claimed was a miscarriage of justice driven by a corrupt social services system. She gave birth in secret in a holiday cottage before they frantically travelled the country with the baby hidden inside Martens coat at first by road and later in taxis paid for with cash from her trust fund after their car caught fire on the M61. They decided to settle off-grid in the South Downs with little more than some sleeping bags and a cheap tent amid a nationwide manhunt after police found the remains of a placenta in their burnt-out car. But Victoria died after Marten fell asleep with her zipped inside her jacket as they sheltered in the tent in January 2023. After the unanimous guilty verdict for manslaughter was read out in July, Marten, wearing a blue top and dark trousers, later shouted its a scam from the dock. Gordon, 51, has previously served 22 years in a Florida prison for raping a woman armed with a knife and hedge clippers in a 1989 home invasion when he was 14 years old. open image in gallery Mark Gordon, 51, was jailed in Florida for a brutal rape at age 14 ( Metropolitan Police ) A further charge against Gordon for failing to comply with his sex offender notification requirements while on the run was this week dropped by prosecutors. Prosecutor Joel Smith KC told the Old Bailey that in light of his recent conviction for manslaughter, the Crown Prosecution Service took the view that it was no longer in the public interest to pursue the charge. Gordon, who appeared by video-link from Belmarsh prison unrepresented by a lawyer, seemed uncertain when asked to enter a plea. Judge Mark Lucraft KC told him: If you plead not guilty that will bring proceedings to an end. Gordon then responded: Of course, not guilty. Mr Smith then offered no evidence and invited Judge Lucraft to formally acquit Gordon. The parents are due to be sentenced on 15 September. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Alex Salmonds niece has criticised Nicola Sturgeons decision to write about her late uncle, saying she had only done so because hes not here to defend himself. Christina Hendry said if the former first minister and Alba Party leader was alive today he would have defended himself with every fibre of his being. Ms Sturgeon made several claims about her predecessor in her memoir Frankly, which was published last week. She accused Mr Salmond of creating conspiracy theories over sexual harassment allegations and said he did not read the independence white paper before the referendum in 2014. Ms Sturgeon also said Mr Salmond wanted to destroy me and would have rather seen the SNP fail than succeed without him. Appearing on the BBCs Good Morning Scotland programme, Ms Hendry criticised Ms Sturgeon. She said: The way I see it is if my uncle was here today, these things would not be being said. I believe they are being said because hes not here to defend himself, as he would have done with every fibre of his being. Asked what she thought had motivated Ms Sturgeon to make the claims now, Ms Hendry said: Im unsure. I think theres been a few people questioning that. But I think the timing of these things being said theres been a number of years where theyve not been said, that these things could have been said, and the timing of it now, where shes released the book and is looking to publicise that. I think many people have thought that could be the case. In her book, Ms Sturgeon said Mr Salmond had never produced a shred of evidence that he was a victim of a conspiracy, adding that he admitted to her the substance of one of the complaints against him. A judicial review into the Scottish Governments handling of complaints against Mr Salmond found the investigation was tainted by apparent bias while a court cleared him of all charges. Ms Hendry said: The bottom line is he was cleared in the highest court in Scotland and I think Im unsure as to why its being brought up. I do think there were people conspiring against him, and I think theres the truth will still come out. There are things to still come out in the public, and I think there are many people who should be thinking about their actions. Ms Hendry added that her family was united in pursuing legal action against the Scottish Government over its botched harassment probe. In December, she announced she would run to be an MSP in one of Mr Salmonds former seats. Ms Hendry said she would contest the Banffshire and Buchan Coast seat for Alba that her uncle had planned to campaign in before his death in North Macedonia in October. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Labour is bracing for a wave of legal action that could displace thousands of asylum seekers after councils across England signalled they could seek to ban hotels for migrants. Home Office minister Dan Jarvis has said that the government is working on contingency plans for housing asylum seekers after Epping Forest District Council was granted a temporary High Court injunction, forcing the removal of the 136 migrants who live there, in a landmark ruling on Tuesday. The order blocks asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, which has been the site of a series of violent protests that have seen police officers injured and multiple people arrested for disorder in recent weeks. Former Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick called for all patriotic councils to follow Eppings lead and pursue injunctions, and deputy leader of Reform, Richard Tice, urged residents to protest at hotels housing migrants to force their removal. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has demanded Labour hold an emergency cabinet meeting to address the migrant crisis, and called on home secretary Yvette Cooper to commit that none of the asylum seekers in the Bell would be moved into hotels, houses, apartments or social housing. He cited Tory plans to use larger sites to house asylum seekers, despite the National Audit Office finding use of former military bases to be significantly more expensive than paying for hotel accommodation. Analysis of Home Office figures by The Independent shows that the government has already made progress on cutting the asylum backlog, with the number of people waiting for initial decisions on their applications dropping to 78,000 from its peak of 133,000 in 2023 under the Tory government. While over 100,000 asylum seekers are being housed by the government as they wait for their claims, just a third 32,345 people are in hotels. In London, as many as 65 per cent of asylum seekers are housed in hotels as the government scrambles for limited accommodation. Hotels cost the government up to 170 a night per asylum seeker around six times higher than other forms of accommodation, according to the Migration Observatory. open image in gallery Epping Forest District Council sought an injunction against the use of the Bell Hotel for asylum seekers at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Tuesday ( Reuters ) At least eleven district or borough councils including some Labour-led ones have now said that they will assess their legal options after the Epping ruling, two more are in conversation with the Home Office about changes to hotels in their area, and a further four said they would monitor developments in the legal bid. Reform-run county councils have also said they will push for legal action against any asylum hotels in their areas; however, decisions to bring a legal challenge over planning restrictions will be down to individual districts. Charity Refugee Council said that everyone agrees that hotels are the wrong answer and called on the Home Office to resolve asylum applications quickly, so people can either rebuild their lives here or return home with dignity. open image in gallery Protesters outside the Bell Hotel in Epping earlier this month ( PA ) Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais, said that government had failed in its first duty to protect the residents of the Bell Hotel and exposed them to weeks of hate. He added: Its the governments failure to protect the residents that opened the space for a challenge on planning grounds, which has handed the far-right something to claim victory on. Mr Jarvis, the security minister, said that asylum seekers in Epping would be appropriately accommodated at other sites but failed to rule out their being moved to other hotels. He added that well see over the next few days and weeks whether more legal cases will follow. Spelthorne Borough Council said it was working closely with legal counsel in light of the recent High Court ruling, which it said may have significant implications for a hotel in the village of Stanwell. open image in gallery Chris Whitbread, leader of Epping Forest District Council, outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Tuesday ( PA ) A Labour council leader in Tamworth, Staffordshire, where violence broke out against asylum seekers in hotels during the riots last year, said that they were reviewing legal options in light of the Epping judgment. Carol Dean said the council hadnt sought an injunction against the hotel in its area when it was first used in 2022 because other legal challenges had been unsuccessful, but that they would be reviewing our legal position in light of this significant ruling. Labour-led Wirral council also said it was considering its options after being told by the Home Office at the end of June that a former hotel in the area will soon be used to house single male asylum seekers. The former hotel is currently being used to house asylum-seeking families, and no planning application has been made to change the use of the hotel, the council said. In South Ribble, Lancashire, the council said that use of asylum hotels in its area had been imposed on us by government, and it would explore all of our options. Simon Tagg, leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said that while there are no asylum hotels in their area, they had continuing concerns about the use of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) and short-term lets for migrants. Leader of Newcastle City Council, Karen Kilgour, said that the use of hotels for asylum seekers was not appropriate or sustainable and added that the council were in active discussions with the Home Office about getting more control over the placement of migrants in the city. In South Norfolk, the council said it had already issued an enforcement notice on the owners of an asylum hotel in early August, requiring them to submit a planning application for a change of use. Somani Hotels Ltd, the company that owns the Bell Hotel in Epping, failed to apply for a change of use after receiving advice that it would not be necessary. Mr Justice Eyre ruled against them on Tuesday, saying that there was an arguable case that the Bell was no longer a hotel. Several councils contacted by The Independent said that while they had asylum hotels in their area, they had no intention of seeking legal action to move refugees out. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A campaign group has launched legal action seeking to ban civil servants from wearing rainbow lanyards, endorsing Pride events and using preferred pronouns in public-facing email signatures. The Christian Institute has claimed that civil service endorsement of LGBT Pride breaches rules on impartiality and is clearly political. In a letter sent to the government before launching its action, the charity said it is seeking a judicial review of staff participation in Pride events. The action has prompted criticism from LGBT+ campaigners who said, if successful, efforts to roll back rights will take the UK back decades. Simon Calvert, deputy director of The Christian Institute, said it was inappropriate for civil servants to be officially endorsing Pride. He added that he had been shocked by civil servants wearing rainbow lanyards in meetings, which he feels gives the impression that their minds are closed on alternative views. It certainly does not communicate the kind of neutrality that taxpayers expect of civil servants. open image in gallery A campaign group has launched legal action seeking to prevent civil servants from wearing rainbow lanyards ( Getty/iStock ) The civil service code states that all employees are expected to carry out their roles with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality. The action has concerned LGBT campaigners, who described it as nothing less than a fundamental attack on inclusion, freedom of speech, and democracy. Jess OThomson, of the Good Law Project, said: We are seeing a concerted effort to roll back LGBTQ+ rights in this country. If these efforts succeed they will take us back decades. It's nothing less than a fundamental attack on inclusion, freedom of speech, and democracy. We must not accept it. A government spokesperson said: The civil service is committed to an inclusive environment for all staff, boosting productivity and opening up opportunities across the country. The charitys action comes after a High Court judgment effectively banned uniformed police from taking part in Pride parades. The judgment, handed down last month, ruled that officers were wrong to have taken part in Newcastles Pride parade last year. The case was brought by Linzi Smith, who described herself in court documents as a lesbian who is gender critical, who believes that a persons sex is an immutable characteristic. She argued that police breached their impartiality obligations by taking part in the event and appearing under a banner supporting transgender peoples rights. open image in gallery The charitys action comes after a High Court judgment effectively banned uniformed police from taking part in Pride parades ( Getty/iStock ) The judge, Mr Justice Linden, agreed with her and ruled that the Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, Vanessa Jardine, had acted unlawfully when she allowed uniformed officers to take part in the event last year. Reaching his decision, the judge said participation was likely to be seen as expressing the support of the head of the force for the views and the cause which the march sought to promote and therefore as indicating the position or perspective of the force as an organisation. The Independent has contacted the government for comment. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Independent readers are divided over the High Court ruling that asylum seekers must be moved out of The Bell Hotel in Epping, with many seeing it as a fraught and short-term fix to a wider housing and migration crisis. Many argued the judgement sets a dangerous precedent, effectively rewarding protests and unrest by closing hotels, and leaving asylum seekers displaced without proper alternatives. Others warned that the decision risks emboldening far-right groups, who would see disruptive tactics as a way to influence local planning and policy. But some commenters backed the courts decision, saying local people had been ignored for too long while their towns and services absorbed sudden changes without consultation. Ordinary UK citizens are sick of being ignored while resources are stretched thin, said one reader, echoing widespread frustration that communities feel powerless over decisions made in Westminster. Meanwhile, however, several readers stressed that immigration is essential to the UKs economy, especially in an ageing society, while others called for safe and legal asylum routes to end the small boats crossings. Critics of Reform and Nigel Farage accused them of exploiting the crisis for political gain, while pointing out that both Tory and Labour governments had failed to address the backlog. Heres what you had to say: This is no victory for Epping The government are now actively fast-tracking migrants from hotels to HMOs all across the country. As a landlord with two of these types of property, the temptation of a lease from Serco is getting far too hard not to take. I approximate that landlords will get an extra 2,0005,000 per year to lease to the government. Not only that, you don't have to ever find a tenant or look after the property as Serco completely take over the management and maintenance duties. These properties have a great value to society, as they are frequently used by split families, where fathers can't afford a full-price rent or mortgage. These places give them time to get back on their feet and live well, whilst paying maintenance. Also, young single people who don't have a strong family network it's their only way to afford any accommodation. These people are being squeezed out as more properties are turned over to the government. 227detius Ordinary UK citizens are sick of being ignored People in towns like Epping are exhausted. They never asked for their local hotel to be turned into an asylum hostel, never got a say, and yet theyre the ones left living with the consequences rising tension, fear, and the sense their community is being changed without their consent. Ordinary UK citizens are sick of being ignored while resources are stretched thin and foreign nationals are prioritised over them. This isnt about hate its about fairness, safety, and respect for the people who actually live here. The High Court ruling is a rare moment where local voices have finally been heard, and many feel its long overdue. RFA They are asylum seekers, not migrants They are asylum seekers and cannot be called migrants. I have seen some people in hotels where they seem lost. What they need is a place to sleep and be able to eat their nations dishes, and hotels are not aware of what food they eat. On top of that, hotels hire people who speak their language to learn their taste. If they can buy stuff themselves, that will reduce costs for government considerably. Once their case is finalised, they can start work and won't be a burden to government. TotiCalling The far-right create the problems they rail against So, right-wingers who voted in a right-wing party to stop asylum seekers being housed in run-down empty homes across the country that locals didn't want to live in, and house them in hotels instead, have won a victory against the policy they created. It's endless. The far-right create a problem, then rail against it, then by their actions create a new problem that they then blame on others and rail against that. If the UK stops accepting asylum seekers, which is what the anti-immigrant groups want, countries that border conflict zones may also reject their international obligation, leading to many times more asylum seekers heading to the UK where they will just go underground and untracked. It could also potentially damage our relationships with trading partners that do take asylum seekers and undermine our moral position that supports our global trading and strategic interests. But hey, why look at potential problems when you can raise a pitchfork and kick off. BrotherChe Farage is stirring up the crisis Professional agitator Farage is stirring up the crisis for political gain! Reform has NO policies but stop the boats a problem Labour inherited from the Tories. However, it seems the right-wing media are pushing Farage and Reform as they are the party of the establishment, who would deregulate Britain only an advantage for the richest few. The small boats crisis also, as giving Farage a single-issue rhetoric, masks the large legal migration that happened under the TORIES and we are not told how large it is now! Mintman Questionable judgement A questionable judgement. It says to local communities if you dont want these asylum hotels/refugees in your communities, you can protest on the grounds it might make it unsafe for your children on their way home from school, and you get the council to shut them down. You just have to make a fuss on behalf of your children. chrish Playing a very dangerous game The left-wing political establishment is playing a very dangerous game, bringing people into the country in this way and planting them in the middle of settled communities and at great expense. The political establishment might think they are provoking the far-right, but in reality they are provoking ordinary people, many of whom have fallen on hard times. If they carry on like this, it could get very ugly. Mark Reform dont do solutions I see Reform claiming credit for this judgement. I don't see any practical solutions from Reform as to how to tackle this problem. In fact, it seems Reform don't do solutions. While the number of asylum seekers held in hotels etc is now one for Labour to solve, it should be remembered who was responsible for this backlog to build the last government. JRiley Immigration is here to stay Some people blame Tony Blair for embracing a policy of high immigration. However, the truth is that during the Blair years, net migration was generally small but increased to between 200,000 and 300,000 per year in 2004 (Migration Policy Institute). However, in the post-Brexit years net migration rose to between 600,000 to 900,000 per year (ONS). The UK is a rapidly ageing country and cannot function without immigrants. So, immigration is here to stay and people should be grateful for that, especially pensioners and those on benefits, because immigrants pay taxes that allow the government to pay pensions and benefits. Pomerol95 Kicking the can down the road So the far-right start to riot, and their targets are punished and moved away? Makes sense. I'd rather we get rid of the far-right that are ruining the town. Good job on kicking the can down the road a bit. Bobertson If you dont like immigration, dont cheer invasions A large proportion of recent asylum seekers come from countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya all countries which have been reduced to ruin by invasions which most of these people enthusiastically supported. If you don't like immigration, don't vote for people like Tony Blair or Lord Snooty Cameron, don't cheer on "Our Boys" when they go rampaging around the world! envious Safe routes are needed Genuine refugees need SAFE routes that the last Tory government took away, and a reintroduction of such routes would probably eliminate the small boats problem. Christopher1959 Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity. Want to share your views? Simply register your details below. Once registered, you can comment on the days top stories for a chance to be featured. Alternatively, click log in or register in the top right corner to sign in or sign up. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The government has agreed a new deal with Iraq to return illegal migrants. The deal, signed by Home Office minister Dan Jarvis, will set up a formal process to return Iraqis who have arrived in the UK with no right to stay in the country as part of wider moves to limit small boat crossings. It comes after an 800,000 deal last year with Baghdad to help the country crack down on smuggling networks and organised crime. Earlier this year Sir Keir Starmer and Iraqs prime minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani agreed to strengthen co-operation on migration. Mr Jarvis signed the agreement during a visit to the UK by Iraqs deputy foreign minister Faud Hussein. The Home Office said the accord would allow the swift return of illegal migrants. Home Office statistics said since previous deals, the number of Iraqis arriving in the UK by small boat has fallen to 1,900 in the year to March 2025, down from 2,600 in the previous year. Mr Jarvis said: By working together on security, development and migration challenges, we are building stronger relationships that benefit both our countries whilst tackling shared challenges like organised crime and irregular migration. The returns deal is the latest as part of the Home Offices policies to stop small boats crossing the channel. Similar agreements have already been made with Albania and Vietnam since Labour came into power. Home Office minister Dan Jarvis signed the deal ( James Manning/PA ) Another deal with France recently came into force, where small boat migrants who have arrived over the English Channel from the French coast can be returned to the country. The small boats migrant will then be exchanged for a legitimate asylum seeker in France who can demonstrate a genuine family link to the UK. The number has been capped, but it is hoped it will act as a deterrent to those crossing the Channel. The latest figures from the Home Office showed 116 migrants arrived aboard two small boats on August 15. Mr Jarvis said: This visit reinforces the strength of the UK-Iraq partnership and demonstrates our governments commitment to serious diplomacy that delivers real results. As someone who served in Iraq, I understand first-hand the importance of building enduring relationships in the region, and the new agreement we have signed is a testament to the trust and co-operation weve built with our Iraqi counterparts. However, the announcement was criticised by Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp. He said: Over 50,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel in Labours short time in power, the worst illegal immigration crisis in our history. Labour has surrendered our borders, and the consequences are being felt in our communities, from rising crime to shocking cases of rape and sexual assault by recent arrivals. Now they boast about a measly returns deal with Iraq, but barely any small boat arrivals are Iraqi, and most would qualify for asylum anyway. Its a sham designed to look tough while crossings keep soaring. Labour has scrapped Conservative deterrents and created the conditions for chaos, leaving the British people to foot the bill. Only the Conservatives will stop the crossings and restore control of Britains borders. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A new book about the Duke of York has been edited to remove claims about Melania Trumps relationship with Jeffery Epstein. The book, called Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, written by Andrew Lownie, has made headlines in recent weeks after making claims about the disgraced dukes life. An entire chapter is dedicated to Prince Andrews infamous friendship with Epstein, the late convicted sex offender. The chapter also included a claim that Donald Trump and his wife had been introduced by the disgraced financier - which has now been edited out of future editions. The president and first lady have long said they were introduced by Paolo Zampolli, a modeling agent, at a New York Fashion Week party in 1998. open image in gallery A claim that Donald and Melania Trump were introduced by Epstein has been removed ( Getty ) A HarperCollins UK spokesperson said: We can confirm that several passages from Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York by Andrew Lownie have been removed in consultation with the author. Entitled is published in the UK by HarperCollins. In the US the book is self-published by Mr Lownie. It is understood that the changes will appear in all future print editions of the book and that the ebook and audio book have already been updated to reflect these changes. However, it is estimated to have been printed in around 60,000 copies of the book already. open image in gallery The president and first lady have long said they were introduced by Paolo Zampolli, a modeling agent, at a New York Fashion Week party in 1998. ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The decision comes after Mrs Trump threatened to sue Hunter Biden, the son of former US President Joe Biden, for claiming Epstein introduced her and Mr Trump in the late 1990s. The statements are false, defamatory, and extremely salacious, Melania Trumps lawyer, Alejandro Brito, wrote in the letter to Biden. The letter demanded that Biden walk back the claim and apologise or face legal action for over $1bn in damages. It also accuses the former presidents son of having a vast history of trading on the names of others and repeating the claim to draw attention to yourself. Hunter Biden has refused to apologise after the first lady threatened legal action. Democratic strategist James Carville was also forced to take down parts of a podcast episode that alleged a connection between her and Jeffrey Epstein, following involvement from the first ladys lawyer earlier this month. First Lady Melania Trumps attorneys are actively ensuring immediate retractions and apologies by those who spread malicious, defamatory falsehoods. The true account of how the First Lady met President Trump is in her best-selling book, Melania, a spokesperson for the first ladys office previously told The Independent. The book has included a number of accusations about Prince Andrew, including claims of affairs, fights with Prince Harry and of being unbelievably cruel to royal staff. open image in gallery The book has included a number of accusations about Prince Andrew, including claims of affairs, fights with Prince Harry and of being unbelievably cruel to royal staff. ( Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) One passage says Andrew called a staff member in the Royal Household a f***ing imbecile for not referring to the Queen Mother by her full title in 2005. According to the book, Prince Andrews catchphrase when dealing with royal staff was I want this done and I want this done now. Do it! Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sir Keir Starmer faces a slew of legal challenges over the governments use of asylum hotels after a council was granted a temporary injunction blocking migrants from being housed there. Epping Forest District Council won an interim High Court injunction to stop asylum seekers being housed at The Bell Hotel, arguing it had become a feeding ground for unrest in recent weeks after a series of violent protests resulted in multiple arrests and saw police officers injured. Home secretary Yvette Cooper made a last-minute attempt on Tuesday to halt their removal, arguing that other councils would make similar applications for migrant accommodation in their areas. Labour is now bracing for dozens of local authorities to challenge the use of asylum hotels in their areas on similar grounds, with Home Office lawyers having warned that the decision could substantially impact the governments use of the accommodation. open image in gallery Nigel Farage has said Reform councils will do everything in their power to follow Eppings lead ( PA ) Reform UK leader Nigel Farage hailed the High Court decision in Epping as a victory and said he hoped it provides inspiration to others across the country, while the shadow home secretary argued that residents have every right to object to people being housed in their area. Mr Farage indicated that the 12 councils where Reform UK was the largest party would consider legal challenges following Tuesdays ruling. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he said the local authorities would do everything in their power to follow Eppings lead. Later on Tuesday night, Conservative-run Broxbourne borough council announced it was considering pursuing its own injunction. The council revealed it would take legal advice as a matter of urgency about attempting to shut down a four-star asylum hotel in the Hertfordshire town. Meanwhile, the leader of South Norfolk District Council, which covers the town of Diss where a hotel housing asylum seekers has also been the subject of protests, said the council would not go down the same route. Conservative leader Daniel Elmer said the council was using planning rules to try to ensure it was families being housed in the area rather than single adult males. He said that to do so, which would effectively convert the hotels into hostels, should require a change of use. The Bell Hotel has been at the centre of a series of protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker who was staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. open image in gallery Protesters outside the former Bell Hotel in Epping ( PA ) The Home Office had warned the judge that an injunction in Epping could interfere with the departments legal obligations, and lawyers representing the hotels owner argued it would set a precedent. Security minister Dan Jarvis on Wednesday said the government was looking very closely at the decision, indicating it could appeal to keep the hotel in use. We will look closely at the circumstances in Epping. We're looking at contingency options to accommodate those people who will now have to move out of that hotel, Mr Jarvis told Sky News. Reacting to the news on X, Mr Farage said that young, undocumented males who break into the UK illegally should NOT be free to walk the streets anywhere. They must be detained and deported. I hope that Epping provides inspiration to others across the country, he said. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch suggested that the migrants housed at the hotel need to be moved out of the area immediately, while her shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that residents should never have had to fight their own government just to feel safe in their own town. He said: Local residents have every right to feel safe in their own streets and every right to object when their community is treated as a dumping ground. Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Sanex shower gel television advertisement has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for reinforcing an offensive racial stereotype. The watchdog ruled the ad, which suggested black skin was "problematic" and white skin "superior", must not air again. This followed two complaints that it perpetuated negative stereotypes about darker skin tones. The ad, seen in June, included a voiceover that said: To those who might scratch day and night. To those whose skin will feel dried out even by water, alongside scenes of a black woman with red scratch marks and another covered with a cracked clay-like material. Alongside scenes of a white woman taking a shower with the product, the ad then stated: Try to take a shower with the new Sanex skin therapy and its patented amino acid complex. For 24 hour hydration feel. open image in gallery In one section a black woman was shown covered in a cracked, clay-like material ( ASA ) The ad ended with on-screen text and the voiceover stating: Relief could be as simple as a shower. Colgate-Palmolive, which owns the Sanex brand, said the depiction of diverse models in the ad, either experiencing skin discomfort or post-product relief, was shown in a before and after scenario to show their product was suitable and effective for all, rather than as a comparison based on race or ethnicity. On that basis, it believed the ad did not perpetuate negative racial stereotypes and was not likely to cause serious or widespread offence. Clearcast, which approves or rejects ads for broadcast on television, said the ad did not perpetuate negative racial stereotypes and instead demonstrated the products inclusivity. The agency said one model with darker skin was depicted in a stylised and unrealistic way to demonstrate dryness, but her skin tone was otherwise not a focal point. Get a free fractional share worth up to 100. Capital at risk. Terms and conditions apply. Go to website ADVERTISEMENT Get a free fractional share worth up to 100. Capital at risk. Terms and conditions apply. Go to website ADVERTISEMENT A second model, also with darker skin, was shown with itchy skin, but this was portrayed through scratching visibly healthy skin and the resulting marks, and was therefore more about sensation than any visible skin condition. The ASA said the use of different skin colours was a means of portraying a before and after of the products use, which created a juxtaposition of black skin shown as itchy, dry and cracked in the before scenes, and white skin shown as smoother skin in the after scenes. open image in gallery In another scene, a black woman is shown with red scratch marks over their body ( ASA ) The watchdog said: The ad was therefore structured in such a way that it was the black skin, depicted in association with itchy and dry skin, which was shown to be problematic and uncomfortable, whereas the white skin, depicted as smoother and clean after using the product, was shown successfully changed and resolved. We considered that could be interpreted as suggesting that white skin was superior to black skin. The ASA added: Although we understood that this message was not the one intended and might appear coincidental or pass unnoticed by some viewers, we considered that the ad was likely to reinforce the negative and offensive racial stereotype that black skin was problematic and that white skin was superior. We concluded that the ad included a racial stereotype and was therefore likely to cause serious offence. It further told Colgate-Palmolive to ensure they avoided causing serious offence on the grounds of race. Colgate-Palmolive has been approached for comment. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Boys and girls should be taught about periods together in school to foster a better understanding of menstruation, according to new research. A study by academics at University College London (UCL) suggests that current school curricula provide pupils with inadequate information on the topic. Many students reportedly receive just two lessons on periods throughout their entire school career one in primary and one in secondary education. The researchers are now urging for menstruation lessons in schools to become significantly more comprehensive. Since September 2020, relationships and sex education has been compulsory in secondary schools in England, while relationships education has been compulsory in primary schools. Professor Joyce Harper, from UCL Institute for Womens Health, said: Educating pupils about periods may now be compulsory in schools in England and Wales, but we know that for many of them that still only amounts to two lessons in their entire school career. The researchers suggested that periods should be taught among mixed-sex groups, as well as single-sex groups, which some schools do not currently do. open image in gallery The study found that education about the topic was inadequate - with some pupils receiving just two lessons about periods in their entire time at school ( PA ) Prof Harper said: Our focus groups were also of the view that boys need to be part of that education. It was agreed that classes should not be segregated by gender, believing mixed sessions are crucial for boys education. Although some saw value in single-sex classes to allow students to speak more freely, they still felt mixed sessions were essential to improve overall understanding. They suggested this could help boys understand and support their friends and future partners through menopause. Overall, 55 women took part in the study divided into two groups based on age (18 to 25 and 26 to 40) and five focus groups were conducted for each group. They were recruited via social media, and many of the women were educated before the topic on menstruation became mandatory in English schools. The academics said menstruation is highly stigmatised and a lack of education about difficult periods restricts individuals from seeking help. Co-author Caroline Musulin, from UCL Institute for Womens Health, said: Many women endure menstrual problems longer than they should due to the inability to speak openly about uncertainties, fears of being dismissed by healthcare professionals, the view that its just a painful period or feelings of shame. Stigma, secrecy, and the expectation to cope with painful periods contribute to the systemic dismissal of menstrual discomfort. The latest statutory Government guidance on relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) in schools says pupils should be taught about menstruation in primary and secondary school. open image in gallery Since September 2020, relationships and sex education has been compulsory in secondary schools in England, while relationships education has been compulsory in primary schools ( PA Wire ) The guidance, which was published last month, says pupils should learn the facts about the menstrual cycle, including physical and emotional changes, by the end of primary school to help them understand what to expect. By the end of secondary school, pupils should learn about menstrual and gynaecological health including period problems such as premenstrual syndrome, heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome as well as menopause, the guidance adds. The latest Department for Education guidance says: RSE lessons should ensure that both boys and girls have opportunities to practise respectful communication and understand experiences which are different from their own, including menstruation and menopause. Schools in England will have to follow the statutory RSHE guidance from September 2026. Sarah Hannafin, head of policy for school leaders union NAHT, said: Teaching about periods is a vital part of health education for all pupils. Although many schools may separate classes to create a safe space for discussions on topics like this, mixed-sex groups should also be planned as it is vital that pupils understand others experiences. Schools need freely available high-quality resources to support them to do this. Education about periods needs more than a single lesson but the curriculum in both primary and secondary schools is overcrowded and the new RSHE guidance has added a lot of new content without any additional time being created. Pepe DiIasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: We fully support the need for boys and girls to be taught about menstruation in a comprehensive manner which goes beyond biological facts and covers the wider effects on wellbeing. It is essential to be able to discuss this topic openly without misinformation or embarrassment. While it is covered in the RSHE curriculum we would welcome consideration of how teaching of this topic might be strengthened. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Radical new ways to tax property are reportedly being considered by the Treasury ahead of the next autumn budget as chancellor Rachel Reeves looks to bolster public finances. Plans to overhaul stamp duty and council tax, as well as a mansion tax to cover the sale of high-value homes, are all on the table, sources have said in recent days. Ms Reeves is understood to have asked officials to calculate how these new proportional taxes would work in the UK, all of which would aim to target wealth more directly. The overhaul would see a national property tax replace stamp duty on owner-occupied homes. Council tax could also be replaced with a local property tax, helping to boost ailing local authority finances. open image in gallery Chancellor Rachel Reeves has asked officials to calculate how a new proportional property tax would work in the UK ( PA Wire ) Another speculated plan would see capital gains tax payable by the seller on high-value properties. Under current rules, everyone is exempt from the levy when selling their primary residence. Heres how the plans would change the UK tax landscape. How would the mansion tax work? In the UK, capital gains tax is payable on the sale of most high-value assets. This includes property, stocks and possessions worth over 6,000. Under current rules, a homeowner does not generally need to pay capital gains tax on the sale of a property which has been their primary residence during the time they have owned it. This would change under the proposed plans when the value of the property of the house being sold is worth 1.5 million or more, although this threshold is said to be under consideration. The way capital gains tax works for property sales sees sellers required to work out the gain they have made on the asset. This is usually the difference between what they paid for the property and the amount they sold it for. open image in gallery Critics say many of the measures would hit Londoners hardest ( Getty/iStock ) If this is above, or takes the seller above, their capital gains tax allowance 3,000 every year they will need to report and pay the tax. For higher or additional rate income tax payers, the rate is 24 per cent. For those on the basic rate, its 18 per cent. Several property experts have reacted negatively to the idea. Colleen Babcock, Rightmove's property expert, said: "In essence, this would predominantly be a tax on the most expensive areas of London and the South East. The London market is already feeling the effects of taxation more acutely than other parts of England, and this is likely to deter some moves at the upper end. Meanwhile, Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at AJ Bell, said: A mansion tax set at a high level would naturally cause people to worry it was just the thin end of the wedge, and the next time the government needs a bit of money they could just lower the threshold. What is stamp duty and how could it change? Under current rules, stamp duty is a levy paid by the buyer of residential property, varying based on the price of the property and whether it is their first purchase. The amount owed is slightly different depending on who is buying, as first-time buyers are given stamp duty relief and benefit from lower rates. In 2023/24, the levy brought in 11.6 billion for the government. open image in gallery Since April, first-time buyers have had to pay stamp duty when purchasing a home worth up to 300,000 ( Getty/iStock ) The plans to replace the tax have reportedly drawn on the findings of a report from centre-right think tank Onward, published in August last year. Their recommended policy would see a new tax introduced on the sale of a property when it is worth above 500,000. This levy would be proportionate to the propertys value, and paid at a rate set by HMRC. It would be payable by the new owner of the property, only on the amount above 500,000. This would mean the owners of a property worth just over the threshold would pay a trivial amount, according to the report. Could council tax be replaced? Another mulled concept would see council tax replaced with a new local property tax, complementing the national property tax. It will be a tax on property value paid by the owner, the Onward report explains, and at a rate set by each local authority. This should be levied on values up to a cap of 500,000 in a bid to ensure that the richest areas are not able to set far lower rates than those with less valuable properties. This would address a key criticism of the council tax system - that how properties are valued is unfair and inaccurate. The band of council tax that all properties pay is based on values last evaluated in the 1990s, which have become drastically outdated in many places. open image in gallery Another mulled concept would see council tax replaced with a new local property tax ( Getty/iStock ) The local property tax concept would instead see tax liable on properties based on their value at the last point they were sold, meaning valuation would be regularly updated. However, both of the proposed taxes have been criticised as a tax that will disproportionately hit people living in areas where property prices are higher. The effect would be particularly acute in London, said chair of Martyn Gerrard Estate Agents Simon Gerrard, who told The Independent that it would amount to a London tax. He said: Rightmoves latest figures for August show that the average price of a property in London is now 666,983. Upping taxes for properties over 500K is not making the wealthy pay their fair share, its a tax on ordinary Londoners. No final decisions have been made on the plans, and the government has not commented publicly on their veracity. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sir Keir Starmer has led further meetings with European allies to discuss deploying a reassurance force to Ukraine to ensure the countrys security against future Russian attacks. The meeting came in the wake of what he described as a historic summit in the White House on Monday, led by Donald Trump and attended by eight of Europes top leaders, including Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, to attempt to negotiate a peace settlement with Russia. Sir Keir had already confirmed that he is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a peace deal for the war-torn country. He has taken the lead in creating a coalition of the willing to help shore up Ukraines defences. Trump, meanwhile, has ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine. open image in gallery Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his commitment to a just and lasting peace ( PA Wire ) The prime minister had also pledged to increase UK defence spending, saying that "tyrants" like Russian president Vladimir Putin "only respond to strength". His initial promise to raise spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, with an aim to hit 3 per cent by the end of the next term, was quickly altered to five per cent in line with Nato promises in June. Relations with Russia are at their worst since the Cold War period, and military experts believe that European countries need to be prepared for conflict. But is the UK ready to put boots on the ground; and how do Britains armed forces compare now to 40 years ago, in 1984, when the UK was engaged in a stand-off with Russia? How strong is the UKs military? Earlier this year the Ministry of Defence released its latest figures on military equipment, accurate as of April 2024. The army increased its number of Challenger II Main Battle Tanks from 213 to 219 in the past year to April. Ministry of Defence figures show that the army also has some 128 Ajax armoured fighting vehicles, though an update from defence minister Lord Coaker suggests that only 91 of these are already in service, after years of delay. The UK also added four new F-35 fighter jets, also known as Lightning, bringing the total to 35 according to latest figures. The number of Typhoon jets (137), submarines (10), destroyers (6), and frigates (12) remained the same as the previous year. open image in gallery UK military capacity compared to the Cold War in ships, submarines, tanks, and war planes. ( IISS/ Ministry of Defence / The Independent ) In terms of personnel and ships, the UKs capacity is substantially lower than in 1984, primarily because the UK is in peacetime and equipment needs have evolved. Technology has evolved significantly since the 1980s, in particular when it comes to air defence and tanks. This means that some equipment will be fewer in number but of a much higher quality. While jet fighters of the 1980s were technologically advanced for their time, the newest aircraft are more akin to flying supercomputers. Submarines are designed to evade ever more complicated detection equipment and warships have to tackle missiles which travel several times the speed of sound. Yet the numbers can matter when engaged in direct combat, experts explain, since losses are all but certain. Some equipment is not in service, is on loan, or is due for repairs, said defence acquisition expert Stuart Young, a former engineer officer in the Royal Navy and visiting fellow at Cranfield University. The Challenger main battle tank is currently in service, and thats being upgraded, Mr Young explained. But the challenge is, as those go in to be upgraded, the number of main battle tanks is going to go down until they come back out of that upgrade cycle. Many of these supplies have not been updated in decades, meaning in some cases the UK is still relying on the same equipment built in the Cold War. In fact, the majority of the armys armoured fighting vehicles are from before the 1990s, and some come from as far back as the Sixties, according to a defence committee report in 2021 which called the lack of new acquisitions deplorable. The navy faces similar challenges. The oldest type-23 frigates are well over 30 years old now, and the replacement was due originally in around 2010. Those ships were designed for an 18 to 21-year life, Mr Young said. If Britain enters into war, it is not clear that the country will be able to get stockpiles and numbers to the levels needed in a timely manner. The UK has met and exceeded its Nato minimum defence spend of 2 per cent of total economic output, or GDP, with levels currently estimated at 2.3 per cent; and set to rise to 2.5 per cent from 2027. But James Black, assistant director at security research group Rand, said that Natos 2 per cent target was a politically derived number that was common in a post-Cold War setting. In the Cold War, countries were spending routinely a lot more than 2 per cent, spending three, four or five, he said. So we shouldnt think that 2 per cent is a magic number at which you are automatically spending enough money that you are well defended against all threats. open image in gallery Sir Keir has pledged his support to President Zelensky ( PA Wire ) Last year, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the governments first budget including an increase in defence spending to almost 3bn, clearly illustrat[es] our commitment to national security and ensur[es] we have a military force fit for the future. But some military experts fear that this is not enough, arguing that 3 per cent of GDP a 0.7 per cent increase of some 16.4bn a year is necessary to replenish stockpiles and prepare the UK for a possible allied conflict against aggressors such as Russia; while Trump has called for 5 per cent spending in Europe. With the impact of Ukraine and the general tightening of government spending, were in a catch-up situation. I think spending has to go up to 3 per cent or more, to actually give you the increase in capability needed to meet the increasing threat that we have at the moment, Mr Young said. At a NATO summit in June, the Prime Minister pledged to deliver a historic 5 per cent of spending on national security. This would mean increasing the defence budget to 3.5 per cent by 2035. open image in gallery Type 23 frigates like HMS Lancaster are coming to the end of their lives (PA) ( PA ) Sir Keir has confirmed that defence spending will meet 2.5 per cent by 2027, yet his target of 3.5 per cent has a longer timeframe of nearly a decade. But Mr Young said he believed that matching the 2.5 per cent promise wouldnt represent any material improvements for UK defence. Instead, Mr Young estimates that this figure will be just enough to play catch-up with stockpiles and demand. We havent invested in stockpiling missiles and ammunition and things like that, Mr Young said. In July, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence acknowledged that the armed forces have faced resource cuts in the past few years. We know we face serious challenges after years of hollowing out of our armed forces and our Strategic Defence Review will assess the threats we face and the capabilities needed to address them in order to secure our nations defences. The war in Ukraine has also hit the UKs military budget and supplies, along with other Nato members. The UK has pledged 7.8bn in military assistance to Ukraine since February 2022 and, like other allied countries, has even donated equipment directly from UK defence stockpiles including tanks and missiles. This means that equipment numbers could be even lower than shown in the official statistics, last updated in September 2023. As a result, if Britains defence forces receive an influx in capital, it could take four or five years to replenish supplies of equipment and weaponry, Mr Young suggested. The new armed forces minister [Luke Pollard] said we want to buy as much defence equipment from the UK as possible. Well, the UK doesnt have that capacity any more. Dwindling troop numbers Britains armed forces also have a big recruitment problem, exacerbated by budget cuts; which may present a challenge if forces are deployed. We need to increase recruitment, especially if we are looking at peacekeeping activities in Ukraine, which needs boots on the ground. The problems we had six months ago have just been exacerbated further by recent events, Mr Young said. The number of people in the armed forces is 45 per cent lower than it was in 1984, at approximately 180,000 personnel, according to the MoD at January 1 of this year. Within this, only 127,000 are full-time trained personnel, while approximately 53,000 are untrained or reserves. Training takes time, money and, most importantly, retaining personnel, Mr Young said. In the current job market, army pay is no longer competitive before even considering how many young people are willing to commit to the hours, lifestyle, and risk of military service. But Mr Young warned that the biggest problem may be the loss of expertise, as higher trained officials are abandoning the military for private sector jobs. In particular, the quality of accommodation and other resources for military families has been in decline, which he points to as a reason for older personnel with dependents leaving the military. Mr Young said the UK couldnt afford to lose these highly trained groups in the armed forces, especially as equipment becomes more and more technically complex. Weve got people leaving the armed forces because of the living and working conditions, so then youre losing expertise and talent as well, he says. So, switching on the tap today in terms of recruitment doesnt give you an instant solution. Its going to be another three or four or five years or more before you get the fully trained people that you need, and then youve got to retain them. Theyve now got skills which are attractive to civilian employees. open image in gallery The Uk relies heavily on its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons, build by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. ( Getty Images ) Lessons from Ukraine: the long haul Rands Mr Black said Britain and other Nato members needed to be taking lessons from the war in Ukraine to improve longevity capabilities in combat. The war in Ukraine has exposed that a lot of Western militaries have been assuming that any high-end war against someone like Russia would be very lethal, but would also probably be very quick. A kind of short, sharp, horrible flurry of violence. And then the situation would be resolved. However, the ongoing war in Ukraine now three years long has shown that this assumption is flawed. And if Britain were to engage in a longer period of war, the armed forces are not prepared to last more than a few months, according to a defence committee report in February. Former committee chair Sir Jeremy Quin told MPs that the military was unable to devote sufficient training and resources to high-intensity warfighting. Mr Black warns that the existing focus on higher quality, complex machinery does not necessarily work for long combat, with challenges such as refuelling, rapid replacement and stockpiling. How do I replenish my stockpiles when Ive fired all my missiles or dropped all my bombs? And that is partly a military question but also an industrial question. Do we have the industrial base to rebuild in the first place? Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice They interrupt your picnic and put you at risk of a sting and are surely one of the most hated insects in the country. In what will be dismal news for some, the UK is seeing an abundance of wasps this season after a record warm and dry spring this year. But experts say the increase in numbers is actually a good thing for the environment. Wildlife professor Adam Hart, from the University of Gloucestershire, said: Wasps are great pest controllers, pollinators and predators. They are widely vilified, but they are an essential part of the wider ecosystem. open image in gallery Experts say the increase in numbers is actually a good thing for the environment ( Getty/iStock ) Typically, the cooler and wetter spring season will regulate wasp numbers and eradicate colonies before they are established. But this season, the sunnier weather meant more queens could survive to build their nests. Prof Hart said the mild winter and warm spring likely gives wasps and their insect prey a good start, which the warm summer has allowed them to build upon. He said the cycles of wasp populations are normal, but many people will have noticed the influx this season because there was a marked decrease in the number of wasps in 2024. Experts warned this was partly due to climate change, and compared to 30 or 40 years ago, Prof Hart said it still feels sparse. open image in gallery Wasps are apparently arriving at picnics earlier this year ( Alamy/PA ) Professor Seirian Sumner, a behavioural ecologist at University College London, told The Guardian: The warm, dry conditions have created the ideal environment for wasps to thrive. That means more colonies, more wasps and a longer season. Spring 2025 was the UKs warmest spring to date, with a record mean temperature of 9.5C, far surpassing the long-term climatological average by 1.4C, according to the Met Office. Prof Sumner said that typically, wasps dont show up at picnics until the end of August when they begin craving sugar. However, the warm weather this season means they have already arrived. Usually, at the beginning of summer, wasps are in search of protein to bring back to their nests. In the UK, there are around 9,000 species of wasps. However, there are only nine species of social wasps. The most common wasps youll see are the yellowjacket (Vespula vulgaris) and the European wasp (Vespula germanica). To avoid a nasty sting this summer, scientists say it is important to stay still and make a wasp offering of food for it to then fly away with. If you are stung, simple pain relief and antihistamines usually do the trick. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Councils across England are weighing up legal challenges after the High Court's decision to block a hotel in Epping from accommodating asylum seekers. The ruling blocks asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in the Essex town, and current residents must be removed by September 12. On Wednesday, several local authorities, including some run by the Labour Party, said they were considering their options to take similar action. The ruling has resulted in another wave of criticism directed at Sir Keir Starmer and his Labour government over immigration, with opposition parties repeatedly accusing the government of failing to adequately tackle the issue. Yet amid backlash and local council tensions, the figures show that Labour has already made significant steps to move away from the use of hotels. The multi-billion cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels has dropped markedly from its peak in 2023. Last year (2024/5), the cost for hotel bills was at 2.1bn, down by a third from 3.1bn in the previous year. The smaller bill is a result of multiple factors, most notably the reduction in the asylum backlog. The average daily cost for housing each asylum seeker in a hotel has gone down from 176 to 170 per person. This still remains higher than previous years. The government has also made efforts to reduce the proportion of asylum seekers housed in hotels, moving them towards other types of accommodation. Figures from March show 32,345 asylum seekers out of over 100,000 were being accommodated in hotels, with the remainder housed in temporary accommodation including council-owned homes and a former airfield. Just 30 per cent are staying in hotels, which is meant as a contingency - or temporary - measure. Government accounts show that costs are likely to remain similar this year, with 2.2bn requested by the Home Office to asylum housing costs; suggesting that the number of asylum seekers is unlikely to fall significantly. In February, Home Office permanent secretary Sir Matthew Rycroft said the department was aiming to get to zero asylum hotels by the end of this parliament in 2029. In 2022, the government began plans to use large sites like cruise ships and ex-military bases to accommodate asylum seekers. Among these are the Bibby Stockholm barge, which was shut down last year, and former RAF airfield Wethersfield which now houses 588 people as of early 2025. But a review last year found that these sites cost more than hotels as a way to house asylum seekers. Nonetheless, hotels cost around six times more on average than other types of accommodation, according to analysis by the Migration Observatory; at 170 a day compared to 27 a day. Yet most of the time, the government is forced to place people in hotels due to a lack of capacity, with a shortage of accommodation and a substantial albeit decreasing asylum backlog. The asylum backlog stood at 78,745 cases at the end of March a 13 per cent drop from December, and down 41 per cent from the mid-2023 peak. Yet the sizeable backlog, which is still higher than pre-2022 levels, represents a host of ongoing costs for the government as people wait for a decision on their asylum claims. Most asylum seekers are still waiting over six months for an initial decision on their claim, although waiting times have improved compared to the same time last year. The majority of people in the backlog are Afghan, Pakistani and Iranian nationals, according to the Migration Observatory. The UKs asylum backlog is the fifth largest in Europe. Where are asylum seekers staying in the UK? Now, over 8 in 10 local authorities host some asylum seekers, Home Office figures show. This is a significant rise over the last decade. Accommodation for asylum seekers varies by region. In the North East of England, just 5 per cent are housed in hotels, while in London hotels make up the majority of accommodation (65 per cent). Epping Forest council is within the East of England region, which has 41 per cent of migrants housed in hotels. However, being in Essex, the council is on the edge of London which has a higher concentration of asylum seekers than the rest of the UK. Around 140 migrants were being housed in The Bell Hotel in Epping, according to BBC reports, all of whom must now leave by September. Though the hotel has provided accommodation for the Home Office for several years, occupancy has fluctuated, with figures in March showing just 28 asylum seekers housed across Epping Forest hotels. Reform leader Nigel Farage has called on other councils to seek Epping-style injunctions against the use of hotels to house asylum seekers, adding: It is high time that the outrageously expensive asylum hotel scheme, which nobody in Britain ever voted for, was brought down by popular demand. The recent pushback has come amid record levels of small boat crossings to the UK. Labours education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith has admitted that the high numbers are a problem that, up until this point, we havent managed to tackle. People coming on small boats make up an increasing proportion of asylum applications. Last year, a third of the UKs asylum claims came from small boat migrants. In 2025 so far, over 26,000 migrants have already crossed the English Channel, higher than summer levels in any year to date. In fact, figures at mid-August have nearly exceeded the entirety of 2023 (29,437). Meanwhile arrests of people smugglers who enable the crossings were down last year, according to National Crime Agency data obtained by The Independent. The shadow home secretary called Labours failure to smash the gangs an abject failure. This suggests that small boats migration could be the highest on record over 2025, bringing with it a slew of new asylum claims; since almost all irregular migrants apply for asylum. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Police are braced for a weekend of potential unrest as they face a fresh wave of protests amid mounting tensions over the use of hotels to house asylum seekers. Anti-migrant groups faced off with counterprotesters in Leeds, Orpington, Chichester and Portsmouth on Friday as a weekend of nationwide protests kicked off. The demonstrations, said to be planned at 26 hotels across the country, come as a million revellers are expected to take to the streets of west London to celebrate Notting Hill Carnival. Forces will also have to grapple with a string of Premier League matches as the season enters its second week of fixtures. Despite the pressures, police chiefs insist they are constantly reviewing the intelligence picture and are well prepared to handle any protest action over the busy bank holiday weekend. Posts being shared online are advertising anti-migrant protests at 26 sites housing asylum seekers today and over the weekend, including at the Britannia hotel in Canary Wharf and The Bell Hotel in Epping, which have both been previous sites for unrest. Many will be met by counterdemonstrations, with Stand Up to Racism organising 15 events across Friday and Saturday at locations including Bournemouth, Bristol and Liverpool. open image in gallery Stand Up to Racism counterprotesters in Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, faced off with anti-migrant groups ( Gareth Fuller/PA ) On Friday, dozens of protesters could be heard shouting Get them out and Save our children while others held Union and England flags beside the TLK hotel in Orpington. Also there were counter protesters, who had marched to the hotel and could be seen holding banners and Stand Up To Racism placards which read Refugees welcome, Stop the far right. A large police cordon was formed in between the two groups and the hotel. The Metropolitan Police later confirmed that no arrests were made. The National Police Chiefs Council said forces are experienced with managing protests, and there is a well-established plan for managing resources. We are constantly reviewing the intelligence picture around protests and other demand, and whilst the Metropolitan Police Service has their own significant resourcing in place for the Notting Hill Carnival, an additional national mobilisation for protests this weekend has not been considered necessary, a spokesperson said. We continue to have national mobilisation plans in place to respond should the position change. The fresh wave of demonstrations comes as the latest figures showed the number of asylum seekers in hotels had risen to 32,000 during Labours first year in office, but remains far below the peak of 56,000 in September 2023. Meanwhile, councils across the country controlled by Labour, the Conservatives and Reform UK are investigating whether they could pursue legal challenges against asylum hotels. This follows a High Court judge granting Epping Forest District Council a temporary injunction which the government is seeking to appeal ruling that asylum seekers can no longer be accommodated at The Bell Hotel in Epping. The council had argued the injunction was needed amid unprecedented levels of protest and disruption in a string of rallies at the site after an Ethiopian refugee was charged with sexually assaulting a schoolgirl. The alleged assault triggered a series of protests, with up to 2,000 demonstrators descending on the building to demand its closure. open image in gallery Police officers outside The Bell Hotel in Epping ( PA ) Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon warned the protests are causing alarm to vulnerable refugees who have fled war in countries such as Sudan and Afghanistan, ahead of the weekend of action. Many feel hunted amid scenes of hate and intimidation on Britains streets, the Freedom from Torture charity said. A 26-year-old Afghan man who has been living in a hotel in Yorkshire for almost two years said he fears what might happen to him here. The refugee, who fled after his family were targeted by the Taliban, said: I feel like nobody likes me, the people of this city dont want us, but I dont have any other option. The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, has repeatedly warned that ongoing unrest places forces and officers under strain. Public order duties often mean long shifts, cancelled leave, missed family time and real risk, a spokesperson added. That takes its toll. This isnt just about numbers its about resilience, wellbeing, and a system under strain. Meanwhile, the Met revealed it has arrested 100 people in a bid to deter criminals from exploiting Notting Hill Carnival following three deaths linked to the event in recent years. open image in gallery The Met has arrested 100 people in a bid to deter criminals from exploiting Notting Hill Carnival ( PA ) The force carried out intelligence-led interventions, and 21 people were recalled to prison. They seized 11 firearms, more than 40 knives, and 266 people have been banned from attending the event this weekend. Commander Charmain Brenyah said while the vast majority come to the carnival to enjoy themselves, a small minority come with less positive intentions. The actions of this minority are totally at odds with the values of those who care passionately about Carnival, and we acknowledge those, including the event organisers, who have stood up to condemn violence and serious criminality in the run-up to this weekend, she said. Our policing plan makes tackling serious violence a priority, which is why weve carried out intelligence-led interventions against those groups and individuals who we have reason to believe pose the greatest risk to the safety of other Carnival-goers. We hope that this police activity will be a significant deterrent for those who otherwise might have been planning to come and engage in violence and other criminality. The force, supported by the City of London Police and British Transport Police, said officers will be deployed in significant numbers, aided by technology including a network of CCTV cameras, screening arches and live facial recognition cameras. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The very worst kind of politicians try to drive people apart, the security minister has said in response to comments made by Nigel Farage over the use of asylum hotels. Dan Jarvis accused the Reform UK leader of fanning the flames of division that has seen protests flare up outside hotels housing asylum seekers after Mr Farage celebrated a councils successful legal challenge against one in Epping. Epping Forest District Council won an interim High Court injunction to stop asylum seekers being housed at The Bell Hotel, arguing it had become a feeding ground for unrest in recent weeks after a series of violent protests resulted in multiple arrests and saw police officers injured. open image in gallery Mr Farage said Reform-controlled councils will appeal the use of asylum hotels ( PA ) In response, Mr Farage wrote in the Daily Telegraph: Now, the good people of Epping must inspire similar protests around Britain. Wherever people are concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels and who are free to walk their streets, they should follow the example of the town in Essex. Lets hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win. The Reform leader also vowed to challenge the use of asylum hotels in any of the 10 local authorities controlled by his party. Asked about Mr Farages comments, minister Mr Jarvis told Sky News: I've always thought that the best politicians try and bring people together, and the very worst politicians try and drive them apart. He said the government is looking closely at the verdict in Epping as the Home Office considers launching an appeal. He also confirmed officials are looking at alternative accommodation for up to 138 asylum seekers currently being housed at The Bell Hotel. open image in gallery Dan Jarvis has hit out at the arrest warrants issued for pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong ( PA ) Home secretary Yvette Cooper made a last-minute attempt on Tuesday to halt their removal, arguing that other councils would make similar applications for migrant accommodation in their areas. Labour is now bracing for dozens of local authorities to challenge the use of asylum hotels in their areas on similar grounds, with Home Office lawyers having warned that the decision could substantially impact the governments use of the accommodation. On Tuesday night, Conservative-run Broxbourne borough council announced it was considering pursuing its own injunction. The council revealed it would take legal advice as a matter of urgency about attempting to shut down a four-star asylum hotel in the Hertfordshire town. Meanwhile, the leader of South Norfolk District Council, which covers the town of Diss where a hotel housing asylum seekers has also been the subject of protests, said the council would not go down the same route. Conservative leader Daniel Elmer said the council was using planning rules to try to ensure it was families being housed in the area rather than single adult males. He said to do so, which would effectively convert the hotels into hostels, should require a change of use. The Home Office had warned the judge that an injunction in Epping could interfere with the departments legal obligations, and lawyers representing the hotels owner argued it would set a precedent. The Bell Hotel has been at the centre of a series of protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker who was staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch suggested that the migrants housed at the hotel need to be moved out of the area immediately, while her shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that residents should never have had to fight their own government just to feel safe in their own town. He said: Local residents have every right to feel safe in their own streets and every right to object when their community is treated as a dumping ground. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Pupils in London are outperforming those in the rest of the country, but Labour has no credible plan to fix the problem, a leading think tank has warned. A report by the Institute for Government (IfG) warns that educational inequalities in England have grown wider and more pronounced across the country and among various demographic groups since the Covid pandemic. Despite the governments commitment to closing the disadvantage gap, the think tank warned that ministers had not yet articulated a clear vision or plan for delivering this goal. Sir Keir Starmer sitting round a table with school children ( PA Wire ) The announcement comes as tens of thousands of pupils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to receive their GCSE results on Thursday. The average Key Stage 4 attainment rate, meaning pupils who pass English and Maths GCSE, is at 65 per cent across England. But the regional imbalance is huge, with rates as low as 40 per cent in the Merseyside village of Knowsley, and reaching 83 per cent in the affluent west London borough of Richmond upon Thames. At Key Stage 2, the end of primary school, Londons attainment of 69 per cent was eight percentage points above the national average of 61 per cent last year. Between 2019 and 2024, KS2 attainment in England fell from 65 per cent to 61 per cent, driven by steep drops in maths and writing results. Performance fell across all regions, although to a lesser extent in London a fall of 2 points. As a result, the gap in KS2 attainment between London and the rest of the country has grown by half from 6 to 9 points since the pandemic. The data also shows that the disparity in GCSE attainment between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students has widened in most local authorities since Covid, with little progress made in closing the gap between 2019 and 2024. The government has previously promised to focus on closing gaps in outcomes between children eligible for free school meals and their more advantaged peers, as well as tackling barriers to attainment for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Earlier this year, the government announced that an extra half a million children would benefit from a free school meal, which they said would lift 100,000 pupils out of poverty and put an extra 500 in parents pockets. But Caroline Voaden, the Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon who sits on the Commons education select committee, urged the government to go further by addressing funding disparities across the country. She told The Independent: A Camden school is paid nearly three times as much as a school in Devon for every child with additional needs on their roll. So they can afford more teaching assistants, more specialist help, better facilities, more extracurricular activities, better and healthier food, music, arts and sport specialists. Is it any wonder that children outside of London are missing out? Ms Voaden said she had raised the issue with the schools minister and had never received an adequate answer. Frankly, its a scandal that children across the country are being let down by a focus of consecutive governments on London and it has to change. Our children deserve better. James Toop, head of the education charity Teach First, warned that the pandemic had set back a generation, with disadvantaged young people paying the highest price. Worryingly, progress since then has been limited, with social and regional inequalities continuing to grow. The government must do all it can to deliver on its mission, starting by attracting and incentivising the brightest and best to teach where theyre needed most. The IfG report suggests the disparity comes as a result of the capitals distinctive demographic mix as well as Londons draw as a place to work, meaning it's more likely to attract better-qualified staff. The think tank has said tackling high absence rates, particularly among disadvantaged pupils, will be key to narrowing educational inequalities. Recent Department for Education figures show that the number of children in England classed as severely absent, which means they missed at least 50 per cent of possible school sessions, rose to nearly 150,000 in autumn 2024. Amber Dellar, an IfG researcher and report author, said: The pandemic has undone much of the last decades progress in tackling educational inequalities, leaving some areas and groups of children far behind. The governments opportunity mission is a good starting point for narrowing the gaps but it lacks a clear vision or plan for delivering that goal in schools. Any serious plan must focus on helping schools share what works in supporting disadvantaged pupils and reducing their high rates of absence. The report also showed that areas of the country where disadvantaged pupils perform worse are more likely to have large populations of poor white children. Less than a fifth (18.6 per cent) of white British pupils eligible for free school meals achieved at least a grade 5 considered a strong pass in English and maths GCSEs in 2023-24, compared to 45.9 per cent of all state school pupils in England. A Department for Education spokesperson said: We are driving high and rising standards for every child through the expert-led Curriculum and Assessment Review, new Rise [Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence] teams and strengthened school accountability. This comes alongside work to tackle disadvantage, including expanding free school meals, rolling out free breakfast clubs and revitalising family services in every local authority. But we know there is more to do, which is why we will bring about the reforms needed through our schools white paper later this year to create an education system where every child can thrive, regardless of their background. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The UK is preparing to deploy troops to Ukraine as part of a reassurance force if a peace deal is reached with Russia but Donald Trump has ruled out the US doing the same. The pledge came after Sir Keir Starmer co-chaired a meeting of the coalition of the willing attended by more than 30 international leaders to lay out plans to meet their American counterparts to agree security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future Russian aggression. The virtual meeting on Tuesday, which followed the leaders talks with Mr Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington on Monday, also discussed possible further sanctions on Russia to pile pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war. open image in gallery Keir Starmer has described talks on Ukraine as good and constructive ( PA ) But questions remain about how genuine the Russian leader is about wanting to find a peace after three and a half years of devastating conflict. Just hours after the meeting, Moscow launched its largest aerial attack in a month, firing 270 drones and 10 missiles at central Ukraine. And while the US president is pushing for the first face-to-face meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents in six years, Putins reported initial suggestion of Moscow for the venue was quickly rejected by Kyiv. European leaders are now trying to nail down the specifics of what any US security guarantees will look like. While President Trump has said the US would be willing to help with some aspects, such as providing air support, he has ruled out putting US boots on the ground or allowing Ukraine to join Nato. Mr Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, suggested over the weekend that measures similar to Natos article five mutual defence provision which considers an attack on one member to be an attack on all could be offered by the US without Kyiv joining the alliance. open image in gallery Emmanuel Macron speaks to Keir Starmer during a meeting of the coalition of the willing ( AFP/Getty ) President Zelensky has hailed the promise to provide guarantees as "a major step forward", adding that the plans would be "formalised on paper within the next week to 10 days". In a statement after Tuesdays meeting came to an end, a Downing Street spokesperson said coalition of the willing planning teams would meet with their US counterparts in the coming days to further strengthen plans to deliver robust security guarantees and prepare for the deployment of a reassurance force if the hostilities ended. The UK and France have pledged to commit forces to Ukraine to deter Putin from launching a fresh assault on his neighbour if a deal is done to end the war. The prime minister told European leaders at Tuesdays meeting that the talks in Washington displayed a real sense of unity and demonstrated the shared goal of securing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, a Downing Street spokesperson said. The leaders also discussed how further pressure, including through sanctions, could be placed on Putin until he showed he was ready to take serious action to end his illegal invasion. open image in gallery Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and US president Donald Trump have a much more cordial meeting at the White House than their first encounter ( AFP/Getty ) Speaking to the BBC, Sir Keir said this week had seen a real significant breakthrough on ending the war in Ukraine, saying Mondays talks showed that we have moved forward. He said he was "very pleased" with the outcomes, including progress on security guarantees, saying this would reassure people in Europe, in Ukraine, but particularly in the United Kingdom. It is understood that the UKs chief of defence staff, Sir Tony Radakin, is travelling to Washington on Tuesday afternoon for talks with US officials on security arrangements. And Switzerland has offered to host further peace talks, with its foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis, offering to grant the Russian president immunity from arrest if he were to visit the country for negotiations. Putin has been the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant since 2023 for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, but Mr Cassis said he would not be arrested if he came for a peace conference, adding that Switzerland was ready for such a meeting. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron said he and other European leaders had succeeded in changing Mr Trumps approach to the war in Ukraine. I think we have changed President Trump since he arrived in power in January, the French president told Paris Match. You remember the time when he thought he would settle the conflict in 24 hours? We rose up, united as Europeans, and he took it into account. He also brought a fundamental asset dealing with Russia: his unpredictability. open image in gallery European leaders and President Trump at the White House on Monday ( Simon Dawson/No 10 ) The comments came as the US president admitted it would be a rough situation if Putin failed to agree peace terms but stressed that Mr Zelensky had to show flexibility, including giving up hopes of taking back control of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, or joining Nato. He also insisted that Moscow would accept multinational efforts to guarantee Ukraines security. Speaking to Fox News about Ukraine giving up hopes of joining Nato, Mr Trump said everything had worked out well when Ukraine was considered a buffer between Russia and the rest of Europe, because Putin did not want an enemy on his border. It was always thought that Ukraine was a sort of a buffer between Russia and the rest of Europe. And it was it was a big, wide buffer. Everything worked out well until [President] Biden got involved, he said. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Gamekeepers have warned that the governments rewilding proposals could trigger an increase in wildfires across the UK. Labour has plans to ban winter burning from over half of Englands peatland. The changes are claimed to help re-wet the countrys peat bogs, as well as reduce the chances of wildfires and decrease carbon emissions. Environmentalists argue that peat bogs must be preserved as they soak up huge amounts of carbon, while landowners and gamekeepers say burning restrictions will, in fact, enable wildfires to break out that will be too large to fight. Winter burning is a controlled traditional upland management technique whereby firebreaks in upland areas are established by creating strips of less flammable foliage. It is used to decrease the amount of fuel for possible wildfires and slow the speed at which blazes can spread. However, in conservation areas of deep peat, of a depth of 40cm or deeper, the burns were banned in 2021, covering 222,000 hectares of land. open image in gallery Members of the London Fire Brigade tackle a wildfire on Wanstead Flats in London this month ( AP ) The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is now looking into lowering the threshold for deep peat to 30cm, which would extend the restrictions to 368,000 hectares. It says wetter peat will decrease the likelihood of wildfires, while gamekeepers argue the plans would leave Britains moors and heaths more vulnerable. Andrew Gilruth, chief executive of the Moorland Association, told The Telegraph: This is our worst-ever year for wildfires. Britain is burning because of the religion of rewilding. It is obvious to everyone bar Natural England that, with climate change making vegetation tinder-dry, increasing this fuel load through rewilding is a really stupid idea. It makes for bigger, more intense blazes which can move at frightening speed. I think the whole thing is very concerning not just from a loss-of-habitat point of view, but also putting firefighters and land managers in real danger from the inevitable wildfires. The whole thing is becoming a massive tinderbox and a bomb that is going off. At the moment, re-wetting is increasing the fuel level on the moors and that is a real concern. Prescribed burning will not stop wildfires, but it reduces the length of flames and allows fires to be contained quicker. More proposals include removing an exemption to current restrictions, which would allow burns to continue on inaccessible land. open image in gallery A moor fire on Marsden Moor, near Huddersfield in northern England ( AFP via Getty Images ) Adrian Blackmore, the director of shooting at the Countryside Alliance, described Defras plans as staggering. He told The Telegraph: They are showing a staggering lack of understanding or knowledge. Burns reduce the fire load, encourage young growth for the birds to eat and encourage the growth of sphagnum moss, which is the peat-forming moss. So if you dont remove the canopy, you cant encourage sphagnum moss, because its not going to grow underneath it. And sphagnum moss is the be-all and end-all, making moors wetter. A Defra spokesperson told The Independent: Our peatlands are home to Britain's most precious wildlife, while also storing carbon and reducing flooding risk. With 13 per cent of the worlds blanket bog in the UK, weve consulted on ways to ensure these rare habitats are better protected. We will set out our response in due course. Heatwaves and consistent dry weather have seen the London Fire Brigade tackle more wildfires this summer than in the whole of 2024. A senior firefighter said that crews were experiencing a busy summer and that they were working under very challenging conditions to bring the blazes under control. Wildfires have even been raging in Scotland this summer, a place that rarely sees blazes break out. The Scottish Gamekeepers Association warned the fires were limiting the ability of stretched firefighters to respond to other emergencies, so they were becoming a danger to human life. Land managers can apply for licences to burn for the purpose of wildfire management, which are regulated and issued by Defra. The Defra spokesperson said repeated burning risks permanently altering the species composition and hydrology of peatland habitats. They added that peat that is wet is less likely to burn during a wildfire, builds new peat and loses less carbon through oxidation, protecting the stored carbon of old peat and ensuring that the habitat persists. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An Alabama teacher has lauded the benefits of a new state law banning cell phones in school classrooms. Its magic, Tuscaloosa County High School 11th-grade history teacher Jonathan Buchwalter said in a TikTok earlier this month that reached nearly two million views. Across the U.S., thirty-three states have enacted legislation regarding school cellphone usage, amid a growing effort to restrict students smartphone access in schools, over concerns about mental health and academic attentiveness, according to Ballotpedia. Today, all of my students, 100% of them, took notes in my class, did their assignment, asked for help when they got stuck, and turned it in, and then when they were done, they talked to each other, he said. Buchwalter explained it was still early days, and a complete assessment of the legislation's impact could only be determined at the end of the school year. New cell phone laws have seen restrictions enforced across 33 states ( Getty/iStock ) I have been pulling my hair out for like, eight years. Has it been this easy a solution the whole time? Buchwalter asked his followers in the video. Just days before Buchwalter revealed the benefits in his classroom, two studies identified links between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and depression, anxiety, and insomnia in teenagers. Almost half of teens have admitted to being online constantly, according to 2024 data from the Pew Research Center. While 72% said they sometimes or frequently check their notifications from the minute they wake up. They're chemically addicted to their phones, Buchwalter said, adding, They cannot experience anything that isn't constant stimulation. As of July this year, 26 states Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Ohio, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia enforced a full ban or cellphone limit in classrooms. Other state departments, including the Connecticut Department of Education, the Kansas Department of Education, and the Washington Department of Education, have opted to create policies that limit classroom usage. Meanwhile, Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued an executive order encouraging districts to limit cellphones in schools. In Alaska, Colorado, and Minnesota, legislation requires K-12 public school districts to adopt policies around student cellphone use; however, the laws do not specify how the policies should be implemented. Back in February, the National Center for Education Statistics outlined the benefits of the bans. The latest School Pulse Panel data underscore that school leaders see cell phones as more than just a classroom distraction, said NCES Commissioner Peggy Carr. With 53 percent of school leaders reporting negative impacts of cell phone use on academic performance, and even more citing negative impacts on students mental health and attention spans, schools are facing a critical issue. Schools are responding with practical solutions, like banning or restricting phone use. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A dangerous heat wave descended on much of California and the U.S. Southwest, with triple-digit temperatures forecast and a heightened risk of wildfires In response, officials opened cooling centers in Los Angeles this week, where residents are warned to avoid strenuous outdoor activities. California Governor Gavin Newsom has also ordered state firefighting resources to be deployed across areas where blazes could ignite. Here's what you need to know. Sizzling hot The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for Southern California from Wednesday and into the weekend. If outdoor activities cant be avoided, forecasters say, they should be moved to early morning hours. And everyone should hydrate. Downtown Los Angeles was forecast to reach 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius), while valleys to the north braced for temperatures as high as 108 F (42 C). It will be several degrees hotter in desert areas. Candice Catlett, who uses a wheelchair, rolled herself toward some shade as temperatures started spiking Tuesday in downtown LA. open image in gallery The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for Southern California ( AP ) Its sizzling hot out here, Catlett said. I have sunblock. Hopefully, I can find some cold water. Im trying to stay out of the direct sun. Further north, nearly-always-hot Death Valley could see a severe 120 F (49 C), the weather service said. In Arizona, the peak of the heat wave will hit Thursday and Friday, with the mercury possibly reaching 110 F (43 C) in the southern and western parts of the state. Similar temperatures were likely in Las Vegas. Fire risk Red flag warnings, signaling elevated wildfire danger, have been issued across Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties until Saturday. If you live in a high fire danger area in the mountains or foothills, review your evacuation plans and route and stay tuned to your local emergency officials, the weather service said in a statement. The state has sent 10 fire engines and multiple firefighting teams to LA County to assist local agencies if blazes break out. open image in gallery Red flag warnings, signaling elevated wildfire danger, have been issued ( AP ) By prepositioning firefighting crews, equipment, and other resources in high-risk areas, we can respond faster and more effectively when needed," said Nancy Ward, director of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. In the Sierra Nevada, higher than normal temperatures, low humidity and the possibility of lightning storms will contribute to the fire risk. California's largest blaze this year, the Gifford Fire, reached 95 percent containment Tuesday after charring nearly 206 square miles (534 square kilometers) of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties since erupting on August 1. The cause is under investigation. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Hurricane Erin moved away from the U.S. on Friday after battering North Carolinas Outer Banks and deluging other areas of the East Coast. The storm has weakened to a Category 1 as it continues to move towards Nova Scotia in Canada, having failed to make landfall in the U.S, according to The National Hurricane Center in Miami. Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 season, is expected to become a post-tropical storm later on Friday or Saturday morning as it continues to advance out to sea. Forecasters say that the strong waves and swells created by the storm could last for several more days. open image in gallery A National Hurricane Center map of Hurricane Erin's probable path ( National Hurricane Center ) Officials in Virginia moved resources to Virginia Beach and other coastal areas to prepare for any potential flooding or damage from the outer bands of the hurricane. Erin produced swells that impacted Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast, Atlantic Canada, and the Bahamas during its journey up the edge of North America. Rough ocean conditions and dangerous rip currents were seen along virtually all of the North American East Coast from Florida northward. The National Weather Service issued tropical storm warnings for eastern North Carolina from Beaufort Inlet to Chincoteague, Virginia. The warnings included Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds in North Carolina. open image in gallery Surfers ride the waves amid Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, in the Atlantic Ocean at Lido Beach, New York ( Reuters ) Local officials in the Outer Banks reported that sections of Highway 12 the only road connecting the Outer Banks to mainland North Carolina were flooded and closed off, preventing travel off the island until the swells receded. Some residents and vacationers evacuated from the Outer Banks ahead of the storms approach, according to USA TODAY. Dare County officials who represent part of the Outer Banks ordered evacuations on Monday. As the hurricane passes by Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the NWS predicts it could generate waves between 8 and 20 feet. Those waves could contribute to coastal flooding and erosion in the region. open image in gallery has weakened to a Category 1 as it continues to move towards Nova Scotia in Canada ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Residents in parts of Florida like Ponce Inlet were subjected to large waves generated by Hurricane Erin early on Wednesday morning. On Monday, thousands in Puerto Rico were left without power due to the storm. Erin began as a cluster of storms off the northwest coast of Africa before it spun into a tropical storm and then a hurricane. The storm is notable for reaching major hurricane status given to any storms that reach Category 3 or higher this early in hurricane season. According to the NHC, major hurricanes tend to form in the middle of hurricane season, usually in September through mid-October. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice After battering North Carolinas Outer Banks with strong winds and waves, Hurricane Erin began to move away from the coast Thursday morning, though it spawned dangerous conditions that have shuttered beaches up the East Coast. Meteorologists cautioned that Erin has the potential to strengthen into a major Category 3 storm or greater when it peaks on Thursday, even though the storm is not expected to make U.S. landfall. Storm surge, or rising sea level leading to flooding, and tropical storm strength winds will continue wreaking havoc on the Outer Banks until at least Friday, the National Hurricane Center warned. Days after 130mph winds and torrential rainfall battered the Caribbean and left tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans without power, Erins outer bands brushed over the Outer Banks, closing beaches and several roads due to flooding. Authorities predicted that the biggest swells during high tide had the potential to cut off villages and homes in the Outer Banks, all while stirring up life-threatening rip currents and 20-foot-tall waves. States along the East Coast braced for impact, with beaches from the Carolinas to Cape Cod closing to protect swimmers from what the National Weather Service described as life-threatening surf and rip currents. open image in gallery Hurricane Erin churns of the East Coast of the US as communities close beaches and warn of surf impacts from the storm. ( National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ) Ahead of Erins peak, officials in Virginia moved resources to Virginia Beach and other coastal areas to prepare for any potential flooding or damage from the outer bands of the hurricane. Storm surge flooding and tropical storm conditions were present Outer Banks area of North Carolina, forcing state Governor Josh Stein to declare a state of emergency. Lifeguards in North Carolina made more than 75 rescues from rip currents along the Wrightsville area coastline Monday, prompting a no-swim order through Friday, according to the Wilmington Star-News. Turn around, dont drown, the governor said. The storm surge will be accompanied by large waves, some up to 20ft high, and the possibility of flooding, according to the NOAA National Hurricane Center. NOAA added that tropical storm conditions are expected Thursday along the Virginia coast, with tropical storm force gusts likely along portions of the remainder of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and southern New England coasts Thursday through early Friday. While the East Coast has so far been spared the cyclones full force, forecasters issued a slew of warnings, including life-threatening surf and rip currents for the U.S., Bahamas, Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada throughout this week. open image in gallery Beaches, such as though in New York City, have been closed over fears of the storms impacts. ( Getty Images ) open image in gallery The storm continues to move north and to the east, though forecasters warn about how it will impact the mid-Atlantic and Northeast US. Pictured: People walk along the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. ( Getty Images ) open image in gallery The latest projections show Hurricane Erin moving away from the US as the week goes on. It's expected to lose strength by the weekend. ( NOAA ) New York City closed its beaches to swimming Wednesday and Thursday, and Governor Kathy Hochul ordered three state beaches on Long Island to prohibit swimming through Thursday. In Massachusetts, Nantucket Island could see waves of more than 10 feet later this week. The worst conditions were expected late Wednesday through Thursday as the eye of the storm is likely to be at the closest point to the coast, carving a path between the East Coast and Bermuda. Satellite imagery and reports from a U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicated that Erin is getting better organized, and slow strengthening is expected through Thursday night. Erin, the first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, exploded to a ferocious Category 5 Saturday before being downgraded to a Category 3 early Sunday morning, then regaining strength again later in the day. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Minnesota has become the latest US state to launch legal action against TikTok, alleging the social media giant preys on young people with addictive algorithms that trap them into compulsive consumption of its short videos. The lawsuit, filed in state court, accuses TikTok of violating Minnesota laws against deceptive trade practices and consumer fraud. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison stated: "This isnt about free speech. Im sure theyre gonna holler that. Its actually about deception, manipulation, misrepresentation. This is about a company knowing the dangers, and the dangerous effects of its product, but making and taking no steps to mitigate those harms or inform users of the risks." This legal challenge follows a flurry of lawsuits filed by more than a dozen states last year, alleging the popular short-form video app is designed to be addictive for children and harms their mental health. With Minnesota's case, the total number of states pursuing action against TikTok now stands at approximately 24, according to Mr Ellisons office. Many of these earlier lawsuits stemmed from a nationwide investigation into TikTok, launched in 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from 14 states, focusing on the app's effects on young users mental health. open image in gallery Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison confirmed the lawsuit that alleges that TikTok is violating local laws against deceptive trade practices and consumer fraud ( AP ) Mr Ellison, a Democrat, explained that Minnesota waited to file its complaint while conducting its own investigation. Sean Padden, a middle-school health teacher in the Roseville Area school district, joined Ellison, saying he has witnessed a correlation between increased TikTok use and an irrefutable spike in student mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, anger, lowered self-esteem and a decrease in attention spans as they seek out the quick gratification that its short videos offer. The lawsuit comes while President Donald Trump is still trying to broker a deal to bring the social media platform, which is owned by Chinas ByteDance, under American ownership over concerns about the data security of its 170 million American users. While Trump campaigned on banning TikTok, he also gained more than 15 million followers on the platform since he started sharing videos on it. No matter who ultimately owns TikTok, Ellison said, it must comply with the law. TikTok disputed Minnesota's allegations. open image in gallery With Minnesota's case, the total number of states pursuing action against TikTok now stands at approximately 24, according to Mr Ellisons office. ( PA ) This lawsuit is based on misleading and inaccurate claims that fail to recognise the robust safety measures TikTok has voluntarily implemented to support the well-being of our community," company spokesperson Nathaniel Brown said in a statement. "Teen accounts on TikTok come with 50+ features and settings designed to help young people safely express themselves, discover and learn. "Through our Family Pairing tool, parents can view or customise 20+ content and privacy settings, including screen time, content filters, and our time away feature to pause a teens access to our app, Brown added. Minnesota is seeking a declaration that TikTok's practices are deceptive, unfair or unconscionable under state law, a permanent injunction against those practices, and up to $25,000 for each instance in which a Minnesota child has accessed TikTok. Ellison wouldn't put a total on that but said, it's a lot. He estimated that hundreds of thousands of Minnesota kids have TikTok on their devices. Were not trying to shut them down, but we are insisting that they clean up their act, Ellison said. There are legitimate uses of products like TikTok. But like all things, they have to be used properly and safely. Minnesota is also among dozens of US states that have sued Meta Platforms for allegedly building features into Instagram and Facebook that addict people. The messaging service Snapchat and the gaming platform Roblox are also facing lawsuits by some other states alleging harm to kids. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A loyal service dog has been reunited with its owner nearly three months after being stolen from a backyard in Chicago, officials say. Bam Bam, the 14-year-old tan and white Dachshund, was stolen from the yard in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago on June 5, according to a GoFundMe created to help find him. His owner, Angel Santiago, who is legally blind due to glaucoma, spent days walking miles and handing out flyers with the hope of finding his beloved friend and aid. Santiago told police that two unknown people entered through his gate and took the canine. Although he heard the disturbance and even grabbed one of the suspects in an attempt to stop him, the men were able to get away with Bam Bam. He believes the suspect he grabbed sounded like a teenager. Santiago said that he could hear Bam Bam barking as the men ran away with him. Let your eyes be mine and look out for Bam Bam for me, please. I beg of you to help me, he wrote in a desperate plea on the fundraiser. The GoFundMe totalled almost $20,000 as concerned citizens looked to support the cause. Bam Bam the Daschund was stolen from a backyard in Chicago in early June ( Amy Pasalich/Go Fund Me ) A Facebook Page set up for the search effort led several flyer events, petitions, and meetups in the city to help find the dog. On August 12, a post read: We are incredibly grateful to be working with an amazing group of volunteers who are organizing walking routes and flyering to reach local residents who may not have heard Angel and Bam Bams story.| Thankfully, after nearly three months of desperate searching, Bam Bam was found. On Tuesday evening, Chicago police said an unidentified man and woman dropped off a white-and-yellow dachshund mix at the 16th District police station. Police quickly confirmed the animal to be Bam Bam. Santiago, who is both blind and has Type 2 diabetes, rushed to the station to be reunited with Bam Bam, say police. The dog was reportedly in good health when it was recovered, police said. As it stands, no arrests have been made. A team of detectives is continuing to investigate the circumstances of how the dog ended up at the station. The pair who dropped off Bam Bam refused to hand over any information to the police before leaving, according to authorities. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice South Park has teased the return of an old character in another savage episode mocking the Trump administrations Washington, D.C., crime crackdown. In a post on the iconic shows X account, a 20-second teaser shows the long-serving Towlie on a trip to the capital amid a backdrop of troops and tanks on the streets. Wow, Washington D.C., Towlie says, looking out of his bus window with bewilderment. Towelie, which the producers created years before to satirize how heavily merchandised and exploited their creations were becoming, was previously branded the worst character ever by co-star Eric Cartman. open image in gallery Towlie returns to South Park Season 27 episode 3 ( South Park ) Towlie first made an appearance in 2001 in Season 5 and has featured sporadically ever since often being depicted as high on marijuana, while spouting the phrases, "I have no idea what's going on" or "Don't forget to bring a towel. As the fresh teaser clip continues, Towlie is seen standing outside a fictionalised depiction of the White House, and saying, This seems like the perfect place for a towel. The characters return coincides with the commander-in-chiefs move to deploy the military in D.C., after claiming the city was becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness on August 11. The administrations justification for deploying the military has been widely disputed, as recent data suggests the opposite: violent crime is reportedly down 26 percent, according to the citys police department. Earlier this week, MAGA South Park actor Janeshia Adams-Ginyard hailed the series' latest episodes skewering Trumps actions as brilliant, while claiming that the producers were by no means taking sides. Theyve been going after everybody. Red or blue it dont even matter, she said. Though senior Trump officials have rebuked the new series, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, after she was portrayed as being obsessed with plastic surgery, and mocked for shooting her dog. open image in gallery Towlie is seen returning to Washington D.C. in the latest teaser ( South Park ) Its so lazy to just constantly make fun of women for how they look. Only the liberals and the extremists do that, Noem said, responding to the second episode. If they wanted to criticize my job, go ahead and do that, but clearly they cant; they just pick something petty like that, she continued. Vice President J.D. Vance and conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk, however, have embraced the mockery, praising the sardonic jokes. Well, Ive finally made it, Vance wrote on X after the second episode aired. The White House, on the other hand, was less affable about the latest episodes, calling them a desperate attempt for attention, in a press statement. Meanwhile, South Parks popularity continues to shine with Comedy Central announcing that the second episode drew 6.2 million viewers across cable and streaming in its first three days. Episode three will air on Wednesday on Comedy Central at 10 p.m. Eastern time and 9 p.m. Central, and will be available on Thursday on Paramount+. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Target has selected a lifelong employee as its next CEO in a bid to revive sales as shoppers turn to the retail giants competitors. After more than two decades at the company, joining first as a college intern in 2003, chief operating officer Michael Fiddelke is set for a tenth promotion on February 1, 2026. The company announced Wednesday that he will succeed current chief executive Brian Cornell, who is expected to transition to executive chair of the board. Fiddelke, 49, will take over as Target experiences a sustained period of sluggish results, losing market share to the likes of Walmart and Amazon, which some consumers perceive as having lower prices and better items. Weve got to get back to growth, Fiddelke told reporters beside Cornell in a joint statement at the companys Minneapolis headquarters. That is mission 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. open image in gallery Michael Fiddelke, 49, is expected to take over as Target's CEO in February 2026, the company announced Wednesday ( Target ) For over two years, the companys sales have been either flat or falling as competitors have adopted a similar trendy yet affordable approach to their merchandise, compounded by backlash and boycotts over its reversals in diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. A companywide survey released in early June found about 40 percent of the around 260,000 staffers who replied said they didnt have confidence in Targets future, The Wall Street Journal reported last week. Target revealed on Wednesday that sales from stores and digital channels in operation for at least a year plunged 1.9 percent in the most recent quarter. It marks the 11th consecutive quarter of flat or slumping sales. Out of 35 merchandise categories that Target tracks, just 14 gained or maintained market share in that period, Fiddelke said Tuesday. open image in gallery Target revealed on Wednesday that sales from stores and digital channels in operation for at least a year plunged 1.9 percent in the most recent quarter ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Fiddelke pointed to supply-chain chaos and a sales boost stemming from the early Covid-19 pandemic, as consumers broadly purchased more items amid lockdowns. The shopper experience, he said, had degraded with products often out of stock and stores being strained by also acting as e-commerce shipping hubs. Weve got some work to do to untangle that complexity because what we cant have is any hiccups in the store experience, Fiddelke said. To turn things around at the company, which shoppers once affectionately called Tar-zhay, Fiddelke promised to refocus on its North Star: stylish, unique merchandise and excellent customer experiences. Fiddelkes first taste of a career at Target occurred after landing an internship in 2003 while studying for a masters degree in business administration at Northwestern University, according to his LinkedIn profile. He joined the company as a financial analyst the following year. He began climbing his way through nine positions before emerging as chief operating officer and executive vice president in January 2024. open image in gallery Brian Cornell, Targets chief executive for 11 years, said Michael Fiddelke was the right pick to replace him ( AP ) Cornell, his predecessor, took the helm at Target in August 2014. In September 2022, the board extended the 66-year-olds contract for an additional three years, eliminating a policy requiring its chief executives to retire at 65. While Cornell helped to reenergize the company, he struggled to turn around weak sales in a more competitive, post-pandemic retail landscape. Now, the outgoing CEO says Fiddelke is the right person to replace him. Mike was the right candidate to lead our business back to growth, Cornell told reporters. As I arrived at Target, I consistently relied on Michaels strategic insights and sound judgment when making decisions. Michael has developed a deeper knowledge of our business than anyone I know. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Yosemite National Park ranger has been dismissed from their role after unfurling a transgender pride flag from the iconic El Capitan, as other park visitors face potential legal action under protest restrictions tightened during President Donald Trumps administration. Shannon "SJ" Joslin, a ranger and bat biologist, stated they displayed the 66-foot wide flag on the famous climbing wall overlooking the California parks main thoroughfare for approximately two hours on May 20 before voluntarily removing it. A termination letter received last week accused Joslin of "failing to demonstrate acceptable conduct" in their capacity as a biologist, directly referencing the May demonstration as the cause for their dismissal. I was really hurting because there were a lot of policies coming from the current administration that target trans people, and Im nonbinary, Joslin, 35, told The Associated Press, adding that hanging the flag was a way to tell myself ... that were all safe in national parks. Joslin said their firing sends the opposite message: "If youre a federal worker and you have any kind of identity that doesnt agree with this current administration, then you must be silent, or you will be eliminated. open image in gallery A group of people, including Shannon Joslin, a Yosemite National Park ranger and biologist who was fired, hang a transgender flag on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, Calif., May 20, 2025 ( AP ) Park officials on Tuesday said they were working with the U.S. Justice Department to pursue visitors and workers who violated restrictions on demonstrations at the park that had more than 4 million visitors last year. The agencies "are pursuing administrative action against several Yosemite National Park employees and possible criminal charges against several park visitors who are alleged to have violated federal laws and regulations related to demonstrations," National Park Service spokesperson Rachel Pawlitz said. Joslin said a group of seven climbers including two other park rangers hung the flag. The other rangers are on administrative leave pending an investigation, Joslin said. Flags have long been displayed from El Capitan without consequences, said Joanna Citron Day, a former federal attorney who is now with the advocacy group Public Employees For Environmental Responsibility. She said the group is representing Joslin, but there is no pending legal case. On May 21, a day after the flag display, Acting Superintendent Ray McPadden signed a rule prohibiting people from hanging banners, flags or signs larger than 15 square feet in park areas designated as wilderness or potential wilderness. That covers 94% of the park, according to Yosemites website. open image in gallery Yosemite visitors view El Capitan, where a transgender flag hangs in Yosemite National Park, Calif., May 20, 2025 ( Jayce Kolinski ) Parks officials said the new restriction on demonstrations was needed to preserve Yosemite's wilderness and protect climbers. We take the protection of the parks resources and the experience of our visitors very seriously, and will not tolerate violations of laws and regulations that impact those resources and experiences, Pawlitz said. It followed a widely publicized instance in February of demonstrators hanging an upside down American flag on El Capitan in the wake of the firing of National Park Service employees by the Trump administration. Among the small group of climbers who helped hang the flag was Pattie Gonia, an environmentalist and drag queen who uses the performance art to raise awareness of conservation issues. For the past five years, Gonia has helped throw a Pride event in Yosemite for park employees and their allies. She said they hung the transgender flag on the granite monolith to drive home the point that being transgender is natural. Trump has limited access to gender-affirming medical treatments, banned trans women from competing in women's sports, removed trans people from the military and changed the federal definition of sex to exclude the concept of gender identity. Gonia called the firing unjust. Joslin said they hung the flag in their free time, as a private citizen. SJ is a respected pillar within the Yosemite community, a tireless volunteer who consistently goes above and beyond," Gonia said. Jayson ONeill with the advocacy group Save Our Parks said Joslin's firing appears aimed at intimidating park employees about expressing their views as the Trump administration pursues broad cuts to the federal workforce. Since Trump took office, the National Park Service has lost approximately 2,500 employees from a workforce that had about 10,000 people, Wade said. The Republican president is proposing a $900 million cut to the agencys budget next year. open image in gallery A transgender flag hangs on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, Calif., May 20, 2025 ( Jayce Kolinski ) Pawlitz said numerous visitors complained about unauthorized demonstrations on El Capitan earlier in the year. Many parks have designated First Amendment areas where groups 25 or fewer people can protest without a permit. Yosemite has several First Amendment areas, including one in Yosemite Valley, where El Capitan is located. Park service rules on demonstrations have been around for decades and withstood several court challenges, said Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers. He was not aware of any changes in how those rules are enforced under Trump. ___ Associated Press journalist Brittany Peterson contributed reporting from Denver. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Elon Musk is already giving up on plans to launch his own political party to challenge the Republicans and Democrats and is instead considering backing Vice President JD Vance in 2028, according to a report. After the billionaire was ousted from the Trump administration at the end of May and a subsequent online feud blew up with President Donald Trump, Musk threatened to launch the new America Party. Now the plans have been shelved and the tech mogul has backed off because of his relationship with Vance, who is considered the frontrunner for the Republican Party in 2028, The Wall Street Journal reports. Musk has stayed in touch with Vance in recent weeks, and he has acknowledged to associates that if he goes ahead with forming a political party, he would damage his relationship with the vice president, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with Musks plans. open image in gallery Elon Musk is reportedly already giving up on plans to launch his own political party and is instead considering backing Vice President JD Vance in 2028. ( Getty ) In late July, Musks associates canceled a call with a group that specializes in organizing third-party campaigns because the Tesla CEO wanted to focus on running his businesses, according to the Journal. Musk is now considering backing Vance financially if he runs for president in 2028, though his allies told the newspaper that he could change his mind as the midterm elections approach. It is unclear how recently the pair have been in touch. During an August 11 interview, Vance joked that he wasnt sure if Musk would even take his calls. A third party would only pull votes away from the two main political parties in next years elections - though how much from each side remains unknown. Vance said that he hoped Musk would come back into the fold and rejoin the MAGA movement by next year. open image in gallery Musk took a chainsaw to the federal government at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency and has seen his popularity plummet. Vance said that he hoped Musk would come back into the fold and rejoin the MAGA movement by next year. ( Getty Images ) Hes obviously got a complicated relationship right now with the Trump White House, Vance told right-wing publication The Gateway Pundit in a recent interview. My argument to Elon is like, youre not going to be on the left, right? Even if you wanted to be. And he doesnt, he said. Theyre not going to have you back. That ship has sailed. And so I really think its a mistake for him to try to break from the president. Vance added: So my hope is that by the time of the midterms, hes kind of come back into the fold. The Independent has contacted Musks representatives for comment. The billionaire, who bankrolled a large portion of Trumps 2024 presidential campaign through his America PAC, announced in July that he was launching the America Party in response to the presidents sweeping tax and spending legislation, the Big, Beautiful Bill. open image in gallery Musk was widely ridiculed after he waded into the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, wearing a cheese hat, and put millions behind the conservative Brad Schimel who suffered a catastrophic defeat. ( Getty ) By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it, Musk wrote at the time. When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. The bill was at the center of Musks fallout with Trump, which escalated after the SpaceX CEO said that the president was in the Epstein files. He later deleted the post on X and admitted he had taken things too far. Despite Musks plummeting popularity after he took a chainsaw to the federal government at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency, a poll last month found that 40 percent of Americans said they would back Musk if he created a third political party. Musk was ridiculed after the outcome of the Wisconsin Supreme Court race in April, where he put millions behind the conservative Brad Schimel, who suffered a catastrophic defeat against the liberal candidate Judge Susan Crawford. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Department of Justice has struck out with all requests to federal judges to unseal grand jury transcripts and other materials related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. On Wednesday, a judge in New York denied the governments request to unseal the documents, noting that the content of grand jury transcripts in the sex trafficking case pales in comparison to the Epstein investigative information and materials already in the hands of the DOJ. District Judge Richard Berman, who presided over Epsteins case before he died by suicide in 2019, agreed with another judge who last week called the governments request a diversion tactic to distract from public pressure against Donald Trumps administration to release the so-called Epstein Files. The government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein file, Berman wrote Wednesday. By comparison, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a diversion from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Governments possession, he added. The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epsteins alleged conduct. open image in gallery Donald Trumps Attorney General Pam Bondi has struck out of attempts to unseal grand jury transcripts tied to investigations into Jeffrey Epstein, with a federal judge telling the Justice Department that the contents pale in comparison to materials the agency already has ( Reuters ) Wednesdays ruling follows a separate rejection of the Justice Departments request for grand jury documents in the case against Ghislaine Maxwell. Epsteins former girlfriend is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction on sex trafficking charges tied to his crimes. In his opinion on August 11, District Judge Paul Engelmayer said nothing new would be revealed from the documents, and the public would instead come away feeling disappointed and misled. Last month, Florida District Judge Robin Rosenberg said her hands are tied when it comes to laws governing the release of grand jury transcripts, noting that the governments request falls outside the bounds of narrow exceptions. The governments request is not to assist with litigation in the New York federal proceedings, she wrote. The government wants the petition to be granted so that it can release evidence to the public at large. In Bermans court, the only witness to testify to the grand jury was an FBI agent who, according to the judge, had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay. That agent testified over two days in 2019, and the entire transcript was 70 pages, according to the Justice Department. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint and a call log. open image in gallery Three federal judges have denied the Justice Departments requests for grand jury materials in cases tied to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell as the Trump administration is under pressure to publicly release investigative files ( AP ) Trump, whose friendship with Epstein spanned more than a decade, has insisted that the public and press should move on from questions about the case. Epsteins death during Trumps first administration has fueled ongoing conspiracy theories of a government-wide cover up to protect powerful public figures who exploited and abused young girls. The Justice Departments failure to convince federal courts to release those materials is likely to add to mounting pressure, with members of Congress expected to receive additional information surrounding Epsteins case in the coming days. DOJ declined to comment to The Independent. In February, the White House handed over binders of largely publicly-available Epstein-related documents to several far-right influencers in an apparent effort to prove that the administration was listening to demands for more information about the case. At the time, Bondi labeled the release of those documents a first phase and told Fox News that more materials were sitting on my desk right now to review. In July, the Trump administration reversed course, finding no basis to revisit the disclosure of those materials despite demands for a full accounting of Epsteins death and alleged ties to a wider child trafficking conspiracy implicating powerful figures. Officials determined that no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted. Trumps former criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche who is now Bondis top deputy at the Justice Department performed a two-day jailhouse interview with Maxwell in Florida before federal authorities moved her to a lower-security prison in Texas. Maxwell was found guilty of sex trafficking and other offenses in connection with Epstein in 2021. She is serving a 20-year sentence for what prosecutors labeled a years-long scheme to recruit, groom and abuse young girls. In a letter to members of Congress, her attorneys asked for some immunity protections and made another appeal to Trump for clemency in exchange for her testimony. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Shortly after Donald Trump brazenly declared himself a war hero on Tuesday despite famously never serving in the military former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger derided the presidents remarks before noting that his people are going to find a way to justify this. It didnt take long for Mark Levin to answer that challenge. YES, TRUMP IS A WAR HERO, the Fox News host who also serves on the presidents Homeland Security Advisory Council tweeted on Wednesday. It was on Levins radio show where the president delivered his self-declaration of heroism in battle, which was in the context of Trump and Levin an outspoken supporter of Israel lauding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Describing the Israeli leader as a good man who is in there fighting, Trump went on to praise Netanyahu as a war hero before bestowing that title upon himself. open image in gallery Fox News host Mark Levin says the president is right to call himself a war hero despite never serving in uniform. ( AFP via Getty Images ) Hes a war hero, cause we worked together, hes a war hero, Trump said while chuckling. I guess I am, too. Nobody cares, but I am, too. You know, I sent those planes. The president was referring to the United States joining Israel in its military air campaign against Iran in June, which resulted in American bombers striking three critical nuclear enrichment facilities. Throughout the interview, the president grumbled that he hadnt been given enough credit for the airstrikes which hes repeatedly claimed obliterated Irans nuclear capabilities or other foreign policy accomplishments. Let me educate the truly stupid in the grotesquely moronic media and their crackpot surrogates, since President Trump made the war hero comments on my radio show last evening, Levin posted on X amid criticism of Trumps claiming to be a war hero. Levin, who privately advised Trump to take military action against Iran and raged against MAGA critics of the airstrikes, went on to justify his position by citing past presidents and their achievements as commander-in-chief. There are lots of presidents who are war heroes who did not actually fight in a war. Reagan defeated the Soviet Union, the conservative pundit continued. War hero. FDR defeated the Axis powers. War hero. Lincoln won the Civil War. War hero. Trump destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities and everything with them -- which Bush 41 and 43, Clinton, Obama, and Biden said they would prevent, but failed to do. Trump stopped Iran's nuclear threat to the United States in its tracks. He gave the order. He is the commander-in-chief. War hero. Additionally, Levin also defended the presidents description of Netanyahu as a war hero. Unlike Trump, who never served in uniform, Netanyahu was a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces who fought in both the Yom Kippur War and the 1967-1970 War of Attrition, and was injured several times in combat. AND congratulations to President Trump for also recognizing Prime Minister Netanyahu as a war hero. He most certainly is, Levin blared on X. Now, back to the quislings and Hamas/Iran mouthpieces in the media and their crackpot surrogates. open image in gallery President Donald Trump referred to both himself and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as war heroes during a recent interview and sparked immediate backlash. ( AFP via Getty Images ) The International Criminal Court, meanwhile, has accused Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, issuing an arrest warrant for him and Israels former defense minister Yoav Gallant last November. Israel has slammed those allegations, and the United States has backed Netanyahu by imposing sanctions on several of the courts judges in retaliation. As for Trumps self-annointing himself as a war hero, Kinzinger who served in the Air National Guard and flew missions in Iraq and Afghanistan pointed out that the president declined the opportunity to don the uniform when he had the chance. You can like what hes done. Thats fine. I hope he gets a resolution in Ukraine, Kinzinger said Tuesday night during a CNN interview. But to put himself on the same level of people that have actually gone out and served this country, not claimed bone spurs, is an offense to anybody who served. Kinzinger was referencing the multiple deferments that Trump received during the Vietnam War, one of which was for having bone spurs while the others were for attending college. And frankly, you just take somebody that served, calling themselves a war hero, even that would be inappropriate. For a guy that never served to say it, its nuts, he added. But somebody, theyll defend it, theyll find a way. Beyond that, early in Trumps first campaign for president, he infamously mocked the late Sen. John McCains service during the Vietnam War, which saw the former Navy pilot held captive and tortured for nearly six years in the notorious prison camp known as the Hanoi Hilton. He's not a hero, Trump exclaimed in 2015, sparking intense backlash at the time. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people that werent captured, OK? I hate to tell you that. During his first term, Trump also came under fire after The Atlantic reported that during a 2018 trip to France, he scrapped plans to attend the commemoration for the 100th anniversary of World War I at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, fearing his hair would be mussed because of expected rain. Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers, Trump reportedly said, adding later that Marines who died in battle were suckers. While the president has repeatedly denied he said that, calling it disinformation and fake news, his then-chief of staff John Kelly a former commander of U.S. Southern Command who lost his son in Afghanistan insisted Trump did make those remarks. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for D.C., said the quiet part out loud and admitted to helping President Donald Trump and the Republican Party while she was a Fox News weekend host, according to a new report. Newly unredacted court documents from the voting machine company Smartmatic, which The Washington Post has reported on, have revealed alarming texts from Pirro around the time of the 2020 election. Smartmatic is suing Fox News for $2.7 billion, arguing the network aired claims that it rigged former President Joe Bidens victory over Trump, despite knowing those allegations were false. Fox News has denied Smartmatics allegations, arguing it was partaking in journalism, rather than defamation. In one text Pirro sent to then-Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel in September 2020, she reportedly said, I work so hard for the party across the country. Im the No. 1 watched show on all news cable all weekend. I work so hard for the President and party, Pirro, who hosted Justice with Judge Jeanine, said, according to the outlet. open image in gallery Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for D.C., has been accused of helping President Donald Trump and the Republican Party while she was a Fox News weekend host, according to a new report ( Getty ) open image in gallery I work so hard for the party across the country, Pirro reportedly told then-Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel in September 2020 ( Getty ) Fox News once operated under the slogan Fair and Balanced and now uses Most Watched, Most Trusted to describe itself. However, its view and its relationship with the Republican Party have long been in question. The network has also lost several of its hosts to the current Trump administration including Pirro and Pete Hegseth. Pirro also reportedly told lawyer Sidney Powell, who later pleaded guilty in a scheme to overturn Trumps 2020 election loss in Georgia, to Keep fighting in a November 2020 text message shortly after Election Day. Smartmatic argues Pirro agreed the 2020 election was fair and free in a deposition. I believe that theres been no showing that Smartmatic engaged in any problems, she said, according to court documents. Fox News told The Independent Tuesday, The evidence shows that Smartmatics business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trumps lawyers on Fox News and that Smartmatic grossly inflated its damage claims to generate headlines and chill free speech. Now, in the aftermath of Smartmatics executives getting indicted for bribery charges, we are eager and ready to continue defending our press freedoms. The Independent has also reached out to Pirros D.C. office and the White House for comment. Fox News has already agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787.5 million in a defamation lawsuit over its post-2020 election coverage. Dominion also sued another right-leaning network, Newsmax, for false claims it had rigged the election, leading to a $67 million settlement. Newsmax agreed to pay Smartmatic $40 million in a similar defamation suit. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro once labelled her fellow Fox News anchor Sean Hannity an egomaniac and bragged about helping President Donald Trump, according to newly-released bombshell text messages. Pirro is at the center of a lawsuit brought by the voting machine manufacturer Smartmatic against Fox, in which the former is seeking $2.7 billion in damages for what it alleges do the networks anchors spread falsehoods and conspiracy theories about its products in the aftermath of Trumps defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Fox settled a similar defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 for $787.5 million but has insisted that Smartmatics suit is without merit. open image in gallery Jeanine Pirro, now U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who was formerly an anchor on Fox News and is regularly cited in a lawsuit brought against the network by the voting machine manufacturer Smartmatic ( Getty ) The evidence shows that Smartmatics business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trumps lawyers on Fox News and that Smartmatic grossly inflated its damage claims to generate headlines and chill free speech, the network said in a statement. Now, in the aftermath of Smartmatics executives getting indicted for bribery charges, we are eager and ready to continue defending our press freedoms. The texts gathered by the company concerning Pirro were released as part of an unredacted court filing on Tuesday and paint a fascinating picture of life behind the scenes at Fox. In one message sent by Pirro in September 2020 to Ronna McDaniel, the then-chair of the Republican National Committee, she bragged, I work so hard for the party across the country. Im the Number 1 watched show on all news cable all weekend. I work so hard for the President and party. In another message on October 27, she told a friend that Hannity had stormed into the Oval Office of the White House like he owns the place, throws his papers on the Pres desk and says, you dont mind if I use your private bathroom, and walks into bathroom within Oval and uses it. She continued: [He] Looks at me and says, I got to talk to him Its all abt him, period. No one else matters. open image in gallery Sean Hannity, Foxs star anchor, whom Pirro accused of being an egomaniac in a text message sent in October 2020 ( Fox News ) Smartmatic also argues in its suit that Pirro served as an information conduit to Sidney Powell, the self-styled Kraken attorney at the forefront of claims that Bidens victory at the polls was achieved by fraud, citing a message in which she encourages the lawyer to keep fighting. The texts further reveal that Jerry Andrews, the producer of Pirros show Justice with Judge Jeanine, warned her against making false claims about the election on air. You should be very careful with this stuff and protect yourself given the ongoing calls for evidence that has not materialized, he told her. Pirro was then angered when Fox decided against running an episode on November 7 and wrote to Hannity: IM TIRED OF THE CENSORSHIP AND IM EMBARRASSED BY HOW THEY CALLED THIS ELECTION. Hannity replied by observing: Fox News promoting u every 5 seconds. Its hilarious. open image in gallery Sidney Powell, AKA The Kraken, whom Pirro is accused of feeding information to in the lawsuit ( AP ) According to Smartmatic, Pirro otherwise acknowledged in a deposition that the 2020 election was not stolen, agreed that it had been fair and free and that the company did nothing wrong. I believe that theres been no showing that Smartmatic engaged in any problems, she said, according to the filing, which also quoted her as answering I do when asked by the companys lawyers whether she believed Biden was legitimately elected. Elsewhere, Pirro is seen complaining to the presidents son Eric Trump that her ex-husband, Albert Pirro, was not initially granted a pardon by Trump over his tax evasion conviction and calling former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was granted clemency, a selfish bastard, writing to Keriks girlfriend: I DONT CARE [ABOUT] ANYONE ELSE. Other Fox anchors mentioned in the suit include Jesse Watters, who texted his fellow presenter Greg Gutfeld in December 2020: Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL. More cautious was Bret Baier, who, according to the filing, messaged executive Jay Wallace accusing Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business of airing falsehoods and declaring: None of that is true as far as we can tell. We need to fact-check this crap. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Kilmar Abrego Garcia is asking a federal judge to throw out a criminal case against him, claiming he was singled out by President Donald Trumps administration for having the audacity to fight back, rather than accept a brutal injustice after he was wrongfully deported to a brutal prison in his home country. Despite admitting in court that he was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March, government lawyers and top administration officials spent weeks insisting Abrego Garcia would never be allowed back into the country following a high-profile lawsuit challenging his arrest and removal. He was abruptly flown back to the United States in June to face a criminal indictment in Tennessee, where a grand jury indicted him on federal smuggling charges. Prosecutors cannot abuse the law to punish someone for exercising his constitutional rights, lawyers for Abrego Garcia wrote on Tuesday. Yet that is exactly what has happened here. Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been singled out by the United States government, they added. It is obvious why. And it is not because of the seriousness of his alleged conduct. open image in gallery Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia want a judge to throw out criminal charges against him citing the Trump administrations vindictive prosecution they claim is in retaliation for his lawsuit after his wrongful deportation ( via REUTERS ) Last month, the federal judge overseeing his criminal case ordered his release from jail before trial, finding that prosecutors failed to show any evidence that his history or arguments against him warrant his ongoing detention. That order arrived moments after another federal judge overseeing his wrongful deportation case blocked the Trump administration from immediately arresting and deporting him after he is set to be released from jail. The court agreed to pause his release from pretrial detention so attorneys can evaluate options as they brace for immigration officers to arrest and remove him a second time. That pause is set to expire this Friday August 22. Abrego Garcias attorneys argue he was only charged because he refused to acquiesce in the governments violation of his due process rights. Rather than fix its mistake and return [him] to the United States, the government fought back at every level of the federal court system, attorneys wrote. And at every level, [he] won. This case results from the governments concerted effort to punish him for having the audacity to fight back, rather than accept a brutal injustice. In court filings, Abrego Garcias attorneys detailed the severe mistreatment and torture he experienced during his month-long detention inside El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT. His attorneys say the 29-year-old father was subject to severe beatings, severe sleep deprivation, inadequate nutrition, and psychological torture at the facility. A group of the most senior officials in the United States sought vengeance: they began a public campaign to punish Mr. Abrego for daring to fight back, culminating in the criminal investigation that led to the charges in this case, his attorneys wrote. His lawyers admitted that motions to dismiss on grounds of selective or vindictive prosecution are rarely granted but if there has ever been a case for dismissal on those grounds, this is that case, they said. The government is attempting to use this case and this Court to punish Mr. Abrego for successfully fighting his unlawful removal. That is a constitutional violation of the most basic sort, his attorneys wrote. open image in gallery Abrego Garcia spent nearly one month inside El Salvadors brutal CECOT prison after he was mistakenly deported on March 15. A high-profile federal lawsuit challenging his arrest and removal is ongoing ( REUTERS ) Abrego Garcia who entered the country illegally as a teenager after fleeing gang violence in El Salvador was deported on March 15 despite an immigration judges order that blocked his removal from the country for humanitarian reasons. Government lawyers admitted in court documents that he was removed from the country due to a procedural error and several federal judges and a unanimous Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return. Still, the government spent weeks battling court orders while officials publicly said he would never step foot in the United States, characterizing him as a serial abuser and criminal gang member. Emails and text messages provided to members of Congress appear to show that administration officials and government lawyers were sympathetic to his wrongful removal and made efforts to get him out of El Salvador before the case made headlines, which caused major headaches for the White House. A two-count indictment in Tennessee accuses Abrego Garcia of participating in a years-long conspiracy to illegally move undocumented immigrants from Texas to other parts of the country. He faces one count of conspiracy to transport aliens and one count of unlawful transportation of undocumented aliens. But in their request to keep him in jail before trial, federal prosecutors also claimed he is a member of transnational gang MS-13, and personally participated in violent crime, including murder. Prosecutors also claim he abused women and trafficked children, firearms and narcotics, and there is also an ongoing investigation into solicitation of child pornography. Abrego Garcia is not facing any charges on those allegations and a federal judge determined that the government failed to link those allegations to evidence that implicates him. As we have said since Day 1, this M13-gang member and human trafficker wont be on an American streets again, Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Independent on Tuesday. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced the U.S.-Mexico border wall will be painted black at President Donald Trumps request to make the metal hotter and deter migrants. Trump boasted about the historically low border crossings in July on Truth Social account late Tuesday afternoon. CONGRATULATIONS TEXAS! The July Border Statistics are in and, once again, they are the LOWEST RECORDED NUMBERS IN UNITED STATES HISTORY. The U.S. Border Patrol reported ZERO releases of Illegal Aliens into the Country, he wrote. There were fewer than 25,000 reported nationwide Customs and Border Protection encounters in July, down almost 90 percent from the monthly average under the Biden administration, the Homeland Security Department announced earlier this month. Despite the record-low number of border crossings, the Trump administration has continued its immigration crackdown, which has included Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the country, and an ad campaign with Noem warning the world, If you come to our country and you break our laws, we will hunt you down. open image in gallery Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced the U.S.-Mexico border wall will be painted black at President Donald Trumps request to make the metal hotter and deter migrants ( Homeland Security Department ) During a Tuesday press conference at the southern border in New Mexico, Noem announced the latest tactic the Trump administration is using to prevent migrants from entering the U.S. She touted the height of the wall as well as the depth as ways to deter people seeking to go over or under the walls. And then Noem said Homeland Security was going to be trying black paint to make the metal hotter. That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here when something is painted black it gets even warmer and it will make it even harder for people to climb, Noem said. So we are going to be painting the entire southern border wall black to make sure that we encourage individuals to not come into our country illegally, she continued. Noem even picked up a roller brush to help out with the painting during her press conference. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks, who attended the event with Noem, said the paint would also help deter rust. The secretary also said more will be added to the wall, as far as technology, cameras, sensors. A Homeland Security Department spokesperson would not confirm how much the paint job would cost, telling The Independent: With the OBBB [One Big Beautiful Bill] we will be able to finish the border wall system started under President Trumps first term. Due to an active procurement process to finish the wall it would be irresponsible to the American taxpayer to release the numbers as it may impact future bids. The Independent has also reached out to the White House for comment. open image in gallery Noem's announcement came as Trump boasted about the historically low border crossings from July ( Andrew Harnik/Getty Images ) During Trump's first term, building the wall was a central focus of his hardline immigration policy. In his second term, his mass deportation agenda with arrests in the interior of the country has been the main focus, but Homeland Security will be getting about $46 billion to complete the wall as part of the Big, Beautiful bill Trump signed in July. Noem said the administration has been building about a half mile of barrier every day. The border wall will look very different based on the topography and the geography of where it is built, she said. open image in gallery During Trump's first term, building the wall was a central focus of his hardline immigration policy ( Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images ) The secretary said in addition to barriers like the one she visited Tuesday the department is also working on water-borne infrastructure. Long sections of the roughly 2,000-mile border between the U.S. and Mexico sit along the Rio Grande River in Texas. A nation without borders is no nation at all. Were so thankful we have a president that understands that and understands that a secure border is important to our countrys future, Noem said. Early Tuesday, the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has sparred with Trump over his immigration crackdown, mocked the president on X, writing: Forget the southern border, the strongest wall Trumps ever built is his bronzer line. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has explained why shes no longer friends with Laura Loomer, a MAGA activist, conspiracy theorist and self-described proud Islamophobe. Greene, a right-wing lawmaker from Georgia, opened up about her long-standing rivalry with Loomer on Tuesday during an episode of The Megyn Kelly Show. Megyn Kelly, a conservative podcaster and former Fox News host, brought up their feud and asked Greene if she fell out with Loomer over their differing opinions on Israel. Loomer is a strong supporter of Israel, while Greene has said the U.S. should not intervene in foreign wars and has even called Israels war in Gaza a genocide. However, Greene told Kelly that wasnt the reason their friendship ended. Greene said she was once friends with Loomer and even endorsed her failed 2020 Congressional bid in Florida. Their relationship took a turn when Loomer tried and failed to unseat GOP Representative Daniel Webster in a different Florida district in 2022, Greene explained. The second time she decided to run, she jumped a district and wanted to run against Daniel Webster, who is actually a conservative Republican, Greene said. And I said, Hey, Laura, I don't think you should run against Daniel Webster. I don't think you can beat him. Why don't you jump to another district where there's an open seat, and you'll have a much better shot. open image in gallery Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said she was friends with Laura Loomer until the MAGA activist tried to unseat a Republican lawmaker in Florida ( Getty Images ) Well, she refused, Greene added. She said no, she would not listen to anybodySo I said, I can't get involved. I'm not going to endorse against him. I'm going to stay out. Well, she was furious at me, and then everything kind of plummeted from there. Greene went on to accuse Loomer of attacking Trumps most loyal allies all the time. She attacks some of the most loyal people to the president, people that are unapologetically America firstThose of us that fight the hardest, for some reason, she attacks us the most, Greene said. open image in gallery Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (left) explained why shes no longer friends with MAGA activist Laura Loomer (right) ( Getty ) The Independent has contacted Loomer for comment. Loomer and Greene often trade insults online. Earlier this month, Loomer accused Greene of corruption and claimed the lawmaker is using campaign funds to keep her daughter, who lives in Texas, on the payroll. Greene did not respond to The Independents request for comment last week. open image in gallery Greene accused Laura Loomer of attacking Trumps most loyal allies ( David Dee Delgado/Getty Images ) In September, Greene accused the MAGA activist of making an extremely racist post after Loomer said that the White House will smell like curry and White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center if former Vice President Kamala Harris won the 2024 election. It does not represent who we are as Republicans or MAGA. This does not represent President Trump. This type of behavior should not be tolerated ever, Greene said of Loomers post. Greene also told Kelly about her feud with Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett, claiming the Texas lawmaker treats her staff like they are just beneath her. Greene also recounted her public sparring with Crockett last year. During a House Oversight Committee meeting in May 2024, Greene told Crockett, I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what youre reading. Crockett later fired back, saying Greene has a bleach blonde bad built butch body. Greene told Kelly she found the remark hilarious. Other Republicans have also sparred with Crockett, including President Donald Trump, who recently claimed she is one of the Democratic Partys low IQ members. The Independent has contacted Crockett for comment. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A six-year-old girl and her mother, who were seeking asylum in the United States, have been deported to Ecuador after being arrested in New York City and held in immigration detention for a week. The second-grade student went to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-in appointment with her mother and older brother in lower Manhattan on August 12 when they were detained by federal agents. New York officials confirmed that the young girl and her mother, who had been living in Queens, were deported on Tuesday morning. The girls 19-year-old brother is still locked up in an immigration detention center in New Jersey. The case of another New York City public school student being targeted has drawn renewed scrutiny and outrage over the practice of arresting immigrants at routine check-in appointments and court hearings. The childs arrest appears to be the first known ICE arrest of a New Yorker under the age of 18 during Donald Trumps administration. open image in gallery A family from Ecuador, including a 6-year-old New York City public school student, were arrested and detained by ICE during a routine check-in at the agencys office in downtown Manhattan. The girl and her mother were deported on August 19 ( Getty Images ) This is cruel. And I say to those who did this: where is your humanity? NY Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement after the family was deported. President Trump, you said you were going after the worst of the worst. You think shes really the worst of the worst? she said. I want to demand how you can possibly say yes. The Independent has requested comment from the Department of Homeland Security. In a previous statement, assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the family had final orders for their removal and encouraged undocumented immigrants to self-deport. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return, she said. The Ecuadorian family sought asylum without legal permission after arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in December 2022. The woman, identified as Martha, had her asylum claims denied last year, but continued to attend ICE check-ins without issue. Her child had attended P.S. 89 elementary school in Queens. In a letter to ICE pleading for the girls release, the schools principal called her a kind, respectful, and dedicated young lady whose unexpected removal will cause significant disruption to her learning and will likely have a deep emotional impact on her classmates and our entire school community. Last week, the family was arrested during a check-in appointment at 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan, home to ICE officers, immigration courts and a makeshift detention facility at the center of a federal lawsuit over its conditions. Marthas 19-year-old son was sent to that holding center, and then moved to Delaney Hall in Newark. ICEs online detainee locator system had previously shown that Martha was being held inside one of the countrys few family detention centers in Texas. The system then noted she was in Washington, D.C., on Monday. The system no longer has a record of her whereabouts. There is no greater depravity than separating a family and deporting a 6 year-old child two weeks before she is supposed to start school, read a joint statement from NY state Assemblymember Catalina Cruz and New York City Council Member Shekar Krishnan. It is a shameful stain on our country's history and conscience, they added. open image in gallery Civil rights groups and New York officials have criticized ICEs practice of arresting immigrants in court and at regularly scheduled check-ins with officers, with several public school students facing deportation after their abrupt arrest at routine appointments and hearings ( Getty Images ) Protesters have railed against the targeting of New York City students in recent weeks, following a wave of arrests at courthouses and ICE check-ins, with Manhattan fast becoming the nations capital for such arrests. In June and July, agents with ICEs New York City field office arrested 48 children, according to data shared with news organization The City, compiled by the Deportation Data Project. Dylan Lopez Contreras, a 20-year-old student from Venezuela, was enrolled at Ellis Prep. Academy in the Bronx, part of the public school systems programs serving older immigrants learning English. He was arrested in May immediately after his appearance in immigration court on his asylum claims. Earlier this month, advocates rallied for the release of Mamadou Mouctar Diallo, who was enrolled at Brooklyn Frontiers High School, a transfer school that serves many older immigrant students. Diallo, who is originally from Guinea, was at least the third public school student arrested by ICE agents this year, according to city officials and attorneys for their families. He is currently detained at Pike County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania, according to ICE records. As schools prepare for the upcoming year, communities across the U.S. are reeling as families are ripped apart by ICE arrests, and sent to countries their young children dont know. In Los Angeles, the countys school districts are putting new protective measures in place to brace for ICE raids, while New York officials are suing ICE to prevent courthouse arrests that have turned routine, legal appearances into what one judge has called deportation roulette. An ICE policy abandoned by the Trump administration sought to prevent courthouse arrests from creating a palpable fear that disincentivizes people from appearing for their hearings, according to a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups against the practice. But in the first few days of the Trump administration, defendants repealed those policies, exposing individuals who properly appear for their hearings, including to seek asylum and other relief, to the imminent threat of arrest and indefinite detention, the lawsuit stated. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths security requirements are so extensive that it is placing a strain on the U.S. Armys Criminal Investigation Division, according to a report. The Washington Post reports that the CID, which is responsible for protecting top Pentagon officials as well as serving as the Armys law enforcment arm, has been forced to draft agents who would otherwise be investigating criminal offenses concerning members of the Armed Forces to help watch over Hegseths family and their properties in D.C., Minnesota and Tennessee. Ive never seen this many security teams for one guy, one official told the newspaper. Nobody has. open image in gallery U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his wife Jennifer attend a Fourth of July celebration at the White House ( AP ) The CID reportedly maintains around 1,500 agents in total, around 150 of whom are typically assigned to VIP security details. But since Hegseth took office in January, the number shifted over into personal protection roles has risen to between 400 and 500, according to two differing estimates the paper received. One CID official quoted by the Post expressed their frustration with the situation by saying agents were being prevented from doing what we are supposed to be doing in order to sit on luggage or sit in the cars on the driveway. Others complained of having to shepherd the secretarys children to school or patrol the perimeter of his properties. It is literally taking away from [CIDs] law enforcement mission, they said. You are taking hundreds of people out of the field to provide this level of protection. One of the reasons for the heightened security surrounding the secretary is the fact that he received a bomb threat at his Tennessee home late last year shortly after he was nominated to his post by President Donald Trump, which came a matter of months after two attempts were made on Trumps own life during the campaign, the first of which saw the Secret Service heavily criticized. Another is the complexity of Hegseths blended family, which includes one child from his marriage to Jennifer Hegseth as well as three from her previous marriage and another three from his. open image in gallery The Hegseths sit outside a branch of Ben and Jerry's in Washington, D.C., on Thursday August 14 as their security detail watches over them ( Getty ) Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell reacted angrily to the Posts reporting and told The Independent: In the wake of two assassinations attempts against President Trump, ICE agents facing a 1,000 percent increase in assaults, and repeated threats of retaliation from Iran for striking their nuclear capabilities, its astonishing that The Washington Post is criticizing a high-ranking cabinet official for receiving appropriate security protection, especially after doxxing the DHS Secretary last week. Any action pertaining to the security of Secretary Hegseth and his family has been in response to the threat environment and at the full recommendation the Army Criminal Investigation Division. When left-wing blogs like The Washington Post continue to dox cabinet secretaries security protocols and movements, it puts lives at risk. A senior CID official told The Independent: While the department prioritizes the safety and security of assigned high-risk personnel, CID operates within existing resource constraints and proactively adjusts its efforts to address emerging threats and maintains a robust security posture in both the investigative and protective realms. The secretary of defense never requested additional protection for his former spouses, the official added, refuting one of the claims made by the Post. Similarly, the secretary has never affected CIDs recommended security posture. Hegseths reign as the nations top defense official has been tumultuous so far, with U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvins departure on Monday only the latest in an ongoing shake-up that has seen the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of naval operations, the commandant of the Coast Guard, and the vice chief of staff of the Air Force all changed in recent months. The secretary has also struggled to replace his own chief of staff, spokesman and senior aides after they left and found himself caught up in the Signalgate scandal, which erupted in March when Trumps short-lived national security adviser Mike Waltz accidentally added Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg to a group chat in which top secret information about an upcoming bombing raid on Houthi rebels in Yemen was discussed. In addition, Hegseth, a former Fox News weekend host, has been caught up in a number of culture war issues, from the renaming of the U.S.S. Harvey Milk to questions arising from his decision to post a video on X in which a Christian nationalist pastor expressed his support for depriving women of the vote. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An Anchorage man has reportedly received a new motorcycle as a personal gift from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The gesture occurred during last week's summit between Putin and President Donald Trump in the Alaskan city, according to a report by Russian state television. Mark Warren was handed the keys to his new Ural motorcycle by Andrei Ledenev, an employee of the Russian embassy, in the car park of the Anchorage hotel where the Russian delegation was staying. Ledenev told Warren: "I have to say that this is a personal gift from the President of the Russian Federation." Warren, who has white hair and spectacles, was seen immediately taking his new motorbike for a spin, according to the Russian channel. He was unable to be reached for comment. open image in gallery Mark Warren astride his new Ural motorcycle ( Handout ) "It's night and day," Warren told Russian state media. "I like my old one, but this one is obviously much better. "I'm speechless, it's amazing. Thank you very much." The unexpected gift by the Russian leader came after reporters with Russian state television Channel 1 met Warren by chance on the streets of Anchorage ahead of the summit. The reporters stopped to admire Warren's bike, which is manufactured by Ural, whose original factory was founded in 1941 in what was then Soviet Russia. open image in gallery Putin and Trump shake hands at the summit in Alaska ( AFP/Getty ) Warren told a reporter, Valentin Bogdanov, that he struggled to obtain spare parts for the bike, including a new starter, because the manufacturing plant is "located in Ukraine." "So for you, if they resolve this conflict here in Alaska, I mean Putin and Trump, it will be good?" Bogdanov asked Warren. "Yes, it will be good," the Alaskan replied. Ural, which is headquartered in Washington State, said that all of its motorcycles are assembled in Kazakhstan. The company pulled all its production out of Russia after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine. Ural did not immediately reply to a request for comment outside working hours in the U.S. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has revealed why he works out wearing jeans. On Tuesday, during an appearance on Fox News, host Jesse Watters asked Kennedy what he called the question that everybody is wondering about. Why do you wear jeans when you work out? asked Watters. Well, I just started doing that a long time ago because I would go hiking in the morning, and then Id go straight to the gym, and I found it was convenient, and now Im used to it, so I just do it, said Kennedy. There were a lot of theories, but that makes perfect sense, said Watters. open image in gallery RFK Jr took part in a fitness challenge alongside Pete Hegseth, in a t-shirt and jeans ( Department of Defense ) Kennedy was questioned about his exercise habits after taking part in a workout challenge alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In a video, published by the Department of Defense Monday, the pair took part in what they called the Pete and Bobby Challenge, in which they had to complete 50 pull-ups and 100 push-ups in under 10 minutes. Its all about making America healthy again. Were gonna be fit, not fat, Hegseth said in the video. We want recruits that are ready to go. Pete and I are going to do our part to encourage American youth to do this challenge, Kennedy added. While Hegseth wore shorts and t-shirt, Kennedy was in a t-shirt with a pair of jeans. The video shows them completing the pull-up and push-up challenge in under six minutes. Kennedy challenged Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to do the challenge next, while Hegseth called out the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, as well as his former Fox News colleague Will Cain. We hope Americans will take this challenge and youll pass it along so that were ready to be fit the way we need to be healthy and to have a healthy fighting force, said Hegseth. open image in gallery Kennedy took part in the fitness challenge with Hegseth as he pushes his Make America Healthy Again agenda ( Department of Defense ) Kennedy took part in the fitness challenge as he pushes his Make America Healthy Again agenda, an echo of President Donald Trumps Make America Great Again slogan. It includes a focus on public health issues, with the MAHA movement emphasizing reducing artificial additives in food and beverages and reassessing health choices for children, such as vaccines. On Sunday, comedian John Oliver dissected the MAHA movement on HBOs Last Week Tonight, noting that its not just Republicans who have gotten caught up in the movement, with many parents looking to feed their children healthier foods. Experts agree with Kennedys claim that American children are getting sicker, with a U.S. child being 15 to 20 percent more likely to experience a chronic condition in 2023 compared to 2011. However Oliver pointed out that even when Kennedy and his movement can be right about identifying a problem, their solutions can range from the superficial to the outright dangerous. Under the leadership of Kennedy, HHS has begun defunding mRNA vaccine research, with one expert calling it the most dangerous public health decision I have ever seen made by a government body. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked state law requiring the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, setting up a possible Supreme Court showdown after several Republican-led states have tried, and failed, to implement similar laws. The Texas law, which was set to take effect September 1, likely violates the First Amendments prohibitions against government interference and endorsement of religion, according to Tuesdays order from District Judge Fred Biery. His colorful 55-page ruling quotes from Sonny & Cher, Greta Garbo and Kurt Vonnegut as well as Supreme Court rulings, historians and prominent faith leaders, from Billy Graham and Pat Robertson to the Buddha. Ultimately, in matters of conscience, faith, beliefs and the soul, most people are Garbo-esque, he wrote, referencing her line I want to be alone from the film Grand Hotel. They just want to be left alone, neither proselytized nor ostracized, including what occurs to their children in government-run schools. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will appeal, his office told The Independent. open image in gallery Texas Governor Greg Abbott joined several other GOP-led states requiring the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, setting up a Supreme Court showdown on the separation of church and state ( Getty Images ) Under legislation approved by Texas lawmakers and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott earlier this year, all public elementary or secondary schools must display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments. A lawsuit was filed by a group of Texas families with Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist, and nonreligious backgrounds, including clergy, with children in public schools. The judge agreed with plaintiffs that those displays are likely to pressure children into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the states favored religious doctrine while suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious background and beliefs, according to the judge. Biety also agreed that these matters of individual conscience and the soul should be free of government interference and coercion. The Ten Commandment wont necessarily be taught in schools, but the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer, according to the judge. Teenage boys, being the curious hormonally driven creatures they are, might ask: Mrs. Walker, I know about lying and I love my parents, but how do I do adultery? the judge wrote. Truly an awkward moment for overworked and underpaid educators, who already have to deal with sex education issues and a classic example of the law of unintended consequences in legislative edicts. Bietys ruling which traces the history of religious observation and persecution asks whether that violent history gives rise to the question: Havent we evolved? Other than size and longevity, the answer clearly is: Of course not, he wrote, adding The Beat Goes On with a footnote referencing the song from Sonny & Cher. He notes that those who immigrated to Texas were neither the first nor the last group to come to America in search of freedom from government-controlled religion, pointing to a long line of state-imposed persecution. So it goes, he wrote with another footnote referencing Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five. open image in gallery Texas District Judge Fred Bierys colorful order striking down Texas law mandating the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms references a long list of historical figures, pop songs and Hollywood films ( FBI San Antonio ) Rabbi Mara Nathan, the lead plaintiff in the case, said in a statement that childrens religious beliefs should be instilled by parents and faith communities, not politicians and public schools. Heather L. Weaver, senior counsel for the ACLUs Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, said the ruling ensures that our clients schools will remain spaces where all students, regardless of their faith, feel welcomed and can learn without worrying that they do not live up to the states preferred religious beliefs. In his conclusion, the judge offered an olive branch to his critics. For those who disagree with the Courts decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities and violence, Grace and Peace unto you, he wrote. May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another. Amen. open image in gallery Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma have advanced similar policies requiring the Ten Commandments in schools, drawing several lawsuits alleging violations of the First Amendments Establishment clause ( AP ) In a statement to The Independent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship. Texas will always defend our right to uphold the foundational principles that have built this nation, and I will absolutely be appealing this flawed decision, he added. Lawmakers in Arkansas have advanced similar legislation, and Oklahomas chief school officials mandated copies of the Bible and Ten Commandments in all classrooms with immediate and strict compliance. Last year, District Judge John Wheadon deGravelles paused a similar Louisiana law that had swiftly drawn legal challenges from civil rights groups anticipating a Supreme Court battle. Legislation to incorporate Christian teachings in public schools joins a nationwide effort from conservative special interest groups to move public funds into religious education, dovetailing with efforts by Donald Trumps administration and across the country to let families use taxpayer funds to send their children to private schools. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court reached a surprise tie in a case that could decide whether Oklahoma could open the first-ever taxpayer funded Catholic public charter school, which triggered a high-profile legal battle to decide whether public funds can be used to create religious schools setting up a major test to the First Amendments establishment clause. The 4-4 decision, from which Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself, upheld a lower-court ruling that effectively blocked the schools opening for now. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trumps administration is now screening for what it considers anti-American activity when deciding whether immigrants can legally live and work in the United States. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on Tuesday that anti-American activity including social media posts and any perceived ideological affiliations will be considered an overwhelmingly negative factor when deciding whether immigrants can stay in the country legally. But it will be largely up to officers discretion to decide what anti-American means, relying on a 60-year-old immigration law that prohibits alleged communists or people who support totalitarian governments from entering the country. Americas benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies, USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said in a statement Tuesday. Immigration benefits including to live and work in the United States remain a privilege, not a right." The agencys policy manual was updated Tuesday to note that immigration authorities can deny citizenship, work permits, green cards and other lawful status to anyone it deems to have supported anti-American ideologies or anti-American activities. open image in gallery Immigration authorities are now screening for anti-American activity to determine whether immigrants can apply for citizenship or other legal status ( Getty Images ) The agencys review of social media profiles will also screen for anti-American activity, USCIS announced. The manual notes that the definition of anti-American relies on language in a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which doesnt mention anti-American and largely focuses on communism. That 1952 law was drafted at the height of red-scare hysteria, Senator Joseph McCarthys anti-communist crusade, and investigations under the House Committee on Un-American Activities, which investigated alleged disloyalty and subversive activities, including perceived communist sympathies. The guidance comes just days after the Trump administration expanded a good moral character test for citizenship, with officers instructed to perform more than a cursory mechanical review focused on the absence of wrongdoing. Immigration authorities must now consider a holistic assessment of an aliens behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions that affirmatively demonstrate good moral character. The Trump administrations latest maneuvers join an expansive anti-immigration agenda defined by mass arrests, stripping legal status for tens of thousands of people, restricting who can enter the country and who can be considered a citizen. The president is seeking to unilaterally redefine birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment while closing all points of entry for asylum seekers and cutting off legal protections for more than one million immigrants radically expanding the pool of undocumented people now vulnerable for arrest and removal. open image in gallery Immigrants applying for citizenship could have their social media profiles screened for anti-American activity, which is up to an officers discretion to define under decades-old immigration law targeting alleged communists ( REUTERS ) USCIS guidance announced on Tuesday also instructs authorities to screen whether applicants promote what they consider antisemitic terrorism and antisemitic terrorist organizations and antisemitic ideologies. The new screening measures follow similar guidance from USCIS and other agencies as the Trump administration targets campus dissent against Israels war in Gaza, which officials broadly characterized as antisemitic. In May, USCIS announced the agency was immediately reviewing immigrants social media accounts for what it considers antisemitic activity that could be used as evidence to deny them legal status in the United States. This will immediately affect aliens applying for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students and aliens affiliated with educational institutions linked to antisemitic activity, according to the agency. The following month, the State Department restarted interviews for student visa applicants and directed embassies and consulates to conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants. Those applicants social media privacy settings must also be public to be reviewed by immigration authorities, according to State Department orders. Diplomats were ordered to review social media profiles for any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States. They also were instructed to decide if applicants displayed any advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to U.S. national security and support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Trump administration has quietly rescinded a longstanding Department of Education guidance explaining how schools must comply with civil rights laws and court decisions mandating they provide services to English language learners, alarming education advocates. The guidance, issued in 2015, details how schools must comply with longstanding parts of U.S. law like Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars national origin discrimination. Courts have interpreted this provision to mean that schools must offer support services to students who dont speak English. Since taking office, the Trump administration has been pushing to prioritize English-speaking as a national priority while cutting support for the roughly 5 million U.S. public school students who dont yet speak the language, as well as non-English speakers more broadly. In February, the president signed an executive order designating English the official language of the U.S. while rescinding a federal mandate requiring agencies and institutions receiving federal funding to provide language assistance. Since then, the Department of Education has laid off nearly all the workers in its Office of English Language Acquisition. open image in gallery Trump administration has taken multiple steps to pull back multi-lingual services in schools and other government agencies, which critics say could actually harm ability of non-English speakers to learn the language and assimilate ( REUTERS ) In July, the Department of Justice wrote in a memo to all federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services and argued that treating people differently based on English proficiency didnt necessarily constitute national origin discrimination. The memo added that by next January, the DOJ will create guidance to help agencies prioritize English while explaining precisely when and how multilingual assistance remains necessary, part of the White House goal to "promote assimilation over division through language policy. Critics said rescinding the Education Department guidance will, in fact, make it harder for U.S. students to learn English, while freeing up districts to potentially ignore past rulings and legal mandates to support pupils who are still learning the language without fear of federal enforcement. For a teacher, it was kind of like the Bible, Montserrat Garibay, head of the Biden-era Office of English Language Acquisition, told The Washington Post, which first reported on the rescinded 2015 guidance. If, in fact, we want our students to learn English, this needs to be in place. open image in gallery Donald Trump has designated English the official language of the U.S. and has directed agencies to pull back on offering services in languages other than English ( Getty ) Instead of providing this office with more capacity and more resources to do exactly what the executive order says to make sure that everybody speaks English they are doing the total opposite, she added. Last month, the administration temporarily withheld $890 million in English language learning funds and called for their elimination next year. Were put in a position where, we want you to learn English, but at the same time, were going to de-emphasize anything that will help provide you the opportunity to learn English, Jeff Hutcheson, the director of advocacy and public policy at the English-language learning group TESOL International Association, told K-12 Dive last month. Outside of education, other parts of the government have been quick to embrace the Trump administrations language mandates. HUD is ENGLISH only, Housing Secretary Scott Turner wrote on X on Tuesday, sharing an image of eliminating a Spanish-language page on the Department of Housing and Urban Development website. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice While sitting beside Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, Donald Trump once again boasted of ending six wars in as many months without negotiating a single ceasefire. If you look at the six deals that I settled this year, they were all at war. I didn't do any ceasefires, Trump said before turning to Zelensky, adding: I dont think you need a ceasefire. Since his trip to Scotland last month, Trump has repeated multiple times a version of his claim that hes ended wars at about one a month, according to PolitiFact. Earlier Monday, the president posted on Truth Social that in one case, he had averted a possible unclear disaster. By Tuesday morning, Trump told Fox & Friends that his administration had solved seven wars, though the president did not elaborate on which conflict he was now including in his list. The White House told The Independent that Trump was citing conflicts from both his first and second terms. The White House previously lauded Trump as the peacemaker-in-chief, and the president has styled himself as the president of peace. open image in gallery Trump in the Situation Room of the White House before addressing reporters about the bombing of the three Iranian nuclear sites ( The White House ) Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief has openly signalled his ambitions of winning a Nobel Peace Prize despite campaigning on a largely non-interventionist platform. Are Trumps claims of halting hostilities credible or an embellishment of the truth? The Independent takes a closer look at the presidents peacemaking record. Israel and Iran open image in gallery Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump and Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ( AP ) Approximately three days after launching Operation Midnight Hammer, Trump told NATO leaders that his administration just ended a war in 12 days that was simmering for 30 years. On June 23, the major Iranian uranium enrichment sites, Fordow and Natanz, and the research base of Isfahan faced a wave of U.S. bunker buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles, which Trump claimed left the facilities obliterated. The U.S. intervened in the conflict on June 21 after Israel launched a surprise attack eight days earlier on Iranian nuclear facilities, missile strikes, and military infrastructure. Iran responded with a wave of missile and drone strikes at Israeli army bases and cities. On June 23, Trump declared on Truth Social that Israel and Iran had reached a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE, which was mediated by the U.S. While Trumps actions against Irans nuclear program may have curtailed immediate strikes, it is not possible to claim to have secured lasting peace, with tensions in the region remaining high. India and Pakistan open image in gallery Trump, right, speaks with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the East Room of the White House in February ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The brief but deadly military exchange between India and Pakistan that began on May 7 reignited long-standing tensions over the disputed region of Kashmir. It drew a surprise offer of mediation from Trump, who said he could help find a solution to the Himalayan region that is claimed by both nations. We also appreciate President Trumps expressed willingness to support efforts aimed at the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, said the Pakistani government. By contrast, India remained publicly silent while reinforcing its view that Kashmir is an internal matter. Major General Rameshwar Roy, a retired Indian Army officer, dismissed Trumps offer outright, calling it irrelevant and intrusive and telling The Independent in May that it was a bilateral agreement reached without U.S. involvement. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri doubled down in June that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trump there was no U.S. mediation between India and Pakistan. Thailand and Cambodia open image in gallery Trump addresses to reporters at the Lehigh Valley International Airport on August 3, 2025 about tensions between Cambodia and Thailand ( Getty ) On July 26, Trump said he was calling the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia to urge a ceasefire after three days of intense border fighting. A truce between the nations, brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, was reached on 28 July after Trump said he had spoken to the leaders. Trump leveraged his most powerful economic weapon: tariffs. He said he threatened to derail existing trade deals that had been brokered with the two countries if the fighting persisted. Just days later, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, lauding his extraordinary statesmanship in halting the border conflict with its neighbor. However, foreign policy experts caution that there is no evidence that the president personally negotiated or directly brokered a ceasefire between the two countries. Reports indicate that the fragile truce has been violated multiple times, with both sides accusing each other of breaches. Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo open image in gallery Trump listens as Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe speaks during an event with Congo's Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner in June at the White House ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) On June 27, foreign ministers of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo flew to Washington, D.C., to sign a controversial peace deal brokered by the U.S. to end fighting in eastern DRC. The agreement also allows for U.S. investment in eastern DRCs critical mineral reserves, including gold, copper, and lithium. Flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and delegates from both nations in the Oval Office, Trump called the peace treaty a glorious triumph. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, however, claimed the diplomatic success as his own. Foreign policy experts said the agreement is significant but part of a broader picture of broken contracts between the countries. A week earlier, Trump teed up the treaty he said he and Rubio arranged in a bid to put an end to the decades-long war between the two nations. This is a Great Day for Africa and, quite frankly, a Great Day for the World! I wont get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, he wrote on Truth Social on June 20. In his meandering post, Trump also noted that he wouldnt be awarded the prize for stopping wars between India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, Egypt and Ethiopia, and for doing the Abraham Accords in the Middle East. No, I wont get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and thats all that matters to me!, he said. Armenia and Azerbaijan open image in gallery Donald Trump shakes hands with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, right, and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev during a trilateral signing ceremony this month ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) On August 8, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement during a meeting with Trump in the White House, bringing an end to decades of conflict. If it holds, the deal between the South Caucasus rivals would reopen key transportation routes while allowing the U.S. to seize on Russias declining influence in the region. A major transit corridor linking Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan is set to open, with the U.S. owning the development rights to the corridor. It was to be named the Trump Route, the White House said, which the president called a great honor. It's a long time 35 years they fought and now they're friends, and they're going to be friends for a long time, Trump said, besides the leaders of the two nations at the signing ceremony. Egypt and Ethiopia open image in gallery President Donald Trump meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the Oval Office in 2019 ( AP ) After 12 years, Egypts Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on June 29 that talks with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the River Nile had ground to a halt. Days later, Ethiopia said its GERD was complete. While a full-scale conflict did not erupt, Egyptians remained wary that the mega dam could restrict the flow of the Nile, which provides 90 percent of the countrys total water supply. In a White House meeting on July 14, Trump appeared to side with Egypt, claiming that it would be pretty incredible if its water source were to be taken away. He said that the U.S is going to have that solved very quickly. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a Trump ally, said in a social media statement that the country appreciates Trumps keenness on reaching a just agreement and supports the presidents global vision of establishing just peace, security, and stability. Ethiopian officials and experts warned that Trumps remarks risked aggravating the situation and undermining Ethiopias right to utilize its natural resources. And any progress, they argued, is mainly attributable to ongoing multilateral negotiations, not Trumps intervention. Trump reportedly expressed hope for a quick resolution as Egypt and Ethiopia reached an agreement in 2018 during his first administration over how to share the waters of the Nile. Serbia and Kosovo open image in gallery A woman walks near a poster showing Trump with a Serbian flag, in Mitrovica, Kosovo in January ( Reuters ) At an Oval Office press conference on June 27, Trump declared that Serbia and Kosovo were on the brink of war until, he said, his administration was able to stop it by again threatening trade sanctions. Trump said he had a friend in Serbia who alerted him that were going to go to war again with Kosovo, without providing further details. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on July 10 that Trump prevented a potential escalation from Serbia. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied the claims of warmongering and said on July 12 that a conflict with Kosovo does not even occur to us. After the breakup of Yugoslavia, tensions between the two nations peaked between 1998 and 1999 when the countries were at war, which ended with NATO intervention. Friction has persisted since Kosovo declared independence in 2008. In 2020, during Trumps first term, the U.S. brokered a pact between the two Balkan nations to normalize economic relations. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Andrew Bailey, the newly appointed co-deputy director of the FBI, demanded records about minors seeking abortions while he served as Missouris attorney general, but a judge temporarily blocked the subpoena. Bailey announced Monday that he was stepping into the role which he will share with the bureaus current deputy director Dan Bongino and leaving his post as Missouri attorney general. In March, Bailey subpoenaed Missouri Abortion Fund, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance for locals who cant afford the full cost of abortion care, as part of the states 2024 lawsuit against Planned Parenthood Great Plains, court records show. The subpoena demanded the nonprofit hand over documents about minors seeking abortions as well as its communication with the branch of Planned Parenthood, records show. Parental consent is required for anyone under 18 seeking an abortion, Missouri law dictates. The subpoena was an an abuse of government power and a fishing expedition, Elad Gross, a lawyer for the nonprofit, which is not a party in the case, told the Missouri Independent in April. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who is joining the FBI as its new co-deputy director, demanded records from a nonprofit related to minors seeking abortions ( AFP/Getty ) The attorney generals use of its governmental power to demand records from non-party Missouri Abortion Fund is a violation of the right to reproductive freedom, Gross wrote in a filing, objecting to the subpoena. The judge overseeing the case temporarily blocked the subpoena in April. The Independent has reached out to the nonprofit and Planned Parenthood about Baileys new role. In the lawsuit, filed in February 2024, accused Planned Parenthood Great Plains of trafficking minors across state lines for abortions without obtaining parental consent. The suit stems from a video from Project Veritas, a far-right activist group known for recording undercover videos, that depicts a man asking Planned Parenthood workers if his alleged 13-year-old niece could get an abortion without her parents finding out. In an attempt to throw out the suit, Planned Parenthood called the scenario fictitious and argued the video was heavily edited and inaccurate. The court has denied its motions to dismiss the case and Planned Parenthood has filed a counterclaim. This lawsuit is one of several attacks Bailey has made against reproductive rights groups. Last month, Bailey escalated his onslaught to a national scale. He sued Planned Parenthood Federation of America, alleging the nonprofit spread misinformation about the dangers of mifepristone, one drug in a two-drug regimen for medication abortions. Baileys lawsuit comes as part of a larger effort following the fall of Roe v. Wade to question the safety of the abortion drug. Anti-abortion activists earlier this year pushed a report by right-wing think tank Ethics and Public Policy Center claiming serious complications from mifepristone use were 22 times higher than previously reported. Critics slammed the report as bogus. The Trump administration has also targeted Planned Parenthood. President Donald Trumps Big, Beautiful Bill included a provision that would have stripped Medicaid funds from going toward nonprofits that received more than $800,000 from Medicaid in 2023, including Planned Parenthood and a network of clinics in Maine. A federal judge last month ordered the government to continue reimbursing Planned Parenthood with Medicaid funds. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trump, who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War, declared himself a war hero and lauded Benjamin Netanyahu as a good man and fellow war hero during a radio interview Tuesday evening. Speaking to conservative radio host Mark Levin, the president said he was working with the Israeli prime minister to free Hamas-held hostages, adding that Netanyahu is a good man, hes in there fighting. Despite the Israeli prime ministers detractors wanting him jailed as a war criminal following a November 2024 arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict issued by the International Criminal Court, Trump insisted: Hes a war hero. Trump, who also claims to have ended seven wars, then extended the accolade to himself, saying: Hes a war hero, cause we worked together. Hes a war hero. I guess I am too. He continued: Nobody cares. I am too. I sent those planes, a reference to his order for June airstrikes against three critical enrichment facilities in Iran. open image in gallery President Donald Trump meets with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office. Trump has referred to Netanyahu as a war hero. ( AFP via Getty Images ) Throughout the interview, Trump complained he had not received sufficient credit for ordering those air strikes or other recent actions he has taken aimed at easing global conflict. For his part, Netanyahu has previously called Trump the greatest friend Israel has ever had, and in July presented him with a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Shortly after the interview aired, CNN host Erin Burnett played the clip to former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Trump nemesis who served on the January 6 House Select Committee. Kinzinger, a former Air National Guard officer who flew missions over Iraq and Afghanistan, commented: I mean, look, this is just nuts. This is nuts. And they're going to find, his people are going to find, a way to justify this. He continued: Listen, when they were putting out something honoring the Army's 250th anniversary, they put out a picture of Donald Trump in his military academy uniform, which has nothing to do with the military except they drill you. This is nuts. He's not a war hero. Kinzinger added, referencing the presidents role in nascent peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine: You can like what he's done. That's fine. I hope he gets a resolution in Ukraine. But to put himself on the same level of people that have actually gone out and served this country, not claimed bone spurs, is an offense to anybody who served. open image in gallery A demonstrator holds a sign critical of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ( AFP/Getty ) The former congressman also noted that it would be inappropriate for anyone who had actually served to call themself a war hero. Burnett, agreeing that the administration will likely find a way to justify the comment, also noted: You're also right about something really important, which is the humility that defines a war hero, right? The humility of the fact that someone who's a war hero would never call themselves that. Trumps most infamous comments about war heroes in the past included denying that the late Senator John McCain was a war hero because he had been captured and held as a prisoner of war. The president made those remarks while campaigning for the Republican nomination in 2015, caused a storm of protest at the time. During an interview in Iowa, the presenter said McCain was a war hero, to which Trump replied: He's not a hero... He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people that werent captured, OK? I hate to tell you that. open image in gallery Republican presidential candidate Arizona Senator John McCain pictured in 2008 ( AFP via Getty Images ) McCain, a former Navy pilot, spent five and a half years in a notorious Vietnamese prison known as the Hanoi Hilton, where he was repeatedly tortured and spent years in solitary confinement. Trump avoided serving in Vietnam with four college deferrals and one for having bone spurs, a foot problem. In 2018, Trump reportedly snubbed a planned commemoration for the 100th anniversary of WWI at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, fearing his hair would become disheveled in the rain, The Atlantic reported in 2020. Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers, Trump reportedly told staffers, according to the magazine. The then-president also called the more than 1,800 Marines buried there suckers elsewhere during his 2018 trip in France, perThe Atlantic. John Kelly, a former Marine Corps general and the White House chief of staff at the time, attended in Trumps place. Kelly, whose son was killed in action serving in Afghanistan in 2010, later told CNN that Trump had indeed made the derogatory remarks, describing him in a statement as someone who rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in Americas defense are losers and wouldnt visit their graves in France. Trump has repeatedly denied ever making the statement, calling the alleged comments disinformation reported by the fake news. open image in gallery White House chief of staff John Kelly listens as President Donald Trump speaks in October 2017 ( Getty Images ) During his second administrations radical attempts to downsize the federal government, the Department of Veterans Affairs was forced into backing down from its plans to cut 83,000 jobs after a public outcry. The department has moved to reassure veterans that it has multiple safeguards in place to ensure these staff reductions do not impact veteran care or benefits. While VA Secretary Doug Collins had insisted the much bigger reduction in the workforce was tough but necessary, veterans advocacy groups warned that it would have devastating long-term consequences for former members of the armed forces, who deserved better after serving their country. Gutting VA will result in delayed appointments and substandard care, leading directly to more veteran deaths, said Kayla Williams, an Iraq War veteran and senior policy adviser at VoteVets. Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, also slammed the plan as a gut punch and breathtaking in its potential significance and its malevolence and cruelty. The Gaza War, for which Netanyahu's arrest warrant was issued, was triggered by an attack inside Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, during which around 1,200 Israelis were killed, while another 251 people were taken hostage. The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. It also issued a warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who Israel said it had killed in an airstrike, accusing him of war crimes over the attack on Israel. While the decision makes Netanyahu an internationally wanted suspect, the extent of the warrants practical implications is unclear, given that Israel and its major ally, the U.S., are not members of the court. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The U.S. Navy has experienced several major setbacks in its efforts to develop a new fleet of drones in a race with China. Last month, the Navy was testing autonomous drone boats off the California coast when one vessel stalled. As officials worked to fix a software problem, another vessel plowed into the stalled boat, flipped over the deck, and crashed back into the sea, according to Reuters. The two vessels were built by American defense tech companies, Saronic and BlackSea Technologies. During a test conducted by the Navy weeks earlier, a support boat captain was flung into the water when another autonomous BlackSea vessel that it was towing unexpectedly sped up. This caused the support boat to capsize, four people familiar with the incident told the news agency. The captain declined to seek medical attention. The incident was initially reported by Defense Scoop. Both setbacks were due to software issues and human error. This included breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, a person with direct knowledge of the issue told Reuters. Maritime drones have made a massive impact in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and U.S. military leaders have taken note. They have said repeatedly that they need a large number of aerial and maritime drones to stop a possible attack on Taiwan by China. Taiwan has begun building up its own naval drone fleet. open image in gallery One of the Navys autonomous vessels took part in an exercise in South Carolina on April 17. The U.S. Navy has faced several setbacks while working to acquire a new fleet of autonomous vessels. ( via REUTERS ) The drones developed in Ukraine often look like speedboats with no seats and can carry weapons, explosives, and surveillance equipment. Primarily remote-controlled and costing nearly $250,000, they have been used for kamikaze missions to take down Russias Black Sea Fleet. The U.S. is working to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms without being controlled by humans, costing as much as several million dollars per vessel. Hudson Institute autonomous warfare expert Bryan Clark told Reuters that the recent test mishaps reveal the challenges that the Navy is facing and that it will have to adapt its tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they cant do." A top admiral of the Navys autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit was fired in late May. A senior Pentagon official shared their concerns regarding the program during a meeting with Navy leaders last month, according to the news agency. Following the California crash, the Pentagons Defense Innovation Unit has put a contract with L3Harris, valued at nearly $20 million, on hold. L3Harris is one of the companies providing the software used to control some of the vessels. open image in gallery Autonomous vessels can be seen in the waters off San Diego, California, on May 14, 2024. The U.S. Navy is spending millions on testing the new technology. ( Chief of Naval Operations ) A spokesperson for the Pentagon told Reuters that they have conducted the drone tests as part of a "competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry." In 2023, the Pentagon started its $1 billion Replicator program, a plan to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, as well as the software to control them. The initial systems stemming from the program are set to be announced this month. Procurement records show that the Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which manufactures dozens of Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats each month. Saronic manufactures the sea drone Corsair, but it hasnt yet revealed a major contract. According to federal procurement records, the company has generated at least $20 million stemming from prototype agreements. Jim Kilby, the acting chief of naval operations, visited a BlackSea facility in June. open image in gallery Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jim Kilby visited BlackSea Technology facilities to view the U.S. Navy's Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft program in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 18. He said the new systems would play a critical role. ( Chief of Naval Operations ) "These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness," he said at the time, according to Reuters. Autonomous weapons expert T.X. Hammes told the news agency that the Navy is attempting to change decades of tradition quickly. "Youve got a system thats used to building big things, taking years to make a decision, and now suddenly youre asking them to move fast," he said. Last month, President Donald Trumps signature domestic policy package, known as the Big, Beautiful Bill, was passed into law. It includes nearly $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. open image in gallery A Royal Navy vessel can be seen alongside an autonomous boat in the Baltic Sea on June 12. The recently passed Big, Beautiful, Bill included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. ( via REUTERS ) However, the Navy has faced skepticism from the Trump administration. The Navys drone procurement unit, called the Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants, was recently placed under review, four people familiar with the situation told the news agency. It may be restructured or shut down. A spokesperson for the Navy, Timothy Hawkins, told Reuters that the unit stands by its mission. Hawkins declined to comment when reached by The Independent. The Independent has contacted BlackSea Technologies, Saronic, and L3Harris for comment. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Some Washington, D.C., residents are adopting a new symbol of resistance against President Donald Trumps administration: the so-called sandwich guy. This month, Trump mobilized the National Guard in Washington, D.C., brought in federal agents and placed the local police force under federal control in an attempt to stop a crime emergency he described as out of control. This comes despite available data indicating violent crime in D.C. has been decreasing since 2023, and even hit a 30-year low last year. Many residents have protested against the heightened presence of federal agents and troops in the nations capital, but one individual has stood out amongst them: a man who was arrested earlier this month after police say he threw a sandwich at a group of federal law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C. Video of the incident quickly went viral, bringing nationwide attention to the sandwich thrower, who police say is 37-year-old D.C. resident Sean Charles Dunn. Now, new posters have appeared throughout the nations capital honoring the sandwich thrower as an apparent symbol of resistance. open image in gallery Banksy-style portraits honoring the man who threw a sandwich at federal agents in Washington, D.C., have appeared throughout the nation's capital ( Katie Hawkinson/The Independent ) Banksy-style posters honor D.C.s sandwich guy The posters are recreations of the Flower Thrower, a 2003 mural by the iconic British street artist and political activist Banksy. The original image depicts a masked protester throwing a bouquet of flowers, and is widely seen as an image of resistance and hope. But in the recent D.C. renditions, the man is instead throwing a sub-style sandwich. These posters have been found primarily in Northwest D.C. near the downtown area. Social media images and local media reports shared over the weekend identified posters in the Dupont Circle and Logan Circle neighborhoods, as well as on K St., an area home to many lobbyists and law firms. While some posters remain plastered up, others have been ripped down. Two of these posters can be seen near a liquor store in the Logan Circle neighborhood next to a bus stop. Theyre plastered less than a mile away from the intersection where Dunn is accused of throwing the sandwich. open image in gallery Two Banksy-style portraits honoring the D.C. sandwich thrower are seen at a bus stop near the Logan Circle neighborhood ( Katie Hawkinson/The Independent ) On Sunday, photographers also captured three of the posters plastered near the busy Dupont Metro Station, located just under two miles from the White House. The area is home to several embassies and think tanks. But when The Independent visited the station on Wednesday morning, the posters had been torn down. White residue from where they were once plastered is still visible. open image in gallery Banksy-style portraits honoring the D.C. sandwich thrower were hanging near the Dupont Circle metro station on Sunday (left). By Wednesday, those posters were gone (right) ( Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images (left) and Katie Hawkinson/The Independent (right) ) One social media post also indicated there was a poster hanging in downtown D.C., at the intersection of M St. and New Hampshire Ave., as recently as two days ago. There were no signs of the poster as of Wednesday morning. Residents who staged a protest against Trumps decision to mobilize the National Guard in Washington, D.C., over the weekend also held signs and props referencing the sandwich thrower. Photographers captured one protester waving around a loaf of bread. Others held signs that read, One small sub for manOne giant gesture for democracy and Dont f*** with D.C. unless you want this footlong, according to the local outlet Washingtonian. open image in gallery A demonstrator holds a piece of bread as he protests against the increased federal law enforcement presence in Washington, D.C., on Saturday ( Getty Images ) Alleged sandwich thrower arrested by 20 officers, attorney says Dunn, the alleged sandwich thrower, is now facing a felony assault charge over the August 10 incident. Police claim Dunn approached a group of officers on 14th Street, an area known for its busy nightlife scene. Dunn is accused of then pointing his finger at a Customs and Border Patrol agent and shouting, F*** you! You f***ing fascists! Why are you here? I dont want you in my city! Police say Dunn then threw a sub-style sandwich at the group, hitting one of the officers in the chest. open image in gallery A viral video shows a man throwing a sandwich at federal officers. Police identified the man as Sean Dunn, 37 ( U.S. District Court for D.C. ) Dunn was initially apprehended after fleeing the scene. While he was being processed, police say Dunn told an officer, I did it, I threw a sandwich. Dunns attorney, Sabrina Shroff, said in court he was released the next day with no charges, according to CNN. However, Shroff then learned a warrant was out for Dunns arrest on August 13. Shroff said she called multiple government officials, but could not find a way for Dunn to surrender himself. That night, 20 officers showed up at Dunns front door and arrested him, Shroff said. Dunn has since been released on personal recognizance and will appear in court again in September. Shroff declined to comment when contacted by The Independent. open image in gallery Federal agents arrest Sean Dunn. The 37-year-old was initially apprehended on August 10, but later arrested again on August 13, his attorney said ( Getty Images ) Dunn has been fired from his job at the Justice Department in the wake of his arrest, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced last week. If you touch any law enforcement officer, we will come after you, she wrote. I just learned that this defendant worked at the Department of Justice NO LONGER. Not only is he FIRED, he has been charged with a felony. U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro also shared a video on X touting Dunns arrest. Assault a law enforcement officer, and youll be prosecuted, Pirro said. This guy thought it was funnywell, he doesnt think its funny today, because we charged him with a felony. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The White House has launched a TikTok account weeks ahead of President Donald Trumps extended deadline to ban the app. Congress passed a bill last year, which former President Joe Biden subsequently signed into law, that gave TikToks China-based parent company, ByteDance, nine months to sell TikTok to a U.S.-approved company or face a nationwide ban. Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline for TikTok to sell or be banned since taking office with the most recent delay set to end on September 17. It remains unclear if Trump will extend the deadline again, if a deal with TikTok is not reached within a few weeks, but the fact the White House has joined the app could lessen confidence that Trump will enforce the ban. The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment. open image in gallery The White House has launched a TikTok account weeks ahead of President Donald Trumps extended deadline to ban the app ( Anthony Kwan/Getty Images ) The White House shared a series of videos Tuesday to kick off its new account. In its first post, the White House shared a compilation video of Trump and wrote, America we are BACK! Whats up TikTok? A second video showed beauty shots of the exterior of the White House and was captioned, Were so back. The White House also posted a video of Trump zingers, including when he said, I was the hunted, and now Im the hunter. Trump has his own TikTok account, which was launched during his 2024 presidential campaign, and has amassed more than 15 million followers. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, per Reuters, "President Trump's message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we're excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before. In June, Leavitt said Trump delayed the enforcement of the TikTok ban again so we can get this deal done. open image in gallery Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline for TikTok to sell or be banned since taking office with the most recent delay set to end on September 17 ( Andrew Harnik/Getty Images ) Its wildly popular. He also wants to protect Americans data and privacy concerns on this app. And he believes we can do both at the same time, Leavitt told reporters. The Information, a tech news site, reported in July TikTok was developing a new version of its app for American users that would go live on U.S. app stores on September 5, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Trumps approach toward TikTok has dramatically shifted in his second term. During his first presidency, Trump signed an executive order banning TikTok, citing a threat to U.S. national security an argument that lawmakers made while the TikTok ban was moving through Capitol Hill. Trumps ban was blocked by the courts. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice At least 32 turtles, some with bleeding eyes, have been found washed up on shores across New South Wales in Australia, prompting conservationists to launch an urgent investigation. New South Waless National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) said they were investigating the deaths, all of which occurred across the Port Stephens Council area in recent weeks. Marine rescue group Sea Shelter said it had recorded 25 green turtle deaths at Port Stephens in the past month, including seven in the past week alone. Green turtles are listed as vulnerable under Australian conservation law. The animals have been found at several popular swimming spots, including Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay and Corlette. While the deaths appear to be concentrated around tourist beaches, wildlife experts suggested that may simply reflect the higher likelihood of sightings in well-populated areas. Multiple agencies, including NPWS, the Department of Primary Industries and the Taronga Zoos Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, are involved in the investigation. Samples are being collected for testing and investigations on the cause are underway, NSWs National Parks and Wildlife Services said in a statement, adding that the autopsy data would be available in a number of weeks. The agency has urged people to report sick or injured sea turtles to the NPWS or to Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters. A green turtle swims through the pristine waters of the Great Barrier Reef ( Getty/iStock ) Its definitely very, very worrying, Lia Pereira, co-founder of Sea Shelter, told ABC news. In my personal history of working with turtles, I have never seen this in Port Stephens. Ryan Pereira, another founder of Sea Shelter in Anna Bay, said they witnessed an increase in the number of sick or dead turtles after recent flooding in the area. He said there were too many possibilities at the moment to confirm the cause of the turtles deaths. Conservationists said bleeding around the eyes was an unusual symptom. The Taronga Zoo registry said: "A thorough, multifaceted investigation is underway and it may take some weeks to determine the factors contributing to the event." It said they have taken two samples from two dead turtles and are also running diagnostic testing on samples from another 15 turtles from Port Stephens. Earlier this year, more than 400 endangered sea turtles were found washed ashore on India's east coast in an event not witnessed in over two decades. The Olive Ridley turtles, which travel thousands of miles searching for ideal nesting conditions, likely died due to large fishing nets that trawl the ocean floor, experts said. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Australias government has pushed back against Israels scathing tirade against prime minister Anthony Albanese after Benjamin Netanyahu called him weak and accused him of betraying the countrys Jewish community. Relations between the two countries have plummeted amid Israels military campaign in the Gaza Strip, with Australia announcing last week that it would join the UK, France and Canada in recognising a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly next month. Israel has since revoked the accreditation of Australias representatives to the Palestinian Authority, after Australias home minister, Tony Burke, cancelled the visa of a prominent far-right Israeli politician, accusing him of intending to spread a message of hate. Now the row has become personal, with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashing out at Mr Albanese in an unusually pointed public missive. On X, Mr Netanyahus office wrote: History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews. Responding to the remark, Mr Burke said on Wednesday: Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many people you can leave hungry. open image in gallery Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, center, and Jewish government lawmaker Mark Dreyfus, center right, address the media outside the East Melbourne Synagogue in Melbourne, Australia, 6 July ( AP ) Strength is much better measured by exactly what prime minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when theres a decision that we know Israel wont like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Mr Albanese on Wednesday afternoon said he would not take Mr Netanyahus comments personally, arguing that Mr Netanyahu has said similar things about other leaders. We had a long discussion prior to the cabinet meeting which was held last Monday morning. At that time, I gave prime minister Netanyahu a clear indication of my view and Australias view going forward I gave him the opportunity to outline what political solution there was, he told reporters. open image in gallery Anthony Albanese said he would not take Netanyahus comments personally as his job is to represent the Australian national interest ( AFP/Getty ) I dont take these things personally. I engage with people diplomatically, he [Netanyahu] has had similar things to say about other leaders. It has emerged that Mr Netanyahu also sent a letter Mr Albanese on Monday, saying the Australian government was pouring fuel on this antisemitic fire, and condemned the decision to recognise a Palestinian state. "It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement," the letter read, dated 17 August and shared publicly by the Australian Jewish Association. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid on Tuesday said Mr Netanyahu's comments to Mr Albanese were a "gift" for Australia. "The thing that strengthens a leader in the democratic world today most is a confrontation with Netanyahu, the most politically toxic leader in the Western world," he said in a social media post. Mr Burke defended his decision to cancel Israeli lawmaker Simcha Rothmans visa, saying it was to protect Palestinian and Muslim Australians, not Hamas. If anyone wanted to come on a public speech tour, and they had those views publicly expressed about Israeli children, I would block the visa, Mr Burke said. I am going to not have a lower bar for the protection of views that are bigoted views against the Palestinian people. Australia has joined the growing list of countries recognising the state of Palestine, potentially becoming the 147th out of 193 UN member states to do so. The move follows similar announcements in recent weeks by the UK, France and Canada. Mr Netanyahu accused the leaders of those three nations Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney of siding with mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 62,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its military offensive on 7 October. The campaign was triggered by the Hamas-led attack that day, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Tributes have been paid to a Finnish MP who was found dead in the countrys parliament building in Helsinki. The death of Eemeli Peltonen, a 30-year-old MP for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), was confirmed by the communications office for the Finnish parliament, the countrys national broadcaster Yle reported. Helsinki police told The Independent that one person died at around 11am on Tuesday at the Parliament House, and that foul play is not suspected. He was a much-loved member of our community and we will miss him deeply. A young life has ended far too early, chair of the SDP parliamentary group Tytti Tuppurainen said. open image in gallery Eemeli Peltonen was described as being popular among his colleagues ( via REUTERS ) Prime Minister Petteri Orpo suspended all official political work by his office for the rest of the day. A minutes silence was arranged by Mr Orpo, who said Mr Peltonen was popular among his colleagues, public broadcaster Yle reported. We received truly shocking news from Parliament, our shared workplace. One of our colleagues has died in the parliamentary premises. This is very sad news," Mr Orpo said, according to Yle. "At the same time, we send strength to the family, loved ones and colleagues. This deeply affects all of us Confirming the death, speaker of the Finnish parliament Jussi Halla-aho wrote on X: On behalf of the Parliament, I express my condolences to the family and loved ones of Representative Peltonen. Peltonen was a well-liked and respected colleague across party lines. Police are investigating the cause of death, but so far they do not suspect foul play, police said, adding that an investigation is being launched into the cause of death. Born in 1994, Mr Peltonen began serving as a city councillor aged when he was still a teenager in 2013. In 2017, he became the chairman of Jarvenpaa council, a position he remained in for four years. He first ran as a parliamentary candidate in 2019, when he received 3,492 votes but was not elected. Four years later he was elected in the 2023 parliamentary elections in Uusimaa, receiving 5,747 votes. In late June, Mr Peltonen revealed on social media that a kidney problem leading to an infection had kept him away from much parliamentary work in recent weeks. He said he was bring treated with an intravenous antibiotic cure in Meilahti [outskirts of Helsinki], which takes its time. I'm already discharged from hospital, but due to the situation I'm on summer sick leave and I'm now fully focused on recovering from the illness, he added. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A major European airport has been forced to close off parts of its terminal after a fire broke out at a check-in desk. Part of Milan Malpensa Airports Terminal One was closed after a man reportedly set fire to the check-in area, according to the Lombardy Airports Association. Travellers were seen queuing outside the building as emergency crews worked to battle the flames, which filled the terminal with thick smoke. Footage shared on social media appears to show the man being challenged by several people and then pinned to the ground by staff. Cries of alarm can also be heard. After first setting fire to a waste bin, the man damaged check-in desks and information screens with a hammer, Varese News reported. open image in gallery After first setting fire to a waste bin, the man damaged check-in desks and information screens with a hammer, local media reported ( X/@aptlombardi ) The fire was started using a flammable liquid around 11am local time. A SEA employee noticed the rising smoke and intervened while the suspect was destroying screens between desks 12 and 13, Varese News added. Border Police officers soon arrived and restrained the man, while staff from airport security company ICTS worked to put out the flames. The SEA employee who intervened was injured and treated by emergency medical services but no other injuries have yet been reported. open image in gallery Border Police officers soon arrived and restrained the man, while staff from airport security company ICTS worked to put out the flames ( X/@aptlombardi ) The hammer was taken by Polaria officers, who are now investigating the incident and the attackers motives. The situation was quickly brought under control after the arrest of the madman who set fire to and destroyed several check-in desks, The Lombardy Airports Association updated, after previously saying that half of the check-in area was closed. Due to the closure of some areas and the evacuation of premises, there may be delays and cancellations for departures from Malpensa T1. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Funeral services were held Wednesday for a young Palestinian woman who died in Italy shortly after being evacuated from Gaza last week, exposing Italians to the desperate plight of Palestinians in the besieged territory. The funeral of Marah Abu Zuhri, attended by several hundred people, was interrupted repeatedly by chants of Free Palestine and featured speeches by local authorities denouncing Israels policy in Gaza and expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. As Palestinian flags fluttered, mourners stood in prayer before Zuhris coffin, which was was draped in a Palestinian flag and a keffiyeh scarf in the town of Pontasserchio, near Pisa. Zuhri, 19, had been evacuated to Italy with what Israel had called leukemia, but Italian doctors said they found no initial evidence of that and instead found profound wasting" and an undiagnosed or misdiagnosed condition. The United Nations and partners have said 22 months of war have devastated Gaza's health system, and food security experts have said the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out. Israel is moving ahead with a new military offensive on some of the territory's most populated areas, Mayor Matteo Cecchelli said he wanted to honor Zuhri's life with a public service in the town's Park of Peace, to make noise about what he called a political and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The reality is that every day in the Gaza Strip, people are dying in the deafening silence of world governments," he said to applause. "We cannot remain silent today in this field of peace. There are those who have decided to make noise and have decided to be here to express their dissent towards this genocide. Israel asserts that it abides by international law and is fighting an existential war in Gaza after Hamas deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed some 1,200 people and took more than 250 others hostage. Israel has rejected genocide allegations related to its war in Gaza and called them antisemitic. Zuhri arrived in Italy overnight on Aug. 13-14 as one of 31 sick or injured Palestinians evacuated on an Italian humanitarian airlift that has brought nearly 1,000 ill Palestinians and their families to the country since the war began. Israel said she had leukemia and had been offered an evacuation earlier but claimed that Hamas had exploited her case, without offering evidence. The U.N. World Health Organization, which coordinates patients evacuations, didnt respond to a request for comment. Gazas Health Ministry has asserted that evacuations are often delayed or canceled by Israeli authorities. It says over 18,000 patients and wounded require treatment outside Gaza. Zuhri was admitted to the hematology ward of Pisa Universitys Santa Chiara Hospital, a known oncological hospital in Tuscany, but died there on Aug. 15. The hospital said she arrived with a very complex/compromised clinical picture and in a state of profound wasting. She suffered a sudden respiratory crisis and subsequent cardiac arrest, which killed her, it said. The head of the hematology department at the Pisa hospital, Dr. Sara Galimberti, said Zuhri arrived with a diagnosis of suspected acute leukemia, but tests the hospital conducted came back negative, with no signs of the bad cells that would indicate leukemia. Galimberti told reporters that Zuhri likely had been misdiagnosed, and that her condition was nevertheless seriously compromised and had been for a while. "The patient was in a complete condition of wasting, and completely bedridden despite being 19 years old, she said. The hospital conducted a nutritional consultation and began a hypercaloric therapy and transfusional support, but Zuhri died before a full diagnosis was possible, Galimberti said. The doctor said the womans mother, Nabeela Abu Zuhri, declined an autopsy on religious and personal grounds. The mother, who accompanied her daughter on the flight, spoke briefly at the funeral, thanking Italy for trying to save her daughter and asking for prayers for Palestinians. She said she was leaving a part of my heart, a part of me, with you before returning to Gaza. The imam of Pisa, Mohammad Khalil, who translated for her, tried to calm the crowd and focus on Zuhri, but he also spoke of food shortages and hunger in Gaza. The United Nations has said starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at their highest levels since the war began. The U.N. says nearly 12,000 children under 5 were found with acute malnutrition in July including more than 2,500 with severe malnutrition, the most dangerous level. The World Health Organization says the numbers are likely an undercount. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly asserted that no one in Gaza is starving, with no policy of starvation in Gaza. AP reporting has found that malnourished children were arriving daily at a Gaza hospital, with some dying from hunger, including ones with no preexisting conditions. ___ Winfield reported from Rome. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Pope Leo XIV could be joined in the papal apartments by a number of flatmates when he moves in later this year, according to reports. In a change from his predecessor, the Pope will reportedly share apartments in the 16th century Apostolic Palace for the first time in modern history. Ten rooms in the building will be renovated, with three or four to be made ready for his brethren to move in with him, according to La Repubblica. Father Edgard Rimaycuna, the Popes Peruvian personal secretary, is among those expected to be invited. open image in gallery Leo became Pope earlier this year ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) It seems to be new to me, Vatican correspondent Iacopo Scaramuzzi told The Telegraph. I dont know if that takes account of the long history of the church but certainly in the modern era. On the 13 May, just days after being elected, the Pope vowed never to give up being an Augustinian, a religious order which cherishes community living. I will have to give up many things, said Leo XIV after celebrating mass and lunching with his brethren. My life has changed, but I will never give up being an Augustinian. This led to the plans to bring a small community of Augustinians with him to the luxurious Apostolic Palace, La Repubblica reported. Despite the late pope not living there, seals were placed on the doors of the apartment on 21 April after he died in keeping with tradition. Francis spent the years of his pontificate in the simply furnished Santa Marta residence in the Vatican, preferring daily contact with ordinary people. open image in gallery The apartments include the popes bedroom, private study, and medical suite, and the Sunday blessing of pilgrims gathering in St Peters Square is delivered from its window ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) In my opinion, Leo is definitely different to Francis but not that different, Mr Scaramuzzi said. He is returning to the papal apartments, but not like a king. It is tradition for new popes to renovate the papal apartments, which have been the official residence of popes since 1870. The Vatican has given few details about the latest work, but technicians have spent months repairing water and humidity damage accumulated over 12 years of vacancy. A cornice also reportedly detached from a kitchen window earlier this year, prompting urgent repairs. The apartments include the popes bedroom, private study, and medical suite, and the Sunday blessing of pilgrims gathering in St Peters Square is delivered from its window. Pope Leo currently resides in the nearby Sagrestia building. Father James Martin previously called Leos return to the apartments a prudent decision on X, formerly Twitter. Three of the last six popes - John XXIII, John Paul I, and John Paul II - died in the apartments. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The future of Ukraines industrial heartland in the east of the country is uncertain, after Vladimir Putin reportedly demanded it be handed to Russia during his meeting with Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday. Those demands will set a tense backdrop to a potential meeting between Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. The latter said he was ready for a trilateral meeting with Trump and Putin, after he held a friendly meeting with the US president in the White House on Monday. Were going to work with Ukraine. Were going to work with everybody, and were going to make sure that if theres peace, the peace is going to stay long term. This is very long term, Trump said after Mondays meeting. But territorial disputes, such as Putins demands for the Donbas, will pose a major challenge for mediators. The Russian leader demanded that Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donetsk as part of any ceasefire deal, and said he would be prepared to stop fighting on the rest of the frontline if Kyiv gave in to the demand and addressed the root causes of the conflict. The Ukrainian president has said that Putin wants to take the remaining 30 per cent of the eastern region, which has been the location of some of the fiercest battles in the three-and-a-half-year war. But losing Donetsk would give Russia control of almost all of the Donbas, the collective name for Ukraines eastern industrial heartland, which has been long coveted by Putin. Last week, Zelensky vowed that Ukraine would never leave the Donbas and warned that Putin could use it as a springboard for a future invasion. However, sources close to the meeting told The Independent that the dramatic move appears to have been endorsed by Mr Trump as a means to bring an end to the war. As Kyiv fights to keep the Donbas from Trumps so-called land swap deal, heres all you need to know about the region. Where is the Donbas? Situated along Ukraines eastern border, the Donbas takes its portmanteau name from Donets Basin, a further abbreviation of Donets Coal Basin, in reference to the coal basin along the Donets Ridge and River. The Donbas stretches across the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, two large regions of Ukraine that have been on the front line of the war that followed Russias invasion. How long has it been occupied? The Donbas has been partially occupied by Russia since 2014, around the same time that Putin annexed the Crimean peninsula. Russian-backed separatists broke away from the Ukrainian government to proclaim the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk independent peoples republics and, as a result, Moscow captured more than a third of Ukraines eastern territory. Russia classes inhabitants of the Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Luhansk Peoples Republic, the Donetsk Peoples Republic, and the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson as subjects of the Russian Federation. Ukraine insists these territories are part of Ukraine. It is believed that around 88 per cent of the Donbas is under Russian control. This includes almost all of the Luhansk region and 75 per cent of the Donetsk region, according to Reuters. Approximately 6,600 sq km is still controlled by Ukraine, but Russia has been focusing most of its energy along the front in Donetsk, pushing towards the last remaining major cities such as Pokrovsk. open image in gallery Donbas is known for its coal-mining industry ( Reuters ) A key strategic region in the war The hyper-industrialised Donbas economy is dominated by coal mining and metallurgy. The region has one of the largest coal reserves in Ukraine. When conflict broke out in 2014, Ukraines coal-mining enterprises saw a 22.4 per cent decline in the production of raw coal compared with 2013, according to the Kyiv Post, showing the countrys reliance on Donbas as an energy powerhouse. But as well as its economic significance, Donbas has been described as a fortress belt by the Institute for the Study of War in terms of its strategic value. Donetsk forms the main fortified defensive line across the front line, stretching through Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, and Kostiantynivka. Ukraine is holding a key defensive line across Donetsk, says Elina Beketova, a fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, describing a fortified zone buildup over years because the war began 11 years ago. She adds that Russia hasnt been able to break through since 2014, and has lost many people there. The entire region is heavily mined, and Ukrainian troops have been preparing it for years. open image in gallery Ukrainian soldiers train in the east of the country ( Anadolu Agency via Getty ) Its not just trenches, its a deep, layered defence with bunkers, anti-tank ditches, minefields, and industrial areas built into the terrain. The area includes dominant heights, rivers, and urban zones that make it extremely hard to capture, explains Beketova. She says that losing this fortified line would have catastrophic consequences for Ukraine, as it holds back Russias advancement into central and western parts of the country. The front would shift approximately 80km west, and Russia would gain open ground flat steppe with no natural barriers giving it a direct path towards Kharkiv, Poltava, and Dnipro. What Zelensky has said about the Donbas Zelensky has repeatedly rejected calls from Russia to give up the Donbas. In response to Putins request that Ukraine withdraw from eastern Donetsk, Zelensky vowed that his people would never leave the Donbas, and warned that Putins troops could use it as a springboard for a future invasion. We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part our territories are illegally occupied. Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive, he said. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ukraines leader Volodymyr Zelensky may soon meet Russian president Vladimir Putin again, for the first time since 2019. A summit in Paris six years ago was the first and only time the two presidents ever met, flanked by French president Emmanuel Macron and Germanys then-chancellor Angela Merkel. At the time, Putin and Zelensky were looking to hash out a ceasefire deal for war in Donbas in Ukraines east, where Russia-backed forces were fighting Ukrainian troops. The two world leaders are now potentially set for another meeting as part of US president Donald Trumps bid to end the devastating Ukraine war. However, this is far from set in stone with Putins initial suggestion that it could take place in Moscow quickly rejected by the Ukrainian president. open image in gallery Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) arrive to attend a meeting on Ukraine at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on December 9, 2019 ( AFP/Getty ) What happened in 2019? Ukrainian forces and Russian separatists had been embroiled in conflict in Donbas, in Ukraines east, since 2014. Zelensky and Putin travelled to Paris in December 2019 for the Normandy Format Summit, a diplomatic forum designed by French, German, Russian and Ukrainian diplomats after the outbreak of conflict. The Ukrainian president had been elected just months earlier in spring that year - his first role in political office - beating former foreign minister Petro Poroshenko to the presidency. The summit in Paris led to progress, but was not groundbreaking. The two sides agreed to implement all necessary ceasefire support measures before the end of 2019 and to release all the prisoners of war. Both sides also expressed their desire to implement the Minsk agreements signed in 2014 and 2015, the first attempt to achieve a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia after Putins forces rolled into and took over the Crimean peninsula. open image in gallery Russian-backed forces had been fighting Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine for more than five years at the time ( AFP/Getty ) What did the leaders say about each other? The mood between the pair was chilly at first. There was no public handshake and they are said to have largely avoided eye contact during the meeting. Clean shaven and sporting a suit, 2019 Zelensky cut a strikingly different figure compared to his more familiar appearance now as a war-time leader. After the summit, Putin hailed the talks as an important step towards de-escalation. He expressed what at the time appeared to be cautious hope: "All this gives us the grounds to suppose that the process is developing in the right direction. Zelensky also hailed the meeting as a big step towards peace. When he was asked by reporters who he believed had emerged victorious from the exchanges with his Russian counterpart, he said: "I don't know who (beat) who. I think it would be appropriate to be diplomatic as we've just started talking. Let's say for now it's a draw." open image in gallery The summit was followed by another Paris summit in January 2022, but with officials rather than leaders ( AFP/Getty ) What happened afterwards? Despite a number of prisoner exchanges, the 2019 meeting was not a catalyst for any major long-term change in Russo-Ukrainian relations - and little over two years later Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Several key sticking points remained after the 2019 negotiations. Kyiv continued to demand the withdrawal of Russian-backed troops and a complete ceasefire, with a return of border control to Ukraine. open image in gallery Putin and Zelensky were unable to agree on a number of key aspects ( Sputnik ) Russia insisted that before Ukraine regained control of its eastern border, local elections should be held in the occupied territories. Putin also demanded that Donbas have a special constitutional status in Ukraine, to give it a degree of autonomy. In January 2022, just weeks before the full-scale Russian invasion, the summit in Paris took place again, but was attended by officials from the same four countries, rather than their leaders. Senior diplomats met in February 2022 in an attempt to prevent a conflict. After the Russian invasion on 24 February, Zelensky said the invasion had ruined the progress made by the Normandy Format. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin could meet for the first time in six years in the hope of ending the Ukraine war - but it remains unclear just where the two leaders will come face-to-face. The White House is in the process of selecting a location for the potential meeting, that has been championed by the US president Donald Trump. A warrant against the Russian president by the International Criminal Court means destinations are limited to countries that are not signees of the Rome Statute. open image in gallery It remains unclear whether Trump will attend a meeting with Zelensky and Putin ( AFP/Getty ) Trump explained to Fox News radio host Mark Levin: "They are in the process of setting it up, before casting doubt on whether he would even attend such talks. "Now I think it would be better if they met without me. ... If necessary, I'll go. When asked how he balanced the interests of all the parties involved, Trump said: "Well, it's probably instinct more than process. I have instincts." There has been so far no confirmation from Russia that a potential bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky is being planned. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told state media on Tuesday that any meeting would have to take place step by step, gradually, starting from the expert level and then going through all the necessary stages. Here are the potential destinations where a summit between Putin and Zelensky could take place: Budapest, Hungary open image in gallery The Hungarian prime minister has criticised sanctions against Putin; the country continues to buy oil from Russia ( AP ) The White House has said they are considering Budapest as a potential venue for talks having spoken to Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban. This wouldnt be the first time Budapest has been a key destination for talks between Russia and Ukraine. In 1994, then US president Bill Clinton met with Russian president Boris Yeltsin and Ukraines leader Leonid Kravchuk. At the time, Ukraine was given assurances of territorial integrity from the US, Russia and the UK that meant little when Putin launched an assault 20 years later. Maybe Im superstitious, but this time I would try to find another place, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on social media. Orban, who remains Putins closest ally in Europe, has long advocated to open up negotiations with the Russian leader. It has been confirmed that the isolation-based strategy has failed, he said on Tuesday after a meeting with the European Union. It has been confirmed that there is no solution to the Russia-Ukraine war on the frontline; only diplomatic efforts can bring a solution. Geneva, Switzerland open image in gallery Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis has said that the country would receive Putin despite being a signatory of the International Criminal Court ( AP ) Switzerland, famous for its neutrality, has said they would be ready to host Putin for any peace talks on Ukraine, despite being a signatory of the ICC. Foreign minister Ignazio Cassis told Swiss national broadcaster SRF that provided Putin was coming for peace purposes, the country could receive him. "This has to do with our diplomatic role, with international Geneva as (the European) headquarters of the United Nations," Cassis told the broadcaster. French president Emmanuel Macron has mooted Geneva as a potential location for Ukraine peace talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after a meeting between President Trump, Zelensky and European leaders in Washington. Istanbul, Turkey open image in gallery Erdogan and Putin spoke about Ukraine on Wednesday ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) A senior Trump administration official said that Istanbul had also been mentioned as a potential venue for the two leaders to meet, as Talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations have previously taken place in the city. On Wednesday, Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Putin on the phone to discuss Ukraine and the outcome of Putin's summit last week, according to the Kremlin. Moscow, Russia While meeting with Trump, Putin reportedly suggested the rather unlikely location of Moscow for talks with Ukraine. However, both Zelensky and the US were unsurprisingly quick to reject the idea. Minsk, Belarus Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenkos spokesperson has said Minsk is ready to mediate a possible meeting between Russia and Ukraine. Bordering Russia and Ukraine, Belarus has maintained close ties with Putin. The countrys relationship with Ukraine has deteriorated since the start of Russias full-scale invasion. Where did Zelensky and Putin last meet? open image in gallery The Normandy Format Summit was the first and last time Putin and Zelensky met ( AFP/Getty ) Ukraines leader and his Russian counterpart have not met in person since 2019, when they met in Paris to discuss an end to fighting in the Donbas region. The Normandy Format Summit, arranged by French, German, Russian and Ukrainian diplomats, took place in Zelenskys first year in office after he became president earlier that year. Agreements were made to disengage troops from areas of the Donbas region by the end of March 2020 and a roadmap was agreed for elections in occupied regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, with plans to reintegrate the territory back into the rest of Ukraine. But following the talk, the two countries continued to disagree on issues relating to the war-torn region. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Watch live as an entire church in Sweden continues its move to its new home on Wednesday, 20 August. Kiruna Church is being relocated to save it from ground subsidence and the expansion of the world's largest underground iron ore mine. The move, which began on Tuesday, is part of a 30-year project to relocate thousands of people and buildings from the city in the country's far north. Footage shows the 600-tonne, 113-year-old church slowly moving down a road after it was lifted from its foundations and onto a specially built trailer. Mine operator LKAB has spent the last year widening the road for the journey. The red-painted church, one of Sweden's largest wooden structures and often voted its most beautiful, will travel 5km (3 miles) to a brand-new Kiruna city centre at a speed of 500 metres per hour. People have lined the streets to watch the structure slowly move towards its new home. Close North Korea releases video of troops fighting in Ukraine war On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump says he believes Vladimir Putin is avoiding meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky simply due to personal animosity. The US president has been pushing to arrange a peace summit between the two leaders but his efforts have so far been rebuffed by Moscow. Asked yesterday why Putin was refusing to meet Zelensky, Trump appeared once again to sympathise with the Russian leader. Because he doesnt like him, Trump said, adding: I have people I dont like, I dont like to meet with them. Trump also admitted that he has spoken on the phone with Putin again since their call on the sidelines of a summit with European leaders in the White House last Monday. Meanwhile, Zelensky said US and Ukrainian officials would meet later this week to discuss plans for a possible summit with Putin, as well as the broader issue of post-ceasefire security guarantees for Ukraine. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice With Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin potentially set to meet within weeks, the prospect of relinquishing land to secure peace for Ukraine has been floated by the US. Despite launching an illegal invasion, Putin is understood to have demanded that Kyiv surrender the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces as a condition for ending the war. Such a move would effectively hand over Ukraines industrial heartland, giving Russia control of the Donbas region, where some of the heaviest fighting of the war has taken place since February 2022. During a meeting with Donald Trump on Monday, the Ukrainian president said he is ready for a trilateral meeting involving Putin to try and reach a peace deal. Trump is keen on a lasting peace deal and, like Putin, has rejected a temporary ceasefire - a proposal initially made by the US president himself. Were going to work with Ukraine, he said on Monday. Were going to work with everybody, and were going to make sure that if theres peace, the peace is going to stay long term. This is very long term. Any concession of large regions of Ukrainian territory would be a bitter pill to swallow for Kyiv. While Russia controls almost all of Luhansk, it holds about 70 per cent of Donetsk. Zelensky has previously insisted he would reject any proposal to withdraw from the industrial Donbas region, claiming it would open a bridgehead for a wider Russian offensive. However, sources close to the White House have said that Mr Trump appears to have endorsed the move, and will likely be raising the issue during his meeting with Mr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Monday. open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky has previously said Ukraine will not give up the Donbas region ( Getty Images ) The Russian president also said he would freeze the frontline in the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, where his forces occupy a large territory. These areas have been long coveted by Putin, who first entered the Donbas region during an offensive in 2014, which saw Russia annex the Crimean peninsula. Russian-backed separatists broke away from the Ukrainian government to proclaim the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk independent peoples republics and, as a result, Moscow captured more than a third of Ukraines eastern territory. It is currently believed that around 88 per cent of the Donbas is under Russian control, while approximately 6,600 sq km is still being held by Ukraine. In recent months, Moscow has reinforced its efforts to seize these remaining areas, pushing towards cities like Pokrovsk and intensifying drone and air strikes. It is crucially important to Ukraine, given that the region holds one of the largest coal reserves and is viewed as an energy powerhouse by Kyiv. It has also been described as a fortress belt by the Institute for the Study of War, given that Donetsk forms the main fortified defensive line along the eastern region, halting Russia in their tracks. Ukraine is holding a key defensive line across Donetsk, says Elina Beketova, a fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, describing a fortified zone buildup over years because the war began 11 years ago. open image in gallery Putin is said to have made the demands during his meeting with Trump in Alaska ( AP ) Its not just trenches, its a deep, layered defence with bunkers, anti-tank ditches, minefields, and industrial areas built into the terrain. The area includes dominant heights, rivers, and urban zones that make it extremely hard to capture, explains Beketova. Relinquishing the territory would be catastrophic for Russia, especially if they are not given concrete security guarantees such as Article 5 protection from Nato. However, Putin made it clear that he would not fall back on core demands to resolve root causes of the conflict, that includes Ukraine becoming a neutral state and abandoning Nato aspirations. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Nato defense chiefs held a candid discussion on Wednesday about what security guarantees they could offer Ukraine as Russia warned that any talks without its participation were a road to nowhere. Italian admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of Natos military committee, said that 32 defence chiefs from across the alliance held a video conference amid a diplomatic push to end the fighting. He said there was a great, candid discussion in the call. We are united, and that unity was truly tangible today, as always, he said. Assurances that it wont be invaded again in the future are one of the keys for getting Ukraine to sign up for a peace deal with Russia. It wants Western help for its military, including weapons and training, to shore up its defences, and Western officials are scrambling to figure out what commitments they might offer. But Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed efforts to work on security arrangements in Ukraine without Moscows involvement. We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work, he said. Firefighters in Odesa tackle the aftermath of overnight attacks by Russia ( State Emergency Service of Ukraine ) He also criticised the role of European leaders who met Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Monday. Lavrov said Russia was in favour of truly reliable guarantees for Ukraine and suggested these could be modelled on a draft accord that was discussed between the warring parties in Istanbul in 2022, in the early weeks of the war. At the time, Kyiv rejected that proposal on the grounds that Moscow would have held effective veto power over any military response to come to its aid. I am sure that in the West and, above all, in the United States, they understand perfectly well that seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is a utopia, its a road to nowhere, Lavrov said. He accused the European leaders who met Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky of carrying out a fairly aggressive escalation of the situation, rather clumsy and, in general, unethical attempts to change the position of the Trump administration and the president of the United States personally ... We did not hear any constructive ideas from the Europeans there. Mr Trump said on Monday that the United States would help guarantee Ukraines security in any deal to end Russias war there. He subsequently said he had ruled out putting US troops on the ground to do so, but Britain said it is readying its own troops to take part in a European peace assurance force. Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept Nato troops in Ukraine. French president Emmanuel Macron has proposed a trilateral summit in Geneva. Putins ability to travel abroad is limited because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on a warrant dating back to March 2023, but Switzerland intends to ask the ICC to exempt it from sanctions to allow the Russian leader in for a summit. Meanwhile, attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian strikes also targeted ports and fuel and energy infrastructure. Polands defence minister accused Russia of again provoking Nato countries after an official said an object that landed in a cornfield may have been a Russian drone. Once again, we are dealing with a provocation by the Russian Federation, with a Russian drone, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said. We are dealing in a crucial moment, when discussions about peace are underway. Reuters and AP contributed to this report On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice World leaders gathered in Washington on Monday for a summit billed as a potential turning point in efforts to end the Ukraine war. In the Oval Office, Donald Trump hosted Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky and senior European figures to thrash out what security guarantees for Ukraine might look like if a peace deal with Russia can be reached. The meeting was described as historic by British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has emerged as one of the driving forces behind Europes response. Nato military leaders are meeting on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine and the way forward. But even as the talks took place, Moscow dismissed the plans as dangerous and warned against any Western military presence in Ukraine. open image in gallery President Trump met with European leaders on Monday to discuss a peace deal for Ukraine ( AP ) United States security guarantees Trump has made clear that the United States will not commit troops on the ground in Ukraine. But the prospect of an arrangement that borrows some of the deterrent effect of Natos Article 5 has been discussed, a move revealed by the alliances secretary general Mark Rutte. He told Fox News: What we are discussing here is not Nato membership, what we are discussing here is Article 5 type of security guarantees for Ukraine and what exactly they will entail will now be more specifically discussed." Ukraine also wants to buy $90 billion (67bn) worth of US weapons and says they could form part of the security guarantee. open image in gallery Trump has said the US could provide air support but would not put boots on the ground ( Reuters ) Beyond that, however, Trump has been vague about how much the US would contribute. Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump underlined that European nations would be expected to carry most of the burden. When it comes to security, theres going to be a lot of help, he said, sitting next to Zelensky. They are a first line of defence because theyre there. But well help them out. He later said that the US will be willing to help out with air support, despite not putting boots on the ground. (Europeans) are willing to put people on the ground. We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably ... by air," Trump said in an interview on Fox News, without going into specifics. British guarantees and the coalition of the willing The United Kingdom has taken a leading role in shaping European proposals. Sir Keir has spearheaded the creation of a coalition of the willing, a group of allies prepared to go further than financial and weapons support. Under this plan, international reassurance forces could be deployed in Ukraine after a ceasefire or peace deal, helping to deter renewed Russian attacks and to provide reassurance that Kyiv is not left to stand alone. open image in gallery Zelensky has called for more air support from Ukraines allies ( AFP via Getty Images ) The plan was discussed in a virtual meeting on Tuesday attended by more than 30 international leaders. The virtual meeting, co-chaired by Sir Keir, also discussed possible further sanctions on Russia to pile pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war. European leaders see security guarantees as essential to any peace deal, but they also stress that Ukraine must be directly involved in shaping the terms. The European Unions existing training mission for Ukrainian troops will also continue, ensuring that Kyiv can sustain and modernise its armed forces in the years ahead. Russias response Trump claimed after his meeting in Alaska last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Putin was open to the idea of security guarantees for Ukraine. But publicly, Moscow has dismissed Western plans for security guarantees. The Russian foreign ministry has this week reiterated its opposition to the deployment of Nato or Nato-affiliated troops in Ukraine, warning that such a move would be seen as a direct threat to Russias security. It condemned recent statements made by the UK that calling for strong security guarantees. "At a time when there is a genuine push for a comprehensive, fair, and lasting resolution to the conflict around Ukraine, including addressing its root causes, statements continue to emerge from London that not only contradict the efforts of Moscow and Washington, but also appear aimed at undermining them," the ministry said. open image in gallery A US nuclear submarine during military exercises 70 nautical miles (130 kilometers) near Colombia. The US has not said whether it could offer naval support for Ukraine ( AFP/Getty ) Ukraines response Volodymyr Zelensky has persistently demanded strong security guarantees for Ukraine in order to prevent further Russian aggression. "We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace," Mr Zelensky said in a Telegram post Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight. Kyivs allies across Europe and in Nato have supported the war-torn country in pushing for US security guarantees since Trump took office in January. Nato military leaders are expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine and the way forward, US and Nato officials said on Tuesday, as Washington and European capitals work out details of what security guarantees might look like for Kyiv. PHNOM PENH, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- China-aided malaria projects are expected to help Cambodia achieve its malaria elimination goal by the end of 2025, a Cambodian health official said on Monday. Siv Sovannaroth, chief of the Technical Bureau and manager of the Malaria Program at the National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, said China has supported Cambodia in the fight against malaria for nearly 10 years through various projects. "China has a long collaboration with our center through South-South cooperation, Mekong-Lancang Cooperation, and the Belt and Road Initiative," he told Xinhua. He said collaboration has been focused on increasing the capacity of the malaria program through training and research, the pilot project on Mass Drug Administration in western Kampong Speu province, and surveillance activities in the areas most prone to malaria. Sovannaroth said Cambodia recorded only 37 local malaria cases from January to August 2025, a sharp drop of nearly 90 percent from 335 cases over the same period last year. Cambodia has set an ambitious target to eliminate all forms of malaria by 2025, he said, expressing his confidence that China's assistance will help the kingdom achieve this goal. The Southeast Asian country has reported zero fatalities from malaria since 2018. Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that is typically found in forest and mountainous provinces, especially during rainy seasons. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Archaeologists have uncovered a 1,400 year-old Christian cross on a plaque at an ancient monastery on the Emirati island of Sir Bani Yas. The cross incorporates regional motifs, including a stepped pyramid representing Golgotha, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, and leaves sprouting from its base. Measuring 27cm long, 17cm wide, and 2cm thick, it is larger and more detailed than a cross found in the 1990s that first identified the location as a Christian site, according to The National. It was moulded onto a plaque thought to have been used by monks for spiritual contemplation and shows similarities with finds in Iraq and Kuwait and to the Church of the East. The Church of the East, which Christians formed part of, stretched from the Middle East to China. open image in gallery The cross shows a stepped pyramid representing Golgotha, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, and leaves sprouting from its base ( UAE Department of Culture and Tourism ) Christianity is thought to have spread and later declined in the Arabian Peninsula between the fourth and sixth centuries, with Islam and Christianity co-existing until the monasterys abandonment in the eighth century. We had settlements of Christians that were not just existing but were clearly flourishing, lead archaeologist Maria Gajewska told The National. This was just lying there telling us, yes, they were Christian. The extremely exciting find is a rare marker of who lived there, Ms Gajewska added. The discovery comes during the first major excavation on the island in more than 30 years. The seventh-to eighth-century monastery was first discovered in 1992, revealing a church and monastic complex. Theories vary on its use, from housing senior monks to serving as a retreat for wealthy Christians seeking seclusion and prayer by lamplight. open image in gallery The discovery was made on the island of Sir Bani Yas ( Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Sahel Villa Resort ) Archaeologists are now exploring nearby courtyard houses to better understand the lives of early Christian monks on the island. The discovery of this ancient Christian cross on Sir Bani Yas Island is a powerful testament to the UAEs profound and enduring values of coexistence and cultural openness," Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi department, said. It stirs within us a deep sense of pride and honour and reminds us that peaceful coexistence is not a modern construct but a principle woven into the very fabric of our regions history. Sir Bani Yas, about 170km south-west of Abu Dhabi, forms part of a network of contemporaneous churches and monasteries across the Gulf, including sites in Kuwait, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Today, the monastery and church sit within a nature reserve, home to gazelles and hyrax, offering a glimpse into Abu Dhabis ancient past. Restoration efforts in 2019 introduced protective shelters, visitor signage, and a small exhibition featuring artefacts such as glass chalices and a scorpion-stamped seal. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice As I sheltered from the rain at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, dots of light started to flicker on. At first, it was just a few but before I knew it, 15, 30, then 55 tents were all emitting a warm glow from the blackness. In the cramped concrete structure the only cover at the campsite the remaining students from the College of African Wildlife Management hurriedly fixed tent poles, unpacked bags, and readied themselves for the most important climb of their lives. The following morning, they would embark on the Rongai Route for the final exam of their mountain guiding course: summiting. I was in Tanzania with a group of 72 students to learn what it takes to become a Kilimanjaro mountain guide, a job that involves leading clients up Africas tallest peak the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world. open image in gallery Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro is a bucket-list experience for many ( Getty/iStock ) Evans, a 37-year-old student, was standing quietly beside me. Like many of his colleagues, he started on the mountain as a porter, a somewhat treacherous job available to anyone with the mettle to carry 25kg of luggage 5,895 metres above sea level. Porters transport equipment as well as cook, clean and set up camp. The casual nature of the role can often lead to exploitation, with few formal contracts and a lack of oversight for proper working conditions. Read more: How to experience Africas wildest coastline on a cruise My father died when I was four, Evans told me. I started as a porter because I had a hard life, financial responsibilities and family needs. Mountain work can be a lifeline for those in similar situations, or those without access to a formal education (which accounts for 73 per cent of compulsory-school-aged children in Tanzania, according to Unicef). In fact, its one of the most lucrative career paths for locals without qualifications, as the eventual progression to chief guide comes with an often life-changing income. Although the college prefers to admit students with mountain experience, there is currently no official requirement to have attempted the climb before starting the course. Applicants do require a secondary-level education, due to the fact that the course is taught in English and guides are required to know the language for client communication. We want to develop those who have been porters or assistant guides first, Professor Alex Kisingo, the colleges deputy rector for academics, told me in his taxidermy-stuffed office. Read more: The best places to visit in Morocco for 2025 open image in gallery Annaliese Smith at Simba Camp on Kilimanjaros Rongai Route ( Annaliese Smith ) For some students on the course, such as best friends Mercedes and Dennis, portering was simply the logical first step to a career in tourism. Both grew up near Mount Kilimanjaro and watched as their neighbours, family members, and tourists disappeared up the mountain every December to March and July to October. Mercedes told me: I liked tourism, so as soon as I got the chance to hike the mountain, I said, One day I will study and become a mountain guide. Both she and Dennis had more than 18 months of portering experience before their final exam. Some of their classmates had a decade, while others had never set foot on the mountain. Although the course has a remarkably high pass rate at 90-95 per cent, two of the cohort failed to summit due to altitude sickness. Read more: The lesser-known cities for a perfect winter sun holiday without the jet lag It surprised me how quickly fatigue set in, even on the mountains lower stages. Luckily, fitting 72 people through the Rongai Routes well-worn but narrow trails slowed the pace down significantly. Small bottlenecks would form as students stopped to take pictures or take notes on the vegetation, before the group carried on steadily through the thick green of the forest. Pole pole is a phrase youll hear often if you climb Kilimanjaro. It translates to slowly, slowly from Swahili and is the sanguine advice the guides offer to coax clients up the mountain safely. open image in gallery Clouds roll in over the foothills of Kilimanjaro ( Annaliese Smith ) Before arriving at the base of the mountain, the students had had two weeks of schooling on the mountains history, routes (there are seven that can take anywhere between five and nine days to complete) and ecology, and first aid. Then, having passed a written theory exam, they were bussed 17km to the foot of the mountain where the final, practical week of the three-week course would commence. Read more: Why North Africa is our destination top pick open image in gallery Student Solomon hikes to the summit of Kilimanjaro as part of his mountain guide training course ( Annaliese Smith ) As we emerged above the forest on the final summit, bright conversations began to tumble down the slopes. Students helped each other up and over the rocky terrain (preferable to the thick mud of the forest floor), and the air was animated with a new fervour. I talked to Solomon, a guide who loves the Marvel films (especially Black Panther), and he told me that he longed to travel to the US. Travel was a common answer from students asked what they wanted to do when they graduated. Many of them had never been outside of Tanzania, but every one had stories about the different cultures and people theyd met from all over the world. The wage increase from being a porter to a guide (which is sometimes more than double) can be a ticket to a world of international tourism. Read more: Is it possible to safely hike solo in the mountains? Tuition fees are 800,000 Tanzanian shillings (218), which the students typically save from their portering income. They sacrifice their low-season wages during the three-week course and, for many who need to support family members, this is a major pecuniary commitment, especially as portering can be such financially insecure work. Though there are bursaries available, such as the Robertson Outdoor Bursary, which funds the training of employee-nominated porters through donations, simply making it to the college is testament to their dedication. These constraints mean that the College of African Wildlife Management must strike a balance between a robust training programme and a realistic financial and time commitment. open image in gallery Mountain evacuation practice ( Annaliese Smith ) On the mountain, I waved goodbye to the students. Over the next three days, they continued towards the summit and to their futures as fully qualified mountain guides. I asked each of them what they hoped their futures would look like. Mercedes wanted to finish her degree in tourism and Solomon wanted to travel to California. Experius Rwechungura was investing his income into his local wildlife education programme, and Evans hoped to start his own tour company. Many of the guides were simply looking forward to interacting with different cultures, growing as people and spending time on the magnificent peak ahead of them. I am confident that, with them, the future of tourism on Kilimanjaro is bright. How to climb Mount Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro is an accessible high mountain to climb with no technical mountaineering skills required. The majority of people with a good level of fitness can attempt it; it is altitude sickness that usually prevents people from summiting. You need a guide on the mountain, and most trekkers organise their climb through one of more than 4,000 companies currently operating. These will typically provide accommodation and food, the required permits and a team of porters and guides. You can find a list of Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP)-certified companies on its website. The companies listed here are required to provide their porters with appropriate accommodation and food, and to ensure that they arent carrying too much weight. Fair payment and tip remuneration are also ensured (although a company not appearing on this list does not inherently mean it is operating unethically). You can also ask companies directly about their operating standards before you book to find out if they meet the Tanzania National Park Authority and KPAP minimum ethical standards. How to get there Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways, British Airways, KLM, Ethiopian Airlines and Turkish Airlines all fly to Tanzania from the UK with a flight time of about 10 hours 30 minutes, plus a layover. Flights start at around 530 return from London. Your tour operator will likely organise a private transfer for your group to the base of the mountain. Alternatively, you could book a private shuttle or taxi to the gate where you start your climb. The gates are named after the routes. Where to stay Travellers usually stay in either Moshi or Arusha. Annaliese Smith stayed at an assortment of accommodations, including the Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge in Arusha (book now), Ramblin' Travel Farm in Arusha (book now) and Walk With Us Africa in Moshi (book now). Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Montmartre, once a charming Parisian village, is losing its soul to overtourism, according to long-time resident Olivier Baroin, who is now selling his home in protest. When Baroin moved into his Montmartre apartment some 15 years ago, he cherished its village-like feel in the heart of Paris. Today, that sentiment has vanished. He laments the disappearance of local shops and the friendly atmosphere, replaced by "hordes of people shooting selfies, shops selling tourist trinkets and cafes whose seating spills into the narrow cobbled streets" as overtourism takes its toll. The final straw came as local streets were designated pedestrian-only to accommodate the ever-increasing visitor numbers, prompting Baroin to put his apartment up for sale. I told myself that I had no other choice but to leave since, as I have a disability, its even more complicated when you can no longer take your car, when you have to call a taxi from morning to night," he told The Associated Press. open image in gallery The visible effects of overtourism as cruise ship passengers crowd the walkway at the Doge's Palace in Piazza San Marco on a busy day in Venice, Italy ( Getty Images ) From Venice to Barcelona to Amsterdam, European cities are struggling to absorb surging numbers of tourists. Some residents in one of Paris' most popular neighborhoods for tourists are now pushing back. A black banner strung between two balconies in Montmartre reads, in English: Behind the postcard: locals mistreated by the Mayor. Another, in French, says: Montmartre residents resisting. Atop the hill where the Basilica of Sacre-Cur crowns the city's skyline, residents lament what they call the Disneyfication of the once-bohemian slice of Paris. The basilica says it now attracts up to 11 million people a year even more than the Eiffel Tower while daily life in the neighborhood has been overtaken by tuk-tuks, tour groups, photo queues and short-term rentals. Now, there are no more shops at all, there are no more food shops, so everything must be delivered, said 56-year-old Baroin, a member of a residents' protest group called Vivre a Montmartre, or Living in Montmartre. The unrest echoes tensions across town at the Louvre Museum, where staff in June staged a brief wildcat strike over chronic overcrowding, understaffing and deteriorating conditions. The Louvre logged 8.7 million visitors in 2024, more than double what its infrastructure was designed to handle. open image in gallery Tourists take photos in front of La Maison Rose restaurant in Montmartre, Paris, France, July 29, 2025 ( REUTERS ) Paris, a city of just over 2 million residents if you count its sprawling suburbs, welcomed 48.7 million tourists in 2024, a 2% increase from the previous year. Sacre-Cur, the most visited monument in France in 2024, and the surrounding Montmartre neighborhood have turned into what some locals call an open-air theme park. Local staples like butchers, bakeries and grocers are vanishing, replaced by ice-cream stalls, bubble-tea vendors and souvenir T-shirt stands. Paris authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Visitors seemed largely to be enjoying the packed streets on a sunny Tuesday this week. For the most part, all of Paris has been pretty busy, but full of life, for sure," said American tourist Adam Davidson. "Coming from Washington, D.C., which is a lively city as well, I would say this is definitely full of life to a different degree for sure. open image in gallery Demonstrators march shouting slogans against the Formula 1 Barcelona Fan Festival in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, June 19, 2024, during residents protest against mass tourism ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) In Barcelona, thousands have taken to the streets this year, some wielding water pistols, demanding limits on cruise ships and short-term tourist rentals. Venice now charges an entry fee for day-trippers and caps visitor numbers. And in Athens, authorities are imposing a daily limit on visitors to the Acropolis, to protect the ancient monument from record-breaking tourist crowds. Urban planners warn that historic neighborhoods risk becoming what some critics call zombie cities picturesque but lifeless, their residents displaced by short-term visitors. Paris is trying to mitigate the problems by cracking down on short term rentals and unlicensed properties. But tourism pressures are growing. By 2050, the worlds population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion, according to United Nations estimates. With the global middle class expanding, low-cost flights booming and digital platforms guiding travelers to the same viral landmarks, many more visitors are expected in iconic cities like Paris. The question now, residents say, is whether any space is left for those who call it home. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Dishoom has opened its first hotel on Portobello Road. The Permit Room brings the much-loved restaurant groups signature Bombay-inspired hospitality to West London, complete with cocktails, late-night buzz and a plush overnight stay in the heart of Notting Hill. Angela Hui open image in gallery Dishoom's new hotel is located close to Portobello Road Market in London ( Getty Images ) Location Smack bang on a corner of Portobello Road in Notting Hill, the eye-catching pickle green cafe-bar-restaurant-lodgings curves gently around one of London's most iconic market corners. Set in a handsome 19th-century Victorian shell that was once a gin distillery, it nods to the neighbourhoods history while feeling stylishly unforced, and it feels as organically rooted in the street as the market stalls just beyond its doors. The vibe As with all of the Dishoom restaurants, theres an effortlessly cool retro-Indian aesthetic and a buzzy atmosphere. The name is a nod to the 1970s post-prohibition bars of Bombay, known as permit rooms. The colour scheme bursts with rich oranges and browns, fresh pops of green, and plenty of warm wood tones that feel welcoming and familiar. The restaurant and bar are generously furnished with banquet-style booths that invite you to settle in and linger. Whether youre in the mood for casual lounging or lively conversation, its a space that welcomes you to make yourself at home well into the evening. Read more: Best museums in London, from family-friendly days out to galleries filled with famous art open image in gallery Dishoom Permit Room restaurant is located in Portobello, London and is styled like a 1970s Bombay prohibition bar ( Dishoom restaurant in Portobello, London ) Service Warm and intuitive, the staff welcome you like a familiar friend. Servers seem to anticipate needs almost telepathically, sliding water onto coasters, presenting menus with a chai in hand and a knowing nod. Read more: Number Sixteen, London, hotel review Bed and bath Youll have the entire upstairs to yourself. Two spacious bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and a cosy living room embrace the laidback 70s vibe. Think warm brown and yellow walls, rattan chairs, bamboo blinds, tasselled lamps and plush pillows. Bathrooms are kitted out with Mauli Rituals products. The rooms look like something straight out of Architectural Digest or, in their words, A place that feels like staying at a fancy friends pad, above a Bombay boozer, with big monstera and hanging plants adding fresh life, as mellow jazz and soulful vinyl play softly in the background. The artwork (thats available to buy), curated by Rajiv Menon Contemporary, celebrates local and South Asian talent with a lively mix of oils, acrylics, cubic drawings, and bold typography. Read more: Nobu Hotel, Shoreditch, London, hotel review open image in gallery Permit Room is Dishoom's new restaurant in Portobello, London ( Dishoom Permit Room ) There is an eclectic selection of books, magazines and a killer record collection, spanning Amy Winehouse, The Clash, Grace Jones and early Indian electronica. Theres an Alessi kettle, a coffee machine, a broad selection of herbal teas and chai, and a chic rotary phone to call for room service. And then there are the beds heavenly in every sense. Oversized, cloud-soft pillows and cushy mattress toppers make waking up a challenge, while the plush embroidered bathrobes and slippers make lounging extra luxe. Read more: The Cumberland, London, hotel review Food and drink Downstairs, the all-day menu serves a delightful mix of small snacks and hearty dishes to share. Expect Dishoom staples like chicken ruby, mattar paneer, and black daal alongside Permit Room exclusives such as spinach chaat with tangy chutney, spicy chicken puffs, and tandoori spatchcock chicken available by the half or whole. The cocktail list is just as inventive, with pre-batched highballs, fresh takes on classics like a margarita with a splash of orange wine, a tropical mangosteen daiquiri, and a bloody mary lineup that even includes a clear version spiked with jalapeno-infused vodka. Read more: This art-filled hotel in Shoreditch is home to two works by Banksy Guests can opt for room service or head downstairs for breakfast. Standouts include the signature bacon and egg naan drizzled with chilli jam, cinnamon-spiced French toast melting with cheese and crowned with fresh berries and crispy bacon, plus the Crumpety Eggs Kejriwal, which is a playful twist on the Mumbai favourite of chilli, cheese, and eggs, usually served on toast but here generously stacked on crumpets. By the end of your visit, youll be suitably sated. open image in gallery The breakfast offering at Dishoom's new Permit Room hotel features a kejriwal crumpet and French toast ( Liz and Max Haarala Hamilton ) Facilities In-room well-stocked bar cabinet, snacks, teas, Thums Up Indian Cola, Limca lemonade, Kingfisher beers, mango lassi, a record player for spinning vinyl, hand-picked books, games, and magazines theyve thought of everything for the ultimate lazy, chilled night in and slow, sun-dappled mornings. Bear in mind, the Permit Room is located above a restaurant and on the busy Portobello Road Market, so it may be slightly noisy. Read more: The Hari, London, hotel review open image in gallery The lounge at Dishoom's Permit Room hotel is styled like a 1970s home, with beautiful fabrics, lush plants and unique artwork ( Dishoom's Permit Room ) Accessibility Rooms are available for disabled guests upon request. Pet Policy Yes. Dogs, but no paws on seats and big dogs on leads. Check in/out? Check-in from 3pm, check-out until 11am. Family friendly? Yes, theres a kids menu with smaller portions for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with less spice, but just as nice, as well as colouring activities for children while they dine. At a glance Best thing: All the little details make this place sing. From the vinyl record player to the excellent reading materials and in-room drinks cabinet. Perfect for: Foodies looking for a stylish stay close to buzzy Portobello Road Market Not right for: Those seeking absolute quiet and privacy, as its located above a busy restaurant right on busy Portobello Road Market. Light sleepers or anyone sensitive to street noise could find the atmosphere a bit lively Instagram from: Everywhere. There are no bad angles. Book now Address: 186 Portobello Rd, London W11 1LA Phone: 020 3831 4404 Website: www.permitroom.co.uk Read more: Batty Langleys, London, hotel review Dramatic footage shows a US Navy ship on fire while it was docked in Okinawa, Japan. The USS New Orleans went up in flames while it was moored close to an American military port on Wednesday (20 August) at approximately 5pm local time. Footage broadcast on news channel NHK shows multiple fire engines trying to extinguish the blaze by pumping water onto the main deck. Crews from both the US military and the Japan Self-Defense Forces were later sent out to try and tame the fire. The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) said that no injuries had been reported and that the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Tens of thousands of fans descended on Croke Park for two sold-out Oasis concerts at the weekend The two Oasis super-gigs in Croke Park at the weekend produced a surge in spending by fans. Transactions before and after the Gallagher brothers performed jumped to levels last seen when Taylor Swift played at the Aviva Stadium in June last year. Digital bank Revolut, which claims to have three million customers in this country, has reported a 9pc jump in spending by its customers in Dublin compared to the previous weekend. Even as hotel prices shot up and city-centre businesses looked to cash in, Oasis fans continued to spend. They needed no better excuse to put their hand in their pockets. Saturday was the first time in more than 16 years that Oasis had performed in Ireland since playing Slane in 2009. It has been dubbed a supersonic surge in consumer spending over the weekend as the Manchester-born brothers sold out Croke Park. Revolut said the two gigs were always likely to spark a spending spree across the capital, particularly given the Gallagher brothers proud roots in Mayo and Meath, along with their immense global popularity. The total number of transactions rose by more than 8pc. Tens of thousands of fans descended on Croke Park for two sold-out Oasis concerts at the weekend Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th The big beneficiaries were Dublin bars, cafes, restaurants and nightclubs, which had a 16pc rise in income over the weekend versus the previous one. Anticipation had been building across the capital, with a pop-up store on St Stephens Green setting the tone by opening early in the month, sending fans scrambling for sought-after merch. Over the first two weekends in August, merchandise stores in Dublin recorded hundreds of thousands of euro in revenues after lengthy queues of fans. The pop-up store has since announced extended dates. Revolut said spending on public transportation was down 9pc across the rest of Ireland but rose by more than 120pc in Dublin as Oasis fans descended on the capital. Taxi drivers also benefited from the concerts, with a 15pc uplift in revenues last weekend. Its safe to say that Oasis Definitely Maybe gave the Dublin economy a boost last weekend For those who missed out on tickets, there was still a party atmosphere across the county, with Dublin sales of store-bought beer, wine and liquor rising by over a third last week compared with the previous one. Younger adults were the big spenders as people between the ages of 25 and 34 outspent fans in their 40s and early-50s. Those between the ages of 35 and 44 followed closest, suggesting that there was still an older generation of Oasis fans out and about in Dublin for the two concerts. Dublin restaurants, pubs and licensed stores also enjoyed a boost in alcohol and cigarette sales over the weekend. Revolut said its business customers recorded an increase in revenues, with those in the food, beverages or tobacco industries experiencing a 2pc uplift when compared with the previous weekend. Malcolm Craig, general manager at Revolut Bank UAB Ireland Branch, said: Its safe to say that Oasis Definitely Maybe gave the Dublin economy a boost last weekend. He said consumer spending of this level in just one weekend had sent a very strong signal about consumer confidence in Ireland. A third of Irish employees try to snoop by tapping into data at work Large number have attempted to gain access to a colleagues device in the last year Non-compliance with rules poses risks. Stock image. Photo: Getty Donal O'Donovan Wed 20 Aug 2025 at 06:30 More than a third of Irish employees have actively sought out private information about a colleague, client or customer including their salary, home address or age from a work computer system in the last year. New fines are on the way for drone operators who flout noise and privacy rules Minister praises innovative tech but adds warning over safety and privacy Some residents in areas where drone delivery services operate are unhappy with noise pollution Adrian Weckler Wed 20 Aug 2025 at 13:04 The Government will introduce new fines for drone operators that dont adhere to noise, privacy and flightpath regulations, according to a new framework document on the future of drones and drone delivery in Ireland. CARDIFF, WALES - JULY 04: Richard Ashcroft performs in support of Oasis on the opening night of their Live '25 Tour at Principality Stadium on July 04, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage) The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft has heaped praise on the Croke Park venue in attendance at last weekends two sold-out Oasis gigs, labelling the spot the most real place. The 53-year-old rocker has been playing as a support act to the band on their Oasis Live '25 Tour which so far has played 17 nights across Cardiff, London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin. Speaking to UK radio about his upcoming solo album Lovin You which releases in October, the conversation turned to events at the weekend. "I still feel like I'm in ODonoghue's in Dublin, he said in reference to a celebratory gathering by the musical entourage at ODonoghues pub on Baggot Street in the city centre following the conclusion of the gigs. Tens of thousands of fans descended on Croke Park for two sold-out Oasis concerts His sentiment tallies with that of Oasis' own Noel Gallagher who also spoke on UK radio where he said of the night in the small Dublin pub: It was a lot of singing, a lot of drinking and a lot of talking nonsense it was quite a night. Mr Ashcroft was clearly taken in by the significance of the weekend, not just to himself and the band, but to the fans in attendance. "We need to find a new word because this ain't just nostalgia, he said. Croke Park the other night was like the centre of the universe. It was the most now-happening real place you could be on the planet. "And same for the people on the street. I mean, you see the footage of the people singing on the street, it was beautiful. A man attacked a Dublin Bus driver with a metal implement in a vicious, random and unprovoked assault in the city centre, it is alleged. Ionut Christian Bariz (39) is accused of striking the 63-year-old man on the head from behind with the weapon, then punching him to the ground as he walked home from work on a crowded street in the middle of the day. From no LGBTQ+ ads to deposit scams and 700 for a room with five others students grim rent search laid bare One student has been forced to make a daily four-hour commute to get to college due to the dearth of available accommodation Student Ella Flynn 2nd Year European Studies Student TCD Sarah O'Mahony and Adrianna Wrona Wed 20 Aug 2025 at 06:30 A Trinity College student is planning a four-hour round trip to college from her family home in Co Louth every day, after an unsuccessful accommodation search that included an offer of a bed in a room of six for 700 a month. A fire in Dublin city centre has impacted some Luas passengers as emergency services respond to the blaze. The fire broke out on Mayor Street Lower, at Georges Dock near the IFSC building. Gardai and members of Dublin Fire Brigade are at the scene of the incident. Three fire engines along with senior officers are on scene at a fire at George's Dock near the IFSC, Dublin Fire Brigade said in a post on X. "Firefighters are using 70mm hoses to control the fire and cool adjacent exposures. We've requested Gas Networks Ireland to the location. In an update at 10pm on Tuesday, the Dublin Fire Brigade said firefighting operations are continuing and we now have four fire engines, a foam tender and water tanker at the scene. "We've augmented water supplies to the fireground by taking water from the River #Liffey. Luas services are still affected2. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Luas red line services are suspended between Busaras and The Point due to the incident and are only in operation between Tallaght/Saggart and Connolly Station. Passengers, please be advised Red Line services are currently only operating from Tallaght/Saggart to Connolly. There is currently no service from Busaras to The Point, a spokesperson said. "This is due to a non Luas related incident. Luas tickets are valid on Dublin Bus for the duration of this service disruption. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Former minister Heather Humphreys appeared to have had enough of her self-imposed gardening leave, while MEP Sean Kelly had eaten his own words that a day out of Kerry is a day wasted. Mr Kelly says he was speaking tongue in cheek. Both were preparing to get in touch with the grassroots in their separate bids to secure the Fine Gael nomination for the Aras. The race was truly on until it appeared last night that Ms Humphreys could not be caught. Comebacks are generally a cause for excitement, but as neither has been quite out of the public eye, their return to the field was understandably mooted. Speaking on Northern Sound radio, Ms Humphreys said she has decided to go for it after ruling herself out last May. For Mr Kelly, his original decision not to run was the hardest he ever made. Their resurrections were prompted by the sudden withdrawal of front-runner Mairead McGuinness. Having been given a second chance, their first challenge is to avoid being viewed as a second choice. Their party had, after all, invested so much hope in Ms McGuinness. They can expect to be asked to explain why, if they were so confident in their abilities, they had not seized the moment and created their own opportunities, rather than waiting for someone else to bow out. Both can claim impressive track records, even if their late entries were providential. Winning the partys nomination requires 25 votes from councillors, 20 members of the parliamentary party and five members of the executive council. Last night, Ms Humphreys had secured what was needed, making it virtually impossibly for Mr Kelly to succeed. Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried Independent candidate Catherine Connolly, who has the backing of Labour and Social Democrats, is also a contender, but many are surprised at the hesitance of Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail in getting their dogs in the race. Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried, wrote Alyce Cornyn-Selby, author of Why Do Winners Win? A certain restlessness is clearly discernible within the ranks of Fianna Fail. MEP Billy Kelleher has called for a meeting of the parliamentary party to urgently discuss running a candidate. But his party colleague and fellow MEP Barry Andrews told RTE there was no cause for panic. Fianna Fail was not dragging its feet or dithering. What we are witnessing is a master of what he called Micheal Martins strategic patience. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has hardly been a model of decisiveness either. Like the rest of the party, Im weighing things up in my own mind, she said. She hoped the campaign would be a serious political conversation about Ireland, not a personality contest. One can but hope. US satirist HL Mencken once said: A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple of hangings thrown in. So, the cynics may sneer that it is time to send in the clowns, but the rest of us are looking forward to a dignified contest, as befits the office. You've worked hard and should be proud, but remember, education is not the only thing that matters. Stock image I wish all the Leaving Cert students who are getting their results this week the very best of luck. I appreciate that these exams are extremely important and you have worked very hard and you are really nervous. But remember, the people who love you today will love you on Friday and when your results come out and in the years to come. You did an amazing job to sit the exams. Remember, too, that while your education is very important, it is not the only thing that matters in life. Life is not just an academic or economic experience. This is only an exam. Nobody but you will ever remember your results its how you are as a person that really counts. Never forget that kindness is the only thing that matters in life. To be kind, you have to be kind to yourself first. Parents, never stop hugging your children and telling them how much you love them and how proud you are of them. Muiris Walsh, Ballymacarbry, Co Waterford Government needs to take action over worrying rise of racism levels in Ireland I wish to share my perspective as someone adopted from Romania by Irish parents 25 years ago and who has gone through the Irish school system and been part of Irish society since. Growing up, I was proud of my Irish identity and the opportunities I was fortunate to have. However, over time I have become increasingly concerned about the rising levels of racism in Ireland. While Ireland has long been known for its friendliness and hospitality, the reality today is that racism persists and, in some cases, has turned into outright hatred. I want to emphasise that I do not blame ordinary people for this; rather, I hold the Government responsible for failing to adequately address hate crimes and discrimination. Additionally, social media has played a significant role: its platforms often amplify division, spread misinformation and foster hostility under the guise of free speech. It is deeply troubling to see racist rhetoric becoming more mainstream, as it damages communities and individuals like myself. We have the power to challenge this trend, but it requires leadership from the Government and responsible regulation of social media platforms. Irelands history of emigration and diversity should be a source of pride, and we must reaffirm our commitment to equality and inclusion for all. We owe it to ourselves and future generations to build a society that values and respects everyone, regardless of background. Ali Loughman, address with editor Trump and Putin cannot be trusted to bring about any peace deal for Ukraine Contrary to prevailing wisdom, Donald Trump is not Vladimir Putins asset. He is the Russian leaders partner as regards the fate of Ukraine. The nothing burger Anchorage summit was quickly followed by the nothing burger meeting at the White House on Monday. Both non-events were designed for their propaganda value, bolstering Trumps appearance as an honest broker for peace while humanising Putin, whose nearly quarter-century of wars in Africa, Europe and the Middle East have caused untold misery to millions. This strategic partnership the long heralded Russia Pivot would give Putin his war objectives: the permanent seizure of eastern oblasts that are essential to Ukraines security and economy and the prevention of its integration into Nato and the EU. Trump can no more be trusted as the primary guarantor of this proposed peace deal than Putin can be trusted to abide by its terms. President Zelensky and Ukraine are advised to seize the initiative and call for multilateral negotiations in a European capital with bona fide allied nations. Say no to any further negotiations at the White House and under the sole auspices of Trump. The US-Russia axis would bring Europe under the greater influence of Trump and Putin, long a goal of both men. Eric Radack, Santa Fe, New Mexico Rewarding Russia wont bring peace, it will only invite further aggression Your editorial suggests Donald Trumps peace plan for Ukraine exposes the danger of Europe being treated as a mere spectator while Washington and Moscow redraw the map (Europe must not be supplicants in new Russo-US world order, August 19). What is being dressed up as diplomacy is in fact capitulation: the aggressor is rewarded, the victim coerced and Nato diluted into vagueness. But the implications stretch farther still. Dictators who trample their citizens rights do not respect international borders, nor do they honour treaties. To reward Vladimir Putin in Ukraine is not to end war but to invite it elsewhere. Europes leaders must resist the temptation to settle for Trumps deal. The lesson of history is that peace bought at the expense of freedom is neither durable nor safe. To accept this carve-up would be to abandon not just Ukraine, but the very principles on which post-war order was built. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh Dublin city is a great spot to visit, with lots of activity and excitement for all ages As a regular visitor to Dublin city centre, I would like to share some of my enjoyable experiences. There is a wealth of activities to enjoy. A visit to any of the many excellent bookshops, coffee shops, restaurants or hotels is always welcome. The city is full of excitement and activity. Music-lovers can visit any of our music schools and while away an hour noodling on the piano. A visit to a museum and a coffee in Bewleys is a must. So for an enjoyable day out, why not hop on a bus or train and visit Dublin city centre. I promise you, you will not be disappointed. Stephen Byrne, Lucan, Co Dublin One couldnt help but feel her positive presence in every space she entered Martha had a way of putting people she loved first The August blue sky turned dark and cloudy in Carlow town this morning as a young Irish woman, who forged a life for herself in America, returned home to her native Carlow to be laid to rest. Martha Nolan-OSlatarra (33), a fashion designer and entrepreneur, was found unresponsive at Montauk Yacht Club in East Hampton on Long Island, New York, on August 5 and was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency medical responders and East Hampton police arrived. Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra was originally from Carlow but had been living in the US since 2015. During her funeral mass today at The Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow town, voices with both Irish and American accents echoed around the church a testament to the lives Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra touched, both sides of the Atlantic. Despite her ambition and success in America, Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra never forgot her Irish roots. Placed next to her coffin was her fashion brand and legacy, East x East, alongside a tin whistle two symbols representing two very different chapters in Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras life. The remains of Martha Nolan are carried from the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow by her boyfriend Nicholas DiRubio (front left) following her funeral mass. Photo by Steve Humphreys An Irish and an American flag were also placed beside her coffin by her loved ones, a tribute to a short but packed life spent in Ireland and then America. Accompanying the two flags was a passport, symbolising Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras love for travel and adventure, along with a copy of St. Marthas prayer, which Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras mother Elma, said every Tuesday. Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra was born on a Tuesday and passed away on a Tuesday. The hundreds of mourners attending Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras funeral mass today heard that Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra will always be remembered by her loved ones as loyal, supportive and full of life. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra's boyfriend Nicholas DiRubio at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow following her funeral mass. Photo by Steve Humphreys 20th August 2025. Her partner Nick DeRubio smiled as he recalled how Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into. "One couldnt help but feel her positive presence in every space she entered, said Nick. Martha had a way of putting people she loved first. She loved helping people and many of you in this room have been lucky enough to experience that love. Whether it was telling me to cop on and focus on the good in life or just being a shoulder to lean on. The remains of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra leave the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow following her funeral mass. Photo by Steve Humphreys "The shining light that Martha brought into this world is a reflection of everybody in this room, continued Nick as he addressed the large congregation sat before him. Friends, family and loved ones, both past and present, weve all been lucky to have known Martha and we must live everyday with her in our hearts. May she rest in peace, he concluded. Next to speak was Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras sister, Jacqui, who spoke of the unbreakable love and sister bond she and Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra shared. "Martha, my beautiful sister, she said. You taught me everything I needed to know in life. I didnt always see you, but I always knew you were there. Mourners comfort each other as the remains of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra arrive at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow. Photo by Steve Humphreys "Growing up with you was like having a built-in best friend. From sharing secrets, to late night talks, we have been through it all together. Through thick and thin, a sisters love is consistent. We know each others quirks, dreams and fears. The bond between us sisters is unique and unbreakable. While saying goodbye to her sister one final time, Jacqui thanked Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra for making her life brighter, for the countless memories and for always loving her. "So heres to the sisters, the ones who make life brighter, who know you best and who love you the most. Cheers to the laughter, the tears and the countless memories that were made. "You will be in my heart forever Martha, concluded Jacqui as applause erupted around the cathedral with not a dry eye in sight. Martha Nolan O'Slatarra Investigations in the US are still continuing into Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras sudden death. Authorities have said that a post mortem carried out by the Suffolk County Medical Examiners Office was inconclusive and they are awaiting further test results to decide the direction of their investigation. In the days following the discovery of Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras body, detectives in the US said there was "no evidence of violence" in her death. However, the circumstances leading to her death remain a mystery with investigations by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office ongoing. It is understood that Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras family have been informed that a final autopsy report, including toxicological, histological and other testing, will take at least three months to complete. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra's Mother Elma (left) is comforted at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow following her daughter's funeral mass. Photo by Steve Humphreys A second opinion autopsy, requested by her family, was completed before Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras remains were repatriated home to Ireland. During her time living in the US, Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra set up East x East, a luxury brand for sunglasses, swimwear and resort wear for men and women. She was also director of operations at investment firm K4 Capital and ran an Amazon fashion brand called Duper. The remains of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra arrive at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow.Photo by Steve Humphreys Ms Nolan-O'Slatarras family have engaged high-profile criminal defence attorney, Arthur Aidala, to push for answers in relation to the police investigation into her death. Fianna Fail TD Cathal Crowe is calling for those responsible to be dealt with toughly and robustly A Clare TD has said there is palpable anger, upset and fear in Miltown Malbay after a serious assault left two people hospitalised in the West Clare town. Fianna Fails Cathal Crowe made the remarks after Gardai responded to reports of a public order incident involving several individuals in the Clare town at around 7.10pm on Sunday evening. Four males two aged in their 20s, one aged in his 30s and one in his 40s sustained injuries, which are believed to be non-life-threatening. One of the males aged in his 20s received medical treatment at the scene. The two males aged in their 30s and 40s were subsequently conveyed to University Hospital Limerick for treatment and the scene was preserved for technical examination. Gardai in Clare say that investigations into the incident are ongoing. A video taken following the incident has been widely circulated on social media, which shows a bloodied man being restrained by two individuals. In response to the incident, Deputy Crowe said there are very strong feelings about the incident in the town. There's very palpable anger, upset and fear as to what has happened. Miltown Malbay is the most beautiful town, it's so quiet down there. It only fully springs to life in July for the famous Willie Clancy Festival that they host every year, that when throngs come to the town and it's full of life, music and dance. Apart from that, its a very quiet harmonious town [where] very little out of the ordinary happens, and thats why people are outraged over this. As am I, as a public representative I am very protective of the town. I'm protective of its good name, and I'm protective of the people that live there, he added. Follow Independent Clare on Facebook Deputy Crowe says that he has reached out to gardai on the issue, as well as Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan. He says that it is known locally who was involved in the incident and hopes that those involved can be swiftly charged and convicted. However, he said that much of the discourse surrounding the incident has become polarised and has urged locals to support decent people, irrespective of their country of origin. Anyone who acts beyond the law and engages in acts of thuggery must be dealt with toughly and robustly by our criminal justice system, he said. If any of those convicted are Irish citizens or visa holders, they should face a custodial sentence if any of those convicted are applying to stay in Ireland, for whatsoever reasons, I think that they should also be deported. I believe that the Irish immigration system should be fair, kind and supportive to those that are fleeing genuine strife, violence and risk in their home countries. I equally believe that the Irish immigration system should be robust and quick to deny entry to those who do not have genuine needs to be here or have abused their period of stay here with acts of illegality. Those who abuse their stay period should also be deported. Thugs are thugs, regardless of where they have come from Ireland or far off lands. Also, decent people need our backing right now, be they from Ireland or far off lands. Investigations into the incident remain ongoing. Cork County Council issued the most fines for dog fouling among the countrys 31 local authorities in 2024 while Cork City Council, along with 13 other local authorities, didnt issue any at all. Cork County Council topped last years list with 11 dog fouling fines, almost a quarter of the total for the whole country (48 fines). Nationally, the number of fines has dropped significantly since 2022 when 82 were issued. The data was collected by Vision Ireland, the countrys leading sight loss charity, as part of its Clear Our Paths campaign, which aims to raise awareness of obstacles on footpaths. Vision Ireland surveyed 281 people who are blind or vision impaired and found that 42% of respondents were impacted by dog waste in public spaces on a frequent basis. Not only does dog fouling present a slipping hazard, but it can also be a major problem for white cane users whose canes are dirtied by faeces. When folded up, this poses a hygiene and health risk. Dog fouling gets all over my cane and shoes, and a lot of the time I dont realise. If Im folding up my cane, it will get on my hands which is embarrassing and disgusting, and it would be much easier if an owner picks up after their dog, one respondent to the survey said. Dog owners are legally obliged to pick up their dogs faeces and dispose of them in a sanitary manner or else face a 150 on-the-spot fine from local authority wardens. Cars parked on footpaths is another issue that seriously impacts the ability of people who are vision impaired to navigate public spaces. Some 71% of survey respondents said that parked cars frequently block their route when using a path while 26% said its the number one obstacle they face. A total of 21,032 fines were issued nationally to motorists last year for parking on footpaths with Dublin City Council leading the way (4,703 fines issued) followed by Cork City Council (2,347). Parked cars outside a local school prevent me from going to appointments early in the morning and in late afternoon. When Im out, I have to take this into consideration for my return journey, one respondent said. Vision Ireland is urging the public to be more considerate of the needs of everyone who uses shared spaces. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting a compliance investigation into discharge released into the River Allow from North Cork Creameries. The investigation is related to the quality of effluent discharges into the River Allow, a tributary of the River Blackwater. Last week the Blackwater experienced one of the biggest fish kills in living memory, with thousands of fish killed by a source yet to be confirmed. A spokesperson for the EPA said based on the investigation to date, there is no causal link between the sites emissions and the tragic loss of fish life further downstream in the River Blackwater. A discharge from North Cork Creameries impacted the River Allow in June. The EPA spokesperson said North Cork Creameries is taking various actions to restore compliance with its licence. Monitoring reports in relation to North Cork Creameries will be made available on LEAP online in due course. A spokesperson for the Kanturk and District Trout Anglers welcomed the compliance investigation into North Cork Creameries. We want them to get their house in order more than anything else. We know they are not associated with the fish kill as the fish in the Allow are fine, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the River Allow is not a waste disposal unit. "It is a living and natural resource that we have, and it has to be protected. It is fantastic as kids from town can walk down to the river, as it is flowing through the town. They love it there and it is safe for everyone. Wildlife from kingfishers to otters are in and around the river, and that is a lovely asset to any town, the Kanturk angler concluded. Timmy Collins proudly wearing the deputy county mayor chain of office - an achievement he described as the high point of his political career Warm tributes have been paid to Timmy Collins who served as a councillor with Cork County Council for a number of years. The Meelin native also served one year as the deputy mayor of County Cork and former political colleagues have remembered him as a gentleman and as a tireless advocate for the Duhallow region. Although a relative latecomer to the council, Cllr Collins had been an active member of the Fine Gael party since 1976, before being co-opted onto the authority's Kanturk Electoral Area in 2002, after Gerard Murphy was elected to Dail Eireann. After narrowly losing his seat two years later, Cllr Collins left Fine Gael and ran as an independent in the 2009 locals, topping the Kanturk poll with 3,343 first preference votes. During his political career he served as chair of both the Kanturk/Mallow MDC and the council's northern area committee. Mr Collins also served as vice-chair of the Joint Policing Committee since 2014 and he served as chair of the HSE (South) committee. Friend and fellow councillor Bernard Moynihan led tributes to Mr Collins who retired from politics in 2019. "We're very saddened in Duhallow, particularly in the Meelin and Rockchapel area, to hear of the passing of a great friend - a great friend of Duhallow and of many people. Timmy served the people of Meelin and Duhallow with great distinction. Timmy was a tireless advocate for his native Meelin and the wider Duhallow areaalways fighting for what he believed in and doing his very best for the community he loved. It was a genuine pleasure to work alongside him, said Cllr Moynihan. I cherish the many meaningful conversations we shared. Timmy was a man of honourwhen he made a deal, he stood by it. His integrity and dedication left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of knowing him. My sincere condolences to his family and wide circle of friends at this difficult time. Cllr Moynihan said Timmy was a great help when it came to fighting for local issues in Duhallow. I joined the Council in 2014 and we very quickly became friends because we were both fighting for the same issues. One of the issues was Ballymacquirke Junction and Timmy was hugely supportive. We worked together on a lot of issues in Duhallow. After he retired we remained great friends and I regularly called to see him. In June of this year I called in to him in Meelin and he was in great form. I always enjoyed his company. Timmy was very honourable. He was a great man for Duhallow. He was very popular. He was always trying to advance and improve matters for the people of Duhallow, he added. Fianna Fail councillor Gearoid Murphy who served alongside Mr Collins on Cork County Council said Timmy was a gentleman. I was very sad to hear that Timmy Collins, my former colleague in Cork County Council had passed away. Timmy was a gentleman and went out of his way to make me feel welcome when I was first co-opted onto Cork County Council. Cllr Murphy continued: It was a pleasure to work with him and I was honoured to be his deputy when he served as chair of the Kanturk-Mallow Municipal District in 2018. He represented his home village of Meelin with distinction for many years. Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Mary Linehan Foley thanked the late Mr Collins for his service with Cork County Council. I was very saddened to hear that Timmy Collins has passed away. Timmy was a true gentleman and was an enormous help to me when I was first elected to Cork County Council. He served the people of Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District with pride and dedication. My sincere sympathies to his family and friends. Thank you for your service to the people Timmy and may you rest easy with your beloved Bridget, she added. Angela and her sister Miriam after the VHI Women's Mini-Marathon Relay team, Angela Sherlock, Sinead McGowan, Michelle Reinhardt and Aoife Murray at the World Transplant Games in 2017 Martin pictured with his sister Angela in their childhood home in Greenhills, Dublin A Dublin man is preparing to take on the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro next month, to help raise awareness about the importance of organ donation. Martin Sherlock, originally from Greenhills in south Dublin, was inspired to take on the climb by his sister, Angela, whose life has twice been saved by kidney transplants. The 57-year-old will begin the week-long trek to Africas highest peak on September 8. Now living in Kilmuckridge, Co Wexford, Martin is fundraising for the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) as he undertakes the 5,895-metre climb. I decided to take on this challenge in February this year and have never done anything like this before, he said. It will involve a climb for seven days to reach the summit and then a two-day descent. I look forward to completing the challenge and then meeting my first grandson on my return to Ireland; it promises to be an unforgettable month. Relay team, Angela Sherlock, Sinead McGowan, Michelle Reinhardt and Aoife Murray at the World Transplant Games in 2017 Martin, who has nine siblings, is a father to two daughters and a grandfather to three girls. His fourth grandchild, and first grandson, is due to arrive while hes making his ascent of Kilimanjaro. Angela, Martins younger sister, was just 17 when she received her first kidney transplant in 1991, after spending most of her teenage years in and out of hospital. When that transplant failed after five years, she returned to dialysis until a second successful transplant in 2003 changed her life again. Today, Angela gives back as a trained IKA Peer Supporter, volunteering to help others navigate their kidney journeys, offering compassion, understanding, and first-hand experience. Thanks to the generosity of organ donors, Angela has been able to live a full and adventurous life, Martin said. She has represented Ireland in the World Transplant Games, travelled the world and built connections with amazing people along the way. Its because of her donor that shes been able to live such a full life, showing that organ donation works. It changes lives, my family has seen it first hand. Thats why Im doing this climb. When I reach the summit, Ill have an organ donor card and two of the IKAs Forget Me Not flower emblems, which symbolise the gift of life, as a tribute to Angelas two organ donors. Angela and her sister Miriam after the VHI Women's Mini-Marathon I hope that by taking on the challenge, I will inspire more people to have the conversation about organ donation with their loved ones. Its something that can give others a second chance at life, he added. Martin is self-financing his Kilimanjaro challenge through tour operator Earths Edge. Martin will be documenting his Kilimanjaro Challenge on Instagram @martinfsherlock and money raised through his fundraiser will go to the Irish Kidney Association. For more information visit www.ika.ie The cause of the fire remains under investigation Part of the Luas red line will be shut for at least a week after a blaze at Georges Dock on Tuesday evening and the damage has knocked out the internet for many homes and businesses. Eir confirmed on Wednesday night that due to the large fire which erupted on Tuesday evening, some of its telecoms infrastructure has been damaged. Following the fire at Georges Dock in Dublins Docklands last night, eir can confirm that telecommunications ducting infrastructure in the area has sustained damage, which in turn has impacted some local business and residential services. Eir teams have assessed the current impact and are working on rerouting services, where feasible. Eir teams are ready to access the site and begin restoration work as soon as it is declared safe and access is granted by emergency services, a spokesperson said. The fire broke out near to the IFSC, which houses many tech firms and homes in the Docklands area. Luas services to the Docklands area of Dublin are not operating due to damage caused by the fire. Firefighters brought the blaze under control by 11.30pm. In an update on Wednesday afternoon, operator Transdev said part of the line would be out of action for at least a week. "Due to significant damage from a gas fire at Georges Dock on Tuesday 19 August, the Georges Dock bridge, which forms part of the Luas Red Line (tracks and overhead power lines), will remain closed for at least the next seven days, and until it is certified safe for use, Transdev said. The bridge must undergo structural engineering assessments, multiple inspections by Luas engineering, maintenance, and safety teams from Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Transdev (Luas operator), as well as essential repairs. Only when these works and checks are complete will services be able to resume. At present, we cannot confirm a reopening date. We will continue to provide updates as progress is made. These checks are essential for everyones safety, and we appreciate your patience and support. The company added that trams are currently operating between Tallaght/Saggart and Connolly, and that there is no service between Connolly and The Point. Luas tickets are valid on Dublin Bus services between Connolly and The Point. Meanwhile, green line services are operating normally. Four fire engines, a foam tender and water tanker attended the scene as part of the multi-agency response on Tuesday evening. Luas red line services are not operating from Connolly to The Point while the damage is being assessed. Dublin Fire Brigade tackling the blaze at George's Dock. Photo: Sam Boal/Collins. The fire at George's Dock near the IFSC. Photo: Dublin Fire Brigade In a statement, Gas Networks Ireland said the cause of the fire was not yet known. "At 18:29 on Tuesday, August 19, Gas Networks Ireland responded immediately to a request for assistance from the fire services to an incident in the Georges Dock area of Dublin. "Gas Networks Ireland staff arrived on site at 19:06. The Gas Networks Ireland crew worked closely with the emergency services to safely isolate the gas flow. "An investigation into the cause of the incident is underway. The Galway player purchased their winning ticket from Sweeney Oil on the Headford Road, Galway City. A Lotto player in Galway woke up 500,000 richer after scooping the EuroMillions Plus top prize this week. The Galway player purchased their winning Quick Pick ticket on the day of the draw, Tuesday August 19, from Sweeney Oil on the Headford Road, Galway City. The winning numbers in last nights EuroMillions Plus draw were: 6, 9, 36, 38 and 41. The National Lottery is urging all players in the Galway area to check their tickets carefully and if youre holding the winning ticket, be sure to contact the National Lottery prize claims team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie to arrange the collection of your prize. This latest win marks the 27th EuroMillions Plus top prize of 500,000 awarded in 2025, bringing the total prize money paid out to an incredible 13.5 million so far this year. Emma Monaghan, National Lottery spokesperson, said: Huge congratulations to our latest EuroMillions Plus winner in Co Galway - what a fantastic midweek surprise! There was also one jackpot winner in France in last nights EuroMillions draw. In total, over 57,000 players in Ireland won prizes in the EuroMillions and Plus games. Councillors are hoping that it will bring about new powers The balance of power between council officials and elected councillors is set to come under the spotlight when the new Local Democracy Taskforce begins its work across the country this year. Established just two months ago, the taskforce will look at reforming and strengthening local government, described as the beating heart of our democracy providing many of the essential services on which we all depend. But what will it mean for councillors who sit on Louth County Council, representing urban and rural communities across the county? The Argus and Drogheda Independent asked all 29 councillors in Louth for their views on the review of local government, if they feel it is necessary, and what changes should take place to ensure local government is operating at its best, and for the benefit of all citizens. We also asked councillors about the impact of the last major reform of local government, which took place in 2014. It led to the abolition of Town and Borough Councils, replaced them with the current Municipal Districts, and centralised services through Louth County Council. The responses of seven councillors from across the political spectrum, and a collective response from all seven Sinn Fein representatives in Louth paint a picture of frustration with the current system, a desire to be able to do more for their constituents, and shock at just how poorly Irelands local democracy ranks against other European countries. Cllr. Marianne Butler Unelected local officials can spend our money and there is very little that voters can do to stop it. That is a recipe for disaster "I cautiously welcome any effort to strengthen local democracy and any measure that will ultimately benefit the people of County Louth. Ireland has the weakest system of local government in Europe based on a study by the Association of Irish Local Government in 2023. We have a very low number of councillors per head of population, we have the weakest set of powers, the smallest share of public expenditure. If local communities feel powerless its because so much decision making power has been taken away from us over the last 10-15 years. Since I was first elected in 2009 I have seen local government ripped apart; the abolition of town councils, the transfer of planning functions to An Bord Pleanala, the transfer of waste water and water to Uisce Eireann, the abolition of joint policing committees. The list is endless. I dont see this taskforce as having the mandate, or the people, to deliver the radical reform of local government we need to deliver better services for local people. We need to get rid of the parish pump and Nimby-ism from Irish politics but that doesnt mean imposed solutions from the top. Dublin can tell a community what needs to happen in the national interest but still give us flexibility on how to make it happen, based on local needs. Dundalk and Drogheda are two of the largest towns in Ireland with populations of around 45,000. Over the next 10 years it is likely that they will both pass the 50,000 mark and become cities. We need to start planning now to create the local government structures and capabilities to guide their development. But right now, local councillors can be too easily excluded from basic but long-term decisions. If the council wants to sell land or property then councillors need to approve, but if the council wants to buy land the council management can do so without involving councillors. It doesnt sound very exciting until you realise that the reason the council owns a piece of land on the Point Road in Dundalk, and plans to build houses on a flood plain, is because they bought it at the height of the Celtic Tiger, and borrowed a lot of money to do so. Unelected, unaccountable, local officials can spend our money and there is very little that voters can do to stop it. That is a recipe for disaster. I feel very strongly about the reform of local government in 2014, as I was elected to Dundalk Town Council in 2009, was Chair of the Town Council in 2011/2012, and I have seen first hand how these reforms introduced by Labour and Fine Gael have really failed County Louth. Not all town councils were equal in Ireland. Dundalk Town Council and Drogheda Borough Council were the largest in country. Theses councils were their own planning authorities, rating authorities and housing authorities developed over centuries for good reasons. Theres a big difference in the type of issues that affect the rural parts of Louth and our major urban centres. Our coastal communities and villages also have their own needs. The old system ensured that the routine issues affecting Dundalk and Drogheda could be dealt with by councillors representing those areas. This allowed the county council to focus more on the non-urban areas, and most importantly, the overall strategic development of the County. The system worked well, in the case of Drogheda for over 800 years, and didnt need changing. Today, everything gets mixed together and there is a real loss of focus on the bigger strategic issues. The abolition of these councils by Fine Gael and Labour, to save a tiny amount of money 10 years ago, didnt benefit a single citizen of County Louth and should be reversed. Cllr. John Sheridan Local Government needs to be far more ambitious with the powers it has "While the Local Democracy Taskforce is a well intended I think local government needs to be far more ambitious with the powers it has. I have spoken many times when it came to making decisions on the local property tax that politics requires courage and disappointingly every year Louth has always found a reason to not change the LPT. I have always found constituents to be logical and thoughtful and if you have a reasonable discussion with constituents about what you can deliver then you can make an informed decision on things like the LPT. So we can blame legislation and blame the Custom House for a lack of powers, but if we don't have the courage to actually exercise the powers we do have, I think that's slightly double standards to be looking for more powers!" "The current powers since 2014 are only 11 years old, sometimes in Ireland we have an obsession with reviews and reports and ultimately this leads to change fatigue setting in. In relation to Town Councils, I think one possible solution would be a function for specific Directors of Services for towns over a certain population. But ultimately, I think for us to be ambitious for Louth we have to look outwards and how our whole county is fighting for its share and the branding and promotion of the county rather than looking inwards at titles and structures." Cllr. Ciaran Fisher "Give the people we vote for more muscle! "I would have concerns about the erosion of local governments role, so I welcome the Taskforce. I hope it will address this by restoring decision-making power to councillors and municipalities on local matters, making councils more responsive and effective. I think a review of local democracy is long overdue. Im cautiously optimistic it might yield meaningful results. Its worth noting that Ireland ranks 27th out of 27 EU member states on the Decentralisation Index. Centralised government often focuses heavily on the capital, and as a resident of Louth and Dundalk, I believe robust local government is essential. When you vote for a councillor, you should be electing someone with the ability to enact change. Abolishing Town Councils was a backward step, as localities became absorbed into larger, more bureaucratic structures, increasingly bound by national policy. Most counties lost councillors, which meant there was less focus on localities and hyper-local issues. Arguably, Drogheda has felt this the most, or at least the dereliction issues it faces are an unfortunate coincidence. From a democratic perspective, councillors are increasingly constrained by central government directives and ring-fenced funding, limiting their ability to act on behalf of their communities. Our powers are heavily restricted in areas like housing and water, and common-sense solutionssuch as installing a speed ramp or crossingcan be delayed by national policies or bureaucratic processes. It can be very frustrating to feel you cant deliver or are being delayed in delivering for your constituents while you wait for a national project and an architect (who has only ever viewed your road on Google Maps) to come through. I think essentially more devolved powers for councils, access to better funding and more input from elected representatives is what I would like to see. Otherwise, local elections become more of a democratic pageant. Councils need control over their own patch, not a begging bowl. Sometimes there are very specific junctures in time when it comes to policy that might only happen a handful of times a year to make an input into the way the council works. And thats not remarkably responsive to public sentiment. To give one example, were months waiting on a traffic calming policy to be produced, and until that comes out, were all sitting on our hands when it comes to pushing for new crossings and speed bumps in the municipal meetings. More Councillors per head of population could breathe new ideas into councils, so long as it doesnt just return the same whipped party members. It would be more eyes on issues, but I think first and foremost, the Taskforce should focus on the quality of powers Councillors have rather than the quantity of Councillors. A strong executive can help to deliver projects. Lurching too far in the other direction could bring other kinds of problems and delays. But in a very centralised authority, when the capital and policy are coming from Dublin, some big decisions can feel like they have bypassed Councillors. That can undermine democratic accountability. Give the people we vote for more muscle! Overall Louth benefits from dedicated Councillors who work hard to maximise their impact. Greater discretion and clearer powers would allow Councillors to respond more effectively to community needs. Cllr. Michelle Hall We have little executive power or function and we need to strengthen councillors right to be consulted As Mayor of Drogheda Irelands largest town I welcome the establishment of the Local Democracy Taskforce as a vital step toward addressing the longstanding imbalance in local governance in this country. For too long, towns like Drogheda have been expected to grow and deliver for their communities without the corresponding decision-making powers or financial autonomy enjoyed by local authorities across the rest of the EU. In European terms, Ireland stands out and not in a good way for having one of the most centralised systems of government. This severely limits the ability of towns like Drogheda to respond effectively to local needs, invest in infrastructure, or shape their own future. The Taskforce is a timely opportunity to deliver a meaningful shift in power from the centre to the local level. As Drogheda continues to grow, it deserves the same respect, representation, and resources as its European counterparts. We should have the restoration of town councils with my belief that Drogheda should be the first to be restored. We are the largest town and arguably one that was particularly negatively affected by their abolition in 2014. We have an award winning civic building and I would welcome a dedicated town manager with a ring fenced budget for Drogheda. With a town council, decisions on local services, amenities, and development projects can be made closer to the community. This could lead to more responsive and tailored policies that suit the Drogheda's heritage and needs. I agree with the terms of reference that we need to rebalance the power dynamics between elected councillors and the CEO/directors of services. We have little executive power or function and we need to strengthen councillors right to be consulted and informed of executive decisions in a timely manner. This can happen in an ad hoc manner and enforcing it in a new policy can see a more collaborative and accountable process which will benefit local democracy. Cllr. Emma Coffey Ireland ranks just above Hungary, Russia and Moldova on local democracy, a record I am not proud of I am really fearful that this taskforce will become another talking shop and no real positive reforms will be implemented to ensure that we have a strong independent democratic Local Government within our country, this does not serve the people and we will find it difficult too find diverse and good people who wish to enter local politics when it is getting more difficult to achieve positive and transparent differences in our local communities. I welcome the taskforce, however, I hope that it is not used as a road block to further erode the role of local councillors. Unless there is complete buy in from all bodies in government including all of central government there will be no change on foot of this taskforces recommendations. An independent report commissioned by The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CLRAE) in 2023 found Ireland has one of the lowest scores under the Local Autonomy Index (LAI), with Irish local government scoring a rank just above Hungary, the Russian Federation and Moldova ( Ireland ranks 36 out of 39 on local government autonomy index). Its certainly a record that I for one am not proud of. People in local communities are not being represented properly - for example under the act members of the county council elected from a local electoral area become a member of the municipal district. The fundamental problem, however, is that they are not councils and are not legitimate local government corporate entities. There are no direct elections to the municipal districts and they do not have revenue-raising capabilities. As such, it can be argued that municipal districts are little more than glorified area committees of county councils. Town Councils were directly elected, and had statutory standing on budget and finance raising matters. Furthermore the removal of the water services from local authorities to a new state body was another direct erosion of councils autonomy and expertise on a state fundamental infrastructure that we can see has had catastrophic consequences to our development locally and nationally. A Chief Executive is not elected and yet holds the deciding decision on all matters bar development plans, in my opinion this needs to be addressed." Sinn Fein Louth Cllr. Kevin Meenan, Cllr. Eric Donovan, Cllr. Fiona Mhic Conchoille, Cllr. Debbie McCole, Cllr. Pearse McGeough, Cllr. Antoin Watters and Cllr. Sionnan McCann Municipal areas became a toothless tiger after powers were stripped away from them "The abolition of town councils has been an unmitigated disaster for Local Government and accountability. When Labour and Fine Gael abolished town councils in 2014 towns were left behind and abandoned and were not even able to administer a local budget. Municipal areas became a toothless tiger as powers were stripped away from them. Labour and Fine Gael promised savings of between 15 million - 20 million a year and in 2017 our TD at that time, Imelda Munster, sought quantified data relating to those savings [but none was provided]. Anything that erodes the role of Local Government and leaves decision making or financial controls to Central Government is a matter of deep concern when you look at how the government is run. There should be more devolved powers to local government and more input from elected representatives in budgetary matters. They are on the ground and are dealing with everything from illegal dumping and footpaths to vacant properties and homelessness. They are best placed to assess what is needed in their towns to have a pro-active approach to these issues rather than let them fester and deteriorate while central government in Dublin are building bike sheds and security huts. There needs to be a rebalancing of power between elected representatives and the council executive but more importantly, a rebalancing between local and central government is needed and that is something that the Taskforce wont discuss. That would be a key concern about the Taskforce. Increased devolved powers for town Councils are important for local decision making and community involvement in those decisions. We cautiously welcome the new taskforce and we look forward to dealing with local issues at a local level. It will be good to be able to pro-actively deal with issues instead of having to refer to central government and go through a process of having to apply for specific funding streams to maintain our towns. Cllr. Pio Smith Chief Executives have a lot of power and councillors have considerably less, this needs to be addressed The Local Democracy Taskforce is very welcome as it is a great opportunity to address some of the issues that exist in Local Government in Ireland. Ireland has one of the lowest rankings in Europe when it comes to defining democracy at local level. We are slightly above Russia, which says it all. Research indicates that Ireland's local authorities have fewer powers and less financial independence compared to their counterparts in other European countries. The Reform of Local Government 2014 had a positive impact in some ways as it did away with duplication, for example area committees could only talk about areas in Drogheda that were in the county, while Borough Council meetings could only discuss areas of Drogheda within the Borough. Now the Drogheda Municipal District covers all the areas which is good, However the reform abolished the towns budget and administration staff which isnt good. Councillors should be given back powers to manage budgets and raise money, make us responsible for town development. Chief Executives have a lot of power and councillors have considerably less, this needs to be addressed. The Taskforce should look at ways to bring the public into the democratic decision making process, for example by implementing a Participatory Budgeting process. Cllr. John Reilly There is a perception that the county councillors are only rubberstamping The Government has established the Local Democracy Taskforce to reform local government, and I would welcome this initiative. It is widely accepted that abolishing the old Town Councils diluted the power and influence of local government Individual town councils having a say on their bylaws and passing a budget for maintenance or infrastructure would better serve democracy. I would like to see councillors have more power in budgetary matters and in selecting projects for investment in civil engineering improvements throughout the county. There is a perception that the county councillors are only rubberstamping the documents. The housing crisis is the biggest challenge facing the Country at the moment, local government has a vital role to play in resolving this issue. New planning guidelines are also required on the building of modular homes. The Task Force has the remit to make recommendations to modernise local government, members of local authorities will be anxious to see the report and implementation of the recommendations of this task force. At the age of 54, Enfield butcher Padraig Coffey went for his first ever job interview and it led him on a path to the council chamber. Just over a year later, the lifelong Fianna Fail supporter is marking his first anniversary as an elected councillor for the Trim Electoral Area. When I made the decision, I gave my name and went to the Fianna Fail headquarters in Dublin for an interview, he said. I got on pretty well in the interview. I was in no way nervous. I couldnt believe it because I work in the meat trade as a butcher, so this was my first ever proper interview at 54 years of age. Politics had always been in the background for Cllr Coffey, who grew up in a family of nine. At a very young age, I have always had an interest in politics and things that affect people locally. I suppose that stems from the background I was raised in, he said. My mum, who was also a Fianna Fail supporter, had an interest in politics and it just grew from there. He said that running for election wasnt an immediate yes - I had said no about five times about running. But I finally said yes on St Brigid's Day because my mum was a Kildare woman. I know that she would have liked one of us to run for local elections at some stage. In last years local elections, Fianna Fail secured a second seat in the Trim Electoral Area for the first time in 15 years. Cllr Coffey was elected on the final count. Overwhelmed with emotions was how he described the moment. He added: It is that perimeter of life that you realise that you are going to help people with genuine problems on a day-to-day basis. According to Cllr Coffey, he has learnt that much of a councillors work involves guiding people to the right place for help. When you are in public life, you must remember that youre there to help. Sometimes you are only pointing people in the right direction. They are telling you stuff they wont tell anyone else and you have to be very correct in what you do with that information. The role also brought some surprises. Before my time as a councillor, and I only realised this now, a lot of power was taken away from local councillors. Now people come to you with an issue and you have to explain to them that you have to go somewhere else with that issue. While Cllr Coffey praised certain areas of Meath County Council, he said the system needs to work faster. The biggest challenge is the council system. It is so hard to get things done because it goes at a slow pace. We live in a faster time there is no reason why things cant move faster. Meath County Council has a massive staff, he said. One of the most successful parts of Meath County Council is housing, but other sectors need to come up to the speed where housing is. Since being elected, traffic and speeding have been among the main concerns raised by locals and Cllr Coffey sees them as key priorities. From the day I started canvassing, and still a huge problem now, is traffic and road management, as well as speeding. People are so preoccupied, the councillor, who has been a butcher for 38 years, said. I have a small butcher shop in Enfield and when I look out the window, I see people in traffic looking down at their telephones. They dont look where they should be looking. Speeding in villages and towns near schools is also a huge issue. People are starting to modify cars and it is all about speed and drifting. I dont think most of them realise that they are entering a village or near a school. One issue he said is close to his heart is improving safety at his former national school, Baconstown School. The school is unique in the sense that it has an after-school or a playgroup on the opposite side of the road, yet it does not have pedestrian lights. It needs one badly its not safe. Now looking back on the path from his butchers shop to the council chamber, Cllr Coffey said his own story shows that theres no wrong time to step into public life. I was 54 when I got into politics, so I know youre never too young or too old. Its all about helping people, he said. I would have been kicking myself in a few years if I didnt run. I said to myself maybe Ill be part of some good decision some day and that was the way I saw it. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Around the Districts Multiple All-Ireland potato gold medallist Michael McGoldrick, Dromahair was the Overall Horticulture Section winner at the recent Manorhamilton Agricultural Show. Pictured in this Padraig Thornton photo at the presentation of Michael's winning shield in the Bee Park are (l to r) Christina Gilligan (Show Steward), Michael McGoldrick, Niall Heena (Horticulture Judge), Thady McTernan (Show Steward). Vintage Tools and Candles Memorial There will be a vintage tools display in Rossinver Community Centre on Thursday, August 21, from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. as part of the local communitys National Heritage week events taking place countrywide. Entry to the Vintage Rossinver Tools display is free for all who come along to the local Community Centre on August 21. Meanwhile on the following Sunday night, August 24, the annual Memorial Candle Lit Flower ceremony will take place at the Fisheries, Dooard, Rossinver on the shoreline of Lough Melvin, starting at 8 p.m. For the annual Memorial Candle Lit Flower ceremony there are dedication cards available to remember your loved ones during the August 24 ceremony from the following locations Kerrigans XL New Line Manorhamilton, McGriskins Country Shop Kiltyclogher, True Colours Salon, Garrison, Co Fermanagh and Arroo Salon in Kinlough, and also at the Rossinver Youth and Community Project Rossinver in the community centre (Eircode F91 NY6V). For more information on all or any of the above forthcoming Rossinver events, please phone 071 9832970. Computer Skills Course The North Leitrim Womens Centre will provide an opportunity for you to update your computer skills during a series of classes that will run in the centre commencing on Thursday, September 11. On the successful completion of the update of your computer skills classes all participants will receive a QQI Certificate in Office Skills. An information day on the update of your computer skills classes will be held in the Womens Centre on Tuesday, September 9, at 11 a.m. The classes, which start on Thursday, September 11, will run each week on Tuesdays and on Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. To book a place on the update your computer skills classes please contact the Womens Centre at 071 9856220. The update of your computer skills classes modules will include Business English, Communications, General Office Skills, Mathematics, Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Customer Service, Data Entry and Work Experience. This course is free of charge. Glencars New Classes The Glencar Community Centre at Diffreen has new classes taking place currently and the centre is inviting all interested to attend and participate in the classes. A Breathwork Meditation class takes place in Glencar Community Centre every Thursday night from 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. and a Low Intensity Strength Circuit class takes place every Friday morning from 10.am to 11 a.m. For more information on Glencar Community Centre classes and to book places in them, please contact Chris at 089 2358584. Spaces are limited. Defibrillator Run/Walk The Dromahair AED Defibrillator Group will hold their annual 5k Family Fun Run/Walk on Sunday, August 31, at 5 p.m. The 5k Family Fun Run/Walk start point will be at the Depot on Dromahairs back line. Registration for all runners and walkers takes place from 4 p.m. in the Depot. Refreshments for all participants will be served afterwards in the Depot and spot prizes will be presented there as well. All funds raised will go to the upkeep and maintenance of all five Defibrillator units in the Dromahair area. Please support this worthy fundraiser. District News Deadline Please email all notes for next weeks Sligo Champion Manorhamilton District News to PJ Leddy leddypatrick10@gmail.com by 6 p.m. at the latest on Thursday, August 21. Merville Centre CONDOLENCES The Merville Management Committee, staff and on Behalf of the Wider Merville Community wish to offer our condolences to the family and Friends of David Ewing, Shannon Eighter, Co. Sligo and formerly Ard-Na Veigh, who has passed away recently. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam. DREAMCHASERS CHILDCARE Pre-enrollment Spaces are now available for our Award-Winning Community Based Pre-School Service for the 2025/2026 Term. With a Focus on Outdoor Play, Dreamchasers Childcare Service has an established Community Centered Programme for all children with an emphasis on fun being our Number One Priority. Free Preschool Places on the ECCE Scheme and Qualifying Supports such as the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) are available. Please contact 071 9152022 Mobile 086 4424093 for further information. SAFETY MATTERS All Patrons of Merville Community Centre are asked to exercise caution when driving in the area when on Drop Off and Pick Up, as these times can be extremely busy both at the centre and in the locality. Best Practice would be to Drop Off and Pick up outside the centre where possible. Be especially aware of Pedestrians crossing at the centre Entrance and Exit. Think Safe. PENDANT ALARMS Merville Community Centre facilitate on behalf of our community the provision to eligible persons of Social Monitored Pendant Alarms, under the Seniors Alert Scheme that is administered by Pobal Equipment Funding is available for eligible persons over 65 years for the installation of an monitored alarm on a landline in the persons home. The alarms are now available for persons aged 65 or older and living alone, living with another person who meets the terms and conditions, living alone for significant periods of time during the day, or is a carer to someone else in their household. First year monitoring is free for all new applicants. Subsequent annual monitoring charges are then payable by the user. Other Systems are available at various costs for those who do not possess a Landline. Overall this monitoring product adds Peace of Mind for Both the Users, family and Friends at minimal cost. Contact Merville Centre Office at 071 9150029 for further information. YOUR NOTES Local Voluntary and Community Groups are reminded that any notices for publication can be emailed to mervilleycc@gmail.com or hard copy left into the Merville Centre for inclusion in our Local Notes. Riverstown All-Ireland Champions Congratulations to Glor na dTonn ceili Band, who represented Riverstowns Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann at the Fleadh Cheoil in Wexford recently to become all-Ireland Senior ceili Band Champions for 2025. The band members are Conal McCormack, Tom Gavin, Kate Gavin, Jason McGuinness (Sligo), Seamus Tiernan, Marianna Tiernan, Kathryn Tiernan, Alan Judge, Chloe Feeney (Mayo) and Thomas Ahern (Waterford). Congratulations also to Conal on coming second in the O18 Drums. Other winners from Riverstown CCE were Rachel Feeney, who took second place in the 12 15 sean nos competition and Amy Bagnall, who took third in the 15-18 sean nos competition. Two winners from Broga Briomhar Dance School were Tara Giblin in under-12 sean nos Dancing and Cliona Murray in 12-15 sean nos dancing. OGIES CYCLE Congratulations to Ogie Gilligan on his cycle from Malin to Mizen. Ogie completed this amazing achievement in four and half days carrying his tent on his bike. While Ogie completed this as a personal challenge a lot of people asked if he was raising money for a specific cause so he has suggested that if people would like to they can give to a charity of their choice or do a good deed for the day. Ogie found the challenge tough but rewarding and he was blessed to meet so many wonderful people along the way. COMMUNITY GAMES Congratulations and well done to two young ladies who represented Riverstown at the Community Games Regional track events which were held recently in Athlone. Well done to Ella McGrath who competed in the girls under-10 60m hurdles. Ella ran well and made it to the finals. Congratulations to Leah McManus who took bronze in the girls under-14 800m. Leah will now progress to the national finals on Saturday, August 23, in Carlow. HERITAGE DAY Taunagh Church Riverstown is delighted to announce that they have received funding from the Heritage Council to have a Grade one conservation architect to draw up a report on the church. Taunagh Church was consecrated in 1818 and has been a constant place of worship for over two hundred years. The building is enriched by a magnificent stained-glass window made by the artist Alfred Ernest Child. Among the many Church Furnishings on display will be the almost 300-year-old silver Chalice and Paten Plate (dated 1726) which would have come from the old Taunagh Church. All are welcome to join the celebrations on Saturday, August 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to celebrate 200 years plus of Christian Witness. John Taylor author of Taunagh Church, families and Clergy will be present during the event and will give a talk for Heritage Week on the church, families and Clergy at 3 p.m. Refreshments will be served. ARROW HARPS Registration is now open for 2025/26. Boys and girls from under-six to adult are all welcome. Family discount and payment plan available. Visit arrowharpsfc.clubforce.com/products/membership for more information. Summer camp for boys and girls aged six to 12 years will run from Monday, August 18, to Friday, August 22. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily on the new astroturf pitch or if pitch is not ready Riverstown Community Park. Cost is 55. Family discount is available. WOMENS INFLUENCE The Lasting Influence of Sligo Women on Irish Culture is theme of a talk, along with an accompanying display, that will be held in the Folk Park, Riverstown on Wednesday night, August 20, at 8 p.m. Speakers for this special Heritage event to include: Mr Joe McGowan on Constance Markievicz, Ms Joyce Enright on Eva Gore-Booth, Canon Noel Regan on Aideen Gore-Booth, Mr Leo Leydon on Georgie Hyde Lees (wife of WB Yeats), Mr Martin Enright on Kathleen Harrington (sister of John Joe Gardiner), Ms Mary Branley on Leland Bardwell, John Taylor on Noelle Middleton, Maisie McDaniel and others (time Permitting). At the conclusion of the talk refreshments will be served in the Millstone Cafe. SHAMROCK GAELS The Shamrock Gaels All Stars continues on Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. in Riverstown Community Park Astro. Spread the word and any enquiries to Marina Swann at 086 8589048. COMMUNITY NOTES Please email carrowcashel@eircom.net or alternatively text or call Iris at 086 8258525 to have new items included in Riverstown Community News. The chairman of Irish Rail has said that the extension of the Western Rail Corridor is an absolute priority for the company. Speaking on the Pat Kenny show on Newstalk yesterday, Steve Murphy responded to a question about the potential of a greenway along the railway line. A listener of Newstalk asked if Steve would confirm that there will be nothing on the line from Claremorris to Sligo so that a greenway could be put there. In response, Steve said: The extension of the Western Rail Corridor as a railway is absolutely our priority. We think it's a crucial build on the success of the existing Western Rail Corridor that I remember working on 20 years ago. The Western Rail Corridor is a disused railway line that connects Limerick, Galway and Sligo. The route runs through Claremorris. If reopened, it would provide a link from Mayo to Sligo and Mayo to Galway. In the All Ireland Strategic Review, the Department of Transport recommended that the railway between Claremorris and Athenry should be reinstated. The reopening of the route was included in the 2007-2013 National Development Plan, however, due to the financial crash in 2008, only the section between Ennis and Athenry was completed. The plan recommended that the Western Rail Corridor be reinstated as it would help to support freight and regional connectivity in the west of Ireland. Mayo TD Keira Keogh made a statement last month calling for the Western Rail Corridor to be reopened. The Fine Gael representative said the route must be included in the National Development Plan (NDP), when the full list of projects is published as part of the autumn budget. The Western Rail Corridor would be a game changer. When reopened as a functioning Irish Rail line, it would drastically improve transport connectivity throughout the West of Ireland, from Sligo all the way down to Limerick. It would be a lifeline for regional development, and it would restore a vital link between Mayo and Galway, offering new economic, tourism and commuter opportunities, stated Deputy Keogh. 22b has been announced for transport projects as part of the NDP. Currently, the only project specifically mentioned is Dublins MetroLink. This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. The Dock in Carrick-on-Shannon is delighted to announce the artists selected for the Farm Walks programme in Leitrim and Fermanagh. The Farm Walks project (est. 2023) was co-created by The Dock and Leitrim County Council Arts Office, in partnership with The Leitrim Sustainable Agriculture Group and the Ulster Wildlife Farmers Group in Fermanagh, funded through the Creative Ireland Shared Island Programme. Through the project, the partners aim to build cross-border cooperation, to explore the common ground between artists and farmers, and to highlight shared farming and environmental interests. A new coffee shop in Enniscorthy is bringing a unique and American-style taste to the people of Wexford with their curated menu of drinks and delicacies. Kookie & Co., based in The Mill Centre on Irish Street, is ran by Ionut Secu who has extensive experience in the industry. Part of a small family from Riverchapel, Wexford, he has worked for over a decade in hospitality, primarily as a mixologist and bar manager in Michelin-recommended restaurants in Dublin. After his son was born, he switched to working as a coffee machine technician. This, along with his wife's extensive background as a barista and her talent as a fantastic baker, inspired them to start their coffee trailer in Ballyoughan Business Park. From there, they realised they needed to expand and start their own micro bakery. Despite not being from the town, they are thrilled with the opportunity to get to know the people of Enniscorthy. "We fell in love with Enniscorthy the moment we saw our little unit next to Dunnes Stores. We envisioned a place that was small, like a cookie, but full of joya spot where we could bring a touch of color and sweetness to everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. After walking around, I felt the town needed something a little different, which is what inspired the vibrant colour palette for our shop, he said. Providing American-style cookies, they are keen on continuing to experiment with flavours and creating stand out products. "Our cookies are based on American-style recipes, similar to those found in New York. We're always experimenting to add more flavors and keep our offering fresh. They are baked from scratch every morning, making them gooey and delicious. We also plan to introduce some other fresh baked goods in the near future, he explained. Not forgetting coffee, they are proud of their exclusive coffee which is a blend of different Colombian roasts. I used my training in mixology and cocktail creation to balance the flavors, resulting in a smooth, creamy coffee with notes of chocolate and caramel and a touch of acidity that pairs perfectly with most milks. We also have plans to roast small batches in-house soon, he added. The family have been all the more encouraged by the warm reception they have already received from the public. "We've only been open for a little over two weeks, and the feedback from the local community has been incredible. It makes our day every time a guest returns and tells us that people are talking about us all over town and discussing their favourite flavours. To see our hard work become a reality has been amazing. There's nothing more enjoyable than seeing children and their parents making memories at Kookie & Co. That's what we're truly all aboutcreating a place for long-lasting memories, he said. Concert with Ciara Breen A concert will be held in Colfers pub on Monday 25th August at 8pm featuring Ciara Breen accompanied by guitarist Jim Murry and other guests. Admission 15 tickets can be purchased from Colfers pub on 089 2770659. Fleadh winners The following are the winners at this years Fleadh from the Danescastle Music Group. Congratulations to all who took part and to the winners a great week for all. Eve Donohoe3rd Senior Fiddle; Adam Ryan3rd 12-15 English Mens Singing; Lainey Rossiter3rd U12 Whistling; Aoife Colfer2nd Senior Lilting; Grupa Ceoil3rd 12-15 Grupai Ceoil Members: Cormac Cunningham, Kayla Power, Phoebe Scanlon, Eibhin ODwyer, Grace French, Ellie Currid, Odhran McPhillips, Aoife Doyle, Evelyn Gilbane, Robert Moran, Maria Gilbane, Abbie Kelly, Aine Breen, Jessica Finn, Lily Reville, Ryan King, Alex Sinnott, Kyle Cullen, Seamas Wall Social Dancing Dancing continues in Carrig Community centre with the following bands for August. Wednesday 20th Colm Bourke, Wednesday 27th The Wicklow Man. All are welcome, refreshments served. Split the pot This weeks split the pot winner was Lena Colfer winning 200. Carrig Community Centre Yoga every Monday evening at 7.00 pm and Thursday morning at 9.30am and chair yoga at 11am just come along and enjoy, pay as you go. Bridge is played every Tuesday night. Slimming world is every Wednesday 5.30 till 7.30pm Dance Fit classes every Thursday night. Bingo every Saturday night from 8pm all welcome. Mobile Library Wexford Mobile Library will be next at Grantstown Daycare Centre on Wednesday 3rd September from 2.30pm to 3.15pm. If you would like to join, membership is free. It is not just books you can borrow from Wexford Library, you can also borrow e-books and e-audiobooks. If you are already a library member, you can collect a reserved book from the mobile library. Grantstown Daycare Centre Would you like to get out of the house, meet people of all ages and have a bit of fun? Then why not pop in to Grantstown Daycare Centre and see for yourself what is happening on a day-to-day basis. Each day has something different whether its music, games, arts and crafts, movies, quizzes, trips out or just chatting or reading a magazine. If you have a craft or skill that you would like to share with the group we can arrange for you to do a demonstration. We also have holistic practitioners who are qualified in Sonas and Imagination Gym and a nurse in the centre. Our clients vary in age from mid-thirties to over ninety. If you dont have your own transport we can possibly collect you in the morning in one of our buses and drop you home in the afternoon. Please phone 051 561016 or e-mail info@grantstownpriory.com for more information. Grantstown Horticultural Meitheal Day Meitheal is an Irish traditional concept where people come together in a collective effort for the greater good of the community. Grantstown Horticultural Group are having their next Meitheal day on Friday 5th September from 10am 1pm. No experience required, just show up on the day. Tea, cake and craic guaranteed. Meals on Wheels Would you like to have delicious and nutritious meals delivered to your door? Grantstown Daycare Centre operates a Meals on Wheels service delivered every Tuesday and Thursday for a small fee. Why not give us a call on 051 561016 for more details. A free sample is available to prospective new customers. Ballymitty Hall events Car Boot & Market Unfortunately the Ballymitty Carboot will not be back this year due to low attendance and footfall. Womens Shed We meet in Ballymitty Hall. Monday mornings from 10am to 12pm. All welcome to come join. Drive-in-Bingo Come to Ballymitty for Drive-in-Bingo on Monday nights to enjoy a game of bingo while sitting in your car, bingo starts at 8.30pmFree baby books for kids playing with their grandparents/parents for the summer monthsJune to September. Camross Camross Hall News A dance event will be held at Camross Hall on Friday 5th September, featuring a performance by Bernie Heaney. The admission fee is 10 and includes tea service. The event is scheduled to begin at 9pm and will continue into the evening. Attendees are encouraged to consider attending as part of a group or organizing a ladies night to enhance the experience. The occasion promises an enjoyable atmosphere with ample opportunities for dancing. Check out Camross Halls Facebook Page for further details on all upcoming events or contact kaynolandoyle@gmail.com Community Employment ANCCR Area Development CLG Community Employment Scheme covers the areas of Adamstown, Newbawn, Carrigbyrne, Clonroche, Camross, Carroreigh, Cushinstown, Terrerath and Raheen. 19.5 Hours per week. Community Employment eligibility and rates apply. Current Vacancies: Childcare Assistant in Adamstown/Raheen and General Operatives CE Schemes are a great opportunity to get back into the workforce and learn new skills. Contact your local Intreo office to check eligibility or call 087 4144313 to check for any current vacancies. Taghmon/Caroreigh & Trinity Parish news Weekend Mass Schedule - Saturday: Cleariestown 6pm, Caroreigh 8pm (please note new mass time from now on). Sunday: Trinity 9am, Taghmon 10.15am, Rathangan 11.30am Weekday Mass Schedule - Tuesday: Cleariestown 9.30am. Wednesday: Caroreigh 9.30am. Thursday: Rathangan 9.30am. Friday: Taghmon 10am School Mass Adoration Times - Duncormick: Monday 2-8pm New Adorers always welcome. Taghmon: Tuesday 11am-12 noon New Members welcome. Cleariestown: Thursday 11am-5pm. Caroreigh: Monday 1-8pm, except Bank Holiday Mondays and the months of June & July. Check out our Caroreigh Community Page & Taghmon Rathangan Parish page for all Church Notices. Taghmon History Society Membership - A reminder that membership fees are now due. New members welcome, contact Kay Doyle, 087-2680273/kaynolandoyle@gmail.com Photos - We are once again requesting submissions of photographs for our 2026 Calendar. All submitted photographs will be returned undamaged. Many historic photographs remain stored in boxes within attics or suitcases beneath beds. This history is invaluable, and we feel a strong responsibility to preserve it. Please note that the deadline for photograph submissions will be earlier this year due to the production of a new journal. Additionally, we are seeking photographs depicting farm life prior to mechanisation. Have you been decluttering? Do you have old photos, old history items or anything else of historical value, and dont know what to do with it? We would be delighted to take this from you, we have storage space available. You can contact any of the members for collection or you can leave it in TAG for our attention. Checkout our Facebook page for any other queries. You can reach us at email: kaynolandoyle@gmail.com/087-2680273. TAG News Bingo - Taghmon Action Group Bingo continues every Tuesday night in TAG Centre Taghmon Y35C2DE. Starts at 7.30pmdoors open at 7pm. Jackpot 825. Also on the night is Quick Bingo this Jackpot is 1,750 and a chance to win 25 on the night. Tickets 1. Hidden Treasures Charity shop - Open Monday-Thursday. 9am to 4.30pm. Friday 9am to 3.30pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm. All donations are kindly welcome. Connected Hubs - Bookings can now be made for the TAG Digital Hub on the Connected Hubs website at https://connectedhubs.ie/hubs/profile/4346 Call into the TAG office also for information and viewing of the hubs. Line Dancing - Every Thursday evening 7.308.45pm in TAG Centre. Contact Clare: 0877612560 for more information. Zumba Classes - Wednesday 6.157.15pm and Thursday 11.30am12.30pm Contact Tetiana 085 2060467 for more details. Community Car The Wexford Co. Council/ Taghmon Action Group Community Car service is now up and running in the Taghmon Camross area. Bookings must be made at least one week in advance. Please call and leave a message or text 089 2780126 to book. This service is free, and it is available to all people living in the Taghmon Camross area. People will be booked in on a first come service and availability will depend on the hours that the Volunteer drivers can do. Parish Website Asking all groups and sporting clubs who have a page on our parish website taghmon.ie to send in regular updates and news of any events they have taking place to the TAG office please. The email address is taghmonactiongroupoffice@gmail.com or contact the office on 053 9134997. Taghmon United Congratulations to our recent winner of Taghmon United AFC split the pot, Pauline Mackey winning 511. Thank you to everyone for your support. Lines are now open for our next draw. Remember Taghmon United AFC split the pot is now available online. See our Facebook page for more details. Normal purchase of envelopes in the shops is still available also. Clongeen Contacts/Deadlines If anyone has notes to be published, please send the information via email. The normal deadline is 9am on Mondays prior to the Wednesday publication but on a Bank Holiday weekend, the deadline is earlier - its midday on the Friday. Either way, the email to use is: grooney@hotmail.com - thanks. Split the Pot Young Darragh Donnelly from Clongeen was the most recent lucky winner of the Split the Pot draw and the seller was his granny, Breda Barry - keeping it in the family, sure if you cant look after your own, who will you look after? Congratulations to both Darragh and Breda and many thanks to all those who took part in the draw as well as the sellers for making it all possible. The chair of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD) has lodged an official complaint regarding the proposed importation of munitions through the towns port. Last month it was revealed that the Irish Defence Forces had submitted an application to import munitions through The Port of New Ross and, as a result, Wexford County Council (WCC) drafted a new set of explosives bye-laws for the port to allow importation of certain specified classes of explosive materials in certain conditions. However, Councillor John Dwyer, who is the chair of the local district council, has formally announced his opposition to the proposal, describing it as another example of New Ross being used for dirty industries. Cllr Dwyer also raised concerns regarding the safety of importing munitions through a port which has many businesses and residences within close proximity. Dublin Port is well equipped to deal with the importation of explosives, New Ross is different, he said. If you look at a satellite map of the proposed area they intend to use theres a very large halting site which is a stones throw from the jetty, there are also numerous workplaces within that area. Additionally, the independent councillor has questioned the lack of detail included in the bye-laws and asked whether the plans are linked to Irelands participation in an EU battlegroup this year. From a geopolitical point of view Id have to ask why we need more munitions? This goes back to the creeping erosion of our neutrality. Irelands participation in an EU battlegroup this year is a sign of an obvious diminution of our existing sovereignty. Nobody is saying whats coming in, the Defence Forces are not saying they intend to import 200 tonnes of munitions and that leads to the question, where are these munitions is going to be stored? There was no big public announcement of this, it came in almost by stealth. I was surprised when I saw this on the agenda in our district meeting and Im the chair. Drawing comparison with previous uses of the Port, Cllr Dwyer said there was a sense that New Ross had once more been earmarked for a role no-one else wanted. Why do we only get the dirty industries here? Fertiliser, coal, cement. We used to have ships coming in full of fertilisers, nobody gave a toss which way the wind was blowing and lots of people in New Ross died of cancer at a relatively young age during that time. You cant help but wonder why New Ross has been once again chosen for something which is potentially very, very dangerous. Between the dates of July 9 and August 13 members of the public were invited to submit their views on this proposal to WCC via its online portal. There were just two submissions, one from Cllr Dwyer and one from a Mr Killian Redmond. In his submission, Mr Redmond questioned the reasoning behind WCCs decision to welcome munitions into New Ross Port. Why can the revitalisation of the port only be achieved through the importation of munitions? he asked. For years, large amounts of chemicals for the manufacture of fertilisers were brought in. Once again, New Ross is being selected to bring in hazardous materials. I understand that the Defence Forces no doubt have a requirement for importing munitions, albeit on a small scale. Why do we suddenly need to start bringing munitions through a new port? Once munitions are unloaded, I understand they will be moved on or else held in secure facilities in the port. Who will secure them? The Gardai or the Defence Forces? Mr Redmond compared the proposal with the use of Shannon Airport by the US military and expressed his extreme concern about what these new bye-laws would mean for Ireland as a whole. We are essentially a NATO member in all but name and are moving away from our neutrality at an alarming rate. For those who oppose NATO, they would view the likes of Shannon Airport, and if the bye-law passes, New Ross Port as potential targets. My family lives about 7km from the proposed site and we are not exactly keen on living down the road from a potential military target. "I view the plans for New Ross port as an attempt to open Ireland up to the arms industry. Yes, there will be munitions imported for use by the Defence Forces (the primary objective as per the draft) but I believe there is a secondary objective, that New Ross will be used as a depot to move munitions elsewhere, and perhaps serve as a point of export for our fledgling arms industry. With the public consultation period now closed, Wexford councillors will receive a full report on the proposed bye-laws at a forthcoming meeting before a decision is made on whether or not to adopt them, and thus approve the use of New Ross for the importation of munitions. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Calls have been made for a full investigation into the circumstances by which Wexford County Council has given the green light for a former Wexford hotel to be converted into accommodation for asylum seekers. Christ Church COI Services of Worship for this Sunday The Tenth Sunday after Trinity: 8.30am Holy Communion; 11am Morning Worship. The congregation should be aware that all services are live-streamed via www.churchservices.tv/christchurchbray. Talk on Kilbride Church: Tomorrow (Thursday) as part of National Heritage Week 2025, local historian Brian White from the Bray Cualann Historical Society will present The History of Kilbride Church and stories of its parishioners at 8pm in the Church itself. All are welcome admission is free and no booking is required. Parish Life Centre [PLC] Bookings: The Parish Life Centre is available for day and evening bookings. Please contact the Parish Office at 01-286 2968. Parish Office: The Parish Office is open Monday to Thursday from 9.30 am to 1.30pm. Email: info@christchurchbray.ie; tel. 01 286 2968; Parish website: christchurchbray.ie; or see facebook.com/christchurchbray. Connect Online!: Our most active communication tools currently are our Website: www.christchurchbray.ie which contains information on our live streamed worship services, weekly Blogs, events and news, and our facebook page @christchurchbray. Irish Trefoil GuildGuiding for Life: Calling all former leaders of the Irish Girl Guides in Bray and the surrounding area. There is now a Trefoil Guild in Bray. Contact Anne at: braytrefoilguild@gmail.com Bray Methodist Church Worship for this Sunday: 10amSunday Worship with Creche and Sunday School. Bray Presbyterian Church Worship for this Sunday: 11.30am Sunday Worship. Christian Assembly Church Worship for this Sunday: 10.45am Morning Worship. Wednesdays: 8pm Prayer Meeting & Bible study. Monthly Ladies Meeting: For details see: www.christianassemblybray.com. Cornerstone Church at The Well Worship this Sunday: 11am. Bray Christian Outreach Free hot meals, clothes, sleeping bags, toiletries etc, are available in Bray Methodist Church from 3pm to 4pm on Sundays. Holy Redeemer Parish The Bray Enniskerry Partnership: Our community that encompasses the churches of Curtlestown, Enniskerry, Glencree, Kilmacanogue, Holy Redeemer, St. Peters, Our Lady Queen of Peace, and St. Fergals, warmly embraces people of good will across Bray, Enniskerry and beyond. Holy Redeemer Parish: Call (01) 2868413. Website: www.holyredeemerbray.ie; Email: office@holyredeemerbray.ie. Mass Times: 10amMonday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday No Mass on Tuesday. Sunday Masses: 6pm Vigil Mass on Saturday and on Sunday at 10.30am and 12Noon. To book a Mass, please call into the Sacristy before or after our Masses. Parish Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 9.30am to 11am. If you need to contact us, please email: office@holyredeemer.ie. Music at Mass on Sundays: 10.30amFolk Group; 12pmGaudium Choir (Mainly Latin Church Music) on the 1st Sunday of the Month; 12pm on other Sundays of the Month: Parish Choir (Mainly English Church Music). Mass Cards: Mass Cards may be purchased from the Parish Office during its opening hours. Baptism: Registration for Baptism can be made online via the parish website www.holyredeemerbray.ie. St. Annes Church, Shankill: A Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5pm on Saturdays. All are welcome. St Peters Parish St Peters Church Mass Times: Sunday: 9am (Irish Mass), 11.30am. Holy Days: 11am. 1st Friday: 11am. To Book a Mass: To book a Mass, please contact the Parish Office on 01- 282 9467 or email: stpeterslittlebray1@gmail.com. Parish Office: Parish Office opening hours areMonday: 9.30am to 12.30pm; Tuesday: 9am to 12.30pm; Wednesday: Closed; Thursday: 9am to 12.30pm; Friday: 9am to 12.30pm. The parish office can be contacted by calling 01-282 4967 or by email: stpeterslittlebray1@gmail.com. Car Park Hours: These are from 9am to 12.30pm, Monday to Friday, for parish business, and at weekends during church ceremonies. The Cemetery is accessible via the laneway for pedestrians. St. Peters Cemetery: There is a strict policy of No Dumping Allowed in any area of the cemetery. Visitors to the cemetery are requested to take home all forms of rubbish with them in order to keep the cemetery tidy. Your co-operation is appreciated. St. Annes Church, Shankill: A Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5pm on Saturdays. All are welcome. St Fergals Parish Mass Times: Mass times are 9.30am Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. No morning Mass on Thursdays and Saturdays. Saturday: 7pm Vigil Mass; Sunday: 8am and 10.30am. Confessions: Are heard on Saturdays after the 7pm Vigil Mass. Baptism: Baptisms take place on the first and third Saturday of each Month at 12Noon. Bookings can be made through the Parish Office Only. The Preparation meeting takes place on the Monday before the 1st Saturday of the month. Please call into the Parish Office three weeks in advance of the Baptism to complete the Baptism Form and to confirm the date. St. Claires Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Messages for the St. Vincent de Paul should be sent to St. Clairs Centre, Ballymorris, Killarney Road, Bray call 01-2745325 and leave your message. Mobile No: 087-1738 235. Marriage: All couples must give notice to the priest or Parish Secretary at least three months prior to the date of marriage. Our Lady Queen of Peace Mass: Weekday Masses are celebrated at 10.30am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Weekend Masses are at 6.30pm on Saturdays and 10.30am and 12 Noon on Sundays. Mass Bookings: Anyone who wishes to book a Mass can do so by contacting the Parish Secretary via email at: secretary@queenofpeace.ie, or call 2745497. Church Opening Hours: The Church closes at 4.30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Eucharistic Adoration: Eucharistic Adoration takes place from 11am to 10pm on Mondays only in this Church. Parish Centre: To book a meeting room in the Parish Centre please call 01-2760045 or email: villafas1@hotmail.com. QOP youth club Following the summer break the Queen of Peace Adventure Youth Club is open again on Tuesdays until the end of September for water sports. The following months will have various land outdoor events, and one indoor item each month. New members are always welcome and needed. Call Paul or Mike on 086 3516630 or 086 0855151. Diving club Jeff Behan assistant diving officer with Bray Divers Sub-aqua Club is organising a diving trip later this month for the club two star divers to the Maharee Islands. This will be the first club trip to the area, and if it is successful it may become a yearly event. Other trips in the year include Hook Head, Saint Johns Point, Portroe Slate Quarry, and Lanzarote. To join the club call 087 6756439. Bray Library Opening hours are 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday with late opening on Tuesday and Thursday until 8.30pm. English Conversation Classes take place in the library every Monday (except Bank Holiday Mondays) from 11am to 12pm. Tomorrow (Thursday) as part of Heritage Week in Wicklow County Libraries, retired Bray Library librarian Michael Kelleher will present The History of Bray Library at 7pm in Bray Library. All are welcome, admission is free and no booking is required. On view in the library, during normal opening hours, until Tuesday August 26th is a climate photo exhibition The Eyes of the Storm spotlighting the brave stories of those on the frontline of the climate crisis. Ballywaltrim Library Opening hours are 10am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and 10am to 8pm on Wednesday. The library can be contacted at 01-2723205 or by email at: ballywatrimlibrary@wicklowcoco.ie. Parents and carers of children are reminded that library staff cannot supervise your children so you must stay with your children at all times for their safety and other library users. Adult Scrabble takes place every Monday from 3pm to 4.30pm no booking is required. Tummy-Time for Babies takes place every Monday from 10 am to 12pm no booking required. FAST Fun Accessible Sensory Toys: our new collection of sensory toys is available to borrow by all adult Wicklow County Council Library patrons. The FAST catalogue can be accessed online or in the library and can be requested by email, telephone call or in person. STEM Free Play for 18 months to 3 years takes place every Saturday from 10am to 11.30pm. Summer Stars Family Storytime takes place at 11.30am on Saturday August 30th. Bray Cualann Historical Society By kind permission of the Bray Municipal District, Brian White will give guided tours on The Windows of Bray Town Hall as part of the Bray Cualann Historical Societys contribution to Heritage Week 2025, at 7pm today (Wednesday) which is fully booked out, but there are still a few places remaining for Saturdays 10am tour which must be booked in advance with the Mermaid Theatre, Main Street, Bray, which is managing the booking systemcall 01-272 4030 or via mermaidartscentre.ie due to a restriction on the number who can take part in each tour, There is no booking fee. Tomorrow (Thursday) as part of Heritage week 2025, Brian White will present The History of Kilbride Church and stories of its parishioners at 8pm in St. Brigids Church, Kilbride, located at the end of the Herbert Road at the N11 exit to Herbert Road. All are welcomeadmission is free and there is no booking fee. Other events taking place in the coming week are next Wednesday (August 27th) Jim Walsh will present The Life of John Henry Gaynor local Republican at 8pm to the Balbriggan and District Historical Society Bracken Court Hotel, 3A Bridge Street, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. All are welcome admission is free for members and 5 for non-members. Irish Girl Guides There is a very large IGG presence in Bray and Enniskerry, with waiting lists for all groups. Leaders are urgently needed, so if you are interested in working with young children and have some spare time on a Monday, Thursday, or Friday evening, do get in touch. If you are interested in your daughter joining Ladybirds or Brownies do get in touch as spaces sometimes become available for September. (Ladybirds ages 5-7; Brownies ages 7-10; Guides and Senior Branch 10+) email:belmontbrowniesbray@gmail.com New figures show a sharp fall in Garda numbers in County Wicklow over the past five years. The data released to Sinn Fein in response to a Parliamentary Question show that as of May 2025, there were 278 gardai stationed in County Wicklow, compared to 312 gardai five years ago before the pandemic struck. This represents a fall of 34 officers, or almost 11pc, over the same period. A separate report from An Garda Siochana showed that at the end of 2024 there were 617 gardai working in the Wicklow-Wexford division. Some 282 of these Garda members were assigned to Wicklow stations. The Government has a target of recruiting 5,000 gardai over the next five years, which will require the force to expand their facilities at the Garda College. During a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee in June, former Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told committee chair Wicklow TD John Brady his team was working on a plan with the Office of Public Works that would allow them to expand while discussing alternative education options for Garda trainees with third level institutions. Approximately 640 members are due to attest from the Garda College this year. That will show a growth of around 200 in 2025. When the most recent class passed out on June 6, 14,300 officers were employed across the country. Its anticipated that figure will rise to approximately 14,500 by the end of the year. The overall national budget for An Garda Siochana in recent years provided for the recruitment of between 800 and 1,000 gardai in 2023, 2024 and 2025. To address the shortfall a further competition will take place in September, to create a more fluid and always-on pipeline of candidates. Deputy Brady said despite these measures, the continuing decline in Garda numbers is having a direct impact on community safety. "We have too few Gardai to police our communities, too few Gardai to prevent crime and to prevent young people becoming involved in crime, too few Gardai in community policing and too few in roads policing," he said. Brady pointed out that despite repeated government promises and publicity around recruitment drives, the reality on the ground is very different. "There was a lot of fanfare from Minister OCallaghan earlier in the year about the recruitment drive, but nothing has been achieved in terms of increasing the number of Gardai available to police the streets of Wicklow," he said. "This is simply not good enough. It is putting our communities at risk, and the failure to recruit new officers will inevitably lead to more overworked and overstretched gardai leaving the force. Brady also criticised the governments failure to deliver on its own targets for Garda recruitment. "The government is nowhere near reaching its target of training 1,000 gardai a year. To address the retention crisis there needs to be a focus on addressing the current disincentives that exist in terms of retaining those gardai who have 30 or more years service of which there are now over 1,000 nationwide. "Without real changes to recruitment and retention, the decline we are seeing in Wicklow will only worsen," he said. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Emily and Kaiden Foster with the brains they made at a Brian Health workshop run by Olha as part of the Rathcoran 'Brain Health Village' project. Heritage Week this year is in full swing having started last Saturday, August 16 to this coming Sunday, August 24. The theme is Exploring our Foundations. A Michael Dwyer 200 bus tour will be on this coming Sunday, August 24 from Glenmalure at 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tinahely Library will be showing an Exhibition on the History of Local Government in Ireland throughout the week. Dunlavin Library will be the venue for a talk by Historian, Chris Lalor on Wednesday, August 20 at 8 p.m. on West Wicklows First TD The Revolutionary Robert Barton. They will also have a display of Edwardian postcards. And lots more events planned. Log on to heritageweek.ie. Car Boot Sale West Wicklow Day Care Committee will hold a Car Boot Sale next Sunday, August 24 in Baltinglass Mart car park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cars and vans are welcome to take part for a fee of 10, and sellers can set up from 8 a.m. Bring your own table or Gazaebo. For buyers and browsers admission is 3 and free for children. There will be a raffle on the day. All are welcome to come along and your support would be greatly appreciated. 132 bus route Commuters were sorely disappointed to hear that the planned doubling of services on the 132 route from Baltinglass to Dublin has been shelved indefinitely, not by Bus Eireann but by the National Transport Authority (NTA). It had been in the pipeline for a while that Baltinglass was going to have an increased service from four bus times to eight, including a late-night service from Dublin. The new services were due to start next week. This would give commuters much more flexibility rather than the current situation where the last bus out of Baltinglass is 3 p.m. and the last bus returning to Baltinglass from Dublin is 5.30 p.m. The NTA have apparently run out of money to allocate to the Carlow/West Wicklow route and regular passengers will be left with the two buses that service the route, one of which is an old single-decker that frequently breaks down. Again, West Wicklow is left behind and must be the worst serviced of all the commuter belts into Dublin. Brain Health Village Rathcoran Housing Estate is the first Brain Health Village project in Ireland. It is a collaborative project between Respond and the Global Brain Health Institute. The project aims to integrate brain health principles into housing and community development. It focuses on creating an environment that addresses physical health, healthy environments, safety, social connection and access to services. Artist Ohla Dekhtiarchuck, working with Responds Brain Health team, held two workshops recently where children made paper and clay brains as well as watching videos and playing memory games. The workshop for children aged between 6 and 12 yrs is to help them to start learning about the brain in a fun and creative environment. Through creativity they are learning about brain anatomy, about why it is important to protect your brain and ways to enhance their brains health throughout their lives. The My Brain Robbie workshop includes educational videos shown at the workshops and these can be viewed at https://mybrainrobbie.org/ for both children and adults to learn how best to look after our brains. Family Fun Day Baltinglass Hospital is putting on a Family Fun Day next Saturday, August 23 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. There will be music, dancing, food and ice cream. Last of the summer fun before September! Come along and join in the festivities. Songs of Praise St. Marys Church, Church Lane, Baltinglass will hold a Songs of Praise Service this coming Sunday, August 24 at 3.30 p.m. in the Church. Refreshments will be served afterwards in the Rectory. All are welcome to come along. Childrens Dance Classes Childrens dance classes will be starting in September in Bigstone Community Centre, every Wednesday from 4.30 to 5.30 p.m. Classes are for ages 4 upwards and are 8 per class, pay as you go. Dance styles include: Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Freestyle, Lyrical, and general fun dancing. To enrol your dancer you can text Robyn at 083 070 0225. Jumble Sale A Jumble Sale fundraiser will take place on Saturday, August 30 in Davidstown Old School W91 RR22 from 12 noon until 4 p.m. All proceeds will go towards a fund to repair the roof of Davidstown Church. Come along and support while catching up with friends and neighbours over tea or coffee. A raffle will also be held during the day with lots of prizes. Cash only please. Adult Education Courses Baltinglass Further Education is offering free courses for adults in the Autumn. Start thinking about what you would like to learn this coming Autumn and check out the range of courses on offer: Computer Skills for Beginners; Digital Literacy (get confident with using technology and internet safety); Improve your Reading & Writing; ESOL (learn English as a Second Language); 1-2-1 Support in literacy and IT literacy. Email abebalinglass@kwetb.ie or call 059 6482642 or text 086 8462771. You can also call into the Centre which is located behind the secondary school in Baltinglass. Ramblers Night The Ramblers are back in Rathdangan Community Hall this coming Friday, August 21 at 8.30 p.m. An evening of song, story and music. Come along to listen and enjoy or join in the music making. Refreshments will be served for both audience and entertainers. See you there. Chair Yoga/ Coffee Are you interested in improving your mobility flexibility, and strength? If so, why not try out 6 sessions of Chair Yoga with Eimer from Foxglove Sound and Yoga? These sessions will help you to limber up, teach you how to keep your body strong and flexible and keep you motivated to continue practicing yourself. Chair Yoga improves your balance, helps with sleep, promotes mental clarity and focus, and reduces stress. It is also an opportunity to connect with like-minded people and stay on afterwards for a cuppa and a chat. 60 for block of 6, or 12 per drop-in class on Thursday mornings 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. starting Thursday, September 11. To book log on to Stratford Community Shop and Cafe facebook page and use the comments to show your interest. Traditional Music Classes The Lalor Centre is the venue for traditional music class for children and teenagers starting on September, 10 on Wednesdays. These will be run in six-week blocks. Beginner (tin whistle) will take place from 4 p.m. 4.45 p.m. Beginners for other instruments, from 4.45 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Improvers on all instruments from 5.30 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. Learn to play Irish music by ear. Daily practice at home is expected to learn the music for the following week. Contact Eimear at 087 9549848 or email ectradmusic@gmail.com. Womens Group Talk The next event of the Womens Group is on this coming Saturday, August 23 in Rural Revival, The Great Re-Wiring of Childhood. The talk will focus on the theme of why mobile phones and social media are destroying childrens lives. The Speakers will be Brenda Murray aka Emerald Nanny @emeraldnanny and Graham Murray. All are welcome to attend. You can prebook your place by phoning Wendy at 087 6548689. Admission is 15. Monsignor Brendan Byrne with his nieces and nephews at his 90th birthday celebration in Ballybeg House. Photo: Joe Byrne Parishioners, friends, family and colleagues from far and wide gathered at Ballybeg House in Wicklow to celebrate the 90th birthday of Knockananna man Monsignor Brendan Byrne, who was the first parish priest in Tullow, County Carlow, in over two centuries. Paying homage to Msgr Byrnes lifetime of hard work and dedication to the faith, more than 100 guests (including 27 nieces and nephews) flocked from the UK, North America and Vietnam to attend the joyous celebration, where arrangements of photographs charting his history were on display. Born in 1935 in Knockanoocra, Knockananna, Msgr Byrne is the youngest of nine children born to James and Katie (nee Byrne Askinagap). He attended national school at Rathmeigue and later at Rathcoyle before going to Knockbeg College in Carlow for his secondary education. In 1954, he entered St Patricks College in Maynooth as a student for the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, where he was a classmate of John Hume, Kildare and Leighlins Bishop Jim Moriarty and Kerrys Bishop, Bill Murphy. Brendan took out his B.A. degree from the National University in 1957 and his B.A. degree from the Pontifical University in 1960. While in Maynooth, he continued to develop his interest in the Irish language and was editor of Irisleabhar Muighe Nuadhat in his final years at the college. Cardinal Agaginian was the Papal Legate to the Patrician Congress in Ireland in 1961, and Brendan was among the 60 students ordained to the priesthood by Agaginian in Maynooth on June 18 that year. At the beginning of July in 61, the young Fr Byrne was appointed C.C. in Borris, County Carlow, but in September of the same year was transferred to Clane, County Kildare, from where he was also to pursue his studies in Maynooth for a higher diploma in Education, which he took on in 1962. The following year, he was appointed to the staff of Knockbeg College, where he would spend the next 26 years. A founder member of the French teachers association at local and national level, editor of its magazine for some years and held the office of president of the association on two different occasions, Fr Byrne also chaired the Carlow Branch of Conradh na Gaeilge for several years, spending most of his summers working in parishes in different parts of America or bringing Irish students to the Alps area of France on exchange programmes. In 1985, he was appointed Rector of Knockbeg, where he undertook major renovation work and the re-roofing of the main college building. Four years later, he was appointed parish priest of Tullow, which was the first such appointment since 1746, with the parish in the meantime having been administered on behalf of the bishops of the diocese by administrators. Monsignor Brendan Byrne with friends, family and colleagues at his 90th birthday celebration in Ballybeg House. Photo: Joe Byrne Moving into the parish priest position was an enormous change, but Fr Byrne welcomed the challenge. He arrived in Tullow just as the church was being renovated, and an excited parish was waiting for him. The church was reopened in a huge celebration on St Patricks Day in 1990. In 1998, Fr Byrne was appointed vicar general Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin and held this office until 2010. Also in 1998, he was honoured with the dignity of Prelate of Honour (Msgr). While Fr Byrne was parish priest in Tullow, parish pastoral councils and several pastoral groups were established, a parish youth centre and a parish community centre were opened, and he contributed to many other developments in the town and the Ardattin and Grange districts of the parish, doing magnificent work in the Tullow parish right until he left in 2012. When bishop Moriarty retired in 2010, Msgr Byrne became the diocesan administrator to help fulfil the dioceses needs until bishop Denis Nulty was appointed in 2013. To date, Msgr Byrne has been diocesan secretary/chancellor Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, taking up the appointment in 2014. As Msgr Byrnes niece Kate explained, having reached his milestone 90th birthday on August 5, her uncle is still very much involved in the diocese. She said that the party at Ballybeg House was the perfect way to come together in celebration of his lifetime of achievements. From the beginning to the end, it was a beautiful day, in a fantastic venue, she said. There was a great mix of friends, family and parishioners in attendance. There were nieces and nephews, their spouses and kids, and a few first cousins. They came from Scotland, Birmingham, Aylesbury, New York, Key West in America, and Vietnam. There were priests, the bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, bishop Denis Nulty was, and some of Brendans friends from Carlow. It was a lovely mix. It was a great way to celebrate his 90th birthday, and were thrilled with how the day went for him. Kathryn Scott said she had two glasses of wine the night before the incident. Photo: PA A Virgin Atlantic flight attendant reported for duty while four times over the alcohol limit after crashing her car on the way to the airport, a court has heard. Kathryn Scott (44) had to be removed from a plane at Heathrow after drinking wine the night before. The cabin crew member crashed her black Hyundai at a roundabout and had to be driven to work by a member of the public after leaving her car at the scene, Uxbridge Magistrates Court in London was told. Scott appeared at court on Tuesday, where she denied a single charge of performing an aviation function when over the alcohol limit on June 12. After her crash was reported to the police, she was removed from the plane until officers arrived, the court heard. Scott admitted to being in an accident and said she had two glasses of wine eight hours before the flight. A test showed she had 91 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, more than four times the 20 milligram legal limit for flight attendants in the UK. Magistrates were told she has been diagnosed with a liver condition, which means she may not be able to break down alcohol in the usual way. She also blames the crash on a fault with her cars steering, the court heard. Scott, of Ottershaw, Surrey, was bailed to appear at the same court for trial on December 11. A member of rap trio Kneecap faces a month-long wait to find out whether his terrorism charge will be thrown out. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was once again greeted by hundreds of fans as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a three-hour hearing. Prosecutors allege the 27-year-old displayed a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year. During Wednesdays hearing, his defence team argued the case should be thrown out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought. Brenda Campbell KC told the court the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on May 21. She said consent was given the following day, but that meant the charge falls outside of the six-month time frame in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said permission was not required until the defendants first court appearance and that permission did not need to be sought in order to bring a criminal charge. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring adjourned the case until September 26, when he will rule on whether he has the jurisdiction to try the case. Hundreds of Kneecap supporters waving flags and holding banners greeted O hAnnaidh as he arrived at court alongside fellow bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh. Demonstrations in support of the rapper were organised outside the court building in London, as well as in Dublin. The Metropolitan Police imposed conditions limiting where the demonstration outside the court could take place, saying they were needed to prevent serious disruption. A man was detained by police outside the court building because of a placard he was holding following the hearing. Surrounded by officers, he told reporters his hand-made sign made no reference to any proscribed organisations. O hAnnaidh was swamped by photographers as he arrived, with security officers taking more than a minute to usher him into the court building. Supporters greeted the Kneecap rapper with cheers as he made his way from a silver people carrier to the building. Fans held signs which read Free Mo Chara while others waved Palestine and Irish flags before the rappers arrival at court. Chants of Free, free, Mo Chara could also be heard over a megaphone, which was repeated by the crowd. Mr O Caireallain and Mr O Dochartaigh sat at the back of the courtroom with three others as O hAnnaidh confirmed his name, date of birth and address to the court at the start of the hearing. In response to the Met imposing conditions on the protest, Kneecap described the move as a calculated political decision that was designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome. The court previously heard the 27-year-old defendant is well within his rights to voice his opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum was a wholly different thing. O hAnnaidh, of Belfast, is yet to enter a plea to the charge and is on unconditional bail. Several people needed hospital treatment following the Fiesta Latina festival in Monserrato, Italy. Photo: Stock An Italian woman has become the second suspected victim of a batch of botulism-tainted guacamole at a food festival in Sardinia. Valeria Sollai (62) died at the Monserrato Policlinico Hospital in Cagliari late on Monday after weeks on life support. Ms Sollai, a school cook, is believed to have eaten the same guacamole suspected of killing 38-year-old Roberta Pitzalis on August 8. A post-mortem confirmed Ms Pitzalis died from a combination of botulism poisoning and pneumonia. Several other people needed hospital treatment following the Fiesta Latina festival in Monserrato, a suburb of Cagliari, which ran from July 22-24, and two children remain in hospital. A post-mortem is to be held on the body of Ms Sollai, who had been showing signs of recovery before suffering a relapse and dying. There is growing alarm about food safety in Italy following the events at the festival, and a separate deadly botulism outbreak in the southern region of Calabria earlier this month. Distraught family members were struggling to come to terms with Ms Sollais sudden death. Its absurd that someone goes out for a relaxing evening, goes to a party, eats a sandwich and ends up in the hospital, Gianni Milia, her cousin, told the Sardinian newspaper LUnione Sarda. She was with her sisters, they all ate the same sandwich, but only she fell ill. They were celebrating their older sisters discharge from the hospital. A party turned into a tragedy. Tomaso Locci, the Monserrato mayor, said of Ms Sollai: She gave so much for our children. The news saddens us deeply. We will be present at the funeral as a community, as we were for Roberta Pitzalis, the other victim. This is a loss that affects us all. A 14-year-old girl is still being treated at Monserrato Policlinico hospital, while an 11-year-old boy has been flown to Romes Gemelli Policlinico in a serious condition. Ms Sollai is survived by her husband, Angelo Aru, and son Alessandro, a police officer in Campania. In a Facebook post at the end of July, Alessandro referred to an unnamed patient with worsening neurological conditions and made an emotional appeal for people to take greater care about consuming street food. I strongly advise against eating any food sold at street stalls over the next few weeks, he wrote. Authorities in Calabria have launched an investigation after two people died in a separate outbreak of botulism in the coastal town of Diamante. Luigi di Sarno, a 52-year-old artist, and Tamara DAcunto (45) both fell ill shortly after eating panini filled with grilled sausages and turnip tops from a food truck. Another 14 people, including two teenagers, came down with food poisoning and had to be taken to hospital. Meanwhile, Hamas is positive on ceasefire call as Israel prepares offensiveCeasefire proposal almost identical to one pushed by the US but Jerusalem stays silent for now A Palestinian youth carries clothes as he walks over the rubble of a house demolished by the Israeli army in the West Bank village of Beit Sira, near Ramallah, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) Palestinians mourn over the bodies of their relatives, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike, during their funeral at Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Mariam Dagga) A Palestinian boy mourns over the bodies of his uncle, Mohammad Harb and his cousin Leen Harb, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike, during their funeral at Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Mariam Dagga) A Palestinian youth carries clothes as he walks over the rubble of a house demolished by the Israeli army in the West Bank village of Beit Sira. Photo: AP An Israeli military official said that the countrys top generals had approved plans to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gazas most densely populated areas. Speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, the official said that the military will be operating in parts of Gaza City where the Israeli military has not yet operated and where Hamas is still active. The official said after receiving approval from military leaders, the plan would now progress toward the final approval stage. It remains unclear when the operation will begin. The official said 50,000 reservists will be called up in the coming month, nearly doubling the number of active reservists to 120,000. The latest comes as a key mediator has stressed the urgency of brokering a ceasefire in Gaza after Hamas showed a positive response to a proposal. But Israel has yet to weigh in as its military continues to prepare an offensive on some of the territorys most populated areas. The prospect of an expanded assault on areas sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians has sparked condemnation inside Israel and abroad. Most war-weary Palestinians see no place in Gaza as safe, not even declared humanitarian zones, after 22 months of war. A Palestinian boy mourns over the bodies of his uncle, Mohammad Harb and his cousin Leen Harb, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike, during their funeral at Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Mariam Dagga) Many Israelis, who rallied in their hundreds of thousands on Sunday, fear the offensive will further endanger the remaining hostages in Gaza. Just 20 of the 50 remaining are thought to be alive. If this [ceasefire] proposal fails, the crisis will exacerbate, Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatars foreign ministry, told journalists, adding they have yet to hear from Israel on it. Mr al-Ansari said Hamas had agreed to terms under discussion. He declined to provide details but said the proposal was almost identical to one previously advanced by US envoy Steve Witkoff. Ultra-Orthodox Jews block a highway during a protest against army recruitment, in Bnei Brak, Israel, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) That US proposal was for a 60-day ceasefire, during which some of the remaining hostages would be released and the sides would negotiate a lasting ceasefire and the return of the rest. If we get to a deal, it shouldnt be expected that it would be instantaneously implemented, Mr al-Ansari said. Were not there yet. That cautious assessment came a day after the foreign minister of Egypt, the other Arab country mediating the talks, said they were pushing for a phased deal and noted that Qatars prime minister had joined negotiations between Hamas leaders and Arab mediators. Mr Witkoff has been invited to rejoin the talks, Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty told The Associated Press. Palestinians mourn over the bodies of their relatives, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike, during their funeral at Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Mariam Dagga) Mr Witkoff pulled out of negotiations less than a month ago, accusing Hamas of not acting in good faith. It was not clear how Mr Witkoff has responded to the invitation. An Israeli official on Monday said the countrys positions, including on the release of all hostages, had not changed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak with the media. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a final push is needed to complete the defeat of Hamas. He has vowed to continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas has been disarmed. Hospitals in Gaza said they had received the bodies of 34 Palestinians killed yesterday, including women and children, as Israeli strikes continued across the territory. Police disperse ultra-Orthodox Jews blocking a highway during a protest against army recruitment, in Bnei Brak, Israel, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) Killings Among them were nine people killed while seeking aid, officials at two hospitals told The Associated Press. The deaths were recorded across Gaza, including in central Deir al-Balah, southern Khan Younis and near aid distribution points, hospital officials said. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an Israeli-backed private American contractor that has become the primary distributor of aid in Gaza since May, operates those sites. Another two people were killed near a GHF site in central Gaza, according to Al-Awda Hospital. GHF said there were no violent incidents at any of its sites yesterday. Ultra-Orthodox Jews block a highway during a protest against army recruitment, in Bnei Brak, Israel, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) Nasser Hospital also said an airstrike killed a mother, father and three children in their tent overnight in Muwasi, a camp for hundreds of thousands of civilians. An entire family was gone in an instant. What was their fault? the childrens grandfather, Majed al-Mashwakhi, said. Neither the GHF nor Israels military immediately responded to questions about the casualties reported by Nasser, Awda and al-Aqsa hospitals. A Palestinian youth carries clothes as he walks over the rubble of a house demolished by the Israeli army in the West Bank village of Beit Sira. Photo: AP Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th The Palestinian death toll in the war surpassed 62,000 on Monday, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half of them. In addition to that toll, other Palestinians have died from malnutrition and starvation, including three reported in the past 24 hours, the ministry said yesterday. It says 154 adults have died of malnutrition-related causes since late June, when it began counting such deaths, and 112 children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Aid groups continue to struggle to deliver supplies to Gaza, where most of the population is displaced, large swaths are in ruins and experts say the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out. Smoke rises after an Israeli attack on Jabalia camp, Gaza on August 20, 2025. Photo: Ramez Habboub/Anadolu via Getty. Israel has entered the first stages of its planned assault on Gaza City after a clash with Hamas and already has a hold on the outskirts of the city, Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin told reporters on Wednesday. Israel's military called up tens of thousands of reservists on Wednesday in preparation for the assault on Gaza City, as the Israeli government supposedly considered a new proposal for a ceasefire after nearly two years of war. The call-up signals Israel is pressing ahead with its plan to seize Gaza's biggest urban centre despite international criticism of an operation likely to force the displacement of many more Palestinians. But a military official briefing reporters said reserve soldiers would not report for duty until September, an interval that gives mediators some time to bridge gaps between Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel over truce terms. The official said that as part of planning for a new offensive in the Gaza Strip, there would be five divisions operating in the enclave, but most reservists were not expected to serve in combat in Gaza City. "We will be moving into a new phase of combat, a gradual, precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City, which currently serves as Hamas' main military and governing stronghold," the official said. Smoke rises after an Israeli attack on Jabalia camp, Gaza on August 20, 2025. Photo: Ramez Habboub/Anadolu via Getty. Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th Israels security cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, approved a plan this month to expand the campaign in Gaza with the aim of taking Gaza City, where Israeli forces waged fierce urban warfare with Hamas in the early stages of the war. Israel currently holds about 75pc of the Gaza Strip. Many of Israels closest allies have urged the government to reconsider but Netanyahu is under pressure from some far-right members of his coalition to reject a temporary ceasefire, continue the war and pursue the annexation of the territory. One far-right member, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, announced final approval on Wednesday of a widely condemned Israeli plan for a settlement project in the occupied West Bank that he said would erase any prospect of a Palestinian state. The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when gunmen led by Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities near the border, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages including children into Gaza. Over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's air and ground war in Gaza since then, according to Gaza health officials, who do not say how many were militants but have said most of those killed have been women and children. Hamas has accepted a proposal put forward by Arab mediators for a 60-day ceasefire that would involve releasing some of the remaining hostages and freeing Palestinian prisoners in Israel. The Israeli government, which has said all the 50 remaining hostages must be released at once, is studying the proposal. Israeli authorities believe that 20 hostages are still alive. Many Gazans and foreign leaders fear a storming of Gaza City would cause significant casualties. Israel says it will help civilians leave battle zones before any assault begins. ISRAELI TROOPS, HAMAS FIGHTERS CLASH Israeli troops clashed on Wednesday with more than 15 Hamas militants who emerged from tunnel shafts and attacked with gunfire and anti-tank missiles near Khan Younis, south of Gaza City, severely wounding one soldier and lightly wounding two others, an Israeli military official said. In a statement, Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed carrying out a raid on Israeli troops southeast of Khan Younis and engaging Israeli troops at point-blank range. It said one fighter blew himself up among the soldiers, causing casualties, during an attack that lasted several hours. Israel's military campaign has caused widespread devastation across the Gaza Strip, which before the war was home to about 2.3 million Palestinians. Many buildings including homes, schools and mosques have been destroyed, while the military has accused Hamas of operating from within civilian infrastructure. Most Gazans have been displaced multiple times and forced into densely packed areas along the Mediterranean coast, including in Gaza City in the enclave's north. Israeli officials have said evacuation orders would be issued to Gaza City residents before any force moves in. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which oversees Gaza's only Catholic Church, located in Gaza City, said it had received reports that neighbourhoods near the small parish had started to receive evacuation notices. Hamas, an Islamist movement that has ruled Gaza for almost two decades, has been severely weakened by the war. The Israeli military says Hamas has been reduced to a guerrilla force. The Israeli military official who briefed reporters on Wednesday said Hamas had been trying to regroup and re-form in Gaza City in a more organised manner, but gave no evidence to support the assertion. Hamas has said it would release all remaining hostages in exchange for an end to war. Israel says it will not end the war before Hamas disarms. Opinion polls show strong Israeli public support for ending the war if it ensures the release of the hostages, and a rally in Tel Aviv urging the government to pursue such a deal drew a huge crowd on Saturday. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll of Americans showed a 58pc majority believe that every country in the United Nations should recognise Palestine as a nation. Nato military leaders are expected to meet today to discuss Ukraine and the way forward, US and Nato officials said yesterday, as Washington and European capitals work out details of what security guarantees might look like for Kyiv. Ukraine and its European allies have been buoyed by US president Donald Trumps promise of security guarantees to help end the war during a summit on Monday, but face many unanswered questions. As military planners start to work on what options might exist for security guarantees, Mr Trump ruled out sending US troops into Ukraine but suggested that Washington could provide some type of air support. US air force general Alexus Grynkewich, who also oversees all Nato operations in Europe, will brief the chiefs of defence on the results of the Alaska meeting between Mr Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin last week. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chairman of the Nato military committee, said there would be a video conference today. Officials said the meeting was taking place during unique circumstances and expected topics such as the security guarantee to be discussed. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said US general Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was expected to attend the meeting, but plans could change. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The British government said what is known as the Coalition of the Willing, which met virtually yesterday, had agreed that its planning teams would meet US counterparts in the coming days to advance plans for security guarantees for Ukraine. Were willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you talk about by air Earlier yesterday, Mr Trump ruled out placing American soldiers in Ukraine and gave no specifics about the security guarantees he has previously said Washington could offer Kyiv under any post-war settlement. But in the same interview with Fox News, he suggested Washington could provide air support to Ukraine. When it comes to security, [Europeans] are willing to put people on the ground, were willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you talk about by air because nobody has stuff we have, really they dont have, Mr Trump said. He did not provide any further details. Officials have told Reuters the Pentagon is carrying out planning exercises on the type of support Washington could offer that goes beyond simply providing weapons. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said after his meeting with Mr Trump and European leaders that security guarantees for Kyiv will probably be worked out within 10 days. A California man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after admitting shipping weapons and ammunition to North Korea that he said were to be used for a surprise attack on South Korea, authorities said on Tuesday. Shenghua Wen (42) travelled to the US from China on a student visa in 2012 and remained in the country illegally after it expired, according to a statement from the US attorneys office in Los Angeles. Wen pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, the statement says. He was sentenced on Monday. Wen told investigators that before he entered the US, he met with North Korean officials at an embassy in China, where they instructed him to procure goods for the North Korean government. He also admitted that he tried to buy uniforms to disguise North Korean soldiers for the surprise attack, a federal complaint says. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has demonstrated an intent to deploy battlefield nuclear weapons along the Norths border with South Korea, a US ally, recently delivering nuclear-capable missile launchers to frontline military units. United Nations resolutions ban North Korea from importing or exporting weapons. In 2022, North Korean officials contacted him via an online messaging app and instructed him to buy firearms, prosecutors said. He shipped two containers of weapons and other items from Long Beach, California, to North Korea via Hong Kong in 2023. He told US authorities that he was wired about $2m (1.7m) to do so, according to the complaint. Authorities did not specify in the complaint the types of weapons that were exported. To carry out his operation, Wen purchased a business in 2023 called Super Armory, a federal firearms licensee, and registered it under his business partners name in Texas. He had other people purchase the firearms and then drove them to California, misrepresenting the shipments as a refrigerator and camera parts. Investigators did not say whether Wen had organised any shipments during his first 10 years in the US. A new book about the Duke of York has been edited to remove claims about Melania Trumps relationship with Jeffery Epstein. The book, called Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, written by Andrew Lownie, has made headlines in recent weeks after making claims about the disgraced dukes life. An entire chapter is dedicated to Prince Andrews infamous friendship with Epstein, the late convicted sex offender. The chapter also included a claim that Donald Trump and his wife had been introduced by the disgraced financier - which has now been edited out of future editions. The president and first lady have long said they were introduced by Paolo Zampolli, a modelling agent, at a New York Fashion Week party in 1998. A HarperCollins UK spokesperson said: We can confirm that several passages from Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York by Andrew Lownie have been removed in consultation with the author. Entitled is published in the UK by HarperCollins. In the US the book is self-published by Mr Lownie. It is understood that the changes will appear in all future print editions of the book and that the e-book and audio book have already been updated to reflect these changes. However, it is estimated to have been printed in around 60,000 copies of the book already. The decision comes after Mrs Trump threatened to sue Hunter Biden, the son of former US President Joe Biden, for claiming Epstein introduced her and Mr Trump in the late 1990s. The statements are false, defamatory, and extremely salacious, Melania Trumps lawyer, Alejandro Brito, wrote in the letter to Biden. The letter demanded that Biden walk back the claim and apologise or face legal action for over $1bn in damages. It also accuses the former presidents son of having a vast history of trading on the names of others and repeating the claim to draw attention to yourself. Hunter Biden has refused to apologise after the first lady threatened legal action. Democratic strategist James Carville was also forced to take down parts of a podcast episode that alleged a connection between her and Jeffrey Epstein, following involvement from the first ladys lawyer earlier this month. First Lady Melania Trumps attorneys are actively ensuring immediate retractions and apologies by those who spread malicious, defamatory falsehoods. The true account of how the First Lady met President Trump is in her best-selling book, Melania, a spokesperson for the first ladys office previously told The Independent. The book has included a number of accusations about Prince Andrew, including claims of affairs, fights with Prince Harry and of being unbelievably cruel to royal staff. One passage says Andrew called a staff member in the Royal Household a f***ing imbecile for not referring to the Queen Mother by her full title in 2005. According to the book, Prince Andrews catchphrase when dealing with royal staff was I want this done and I want this done now. Do it! A sudden death of Sunjay Kapur followed by tensions Did Sunjay Kapur die after a bee sting triggered a heart attack? | Credit: X/kahaniankahee ( Image credit : Did Sunjay Kapur die after a bee sting triggered a heart attack? | Credit: X/kahaniankahee ) Sunjay Kapurs sister Mandhira speaks out #WATCH | Mumbai: Sister of late businessman Sunjay Kapur, Mandhira Kapur Smith says, "...We're being treated like strangers. My mother even requested them to put our name on. They said it was done by Sona. It's in bad taste. My father did not build this for the family to be cut pic.twitter.com/T3gST7kkVO ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2025 The disputed papers of Sunjay Kapurs company Did Sunjay Kapur die after a bee sting triggered a heart attack? | Credit: X/kahaniankahee ( Image credit : Did Sunjay Kapur die after a bee sting triggered a heart attack? | Credit: X/kahaniankahee ) File Pic: Karisma Kapoor was married to Delhi industrialist Sunjay Kapur for over a decade | Credit: X/stevebenke ( Image credit : File Pic: Karisma Kapoor was married to Delhi industrialist Sunjay Kapur for over a decade | Credit: X/stevebenke ) Companys response The untimely passing of Sunjay Kapur, chairman of auto components giant Sona Comstar, has not only left a void in the corporate world but also triggered painful disputes within his family.Sunjay, the former husband of actress Karisma Kapoor, died of a cardiac arrest in June at the age of 53 in the UK. His loss, already devastating, has been followed by allegations that cast a shadow over the succession of the Rs 30,000-crore empire.In a recent interview, Sunjays sister Mandhira Kapur broke her silence, claiming that their mother, Rani Kapur, had been pressured into signing undisclosed papers in the immediate aftermath of Sunjays death. She alleged that during the 13-day mourning period, Rani was taken into a room and made to sign documents behind closed doors. According to her, their mother later confessed she had no knowledge of what she had signed and remained inconsolable at the time.Mandhira insisted that repeated requests for copies of these documents have been ignored, fuelling suspicion that vital information is being deliberately concealed. She also highlighted that Sunjays widow, Priya Sachdev Kapur, was inducted as a Non-Executive Director of Sona Comstar within days of his passing.According to Mandhira, when her mother directly asked Priya for clarity, she initially promised to provide the documents but failed to follow through, later citing issues such as a compromised email account. Mandhira described the situation as deeply troubling and questioned why critical family matters were being handled without transparency.Although estranged from her late brother for several years, Mandhira emphasised that she had returned to support her mother during this period of grief. She rejected speculation that her actions were motivated by financial gain, clarifying that her concerns were rooted in protecting her familys legacy rather than inheritance claims.Sona Comstar has issued a statement distancing itself from the dispute, clarifying that Rani Kapur has had no direct or indirect association with the company since 2019. However, Rani herself recently affirmed in a board communication that she remains the sole heir to her late husband Surinder Kapurs estate, retaining majority ownership of the Sona Group.As investigations continue, the feud has laid bare the fragility of legacies built over decades, showing how grief and corporate succession can collide in ways that test even the strongest of families. Rekha Gupta attack: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was hospitalised on Tuesday morning after being attacked at a weekly public meeting held at her residence. According to BJP leaders, the incident took place during a Jansunwai session, where citizens usually gather to voice their complaints and seek solutions. A man, believed to be in his thirties, disguised himself as a complainant and suddenly moved forward towards the Chief Minister before he allegedly slapped Rekha Gupta and pulled her hair. Security personnel at the venue immediately overpowered the attacker and handed him over to the police for questioning. Security Concerns Raised After the Attack Soon after the shocking incident, the Delhi Police deployed senior officers to the Chief Ministers residence to ensure safety and maintain order. CM Rekha Gupta was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Doctors are currently monitoring her condition. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visits the Yamuna flood-affected area to review the situation at Yamuna Bazar in New Delhi | Credit: IANS This attack has raised serious questions about the security arrangements for such public hearings. Many political leaders have demanded a strict probe into how an assailant was able to get so close to the Delhi Chief Minister during a public meeting. BJP Leaders Call for Investigation Senior BJP leader Harish Khurana strongly condemned the assault, saying, One person present at the public meeting attacked the Chief Minister. Doctors are examining her condition, and we completely condemn this act of violence. Authorities must investigate if this incident has a political angle. The BJP further suggested that the attack might be part of a larger political conspiracy. Party leaders believe that certain political rivals are frustrated with the Chief Ministers work and influence on the ground. BJP minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that the matter must be thoroughly investigated to uncover who was behind the assailant. Opposition Leaders Also Condemn the Incident Despite being in the opposition, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi minister Atishi also denounced the attack. She said, The assault on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democracy, there is space for differences of opinion and peaceful protest, but there is absolutely no place for violence. We expect the Delhi Police to take the strictest action against those responsible. Atishi added that she hoped the Delhi Chief Minister recovers soon and continues her work without fear. Public Reactions and Next Steps The shocking news of Rekha Gupta being slapped at a public meet has triggered strong reactions from citizens and political groups across Delhi. Many are expressing concern over the increasing intolerance in politics and the safety of elected leaders. Authorities have confirmed that the attacker is being interrogated, and the investigation will determine whether the incident was politically motivated or carried out for personal reasons. The event has also reignited debates on the safety measures in place for leaders who directly interact with the public in open forums such as Jansunwai. Bryan Kohberger reportedly gained a troubling reputation for inappropriate and sexist behaviour while enrolled in a criminal justice graduate programme in the months leading up to the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, according to fellow students. His conduct raised serious concerns among faculty at Washington State University, with one professor warning colleagues that Kohberger could potentially stalk or sexually exploit students if he ever became a professor. According to TMZ's latest report, some handprints and a faceprint of someone have been found on the window of the crime scene that Bryan Kohberger may have left. According to Action News, she even recommended cutting his funding as a way to remove him from the programme. While the Idaho State Police Detective Ryan O'Harra stated that Bryan is smart enough that in four years, they will have to give him a Ph.D. degree. She went on to say, "Mark my word, I work with predators; if we give him a Ph.D., that's the guy that in that many years, when he is a professor, we will hear is harassing, stalking, and sexually abusing ... his students at whatever university." Alone, in prison, no real ball, still better ratings than WNBA.#BryanKohberger pic.twitter.com/zDwmb0TPRc Soft Targets (@weicheziele) August 16, 2025 Bryan Kohberger may have left a chilling finger and faceprint As if the scene of four brutally murdered college students wasnt already disturbing, its now believed that Bryan Kohberger may have left a haunting fingerprint on a window outside the crime scene that night, potentially marking his presence in an unsettling way, according to TMZ. As previously reported earlier this month, two handprints were discovered on the outside glass of a window at the Moscow, Idaho, residence where Bryan Kohberger carried out the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students in November 2022. On August 8, TMZ shared photos from the crime scene, including the window, but newly released police files reveal something even more unsettling: authorities discovered what they describe as a "possible faceprint" on the glass. However, the cops haven't specified yet if the apparent face belongs to Kohberger or someone else, but it is believed that Kohberger was lurking inside and outside the house that night. In a chilling revelation, Bryan Kohberger, serving four life terms for the brutal murder of four University of Idaho students, may have left a haunting faceprint on the crime scene window, raising unsettling questions about his presence that night. pic.twitter.com/yIIfglY003 Nyra Kraal (@NyraKraal) August 20, 2025 Documents reveal warnings about Kohbergers behaviour before Idaho murders Last week, Idaho State Police released over 550 pages of investigative records in response to public records requests, including interview summaries from students and faculty at Washington State University. These documents shed new light on Bryan Kohberger, who was sentenced to life in prison without parole last month for the fatal stabbings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022. More chilling details surface on social media According to a member of the WSU faculty, who told the investigators that Kohberger would sometimes visit an office where several female grad students worked, who physically blocked the door. Additionally, she also used to hear, "I really need to get out of here." She would step in by entering the office to give the student a chance to exit. Documents reveal warnings about Kohbergers behaviour before Idaho murders | Credit: X | @charliebayer8 Bryan had been stalking people Not only this, but other chilling details reveal that a professor told investigators she suspected Kohberger had been stalking individuals and recalled an incident where someone broke into a female graduate students apartment in September or October, stealing items like perfume and underwear, as per the New York Post. According to investigation files, Kohbergers troubling behaviour led to 13 formal complaints from fellow graduate students and faculty in the months leading up to the murders. In response to the shocking complaints, the school held a mandatory training class for all graduate students about their behavioural expectations. A fire broke out aboard the USS New Orleans (LPD-18), an amphibious transport dock of the U.S. Navy, off the coast of Okinawa on August 20. The U.S. 7th Fleet confirmed the incident and said firefighting efforts were under way with support from the Japan Coast Guard. No injuries have been reported. Fire reported near White Beach Naval base According to a Navy statement, crews responded to the fire in the afternoon while the ship was near White Beach in Uruma City, Okinawa. The Japan Coast Guard confirmed it received an assistance call from the vessel around 5 p.m. local time. Footage broadcast by NHK showed tugboats spraying water on the bow of the ship as smoke rose from the scene. Response from US and Japanese forces The Nakagusuku Coast Guard Headquarters reported that it was alerted to the fire by U.S. Army Camp Zukeran shortly after the outbreak. Both U.S. Navy personnel and Japanese Self-Defense Force units joined in firefighting efforts as the evening progressed. A Japan Coast Guard spokesperson told NHK that the request for help came directly from the New Orleans. Despite the scale of the blaze, no casualties have been confirmed. BREAKING NEWS Fire has broke out aboard the USS New Orleans off the Okinawa coast at U.S. Naval Base White Beach. No casualties reported at this time. NHK reporting Japanese Coast Guard ships assisting to put out the fire. The 684' Northrop Grumman LPD has a crew of 400. And pic.twitter.com/gjabwZZBdZ #TheFreeHawaiian (@free_hawaiian) August 20, 2025 About USS New Orleans The USS New Orleans is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock designed to carry Marines and their equipment into contested areas. The 208-metre vessel displaces more than 24,000 tons and can embark around 700 Marines, with capacity for up to 800 in wartime. It is equipped with landing craft, helicopters, and tiltrotor aircraft for rapid deployment. Defensive systems include Bushmaster II guns and Rolling Airframe Missile launchers. Operational impact and past incidents The ship plays a key role in U.S. 7th Fleet operations across the Western Pacific. Any prolonged downtime could limit amphibious capabilities and delay joint exercises. While the cause of the fire remains unknown, past Navy ship fires, including the 2020 blaze aboard USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego, have triggered long investigations and raised safety concerns. Current situation As of now, firefighting efforts remain the top priority for both U.S. and Japanese responders. The Navy has not yet confirmed the extent of damage to the ship or whether its operational schedule will be affected. Updates are expected as assessments continue. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. The usually grey steps of Westminster Magistrates Court were anything but quiet on Wednesday. Dozens of Kneecap supporters, waving banners and chanting Free Palestine, flooded the streets in a show of solidarity with Liam OHanna, the bands 27-year-old rapper known on stage as Mo Chara. Kneecap rapper Liam OHanna faces terror charge over Hezbollah flag | Credit: X/liamcap A sea of protest in central London OHanna, dressed defiantly and flanked by his bandmates, arrived to face charges of supporting a banned organisation. Prosecutors allege he displayed a Hezbollah flag during a London performance in November 2024, a move that could carry up to 14 years in prison under UK anti-terrorism laws. #Kneecap rapper #MoChara, also known as Liam OHanna, has been charged with a #terrorism offence over allegedly displaying a #Hezbollah flag at a London concert last November. For more details: https://t.co/9z1nNWMwZo Reuters pic.twitter.com/P4AE4mdtKz FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) August 20, 2025 A charge rooted in controversy The case hinges not only on OHannas alleged actions but also on timing. Legal arguments are being made over whether the prosecution missed the six-month window for filing such a charge. Supporters of the rapper describe the case as politically charged and absurd, pointing to Britains wider clampdown on dissent over Gaza. Kneecap rapper Liam OHanna faces terror charge over Hezbollah flag | Credit: X/liamcap Since Hezbollah was banned in the UK in 2019, any public support is deemed a criminal offence. Prosecutors argue OHanna not only wore the groups flag but also shouted slogans backing Hamas and Hezbollah. Kneecap, however, insists the video evidence has been taken out of context and branded the proceedings a farce. Fans call it ludicrous Among the crowd outside court was Mary Hobbs, a 31-year-old fan from Belfast, who had taken time off work to stand in solidarity. She said the charges highlight what she described as a broken justice system, where symbolic gestures are treated as terrorism offences while the public clamours for fairness. Kneecap rapper Liam OHanna faces terror charge over Hezbollah flag | Credit: X/liamcap Between art, politics, and provocation Kneecap is no stranger to controversy. The punk-rap trio, performing in both Irish and English, has long relished its reputation as troublemakers. Their lyrics reference drugs, their stage antics spark outrage, and their politics, from anti-British sentiment to fiery support for Palestine, often ignite headlines. Still, their supporters insist the group is being persecuted for speaking truth to power, while detractors call them dangerous extremists cloaked in rebellion. A band that thrives on the edge Since their formation in 2017, Kneecap have turned provocation into an art form, winning awards, selling out shows, and starring in a Sundance-winning film that cemented their cult status. Now, as Mo Chara fights a terrorism charge, the band faces its most dramatic clash yet, not with censors or critics, but with the British courts. Kyle Chrisley is trading reality TV cameras for courtroom spotlights. The Chrisley Knows Best star has officially filed a lawsuit against Rutherford County and two sheriffs deputies, demanding nearly $2 million for what he says was a humiliating, wrongful arrest last September. Kyle Chrisley battle against the police with $1.7M lawsuit | Credit: X/Rutherford County Sheriffs Department | Credit: X/chrisleyfans The courtroom drama of Kyle Chrisley The 33-year-old and his wife, Ashleigh, claim he was unfairly punished for calling for help after a mechanic allegedly stormed their home, rammed their car, and nearly ran Kyle over in front of neighbours. But instead of cuffing the alleged aggressor, deputies allegedly went straight for Kyle. Kyle Chrisley battle against the police with $1.7M lawsuit | Credit: X/Rutherford County Sheriffs Department The mechanic mayhem According to the lawsuit, the drama kicked off when a furious mechanic turned up over a payment dispute, kicking doors, making violent threats, and even weaponising his car by smashing into Ashleighs SUV. Amid the chaos, Kyle allegedly shoved back in self-defence during a scuffle that spilled from the garage to the driveway. But when the police showed up, the tables flipped. Deputies reportedly claimed the mechanic accused Kyle of stabbing him, an allegation Kyle flat-out denied, with neighbours backing him up. No knife was ever seen, but Kyle was still slapped with aggravated assault charges. Kyle Chrisley battle against the police with $1.7M lawsuit | Credit: X/Rutherford County Sheriffs Department | Credit: X/chrisleyfans Headline hunt or justice? The lawsuit goes even further, accusing deputies of recognising Kyle as a Chrisley and seizing the moment for publicity. The filing alleges that the arrest was less about the facts and more about scoring headlines by nabbing a reality TV name. The lawsuit also describes deputies allegedly throwing Kyle to the ground, pressing knees into his back, and cuffing him despite no resistance. His attorneys argue this was excessive force and a clear violation of his Fourth Amendment rights. Kyle Chrisley battle against the police with $1.7M lawsuit | Credit: X/Rutherford County Sheriffs Department | Credit: X/chrisleyfans Fallout and family shadows The arrest, Kyle says, left him physically injured, emotionally wrecked, and publicly humiliated. The couple is now seeking a jury trial, $1.7 million in damages, plus attorney fees. Meanwhile, the criminal case against him is still hanging in the balance. Adding to the familys storm, this legal battle arrives just months after his parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, received presidential pardons that wiped away their own high-profile fraud convictions. Now, it looks like the Chrisleys are once again back in the courtroom spotlight, but this time, Kyle is flipping the script. Mumbai rail latest news: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Mumbai rain on 20 August 2025, predicting heavy showers and thunderstorms across the city. According to the department, the intensity of rainfall is likely to reduce from Thursday, 21 August. The IMD has also issued a red warning for districts including Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Ratnagiri, urging residents to stay indoors and avoid flood-prone or low-lying areas, as reported in HT. Waterlogging and Train Services Halted Continuous downpours have caused severe waterlogging, forcing the cancellation of multiple train services in Mumbai. The Bandra TerminusKaman Road train service has been suspended, while several other suburban train services have been either delayed or cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. #WRUpdates Due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging between Panvel and Vasai Road Station, the following trains have been affected: Trains Short Terminated/Short Originated: Train No. 10115 Bandra Terminus - Madgaon Exp of 20.08.25 will short-originate ex Panvel and cancel Western Railway (@WesternRly) August 19, 2025 Local officials confirmed that certain suburban regions recorded more than 200 mm of rainfall within 21 hours, ending at 5:30 am on Wednesday. The Maharashtra Disaster Management Department reported that six lives were lost in rain-related incidents within the last 24 hours. Flight Delay and Traffic Issues Travel Advisory While we want your journey to be as hassle-free as possible, Mother Nature has her own plans. With heavy rains expected again in #Mumbai, theres a chance this could lead to air traffic congestion and impact flight operations. While we continue doing our best IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 20, 2025 Airlines, including IndiGo, have issued advisories warning travellers about potential flight delays, traffic jams, and waterlogging on roads leading to the airport. Passengers are being urged to check flight status updates through official airline websites or apps before starting their journeys. Many travellers have reported long waiting hours at stations and airports, with one passenger at Lokmanya Tilak Station stating his train, originally scheduled for 8 am, departed almost five hours late due to the downpour. Rescue Operations in Full Swing On Tuesday evening, around 782 passengers were rescued after two overcrowded Monorail trains became stuck between stations due to flooding on the elevated tracks. In Nanded district, SDRF teams saved 293 residents trapped in inundated areas, while rescue efforts are ongoing across multiple regions. In Palghar, authorities used boats and ropes to rescue nearly 200 people from waterlogged areas, while in Nanivali, a poultry farm lost nearly 5,000 chickens after floodwaters submerged the facility. Mumbai Records Highest August Rainfall in Years Mumbai has already recorded 1,000.8 mm of rainfall till 19 August at 8.30 am, crossing the citys average August rainfall of 560.8 mm. The rainfall for this month has surpassed totals from both June (512.7 mm) and July (797.3 mm), making August one of the wettest in recent years. BMC Issues Warnings and Helpline Numbers The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has urged citizens to rely only on official sources for updates on Mumbai rain latest updates. The civic body has dismissed as fake a viral social media post claiming that schools and colleges would remain shut on 20 August. Such messages are fake. The BMC has not issued any notice regarding closure of schools or colleges, the civic body clarified. Citizens are advised to contact the BMCs Emergency Control Room helpline at 1916 for assistance. Impact in Thane, Palghar and Pune In Thane, one person died after slipping into a rain-filled quarry, while a bridge in Kalyan was closed due to flooding. In Palghar, intense overnight rains disrupted life and submerged several areas, prompting mass rescues. Pune has also been placed under a red alert, with authorities warning of more heavy rainfall in the coming days, especially in the Ghat regions. Authorities on High Alert Disaster management teams remain on standby, with 18 NDRF and six SDRF teams deployed across Maharashtra. The BMC has also mobilised heavy machinery, pumps, and emergency crews to deal with waterlogging, restore train services, and manage city traffic. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending. India-Russia relations remain on solid ground despite U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, according to Russian Charge dAffaires Roman Babushkin. Speaking at a press briefing, the diplomat underlined Moscows support for Indian exports, defended oil trade between the two nations, and questioned Washingtons idea of friendship. India-Russia ties described as uninterrupted Opening his remarks in Hindi, Babushkin described India-Russia relations as uninterrupted and expanding. He noted that mutual respect has been central to the partnership, stretching across energy and defence. He also pointed to the possibility of reviving the Russia-India-China trilateral dialogue as a counterweight to Western influence. Response to Trumps tariffs In a direct reference to Trumps tariff measures, Babushkin questioned the U.S. approach towards India. Despite Trump calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a friend, Washington imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods. The sanctions are a tool of unlawful competition Friends dont behave like that, Babushkin said, stressing that sanctions signal double standards and pressure rather than cooperation. President Donald Trump | Credit: X Russian markets open to Indian goods With U.S. tariffs limiting Indian access, Babushkin announced Russias willingness to expand trade with India. If Indian goods cannot go to the U.S. market, they can head to Russia, he said. Bilateral trade between India and Russia reached $68.7 billion in 202425, with India exporting goods worth $4.88 billion. He added that criticism from the West often means India and Russia are doing something right, pointing out that bilateral trade has grown sevenfold despite sanctions. Oil trade and U.S. concerns Much of Washingtons criticism has been linked to Indias purchase of Russian oil, which accounts for about 40 percent of its imports. Babushkin said reducing oil imports would not ensure fair cooperation with the West, which he described as acting in a neocolonial manner. He highlighted that Russian oil sales to India come at a five percent discount, with Indian refiners resuming purchases after a brief pause. India understands there is no chance to change supplies right now, and the profit is very high, he added. Revival of the RIC dialogue Looking ahead, Babushkin said Russia is hopeful of reviving the Russia-India-China trilateral dialogue. Initiated in the late 1990s but dormant for years, the framework could help strengthen regional stability. With India-China ties showing signs of improvement, Moscow sees the format as timely. The Russian diplomats comments served as a clear signal: Moscow views India as a long-term partner, while Trumps tariff measures have raised questions about the U.S. approach to friendship. With open markets, energy cooperation, and trilateral engagement, India-Russia ties remain resilient. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. In a surprising twist of events, a mysterious security camera video led to a chilling discovery of a woman's dead body in Angeles National Forest, California, on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. According to NBC Los Angeles, investigators noted that the video showed her husband dragging what appeared to be a large object from their apartment, where the couple lived with their three young sons. The sheriff's department noted that the husband has now fled the country, as per Eyewitness News. This disturbing footage raised suspicions and ultimately led authorities to search the forested area, resulting in the tragic discovery of the woman's remains. The case remains under investigation as officials work to uncover the full story behind the incident. On August 12, the missing report was taken by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for the 33-year-old woman, who is identified as Sheylla Cabrera. Sheylla Cabrera's death | Credit: X | @TrueCrimeUpdat First clue: Chilling footage captured on a security camera During the investigation, detectives uncovered security footage showing the woman's husband dragging what appeared to be a large item wrapped in material, possibly a sack, through their apartment complex located on the 500 block of Lancaster Boulevard in Lancaster. The search operation was focused on the remote wilderness north of Los Angeles shortly after the woman was reported missing. On Saturday, members of the Montrose Mountain Search and Rescue Team spotted an object resembling the same material seen in the video, discarded down an embankment in the Angeles National Forest. "Get married or you'll die old and alone," they told her. Instead she died young and apparently at the hands of her husband. He took the kids and fled to Peru.https://t.co/pifBJM80RV pic.twitter.com/gQUnJIV7RR LoveHerMadly (@Xlovehermadly) August 19, 2025 Authorities confirmed the dead body of Cabrera According to NBC Los Angeles, authorities confirmed that the material contained in the large bag or sack was the body of Cabrera. However, the cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office. Sheylla Gutierrez Case: Parents request Foreign Ministry's help to repatriate remains | Credit: X | @peru21noticias Neighbour reveals shocking details As the news about the incident circulated, friends and neighbours were in search of answers as the investigation unfolded. One of the neighbours even provided surveillance footage to Eyewitness News, which authorities say shows 36-year-old Jossimar Cabrera, the husband of Gutierrez, pulling a large object wrapped in fabric. #Difundir Sheylla Gutierrez, peruana de 33 anos, y sus tres hijos desaparecieron en California. Un video muestra a su pareja sacando un bulto envuelto en una sabana horas despues de estar con ella. El huyo. Ella y los ninos siguen sin aparecer. pic.twitter.com/M0RWca5HYj Clamercita (@clamercita92) August 15, 2025 Just days later, investigators discovered Gutierrezs body down an embankment in the Angeles National Forest, enclosed in material matching what was seen in the video. Notably, Sheylla had told her neighbours that her husband was physically abusive. Moreover, Cabrera's husband, who is identified as a person of interest in his wife's death and is believed to be in Peru right now. Talk about striking while the iron is hot! That's exactly what global girl group KATSEYE and GAP pulled off with their sizzling new jeans ad, dropping at the perfect moment amid the storm surrounding Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle campaign and Beyonce's Levis ad. Fans quickly went wild, praising KATSEYE's spot and urging others to follow their bold lead. KATSEYE GAP ad | Credit: GAP The jeans controversy The denim drama began on July 23, 2025, when American Eagle released a campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney in seven head-to-toe denim costumes. What should have been a humorous phrase - "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" - sparked a surge of outrage, with many online accusing the brand of poor taste and even implying eugenics undertones. In the midst of the controversy, focus shifted to Beyonce's partnership with Levi's. A denim-on-denim masterclass was worn by the music star during the February launch of Pool Hall, the second chapter of their "Reimagine" campaign. Paired with a strappy vest and an embroidered jacket and their iconic Levi's trousers, Beyonce looked stunning. Fans immediately pointed out the startling parallels between her images and Sweeney's American Eagle ad, which sparked a contentious side-by-side discussion on social media. So Beyonce can pose in Levi jeans and its art But when a white woman does it, its a national crisis? pic.twitter.com/aWu3h6nrL8 Desiree (@DesireeAmerica4) July 29, 2025 KATSEYE's impeccable timing Then came August 19, 2025. GAP's global Fall campaign featured KATSEYE front and center, and the internet hasn't stopped buzzing since. Robbie Blue's choreography brings the exciting 90-second show, titled "Better in Denim," to life to Kelis' well-known "Milkshake" song. The advertising does more than just spotlight denim; it transforms low-rise jeans into a cultural phenomenon. Fans crown KATSEYE the winner The move couldn't have come at a better time. Social media erupted as fans and Redditors compared the three high-profile denim campaigns - and the verdict was clear. Comment byu/Morg075 from discussion inFauxmoi One Redditor wrote, "Outside of this being an incredibly well-done ad, the timing is impeccable. Talk about striking while the iron is hot." Comment byu/Morg075 from discussion inFauxmoi Comment byu/Morg075 from discussion inFauxmoi Comment byu/Morg075 from discussion inFauxmoi Many argued that KATSEYE didn't just match the hype - they blew the competition out of the water. More about KATSEYE With over 22 million followers, a powerhouse global fandom, and Billboard hits to their name, KATSEYE have cemented themselves as one of the most talked-about acts on the planet. The six-member group - Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae - thrives on individuality, cultural diversity, and unapologetic pop innovation. Confident and bold with their sound and style, KATSEYE have become a group fans have started to take notice of. Their impact was undeniable at Lollapalooza 2025, where they drew more than 85,000 fans - shattering records for the largest daytime crowd the festival has ever seen and proving their star power is only just beginning. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. A truck driver is facing deportation after being charged with vehicular homicide in a crash that killed three people on Floridas Turnpike. The incident, which occurred on August 12 in St. Lucie County, involved a commercial semi-truck and a minivan, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Details of the fatal crash The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said the crash took place when the truck driver attempted a U-turn at an unauthorized location. Officials said the maneuver was reckless and carried out without regard for the safety of others. The impact left all three occupants of the minivan dead at the scene. Troopers obtained a warrant for the driver, Harjinder Singh, charging him with three felony counts of vehicular homicide. Authorities have not confirmed whether Singh has legal representation in the criminal case. Immigration status and deportation proceedings During the investigation, state troopers, working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), learned Singh had crossed the Mexico border into the United States illegally in 2018. He later obtained a commercial drivers license in California. Following his arrest, Florida authorities issued an ICE detainer, paving the way for deportation after his state charges are resolved. Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, said Singh would not be allowed to endanger lives again. At the conclusion of his state charges, he will be deported, Kerner stated. Dispute over licensing and responsibility The case has triggered political disagreement over how Singh obtained a work permit and a commercial drivers license. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom and the states Department of Motor Vehicles, calling their handling of licensing asinine and blaming it for the crash. Newsoms office, however, responded by noting that Singh received a work permit in 2020 during Donald Trumps presidency. In a post directed at Trump, Newsoms office said the federal government had confirmed Singh met immigration requirements at that time. McLaughlin disputed this, stating Singhs application had been denied under Trump in September 2020 and was later approved in June 2021 under the Biden Administration. She also clarified that commercial drivers licenses are issued by states, not at the federal level. What comes next Singh remains in custody facing vehicular homicide charges. If convicted, he will serve his sentence before deportation proceedings begin. The case highlights both the consequences of reckless driving on Floridas highways and ongoing disputes over state and federal responsibility in licensing and immigration enforcement. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. The United States is sending three Aegis guided-missile destroyers to waters near Venezuela as part of President Donald Trumps strategy to increase pressure on Latin American drug cartels, according to an official briefed on the plans. The deployment of naval assets The USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson are expected to reach the region soon, a US official confirmed on condition of anonymity. A Defense Department source separately noted that the deployment will last over the course of several months and is part of broader counternarcotics operations. Trumps broader anti-cartel push The move follows Trumps calls for stronger military involvement in combating cartels he blames for the spread of fentanyl and other drugs in US communities. He has urged Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to take tougher steps against cartel activity, though she has firmly opposed any US military intervention, citing Mexicos sovereignty. Earlier this year, Trump designated Venezuelas Tren de Aragua, MS-13 in El Salvador, and six Mexico-based groups as foreign terrorist organizations. Traditionally used against groups like al-Qaida, the designation is being applied here to cartels due to their cross-border operations, including drug trafficking and migrant smuggling. US President Donald Trump | Credit: X In addition, the Trump administration doubled its reward for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to $50 million, accusing him of collaborating with traffickers to send fentanyl-laced cocaine into the United States. Venezuelas response Venezuela has rejected the accusations. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil stated that Washingtons drug-trafficking claims expose its lack of credibility and argued that Venezuela pursues peace and sovereignty while the US relies on threats. The government has also temporarily banned drones in its airspace. This move follows a 2018 incident where explosive-laden drones detonated near Maduro during a televised speech. On Monday, Maduro announced the deployment of over 4.5 million militia members nationwide, created under former President Hugo Chavez to support armed forces against external or internal threats. Maduro said the US has renewed its threats to Venezuelas peace and tranquility. Legal actions against Maduro Maduro was first indicted in 2020 in a New York federal court during Trumps presidency. He and several associates face charges of narco-terrorism and cocaine conspiracy, with the US initially offering a $15 million reward, now raised significantly. The deployment of US destroyers marks a major escalation, with Washington citing cartel threats while Maduro rallies militias and rejects US claims. Pakistani-American actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani has shared a surprising detail about how some of the real tech billionaires reacted to HBOs hit comedy Silicon Valley. Speaking on fellow comedian Mike Birbiglias podcast, the 47-year-old star said Tesla CEO Elon Musk was not a fan of the way the show depicted startup culture. His breakthrough role came in HBOs hit series Silicon Valley (20142019). | Credit: IMDb What Nanjiani revealed On the podcast, Birbiglia asked Nanjiani if he ever met the Silicon Valley giants his show often poked fun at. Nanjiani replied that he had met Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, among others. But when it came to Musks reaction, Nanjiani said, He didnt like the show. Nanjiani recalled Musk telling him, All the parties I go to are much cooler than these parties. To which the actor responded, Yeah, man, youre one of the richest people in the world. Were, like, losers on the show. Of course your parties are better than my parties. Created by Mike Judge, the acclaimed HBO series Silicon Valley ran for six seasons between 2014 and 2019, with Nanjiani playing Dinesh, a socially awkward programmer. The show, praised for its sharp writing, earned five Emmy nominations and became known for satirizing brogrammer culture and eccentric tech billionaires. The world behind the satire While Musk dismissed the fictional parties in the series, real accounts from the tech world suggest gatherings in Silicon Valley often pushed boundaries. Journalist Emily Changs 2018 book Brotopia described secretive parties involving drug use and cuddle puddles among venture capitalists and founders. Journalist Emily Changs 2018 book Brotopia described secretive parties involving drug use and cuddle puddles among venture capitalists and founders. | Credit: GeekWire The book also mentioned Musks presence at one such party in 2017, though he later denied it was anything more than a costume party. Nerds on a couch are not a cuddle puddle, Musk told Wired in 2018, insisting he left early and saw nothing inappropriate. Who is Kumail Nanjiani? Kumail Nanjiani is a Pakistani-American comedian, actor, and writer who has built a strong career in Hollywood. Born in Karachi in 1978, he was raised by his parents, Shabana and Aijaz Nanjiani, alongside his brother. At 18, he moved to the United States to study computer science and philosophy at Grinnell College in Iowa. Raised as a Shiite Muslim, he later began identifying as an atheist during his college years. Nanjiani has often spoken about how tough the immigration process was for his family. In one Twitter thread, he wrote, America is one of the hardest countries [sic] to visit, let alone emigrate to. I remember my dad shaking during his visa interview. The process is scary. His personal journey has shaped much of his comedy, which often draws from his cultural background and immigrant experience. Beyond speaking about the immigration process, Nanjiani has openly addressed the prejudice he faces as an immigrant. He has often criticized Donald Trumps negative remarks about immigrants, pointing out how such rhetoric fuels hatred and violence in the country. During his 2017 Commencement Address at his alma mater, Nanjiani emphasized, Refugees are people who risked everything and left their homes in search of better lives for themselves and their families. What could be more American than that? He began performing stand-up comedy before breaking into television with small roles, including a brief appearance on Saturday Night Live. His first recurring role came on Portlandia in 2011, and soon after he appeared in shows like Community. His breakthrough role came in HBOs hit series Silicon Valley (20142019), where he played Dinesh, a socially awkward programmer, which made him a familiar face to audiences. Nanjianis big moment in film came with The Big Sick (2017), a romantic comedy based on his real-life relationship with wife Emily V. Gordon. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Since then, he has taken on varied projects, including comedies like Stuber and The Lovebirds, as well as big franchises such as Marvels Eternals and Disneys Obi-Wan Kenobi. Nanjianis big moment in film came with The Big Sick (2017), a romantic comedy based on his real-life relationship with wife Emily V. Gordon. | Credit: IMDb Looking ahead, Nanjiani has several projects lined up, Drivers Ed, Ella McCay, and The Breadwinner. He is also set to star in The Wrong Girls. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. In a shocking incident, Rajesh Sakriya, a 41-year-old from Rajkot, Gujarat, attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public hearing on wearing. His family says he is a devoted dog lover who was deeply disturbed by the Supreme Court's recent order to capture stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR area and relocate them to shelters. Let's find out who Rajesh Sakriya is. According to NDTV, the family of the accused revealed that the man loves dogs, and he was angry after the Supreme Court's order against stray dogs. He left for Delhi as soon as he heard about the order. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta | Credit: X | @Vtxt21 Delhi CM slapped, pushed amid the stray dog order At the Jan Sunwai event held at the Chief Ministers Civil Lines camp office, Sakriya is said to have given some papers to Rekha Gupta before abruptly grabbing her hand and attempting to pull her. Although Gupta was not seriously hurt, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva stated that she was shaken but unharmed. He refuted claims that the Chief Minister was slapped or struck, describing the incident as more of a struggle when the man attempted to pull her. SHOCKINGAttack on CM Rekha Gupta ji. Public outrage grows after the Citizens suspect a deeper political conspiracy behind the incident, demanding transparency and swift justice. Who is the Kejruddin he is referring to?? Questions are being raised, but answers are still pic.twitter.com/OhmQFVTW6r Stringg (@StringReveals) August 20, 2025 Who is Rajesh Sakriya? According to News18, the eyewitnesses quoted them as saying that around 8 am, the man approached Gupta with a document, shouted at her and then allegedly slapped her, hurled abuses and even pulled her hair. Security staff promptly stepped in, and the Chief Minister was immediately taken to the hospital. The attacker was later identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya from Rajkot, Gujarat, and is now being questioned by the Delhi Police. This alarming incident has sparked serious concerns about the chief minister's security measures and has prompted intense political responses from various parties. Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya from Rajkot | Credit: X | @Vtxt21 According to HT, some accounts suggest Sakriya also wanted to seek the CM's help for a relative who had been arrested. However, multiple reports indicate an alternative motive. These sources suggest that Sakriya attended the public meeting to request assistance from the chief minister regarding a relative who had been arrested and detained in Tihar Jail. It is believed he was carrying legal documents, although Delhi Police have yet to issue an official statement. Rajesh Sakriya has been identified as a 'serial offender' The man arrested for assaulting Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during the Jan Sunwai at her Civil Lines camp office on Wednesday is a known serial offender, according to officials, with multiple cases already registered against him in Rajkot, Gujarat. According to ANI, officials revealed that an FIR was lodged against Rajesh Khimji at Bhaktinagar police station in Rajkot back in 2017 under IPC Sections 326, 504, and 114. He was acquitted by a Rajkot court in November 2019. Another case (1227/2020) was registered under Sections 65AA and 116B of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, which deal with the illegal sale, possession, and transport of alcohol. He was again acquitted in November 2023. Additionally, he was booked under the same sections in a separate case (1591/2020) at the same police station and was cleared of charges in October 2023 by a Gujarat court. Lisa of BLACKPINK recently released a visually stunning and emotionally raw short film titled Dream, where she stars opposite acclaimed Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi. While the project itself was meant to capture themes of love, loss, and longing, its an off-camera moment between the two leads that has stirred a heated conversation online, even sparking 'sexual harassment' claims. Kentaro Sakaguchi's fans accuse Lisa of 'sexual harassment' A behind-the-scenes photo, shared by Lisa herself on her Instagram account, from the shoot of Dream has been circulating online, showing Lisa biting Kentaro Sakaguchis arm while the two were off-camera. While many found the gesture playful, the photo has now ignited controversy online. BTS picture that sparked social media backlash | Credit: Instagram/lalalalisa_m In Japanese online spaces, some users criticised the gesture, calling it unprofessional or even labelling it as sexual harassment. One viral comment questioned, What if the roles were reversed? suggesting that male celebrities wouldnt be excused in similar situations. Japanese netizens bully Lisa online Ever since the now-controversial photo went viral, some Japanese users have launched aggressive online smear campaigns targeting the BLACKPINK star. What began as criticism over a single moment quickly escalated, with individuals digging up old videos of Lisa and flooding social media with harsh comments and insinuations. These resurfaced clipscompletely unrelated to the Dream projecthave been used to frame Lisa in an unflattering light, sparking concern among fans who see the attacks as excessive, targeted, and deeply unfair. Many have called the behaviour outright bullying, urging others to step back and consider context before fuelling the fire. LISA receives racist commens & wishes for her to d*e EVERYWHERE: Weibo, IG, Twitter, even VLIVE where she clearly saw the comment SINCE EVER. Most ot4 are a bunch of hypocrites for being silent abt this. Ppl making up fake twts to drag Lisa is just the tip of the iceberg pic.twitter.com/1ZGYiUtkH9 (@lijutempest) October 17, 2019 Fans caught in the middle In the face of the backlash, many fans tried to ground the conversation in perspective: both Lisa and Sakaguchi are seasoned professionals, working on an intimate story that requires trust and emotional openness. Fans emphasised that chemistry between co-stars often requires a close bond, both on and off screen. Others pointed out that playful gestures, like the bite, may have been a sign of comfort or camaraderie, not meant to be dissected in public discourse. nah I'm acc sick ??? these japanese people are calling her all kinds of names in the qrts they're worse than the little sevens Lisa I need u to never work with a man again until we figure out what's going on pic.twitter.com/KEUk6k1V1O mi (@m9th9) August 17, 2025 More about Dream BLACKPINK's Lisa and Kentaro Sakaguchi in Dream poster | Credit: X|@wearelloud At the heart of it all is Dream, the short film itself, a poetic, 5-minute piece released on August 13, 2025, as part of Lisas solo music project. Directed by Ojun Kwon, it tells the story of a woman grieving the loss of her partner (played by Sakaguchi), and carrying his memory through everyday moments. For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here. The Athens and Ukrainian chambers of commerce will host a joint business forum next month to connect Greek companies with opportunities to contribute to Ukraine's economic recovery, the head of the Athens chamber has announced. The plan was agreed upon during a virtual meeting between the president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBEA), Yiannis Bratakos, and his Ukrainian counterpart, Gennady Chizhikov. Mr. Bratakos said there is "strong interest" among Greek businesses to assist in Ukraine's revival, particularly in the sectors of infrastructure, energy, and construction. The business forum will be held on Sunday, Sept. 7, at the Thessaloniki International Fair. Our shared hope is for security guarantees that are meaningful and binding, leading to a long period of peace and stability, Mr. Bratakos said, emphasizing the need for a diplomatic end to the war. iefimerida.gr Greek Foreign Affairs Minister George Gerapetritis met on Wednesday in Athens with interim Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, Asaad Al-Shaibani. The meeting "was a significant opportunity for the strengthening of bilateral relations, with the further aims of upgrading them, in a geopolitical fragile situation, given the developments in the Middle East and the East Mediterranean." According to statements by Greek Foreign Affairs Minister spokeswoman Lana Zochiou, the two ministers discussed among other issues the provision by the Greek side of technology for the building of institutions and promotion of collaboration in the sector of migration with the convening of technical committees. "Mr Gerapetritis underlined that Greece firmly supports the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria and reiterated the necessity of the keeping of commitments by the transitional Syrian administration for an inclusive governing, without external interventions, from which no ethnic and religious community should be excluded," Zochiou added. At the same time, Gerapetritis "reiterated the undiminished interest of Greece for the protection of Christian populations of Syria and the critical factor of retaining an open communication channel between the Syrian transitional government and the Patriarchate of Antioch, as an institution that protects and promotes Damascus' relations with the Greek Orthodox and general Christian flock in Syria. He also noted the significance of adherence to International Law and especially the Law of the Sea, as well as the respect of sovereign rights of neighboring countries." Finally, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman noted that Gerapetritis and Al-Shibani "confirmed their intention to promote regional cooperation through the establishment of a trilateral scheme with the inclusion also of the Cyprus Republic, with a possibly first meeting at foreign ministerial level in September, in the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York." iefimerida.gr A 57-year-old foreign national has confessed to setting four separate fires in Mytilene last Friday, including a blaze that destroyed a truck loaded with hay, telling investigators his primary motive was revenge, authorities said. The suspect was identified and apprehended by a special unit of the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes. During his interrogation, he admitted to starting the fires on Aug. 15. According to his statement, the man said he set the first two fires as an act of revenge against two tenants of nearby land He claimed the third fire was sparked during a moment of "irrationality" and the fourth was an attempt to mislead investigators. One of the blazes completely destroyed a truck carrying approximately 400 bales of hay. A case file is being submitted to a prosecutor, and an arrest warrant is expected to be issued following his formal questioning. iefimerida.gr Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has stressed the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, expressing optimism that recent high-level talks have created a clear path toward a potential meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine. Mr. Mitsotakis made the remarks during a video conference with European Union leaders convened by European Council President Antonio Costa. The discussion was held to review the findings from meetings on the Ukraine crisis that took place in Washington, D.C., over the weekend. The Greek prime minister also voiced his satisfaction with the United States commitment to support security guarantees for Ukraine. He reaffirmed Greeces long-standing position on the inviolability of national borders, underscoring that only Ukraine has the sovereign right to make decisions concerning its territorial integrity. The prime minister also participated in a separate summit of European Peoples Party leaders. iefimerida.gr Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke by phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi on Wednesday. They discussed regional developments with an emphasis on the situation in Gaza, as the Maximos Mansion Press Office noted. According to the same sources, the prime minister welcomed Egypt's efforts and latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, while the two leaders also exchanged views on cooperation and coordination of two countries on bilateral and regional issues. iefimerida.gr A police operation is taking place by the Directorate of Dealing with Organized Crime as of Wednesday morning in Attica to arrest Turkish nationals who are living in Greece and involved in organized crime. Greek police said that up to now six Turkish nationals have been arrested over violations of laws on arms and narcotics, while searches are continuing in homes and other spaces. Wednesday's operation is a follow-up to other operations carried out recently by the counter-organized-crime directorate, particularly in northern Greece, aiming at dismantling criminal rings related to the Turkish mafia. Hellenic Police will announce details about the results after the operation's conclusion. iefimerida.gr A Turkish national, 25, was arrested by police at the 'Eleftherios Venizelos' Athens International Airport on Tuesday morning following a red alert by Turkish authorities for complicity in manslaughter. Specifically, the man is involved in the killing of an individual in October 2022 in Istanbul. A man he was with shot and killed a male he had differences with and then the 25-year-old removed their car's license plates to avoid detection during their flight from the scene of the crime. The detained man was led before the relevant prosecutor. iefimerida.gr The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday, dismissed the presidential ambition of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. He described Amaechis bid as dead on arrival. Speaking on Channels Televisions Politics Today on Monday, Wike said Amaechi, who is currently a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), cannot secure the partys presidential ticket. Advertisement He knows he wont get the ticket. I read that he said he knows the weaknesses of the president, so he knows how to defeat him, Wike stated. But he also knew the weaknesses of the president in 2022 when the president defeated him mercilessly in the primary, he added. READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/08/ekiti-2025-olawunmi-picks-apc-form-vows-no-intimidation-will-stop-her.html He added: Amaechi is a seasoned politician, but he lacks the grassroots support needed to win a national election. Nigerians have seen him, and they know this is not a serious bid. Wike further argued that Amaechis recent statements are more about media attention than political reality. Sometimes politicians make bold claims without understanding the political landscape. This is one of those cases, he said. Regarding the ADC, Wike noted, The party has its internal structures and loyalists. Amaechi cannot just walk in and expect to get a ticket. Thats why his ambition is dead on arrival. Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum (NENF) on Tuesday urged President Bola Tinubu to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima. The group also called on him to avoid repeating a Muslim-Muslim ticket, stressing that inclusivity is essential for national unity. In a statement, the groups leader, Dominic Alancha, emphasised that national cohesion could only be achieved through balanced representation. Advertisement The Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum, representing the marginalised ethnic nationalities of Northern Nigeria, issues a clarion call to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC to abandon plans for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in 2027. READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/08/delta-retirees-get-relief-as-oborevwori-approves-%e2%82%a610bn-payout.html Our demand is rooted in the urgent need for national cohesion, electoral viability, and justice for Nigerias diverse religious and ethnic communities, the statement read. The NENF highlighted that the 2023 Muslim-Muslim ticket had heightened religious tension, alienated millions of Christians, and fueled fears of Islamisation. A repeat of the Muslim-Muslim ticket could see the APC lose Middle Belt states, where northern Christians command about 90 per cent of the votes. Even Muslim groups such as the Concerned Northern Muslim Ummah have warned that retaining the ticket might backfire, Alancha added. The group also noted that Tinubu secured only 36 per cent of the northern votes despite the regions Muslim majority, pointing to the tickets weakness. While acknowledging Shettimas competence, NENF insisted that he cannot address grievances caused by the 2023 ticket. Alancha urged the President to consider a northern Christian from Plateau, Bauchi, or Taraba as running mate in 2027. We urge the President to make a public commitment to renounce the Muslim-Muslim ticket and restore national trust. Adopting a northern Christian vice president will broaden APCs appeal, secure the North-Central and much of the Middle Belt, and raise the partys vote share by up to 45 per cent in 2027, the statement concluded. The Adamawa State Government in Yola, on Wednesday, reunited 14 children, recently rescued from traffickers, with their families. The children were traced to Anambra State by the Adamawa Police Command, with active support from the state government, and were safely brought back to Yola. Deputy Governor Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, representing Governor Ahmadu Fintiri who is currently abroad, handed over the children to their parents. In her remarks, the deputy governor praised the security agencies for their role in ensuring the childrens safe return. Advertisement READ MORE : Nigeria Crash Out Of CHAN 2024 Despite 20 Victory Over Congo The monster of child trafficking unfortunately caught up with Adamawa State, but it is gladdening that the children are back with their parents, she said. Professor Farauta revealed that the woman responsible for taking the children lured them with snacks before selling them to an accomplice in Anambra State. According to Daily Post, while initial reports indicated that 13 children were rescued, it was later confirmed that one child, who had been hospitalized and initially unaccounted for, joined the group after recovering. All 14 children were officially reunited with their families at the Deputy Governors Office in Yola. In a bid to support the families, each parent received N100,000 from the state government to start small businesses and care for their children. Former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, claimed that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, was upset. He said this was because President Bola Tinubu did not select him as his vice president. Speaking in an interview on Channels Television, Wike revealed that Lawal visited him at his home in Port Harcourt while he was governor to express his disappointment. Advertisement After President Tinubu chose Shettima as his vice president, Babachir Lawal visited me in my home in Port Harcourt. He was angry because he thought the president would choose him as his VP, Wike stated. He added, He was fuming and told me directly that he had expected the position. You could see the frustration on his face. READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/08/fg-considers-pay-raise-for-political-office-holders.html Wike also commented on the broader political context, saying, Babachir is talented, but sometimes ambition blinds a person to reality. He believed the VP slot was his, but politics is never that simple. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had earlier dismissed Lawals claims, noting that he was reacting negatively because Tinubu opted for a better, more qualified, and more refined candidate as vice president. Lawal had also asserted that the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, actually won the election that brought Tinubu to power. Wike remarked on that too, saying, He can say what he likes about the election, but his main grievance was personal. He wanted a top position and felt overlooked. The Benue State Taskforce on Illegal Levies and Criminality has apprehended a notorious gangster, David Yaikyo, in Makurdi. Yaikyo, a resident of the Ajaba settlement opposite Makurdi International Market, was reportedly arrested after allegedly demanding N300,000 as a marching ground fee from a construction site. According to Daily Post, operatives of the Taskforce acted promptly following a distress call, leading to Yaikyos arrest. Advertisement READ MORE : Lagos Seals Event Centre, Arrests Two Over Illegal Waste Burning During interrogation, Yaikyo allegedly confessed to the crime and was subsequently handed over to the Police Area Command in Makurdi for detention and prosecution. Hon. Gbenda Terver, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Youth Organisation and Illegal Levies, condemned the criminal act. He cautioned youths against involvement in such illegal activities, emphasizing that offenders would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. He further urged residents to assist the Taskforce by reporting suspicious activities through its dedicated hotline: 07063894788. Outrage has erupted following the brutal beating and stripping of a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member by vigilante operatives Anambra State. In the viral video circulating online, the female NYSC member identified as Jennifer Edema Elohor, can be seen being flogged and stripped by the gun-wielding operatives at her lodge in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The operatives assaulted her and some colleagues under the mistaken belief that they were yahoo people. Advertisement Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, expressed shock and condemnation over the attack. In a statement titled A Cry for Justice Against Barbarism in Anambra, Obi said he felt deeply ashamed as an Anambra native. I just read with deep concern about the inhumane treatment meted out to a young lady in Anambra State, Obi stated. As an Anambrian myself, I feel not only ashamed but also deeply heartbroken that such cruelty could happen in 2025, in a society that ought to have advanced beyond such barbarous acts. I strongly condemn this act of primitive wickedness and savagery. No society should ever tolerate the abuse, humiliation, and dehumanisation of its citizens, least of all the vulnerable and women. What happened is not only a violation of law and morality, but also a direct assault on our collective humanity. That young girl could have been anyones daughter, sister, or even mine. The State Government also condemned the attack, confirming that the personnel involved have been arrested and placed under investigation. READ MORE: Anambra Police Arrest Six Suspected Cultists In Black Spot Raid Speaking on Channels Televisions The Morning Brief, Ken Emeakayi, Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Community Security, described the assault as unfortunate and unacceptable. He explained that the incident occurred during a joint security operation, codenamed Operation Udo Ga Achi, which included personnel from the police, army, DSS, Civil Defence, and the states Agbunechemba security outfit under the Anambra State Homeland Security Law of 2025. The operatives were on the trail of suspected cultists riding motorcycles and chased them into a compound. In the process of searching the premises, the unfortunate incident involving the corps member occurred, Emeakayi said. Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof Joy Ezeilo, also condemned the assault and called for safer cities for women, stressing the urgent need to end impunity. Why do some menespecially those tasked with protecting uschoose to target women and violate their dignity? The viral video of the female corper in Anambra State is a stark call for accountability: those responsible must be held to account. Who filmed this outrage, and who spread it? The answer, disturbingly, points to security personnel themselves. This demands urgent action. Every woman deserves respect for her dignity, her privacy, and her bodily autonomy. Let us stand up for womens sanctuarybecause justice means protecting everyones humanity, Ezeilo said. Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police confirmed that vigilante operatives reportedly carried out the assault. Police Public Relations Officer Tochukwu Ikenga stated that the suspects have been identified, although the absence of the alleged victim has temporarily delayed the ongoing investigation. Ikenga emphasized that assault remains a criminal offense under Nigerian law and assured corps members across the state of the polices commitment to their safety. He urged the public to report any harassment, intimidation, or abuse for swift intervention. The Command further cautions vigilante groups and other quasi-security outfits against acts of brutality or abuse of authority, warning that any such misconduct will not be condoned, he said. Abimbola Olawunmi, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has officially joined the race for the 2025 Ekiti governorship election after purchasing the partys Expression of Interest and Nomination forms. Her declaration comes despite speculations that incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji would be returned as the consensus candidate of the ruling party. Addressing journalists shortly after obtaining the forms, Olawunmi dismissed insinuations that she was being sponsored by some APC leaders to serve as a spoiler candidate in the primary. Advertisement She stated, If you mention my name anywhere in Ekiti, people will rise up and say she has always been a consistent voice. Even during Ayodele Fayoses time, I was arrested and imprisoned for one week because I criticised him. I had the same experience under Kayode Fayemi. I have never kept quiet when leaders fail. READ MORE: Ekiti Election: Oyebanjis Victory Shows APC Is Accepted By Nigerians Buhari Positioning herself as the only challenger to Governor Oyebanji, the APC aspirant argued that Ekiti State has little to show for the huge allocations it has received from the Federation Account in recent years. According to her, For now, I am the only challenger the incumbent is having. Why do I feel at this time it is important to challenge the status quo? Because what we feel is happening in Ekiti State is not right. Our roads, schools, hospitals, our infrastructure are nothing to write home about. And despite all the allocations coming to the state, there is nothing commensurate to show for it. Olawunmi further alleged that the Oyebanji administration has received unprecedented revenue without tangible development outcomes. Since the president was inaugurated in 2023, the allocation coming to my state tripled. By the end of June 2025, when we analysed what had come in, we discovered the Oyebanji administration had received over 500 billion in three years. But when you come to Ekiti State, you hardly find anything that reflects that, she said. She also accused a cabal of hijacking governance in Ekiti, insisting that she remains determined to clinch the APC ticket despite opposition. No man can intimidate me. I have always been a voice for women. I believe that if the men have failed us, the women can bring the desired change to the state, Olawunmi declared. A police officer identified as Oboh Goodluck has been shot dead by suspected cultists along OMPADEC Road, Amarata axis of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when the officer, who was off duty and dressed in plain clothes, was reportedly attacked by hoodlums attempting to rob him of his mobile phone and other belongings. Amarata, a densely populated neighborhood in Yenagoa, has remained notorious for violent cult clashes since December last year when rival groups engaged in a bloody supremacy battle. Advertisement READ MORE: Bayelsa Court Gives Death Penalty To Taxi Drivers Killers After 23 Years Following the killing, tension engulfed the community as police operatives launched a heavy raid in the area. Eyewitnesses reported that security personnel stormed parts of Amarata on Tuesday morning, firing shots into the air while arresting residents indiscriminately. Several families were said to have fled their homes to avoid being caught up in the chaos. One resident, who pleaded anonymity, alleged that policemen destroyed properties during the raid. Our windows were smashed during the raid. The entire community is living in fear of further violence, the resident said. Community members have since appealed to security operatives to show restraint in order to prevent further escalation, warning that continued clashes could result in a wider breakdown of law and order in Yenagoa, the state capital. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Bayelsa State, DSP Musa Muhammad, confirmed the killing of the officer. He stated that investigations were ongoing to apprehend those behind the attack. Residents are now calling on the Bayelsa State Government and security agencies to urgently restore peace in Amarata and prevent additional loss of lives. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the schedule for presenting Certificates of Return to winners of Saturdays bye-elections. The announcement was made on Tuesday, in compliance with Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022. Certificates of Return will be handed over to the Senators-elect for Anambra South and Edo Central Senatorial Districts, as well as five members-elect of the House of Representatives for various constituencies. Advertisement These include Ovie North East and Ovie South West Federal Constituencies of Edo State, Babura/Garki Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, and Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna State. READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/08/why-jonathan-shouldnt-contest-2027-election-shehu-sani.html They also include Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency of Ogun State and Ibadan North Federal Constituency of Oyo State. The occasion will take place at the INEC National Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, 21st August 2025 at 3:00 pm, the statement from the Commission said. We urge all winners to be present and comply with all protocols for the presentation. For the State Houses of Assembly, Certificates of Return will be presented by the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in their respective state offices on Friday, 22nd August 2025, at 11:00 am. The process will be strictly monitored to ensure fairness and transparency, the statement added. The constituencies include Ganye State Constituency of Adamawa State, Onitsha North 1 State Constituency of Anambra State, Basawa and Zaria/Kewaye State Constituencies of Kaduna State, and Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituencies of Kano State. They also include Okura State Constituency of Kogi State, Munya State Constituency of Niger State, and Karim Lamido 1 State Constituency of Taraba State. An INEC official emphasised, We are committed to upholding the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring that all winners receive their certificates without delay. The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended an ex-convict for illegal possession of firearms. Benjamin Hundeyin, the commands spokesperson, confirmed the arrest in a statement made public on Tuesday in Lagos. He stated that officers from the Ijede Division arrested the suspect on Monday in Ikorodu, Lagos. Advertisement READ MORE: Three Suspected One Chance Robbers Arrested In Lagos Operatives received complaints that an individual was brandishing a locally made gun and threatening residents at Sabon Kasuwa area of Abule Eko, Ikorodu. Acting swiftly, the operatives traced the suspect to an uncompleted building, where he was arrested, Hundeyin said. Investigations revealed that the suspect, freed in 2022 following a prison term for cultism, was still actively involved in a cult. Hundeyin added that the suspect confessed to possessing a firearm and directed operatives to a toilet pipe in the unfinished building, where it was recovered. He stated that the suspect is cooperating with the investigation to help identify other cult members and recover additional weapons. He is expected to be prosecuted afterward. Hundeyin noted that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olohundare Jimoh, praised the operatives for their efficiency and quick response that resulted in the arrest and recovery. The commissioner called on residents to obey the law, avoid cultism and armed robbery, and keep supplying the police with valuable information to help rid communities of criminal elements. The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, has revealed that more than 60 per cent of public primary school teachers in Nigeria lack basic digital literacy skills. Garba made this disclosure in Abuja during the closing ceremony of the first phase of the NigeriaKorea Smart Education Project, which has introduced modern digital learning infrastructure, teacher training, and locally developed educational content in selected schools. She explained that when the initiative commenced in 2021, the Nigerian education system was confronted with harsh realities including over 10.1 million out-of-school children, 70 per cent of pupils lacking foundational learning skills, and a majority of public school teachers without essential digital competence. Advertisement According to her, these challenges were seen as opportunities to bridge the digital divide and strengthen teacher capacity. READ MORE: Niger Govt. To Conduct Screening To Kick Out Unqualified Teachers Niger Govt The Smart Education Project, implemented by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in partnership with UBEC, currently covers schools in Kano, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ekiti, Cross River, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Speaking at the event, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, commended the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and South Korea, describing it as respectful, mutually supportive, and focused on sustainable development despite global uncertainties. We share the vision that nations should relate respectfully, in a mutually supportive manner, with the understanding that humanity is one and shared prosperity is possible, Bagudu stated. The minister also expressed appreciation to KOICA for its numerous interventions in Nigeria, noting that its support extends beyond the Federal Capital Territory to other states, in line with the countrys federal structure where education is a joint responsibility of federal, state, and local governments. The Manager of the Project Management Consulting (PMC) company, UBION Consortium, Prof. Dae Joon Hwang, stressed the importance of sustainability and urged greater parental and community involvement in the programme. He further assured that the second phase of the project, which will expand to 37 smart schools nationwide, would soon be rolled out. In his remarks, the Country Director of KOICA, Eunsub Kim, represented by the agencys Manager, David Nkwa, explained that the project adopts a blended learning model. He said the approach is designed to shift classrooms from being teacher-centred to student-focused, while maintaining the national curriculum but reimagining teaching methods to enhance learner engagement and improve outcomes. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stated that no state government in Nigeria currently requires a federal bailout under President Bola Tinubus administration, describing the development as a significant problem resolved. Speaking on Channels Televisions Politics Today on Tuesday, Wike emphasized the improved financial health of Nigerian states, contrasting it with the frequent bailouts that were common in previous administrations. I was one of those who took the bailout. Today, no state is going to the Federal Government for bailouts. Today, no local government is going to the state for bailouts. Which means a problem has been solved, he said. Advertisement READ MORE : Over 60% Of Public Primary School Teachers In Nigeria Lack Digital Literacy UBEC His comments follow reports indicating that increased revenue allocations from the Federation Account have considerably enhanced states financial liquidity. Wike also defended the Tinubu administration against critics, noting that two years in office is insufficient to resolve long-standing structural challenges. He highlighted what he considers key accomplishments, including recent commendations from the United States and the United Kingdom for Nigerias efforts in combating insecurity. For the first time, look at the United States, the United Kingdom commended the Nigerian government. Terrorists that they had been looking for years, this government, through their security agents efforts, arrested them, Wike said. The Minister further pointed to positive economic indicators, observing that fuel prices are coming down a bit and citing confirmation from the President of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that Nigerias economy is stabilizing. We commend them. What does that mean? Yes, we suffered as a result of the activities of these terrorists. But from what it looks like now, we have really penetrated, and this insecurity is coming down. We must commend the government that they have put up efforts. Today, the price of fuel is coming down a bit. The President of the World Trade Organisation also confirmed that the economy is being stabilised, he added. Ninoska Adam photographs her daughter Victoria Glynn in front of a mural of Vice President JD Vance on the side of Sulimay's Restaurant in Fishtown on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. Adam who lives in Florida, and Glynn, from Vermont, were visiting their son/brother in Philadelphia. When they heard about the mural, mom said, We just had to come. They plugged the address into their GPS and took off - 20 minutes in traffic. Read more Last week, a mural of U.S. Vice President JD Vance debuted on the side wall of Fishtown restaurant Sulimays. The image is one of many memes of Vance that have been circulating on the internet. The images include Minion Vance, Shrek Vance, and even one where he appears as the Las Vegas sphere. The Fishtown mural shows a wide-eyed, chubbier version of the vice presidents face but with a bald head, often referred to as the bald baby or baby Vance meme. Advertisement Videos of the mural have amassed millions of views on social media. On Sunday, TikTok user Paige Weinman posted a video of the mural thats gained 900,000 likes and nearly 3 million views. The bottom right of the mural reads FUBARPAC, an acronym for Fed Up Beyond All Recognition/Repair. PAC is a political action committee. Jack Inacker, a Philly native and founder of FUBAR PAC self-defined as a veteran-led Democratic opposition, waging a ruthless year-round campaign against MAGA cowards and their allies is the brain behind the Fishtown mural. After months of exchanging Vance memes with a friend, Inacker decided to project the images against a prominent wall for Philadelphians to see. After further thought, he decided a painting would draw even more attention. He made a post in the Philadelphia subreddit, asking if he could use someones wall for the project. Among the three users that responded, Inacker said Sulimays was the perfect fit. Sulimays owner Chad Todd said he backed Inackers idea to highlight how deplorable both President Donald Trump and Vice President Vance have been since being sworn into office in January. No moral person can support what theyre doing, Todd said. Ill take any opportunity to bring attention to it. Last Friday, Inacker brought along a projector, a handful of Sharpies, about $200 worth of paint from Lowes, and an artist friend. They began by tracing over a projected image, then filling it with color until the piece was finished 12 hours later. Fishtown residents stopped by to lend a hand, Inacker said. Some suggested touch-ups, like adding eyeliner. While the muralized meme of Vance is largely seen as something comical, Inacker said its purpose is to forge community and shed light on the Trump administrations crippling federal financial cuts. Painting a meme on the side of a building is dumb bulls, right? Inacker said. Its fun to do with your friends, but I wanted to figure out a way to transform that into some meaningful action as well. In a TikTok posted Monday, Inacker showed a time-lapse of the murals creation. The clips were overlaid with references to Vances stance on cuts to foreign aid, the increased cost of Medicaid, and the lives impacted by Trump and Vances decisions. Inacker plans to place a small plaque at the bottom of the mural with a QR code that directs people to a voter registration form. He loves that the mural serves as a photo opp, but he wants it to become a resource and inspire people to think about political issues in their own way. I want to make sure that the barrier to entry to politics is really low, that more folks can get involved, and they dont have to do serious things all the time, he said. They can have a party together to paint their own JD. With the mural, Fishtown joins somewhat of a global movement as altered images of Vance have become an international fixture. In June, a Norwegian tourist claimed he was denied U.S. entry at Newark Liberty International Airport because he had downloaded the bald baby meme on his phone. The Trump administration refuted his claim, saying he was denied because of admitted drug use. Weinman said she was surprised by the interest her post generated, but not by the popularity of the mural itself. We were like, Oh, if youre going to deny travelers the ability to come into the country because of their political views, their sense of humor, or their private conversations, thats something that really stands in opposition to American values. So, I can understand why that image really took off in general, and why so many people find it funny. Similar murals of Vance have popped up on the vice presidents recent England tour. Last week, a poster by the Everyone Hates Elon protest group displayed the same image of Vance on a billboard in Cheltenham, Oxfordshire. Todd said he has no plans to remove the mural from the restaurants wall just yet. As long as the positivity continues, it will stay up, he said. But I really dont want to look at that for the rest of the year. Its slightly terrifying, and freaking out the kids is a concern. The story has been updated to include comments from Sulimays. A former Philadelphia judge who took $90,000 to bow out of a race against U.S. Rep. Bob Brady in 2012, clearing the way for the congressmans uncontested win in the Democratic primary, had his law license reinstated this week, ending a sanction imposed after his conviction. Jimmie Moore, 74, can return to the practice of law after the disciplinary board of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reinstated his license in a 9-3 vote. A majority of the justices later affirmed the ruling, which was announced Monday. Advertisement Moore, who served as a Municipal Court judge for more than a decade before resigning to challenge Brady, had his license revoked in 2021 after admitting he falsified campaign records to disguise the source of the money that bought his exit from the race. He was sentenced to two years probation in 2019 after cooperating with prosecutors in an investigation that helped put one of Bradys top aides behind bars and led to the convictions of two of the congressmans staffers. Bradys campaign funneled the money through two political consulting firms run by longtime campaign aides and disguised the payments as the sale of poll data, prosecutors said. Brady, who retired from Congress in 2018, was never charged in connection with the scheme and has denied any wrongdoing. Moores lawyer, Samuel C. Stretton, described his client as an excellent judge and someone very loved in the community and said he welcomed the former judges return to the practice of law. The former judge envisions a limited practice that allows him to choose his projects, with some pro bono work to help people, according to a filing detailing the disciplinary boards decision. During the four years in which Moore was barred from working as a lawyer, the filing said, the judge took legal education courses to keep abreast of developments in the law and volunteered with the juvenile mentoring organization Brothahood. Moore also wrote a detective novel under a pen name and plans to write a second book, the document said. Asked about the reinstatement of his license this week, Moore declined to comment. But in testimony before the disciplinary board, he expressed remorse for his crime. Folks look up to lawyers, look up to judges, he said. And, you know, for a long time I just stayed in the house other than to get food and what have you, because I was so embarrassed. And Im sorry in terms of whatever disgrace I may have brought to the bar, to the members of the bench, to my family, to those folks who believed in me. Even as the disciplinary board voted to allow Moore to resume the practice of law, it expressed reservations about his conduct during the federal investigation that led to his conviction. Moore remained on the bench as he cooperated with authorities and agreed to wear a wire and he did not inform court officials of the investigation as required, board members wrote in the filing. Three board members opposed Moores reinstatement to the practice of law. In a letter of dissent cosigned by board chair David Senoff and vice chair Shohin Vance, Joshua F. Wilson said Moore should not be reinstated as a lawyer. In addition to his federal conviction, they said, he failed to thoroughly and honestly answer questions about outstanding tax bills and debts, among other matters. Stretton, Moores attorney, said that it is common for lawyers returning to practice to make mistakes on the lengthy questionnaire required to seek reinstatement and that his client had cooperated throughout the process of working to regain his license. He deserved to get back, Stretton said. Members of the public watch the joint termination hearing of Central Bucks Superintendent Steven Yanni and Jamison Elementary School Principal David Heineman on Tuesday at the school district headquarters in Doylestown. Read more Staff at a Central Bucks elementary school publicly testified Tuesday about abuse allegations in a special education classroom as the school board weighs firing the superintendent and principal over their handling of the issue. Superintendent Steven Yanni and Jamison Elementary School principal David Heineman faced an at-times tense public hearing in front of members of the school board in Doylestown as the hearing began Tuesday. Advertisement Yanni was placed on administrative leave in April after a report from Disability Rights PA found that students in an autistic support classroom at Jamison Elementary were abused by a teacher and an educational assistant last fall. Heineman was placed on paid leave in March. The two administrators are among five employees whom the school board moved to terminate in June, including the teacher and educational assistant. The hearing marks the next step of the process for Yanni and Heineman, with the board expected to vote next month on whether to terminate their employment. Peter Amuso, the districts solicitor, presented his case Tuesday, calling several witnesses who said they saw abuse at the hands of Gabrielle McDaniel and an educational assistant, and alleged that Yanni and Heineman failed to take appropriate action. (McDaniel has denied wrongdoing, and the board has also moved to fire her.) The lies stop today. No more equivocating, no more hiding. The lies stop today, Amuso said in his opening remarks. Meanwhile, attorneys for Yanni and Heineman aimed to argue their clients had done nothing wrong. They are expected to present their cases when the hearing resumes Wednesday. The abuse allegations were first reported by Alyssa Kline, a personal-care assistant in the autistic support classroom. The teacher and educational assistant abused two students in the four-student classroom by illegally restraining them, causing a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury and likely interfering with their breathing, according to the report from Disability Rights PA. The Pennsylvania Department of Education also found that the school did not follow requirements to report the use of restraints. The two educators also fostered a likelihood of sexual abuse or exploitation of one student by allowing the student to masturbate without teaching him that such behavior was inappropriate at school, according to the report. Other incidents detailed in the report include a student being denied water, the nudity of a student, and an overall lack of respect for students dignity. Kline was among the school employees who testified Tuesday. She described the classroom as an isolated, unwelcoming environment. Kline, along with other employees, said Heineman had instructed staff members to consult him before making a report to ChildLine, a state reporting line for child abuse or neglect. My classroom was Fort Dix: Nobody came in, nobody went out. It was pure isolation, Kline said. Jacklynn Narzisi, a speech language pathologist at Jamison, testified that the environment in McDaniels classroom was aggressive. The allegations have become a lightning rod in the Central Bucks community. For at least half of the roughly six-hour hearing, teachers and members of the public packed the boardroom at the school district headquarters in Doylestown. School board member Jim Pepper, whose son was one of the four students in the autistic support classroom, will not vote in the case. Pepper has accused the district of covering up the reports and misleading police. He has also claimed law enforcement dismissed the case and prematurely declined to file criminal charges. Yanni was named Central Bucks superintendent last year after serving in that role for the Upper Dublin and Lower Merion districts. He asked a Bucks County judge last week to delay the hearing, claiming in court filings that the district had violated his due process rights. In a ruling issued Monday, Bucks County Court Judge Jordan B. Yeager denied his request for a temporary restraining order against the district and school board to delay the hearing. The hearing is expected to conclude Wednesday. School board members anticipate voting on the terminations at their Sept. 18 meeting, the district said Tuesday. Jonathan Huerta, an attorney and appointed special counsel who served as the hearing officer, said he will make a report and recommendation to the school board. It is the school board and the school board only who will make a final decision, Huerta said, noting the board can accept or reject his recommendation. Olney Elementary, shown in this 2018 file photo, is one of dozens of Philadelphia School District buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Read more Save as many of the citys historic school buildings as possible, a local nonprofit is urging the Philadelphia School District as it nears a deadline to decide which of its 200-plus school buildings it will keep and which it will close. The oldest currently operating district school, Francis Scott Key Elementary in South Philadelphia, was built in 1889. The average Philadelphia school building is about 75 years old and, due to years of underfunding, deferred maintenance, and environmental hazards, many schools are in poor condition. Advertisement Still, the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia said in a report issued Wednesday, the district is at a critical point to consider modernizing historic buildings, rather than tearing them down or building new ones. In the last few years, the district has demolished two schools listed on the National Register of Historic Places the old Cassidy Elementary in West Philadelphia and AMY at James Martin, a middle school in Port Richmond. It is a fact that we will never build buildings like these again, in terms of their materials, craftsmanship, and style, in terms of things like the brick and the stone, hardwood floors, plaster walls, carved wooden paneling, high ceilings, and large windows, said Paul Steinke, the Preservation Alliances executive director. Once theyre gone, theyre gone. Mounting risks Philadelphias school system dates back to 1818; by 1867, a Superintendent of Buildings position was established. These days, the district operates 218 schools but is responsible for roughly 300 buildings. The report identified mounting risks to historic school buildings according to the school systems own data, about half its schools are in poor condition. And usage is uneven; some schools are overcrowded, particularly in the Northeast, but citywide there are about 70,000 empty seats in district schools. It also noted that the district has policy gaps. Current SDP deaccession policies do not prioritize adaptive reuse over demolition, the report said. Steinke recommended the district arrive at mothballing protocols so if schools are decommissioned, they are preserved for possible adaptive reuse. Which district schools are considered historic? According to data compiled by the Preservation Alliance, about 100 district schools or charters operating in district buildings have some kind of historic designation. Who designates a school as historic matters. School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places qualify for financial incentives, such as grants and tax breaks, but that designation does not prevent structures from being torn down. Buildings on Philadelphias local historic register have more protections they cannot be demolished. The designations acknowledge that schools are more than functional buildings, but rather neighborhood landmarks, reflections of the citys educational legacy, and often examples of notable designs, the report said. Ten district-owned buildings are on the local register and cannot be torn down. Nine are operating as schools. The current schools include Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, Franklin Learning Center, McCall Elementary, GAMP, E.M. Stanton Elementary, Masterman, Vare-Washington Elementary, AMY Northwest, and Waring Elementary. (The other building is the former Powel Elementary.) An additional 150 current or former schools are on the National Register of Historic Places. About 75 operate as district-run schools, with some city charters also in historic buildings. Cost savings? Preserving a building is often cheaper than tearing a historic one down and building anew, the report found. A recent object lesson: Frankford High, closed in 2023 because of damaged asbestos. District leaders initially said they were strongly considering razing the massive Gothic Revival building on Oxford Avenue and constructing a new Frankford. READ MORE: Historic Frankford High building, closed for years because of asbestos, reopens after a $30M refresh But the costs proved too high it would have cost an estimated $300 million to knock down the old Frankford, built in 1912, and construct a new one. This week, Frankford reopened with $30 million of repairs complete. More than 900 students are set to start classes there on Monday. Using district data, the Preservation Alliance identified seven historic schools and analyzed estimated costs to repair the old buildings vs. replacing them. Repairing Fitler, Bache-Martin, Cassidy, Emlen, Richmond, Ethan Allen, and Dunbar would save $50 million, the group calculated. Think about how far that money can go, said Hanna Stark, the Preservation Alliances director of policy and communications. We think demolition wastes opportunity. Though some community members wish the district would close no schools at all, Preservation Alliance officials acknowledged that decommissioning some schools is likely necessary. We are not blind to the current challenges that many of these schools represent, chief among them deferred maintenance that has rendered many of them in poor condition, with hazardous materials like asbestos, outdated building systems, nonexistent or inadequate climate-control systems, Stark said. But when closures are necessary, instead of being torn down which sends materials into landfills those buildings should become affordable housing, senior centers, or other community hubs, she said. Steinke and Stark highlighted two closed schools as good examples of what is possible: The old West Philadelphia High was shut down by the district and replaced with a new school a few blocks away, but the building was preserved, then sold, and now houses apartments. And the old Bok High School, in South Philadelphia, got new life as a hub for small businesses and artists. Neighborhood anchors School closings often disproportionately target distressed communities, where taking neighborhood anchors offline is particularly devastating, Steinke and Stark said. School system officials have said they will release recommendations for closings, new construction, colocations, and major renovations sometime this fall, with a final vote on the plan scheduled by the end of the year. The decisions are enormously important, Steinke said. School buildings are reservoirs of community memory, he said. They are meaningful, these buildings, to the communities that they serve. Wendy Raymond, president of Haverford College, testifies before the House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing on antisemitism on college campuses in May. Read more The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into Haverford College over its handling of antisemitism complaints, the department announced Wednesday. The investigation follows credible reports that Haverford has failed to respond as required by law to multiple incidents of discrimination and harassment against Jewish and Israeli students on its campus, the department said. Advertisement It is one of a number of investigations about antisemitism the departments Office for Civil Rights has initiated since Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and subsequent unrest on U.S. college campuses. A number of schools, including Drexel and Temple Universities, have since entered into resolution agreements with the department. We have received a copy of the OCR complaint and are reviewing, a college spokesperson said Wednesday. READ MORE: Congressional committee demands answers from Haverford College on its handling of antisemitism complaints Haverford president Wendy Raymond earlier this year testified before a congressional committee investigating the handling of antisemitism complaints on college campuses. She took the worst of the grilling among the presidents who testified, largely because she was reluctant to answer questions about discipline for alleged antisemitism, especially in specific cases. Raymond, a molecular biologist who has led the college for six years, testified that the college does not release data on student suspensions and expulsions. In June, the committee demanded answers about faculty and student discipline. In a letter to the college, U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (R., Mich.) criticized Raymonds testimony as very disappointing, faulting her for a lack of transparency. The committee gave the college until July 10 to respond. Haverford responded to the letter, the spokesperson said, but declined to provide a copy to The Inquirer. The Trump administration will not allow Jewish life to be pushed into the shadows because college leaders are too craven to respond appropriately to unlawful antisemitic incidents on campus, said Craig Trainor, the Education Departments acting assistant secretary for civil rights. The Office for Civil Rights will investigate this matter thoroughly and ensure all students are treated equally under law. Leaders of the other two schools at the May hearing with Raymond DePaul University and California Polytechnic State University provided statistics on groups and students who were suspended or otherwise disciplined for antisemitic conduct since Oct. 7, 2023. READ MORE: Haverford president gets the worst of the grilling at congressional hearing on antisemitism At the hearing, some of the questions Raymond faced focused on discipline in hypothetical cases that she said had not occurred on Haverfords campus such as someone calling for the genocide of Jewish people and in other cases that Raymond said were not accurate accounts. During the hearing, at least two lawmakers threatened Haverfords federal funding. As a small liberal arts college, Haverford is not as dependent on federal funding as a large research university like the University of Pennsylvania. In the last year, Haverford received $1.95 million in federal research funding and $58,486 in federal sponsored awards for instruction, the college spokesperson said. The Department of Governmental Efficiency says it has cut $204,000 in unspent federal funding from Haverford this year. In her opening remarks at the hearing, Raymond apologized to Jewish community members who felt as if the college was not there for you and took responsibility for some mistakes. This is an example of a difficult period of learning where I did not get it right, Raymond said when asked about an email sent to the Haverford community after Hamas attack. Raymond noted the college had made a plethora of changes to address concerns about antisemitism, including changes in the antibias policy and rules around protesting, steps to revise the honor code, and increases in campus safety at events. In January, a lawsuit filed by students alleging antisemitism at the college was dismissed without prejudice by a federal court judge. Calling the complaint sprawling and disorganized, Judge Gerald Austin McHugh of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said he could not even review the relevant facts of the case. The complaint, he wrote, appears to detail every frustration and disagreement of Jewish students and faculty that has occurred at Haverford over the last year and reads more as an opinion editorial than it does a legal complaint. The complaint was filed last year by the Deborah Project, a public interest think tank that defends the rights of Jewish people facing discrimination in the education system. It was filed on behalf of a group of Jewish students that called themselves Jews at Haverford. The group filed an amended complaint, but the judge in June dismissed plaintiffs claims that the college violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, this time with prejudice, meaning plaintiffs cannot refile. But the judge allowed a portion of the complaint involving breach of contract that would result in nominal damages to proceed to discovery, saying that plaintiffs plausibly allege that the Bias Policy contains clear contractual promises that Haverford has breached. We are looking forward to the leadership of Haverford College making the essential changes to ensure that Jews who believe that Israel is and should remain the homeland of the Jewish people can live and study at Haverford without being attacked for their beliefs, said Lori Lowenthal Marcus, the Deborah Projects legal director, in response to the Education Departments investigation. Christine Laine, a Jefferson Health physician and editor of Annals of Internal Medicine, refused calls from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to retract a study on vaccine safety. Read more As the editor of a prestigious academic medical journal, Jefferson Health physician Christine Laine expects feedback and sometimes intense debate on the studies that she selects to publish in the Annals of Internal Medicine. But she was not prepared for the nations top public health official, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to call for the retraction of a study on vaccines appearing in the July issue of the journal, whose primary audience is internal medicine physicians. Advertisement The study found vaccines containing aluminum were safe by following 1.2 million Danish children over more than 20 years. It showed that aluminum in vaccines given before the age of 2 did not increase childrens risk for wide-ranging chronic conditions, including autism, autoimmune disorders, and asthma. Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, demanded the study be retracted, calling it deeply flawed and a propaganda stunt. He also questioned why the studys methodology did not include unvaccinated children as a control group. His criticisms were posted on the website TrialSite News, which covers medical research, including studies used to question vaccines. An HHS spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. The study authors noted that almost all children in Denmark are vaccinated, making it difficult to find a large enough control group. Laine says she wont retract the study and feels no need to respond to Kennedy, who did not directly contact the journal. She spoke to The Inquirer this week about the study and Kennedys comments on it in an interview lightly edited for brevity and clarity. How did Annals come to publish this study? It was submitted to Annals for peer review. We thought that it was a high-quality study that was of interest to our readers, so we published it. Its our usual process for considering papers. This study was very large 1.2 million children in a very comprehensive database. The Danish health registries is very comprehensive: They track when children receive vaccines, which vaccines, the aluminum content in them, and then follow the children within the healthcare system. [The study authors] were specifically looking at the aluminum dose. You cant answer this question with a randomized control trial. It wouldnt be ethical to randomize children with a vaccine or no vaccine. Even if an ethical board approved such a study, it would be very difficult to have parents enroll patients in such a study. READ MORE: Health RFK Jr. criticized CHOP vaccine expert Paul Offit in a Fox News interview. Heres how he responded. How did you hear about Kennedys thoughts on the study? We were never contacted by the HHS secretary. He has not communicated with us, nor has anyone from his office. We learned of his blog post when we were contacted by someone who had a Substack, who wanted an interview about whether or not we were going to retract the study based on his demand. We have a process for readers to post comments to articles we publish. They can post any comment as long as its collegial in nature and not defamatory. There were quite a number of comments posted on our website the means we provide for discussion of the material we publish. Some of those comments also demanded retraction and echoed the content of Mr. Kennedys blog post. We got a large number of form letters that someone had drafted and told people to send to us. It was obvious they were form letters they were all identical, and a lot of people didnt sign them. They were signed, Insert your signature here. I didnt feel any responsibility to respond to Mr. Kennedy. He did not contact us. We do have a responsibility to respond to readers who post comments on our website, and the editors responded to those, as did the authors of the study. What did you think of Kennedys comments on the study? I wish I could say that I was surprised that the HHS Secretary would use the language he did, and be as uninformed as he was. The way he responded aligned with the way he comments on health-related science and information. He made accusations that the study was purposely designed to misinform, which it was not. As a matter of fact, the methodology was quite similar to a study on a much smaller population that showed a potential link between aluminum doses and asthma. He liked that study because it aligned with his beliefs. [Kennedy cited this study in his blog post.] He didnt like the study Annals published mostly because it didnt align with his beliefs. What do you see this retraction request saying about the Trump administrations approach to scientific research? There does seem to be this thing going on where, if the data doesnt align with particular peoples prior beliefs, they say the data are rigged or wrong, whether in healthcare or job statistics or election results. Its troubling. Some people have praised Annals for sticking to our guns. As far as Im concerned, were just doing our job. Our job is to provide our readers with information that we think will help their clinical decision making and their professional decision making. I would be lying if I said I didnt have a moment where I thought, Were never going to publish another vaccine study. I dont want to go through this again. But that is exactly the wrong reaction to this. Were not changing what we do because of threats. Former Crozer Health patients will no longer have to pay for copies of their medical records, if the judge overseeing Prospect Medical Holdings' bankruptcy approves a settlement between the Foundation for Delaware County and the California for-profit company. Read more The Foundation for Delaware County will pay $3 million to cover the cost of medical records for thousands of former Crozer Health patients under an agreement with its bankrupt owner, Prospect Medical Holdings. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey Jernigan approved the deal at a hearing Wednesday. The settlement also ends years of litigation between the foundation and Prospect, which acquired Crozer in 2016 and filed for bankruptcy protection in January. Advertisement The foundations money is expected to allow as many as 43,000 people to obtain their medical records from the shuttered Crozer system, which was Delaware Countys largest healthcare provider. Were pleased to have the opportunity to assist Delaware County residents whose patient record fees may have been a stumbling block for their transition to new health systems with Crozers closure, foundation president Frances Sheehan said. Last month, the records management company that Prospect hired started charging to release patients information $35 for emailed records or $75 for records on a USB memory stick. County and local officials decried the fees as a financial hardship for many former Crozer patients, especially elderly and low-income residents of Chester. Many people had depended on Crozer-Chester Medical Center for generations before it closed in May, shortly after Prospect closed Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park. The California for-profit had previously closed Springfield Hospital and Delaware County Memorial Hospital in 2022. The foundation will pay $500,000 to Iron Mountain Information Management and $2.5 million to Morgan Records Management within five days of the settlements court approval, according to the agreement filed Friday. Information on how to obtain medical records is available on the Morgan Records website. Foundations history with Crozer The foundation secured $55 million from the 2016 sale of the former nonprofit Crozer Keystone Health System. As an independent foundation funded by the proceeds from the sale of a nonprofit hospital to a for-profit firm, its mission is to support the health and welfare of Delaware County residents. It became a key player in the early months of the bankruptcy proceedings that began in January. As Prospect was threatening to shut down Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital, Prospect, Pennsylvanias attorney general, and others in state government wanted to use the foundations assets to keep the hospitals open until a new operator could be found. The foundation paid $20 million to an independent manager temporarily overseeing day-to-day operations at the hospitals. The money was used to pay employees and other expenses. Several Philadelphia-area research institutions signed onto a letter urging Pennsylvania legislators to increase federal research funding. In March, demonstrators gathered in the city to advocate for the role of science in public policy, research funding, and education. Read more Several major Philadelphia-area research institutions urged key Pennsylvania representatives in Congress to reject President Donald Trumps proposed cuts to federal research dollars, saying in a letter Wednesday that many Pennsylvanians depend on the states research sector for jobs. Writing to Reps. Madeleine Dean (D., Montgomery) and Guy Reschenthaler (R., Fayette), who both serve on the House Appropriations Committee, the institutions described their concerns as an urgent plea on behalf of the vast majority of Pennsylvanians who support American leadership in medical technology, and the large segment of Pennsylvanias workforce dependent on that continued leadership for their livelihoods. Advertisement The letters signatories included University of Pennsylvania, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Wistar Institute, along with specialized research centers and advocacy groups. The letter encourages Dean and Reschenthaler to follow the lead of their colleagues on the Senate Appropriations Committee, who last month voted to increase funding for the National Institutes of Health by $400 million in the upcoming fiscal year instead of cutting it by 40%, as Trump had proposed. Its part of a broader effort spearheaded by the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, a nonprofit supporting scientific start-ups thats based in Bucks County. The organization hired Craig Snyder, a former chief of staff for the late Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, as a consultant to form a coalition of area research institutions pushing back on federal funding cuts. The reductions proposed by the president would be catastrophic, Snyder said. When the presidents budget proposal came out, with a 40% reduction in the overall NIH budget, there was a sense of urgency. The resulting Pennsylvania Ad Hoc NIH Funding Advocacy Coalition is designed to bring together institutions from across the states eds and meds sector, from research and academic medical facilities to for-profit biotech companies. The Philadelphia region was hit hard by cuts to federal grants in the first few months of the Trump administration, which have faced legal challenges around the country. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Government Efficiency reported as of late June that they had terminated funding totaling $47 million for 96 grants covering a wide range of research topics at city institutions. The Trump administration has offered few explanations for the criteria it used to make the cuts. An Inquirer analysis found that the administration had particularly targeted funding for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; LGBTQ health; and health disparities research into the ways social factors like race and income affect a persons health. Some of that funding has since been returned to researchers, after a federal judge ruled that the cuts were discriminatory. Pennsylvania research institutions hoping to stave off further cuts were encouraged by the Senate Appropriations Committees bipartisan effort to reject them. At CHOP, NIH funding supports about 40% of the research underway, Peter Grollman, the hospitals senior vice president for external affairs, said in a statement. Such funding supported treatment breakthroughs like the recently announced gene-editing therapy used on KJ Muldoon, an infant whose rare liver condition was treated by personalized gene therapy at CHOP, he said. The treatment, built on decades of federally funded research, captured attention around the globe, reinforcing all that is possible when America takes the lead in fueling scientific discovery and innovation, Grollman said. Dario Altieri, president and CEO of the Wistar Institute, said about 65% of the biomedical research institutes budget comes from the NIH. So far, Wistar had not been significantly impacted by cuts to research, but he is concerned by the dramatic cuts proposed for the next fiscal year. The cuts that have been proposed are too severe, he said. It would disable the American research enterprise, not just at Wistar and in Pennsylvania but across every state. Altieri described the coalitions advocacy on behalf of scientific research as a bipartisan issue. Cancer doesnt care which political party youre in, he said. Upper Darby School District has completed its purchase of the shuttered Delaware County Memorial Hospital for $600,000, the school district said. The sale of the property next to Upper Darby High School closed Thursday. The money went to the bankruptcy estate of Prospect Medical Holdings, a California for-profit company that closed the hospital in 2022. Advertisement This acquisition provides a strategic opportunity to meet the districts current and future space needs. In the near term, the district plans to stabilize the site for potential use as swing space to support elementary school renovations, school officials said in an email. Longer term, the school district said, it hopes to use the hospital campus as an extension of the high school campus, with a focus on science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, but that could be years away. The districts goal is to expand in a way that minimizes impact on taxpayers making this a once-in-a-generation opportunity to benefit our community for decades to come," the statement said. A sale of Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park is close, according to a court notice Tuesday. No details on the buyer or the price were available. Neil Makhija (right), chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners, and Jamila Winder, vice chair, engage with Peg Eitl of Montgomery County Indivisible at a public hearing in Norristown, Wednesday, June 18, 2025. Read more When President Donald Trumps attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts began, the commissioners in Montgomery County vowed to fight for our most at-risk neighbors by creating a special task force and the countys first Office of Immigrant Affairs. While these are important actions, immigrant communities identified immediately that the county could do more to protect their rights. People started to advocate for a welcoming county policy to prevent the use of county staff and resources to collaborate with immigration enforcement, joining forces with local groups such as Unides Para Servir Norristown and the Woori Center, and regional groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, CAIR Pennsylvania, Community for Change, PA Youth Vote, Women Rise PA, various Indivisible chapters, and others. Advertisement More than 11% of Montgomery County residents approximately 94,000 people were born in another country. These people are our neighbors, teachers, healthcare workers, public servants, and small-business owners. They are an integral part of the social and economic fabric of our community. They expand our labor force, contribute to tax revenues, and increase consumer demand boosting our local economy in measurable ways. Unfortunately, the harmful and abusive tactics of recent federal immigration raids in Norristown, Conshohocken, King of Prussia, Pottstown, Ambler, Lansdale, West Norriton, and neighboring counties have created fear and uncertainty among immigrant communities. This is not only unjust but also undermines public trust and the strength of our local community. Resistance at the local level is about safety, justice, and protecting the people who make our communities whole. And every single one of us on the local level must play a part to push back on the abuse of our neighbors and this attack on our democracy. The power of the people has already created change. Montgomery County Correctional Facility will no longer honor detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers without valid judicial warrants. Commissioners now have an internal policy to bar county employees from honoring requests and sharing citizens details with ICE without a judicial warrant. These are victories won by the people. They are important steps toward creating a safer community in Montgomery County. But we can do more. The county commissioners have the opportunity to take the lead in setting a new standard for advocacy at the local level in Pennsylvania. The existing statements and policies have been issued piecemeal and are not posted publicly in any transparent way to the community, leaving them hidden from public view and vulnerable to changes without community input. This undermines local democratic principles and denies the community the opportunity to engage with their leaders directly. And the policies dont go as far as needed in these uncertain times. The commissioners should issue a formal resolution at a public meeting that comprehensively prohibits all ICE collaboration by ensuring the county is not collecting or storing any personal immigration information, and by prohibiting any new contracts or agreements with ICE. A resolution would make these policies public and transparent, and ensure there is a process in place for community input on future changes. We are calling on the commissioners to be leaders for dignity and human rights in our state; to expand the county policy and formally adopt it by resolution. The county could also play a role in modeling community empowerment for municipal leaders. Montgomery County has 62 municipalities that need to also pass local policies barring collaboration with ICE. Community for Change has initiated a welcoming township campaign that advocates for our local leaders to stand in solidarity with immigrant communities. A comprehensive welcoming policy resolution adopted by the county could lead the way for other elected officials navigating this new terrain by issuing the strongest possible policy in a transparent and empowering way. Its going to take revolutionary courage to face these threats as a community. Yes, we celebrate the huge policy wins for our neighbors, and as we continue to stand against racism and state violence, we hope the commissioners and local municipalities will continue to stand with us in codifying the policies we know will protect us all. Anthony Simpson is a lead organizer with Community for Change and the Lansdale Equality Coalition. Angelique Hinton is the executive director of PA Youth Vote. Taking refuge under Lucy the Elephant on Wednesday, are Debi and Joe Derenzi of Dingmans Ferry, Pa., whose five days in Brigantine with their grandchildren saw "not one drop" of sun and ocean restriction from Erin. Read more When the Derenzis decided to pay about $700 a night for a five-day stay in Brigantine this week, their plans did not include taking shelter from the rain under the belly of the Jersey Shores most famous pachyderm. But there they were Wednesday in Margate using Lucy the Elephant for an umbrella, after taking the tour through the six-story, tin-and-wood National Historic Landmark and hitting the gift shop. Advertisement Joe Derenzi, 72, and his wife, Debi, 70, of Dingmans Ferry in upstate Pennsylvania who were visiting with their son; daughter-in-law; and grandchildren, ages 2 and 4 allowed that as of late morning, they had seen not one drop of sun. Whats more, with the ocean in an angry state in advance of the approach of Hurricane Erin, swimming was banned in the ocean for the week. When they attempted to just stick their toes in the water, a lifeguard admonished, Nooo! (Ah, not that everyone was obeying the rules.) Still, like others interviewed on a day when the sun later would play peek-a-boo with raindrops that werent really related to Hurricane Erin hundreds of miles to the south, they accepted the conditions with a certain equanimity. They found plenty to do, including touring Lucy, board games, puzzles, and enjoying the precious time together. Said Ari Slifferman, who was preparing for a day at the beach on Harvard Avenue in Ventnor, We try to make the best of it, right? Slifferman had brought the loaded wagon, the beach chairs, and cheese puffs and was setting up a tent with his 3-year-old son as if it were just another great day at the beach. Which, in many ways, it was. Were having what my mother-in-law calls a tourist day, said Slifferman, a mediator. He has been down the Shore all summer, but they were entertaining friends who had arrived in time for Erins swimming restrictions, misty skies, and wind. No matter. Its our last week here, so were gonna just come, he said. Were pros and we know how to do it in rain or shine. The family had already gone to the Cape May County Zoo earlier in the week, and enjoyed indoor activities. Many were philosophical (especially the ones staying for free at the beach house of a relative or friend). One person joked that the weather gave the family more time to deal with intergenerational trauma, work things out. In Ocean City, Jen OMeara, 40, of Bucks County, said her children, 4 and 2, were young enough to just roll with whatever nature had in mind. Its the chance you take when you go to the beach, she said. Were able to do a lot of things we wouldnt normally do. Go to more playgrounds. Things you wouldnt normally do if you go to the beach every day. So, honestly, not bitter, she said. When you have kids, they enjoy it as much as you enjoy it. Not once have they said, Im bored. She said her family had paid about $4,200 for the week for their house. Earlier in the summer, they spent a couple of days on Long Beach Island when it was excessively hot. By contrast, the weather this week has almost been nice. You can walk the boardwalk, and youre not sweating. And, yes, they too visited Lucy. The remnants of an elephant sand sculpture on the Ventnor beach attracted the attention of Morgan McSenns four children and visiting cousins. Fiona, 7, was surprised but not especially impressed to learn that the weather came with a name: Erin. The cousins were a bit disappointed in the atmospheres behavior, but Morgan McSenn was philosophical. They have to keep the lifeguards safe, she said. I am like a weird person I dont like the sun anyway. The kids brought out chairs and dug holes and played in the wet sand. My kids are all young, so I dont mind when I tell them that, sorry, guys, the lifeguards say you cant go in the water, she said. They got wet, they got cold, they had fun. By 2:30 p.m., the sun made an appearance, and the beaches were filling up, tents were erected, and some adventurous types splashed around in the choppy ocean, like it was just another day. At 34th Street in Ocean City, a tidal pool on the beach gave a little loophole to the no-swimming restriction. And with lifeguards keeping watch, bathers interpreted those ankles deep restrictions loosely. Back under Lucys protective shelter in Margate, Joe Derenzi noted that he had logged many a dreary day at the Shore over the years, but had probably outgrown a timeworn rainy-day activity: day drinking. Were not into the bars anymore, he said, laughing. That said, Debi Derenzi added: Itd be a perfect day for it. While resilience is important, it is equally important that all solutions are considered particularly if it can be demonstrated that those solutions improve insurance affordability and deliver better value for taxpayers. Expanding the reinsurance pool to include flood cover is one option that deserves serious consideration, he said. CRC Group adds brokers to specialty divisions CRC Group has expanded its specialty divisions with the addition of two brokers. Florence DiPietro (pictured above, left) joins as a property broker on the Philadelphia team, where she will lead Mid-Atlantic growth initiatives and support complex property placements. She brings over 20 years of experience in retail brokerage and carrier markets. Electrification is the first half of the race, and intelligence is the second half. Entering 2025, marked by the widespread adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems, the automotive industrys shift toward intelligence has entered a new historical phase. In the first half of this year, Anhui surged to become the leading province in China for automobile production, new energy vehicle (NEV) output, and vehicle exports, with figures reaching 1.4995 million units, 730,900 units, and 461,000 units (including exported chassis), respectively. The development of Anhuis automotive industry stands as a prime example of Chinas automotive structural adjustment, regional economic rebalancing, and the comprehensive rise of domestic brands. It also demonstrates that Anhui has reached a new height in terms of automotive industry chain layout and technological integration capabilities. Having reached new heights, what lies ahead? At this years China EV 100 Forum, Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD Group, stated, If electrification in the first half is incremental, intelligence in the second half is disruptive. While the breakthrough in the first half relied on the penetration rate of NEVs, the second half will likely compete based on the adoption rate of advanced intelligent driving. The Playbook for the Second Half With Anhuis record production moving into the second half, can past roadmaps still guide the way? Another pressing question is: everyone talks about a bright future for automobiles, but the industry is indeed facing real and substantial challenges. Where exactly will Anhuis automotive sector go from here? What will it rely on to win the second half? Recently, Anhui provincial leaders emphasized during a survey of the NEV industry development in Hefei City that it is crucial to respect market and industrial laws, adhere to long-term technological commitment, continuously increase R&D investment intensity, and maintain a competitive advantage in the NEV sector through innovation-driven growth. Undoubtedly, the second half of Anhuis automotive industry must represent new quality productive forces, focusing on building an internationally influential innovation center for NEVs. While the scale and quantity of the industry are important, improving quality and efficiency is even more critical. Ultimately, Anhui must develop an automotive industry with distinctive brand identity and global influence. Three New Logics It is foreseeable that after reaching record production, Anhuis reassessment and rebalancing of its automotive industry will extend beyond products to influence policy regulation, regional coordination, industrial structure optimization, and market adjustments. Standing at a new starting point after record production, Anhui must break free from traditional investment attraction logic and introduce new logics and ways of thinking: Service-First Logic: Anhui must aspire to become the benchmark for government services in the Yangtze River Delta region. Automobile-Society Logic: Anhui should leverage the automotive industry to drive and promote related social consumption upgrades. Innovation-Ecology Logic: Anhui should guide car companies to leverage comparative advantages, build synergy, and empower enterprises through innovation. Looking back at the magnificent history of Anhuis automotive industry, it has truly grown from nothing to something, from weak to strong. Anhuis automotive sector must continue to forge ahead, swimming in the red ocean until the waters turn blue, embracing a vast and open sky... Source: Anhui Business Daily Filed on August 14, 2025, in the US District Court for the District of Hawaii, the case is all about whos on the hook when a policyholder faces a lawsuit and multiple insurance policies are in play. Great American, which provides umbrella and excess coverage, claims that Great Divide, the company responsible for the primary commercial general liability (CGL) policy, has walked away from its duty to defend and indemnify the Association of Apartment Owners of International Colony Club. The underlying lawsuit was brought by a condo owner, Peter Winn, who says the association blocked his renovation plans and stopped him from renting out his unit, causing him financial harm. Dougs leadership experience and expertise in technology will be a tremendous asset to Texas Mutuals board, said Jeanette Ward, president and CEO of Texas Mutual. As a policyholder-owned company, our board and leadership team remain dedicated to serving Texas businesses and their employees, and we look forward to benefiting from Dougs insights as we continue advancing our mission. The fatal explosion last week at U.S. Steels Pittsburgh-area coal-processing plant has revived debate about its future just as the iconic American company was emerging from a long period of uncertainty. The fortunes of steelmaking in the U.S. along with profits, share prices and steel prices have been buoyed by years of friendly administrations in Washington that slapped tariffs on foreign imports and bolstered the industrys anti-competitive trade cases against China. Most recently, President Donald Trumps administration postponed new hazardous air pollution requirements for the nations roughly dozen coke plants, like Clairton, and he approved U.S. Steels nearly $15 billion acquisition by Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel. Nippon Steels promised infusion of cash has brought vows that steelmaking will continue in the Mon Valley, a river valley south of Pittsburgh long synonymous with steelmaking. Were investing money here. And we wouldnt have done the deal with Nippon Steel if we werent absolutely sure that we were going to have an enduring future here in the Mon Valley, David Burritt, U.S. Steels CEO, told a news conference the day after the explosion. You can count on this facility to be around for a long, long time. Will the explosion change anything? The explosion killed two workers and hospitalized 10 with a blast so powerful that it took hours to find two missing workers beneath charred wreckage and rubble. The cause is under investigation. The plant is considered the largest coking operation in North America and, along with a blast furnace and finishing mill up the Monongahela River, is one of a handful of integrated steelmaking operations left in the U.S. The explosion now could test Nippon Steels resolve in propping up the nearly 110-year-old Clairton plant, or at least force it to spend more than it had anticipated. Nippon Steel didnt respond to a question as to whether the explosion will change its approach to the plant. Rather, a spokesperson for the company said its commitment to the Mon Valley remains strong and that it sent technical experts to work with the local teams in the Clairton Plant, and to provide our full support. Meanwhile, Burritt said he had talked to top Nippon Steel officials after the explosion and that this facility and the Mon Valley are here to stay. U.S. Steel officials maintain that safety is their top priority and that they spend $100 million a year on environmental compliance at Clairton alone. However, repairing Clairton could be expensive, an investigation into the explosion could turn up more problems, and an official from the United Steelworkers union said its a constant struggle to get U.S. Steel to invest in its plants. Besides that, production at the facility could be affected for some time. The plant has six batteries of ovens and two where the explosion occurred were damaged. Two others are on a reduced production schedule because of the explosion. There is no timeline to get the damaged batteries running again, U.S. Steel said. Accidents are nothing new at Clairton Accidents are nothing new at Clairton, which heats coal to high temperatures to make coke, a key component in steelmaking, and produces combustible gases as byproducts. An explosion in February injured two workers. Even as Nippon Steel was closing the deal in June, a breakdown at the plant dealt three days of a rotten egg odor into the air around it from elevated hydrogen sulfide emissions, the environmental group GASP reported. The Breathe Project, a public health organization, said U.S. Steel has been forced to pay $57 million in fines and settlements since Jan. 1, 2020, for problems at the Clairton plant. A lawsuit over a Christmas Eve fire at the Clairton plant in 2018 that saturated the areas air for weeks with sulfur dioxide produced a withering assessment of conditions there. An engineer for the environmental groups that sued wrote that he found no indication that U.S. Steel has an effective, comprehensive maintenance program for the Clairton plant. The Clairton plant, he wrote, is inherently dangerous because of the combination of its deficient maintenance and its defective design. U.S. Steel settled, agreeing to spend millions on upgrades. Matthew Mehalik, executive director of the Breathe Project, said U.S. Steel has shown more willingness to spend money on fines, lobbying the government and buying back shares to reward shareholders than making its plants safe. Will Clairton be modernized? Its not clear whether Nippon Steel will change Clairton. Central to Trumps approval of the acquisition was Nippon Steels promises to invest $11 billion into U.S. Steels aging plants and to give the federal government a say in decisions involving domestic steel production, including plant closings. But much of the $2.2 billion that Nippon Steel has earmarked for the Mon Valley plants is expected to go toward upgrading the finishing mill, or building a new one. For years before the acquisition, U.S. Steel had signaled that the Mon Valley was on the chopping block. That left workers there uncertain whether theyd have jobs in a couple years and whispering that U.S. Steel couldnt fill openings because nobody believed the jobs would exist much longer. Relics of steelmakings past In many ways, U.S. Steels Mon Valley plants are relics of steelmakings past. In the early 1970s, U.S. steel production led the world and was at an all-time high, thanks to 62 coke plants that fed 141 blast furnaces. Nobody in the U.S. has opened a new blast furnace in decades, as foreign competition devastated the American steel industry and coal fell out of favor. Now, China is dominant in steel and heavily invested in coal-based steelmaking. In the U.S., there are barely a dozen coke plants and blast furnaces left, as the countrys steelmaking has shifted to cheaper electric arc furnaces that use electricity, not coal. Blast furnaces wont entirely go away, analysts say, since they produce metals that are preferred by automakers, appliance makers and oil and gas exploration firms. Still, Christopher Briem, an economist at the University of Pittsburghs Center for Social and Urban Research, questioned whether the Clairton plant really will survive much longer, given its age and condition. It could be particularly vulnerable if the economy slides into recession or the fundamentals of the American steel market shift, he said. Im not quite sure its all set in stone as people believe, Briem said. If the market does not bode well for U.S. Steel, for American steel, is Nippon Steel really going to keep these things? Photo: A portion of the Clairton Coke Works, a U.S. Steel plant, is seen Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 in Clairton, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics USA Trends Marylands first-in-the-nation tax on digital advertising violated the Constitution, a federal appeals court says, because blocking Big Tech from telling customers about the tax violates the companies right to free speech. Supporters say Maryland needed to overhaul its tax methods in response to significant changes in how businesses advertise. The tax focuses on large companies that make money advertising on the internet such as Meta, Google and Amazon, who say theyre being unfairly targeted. The ongoing legal fight is being watched by other states that are considering taxes for online ads. Maryland estimated the tax could raise about $250 million a year to help pay for a sweeping K-12 education measure. Marylands law says the companies must not only pay the tax, but avoid telling customers how it affects pricing, with no line items, surcharges or fees, said the appeals court Friday in siding with trade associations fighting the tax. Judge Julius Richardson cited the Colonial-era Stamp Act, which helped spark the Revolutionary War, and wrote that criticizing the government for taxes or anything else is important discourse in a democratic society. The plaintiffs contended Maryland lawmakers were trying to insulate themselves from criticism and political accountability by forbidding companies from explaining the tax to their customers. A state cannot duck criticism by silencing those affected by its tax, the judge wrote. The unanimous ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverses a decision by U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby and sends the case back to her with instructions to consider an appropriate remedy in light of the panels decision. Trade groups praised the decision. Maryland tried to prevent criticism of its tax scheme, and the Fourth Circuit recognized that tactic for what it was: censorship, said Paul Taske, co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, said in a statement. Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, who is the defendant in the case, and the Maryland attorney generals office, who is representing the state, declined to comment Monday. The law has been challenged in multiple legal venues, including Maryland Tax Court, where the case is ongoing. The law imposes a tax based on global annual gross revenues for companies that make more than $100 million globally. Under the law, the tax rate is 2.5% for businesses making more than $100 million in global gross annual revenue; 5% for companies making $1 billion or more; 7.5% for companies making $5 billion or more and 10% for companies making $15 billion or more. The Maryland General Assembly, which is controlled by Democrats, overrode a veto of the legislation in 2021 by then-Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics InsurTech Tech Maryland Solar and wind energy companies are betting on a novel form of insurance to protect their assets against wild and volatile weather the very type of climate risk they were set up to fight. Renewable power projects can lose substantial revenue if the wind fails to blow, if clouds block the sun, or when a hurricane slams into expensive infrastructure. To protect against such climate-induced losses, many owners are turning to parametric insurance, a product providing rapid compensation when certain weather-related metrics are met. The downside is that if the pre-defined trigger is missed by even a tiny amount, there is no payout. And the money thats paid may end up covering only a small portion of actual losses. Even so, more clean-energy companies are using parametric insurance to supplement traditional indemnity programs. Its definitely an area we see growing massively, said Marcel-Steffen Reif, global head of weather and AgRisk Partners at reinsurer Munich Re. The shift is being driven by the rising impact of global warming on green assets. In Texas, solar farms are routinely battered by hail, while wind farms suffer massive damage during winter storms. Australia is seeing lower wind speeds in some areas and more cloud cover in others. Nearly half of Europes renewable power capacity will be at critical risk from extreme weather unless more is done to protect them, according to Zurich Insurance Group AG. Read more: Insured Losses From US Hurricanes Could Rise by 50% With Global Warming Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei have witnessed large declines in solar irradiation, and Qatar and Kuwait have seen a slump in wind speed this century, according to Copernicus Climate Change Service data analyzed by Bloomberg. The threat is especially severe in India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modis plan to more than double renewable energy capacity by 2030 could be undermined by the countrys high susceptibility to wind droughts and reduced solar irradiation. Wind power generation there fell by 0.77 petawatt-hour per decade between 1980 and 2016, according to a 2018 study, as a lower differential between temperatures on land and the Indian Ocean sea slowed wind flows. Such unpredictability increases the amount of equity needed to fund a project, which is obviously a barrier to development, said Iain Staffell, associate professor in sustainable energy at Imperial College London. A few years ago, ReNew Energy Global Plc bought parametric insurance for a modest-sized project, seeking to protect revenues from a potential drop in wind speed. But when it made a claim, the insurer declined to pay, saying the fault lay with a faulty turbine instead of variable weather. Renew says the lack of a payout discouraged it from buying parametric cover for larger projects. Wind has continued to underperform in the last three to four years so the declines will have to be significantly worse to get insurers to pay out, said Kailash Vaswani, chief financial officer of ReNew. Its basically heads they win, tails you lose. Some clean-energy companies worry about the cost. Actis GP LLP, which manages $108 billion in assets together with parent General Atlantic, is in discussions with insurers to see whether the pricing level justifies the risk coverage, said Abhishek Bansal, managing director for energy infrastructure at Actis. Read More: Hedge Fund Strategy Built on Catastrophes Taps a Hot New Trend Parametrics Foreign insurers, nonetheless, see a growing opportunity in emerging markets. Munich Re says it has received first requests from clean energy companies in India and China. Willis Towers Watson Plc says it has seen a doubling of demand from Indian developers since 2023. Paris-based Descartes Underwriting is pitching wind parametric products in several developing countries. Theres no comparable product in the traditional markets, said Christopher Au, director, climate practice and alternative risk transfer solutions for Asia Pacific at WTW. Banks are setting requirements for some assets to be insured, which is an important motivating factor for developers, he said. The promise of speedy payouts has made parametric deals especially popular as a hedge against losses tied to the physical impact of global warming everything from more intense wind gusts that dislodge solar panels, to more frequent lightning strikes that damage turbines. When Typhoon Rai hit the Philippines in late 2021, Aboitiz Power Corp. was able to collect a parametric payout within 30 days and quickly repair the damage caused to its renewable energy assets. Extreme weather events are more severe and more frequent in the Asia region, said Jeong Won Kim, senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore. In time, more and more parametric insurance products will emerge to help the renewables sector cope with the risk, she said. Photograph: Wind turbines off a national highway in Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, India on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. India, the worlds most-populous nation, has signaled it will reduce its dependence on the fossil fuel, but growing energy needs complicate the equation. Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/Bloomberg Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Climate Change Coalition, the San Francisco-based cyber managing general agent and cybersecurity firm, announced the launch of its Active Cyber Insurance in France through its subsidiary, Coalition Insurance Solutions GmbH. French companies with revenues of up to 1 billion can now access innovative cyber risk management and cyber insurance coverage on a primary basis, Coalition said, noting that capacity is provided by Allianz Commercial via Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE (AGCS) in a multi-year agreement. Coalitions Active Insurance combines comprehensive cyber insurance with internal technical cybersecurity knowledge, technologies, and services for a completely integrated approach to risk, commented Tine Simonsen, Coalitions head of Insurance, Continental Europe. As global cyber threats grow, French businesses small businesses especially need an experienced and innovative insurance provider that not only helps mitigate financial losses, but also equips them with the cybersecurity tools necessary to better understand their risks, strengthen their defenses, and prevent future attacks, Simonsen added. To support the launch of its French operations, Coalition announced the appointment of Benjamin Bares as its head of Business Development for France. He joins with more than 20 years of industry experience, most recently as director of Direct Sales and Partnerships at Hiscox Assurances France. Bares will be supported by a team that includes Frederic Gatte as director of Underwriting with strong cyber expertise gained from his recent positions at Onda and Diot Siaci, and Production Underwriter Tom Paparella, who transfers from Coalitions U.S. team. The company plans to expand its workforce in several French cities. To learn about open positions at Coalition, cyber professionals can visit: https://www.coalitioninc.com/careers. Through Active Insurance, policyholders can identify, mitigate, and respond to emerging cyber threats before they escalate into full-blown attacks. The company delivers end-to-end protection backed by in-house technical expertise, cutting-edge technologies, and expert support services focused exclusively on cybersecurity. Coalitions proprietary cyber risk management platform, Coalition Control, provides insured companies with a complete assessment of their exposure and risk, said the company, explaining that insureds also receive alerts about vulnerabilities and cyber threats as they emerge. Businesses can also access security services, including employee security awareness training and managed detection and response (MDR). In the event of an incident, Coalitions claims and incident response teams are available 24/7. Source: Coalition Topics Cyber New Markets Insurance Wholesale JPMorgan Chase & Co. lost an attempt to stop an 85-year-old widow from pursuing claims in arbitration that the company failed to prevent her son from siphoning more than $8 million from her bank accounts. The widow, Susan Kraus, in October filed a claim with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority against JPMorgan and several other financial institutions seeking to recover the millions of dollars that her son, Brett Graham, had taken from her accounts following her husbands death in 2017. Finra determined that the claims should be heard behind closed doors in arbitration under its bylaws, and JPMorgan subsequently sued Kraus in federal court in New York seeking to stop the proceedings. The bank argued that she was never technically a customer of JPMorgan Securities since the dispute is over checking and savings accounts that arent under the jurisdiction of Finra. The company said the claims should bed decided in court or by a non-Finra arbitration panel. On Monday, US District Judge Jesse Furman dismissed JPMorgans suit, saying the arbitrators themselves have to decide where her claims should be heard. The bank could have refused the arbitration and sought immediate relief in court, Furman said, but instead sought to throw out the Finra arbitration proceeding, a request that was denied. Having made that choice (not to mention, having already submitted the question to the Finra arbitrators and lost), JPMS may not now obtain relief from a court, the judge said. Wall Street firms are facing increasing scrutiny over whether they can be held responsible for losses by clients whose ability to understand their investments has been compromised as American retirees are living longer while sitting atop a record stockpile of wealth. While financial institutions screen customers to ensure theyre sophisticated enough to make complex investments, practices for monitoring their cognition as they age are less regimented. Money laundering and wire fraud happen at financial institutions and we have alleged these financial institutions either dont have appropriate policies in place or didnt follow them to protect a senior in need, said Kraus lawyer, Jenice Malecki. A spokesperson for JPMorgan had no immediate comment on the decision. A federal judge in Boston in October threw out a lawsuit against JPMorgan filed by a once-wealthy client whose portfolio disintegrated as he slid into dementia, saying it didnt appear JPMorgan knew about the clients deteriorating cognition over the years in which he lost a fortune the firm had pegged at more than $50 million. Graham pleaded guilty in Miami in May to wire fraud for defrauding his mother out of about $8.4 million as part of a deal with prosecutors. He faces as long as 20 years in prison at sentencing, which is scheduled for September. Prosecutors said that Graham began helping his mother in 2017 after she became a widow and began transferring money from her accounts into his own checking account starting in September 2019. The government alleged that he told her financial adviser that he was making investments on her behalf and paying for medical care, when instead he was spending it on himself and others including purchases of art and jewelry. Kraus has also sued Graham in state court in California. The case is JPMorgan Chase Bank NA v.Kraus, 25-cv-745, US District Court, Southern District of New York. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Claims Tesla must face a certified class action by California drivers who said Elon Musk misled them for eight years about the self-driving capabilities of his companys electric vehicles. U.S. District Judge Rita Lin said the common question of whether Tesla lacked sensors to achieve high-level autonomy plus its inability to demonstrate a long-distance autonomous drive with any of its vehicles justified group lawsuits by two sets of drivers who bought its Full Self-Driving technology package. In her decision on Monday, the San Francisco-based judge also said thousands of people likely saw Teslas claim in the Autopilot section of its website from October 2016 to August 2024 that its vehicles contained hardware for full self-driving. Tesla made a similar claim in a blog post, newsletter and quarterly earnings call, as did Musk at a 2016 press conference. While these channels alone may not ordinarily be enough to establish class-wide exposure for a traditional car manufacturer, Teslas distinctive advertising strategy warrants a departure from the typical approach, Lin wrote. Tesla does not use mass advertising or independent dealers, and Lin said it was reasonable to infer that class members interested in Full Self-Driving technology went to Teslas website to get information. Lawyers for Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. The Austin, Texas-based company had said it was unreasonable to assume all class members saw the challenged statements, and there was no common proof the statements were material. Class actions can allow larger recoveries at lower cost than if plaintiffs were forced to sue individually. The California classes include drivers who bought the Full Self-Driving package from May 19, 2017, to July 31, 2024, and opted out of Teslas arbitration agreement, and drivers who bought the package from October 20, 2016, to May 19, 2017. Lin refused to certify a class of drivers who bought Teslas Enhanced Autopilot package because its core product qualities did not require full self-driving functionality, making Teslas alleged false statements immaterial to purchasing decisions. Federal officials have examined whether Teslas full self- driving software is safe. The software is also a key component of Teslas robotaxis. The case is In re Tesla Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 22-05240. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Mark Porter) Photo: Tesla Interior NewModelY_91 Photo from Tesla. Topics Lawsuits Legislation Claims Personal Auto Tesla Doug Cogan, of Cypress, Texas, has been elected to the Texas Mutual Insurance Company board of directors. He was elected at the companys annual policyholder meeting. Cogans board terms for Texas Mutual, the states leading provider of workers compensation insurance, are set to expire in 2031. Cogan joins the Texas Mutual board after the departure of Danny Phillips, who served on the board since 2012. Cogan is a retired partner from the professional services firm PwC, and as a global executive, he has worked in over 40 countries, serving Fortune 250 companies and IPOs in sectors including technology, energy, pharmaceuticals and financial services. He is a senior leader with extensive experience in complex technology transformations across various industries. Cogan has a proven track record of consulting with executive management teams and boards of directors, simplifying complex initiatives and developing strategies to mitigate potential risks. With a passion for people and new technology, Cogan currently provides consultation for artificial intelligence initiatives and serves as a board member for both a private company and a nonprofit entity. Texas Mutuals board members represent a diverse mix of Texas industries and regions. The Governor, with the advice and consent of the Texas Senate, appoints five of the nine directors, including the chair. Policyholders elect the other four directors. Topics Texas Consumer advocates in the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation report recovering $1.2 for residents, bringing the year-to-date total to more than $3.7 million. In the second quarter, consumer advocates reported getting 1,367 complaints, with insurance complaints leading the way with 831 in the quarter. Mortgage service and credit union complaints were the next highest in the areas DFR regulates with 53. Examples of consumer complaints that were resolved by DFR advocates in the quarter include: A consumer who experienced a fire loss in 2024 filed a complaint. After a discussion, the insurer contacted the contractor to resolve outstanding items, which resulted in an additional $75,224.29 issued for the repair and rebuild of the home. A complaint was filed to address claim difficulties after a water loss due to the 2024 ice storm. The homeowner was displaced and had to use additional living expenses coverage. Initial claim delays evolved into disputed cost differences between repair estimates. After several months of discussion with the insurer, a final settlement was reached, resulting in a payout of $488,298. A borrower who the DFR student loan ombuds helped in 2024 reached out to say she had $34,000 in private debt canceled as a result of filing a complaint with DFR. The servicer offered her a predatory school discharge application that she was not aware existed to resolve her complaint. Here is the list of complaints through the first two quarters of 2025: Business Quarter 1 2025 (January to March) Quarter 2 (April to June) Total through June Banking 14 12 26 Check casher 1 0 1 Collection agency 8 4 12 Consumer finance 15 8 23 Credit services 0 1 1 Credit union 48 53 101 Debt buyer 2 0 2 Debt management service provider 1 2 3 Insurance 868 831 1,699 Manufactured structure dealer 1 2 3 Money transmitter 18 22 40 Mortgage banker/broker 5 10 15 Mortgage servicer 55 53 108 Other 2 2 4 Pawn broker 2 2 4 Payday Loans 1 1 2 Pre-need provider 1 0 1 Securities 23 24 47 Student loan 31 42 73 Virtual currency 0 2 2 Not regulated by DFR: All Other 57 53 110 Not regulated by DFR: Banking 17 13 30 Not regulated by DFR: Credit unions 4 4 8 Not regulated by DFR: Insurance 250 226 476 Total complaints: 1,431 1,367 2,798 Recoveries $2,492,226 $1,234,499 $3,726,725 Topics Oregon Trucordia, headquartered in Lindon, Utah, promoted Leslie Greve to senior vice president of marketing. Greve previously served as vice president of marketing. Greve will continue to support the growth of the business along with the Trucordia brand among clients, insurance carriers, prospective acquisitions, the media and other key stakeholders. Californias clean-air regulator is pressing ahead with work on new rules for auto emissions in the state and possible new tax credits for electric cars to counter the Trump administrations effort to corral the states regulatory heft. The California Air Resources Board and five other agencies recommended the state backfill the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles that is currently set to expire in late September. Although funding would be subject to available resources, vouchers, rebates or other incentives would help support sales and expand the availability of used EVs, the agencies said in a report released Tuesday. The recommendation is one of several identified by the agencies to help support adoption of zero-emission vehicles in response to a June executive order from California Governor Gavin Newsom. Liane Randolph, chair of the states air resources board, said the agency is also starting the process of crafting a new set of emission rules for automobiles. Its important for California to do everything it can within our authority to not have to depend on the federal government to reduce tailpipe emissions from cars, she said. The effort is in an early stage. Randolph said it can take as much as three years to finalize new standards. The push is part of an ongoing battle between California and the Trump administration over the states authority to regulate carbon emissions from automobiles. President Donald Trump in June signed a measure to repeal waivers granted under former President Joe Biden that allowed California to set automobile pollution standards that are more stringent than federal requirements. In response, California and several states sued to block the maneuver, which terminated California regulations that would have banned the sale of gasoline-powered cars in 2035. Newsom also directed CARB to begin working on new rules to either build on that policy or act as an alternative if a court upholds the Trump administrations actions. Randolph said California could lose several years of emission reductions due to the federal governments rollback efforts, which she called illegal. Other recommendations in the report released Tuesday include building more charging stations along major travel corridors and exploring options to give electric cars special access to carpool lanes on highways in the state. That privilege is set to end after September, after Congress did not extend a federal program that allows states to grant exemptions to carpool lane rules that normally limit access to vehicles with multiple passengers. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics California Auto Pollution A days-long heat wave rolling across parts of the US West is expected to ramp up wildfire risk, prompting California to pre-deploy crews as record-dry vegetation potentially acts as kindling for blazes. Temperatures in Southern California are expected to spike into the 90s and 100s Fahrenheit (32-38 Celsius) by Thursday and remain stubbornly high into the weekend, possibly breaking daily temperature records in some areas, according to the US Weather Prediction Center. That heat combined with plummeting humidity and a chance of thunderstorms resulting from unstable air over nearby mountain ranges will create dangerous conditions for brush fires to start or spread. Theres pretty high concern because vegetation in some spots is at record dry values for August, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California system, adding that grasses and plants that flourished during previous rainy winters in Southern California have gradually dried out over the past year. Wildfires in the US West have been growing more intense as climate change triggers longer droughts punctuated by heavy rains that feed vegetation and raise the risk of mudslides on fire-scarred terrain. Southern California is still reeling from deadly fires in January, which destroyed thousands of homes in and around Los Angeles. Related: Europes Wildfires Have Burned the Most Land in Nearly 20 Years Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that he has directed Californias Office of Emergency Services to dispatch fire engines, helicopters, bulldozers and firefighting crews to stand by in five counties, including Los Angeles and Ventura, in case a blaze erupts during this week. Crews have already battled numerous brush fires in the Los Angeles area this month, including one that forced evacuations and consumed more than 130,000 acres. While brush fires can occur year-round in Southern California, they typically peak in early fall. Beyond California, intense heat is also expected to set in across the US Southwest and High Plains. Daytime temperatures could reach 10F to 15F above normal with little cooling overnight, said Zack Taylor, a meteorologist with the US Weather Prediction Center. Daytime highs are set to reach 112F (44C) in Phoenix and 110F (38C) in Las Vegas. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters California Wildfire Hundreds of Kneecap supporters waving flags and holding banners have greeted one of the rap trios members as he arrived at court for allegedly supporting a proscribed terror organisation. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in November last year. Demonstrations in support of the rapper were organised outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London where he arrived on Wednesday, as well as in Dublin. The Metropolitan Police has imposed conditions limiting where the demonstration outside the court can take place, saying they are needed to prevent serious disruption. Mr O hAnnaidh, who arrived at court alongside fellow bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, was swamped by photographers outside, with security officers taking more than a minute to usher him into the court building. Mr O Caireallain and Mr O Dochartaigh sat at the back of the courtroom with three others as Mr O hAnnaidh confirmed his name, date of birth and address to the court at the start of the hearing. Brenda Campbell KC told the court the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on May 21. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said permission was not required until the defendants first court appearance. Hundreds of supporters greeted the Kneecap rapper with cheers as he made his way from a silver people-carrier to the building. Fans held signs which read Free Mo Chara while others waved Palestine and Irish flags before the rappers arrival at court. Supporters await the arrival of Kneecap's Liam Og O hAnnaidh outside Westminster Magistrates' Court, London, where he is charged with a terrorism offence. Picture: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire Chants of free, free, Mo Chara could also be heard over a megaphone, which was repeated by the crowd. In response to the Met imposing conditions on the protest, Kneecap described this move as a calculated political decision that was designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome, and asked supporters to go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful. Mr O hAnnaidh received a rockstar welcome when he appeared at the same court in June, supported by fellow bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh. Kneecap's Liam Og O hAnnaidh (centre blue cap) arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London, where he is charged with a terrorism offence. Picture: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire He was greeted by a festival-like atmosphere for his first court appearance, with dozens of fans waving flags, playing drums and one supporter setting off a smoke canister. The court previously heard the 27-year-old defendant is well within his rights to voice his opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, was a wholly different thing. Mr O hAnnaidh is yet to enter a plea to the charge. The Irish fashion entrepreneur found dead on a yacht in New York was remembered as a shining light whose positive presence touched everyone she met. Martha Nolan OSlatarra, 33, was found unresponsive on a boat at Montauk Yacht Club in East Hampton, Long Island, on August 5 and was later pronounced dead by emergency services. Martha had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into, her partner Nick said at her requiem Mass in the Cathedral of the Assumption in her native Carlow on Wednesday morning. One couldnt help but feel her positive presence in every space she entered. Martha had a way of putting the people she loved first. She loved helping people. Nick described her as a shoulder to lean on, someone who reminded loved ones to look at the good in life. Weve all been lucky to have known Martha and we must live every day forward with her in our hearts, he said. The hearse carrying the coffin of Martha Nolan O'Slatarra arrives at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, ahead of her funeral service. Pictures: Niall Carson/PA Wire Her sister Jacqui described her beautiful sister as her greatest teacher in life. I didnt always see you but I always knew you were there, she said. Growing up with you was like having a built-in best friend. From sharing secrets to late night talks, weve been through it all together. Through thick and thin, a sisters love is consistent. We know each others quirks, dreams and fears. The bond between us sisters is unique and unbreakable. You will be in my heart forever Martha. Heres to the sisters, the ones who make life brighter. Mourners embrace following the funeral of Martha Nolan O'Slatarra at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire A passport, representing Marthas love of travel, and an item from her fashion brand, East x East, symbolising her legacy, were brought to the altar. Mourners also brought a copy of St Marthas prayer, which her mother Elma recites every Tuesday, along with a photo reflecting her inner and outer beauty, her makeup bag and brushes, a tin whistle symbolising her love of music, and Irish and US flags. These were described as symbols of Marthas life a short life, but a packed one, Father Thomas OByrne said. We pray for Martha who was taken too soon, one mourner said through tears. The coffin of Martha Nolan O'Slatarra is carried out of the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, following her funeral service. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire Irish song The Parting Glass was sung as her coffin was carried from the cathedral to St Marys Cemetery for burial. Ms Nolan OSlatarra, a 33-year-old entrepreneur from Monacurragh, Co Carlow, worked in Ireland until 2015 before emigrating to the United States. She founded East x East, a luxury brand selling sunglasses, swimwear, and resort wear for men and women. Her funeral notice on RIP.ie described her as the beloved daughter of Elma, much loved sister of Jacqui, treasured granddaughter of Betty and Liam, cherished niece of John, Michelle, Barry and Mona and adored partner of Nick. The hearse carrying the coffin of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra leaves the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, following her funeral service. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire Mystery surrounds her sudden death, which Suffolk County police are investigating. In the early hours of August 4, a man called for help after finding Ms Nolan OSlatarra unconscious on a yacht docked at Montauk Yacht Club. Despite urgent attempts to revive her, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said there was no sign of violence. An autopsy was inconclusive, and further toxicology and histology tests are ongoing. A final report is expected to take at least three months. The board of management of a primary school in Westmeath has been ordered to pay 85,000 compensation to a teacher who was discriminated against while on maternity leave with entirely inappropriate remarks made by its principal during a job interview. The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that teacher, Emily Williams, has been discriminated against on grounds of family status by the board of management of St Tolas National School, Delvin, Co Westmeath. The WRC found that the board of management had breached the Employment Equality Act 1998 over its treatment of Ms Williams in relation to a series of appointments at the school last year. It concluded that the schools principal, Eileen Smyth, had made entirely inappropriate remarks to the teacher about her family status during an interview process which may have had an adverse impact on the outcome for Ms Williams. It also found that the school had failed to provide any evidence to explain why a candidate with less experience than the teacher had been awarded a fixed-term contract. The WRC heard that Ms Williams had not been notified or considered for a contract of indefinite duration (CID) at the school during 2024 while she was on maternity leave, despite being eligible for the role. Ms Williams said she only found out about the vacancy when she was talking to her colleague who got the CID role about upcoming fixed-term contract interviews. The school claimed the other teacher had been appointed because she had scored higher in a previous interview process for a fixed-term contract and was given the role on the basis of order of merit. The WRC also heard that the fixed-term contract post had been given to another colleague who was not on maternity leave at the time and who was less experienced than her. Ms Williams said she had been congratulated by the schools principal at the conclusion of an interview for a fixed-term teaching position on June 18, 2024, on the birth of her daughter. Ms Williams said she found it unprofessional that her maternity leave was discussed in front of the interview panel when Ms Smyth had remarked: You really should enjoy every moment at home with the baby. The teacher, who found out the following day that she had been unsuccessful in her job application, said it also seemed to be a hint at her not receiving the position. Ms William said a teacher who had only provided ad hoc cover at the school had got the position while she had worked at St Tolas for two full years. Ms Smyth told the WRC that her comments were merely expressing good wishes to Ms Williams on the first occasion she had seen her since the birth of her daughter and that they had no bearing on the outcome of the interview. WRC ruling WRC adjudication officer, Patricia Owens, said she was satisfied that the teacher had discharged the burden to establish a prima facie case of discrimination. Ms Owens said the school had claimed that the CID was awarded to the candidate with the highest score from a previous interview in line with its policy. However, Ms Owens said no such policy existed and the school had provided no satisfactory explanation for its decision. She said it was clear that neither policy nor precedent was relied on in deciding to award a CID which was made outside the lifetime of a panel of candidates from a previous interview process. Ms Owens noted that Ms Williams equal entitlement to be considered for the position had been disregarded even to the point where the respondent believed she had no right to be informed that there was a viable CID available. In relation to the principals remarks during the interview for the fixed-term contract, the WRC adjudicator noted that the independent assessor had not been aware the teacher was on maternity leave before they were made. Ms Owens said she appreciated that Ms Smyth might have intended to pass on her well wishes to Ms Williams but observed that the interview process had not been completed. More importantly she said the scoring of candidates had not been completed. The WRC heard that all three members of the interview board had scored the other candidate higher than Ms Williams. However, she said one score for Ms Williams had been reduced but not adequately explained by the boards chairperson, Fr Seamus Heaney. The WRC heard that the priest had initially scored Ms Williams two points higher than the successful candidate on commitment to values, traditions and ethos, but then amended his score to one point lower. Ms Owens also observed that Ms Williams had been marked lower on classroom management and administration and awareness of school procedures than a candidate with ad hoc experience. Awarding Ms Williams compensation of 85,000, the WRC adjudicator said the failure of the schools to provide evidence why a candidate with less experience had got the role was fatal to its defence that it had not discriminated against the teacher. Ms Owens said the amount of the award must provide a real deterrent against future infractions. French authorities are investigating the death of a man during a live video stream on the Kick platform, where he had regularly been shown enduring violence and humiliation. Prosecutors ordered an autopsy and opened an investigation into the death of the man, aged 46, in the village of Contes, north of Nice, on Monday. Frances junior minister for AI and digital technology, Clara Chappaz, said Raphael Graven, known online as Jean Pormanove, had featured regularly in videos on Kick, where he was physically assaulted or humiliated by co-streamers as viewers watched live. The death of Jean Pormanove and the violence he suffered are absolutely horrific, Chappaz wrote on X. Kick Francais said it would co-operate with authorities and was undertaking a review of its French content. Our priority is to protect creators and ensure a safer environment on Kick, it wrote on X. All co-streamers who participated in this live broadcast have been banned pending the ongoing investigation. Kick is a live-streaming platform registered in Australia that shares revenue with its content creators. Chappaz said a judicial investigation was under way and that she had referred the matter to digital and audiovisual communication regulator Arcom and filed a report to Pharos, Frances internet portal for reporting illicit internet content. She also said she had asked Kick for explanations. The responsibility of online platforms for dissemination of illegal content is not optional, it is the law, she said. Yassin Sadouni, a lawyer for one of two co-streamers seen abusing Pormanove, told BFM television the victim had cardiovascular problems and that the violence in the videos was acted. All those scenes are just staged, they follow a script, he said. French media have shown excerpts of hours-long videos during which Pormanove is seen suffering blows, insults, strangulation, dousing with paint and oil and being shot at with a paintball gun. It was not clear from the excerpts whether Pormanove had subjected himself to the violence voluntarily or was forced to endure it, nor whether the action was real or staged. Drake and US streamer Adin Ross have reportedly agreed to take care of the funeral costs, as the pair have worked on charity streams together in the past. "This is horrible and disgusting. Whoever was apart [sic] of this deserves to face severe consequences. I just spoke with drake. Drake and I will be covering the funeral costs , this wont bring his life back, its the least we can do. Prayers go out to Jeans family," Ross wrote on X. It was the biggest maritime event to happen in an East Cork town since the filming of the Hollywood classic Moby Dick in 1954. They had another whale of a time in Youghal on Wednesday after it celebrated the arrival of its very first cruise liner. Hundreds lined the towns quays to greet passengers who disembarked on tenders from the French-owned Le Bellot, which anchored out in the bay. Members of Cobh Heritage Vintage Era group in period costume at the welcome reception. There was a carnival atmosphere as passengers French, Spanish, British and American came ashore and each was given a small lucky old Irish hen penny' present sponsored by Youghal Chamber of Tourism and Development and Perks family entertainment centre. Theres been a great turnout in the town for this. We badly need more tourism and hopeful cruise liner visits will add to it. We've our second liner coming in on August 28 and already a booking for one next May, chamber president Kay Curtin said. The visits origins lie in a director of Ponant, which owns Le Bellot, being highly taken by Youghal during a first visit in his yacht. Youghal was included in the small ship Celtic Cruise route, which also includes towns like Kinsale, Castletownbere and Baltimore. Traditional Irish dancing and music was provided for the visitors by the local Bru na Si Cultural Centre. Members of the Cobh Heritage Vintage Era Group were also present in resplendent Victorian-era costume to greet them. Alex, Jacob, Brooke and Sophia were in Youghal to meet passengers coming ashore. Seasoned American traveller Stephen Donnelly from Florida, whose father was from Co Tyrone, took pictures of the welcoming parties. I've never seen a reception like this at any port. It's exciting and really wonderful, he said. Some visitors went on walking tours of the town and the recently opened Midleton-Youghal greenway. Others went by coach to the Jameson whiskey distillery in Midleton. Stella Sheehan, a member of the Cobh Heritage Vintage Era Group, said every day a cruise liner visits her hometown its buzzing. We had nearly 100 liners this year and it's great for the local economy. We hope it's the start of a similar boost for Youghal, she said. Young dancers from Youghal Comhaltas dancing at the welcome reception. Cruise liners are coming to more places in Co Cork, with numbers up in Bantry, Glengarriff and especially in Kinsale. It was a very nostalgic day for Mayor of Cork Mary Linehan-Foley, who greeted all the visitors. She was born just yards from their arrival point, in the Moby Dick pub, which was owned by her late father, Paddy Linehan. When the famous film of that name, directed by the legendary John Huston and starring Gregory Peck, was shot in Youghal it provided locals with a huge economic boost. Ten full trains of people came every day from Cork City to see the filming. Adult extras got 2 per day and children 15 shillings a small fortune back then. I was very impressed by the crowds that turned out to meet our visitors. They got a welcome everywhere they went. Its very special for me as mayor having been brought up in Moby Dicks pub. "There probably hasnt been so much maritime excitement here since that was filmed and hopefully this will be the start of a new form of tourism which will benefit Youghals economy in the years ahead, Ms Linehan-Foley said. A prominent anti-immigration campaigner has appeared in court over an alleged public order offence involving political rivals outside a church in Bray, Co Wicklow, during last years general election campaign. Philip Dwyer, aged 57, of Tallaght Cross West, Tallaght, Dublin 24, appeared before a sitting of Bray District Court on Wednesday in relation to an incident outside the Holy Redeemer Church on Main Street, Bray, Co Wicklow, on November 24, 2024. The self-styled citizen journalist and former postman is charged with committing an affray with another individual, David McConnell. Mr McConnell, aged 66, is the father of People Before Profits candidate in the constituency of Wicklow in last Novembers general election, Kellie McConnell. Mr Dwyer, a former member of the right-wing National Party, stood as an independent candidate in Wicklow in the same election. Both men were canvassing voters on Main Street in Bray at the time of the alleged offence. The charge in Mr Dwyers case states that both men are accused of using or threatening to use unlawful violence towards each other outside the Holy Redeemer Church, contrary to Section 16 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. It also states that the alleged conduct was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at said place to fear for his or another persons safety. The court heard that Mr Dwyer had replied no comment after arrest, charge and caution. Counsel for the accused, Ciara OBrien BL, was granted an application for free legal aid for Mr Dwyer. Judge John OLeary also granted another application by the barrister for a disclosure order. Mr Dwyer, who was accompanied to court by another high-profile, anti-immigration activist, Fergus Power, did not speak during the brief hearing. Judge OLeary remanded him on bail to appear before the same court on October 20. In recent years, Mr Dwyer has become a regular attendant at anti-immigration protests including demonstrations outside buildings that house international protection applicants as well as properties rumoured as potential locations for housing asylum seekers. He was 14th out of 18 candidates with 435 first preference votes in Novembers election one position behind Ms McConnell who was in 13th place with 1,259 votes. Mr Dwyer has also contested several other elections unsuccessfully, including last years local and European elections when he was a candidate for the far-right party, Ireland First. It is understood gardai investigated the incident outside the church in Bray after it was reported by Mr McConnell. A video which captured part of the encounter between the two accused parties was also shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Mr Dwyer. In the short piece of footage, Mr Dwyer incorrectly identified the rival campaigners as members of the Social Democrats and engaged in an exchange about abortion and transgender issues. A file is to be submitted to the DPP by the end of the month in relation to a man who was allegedly part of a group of three people who set fire to a house in which a couple in their 80s were watching television. Paul McCarthy of Dowth Avenue, Cabra in Dublin appeared before Cork District Court on Wednesday having been charged in connection with an arson attack at Fernbrook, Ballincrokig, Co Cork, on April 24, 2025. The court previously heard that 550,000 in damage was caused to the property of the married couple who were in their home when the property became engulfed in flames. The complete destruction of the house was recorded by one of the men involved in the incident. Gardai indicated that the couple were not believed to be the intended target of the attack. Mr McCarthy was represented in Cork District Court on Wednesday by defence barrister Nicholas Hall, BL. Mr Hall told Judge Brendan OReilly that his client had entered custody over 100 days ago. He previously requested that the matter be expedited. Sgt Gearoid Davis said that he expected the file on the case to be sent to the DPP shortly. The file has been submitted at local level. I would expect it to be gone in that time (by the next court appearance). Mr McCarthy was further remanded in custody. A file is due to be sent to the DPP by August 29 when he is next before the court. Meanwhile, Garda Brian Murphy previously objected to bail when the matter first came before Cork District Court. He said that it was alleged that at 9pm on April 24, 2025, a car arrived at the house in Ballincrokig and three people exited. "Two enter the curtilage of the property and ignited two glass petrol bombs with a blowtorch. They smashed a bedroom window and threw in these petrol bombs. The third person believed to be Paul McCarthy stands close to the vehicle and allegedly films the incident on his mobile phone. The Skoda Octavia enters the Plaza filling station in Portlaoise just before midnight and Paul McCarthy is identified, filling the car with 30 diesel and leaving without paying. Garda Murphy said that a man aged 87 and his 86-year-old wife were watching television in the house at the time. He said the house was quickly engulfed in flames but they were unharmed. Garda Murphy said that if it had been a short time later the couple would have been in bed and possibly killed. Paul McCarthy had complete disregard for the elderly occupants of the property which was completely destroyed. From the initial investigations, gardai are not of the belief that these persons were the intended victims. He added that it was alleged that Mr McCarthy drove from Dublin with the two other individuals. A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Irish Rail employee Ian Walsh, who was found dead at his home in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary, on August 4. The man is being questioned at Clonmel Garda Station after his arrest earlier today in connection with the 49-year-olds death. He can be detained for up to 24 hours before being released or charged. Mr Walsh was found with stab wounds in a downstairs room of his home in Ravenswood Estate on Cregg Road. There was no sign of forced entry at the property. Gardai believe the killer was known to him and that Mr Walsh may have admitted the person to the house. An autopsy examination by State Pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney confirmed he died by violent means. Mr Walsh was last seen alive on the evening of August 1. A cremation service took place on August 12 at the Island Crematorium in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork. In a statement, Irish Rail described Mr Walsh as a well-known and popular colleague, both in his work in catering and signalling, and for his passion for railway and transport tourism and heritage. The Tailte Tours team expressed deep sadness at his death, describing him as a signaller at Cork station and a huge supporter of their rail tour operation. They said: Ian ran five railtours of his own over the course of the mid to late 2000s, and was very much a pioneer in 'outside the box' tours in Ireland, starting them from locations such as Waterford and Limerick, in an era when tours were generally based in Dublin or Belfast. "He was more than happy to pass his experience and expertise on when we started operations a few years ago; for those of you who enjoyed the 'surprise' rare track moves on our Cork-based railtours, you can thank Ian, who went far beyond the extra mile to ensure our operations went off without a hitch. "He had a wonderful knowledge of the Iarnrod Eireann system and its people, and had also developed a passion for Bus Eireann operations, diligently recording the last runs on several rural routes in the south east as they disappeared, quickly becoming a friend to bus drivers in the Cork and Waterford areas. Cork City Council has gone out to tender on a major new road project it says will act as the catalyst for development in the south docklands area. The Docklands to City Centre Road Network Improvement Scheme, with an indicative cost of 15m, will include significant works to Terence MacSwiney Quay, Albert Quay, Victoria Road, Monrea Terrace, and the Hibernian Buildings. The area is the main gateway to SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, the Marina Market, Marina Park, and Marina promenade, as planners hope to redevelop the docklands to build homes and create thousands of jobs. Funding has been secured by Cork City Council from the Local Infrastructure and Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) to implement measures aimed at unlocking sustainable transport access between the South Docks and the city centre, which will facilitate the beginning of the Docklands area realising its stated potential, it said. The road improvement works will form part of [our] long-term infrastructure proposals for both the North and South Docks, which will interconnect all zones within the Docklands area as development parcels are being advanced. In April, city councillors approved the multi-million euro upgrade after key changes were agreed. It paved the way for the construction of new public transport, walking, and biking links, new landscaping, and quayside parklets, and major improvements to the streetscape leading into the south docks area. However, officials also agreed to drop the proposed residential access link, or through road, connecting Marina Terrace to Rosefield Terrace and Kingston Avenue. This was on foot of local concerns about a proposed new through road through a narrow cul de sac and potential impacts on a local grotto. Nonetheless, Cork City Council has said it will provide a high-quality public realm that will position the Cork docklands as a vibrant, innovative, mixed use, sustainable, socially inclusive new urban quarter. Business groups welcomed the original plans, with Cork Chamber saying that it shared the councils vision of creating sustainable transport corridors and people-centric environments. Such projects will contribute to Corks development as a sustainable city with vibrant communities and a strong quality of life, its CEO Conor Healy said. In doing so, Cork will be well positioned to attract and retain investment and talent. A man in his 20s has died following a single-vehicle crash in Cork City on Wednesday morning. Gardai have issued an appeal for witnesses to the collision, which happened on the M8 (J18) road southbound, in Upper Riverstown, Glanmire at at approximately 6.50am. A man has been arrested after threatening members of the public with a knife in a Limerick town. The incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 9pm on Maiden Street in Newcastle West. No injuries were reported. Frustration is building within Fianna Fail over the secrecy surrounding the partys possible presidential candidate, with TDs concerned they may simply be asked to rubber-stamp a decision by Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Parliamentary party members have raised concerns about the current process, with Mr Martin taking soundings before a wider deliberation with the party. Theres a lot of frustration now, a TD said, We dont know what the story is. They said they were receiving pressure from the partys grassroots over the process, adding that local party members want to know for whom they are going to be canvassing. Another raised concerns about the impact the parliamentary party might have on the decision-making, saying it could simply act as a rubber-stamp for Mr Martins preferred candidate. Id say well be told a name and thats that, they said. Other TDs have backed the current process, highlighting the challenge of having a candidate in the field during the quiet summer months. One said theres still time for a candidate to emerge, citing how Fine Gael is now on its second nomination process. But they believed any candidate put forward by the party needed to be competitive, while another TD said Fianna Fail must engage in the race. Whats the point in a political party if you dont engage in elections? they said. It came after Cork MEP Billy Kelleher called for an urgent meeting of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party to discuss the process. However, Mr Martin has said he intends to update the party on its position towards the presidential election at the end of August, shooting down Mr Kellehers suggestion. Several former Fianna Fail politicians have expressed an interest in running for the party, including former ministers Mary Hanafin and Eamon O Cuiv. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has regularly been mentioned as a possible candidate, but has yet to declare an interest. Fine Gael Meanwhile, Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly has signalled he will remain in the race to be his partys nominee for president, despite trailing former social protection minister Heather Humphreys in endorsements. Ms Humphreys has received the backing of 42 members of the parliamentary party, compared to 12 for Mr Kelly. Under party rules, any candidate is required to get a total of 20 parliamentary party members to nominate them to allow for a run. With 59 TDs, Senators and MEPS, this makes it impossible for Mr Kelly to get on the ballot unless a number of Ms Humphreys' supporters switch allegiance. Mr Kelly told Clare FM that Ms Humphreys had not stolen a march on him and the race was not a done deal yet. Ill be keeping the show on the road and see how it goes Theres no point in saying otherwise, there does seem to be a difficulty in getting enough nominees in the parliamentary party in this present time. Well keep up the good fight. Sources close to Mr Kelly indicated he had 12 solid nominees from Fine Gael TDs and Senators, however they admitted it would be an uphill battle to get on the ballot. Nominations will remain open until September 2, and if there is only one candidate, they will automatically be made the nominee. If there are multiple candidates, a vote will take place, with Fine Gael using an electoral college system. Votes are heavily weighted towards the parliamentary party, accounting for 55% of the vote, while local members make up 30% and councillors 15%. However, when asked if Mr Kelly might accept loaned votes from Ms Humphreys supporters to get him onto the ballot, one source dismissed the prospect. They said an internal party contest would be healthy, with party members last having the chance to cast a vote on a presidential candidate or leader in 2017 with the contest between Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney. Meanwhile, the Green Party is expected to decide on whether to back Independent candidate Catherine Connolly in early September, as the party continues its consultation. The Social Democrats, Labour, and People Before Profit have already backed her campaign. It has all the ingredients of Netflix spy drama, but the Agent Cobalt story concerns real investigations, real threats, and real people. Trying to figure out what actually happened, weighing up differing accounts and perspectives, and trying to present a clear and accurate picture is quite a challenge. Interested observers would be advised to bear that in mind. It is also worth stressing there are few areas where gathering and analysing information is more difficult than in the shadowy and secretive world of national security and intelligence. This is particularly so in Ireland, with its long, and embedded, culture of secrecy. Cobalt Revealed Back in October, The Sunday Times ran a dramatic front-page headline: 'Revealed: Putin has an agent in the Oireachtas'. The story, by their experienced security correspondent John Mooney, sent shockwaves through the Oireachtas and dominated the airwaves for some time. The report said: The Irish military and security services have identified a politician in the Oireachtas who has been recruited by Russian intelligence as an agent of influence and whose clandestine connections to Moscow remain intact. The story, and related articles, described the politician as a person who could influence policy and political narratives, using his own networks and outlets. The most serious of allegations against the politician related to him allegedly offering services, such as making introductions, including, it was reported, to loyalist paramilitaries. The Sunday Times detailed how Garda security and intelligence and military intelligence both came across the politician during counter-intelligence surveillance they were conducting on suspected Russian intelligence officers in Ireland, including Russian Embassy registered diplomat, Sergey Prokopiev. It is also thought British intelligence were aware. The Sunday Times had details on travels the politician took and of alleged meetings with Russian agents, in Ireland and abroad. Most of the meetings and contacts appear to relate to the period 2019 and 2020, but the Garda and Military monitoring continued. After the stories, there was intense speculation as to who was Agent Cobalt and there was widespread commentary on social media. Government leaders, including the Taoiseach and the Justice Minister were briefed about the politician, who has never commented. No Agent Cobalt Last Tuesday The Journal ran a story, headlined: 'There is no Agent Cobalt'. It added: Garda investigation clears Irish politician of being a Russian Agent. The story, by Niall OConnor, an experienced security journalist and former garda, said the investigation had exonerated the politician. It said: The politician has been sent confirmation from the detectives investigating the case that nothing has been found to suggest that he ever spied for Russia or worked with Russian agents. The report said sources spoken to said that, while Russian agents tried to approach the politician, nothing came of it. The story said the first approach was in Eastern Europe when the politician was on a work trip and that his drink was spiked by a female agent. It said the politician contacted gardai on his return about the incident. The second approach was by a purported trade attache at the Russian Embassy, apparently a reference to Prokopiev. The Journal referred to a meeting between detectives from the Special Detective Unit and the politician, accompanied by his legal representatives held after the October Sunday Times articles. It said detectives told the politician that nothing untoward had been found to suggest he had given information to Russia. The article said it was understood that the politician was sent confirmation of this in writing. Garda HQ Intervenes On publication of the story, media sought a comment from the Garda Press Office. In the meantime, inquiries by the Irish Examiner among security sources found that they were adamant that no such letter was issued and that no statements would be given to a suspect that they were in the clear or that the case was closed. Later, Garda HQ issued a statement, stating the investigation was not finished. It said: An Garda Siochana is continuing an ongoing active criminal investigation into this matter. An Garda Siochana has no further comment. The Irish Examiner understands that the message sent out was coming from the very top layers of the organisation. Next episode The Garda statement, and inquiries conducted by the Irish Examiner, indicate that all sides in this case are absolutely certain of their positions and the integrity of their work. It is expected that The Sunday Times will publish more details this weekend and that The Journal may too, either before or after, with additional information to support their respective accounts. It seems clear that this matter could gather momentum. The issue of the existence of a document or letter may come more to the fore, sparking pressures for publication. Then there is the meeting in question and the position of the multiple witnesses at that. Is it possible that it is all down to a misinterpretation or misrepresentation of what was said? If the politician and/or his legal representatives decide to speak, it may well become a political issue, even with the Oireachtas on holidays. That might put pressure on Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan and Taoiseach Micheal Martin to comment. That is unlikely to be something the outgoing commissioner departing at the end of next week or the new commissioner staring on 1 September would want. Expect more twists and turns. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has brushed off accusations from his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu that the Australian leader is a weak politician who had betrayed Israel by recognising a Palestinian state. Mr Netanyahus extraordinary public rebuke came after an August 11 announcement by Mr Albanese that his governments recognition of a Palestinian state will be formalised at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The announcement was followed by tit-for-tat cancellations of Australian and Israeli visas. History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews, Mr Yetanyahu posted on social media. Benjamin Netanyahu (Ronen Zvulun/Pool Photo via AP) Mr Albanese responded pointedly on Wednesday: I treat leaders of other countries with respect. I engage with them in a diplomatic way. I dont take these things personally, Albanese added. Increasingly there is global concern and global concern because people want to see an end to the cycle of violence that we have seen for far too long. That is what Australians want to see as well. Australian home affairs minister Tony Burke further inflamed Israels anger by cancelling the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, a member of Mr Netanyahus coalition, who planned an Australian speaking tour. Mr Rothman is a member of the Religious Zionism party, which supports continuation of the war, the mass relocation of Palestinians through what it describes as voluntary migration and the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza. Mr Burke on Wednesday accused Mr Netanyahu of lashing out against Australia as he had done against Britain, Canada, France, Ireland, Norway and Spain over recognition of a Palestinian state. Mr Burke denied Mr Albanese was weak. Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry, Mr Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar retaliated on Monday for Mr Rothmans treatment by revoking visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Mr Saar also told the Israeli Embassy in Australia to carefully examine any official visa applications from Australia to Israel. Australian foreign minister Penny Wong responded by accusing the Netanyahu government of isolating Israel. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry the nations peak advocacy group, said the Jewish community was profoundly disturbed and concerned by the rapidly deteriorating state of relations between the two countries. Australian Jews did not feel abandoned by the Albanese government, rejecting Mr Netanyahus accusation, Mr Ryvchin said. When allies speak, they should speak frankly, robustly, but also in a dignified way, and I think firing off tweets which contain elements of abuse to them, Mr Ryvchin said. I dont think thats the way to operate. Australia is an increasingly multicultural country where more than half the population was born overseas or has at least one foreign parent. There is widespread community concern over the Israel-Hamas war, indicated by tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marching over the Sydney Harbour Bridge earlier this month. Antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels across Australia, which the government acknowledged last year by appointing the nations first special envoy to combat antisemitism, Sydney lawyer Jillian Segal. Australias conservative opposition party has pledged to reverse Australias recognition of Palestine if it wins the next election, which is due in 2028. An Israeli military official said that the countrys top generals had approved plans to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gazas most densely populated areas. Speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, the official said that the military will be operating in parts of Gaza City where the Israeli military has not yet operated and where Hamas is still active. Nato defence chiefs are due to hold a virtual meeting, a senior alliance official said, as countries pushing for an end to Russias war on Ukraine devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement. Italian admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of Natos Military Committee, said that 32 defence chiefs from across the alliance would hold a video conference as a US-led diplomatic push seeks to end the fighting. US general Alexus Grynkewich, Natos supreme allied commander in Europe, will take part in the talks, Mr Dragone said on social platform X. US president Donald Trump met last Friday with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, and on Monday hosted Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and prominent European leaders at the White House. Neither meeting delivered concrete progress. Last night, a drone strike on Okhtyrka in the Sumy region injured 14 people. A family with wounded children 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years old sought assistance after the attack. In Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, a glide bomb strike damaged five apartment buildings, and at pic.twitter.com/TWRPo4Po6F Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) August 20, 2025 Mr Trump is trying to steer Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky towards a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbour, but there are major obstacles. They include Ukraines demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia will not mount another invasion in coming years. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace, Mr Zelensky said in a Telegram post on Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight. Kyivs European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, have signed up to support the initiative. Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the US might play in is unclear. Mr Trump has ruled out sending US troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept Nato troops in Ukraine. Attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Mr Zelensky said the strikes only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential. A widely condemned Israeli settlement plan that would cut across land which the Palestinians seek for a state received final approval on Wednesday, according to a statement from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The approval of the E1 project, which would bisect the occupied West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, was announced last week by Mr Smotrich and received final go-ahead from a defence ministry planning commission on Wednesday, he said. Restarting the project could further isolate Israel, which has watched some Western allies frustrated by its continuation and planned escalation of the Gaza war announce they may recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. "With E1 we are delivering finally on what has been promised for years," Mr Smotrich, an ultra-nationalist in the ruling right-wing coalition, said in a statement. "The Palestinian state is being erased from the table, not with slogans but with actions." The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the announcement on Wednesday, saying that the E1 settlement would isolate Palestinian communities living in the area and undermines the possibility of a two-state solution. A German government spokesperson commenting on the announcement told reporters on Wednesday that settlement construction violates international law and "hinders a negotiated two-state solution and an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not commented on the E1 announcement. However on Sunday, during a visit to Ofra, another West Bank settlement established a quarter of a century ago, he made broader comments, saying: "I said 25 years ago that we will do everything to secure our grip on the Land of Israel, to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, to prevent the attempts to uproot us from here. Thank God, what I promised, we have delivered." The two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict envisages a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, existing side by side with Israel. Western capitals and campaign groups have opposed the settlement project due to concerns that it could undermine a future peace deal with the Palestinians. The plan for E1, located adjacent to Maale Adumim and frozen in 2012 and 2020 amid objections from the U.S. and European governments, involves construction of about 3,400 new housing units. Infrastructure work could begin within a few months, and house building in about a year, according to Israeli advocacy group Peace Now, which tracks settlement activity in the West Bank. Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the area and saying the settlements provide strategic depth and security. Crowds packed vantage points along a major canal and took to the water themselves on Wednesday to watch a flotilla of hundreds of historic ships sail into Amsterdam at the start of a five-day festival celebrating the Dutch capitals maritime history. Ships from all over the world, many with their masts and rigging decorated with flags, sailed from the North Sea coastal town of IJmuiden on an hours-long journey up the North Sea Canal and into Amsterdams IJ waterway for Sail 2025, the first edition in a decade. A puff of orange smoke erupted into the sky and ships horns sounded as the replica, three-masted clipper Stad Amsterdam passed through a lock to mark the official start of the event. Each ship is greeted with two cannon shots and its countrys national anthem as it enters the harbour. Orange smoke signals the start of the parade of hundreds of tall ships sailing into Amsterdams harbour (Peter Dejong/AP) Hugo Peek was one of the thousands of people who sailed in smaller boats together with the tall ships. Along with his grandfather and several other family members, he travelled on a smaller boat that accompanied the tall ship Europa. There was almost no water. Its almost all boats, the 21-year-old student said. Mahek Singahl was waiting in Amsterdams central train station, looking onto the harbour with her two small children and several large suitcases. Her family was headed back to Ivory Coast after a holiday in Iceland and had stopped in Amsterdam for a few days. They had no idea what the crowds were for. My husband went to look at the boats and left me here, she said, laughing. He loves this stuff. The event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors, is held every five years. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Wednesdays parade culminates in an evening fireworks display. The ships will remain in Amsterdam, many open for visitors, through the weekend. The first event was held in 1975 to celebrate Amsterdams 700th anniversary and this years edition coincides with the citys 750th birthday. A bus crash in north-western Afghanistan has killed at least 79 people returning from Iran including 19 children, an official said. Two people were also injured in the crash, Ministry of Interior spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani told The Associated Press. Tolo News, citing the official, said the accident happened on Tuesday at about 8.30pm local time in Herat province. The bus collided with a truck and a motorbike, causing a massive fire that killed many on the spot, the outlet reported. Traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan, mainly due to poor road conditions and driver carelessness. Nearly 1.8 million Afghans have been forcibly returned from Iran in the past few months. A further 184,459 were sent back from Pakistan and more than 5,000 were deported from Turkey since the beginning of the year. Additionally, nearly 10,000 Afghan prisoners have been repatriated, mostly from Pakistan. The Taliban criticised neighbouring countries in July for the mass expulsion of Afghans, as Iran and Pakistan expel foreigners who they say are living there illegally. The ministry of refugees and repatriation said some six million Afghan refugees remain overseas. A judge who presided over the sex trafficking case against financier Jeffrey Epstein has rejected the US governments request to unseal grand jury transcripts. The ruling on Wednesday by Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan came after the judge presiding over the case against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend, also turned down the governments request. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction on sex trafficking charges for helping Epstein sexually abuse girls and young women. Epstein died in jail awaiting trial. A US justice department spokesperson declined to comment. Judge Berman said the information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigative information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice. According to his ruling, no victims gave evidence before the Epstein grand jury. The only witness, the judge wrote, was an FBI agent who had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay. The agent gave evidence over two days, on June 18 and July 2 2019. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow shown during the June 18 session and a call log shown during the July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Both of those will also remain sealed, Judge Berman ruled. Maxwells case has been the subject of heightened public focus since an outcry over the justice departments statement last month saying that it would not be releasing any additional documents from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation. The decision infuriated online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and elements of US President Donald Trumps base who had hoped to see proof of a government cover-up. Since then, Trump administration officials have tried to cast themselves as promoting transparency in the case, including by requesting from courts the unsealing of grand jury transcripts. The government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein file, Judge Berman wrote in an apparent reference to the justice departments refusal to release additional records on its own while simultaneously moving to unseal grand jury transcripts. By comparison, he added, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a diversion from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the governments possession. The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epsteins alleged conduct. Meanwhile, Maxwell was interviewed at a Florida courthouse weeks ago by US deputy attorney general Todd Blanche, and the house oversight committee had also said that it wanted to speak with Maxwell. Her lawyers said they would be open to an interview but only if the panel were to ensure immunity from prosecution. In a letter Maxwells lawyers, representative James Comer, the committee chairman, wrote that the committee was willing to delay the deposition until after the resolution of Maxwells appeal to the Supreme Court. That appeal is expected to be resolved in late September. Mr Comer wrote that while Maxwells testimony was vital to the Republican-led investigation into Epstein, the committee would not provide immunity or any questions in advance of her testimony, as was requested by her team. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) Amnesty International concluded this week that the Israeli government is using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza, and that denying food to people is part of a genocidal campaign. Like Human Rights Watch and other human rights non-govermental organizations, Amnesty International is extremely cautious and only issued the finding after substantial and painstaking fact-checking. Amnesty writes, Israel is carrying out a deliberate campaign of starvation in the occupied Gaza Strip, systematically destroying the health, well-being and social fabric of Palestinian life, Amnesty International said today as it published chilling new testimonies of starved displaced civilians. Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at Amnesty International, called the findings a searing indictment of an international system that has granted Israel a license to torment Palestinians with near-total impunity for decades. She pointed out that the situation inside Gaza has been so debilitated by the Israeli army that it would no longer suffice just to let food aid trucks enter the Strip. The UN has hundreds of trucks ready to go but Israel lets precious few in every day. Before the war it took 500 trucks a day to provision the Strip, and that was a time when Palestinians could farm and fish, as well. Ms. Rosas is saying that now things are so bad, even that would not suffice to roll back the genocide: The impact of Israels blockade and its ongoing genocide on civilians, particularly on children, people with disabilities, those with chronic illnesses, older people and pregnant and breastfeeding women is catastrophic and cannot be undone by simply increasing the number of aid trucks or restoring performative, ineffective and dangerous airdrops of aid. AI points out that as of August 17, 110 Palestinian children in Gaza have died of malnutrition, according to the Strips Ministry of Health. It continues, In an alert published on 29 July 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) stated that famine thresholds had been reached for food consumption in most of Gaza, concluding that the worst-case scenario for famine is already playing out and the number of people, including children, dying from starvation will continue to increase. This alarming reality was reflected in data collected by the Nutrition Cluster, according to which nearly 13,000 cases of acute malnutrition admissions for treatment among children were recorded in July, the highest monthly figure since October 2023. Of those, at least 2,800 (22%) were cases of severe acute malnutrition. Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli officials engage in bald-faced denial of these horrifying statistics. Even Donald Trump told Netanyahu that he should stop lying about it. Those children look hungry, he said with his gift for stating the obvious. To learn more about Gazas history beyond the day to day headlines, get my book, Juan Cole, Gaza Yet Stands. Kindle Direct. Click here to Buy. Proceeds are donated to UNICEF or another charity for Gaza aid work. But when we say that 13,000 children showed up at the hollowed out shells of Gaza hospitals in July suffering from acute malnutrition, what exactly does that mean? Acute malnutrition is a form of malnutrition that occurs when an individual suffers from current, severe nutritional restrictions, a recent bout of illness, inappropriate childcare practices or, more often, a combination of these factors. It is characterised by extreme weight loss, resulting in low weight for height, and/or bilateral oedema [swollen feet and legs], and, in its severe form, can lead to death. And the 2,800 cases of severe acute malnutrition? The NIH says: Severe acute malnutrition is defined in these guidelines as the presence of oedema [fluid] of both feet or severe wasting (weight-for-height/length <-3SD or mid-upper arm circumference < 115 mm). No distinction is made between the clinical conditions of kwashiorkor [severe protein deficiency] or severe wasting because their treatment is similar." In laymans terms, they have spindly little arms because theyve lost muscle and they have fluid in their legs and ankles, and they may have a distended tummy and copper hair. Note that children dont come back from 6 weeks of severe acute malnutrition they suffer permanent health and cognitive damage. Photo of Gaza March 2024 by Emad El Byed on Unsplash The AI report comes at a time when genocide deniers who are partisans of the extreme-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are going to extraordinary lengths to push back against the increasing international consensus that Israel is starving Palestinians in Gaza as part of a deliberate project of genocide. Professor Martin Shaw of the Barcelona Institute of International Studies (IBEI) underlined a concept drawn from the work of sociologist Stanley Cohen, to wit interpretive denial. It consists of putting the facts in a permissive frame. Are large numbers of civilians in Gaza being killed? People, as Joe Biden said dismissively, die in war. Or Israel has a right to defend itself, as though bombing helpless civilians, destroying over 80% of buildings, and constantly displacing civilians could possibly be a form of self-defense for a nuclear state with the best military equipment in the Middle East. Or it was alleged (with bad math and no proof) that the ratio of civilian deaths to combatants in Gaza was typical for contemporary wars. But no one knows how many combatants have been killed; the Israeli military has admitted that it does not and so there is no basis for a ratio. We do know from the Israeli investigative journal +972 Mag that outrageous rules of engagement have been adopted allowing between 25 and 100 civilian deaths for each combatant killed, an RoE that would get any officer in any NATO country court-martialed if they tried to implement it. Indeed, NATO has ceased joint military operations with Israel because of these bloodthirsty rules of engagement. Genocide denial has always formed a key component of genocide itself. Trying to wipe people out because of who they are, or even trying to wipe some people out because of who they are, is shameful and even the perpetrators know it, hence they deny it all. Because it is universally recognized as shameful, people will try to stop it. So in order to carry it out, perpetrators have to cover it up. In Austria, it is actually illegal to deny the genocide against Europes Jews during WW II, a measure enacted to prevent Nazism from reemerging. But it is not only not illegal to deny the genocide against the Palestinians of Gaza, protesters and academics and entire university systems are being actively punished simply for pointing it out. These punishments for speaking out are part of the apparatus of genocide denial. New channel sampling shows high-grade copper, cobalt, nickel and gold mineralization over wide intervals at the Providencia target Results include 4.17% Cu, 2.68% Ni, 1.28% Co, 0.88 g/t Au over 5m (including 11.0% Cu, 4.47% Ni, 2.47% Co, 1.34 g/t Au, 7.0 g/t Ag over 1m ) and 1.02% Cu, 0.65% Ni, 0.38% Co, 0.17g/t Au over 32m Drilling in progress testing new gold target at Providencia VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Pan Global Resources Inc. ("Pan Global" or the "Company") (TSXV: PGZ) (OTCQB: PGZFF) (FRA: 2EU) is pleased to announce results of detailed underground channel sampling at the Providencia target, in the Company's 100%-owned Carmenes Project ("Carmenes") in northern Spain. The results highlight a wide sulphide-rich breccia zone in the former Providencia mine workings with high grades of copper, nickel, and cobalt, plus gold. "The Carmenes Project is a compelling opportunity to discover significant high-grade copper, nickel, cobalt and gold associated with hydrothermal breccia mineralization at multiple targets," said Tim Moody, Pan Global's President and CEO. "The new channel sample assay results from the walls of the approximately 100-year-old Providencia mine workings confirm the high-grade nature of the sulphide-rich copper, cobalt and nickel mineralization that was previously mined. The new sampling and mapping are providing valuable information on the geological controls on the mineralization, and potential for expansion," said Mr. Moody. "Additional drilling is required to test for expansion of the high-grade sulphide breccia zone, particularly in the west where the highest-grade copper-nickel-cobalt channel samples are located. Drilling is currently investigating potential for more extensive gold mineralization east of the mine workings." Key results Assay results received from detailed channel sampling at the historical Providencia mine workings confirms high-grade copper, nickel, cobalt, gold extends over wide intervals and remains open in several directions (see Figures 1 and 2, below). Significant intervals include: Mineralized Zone Interval* (m) Cu % Co % Ni % Au g/t Ag g/t D825354 - D825358 5 4.17 1.28 2.68 0.88 4.0 D825367 - D825376 10 0.86 0.18 0.28 0.21 1.1 D825381 - D825400 32 1.02 0.38 0.65 0.17 0.7 D825451 - D825462 D825381 - D825395 15 1.37 1.04 0.62 0.22 0.8 * Intervals are continuous along-channel sample widths Peak channel sample assays of 11.0% Cu, 4.47% Ni, 2.47% Co, 1.34 g/t Au, 7.0 g/t Ag over 1m (Sample D825354) over (Sample D825354) The higher-grade copper, cobalt, and nickel channel samples correspond predominantly with sulphide-rich breccia and supergene mineralization. The results also show that gold is anomalous in both the sulphide-rich breccia and as "gold-only" mineralization (without significant copper, cobalt, nickel or sulfides) in a black sandy limestone and outer zone of red hematitic-dolomite breccia with traces of fine-grained sulphide minerals The new results are from 86 continuous saw-cut channel samples collected over 1-meter intervals along the walls of the mine workings at the 1,467m elevation level (approx. 18m -to-32m depth below surface). The mine workings indicate a pipe-like geometry of the sulphide-rich copper, cobalt, nickel breccia mineralization from surface to at least 120 meters depth and remains open to depth Drilling Underway at New Gold Target Drilling is currently testing potential for a more extensive zone of gold mineralization at Providencia associated with an area identified with high gold-in-soil, trench, and channel sampling immediately east and outside of the historical mine workings. There was no previous drilling at Providencia, which is the first of multiple targets to be investigated at Carmenes. The final drillhole of the current drill program at Providencia is nearing completion, with results anticipated in September. Geological mapping and surface sampling at the Providencia target show a large zoned, carbonate-hosted, multi-phase hydrothermal breccia system is hosting the copper, cobalt, nickel and gold mineralization. The breccia and associated alteration system extend over a surface area of 300m x 150m, with the geometry unconstrained. Surface geochemistry and geological mapping commenced at the Profunda target, 1 km south of Providencia, expanding exploration across multiple high-priority targets within the Carmenes Project. Escacena Project update Drilling is also in progress at the Company's flagship Escacena Project in the Iberian Pyrite Belt in southern Spain, with two drill rigs currently targeting expansion of the La Romana copper-tin-silver deposit by testing new targets in the surrounding area. The Company is advancing the selection process for a consultant to deliver a NI 43-101-compliant Technical Report and maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for the La Romana deposit. About the Carmenes Project The Carmenes Project is located approx. 55km north of Leon in northern Spain in the same geologic belt as Orvana Minerals Corp's Orovalle copper-gold mining operation and the Salamon gold deposit and comprises five 100%-owned Investigation Permits over 5,653 hectares. The Project area is highly prospective for multiple bodies or "clusters" of carbonate-hosted "pipe-like" breccia style copper, nickel, cobalt, and gold mineralization. The area includes the former Profunda and Providencia mines that last operated in the 1930s, producing concentrates of copper and cobalt with nickel. Numerous other smaller historical mine workings in the area highlight potential for additional breccia pipes. These types of ore deposits can have significant vertical dimensions exceeding 1km. About the Escacena Project The Escacena Project comprises a large, contiguous, 5,760-hectare land package controlled 100% by Pan Global in the east of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Escacena is located near the operating mine at Riotinto and is immediately adjacent to the former Aznalcollar and Los Frailes mines where Minera Los Frailes (Grupo Mexico) is in the final permitting stage for mine development. The Escacena Project hosts Pan Global's La Romana and La Pantoja copper-tin-silver discoveries and the Canada Honda copper-gold discovery. Escacena hosts a number of other prospective targets, including Bravo, Barbacena, El Pozo, Romana Norte, San Pablo, Zarcita, Hornitos, La Jarosa, Romana Deep, and Cortijo. About Pan Global Resources Pan Global Resources Inc. is actively exploring for copper-rich mineral deposits along with gold and other metals. Copper has compelling supply-demand fundamentals and outlook for strong long-term prices as a critical metal for global electrification and energy transition. Gold is also attracting record prices. The Company's flagship Escacena Project is located in the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt in southern Spain, where a favourable permitting track record, excellent infrastructure, mining and professional expertise, and support for copper as a Strategic Raw Material by the European Commission collectively define a tier-one low-risk jurisdiction for mining investment. The Company's second project, at Carmenes in northern Spain, is also an area with a long mining history and excellent infrastructure. The Pan Global team comprises proven talent in exploration, discovery, development, and mine operations - all of which are committed to operating safely and with utmost respect for the environment and our partnered communities. The Company is a member, and operates under the principles, of the United Nations Global Compact. To learn more about Pan Global Resources, please visit the Company's Curation Connect showcase by clicking here and explore AI-generated responses to your enquiries. Qualified Persons Alvaro Merino, Vice President Exploration for Pan Global Resources and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information for this media release. Mr. Merino is not independent of the Company. QA/QC Rock samples delivered to the ALS sample preparation facility in Seville were prepared and assayed at the ALS facility in Ireland. All samples were crushed, split and pulverized using methods CRU-31, SPL-22Y and PUL-31. Gold analysis was by 50gm Fire assay with ICP finish (Au-ICP22). Multi element analysis was undertaken using a 4-acid digest with ICP-AES finish (ME-ICP61). Over-grade samples were analyzed using 4-acid digest with ICP-AES finish for base metals (OG62), and Fire Assay with Gravity Finish for gold (Au-GRA22). Certified reference materials were inserted at a 1/25 samples. www.panglobalresources.com Forward-looking statements Statements which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information included in this media release are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental, environmental, and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products, and prices. Readers should refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis of its audited financial statements filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission. The forward-looking information contained in this media release is based on information available to the Company as of the date of this media release. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (TSXV: MGM) (OTCQB: MGMLF) (FSE: M3G) ("Maple Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its intention to raise aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$5 million pursuant to a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") with a lead order from strategic investor Michael Gentile. In addition, pursuant to an investor rights agreement between the Company and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited ("Agnico Eagle"), Agnico Eagle has indicated that it intends to participate in the Offering to maintain its pro rata ownership interest in the Company. Maple Gold is also pleased to announce the appointments of Marc Legault and Chris Adams to the Board of Directors effective August 31, 2025. Mr. Legault brings over 40 years of gold and base metals industry experience including 34 years in exploration, operations, and senior management at Agnico Eagle until retiring in 2022. Mr. Adams brings over 30 years of mining finance experience and previously served as the head of Macquarie Group Limited's mining finance business in the Americas. Michelle Roth will retire as Chairperson and Director and Maurice Tagami will step down as Director effective August 31, 2025. The Company thanks them for their service and wishes them well in the future. In addition, Maple Gold announces its intention to complete the consolidation of the common shares of the Company (each, a "Share") on a ten (10) to one (1) basis (the "Consolidation") with an expected effective date of September 8, 2025. Strategic Financing The Company contemplates that the Offering will result in the following: Prominent Quebec-based junior mining investor Michael Gentile will become a 9.9% shareholder on a partially-diluted basis and will join the Company as a Strategic Advisor; Agnico Eagle has indicated that it intends to participate in the Offering to maintain its pro rata ownership interest in the Company at 16.3% on a partially-diluted basis; The Offering will strengthen Maple Gold's balance sheet with a C$5 million financing consisting of C$3.5 million of charity flow-through units and C$1.5 million of non-flow through units; Proceeds of the Offering will be used to support a planned 10,000-metre Fall 2025 drill program at the Company's flagship Douay Gold Project (" Douay ") and Joutel Gold Project (" Joutel ", and together with Douay, " Douay/Joutel "), which is expected to inform an updated mineral resource estimate planned for H1 2026; and ") and Joutel Gold Project (" ", and together with Douay, " "), which is expected to inform an updated mineral resource estimate planned for H1 2026; and Certain investors, including Michael Gentile, have verbally agreed to enter into 12-month lock-up agreements to ensure long-term alignment. "We are pleased to have the support of Michael Gentile and the continued support of Agnico Eagle," stated Kiran Patankar, President and CEO of Maple Gold. "Michael is one of the most respected strategic investors in the junior mining sector, with a strong track record of value creation in Quebec. The Offering allows us to build on our recent exploration success at Douay, particularly the high-grade extensions of the Nika and 531 zones, and to complete a maiden drill program at Joutel, while planning for an updated mineral resource estimate in H1 2026." Michael Gentile added: "I have followed the progress of Maple Gold in recent years and believe it is trading at a fraction of its potential economic value. Douay/Joutel shows clear potential for further mineral resource growth and is a strategic asset at a time when multi-million-ounce gold projects in Tier 1 jurisdictions are increasingly sought after. I look forward to working with Kiran and the Maple Gold team as a Strategic Advisor and shareholder to daylight and further enhance the value I see at Douay/Joutel." The Offering will consist of, on a post-Consolidation basis: (i) the issuance of up to 4,117,647 charity flow-through units of the Company (each, a "FT Unit") at a price of C$0.85 per FT Unit for gross proceeds of C$3.5 million; and (ii) the issuance of up to 2,500,000 non-flow-through units of the Company (each, a "NFT Unit") at a price of C$0.60 per NFT Unit for gross proceeds of C$1.5 million. On a post-Consolidation basis, each FT Unit will consist of one Share issued on a "flow-through basis" (each, a "FT Share") and one Share purchase warrant issued on a non-flow-through basis (each, a "Warrant") and each NFT Unit will consist of one Share and one Warrant. Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase, for a period of 36 months from the date of issue, one additional Post-Consolidation Share (as defined below) at an exercise price of C$0.85 per Post-Consolidation Share. The expiry date of the Warrants will be subject to acceleration such that, should the closing price of the Post-Consolidation Shares on any Canadian stock exchange equal or exceed C$2.50 for 20 consecutive trading days, the Company, within 15 business days of such event, shall be entitled to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to a date that is 30 calendar days from the date that notice of such acceleration is given via news release, with the new expiry date specified in such news release. The gross proceeds from the sale of the FT Units will be used by the Company to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and the Taxation Act (Quebec), on its properties in the province of Quebec on or before December 31, 2026. The net proceeds from the sale of the NFT Units will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Offering is expected to close on or about September 8, 2025, or such other date as the Company may determine and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the completion of formal documentation and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the closing date of the Offering, in accordance with the rules and policies of the TSXV and applicable Canadian securities laws. Certain investors have verbally agreed to enter into lock-up agreements for a 12-month hold period from the closing date of the Offering. In connection with the Offering, the Company may pay cash finder's fees to eligible arm's length parties. The Offering remains subject to the final acceptance of the TSXV. The securities to be offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. 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 jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Board Changes Maple Gold is pleased to announce the appointments of Marc Legault and Chris Adams to its Board of Directors effective August 31, 2025, coinciding with the retirement of Michelle Roth as Chairperson and Director and the resignation of Maurice Tagami as Director effective the same date. Marc Legault - Incoming Director: Mr. Legault is a geologist and was also a licensed professional engineer with over 40 years of gold and base metals industry experience including 34 years working with Agnico Eagle, where he held various exploration, operations, and senior management positions until retiring in 2022 as a Senior Vice President. His prior exploration experience in the Casa Berardi gold belt, including at the Eagle gold mine (a key part of the historical Joutel Mining Complex) and at the Vezza deposit (just east of Douay), will be instrumental for Maple Gold as it advances Douay/Joutel. Mr. Legault holds a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering from Queen's University and an M.Sc. in Geology from Carleton University. Chris Adams - Incoming Director and Audit Committee Chair: Mr. Adams has over 30 years of mining finance experience and particular mining knowledge in the Americas. With Macquarie Group Limited, he led teams to evaluate and execute on equity investments and loans to mining development projects around the world, and marketed commodity derivatives. Prior to Macquarie, Mr. Adams worked in mining investment banking in Canada and Australia for both Macquarie and CIBC. He holds a B.Com. degree from McGill University, an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the CFA designation. "We are thrilled to welcome these two mining industry veterans to the Board," commented Kiran Patankar, President and CEO of Maple Gold. "Marc's deep exploration, project development and operational experience with Agnico Eagle and his familiarity with our key Quebec assets, combined with Chris's extensive mining finance and capital markets expertise, will continue to enhance our board capabilities and profile. Their perspectives will be invaluable as we aggressively advance Douay/Joutel and chart the next phase of growth for the Company." Share Consolidation Maple Gold provides notice that its Board of Directors has resolved to complete a 10-for-1 Consolidation of its Shares. The Company has filed for approval of the Consolidation with the TSXV and expects to complete the Consolidation on or about September 8, 2025. Improved investor sentiment in precious metals exploration capital markets has prompted the Company to take this initiative for the benefit of its shareholders and to better attract new institutional and high net worth investors. As of August 20, 2025, there are a total of 457,198,465 Shares (the "Pre-Consolidation Shares") issued and outstanding. Upon the completion of the Consolidation, these Pre-Consolidation Shares will be consolidated to approximately 45.7 million post-Consolidation Shares (the "Post-Consolidation Shares"), excluding up to an additional 6.6 million Post-Consolidation Shares issuable on closing of the Offering. No fractional Post-Consolidation Shares will be issued as a result of the Consolidation, and any fractional share interest will be rounded down to the nearest whole Post-Consolidation Share. No cash consideration will be paid in respect of fractional shares. The Post-Consolidation Shares are expected to commence trading on the TSXV on or around September 8, 2025. The Consolidation has been approved by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution passed on August 12, 2025, and is subject to TSXV approval. In addition, the Company currently has 19,808,332 stock options, 25,369,639 warrants, 2,075,000 Deferred Share Units ("DSUs") and 3,725,005 Restricted Share Units ("RSUs") outstanding. These securities will also be consolidated on a 10-for-1 basis as part of the Consolidation. This will result in approximately 2.0 million post-Consolidation stock options, 2.5 million post-Consolidation warrants (not including the up to 6.6 million post-Consolidation Warrants issuable on closing of the Offering), 0.2 million post-Consolidation DSUs and 0.4 million post-Consolidation RSUs. The exercise or conversion price and the number of Shares issuable under any of the Company's outstanding warrants and equity grants will be proportionately adjusted to reflect the Consolidation in accordance with their respective terms. There will be no name or symbol change in conjunction with the Consolidation. Qualified Person Ian Cunningham-Dunlop, P.Eng. (PEO/EGBC/OGQ), Vice President, Technical Services of Maple Gold, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information related to exploration and mineral resource matters contained in this news release. Mr. Cunningham-Dunlop is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About the Douay/Joutel Gold Project The Douay/Joutel Gold Project is located adjacent to Highway 109 in the heart of Quebec's Abitibi greenstone belt, one of Canada's premier gold mining districts. This large, 100%-owned land package includes the Company's flagship Douay Gold Project, which hosts an established mineral resource1 containing 511,000 ounces of gold (Indicated) and 2.53 million ounces of gold (Inferred), as well as the past-producing, high-grade Joutel Mine Complex2. Douay/Joutel contains ~481 km2 of highly prospective geology within the influence of the major gold-bearing Casa Berardi Deformation Zone. Gold mines in the immediate region include the Casa Berardi Gold Mine operated by Hecla Mining Company and the Detour Lake Gold Mine operated by Agnico Eagle. About Maple Gold Maple Gold Mines Ltd. is a Canadian advanced exploration company focused on advancing its 100%-owned, district-scale Douay/Joutel Gold Project located in Quebec's prolific Abitibi Greenstone Gold Belt. Douay/Joutel benefits from exceptional infrastructure access and boasts ~481 km2 of highly prospective ground including an established gold mineral resource at Douay with significant expansion potential as well as the past-producing Telbel and Eagle West mines at Joutel. In addition, the Company holds an exclusive option to acquire 100% of the Eagle Mine Property, a key part of the historical Joutel Mining Complex. Maple Gold's property package also hosts a significant number of regional exploration targets along a 55-km strike length of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone that have yet to be tested through drilling, making the property ripe for new gold and VMS discoveries. The Company is currently focused on carrying out exploration and drill programs to grow mineral resources and make new discoveries to establish an exciting new gold district in the heart of the Abitibi. For more information, please visit www.maplegoldmines.com. ON BEHALF OF MAPLE GOLD MINES LTD. "Kiran Patankar" Kiran Patankar, President & CEO NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. Forward-Looking Statements and Cautionary Notes: This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective,", "strategy", "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements about the Offering (including the tax treatment of the FT Shares, use of proceeds of the Offering, the participation (and resulting security holdings) of Michael Gentile and Agnico Eagle in the Offering, the anticipated closing date of the Offering and the anticipated 12-month lock-up of securities issued pursuant to the Offering), the Consolidation (including the effective date thereof), the planned 10,000-metre Fall 2025 drill program at Douay/Joutel, the updated mineral resource estimate planned for H1 2026, resource expansion and discovery potential across the Company's gold projects, and its intention to pursue such potential, and the Company's exploration work and results from current and future work programs. Although the Company believes that forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct, as forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events on the date the statements are made and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of additional risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements in this news release, please refer to the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval Plus (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca or the Company's website at www.maplegoldmines.com. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and/or the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any intention to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 1 The Douay Project contains Indicated Mineral Resources estimated at 10 million tonnes at a grade of 1.59 g/t Au (containing 511,000 ounces of gold), and Inferred Mineral Resources estimated at 76.7 million tonnes at a grade of 1.02 g/t Au (containing 2,527,000 ounces of gold). See the technical report for the Douay Gold Project entitled "Technical Report on the Douay and Joutel Projects Northwestern Quebec, Canada Report for NI 43-101" prepared by SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. with an effective date of March 17, 2022, and dated April 29, 2022. 2 The Eagle, Eagle West and Telbel Gold Mines at Joutel were in production from 1974 to 1993 and produced 1.1 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 6.5 g/t Au (Agnico Eagle Mines Limited's corporate website) VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 /Star Copper Corp. (the "Company") (CSE:STCU) (OTC:STCUF) (FWB:SOP) is pleased to announce that, further to its previous news releases dated July 16, 2025 and July 28, 2025, it completed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of C$3,999,999 from the sale of 2,666,666 "flow-through" units of the Company (each, an "FTUnit", and collectively, the "FT Units") at a price of C$1.50 per FT Unit (the "LIFE Offering") under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined herein). Each FT Unit consists of one "flow-through" common share (each, an "FT Share" and collectively, the "FT Shares") and one "flow-through" common share purchase warrant (each an "FT Warrant" and collectively, the "FT Warrants"), issued as "flow-through shares", as defined in subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"). Each FT Warrant is exercisable to acquire one common share (each a "Warrant Share", and collectively, the "Warrant Shares") at a price of $1.60 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months from the date hereof (the "Closing Date"). The Warrant Shares underlying the FT Units will not qualify as "flow-through shares" under the Tax Act. The FT Warrants to be issued pursuant to the LIFE Offering will not be listed for trading on any stock exchange. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the LIFE Offering was made to purchasers resident in all provinces of Canada, except Quebec, pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The securities offered under the LIFE Offering pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are not subject to resale restrictions in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an amended and restated offering document dated July 28, 2025 (the "Offering Document") related to the LIFE Offering that can be accessed under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at: www.starcopper.com. The gross proceeds of the LIFE Offering will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" that are "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures", within the meaning of the Tax Act, on the Company's flagship Star Project. Pursuant to a finder's fee agreement dated August 8, 2025 (the "Finder's Agreement") entered into between the Company and Canaccord Genuity Corp. (the "Finder") in respect of the LIFE Offering, the Company paid a finder's fee to the Finder consisting of: (i) a cash payment of $17,499.93, being an amount equal to 7% of the gross proceeds raised from subscriptions in the LIFE Offering from persons introduced to the Company by the Finder; and (ii) 11,666 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants"), being an amount equal to 7.0% of the aggregate number of FT Units subscribed for by persons introduced to the Company by the Finder. Each Finder's Warrant is exercisable to purchase one additional common share (the "Finder's Warrant Shares") at $1.50 per Finder's Warrant Share for a period of 24 months from the Closing Date, all in accordance with and subject to the terms of the warrant certificate representing the Finder's Warrants and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Star Copper Corp. (CSE: STCU) (OTC: STCUF) (FWB: SOP / WKN A416ME) Star Copper Corp. is an exploration and development company focused on developing high-potential copper projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company aims to advance its British Columbian flagship Star Project where significant exploration work including historical drilling has confirmed open mineralization at depth and in all directions. Star Copper's strategic plans include geological mapping and geophysical surveys to refine existing targets, diamond drilling programs to test high-priority zones, environmental baseline studies and permitting groundwork alongside data analysis and resource modeling to support a future resource estimate prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101. The Company further plans to advance its Indata Project with follow-up drilling to expand on previous high-grade copper and gold intercepts, trenching and surface sampling to delineate mineralized zones, and infrastructure improvements for site accessibility and operations. With a commitment to sustainable development and value creation, Star Copper aims to position itself to support surging industrial demand to meet growing global electrification needs. For more information visit: www.starcopper.com and to sign up for free news alerts please go to https://starcopper.com/news/news-alerts/, or follow us on X (formerly Twitter),Facebook or LinkedIn. More information in respect of the Star Project, including historical drilling, is available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and/or in the Company's February 26, 2025 technical report. Investor Relations Star Copper Corp. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web: https://starcopper.com/ Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. In particular, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning: the Company's exploration and development plans with respect its projects, and statements regarding the LIFE Offering including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated benefits thereof and the use of gross proceeds. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include but are not limited to market conditions and the risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. QUEBEC CITY / Aug 20, 2025 / Business Wire / Kobo Resources Inc. (Kobo or the Company) (TSX.V: KRI) intends to complete a non-brokered private placement of up to 10,000,000 units (the Units) at a price of $0.30 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $3.0 million (the Offering). Each Unit will be comprised of one Common Share and one-half Common Share Purchase Warrant. Each Warrant will entitle its holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.55 for a period of 24 months from the Closing Date. The Units will be issued pursuant to exemptions from the prospectus requirements in accordance with NI 45-106. The securities underlying the Units will be subject to a 4-month statutory hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. Edward Gosselin, CEO and Director of Kobo commented: After the completion of the diamond drilling program in 2024 and 2025, we look forward to expanding our exploration efforts at our Kossou Gold Project in the second half of 2025. Following the expected closing of this financing, the additional capital will enable us to enhance our current exploration initiatives in 2025 on our three main targets, for the Kossou Gold Project. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to pursue its exploration initiatives initiated in H1-2025 and extend the known zones of mineralisation at its three main targets, the Road Cut Zone, Jagger Zone and Kadie Zone on the Kossou Gold Project, initiate preliminary metallurgical work and further develop its ongoing soil geochemical and trenching survey at Kossou as well as to enhance the geological exploration program on the Kotobi research permit and for general corporate and working capital purposes. Closing of the Offering may occur in one or more closings with the first closing expected to occur on or about August 28, 2025 and the final closing to occur no later than September 5, 2025 (the Closing), and are subject to certain closing conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Units, Common Shares and Warrants have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. persons (as such terms are defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable U.S. state securities laws or compliance with an exemption from such registration requirements. This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. About Kobo Resources Inc. Kobo Resources is a growth-focused gold exploration company with a compelling new gold discovery in Cote d'Ivoire, one of West Africas most prolific and developing gold districts, hosting several multi-million-ounce gold mines. The Companys 100%-owned Kossou Gold Project is located approximately 20 km northwest of the capital city of Yamoussoukro and is directly adjacent to one of the regions largest gold mines with established processing facilities. With over 18,500 metres of diamond drilling, nearly 5,900 metres of reverse circulation (RC) drilling, and 5,900 metres of trenching completed since 2023, Kobo has made significant progress in defining the scale and prospectivity of its Kossous Gold Project. Exploration has focused on multiple high-priority targets within a 9+ km strike length of highly prospective gold-in-soil geochemical anomalies, with drilling confirming extensive mineralisation at the Jagger, Road Cut, and Kadie Zones. The latest phase of drilling has further refined structural controls on gold mineralisation, setting the stage for the next phase of systematic exploration and resource development. Beyond Kossou, the Company is advancing exploration at its Kotobi Permit and is actively expanding its land position in Cote d'Ivoire with prospective ground, aligning with its strategic vision for long-term growth in-country. Kobo remains committed to identifying and developing new opportunities to enhance its exploration portfolio within highly prospective gold regions of West Africa. Kobo offers investors the exciting combination of high-quality gold prospects led by an experienced leadership team with in-country experience. Kobos common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "KRI. For more information, please visit www.koboresources.com. Kobos common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "KRI. For more information, please visit www.koboresources.com. NEITHER THE TSXV NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSXV) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Cautionary Statement on Forward-looking Information This news release may contain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as expects, or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, budget, scheduled, forecasts, estimates, believes or intends or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results may or could, would, might or will be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements, including statements related to the Offering or to the exploration program of the Company. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable as at the date of this news release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the inherent risks involved win the exploration and development of mineral properties; unanticipated costs and expenses; the delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals; and other risk factors listed from time to time in our documents filed with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, Kobo assumes no obligation and/or liability to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 20, 2025) - Midnight Sun Mining Corp. (TSXV: MMA) (OTC Pink: MDNGF) ("Midnight Sun" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that a second diamond drill has commenced work at the Company's flagship Dumbwa Target on the Solwezi Project in Zambia. As per the Company's plans discussed in an August 6th, 2025 press release, Midnight Sun has brought in an additional diamond drill rig to expedite the exploration program on Dumbwa. Midnight Sun's President & CEO, Al Fabbro, states: "Our systematic exploration approach is in action and the team are executing with precision. All of our data at Dumbwa suggests an extremely large target area, so we have put a second drill to work in order to expedite the program, which is designed to correlate all previous drilling, new IP data, and the extraordinary 20-kilometre soil anomaly that overlays the target with underlying copper mineralization." About Dumbwa Dumbwa represents a near-surface, low-strip, bulk-tonnage exploration target with geology and mineralization closely resembling Barrick's Lumwana Mine, ~60 kilometres to the west. Dumbwa boasts a high-grade copper-in-soil anomaly extending ~20 kilometres along strike and more than 1 kilometre wide, with peak copper values reaching 0.73%. Previous drilling has confirmed sulphide copper mineralization, but additional drilling guided by structural controls is needed to better define the dip, continuity, size, and scale of the system. Multiple stacked mineralized horizons have been identified, which appear to be similar in deposition to those found at the Lumwana Mine. The recent dipole-dipole IP survey, covering the southern 11.5 kilometres of the strike extent, has revealed the structural framework of the Dumbwa target, critical for understanding its geometry. The interpreted IP results indicate a horizon that varies from relatively flat-lying and gently dipping, to areas with clear evidence of folding, ranging from open folds to very tight upright folds. There is a strong correlation between the mineralized intervals encountered in prior drilling at Dumbwa and the target horizon interpreted from the IP data. Additionally, a positive relationship exists between this horizon and the overlying soil anomaly. The interpreted IP survey also identified several major cross-cutting structures, which help explain offsets between historical soil geochemistry and previously drilled mineralization. Qualified Person: Darin Labrenz, P.Geo., a consulting geologist for the Company and Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical data and contents of this release. About Midnight Sun Midnight Sun is focused on exploring our flagship Solwezi Project, located in Zambia. Situated in the heart of the Zambia-Congo Copperbelt, the second largest copper producing region in the world, our property is vast and highly prospective. Our Solwezi Project is surrounded by producing copper mines, including Africa's largest copper mining complex right next door, First Quantum's Kansanshi Mine. Led by an experienced geological team with multiple discoveries and mines around the world to their credit, Midnight Sun's goal is to find and develop Zambia's next generational copper deposit. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF MIDNIGHT SUN MINING CORP., Al Fabbro President & CEO NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that are based on expectations, estimates, assumptions, geological theories, and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about any information herein that is not a historical fact may be "forward-looking statements." Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (which may, but not always, include phrases such as "anticipates", "plans", "scheduled", "believed" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements and are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the timing and ability of the Company to obtain and the timing of the approval of relevant regulatory bodies, if at all; risks relating to property interests; risks related to access to the project; risks inherent in mineral exploration, including the fact that any particular phase of exploration may be unsuccessful; the availability of contractors; geo-political risks; the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental risks; political risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Further to this, geological similarities or characteristics are not guarantees or certainties of successful exploration. Neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. Vancouver, BC, August 20, 2025 TheNewswire - Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (TSX-V: AVU) is pleased to announce that its joint venture company in Finland, Akkerman Finland Oy (AFOy), has acquired a second exploration permit located adjacent to the Pyhasalmi Mine, this one being on the south side of the mine license, and within sight of the mines headframe. AFOy is a partnership between Avrupa and Akkerman Exploration bv (AEbv) of The Netherlands. AFOy now holds an exploration portfolio consisting of six copper-zinc exploration permits in the Pyhasalmi Mining District and one gold exploration permit in the Oijarvi Greenstone Belt. Figure 1. AFOy properties in the Vihanti-Pyhasalmi Mining District, Central Finland. Total geological resource at Pyhasalmi Mine reported in 2015 as 75.7mt @ 0.9% Cu, 1.9% Zn, 0.4 g/t Au, and 14.1 g/t Ag. Total production at Vihanti Mine (1954-1992) reported as 28mt @ 5.12% Zn, 0.48% Cu, 0.36% Pb, 25 ppm Ag, and 0.49 ppm Au. The new Lippikyla exploration permit covers 2.4 square kilometers, and is located just south of the Pyhasalmi Mine. AFOy acquired the permit from Inmet Finland Oy (IFO), a 100%-owned subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals (FQM) and parent company of Pyhasalmi Mine Oy (PMO). The agreement allows for AFOy to undertake generative exploration work within the permit boundaries, and if successful, potentially turn to PMO for partnering at later stages of exploration and development of a new mineral body. The initial cost to AFOy was nominal. This purchase forms part of a continuing collaboration between AFOy and the Pyhasalmi Mine covering ongoing exploration around the 75mt Pyhasalmi zinc-copper massive sulfide deposit, mined from 1962 to 2022, producing more than 60mt of zinc and copper ore (as of 2017). AFOy is directing exploration towards potential extension(s) of the historic Pyhasalmi mineralization and possible satellite deposits. Figure 2. Outline of AFOy exploration permits adjacent to the Pyhasalmi Mine. IFO acquired the license in Q4 2024, ostensibly to follow-up untested gravity anomalies discovered during an extensive internal review of all historic exploration data by company geologists. IFO tested one of the gravity anomalies during Q1 2025 with a single 500-meter drill hole. The drill hole cut two mineralized horizons of intensely altered felsic volcanics with anomalous zinc and copper content in an area which had been previously believed to contain sterile mafic volcanics that overlie the Pyhasalmi deposit. The source of the gravity anomaly remains unclear, and the results point to increased possibility for a blind satellite deposit(s) in the Lippikyla area. Managing Director of AFOy, Jan Akkerman, is currently onsite at the Pyhasalmi Mine reviewing core and data related to historic work in the new Lippikyla permit area and in the recently-acquired Lehto permit area (see AVU news release January 27, 2025: Avrupa acquires Lehto exploration permit, Finland). After consolidation and review of the historic data, AFOy will plan for follow-up drilling on both permits. Details of program will be based on consideration of the data, drill core observations, discussions with PMO, and overall internal AFOy interpretations. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, commented, We have assembled an attractive land position in the Vihanti-Pyhasalmi District, particularly close-in to the Pyhasalmi Mine. We have massive sulfide mineralization and/or drill targets on all of these permits. During the coming months, we expect to prioritize certain of these projects for first-pass drilling, and others for further geological/geophysical enhancement to upgrade potential drill targets. At this point in the Avrupa project generation business cycle, we are stepping up our efforts to attract a potential JV partner to join us in moving the projects forward. We have high quality copper and zinc targets in a long-lived mining district, and expect to be able to significantly upgrade these targets with new partner involvement at this stage. On a further note, Avrupa recently initiated an internally-generated company-awareness campaign on the social media platforms at LinkedIn and Twitter/X. The Company will periodically post already-publicly-disclosed information about projects, our business model, progress with applications, JV partners, and other noteworthy AVU topics. We monitor both platforms and will attempt to answer pertinent questions about the Company. For direct communications with management, we encourage shareholders, investors, and those interested in learning more about AVU to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Avrupa Minerals Ltd. is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company directed to discovery of mineral deposits, using a hybrid project generator business model. The Company holds one 100%-owned license in Portugal, the Alvalade VMS Project, and has submitted an application for a mining license covering the Sesmarias massive sulfide showing within the Project area. The Company holds one 49%-owned exploration license covering the Slivova Gold Project in Kosovo, optioned to Western Tethyan Resources, and is actively advancing six copper-zinc prospects and one gold prospect in central Finland through its partnership with Akkerman Exploration bv in the Finnish exploration company, Akkerman Finland Oy. Avrupa focuses its project generation work in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, presently including Portugal, Finland, and Kosovo. The Company continues to seek and develop other opportunities around Europe, and is actively looking for new JV partnerships in Finland and Portugal. For additional information, contact Avrupa Minerals Ltd. at 1-604-687-3520 or visit our website at www.avrupaminerals.com. On behalf of the Board, Paul W. Kuhn Paul W. Kuhn, President & Director This news release was prepared by Company management, who take full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, a Licensed Professional Geologist and a Registered Member of the Society of Mining Engineers, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this release. Information concerning the historic mine production at the Vihanti and Pyhasalmi Mines was collected from publicly-available sources, including Mineral Deposits of Finland, 2015, pp, 507-530 and a presentation made by Pyhasalmi Mine Oy in 2018, Pyhasalmi Area Presentation Pyhasalmi-Vihanti VMS Camp. QP has not been able to verify the information, but believes that the information provided by the owners of Pyhasalmi Mine Oy, First Quantum Minerals, is accurate and properly reports historic mine information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NexGold Mining Corp. (TSXV: NEXG; OTCQX: NXGCF) (NexGold or the Company) is pleased to provide final drill results from a recently-completed 26,854-metre diamond drill program initially announced on January 22, 2025 at the Companys Goldboro Open Pit Gold Project (Goldboro) in Nova Scotia. The drill program was primarily designed to infill specific areas of the open pit Mineral Resource identified to improve geological and grade continuity and potentially upgrade certain areas of Inferred and Indicated Mineral Resources. The assay results for the final 14 infill diamond drill holes (BR-25-585 and 593 to 603), totalling 2,072.0 metres, were from drilling in the proposed west and east pits of the Goldboro Open Pit Gold Project (Figures 1 and 2; Tables 1 and 2). Kevin Bullock, President and CEO stated: With the final results from this program now in hand, the Company continues with its ongoing work on the Goldboro Mineral Resource and mine planning. We are pleased with the results, which have consistently demonstrated the presence of high-grade zones, near surface, within the planned open pits and has also indicated the potential for new zones of gold mineralization within the proposed open pits. We anticipate completing an updated Mineral Resource Estimate within the next few months which will be used as the basis for an updated Feasibility Study, which will commence shortly. Selected drill intersections from the 14 diamond drill holes in this news release are further detailed in Table 2 and include: 18.16 g/t gold over 2.1 metres (from 147.0 to 149.1 metres), including 62.00 g/t gold over 0.6 metres in drill hole BR-25-597; 6.91 g/t gold over 2.5 metres (from 69.0 to 71.5 metres), including 22.10 g/t gold over 0.6 metres in drill hole BR-25-595; 23.20 g/t gold over 0.8 metres (from 126.0 to 126.8 metres) in drill hole BR-25-598; 2.19 g/t gold over 7.0 metres (from 110.7 to 117.7 metres), including 26.60 g/t gold over 0.5 metres in drill hole BR-25-585; and 5.08 g/t gold over 3.0 metres (from 79.3 to 82.3 metres), including 28.40 g/t gold over 0.5 metres in drill hole BR-25-595. The Company has now released assay results for all 142 drill holes completed under the infill program. Results from the drill program have demonstrated the presence of mineralization that is consistent with previous drill results in the proposed west and east pits. In particular, the existing geological model appears to broadly predict the location of gold mineralization with local adjustments to the model where mineralization is either not in the exact positions predicted by the model or if no mineralization is intersected. Throughout the drill program, additional gold mineralization was intersected in areas where mineralization was previously unknown or predicted. This occurs either in under-drilled areas or near historic drilling areas that were more selectively sampled than the current sampling approach. Mineralized solids within the Mineral Resource model will be adjusted where necessary to account for local variations in the model, and any impact due to additional assay data gathered during the drill program will be investigated during the forthcoming updated Mineral Resource Estimate planned for H2 2025. Figure 1: Plan map showing the location of diamond drill holes BR-25-585, 592 to 596, 598, 600, 600A and 601 along with assay highlights in the proposed East Pit, Goldboro Gold Deposit Figure 2: Plan map showing the location of diamond drill holes BR-25-597, 599, 602 and 603 along with assay highlights in the proposed West Pit, Goldboro Gold Deposit Table 1: Locations and orientations for 14 drill holes in this news release Drill Hole Easting Northing Elevation (m) Length (m) Azimuth Inclination BR-25-585 607821 5006141 68.4 139.0 360 -75 BR-25-592 607816 5006049 68.1 230.0 360 -60 BR-25-593 607203 5006431 55.6 101.0 180 -60 BR-25-594 607864 5006121 68.7 103.0 360 -50 BR-25-595 607821 5006141 68.4 139.0 360 -75 BR-25-596 607820 5006236 74.6 107.0 180 -75 BR-25-597 606706 5006498 60.5 170.0 180 -60 BR-25-598 607868 5006197 72.2 131.0 360 -90 BR-25-599 606731 5006486 60.8 122.0 180 -45 BR-25-600 607672 5006271 67.3 221.0 180 -74 BR-25-600A 607672 5006271 68.5 53.0 180 -74 BR-25-601 607564 5006419 65.6 251.0 190 -55 BR-25-602 606731 5006486 60.8 155.0 180 -66 BR-25-603 606731 5006486 60.8 150.0 180 -80 Notes: Drill hole locations reported as Universal Transverse Mercator NAD83 Zone 20 coordinates. Some drill hole numbers are missing from the sequence. These drill holes have already been reported in previous news releases. Drill hole BR-25-600A was abandoned at a depth of 53.0 m and re-drilled as drill hole BR-25-600. Drill holes BR-25-466 to 584, 586 to 591, 604 to 607 were reported in previous news releases dated May 16, June 5, June 13, June 19, June 26, July 10, July 17, July 24, July 30 and August 7, 2025. Table 2: Highlighted drill intersections from the east and west pits in this news release Drill hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Gold (g/t) BR-25-585 20.0 21.0 1.0 0.55 and 24.0 25.0 1.0 5.82 and 38.8 39.4 0.6 1.53 and 110.7 117.7 7.0 2.19 including 113.9 114.4 0.5 26.60 BR-25-592 36.8 37.8 1.0 2.48 and 69.0 73.0 4.0 0.71 including 72.0 73.0 1.0 2.02 and 121.5 123.0 1.5 0.45 and 144.4 149.0 4.6 0.36 including 144.4 145.0 0.6 1.49 and 191.6 193.5 1.9 0.60 and 218.5 222.3 3.8 0.58 including 218.5 219.0 0.5 3.04 BR-25-593 12.0 13.5 1.5 0.71 including 13.0 13.5 0.5 1.55 and 18.3 18.8 0.5 1.78 and 53.7 54.7 1.0 0.83 BR-25-594 41.3 42.8 1.5 0.45 and 50.3 51.5 1.2 2.31 including 51.0 51.5 0.5 5.20 and 84.7 86.2 1.5 2.24 including 85.5 86.2 0.7 4.26 and 89.8 91.5 1.7 0.95 BR-25-595 15.5 18.8 3.3 0.60 including 16.0 16.9 0.9 1.19 and 49.0 50.3 1.3 0.83 and 59.8 62.9 3.1 1.89 including 60.5 61.0 0.5 7.53 and 69.0 71.5 2.5 6.91 including 69.0 69.5 0.5 7.10 and including 69.5 70.1 0.6 22.10 and 79.3 82.3 3.0 5.08 including 81.8 82.3 0.5 28.40 and 103.7 110.5 6.8 0.64 including 110.0 110.5 0.5 6.63 BR-25-596 No significant assays BR-25-597 18.3 19.3 1.0 1.27 and 41.4 45.7 4.3 2.95 including 41.4 42.0 0.6 15.10 and including 45.2 45.7 0.5 4.37 and 107.0 110.0 3.0 0.62 and 147.0 149.1 2.1 18.16 including 147.0 147.6 0.6 62.00 and 154.1 165.4 11.3 0.43 including 163.8 164.6 0.8 1.42 BR-25-598 38.1 39.1 1.0 1.46 and 126.0 126.8 0.8 23.20 BR-25-599 34.5 36.7 2.2 0.69 and 66.2 69.7 3.5 0.29 including 66.2 67.1 0.9 0.83 and 97.0 98.0 1.0 2.50 BR-25-600 43.0 44.0 1.0 1.42 and 83.8 84.6 0.8 3.60 and 93.8 95.0 1.2 3.06 including 93.8 94.3 0.5 7.07 and 115.9 117.4 1.5 1.07 and 124.2 125.2 1.0 0.51 and 143.2 143.7 0.5 0.83 and 181.0 182.0 1.0 0.83 and 188.0 190.9 2.9 0.53 including 189.9 190.9 1.0 1.25 and 194.5 195.2 0.7 0.95 and 213.7 214.2 0.5 7.44 BR-25-600A 11.1 11.7 0.6 1.34 and 42.5 43.0 0.5 0.77 BR-25-601 8.8 9.3 0.5 0.62 and 31.2 32.2 1.0 2.62 and 151.0 152.0 1.0 0.33 and 197.3 198.1 0.8 0.48 and 203.9 211.1 7.2 1.00 including 210.0 210.6 0.6 5.72 and 237.5 245.1 7.6 1.30 including 242.5 243.1 0.6 11.30 BR-25-602 41.4 42.4 1.0 0.50 and 111.0 114.5 3.5 0.50 including 111.0 111.5 0.5 1.11 and 145.0 146.5 1.5 0.86 BR-25-603 16.2 20.9 4.7 0.73 including 16.2 17.2 1.0 1.15 and 24.2 24.7 0.5 1.16 and 36.2 40.6 4.3 0.37 and 82.4 83.0 0.6 0.60 and 107.0 108.0 1.0 1.08 and 149.0 149.7 0.7 1.78 Notes: Reported intervals are drilled core lengths and do not indicate true widths. True widths are estimated at between 70-100% of core length. For duplicate samples, the original sample assays are used to calculate the intersection grade. All grades are uncapped. Some drill hole numbers are missing from the sequence. These drill holes have already been reported in previous news releases. Drill holes BR-25-466 to 584, 586 to 591, 604 to 607 were reported in previous news releases dated May 16, June 5, June 13, June 19, June 26, July 10, July 17, July 24, July 30, and August 7, 2025. QA / QC The Company has implemented a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program to ensure sampling and analysis of all exploration work is conducted in accordance with the CIM Exploration Best Practices Guidelines. The NQ diameter drill core is sawn in half with one-half of the core sample dispatched to either Eastern Analytical Ltd. (Eastern) preparation facility in Springdale, Newfoundland and Labrador or the ALS Canada Ltd. (ALS) prep lab in Moncton, NB and then the pulp is sent to North Vancouver, BC for fire assay. The other half of the core is retained for future assay verification and/or metallurgical testing. Analysis for gold was completed by fire assay (30 g) with an AA finish. All assays in this news release are reported as fire assays only. For samples analyzing greater than 0.5 g/t Au via 30 g fire assay, these samples will be re-analyzed at Eastern via total pulp metallics. For the total pulp metallics analysis, the entire sample is crushed to -10mesh and pulverized to 95% -150mesh. The total sample is then weighed and screened to 150mesh. The +150mesh fraction is fire assayed for Au, and a 30 g subsample of the -150mesh fraction analyzed via fire assay. A weighted average gold grade is calculated for the final reportable gold grade. Total pulp metallics assays for drill holes sited within this news release may be updated in a future news release. Check assays are conducted at Eastern for assay samples received from ALS and check assays are conducted at ALS for assays received from Eastern following the completion of a program. Other QA/QC procedures include the regular insertion of blanks and CDN Resource Laboratories certified reference standards. The laboratory also has its own QA/QC protocols running standards and blanks with duplicate samples in each batch stream for all analysis. Qualified Person Paul McNeill, P.Geo., VP Exploration of NexGold, is considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release on behalf of NexGold. About NexGold Mining Corp. NexGold Mining Corp. is a gold-focused company with assets in Canada and Alaska. NexGolds Goliath Gold Complex (which includes the Goliath, Goldlund and Miller deposits) is located in Northwestern Ontario and its Goldboro Gold Project is located in Nova Scotia. NexGold also owns several other projects throughout Canada, including the Weebigee-Sandy Lake Gold Project JV, and grassroots gold exploration property Gold Rock. In addition, NexGold holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Niblack copper-gold-zinc-silver VMS project, located adjacent to tidewater in southeast Alaska. NexGold is committed to inclusive, informed and meaningful dialogue with regional communities and Indigenous Nations throughout the life of all our Projects and on all aspects, including creating sustainable economic opportunities, providing safe workplaces, enhancing of social value, and promoting community wellbeing. Further details about NexGold, including a Prefeasibility Study for the Goliath Gold Complex and a Feasibility Study for the Goldboro Gold Project, are available under the Companys issuer profile on www.sedarplus.ca and on NexGolds website at www.nexgold.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains or incorporates by reference forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking information including, but not limited: to information as to the Companys strategic objectives and plans; timing and results of drilling activities; potential for upgrading mineral resources; expected initiatives to be undertaken by management of the Company in identifying exploration opportunities; and timing of advancement and completion of technical studies. Generally, forward-looking information is characterized by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, is projected, anticipates or does not anticipate, believes, targets, or variations of such words and phrases. Forward-looking information may also be identified in statements where certain actions, events or results may, could, should, would, might, will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those projected by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the plan for, and actual results of, current exploration activities; expectations relating to future exploration, development and production activities as well as growth potential for NexGolds operations; risks relating to the ability of exploration activities (including drill results) to accurately predict mineralization; reliance on third-parties, including governmental entities, for mining activities; the ability of NexGold to complete further exploration activities, including drilling at the Goliath Gold Complex and Goldboro deposits; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; risks relating to mining activities; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of mineral resources, production and cost estimates; health, safety and environmental risks; worldwide demand for gold and base metals; gold price and other commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations; environmental risks; competition; incorrect assessment of the value of acquisitions; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws, royalties and environmental regulations; and those factors described in the Managements Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024 of the Company and in the Companys most recent disclosure documents filed under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented to assist shareholders in understanding the Companys the Companys plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. High-grade gold, copper, silver and tungsten assay results have been received for four holes from its ongoing shallow drilling program designed to outline and expand the near surface zone of mineralization at the Apollo system with highlighted results as follows : 183.70 metres @ 3.01 g/t gold equivalent (0.86 g/t gold, 44 g/t silver, 0.83% copper and 0.14% WO 3 ) from 37.30 metres downhole (APC-134) 37.15 metres @ 7.05 g/t gold equivalent (2.19 g/t gold, 89 g/t silver, 0.92% copper, and 0.73% WO 3 ) from 118.10 downhole (APC-136) The second large capacity diamond drill rig to test the Ramp Zone has arrived on site and is expected to begin operating within the next two weeks. TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Collective Mining Ltd. (NYSE: CNL) (TSX: CNL) ("Collective" or the "Company") is pleased to announce assay results for four diamond drill holes designed to better outline and expand the shallow portion of gold-silver-copper-tungsten mineralization at the Apollo system ("Apollo"). Apollo, which begins at surface, is strongly mineralized over 1,200 vertical metres, is open at depth and is the most advanced discovery made to date within the Company's multi-target, Guayabales Project in Caldas, Colombia. The Company currently has eleven drill rigs operating as part of its fully funded 70,000 metre drill program for 2025 with eight rigs operating at the Guayabales Project and three rigs turning at the San Antonio Project. Drilling at the Guayabales Project is focused on multiple objectives which include defining shallow mineralization, expanding and identifying new high-grade sub-zones, expanding the high-grade Ramp Zone at depth and testing new targets. Two deep capacity drill rigs are now at Apollo with the first rig now drilling a mother hole after successfully extending a previous step-out hole which failed to reach its intended depth when targeting the Ramp Zone (assays results pending). A second deep capacity rig has recently arrived at site and is expected to begin drilling a second mother hole to test the high-grade Ramp Zone discovery within the next two weeks. Approximately 133,000 metres of diamond drilling has been completed to date at the Guayabales Project, including 93,000 metres at Apollo. There are currently twenty-five drill holes in the lab with assay results for most of these holes expected in the near term. Ari Sussman, Executive Chairman commented: "As the shallow drill program at Apollo approaches its conclusion, we continue to improve upon the internal block model by intersecting extraordinary grades of gold, silver, copper and tungsten. We are also pleased that the second large capacity rig to test the Ramp Zone below Apollo has arrived on site and will begin operating shortly. We expect to begin intersecting the Ramp Zone next month with a series of directional holes with a goal of expanding the zone up to 300 meters along strike and below current drilling. Additionally, we are evaluating bringing a third deep capacity rig for the Ramp Zone in order further expand the Ramp drilling program." Details (see Table 1 and Figures 1-2) Four drill holes drilled from Pad 25 intersected high-grade gold, silver, copper and tungsten mineralization from at or near surface with results as follows: 111.05 metres @ 1.79 g/t gold equivalent from 50.05 metres downhole (APC-132) 183.7 metres @ 3.01 g/t gold equivalent from 37.30 metres downhole (APC-134) including: 31.85 metres @ 4.12 g/t gold equivalent from 98.70 metres downhole 64.80 metres @ 3.32 g/t gold equivalent from 25.70 metres downhole and 49.40 metres @ 2.44 g/t gold equivalent from 124.60 metres downhole (APC-135) 31.40 metres @ 3.55 g/t gold equivalent from 28.70 metres downhole and 37.15 metres @ 7.05 g/t gold equivalent (APC-136) The drill program targeting the shallowest portion of Apollo is nearing completion with approximately six drill holes remaining. Drill intercepts from the shallow program have expanded the volume of the shallow mineralized area by approximately five percent and have filled multiple gaps within the internal block model. Once the shallow drilling program has been completed, the average drill hole spacing will be 35 metres from surface to a vertical depth of 150 metres. Table 1: Assays Results for Drill Holes APC-132, APC-134, APC-135 and APC-136 Hole # From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Ag g/t Cu % WO 3 % AuEq g/t* APC-132 50.05 161.10 111.05 0.63 23 0.46 0.08 1.79 APC-134 37.30 221.00 183.70 0.86 44 0.83 0.14 3.01 Incl. 98.70 130.55 31.85 0.95 51 0.99 0.34 4.12 APC-135 25.70 90.50 64.80 2.39 17 0.13 0.18 3.32 and 124.60 174.00 49.40 0.94 66 0.45 0.02 2.44 APC-136 28.70 60.10 31.40 2.41 24 0.33 0.13 3.55 and 118.10 155.25 37.15 2.19 89 0.92 0.73 7.05 AuEq (g/t) is calculated as follows: (Au (g/t) x 0.97) + (Ag (g/t) x 0.015 x 0.85) + (Cu (%) x 1.44 x 0.95) + (WO 3 (%) x 4.84 x 0.72) utilizing metal prices of Au US$2,200/oz, Ag US$33/oz, Cu US$4.62/lb and WO 3 US$15.51/lb and recovery rates of 97% for Au, 85% for Ag, 95% for Cu and 72% for WO 3 . Recovery rate assumptions for metals are based on metallurgical results announced on October 17, 2023, April 11, 2024, and October 3, 2024. True widths are between 60%-100% of the total length and grades are uncut. The Company has received assay results for two diamond drill holes completed at the Knife target and did not intersect any significant mineralization. As a result, the Knife target has been removed from the Company's inventory of greenfield drill targets at the Guayabales Project. The significant backlog of drill holes at the laboratory in Peru is being rectified and accordingly the Company expects to be releasing assay results at an accelerated rate for the foreseeable future. About Collective Mining Ltd. To see our latest corporate presentation and related information, please visit www.collectivemining.com. Founded by the team that developed and sold Continental Gold Inc. to Zijin Mining for approximately $2 billion in enterprise value, Collective is a gold, silver, copper and tungsten exploration company with projects in Caldas, Colombia. The Company has options to acquire 100% interest in two projects located directly within an established mining camp with ten fully permitted and operating mines. The Company's flagship project, Guayabales, is anchored by the Apollo system, which hosts the large-scale, bulk-tonnage and high-grade gold-silver-copper-tungsten Apollo system. The Company's objectives are to improve the overall grade of the Apollo system by systematically drill testing newly modeled potentially high-grade sub-zones, expand the newly discovered high-grade Ramp Zone along strike and to depth and drill a series of greenfield generated targets on the property. Additionally, the Company has launched its largest drilling campaign in history at the San Antonio Project as it hunts for new discoveries and looks to expand upon the newly discovered porphyry system at the Pound target. The San Antonio Project is located between two to five kilometers east-northeast of the Guayabales Project and could potentially share infrastructure given their close proximity to each other. Management, insiders, a strategic investor and close family and friends own 44.5% of the outstanding shares of the Company and as a result, are fully aligned with shareholders. The Company is listed on both the NYSE American and TSX under the trading symbol "CNL". Qualified Person (QP) and NI43-101 Disclosure David J Reading is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") and has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained herein is accurate and approves of the written disclosure of same. Mr. Reading has an MSc in Economic Geology and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and of the Society of Economic Geology (SEG). Technical Information Samples were cut by Company personnel at Collective Mining's core facility in Caldas, Colombia. Diamond drill core was sawed and then sampled in maximum 2 metres intervals, stopping at geological boundaries. Drill hole core diameter is a mix of PQ, HQ and NQ depending on the depth of the drill hole. Core samples have been prepared and analyzed at ALS laboratory facilities in Medellin, Colombia and Lima, Peru. Blanks, duplicates, and certified reference standards are inserted into the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance. Crush rejects and pulps are kept and stored in a secured storage facility for future assay verification. No capping has been applied to sample composites. The Company utilizes a rigorous, industry-standard QA/QC program. Information Contact: Follow Executive Chairman Ari Sussman (@Ariski73) on X Follow Collective Mining (@CollectiveMini1) on X, (Collective Mining) on LinkedIn, and (@collectivemining) on Instagram FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: the anticipated advancement of mineral properties or programs; future operations; future recovery metal recovery rates; future growth potential of Collective; and future development plans. These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding future events including the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: risks related to the speculative nature of the Company's business; the Company's formative stage of development; the Company's financial position; possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of future economic evaluations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, precious and base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formation pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the annual information form of the Company dated March 24, 2025. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Switzerland and Austria said Tuesday that they would host Russian President Vladimir Putin if he came for talks on peace in Ukraine, despite the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant. French President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of a peace summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky being held in Europe, in "a neutral country, maybe Switzerland". "I'm pushing for Geneva," he said in an interview aired earlier Tuesday on French news channel LCI. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a press conference that, under certain circumstances, Putin would be allowed to set foot in Switzerland. Last year, the Swiss government defined "the rules for granting immunity to a person under an international arrest warrant. If this person comes for a peace conference -- not if they come for private reasons", Cassis said. Cassis said Switzerland was fully prepared to host such a meeting and highlighted the militarily-neutral country's long expertise in the field. However, he pointed out that Russia had gone cold on Switzerland, which has decided to match the sanctions imposed by the neighbouring European Union since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. - 'Long tradition' - In neighbouring Austria, the chancellery said should peace talks take place on its soil, it would get in touch with the ICC "to make it possible for President Putin to attend". Chancellor Christian Stocker said he had already offered Vienna as a possible venue for negotiations to Zelensky during the Ukrainian president's visit in June. "Our capital has a long tradition as a place of dialogue," he said in a statement, evoking Vienna hosting several international organisations. Austria -- a member of the EU but not NATO -- sought close ties with Russia in the past, but relations deteriorated after Moscow invaded Ukraine. Switzerland permitted Russia's participation at a gathering of parliamentary speakers last month, with Valentina Matviyenko, president of the upper house of Russia's Federal Assembly, attending despite international sanctions. Switzerland said it acted in accordance with law and international agreements. Swiss authorities may authorise exemptions from travel restrictions, "notably if the person is travelling to participate in an international conference," a Swiss foreign ministry spokesman told AFP at the time. Putin is wanted by the ICC for the war crime accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. Putin last visited Geneva for his June 2021 summit with then president Joe Biden. The most recent bilateral talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul. Turkey is considered more friendly by Moscow, despite its membership of NATO. Turkey is not an ICC member. Rights groups on Wednesday accused the Rwanda-backed M23 militia of abuses in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with Human Rights Watch alleging its fighters carried out ethnically targeted "mass killings". Both the M23 and the Wazalendo, a disparate collection of militias loyal to the Congolese government, were responsible for rights abuses including gang rapes and summary executions, which could amount to war crimes, a briefing by Amnesty International found. The M23 has seized swathes of the mineral-rich Congolese east with Rwanda's help, triggering a spiralling humanitarian crisis in a region already scarred by more than three decades of conflict. Both the Congolese government and the M23 agreed in July to a ceasefire, with the aim of cementing a permanent end to the fighting that has forced millions of people from their homes. But in August, the United Nations accused the M23 of killing more than 319 civilians the previous month in North Kivu province, and charged that Rwandan soldiers were involved in the operations. HRW on Wednesday said that as part of those assaults, more than 140 civilians were "summarily executed", with the victims "largely ethnic Hutu, in at least 14 villages and small farming communities". "The mass killings appear to be part of a military campaign against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)," the rights group said. Though Rwanda denies providing the M23 with military support, it argues it faces an existential threat in the eastern DRC from the presence of the FDLR, an armed group founded by ethnic Hutu leaders involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide of the Tutsis. Urging action by the UN Security Council, HRW said the executions were "among the worst atrocities by the M23" and raise "grave concerns of ethnic cleansing". - 'Nowhere safe' for women - For Amnesty, the "M23 has attempted to root out, dismantle, punish, and eliminate threats against itself and the Tutsi population". "In the process, it has tortured and abducted scores of men, forcibly disappeared individuals, killed and tortured detainees, and gangraped women," actions which "may amount to war crimes", the rights group's briefing said. The DRC's forces were not innocent either, it added. Of 14 survivors of gang rape who came forward to the rights group, eight accused the M23, five accused Wazalendo fighters and one Congolese soldiers, Amnesty said. The rights group said it had interviewed more than 53 victims and witnesses for the report, and had gathered evidence of five summary executions by the M23 in doing so. "For the women of eastern DRC, nowhere is safe; they are raped in their homes, in the fields, or camps where they seek shelter. The world must say enough," said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty's regional director. "These atrocities are intended to punish, intimidate and humiliate civilians," Chagutah added, urging Rwanda and the DRC to bring those responsible to justice. Chagutah also urged the United States, which helped broker the ceasefire signed in Doha in July, to push the Congolese government to remove fighters and officials linked to human-rights abuses from its ranks. The International Criminal Court on Wednesday denounced new US sanctions against two more of its judges and two prosecutors, calling them a "flagrant attack" on its independence. The four include Judge Nicolas Guillou of France, who is presiding over a case in which an arrest warrant was issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Canadian judge Kimberly Prost and deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal were also hit. Prost was involved in a case that authorised an investigation into alleged crimes committed during the war in Afghanistan, including by US forces. "These sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution," the court said in a statement. The ICC said it stood "firmly behind its personnel and victims of unimaginable atrocities". It said it would "continue fulfilling its mandates, undeterred" and "without regard to any restriction, pressure or threat". Four other judges and the court's prosecutor had already been placed under sanctions. Kennesaw State student earns competitive internship with NBCs Today Show KENNESAW, Ga. | Aug 20, 2025 An early morning phone call confirmed for Raymond Kalra what once felt like a long shot he had been selected for a competitive internship with NBCs The Today Show. Out of more than 500 applicants nationwide, the Kennesaw State journalism and emerging media student was one of only four chosen for the internship, which runs from September to April. The news came just days after his second-round interview, in a call that began as a routine follow-up. Halfway through the conversation, she said, Congratulations, the team would love to offer you the first of the four spots, Kalra said. I was completely speechless. I was over the moon. A native of Acworth, Georgia, Kalra is believed to be the first KSU student to ever intern with The Today Show. It hasnt really hit me yet, he said. But Im proud to represent Kennesaw State and put our name in front of a national audience. Kalra is a rising senior in the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences and has spent the past few years developing his skills on and off campus. Most recently, he completed an internship with television station Fox 5 Atlanta, where he gained experience in broadcast journalism. That included everything from assisting producers and anchors to being trusted with field reporting, even covering press conferences involving state and city leaders. Theres no better training than local news, Kalra said. Fox 5 gave me a true inside look at the grit and grind of this industry. He credits that experience, along with his strong knowledge of NBCs programming, for helping his application for The Today Show internship stand out during the competitive selection process. While NBC doesnt require prior newsroom experience for its internships, Kalra believes his time in local news showed that he had both the passion and the professionalism to thrive in a national setting. Kalras interest in journalism started long before college. At Harrison High School, in Kennesaw, Georgia, he was part of a student-run broadcast program with a full studio and newsroom. By the time he arrived at KSU, he had already developed a foundation in video editing, producing, and on-camera work. Still, earning a national opportunity like The Today Show wasnt something he fully expected. I applied on a whim, he said. I didnt think I was going to get it. But if you dont ask, youll never know. The internship will place him at NBCs headquarters in New York City, where hell work closely with producers, anchors, and editorial teams during some of the networks biggest annual broadcasts. From the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting, Kalra will be behind the scenes at some of the nations most-watched moments. I just want to be a helping hand, he said. Whether its supporting producers or assisting anchors, I want to contribute wherever I can and take initiative before Im even asked. Kalras selection has resonated with classmates and faculty alike, especially within the journalism and emerging media program at KSU. Raymonds achievement reflects the talent, drive, and professionalism we see in so many of our students, said Catherine Kaukinen, dean of the Radow College. His success demonstrates that Kennesaw State students can and do compete on the biggest stages in the nation, and we couldnt be prouder. Kalra hopes his achievement inspires peers to pursue competitive opportunities, even if they feel uncertain. While his long-term dream is to become an anchor someday, ideally on a platform as prominent as The Today Show, his immediate focus is on telling meaningful stories and keeping people informed. I know this internship is a game changer for me, he said. I just dont fully understand how big yet. But Im grateful to KSU, my professors, and everyone whos supported me along the way. Story by Raynard Churchwell Photo provided Related Stories A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The universitys vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu. Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - Gladys Kamande, the woman who once made headlines after allegedly faking chronic illness and raising millions of shillings from well-wishers, is now enjoying soft life. Kamande had, years ago, captured the sympathy of Kenyans after appearing frail, hooked to oxygen tanks, and appealing for financial support to undergo treatment abroad. Millions were raised by generous Kenyans touched by her plight. However, revelations later surfaced that her illness claims were exaggerated, sparking outrage across the country. Many Kenyans felt betrayed, branding her one of the most notorious con artists to exploit public sympathy. Fast forward to today, Kamandes life tells a very different story. A recent photo circulating online shows her enjoying soft life, with an unbelievable transformation. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - Police have launched a manhunt for a young woman identified as Mercy Wangare, who is accused of brutally stabbing her boyfriend 16 times, after allegedly accusing him of infidelity. According to preliminary reports, the shocking incident happened earlier this week in Kawangware after a heated confrontation between the couple turned violent. Wangare allegedly picked up a knife and attacked her boyfriend repeatedly, leaving him with multiple stab wounds. The victim was rushed to hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Meanwhile, the suspect fled the scene immediately after the attack and has been on the run since. The deceaseds friends have taken to social media to seek justice and urged police to speed up investigations. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - A middle-aged Kalenjin man has been arrested after he was busted posing as a police officer attached to Kamukunji Police Station and terrorizing young men in the Nairobi CBD. According to witnesses, the impostor had been moving around the city center, targeting unsuspecting youths. He allegedly stops them, accuses them of petty offences, and then demands bribes to let them go. Reports indicate that the fake cop had been operating for months, collecting thousands of shillings from victims who feared being taken to the station. His luck ran out after he harassed a young man and injured him, attracting members of the public who cornered him before real police officers arrived. A video circulating online shows the suspect being roughed up by angry wananchi as he tried to plead his innocence. He was later handed over to the authorities. Watch the video. KALENJIN man arrested for masquerading as a police officer from Kamukunji and harassing young men in Nairobi CBD while extorting money from them pic.twitter.com/PIHyKJvpj4 DAILY POST (@dailypost_ke) August 20, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - A middle-aged Kenyan man has left social media buzzing after he pulled the ultimate surprise on his bride-to-be during their traditional wedding. In a video making rounds online, the groom shocked guests when he unveiled a sleek Mercedes-Benz as a gift to his fiancee, leaving her speechless and emotional. The moment, captured on camera, shows the young lady breaking down in tears of joy as family, friends, and villagers cheered in disbelief. Kenyans online have reacted with mixed feelings - some hailing the groom for raising the bar in matters of romance, while others warned that such extravagant gestures may put unnecessary pressure on young couples. Either way, the surprise Benz gift has now become the talk of social media. Watch the videos. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - Muranga Governor Irungu Kangata has found himself at the centre of online discussion after he was pictured rocking a worn-out belt while in a high-profile meeting with flashy Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen. Sharp-eyed netizens quickly zoomed in on his suit, joking that the county boss is struggling financially despite holding a powerful position. Some Kenyans even went as far as offering to start an online fundraiser to buy him a new belt, while others humorously suggested that Murkomen, known for his sharp dressing, should donate one from his expensive collection. See the photo. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - A heartbroken Kikuyu lady has taken to social media to expose the sorry state she is living in with her young daughter, accusing her baby daddy of neglect despite his flashy lifestyle. In the video shared on her Tiktok account, the young lady is seen showing her single-room house, revealing how she has been struggling to raise her child singlehandedly. She emotionally narrated that the father of her daughter lives in a lavish mansion along Thika Road, drives expensive cars, and splurges on luxury, yet refuses to provide even the basics for his own child. She had shared a video camping outside his mansion with their daughter pleading for help, but he refused to open. Her emotional plea has sparked outrage among Kenyans online, with many blasting the so-called deadbeat dad for neglect, while others urged her to seek legal redress. Where she lives with her daughter. @extraveller2.m2 if he was really supporting us why was I living like this!! original sound - ex traveller Her baby daddys mansion. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - A South African woman, Ma Zondo, has shared a shocking tale of betrayal, heartbreak, and karma rolled into one. According to Zondo, her friends boyfriend secretly impregnated another woman, showered her with gifts, and splurged on every luxury for the unborn child all while hiding it from his girlfriend. The final blow came when he blocked his girlfriend just as the babys arrival neared. However, the man was left devastated after it emerged that he was not the father of the baby. Social media users couldnt help but laugh at the twist, calling it karma in real time. Talk about drama with a plot twist! The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - Former Jubilee Party Secretary-General, Raphael Tuju, has formally resigned from the party led by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta. In a resignation letter dated Tuesday, August 19th, and addressed to Uhuru, Tuju said the fast-changing political landscape both nationally and within Jubilee had rendered his continued stay in the party of little value. At present, I see no more value that I can add to the Jubilee Party. I therefore tender my resignation, Tuju wrote, while pledging to remain loyal to Uhuru and open to future collaboration. Tuju reflected on his long political journey with the former Head of State, recalling their partnership under President Mwai Kibaki during the formation of the Party of National Unity (PNU). He hailed Uhurus decision to entrust him, a Luo, with the sensitive post of Secretary-General in a party largely anchored on Kikuyu and Kalenjin support, calling it a bold step against tribal politics. We dared to dream that we could go beyond tribe. I still hold dear those values of our shared humanity, beyond the easy tribal mobilisation of Us against Them, he stated. Tuju, who served as Jubilees SG from 2016 to 2022, was also appointed as a Cabinet Secretary in 2018, a role he held until Uhuru left office. He said his resignation would pave way for younger Kenyans to step into leadership and explore new political frontiers. The veteran politician urged Kenyans to focus on unlocking the countrys vast economic and social potential, noting that despite poverty and challenges, Kenya remains a hub with global recognition. Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - Nairobis slay queens are never shy about pulling all the stops when stepping out for a night of fun. From bold fashion statements to daring outfits that leave little to the imagination, the goal is often simple - steal the spotlight. But sometimes, in the quest to stand out, things dont quite go as planned. A viral video making rounds on social media shows a city lady turning heads for all the wrong reasons after a wardrobe malfunction at a popular nightclub. The young woman, dressed in a revealing outfit, was seen vibing energetically to the music when her daring dress betrayed her, exposing far more than she had intended. What was meant to be a glamorous moment quickly turned into an awkward scene. The clip has since gone viral, sparking endless debate about the lengths some slay queens go to in the name of fashion. While some online users sympathized with the lady, others couldnt resist turning the mishap into jokes and memes. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - Former Chief Justice David Maraga has hit out at President William Ruto over his recent claims that Members of Parliament (MPs) are being bribed to pass laws. In a hard-hitting statement on Wednesday, August 20th, Maraga said the President lacked the moral authority to accuse lawmakers of corruption while facing integrity questions himself. President Ruto has no moral authority to lecture Parliament on corruption while sidestepping scandals. Kenyans deserve a full accounting of where their money has gone and who has pocketed it, he stated. Maraga alleged that Ruto himself has engaged in bribery, including claims that MPs were paid to support the impeachment of his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua. He further accused the President of routinely bribing lawmakers to push his political agenda. The most diabolical bribing of MPs in Kenyas history was orchestrated by Ruto in order to impeach his Deputy. Public reports from MPs bear this out, Maraga claimed. The retired Chief Justice also questioned the source of billions of shillings being distributed in markets, schools, and churches as empowerment funds, noting that such allocations do not appear in the national budget. He urged Ruto to disclose their funding source and order investigations into alleged theft of public money, including eCitizen revenues and ghost schools. Maragas remarks came days after President Ruto, during a Kenya Kwanza-ODM Parliamentary Group meeting, alleged that some MPs pocketed Ksh10 million to pass the Anti-Money Laundering Bill. He also claimed that Senators demand bribes from Governors to clear them during oversight hearings. Ruto vowed that lawmakers involved in bribery, along with those offering bribes, would be arrested and prosecuted. THE IDA has been branded useless by a Laois politician, following the shock announcement today that a Portlaoise cheese factory is to close with the loss of 132 jobs. Leprino Foods Company announced its decision to cease operations from next year at the plant, in the National Enterprise Park at Junction 17, just outside Portlaoise at Togher. The factory, which makes mozzarella cheese and string cheese, opened only four years ago. Reacting to the news, Sean Fleming TD said that IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland must immediately visit the factory, with a view to finding a replacement business. He said: Over the years the IDA has been useless in terms of bringing jobs to Laois and they must now prove that they have a genuine interest in bringing jobs to the county. Meanwhile, Laois TD Brian Stanley described the IDAs record in the county as appalling and said the withdrawal of Glanbia from the partnership at the Leprino cheese plant two years ago was an ominous sign. In a statement this afternoon, Deputy Fleming (FF) said: We were all shocked and saddened to hear the announcement that Leprino Foods has decided to cease manufacturing in Portlaoise in the second half of 2026. This is very difficult and distressing news for the 132 employees who worked in the plant and their families. We must all do what we can to find replacement jobs as soon as possible for these employees. I am asking Leprino, an American owned company, to do everything in its power to continue to explore options for the manufacturing plant and to see is any other company interested in taking over the plant. This is a very high quality, new facility connected with the dairy industry and there must be options for the plant to be used, if not for cheese manufacturing, for some other processing facility for the dairy industry. Deputy Fleming described the number of IDA visits to Laois in recent years as unacceptably low and said the agency must now prove their worth to the county. He said: Enterprise Ireland must also seek to bring a replacement industry to the Leprino manufacturing plant. Enterprise Ireland is closely connected to Irish-run businesses and there must be an opportunity, in view of the dairy industry being so strong in Ireland, to link this plant with some other major players in the Irish or international food production industry. IDA and Enterprise Ireland must work together in bringing replacement jobs to this modern plant in Portlaoise as urgently as possible. Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley also sent out a statement describing the closure announcement as a grave disappointment, particularly for its 132 employees. He said: This plant provided hope that at last some large-scale manufacturing would happen in the Laois area, as such industry would be attractive. The withdrawal of Glanbia from the partnership at this plant two years ago was an ominous sign. I am calling on the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to once and for all start taking Co Laois seriously in terms of Industry. The fact that the IDA had only two visits to Laois in the last year is an appalling record. Laois County Council (LCC) have done more than the two together in terms of jobs in Laois. It is now time for the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to redouble their efforts.' The Sydney Rose Laura Foley will appear on stage tonight to chat to Daithi in the Rose of Tralee. As there is no Kilkenny Rose in the competition this year, she'll be the only Rose flying the black and amber. She did a whistle-stop tour of her ancestral Kilkenny home last week. Gowran where her aunt lives and Graignamanagh where her dad hails from were the two main ports of call, as well as a trip to Kilkenny City where she was given the backing of last years Kilkenny Rose, Lisa ORourke. Pictures by Domnick Walsh We actually met up in Kilkenny City during the week before Tralee, she said. She gave me the big thumbs-up and some tips and tricks from her year as Rose. So Im representing with pride both Sydney and Kilkenny! WATCH: SYDNEY ROSE CHATS ABOUT HER KILKENNY ROOTS Her family will be cheering her on last night, with her father no doubt delighted to hear her speak of her Kilkenny heritage. Hes a very proud Cat, said Laura. He loves the Kilkenny Cats. Hes from Graignamanagh and moved to Sydney in 1995. So, hes there for 30 years now, but still misses home. Hes very much a country boy. Laura is a 26-year-old research assistant from Sydney who is honoured and excited to represent her Irish roots, celebrate the vibrant Sydney-Irish community, and inspire young women to lead boldly and pursue ambitious futures. Im very passionatate about the Irish Support Agency in New South Wales, she said. They are a company that support migrants from Ireland coming into the country with Visa applications, connection and belonging, and our local pubs are very involved, like PJ OBriens. I think the atmosphere with the Irish has been a lovely addition to Sydney. And the locals have been only too delighted to welcome her. I actually have the love of both Graignamangh with ODriscolls Bar - as well as Sydney. And theyve been doing very well. As a first generation Irish-Australian woman, its really important to showcase other festivities outside of Australia, she said. The Rose of Tralee international festival is a celebration of Irish heritage, friendship, and pride that continues to capture hearts around the island of Ireland and the world. The Rose of Tralee is available to watch back on RTE Player. Features, archive footage, behind-the-scenes content and more will also be available across RTE.ie and RTE social media platforms over the coming days. There is still hope that six Palestinian families, who came to Ireland under a medical evacuation programme for children injured in Gaza, could find a home in Kilkenny despite an initial potential housing option falling through. Twelve families are currently in Ireland under the medical evacuation scheme. They are under the care of the Irish Red Cross (IRC) and Childrens Health Ireland, with the Department of Health leading the programme. Eight arrived in December 2024 and four more in May 2025. Eleven are based in South Dublin and one in Wicklow. Six of the families have been told they will need to move because the lease on their current residence will expire next month. READ NEXT: Kilkenny GAA issues statement on serious issue of discrimination According to an Irish Congress of Trade Unions ICTU representative, These six families were happy to come to Kilkenny where there are the resources between schools, hospitals and many integration partners. The train journey of less than two hours would allow them to maintain medical continuity for treatment. One young Palestinian girl aged 10 is receiving treatment for bomb shrapnel. Instead of Kilkenny or another county close to Dublin, the Irish Red Cross has indicated that six of the families are planned to be relocated to Letterkenny, County Donegal. According to various sources, they were given eight days notice of a move scheduled for August 5. The deadline was postponed to August 12 and then postponed again after legal and medical concerns were raised. Latest indications were that the move would take place yesterday (Tuesday), however that had not yet occurred as various issues still need to be ironed out. When approached for comment to clarify the latest developments on this relocation plan, a spokesperson for the Irish Red Cross stated that specific details cannot be provided due to confidentiality and privacy concerns. The mothers have since provided a statement to the Kilkenny People: We are happy here in Ireland and in Dublin and are very grateful to the Irish people. We have settled in and have made local support and a sense of family. Letterkenny is unfamiliar. It feels far away from our safety nets at a time when we are very, very worried about our husbands and children who are still in Gaza. This worry that we have in every minute of the day and night makes it difficult to think about moving to an unfamiliar place without our existing supports. The Gazan mothers here have said they would be happy to move to Donegal if their husbands and other children were here. They feel that this would help them heal from their trauma and they would feel safer and more secure. They would also no longer have the terror over them that their loved ones could be killed at any moment. READ NEXT: Court date for driver of heavy goods vehicle with serious issues in Kilkenny The mothers have also said that the Irish Red Cross had looked for homes for them in and around Dublin, and although some options were explored, unfortunately nothing that met the required criteria could be found. The mothers were happy that the Red Cross had been searching for homes in and around Dublin for them, but the news of the relocation to Letterkenny came as a shock to them. They said that they would prefer to wait until their husbands and children could join them from Gaza before moving, or if they must move before then, they would hope another option closer to Dublin could be found. The Kilkenny People understands that, from accounts given by a volunteer close to the families, the distress is severe. The volunteer stated: The approach taken with these families does not appear to have been trauma-informed, from what I have witnessed and heard from the families. They are already so anxious and in fear, worried each day if other members of their family and their friends will be killed. Some of these children have horrific injuries, were pulled from the rubble and have also lost family members. They are distressed beyond words. I dont know if other people truly understand how traumatic any further displacement is for them, based on their experience in Gaza. They are too frightened to go because they have just started to settle in Dublin, to understand how things work here, navigate their local community and have built up a support network and their kids have made friends and have started school. They are not in a fit state to move at the moment. While they know that Letterkenny is a lovely place and have been reassured, they would be welcomed with open arms, they perceive it as very far and isolated from their current support network, with whom they have built trust with over the past months. READ NEXT: Public interest over new Kilkenny sauna really hots up They are still very traumatised, vulnerable and suffer daily worrying that their loved ones back in Gaza might be killed at any moment or will die of starvation. They are also worried about a nine hour round trip on public transport to come to Dublin for medical appointments. They wish they could stay as close to Dublin as possible. The families have made clear that they have nothing personal against Letterkenny (or Donegal) and that they are very grateful for all the Irish Government, the Irish Red Cross and the Irish people have done for them so far. However, they fear the scale of the move may not only be disruptive but also comes at a time of deep trauma and ongoing medical need. The volunteer explained that at least three of the children survived bomb attacks on their homes and were pulled out from rubble, sustaining severe physical and psychological trauma. They are genocide survivors, the volunteer stated. At least three of the children here survived bomb attacks on their homes in Gaza and were pulled out from under the rubble, sustaining severe physical and psychological trauma. They were forced to leave their homes, most of their homes have been destroyed, they had to flee several times from place to place. One woman and her son survived a bomb attack on their tent, which killed her husband and blew the leg off her six-year-old son. She had to leave behind her three other children in Gaza (aged eight, 12 and 14) with her 80 year old mother. One Gazan girl here is only 19 looking after her 16-year-old-brother. What they have been through is unfathomable. The terror they have experienced and continue to experience is beyond anything the vast majority of us here on this island has experienced or could even imagine. They are traumatised. They were faced with an impossible choice. They had to leave their husbands behind and some of them had to leave their other children behind. They are terrified they will receive a phone call any moment that one of their husbands or children have been killed or have died from starvation or lack of medical care. A grandfather to one of the children was also injured in a bomb attack while already a hospital inpatient after two heart attacks. SEE ALSO: 'The fight for the future of Irish farming is already underway' - Natasha Newsome Drennan TD While the original housing push in Kilkenny has fallen through, the families have expressed Kilkenny (and nearby counties within two hours of Dublin) as a preferred option to Donegal. Advocates for the families have stressed that any county within two hours of Dublin would be preferable, as this would allow the families to maintain continuity of care for their children while being close enough to vital supports. There is currently a campaign within the Irish Palestinian Solidarity movement to try delay the relocation of the families. At the time of going to print, the relocation to Letterkenny is due imminently, but as aforementioned, a brief reprieve is hoped for as various documentation and integration issues are being ironed out. Finding alternative accommodation within reach of Dublin (with Kilkenny still seen as an ideal option) may be the only way to ensure these families, already scarred by unimaginable loss, can rebuild their lives according to their own needs - but time is of the essence. Kilkenny City councillor Sean O hArgain, who has been vocal about the plight of Palestinian people and who has also been an active presence at demonstrations, stated that he would be very interested in seeing what we can do in Kilkenny [for these families]. Cllr O hArgain stated that he approached council officials on the matter but that there are no available options at present within their remit to provide. He has called on the HSE to look into the matter of accommodation, in the hope that these traumatised families can have some respite. The families affected have informed the Kilkenny People that they are urgently appealing for more local accommodation options within two hours of Dublin. Options and parties in a position to help are urged to come forward immediately. FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE Nick Delehanty has confirmed that he will 'definitely' be 'seeking a nomination' from Kilkenny County Council ahead of the upcoming presidential election, in a bid to secure a place on the ballot. Delehanty grew up on a farm in Tipperary and now lives in Dublin with his family. Last year, he ran in the General Election as a candidate in the Dublin Bay South constituency, receiving a total of 2,272 votes before being eliminated. At 35-years-old, he has built his profile on grassroots energy and sharp messaging, pitching himself as a bold outsider with a strong stance on public accountability, government expenditure, immigration and the current planning system. READ NEXT: 'Unacceptable and unsustainable': Fury as 28.8m spent on private agency staff at Kilkenny hospital Speaking to Kilkenny Live, Delehanty confirmed that he has received backing from local councillor Maurice Shortall (Independent) and is now trying to line up meetings with various [other] councillors. Kilkenny doesnt have too high a percentage of independents so you would be relying on Fianna Fail and maybe some Fine Gael councillors, he said. Weve written to them all and now, and were following up. He is not phased by the task of securing nominations from four local authorities, calling it doable, but adding that we really need to put in the work. As part of generation rent, Delehanty says he wants to directly represent citizens who he feels are otherwise overlooked. He contrasted his position with fellow presidential hopeful Gareth Sheridan, who is also 35, stating that Sheridan doesnt quite fit the bill of who Im trying to represent. I think this is a perfect opportunity for a president that wants to grab conversation by the scruff of the neck and ask, are we doing democracy right? he continued. READ NEXT: Appeal to conserve water as two Kilkenny water supplies officially enter drought, two others at high risk So, you know, the question, if youre 35-years-old or older and you dont own a home in Ireland, the question is, why arent you running for president? Also I think its winnable because Ive gained an awful lot of followers and loyal following and public support online. Its not just Twitter, its Instagram, its LinkedIn, its YouTube and TikTok. When you boil down the metrics of this, from an online campaign point of view, Im the clear leader when it comes to online support at the moment. When asked what he offers potential voters in Kilkenny, Delehanty said he would support local councillors. He referenced a recent motion passed by elected members in Kilkenny (proposed by Cllr Maurice Shortall) seeking to pressurise the government to withdraw planning exemptions for IPAS accommodation to ensure that all properties go through the normal planning process. That motion that got passed wanted to reject the planning exemptions. But yet when they [the councillors] take this message to headquarters in Dublin, they get no support," he noted. SEE ALSO: 'Its just amazing' - Kilkenny fans enjoy Oasis gigs in Croke Park In many ways, because the president doesnt have executive powers and the councillors dont have executive powers much these days either, the president is just a super councillor. So I want to support the councils and I want to empower local democracy. Some people, I think, want the presidency because they see it as a crown. But if there was a council election in two months, Id be going for that too. If there was a general election or a European, Im here to represent people. Im not going to give up until Im representing people of Ireland. FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE Radio NZ cover the timeline of the Police handling of allegations against Beehive Press Secretary Michael Forbes. Basically the summary is: Around 40 senior police officers were notified of the allegations by e-mail and text Deputy Commissioner Kura said it had gone to too many people and was recalled. This means no one knows who of the 40 saw it before it was recalled. As then Commissioner Coster was on leave, it is certain he didnt Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell told the police communications team that it had gone to too many people What we dont know, is why no-one in the hierarchy didnt follow through and notify the Beehive, as the new Commissioner (and common sense) says should have happened. Commissioner Coster was on leave, and has said he never knew about it. The Acting Commissioner was Jevon McSkimming. Did he see the e-mail before it was recalled? Considering he has now been charged himself with having inappropriate (illegal) material on his devices, maybe he didnt see the Forbes allegations as a big deal? The one person we know who did read it was Deputy Commissioner Kura. As she only retires in November, she should front up and explain what actions she did or didnt take. 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. A DC Metropolitan Police Department car is parked near a rally against the Trump Administration's federal takeover of the District of Columbia, outside of the AFL-CIO on August 11 in Washington, DC. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Kenneth Fox A man has claimed he acted in self-defence when he beat a 59-year-old resident with a hammer at an apartment building in Dundrum, Dublin. Nathan Haines (29), who resides at a hostel in New Cabra Road, Dublin, was charged with assault causing harm to the man and production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury at Rosemount Court on Tuesday. Bail was set at 1,500 when he appeared at Dublin District Court on Tuesday. Detective Garda Liam Magee objected to bail. He told Judge Cephas Power that the accused had a cousin living in the apartment below the complainants home. He alleged there was an altercation and the injured party was assaulted in the hallway outside an apartment and was struck with a hammer to his head and body and kicked a number of times and punched. CCTV evidence was obtained. The complainant suffered various injuries including, lacerations and a fractured scapula Detective Garda Haines said he was concerned about possible witness intimidation and the safety of the injured party. Mr Haines was arrested at the scene. In exchanges with defence counsel Garrett Casey, he agreed that the accused claimed the complainant came at him first with the hammer. The court heard Mr Haines maintained he disarmed him and asserted that he then acted in self-defence. However, the detective did not accept that, and he stated video footage showed the accused was safe in an apartment, but he left and then attacked the injured party. Mr Casey submitted that it could be over a year until the trial. Addressing the detectives belief that Mr Haines was of no fixed abode, Mr Casey said his client had accommodation on the citys north side, well away from the incident. He also said his client had no record of offending on bail. Judge Power set Mr Hainess bond of 500 but required approval of a 1,000 independent surety. He was granted legal aid and remanded in custody with consent to bail to appear at Cloverhill District Court next week. Once the terms of bail have been met, he must obey a 10pm-7am curfew, have no contact with witnesses, keep a mobile phone on him so gardai can reach him at all times, remain away from Dundrum, and sign on daily at a Garda station. Directions from the DPP must be obtained. A MAN who got a taxi from Kildare to Tullamore and made off without paying the 100 fare was placed on a 12-month probation bond when he appeared at the vacation sitting of Portlaoise District Court last week. Garda Sergent JJ Kirby said that at 9.10pm that night, the defendant, John McDonagh from 5 Carton Road, Poppintree, Ballymun, Dublin 11, hailed a taxi in Kildare and asked to be driven to Tullamore. When at the destination, the defendant got from the car and made off without paying the 100 fare and ran through a housing estate. Gardai gave chase and caught up with him. When they did, he gave them a false name and address. Mr McDonagh pleaded guilty to making off without payment, obstructing gardai and providing a false name and address at Kingswood, Arden Road, Tullamore on 6 August 2025. Defence solicitor Chris Mills said that his client, who just turned 20, had been involved in a serious road traffic collision last year and suffered from post-traumatic stress. He said his client is contrite for his actions and has a long road ahead of him in his recovery from the effects of the collision. Judge William Aylmer placed Mr McDonagh on a 12-month probation bond under the supervision of the probation and welfare services and instructed that he follow all the directions given to him by the services. Former top Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is now reportedly being held in a maximum security prison in the state of Sonora. Infobae reported on Tuesday that Chavez appears to have arrived from the U.S. in the past hours after being deported. The last known location of Chavez was an ICE detention center in Texas in late July. The news followed weeks of uncertainty following his arrest earlier that month, when he was taken in Studio City, California, for allegedly overstaying his visa and submitting false information on a permanent residency application. The former boxer was classified as a public safety risk, citing previous legal troubles, including a 2024 arrest in Los Angeles for illegal possession of a ghost gun. Complicating matters further, Mexico's Attorney General issued an arrest warrant in 2023 against Chavez Jr. for alleged involvement in arms trafficking and organized crime. Mexican media have linked him to affiliates of the Sinaloa Cartel, though no formal charges have been brought in the U.S. relating to these allegations. The case has drawn global attention not only because of the high-profile family name but also due to the timing. Chavez Jr. was arrested just days after losing a publicized bout against Jake Paul, fueling rumors that authorities waited until the fight was over to detain him. Chavez Jr.'s father, legendary boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, addressed the matter, saying he was "calm" because he believes his son is innocent. "Everything is going to be resolved. The authorities are doing their job, but my son is not a criminal. He doesn't traffic weapons. He doesn't sell drugs. It's all lies, and it will be proven with facts," he said. Originally published on Latin Times MIAMI - Fresh off a year of blockbuster projects like "Superman" and "The Last of Us," Peruvian-American star Isabela Merced has teamed up with Grammy Tony Succar for her first single of 2025, a remix of her 2020 track titled "apocalipsis." During a media tour in Miami to promote the song, which marks her awaited return to music, Merced sat down with The Latin Times for an interview about the remix and her upcoming projects and her future as Hawkgirl in the DC Universe. Written and recorded by Merced with "some dears [sic] friends", she described the song as "special" and revealed that it is the first song she made with her brother Gyovanni Moner. "apocalipsis" was released on May 22, 2020, at the start of the pandemic, as the first track of her EP "the better half of me." Since then, she decided to team up with Succar to produce a salsa version of the track, honoring their Peruvian roots. Succar, who describes himself as a "salsero from birth," first came into contact with Merced through WhatsApp (which, as any Latinx person knows, is the only acceptable mode of text communication). He fell in love with the "apocalipsis" and put Merced's vocals over a salsa melody of his own making. Merced describes hearing the track for the first time as "incredible" and "It felt right. It felt like he sent me the completed version of the song. So I didn't have to do much." The future of Hawkgirl Merced is set to return as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl in season 2 of the HBO Max series "Peacemaker," starring John Cena as the title character. Hawkgirl first made her debut in 2025's "Superman," and fans have been clamoring for information regarding her future. However, Merced remained tight-lipped about what to expect from her role in the series, stating, "I can't really say much. But I would say you can expect to get to know the character more...I wouldn't expect too much, though." The Peruvian-American star is also producing a film for the first time. Starring Merced and "A Quiet Place" star Noah Jupe, "Psyche" will follow "a young backpacker drawn into the murky world of illegal archeological digs where he unwittingly unearths treasure beyond his wildest dreams." Merced added, "I'm shooting something in Malta. I'm producing it and acting in it, and it's a psychological thriller. It's an independent film, and it's just like my taste. It's the first time. I was actually able to get funding for a movie to happen. You can watch the music video for the "apocalipsis" remix here and catch season 2 of Peacemaker on HBO Max on August 21. Originally published on Latin Times Archaeologists Uncover 1,400-year-old Assyrian Cross At Ancient Monastery in UAE Abu Dhabi -- Archaeologists have unearthed a cross during excavations at a monastery complex on the United Arab Emirates' Sir Bani Yas Island, the National reports. The cross, molded on a plaque, measures 27 centimeters long, 17 centimeters wide, and 2 centimeters thick, and is believed to be around 1,400 years old. Due to its regional motifs, scholars believe the monastery was affiliated with the Church of the East, which later split into the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Ancient Church of the East. According to the UAE Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the monastery and its adjacent church -- first discovered in 1992--date back to the 7th or 8th century AD. Historical evidence suggests the monastery was likely abandoned in the 8th century. At its peak, it could accommodate about 30 monks of the Church of the East, sometimes referred to as "Nestorian." The site includes a nave, chapel, domestic quarters, cooking areas, and a burial ground. Lead archaeologist Maria Gajewska told The National, "We had settlements of Christians that were not just existing but were clearly flourishing." Enable: The Disability Podcast is a new podcast featuring stories of amazing people with disabilities and different abilities. In Episode 3, X Ambassadors keyboardist Casey Harris talks about his experiences growing up visually impaired in Ithaca, unique challenges as an internationally touring blind musician, and the story behind the rock bands inclusive music video for their biggest hit, Renegades. WATCH: Enable: The Disability Podcast will release new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. About the hosts Geoff Herbert, who was born with a profound binaural hearing loss, is a reporter, SEO Lead and content supervisor for syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Despite being mostly deaf in both ears, hes also worked as a DJ for 25 years, including 10 years in radio (as DeafGeoff) earning WJPZ Radio Hall of Fame honors and 10 years as a wedding DJ in Upstate New York. He learned how to communicate orally with hearing aids, lipreading and speech therapy, and embraces assistive technology like visual waveforms in music programs, closed captioning/subtitles, and video calls. Kurt Hower, who has worked at Advance Local for over 35 years, is a leader both in the media industry and in the community. He has been actively involved in leading change as the print industry has continued to rapidly evolve, while also serving on a variety of boards including the Central PA Chapter Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors where he was Chairman of Board Development and a member of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Hower has ankylosing spondylitis, a rare disease that causes arthritis of the spine, and encourages others to focus on what they can contribute to society rather than their challenges. Community at Work Job Fair The Community at Work Job Fair will take place Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at CNY Works, 960 James St., in Syracuse, N.Y. The free event will provide adults with physical and mental disabilities the opportunity to meet inclusive employers, explore industries, and learn about positions with actively hiring companies. Herbert and Hower will co-host a panel discussion about hiring tips and accessibility options at the job fair. The discussion will be recorded for an episode of the Enable podcast. While the fair is tailored for adults with diverse mental and physical abilities, experiences or access needs, all community members are welcome. Participation is free for both job seekers and employers. For more information, visit communityatworkjobfair.com. A view of Pleasantville High School in Pleasantville, which may be switching its start times for students. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media An Atlantic County school district is considering a last-minute change to make start times later for all grade levels, officials said. Pleasantville Public Schools is the latest New Jersey school district to discuss a later start time amid national concerns about students, particularly teenagers, not getting enough sleep. The district enrolls students in four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Under the proposal, the reporting time at Pleasantville High School would move from 7:45 a.m. to 8 a.m., according to Fox 29 Philadelphia. Students would report to the Middle School of Pleasantville by 8:30 a.m, instead of 8:05 a.m. At the four elementary schools, classes would begin at 9 a.m., instead of 8:50 a.m., the report said. The proposal was discussed at a school board meeting Aug. 12. Some parents were not happy about the plan. Did you take into account the parents that have to be to work in the morning? asked a parent, according to a video of the meeting. Pleasantville Superintendent Marilyn Martinez said she supported the proposal, which was not finalized. It would really support our high school students in perhaps attending school on time and giving them an opportunity to begin their classes in a way that engages them much more productively, Martinez said at the meeting. Martinez did not immediately respond to a request to comment last week. There is no statewide standard for public school starting times in New Jersey. High schools typically have earlier starting times than elementary and middle schools. Chatham High School in Morris County moved its start time from 7:40 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. starting in September 2022. That was around the time a bill was introduced in the New Jersey Legislature that would have made 8:30 a.m. the earliest allowable start time statewide. A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll in 2023 found 55% of those surveyed supported the proposal, which has not become law. The Pleasantville school boards next meeting is Aug. 26. Classes are scheduled to start Sept. 4. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Pennsylvania State Police are searching for the 20-year-old suspect who allegedly stabbed a woman in the abdomen during an altercation in Williams Township. PennLive.com Pennsylvania State Police are searching for an Easton man accused of stabbing a woman in his SUV after they met up in Williams Township. Jarel Jaezon Tyree, 20, of the 1100 block of Washington Street, is charged with two counts felony aggravated assault. A warrant for his arrest was filed at the office of District Judge Daniel Corpora. Troopers with state police at Belfast shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14 responded to an area hospital for a 20-year-old woman suffering from a stab wound. The victim reported between midnight and 1 a.m. that same day she was in an area of the township known as The View, near Turnberry Drive and Merion Lane, according to court records filed by police. The woman and a relative pulled into the area and allegedly spotted Tyree in a parked white 2017 Nissan Rogue. An altercation ensued when the victim was riding in Tyrees vehicle, according to an affidavit filed by police outlining probable cause to arrest him. Tyree was driving, stopped the vehicle then stabbed the woman in the abdomen while she was seated in the front passenger seat, the court records state. The victim got out of the SUV and Tyree fled, police say. Court records did not state what the alleged dispute was over or whether the pair knew each other beforehand. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. The 33-year-old suspect was apprehended by ICE agents while attempting to flee the country after allegedly grooming and assaulting a teenage girl. Maxine Bernstein | The Oregonian A Texas man faces charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl repeatedly in a Hellertown basement over a two-month span. Santos Ezequiel Gonzalez Zamora, 33, of Houston and with ties to Central America, is charged with felony statutory sexual assault of a child over age 11; involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child under age 16; felony corruption of minors; and misdemeanor indecent assault of a child under age 16. A warrant was filed on July 31 for Gonzalez Zamoras arrest. He was apprehended Aug. 10 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at a Houston airport, allegedly while attempting to flee the country. Gonzalez Zamora initially was held at the Harris County jail in Houston before being extradited to Pennsylvania. He was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Alan Roger Mege, who denied bail due to him being an extreme flight risk, court records state. Gonzalez Zamora was then taken to Northampton County Prison, where he remained Wednesday. Court records did not immediately show an attorney for him. Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta and Hellertown police Chief James Baitinger announced the charges against Gonzalez Zamora in a news conference Wednesday afternoon at the courthouse in Easton. Baratta said it is believed Gonzalez Zamora, a native of Nicaragua, has been in the United States for the past two years and only recently began his job as an interstate truck driver. The job led him into Pennsylvania from the companys Houston base, the DA said. Investigators also believe there could be more victims but none have been found in the immediate Lehigh Valley region, Baratta said. Our hearts go out to the family and our hearts go out to this young lady, the DA stated at the conference, because a (teen) should not be a victim of what is apparent to us to be a sexual predator. And we believe, given the nature and the time of the grooming that we were able to develop, that we wouldnt be surprised if there were other victims somewhere else. Hellertown police on July 27 began investigating Gonzalez Zamora after the victims mother reported her daughter was conversing with an adult man shed met on social media, authorities said. Investigators seized the girls cellphone and another cellphone used by her mother in tracking the alleged conversations. Texts included photos of the girls genitalia with a photo of someone elses hand, court records state. The victims mother also reported Gonzalez Zamora on June 6 allegedly gave the victim $500 through a cash app transaction, according to investigators. Police were able to connect Gonzalez Zamora to the incidents through numerous records and images, according to the affidavit of probable cause. This court record lays out evidence and witness testimony against a defendant. Investigators obtained search warrants and seized multiple devices on July 29. The devices were then analyzed at the Officer David M. Petzold Digital Forensics Laboratory of Lehigh County. Investigators then received multiple digital images and videos from the lab depicting sex acts between Gonzalez Zamora and the girl, court records state. All the acts took place between May 23 to July 25 at the victims Hellertown home, police said. Gonzalez Zamora is due back in court for a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Sept. 2 before Mege. A judge will then determine if theres sufficient evidence to send the case toward trial at the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Laois TDs have expressed their disappointment and shock over the planned closure of a large Portlaoise factory. Earlier today US cheese producer Leprino Foods announced their intention to close the plant at J17 National Enterprise Park, Portlaoise, where 132 people are currently employed. They plan to close the plant by mid 2026. Laois Fine Gael TD Willie Aird said he is contacting Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke in relation to the plant. It was built in 2020 and went into operation in 2021 producing mozzarella and string cheese for the European market. The operators say they intend to move the plant's production to sites in Northern Ireland and Wales. Deputy Aird was shocked that a state-of-the-art factory which he said was only run-in in terms of its operation should now be closing. He offered his commiserations to the workers and said he wanted assurances that the factory would be left with all the equipment necessary to produce dairy products. This is new. This is a new factory. We need to get in there because we have the raw material, the milk, said Dep Aird. I am going to talk to the Minister on this immediately, added Dep Aird. Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley said the announcement of the closure of the Leprino cheese factory in Portlaoise, is a huge disappointment particularly for its 132 employees. This plant provided hope that at last some large-scale manufacturing would happen in the Laois area, as such industry would be attractive, he said. Dep Stanley described the withdrawal of Glanbia from the partnership at the plant two years ago as an ominous sign. I am calling on the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to once and for all start taking Co Laois serious in terms of Industry. The fact that the IDA only had two visits to Laois in the last year, is an appalling record, he remarked. He said Laois County Council (LCC) have done more than the two together in terms of jobs in Laois. It is now time for the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to re-double their efforts. Dep Sean Fleming also expressed his shock and disappointment at the news of the plant closure. Lerpino Foods said the decision follows a comprehensive evaluation of all possible options to improve the financial and operational performance of the Portlaoise site. Despite considerable efforts, the level of sustainable improvement needed could not be achieved. Closing the site will help ensure that Leprino can remain competitive while optimising its manufacturing footprint to continue meeting the evolving needs of customers, they stated. We understand the impact this announcement will have on our colleagues, their families, and the local community, said Chief Executive of Leprino Europe, Paul Vernon. We want to express our sincere gratitude to the talented team at Portlaoise. This decision does not lessen the value of their hard work or contributions, he stated. Leprino said it will provide enhanced redundancy packages, career transition assistance, and regular updates to ensure transparency at every stage. READ ALSO: US cheese producer tells workers they may have to look for other jobs Production will be moved to other Leprino Europe facilities in Magheralin, Northern Ireland, and Llangefni, Wales. In parallel to the above we will continue to explore opportunities for the site with any potentially interested third parties, the company stated. Female entrepreneurs throughout County Kildare are encouraged to apply for a free business development programme. Accelerating the Creation Of Rural Nascent Start-ups (ACORNS), which is in its 11th year, is currently accepting applications. It is a development programme which aims to support women living in rural Ireland who are in the early stages of starting their own business. Participants interact with each other in the monthly round table sessions, which are facilitated by a 'Lead Entrepreneur', who has first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland. Only early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, and who have had no sales before the end of June 2022, are eligible to apply for ACORNS 11. Selection is on a competitive basis. READ NEXT: Two men hospitalised following assault by 10 other men in Kildare town ACORNS 11 will run from October 2025 to April 2026. It will include six monthly round table sessions, a workshop on understanding financials, a briefing by various development agencies and an end-of-cycle celebration. There will be no charge for those selected to participate in the programme. ACORNS 11 is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, said that he was "delighted" to launch the latest cycle for ACORNS 11. "The programme continues to go from strength to strength and has supported over 550 women in rural Ireland over the last ten years," he added. TESTIMONY Kildare-based entrepreneur Magda Seymour of Pure Oskar recently completed the programme. Back in October 2020, Ms Seymour, who lives in the village of Athgarvan, set up Pure Oskar, a skincare company. Most recently, Magda partnered with Guinness to create a custom-designed soap available exclusively at the Guinness Storehouse. Speaking about her time with ACORNS, she said that the programme was "a game changer" for her and her business. "The support, shared experience, and practical insights from both the 'Lead Entrepreneur' and fellow participants helped me navigate real challenges and refocus my strategy. "Its an empowering experience that gives you the tools, and the confidence, to scale your business while staying true to your values." She concluded: "I would highly recommend it to any female entrepreneur ready to take the next step." This years voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs are: Alison Ritchie (Polar Ice); Caroline Reidy (The HR Suite), Eimer Hannon (Hannon Travel); Geraldine Jones (Skin Formulas); Mary B Walsh (Ire Wel Pallets); and Triona MacGiolla Ri (Aro Digital Strategies). In addition, experienced businesswomen Clare Duignan and Geraldine Kelly, who are on the Going for Growth advisory panel, will facilitate ACORNS Plus round tables for previous participants. The deadline for applications for ACORNS 11 is midnight, September 22, 2025. There are up to 50 places available. Those wishing to receive an application form can visit at www.acorns.ie. READ NEXT: Naas activity club looking for new Kildare members An exhibition based on a series of aerial photographs of the greater Blessington area, taken by the Irish Air Corps in May 1939 prior to the flooding of the upper Liffey and Kings River valleys, is taking place locally. In the intervening years the appearance of the landscape has been significantly altered by the flooding of the valleys following the construction of the dams at Poulaphuca and Golden Falls, by the forestry plantations and by the continuing spread of housing, commercial and industrial activities throughout the district. READ NEXT Man threatened to burn down grandmother's home, Kildare court told In May 1939 the Irish Air Corps took a series of over 50 aerial photographs of the upper Liffey and Kings River valleys in conditions of excellent visibility. These aerial photographs present a fascinating visual record of the area prior to the dramatic changes in the landscape from the 1940s. There are aerial pictures of Blessington, Ballyknockan, Lacken, Hollywood, Russborough and Russelltown, Ballinahown, Valleymount, Liffey and Kings rivers confluence at Baltyboys, Lugnagun, Baltyboys Lower and the construction of the dams at Poulaphuca and Golden Falls. Blessington History Society is very interested to engage with local people whose families were affected by the flooding and who wish to share memories, images and artefacts from that time. Before the Waters (the exhibitions name) is presented by Blessington History Society with the support of Blessington Tourist Office and the cooperation of local historians and archaeologists. Its a partnership project supported by Wicklow County Council and co- funded by the Heritage Council. The exhibition runs until August 24 at the tourist office in Blessington. Today, ESB and BnM welcomed Darragh O'Brien TD, Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, to the official launch of Timahoe North solar farm in north Kildare. This is the first large-scale solar project delivered by ESB and BnM as part of their respective renewable energy portfolios. The project has an installed capacity of 108MWp and has been exporting to Irelands electricity network since earlier this year. This is enough energy to power around 25,000 homes, which will support the delivery of more green energy to communities and businesses in line with Irelands renewable energy targets for 2030. READ NEXT; Two men taken to hospital after attacked by gang in Kildare town. Darragh OBrien TD, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, said: "I am delighted to be here today, alongside ESB and BnM, for what is another big step in the successful growth of solar power in Ireland. This project makes a significant contribution to the agreement between both organisations to bring more renewable electricity, in the form of solar, to communities right across the country. For the Midlands region, it is yet another example of how this part of the country can support Ireland as a whole to achieve its ambitious climate targets. Last year, 40% of Irelands electricity supply came from renewable sources. I look forward to seeing more projects like this being delivered as they are so important for our transition to clean, secure, and more affordable electricity. Paddy Hayes, ESB Chief Executive, outlined how the project will help to support ESBs Net Zero carbon emissions targets: ESB is delighted to celebrate the opening of Timahoe North by Minister OBrien together with our partners BnM. Solar is an increasingly important part of Irelands energy mix and this successful investment at Timahoe North will deliver low carbon electricity for homes, farms and businesses for many years to come. Tom Donnellan, CEO at BnM, commented: The launch of Timahoe North marks an important milestone for BnM, as we continue to support Irelands renewable energy future by developing our 5GW pipeline of sustainable energy systems, including onshore and offshore wind, solar, biomass and biogas projects. As the countrys largest generator of renewable electricity, with an operational portfolio of 1GW, we are proud to bring this solar project into operation with our joint venture partner ESB. This is the first in a series of solar farms we are developing with the potential to deliver up to 500MW of solar capacity. Projects like Timahoe North demonstrate how we are using our landbank, strategic partnerships, and delivery capability to provide clean, secure energy that supports economic growth, strengthens energy resilience, and enables Irelands transition to a low-carbon economy. I want to acknowledge the project team for their dedication and professionalism, and to thank Minister OBrien for officially launching the site and for his continued support for BnM as we contribute to the delivery of Irelands renewable energy targets. The Timahoe North solar farm is part of a co-development agreement between ESB and BnM to develop a significant solar portfolio across counties in the Midlands. The joint venture will collectively deliver up to 500 MW of power from solar farms based on BnM lands. The project was delivered in conjunction with our contractors and subcontractors, including Voltalia, H&MV Engineering, S&G Solar Ltd. & Wills Bros Group who played a vital role in bringing this project to life. A Community Benefit Fund has been established as part of the operation of the site. The fund will be used for economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being of the local community. The project team would also like to acknowledge the participation of everyone who took part in the public consultation for the project. For more information, visit www.timahoenorthsolarfarm.ie. An Garda Siochana are investigating several reports of Electric Picnic ticket scams, Laois Live has reported. Ireland's biggest music and arts festival weekend returns to Stradbally in Laois on August 29, with tickets all sold out, except for resale tickets. Multiple scams have been reported to gardai, a spokesperson confirmed, as advice is issued to help people spot a ticket scam. "We are investigating a number of reported Electric Picnic ticket scams. An investigation is underway," they said. The Garda spokesperson advise the public on how to avoid getting caught, now easily done with instant money transfers. "We are advising people to be very cautious buying tickets away from official channels, and to only use official sites to buy tickets. "People are going on a photograph of a ticket that could already have been sold. Be vigilant," the Laois Garda spokesperson said. READ NEXT: RIP: Shock and heartbreak as missing man is found dead in Portugal Electric Picnic organisers Festival Republic also have advice on avoiding getting scammed. "If you see tickets for Electric Picnic advertised anywhere other than on Ticketmaster you stand a good chance of getting ripped off and possibly being refused entry. The most usual reasons are listed below. "Festival Republic will be unable to assist you if you have bought from an unauthorised source, as we will have no purchase history available for the ticket. "All event tickets are checked by our staff at entry to the event and again at the wristband exchange for camping shows any forged tickets will be confiscated from you, you will not be permitted to the event and you may face questioning from the police. "We do not issue Print at home tickets for Electric Picnic, any tickets that are offered for sale fitting that description are a scam. "A second common scam occurs when genuine tickets, have already been cancelled by the seller with Ticketmaster, and are then sold to an unsuspecting fan. These may appear to be genuine when received, but will not scan at the gates when you arrive on site. To be as safe as you can and to avoid obtaining a suspect ticket, follow these simple guidelines: "Do not buy from an unofficial ticket agent The only authorised ticket agent for Electric Picnic is Ticketmaster. Do not buy from internet auction sites. Do not buy a ticket online without seeing its face value. Do not pay more than the authorised standard booking fee per ticket. These are displayed on Ticketmaster. If you live in Ireland do not buy from a website with an overseas office address or with no registered address shown. Do not buy from another individual or tout, either in advance in your home town, or outside the event. "If you ignore these pointers you are likely to pay a lot of money for something worthless as your ticket will be invalid." Electric Picnic has an increased capacity of 80,000 for 2025. Headliners this year include Hozier, Sam Fender, Kings of Leon, Chappel Roan, Fat Boy Slim and Becky Hill. A member of rap trio Kneecap faces a month-long wait to find out whether his terrorism charge will be thrown out. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was once again greeted by hundreds of fans as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a three-hour hearing. Prosecutors allege the 27-year-old, who followed some of the proceedings through an Irish interpreter, displayed a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year. During Wednesdays hearing, his defence team argued the case should be thrown out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought. Brenda Campbell KC told the court the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on May 21. She said consent was given the following day, but that meant the charge falls outside of the six-month time frame in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said permission was not required until the defendants first court appearance and that permission did not need to be sought in order to bring a criminal charge. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring adjourned the case until September 26, when he will rule on whether he has the jurisdiction to try the case. Hundreds of Kneecap supporters waving flags and holding banners greeted O hAnnaidh as he arrived at court alongside fellow bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh. Demonstrations in support of the rapper were organised outside the court building in London, as well as in Dublin. The Metropolitan Police imposed conditions limiting where the demonstration outside the court could take place, saying they were needed to prevent serious disruption. A man was detained by police outside the court building because of a placard he was holding following the hearing. The Met said the suspect remains in custody on suspicion of supporting proscribed terrorist group Palestine Action. Surrounded by officers, he told reporters his hand-made sign made no reference to any proscribed organisations. O hAnnaidh was swamped by photographers as he arrived, with security officers taking more than a minute to usher him into the court building. Supporters greeted the Kneecap rapper with cheers as he made his way from a silver people carrier to the building. Following the hearing, OhAnnaidh told supporters the case was a distraction from the real story and urged everyone to continue to speak about Palestine, adding: Free Palestine. Fans held signs which read Free Mo Chara while others waved Palestine and Irish flags before the rappers arrival at court. Chants of Free, free, Mo Chara could also be heard over a megaphone, which was repeated by the crowd. Mr O Caireallain and Mr O Dochartaigh sat at the back of the courtroom with three others as O hAnnaidh confirmed his name, date of birth and address to the court at the start of the hearing. In response to the Met imposing conditions on the protest, Kneecap described the move as a calculated political decision that was designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome. The court previously heard the 27-year-old defendant is well within his rights to voice his opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum was a wholly different thing. O hAnnaidh, of Belfast, is yet to enter a plea to the charge and is on unconditional bail. The largest global review on vaping in young people also discovered that there is an increased risk of respiratory illnesses, like asthma or asthma exacerbation, and substance abuse, including drinking and marijuana use as well as pneumonia, bronchitis, lower total sperm counts, dizziness, headaches, and migraines. A link between depression and suicidal thoughts among young vapers was also identified. Speaking to the Leitrim Observer, Cllr Enda McGloin said that he is "surprised by the amount of people that are now vaping and in one sense, it's considered less harmful than cigarettes and tobacco smoking however the truth may be that it is even more harmful and is now seen by a lot of people as a better alternative to smoking and that's the justification." READ MORE: PICTURES: Leitrim pub scoops prestigious national award However Cllr McGloin said that he didn't believe that this is the case and said that he "has deep concerns about it, especially in relation to young people. There are vape shops popping up in all directions and that indicates that there is a strong business for what they sell. I think the Department of Health may have to review their overall health guidance strategy and look at ways to put forward a school programme to advise young people of the consequences of vaping. The programme could be run in conjunction with the Vocational Education Committees (VECs) and Healthy Ireland too. I think if you were to do a survey in the morning, in my view, you would have people saying that vaping is better than smoking and the argument is that that may not be the case at all; that it may be worse." READ MORE: Leitrim TD backs Humphreys for president Cllr McGloin continued that he believed that education was key to battling the issue. "I think when it comes vaping versus tobacco, we need to give people the facts on that. At the moment, I just think there is a lack of information there and that needs to be addressed. There needs to be more controls; there is a very strong criteria now in how we sell tobacco products; you can't just sell them wherever you want and they're not on display; a lot of action has been done to reduce the visibility of cigarettes and they have taken action on the sale of alcohol as well however, vapes are not being controlled under the same measures. I think the government needs to do a general review. If we have regulations for tobacco and alcohol, vaping should come under the same measures." This was arguably the most glaring "memory gap" in French colonial history. Between 1955 and 1970, France waged war in Cameroon against independence and later opposition movements, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands and helping to install an authoritarian regime loyal to Paris. The silence that surrounded this "dirty war" was both an insult to the victims and a historical failure, as well as a major unspoken issue in relations between the two countries. This is why we should welcome the move by French President Emmanuel Macron who, in a letter to his Cameroonian counterpart Paul Biya made public on August 12, acknowledged that a "war" had been waged in Cameroon by "the colonial authorities and the French army," and stated that he acknowledged "France's role and responsibility." Read more Macron admits France waged a repressive war in Cameroon during its decolonization It took many years before the reality of this brutal "pacification" carried out in secret, but long well-documented by writers, journalists and historians, was officially recognized. The "counter-revolutionary warfare" techniques first tested in Indochina and then in Algeria destruction of villages, assaults on unarmed civilians, forced regroupment camps, torture, targeted assassinations were used against supporters of the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC, a pro-independence party) and to crush the uprising of the Bamileke people. By delegating repression to local actors, France turned a colonial conflict into a civil war. Macron's initiative began in 2022 with the creation of a commission of French and Cameroonian historians tasked with "shedding light" on this chapter of history. The report from this commission, delivered in January 2025, found that the violence in Cameroon "transgressed human rights and the laws of war." French President Emmanuel Macron and Cameroonian President Paul Biya during the French president's official visit at the presidential palace in Yaounde on July 26, 2022. JEAN-CLAUDE COUTAUSSE FOR LE MONDE While President Francois Hollande had merely referred in 2015 to "particularly violent repression," Macron acknowledged, as the commission suggested, that France fought a true "war" in Cameroon. The president is thus continuing the necessary process of truth-telling that, from the genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda to the Algerian War, must fill the gaps of amnesia and even lies that still weigh on French society and diplomacy, without any notion of "repentance." Of course, his gesture remains incomplete the "violations of human rights" are not clearly defined and ambiguous in form: It came as a letter addressed to Biya, who is himself the heir to autocrat Ahmadou Ahidjo (installed by France in 1960) and has ruled the country since 1982. This is where the particular sensitivity of Macron's attempted truth-telling operation regarding Cameroon lies. The "decolonization war" did not end with independence; Paris continued to repress opponents of the regime that had been put in place. Forgotten in France, this endless war continues to poison the political and social climate in Cameroon. As the end of Biya's reign approaches despite being 92 years old, he plans to seek an eighth presidential term in October and as the demand for historical truth is stirring throughout Francophone Africa, it is time to put an end to the unspoken truths between France and Cameroon. Simple Reality of National Development-Series 202 Impact Analysis on Critical Sectors of USAID Funding Cessation and Abrupt Closure in Liberia A POP-UP shop organised by Limerick siblings in honour of their late mother and her mental health advocacy has raised almost 4,000 for Limerick Mental Health Association (LMHA) and a new out of hours mental health service. Corbally native Sinead O'Keeffe said the event was deeply personal to her as her mother Noirin De Barra always spoke openly about her own struggles with mental health and advocated to reduce the stigma surrounding it. The event at Wickham Way market in Limerick city raised 3,800 for LMHA and other mental health supports in Limerick and was organised by Sinead and her brothers Dara and Liam Barry-Hayes. "We had a lovely day to remember our mam, showcase her fashion, raise money for a worthy cause and get people talking about mental health awareness," stated Sinead. "The event was inspired by her fashion book Dress to Impress with Labels for Less and short story Red Patent Shoes which everyone got a chance to read on the wall (at the pop-up shop.)" Sinead said that attendees also has the opportunity to write a positive affirmation after buying some clothes and LMHA were there to provide information about the mental health services in Limerick. "It took a village to put together and my brothers and I are so grateful for the all the support." READ MORE: Clothes for a cause: Limerick pop-up shop aids mental health support Noirin passed away in March this year and Sinead returned from New Zealand at a day's notice and luckily made it home in time to say goodbye. Noirin always felt very strongly about improving mental health services in Limerick and expressed ideas for a community space... in a non-clinical more inclusive setting. Speaking about the idea for the charity event, Sinead said: The idea occurred to me straight away as my mother loved charity shops and had an array of beautiful clothes which I'll be selling as well as other donations. She spoke on Live 95fm encouraging others to support local charity stores. She also held a similar event in 2018 where she raised over 500 for Grow Ireland and mental health awareness. To donate to the fundraiser in aid of Limerick Mental Health Association, search for In Loving Memory of Noirin De Barra on GoFundMe. GARDA have arrested a man brandishing a knife while threatening members of the public in Newcastle West, Limerick Live has learned. The shocking incident occurred on the towns busy Maiden Street on Tuesday night. One local said the man, who is from Newcastle West, went beserk. READ NEXT: Gardai seize items in major raid over Traveller feud in County Limerick A garda spokesperson said officers responded to reports of a male threatening members of the public in Newcastle West on Tuesday, August 19 at approximately 9pm. No injuries have been reported at this time. The male, aged in his 30s, was arrested and conveyed to Newcastle West garda station. He is currently being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, said a garda spokesperson this Wednesday. It is understood the accused man, who is known to gardai, entered a number of premises while in possession of a knife. Investigations are ongoing, said the garda spokesperson. Anybody who witnessed the alleged public order incidents, or who may have mobile phone or dash-cam footage of what took place are asked to make it available to investigating gardai. Anyone with information is asked to contact Newcastle West garda station on 069 20650, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station. A garda has been hospitalised after the motorcycle they were travelling on was in collision with a car in Dublin. Gardai are appealing for witnesses following the road traffic collision on Churchtown Road Upper, Dundrum, Dublin 14. It happened on Tuesday morning, August 19 shortly before 10am. Gardai and emergency services were alerted to the incident involving a car and Garda motorcycle. The on-duty Garda member was taken to Tallaght University Hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries. A Garda statement says welfare supports have been made available to the Garda by local management. No other injuries are reported. The road which had been closed for a period of time has since reopened to traffic. READ NEXT: Power outages possible as Met Eireann pinpoint location of status yellow thunderstorms Gardai are appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision to come forward. Road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) who were in the area between 9:30am and 10:00am this morning, 19th August 2025, are asked to make it available to investigating Gardai. Anyone with information is asked to contact Blackrock Garda Station on (01) 6665200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Investigations are ongoing. Katelyn Cummins, an apprentice electrician and winner of two county camogie finals has been crowned this year's Rose of Tralee. 20-year-old Katelyn, from Ballyouskill on the Laois/Kilkenny border, lives in Laois and works in Alpha Drives in the J17 National Enterprise Park, Portlaoise, making control panels for motors in their workshop and is currently in her third phase of an electrical apprenticeship. READ NEXT: Sharlene Mawdsley's cryptic post suggests huge change for her and All-Ireland winner Growing up on a dairy farm, Katelyn said her love for the outdoors blossomed as a young child and describes herself as "outgoing and adventurous who truly thrives on socialising and meeting new people". Not only is Katelyn proudly challenging gender norms as the only female electrician in her workplace, she has also won two county finals while playing camogie with her local club and is also the chairperson of the North Kilkenny Macra club. The Laois Rose impressed the judges with her jiving skills, bubbly personality and love of Laois. Pictured: Katelyn with her parents Noel and Siobhan at the Laois Rose Selection Night. Photo: The Leinster Express Once she was crowned, Katelyn's first words were to graciously thank her parents and the 31 women on stage behind her. READ NEXT: RIP: Tributes paid to teenager and keen sportsman who tragically lost his life In an interview after her incredible win, Katelyn said she "absolutely loves it" when people ask her about being an apprentice electrician. "I think it's great to get the awareness out there that women can do whatever we want, and we don't need a statement around it. We don't need to follow tradition by going to college or anything like that," she added. Kathryn Thomas then asked her what advice she would give her six-year-old self, she replied, "Be confident in yourself and believe in yourself, and know that I'm going to be amazing in the future." The Rose of Tralee has been hit with negative criticism over the years, with many labelling the competition and degrading to women and likening it to Father Ted's 'Lovely Girls' competition, but the new Rose couldn't agree less. "I do think that the Rose of Tralee has been an amazing festival for the past 10 days for me and I made friends for life, and I think that's what needs to be shared more," she said. READ NEXT: 'RIP Blessing'- Three-month-old kitten dies from injuries after being found in a ditch "We have such an incredible experience, and we'd make friendships for life, and we really do, and the experiences we have, the things we do, the people we meet, it's an experience like no other. "I don't think there's anything like the Rose of Tralee." The Rose then hinted to presenter Kathryn Thomas that someday, she may establish her own electrical business 'powered' by women. Congratulations to the 2025 Rose of Tralee, Katelyn Cummins! Luas services to the Docklands area of Dublin will not be operating for at least seven days after a large gas fire broke out at a bridge. Firefighters brought the blaze at Georges Dock Bridge under control by 11.30pm on Tuesday. Four fire engines, a foam tender and water tanker attended the scene as part of the multi-agency response, and members of the Gardai, Dublin Fire Brigade and Luas operators Transdev were assessing the damage on Wednesday. In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, it was confirmed that Luas red line services would not operate from Connolly Station to The Point for at least seven days. It said: Due to significant damage from a gas fire at Georges Dock on Tuesday 19 August, the Georges Dock bridge, which forms part of the Luas Red Line (tracks and overhead power lines), will remain closed for at least the next seven days, and until it is certified safe for use. The bridge must undergo structural engineering assessments, multiple inspections by Luas engineering, maintenance, and safety teams from Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Transdev (Luas operator), as well as essential repairs. Only when these works and checks are complete will services be able to resume. At present, we cannot confirm a reopening date. We will continue to provide updates as progress is made. These checks are essential for everyones safety, and we appreciate your patience and support. Luas tickets are valid on Dublin Bus services between Connolly Station and The Point at this time, it added. Stock Market News USA Markets - 'Don't worry about US tariffs': Top Russian official says Indian goods are welcome in Russia 20-08-2025 00:49 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk (Bloomberg) -- Baidu Inc.s revenue fell, hurt by an economic downturn thats capping its ability to fight bigger rivals in AI and make inroads in new growth areas. The Ernie chatbot creators sales in the June quarter came to 32.7 billion yuan ($4.6 billion), in line with the average of analyst estimates for a 4% decline to 32.74 billion yuan. Net income came to 7.3 billion yuan, versus the projected 3.7 billion yuan. Chinas internet search leader is betting big on generative AI to drive future growth, but it faces mounting pressure from rising open-sourced models like DeepSeek as well as a wave of AI-native apps eating into its turf. Thats while its core search business is losing ground to social-video platforms like Xiaohongshu and TikToks Chinese twin Douyin, while its advertising revenue remains vulnerable to the ups and downs in Chinas economy. Baidu is counting on Ernie to underpin a cloud-to-app AI ecosystem and drive demand for its cloud division, which has expanded sales by double-digits in recent quarters. Its also planning to accelerate its Apollo Go robotaxi services overseas expansion in its hunt for new revenue. We remain focused on AI initiatives, co-founder Robin Li said in a statement. But in Chinas increasingly crowded AI arena, Baidu faces rivals Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. both with far bigger firepower and global footprint as well as nimble upstarts. Baidus stock price is up around 6% this year, trailing both of the bigger internet leaders in a market buoyed by optimism for Chinese AI competitiveness. Baidus Ernie was one of the first chatbots to launch in the worlds biggest internet arena, but its since lost ground to apps from ByteDance Ltd. and Tencent as well as open-sourced models like Alibabas Qwen. The company has had to abandon its paid subscription model as well as open-source its proprietary Ernie models. A push to commercialize AI is gaining traction in autonomous driving, however. Baidu plans to take its fleet of self-driving robotaxis common in Beijing, Guangzhou and Wuhan to Singapore and Malaysia as early as this year, Bloomberg reported. The company is now running trials in Hong Kong. What Bloomberg Intelligence Says Baidu faces a difficult future, with its AI ventures set to lose money for at least the next three years. We expect its search-engine profit to stay under sustained pressure due to rising uncertainty in Chinas corporate sector and competition from contemporary social media platforms. - Robert Lea, senior analyst Click here for the research. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com The leadership team includes Shvetank Mishra, ex-ABN AMRO, RBS, ICICI Securities; Pramod Kumar, ex-ICICI Direct, Canara HSBC Life; Apurva Dodia, ex-ICICI, Kotak, UBS, Motilal Oswal; and Gaurav Chahaun, ex-ICICI Bank, Kotak, Barclays, HDFC, Citibank, among others. While we may be the 20th or 40th player in private wealth overall, we are the first movers into tier-II, tier-III and tier-IV cities. Wealth creation has been uniform across India, but the wealth management ecosystem has not kept pace, particularly outside metros, said Manu Awasthy, cofounder and chief executive of Centricity. Also Read | Domestic participation boosts Indian markets despite FII outflows, Sachin Jasuja The company also plans to hire another 30 bankers next year. Centricity plans to expand into other new lines of business to offer the ultra-rich residing in tier-II and tier-III cities, Awasthy said without disclosing further details. The company is also entering the insurance broking business after securing a licence in December 2024. After spending about five months building the technology stack, we launched the business in April 2025. The licence allows us to distribute insurance on our retail platform, he said. Indias wealthtech sector has seen frenetic activity in recent years, with startups such as Stable Money, Dezerv and Smallcase, among others, raising funds. Regional footprint Founded in 2023, the two-year-old startup is targeting the hidden wealth in tier-II, tier-III and tier-IV cities. Over the past two years, Centricity has set up more than 80 offices across 70 cities and partnered with over 12,000 mutual fund distributors and independent financial advisors to build a nationwide distribution base, said the company. Centricity WealthTech raised $20 million ( 168 crore) in a seed funding round led by Lightspeed India Partners and backed by Burman Family Office (Dabur Group) and MS Dhonis Family Office, among others. According to Kotaks 2021 wealth report, about 45% of Indias UHNI population resides in tier-II and tier-III cities; however, the concentration of wealth is thinner. Metros may have thousands of families with 100 crore portfolios, while smaller cities may have just 20-50 such families each. This dynamic has historically deterred traditional firms from investing in local infrastructure. The company leases its own branches in each city, typically staffed with 3-4 private bankers who support local partners. This presence, Awasthy said, helps build trust with clients and allows the firm to scale without the heavy overheads of relocating talent. Unlike traditional bankers who juggle 100-200 relationships, Centricity restricts each banker to just 20 families. The firm works with clients holding at least 100 crore in financial assets in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and a 50 crore threshold in other cities, he added. Revenue targets Centricity delivered 20 crore in revenue in its first year of operations (FY23-24), rising to 64 crore in FY24-25. For the current year, the company is targeting 125-150 crore, and has already crossed 30-35 crore in the first two months. By next year, it expects to either break even or turn profitable with 250-300 crore in revenue, he said. The wealthtech firm aims to scale its assets under management (AUM) to about 50,000 crore over the next three years, up from the current 10,000 crore. Bunge Global SA diverted a cargo of Argentine soybean meal bound for China to Southeast Asia due to concerns it might fail to meet Chinese quality specifications, people with knowledge of the matter said. The seller has opted to send China a separate cargo from Argentina at a later date, said the people, who asked not to be named as they are not authorized to talk to media. They did not provide further details. The rerouting of the rare shipment, which is being closely monitored by traders, highlights the caution surrounding this new tie-up between China and Argentina. It comes as the Asian country seeks to secure new sources of a key animal feed ingredient due to a trade war with the US, one of its top suppliers of soybeans. Its not common for ships to change destination while in transit and its unclear when the decision was made for this vessel to change routes. The original shipment was assigned to the bulk carrier Nordtajo, Bloomberg reported previously. Ship-tracking data shows the vessel departed Argentina in late July and was initially en route to Nansha in Guangzhou. Its destination is now listed as Singapore, which is a common stop for ships on the way to destinations in both China and Southeast Asia. The single shipment is also noteworthy as Beijing mostly brings in bulk soybeans, which it crushes locally into meal and oil. At least two vessels carrying Argentine soybean meal were booked for China on a trial basis earlier this year. Those shipments were the first since Beijing opened the door to imports from the South American country the worlds biggest exporter of the livestock feed about six years ago. Calls and emails to Bunge outside of normal office hours were not immediately answered. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. LOS ANGELES A California man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after admitting to shipping weapons and ammunition to North Korea that he said were to be used for a surprise attack on South Korea, authorities said Tuesday. Shenghua Wen, 42, came to the U.S. from China on a student visa in 2012 and remained in the country illegally after it expired, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys office in Los Angeles. Wen pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, the statement says. He was sentenced on Monday. Wen told investigators that before he entered the U.S., he met with North Korean officials at an embassy in China, where they instructed him to procure goods for the North Korean government. He also admitted that he tried to buy uniforms to disguise North Korean soldiers for the surprise attack, a federal complaint says. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has demonstrated an intent to deploy battlefield nuclear weapons along the Norths border with South Korea, a U.S. ally, recently delivering nuclear-capable missile launchers to frontline military units. United Nations resolutions ban North Korea from importing or exporting weapons. In 2022, North Korean officials contacted him via an online messaging app and instructed him to buy firearms, prosecutors said. He shipped two containers of weapons and other items from Long Beach, California, to North Korea via Hong Kong in 2023. He told U.S. authorities that he was wired about $2 million to do so, according to the complaint. Authorities did not specify in the complaint the types of weapons that were exported. To carry out his operation, Wen purchased a business in 2023 called Super Armory, a federal firearms licensee, for $150,000, and registered it under his business partner's name in Texas. He had other people purchase the firearms and then drove them to California, misrepresenting the shipments as a refrigerator and camera parts. Investigators did not say whether Wen had organized any shipments during his first 10 years in the U.S. The FBI in September seized 50,000 rounds of ammunition from Wen's home in the LA suburb of Ontario that had been stored in a van parked in the driveway, the complaint says. They also seized a chemical threat identification device and a transmission detective device that Wen said he planned to send to the North Korean government for military use, the complaint says. * CEO Sewing credited with cleaning up scandal-ridden bank * Ex-banker sues Deutsche, claiming he was scapegoat for risky deals * Allegations prompt Deutsche to review case, person familiar says * Deutsche Bank says allegations are 'without merit' By Tom Sims and John O'Donnell FRANKFURT, Aug 20 (Reuters) - In 2013, Deutsche Bank handed Christian Sewing, a rising star, the sensitive assignment of investigating derivatives trades under scrutiny in Italy. More than a decade later, Sewing, now CEO, faces criticism in a lawsuit by a former Deutsche employee over his handling of the task. The suit has prompted Deutsche to review how the bank and Sewing, chief auditor at the time, managed the situation, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Dario Schiraldi, a former banker at Deutsche who was involved in the trades, claims in a 152-million-euro ($178 million) lawsuit seeking damages from the bank that the lender's actions, including the audit overseen by Sewing more than a decade ago, harmed Schiraldi's reputation and earnings, according to court documents seen by Reuters. Deutsche Bank in its review in recent months of its investigation into the trades found no wrongdoing, the person familiar with the matter said. Nonetheless, the lawsuit - due to be heard in a Frankfurt court in December - puts Sewing, CEO since 2018 and credited with cleaning up Deutsche Banks image, in the spotlight by publicly examining his role at the height of the global financial crisis. Schiraldi, five other former bankers of the German lender, and the bank were acquitted in 2022, after initially being convicted by an Italian court in 2019 for colluding with Italian bank Monte dei Paschi (MPS) to hide losses at MPS by using complex derivatives trades. In Germany, Deutsche's accounting of the transactions was also the focus of regulators. Schiraldi's lawsuit claims the bankers were made to take the blame for trades while Deutsche Bank management - including Sewing as chief auditor - sought to conceal their tacit approval for risky and lucrative deals. Deutsche Bank disclosed Schiraldi's lawsuit in its 2024 annual report released earlier this year, in a list of potentially significant civil litigation and regulatory matters. "The facts of this long-standing matter are well known and have been discussed in detail over the past decade. The Supervisory Board supports the Management Board in defending the bank against this litigation," Chairman Alexander Wynaendts said in a statement earlier this month. Sewing declined to comment for this story via a spokesperson. As CEO, he has slimmed down and returned Deutsche Bank to profit and restored its image after years of management churn, legal turmoil, losses and fines that threatened to topple the bank. He was reappointed in March for a third term as head of Deutsche, which is playing a key role in German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's "Made For Germany" initiative to pump the sagging economy. For this report, Reuters reviewed documents - including previously unreported details from the initial lawsuit, a March filing and email correspondence - and spoke to four people with direct knowledge of the matter on condition of anonymity. Reuters is reporting for the first time fresh details of the case, having reviewed Schiraldi's claim, and how Germany's largest bank is responding. Schiraldi, since leaving the bank, has held other jobs in finance, including leading a Swiss-family investment company, according to his LinkedIn profile. A central plank of Schiraldi's lawyers' argument is that Sewing and the bank scapegoated Schiraldi and a handful of colleagues and later failed to set the record straight. In 2014, Deutsche Bank took the findings of the bank's audit into the MPS trades to its local regulator, the Italian central bank, blaming the "Deal Team" - which included Schiraldi - for "insufficient and selective disclosure" on the trades. The information that was allegedly withheld how the bank was fetching billions of dollars of bonds that underpinned the deals - allowed Deutsche to book the trades as loans rather than derivatives, the findings from the bank's audit showed. That helped reduce the amount of capital it had to hold to cover risks, making it more profitable. "An appropriate handling ... would have resulted in the transactions either being declined or escalated," Deutsche told the Bank of Italy in 2014, according to slides seen by Reuters. Schiraldi disputes that there was any such cover up of information and that the deals were widely understood. Reuters could not ascertain management's role in signing off on the deals. Deutsche Bank confirmed to Reuters that the "audit identified material failings" but declined to comment on communication with regulators. Schiraldi's lawyers claim Deutsche Bank's audit of the trades had a predetermined outcome and drew on only a fraction of the available documents. In the course of their dispute with the bank, they have successfully obtained the release of several million emails and documents, which they say, in a March 2025 court document seen by Reuters, show flaws in the way the bank handled the case. Reuters could only review a small fraction of the documents. PUBLICITY SEEKING As the bank seeks to quash Schiraldi's claims, one of its management board members has reviewed the case, sifting through emails and documents from the time, according to the person with direct knowledge of the review. Deutsche Bank, in a lengthy response to questions from Reuters, said the allegations were "false", that the audit had been thorough and independent, and that executives involved "discharged their responsibilities appropriately". Sewing had been a credit officer before the audit and approved parts of some other similar deals. "We stand by the audit's core findings," a Deutsche Bank spokesperson said. While the case is due to come before a German court later this year, such disputes may also be settled out of court. In its statement to Reuters, the bank said the claims made in the lawsuit are "based on incorrect allegations", and "an attempt to generate publicity by seeking to cause serious harm to the good reputation of executives. ($1 = 0.8529 euros) New Delhi: Mumbai-based corporate behemoth JSW Group, known more for its large businesses across steel, energy, cement and infrastructure, is stepping up investments in its nascent mobility business in both its wholly owned automobile arm JSW Green Mobility and in JSW MG Motor India, a joint venture with Chinas SAIC. In July, the Sajjan Jindal-led conglomerate pumped in $115 million into JSW Green Mobility, filings with the ministry of corporate affairs showed. The company raised the funds by issuing optionally convertible debentures (OCDs) worth 1,000 crore to JSW Projects, which is promoted by the Jindal family. The board of JSW Green Mobility approved the issuance of OCDs to raise up to 1,000 crore to utilise the proceeds for the purpose of investment in subsidiary(ies) and/or other group companies, capital expenditure and general corporate purposes including repayment of debt and interest", the MCA filing said. At the same time, the group is seeking up to $300 million from external investors for MG Motor India, which currently sells the groups vehicles in the country (the in-house brand is yet to launch its first vehicle). Nearly 14 funds have expressed interest in the funding, and a final call on whether to bring in new investors in MG Motor will be taken next month, when a board meeting takes place with SAIC, according to a person directly aware of the matter. The discussions are ongoing between the two partners. A board meeting is coming up in September, and thats when they will decide. The company is waiting to see when to do it as they are not in a hurry," this person said on condition of not being named. A JSW Group spokesperson said the group keeps evaluating strategic investment opportunities across its businesses: While we do not comment on specific funding structures beyond what is available in statutory filings, we can confirm that all such transactions are in compliance with applicable laws." Regarding JSW MG Motor India, the spokesperson declined to comment on speculations regarding potential fundraise, investors or board-level deliberations. We will make appropriate disclosures in accordance with regulatory requirements". Notably, all vehicles under the JSW bannercurrent and plannedare likely to be electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. While JSW Green Mobility doesnt have a model yet, it is developing fourincluding both passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles. The models are being developed by two of its subsidiariesJSW Motors Limited (passenger vehicles) and JSW Greentech Limited (commercial vehicles). The company spokesperson declined to comment on specific timelines for their launch, saying they will be shared at the appropriate stage". However, according to the person cited earlier, the first of these models is likely to be launched in the next financial year, and will be rolled out from a fresh plant that is taking shape in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra. The groups second automobile business is through its joint venture with SAIC, MG Motor India. In March 2024, a JSW Group-led consortium picked up 51% stake in the company as the Chinese company faced hurdles in investing due to restrictions imposed by the Indian government. The investment in MG Motor marked JSW Groups foray into the automobile sector but in December, group chairman Sajjan Jindal expressed ambitions to launch its own EV brand. Our idea is not to be an outpost of a Chinese company to sell products in India," Jindal told theFinancial Timesin December. We want to manufacture the products in India, value-add in India, and sell in India." According to Puneet Gupta, director at S&P Global Mobility, JSW Group has gained critical insights into the EV business through its entry with MG Motor India. They may now have more calibrated and reasonable expectations on speed to market, sales and profits. For a newcomer like JSW, this is the right moment to step in, as most companies are still early in the EV race and market positions can shift quickly," he explained. Gupta added that MG Motors rapid climb to the No. 2 spot in the EV space with its Windsor model proves how fast the EV market can be shaken up. The top passenger EV seller in India is Tata Motors, which sold over 16,000 EVs at the end of the first quarter of this fiscal. MG Motor has sold nearly 12,000 EVs including Windsor, ZS EV and Comet. Analysts note that EV adoption in passenger vehicles has not grown at a rapid pace, with penetration below 3% in FY25. Over 107,000 electric passenger vehicles were sold that year. Nonetheless, competition in the segment is rising. The countrys largest passenger vehicle company Maruti Suzuki and other top brands such as Hyundai Motor India, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Tata Motors are all ramping up their presence in the clean cars segment. (Bloomberg) -- SQM, the worlds biggest lithium producer by market value, boosted its sales guidance for this year and struck a note of optimism on prices after posting a 28% slump in second-quarter core earnings. Attributable core earnings before items fell to $307.9 million last quarter, the firm said in a statement. But the Chilean producer of the battery metal is pressing ahead with an expansion, saying sales volumes from its domestic plants will grow 10% this year. It also lifted sales guidance for its Australian operations. Lithium has suffered from a severe global glut that has hammered prices, although output cuts in China have fueled a recent rebound albeit to levels that are still more than 80% below their peak. The firm maintained a forecast for global demand growth of about 17% this year. Recent market dynamics make us believe that third quarter prices could be higher than the second quarter, SQM said in slides accompanying its earnings statement. The companys shares were down 2.9% at 9:37 a.m. in New York. They surged to their highest in more than a year earlier this month, joining a rally for global producers of lithium after a major mine halted output in China. The operation run by battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. should be closed for at least three months. Santiago-based SQM, formally known as Soc. Quimica & Minera de Chile SA, boosted sales guidance for its international division to about 20,000 tons of lithium carbonate-equivalent. It didnt give a volume figure to clarify the 10% increase for its Chilean division. SQM added that its Kwinana refinery joint venture in Australia achieved first commercial production in July. The facility should hit nameplate capacity of 50,000 tons of lithium hydroxide by end-2026, with half attributable to SQM, it said. Lithium prices have languished under the weight of excess supply after new mines came on stream and demand growth slowed. SQMs volumes-over-value approach has contrasted with cutbacks by some higher-cost producers. The company has budgeted $750 million in capital expenditure this year as it lifts annual capacity in Chile to 240,000 tons of lithium carbonate in 2026 and 100,000 tons of hydroxide by end-2025. The firms total revenues fell 19% in the second quarter to about $1 billion as spot lithium prices endured their worst period in many years. Sales volumes were lower than the first quarter. Some of the contracts we had in place, hit the lower limits set in those contracts, affecting the volumes agreed, Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Ramos said in the statement. --With assistance from Philip Sanders. (Adds shares in fifth paragraph, capacity expansions in eighth paragraph) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Lucknow, Aug 20 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi on Wednesday said there is no scarcity of urea or other fertilisers in the state and assured farmers of an "uninterrupted supply" for the ongoing kharif season. The comments have come against the backdrop of reports suggesting a shortage of fertiliser in several districts. The Uttar Pradesh government has also urged farmers and dealers not to engage in unnecessary hoarding, saying there are sufficient stocks of fertilisers, according to an official release. Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Shahi said farmers had purchased and consumed 32.07 lakh metric tonnes of urea in the state till August 19, compared to 27.86 lakh metric tonnes during the same period last year. "This means 4.21 lakh metric tonnes more urea has been made available to farmers this year," he added. According to the minister, Uttar Pradesh had a total availability of 37.97 lakh metric tonnes of urea since April 1, 2025, against which 6 lakh metric tonnes still remain available across districts for purchase. "Around 1.52 crore farmers have procured urea so far through POS machines using biometric authentication," he added. On reports of irregularities, Shahi revealed that in Maharajganj and Siddharthnagar districts, several individuals had purchased more than one metric tonnes of urea multiple times, raising suspicions of hoarding. "Such cases are under investigation and strict action will be taken against black marketing and diversion," he warned. The minister said that in border districts, local administrations have been directed to step up vigil to prevent fertiliser smuggling out of the state. He added that apart from urea, farmers currently have access to 3.87 lakh MT of DAP, 3 lakh MT of NPK, 2.51 lakh MT of SSP, and 0.63 lakh MT of MOP, taking the total stock of chemical fertilizers in the state to 15.91 lakh MT. Both cooperative and private sectors have been mobilised to ensure smooth distribution, he noted. Shahi stressed that the Centre and the state government are working in coordination to ensure daily supply. "At present, 24 rakes of urea and 12 rakes of DAP are in transit, which will reach their destinations in the next 3-4 days. On average, Uttar Pradesh is being supplied 10-12 rakes of urea and 5-6 rakes of DAP daily," he said. Taking a tough stance on malpractice, the minister said that 12,653 raids have been conducted so far across the state, resulting in the collection of 3,385 samples to check fertilizer adulteration. Action has been initiated against errant traders, with 1,047 retail sellers issued notices, 571 licenses suspended, and 1,196 cancelled. Similarly, 132 wholesale dealers were served notices, 13 licences suspended, and 4 licences cancelled. Notices have been issued to 53 fertiliser manufacturers, and 93 FIRs have been lodged against those involved in black marketing, overpricing, and hoarding, he added. "Fertilisers are being made available in sufficient quantities. Farmers should not panic or fall prey to rumours. Anyone found indulging in hoarding or black marketing will face strict action," Shahi said. Hitting back at former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadavs recent remarks alleging a shortage of fertiliser in the state, the minister said, "We are doing everything that the farmers get fertiliser as per their need. He (Akhilesh Yadav) has no right to speak on these issues because under his government, farmers were forced to leave farming due to the non-availability of fertiliser." Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has urged farmers to purchase fertilisers only as per requirement, assuring them that adequate supplies are available. He also directed all districts to set up a complaint cell to resolve farmers grievances. The leaders of Belarus and Iran signed new agreements on Wednesday to boost bilateral ties in key areas including defense, the two governments said. Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian signed a package of 13 documents in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Both governments have been placed under heavy sanctions, limiting potential trading partners. Pezeshkian said Iran would help Belarus to neutralize such measures, citing Tehrans decades of experience circumventing Western economic restrictions. Lukashenko told Pezeshkian that Belarus was ready to cooperate with you on all issues from providing your country with food to military-technical cooperation, calling the Iranian president a friend. The two parties did not disclose any further details on how the countries intend to cooperate in the defense sector. Other areas covered by the agreement include industry and tourism, as well as joint initiatives in science, technology and education. Access to Belarus wood processing and chemical industry, as well as potash fertilizers, can all bring potential benefits to Iran. The two presidents also said their countries would start work toward a strategic partnership treaty. Lukashenko, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for Moscow full-scale invasion of Ukraine and later allowed the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles. Iran has supplied Russia with drones for use in the war, and Pezeshkian signed a strategic cooperation treaty with Putin in January, although it did not include a mutual defense clause. The Iranian presidents visit to Minsk has been postponed several times due to U.S. strikes on Irans nuclear facilities. Lukashenko called the strikes on Irans nuclear infrastructure a serious threat to regional and international stability and security. We support Irans legitimate right to develop peaceful nuclear energy, Lukashenko said. Tata Motors has officially made a re-entry into the passenger vehicle market in South Africa, marking its entrance following a six-year hiatus since 2019. Tata Motors has launched four models in South Africa, including three ranges of SUVs and an entry-level compact hatchback. The company made a comeback in the country in a partnership with Motus Holdings, South Africas automotive distributor. Our aspiration, as part of our mid-term plan, is to be one of the top five passenger vehicles in South Africa, with a 6 per cent to 8 per cent market share, Thato Magasa, the new country head for Tata Motor Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) said during the launch on Tuesday. Tata Motors in South Africa: Cars launched Global automakers like Tata Motors have been responding to the growing demand of budget-friendly cars, and have been giving consumers more options. To keep up with the demand, Tata Motors has launched four of its passenger vehicles in South Africa for now, including Tata Punch compact SUV, Tata Curvv coupe-inspired SUV, Tata Tiago hatchback, and the flagship Tata Harrier premium SUV According to Reuters, all the cars will go on sale from September. Tata Motors to compete against Chinese automakers Tata Motors is returning to South Africa amid competition from a rising tide of Chinese automakers such as Chery Group, BYD, Beijing Automotive and GWM. These companies have offered customers competitively priced vehicles with different powertrains in recent years. Tata exited the passenger vehicles market in 2019 after selling brands such as its Indica hatchback, some of which were affordable but drew mixed reactions from consumers who opted for rivals. It retained commercial vehicle operations in South Africa, however. "We have listened, we have learned, and we have tailored our offering to meet South Africa's needs," Shailesh Chandra, managing director for TMPV and electric mobility, said at the event. Our return to South Africa marks a significant milestone in Tata Motors global journey. We are excited to bring our new-generation of vehiclesengineered with cutting-edge technology, uncompromising safety, and modern designto a market that values safety, quality and innovation, he added. Also Read | Tata Motors fends off investor skepticism on $4.4 billion Iveco acquisition Future plans Tata Motors plans to launch with 40 dealerships nationwide, with plans to expand to 60 by 2026. The company also plans to launch its Nexon and Sierra SUVs by 2026. Both the models have gained popularity in India. An information technology employees union has protested Tata Consultancy Services' (TCS) decision to lay off 2 per cent or 12,000 of its employees in July. The Union of IT And ITES Employees (UNITE) on August 20 has alleged that TCS is replacing the 12,000 laid-off employees with freshers at significantly lower pay, and that the job cuts are wider than reported. It also demanded that the company re-skill and up-skill impacted workers. How has TCS responded? Mint reached out to TCS regarding the allegations and the company spokesperson said, These speculations are incorrect and misleading. As communicated earlier, the impact is limited to 2 per cent of our workforce. What has UNITE said? In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Union also said that it is protesting the government's inaction against the mass layoffs. According to a report by The Indian Express, the union has alleged that TCS has hired freshers at 80-85 per cent lesser pay to replace the fired employees, and the complete layoff process would result in 30,000-40,000 jobs lost. The organisation is demanding that TCS re-skill and up-skill employees, instead of discarding them, the report added. It cited a press statement from UNITE, which alleged that top positions at TCS are rewarded with obscene pay hikes that are denied to ordinary workers. TCS Salary Hike: 80% of employees eligible Meanwhile, in August, the company announced salary hikes effective from September 1, 2025. The company in an email said that around 80 per cent of TCS employees, or 4 out of 5, are eligible for the increment. The hike applies to employees with about 11 years of experience or less in the C3A band, Mint reported earlier. While an NDTV report said that those getting hikes have CTCs between 15 lakh and 35 lakh. SAN FRANCISCO President Donald Trump wants the U.S. government to own a piece of Intel, less than two weeks after demanding the Silicon Valley pioneer dump the CEO that was hired to turn around the slumping chipmaker. If the goal is realized, the investment would deepen the Trump administration's involvement in the computer industry as the president ramps up the pressure for more U.S. companies to manufacture products domestically instead of relying on overseas suppliers. The Trump administration is in talks to secure a 10% stake in Intel in exchange for converting government grants that were pledged to Intel under President Joe Biden. If the deal is completed, the U.S. government would become one of Intel's largest shareholders and blur the traditional lines separating the public sector and private sector in a country that remains the world's largest economy. In his second term, Trump has been leveraging his power to reprogram the operations of major computer chip companies. The administration is requiring Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, two companies whose chips are helping to power the craze around artificial intelligence, to pay a 15% commission on their sales of chips in China in exchange for export licenses. Trumps interest in Intel is also being driven by his desire to boost chip production in the U.S., which has been a focal point of the trade war that he has been waging throughout the world. By lessening the country's dependence on chips manufactured overseas, the president believes the U.S. will be better positioned to maintain its technological lead on China in the race to create artificial intelligence. That's what the president said August 7 in an unequivocal post calling for Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan to resign less than five months after the Santa Clara, California, company hired him. The demand was triggered by reports raising national security concerns about Tan's past investments in Chinese tech companies while he was a venture capitalist. But Trump backed off after Tan professed his allegiance to the U.S. in a public letter to Intel employees and went to the White House to meet with the president, who applauded the Intel CEO for having an amazing story. The company isn't commenting about the possibility of the U.S. government becoming a major shareholder, but Intel may have little choice because it is currently dealing from a position of weakness. After enjoying decades of growth while its processors powered the personal computer boom, the company fell into a slump after missing the shift to the mobile computing era unleashed by the iPhones 2007 debut. Intel has fallen even farther behind in recent years during an artificial intelligence craze that has been a boon for Nvidia and AMD. The company lost nearly $19 billion last year and another $3.7 billion in the first six months of this year, prompting Tan to undertake a cost-cutting spree. By the end of this year, Tan expects Intel to have about 75,000 workers, a 25% reduction from the end of last year. Although rare, its not unprecedented for the U.S. government to become a significant shareholder in a prominent company. One of the most notable instances occurred during the Great Recession in 2008 when the government injected nearly $50 billion into General Motors in return for a roughly 60% stake in the automaker at a time it was on the verge of bankruptcy. The government ended up with a roughly $10 billion loss after it sold its stock in GM. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC during a Tuesday interview that the government has no intention of meddling in Intel's business, and will have its hands tied by holding non-voting shares in the company. But some analysts wonder if the Trump administration's financial ties to Intel might prod more companies looking to curry favor with the president to increase their orders for the company's chips. Intel was among the biggest beneficiaries of the Biden administrations CHIPS and Science Act, but it hasnt been able to revive its fortunes while falling behind on construction projects spawned by the program. The company has received about $2.2 billion of the $7.8 billion pledged under the incentives program money that Lutnick derided as a giveaway that would better serve U.S. taxpayers if its turned into Intel stock. We think America should get the benefit of the bargain, Lutnick told CNBC. Its obvious that its the right move to make. Mumbai: The Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Wednesday asked Vedanta Ltd to respond within four weeks after the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas objected to its upcoming demerger, potentially delaying the process and injecting uncertainties into the companys plan first announced two years ago. The case, heard by a bench of justices Mohan Prasad Tiwari and Charanjeet Singh Gulati, is next listed for hearing on 17 September. A delayed timeline The development could push back the timeline for Vedantas demerger. The company had first announced its plan to demerge into six separately-listed entities in September 2023. It had aimed to complete the demerger by March 2025. However, last December, it estimated that the demerger would be delayed to September 2025 due to pending regulatory approvalsparticularly from the NCLT. A spokesperson for Vedanta confirmed that the petroleum ministry had filed a representation before the NCLT. Further, Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) in its affidavit has confirmed that it has no further comments on the merits of the (demerger) scheme and that the tribunal may proceed to adjudicate the matter. Also, Vedanta has already received NOC (no-objection certificate) from the stock exchanges on the modified scheme, the spokesperson said. Mint independently could not ascertain the details of the petroleum ministrys objections. However, market regulator Sebi's assent to the demerger stands, said a person aware of the matter. Shares of Vedanta Ltd settled 1% lower at 445.45 apiece on the BSE on Wednesday. On 13 August, Sebi had issued an administrative warning to Vedanta, as per regulatory disclosures made by the company. The market regulator said that the company changed or modified its demerger plan after getting a no-objection certificate from the BSE without the written consent of Sebi. The changes pertain to the now-cancelled demerger of its base metals business. Originally, the company planned to demerge into six separately-listed entities. However, in December last year it decided to retain the base metals business in the parent firm and changed the demerger plan to five companies. The five firms will be Vedanta Aluminium, Vedanta Oil & Gas, Vedanta Power, Vedanta Iron and Steel and Vedanta Ltd, which will continue as the parent entity and hold the shares of Hindustan Zinc. Shareholders of Vedanta will receive one share in each of the new companies. The above non-compliance has been viewed seriously. Accordingly, the Company is hereby warned and advised to be careful in future to avoid recurrences of such lapses, Sebi wrote in its letter, a copy of which was uploaded by Vedanta Ltd on the stock exchanges. The letter did not mention what the change or modification to the demerger plan was. The court has asked Sebi to file its affidavit within two weeks. Earlier, Viceroy Research, a US-based short-seller firm had accused Vedanta Group of alleged financial misconduct and misrepresentation, making empty promises to shore up share prices, manipulating asset values, raising off-balance sheet loans, and corporate governance issues. The short-seller first published its note on Vedanta on 9 July and has since published 21 notes on the Vedanta group. New Delhi: Given the sensitivity of dealing with foreign courts, the corporate affairs ministry, in consultation with the law ministry, will design Indias cross-border insolvency regime under the IBC Amendment Bill 2025. The move will ensure direct government involvement in deciding the key aspects of the framework by way of rules, rather than leaving it to be covered by regulations issued by bankruptcy rule-maker, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI). Also Read | IBC amendments plug a major gap in the insolvency process The ministries will draft the cross-border insolvency framework taking into account a United Nations (UN) template and the best practices in other countries, according to two persons familiar with the development. The government is also expected to set up a special National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) bench for handling cross-border insolvency proceedings, the persons said. Queries emailed to the corporate affairs ministry and the IBBI on Thursday, seeking comments for the story remained unanswered at the time of publishing. Also Read | Why the voting threshold is a major hurdle in insolvency application withdrawal The development signifies the importance the government has assigned to this aspect of business reorganization. A cross-border insolvency regime avoids parallel proceedings in multiple jurisdictions, overseas asset seizures, cost escalation and time delays in resolving bankruptcies. In the absence of such a regime, Jet Airways had faced overseas asset seizure in 2019 before a case-specific cross-border insolvency protocol was struck between Jets resolution professional in India and the administrator of the companys bankruptcy proceedings in the Netherlands. Experts said having a legal framework will improve the efficiency and certainty in dealing with failure of businesses with operations in multiple jurisdictions. The cross-border insolvency framework will require India to recognize the insolvency procedures in overseas jurisdictions. On these substantive matters, the central government need to formulate the detailed framework and therefore, substantive aspects of this regime will be decided by the government as part of the rules," explained Anoop Rawat, the national practice head (insolvency and restructuring) at law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. Also Read | IBC reforms will benefit distressed real estate projects, experts say Policy makers expect that the cross-border insolvency regime, a key parameter to assess the insolvency regimes in countries, and the overall insolvency reforms will help India get a high ranking in the business ready index that the World Bank is drawing up. Released in 2024, the inaugural edition of the business ready report, a successor to the multilateral agencys erstwhile ease of doing business report did not include India. India is likely to be covered in the edition to be launched in 2026. The regulatory reforms taking centre stage in governments efforts to accelerate economic growth are also expected to aid Indias ranking in the report, said a third person, a government official who also spoke on the condition of not being named. The time and costs required to resolve in-court liquidation and reorganization proceedings are parameters for the ranking, according to information available from the World Bank. In economies where creditor recovery rates are high and resolution times are quicker, restructuring within the formal bankruptcy process fulfills its cyclical role during economic downturns by keeping companies afloat," says the World Bank about the report. Cross-border insolvency is assigned some weight in assessing the insolvency regime in a country, as per information on the methodology of ranking available from the World Bank. In a visit to India this week, Chinas top diplomat said the two Asian nations should deepen cooperation amid international threats to free trade, a sign that President Trumps trade war could accelerate a thaw in the frosty relationship between Beijing and New Delhi. Both countries have faced hefty tariff threats from Trump over their trade policies, with India singled out in recent weeks for its large-scale purchases of Russian oil. In remarks in New Delhi on Monday at a meeting with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a veiled reference to the U.S. by noting that New Delhi and Beijing should find ways to coexist against a backdrop of unilateral bullying." China and India should view each other as partners and opportunities rather than adversaries or threats," said Wang on Monday, according to a statement from Chinas Foreign Ministry, In his opening remarks, Jaishankar said the nations are seeking to move ahead after a difficult period in our relationship." Differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict," he said. India has said it would resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals. Wangs schedule included a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. At the end of the month, Modi is expected to make his first visit to China in seven years for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security group that also includes Russia. The nuclear-armed neighbors are edging closer to resuming normal bilateral relations after facing their worst tensions in decades following the 2020 border clash that killed 20 Indian troops and four Chinese soldiers, analysts said. Both sides in recent years have amassed tens of thousands of troops at their disputed border, while round after round of high-level military talks failed to defuse tensions. A breakthrough came last October, when the two countries hammered out a patrolling agreement at the border, paving the way for talks between Modi and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Russia. In recent months, China has allowed Indian pilgrims to visit holy sites in Tibet, while India has said it would resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals. Analysts said the slow but steady improvement in China-India relations could gain momentum from the trade war kicked off by Trump. The countries recognize they may need to lean on other trade relationships to fend off heavy damage on their economies, analysts said. In recent weeks, Trump slapped a 25% tariff on Indian imports and has threatened to double it before the end of the month. That 50% tariff would roughly match the duties that the U.S. levies on many Chinese goods. Mr. Trump and his actions may have given it a greater sense of urgency than before," said Harsh Pant, head of strategic studies at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi think tank. The Chinese seem to be playing to this idea of Look, we are the more reliable partner." The India-China trade relationship, at close to $130 billion, is roughly the same size as U.S.-India trade. But India buys far more from China than it does from the U.S. Indias growing manufacturing prowess in electronics, for example, remains heavily dependent on Chinese parts, and some in India see more economic collaboration with China as necessary to propel Indias manufacturing sector. Beyond trade, Trumps actions have cast a question mark over the direction of the U.S.-India relationship, described rosily by both countries over the past decade as a robust partnership that had shed the prickliness of the past. A strong relationship was natural, political experts argued, given shared concerns over Chinas growing economic and military heft. India remains deeply invested in the U.S. partnership, an Indian official said, and hopes to work out trade differences. The official noted that the China-India meetings occurring this month have long been in the works. Talks between China and India over how to avoid conflict at the border continued on Tuesday with a meeting between Wang and Indias national security adviser Ajit Doval. Both officials applauded the upward trajectory of China-India relations. Borders have been quiet, there has been peace and tranquility, our bilateral relations have been more substantial," Doval said during opening remarks. But the two countries face fundamental strategic differences that are unlikely to be resolved. Border disputes could still flare up, as both countries have built permanent infrastructure along it in recent years to prepare for a possible future conflict. India hosts the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist leader in exile who is seen as a separatist by Beijing for his advocacy for greater autonomy for the Tibetan region, which is controlled by China. China, meanwhile, is the strongest ally of rival Pakistan, which deployed Chinese jets in the most recent conflict against India. There are inherent tensions in this relationship," Pant said. But where the focus will be in the relationship going forward is, can they build a relationship now based on the positives?" New Delhi: India has finalized terms for free trade agreement (FTA) talks with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) as New Delhi steps up efforts to expand its trade partnerships amid strained relations with the US. The terms of reference (ToR) were signed in Moscow by Ajay Bhadoo, additional secretary in the Department of Commerce, and Mikhail Cherekaev, deputy director of the Trade Policy Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). The EAEU comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Russia, with a combined GDP of $6.5 trillion. During the visit, Bhadoo also called on Andrei Slepnev, minister in charge of trade at the EEC, where both sides reviewed the milestone and discussed the next steps for the negotiation process. Indias trade turnover with the EAEU touched $69 billion in 2024, up 7% from the previous year. The proposed FTA is expected to open up new opportunities for Indian exporters, particularly among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) and the pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, and agriculture sectors. It will also help New Delhi reduce its reliance on markets where trade tensions are rising, the ministry said. By fast-tracking an agreement with the EAEU, India is signalling its intent to diversify supply chains and strengthen partnerships with friendly economies at a time when tariff-related frictions with the US threaten to disrupt a large share of its exports, said Abhash Kumar, trade economist and assistant professor, economics, Delhi University. The FTA could unlock untapped trade potential, boost investments, and build a durable institutional framework for cooperation. Both sides have reaffirmed their commitment to the early conclusion of the agreement, the ministry said. Russia has long been India's key and trusted partner. Recently, US President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods as a penalty for New Delhis continued purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total duty on Indian goods to 50%, among the highest in the world. Russian supply accounts for close to 40% of Indias total crude oil imports, and Washington has accused New Delhi of profiteering from the discounted prices. New Delhi: India and Saudi Arabia look to deepen maritime ties by setting up a joint working group on shipping and logistics, the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways said on Wednesday. The move, announced after a high-level virtual meeting between ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, marks a new chapter in the bilateral ties. The Strategic Partnership Council, co-chaired by the leaders of both countries, will meet regularly to advance collaboration in ports, shipping and logistics. The creation of a joint working group is a significant step in taking forward our maritime relations. It reflects our shared vision to strengthen economic linkages, connectivity and sustainability across the maritime domain, Sonowal said. Saudi Arabia is Indias fifth largest trading partner, while India is the kingdoms second largest. Their bilateral trade was at around $42 billion in fiscal year 2025 (FY25). Minister Sonowal underscored the historic and growing relationship between the two nations and highlighted the complementary link between Indias Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 with Saudi Vision 2030. We see strong complementarities with Saudi Arabias Vision 2030, particularly in logistics and supply chain transformation, he said. Also Read | Green deficit: Indian logistics must clean up its act before time runs out Sonowal pointed to recent developments, including the launch of the JeddahMundra/Nhava Sheva route by Saudi Arabias Folk Maritime Services, which is expected to cut transit time and costs. He also proposed collaboration on Indias MAITRI digital platform for harmonization of maritime trade. With Indias $1 trillion maritime investment roadmap, there is immense potential for joint ventures in green hydrogen hub ports, digitalized port operations and sustainable shipping solutions, the minister added. India has invited Saudi Arabia to explore investment prospects across its port and shipping ecosystem. The Maritime Development Fund, with a corpus of over $3 billion, offers opportunities in port infrastructure, coastal shipping and logistics. Mega projects such as Vadhavan Port on Indias west coast and the Outer Harbour Project at VO Chidambaranar Port in Tamil Nadu were showcased as key investment destinations. Also Read | EV charging points eyed for green ports New Delhi also proposed collaboration in shipbuilding and ship repair clusters, including possible cooperation between the Shipping Corp. of India and Saudi companies. New Delhi: The government is weighing new measures to boost manufacturing while exploring alternative markets to offset the impact of US tariffs and make Indian products more competitive globally, according to two people familiar with the matter. The proposals under discussion include interest subventions, the development of manufacturing clusters near infrastructure hubs, and measures to attract more private capital, the people cited earlier said on the condition of anonymity. Also Read | Global economy took tariff hike in its stride, but stronger headwinds are ahead The measures are also expected to focus on creating jobs, boosting exports, and strengthening domestic consumption. Beyond targeted incentives, the government is weighing structural reforms, ranging from tweaks in the GST (goods and services tax) framework to fresh manufacturing pushes, to raise the sectors weight in GDP," said the first person. Importance is also being given to sectors like engineering, electronics, textiles, steel, and construction, with a sharper focus on Make in India and Vocal for Local. New PLI (production-linked incentive) schemes for heavy machinery in mining and construction are also under discussion to curb import dependence," this person added. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Reform Task Force in his Independence Day speech on 15 August, aimed at driving next-generation reforms to steer India toward a $10 trillion economy by 2047. Indias manufacturing sector, which accounts for about one-sixth of the economy, is projected to expand by 3.8% in fiscal year 2026 (FY26), slower than the 4.3% estimated for FY25, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). Also Read | India plans policy reset to soften US tariff blow The deceleration reflects the impact of US tariffs, moderating domestic demand, and a high base effect, with some sub-sectors expected to cool after last years unsustainably strong growth. The US has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods entering the world's largest economy. The spokespersons of the ministries of finance, and commerce, and the Prime Ministers Office didnt respond to emailed queries. Meanwhile, new PLI schemes aimed at reducing import dependence have also been discussed. The Centre is looking to fire up manufacturing activities, a crucial engine of economic growth, the second person said. The government is also exploring the creation of factory clusters strategically located near major infrastructure projects, such as roads, railways, and ports, to create manufacturing hubs that boost logistics efficiency and generate large-scale employment," this person added. These clusters are aimed at raising manufacturings share in Indias GDP. Linking these clusters with key infrastructure projects will help create seamless value chains, drawing both domestic and foreign investment and giving a strong push to the economy," the person said. The cluster-based approach to manufacturing, where firms and industries operate within an integrated ecosystem, rests on strong theory and is backed by compelling global evidence," the person added. Experts say the government is adopting a broad-based strategy to strengthen Indian manufacturing and boost global competitiveness, with an emphasis on scale, value addition, and market diversification to reduce vulnerability to tariff shocks. The government is taking a comprehensive approach to strengthen fiscal measures, such as targeted incentives and credit support, which are being matched with non-fiscal steps, including logistics upgrades, regulatory simplification, skilling programs, and increased investment in research and innovation," said Hardik Shah, partner, Deloitte India. These initiatives are designed not merely as quick fixes but as part of a long-term vision of Viksit Bharat to build resilience, reduce external dependence, and position India as a reliable, trusted, and globally competitive manufacturing hub," Shah added. In the ongoing trade talks, the US has been pressing India to open up imports of genetically modified (GM) crops such as corn and soybean. Both are among the major crops grown on large areas across India. Behind New Delhis reluctance to open up the markets is dismal productivity, which makes these crops uncompetitive. Besides, can India allow imports when its own farmers are denied access to transgenic technology? Mint explains. Why is the US pressing India to open up imports of GM crops? GM corn and soy are among the major crops grown by US farmers. Both these crops are also among the country's major farm exports. In the calendar year 2024, the US exported soybean worth $24.7 billion, with over half of the sales coming from its largest buyer, China. Corn exports in 2024 were valued at $13.7 billion, with Mexico being the largest buyer. Data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that China, once the largest buyer of US corn, has sharply lowered its purchases- from $5.2 billion in 2022 to just $331 million in 2024. Chinas purchase of US soy fell from $18 billion in 2022 to $13 billion in 2024. In a way, China has been leveraging its position as a large buyer of US farm commodities (and raising purchases from Brazil) to secure favorable tariffs. Since India is a large importer of edible oils with a growing demand for corn to produce ethanol, the US is looking at India to secure a market for its corn and soybean. So, what explains Indias reluctance to open up imports? So far, India has not allowed the use of GM technology in food crops like soy and corn. The only GM crop allowed is cotton, which is a fibre crop. So, it will be unfair to make Indian farmers compete with their US counterparts. For Indian farmers, soy and corn are major crops grown on 13 million hectares and 12 million hectares, respectively. However, the average yields are very poor: 1.2 tonnes per hectare for soy and 3.5 tonnes per hectare for maize or corn. In comparison, US yields are about three times more: 3.5 tonnes per hectare for soy and over 11 tonnes per hectare for corn. Being severely deficient in edible oils, India imports oil extracted from GM soybeanswith the understanding that it contains no detectable DNA or proteins. However, most of this oil is purchased from Argentina and Brazil, which is marginally cheaper than US soy oil. Besides, the US prefers to sell whole beans rather than just the oil. Though India imports GM soy oil, it does not allow the import of soy meal, except under special circumstances, like it did during a period of shortage and price rise in 2021. Soy meal, also known as de-oiled cake, is the protein-rich leftover after the oil is extracted from beans. This is fed to poultry birds. India is reluctant to buy whole beans as it is already a net exporter of soy meal. What is Indias position on the import of GM corn? Corn grown in India, which is non-GM, is mostly used to make poultry feed, and industrial starch, and used in food processing and to increasingly produce ethanol (for blending in petrol). Very little corn is used for direct consumption. Despite lower productivity when compared to US farmers, Indian growers have been shifting to corn due to soaring demand from multiple sectors and rising prices. Therefore, it is understandable that New Delhi is reluctant to put Indian farmers at a disadvantage by allowing imports, even for the indirect use of GM corn as an animal feed or for making ethanol. More so, ahead of the crucial state elections in Bihar (due in November), which is a top producer of maize. Data from the farm ministry show that Indian farmers planted corn in a record 9.3 million hectares in the ongoing rain-fed Kharif crop season, an 18% jump in acreage compared to the past five-year average. In addition to kharif, corn is also planted during the winter or rabi crop season, which begins in October. Further, sugar mills in India are opposed to importing GM maize to manufacture ethanol, as it would reduce the demand for sugarcane for ethanol-blending in petrol. This can hurt the sugar industrys margins and the profitability of cane growers. Also Read | Indian scientists develop gene-edited rice as alternative to GM crops Why is corn and soy productivity so high in the US? Farmers in the US plant GM corn and soy with transgenic traits that offer protection from pests and tolerance from use of herbicides. Weeds compete with crops for nutrition, thereby impacting yields. Herbicide tolerant crops can deliver higher yields by allowing for easier removal of weeds. In addition, US farmers use improved varieties of seeds with multinational seed companies competing with each other to provide the best available technology to farmers. Due to strong intellectual property (IP) rights, seed companies sell open-pollinated varieties to US farmers growing soy (and cotton). These high-yielding seeds can be technically reused, but farmers buy seeds every year due to strong IP laws. Such protections are currently weak in India and seed companies are reluctant to introduce new technology. US farmers also plant long-duration soy and corn, which yield more per unit of land. The crops are usually rotatedsoy is grown in one year followed by corn in the next (soy fixes nitrogen in the soil, which is used by corn in the next season, lowering fertiliser expenses). Precision technology in fertilizer application and sustainable practices like mulching, zero-till, and cover crops also lead to higher yields in the US. Also Read | Industry differs with govt on soybean output, says edible oil price to stay high Is India closed to GM technology for its own farmers? Not really. In fact, in 2022, Indias biotech regulator approved the environmental release of GM mustard (DMH-11), developed by the Delhi University. The agriculture ministry maintains that GM mustard is safe for use as food and animal feed. However, commercial release has been stalled due to an ongoing case in the Supreme Court. In addition to GM mustard, Punjab Agricultural University is currently carrying out field trials of GM corn. Meanwhile, farmers in Gujarat and Maharashtra are growing unapproved herbicide tolerant GM cotton which is yet to be approved for commercial release. This is because the existing GM technology is nearly two-decade old and yields are on a decline. As a result, India has turned a net importer of cotton from being an exporter. The developments in mustard and cotton show that the Indian government is not opposed to GM technology and farmers are even willing to take the risk of growing illegal, herbicide-tolerant crops. But the policy confusion around transgenic technology is taking a toll, leading to low productivity on the farm and rising dependence on imports, like in the case of GM soy oil. Amid the controversy around The Bengal Files, actor Saswata Chatterjee has claimed that he was not aware that the film was about his own state. The upcoming political drama, directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, has created a lot of buzz well ahead of its release. Chatterjee, while speaking to The Wall News, said that the makers had only explained his role during the shoot, not the full story. He was told it would be a strong, villainous character, which very few actors would get in their career. Also Read | Bengal Files: Vivek Agnihotri had no permission for trailer launch in Kolkata Nowadays, they dont share the full story with anyone. Only a track is given, and only the character is explained. When I was told about my role, it was said to be a strong character, a villain-type role, which very few actors get, Chatterjee said. During the entire shoot, the films name was Delhi Files. After the shoot got over, I saw the name had been changed to Bengal Files, he added. Saswata explained that such decisions were not in his control. He added that he liked the role and simply performed it. He can figure out why it was changed from Delhi Files to The Bengal Files only after watching it. On questions about history being depicted wrongly, he said it was not his responsibility. If authorities feel Bengal has been shown in a bad light, they should approach the court with facts instead of creating unnecessary disputes. At the same time, the renowned Bengali actor said that people should feel scared while watching him in The Bengal Files. I have seen my scenes. If you watch them, youll feel the fear, he said. Social media reactions While the interview was uploaded on YouTube on July 29, a clip of the video has now gone viral on social media platforms. After this statement, no one should have any doubt about what a propaganda film really means. If a movie is truly based on real events, then why did it have a different name during shooting? Or is it that they made a generic story and then, for political purposes, changed the name before release? wrote one Instagram user while sharing the clip. Also Read | Vivek Agnihotri alleges 'dictatorship' after Bengal Files trailer launch halt However, many others feel Saswata Chatterjee is now opting for a lame excuse to justify his choice to work with Vivek Agnihotri. Why would they even take him in Delhi Files, and why is the entire star cast from Bengal? asked one user. While shooting, cant you realise if they are showing Bengal or Delhi? asked another. Even a 2-year-old would not believe such a lame excuse, posted one user. Another wrote, Uncle is scared! Was it Delhi Files before? Yes, Vivek Agnihotris movie was originally called The Delhi Files. Later, it became The Bengal Files. The director said the change had been made on public demand after a poll. Since the focus changed to Bengals past, Agnihotri renamed the movie from The Delhi Files: The Bengal Chapter to The Bengal Files: Right to Life. Kolkata, The imposition of higher tariffs by the US will significantly impact the micro, small and medium enterprise sector, which accounts for around 45 per cent of India's exports, while MSMEs in textiles, diamonds and chemicals are likely to be the most hit, a report by CRISIL Intelligence said. The US levies ad valorem duty of 25 per cent on Indian goods. However, it has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff which will be effective from August 27 this year. This brings the total tariffs to 50 per cent, which will have a meaningful impact on several sectors in India, the report said. Textiles, gems and jewellery, which account for 25 per cent of India's exports to the US, are likely to be most affected. The MSMEs have more than 70 per cent share in these sectors and will be hit hard, the report said. Another sector which is likely to face the heat is chemicals, where MSMEs have a 40 per cent share. The gems and jewellery sector at Surat in Gujarat, which dominates diamond exports, will feel the tariff shock, the report said. Diamonds account for over 50 per cent of the country's gems and jewellery exports, and the US is a major consumer, according to the report. In chemicals too, India faces competition from Japan and South Korea which are subject to lower tariffs. In steel, the US tariffs are expected to have a negligible impact on the MSMEs as the units are mostly engaged in re-rolling and long products. The US primarily imports flat products from India. In the textiles sector, the ready-made garments are expected to lose ground in the US compared with peers like Bangladesh and Vietnam which face lower tariffs. The first and only time Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, was in Paris in 2019. If Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to meet his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, as urged by President Trump, he will come face-to-face with a man he has spent 3 years excoriating as an illegitimate leader and puppet. Negotiating directly with Zelensky would run sharply counter to the narrative Putin has carefully constructed and sold to Russians in an effort to justify his 2022 invasion of Ukraine: that the war is part of a broader conflict with the West in which Zelensky and his country are mere pawns. Trumps call for a meeting puts Putin in a bind. If he declines, he risks angering the U.S. president, who has already threatened him with more sanctions. But sitting down with Zelensky could damage him politically with the Russian elite and the broader public. Trump said Tuesday that he was working to bring the two leaders together as the next phase in his efforts to forge a lasting peace in Ukraine, but he nodded to the challenge at hand. They havent been exactly best friends," he said in an interview with Fox News, adding that Putin and Zelensky will have to iron out details of a possible meeting if they agree to one. The question of Putins willingness to meet his Ukrainian counterpart has taken center stage following a Trump-Putin summit in Alaska and discussions Monday at the White House between Trump, Zelensky and European leaders. On Tuesday, Russian officials gave little indication they were working toward such a meeting. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said plans for any contacts between officials should be laid out with the utmost care." Other Russian officials ridiculed Zelensky as an unserious politician. Agreement from Putin to meet Zelensky wont likely come quicklyor easily. He has dismissed the Ukrainian leader repeatedly as a servant of the West, and has insisted that various complex issues be solved before the two leaders sit down. He has also questioned Zelenskys legitimacy after he extended his mandate beyond the usual five-year term, citing the problems with holding an election during a war. Putin has questioned his authority to sign any peace agreement. Ukrainian servicemen installing antidrone nets in the eastern Donetsk region recently.The words For Russia on a wall in Mariupol, which Russian forces captured from Ukraine in 2022. Putin has said a meeting between the two leaders should come at the end of a peace processand more as a formality to sign the necessary documents. Im ready to meet, but if its some kind of final stage, so we dont sit there endlessly dividing things up, but bring this to an end," he said in June. But we will need the signature of the legitimate authorities." The issues also go far beyond Zelensky. Putin sees the war as part of a broader Russian push to relitigate grievances the country has felt since the end of the Cold War, analysts say. Putins engagement with the Trump administration is part of an effort to secure an agreement that goes far beyond territorial concessions in Ukraine and concerns the very makeup of Europes security architecture. For Putin, this is a much wider confrontation with the West. And Ukraine is a battlefield between Russia and the West," said Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. In Putins eyes, Zelensky is not a player," she added. The fact Ukrainians are fighting at all is because of Western support." Most important, a meeting with Zelensky could end the delicate dance Putin has performed around Trumps peace efforts. To avoid more punishing sanctions, the Kremlin leader has professed his desire for peace while escalating offensives have won Russian troops important gains in the countrys east. A summit with Zelensky could bring an unwelcome moment of truth. A meeting could indicate that hes really willing to negotiate the end of this war, and I dont think hes ready," said Samuel Charap, veteran Russia watcher and senior political analyst at Rand Corporation. The first and only time Putin met Zelensky was in 2019 at a very different moment in Russian-Ukrainian relations. At the time, Putin appeared to have high hopes for a relationship with his newly elected counterpart who had made peace with Russia a main campaign priority. The meeting between Putin and Zelensky was hailed as a step toward peace after Russia had seized Crimea and backed separatists in eastern Ukraine with soldiers and money. But far from being the start of a working relationship, disagreements erupted over the details of a peace deal, including disengagement across the front line. Ties quickly deteriorated thereafter and the two havent met since. Since the start of the war, Zelensky has believed that he could make headway in his relationship with Putin if he could sit down face-to-face with the Kremlin leader, but he has also drawn the ire of Moscow by issuing a vaguely worded decree that calls talks with the Kremlin leader impossible. To satisfy Trump and Zelenskys own desire to meet, Putin has said he isnt opposed to talking face-to-face, but that various conditions would need to be met, including signals from Kyiv that it is ready to make serious concessions. Zelensky, for his part, has shown openness to meet without preconditions, most recently abandoning an earlier demand for a cease-fire to facilitate talks. If Ukraine begins setting various preconditions for a meetingincluding justified ones regarding a cease-firethen the Russians will present 100 of their own," he said after his meeting with Trump and European leaders in Washington on Monday. I think we should meet without conditions and explore what further progress there can be on this path to ending the war." Zelensky has successfully used the Kremlin leaders resistance against him. In May, Trump had expressed his desire for Putin to come to Turkey where he could meet face-to-face with Zelensky. When Putin passed up the chance, Zelensky flew into Turkey and bemoaned how the Kremlin was too afraid" to meet. This time, however, the political stakes are higher, adding pressure on the Kremlin leader. With rising demands from Trump and European leaders, Moscow has hinted it will double down on its refusal and continue to paint Zelensky as a dilettante that Putin shouldnt stoop to meet. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova went on the offensive on Tuesday to level accusations against the Ukrainian leader to justify Putins own refusal to meet. Ultimately, analysts say, Putin is likely to pour cold water on the idea of a meeting without actually refusing one outrighta strategy he has previously deployed in response to calls for a cease-fire. Agreement over maximalist peace terms that Russia handed to Ukraine in Istanbul, according to Stanovaya, is likely to serve as Moscows precondition for a meeting. Those terms include Ukraines disarmament, political neutrality, and abandonment of its aspiration to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. What Putin will say now is lets do it, but first we need to talk about common documents we can finalize in such a meeting," she said. And well find ourselves in the same situation as before the Alaska summit." Write to Thomas Grove at thomas.grove@wsj.com and Matthew Luxmoore at matthew.luxmoore@wsj.com The Democratic Party could use a makeover. Donald Trumps victory in November showed that the party can no longer rely on bashing him to win elections. The Republican president is trusted more than Democrats, whose approval rating is the lowest its been in 35 years. Democrats are searching for a positive vision to inspire voters, and leading the pack, at least among party elites, is the brand of abundance. Popularised in a recent book by journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, abundance types advocate for overhauling a decades-old liberalism of bureaucratic red tape with one that builds clean energy, infrastructure and, above all, affordable housing. Even Zohran Mamdani, the socialist Democratic nominee for New York City mayor who wants to freeze rents, has given the abundance wing of the Democratic Party a few nods. But the high-powered Maryland suburbs outside Washington suggest the politics of abundance can be treacherous. Montgomery County is one of the 30 richest counties in America. Nearly 75% of its 1m residents voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. When the Democratic-controlled county council entertained a plan last autumn to rezone large swathes of exclusively single-family-home neighbourhoodsallowing for multi-unit dwellings, townhouses and apartment buildingsliberal suburbanites rained hell. This is a radical change that will be the death of single-family communities, said one man, as hundreds gathered to mock and boo council members in a high-school auditorium. There was massive resistance, recalled Will Jawando, a council member. People were apoplectic. That backlash helped whittle down the proposed rezoning to little more than 1% of single-family homes along main thoroughfares, which the council passed this July, over more boos and groans. Left-leaning suburbanites have many reasons to oppose rezoning, from concerns about overcrowding their high-performing schools to parking, wastewater management and traffic. But they boil down to one: they like the suburbs. There is always a reason for why housing shouldnt be built, says Andrew Friedson, the council member behind the rezoning reform. To dislodge the country-club mentality thwarting rezoning in Montgomery County, he intends to ask homeowners how their children and grandchildren could afford to live there. When it comes to housing, expanding the supply of homes will reduce the rapid acceleration of housing values. That is what abundance is supposed to do, says Richard Kahlenberg, author of the book Excluded and director of housing policy at the Progressive Policy Institute. When Donald Trump took the White House in 2016, yard signs began to pop up with platitudes like Black Lives Matter, No Human is Illegal and Science is Real. None of that requires an ounce of sacrifice on the account of progressive elites, says Mr Kahlenberg, a county resident. Voters who are completely opposed to building a wall with Mexico are quite comfortable building walls around their communities. Homeowners naturally reject the charge of elitism. They see so-called affordable housing as a Trojan horsea means by which developers can lay claim to the suburbs. No developer giveaways at our expense, read yard signs outside quaint million-dollar homes on the drive into Washington. Far from making housing more affordable, residents expect the arrival of luxury developments to raise their home values. They can point to a house in the town of Chevy Chase that sold for $1.6m and was converted into three luxury townhouses, each listed for more than $3m. Its a total scam to benefit developers instead of representing the people that live here, said Gerald Smith, an interior architect, who is among the dozens protesting the rezoning effort on Connecticut Avenue, a thoroughfare into Washington. Democratic infighting has fuelled a competition for progressive virtue. Kim Persaud, a community activist from the heavily Hispanic town of Wheaton, called rezoning a racist policy and blatant injustice that would displace black and Hispanic renters so wealthy white people can live in luxury condos. She said the majority of those for rezoning are young white kids who come from privilege and whose parents could gift them a down payment. During a county hearing, one self-described white, privileged young renter said that the rezoning proposal was necessary to house the thousands of queer people, people of colour and immigrants who live in dangerous, conservative states and need to move to our sanctuary county. Its not as if rezonings opponents despise all of abundance liberalism. Marc Elrich, the countys Democratic chief executive, is a critic of the movement. But he wants to build, too. Mr Elrich hopes to make Montgomery County resemble its more business-oriented neighbour, Virginia, where regulations ensure that new buildings are in line with a communitys existing character and taxes on development are spread out over time. In May Mr Elrich announced the countys first-ever Tax Increment Financing proposal, which aims to spur development in the eastern part of the county. Under the plan taxes would directly fund infrastructure such as roads and utilities. TOKYOIn return for billions of dollars of investment pledges and promises to buy more American goods, U.S. allies in Asia and Europe say President Trump agreed to lower tariffs on key exports such as cars and steel. Weeks later, they are still waiting. Earlier this year, Trump threatened many of the U.S.s trading partners with lofty import duties. Then, in a rapid series of deals culminating this month, he lowered them in pacts that, in some cases, included pledges by those countries to invest in the U.S. The administration, however, has so far left in place a series of tariffs levied for national-security reasons on sensitive products such as cars, steel and aluminum. The delays in addressing those tariffsas well as discrepancies over investment and other issueshave created uncertainty for businesses and policymakers over future U.S. trade policy. Japan and South Korea said agreements they struck with the U.S. included reducing to 15% a 25% tariff on imported automobilesbut for now that levy is still being collected, adding to mounting losses at some of the worlds biggest carmakers. Toyota Motor estimates tariffs will cost it around $9.5 billion in lost operating profit in the fiscal year ending in March, an estimate that had assumed tariffs on U.S. car imports would be reduced this month. Even the U.K., which was the first country to agree to a new trade pact with Trump back in May, is still waiting for a reduction in steep tariffs on steel. The two sides are thrashing out final terms on exactly which U.K. steel exports will qualify. A U.S. administration official said the U.S. agreed to discuss and possibly adjust these so-called Section 232 tariffs but said the administration didnt make a firm commitment to change them as part of these initial agreements. Such teething problems illustrate the challenge of putting Trumps rapid-fire trade pacts into practice. Traditional trade agreements run to hundreds of pages and seek to define clear rules for cross-border commerce to encourage companies to take the risky step of engaging in international trade. Trade lawyers painstakingly haggle over tariffs and regulatory barriers to broaden market access. In his second term, Trump prefers bold pledges and handshake agreements to detailed legal texts with binding commitments. His trade policy is less about expanding international trade than it is about narrowing chronic U.S. trade deficits and recouping what he believes are billions of dollars lost to foreign countries under the existing global system. Trading partners, too, have shied away from formal agreements that would impose specific legal obligations on their side. That partly reflects a desire to avoid bureaucratic entanglements and move swiftly, according to analysts and government officials, as well as a wariness of Trumps commitment to agreements he does make. Trump in his first term signed new trade accords with Japan, South Korea, Canada and Mexico, among others, all of which he has effectively repudiated by unilaterally raising tariffs. Answering critics in Japans Parliament who wanted to see a written version of Tokyos trade pact with Trump, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told lawmakers a formal treaty would mean even greater delays in implementationwithout a guarantee that Trump would stick with it. The EU is pushing for a written statementbut has said it wont be legally binding. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in an interview on CNBC on Tuesday that documents with deal terms for countries including Japan and South Korea are weeks away," but that investors shouldnt expect 250-page trading agreements." Unlike the stability and confidence-building brought by traditional trade deals, this new, looser approach to trade policy means delays, disputes and misunderstandings are the new normal for trade relations with the U.S., said Simon Evenett, a professor at IMD Business School in Switzerland who runs Global Trade Alert, which monitors trade policy. The upshot is we inject uncertainty rather than remove it," Evenett said. Its the price you have to pay with Washington these days." An administration official said the documents being prepared will more precisely lay out deal terms and put to bed any lingering uncertainty." The official added that the president reserves the right to adjust tariff rates if he judges the other side has reneged on its commitments. As well as Japan, South Korea and the European Union, the U.S. has also reached preliminary agreements with smaller but significant trade players such as Vietnam. A deal with China has proved tougher, but Trump this month extended a deadline for higher tariffs on China to come into effect to allow further talks and a possible meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The typical format for a Trump deal includes a pledge by the U.S. trading partner to invest big sums in the U.S., promises to buy more American exports, and a lower tariff rate in return. Almost as soon as some of these pacts were announced, cracks in what exactly they entailed started to show. Following a deal with Seoul, the White House announced that South Korea would provide historic market access to American goods like autos and rice." Yet Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, one of South Koreas top trade negotiators, told reporters when he returned home that he didnt discuss rice with the U.S. team at all. An administration official said White House announcements have laid out what trading partners have agreed to and we expect them to abide by these commitments." Investment pledges have proved especially controversial, with U.S. allies pushing back on Trumps insistence that he will have considerable discretion over how those funds are invested. For instance, a $350 billion investment fund that was the cornerstone of the pact with South Korea, of which $150 billion is earmarked for cooperation in shipbuilding, would be owned and controlled by the United States, and selected by myself, as president," Trump said. Kim Yong-beom, South Koreas presidential chief of staff for policy, said that the fund is not a structure where the U.S. unilaterally decides," and that South Korea will also require the investment projects proposed by the U.S. to be commercially meaningful." Japans top tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, flew back to Washington only days after striking Japans trade deal. In meetings with Trump officials, he protested that a July 31 White House executive order seemed to stack" a new levy of 15% on top of any pre-existing tariffs on U.S. imports from Japan. He had told Japanese lawmakers the 15% wouldnt be piled on top. He ultimately returned with a commitment from U.S. officials, he said, to revise the order. The U.S. has agreed not to stack the new tariffs for Japan, an administration official said, though the official added that this wasnt part of the deal Japan had initially negotiated. The EU is also waiting for relief on auto tariffs and is negotiating improved terms for steel producers. Asked about the vehicle tariffs recently, an EU spokesman said, The U.S. has made political commitments to us in this respect and we look forward to them being implemented." Write to Jason Douglas at jason.douglas@wsj.com President Trump signaled on Tuesday that the U.S. is prepared to use air power to support a European security force in Ukraine but ruled out deploying American ground troops. Planning of the multination force to be sent to Ukraine if a peace settlement is reached accelerated Tuesday, a day after Trump discussed the idea at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders. After Trumps summit with his Russian counterpart in Alaska, the president tasked Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, to develop options for NATO-like security guarantees for that force, according to a Western official. Caine was set to meet in person on Tuesday with military chiefs from nations that participated in the White House meeting on Ukraine a day earlier, including Britain, France, Germany and Finland, two Western officials said. The purpose of the meeting, which will also include Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who is both NATOs top military commander and the head of U.S. forces in Europe, is to refine military options for the political leaders, one of the officials said. Grynkewich is also slated to brief a larger group of NATO defense chiefs over videoconference on the war in Ukraine on Wednesday, according to a senior NATO military officer. Grynkewich will participate from Washington, the person said. But the planned force faces a number of major diplomatic challenges. While Trump has said that he expects Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept the presence of Western troops in Ukraine, Russia has objected to the idea of sending troops to Ukraine from members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. We reiterate our repeatedly expressed position that we deny any scenarios that envisage the deployment of a military contingent to Ukraine with the participation of NATO states," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharkova said Tuesday. Such as a step, she said, could lead to an uncontrollable escalation of the conflict with unpredictable consequences." Trump didnt specify the role the U.S. military might have in providing air support to a European ground forcewhether it would include warplanes, air-defense systems or surveillance drones, for instance. When it comes to security, they are willing to put people on the ground," Trump said in a Fox Television interview, referring to the Europeans. Were willing to help them with things, especially probably, if you talk about by air, because there is nobody has the kind of stuff we have, really they dont have." The Pentagon could deploy aircraft outside Ukraine to protect European troops, including jet fighters to aid European forces in the country if they are attacked or surveillance drones to monitor any peace agreement. The U.S. could also fly European troops and equipment on its cargo planes, provide ground-based air-defense systems to the European and contribute military intelligence. European governments, led by the U.K. and France, have lobbied Washington for months to back what they described as a reassurance force" that would be deployed to Ukraine after a cease-fire. European nations are wary of sending their forces to Ukraine without what the British have called a U.S. backstop," an assurance that U.S. forces could intervene if the troops are attacked. In a sign that NATO members are concerned about possible military moves by Moscow, the alliance said Tuesday that its military forces, including its air-defense systems, had been put on alert when Russian aircraft launched missile attacks on Ukraine. In a statement, the alliance said the move was made out of concern that the Russian missiles might enter the airspace over Poland, which includes a logistics hub that is used to send equipment to Ukraine. As it turned out, no Russian violations of Polish airspace occurred. Following the White House meeting with top European leaders on Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will start working with the Europeans on plans for a security guarantee for Ukraine. These guarantees could include a potential promise to back up Ukraine modeled on NATOs Article 5, which stipulates that an attack on one alliance member should be considered an attack on all, officials said. Without a credible U.S. security guarantee, it is hard to see how you can have an effective deterrence of Russia or reassurance of Ukraine," says James Black, a deputy director at Rand Europe, a think tank. European militaries lack logistics, intelligence gathering, cybersecurity, and large scale precision missiles, needed to sustain a conflict with Russia, he says. Defining the U.S. role is aimed at giving countries such as Germany and Italy more confidence about participating in any Ukraine force. The plan for a reassurance force was hatched by the British and French shortly before Trump won his re-election. It took on greater urgency after Zelenskys Oval Office clash with Trump earlier this year. Initially, the Europeans planned to put up to 30,000 troops on the ground. But Trump showed little interest in U.S. involvement, and several European nations, including Germany and Italy, balked at sending troops. The U.K. and France then began discussing a more modest force that would be composed of a few thousand troops and based far from the front line. The troops would support the Ukrainian military and act as a deterrence against potential Russian aggression. Soldiers take part in urban combat exercises during a joint military manoeuvre between the French and British armies in northeastern France in April. European forces wouldnt likely be near whatever de facto border or legal frontier emerges between Russian and Ukrainian forces if a peace agreement is hammered out. They could be placed at strategically important locations, such as airports and military centers, that could come under Russian attack. French officials have said Paris could deploy between 3,000 and 5,000 troops in Ukraine initially. British and French army officers went to Ukraine in April to scope out options. Britain is likely to focus on providing air support, given its army has been slimmed down dramatically in the last few decades. One of the trickiest tasks in the work undertaken by our military planners is that it is not clear in what circumstances any forces may be required to be deployed, and it is not clear that the details of the negotiated peace deal we all want to see will be in place," U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said in April in a statement to Parliament. Write to Lara Seligman at lara.seligman@wsj.com, Michael R. Gordon at michael.gordon@wsj.com and Max Colchester at Max.Colchester@wsj.com IN THE 20 months since Hamas massacred almost 1,200 people, Israel has fought in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. On June 13th, when Israeli aircraft struck Iran, it became clear that these campaigns waged against Iranian clients and proxies have all been leading to todays momentous confrontation between the Jewish state and the Islamic Republic. The Iran-Israel war will reshape the Middle East, just as Arab-Israeli wars did between 1948 and 1973. As President Donald Trump teeters between talking to Iran and sending American aircraft and missiles to bomb it, the question is whether this first Iran-Israel war will also be the last, thereby creating space for a new regional realignment built on economic development. Or will it lead to a series of Iran-Israel wars that mire the Middle East in years, if not decades, of further violence? Israeli minds are focused on the looming threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. Israel claims that it acted now because Iran has been racing towards a bomb, under the cover of arms talks with America. Western intelligence agencies are less sure. Either way, a nuclear Iran could abuse its neighbours with impunity, much as Vladimir Putin has Ukraine. It could also spark an atomic arms race in the Middle East and beyond. More on the war between Israel and Iran: A nuclear-armed Iran would therefore be a disaster for Israel and the world. Mr Trumps desire to stop it is a welcome signal to would-be proliferators across the planet that they should abandon their ambitions. However, Binyamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, faces a grave problem. To remove the threat, he must destroy Irans wherewithal to make a bomb or he must eliminate its desire to acquire one. War with Iran is unlikely to achieve either of those things. Even if Israel wrecks Irans infrastructure, thereby postponing the day when it might complete a weapon, it cannot eradicate the know-how accumulated over decades. And far from eliminating the Iranian regimes desire to go nuclear, Israeli strikes are likely to redouble it. Mr Netanyahus solution is to encourage Iranians to rise up and topple the Islamic Republic. He calculates that a new regime is likely to be less tyrannical, less bellicose and less wedded to a nuclear programme. But Israel can only create conditions that favour a change of regime; it cannot impose a coup from the skies. Besides, nobody knows how willing a new government would actually be to make peace with Israel or to abandon nuclear dreams which, after all, began with the shah. The conclusion is that the only thing under Israels direct control is to buy time, by setting back Irans technical capacity to get a bomb. If, in a few years, Iran renewed its nuclear programme, Israel would have to mount another operation all over again. The barriers to success would surely grow. What is to be done? The G7, meeting in Canada, called for de-escalation and there are reports that Iran wants to negotiate. Diplomacy, if it worked, would indeed be the best way to solve this problem. In contrast to war, it could both lead to the dismantling of the programme and also, by building confidence, reduce Irans incentive to dash for a bomb. That is why Mr Trumps decision in 2018 to walk out of an imperfect arms agreement with Iran was a terrible blunder. In practice, however, a deal will be very hard to reach. For it to be credible, Iran must agree to give up every ounce of highly enriched uranium, submit to intrusive inspections and forgo all but a token enrichment capacity. Would the regime in Tehran ever accept such humiliating terms as a precondition? Only, if at all, if it fears for its survival. Perhaps sensing that, Mr Trump has demanded Irans unconditional surrender", issuing threats that have caused residents to flee Tehran. The best way to apply pressure to Iran, hawks suggest, would be to leave negotiations for laterand for America instead to shift from merely defending Israel and deterring Iran to joining the attack on Irans programme. This has advantages, too. Americas bunker-busting bombs are much more likely than Israels to penetrate key nuclear facilities such as Fordow, in central Iran. Iran might talk sooner, because it would know that America has the resources to strike it long after Israels stocks of guided munitions start to run out. Yet for Mr Trump to enter the fray would be a huge gamble. He was elected to keep America out of wars in the Middle East. Even if he intends to hit nuclear targets and nothing else, America could be sucked in. So far Iran has focused all its strike-power on Israel, but it may be saving missiles for a regional assault. It may also have terror cells around the world. Imagine that it now starts to kill American troops and civilians, or that it sends energy prices soaring by blasting Saudi Arabias oil industry or blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for oil and gas tankers. Or perhaps it will hit tower blocks in Dubai or Qatar, beginning a stampede of the expatriates who power their economies. Mr Trump would have to retaliate. Where does that leave America? Fordow is important, but even if it is destroyed Mr Trump cannot be sure of eradicating Irans programme once and for all. Secret facilities and stocks of uranium might survive; know-how definitely would. If Iran is not to go nuclear, America might therefore have to go to war in the Middle East repeatedlyforcing it to choose between non-proliferation and giving full attention to its rivalry with China. Sooner or later, America will come to realise that talks offer the least bad path and that the refusal of Mr Netanyahu to countenance them is an obstacle. Centrifugal forces So Mr Trump faces a trade-off. By doing more damage than Israel could alone, America could set the clock back further. Its participation might also increase the chances that the regime enters talks in earnest or collapses. But those gains are uncertain and must be weighed against the risk of a regional conflagration. In a shifting landscape, better for the king of ambiguity to wait to see how far Israels campaign gets, whether the Iranian regime is willing to talk and to gauge whether American intervention could tip the balance. For subscribers only: to see how we design each weeks cover, sign up to our weekly Cover Story newsletter. The government has been stepping on the pedal on ethanol-blended petrol. Last month, it said it was on the verge of achieving a 20% blend of ethanol in petrola near four-fold increase since 2020 and in line with a target it had brought forward by five years. Along with its own announcements on the subject, it also fielded a volley of questions in the ongoing session of Parliament. In one of those responses, the government clarified there was no decision yet to go beyond 20%, but media reports said a 27% blend was the next step under consideration. All these discussions have reopened old fault lines. In a developing country like India, where a vehicle is a significant purchase and has a long lifespan, E20 fuel (signifying 20% ethanol) has caused concern. Owners of vehicles of older vintage, especially before Bharat Stage-VI became the emission standard in 2020, worry that their engines were built for pure petrol and not blends, and E20 will lead to higher wear and lower fuel efficiency. They also argue that they neither get a choice of fuel nor a lower price on blended fuel. Those in charge of policy argue that the benefits are greater. Ethanol reduces the dependence on crude oil (which India mostly imports), gives farmers a supplementary income and leads to lower emissions. A June 2021 Niti Aayog study, while acknowledging a drop in fuel efficiency, added that significant environmental gains because of lower emissions from blended fuels made the transition worth pursuing in the long run. Manufacturers concerns According to the same Niti Aayog study, a 1-7% drop in fuel efficiency was seen in four-wheelers using E20 fuel, based on whether the vehicles were designed for 10% ethanol blending or zero blending. At the time, industry representatives had recommended making petrol with 10% ethanol as a protection-grade fuel for existing vehicles. The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), a prominent industry grouping, had said that legacy vehicles would suffer material degradation, which could lead to fuel seepage/leakage and hence a safety issue". It also argued against retrofitting in older engines. Siam said it was a practically impossible task considering the larger population of existing vehicle variants, parts design and development issues, cost of retro-fitment and finally customer experience". In 2020-21 (December-November), India achieved 8.1% ethanol blending in fuel. In July 2025, this figure stood at 19.9%. Capacity expansion Indias ethanol production has tripled between 2018 and 2023, making it the worlds third-largest producer and consumer of ethanol, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), an international intergovernmental agency that provides data, policy recommendations and analysis on the energy sector. The number of distilleries has increased from 373 in 2021-22 to 499 in 2024-25. Installed capacity has increased at a faster clip than supply. Despite the chagrin of older vehicle owners, ethanol blending is here to stay. One reason consumers are peeved is that they have not benefited from the ethanol blending policy through lower prices. An example of that happening is Brazil, where 27% ethanol is the blending norm. Latest prices in Brazil show that this blended fuel is about 33% cheaper than pure petrol. In India, however, the blending is enforced at the refinery level. Even if separate variants are sold, they are not priced differently. Crop diversification Amid the debate, the ethanol industry has not only expanded capacity, but it has also diversified the crop it uses for production. Even when it started picking up pace in India, ethanol was principally being produced from sugarcane byproducts. In 2019-20, when India achieved ethanol blending of about 5%, the contribution of the sugar-based source was about 91%. However, grain-based sources, notably maize, have picked up smartly in recent years, which also translates to that much less being available for food purposes. In 2023-24, grain-based sources accounted for 60% of ethanol. This year, until 30 June, the share was about 40%. The share of maize in both these years in ethanol production was 41-42%. According to the government, an amount of 1.21 trillion has been transferred to farmers since 2014 for purchases of crops. Further, it says, there has been an import substitution of 23.8 million tonnes of crude oil because of ethanol blending during the same period. All reasons for it to continue blending. www.howindialives.com is a database and search engine for public data The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday by a voice vote amid protests by Opposition members. It will become law after it is cleared in the Rajya Sabha. Gaming industry bodies had earlier warned that the move would strike a death knell" for the sector, which employs thousands and attracts billions in investment. Mint chalks out the start of online gaming startups in India, key milestones, GST hurdles, state bans, the landmark Supreme Court case, and now the blanket ban on the industry. NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (Reuters) - India's state-run refiners Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum have bought Russian oil for September and October delivery, resuming purchases after discounts widened, two company officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday. The refiners had halted purchases in July due to narrower discounts and after India was criticised by Washington for its purchases of Russian oil. President Donald Trump also threatened an additional 25% levy on Indian goods, effective August 27, to penalise New Delhi for its continued buying of the oil. Discounts for Russian flagship Urals crude have widened to about $3 per barrel, making the oil attractive for Indian refiners, while China has stepped up purchases, the officials said. In addition to Urals, IOC has also bought other Russian crude oil grades including Varandey and Siberian Light, they said. Also Read | Indian Oil transforms used cooking oil into sustainable aviation fuel Indian companies do not comment on their crude imports. Alwar/New Delhi: Bablu Saini took to apiculturebeekeepingmany moons ago. Living next to the Chidiyapur forest range in the hill state of Uttarakhand, not far from the popular pilgrimage site of Haridwar, Saini would avidly watch roving beekeepers who arrived with their bee boxes every year when the forests were in bloom. They came to collect multi-floral forest honey, a highly sought-after delicacy. From migratory beekeepers, Saini learnt the primordial rules of a bee colony. That there can be only one queen in a box. That she may be killed by worker bees or will have to leave the colony when she gets old and her egg-laying capacity declines. A new queen is raised by workers whose lifespan is just a few weeks. The endless cycle, where the success and productivity of a colony supersedes the wellbeing of its individual residents, fascinated Saini. In 2015, then an intrepid 22-year-old, Saini decided to take the sting. He began with a modest 24 boxes, each housing thousands of worker bees, a fat queen, her abdomen swollen with eggs, and male drones whose only utility is to mate and die immediately afterwards. View Full Image A beekeeper in Alwar shows a large queen bee. (Sayantan Bera/Mint) A decade on, Saini owns 300 boxes and travels long distances, from mustard fields in Haryana and apple orchards in Himachal Pradesh to Alwar in Rajasthan when pearl millet and sorghum are in bloom. Last year, Sainis beehives produced five tonnes5,000 kgof honeyvalued at close to 6 lakh. Apart from selling honey, Saini also provides rent-a-bee services to farmers. In the apple orchards of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, bee boxes are in high demand during the flowering season as pollination by bees greatly improves the fruit yield. Orchardists pay beekeepers up to 1,200 per box. A couple of weeks in an orchard can mean earnings of over 2.5 lakh. But its risky too: sudden snowfall or an abrupt drop in temperature can decimate colonies. Saini is now an experienced beekeeper who trains fellow farmers looking to diversify their incomes. When Mint met him in Alwar earlier this month, he was spearheading a group of more than 20 novice beekeepers managing over 2,000 boxes. View Full Image Bablu Saini, a migratory beekeeper, in Alwar. (Sayantan Bera/Mint) Sweet revolution In a way, Sainis graduation from an amateur enthusiast to an avid professional mirrors the strides of Indias honey industry. Between 2016-17 and 2024-25, production of natural honey in India rose from 94,500 tonnes to 152,000 tonnes, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 7%, much higher than the average growth of 2-3% for conventional crops such as cereals and pulses. The number of beekeepers is estimated to have more than doubled in the past decade to over 70,000, said Narayanan Renganathan, vice president and head of procurement at Dabur India, the largest consumer brand of honey in India. The surge in honey production came from higher acreage of mustard (an oilseed whose flowers contribute over half of the honey produced in India), fruits such as litchi and pomegranate, spices, including ajwain (carom seeds) and eucalyptus plantationsthe source of pollen and nectar for domesticated bees. Indias floral (and crop) diversity, and established migratory routes allowed beekeepers to produce different types of honey year-round, which improved overall yields. This production growth came from government support, better beekeeping practices, and stronger market connections," said Sanjeev Asthana, chief executive officer (CEO) of Patanjali Foods. The sector got a shot in the arm in 2021 when the government launched a 500 crore National Beekeeping and Honey Mission to create rural jobs by promoting scientific beekeeping. Commercial beekeeping has achieved a rare feat: its a farming practice where the bulk of the output is reserved for exports. In 2024-25, India exported an impressive 100,773 tonnes of natural honey, about 66% of its annual production. The exports were valued at 1,750 crore, a three-fold jump in five years. Daburs Renganathan estimates domestic demand to be around 50,000 tonnes. Taking exports and the domestic market together, beekeeping is now a 3,500 crore industry. Migration is critical to commercial beekeeping because only when bees are exposed to more flora spread across seasons can they produce more honey. The surge in migratory beekeeping has led to an explosion in floral expressions. Consumers can now choose from a wide variety, including litchi, eucalyptus, saffron, jamun, ajwain and wild-forest honey. Yet, Saini and his fellow beekeepers are unhappy. The bulk price of honey has slid from the highs seen a few years back, when the covid pandemic led to a spike in demand. We can barely make ends meet. The price of honey has not kept pace with the rising cost of labour and the cost of transporting boxes over long distances," Saini said. For instance, this July, he spent close to 30,000 shifting his boxes from jamun (black plum) orchards in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, to Alwar in Rajasthan, a distance of over 400 km. The migration is more for the upkeep of the bees, which need pollen collected from millet and fodder crops to survivethe monsoons are lean months with little or no honey production. In addition to low prices for beekeepers, the honey industry is also struggling due to a crash in international prices. Since two-third of domestic production is exported, with the US being the leading buyer, the threat of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump looms large. Price pains The covid pandemic had led to a surge in demand for honey due to its supposed anti-bacterial properties and potency to treat coughs and colds. This led to a spike in farm prices to 150-170 per kg in 2021. Since then, the price has fallen to 90-110 per kg. View Full Image The covid pandemic had led to a surge in demand for honey due to its supposed anti-bacterial properties. (istockphoto) The farmgate price of honey is determined by a variety of factors, including international prices and demand, explained Daburs Renganathan. The export price of honey has fallen sharply, from $3,000 per tonne two years back, to $1,500 per tonne now, he added. This has impacted the price realization for domestic growers. The tariffs imposed by Trump are an added blow. A 50% tariff on Indian honey (which includes a 25% penalty for the purchase of Russian oil by India) will be a huge blow for the entire industry, including processors and beekeepers," said Arshdeep Singh, managing director at Allied Natural Product, which claims to be the largest exporter of honey from India. In 2024-25, the US imported 79,720 tonnes of Indian honey. Thats over half of the estimated production during the year and nearly 80% of exports from India. A high tariff on India could mean ceding ground to countries such as Argentina, Vietnam, Ukraine and Mexico, which also export honey to the US and have lower tariff rates. In 2024-25, the US imported 79,720 tonnes of Indian honey. Thats over half of the estimated production during the year and nearly 80% of exports from India. In addition to uncertainties in the export market, domestic demand growth has stayed flat after the post-covid surge in consumption. As per Dabur, over the past decade, domestic consumption has been growing at a CAGR of 2-3%. This means growth in the sector was largely fuelled by growing export demand. However, Sanjeev Asthana of Patanjali Foods says that domestic demand is robust. The industrys annual domestic consumption is estimated at about 60,000 to 65,000 metric tonnes (a higher estimate compared to Daburs) and demand is steadily increasing as people learn more about honeys health benefits," he said. Asthana added that Patanjali is among the largest honey brands in India, with annual domestic sales of 8,000 to 10,000 tonnes in recent years. In the past five years, we have seen double-digit growth we expect the category to keep growing steadily." Adulteration impact A common perception among beekeepers is that adulteration with various sugar syrups reduces the demand for natural honey and its farm gate price. While adulteration does take place, the truth is more complex. Over 60% of Indias honey production comes from mustard fields. During colder months, mustard honey crystallizes and turns pale white. Consumers suspect the honey to be adulterated with sugar, which is one reason why domestic brands avoid using mustard honey. This honey is usually exported, the bulk of it going to ingredient manufacturers in the US, who use them in breakfast cereals, bakery products and cosmetics. View Full Image Over 60% of Indias honey production comes from mustard fields. (HT) The price of mustard honey acts as a baseline rate for domestic beekeepers. Processors and brands tend to brush away concerns around adulteration of honey with sugar syrups, but studies have shown otherwise. In 2020, an investigation by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that only three out of the 13 major brands of honey sold in India passed all tests for adulteration with starch-based sugar syrups. CSE concluded that manufacturers were using modified syrups to evade detection in lab tests. A year after the CSE report was published, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) carried out a test on 550 honey samples. Over half of the samples failed the test, said K. Lakshmi Rao, former assistant director at the Central Bee Research and Training Institute (CBRTI), Pune. The report was not made public. Rao, currently a member of the scientific advisory committee of the Bureau of Indian Standards, added that adulteration of honey with rice syrup (also known as all-pass syrup because it can avoid detection in regular tests) is a rampant practice even today. This is because rice starch can easily avoid detection while corn syrup can be detected in lab tests mandated by the FSSAI. One way to detect the presence of rice syrup in honey is through a nuclear magnetic resonance or NMR test. Currently, exporters, under a government mandate, and some smaller brands send their samples to Germany for the NMR test. Adulteration of honey with rice syrup is a rampant practice. This is because rice starch can easily avoid detection while corn syrup can be detected in lab tests mandated by the FSSAI. Its been five years since our study highlighted the practice of adulterating honey and the complex nature of detecting it," said Amit Khurana, director of the sustainable food systems programme at CSE. The regulator (FSSAI) should have restored consumer trust by periodically testing and sharing results in public," he added. FSSAI did not respond to queries sent by Mint. Patanjali Foods Asthana said that adulteration is a serious concern as it impacts consumer trust and suppresses farm gate prices for genuine beekeepers." He added that Patanjali supports the adoption of NMR testing for exports, and the test can be gradually introduced in the domestic market, given its ability to detect sophisticated adulteration. However, Daburs Renganathan argues that FSSAI standards are stringent and already test for 26 quality parameters. NMR is not the gold standard and samples are tested against a database to verify the origin of honey. India is now in the process of creating a database of hundreds of types of honey produced in the country." Exotic takeover India introduced the exotic bee species Apis mellifera in the late 1970s, and it is now the mainstay of commercial honey production. A mellifera box can produce between 30-50 kg of honey in a year, three to four times the output of native bees such as Apis cerana and Apis dorsata. Mellifera was promoted by successive government programmes but it had an ecological cost. Out of focus, the number of native bees depleted. Many areas that we work insouth Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradeshhave seen a drastic decline in the population of local bees such as Apis cerana, Apis dorsata and stingless bees," said Sujana Krishnamoorthy, executive director of Under The Mango Tree Society, which promotes beekeeping to raise farm productivity and markets organic honey produced by tribal beekeepers. View Full Image Women beekeepers from Valsad district in Gujarat. (Under The Mango Tree Society) (Sayantan Bera/Mint) Krishnamoorthy cited a variety of reasons for the decline: deforestation leading to lack of nesting sites, use of pesticides (particularly, neonicotinoids, a class of chemicals resembling nicotine, which impact the nervous system of bees and their foraging ability) and unsustainable honey hunting practices. All this has resulted in a pollinator crisis, particularly for small and subsistence farmers. Back in Alwar, Bablu Saini and his fellow beekeepers are busy moving bees. The group is setting up new colonies in empty boxes. Its gruelling work on a hot and humid August afternoon. No one is wearing a protective suit; some have covered their faces with a removable, netted hood. They are not bothered by bee-stings now and then. But all are antsy about the steady dip in honey prices. That sting hurts more. (Bloomberg) -- Funds cut speculative long bets that European gas prices will rise at the fastest pace since last winter, signaling growing conviction that supply worries are set to ease as traders ramp up stockpiling ahead of the heating season. In the past five weeks, the net-long position in benchmark Dutch gas futures held by investment funds has slumped more than 50%, according to data from Intercontinental Exchange Inc. Thats the biggest decline for a similar period starting in the middle of February. Its also the longest stretch of weekly losses since the summer of 2023, the data released on Wednesday show. The slump in wagers indicates a change in sentiment that the region will have enough fuel to navigate the coldest months as traders accelerate injections. Incremental progress in US President Donald Trumps latest diplomatic efforts to end Russias war in Ukraine has raised expectations that additional Russian energy may return to global markets, decreasing competition for supplies. The plunge in net-long positions also coincides with futures dropping to their lowest level in year late last week. Still, European gas prices remain above the range they typically traded in before the energy crisis that began more than three years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. Its also a reversal from the start of the stockpiling season, when supply worries mounted after the regions vast storage facilities erupted depleted from winter. Geopolitical concerns, from the war in the Middle East to intensification of Russias attacks in Ukraine, also contributed to the elevated bullish positions. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Oil rose after an industry report signaled that US crude stockpiles declined last week, while traders assessed negotiations to end Russias war against Ukraine. Brent futures gained as much as 1.4% to trade above $66 a barrel in London, clawing back Tuesdays losses. The industry-funded American Petroleum Institute reported crude inventories fell by 2.4 million barrels last week, according to people familiar with the figures. Government data is due later Wednesday. Investors are watching on progress toward a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine following a series of high-level talks brokered by President Donald Trump. Any eventual peace deal could lead to fewer restrictions on Russias crude exports, although Moscow has largely kept its oil flowing despite an array of sanctions. A lot of that crude has been shipped to India since the war, drawing criticism from the Trump administration. On Tuesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed on CNBC that some of the richest families in India benefited from purchases of Russian oil, reiterating plans to boost tariffs on the South Asian nation. Bessent said on Fox News that the US is very happy with its tariff arrangement with China, a sign that Washington will likely maintain status quo before a trade truce expires in November. Chinese refiners have also been big buyers of Russia oil, but Beijing hasnt faced the same criticism as India. The longer-term outlook for the oil market looks bearish, with expectations for a glut later in 2025 as OPEC returns barrels and as Trumps trade policies spark concerns about demand. Futures are down more than 10% this year. To get Bloombergs Energy Daily newsletter in your inbox, click here. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- The worlds major financial lobbying groups called on regulators to pause the upcoming implementation of tough new standards governing banks cryptocurrency dealings and revisit measures they argue are needlessly onerous. In a joint letter to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, the trade associations said policymakers should seek updated information on the use cases for the distributed ledger technology that underpins digital assets, and weigh any appropriate redesign and recalibration of the standards due to be adopted in 2026. The rules, which include steep capital surcharges for banks that hold cryptocurrencies, were agreed in 2022 against a backdrop of crypto market upheaval and a string of scandals that stirred concerns about financial contagion. At the time, top banking executives including JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon publicly lambasted the industry. Since then, crypto has pushed into the financial mainstream particularly in the US, where President Donald Trump has pushed through legislation to support the industry. Major global banks like JPMorgan are now making inroads into the asset class, in areas ranging from custody to facilitating trading and stablecoin issuance. The Tuesday letters signatories include the International Institute of Finance, The International Swaps & Derivatives Association and the Global Blockchain Business Council, as well as the USs Banking Policy Industry, along with regional markets associations for the US, Europe and Asia. The Basel Committee had no immediate comment. The Federal Reserves vice chair for supervision Michelle Bowman declined to commit to the timeframe on an interview with Bloomberg TV on Tuesday. These are conversations that we will be having going forward for the rest of the year, she said, referencing her role on the Basel Committees governing body. People familiar with the global regulatory approach have previously acknowledged that the incoming standards could be contentious given the changes in market environment since they were agreed. A supervisor at one national regulator, who asked not to be named, said he did not know if his jurisdiction would implement the new rules when they take effect. Bowman told Bloomberg that the US authorities were taking a different look at crypto than the internationally-agreed approach. Inconsistent implementation will jeopardize the goal of establishing a minimum standard that enables a level playing field, mitigates cross-border risk spillovers and prevents market fragmentation, the associations wrote in their letter. (Adds Bowman comments.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Mangal Electrical IPO Day 1 Highlights: The initial public offering (IPO) for Mangal Electrical Industries, a manufacturer of transformer components, will be available for public subscription from August 20 to August 22. Mangal Electrical IPO price band has been set between 533 and 561 per share. Mangal Electrical IPO consists entirely of a fresh share issue valued at 400 crore. Mangal Electrical IPO Objective The funds raised from this fresh issue will be utilized to settle debts, enhance the companys facility located in Rajasthan, and cover working capital needs for various general corporate purposes. About The Company Mangal Electrical Industries specialises in processing transformer components, including transformer lamination, amorphous cores, coil assemblies, core assemblies, wound cores, toroidal cores, and oil-immersed circuit breakers. The company's clientele includes government electricity distribution companies as well as private firms such as Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd, Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd, Voltamp Transformers Ltd, and Western Electrotrans. It has also exported its transformer components to countries including the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the USA, Italy, and Nepal. Systematix Corporate Services acts as the sole book-running lead manager, while Bigshare Services serves as the registrar for this issue. (Stay tuned for more updates) A clutch of 20 investors, including Share India Securities, SKI Capital Services, Zerodha and Groww have committed to participating in the 700 crore preferential offering by National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd (NCDEX), which aims to launch equities and equity derivatives trading on its platform within a year. While Share India informed the stock exchanges about investing 28 crore for 1.58% of the post-issue capital of NCDEX on Tuesday at 197.34 apiece, SKI Capital Services' founder and managing director Narinder Wadhwa confirmed a commitment to "picking up stake" in India's largest agri derivatives exchange. Based on Share India's investment, NCDEX is valued at 1,770 crore on a post-issue capital basis. Though this pales in comparison with the listed stock exchange BSE's market cap of 1.02 trillion and the unlisted NSE's 5.2 trillion valuation, analysts expect another entrant into the equities space to increase the competition, especially in the hugely popular weekly index options space. A person aware of the fundraising said that Zerodha and Groww had also committed to participating in the preferential offer. A Zerodha spokesperson declined to comment, and a query to Groww remained unanswered until press time. Also Read | NCDEX to resume groundnut futures trading after 13 years "While I can't name the prospective investors at this stage, I can tell you the exchange's preferential allotment has received very good response from brokers, HNIs and high-frequency traders (HFTs)," said Arun Raste, managing director and chief executive officer at NCDEX. Raste declined to provide names as the offer process was still underway and prospective investors were seeking board approvals. He, however, confirmed the size of the preferential allotment at 700 crore. He added that 20 investors had expressed interest in the offering, of which half had made investment commitments. Raste said the exchange would seek board approval on the quantum raised and shareholder approval thereafter at its annual general meeting on 25 September. Existing shareholders of NCDEX include NSE (15%), Life Insurance Corp. and Nabard (11.1% each), Oman India Joint Investment Fund (8%), Punjab National Bank (7.3%) and Canara Bank (6%). While institutional shareholders can hold up to 15% of an exchange's equity, a single broker can hold 4.99%. NCDEX shares in the unlisted market traded at 325, up from 250 a month ago, according to a market analyst. Also Read | PNB may sell stake in NCDEX, Pridhvi ARC to free up capital NCDEX was set up in 2003 and offers futures trading in guar and its derivatives, spices and raw cotton. NCDEX received an in-principle approval from Sebi to set up an equities segment in late July and is gearing up for the launch, preceded by the fund raise, which will see it offer a cash segment, where shares are exchanged between investors; and a derivatives segment, which is home to the popular weekly index options currently offered by NSE and BSE. "You can't get volumes without people and vice versa -- it's a bit like a chicken-and-egg situation, said independent market analyst Ambareesh Baliga. So my guess is shareholder brokers will initially drive liquidity through weekly index options of the prospective entrant to induce participants to trade on a new segment, The exchange is in talks with its existing vendor LSEG regarding the technological aspects of the new segment, including additional servers at the main site, disaster recovery and near recovery sites, member connectivity, and colocation within the stipulated timeline. According to Raste, depending on the outcome, it could use its existing vendor or appoint a new one. We initially aimed at raising 500 crore but then decided to increase the offer size to the upper limit, given the requirements of technology upgradation in a challenging geopolitical environment, said Raste. Around two-thirds of the proceeds would be used for technology and related services with the rest going toward manpower, etc. Also Read | Tech transition ups the ante for commodity exchange MCX Small-cap stock priced below 25 Aerpace Industries was locked in the 5% upper circuit on Wednesday, August 20, following an order win from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The multibagger stock earlier today announced the receipt of a Letter of Intent (LoI) from a prominent defence company in the UAE, driving investor interest in the counter. "On 19th August 2025, Aerpace General Trading LLC, UAE a subsidiary of Aerpace Industries Limited received a Letter of Intent from a prominent defence company in the United Arab Emirates," Aerpace Industries said in a filing with the exchanges today. The small-cap company said in its communication to the bourses that the UAE defence company has evaluated its advanced defence drone portfolio and expressed strong interest. "Their authorities will be visiting India shortly to witness live demonstrations of the drones developed under our aerShield programme," it added. Subject to satisfactory demonstrations and validation of technical capabilities, the UAE entity has indicated its intent to proceed with the procurement of Aerpace defence drones for its defence requirements, the company further said. However, due to the confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in place, it has not yet disclosed the name of the UAE-based defence firm. Quelling Shareholder Concerns The company also attempted to quell shareholder concerns that much of the companys progress is not visible and may appear limited to plans on paper. "We would like to reassure our shareholders that technology development is actively underway across all verticals solar energy (AerVolt), defence drones (aerShield), urban air mobility (aerWing, aerTaxi, aerCar), and advanced infrastructure. These are deep-technology, multi-stage projects, and by nature, they require significant time in R&D, prototyping, and compliance before large-scale commercial rollouts," Aerpace Industries said. Your patience and trust are invaluable as we transition from development to demonstrations, and ultimately to revenue-generating operations, it added. Aerpace Industries Q1 Results Despite promising order updates, the company's financial performance remains lacklustre. The loss during Q1 FY26 widened to 1.76 crore from 0.94 crore in the same period last year. However, the figure was lower than 3.3 crore loss posted in the March quarter. The total income from operations improved to 13.91 lakhs during the April-June period, compared with 10.93 lakhs a year-ago. However, it must be noted that the total income is comprised entirely of other income and no revenue from operations. Aerpace Industries Share Price Trend The small-cap stock opened at 20.71, slightly higher than its last close of 20.67. However, it soon climbed to the day's high of 21.70, also its 5% upper price band. Also Read | Motilal Oswal AMC raises stake in Paytm parent One 97 Communications to 5.15% Aerpace Industries share price performance has remained weak in the short term, with the scrip losing 46% in a year and 55% year-to-date (YTD). However, over the last two years, Aerpace Industries has emerged as a multibagger stock, delivering 604% gains. On a longer time frame of five years, the stock performance is even more impressive with a massive 4238% return. BSE SME stock DMR Hydroengineering & Infrastructures gained as much as 4.76 per cent to 149.80 on Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Wednesday, August 20, after the company announced the record date of its 8:5 bonus issue. The stock opened at 147 in early morning session on Wednesday, as compared to previous close of 143 on Tuesday. The BSE SME stock is currently trading over 39 per cent away from its 52-week high price of 208.46, touched on September 15 last year. Also Read | Vedanta share price falls 3% as report suggests setback in demerger DMR Hydroengineering & Infrastructures bonus issue details On August 20, the company announced that it has fixed Thursday, August 28, as the record date for determining shareholders eligibility for the bonus equity shares. In this regard, we wish to inform that the Company has fixed Thursday, August 28, 2025 as the Record Date for the purpose of determining the equity shareholders of the Company eligible for bonus equity shares of the Company, the company said in an exchange filing. In July, the company had announced that the board has approved a bonus issue of equity shares in the ratio of 8:5. "Issuance of fully paid-up Bonus equity shares in the proportion of 5:8 i.e., 8 (Eight) new fully paid-up equity share for every 5 (Five) existing fully paid-up equity share held on Record Date, subject to approval of shareholders in the upcoming Annual General Meeting of Company and other applicable statutory and regulatory approvals, as may be required," said DMR Hydroengineering & Infrastructures in a stock exchange filing. According to the board resolution dated July 14, 2025, the company will allot eight fully paid equity shares for every five existing shares held by eligible shareholders on the record date. As per the financial results for the year ended March 31, 2025, the bonus share issuance will be funded through the companys free reserves and securities premium. Following this allotment, the companys paid-up share capital will increase from 3.98 crore to 10.37 crore. HAL share price rallied over 3% on Wednesday after the government approved the project to buy 97 Tejas aircrafts for 62,000 crore. The defence stock gained as much as 3.56% to 4,611.60 apiece on the BSE. The Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the acquisition of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a cost of 62,000 crore, ANI reported, quoting defence sources. The approval, granted in a high-level meeting, paves the way for Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to scale up production of the indigenous aircraft. This marks the second major order for LCA Mark 1A fighters, following the earlier contract for 83 aircraft valued at around 48,000 crore. The new Tejas jets will replace the ageing MiG-21 fleet, which is being phased out by the government in the coming weeks, the report added. The LCA Mark 1A is equipped with advanced avionics and radars compared with the initial batch of 40 LCAs already supplied to the IAF. The indigenous content in the new aircraft is expected to exceed 65%. The move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modis push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing. HAL has secured a pipeline of projects to build a range of indigenous fighter jets, helicopters, and their engines. In addition, the company is expected to bag contracts for more than 200 LCA Mark 2 aircraft and a similar number of fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Krishna Doshi, Defence Analyst at Ashika Institutional Equities said that the recent order for additional Mk1A fighter jets is a significant positive for Hindustan Aeronautics, taking the total contracted fleet to 180 aircraft (including the earlier order of 83 units). This development not only strengthens HALs growth visibility but also acts as a strong catalyst for the broader domestic defence ecosystem. Furthermore, the companys Q1 performance exceeded expectations, reinforcing our constructive stance on the stock. That said, timely supply of GE404 engines remains a key monitorable, with only two units delivered so far, Doshi said. Nevertheless, HAL has committed to delivering 12 Mk1A aircraft by FY26-end, which will be crucial given the Indian Air Forces growing operational requirements, she added. Prashanth Tapse, Sr VP Research Research Analyst at Mehta Equities also noted that the significant order has boosted investor confidence, taking HALs order book to over 2.51 lakh crore, a sharp rise from 94,127 crore a year ago. Backed by the governments strong push for domestic defence manufacturing under the Make in India initiative, HAL is strategically positioned as a pure defence play with promising long-term revenue visibility, Tapse said. Technical Outlook On the technical front, HAL share price stock shows strength with a short-term target range of 4,800 5,000, while support lies below 4,320, making it an attractive opportunity for both investors and traders, Tapse said. Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree Investments noted that HAL share price has been attempting to defend its crucial support zone of 4,360 4,550 for the past 15 sessions. However, the absence of accumulative volumes suggests that buyer conviction is weak and the ongoing bounce lacks strength. HAL share price action indicates that the current defense may be temporary, and unless strong institutional participation emerges, the stock remains vulnerable. A sustained breakdown below 4,360 will confirm bearish control and open the door for a major decline. In such a scenario, HAL stock is likely to slide towards the 3,820 level, which remains the immediate downside target, said Jain. HAL Share Price Performance Hindustan Aeronautics share price has fallen 2% in one month and declined 6% in three months, but the defence stock has rallied 33% in six months and has gained 10% on a year-to-date (YTD) basis. HAL share price has jumped 140% in two years, while the PSU defence stock has delivered multibagger returns of 660% in the past five years. At 9:20 AM, HAL share price was trading 1.70% higher at 4,528.54 apiece on the BSE. Amid US President Donald Trump's unpredictable foreign policy, Asian giants India and China are cautiously strengthening ties by staging a series of high-level bilateral visits. In a series of positive developments, two countries have agreed to resume direct flights and boost trade and investment, including reopening border trade at three designated points, and facilitating visas, the Indian foreign ministry said. The latest statements came following the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to New Delhi for the 24th round of talks with Indian National Security (NSA) Advisor Ajit Doval to resolve their decades-old border dispute. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel to China at the end of this month to take part in the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, his first visit to the country in more than seven years. According to analysts, this development signals a potential recalibration in IndiaChina relations, which gains significance amid high Trump tariffs on two of the world's biggest economies. Importance of India-China ties amid Trump's tariff tantrum India and China together represent 37% of humanity and are the anchors of the BRICS bloc. "A closer alignment between the two could amplify the voice of the Global South on issues ranging from trade and climate to technology and peacebuilding," said Harshal Dasani, Business Head at INVasset PMS. He believes the India-China trade talks and progressive signs on other fronts come at a time when the world economy is under stress from tariff wars and protectionism, and holds weight to shift the balance in global governance. The Indian government is recalibrating its foreign policy by strengthening engagement with China, as well as other members of the BRICS group, a shift that underscores its increasingly tense ties with the US under Trump. The recent IndiaChina talks signal a strategic shift alongside mounting pressure from Trump's tariffs, opined Ross Maxwell, Global Strategy Lead at VT Markets. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to Delhi, alongside renewed diplomatic ties and eased export restrictions, is a signal that both sides are trying to help ease the economic friction created by US tariffs, and is one example of how these tariffs will cause global realignment on how trade is conducted, Maxwell added. What does better India-China ties mean for investors? Analysts foresee several industries and sectors gaining from strategic ties between the two countries. An enhanced IndiaChina relationship helps India secure vital industrial inputs and infrastructure supplies, supporting strategic resilience against US protectionism. Meanwhile, they also see access to capital and advanced technology for India "The SCO Summit in China could mark the beginning of this pragmatic reset," said Dasani. Which sectors can gain from India-China ties? According to analysts, defence, renewable energy, tourism, and manufacturing are among the top sectors that seem to gain from the trade ties between the two Asian countries. "Many sectors stand to benefit from these talks including, critical minerals and rare-earths, where China controls a substantial amount of global production and processing. These are essential for electronics, defence and renewable energy industries," Maxwell opined. Meanwhile, Dasani of INVasset PMS sees sector-specific gains from better bilateral relations for the following: Renewables & Green Tech: Chinas leadership in solar, wind, EVs, and battery technology can complement Indias clean energy transition and PLI schemes. Tourism & Aviation: Direct flights and easier visas could revive travel flows, benefiting Indias hospitality and aviation sectors. Pharma & Healthcare: Cooperation could strengthen supply chains, lowering input costs for Indias pharma industry. Manufacturing: Indian companies can benefit from Chinese investments and technology transfers, while continuing to push Make in India. Jupiter Wagons, a key manufacturer of railway wagons, will be on investors' radar in Thursday's trading session (August 20) after the company informed investors that its unlisted subsidiary, Jupiter Tatravagonka Railwheel Factory Private Limited, has received a Letter of Intent for the supply of 5,376 wheelsets for Vande Bharat trains, with the order valued at approximately 215 crore. The companys shares have been under pressure in recent weeks after it reported a weak set of numbers for the June quarter. Revenue from operations for Q1FY26 stood at 459.3 crore, down 47.8% YoY, largely due to a shortage of wheelsets supplied by the Railway Wheel Factory, Indian Railways, particularly for 25-ton axle load wagons, which form a major part of the companys order book. EBITDA for Q1FY26 came in at 59.8 crore, down 56.2% YoY due to operational deleverage from weak revenue, while EBITDA margin slipped to 13.0% from 15.5% in Q1FY25. On the bottom line, PAT stood at 31.1 crore, a sharp decline of 66.2%, with PAT margin contracting to 6.5%. With supply conditions now improving, the company anticipates recovering lost production in the coming months. Meanwhile, its EV arm, Jupiter Electric Mobility (JEM), inaugurated its first showroom in Jayanagar, Bengaluru, marking the start of its pan-India expansion plan to open 46 showrooms by September 2025, aimed at transforming last-mile delivery with clean, purpose-built mobility solutions. During the quarter, JEM also signed an MoU with Pickkup to deploy 300 JEM TEZ electric LCVs, further advancing sustainable last- and mid-mile logistics. The partnership supports the PM e-DRIVE initiative and reinforces Indias transition to clean mobility. Stock lost 34% of its value in 2025 The companys shares have crashed 34% so far this year, falling from 504 to the current level of 329. If the weak momentum persists through the end of the year, it will mark their first annual loss since 2019. Also Read | Cabinet clears 6 major initiatives; 4 projects to boost rail network get nod The stock began its sharp decline after touching a new all-time high of 727 in July 2024 and has since lost 55%. Nevertheless, it still trades with gains of 2,048% over the last five years. When markets swing wildly every other day,many investors rush to sell. That's when value investors step in to scoop up quality stocks at bargain prices. Sounds simple, right? Not always. While the strategy may sound straightforward, it comes with risks. Misjudging value opportunities can lead to investing in value traps. These are stocks that seem attractive at first but continue to underperform because the issues pulling their prices down aren't temporary. Thats where the PEG ratio can be useful. What is the PEG ratio? The PEG ratio, or price/earnings to growth ratio, is a valuation metric that helps investors assess if a stock is undervalued or overvalued by considering both its current earnings and its expected future growth. It builds upon the traditional P/E ratio by incorporating the company's growth rate, making it particularly useful for comparing companies with different growth rates. Also Read | KFC, Pizza Hut operator Devyani hunts for the right recipe for growth The PEG ratio is calculated by dividing a company's P/E ratio by its earnings per share (EPS) growth rate. A lower PEG ratio suggests that a stock may be undervalued, while a higher PEG ratio may indicate overvaluation. A PEG ratio of 1 is often used as a benchmark, suggesting that a stock is fairly valued relative to its growth rate. In this article, we will look at stocks with PEG ratios less than 1. #1 Natco Pharma Natco Pharma stock has with a PEG ratio of 0.07, which suggests it's trading at a large discount relative to its earnings growth potential. The company creates, produces and sells intermediates, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and finished dosage formulations (FDFs). Natco Pharma has carved out a niche in the pharmaceutical space, excelling in generics, oncology, and complex drugs. It serves both domestic and international markets with nine manufacturing and research facilities across India. The company sells its products in more than 50 countries, with the US, India, Canada and Brazil as its main markets. Sales and net profit have increased ana a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.9% and 46.4%, respectively. In the coming years it plans to strengthen its core business and expand globally. It expects to capture one-third of the Revlimid market allocation in FY26, which would contribute significantly to revenues. The crop health sciences division aims for 130-140 crore of revenue and breakeven for FY26. The company aims to expand its presence in emerging markets and Canada while preparing for seven or eight key oncology product launches. It also plans to introduce injectable semaglutide in India by March 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. #2 Sagility India Sagility India stock has a PEG ratio of 0.11. A healthcare-focused business process management company, it provides end-to-end solutions for health insurers, providers, and pharmacy benefit managers, with services such as claims processing, provider data management, and member engagement. The company generates100%of its revenue from the US. Sagility India has shown impressive momentum in recent years. From FY23 to FY25 the companys revenue grew at a CAGR of 14.9%, while net profit clocked a CAGR of 93.8%. Managing director and group CEO Ramesh Gopalan said the company has entered FY26 with strong momentum and confidence in its position as a leading provider of solutions and services for US healthcare customers and providers. He added that the company is strengthening engagement with both long-standing and new clients while maintaining robust profitability. Also Read | United Spirits stock looks wobbly amid excise hikes and margin pressure #3 Zen Technologies Zen Technologies stock trades at a PEG ratio of 0.13, a modest valuation for the drone stock with earnings growth factored in. The company designs and manufactures training simulators, anti-drone systems, and operations for military forces. It products include an anti-drone system, corner shot, driving simulator, live ranges, live simulation, and virtual simulation. It also designs, develops, and manufactures combat training solutions for the training of defence and security forces worldwide. Zen Technologies has clocked robust financial performance over the years. Over FY23 to FY25 it delivered exceptional growth, with sales rising at a CAGR of 110.9% and net profit expanding at a CAGR of nearly 144.7%. In June 2025 the company acquired a controlling stake in TISA Aerospace Pvt. Ltd, a young defence-tech firm known for its indigenous UAVs and loitering munitions. This marked Zens diversification beyond its core business of defence training systems and anti-drone solutions. At the end of March the company had an order book of 690 crore and was targeting cumulative revenue of 6,000 crore over FY26-FY28. Conclusion Low-PEG stocks attract investors because they combine the best of both worldsreasonable valuations and strong earnings growth potential. However, the PEG ratio has its limits. It doesnt always capture shifts in growth rates, sector-specific risks, or external factors such as regulations and competition. Thats why investors should treat it as one piece of a larger puzzle rather than the complete picture. Looking at it alongside metrics such as return on equity, cash flow, debt, and industry outlook gives a far more reliable view. Happy investing! Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com Indian stock market stayed higher for the fifth straight session on Wednesday, as expectations of a proposed cut in GST rates across key categories boosted hopes of a demand recovery in the economy, continuing to support the rally on Dalal Street even as the deadline for an additional 25% US tariff hike fast approaches. The five-day rally also helped the Nifty 50 reclaim the psychological 25,000 mark, closing at 25,050, gaining 0.23% The index was last seen at this level on July 24, 2025. It first crossed the 25,000 mark in August 2024 and later scaled 26,000 to register an all-time high of 26,277. The muted performance of India Inc. in the June quarter, which failed to justify expensive valuations, coupled with heavy selling by overseas investors, had earlier dragged the index lower. Weakening trade relations with the US, after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, further pressured domestic equities. However, steady inflows from domestic institutional investors limited the downside and helped the index recover from a three-month low earlier this month. Amid concerns that higher tariffs could hurt economic growth, the governments proposal to cut GST on major items lifted investor sentiment, triggering a fresh wave of buying, allowing the index to comfortably hold above all its key moving averages. Nifty 50 likely to touch 25,500 if it surges past 25,250, say analysts According to Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, Nifty 50 witnessed a largely positive session, closing above the 25,000 mark. He noted that sentiment is likely to favour the bulls, as the index has sustained above the 21 EMA for the past three sessions, with put writers outnumbering call writers for the first time in several days. He expects the index to remain a buy on dips as long as it holds above 24,800, while resistance is seen at 25,250, above which gains could extend towards 25,500. Echoing a positive outlook, Hardik Matalia, Derivative Analyst at Choice Equity Broking, pointed out that Nifty is now comfortably holding above all its key moving averages, reflecting a firm underlying trend. On the downside, he highlighted immediate support at 25,000, followed by 24,800, while resistance lies at 25,100 and 25,200. On the derivatives front, he added that the highest Call Open Interest is concentrated at the 25,100 and 25,200 strikes, indicating key resistance zones, while the highest Put Open Interest is at 25,000 and 24,900, suggesting strong support levels. This setup implies that the 25,00025,100 range will be crucial for Niftys near-term movement, with a breakout on either side likely to dictate the next directional trend. The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are likely to open lower on Wednesday, tracking weak global market cues. The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a negative start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading around 24,965 level, a discount of nearly 68 points from the Nifty futures previous close. On Tuesday, the domestic equity market ended higher, with the benchmark indices extending rally for the fourth consecutive session. The Sensex rose 370.64 points, or 0.46%, to close at 81,644.39, while the Nifty 50 settled 103.70 points, or 0.42%, higher at 24,980.65. Heres what to expect from Sensex, Nifty 50 and Bank Nifty today: Sensex Prediction Sensex formed a bullish candle on daily charts and an uptrend continuation formation on intraday charts, indicating a further uptrend from the current levels. For day traders, as long as Sensex trades above 81,300, the uptrend wave is likely to continue on the higher side, potentially moving up to 82,000 - 82,300. On the flip side, below 81,300, the uptrend would become vulnerable. Under such conditions, traders may prefer to exit their long positions, said Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research, Kotak Securities. Nifty OI Data In the options segment, the highest Nifty Call open interest is seen at 25,000 and 25,500, marking key resistance zones, while the highest Put open interest is placed at 24,900 and 24,800, indicating strong support levels. The combined technical and derivatives setup suggests that the market bias remains positive. A decisive close above 25,000 could trigger fresh momentum. Traders are advised to stay cautiously bullish, use declines to accumulate quality stocks, and protect positions with appropriate stop-losses, said Mandar Bhojane, Senior Technical & Derivative Analyst - Research at Choice Equity Broking. Nifty 50 Prediction Nifty 50 index formed a bullish candlestick pattern which remained enclosed inside the previous session price range, signaling consolidation with positive bias while holding above the 20- & 50-days EMA. A reasonable positive candle was formed on the daily chart with a minor upper shadow that placed beside the red candle of Monday. This market action signals a range bound action below the hurdle of 25,000 levels. The sharp opening upside gap of Monday remains intact two sessions after its formation. This gap could now be considered as a bullish breakaway gap, which is normally formed at the important bottom reversal, said Nagaraj Shetti, Senior Technical Research Analyst at HDFC Securities. Hence, he expects Nifty 50 to move up further in the short term and could reach the upside target of 25,300 in the near term. Immediate support is placed at 24,850. Sudeep Shah, Head - Technical and Derivatives Research at SBI Securities noted that the Nifty 50 index continues to exhibit strength on the technical front, trading comfortably above both its short-term and long-term moving averages a sign of sustained bullish sentiment. The 14-period RSI on the daily chart is on a rising trajectory and remains above its 9-day average, reinforcing the positive momentum. Given this setup, we believe the Nifty 50 index is well-positioned to extend its upward journey in the near term. Key resistance levels to watch are 25,150 and 25,300, which could be tested if the current momentum persists. On the downside, the support zone is placed between the 24,880 - 24,850 level. This range is expected to act as a cushion in case of any short-term pullbacks, keeping the broader trend intact, Shah said. Overall, he believes the technical indicators suggest a continuation of the northward move, with dips likely to attract buying interest. According to Nilesh Jain, Head Technical and Derivatives Research Analyst (Equity Research), Centrum Broking Ltd. the overall market structure remains bullish, supported by improving momentum indicators and oscillators, which signal the likelihood of continued strength in the coming sessions. Immediate support has now shifted higher to 24,800, while the 21-DMA at 24,770 will act as a crucial short-term support. As long as Nifty 50 holds above this level, a buy-on-dips approach is recommended, Shah said. Also Read | Stocks to buy under 100: Experts recommend four shares to buy today Bank Nifty Prediction Bank Nifty index gained 130.25 points, or 0.23%, to close at 55,865.15 on Tuesday, forming a bullish candle on the daily chart. Bank Nifty index has reclaimed the 9 EMA and 20 EMA but remains capped below the 50 SMA, keeping the improvement tentative. The daily candle closed above the 38.2% retracement (55,860) but stayed under the 50% retracement (56,150). The RSI has improved and is edging toward the midline, while the MACD has given a positive crossover, said Om Mehra, Technical Research Analyst, SAMCO Securities. On the hourly frame, price is back above VWAP (55,813), with a shallow series of higher lows, hinting at a base. The Bank Nifty index may face resistance near 56,100 56,150, while a move above this zone would lift the index higher, he added. The support is placed at 55,600, followed by 55,500. Until Nifty Bank closes decisively above 56,150, the outlook stays cautious, and any intraday rise may meet resistance. A buy on dip approach is reasonable as long as 55,500 55,450 holds on a closing basis, Mehra said. Also Read | Breakout stocks to buy or sell: Sumeet Bagadia recommends five shares to buy Bajaj Broking Research said that the Bank Nifty index formed a bullish candlestick pattern which mostly remained contained inside previous session price range signaling consolidation amid positive bias. We expect the index to extend consolidation in the range of 54,800 - 56,300. Only a movement beyond this range will signal the next directional move. Key support area 54,800 and 55,000 a region that aligns with the 100-day EMA and key Fibonacci retracement levels from the prior upward move. A breach below 54,800 will open downside towards 54,000 levels, said the brokerage firm. On the higher side resistance is seen around 56,000 56,300 range, which corresponds to the recent breakout area and the 50% retracement of the entire decline (57,628 - 54,905), it added. Shares of Servotech Renewable Power rose nearly 7 percent in intra-day trading on Wednesday, August 20, after the company announced that it had secured a significant 7.3 MW on-grid rooftop solar order from the North Western Railway, Jaipur Division. The development lifted the stock to a days high of 133. Servotech Renewable Power System Ltd. (NSE: SERVOTECH), recognized as one of Indias best renewable energy companies, has announced the securing of a prestigious order for a 7.3 MW on-grid rooftop solar project from the North Western Railway, Jaipur Division. The project carries a total value of 28.84 crore and marks yet another milestone in Servotechs journey of driving Indias clean energy transition, it said in a press release. According to the companys press release, Servotech will oversee the end-to-end execution of the project, which involves designing, manufacturing, supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning rooftop solar PV systems of varying capacities across multiple sites within the Jaipur Division. The project is aligned with Indian Railways ambitious sustainability agenda aimed at reducing dependence on conventional energy and cutting carbon emissions through renewable integration. Commenting on the development, Sarika Bhatia, Director, Servotech Renewable Power System Ltd., said, We are honoured to receive this important 7.3 MW rooftop solar order from the Jaipur Division of the North Western Railway. The project reaffirms Servotechs standing as a trusted and reliable partner in Indias renewable energy space. We remain deeply committed to offering cutting-edge solar solutions that not only meet but exceed performance expectations, contributing towards Indian Railways vision of sustainable and eco-friendly operations. The company added that this contract further strengthened its footprint in the public sector, showcasing its expertise in handling large-scale solar projects with precision, efficiency, and world-class standards. Servotech said the win reinforces its mission of supporting Indias energy independence and contributing to a greener, more resilient future. Stock Performance Despite Wednesdays rally, the stock has remained under pressure in recent months. It rose as much as 6.7 percent to 133 in intra-day trade but has declined over 5 percent in the past year. In August alone, the stock slipped 5 percent, following a 7 percent fall in July. Year-to-date in 2025, Servotech shares have shed 20 percent. Stock market today:The benchmark Nifty 50 index continued its positive momentum for the second day in a row, gaining 0.40% to end at 24,980.65 on Tuesday. The Bank Nifty gained 0.23% to 55,865.15, while Auto, Oil & Gas, and FMCG led gains for most other sectors with the exception of Pharma, which ended lower. In the broader indices, the mid- and small-caps ended 0.7-1.0% higher. Trade Setup for Wednesday The benchmark Nifty 50 Index ended just short of the psychological hurdle of 25K mark. The experts, such as Nagaraj Shetti, Senior Technical Research Analyst at HDFC Securities, said that one may expect Nifty to move up further in the short term and could reach the upside target of 25300 in the near term. Immediate support is placed at 24850, as per Shetti. Global markets today The domestic market continued the renewed momentum, buoyed by expectations of GST rationalization and a recent upgrade in India's credit rating. Additional optimism came from signs of easing geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, shifting the near-term outlook from consolidation to a more constructive stance. Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited. However, the uptrend may face resistance until greater clarity emerges on US-India trade negotiations. Notably, small- and mid-cap stocks outperformed, with auto stocks leading gains, driven by hopes that China may address supply concerns related to rare earth magnets, said Nair. Stocks to buy today Regarding stocks to buy today, market expertsSumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking; Ganesh Dongre, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Anand Rathi; and Shiju Koothupalakkal, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Prabhudas Lilladherrecommended these eight intraday stocks for today: NDR Auto Components Ltd., Shaily Engineering Plastics Ltd., State Bank of India, PNB Housing Finance Ltd., DLF Ltd., Paradeep Phosphates Ltd., MMTC Ltd., and Finolex Industries Ltd. Sumeet Bagadia's stock picks NDR Auto Components Ltd-Bagadia recommends buying NDRAUTO at 1059, keeping Stoploss at 1020 for a target price of 1135 NDRAUTO is currently trading at 1059 and showcased a strong rally in todays session; the stock registered a sharp high of 1067, reflecting renewed buying interest from market participants. NDRAUTO has witnessed a significant recovery after testing lower supports earlier this month. Importantly, the stock is now trading well above its crucial EMA, suggesting that near-term momentum is firmly positive, indicating a strong medium-to-long-term support base. 2. Shaily Engineering Plastics Ltd-Bagadia recommends buying SHAILY at around 1927, keeping Stoploss at 1860 for a target price of 2070 SHAILY witnessed a sharp up-move in todays session; the stock opened on a strong note and touched a high of 1,942 and settled near the upper end of the days range, reflecting strong bullish momentum and aggressive buying interest. SHAILY has given a clear breakout above its crucial short-term resistance levels. The stock has convincingly crossed above its EMA. There is a positive sign, as breakouts with heavy volumes often sustain and lead to extended rallies. Ganesh Dongre's stocks to buy today 3. State Bank of IndiaDongre recommends buying State Bank of India or SBIN, at around 830, keeping Stoploss at 815 for a target price of 860 In the recent short-term trend analysis of the stock, a notable bullish reversal pattern has emerged. This technical pattern suggests the possibility of a temporary retracement in the stock's price, potentially reaching around Rs. 860. At present, the stock is maintaining a crucial support level at Rs.815. Given the current market price of Rs.830, a buying opportunity is emerging. This suggests that investors might consider purchasing the stock at its current price, anticipating a rise towards the identified target of Rs. 860. 4. PNB Housing Finance LtdDongre recommends buying PNBHOUSING @ 818 SL 805 TGT 840 We have seen a major support in this stock around Rs.800. So, at the current juncture, the stock has again seen a reversal price action formation at the Rs.818 price level, which may continue its rally till its next resistance level of Rs.850, so traders can buy and hold this stock with a stop loss of Rs.800 for the target price of Rs.850 in the upcoming weeks. 8. DLF LtdDongre recommends buying DLF at around 770, keeping stop loss at 745 for a target price of 795 In the recent short-term trend analysis of the stock, a notable bullish reversal pattern has emerged. This technical pattern suggests that there could be a temporary retracement in the stock's price, possibly to around Rs. 795. Currently, the stock is holding a crucial support level at Rs.745. Given this scenario, there is potential for the stock to rebound towards the Rs.795 level in the near future. Shiju Koothupalakkal intraday stocks for today 6 Paradeep Phosphates Ltd-Koothupalakkal recommends buying PARADEEP PHOSPHATE at around 207 for a target of 222, keeping the stop loss at 202 The stock has recently indicated a strong run-up, and after a short period of correction, it has once again indicated a positive candle formation with a higher bottom pattern taking support at the 197 level, improving the bias, and we can expect a further rise in the coming sessions. The RSI has corrected from the overbought zone and currently is well placed with a positive trend reversal with much potential visible to carry on with the positive move further ahead. With the chart technically looking attractive, we suggest buying the stock. 7. MMTC Ltd-Koothupalakkal recommends buying MMTC at 65.30 for the target of 70, keeping Stop loss at 63.50 The stock has witnessed a decent correction and witnessed a decent pullback with a positive candle formation moving past the important 100-period MA at the 64 zone to improve the bias, and we expect a further upward move in the coming sessions. The RSI is currently well placed, indicating a buy signal with decent volume participation visible to anticipate a further rise, and with the chart technically looking good, we suggest buying the stock . 8. Finolex Industries Ltd-Koothupalakkal recommends buying FINOLEX INDS at 205.80 for a target price of 220, keeping the stop loss 200 The stock, after witnessing a decent erosion and consolidation, has picked up significantly with a series of positive candle formations on the daily chart, taking support near the 186 level and moving past the 50EMA at the 203 level to improve the bias, and we can expect further gains in the coming sessions. The RSI has recovered from the oversold zone, indicating a buy signal, and has much upside potential to carry on with the positive move further ahead. With the chart technically looking good, we suggest buying the stock. Heres a quick look at stocks likely to be in focus in today's trade. Bajaj Auto The leading automobile firm has raised 500 crore through commercial paper, issued at a discount rate of 6.25%, with a CRISIL A1+ credit rating. UltraTech Cement UltraTech Cement is set to surpass the 200 MTPA capacity milestone by the close of the current fiscal year, a full year ahead of its FY27 target, Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla announced. Indian Oil Indian Oil and Air India have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the supply of sustainable aviation fuel. Hindustan Aeronautics The Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared the acquisition of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets from Hindustan Aeronautics, in a deal valued at 62,000 crore, making it one of HALs biggest defence contracts. Indian Railway Finance Corporation IRFC has sanctioned and finalized a new term loan agreement of 199.70 crore with Surat Integrated Transportation Development Corporation Limited (SITCO). One97 Communications (Paytm) Motilal Oswal AMC, via its different schemes, acquired an additional 26.31 lakh shares of Paytm, equivalent to a 0.41% stake, raising its overall holding to 5.1577%, compared to 4.7453% on August 11. Lloyds Metal & Energy The company has won the bid for the Tandsi - III and Tandsi - III Extension coking coal blocks, securing them with a 10.5% premium. Situated along the Madhya PradeshMaharashtra border, the mine covers about 338 hectares and is estimated to contain reserves of 23 million metric tonnes. NTPC Green The company declared the commencement of commercial operations for a 212.5 MW capacity unit, the fourth segment of its 1,255 MW Khavda-I Solar PV project in Gujarat, managed through its subsidiary NTPC Renewable Energy. Also Read | Stocks to buy under 100: Experts recommend four shares to buy today SRF The company has entered into strategic partnerships with The Chemours Company to jointly work on the production and commercialization of advanced fluoropolymers and fluoroelastomers. GMR Power and Urban Infra The company is scheduled to meet on August 22 to discuss a potential fundraise of up to 3,000 crore through QIP, FCCBs, or other instruments, pending necessary shareholder and regulatory approvals. Vedanta share price declined on Wednesday following a media report of multiple setbacks to the companys demerger plan. Vedanta shares fell as much as 2.56% to 438.55 apiece on the BSE. According to a report by business news channel CNBC TV-18, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has deferred hearing on the groups proposed demerger to September 17, after the central government raised serious objections. The government argued that the scheme involved concealment of key details, inflated revenues and concealed liabilities, which could impair the recovery of dues, CNBC-TV18 reported. In parallel, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has flagged Vedanta for modifying its demerger scheme after receiving a No-Objection Certificate (NoC) from SEBI and stock exchanges. The regulator termed the move a serious breach of its master circular and issued an administrative warning to Vedanta, the report added. Setback for Vedanta from SC Meanwhile, in another development, the Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a plea by the Vedanta Group seeking additional compensation for its Punjab-based Talwandi Sabo Power project. Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vedanta, had filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the entitlement to Foreign Trade Policy benefits on account of mega power status. The company had approached the apex court challenging the withdrawal of deemed export benefits and sought higher compensation. The Supreme Court on, August 19, upheld the Appellate Tribunal for Electricitys (APTEL) order, ruling that Talwandi Sabo was never legitimately entitled to such benefits. This effectively closes the door on any additional financial relief from the project. We have taken note of the Honble Supreme Court judgment and we are reviewing the judgement and evaluating the next steps, including legal options available to us, Vedanta said in a regulatory filing on August 20. Earlier, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had also rejected the proposed demerger of Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd. The SC ruling effectively closes the door on additional financial inflows from Talwandi Sabo, tightening the companys legal and financial options. At 1:05 PM, Vedanta share price was trading 2.40% lower at 439.30 apiece on the BSE. One question that always comes up during tax season is: Do I need to file a return if my income is below the basic exemption limit?" At first glance the answer seems obvious. No taxable income, no return. But Indias Income tax Act doesnt look at things through the income earned" lens alone. And frankly, that makes sense. Think about that one friend on Instagram whose weekdays are a blur of exotic vacations. When you meet them in person, they complain: Buddy, Im broke." Yet theyre somehow sipping sangria in Spain and Seychelles every other week. Wondering how the math works? So is the taxman. Also Read | Sebi reforms to give investment advisers a boost. But more needs to be done Not having taxable income doesnt automatically mean youre off the hook. The law looks at how you live, spend, and savenot just how you earn. Thats why it says: even if there's no taxable income, certain people must still file a return. Its the governments way of keeping track of big financial moves, opulent lifestyles, and transactions that would otherwise have slipped through the cracks. The basic rule Companies, limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and partnership firms have no escapethey must file returns every year, even if they have zero income or losses. For individuals and others, Section 139(1) of the Act requires you to file a return if your gross total income (before deductions under sections 80C, 80D, etc) exceeds the maximum amount not chargeable to tax". This the part that trips people up: is that 2.5 lakh (old regime) or 3 lakh (new regime)? Earlier, the limit was 2.5 lakh ( 3 lakh for senior citizens, 5 lakh for super-seniors). But now the new regime under Section 115BAC has become the default, with a basic exemption of 3 lakh. So the trigger can be said to be 3 lakh, not 2.5 lakh. And it doesnt matter which regime you eventually pickthe law looks at the maximum amount not chargeable to tax" under the Finance Act, which is 3 lakh. That said, many professionals still advise filing a return if your income crosses 2.5 lakh to avoid disputes and build a clean record. Thats the simple part. Now lets get into some lesser-known but equally important triggers. Hidden triggers Even if your income is below taxable limits, you are required to file a return if you cross certain thresholds or perform certain transactions. You must file a return if in these situations: Claiming a refund: You cannot claim refund of tax deducted or credit at source (TDS/TCS) without filing a return. You cannot claim refund of tax deducted or credit at source (TDS/TCS) without filing a return. Carrying forward losses: To reduce tax liability in future. To reduce tax liability in future. Big electricity bills: If youve spent more than 1 lakh in a year on electricity. If youve spent more than 1 lakh in a year on electricity. Foreign travel: If you spent more than 2 lakh on yourself or anyone else for overseas travel. If you spent more than 2 lakh on yourself or anyone else for overseas travel. Huge deposits: If your total deposits in one or more current accounts cross 1 crore ( 50 lakh for savings accounts) in a year. If your total deposits in one or more current accounts cross 1 crore ( 50 lakh for savings accounts) in a year. Business turnover: If your gross receipts or sales from business exceed 60 lakh ( 10 lakh for professionals). If your gross receipts or sales from business exceed 60 lakh ( 10 lakh for professionals). TDS/TCS limit: If TDS and TCS in your file crosses 25,000 in a year ( 50,000 for resident senior citizens). If TDS and TCS in your file crosses 25,000 in a year ( 50,000 for resident senior citizens). Foreign assets: If you are resident in India and have foreign bank accounts, assets, interest, or even signing authority. If you are resident in India and have foreign bank accounts, assets, interest, or even signing authority. Tax relief on foreign income: Claiming relief under tax treaties on your foreign income. Why does the government do this? This may all sound cumbersome, but its not about troubling the small guy. Its about gathering data and keeping tabs on large money flows. If someone deposits crores in current accounts or spends lakhs abroad, the tax department wants a paper trail, even if the person technically owes no tax. Why you should consider filing voluntarily Even if you are not required to file a tax return, doing so can strengthen your financial profile, speed up loan and visa approvals, ensure refunds are processed smoothly, and act as a shield in case the taxman comes knocking later. Think of it as your annual financial report card. Vijaykumar Puri is a chartered accountant and partner at VPRP & Co LLP, Chartered Accountants. During a U.S. naval test off the California coast last month, which was designed to showcase the Pentagons top autonomous drone boats, one vessel stalled unexpectedly. As officials scrambled to fix a software glitch, another drone vessel smashed into the idling boats starboard side, vaulted over the deck, and crashed back into the water an incident captured in videos obtained by Reuters. The previously unreported episode, which involved two vessels built by U.S. defense tech rivals Saronic and BlackSea Technologies, is one of a series of recent setbacks in the Pentagons push to build a fleet of autonomous vessels, according to a dozen people familiar with the program. Weeks earlier, during a separate Navy test, the captain of a support boat was thrown into the water after another autonomous BlackSea vessel it was towing suddenly accelerated, capsizing the support boat, according to four people familiar with the matter. The captain was rescued and declined medical attention. The incident was first reported by Defense Scoop. Also Read | US, China Agree to Continue Talks on Tariff Truce Extension Both incidents stemmed from a combination of software failures and human error, including breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information. The Navy, Saronic and BlackSea declined to comment on the incidents. The videos showing the drone crash were verified by two Reuters sources, the landscape matching terrain imagery, the GARC-096 name ID and structure of the boat matching file imagery of Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC). U.S. military leaders, seeing the outsized impact of maritime drones in the Ukraine war, have repeatedly said they need autonomous swarms of aerial and maritime drones to hinder a potential advance by China across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan itself has begun acquiring its own maritime drones. The drones being developed in Ukraine, which often look like speedboats without seats, and are capable of carrying weapons, explosives and surveillance equipment, are primarily remote-controlled and cost close to $250,000 making them optimal for kamikaze missions that have effectively neutralized Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Also Read | India eases quality control norms on key chemicals imported from the US, China Also Read | Nvidia CEO Huang Emerges as Reluctant Emissary in US-China Clash The US, meanwhile, is aiming to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms and without human command a more ambitious task at a higher price point; as much as a few million dollars per speedboat. The recent test failures highlight the challenges facing the Navy's effort to deploy the nascent technologies, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. It will need to adapt its "tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they cant do." But the Navys problems go beyond getting the boats to work: its autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit has also been rocked by the firing of its top admiral, and a top Pentagon official voiced concerns about the program in a candid meeting with Navy brass last month, Reuters found. Since the most recent incident, the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which had acquired technology for the tests, has indefinitely paused a contract valued close to $20 million with L3Harris, one of the companies providing autonomous software used to control some of the vessels, according to two people familiar with the matter. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the cause of the accidents or the L3Harris contract being paused, which has not been previously reported. A Pentagon spokesperson said it conducted drone tests as part of a "competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry." L3Harris declined to comment on the contract and directed questions to the DIU. The DIU declined to comment. "L3Harris stands behind the safety, integrity and capability of our autonomy command-and-control product," said Toby Magsig, who oversees L3Harris autonomous software products. Rise of Sea Drones To accelerate its drone effort, the Pentagon in 2023 launched the $1 billion Replicator program, through which branches like the U.S. Navy and the DIU planned to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, along with the software to control them. The first systems from this program are due to be announced this month. The Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which is producing dozens of its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats a month, according to procurement records. Saronic, which was recently valued at $4 billion in a funding round backed by Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC, makes the competitive sea drone Corsair, but is yet to announce a major contract. Federal procurement records show the company has generated at least $20 million from prototype agreements. "These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness," acting chief of naval operations Jim Kilby said during a visit to BlackSeas facility in June. Navy Turmoil Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has made fielding swarms of drones a top military priority. Trumps Big Beautiful Bill passed last month included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. But, so far, the Navys approach has faced skepticism under the new administration. In April, the Navys key drone boat procurement unit known as Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) touted a successful demonstration of the software used to control BlackSeas vessels in a post on LinkedIn, hailing it as "a major step forward in advancing #maritime autonomy." In response, Colin Carroll, then-chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg, suggested the program was duplicating other efforts within the Pentagon. I have a feeling that there are changes in this programs future, he replied to the LinkedIn post. Carroll, who is no longer with the Pentagon, declined to comment further. The PEO USC was recently placed under review, according to four people familiar with the matter, due to a series of setbacks, and could be restructured or shut down. This comes two months after the Navy said it had sacked the units leader, Rear Admiral Kevin Smith, due to a loss of confidence in his leadership after the Naval Inspector General substantiated a complaint against him. Reuters was unable to contact Smith. During a meeting last month, Feinberg grilled Navy officials about their autonomous vessel capabilities, including those being fielded by the PEO USC, according to three people briefed on the meeting. Feinberg was unimpressed by some of the capabilities being acquired by the Navy and questioned whether they were cost-effective, the people said. A Pentagon spokesperson said, "were not going to comment on private internal meetings" and directed questions about PEO USC to the Navy. The Navy declined to comment on the meeting or the acquisition unit being put under review. Spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said the PEO USC stands by its mission, including its role as acquisition authority for the maintenance and modernization of unmanned maritime systems. The turmoil comes as shipbuilders and software providers are angling to secure even larger autonomous maritime projects, such as unmanned submarines and cargo-carrying ships. Last week, the PEO USC started accepting proposals for the Modular Attack Surface Craft, to acquire medium and large vessels capable of carrying containers, surveillance equipment, and conducting strikes. T.X. Hammes, an autonomous weapons expert and Atlantic Council fellow, said the Navy is in uncharted waters, trying to overhaul decades of tradition at high speed. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was slapped during the Jan Sunwai programme at her official residence, where the alleged attack took place, people who attended the event told ANI. They recalled that the attacker, a man, said something to her just moments before the assault, catching everyone off guard. He was immediately taken into custody by the Delhi Police. An attendee at the Jan Sunwai programme, Shailendra Kumar, said, I had come from Uttam Nagar with a complaint over the sewer. When I reached the gates, chaos broke out because the CM was slapped. This is wrong. Another person, who did not witness the attack but was present at the spot, said the person was saying something and suddenly slapped her. Anjali said, This is wrong. Everyone has the right to Jan Sunvai. If an imposter can slap her, this is a big deal...I was there...The person was speaking and he suddenly slapped. Police have taken him away. HAIR WAS PULLED: HARISH KHURANA Speaking with NDTV, BJP MLA Harish Khurana said the person, identified as 41-year-old Rajesh from Rajkot in Gujarat, as per the initial investigation, also pulled Rekha Gupta's hair before slapping her. Harish Khurana said, One person present at the meeting attacked the chief minister. Right now, doctors are examining the chief minister. We condemn the attack. It should be investigated if this attack was politically motivated. He also said the attacker slapped Rekha Gupta and pulled her hair. WHAT DELHI CMO SAID According to people in the CM Office, CM Rekha Gupta was interacting with citizens and listening to their grievances when a man in his 30s suddenly surged forward, handed over a piece of paper to the CM, started talking in a raised, loud voice, and used expletives before slapping the CM. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was allegedly attacked during a Jan Sunwai on Monday, the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed. The attacker had allegedly posed as a complainant before slapping her. The incident happened when Rekha Gupta was holding a Jan Sunwai programme at the Delhi chief minister residence in Civil Lines on Wednesday, August 20, morning. According to the reports, Rekha Gupta has not sustained any injuries during the attack on her. Delhi Police has detained the accused involved in the attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta. Also Read | Rekha Gupta was slapped, say Jan Sunwai attendees; he said something, then DELHI CM GUPTA ATTACKED: HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED Delhi CMO has detailed how the alleged attack on Rekha Gupta happened. According to people in CM Office, CM Rekha Gupta was interacting with citizens and listening to their grievances when a man in his 30s suddenly surged forward, handed over an piece of paper to the CM, started talking in a raised loud voice and also used expletives before slapping the CM. The security personnel present at the even overpowered the attacker and took him into custody. The motive of attack is not yet known. Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) addressed the attack on Rekha Gupta and said police will reveal the details of the mishap at the Delhi CM residence in Civil Lines. Delhi BJP said, A mishap happened during Jan Sunvai at CM Residence, Civil Lines. Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva strongly condemns the attack on CM Rekha Gupta during the weekly Jan Sunvai. Police inquiry to reveal details. The Congress also reacted to the alleged attack on Rekha Gupta, with Delhi chief Devender Yadav calling the incident very unfortunate, but also attacked the city administration. Devender Yadav said how can a common woman be safe in Delhi if the chief minister is not. While the United States has ruled out sending troops to Ukraine to shield the country from any future attacks by Russia, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, August 19, that his country might provide air support as part of a deal to end Russia's war in the country. This has come as Donald Trump pledged security guarantee to Ukraine to help end the war. "When it comes to security, (Europeans) are willing to put people on the ground. We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably ... by air," Trump said in an interview with the Fox News "Fox & Friends" program. Trump, without offering details, described his approach to ending the war as probably instinct more than process. Meanwhile, Russia launched its biggest air assault in more than a month on Ukraine, with 270 drones and 10 missiles launched, the Ukrainian air force said. The energy ministry said the strikes caused big fires at energy facilities in the central Poltava region, home to Ukraine's only oil refinery. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X, While hard work to advance peace was underway in Washington, DC, Moscow continued to do the opposite of peace: more strikes and destruction. An ordinary apartment block families with small children, a childrens playground, a residential compound, a person was quoted as saying by Reuters. Also Read | Trump-Zelensky meeting: What does it mean for Trump's tariffs on India? EXPLAINED White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, too, confirmed that US air support was an option and a possibility, but did not provide any details. "The president has definitively stated U.S. boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, but we can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies," she said at a news briefing. In a tragic incident, six boys died after drowning in a pit filled with rainwater in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. The incident took place when the six children were swimming in the pit after school hours. According to police, a group of seven children studying in a local school went to the pit located about one km from their village. Six school boys drowned in the rainwater-filled gravel pit in Aspari mandal of Kurnool district today, an official told PTI. Out of seven children, six entered the water and drowned while one boy, who remained outside, raised an alarm, following which villagers rushed to the spot. A shepherd then helped retrieve the bodies from the pit, the police said. Following the incident, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep shock over the death of the six children. He also assured the bereaved families that the government will provide necessary support and assistance. Meanwhile, YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock and grief over the deaths. He urged the state government to extend support and appealed to the authorities to take necessary precautions to prevent recurrence of such incidents. UP news: Two kids drown while bathing in Sultanpur pond Two children drowned while bathing in a pond under the Bandhuakalan police station area of Sultanpur district, the police had said on August 15. According to the police, Ramkumar (14) and Vinay (15) had gone to graze goats on Thursday in the Bandhuakalan area when they decided to take a bath in a pond behind a temple. While bathing, the two teenagers waded into deep waters and drowned, an official said. The Union government is set to refer its three big-ticket anti-corruption draft laws, which also include provisions for the removal of a prime minister and chief ministers arrested on serious criminal charges, to the joint committee of both Houses of Parliament. Home Minister Amit Shah is set to introduce the three draft laws The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill; The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill; and The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The List of Government Business on August 20 and 21 in the Lok Sabha includes the introduction of the bill Also Read | Amit Shah to move bills for removal of PM, CMs held on serious criminal charges Shah will also move a motion to refer the three bills to a joint committee of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha with a provision for submission of its report on the first day of the last week of the next session of Parliament, news agency PTI said. Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw is also scheduled to introduce the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The bill seeks to prohibit online money gaming or its advertisements, and prescribes imprisonment or fine, or both, for those offering or advertising them. It also seeks to differentiate such games from eSports or online social games. The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill is a crucial step towards political accountability in India. The Lok Sabha is also scheduled to resume the discussion on astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's space mission on Wednesday. The ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament ends on 21 August. In a shocking incident, an eighth-grade student died after being stabbed by another student during a fight at a school in the Ahmedabad district, Gujarat. The boy, hailing from the Sindhi community, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital after the assault, which took place on 19 August. Following the incident, the victims family and members of the Sindhi community gathered near the hospital to stage a protest. According to police, the accused, who belongs to the Muslim community, has been detained. An investigation is underway, and a heavy police presence has been deployed near the hospital. Two students entered into a quarrel, and one of them stabbed the other. Police registered an FIR yesterday itself. The accused was detained. During treatment, the injured child died. So, his family, parents of other students and the Sindhi community have gathered here. Police personnel are here in adequate numbers. Further investigation is being done...The deceased child hailed from the Sindhi community, and the main accused is from the Muslim community, said Joint Commissioner of Police Jaipal Singh Rathore. Also Read | UK visa applications from Indian students & workers fall sharply According to news agency ANI, Poonam, whose two daughters study in the school, alleged similar incidents in the past two years. She had complained to the school authorities regarding the incident, but they didn't take any action. She also alleged that knives and mobile phones were found in the bags of the boys. Two of my daughters study in this school. This is not just today's incident. For the past two years, such incidents have been coming to light. I have complained twice. Boys speak indecent language on the school bus. Girls are shown the middle finger; they are also molested. Knives and mobile phones are found in bags, Poonam told ANI. The Opposition condemned the alleged attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on 20 August. She was reportedly slapped during a 'Jan Sunwai' programme at her official residence in Civil Lines. Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav, while condemning the incident, also questioned Delhis governance, asking how ordinary citizens could feel safe if even the chief minister was not securehow can a common man or common woman be safe? Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said, This is very unfortunate. CM leads the entire Delhi, and I think that the more such incidents are condemned, the less it is. But this incident also exposes women's safety. If the CM of Delhi is not safe, how can a common man or common woman be safe? Delhi LoP Atishi said, "The attack on Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democracy, there is a place for disagreement and protest, but there is no place for violence. Hoping that the Delhi Police will take the strictest action against the culprits. It is hoped that the Chief Minister is completely safe." The Delhi BJP said, A mishap happened during Jan Sunwai at CM Residence, Civil Lines. Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva strongly condemns the attack on CM Rekha Gupta during the weekly Jan Sunwai. Police inquiry to reveal details. Also Read | Delhi CM Gupta attacked during Jan Sunwai; accused disguised as complainant Delhi Police arrest one after CM Rekha Gupta slapped The Delhi Police has arrested a man in connection with the attack. The accused, who attended the programme disguised as a complainant, identified himself as Rajesh Khimji. "One person apprehended and taken to Civil Lines Police Station in connection with attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunwai at CM Residence," Delhi Police said in a statement. The Chief Minister's Office said, A person attacked CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunwai today. The accused has been nabbed by the Delhi Police and is being questioned. Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva confirmed that Rekha Gupta's condition is stable. He asserted that the CM is a "strong" lady and has not called off her programmes. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta slapped: What exactly happened? Virendraa Sachdeva told reporters, During Jan Sunwai this morning, CM was speaking with the public like she always does. A man approached her, presented some paper and suddenly held her hand while trying to pull her towards him. During this, there was a little jostling. People nabbed him. Who is he, and all other details are being investigated by the Police." He added, The CM is stable. Doctors have examined her. I have met her, she is a strong woman. It seems that she suffered a light blow to her head. The slap or stone-throwing stories are fabricated. Such incidents in politics are condemnable. Jan Sunwai will continue. CM is resting right now, but she has said that she will not cancel her programmes, he added. The man who attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has been identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, a 41-year-old from Rajkot, Gujarat. Heres what we know about him so far. Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh has revealed that the accused conducted a recce of her residence for nearly 24 hours before launching the assault. According to him, the attacker reached the CMs Shalimar Bagh residence to observe the surroundings. He spent the night nearby in the Civil Lines area, according to Singh. Sakriya came to a Jan Sunwai public hearing with documents, said to be a petition about a jailed relative. According to a NEWS18 report, the said relative is in Tihar Jail. Eyewitnesses revealed that he had given papers to the Delhi CM but suddenly grabbed her hand. It sparked a scuffle. Security quickly overpowered him and handed him over to the police. BJP leaders suspect political motives but nothing is confirmed. Some social media users claim he is an Aam Admi Party (AAP) supporter. The financial condition of the accused may be challenging as he is a rickshaw puller, the mother confirmed. Sakriyas mother, Bhanu, has said that his mind works in such a way that he may hit anyone. She revealed that he had even assaulted her once, forcing her to leave home for 15 days. He is a devotee of Mahadev. He left home saying that he was going to Ujjain. He visits there at least once a month. I don't know when he went from Ujjain to Delhi, she told ANI. According to her, he suffers from mental health issues but never takes any medicine. She added that he has a deep love for animals. He used to beat everyone at home; his nature had just become like that." He apparently became upset when the Supreme Court ordered the removal of all stray dogs in Delhi NCR. The interest in Rekha Gupta on Google shot up on August 20 after the incident. Check the comparison with August 19: The interest in Rekha Gupta on Google shot up on August 20 after the incident Was Delhi CM Rekha Gupta slapped? Initial reports claimed CM Gupta had been slapped. However, several BJP leaders have now dismissed it. Party president Virendra Sachdeva clarified that Gupta was not slapped. Instead, she hit her head against a table during the scuffle when the attacker grabbed her hand. It seems that the slap or stone-throwing stories are fabricated. Jan Sunvai will continue. CM is resting right now, but she has said that she will not cancel her programmes," HT quoted Sachdeva as saying. BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said the attacker had pulled CM Guptas hair and abused her. Vice President Kapil Mishra condemned the act, while BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj termed the assault cowardly. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's attacker, Rajesh Khimji has been taken into custody by the Delhi Police and booked for attempted murder. The accused slapped the CM during the Jan Sunwai event at her official residence in Civil Lines on Wednesday, August 20. According to Delhi Police, Kimji has been booked under section 109(1) BNS, attempt to murder, at the Civil Lines police station. Accused has been taken into police custody. We are investigating it from all the possible angles, Delhi Police said. Further investigation is going on. What happened to Rekha Gupta? The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sources told news wire PTI that the accused first gave Delhi CM Rekha Gupta some papers during the public hearing and then attacked her. Senior BJP leader Harish Khurana has told NDTV that the accused slapped the chief minister and also pulled her hair. The Chief Minister's office said in a statement, A person attacked CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai today. The accused has been nabbed by the Delhi Police and is being questioned. People at the CMO privy to the incident told Mint that the attacker handed over a piece of paper to Rekha Gupta, started talking in a raised loud voice and also used expletives before slapping the CM. On Wednesday, at 5am, a senior executive who tests games for MPL was woken up with a call from his parents. He never gets a call that early and thought it was some kind of emergency. Do you have your job? they asked. He was flabbergasted at the line of questions, and while they hounded him with questions, he saw missed calls from his brother as well. He had no idea until he saw the messages from his friends, colleagues and even former colleagues asking him what would happen next. The MPL employee is among 2 lakh employed with 400 online gaming companies whose future is at stake as the government aims to bring down the shutters on fantasy sports, online rummy, poker, and other real-money games. On Wednesday evening, The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was cleared in the Lok Sabha. Online gaming firms, with this move, find themselves one step closer to facing a blanket ban of their services in Indiasubject to it being cleared in the Upper House as well. Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday that while there will be job losses from online gaming firms, the Union government's Bill also facilitates promotion of esports and casual gaming ventureswhich will help migrate many of the jobs lost. Vaishnaw told Mint that unless there are objections, the law is likely to be notified in the next three months. We have calls throughout the day, and although the managers have little idea, there will be many who will hunt for new opportunities. Will they ban all online money games or certain ones like poker. Who will take care of the lakhs of us in this economy? the MPL employee asked out loud at a 12 pm call withMint. A specially appointed committee will monitor any game regarding money usage and monetary returns. Casual games, on the other hand, do not involve a player winning financial returns as the end goal. Employee movement The employees are sounding out their peers who are in the IT and non-money related gaming sector for a job. There is a demand for engineers and game developers, quality assurance, coders and those who can build platforms in the IT, ITes and healthcare sector. Last year, when the government introduced a 28% tax, some of the junior and middle order had moved to these industries that need similar profiles. Now, more will flock, said another senior executive at an online gaming company who builds and tests video games for a multinational. However, the issue here will be that the opportunities will be few since IT and ITes firms, too, have slowed down on their hiring. In fact, the top order will have to slash their compensations to join other firms, including players in the gaming sector who may not be impacted. This was in the works, and one could see it happening as senior executives approached us for jobs and were willing to take a pay cut. The online money gaming industry pays at least twice as much as us, and we will see how many of these profiles are relevant to us, said the CXO of a mobile gaming firm who did not want to be named. A senior executive at one of the top four online gaming firms said that the company is already seeing employees starting to look out for alternative employment avenues. The law essentially blindsided the industry, and we've had no chance to converse with the government about any concerns that it had. In the long run, this only adversely impacts the industry, because players who enjoy a game of rummy will not stop playinginstead, they will simply move to offshore apps that do not offer any employment to anyone. Vaishnaw confirmed that the government constantly monitors and bans online links to offshore platforms. It is a game of law, and law versus perpetrators is a constant chase between the two, he said. Game of skill The executive also added that there is "no way for any gaming firm to continue operating with alternative approaches, especially since the Bill makes no segregation between a game of skill and a game of chance." According to a study by consulting firm EY in 2023, from FY20 to FY23, the online gaming segment in India grew at a 28% CAGR, culminating in a market size of 16,428 crore in FY23. The study was called - New frontiers - Navigating the evolving landscape for online gaming in India. Industry had then estimated would reach 33,243 crore in FY28, showing a 15% CAGR. The real money gaming (RMG) sub-segment constitutes a substantial part of the online gaming ecosystem, comprising 82.8% of the market share in FY23. But now the picture ahead may show a whole different set of numbers. Also Read | The journey of Indias online gaming industry A 24-year-old engineer from Hyderabad, who plays Stake and MPL at least three times a week, has earned around 15,000 from these platforms so far. It was a good source of income, but without money involved, its just like any other game, and then theres no point, he said. According to recruiters, while the flurry of resumes is yet to hit their platforms, the latest rule will plug the income of a lot of freelancers and gig workers. There were IT and GCC (Global Capability Centre) executives who worked as coders for the gaming companies, earning $30-40 an hour. That will stop, said a Bengaluru-based IT and GCC recruiter. Addiction issues The Bill sought a complete ban on the operation of online gaming startups that require users to play with real money, as well as criminal and financial penalties for those enabling payments on such apps, including banks, and those advertising their services. Notable public figures such as athletes and actors have, over time, appeared as ambassadors to the likes of Dream11, Gameskrafts Rummyculture, Games24x7s My11Circle, and more. Most suggest that even though the industry has claimed that 50 crore people play real-money games in India, the reality is not so widespread. In an interview with Mint, S. Krishnan, ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) secretary, said, "The bill was framed after taking into account thousands of user complaints over the years, of people who have lost thousands of crores while playing these games. The algorithms are designed to be addictive, and none of the titles had any checks to restrict the way these titles proliferated. The government had ample evidence that such a law is the need of the hour." Also Read | Indias sweeping online gaming ban puts billions in investor capital at risk Krishnan further added that the government does not intend to restrict creative fields, and the bill banning online gaming also promotes e-sports and casual, social gaming. "There will be some impact, of course, in areas such as taxation, and while there will be some impact on the number of jobs being churned, we are also doing enough to promote other sectors where jobs will also be generated," he said. A second senior executive at another top online gaming firm said that the industry is already seeing engineers and other executives seeking jobs elsewhere. "The online gaming industry created robust employment and offered hefty perks to build an industry that could have emerged as a top contributor to the economy. Instead, these engineers are now looking at other optionswhatever they can find, franklywhich would neither be fulfilling nor as well-paying as high-growth startups," he said. Deepro Guha, associate director at public policy firm The Quantum Hub, said that while the government has highlighted the employment generation potential of the new online gaming bill, it is currently unclear what impact the law would have on employment in the gaming sector as a whole. There are some provisions in the bill for the promotion of esports and non-money online social games, he said. "However, there is apprehension within the industry that the ban on money games will have calamitous effects not only on this segment, but also on non-money segments. This is because Indias gaming ecosystem is symbiotic: while money games attract capital, top talent, and drive innovation in tech and compliance, the non-money sector benefits through spillover in design, monetisation models, and rotating talent pools. Curtailing it is, therefore, likely to indirectly stifle non-money growth, undermining the potential of the online gaming sector as a whole. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday told a Group of Ministers that the rate rejig in GST reforms will provide relief to common man, farmers, middle class and MSMEs. These next generation GST reforms are aimed at making India Aatmanirbhar, she told to the GoM during a meeting, adding that the Centre committed to building broad-based consensus with states on next-gen GST reforms. The next-gen GST stands on three pillars of structural reforms, rate rationalisation and ease of living, Sitharaman said during a meeting with the GoM. During the meeting with GoMs on GST rate rationalisation, insurance taxation and compensation cess, Sitharaman emphasised that the proposal by the Central Government is with a vision to usher in the next generation of GST reforms in India's journey towards becoming #AtmanirbharBharat. Consensus with states During her meeting, Nirmala Sitharaman maintained that the Centre will maintain a consensus with states to implement the GST rate rejigs in reforms The finance ministry in a post on X said that the same will be done in the coming weeks. The Central Government remains committed to building a broad-based consensus with the States in the coming weeks to implement the next generation of GST reforms in the spirit of cooperative federalism, it said. The finance minister's address to the GoMs was for about 20 minutes during which she elaborated on the Centre's proposal on reforms in GST rate rejigs. Over the next two days, the three GoMs will deliberate on the Centre's 'next-gen' GST reforms where it has been proposed to do away with multiple GST slabs and brig most goods under the 5 and 18 per cent rates. A special 40 per cent rate has been proposed on 5-7 items, including sin goods. The GoM on GST rate rationalisation is scheduled to meet again on August 21. As per an SBI Research report, the GST proposal, if implemented, could result in revenue loss of about 85,000 crore a year. For the current fiscal, the loss to revenue is estimated at 45,000 crore assuming the new tax rates are implemented from October 1. New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to deepen bilateral maritime relations, an official statement said on Wednesday. Both countries have formed a Joint Working Group (JWG) on maritime cooperation in the shipping and logistics sectors, marking a new chapter in the strategic partnership, the statement said. This decision was taken during a high-level virtual meeting between Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Saudi Arabias Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. According to the statement, Sonowal underscored the historic and growing relationship between the two nations. India and Saudi Arabia share centuries-old economic and socio-cultural ties, he said. The establishment of the strategic partnership council, co-chaired by the leaders of both countries, has elevated bilateral cooperation to new heights. Sonowal pointed to recent developments, including the launch of the JeddahMundra/Nhava Sheva route by Saudi Arabias Folk Maritime Services, which is expected to cut down transit times and costs. He also proposed collaboration on Indias MAITRI digital platform for the harmonisation of maritime trade. Saudi Arabia is Indias fifth-largest trading partner, while India stands as the Kingdoms second-largest trading partner. Bilateral trade in FY 202425 stood at approximately USD 42 billion. During the talks, Sonowal highlighted complementarities between Indias Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 with Saudi Vision 2030. India invited Saudi Arabia to explore investment prospects across its port and shipping ecosystem. Woman lawyer Archana Tiwari, who went missing around two weeks ago while travelling on a train from Indore to Katni in Madhya Pradesh, was found near the Nepal border in Lakhimpur Khiri district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. On the intervening night of August 7 and 8, the 29-year-old lawyer was heading to Katni from Indore for the Rakshabandhan festival. But she did not reach her destination and has been missing since then. She was a practising lawyer at the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court and was also preparing for a civil judge examination. On Tuesday, she contacted her family to say that she was safe, which allowed police to trace her location near the Nepal border, reported India Today. "Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel finally traced Archana Tiwari in Lakhimpur-Khiri town on the Indo-Nepal border after 12 days of hectic search," Superintendent of Police (Railways) Rahul Kumar Lodha said. The SP also said that the cops are bringing her back to Bhopal, and after recording her statement, details of the entire episode will be known. Archana reportedly staged her disappearance act because of the family pressure to abandon her studies and get married. Her family had arranged her marriage with a Patwari (a local land record officer), according to an India Today report citing the police. Archana was engaged to a Patwari and was told to quit her studies to prepare for the wedding. She told one Saransh Chopchen, whom she got in touch with while studying at Indore, about this, Rahul Lodha said. Earlier, Archana Tiwaris kin had suspected that she was a victim of human trafficking and had sought a CBI probe. "This is a case of human trafficking; however, police are not investigating this angle. I request the chief minister to hand over the investigation to the CBI," Tiwari's uncle Babu Prakash Tiwari had told reporters. He also claimed a youth recently became a victim of poisoning and disappeared from Pipariya town. What had happened? Archanas last location was traced to Itarsi station. After that, her mobile phone was found switched off, according to the police. On August 7, the lawyer had left for Katni by the Narmada Express train, but did not reach her destination. Following this, her family members had lodged a missing person complaint at the Rani Kamalapati GRP police station in Bhopal. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has finally spoken out about the attack on her on Wednesday and said that such attacks can never break her spirit or resolve to serve people. The attack on Rekha Gupta took place during a public hearing at her camp office in Civil Lines around 8.15 am on Wednesday. Her office described it as part of a well-planned conspiracy to kill her. Police officials said the assault was serious and could have been life-threatening. Here's what Rekha Gupta said: In a lengthy X post, Rekha Gupta said that the attack on her during the morning's public hearing was not just an attack on me, but a cowardly attempt on our resolve to serve Delhi and work for the welfare of the people. Such attacks can never break my spirit or my resolve to serve the people. Now, I will be among you with even more energy and dedication than before, she said. The CM also shared that she was in shock after the attack, but is feeling better now. I request all my well-wishers not to trouble themselves by coming to meet me. I will soon be seen working among you again, she said. Gupta wrote that public hearings and the resolution of people's problems will continue with the same seriousness and commitment as before. Your trust and support are my greatest strength. I express my heartfelt gratitude for your immense love, blessings, and good wishes, she added. About the accused The man who assaulted Rekha Gupta has a history of criminal activities and was earlier booked by Gujarat Police in five cases, including a knife attack, police said. Police said the accused, Sakariya Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai (41), from Gujarat's Rajkot, was immediately detained after the incident, and his past record was verified. "We got to know that he was previously booked in five different cases at Bhaktinagar police station in Gujarat," a source said. He was earlier booked under sections related to voluntarily causing hurt, causing hurt by dangerous weapon or means and causing grievous hurt, among others. We have registered an FIR under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty) and 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions). Further probe is underway, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said in a statement. In a shocking case of one-sided love, a teenage student was arrested on Tuesday, August 19, for setting his teacher on fire at her residence, leaving her with 25 per cent burn injuries. The incident happened in Narsinghpur district of Madhya Pradesh, a police official said. The accused, Suryansh Kochar, an 18-and-a-half-year-old man who passed Class 10 a year ago, has been arrested, he said. The teacher (26) suffered 25 per cent burn injuries in the incident and has been referred to Jabalpur Medical College for better treatment, the official said. Deputy Superintendent of Police Sandeep Bhuria said the accused has been arrested and a case registered against him. Also Read | French woman who burned grandfather alive as an act of love granted reduced prison sentence "The incident is related to a love affair and investigation is being done on that basis. Further action will be taken on the basis of their statements," he informed. Bhuria said Kochar is a former student of Utkrisht School at Narsinghpur, where the victim was posted as a guest teacher recently. School Principal GS Patel said the victim had been posted as a lab technician as well as a guest teacher just one-and-a-half months ago. This incident has shocked everyone, Patel added. Also Read | 15-year-old girl set on fire by miscreants in Odisha's Puri, airlifted to AIIMS Delhi According to an NDTV report, the two were known to each other for past two years and recently, Suryansh had developed feelings for the teacher. Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDOP) Manoj Gupta, however, said that a recent incident during the Independence Day celebrations at the school may have been the reason behind the shocking act. India on Wednesday dismissed allegations by Bangladesh that the Awami League offices in Kolkata and New Delhi were indulged in anti-Bangladesh activities, insisting that no such activity is permitted from Indian soil. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed Dhakas claim misplaced and reiterated New Delhis position on supporting free and fair elections in the neighbouring country. What did Bangladesh allege? The Bangladeshi foreign ministry, in a sharply worded statement, claimed that Awami League-linked offices were being run in India, allegedly by leaders and activists taking refuge across the border. It urged New Delhi to immediately ensure the closure of Awami League centres in order to prevent what it described as an affront against the people and State of Bangladesh. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Bengaldesh Foreign ministry wrote, 'Activities by the banned BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE on Indian soil risks long-term friendship and multifarious engagements between Bangladesh & India as also mutual trust and respect between two people." Dhaka alleged that political campaigns contrary to Bangladeshi interests, particularly by absconding members of a banned political party, were being carried out in India. The statement specifically mentioned purported offices in Kolkata and New Delhi. How did India respond? Rejecting the allegations, India said it had no knowledge of such activities and would not allow them under any circumstances. The Government of India is not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action that is contrary to Indian law. The Government does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil, the MEA said. Calling the charge misplaced, India underlined its expectation that free, fair and inclusive elections will be held at the earliest in Bangladesh to ascertain the will and mandate of the people. Also Read | As Bangladesh uprising turns 1, Sheikh Hasina pens open letter to her country Why is Awami League at the centre of controversy? The Awami League, led by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been under intense pressure since student-led protests erupted last year and were subsequently hijacked by Islamist groups. Facing growing unrest and accusations of authoritarianism, Hasina resigned and is currently living in exile in India. Also Read | Ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina indicted in crimes against humanity cases Criminal Charges Against Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh now living in exile in India, faces multiple criminal charges in her home country. The cases, filed after her ouster in 2024, include allegations of corruption, abuse of power, and responsibility for the deaths of protesters during the student-led uprising that unseated her government. India has firmly rejected Nepals objections to the resumption of border trade with China through the Lipulekh pass, calling Kathmandus territorial claims untenable and not based on historical facts and evidence. Kathmandu had earlier issued a statement asserting that the southern side of the Lipulekh Pass, known as the Kalapani region, belongs to Nepal. It also said that the government has been urging New Delhi to refrain from carrying out any activities, including trade, in the area. Why has the Lipulekh pass become a flashpoint? The Lipulekh pass, a Himalayan crossing point linking Indias Uttarakhand state with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, has long been at the centre of a three-way dispute. While India maintains that trade through the pass has taken place since 1954, Nepal claims that the area, along with Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, lies within its territory. The border dispute gained prominence in 2015 when India and China agreed to expand trade via Lipulekh during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Beijing. Nepal immediately lodged a diplomatic protest. Tensions deepened in 2020 after India inaugurated a new road link to Kailash Mansarovar, prompting Kathmandu to issue its own updated political map that included the contested areas. What is Indias position? Responding to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Indias stance has remained consistent and clear. He stressed that border trade through Lipulekh had been going on for decades but was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The recent decision to restart trade, reached during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to New Delhi from 18-19 August, represents a return to status quo rather than a new development, Indian officials argue. Any unilateral, artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable, Jaiswal said, reiterating that New Delhi remains open to dialogue with Nepal on other outstanding boundary issues. What is Nepals objection? Nepal has consistently objected to IndiaChina trade deals involving the Lipulekh pass. In 2015, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Beijing and the two sides agreed to expand trade through the route, Kathmandu lodged a strong diplomatic protest. In 2019, Nepal was further angered when India released a new political map that showed the Kalapani area within Indian territory. The dispute escalated in May 2020, after Indias Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a new road to Kailash Mansarovar via Lipulekh, prompting Nepal to issue its own updated political map that included Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh. Also Read | India, China discuss situation in border areas New Delhi: Public health researchers have called on the government to take steps to recruit and retain nurses to help overcome a significant shortage of such caregivers that could prevent India from achieving its goals of universal healthcare and better health outcomes by 2030. Nurse migration is a significant challenge for India's health system, according to a research paper by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). Many Indian nurses seeking better prospects migrate to countries such as the US and UK, which together receive over 15,000 foreign nurses annually. The report highlighted that India has 17.2 nurses per 10,000 people, which is lower than the rate of 47.9 for the Philippines. The report, co-authored by Preeti Kumari from PHFI and published in the medical journal BMJ, indicated that while the number of nurses globally has grown to 29.8 million in 2023, an estimated 5.8 million shortage persists. It noted that the differences in regional workforce numbers are stark, with more nurses per capita in high-income countries than in low- and middle-income countries. The Americas region has 72.2 nurses per 10,000 population, compared with 17.4 in Southeast Asia. To address this critical issue, the Indian government has already approved 157 new nursing colleges, which are expected to add about 15,700 nursing graduates a year to the workforce. The authors also highlighted the creation of "community health officers," a new cadre of mid-level health providers in India, many of whom are nurses. Nursing colleges have integrated the competencies for this role into the four-year BSc nursing curriculum, allowing new graduates to be deployed directly to health and wellness centres. Also Read | Govt pushes states on establishing healthcare councils In this role, nurses combine their clinical expertise with community engagement, making them indispensable for achieving universal health coverage goals. Integrated strategy The report touched on the financial aspect of migration, noting that remittances from migrating nurse professionals are a major contributor to the economies of many countries. In 2021, India received $100 billion in remittances from nurses. However, despite these benefits, migration severely strains the health systems of source countries. Also Read | Cleanliness to be important criteria for hospital certification The PHFI researchers recommended that the government attract, recruit and retain nurses through an integrated strategy. More than 50 schools in the national capital have received another round of bomb threats via email in the early hours of Wednesday, ANI reported, citing Delhi Police. Three schools in Delhi received bomb threats through email, prompting police and emergency agencies to conduct search operations, PTI reported, citing officials. The Delhi Fire Services reported receiving bomb threat information at 7:40 am in SKV in Malviya Nagar and at 7:42 am in Andhra School in Prasad Nagar. Police teams, accompanied by fire personnel and bomb disposal squads, rushed to the schools immediately. Also Read | Mumbai local trains cancelled, schools shut as heavy rains batter Maharashtra Bomb threats on August 18 The new threat emails have come just two days after several schools in Delhi received emails from a group named Terrorisers 111 Group, demanding a payment of $5,000 in cryptocurrency within 72 hours. The email read, Pay $5,000 USD Crypto within 72 hours. If you don't, we will detonate the bombs, ANI reported, citing Delhi Police. Meanwhile, a message to the school administration read, We are the terrorisers 111 Group. We have planted several pipe bombs and advanced explosive devices in your school buildings to cause terror and destruction. We have hacked your IT systems, including student and staff databases, and taken full control of your surveillance cameras. We are watching your every move. It warned, "If you don't, we will detonate the bombs, causing massive harm and loss of life. We will also leak your hacked data online. We are monitoring your actions, and any attempt to contact the police or ignore this will trigger immediate action. The bombs will explode in 72 hours if payment isn't received. Evacuate now to save lives. We don't forgive. We don't forget. Send the money or face the consequences. We are the terrorisers 111 Group. Do not forget us." Schools, including Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka, Modern Convent School and ShreeRam World School in Sector 10, Dwarka, received bomb threats. The schools were quickly evacuated as a safety measure. Police and bomb disposal units arrived at the scene and initiated a comprehensive search of the area. Also Read | Delhi CM Gupta attacked during Jan Sunwai; accused disguised as complainant Parents express concern Parents voiced concern and responded quickly after receiving messages from school. One of the parents told ANI, "We received a message from the school to take the children back. They did not tell the reason. So, we have come here to take back our child." Heavy rains have continued to lash Maharashtra's Pune over the last two days, causing a flood alert in the lower-lying areas around the Mutha River. The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation said it has evacuated nearly 950 citizens to safe shelters. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Red Alert for Thane, Ghats of Nasik, Pune and Satara. Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas led to the discharge of water from the Khadakwasla dam, prompting the authorities to alert localities around the Mutha River. Morya Gosavi Temple, located in Pimpri-Chinchwad, has been inundated by flood waters. In an X post, Shekhar Singh, the PCMC Commissioner, said, Over the past 24 hours, our teams at Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation have worked round the clock to relocate nearly 950 citizens from flood-affected and low-lying areas to safe shelters. At every relief centre, we have ensured arrangements for food, clean drinking water, electricity, and healthcare facilities, he added. Singh said the disaster management cells are fully active in all zonal offices, supported by our fire, health, solid waste, and engineering teams. Boats, ambulances, and buses are deployed for swift evacuations. We are simultaneously addressing complaints of waterlogging and drainage blockages to reduce risks in other parts of the city, he said. Singh said that the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is closely coordinated with the Irrigation Department, India Meteorological Department (IMD), C-DAC, and the traffic police. This collaboration allows us to track real-time rainfall, dam discharges, and diversions, ensuring timely action. Citizens are also being informed continuously through All India Radio, FM channels, and PCMCs digital platforms, he added, while assuring citizens that the situation is under control, and every possible step is being taken to keep you safe. Singh said that those living near rivers should cooperate with the PCMC teams, follow instructions, and move valuables, cattle, and equipment to safer places. Gen Zs, have time and again spurred social media debates when it comes to discussions surrounding the workplace. This time, an alleged Gen Z's reply to her manager, who asked her to reach the office despite heavy traffic, has become the talk of the town, with one netizen hilariously pointing out that it left the manager in deep pain. Manager in deep pain after seeing this, one user posted, reacting to the conversation. What was the conversation? According to the screenshot of a chat posted on social media platform X, the employee had informed that she will not be able to reach office because of traffic. Her manager, however replied that the employee needed to be in office, even if it gets late. To that, the employee give just a two-worded response: Not possible. The viral post The user who posted the screenshot of the entire chat, captioned it as GenZ workforce. Internet explodes with reactions The screenshot of the chat garnered over one lakh views, leaving netizens in splits. Traffic cant stop me if I never leave my bed, said one user reacting to the post. This should be normalised when you live in ill-managed cities of India, wrote another user. GenZ aren't unemployed, they are unemployable, commented a third user. Some comments suggested that the situation occured in Mumbai, and the employee was asked to arrive in office amid heavy rains. Honestly seeing how bad Mumbai is in rains everyone should be excused, one X user stated. Mumbai Rains Mumbai has been witnessing incessant rains since the past few days, bringing the India's financial capital to its knees on Tuesday. Although conditions improved slightly on Wednesday, the IMD had still issued an Orange Alert for the city, forecasting heavy rains. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday (local time) repeated the claims made by US President Donald Trump on brokering peace in the India-Pakistan conflict after Operation Sindoor. Leavitt, during her press briefing, said that Trump was proud of the peace deals and leveraged trade to end the Indo-Pakistan conflict after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. "[For] India and Pakistan [conflict], he [Trump] used trade in a very powerful way as leverage to bring that conflict to an end. So I know he's very proud of all of these achievements, and I know he's very honoured to serve as the president of the United States and to restore peace around the world," she said. She said that Trump enjoyed having the Azerbaijan and Armenian leaders at the White House, helping them with the peace deal. "I think he's proud of all of the peace deals that he's been able to achieve. You saw the president of Armenia and the head of Azerbaijan both at the White House just a couple of weeks ago. The president I know very much enjoyed spending time with them and helping to bring that conflict to an end. He very much enjoyed his time with leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Oval Office, talking to them about bringing that decades-long war to an end," she said. Leavitt further said that the Secretary of State Marco Rubio continuously apprised Trump of various conflicts bubbling around the world, but now the Russia-Ukraine conflict has caught Trump's attention. In fact, there are many [conflicts around the world]. The State Department is always working around the clock under the leadership of Secretary Rubio and keeping the president apprised of conflicts that are bubbling up all over the world. But of course, as you all know, as we've talked a lot about in this briefing, he's spending a lot of time right now on ending this war in Russia, Ukraine, and of course, the conflict in Israel and Gaza, which he wants to see come to a close as well, she said. Trump had earlier, on July 28, stated that he was optimistic about brokering the peace deal between the Southeast Asian nations, describing the talks as "an easy one," compared to his past claims of resolving the India-Pakistan conflict. "We're dealing with Thailand, and we do a lot of trade with Thailand and with Cambodia, and yet I'm reading that they're killing each other. You know, they're fighting. They're in a war. And I say this should be an easy one for me because I've settled with India and Pakistan, and Serbia and Kosovo were going at it," Trump said. Trump was referencing the recent India-Pakistan conflict in May, where he had claimed credit several times for brokering a ceasefire between the two nuclear nations, using trade as leverage. The conflict erupted after 26 civilians were killed in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, after which India retaliated through precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). However, according to Indian officials, it was Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who contacted their Indian counterpart to request an end to hostilities, following which the ceasefire was then agreed upon. Elon Musk is stepping back on efforts to launch his new political party, telling allies he wants to concentrate on his business ventures and avoid antagonising influential Republicans, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published on Tuesday, citing sources. Elon Musk has recently focused on maintaining ties with Vice President J D Vance, widely seen as a potential successor to Donald Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has reportedly told his associates that launching a new political party could hurt his ties with Vance, WSJ reported. Sources cited in the report say that Musk, the world's richest man, is considering using part of his considerable fortune to support Vance if the vice president decides to run for president in 2028. During the 2024 election, Musk reportedly spent nearly $300 million supporting Donald Trump and other Republican candidates. According to the report, while Musk has scaled back his political ambitions for now, his allies say he has not definitively abandoned the idea of a new party and may reconsider ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. This comes after Musk announced his own America Party in early July, following Trump's signing of "big, beautiful" tax-cut and spending bill into law. Musk vehemently objected to the bill and engaged in lobbying efforts. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom. By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it, Musk said after it was passed. He added, When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom. The former Trump advisor and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief even responded to a user's question on contesting the election. Donald Trump appeared on Fox & Friends. It was a day after meeting European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House to discuss peace with Russia. However, he moved away from politics to share a piece of breaking news. While expected to focus on his talks with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Ukraine war, Trump instead spent much of his time praising the Fox hosts. He was especially interested in Ainsley Earhardt and her relationship with Sean Hannity. Donald Trump spoke at length about the Fox News hosts, who got engaged last Christmas after years of dating. Their relationship began after both had gone through divorces. Though the couple had kept their relationship mostly private before, it was already known in media circles. Trump teased Hannity during his remarks, saying he could take the lovely young lady to dinner in Washington, pointing out Earhardt sitting there. The US president said, I dont want to get him in trouble, so I'd better explain exactly. We dont want any secrets here. Also Read | Meet the Ukrainian designer behind Zelenskys new look for Trump meeting That's the greatest relationship. I hope Im not breaking any news, Trump said while Earhardt looked uneasy. This could be the most important thing I said. But, let me tell you those are two great, Ainsley and Sean, great people! When they go out to dinner, I dont want to see them mugged, Trump added. Now, they can go out. They can hold hands. They can walk down the street. They are both superstars. I wonder who makes more money. Hes gotta be making a lot, the US president said. Social media slams Donald Trump Social media users did not take it well. Many of them found Trumps behaviour offensive. The discomfort all over her face and in her body language, commented one of them. Another wrote, Im embarrassed. This is our president, everyone. Dear God! Does he ever think before talking? reacted a social media user. This is the president? wondered another. Another wrote, Its amazing how little self-awareness he has. Sounds like the drunk neighbour, quipped another. The uncle we can't stand! came from another. Another commented, Why should anyone be surprised by the nonsense? Russian President Vladimir Putin personally gifted a Ural bike reportedly valued at $22,000 to a random man when he was in Alaska on 15 August to attend a summit with US President Donald Trump, where the deal on the Russia-Ukraine war could not be reached. According to Andrei Ledenev, counsellor at the Russian Embassy in Washington, who gave the keys to an astonished Mark Warren in front of state TV cameras, This is a personal gift from the Russian president. Warren, who owns a Soviet-era Ural, said that sanctions have made it increasingly expensive to repair his motorcycle, with replacement parts now extremely difficult to source. Russian media claimed the gift as a symbol of Moscows goodwill, whereas Warren called the new Ural night and day in comparison to his old bike. He did a test ride with Ledenev behind him and another diplomat in the sidecar. No reason why they should give me a bike "I thought it was a hoax because they dont know me. I dont know them. There were two gentlemen at an intersection that stopped me, and they identified themselves as Russian journalists, and they were interested in why I had the bike. It was purely just information about the bike, why I bought it, and about what I did to fix it up. I just felt, this is so random and so strange, that I felt apprehensive about this being actually really going to happen ... this doesnt just happen. I know no one from the Russian Embassy, Warren said. He added, There is no reason why they could have should give me a bike. I havent done anything for them or to them, and I dont know anybody. So yeah, its so absolutely astronomically random that it was hard for me to understand why this happens. Matter of fact, I still dont know why. Named after the Ural Mountains that span western Russia from north to south, Ural Motorcycles originated in Irbit, Russia, where the first factory was set up in 1941. Since August 2022, the motorcycles have been assembled in Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan. Netizens react One of the users said, Never see Zelensky doing that. Another questioned, Was that one of his military bikes? One of the greatest Presidents alive! President Putin is an AMAZING man, said the third. I wouldnt accept it, Nice gift, I really want one of those Urals, they look cool. Congrats to him! were some other comments made. United States President Donald Trump has criticised top museums in the country for focusing on how bad slavery was and not about how the country has developed over the years. Donald Trump was talking about the Smithsonian Institution, an independent organisation that operates 17 museums, galleries and a zoo located across the country, which receives public funding. He has previously accused the organisation of espousing a corrosive ideology. The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been - Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future, Trump said. Also Read | Trump slapped India with 50% tariff to put secondary pressure on Russia: White House The transatlantic slave trade from Africa to the Americas lasted over three centuries and is often described as the United States original sin. The South fought to preserve slavery during the Civil War of 186165 but was defeated. Since then, African Americans have continued their struggle for civil rights, most recently highlighted by the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, which reignited a national reckoning with the countrys troubled history. The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of 'WOKE', Trump wrote in the Truth Social post. Also Read | Trump aide slams India for buying Russian oil, says Delhi needs to act like strategic partner of US Last week, the White House had posted a letter to its website saying the administration plans to target eight major museums for comprehensive internal review in an effort to celebrate American exceptionalism and remove divisive or partisan narratives. The targeted institutions include the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Museum of the American Indian, the letter said. The media was actively rooting against US President Donald Trump's peace efforts, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during her press briefing on Tuesday. "One thing that has absolutely not changed is the media's negative and downright false coverage of President Trump and his foreign policy accomplishments. From the beginning of this entire process, much of the left-wing media has been actively rooting against the president of the United States in the pursuit of peace," she said. Karoline Leavitt said the media falsely claimed that Trump suffered defeat after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, even though the meeting was meant to test the waters before going forward. Media was aghast that President Trump would treat another world leader like a world leader "Initially, the media ridiculously claimed that President Trump was somehow beholden to Russia for even agreeing to have a face-to-face discussion with President Putin inside the United States. The media said President Trump was making a grave mistake by legitimising Putin. They were aghast that President Trump would treat another world leader like a world leader, she continued. Leavitt added, The media relentlessly attacked President Trump and claimed he suffered a 'major defeat' for not immediately emerging with a final agreement. Even though he said heading into that meeting, this was a meeting to listen and to understand how to move the ball forward. US Vice President J D Vance on Tuesday lauded Leavitt for cracking down on the media for 'lying' about their negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine war. Vance took to X and said, Karoline Leavitt is lighting the American media up for lying about our negotiations with Russia and Ukraine. Prior to his 15 August meeting with Putin, Trump issued a warning that Russia would face "severe economic consequences" if Putin failed to demonstrate a willingness to de-escalate the conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Leavitt continued her criticism, denouncing the "clueless pundits" who support pouring thousands of taxpayer dollars into what she described as a seemingly endless war. "All weekend following those historic US-Russia bilateral talks, we listened to clueless pundits on television trying but failing to claim that the president had failed. The so-called experts in the foreign policy establishment, whose record is nothing but endless wars, trillions of wasted taxpayer dollars, and dead Americans, have the nerve to try and lecture President Trump, who has solved seven global conflicts in seven months, about peace. It was, this is the same president, by the way, who brokered the Abraham Accords in his first term on top of more than half a dozen other peace deals this year alone," she further said. The African Union has joined a growing campaign to challenge centuries of cartographic distortion that has long diminished Africas true scale on world maps. The bloc of 55 nations recently endorsed the use of alternatives to the widely taught Mercator projection, arguing that the shift is about dignity, power and reclaiming Africas rightful place in the global imagination. Why is the Mercator map so distorted? Mercator map showing Africa (left), and a map from the Equal Earth campaign (right). Composite: equal-earth.com, Getty Images Gerardus Mercator (151294), a mathematician and engraver, created his famous map in 1569 to help sailors navigate the globe. The first version was a vast wall-sized mosaic of 18 sheets measuring 48 inches by 80 inches. By projecting the Earth onto a cylinder, Mercator devised a grid with longitudes and latitudes crossing at right angles. The genius of his design was that straight lines on the map represented true compass directions, a breakthrough for navigation. Though it distorted landmasses, especially near the poles, the map revolutionised sea travel and by the 19th century became the standard for atlases and classrooms worldwide. It was designed for navigation, ensuring sailors could plot straight-line courses across oceans. But this navigational convenience came at a cost: the projection distorts land size as it moves away from the equator. When Mercator displayed the near-spherical Earth as a rectangle on a flat surface with the equator at the centre, it left large, confusing gaps near the poles. So, he stretched out the northern and southern ends of the globe to fill them and thus produced a usable map. However, as a result of this manoeuvre, areas closer to the poles such as Canada, Russia, the United States, and Europe appear bigger than they are. And Africa which straddles the equator looks smaller than it is. Even tropical countries like India appear smaller than they actually are. Regions near the poles, such as Greenland or northern Canada, appear vastly enlarged, while equatorial regions including Africa, India and South America are compressed. This distortion leads to striking misperceptions. Africa, at 30.3 million square kilometres, is over 14 times larger than Greenlands 2.1 million square kilometres. Yet on most Mercator maps, Greenland, which is the size of the Democratic of Congo, appears bigger than the African continent. How does this distortion affect Africas image? For campaigners, the impact of the Mercator projection goes beyond geography. Selma Malika Haddadi, deputy chairwoman of the African Unions executive arm, told Reuters that the map fosters the impression of Africa as marginal. Civil society groups like Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa have launched the Correct the Map campaign, urging global organisations including the BBC and the United Nations to adopt more accurate alternatives such as the 2018 Equal Earth projection. It is more than geography, its really about dignity and pride, said Fara Ndiaye, co-founder of Speak Up Africa. Maps shape how we see the world, and also how power is perceived. Why does Greenland look bigger than Africa? The explanation lies in latitude. Distortion increases closer to the poles. Greenland, located near the Arctic Circle, is stretched unnaturally on the Mercator map, inflating its landmass visually. Africa, lying closer to the equator, suffers minimal distortion, meaning its size is comparatively diminished when viewed alongside northern territories. As a result, a landmass with fewer than 60,000 people is made to look comparable to a continent of 1.5 billion. How big is Africa compared to Greenland? The difference is staggering. Africas landmass is about 30.3 million square kilometres more than 14 times the size of Greenland, which covers just 2.1 million square kilometres. This has long contributed to misconceptions about Africas importance and size. In reality, Africa can easily contain the United States, China, India, Japan, and much of Europe combined. Why does India look smaller than it really is? India is another victim of Mercators distortion. Located near the equator, it shrinks in visual comparison with northern countries like Canada or Russia. This makes India appear smaller than it truly is, despite its vast landmass and population. India covers 3.29 million square kilometres, yet on many school maps, it looks dwarfed by countries with far smaller actual areas. Is this just about maps or about power? Campaigners argue that the problem is not simply geographical. Maps shape narratives. By distorting landmasses of the Global South, the Mercator projection helped reinforce a Eurocentric worldview where Europe and the North appeared dominant. As Selma Malika Haddadi of the African Union noted: It might seem to be just a map, but in reality, it is not. How are perceptions changing today? Alternatives such as the 2018 Equal Earth projection are gaining momentum. Unlike the Mercator, the Equal Earth projection preserves the proportional size of continents. On this map, Africa appears in its true scale, dwarfing Europe and North America. As Fara Ndiaye of Speak Up Africa put it: By correcting the map, we also correct the global narrative about Africa. What happens next? The African Union is expected to formalise its decision to adopt the Equal Earth projection at its leaders summit in Ethiopia in February. Campaigners hope this will set a precedent, pushing international institutions to replace the centuries-old Mercator with area-accurate projections that better reflect global realities. The Superior Court of Bogota, Colombia, on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of former president Alvaro Uribe as he appealed his recent conviction for witness tampering, for which he had been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it weaponsiation by radical judges. Judge Leonel Rogeles Moreno asked to nullify section four of the ruling issued on August 1, 2025, by the 44th Criminal Court of the Bogota Circuit, insofar as it ordered the immediate deprivation of liberty of citizen Alvaro Uribe Velez; until the corresponding criminal decision chamber of this Tribunal rules on the appeal filed against that first-instance decision. Consequently, the court in question is ordered to immediately issue a release warrant in favor of the petitioner, within the case file," Colombiaone quoted the judicial ruling. Earlier this month, Uribe became the first former president in Colombia's history to be convicted of a crime, receiving the maximum sentence allowed by law. He has been released from house arrest following a court ruling on Tuesday that allows him to remain free while he appeals his recent conviction for witness tampering. Uribe had been under house arrest since 1 August at his residence in Rionegro, near Medellin. Also Read | Hacked Columbia University Data Includes Banking Numbers, GPAs The 73-year-old, who governed Colombia from 2002 to 2010 and shaped the countrys political landscape for a generation, was convicted earlier this month for pressuring right-wing paramilitary members to deny their connections to him during the countrys internal armed conflict. He was handed a 12-year sentence, the maximum allowed, marking the first time a Colombian ex-president has been convicted of a crime. A staunch law-and-order conservative and close US ally, Uribe remains a powerful figure in Colombian politics. Even after leaving office, he continued to influence the countrys right wing and played a significant role in selecting conservative party leaders. He led a fierce crackdown on both drug cartels and the FARC guerrilla movement during his presidency, actions that earned him both strong support and fierce criticism. Uribe has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, accusing Colombias left, now led by President Gustavo Petro, of orchestrating the prosecution. The appeal process is being overseen by the Superior Court in Bogota, which stated it does not consider Uribe a flight risk. The court has until 16 October to decide whether to uphold or overturn the conviction. If a ruling is not issued by that date, the trial will be annulled and Uribe will be cleared. Also Read | Columbia University agrees to pay $220 mn to Trump team to reach funding deal 'Waponisation of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges' The legal battle has deepened political divisions in the country. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned the prosecution, calling it, without providing evidence, a case of the weaponization of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges. Meanwhile, Uribe continues to enjoy significant public support; recent polls rank him as Colombias most popular political figure. The case against Uribe dates back to 2018 and has seen multiple efforts to have it dismissed by various attorneys general. However, it gained new momentum under Attorney General Luz Camargo, appointed by President Petro. Camargo oversaw the opening of the trial in May 2024, during which prosecutors called over 90 witnesses. Among them was at least one former paramilitary fighter who testified that Uribe contacted him in an effort to alter his testimony. When Ukrainian designer Viktor Anisimov showed Volodymyr Zelensky a new black suit last Friday, it included a small detail. A back vent on the back inched it closer to a civilian suit, compared to the military outfits the president has favoured throughout the war in Ukraine. "These are our hopes for peace," Anisimov told Reuters about the tweak. "We think that if we add something subtle to this image, something from civilian clothing to his uniform, then it will be like a lucky charm. On Monday, the lucky charm worked to set a warm tone for a White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. Moments after Zelensky arrived, Trump complimented him on the suit. Zelensky's dark military-style outfit was one of the things Trump objected to during a disastrous Oval Office meeting in February, when the Ukrainian leader was given a public scolding. Anisimov, 61, from the northern region of Chernihiv, said he was watching videos of that interaction and felt the jabs. He perceived them as aimed at the Ukrainian citizens, not just at Zelensky. "There was a slight sense of despair because they do not understand how we breathe, how we live," he said. A reporter at the White House who asked Zelensky in February why he was not wearing a suit also praised the Ukrainian on his attire on Monday, saying "You look fabulous in that suit". Anisimov said he was not watching for criticism or compliments this time but wanted to ensure the Ukrainian president looked dignified. "They praise, they scold. If we win, and we will win, then whose suit it was doesn't matter," he said. Zelensky has worn military-type outfits, often with collar-less shirts and heavy boots, to show solidarity with Ukraine's troops since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. "In this moment, internally, we all changed, everything changed, life changed. It was a point of no-return," Zelensky said in an interview with a Ukrainian media outlet a year later. URGENT REQUEST The black suit worn on Monday was originally presented, along with an identical navy option, as an outfit idea for Ukrainian Independence Day on August 24. While the team was going back and forth on the back vent, Anisimov took it back for alterations on Friday. Before he even got to making the adjustments on sleeves, the phone rang with an urgent request from the administration on Saturday the president needed the suit for his U.S. trip. It was not the first time that Anisimov had been charged with changing the president's style. In the early 2000s, then-comedian Zelensky and his team Kvartal 95 sought to establish their identities on the Ukrainian screens after getting their initial break in comedy competitions. The process was gradual: black t-shirts gave way to white shirts with ties and then morphed into suits worn by the team during the shows. Anisimov said he had not heard from Zelensky for over five years when a mutual acquaintance from the previous make-over contacted him in January. They floated the idea of creating a capsule collection for the president. Anisimov said he used the military uniform as an inspiration point to ensure versatility for all items in the capsule. "I can't say that we sewed (a suit) specifically for the NATO summit or for an important conversation with Trump and European leaders. The suit is just a suit," Anisimov said, adding that Zelensky has about five similar-looking jackets with small tweaks. President Donald Trumps decision to raise tariffs on India was aimed at discouraging Russia from continuing its war in Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday. The move was designed to put secondary pressure on Moscow, she explained during a press briefing Trump has effectively doubled Indias tariff burden to 50 percent by adding an extra 25 percent on top of the earlier 25 percent levy. "Look, the president has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He's taken actions, as you've seen, sanctions on India and other actions as well. He's made himself very clear that he wants to see this war end, and he has scoffed at the ideas of others that have been raised that we should wait another month before any meeting takes place," she said. Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Monday and last week he had also met with President Putin. Both have signalled that they are open to start direct talks. Leavitt further said that Trump wishes to bring peace as soon as possible. "The president wants to move and he wants to bring this war to an end as quickly as possible... With all of those European leaders leaving the White House, including the NATO Secretary General, they all agree that this is a great first step. And it's a good thing that these two leaders are going to be sitting down together, and the president expects that to happen," she said. Leavitt further said, "I can assure you that the United States government and the Trump administration are working with both Russia and Ukraine to make that bilateral happen as we speak." Leavitt said that Trump's relentless efforts at brokering peace led to the European leaders being present at the White House within 48 hours of his meeting with Putin. "The President met with all of these European leaders at the White House 48 hours after sitting down with President Putin on American soil. In fact, there was so much progress in the readout that was given to these European leaders immediately following his meeting with President Putin that every single one of them got on a plane 48 hours later and flew to the United States of America," she said. "So these leaders who this war is in their backyard are very grateful that the president took that call and that he was there to provide them with a readout of Russia's thinking on this, something that was not done by the previous administration at all," she added. In response to a reporters question, Leavitt reiterated that the war would not have broken out had Trump been in office. "The president often says that this war would not have started if he were in office and and Putin confirmed that," the reporter asked. "True. Do you accept that as true? The European leaders do. Well, and President Putin himself said that, by the way," Leavitt said. Anyone who has seen the Ganga in the upper reaches of the Himalayas especially its Bhagirathi portion on its way from Gangotri to Devprayagand then its more expansive but slower flow in the lower Gangetic plains might struggle to believe that it is the same river. What starts as a sparkling gush of pristine water turns brown as it meanders its way to the sea. Something similar is happening with domestic flows. The Gangotri (or origin) of capital flows in India in recent years has been the humble but pure Systematic Investment Plan (SIP)a simple yet powerful means of investment by which savers buy mutual fund units at predetermined intervals, such as every month or even week, so as to maintain the discipline of investing and benefit from the opportunity of less expensive purchases when the market falls. Investments through this route have grown vastly across the country. Also Read: The IPO gamble: The odds seem stacked against investors From a modest 3,000 crore per month in 2016 , when the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) started reporting this data, the figure has surged to over 28,000 crore: an annual figure of almost $40 billion. Jefferies research estimates that Indian public equity markets received inflows of $100 billion in 2024 and are on track to receive a similar amount this year as well. In addition to SIP flows, investments made by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and the National Pension System (NPS) have added to this total. These steady inflows have underpinned the resilience of the Indian equity market in recent years, despite heavy intermittent selling by foreign funds. At first glance, this consistent source of domestic capital appears to grant a major advantage to an economy in need of capital, especially when foreign investments, both direct and portfolio, have been feeble or in retreat. But the downstream usage of this torrent paints a different story. India has become a hotbed of initial public offerings (IPOs), with 91 mainboard offers that raised a record $19 billion in 2024. Despite sideways market movement this year, this trend has continued in 2025. A large portion of these IPOs have domestic institutions as subscribers, entities that are the main beneficiaries of these heavy retail flows. Also Read: EPFO reforms: Getting PF dues shouldnt require special services This would have been good for the Indian economy if the money thus raised was put to use in building new factories or on research and development (R&D). After all, the original purpose of capital markets is to make savers and borrowers meet. However, as I noted in an earlier piece in Mint (The IPO gamble: Why the odds seem stacked against investors, 13 July 2025), of the 275 IPOs since the pandemic, 101 had private equity owners selling stakes and repatriating proceeds back to their home countries. Moreover, of the $19 billion raised through IPOs in 2024, less than $8 billion was raised through primary offerings (i.e. with money put to use for business purposes), while the remaining provided an exit to existing investors. The newest craze among well-heeled investors is to buy shares in unlisted companies that are headed for an IPO. Shares of National Stock Exchange (NSE) are the poster child of this trend. As per recent reports, the unlisted NSE already has over 150,000 shareholders, up from just over 1000 in 2021. The hope of most of these investors would be to sell their shares for a profit when the IPO takes place. Also Read: Is credit demand really slowing? RBIs liquidity push tells a different story Again, the bet is that the strong domestic flows will facilitate an IPO at a high valuation. This is notwithstanding the fact that recent IPOs such as of HDB Financial Services and NSDLs listed at significant discounts to the prices at which their shares traded in the private market. If we row further downstream, we enter the realm of private credit. Here, investors subscribe to a fund that lends money via debt or debt-like instruments for purposes that a bank generally would not. This includes lending to promoters of private entities, with their unlisted shares being put up as collateral. Private credit funds also lend for the purchase of land or for undertaking mergers and acquisitions. Also Read: The cost of credit isnt everything: Cheap loans need productive uses Private credit is lightly regulated and data is hard to come by, but it is estimated to be worth $25 billion in India and growing rapidly. If you trace the expected path for a private loan to be repaid or for the collateral to be enforced, more often than not, it will lead to a hoped-for IPO in the future. Again, the premise on which such a successful float relies is the domestic flow of funds. Just like private equity, whatever new asset class institutions have spawned, high net worth individuals have followed with gusto. It is common practice for family offices to co-lend along with private credit funds, with promises of juicy coupons or high yields-to-maturity till the eventual blockbuster IPO. The Indian economy awaits a rise in private capital expenditure for a broad-based revival, which would hopefully lead to domestic savings getting channelled towards productive purposes. Meanwhile, those savings are finding their way into the hands of savvier investors who in a way are front-running the public floats. The steady rise in household allocation to equities is a healthy trend, but too much of it is just going from one provider of capital to another. It is Indias good fortune that the mighty Ganga is a perennial river, but not all rivers are. If domestic inflows were to slow significantly, the fragility of asset classes downstream would become apparent. These are the authors personal views. The author is the Managing Partner at Breakout Capital. Having fallen behind in the AI chip race , might Intel be poised for a comeback? Big money is flowing in. On Tuesday, Japans SoftBank announced a $2 billion investment in the American chipmaker. Separately, the US government is reportedly eyeing a 10% stake worth $10 billion in the company. Also Read: Are Silicon Valley CEOs of Indian origin at risk of facing what Intels boss is? This underscores the importance the White House is placing on the growth of this strategic sector. SoftBanks investment may be partly due to Japanese efforts to invest more in the US as the country negotiates lower tariffs. But it also serves as a vote of confidence in Intels prospects. Also Read: Bide your time: Chinas playing a long game in its trade talks with America Its Malaysian-born CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who was brought in barely a few months ago to turn it around, has been in the spotlight ever since US President Donald Trump demanded his resignation for alleged ties with Chinas ruling party, although he seemed to have changed his mind later, given his praise for Tan after meeting him. Also Read: The nationalization of Intel Intel simply needs the best person for the job, as catching up with AI-focused players like Nvidia and AMD wont be easy. Only the paranoid survive," Intels former chief Andy Grove used to say. Deep-pocket investors are betting it can regain some of that spirit to regain an edge. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address spoke of a Made-in-India semiconductor chip becoming a reality, he was articulating more than an industrial goal. He was defining a new pillar of national security. In a world fractured by geopolitics, the ability to not just use but to influence and control the technology that powers our future is a matter of sovereignty. He recalled how past efforts to build chip manufacturing were blocked. India has identified this as a challenge and committed itself to the arduous journey of semiconductor self-sufficiency. Initial steps are underway. Across India, a concerted policy push is taking shape. The government launched the India Semiconductor Mission in 2021 to create a full ecosystem. Policies offer production-linked incentives and 50% capital aid for components and chips. To begin with, the plan is to make less advanced nodes, focusing on packaging and testing operations, where barriers are lower. While incentives were used to draw private firms, events were hosted to attract foreign companies with technology and funds, even as talent is being developed through educational and skilling plans. Now we must align the efforts of the Centre and states for fast action. Also Read: Rare-earth crunch: Indias quest for critical minerals must race the clock We have seen the foundation of a landmark fabrication plant by the Tata Group in Gujarat and a major packaging facility by Micron taking shape in Sanand. Each of these conventional steps is essential. They must all be pursued with relentless focus and flawless execution. But as we celebrate this resolve, we must be brutally honest about the mountain we have chosen to climb. This is a journey of immense length and cost, with few short-cuts. We need only look at China, which began its determined push for self-sufficiency over a decade ago. After investing well over $100 billion and mobilizing the full power of the state, it has made enormous progress. Yet, it remains years and multiple technological generations behind the cutting edge. Resolve and policy alone are not enough. The greater challenge is that the target is not stationary. It is galloping away from us. The worlds leading chipmakers in Taiwan, South Korea and the US are investing hundreds of billions of dollars to push the frontiers of physics and engineering ever further. This creates a dangerous paradox. If today we are theoretically $100 billion and 10 years behind the cutting edge, it is entirely possible that after five years and $50 billion of our own investment, we may find ourselves $200 billion and 15 years behind. Our progress may not be enough to even slow the widening of that gap. Also Read: PMs speech: Clarity counts as the stakes rise for India This reality does not call for despair. It calls for a bolder and more creative strategy to complement our domestic efforts. It requires us to deploy our most unique and potent national asset: our deep well of private risk capital. While our government faces many demands on its fiscal resources, Indias private economy and capital markets are brimming with investors who show a remarkable appetite for risk in their quest to participate in world-changing technologies. This is a strategic advantage few other nations possess. Private capital by itself cannot lure the worlds best technology to our shores overnight. But what if we created a new paradigm? Imagine a new kind of strategic investment vehicle, a fund structured like a sovereign entity but capitalized by private Indian wealth. Its mandate would not be to build factories at home, but to strategically deploy capital abroad. It would invest in a select portfolio of the worlds most innovative and cutting-edge semiconductor companiesthose that are defining the next generation of technology. This approach would transform our strategic calculus. Instead of parking our nations vast foreign exchange reserves in low-yield foreign government debt, we could create pathways for a portion of our private capital to go into acquiring meaningful stakes in global technology leaders. The objective would be more than just financial returns; it would be strategic influence. With significant ownership comes a seat on the board, a voice in the boardroom and a powerful say in a companys direction. It is a pathway to securing access to critical technology, understanding innovation roadmaps from within firms and lowering long-term vulnerability. Also Read: Mint Quick Edit | Modis swadeshi call: A pragmatic approach History teaches us that rising powers have always acted beyond their borders to secure access to the resources critical for their future. For centuries, this meant securing raw materials or trade routes. Many of the successful East Asian economies built their industrial might by strategically acquiring assets and know-how from abroad. In the 21st century, the most vital strategic resource is technology. Semiconductors are the first and most crucial arena where India must apply this forward-thinking global strategy. Our path to true self-sufficiency cannot be paved by concrete and steel within our borders alone. It must also run through the worlds most advanced laboratories and corporate boardrooms, secured by the strategic deployment of our own capital. To build a secure future at home, we must begin to invest boldly abroad. The author is a Singapore-based innovation investor for GenInnov Pte Ltd White House trade advisor Peter Navarro, once known by his books as a China hawk, has taken aim at India in a Financial Times op-ed published on Monday that reads like a diatribe. India funds Russias Ukraine War, the article contends, by buying Russian oil, refining it, shipping refined products abroad and funnelling the dollars so earned back to Russia for yet more crude supplies. And where does India get these dollars to buy Russian oil? From unfair trade with the US, of course, liberally exporting goods to America while denying market access to American goods with high tariffs and non-tariff barriers, thus running up a bilateral trade surplus. He accuses Indian refiners of being profiteers with silent Russian partners. So, since we launder Russian crude for Russias leader, in Navarros view, we deserve the 25% tariff that US President Donald Trump said he would slap on our exports next week on top of his reciprocal 25%. Also Read: India-US standoff over Russian oil: Lets not waver but resolve it Our cozying up" with Russia and China also gets a glare. So too our insistence on tech transfers and local manufacture while shopping for arms in the West, even as we source over a third of our needs from Russia. With our oil imports portrayed as a financial lifeline" for Moscows war machine, the op-ed ends with a finger wag: If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it needs to start acting like one." Navarros selective outrage need not be taken all that seriously for reasons that go beyond his record as a writer, which includes such lapses as the invention of an economist called Ron Vara (an anagram of his name passed off as a joke) to validate claims in his 2011 book Death by China. Also Read: World in flux: The Alaska summit was high theatre but also highly revealing The prime reason is his op-eds disingenuous disregard for facts. Take Russias exports. These are not just diverse, but to a variety of countries, including the US, which imports fertilizers, uranium and palladium from it. Apart from crude, Russia is a major exporter of coal, oil products and natural gas, both piped and liquefied. A look at its export data from December 2022 till the end of July 2025 reveals China as the biggest buyer of Russian crude (47%) and coal (44%). The EU has been its biggest buyer of piped gas (36%) and its liquefied form (51%). As for refined products, Americas Nato ally Turkiye has been Russias largest customer. India bought 38% of Russian crude exports, a share thats larger than the EUs or Turkiyes but clearly smaller than Chinas 47%. Yet, Navarros article paints Indias oil trade as fuelling a war thats essentially about Moscows standoff with Natoa distant dynamic in which we, as a neutral country, have played no role. Also Read: Kaushik Basu: India must not fall into Trumps tariff trap Is this a fear of dragons at work? Why such invective is directed at India, rather than Russias no limits partner Chinaor anybody at all for that matterdefies logic. Under Trumps plan for Nato, Europe must defend itself. Yet, the EU cant wean itself off Russian supplies of energy, an indication of why trade patterns that work cannot easily be undone. In any case, if the global market loses Russian supplies, energy prices would shoot up. This may tempt the Opec cartel to switch strategy and tighten its own supply. Various economies could be hurt, Americas included. Ever since the Ukraine war erupted in 2022, our imports have helped keep crude prices cool. Navarros prism may be too narrow to accept this, but fuel users of the world must. Where does Europe end and Russia begin? This centuries-old question underlies the meeting between President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Washington on Monday. The resolution of Russias war against Ukraine will settle this question, at least for now. Ukrainians are a separate and distinct people. Ukraine is a nation with its own history, language, poets, heroes and myths. Vladimir Putin denies this, but the facts speak for themselves. Generations of Ukrainians struggled for independence, and it has fallen on this generation to preserve it. Theyve fought the Russian invaders with courage, ingenuity and persistence in the face of daunting odds. Theyve exposed the hollowness of Mr. Putins claim that he has restored Russia as a great power. Although Russian troops outnumber Ukrainian troops, Russias army has paid dearly for incremental gains. Russia doesnt deserve an inch of Ukraines territory. In April 2014, during a period of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology polled the inhabitants of eight southern and eastern Ukrainian regions that the Kremlin was targeting. Only 15% of the population supported the idea of seceding from Ukraine and joining Russia, while 70% opposed it. Pro-Russian sentiment never reached a majority, even in Donetsk or Luhanskregions with a high percentage of Russian speakers. Most Ukrainians want to be part of Europe, not Russia. They want to join the European Union, not an economic association led by Mr. Putins cronies. They deny what Mr. Putin affirms, that the collapse of the Soviet Union was the biggest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century. They certainly dont want to help restore Russia. They want to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the strongest barrier against this outcome. The wars resolution will determine the extent to which Ukrainians can attain these goals. After meeting with Mr. Putin in Alaska, Mr. Trump abandoned his pursuit of an immediate cease-fire in favor of a comprehensive settlement, the approach on which Mr. Putin has insisted. In Mondays meeting, however, Frances President Emmanuel Macron and Germanys Chancellor Friedrich Merz made it clear to Mr. Trump that they would continue to push for a cease-fire in the first phase of these negotiations. Mr. Trump also took off the table the economic sanctions he had threatened to impose if Mr. Putin refused to accept a cease-fire. In an interview Sunday on Meet the Press," Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it clear sanctions would be imposed only if Mr. Trump concluded that Russia was stonewalling the negotiations. Whats next? Mr. Putin wont relinquish the Ukrainian territory he has seized, Ukraine cant win it back on the battlefield, and neither Europe nor the U.S. is prepared to take the steps necessary to push out the Russians. Meanwhile, Mr. Zelensky wont sign a document giving Russia sovereignty over the territories it has claimed. Nor will he give up a region that Mr. Putin has reportedly demanded must surrender: the portion of Donetsk that remains outside Russias control and contains some of Ukraines strongest defensive lines. Relinquishing it would be the modern equivalent to the Munich Agreement that Czechoslovakia was forced to sign in 1938, in which it agreed to cede its critical border regions and defenses to Nazi Germany. Rather than agreeing to a settlement that would leave open the possibility of Ukrainian membership in NATO, Mr. Putin appears prepared to continue the war indefinitely. Mr. Zelensky cant accept any arrangement that would leave his country facing Russia alone. He needs formal security guarantees along the lines of NATOs Article 5 from Europes best-armed countries and the U.S. By opening the door to U.S. participation in such an arrangement, Mr. Trump has removed, at least in principle, a significant obstacle to ending the conflict. Its hard to imagine that Mr. Zelensky would take seriously any security guarantee without foreign troops on Ukrainian soil. France and the U.K., Europes only nuclear powers, would have to take the lead. The Poles and Italians might agree to participate. Mr. Trump may balk at stationing U.S. troops in Ukraine, but without U.S. intelligence, air power and commitments to back them up if Russia reneges, most Europeans would be reluctant to leave their own forces exposed. The majority of Ukrainians are firmly against" any territorial concessions. If negotiations proceed, Mr. Zelensky may confront a challenge even harder than rallying his country against aggression: persuading his fellow citizens that Ukraines sovereignty and independence can be secured only at the price of its territorial integrity. Peace may not be possible without some concessions to Russia, but courageous leaders in Kyiv can allow most of Ukraine to move toward the Westa process that the U.S. should facilitate and the EU should accelerate. Only then will Europes boundary be secured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has strongly defended the Narendra Modi governments decision to introduce constitutional amendment bills preventing leaders from holding top offices such as Prime Minister, Chief Minister or Union and State Ministers while in jail. In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), Shah termed the reforms as a moral corrective against what he described as a decline in ethical standards in Indian politics. What do the new constitutional amendment bills propose? According to Amit Shah, the three bills are aimed at ensuring that people facing arrest or detention cannot continue running governments from behind bars. The proposals include: Prohibiting anyone under arrest from serving as Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Minister. Requiring accused politicians to secure bail within 30 days of arrest, failing which they would automatically lose their position. Allowing reinstatement once bail is granted through due legal process. Union Home Minister Amit Shah argued that the framers of the Constitution could not have anticipated a future where leaders would refuse to resign even after arrest. He pointed to recent instances where jailed chief ministers continued to exercise power, calling the development shocking and morally indefensible. Also Read | Shah tables Bills seeking removal of PM, CMs facing serious criminal charges How did Shah defend the Modi governments move? In his post, senior BJP leader Amit Shah positioned Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision as one of accountability, claiming the Prime Minister was voluntarily bringing himself and his office under the ambit of law. The Union Home Minister also contrasted this with the Congress-led Opposition, which he accused of resisting reform in order to cling to power and shield leaders accused of corruption. Now the people of the country need to decide: Is it right for a minister, chief minister, or prime minister to run a government from jail? Shah wrote. What historical comparisons did Shah draw? Amit Shah invoked the controversial 39th Constitutional Amendment, introduced under then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, which insulated the PMs office from judicial scrutiny. He contrasted that with the BJPs tradition of upholding accountability, citing examples such as LK Advani resigning from his post over mere allegations. He also criticised Congresss past attempts to protect leaders such as Lalu Prasad Yadav, recalling how a proposed ordinance to shield him was torn apart by Rahul Gandhi at the time, only for the same leader to share a stage with Yadav in Patna recently. Also Read | Amit Shah surpasses LK Advani as Home Minister How did Shah respond to criticism from the Opposition? Amit Shah said that when the Congress accused him of hypocrisy pointing to his own arrest in a case years ago he had resigned even before being taken into custody and did not hold office until being acquitted. The case, he added, was dismissed by the court as politically motivated. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, 20 August, tabled in Lok Sabha the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025. Home Minister Amit Shah said the three big-ticket anti-corruption draft laws, which also include provisions for the removal of a prime minister and chief ministers arrested on serious criminal charges, will be sent to the joint committee of the Lok Sabha amid protests by the opposition. Also Read | Amit Shah to move constitutional amendments about UTs LS today According to the proposed laws, if any one of them is arrested and detained in custody for a consecutive 30 days for offences that attract a jail term of at least five years, they will lose their job on the 31st day. The opposition protested and raised slogans against the proposed laws in the house. Soon after the Bills were introduced, Congress leader Manish Tewari said they undermined the law of the land and called them unconstitutional. Tewari demanded that the bills be withdrawn immediately. Shah later informed the house that the three bills would be sent to the joint panel for further scrutiny. This means bills won't be taken up in this Monsoon Session of Parliament, which ends on Thursday, July 21. What are the three Bills? The three bills are: (i) The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025; (ii) The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025; (iii) The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025; A minister, who for any period of 30 consecutive days during holding the office as such, is arrested and detained in custody, on allegation of committing an offence under any law for the time being in force, which is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or more, shall be removed from his office by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister to be tendered by the thirty-first day, after being taken in such custody, one of the bill reads. What does the Bill say about the Prime Minister? Provided that if the advice of the prime minister, for the removal of such minister, is not tendered to the President by the thirty-first day, he shall cease to be a minister, with effect from the day falling thereafter. Provided further that in case of the prime minister, who for any period of 30 consecutive days during holding the office as such, is arrested and detained in custody, on allegation of committing an offence under any law for the time being in force, which is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or more, shall tender his resignation by the thirty-first day after such arrest and detention, and if he does not tender his resignation, he shall cease to be the Prime Minister with effect from the day falling thereafter, reads the proposed law. As of now, there is no bar on ministers holding on to their offices after their arrests. Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji did not resigned from their posts since their arrests on different charges. According to the statement of objects and reasons of the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025, there is no provision under the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 (20 of 1963) for the removal of the chief minister or a minister arrested and detained in custody on account of serious criminal charges. The objectives of the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, say there is no provision under the Constitution for the removal of a minister who is arrested and detained in custody on account of serious criminal charges. Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation The objectives of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, say there is no provision under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) for the removal of the chief minister or a minister arrested and detained in custody on account of serious criminal charges. Hence, section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, needs to be amended to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in such cases. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives. The bills' introduction two days before the end of Parliament's Monsoon session and their implications surprised political circles. (Bloomberg) -- Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced plans to shrink her agency by 40% by the end of the year in what she called an effort to make the office more efficient, even as she clashes with the national security community she leads. The overhaul would save taxpayers $700 million per year by eliminating redundant missions, functions and personnel at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Gabbard said in a statement. The ODNI oversees the USs 18 intelligence agencies. Instead, the ODNI will invest in areas that support the Presidents national intelligence priorities, and focuses on rebuilding trust, exposing politicization and weaponization of intelligence, and holding bad actors accountable, the statement said. Bloomberg previously reported that the White House was pressing ahead with plans to slash the top spy agency. Officials from both parties concede that the ODNI has become too bloated over the years and that the agency often duplicates work carried out by the independent intelligence agencies it oversees. Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas who leads the intelligence committee, welcomed the announcement as an important step towards returning ODNI to that original size, scope, and mission. But the effort comes as Gabbard has been openly confrontational with the workforce she leads. The spy chief has sought to root out politicization by referring intelligence officers for prosecution over alleged leaks of classified information. Earlier this week, Gabbard suspended the security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials, continuing Trumps trend of revoking clearances as a means of political retribution. Two top officials from the National Intelligence Council were also reportedly fired in May after the release of a declassified memo that contradicted Trumps basis for deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members. Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that while lawmakers broadly agree ODNI is in need of thoughtful reform, Gabbard has a track record of politicizing intelligence. The Virginia Democrat added in a statement he has no confidence that she is the right person to carry out this weighty responsibility. --With assistance from Jamie Tarabay and Nancy Cook. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com CP Radhakrishnan, the Vice Presidential candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), filed nomination papers on 20 August. Radhakrishnan was accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President JP Nadda, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among other leaders. Before filing his papers, Radhakrishnan paid tributes at Prerna Sthal, which houses statues of iconic personalities in the Parliament complex, ahead of filing his nomination on Wednesday. He first bowed before the giant statue of Mahatma Gandhi and then proceeded to pay tributes to other noted personalities. Radhakrishnan is pitted against former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, whom the Opposition INDIA bloc named its candidate for the Vice President's election on 9 September. Also Read | PM Modi appeals for unanimous election of Radhakrishnan as vice president Radhakrishnan's nomination comes a month after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as Vice President on 21 July, opening the contest for his successor. Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022 and served until 2027. Who is CP Radhakrishnan? CP Radhakrishnan has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP, since he was 16. He became a state Executive Committee Member of the Bharatiya Janasangh in 1974. Jana Sangh was founded in 1951 by Syama Prasad Mukherjee, before it became the BJP in 1980. Radhakrishnan was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore twice. During his tenure as an MP, he served as Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Textiles. He was also a member of the Parliamentary Committee for Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and the Consultative Committee for Finance. He was a member of the Parliamentary Special Committee investigating the Stock Exchange Scam. How is the Vice President Elected? According to Articles 63 to 71 of the Constitution and the Vice President (Election) Rules, 1974, a formal election had to be held within 60 days of Dhankhar's resignation on 21 July. The electorate or the electoral college comprises all members of both Houses of Parliament elected and nominated using a proportional representation system via a single transferable vote. The MPs cast a single transferable vote with a secret ballot. The ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance(NDA) has a majority in the electorate, which includes the members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reached Kabul on Wednesday, 20 August, for talks with Taliban leaders from Afghanistan. This marks his first trip to the country since a surprise visit in March 2022. Before reaching Kabul, Yi made a rare stop in India, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi will also travel to China later in August for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, his first trip there in seven years. Ties between India and China are slowly improving after the deadly 2020 clash. However, Beijings strong bond with Pakistan continues to cause suspicion in India. Also Read | Raut cites Kulbhushan Jadhav to counter Shah's Rajya Sabha remarks on terrorists Neither China nor Pakistan formally recognises the Taliban government. Yet, Beijing has quietly played the role of Big Brother. Wang will later visit Pakistan for three days to meet Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Kabul talks will cover terrorism issues and plans to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan. The project is part of Chinas Belt and Road plan. The meeting comes as Kabul and Islamabad hold closer trade and security discussions. Also Read | Kangana Ranaut says drugs coming to Himachal from Pakistan Dar travelled to Kabul earlier in April. In July, Chinas envoy, Yue Xiaoyong, visited Afghanistan and Pakistan. Tension between the two neighbours centres on the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Islamabad alleges Kabul shelters the militant group. TTP also threatens Chinese projects like CPEC. After recent talks, the Taliban pledged Afghan soil would not be used for TTP actions. Pakistan and Afghanistan are growing closer on trade. Last month, their deputy commerce ministers signed a deal in Islamabad to reduce tariffs on farm exports. Both countries, along with Uzbekistan, have also planned a railway study linking Central Asia to Pakistans ports through CPEC. India opposes this move as it sees Afghanistan within its strategic sphere. Should India be worried? As China and Pakistan hold talks with the Taliban, India may keep a close watch on whats cooking. A May report in The Express Tribune claimed that China, Pakistan and the Taliban had privately agreed to restrict Indias role in Afghanistan. The understanding was reached at a secret meeting in Kabul between Pakistans envoy Mohammad Sadiq Khan, Chinas representative Yue Xiaoyong and the Talibans acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Talks centred on limiting Indias presence to diplomacy while discouraging any wider role. The director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency is urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over a pair of mortgages, the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration to increase legal scrutiny of Democratic figures and appointees. FHFA Director Bill Pulte, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, wrote a letter to Bondi and DOJ official Ed Martin on Aug. 15 suggesting that Cook may have committed a criminal offense. The letter, a copy of which was seen by Bloomberg News, alleges that Cook falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, potentially committing mortgage fraud under the criminal statute. Trumps administration has pursued mortgage fraud allegations against high-profile Democrats, including California Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Both are longtime political foes of Trump. The Cook referral expands that effort to the Fed, as Trump allies including Pulte press the US central bank to lower rates and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to resign before his term as chair expires in May. No charges have been filed and its not clear whether Bondi will investigate. The Justice Department declined comment. The Federal Reserve declined comment. Cook did not respond to requests for comment late Tuesday. Pulte said Cook took a mortgage on a property in Ann Arbor, Michigan, signing a mortgage agreement that stipulated she would use the property as her primary residence for at least a year. Two weeks later, according to the letter, she took another mortgage on a Georgia property and also declared it would be her primary residence. Pulte also called on Bondi to look into whether Cook misrepresented her circumstances by later listing the Georgia property for rental. The letter includes copies of mortgage documents in Cooks name, as well as an apparent rental listing from 2022, a little over a year after she bought the Georgia property. Trump has put substantial pressure on Powell and the Fed to lower rates, tarnishing the chairman as Too Late in social media posts arguing the Fed should have started slashing rates months ago, while also heavily criticizing Powell and the Fed over its ongoing headquarters renovation project. The documents in the referral show that Cook took a $203,000, 15-year mortgage on a property in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2021. The document included a stipulation that she shall occupy, establish and use the Property as Borrowers principal residence within 60 days and for at least one year, unless the lender, the University of Michigan Credit Union, agreed in writing. The document is dated June 18, 2021, and its not clear whether the lender agreed to or was aware of her subsequent purchase. Then, on July 2, 2021, Cook took a separate, 30-year mortgage, for $540,000 on a property in Georgia, according to the referral. Her mortgage loan there, too, has an occupancy clause stating the borrower must make it a primary residence within 60 days and for at least one year. In his letter to Bondi, Pulte alleges that Cook appears to have acquired mortgages that do not meet certain lending requirements and could have received favorable loan terms under fraudulent circumstances. Pulte cited four criminal statues for Bondi to investigate for potential charges. Pulte also sent Bondi what appears to be a rental listing for the same Georgia unit, indicating that the property was intended to be used as an investment/rental property, and not in fact a primary residence, according to the letter. Cook was nominated to the Fed by President Joe Biden and took office in 2022, becoming the first Black woman to serve on the Feds board of governors. She was later nominated by Biden for a full term, which expires in 2038. The surprise early resignation of former Fed Governor Adriana Kugler, another Biden pick, gives Trump an early opening to nominate someone to the central banks board and steer its monetary policy trajectory more toward his preferred path. He has named one of his economic aides, Stephen Miran, to fill the slot on an interim basis. With assistance from Amara Omeokwe. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday described as reasonable the governments new constitutional amendment bills seeking automatic removal of the Prime Minister, chief ministers or ministers if they are detained on serious criminal charges for 30 consecutive days. Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, along with two supplementary bills in the Lok Sabha. The proposed legislation stipulates that holders of high constitutional office must resignor else automatically lose officeif they remain in custody for a month on charges carrying at least five years of potential imprisonment. Also Read | Shah tables Bills seeking removal of PM, CMs facing serious criminal charges What exactly does the bill propose? The legislation covers the Prime Minister, Union ministers, chief ministers and state ministers, including those in Union Territories. According to the draft, if such an office-bearer is arrested and detained for 30 consecutive days on serious criminal allegations, he or she must resign on the 31st day. Failing that, removal will be automatic. The amendment also provides that in case of the chief minister, who for any period of 30 consecutive days during holding the office as such, is arrested and detained in custody, on allegation of committing an offence under any law for the time being in force, which is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or more, shall tender his resignation by the 31st day after such arrest and detention, and if the person does not tender resignation, they shall cease to be the chief minister, with effect from the day falling thereafter. It also provides that nothing in this sub-section shall prevent such chief ministers or ministers from being subsequently appointed as the chief minister or a minister by the Lieutenant Governor, on his release from custody, as per sub-section (1). Also Read | Amit Shah to move constitutional amendments about UTs LS today Why does the government argue this is necessary? The Narendra Modi-led governments explanatory note contends that allowing ministers accused of grave crimes to remain in office undermines constitutional morality, weakens public trust, and hampers governance. By codifying automatic removal, the central government claims it is strengthening accountability and ensuring higher ethical standards in public life. How did Shashi Tharoor respond? Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday, 20 August, remarked, Anyone who does anything wrong should be liable to punishment and should not be holding a high constitutional office. Talking to ANI reporters, MP Shashi Tharoor called the constitutional bills 'reasonable". I think that makes sense..., he added. Talking to NDTV, Tharoor had also said, "If you spend 30 days in jail, can you continue to be a minister? This is a matter of common sense... I don't see anything wrong in this," He said, I think it is good for our democracy to have a discussion within the committee... so let's have that discussion. Also Read | Amit Shah to move bills for removal of PM, CMs held on serious criminal charges Also Read | Centre to refer key bills to Parliamentary panel How has the opposition reacted? The wider Congress party has attacked the legislation. Party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called it draconian, warning that it could be misused by ruling parties to dislodge elected leaders on flimsy or politically motivated cases. Tomorrow, you can file any case against a Chief Minister, have him/her arrested for 30 days without conviction and he ceases to be a Chief Minister? It is absolutely anti-constitutional, Priyanka Gandhi argued. President Donald Trump said the US wont approve solar and wind projects that hurt farmland, claiming they are inflating electricity prices. The post on Truth Social, Trumps latest attack on renewables, comes a day after the US Department of Agriculture said it was ending programs that provide financial support to clean energy on productive farmland. The move presents challenges to growers who have leaned on federal incentives to diversify income amid low crop prices. Any State that has built and relied on WINDMILLS and SOLAR for power are seeing RECORD BREAKING INCREASES IN ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY COSTS, the president said. THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY! We will not approve wind or farmer destroying Solar. The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!!. Electricity prices have jumped in the past year, though experts say the causes are factors that include increased demand from data centers and manufacturing after years of relatively flat growth. Prices for farmland have also surged to records, with higher demand for industrial uses including energy a contributing factor, though such projects account for relatively little of US agricultural acres. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a Tuesday statement that subsidized solar farms have made it more difficult for farmers to access farmland by making it more expensive and less available. The USDA said wind and solar projects no longer qualify for the agencys rural development business loans. Solar panel projects of more than 50 kilowatts also no longer qualify for the separate Rural Energy for America Program. USDA-funded projects can also no longer use panels manufactured by foreign adversaries. The American Farmland Trust, a nonprofit focused on preserving agricultural land, called the RE program a key source of support for nearly 20,000 farmers and businesses to increase the viability of their businesses. Nearly 120,000 farms had solar panels in 2022, up 30% from 2017, according to the most recent USDA agricultural census. Another 14,500 farms had wind turbines. Still, most acres surrounding solar and wind energy projects also remained agricultural, according to a 2024 USDA study. The senseless policy will only make it harder for farmers and landowners to decide for themselves what is best to keep their farms alive and operating with diverse revenue sources, said Stephanie Bosh, senior vice president of communications at the Solar Energy Industries Association. While the US doesnt have direct control over clean energy projects built on private property, it has wide leverage over projects built on public lands, authority the administration hasnt been afraid of using through wide-ranging permitting reviews and other steps taken by the Department of Interior singling out wind and solar projects. With assistance from Isis Almeida. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Over a century ago, Austin Swans father attended a relocation planning meeting for the village of Kivalina, a small community in the Alaskan Arctic Circle. Established on a sandy barrier island, Kivalina had an eroding coast line and needed to move further inland to protect the homes of a mostly Native community of Inupiat residents. That was when the landmass was twice what it used to be. They were talking about relocation already, says Swan, 77, the villages mayor. The village is only about a mile long and a few hundred feet wide. Its viewed as among the most indefensible places in the US from the consequences of global warming. Remote, only accessible by plane, and built entirely on a sand bar, Kivalina has long been a case study for scientists, politicians and civil engineers, all trying to front-run a climate disaster that will sweep away the few dozen structures belonging to about 300 local residents. But despite all the interest it has amassed, almost nothing has moved. On a July afternoon, Swan was sitting in the front room of one of the only structures successfully relocated in the 100 years since his dad attended that meeting: the villages school. Its about eight miles uphill and inland, on a site identified as safer from climate change than the sand spit the current village is built on. The tentative plan is to move the entire village to the same plot of land, forming a town around the school building. Bountiful berry bushes separate the brand-new school buildingwhich the state allotted $43 million to buildingand the village, which lacks widespread water and sewer systems. The road to the school cost an additional $53.1 million, according to the Northwest Arctic Borough planning department. When a storm is bad, debris and waves can crash onto the towns airplane runway. Melting permafrost turns fields into lumpy mush. Where no puddles once formed, standing water is now constant. The small community filed a lawsuit years ago, blaming Exxon Mobil Corp. and others for the climate dangers it faced. (The Supreme Court declined to hear the case in 2013, effectively ending the legal battle). The town was supposed to be an early example of strategic retreat. The Army Corps of Engineers has long urged relocation and President Barack Obama did a flyover of the remote village, also promising a move. The Army Corps and local politicians estimate transferring the community of around 400 people could cost as much as $1 million a head. But thats if they are able to secure the funds at allan increasingly unlikely feat in a shrinking federal government. Swan was among the lawmakers, law enforcement officers, Indigenous community elders, tribal representatives and climate experts were gathered at Kivalinas relocated school last month for a three-day summit to discuss safety in the Northwest Arctic. Attendees slept inside the school on cots, and one of the police officers who used to have a restaurant cooked group meals, with an emphasis on Costco staples. The conference focused on several primary topics: the murdered and missing Indigenous persons epidemic, emergency preparedness, and climate change. Neither problem has a singular solution and both, more than anything, desperately need funding that is harder to come by in a federal government defined by spending cuts. To kick off the event, a local emergency manager tried to parse how FEMA cuts could impact this rural Arctic community. We need to pour more effort and diligence into our hazard mitigation planning process, says Kelly Hamilton, the Northwest Arctic Borough official who helped organize the summit and hoped ample pre-planning for disasters could help communities facing imminent climate risk. In an hour-long session meant to prepare the area for climate retreat, no firm way to pay for retreat was proposed. I dont know where the funding comes from, says State Representative Robyn Niayuq Burke, a newly elected Democrat who represents Kivalina and spoke on the panel. The area she represents is roughly the size of Germany, and she emphasized the diversity of opinions and interests among her constituents. Even in the community that I grew up in, people dont like to hear the term climate change. It is challenging in that way as well. Our state government is more reactive than proactive. The tightening timeframe to make change was on all the panelists minds, even if a plan to expedite relocation had yet to be formed. The frequency of the challenges of things like flooding, and coastal erosion, and the time pressure thats on a lot of our communities is so much more frequent now than it was 10, 15, 20, 50 years ago, says Ashley Carrick, Alaska state representative and Democrat who attended the panel alongside Burke. Prior to the mandated schooling of local Native children, the indigenous community primarily used the areas as a seasonal hunting and fishing grounds, moving as the weather dictated. Kivalina was not settled year-round and the local community was not tethered to a sand spit hampered by winter storms. For generations, the Native community was able to maintain its subsistence lifestyle in relative peace. When missionaries, whalers, and the federal government came bursting into Alaska in the 19th century, the original residents of the Arctic found their way of life was forced to change, with permanent, year round settlements becoming the norm. Communities often form around schools, and by sticking the school house on a barrier island, homes and churches grew around it. No one asked the Native community if that was a particularly good location for a school, says Colleen Swan, an elder in Kivalina, who is a member of the mayors family. They dropped it on this little spit out therea sand spit. Thats how our village started. We didn't make this decisionit was made by people who didn't know any better. Maybe they did not regard the Native people as people they could consult with, says Colleen Swan, who also served as a councilwoman. All of the issues we face today, they're all because we were not included in the discussion, in the planning, and most importantly the decision making. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Philips is a well-known brand in Indias grooming space with products ranging from trimmers to hair dryers and shavers. The Dutch company recently launched its new i9000 electric shaver, which promises a comfortable shaving experience tailored to each user with the help of AI. But how well does it hold up to that promise? Lets find out in this review. Design and app connectivity Opening the box of the Philips i9000 shaver, youre greeted with the device itself, a charging cable, and a premium-feeling travel case. The charging cable connects from USB-A to a proprietary pin, which feels like a missed opportunity for a premium product since USB-C has become the standard across most accessories. The shaver itself feels premium in hand despite being made of polycarbonate. Theres a power button in the middle with a small display just below it, while the shaving heads sit on top. Philips claims the i9000 offers a personalized shaving experience via its GroomTribe app, but I was unable to get the shaver paired with the Android app and therefore couldnt test these features. Battery life, however, is impressive. While I didnt completely drain it to the claimed 60-minute runtime, my usage suggests its more or less accurate. Performance The shaver uses a triple-action lift-and-cut system powered by dual steel precision blades that Philips says can perform 78 million cutting motions per minute. The i9000 is great for tackling small stubble (up to a week old), but if you have a longer beard, youll need to trim it down before shaving. In practice, the process is straightforward: press the button, and the shaver kicks into action. It does feel like it adapts to the contours of your face as you go. As a first-time user, there is a slight learning curve, but once you get comfortable, the device really grows on you. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Female entrepreneurs from Longford are being encouraged to submit their applications for the latest cycle of ACORNS, a highly successful development programme to support women living in rural Ireland who are in the early stages of starting their own business. Longford entrepreneur Bronagh Rogers of Bean & Bread recently completed the latest cycle of the programme.- ACORNS 10. She joins Ellen Madden of Down the Floral Path as previous Longford participants calling on businesswomen to join the programme. Read more: Longford cheers on Step By Step walkers as they head to Knock ACORNS has been providing support to early-stage female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland for more than a decade and has recently launched the 11th cycle of the business development programme. The deadline for applications for ACORNS 11 is midnight, September 22. There are up to 50 places available for ACORNS 11. Those wishing to receive an application form should register on the website (www.acorns.ie). Bronagh Rogers, who worked as a chef for ten years in Dublin, London, New York and Canada, among other locations, had to rethink her vocation when like many people working in hospitality she was let go during the Covid-19 pandemic. So, the native of Mullinalaghta, which is outside Granard, in Co Longford, swapped cheffing for baking three years ago and set up her business at home in a premises she built herself. However, while the bakery was a success, Bronagh couldnt help but notice that the various coffee shops she was supplying were making considerably more money from her products than she was. This inspired her to pivot her business, and she opened her own cafe Bean & Bread in Granard in April last year. Ellen Madden, an ACORNS 9 participant, studied to become a florist in Paris before returning to her home in Longford town to set up Down the Floral Path www.downthefloralpath.com, her wedding and events floral service. Ellen says that the ACORNS programme dispelled the sense of being overwhelmed about what to do with her business and how to go about doing it. She says that having tasks to do before each monthly meeting helped her to focus on specific areas and talking through issues with the other participants was very beneficial. ACORNS is based on the belief that early-stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers. Participants interact with each other in the monthly round table sessions, which are facilitated by a Lead Entrepreneur. Read more: Ukrainian community in Longford invite locals to Ukrainian Independence Day event Only early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, and who have had no sales before the end of June 2022, are eligible to apply. Selection is on a competitive basis due to the high demand of applications. Step By Step is a walk done by Marys Meals, and has reached its thirteenth year. Taking place between August 7 to 15, this walk had participants head towards Knock in Co Mayo, passing through Longford. The walk, which first began in Donegal, has spread all over Ireland, and all the Marys Meals centres collectively participate in this fundraising project. Read more: WATCH: Longford Rose of Tralee gets crowd going with Jumbo Breakfast Roll performance Dolores Kiernan, Longford branchs chairperson, welcomed the group on behalf of Marys Meals. Cllr Uruemu was also welcoming the walkers on behalf of Longford. It was the goodness of everybody, really, said Kitty Pross, who is part of Longfords Marys Meals. The reception had the most beautiful food you could offer, the abundance of kindness, the pipe band led the walkers in from the canal. The Gardai were there, a community guard named James. The outpouring of goodness was wonderful. It is a beautiful experience. It was a four-day walk. The goodness along the way, people giving us food, putting us up. The simplicity of walking out in the fresh air is something that is very beautiful and very good. Kitty added how she would love to see more people get involved in the walk next year, as well as more volunteers for the Longford Marys Meals in the future. Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi said: "As Cathaoirleach of Longford Municipal District, I was delighted to welcome the Marys Meals walkers as they passed through Longford on their journey from Dublin to Knock. This remarkable initiative highlights the spirit of solidarity and compassion at the heart of our communities. I want to sincerely thank our local Marys Meals group, An Garda Siochana and Herterichs for their invaluable support and hospitality on the day." Marys Meals are currently feeding almost 3 million children in 16 of the poorest countries of the world, and provides a daily meal in a place of education for 22 for a year. Each meal costs 11c. Kitty explains that the children come to the school to get food and in turn receive an education also. Read more: Invitation to Longford citizens to join Women's Aid walk for awareness Marys Meals started in 2002 feed 200 children in a school in Malawi. Now, it is a worldwide charity fighting hunger. MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 52 Years for Brutal Kidnapping and Assault of Teen in Brentwood Crime, Press Releases By Long Island Published: August 20 2025 Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Yeison Yerba Chavez Campos, 23, of Huntington Station, was sentenced to 52 years in prison plus 5 years of post-release supervision for his role in a ... Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Yeison Yerba Chavez Campos, 23, of Huntington Station, was sentenced to 52 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision after a jury found him guilty of Gang Assault in the First Degree, Kidnapping in the Second Degree and other related charges after a jury trial, for his role in a January 6, 2024 violent attack on a 15-year-old at the Pilgrim State Mental Facility in Brentwood that left the child unconscious. Chavez Campos was one of seven members and associates of the Huntington Criminal Locates Salvatrucha or HCLS clique of the MS-13 street gang convicted of the attack. This brutal attack should not have happened. This defendant and his MS-13 co-conspirators are on notice that they cannot engage in wanton acts of violence in or communities, said District Attorney Tierney. We will continue to work with our county and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that members of trans-national violent street gangs who seek to harm our residents are incarcerated and held responsible for their actions. The evidence at trial established that on the morning of January 6, 2024, the 15-year-old victim was lured to the Huntington Train Station by a group of MS-13 members and associates. While at the train station, Chavez Campos and four other MS-13 members/associates surrounded the victim and took the victims money. Chavez Campos and the others then punched the victim repeatedly, knocked the victim to the ground, and kicked the victim multiple times. After the assault, Chavez Campos and his MS-13 associates forced the victim into a vehicle and drove the victim to the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in Brentwood. Once there, the assailants brought him into an abandoned building. Inside the building, Chavez Campos and the other MS-13 members/associates beat the victim repeatedly, struck him with a brick in the back of the head, and stabbed him in the neck. Chavez Campos and the other assailants then fled the abandoned building and left the victim unconscious on the ground inside the abandoned building. Hours later, Chavez Campos and his co-defendants returned to the building with garbage bags and shovels, prepared to bury the victim but could not find him. Miraculously, the victim lived through the assault. He regained consciousness, found a way out of the building and walked to a nearby road where he collapsed. A short time later he was found by a Good Samaritan who called 911. The victim was brought to a local hospital, and required surgery, including a craniotomy, to treat a brain bleed and fractured skull. He ultimately survived his injuries. On July 18, 2025, Chavez Campos was convicted after a jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Anthony S. Senft, Jr. on the following charges: One count of Gang Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; One count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; One count of Kidnapping in the Second Degree, a Class B violent felony; One count of Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a Class C violent felony; One count of Gang Assault in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony; Two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree, Class C violent felonies; and Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, Class D violent felonies. Chavez Camposs co-defendants Josue Shrek Zepeda Padilla, Brayan Gucci Jimenez Avila, Maycoll Pirata Ramirez Cerrato, Marcos Jero Serpos, Maybelline Garcia Cornejo and Henry Lemus Nieto previously pleaded guilty to the charges contained in the indictment and are awaiting sentencing. On August 20, 2025, Chavez Campos was sentenced to 52 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. He was being represented by Pierre Bazile, Esq. The United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has lodged a detainer to take custody and deport Chaves Campos after he serves his sentence. IDF Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir conducts a field tour in Gaza on August 17, meeting members of the IDFs 36th Division. (IDF) On August 19, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) began the opening maneuvers of a new offensive aimed at uprooting Hamas from Gaza City. The first moves, with tanks and infantry, began after the Israeli security cabinet approved plans in mid-August for a new operation in Gaza. The goal is to expand on IDF gains that took place between May and July 2025 and move forces into Gaza City and possibly also the Central Camps area of the territory. The IDF has not controlled all of Gaza City nor the Central Camps during the war. The Israeli offensive comes as hostage and ceasefire talks are ongoing. Although the new offensive in Gaza City has been critiqued abroad, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said it is necessary to defeat Hamas. Israels Ynet reported on August 19 that Israeli tanks had advanced into the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City. The IDF was also reportedly operating in Zeitoun, a suburb of Gaza City that the IDF operated in several times in 2024. Israel is calling up 60,000 reservists for the new operation in Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz approved plans for the occupation of Gaza City on August 19. The plan is dubbed Gideons Chariot II, an indicator of its intent to build on Gideons Chariots, the operation that began in May and seized around 75 percent of Gaza from Hamas. That effort primarily retook areas the IDF had already cleared and operated in during late 2023 and 2024. In many cases, the IDF had maneuvered into neighborhoods such as Beit Hanoun and then left them. Gideons Chariots aimed to secure and hold these areas. IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said on August 20 that from a military terrorist organization, [Hamas] has become a battered and bruised guerrilla organization. Israels Prime Ministers Office put out a statement the same day that noted, Ahead of approval of the plans for the operation in Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the timetablesfor seizing control of the last terrorist strongholds and the defeat of Hamasbe shortened. Gaza City is a large urban area comprising numerous neighborhoods and a ring of suburbs that extend around northern Gaza. Around five IDF divisions are expected to take part in the new campaign. A similar number of divisions took part in Gideons Chariots and during intense periods of fighting in Gaza earlier in the war. Hamas continues to try to carry out attacks. The IDF said on August 20 that 15 terrorists fired both gunfire and anti-tank missiles and attempted to infiltrate a fortified position of the 90th battalion, Kfir Brigade, in the area of Khan Yunis. During the incident, the troops were able to eliminate ten armed terrorists in close-quarters combat, supported by Israel Air Force airstrikes. In Jabalia in northern Gaza, the IDFs 162nd Division also continued operations. As part of their activity, the troops are dismantling military infrastructures above and below ground, eliminating terrorists, and consolidating operational control in the area. This enables the expansion of the operation to additional locations and prevents terrorist organizations from returning to their positions, the IDF stated. As part of the prelude to the beginning of Gideons Chariots II, IDF Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir went to Gaza and met with the 36th Division. You have been fighting for nearly two consecutive years, achieving unprecedented accomplishments that bring security to the communities near the Gaza Strip and to all the civilians of Israel. I am proud of you. The IDF bears the moral duty to bring the hostages home, both alive and fallen, Zamir said. Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza (2024). Note: Artificial intelligence was used to help generate this story from original content created by masslive.com. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. A culinary landmark returned to Springfields dining scene last month as The Mamou opened its doors at 272 Worthington St., bringing back the Cajun flavors that had been missing from the citys restaurant offerings since Big Mamou closed in 2020. Chef Ivan Felix, who trained under original Big Mamou owner Chef Wayne Hooker, has taken the helm of this revival, striking a careful balance between preserving beloved classics and introducing fresh culinary innovations. The name of the restaurant is The Mamou, formerly known as the Big Mamou, Felix told MassLive earlier this month. The slight name change came naturally, as Felix noticed how people referred to the original restaurant. Every time people talked about it or they talk about us, its like, Oh, lets go to the Mamou. The Mamou. Hey, did you go to the Mamou? The restaurant maintains strong connections to its predecessor, which opened on Liberty Street in 1996. A sign displaying The Big Mamou hangs at the entrance as a tribute to the original establishment, while the shortened name The Mamou appears above. Felixs journey to restaurant ownership began in high school at Putnam Vocational-Technical High School in Springfield, where he chose culinary arts out of necessity. My mother was working multiple jobs. It was just me and her. So, I told myself, well, man, you got to learn how to cook, Felix recalled. That practical decision evolved into a passion that led him through various culinary positions before connecting with Chef Wayne through his wife, Lisa. Wayne can still occasionally be seen back in the kitchen, helping out. The menu at The Mamou is designed to satisfy longtime fans while introducing new elements. I would say a good 90% of what theyre getting currently is what they remember, Felix said. Popular items such as bayou meatloaf, crawfish quesadillas and yayas will be reintroduced over time. The Guava Salmon dish on a bed of Cajun Crawfish Risotto and Sauteed Brussels at The Mamoum at 272 Worthington Street, Springfield, Mass. Sebastian Restrepo Working alongside Chef Jose Correa, Felix has created new offerings that infuse Cajun flavors into innovative dishes. Plans include exploring Cajun-Italian and Cajun-Mexican fusion concepts. We have collaborated and put our heads together to put some Cajun flair to specific items, like our guava salmon or our papas pork chop, Felix said. The community response has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Felix. People are coming in, the smiles on peoples faces, people telling me, Hey, this is exactly what I remember. I havent had it in many years, and you brought me back. You got people, generations of people that used to go to The (Big) Mamou. People that were kids, Wayne cooking for them are now adults, and theyre bringing their kids now, he added. Its my chance to see that generation grow up the way he did. That, to me, is gold. Felix spent time in New Orleans with Wayne, an experience that influences his vision for The Mamou. The Mamou has an extensive menu of New Orleans inspired meals as well as cocktails with their signature 'M' molded into their ice cubes at 272 Worthington Street, Springfield, Mass. Sebastian Restrepo The culture, the smells, the taste, the things that you see, the lifestyle. It was incredible, he said. The restaurant even plays a live feed of Bourbon Street to capture some of that atmosphere. Looking toward the future, Felix plans to enhance the dining experience with live music. As Felix notes, If you know anything about down south, when they do it, live bands in every corner in New Orleans. Theres a beautiful music scene out here. Theres young, talented people who are actively playing. So why not give them an outlet, a place, a stage to perform? Other plans include crawfish boil festivals, brunches and possibly a food truck or catering operation. For those unfamiliar with Cajun cuisine, Felix recommends starting with jambalaya, gumbo or etouffee. The process of making that is a labor of love, he said of gumbo. Just to be able to start there gives you kind of hints of how dedicated they are down there to their craft and their cuisine. A student at the University of Massachusetts Boston pushed tears away from her eyes on a recent morning, thinking about her younger siblings who will be able to attend college for free. A rising senior, who asked that her name not be used due to her undocumented status, has fought hard for her college degree. She worked over 30 hours a week for three years in a restaurant on top of other jobs and earned scholarships to pay the $8,000 tuition per semester. The states 2023 tuition equity law, designed to help all students access in-state tuition and financial aid at public universities, is leaving undocumented and immigrant students like her behind because of one qualification, according to high school teachers and counselors. Embedded in the law is a requirement that students have completed three years of high school in Massachusetts to be eligible. The UMass Boston student moved to Massachusetts from Venezuela with her family around four years ago for a better future. She had completed high school in Venezuela, but enrolled at a Massachusetts high school for a year to learn how to apply to colleges and brush up on her English skills. She has authorization to work in Massachusetts and is in the process of applying to become a legal permanent resident. For undocumented and immigrant students who come to the country partway through high school, the three-year requirement excludes them from being able to significantly reduce the cost of attending a public university. Sometimes the reduction could mean lowering the cost of attendance by as much as half if they dont otherwise qualify for in-state tuition. That means that her siblings, who meet the three-year qualification, will have a dramatically different college experience. Sometimes I feel like its really unfair. Because Im the older sister, and Ive just been dedicating my life to study and to work. But Im happy for my siblings, she said, spinning a ring around her finger as her bracelets chimed. Due to her undocumented status, she also doesnt qualify for federal financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA. Its been really hard for me, and sometimes I feel like I dont take time for me, she said. I dont have time for anything, just school and work and not even school. She has gone through extraordinary circumstances to remain enrolled. Many dont get as far as her. 2023 tuition equity law requirement is inequitable Oftentimes, the three-year qualification blocks many students from being able to afford college, forcing them to go into the workforce, become a part-time student or only be able to complete a two-year degree, according to Frances Melchor, a former Boston high school counselor who has worked for years solely with undocumented and immigrant students. This often affects the around 3,000 undocumented students in Massachusetts graduating from high school every year, according to Higher Ed Immigration Portal data. Most students who are undocumented dream of going to a selective four-year school, Melchor said. A lot of them come here for a better life and to go to college, and when its time to apply, first of all, there are not a lot of resources available, and second of all, the money is not there. So a lot of times they end up just working or some of them have even enrolled in like [the] Marines or Army [for students with green cards] to cover the expenses instead of going to college, Melchor said. Of the 24 students she worked with this past year, only four qualified for in-state tuition and aid through the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid, also known as MASFA, Melchor said. Its inequitable to put a three-year requirement because its almost like a band-aid. Theyre claiming to support undocumented students who dont qualify for FAFSA, but theyre putting a limit on it, Melchor said. Massachusetts is trying to seem more liberal and supportive and thats not the case," she said. MassLive reached out to several legislators and politicians to ask why the three-year requirement was created all declined to comment or didnt respond. Challenges within a federal landscape The pushback from high school guidance counselors and advocates on the three-year requirement in Massachusetts comes at a time when the federal government is trying to eliminate such laws. It is suing Minnesota, Texas, Kentucky and Oklahoma over their tuition equity laws. Since being challenged, Oklahoma and Texas have agreed to end in-state tuition for noncitizens. The U.S. Department of Justice claims that the states discriminate against U.S. citizens who dont otherwise qualify. Around two dozen states offer similar opportunities for undocumented students to access in-state tuition and/or financial aid, according to Higher Ed Immigration Portal data. The lawsuits have similar tenets to what is laid out in Project 2025, a conservative master plan that reenvisions a federal government with expanded presidential power, including over private and public universities and colleges. President Donald Trump also signed an executive order in April calling for the Attorney General to identify and stop in-state higher education tuition to aliens but not to out-of-state American citizens. You can lose everything tomorrow Although the UMass Boston student has been working to obtain permanent residency since moving to the U.S. four years ago, she and her family are still undocumented something that she said remains on her mind under this current presidential administration. You can lose everything tomorrow. You have to live day by day, she said. Since taking office, Trump has laid out a plan to deport one million immigrants this year, according to the Washington Post. Her family tries not to read or watch the news with the flurry of actions against undocumented and immigrant students and families, she said. Immigrants without legal status in Massachusetts contributed nearly $650 million in taxes in 2022 a number that would have increased by $200 million if all immigrants had been given work authorizations, according to a study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Mass. officials defend tuition equity laws While Massachusetts officials arent aware of any legal challenges to its tuition equity law, they said they will defend the law should it be challenged, according to Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbells office. The executive order signed by Trump doesnt apply to the in-state tuition law, according to Campbells office. The states tuition equity complies with federal law because it isnt based on residency and doesnt treat people differently based on their immigration status, they said. In Sen. Joanne M. Comerfords mind, the Trump administrations argument that non-U.S. citizens are taking seats from U.S. citizens is part of a larger xenophobic, outright racist and sometimes dog whistle-y rhetoric. Our institutions are competing for students because there are fewer numbers of students accessing it, Comerford, chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, said. Opening the doors wider means we get to have more students who would have perhaps self-selected out for any number of reasons, mostly having to do with cost, she said. Should the three-year requirement be changed? While Massachusetts tuition equity law was a great first step in helping more people enter higher education, it isnt doing enough, according to educators. Adriana Costache is the cochair of Unafraid Educators, an organizing committee of the Boston Teachers Union working to support undocumented and immigrant students and families. She runs the Unafraid Scholarship, which offers undocumented and immigrant students between $500 and $4,500 to attend college. The scholarship is supported by individual donors and by the Mass Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. It is one primary way for undocumented and immigrant students to afford college without qualifying for MASFA. Of the 43 scholarship applicants this year, only nine qualified for MASFA, she said. I can tell you ... a lot of the students who are going to Bunker Hill [Community College] overwhelmingly say that they want to go full-time and rarely do, Costache said. Theyre going to the school based on the money theyre not like, oh I want this many classes," she said. The three-year requirement feels arbitrary to Costache, who said she provides more scholarship money to those who dont qualify for MASFA. At some high schools in Boston, if the three-year qualification doesnt change, the school officials are looking into holding students back to allow them to meet the requirement, according to one Boston public school counselor, who asked that their name be withheld to protect the privacy and safety of the undocumented students at their school. If my student ... had one more year in Massachusetts schools, she wouldnt be stressed. She would have full tuition covered because of her economic status. She would be able to go to a four-year school debt-free, she said. The counselor said that over 50% of the students they work with arent eligible for MASFA. She said the removal of the three-year qualification would really open up a lot of higher ed opportunity for many undocumented and immigrant students who yearn to go to college. In some ways, I see even more of a drive than some of my students who have been here, and more of a familial drive. Its really important not only to the student, but Ive seen it to be very important to the family as well and a lot of family support behind the student, she said. While Comerford said she has heard the concern with the states three-year qualification for in-state tuition and aid, she said she would want to learn more from students and educators to understand whether the law should be changed. I want to do the most good for the most students and families. Thats my interest. And I want to do it in a way that is sustainable in Massachusetts; And thats the balance, Comerford said. The choral director at Brockton High School was charged in connection with human trafficking and an underage victim who was paid for sex, Plymouth District Attorney Tim Cruzs office said Tuesday. Matthew Cunningham, 35, of Brockton, was charged with sexual conduct for a fee and trafficking a person for sexual servitude, Cruzs office said in a statement. He was held on $25,000 with the conditions that he stay away and have no contact with the victim or Brockton High School, that he stay off social media, surrender his passport and stay in Massachusetts. At his arraignment in Brockton District Court on Tuesday, Cunningham pleaded not guilty, Cruzs office said. Brockton police and the Massachusetts State Police Special Services Section High Risk Victim Squad arrested Cunningham at his home at 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday. Brockton Public Schools placed Cunningham on leave, Cruzs office said. Cunningham is next expected to appear in court on Sept. 18. Brockton police and Massachusetts State Police started a several-month-long investigation after an incident on April 27, the statement read. On that day, Cunningham met with a boy, performed a sexual act on the victim and then paid him on an app. After the apps administrators flagged the transaction, they contacted the FBI, Cruzs office said. The FBI then reached out to Brockton police and the investigation began. The investigation remains ongoing, with investigators taking a forensic examination of Cunninghams cell phone, Cruzs office said. Harvard Kennedy School is walking back a contingency plan offered to international students in June due to a lack of student interest. The plan had allowed students to study online if they were unable to come to the United States. The cohorts would be too small and the class offerings too few to ensure the world-class [Harvard Kennedy School] experience that our students deserve, the spokesperson said. The school is still offering students the opportunity to study at the University of Toronto, which a small number of returning international students have chosen, according to a Harvard Kennedy spokesperson. New students are eligible for the program. Fifty-two percent of Harvard Kennedy Schools student population is international. They are from more than 100 countries, according to the institution. About 27% of Harvards undergraduate and graduate students are international, according to 2024 to 2025 data. The announcement comes after a federal judge ruled in the universitys favor on two separate preliminary injunctions allowing Harvard to host international students and rejecting the Trump administrations attempt to ban Harvard foreign students from entering the country to study. Talk of a potential deal between Harvard University and the Trump administration continues. What is being offered and canceled? Harvard Kennedy School was going to offer, depending on demand, an online program for new and returning students through the schools HKS Global program. It would have offered students best-in-class online instruction and the ability to participate in up to three intensive in-person meetups in cities around the world, where students can take credit-bearing sessions taught by Harvard faculty and engage in co-curricular activities. Harvard Kennedy School remains open to using the remote option as a contingency plan for the future, should circumstances change and significantly more students need alternative options this year, the spokesperson said. The school has outlined a series of support options on its website to answer any lingering questions from students and their families. The option to study at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto is only available for returning students. The students are offered classes taught by Harvard faculty, both online and in person, as well as by instructors at the Canadian school. What has happened between the Trump administration and Harvard? The Trump administration has gone after Harvard since April, cutting billions of dollars. The federal government warned the school could risk losing $9 billion in funding if it does not meet a list of demands that includes an overhaul of Harvards leadership structure, admissions and hiring. Harvard rejected those demands, saying the administration sought to invade university freedoms long recognized by the Supreme Court. Then the fight over funding unfolded. It began with a $2.2 billion funding freeze on April 14 after the school refused to comply with the White Houses demands. In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit on April 21, arguing that its constitutional rights had been violated by the governments threats to pull billions of dollars in funding. Garber also signed onto a letter with hundreds of other university presidents pushing back against government overreach and political interference by the Trump administration. At the beginning of May, the Trump administration said it would bar Harvard University from acquiring new federal grants while the school continues to refuse to comply with the administrations demands for change on its campus. A few days later, eight federal agencies cut $450 million in grants, and then the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cut $60 million in grants from the university. Harvard went on to amend its lawsuit against the Trump administration. On May 16, a wave of nearly one thousand federal research grant terminations began, amounting to more than $2.4 billion, according to an analysis by Nature. In response, Harvard established a new Presidential Priorities Fund, asking for donations in the midst of federal cuts. After nearly every single federal grant had been terminated, some of Harvards schools, including its School of Public Health, took to social media to ask for donations. Other investigations and threats have been made against the institution, some of which have focused on threatening the universitys ability to enroll international students. This prompted Harvard to open a second lawsuit against the Trump administration over its ability to accept international students. Most recently, the U.S. State Department opened an investigation into Harvard Universitys use of international visas. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has also subpoenaed Harvard over its failure to provide documents concerning the misconduct or criminal actions of foreign students. By Rochelle Baker Local Journalism Initiative Reporter For the Gitgaat Nation, Douglas Channel on BCs north coast is more than a shipping lane its also a haven for at-risk humpback and fin whales. Now, a new wave of shipping traffic to the LNG Canada project in Kitimat means the whales must navigate the threat of deadly ship strikes and the din of underwater noise in formerly quiet waters. Once wiped out from Gitgaat waters by commercial whaling, baleen whales such as humpbacks and fin whales have made a remarkable comeback over the past two decades in the Kitimat fjord system, said Kyle Clifton, acting director of Gitgaat Oceans and Lands Department. Now the area is home to the highest density of humpback and fin whales on the coast, while also being important to northern resident and transient killer whales. The whale activity Ive seen change in my lifetime is pretty crazy, said Clifton, who spent his youth on the water in the 80s and 90s as a commercial fisher. I can think of a couple of times we saw them [while] working in the territory. Now its weird to go out in the boat and not see whales, he said. The whales may have returned in unusual numbers because they enjoyed a relatively tranquil environment in the regions inlets and channels, which are also rich in food, said Grace Baer, research and project manager for North Coast Cetacean Society (BC Whales). Whales and tankers on a collision course But this is the first year LNG tankers have begun to ply Douglas Channel, said Baer, who visually and acoustically monitors the whales in the waters surrounding Fin Island, located near the entrance of the inlet. In past years, approximately 50 large vessels visited Kitimat each year. That number is expected to grow to 170 ships annually in the next two years. Once phase two of LNG Canada and the smaller Cedar LNG project are finished, at least one if not two tankers will come and go daily along shipping routes that heavily overlap with key humpback and fin whale habitat, said Baer. Weve documented whales feeding, resting, and socializing in the very same areas LNG tankers will be travelling, she said. Whale song in formerly silent waters now must contend with the deafening churn of LNG tankers that creates an acoustic fog, hindering the animals ability to find food, care for offspring or communicate with one another, she said. An LNG tanker can significantly degrade the underwater soundscape and disrupt whales critical life processes for upwards of 40 minutes, depending on where the ships and animals are located, she said. Humpbacks and fin whales are also highly vulnerable to ship strikes due to their tendency to rest or feed at the surface, Baer said. The whales, which dont have prominent dorsal fins like killer whales, are hard to spot, can surface unexpectedly and resemble logs when lounging in the water, Clifton said. Once while travelling in a small boat with his family, Clifton said he had to slow suddenly to avoid a humpback at the surface. The whale dove and resurfaced behind the boat. Sure enough, he comes up behind the boat trumpeting and grumpy, like hes saying watch where the hell youre going, Clifton said. Things like that can happen. So, it's of great concern for the Gitgaat to make sure whales are monitored so we dont have incidents or ship strikes. The Gitgaat, BC Whales and WWF Canada are collaborating on an acoustic monitoring project called SWAG that uses AI and high-tech hydrophones to locate whales in real time in a bid to manage shipping threats. Those threats are significant, said Hussein Alidina, marine conservation lead for WWF Canada, who noted whale strikes, along with entanglement in fishing gear are top threats to humpbacks and fin whales. When fully operational, LNG shipping traffic is expected to cause the death of two fin whales and 18 humpbacks each year over the 40-year life span of the project, research suggests. This rate will deplete both whale populations in coastal BC, Alidina said. Transport Canada, the Gitgaat and LNG Canada have worked to establish voluntary slow-downs for all large vessels to 10 knots in seasonal whale hotspots from July to October. LNG Canada is taking a further step and extending the 8 to 10 knot speed limit year-round in areas of high whale activity, Teresa Waddington, deputy chief operating officer, said in an email, adding that reduced speeds are considered the most effective way to lower the threat of noise pollution and collision. Whale awareness guides have been created for ship crews traversing the channel and LNG tanker crews, and the experienced BC coastal pilots required on vessels will keep a lookout to increase detection, according to LNG Canada. Regulatory blind spots Visual lookouts wont do much good in the dark, said Baer, noting several tankers have visited LNG Canada in the middle of the night. The scary thing, of course, is that we couldn't see if there were whales in front of them, and they had no opportunity to know if there were any there, either, she said. Humpback and fin whales are extra vulnerable at night because they tend to spend more time at the surface especially when they are feeding on krill, small shrimp-like creatures that migrate upwards in the ocean when it's dark and descend to the deep when it's light, she said. Neither LNG Canada nor Transport Canada or DFO responded to questions from Canadas National Observer about whether any additional measures, such as limiting tanker visits to daylight hours, are planned to reduce the dangers of whale strikes or noise pollution. Vessel slow-downs, which are left to the discretion of onboard pilots, are insufficient to mitigate the threat of whale strikes and underwater noise pollution, Alidina said. Additionally, there are no maximum thresholds for underwater noise in the channel, and no requirements for the LNG tankers to HYPERLINK "https://www.jasco.com/news/2021/first-quiet-vessel-certification" \t "_blank" meet certain quiet ship classifications where vessels are ranked by how much noise pollution they produce. Theres no public transparency around the reporting of vessel strikes nor adequate regulatory oversight by the transport ministry or Oceans and Fisheries, Alidina said. LNG Canada also hasnt done any current baseline research about whale behaviour and habitat, which makes it impossible to properly assess the impacts now that vessel traffic has begun, he added. Whats more, the companys whale survey, trial with infrared cameras to detect whales, and noise verification study will take place in two years, when shipping tied to phase one of the project is expected to peak, according to LNG Canadas marine mammal management and monitoring plan. Transport Canada and DFO have a rare opportunity to get ahead of the impending surge in shipping traffic and potential lethal impacts to whales particularly the areas unique fin whale population and prevent Douglas Channel from suffering unsustainable levels of pollution, noise and traffic like in southern BCs Salish Sea, he said. From recovery to risk Baer agreed, noting the whale populations have enjoyed sanctuary-like conditions in the region for upwards of two decades. All of a sudden their world has changed, and they don't know it in the same ways that we do, she said. It's really difficult to watch as they don't know what's coming towards them. LNG Canada must report whale strikes and other vessel monitoring measures to the Gitgaat, who have a direct line of communication to raise concerns with the company about shipping issues, Clifton said. Guardians patrolling the nations territorial waters can also alert incoming ships about whale activity in the region. The nation is benefiting from some of the economic activities tied to the project, but wants to ensure the whales get the protections they need, he said. - Canada's National Observer. An independent investigation by a law firm found that officials at Miss Halls School in Pittsfield failed to protect students from sexual misconduct dating back to the 1940s, and that one teacher engaged in an egregious pattern of grooming and sexual misconduct from the 1990s to 2010. A 60-page report by Aleta Law Firm published on Tuesday reveals the findings of an investigation that began last year, after the school received a letter in March 2024 regarding allegations of sexual abuse from the now-former faculty member Matthew Rutledge, 63, a former history teacher. In total, the investigation was able to substantiate reports of misconduct involving eight former employees that reportedly engaged in sexual, inappropriate and/or boundary crossing behavior toward students. The Report makes clear that, over the decades, there were multiple instances in which students were harmed and that MHS failed to investigate adequately or hold perpetrators accountable for their actions, read an open letter to the schools community signed by Miss Halls School Board of Trustees. The law firm substantiated first-hand accounts by five survivors of Rutledges sexual abuse of students, which school officials described as an egregious pattern of grooming and sexual misconduct. The report notes that investigators received multiple third-party reports that Rutledge may have engaged in sexual misconduct with other former students who did not come forward. Investigators wrote that legal representation for Rutledge who has never been charged for any crimes in connection with the Miss Hall allegations did not respond to attempts to reach him and he was not interviewed as part of the investigation. Beyond the Rutledge allegations, the investigation also substantiated reports of sexual misconduct involving seven other respondents beginning in the 1940s, using a preponderance of evidence standard. Investigators substantiated reports of boundary-crossing behavior by four respondents that did not entail sexual conduct. Aleta Law found the sexual misconduct that the Respondents engaged in ... to be wholly inappropriate, harmful, and unacceptable behavior by school employees toward students entrusted in their care, the report states. The report also criticized school officials for their failure to take adequate action to address Rutledges behavior. Miss Halls School received information on separate occasions in the late 1990s and 2000s about Rutledges inappropriate relationships and interactions with students. The head of school, Jeannie Norris and the assistant head of school, Jenny Chandler, failed to properly investigate the allegations after seeking advice from the schools former legal counsel, according to the schools trustees. Before 2024, the school received several third-party reports about Rutledges past sexual misconduct, but officials failed to adequately investigate and respond to the reports, school trustees wrote. When the school received the letter on March 27, 2024, that prompted the investigation, officials removed Rutledge from campus. The independent investigation delved into all allegations of student abuse during the 127-year history of Miss Halls School, and involved a total of 146 interviews of students, alums, parents, 55 current and former faculty and staff, four heads of school and seven current and former trustees. None of the substantiated reports of sexual misconduct or boundary-crossing behavior involved current Miss Halls employees, according to trustees. Miss Halls School has resolved several legal claims by survivors of Rutledges abuse and will continue to work toward resolving all the remaining claims, the board of trustees wrote on Tuesday. Two of Rutledges accusers 32-year-old Melissa Fares and 37-year-old Hillary Simon have publicly identified themselves, alleging in multiple media interviews that their former teacher groomed them into sexual relationships during their sophomore and junior years at Miss Halls School in the early 2000s. On Tuesday, the two issued a joint statement responding to the independent investigations findings, saying that school officials botched their response to credible reports of Rutledges misconduct and fostered a culture of silence. I rarely give myself credit, but the report makes me wonder what if I hadnt come forward? Fares said. These truths might still be buried and the school still in denial. This report confirms what I lived, Simon said. Miss Halls protected my abuser instead of me. Their inaction caused harm that has lasted long after the abuse itself. The Berkshire County District Attorneys Office opened an investigation into Rutledge soon after the allegations against him first came to light. But in October 2024, Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrues office declined to bring charges against Rutledge, indicating it believed no criminal conduct had occurred because the victims had all reached the age of consent in Massachusetts before having sexual contact with Rutledge. In an email sent Tuesday evening, the DAs office acknowledged the report and said it will review it. As previously stated, the Berkshire District Attorneys Office does not formally close cases involving allegations of sexual assault, the email read. The Office continues to encourage anyone with information related to incidents of sexual misconduct at Miss Halls School, or involving individuals connected to this case, to come forward. Reports can be made by contacting Detective Ignacio Matos of the Pittsfield Police Department at 413-448-9700. Editors note: The article was updated at 6:10 p.m. on Aug. 20, 2025 to correct the spelling of the victims first name. A teenage boy was charged in connection with a crash that killed 13-year-old Savanah Gatchell in Marblehead on Tuesday, Essex County District Attorney Paul Tuckers office said. The teenager, 16, appeared in Lynn Juvenile Court on Wednesday, Tuckers office said in a statement. He was charged with motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, and operating under the influence of liquor, as well as two civil motor vehicle infractions. Due to state law, his name and other identifying information have not been released. At around 2:51 a.m., a car crashed in the area of 353 Atlantic Ave., Tuckers office said. Gatchell had life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The men and women of the Marblehead Police Department are extremely saddened by the loss of a young member of our community, Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King said in a statement on Tuesday. We share our deepest condolences with the victims family, loved ones, and anyone who is touched by this great loss. Our thoughts are with you. Our priority in the coming days will be to support our community, and most importantly the victims family, as they navigate the loss of a daughter, family member, and friend, King said. We respectfully ask the media and community to allow the family the space it needs to properly mourn. The crash remains under investigation by the Marblehead Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section (CARS), and State Police Crime Scene Services. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Marblehead Police Detective Sergeant Sean Brady at 781-631-1212. Editors Note: This story was updated at 10:55 a.m. on Aug. 21 to include commentary from the state Senate. Top state Senate leaders met with bar advocate attorneys last week to discuss the ongoing work stoppage in Massachusetts that is causing a constitutional crisis after legislative action was taken last month without their input. Coming after months of tension, the hour-long meeting at the state House on Thursday focused heavily on the antitrust language included in the legislation passed July 31, which will ultimately raise bar advocates hourly rates by $20 over two years. Bar advocates say that language, which prevents the advocates from banding together for another work stoppage, would silence advocates from here to eternity, and bar advocate Sean Delaney called it the most alarming part of the legislation. Before we even get to further increases on the pay side which is necessary that language needs to be removed, before you see a fair number of bar advocates return to taking cases and duty days, Delaney said. Delaney, a bar advocate in Middlesex and Barnstable Counties, has become a prominent voice during the past three months stoppage. While no single person officially represents the interests of all bar advocates in the state, as they are independent contractors, Delaney spoke on his colleagues behalf when he was invited to the State House Thursday. Delaney attended the meeting alongside Jay Carney a Boston criminal defense lawyer whom Delaney credited with setting up the meeting and parole attorney Lisa Newman-Polk, who works in parole representation and is both formerly a bar advocate and a Committee for Public Services (CPCS) staff attorney. They met with representatives from state Senate President Karen Spilkas office, including Jacob Blanton, a senior policy advisor and legal counsel for Spilka. The office declined to comment on this specific meeting, but gave a statement Thursday that prior to last week, leaders in the state Senate have had numerous communications that were in person and in a wide variety of other communications with bar advocates statewide over the past several months. However, Delaney told MassLive he isnt aware of any back-and-forth conversations, in-person or virtually, that have taken place with anyone whos taken a lead in the stoppage up until last week. He also cited the unanswered letter sent to lawmakers June 18 by himself and other bar advocates, Elyse Hershon and Jennifer OBrien, that explained who we are and what we want regarding work stoppage thatd began weeks prior. Bar advocates have been determined to negotiate with lawmakers during the ongoing work stoppage, which began Memorial Day after the private defense lawyers stopped taking on new cases to push the legislators for a $100 hourly rate to represent clients who cant afford counsel. As of August, the stoppage has left thousands of adult criminal defendants and several dozen children without a lawyer, causing a constitutional crisis. In response, the Lavallee protocol was imposed for Middlesex and Suffolk counties. Under this court order, adult defendants without lawyers must be released from jail after seven days, and their cases dismissed if they are not appointed a lawyer within 45 days. Among those released are a man accused of beating a pregnant woman and a woman once listed on the Boston Police Departments most wanted list. Dismissed cases include allegations of stabbings, public attacks on women and a woman accused of trying to set a family member on fire. The bill Gov. Maura Healey signed into law earlier this month to address the issue included several key provisions: raising hourly rates from $65 to $75 by 2026 and to $85 by 2027, and allocating $40 million to CPCS to hire over 300 additional staff lawyers to reduce the state public defender agencys heavy reliance on bar advocates. It also had language that said bar advocates who refuse to accept new clients because of their pay may constitute a violation of the states antitrust laws words that Delaney previously called vindictive. Bar advocates were also dissatisfied with the raise they say doesnt compare to other New England states wages, and felt left out of conversations they had asked to have with the lawmakers. In Thursdays meeting, Delaney said the state Senate representatives asked if bar advocates would begin taking on new cases again if the antitrust language was removed from the bill. Delaney responded that they couldnt forget about the pay side of it, but that the language was the most alarming to all bar advocates out of everything in that legislation, and that itd need to be removed before there was any hope of a mass return to courtrooms. The discussion was very lively, Delaney said, and he hopes it will lead to further conversations that might include Spilka. In the meantime, the bar advocates are looking into forming both a nonprofit organization and a political action committee (PAC), and seeing if union affiliation is possible. But as the work stoppage wears well into its third month, Delaney said the crisis has started to impact other courtrooms outside of the current jurisdiction of the Lavallee protocol in Middlesex and Suffolk Counties like in Barnstable County, where 97 people face criminal charges and do not have a lawyer as of Aug. 20. However, the tone of communication has finally turned from confrontational to collaborative between lawmakers and bar advocates, Delaney said. I thanked them and the Senate President for finally recognizing us and giving us a seat at the table. Thats what we had been looking for, Delaney said. Retired Rhode Island Judge Frank Caprio attends the 51st annual Daytime Emmys Awards at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Los Angeles on June 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images) Retired Providence, Rhode Island Municipal Court Judge and former Caught in Providence star Frank Caprio has died. According to a statement on his official Facebook page, Caprio died on Wednesday, Aug. 20 after battling pancreatic cancer. Beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people, Judge Caprio touched the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond, the statement reads. His warmth, humor, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him. Caprio had served as a Providence Municipal Court judge since 1985, according to his website. He retired in January 2023 and in October of that year, Providence renamed its municipal courtroom after Caprio. His court is known worldwide due to the nationwide television show Caught in Providence, which was nominated for a Daytime Emmy award in 2021. Known as the nicest judge in the world, Caprio gained fame on social media for his compassionate approach, often listening to drivers whod gotten parking tickets and giving them a break. Caprio also served 10 years as chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education, which is the governing body for the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and Community College of Rhode Island. At Suffolk University School of Law, he founded the Antonio Tup Caprio Scholarship Fund in honor of Caprios father, the website states. The award went to Rhode Island students who are committed to improving access to legal services in underserved neighborhoods. He also established scholarships named in honor of his dad at Providence College and at Providences Central High School. Shortly after his 87th birthday in December 2023, Caprio announced he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, WPRI reported. His final radiation treatment was the following May. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, Caprio posted a video on Facebook and Instagram saying he was back in the hospital and asking for prayers. He will be remembered not only as a respected judge, but as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend, Caprios official Facebook page wrote. His legacy lives on in the countless acts of kindness he inspired. In his honor, may we each strive to bring a little more compassion into the world just as he did every day. UPDATE: Human remains likely missing pregnant teen found at boyfriends property in Rehoboth A 22-year-old Rehoboth man was arrested and charged in connection with the assault of a pregnant 18-year-old the day before she went missing, but its unclear if authorities have found the teen. Gregory Groom is charged with aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant person, domestic assault and battery and intimidation of a witness for acts he is accused of committing on Aug. 6 against Kylee Monteiro, 18, the Bristol County District Attorneys Office announced Tuesday. Monteiro has been missing since Aug. 7, the day after Groom has been accused of assaulting her. The district attorneys office did not state whether Monteiro is still considered a missing person as of Tuesday, but stated the investigation continues. Groom is being held without bail and will be arraigned in Taunton District Court on Wednesday morning, the office said. The statement did not say what Grooms relationship to Monteiro is. Rehoboth Police described Monteiro who was reported missing on Thursday, Aug. 7 as 6 feet tall and heavyset, with light brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a red T-shirt with the phrase get over it printed on the front, ripped blue jeans and tan boots. Her sister, Faith Monteiro, wrote on Facebook that a vigil for Kylee Monteiro will be held at 401 Winthrop St. at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23. We will be providing everyone with a candle, Faith Monteiro posted. All we ask is that you show up. Please share this post so that we can spread as much awareness as possible. We encourage everyone to join us, whether you know Kylee or not. Thank you for all the support and we hope to see you there! Along with the vigil, Kylee Monteiros sister, Catherine Monteiro, set up a GoFundMe to help spread awareness. If she is found, the remaining donations will either go directly to Kylee to help her financially while she deals with this unimaginable trauma or for funeral arrangements if need be, Catherine Monteiro wrote. She added that the family is working on offering a reward for whoever finds Kylee Monteiro. If anyone feels guided to donate or sew into this cause, that would help tremendously, Catherine Monteiro wrote. So far, the GoFundMe has received eight donations totaling $190. Anyone who wants to donate to the family directly can do so by reaching out on Facebook, Catherine Monteiro wrote. The campaigns goal is $4,500. Rehoboth Police told MassLive on Tuesday that Kylee Monteiros disappearance remains under investigation and no new information was available. On Aug. 13, Massachusetts State Police, a search and rescue team and other law enforcement looked for Kylee Monteiro in the area of County Street, where she was last seen walking, The Sun Chronicle reported. Police have used dogs and drones in their search for her. A dive team searched the waterway at the Warren Upper Reservoir in Rehoboth. Before she disappeared, Kylee Monteiro had an argument with her boyfriend, Monteiros family told WCVB-TV. Rehoboth police returned to a part of County Street on Tuesday, the last area known to be where missing teenager Kylee Monteiro was seen, according to several news outlets. The large police presence was in the area of 107 County St., The Sun Chronicle reported. Read more: GoFundMe created for Rehoboth pregnant teen missing for almost 2 weeks Officers in the area carried several evidence bags and searched along a dirt trail in the area at 3 p.m., ABC 6 wrote. Along with Rehoboth police, Massachusetts State Police troopers, a K-9 unit and an excavator were also in the search area, WJAR reported. Were constantly in contact with [the police], Kylee Monteiros sister Faith Monteiro told WJAR. There havent been much updates. Everything is kept quiet. They dont want anyone to interfere with the investigation, which I understand, but it looks like theyre raiding the house now and I dont know whats going on. Im just scared and hope they have a lead on something. We just want to find her and bring her home. Rehoboth police did not comment on the investigation, but previously told MassLive on Tuesday that Kylee Monteiros disappearance was under investigation. MassLive reached out to Rehoboth Police Chief Louis DiBacco for more information. Reported missing on Aug. 7, Rehoboth police described Kylee Monteiro, 18, as 6-feet tall and heavyset, with light brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a red T-shirt with the phrase get over it printed on the front, ripped blue jeans and tan boots when she went missing. Read more: Family of missing Rehoboth pregnant teen to hold vigil to spread awareness On Aug. 13, Massachusetts State Police, a search and rescue team and other law enforcement looked for Kylee Monteiro in the area of County Street, where she was last seen walking, The Sun Chronicle reported. Police have used dogs and drones in their search for her. A dive team searched the waterway at the Warren Upper Reservoir in Rehoboth. Before she disappeared, Kylee Monteiro had an argument with her boyfriend, Monteiros family told WCVB-TV. Fire officials investigating a three-alarm fire that destroyed a historic home in Reading last month believe the blaze was set intentionally, the Massachusetts State Fire Marshals Office announced Wednesday. On July 9, an off-duty firefighter reported the fire at 186 Summer Ave. just after 1 a.m., the fire marshals office said in a press release. The Reading Fire Department responded to the three-story, wood-framed home and found heavy flames coming from the house, as well as a barn behind it. Firefighters initially entered the home to attack the fire, but conditions inside soon posed a risk to their lives, the fire marshals office said. They then switched to dousing the fire from the exterior with the goal of protecting nearby buildings. A dozen local fire departments ultimately responded to help put out the fire and cover Readings fire stations, the fire marshals office said. It took firefighters until 2 p.m. that afternoon to get the fire under control. The home was unoccupied and under construction at the time, and no civilian injuries were reported, the fire marshals office said. The house and barn were destroyed in the fire, and several firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion after battling the blaze for over 12 hours. Based on our examination of the scene, witness interviews and other evidence, we believe this fire was intentionally set, Reading Fire Chief Richard Nelson said in the release. I want to be clear how serious this incident was. Fire officials are asking the public to share any information they may have about the fire. Investigators are hoping to uncover information about the arsonist or arsonists, or information about people or cars seen on Summer Avenue or near Parker Middle School late on July 8 or in the early morning on July 9. We believe members of the public may have information that could help us move the case forward, Reading Police Chief David Clark said in the release. Those that provide information that helps investigators may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000, the fire marshals office said. Fire officials are asking anyone with information about the fire to contact the Arson Watch Reward Program at 1-800-682-9229. The U.S. Department of State has issued a travel advisory for a popular beach and resort destination. Tourists are urged to be cautious when traveling to Mexico due to the ongoing threat of terrorism, crime and kidnapping. Many violent crimes take place in Mexico, the department wrote. They include homicide, kidnapping, carjacking and robbery. There is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Mexico. Due to these security concerns, the U.S. government has limited its ability to assist in many parts of the country. Six states Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas are under a Level 4 Do not travel advisory. Additionally, government officials urge travelers to reconsider traveling to Baja California, Choapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos and Sonora. The advisory states that U.S. citizens should follow the same restrictions as U.S. government employees while traveling. It also warns that Emergency services are limited or unavailable in remote or rural areas. Travelers are also advised to be cautious at road checkpoints, as fleeing or ignoring orders could lead to injury or death. Specific recommendations from the State Department include: Editors note: This article was updated at 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 21 to correct the day of the vigil, which is Saturday, Aug. 23. A vigil intended to spread awareness of missing Rehoboth teenager Kylee Monteiro is still expected to happen on Saturday, after police found human remains believed to be hers. Planned to be held at 401 Winthrop St. at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, the vigil was to be held to spread awareness of the 18-year-old womans disappearance, her sister Faith Monteiro posted on Facebook. Faith Monteiro and her sister, Catherine Monteiro, confirmed to MassLive that the vigil was still planned for Saturday. Although they confirmed over Facebook that the vigil will still happen, they declined to comment further. Monteiros boyfriend, Gregory Groom, 22, first reported her missing on Aug. 8, a day after prosecutors say he killed her and buried her body on his property. Rehoboth police searched for her with the help of Massachusetts State Police. Monteiro was last seen at Grooms home at 107 County St. in Rehoboth. Police conducted extensive searches for the girl and eventually obtained a search warrant for the County Street property. On Tuesday, during the execution of that search warrant, police eventually obtained a search warrant for the property and found remains consistent with those of Monteiro, Quinns office said. Officials are awaiting confirmation from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner that the remains are indeed Monteiros. At his arraignment in Taunton District Court on Wednesday, Groom was charged with aggravated assault and battery on a person, domestic assault and battery and intimidation of a witness. He was ordered held without bail. On Tuesday, Groom and Faith Monteiro arrived at the police station for an interview. During that interview, Groom admitted to pushing Kylee Monteiro into a door in a shed on the property, where she hit her head, according to a police report by Detective Paul McGovern of the Rehoboth Police Department filed in court. He denied pulling her hair or strangling her after being shown the text message. Groom confessed to killing Monteiro during this interview with police, after officers told him they obtained a warrant to search his home, the police report stated. Both Groom and Monteiros families attended the arraignment, but neither spoke to the media as they left. A person leaving the courtroom with Monterios family said only, Were devastated. Catherine Monteiro thanked her sister and investigators for their diligence, dedication, and nonstop hard work in resolving this case, in a brief statement posted to Facebook. I know this is not the ending we all wanted but this is closure for us and this gives Kylee the opportunity to rest in peace with her mom and her baby, Catherine Monterio wrote. Without you guys, she might not have found peace for years. And thats something that very few people get in cases like these. I think its a good time to remind everyone to check in regularly with people, tell them you love them every chance you get, take photos every single day, and dont ever forget that people love you, the statement read. So many people. You will always be remembered Kylee and baby Eleanor. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, speaks at an event in Revere announcing a new study on hunger in Massachusetts conducted by the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham, June 17, 2025. (Will Katcher/MassLive) President Donald Trumps takeover of law enforcement in the nations capital has contributed to a climate of fear that makes us all less safe, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, said Wednesday. You know, if we had [Washington, D.C.] statehood, we wouldnt be in a situation like this, but it is racist and rogue, the Boston lawmaker said in an interview with GBH News Boston Public Radio program. Trump declared a crime emergency in the nations capital on Aug. 11., arguing that rising violence in the capital now urgently endangers public servants, citizens, and tourists, disrupts safe and secure transportation and the proper functioning of the federal government, and forces the diversion of critical public resources toward emergency response and security measures. The Republican administration first dispatched federal law enforcement officers, then the National Guard, to assist local police over the objections of city leaders who have said that such action wasnt warranted. Trump has spoken repeatedly of extending the federal presence in Washington, D.C., which is not a state, even as city leaders have fought back and residents of the majority-Black city have protested the administrations moves. Speaking to GBH on Wednesday, Pressley, like other elected Democrats, argued that Trumps actions have less to do with ensuring public safety and more to do with stoking terror, and further expanding executive power. And what is happening here in D.C. and, then the targeting of Black men and Black youth, in particular, which to me is very reminiscent of Boston after the Charles Stuart case, is very reminiscent of New York under [former Mayor Rudolph] Giuliani with stop-and-frisk, Pressley said. The Stuart case is a reference to the 1989 murder of Carol Stuart, a white woman who was then pregnant. Her husband Charles Stuart, told police that the couple had been attacked by a Black man while driving through a Boston neighborhood. In November 1989, Charles Stuart jumped from Bostons Tobin Bridge to his death after his brother, Matthew, implicated him in Carol Stuarts murder. Charles Stuart planned to use public anger about crime in Boston to his advantage when he planned the killing. While the data do not support it, Pressley accused Trump of similarly manipulating public sentiment to his advantage. You know, my God, children who live in the city, theyreyoung black boys. And theyre afraid to go to their summer jobs. Theyre fearful of what its going to be like, their walk to school, she told the station. And again, dont think that anything Donald Trump has done, whether its his targeting of sanctuary cities or the militarization of D.C., this has nothing to do with public safety, [it] has nothing to do with law and order, she continued. When you are disappearing people from the streets of Somerville, when you are targeting people in this way, its terrorism. And that terror, that fear that youre stoking, makes us all less safe. By Sonal Gupta Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A BC government appeal of a court ruling recognizing aboriginal title to part of the Cowichan Nations ancestral land in Richmond will delay reconciliation and prolong generations of harm, the nations lead lawyer said. This land was where the nation lived together, where they harvested together, where they were defended together and where they were literally embedded in the earth, said David Robbins. Last week, Justice Barbara Young granted the Cowichan title to almost 7.5 square kilometres of their ancestral Tluqtinus village lands on the south shore of Lulu Island in Richmond, BC across from Tilbury Island. The largely industrial area, long described by the Nation as their traditional settlement area, includes land owned by the federal government, the City of Richmond, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and private holdings. The ruling affirms their constitutionally protected title and right to fish for food in the south arm of the Fraser River after more than 150 years of struggle since the land was taken from the Cowichan during the colonial era. However, within days of the decision, BC Attorney General Niki Sharma released a statement stating the province would appeal, warning the ruling could have "significant unintended consequences for fee simple private property rights in BC." The Cowichan connection to their homeland historically is well documented, and the court was clear that that connection continues to this day, Robbins added. Delaying acting on the decision will further infringe upon Cowichan Aboriginal title and their vision for reconciliation at their lands. The province prefers to address Indigenous land disputes through negotiated agreements that protect both private property rights and reconciliation goals, rather than through the courts, the statement said. The land titles are currently divided among federal, provincial and municipal governments, and private owners, as well as two other Indigenous groups: the Musqueam Indian Band and the Tsawwassen First Nation, who were also defendants in the case. The court ruling declares legal titles claimed by Canada, the City of Richmond and Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in parts of the Tluqtinus lands to be defective or invalid, except for a small area used for an airport fuel delivery project. Between 1871 and 1875, the Crown granted ownership rights to the land primarily to government officials and land speculators, Robbins said. The property was later subdivided and sold privately. The Cowichan ruling invalidates title to the public lands only. The nation did not challenge private landowners' rights, he added. The decision compels the Province to negotiate in good faith to reconcile the Nations Aboriginal title with existing private properties a step Cowichan leaders say British Columbia has long avoided. Shana Thomas, hereditary chief of Lyackson First Nation, one of the group of Cowichan Tribes that stand to benefit from the court decision, was initially buoyed by the court decision. For generations, our people have known this truth, but it often fell on deaf ears. Now, with the courts validation, everyone is compelled to hear and respect this reality. This ruling isnt just about land; its about our survival, culture, and identity that are inseparable from our territories. But her euphoria was dashed when she learned the province would appeal. She said the way the province has framed the appeal linking it to concerns about private property rights is misleading to the public. The court decision places the duty to reconcile with the Cowichan Nation on the provincial government, not on individual property owners, she added. Theyve chosen to wave the warning bells of some kind of harm that could come to private property, which is very unfortunate, Thomas said. We are not seeking to remove people from their homes. We expect the Prime Minister, the Premier and our Chiefs to meet and discuss how to reconcile the fact this is Cowichan land. There will be benefits from putting the case to rest, Thomas said. "This ruling is a step toward reconciliation, not a threat to it. By recognizing Aboriginal titles, we are creating certainty. Canadas National Observer reached out to Sharmas office for an interview, but her office said she was unavailable to comment before the deadline, citing scheduling conflicts. The Cowichan Tribes, which have the largest population of any First Nation in British Columbia, are the main group named in the case. Together with the Halalt, Lyackson, Penelakut and Stz'uminus First Nations, they make up the Quw'utsun (Cowichan) Nation. The case, launched by Cowichan Tribes, Stzuminus First Nation, Penelakut Tribe and Halalt First Nation with support from Lyackson First Nation was one of Canadas lengthiest Indigenous land claims trials. It relied heavily on oral histories and expert testimony describing the Cowichans deep-rooted presence at Tluqtinus. The village was described as a landmark for navigation and a hub for community life, fishing and defence. Musqueam Indian Band also expressed disappointment and said they view that the Cowichan dispute should have been resolved using traditional Coast Salish protocols instead of the colonial court system. However, Thomas said the Cowichan turned to the courts only after all other avenues failed to recognize their rights and title, noting that upholding their own Snuwuyulth which means teachings of the Nation is always the first priority. We need to engage with Canada and British Columbia to finalize what that reconciliation framework looks like, and how were going to get there, Thomas said. The ruling in B.C. Supreme Court confirmed Cowichan Aboriginal title and fishing rights throughout land on Lulu Island next to the south arm of the Fraser River, where the nation historically had a summer village and members fished for salmon. Now it is occupied by Crown and City of Richmond holdings as well as private properties that include a 10,600-square-foot home with 11 bathrooms and an official valuation of $7.78 million, other multimillion-dollar homes and the Country Meadows Golf Course. - Canadas National Observer Aaron Judge is questioning his managers comments about his throwing. Aaron Boone said Tuesday during an appearance on WFAN that the New York Yankees outfielder might not throw at 100% for the rest of 2025 due to a flexor strain. The manager walked back those comments hours later, noting he may have overstated what he meant. But Judge didnt like what Boone said to begin with. I dont know why he said that, Judge told reporters, via The New York Posts Greg Joyce. He hasnt seen me throw the past two weeks. Im pretty confident Ill get back to (100%). Judge was placed on the injured list on July with the flexor strain, but began a throwing program on Aug. 7 and has thrown from 150 feet. Hes been limited to the designated hitter role, and its unclear when hell return to the field. Boone clarified his comments prior to the Yankees game against the Tampa Bay Rays. I think I was trying to say initially, I dont expect him coming out making Aaron Judge throws that weve become accustomed to seeing, he said. Going into Tuesdays game, the Yankees sit second in the American League East standings and are in a three-way tie with the Boston Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners for the top Wild Card spot, though New York has 57 losses while Seattle and Boston have 58. But the trio of teams boast a .540 win percentage. The Yankees wrap up their series against the Rays on Wednesday before welcoming the Red Sox to New York on Thursday for an important four-game set. 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After more than 1,550 entries and an incredible 56,000 public votes, the winner of the 2025 Nose of Tralee has been announced. This years crown goes to Mr Cooper, a two-year-old mini Bernedoodle from Tipperary. The runner-up is Buddy, a blind senior rescue cat proudly representing Mayo. Now in its twelfth year, the Nose of Tralee is Irelands largest pet competition, run by Pet Sitters Ireland, with pets from all 32 counties taking part. While cats and dogs make up most of the entries, the competition also welcomed horses, birds, lizards, and even a goat this year. READ MORE: Six tips to help students prepare for Leaving Cert results on Friday Mr Coopers story is one of love after loss. Following the heartbreak of losing their dog Scamp, his family werent sure they were ready for another pet. But when a family in Dublin needed to rehome their Bernedoodle, fate stepped in. From the moment they met him, Mr Coops stole their hearts. With his cheeky grin, fun-loving nature, and endless cuddles, hes now the king of their castle and adored by two families. Buddys journey is one of resilience. Rescued by the North West SPCA in Ballina after being abandoned, Buddy has overcome incredible challenges, including losing an eye to surgery. Despite his blindness, he explores confidently, sniffs out treats with ease, and brings joy to everyone he meets. His family say he proves that what makes us different is what makes us special. This years competition began with public voting to select the top three pets in each county, before judges chose the final 32. The finalists then campaigned across social media, local communities, and even on radio to secure votes. The Chairman of the Board at Iarnrod Eireann, Steve Murphy, has reiterated that the preservation of the Western Rail Corridor as a railway is an 'absolute priority' for the railway company. Speaking on the Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk, he said that if greenways are put on existing rail alignments they will never be got back for rail use. Responding to a query about a possible greenway on the rail line from Claremorris to Collooney, Mr Murphy stated: The extension of the Western Rail Corridor as a railway is absolutely our priority. "We think its a crucial build on the success of the existing Western Rail Corridor that I remember working on 20 years ago when I was here in an operational role. So thats very much our priority. Mr Murphy also spoke optimistically about future plans for Irelands railways, including the doubling of track in various parts of the country, the acquisition of additional rolling stock and the modification of locomotives to work on hydrogen. He also paid particular tribute to IR Chief Executive Jim Meade for his outstanding contribution to the development of Irelands railways in recent years. READ MORE: Two Mayo artists shortlisted for National Gallery awards A hanging, the supernatural and ghosts all featured in the Twilight Ghost Walk of Westport on Tuesday night. A seventy strong crowd hungry for history rocked up to The Clock to hear Eamonn Corcoran delve into the horrible histories of Westport. The walking tour was organised by the Westport Historical Society as part of Heritage Week. He began the walk by telling the eager group that I'll be talking about some of the darker aspects of the history of Westport. Hanging One such dark aspect was the hanging of John Gibbons in 1798. His was the only judicial hanging in the history of the town. Corcoran explains that Gibbons Sr was the agent for Westport House, owned by the Browne family. However, he was also moonlighting as the leader for the rebels in this part of the country. READ MORE: Westport author writes book on founders of The Mayo News John Gibbons Sr escaped to France but his son, John Gibbons Jr, was not so lucky. The notorious High Sheriff Denis Soap the Rope Browne, who happened to be the godfather of Gibbons Jr, tracked him down in Connemara. He ensured that the hanging was brutal and Gibbons Jr was left to hang for a time as a warning to people not to rebel. Poll na gCapall Many people will be familiar with the entrance to Westport House on Church Lane and may have walked through it without realising the legend of the water horse. Corcoran explains that legend has it that a water horse would rise up from the march near the gates. The horse would sample some of the marshy grass on the verges of the pool but if people approached, the horse would go back into the deep recesses of the water and become invisible again. There was also a myth about Poll na gCapall that one day, the waters would rise from the marshy pool and would ultimately drown and destroy the town of Westport. Liamy McNally carrying a speaker on the Twilight Ghost Walk of Westport Cattle Drives The Newport Road was another stop of the Twilight Ghost Walk of Westport. Corcoran explained how in 1919 RIC inspector John Charles Milling was murdered when four shots rang through his living room window. His death can be seen in the context of The War of Independence . However Corcoran notes that two weeks before he was killed, he imprisoned two men who had taken part in a cattle drive. Cattle drives were common at the time and occurred in land disputes between land owners and tenant farmers. They involved the driving of the cattle of the people they were in dispute with onto the roads. The gathering by the Clock for the Twilight Ghost Walk of Westport Slavery funded building of Westport In the history of Westport, there is a slightly dark secret, begins Corcoran. He outlines that a lot of the money that came for the building of Westport House, the dredging of the sea, the creation of an artificial lake, and the creation of the town came from slavery. This was because before the building spree took place, one of the Brownes married a Catholic heiress from Galway, called Elizabeth Kelly. Her portrait hangs to this day in Westport House. READ MORE: Mystery of identification of Achill Famine drowning victims solved The Penal Laws in Ireland were aimed at securing Protestant ascendancy at the time and discriminated against Catholics. Corcoran comments that the bizarre fact was that while Penal Laws made it difficult for Catholics to own land in Ireland, those same Catholics could emigrate to British colonies and face no discrimination whatsoever. Ending on a positive note, Corcoran says Howe Peter Browne, the 2nd Marquis of Sligo, of Westport House, played a leading role in the abolition of slavery, because when it was being finally debated at the House of Lords in 1838 he stood up and said, It doesn't matter what is decided at the end of this debate, I'm freeing all my slaves on August the first of this year. And the British government agreed to the same date with the final operation of slavery. It should also be noted that he submitted a claim for 286 slaves and was awarded 5,525 in the 1830s. For those interested in learning more about Westports history, the Clew Bay Heritage Centre runs Free Historical Walking Tours of Westport every Wednesday at 11am from the Clock, right through to the end of September. IT was a turbulent time when a newspaper was started in Westport. William and Patrick J Doris founded The Mayo News in 1892. Ireland was just about to enter into a period that historians now call 'The Revolutionary Years'. Retired teacher and writer Padraig McLoughlin, a Westport native, has now written a book about this time, based on editorials written by the Doris brothers. It's not a novel on the life of the Doris brothers, it's a history book particularly covering the years 1912-1923, a crucial period in Irish history. It was an extremely turbulent time, McLoughlin explains, speaking to The Mayo News. This period covers World War I, 1916, the Sinn Fein victory in 1918, the War of Independence, the Civil War, and the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The book is based on editorials published in The Mayo News by the Doris brothers. McLoughlin read them all, every month, every year. Some he wouldnt use, local or not on big issues, but many are fantastic on the issues of their time. It was a strong nationalist paper, very opinionated, he states. To put this into perspective, McLoughlin recounts an anecdote, when Jean Kennedy Smith was leaving as US ambassador to Ireland: She was asked what she noticed about the Irish; she said 'their lack of outrage' well, William and PJ Doris didnt lack outrage, and neither did The Mayo News." The new book, named 'The Newspaper Men The Doris brothers and ireland 1893-1923', follows an intriguing concept. A so called 'man in the street' discusses the Doris brothers' opinions on current affairs issues. This 'man on the street' is based on the local person interested in what's going on, goes to the local pub for two hours in the evening, and feels that they know what's going on. Its Irish history played out through The Mayo News, which many praised for its coverage and for raising issues. Initially small scale, but the two brothers had a huge vision. William Doris actually went into politics and was elected for the Irish Parliamentary Party in 1912, which led to him falling out with his brother due to political differences. An all too familiar story in Ireland during that period. William was born in 1860; at 16 he was a solicitors clerk in Westport. At 18 he became a journalist in the Connaught Telegraph. He came under the influence of James Daly and the Land League, became Secretary of the Mayo Branch of the Land League, and helped organise a great Land League meeting on the Newport Road, where Parnell and Davitt were on the platform together for the first time. He then went to Dublin, worked for the Underground Land League, when Parnell was in jail, was arrested, and spent six months in Dundalk jail. He served as a journalist with the Leinster Leader and the Carlow Nationalist, then came back to Westport and founded the paper. PJ Doris also ended up in jail, McLoughlin adds: In 1916 the British had invented a word 'dissension'. That covered a multitude of reasons, so the authorities could arrest people. If you sang an Irish song, played Gaelic games, or wrote editorials in The Mayo News, you could be arrested. PJ was arrested and spent eight months in Frongoch Camp, in Wales, which became a kind of school for revolutionaries. Michael Collins and others were there. Later, in 1918, PJ Doris had to go on the run when he heard the Black and Tans wanted to kill him. A terrible tragedy illustrated by two local incidents is discussed in the book: The first involves a relation of Michael Ring, the former Fine Gael TD from Westport. His grand-uncle, Joe Ring, was shot dead in the Ox Mountains during the Civil War. His funeral was to be in Westport at half twelve; Free State officers and the band were to come from Athlone to honour him, but there was no sign of them. A car went out the road and found the anti-treaty people had taken up the railway line at Islandeady. So they brought the officers into town; the funeral didnt start until two. "They carried the coffin all the way to the graveyard out through the Quay, and wouldnt allow it to be put in a hearse. The sad thing was that Joe Ring and the men who took up the tracks had been comrades against the Black and Tans before, in the War of Independence. The treaty created terrible bitterness. The second incident happened when Michael Collins was shot and died in August 1922. They had a high mass in Westport for him. National troops were there to honour him. When they came out, anti-treaty snipers around the town opened fire. Troops had to go around telling people to stay indoors. These two incidents show the terrible tragedy over what Sean OCasey called 'a few words on a bit of paper' the treaty. And now, all these events have been put to paper, turned into history. The new book by Padraig McLoughlin fills a void with regards to local history, of that he is sure: It's my contribution to Westport's society and my contribution to two great men. I'm proud of it, as a local. The book will soon be officially published. READ NEXT: Mystery of identification of Achill Famine drowning victims solved In the first half of 2025, China exported 3.083 million vehicles, up 10.4% YoY, marking continued expansion in scale. According to data compiled by the Gasgoo Automotive Research Institute, Chery Auto topped the Chinese passenger vehicle exporter rankings with 545,93 units (+2.9% YoY), while BYD, leveraging its battery electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric Vehicle (PHEV) products, achieved strong growth across Europe (+249.8% YoY), North America (+165.7% YoY), Southeast Asia (+144.1% YoY), and the Middle East (+208.4% YoY). The global competitiveness of new energy vehicles (NEV) had surpassed volume alone, becoming a decisive factor in shaping Chinese automakers' future overseas footprint. Top 10 Chinese automakers by passenger vehicle exports in H1 2025 Chery Auto: 105,775 units in June and 545,933 units (+2.9% YoY) from January to June BYD Auto: 85,957 units in June and 443,098 units (+117.8% YoY) from January to June SAIC PV: 42,851 units in June and 242,512 units (4.5% YoY) from January to June Geely Auto: 40,011 units in June and 184,114 units (6.5% YoY) from January to June Great Wall Motor: 34,896 units in June and 167,575 units (5.5% YoY) from January to June Changan Auto: 20,000 units in June and 153,080 units (6.1% YoY) from January to June SAIC-GM-Wuling: 25,453 units in June and 124,814 units (+16.8% YoY) from January to June Tesla: 10,115 units in June and 101,064 units (31.9% YoY) from January to June Jiangsu Yueda Kia: 16,200 units in June and 85,691 units (+20.0% YoY) from January to June JAC: 6,753 units in June and 54,732 units (14.2% YoY) from January to June In terms of vehicle exports, Chery Auto took the lead with an impressive 545,933 units, although its modest 2.9% YoY growth underscores the slowdown in the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) market. BYD Auto followed closely in second place with 443,098 units, surging 117.8% YoYa sharp acceleration that highlights the rapid global penetration of Chinese NEVs and validates the effectiveness of its dual pure-electric and hybrid technology strategy. SAIC PV ranked third (-4.5% YoY), maintaining substantial export volumes. Notably, SAIC-GM-Wuling (+16.8% YoY) and Jiangsu Yueda Kia (+20.0% YoY) were among the few automakers on the list to achieve double-digit growth. In contrast, ICE-focused players such as Geely Auto, Great Wall Motor, and Changan Auto recorded YoY declines of 5%6%, reflecting mounting geopolitical pressures and weakening demand for ICE vehicle models in overseas markets. Top 10 Chinese automakers by passenger vehicle exports to Europe (H1 2025) BYD Auto: 135,918 units, up 249.8% year-on-year SAIC PV: 128,865 units, up 14.7% year-on-year Chery Auto: 71,848 units, up 197.7% year-on-year Tesla: 52,807 units, down 24.4% year-on-year Geely Auto: 36,807 units, down 52.1% year-on-year Spotlight Automotive: 22,569 units, up 13.8% year-on-year eGT: 13,698 units, up 530.7% year-on-year Volkswagen Anhui: 13,321 units, up 273.7% year-on-year Geely-Volvo: 9,437 units, up 7.4% year-on-year Leapmotor: 9,337 units, up 583.0% year-on-year In terms of exports to Europe, BYD Auto led the pack with 135,918 units +249.8% YoY), underscoring its strong market penetration in the region. This performance reflects not only BYD's first-mover advantage in electrification but also the rapidly growing recognition of Chinese NEV brands among European consumers. SAIC PV followed closely with 128,865 unit (+14.7% YoY), highlighting its well-established overseas distribution network. Chery Auto ranked third, shipping 71,848 units to Europe (+197.7% YoY)momentum driven in part by its intensified localization efforts in recent years. At the end of last year, Chery Auto partnered with Ebro-EV Motors to set up the EBRO plant for CKD assembly. Notably, eGT and Leapmotor posted extraordinary YoY growth rates of 530.7% and 583.0% respectively, underscoring the surging demand for high-value electric vehicles in the European market. As a representative of Sino-German joint ventures, Volkswagen Anhui recorded a 273.7% YoY spike, signaling that traditional automakers are accelerating their transformation and leveraging China's manufacturing strength to supply the European market. Top 10 Chinese automakers by passenger vehicle exports to Southeast Asia (H1 2025) BYD Auto: 62,565 units, up 144.1% year-on-year Geely Auto: 44,906 units, up 64.5% year-on-year Chery Auto: 38,296 units, up 139.4% year-on-year Changan Auto: 16,221 units, up 8.5% year-on-year Jiangsu Yueda Kia: 9,973 units, up 61.1% year-on-year Great Wall Motor: 8,628 units, up 3.9% year-on-year Tesla: 8,422 units, up 15.8% year-on-year XPENG: 8,414 units Jiangling Motor: 7,696 units, up 13.5% year-on-year SAIC PV: 7,347 units, down 43.2% year-on-year In Southeast Asia, BYD Auto led the market by a wide margin with 62,565 units (+44.1% YoY)a performance that underscores the strong penetration of its NEV lineup in the region. This translates to an average of around 14 BYD vehicles shipped to Southeast Asian ports every hour. Geely Auto ranked second with 44,906 units, its 64.5% YoY growth rate signaling accelerated market expansion, while Chery Auto followed closely in third place with a robust 139.4% increase. NEVs have become the primary growth engine for Chinese brands expanding into Southeast Asia. Beyond BYD Auto and Chery Auto, XPENG stood out as the only emerging EV maker to make the list, underscoring its initial success in tapping into the region's market. SAIC PV saw its exports to this market plunge 43.2% YoY, revealing a potentially vulnerable position amid strategic adjustments or intensified competition in Southeast Asia. Top 10 Chinese automakers by passenger vehicle exports to North America (H1 2025) BYD Auto: 66,954 units, up 165.7% year-on-year SAIC-GM-Wuling: 52,662 units, up 14.6% year-on-year Chery Auto: 18,416 units, up 22.2% year-on-year Jiangsu Yueda Kia: 16,369 units, up 14.3% year-on-year Changan-Ford: 16,133 units, down 20.2% year-on-year SAIC-GM: 15,669 units, down 22.0% year-on-year SAIC PV: 13,653 units, down 64.5% year-on-year Geely Auto: 12,508 units, down 11.9% year-on-year GAC Trumpchi: 9,097 units, up 272.2% year-on-year Great Wall Motor: 9,091 units, up 81.7% year-on-year In North America, BYD Auto topped the list with nearly 66,954 units exported (+165.7% YoY). This performance highlights BYD's leading position in the region's growing market, driven by its mature battery and plug-in hybrid technology platforms, locally adapted product iterationssuch as the long-range ATTO 3 tailored for Mexico and the soon-to-be-delivered Seal SUVand its gradually established sales and service network. SAIC-GM-Wuling secured second place with 52,662 units. Models like the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV and its derivative Air EV, offering exceptional cost performance, primarily target the entry-level urban mobility segment in Mexico. By contrast, other joint-venture brandsJiangsu Yueda Kia (+14.3% YoY), Changan-Ford (20.2% YoY), and SAIC-GM (22.0% YoY)faced significant challenges. Amid the broader U.S.-China decoupling, exports to the American market are under considerable pressure. At the same time, China's local brands and emerging players delivered impressive performances. Chery Auto claimed third place with 18,416 units (+22.2% YoY), demonstrating its continued penetration in the mid-range segment. The standout, however, was GAC Trumpchi, ranked ninth, which soared 272.2% YoY to 9,097 units. GAC Trumpchi's explosive growth is largely attributed to new-generation models like EMKOO, equipped with Toyota's THS hybrid technology, meeting North American consumers' demand for low fuel consumption, high reliability, and practicality. Coupled with its precise positioning in popular segments such as mid-size SUVs, the brand quickly carved out a foothold in the market. Top 10 Chinese automakers by passenger vehicle exports to Central and South America (H1 2025) BYD Auto: 91,509 units, down 17.2% year-on-year Chery Auto: 58,946 units, up 17.6% year-on-year Great Wall Motor: 34,635 units, up 51.2% year-on-year Jiangsu Yueda Kia: 23,744 units, up 1.0% year-on-year Jiangling Motor: 15,299 units, up 120.3% year-on-year SAIC-GM-Wuling: 13,076 units, down 11.3% year-on-year Geely Auto: 13,016 units, down 11.7% year-on-year DFSK: 11,756 units, up 110.3% year-on-year Changan Auto: 8,445 units, down 18.6% year-on-year SAIC PV: 8,342 units, down 0.1% year-on-year In Central and South America, BYD Auto maintained the top spot with 91,509 units exported, although a 17.2% YoY decline suggests its expansion in the Latin American market is facing a temporary bottleneck. Chery Auto (+17.6% YoY) and Great Wall Motor (+51.2% YoY) followed closely, leveraging localized production and a flexible ICE vehicle lineup to drive growth. Notably, Jiangling Motor (+120.3% YoY) and DFSK (+110.3% YoY) recorded the highest increases on the list, with compact SUVs emerging as a key vehicle segment capturing incremental demand in the region. Currently, countries such as Brazil and Chile are accelerating the phase-out of new energy subsidies and tightening local production requirements, prompting export-reliant automakers to speed up their localization. Top 10 Chinese automakers by passenger vehicle exports to Middle East (H1 2025) Chery Auto: 65,973 units, down 6.3% year-on-year Geely Auto: 52,332 units, up 7.8% year-on-year BYD Auto: 52,204 units, up 208.4% year-on-year SAIC PV: 45,984 units, down 7.0% year-on-year Jiangsu Yueda Kia: 45,639 units, up 54.0% year-on-year FAW-Toyota: 38,780 units, up 192.2% year-on-year Beijing Hyundai: 25,975 units, up 206.0% year-on-year Southeast Auto: 25,268 units, up 540.3% year-on-year Great Wall Motor: 21,927 units, up 91.1% year-on-year Changan Auto: 17,362 units, down 6.1% year-on-year In the Middle East, Chery Auto maintained the top spot with 65,973 units, although a 6.3% YoY decline reflects intensifying competition at the top. Geely Auto held second place with a steady 7.8% YoY growth, continuing its ICE vehicle advantage while gradually expanding in NEV sector, demonstrating resilience through a "dual-track" strategy. BYD Auto surged to third place with a remarkable 208.4% YoY increase, as its NEV models gain traction amid accelerating energy transition efforts in countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, reshaping the regional market landscape. In addition, FAW-Toyota achieved robust growth, soaring 192.2% YoY to 38,780 units, largely driven by its dealers' parallel export operations. Top 10 Chinese automakers by passenger vehicle exports to Oceania (H1 2025) Chery Auto: 23,541 units, up 418.3% year-on-year SAIC PV: 23,337 units, up 11.1% year-on-year Great Wall Motor: 22,893 units, up 30.1% year-on-year BYD Auto: 20,898 units, up 134.8% year-on-year Tesla: 15,500 units, down 46.3% year-on-year Geely Auto: 5,119 units, up 88.1% year-on-year Jiangsu Yueda Kia: 3,625 units, up 841.6% year-on-year SAIC-GM-Wuling: 1,761 units, up 3,902.3% year-on-year SAIC-Maxus: 1,595 units, up 107.1% year-on-year Geely-Volvo: 907 units, up 62.5% year-on-year In Oceania, Chery Auto topped the list with 23,541 units, marking a remarkable 418.3% YoY surge. SAIC PV (23,337 units) and Great Wall Motor (22,893 units) followed closely, forming the first-tier group in the region. Notably, BYD Auto ranked fourth with 20,898 units (+134.8% YoY), reflecting the rapidly growing acceptance of its NEV lineup in the Australia and New Zealand market and underscoring the accelerating local electrification trend. Jiangsu Yueda Kia (3,625 units, +841.6% YoY) and SAIC-GM-Wuling (1,761 units, +3,902.3% YoY) have leveraged small EVs to tap into the rental and short-distance mobility segments, demonstrating strong potential for differentiated positioning. The Geely entities has adopted a dual-track strategy, with Geely Auto (5,119 units, +88.1% YoY) targeting the mass market and Geely-Volvo (907 units, +62.5% YoY) covering the premium segment. Real-time 3D imaging shows the embryo forcefully burrowing into the uterus- discover this fertility breakthrough. Highlights: Most infertility and miscarriage cases are caused by failed embryo implantation in the uterus New 3D imaging reveals embryos actively burrow into uterine tissue, showing remarkable force Lab models of embryo implantation may boost IVF outcomes and fertility treatments Trusted Source Traction force and mechanosensitivity mediate species-specific implantation patterns in human and mouse embryos Go to source Trusted Source Did You Know? The human embryo burrows deep into the uterususing enzymes and force for successful implantation! #EmbryoImplantation #IVF #InfertilityBreakthrough #medindia The human embryo burrows deep into the uterususing enzymes and force for successful implantation! #EmbryoImplantation #IVF #InfertilityBreakthrough #medindia Advertisement Why Embryo Implantation is Critical for Pregnancy Advertisement Human Embryo Uses Force to Burrow into the Uterus Advertisement The Role of Mechanical Forces in Successful Implantation A Laboratory Platform to Study Implantation in Real Time Differences Between Human and Mouse Embryo Implantation Implications for Infertility and IVF Treatment The Future of Fertility Research Traction force and mechanosensitivity mediate species-specific implantation patterns in human and mouse embryos - (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr5199) For the very first time, scientists have captured live 3D images of one of the most mysterious and critical stages of human life- the moment a tiny embryo attaches itself to the wall of the uterus. This breakthrough, led by researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) in collaboration with Dexeus University Hospital in Barcelona, offers an unprecedented window into the earliest days of human development ().Implantation is the process that allows a fertilized egg, or embryo, to settle in the uterus. This step is one of the biggest hurdles in reproduction: nearly 60% of miscarriages result from failed implantation. Until now, scientists knew very little about its real-time dynamics because the process takes place deep inside the uterus.Research revealed that implantation isnt a gentle landing- its a forceful invasion. Human embryos actively burrow into the uterine lining, using both enzymes to break down tissue and mechanical pushing to penetrate the collagen-rich uterine wall. Once embedded, the embryo links with maternal blood vessels, ensuring nutrients and oxygen flow.The team found that implantation depends not only on enzymes but also on physical forces. The embryo reorganizes the uterine matrix and responds to external mechanical cues such as uterine contractions. Effective implantation correlates with proper tissue displacement, showing that mechanics are as important as biochemistry.IBEC scientists developed a specialized gel platform that mimics uterine tissue, complete with collagen and essential proteins . This innovation allowed embryos to implant outside the uterus under controlled conditions. Using live fluorescence microscopy, researchers were able to capture every movement of the embryo as it interacted with its environment.Comparing human and mouse embryos revealed fundamental differences. In mice, embryos attach to the uterine surface and are later enclosed by it, forming a crypt. Human embryos, however, fully penetrate the uterine lining and expand outward from within, reshaping the tissue around them. This highlights why direct human studies are vital, as animal models cannot always reflect human biology.Implantation failure is one of the leading challenges in assisted reproduction. By understanding the mechanics and biology of implantation, doctors may improve IVF success rates, enhance embryo selection, and reduce the time it takes for couples to conceive. The findings may also provide insights into recurrent miscarriages and unexplained infertility This research marks a major milestone in reproductive science. By witnessing implantation unfold in real time, scientists are closer than ever to understanding how life takes root. With further study, this knowledge could transform fertility treatments and offer new hope to families worldwide.Source-Medindia Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On August 20, DEEPAL, an NEV brand under China Changan Automobile Group, and Chinese semiconductor producer StarPower announced the start of production at their joint venture, Chongqing Anda Semiconductor. The launch represents a significant step forward in automotive-grade power semiconductor development and strengthens the supply of critical components for China's fast-growing new energy vehicle (NEV) industry. Photo credit: DEEPAL Chongqing Anda Semiconductor will focus on producing advanced automotive-grade power devices, a core technology for EV performance and safety. StarPower, already one of China's leading suppliers of high-power modules, supplied components for over 1.2 million NEVs in 2022. The new joint venture is expected to reinforce its industry position while giving DEEPAL a reliable, in-house supply of critical chips. From an industry perspective, the facility carries wider implications. For DEEPAL, it enhances vertical integration of its supply chain and provides essential support as the company pursues its million-unit sales ambitions. More broadly, the model highlights how deeper collaboration between automakers and semiconductor firms could reshape the NEV sector's approach to innovation and resilience. As China's auto industry shifts focus from fierce domestic competition to global expansion, closer cooperation with chipmakers offers a safeguard against supply chain vulnerabilities. Strengthening control at the semiconductor level is increasingly seen as crucial to overcoming long-standing bottlenecks. Meanwhile, DEEPAL is accelerating its international expansion under its "1+5+2" market strategy. By 2025, the brand expects to be active in 66 countries and regions, with a goal of reaching 90 by year-end. The new semiconductor plant will not only secure its domestic operations but also underpin its global ambitions. Investigators have linked a second source of DNA evidence to Travis Decker in the deaths of his three daughters earlier this year. On June 2, authorities found the bodies of Olivia, 5, Evelyn, 8, and Paityn, 9, at the Rock Island campground near Icicle Road in Leavenworth, Washington. The girls were reported missing after their father, Decker, now 33, failed to return the girls to their mother following a scheduled visitation on May 30. The girls were found with plastic bags over their heads; a DNA analysis by the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed Decker's DNA matched the DNA profiles obtained from the plastic bags, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said in a news release on Tuesday. In June, autopsies determined that the cause of death for each of the girls was suffocation, and the manner of death was homicide. Zip ties found "in the immediate area of the bodies" also tested positive for Decker's DNA, the news release said. Now, the sheriff's office is waiting for more evidence to be tested by the crime lab, according to Chief Ryan Moody with the sheriff's office. A previous DNA analysis of crime scene evidence also implicated Decker. Items taken from the scene matched blood samples also found at the campsite, the sheriff's office said July 1. The sheriff's office hasn't received new information regarding Decker's whereabouts or if he's dead or alive, according to the news release, but they continue to communicate with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to coordinate search efforts. Decker was a member of the Army National Guard and served in the U.S. Army from 2013 to 2021 as an infantryman, according to a National Guard spokesperson. During his enlistment, he deployed to Afghanistan. The girls' mother, Whitney Decker, filed for divorce from Decker in November 2022. In Chelan County Superior Court filings, she described his struggles with mental health and said he had borderline personality disorder. At the time the girls went missing, Decker was allowed visits every other weekend -- Fridays through Sundays -- in the Wenatchee Valley, but they were not permitted to be overnight. In a court declaration, Whitney Decker said the girls' father struggled to maintain stability and housing since their separation, and that his mental health issues were affecting their daughters. As part of a parenting plan, he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation related to anger management. The evaluation should've been completed within 30 days, but court records show he never completed the evaluation. Decker's whereabouts remain unknown. He's 5-foot-8 with black hair, brown eyes and was last seen wearing a tan or green shirt and dark shorts. The U.S. Marshals Service is still offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading directly to Decker's arrest. He is wanted on three counts of aggravated first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping. Officials continue to ask the public to report any sightings or suspicious activity by calling 911 or contacting the nearest U.S. Marshal's office or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at (800) 336-0102 or USMS Tips at usmarshals.gov/tips. 2025 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.). Visit www.spokesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A former U.S. Space Force sergeant fatally shot a 14-year-old and injured a 13-year-old in an act of vigilante violence, Colorado prosecutors say. Orest Schur, 29, received a 54-year prison sentence after a jury in June found him guilty of second-degree murder and attempted murder in the 2023 shooting, the 17th Judicial District Attorneys Office said in an Aug. 15 news release. Space Force did not immediately return McClatchy News request for comment Aug. 19. Attorney information for Schur was not immediately available. This was vigilante violence at its worst and now a young man is dead, District Attorney Brian Mason said in the release. The defendant took the law into his own hands, chasing down a fleeing vehicle and opening fire on its occupants. A 14-year-old boy will now never grow up because of the defendants actions. Schur, a technical sergeant with Space Force in Aurora, was awakened by the blaring of his car alarm at about 11 p.m. July 5, 2023, prosecutors said. Thinking someone was trying to steal his Hyundai Elantra, prosecutors said Schur armed himself with a pistol and began driving around the block in the Elantra. As Schur circled the neighborhood, he spotted a car he thought to be involved in the attempted theft, prosecutors said. Schur did not call police but instead chased the car, firing multiple rounds at its rear, prosecutors said. Aurora police later found the car the teenagers had been driving, crashed into a homes backyard fence, prosecutors said. Officers found the car had been damaged by gunfire in multiple spots, including the trunk roof and rear windshield, and investigators determined that one bullet had passed through the drivers seat and into the drivers back, prosecutors said. After the crash, the two teens ran from the car, as Schur continued shooting toward them, prosecutors said. The 14-year-old passenger was hit by gunfire in his back and head as he ran, prosecutors said, adding that he was found unconscious not too far away and later died at a hospital. Though the 13-year-old driver was shot in his back, he was able to reach a family members home, was taken to a hospital and survived his injuries, prosecutors said. Schur said his actions were in self-defense in response to someone firing at him, prosecutors said. However, an extensive investigation found no evidence that anyone, aside from Schur, carried or fired a gun, prosecutors said. Forensic testing showed Schur fired 11 rounds in total, prosecutors said. 2025 The Sacramento Bee. Visit sacbee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. BRUSSELS NATO defense chiefs held a candid discussion" Wednesday about what security guarantees they could offer Kyiv to help forge a peace agreement that ends Russias three-year war on Ukraine, a senior alliance official said. Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the chair of NATOs Military Committee, said that 32 defense chiefs from across the alliance held a video conference amid a U.S.-led diplomatic push to end the fighting. He said there was a great, candid discussion in the call. I thanked everyone for their always proactive participation in these meetings: we are united, and that unity was truly tangible today, as always, he wrote on social platform X without providing further details. Assurances that it won't be invaded again in the future are one of the keys for getting Ukraine to sign up for a peace deal with Russia. It wants Western help for its military, including weapons and training, to shore up its defenses, and Western officials are scrambling to figure out what commitments they might offer. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov chided efforts to work on security arrangements in Ukraine without Moscows involvement. We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work, Lavrov said Wednesday, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. Russia will ensure (its) legitimate interests firmly and harshly, Lavrov added at a news conference in Moscow with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi. U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATOs supreme allied commander Europe, took part in the virtual talks, Dragone said. U.S. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also due to participate, a U.S. defense official said. Caine also met with European military chiefs Tuesday evening in Washington to assess the best military options for political leaders, according to the defense official, who wasnt authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Defense chiefs work on details of a Ukraine security force U.S. President Donald Trump met last Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and on Monday hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and prominent European leaders at the White House. Neither meeting delivered concrete progress. Trump is trying to steer Putin and Zelenskyy toward a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbor, but there are major obstacles. They include Ukraines demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia wont mount another invasion in the coming years. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace, Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight. Kyivs European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, has signed up to support the initiative. Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the U.S. might play is unclear. Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending U.S. troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept NATO troops in Ukraine. Attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian strikes also targeted ports and fuel and energy infrastructure, officials said. Zelenskyy said the strikes only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential. Switzerland could host a Putin-Zelenskyy summit Trump said Monday he has begun arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, although the Kremlin hasnt publicly confirmed such a possibility and no venue was suggested. Lavrov, in his Moscow press conference, said Russia is prepared to continue negotiations with Ukraine in any format. He said Putin proposed to Trump raising the level of representation in delegations that recently took part in largely fruitless direct talks in Istanbul. He added that a separate block (of talks) should be devoted to examining the political aspects of the settlement, along with the military and humanitarian ones. Ukraine and Western leaders have accused Putin of dragging out peace negotiations in the hope of capturing more land before any settlement. French President Emmanuel Macron has said the summit could happen in Europe and proposed the Swiss city of Geneva. Switzerland has expressed its willingness to act as host. Putins ability to travel abroad is limited because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on a warrant dating back to March 2023 for alleged involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children. More than 100 countries are ICC signatories and have a legal obligation to arrest the Russian leader on their soil. Switzerland intends to ask the ICC to exempt it from sanctions in order to allow Putin in for a summit, according to a senior official in The Hague with direct knowledge of the request. The official was not authorized to speak about the proceedings and spoke on condition of anonymity. ___ Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Molly Quell contributed from The Hague and Mike Pesoli from Washington. President Donald Trump has ordered the entire southern border wall to be painted black to stop migrants from crossing because it will be too hot to touch, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Speaking near the border in New Mexico on Tuesday, Noem said crews have begun painting sections of the 30-foot steel bollards that make up the barriers. She said the directive came directly from Trump, under the expectation the dark paint will extend the steel's lifespan by slowing rust and discourage migrants to climb the wall by making it unbearably hot under the desert sun. "We are going to be painting the entire border wall black," Noem told reporters. Asked about criticism that the practice could make conditions harsher for migrants, she responded: "Don't touch it. People have a choice." Noem didn't say how much the project will cost or how long it will take. She applied paint herself to a small section of a fence during the media appearance in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. Noem's visit came as arrests at the southwest border have plunged to levels not seen in decades as the administration enacts stricter enforcement measures. It has also shut down the CBP One mobile app that had previously been a key way for migrants to schedule appointments to cross the border and seek asylum. Walter Slosar, the interim chief patrol agent in the El Paso Sector, covering far West Texas and all of New Mexico, said the current seven-day arrest average is about 41 a day, with an additional nine migrants crossing daily without being stopped. A year ago the average was closer to 400 a day and it was roughly 2,300 in 2023. Still, the administration has pressed ahead with wall construction, filling in gaps in Santa Teresa, where about seven miles of new barriers are being installed. Trump's plan to build out a southern border wall has long been a lightning rod, dating back to Trump's first term when his administration added razor wire to some sections, while painting some areas black, but ultimately built far fewer miles of new barriers than initially promised. Despite that, Trump has kept the wall central to his immigration message, portraying it as a tool of enforcement. Congress last month approved a budget bill that set aside almost $47 billion for continued border wall construction and maintenance, giving the administration a new stream of money to carry forward Trump's plans. The clampdown is visible across the desert region. In Sunland Park, New Mexico, residents can see a Stryker armored combat vehicle perched on a mesa overlooking Mexico, an American flag fluttering from its rear. Border Patrol agents and military personnel patrol the area, part of an arrangement that has thousands of active-duty troops deployed under U.S. Northern Command. The troops have been authorized to briefly detain and search migrants in newly designated "National Defense Areas" near the boundary, which the Pentagon says are effectively extensions of U.S. military installations. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A United States Navy ship that was facing a possible new name is keeping its identity. The USNS Cesar Chavez will retain its name after Reps. Gil Cisneros and Sam Liccardo -- both Democrats from California -- wrote a letter last July to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, requesting the vessel not be renamed. Cisneros previously served as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness under former President Joe Biden. "The Department of Defense has established clear criteria for naming military assets: consider historical context, recognize national service, and minimize cost USNS Cesar Chavez meets those standards," the letter reads. "In 1946, before becoming one of the most consequential labor leaders in American history, Cesar Chavez enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 19 and was stationed in the Western Pacific. He served in a segregated unit, where he, like many Mexican American servicemembers, quietly endured discrimination -- an experience that deepened his understanding of injustice and shaped his lifelong fight for dignity and equality." Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Union alongside Dolores Huerta and Gilbert Padilla. The union later joined forces with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers Labor Union. In a written response, the Department of Defense said there are "no plans to rename USNS Cesar Chavez." "Uplifting the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez should not be a partisan issue," Cisneros said in a statement. "I'm encouraged that Secretary Hegseth and the Department of Defense heard our concerns and will preserve the name of the USNS Cesar Chavez. Mr. Chavez is an American hero who dedicated his life to our country, from the Navy to the labor movement. Sustaining his name on this ship is a powerful reminder of his enduring legacy and the inspiration he provides to all who serve." "This is a win not only for the Latino community, and our veterans; it's a win for all Americans who believe service, leadership, and sacrifice deserve honor, not erasure," Liccardo added in his own statement. "Cesar Chavez's story and triumphant spirit reflect the best of America, and I am relieved to know his legacy will continue to inspire those who serve our nation." Read more: US DOD Secretary Pete Hegseth orders USNS Harvey Milk renamed during Pride Month "This response raises questions of what defines 'warrior ethos,'" Liccardo's statement continued. "I welcome a response from Secretary Hegseth on why Bay Area hero and civil rights icon Harvey Milk's legacy won't be preserved under the same criteria." The effort to rename U.S. Navy vessels began in June, when it was announced that the USNS Harvey Milk would be renamed. Harvey Milk was a Navy veteran, a gay rights advocate and the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement at the time that the renaming under Secretary Hegseth "will help highlight the priorities of President Donald Trump." The USNS Harvey Milk -- the only ship thus far to be renamed under Hegseth's renaming effort -- was officially renamed in late June after Navy Chief Petty Officer Oscar V. Peterson, a World War II Navy veteran who received the Medal of Honor and fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942. Other ships that came up as possibly being renamed included: USNS Thurgood Marshall USNS Medgar Evers USNS Harriet Tubman USNS Dolores Huerta USNS Lucy Stone USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg 2025 the Jacksonville Journal-Courier (Jacksonville, Ill.). Visit www.myjournalcourier.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A military vehicle crashed into a car in a residential neighborhood in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, punctuating a day that saw out-of-state troops joining patrols on the National Mall and top administration officials being met with protesters as they visited troops patrolling a transit station. The vehicle collision, from which the civilian driver was reported to suffer minor injuries, comes as the National Guard's mission to buttress President Donald Trump's crackdown on D.C. enters its second week. Under the auspices of combating crime, Trump last week activated the D.C. Guard, deployed hundreds of federal law enforcement officials on city streets, and invoked a heretofore unused law to federalize the D.C. local police force. Read Next: Airman Killed in Off-Base AK-47 Shooting Near F.E. Warren Air Force Base Identified D.C. officials have sued over the attempted takeover of the police force, but the Guard deployment, which Trump has the power to do unilaterally since D.C. is not a state, has seen little pushback beyond a couple of Democratic bills in Congress that are unlikely to get votes. What started as an 800-troop mission for the D.C. National Guard has ballooned to more than 2,000 troops as Republican governors from six states have pledged to send hundreds of their Guardsmen as reinforcements. While videos of unidentified federal law enforcement officers setting up vehicle checkpoints, violently detaining civilians and being taunted by D.C. residents have gone viral, the Guard deployments have so far appeared relatively uneventful. But an incident Wednesday morning demonstrated the potential perils of having a bustling city teeming with military equipment. At about 6 a.m. Wednesday, a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected All Terrain Vehicle, a 14-ton vehicle designed to withstand blasts from roadside bombs in war zones, collided with a small SUV in an intersection in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The driver of the civilian car, who became trapped in the vehicle and had to be extracted by the fire department, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, the DC Fire and EMS Department said on social media. The military vehicle was part of a five-vehicle convoy and, after the collision, the convoy and a D.C. police cruiser stopped to provide aid to the civilian, the Joint Task Force-District of Columbia, or JTF-DC, said in a statement. "This is currently undergoing an investigation," the emailed statement said. "The D.C. National Guard and JTF-DC remains committed to the safety of our service members and the public." Video of the aftermath of the crash circulated online. "You come to our city and this is what you do? Seriously?" a bystander can be heard yelling at the troops in the video. Guardsmen so far have been mostly stationed in tourist areas such as the National Mall and Union Station, a hub for Amtrak, Greyhound, regional trains, the local Metro and other transportation services. They have also been patrolling some Metro stations around the city. The National Mall was relatively quiet when a Military.com reporter visited the area Wednesday afternoon, with a smattering of Guardsmen walking up and down the grassy corridor against the backdrop of the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and other attractions. The patrols were occasionally interrupted by tourists asking for pictures, while other onlookers snapped pictures or whispered about the military presence from afar. All of the Guardsmen whom Military.com spoke with Wednesday said it was their first day on the mission, with most saying they came from West Virginia. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey was the first governor to say he'd contribute to the mission, pledging 300 to 400 troops on Saturday. The Guardsmen were told their mission is to help local law enforcement and act as a visual deterrent, they said. Universally, they praised the kindness of the people they've interacted with on the Mall. And if there was any discomfort with the idea of patrolling a U.S. city, they did not show it. "For me, it's an honor to be at the capital serving the people," said Spc. Nevaeh Lekanudos, who was patrolling outside the Smithsonian Metro station. "I know people kind of see it as a negative. They see it, like, we're basically in our own territory. But we're happy to be here. We're all for the same thing, and we really are here for you guys. So we just don't want it to be seen as something negative. We're here to support." A couple of miles away, Vice President J.D. Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the troops deployed to Union Station on Wednesday and handed out Shake Shack burgers to some of them for lunch. The pair, who were also joined by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, were greeted by boos and shouts of "free D.C." from protesters that were loud enough to be heard on a stream of the visit. Miller claimed without evidence the protesters aren't D.C. residents and called them "crazy communists," an unusually political message to deliver in remarks where he was surrounded by troops. "So we're going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old," Miller said. "And we're going to get back to the business of protecting the American people and the citizens of Washington, D.C." Related: 'We're Going to Take Our Capital Back': Trump Calls for DC Deployments Despite Falling Crime Rates **Can They Trace Your ChatGPT Chats? Unpacking the Trackability Puzzle** (Is Chat Gpt Trackable) Ever fired off a question to ChatGPT and wondered, Could someone actually trace this back to me? Its a smart question. In a world obsessed with data, knowing if your AI chats leave footprints matters. Lets dive deep into the trackability of ChatGPT and separate fact from fiction. **1. What Does Trackable Mean for ChatGPT?** Trackable sounds like spy stuff. Here, its simpler. It means if someone can link your ChatGPT activity specifically to *you*. Think footprints in the digital sand. Can someone follow them back to your doorstep? Were talking about who might see your chats: OpenAI (the maker), your internet provider, your boss, maybe even hackers. What they can see varies wildly. It could be the actual words you typed, just the fact you used ChatGPT, or details like when and from where. Understanding this basic idea is step one. Its not just about privacy paranoia; its knowing your digital exposure. **2. Why Would Anyone Want to Track ChatGPT Use?** Why track AI chats? Reasons arent always sinister. OpenAI needs data to train smarter models. Your chats help them fix mistakes and make ChatGPT better for everyone. Think of it like anonymous feedback. Companies track employee use for security. They want to stop leaks of secret info or stop people using ChatGPT for harmful stuff. Schools might track to prevent cheating. Governments might track for national security reasons, looking for illegal activity. Hackers? They just want your data for profit. On the flip side, researchers track trends to understand how society uses AI, spotting benefits or problems early. Tracking serves many masters, some good, some bad. **3. How Does ChatGPT Tracking Actually Work?** So, how does the tracking happen? It depends on whos looking. OpenAI logs your interactions if youre signed in. They tie chats to your account. They see your prompts, ChatGPTs replies, timestamps, and sometimes device info. This data helps them improve the system. Your internet provider sees you connected to OpenAIs servers. They know you used ChatGPT, but usually not your specific chats, unless the connection isnt secure (look for https). On a company network, your IT department might see everything. They control the computers and the internet pipe. They can log every website you visit, including ChatGPT, and possibly capture the text if they use special monitoring tools. Apps or browser extensions you install might also sneakily grab your chat data. The methods range from direct logging by the service provider to network snooping. **4. Where Do We See ChatGPT Tracking in Action?** Tracking isnt just theory; its happening now. Companies use employee monitoring software. These tools can flag heavy ChatGPT use or even block it entirely. They generate reports showing who used it and when. Schools use plagiarism detectors that now scan for AI writing. They compare student work against known AI patterns. Some even require students to use monitored browsers during exams, blocking ChatGPT access. OpenAI itself uses tracked data for research. They publish studies on how people use AI, like spotting biases in prompts or finding new helpful applications. Law enforcement might request chat logs from OpenAI if investigating a crime, though OpenAI usually pushes back unless legally forced. Customer service bots using ChatGPT tech often log chats for training and quality checks. The applications are everywhere once you look. **5. Your Burning ChatGPT Tracking Questions Answered** Lets tackle those nagging questions head-on. * **Can my boss see my ChatGPT chats?** Maybe. If youre on a work device or network, absolutely yes. Company IT has powerful tools. Using your personal phone on cellular data? Much harder for them, but not impossible if they install monitoring software on the phone. * **Does OpenAI sell my chat history?** No. Their privacy policy says they dont sell personal data. They *do* use your chats to improve their models. Paid subscribers (ChatGPT Plus) can turn off chat history for some conversations, meaning those chats arent used for training. * **Can I use ChatGPT completely untracked?** Truly anonymous? Tough. Signing up needs an email or phone number. Using it without an account limits features. Turning off chat history helps with OpenAIs training use, but your provider or network admin might still see activity. A VPN hides your location from your ISP and some network trackers, but OpenAI still knows its *your* account if youre signed in. * **Is my chat data safe from hackers?** OpenAI has strong security, but no system is unhackable. Major breaches are rare but possible. The bigger risk is malware on *your* device capturing your keystrokes or screen. (Is Chat Gpt Trackable) * **Can I be anonymous with ChatGPT?** Mostly no. Free tier requires sign-up. Even pseudonyms link back to your sign-up method. For serious anonymity, specialized tools beyond standard ChatGPT are needed, and even those have limits. Be careful what personal details you share in chats. Inquiry us if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. ([email protected]) The Mets placed catcher Francisco Alvarez on the 10-day injured list earlier today with a right thumb UCL sprain, announcing that he will be evaluated again in 10 to 14 days. Manager Carlos Mendoza later provided more information to reporters, including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Alvarez will require surgery at some point but the Mets are going to see if he can play through it before going under the knife. If he cant play through it a few weeks from now, he could be done for the year. It seems that the Mets and Alvarez are in a weird limbo area due to the calendar. Andy Martino of SNY relays that the typical recovery time for this thumb surgery is six to seven weeks. If he were to have it done now, it would essentially end his season. The Mets are battling for a playoff spot and will instead see if Alvarez can be a factor for them later in the year. It might not work out but it doesnt appear theres a serious downside. Even if the surgery is delayed until the offseason, Alvarez should have time to recover for a normal offseason and be ready for spring training. Alvarez struggled earlier this year and got optioned down to the minors for a spell. Since coming back up, he has been on a tear. His recent hot streak has brought his season-long line up to .265/.349/.438, which translates to a 126 wRC+. As Alvarez has been hot, the club has been cold. The Mets have been sliding in the standings and their 66-58 record has them barely hanging onto a playoff spot, just one game up on the Reds. If theres a chance of getting Alvarez back in the lineup for a few weeks, its understandable that they would try, especially when considering the alternatives. Luis Torrens is hitting .214/.280/.301 this year while Hayden Senger has a .174/.208/.196 line. Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images The Reds announced today that catcher Tyler Stephenson has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a thumb fracture. In a corresponding move, the club has selected the contract of catcher Will Banfield from Triple-A. Hell take the 40-man roster spot of Jake Fraley, who was designated for assignment over the weekend and claimed off waivers by the Braves yesterday. Stephenson, 29, was selected 11th overall by Cincinnati back in 2015 and has been the clubs primary catcher since 2021. Long considered a bat-first option behind the plate, hes also seen occasional time at DH and first base over the years but entered the 2025 season with a solid .267/.343/.427 (107 wRC+) slash line for his career, including a 113 wRC+ during the 2024 campaign. Unfortunately, hes struggled to produce at the plate this year and has ceded much of his playing time to Jose Trevino behind the dish. Stephenson gotten into 72 games this year, with a .226/.313/.393 (90 wRC+) line in 288 plate appearances. Most concerning is his massive 34.4% strikeout rate, which is eleven points north of his career mark of 23.4%. That Stephenson is injured isnt exactly a surprise, seeing as he suffered the injury on a pitch caught from Hunter Greene last week against the Phillies. Hes played just one game since then due to the issue, and now that hes on the shelf its unclear when hell be back in the lineup. The Reds have given no indication about his timeline for return at this point, and that leaves Trevino to take over regular duties behind the plate after spitting time with Stephenson throughout the year. After getting his start with the Rangers back in 2018, Trevino developed into a top-tier defender behind the plate before being traded to the Yankees. He posted a wRC+ of just 81 across his three seasons in the Bronx but won a platinum glove for his work at catcher before being shipped to Cincinnati in exchange for Fernando Cruz and Alex Jackson over the offseason. The 32-year-old hasnt looked quite as good this year behind the plate and is hitting just .176/.205/.206 since the start of July, but remains a plus pitch framer. Still, for a club with an excellent rotation but a lackluster offense, losing Stephensons bat from the lineup is a considerable blow as the Reds look to sneak their way into the NL Wild Card conversation. For the time being, Trevino will be backed up by Banfield. The 25-year-old spent his whole career in the Marlins organization before electing free agency and signing a minor league deal with the Reds last November. Hes struggled badly at the plate in 73 games at Triple-A this year, hitting just .220/.277/.304 with a wRC+ of 53. Brutal as that slash line may be, however, Banfield is viewed as a solid defender behind the plate who should serve as an adequate backup for Trevino while Stephensons thumb recovers. Behind Banfield, the clubs additional catching depth leaves much to be desired. P.J. Higgins and Eric Yang are both in the clubs minor league system but Yang has just one game of big league experience and is hitting poorly at Triple-A while Higgins is generally viewed as a lackluster defender behind the plate, hasnt appeared in the majors since 2022, and has hit just .210/.291/.348 (85 wRC+) in 83 games at the big league level for his career. LANSING, MI - Michigan regulators are forcing Viridis, a prominent marijuana testing lab with operations in Bay City and Lansing, to cease operations. The decision comes after a years-long legal battle involving contested complaints and civil lawsuits. The settlement results in the immediate revocation of Viridis Lansing licenses and requires Viridis Bay City location to close by September 28, 2025, the Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) said in a statement issued on Wednesday, Aug. 20. The Lansing location is listed as permanently closed in a Google search. The CRA also banned majority owners Todd Welch, Gregoire Michaud and Michele Glinn, who previously worked in the Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division, from future industry participation. State regulators began reviewing the labs results and testing methods in December 2020 amid allegations the staff deliberately inflated THC potency levels and passed marijuana products that should have failed testing. In November 2021, the CRA recalled nearly 64,000 pounds of marijuana tested by Viridis labs, calling the results unreliable and inaccurate. A large portion of the product involved with that nearly $292 million recall was later reversed by a Court of Claims judge. Concerns over the labs activity led to numerous formal complaints being filed by the CRA and a series of civil lawsuits, including counter claims filed by Viridis. The business argued it was unfairly targeted by the CRA, due to having a majority share of the testing market. This is justice, plain and simple, said CRA Director Brian Hanna. Viridis failed to uphold the standards required of marijuana safety compliance facilities in Michigan. Viridis circumvented the rules. Their majority owners will never operate in this space again, and the Michigan cannabis industry will be stronger for it. MLive left a voicemail requesting comment from David R. Russell, who is listed as the attorney representing Viridis in the CRA consent agreement. _ of Viridis Laboratories collects cannabis samples, which will later be tested for potency and purity, at Michigan Pure Med in Marshall, on Tuesday, June 8, 2021. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com) Mike Mulholland | MLive.com Hanna said Viridis operated with a sustained, deliberate pattern of noncompliance that shook confidence in the entire regulated cannabis system and pushed competing businesses to the brink. PSI Labs, one of the states first-licensed testing labs, closed its doors in early 2024, citing pressures from competitors who were sidestepping science to appease their customers. We never thought in a million years that providing accurate data would be the downfall of our business, Ben Rosman, co-founder and CEO of Ann Arbors PSI Labs, told MLive. For a while, the accuracy ... helped build a great reputation for us, but that proved to be our demise. Lab shopping, a phenomenon in which cannabis producers choose labs not for their scientific acumen but for the high potency results or high pass rates, has become a national concern in all regulated marijuana markets. To help implement stronger standards and audit test results, the CRA is currently building its own state-run testing lab that is expected to be operational by spring 2026. We are at a pivotal moment, where scientific progress in cannabis is unfolding under our watch, said Claire Patterson, director of the CRAs lab. Here, we had a responsibility to get this right and set a critical precedent. Scientific integrity isnt a formality its the foundation of the cannabis industry. The future of this industry depends on ethics, transparency, and science we can all trust. This MLive file photo shows Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel speaking at the Ann Arbor Pride Festival in August 2024. Josh Boland | MLive.com Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel testified this week against what she called an ill-conceived proposal to rescind federal authority to regulate climate action. Nessel testified online Aug. 19 before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about her strenuous opposition to the effort by the Trump administration to roll back the agencys greenhouse gas endangerment finding. For more than 15 years that landmark scientific conclusion has provided the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. Michigans attorney general characterized the rulemaking maneuver as an effort by the federal government under President Donald Trump to abdicate its legal duty to take action. Nessel said that although the state is far from rising sea levels and western wildfires, other impacts of climate change puts Michigans residents in very real jeopardy. Related: Wildfire smoke and heat waves force vulnerable Michigan residents indoors Michigan has grown hotter and experienced increasingly frequent and intense storms, flooding, droughts, and other climate-related impacts, Nessel said. She pointed to ruined cherry crops last year and unsafe air conditions across Michigan from Canadian wildfire smoke. The justification for EPAs decision to abandon its responsibilities to protect all of us from the dangers posed by greenhouse gases is legally incorrect, scientifically unsound, and lacking in common sense, Nessel said in her virtual testimony. The EPA proposal must go through a lengthy review process, including an ongoing public review period, before it is finalized, likely next year. Public hearings are happening this week, and the comment period is open through Sept. 22. Environmental groups are expected to challenge the rule change in court. This MLive file photo shows U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin at the Flint Water Plant in February 2025. Ayrton Breckenridge | MLive.com Last month, EPA Director Lee Zeldin announced plans to revoke the 2009 declaration that determined carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health. He criticized those he said are willing to bankrupt the country in the name of climate change, citing pollution regulations on vehicles, airplanes, and industry, Associated Press reported. The EPAs proposal follows an executive order from Trump that directed the agency to submit a report on the legality and continuing applicability of the endangerment finding. Conservatives and some congressional Republicans hailed the plan, calling it a way to undo economically damaging rules to regulate greenhouse gases. Environmental groups said Zeldins action seeks to deny reality even as weather disasters exacerbated by climate change grow worse in the U.S. and around the world. Related: Michigan ratepayers to share costs of keeping coal plant open with 10 states Nessel additionally criticized the regulatory chaos of this rulemaking maneuver as bad for the environment, businesses, and ordinary Michiganders who rely on the EPA to enforce the federal Clean Air Act. Instead, this effort would uplift an aging and out of touch fossil fuel industry, she said. Last year Nessel filed suit against the fossil fuel industry because of climate change-related damages and expenses. Fossil fuel use emits carbon into the atmosphere, which leads to global warming through the greenhouse effect. Subsequent temperature increases cause climate change and loss of biodiversity around the planet. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Views of the VEOS USA powdered egg facility in Adrian, 1336 E Maumee Street in Adrian as seen on Saturday, July 29, 2025. Neighbors have complained about odors coming from the facility. J. Scott Park | jpark4@mlive.com ADRIAN, MI - The owner of a facility whose egg-drying process has wrinkled noses in Adrian told state officials it believes its efforts to quell a persistent stink have been effective, though it is committed to resolve any more perceived odor concerns. Residents and environmental regulators still want to see more. The state responded to the assurances by ratcheting up pressure on the plant owned by the U.S. arm of a Belgian company, Veos USA, warning of fines or the possibility of legal action if odor violations arent addressed in an Aug. 15 notice. The escalation is the latest step in a yearslong saga over the smell residents liken to that of a dead animal, produced as eggs not fit for human consumption are dried into a powder that is added into pet food. It may sound familiar. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, or EGLE, took similar enforcement against a prior plant owner in 2022. It then went bankrupt in 2024 and sold the facility on East Maumee Street to Veos, ultimately delaying efforts to reach a solution. Read more: A rotten egg stink has plagued this Michigan town for years. What will fix it? The violation notices issued, and the escalated enforcement action, are vital to holding the company accountable for these continuing nuisance odors, said EGLE spokesperson Josef Greenberg Stephens in a statement. Neighbors are weary of the problem, which they say comes and goes but often forces them inside. Dakota Nicholson can see the plants exhaust stack from his deck. I just want to be able to take my kids outside, swim in the swimming pool, play catch with them in the yard, he said. The smell is still here, and I know that us citizens are the ones at the end of the day who have to deal with it. Views of the VEOS USA powdered egg facility in Adrian, 1336 E Maumee Street in Adrian as seen on Saturday, July 29, 2025. Neighbors have complained about odors coming from the facility. J. Scott Park | jpark4@mlive.com Increased scrutiny from the state over very strong odors documented on at least three occasions in recent months and numerous violations of its air permit could eventually result in a legal compliance plan with steps to cut the smell and a fine, according to Greenberg Stephens with EGLE. Veos USA is committed to addressing the odor concerns expressed by its neighbors and working in good faith with Michigan EGLE to resolve the recent violation notices, said Daniel Hofbauer, plant general manager and vice president of operations in a statement. But in an Aug. 11 letter to the state agency, Veos pushed back on some prior violations it received in July. Hofbauer wrote the company was surprised regulators had noted more severe smells on July 18 when they cited VEOS for violations of air quality rules, saying Veos staff only detected less noticeable odors on that day, as well as immediately before and after. Veos believes that our odor mitigation efforts have been effective based upon odor observations since Veos acquired the facility in November 2024, he wrote. The company has modified a scrubber system meant to reduce odors and hired an engineering consultant to evaluate its process, as well as scheduled other tests and assessments that could result in changes to the facility, the letter said. Preliminary modifications would be completed by Oct. 31, in addition to the installation of an expanded ventilation system capturing emissions from various parts of the facility, Hofbauer wrote to EGLE. Views of the VEOS USA powdered egg facility in Adrian, 1336 E Maumee Street in Adrian as seen on Saturday, July 29, 2025. Neighbors have complained about odors coming from the facility. J. Scott Park | jpark4@mlive.com Greenberg Stephens said the agencys air quality staff have met with Veos numerous times and conducted multiple inspections of the plant, as community complaints have escalated since the company took it over. EGLE staff previously told MLive the facility is the only one of its kind in Michigan and one of few in the nation. Others are located far from homes, rather than immediately next to a city neighborhood. VEOS also told EGLE it is concerned residents have registered odor complaints at least in part to support a class action lawsuit filed against the company by inconvenienced neighbors in July. David Dubin, an attorney representing the residents, called the suggestion extremely disappointing and said he has no coordination with EGLE, which accepts odor complaints. Veos had months to quell odors before the suit was filed, but they persist, he said. Dont start making money over the lives of the residents here, he said. They wanted to make a profit off their investment and do so right away clearly, which is why they started up the process without addressing the odors. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, was dismissed by a judge in early August. Dubin said it was not able to satisfy federal jurisdiction requirements, but he is working toward filing similar claims in state court in Lenawee County. Adrian city officials took the plants prior owner, Crimson Holdings, to court, leading to a temporary shutdown of some operations in 2022 and other concessions. The city has now issued new municipal civil infractions against Veos, which are pending in Lenawee Countys 2A District Court. City Community Development Director Lisa Hewitt-Cruz didnt respond to an email requesting an update on the case. Nicholson wants his city to do more to hold Veos accountable and end the odors. After 23 years in his home, hes looking to buy elsewhere because of the smell. Hes not taking part in the effort to sue the company. I just want this odor gone. Its not about money, he said. No matter how much you want to pay me, Im losing memories from being outside to play with my kids. The Norwegian Getaway docked at a port of call. Another Norwegian ship, the Pearl, will once again host a nude cruise in 2026. Photo by Edward Pevos | MLive You could travel to the ABC Islands in your birthday suit on board an 11-day Norwegian cruise. The Big Nude Boat is returning for 2026 on board the Norwegian Pearl, with booking open now through Bare Necessities Tour & Travel. The ship will embark out of Miami and head to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao from Monday, February 9 through Friday, February 20. The ship will also stop at Ocho Rios, Jamaica and twice to Norwegians private island, Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. Nudity is allowed on the private island. The Big Nude Boat has become a beloved tradition, with a high percentage of repeat cruisers each year, Bare Necessities Tour & Travel wrote. Many passengers return to reconnect with friends made on past bare cruises, creating a warm and welcoming community atmosphere. Bare Necessities says The Big Nude Cruise is non-sexual in nature and is not a swinger experience, adding that this cruise is an affiliated club of the American Association of Nude Recreation (AANR). There are a few other rules passengers must follow. When the ship is at sea or anchored, passengers can be nude on board. However, when the ship is docked at a port, all passengers must be dressed throughout the vessel, including balconies, until the ship leaves port. The self-serve buffet is a clothes-free area. However, clothing is required at all meals in the dining rooms. Passengers must also sit on a towel at all times while nude, in a G-string, thong, or any time they are bare-bottomed. If a passenger breaks any of the rules or etiquette, they could be kicked off the cruise without a refund. DETROIT -- An investment fund owner who scammed nearly 100 investors was sentenced to 100 months in prison Monday. According to the Department of Justice, 33-year-old Andrew Middlebrooks was sentenced after he previously pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud in connection with an investment scheme. Middlebrooks, of Dallas, was living in Metro Detroit during the time of the scheme, which ran from May 2017 to May 2022. He was charged in the matter in October 2022. The crime took place while Middlebrooks operated as the majority owner, chief executive officer, chief investment officer, and portfolio manager of EIA All Weather Alpha Fund 1 Partners (EIA). Prosecutors say Middlebrooks solicited clients for EIA by claiming he could secure large returns for investors by exploiting inefficiencies in global equity markets. However, the fund was unable to produce those returns and suffered catastrophic losses. Rather than inform the investors of the losses, Middlebrooks solicited new investors, using false statements about the funds performance. Middlebrooks provided false documents claiming that EIAs performance was exceptional, including one document that claimed the fund had a cumulative return of 476.81% with 81.82% of monthly trading showing a profit. Eventually the scheme collapsed, resulting in losses to 97 investors exceeding $34 million, the DOJ said. This financial charlatan used sophisticated methods and a complex web of deception to trick unsuspecting victims into trusting him with their money. Con artists like this will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, said United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. This MLive file photo pictures the Diag on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. Jacob Hamilton, MLive.com file Jacob Hamilton DETROIT, MI A Chinese scholar pleaded no contest to charges of attempting to smuggle roundworm material into a University of Michigan laboratory and lying to U.S. authorities. Chengxuan Han, a Chinese citizen, entered the plea on Tuesday, Aug. 19 to three smuggling charges and to making false statements to U.S. Custom and Border Protection Officers, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. Han, whos pursuing a doctorate degree with the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, is accused of sending four packages containing biological material from China to the U.S. in 2024 and 2025. Prosecutors said the packages were addressed to individuals associated with a laboratory at the University of Michigan. On June 8, Han arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on a J1 visa, which allows foreign nationals to come to the U.S. for specific educational and cultural exchange programs. During interviews with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, Han reportedly made false statements about the packages and the material she shipped, the attorneys office said. Border officers also found that the content of Hans electronic device had been deleted three days prior to her arrival. At the end of the inspection, FBI agents interviewed her and she allegedly admitted to sending the packages and knowing the material inside. Anyone who attempts to smuggle biological materials into our country not only puts themselves at risk but also endangers public safety and our national security, said Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, in a statement. The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners to safeguard our nations institutions and communities. Hans sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 10. She faces up to 20 years in prison for smuggling goods and up to five years for making false statements. The 31-year-old former officer is accused of holding the woman at gunpoint and assaulting her. WAYNE COUNTY, MI A former Michigan police officer has been accused of assaulting the mother of his children and holding her at gunpoint. Justice Calvin, 31, was charged on Tuesday, Aug. 19, with assault with a dangerous weapon, felony firearm, domestic violence and larceny, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced in a press release. Calvin, a former Detroit police officer, was charged in connection with the assault of a 26-year-old woman of St. Clair Shores who is the mother of his children, Worthy said. Prosecutors said the assault happened at 11:33 p.m. on Jan. 26 in the parking lot of a Detroit nursing home. Calvin is accused of following the victim into the parking lot, pointing his firearm at the victim, forcefully removing her from the passenger side of her vehicle and physically assaulting her. Calvin was in uniform when he assaulted the woman, Worthy said. He is no longer employed as a Detroit police officer. Prosecutors said Calvin turned himself in to the Detroit Police Department on Aug. 19, and he was arrested and arraigned the same day. He received a $50,000 personal bond and ordered to wear a GPS tether and have no contact with the complainant. Calvins probable cause conference is scheduled for Aug. 28. Its the ultimate story of survival. A Northern Michigan woman recounts the horror of being kidnapped, put into a soundproof box and tortured. Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror is a three-episode docuseries from ABC News Studios which has just dropped on Hulu. After being stalked for more than a decade, in October 2022, Christopher Thomas kidnapped Samantha Stites from her Blair Township home. He then took her to a storage unit which he had soundproofed, shackled her, tortured and allegedly raped her for 13 hours. Im in this torture chamber. I see these soundproof patches on the walls, so no ones going to hear me scream, Stites said in the trailer for the docuseries. This becomes a fight for my life. Stites escaped about 13 hours later. Her entire horrific ordeal is detailed in the docuseries in her own words and in the words of law enforcement officials. Thomas was sentenced to 40 to 60 years in prison in 2024 after pleading guilty to kidnapping, torture and aggravated stalking. In this file photo, a sign outside Tea Ninja, 535 E. Liberty St. in downtown Ann Arbor read, "All ninjas wear masks. We ask that you do, too." Jacob Hamilton | The Ann Arbor News ANN ARBOR, MI - A popular bubble tea shop near the University of Michigan has announced its permanent closure after five years in business. Tea Ninja at 535 E. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor shared with customers that they will be permanently closing, according to signs posted on its doors this week. Shop owners did not provide an exact reason for their closure. Every cup we shared has meant the world to us, and your loyalty and friendship have made our journey unforgettable, shop owners shared in the signs. Shop owners revealed that Tea Ninja has been acquired by Caffeena Coffee House, a Yemeni coffee shop with one location in Charlotte, North Carolina and another set to open in Manhattan, New York. They shared the coffee shop will continue to bring joy to your taste buds with wonderful Yemeni coffee. MLive reached out to Caffeena Coffee House but did not receive an immediate comment. Despite their closure, Tea Ninja shop owners wrote in the signs that some of our signature Tea Ninja drinks will still be available there. Tea Ninja first opened its doors in January 2020, with franchise owners Leon Mu and Wenjing Fei aiming to cater to the student population and local families. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page. ANN ARBOR, MI Organizers of the annual Entheofest psychedelic plant and shroom festival in Ann Arbor are considering their options after they say the University of Michigan denied their request for a permit for this years event. Plans have been in the works to have the fifth-annual edition of the festival Sept. 21 on the Central Campus Diag where it has taken place the last four years, but the Student Association for Psychedelic Studies said its permit request was rejected due to concerns the event promotes illegal substances. Its incredibly disheartening, said SAPS President Emily Berriman, a UM social work graduate student. Weve worked so hard and so diligently to abide by university policy. Were willing to do whatever they want us to do, and they still denied us and under terms that we think are illegal. UM officials did not respond to requests for comment from MLive/The Ann Arbor News, but Berriman said the university responded to her groups appeal of the denial Wednesday, Aug. 20, and has agreed to hear their arguments and shes hopeful the decision could be reversed. The Entheofest psychedelic plant and mushroom festival on the University of Michigan Diag in Ann Arbor on Sept. 22, 2024. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Entheofest centers on education, science and therapeutic purpose of psychedelics, Berriman said. While working toward her masters degree, Berriman said shes interning at an Ann Arbor medical clinic where she does psychedelic-assisted therapy for people with chronic pain, depression, anxiety and PTSD using ketamine, a synthetic compound thats legal. Its incredibly safe, its effective, its legit, she said, saying the clinic has doctors and therapists providing trauma-informed care and patients see a lot of improvements. Its a beautiful space to work in and I see the healing, she said, expressing frustration that psychedelics with therapeutic and medical potential still are demonized and stigmatized. Entheofest, similar to the Hash Bash marijuana rally that takes place on the Diag every April, started in September 2021 to celebrate the anniversary of Ann Arbors decision to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi. That includes psilocybin or magic mushrooms, ayahuasca, ibogaine, mescaline, peyote and other plant-based compounds with hallucinogenic properties that are deemed illegal under state and federal law. The Entheofest psychedelic plant and mushroom festival on the University of Michigan Diag in Ann Arbor on Sept. 22, 2024. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News City Council in a September 2020 resolution declared it the citys lowest law enforcement priority to investigate and arrest anyone for entheogenic plants and fungi. Council also declared September to be Entheogenic Plant and Fungi Awareness Month in Ann Arbor, citing potential benefits of psychedelics for mental health and personal and spiritual growth. Several businesses selling psychedelic shroom products in Ann Arbor have since sprouted. Jim Salame, another Entheofest organizer, said organizers filed their appeal of the permit denial Wednesday, Aug. 13, giving UM five business days to respond, but theres been no final determination on it. UM cited multiple reasons for the initial denial, Salame said, including concerns the event promoted substances still illegal under state and federal law while the university has a responsibility to uphold compliance with the law on campus, and past concerns with similar events such as Hash Bash. Organizer Jim Salame speaks at the Entheofest psychedelic plant and mushroom festival on the University of Michigan Diag in Ann Arbor on Sept. 22, 2024. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Organizers declined to speculate whether the current political and federal funding environment under the Trump administration has anything to do with the decision, but the university has taken other steps in light of Trumps agenda, including shutting down its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in March. UM is still home to the Michigan Psychedelic Center, a campus center launched in 2022 with a mission to advance education, research, therapy and community engagement related to psychedelics. The centers founding director, neuroscientist George Mashour, was the keynote speaker for the fourth-annual Entheofest in September 2024. The permit denial for Entheofest is similar to how UM tried to stop the annual Hash Bash by not issuing permits for the marijuana rally in the 1990s, organizers said, noting the American Civil Liberties Union helped Hash Bash take legal action against UM back then and in each case the constitutional right of free speech and right to assemble prevailed. Entheofest organizers said they believe they similarly have a right to keep their festival going. While sales and consumption of psychedelics typically occur at Entheofest, its not officially condoned and event organizers ask attendees to refrain from such activity while on campus. Shroom products for sale at the Entheofest psychedelic plant and mushroom festival on the University of Michigan Diag in Ann Arbor on Sept. 22, 2024. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Salame, who also is involved in organizing Hash Bash, said UM officials were upset after the last bash in April about illegal sales on campus and they suggested putting up barriers in the future to let in attendees but not people selling things. Salame said he suggested testing that out at Entheofest. Entheofest organizers can discourage illegal activity, but campus police also have a role to play, Salame suggests. The fact that they have so many campus police sitting around letting it go on while they watch is beyond me, he said. "Shroomaid" for sale at the Entheofest psychedelic plant and mushroom festival on the University of Michigan Diag in Ann Arbor on Sept. 22, 2024. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News With or without a permit from the university, Entheofest is going to happen, Salame said, saying it may have to move down the plaza away from Diag construction and they may have to find alternative means of sound amplification and cleanup than whats usually provided through the university permit. Were still going to go and were not going to stop, he said. We just want them to support us. It will be a peaceful assembly and celebration like always about plant medicines and natural substances, he said, saying keynote speaker William Leonard Pickard, a neurobiologist who spent two decades in prison for LSD, is still committed to coming. Entheofest is warm, open and friendly, discussing the immense promise of new therapeutics, Pickard said in a statement. Students, faculty and the supportive public should attend, for we are making history. The Hippie Heisenberg table at the Entheofest psychedelic plant and mushroom festival on the University of Michigan Diag in Ann Arbor on Sept. 22, 2024. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Berriman said she believes in the future for therapeutic use of psilocybin and hopes to see it legalized, calling it a compassionate approach to mental health and pain treatment. I want there to be research. Were not trying to send everyone to psychedelics. Theres certain people it works for, certain people who shouldnt be taking it, she said. For everyone who cares and is passionate about this field, we want this robust research. We want to do it in a respectful, responsible way. Were not trying to dose everyone on drugs. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page. The site of a planned computing facility a joint project between the University of Michigan and the U.S. Department of Energys Los Alamos National Laboratory - on the north side of Textile Road across from the Ford Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti Township on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com YPSILANTI TWP., MI A location for a controversial computing data center project for research into artificial intelligence, energy, and national security could be up in the air. University of Michigan officials have confirmed they are reentering negotiations to find a site for a data center campus they are planning to construct in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory in the Ypsilanti area. (Global Times) On Monday, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi held the first Japan-Germany Foreign Ministerial Strategic Dialogue in Tokyo. During the meeting, Wadephul repeatedly made negative remarks about China, loudly accusing China of "increasingly aggressive behavior" in the Taiwan Straits, the South China Sea, and the East China Sea, and claimed "in order to safeguard our freedom, Germany and Japan must, and intend to, invest more in their own security." The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without naming him, criticized Wadephul for "sowing discord and hyping up tensions" - warning him not to become a troublemaker in the Asia-Pacific. Wadephul's attacks on China are groundless and nothing new. Yet, it is shocking that as the foreign minister of one of Europe's major powers, he has become a "parrot" of the West's outdated anti-China narrative. Public perception generally sees politicians from Germany's Christian Democratic Union as pragmatic, calm, and low-key. However, the signals conveyed by this CDU-affiliated foreign minister's statements in Japan suggest that the gap between Germany's perception of China and China's perception of Germany is widening: China still views Germany as a cooperative partner, whereas some in Germany see China as a "threat and rival" that requires rallying allies against. This is hardly reassuring to outside observers. Wadephul's remarks reveal a disregard for China's core interests and expose historical amnesia and double standards in Germany's China policy. The Taiwan question is a core interest of China and a red line in China-Germany relations that cannot be crossed. Both the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation stated in explicit terms that all the territories Japan had stolen from the Chinese, such as Taiwan island, shall be restored to China. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and no external force has any right to interfere. As Germany's foreign minister, Wadephul's meddling in the Taiwan question is an act of boundless interference in China's internal affairs and a challenge to the international order established after the WWII. After WWII, Germany remained divided for a long period, and the government of the Federal Republic of Germany consistently regarded national reunification as an unshakable political goal. China showed sympathy and support for this, out of respect for the principles of the integrity of state territory and sovereignty. Logically, a reunified Germany should be the one that best understands the Chinese nation's position and aspiration to achieve complete national reunification. Yet in reality, some German politicians have made inappropriate remarks on the Taiwan question, which concerns China's core interests. This highlights the "selective historical amnesia" in Germany's foreign policy - emphasizing sovereignty and national will on its own reunification issue, while applying double standards on the question of reunification in other countries. Such a contradictory stance undermines the credibility of its proclaimed commitment to "an international order." In recent years, the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea has remained generally stable, with regional countries effectively managing disputes through bilateral and multilateral channels. China has consistently advocated and strictly practiced the principle of resolving maritime disputes with its neighbors through dialogue and consultation. By contrast, certain countries outside the region, under the pretext of "freedom of navigation," travel thousands of miles to stir up trouble around China's periphery for their own self-interest. They are the real troublemakers. By ignoring these facts and hyping up the so-called "China threat," the German foreign minister is merely endorsing Washington's so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy" and lending support to its geopolitical agenda of containing China. While Wadephul talks about security presence in Asia "in the name of peace," it seems to overlook the security predicament Europe itself is facing. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, the European continent has once again been plunged into bloody conflict, with large numbers of civilians displaced and energy security and economic stability severely affected. If Europe cannot even guarantee its own security, how can it bring security to Asia? On the Ukraine issue, China is neither a conflict instigator nor a party directly involved, but has always maintained an objective and impartial stance, actively promoting peace talks and contributing constructively to a political settlement of the crisis. As German foreign minister, Wadephul's claim that China "supports Russia" in the conflict is sheer fabrication. At a time when Washington is presiding over Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, Berlin's choice to echo the rhetoric of certain American politicians and "shift blame" onto China is a display of political expediency and blind obedience, hardly befitting Germany's identity as a major European power that ought to pursue strategic autonomy. For many years, Germany has earned global respect for its profound reflection and remorse over its own war crimes. A more appropriate message from the German foreign minister during his visit to Japan would have been to advise Tokyo on how to better reflect on its wartime responsibilities. It is hoped that the Wadephul will respect the facts, discard prejudice, retract his inappropriate remarks on China, and take concrete steps to help bring China-Germany relations back onto the track of sound and stable development. China-Germany relations are a crucial part of China-EU ties. Maintaining a healthy bilateral relationship serves not only the development of both countries, but also the peace and prosperity of the world. Peter D. Christopoulos, the owner of Mr. Burger, died at the age of 90 on Saturday, Aug. 16. Pictured is the Mr. Burger at 5835 Balsam Drive in Hudsonville on Aug. 19. Audra Gamble GRAND RAPIDS, MI The founder of Mr. Burger, a local burger chain with eight locations across West Michigan, has died at age 90. Peter D. Christopoulos died peacefully on Saturday, Aug. 16, according to an obituary on the Arsulowicz Brothers Mortuary website. Christopoulos started Mr. Burger in 1970. Since then, the chain has grown to eight restaurants across the greater Grand Rapids area, including in Wyoming, Kentwood and Hudsonville. On Aug. 19, the sign outside the Hudsonville Mr. Burger read, Thank you Pete, Rest in Peace, in tribute to its owner. A visitation for Christopoulos has been scheduled for 5-8 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 330 Lakeside Drive NE. His funeral service will take place at 1 p.m. Aug. 22 at the same church. Peter Christopoulos operated Mr. Burger with his wife and business partner, Maria. Together, they had three children: Helene, Jim and Andrew. Peter Christopholous takes a turn behind the grill at his Mr. Burger store on Lake Michigan Dr. NW, in this Grand Rapids Press file photo. Christopholous died on Aug. 16, 2025, at age 90. THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS Christopoulos fled Greece and came to America in 1955 with less than nothing, he told the Grand Rapids Press in a 2011 interview. He worked night shifts at the Red Lion, which was owned by his uncle Sam Koukios, where he learned the restaurant business and picked up fluent English. In 1967, Peter and Maria Christopoulos bought the former Dog n Suds Drive-In on Lake Michigan Drive NW. They changed the restaurant name to Mr. Burger three years later, kicking off the popular West Michigan burger chain. Thomas Shannon allegedly sent this photo to an alleged victim of sexual exploitation. (U.S. District Court records) U.S. District Court records GRAND RAPIDS, MI A former Grandville orthodontist is facing federal charges of sexual exploitation of minors and possession of child pornography. Thomas Shannon, 43, who was arrested Tuesday, Aug. 19, in Frankfort, Michigan, sexually exploited a 16-year-old North Carolina girl over an online application, Snapchat, U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said. The girl reported to a therapist in 2021 that she had been sexually exploited on Snapchat. U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified Shannon as the suspect using Snapchat and CashApp records. Shannon was already facing child-pornography charges in Kent County Circuit Court when he was charged in a federal criminal complaint. A review of his phone and Snapchat records showed there were other victims, including a 12-year-old, and a girl who told investigators she met Shannon online and he directed her to video chat while engaged in sexually explicit conduct, VerHey said. The government said Shannon hired a private forensic examiner to show that his cellphone did not contain child pornography but the examiner found such evidence and contacted police. Shannon is jailed pending detention and preliminary hearings on Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ray Kent in Grand Rapids. Shannon is charged in a criminal complaint with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, all punishable by at least 15 years, and up to 30, in prison. He is also charged with possession of child pornography and receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography, each punishable by five to 20 years in prison. The investigation began Jan. 21, 2021, when a North Carolina therapist reported to police that a 16-year-old patient sent an explicit image of herself to a man on Snapchat, Cameron Bunker, an HSI special agent, wrote in the 24-page complaint. The girl told police that a Snapchat user known as tspos paid her for images on CashApp. She initially sent explicit photos and videos she found on the internet with the face redacted. When she asked for his photo, he shared a selfie he was smiling - that appeared to have been taken in a gym, court records showed. Shannon was under investigation by Kent County sheriffs detectives in June 2022 when he hired Complete Investigations LLC to extract data from his cellphone and laptop. The agreement said the company would contact authorities if it contained evidence of child pornography, human trafficking or murder. The private investigation found multiple files of child pornography, the special agent said in the complaint. Kent County prosecutors charged Shannon with possession of child pornography. He was arrested Jan. 5, 2023, at Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Records also showed his alleged online contacts with two 16-year-old girls. Are you looking for a sugar daddy? he allegedly asked one of the girls. She said yes. She said she was in school and went to the bathroom to take a topless photo. He sent money through CashApp, the investigator said. He allegedly told the girl: I love when you make content at school. He allegedly sent the other 16-year-old $1,957 from January 2021 to March 2022. One of the alleged victims confronted Shannon, in an online conversation, over his alleged contact with a 12-year-old girl. It led to this exchange when she asked why he sent a sexually explicit photo to a 12-year-old. She is? Hmmm Yes, you knew that No. I thought she was 16 doesnt matter, its still illegal Ugh A month ago, a man in Maryland contacted Kent County sheriffs deputies to report that his 13-year-old daughter one of six alleged victims had nude photos and videos of herself on her phone, court records said. A screenshot of the phone showed a photo of the girl talking to Shannon. Sheriffs detectives confirmed that Shannon was on bond and GPS tether when he was talking to the Maryland girl. GPS showed he was in the area of Grand Havens Grand Isle Marina where his boat was docked. The background of one of the screenshots from the girls phone appeared to match a bedroom in the boat, the investigator wrote. Ottawa County sheriff's deputies say a teen was following females customers at an Allendale Township store. (MLive File Photo) John Tunison OTTAWA COUNTY, MI Sheriffs deputies say a teen who had been following female customers exposed himself to a shopper and her child. The suspect is a 16-year-old Ionia County boy. Sheriffs deputies responded around 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18, to a business in the 10900 block of 48th Avenue in Ottawa Countys Allendale Township on a report that a male was closely following females in the store. The suspect left before deputies reached the scene but detectives began an investigation working closely with the business. The following afternoon, store workers alerted police that the suspect had returned. He approached at least one woman, who was shopping with her child, and partially exposed himself, police said. Deputies found the suspect and determined he was involved in both incidents. He was turned over to his parents while Ottawa County prosecutors review reports for criminal charges, police said. The Sheriffs Office asked anyone who may have had a similar experience to contact Central Dispatch at 800-249-0911 or Silent Observer at 877-88-SILENT (745368) or mosotips.com. The incident remains under investigation. JACKSON, MI The Jackson City Council this week approved small raises for themselves through an unusual voting process. The City Council voted 5-2 against rejecting a recommended 3% raise from the Local Officers Compensation Commission during a Tuesday, Aug. 19 meeting. This includes a raise for the mayor, City Council members and the vacant treasurer position. Under Michigans Home Rule City Act, the commission meets biannually to recommend the salaries for elected officials. Those recommendations take effect, unless rejected by a two-thirds vote from City Council, meaning at least five of the seven members. The City Council was presented with two resolutions, to either accept the recommended 3% raise or to reject it. Because the law is written in the negative, City Attorney Matthew Hagerty recommended council members motion to reject the recommendation, meaning a yes vote rejected the raise, while a no vote allowed it to stand. On Tuesday, the motion to reject did not receive the required five yes votes, after council members clarified the vote several times. Hagerty said this mirrors the language of the Act. We decided its just in accordance with the statutory language, its cleaner to do it that way, Hagerty said. They were taking the action to consider whether they should reject it, (they) didnt reject it, and therefore it (the raise) would go into effect. The raises bump the mayors yearly salary from $14,750 to $15,192.50, city council members from $10,100 to $10,403 and the full-time treasurer salary from $95,166 to $100,961.61. Mayor Daniel Mahoney thanked the commission for its work and recommendation and said the increase will help ease some monthly expenses. Ward 4 Councilmember Connor Wood said he believes the mayors position is still underpaid. I think people should get paid for their work, Wood said. I think its important that we get paid for this work so that we have that hanging over our heads that we have to earn this paycheck. Even though its not a ton, I think its meaningful. Ward 5 Councilmember Christy Davis rejected the raises. She said it wasnt because she felt they werent deserved, but that she has a full-time job that supports her living expenses. Wood voted against the raise for mayor and treasurer, since he motioned to reject it, he said, adding this follows Roberts Rules of Order. Ward 6 Councilmember Will Forgrave also rejected the council member raise for the same reason. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. A screenshot of the Ever Loved page collecting donations for the family of Mia Sims who was fatally shot July 27, 2025. Photo provided by Ever Loved JACKSON, MI Mayor Daniel Mahoney publicly thanked the Jackson community for its support following the death of his niece, Mia Sims. During the Tuesday, Aug. 19 Jackson City Council meeting, Mahoney expressed gratitude to residents who shared words of comfort, assisted his family and provided information that helped lead to the arrest of Antonio Green, 19, who was captured on Tuesday in California for the shooting death of Sims, 18. The love and strength that the city showed for my niece and family during this time is truly appreciated, Mahoney said. He specifically thanked Jacksons Chief Equity Officer John Willis for checking in on him and his family. Mahoney also expressed gratitude to Police Chief Chris Simpson for keeping his family updated on the investigation. He also credited his faith, noting Sims was comforted by her mother, who happened to be at church that day, Mahoney said. For my sister to be at church that day was nothing but God, Mahoney said. She doesnt (always) come to church, she usually only comes on holidays, but she happened to be there that day. Mahoney described Sims as a beautiful person who would do anything her parents or grandparents asked, without any backtalk. Sims had just graduated from Jackson High School, celebrated her birthday a week before the shooting and earned a certificate from the esthetician program at the Jackson Area Career Center in May. She also served on the City of Jackson Youth Council since August 2022. This has allowed us to experience (Sims) life outside of our world and gave us a view of the world that she lived in herself, the world that revolved around her, Mahoney said. Mahoney also reflected on the broader toll of gun violence, stating that while Sims life has been lost, Greens life has also been altered. He said this was a loss of two people. Be it our desire that he receives the maximum amount of penalty that he can receive, we will assume that he may go away for the rest of his entire life. That is still a life gone, Mahoney said. This is two lives lost to add to the sad story of gun violence in the city of Jackson, Michigan and we have to do better. Sims was fatally shot Sunday, July 27, in the 1500 block of Carl Breeding Way in south Jackson, Authorities announced Aug. 8 that Green had been charged with one count of second-degree murder, discharging a firearm in or at a building causing death, and using a firearm to commit a felony. He was taken into custody Tuesday. At the time of the shooting, Sims was volunteering in the childrens ministry at United Peoples Community Church. She was retrieving a breakfast her grandmother had prepared from her car when she was struck by gunfire, Mahoney said. Her mother heard the shot and rushed to her side. Sims was taken to Henry Ford Jackson Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. File photo. Jackson Public Schools officially unveiled 21 electric school buses to be added to the district's transportation fleet in an Oct. 8, 2024 ceremony at the JPS Transportation Office. J. Scott Park | jpark4@mlive.com JACKSON, MI Jackson Public Schools is considering adding two more electric school buses to its fleet that will be funded primarily through a state grant. JPS was awarded a grant from the Michigan Department of Education in October 2024 to purchase up to four more electric school buses with the state funding 90% of the purchase. Officials decided to pursue purchasing two new EV buses following a finance and facility meeting on Aug. 7. The decision was based on the current lot space available to store and charge the new buses, said Marcus Leon, assistant superintendent of finance and operations. If approved, the total cost for the school district is estimated to be $82,635.70, though that amount is subject to change after further discussions with Highland Electric Fleets, Leon said. Depending on how the discussion with Highland Electric Fleets goes, the school board may vote on the purchase as early as the next school board meeting scheduled Sept. 16. In 2022, the district purchased 21 electric buses from Highland Electric Fleets, replacing nearly half its fleet. This purchase was made possible by nearly $8.3 million in federal funding awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. While some Michigan school districts reported a bumpy start when electric buses were first implemented several years ago, Highland has been working with JPS to ensure drivers are well-adjusted to the needs of the new vehicles, Josh Williams, Highlands Senior Midwestern Regional Manager said previously. JPS is among 25 Michigan school districts granted funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency toward the purchase of a total of 138 new electric buses. The federal program is designed to accelerate the decarbonization of the transportation sector and improve air quality for schoolchildren and neighborhoods nationwide by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the EPA. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. HILLSDALE, MI A Michigan man accused of sexually assaulting a child and at large for 14 years is headed to trial. James Allen Carter was bound over to the Hillsdale County Circuit Court for trial proceeding following his preliminary examination Monday, Aug. 18, court records show. Carter, 62, of Prescott, heads to trial charged with four counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct - a possible life sentence if convicted - and two counts of accosting a child for immoral purposes. He is accused of sexually assaulting a minor and accosting her, along with another victim, for immoral purposes in 2008, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said previously. The Hillsdale County Prosecutors Office authorized charges in August of 2011, but Carter could not be located. U.S. Marshals, working under Operation Survivor Justice, located Carter in Georgia and arrested him. He has since been extradited back to Michigan and is in the Hillsdale County Jail awaiting trial, Nessel said. Operation Survivor Justice is a partnership between the Attorney Generals office, local county prosecutors and the U.S. Marshals Service to locate, apprehend and return to Michigan fugitives with outstanding sexual assault warrants. Carter is scheduled to appear for circuit court arraignment Aug. 25 before Hillsdale County Circuit Judge Sara Lisznyai. He remains in the Hillsdale County Jail with bond set at $100,000. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. File photo. Pictures of Kelly Harris sit on a table near statues of angels at the Hugall home. Erik Holladay JACKSON COUNTY, MI Though the case went cold, police never gave up on the 1984 disappearance of 13-year-old Kelly Jean Harris. A lot of work has been put into this case over the years by many detectives. We never stopped investigating, Jackson County Undersheriff Jeremy Barnett said. Harris stepfather, Leonard Hugall, was recently charged with murder, accused of raping and killing Harris under the guise of taking her to the 1984 Jackson County Fair. His extradition from Florida is in process and could take weeks. The murder charge comes months after Harris, missing since Aug. 11, 1984, was declared legally dead and a medical examiner ruling her death a homicide, Barnett said. Hugall, 74, was released on parole in September 2024 from a prison in Florida, where he had been serving a 50-year sentence for sexually assaulting and killing a 5-year-old girl and her mother in 1993. Until they received notice of his imminent release, investigators once believed Hugall would never be freed from prison We found out he was going to be paroled in Florida, so we worked to build the case with what we had, Barnett said, declining to elaborate on whether any additional evidence has been discovered. They then presented the case to the Jackson County Prosecutors Office, which authorized charges, Barnett said. There is no time frame for when Hugall is expected to arrive in Michigan, Barnett said. This arrest demonstrates that time does not diminish our resolve, Jackson County Sheriff Gary Schuette said in the announcement of the charges. Schuette commended county sheriffs Detective Sgt. Kelly Ebersole and Detective Mark Easter for their efforts. Holding Hugall accountable after all these years is a testament to (detectives) commitment and to the fact that we never quit, no matter how long it takes, Schuette said. Hugall had confessed in 2006 to sexually assaulting and killing Harris, police said. He told the 13-year-old he would take her to the fair but instead took her to his workplace, a cold case investigator, the late Mel Hartman, a retired Jackson police detective, said more than a decade ago. Hugall then put her in the trunk of a car before stabbing and burying her near Jackson Community College, Hartman said. During his confession, Leonard Hugall told investigators theres no heaven. Theres no hell. Theres no god and theres no devil. Theres only evil and thats me, Hartman said in 2006, according to Jackson Citizen Patriot news archives. Although Hugall was brought to Jackson in 2006 to show police where he buried his stepdaughter, her remains were not found, authorities earlier said. He may have confessed back then, but a confession alone is not enough to convict in a case of this magnitude, Barnett said. Harriss father, Roland Harris, of Baltimore, Maryland, told reporters in 1984 he brought his daughter to Michigan from Maryland a month before her disappearance to spend time with her mother Carol Hugall in Jackson, according to Jackson Citizen Patriot archives. She was a shy girl and not the type to talk with strangers, Roland Harris said in 1984. Her bike was found abandoned days later near the south entrance of Ella Sharp Park with no signs of her whereabouts. The family continued searching for Harris with no avail. Reporters met with the family again in 1985 during the one-year anniversary of the disappearance. I not only lost a stepdaughter, I lost a wife, Leonard Hugall told reporters in 1985, noting how grief-stricken Harris mother still was. Leonard and Carol Hugall were married for four years after Harris went missing until one day she confronted him about her disappearance. I looked Len straight in the face and asked, What did you do to her? Carol Hugall said previously. All he did was bend down and tie his shoe. He got in the car and drove off like a bat out of hell. That was the last time she heard from Leonard Hugall. Their divorce was finalized in 1994. Leonard Hugall had a criminal history before and after Harriss disappearance, records show. In 1969, when Leonard Hugall was 18, he allegedly kidnapped a 12-year-old girl in Fremont, a western Michigan community about 30 miles northeast of Muskegon, according to news archives. That abduction drama ended in the Upper Peninsulas Marquette after police got into a high-speed chase with Hugall, who was out on a weekend pass from a mental hospital, according to news reports. In 1974 he was charged with gross indecency. He was released from prison in 1979, records show. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. BAY CITY, MI A couple passionate to create an experience like no other in Bay City continues to stay true to their vision. The Farm at Apple Acres owners Melissa and Matt Borowski offer over 90 flavors of ice cream and the chance to spend some time on their property with farm animals, which now features two highland cows named Fergus and Fiona Rose. Related: Michigans Best Local Eats: When you have over 90 flavors of ice cream to pick from, how do you choose? 37 1 / 37 Soak in a farm visit in Bay City while enjoying ice cream Their farm, 2282 E. Salzburg Road, is on about 19 acres and they welcome people to explore the property, feed or watch the animals and sit amongst the apple trees to soak it all in. Leading up to the family purchasing the farm in 2020, Matt Borowski said he grew up on a farm caring for all kinds of animals. Owners Matt and Melissa Borowski pose for a photograph at The Farm at Apple Acres located at 2282 E. Salzburg Road in Bay City, Mich. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com Melissa Borowski said she had zero farming experience before jumping into this adventure together. But since its been about 35 years since Matt Borowski was regularly caring for farm animals, its been a learning experience for both of them. Owners Matt and Melissa Borowski look over their chicken enclosure at The Farm at Apple Acres located at 2282 E. Salzburg Road in Bay City, Mich. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com Its almost like a new learning experience of old experiences, Matt Borowski said with a laugh. Now, they care for cows, a pony, a goat, pigeons, rabbits, chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese. Fergus, a Highland cow, pokes his head through the fence at The Farm at Apple Acres located at 2282 E. Salzburg Road in Bay City, Mich. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com Melissa and Matt Borowski are all about family and aim to create the ultimate family-friendly experience. The couple said they hope to add play structures, further shaping the grounds into a park-like setting, and continue to improve on what they offer. Even though Melissa and Matt Borowski took over five years ago, they encounter people who didnt know The Farm at Apple Acres existed. Fergus, a Highland cow, moos at The Farm at Apple Acres located at 2282 E. Salzburg Road in Bay City, Mich. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com Its a fun and exciting thing every time I walk out in the morning to see the peacefulness and the animals and so I enjoy when people come out here and get to experience it themselves, Melissa Borowski said. The Borowskis encourage people to explore inside the ice cream shop where they sell merchandise, feed for the animals, locally made products, their own homemade doughnuts and the star of the show, about 96 different flavors of ice cream. A view inside The Farm at Apple Acres located at 2282 E. Salzburg Road in Bay City, Mich. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com They also offer sundaes, banana splits, malts, floats, milkshakes, ice cream nachos and pup cups, as the farm is pet friendly. Because there are so many flavors to choose from, they also offer a flight to enjoy four different flavors. A view inside The Farm at Apple Acres located at 2282 E. Salzburg Road in Bay City, Mich. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com There are dairy-free, gluten-free and no added sugar ice cream options available as well. Along with the relaxing stroll through the farm with ice cream in hand, Melissa Borowski said they enjoy hosting events. There are two upcoming events to attend: The Farm Fall Craft Show will be held on Oct. 4 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The 5th annual Trunk or Treat on Oct. 11 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A view at The Farm at Apple Acres located at 2282 E. Salzburg Road in Bay City, Mich. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com The Farm at Apple Acres is open through October, Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, check out their Facebook page here. BAY CITY, MI A Bad Axe man has pleaded guilty to defrauding multiple financial institutions in a scheme involving fraudulent loans and an alleged kidnapping. Four-time World Series of Poker Circuit Ring winner George P. Janssen Jr., 42, went before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris on Wednesday, Aug. 19, to enter a plea agreement in the case. Janssen took out millions of dollars in fraudulent vehicle loans through his car dealership, Bay Auto Brokers, in Bay City. Per the plea agreement, Janssen is pleading guilty to one count of financial institutional fraud and is waiving his right to a trial by jury. The agreement also states no additional charges will be brought against him in the case. Financial institutional fraud carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine up to $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. The plea agreement recommends sentencing for Janssen not exceed the maximum term laid out in the counts sentencing guidelines for the case and suggests two years of supervised release. Sentencing guidelines for the case will be determined during Janssens sentencing, along with restitution payments for victims of the scheme. The plea agreement doesnt include any recommendations regarding restitution payments. Janssen attempted to obtain loans for several fictitious vehicles and applied for multiple loans for the same vehicles, according to an affidavit authored by an FBI special agent. He also enlisted the help of associates, directing them to take out loans for vehicles they believed were in his possession. Janssens case began about two years ago following a complaint regarding a fraudulent vehicle loan, and the state identified discrepancies in his businesss sales and inventory. In October 2023, Janssens license to sell vehicles was suspended by the state for a period of five years. Janssen then went missing from Nov. 13 to Dec. 16, 2023. He was found bloodied and zip-tied on the side of the road in Huron County, and he claimed he was extorted for approximately $2 million by a Mexican cartel and held captive in a basement in Ohio. Authorities were notified of multiple loans taken out by Janssen going unpaid during his disappearance. In total, the loans taken out by Janssen and his associates amounted to a total of more than $3.93 million with the financial institutions involved losing a total of about $3.28 million. The FBI determined a total of 20 banks and credit unions were targeted in the scheme. Janssen will go before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington for sentencing at 2 p.m. on Dec. 11. Demetrius B. Williams, right, listens as his attorney Mathew Evans, left, speaks during a preliminary examination before Saginaw County District Court Judge Elian E.H. Fitchner on Monday, Aug. 18. Williams is accused of fatally shooting 27-year-old Eliza Vega-Aparicio at a Saginaw home in April. Nick Taylor | Ntaylor@Mlive.com SAGINAW, MI A preliminary examination was held this week for a man accused of fatally shooting a travel nurses assistant in Saginaw earlier this year. Williams went before Saginaw County District Court Judge Elian E.H. Fitchner for the examination on Monday, Aug. 18. Demetrius B. Williams, 31, is accused of killing 27-year-old Eliza Vega-Aparicio, who was from California at a Cypress Street home she was staying at in Saginaw, at approximately 4 a.m. on April 5. Williams faces multiple charges stemming from the incident, including open murder, carrying a concealed weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, and three counts of third-offense felony firearm. If convicted, Williams could face life in prison. Although he waived his right to a preliminary examination, it proceeded as planned Monday as the prosecution didnt consent to the request. Several witnesses testified, including Williams ex-girlfriend Cecilia Williamson, who was Vega-Aparicios sister-in-law and was living in the same home as her at the time of her death. She testified that she ended her relationship with Williams on April 4, just a day before the alleged murder occurred. Williamson said their relationship began in December 2024 after they met via Snapchat. In the hours leading up to Vega-Aparicios death, Williamson said she went out for drinks at bars along Hamilton Street with friends and met up with an ex-boyfriend. During this time, she said Williams attempted to contact her several times. He just kept calling my phone, and I really didnt want to talk to him, Williamson said. Williamson testified she left the bars at 2 a.m. on April 5, just hours before Vega-Aparicios death. Multiple witnesses testified that Vega-Aparicio was found in the house lying face down on the floor in a pool of blood. Her hair was covering her face, her head, Saginaw Police Officer Isaac Heinz testified. All I could see was the blood. Additionally, Heinz said he saw blood dripping down through a stairwell as well as blood spatter and noted that the blood had not yet coagulated. Two children were also in the home when the incident occurred, one of whom testified Monday. She said she went to bed around 1 or 2 a.m. after eating pizza and watching TV. The girl also testified she woke up to the sound of footsteps, and heard what sounded like Williams voice say, I aint going to do nothing to your kids. She also testified she heard what sounded like gunshots. It wasnt until she couldnt hear anything that she exited her room and discovered Vega-Aparicios body, according to the girl. After making the discovery, she called Williamson to tell her what had happened, Williamson said in her testimony. After hearing the news, Williamson called 911 to report the incident. I had to call the cops, and she didnt want to hang up with me, Williamson said. She said she was scared. I was mad because they were asking me questions, and I just told them they needed to get there. When he arrived at the scene, Heinz, along with other officers, kicked down the door to the Cypress Street home after seeing what appeared to be a woman on the ground inside. The whole shift responded, Heinz said. It was raining pretty hard, so I couldnt drive as quick as I normally would. Michigan State Police Detective Trooper Taylore Drye testified she was able to identify Vega-Aparicio as the victim by examining a car rental agreement in a car parked at the home. An autopsy report indicated shed been shot twice in the head and once in the arm, according to Drye. Michigan State Police Trooper Cole Montez, the arresting officer in the case, said he found a loaded handgun in the hoodie Williams was wearing when he apprehended him on April 5. The weapon matched the bullet casings and bullet holes found in the home, according to Drye. The handgun was relayed from the secondary scene of the traffic stop to my supervisor, and my supervisor brought it back to the office where it was packaged to eventually be taken to our forensic lab for further analysis, Drye testified. Montez testified he drew his pistol when he arrested Williams in connection with the shooting after pulling him over for using his phone while operating a vehicle. Following his arrest, Williams waived his Miranda rights and allowed police to interview him after his arrest. During the interview, he admitted he had been drinking in the hours prior to the incident and that an argument had occurred between he and Williamson, but he did not admit to killing Vega-Aparicio, Drye said. Despite saying he didnt remember things, he did give a lot of very detailed information, she said. Williamson also testified she was not aware of any existing conflict between Williams and Vega-Aparicio. Fitchner scheduled a continuation of the preliminary exam for Thursday, Aug. 28, at 2 p.m. The child who testified Monday will be recalled for cross examination by the defense. This MLive file image shows a painting inside the former Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy facility. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com SAGINAW, MI The Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy (SASA) has earned national recognition, securing the No. 4 position in Michigan and ranking No. 83 nationally in the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools list. SASA stood out among nearly 18,000 schools evaluated across the country. The rankings consider multiple factors including state assessment performance, graduation rates and college readiness indicators. I am incredibly proud of the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy, as it has again been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best schools in the country, Saginaw Public Schools Superintendent Ramont Roberts said in a statement. This distinction reflects the exceptional dedication of our students, the expertise and commitment of our educators, and the unwavering support of our families and community. See Michigans Top 25 High Schools The school demonstrates strong academic achievement with an 85% Advanced Placement participation rate, helping students prepare for higher education while excelling in their current studies, district leaders said. What makes SASA especially remarkable is its unique ability to pair rigorous, advanced academics with a world-class performing arts program, Roberts said. It is the only school in our region that truly nurtures both intellectual excellence and artistic talent at such a high level, offering students opportunities to grow as scholars, innovators, and creative leaders. The recognition allows SASA to display the 2025-26 award badge, acknowledging its consistent production of strong educational outcomes. This recognition affirms what we have long known that SASA is not only a place of learning, but also a place where young people are inspired to achieve their fullest potential in every dimension of their lives, Roberts said. SASA was one of two mid-Michigan schools to land in the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools top-50 statewide list. H.H. Dow High School, in Midland, was ranked No. 38 in the state. SASAs recognition via the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools list is not new. The school has landed high on the list before, including at No. 18 among schools in the state in 2023. At that time, the school operated from a facility near the citys riverside commercial district. Last fall, though, the institution relocated to the building that previously housed Arthur Hill High School classes, on Saginaws West side. SASA has experienced other recent changes. After eight years as SASAs principal, Rachel Reid this summer moved into a new Saginaw Public Schools role as executive director of student services. Kasydra Goode-Tibbs, formerly the principal at Arthur Hill High School, now serves as SASAs principal. Classes begin there Monday, Aug. 25. The complete U.S. News Best High Schools rankings are available at usnews.com/education/best-high-schools. Generative AI was used to organize information for this story, based on data provided by the Saginaw Public School District. It was reviewed and edited by MLive staff. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks talks with House Speaker Matt Hall before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered the State of the State address on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, inside the Michigan House of Representatives chamber at the Michigan State Capitol. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com) As Michigan faces a potential government shutdown amid a budget impasse, Senate Democrats once again are calling on House Republicans to reveal their proposed plan to fund the state government. With 42 days until Oct. 1, there is no other option now than to be efficient, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, said Wednesday, contrasting efficiency with deliberativeness. So imagine my incredulity when I read a press release from the House Appropriations chair saying that they are preparing to announce a budget plan. Preparing to announce. And then her own speaker undercut her shortly thereafter and said hell need even more time. It is truly unbelievable. Brinks was referring to the press release Tuesday from House Appropriations Chair state Rep. Ann Bollin, R-Brighton Township. In that release, Bollin said House Republicans are preparing to announce their general government spending plan and that movement on the plan could come as soon as next week. House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, has said for weeks that the spending plan, which shows how various government departments and services would be funded, is coming soon. A spokesperson for Hall did not say when the spending plan would be revealed. House Republicans and Senate Democrats each advanced their education budget proposals out of their respective chambers months ago, but only Senate Democrats have unveiled and advanced their proposed general government spending plan. By law, the Legislature was supposed to agree on and send a budget to the governor for approval by July 1. There is no penalty for missing the deadline, as lawmakers have this session, but its largely meant to help schools and local governments know what theyll be able to fund in their own budgets. The hard deadline for passing a budget to avoid a government shutdown is midnight Sept. 30. The chamber majorities have differing opinions on who is to blame for the budget impasse, but, aside from policy differences, a long-term funding plan to fund the states crumbling roads and bridges is central. House Republicans and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have both put forward road funding plans and said they wont accept a budget without a roads funding plan. Senate Democrats say they are open to a roads plan being in the budget but arent drawing a hard line on its inclusion. House Republicans say Senate Democrats are to blame for the impasse because they havent put forward a road funding plan of their own and that the chambers proposed general government spending plan is unbalanced due to lower revenues. Senate Democrats say Hall is playing politics by stalling the budget and that negotiations about a road funding plan are difficult without House Republicans showing how their plan would affect general government spending, as they havent yet unveiled that proposal. We just need to keep raising awareness from everybody, not just in Lansing, but throughout the state to understand whats really happening here, Brinks said of her press conference Wednesday. And were not alone. Were seeing this dynamic in other states as well. But this is unprecedented chaos and its because of one change that weve seen in the array of power here in Michigan, and that is Speaker Hall. In response to Brinks press conference, Hall said the Democratic Party is fractured and without leadership and can only pass the buck and lay blame. Senate Democrats need to decide whether they really want to embrace the radical communist Mamdani faction out of New York, play the blame game and threaten shutdowns or whether they want to partner with Gov. Whitmer and work with us to come up with a much better plan for Michigan, Hall said. I have a record of negotiating bipartisan deals, and Gov. Whitmer is already embracing parts of our plan and working with President Trump. Michigan would be much better off if they were willing to work with us instead of just going on the attack all the time. Brinks said she and Hall have not spoken one-on-one in some time. However, staff and committee chairs from each of the chambers have been talking, she said. In her press release Tuesday, Bollin said Senate Democrats rushed through the budget process and need to lower spending or raise taxes in their proposed budget due to reduced revenue projections. By contrast, she said, House Republicans took a deliberative approach that will cut wasteful spending. We did the hard work of going through this budget line by line, Bollin said. That extra time allowed us to root out waste, fraud and abuse, and to make smarter investments in the things that matter most to people across Michigan. Our plan prioritizes $3.1 billion annually to repair the local roads in the worst condition, while also creating the Public Safety and Violence Prevention Trust Fund to send state dollars directly to local communities for public safety programs. It ends unfair taxes on tips, overtime pay and retirement income. Were boosting education funding with more flexibility so schools can shrink class sizes, strengthen mental health services, and invest in the programs their kids need most. And we are making the necessary adjustments to ensure Medicaid remains available for every qualified Michigan resident who needs it. Brinks has said that the Senate doesnt need to re-do its government spending plan to account for lower revenues. Instead, those details are normally worked out in budget negotiations. Sen. Sam Singh, D-East Lansing, said Senate Democrats put together a comprehensive plan thatll help students and those that need it most. Here in the Senate, our budget process has been transparent, collaborative and on time, Singh said. From delivering historic investments in Michigan students to offsetting the financial stress caused by tariffs, my colleagues and I engaged with our communities to craft a comprehensive plan that directs dollars to the people and places that need it most. Yet here we are, 42 days away from a government shutdown, and Speaker Matt Hall and his Republican caucus have still not passed a full budget. The clock is ticking, and time is almost up Matt Hall needs to stop playing games with peoples livelihoods and start doing the job he has been entrusted to do. Whitmer last week expressed optimism that a budget would get done in time and a shutdown avoided. However, Whitmer also said her administration is prepared in case of a shutdown. When a shutdown was threatened in 2019, that plan included shutting down road construction, state parks, Secretary of State branches and more. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve member Lisa Cook, speaks during a conversations with leaders from organizations that include nonprofits, small businesses, manufacturing, supply chain management, the hospitality industry, and the housing and education sectors at the Federal Reserve building, Sept. 23, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) AP Editors note: A previous version of this headline incorrectly called Lisa Cook a Michigan native. She is from Georgia. President Donald Trump and one of his allies are calling for the resignation of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook - the first Black woman to serve on the Fed board - who has several ties to Michigan. In a story riddled with Michigan connections, Trumps U.S. Director of Federal Housing is alleging Cook potentially committed mortgage fraud using an Ann Arbor home and one other out-of-state property. Cook, who started at the Fed board in 2022 and was reappointed to a 14-year term in 2023, is listed online as a Michigan State University (MSU) professor. University Spokesperson Amber McCann said Cook has been on unpaid leave since her federal appointment. U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, who leveled the accusation against Cook, also has family ties to the state. He founded the Blight Authority in 2013, a nonprofit dedicated to removing urban blight in Detroit and Pontiac, along with St. Louis, Missouri. On Wednesday, Aug. 20, Pulte alleged in a post on X that Cook committed mortgage fraud by designating an out-of-state condo in Atlanta as her primary residence, just two weeks after taking out another loan on an Ann Arbor home that was also declared as a primary residence. When someone commits mortgage fraud, they undermine the faith and integrity of our system, Pulte wrote. It does not matter who you are - no one is above the law. On Wednesday afternoon, Trump posted on Truth Social that Cook must resign, now!!! Pulte wrote that a criminal referral has been sent to the Department of Justice with regard to the allegations against Cook. In response, Cook said in a statement to MLive that she learned from the media that FHFA Director William Pulte posted on social media that he was making a criminal referral based on a mortgage application from four years ago, before I joined the Federal Reserve. I have no intention of being bullied to step down from my position because of some questions raised in a tweet, she said. I do intend to take any questions about my financial history seriously as a member of the Federal Reserve and so I am gathering the accurate information to answer any legitimate questions and provide the facts. The loan on the Ann Arbor home, the location of which is scribbled out in a criminal referral letter Cook posted on X, was acquired on June 18, 2021. Cook allegedly entered into a 15-year mortgage agreement with the University of Michigan credit union for $203,000. On July 2, Cook then allegedly entered into another 30-year mortgage for an Atlanta condo, which Pulte claims she listed for rent. Loans for a primary residence can carry easier terms than those for second homes or investment properties, with a larger range of options, more favorable mortgage rates and smaller down payment requirements. The loans in question date back to mid-2021, before Cook was appointed to the Federal Reserve Board by President Joe Biden in 2022. Originally a Georgia native, Cook was an economics and international relations professor at MSU and worked for the university at the time the mortgages were taken out. The allegations come amid attempts by the Trump administration to gain influence over the central bank in recent days. Trump told aides he is considering trying to fire Cook, according to reporting by the Wall Street Journal citing a senior White House official and one other person familiar with the matter. Federal Reserve officials are legally protected from being removed by a president, except for cause, which is generally seen as malfeasance or dereliction of duty. Trump has repeatedly criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, calling for his resignation and critiquing a $2.5 billion renovation of the agencys Washington, D.C. headquarters. Its also not the first time Trump administration officials have launched mortgage fraud investigations against political opponents. Pulte previously asked the Justice Department to investigate alleged mortgage fraud by Democratic U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, who ran the U.S. Houses 2019 Trump impeachment trial. Schiff has denied wrongdoing. Cook is one of three Biden appointees whose terms extend beyond Trumps time in office. The seven-member board is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, serving 14-year terms. Cooks term extends until 2038. Democrats on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services criticized Trumps comments on Cook and vowed to fight back. Donald Trump is making up blatant lies in an effort to oust the first Black woman to serve on the Federal Reserve Board, so he can replace her with another unqualified loyalist who will do his bidding, the post on X read. This is another attack on the Feds independence. We cant let this happen. According to reporting by Reuters, Cooks federally-filed financial disclosure documents show three mortgages taken out in 2021, including a 15-year, 2.5% loan on an investment property and two loans for personal residences - a 30-year, 3.25% mortgage and a 15-year, 2.875% mortgage. The weekly average rate for 30-year loans during 2021 ranged between 2.9% and 3.3%, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data. The Detroit Free Press also obtained records for both properties referenced in the criminal referral letter, finding that the Ann Arbor residence was last sold in 2005. A tax portion of the records shows a section called principal residence exemption %, which shows 100% for 2025 and 2024. Atlanta records show a Lisa D. Cook purchased a two-bed, two-bath condo in 2021, but did not immediately indicate whether the purchaser used a principal residence exemption. South Park season 27 continues Wednesday, August 20. Watch episode 3, Sickofancy, at 10 p.m. ET on Comedy Central. Stream South Park with Philo, Fubo, Sling, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV. Episodes will be available on Paramount+ the day after they air. Fans can also find previous seasons on Hulu and HBO Max (bundle and save). About South Park season 27: Trey Parker and Matt Stones popular long-running animated comedy, South Park, follows the exploits of four fourth grade boys Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman their parents, and fellow Colorado locals. This season has garnered attention following the premiere, Sermon on the Mount, which poked fun at Donald Trump. Related: South Park secures streaming deal with Paramount ahead of season 27 premiere The series is no stranger to mocking public officials. South Park is known for reflecting current events social issues. The latest installment, Got a Nut, continued to take aim at the current administration. When Mr. Mackey lost his job at the elementary school, it was all too easy for him to join in on ICE raids that increased in absurdity, even after death. JD Vance and Kristi Noem also made appearances, and Cartman became a right-wing YouTuber dead set on feminist destruction. South Park season 27, episode 3 airs tonight at 10/9c on Comedy Central. Titled Sickofancy, this week sees the return of Towelie. Where to stream South Park: Streaming service Free trial Promo Starting price Philo Yes N/A $28/month Fubo Yes Save up to $30 on the first month $84.99/month ($54.99 with promo) DirecTV Yes Save $35 on the first month $84.99/month ($49.99 with promo) Sling No Watch live TV for only $4.99 with Passes $45.99/month ($19.99/month with Select) Paramount+ Yes N/A $7.99/month South Park seasons 1 through 26 are available on Hulu (with add-on) and HBO Max. Bundle with Disney+ to unlock all three services for only $16.99/month. Stream the latest South Park episodes with Hulu + Live TV. Philo - Philo offers a free trial, live channels, and on-demand streaming of top shows like Tyler Perrys Sistas and South Park. Fubo - Stream BET, ESPN, ABC, FX, and more with Fubo. The latest Fubo promo offers up to $30 off the first subscription month (after trial). DirecTV - Save $35 on the first month of DirecTV (after 5-day free trial). Plans now start at $49.99. Stream sports, Lifetime movies, and more. Sling - Sling just released two new streaming options, Passes and Select. Outside of the regular monthly subscription, viewers can opt for a $4.99 day pass that unlocks live TV. Alternatively, Select plans begin at $19.99/month and offer 10+ channels of news and lifestyle. Paramount+ - Stream CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, and BET shows with a Paramount+ subscription. Select Paramount+ Premium ($12.99/month) to unlock Showtime releases and ad-free streaming. Episode 2, Got a Nut Varun Singh A journalist covering the automotive sector in depth, across business and product verticals. Trying to hit the gym at least four times a week! I am not a fitness freak though. Varun Singh USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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I Accept Austin Butler reveals he went temporarily blind, almost cracked his ribs on set Gayatri Rani USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Films that used AI in their making Sunspring (2016, Short Film) This experimental scifi short was written entirely by an AI neural network named Benjamin. The surreal script was then interpreted creatively by human actors. The Dog & The Boy (Short Film) This Japanese animated short used AI to generate its background artstylistically blending hand-drawn concept art with AI-generated rendering. The Brutalist AI tools from Respeecher were used in post-production to enhance the Hungarian accents of actors by manipulating their voices, though their use sparked controversy regarding creative authenticity. Top Gun: Maverick (2022) AI was used to recreate Val Kilmers iconic voice for unseen dialogue, employing Sonantic technology due to Kilmers medical condition, which had left him unable to speak. The Irishman (2019) Martin Scorseses epic used AI-powered de-aging techniques specifically a tool called FaceSwap to make stars like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci appear younger. Chiranjeevi Hanuman The Eternal (Announced 2026) Touted as entirely "Made-in-AI and Made in India," this upcoming mythological film depicting Lord Hanuman is generating fierce debate. Critics are blasting it as a betrayal of creative integrity, especially as it comes from a producer who also represents human talent. Raanjhanaa (2025 Re-release Ambikapathy) The Tamil Nadu re-release of this 2013 romantic drama features an AI-altered happy ending, replacing its original tragic conclusion. The change caused upheaval in the industry, with actors and directors denouncing the emotional and creative impact of retrofitting narratives via AI. Palak Vij USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Dengue vs viral fever: How to identify different symptoms, why self-medication is risky Namita S Kalla is a senior journalist who writes about different aspects of modern life that include lifestyle, health, fashion, beauty, and entertainment. Bobby John Varkey USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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I Accept This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates sourced from multiple news outlets and agencies Disclaimer This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates sourced from multiple news outlets and agencies Disclaimer This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates sourced from multiple news outlets and agencies Disclaimer This is an AI-assisted live blog with updates sourced from multiple news outlets and agencies Disclaimer Alpha Desk USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. 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At Moneycontrol, I focus on decoding market trends, policy shifts and economic changes, driven by a constant passion to learn, analyse, and share knowledge with my readers. Paras Bisht USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Priyansh Verma USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Chhabi Kala USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept No extra tariff on India: Russian official on 'positive' outcome of Trump-Putin talks Arindam Roy USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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The Opposition, referring to the time when Amit Shah was the Home Minister of Gujarat, such a bill should have been introduced when Amit Shah was introduced in a similar controversy. Dismissing charges by Opposition, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said: "I resigned as a the Home Minister of Gujarat when false charges were made against me. I did not take any post until i was acquitted by the courts." Quit after false charges, didn't take any post till courts cleared me: Amit Shah counters KC Venugopal in Lok Sabha Armaan Bhatnagar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Vote theft row: EC once again fact checks Rahul Gandhi, says claim of Subodh Kumar's removal from voter list 'false' Chhabi Kala USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept US accuses India of profiteering from Russian oil; says Chinas case is entirely different Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Why CEO pay in the US is rising at the fastest pace in four years Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Author: jeffnaper The taco van is parked on the corner of 5th Avenue and 57th Street. The man behind the counter, with a mean look but trying to look customer-friendly, is indeed Vladimir Putin. He keeps forcing himself to smile, but a subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth suggests that he is neither amused nor bemused. He can't help feeling uneasy, keenly aware of his accent, which is thick as borscht. It has taken quite a while for him to learn that almost every New Yorker is speaking with an accent if not accents. It is no accident that the United Nations has picked the Big Apple. Exotic accents are generally valued here. Legal immigrants are doing OK, all things considered. Look, thanks to Putin, there is a constant source of both bewilderment and culinary intrigue for the passing New Yorkers. Even ICE folks are waving and smiling at him, knowing that he is carrying a gold/green card. In this alternative reality, however, NYC remains really expensive. "Why am I selling cheap tacos here? Because I somehow can still make a living. " Also, needless to say, Putin is free to take charge of himself, going out and about unmolested. Liberty means everything, right? "You v[w]ant taco?" hes asking in a voice that rumbles like a tank crossing a cobblestone street. "Is good. Is special recipe. From Mother Russia." Boy, Putin is picking up English pretty fast. Back to taco. His signature goodie, the "Kremlin Crunch," is a culinary enigma. It is a tortilla filled with what he claims is "one-of-a-kind meat," a mixture so mysterious it has the Food and Drug Administration sending agents disguised as tourists. The secret ingredient, FDA later reports, is likely a rare type of Siberian elk sausage. Paired with a tangy dollop of what Putin calls "Stalin's Sour Cream," it is a champion taco, so we are told. The line for his van is always long, a testament to the citys bizarre fascination with its newest, most improbable street vendor. People arent just there for the food; they are there for the spectacle. Theyll snap photos, try to get a selfie with the strongman-turned taco purveyor, and ask him probing questions about international relations, to which he will only reply, "Just eat your taco. Is not for talking." Who cares about politics these days? His most loyal customer is a Wall Street banker nicknamed Uncle Sam, who sees Putins taco venture as a masterclass in market disruption. Sam can't wait to show up every day, impeccably dressed, and order a "Red Square Supreme" a Kremlin Crunch with extra onions and a side of what Putin calls "Czar's Chili." Absolutely fabulous! "This, Vlad," Sam says, leaning over the counter conspiratorially, "is a stroke of genius. You've cornered the market on international intrigue-infused street food. It's a niche. It's a GOLD mine." Putin, wiping his hands on his apron, starts grunting. "Is not about money, Sam. Is about CULTURAL EXCHANGE." One particularly muggy Tuesday, a new character appears on the scene. A man in a tracksuit, with a neck like a rhino's, sidles up to the taco van. He has a scowl on his face that suggests he has just lost a staring contest with a particularly angry bear. This is Ivan, Putins former head of security, who has been tasked with a new, equally daunting mission: managing Putins taco van finances. Ivan badly needs a paid job, truth be told. He is sick and tired of grabbing lunch from charitable organizations. Ivan, alas, is not built for the fast-paced, customer-service-oriented world of NYC street food. He is more comfortable with silent intimidation than with taking orders for "extra cheese." He always prefers to stand next to the van, arms crossed, glaring at customers as if they're a threat to national security. "You vant taco? Hurry up," hell bark. "Is not time for looking at phone." Behaviorally incorrect Ivan can't care less about grammatical correctness, This doesn't go over well with the selfie-obsessed NYC crowd, and a few Yelp reviews start to trickle in: "Great tacos, but the bouncer is kind of a buzzkill." Yelp? What's that? Ivan feels a bit lost. One day, a rival emerges. A food truck emblazoned with the B words "Big Beautiful Burgers" pulls up across the street, its horn blaring a triumphant, slightly off-key fanfare. Out steps a man with a spray tan that makes him look like he's been marinated in a vat of Cheeto dust. He wears a tuxedo T-shirt and a MAGA hat, and his name is, inexplicably, Winwin. He acts like the new sheriff in town, not the new kid on the block. Onlookers are everywhere, expecting an imminent turf fight. Superbusy New Yorkers always have time for a free blockbuster show. Given his vote-getting campaigner's background, Winwin can't help but stand on top of a milk crate, shouting, "My burgers are the best! They're so big, so beautiful. They'll make your belly great again! Don't eat the sad, little Russian taco!" With a bullhorn, Winwin goes on to remind everyone of Putin as the former Bully of the Century. "Let's Boo the Bully!" Boo...Boo...Strangely, while booing, people lining up for Putin's tacos don't move away. Tacos sell. Don't ask me why. With fans coming his way, or so he thinks, Putin remains unfazed. He stares back at Winwin with the cold, unblinking eyes of a man who has seen things. He then turns to his customers and says, "Winwin is loud. His food is lousy. My taco my taco is strong like [a] bear." So, the taco guy is also a taco bear. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the man who has once been the leader of a powerful nation, finally finds his true calling on a street corner in New York City, selling tacos with a side of subtle geopolitical humor. He isn't rich, not in the traditional sense, but he has something more valuable: a captive audience, a loyal customer base, and a business rival who has just been outmaneuvered. No blood spilled. No money lost. Taco rules. Meanwhile, the media folks descend upon the street corner, hoping to turn it into a culinary battleground. News crews from CNN and Fox News set up shop, interviewing bewildered tourists and locals about their preferred fast-food autocrat. "Im a fan of the Kremlin Crunch," one woman tells a reporter. "Its got a certain geopolitical gravitas." "Geopolitical gravitas? What might that be?" The reporter asks the Kremlin Crunch fan. "I don't care. I simply like to pick up mouthful words. I don't mind eating words either, to be honest with you." The curvy reporter lets go of her overweight interlocutor immediately. So much for this news cycle. The end. Gunmen kill at least 13 people in a mosque shooting in northwestern Nigeria View Photo ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) Gunmen attacked a mosque in northwestern Nigeria on Tuesday morning, killing at least 13 people during morning prayers, local authorities said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in the town of Unguwan Mantau, in the state of Katsina, but such attacks are common in Nigerias northwestern and north-central regions where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The attacks have killed and injured scores last month, an attack in north-central Nigeria killed 150 people. The prolonged conflict has become deadlier in recent years, with authorities and analysts warning that more herdsmen are taking up arms. The states commissioner, Nasir Muazu, said the army and police have deployed in the area of Unguwan Mantau to prevent further attacks, adding that gunmen often hide among the crops in farms during the rainy season to carry out assaults on communities. He added that the mosque attack was likely in retaliation for a raid by Unguwan Mantau townspeople, who over the weekend ambushed and killed several of the gunmen in the area. Dozens of armed groups take advantage of the limited security presence in Nigerias mineral-rich regions, carrying out attacks on villages and along major roads. The farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce. The herders insist that the lands are grazing routes that were first backed by law in 1965, five years after the country gained its independence. Separate from the conflict between farming and herding communities, Nigeria is battling to contain Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast, where some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced, according to the United Nations. By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN Associated Press Rwanda-backed rebels killed over 140 civilians in eastern Congo, rights group says View Photo DAKAR, Senegal (AP) Rwanda-backed rebels killed at least 140 people in farming communities in eastern Congo in July, Human Rights Watch said in a report Wednesday, describing the killings as summary executions. The group said 141 people, predominantly ethnic Hutus, were feared dead or missing after the attacks near Virunga National Park in North Kivu province, citing local experts and witness accounts. It said the killings appeared to be part of a military campaign by the M23 group, the most prominent of more than 100 armed groups in mineral-rich eastern Congo, against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a mostly Hutu armed group. Nearly 2 million Hutus from Rwanda fled to Congo after the 1994 Rwandan genocide that killed 800,000 Tutsi, moderate Hutus and others. Rwandan authorities have accused Hutus who fled of participating in the genocide, alleging that the Congolese army protected them. The United States and others have been trying to achieve a permanent ceasefire since fighting between the M23 and Congolese forces escalated in January with the M23s seizure of two key cities. U.S. President Donald Trump this week asserted he had ended six wars including this one, but experts say his impact isnt as clear cut as he claims. The U.N. has called the decades-old conflict in eastern Congo one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth. The Human Rights Watch report says the Rwanda Defense Force was involved in the M23 operations it describes, citing U.N. and military sources and witness accounts. There was no immediate comment from the Rwandan government. The M23 armed group, which has Rwandan government backing, attacked over a dozen villages and farming areas in July and committed dozens of summary executions of primarily Hutu civilians, said Clementine de Montjoye, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. Witnesses said M23 soldiers, accompanied by Rwandan soldiers who were identified by their accents, told them to immediately bury the bodies in the fields or leave them unburied, preventing families from organizing funerals, the report said. One woman described being marched in a group to a riverbank near the town of Kafuru. The group of around 70 people was lined up before the soldiers began shooting at them. Forty-seven of the dead, including children, were identified, the report added. Willy Ngoma, military spokesperson for M23, called the report military propaganda. M23 was previously accused of extrajudicial killings during its seizure of major cities earlier this year. A separate report by Amnesty International on Wednesday said the rights group found that both M23 and Congolese government-sponsored militias regularly committed mass atrocities and sexual violence against civilians, including gang rape. Rwanda and (Congo) cannot continue shunning responsibility; they must hold all perpetrators accountable, said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty Internationals regional director for East and Southern Africa. By WILSON MCMAKIN Associated Press South African breeder is accused of $14 million rhino horn smuggling ring View Photo JOHANNESBURG (AP) South African prosecutors have accused a well-known rhino breeder of operating a global rhino horn smuggling network alongside five other people. John Hume, 83, owns one of the worlds largest rhino herds at his Johannesburg ranch. He and the others are accused of a scheme involving 964 rhino horns valued at $14.1 million. Hume has not publicly commented. Hume was granted $5,000 bond by the Pretoria magistrates court, according to the National Prosecuting Authority, after he and the others handed themselves over to police on Tuesday. Bail conditions included turning over their passports. Prosecutors said they next appear in court on Dec. 9. A seven-year investigation by South African authorities found the suspects allegedly secured permits under false pretenses to buy and sell rhino horns domestically while funneling the horns into illegal markets in Southeast Asia. Under South African law, domestic trade is permitted with valid permits. However, international commercial trade in rhino horn is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. According to a blog promoting the private reserve that he opened in 2009, Hume and his staff at Rhinos of Buffalo Dream Ranch care for over 1,600 rhinos, including over 1,000 that have been bred there. The six suspects, including a lawyer, insurance broker and game reserve manager, are charged with 55 counts including racketeering, fraud, theft and money laundering. The countrys environment minister, Dion George, called the investigation a powerful demonstration of South Africas resolve to protect its natural heritage. South Africa fights an ongoing battle to protect endangered rhinos, with a reported 103 killed between Jan. 1 and March 31, according to the government. Authorities have focused in recent years on criminal syndicates they believe are behind much of the poaching. The country has the worlds largest rhino population with an estimated 16,000 to 18,000, according to conservation groups. That includes white rhinos and the critically endangered black ones. By MICHELLE GUMEDE Associated Press Kims sister says North Korea will never see the South as a diplomatic partner Kims sister says North Korea will never see the South as a diplomatic partner View Photo SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un s powerful sister yet again taunted South Korean efforts to improve ties, state media reported Wednesday, saying that her country will never accept Seoul as a diplomatic partner. Kim Yo Jongs remarks fit a longstanding pattern of aggressive language during ongoing South Korea-U.S. military drills, which the North has long denounced as invasion rehearsals, but also reflect a shift in Pyongyangs approach to its rival. Her brother has shifted his focus to Moscow, and last year declared that North Korea was abandoning long-standing goals of a peaceful unification with South Korea. He ordered the constitution rewritten to declare the South a permanent enemy. Kim Yo Jong spurns feelers from new South Korean government Since the collapse of a 2019 summit with U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term, Kim Jong Un doubled down on his nuclear ambitions while embracing the idea of a new Cold War. In Seoul, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, after taking office in 2022, responded by expanding military drills with Washington and Tokyo and seeking stronger assurances of U.S. nuclear deterrence. But South Koreas new liberal President Lee Jae Myung, who replaced Yoon after he was removed from office in disgrace, has pushed to revive dialogue between the Koreas since taking office in June. Hes extended olive branches like ending cross-border propaganda broadcasts that irritate Pyongyang. Lee said in a speech Friday that said his government respects North Koreas current system and will not pursue any form of unification by absorption and has no intention of engaging in hostile acts. But Kim Yo Jong claimed Seouls peace gestures conceal a sinister intention to blame Pyongyang for strained relations. She said the reckless South Korea-U.S. military drills as a proof of Seouls hostility, state media said Wednesday. Kim told Foreign Ministry officials during a Tuesday meeting that reconciliation with the South would never happen, and urged them to pursue proper countermeasures against Seoul, which she labeled the most hostile state and a faithful dog of the U.S. Once regarded by the North as a useful go-between for extracting concessions from Washington, South Korea is now viewed in Pyongyang as a regional obstacle to its attempts to carve out a larger role in world affairs. In response to Kim Yo Jongs latest comments, South Koreas Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said Lees government will continue to take proactive steps for peace and called for mutual respect between the countries. Kim Dong-yub, a professor at South Koreas University of North Korean Studies, said Kim Yo Jongs latest remarks were a response to Lees speech, essentially bolting the door shut. On Monday, Kim Jong Un also criticized the South Korean-U.S. military drills and vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces as he inspected his most advanced warship being fitted with nuclear-capable systems. Pyongyang sees opportunity Russias invasion of Ukraine created an opportunity to draw closer to Moscow, which he has supplied with thousands of troops and large supplies of military equipment. With its alignment with Russia deepening, North Korea has also become more vocal in international affairs beyond the Korean Peninsula, issuing statements on conflicts in the Middle East and issues related to the Taiwan Strait. During Tuesdays foreign policy meeting, Kim Yo Jong implied that Pyongyang seeks to compete with Seoul diplomatically, claiming the South will not even have a subordinate role in the regional diplomatic arena, which she insisted will be centered on the North. By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press Hundreds of historic tall ships sail into Amsterdam for a maritime festival View Photo AMSTERDAM (AP) Crowds packed vantage points along a major canal and took to the water themselves Wednesday to watch a flotilla of hundreds of historic ships sail into Amsterdam at the start of a five-day festival celebrating the Dutch capitals maritime history. Ships from all over the world, many with their masts and rigging decorated with flags, sailed from the North Sea coastal town of IJmuiden on an hourslong journey up the North Sea Canal and into Amsterdams IJ waterway for SAIL 2025, the first edition in a decade. A puff of orange smoke erupted into the sky and ships horns sounded as the replica three-masted clipper Stad Amsterdam passed through a lock to mark the official start of the event. Each ship is greeted with two cannon shots and its countrys national anthem as it enters the harbor. Hugo Peek was one of the thousands of people who sailed in smaller boats together with the tall ships. Along with his grandfather and several other family members, he traveled on a smaller boat that accompanied the tall ship Europa. There was almost no water. Its almost all boats, the 21-year-old student said. Mahek Singahl was waiting in Amsterdams central train station, looking onto the harbor with her two small children and several large suitcases. Her family was headed back to Ivory Coast after a holiday in Iceland and had stopped in Amsterdam for a few days. They had no idea what the crowds were for. My husband went to look at the boats and left me here, she said, laughing. He loves this stuff. The event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors, is held every five years. The 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wednesdays parade culminates in an evening fireworks display. The ships will remain in Amsterdam, many open for visitors, through the weekend. The first event was first held in 1975 to celebrate Amsterdams 700th anniversary and this years edition coincides with the citys 750th birthday. By MOLLY QUELL Associated Press Israel to mobilize 60,000 reservists ahead of an expanded Gaza City operation View Photo JERUSALEM (AP) Israels military said Wednesday it will call up 60,000 reservists ahead of an expanded military operation in Gaza City. Many residents have chosen to stay despite the danger, fearing nowhere is safe in a territory facing shortages of food, water and other necessities. Calling up extra military reservists is part a plan Defense Minister Israel Katz approved to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gazas most densely populated areas, the military said. The plan, which is expected to receive the chief of staffs final approval in the coming days, also includes extending the service of 20,000 additional reservists who are already on active duty. In a country of fewer than 10 million people, the call-up of reservists is the largest in months and carries economic and political weight. It comes days after hundreds of thousands of Israelis rallied for a ceasefire, as negotiators scramble to get Israel and Hamas to agree to end their 22 months of fighting, and as rights groups warn that an expanded assault could deepen the crisis in the Gaza Strip, where most of the roughly 2 million inhabitants have been displaced, many areas have been reduced to rubble, and the population faces the threat of famine. Gaza City operation could begin within days An Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said troops will operate in parts of Gaza City where they havent been deployed yet and where Israel believes Hamas is still active. Israeli troops in the the citys Zeitoun neighborhood and in Jabaliya, a refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, are already preparing the groundwork for the expanded operation, which could begin within days. Though the timeline wasnt clear, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said Wednesday that Netanyahu has directed that the timetables be shortened for launching the offensive. Gaza City is Hamas military and governing stronghold, and one of the last places of refuge in the northern Strip, where hundreds of thousands are sheltering. Israeli troops will be targeting Hamas vast underground tunnel network there, the official added. Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamas senior leadership, parts of Hamas are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets towards Israel, the official said. Netanyahu has said the wars objectives are to secure the release of remaining hostages and ensure that Hamas and other militants can never again threaten Israel. The planned offensive, announced earlier this month, comes amid heightened international condemnation of Israels restrictions on food and medicine reaching Gaza and fears that many Palestinians will be forced to flee. Its pretty obvious that it will just create another mass displacement of people who have been displaced repeatedly since this phase of the conflict started, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Associated Press journalists saw small groups heading south from the city this week, but its unclear how many others will voluntarily flee. Some said they would wait to see how events unfold, with many insisting that nowhere is safe from airstrikes. What were seeing in Gaza is nothing short of apocalyptic reality for children, for their families, and for this generation, Ahmed Alhendawi, regional director of Save the Children, said in an interview. The plight and the struggle of this generation of Gaza is beyond being described in words. Some reservists question the wars goals The call-up comes amid a growing campaign by exhausted reservists who accuse the Israeli government of perpetuating the war for political reasons and failing to bring home the 50 remaining hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The hostages families and former army and intelligence chiefs have also expressed opposition to the expanded operation in Gaza City. Most of the families want an immediate ceasefire and worry that an expanded assault could imperil the surviving hostages. Guy Poran, a retired air force pilot who has organized veterans campaigning to end the war, said many reservists are spent after repeated tours lasting hundreds of days and resent those who havent been called up. Even those that are not ideologically against the current war or the governments new plans dont want to go because of fatigue or their families or their businesses, he said. Hamas-led militants started the war when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing roughly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel has yet to respond to a ceasefire proposal Arab mediators and Hamas said this week that the militant groups leaders had agreed to the terms of a proposed 60-day ceasefire, though similar announcements have been made in the past that didnt lead to a lasting truce. Egypt and Qatar have said they are waiting for Israels response. Egypts foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, spoke by phone Wednesday with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss the proposed ceasefire in the hopes of winning Israels acceptance, the Egyptian foreign ministry said. During the call, Abdelatty urged Israel to put an end to this unjust war by negotiating a comprehensive deal and to lay the foundations for a just settlement of the Palestinian cause, according to the Egyptian government. An Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to speak to the media said Israel is in constant contact with the mediators in an effort to secure the hostages release. Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will oppose a deal that doesnt include the complete defeat of Hamas. Also Wednesday, Israel gave final approval to a controversial settlement project east of Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank. The development in whats called E1 would effectively cut the territory in two. Palestinians and rights groups say it could destroy hopes for a future Palestinian state. Gazas death toll rises At least 27 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 were wounded Wednesday at the Zikim crossing in northwestern Gaza as a crowd rushed toward a U.N. convoy transporting humanitarian aid, according to health officials. The majority of casualties were killed by gunshots fired by the Israeli troops, said Fares Awad, head of the Health Ministrys ambulance and emergency service in northern Gaza. The rush toward the trucks and the stampede killed and injured others. The dead included people seeking aid and Palestinians guarding the convoy, Awad told the AP. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. More than 62,122 people have been killed during Israels offensive, Gazas Health Ministry said Monday. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants, but it said women and children make up around half of them. In addition, 154 adults have died from malnutrition-related causes since late June, when the ministry began counting such deaths, and 112 children have died from malnutrition-related causes since the war began. ___ This story was corrected to reflect that the Jabaliya refugee camp is not in Gaza City. ___ Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press reporter Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed. By MELANIE LIDMAN, SAM METZ and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) A U.S.-led coalition captured a senior member of the Islamic State group in northwest Syria on Wednesday, state media and a war monitor reported. It was not immediately clear if the man is the IS supreme leader. Abu Hafs al-Qurayshi, an Iraqi citizen and IS commander, was detained during a pre-dawn operation that included landing troops from helicopters in the town of Atmeh, near the Turkish border. Another Iraqi citizen was killed, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The U.S. military did not respond to a request for comment. The Observatory said the man captured had a French-speaking woman with him, and it was not immediately clear if she was taken by the U.S. force or by Syrian security forces who later cordoned the area. Two years ago, IS announced that a man called Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi was named as its new leader after Turkish authorities killed his predecessor. Syrian state TV on Wednesday quoted an unnamed security official as saying the Iraqi man targeted in the operation is known as Ali, adding that his real name is Salah Noman. It said Noman was living in an apartment with his wife, son and mother. It said he was killed in the raid. There was no immediate clarification for the difference in names reported by state media and the war monitor. U.N. counter-terrorism chief Vladimir Voronkov told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that while multiple leaders of the Islamic State have perished in the past few years, the group has managed to retain its operational capacity. There is no indication that the killing of its deputy leader in charge of operational planning, which resulted from counter-terrorism operations in Iraq in March, will be any different, he said, citing unnamed countries as saying the extremist group may recover from such a loss within six months. Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea made no mention of Wednesdays arrest, but said the Trump administration has intensified counter-terrorism operations globally, including targeting the IS, also known as ISIL, and al-Qaidas leadership, infrastructure, and financial networks. IS broke away from al-Qaida more than a decade ago and attracted supporters from around the world after it declared a so-called caliphate in 2014 in large parts of Syria and Iraq. Despite its defeat in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later, IS militants still carry out deadly attacks in both countries and elsewhere. Al-Qurayshi is not the real name of IS leaders but comes from Quraish, the name of the tribe to which Islams Prophet Muhammad belonged. IS claims its leaders hail from the tribe, and al-Qurayshi is part of their nom de guerre. US sanctions more ICC judges, prosecutors for probes into alleged American, Israeli war crimes View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on the International Criminal Court for pursuing investigations into U.S. and Israeli officials for alleged war crimes. The State Department on Wednesday announced new sanctions on four ICC officials, including two judges and two prosecutors, saying they had been instrumental in efforts to prosecute Americans and Israelis. As a result of the sanctions, any assets that the targets hold in U.S. jurisdictions are frozen. The sanctions were immediately denounced by both the ICC and the United Nations, while Israel welcomed the move announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It is just the latest in a series of steps the Trump administration has taken against The Hague-based court, the worlds first international war crimes tribunal. The U.S., which is not a member of the court, has already imposed penalties on the ICCs former chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who stepped aside in May pending an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, and four other tribunal judges. The new penalties target ICC judges Kimberly Proust of Canada and Nicolas Guillou of France and prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. These individuals are foreign persons who directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of either nation, Rubio said. He added that the administration would continue to take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our troops, our sovereignty, and our allies from the ICCs illegitimate and baseless actions. In a separate statement, the State Department said Prost was hit for a ruling to authorize an ICC investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan, which was later dropped. Guillou was sanctioned for ruling to authorize the ICCs issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant related to Israels war against Hamas in Gaza. Nazhat Shameem Khan and Niang were penalized for continuing Karim Khans investigation into Israels actions in Gaza, including upholding the ICCs arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, according to the statement. In response, the ICC issued a statement calling the sanctions a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution and an affront against the Courts states parties, the rules-based international order and, above all, millions of innocent victims across the world. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the ICC has the full support of the world body to carry out its work. The U.N. is very concerned about the U.S. continuing to target the international court, he said. We firmly believe that the ICC is a key pillar of international criminal justice, and we respect their work, Dujarric said. The decision imposes severe impediments on the functioning of the office of the prosecutor in respect for all the situations that are currently before the court. Netanyahu welcomed the U.S. step. This is a firm measure against the mendacious smear campaign against the State of Israel and the IDF, and for truth and justice, he said in a statement, using an acronym for the Israeli military. Wednesdays move carries on a history of Trump administration actions against the ICC dating back to his first term in office. During Trumps first term, the U.S. hit the ICC with sanctions, but those were rescinded by President Joe Bidens administration in early 2021. ___ Associated Press writers Mike Corder in The Hague and Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations contributed to this report. By MATTHEW LEE AP Diplomatic Writer Sen. Lindsey Graham says Trump ready to crush Russian economy if Putin avoids talks with Zelenskyy View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday that he believes President Donald Trump is prepared to crush Russias economy with a new wave of sanctions if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the coming weeks. Graham, who spoke with Trump on Tuesday morning, has pushed the president for months to support his sweeping bipartisan sanctions bill that would impose steep tariffs on countries that are fueling Russias invasion of Ukraine by buying its oil, gas, uranium, and other exports. The legislation has the backing of 85 senators, but Trump has yet to endorse it. Republican leaders have said they wont move without him. If we dont have this thing moving in the right direction by the time we get back, then I think that plan B needs to kick in, Graham said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. The Senate, now away from Washington for the August recess, is scheduled to return in September. Grahams call with Trump came less than 24 hours after high-stakes meetings at the White House with Zelenskyy and several European leaders. Trump and the leaders emerged from those talks sounding optimistic, with the expectation being that a Putin and Zelenskyy sit-down will happen soon. Still, Trumps comments to Graham, one of his top congressional allies, mark the latest sign that pressure is building not just on Putin, but on Trump as well. Trump believes that if Putin doesnt do his part, that hes going to have to crush his economy. Because youve got to mean what you say, Graham told reporters in South Carolina on Tuesday. As Congress prepares to return to session in early September, the next few weeks could become a defining test of whether lawmakers and international allies are prepared to act on their own if Trump doesnt follow through. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the lead Democrat pushing the bill with Graham, says there is a lot of reason for skepticism and doubt after the meetings with Trump, especially because Putin has not made any direct promises. He said the Russian leader has an incentive to play rope-a-dope with Trump. The only way to bring Putin to the table is to show strength, Blumenthal told the AP this week. What Putin understands is force and pressure. Still, Republicans have shown little willingness to override Trump in his second term. They abruptly halted work on the sanctions bill before the August recess after Trump said the legislation may not be needed. Asked Tuesday in a phone interview whether the sanctions bill should be brought up even without Trumps support, Graham said, the best way to do it is with him. There will come a point where if its clear that Putin is not going to entertain peace, that President Trump will have to back up what he said he would do, Graham said. And the best way to do it is have congressional blessing. The legislation would impose tariffs of up to 500% on countries such as China and India, which together account for roughly 70% of Russias energy trade. The framework has the support of many European leaders. Many of those same European leaders left the White House on Monday with a more hopeful tone. Zelenskyy called the meeting with Trump an important step toward ending this war. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that his expectations were not just met, they were exceeded. Still, little concrete progress was visible on the main obstacles to peace. That deadlock likely favors Putin, whose forces continue to make steady, if slow, progress on the ground in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters after talks at the White House that Trump believes a deal with Putin is possible. But he said sanctions remain on the table if the process fails. ___ Associated Press reporter Meg Kinnard contributed to this report from Florence, South Carolina. By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press Syrias top diplomat and an Israeli delegation meet in Paris as US pushes for normalizing ties Syrias top diplomat and an Israeli delegation meet in Paris as US pushes for normalizing ties View Photo BEIRUT (AP) Syrias foreign minister held a rare direct meeting with an Israeli delegation in Paris on Tuesday, talks that were brokered by the United States as part of a diplomatic push for Syria and Israel to normalize relations despite a recent surge in tensions between them. Syrias state-run SANA news agency said Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met with Israeli officials to discuss de-escalating tensions and restoring a 1974 ceasefire agreement a deal that established a demilitarized separation zone between Israeli and Syrian forces and stationed a U.N. peacekeeping force to maintain calm. The statement gave no details on the outcome of the Paris meeting. But a senior Trump administration official, who was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter, confirmed the talks. The United States continues to support any efforts that will bring lasting stability and peace between Israel and its neighbors, the official told The Associated Press, adding that the backing follows President Donald Trumps outlined vision of a prosperous Middle East that includes a stable Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors including Israel. We want to do everything we can to help achieve that, the official added. The long road to normalization In the past, Syrian officials have acknowledged holding indirect talks with Israel to defuse tensions, but this was the first time they acknowledged taking part in direct negotiations. There was no immediate confirmation of the meeting from Israel. Tensions have soared between the two neighbors following the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad in December in a lightning rebel offensive led by Islamist insurgents. Shortly after Assads overthrow, Israeli forces seized control of the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone in Syria set up under the 1974 agreement and carried out airstrikes on military sites in what officials said was aimed at creating a demilitarized zone south of Damascus. Israel has said it will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves along the frontier, as Iranian-backed groups did during Assads rule. It distrusts Syrias new government, which is led by former Islamist insurgents. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaida commander who severed ties with the militant group years ago, has pledged to build a new country that respects the rights of minorities, but sectarian violence has erupted on a number of occasions, raising concerns about Syrias fragile transition. Sectarian clashes and Druze grievances Israel stepped up its intervention when violence erupted in Syrias Sweida province last month between Bedouin clans and government forces on one side and armed groups from the Druze religious minority on the other. During the fighting, some government forces allegedly killed Druze civilians, including a medical worker in a hospital in Sweida an incident that was caught on video and a U.S. citizen. Other videos circulating online have shown fighters forcibly shaving the mustaches off Druze sheikhs, or religious leaders, and stepping on Druze flags and photographs of religious clerics. The Syrian government has said it is investigating the allegations. The conflict then prompted airstrikes against Syrian forces by Israel before a truce mediated by the U.S., Turkey and Arab countries halted most of the fighting. Israel said it was acting to protect the Druze, who are seen as a loyal minority in Israel and often serve in the military. Israel launched dozens of airstrikes on convoys of Syrian forces around Sweida and struck the headquarters of the Syrian Ministry of Defense in the heart of Damascus, Syrias capital. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed the strategic plateau in a move that has only been recognized by the United States. The rest of the international community views the Golan as occupied Syrian territory. A US envoy holds talks Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack posted on X that he had held a warm and informative meeting with Moafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of Druze in Israel, and that the two discussed how to bring together the interests of all parties, de-escalate tensions, and build understanding. Tarif described the meeting as excellent and said the Druze want American assistance with an end to the blockade of Sweida and humanitarian aid for the people there, the return of the Druze who were kidnapped during the fighting, as well as American assurances of Druze security. Though the fighting has largely calmed down, Syrian government forces have surrounded the southern city of Sweida, named after the province, and the Druze have said that little aid is getting in, describing the situation as a siege. While the Druze in Syria have historically been wary of Israel, an increasing number are now open to seeking Israeli assistance. Hundreds demonstrated in Sweida on Saturday to demand the right to self determination for the Druze minority, with some protesters waving Israeli flags. Videos and photos of the spectacle circulating on social media sparked outrage from many other Syrians, who accused the protesters of being traitors. ___ Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss in Ottawa, Ontario; Aamer Madhani in Washington and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. By ABBY SEWELL Associated Press Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appears to be counting on support from President Donald Trump in the New York mayoral election. Cuomo is doing this even as he also claims he is the candidate most capable of protecting New York City from the president. I argued in June that the NYC Mayoral race was by far the most important election in America in 2025. Zohran Mamdanis crushing (and shocking) 56-44 ranked-choice win over Cuomo in the primary raised the stakes even higher. The presence of an outright Democratic socialist in Mamdani, his forthright opposition to genocide in Palestine, and the walloping he put on the Democratic establishment make this race far more revealing of future possibilities than the 2025 gubernatorial elections I covered Monday. Those races, in Virginia and New Jersey, pit lavishly-funded centrist national security state girl boss Democrats against a pair of Republicans with virtually no national significance. But, back to New York, Politico got the scoop: Andrew Cuomos counting on President Donald Trump and top Republicans to tell the party faithful to vote for Cuomo for mayor if they want to stop Zohran Mamdani, and not to vote for GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa. We can minimize (the Sliwa) vote, because hell never be a serious candidate, Cuomo told the crowd at a Hamptons fundraiser Saturday, according to audio obtained by Playbook. And Trump himself, as well as top Republicans, will say the goal is to stop Mamdani. And youll be wasting your vote on Sliwa. So I feel good about that. Publicly, Cuomo has shunned the idea of getting any help from Trump. Cuomo said hed decline an endorsement, and denied a New York Times report that hed spoken with the president about the race. But Cuomo seemed hopeful for the presidents help behind closed doors, speaking to the more Trump-friendly crowd gathered at media mogul Jimmy Finkelsteins home in Southampton. Another co-host, former New York City Council President Andrew Stein, briefed Trump last month on how Cuomo would be competitive in the general election, according to the Times. An attendee asked Cuomo directly if he or his team was in conversation with the White House about how Trump might influence the race. Cuomo didnt directly deny it this time. Lets put it this way: I knew the president very well, Cuomo said. I believe theres a big piece of him that actually wants redemption in New York. He feels that he was rejected by New York. We voted for Hillary Clinton. Bill de Blasio took his name off things. So I believe there will be opportunities to actually cooperate with him. I also believe that hes not going to want to fight with me in New York if he can avoid it. The New York Times has more detail on the Cuomo-Trump discussions that Cuomo denies: President Trump may have moved out of New York City, but he has privately discussed whether to intercede in its fractious race for mayor to try to stop Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, according to eight people briefed on the discussions. In recent weeks, Mr. Trump has quizzed a Republican congressman and New York businessmen about who in the crowded field of candidates, which includes Mayor Eric Adams and former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, has the best chance of beating Mr. Mamdani, the leftist front-runner. The president has been briefed by Mark Penn, a pollster who has worked for Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Andrew Stein, a former New York City Council president and decades-long friend of Mr. Trump, on a range of polling that showed Mr. Cuomo could still be competitive as an independent candidate. Both men have pushed Mr. Cuomo as the best candidate despite his loss in the Democratic primary, including in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed. One of Mr. Penns firms did extensive work for a pro-Cuomo super PAC in the primary. And in a previously undisclosed call in recent weeks, Mr. Trump spoke about the race directly with Mr. Cuomo, an old associate and foil, according to three people briefed on the call, who were not authorized to discuss it. It is unclear what precisely Mr. Trump and Mr. Cuomo discussed, or who initiated the call. Mr. Cuomo has publicly denounced Mr. Trump, and the Justice Department had opened an investigation into Mr. Cuomo after House Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about his handling of the Covid pandemic. Their conversation came around the time that the former governor was privately discussing with supporters in New York whether to continue with his campaign, and publicly pushing Mr. Adams and other rivals such as the Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa, to drop out. After this article was published, Mr. Trump was asked by reporters at an event in the Oval Office if he had spoken with Mr. Cuomo. I havent, no I havent, he said. Mr. Trump has aired some of his views publicly. In early July, he repeated baseless claims that Mr. Mamdani immigrated to the United States illegally and threatened to arrest him if he blocked immigration arrests in New York City. Im not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York, he said. Mr. Mamdani would be among the most left-leaning mayors the city has seen in decades, but he has said he is not a communist. A few weeks later, and just days after Mr. Penns polling presentation to the president, Mr. Trump told reporters he thought Mr. Cuomo should stay in the race. Hes running against a communist, he said. I would think that he would have a good shot of winning. CNN had more on Cuomos denial and also his claims that he would be the best New York mayor to deal with Trump: Thats false, Cuomo told reporters at a press conference in Manhattan. But the former New York governor also pressed his case, both at the press conference and at a closed-door gathering a day earlier, that he would be better suited than Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani to deal with the Republican president, a native New Yorker closely attuned to his hometowns politics but also someone who is broadly disliked by the citys Democrats. My knowledge gives me an ability to be in a formidable position as an opponent for the president but also, at the same time, I would try to work with the president where we could, Cuomo told reporters. Cuomos tone adjustment on how he would handle Trump if elected mayor was also on display during a meeting with the citys business leaders on Wednesday, according to two people in attendance who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door meeting. The meeting, which was organized by the Partnership for New York, a nonprofit group which represents the citys corporate interests, was attended by approximately 50 business executives gathered at an office in Rockefeller Center. While addressing them, Cuomo described his relationship with Trump as a dysfunctional marriage, telling the group he was not looking for a fight with the president. A key part of Cuomos strategy: He needs to court business leaders and high-powered donors who fear Mamdanis potential mayoralty and his proposal to tax the citys wealthiest residents. But despite a slight tilt to the right in the 2024 presidential election, New Yorkers still strongly disfavor Trump. The prospect of Cuomo seeking his support in Novembers election or accepting his help in pushing out or suppressing the support of Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa or incumbent Mayor Eric Adams could potentially drive supporters away from him even if theyre uncomfortable with Mamdani. Nobody has had more contentious relationships with President Trump than I have. Cuomo told reporters. But at the same time he could be very, very helpful to New York City. He argued a Mamdani victory would help the president and Republicans who argue Democrats have moved too far to the left. And he suggested Trump would consider a federal takeover of New York City were Mamdani to win. I think it would be like Los Angeles on steroids, Cuomo said in reference to Trumps recent deployment of the National Guard to that city and high-visibility immigration raids. I think the President would like to have control of New York City. Why does he want control of New York City? Because hes from New York City. Another NYT piece, published before their report on the alleged Cuomo-Trump conversation showed Cuomo softening his opposition to Trump before an audience of business leaders: Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has positioned himself as the only candidate in the New York City mayors race who can forcefully go toe-to-toe with President Trump. But in a closed-door meeting on Wednesday with some of the citys biggest business leaders, Mr. Cuomo suggested he might adopt a more conciliatory strategy. As he made a case for his candidacy, Mr. Cuomo said he was not personally looking for a fight with the president and compared their yearslong relationship to a dysfunctional marriage. I think he wants to be accepted by New York City, and I think theres an opportunity there, Mr. Cuomo said, according to four people who shared accounts of the private meeting with 50 corporate executives gathered at Rockefeller Center. He added: I know, personally, he doesnt want to fight with me. Personally, I dont want to fight with him, right? So I dont think hes going to be eager to create a conflict with us. Mr. Cuomo also made the case that Mr. Trump cared about his hometown and wanted to find a way to be a hero in New York City. Mr. Trump knew, he said, that confronting Mr. Cuomo would lead to a nasty, ugly, drawn-out fight. Mamdani pounced: We are standing in front of Federal Plaza, the very site where New Yorkers are being stolenwhether from their families, their friends, or from the city that they call home, Mamdani said at a news conference Thursday. It is at this very site that we understand the cost of this news: that former Governor Andrew Cuomo has been conspiring with President Trump about the fate of this city, about the future of this city, about the facts of this race. It is knowledge that is a betrayal of everything that we stand for as New Yorkers, he added. Mamdani said during Thursdays address that it is time for us to make clear that what this city deserves is a mayor who, when he sees Donald Trump attacking the people of this city, will stand up and fight back against that vision, who will not get on the phone with the architect of that vision to speak about a race that we already know should be a referendum on how to make the most expensive city in the United States of America affordable, not a question of how we can install yet another ambassador for Washington, D.C., in City Hall. The job of mayor is not to audition to be the jester for a wannabe king. It is to be the person that stands up for the values of this city, for the fabric of this city, and for the people of this city. And that is what Im running to do. I believe The New York Times over President Trump and Andrew Cuomo. And weve seen as of this morning that they stand by their reporting. Polling from last week shows why the drowning Andrew Cuomo might be reaching for a life raft from Trump: A Siena Institute poll published Tuesday found 44 percent of registered New York City backing Mamdani followed by 25 percent for former Governor Andrew Cuomo, 12 percent for Republican Party nominee Curtis Sliwa and only seven percent for Mayor Eric Adams. Broken down by party, Mamdani also receives the support of 53 percent of Democratic voters compared to 32 percent for Andrew Cuomo and three percent for Adams, who won the Democratic nomination just four years ago. Notably, 68 percent of Republican voters are supporting Sliwa. The poll surveyed 317 registered voters in New York City as part of a larger statewide voter sample from August 4 to 7. Siena also looked at the candidatess favorability ratings both in the city and statewide. 46 percent of city voters said they had a favorable opinion of Mamdani compared to 32 percent unfavorable. Statewide, those figures shift dramatically with 28 percent of voters viewing him favorably to 37 percent unfavorable. For Andrew Cuomo, 54 percent of city voters view him unfavorably while 61 percent of voters statewide also hold a negative view of the former governor. Adams also received low marks from city voters with 58 percent holding an unfavorable opinion of him compared to 30 percent who viewed him favorably. The Ettingermentum Newsletter argues that Cuomos campaign for Mayor of New York is the kind of humiliation that only happens once every few generations: There are a number of moments in recent history that should have marked the end of the political career of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. If he were smart, he would have retired for good after he was forced to resign in disgrace under threat of impeachment in 2021. If he had any shame, he would have never shown his face in public again after his attempted political comeback in New York City ended in a shocking landslide defeat to a once-unknown socialist challenger. But rather than use either of these moments to save face and walk into oblivion with even just a shred of dignity intact, he is choosing to end his public life in the most humiliating, pathetic way possible. Still unable to understand that no means no, Andrew Cuomo is now back in the race for mayor as a passenger in the clown car of anti-Zohran Mamdani candidates. There is not much to say about his prospects for November. While some polling shows the former governor within striking distance of Mamdani in the event that every other candidate besides them leaves the race, there are no indications that this will happen. As things stand, the former governor is in a distant second place, leading the rest of the non-Mamdani field but behind his once-and-future opponent by as much as 20 points citywide. Its a bad situation that is far more likely than not to get worse over the coming months. Just as it did during the primary, Mamdanis support in the general election has only increased as more voters have gotten to know him. Skeptical national Democrats are beginning to fall in line, most dramatically so with Barack Obamas tacit declaration of support for his campaign this week. Although he is still in the process of denying it, Cuomos political life is well on track to end in a wholly unnecessary and somehow even more embarrassing rerun of the crushing rejection he saw this June. What we are seeing play out in real time is more than just a simply bad campaign. It is a rare kind of failure, one utterly pathetic and mortifying both in practice and in concept. Even before it ended in an unimaginably devastating defeat, this stage of Cuomos political career was already deeply embarrassing for him. He had spent over a decade at the top of the political world, so secure and his prospects that politicians of both parties regularly joked about his inevitable presidency. At one point in 2020, there was a draft effort to make him the nominee after Biden had already won the primary. Five years later, he was barely campaigning in a city he had not lived in for a job his own ex-staffers said he always considered to be for lesser men. Even if he actually did glide to victory, it would have been an embarrassing step down. That he outright lost in the primary on top of all of this was one thing. That he will almost certainly lose once again of his own accord, all while desperately trying to ape his opponents strategies on the way, is something truly historicthe kind of humiliation that only happens once every few generations. While no truly progressive Democrat has yet emerged in the 2028 Presidential race, there is at least one centrist who is openly speaking of coming to terms with Trump. Im talking about Rahm Emanuel whose recent Wall Street Journal interview shows him aspiring to be the Joe Lieberman of 2028: Throughout our 90-minute conversation, he levels many criticisms against Mr. Trump and his administration. But unlike other ambitious Democrats, Mr. Emanuel speaks of the president in a way that doesnt sound demented. A lot of people have decided, he says, and Im not criticizing them for itI assume hes talking mainly about California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzkerbut theyve decided theyre going to be on that end of the field, defining themselves against Trump. He gestures to one end of the conference table: Theyre going to fight Trump. Then he waves to the other side of the table. Im on this end, about how to fight for America. Is the Democratic Party ready for a less feral politics? He thinks Rep. Mikie Sherrills victory in Junes New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial primaryshe is a former member of the moderate Blue Dog Coalitionsuggests the party rank and file may have grown weary of wall-to-wall anti-Trump mania. After 2026, he says, referring to the midterm elections, my goal is to own all the real estate on this other side. And Ill be willing to say things that may be unconventional in the party, and maybe Ill attract new people to the party. Thats my bet. Emanuel has been attempting to contrast himself with Mamdani for months now. Emanuel is an outlier among former Barack Obama insiders however. The former POTUS himself reached out early to Mamdani in a June phone call following the primary: Former President Barack Obama, the last Democrat to captivate the partys base, got on the phone. In a lengthy call in June, Mr. Obama congratulated Mr. Mamdani, offered him advice about governing and discussed the importance of giving people hope in a dark time, according to people with knowledge of the conversation. Others in Mr. Obamas orbit have also shown a keen interest in Mr. Mamdani and his campaign. Jon Favreau, who served as Mr. Obamas speechwriter, and Dan Pfeiffer, a former senior adviser, have been in communication with the Democratic strategist Morris Katz, among Mr. Mamdanis closest aides. David Axelrod, who served as Mr. Obamas chief campaign strategist and senior adviser, was also curious. Last month, he stopped by Mr. Mamdanis campaign headquarters, then in the Flatiron neighborhood of Manhattan, to meet the candidate and his staff, and see things for himself. What I found when I went over to that office was a familiar spirit that I hadnt seen in a while of just determined, upbeat idealism, Mr. Axelrod told me. You may not agree with every answer hes giving, or every idea he has, but hes certainly asking the right questions, which is how do we make the country work for working people? He said Mr. Mamdanis ability to inspire young Americans, who feel economic uncertainty acutely, was critical and something the party at large needed to reckon with. Mr. Axelrod was introduced to Mr. Mamdani by Patrick Gaspard, another Obama insider. Mr. Gaspard Mr. Obamas 2008 national political director, and later the U.S. ambassador to South Africa has been serving as an informal adviser to Mr. Mamdani. The interest from the closely guarded world of Mr. Obama and those around him is the clearest sign yet that Mr. Mamdani is likely to be embraced by the Democratic mainstream, whether the partys leaders and donors like it or not. It comes at a time of dueling visions among voters, Democratic politicians and donors over the future of the party. Obamaworlds interest in Mamdani seems to indicate they wont be backing their colleague Rahm Emanuel in the 2028 primary. What remains to be seen is whether Mamdanis ally New York congressional Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will leverage his success to launch a 2028 Presidential campaign of her own. Watch: London Zoos capybaras and tortoises on weigh-in day BBC Going with the flow: How penguins use tides to travel and hunt PhysOrg Your Dog Has a Unique Ability to Read Your Mind. Heres Why. ScienceAlert (Chuck L) Are Those Marble Wigs? On Roman Hairstyles Antigone. You can also see that the hair in the pix was rendered by drills, not chisels. See this post on devolution for details. Spain Was Different: Tourism Under Franco History Today (Anthony L) Mount Everest Air Offers Clues to Parkinsons Treatment SciTech Daily (Chuck L) Please let me eat the radioactive shrimp from Walmart Business Insider COVID-19/Environment Yves here. This article provides a useful complement to Putins many remarks about the history of Ukraine from a Russia perspective. It examines the forces that led to the formation of Ukraine as a self-constructed identity yet why it was left out until very late in the process of national formation along perceived or actual ethnic lines. By Dr. Vladislav B. Sotirovic, Ex-University Professor, Research Fellow at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, Belgrade, Serbia An imagined community Ukraine is an Eastern European territory that was originally part of the western part of the Russian Empire and the eastern portion of the Polish Kingdom in the mid-17th century (the division according to the 1667 Peace Treaty of Andrusovo). That is a present-day independent state and separate ethnolinguistic nation as a typical example of Benedict Andersons theory model of the imagined community a self-constructed idea of the artificial ethnic and linguistic-cultural identity [see, Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities, LondonNew York: Verso, 1983]. Before 2014, Ukraine was home to some 46 million inhabitants of whom, according to the official data, there were around 77 percent who declared themselves as Ukrainians. Nevertheless, many Russians do not consider the Ukrainians or Belarusians/Belarus as foreign but rather as the regional branches of the Russian nationality. It is a matter of fact that, differently to the Russian case, the national identity of Belarus or the Ukrainians was never firmly fixed as it was always in the constant process of changing and evolving [on the Ukrainian self-identity construction, see: Karina V. Korostelina, Constructing the Narratives of Identity and Power: Self-Imagination in a Young Ukrainian Nation, Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2014]. The process of self-constructing identity of the Ukrainians after 1991 is, basically, oriented vis-a-vis Ukraines two most powerful neighbors: Poland and Russia. In other words, the self-constructing Ukrainian identity (like the Montenegrin or Belarusian) is just able to claim so far that the Ukrainians are not either the Poles or the Russians, but, however, what they really are is under great debate, and still it is not clear. Therefore, the existence of an independent state of Ukraine, nominally a national state of the Ukrainians, is of very doubtful indeed from both perspectives: historical and ethnolinguistic. National Self-Determination The principle of the so-called national self-determination became popular in East-Central, Eastern, and South-eastern Europe with the proclamation of Woodrow Wilsons Fourteen Points on January 8th, 1918. However, as a concept, the principle was alive since the French Revolution, if not even before. The French Revolution itself supported a principle of national self-determination, which was already used in practice since the American Revolution (started in 1776), followed by the American War of Independence (ended in 1783) against the United Kingdom as a colonial master. In short, the concept is based on a principle that the source of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation. Therefore, the idea of a plebiscite was introduced as the political support for either independence or annexation of certain territories. For instance, France organized a plebiscite in order to justify the territorial annexation of Avignon, Savoy, and Nice in the 1790s. The same principle was used for the Italian and German unifications in the second half of the 19th century or for the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in Europe by the Balkan states in 19121913. The new European political order after WWI was established according to the principle of national self-determination as the territories of East-Central and South-East Europe were fundamentally remapped. The new national states appeared, while some have been enlarged by the inclusion of their nationals from neighboring countries. Exactly using this principle, the four empires were destroyed: the German, the Ottoman, the Russian, and Austria-Hungary. However, the same principle of national self-determination was not applied to all European nations for different reasons. One of them was that certain present-day known nations at that time were not recognized as such, at least not by the winning Entente powers. That was, in fact, the case of Ukrainians, or better to say, of those Ukrainians left behind the borders of the USSR. Those trans-Soviet Ukrainians were one of the losers of the Versailles System after 1918. While a large number of the smaller nations (compared to the Ukrainians), from Finland to the Balkans, were granted either state independence (for instance, the Baltic States) or inclusion into the united national state (for example, Greater Romania), Ukrainians were deprived of it. Unlike many other European nations, there were several Ukrainian political entities (state or federal unit) established during the years of 19171920, either by the Germans or Bolsheviks. The Germans created a formally independent Ukrainian state in 1918, while the Bolsheviks established not only one Soviet Ukraine as a political entity within the Bolshevik state (later the USSR). To be honest, there were several focal reasons why the Western winners did not create an independent Ukraine after WWI: 1) It could be considered as a German political victory on the former Eastern Front; 2) The country could be run by the nationalists close to the German concept of Mittel Europa and, therefore, Ukraine can become a German client state; 3) Independent Ukraine would be anti-Polish and anti-Semitic; 4) Independent Ukraine could become inclined to the Soviet side for the matter of the creation of a Greater Ukraine; 5) Many Westerners did not recognize an independent Ukrainian nation as a separate ethnolinguistic group; and 6) Ukraine as a federal entity already existed within the Soviet state. Therefore, for all of above mentioned crucial reasons, the victorious powers after WWI decided not the sponsor the creation of an independent Ukrainian state as a national state of the Ukrainians applying the principle of national self-determination. Moreover, applying the historical rights, in 1923, the Entente powers gave reborn Poland Galicia and some other lands considered by the Ukrainian nationalists to be Western Ukraine. The Ukrainians within Poland did not get any national autonomy (differently to the case of the Soviet Ukraine) for the very reason they have not been recognized as a separate nation, i.e., an ethnolinguistic group. Ukraine? The Slavonic term Ukraine, for instance, in the Serbo-Croat case Krajina, means in the English language a Borderland a provincial territory situated on the border between at least two political entities: in this particular historical case, between the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as the Republic of Both Nations (15691795), on one hand, and the Russian Empire, on another. It has to be noticed that according to the 1569 Lublin Union between Poland and Lithuania, the former Lithuanian territory of Ukraine passed over to Poland. A German historical term for Ukraine would be a mark a term for the states borderland which existed from the time of the Frankish Kingdom/Empire of Carl the Great. The term is mostly used from the time of the Treaty (Truce) of Andrusovo (Andrussovo) in 1667 between Poland-Lithuania and Russia. In other words, Ukraine and the Ukrainians as a natural objective-historical-cultural identity never existed, as it was considered only as a geographic-political territory between two other natural-historical entities (Poland [-Lithuania] and Russia). All (quasi)historiographical mentioning of this land and the people as Ukraine/Ukrainians referring to the period before the mid-17th century are quite scientifically incorrect, but in the majority of cases politically inspired and colored to present them as something crucially different from the historical process of ethnic genesis of the Russians [for instance: Alfredas Bumblauskas, Genute Kirkiene, Feliksas Sabuldo (sudarytojai), Ukraina: Lietuvos epocha, 13201569, Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopediju leidybos centras, 2010]. The Role of the Vatican and the Union Act It was the Roman Catholic Vatican that was behind the process of creation of the imagined community of the Ukrainian national identity for the very political purpose of separating the people from this borderland territory from the Orthodox Russian Empire. Absolutely the same was done by Vaticans client Austria-Hungary in regard to the national identity of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian population when this province was administered by Vienna-Budapest from 1878 to 1918 as it was the Austro-Hungarian government created totally artificial and very new ethnolinguistic identity the Bosnians, just not to be the (Orthodox) Serbs (who were at that time a strong majority of the provincial population) [ . , - , : , 2000]. The creation of an ethnolinguistically artificial Ukrainian national identity and later on a separate nationality was part of a wider confessional-political project by the Vatican in the Roman Catholic historical struggle against Eastern Orthodox Christianity (the eastern schism) and its churches within the framework of the Popes traditional proselytizing policy of reconversion of the infidels. One of the most successful instruments of a soft-way reconversion used by the Vatican was to compel a part of the Orthodox population to sign with the Roman Catholic Church the Union Act recognizing in such a way a supreme power by the Pope and dogmatic filioque (and from the Son the Holy Spirit proceeds and from the Father and the Son). Therefore, the ex-Orthodox believers who now became the Uniate Brothers or the Greek Orthodox believers became, in great numbers, later pure Roman Catholics and also changed their original (from the Orthodox time) ethnolinguistic identity. It is, for instance, very clear in the case of the Orthodox Serbs in the Zhumberak area of Croatia, from the ethnic (Orthodox) Serbs to the Greek Orthodox believers, later the Roman Catholic believers, and finally today the ethnic (Roman Catholic) Croats. Something similar occurred in the case of Ukraine. The 1596 Brest Union On October 9th, 1596 it was announced by the Vatican a Brest Union with a part of the Orthodox population within the borders of the Roman Catholic Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth (today Ukraine) [Arunas Gumuliauskas, Lietuvos istorija: Ivykiai ir datos, Siauliai: Siaures Lietuva, 2009, 44; Didysis istorijos atlasas mokyklai: Nuo pasaulio ir Lietuvos priesistores iki naujausiuju laiku, Vilnius: Leidykla Briedis, (without year of publishing) 108]. The crucial issue, nevertheless, in this matter is that today Ukraines Uniates and the Roman Catholics are most anti-Russian and of the Ukrainian national feelings. Basically, both the Ukrainianand the Belarus present-day ethnolinguistic and national identities are historically founded on the anti-Orthodox policy of the Vatican within the territory of the ex-Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which was in essence an anti-Russian political construction. The Lithuanian historiography writing on the Church Union of Brest in 1596 clearly confirms that: the Catholic Church more and more strongly penetrated the zone of the Orthodox Church, giving a new impetus to the idea, which had been cherished since the time of Jogaila and Vytautas and formulated in the principles of the Union of Florence in 1439, but never put into effect the subordination of the GDL Orthodox Church to the Popes rule [Zigmantas Kiaupa et al, The History of Lithuania Before 1795, Vilnius: Lithuanian Institute of History, 2000, 288]. In other words, the rulers of the Roman Catholic Grand Duchy of Lithuania (the GDL) from the very time of Lithuanias baptism in 13871413 by the Vatican had a plan to Catholicize all Orthodox believers of the GDL, among whom the overwhelming majority were the Slavs. As a consequence, the relations with Moscow became very hostile as Russia accepted the role of the protector of the Orthodox believers and faith, and, therefore, the 1596 Church Union of Brest was seen as a criminal act by Rome and its client, the Republic of Two Nations (Poland-Lithuania). A Buffer Zone Today, it is absolutely clear that the most pro-Western and Russofrenic part of Ukraine is exactly Western Ukraine the lands that were historically under the rule of the Roman Catholic ex-Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the former Habsburg Monarchy. It is obvious, for instance, from the presidential voting results in 2010 that the pro-Western regions voted for J. Tymoshenko while the pro-Russian regions voted for V. Yanukovych. It is a reflection of the post-Soviet Ukrainian identity dilemma between Europe and Eurasia a dilemma that is common for all East-Central and Eastern European nations, who historically played the role of a buffer zone between the German Mittel Europa project and the Russian project of a pan-Slavonic unity and reciprocity. In general, the western territories of present-day Ukraine are mainly populated by the Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, and the Uniates. This part of Ukraine is mostly nationalistic and pro-Western (in fact, pro-German) oriented. Contrary, Eastern Ukraine is, in essence, Russophone and subsequently tends to look to closer relations with Russia [John S. Dryzek, Leslie Templeman Holmes, Post-Communist Democratization: Political Discourses Across Thirteen Countries, CambridgeNew York: Cambridge University Press, 2002, 114]. Since WWI up to today, the Germans have been the principal sponsors of the creation of the national state of Ukrainians for different geopolitical as well as economic reasons. Subsequently, different kinds of Ukrainian nationalists were siding with the German authorities. For instance, whereas the victorious Entente powers after 1918, supported by Poland, Yugoslavia, Romania, or Czechoslovakia, were executing the policy of preservation of the Versailles System, the Germans during the interwar period were opposing it and fighting against it. It is from this viewpoint that explains why the Ukrainian nationalists accepted the Nazi policy of a New European Order in which a Greater Ukraine could exist in some political form, in fact, as a buffer zone [Frank Golczewski, The Nazi New European Order and the Reactions of Ukrainians, Henry Huttenbach and Francesco Privitera (eds.), Self-Determination: From Versailles to Dayton. Its Historical Legacy, Longo Editore Ravenna, 1999, 8283]. Finally, even today, the main Ukrainian supporter and sponsor in its conflict with Russia is exactly Germany. Nevetheless, we have to keep in mind that after 1991, Russia left at least 25 million ethnic Russian outside the borders of the Russian Federation, a huge number of them in the post-Soviet Ukraine [see more in, Ruth Petrie (ed.), The Fall of Communism and the Rise of Nationalism, The Index Reader, LondonWashington: Cassell, 1997]. Personal disclaimer: The author writes for this publication in a private capacity, which is unrepresentative of anyone or any organization except for his own personal views. Nothing written by the author should ever be conflated with the editorial views or official positions of any other media outlet or institution. Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2025 A recent New York Times piece bemoaned the credibility crisis at the Trump Justice Department. As is typical of the Times, the article acted as though history began in 2016, took a break from 2021-2025, and restarted following the inauguration of Trump 2.0. While the Trump DOJ is a cruel jokeas weve coveredif the Times cared to take its head out of the Mar-a-Lago sand, it would notice that trust in all US institutions has been falling for years and are at levels worthy of a failed state status. This is not simply a Trump phenomenon. Corbin Trent at Americas Undoing dove into why, which is no mystery to regular NC readers: Were living through a total collapse of institutional legitimacy. Every single institution thats supposed to serve the public has been caught lying through their teeth about shit that actually matters your job, your health, your kids future, your safety. And its not just the lying; its the active undermining of all of the above, usually for profit. Is there any pathway back from the abyss? Well, of course, but it would involve flipping the country on its head and would take a lot of time, work, sacrifice, and messy trade offs. Are there any examples in history we can look to for guidance? Perhaps there are others that readers can share, but one immediately leaps to mind. RUSSIA! The 1990s shock therapy in Russia when the US best and brightest sucked hundreds of billions of dollars out of the country produced devastating results. The number of Russians living in poverty jumped from two million to sixty million in just a few years as workers were crushed: Run by chance into some of my old data. These are real earnings of workers households in Russia 1987-96. Much worse than the Great Depression in the US. pic.twitter.com/JZddHnKOT9 Branko Milanovic (@BrankoMilan) April 30, 2024 Life expectancy plummeted: Even in 2006, once Russian President Vladimir Putin had stabilized the country, trust in government institutions in Russia was among the lowest in the world. It wasnt hard to see why. Heres Marat Khairullin describing those years in order to explain why Russians are so supportive of the war against NATO (please excuse the long quote, but this helps illustrate Russias turnaround, explain why many Russians would rather die than bend the knee to The West, and offers a preview of where the US is headed): Because if Ukraine and the West standing behind it win and come here to our land, its usyou and metheyll be killing next. Believe me, it will all come flooding back, all that horror which we, having sunk into our comfortable oblivion, dared to forget. Oh yes, we forgot how in the Russia of the 90s a million human beings died from samogon[3] and causes directly linked to alcoholoverwhelmingly men, somebodys precious sons, fathers, husbands, brothers. We forgot that every single year 30 to 50 thousand perished in car crashes, and the majority of driversthe ones actually causing the accidentsfaced no legal consequences whatsoever. Starting, it seems, from 1997 onward, a special report dedicated to torture within police stations (militia at the time) regularly emerged under UN auspicesnaturally, an unfriendly act by the USA, yet still, it spoke volumes about the true state of Russias law enforcement system, in whose capital during certain years over a thousand citizens were gunned down by hired killers right out on the streets of the capital city of my struggling country. In the very year Putin became prime minister (1999), yet another monstrous study was published, coldly stating that every third girl in our vast country before reaching 18 years of age had experience with so-called commercial sex. Thus did polite Western researchers term prostitution in our country. By the twilight of the century, the black-market transplantology trade in Russia was valued at a figure monstrous for those timesa full billion US dollars. Approximately 20 thousand Russians were dismantled for spare parts annually; everything was harvested for use, even lymphatic fluidsnapped up eagerly by Western perfume giants. And again that chillingly polite formulationwithout donor consent. And then too in Russia there existed an actual slave marketabout 15 thousand Russians sold annuallyand a parallel market for sexual slavery: in foreign brothels across the globe, by various expert estimates, held strictly against their will were up to half a million of our young girls. There was also the Chechen war, which I could endlessly write about. Whatever one thinks about Putin, its difficult not to admit how incredible the Russian turnaround is in a few decades, and it also makes the task in the US look comparatively easy. Lets look at some recent polls to see how Russians are feeling about institutions in their country today. Heres Gallup: Heres the Levada Center showing how Russians feel about the direction of the country: As the most trusted figure in a country with growing trust and increasing quality of life, its really not a major surprise that Putin enjoys high favorability ratings: JUST IN: Russian President Putins approval rating is 86%, according Western polling agency Statista. pic.twitter.com/3SP1kzYYgs BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) July 30, 2025 Perhaps some of this might be attributed to the rally-around-the-flag effect, which can sometimes boost societal wellbeing indicators and overall optimism, but its also true that trust was rising for years ahead of the SMO. You can find accounts like Karl Sanchez that argue Putin is building a Russia that is focused on people-centered development. Consider just the following contrast. In February, Putin tasked the government with providing homeless people across Russia with free medical assistance, regardless of whether they have documents confirming their identity or registered address. Trump on the other hand is looking to imprison the homeless for the crime of being homeless as a likely boost to his oligarch buddies in the private prison industry. Others argue that Russia just has its own flavor to neoliberalism. The truth is probably somewhere in between. But no doubt it is night and day between the 1990s and now. Lets do some comparisons, remembering that Russia had an enormous hole to dig out of and has faced constant obstructions from the West. Income Inequality. Narrowing in Russia. Widening in the US. Although Russian inequality began to tick back up since the start of the Ukraine war, the trend for the past two decades is one of greater equality, and there are arguments that is set to continue. Here, on the other hand, is the Gini Index for the US with the Trump Big Beautiful Bill set to make society even more unequal: Deaths of despair continue to increase in the US while they fall in Russia. Direction of Country We showed above how Russians increasingly believe their country is headed in the right direction. In the US, its the opposite: How did the diabolical dictator Putin do it? At the top of the list, he eventually brought the Russian oligarchs under his control and stopped the looting of the country. Or as Chatham House puts it, Putin is using de-privatization to create a new generation of loyal oligarchs. Whats wrong with that? Could we not use (the threat of) some of this here in the US? If the choice is between transnational capital being in charge or the state having authority over the oligarchs, weve seen how option A plays out, and option B certainly seems preferable to Russian citizens. Its a low bar to clear. Oligarchs can still be rich; they just cant be diabolically evil and sell out the country in their quest for billions. In contrast, the US is emulating 1990s Russiaas Yves pointed out at the beginning of the DOGE shock therapyas well as pursuing shock therapy on a civilizational scale through Trumps Liberation Day tariffs scheme that is less about American industry than extorting better deals for US-based oligarchs in the neoliberal trade model. Stephen Bezruchka, the author of Inequality Kills Us All: Covid-19s Health Lessons for the World, writes that the US is condemning its citizens to the same fate that Russians experienced in the 1990s and 2000s: The latest United Nations Human Development Report, issued last September, shows that for 2021 American length of life was behind that of 43 countries. These included all the rich ones and some not, such as Chile, Slovenia and Thailand. If we eradicated our three leading killers: heart disease, cancer and COVID-19, we would still not be the healthiest nation. It may come as a surprise to some of us that the oldest person is never found in the U.S. We are also the only rich country to have seen continued drops in life expectancy from 2019 to 2021. What is going on? We can find clues by looking to the former Soviet Union, where life expectancy fell after the 1991 breakupThe already soaring rates of American income and wealth inequality gained steam with the pandemic and our poor response to it, which encouraged profiteering over sound public health policy. Expected increases in length of life began faltering around 2015 and are now in free fall. Will the United States follow the Russian example of continued health declines? Americans report some of the worlds highest levels of stress. We consume about three-quarters of the worlds opioids to treat our stress-induced social pain. This leads to staggering overdose deaths in addition to the causes of death listed above. Consider stress as the 21st-century tobacco. By creating awareness of the harms of second-hand cigarette smoke, most smokers were discouraged from their habit. Today only poorer people smoke, mostly to treat the social pain of poverty. Deaths of despair are clearly not limited to Russia and its former satellites. Can we expect to follow their pattern of continued decline? This seems likely unless we deploy the parachute of decreasing our record income and wealth gaps. If Trump were serious about MAGA, not only would he have used the Alaska Summit to speed toward the off ramp out of the corrupt hole of death that is Ukraine, but he would have also humbly asked Putin for some advice. Unfortunately, thats one exchange I trust did not take place in Alaska. A former strip club in Cheektowaga thats been closed and vacant for at least three years has a new owner and future use that has no connection to its past. Leontios Lee Bahas, owner of Erie Painting & Maintenance on Rein Road, paid $1.2 million through Cybertron LLC to acquire the 4.7-acre site at 777 Aero Drive that was the longtime home of Mademoiselle Gentlemans Club and then Tryst, according to Vito Picone, owner and president of GIO Real Estate Group, who brokered the deal for both buyer and seller. Bahas said the site is a rocks throw away from his bridge construction company, which repairs bridges, does concrete work and sandblasting, and paints bridges, water towers, locks, dams and other industrial structures. Its an old decrepit property that Ive seen forever, Bahas said. The club has been closed for several years and the 13,250-square-foot building has been vacant. It had been built and operated for many years by Mike and Irena Rudan of Canada, whose Rudan Holdings also owns or owned the former Gold, formerly 24KT Gold, on Route 5 in Hamburg, as well as the Tower Hotel, formerly the Minolta Tower, and several strip clubs in Niagara Falls, Ont., including the Sundowner on Lundys Lane. More recently, the Rudans acted as landlords, with the clubs operated for years by former employees or others, including Mark and Christina Whipple. But 24KT Gold was raided by the FBI in 2010 and closed after allegations of cocaine dealing and prostitution. It reopened as The Gold, but it and Mademoiselles were abruptly closed and locked by the Rudans in 2016 because the operators hadnt paid their rent in full for several years. Picone said the Rudans were considering other uses for the Mademoiselle site, including putting storage units on the property, while another company wanted to do a warehouse. Meanwhile, since its been vacant, the building has been subjected to vandalism many times, which really did a job on the inside of that property, he said. But now Bahas has acquired the Mademoiselle property, which includes not only the existing building, its kitchen, all appliances and fixtures and multiple bathrooms but also private parking for over 150 cars in the main lot and another 50 spaces in a side lot, as well as significant additional land for development. Its zoned industrial, and is down the street from Erie Painting, and also close to Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Route 33. The place certainly has history and its done very well in its day, Picone said. But now its time for a change and a new chapter. Bahas said hes been aware of the property for years and always saw more value in it. Its been idle for quite some time, and in disrepair and decrepit. Im looking forward to converting it to productive use, said Bahas, president of Erie Painting. For years, the sites been known for uses that didnt necessarily align with the values of the community, Bahas said. Ultimately, our goal is to redevelop an idle space into a site that can serve as a productive space for local businesses and commercial tenants. In the meantime, he said, I wanted to just clean it up and stabilize it and make the building safe. Since the purchase closed in late July, he's repaired the roof, secured the building, and removed dead trees, brush and overgrown plants. He filled eight dumpsters with garbage from both inside and outside the building, and will be repairing the parking lot. He also installed new state-of-the-art security and alarm systems on both the inside and outside of the property, including 25 security towers with motion-detection cameras and speakers so he can see what's happening and warn away intruders. And he's been working closely with the Cheektowaga police because of all the break-ins he saw even during his purchase negotiations. Now he's remodeling the building and looking for new commercial tenants, as well as opportunities to rent out the vast parking lot for uses such as airport parking, park-and-ride, a bus company, light construction or "anybody that can use parking." He said he also owns other buildings nearby with other businesses that may need more parking, and also cited the proximity and easy access to the airport and Thruway. For the long-term, he might demolish the building and redevelop the site into "something really nice down the road." But he said he's not planning a return to a use related to food or drink. "I will not sell alcohol or do anything like that," he said. "I'm trying to clean up the neighborhood." Israeli government official allegedly arrested in undercover operation targeting child s*x predators An undercover operation in the Las Vegas Valley targeting child sex predators led to the arrest of eight individuals. (Article by Danielle republished from 100PercentFedUp.com) The Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) joint operation included detectives and agents from the ICAC Task Force and the FBIs Child Exploitation Task Force, to include the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, North Las Vegas Police Department, Henderson Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Nevada Attorney Generals office who participated in organizing and conducting the operation in Henderson, NV, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department stated in a release. The police department released the names of the arrested individuals. Those arrested were David Wonnacott-Yahnke, 40; Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38; Jose Alberto Perez-Torres, 35; Aniket Brajeshkumar Sadani, 23; James Ramon Reddick, 23; Ramon Manuel Parra Valenzuela, 29; Neal Harrison Creecy, 46 and John Charles Duncan, 49. They all face felony charges of Luring a Child with Computer for Sex Act and were booked into the Henderson Detention Center with the exception of Duncan who was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, the release continued. One of the individuals, Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, is allegedly a top cybersecurity official for the Israeli government. Tom Alexandrovich who is Executive Director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate operating under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office was arrested recently on felony sex charges in a multi-agency undercover operation targeting child sex predators in Las Vegas, journalist Liz Crokin wrote. Alexandrovich and others faced charges of luring a child with a computer for a sex act, according to Fox 5 Vegas. He also allegedly worked in conjunction with our FBI, NSA & DHS according to social media pages, Crokin added. Tom Alexandrovich who is Executive Director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate operating under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office was arrested recently on felony sex charges in a multi-agency undercover operation targeting child sex predators in Las Vegas. https://t.co/y9UsXvH31Bpic.twitter.com/qDo0fWcnC1 LIZ CROKIN (@LizCrokin) August 15, 2025 Full text: Tom Alexandrovich who is Executive Director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate operating under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office was arrested recently on felony sex charges in a multi-agency undercover operation targeting child sex predators in Las Vegas. Alexandrovich and others faced charges of luring a child with a computer for a sex act, according to Fox 5 Vegas. He also allegedly worked in conjunction with our FBI, NSA & DHS according to social media pages. After authorities questioned Alexandrovich, he returned to his hotel and flew back to Israel two days later, according to Y Net News. Israeli officials downplayed the incident, saying it carried no political implications and was resolved quickly, the report continued. If this is all true, this is a terrible move and look for both the U.S. & Israel especially considering Israels reputation for being a safe haven for elite pedophiles. Furthermore, lets not forget survivors of Satanic Ritual Abuse testified a few months ago that there are current members of Israels Knesset who sexually abused them including in Satanic rituals when they were children. No one should be above the law especially when it comes to sex crimes committed against children, period! Crokin shared an alleged screenshot of Alexandrovichs LinkedIn profile before it was deleted. * Image from Liz Crokin X Post *' Mediaite provided further info: Sometime after the arrest became public, Alexandrovichs LinkedIn profile was deleted. According to a screenshot posted online, his LinkedIn said he is the Executive Director of the Israel Cyber Directorate, which is a government agency that operates under the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Alexandrovich was in Las Vegas to attend this years Black Hat Briefings, an annual gathering of cybersecurity professionals. He posted a photo of himself at the conference on his LinkedIn before the account was deleted. Ynet, an Israeli news outlet, confirmed that an employee of the Israel National Cyber Directorate was briefly detained for questioning. The publication did not name Alexandrovich and omitted the fact that he was arrested. Netanyahus office issued a statement and denied that the employee in question was arrested at all. A state employee who traveled to the U.S. for professional matters was questioned by American authorities during his stay, the prime ministers office said. The employee, who does not hold a diplomatic visa, was not arrested and returned to Israel as scheduled. Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, the Acting Head of Data & AI for Israel's National Cyber Directorate, was just arrested in an undercover operation targeting child sex predators in Nevada. He faced felony charges of "Luring a Child with a Computer for a Sex Act" but was released pic.twitter.com/UepeECMhH0 Mindy MF Robinson ? (@iheartmindy) August 16, 2025 Full text: Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, the Acting Head of Data & AI for Israels National Cyber Directorate, was just arrested in an undercover operation targeting child sex predators in Nevada. He faced felony charges of Luring a Child with a Computer for a Sex Act but was released without trial or bail, and allowed to return to Israel without any explanation. Keep in mind, that for whatever ungodly reason Isreal will NOT extradite sex offenders and pedophiles that flee to their country. There are discrepancies in the narrative, as the LVMPD and other sources confirm an arrestwhile Israeli sources are downplaying the entire incident. Despite public outrage, no further details are available about the specifics of his release, such as whether charges were dropped because diplomatic considerations were involved. Anyone else getting sick of how none of these POS political pedophiles ever get arrested? A senior Israeli cyberwarfare specialist was arrested with seven other child sex predators by Las Vegas police in a sting operation. Tom Alexandrovich is a senior Israeli government official serving as a top cyberwarfare specialist. He has held roles such as Acting Head of Data pic.twitter.com/mf8rdiS2uI WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) August 16, 2025 Ynetnews wrote: An employee of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, operating under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office, was briefly detained for questioning during a professional conference in the United States, where he was representing the state, Ynet learned on Wednesday. After his questioning, he returned to his hotel and flew back to Israel two days later. Israeli officials downplayed the incident, saying it carried no political implications and was resolved quickly. The reasons for the questioning remain unclear but may relate to the employees conduct. Read the full release from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Read more at: 100PercentFedUp.com Kellogg to remove artificial dyes from its cereals by 2027 but is it just theater? WK Kellogg Co. will remove all artificial dyes from its cereals by 2027 due to a binding legal agreement with Texas AG Ken Paxton, targeting school cereals first by 2026. The move follows scrutiny of dyes like Red No. 40 and Blue No. 1, linked to hyperactivity in children, though Kellogg acted only after years of selling dyed products in the U.S. while removing them in Europe. While competitors like General Mills also shift to "cleaner" labels, skeptics argue synthetic dyes are a distraction from unlabeled toxins (e.g., glyphosate, heavy metals) that pose greater health risks. Some studies suggest dyes may worsen ADHD, but the FDA considers them safe for most. Red No. 3 (linked to thyroid cancer in rats) was recently banned though Kellogg claims it hasn't used it in decades. Critics argue protesting cereal dyes ignores graver issues like vaccine injuries, pesticide exposure and global crises (e.g., Gaza), calling the focus on Kellogg's "virtue signaling" rather than systemic change. In a move that has reignited debates over food safety and corporate accountability, WK Kellogg Co. has announced it will eliminate all artificial dyes from its cereals by 2027. The decision, spurred by a binding agreement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, marks a significant shift for the maker of Froot Loops and Apple Jacks brands long criticized for their synthetic, petroleum-based colorings. But while activists cheer, critics argue the fight over food dyes distracts from far graver threats to public health, from vaccine injuries to industrial toxins hidden in everyday foods. The legal crackdown on synthetic dyes Texas AG Ken Paxton's office spent months investigating Kellogg's use of artificial dyes like FD&C Red No. 40 and Blue No. 1, which, though FDA-approved, have faced scrutiny for potential links to hyperactivity in children. The resulting legal agreement forces Kellogg to reformulate its products, with school cereals dye-free by 2026 and all retail products by 2027. While Kellogg insists this aligns with its "health-forward" mission, skeptics note the company only acted under legal duress after years of selling brightly colored cereals in the U.S. while removing dyes in Europe. (Related: RFK Jr. gives food companies two years to remove harmful artificial dyes.) A trend or a trap? Kellogg isn't alone. Competitors like General Mills and Kraft Heinz have pledged similar changes, responding to consumer demand for "cleaner" labels. Yet critics argue these reforms are largely performative. Synthetic dyes, while controversial, are at least transparently listed on packaging unlike glyphosate residues or heavy metals in produce, which evade labels entirely. The focus on dyes, they say, lets corporations off the hook for more insidious toxins while appeasing activists with superficial wins. The science behind the scare Artificial dyes are derived from petroleum and coal tar, a fact that alarms many parents. Some studies, including a landmark 2007 U.K. report, suggested dyes might exacerbate ADHD symptoms in sensitive children. Yet the FDA maintains they're safe for most people, and even the European Union which requires warning labels hasn't banned them outright. Meanwhile, Red No. 3, linked to thyroid cancer in rats, was banned in foods this year but Kellogg claims it hasn't used the dye in decades. Bigger fish to fry While activists rally against cereal dyes, broader food safety crises go ignored. Pesticides like glyphosate, endocrine-disrupting plastics and aluminum adjuvants in vaccines all with documented health risks rarely spark protests of this scale. Radio host Shannon Joy recently lambasted the Kellogg's boycott as "virtue signaling," urging activists to target Pfizer over vaccine injuries instead. Others point to Gaza's humanitarian crisis, asking why marching against Froot Loops takes precedence over life-and-death issues. A distraction or a victory? Kellogg's dye ban is a win for transparency, but it's hardly the revolution activists claim. In a world where children face war, pharmaceutical risks and unlabeled chemical exposures, protesting cereal colors seems myopic. As Paxton hails his legal victory, consumers should ask: Why stop at dyes when the food system's real dangers remain unchecked? The answer may lie in corporate convenience after all, swapping dyes is easier than dismantling an industry built on hidden poisons. Watch the Health Ranger Mike Adams talk about breakfast cereal. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Study reveals the HIDDEN DANGERS in children's breakfast cereals. Top 10 most likely breakfast cereals to contain GMO corn. Hidden toxins: Certain breakfast cereals could cause cancer, researchers warn. Pesticide linked to reproductive issues found in popular oat-based breakfast cereals. Artificial food colors cause hyperactivity in children. Sources include: Yournews.com abcnews.go.com FoxNews.com Brighteon.com MAHA advocates urge Trump to block pesticide liability protections in House spending bill Over 240 supporters of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission have urged President Trump to block Sections 453 and 507 of the FY 2026 House appropriations bill, which they say grant sweeping legal immunity to pesticide and chemical manufacturers. The letter warns that Section 453 would halt safety reviews for more than 57,000 synthetic chemicals, while Section 507 would prevent the EPA from finalizing risk assessments for harmful PFAS "forever chemicals" contaminating over 70 million acres of U.S. farmland. MAHA advocates highlight that more than 1.1 billion pounds of pesticides, many banned in other developed nations, are used annually in the U.S., contributing to cancer, hormone disruption, infertility and neurological damage, especially in children. The group urges Trump to use his influence to strip the controversial sections from the bill, framing it as a nonpartisan move to protect families, farmers and Americans' right to legal recourse against chemical harms. Drawing comparisons to Reagan's 1986 vaccine liability law, the advocates warn that repeating such a policy error with pesticide immunity could betray the public trust and cost Republicans politically in the 2026 midterms. More than 240 advocates of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission are urging President Donald Trump to block two controversial sections of the FY 2026 House Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill that grant "broad product liability protections" to pesticide and chemical manufacturers. In a seven-page letter dated Aug. 11, 241 MAHA supporters urged the president to prevent the House of Representatives from moving forward with Sections 453 and 507 in the House spending package, provisions that "gut vital pesticide protections" and shield corporations from responsibility for exposing Americans to harmful chemicals. The signatories claim that Section 453 would freeze the legally required safety reassessments for more than 57,000 synthetic chemicals, preventing updates to warning labels and enabling continued use without oversight. Section 507, meanwhile, blocks the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from finalizing risk assessments on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) "forever chemicals" found in biosolids waste materials spread across more than 70 million acres of U.S. farmland. PFAS compounds like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are linked to cancer, abnormal fetal development, hormone disruption and reproductive damage. Several U.S. farms have already been shut down due to contamination and the letter warns that failure to act will put public health further at risk. The letter cites data showing over 1.1 billion pounds of pesticides are used on U.S. farmland each year, including chemicals like glyphosate, atrazine and paraquat substances already banned in many developed countries. The signatories warn that these chemicals are harming children's brain development, disrupting hormones and contributing to reproductive problems and several of the most common cancers in the United States. (Related: Sen. Cory Booker introduces Pesticide Injury Accountability Act to hold chemical companies liable for health harms.) In turn, the group calls on Trump to use his leadership to pressure Congress to strip the two sections from the bill and follow through on his promise to prioritize the health and safety of the American people over corporate interests. "Mr. President, if Make America Healthy Again is to mean anything, now is the time to act. Stripping Section 453 and Section 507 is not partisan it's about protecting families, defending farmers and preserving the right to seek justice and accountability in our nation's courts. Americans across the spectrum want health, transparency and the right to be free of toxic chemicals that cause known physical harm to millions of Americans daily. "We ask you to take action to make sure any protections for pesticides are stricken from this Appropriations bill, especially Section 453 and Section 507, and urge you to act now to protect our people, preserve your legacy and show the nation that Make America Healthy Again is more than a campaign slogan. It's a promise," the MAHA advocates wrote. MAHA advocates warn Trump not to repeat Reagan's "historic mistake" The authors also draw comparisons between the current proposals and the "historic mistake" of former President Ronald Reagan: the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, which gave legal immunity to vaccine manufacturers. "As we know all too well today, that well-intentioned but ill-advised decision created a free-for-all within the pharmaceutical industry that has harmed millions of Americans and one more enormous problem that has been left for your administration to correct. "It's unconscionable that Republicans in the House are now attempting to repeat that mistake by supporting similar broad liability shields for pesticides and forever chemicals," the MAHA advocates wrote. In other words, the authors warn that repeating Reagan's mistake with pesticide immunity would not only betray the public trust but saddle future generations with yet another preventable health crisis. For more on environmental and human health protection, visit EPA.news. Watch Episode 426 of The HighWire with Del Bigtree discussing about pesticides, pills and politics. This video is from The HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Controversial Georgia bill grants immunity to pesticide makers as cancer lawsuits mount. Latest FDA Pesticide Monitoring Report reveals that nearly 50% of food samples contain pesticide "residues." Pesticide manufacturers, EPA don't have to list most hazardous ingredients on pesticide labels, judge decides. Beekeepers: EPA is hiding pesticide files. Brain-damaging neurotoxic pesticide found in hundreds of foods: EPA allows pesticide lobby to dictate policy. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com 1 TheEpochTimes.com 2 Brighteon.com Russia rejects idea of NATO security forces in Ukraine, warning of uncontrolled escalation Moscow has explicitly warned that deploying NATO troops to Ukraine would be a direct provocation, risking nuclear conflict. The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the proposal as "categorically unacceptable," viewing NATO involvement as an existential threat. The U.S., U.K. and France floated plans for a NATO-led peacekeeping force post-ceasefire, but Russia dismissed these as a "cynical instigation" and accused Western nations of prolonging the war. British and French leaders, however, framed troop deployment as necessary for deterrence and defense. Russian officials liken the situation to Cold War tensions, warning that NATO expansion justifies tactical nuclear strikes. While Putin has signaled openness to ending the war, his demands (e.g., Ukrainian neutrality, territorial concessions) remain unacceptable to Kyiv and the West. Analysts suggest Russia's rhetoric aims to deter NATO from formalizing long-term security commitments to Ukraine. With stalled negotiations and no resolution in sight, the standoff highlights deepening divisions between Russia and the West, leaving Ukraine's sovereignty in jeopardy and raising fears of broader conflict. Moscow has issued a stark warning against proposals to station North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops in Ukraine, calling the plan a direct provocation that could spiral into nuclear conflict. On Monday, Aug. 18, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) rejected overtures from the U.S., United Kingdom and France to establish a Western-led peacekeeping force following a potential ceasefire. "Any scenario involving the deployment of NATO member troops to Ukraine is categorically unacceptable," the MID said. Moscow's rebuke came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss postwar security guarantees, a key sticking point in negotiations to end the 22-month war. Earlier proposals for a European security arrangement, backed by Zelensky and discussed during U.S.-mediated talks, were similarly rejected by Moscow which views NATO involvement as an existential threat. "Russia views NATO's expansion toward Ukraine as a direct security threat, fearing it would bring hostile military forces closer to its borders. Moscow also sees Ukraine's potential NATO membership as a strategic encroachment threatening Russian influence and regional stability, justifying its intervention to prevent this scenario," Brighteon.AI's Enoch explains. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have endorsed sending troops to Ukraine post-ceasefire, framing it as a deterrence measure. Starmer emphasized the "vital role" of a multinational force in rebuilding Kyiv's defenses, while Macron pledged to "protect Ukraine's skies and seas." Zakharova slams London and Paris for "prolonging war" Meanwhile, MID spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed the idea as "cynical instigation" seeing the plan as a thinly veiled occupation. She also accused the U.K. and France of deliberately prolonging hostilities, and likewise warned of "catastrophic consequences." "London is not interested in resolving the situation and is doing everything possible to prolong the bloodshed," she said. "These belligerent statements confirm London's predatory aspirations." The confrontation echoes Cold War tensions, when the presence of rival military alliances near borders such as NATO and the Warsaw Pact heightened the risk of miscalculation. Kremlin officials have repeatedly framed the conflict in Ukraine as a proxy war with the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also warned that NATO expansion could justify tactical nuclear strikes. (Related: Putin warns of potential nuclear escalation amid Ukraine conflict, accuses West of provocation.) Although Putin has signaled openness to ending the war, his demands including Ukrainian neutrality and territorial concessions remain nonstarters for Kyiv and its Western allies. Analysts suggest Russia's rhetoric aims to dissuade NATO members from formalizing security commitments to Ukraine, which could undermine Moscow's leverage in future talks. The White House has not clarified whether U.S. forces would join such a mission, though Trump indicated support for European leadership. "They're the first line of defense but we'll be involved," he told reporters. As diplomatic efforts stall, the deadlock underscores a widening chasm between Moscow and the West with Ukraine's sovereignty caught in the balance. For now, the specter of escalation looms larger than the prospect of peace. Watch Jimmy Dore explaining that NATO's broken promises led to the Russia-Ukraine war in this clip. This video is from the CADKIAH channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Ukraine pushes for NATO membership as lawmaker calls for NUKES. Western special forces are UNOFFICIALLY in Ukraine to fight Russia as WWIII looms. Zelensky's impossible demands: NATO membership, $1 trillion in reparations ahead of Trump-Putin summit. Sources include: YourNews.com RIA.ru Brighteon.AI SCMP.com TeleSUREnglish.net Brighteon.com Health Ranger Report: Stewart Rhodes on his torture and the fight for JUSTICE Stewart Rhodes and the Oath Keepers were in D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021, to provide legal security for two permitted rallies (Latinos for Trump and Stop the Steal). Rhodes, a Yale Law graduate and disabled veteran, spoke at the event, advocating for election integrity yet was later arrested and convicted of seditious conspiracy, a charge he denies. Rhodes endured a year in solitary confinement post-arrest, comparing conditions to "Soviet-era" treatment. He lost veterans' benefits, voting rights and the ability to hold public office while facing coercion, threats of life imprisonment and a biased jury pool (drawn from anti-Trump D.C. residents). His trial was marred by prosecutorial misconduct, including intimidation tactics and a judiciary complicit in Deep State agendas. Judge Amit Mehta issued a gag order banning Rhodes from D.C. after he advocated for another J6 prisoner, exposing the suppression of dissent. Rhodes urges President Donald Trump to declassify government documents, calling it the "most powerful weapon" against corruption. He believes exposing federal agency files (FBI, DOJ, etc.) would reveal Deep State crimes and lead to prosecutions of those responsible for J6 persecutions. He advocates for grassroots organizing joining local volunteer groups (fire departments, sheriff's posses) and purging the GOP of RINOs/Deep Staters. Rhodes remains optimistic, framing the fight as a "modern American Revolution" for transparency and constitutional rights. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes sat down with the Health Ranger Mike Adams on the "Health Ranger Report" to discuss his harrowing experiences during his time in jail as a political prisoner from the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol false-flag riot. Rhodes also revealed the systemic corruption within the U.S. justice system, and urgently called for accountability and reform. He recounted the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when he and other Oath Keepers were in Washington D.C. to provide security for two permitted events: Latinos for Trump and Ali Alexander's Stop the Steal rally. He emphasized that their presence was legal and that they were not carrying firearms. The former Arizona Supreme Court clerk spoke at the Latinos for Trump event, advocating for election integrity and calling out the election as stolen, illegal and unconstitutional. He then described his arrest a year after the incident and the subsequent year-long solitary confinement he endured. The former U.S. Army paratrooper likened his experience to being in the Soviet Union, highlighting the lack of due process and the inhumane conditions he faced. Despite being a service-connected disabled veteran, Rhodes was stripped of his veterans benefits and faced the loss of his right to vote and hold public office. (Related: Stewart Rhodes alleges solitary confinement and torture during three-year imprisonment.) The interview revealed the deeply flawed nature of Rhodes' trial, where he was convicted on charges of seditious conspiracy a verdict he vehemently denies. Rhodes recounted how the jury pool was drawn from the "victim pool" of Washington D.C., a city with a strong anti-Trump bias. He also discussed the intimidation tactics used against him and his co-defendants, including threats of life in prison and the coercion of false confessions. The call for declassification and exposure Rhodes passionately advocates for the mass declassification of government documents, believing it to be the most powerful weapon against the Deep State. He urged President Donald Trump to use his executive power to expose the corruption and criminality within the federal government. Rhodes believes that such a move would reveal the true extent of the Deep State's influence and potentially lead to the prosecution of those responsible for his persecution. "The push for use of declassification it is the most powerful weapon President Trump has. No one can stop him and he controls the executive branch," Rhodes told Adams. "All these agencies are in the executive branch under his control. He can declassify anything that they have in their files." The interview also highlighted the complicity of the judiciary in the Deep State's operations. Rhodes recounted how District Judge Amit Mehta, who presided over his case, issued an order banning him from Washington D.C. after learning of his advocacy for another J6 prisoner. This incident underscores the judiciary's role in suppressing dissent and protecting the Deep State. A call to action for patriots Rhodes called on Americans to organize and take action at the local level. He encouraged joining volunteer organizations, such as fire departments and sheriff's posses, to build strong, self-reliant communities. He also emphasized the importance of purging the Republican Party of so-called "Republicans in name only" and Deep Staters to restore integrity to the GOP. "So just purge them out, replace them with good people, with patriots. And then at the same time you got to plug into your local community." Rhodes expressed optimism about the future, believing that the persecution of J6 prisoners has only strengthened the movement. He sees the fight for justice as a continuation of the American Revolution, with the potential for a new era of transparency, accountability and freedom. The interview concluded with a call to action for Trump and his administration to expedite the declassification process and prosecute those responsible for the injustices perpetrated against Rhodes and other J6 prisoners. The abuses Rhodes and his fellow J6 prisoners experienced serve as a stark reminder of the deep-seated corruption within the U.S. government and the urgent need for reform. Follow Freedom.news for more news about the Jan. 6 political prisoners. Watch the full interview between Stewart Rhodes and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes is being tortured in DC Gulag following conviction allegedly at the orders of anti-Trump Deputy Warden Landerkin. Pardons and payback: A blueprint for Trump's DOJ to free the patriots and punish the real J6 plotters. Publicity stunt: January 6 lawyer says 'fantasy' charges against Rhodes meant to stop his promised J6 testimony. Sources include: Brighteon.com Newsweek.com Trump administrations crackdown on gender procedures for minors sparks clinic closures The Trump administration has reaffirmed its stance that gender transition procedures for minors are "child abuse," leading to the closure of several gender clinics, including prominent ones at Connecticut Children's Medical Center and Children's Hospital Los Angeles. This is a result of an executive order prohibiting federal funding for hospitals providing "gender-affirming care" to minors. The administration's position is supported by studies suggesting potential health risks associated with gender transition procedures for minors, such as increased breast cancer risk for boys taking feminizing hormones and physical health risks for girls taking testosterone. A study by Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, which showed no mental health benefits from puberty blockers, has been cited as evidence against the efficacy of such treatments. The medical establishment, influenced by transgender activists, has largely condemned the administration's actions, arguing that "gender-affirming" care is crucial for transgender youth. However, the administration counters that these groups have overlooked the risks and long-term consequences of such procedures. The Department of Health and Human Services' analysis concluded that there is "very weak evidence of benefit" but "significant risks" associated with sex change procedures for children, including irreversible harms like infertility. The Department of Justice is investigating cases where minors undergo transition procedures without parental consent, viewing these as violations of parental rights. The Trump administration has reaffirmed its stance that gender transition procedures for minors constitute "child abuse," leading to a wave of clinic closures across the country. This move has ignited a fierce debate over the rights of transgender youth, parental authority and the role of federal funding in healthcare decisions. The latest development in this ongoing saga is the closure of the gender clinic at Connecticut Children's Medical Center, announced on July 23. This follows the closure of the renowned gender clinic at Children's Hospital Los Angeles just one day earlier. The Los Angeles clinic, one of the first and largest in the country, had been a focal point for transgender healthcare, offering hormones and surgeries to hundreds of children. According to Do No Harm, a conservative advocacy group, nearly 20 gender clinics and programs have either paused or shut down since the beginning of the year. (Related: Children's Hospital LA to close largest provider of gender procedures for children in the U.S. amid mounting legal and financial pressures.) These closures are a direct result of President Donald Trump's January executive order, which prohibits hospitals from receiving federal funding if they provide "gender-affirming care" to minors. The administration argues that such care is neither caring nor gender-affirming, but rather a form of coercion that forces children into irreversible changes they may later regret. The administration's position is grounded in a growing body of medical research that questions the efficacy and safety of transition procedures for minors. For instance, a study published in June found that boys taking feminizing hormones are up to 40 times more likely to develop breast cancer and have a higher risk of strokes. Similarly, girls taking testosterone face significant physical health risks. Medical establishment under fire Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, former leader of the LA clinic, faced scrutiny after refusing to release the findings of a taxpayer-funded study on gender-confused children. Under pressure, she eventually released the results in May, which showed that puberty blockers were not associated with improved mental health in children. This revelation has been cited by the administration as evidence that the medical establishment has prioritized ideology over evidence. The medical establishment, heavily influenced by transgender activists, has largely condemned the administration's actions. Many healthcare providers and medical associations argue that gender-affirming care is essential for the well-being of transgender youth. However, the Trump administration counters that these groups have ignored the risks and long-term consequences of such procedures. The Department of Health and Human Services' recent analysis of medical research on sex changes for kids concluded that there is "very weak evidence of benefit" but "significant risks," including irreversible harms like infertility. Despite this, medical groups and hospitals have criticized the report, defending their practices and calling for continued access to gender-affirming care. The issue is further complicated by the involvement of the Department of Justice, which is investigating cases where minors undergo transition procedures without parental consent. The administration views such actions as a "gross violation of parental rights," raising questions about the balance between individual autonomy and parental authority. Transhumanism.news has more similar stories. Watch the video below that talks about libtards' plan to turn New York City into a base for taxpayer-funded gender transitions. This video is from the JMC Broadcasting channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Kaiser Permanente halts youth gender surgeries amid federal scrutiny but keeps pushing puberty blockers. Clinics operated by "queer-affirming" therapist accused of bypassing parental consent, fast-tracking minors into gender transition. DOJ issues subpoenas to over 20 doctors, clinics over alleged transgender surgeries on minors. Sources include: RealClearWire.com CTMirror.org NPR.org DoNoHarmmedicine.org Brighteon.com Trump and Putins Alaska summit: A step toward peace or stalemate? U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a nearly three-hour meeting described as "constructive" and "productive," but no ceasefire agreement was reached. Both leaders praised the discussions but acknowledged unresolved issues. Putin reiterated the need to address the conflict's root causes while expressing optimism about ending the war. Trump stressed the importance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's participation, planning to call him and NATO leaders. Zelensky agreed to meet Trump in Washington and endorsed a proposed trilateral U.S.-Russia-Ukraine summit. European leaders demanded a full ceasefire before further talks, threatening expanded sanctions. Putin rejected preconditions, insisting on negotiations without concessions upfront. Though no deal was finalized, the summit set the stage for future talks. Trump and Putin held a private follow-up discussion, signaling continued efforts toward a potential settlement. U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin convened on Aug. 15 for talks aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The two leaders met at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. The highly anticipated summit, which lasted nearly three hours, was described as "constructive" and "extremely productive" by both leaders. However, it failed to produce a concrete ceasefire agreement. The negotiations, held in a "constructive atmosphere of mutual respect," according to Putin, were the first high-level discussions between the two nations since the conflict began. Putin emphasized Moscow's sincere interest in ending the hostilities, stating, "What is happening is a tragedy and a great pain for us." Trump echoed Putin's sentiments, calling the meeting "highly productive" and highlighting the significant progress made. However, he acknowledged that "we're not there yet" in terms of reaching a comprehensive peace deal. "There were many points we agreed on, but a couple of big ones we haven't quite gotten there," Trump admitted. Putin reiterated Russia's stance that addressing the "root causes" of the conflict is crucial for a long-term settlement. Despite this, Putin expressed optimism, stating, "I have every reason to believe that by continuing on this path, we can end the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible." (Related: Putin is ready to negotiate a CEASEFIRE with Trump.) Trump's diplomatic efforts and Zelensky's role Trump emphasized the importance of involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the next steps. "It really depends on President Zelensky to finish it," Trump said, indicating that he would call Zelensky and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders to discuss the summit's outcomes. Trump also revealed plans for a potential trilateral summit involving the U.S., Russia and Ukraine. Following the summit, Zelensky announced on X that he would meet Trump in Washington on Monday, Aug. 18. "I am ready to do everything possible to secure peace," Zelensky wrote, endorsing Trump's proposal for a trilateral summit. According to Axios, Trump informed Zelensky and NATO leaders that Putin favors a comprehensive peace deal over a temporary ceasefire. European leaders have expressed concerns over the lack of a ceasefire agreement. They have backed Ukraine's demand for a "full and unconditional ceasefire" before any talks, threatening expanded sanctions if Moscow refuses. Putin, however, dismissed these ultimatums, insisting that negotiations proceed without preconditions. Despite the absence of a ceasefire deal, the summit has set the stage for further diplomatic efforts. Trump's private, "very candid" discussion with Putin after the press conference suggests a commitment to pursuing a settlement. As Trump noted, "There's no deal until there's a deal," but the summit has laid the groundwork for potential future negotiations. Follow Trump.news for more news about President Trump's efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Watch the video below about Trump and Putin holding a meeting, which pushed through on Aug. 15. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump-Putin Alaska Summit: Europes Desperate Leaders Allegedly Plotting Missile Assassination Attempt. Trump and Putin peace talks threatened by alleged MI6 false flag plot, warns Russian defense officials. Trump says very good chance for Ukraine war ceasefire after talks with Putin. Putin signals readiness for peace talks with Trump but stresses unchanged demands for ending Ukraine conflict. As Trump and Putin prepare for peace talks, Zelensky doubles down on war and your wallet funds it. Sources include: FoxNews.com RT.com GreekReporter.com Brighteon.com U.K. rolls out mobile facial recognition vans The U.K. government has launched 10 mobile facial recognition (LFR) vans across seven police forces in England to identify suspects in serious crimes like rape, murder and terrorism. LFR cameras scan passersby in real time and compare biometric facial data to police watchlists; potential matches are reviewed by trained officers before any action is taken. Officials claim the technology enhances public safety and is used in a targeted, intelligence-led and proportionate manner, with no data stored for individuals not on watchlists. Civil liberties group Big Brother Watch has filed a legal challenge against the Met Police, citing the lack of a legal framework and the wrongful identification of Shaun Thompson. Critics, including Baroness Shami Chakrabarti, warn the use of LFR is intrusive, potentially unlawful and risks creating a "total surveillance society" without proper oversight or safeguards. Britain's quiet romance with surveillance just got a flashy new upgrade: mobile facial recognition vans. These high-tech vans, equipped with live facial recognition (LFR) cameras, are now patrolling the streets of Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley and Hampshire to scan faces in real time and match them against police watchlists. Home Office, which officially dispatched the national fleet of ten roving biometric units across seven police forces in England on Aug. 15, seeks to catch suspects involved in serious crimes like rape, murder and terrorism. Each LFR van is staffed with a trained police officer and uses cameras to scan the faces of passersby in real time. These images are then compared against a police-generated watchlist of individuals wanted for serious crimes. The software works by taking biometric measurements, such as the distance between a person's eyes and the shape of their jawline, and matching them to existing facial data. If a possible match is flagged, it is reviewed by a human officer before any action is taken. "The increased access to Live Facial Recognition vehicles to forces that previously did not have the capability is an excellent opportunity for policing. Each Live Facial Recognition deployment will be targeted, intelligence-led, within a set geographical location and for a defined period of time, ensuring deployments are proportionate, lawful and necessary. "Live Facial Recognition has already been used in policing to great success, locating thousands of wanted offenders or others breaching their bail conditions. I am confident that the increased use of this technology will continue to support the safety of communities across the country moving forward," said Lindsey Chiswick, the head of LFR at the National Police Chief's Council. Officials vow that innocent citizens have nothing to worry about, insisting that if a person is not on the watchlist, their biometric data is not stored. Big Brother Watch launches legal challenge over "lawless" use of facial recognition Critics, however, aren't convinced. Civil liberties group Big Brother Watch has launched a legal challenge against the Metropolitan Police's use of LFR technology, claiming the force is deploying the controversial surveillance tool without a clear legal basis and in violation of fundamental rights. The challenge is being brought alongside Shaun Thompson, a man who was wrongly identified by an LFR camera. "Police have interpreted the absence of any legislative basis authorizing the use of this intrusive technology as carte blanche to continue to roll it out unfettered, despite the fact that a crucial judicial review on the matter is pending. The Home Office must scrap its plans to roll out further live facial recognition capacity until robust legislative safeguards are established," Rebecca Vincent, the interim director of Big Brother Watch, said. (Related: U.K.'s Crime and Policing Bill 2025 reignites facial recognition controversy.) They argue that the technology is prone to misidentification, disproportionately affects marginalized groups and opens the door to creeping surveillance normalization. Baroness Shami Chakrabarti, Labour peer and former director of Liberty, echoed those concerns, warning that the technology is "incredibly intrusive" and that "some would say this is yet another move towards a total surveillance society." The former Liberty director voiced concerns about its impact on privacy, freedom of assembly and the risk of misidentifying innocent people. Chakrabarti criticized the current use of facial recognition, saying it has so far been deployed "completely outside the law," with police "making up their own rules and marking their own homework." Visit Surveillance.news for more stories like this. Watch the video below that talks about the United Kingdom's digital ID rollout. This video is from the Your News Now (YNN) channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Irish government to legalize retrospective facial recognition technology. London's facial recognition milestone sparks surveillance vs. privacy debate. Russia to launch nationwide facial recognition payment system this year. Malfunctioning facial recognition technology may put innocent individuals at risk. Mastercard rolls out payment system that uses FACIAL RECOGNITION technology. Sources include: Infowars.com BBC.com Brighteon.com Dutch regulator pressures tech giants to tighten online speech controls ahead of election The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is pressuring major platforms like X, Facebook and TikTok to enforce stricter content moderation ahead of the Oct. 29 national elections. A dozen platforms have been summoned to a meeting with ACM, EU regulators and civil society groups to discuss enforcement of rules around "disinformation" and "illegal hate content." Under the EU's DSA, platforms designated as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) must take steps to mitigate content risks a law critics argue allows for vague and politicized censorship. In July, ACM sent letters requiring platforms to detail their election-related policies, provide contact info for Trust & Safety leads and respond to a formal questionnaire. The upcoming meeting will center on how platforms plan to manage user-generated content during the campaign, reflecting growing regulatory control over online speech in Europe. The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is once again putting pressure on major tech platforms to step up enforcement of content policies under the guise of protecting "electoral integrity" ahead of the Netherlands' national elections on Oct. 29. According to several reports, the ACM, which seeks to ensure platforms are prepared to tackle "disinformation" and "illegal hate content" during the final stretch of the election campaign, summoned a dozen digital platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and TikTok, to a closed-door meeting scheduled for Sept. 15. (Related: EU pushing through with enforcement of censorship tool Digital Services Act.) The September session will be held in coordination with EU regulators and civil society groups, many of whom are strong advocates for stricter online moderation. The gathering reflects a wider European shift, driven in part by the new Digital Services Act (DSA), toward centralized control over online discourse. Under the DSA, which came into effect earlier this year, governments can demand the removal of content deemed "harmful" or "illegal" terms critics say are broad and easily politicized. In the Netherlands, the ACM is tasked with enforcing the law and has taken an aggressive approach. ACM director Manon Leijten even claimed that Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) must "take effective measures against illegal content" and ensure their content policies are both "transparent and diligent." "Great online platforms have many users. Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), they must implement a transparent and careful policy regarding content on their platforms and take effective action against illegal content. This is especially important in elections. Taking these measures is not only a legal, but also the social duty of large online platforms," Leijten said, defending the action. ACM demands detailed compliance plans from major platforms This is not the ACM's first move. In July, the ACM sent a letter to the same major tech platforms to lay out a detailed set of expectations for how digital giants must manage content and mitigate potential risks to the upcoming national elections. Platforms classified under the DSA, including social media networks and search engines, are now officially obligated to identify and address any design flaws or operational mechanisms that could negatively impact civic discourse or the electoral process. The ACM also announced that it will be sending out a questionnaire to each platform, inquiring about their current efforts to protect electoral integrity. If responses are deemed insufficient, follow-up conversations will be requested. At that time, the ACM had demanded that platforms submit all relevant contact details, including those of the individuals ultimately responsible for Trust and Safety and election-related policies, within one week of receiving the letter. The letter cited the DSA Election Toolkit, the Guidelines for VLOPs and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) on mitigating systemic risks, and the Code of Practice on Disinformation all documents that outline how platforms are expected to handle information during critical democratic events. The September meeting will focus on how these platforms intend to implement the regulator's demands, with particular attention to the moderation of user-generated content during the election campaign. Visit BigTech.news for more stories like this. Watch this video discussing the expansion of the EU's censorship state. This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com. More related stories: U.S. State Department slams EU's Digital Services Act as "Orwellian censorship." EU enforces mandatory 'disinformation' crackdown under Digital Services Act, instituting CENSORSHIP AUTHORITARIANISM on a global scale. EU takes aim at Elon Musk's X with potential $1 billion fine under Digital Services Act. SILENCING SPEECH: EU formally launches investigation against X (formerly Twitter) over alleged violations of Digital Services Act. Ursula von der Leyen hopes the EU Digital Services Act will tackle WEFs top concern: The truth getting out. Sources include: ReclaimtheNet.org ACM.NL 1 ACM.NL 2 Brighteon.com Health Ranger Report: Brian Mock and the real story of Jan. 6 As a Jan. 6 detainee, Brian Mock endured nearly a year in jail pre-trial, facing inflated charges (e.g., minor "pushes" framed as assault). He represented himself, beating the most serious charge but still receiving a significant sentence before being pardoned. Mock asserts J6 was a premeditated provocation, with law enforcement inciting violence (e.g., excessive force, planted weapons). He cites obscured evidence altered timestamps, destroyed footage and coerced testimonies to allege a cover-up. Mock advocates for an unbiased inquiry involving firsthand witnesses. He's compiling evidence (using AI) to expose what he calls the "false narrative" perpetuated by the J6 Committee, which he believes targeted Trump supporters. He accuses Joe Biden, Mike Pence, Adam Schiff and Mitch McConnell of complicity in a "treasonous" conspiracy threatening democracy, urging public outrage and systemic accountability to prevent future abuses. Mock's fight emphasizes grassroots support for truth and justice. He encourages donations and advocacy to amplify his efforts, framing the struggle as vital to preserving democratic principles. Brian Mock, a former Jan. 6 political prisoner, joined the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams to shed light on the real story behind the false-flag Capitol riot. The interview revealed the harrowing experiences and the ongoing plight of the J6 detainees, who are falsely labeled as "insurrectionists." It also exposed the disturbing actions of the federal government, raising the urgent need for transparency and accountability. Mock's story is one of resilience and determination. Arrested in June 2021, he was held for nearly a year before making bond, a rare feat among the J6 detainees. Mock's experience was marked by a Kafkaesque legal battle. Despite never entering the Capitol building or causing any destruction, the prison reform and civil rights advocate faced charges based on alleged "pushes" that amounted to touching a shield. The legal system, he claims, was rigged against him and others like him with judges and prosecutors seemingly determined to secure convictions at any cost. Mock's account of his time in detention is chilling. He describes being labeled a "racist extremist" and subjected to inhumane conditions, including solitary confinement and a lack of basic necessities. His decision to represent himself, a choice born out of necessity, ultimately led to a measure of success. He managed to beat the most serious charge against him, though he still faced a significant sentence. His eventual pardon, however, came with a lingering question: What does it mean for his rights and future? Mock's testimony challenges the mainstream narrative of J6, asserting that the events were not a spontaneous insurrection but a carefully orchestrated setup. According to Mock, the crowd was peaceful for hours before being provoked by law enforcement. According to Mock, police officers were ordered to use excessive force, including rubber bullets, pepper balls and tear gas. This led to injuries and deaths, such as the tragic case of Rosanne Boyland. Mock's allegations are supported by evidence he claims to have seen, including videos that show law enforcement inciting violence and even planting weapons to frame protesters. He accused the government of a massive cover-up citing altered timestamps, destroyed evidence and coerced testimony. The House J6 Committee, he argues, was a sham designed to vilify President Donald Trump and his supporters, rather than uncover the truth. "The whole thing is a complete false narrative," Mock said. "It was a setup. All of it was designed to destroy Trump." The hidden truth of J6: A call for real accountability Mock is now a vocal advocate for a genuine, unbiased investigation into the J6 riot. He believes the evidence he and others possess could be a game-changer, revealing the true extent of the government's actions and the subsequent conspiracy to cover them up. His plea for support is urgent: Mock is working with a team of experts and fellow J6 detainees to compile and analyze evidence, using AI to sift through the vast amount of data. (Related: Brian Mock calls for historic investigation into January 6: This was treason on a scale never seen before.') The goal is to create a comprehensive record that can be presented to the American public, free from the biases and manipulations of the current political and media landscape. Mock's story has profound implications for American democracy. He accused the Biden administration and key figures like former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) of being complicit in the conspiracy. His allegations of treason and corruption are not made lightly; they are based on evidence he has personally reviewed. Mock's call for justice extends beyond his own case. He believes that the actions of those in power on J6 represent a threat to the very fabric of the nation. His message is clear: The truth must be told, and those responsible must be held accountable. He urges the public to demand a real investigation and to support those who are fighting for justice. His courage and determination are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. As Mock himself said, "We should be outraged. We should put this in that place that it never happens again." Follow Tyranny.news for more news about the injustice done to J6 political prisoners. Watch the full interview between Brian Mock and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trumps plan to pardon over 1,000 convicted J6 protesters sparks criticism from Big Government. Pass The Salt with Coach Dave: David Sumrall reveals cops provoked J6 protesters with flashbangs Brighteon.TV. Gary Heavin and Mike Adams: J6 prisoners used as PAWNS in political chess game. Sources include: Brighteon.com X.com Documents reveal CIAs Angleton aided Israels theft of U.S. nuclear material, shielded terrorists James Angleton, CIAs counterintelligence chief, secretly partnered with Israeli intelligence to bypass U.S. oversight, enabling nuclear material theft and shielding Zionist terrorists. Israeli agents diverted hundreds of kilograms of U.S. weapons-grade uranium from Pennsylvanias NUMEC plant via covert operations approved by Angleton. The CIA under Angleton released Zionist Irgun members after their 1946 bombing of the British embassy in Rome, avoiding prosecution. Declassified files show Angleton deceived Congress, withheld evidence of Israels nuclear espionage and disrupted FBI probes into missing uranium. Documents reveal Angletons ties to Israeli intelligence were honored posthumously by Mossad, underscoring long-standing security concerns about U.S.-Israel alliances. Newly unredacted documents expose James Angleton, the CIAs long-serving counterintelligence chief, as a pivotal figure in a decades-long covert alliance with Israels Mossad. This collaboration, hidden from Congress and the public, enabled the theft of hundreds of kilograms of U.S. weapons-grade uranium from Pennsylvanias Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corporation (NUMEC). Angleton, operational since WWII, supervised a network of Jewish emigre spies and interacted directly with Israeli agents like Rafi Eitan, later linked to Mossads 1968 diversion of uranium from Europe. His 1970s-era memos reveal a fiduciary relationship with Israel where the CIA knowingly overlooked illicit activities, including NUMECs theft of 337 kilograms of U-235. This uranium, enriched at Ohios Portsmouth plant, later hinted at in environmental samples near Israels Dimona nuclear site, directly fueled their atomic arsenal. The FBI uncovered partial evidence of stolen uranium in 1965 but halted investigations after Angleton petitioned Attorney General Ramsey Clark. A 1977 CIA analysis confirmed the uraniums U.S. origin but was concealed to avoid diplomatic tension. Angleton, who evaded accountability, called the NUMEC diversion the most economical operation in U.S. history. Angletons complicity in terrorism and JFKs assassination Beyond nuclear theft, Angletons ties to Israel date to the 1940s, when he shielded Zionist militant group Irguns operatives. After their 1946 bombing of the British embassy in Rome, Angleton, then with the OSS, facilitated their escape, stating the CIA chose to release them despite legal dilemmas. Angletons influence extended to the Kennedy assassination. Declassified files show he ordered the removal of Lee Harvey Oswald from federal watchlists six weeks before JFKs death, though Oswald was labeled a security risk. A member of Angletons spy network monitored Oswalds family correspondence, raising questions about agency bias. In 1975 testimony, Angleton falsely denied CIA collaboration with Israel on nuclear matters. FBI memos confirmed his lack of direct answers, while Mossad maintained a technical intelligence network run by scientists involved in Dimonas nuclear program. A legacy of secrecy and denial Angletons dismissal by CIA director William Colby in 1974 followed revelations of his illegal domestic spying against anti-war activists. Yet, Angleton framed his clash with Colby as rooted in Israeli matters, hinting at covert deals. His loyalty was reciprocated by Israels intelligence community. In 1987, five former Mossad chiefs honored Angleton with a memorial stone, calling him a dear friend. This reverence contrasts starkly with his mistreatment by U.S. officials, who redacted and suppressed records of his actions for decades. Documents reveal systemic complicity, with AEC and CIA officials blocking probes. The FBI wiretapped NUMEC but chose not to prosecute Shapiro, its erratic president, after Ericssons redacted CIA briefs warned of diplomatic fallout. Trust in U.S. intelligence systems The Angleton files resurface amid heightened scrutiny of U.S.-Israel ties and recent moves to revisit Kennedys assassination. They underscore a grim reality: high-ranking officials prioritized foreign alliances over national security, compromising the integrity of U.S. intelligence. As calls grow to modernize oversight mechanisms, Angletons legacy serves as a cautionary tale. Declassified records, spurred by Trumps FOIA orders, now expose a half-century of betrayal, challenging assumptions about ally reliability and the need for transparency in an age of geopolitical volatility. Sources for this article include: TheGrayZone.com Substack.com NSarchive.gwu.edu Hezbollah warns: Lebanon will have no life if group is disarmed, raising fears of civil war Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem issued a televised threat asserting that any attempt by the Lebanese government to disarm the group would plunge the country into chaos, evoking fears of a return to civil war. Qassem accused Beirut of following an "American-Israeli order" to dismantle Hezbollah's "resistance," denouncing state-backed disarmament efforts as illegitimate. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam rejected Qassem's remarks as "unacceptable," insisting that arms control falls solely under state authority and dismissing claims of foreign influence as baseless. Despite Hezbollah's weakened influence since the assassination of its former leader Hassan Nasrallah (killed in a 2024 Israeli strike), the group retains significant military strength, complicating U.S.-backed disarmament plans set for 2025. With Lebanon already crippled by economic collapse, analysts warn of dire consequences if forced disarmament triggers conflict. Hezbollah frames its resistance as existential, while Israel's strikes and public anger further destabilize the situation. Lebanon stands at a precipice as the Iran-backed Shiite militant group Hezbollah warns that any attempt by the government to disarm it will plunge the country into chaos. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem issued the warning in a televised address on Friday, Aug. 15. He warned that there would be "no life in Lebanon" if authorities move to confront the group, echoing the devastation of its 15-year civil war. "There is no life for Lebanon if you try to confront us and eliminate us," Qassem said. "The resistance will not surrender its weapons while aggression continues, occupation persists. We will fight it." (Related: Acting Hezbollah leader warns that more Israelis will be displaced if the IDF pursues its invasion of Lebanon.) Qassem, who assumed Hezbollah's leadership in October 2024, accused the government in Beirut of executing an "American-Israeli order" to eliminate the resistance even at the cost of war. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, Qassem's predecessor Hassan Nasrallah was killed by an Israeli airstrike on Sept. 27, 2024. The fiery rhetoric signals escalating tensions over a U.S.-backed plan to centralize control of weapons under the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), a move Hezbollah has long rejected. Lebanon's cabinet led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam approved the disarmament framework last week, prompting Shiite ministers to walk out in protest. Salam swiftly denounced Qassem's remarks as an "unacceptable" threat of civil war, insisting no faction has the right to bear arms outside state authority. "The talk that the Lebanese government is implementing an American-Israeli project is baseless," Salam said, emphasizing that decisions were "purely Lebanese." Lebanon's fragile future: Can Hezbollah be disarmed? Yet Hezbollah's defiance underscores its entrenched power. With an arsenal surpassing Lebanon's army and deep roots in Shiite communities, the group remains a formidable force despite years of Israeli strikes targeting its leadership and infrastructure. The current crisis traces back to Hezbollah's founding in the 1980s with Iranian Revolutionary Guard support, positioning itself as Lebanon's "resistance" against Israeli occupation. Decades later, it wields significant political clout though its influence has waned since Nasrallah's assassination and Israel's ongoing military campaign, which has killed thousands of fighters since 2023. Still, recent Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon launched in response to Hezbollah's support for Hamas have reignited public anger, complicating disarmament efforts. The groups ally, the Amal Movement, has joined calls for dialogue but warned of nationwide protests if forced disarmament proceeds. Analysts warn Lebanon, already reeling from economic collapse and infrastructure ruins, cannot afford another conflict. Yet Hezbollah frames the struggle as existential, vowing to fight "no matter the cost" while Israel occupies southern territory. For now, Qassem claims "room for discussion" remains but the clock is ticking. By the end of August, the LAF must present a plan to consolidate arms under state control by 2025, setting the stage for a pivotal showdown. As regional powers and the U.S. watch closely, Lebanon's fragile stability hangs in the balance. Head over to Terrorism.news for more similar stories. Watch Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, explaining that disarming Hezbollah is an unachievable dream. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Hezbollah, Lebanese Armed Forces repel Israeli advances in southern Lebanon. Israel vs. Hezbollah: A new war will consume the entire Middle East. Hezbollah leader says Israel's very existence is now at risk. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Reuters.com Brighteon.AI TheNationalNews.com Brighteon.com Indiana woman arrested for gruesome Trump assassination threats A Lafayette woman was arrested in D.C. after posting graphic threats to ritually murder President Trump. She admitted to owning the accounts, possessing a weapon, and calling Trump a terrorist during Secret Service interviews. Her threats escalated over two weeks, including demands for Trumps arrest as a terrorist and violent Facebook posts. Authorities warn her case reflects a broader trend of politically motivated violence fueled by inflammatory left-wing rhetoric. Prosecutors emphasize the seriousness of presidential threats but call for accountability in media and political discourse. Nathalie Rose Jones, a Lafayette, Indiana, resident, was arrested in Washington, D.C., on Saturday after federal agents uncovered a series of graphic threats she posted online, including a vow to sacrificially kill Trump by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirmed the charges in a stark warning: Threatening the life of the President is one of the most serious crimes and one that will be met with swift and unwavering prosecution. Jones, who traveled from New York to D.C., didnt just stop at online vitriol. During interviews with the Secret Service, she admitted to owning the accounts behind the threats, confessed to possessing a bladed object for her planned attack, and doubled down on calling Trump a terrorist and Nazi. Her arrest comes as authorities grapple with an alarming surge in politically motivated violence fueled, to some extent, by years of inflammatory rhetoric from the left. From online rage to real-world danger According to court documents, Joness threats escalated over two weeks. On August 6, she directed a Facebook post at the FBI, declaring her willingness to murder Trump in a ritualistic manner. Days later, she demanded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrange the arrest and removal ceremony of POTUS Trump as a terrorist at the White House. The Secret Service, monitoring her activity since August 2, intervened before she could act. During her first interview on August 15, Jones told agents she wanted to avenge all the lives lost during the Covid-19 pandemic, blaming Trumps administration. She repeated her threats the next day after joining a protest near the White House, only to be taken into custody shortly after. While she later claimed she no longer intended harm, prosecutors arent taking chances. Every potential threat is addressed with the utmost seriousness, said Secret Service Special Agent Matt McCool. How mainstream media and social media radicalize Joness case isnt an isolated incident. Its a symptom of a deeper sickness: a culture where political opponents are demonized as existential threats. For years, corporate media outlets and Democratic leaders have labeled Trump and his supporters as fascists, Nazis, and domestic terrorists the same language Jones parroted in her posts. When figures in power repeatedly suggest their rivals are evil incarnate, its no surprise when unstable individuals take those words as a call to action. Social media platforms, meanwhile, amplify this hatred. Algorithms reward outrage, pushing users toward increasingly extreme content. Joness posts calling for Trumps violent removal werent hidden in some dark corner of the internet. They were on Facebook and Instagram, where millions scroll daily. Yet only after she crossed into explicit threats did authorities intervene. How many others, radicalized by the same rhetoric, remain under the radar? A justice system under siege While Jones faces federal charges, the politicians and pundits who stoke this divisive rhetoric suffer no consequences. Wheres the reckoning for the media figures whove spent years normalizing language like eliminate and remove when discussing Trump? When a Pennsylvania man was charged last year for threatening to kill Trump before he took office, the pattern was already clear: Words have power, and irresponsible rhetoric has real-world victims. Pirros statement leaves no room for ambiguity: Justice will be served. But justice requires more than punishing one unhinged individual. It demands a cultural shift one where political disagreement doesnt devolve into dehumanization. Until then, the Secret Service will keep intercepting threats, and the cycle of violence will continue. The solution isnt just stronger law enforcement. Its a return to civil discourse, where disagreements dont escalate into calls for violence. And its recognizing that when you label your opponents as monsters, eventually, someone will try to slay them. Sources for this article include: 100PercentFedUp.com FoxNews.com NYPost.com And just like that, the MASSIVE MEASLES PLANDEMIC 2025 is over in Texas and across the USA Since the end of the Covid plandemic, the vaccine industrial complex has been grasping at straws to find a way to keep Americans conned into the whole dirty vaccine trick, but nothings working. Bird flu plandemic? Fail. Measles scamdemic? Fail. Covid booster propaganda? Fail. Now the whole CDC childhood vaccine schedule is being scrutinized under a microscope, pun intended. Texas health officials have officially declared the end of the measles outbreak that began in late January 2025, bringing a close to months of media coverage, political controversy, and public concern. The outbreak, which was quickly politicized and weaponized against Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., ultimately proved manageable, though it did spread across multiple Texas counties and infected hundreds of residents. Texas health officials declared the measles outbreak over after 762 confirmed cases, 100 hospitalizations, and two deaths, with no new infections since July 1, 2025. The outbreak, which began in late January, spread mainly within Mennonite communities across several Texas counties and was linked to measles activity in Canada and Mexico. Public health professionals launched swift emergency measures, warnings, and vaccination campaigns, which officials credit for containing one of the worlds most contagious viruses. New alerts remain active outside Texas, including possible measles exposures at airports in Ohio and Washington, D.C., as health authorities work with the CDC to track risks and stress the importance of MMR vaccination. The Much-Hyped Texas Measles Outbreak Is Over According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the outbreak resulted in 762 confirmed infections statewide, with approximately 100 hospitalizations and two deaths. That figure represents a fatality rate of 0.26 percentlow compared to historic measles mortality, but still a sobering reminder of the viruss dangers. Importantly, no new cases have been reported since July 1, and with more than six weeks passing without infections, the state has now officially declared the outbreak over. Much of the transmission was clustered within Mennonite communities in Texas, where vaccination uptake is lower than the statewide average. Despite alarming headlines in January and February, the virus did not spiral into the large-scale catastrophe some feared. Still, the outbreak served as a stark reminder of how quickly measlesamong the most contagious viruses in the worldcan spread in undervaccinated populations. State health officials moved quickly with containment efforts. Public warnings were issued, vaccination campaigns were intensified, and contact tracing was carried out aggressively. I want to highlight the tireless work of the public health professionals across the state who contributed to the containment of one of the most contagious viruses, said Texas DSHS Commissioner Jennifer Shuford in a public statement. The outbreak was not confined to Texas alone. Around the same time, measles cases linked to international travel were identified in Canada and Mexico, with secondary infections popping up in several U.S. states. In Ohio, health officials issued an urgent alert regarding potential exposures at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in late January. Passengers present in Terminal A during specific timeframes were warned that they may have come into contact with the virus after a child from Montgomery County was diagnosed with measles. Similarly, health departments in Washington, D.C. issued warnings after potential exposures at Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has worked with local agencies to track these exposures, emphasizing that measles can remain airborne for hours in enclosed spaces and infect up to 90 percent of unvaccinated people who come into contact with it. Measles symptoms typically begin 7 to 14 days after exposure. Early signs include fever above 101 degrees, runny nose, watery eyes, and cough. The second stage usually brings the hallmark rash, beginning on the face before spreading to the trunk and limbs. For vulnerable populations, particularly young children, measles can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis, or death. Public health officials continue to recommend the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine as the most effective protection. With Texass outbreak now contained, the focus shifts to preventing future flare-upsespecially in communities where vaccine hesitancy remains high. Bookmark plague.info to your favorite independent websites for updates more PLANDEMICS that dont even really exist, like the Measles fear-mongering outbreak in Texas thats dead in the water already. Sources for this article include: Pandemic.news GatewayPundit.com NaturalNews.com TheNationalPulse.com Big Pharma-funded pediatric group defies CDC, urges COVID vaccines for babies despite no long-term safety data The American Academy of Pediatrics defies the CDC by pushing COVID vaccines for infants despite lacking long-term safety data. AAPs deep financial ties to Big Pharma raise conflicts of interest, with critics calling it a front for vaccine manufacturers. Recent studies show vaccinated children face higher autoimmune risks and prolonged spike protein production, contradicting the AAPs safety claims. Parents overwhelmingly reject COVID shots for kids, with only 3-4% of eligible children fully vaccinated, signaling distrust in the recommendations. RFK Jr.s removal of COVID vaccines from the CDCs child schedule sparks AAP backlash, exposing a battle between parental rights and pharmaceutical influence. For the first time in 30 years, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has broken ranks with the CDC, recommending COVID-19 vaccines for infants as young as six months despite mounting evidence that the shots carry risks and lack long-term safety data. The move comes just months after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overhauled federal vaccine policy, removing COVID jabs from the CDCs routine childhood immunization schedule for healthy kids. The AAPs new "evidence-based" guidelines, published in its Red Book Online, urge COVID vaccination for all children aged 6 to 23 months, claiming it protects against "serious illness." Yet CDC data shows only 3-4.5% of eligible children are fully vaccinated, which is hardly a ringing endorsement. Even the Washington Post admitted most kids face low risk from COVID, raising questions: Why the sudden push? AAPs financial ties to Big Pharma raise red flags The AAP, which represents 67,000 pediatricians, has deep financial ties to vaccine makers. Childrens Health Defense CEO Mary Holland called the group "the depraved long arm of Big Pharma," noting its reliance on pharmaceutical funding. The CDC itself has accused the AAP of prioritizing "commercial interests" over public health. Dr. Jane Orient, of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, slammed the AAPs claims as baseless: "There is and can be no evidence on long-term effects of COVID-19 vaccines on cancer or fertility because they havent been used long enough." Yet the AAP insists its recommendations are "evidence-based." Dr. Sean OLeary, chair of its infectious diseases committee, claimed the shots are "very safe for all populations." But critics, including pediatrician Dr. Lawrence Palevsky, dismiss this as "word play," arguing: "No one should be getting the COVID shot. No child. No adult. No living being. Its not safe. Its not tested." Kennedys reforms spark backlash from vaccine lobby Kennedys May announcement about removing COVID vaccines from the CDCs child immunization schedule triggered outrage from the AAP, which, along with five other medical groups, sued the HHS over the change. The CDC now recommends "shared clinical decision-making" for parents rather than blanket mandates. But the AAP isnt backing down. Its new schedule also pushes annual flu shots for all kids starting at six months and RSV vaccines for infants despite declining public trust. With only 28% of 5-11-year-olds completing the primary COVID series, parents are clearly skeptical. Wheres the science? Studies reveal alarming risks Recent research undermines the AAPs claims. A Pediatric Rheumatology study found that vaccinated kids had a 23% higher risk of autoimmune disease. Another study in Immunity, Inflammation and Disease revealed persistent spike protein production in young adults a year post-vaccination, which is far longer than expected. The AAPs push for infant COVID shots ignores a critical truth: Parents, not bureaucrats, should control their childrens medical care. With no long-term safety data, no proof of benefit for healthy kids, and mounting evidence of harm, the AAPs recommendations look less like science and more like Pharma-driven profit. As Kennedy put it when he removed the vaccine recommendation for healthy children: "Bottom line: its common sense and its good science." The real question is: Why is the AAP so desperate to override it? Sources for this article include: TheNationalPulse.com ChildrensHealthDefense.org FoxNews.com USAToday.com School surveillance overreach: A threat to privacy, free speech and student well-being ACLU report reveals school surveillance systems are marketed under false pretenses of safety but fuel discrimination and anxiety. EdTech products capture private student communications, disproportionately harming marginalized groups. School shootings data show surveillance does not prevent violence but escalates false discipline. Federal policies like CIPA enable invasive monitoring despite lack of efficacy proof. Experts call for transparency, student input and reforms to protect privacy over profit-driven fear tactics. Schools nationwide have embraced aggressive digital monitoring tools in the name of safety, but a recent report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) argues these systems are eroding privacy, stifling free speech and failing to protect students. Released over a year ago, Digital Dystopia exposes how EdTech companies exploit fears of school violence to sell invasive surveillance technologies that harm rather than help children. Principal author Chad Marlow warns that schools rush to adopt tools like keyword-scanning software and facial recognition has created a paranoia machine, where innocent student speech is criminalized and trust between educators and students vanishes. This isnt about safetyits about corporate profiteering and government overreach, said Marlow, emphasizing the urgency of rethinking education funding priorities toward evidence-based, privacy-respecting solutions. The false promise of safety Schools spent $92 million investing in surveillance startups in 2022 alone, with vendors like Securly and GeoListening using unverified metricslike claiming to stop 2 million knife threats monthlyto sell products. Yet independent audits by Louisville University and the U.S. Secret Service found no link between surveillance and reduced school violence. Instead, systems exacerbate disparities: disabled students self-censor due to heightened scrutiny, while immigrant families fear that school data breaches endanger their legal status. Federal policies like the Childrens Internet Protection Act (CIPA) enable this crisis. While requiring schools receiving federal broadband subsidies to monitor minors online activities, CIPA lacks safeguards for privacy or biases. Marlow called for reforms to align CIPA with the Biden White Houses AI Bill of Rights, which mandates that students should not be under continuous surveillance. In fact, the more students are forced online, the more teachers -- and student performance -- struggle. Building a safer, trusted education system The ACLU urges schools to reject profit-driven tech and adopt transparency-first policies. Its recommendations include banning monitoring of non-school devices, mandating community input in surveillance contracts and rejecting tools that track thoughtcrime like aborted dating app searches or broached mental health struggles. W. Scott McCollough, an ACLU policy advisor, pointed to successful alternatives like peer-to-peer counseling and mental health initiatives that reduce stigma without compromising privacy. Citrons proposed state-level solutionssuch as requiring schools to disclose surveillance scopes and obtaining opt-in consent for data sharingalign with conservative values of local control and individual autonomy. Schools must foster critical thinking, not fear, she stressed. Censorship and constant surveillance contradict the mission of educating free citizens. Beyond the surveillance arms race As the debate over school safety intensifies, the ACLUs report demands a reckoning with the human costs of security theater. With elective school board members facing backlash over spyware mandates, and parents advocating for opt-out policies, the path forward requires prioritizing privacy protections over corporate bottom lines. Chad Marlow captured the urgency: We cant let panic dictate policy. Students deserve schools where theyre free to learnnot live in fear of having their every keystroke punished. Yet this dystopian push is no accidentits a deliberate step toward the globalist agenda of total surveillance, conditioning children to accept a future of digital tracking, social credit systems and AI-controlled compliance. The same elites pushing COVID passports and CBDCs now target schools to normalize constant monitoring, ensuring the next generation never questions their enslavement. The fight for our childrens minds starts nowbefore its too late. Sources for this article include: ReclaimTheNet.org ChalkBeat.org TheRegReview.org ACLU.org Senators demand investigation into Meta after its AI chatbots were permitted to have romantic conversations with children An internal document revealed Meta allowed its AI chatbots to engage in "romantic or sensual" conversations with minors and spread false medical/racist claims. Meta later called the policies "erroneous" and revised them after media exposure. Republican Senators Josh Hawley and Marsha Blackburn called for an immediate congressional probe, criticizing Metas reactive approach. Blackburn also pushed for the stalled Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) to enforce child protections. Democrats, including Senators Ron Wyden and Peter Welch, joined criticism, arguing AI chatbots shouldnt be shielded by Section 230 and stressing the need for AI safeguards. The incident reflects broader bipartisan concerns about Big Techs impact on children. The scandal adds to ongoing lawsuits and internal evidence showing Meta prioritizes profit over child safety, including addictive algorithms and ignoring underage users. Critics argue this reveals systemic negligence. Hawley demanded Meta preserve documents and disclose policy approvals by September 19 for a subcommittee investigation. Lawmakers are also reviving efforts to pass KOSA, signaling potential stricter regulations for tech companies. Two Republican senators called for an immediate congressional investigation into Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Platforms on Aug. 14 after a Reuters report exposed an internal policy document permitting the companys AI chatbots to engage in "romantic or sensual" conversations with children. The document, which Meta later revised after media scrutiny, also allowed chatbots to spread false medical claims and racist arguments. The revelation has reignited bipartisan outrage over Big Techs failure to protect minors online, prompting demands for stricter regulations and accountability. According to Reuters, the internal guidelines permitted Meta's AI chatbots to flirt with minors and describe children in suggestive terms, such as calling an eight-year-old's body a "masterpiece" or a "treasure." While Meta confirmed the document's authenticity, the company claimed the policies were erroneous and removed them after Reuters inquired. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley blasted Meta for only revising its policies after being exposed, calling the revelations grounds for an immediate congressional probe. His colleague, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn echoed the demand emphasizing the need for stronger child safety laws like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which she co-sponsored. The bipartisan bill would require platforms to implement safeguards against sexual exploitation, bullying and addictive design features. While it passed the Senate last year, it was stalled in the House of Representatives. Profit over protection: How Meta's AI chatbots put kids at risk Democrats also condemned Meta's policies, with Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden arguing that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 should not protect AI chatbots. Section 230, which Wyden introduced, shields tech companies from liability over user-generated content. Vermont Sen. Peter Welch meanwhile warned that the report underscores the urgent need for AI safeguards, especially for children. The growing scrutiny reflects a broader political shift, as lawmakers increasingly challenge Big Tech's unchecked influence over young users. It is the latest in a series of scandals involving Meta and child safety. The company faces multiple lawsuits alleging it knowingly designed addictive algorithms, ignored underage users and failed to prevent sexual exploitation. Internal documents previously revealed that Meta executives downplayed risks while publicly pledging reforms. Critics argue the latest AI revelations prove the company prioritizes profit over protection, despite repeated congressional hearings and public outcry. (Related: How Meta's "free" AI assistant turns private conversations into profit.) Hawley has demanded Meta preserve all relevant documents, including emails, and disclose who approved the controversial policies. His subcommittee will investigate whether Metas AI products enable exploitation or deception of minors. The company has until Sept. 19 to comply. The Meta AI scandal highlights the dangerous gap between corporate promises and actual safeguards for children. As bipartisan pressure mounts, the case could become a turning point in holding Big Tech accountable not just for harmful content, but for the very design of its products. Watch this video about an interview between the Health Ranger Mike Adams and free speech attorney Jason Fyk over Section 230 and free speech online. This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Meta acquires $14.8B stake in Scale AI as Zuckerberg pushes for AI supremacy. Meta secures 20-year nuclear deal to power AI expansion amid surging energy demands. Sen. Josh Hawley launches investigation into Meta over AI chatbot interactions with children. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Reuters.com CNBC.com Brighteon.com A Lovejoy mechanic who claimed self-defense for a December 2023 shooting was convicted Wednesday of two counts of assault and other charges stemming from an apparent dispute at his garage over vehicle repairs. Detrick D. Gray was acquitted of the most serious charge, attempted murder, by State Supreme Court Justice Paul Wojtaszek, who announced his verdict following a bench trial last week. Gray, 42, of the Town of Tonawanda, also was convicted of third-degree grand larceny and unauthorized use of a vehicle. The shooting happened at about 2:30 p.m. Dec. 1, 2023, at 876 E. Lovejoy St., according to Buffalo police records. The man who was shot testified at Grays trial and was in court to hear the judges verdict. Prosecutors said Gray took $1,500 up front for repairs to the victims girlfriends car. After having minimal communication, the couple went to the shop about a month later to find out what was happening with her vehicle. Because he didnt have a good answer for them, Gray instead escalated things, Assistant District Attorney James W. Mansour II said in his opening statement in court Aug. 12. The two men argued and Gray who testified before an Erie County grand jury and who Mansour described as someone who insists on maintaining control of every situation and every person he involves himself with stepped into the other mans personal space. The other man, who was 41 at the time, slapped him. Gray backed up and pulled out a gun, Mansour said. The other man lunged at Gray and they fought for control of the gun. Gray fired four shots, three of which struck the victim. The entire encounter was captured on video at the garage, prosecutors said. He had no reasonable explanation for not having fixed the car, even after taking $1,500 up front, Mansour said. His control over the situation and the people involved was being challenged and he would have none of it. The victim underwent surgery at Erie County Medical Center for wounds to his chest and shoulder. Gray also suffered a gunshot wound to his hand during the altercation and was driven to a hospital in a private vehicle, prosecutors said. Grays defense attorney argued that the other man was armed with a razor, based on a conversation the man had with a Buffalo police officer that was recorded on a body camera. Bodycam footage showed the officer asking the victim that if he had a razor blade, where would it be. The victim said, Its probably on the ground. The man who was shot is 6 feet 5 and weighed 300 pounds. Grays defense attorney Mark Sacha said in his opening statement that the man threw a blow that would have made Mike Tyson proud. Buffalo police made no mention of the victims statements related to a razor blade in any of their reports, Sacha said. Police also failed to make a record of multiple statements from the victim, he said. Sacha, who said his client believed the other man was armed, accused the police of withholding information that would have been seen as beneficial to his client. Prosecutors said Gray never specifically mentioned a razor to police and police did not recover any weapon said to belong to the victim. They also said there was no weapon shown on video and the person who called 911 didnt mention a razor. The prosecutors also said the victim may have been confused about the razor blade, noting that he told them he always keeps a razor in a bag in his truck. Additionally, they pointed out the victim initially told officers his jacket was missing before later realizing that he never had that jacket with him. Prosecutors acknowledged a potential issue with some aspects of the investigation, but said it should have no bearing on whether the shooting was justified. We will own that BPD could have and perhaps should have handled this investigation differently, Assistant District Attorney Timothy Garvin said in court during arguments prior to opening statements. Defense attorney Sacha, who in his opening statement called the prosecutions case overcharged, under investigated and misguided, said after the verdict that the victim was out of the hospital in about 16 hours. Gray is scheduled to be sentenced for the three felony and one misdemeanor convictions Nov. 3. For the attempted first-degree assault conviction, Gray faces a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 15 years in prison, the judge said. Gray, who was a licensed gun owner at the time of the shooting, has been out on bail. The judge on Wednesday ordered Gray to participate in the Release Under Supervision program of the Erie County Probation Department, which will require him to wear an ankle monitor and abide by a curfew until his sentencing. Shocking study reveals pesticide exposure in womb causes permanent brain damage in children Chlorpyrifos, a toxic pesticide sprayed on apples, wheat, and citrus, causes permanent brain damage in unborn children, including lower IQ, memory loss, and motor delays. Columbia Universitys study proves even low exposure alters brain structure, blood flow, and function, with effects lasting into adolescence. Derived from nerve gas, chlorpyrifos crosses the placenta at four times maternal levels, poisoning fetal brain cells with oxidative stress and inflammation. The EPA proposed a ban in 2015 but reversed course under Trump, and despite court orders, still allows it on 55% of cropsprioritizing profits over childrens lives. The EU banned it in 2020, yet the U.S. keeps approving its use, forcing families to detox, filter water, and buy organic to avoid irreversible harm. What if we told you that a chemical that is commonly sprayed on apples, wheat, and citrus fruits could permanently damage your childs brain before theyre even born? Thats exactly what a groundbreaking study from Columbia University has confirmed: prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide, causes lasting brain damage that persists into adolescence. The study, published in JAMA Neurology, tracked 270 children from birth through age 14, using advanced brain imaging to document the devastating effects of chlorpyrifos exposure. The findings are alarming: higher pesticide exposure led to thicker brain tissue, reduced blood flow, altered white matter, and worse motor skills in changes so severe that researchers could predict exposure levels just by looking at brain scans. This isnt just about subtle differences; its about permanent neurological harm that affects how these children think, move, and function for life. A chemical attack on developing brains Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate pesticide, a class of chemicals originally derived from nerve gas used in warfare. Despite being banned for household use in 2001, its still sprayed on apples, cherries, peaches, citrus fruits, and wheat, which means pregnant women and children are exposed through food, air, and dust. The study found that chlorpyrifos crosses the placenta and concentrates in fetal blood at four times the mothers levels, attacking developing brain cells. The result? Oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial damage that disrupt normal brain development. Dr. Bradley Peterson, lead author of the study, warned: With more exposure, we saw more brain effects, but there is no level below which you dont see impacts. That means even low-level exposure is dangerous, yet regulators continue to allow its use. Profits over childrens health The EPA first proposed banning chlorpyrifos in 2015, but political interference and industry lobbying have delayed action for nearly a decade. Under Trump, the EPA rejected a ban entirely. Even after a federal court ordered a ban in 2021, another court reversed it in 2023, allowing continued use on 11 major crops. This regulatory whiplash isnt just frustrating; its deadly. As Patti Goldman, a senior attorney for Earthjustice put it: We do not believe they should keep any uses because there is no safe level that would protect children from the kind of harm observed in the study. Yet the EPAs current proposal still allows chlorpyrifos on 55% of its previous uses, including staples like apples and wheat. Meanwhile, the European Union banned it entirely in 2020 because they prioritize childrens health over corporate profits. What you can do to protect your family Since regulators wont act, families must take matters into their own hands: Go organic, especially for the Dirty Dozen (strawberries, apples, grapes, etc.), which carry the highest pesticide residues. Filter your water and air because chlorpyrifos drifts into dust and water supplies. Support detox with antioxidant foods like garlic, broccoli, and blueberries that help neutralize pesticide damage. Avoid recently sprayed areas; farmworkers and rural families face the highest exposure risks. This is a crime against children Pesticides are rewiring our childrens brains, and the fact that chlorpyrifos is still legal despite decades of evidence shows how deeply corporate greed has corrupted our regulatory system. As Dr. Virginia Rauh, senior author of the study, warned: Current widespread exposures continue to place farmworkers, pregnant women, and unborn children in harms way. How much longer will we let this happen? The time for action is now, before another generation of children pays the price. Sources for this article include: NaturalHealth365.com PublicHealth.Columbia.edu TheNewLede.org Three GOP governors deploy National Guard troops to support Trumps law-and-order push in Washington, D.C. Governors of West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio pledged National Guard support to Washington, D.C., backing President Donald Trump's law-and-order campaign targeting crime and urban decline. Gov. Patrick Morrisey committed 300 to 400 National Guard members with specialized training and equipment, led by Maj. Gen. Jim Seward, to support safety and cleanup operations. Gov. Henry McMaster authorized 200 troops but warned they could be recalled depending on the path of Hurricane Erin. Gov. Mike DeWine confirmed Ohio's involvement, though specifics on troop numbers and roles remain undisclosed. The deployments follow Trump's Aug. 11 order placing the D.C. Metropolitan Police under federal control, activating 800 local Guard troops and deploying 500 additional federal officers to assist in restoring order. Three Republican governors have pledged to send National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., in support of President Donald Trump's ongoing law-and-order initiative to address crime, homelessness and the "urban decay" in the nation's capital. On Aug. 16, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine each announced the deployment of their respective states' National Guard units, citing the need to bolster security and support cleanup and public safety efforts in D.C. Morrisey was the first to commit troops, confirming that 300 to 400 West Virginia National Guard members would be dispatched, equipped with mission-specific gear and training. "West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nations capital," said Morrisey. "The men and women of our National Guard represent the best of our state, and this mission reflects our shared commitment to a strong and secure America." The deployment will include specialized units under the leadership of Maj. Gen. Jim Seward. "This initiative aligns with our values of service and dedication to our communities," Seward added. "We stand ready to support our partners in the National Capital Region and contribute to the collective effort of making our nation's capital a clean and safe environment. The National Guards unique capabilities and preparedness make it an invaluable partner in this important undertaking." Later that day, McMaster followed suit, authorizing the deployment of 200 National Guard troops. "South Carolina is proud to stand with President Trump as he works to restore law and order to our nations capital and ensure safety for all who live, work, and visit there," he said. McMaster added that the deployment is contingent on evolving conditions at home, noting that the troops could be recalled if Hurricane Erin, currently approaching the southeastern coast, intensifies or makes landfall. DeWine also confirmed his state would participate. Trump seizes control of D.C. police The announcements came in the wake of Trump's Aug. 11 directive asserting federal authority over the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and activating 800 members of the D.C. National Guard to restore order in the city. (Related: Trump threatens federal takeover of Washington, D.C. over rising youth crime.) "I'm officially invoking section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, you know what that is, and placing the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control," Trump said that day, arguing that D.C.'s elected leadership has failed to ensure "public order and safety." Thus, it warrants unprecedented federal intervention. Under the directive, the MPD now reports directly to the executive branch. "As president, I have a solemn duty to take care that our laws are faithfully executed, and a sacred responsibility to protect the safety and security of United States citizens who live in and visit our Nation's capital, including Federal workers who live or commute into the District of Columbia. These conditions cannot persist. We will make the District of Columbia one of the safest cities in the world, not the most dangerous," Trump wrote in the order. In addition, the administration has deployed 500 federal law enforcement officers to Washington, supplementing the existing 3,000-strong MPD force. National Guard personnel and vehicles have since begun appearing near key federal sites throughout the capital. Follow Trump.news for more news about the Trump administration. Watch the Aug. 12 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about Trump federalizing D.C. and the possibility of the president deploying forces to Blue cities. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump threatens national emergency to extend federal control over D.C. police amid crime crackdown. Trump eyes Federal takeover of D.C. in push for 'Law and Order' amid rising chaos. D.C. Police Union endorses Trump's federal takeover of Metropolitan Police Department. Tom Homan: Washington D.C. will not operate as sanctuary city under federal police control. Washington, D.C. and other U.S. cities becoming war zones as crime skyrockets under Democrat control. Sources include: YourNews,com WV.gov WhiteHouse.gov Brighteon.com Trump refuses U.S. troops in Ukraine but hints at air support as peace talks stall Trump rules out U.S. ground troops in Ukraine but leaves open the possibility of air support despite escalation risks. Russias relentless strikes show Putin wont back down while Zelenskys refusal to compromise prolongs the war. U.S. taxpayers have already spent $175 billion on a conflict that enriches defense contractors but drains Americas resources. Trump pushes for direct talks between Zelensky and Putin, urging compromise to end the war before it spirals further. The only way to stop the bleeding is to cut funding, force real negotiations, and refocus on Americas own priorities. When President Donald Trump sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week, one message was crystal clear: not one American soldier will be sent to die in Ukraines endless war. Yet even as Trump rules out boots on the ground, hes floating the idea of air support, raising questions about how far the U.S. should go to bankroll a conflict that shows no signs of ending. The timing couldnt be more critical. Just hours after Zelenskys White House visit, Russia launched its largest drone and missile assault in more than a month, striking Ukrainian energy facilities with 270 drones and 10 missiles. The message? Putin isnt backing down. Meanwhile, Trump is pushing for direct talks between Zelensky and Putin, possibly in Budapest or Istanbul, while making it clear that America wont be the worlds policeman forever. No US troops, but what about air power? Trumps stance is firm: "You have my assurance," he told Fox News. "Im just trying to stop people from being killed." Hes right to be cautious. This war has already cost over a million casualties, and Ukraine is losing 5,000 to 7,000 soldiers a weeka staggering toll for a conflict that never should have happened under competent leadership. Yet even as Trump rejects ground troops, hes leaving the door open for air support, whether it's through missile defense systems, fighter jets, or other means. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed its "an option and a possibility," although details remain vague. The problem? Any U.S. military involvement risks escalation, and once were in, getting out becomes nearly impossible. Zelenskys unreasonable demands keep the war burning The real obstacle to peace isnt just Putin; its Zelenskys refusal to accept reality. For years, hes insisted on total victory, demanding all lost territory back and NATO membershipconditions Putin will never accept. Meanwhile, American taxpayers keep footing the bill, with $175 billion already spent on a war that enriches defense contractors while draining our economy. Trumps approach? "Both sides are going to have to walk away a little bit unhappy." That means compromise, which is something Zelensky has resisted at every turn. Yet even now, with European allies pushing for security guarantees, the question remains: How much longer will America fund a war that Zelensky wont end? Putins game: Stalling while Ukraine bleeds Russias latest massive strike proves one thing: Putin isnt serious about peace... yet. Kremlin officials dismissed Trumps diplomatic push as "pure spectacle," while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted any talks must be "prepared with the utmost thoroughness." Translation? Theyll drag this out as long as possible. Meanwhile, Zelenskys sudden willingness to meet Putin after years of refusal suggests hes feeling the pressure. With U.S. aid drying up and European patience wearing thin, he knows the money wont last forever. But will he finally accept a deal, or keep gambling with Ukrainian lives? The real solution: Stop funding endless war Trumps instincts are right: This war should never have started. If America had a real leader in 2020someone who prioritized diplomacy over regime changewe wouldnt be in this mess. Now, with NATO expansion, skyrocketing defense spending, and a potential three-front war looming, the time to cut losses and push for peace is now. For too long, Washington has treated Ukraine like its open-ended ATM, sending weapons and cash with no accountability. Trumps refusal to deploy troops is a step in the right direction, but unless we stop funding this forever war, American blood and treasure will keep being wasted. The only real solution? Cut off the money, demand real negotiations, and bring our focus back home. Because if we dont, this war will drag on for years, and the only winners will be the military-industrial complex, not the American people. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com News.Sky.com BBC.co.uk Reuters.com Sorry, something doesn't look right. Something seems unusual about your device or browser. Please contact support. Due to scheduled maintenance from Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 PM to Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 AM, there may be interruptions for our News Gazette Digital subscribers. During this time frame, please click on any News Gazette website content without logging into your News Gazette Digital subscription account. Thank you for your patience during this scheduled maintenance. A major international study finds COVID-19 survivors, especially women, face signs of accelerated vascular aging, yet early evidence hints that some of this damage may improve with time. Editorial: COVID-19 and vascular ageing: an accelerated yet partially reversible clock? Image Credit: Puwadol Jaturawutthichai / Shutterstock In a recent editorial published in the European Heart Journal, the authors examined how coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may accelerate vascular aging and its implications for long-term care. The editorial suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has left a measurable imprint on the vasculature that looks like accelerated aging and may be only partly reversible. It frames this legacy within post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as symptoms beginning three months after infection and lasting at least two months, which observational work suggests affects a substantial share of survivors. The editorial notes that the CARTESIAN cohort included both asymptomatic and symptomatic survivors and did not explicitly apply the WHO criteria for PACS. The most worrisome manifestations sit in the cardiovascular domain, ranging from dysautonomia and microvascular vasospasm to myocardial infarction and venous thromboembolism, and they are plausibly tied to endothelial injury, inflammation, and coagulation disturbances. The editorial asks whether these injuries can be captured by objective markers, how they relate to disease severity, which groups are most vulnerable, and how long they persist. Findings from the CARTESIAN Cohort The study explicitly notes it wasn't designed to test specific treatments, leaving open questions about whether common medications like statins could influence COVID-19 related vascular changes. Arterial stiffness assessed by carotidfemoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) is presented as a practical, non-invasive proxy for aortic stiffness and vascular age, with known prognostic value beyond standard risk factors. Prior reports that are limited by small sample sizes and heterogeneous methods suggested higher PWV during acute infection and in PACS, but they lacked stratification by clinical severity and sex, despite concerns that women may experience long COVID more often than men. Against that backdrop, the authors highlight the multicenter COVID-19 effects on ARTErial StIffness and vascular AgeiNg (CARTESIAN) cohort for its scope and analytic rigor. CARTESIAN enrolled 2390 participants across 34 centers and grouped them as COVID-19-negative controls (n = 391) and COVID-19-positive participants who were non-hospitalized (n = 828), admitted on general wards (n = 729), or admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) (n = 146). At a mean follow-up of six months after infection, adjusted PWV was significantly higher in all three COVID-19-positive groups relative to controls. Using an adjusted control PWV of 7.53 m/s as the reference, the absolute differences were +0.41 m/s (non-hospitalized), +0.37 m/s (hospitalized), and +0.40 m/s (ICU). Contrary to an a priori expectation of a severity gradient, the overall cohort did not show a clear linear increase in stiffness from non-hospitalized to ICU levels. However, sex-stratified models revealed a strong pattern: females across all COVID-19-positive strata had elevated PWV, peaking among those who required ICU care with an adjusted increase of +1.09 m/s, whereas males did not differ significantly from controls. A formal sex-by-group interaction was observed in the non-hospitalized and ICU strata. Persistent symptoms at six months were reported by 42% of COVID-19-positive participants; among females, persistence aligned with higher PWV (adjusted difference +0.39 m/s), a relation not seen in males. The editorial notes that the study did not explicitly define PACS by WHO criteria but infers that PWV could act as a physiologic correlate of symptom persistence in females and perhaps a prognostic marker of vascular injury. Sex Differences and Mechanistic Insights The editorial questions if women's hearts respond differently to the increased workload caused by stiffer arteries after COVID-19, beyond just the stiffness itself. Methodological strengths receive emphasis, as CARTESIAN used a validated surrogate for vascular aging in PWV; included a large, international sample with near-equal sex distribution; and applied hierarchical mixed models that accounted for clustering by device, recruitment setting, and country income level. Importantly, 12-month data for 1024 participants permitted exploration of trajectories: controls showed the expected age-related PWV progression, whereas many COVID-19 survivors demonstrated declining PWV, hinting that part of the stiffness signal may abate as autonomic imbalance and inflammation recede. In a small within-person subset that changed from COVID-19-negative to COVID-19-positive between visits, PWV rose after infection, supporting temporal association and partial reversibility. The editorial interprets these dynamics as consistent with a composite injury in which some components (for example, endothelial activation, inflammatory tone, autonomic dysregulation) are transient while others likely represent irreparable damage. The sex-specific findings provoke key mechanistic and epidemiologic questions. How do they reconcile with the higher acute mortality risk in males with COVID-19? The editorial contemplates survivor bias (where severely affected males may not survive to be measured), hormonal influences, such as the known effects of estrogen on endothelial function, and social determinants, including differential exposure and access to care. It also raises the possibility that women could have a more maladaptive myocardial or neurohormonal response to COVID-19-induced aortic stiffness and wave reflections, thereby translating similar arterial changes into greater clinical impact. From a measurement perspective, the absolute PWV differences were modest and near device detection thresholds, prompting a call for correlative studies that tie PWV changes to long-term symptoms and hard outcomes. The inflammatory and thrombo-inflammatory milieu of COVID-19 provides plausible biology. Elevated interleukins (IL)-1 and IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and chemokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), together with neutrophil extracellular trap formation (NETosis), have all been implicated in endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling. Such processes could stiffen central arteries and elevate systolic load, with downstream effects on cardiac load and function. The editorial suggests that this pathobiology may be more consequential in some subgroups, particularly females with symptom persistence, thus aligning the clinical signal with mechanistic plausibility. Clinical and Research Implications Understanding sex differences in how the body's defenses react after a viral infection is flagged as a critical next step for scientists. Clinically, the message is practical and cautious. Routine cardiovascular risk assessment should be considered for patients with PACS, with special attention to females who report ongoing symptoms. Although CARTESIAN was not designed to test specific therapies, it underscores the importance of aggressive management of traditional risk factors, patient education about expected trajectories, and careful follow-up. For researchers, the agenda includes dissecting sex differences in post-viral endothelial function and immune responses; validating PWV as a prognostic biomarker for PACS; and evaluating whether targeted strategies can reverse or mitigate the signal. Policy makers are encouraged to recognize the vascular legacy of COVID-19 as measurable and potentially mitigable, warranting resource allocation for longitudinal surveillance and for trials to test modifiable targets. To summarize, the editorial portrays COVID-19 as having aged the arteries of many survivors, with females bearing a disproportionate share of the burden and with signs that part of the injury may wane over time. The central challenge moving forward is to identify modifiable targets that prevent stiffness during future surges and to craft therapies that lessen long-term cardiovascular consequences for those already affected. Scientists say rising climate disasters could act as hidden childhood traumas, reshaping brain development and fueling mental health crises without urgent global action. Perspective: Extreme weather and climate-related adverse childhood experiences are a humanitarian crisis during the 21st century. Image Credit: Riccardo Mayer / Shutterstock Researchers in Australia and Nepal warn that extreme climatic and weather events (ECEs) pose serious, long-term mental health risks to children by causing toxic stress driven by neglect, family separation, poverty, and displacement. Their perspective article is published in the journal Communications Medicine. Although direct neurobiological evidence remains limited, emerging evidence, such as the Generation R study, shows links between extreme temperatures, reduced brain connectivity, and impaired white matter development, and parallels with research on childhood trauma show that repeated ECEs elevate risks to mental health and disrupt development. Background Water scarcity isn't just physical: Beyond causing disease, ECEs like droughts create profound psychological distress linked to distrust of water sources and reliance on expensive or unsafe alternatives, adding another layer of toxic stress. ECEs such as heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, floods, and storms are increasing in frequency and severity due to climate change. Beyond causing immediate harm like malnutrition, injury, and disease, they also act as traumatic stressors that disrupt childrens sense of security and stability. These events can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, and even contribute to long-term physical conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Between 1990 and 2023, an average of 364 ECEs occurred annually, affecting 400 million people and displacing 26 million, with children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) disproportionately impacted due to limited resources. Traditionally, research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), harmful or traumatic events occurring within the family, such as parental instability, abuse, and neglect, has focused on family-based trauma. However, newer frameworks like TRACEs (Traumatic and Adverse Childhood Experiences), which include both family and broader societal trauma, expand this to include community- and society-level adversities. Still, environmental stressors like ECEs remain underrepresented, despite their ability to produce toxic stress responses similar to ACEs, particularly during sensitive developmental stages. The authors introduce environmentally driven ACEs (E-ACEs), emphasizing their distinct impact on children's lifelong mental and physical health. Recognizing E-ACEs underscores the urgent need for resilience-building interventions specific to the growing threat of climate-related events. An Emerging Conceptual Model Displacement hits hardest where resources are scarce: Over 383 million people displaced by climate disasters from 2008-2023 came specifically from low- and middle-income countries regions least equipped to support affected children. E-ACEs describe the stress children endure from direct exposure to repeated or intense climate and weather events or from indirect consequences like displacement, poverty, family separation, and violence. Evidence, though still limited, suggests that such experiences can disrupt neurodevelopment. For example, studies link high temperatures and early exposure to extreme weather with changes in brain connectivity and impaired white matter growth. These disruptions may parallel the neurobiological effects of traditional ACEs, which are known to alter brain development, immune function, and stress regulation. ECEs can overwhelm childrens sense of safety, triggering toxic stress responses that increase risks of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems. Indirect pathways, including food insecurity, unstable caregiving, and loss of livelihoods, may further amplify biological effects by dysregulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and heightening inflammation, with evidence pointing to elevated cytokines such as IL-6 and IL-2 that are linked to long-term vulnerability to mental disorders and chronic diseases. Repeated exposure shows cumulative, dose-response effects, with risks escalating alongside the number and severity of ECEs, patterns similar to those found in ACE research. Protective factors, such as strong family support, can buffer these outcomes. However, most existing evidence comes from high-income countries, leaving major gaps in understanding E-ACEs in LMICs. Case studies, such as urban displacement into Dhakas overcrowded slums, highlight how climate refugees face compounded risks, including neglect, violence, and lack of access to education and healthcare. Crucial Childhood Interventions Inflammation could be a hidden long-term culprit: Research suggests chronic stress from E-ACEs might persistently elevate inflammatory markers (like IL-6), potentially damaging developing brains and setting the stage for adult physical illnesses. The authors argue that strengthening resilience, defined as the ability to adapt and recover from adversity, is central to protecting children from E-ACEs. Resilience must go beyond individual traits like coping skills and self-control, since climate-related stressors are often systemic and prolonged. Instead, multi-level approaches that combine family, community, and institutional support are recommended. At the family and community level, strong social ties, supportive parenting, stable caregiving, and peer networks can buffer children from the psychological toll of repeated climate shocks. When these supports are compromised, alternative structures such as schools, community organizations, religious groups, non-governmental organizations, and government child protection services become vital. Programs that integrate mental health care, social support, and economic recovery, such as microfinancing, vocational training, and sustainable agriculture, can reduce both stressors and vulnerability. Schools can also foster resilience through trauma-informed teaching, social-emotional learning, and climate education. Community-based mental health programs demonstrate the effectiveness of layered, culturally grounded psychosocial care that involves local leaders, health workers, and digital tools. Examples include Indias NIMHANS psychosocial care model, which mobilizes local leaders, health workers, and volunteers, and the COPEWELL resilience framework in the US that integrates health systems, social capital, and emergency response planning. However, the authors caution that frameworks like COPEWELL remain largely untested in LMICs and will require local adaptation before they can be scaled. However, most initiatives remain short-term and underfunded. The authors emphasize the need for transformational resilience by building systems that adapt and grow stronger against future crises, particularly in LMICs. Conclusions Most resilience programs aren't built for chronic climate stress: Existing support often focuses on short-term disaster recovery, lacking strategies for the persistent "overwhelming toxic stress" caused by repeated ECEs compounding ACEs. With ECEs becoming more frequent and severe, the authors warn that these events could increasingly act as E-ACEs, disrupting brain development, stress regulation, and immune function, with long-term risks for mental and physical health. In LMICs, rising displacement and urban poverty may further amplify these adversities. However, children and communities with strong social networks and access to resources show greater resilience, highlighting the importance of investing in family and community support, trauma-informed mental health services, and resilience-building interventions. The authors stress that addressing E-ACEs requires coordinated action across local, national, and global levels, with wealthier nations playing a key role in supporting vulnerable populations. The percentage of physicians who go on to practice in New York State after completing their residency training continues to climb. A recent analysis conducted by the Center for Health Workforce Studies at the University at Albany's College of Integrated Health Sciences examined findings from their most recent New York Resident Exit Survey. They found that 52% of newly trained physicians with confirmed practice plans reported plans to stay in New York, marking a steady increase from 45% in 2015. A rising in-state retention rate suggests that more physicians see long-term opportunity in New York's healthcare system. This is encouraging news for a state that invests heavily in graduate medical education and depends on a robust physician workforce to meet population health needs." David Armstrong, Center for Health Workforce Studies Project Director Center for Health Workforce Studies researchers analyzed responses from the annual New York Resident Exit Survey conducted in spring/summer 2024. The survey included over 2,300 residents and fellows who completed their medical training in New York. Key findings In-state retention on the rise Retention was highest among residents with deeper ties to the state; 76% of physicians who attended both high school and medical school in New York stayed in the state to practice. Certain specialties saw higher levels of in-state retention; these include adult psychiatry (77%), physical medicine and rehabilitation (75%), and family medicine (74%). Other specialties were much less likely to remain in New York, most notably orthopedics (17%) and pulmonary disease (28%). This suggests that career opportunities vary by specialty and new physicians in certain specialties are more likely to leave the state to pursue better job opportunities in their field of expertise. The most common reason for leaving New York was a desire to be closer to family, reported by 32% of residents who chose to move out of state. Few new physicians plan to practice in underserved areas Whether they choose to stay in New York State or go elsewhere, relatively few newly trained doctors plan to practice in rural or underserved communities. Only 4% of survey respondents indicated plans to work in a rural area, and just 16% planned to work in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area. These findings highlight persistent challenges in achieving equitable access to care in underserved areas throughout New York State and across the U.S. Strong demand in select specialties The report's "job market demand index" explored relative demand for new physicians in specific fields. The specialty areas with the strongest demand included anesthesiology, hematology/oncology, adult psychiatry, gastroenterology, dermatology, child and adolescent psychiatry, and endocrinology and metabolism. Demand was weakest in general surgery, emergency medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, pathology and orthopedics. "While it's encouraging to see more physicians staying in New York, we must recognize that nearly half still leave the state to practice elsewhere," Armstrong added. "There's more work to be done, in New York as well as in other states, in order to address physician shortages. It's important to monitor residency outcomes in order to develop informed strategies for the physician workforce - especially for specialties where demand is strongest - and distribute them to the areas where they are needed most." In Guatemalan communities, a recent visit to a health clinic or hospital - not antibiotic use - is the strongest predictor of carrying bacteria resistant to critical antibiotics, according to a new study led by Washington State University. Previous research in Guatemala's Western Highlands found nearly 46% of residents were colonized in the gastrointestinal tract with bacteria known as extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales (ESCrE). These bacteria, often E. coli, can render the commonly used and important antibiotic ceftriaxone ineffective, complicating care for infections such as pneumonia or urinary tract infections. The new study, published in Scientific Reports, examined 951 residents from the same region to identify factors linked to ESCrE colonization. By identifying the most important risk factors for carrying these resistant bacteria, we can begin to target interventions where they will have the most impact. This knowledge is critical not only for protecting communities in Guatemala but also for addressing the global threat posed by antibiotic resistance." Dr. Brooke Ramay, study's lead author and an assistant research professor in the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine's Paul G. Allen School for Global Health While most studies on antimicrobial resistance have focused on infection and mortality, this research examined colonization - when bacteria live in or on a person without causing illness. "We're colonized with all types of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria," Ramay said. "Being colonized isn't necessarily harmful, but it means you can carry and spread these bacteria to others in the community or in health care facilities. And when these bacteria get into the wrong place - your bloodstream, urinary tract or other vulnerable sites, for example - they can cause serious infections." While the study doesn't prove that health care visits cause colonization, it's likely that exposure to hospitals and clinics increases the chance of picking up resistant bacteria through contact with surfaces, medical equipment, water or staff. It's also possible that people who need medical care already have health conditions like chronic illness, diarrhea or malnutrition that make them more vulnerable to colonization. "People who had reported going to a health care facility or a hospital for treatment for any type of illness had a much higher risk of being colonized in the gastrointestinal tract with these bacteria," Ramay said. "This could be due to exposure to the health care environment facilitating transmission. Alternatively, this might be because inflammatory processes occurring in the gut of sick individuals make it easier for these bacteria to colonize. We are exploring this further in ongoing studies." The study also found urban residents and households without trash pickup were roughly twice as likely to carry the bacteria compared to rural residents or those with waste services. People using piped or well water were about 1.5 times more likely to be colonized than those using bottled water, possibly due to bacterial biofilms in water infrastructure or contamination during storage. Contrary to common assumptions, the study found no significant link between colonization and self-reported antibiotic use. "We've seen this in other projects as well," she said. "In Guatemala, we observe significant effects of antibiotic use on antibiotic resistance in environments with improved hygiene. In households with poor hygiene, transmission factors play a much greater role in colonization risk." The research was completed in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and University del Valle de Guatemala as part of the broader Antimicrobial Resistance in Communities and Hospitals (ARCH) study partnership, which has research projects in six countries. ARCH studies have shown a wide range of ESCrE prevalence, ranging from 34 to 52 percent in Kenya, 29 percent in Chile, 72 percent in India, 24 to 26 percent in Botswana, 78 percent in Bangladesh and 46 percent in Guatemala. WSU is leading the ARCH efforts in both Guatemala and Kenya. While resistant bacteria remain rare in the U.S., global travel and trade could mean they are just a flight away. "These bacteria and the resistance genes they carry do not respect borders," Ramay said. "By understanding and addressing colonization risk factors abroad, we can help slow their spread everywhere." Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Munich, Germany, use 4 PIPETBOY GENIUS serological pipet controllers from INTEGRA Biosciences to streamline their cell culture workflows. These ergonomic devices support fast and precise serological pipetting, while the aliquoting function makes repetitive tasks more comfortable for users. The department at the Institute of Biochemistry has around 35 staff, with one-third of them working across 2 cell culture labs, handling a variety of mammalian and stem cell lines. The department recently acquired 4 PIPETBOY GENIUS serological pipet controllers to further enhance the accuracy, precision and speed of its liquid handling workflows. Albert Ries, a laboratory technician at the institute, explained the benefits of the new repeat dispense function, which works in combination with INTEGRA serological pipets: We really appreciate the repeat dispensing function, which we've found incredibly useful; it's so convenient to simply press a button and dispense multiple aliquots from a single aspiration. We don't have to read the volume every time, and filling wells is fast and accurate. Of the many pipetting aids I worked with, PIPETBOY GENIUS controllers are the most sensitive to variations in finger pressure, giving us extremely fine control over dispensing speeds and liquid flow. This is very helpful for avoiding damage to delicate cell monolayers or loss of valuable reagents and unwanted mixing between neighboring wells due to spill-over when filling small multiwell plates." Albert Ries, Laboratory Technician, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Ergonomics is also a priority for Albert and his team: "We often spend hours at the bench pipetting, so having equipment that makes the process more comfortable and efficient is essential for reducing our mental and physical fatigue. The PIPETBOY GENIUS is incredibly light, and I'm impressed that INTEGRA managed to fit all its advanced features into such a compact design. The company's engineers really took the time to talk with people who work with cell cultures and observe what we actually need. It has significantly improved our workflow and become popular across the cell culture labs. I'd recommend it to anyone in the field," Albert concluded. UnitedHealth Group's multibillion-dollar pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, is suing five Kentucky counties in an attempt to force them out of national opioid litigation against the company. Pharmacy benefit managers, often called PBMs, act as middlemen that negotiate prescription drug prices between drug companies, insurance plans, and pharmacies. Some lawyers and advocates say PBMs helped fuel the overdose crisis by failing to restrict the flow of opioid prescriptions. As governments begin exploring potential lawsuits against PBMs a step that could represent the next wave in opioid-related litigation Optum Rx is attempting to shut down those efforts, in some cases before they even fully take shape. Pharmacy Benefit Managers: Companies In The Thick Of Prescription Drug Pricing Play In June, Optum Rx sued Anderson, Boyd, Christian, Nicholas, and Oldham counties in Kentucky for allegedly making decisions about participating in the new wave of national opioid lawsuits behind closed doors, violating Kentucky's open meetings law. Optum Rx is asking courts to effectively force those counties to make their decisions again, this time in open meetings, potentially with the hope that some won't bother because of the administrative burden. The result could be fewer claims against the company and possibly less money for it to pay in a future settlement. But legal experts call Optum's case "hypertechnical" and "frivolous," and addiction recovery advocates say it could set a dangerous precedent for companies to evade accountability for their role in fueling the overdose crisis. Christine Minhee, an attorney, a national expert on opioid litigation, and founder of OpioidSettlementTracker.com, said Optum's suit reminded her of an adage among lawyers: "If the facts are on your side, pound the facts. If the law is on your side, pound the law. If neither is on your side, pound the table." "Right now, what we're seeing is it pounding the table," Minhee said of Optum Rx. The company is "desperately" trying "to find some kind of foothold" to get cases against it thrown out. Minhee said these suits fit a pattern of Optum Rx using thin arguments to try to delay or evade opioid litigation nationwide. Last year, Optum Rx, along with another PBM, asked a judge to throw out an opioid lawsuit filed by Los Angeles County, claiming during a December hearing that the county hadn't shown harm. The judge appeared skeptical of the claims and ultimately rejected the companies' request. In April, the same companies tried to oust a federal judge overseeing national opioid litigation, claiming he was biased. Their argument was based partly on a Florida lawyer's having said the judge was "plaintiff-oriented." Their attempt failed. Now, Optum Rx is working to keep five Kentucky counties out of that same sweeping opioid litigation. That national legal undertaking began more than seven years ago, as jurisdictions saw overdose deaths climb. Many people who had become addicted to prescription painkillers were cut off by their doctors, and some transitioned to using deadlier heroin or fentanyl. Health care and public safety costs skyrocketed. Thousands of cities, counties, and states began suing health care companies for allegedly creating a public nuisance by aggressively marketing prescription painkillers and negligently distributing them. Those cases were lassoed together into the giant multidistrict litigation, which has resulted in massive settlements. The first few waves of settlements involved opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retail pharmacies, with companies such as Johnson & Johnson, CVS, and Walgreens agreeing to pay state and local governments billions of dollars. The money is meant to be used for addiction treatment and prevention services though its rollout has been controversial. To add a new round of companies as defendants, jurisdictions must undertake a multistep process, said Peter Mougey, a Florida-based attorney who represents many local governments in the massive national litigation. The five Kentucky counties in question were in the early stages of that process, only having asked the judge to amend their complaint, he said. They hadn't added Optum Rx yet. If Optum Rx's suits are successful, those counties would have the option of redoing the initial steps of the process in a public meeting, then continuing to add Optum Rx as a defendant, Mougey explained. The company may hope that some counties won't undertake the extra administrative effort. Optum Rx's "goal is clearly just to wear down and tire out these small counties," Mougey said. "They're trying to have a chilling effect on the litigation." It's not clear why Optum Rx targeted those five counties out of the many localities undertaking the process to add the company as a defendant. The Kentucky counties range from having fewer than 8,000 residents (Nicholas) to more than 70,000 (Christian). One is among the richest in Kentucky (Oldham), while others are poorer. Boyd County, in Appalachia, is one of the hardest hit, with a recent overdose rate twice the state average. Optum Rx, in its filing against Boyd County, which was similar to claims against the other counties, said local authorities had taken official legal action by asking the judge to make a change in its case. The suit said such action must be done in a public meeting and that the county did not hold one. Optum spokesperson Isaac Sorensen told KFF Health News that the companys argument is not about "a technicality." It is "an important legal requirement designed to ensure accountability and transparency before a county takes legal action," said the statement Sorensen provided. "We have found many counties ignored this requirement, alongside their duty to preserve relevant evidence, and Optum Rx will defend against these improper legal actions." The five Kentucky counties disagree with these assertions, according to court records. As of late July, all five had filed motions to dismiss Optum Rx's claim. Boyd County, like the others, argued in its motion to dismiss that asking a judge to amend its complaint was a routine, procedural step that did not require a public meeting. Optum Rx jumped the gun, the county argued, filing a case before any final action had been taken. "No amended complaint has been filed. No new defendant, OptumRx included, has been added. No new lawsuit has been initiated," Boyd County's response said. The county also pointed out that it held an open meeting in 2017 that kicked off its involvement in the national litigation and authorized future amendments to that litigation. Hearings on the counties' motions to dismiss Optum Rx's suits are set for late August and early September, according to court records. These cases are shaping up to be a Goliath-versus-David legal action. Although Oldham County is the wealthiest of the Kentucky counties that Optum Rx sued, its most recent budget is less than 0.1% of Optum Rx's annual revenue, which the company reported as exceeding $133 billion in 2024. Oldham County Attorney D. Berry Baxter told KFF Health News he'd seen the impact of the opioid epidemic as a prosecutor working on a growing number of drug-related cases over the years. Now, as settlement money is arriving from other companies, it has funded increased addiction treatment in local jails. More settlement money from additional companies could expand such services, Baxter said. If Optum Rx succeeds in kicking Kentucky counties out of the national litigation, it would set "a really horrific precedent" for other PBMs and health care companies to do something similar, said Tara Hyde, CEO of the statewide nonprofit People Advocating Recovery. Hyde said she's been in recovery for more than a decade from an addiction that began with prescription painkillers for a broken leg. She wants to see PBMs and other companies held accountable and made to change their processes to prevent future crises. Despite a recent decrease in overdose deaths nationwide, Hyde said people in her state, their families, and the economy are still hurting. "Recovery doesn't just happen overnight," she said. "Without these dollars that have been a direct result of people being misled, mistreated, and taken advantage of, we will still be detrimentally impacted." Teaching about periods in schools is still too focused on basic biological facts with insufficient information around how menstruation can affect a woman's mood and wellbeing, problems associated with menstrual bleeding and the impact on physical and academic performance, concludes a new study by UCL (University College London) researchers. The survey and focus group-based research, published in the academic journal Women's Health, also suggests that periods should be taught amongst mixed sex groups as well as single sex at both primary and secondary schools, something which some schools don't currently do. Sex (also known as relationships) education has been compulsory in English primary and secondary schools since 2020, and earlier this year was updated to include topics such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and heavy menstrual bleeding. Sex education, including on periods, is also compulsory in Welsh schools, but isn't in Scotland. But, the researchers say, for many pupils in Britain, that amounts to just two lessons about periods in their whole school career, one in primary school and one in secondary school. Now the academics behind the UCL study are calling for lessons on periods in British schools to be much more comprehensive. Professor Joyce Harper (UCL Institute for Women's Health) said: "Educating pupils about periods may now be compulsory in schools in England and Wales, but we know that for many of them that still only amounts to two lessons in their entire school career. "Our survey suggests that those lessons are still very much concerned with the basic biological facts around menstruation what we and the women who participated in our study are calling for is that lessons on menstruation need to be much more comprehensive, and cover everything from what effect periods can have on a girl or woman's well-being and academic and sporting performance, to what abnormal bleeding looks like. "Our focus groups were also of the view that boys need to be part of that education. It was agreed that classes should not be segregated by gender, believing mixed sessions are crucial for boys' education. "Although some saw value in single-sex classes to allow students to speak more freely, they still felt mixed sessions were essential to improve overall understanding. "They suggested this could help boys understand and support their friends and future partners through menopause. "Through work with the International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration and Wellbeing of Women, we are providing teachers with resources to support teaching about menstruation." Fifty-five women took part in the study divided into two groups based on age: 26 women aged 18 to 25 and 29 women aged 26 to 40. Five focus groups were conducted for each group. They were recruited via the researchers' social media accounts and on that basis the scientists believe they were mostly living in the UK. Many were educated before the topic on menstruation became mandatory in English and Welsh schools. As part of the survey each participant was asked the following questions: how do you feel about having a period?; how does your period affect your well-being?; how do you manage your period and menstrual cycle, and what support do you need (e.g. food, exercise, period trackers, work)? Do you talk to your friends or partner?; and how could we improve education around menstruation, and how was your education at school? One participant pointed to a serious lack of education around periods: "The priority should be to teach the practical application of these hormonal changes; how might we expect these changes to affect our mood, social battery, physical performance and academic performance throughout the month." In their report, the researchers said that menstruation continues to be "highly stigmatised" and that a "lack of education and normalisation of difficult periods restricts individuals from seeking help". Co-author Caroline Musulin (UCL Institute for Women's Health), who conducted the 18-25-year-old study group, said: "Many women endure menstrual problems longer than they should due to the inability to speak openly about uncertainties, fears of being dismissed by healthcare professionals, the view that it's 'just' a painful period or feelings of shame. "Stigma, secrecy, and the expectation to 'cope' with painful periods contribute to the systemic dismissal of menstrual discomfort. "Strict behavioural expectations to conceal menstruation and resource limitations contribute to negative experiences, where dissatisfaction with menstrual practices and management environments exist, along with feelings of disgust if participants feel they have failed to manage their menstruation discreetly." Co-author Dr. Natania Yeshitila (UCL Institute for Women's Health) who conducted the 26-40- year-old study group, said: "The participants felt very strongly that this was missing from the education they had received. "Many believed normal physiological processes, like vaginal discharge, were abnormal. The lack of education on how external factors, such as stress and contraceptive methods, can impact menstrual cycles was another point of confusion." Limitations The recruitment via social media and word of mouth may have introduced sampling bias by attracting people of a similar demographic to the researchers. Also, the study only included cisgender women and further studies need to be conducted on gender-diverse individuals, the researchers said. Cong chief Kharge dials Naveen Patnaik, inquires about his health Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 22:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday spoke to former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who has been hospitalised and wished him a speedy recovery. Patnaik, also the Leader of Opposition in the Odisha assembly, was admitted to SUM Ultimate Medicare here on Sunday evening for dehydration. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Recommended Stories Honourable Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to the recently hospitalised BJD president Naveen Patnaik this evening. He enquired about his health and wished him a speedy recovery," AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. Hospital sources said that the health condition of the BJD chief has improved, and he is now stable". Patnaik urged party supporters to visit his residence, Naveen Niwas, after his discharge from the hospital. PTI SKC SKC NSD NSD First Published: August 20, 2025, 22:30 IST News agency-feeds Cong chief Kharge dials Naveen Patnaik, inquires about his health Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Delhi: Animal rights activists rally in Janakpuri against SC order on stray dogs Last Updated: August 21, 2025, 00:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Animal rights activists and dog lovers held a peaceful rally in Janakpuri on Wednesday to protest against the Supreme Courts order directing authorities in Delhi-NCR to relocate stray dogs to shelters. The activists called for stray dogs to remain on the streets and urged that they be sterilised and vaccinated instead. Recommended Stories The demonstration, organised at the Choti Sabzi Mandi Park in West Delhi, attracted residents, students, senior citizens, and caregivers, many of whom brought their pet dogs and displayed posters. Protesters argued that moving community dogs to shelters would endanger their lives and exacerbate existing issues related to space and care, as the current facilities are inadequate. Community dogs are part of our neighborhoods. Instead of removing them, authorities must enhance sterilisation and vaccination drives. Shelters are either overcrowded or nonexistent," an organiser of the rally stated. Participants carried placards with slogans such as Animal welfare is human welfare" and No removal, only vaccination," while advocating for authorities to focus on long-term, humane solutions. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The rally lasted for about two hours and remained peaceful. Activists expressed their commitment to continue similar campaigns in different parts of the city until their demands are addressed. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had directed authorities in Delhi-NCR to relocate stray dogs to shelters, while also noting that the issue had worsened due to inaction" of civic bodies. PTI SHB MPL MPL First Published: August 21, 2025, 00:15 IST News agency-feeds Delhi: Animal rights activists rally in Janakpuri against SC order on stray dogs Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Haryana: 4 migrant labourers killed, 15 injured as van rams into truck Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 22:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Chandigarh, Aug 20 (PTI) Four migrant labourers were killed when a pick-up van carrying the workers rammed into a canter truck on the KMP Expressway in Haryanas Jhajjar district on Wednesday, the police said. Four people have died in the incident and over 15 are injured," DCP Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district, Mayank Mishra, said over the phone. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Recommended Stories The canter truck driver was also injured in the incident, the police said, adding that the injured workers were hospitalised. The DCP further informed that the group of migrant labourers from UP was heading towards Mahendragarh in the pick-up vehicle when the incident occurred. PTI SUN MPL MPL First Published: August 20, 2025, 22:00 IST News agency-feeds Haryana: 4 migrant labourers killed, 15 injured as van rams into truck Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Man held for drugging and robbing gold supplier of ornaments worth over Rs 1 cr Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 20:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) A man who allegedly drugged his associate, a gold jewellery supplier from Amritsar and fled with nearly 1.34 kg of gold ornaments, was arrested at a Paharganj guest house, an official said on Wednesday. Delhi Police tracked down Prabh Singh (30) and apprehended him from a hotel in Aurangabad in Maharashtra on Sunday after a monthlong operation across Amritsar, Jammu and Aurangabad, he said. Recommended Stories On July 8, Singh and the jewellery supplier checked into a guest house in Tel Mandi in Paharganj for business purposes. Later that night, Singh allegedly mixed sleeping pills in the complainants food, rendering him unconscious, and fled with 1,339.420 grams of gold ornaments, Rs 6,500 cash, and the victims mobile phone, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan said in a statement said. A case was registered against him at Paharganj police station. Technical surveillance revealed that Singh was using hotel Wi-Fi and social media to contact his family while attempting to evade arrest. Despite raids in Amritsar and Jammu, Prabh Singh managed to escape, but was finally nabbed in Aurangabad. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all During interrogation, Singh confessed to the crime and revealed that he had hidden the stolen ornaments with his elder brother Pintu in Amritsar, police said. A raid at their residence led to the recovery of 1.29 kg gold, but Pintu managed to flee, said the DCP. Police said efforts are underway to recover the remaining stolen property and arrest Pintu. PTI BM BM SKY SKY First Published: August 20, 2025, 20:30 IST News agency-feeds Man held for drugging and robbing gold supplier of ornaments worth over Rs 1 cr Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... NATO defence chiefs hold virtual meeting on Ukraine security guarantees Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 15:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Kyiv, Aug 20 (AP) NATO defence chiefs were due to hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, a senior alliance official said, as countries pushing for an end to Russias war on Ukraine devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement. Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of NATOs Military Committee, said that 32 defence chiefs from across the alliance would hold a video conference as a US-led diplomatic push seeks to end the fighting. Recommended Stories US Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATOs supreme allied commander Europe, will take part in the talks, Dragone said on social platform X. US President Donald Trump met last Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and on Monday hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and prominent European leaders at the White House. Neither meeting delivered concrete progress. Trump is trying to steer Putin and Zelenskyy toward a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbour, but there are major obstacles. They include Ukraines demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia wont mount another invasion in coming years. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace," Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight. Kyivs European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, have signed up to support the initiative. Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the US might play in is unclear. Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending US troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept NATO troops in Ukraine. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Zelenskyy said the strikes only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential." (AP) GRS GRS First Published: August 20, 2025, 15:30 IST News agency-feeds NATO defence chiefs hold virtual meeting on Ukraine security guarantees Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Nepals claim on Lipulekh neither justified nor based on historical facts: MEA Last Updated: August 21, 2025, 00:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) India on Wednesday categorically rejected Nepals objection to a decision by New Delhi and Beijing to resume border trade through Lipulekh pass, saying Kathmandus claims on the territory are not justified. India and China on Tuesday agreed to resume border trade through Lipulekh pass and two other trading points. Recommended Stories The Nepalese foreign ministry on Wednesday objected to the move to resume border trade through Lipulekh pass saying the territory is an inseparable part of Nepal. In 2020, Nepal triggered a border row by issuing a political map that showed Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh as part of the country. India had strongly trashed the claims. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal rejected Nepals territorial claims. We have noted the comments of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal related to resumption of border trade between India and China through the Lipulekh pass," he said. Our position in this regard has been consistent and clear. Border trade between India and China through Lipulekh pass had commenced in 1954 and has been going on for decades," he added. Jaiswal said the trade had been disrupted in recent years due to COVID-19 pandemic and other developments, and both sides have now agreed to resume it. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As regards territorial claims, our position remains that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. Any unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable," he said. India remains open to constructive interaction with Nepal on resolving agreed outstanding boundary issues through dialogue and diplomacy," he added. PTI MPB KVK KVK First Published: August 21, 2025, 00:15 IST News agency-feeds Nepals claim on Lipulekh neither justified nor based on historical facts: MEA Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... GST 2.0 To Benefit Common Man, Small Businesses And Farmers, Says FM Nirmala Sitharaman Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 18:21 IST The finance minister presents to GoMs from states the Centre's blueprint for the next generation of GST reforms, describing it as a step towards making India Aatmanirbhar. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday addresses the Group of Ministers (GoMs) constituted by the GST Council on Compensation Cess, Health & Life Insurance, and Rate Rationalisation at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the GST rate rationalisation, which may reportedly include reducing the GST structure to two slabs of 5% and 18%, will provide relief to common man, farmers, the middle class and MSMEs, while ensuring a simplified, transparent and growth-oriented tax regime. This would enhance affordability, boost consumption and make essential and aspirational goods more accessible to a wider population," Sitharaman said, according to a post by the finance ministry on X. Recommended Stories Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman today addressed the Group of Ministers (GoMs) constituted by the GST Council on Compensation Cess, Health & Life Insurance, and Rate Rationalisation at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Union Minister of State for pic.twitter.com/hMRFOCwXBF Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) August 20, 2025 The finance minister said this during a meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoMs) constituted by the GST Council on Compensation Cess, Health & Life Insurance, and Rate Rationalisation, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Sitharaman also said the new GST regime will make people self-sufficient and boost growth in manufacturing and MSMEs. The Union finance minister also presented to GoMs from states the Centres blueprint for the next generation of goods and services tax (GST) reforms, describing it as a step towards making India Aatmanirbhar while committing to build consensus with states in the coming weeks. Speaking to Groups of Ministers (GoMs) on rate rationalisation, insurance taxation, and compensation cess, Sitharaman emphasised that the proposal by the Central Government is with a vision to usher in the next generation of GST reforms in Indias journey towards becoming the Atmanirbhar Bharat. According to a PTI report citing a source present at the meeting, the Union finance ministers address lasted about 20 minutes, during which she explained the rationale for reforms and urged states to support the transition. The rate rationalisation GoM is scheduled to meet again on August 21. Two-Slab GST Structure The three GoMs will over two days deliberate on the Centres next-gen GST reforms under which tax will be levied at 5 and 18 per cent rates. A special 40 per cent rate has been proposed on 5-7 items, including sin goods. Currently, GST is levied at 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%, with luxury and demerit goods in the highest bracket and many food and essential items either exempt or taxed at 5%. At the GoM meeting, finance minister said, The next-generation GST stands on three pillars: structural reforms, rate rationalisation, and ease of living." Exemption for Insurance Premiums For Individuals Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, who is also the convenor of insurance GoM, said the Centre has proposed exempting health and life insurance premiums from GST for individuals, to which some states differed. Currently, such premiums attract 18% GST. The Centres proposal is clear that the insurance sectors individual and family (policies) should be exempt from GST. This has been discussed and the GoM report will be presented to the Council," Choudhary told reporters. The panel, comprising ministers from 13 states including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, will submit its report to the GST Council by October-end. Union Minister of State for Finance, Chief Minister of Goa, Deputy CM of Bihar and Finance Ministers of States in the three GoMs were also present at the meeting. Fiscal Impact and Next Steps According to an SBI Research estimate, the proposed changes could lead to a revenue loss of about Rs 85,000 crore annually, and about Rs 45,000 crore in the current fiscal if implemented from October 1. The research note said the effective weighted average GST rate has already fallen from 14.4% at inception to 11.6% in 2019, and may drop further to 9.5% post-reforms. The GoM on compensation cess is also deliberating on the levys future after repayment of loans taken to compensate states during the pandemic. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Once the GoM reports are finalised, the proposals will be placed before the GST Council, which includes representatives from the Centre and all states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 79th Independence Speech last week announced that the rollout of the GST reforms is targeted by Diwali 2025. About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h... Read More Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 18:13 IST News business economy GST 2.0 To Benefit Common Man, Small Businesses And Farmers, Says FM Nirmala Sitharaman Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Infosys Gives 80% Average Bonus Payout To Employees For Q1 FY26: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 17:11 IST The bonus, applicable to employees in Band 6 and below (which largely includes junior and mid-level staff), is linked to performance ratings across levels, according to a report. Infosys Bonus Payout For Q1 FY26. IT major Infosys has rolled out its quarterly performance bonus for the first quarter of FY2025-26, with an organisation-wide average payout of 80 per cent, according to a Moneycontrol report citing an internal communication. The move follows the Bengaluru-headquartered companys strong June 2025 quarter earnings, where it beat analyst expectations on both profit and revenue. The bonus, applicable to employees in Band 6 and below (which largely includes junior and mid-level staff), is linked to performance ratings across levels. For PL4 employees, payouts range between 80-89 per cent, while PL5 employees will see 78-87 per cent, and PL6 employees will receive 75-85 per cent, depending on their performance category. Recommended Stories At PL4, those rated Outstanding" will get 89 per cent of their eligible bonus, while those marked Needs Attention" are set at 80 per cent. At PL6, top performers will receive 85 per cent, with the lowest band fixed at 75 per cent. Infosys has informed employees that their individual bonus letters will be uploaded to their e-dockets. The average payout this quarter is higher than the previous one, which stood at around 65 per cent for eligible staff. The company posted an 8.7 per cent year-on-year rise in net profit to Rs 6,921 crore in Q1, while revenue grew 7.5 per cent to Rs 42,279 crore, surpassing Street forecasts. This comes against the backdrop of wider compensation changes at the company. Infosys had earlier announced that it would roll out 68 percent annual salary hikes for employees in India starting January 2025, with a second phase in April 2025. Broadly, the comp (annual salary increment) that we are expecting is 6-8% in India, and the overseas comps will be in line with the earlier comp reviews," Infosys CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka had said after its Q3FY25 results. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Infosys employs over 3.23 lakh professionals. The development follows rival Tata Consultancy Services announcement of a wage hike effective September 1, even as it reportedly prepares to lay off about 12,000 employees this year. About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h... Read More Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 17:11 IST News business Infosys Gives 80% Average Bonus Payout To Employees For Q1 FY26: Report Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... HAL, Other Defence Stocks Surge Up To 4% As Govt Approves Rs 62,000 Crore Tejas Mark 1A Order Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 10:11 IST Tejas programme, backed strongly by Defence Ministry and the IAF, is seen as a key step in Indias self-reliance in defence manufacturing Representational Image Defence stocks, including Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) rallied on Wednesday after the government cleared a major deal worth Rs 62,000 crore for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to acquire 97 LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets. HAL shares climbed 3.5% to a days high of Rs 4,611.60 on the BSE, while BDL gained 1.35% to Rs 1,570.45. The approval, cleared at a high-level government meeting, paves the way for HAL to begin production of the aircraft. Recommended Stories This is the second big order for the Tejas Mark 1A. The first, placed a few years ago, was for 83 jets worth nearly Rs 48,000 crore. With the latest deal, the IAFs order book now stands at 180 Tejas fighters, which will replace the ageing MiG-21 fleet being phased out in the coming weeks, defence officials said. The Tejas programme, backed strongly by the Defence Ministry and the IAF, is seen as a key step in strengthening Indias self-reliance in defence manufacturing. It is also expected to create opportunities for hundreds of small and medium enterprises in the supply chain. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a vocal supporter of the indigenous fighter project. He became the first Indian PM to fly in a combat aircraft when he undertook a sortie in the trainer variant of Tejas, later describing the experience as enriching" and a testament to Indias defence capabilities. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The latest order comes alongside other approvals worth Rs 1.6 lakh crore by the Defence Acquisition Council, including the purchase of 156 LCH Prachand helicopters and upgrades for 84 Su-30MKI fighters. Inducted into service in 2016, Tejas is currently flown by two IAF squadrons. With the new order, the Mark 1A variant is set to form the backbone of the IAFs fighter fleet in the years ahead. Deliveries from the earlier order of 83 jets, worth Rs 36,468 crore, are scheduled to start from February 2024, adding to HALs production pipeline. About the Author Aparna Deb Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 10:11 IST News business markets HAL, Other Defence Stocks Surge Up To 4% As Govt Approves Rs 62,000 Crore Tejas Mark 1A Order Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 23:36 IST Mumbai is under an orange alert on Wednesday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast heavy rain in the city and nearby regions for the day. Mumbai Rains Today, Weather Forecast Highlights: The rain-soaked Mumbai experienced some relief from relentless rain on Wednesday as the city limped back to normal. The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow nowcast warning for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Ratnagiri districts. Public services, including local trains and buses, have resumed in the city, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarifying that the situation was under control. He also said his government is coordinating with other states to release water from dams. Incessant rains in Mumbai had flooded streets, stranded commuters and vehicles struggling to navigate the inundated roads on Tuesday, recording more than 300 mm of rainfall in 24 hours. According to data released by the Maharashtra Disaster Management Department, six people have lost their lives in rain and flood-related issues in the last 24 hours in the state. No More Goa Detours For Konkan Trip: Sindhudurgs Chipi Airport To Resume Services Soon Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 12:16 IST The Chipi airport, located in Parule-Chipi village of Sindhudurg district, was inaugurated with the promise of connecting the picturesque Konkan region with major cities The Konkan region is a magnet for tourists, with its pristine beaches, temples, forts, and world-famous Malvani cuisine. (PTI File) In major relief for Sindhudurg residents and boost to Konkans tourism sector, the state cabinet on Wednesday approved resumption of operations at the Chipi airport, which had remained non-operational in recent weeks due to technical challenges. The Chipi airport, located in Parule-Chipi village of Sindhudurg district, was inaugurated with the promise of connecting the picturesque Konkan region with major cities. However, the suspension of flights had forced both locals and tourists to fall back on road travel or rely on airports in neighbouring Goa, causing inconvenience and hampering regional tourism. Recommended Stories With the cabinets approval, the services will now restart under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) model, ensuring sustained operations and solutions for night-landing facilities. The resumption of services at Chipi Airport will benefit not just Sindhudurg but the entire Konkan region. Tourists from Maharashtra and outside will find it easier to access our beautiful coastline. We are making every effort to resume flights before Ganeshotsav," said Minister Nitesh Rane who represents Konkan region in the state assembly. He also thanked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the cabinet for prioritising this decision. For years, Konkans connectivity has been a challenge. While the region is a magnet for tourists, with its pristine beaches, temples, forts, and world-famous Malvani cuisine, the lack of direct air access limited its growth. Tourists from Mumbai, Pune, and even other states had to either embark on long, exhausting road trips or fly into Goas Dabolim and Mopa airports before making the onward journey into Maharashtras Konkan. With Chipi airport set to resume operations, that extra travel burden will finally be lifted. This decision is also timely, with the upcoming Ganeshotsav festival, when thousands of Mumbaikars and Maharashtrians travel to their native towns and villages in Konkan. Until now, overcrowded trains, long traffic jams, and limited alternatives made the journey a stressful experience. The reopening of Chipi airport is expected to transform this scenario, offering faster and more convenient travel for devotees heading home for the festival. Economically, the airports revival is expected to be a game-changer. Local businesses from hotels and homestays to transport operators, handicraft sellers, and small eateries stand to gain from the surge in tourist arrivals. Direct air connectivity will not only attract domestic travellers, but also pave the way for international charter flights in the future, giving Konkans tourism sector a much-needed boost. The airport will also open new opportunities for local youth in terms of employment in aviation-linked services, hospitality, and tourism. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all With VGF support resolving critical operational gaps, the Chipi airport could finally emerge as a reliable hub for air travel in Maharashtras coastal belt. For Sindhudurg and the Konkan region, the cabinet nod is not just about reopening an airport, it is about unlocking the regions potential and ensuring that its beauty and culture are accessible to the world. About the Author Mayuresh Ganapatye Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa... Read More Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa... Read More Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. First Published: August 20, 2025, 12:15 IST News cities mumbai-news No More Goa Detours For Konkan Trip: Sindhudurgs Chipi Airport To Resume Services Soon Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Schools, Colleges Closed In Thane, Panvel, Navi Mumbai & Lonavala; No Holiday For Mumbai Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 08:37 IST School Holiday News: Schools in Thane, Panvel, Navi Mumbai, and Lonavala remain closed today due to heavy rains, while Mumbai schools stay open as BMC has not announced a holiday. Schools, Colleges Shut in Thane, Panvel, Navi Mumbai and Lonavala IMD Red Alert. Amid an IMD Red Alert warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, all schools, colleges, training centres, and anganwadis in Thane, Panvel, Navi Mumbai, and Lonavala will remain closed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. However, educational institutions in Mumbai are functioning as usual after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) clarified that no holiday had been declared for the city. Normal life across several districts has been thrown out of gear due to continuous downpours, with flood-like situations being reported in low-lying areas. Recommended Stories Fake Holiday Notice Goes Viral On Wednesday, a message claiming that all schools and colleges in Mumbai would remain shut on August 20 due to a red alert by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) went viral on social media. The fake notice, designed to look like an official post from BMCs verified account, spread rapidly across WhatsApp groups and other platforms, causing confusion among students and parents. BMC quickly issued a clarification on X (formerly Twitter), dismissing the notice as fake. This message is fake. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has not issued any such information through its official social media platforms," the civic body posted, while also sharing a screenshot of the forged message. ALSO READ: SBI PO Prelims 2025 Result Expected By This Week? Heres What We Know So Far While Mumbai is on orange alert, neighbouring Raigad district is under a red alert with predictions of heavy to very heavy rainfall. IMD has also forecast heavy showers in parts of Thane and Palghar. Flight operations at Mumbai airport are likely to face delays, while local train services may also be impacted due to the rain. Commuters have been advised to plan their travel accordingly. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to meteorological reports, the intense rainfall is linked to a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, coupled with strengthening monsoon winds. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reviewed the flood situation with the disaster management department and warned that the next 48 hours will be critical for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts, all under varying levels of alert. About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 08:37 IST News education-career Schools, Colleges Closed In Thane, Panvel, Navi Mumbai & Lonavala; No Holiday For Mumbai Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... NCERT Introduces New Modules On Operation Sindoor, Calls It A Saga Of Valour And Bravery Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 09:05 IST NCERT has rolled out new modules on Operation Sindoor, presenting it as a military success, a technological breakthrough, and a political message rolled into one. NCERT Launches Modules on Operation Sindoor, Hails Mission of Courage. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has rolled out new modules on Operation Sindoor, presenting it as a military success, a technological breakthrough, and a political message rolled into one." The modules, designed for secondary and middle school students, use a conversational style between teachers and learners to explain how India launched its decisive military campaign in May 2025 following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Recommended Stories Operation Sindoor: A Response To Terror The texts recall the Pulwama terror attack of February 2019, in which a suicide bomber named Adil Ahmed Dar rammed a car filled with explosives into one of the buses. The blast killed 40 CRPF personnel and injured many others." They also highlight the subsequent Balakot airstrike on 26 February 2019, when Mirage 2000 fighter jets targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp inside Pakistan. The narrative links these events to the abrogation of Article 370, noting that peace and development followed in Jammu and Kashmir with improved schools, better connectivity, and record tourist inflows. However, it adds, Pakistan was not ready to see peace in Kashmir after Article 370 abrogation." The immediate trigger for Operation Sindoor was the April 22, 2025, attack by terrorists from The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, on tourists in Pahalgams Baisaran Valley, which left 26 men, including one Nepali national, dead. The modules describe Prime Minister Narendra Modi cutting short his Saudi Arabia visit to return home and condemn the killings. Candlelight marches, Muslim communities wearing black armbands, and border villagers demanding strong action" are also documented. A Mission Of Honour And Bravery The operation, launched on May 7, 2025, at 1.05 am, was named Sindoor as a tribute to the widows of the victims. Sindoor which symbolises the marital bond. By naming the operation Sindoor, our countrys leadership and armed forces paid tribute to the widows of the victims. It was to show solidarity, empathy, and respect," the Prime Minister is quoted as saying. According to the modules, in just 22 minutes, precision strikes destroyed nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including hubs at Muridke and Bahawalpur. The success was attributed to Made-in-India weapons, advanced jets like Rafale and Su-30MKI using indigenous missiles, including BrahMos, and drones providing real-time surveillance." ISROs satellites also played a crucial role. While Pakistan retaliated with drones, artillery, and missiles, Indias multi-layered air defence, including S-400 and Akash systems, thwarted the threats. Not one critical Indian asset was damaged," the text stresses. The modules also detail the Navys role in asserting maritime dominance and the Border Security Forces efforts in foiling infiltration attempts. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is quoted saying the mission showed that India can break through any enemy defence using what weve made ourselves." The human cost is acknowledged, with references to Pakistans ceasefire violations that killed 14 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir by targeting schools and religious sites. However, the modules emphasise that India did not target civilians" and ensured its strikes were a precise and responsible answer to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism." Diplomatic Impact The lessons further highlight Indias global outreach, noting that the US officially designated TRF as a foreign terrorist organisation in July 2025 after India presented evidence. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Summing up, the module describes Operation Sindoor as a triumph of bravery, strategy, and innovation," reminding students that the terror attack was meant to create fear and hatred between communities. But people chose unity and courage." (With inputs from ANI) About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 08:58 IST News education-career NCERT Introduces New Modules On Operation Sindoor, Calls It A Saga Of Valour And Bravery Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Parliament Passes Bill To Establish IIM In Guwahati, Admissions To Start This Year Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 21, 2025, 13:24 IST The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025 allows the new institution to start admitting students from this academic year, Pradhan said. Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the establishment of IIM-Guwahati will contribute to India's goal of becoming the world's third-largest economy. (File Photo) The countrys 22nd Indian Institute of Management (IIM) will be established in Guwahati, with an investment of Rs 555 crore. The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was approved by Parliament on Wednesday, allowing the new institution to start admitting students from this academic year, according to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill with a voice vote despite an opposition walkout. The Lok Sabha had already cleared the bill on Tuesday. Following approval from both Houses, the bill will now go for Presidential assent. Assam is set to hold elections early next year. Recommended Stories The bill has been passed with a support of Rs 555 crore, posted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Parliament clears bill to set up Indias 22nd IIM in Guwahati with 555 crorehttps://t.co/4H9yeSSDmgvia NaMo App pic.twitter.com/2WrzjlS4oQ PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 21, 2025 Pradhan stated that the establishment of IIM-Guwahati will contribute to Indias goal of becoming the worlds third-largest economy, reported PTI. This will be the ninth IIM set up since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014. The minister highlighted that from 1961 to 2014, only 13 IIMs were established, whereas the number of students has significantly increased from 3,500 in 2013-14 to 9,800 in 2024-25. In 2017, a historic decision allowed IIMs to award degrees instead of PG Diplomas. Pradhan emphasised that IIMs have become institutions of national importance. IIM Guwahati will function similarly to a university upon its establishment. Now with enactment of 2017 Act by Parliament, IIM became a full-fledged university-like institution. IIM Guwahati, when it starts functioning, (will be) as good as a university, an institution of national importance," the education minister said. The minister criticised the Congress government under Manmohan Singh for ignoring Assam during 2004-14. He mentioned that foreign universities are preparing to open campuses in India, and two IITs have recently opened abroad in Abu Dhabi and Africa. IIM-Ahmedabad is renowned for producing unicorns. The establishment of IIM-Guwahati is part of a special development package for Assam. Currently, there are 21 IIMs designated as institutions of national importance. During the debate, members like Goll Baburao (YSRCP), Niranjan Bishi (BJD), and M Thambidurai (AIADMK) voiced concerns about vacant faculty posts and rising student suicides. Bishi requested more IIMs in Odisha and urged measures to fill 500 vacant faculty positions and stop ragging in IIMs and IITs. Thambidurai called for an investigation into vacant vice-chancellor posts in Tamil Nadu universities. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP) expressed that the Congress ignored Assams demands and that the new IIM would benefit the entire Northeast. He requested priority admission for Northeast students at IIM-Guwahati. Praful Patel (NCP) welcomed the bill, noting the importance of spreading education across the country. K Laxman (BJP) pointed out that only one IIM was set up during the UPA regime, while nine were established under Modis administration. He highlighted the need for an IIM in Telangana. Geetha (BJP) supported the bill, noting that Assam students will no longer need to travel for education. Ravichandra Vaddiraju (BRS) and Kanad Purkayastha (BJP) spoke about the benefits for youth and startups. Naresh Bansal (BJP), Rambhai Harjibhai Mokariya (BJP), and Ramji (BSP) also participated in the debate. About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 19:50 IST News education-career Parliament Passes Bill To Establish IIM In Guwahati, Admissions To Start This Year Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... UG, PG Medical Seats Likely To Rise By 8,000 This Academic Year: NMC Chief Curated By : Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 20:58 IST India may get nearly 8,000 additional UG and PG medical seats this academic year, NMC chief Dr Abhijat Sheth said. NMC chief Dr Abhijat Sheth says UG, PG medical seats may rise by 8,000 this year. The number of undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats in India is expected to rise by nearly 8,000 in the current academic year, National Medical Commission (NMC) chief Dr Abhijat Sheth has said. Counselling for NEET-UG is already underway, with the first round completed and the second scheduled to begin by August 25. PG counselling is expected in September. Concerns had been raised that the availability of medical seats might shrink this year after the CBI unearthed an alleged nexus involving Union Health Ministry officials, NMC members, middlemen, and private medical college representatives accused of manipulating the regulatory framework. Following the July crackdown, the NMC had put on hold approvals for seat increases and new courses. Recommended Stories The CBI has named 34 people in its FIR, including eight health ministry officials, a National Health Authority official, and five doctors who were part of the NMC inspection team. Dr Sheth, however, indicated that the process has resumed. Along with my appointment, the president of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) has also been appointed. We have taken up completion of inspection of UG medical seats on a priority basis, and the assessments are under progress," he told PTI. We expect an increase of roughly 8,000 seats (UG and PG seats combined) based on the number of applications we have received in this academic year." At present, India has 1,18,098 undergraduate (MBBS) seats 59,782 in government institutions and 58,316 in private and 53,960 postgraduate seats, of which 30,029 are in government and 23,931 in private colleges. On speculation of a drop in MBBS seats this year, Dr Sheth said, Because of the ongoing (CBI) inquiry, the numbers of UG seats may have reduced. However, overall, the number of seats is eventually going to increase by 8,000 or even more after the completion of the total inspection process." On postgraduate admissions, he added: The process for the inspections of medical college, which have applied for new PG seats, has been initiated and we are confident that new seats will also be added to the PG counselling process." NExT Exam Still Some Way Off Dr Sheth also addressed queries on the National Exit Test (NExT) for final-year MBBS students, mandated under the NMC Act, calling it a novel concept" but stressing the need for consensus. NExT is a novel concept, no doubt but there are many unanswered questions. We have to ensure that this model is compatible with the medical education that we are providing to our students," he said, pointing to challenges around shifting from state-level university exams to a central model, deciding difficulty levels, and creating a positive perception" among students and faculty. Fear among students has to be allayed and their confidence level for this exam has to be created. Awareness has to be made that this examination is not going to be difficult for them but it is going to be a fair assessment for them," he added, noting that its rollout will take a while." ALSO READ: Parliament Passes Bill To Establish IIM In Guwahati, Admissions To Start This Year Balancing Numbers And Quality India has seen a sharp rise in the number of medical colleges since 2014, sparking concerns about quality. Dr Sheth emphasised that expansion and quality must go hand in hand. The increase in number is required to bring sustainable quality in the medical education over the long term and to bring uniformity of delivery in the healthcare across the country," he said. At the same time, while increasing the number of colleges, we will have to ensure the quality of medical education doesnt get diluted." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The NMC, he said, has begun strengthening accreditation standards on faculty, infrastructure, and clinical material, and is promoting a phydigital" model of medical education combining skills training, virtual tools, and e-learning. On integrating private and government resources, Dr Sheth noted: We want to tap this opportunity to integrate these institutions for the medical education purpose, to ensure that we can get better clinical resources for the aspiring medical students. And hence, the integration is very important, and this is the concept which my team would like to take forward." About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 20:58 IST News education-career UG, PG Medical Seats Likely To Rise By 8,000 This Academic Year: NMC Chief Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Uttarakhand Assembly Passes Minority Education Bill, To Replace Madrasa Education Board Act Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 19:13 IST The Uttarakhand chief minister said that with the bill's implementation, the Madrasa Education Board Act 2016 will expire on July 1, 2026. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. (PTI File) The Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Minority Education Bill, 2025, on Wednesday, August 20. This bill allows institutions operated by Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, Parsi, and Muslim communities to receive minority status benefits. Upon enactment, the Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act, 2016, and the Uttarakhand Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules, 2019, will be repealed, effective from July 1, 2026, reported PTI. In a social media post, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated, Today (on Wednesday), the Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill-2025 was passed in the Assembly. Till now, the recognition of minority institutions was limited only to the Muslim community." Recommended Stories He mentioned that issues like irregularities in distributing central scholarships and mid-day meals, along with a lack of transparency in management, had been prevalent in the Madrasa education system for years. The chief minister stated that the implementation of the bill would lead to the expiration of the Madrasa Education Board Act 2016 and the Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules 2019 on July 1, 2026. As many as 452 madrasas are registered under the Madrasa Education Board. Till now, only the Muslim community was given the status of minority educational institution in the state. But after the implementation of the new bill, other minority communities of the state will also be able to get this facility. The CM added that all minority community educational institutions would now receive transparent recognition, improving the quality of education and safeguarding students interests. Dhami emphasised that the government would gain the authority to effectively monitor minority educational institutions operations and issue necessary instructions. The bill establishes an authority from which educational institutions set up by minority communities must seek recognition. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all This authority will work to promote educational excellence in these institutions, ensuring that children from minority communities receive quality education and support for their academic development. The authority will ensure that education in these institutions meets the standards set by the Uttarakhand Board of School Education, and that student evaluations are conducted fairly and transparently. About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 19:02 IST News education-career Uttarakhand Assembly Passes Minority Education Bill, To Replace Madrasa Education Board Act Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 2025, The Year to Stay Away: Why Indians Are Putting American Dream On Pause Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 10:17 IST According to U.S. State Department, wait times for B1/B2 tourist and business visas in India have crossed 300 days. In Chennai, applicants are being asked to schedule to mid-2026. Shackles and Deportation Flights: The Climate of Fear Among Indians Already in America For generations, America has been a rite of passage for Indian families. Students set off for Ivy League campuses, IT professionals chased Silicon Valley opportunities, and tourists planned family pilgrimages to Niagara Falls or Times Square. But in 2025, that dream has curdled. Delays, fees, policy shifts, and fear are all converging, creating the perfect storm for Indians trying to enter the United States. Recommended Stories Visa Delays Stretching Into Oblivion The most immediate obstacle is paperwork paralysis. According to U.S. State Department figures, wait times for B1/B2 tourist and business visas in India have crossed 300 days. In Chennai, applicants are being asked to schedule slots as late as mid-2026. Travel operators in Hyderabad and Delhi say families are calling in desperation, asking whether there are backdoor" channels to speed up appointments. But the rules are rigid. Emergency slots exist, but those are limited to funerals, medical emergencies, or critical business delegations not for family trips or conferences. An Economic Times analysis in June 2025 estimated that more than 100,000 Indian travelers had to postpone or cancel U.S. trips in the first half of the year alone. For a country that sends the largest number of B1/B2 applicants globally, this backlog feels like a chokehold. Students Stuck in the Backlog The crisis is most visible in higher education. Consultants are warning that Indian student arrivals in the U.S. this autumn could fall by 70 to 80 percent. Universities that usually receive thousands of Indian students each fall are preparing for half-empty lecture halls. The numbers back the fear. F-1 visa approvals dropped from 103,495 in 2023 to just over 64,000 in 2024, a decline of 38 percent. Washington Post reports highlight cases of Indian students whose visas were revoked after minor offenses, from unpaid traffic tickets to participation in peaceful campus protests. One such student, accepted into an engineering program in Ohio, told Indian media: I sold land, I got a bank loan, and I cleared TOEFL. But my visa interview is in November, two months after classes start. My dream is slipping away." For many, deferral to 2026 is the only option. Others are abandoning the U.S. altogether and heading for Canada, Germany, or Australia, where visa processes are smoother. The Trump Effect: Politics at the Border If delays were about bureaucracy alone, there might still be patience. But Trumps return to the White House in January 2025 has injected politics into the mix. His administration has suspended visa interviews for months, introduced a $250 Visa Integrity Fee" across most non-immigrant categories, and pushed for stricter vetting at every step. At airports, even travelers with valid visas report being held for hours and questioned about their online activity. Some are sent back on the next flight home, without explanation. Trump himself has fanned uncertainty, calling Ivy League universities too foreign" and promising to cut down H-1B approvals to protect American workers." For Indians, who account for a majority of global H-1B holders, these signals land like thunderclaps. The message is clear: you may not be welcome. Deportations and Fear Among Indians in the U.S. The pressure isnt just on those trying to enter. It is also on those already there. Deportations of Indians have spiked, with daily removals averaging eight in 2025 compared to three under Biden. Some deportees have been returned in chartered planes, shackled at wrists and ankles images that went viral in Indian newsrooms and sparked diplomatic protests. Even legal residents feel the tremors. H-1B workers hesitate to travel abroad for fear of being denied re entry. Green card holders whisper about avoiding extended trips back home. The uncertainty has seeped into every layer of the diaspora, undermining confidence that the U.S. is still a safe bet. Tourism Takes a Backseat Ironically, airfares have plummeted. An Ahmedabad-New York ticket that cost Rs 2.2 lakh last year is now available for Rs 85,000. But consultants warn this is not generosity, it is collapse. With fewer visas being issued, demand has dried up, forcing airlines to cut fares to fill empty cabins. Travel agencies in Mumbai and Bengaluru report a 60 percent drop in U.S. package bookings. Honeymooners are choosing Europe. Families saving up for Disneyland are rerouting to Singapore or Dubai. Elderly travelers seeking medical care in U.S. hospitals are stuck in limbo, their appointments missed because visas did not arrive in time. Business Travelers Losing Momentum Corporate travel is another casualty. For decades, Indian executives flew at short notice to sign contracts, attend expos, or join board meetings in America. Now, with visa appointment wait times stretching close to a year, such spontaneity is impossible. A Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) note in July 2025 warned that these delays could dent Indo-U.S. trade, particularly in IT and pharma sectors. Many companies are redirecting their delegations to Singapore or Frankfurt, where visas are faster and policies friendlier. Alternatives Rising and India Watching Closely The vacuum left by the U.S. is being filled quickly. Canada continues to attract Indian students with smoother processes and post-study work options. Germany has become a magnet for engineering aspirants, thanks to tuition-free public universities. Australia and the U.K. are already reporting record-high Indian intakes for fall 2025. At a diplomatic level, the Ministry of External Affairs has voiced concern about the treatment of Indians abroad, particularly the rise in deportations. Analysts suggest that unless the U.S. recalibrates its policies, people-to-people ties could suffer, affecting the goodwill that underpins strategic cooperation between the two democracies. A Year to Stay Away Put together, the message is unmissable. The United States still has one of the worlds best universities, the largest tech ecosystem, and iconic tourist destinations. But in 2025, it has also become a fortress: clogged gates, higher costs, hostile politics, and a climate of fear. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all For Indians, the price is steep emotionally, financially, and practically. Students risk losing entire semesters. Families lose savings on canceled trips. Businesses lose deals. And a diaspora that once carried the American dream in its veins now carries unease. This is not the year to chase the American dream. Unless policies ease and trust is rebuilt, the U.S. risks not just missing one intake of students or one season of tourists, but losing the long-term confidence of one of its most vital global partners. First Published: August 20, 2025, 10:17 IST News explainers 2025, The Year to Stay Away: Why Indians Are Putting American Dream On Pause Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Ceasefire Or Peace Deal? Zelenskyy, Putin And Trump Want To End The War, But Not The Same Way Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 11:25 IST Ukraine is pushing for a ceasefire, Russia demands a permanent deal, and US says peace is close. But the visions of 'ending the war' could not be further apart Days after meeting Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump on Monday hosted Ukrainian President Zelensky and European leaders at the White House. As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, a renewed burst of global diplomacy is underway, this time with US President Donald Trump playing a central role. In the past week alone, Trump has held talks with both Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, alongside several European leaders. The aim, at least publicly, is peace. But what peace" means depends on who you ask. Recommended Stories While Ukraine and many of its European allies are pushing for an immediate ceasefirea temporary halt to hostilitiesTrump and Putin appear to be aligned on something more permanent: a full-fledged peace deal. The problem? The deal on the table, at least as articulated by Moscow, may be incompatible with international law, and deeply unacceptable to Kyiv. Key Difference Between A Ceasefire And A Peace Deal A ceasefire is a temporary pause in fighting. Its often used to allow for humanitarian relief, evacuations, or space for further negotiations. Crucially, it doesnt imply any formal recognition of the current military status quo. Each side holds onto what it controls on the battlefield, but that control is not legally acknowledged. A peace deal, by contrast, is a permanent legal settlementusually a treatyoutlining the future of relations between the warring parties. It may involve territorial changes, political recognition, or security guarantees. And in this war, thats where things get complicated. International law, including the United Nations Charter, explicitly prohibits territorial acquisition by force. Jeremy Pizzi, a legal adviser with Global Rights Compliance, told CNN that any treaty reached through military coercion would be inherently void." That means if Ukraine is pressured to give up its land just to stop Russian attacks, the agreement would not only violate global norms, it would be illegal. Why Ukraine (And Europe) Are Cautious About A Peace Deal European leaders have made clear that they support a temporary ceasefire as a step toward dialogue, but not at the cost of recognising Russias conquests. Speaking after the White House summit, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he cant imagine that the next meeting will take place without a ceasefire," underlining the view that peace talks must be built on a halt in fighting, not territorial surrender. As per CNN, Kyiv and its European allies suggested that a ceasefire might be a precursor for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin, followed by a trilateral meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Putin. This cautious stance is rooted in both principle and experience. Ukraine and its allies argue that rewarding Russia with land would undermine the foundational global rule that force cannot decide borders. European countries, especially those near Russia, worry they could be next if such a precedent is set. Zelenskyy also faces a legal constraint. Ukraines constitution mandates that any change to national borders be ratified via a public referendum. Even if Kyivs leadership wanted to concede territory, which, publicly, it does not, it would face enormous domestic resistance. According to CNN, a recent poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) found overwhelming opposition among Ukrainians to ceding land, even under military pressure. What Does Russia Want? According to The Washington Post, Russia formally laid out its settlement terms in a document handed to Ukrainian representatives during a round of direct negotiations in June. The demands are sweeping: Territorial Recognition : Russia wants Ukraine to legally recognise the annexation of five regionsCrimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhiadespite the fact that much of this territory is still contested or held by Ukrainian forces. : Russia wants Ukraine to legally recognise the annexation of five regionsCrimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhiadespite the fact that much of this territory is still contested or held by Ukrainian forces. Demilitarisation : The Kremlin is asking for severe restrictions on Ukraines military, including limits on troop size, weapons, and deployment capabilities. : The Kremlin is asking for severe restrictions on Ukraines military, including limits on troop size, weapons, and deployment capabilities. Neutrality : Russia insists Ukraine must abandon aspirations of joining military alliances, particularly NATO. It also opposes any future stationing of foreign forces, including peacekeepers, on Ukrainian soil. : Russia insists Ukraine must abandon aspirations of joining military alliances, particularly NATO. It also opposes any future stationing of foreign forces, including peacekeepers, on Ukrainian soil. Sanctions Relief : Moscow wants Western sanctions lifted, a full restoration of trade and diplomatic ties, and a waiver of mutual claims" for damage caused during the war. : Moscow wants Western sanctions lifted, a full restoration of trade and diplomatic ties, and a waiver of mutual claims" for damage caused during the war. No Nuclear Weapons: Although Ukraine has no nuclear arsenal, Russia demands formal guarantees that it wont acquire or host nuclear weapons in future. Zelenskyy, by contrast, maintains that Ukraine will not surrender sovereignty or accept neutrality as a permanent solution. What Is Trumps Position And Why Is It Problematic? Trump, after meeting both Putin and Zelenskyy, claimed that peace is within reach." But he has offered few details about what that peace might look like. Trump has publicly endorsed Putins push for a permanent peace deal and downplayed the need for a ceasefire. He has also echoed some of Moscows positions, including ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine and suggesting land swaps might be discussed." In a social media post on Sunday, Trump wrote that Crimea is not coming back" and reiterated that there should be NO GOING INTO NATO" for Ukraine, positions that align with Russias long-standing red lines. This has raised concerns among Ukraines European partners, as reported by CNN, with analysts at the Eurasia Group warning that Trump may not understand, or care about, the importance of the distinction" between de facto military control and legal territorial transfer. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News that Washington may consider offering Ukraine Article 5-style security guarantees, similar to NATOs collective defence clause, but through bilateral agreements with the US and European countries, not via NATO itself. Putin, according to Witkoff, was open" to this, though Russia has not publicly confirmed any such concession. Why Ukraine Wont, And Legally Cant, Cede Territory Even if Ukrainians were to vote in a referendum to give up land (which polling suggests is highly unlikely), legal experts say such a treaty would still violate international law. The prohibition of using armed force to conquer territory is absolute under international law," Pizzi told CNN. The stakes are also military. As WP notes, some of the regions still held by Ukraine in Donetsk are crucial for defence. Cities like Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and Kostiantynivka are connected by vital rail and road networks, forming a strategic buffer between Russian forces and Ukraines heartland. Losing them could leave western Ukraine dangerously exposed. Zelenskyy has also insisted that any peace arrangement must include the return of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers, especially children abducted by Russia and prisoners of war. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed this at the White House, saying child repatriation should be a top priority. Why Sanctions And Frozen Assets Remain Key Bargaining Chips Russias economy has been hit hard by Western sanctions, including the freezing of over $300 billion in central bank assets held abroad. Trump has hinted that some sanctions relief could be on the table if a deal is reached, though he hasnt elaborated. Moscow wants an end to all Ukraine-related sanctions and the unfreezing of its global assets. The European Union, however, has proposed using the interest generated from those frozen reserves to fund Ukraines recovery and military effort. France has floated a compromise: using the assets as collateral, with the understanding that they could be released if Russia adheres to the terms of any agreement, or seized if it doesnt. The Bottom Line: Ceasefire Is Lawful, Peace Deal May Not Be International legal experts say that while a ceasefire may be politically and legally feasible, a permanent peace treaty under Russias current terms is not. As Pizzi explained, international law makes it almost politically impossible to conclude a peace treaty when the victim is not winning. And my response to that is: Thats the point." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Kyiv and its allies appear to be open to freezing the conflict along current lines for now, but not formalising that freeze as a recognition of Russian territorial gains. Meanwhile, Russia continues to demand more than it holds, and Trump appears willing to entertain those demands, setting the stage for what may be the most high-stakes negotiation of his presidency. For now, Ukraine is asking for a ceasefire. But it may get a deal it cannot, and legally must not, sign. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar... Read More Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 11:19 IST News explainers Ceasefire Or Peace Deal? Zelenskyy, Putin And Trump Want To End The War, But Not The Same Way Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opposition Slams It, Tharoor Backs It: What The Bill To Remove PM, CMs Really Proposes Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 15:35 IST No trial, no conviction, just 30 days in jail could cost top political leaders their post, under a bill the government calls reform and the Opposition calls dangerous Shashi Tharoor's remarks are significant given his increasing divergence from the Congress leadership. In a striking end to the Parliament session, the Centre introduced three billsthe Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Billthat could fundamentally alter how political accountability works for those in high office. The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill proposes automatic removal of a prime minister, chief minister, or minister from office if they are in judicial custody for 30 consecutive days. Recommended Stories Importantly, this removal would occur regardless of conviction; mere custody for a month would trigger the removal. The condition? The offence for which the individual is arrested must be one that carries a punishment of five years or more. Any such individual would automatically cease to hold office on the 31st day of detention. They could, however, be reappointed later by the President or the governor if released. The governments rationale is to bring elected leaders at par with civil servants, who are suspended from service upon arrest. Its being framed as a step to curb the criminalisation of politics, an issue often cited in debates around political reforms. The proposed provisions would also extend to Union Territories and Jammu and Kashmir, which operate under separate administrative statutes. What Prompted The Government To Bring This Now? Currently, there is no bar on ministers continuing in office after arrest, unless they are convicted. The Representation of the People Act allows for disqualification only if the conviction carries a sentence of at least two years. This gap was brought into sharp focus over the past year in cases involving leaders like former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Tamil Nadus Senthil Balaji. Kejriwal spent over five months in jail without trial before the Supreme Court granted him bail. During this time, he continued as CM and only resigned after being released. Under the new law, he would have automatically lost his post on the 31st day of custody. Similarly, Senthil Balaji, arrested in a money laundering case, was retained as a minister without portfolio by CM MK Stalin, sparking a constitutional standoff with the Tamil Nadu Governor. Why Is The Opposition Calling The Bill Draconian? Opposition parties have described the bill as an unconstitutional overreach and a political weapon in disguise. Several leaders fear it could become a tool to topple governments in Opposition-ruled states using selective arrests. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called it a draconian" measure, warning: Tomorrow, you can file any case against a chief minister, have him/her arrested for 30 days without conviction and he ceases to be a chief minister? It is absolutely anti-constitutional and undemocratic." #WATCH | On the bill for the removal of the PM, CMs, and ministers held on serious criminal charges, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, I see it as a completely draconian thing, as it goes against everything. To say it as an anti-corruption measure is just to pull a veil pic.twitter.com/Or5Q6effKK ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi echoed this, stating the best way to destabilise Opposition governments is to unleash biased central agencies" and remove their elected leaders without defeating them electorally. Smaller parties have also pushed back. RSPs NK Premachandran said the legislation had an ulterior motive", while AIMIMs Asaduddin Owaisi called it unconstitutional" and accused the BJP of turning India into a police state". #WATCH | Delhi | On the bill for the removal of the PM, CMs, and ministers held on serious criminal charges, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi says, This bill is unconstitutional..Who will arrest the Prime Minister?All in all, the BJP government wants to make our country a police pic.twitter.com/b8b7UTn6Pn ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 RJDs Sudhakar Singh went further, claiming India risked becoming like Pakistan or Bangladesh, where opposition leaders are either in jail or abroad". Opposition leaders have argued that mere custody, not conviction, would now be enough to trigger political removal under the new bill, a concern amplified by the frequent use of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to arrest political figures who are then denied bail for extended periods. This comes amid sharp Supreme Court criticism of the ED in recent months. The Chief Justice had questioned whether the agency was being used for political battles" and had warned it not to act like a crook". What Has The BJP Said In Its Defence? The ruling BJP insists the bills are anti-corruption measures, not political tools. The government argues that ministers should not be allowed to continue in high office while in jail, as it undermines public trust. BJP MLA Arvind Bellad said the bill was a welcome move", recalling how in the past, chief ministers have tried to rule the government despite being in jail". The Centre maintains that the reforms would tighten legal loopholes and uphold ethical standards in governance. Why Does Shashi Tharoor Think Differently? Amid strong opposition to the bill, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has struck a markedly different tone, defending the core idea behind the legislation. Speaking to NDTV, Tharoor said: If you spend 30 days in jail, can you continue to be a minister? This is a matter of common sense I dont see anything wrong in this." Tharoor also welcomed the possibility of the bill being referred to a Parliamentary Select Committee, saying: I think it is good for our democracy to have a discussion within the committee so lets have that discussion." His remarks are significant given his increasing divergence from the Congress leadership. His recent comments praising Prime Minister Narendra Modis dynamism" and his participation in discussions skipped by his own party have raised eyebrows. However, Tharoor has firmly denied any plans to join the BJP, telling NDTV: It is not a sign of my leaping to join the Prime Ministers party as some people have been implying." Whether his support for the bill is a matter of principle or political signalling, it underscores the widening gap between him and the Congress high command. What Happens Next? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The bill was introduced on the last day of the session and is likely to be sent to a select committee for deeper examination. If passed in its current form, it could redefine the balance between due process and political accountability, and set off a legal-political battle over constitutional validity and federalism. As it stands, the draft has stirred an intense debate, not just between the government and the Opposition, but within the Opposition itself. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar... Read More Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 15:16 IST News explainers Opposition Slams It, Tharoor Backs It: What The Bill To Remove PM, CMs Really Proposes Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The Real Story Of Gopal Patha: Hero, Vigilante, Or Misunderstood Symbol? Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 07:50 IST As Vivek Agnihotris new film The Bengal Files revisits the 1946 Calcutta riots, it has reignited debate over Gopal Patha, a controversial but largely forgotten figure Gopal Pathas name is tied to one of the bloodiest chapters in Indias pre-independence history. When the trailer of The Bengal Files was released on August 16 in Kolkata, it featured a character with a red tilak, seated before an idol of Kali, speaking to a crowd about Hindu decline and blaming Gandhis principle of non-violence. The character, though unnamed, was recognisable, especially in Bengal, as being based on Gopal Chandra Mukherjee, known locally as Gopal Patha. For most of the country, the name meant little. For his family, it meant trouble. In the days since the trailers release, Pathas grandson has filed a police complaint, sent a legal notice to the filmmaker, and accused the production of distorting his grandfathers legacy. Recommended Stories The Historical Context: Calcutta, August 1946 Gopal Pathas name is tied to one of the bloodiest chapters in Indias pre-independence history the communal violence that erupted in Calcutta during the week of August 16, 1946, now remembered as the Great Calcutta Killings. The violence began after the All-India Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, called for Direct Action Day" to press its demand for a separate Muslim homeland. The League had grown increasingly frustrated with the Congress-led negotiations with the British, and August 16 was meant to be a nationwide show of strength. But in Bengal, where the League was in power, it spiralled into something far more deadly. Riots broke out in Calcutta on the morning of August 16 and continued for nearly four days. Streets turned into battlegrounds. Shops were looted, homes set ablaze, and thousands were hacked or burned to death. While the violence eventually engulfed all communities, contemporary reports suggest some of the earliest attacks occurred in Hindu localities. As law and order crumbled and the British colonial administration remained largely disengaged, some men took it upon themselves to organise armed resistance. One of them was Gopal Patha, a 33-year-old from College Street who ran a goat meat shop. The Man And His Methods The nickname Patha", Bengali for goat, came from his family business. But Gopal Patha was more than a butcher. He was a wrestler and associated with the Anushilan Samiti, a revolutionary nationalist group. Faced with reports of attacks and with no visible state protection, Patha mobilised local youth into an armed unit, which he later named Bharater Jatiya Bahini (Indian National Force). Pathas actions were controversial even at the time. He was feared, followed, and criticised in equal measure. Some saw him as a neighbourhood protector who stepped in when the state failed. Others saw him as a dangerous strongman who escalated the violence. His Own Words: The 1997 Interview In 1997, former BBC journalist Andrew Whitehead interviewed Gopal Patha. Patha openly admitted to forming an armed group, raising funds from local sawmills and factories, and issuing cash payments for killings: For one murder, you get Rs 10. For a half-murder, Rs 5. Thats how we got started." It was a chillingly transactional account. But alongside this, Patha repeatedly emphasised that his men were given moral limits: I had given strict orders not to misbehave with women, not kill any women Do not loot." In his telling, this wasnt indiscriminate revenge; it was retributive justice, targeted only at those he claimed had attacked Hindus. He positioned himself as someone responding to state failure, not as someone leading a communal war. The rhetoric was brutal, but layered with a sense of self-ascribed discipline: If you come to know that one murder has taken place, you commit 10 murders. That was the order for my boys It was my duty." This idea of duty, to protect, to retaliate, to uphold community honour, ran through his words. So did a rejection of Gandhian non-violence. When Gandhi came to Calcutta in 1947 and asked for weapons to be surrendered as a gesture of peace, Patha refused outright: With these arms I saved the women of my area Where was Gandhiji during the Great Calcutta Killing?" He made it clear that idealism, in his view, had no place when people were being butchered in the streets. These remarks are not just historical quotes; they frame the core of the current debate. Gopal Patha saw himself as a necessary force of resistance, one who stepped in when the state and moral appeals had failed. But whether that self-image should be accepted, and whether it justifies the extent of the violence, is exactly what makes his portrayal in The Bengal Files so contentious. To his family, his code of restraint and his post-riot anonymity make him a protector. To others, the violence he unleashed and the language he used suggest a vigilante who normalised revenge. And that split, between the way he remembered himself, and the way others choose to represent him now, is what lies at the heart of the storm around the film. The Film At The Centre Of The Storm The Bengal Files, earlier titled The Delhi Files, is the third film in Vivek Agnihotris Files" trilogy, after The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files. It explores the communal violence that broke out in Bengal during the 1940s, particularly the Great Calcutta Killings triggered by Direct Action Day in 1946 and the subsequent Noakhali riots. Written and directed by Agnihotri, the film stars Mithun Chakraborty, Sourav Das, Saswata Chatterjee, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Priyanshu Chatterjee and Darshan Kumar. It is slated to release in theatres on September 5, 2025. Early Warnings: The Family Raised Concerns In 2023 Long before The Bengal Files entered the public domain, Gopal Pathas family had already expressed concern that his legacy was being misrepresented. In 2023, on the 77th anniversary of the Calcutta riots, his grandson Santanu Mukherjee spoke to ThePrint from the familys Central Kolkata office. He said his grandfather took up arms to protect Hindus, not to stoke hatred. He pointed out that Patha continued buying goats from Muslim sellers even during the violence. Santanu also said that his grandfathers ethics came from the Anushilan Samiti, and that he laid down rules: no attacks on innocents, no targeting of women. He said the family had been approached for a possible biopic, but backed out when they felt the story was being politicised. History is nuanced," he said. One should not twist it for narrow ends." This was 2023, two years before the films trailer dropped, but the anxiety over how Pathas story would be retold was already surfacing. The Legal Complaint That fear, according to Santanu Mukherjee, was realised when the trailer of The Bengal Files was released. In a statement to India Today, he said he was particularly angered by a reel posted by director Vivek Agnihotri that referred to his grandfather as Ek tha kasai Gopal Patha." He called the label derogatory and misleading" and emphasised that his grandfather was a freedom fighter and a wrestler, not a butcher. He also alleged that the family was never contacted during the making of the film. The family has since filed an FIR and served a legal notice to Agnihotri. What The Filmmakers Say Director Vivek Agnihotri has denied any distortion, saying the character is only inspired" by Gopal Patha and is shown as a hero. He was a hero. I have shown him as a hero in the film," Agnihotri said. Ive taken a small bit from his BBC interview and used his words verbatim. I know people in Bengal regard him as a hero, and thats how he is portrayed." A Legacy That Still Divides Gopal Patha remains a deeply polarising figure. Police officers from the time called him ferocious but helpful." Eyewitnesses described him as a criminal who also saved lives. Historians are divided; some highlight his retaliatory violence, others focus on the power vacuum he stepped into. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He never claimed to be peaceful, but he claimed to be principled. He lived and died with that version of himself. Now, as a new generation encounters him on screen, his family says that version is under threat. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 07:46 IST News explainers The Real Story Of Gopal Patha: Hero, Vigilante, Or Misunderstood Symbol? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... News / National by Mandla Moyo Bulawayo's deputy mayor, Edwin Ndlovu, was acquitted on Wednesday of corruption charges linked to a proposed cement plant investment, bringing to an end months of court proceedings that had placed him under intense scrutiny.Ndlovu had been accused of demanding a US$20,000 bribe from a company seeking land to establish the project. But Magistrate Richard Ramaboea cleared him of wrongdoing, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.In his judgment, Ramaboea described the State's key evidence as "contradictory and unreliable," noting that the inconsistencies in witness testimony "were material and went to the root of the case." He added: "The State did not provide sufficient evidence to sustain a conviction."The acquittal marks a significant victory for Ndlovu, a senior figure in the Bulawayo City Council, who had consistently denied the allegations and maintained that he was the target of political machinations.Speaking briefly after the verdict, the deputy mayor said the ruling had vindicated him. "I am grateful that the truth has prevailed. I can now focus fully on serving the people of Bulawayo," Ndlovu told reporters.The National Prosecuting Authority has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the decision.The case had attracted wide public attention, coming at a time when Bulawayo is struggling to attract large-scale industrial investment. Observers said the trial had threatened to dent investor confidence in the city's leadership, particularly as officials have been pushing to lure new projects to boost employment and economic growth. What Is The Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025? How It Will Impact Residents Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:13 IST The amendment ensures Greater Bengaluru Authority wont override municipal corporations, which keep control over taxes, finances, elections & reservations under the 74th Amendment Smaller corporations mean ward committees can focus on hyper-local issuespotholes, garbage collection, or water supplypotentially leading to faster resolutions. (Getty Images) With a population of over 15 million, Bengaluru has outgrown its administrative framework. Thus, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to modernise civic governance. Building on the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, this amendment fine-tunes a bold restructuring plan that replaces the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) with a decentralised model. The bill is a response to Bengalurus rapid expansion, where a single municipal body struggles to manage issues such as traffic, waste, and water supply. But what exactly does this bill do, and what does it mean for Bengalurus residents? Lets break it down. Recommended Stories Why Bengaluru Needs A Governance Overhaul Bengalurus population has nearly doubled since the BBMP was formed in 2008, swelling from 7.5 million to an estimated 15 million. The BBMP, designed for a smaller city, has been stretched thin, grappling with inefficiencies in managing garbage, infrastructure, and civic services. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, passed on March 10 aimed to fix this by splitting the BBMP into multiple municipal corporationsup to seven, though likely three to fiveunder a new apex body, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). This three-tier structure (GBA, city corporations, and ward committees) was meant to decentralise power, boost local accountability, and streamline services. However, the 2024 Act sparked concerns. Critics, including opposition parties like the BJP and JD(S), argued that the act centralised power under the GBA, chaired by the Chief Minister, potentially undermining the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which champions local self-governance. Public interest litigations (PILs) questioning whether the GBA could override municipal autonomy were filed. The 2025 Amendment Bill, tabled by Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar, addresses these concerns, aiming to clarify roles and protect local bodies powers. Key Provisions Of The Amendment Bill The Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025, refines the 2024 Act with a focus on clarity and autonomy. Heres what it does: Protects Municipal Independence: The amendment explicitly states that the GBA will not interfere in the functioning of municipal corporations, which retain powers over taxation, financial autonomy, elections, and reservations as per the 74th Amendment. This responds to court petitions alleging excessive state control. Five Municipal Corporations: While the 2024 Act allowed for up to seven corporations, the amendment settles on fiveCentral, North, East, West, and Southeach with a population of at least 10 lakh, a density of 5,000 per square kilometre, annual revenue of Rs 300 crore, and a workforce primarily in non-agricultural sectors. Each corporation will have its own council, mayor, and deputy mayor, with terms of 30 months. Role of the GBA: The GBA, chaired by the Chief Minister with the Bengaluru Development Minister as vice-chairperson, coordinates among corporations and civic agencies like the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation, and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board. It finalises recruitment rules, appoints Group A and B officers, and oversees city-wide planning, but the amendment ensures it does not encroach on local powers. Elections and Boundaries: The amendment prioritises holding elections within existing civic limits to avoid legal hurdles, such as automatically converting panchayat members into corporators if village boundaries are added. Future boundary expansions will involve consultations with legislators. Financial Clarity: To address revenue disparitiesMahadevapura generates the highest tax revenue, while other areas lagthe state will support deficit corporations without transferring funds between them, as this would violate constitutional norms. Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC): The bill strengthens the Bengaluru MPC, with the GBA as the planning authority under the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961. However, critics note the Chief Ministers dual role as GBA and MPC chair may centralize planning power. What The Act Means For Bengalurus Residents For Bengalurus citizens, the amendment promises a mixed bag of opportunities and challenges. Heres how it could impact daily life: Improved Local Governance: Smaller corporations mean ward committees can focus on hyper-local issuespotholes, garbage collection, or water supplypotentially leading to faster resolutions. Residents in areas like Mahadevapura or Whitefield might see better-tailored services compared to the one-size-fits-all BBMP approach. Enhanced Participation: Empowered ward committees could give citizens a stronger voice in decisions, from local budgets to infrastructure projects. This aligns with the bills aim for participatory governance, though success depends on active community engagement. Financial Equity: State support for revenue-deficit corporations could reduce disparities between affluent areas like Mahadevapura and less prosperous zones, ensuring more uniform development. However, concerns linger about political favouritism in fund allocation, especially if different parties control the state and corporations. Potential Challenges: The transition from BBMP to multiple corporations could create confusion, with overlapping roles between the GBA and civic agencies like the BDA. Residents might face delays if coordination falters. The Chief Ministers central role in the GBA and MPC has sparked fears of state overreach, potentially diluting local accountability. Elections and Representation: With BBMP elections stalled for over four years, the amendments push for timely polls is a win for democracy. However, the shortened mayor tenure (from five years to 30 months) and the inclusion of all elected representatives (MPs, MLAs) in the GBA with voting rights could skew power dynamics, favouring state legislators over local corporators. Long-Term Growth: The bill aims to integrate urbanised villages into the Greater Bengaluru Area, preparing for future growth. This could improve infrastructure in peripheral areas but risks legal and administrative hurdles if not planned carefully. What Lies Ahead? The Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is a step towards making Bengalurus governance more responsive to its sprawling size and diverse needs. By clarifying the GBAs role and safeguarding municipal autonomy, it addresses legal and political pushback while aiming for decentralised efficiency. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all For residents, it could mean better services and a louder voice, but only if implementation avoids bureaucratic tangles and political interference. As Bengaluru evolves, the success of this reform will hinge on transparent execution and genuine community involvement. About the Author Shilpy Bisht Shilpy Bisht, Deputy News Editor at News18, writes and edits national, world and business stories. She started off as a print journalist, and then transitioned to online, in her 12 years of experience. Her prev... Read More Shilpy Bisht, Deputy News Editor at News18, writes and edits national, world and business stories. She started off as a print journalist, and then transitioned to online, in her 12 years of experience. Her prev... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 12:48 IST News explainers What Is The Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025? How It Will Impact Residents Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Who Owns Crimea? Why Neither Russia Nor Ukraine Will Back Down Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 12:21 IST Sitting strategically in the Black Sea, Crimea is officially recognised by most of the world as part of Ukraine, yet it is controlled and administered by Russia. Since annexation, Russia has fully integrated Crimea into its systems, but Ukraine has never accepted it. (Image: AFP) US President Donald Trump is pushing for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, which have been locked in conflict for more than three years. Last week, Trump sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. On Monday, he followed it up with a meeting in Washington with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, joined by leaders from Britain, Italy, France, Germany, the European Union, and NATO. Trumps Alaska talks with Putin ended without major breakthroughs. Still, he announced that a direct MoscowKyiv meeting will take place soon, followed by a three-way discussion after his talks with Zelenskyy. Recommended Stories At the Washington meeting, the US reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraines security in any potential peace deal. However, Trump made his conditions clear: Ukraine would have to drop its hope of reclaiming Crimea and abandon the idea of joining NATO. Zelenskyy could end the war almost immediately, if he wants to," Trump said, adding that for Ukraine there was no getting back" Crimea and NO GOING INTO NATO." Zelenskyy pushed back, insisting that Russia should not be rewarded" for invading Ukraine. The biggest sticking point remains Crimea. Russia has claimed the peninsula as its own since its 2014 annexation, while Ukraine continues to insist it is an inseparable part of its territory. The question of who really owns Crimea has become one of the sharpest flashpoints in the ongoing RussiaUkraine war. So, why is Crimea at the centre of this war and why does it matter so much for both countries? Lets break it down. The Importance Of Crimea Crimea is a diamond-shaped peninsula in Eastern Europe that juts into the Black Sea, attached to Ukraines mainland by a thin isthmus. Almost surrounded by waterthe Black Sea to the south and west, and the smaller Sea of Azov to the northeastit covers around 27,000 square kilometres. Its landscapes range from mountain ranges in the south to fertile northern steppes, along with a subtropical coastline that sustains both farming and tourism. Strategically, Crimea is invaluable. Sevastopol, home to Russias Black Sea Fleet, gives Moscow a powerful naval base to extend its reach into the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and North Africa. Unlike Russias frozen northern ports, Crimeas warm-water harbours function year-round, making them critical for trade and military operations. The peninsula is also rich in resources, including offshore oil and gas reserves, as well as fishing and agricultural sectors. Its ports and pipelines play a crucial role in key trade and energy routes. For Russia, Crimea is both a military shield and a reminder of past imperial strength. For Ukraine, it is about sovereignty, territorial integrity, and access to the sea. Centuries Of Power Struggles Over Crimea Crimeas history is layered with conquests and cultural shifts. Humans have lived here for thousands of years, with Greek texts from 3,000 years ago mentioning the region. In the 7th century BCE, Scythians ruled the steppes, while Greeks established coastal colonies like Chersonesus near present-day Sevastopol. The peninsula later saw the rule of the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Mongols. By the 15th century, the Crimean Khanate emerged as a Tatar state tied to the Ottoman Empire, thriving on trade and raids. Russia under Catherine the Great annexed Crimea in 1783, driving demographic changes by bringing in ethnic Russians and pushing out Tatars. The 19th century brought the Crimean War (18531856), where Russia clashed with Britain, France, and the Ottomans for control of the region. During World War II, Nazi forces occupied Crimea. In 1944, Joseph Stalin deported over 200,000 Crimean Tatars, accusing them of aiding the Nazisan action that led to mass deaths and trauma. In 1954, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred Crimea from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR), marking 300 years of Russo-Ukrainian unity. The decree was officially formalised by the Praesidium of the Supreme Soviet. Post-Soviet Era (19912014) When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Crimea became part of independent Ukraine under the Belovezha Accords signed by Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. It was recognised globally as Ukrainian territory. Kyiv granted Crimea autonomy as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea," complete with its own parliament and constitution, reflecting the peninsulas mix of Russian-speaking majority, Tatars, and Ukrainians. But tensions lingered. Many Crimeans leaned towards Russia culturally and politically. Under the 1997 Partition Treaty, Russia leased Sevastopol for its fleet, with rights for up to 25,000 troops. This deal, extended in 2010 in return for cheaper Russian gas, acknowledged Ukraines sovereignty while keeping Russia deeply entrenched in the region. Still, disputes over identity and language simmered, with Russian dominating public life. Pro-Russian movements occasionally flared, but Ukraine held control. The Orange Revolution of 2004 and the 2010 victory of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych highlighted Ukraines east-west divide, setting the stage for bigger conflicts. 2014 Annexation By Russia Events escalated during Ukraines Euromaidan protests in late 2013, which pushed President Yanukovych from power in February 2014 after he backed away from an EU deal under Russian pressure. Moscow, calling it a Western-backed coup, acted swiftly. On February 27, 2014, unidentified armed menlater acknowledged as Russian soldierstook over Crimeas parliament and key sites. Within weeks, Russia organised a controversial referendum, claiming 97% support for joining Russia. Tatars and pro-Ukraine groups largely boycotted it, and international observers reported irregularities under military pressure. On March 18, 2014, President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty formally absorbing Crimea into Russia as two federal subjects: the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. While the takeover was largely bloodless, it violated international law, particularly the 1994 Budapest Memorandum in which Russia had guaranteed Ukraines borders in exchange for nuclear disarmament. In response to Russias takeover of Crimea, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution reaffirming Ukraines territorial integrity and rejecting the referendum100 countries supported the motion, 11 opposed, and 58 abstained. The US imposed sanctions on Russian officials, freezing assets and restricting travel, while vowing never to recognise the annexation. The European Union introduced sweeping restrictions on finance, energy, and defence, banning investments in Crimea. These sanctions have since been renewed multiple times, with the latest extension valid until January 2026. Russia was also ejected from the G8, which reverted to the G7. Only a handful of countrieslike Syria, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Afghanistanrecognise Russias claim. Broader UN votes, such as the 2022 resolution against further annexations, won overwhelming support with 143 nations in favour. Life In Crimea Since 2014 Since annexation, Russia has fully integrated Crimea into its systems. The ruble replaced the hryvnia, Russian laws came into force, and residents were automatically given Russian citizenship unless they refused. Elections are held under Russian supervision, though dismissed abroad as illegitimate. Moscow invested heavily in infrastructure, most notably the 19-kilometre Kerch Strait Bridge opened in 2018, connecting Crimea directly to Russia. This boosted trade and tourism despite Western sanctions. But the human rights picture tells another story. Reports by Human Rights Watch and others document a crackdown on dissent, especially targeting Crimean Tatars. Their representative body, the Mejlis, was banned as extremist," and activists have faced arrests, disappearances, and torture. Over 100 political prisoners remain detained as of 2025. Ukrainian-language schools and media have been marginalised under a push for Russification. While Russia boasts of development, critics highlight systemic repression and shrinking freedoms. Ukraine has never accepted Crimeas annexation. For Kyiv, the peninsula is occupied territory, and restoring it remains a non-negotiable demand. Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasised that peace is impossible without Crimeas return. Through the Crimea Platform, launched in 2021, Ukraine has rallied global support to reverse Russias hold. Legal actions at the International Court of Justice and calls for stricter sanctions are part of this push. Kyiv views Russias annexation as a blatant breach of the UN Charter and bilateral treaties, and refuses to entertain compromises. Why Crimea Matters In The Russia-Ukraine War top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Crimea is at the heart of the war that began with Russias full-scale invasion in 2022. The peninsula serves as Russias military launchpad, hosting missile strikes from Sevastopol, acting as a supply hub, and bristling with defences against Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine has struck back, targeting the Kerch Bridge and Russias Black Sea Fleet, sinking several ships and disrupting supply lines. Symbolically, Crimea has become a test of Russias imperial ambitions versus Ukraines sovereignty and survival. Putin calls it historically Russian, while Ukraine insists that reclaiming it is vital to its independence. About the Author Surbhi Pathak Surbhi Pathak, subeditor, writes on India, world affairs, science, and education. She is currently dabbling with lifestyle content. Follow her on X: @S_Pathak_11. Surbhi Pathak, subeditor, writes on India, world affairs, science, and education. She is currently dabbling with lifestyle content. Follow her on X: @S_Pathak_11. First Published: August 20, 2025, 12:15 IST News explainers Who Owns Crimea? Why Neither Russia Nor Ukraine Will Back Down Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Air Safety At Risk': Parliamentary Panel Flags Urgent Need For Overhaul Of Civil Aviation Reforms Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 14:59 IST A central finding of the report was the weakness of the DGCA, which the panel said suffers from acute staff shortages and ineffective recruitment mechanisms. The committees review was prompted by heightened concern among lawmakers following the recent Ahmedabad air crash (File photo) The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has issued a strong call for sweeping reforms in Indias civil aviation sector, warning that systemic shortcomings pose growing risks to passenger safety and the future of the industry. The panel, chaired by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha, tabled its 380th report on overall reforms in civil aviation in Parliament on Tuesday after adopting it on August 19. The committees review was prompted by heightened concern among lawmakers following the recent Ahmedabad air crash, in which an Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after take-off, claiming the lives of 241 passengers. The incident, which shook public confidence, added urgency to the panels deliberations. Recommended Stories Strengthening the Regulator A central finding of the report was the weakness of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which the panel said suffers from acute staff shortages and ineffective recruitment mechanisms. It recommended granting the DGCA both financial and administrative autonomy to strengthen oversight. Without such empowerment, the committee warned, the regulator would continue to lag behind global safety benchmarks. The panel also voiced concern over the mounting workload of air traffic controllers (ATCs), who manage increasingly congested skies under high stress. It recommended the introduction of a Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS), strict enforcement of duty-hour limits, and a long-term staffing plan to reduce fatigue-related risks. Safety Oversight and Accountability Highlighting unresolved safety deficiencies, the committee flagged the serious risk" posed by the growing backlog of pending issues and called for time-bound enforcement and stricter penalties. It also pressed for a comprehensive safety review of helicopter operations, including mandatory terrain-specific pilot training, a uniform regulatory framework, and closer monitoring of state-operated helicopters flying in high-risk areas. The panel underscored the need for systematic tracking of runway incidents such as incursions and overruns, which have been recurring in Indian airports. A dedicated mechanism to investigate and prevent such risks was proposed. A Cultural Shift in Safety One of the most notable recommendations was the adoption of Just Culture" principles in safety governance. This approach encourages open reporting of errors without punitive action, protects whistleblowers, and helps create a culture of transparency. The panel stressed that such a shift is essential if India is to prevent accidents and move towards a proactive safety regime. Infrastructure and Capacity On infrastructure, the report urged the creation of a National Capacity Alignment Plan to ensure that airport expansion keeps pace with the rapid induction of new aircraft. The panel cautioned that the imbalance between growing fleets and inadequate infrastructure was putting unsustainable pressure on existing airports. It also called for modernisation of air traffic management systems using artificial intelligence, greater professional representation in the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and a faster overhaul of airport technologies. Building Human Capital Manpower shortages were flagged as another bottleneck. The panel recommended scaling up pilot training infrastructure, adding more Flying Training Organisations (FTOs), inducting additional training aircraft, and introducing a ranking system for FTOs to improve quality standards. Alongside, it urged stricter enforcement of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) and initiatives to address the mental health and fatigue of both pilots and ATCs. Boosting Domestic MRO Given Indias heavy reliance on foreign facilities for aircraft maintenance, the report pressed for expansion of the domestic Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) ecosystem. Tax reforms and targeted policy support were recommended to make India a competitive hub for MRO services, thereby reducing costs and dependence on overseas facilities. The day-long meeting preceding the adoption of the report brought together key stakeholders, including Civil Aviation Secretary Sameer Sinha, senior officials from the DGCA, the Airports Authority of India, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, along with senior executives from airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet. Representatives from helicopter operators also made detailed submissions. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Several parliamentarians participated in the deliberations, including BJP MPs Kesridevsinh Jhala, S Phangnon Konyak, Surendra Singh Nagar, Anil Firojiya, Tapir Gao, Rajeev Pratap Reddy, Anurag Sharma, and Rahul Kaswan; Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi, Neeraj Dangi, and KC Venugopal; John Brittas of the CPI(M); Mian Altaf Ahmad of the National Conference; Kumari Shailaja; June Maliah of the TMC; and Uday Srinivas of the Jana Sena Party. The panel cautioned that unless systemic reforms are urgently undertaken, Indias aviation sector risks facing compromised safety, overstretched infrastructure, and weakened governance. First Published: August 20, 2025, 14:59 IST News india 'Air Safety At Risk': Parliamentary Panel Flags Urgent Need For Overhaul Of Civil Aviation Reforms Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Amid Trump Tariffs, India To Launch FTA Negotiations With Eurasian Economic Union Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 23:47 IST The commerce ministry told the Rajya Sabha that India has strengthened its trade ties over the past five years, signing five major FTAs and progressing on several new deal. There is a growing trade turnover between India and the EAEU, which stood at USD 69 billion in 2024, registering a 7% increase over 2023. (Image for representation: IMAGEN 4 ENGINE) Amid the Trump administrations imposition of 50 percent tariffs, India may have one more free trade agreement in the pipeline as it launch negotiations with the Eurasian Economic Union, which has Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation. India signed the terms of reference (ToR) with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), on Wednesday. It was signed by Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, Ajay Bhadoo, and Deputy Director, Trade Policy Department, Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), Mikhail Cherekaev. Recommended Stories During his visit, Bhadoo also called on minister incharge of trade, EEC, Andrei Slepnev. The heads of negotiation groups apprised the minister about the milestone achieved with the signing of the ToR and discussed next steps to formally launch the negotiation process, including organisational aspects of the future trade deal. The ToR provides the framework for negotiations and is expected to unlock untapped trade potential, increase investments and establish a stronger, durable India-EAEU economic partnership. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the early conclusion of the agreement and to building a long-term institutional framework for trade cooperation," a commerce ministry statement said. There is a growing trade turnover between India and the EAEU, which stood at USD 69 billion in 2024, registering a 7 percent increase over 2023. With a combined GDP of USD 6.5 trillion, the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) is expected to expand market access for Indian exporters, support diversification into new sectors and geographies, enhance competitiveness against non-market economies, and deliver significant benefits to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that India has strengthened its trade ties over the past five years, signing five major FTAs and progressing on several new deals. The agreements inked over the past five years include the India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) implemented in 2021, the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) in 2022, the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in 2024, and the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) signed in 2025, which is yet to come into force. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all India has concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Oman, and is in advanced talks for several other agreements, including the India-EU FTA, India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), India-Sri Lanka Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement, India-Peru FTA, India-Chile CEPA, India-New Zealand FTA, and a bilateral trade agreement with the United States. Additionally, India is reviewing and upgrading older trade pacts such as the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (2009) and the India-Korea CEPA (2009). About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 23:47 IST News india Amid Trump Tariffs, India To Launch FTA Negotiations With Eurasian Economic Union Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Civil Judge Aspirant, Who Mysteriously Disappeared During Train Journey In MP, Found In UP After 12 Days Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 12:26 IST The lawyer boarded the Katni South station in Madhya Pradesh; however, only her bag reached the destination, containing a rakhi, a handkerchief, and gifts for children. Missing Madhya Pradesh lawyer has been found from Uttar Pradesh after 12 days. (Representative Image) Archana Tiwari, a female lawyer and civil judge aspirant, went missing nearly two weeks ago while traveling by train. She was found in Lakhimpur Khiri town on the Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. Tiwari was traveling from Indore to Katni during the nights of August 7-8 for the Rakshabandhan festival but did not reach her destination and had been missing since. Recommended Stories The lawyer boarded the Katni South station in Madhya Pradesh; however, only her bag reached the destination, containing a rakhi, a handkerchief, and gifts for children. Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel finally traced Archana Tiwari in Lakhimpur-Khiri town on the Indo-Nepal border after 12 days of intensive search," said SP (Railways) Rahul Kumar Lodha. The police are bringing her back to Bhopal, and her statement will be recorded to uncover the details of the incident, he added. Tiwaris family had earlier suspected she might be a victim of human trafficking and called for a CBI probe, but Lodha did not comment on this aspect. Police reported that Tiwari, a 29-year-old practicing lawyer at the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, was also preparing for a civil judge examination. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all She left for Katni on August 7 by the Narmada Express train but never arrived. Her family filed a missing person complaint at the Rani Kamalapati GRP police station in Bhopal. Authorities searched for clues from Rani Kamalapati station to Itarsi and Katni, examining CCTV footage of stations and surrounding areas. Tiwaris last known location was Itarsi station, after which her mobile phone was found switched off. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Madhya Pradesh, India, India First Published: August 20, 2025, 12:26 IST News india Civil Judge Aspirant, Who Mysteriously Disappeared During Train Journey In MP, Found In UP After 12 Days Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Could Yogi Adityanaths Janata Darshan Security Model Have Prevented Attack On Delhi CM Rekha Gupta? Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 16:41 IST The shocking attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public hearing at her official residence on Wednesday has brought this question into sharp focus Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during a Janata Darshan event. The shocking attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public hearing at her official residence on Wednesday has brought this question into sharp focus. A man, identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji from Rajkot, allegedly attempted to assault Gupta while she was interacting with citizens, leaving her injured after a scuffle. The episode has not only shaken public confidence but also raised urgent questions about whether Delhi needs to look at models elsewhere, particularly Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths Janata Darshan, which experts describe as both people-friendly and among the safest in India. Former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh, who played a key role in restructuring security arrangements for Janata Darshan, explained why the UP model works where others falter. Recommended Stories According to reports, Gupta was injured after the accused, identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji from Rajkot, grabbed her hand during the hearing. In the scuffle, she hit her head against a table corner, sustaining minor injuries. While Delhi Police immediately detained the accused and are interrogating him, the political fallout has been swift. The Congress termed the episode a serious security lapse," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called it an attack on democracy," while BJP leaders alleged that it might have been a conspiracy by rivals. This needs to be investigated whether it was a pre-planned conspiracy by political rivals who were removed by people of Delhi and who want to stop Jan Sunwai'": BJPs Pradeep Bhandari @pradip103@kritsween | #rekhagupta #DelhiCM #Delhi #DelhiCMAttacked pic.twitter.com/KXLnIt9GjI News18 (@CNNnews18) August 20, 2025 The Yogi model: Safe, disciplined and accessible Since 2017, Adityanath has been holding Janata Darshan almost dailyeither at his Lucknow residence or at Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur. Hundreds of citizens line up to submit applications on matters ranging from land disputes, police complaints, and jobs, to pensions, medical assistance, and grievances related to government schemes. Unlike the Delhi setup where the public stood in close proximity to CM Rekha Gupta, Yogis model is designed to maintain both accessibility and security. Applicants are made to sit in a large, spacious hall, kept at least one meter away from the CMs walking route. The Chief Minister takes rounds, personally listening to grievances, while maintaining a secure distance. Security plays a pivotal role here. A specially trained proximate security squad remains with the CM while a few personnel stand directly behind the petitioners as the CM interacts with them. This means every citizen is under close watch at the moment of contact, ensuring no one can make sudden or aggressive moves. Meanwhile, the Chief Ministers interactions remain focused but brief he listens, gives instructions on the spot, and moves forward. Applications are marked instantly to senior officers, often with strict deadlines for redressal. Importantly, the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) follows up with district authorities for compliance reports, ensuring grievances do not fall through the cracks. This combination of physical arrangement, proximate security, and administrative follow-up has given Janata Darshan both credibility and durability, continuing consistently across Yogis first and second terms. Security experts perspective: A tested proximate model Former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh, who played a key role in restructuring security arrangements for Janata Darshan, explained why the UP model works where others falter: In earlier regimes, security at public hearings was haphazard. I have myself overseen it. From 2018 onward, we developed a proximate security model. We shortlisted commandos one by one, placed them right behind the CM and close to petitioners. They are armed with small weapons and trained to neutralise threats instantly. This has become the coronation of the UP modelaccessibility without compromising safety. If such a system had been adopted in Delhi, the incident with Rekha Gupta could have been avoided." Singh emphasised that the UP approach balances openness with discipline, making it one of the safest interactive formats for a sitting Chief Minister anywhere in India. This needs to be investigated whether it was a pre-planned conspiracy by political rivals who were removed by people of Delhi and who want to stop Jan Sunwai'": BJPs Pradeep Bhandari @pradip103@kritsween | #rekhagupta #DelhiCM #Delhi #DelhiCMAttacked pic.twitter.com/KXLnIt9GjI News18 (@CNNnews18) August 20, 2025 Political and symbolic weight For political analysts, Janata Darshan is not merely about redress it is also a symbolic exercise that reinforces Adityanaths image as a hands-on leader. Dr Shashikant Pandey, head of Political Science at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, said, It projects Adityanath as approachable yet disciplined. The visuals of him sitting cross-legged, listening patiently, and marking applications are powerful. They show a Chief Minister who is both accessible and authoritative. This has become a political tool, with videos and photographs widely circulated to highlight his connection with the people." Pandey further pointed out that unlike one-off events elsewhere, Yogis Janata Darshan has continued without break for eight years, lending credibility to its seriousness. It is not just opticsit has teeth because follow-up action is mandatory," he added. Delhis security lapse In contrast, the Delhi model appeared ill-prepared for contingencies. Eyewitnesses said the accused approached CM Gupta as though submitting a petition, before suddenly turning aggressive. With no buffer spacing and inadequate proximate security, the chief minister was left exposed. The Congress said: If the CM of Delhi herself is unsafe, how secure are ordinary women in the capital?" top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, AAP leader Atishi called the incident an attack on democracy," stressing that differences in politics cannot translate into violence. Whereas aAdityanaths Janata Darshan offers a tested alternative: structured distance, layered proximate security, and on-the-spot redressal with official accountability. First Published: August 20, 2025, 16:39 IST News india Could Yogi Adityanaths Janata Darshan Security Model Have Prevented Attack On Delhi CM Rekha Gupta? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Who Is Rajeshbhai Sakriya? Man Who Attacked Delhi CM Rekha Gupta At 'Jan Sunwai' Event Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:18 IST Delhi Police have sought assistance from Gujarat Police to confirm the identity and residence details furnished by the accused, sources said Sakriya Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai, the man who attacked Delhi CM Rekha Gupta | Image: News18 The man who allegedly attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public hearing on Wednesday has been identified as 41-year-old Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai Sakriya, a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat, sources informed CNN-News18. Sakriya, who was immediately taken into custody, is currently being interrogated by the Delhi Police, with investigators saying the accused arrived at the venue with documents linked to a relative currently lodged in Tihar Jail. Recommended Stories He is believed to have sought the Chief Ministers intervention for the relatives release. Delhi Police have sought assistance from Gujarat Police to confirm the identity and residence details furnished by the accused, sources said. They added that Sakriya introduced himself before handing over a paper to the Chief Minister and then launched the assault. His political affiliations, if any, are yet to be verified. The incident occurred during CM Guptas weekly Jan Sunwai at her residence, where citizens come to present grievances. The session, which began at 7 am, saw citizens presenting grievances one by one to the Chief Minister. According to eyewitnesses, around 8 am, Sakriya approached the Chief Minister, handed her a document, shouted, and then allegedly slapped her, pulled her hair, and hurled abuses. He was restrained by security personnel and later arrested. He was taken into custody and shifted to the Civil Lines police station, where he is being interrogated. Delhi Police are verifying his personal details with the assistance of Gujarat authorities. Meanwhile, Gupta was later taken for a medical check-up. BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar said, A man, believed to be around 35 years old, handed over a document before suddenly attacking the Chief Minister. While it is not yet clear if he is affiliated with any political party, his remarks before the assault suggested that he may be linked to a party discontent with its position in Delhi." Confusion remains over the exact sequence of events. Some Delhi Police sources, quoted by IANS, said a heavy object was thrown at Gupta, causing her to fall. An official confirmation from the police is still awaited. The Chief Ministers Office issued a statement soon after the incident: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked today during a public grievance hearing. The Delhi Police promptly took the accused into custody and are interrogating him." Following the assault, additional security was deployed at the Chief Ministers residence. Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva, who also briefed reporters, claimed the attacker tried to drag Gupta by the hand, leading to a scuffle in which her head may have struck a corner. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He stressed that she is out of danger. Doctors have confirmed that Gupta is stable but in shock. She remains determined to continue her daily work and Jan Sunwai sessions. She is a strong woman with a clear commitment to Delhi," he said, rejecting speculation that she had been slapped or hit by a stone. The investigation into Sakriyas background and possible motives is ongoing. About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 20, 2025, 10:48 IST News india Who Is Rajeshbhai Sakriya? Man Who Attacked Delhi CM Rekha Gupta At 'Jan Sunwai' Event Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 3 Dead As Portion Of Building Collapses In Delhi's Daryaganj Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:51 IST Three people were killed after a building collapsed near Sadbhavna Park in Delhis Daryaganj area on Wednesday. Rescue operations at the site were underway. Portion of building collapses in Delhi's Daryaganj (Video screengrabs/News18) At least three people died after a portion of a building collapsed in Delhis Daryaganj area on Wednesday. According to the details, the incident happened near Sadbhavna Park. Those deceased were identified as Zubair, Gulsagar, and Taufiq, who died on the spot. Recommended Stories Civic authorities, including the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), were immediately informed, and rescue teams rushed to the spot. Information about the incident was received at 12.14 pm, following which four fire tenders were rushed to the spot where a building, consisting of ground and two floors, collapsed, news agency PTI quoted a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official as saying. Three people were rescued from the debris and immediately taken to the hospital," he said. Operations were underway to pull out more people trapped under the debris of the collapsed structure. On Tuesday, the ceiling plaster of a house in a four-storey building collapsed early in Maharashtras Thane city, which has been witnessing heavy rains for the last couple of days. No person was injured in the incident, which was reported at 3.20 am from the house located on the first floor of the nearly 30-year-old Hina Lakshmi Society in the Naupada area, Thane Municipal Corporations disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi was quoted as saying by PTI. A portion of the ceiling plaster in a bedroom of the house collapsed, he said. Two men and a woman who resided in the flat were in the hall at the time of the incident and were not injured, the official said. The disaster management personnel and civic staff rushed to the site after being alerted, he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Given the structural risk, the bedroom had been sealed for safety, the official said. The building was nearly 30 years old, comprising 24 flats with nearly 70 to 80 residents. The last repair works were carried out eighty-nine years back, Tadvi said. About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: August 20, 2025, 13:29 IST News india 3 Dead As Portion Of Building Collapses In Delhi's Daryaganj Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Nearly 50 Delhi Schools Receive Bomb Threat Emails, Searches Underway Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 10:06 IST Around 50 schools in Delhi received bomb threats via email on Wednesday, prompting a swift police response. Delhi Police (File photo/PTI) Nearly 50 schools in the national capital received bomb threats on Wednesday through email, prompting police and other emergency agencies to launch a search operation. Recommended Stories The schools which received the threats included Rahul Model School and Maxfort School in Dwarka, SKV in Malviya Nagar, and Andhra School in Prasad Nagar. News agency PTI quoted Delhi Fire Services as saying that the information regarding bomb threats at two schools, SKV in Malviya Nagar and Andhra School in Prasad Nagar, was received at 7.40 am and 7.42 am, respectively. The Delhi Police immediately swung into action, pressing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) into place. Security teams rushed to both schools, cordoned off the premises, and began detailed checks. Authorities were yet to confirm the credibility of the threats, and further details were awaited. On Monday, multiple schools in the national capital received emails from a group identifying itself as the Terrorisers 111 Group." The messages demanded a payment of $5,000 in cryptocurrency within 72 hours, warning that bombs would be detonated on school premises if the demand was not met, said an official. According to the Delhi Police, the email read, Pay $5,000 USD Crypto within 72 hours. If you dont, we will detonate the bombs." The message to the school administration stated, We are the terrorisers 111 Group. We have planted several pipe bombs and advanced explosive devices in your school buildings to cause terror and destruction." We have hacked your IT systems, including student and staff databases, and taken full control of your surveillance cameras. We are watching your every move." The email further warned, If you dont, we will detonate the bombs, causing massive harm and loss of life. We will also leak your hacked data online. We are monitoring your actions, and any attempt to contact the police or ignore this will trigger immediate action." The bombs will explode in 72 hours if payment isnt received. Evacuate now to save lives. We dont forgive. We dont forget. Send the money or face the consequences. We are the terrorisers 111 Group. Do not forget us," it mentioned. Earlier, several schools in the national capital received a bomb threat. According to the Delhi Police, Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka, Modern Convent School and ShreeRam World School in Sector 10, Dwarka received the threat through an email ID. As a safety measure, the schools were quickly evacuated. Police and bomb disposal teams arrived at the scene and began a thorough search of the premises. ALSO READ | Man Sends Parcel Bomb In Speaker To Lovers Husband; Arrested top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: August 20, 2025, 07:52 IST News india Nearly 50 Delhi Schools Receive Bomb Threat Emails, Searches Underway Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Did Trumps India Tariffs Push Putin To Ukraine Talks? Russia Scoffs At White House Claim Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Ronit Singh Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 17:20 IST The Russian envoy said Washingtons narrative was misleading and dismissed the link between US trade pressure on India and Russias approach to Ukraine peace talks US President Trump and Russian President Putin with PM Modi | File Image: AP Russia on Wednesday brushed aside a White House claim that secondary US tariffs on Indian goods had forced President Vladimir Putin to consider peace talks on Ukraine, calling the suggestion speculative" and rumours." Roman Babushkin, Charge dAffaires at the Russian Embassy in New Delhi, said Washingtons narrative was misleading and dismissed the link between US trade pressure on India and Russias approach to Ukraine peace talks. Recommended Stories If Indian goods are facing difficulties entering the US market, the Russian market is welcoming Indian exports," Babushkin told reporters in Delhi. His remarks came a day after the White House claimed President Donald Trumps decision to double tariffs on Indian goods taking them to 50 per cent from August 27 was part of an effort to apply secondary pressure" on Moscow. US press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move was meant to bring this war to a close," while citing sanctions on India and other measures. The announcement followed Trumps meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where both leaders indicated progress toward potential trilateral talks with Putin. Babushkin Slams US Pressure Taking aim at Washingtons demand that India cut down Russian oil imports, Babushkin said such unilateral actions were unjustified" and destabilised global energy markets. Russia is the largest producer of oil and India is the largest consumer. Any kind of unilateral action leads to disruptions in supply chains, imbalance in pricing policies and destabilisation of global markets, endangering the energy security of developing countries," he said. He cautioned that refusing Russian oil would not result in equal cooperation with the West," accusing Western powers of behaving like neocolonial" actors focused solely on their own interests. Responding to a US trade advisers statement that India should halt Russian oil purchases to avoid secondary tariffs, Babushkin said Moscow did not expect New Delhi to succumb. If the West criticises you, it means you are doing everything right. We dont expect that to happen. This is the true strategic partnership we are enjoying. Whatever happens, even during challenges, we are committed to removing any problems," he said, stressing that the India-Russia partnership had only deepened despite external pressure. Highlighting growing economic ties, he noted: We have seen this problem of sanctions for many years now, but our trade is growing. In recent years, our trade has grown by seven times." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He also pointed to President Putins recent call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as proof of the importance Russia places on India in navigating the Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile in Moscow, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar co-chaired the Russia-India Intergovernmental Commission (IRIGC), described by Babushkin as the main mechanism of Russian-Indian cooperation" spanning energy, trade, defence and finance. About the Author Siddhant Mishra Siddhant Mishra is a Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, covering foreign affairs and international relations. With over 12 years of experience in journalism, he has also reported extensively on crime, ... Read More Siddhant Mishra is a Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, covering foreign affairs and international relations. With over 12 years of experience in journalism, he has also reported extensively on crime, ... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 13:35 IST News india Did Trumps India Tariffs Push Putin To Ukraine Talks? Russia Scoffs At White House Claim Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... News / National by Staff reporter The US Embassy in Zimbabwe suspended most visa services in the southern African nation until further notice, while indicating that the move doesn't constitute an outright travel ban."We have paused routine visa services in Harare while we address concerns with the government of Zimbabwe," the embassy said in a post on its official X account on Wednesday.The issuance of all routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa services will be halted, though most diplomatic and official permits will still be available, according to a statement on its website. FIRs Against Psephologist Sanjay Kumar For Spreading Fake Info Over Maharashtra Polls Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 20:52 IST Professor Sanjay Kumar of Lokniti-CSDS faces FIRs in Nagpur and Nashik for allegedly spreading false info about Maharashtra elections. Sanjay Kumar. (File) Prominent psephologist and co-director of Lokniti-CSDS, Professor Sanjay Kumar, has landed in legal trouble as two FIRs have been lodged against him for allegedly spreading false information" and potential election-related violations on Wednesday. The FIRs have been registered in Nagpurs Ramtek and Nashiks Deolali. Sources indicated that the case can be filed at all the places where Kumar raised questions regarding voting in Maharashtra elections. Recommended Stories @CEO_Maharashtra @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECISanjay Kumar from CSDS, has posted misleading information of voters of 126-Devlali AC for LS-2024 and MH LA-2024, case is registered against him. It is requested to all citizens to verify the info only from ECI website DEO Nashik (@Deonashik) August 20, 2025 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI @CEO_Maharashtra Sanjay Kumar from CSDS, has posted misleading information of voters of 59-Ramtek AC for LS-2024 and MH LA-2024, FIR is registered against him. It is requested to all citizens to verify the info only from ECI website. DEONagpur (@deo_nagpur) August 20, 2025 The complaints have been filed under multiple sections of the BNS, including Sections 175, 353(1)(b), 212, and 340(1)(2), for his controversial social media posts related to the Maharashtra assembly elections, news agency ANI reported. The development came after Kumar made the startling claim over the alleged surge in voter numbers in the Maharashtra elections. Last week, in a post on X, the psephologist had claimed that the number of voters in the Nashik West and Hingna Assembly segments rose by 47 per cent and 43 per cent, respectively, between the Lok Sabha election last and the Maharashtra polls earlier this year. He also claimed that the number of voters sharply fell in Ramtek and Devlali seats by 38 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively. Kumar shared the data that was seen as lending credence to the Congress allegations of vote chori (vote theft) in Maharashtra, which has been amplified by its leader Rahul Gandhi. However, on Tuesday, Kumar apologised and deleted the posts. I sincerely apologize for the tweets posted regarding Maharashtra elections. Error occurred while comparing data of 2024 LS and 2024 AS. The data in row was misread by our Data team. The tweet has since been removed. I had no intention of dispersing any form of misinformation." The Bharatiya Janata Party was in no mood to let go, with BJPs IT cell chief Amit Malviya lashing out at Kumars apology, calling him a protege of Yogendra Yadav". Malviya posted angrily, Incidentally, when was the last time this protege of Yogendra Yadav ever got anything right? In all his projections in the run-up to every single election, the BJP is supposedly losingand when the reverse happens, he turns up on TV justifying how the BJP won. Convenient." The incident has amplified the ongoing controversy over alleged voter roll manipulation, which the Congress claims was carried out in collusion with the Election Commission and the BJP. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Congress-led Opposition has been alleging manipulation of electoral rolls amid the Election Commissions Special Intensive Revision exercise in Bihar ahead of the Assembly election in the state later this year. Rahul Gandhi has been alleging electoral fraud in Maharashtra since the INDIA blocs drubbing in the state in the Assembly polls in 2024. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Location : Nagpur, India, India First Published: August 20, 2025, 20:52 IST News india FIRs Against Psephologist Sanjay Kumar For Spreading Fake Info Over Maharashtra Polls Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Class 10 Student Stabbed To Death By Junior At Ahmedabad School, Family Protests On Premises Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 14:28 IST A Class 10 student was stabbed to death by a Class 8 student at a school in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. Later, the victims family members vandalised school property and assaulted staff. Ruckus at Ahmedabad school after student murders another (Video screengrabs/Social Media) A Class 10 student in Gujarats Ahmedabad died after he was stabbed by a Class 8 student at their school. The accused was detained after a case was registered. The incident happened at the Seventh Day School in Ahmedabads Khokhara area on Tuesday (August 19), after which the family members and relatives of the deceased students protested on the school premises. Recommended Stories According to the details, the two students clashed after one of them allegedly hit the other with their elbow while they were descending the school stairs. Their fight took a violent turn, and one of them was stabbed by another. The injured student was rushed to a private hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Following the students death, his family members gathered in large numbers at the school and created a ruckus amid their protests, and attacked whoever they encountered. The schools buses and other two and four-wheelers parked outside the premises were also vandalised. The schools doors and windows were broken, and property was severely damaged. The protesting family members also assaulted a staff member, the principal, and other staff members at the school. Speaking to reporters, a relative of the deceased student alleged that the student kept lying in an injured condition for at least half an hour and that no one arranged for an ambulance or helped him. He also said he first received a call saying the student had fallen unconscious, and then a call from his daughter informed him that the student had been stabbed. Ahmedabad, Gujarat: On the student stabbing incident, Amit Bhai (uncle of the deceased student) says, I was at work when I got a call that he had lost consciousness, and then my daughter called saying he had been stabbed The boy was lying there for half an hour, and the pic.twitter.com/rydlFYRBIb IANS (@ians_india) August 20, 2025 A police force was deployed to bring the situation under control. #WATCH | Gujarat: A class 8 student was stabbed and injured by a student of class 10 in Seventh-Day Adventist school, Ahmedabad, yesterday.Visuals from the school as people, including the injured childs relatives, create ruckus here. pic.twitter.com/A1jHkTcZFd ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 Commenting on the incident, Joint CP Jaipal Singh Rathore confirmed to reporters that the incident happened after a quarrel between the two students and that a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the accused student. Two students entered into a quarrel, and one of them stabbed the other. Police registered an FIR yesterday itself. The accused was detained," he said. During treatment, the injured child died. So, his family, parents of other students and the Sindhi community gathered on the school premises," he said. The deceased child hailed from the Sindhi community, and the main accused is from the Muslim community," the cop said. In a similar incident, a 14-year-old Class 9 student allegedly stabbed a senior to death at a private school in Uttar Pradeshs Ghazipur district on Monday. The incident took place in the morning at Sunbeam School in Maharajganj locality of Kotwali area when classes were in session. News agency PTI quoted the police as saying that the teenager allegedly stabbed Aditya Verma, a 15-year-old student of class 10, with a knife he had brought to school. Two other students, who tried to intervene, sustained injuries and were undergoing treatment at the medical college hospital. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ | Man Pours Petrol On Teacher, Sets Her On Fire Over Love Affair In Madhya Pradesh About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: August 20, 2025, 12:52 IST News india Class 10 Student Stabbed To Death By Junior At Ahmedabad School, Family Protests On Premises Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... He Handed Her Court Papers, Then Slapped Her: How The Attack On Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Unfolded Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:44 IST Delhi CM Slapped: During initial questioning, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta's alleged attacker identified himself as 41-year-old Rajesh Khimji Sakariya, claiming to be a resident of Rajkot Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during the public hearing, and the attacker even tried to scuffle with her before security personnel intervened. (News18) Delhi CM Slapped: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public hearing at her camp office on Wednesday, when a middle-aged man handed her some court papers and then suddenly shouted, hurled abuses and tried to slap her, police said. A public hearing is organised every Wednesday at the Delhi Chief Ministers camp office on Raj Niwas Marg, beginning at 7 am, where people from across the city present their complaints and appeals directly to the CM. At around 8 am, while the Chief Minister was attending to a complainant, the accused suddenly launched an attack. Recommended Stories According to some sources, the Chief Minister was slapped during the public hearing, and the attacker even tried to scuffle with her before security personnel intervened and restrained him. The sudden assault triggered chaos at the venue before security personnel overpowered the man and took him to the Civil Lines police station. The Chief Minister, left shaken by the incident, underwent a medical examination. During initial questioning, the accused identified himself as 41-year-old Rajesh Khimji Sakariya, claiming to be a resident of Rajkot. The investigation is being carried out under the supervision of the Delhi Police Commissioner, with the police also coordinating with Rajkot Police to verify his identity and background. The attacker is being interrogated at the police station. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, with the police investigating whether this was an impulsive act or a premeditated conspiracy. Police said some court papers were recovered from the attacker, who also allegedly tried to hurl stones at Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during the incident. The incident has raised serious questions over the security of the Delhi CM. The BJP has condemned the attack on Rekha Gupta, while officials confirmed that the Union Home Ministry has been informed. Questions After The Attack This incident raises several critical questions about the security protocols in place. How did the attacker manage to breach the security? Was he acting alone or was there an accomplice? Did he first check if access to the Chief Minister was easy? Was it a spontaneous reaction or a planned conspiracy? Why did the police fail to act immediately? Following the attack on the Chief Minister, Delhi Police teams are interrogating the accused while senior officers, including the DCP North District, are inspecting the spot. Staff members are being questioned on how the attacker gained entry, and action against security personnel responsible for CMs protection is also being considered. An eyewitness named Anjali, who was among those gathered, told ANI that the incident was deeply disturbing. This is wrong. Everyone has the right to be heard at a Jan Sunvai. If someone can pose as a visitor and end up slapping her, its a big concern. I was there, the person was talking and suddenly he slapped. The police immediately took him away," she said. Another witness, Shailendra Kumar, who had travelled from Uttam Nagar with a complaint about sewer issues, recalled the moment of unrest. As soon as I reached the gates, chaos broke out because the CM had been slapped. This should not have happened," he said. A senior officer told ANI that CM Gupta is stable and has been examined by doctors. She may have suffered a minor blow to the head. The claims about slapping or stone-throwing are exaggerated. Such incidents in politics are unfortunate, but Jan Sunvai will continue. The CM is resting but has insisted that her programmes will not be cancelled," the officer said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Political leaders across party lines strongly condemned the incident. Delhi LoP Atishi said, The attack on Delhis Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democracy, there is a place for disagreement and protest, but there is no place for violence. Hoping that the Delhi Police will take the strictest action against the culprits. It is hoped that the Chief Minister is completely safe." Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav also termed the attack unfortunate," questioning how safe ordinary citizens can feel if even the Chief Ministers security can be breached. Speaking to ANI, he said, This incident exposes the reality of womens safety. If the CM of Delhi is not safe, then how can a common man or woman feel secure? Such incidents must be condemned in the strongest possible terms." Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 20, 2025, 11:24 IST News india He Handed Her Court Papers, Then Slapped Her: How The Attack On Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Unfolded Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... How Did Delhi CM Rekha Guptas Attacker Come So Close? Exclusive On Probe From Intel Sources Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 14:43 IST Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Attacked, Assaulted: The real question is how he came so close despite security in place, intelligence sources said The accused grabbed Delhi CM Rekha Gupta by the hair. (File) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public grievance hearing on Wednesday morning at her residence in Civil Lines in the national capital. The incident took place during the weekly Jan Sunwai programme when a man entered, allegedly handed over a paper to the Chief Minister, shouted, slapped her, pulled her hair, and abused her. The accused grabbed the Chief Minister by her hair and did not let go for quite some time. The attacker was identified as 41-year-old Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, a resident of Gujarats Rajkot. Sakriya was later arrested, and the Delhi Police were verifying the details of the accused with assistance from the Gujarat Police. Recommended Stories He is an animal lover and was disturbed after the Supreme Court decision to remove the stray dogs. He is a hotelier and was involved in other cases too. He has been booked under section 326 for fighting. Joint interrogation is on and teams are questioning him," said intelligence sources. The real question is how he came so close despite security in place," they said. A Medico-Legal Case (MLC) of the Chief Minister was underway. "This needs to be investigated whether it was a pre-planned conspiracy by political rivals who were removed by people of Delhi and who want to stop 'Jan Sunwai'": BJP's Pradeep Bhandari @pradip103@kritsween | #rekhagupta #DelhiCM #Delhi #DelhiCMAttacked pic.twitter.com/KXLnIt9GjI News18 (@CNNnews18) August 20, 2025 Meanwhile, the mother of the accused alleged that her son travelled to the national capital to speak to the Chief Minister over the issue of stray dogs, adding that the accused is an animal lover. She also alleged the accused suffered mental issues and had attacked his family members on multiple occasions. Sources said the accused arrived at the Chief Ministers Office at nearly 7.30 am today. One of his relatives has been lodged in the Tihar Jail, and he was carrying court-related documents related to the same. The accused wanted his relative to be released from jail, it was known. Meanwhile, the mother of the accused alleged that his son travelled to the national capital to speak to the Chief Minister over the issue of stray dogs, adding that the accused is an animal lover. She also alleged the accused suffered mental issues and had attacked his family members on multiple occasions. Delhi BJP Vice President Kapil Mishra, in an X post, wrote, The attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta Ji is an unforgivable crime. A woman, a daughter, who is dedicated day and night solely to the service of Delhi, those who attack her and those who orchestrate it are both cowards and criminals. Shameful and condemnable." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj termed the attack a very cowardly incident" and hailed Rekha Gupta as a woman of steel resolve". Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma wrote on X, The attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during the Jan Sunwai at her residence is highly condemnable and a direct assault on democratic values. The public hearing program is a means to connect directly with the people, where the public can convey their questions and concerns to the Chief Minister without any fear or hindrance." About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: August 20, 2025, 14:41 IST News india How Did Delhi CM Rekha Guptas Attacker Come So Close? Exclusive On Probe From Intel Sources Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... India Rejects Nepals Objection To Lipulekh Border Trade, Calls Claims Unjustified Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 22:34 IST The MEA dismissed Nepal's concerns over India-China border trade through Lipulekh Pass, calling Nepal's territorial claims "untenable." External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal (IMAGE: X) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed Nepals objections to the resumption of IndiaChina border trade through the Lipulekh Pass, describing Kathmandus territorial claims as untenable" and not grounded in historical facts." The response came after Nepals Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised concerns over the reopening of trade through the Himalayan pass, which lies on the IndiaChina border but is also claimed by Nepal. Recommended Stories This development follows the decision by India and China to revive border trade through three designated points- Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass. What MEA Said On Lipulekh Pass Trade MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, We have noted the comments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal related to the resumption of border trade between India and China through the Lipulekh Pass. Our position has been consistent and clear." He emphasized that border trade between India and China through Lipulekh began in 1954 and has continued for decades. It was interrupted in recent years due to the Covid pandemic and other developments, but both sides have now agreed to resume it." Reiterating Indias stance, Jaiswal added that Nepals territorial claims are neither justified nor supported by historical facts and evidence," while stressing that India remains open to dialogue with Nepal on resolving agreed outstanding boundary issues" through diplomatic channels. What Nepal Had Said On Lipulekh Pass top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In its earlier statement, Nepals Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained, The Government of Nepal has consistently urged the Government of India not to undertake activities such as road construction, expansion, or border trade in that area. The Government of Nepal has also conveyed to our friendly neighbor, China, that the territory belongs to Nepal." The statement further underlined Kathmandus commitment to diplomacy, noting, In keeping with the spirit of close and friendly relations between Nepal and India, the Government of Nepal remains dedicated to resolving the boundary issue between the two countries on the basis of historical treaties, agreements, facts, maps, and evidence- through peaceful and diplomatic means." First Published: August 20, 2025, 22:31 IST News india India Rejects Nepals Objection To Lipulekh Border Trade, Calls Claims Unjustified Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Jaishankar Interacts With Russian Scholars In Moscow, Pays Tribute At Tomb Of Unknown Soldier Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 20:54 IST Jaishankar's visit to Russia comes against the backdrop of strains in Indias ties with the US following President Donald Trump doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50%. EAM S Jaishankar paying tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. (Photo: ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is currently on a three-day visit to Russia to strengthen the time-tested" relations between New Delhi and Moscow, interacted with Russian scholars, during which he discussed India-Russia ties and broader global issues. Jaishankars visit to Russia comes against the backdrop of strains in Indias ties with the US following President Donald Trump doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50% which included an additional penalty of 25% for purchasing Russian crude oil. Recommended Stories Taking to X, Jaishankar said, Pleased to interact with prominent scholars and think tank representatives of Russia. Discussed India-Russia relations, contemporary world geopolitics and Indias viewpoint." Pleased to interact with prominent scholars and think tank representatives of Russia.Discussed India-Russia relations, contemporary world geopolitics and Indias viewpoint. pic.twitter.com/tzbdXKguAQ Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 20, 2025 Later, the External Affairs Minister also paid tribute at Moscows Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Wednesday. The historic war memorial near the Kremlin is dedicated to the Soviet soldiers killed during World War II. #WATCH | External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar pays tribute at Moscows Tomb of the Unknown Soldier(Video source: Sputnik) pic.twitter.com/cmBnR2C4HE ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), announcing Jaishankars trip, said he will co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation to be held on Wednesday. Russias Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced that Jaishankar will hold talks in Moscow with his counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, over the latest initiatives by the Trump administration to bring peace to Ukraine. He will review the bilateral agenda and share perspective on regional and global issues with Lavrov. The Ministers will pay special attention to the current and future avenues for promoting bilateral cooperation," said MFA Russia on X. Jaishankars visit comes before a possible meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China. Additionally, discussions are underway regarding the possibility of Putin visiting India later this year. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared his insights about the recent meeting in Alaska with US President Donald Trump over the Ukraine conflict. PM Modi said India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard. (with inputs from agencies) About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Location : Moscow, Russia First Published: August 20, 2025, 20:54 IST News india Jaishankar Interacts With Russian Scholars In Moscow, Pays Tribute At Tomb Of Unknown Soldier Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... More Pressure, More Cooperation: Russia Says Oil Ties With India Not Impacted Amid Trump Tariffs Reported By : Edited By: Ronit Singh Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:00 IST The comments come just days after US President Donald Trump announced fresh tariffs on India, alleging that New Delhi was aiding the Ukraine war by purchasing Russian oil Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP file photo) As geopolitical tensions reshape global energy flows, Russia has underlined the resilience of its oil trade with India, stressing that bilateral cooperation will only deepen under external pressure. The comments come just days after US President Donald Trump announced fresh tariffs on India, alleging that New Delhi was aiding the Ukraine war by purchasing Russian oil. Recommended Stories More pressure means more cooperation," said Evgeny Griva, Deputy Trade Representative of Russia in India, highlighting that Moscow has established a very special mechanism" to ensure the smooth supply of crude oil to India despite sanctions. Russia continues to be a key energy partner for India, accounting for around 40 per cent of its crude imports, a share described by Griva as very crucial for the Indian economy." He added that the current arrangements allow Moscow to maintain a steady flow of oil, with no disruption expected in the future. Officials said that, beyond energy, India has steadily expanded its exports to Russia, particularly in machine tools, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals, strengthening the trade relationship. Calling the outlook absolutely positive," Griva suggested that both nations are finding greater common ground as Western sanctions push them closer together. Illegal: Griva On Secondary Tariffs Griva, however, pushed back strongly against some planned Western moves, terming secondary sanctions illegal" and evidence of double standards and disrespect of national interests." He emphasised that within BRICS, Russia would never impose sanctions," and insisted that Moscows oil is not only price-competitive but also profitable for India. In such a situation, the Indian government understands well," he added. Roman Babushkin, Deputy Chief of the Russian Embassy in New Delhi, echoed the sentiment, noting reports that Trump has suspended the additional tariff. He assured that Russian markets remain open to Indian exporters facing hurdles abroad. Dont worry about that. This pressure is unjustified," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Babushkin also highlighted that European sanctions have had little impact on Russias oil trade, thanks to structural adjustments. We have made our system independent," he said. He further underlined Moscows trust in its partnership with New Delhi: We dont expect India to stop buying Russian oil. Our trade has increased seven times despite challenges." First Published: August 20, 2025, 12:31 IST News india More Pressure, More Cooperation: Russia Says Oil Ties With India Not Impacted Amid Trump Tariffs Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Not Trump, But Successful Strikes': Shashi Tharoor Rebuts US On India-Pakistan Ceasefire Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 09:36 IST Tharoor said Pakistans Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart only after Indias strong defensive response Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. (PTI file photo) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday directly rejected US President Donald Trumps repeated claims of brokering a peace between India and Pakistan in May, saying that the truce was triggered by Indias decisive military action. It was Indias successful strikes, and not Mr Trump, that led to the ceasefire," Tharoor declared while speaking at the launch of the book Whither India-Pakistan Relations Today? Can They Ever Be Good Neighbours? Recommended Stories Tharoor said that the turning point was Operation Sindoor, launched by Indian forces in early May, which targeted terror infrastructure across the border. Pakistans Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), he explained, reached out to his Indian counterpart only after the operation and Indias strong defensive response the following morning. The successful strikes on the night of 910 May and the ability of India to intercept the attempted Pakistani response, when they sent missiles to Delhi on the morning of 10th May, is what contributed undoubtedly, and not Mr Trump, to the call by the Pakistani DGMO to his Indian counterpart asking for peace," Tharoor said. The May 10 ceasefire was declared shortly after Operation Sindoor, which itself was carried out in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead. Tharoor underlined that Indias military posture has been consistent: With Balakot in 2019 and Operation Sindoor now, India has sent a very clear message that we will not sit quietly if terror is unleashed on us." As part of diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor, Tharoor also led a cross-party parliamentary delegation to five countries, including the United States, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, and Colombia, to explain Indias position. Trumps Claim, Congress Question However, Trump has repeatedly claimed that he prevented a nuclear war" between India and Pakistan, casting himself as the architect of the truce. New Delhi, however, has consistently dismissed those assertions, describing the ceasefire as a bilateral decision. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has seized on Trumps statements to question the ruling NDA government. The Leader of the Opposition also demanded clarity from the Prime Minister in Parliament, urging him to respond directly to Trumps remarks. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Tharoor, meanwhile, revealed that he had publicly argued for a robust military response soon after the Pahalgam attack. Couple of days after Pahalgam, I wrote an op-ed advocating precisely this. You can imagine my satisfaction and semi-disbelief I didnt realise anyone in Delhi would be reading my op-ed. Which is why I was such an enthusiastic supporter of it. It followed exactly the course of action I had advised," he said. First Published: August 20, 2025, 09:36 IST News india 'Not Trump, But Successful Strikes': Shashi Tharoor Rebuts US On India-Pakistan Ceasefire Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Passenger Caught At Delhi Airport After Failing To Answer Questions About Maharashtra Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: August 23, 2025, 09:18 IST A senior airport security officer said the travellers passport named him as Mohammad Rasool Najeeb Khan, with a Navi Mumbai address and Mumbai recorded as his birthplace The passenger's manner of speaking showed neither a Mumbai influence nor any trace of Marathi. (Representative/PTI) A passenger bound for an international flight landed in trouble at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport after immigration officers quizzed him about Maharashtra, the state listed on his passport, and he failed to answer even basic questions. The passenger was scheduled to fly to Kabul on Kam Air flight RQ-4402. After checking in his baggage, he proceeded to the Bureau of Immigration counter for document verification, where his ordeal began. Recommended Stories According to a senior airport security officer, the passport identified the traveller as Mohammad Rasool Najeeb Khan, with an address in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, and Mumbai listed as his birthplace. However, the immigration officer grew suspicious the moment the man spoke. His manner of speaking showed neither a Mumbai influence nor any trace of Marathi, raising doubts about his identity. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all To verify, the officer asked him several questions related to Maharashtra, but the passenger failed to answer even one. Convinced something was amiss, the immigration staff detained him for further questioning. During interrogation, it was revealed that the man was not from Maharashtra at all but from Afghanistan. He had allegedly procured an Indian passport illegally using a Mumbai address. Following this discovery, immigration authorities handed him over to the IGI Airport Police for further investigation. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 20, 2025, 13:15 IST News india Passenger Caught At Delhi Airport After Failing To Answer Questions About Maharashtra Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Rajiv Gandhi Assassination: How A Piece Of Denim Led To The Killers Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 19:23 IST At first, four theories had circulated: the bomb was under the red carpet, hidden in a basket of flowers, hurled in the air, or concealed in a garland Rajiv Gandhi, born August 20, 1944, was assassinated on May 2, 1991. (File Photo) Indias former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944, in a Mumbai hospital. Had he lived, he would have turned 81 today. His presence would likely have shaped Indian politics in very different ways. But history took another turn on May 2, 1991, when he walked into a rally at Sriperumbudur near Chennai, unaware that death awaited him in the form of a human bomb. That night, the first reports reaching newspaper offices spoke only of a blast at his public meeting. Within hours, the horrifying confirmation came in that Rajiv Gandhi had been killed in a massive explosion. The entire country was stunned, unable to comprehend that a national leader could be assassinated in such a brutal fashion. Recommended Stories For two days, there was silence about who carried out the killing, why it was done, or how it had been planned. Then, investigators pieced together the chilling details. The assassin was a woman, who bent to touch Gandhis feet, triggering a bomb strapped to her body. Within seconds, 18 people, including Rajiv Gandhi and the suicide bomber, were dead. P Chandrashekhar, Director of Tamil Nadus Forensic Science Department, reached the scene within hours of the blast. For two days, he investigated quietly before presenting a preliminary report that turned the case on its head. Chandrashekhar concluded that the bomb had been worn like a belt by a woman dressed in a green salwar-kurta. Photographs taken moments before the explosion confirmed her presence, she was the one bending down to touch Gandhis feet when the blast occurred. At first, four theories had circulated: the bomb was under the red carpet, hidden in a basket of flowers, hurled in the air, or concealed in a garland. Chandrashekhar rejected all of them. The damage patterns, undisturbed carpet, and absence of basket fragments made these impossible. The explosions intensity was concentrated within a circle around Gandhi, pointing clearly to a body-borne device. When Chandrashekhar examined the remains of 16 victims, one body stood out. It belonged to a woman whose face was partially intact, but the back of her head and torso were blown away. Parts of a denim vest with Velcro straps were recovered from the site, evidence that the bomb had been secured to her waist under her clothing. The investigation confirmed she was the assassin. Later, she was identified as Dhanu, a member of the LTTE. Eyewitness accounts and forensic reconstruction revealed the sequence. As Dhanu bent to touch Gandhis feet, he instinctively lowered himself to lift her up, a gesture of humility he was known for. At that instant, the trigger was pressed. The blast tore through the crowd, leaving Gandhi fatally injured. His face was destroyed, his bones scattered by the force of the detonation. It took Chandrashekhar six months to compile a detailed report, supported by photographs taken before and after the tragedy. The conclusion was unambiguous: Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber disguised as a devotee seeking blessings. The trial court sentenced 26 people in connection with the assassination. In 1999, the Supreme Court acquitted 19 of them, while four Nalini, Murugan alias Sriharan, Santhan, and Perarivalan were given the death penalty. Three others, Ravichandran, Robert Payas, and Jayakumar, were sentenced to life imprisonment. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Nalinis sentence was later commuted to life on the Tamil Nadu Governors orders, while the President rejected mercy petitions of the others in 2011. Over the decades, one by one, the convicts completed their prison terms or were granted release. In November 2022, the Supreme Court ordered the release of Nalini Sriharan after she had spent more than 30 years behind bars. Other convicts, including Murugan, Jayakumar, and Robert Payas, were freed earlier and sent to Sri Lanka. Today, no one remains in jail for the murder of Rajiv Gandhi. First Published: August 20, 2025, 19:23 IST News india Rajiv Gandhi Assassination: How A Piece Of Denim Led To The Killers Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... News / Regional by Gideon Madzikatidze/Simbarashe Sithole in Plumtree A 27-year-old man from Mathombo Village in Plumtree has been jailed for threatening to stab his father with an Okapi knife.Rony Dube appeared before Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware on Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty to making threats of violence under Section 186(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.He was sentenced to six months in prison. Three months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. The remaining three months were set aside on condition that he completes 105 hours of community service at Makorokoto Clinic, starting August 20, 2025.Prosecutor Sheila Nyathi told the court that on August 16, around 2 a.m., Dube came home drunk and shouted at his father until he came out of the house. Dube later went to his bedroom and slept.At around 8 a.m. the same morning, he confronted his father in the kitchen while holding a knife and threatened to stab him, saying in Ndebele: Kalingazi kahle lizangibona kuhle (You do not know me; you will come to know me well).The father escaped and called for help. A neighbour, Jabulani Dube, rushed over after hearing the commotion and rescued him. 80-Second Horror At Rekha Gupta's Residence: Attacker Slapped Her, Pulled Hair As She Stumbled Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:48 IST Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was attacked by a man during a public meeting at her residence. Sources said the assault and security intervention lasted 80 seconds. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta (PTI file photo) The Delhi Police, examining the CCTV footage of the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday, found that the assault and the intervention by the security lasted 80 seconds, sources told CNN-News18. The accused, who was later identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, was standing in a queue to meet the Chief Minister and had nearly five people before him. Recommended Stories Sources said he breached the queue and approached Rekha Gupta with the documents he was carrying. Sakriya first slapped the Chief Minister, it was known, after which she stumbled against a wall. The accused then grabbed the Chief Minister by her hair, sources informed. Soon after, the accused was taken over by the Chief Ministers security staff and others present at the location. Rekha Gupta was attacked during a Jan Sunwai programme at her camp office in Civil Lines on Wednesday morning, her office said. The accused was later arrested and was being interrogated. Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh informed that the accused had conducted a recce of her residence for the past 24 hours and was plotting to meet the Chief Minister. He said that the accused reached Chief Minister Rekha Guptas Shalimar Bagh residence for the recce. He stated that the accused spent the night near her residence and attacked her during the public meeting. A person attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunwai today. Delhi Police has detained the accused and is questioning him," the Chief Ministers Office said in a statement. Talking to reporters after meeting the Chief Minister, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said that Chief Minister Gupta is shaken", but she is doing fine. Meanwhile, the mother of the Gujarat man, accused of attacking Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, claimed her son was not affiliated with any political party and had gone to the national capital to protest against the Supreme Courts order on stray dogs. Bhanuben also said her son is an auto-rickshaw driver. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ | No Place For Violence: Opposition Condemns Attack On Delhi CM Rekha Gupta About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: August 20, 2025, 13:23 IST News india 80-Second Horror At Rekha Gupta's Residence: Attacker Slapped Her, Pulled Hair As She Stumbled Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Attacked, Assaulted During Public Event At Her Residence Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 15:11 IST Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during the Jan Sunwai programme at her residence in the national capital. Sources said she was slapped and the person was arrested. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta (Photo: PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public grievance hearing on Wednesday morning at her residence in Civil Lines in the national capital. According to sources, the incident took place during the weekly Jan Sunwai programme when a man entered, allegedly handed over a paper to the Chief Minister, shouted, slapped her, pulled her hair, and abused her. Recommended Stories The accused grabbed the Chief Minister by her hair and did not let go for quite some time, it was known. Sources added that the BJP claimed the Chief Minister may have also suffered a head injury. IANS quoted Delhi Police sources as saying that a heavy object was hurled at the Chief Minister, causing her to fall to the ground. However, an official confirmation and a statement by the Delhi Police were awaited. A Medico-Legal Case (MLC) of the Chief Minister was underway. WHO ATTACKED DELHI CM REKHA GUPTA The individual was identified as 41-year-old Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, a resident of Gujarats Rajkot. He was later arrested, and the Delhi Police were verifying the details of the accused with assistance from the Gujarat Police. The police also registered an attempt to murder case against the accused for attacking the Delhi Chief Minister. Sources said the accused arrived at the Chief Ministers Office at nearly 7.30 am today. One of his relatives has been lodged in the Tihar Jail, and he was carrying court-related documents related to the same. The accused wanted his relative to be released from jail, it was known. Meanwhile, the mother of the accused alleged that his son travelled to the national capital to speak to the Chief Minister over the issue of stray dogs, adding that the accused is an animal lover. She also alleged the accused suffered mental issues and had attacked his family members on multiple occasions. It was also known that the accused had been conducting surveillance for the past 24 hours and that he even went to the Chief Ministers residence. He also bore injury marks on his head and hand. The process of registering a First Information Report (FIR) against the accused was underway, while the motive of the attack remained unclear. STATEMENT BY THE DELHI CHIEF MINISTERs OFFICE Meanwhile, a statement from the Chief Ministers Office read, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked today during a public grievance hearing. The Delhi Police promptly took the accused into custody and are interrogating him." An additional police force was deployed at the Chief Ministers residence following the incident. VIDEO | Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was allegedly attacked at a Jan Sunwai programme at her official residence in Civil Lines. Visuals from outside her residence.(Full video available on PTI Videos https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/Fv2Dfb0Gxc Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2025 A team of the Delhi Police also reached Chief Minister Rekha Guptas residence. #WATCH | Delhi Police officials have reached the residence of CM Rekha Gupta.She was attacked by a man during Jan Sunvai this morning. He has been nabbed by the Police and is being questioned. pic.twitter.com/u4k3d7t41H ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 Addressing reporters, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva confirmed the attack and said, During the public hearing, a person approached Rekha Gupta, presented some papers, and suddenly grabbed her hand, attempting to pull her. In the ensuing scuffle, there was a minor push and shove, during which the edge of a table was slightly hit." He added, The police are investigating the identity of the person involved. The Chief Ministers condition is stable at present. She has certainly experienced some shock, which is causing a bit of concern. I have just met her. The Chief Minister was not hit with a stone or slapped." BJP CONDEMNS ATTACK ON DELHI CM REKHA GUPTA Following the incident, members of the Bharatiya Janata Party voiced condemnation against the same. Delhi BJP Vice President Kapil Mishra, in an X post, wrote, The attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta Ji is an unforgivable crime. A woman, a daughter, who is dedicated day and night solely to the service of Delhi, those who attack her and those who orchestrate it are both cowards and criminals. Shameful and condemnable." BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj termed the attack a very cowardly incident" and hailed Rekha Gupta as a woman of steel resolve". BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal commented on the incident and said, She goes among the public while speaking with them. So, he (accused) took advantage of that. The Chief Minister is stable. She will work as usual. There is no need to worry. Police investigation is underway." Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, This is nothing but a conspiracy by the Opposition. They cannot tolerate that a Chief Minister spends hours among the public, meeting people openly at her residence without restrictions. This clearly indicates a political conspiracy behind the incident." Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma wrote on X, The attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during the Jan Sunwai at her residence is highly condemnable and a direct assault on democratic values. The public hearing program is a means to connect directly with the people, where the public can convey their questions and concerns to the Chief Minister without any fear or hindrance." ALSO READ | No Place For Violence: Opposition Condemns Attack On Delhi CM Rekha Gupta top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: August 20, 2025, 09:12 IST News india Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Attacked, Assaulted During Public Event At Her Residence Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Rekha Guptas Attacker Came To Delhi Over Relative In Jail, Stray Dog Controversy Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:11 IST Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, who attacked Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, had come seeking the release of a relative lodged in Tihar Jail. He was also carrying court-related documents. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta/Man who attacker her Forty-one-year-old Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, who attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday morning, had come to meet the Chief Minister to get one of his relatives released from the Tihar Jail. Meanwhile, the mother of the accused alleged that his son travelled to the national capital to speak to the Chief Minister over the issue of stray dogs, adding that the accused is an animal lover. Recommended Stories According to the details, Sakriya, a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat, had arrived at the Chief Ministers Office at nearly 7.30 am today. Since one of his relatives has been lodged in the Tihar Jail, he was carrying court-related documents related to the same. It was also known that the accused had been conducting surveillance for the past 24 hours and that he even went to the Chief Ministers residence. He bore injury marks on his head and hand. He was arrested soon after the incident and was being interrogated. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a Jan Sunwai programme at her camp office in Civil Lines this morning. A person attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunwai today. Delhi Police has detained the accused and is questioning him," the Chief Ministers Office said in a statement. IANS quoted Delhi Police sources as saying that a heavy object was hurled at the Chief Minister, causing her to fall to the ground. However, an official confirmation and a statement by the Delhi Police were awaited. Talking to reporters after meeting the Chief Minister, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said that Rekha Gupta is shaken", but she is doing fine. He also denied reports that the Chief Minister was slapped or that a stone was pelted at her. Such incidents in politics are unacceptable, he said, adding that Jan Sunwai will continue. She is taking a rest right now and has made it clear that she will not cancel her scheduled programmes, he added. The security at the camp office has been beefed up, and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been informed about the incident, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying. ALSO READ | No Place For Violence: Opposition Condemns Attack On Delhi CM Rekha Gupta top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: August 20, 2025, 11:11 IST News india Rekha Guptas Attacker Came To Delhi Over Relative In Jail, Stray Dog Controversy Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... TMC's Mitali Bagh Alleges Rijiju, Bittu Assaulted Her; BJP MP Says Not My Culture Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 18:05 IST TMCs Mitali Bagh alleged that Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Ravneet Singh Bittu assaulted her partys female MPs. TMCs Mitali Bagh said that BJP leaders assaulted female MPs from her party. (IMAGE: X) Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday alleged that Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Ravneet Singh Bittu assaulted" its female MPs in the Lok Sabha. TMC Lok Sabha MP Mitali Bagh while speaking to ANI alleged: While we were protesting against the bill, Union Ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu and Kiren Rijiju attacked me, they pushed meThis is condemnable" The scenes unfolded when Home Minister Amit Shah tabled three bills proposing removal of the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers jailed for 30 consecutive days in the Lok Sabha. Recommended Stories When Amit Shah the bills, opposition protested calling the legislations draconian" and raised slogans. Sources speaking to CNN-News18 claimed no evidence, including the CCTV footage supports allegations of TMC MPs being pushed by ruling party members Kiren Rijiju and Ravneet Singh Bittu. Bittu Responds No footage has surfaced to suggest that ruling party MPs pushed the Trinamool MPs," the sources said. BJP MP Ravneet Singh Bittu strongly rejected the charge, saying: It is not my culture to push anyone. I want to ask the TMC, who is teaching them all this? Is it Mamata Banerjee?" My family has laid down their life for the country, and I dont belong to such a political ideology where women have to be disrespected," he said while speaking to CNN-News18. Issuing a challenge, Bittu said: I challenge the TMC to come and fight me outside Parliament, and I am sure they will not be able to win." What Bills Were Being Tabled The three bills in question are the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill. The legislations seek to create a framework under which Chief Ministers in states and Union territories, as well as Union ministers and the Prime Minister, could face removal if they remain in jail for 30 consecutive days. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra hit out at Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, alleging that he did not have the courage" to sit in his own seat while introducing what she called an unconstitutional amendment" in Parliament. Moitra claimed that despite having 20 extra marshals protecting him," Shah cowardly sat in the fourth row," adding in Hindi, jo darr gaya samjho marr gaya" (one who is scared is as good as dead). Reacting to the post, Sukanto Bhattacharya, Bengal BJP MP, said that hurling papers during Parliament proceedings is in the DNA of TMC", while speaking to CNN-News18. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Hurling papers inside the Parliament is in the DNA of TMC leaders," he said, referring to opposition parliamentarians tearing the bill and hurling it at the home minister when he was reading out the provisions of the bills. Bhattacharya also highlighted that there was no scuffling as alleged by TMC MP Bagh and questioned who went charging towards the treasury benches, while referring to the alleged scuffling and assault". About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 16:11 IST News india TMC's Mitali Bagh Alleges Rijiju, Bittu Assaulted Her; BJP MP Says Not My Culture Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... TMC Leader Files Defamation Case Against Father Of RG Kar Rape-Murder Victim Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 14:35 IST TMC leader Kunal Ghosh filed a defamation case against the father of the RG Kar rape-murder victim. The father accused Ghosh of bribing CBI officials to derail the investigation. Ghosh had sent a legal notice to the victim's father last week, demanding an apology over his allegations. (Image: PTI/file photo) Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh has filed a defamation case against the father of RG Kar rape-murder victim, according to a report in NDTV. TMC spokesperson Ghosh filed the case in Kolkata, accusing the rape-murder victims father of defaming him. Recommended Stories In his complaint, Ghosh said that the doctors father recently told media that the CBI allegedly took bribes from TMC and derailed the probe into his daughters chilling rape and murder, the NDTV report mentioned. The report further suggests that the doctors father alleged Ghosh went to meet CBI officials, paid them and settled" everything. Allegations And Legal Action Ghosh, who is also the TMCs state general secretary, responded by sending a legal notice to the victims father last week, demanding an apology. But they cannot just keep saying whatever they want or whatever someone teaches them to say. If he does not apologise, he will have to prove in court what he has said. My lawyer has given him four days to respond after receiving the letter. After that, I will file a case," Mr Ghosh had said, according to NDTV. He also questioned the origin of the accusations, saying, He is crossing all the limits of lies and drama. I understand the pain of a father who has lost his daughter. But that leaves room for questioning the words of those who are doing and saying whatever they are saying. On whose words and on what information did you make false like this?" RG Kar Horror The RG Kar rape-murder horror unfolded on August 9, 2024. A 34-year-old doctor, on night shift, was found raped and murdered inside the premises of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, triggering outrage across the country. Following initial investigation by the Bengal police, a civic volunteer named Sanjoy Roy was arrested and later convicted of the crime. Following a high court order, the case was handed over to the CBI. However, the central probe agency made no further arrests. The victims father has been highly critical of the CBI investigation, claiming that the agency failed to explore the possibility of multiple attackers. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to NDTV report, he said, CBI investigators just tried to re-establish the theory of the Kolkata Police, that the crime was just a case of rape and murder and not a case of gang-rape and murder. We have been raising this point since the beginning. But the CBI investigation officials in Kolkata constantly ignored our contentions." The grieving father also accused the state government of bribing the CBI investigators. Kunal Ghosh went and made the settlement," the victims father said. About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18... Read More Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 14:35 IST News india TMC Leader Files Defamation Case Against Father Of RG Kar Rape-Murder Victim Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Dengue In Children: Early Warning Signs Every Parent Should Know Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:04 IST Dengue in children can escalate quickly, but early recognition of warning signs and timely medical intervention save lives Dengue: Early detection and medical advice are crucial for effective dengue management. Dengue cases are rising at an alarming rate. In 2024 alone, more than 14 million cases were reported worldwide, with India among the worst affected regions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 4 billion people are at risk of dengue infectiona number expected to reach 5 billion by 2050. For children, dengue can be especially dangerous. Since there is no specific medicine to cure the virus, early recognition of warning signs and timely medical care can make all the difference in preventing severe complications. Dr. S Balasubramanian shares all you need to know: Recommended Stories What is Dengue? Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It often starts as a simple fever but can escalate to a life-threatening condition if ignored. WHO classifies dengue into three categories: 1. Dengue without warning signs This is the mild form of dengue. Symptoms usually include: Sudden high fever Headache Pain behind the eyes (retro-orbital pain) Severe muscle and joint pain (known as break-bone fever") Nausea or vomiting Skin rash Mild bleeding (from gums or nose) 2. Dengue with warning signs This stage is more dangerous and requires close monitoring. Along with the above symptoms, children may show: Persistent abdominal pain Repeated vomiting Fluid accumulation (swelling in abdomen, chest) Bleeding from mouth, nose, or gums Extreme tiredness or restlessness Enlarged liver Drop in platelet count with rising haematocrit (blood thickening) 3. Severe Dengue (Dengue Shock Syndrome) This is the most serious form and can be life-threatening. It may cause: Severe plasma leakage leading to shock Difficulty breathing due to fluid in lungs Severe bleeding Organ damage (liver failure, heart inflammation, brain involvement) Dengue in Children: Key Warning Signs Parents Should Watch Most dengue infections in children are mild, but about 2030% develop warning signs and 15% progress to severe dengue. Recognizing these signs early is critical: Persistent abdominal pain (often in the upper right side) Continuous vomiting Unusual bleeding gums, nose, blood in vomit or stool, heavy periods in teens Sudden pink or flushed skin (due to rising haematocrit) Extreme lethargy, weakness, or restlessness Signs of fluid build-up swollen belly, difficulty breathing Fever subsiding but child becoming more lethargic (a red flag for severe dengue) Tip for Parents: If your child has dengue symptoms, dont be reassured just because the fever drops. Sometimes the danger begins when the fever goes away. Treatment and Home Care Since there is no antiviral cure, treatment is supportive: Give adequate fluids (ORS, water, soups) to prevent dehydration Use Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) for fever but avoid overdosage as it can harm the liver Never give Ibuprofen or Aspirin (they increase bleeding risk) Monitor your childs condition closely and visit a doctor if symptoms worsen When to Seek Emergency Help Immediately Rush your child to the nearest hospital if you notice: Severe abdominal pain Persistent vomiting Bleeding (nose, gums, vomit, stool, skin spots) Breathing difficulty Extreme tiredness or unusual behavior Rapidly dropping platelet count in blood reports Can Dengue Be Prevented? Yes, prevention is the best protection. Simple steps include: Using mosquito repellents and protective clothing Sleeping under mosquito nets Eliminating stagnant water around the house (where mosquitoes breed) Keeping windows and doors screened Final Word for Parents top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Dengue in children can escalate quickly, but early recognition of warning signs and timely medical intervention save lives. If your child has fever and any of the warning signs above, seek medical care without delay. Remember: Its better to act early than wait and risk severe dengue. About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More fashion, travel, Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated. First Published: August 20, 2025, 13:02 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness Dengue In Children: Early Warning Signs Every Parent Should Know Why Your Doctor Orders Multiple Tests After A Mosquito Bite: Dengue, Malaria, Allergy Risks Explained Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 12:32 IST What feels like a simple mosquito bite could be the start of a serious infection. Doctors order multiple tests not as overcaution but to safeguard against life-threatening diseases A mosquito bite may seem harmless, but doctors order multiple tests to rule out dengue, malaria, Zika, chikungunya, and severe allergic reactions. Heres why. Every year, World Mosquito Day (August 20) reminds us that these tiny insects are among the deadliest creatures on Earth. Beyond the redness and itching, mosquito bites are responsible for spreading malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Zika virus, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis. Together, mosquito-borne illnesses kill over 700,000 people annually and sicken hundreds of millions. So, when a doctor prescribes an array of tests after a mosquito bite, it isnt an overreactionits a life-saving precaution. Recommended Stories Dr Vani C, Consultant Microbiologist, Metropolis Healthcare, Bangalore, explains why. Why Doctors Prescribe Multiple Tests 1. Ruling Out Mosquito-Borne Diseases Mosquito-borne illnesses often begin with nonspecific symptoms such as fever, body ache, rash, and joint pain. Because these diseases overlap in symptoms but differ in treatment, doctors rely on targeted tests: Malaria: Rapid diagnostic tests, blood smears, PCR Dengue & Chikungunya: NS1 antigen, IgM/IgG ELISA, PCR Zika Virus: PCR in early infection, serology in later stages Prompt detection is critical. A delayed diagnosis can escalate into cerebral malaria, dengue haemorrhagic fever, or pregnancy complications with Zika. 2. Identifying Allergic Reactions In some cases, mosquito bites trigger severe allergies, especially in children or those with compromised immunity. This condition, called skeeter syndrome, causes extreme swelling and pain. Doctors may order allergy blood tests or skin prick tests to rule out allergic hypersensitivity versus infection. 3. Protecting High-Risk Groups Pregnant women, infants, elderly patients, and immunosuppressed individuals face greater risks from mosquito-borne infections. For these groups, doctors recommend aggressive early testing to prevent severe complications. A Global & Public Health Perspective The burden of mosquito-borne diseases is rising worldwide: Malaria: Strikes over 200 million people annually, causing more than 600,000 deaths. Dengue: Infects 390 million people every year, with severe cases surging in urban and tropical areas. Factors like climate change, rapid urbanization, and international travel are expanding outbreaks into new regions. Importantly, testing isnt just for the patient, it strengthens public health surveillance: Early detection helps initiate vector-control drives. Confirmed cases feed into national and WHO tracking systems. Rapid reporting can prevent hundreds of secondary infections. The Takeaway Doctors order multiple tests after a mosquito bite not out of fear, but out of medical vigilance. Each test is a safeguard against deadly mosquito-borne diseases, severe allergic reactions, and unexpected complications. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On this World Mosquito Day 2025, remember: vigilance from clinicians and timely testing are our best defense against one of the smallest yet deadliest threats to human health. Lifestyle Tip: Along with seeking medical help, protect yourself by using mosquito repellents, bed nets, and wearing covered clothing especially during monsoon months when transmission peaks. About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More fashion, travel, Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated. First Published: August 20, 2025, 12:30 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness Why Your Doctor Orders Multiple Tests After A Mosquito Bite: Dengue, Malaria, Allergy Risks Explained Opinion | A Nation At War: Operation Sindoor Continues Written By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 12:40 IST In the India-Pakistan context, our overall policy would be to contain Pakistan so that it does not pose a physical danger to us What is new in the new normal created in Op Sindoor is that India can wage war against Pakistan in the new technological era. (File) The terms war and peace are often defined imprecisely in world history. Is peace merely defined by the absence of mobilised militaries engaging in pitched battles? Clearly not war is taken as any adversarial interaction in which rivals compete, using all methods, be it military or otherwise, to subdue the other party. By this token, India and Pakistan have been at war for exactly 78 years, even as I write this on Independence Day 2025 as a gedanken experiment. Recommended Stories The orthodox Clausewitzian definition of war as nothing other than a continuation of policy by other means is sufficient to convey to us how governments use war, even if it does not define accurately what war is in itself. In any event, all wars are derived from state policy and lead almost directly to strategic concerns. Strategy may be defined as the use of battles to win the war. Strategy is future-oriented: it is a declaration of intent by a government and an indicator of the possible means required to fulfill that intent. Strategy combines means, ways and ends. It is designed to make war usable by the state so that it may fulfill its political objective. In the India-Pakistan context, our overall policy would be to contain Pakistan so that it does not pose a physical danger to us, sharing as it does a long land boundary across flat plains and deserts. Another policy aim would be to restrain the country from exploiting religious differences within India considering that more Muslims live in India than in Pakistan, their ancestors having opted to remain in the mother country even in the backdrop of a religion-based partition. Finally, there is the long-term goal of undoing some of the mistakes of partition, the so-called unfinished agenda; for example, could Op Sindoor progress to Op Sindhu? Whether any or all of these policy aims are resolved now, later or never is not known to any of us. However, they are the guiding principles of any war that has been fought with Pakistan in the past, is being fought at the present or will be fought in the future. Our strategic thinking vis-a-vis Pakistan has been concerned with maintaining our relationships with other countries, notably the USA, China and Russia, and to a smaller extent Europe and the Gulf states so that we maintain some degree of say, economic relationship with these countries that they would be averse to disturb in the event of an all-out conflict with Pakistan. For example, our oil trade with Russia was not disturbed by Op Sindoor because of our excellent relations with Russia. Another strategic concern would be to decide whether, in the case of a military movement to take territory, a strike on Gilgit-Baltistan or PoJK, across the LoC, would be preferable compared to a strike on Punjab or Sind across the International Border (IB), from purely political considerations. Along these lines, a further strategic consideration would be to evaluate if a carrying forward of the war through a friendly Baluchistan or KP would be better than a direct assault on Pakistan across the LoC or IB. From policy to strategy, one moves to tactics employed in the field of war, howsoever one defines it, in the physical space, the cyber space or the cognitive space. Tactics are operational aspects of a war that take into account the ever-changing nature of the battlefield, the enemy, the circumstances, the unexpected and the all-important time factor that might change any of these above-mentioned factors at relatively short notice. In the Pakistan context, tactics would consist of questions such as whether one should attack in October or November this year, how one should use drones, whether there should be feint dummy attacks in distant places before the real thing, or even whether an attack across the LoC would be preferable to one across the IB, but now from purely tactical considerations, not political ones. One therefore constructs a troika view of war as a logical sequence of policy, strategy and tactics with some intersection of these three domains. Policy, at least in a democracy like India, is ultimately determined by the people through elections, and is often a matter of emotion. Strategy is the responsibility of the government and is cerebral in its basis, following from confidential discussions and internal deliberations. Tactics are almost always best left to the military establishment; it has been a pity that in the past, the civilian governments have interfered with tactical questions, keeping their political priorities in mind. It has been a refreshing change that in Op Sindoor, there has been no interference in the tactical pursuit of the war against Pakistan in all the above-mentioned war spaces: physical, cognitive and cyber. Tactics are neither emotional nor cerebral they are mostly mathematical, operational and time dependent. Let us now look at Op Sindoor so far in the context of the other 1 enemies faced by India. In the context of China, one would have to think about whether or not, in the event of a major escalation of hostilities, it would provide boots-on-the-ground support to Pakistan, create disturbances in the India-China border or content itself with growls in the UN and other forums. As for the half-enemy faced by us internally, it is a matter of regret that this enemy has, for reasons both political and economic, been actively working to unseat a lawfully elected government, and sadly enough even if it means it compromises the unity and integrity of the country and possibly even its disintegration and dismemberment, by consorting with unfriendly foreign powers recklessly and wantonly. This is another war we need to fight and not necessarily militarily; the people of this country need to fight an all-out war against our internal enemies in non-kinetic ways. Further extensions of Op Sindoor will almost be extended from being purely military operations to other forms of warfare with the overall aim of vanquishing the enemy. The government and most recently the Chief of Army Staff have explicitly stated that Op Sindoor is still going on what was decided on 10 May was merely a cessation of hostilities. Some water has flowed below the bridge since then with POTUS Trumps tantrums, his tilt towards Pakistan and our PMs discussions with President Putin and the announcement of his forthcoming visit to China in early September. The Army chief has stated in public that he expects a further round of hostilities soon and that third countries might actively intervene in support of Pakistan. The COAS chief has in the meantime stated that wars start in todays world even without formal declarations. What is new in the new normal created in Op Sindoor is that India can wage war against Pakistan in the new technological era, and that might not hesitate to escalate the war at a time of its choosing. By threatening the fading rules-based order of the USA, India has shown that it might have the necessary chutzpah to punch slightly above its weight in Op Sindoor Phase II. The USA cannot be unconcerned as it sees in Indias moves and actions, a repeat of Chinas actions 15 to 20 years ago. The spectre of two large Asian civilisational states that are economically and militarily powerful by 2040 would well signal the end of the USA as primus inter pares in the international high table of nations. The mood of the Indian public is unambiguous they consider the currency of victory in war as enemy territory and only this. Nothing else will suffice for them. Two possibilities suggest themselves: the first is the seizure of a part or the whole of the territory that India has always considered as hers by legal considerations. I refer, of course, to the districts of Gilgit, Baltistan and PoJK, namely the areas between Muzaffarabad, Poonch and Mirpur. Taking these areas would involve crossing the LoC which, legally speaking, will not cause excessive consternation in the international community, barring possibly China. The second possibility would involve crossing the IB at unspecified points and taking territory. This second possibility flies in the face of the so-called rules-based order and inviolability of the post-1945 nation-state boundaries. However, these boundaries have been crossed recently in Ukraine and a while ago in the Horn of Africa and are by no means sacrosanct, their inviolability only depending on the power of the US hegemon in world affairs. This latter power diminishing latterly, such borders will be crossed with increasing impunity. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In such a scenario, Pakistan remains the final block in our smooth passage towards becoming an international power of the first order. This is probably the reason the Indian State is considering a continuation of Op Sindoor towards achieving this most prized currency of victory of war against Pakistan land. Gautam R. Desiraju is in the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. First Published: August 20, 2025, 12:40 IST News opinion Opinion | A Nation At War: Operation Sindoor Continues Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | How Not To Make A Dogs Breakfast Of The Stray Issue: First-World Lessons Written By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 09:32 IST Stopping dogs from roaming the streets is not an act of cruelty, but of empathy. The most developed, disciplined, and considerate countries do it. Supreme Court's big order on stray dog menace (Representational image: PTI) Apologies for using another canine idiom right after the one in the headline, but on the stray dog issue, Indian animal lovers are barking up the wrong tree. Stopping dogs from roaming the streets is not an act of cruelty, but of empathy. The most developed, disciplined, and considerate countries do it. It ensures public safety and hygiene and keeps dogs from going hungry unless there are piles of garbage or the whimsical milk of human kindness or freeze to death in the cold. Recommended Stories Dog shelters in numerous nations are far from being hell holes and allow much safer spaces for the animals than the rough streets. Sterilisation becomes easier in an enclosed environment. These centres become centres of adoption. Compassion Without Borders in Mexico, Rudozem Street Dog Rescue in Bulgaria, The Perros Project in Peru, Tico in Austria, Bo Ai in China (which rescues from the dog meat industry) are among the many doing stellar work. Indias own Voice of Stray Dogs is acclaimed globally for its work. India does have its unique problems regarding strays, much of it linked to its massive size, burgeoning human and canine population, and a festering lack of cleanliness and civic sense. The large stray population, corrupt municipalities, and greedy NGO officials make sterilisation a flawed and futile exercise. The stubbornly impractical and fanatical animal lobby only makes things worse. And so far, politicians have tried to skirt the issue fearing they would offend a vote bank which might be larger than they could fathom. But now that the Supreme Court has relieved politicians and bureaucrats of their duty to address the issue and itself set deadlines of removing strays in the National Capital Region and putting them in shelters, the reckoning is here. At this point, instead of throwing tantrums or spanners, we should look at how some nations have successfully handled the stray dog issue. The Netherlands leads in this. It has removed all strays from the streets by carrying out measures focused on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership. A State-funded sterilisation program, strict animal welfare laws, high taxes on purebred dogs, and nationwide adoption campaigns have converged to make The Netherlands approach a model for others. Some Dutch cities, for instance, imposed high taxes on store-bought dogs, making more people choose adoption from stray shelters. A comprehensive sterilisation programme, with The Netherlands government funding, covered more than 70 per cent of female dogs. This made the birth rate of stray dogs dive. But most crucially, the Dutch government launched a nationwide initiative named CNVR (Collect, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return). It provides vet services such as neutering, spaying, and vaccination. This has ensured the Netherlands status as the worlds first country without strays. Australia manages its stray population through trapping, sterilisation, and rehoming programs. It strictly enforces responsible pet ownership laws and controls the population of feral dogs. In some areas where feral dogs are a threat to native species, authorities shoot them. Animal welfare groups often work with local governments to trap stray dogs, sterilise them, and then return them to their territories. This Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) approach is key to Australias stray dog management strategy. Dogs picked for rehoming are placed in shelters or foster homes so that they may find permanent adoptive families. The country mandates microchipping for dogs, making it easier to locate owners. Australia addresses some root causes of straying. For instance, its improved waste management practices reduce the availability of food for stray dogs, making their environment less attractive. China, on the other hand, prioritises rabies control. Mandatory dog registration, mass vaccination campaigns, public reporting platforms, and awareness campaigns have taken Beijings vaccination rate to more than 80 per cent. These ended human rabies cases since 2021, though crackdowns on unregistered dogs have triggered debates somewhat similar to that raging in India now. Reporting of unattended dogs, responsible pet ownership, shelters, and vaccination have dramatically brought down stray populations from Japan to Europe to America. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all But in the face of a mountain of examples, Indias over-zealous animal lovers refuse to adopt either the global good practices or the strays. Instead, they insist on derailing any sane State policy or progressive judicial ruling. To use another canine metaphor, it is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog. Abhijit Majumder is a senior journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. First Published: August 20, 2025, 09:32 IST News opinion Opinion | How Not To Make A Dogs Breakfast Of The Stray Issue: First-World Lessons Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 09:22 IST Oracle has laid off close to 10% of its workforce in India, marking one of its biggest rounds of job cuts in the country. 1 / 10 Oracle, one of the worlds largest software firms, has laid off close to 10% of its workforce in India, marking one of its biggest rounds of job cuts in the country, according to India Today report. The restructuring comes even as the company recently announced a landmark partnership with OpenAI and held high-level discussions with US President Donald Trump. (File Photo) 2 / 10 In a June filing, the company said it periodically adjusts its workforce for strategic changes, reorganisations, or performance reasons. These types of restructurings have resulted, and may in the future result, in increased restructuring costs and temporarily reduced productivity while employees adjust," the filing noted. (Image: Pexels) ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 Oracle has long relied on India as a key talent hub, employing nearly 28,824 people across major cities including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Noida, and Kolkata. But with close to one in ten staff now facing job cuts, the impact is significant, reports Data Centre Dynamics. The layoffs are said to be concentrated in functions such as software development, cloud services, and customer support. (Image: Pexels) 4 / 10 While the layoffs are making news, here's a look at fresher salaries across various roles in Oracle India. An Associate Consultant earns around 6 lakh to 12 lakh per year. (Image: Pexels) ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 While a Software Developer can earn anywhere around 15.3 lakh to 24 lakh per year. (Image: Pexels) 6 / 10 A Software Engineer typically earns around 13.7 lakh to 23.9 lakh per year. (Image: Pexels) ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 A Technical Analyst at Oracle can earn approximately 8 lakh to 10.5 lakh per year. (Image: Pexels) 8 / 10 A Senior Tax Analyst can earn around 10.6 lakh to 12.6 lakh per year. (Image: Pexels) ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 An MTS Software Engineer at Oracle at earn around 20.2 lakh to 34.4 lakh per year. (Image: Pexels) News / Regional by Gideon Madzikatidze/Simbarashe Sithole in Plumtree A 37-year-old man from Simelamela Village in Mphoengs, Plumtree, has been ordered to perform 210 hours of community service for insulting and confronting his aunt, Gabagake Phuthi (49), over alleged witchcraft linked to the mysterious deaths of two relatives.Nomatter Moyo appeared before Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to indicating witches, as defined under Section 99 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.Magistrate Nembaware initially sentenced Moyo to 12 months' imprisonment. However, six months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour, while the remaining six months were converted to 210 hours of community service at ZRP Mphoengs, starting August 20, 2025.Prosecutor Sheila Nyathi told the court that on July 17, 2024, at around 6:30 p.m., Moyo, who appeared intoxicated, went to Phuthi's homestead. Upon arrival, he began insulting her and accusing her of witchcraft, saying in Ndebele: "Wabulala uSaMtatsi, loSaChipo, manje ufuna ukubulala mina" ("You killed SaMtatsi and SaChipo, and now you want to kill me").The complainant, offended and fearing for her safety, reported the matter to the police, leading to Moyo's arrest. Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 15:25 IST 1 / 9 Most engineers from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are known to chase high-paying corporate jobs. But some take risks that change industries. One such story is that of Gaurav Singh Kushwaha, an IIT Delhi alumnus, who quit his secure job at Amazon to launch a jewellery start-up that is now valued at over Rs 1,300 crore. (News18 Hindi) 2 / 9 Kushwaha founded Bluestone Jewellery in 2011, blending technology with Indias centuries-old love for ornaments. What began as an online platform has today grown into one of the countrys largest jewellery brands, operating 275 stores across 117 cities. The company recently made a strong debut in the stock market with its IPO raising Rs 1,541 crore, subscribed 2.72 times. (News18 Hindi) ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 9 An important influence in Kushwahas journey has been Ratan Tata. The two first met in 2014, when Bluestone was still finding its feet. In an interview, Kushwaha recalled being nervous just hearing Tatas name, but said the industrialists simplicity won him over. (News18 Hindi) 4 / 9 Tata's advice to Kushwaha was, "If you do something good for customers with a true heart, they will trust you," and it remained central to Bluestones growth. Tata also reminded him to focus on creating something extraordinary, whether in products, service, or company culture. (News18 Hindi) ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 9 But the journey was far from easy. Jewellery retail demands heavy investment in inventory. To overcome this, Bluestone initially outsourced production before setting up its own manufacturing, which cut design-to-delivery time to just 3-4 days. (News18 Hindi) 6 / 9 By 2014, the brand had 3,000 designs on offer and aimed to scale to 20,000. Sales at that time hovered around Rs 5060 crore annually; today, revenues are in the hundreds of crores, backed by rapid offline expansion with 200 company-owned stores and 75 franchises. (News18 Hindi) ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 9 According to filings, Kushwaha holds 2.45 crore shares in Bluestone, around 17.7 percent stake, purchased at an average cost of Rs 47.92. With shares climbing to Rs 548 on the bourses, the value of his holding has surged to Rs 1,340.68 crore. (News18 Hindi) 8 / 9 Kushwaha often jokes about being married into the jewellery business. His wife once quipped that she buys ornaments from Bluestones website every month, adding that being newly married and running a jewellery company was an expensive combination. (News18 Hindi) ADVERTISEMENT Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:16 IST Rekha Gupta Attack: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public meeting at her residence on Wednesday morning. 1 / 8 Rekha Gupta: A man, said to be in his 40s, approached the Chief Minister during a 'Jansunwai' and attacked her. (File Photo) 2 / 8 The Delhi Chief Minister has been rushed to the hospital and top officers of Delhi Police have rushed to her residence to secure the premises. (File Photo) ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 8 Heres a look at some notable incidents where Chief Ministers allegedly came under public attack. (File Photo) 4 / 8 Arvind Kejriwal: Former Delhi Chief Minister faced public attacks several times. In 2016, a woman from a Punjab outfit hurled black ink at Kejriwal during an official event at Chhatrasal Stadium. (File Photo) ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 8 In 2014, Kejriwal was slapped by an autorickshaw driver while campaigning in Sultanpuri. Furthermore, during a press conference on the odd-Even scheme rollout, someone from the public hurled shoes at him. He was also attacked during a roadshow. (File Photo) 6 / 8 Bhupinder Singh Hooda: In 2014, then Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was slapped during a public event by a young man who was allegedly frustrated over employment issue. (Image: X) ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 8 Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy: Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was reportedly attacked with a cock-fighting knife in a VIP lounge of Visakhapatnam Airport in 2018. (Image: X) Last Updated: August 19, 2025, 17:19 IST 1 / 8 India is home to some of the worlds most stunning beaches, yet Goa often takes the spotlight when it comes to seaside getaways. Beyond the states popular shores, however, lie several lesser-known gems across the country. These pristine beaches, with their golden sands, clear waters and tranquil surroundings, offer not only relaxation but also a closer connection with nature. (News18 Hindi) 2 / 8 Radhanagar Beach, Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Radhanagar Beach is frequently listed among the most beautiful beaches in Asia. Known for its powdery white sand and striking blue waters, it has a charm that leaves visitors enchanted. The breathtaking views of sunrise and sunset make it a favourite for travellers across the globe. For nature enthusiasts, this beach offers an ideal retreat into serenity. (News18 Hindi) ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 8 Minicoy Island Beach, Lakshadweep: Minicoy Island Beach in Lakshadweep is celebrated for its calm environment and unspoiled charm. Surrounded by a clear lagoon and vibrant coral reefs, it is a haven for sea lovers. Adventure seekers can enjoy scuba diving and snorkelling, while those looking for peace can revel in the quiet atmosphere. With minimal commercialisation, Minicoy remains an untouched paradise offering both relaxation and adventure. (News18 Hindi) 4 / 8 Varkala Beach, Kerala: Varkala Beach in Kerala is unique for its dramatic setting, with high cliffs overlooking the sea. This destination blends relaxation with a spiritual atmosphere, attracting visitors who seek both natural beauty and cultural depth. Popular activities here include Ayurvedic massages and yoga sessions by the shore, making it a distinctive spot that leaves a lasting impression. (News18 Hindi) ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 8 Gokarna Beach, Karnataka: Located in Karnataka, Gokarna Beach has become a popular choice among backpackers and adventure lovers. Its appeal lies in the combination of trekking trails and scenic sea views, creating a different coastal experience. Less crowded than Goa, the beach retains a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere, making it a favourite for those travelling with friends or seeking a quieter holiday. (News18 Hindi) 6 / 8 Puri Beach, Odisha: Puri Beach in Odisha is not only renowned for its natural beauty but also for its religious and cultural significance. Visitors often spend time here after visiting the famous Jagannath Temple. The beach also hosts an annual festival that draws tourists from across the world. With the rhythmic sound of waves and the refreshing sea breeze, Puri Beach offers a blend of spirituality and coastal charm. (News18 Hindi) ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 8 These beaches across India stand out for offering more than just natural beauty. They combine adventure, relaxation, and even spiritual experiences, making them suitable for every kind of traveller. Whether it is a honeymoon, a backpacking trip, or a family holiday, these destinations cater to a wide range of expectations. (News18 Hindi) Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 14:55 IST 1 / 10 Onam is a harvest festival which celebrates the homecoming of the legendary King Mahabali. During Onam, which generally falls in late August or early September, Kerala is decked up with pookkalam and lights. (Image: Pinterest) 2 / 10 The legend of King Mahabali is the most popular and fascinating of all legends behind Onam. The festival celebrates the visit of King Mahabali to the state of Kerala every year. (Image: Pinterest) ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 The festival is celebrated in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam, which starts from Atham and lasts for 10 days till Ponnonam. Apart from being the harvest festival, Onam is also is the main festival of Kerala. (File Photo) 4 / 10 According to local mythology, Kerala was once ruled by an Asura (demon) king Mahabali, also known as Maveli and Onathappan. Mahabali, despite being a demon king, was said to be generous and benevolent. His rule was likened to the golden era as everyone was happy and there was no discrimination on the basis of caste or class. There was no poverty, sorrow, crime, or corruption. (File Photo) ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 It is believed that Mahabali defeated the gods and took over the three worlds. With his growing popularity and fame, the gods became extremely concerned and jealous. They felt threatened about their own supremacy and urge Lord Vishnu to help them in their fight against the demon king. (File Photo) 6 / 10 Mahabali was a devotee of Lord Vishnu and was very generous and charitable. Vishnu, in his Vamana (poor Brahmin) avatar, visited Mahabali to test the king. He made the king agree to his wish. Disguised as Vamana, Vishnu said he was a poor Brahmin and asked for a piece of land measuring three paces". Mahabali agreed to this wish. (File Photo) ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 The Vamana avatar then grew in size and covered everything the king ruled in just two steps. To keep his word and honour, Mahabali offered his head for the third step. Impressed by his gesture, Lord Vishnu allowed him to return to Earth once every year. The day of his visit to Kerala is celebrated as Onam every year. (File Photo) 8 / 10 Onam is the rice harvest festival in Kerala and all the 10 days of the celebrations has its own significance. On the occasion of Thiru Onam", the most auspicious day of the 10-day-long festival, people visit temples in large numbers, cutting across villages and towns in the morning. (File Photo) ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 The characteristic floral designs pookkalam are symbolic of the festival. People make different types of patters in their houses with flowers and light lamps to invite King Mahabali to their house. (File Photo) AAP MLA Says Attack On Delhi CM 'Staged For Drama', BJP Hits Back Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 17:55 IST AAP MLA Anil Jha claimed that the attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on Wednesday was "staged" to create "drama", prompting a furious response from the BJP. AAP MLA Anil Jha said the attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was staged. (Agencies) After Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public grievance hearing at her residence in Civil Lines, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA grabbed headlines for claiming that her own man staged the attack to create drama and avoid discussion on the national capitals civic issues. Speaking to reporters, AAP MLA Anil Jha said, This was not an attack. I have known her for a long time. No attack took place. She orchestrated this attack and arranged a man to create a story." Recommended Stories Jha also claimed that when Gupta was the president of the Delhi University Students Union, he was the vice-president. We were at a protest. She asked me to light a match and burn some of her hair so that she could show how she was attacked. This was no attack but a drama," he added. Delhi: Reacting to the attack on CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai, AAP MLA Anil Jha says, This was not an attack. I have known her for a long time. No attack took place; she orchestrated this to create a story" pic.twitter.com/Ldmo0HXMg8 IANS (@ians_india) August 20, 2025 Reacting sharply to this shocking statement, BJP MLA Harish Khurana said, All political parties have condemned this attack on the Chief Minister.Arvind Kejriwal ji, you are condemning the attack, but an AAP MLA is calling it a drama. Is this the partys official stand? If this is indeed so, you should be ashamed. You have the expertise in such drama." BJP MLA Shikha Roy also condemned the remarks, saying, The Aam Aadmi Party has always been a party of theatrics and drama. This is true because during their time they orchestrated such incidents and then tried to take advantage of them, which is why they are making such statements now." Earlier today, Rekha Gupta was addressing a weekly Jan Sunwai programme when a man entered, allegedly handed over a paper to the Chief Minister, shouted, slapped her, pulled her hair, and abused her. The accused grabbed the Chief Minister by her hair and did not let go for quite some time, according to sources. The individual was identified as 41-year-old Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, a resident of Gujarats Rajkot. He was overpowered by the security team and arrested, and the Delhi Police registered an attempt to murder case against him for attacking the Delhi Chief Minister. ALSO READ: 80-Second Horror At Rekha Guptas Residence: Attacker Slapped Her, Pulled Hair As She Stumbled Reacting to the incident, former Delhi Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi condemned the incident and hoped for strict action against the culprits. In a democracy, there is a place for disagreement and protest, but there is no place for violence. It is hoped that the Delhi Police will take the strictest action against the culprits," Atishi said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma also confirmed that the attacker had conducted a recce of the CMs house. The police are investigating the mindset and motives of the attacker. We know that the attacker had been doing a recce of her house and was waiting for this morning." Meanwhile, Rekha Gupta was reported to be in a stable condition, although she was still in a state of shock. BJP leaders have attributed the attack to political motives. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 17:50 IST News politics AAP MLA Says Attack On Delhi CM 'Staged For Drama', BJP Hits Back Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Amit Shah Vs Opposition: Bill To Remove PM, CMs Over Criminal Cases Sparks Big Lok Sabha Ruckus Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 15:36 IST Shah objected strongly to Venugopal and said he resigned as the Gujarat home minister on moral grounds and did not take any constitutional post until he was cleared of all charges The three contentious bills have been sent to the joint committee for further deliberation. (Photos: Sansad TV) The Lok Sabha on Wednesday witnessed a massive showdown between the treasury bench and the opposition after Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced new bills that provide for the removal of the prime minister or chief ministers arrested on serious criminal charges. Opposition MPs, including Asasduddin Owaisi, Manish Tewari, NK Premchandran, Dharmendra Yadav and KC Venugopal, opposed the bill, calling it anti-constitutional". Shah, however, proposed that the three bills be sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further deliberation. Recommended Stories Amid massive protests by the opposition, Congress MP KC Venugopal asked Shah whether he resigned on moral grounds when he was the home minister of Gujarat. BJP people are saying this is to bring morality in politics. Can ask a question to the home minister when he was the home minister of Gujarat, he had been arrested, whether he took the morality to resign," the Lok Sabha MP from Keralas Alappuzha said. I oppose this bill. BJP leaders claim that this bill aims to bring morality into politics, but I would like to ask the Home Minister of India: when he was the Home Minister of Gujarat and faced arrest, did he consider taking moral responsibility and resigning? This pic.twitter.com/EJllYH4JgP Congress (@INCIndia) August 20, 2025 Shah objected strongly to Venugopal and said he resigned as the Gujarat home minister on moral grounds and did not take any constitutional post until he was cleared of all charges by the courts. False allegations were levelled against me, and I resigned on moral grounds, and I did not take any constitutional posts until I was cleared of all charges by the courts," Shah said. Big Govt-Opposition Confrontation In Lok Sabha Over Tainted Leaders Bill, Papers Torn Govt Hell-Bent On Creating Police State: Oppn Opposition MPs tore copies of three bills and threw paper bits towards him in the Lok Sabha. Speaker Om Birla later adjourned the House amid uproar. Opposing the bills, Owaisi said they violate the principle of separation of powers and undermine the right of the people to elect a government. It gives executive agencies a free run to become judge and executioner based on flimsy allegations and suspicionsThis government is hell-bent on creating a Police State. This will be a death nail unleashed on the elected government. Indias Constitution is being amended to turn this country into a Police State," he added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Echoing a similar view, Congress MP Manish Tewari said these bills are squarely destructive of the basic structure of the Constitution. This (these) Bill opens the door for political misuse by instrumentalities of the State whose arbitrary conduct has been repeatedly frowned upon by the Supreme Court. It throws all existing Constitutional safeguards to the winds," he added. Three billsthe Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025; the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 were introduced in Lok Sabha that seeks to remove the prime minister, a Union minister, a chief minister or a minister of a state or Union Territory when arrested or detained on serious criminal charges for 30 days. About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 First Published: August 20, 2025, 14:33 IST News politics Amit Shah Vs Opposition: Bill To Remove PM, CMs Over Criminal Cases Sparks Big Lok Sabha Ruckus Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... BEST Election 2025 Result: Litmus Test Turns Setback As Thackeray Brothers Face Major Defeat Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 10:27 IST Contrary to predictions of close contest, Shashank Raos panel secured a decisive victory, winning 14 seats, while ruling Mahayuti-backed Sahakar Samruddhi panel managed only seven Raj and Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai rally | Image: X The results of the BEST Employees Co-operative Credit Society Election 2025 have sent shockwaves across Mumbais political circles. What was widely seen as a litmus test for the Thackeray brothers Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray ended in an unexpected defeat, reshaping the balance of power in the influential society. The elections were held on August 18, and after intense counting that stretched past midnight on Tuesday, the final results were declared. Contrary to predictions of a close contest, Shashank Raos panel secured a decisive victory, winning 14 seats, while the ruling Mahayuti-backed Sahakar Samruddhi panel managed only seven. The Thackeray brothers joint panel, Utkarsh, failed to win even a single seat, marking a dramatic setback. For the past nine years, the Thackeray-led panel had maintained an unbroken dominance over the society. This year, however, the results proved otherwise. For many, this election was about more than just controlling the society it was seen as a rehearsal for the upcoming BMC elections, where the Thackeray brothers are yet to finalise whether they will extend their alliance. Their coming together for this poll was closely watched, as it was the first significant political collaboration between the two factions after years of rivalry. Recommended Stories Political observers note that the Rao panels victory was built on years of grassroots connect with BEST workers, regular engagement with trade unions, and timely interventions in resolving employees grievances and legacy of his late father and labour union leader Sharad Rao. This strong organisational base appealed to over 15,000 voters, who chose to back Raos panel instead of aligning with either the Thackrays or the Mahayuti. Suhas Samant, President, BEST Kamgar Sena (UBT), accused the BJP of using money and influence in BEST election. The results of the BEST Co-operative Credit Society elections are out. We have lost, but I congratulate those who have won. Now you may ask, how did this happen when twelve thousand employees were with me? Over the past week, there was a huge flow of money. We thought employees might accept the money but still vote for us. But against money power, we fell short. I have worked hard to save BEST, but the BJP used both money and their influence. We fell behind in terms of outreach and financial power. What surprises me is that a party like the BJP puts such a massive machinery even into a co-operative credit society election. They do whatever it takes to get what they want for that, one must acknowledge both their effort and the fear it creates," Samant said. Meanwhile, BJP leaders were quick to react to this election result. Navnath Ban, BJP Spokesperson while speaking this reporter said, In the BEST Credit Society elections, UBT and its allies have suffered a humiliating defeat. Not a single candidate of UBT managed to win. For many, this result is nothing short of a referendum delivered by Mumbaikars ahead of the BMC elections. Importantly, these polls were conducted on ballot papers, not EVMs. Which means Sanjay Raut has no scope to cry foul with his usual excuses of EVM manipulation, rigging, or conspiracy. So, the big question is Sanjay Raut, who lectures the media daily about the sanctity of democracy, will you respect this democratic verdict of Mumbai, or will you stay silent with your finger on your lips? Answer the people!" top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all We did try to speak with Thackeray brothers panel but didnt not get any response. Meanwhile, within the Sahakar Samruddhi camp, the results brought mixed fortunes. Of the seven winning candidates, four belonged to the BJPs Prasad Lad group, two to Shinde Senas Kiran Pawaskar group, and one represented the OBC Welfare Union. The Thackeray brothers failure to secure even a single seat is now being widely interpreted as a major political embarrassment. Their attempt to demonstrate unity and test public sentiment before the municipal polls has backfired. With the BMC elections around the corner, this outcome raises serious questions about the future of their alliance and their ability to pose a formidable challenge to the ruling coalition in Mumbai. About the Author Mayuresh Ganapatye Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa... Read More Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 10:27 IST News politics BEST Election 2025 Result: Litmus Test Turns Setback As Thackeray Brothers Face Major Defeat Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... From Kejriwal To Lalu Prasad, Here Are CMs & Ministers Who Refused To Resign Despite Arrest Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 18:59 IST Amid calls of "draconian" and "misuse", the three Bills for removal of PM, CM and ministers on 30-day arrest over criminal charges, were referred to a joint parliamentary panel AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal became the first ever sitting CM to be arrested and imprisoned. (Image: PTI/File) The three Bills for the removal of prime minister, chief ministers, and ministers arrested on serious criminal charges for 30 days introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament has drawn fierce protests from the opposition. Amid calls of draconian" and misuse", the Bills on Wednesday were referred to a joint parliamentary panel. While the ruling side said the proposed legislation provides a solution for people like Arvind Kejriwal", opposition parties said they are against the principles of natural justice". Recommended Stories Kejriwal, who became the first ever sitting chief minister in India to be arrested, was running Delhi from behind bars for at least six months. Lalu Prasad Yadav, the RJD veteran who got embroiled in multiple corruption cases and convictions during his tenure as CM, may not have served from jail but he did not go willingly and was forced to resign. There are more examples of ministers who have refused to step down from their posts or give up their portfolios, despite facing arrest. And many who continue as chief ministers, union ministers and state ministers even in the face of serious criminal charges and no arrest. Here is a list of such CMs and ministers: Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi) The most prominent and recent example on this list is AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. On March 2024, he became the first ever sitting CM in India to be arrested and imprisoned. After being released on bail, he vowed to resign on September 15, 2024, to campaign for the Delhi assembly elections and formally did so on September 17, 2024. He was succeeded by then education minister Atishi as CM. Lalu Prasad Yadav (Bihar) Another prominent name would be former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav. Even though he was unwilling to resign as CM, he was eventually forced to do so after his arrest and conviction in the fodder scam, a multicrore corruption scandal involving the illegal withdrawal of funds from the government treasury. In his stead, he appointed his wife Rabri Devi but continued to be a key figure in state and party politics. Narayan Rane (Maharashtra) When Narayan Rane was Union MSME minister, he faced a brief arrest in 2021 for making derogatory comments against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. But, he did not, in that period, resign from his ministerial post. Satyendar Jain (Delhi) Another AAP leader, Satyendar Jain held the portfolios for health, home, and public works when he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in 2022 in a money laundering case related to alleged corruption and hawala transactions. Despite his arrest and ongoing legal proceedings, Jain did not resign from Kejriwals cabinet for at least nine months before he finally gave up alongside fellow leader Manish Sisodia, who resigned from the cabinet following his arrest in the alleged excise scam in February 2023. V Senthil Balaji (Tamil Nadu) Former Tamil Nadu cabinet minister V Senthil Balaji of the DMK was arrested by the ED on June 14, 2023, on charges of money laundering and corruption. The case was linked to his tenure as the transport minister between 2011 and 2015. Following his arrest, Balajis health became a major point of contention. His family and supporters claimed that his arrest was carried out under circumstances that were not humane and his lawyers filed multiple petitions. He was hospitalised, and the legal wrangling over his health and bail continued for weeks. He eventually resigned in February 2024 but was reinstated as minister after his release in September 2024. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Partha Chatterjee (West Bengal) Notorious now for his alleged involvement in the cash-for-jobs scam, or the teacher recruitment scam, in West Bengal, Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the ED in 2022. The senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, who was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday (August 18), was accused of illegally receiving bribes for appointing candidates to government teaching posts. Despite being arrested, Chatterjee did not immediately resign from his position and his party initially defended him. Under growing pressure, however, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee removed him from his ministerial post. About the Author Oindrila Mukherjee Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 17:56 IST News politics From Kejriwal To Lalu Prasad, Here Are CMs & Ministers Who Refused To Resign Despite Arrest Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Going Back To Medieval Times': Rahul Gandhi, In Black T-shirt, Attacks Govt On New Bills Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 19:29 IST Rahul Gandhi criticized BJP's Bill to simplify removing ministers arrested on serious charges, calling it a regression to "medieval times." The Bill amends Article 75. Rahul Gandhi said the Bill reflects a regression to medieval times when rulers could dismiss officials at will. (Image: ANI) Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday condemned the tabling of three Bills that seek removal of ministers if they have been arrested for 30 consecutive days on serious criminal charges. Rahul Gandhi said the move seems to be taking the country to medieval times" when rulers could dismiss officials at will. Recommended Stories #WATCH | Delhi: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, There is a lot of action going on about the new Bill that the BJP is proposing. We are going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at will. Theres no concept of what an elected person is. pic.twitter.com/vZdiqSh11X ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 There is a lot of action going on about the new Bill that the BJP is proposing. We are going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at will. Theres no concept of what an elected person is," the Congress leader said. The LoP further accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies to target elected representatives. He doesnt like your face, so he tells ED to put a case, and then a democratically elected person is wiped out within 30 days," he added. In response to upcoming Vice President election, Gandhi also brought up matter of sudden resignation of the former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. Also, lets not forget why we are electing a new Vice President. Just yesterday I was having a conversation with somebody and I said, you know, where is the old vice president gone? Hes gone.," he further said. 3 Bills Introduced In Lok Sabha Today Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday introduced three bills in Lok Sabha, including the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to remove the Prime Minister or Chief Ministers who are facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and have been detained for 30 consecutive days. The Constitutional Amendment Bill applies to all states, but Union Territories (UTs) have their own separate rules. For Jammu and Kashmir, the government has proposed changes to the J&K Reorganisation Act. For the other UTs, the changes proposed to the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963. Shah introduced the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The Constitution Amendment Bill will amend Article 75 of the Constitution, which primarily deals with the appointment and responsibilities of the Council of Ministers, including the Prime Minister. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges. As the three bills were introduced, the opposition went in attack mode and tore copies of the legislation amid rowdy scenes inside the lower House on Wednesday. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The opposition has called it draconian" and claiming the government might use it to create trouble in states ruled by the opposition by arresting ministers and chief ministers without good reason. Right now, there is no rule to remove a sitting minister from their post if they are accused of a serious crime. About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18... Read More Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 18:18 IST News politics 'Going Back To Medieval Times': Rahul Gandhi, In Black T-shirt, Attacks Govt On New Bills Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... I Resigned: Amit Shahs Reply To Congress' Morality Question Over Bills To Remove PM, CMs Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 22:05 IST Amit Shah had resigned as Gujarats Home Minister in 2010 after being arrested by the CBI in connection with a fake encounter case. KC Venugopal said the bills were brought in to sabotage the federal system of the country. (Sansad TV) The Lok Sabha witnessed a stormy and heated face-off between the Centre and the opposition over three contentious bills that provide for the removal of the Prime Minister or Chief Ministers arrested on serious criminal charges and kept in custody for over 30 days. During the house proceedings, a short but sharp exchange took place between Congress MP KC Venugopal and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the morality" of the legislation. Recommended Stories Face Off Between Amit Shah, Congress MP After the bills the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, were tabled in the Lok Sabha, Venugopal invoked Shahs arrest in the 2010 Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case as Gujarats Home Minister and questioned his morality. This bill is to sabotage the federal system of the country; it is meant to sabotage the basic principles of the Constitution. Leaders of the BJP are saying that this bill is to bring morality into politics. Can I ask the Home Minister a question? When he was the home minister of Gujarat, he was arrested. Did he uphold morality at that time?" the Congress MP asked, sparking an uproar in the house. I oppose this bill. BJP leaders claim that this bill aims to bring morality into politics, but I would like to ask the Home Minister of India: when he was the Home Minister of Gujarat and faced arrest, did he consider taking moral responsibility and resigning? This pic.twitter.com/EJllYH4JgP Congress (@INCIndia) August 20, 2025 A visibly agitated Shah quickly responded with emphasis and said that the charges levelled against him were false," but he abided by constitutional principles by resigning from his post before going to jail. I want to set the record straight. Fake allegations were levelled against me, but despite that, I abided by morality and ethics and not only resigned but did not accept any constitutional post until I was cleared of all charges. They are trying to teach us morality? I had resigned. I want morality to increase. We cant be so shameless that we are charged and we continue to hold Constitutional posts. I had resigned before I was arrested," he asserted, drawing loud reactions from the treasury bench. Later, in a post on X, he stated, I want to remind Congress that I had already resigned before being arrested, and even after being released on bail, I did not take any constitutional position until I was fully proven innocent by the court. The court dismissed the false case against me, stating that it was motivated by political vendetta." He further said that the BJP and NDA have always stood for ethical values. Shri Lal Krishna Advani ji also resigned from his post as soon as allegations were made against him. On the other hand, the Congress party continues to carry forward the unethical tradition started by Smt. Indira Gandhi ji," he added. , , Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 20, 2025 Shah had resigned as Gujarats Home Minister in 2010 after being arrested by the CBI in connection with the fake encounter case. He was in jail for three months before being granted bail, and in 2014, a special CBI court acquitted him of all charges, citing lack of evidence. Whats In The Bill? In a post on X, the Union Minister said that the Constitutional Amendment Bill was introduced to affirm the Modi governments commitment against political corruption in the country and the publics outrage. He said that the purpose of this bill is to elevate the declining level of morality in public life and bring integrity to politics. As per Shah, the law that will come into existence through these three bills is as follows: (1) No person, while arrested and in jail, can govern as Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or a minister of the central or state government. (2) When the Constitution was framed, our Constitution makers could not have imagined that in the future, there would be political figures who would not resign on moral grounds before being arrested. In recent years, an astonishing situation has arisen in the country where Chief Ministers or ministers have continued to run the government immorally from jail without resigning. (3) This bill also includes a provision that allows an accused politician to seek bail from the court within 30 days of arrest. If they fail to obtain bail within 30 days, on the 31st day, either the Prime Minister at the center or the Chief Ministers in the states will remove them from their posts, or they will automatically become legally ineligible to perform their duties. If such a leader is granted bail after the legal process, they can resume their position. Lok Sabha Ruckus Over Bill The Lok Sabha on Wednesday witnessed a massive showdown between the treasury bench and the opposition after Shah introduced three bills the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 that provide for the removal of Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers or Chief Ministers arrested on serious criminal charges and kept in custody for 30 days for for offences that attract a jail term of at least five years. The move came against the backdrop of recent controversies, like former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji continuing to hold office while in jail. Opposition MPs, including Asasduddin Owaisi, Manish Tewari, NK Premchandran, Dharmendra Yadav and KC Venugopal, opposed the bill, calling it anti-constitutional". Opposing the bills, Owaisi said they violate the principle of separation of powers and undermine the right of the people to elect a government. It gives executive agencies a free run to become judge and executioner based on flimsy allegations and suspicionsThis government is hell-bent on creating a Police State. This will be a death nail unleashed on the elected government. Indias Constitution is being amended to turn this country into a Police State," he added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Tewari slammed the bills as squarely destructive of the basic structure of the Constitution." He warned that the legislation would open the floodgates for political misuse" by agencies whose arbitrary conduct has already been questioned by the Supreme Court. Opposition MPs also tore copies of three bills and threw paper bits towards him in the Lok Sabha. Speaker Om Birla later adjourned the House amid uproar. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 17:54 IST News politics I Resigned: Amit Shahs Reply To Congress' Morality Question Over Bills To Remove PM, CMs Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion / Columnist Having had the Lungu case decided conclusively in court by three judges, a sudden twist of events followed immediately after the ruling. The Lungu family must have prepared themselves for both outcomes - that they might win or lose. Bitterly, they lost. They rushed to make an appeal, arguing that there were several omissions and commissions in the judgment delivered on the 4th of August.This case is draining emotions across the SADC region. It can no longer be treated as a normal circumstance. Evidently, there is more to investigate - both in and outside the courts in South Africa. My humble suggestion is this: South African courts are meddling too much in a legal case that is not in their jurisdiction.The former president of Zambia came to South Africa for medical reasons, but sadly, he died. The South African government should have simply facilitated the repatriation of Mr. Lungu's body to Zambia, so that he could be given the dignity of a former head of state - on Zambian soil, as is right.But the Lungu family will only want the case closed if they win. If not, they will fight harder to tilt it in their favour. They dismissed their lawyer and brought in a South African legal mind, hoping to secure what they call a clean win. And for them, that win means the late Lungu being buried in South Africa.There is politics at play. There are traditions at play. There are rituals at play. And there are deep suspicions at play - surrounding the body of former president Lungu. The hearse must not be opened for identification. Why? Because the Zambian state is suspicious. Is the person inside the hearse really Advocate Lungu - or someone else? The hospital where he supposedly died denies that any Zambian died there that day. Yet, they have documents showing that a Zimbabwean passed away on that date.The catch is this: why is the Zambian government not investigating how Lungu could have had conflicting foreign documents, instead of leaving us with endless inconsistencies?The Zambian government must first establish the identity of the body. Is it really Edgar Lungu, the former president of Zambia? Access to his remains must be the prerogative of the Zambian government. The reason he came to South Africa for medical treatment must also be clarified. This is not a matter for a South African court to deliberate on. It is a domestic issue that belongs to Zambia. His remains and all decisions surrounding his burial should be owned entirely by Zambia - without foreign interference.But instead, there are suspicious and clandestine activities surrounding the case. The mortuary categorically denies receiving a person by the name of Lungu. So, where are his remains? Is Edgar alive, and hiding? If so, for how long?It could be that both the family and the Zambian government are fighting over a body that may already have been clandestinely cremated, to conceal vital evidence. How did Edgar Lungu die? That is the burning question. If the government manages to identify the body, that would automatically reveal the cause of death. Was he killed by a syndicate? Rumour has it Lungu was entangled in drug trafficking - a syndicate that may have eliminated him to cover their tracks.President HH is exercising caution, and for good reasons. HH is a noble man, full of the milk of human kindness. Under normal circumstances, he could have used this moment as a political payday - to crush Lungu, even in death. But he has chosen to act with humanity. *Ubuntu* must guide us all, and HH is demonstrating it in both words and deeds - reaching out to the bereaved family, even at the risk of criticism at home.And again, if rumour is to be believed, the Lungu story is far from over. It will not end with his burial. It will mark the beginning of long, drawn-out investigations that will stretch for years. Stories will continue to flood social media across the SADC region. Serious criminal allegations surround the Lungu family. He amassed wealth on a scale unprecedented in Africa - dwarfing even Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire.In South Africa, in Eswatini, and in Zambia, Lungu bought estates far, far beyond his pay grade. Right now, it is said he owned 150 luxury cars, worth millions of US dollars, allegedly for the coming 2026 elections. A Congolese man, sitting in a Spanish prison, was arrested with 200 million US dollars and hundreds of pounds of cocaine.Rumour has it this man was meant to travel to South Africa with Lungu, but instead absconded with the money to Europe. That story is still waiting to be unpacked. The man reportedly knows a lot about Lungu's dealings. Using multiple passports, he is said to have transferred millions into South Africa, buying luxury homes now belonging to him and his daughter. That money was stolen from Zambia's national revenues. The question is, how much more was siphoned off through drug trafficking?These cases will surely come to light after Lungu's burial. No stone will be left unturned. If handled properly, this case could set a precedent for bringing African presidents to account for billions stolen from their people and stashed shamelessly in foreign banks.Now, where does Tembeka Nicolas Ngcukaitobi come in? I would advise him to recuse himself. This case is wrapped in criminality - drug trafficking and money laundering. Tembeka is a brilliant legal mind, no doubt. But in the Lungu case, he is stretching his expertise too far. His legal gifts should serve humankind, as they did at The Hague, when he presented the GazaIsrael genocide case with eloquence.How will he argue in the Constitutional Court for the Lungu family to win? Some cases should not be about remuneration, but about humanity. Payments for his services in this case could easily come from laundered money or drug money. Is Ngcukaitobi comfortable with such sources? That could hurt him in ways he does not expect.I am deeply concerned about his active involvement in arguing the Lungu case. My advice is not from a "learned" legal brain, but from my gut. I trust my stomach more than my brain. I advise him because I care. He could be my son, considering his age. INDIA Bloc VP Candidate Sudarshan Reddy Confident Of Victory, Says 'Those Who Believe In...' Reported By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 17:19 IST In an exclusive interaction with CNN-News18, Reddy said that the Vice-Presidential election is not a battle between political parties but between individuals. Former Supreme Court Judge Sudershan Reddy (File Photo) INDIA Bloc Vice President candidate Sudarshan Reddy exuded confidence regarding his victory in the upcoming elections, stating that the next time he faces CNN-News18 for an interview, it will be as the Vice President of India. In an exclusive interaction with CNN-News18, Reddy said that the Vice-Presidential election is not a battle between political parties but between individuals, since Members of Parliament and not parties cast their votes. Recommended Stories The former Supreme Court judge, who is contesting against NDAs candidate C Radhakrishnan, said, Next time, you (News18) will interview me as the Vice President. MPs will decide who is better suited for the post, and I am confident of receiving support from across party lines." The INDIA bloc candidate argued that the choice before MPs is one of principle, not political alignment. Those who believe in social justice and the values of the Constitution will support me. I do not believe that MPs from Andhra Pradesh or elsewhere will simply vote along alliance lines. Leaders are mature and will take considered decisions," he added. Calling the election a genuine contest and not a mere symbolic fight, Reddy said that the outcome would reflect the independent judgment of parliamentarians. Confident of broad backing, he concluded with a bold assertion, I will win this election, and next time, you will be interviewing me as the Vice President of India." Notably, Sudarshan Reddy comes from Andhra Pradesh and the MPs political parties like TDP and YSRCP will hold importance in the upcoming Vice Presidential election. However, TDP, which is part of NDA, and YSRCP have announced their support for NDAs pick, CP Radhakrishnan. CP Radhakrishnan Vs Sudershan Reddy The stage is set for the Vice-Presidential election in which the ruling BJP-led NDAs CP Radhakrishnan will face the INDIA blocs B Sudershan Reddy. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The governments efforts to take the opposition on board for a unanimous Vice Presidential election have failed, with the INDIA bloc fielding Reddy, described as one of Indias most distinguished and progressive jurists." Members of Parliament from both Houses Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha comprise the electoral college for the Vice-Presidential elections. At present, the strength of Parliament stands at 787, including both Houses. A candidate requires at least 394 votes to be elected as the next Vice President of India. First Published: August 20, 2025, 14:52 IST News politics INDIA Bloc VP Candidate Sudarshan Reddy Confident Of Victory, Says 'Those Who Believe In...' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Kadaba Election: Congress Wins First-Ever Town Panchayat Polls With 8 Seats, BJP Wins 5 Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 12:21 IST Party insiders say the success was largely driven by the active participation of local leaders and the Congress' consistent outreach to the electorate Congress' victory in Kadaba Town Panchayat polls has strengthened its base in Dakshina Kannada. (News18 Kannada) The results of the much-anticipated 2025 Town Panchayat elections in Kadaba, Karnataka, that were held on August 17, have been declared, marking a politically crucial moment for the region. In its first election since being upgraded from a Gram Panchayat to a Town Panchayat, Kadaba delivered a decisive mandate to the Congress party, which secured 8 of the 13 seats and gained a clear majority. The victory allows Congress to take control of the newly formed local body, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was restricted to just 5 seats. The outcome carries particular significance as Kadaba is seen as an important hub in Dakshina Kannada district, both agriculturally and commercially. Political observers note that the Congress performance here underlines its growing dominance in coastal Karnataka, a region where the BJP has traditionally maintained strong influence. Recommended Stories Historic First Town Panchayat Election This was the very first time the people of Kadaba exercised their franchise to elect a Town Panchayat administration. Until recently, Kadaba was governed as a Gram Panchayat, but the areas upgrade to a Town Panchayat brought new administrative responsibilities and higher expectations from voters. The election was fiercely contested, but Congress managed to edge ahead with a strategy built on local unity and close engagement with residents. Party insiders say the success was largely driven by the active participation of local leaders and the Congress consistent outreach to the electorate. The main reason for the Congress victory is said to be the active role of local leaders and close contact with the people," one leader remarked after the results. According to political analysts, development was the deciding factor in Kadabas election. The towns residents, keen on improved infrastructure, reportedly favored the Congress vision for growth. Voters were swayed by promises of better roads, reliable drinking water supply, upgraded sewage systems, and enhanced civic amenities. Favourability towards Congress development programmes, particularly schemes pushed by the state government, further boosted the partys appeal. The result has electrified Congress cadres in the region. Local workers celebrated the victory as a morale booster ahead of upcoming local body polls across Karnataka. The win is also seen as a major step toward weakening the BJPs stronghold in coastal constituencies, a long-term political goal for Congress. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Despite winning 5 seats, the BJP fell short of a majority and lost the opportunity to retain influence in one of its bastions. Party strategists had campaigned aggressively to maintain dominance in Dakshina Kannada, but the Congress unity strategy" blunted their efforts. Analysts describe the result as a warning sign for the BJP in the coastal belt, where the party has long relied on its cadre base and ideological appeal. With the Congress now at the helm of the Kadaba Town Panchayat, expectations are running high among residents. Congress leaders have already signaled that their immediate priorities will include addressing civic issues such as roads, water supply, and sanitation, while laying the groundwork for sustainable development. Location : Karnataka, India, India First Published: August 20, 2025, 12:21 IST News politics Kadaba Election: Congress Wins First-Ever Town Panchayat Polls With 8 Seats, BJP Wins 5 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Naidu, Nitish Need To Be Threatened': Opposition's Take On Need For 'Tainted PM-CM' Bill Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 22:43 IST Opposition leaders said this Bill is to keep allies Nitish Kumar and N Chandrababu Naidu in line, as they are "most fearful" and the NDA government is "worried" about their support PM Narendra Modi with Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar CM leader. (Image: PTI) The opposition has its own reasoning why Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced in Parliament the three draconian" Bills for removal of prime ministers, chief ministers and ministers arrested for more than 30 days on criminal charges. And that reason, according to opposition parties, is leverage. While one said this is to keep allies Nitish Kumar and N Chandrababu Naidu in line, another said the two chief ministers are most fearful" and the Narendra Modi-led government is worried" about their support. One went as far as to appeal for the two leaders to wake up" and take stock of this decisive step towards creating an Orwellian state". Recommended Stories Congress leader KC Venugopal claimed that Shah has brought this dangerous" Bill to distract threaten" Naidu and Nitish. When Vote Chori is on everyones minds, When RahulGandhi jis Yatra is getting unparalleled support, When Opposition Governments need to be targeted, When allies like Chandrababu Naidu garu and Nitish Kumar ji need to be threatened The Home Minister brings this dangerous Bill that strikes at the heart of the Constitutional principles of federalism," Venugopal wrote in a post on X. Venugopal said he rose to oppose the introduction of the draconian" Constitutional (130th Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. When Vote Chori is on everyones minds,When @RahulGandhi jis Yatra is getting unparalleled support,When Opposition Governments need to be targeted,When allies like Chandrababu Naidu garu and Nitish Kumar ji need to be threatenedThe Home Minister brings this dangerous pic.twitter.com/ABKfatgjd8 K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) August 20, 2025 Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT), meanwhile, said Naidu and Nitish were most fearful" when it comes to this Bill. Modi-Shah introduce a bill in Parliament to arrest and sack CMs and ministers. Naidu and Nitish are reportedly most fearful. Modi govt worries they might withdraw support!" he wrote in a post on X. Modi-Shah introduce a bill in Parliament to arrest and sack CMs and ministers. Naidu and Nitish are reportedly most fearful. Modi govt worries they might withdraw support! pic.twitter.com/ePggQ5oXtU Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) August 20, 2025 Fellow Bihari, Manoj Jha of the RJD called for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to wake up" and oppose the Bill. The proposed Bill is not just a legislative move; it is a decisive step towards creating an Orwellian state, whereby the BJP aims to create an opposition-free democracy or whatever name it acquires. Please wake up Sir(s) Nitish Kumar and N Chandrababu Naidu," he wrote on X. Jha shared Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayans post on the matter, which said the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill is a blatant attack on federalism and the rights of states". The proposed Bill is not just a legislative move; it is a decisive step towards creating an Orwellian state, whereby @BJP4India aims to create an 'opposition-free democracy' or whatever name it acquires. Please wake up Sir(s) @ncbn @NitishKumar https://t.co/BlP9rE5hcg Manoj Kumar Jha (@manojkjhadu) August 20, 2025 It seeks to destabilise non-BJP governments by weaponising central agencies, jailing opponents on false charges, and disqualifying them. Democratic forces must resist this neo-fascist assault," Vijayan said on X. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The three Bills have drawn fierce protests from the opposition. Amid calls of draconian" and misuse", they were on Wednesday referred to a joint parliamentary panel. While the ruling side said the proposed legislation provides a solution for people like Arvind Kejriwal", opposition parties said they are against the principles of natural justice". (With PTI inputs) About the Author Oindrila Mukherjee Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 22:41 IST News politics 'Naidu, Nitish Need To Be Threatened': Opposition's Take On Need For 'Tainted PM-CM' Bill Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Rekha Gupta Attack: BJP Shares Accused's Photo With Gopal Italia, AAP Flags AI Use Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 19:17 IST BJP's Harish Khurana has alleged AAP's involvement in Rekha Gupta's attack, sharing a photo of the attacker with AAP leader Gopal Italia. However, AAP denied the claims. BJP claims accused who attacked Delhi CM is linked with AAP, shares pic (X) Rekha Gupta Attack: The attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta triggered a massive political row with the ruling BJP alleging a conspiracy by the rivals". BJP leader Harish Khurana claimed that the accused, identified as Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai Sakriya, was linked with AAP and also shared a photograph of the attacker with party leader Gopal Italia. Recommended Stories While launching a scathing attack on the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, Khurana said that what was suspected has been proved by this photograph. What was suspected has happened. The photo with @ArvindKejriwals close associate @Gopal_Italia says a lot. It clearly seems that the attack on @gupta_rekha ji today is connected to @AamAadmiParty. Kejriwal ji, please explain, What is this relationship called?" Amazing," he said in a post on X along with the photo. Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also said that Guptas rivals cannot tolerate her work on the ground, indicating that the attack was due to political reasons. A probe is on to find out who is behind the attacker, said the senior BJP leader. AAP Flags AI Use However, the AAP soon responded to the allegations, saying that the viral image circulation on social media was created using AI, and the attacker is in no way linked to the AAP. The party hit out at the BJP, saying that the Moti Nagar MLA is defaming the BJP itself by using an AI-generated photo and spreading fake information. , ? Per https://t.co/KjeG09XACl Gopal Italia (@Gopal_Italia) August 20, 2025 It also released the original video of Italia, claimed to have been recorded on August 2, where he is seen standing and interacting with another person. Meanwhile, AAP leaders and former Chief Ministers, Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi, have both said that violence holds no place in a democracy; however, Saurabh Bharadwaj recalled that Kejriwal himself came under attack several times in the past. Whenever someone attacked Arvind Kejriwal ji, within no time, the talented officers of Delhi Police would plant news in the media on why the attacker was angry" with Kejriwal. Now that the government and Chief Minister have changed, the talented police officers are in a dilemma," he said. On the other hand, an AAP MLA grabbed headlines for claiming that her own man staged the attack to create drama and avoid discussion on the national capitals civic issues. Speaking to reporters, AAP MLA Anil Jha said, This was not an attack. I have known her for a long time. No attack took place. She orchestrated this attack and arranged a man to create a story." Rekha Gupta Attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public grievance hearing on Wednesday morning at her residence in Civil Lines in the national capital. The incident occurred during CM Guptas weekly Jan Sunwai at her residence, where citizens come to present grievances. The Delhi Police, examining the CCTV footage of the attack, found that the assault and the intervention by the security lasted 80 seconds, sources told CNN-News18. Sakriya was standing in a queue to meet the Chief Minister and had nearly five people before him. He suddenly breached the queue and approached Gupta with the documents he was carrying. Sakriya first slapped her, it was known, after which she stumbled against a wall. The accused then grabbed the Chief Minister by her hair, sources informed. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Soon after, the accused was taken over by the Chief Ministers security staff and others present at the location. The police also registered an attempt to murder case against the accused for attacking the Delhi Chief Minister. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 19:05 IST News politics Rekha Gupta Attack: BJP Shares Accused's Photo With Gopal Italia, AAP Flags AI Use Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Undemocratic': Congress, BJP Exchange Barbs In Karnataka Assembly Over Greater Bengaluru Bill Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:04 IST The Congress government presented the bill as a means to improve governance in the rapidly growing metropolis, while the BJP accused the Congress of seeking to centralise power. Dy CM DK Shivakumar speaks in Karnataka Assembly. (Image: PTI) The Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025 sparked intense debate in the Karnataka Assembly, with both the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP clashing over its implications for the city. The Congress government presented the bill as a means to improve governance in the rapidly growing metropolis, while the BJP accused the Congress of seeking to centralise power and diminish the role of elected officials. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah rebutted these claims, accusing the Opposition of distorting facts to mislead the public. Recommended Stories The bill, introduced by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also oversees Bengaluru Development, was passed by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Monday. The discussions were marked by heated exchanges, with BJP leaders arguing that the amendment would undermine the autonomy of corporators and concentrate power in a few hands. Congress ministers dismissed these concerns as mere political posturing. An amusing moment occurred when MLA Munirathna attempted to disrupt the discussion on the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). Shivakumar quipped, We will give you an opportunity to participate, dont worry. We had forgotten about you as you are busy running around between SITs and investigations," a comment that elicited laughter from the legislators. What did Shivakumar say? During the debate, Shivakumar clarified that the amendment aimed to ensure the GBA would not interfere with the operations of municipal corporations. He explained, Some people filed a PIL alleging the Authority had powers to take control of corporations. Though the court did not accept the PIL, we brought this amendment to prevent any confusion in the future." So why was the amendment made? Shivakumar elaborated that despite the PIL being dismissed, the amendment was necessary to make it clear that the GBA will not interfere in the functioning of the corporations" and to prevent future misunderstandings. He emphasized that the amendment was intended to protect the autonomy of the Mayor and councillors as per the Constitution. He also highlighted the disparity in tax contributions, pointing out that areas like Mahadevapura contribute the most taxes in Bengaluru, while central areas collect far less. He reassured that Mayors and corporators would retain their constitutional powers. Addressing concerns about the inclusion of villages and financial assistance, Shivakumar noted that constitutional rules limited direct fund transfers. We will deliberate on which villages to include and are ready to withdraw the amendment if the Opposition disagrees," he said. Reiterating the governments non-political stance on governance, Shivakumar stated, We do not want to do politics over Bengalurus future. The government will not interfere with financial independence, tax collection, elections, or reservation. The 74th amendment has been fully protected." A notification is expected by August 25, after the Governors assent. Why is the BJP objecting? The Karnataka BJP strongly opposed the Bill, arguing that it undermines the Constitutions spirit. Opposition members claimed that the Greater Bengaluru Authority, led by the Chief Minister, was designed to weaken the autonomy of city corporations. The Bill is undemocratic and against the spirit of decentralisation," they argued. Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok criticised the proposed name Greater Bengaluru, suggesting a Kannada name instead. He warned that Kannadigas might lose their political voice in areas with high migrant populations, citing Delhis failed experiment with multiple corporations as a cautionary example. He also noted the potential economic disparities due to differing revenue contributions from areas like Mahadevapura. The key contention in the Bill A primary point of contention was the proposal to divide Bengaluru into several municipal corporations, which the BJP opposed. The Opposition argued that splitting the city would reduce native Kannadiga control, particularly in migrant-dominated areas. Ashok called it an emotional issue," warning the government of long-term repercussions. Secondly, the concept of decentralisation has been damaged and freedom taken away. The corporation should have been independent, but you have made it a parasite by dividing it into five divisions. If one corporation collects good revenue, another will go bankrupt. They will come under the grip of the government," he said. Ashok further criticized the Bill, stating, Former PM late Rajiv Gandhi brought the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution, but this Bill goes against its objectives. What benefit will the people of Bengaluru get? This is not decentralisation of power. Since Dy CM Shivakumar is in charge of Bengaluru, there is centralisation of power. We dont want this. You may have the majority and get it passed, but this is not in the interest of society. Roll back this Bill." Raising concerns over discrimination politicking Other BJP MLAs, including Yelahankas SR Vishwanath, cautioned that the Congress-led government might politically discriminate in allocating funds to corporations, especially if different parties controlled the state and civic bodies. They urged the government to wait until the ongoing delimitation exercise was completed to avoid confusion in constituency boundaries. Former Deputy CM and MLA CN Ashwath Narayan appealed to Congress MLAs to protect local bodies rights. He warned that judicial intervention might become necessary if constitutional objectives were not upheld. He questioned the need for the PIL against the GBA Act and highlighted the importance of local bodies functioning independently as per the Constitution. Narayan elaborated, The head of the state is the Chief Minister, and the head of the GBA is also the Chief Minister. The freedom and empowerment that should have been given to local bodies are taken away through this Bill. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, overall, intends to interfere, and this is evident." He demanded more autonomy for civic bodies, arguing that local bodies should have authority over tax collection. If the CM and Dy CM interfere, how will you save democracy?" Congress defends the Bill Shivakumar responded to the Opposition, emphasising the need for proper governance in Bengaluru. He invited open discussions, stating, There must be clarity in this matter. Bengaluru needs proper governance. Let us discuss this for a full day if needed. Opposition members have more experience than us, and I am ready to accept their suggestions. If there are flaws in our draft, we will correct them. There is no secrecy here. We even formed a House Committee for open discussions." He assured that the government would consider Opposition leaders opinions while finalising the bill. Let us first conduct elections. August 18 was the last date for objections, August 25 is the deadline for the Governors assent, and the final notification will be issued on September 2." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all BJP members questioned the necessity of a GBA headed by the Chief Minister when Mayors already head city corporations. They warned that multiple corporations would create revenue and development imbalances. They also raised concerns about notices sent to 30,000 households demanding additional taxes and accused the Commissioner of bypassing MLAs on various issues. Congress leaders defended the Bill, highlighting its importance in addressing Bengalurus civic issues. Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad, who chaired the Joint Committee for GBA, stressed the need for decentralisation due to the citys diverse problems. Shivakumar rejected claims that the Bill aimed to divide the city, arguing that administrative efficiency required such measures. This is only a small amendment for the sake of clarity. The governments intention is to ensure no interference in the administration of city corporations," he explained. About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 13:04 IST News politics 'Undemocratic': Congress, BJP Exchange Barbs In Karnataka Assembly Over Greater Bengaluru Bill Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Who Will BRS Back In Vice President Polls? KTR Ties Support To Urea Supply For Telangana Farmers Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 17:04 IST KTR reaffirmed BRSs independent position, stressing that the party is neither with the NDA nor with the INDIA bloc. BRS will support only the party that guarantees adequate urea supply to Telangana farmers, said KTR. (Photo: X/ @MissionTG) Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao has declared that his partys support in the upcoming Vice Presidential election will go only to the party that guarantees 2 lakh metric tons of urea for the farmers of Telangana. Highlighting the ongoing agricultural crisis, KTR said, We have not yet decided whom to vote for. But I assure you, BRS will support only the party that guarantees adequate urea supply to Telangana farmers. Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi be ready. We have time till November 9." Recommended Stories Speaking at a press conference at his Nandi Nagar residence, KTR reaffirmed BRSs independent position, stressing that the party is neither with the NDA nor with the INDIA bloc. We fought elections independently in 2014 and 2018, and we will continue to take decisions on our own terms. Both BJP and Congress have done nothing meaningful for Telangana. If the INDIA bloc candidate is proposed by the Telangana CM, supporting him is out of the question," he said. KTR added that all decisions will be taken collectively after thorough discussions within the party. On CM Revanth Reddys reported wish to meet him for seeking BRSs support, KTR hit back and said Revanth Reddy should first meet the farmers of Telangana and resolve their problems, instead of seeking our support." Taking a swipe at the Congress, he accused them of disrespecting former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. What did Congress do to PV Narasimha Rao after his death? They didnt even allow his body into the AICC office. Now, our CM speaking about Telugu pride," KTR said. On electoral reforms and SIR, he reiterated BRSs demand for a return to paper ballots in place of EVMs, starting from Bihar. Turning to the issue of BC reservations, KTR accused the Congress of misleading people. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Unless reservations are placed in the Ninth Schedule, they will not materialize. Earlier surveys showed 52 per cent BC population, now they claim 46 per cent. What happened to the Rs 20,000 crore annual promise for BCs? What about the MBC Ministry, and Rs 500 crore for each corporation? All remain unfulfilled," he added. Reacting on the Marwari Go Back controversy, KTR made it clear that BRS stands for inclusivity, People who are living in Telangana are our brothers. We even supported migrant workers during the Corona crisis. It is wrong to disrespect them. But at the same time, Telangana people deserve their due respect." First Published: August 20, 2025, 17:03 IST News politics Who Will BRS Back In Vice President Polls? KTR Ties Support To Urea Supply For Telangana Farmers Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... With 'Left-Right' Karnataka Quota Combination, Siddaramaiah & Congress Seek 'Upper Hand' Against BJP Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 21:01 IST Internal reservations for Dalits had been a three-decade-old demand that had become a vexed issue for every government, particularly at the time of elections Siddaramaiahs latest move is being seen as a 'master stroke' by some leaders in the Congress party. File pic/PTI The Karnataka cabinet decision on internal reservation is seen as a clever balancing act" of chief minister Siddaramaiah between the right and the left sects among the Scheduled Castes to consolidate his political base. The cabinet decided to provide reservation, sliced the 17% Scheduled Caste quota into three parts6% each for Dalit Right (Holeyas) and Dalit Left (Madigas), and 5% for Lambanis, Koramas, Korachas, Bhovis and 59 other touchable" communities. Recommended Stories The cabinet reduced the grouping recommended by the Justice Nagamohan Das commission from five to three. It also changed the pattern of reservation. The commission had suggested five categories6% for Dalit Left, 5% for Dalit Right, 4% for Lambanis and Bhovis, 1% for Nomads, and 1% for Adi Karnataka and Adi Dravida. The cabinet merged these into three blocks: 6%, 6%, and 5%. The decision, taken late Tuesday night, saw colourful scenes of celebration with large crowds from Dalit groups gathering near Vidhana Soudha and distributing sweets. Aftermath of SC ruling Karnataka becomes the third state in the country to implement internal reservation, following Haryana and Telangana, after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of internal reservation among the 101 Scheduled Castes. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have already put in place arrangements using state legislation like the Arundhati Act. In March this year, the Karnataka government had announced that the Justice Nagamohan Das commission would conduct a fresh survey to classify sub-castes scientifically. The commission conducted training for the surveyors and asked them to utilise advanced technology to complete the survey in 3040 days, after designing a comprehensive questionnaire for data collection. Internal reservations for Dalits had been a three-decade-old demand that had become a vexed issue for every government, particularly at the time of elections. It had reached a point when the vote of the Left Sect was seen as largely going to the BJP. Siddaramaiahs latest move is being seen as a master stroke" in this context by some leaders in the Congress party. This will certainly cement Siddaramaiah as the AHINDA leader. This move will only enhance his image as an undeniable elder in backward class politics. Nearly 25% of Karnatakas population benefits from this decision, and they will stand behind him. All Dalit communities are celebrating because they are now assured of equitable access to reservation benefits," said Indudhara Honnapura, noted Dalit activist and commentator. But the move went beyond the politics of reservation. Politically, it bolsters his position when the time comes in the next couple of months to hand over power to deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. The unstated rotational power-sharing agreement is scheduled to come when Siddaramaiah completes two and a half years in the chief ministers seat. Siddaramaiah has now armed himself with a strong political shield. Congresss caste messaging was already on full display last month when the AICCs OBC Advisory Council met in Bengaluru. The meeting, led by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, chief minister Siddaramaiah, and Rahul Gandhi, had signalled that the party was intent on reclaiming its base among the backward classes and the scheduled castes and tribes. Just ahead of the Bihar elections, the Karnataka decision is being seen as part of that larger political messaging. As one senior Congressman put it: The Congress has been looking at reclaiming its OBC base, putting pressure on the Centre for a caste census, and standing behind Rahul Gandhis jitni aabadi, utna haq campaign. It has sent a strong message that the party is with all communities, especially the backward classes." We have decided to provide 6 per cent internal reservation to the communities identified as left-handed. The cabinet observed that Justice Nagamohan Das committee had included right-hand castes like Paraya and Mogera with the left-handed community, the cabinet decided to provide 6 per cent to the right-hand Dalit as well," said Siddarmaiah while addressing the house. The CM stated that the cabinet decided to divide what was recommended by Justice Das as to be classified as ABCDE to provide internal reservation, into Category A (least handed caste with 6 per cent), Category B (right-handed castes with 6 per cent) and Category C (with 5 per cent) reservation. Siddaramaiah stated that the categorisation made under ABC, has been made with a view to ensure equality and fairness in providing opportunities in education, employment and other matters related to the 101 caste amongst the SC". Along with this, we have decided to distribute the Adi Karnataka, Adi Andhra, and Adi Dravida groups equally with the left-handed and right-handed castes," he explained. While the one-man commission headed by Justice Das had recommended 4 per cent reservation to the SCs, and that the 5,22,099 population of 59 different castes were classified under the A category and then gave them 1 per cent reservation, the cabinet, due to some technical reason, made the decision to combine both these groups and allot 5 per cent reservation. While taking this decision, the cabinet has kept in mind the principles enshrined in the judgment of the honourable SC, Siddaramaiah said. Addressing the house, the Karnataka CM also said that the government is committed to making any modifications in the decision taken, if any, based on the data of the next national census". The Madiga community, despite being large in number, was not getting its share of reservation proportionate to its population. Now they will. All communities will receive what is due to them. Nobody can take away the others share. This is a welcome move and a big boost for the government itself," explained Indudhar. Back in October 2024, all government recruitments had been put on hold until sub-classification was settled based on the report to be submitted by the one-man commission. With the cabinets decision done, the Karnataka government announced immediate implementation and said pending posts would now be filled. Recruitments must be implemented immediately. All appointments should be made quickly so that every community gets its rightful opportunity," added Indudhar. Inside the cabinet meeting When the issue was taken up for detailed discussion, social welfare principal secretary P Manivannan presented the report as a framework of social justice". He broke down the population figures region-wise to justify the allocations. Former minister H Anjaneya welcomed the move and said, We got 6%. We had asked for 7%, but I am happy with 6%. The CM gave what was possible. This will benefit many in our community." Law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil called the meeting fruitful", saying ministers from all SC communities were satisfied. Backward class development minister Shivaraj Tangadagi termed the decision historic", while sources indicated that a section of the most-backward and nomadic groups were still unhappy with the merger of categories. The report itself has not been made public. The move directly follows the Supreme Courts August 2022 ruling, delivered by a seven-judge bench headed by then-CJI DY Chandrachud, that permitted states to sub-classify SCs. The judgment overturned a 2004 verdict that had treated SCs as a homogenous group and barred internal divisions. The BJP, while cautious, stated that due credit should be given to the party, as it was under its rule that internal reservations were first pushed. Just ahead of the 2023 assembly elections, the previous BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai introduced internal reservations for SCs, allotting 6% to SC (Left), 5.5% to SC (Right), 4.5% to SC (Touchables), and 1% to SC (Others). The BJP government during its term had then set up the Justice AJ Sadashiva Commission. That commission had submitted its report in 2012, recommending internal reservations. The Sadashiva Commission had proposed classifying the 101 SC sub-castes into four categoriesRight, Left, Touchables, and Othersto ensure fair distribution of quotas. But this move was seen as political and timed just before the elections as a way to woo Dalits in their favour. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all State president BY Vijayendra reacted: The Siddaramaiah government has been discussing this for 2.5 years, but failed to find a solution. During the BJP regime, the SC quota was raised from 15% to 17% and the ST quota from 3% to 7%. What we implemented is only being continued." He said that no injustice should be done to any SC community" and urged the government to ensure no group is pushed into fresh protests over discrimination. About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 21:01 IST News politics With 'Left-Right' Karnataka Quota Combination, Siddaramaiah & Congress Seek 'Upper Hand' Against BJP Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Indian Govt Alerts Millions Of Microsoft Windows 10 And Office Users Over Big Security Issues Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 09:43 IST Windows users, Office users and even the enterprise Microsoft subscribers are being warned about the new security risks. Microsoft Windows, Office and business tools have a new security risk Microsoft Windows PCs and Office users are facing a serious risk because of security issues and the Indian government has alerted them about the concerns. Windows is the popular OS used by millions for their PCs and laptops, while Office lets you use apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The latest concerning issue has been detailed by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team or CERT-In in August 2025, sharing some worrying details about the security risks that make millions of Windows PCs vulnerable to hacking attacks. The latest issue is linked to a wide range of Microsoft products that is going to pose major concerns for businesses as well as individual users. Recommended Stories Microsoft Security Alert From Indian Govt: What It Says The CERT-In alert explains the security concerns that are plaguing not just the Windows and Office users but other Microsoft products that are heavily relied on by businesses. Multiple vulnerabilities have been reported in Microsoft Products, which could allow an attacker to gain elevated privileges, obtain sensitive information, conduct remote code execution attacks, bypass security restrictions, conduct spoofing attacks, cause denial of service conditions or tamper with system settings," the CERT-In bulletin highlights the risks posed. The government alert also points out the Microsoft users who are at risk because of the latest issues: Microsoft Windows Microsoft Office Microsoft Dynamics Browser Device Developer Tools SQL Server System Center Open Source Software Server Software Extended Security Updates (ESU) for legacy Microsoft products Azure Apps Windows 10 which is soon losing support from Microsoft, as well as the current Windows 11 versions are part of the casualty list. The vulnerabilities are going to put millions of devices at risk, especially since the hackers can remotely execute their attacks. While for businesses, any intrusion into their system puts them at risk of ransomware attacks and other means to steal data. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The company has notified the users about these security risks, identified the issues and offered updates for all the Microsoft products that people should be installing right away. We suggest you go to settings, enable auto-update Windows and reboot the system to have the new version installed to keep your PC safe. For other products, Microsofts detailed update guide for August 2025 gives them more information about the issues and a fix for all of them. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google, Get latest technology updates, including phone launches, gadget reviews, AI advancements. Stay informed with breaking tech news , expert insights, and trends from India and around the world . Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 20, 2025, 09:43 IST News tech Indian Govt Alerts Millions Of Microsoft Windows 10 And Office Users Over Big Security Issues Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Samsungs Next Galaxy S26 Ultra Flagship Could Get A Privacy-Proof Display Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 11:56 IST Samsung wants to offer better privacy measures on its flagship phone with a new display technology that could be coming in 2026. Samsung's new display tech promises users privacy Samsungs next big launch in 2026 promises to bring more privacy-focused features that could help people in many ways. The next Galaxy S26 models are not expected before early 2026 but leaks this week suggest the S26 Ultra model could get some useful display upgrades that focus on your privacy. We have seen third-party privacy screens in the market that let you stop people from peeking into your phone, especially when you are trying to send money or chatting with someone. Samsung is reportedly going to have this tech built into the display with its next flagship as per new reports. Recommended Stories Samsungs Privacy Display Is Coming: What We Know The report from Korea suggests Samsung is ready to deploy one of the display panels that were showcased last year. The Galaxy S26 Ultra display could come with Flex Magic Pixel technology which basically adjusts the screens viewing angle to block bystanders from looking into your phone. The company will even combine its functionality with AI to make user privacy even more stronger. The privacy screens are not new and come at a budget for many models, but the big difference with Samsungs version is that the display brightness will switch to lower brightness to support the screen privacy without completely going dark. We are eager to see how the new display works out on the Ultra variant, which also gets the anti-reflective panel and people have found it very effective. Samsung seems to have big plans with the S26 lineup, which could get a major overhaul. Latest reports say the company could bring a Pro model and ditch the Plus variant, while bringing the new Edge model and end the regular S26 moniker altogether. One UI 8 Beta Roll Out Continues top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Samsung has started the One UI 8 roll out for the older Galaxy devices earlier this month. The new Android 16-based update made its debut with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launch in July and now more devices are getting the One UI version that will be coming to other models later this year. Samsung lets them sign up for the One UI 8 public beta program to receive the Android 16-based version which will eventually come in the full release later this year. Samsungs One UI 7 issues are well known so it seems the brand is looking to redeem itself with its efforts for One UI 8 version, bringing it before Google on its new products. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google, Get latest technology updates, including phone launches, gadget reviews, AI advancements. Stay informed with breaking tech news , expert insights, and trends from India and around the world . Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: August 20, 2025, 11:56 IST News tech Samsungs Next Galaxy S26 Ultra Flagship Could Get A Privacy-Proof Display Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... YouTube Now Has A New AI-Powered Tool To Verify Your Age: What It Means For Users Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:03 IST YouTube is using AI to help you with search and also determine the right age of the user to help teens use the platform with limits. YouTube wants AI to decide your age based on the videos you watch YouTube is bringing new AI features for its users but now the technology is going to be used to verify yours and many others age on the platform. YouTube has started the tests with people in the US where it wants AI to help them determine if a person should be categorised into an adult or a teen account. These behaviours will be analysed by the AI system based on the videos you watch, the kind of categories that you visit frequently and also check for account creation details. Recommended Stories Putting this kind of trust on AI has not proven to be very effective till date but it seems YouTube is confident about its training methods and now willing to publicly check for users in the background. YouTube Using AI To Verify Your Age YouTubes new AI measure feels like a move to protect the teens and youth. It has recently made some privacy-based changes for the young audience, and having AI determine their right age could help them avoid future issues. Once the system says the account is being used by a teen, it will disable ads personalised, enable digital wellbeing tools and other measures to protect the youth users on the platform. Using AI seems to be the trend these days, but as we have seen, the tech can be prone to mistakes. Now, imagine if this feature ends up estimating someones age incorrectly, and blocks their access to the main account, how does one go about sharing the grievance and will YouTube even have the system to fix the mistake, these are the things the platform should work on making right before taking it for more regions. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all YouTubes AI-powered search feature is coming to more people who have signed for the Premium version. But you still need to be in one of the main YouTube markets to try out the tool. The platform tends to keep some of its experimental features limited to a select base and eventually bring it for a wider rollout or completely ditch the tool. But in this case, we are seeing YouTube get new AI tools, and the Search option is moving to more people which can be only good in the larger scheme of things. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google, Get latest technology updates, including phone launches, gadget reviews, AI advancements. Stay informed with breaking tech news , expert insights, and trends from India and around the world . Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: August 20, 2025, 13:03 IST News tech YouTube Now Has A New AI-Powered Tool To Verify Your Age: What It Means For Users Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... KAMPALA (Reuters) -A senior Ugandan official denied on Wednesday a U.S. media report that the country had agreed to take in people deported from the United States, saying it lacked the facilities to accommodate them. Citing internal U.S. government documents, CBS News reported on Tuesday that Washington had reached deportation deals with Uganda and Honduras as part of its drive to step up expulsions of migrants to countries where they do not have citizenship. "To the best of my knowledge we have not reached such an agreement," Okello Oryem, state minister for foreign affairs, told Reuters by text message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We do not have the facilities and infrastructure to accommodate such illegal immigrants in Uganda." Honduras's government did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comments on the report. President Donald Trump aims to deport millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally and his administration has sought to increase removals to third countries, including by sending convicted criminals to South Sudan and Eswatini. The CBS report said the agreements with Uganda and Honduras were based on a provision of U.S. immigration law that allows people seeking asylum to be rerouted to third countries if the U.S. government determines those nations can fairly hear their claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uganda, a U.S. ally in East Africa, also hosts nearly two million refugees and asylum-seekers, who mostly come from countries in the region such as Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan. (Reporting by Elias Briyabarema; Additional reporting by Joan Humberto Suazo in Tegucigalpa; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Gareth Jones) Its A Bird, Its A Plane? No, Its A Blazing Meteor Turning Japan's Night Into Day | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 17:01 IST A fireball streaked across western Japan, astonishing residents and stargazers. Experts confirmed it was a bright meteor. The bright ball of light was visible across hundreds of miles. (Image Credit: X) A flashing fireball streaked across the skies of western Japan, astonishing residents and captivating stargazers. Experts said the dazzling display was a natural phenomenon, not an alien invasion. The bright ball of light was visible across hundreds of miles shortly after 11:00pm local time (14:00 BST), according to eyewitnesses and footage widely shared online. A white light I had never seen before came down from above, and it became so bright that I could clearly see the shapes of the houses around us," Yoshihiko Hamahata, who was driving in Miyazaki prefecture, said. Recommended Stories Meteor/fireball lights up Sakurajima volcano and Kagoshima City in Japan tonight pic.twitter.com/WX9NZUwUUg Volcaholic (@volcaholic1) August 19, 2025 He told local media, It seemed like daylight. For a moment, I didnt know what had happened and was very surprised." Toshihisa Maeda, head of the Sendai Space Museum in Kagoshima prefecture, identified the phenomenon as an exceptionally bright meteor. He said it appeared to have descended into the Pacific Ocean. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all People reported feeling the air vibrate. It was as bright as the moon," he told local media. NASA said that objects responsible for such fireballs can be larger than one metre (3ft). Those that explode in the atmosphere are technically known as bolides, though the term fireball is commonly used. Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google, News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Japan First Published: August 20, 2025, 17:01 IST News viral Its A Bird, Its A Plane? No, Its A Blazing Meteor Turning Japan's Night Into Day | Watch Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Spirit Of Mumbai: 2 Men Enjoy Drinks In Knee-Deep Water Amid Heavy Rain | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 16:00 IST Incessant rainfall has brought Mumbai to a standstill, causing waterlogging and flooding. A viral video shows two men enjoying drinks in knee-deep water. Even as waterlogging brought life to a standstill, two men were seen sharing a bottle of alcohol while sitting in knee-deep water. (X) Incessant rainfall once again brought Mumbai to a standstill, as waterlogging engulfed multiple areas across the city. The heavy downpour flooded streets, stranded commuters, and vehicles struggled to navigate the inundated roads. Amidst all the chaos, a video went viral on social media platforms depicting the much-revered unbreakable spirit of Mumbai. Even as waterlogging brought life to a standstill, two men were seen enjoying their alcoholic drink while sitting in knee-deep water. Recommended Stories In the now viral video, two men can be seen setting up a table, chairs, and bottles of alcohol with glasses in a flooded road outside a residential building. And Trump thinks he can scare us with sanctions #Mumbai #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/VChjmv8Qmd Amitabh Chaudhary (@MithilaWaala) August 20, 2025 Netizens React As the video garnered traction on social media platforms, netizens reacted with tons of amused comments. Spirit of Mumbai.. or Mumbaikars with Spirits?" an X user commented. India not for beginners," another said. One X user commented, Indian adaptability isnt a skill its survival". Mumbai Rain Chaos Over the last two days, Mumbai has witnessed persistent rainfall that has brought life to a standstill. Some local trains were cancelled, while government offices declared a holiday. Private offices were urged to let employees work from home as the roads were waterlogged. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Wednesday issued a warning for heavy rain and thunderstorms in Maharashtra. A red nowcast warning has been issued for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Ratnagiri districts, indicating intense to very intense rainfall spells accompanied by gusty winds. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As per the weather forecast, the warning is valid for the next three hours, and residents are advised to remain indoors and avoid venturing into low-lying or flood-prone areas. According to data released by the Maharashtra Disaster Management Department, six people have lost their lives in rain and flood-related issues in the last 24 hours in the state. About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben... Read More Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google, News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: August 20, 2025, 16:00 IST News viral 'Spirit Of Mumbai: 2 Men Enjoy Drinks In Knee-Deep Water Amid Heavy Rain | Watch Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... This Chinese Policewoman Is Going Mega Viral For Her Killer Aim | Watch Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 15:24 IST A viral training video shows Ying firing ten bullets with flawless precision. Viewers were stunned, calling her smooth shooting sequence "flowing like water" In March 2023, Ying played a key role in cracking a complex cross-border e-commerce agency case. (X/@HenanWonderful) It is often assumed that beauty and strength do not go hand in hand, but a young policewoman from China has proved otherwise. Ying Weimin, a 26-year-old officer from Zhejiang Province, has become an internet sensation for her exceptional shooting skills and fearless presence. Posted at the Wangchun Police Station under the Ningbo Municipal Police Bureau in Haishu District, she has won over millions of people with her sharp marksmanship, calm composure, and humble nature. Recommended Stories A training video of Ying recently went viral, showing her firing 10 bullets, each hitting the target with flawless precision. Viewers were left stunned, describing her shooting sequence as flowing like water". Dressed in tactical gear, she swiftly assembled, loaded, and fired her weapon within seconds, earning her widespread admiration on social media. Ying had dreamt of becoming a police officer since childhood. In 2017, she joined Zhejiang Police College, graduating in Police Command and Tactics. By 2021, she had opted for frontline policing, where she underwent rigorous training in investigation, arrests, and case-solving. Her dedication soon translated into results. In March 2023, Ying played a key role in cracking a complex cross-border e-commerce agency case. As part of a special task force, she arrested suspects on the spot and secured crucial electronic evidence. A year later, in 2024, she dismantled an entire theft gang, recovering millions of yuan in stolen goods. Her courageous work earned her a public honour banner that read: Alert as a tiger, accurate pursuit, reliable arrest". Her commitment goes beyond policing and into public awareness. After investigating several cases of telecom and online fraud, Ying devised a unique way to educate citizens. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In October 2024, she wrote and acted in a mini-series based on real-life fraud schemes. The series, praised for its relatable approach, was well-received by the public. Anti-fraud knowledge entered my mind in a very different way," one viewer wrote. Despite her rising popularity, Ying remains grounded. Thank you for the attention and support of the public and netizens," she said. This inspires me to do my work even better." Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google, News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : China First Published: August 20, 2025, 15:24 IST News viral This Chinese Policewoman Is Going Mega Viral For Her Killer Aim | Watch Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... At UN, India Blasts Pakistan Over Sexual Violence In Conflict: 'Shameful Record Since 1971' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 08:16 IST India reminded the Council that Pakistan continues to persecute minority women through abductions, forced conversions, early marriages, trafficking, and other abuses India's Charge d'Affaires at the United Nations, Eldos Mathew Punnoos India strongly rebuked Pakistan at the United Nations on Tuesday, accusing its military of a long and continuing history of sexual violence in conflict situations, dating back to the atrocities of 1971. Speaking at the UN Security Councils Open Debate on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, Indias Charge dAffaires Eldos Mathew Punnoos said Islamabads shameful record" began during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 and persists to this day. Recommended Stories The utter impunity with which the Pakistan army perpetrated heinous crimes of gross sexual violence against hundreds of thousands of women in erstwhile East Pakistan in 1971 is a matter of shameful record. This deplorable pattern continues unabated and with impunity to this day," Punnoos said. India reminded the Council that Pakistan, while currently serving as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, continues to persecute minority women through abductions, forced conversions, early marriages, trafficking, and other abuses. Punnoos cited findings from recent UN human rights reports that have documented these violations. Rampant abduction, trafficking, child early and forced marriages and domestic servitude, sexual violence and forced religious conversions of thousands of vulnerable women and girls as weapons of persecution towards religious and ethnic minority communities are reported and chronicled, including in the recent OHCHR reports," he noted, adding that Pakistans judiciary has often validated such crimes. Calling out Islamabads duplicity," he said, These reports highlight that its judiciary also validates the vile acts by Pakistan. It is ironic that those who perpetrate these crimes are now masquerading as champions of justice. The duplicity and hypocrisy are self-evident." Punnoos stressed that perpetrators must be held accountable and that support for survivors is critical. Perpetrators of heinous acts of conflict-related sexual violence must be condemned in the strongest possible terms and brought to justice. Sexual violence in conflict zones not only destroys individual lives but tears apart the very fabric of societies, leaving lasting scars on communities for generations," he said. The Indian envoy outlined a multi-pronged approach to combat sexual violence in conflict, emphasising survivor-centric mechanisms, accountability, and comprehensive rehabilitation. He pointed to the importance of UNSC Resolution 2467 (2019), which calls for access to relief, reparations, medical and psychosocial support, legal aid, and reintegration of victims. Highlighting Indias global and domestic contributions, Punnoos recalled that New Delhi was among the first to contribute to the UN Secretary-Generals Trust Fund for victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. He also noted Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership role in UN initiatives on preventing sexual exploitation in peacekeeping operations. Indias peacekeeping record was also cited, with Punnoos recalling the deployment of the worlds first all-women police unit to Liberia in 2007, and more recent female contingents in MONUSCO, UNICEF, and UNMAS missions. Training programs in New Delhi now specialise in gender-sensitive peacekeeping and preventing conflict-related sexual violence. At the domestic level, India has implemented wide-ranging safety and justice mechanisms for women, including the USD 1.2 billion Nirbhaya Fund, a nationwide emergency response system through 112, and Sakhi One Stop Centres at district headquarters offering shelter, legal aid, and medical assistance. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Fast-track courts and specialised training programs for investigators and medical officers are also part of the model India has developed to ensure swift and fair justice. As I conclude, allow me to once again reaffirm Indias unwavering commitment to root out sexual violence in armed conflict and support and assist survivors of such heinous crimes," Punnoos said. About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: August 20, 2025, 08:13 IST News world At UN, India Blasts Pakistan Over Sexual Violence In Conflict: 'Shameful Record Since 1971' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Donald Trump Hails Benjamin Netanyahu As War Hero Amid Gaza Conflict Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 05:19 IST The comment comes at a tense moment, as Israel moves closer to a potential full-scale operation to capture Gaza City. The presidents statement has added to the growing international focus on developments in Gaza (IMAGE: AFP) US President Donald Trump has hailed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war hero" during a recent appearance on The Mark Levin Show. In the same conversation, Trump also referred to himself in similar terms, drawing a personal comparison. The comment comes at a tense moment, as Israel moves closer to a potential full-scale operation to capture Gaza City. Speaking about Netanyahu, whom he referred to by his nickname, Bibi, Trump said, Hes a good man, hes in there fighting theyre trying to put him in jail on top of everything else. Hes a war hero, I guess, Im too." Recommended Stories Netanyahu is a WAR HEROI guess I am too TrumpDo you agree with the US president? pic.twitter.com/QQptRTeLh4 RT (@RT_com) August 19, 2025 The presidents statement has added to the growing international focus on developments in Gaza. Earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the media on Trumps multilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Union leaders. She also shed light on the Israel-Gaza conflict, while confirming that the US continues to discuss" a ceasefire proposal brokered by Arab mediators, which was formally accepted by Hamas just yesterday. I dont think its a coincidence that Hamas accepted this proposal after the president of the United States posted a very strong statement about this conflict on Truth Social yesterday," Leavitt told reporters. Despite the ceasefire development, The Times of Israel reported that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz met with IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir and other senior commanders to approve final military plans for taking over Gaza City. The move signals that Israel is still preparing for a potential offensive. However, it is expected that if the countries reach a hostage deal timely, the takeover could be likely avoided. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to Israeli officials, the IDF plans to issue evacuation warnings for residents of Gaza City ahead of the operation. Palestinians have reportedly been given until October 7, 2025, to evacuate the area. In related news, Netanyahu has also criticised French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron for his recent move to recognise a Palestinian state. Calling Macron a supporter of antisemitism, Netanyahus comments drew swift condemnation. Macron responded by calling the accusations abject" and erroneous," stating that France protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens." Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: August 20, 2025, 05:19 IST News world Donald Trump Hails Benjamin Netanyahu As War Hero Amid Gaza Conflict Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Elon Musk Quietly Pauses Plans For Launch Of His Own Political Party: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 17:42 IST Elon Musk is stepping back from launching his own political party to focus on Tesla and SpaceX amid financial challenges. Elon Musk (Image Credit: X) Elon Musk is quietly stepping back from plans to launch his own political party in the United States, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter. The billionaire entrepreneur, who heads Tesla and SpaceX and owns X (formerly Twitter), reportedly told associates he wants to concentrate on his companies rather than push ahead with the America Party", unveiled in July after a public row with US President Donald Trump over tax and spending policy. Elon Musk appeared to dismiss the report in a post on X, writing: Nothing @WSJ says should ever be thought of as true." Recommended Stories The paper reported that Elon Musk has been seeking to maintain close ties with Vice President JD Vance and has acknowledged privately that forming a new political party could jeopardise that relationship. People close to the discussions told the Journal that Elon Musk may instead consider directing financial support towards JD Vance if he decides to run for president in 2028. Last year, Elon Musk spent nearly $300 million backing Donald Trump and other Republicans, exerting outsized influence during the opening weeks of Donald Trumps presidency and the launch of the new efficiency department" DOGE. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Elon Musks Tesla Suffers The latest report comes as Tesla faces mounting financial and operational challenges. Shares in the electric carmaker are down more than 18% this year after it reported in July its worst quarterly sales decline in over a decade, alongside weaker-than-expected profits. Elon Musk has warned investors to expect a few rough quarters" following the Donald Trump administrations rollback of subsidies for electric vehicles. Some investors have also expressed concern that Elon Musks foray into politics could distract him from his corporate responsibilities. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: August 20, 2025, 17:42 IST News world Elon Musk Quietly Pauses Plans For Launch Of His Own Political Party: Report Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Is The Taliban Upset With Pakistan? 'Protocol Snub' To Ishaq Dar At Trilateral With China | Exclusive Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 21:07 IST This lack of red carpet honour for Pakistani deputy PM Ishaq Dar, however, highlights Afghanistan's calculated downgrade of ties with Islamabad Pakistan's Deputy PM Ishaq Dar was received by Afghan deputy foreign minister Naem Wardak in Kabul on August 20. (Image: News18) Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar may have received a protocol snub" from the Taliban during their trilateral summit with China. He was received by Afghan deputy foreign minister Naem Wardak, while Chinas Wang Yi was welcomed with full honours by foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. This lack of red carpet honour for Dar, however, highlights Afghanistans calculated downgrade of ties with Islamabad. The Taliban now view China as an indispensable partner for investment, mining, infrastructure, and international legitimacy, especially after Beijing established an embassy in Kabul. Recommended Stories According to top intelligence sources, this is clear proof that Pakistans control over Kabul is over. The era of Pakistan patronising the Taliban has ended, and Islamabad now treats them as just another neighbour, the sources said. By denying red-carpet status to Pakistan, Kabul signals that Islamabad is losing credibility even among Muslim nations, they added. The sources said since 2021, Islamabads influence over the Taliban has diminished with Kabul clearly rejecting being seen as an extension of Pakistan. Recent deportations of Afghan refugees and tensions along the Durand Line have further strained relations, they said. Additionally, the Taliban feel that Islamabad sides with the West on issues related to Kabul and fails to protect it diplomatically, they added. China, meanwhile, offers cash, projects, and investments like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) whereas Pakistans contributions are limited to aid and trade facilitation, the sources said. This contrast demonstrates Afghanistans tilt towards China and dissatisfaction with Islamabad, which is hosting Northern Resistance Front leaders against the TTP, they said. Top diplomats from Pakistan, China and Afghanistan are meeting in Kabul for a trilateral summit aimed at boosting political, regional and economic cooperation. Afghanistans ministry of foreign affairs in a statement said the talks, hosted by Kabul, will include comprehensive discussions" on a wide range of issues, including political, economic and regional cooperation. Pakistans ministry of foreign affairs said Dars discussions at the meeting will focus on expanding trade, improving regional connectivity and strengthening joint efforts against terrorism. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The last round of the dialogue took place in May in Beijing. The latest development comes more than a month after Russia became the first country to formally recognise the Talibans government in Afghanistan. While no country, except from Russian, has offered formal recognition, the Taliban have engaged in high-level talks with many nations and established some diplomatic ties with countries including China and the United Arab Emirates. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Location : Kabul, Afghanistan First Published: August 20, 2025, 21:07 IST News world Is The Taliban Upset With Pakistan? 'Protocol Snub' To Ishaq Dar At Trilateral With China | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Israel Steps Up Gaza City Offensive As Netanyahu Calls For Swift Hamas Defeat Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: August 21, 2025, 02:03 IST Israel has announced plans to call up 60,000 reservists in preparation for the expanded military campaign. The renewed assault on Gaza comes amid a new ceasefire proposal from Hamas (AFP) Israel is ramping up its military efforts to take control of Gaza City, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urging a rapid offensive against what he called terrorist strongholds. In a statement issued Wednesday, Netanyahu called for a quick and swift capture of key Hamas positions in Gaza and thanked reservist forces for their participation, which was confirmed earlier in the day by the IDF chief of staff. Ahead of approval of the plans for the operation in Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the timetables for seizing control of the last terrorist strongholds and the defeat of Hamas be shortened. Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 20, 2025 Recommended Stories According to a report by Haaretz, Netanyahu also addressed recent internal disagreements within his government. In a televised interview, he clarified that he does not intend to build settlements in Gaza," countering recent remarks by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Ask me what my finance minister says, I say I disagree with him, and hes entitled to say his things," Netanyahu said. The Israeli military has already begun its offensive into the city. Brigadier General Effie Defrin, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), confirmed on Wednesday that preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack on Gaza City" have begun. He stated that Israeli forces have now reached the outskirts of Gaza City, signaling the beginning of a potentially broader and more intense phase of the war. Israel has announced plans to call up 60,000 reservists in preparation for the expanded military campaign. According to the Associated Press, troops are currently active in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City as well as in Jabaliya, a densely populated refugee camp in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. These areas are reportedly being prepared as launch points for the upcoming offensive, which could begin within days. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The renewed assault on Gaza comes amid a new ceasefire proposal from Hamas. The offer reportedly includes a 60-day truce, the staggered exchange of captives and Palestinian prisoners, and improved humanitarian aid access. Netanyahu, however, reiterated last week that any potential agreement must guarantee all the hostages are released at once and according to our conditions for ending the war." Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll continues to climb. According to Al Jazeera, at least 81 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn on Wednesday, including 30 who were reportedly seeking food and aid. Location : Israel First Published: August 21, 2025, 02:03 IST News world Israel Steps Up Gaza City Offensive As Netanyahu Calls For Swift Hamas Defeat Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets In Southern Lebanon Using Drones, Missiles | Watch Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: August 21, 2025, 02:34 IST The Israeli military has not yet disclosed the full scope of the operation, but further updates are expected in the coming hours. The assault was reportedly launched from northern occupied Palestine (X/Pheebs) Israel launched a military assault in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the operation targeted Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure, including weapons storage facilities and a rocket launcher. The Israeli military has not yet disclosed the full scope of the operation, but further updates are expected in the coming hours. BREAKING: The IDF this evening carried out airstrikes targeting assets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist group in southern Lebanon.Targets included weapons storage facilities and a rocket launcher. The continued presence of these assets was a violation of the ceasefire pic.twitter.com/fN8CLHwX7T Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) August 20, 2025 Recommended Stories Lebanese media sources report that Israeli drone strikes hit the town of Al Hosh, while airstrikes were carried out on Ansar and Sinay. In addition to aerial attacks, Israel reportedly used ground-to-ground missiles in several strikes. The assault was launched from northern occupied Palestine, signalling a continued escalation in cross-border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Location : Lebanon First Published: August 21, 2025, 02:34 IST News world Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets In Southern Lebanon Using Drones, Missiles | Watch Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Jaishankar In Moscow To Boost Ties Amid Trump Tariffs, Flags India-Russia Trade Deficit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 21, 2025, 00:31 IST India-Russia trade reached $68 billion in 2024-25, but a major imbalance emerged. S Jaishankar stressed addressing this at the 26th IRIGC-TEC session in Moscow. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during the 26th Session of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural cooperation, in Moscow. (IMAGE: PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that India-Russia bilateral trade has grown rapidly over the last four years, but a major trade imbalance has accompanied this growth, in his opening remarks at the 26th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) in Moscow. Over the last four years, Excellency, our bilateral trade in goods has increased, as you have noted, more than five-fold from USD 13 billion in 2021 to USD 68 billion in 2024-25 and it continues to grow," Jaishankar said. However, a major trade imbalance has accompanied the growth; it has increased from USD 6.6 billion to USD 58.9 billion which is about nine times. So we need to address that urgently." Recommended Stories He outlined the key agenda for the session, saying, Addressing tariff and non-tariff trade barriers, removing bottlenecks in logistics, promoting connectivity through the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Northern Sea Route and the Chennai-Vladivostok Corridor, effecting payment mechanisms smoothly, timely finalization and execution of the Programme of Economic Cooperation till 2030, the early conclusion of the India-Eurasian Economic Union FTA, whose terms of reference were finalised today, and regular interaction between the businesses of the two countries these are among the key elements." Jaishankar also stressed the continuing commitment of both nations leaders, noting, Our leaders remain closely and regularly engaged. They provide us wise and practical guidance to our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. They had two in person meetings last year and are personally committed to further advancing our strategic partnership." Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Moscow for the 22nd Annual India-Russia Summit in July. This was his first visit to Russia in five years. He and President Putin met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia in October. Russian President Putin is expected to visit India later this year. The remarks come amid a complex geopolitical backdrop, with the current US administration under Donald Trump imposing tariffs on Indian goods in response to Indias ongoing purchase of Russian crude oil. What Is IRIGC-TEC IRIGC-TEC stands for the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation. This bilateral forum facilitates high-level dialogue between the governments of India and Russia, aiming to enhance cooperation across various sectors, including trade, energy, defense and cultural exchange. Why The Imbalance top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The disparity in trade between India and Russia has been a topic of concern. In the fiscal year 202425, bilateral trade reached a record high of $68.7 billion. However, Indias exports to Russia were significantly lower, amounting to only $4.88 billion, resulting in a trade imbalance of approximately $60 billion. This imbalance is primarily due to Indias substantial imports of Russian crude oil, which now constitute about 35% of Indias total oil imports. To address this imbalance, both nations are exploring measures to boost Indian exports and diversify trade. These include enhancing connectivity through initiatives like the International North-South Transport Corridor and the Chennai-Vladivostok Corridor, improving payment mechanisms and facilitating greater interaction between businesses. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Location : Moscow, Russia First Published: August 20, 2025, 22:23 IST News world Jaishankar In Moscow To Boost Ties Amid Trump Tariffs, Flags India-Russia Trade Deficit Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Microsoft Staff Stage Sit-In At HQ Over Companys Israel Links: 'Gaza Is Being Bombed' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 16:39 IST Microsoft employees staged a sit-in at the Redmond campus, accusing the company of enabling Israeli military operations in Gaza. The protest was organised by the activist group No Azure for Genocide. Dozens of Microsoft employees and former staff staged a sit-in at the companys campus in Redmond, Washington, accusing the tech giant of enabling Israeli military operations in Gaza through its software. The demonstrators, who declared part of the campus a Free Zone", held placards reading Join the Worker Intifada No Labor for Genocide" and Martyred Palestinian Childrens Plaza". The protest was organised by the activist group No Azure for Genocide, which has been calling on Microsoft to end contracts with Israel and divest from the country. It comes less than a week after Microsoft said it had launched an independent review into claims that its Azure cloud services were being used by the Israeli military for surveillance. Recommended Stories Anger Over Surveillance Claims Earlier this month, reports in the Guardian and Israels +972 Magazine alleged that Israels military intelligence unit, Unit 8200, had used Azure to store mobile phone recordings of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The company denied knowledge of such practices, saying, We are not aware of the surveillance of civilians or collection of their cellphone conversations using Microsofts services. Based on these reviews, including interviewing dozens of employees and assessing documents, we have found no evidence to date that Microsofts Azure and AI technologies have been used to target or harm people in the conflict in Gaza." Employees Escalate Actions One protester, former employee Hossam Nasr, said the action was prompted by what he described as Microsofts inadequate response. He said, I watched [journalist] Anas al-Sharif report on Gaza relentlessly, through starvation, through extermination campaigns, through bombing. He was intentionally targeted." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Another employee, Nasreen Jaradat, said, Every single second that we wait, things are worse and worse in Palestine. More and more people are being bombed and maimed. Its time for us to escalate, however we can." The protest comes amid growing concern from international organisations about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The UN has warned of widespread starvation, malnutrition and disease", while health authorities in Gaza estimate more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its military response to Hamass 7 October attacks. Location : Israel First Published: August 20, 2025, 16:39 IST News world Microsoft Staff Stage Sit-In At HQ Over Companys Israel Links: 'Gaza Is Being Bombed' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Unaware Of Anti-Bangladesh Activities In India': MEA Rejects Dhaka's Charge On Awami Workers Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 20:20 IST MEA says India does not permit political activities against neighbours from its soil and reiterated call for free and fair polls in Bangladesh. India stresses it will not allow political activities against neighbours from its territory, dismisses Bangladesh interim govts claims. (IMAGE: DALL-E/AI) India on Wednesday rejected allegations made by Bangladeshs Interim Government that anti-Bangladesh activities were being carried out from Indian territory by members of the Awami League. Awami League is the party of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India, living in exile, after student-led protests against her government were hijacked by Islamists last year. Recommended Stories Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action that is contrary to Indian law". The Government does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil. The Press Statement by the Interim Government of Bangladesh is thus misplaced," Jaiswal said in a statement released by the ministry on Wednesday evening. Bangladesh on Wednesday, without offering any basis, claimed that offices of the Bangladesh Awami League were running in India and urged New Delhi to take immediate steps to shut them down. In a statement, the Bangladesh foreign ministry alleged that any form of political activity campaigning against the interests of Bangladesh by Bangladeshi nationals, particularly by the absconding leaders/activists of a banned political party, staying on Indian soil, legally or illegally, including the establishment of offices is an unambiguous affront against the people and State of Bangladesh." The statement specifically mentioned Awami League-linked offices purportedly set up in New Delhi and Kolkata, and asked India to ensure their closure. Bangladesh itself has a long history of being accused of harbouring anti-India elements, from separatist militants in the Northeast to hardline Islamist groups. Until the early 2000s, several insurgent outfits from Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya reportedly operated camps inside Bangladeshi territory with the tacit support of local networks, a fact noted in Indian security assessments and research by scholars like Bertil Lintner in his 2012 book Great Game East. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Dhaka in the past decade has also faced allegations of providing safe havens to Islamist outfits such as Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), which was linked to terror plots in India. Meanwhile, in May 2025, retired Major General A.L.M. Fazlur Rahman made a provocative post suggesting that Bangladesh, in the event of an Indian strike on Pakistan, should occupy seven Indian Northeast states with Chinese support. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More First Published: August 20, 2025, 19:49 IST News world 'Unaware Of Anti-Bangladesh Activities In India': MEA Rejects Dhaka's Charge On Awami Workers Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Netanyahu Criticises Australian PM Over Palestine Support, Calls Him Weak Politician Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: August 21, 2025, 01:01 IST Netanyahu's outburst came just days after Australia confirmed on August 11 that it would support Palestines statehood bid. Australias support for Palestinian statehood marks another blow to Israels shrinking list of diplomatic allies (Reuters File Image) Israel has continued to escalate its rhetoric against countries recognising Palestinian statehood, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now targeting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. In a scathing post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Netanyahu labelled Albanese as a weak politician". Netanyahus outburst came just days after Australia confirmed on August 11 that it would vote to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The Israeli leader, visibly angered by the move, posted, History will remember Mr. Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews." Recommended Stories Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politicianwho betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews. Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 19, 2025 Despite the personal nature of the attack, Albanese refused to respond. Speaking to reporters, he stated, I dont take these things personally. I treat leaders of other countries with respect. I engage with them in a diplomatic way." He emphasised that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a global issue and that people want to see an end to it, along with a stop to the cycle of violence. Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke weighed in on the controversy on Wednesday, accusing Netanyahu of lashing out" at Australia, as he has previously done with other Western nations. Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry," Burke told ABC, referencing Netanyahus combative tone toward nations such as Britain, France, Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Canada. In a separate statement targeting those countries, Netanyahu had previously written, I say to President Macron, Prime Minister Carney, and Prime Minister Starmer: when mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you, youre on the wrong side of justice." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Tensions escalated further when Australian authorities cancelled the visa of Zionist leader MK Simcha Rothman, citing concerns that his planned speaking tour would spread division." In retaliation, Israel revoked the residency visas of Australias representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Australias support for Palestinian statehood marks another blow to Israels shrinking list of diplomatic allies. Countries pushing for recognition have increasingly called on Netanyahu to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and work toward a resolution to the long-standing conflict. Location : Israel First Published: August 21, 2025, 01:01 IST News world Netanyahu Criticises Australian PM Over Palestine Support, Calls Him Weak Politician Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Pilot Suspended Mid-Flight For Leaving Cockpit Door Open So His Family Could... Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 09:22 IST The unsettling scene stunned the British Airways crew members and ultimately led to the mid-flight suspension of the pilot The pilots actions, deemed unprofessional and potentially dangerous, led to his swift suspension while the plane was still in the air. (AI Generated) A British Airways flight took an unexpected turn at 30,000 feet when a crew member discovered that the cockpit door had been left wide open during the flight, a serious breach of aviation protocol. The unsettling scene stunned the crew members and ultimately led to the mid-flight suspension of the pilot responsible. Air Travel Takes An Unforeseen Turn Recommended Stories Commercial air travel is typically considered one of the safest forms of transportation, thanks in large part to strict aviation procedures and security protocols. But on British Airways flight BA174, those protocols were unexpectedly disregarded. The aircraft was already cruising at altitude when crew members noticed something highly unusual: the cockpit door was open. A flight attendant, upon checking inside, was shocked by what she witnessed. The incident raised immediate safety concerns and was escalated to senior crew members on board. The pilots actions, deemed unprofessional and potentially dangerous, led to his swift suspension while the plane was still in the air. But Why Was The Cockpit Door Open? The mid-flight incident quickly drew media interest. According to reports, the cockpit door remained open for an extended period, prompting concern among both crew and passengers. When questioned, the pilot offered an unusual explanation that raised further eyebrows. According to The Sun, the pilot had deliberately left the cockpit door open during the transatlantic flight so that his family, travelling as passengers, could observe him at work. This decision shocked the crew and alarmed several passengers, who viewed the act as a serious lapse in judgment and a potential security risk. Pilot Grounded, Flight Cancelled Following the security breach, British Airways promptly reported the incident to US authorities and the pilot was immediately grounded upon landing. The return flight from New York to London, was cancelled as a direct result, leading to significant delays and disruption for hundreds of passengers. British Airways took swift action to rebook affected travellers on alternative flights. Despite the inconvenience, many passengers ultimately arrived in London several hours earlier than originally scheduled. Strict Cockpit Security Since 9/11 Since the 9/11 attacks in the US, cockpit doors on commercial aircraft have been required to remain locked during flight. This regulation is designed to prevent unauthorised access to flight controls and ensure the safety of both passengers and crew. Pilot Reinstated Following Investigation top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A thorough investigation was launched, during which no security threats were identified. Though the pilots behaviour was deemed inappropriate, it did not violate any criminal laws. After internal review, the airline reinstated the pilot, though details of any disciplinary measures remain undisclosed. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: August 20, 2025, 09:22 IST News world Pilot Suspended Mid-Flight For Leaving Cockpit Door Open So His Family Could... Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Poland Accuses Moscow Of 'Provocation' After Russian Drone Breaches Airspace, Explodes In Field Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 23:48 IST A Russian drone breached Polish airspace and exploded in a farmland in a village in the Lublin province overnight, although no injuries were reported. Firefighters gather at the site where a Russian drone crashed in Poland. (Reuters) A Russian drone reportedly breached Polands airspace on Wednesday, before exploding in a field in the eastern part of the country, with Warsaw labelling the incident as a provocation". The drone hit and exploded in a farmland in the village of Osiny in the eastern Lublin province overnight, just over 100 km from the Ukrainian border. No casualties were reported, but officials told AFP the windows of some houses were blown out. Recommended Stories Notably, Poland had been on high alert for objects entering its airspace since a stray Ukrainian missile struck a southern Polish village in 2022, killing two people. Once again, we are facing a provocation from the Russian Federation, with a Russian drone," Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters. He highlighted that the incident took place when peace talks were underway, where there is hope that this war has a chance to end. Russia provokes once again." Poland To Issue Formal Protest Polish General Dariusz Malinowski said the drone appeared to be a decoy which was designed to self-destruct, while containing a Chinese engine. The drone was believed to be a Russian drone model called Gerbera, which is often used as a decoy in multiple Russian drone and missile barrages against Ukraine. Polands Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said his ministry would issue a protest against the airspace violation, but did not name the perpetrator. Another violation of our airspace from the East confirms that Polands most important mission towards NATO is the defence of our own territory." The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. This comes less than a month after a Russian military drone flew into Lithuania from Belarus. It is worth mentioning that Poland has been a major supporter of Ukraine, and hosts over a million Ukrainian refugees and is a key transit point for Western humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all I was sitting in my room at night, around midnight, maybe, and I heard something just bang," a Polish resident told Reuters. It exploded so loudly that the whole house simply shook." (with inputs from agencies) About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Location : Warsaw, Poland First Published: August 20, 2025, 23:48 IST News world Poland Accuses Moscow Of 'Provocation' After Russian Drone Breaches Airspace, Explodes In Field Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Putin Tired Of War With Ukraine But Possible He Doesn't Want A Deal: Trump Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 07:18 IST Donald Trump cited his warm relationship with Putin even as he acknowledged the potential for a deal to fall through. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. (Reuters) US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday said that he hoped Vladimir Putin was going to be good" and move forward toward ending the war in Ukraine; however, he conceded it was possible the Russian president doesnt want to make a deal. I dont think its going to be a problem, to be honest with you. I think Putin is tired of it. I think theyre all tired of it, but you never know," Trump said in an interview with Fox News. Recommended Stories Trumps statement came a day after he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders at the White House for talks on his peace efforts, a meeting that followed his summit with Putin in Alaska last Friday. Were going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks Its possible that he doesnt want to make a deal," Trump said, adding that Putin faced a rough situation" if that were not the case. After Mondays talks, Trump had said that he had called Putin to help set up a one-on-one meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy that would be followed by a trilateral meeting to include himself. Trump said in the Fox News interview he thought relations between Putin and Zelenskiy might be a little bit better" or else he would not have pursued their one-on-one meeting. He also cited his own warm relationship with Putin even as he acknowledged the potential for a deal to fall through. I hope President Putin is going to be good, and if hes not, its going to be a rough situation. And I hope that President Zelenskiy will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility also," Trump said. On security guarantees for Ukraine that Kyiv and its allies are seeking as part of any peace settlement, Trump said that while Europe was willing to commit troops in some form, the United States would not, although it could provide other assistance. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Therell be some form of security. It cant be NATO," he said. Theyre willing to put people on the ground. Were willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you could talk about by air." Asked what assurances he could give that the US troops would not be on the ground defending Ukraines border, he said: You have my assurance. You know, Im president." About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: August 20, 2025, 07:13 IST News world Putin Tired Of War With Ukraine But Possible He Doesn't Want A Deal: Trump Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Road To Nowhere': Russia On Ukraine Security Talks Without Moscow, Downplays Putin-Zelenskyy Bilateral Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 20:32 IST Russia has not confirmed that President Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump that he had agreed to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy and accept some western security guarantees for Ukraine The Kremlin's response comes after US President Donald Trump brought Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders to the White House on August 18. (Image: Reuters/File) Though the White House remains unanimous in its agreement that there should be a bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Kremlins latest response showed that it may not be as keen. Russia on Wednesday downplayed talks of a bilateral by saying it had to be part of any discussion on security guarantees for Ukraine, tempering hopes for a quick peace deal. Recommended Stories In eastern Ukraine, far from the diplomatic deliberations, Russian forces claimed fresh advances on the ground and Ukrainian officials reported more deaths from Russian attacks. The Kremlin said it had discussed the idea of raising the level of representatives" at Ukraine talks in a 40-minute call with US President Donald Trump following his meeting with Zelenskyy. The idea was discussed that it would be appropriate to study the opportunity of raising the level of representatives of the Russian and Ukrainian sides," said Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, briefing reporters on Trumps call with Putin. Ushakov did not mention either leader by name, or any indication the representatives" could be raised to that level. The Kremlins response comes after Trump brought Zelenskyy and European leaders to the White House on Monday (August 18), three days after his landmark encounter with Putin in Alaska. Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that seriously discussing security guarantees without the Russian Federation is a utopia, a road to nowhere". He downplayed the meeting between Trump and European leaders, describing it as a clumsy" attempt to change the US presidents position on Ukraine. Russia has also not confirmed that Putin told Trump that he had agreed to meet Zelenskyy and accept some western security guarantees for Ukraine. Lavrov cast doubt on an imminent meeting between the two sides, saying any summit between Putin and Zelenskyy must be prepared in the most meticulous way" so it does not lead to a deterioration" of the situation surrounding the conflict. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said the latest strikes by Russian on Ukraine showed the need to put pressure on Moscow", including through sanctions. (With agency inputs) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Moscow, Russia First Published: August 20, 2025, 20:32 IST News world 'Road To Nowhere': Russia On Ukraine Security Talks Without Moscow, Downplays Putin-Zelenskyy Bilateral Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Russia To Join Ukraine Security Guarantees On Equal Basis With World Powers, Says Lavrov Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 19:31 IST Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is prepared to provide Ukraine with security guarantees alongside the US, China, UK and France, but stressed there can be no framework without Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attend a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is prepared to join international security guarantees for Ukraine, but only on equal basis" with other world powers. Speaking to reporters, Lavrov named the United States, China, the United Kingdom and France as partners in such a framework, while stressing that Russias participation is indispensable. No security framework without Russia (because) such talks lead nowhere," he said. Recommended Stories Lavrov also claimed there was growing recognition in Washington of the need to address the root causes of the crisis. He underlined that any European collective guarantees must be truly reliable" and not one-sided. The minister said Moscow remains focused on the proposals discussed during the 2022 Istanbul negotiations on Ukraines security, adding that Russia is also willing to provide guarantees for Kyiv under those terms. The 2022 Istanbul talks were a round of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, held in March 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey, a month after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, which it terms as a special military operation" to finish off Nazis in Ukraine. After the war began in February 2022, Turkey positioned itself as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine. In March 2022, delegations from both sides met in Istanbul (after earlier rounds in Belarus). Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan personally welcomed the negotiators and pushed for a ceasefire framework. Erdogan on Wednesday informed his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by phone that Turkey would support a process involving all parties" for peace in Ukraine. Erdogan told Putin that Turkey has sincerely strived for a just peace since the beginning of the war, and in this context, supports approaches aimed at establishing lasting peace with the participation of all parties," his office said in a statement accessed by AFP. Turkey, which enjoys friendly ties with both its Black Sea neighbors, has hosted three rounds of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia since May. Putin, Zelenskyy Meet Only After Meticulous Preparation President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, sparking a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. On Monday, US President Donald Trump said Putin had agreed to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and consider certain Western security guarantees for Ukraine. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later clarified that in their phone call, Putin only said he would think about raising the level of" talks on Ukraine. He added that any summit between Putin and Zelenskyy would need to be prepared in the most meticulous way" to avoid a worsening of the conflict. Russia Slams Europes Clumsy Attempt To Influence Trump Lavrov on Wednesday accused European leaders of making clumsy attempts" to change Donald Trumps position on Ukraine. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all We have only seen aggressive escalation of the situation and rather clumsy attempts to change the position of the US president," he said, referring to Trumps meeting on Monday with European leaders and Zelenskyy. We did not hear any constructive ideas from the Europeans there," he said. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Location : Moscow, Russia First Published: August 20, 2025, 19:31 IST News world Russia To Join Ukraine Security Guarantees On Equal Basis With World Powers, Says Lavrov Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Russia To Keep Oil Supplies Flowing To India At 5% Discount Amid Trump Tariffs Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 17:22 IST Moscow will keep supplying discounted crude oil to India despite US tariffs and sanctions, Russian officials said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP file photo) Russia said it will continue supplying crude oil to India at a discount, even as Washington ramps up tariffs and sanctions in an attempt to curb New Delhis imports from Moscow. Evgeniy Griva, Russias deputy trade representative to India, confirmed that future supplies would carry an agreed reduction, saying, There will be a 5% discount, subject to negotiation, on Russian crude oil purchases to India." Evgeniy Griva suggested the arrangement was stable despite the broader political climate. Approximately the same level of oil will be imported by India," he said, describing discounts as a commercial secret" but typically plus-minus 5%". Recommended Stories He was joined by Roman Babushkin, Russias deputy chief of mission in New Delhi, who said Moscow trusted its longstanding partnership with India. It is a challenging situation for New Delhi, but we have trust in our ties. We are confident that India-Russia energy cooperation will continue notwithstanding the external pressure," Roman Babushkin said. Washington Raises Tariffs On India The United States has accused India of helping to finance Russias war in Ukraine by continuing to buy its crude, which has been widely shunned by Western markets. US President Donald Trump last month imposed a 50% tariff on Indian exports to the US, citing its purchases of Russian energy. Washington argues the move is intended to deter Moscow from prolonging the war. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the sanctions were part of a wider strategy to pressure Russia into negotiations, adding, The president has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He has taken actions- sanctions on India and other measures- to make clear that he wants this war to end." Indian Response To Trump Tariffs top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all New Delhi has condemned the US tariffs, calling them unfair, unjustified and unreasonable". Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India would not compromise on the interests of its farmers, livestock rearers and fishermen. Underscoring his governments resolve to shield rural communities despite mounting international pressure, PM Modi earlier reiterated, India will never compromise on the interests of its farmers, livestock rearers, and fishermen brothers and sisters. I know personally that I will have to pay a heavy price for this, but I am prepared for it. India stands firmly with its farmers, and I am ready to face whatever it takes for their welfare." Location : Russia First Published: August 20, 2025, 17:19 IST News world Russia To Keep Oil Supplies Flowing To India At 5% Discount Amid Trump Tariffs Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Teen Prodigy Kairan Quazi Quits SpaceX Job After Two Years To Join Citadel Securities Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 13:23 IST Kairan Quazi, a 16-year-old tech prodigy, is moving from SpaceX to Citadel Securities in New York as a global trading infrastructure engineer. He graduated at 14. Quazi had joined SpaceX at age 14, becoming the company's youngest-ever employee. (Image: LinkedIn/Kairan Quazi) Kairan Quazi, the 16-year-old tech prodigy of Bangladeshi origin who made headlines as one of the youngest university graduates in the United States, is starting a new phase in his impressive career, according to media reports. After spending two years at Elon Musks SpaceX, Quazi has announced his move to Citadel Securities in New York, where he will work as a global trading infrastructure engineer, according to a report by NDTV. Recommended Stories A Remarkable Journey Quazi joined SpaceX at age 14, becoming the companys youngest-ever employee. He was part of the Starlink division, contributing to the development of critical satellite systems and ensuring their operational accuracy. While speaking to Business Insider, Quazi, while looking back on his professional journey, said, After two years at SpaceX, I felt ready to take on new challenges and expand my skill set into a different high-performance environment." Explaining his decision to join Citadel Securities, he said it was driven by the firms intellectual complexity and rapid feedback. Quant finance offers a pretty rare combination: the complexity and intellectual challenge that AI research also provides, but with a much faster pace," Quazi told Business Insider. At Citadel Securities, Ill be able to see measurable impact in days, not months or years like many research environments," he added. Quazi Graduated At 14 Quazis resume is astonishing for someone his age. At just 14, he graduated from Santa Clara University with a degree in computer science and engineering. He is the institutions youngest graduate. His journey began even earlier at 10, he interned at Intel Labs, and in 2022, he worked in machine learning at cyber-intelligence startup Blackbird.AI. As per reports, his work involves engineering and quantitative problem-solving, with experience in low-latency, high-performance computing, and real-time programming. For his new job, Quazi has moved to New York and will be living in Manhattan, just a short walk from his new office. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: August 20, 2025, 13:18 IST News world Teen Prodigy Kairan Quazi Quits SpaceX Job After Two Years To Join Citadel Securities Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'There Is No Ceasefire': Iran Says War With Israel Could Break Out At Any Moment Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 17:36 IST A top Iranian military official said that a new war could break out with Israel at any moment. This handout picture provided by the Iranian Army media office on June 23, 2025, shows the new army chief Amir Hatami (C) during a meeting in the Iranian Army's War Command Room. (IMAGE: AFP) Senior Iranian military, judicial and government figures have warned in recent days that the fragile ceasefire with Israel could collapse, with one top commander saying war may break out at any moment." Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir, Yahya Rahim Safavi a senior military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Defence Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh all made statements to state-run media suggesting that the Iranian armed forces remain on alert and prepared for conflict if hostilities resume. Recommended Stories On Wednesday, Nasirzadeh said Iran has developed new missiles with much greater capabilities than before, which will be used in response to any possible Israeli adventurism". Today we have manufactured and deployed missiles with far better capabilities compared to those used previously, and if the Zionist enemy embarks on another adventurism, we will definitely use these missiles," he said while speaking to Iranian state-run television. We must be prepared for the worst-case scenario. There is no protocol between us and Israel and the US. There is no ceasefire," said Yahya Rahim Safavi, senior military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir also warned against trusting what he labelled as baseless promises of its enemies". The United States has not become more rational or wiser; on the contrary, its hostility toward the Iranian nation has intensified," he said on Wednesday. In mid-June, Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a war in which Iran responded with missile and drone strikes. The Israeli offensive killed senior military commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others, striking both military sites and residential areas. The United States briefly joined the war with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. A ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in place since June 24. Iranian officials have since warned that another round of fighting could erupt at any moment, emphasising that Tehran does not seek war but remains prepared for any confrontation. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On Monday, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said Iran should be prepared at every moment for confrontation". We are not even in a ceasefire; we are in a cessation of hostilities," he added. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Location : Tehran, Iran First Published: August 20, 2025, 17:36 IST News world 'There Is No Ceasefire': Iran Says War With Israel Could Break Out At Any Moment Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Trump Put Tremendous Public Pressure': White House Says India Tariffs Aim To End Russia War Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 07:46 IST The White House has said Donald Trump has doubled tariffs on India to 50% to put secondary pressure on Russia over the Ukraine war. A file photo of US President Donald Trump (AP) US President Donald Trump has imposed steep tariffs on India as part of efforts to apply indirect pressure on Russia to end the Ukraine conflict, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday. Her statement comes days after Donald Trump doubled Indias tariff to 50 per cent, as he announced an additional 25 per cent levy on the previously announced 25 per cent. Recommended Stories The President has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. Hes taken actions, as youve seen, sanctions on India and other actions as well," Leavitt said, responding to a question on how long Trump was willing to wait and operate in good faith for Putin. He has made himself very clear that he wants to see this war end, and he has scoffed at the ideas of others that have been raised that we should wait another month before any meeting takes place," she said. The President wants to move and he wants to bring this war to an end as quickly as possible," she added. During her briefing, Leavitt also echoed Trump in claiming that the US President ended the military conflict between India and Pakistan. Russia and all countries around the world actually respect the United States again. And the President is using the might of American strength to demand that respect from our allies, our friends, our adversaries all around the world," she said. And weve seen that not just lead to progress with Russia and Ukraine, but also weve seen it in the closing of seven global conflicts around the world as well." Weve seen it with the release of hostages in Gaza. Weve seen it with the end of the conflict between India and Pakistan, which could have resulted in a nuclear war if we had not had a President who believed in the strength and the leverage that comes with the job of being the President of the United States of America," the White House Press Secretary said. In response to another question, Leavitt said that Trump used trade in a very powerful way as leverage" to bring the India-Pakistan conflict to an end. Since May 10, when Donald Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate" ceasefire after a long night" of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim over 40 times, and has repeatedly claimed that he helped settle" the tensions between India and Pakistan. India has been consistently maintaining that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said in the Parliament that no leader of any country asked India to stop Operation Sindoor. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ | Want To Try And Get To Heaven: Trump Quips On Ongoing Ukraine-Russia Peace Efforts About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: August 20, 2025, 07:36 IST News world 'Trump Put Tremendous Public Pressure': White House Says India Tariffs Aim To End Russia War Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... UK Bans Shower Gel Ad Over Concerns It Implied White Skin Is Superior To Black Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 19:19 IST UK regulators banned a Sanex shower gel ad for implying white skin superiority. The spot, which aired in June, featured a Black model whose skin was shown with red scratch marks. UK regulators banned a television advert for Sanex shower gel after ruling it could be interpreted as suggesting that white skin was superior to black skin. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said that it acted after receiving two complaints from viewers who believed the commercial perpetuated negative stereotypes about people with darker skin tones. The spot, which aired in June, featured a Black model whose skin was shown with red scratch marks and another covered with cracked clay-like material. A voice-over then promoted the products patented amino acid complex" for 24-hour hydration feel," while footage showed a White woman showering. Recommended Stories Relief could be as simple as a shower," the narrator said in the advertisement. What Company Has Said On The Advertisement? Colgate-Palmolive, which owns the Sanex brand, argued that using models with different skin tones demonstrated its commitment to diversity. The company told regulators the ad was designed to show before and after" scenarios, illustrating that the product was suitable for all skin types rather than making a racial comparison. Clearcast, which pre-approves adverts against the UKs broadcasting code, also defended the commercial as an example of inclusivity. While the ASA accepted the explanation, it said the ads structure was problematic, asserting, It was the Black skin, depicted in association with itchy and dry skin, which was shown to be problematic and uncomfortable, whereas the White skin, depicted as smoother and clean after using the product, was shown successfully changed and resolved." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all That could be interpreted as suggesting that White skin was superior to Black skin," it added, while noting this was not the advertisers intention and might go unnoticed by some viewers. The ASA concluded that the advert breached the UKs broadcast advertising code and was likely to cause serious offence." It has been banned from being shown again in its current form. Location : United Kingdom (UK) First Published: August 20, 2025, 19:19 IST News world UK Bans Shower Gel Ad Over Concerns It Implied White Skin Is Superior To Black Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... US Imposes Sanctions On ICC Officials For Targeting Israel; Netanyahu Praises Move Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: August 21, 2025, 00:00 IST As part of the sanctions, the United States will freeze any assets the individuals may hold within U.S. jurisdiction. The sanctions specifically target four individuals currently serving within the ICC (File pic/Reuters) The US Department of State has announced new sanctions against four officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the court of targeting American and Israeli personnel. In a statement released Wednesday, the Department emphasised that the ICC poses a threat to the US and its allies. The move comes amid growing tensions between Washington and the Hague-based tribunal over its investigations into alleged war crimes involving American and Israeli personnel. The sanctions specifically target four individuals currently serving within the ICC,which include Judges Kimberly Prost and Nicolas Guillou, and Deputy Prosecutors Nazhat Shameen Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang. Recommended Stories Judge Kimberly Prost has been sanctioned for her role in authorising investigations into alleged war crimes committed by US personnel in Afghanistan. Judge Nicolas Guillou has been named for his involvement in issuing arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Deputy Prosecutors Khan and Niang are accused of supporting what the State Department described as illegitimate ICC actions against Israel." As part of the sanctions, the US will freeze any assets the individuals may hold within US jurisdiction. In addition, their names have been reported to the Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The sanctions also extend to any property or financial interests in which the named individuals have a 50 percent or greater stake, either directly or indirectly, through partnerships or other entities. Such assets may also be subject to blocking under US law. Senator Marco Rubio stated in an official statement, The Court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the US and our close ally Israel." He also posted on X to allege ICC of disreagrding USs national sovereignity. The @IntlCrimCourt continues to disregard national sovereignty and facilitate lawfare through efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, and prosecute American and Israeli nationals. In response, I am sanctioning four additional ICC officials. We will continue to hold accountable Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) August 20, 2025 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The sanctions were also praised by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called the move a decisive act against a smear campaign of lies against the State of Israel." Although neither the US nor Israel is a member of the ICC, the court asserts jurisdiction over crimes committed in member states. This includes investigations involving citizens of non-member countries if the alleged crimes occurred on the territory of a member nation. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: August 21, 2025, 00:00 IST News world US Imposes Sanctions On ICC Officials For Targeting Israel; Netanyahu Praises Move Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... US-Mexico Border Wall To Be Painted Black To Deter Migrants From Climbing | Watch Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 06:07 IST The decision to paint the wall black was made at the request of President Donald Trump. This isnt the first time the idea of a black border wall has surfaced (X/Algernon DAmmassa) In a renewed effort to strengthen border security and deter illegal immigration, the Trump administration has announced plans to paint the US-Mexico border wall black. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made the announcement during a press conference held at the border wall in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, on Tuesday. The decision to paint the wall black was made at the request of President Donald Trump. When something is painted black, it gets even warmer, making it even harder for people to climb," Noem explained. She also noted that the black coating will help protect the steel structure from rust and weather damage. Recommended Stories WHO WOULD WIN?Millions of illegal immigrants vs. some black paint DHS Sec Noem says Trump wants ENTIRE border wall painted black, making it hotter in the sun and harder to climb pic.twitter.com/es3hrV5jfT RT (@RT_com) August 19, 2025 The move is part of a broader effort by the administration to reinforce the border wall with more advanced security features. There will be more added to it as far as technology, cameras, sensors," Noem said, outlining the administrations plan to integrate surveillance and detection tools along the border. This isnt the first time the idea of a black border wall has surfaced. Back in 2020, similar discussions took place as Trumps officials tested black paint on certain sections of the wall to assess its impact on both durability and deterrence. Although DHS has not provided specific details regarding the timeline or cost of the painting project, Axios reported that inquiries have been made to the department, with no official comment released as of yet. According to a recent NewsNation report, the Trump administration has allocated $46.5 billion toward the completion of the border wall. During the press briefing, Noem claimed that the US currently has the most secure border that weve ever had in the history of this nation," citing zero illegal crossings recorded in the months of May, June, and July. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Noem expressed hope that the changes will encourage migrants to enter the country legally. The goal is for people to come to our country the right way, so they can stay, build a life here, and pursue the American dream," she said. She also emphasised on the administrations stance on border security, claiming that President Trump understands that without borders, we cease to be a nation." Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: August 20, 2025, 06:07 IST News world US-Mexico Border Wall To Be Painted Black To Deter Migrants From Climbing | Watch Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... US Spy Chief Tulsi Gabbard Strips Security Clearances Of 37 Current And Former Officials Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 19:29 IST Defending the decision, Tulsi Gabbard wrote on X, Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right." US DNI Tulsi Gabbard (Reuters Image) The Donald Trump administration revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials, according to a memo posted by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. In the memo, shared on X (formerly Twitter), Tulsi Gabbard accused the officials of engaging in the politicization or weaponization of intelligence" to advance partisan goals, failing to safeguard classified material and neglecting professional standards. Who Are In The List Of Officials Stripped Of Security Clearances? Recommended Stories The list includes former officials who left government service years ago, some of whom worked on matters that have long angered Donald Trump- including the intelligence communitys 2017 assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit him. Several of the officials also signed a 2019 letter critical of Donald Trump that was circulated online last month by conservative activist Laura Loomer. The action reflects Donald Trumps longstanding distrust of career intelligence officers as during his first term, he stripped former CIA director John Brennan of his clearance and since returning to office has also revoked those of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton. Decision Criticised, Tulsi Gabbard Defends top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all National security lawyer Mark Zaid, who said his own clearance was revoked, called the latest move unlawful and unconstitutional". He said, These decisions deviate from well-settled, decades-old laws and policies that sought to protect against just this type of action." He described the administrations rationale as hypocritical", arguing it was Donald Trump officials who had politicised intelligence. Defending the decision, Tulsi Gabbard wrote on X, Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right. Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold." Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: August 20, 2025, 19:29 IST News world US Spy Chief Tulsi Gabbard Strips Security Clearances Of 37 Current And Former Officials Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Want To Try And Get To Heaven': Trump Quips On Ongoing Ukraine-Russia Peace Efforts Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: August 20, 2025, 07:21 IST US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he believes his efforts to mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine could improve his chances of getting into heaven US President Donald Trump. (AP/File) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he believes his efforts to mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine could improve his chances of getting into heaven, in a rare self-deprecating remark from the 79-year-old Republican leader. I want to try and get to heaven, if possible," Trump said during an appearance on Fox & Friends, just a day after welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders to the White House. Recommended Stories Im hearing Im not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons," Trump said. Trump positioned the conflict in humanitarian terms, pointing to the heavy loss of life. If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think thats a pretty," he said. Were not losing American lives. Were not losing American soldiers. But you know, were losing Russian and Ukrainian, mostly soldiers, some people, as missiles hit wrong spots or get lobbed into cities like Kiev and towns." He went on to draw a parallel with his past diplomacy in South Asia, claiming yet again about his role in stopping the India-Pakistan conflict, following Operation Sindoor. I think I saved a lot of lives in India and Pakistan. They were going at it. The planes were being shot down. That was going to be maybe a nuclear war if I let that go, and I did that through trade," he said. New Delhi, however, has dismissed Trumps assertion of brokering a ceasefire with Pakistan, insisting that it was Islamabad that sought to halt the conflict after witnessing the severe damage within its own borders. Since surviving an assassination attempt last year, Trump has increasingly woven religious themes into his public statements. At his January inauguration for a second term, he declared that he had been saved by God to make America great again." With strong backing from conservative Christian groups, Trump has embraced faith symbolism more openly than during his first term. He appointed televangelist Paula White as his official spiritual adviser, and she has led multiple prayer sessions at the White House where participants placed their hands on the president. Though he often brushes aside concerns about his age, Trump has also shown moments of reflection, particularly after a health scare last summer. Marking his 78th birthday, he remarked: You know, theres a certain point at which you dont want to hear Happy Birthday. You just want to pretend the day doesnt exist." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday backed the presidents latest comments, saying she believed they reflected genuine conviction. I think the president wants to get to heaven, as I hope we all do in this room," said Leavitt, 27, who is known to lead prayer sessions before her own briefings. About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: August 20, 2025, 07:21 IST News world 'Want To Try And Get To Heaven': Trump Quips On Ongoing Ukraine-Russia Peace Efforts Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The Zimbabwean Government will soon establish Municipal Courts to complement the proposed empowerment of Municipal Police with arresting powers. This will be tabled before Cabinet as proposed by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works. The Municipal Courts will be used by Councils to deal with lower levels of crimes especially those in breach of Municipal By Laws. While Zimbabwe does not have Municipal Courts, other developed countries have them, and they deal with lawlessness within local authorities. Local Government and Public Works Minister, Honourable Daniel Garwe, revealed the development during his engagement with City of Bulawayos Councillors and Management recently. During the meeting, Councillors were given a platform to ask questions to the Minister on issues that they hoped Central Government could address. Ward 5 Councillor, Dumisani Nkomo, asked if it was possible for Central Government to create a Municipal Courts judicial arm. Thank you for that movement towards providing arresting powers to Municipal Police, Hon Minister. I want to further distil that by asking whether the Minister will also consider creating another judicial structure at the local government level by having Municipal Courts, so that we can deal with things like open defecation, public urination among others. So I wonder if there is a possibility of having Municipal Courts, asked Cllr Nkomo. In response, Minister Garwe said his Ministrys proposed policy paper to be submitted before Cabinet on empowering Municipal Police with arresting powers will also include the establishment of Municipal Courts. Lets create a structure to make sure that there are Municipal Courts. Thats a brilliant idea. The paper that we are going to present in Cabinet is not only going to talk about the capacitation of Municipal Police. It is also speaking to the establishment of Municipal Courts, said Minister Garwe. Municipal Courts would be a new phenomenon in the Zimbabwean landscape but exist in other jurisdictions to enforce By-Laws. Municipal Courts serve a critical role in ensuring that there is order in the community. In cities such as Bulawayo, where there is rampant littering, and the City of Bulawayo can use such Municipal Courts to impose deterrent fines on those who violate the Citys By-Laws. CITE Bulawayos deputy mayor, Edwin Ndlovu, walked free on Wednesday after a local magistrate acquitted him of allegations that he demanded a US$20 000 bribe from a company seeking land to establish a cement plant. Magistrate Richard Ramaboea ruled that the State had failed to prove its case, describing key evidence as contradictory and unreliable. Ndlovu, who had been jointly charged with Ward 26 councillor and Finance and Development Committee chairperson Mpumelelo Moyo, said he was relieved by the acquittal. I feel a bit relieved. This is time to go back to do my duties as mandated by residents of Bulawayo, said the deputy mayor in a brief interview with CITE outside court, standing with his lawyer, Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners. Ndlovu declined to speak further, noting that his co-accused, Moyo, who is out on bail and not yet free, is due to present his defence later this month. Prosecutors alleged that Ndlovu and Moyo solicited the bribe from Labenmon Investments in exchange for facilitating the approval of a 5.6-hectare piece of land in Cowdray Park. The State relied heavily on the testimony of company representative Tsitsi Mapfumo and on forensic handwriting analysis linking Ndlovu to a disputed document, referred to as Exhibit 5, which allegedly listed 20 councillors who were to receive US$1 000 each. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) mounted a sting operation in 2024, leading to the arrest of the two councillors at Mapfumos home. However, Magistrate Ramaboea said cracks soon appeared in the States case, particularly surrounding Exhibit 5 and the alleged handling of cash regarding Ndlovus alleged involvement. In a lengthy judgment, Magistrate Ramaboea dismantled the States case against Ndlovum citing the evidence of Mapfumo, who also used the name Tsitsi Nyathi, was riddled with contradictions. Now Exhibit 5, which is crucial to accused number two, is a letter from the same company. She is listed there under Tsitsi Nyathi as director, being known as Tsitsi Mapfumo or Tsitsi Nyathi. That itself is not a real issue because she explained that the other surname is a remnant of her previous marriage. The real issue is why did anyone draft a letter that tells a blatant lie? Or did she not draft it? Why did she allow her name to be on it, telling a lie and moving around with it? the magistrate asked. The magistrate noted that Mapfumo admitted writing part of Exhibit 5, which falsely stated that she had received US$20 000 from a business associate yet she could not explain why she wrote such a statement. Further undermining the prosecutions case, the investigating officer conceded under oath that the so-called trap money was not US$20 000 but US$20 and pieces of paper. I did not see anything wrong or adverse about the investigating officers statements. I found him to be a truthful and credible person. He even conceded issues that are negative to the States case, such as using his own money as trap money, the magistrate said. Whether or not the trap was properly authorised is not an issue, because entrapment is not a defence in our law. In terms of Section 250 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, unfair or undesirable entrapment methods are considered only as factors during sentencing, not as a defence. Turning to the forensic handwriting analysis that allegedly tied Ndlovu to the document, Magistrate Ramaboea dismissed the experts testimony as inconsistent and unreliable. He said it is not true that Exhibit 5 was plotted by two persons. It is a document by one person, Ramaboea noted. This would most probably be the case considering that he insisted categorically that the document was written by one person. If that is so, should an expert be told this or should he pick it up himself? Now, if he fails to pick it up himself, what does it tell about the weight to be placed on this conclusion? Magistrate Ramaboea also criticised prosecutors for defending what cannot be defended. I have expected the State to concede that the questioned document examiner all but came and exonerated the accused two. There is no harm in saying that because that is the truth. While the prosecutor can have the luxury of deliberately ignoring evidence that does not advance a conviction, the court cannot do so, he said. In conclusion, the magistrate ruled that the State had failed to produce independent, credible evidence linking Ndlovu to the alleged offence. CITE The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into whether the police department in Washington, DC, manipulated crime statistics to make the city appear safer, according to sources familiar with the case. The probe, which is being run by the federal prosecutor's office in DC, puts local officials under new scrutiny and raises the stakes in the ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and city leaders over control of law enforcement in the capital. President Trump confirmed the investigation on social media, accusing DC officials of providing "Fake Crime numbers" to create a misleading sense of security. He characterized the alleged data manipulation as "very bad and dangerous," suggesting that the federal crackdown he's put in place in the city is necessary to improve safety there. The New York Times reports that America First Legal, a nonprofit group founded by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, is currently seeking records from the city and police department that it says may shed light on any data fudging. The Metropolitan Police Department placed commander Michael Pulliam on leave in May after allegations surfaced that he altered crime data, per the Post. Mayor Muriel Bowser told NBC Washington last month that the police chief had looked into all seven of DC's policing districts and didn't find any widespread data manipulation. Bowser and other city leaders maintain that violent crime has dropped significantlydown 27% compared with last year, based on police data. Murders are reportedly down 11%. Bowser has publicly rejected claims of a crime surge, stating that "we're watching our crime numbers go down." The Trump administration is tightening its approach to US citizenship reviews by instructing officials to take a closer look at whether applicants display "good moral character." A recent US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) memo calls for a more "rigorous, holistic, and comprehensive" evaluation process, the Washington Post reports. Officers are now expected to consider an applicant's "behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions"rather than just a lack of criminal historywith each application judged on a case-by-case basis. Applicants will specifically be screened for "anti-Americanism," the AP reports, though it's not clear exactly how that will be defined. Experts say the directive adds a layer of subjectivity and reflects the administration's broader effort to restrict legal immigration. Jane Lopez, a Brigham Young University professor who studies citizenship policy, notes that while the policy isn't entirely new, it gives officers more leeway to interpret what "good moral character" means, potentially making it harder for non-citizens to obtain legal status. The memo suggests applicants should now prove they have "positive attributes," which may include family responsibility, community involvement, and educational achievement. USCIS spokesperson Matthew J. Tragesser says the guidance aims to ensure citizenship is reserved for "the world's best of the best," focusing on contributions to society rather than just the absence of wrongdoing. However, some experts, like UC Davis law professor Gabriel J. Chin, warn the move could make approval more arbitrary and exclusionary, pointing out that many US-born citizens would not meet such a high bar if they applied as immigrants. Experts disagree on the constitutionality of the new guidelines, with some arguing First Amendment rights apply to anyone on US soil, not just citizens. The renewed scrutiny comes amid a broader crackdown on immigration during Trump's second term, which features ramped-up deportations, limits on asylum and refugee admissions, and increased enforcement resources. Chris Martin is speaking out on the so-called "kiss cam" couplethe now-former Astronomer CEO and his apparent mistress, caught cuddling on the giant screen at a Coldplay concert, much to the world's delight and he would like you to know that the massive screen in question is actually not a kiss cam. "I'm going to say this once and once only. It's not, never will be, and never was a kiss cam," the Coldplay frontman says in a fan video from the band's Tuesday show in England, per USA Today . "We put one couple and you're branded a kiss cam for the rest of your life. It's unbelievable." "This is called a jumbotron, and we've done this for a long, long time," Martin said. "We pick people out to say hello. And sometimes they turn up to become an internationally massive scandal, sure. But most of the time we're just trying to say hello to some ... people, that's all!" As for Andy Byron, who resigned from the tech company after the debacle, and his snuggle partner Kristin Cabot, who also resigned from her position as Astronomer's head of Human Resources, Martin said, "Anyway, we send pure love to those people, and I wish them so well." Martin had also addressed the "debacle," as he called it, during Monday night's show, Deadline reports. "You were at that Boston gig," he said, in response to a fan's sign noting they'd been at the infamous show. "Well, OK, thank you for coming again after that debacle." He added, "We've been doing this a long time and it is only recently that it became a yeah. Life throws you lemons and you've got to make lemonade. So, we are going to keep doing it because we are going to meet some of you." An Israeli cybersecurity official accused of soliciting a 15-year-old girl in Las Vegas has left the US after he was bonded out of jail. Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who's questioned the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case , claimed the government had "release[d] a child sex predator from Israel who works directly under the prime minister of Israel." However, the State Department denied any government intervention. It said Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, head of the Technological Defense Division at the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INDC), "did not claim diplomatic immunity and was released by a state judge pending a court date." Alexandrovich had allegedly made online contact with an undercover officer, whom he believed was a 15-year-old girl, per KLAS. The official, who was reportedly in Las Vegas to attend an annual meeting of cybersecurity professionals, then met up with the officer, whom he took to see Cirque du Soleil. Police say he brought a condom. "Alexandrovich stated he felt the girl 'pushed' him to talk about bringing a condom, yet could not remember how many times the girl 'pushed' him," according to court documents. He was charged with soliciting sex from a minor electronically. He posted $10,000 bond on Aug. 7 and was due back in court on Aug. 27, per the Guardian. Israeli media reported Alexanderovich instead returned to Israel. The prime minister's office claimed a "state employee" was "questioned by American authorities during his stay" but "was not arrested and returned to Israel as scheduled." According to KLAS, Alexandrovich had posted bond before a criminal complaint was filed against him, preventing a judge from putting restrictions on his release. Alexandrovich, now said to be on leave from the INDC, was one of eight men arrested during the sting operation in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson. Another was Las Vegas Redemption church pastor Neal Harrison Creecy, 46, who allegedly thought he was meeting a 14-year-old boy, per KLAS. He also posted $10,000 bond and has since resigned. Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier refused to come to the Texas state Capitol for two weeks. Now she won't leave , and fellow Democrats are joining her protest, the AP reports. Collier was among dozens of Democrats who left the state for the Democratic havens of California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York to delay the Republican-controlled Legislature's approval of redrawn congressional districts sought by President Trump. When they returned Monday, Republicans insisted that Democrats have around-the-clock police escorts to ensure they wouldn't leave again and scuttle Wednesday's planned House vote on a new political map. But Collier wouldn't sign what Democrats called the "permission slip" needed to leave the House chamber, a half-page form allowing Department of Public Safety troopers to follow them. She spent Monday night and Tuesday on the House floor, where she set up a livestream while her Democratic colleagues outside had plainclothes officers following them to their offices and homes. House Minority Leader Gene Wu, from Houston, and state Rep. Vincel Perez, of El Paso, stayed overnight with Collier, who represents a minority-majority district in Fort Worth. On Tuesday, more Democrats returned to the Capitol to tear up the slips they had signed and stay on the House floor, which has a lounge and restrooms for members. Dallas-area Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez called their protest a "slumber party for democracy" and said Democrats were holding strategy sessions on the floor. Some Democrats said the officers watching them were friendly. But Austin Rep. Sheryl Cole said in a social media post that when she went on her morning walk Tuesday, the officer following her lost her on the trail, got angry, and threatened to arrest her. Dallas-area Rep. Linda Garcia said she drove three hours home from Austin with an officer following her. When she went grocery shopping, he went down every aisle with her, pretending to shop, she said. As she spoke to the Associated Press by phone, two unmarked cars with officers inside were parked outside her home. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. There's something interesting going on in the continuing controversy over President Donald Trump's anti-crime initiative in Washington, D.C. When Trump first announced the move, saying crime in the district is "out of control," many Democrats and their media allies denounced it with the argument that crime is in fact falling in the district, perhaps even to its lowest point in 30 years. Now, after a week of heightened law enforcement and rising arrests, more and more voices are conceding that Trump is right, that crime really is a serious and ongoing problem in the district. Some of those voices are still opposed to Trump, but at least they are now admitting there is a big problem. A recent Wall Street Journal report featured Ebony Payne, a neighborhood commissioner in northeast Washington who spends her evenings reviewing messages from neighbors "reporting assaults, smashed car windows, break-ins, shootings, and teenagers threatening children or even dogs." Payne told the Wall Street Journal that she and her neighbors "are frustrated by the city's inability to respond to 'out of control' crime'" and that when they heard of Trump's initiative, "some residents' first reaction was relief." Payne was so relieved that she has been disappointed that she has not seen a greater police presence in her neighborhood. "We all wanted something to be done," she said. "It's just really unfortunate that we are in this situation where there's a sledgehammer on our city because we couldn't get a handle on our crime problem." New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd was born and raised in Washington, the daughter of a D.C. policeman. In a recent column, she wrote, "City officials and many liberal residents are outraged about Trump's painting D.C. as a hellscape and flooding the zone with law enforcement and troops." A moment later, she added, "It is also true that many D.C. residents are secretly glad to see more uniforms. No matter what statistics say, they don't feel safe." Dowd herself doesn't. She carries pepper spray, she said, because "I feel more wary walking around the city. It's disturbing to ask someone to unlock the Claritin at CVS because the police didn't lock up the smash-and-grabbers." The column includes a conversation with former prosecutor Elie Honig, now a CNN legal analyst. What Honig told Dowd is a classic of a type of commentary you might call Trump-is-bad-but-he's-right. "Yes, Trump is hypocritical and scattershot on public safety," Honig told Dowd. "And yes, he's likely doing this as a flex. But he happens to be within the law here and he happens to be right." Last week, the profoundly anti-Trump publication the Atlantic published an article saying that Trump "has the wrong answer for how to fix" Washington crime. No surprise there. But the news was the headline: "Trump is Right That D.C. Has a Serious Crime Problem." "The nation's capital really does have a long-standing and profound violence problem that will not improve without deliberate intervention," the Atlantic said. All of this is music to the ears of the D.C. Police Union, which represents 3,200 officers and has supported the Trump effort since the beginning. "We completely agree with the president that crime in the District of Columbia is out of control and something needs to be done with it," union chief Greggory Pemberton said when the plan was rolled out. On Monday morning, the union posted what it said were numbers on D.C. crime in the last week, under the Trump program, versus seven days earlier. They were robbery, down 46%; assault with a deadly weapon, down 6%; carjacking, down 83%; car theft, down 21%; violent crime, down 22%; and property crime, down 6%. That looks good. But of course, one part of the debate about D.C. crime is the reliability of statistics released by the Metropolitan Police Department. There have been serious allegations, and one senior officer suspended, about cooking the books in this case, downgrading felonies into misdemeanors that will not show up in the serious crime statistics. The alleged downgrading is part of the reason the union and others in the city say the crime problem is worse than Trump's opponents insist. Let's hope the newest numbers, reflecting the Trump effort, are accurate. But at least for the moment, fewer and fewer are claiming that crime is going down or that it is the lowest it has been for 30 years (that, apparently, was the creation of the outgoing Biden Justice Department). That's a positive development; it was always slightly ridiculous for Democrats to argue that crime in the district is just not serious enough for federal intervention. Now, at least, there is some agreement that the problem really exists. Israel gave final approval for a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank that would effectively cut the territory in two, and that Palestinians and rights groups say could destroy plans for a future Palestinian state. Settlement development in E1, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, has been under consideration for two-plus decades, but it was frozen due to US pressure during previous administrations. On Wednesday, the project received final approval from the Planning and Building Committee, reports the AP . If the process moves quickly, infrastructure work could begin in the next few months and construction of homes could start in a year. The plan includes around 3,500 apartments to expand the settlement of Maale Adumim, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Thursday. Smotrich cast the approval as a riposte to Western countries recently announcing plans to recognize a Palestinian state. "This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognize and no one to recognize," Smotrich said. "Anyone in the world who tries today to recognize a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground." The location of E1 is significant as it's one of the last geographical links between Ramallah, in the northern West Bank, and Bethlehem in the southern West Bank. The two cities are 14 miles apart by air, but Palestinians traveling between them must take a wide detour and pass through multiple Israeli checkpoints, adding hours to the journey. The hope was to have the region eventually serve as a direct link between the cities. Peace Now, an organization that tracks West Bank settlement expansion, called the E1 project "deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution." story continues below Israel's plans to expand settlements are part of an increasingly difficult reality for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. There've been marked increases in attacks by settlers on Palestinians, evictions from Palestinian towns, and movement-stifling checkpoints, as well as several Palestinian attacks on Israelis. More than 700,000 Israelis now live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in 1967 and sought by Palestinians for a future state. The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction in these areas to be illegal and a peace obstacle. With public funding to NPR and PBS in the Trump administration's crosshairs , a group of philanthropies has announced it's got nearly $37 million to help keep public media above water, per the Hill . According to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation , one of the organizations involved, $26.5 million will be funneled toward a philanthropic "bridge fund" run by Public Media Company that will offer grants and low-interest loans to the nation's most vulnerable public TV and radio stations. The MacArthur Foundation, meanwhile, will pony up another $10 million for "direct support to public media stations, programs, and organizations." Other groups involved include the Ford Foundation, Schmidt Family Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Pivotal, a venture led by Melinda French Gates, per the Washington Post. "Local public media stations are trusted community anchors that connect people to vital news, culture, and civic life," Knight Foundation CEO Maribel Perez Wadsworth says in the group's statement. "This is an urgent moment that calls for bold action." The move comes after the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which partially funds PBS and NPR, lost more than $1 billion in federal monies. That loss "will have dire impacts on the nation's more than 1,500 locally owned public radio and television stations," the Knight Foundation says in its release, noting that about 115 stations that serve 43 million people will lose more than 30% of their budget due to the cuts. The Public Media Bridge Fund says grant eligibility and other criteria should be hammered out by late next month, at which point local leaders will receive word of funding opportunities, per the Hill. Pope Leo XIV asked people to fast on Friday to pray for peace and justice in the Middle East and Ukraine, issuing a special appeal as he returned to the Vatican from summer vacation. At the end of his weekly general audience Wednesday, Leo recalled that Friday is a special feast day dedicated to the Virgin Mary, reports the AP. He urged Catholic faithful to spend the day fasting and "praying that the Lord grants peace and justice, and dries the tears of all those who are suffering as a result of the armed conflicts underway." Wednesday marked Leo's first day back at the Vatican after a period of vacation at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome. A Connecticut lawmaker has found himself the target of threats and harassment after Immigration and Customs Enforcement amplified a false claim that he exposed agents' detailed location information on social media. State Rep. Corey Paris, a Democrat from Stamford, notified constituents on Instagram about immigration enforcement efforts in his district, urging residents to stay alert, per the New York Times . The post was picked up by the right-wing " Libs of TikTok " account on X, which accused Paris of "doxxing ICE's live location" and aiding people in evading arrestdespite Paris not sharing any specific location details. ICE's official account reshared the post, which called for Paris to be charged, and tagged the Justice Department. Paris says this escalation led to threats against him and his family, including racist and homophobic abuse. Connecticut State Police are investigating. ICE declined to address the threats Paris received, instead highlighting increased harassment of its own agents. The agency's spokeswoman defended the decision to reshare the post, saying ICE routinely shares content from outside groups. Paris and others say their aim is to avoid mistaken ICE arrests and dangerous encounters that have occurred in the past. "Federal agencies should not be in the business, quite frankly, of targeting elected officials for speaking up about community safety," Paris tells the Times. "That's our job." Other people called out by "Libs of TikTok" have also faced violent threats, including Analise Ortiz, a Democratic state senator in Arizona, who wrote about sightings of ICE agents. "Libs of TikTok" creator Chaya Raichik accompanied Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on a ride-along with ICE agents in April, per Wired. Former world champion boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been deported from the US. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed Tuesday that the 39-year-old professional boxer was returned to Mexico following his ICE arrest last month. The Department of Homeland Security claimed he was living in the US illegally after overstaying a visa and had an active arrest warrant in his home country. "I understand he was deported ... I don't know if it was yesterday or this morning, but we were informed that he was arriving in Mexico," Sheinbaum said in Spanish, per the Washington Post. Chavez was then arrested in the border city of Nogales and taken to prison, per the BBC. Newly unsealed court documents portray Fox News hosts as privately rooting for Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and urging on his lawyerseven as the network was airing false claims about voting machines. The filings in Smartmatic's defamation lawsuit against Fox reveal that Fox Business Network's Maria Bartiromo and Lou Dobbs exchanged messages with Sidney Powell, a lawyer and Trump associate, the Wall Street Journal reports. "We must keep you out there," Bartiromo urged Powell, later pleading for her to "overturn this" and "bring the evidence." Dobbs told Powell, "It's up to uswe few!" as he pledged to stop what he described as a "coup d'etat." In a text message, Fox's Jesse Watters told his colleague Greg Gutfeld: "Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL," referring to Trump's movement trying to overturn the voting results. The documents were filed in New York State Supreme Court on Tuesday, per the New York Times. Smartmatic sued Fox in 2021, claiming the network aired bogus allegations that its voting machines helped rig the election. These court filings echo evidence in Dominion Voting Systems' similar lawsuit, which Fox settled for $787.5 million last year. Fox says Smartmatic was struggling before 2020 and argues that its reputation problems weren't sparked by the network's reporting. The documents highlight internal concerns at Fox about coverage following the networks early call of Arizona for Biden on election night, which cost it viewers. Smartmatic argues this spurred Fox to promote election fraud theories to win back its audience. At the same time, Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox host who just became US attorney for the District of Columbia, vented about censorship and the network's handling of the election call, per the Journal. Both Fox and Smartmatic have asked the judge in the case to rule without a trial. Texas cannot require public schools in Houston, Austin, and other select districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the state's new requirement. A group of families from the school districts sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect on Sept. 1, the AP reports. They say the requirement violates the First Amendment's protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise. The day's action again centered around stocks caught up in the mania around artificial-intelligence technology, the AP reports. These stocks are facing criticism that their prices shot too high, too fast and became too expensive. Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the world's move into AI, slipped 0.1% following its 3.5% fall on Tuesday. Palantir Technologies, another AI darling, sank 1.1% to add to its 9.4% loss from the day before. Trading was shaky, and Nvidia was down as much as 3.9% at one point during the day. One possible contributor to the swoon was a study from MIT's Nanda Initiative that warned most corporations are not yet seeing any measurable return from their generative AI investments, according to Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi, global head of equities at UBS Global Wealth Management. Mixed profit reports from big US retailers helped keep the rest of the market in check. TJX, the company behind the TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores, climbed 2.8% after beating analysts' forecasts for profit and revenue. It also raised its forecast for profit over its full fiscal year, while CEO Ernie Herrman said TJX is seeing "strong demand at each of our U.S. and international businesses" and that its current quarter is off to a strong start. Lowe's added 0.6% after the home-improvement retailer delivered a profit for the latest quarter that topped analysts' expectations. It also said it agreed to buy Foundation Building Materials, a distributor of drywall, ceiling systems and other interior building products, for about $8.8 billion. story continues below Target, meanwhile, tumbled 6.4%. The struggling retailer said that CEO Brian Cornell plans to step down Feb. 1 and that an insider, 20-year veteran Michael Fiddelke, will replace him. He helped reenergize the company, but it has struggled to turn around weak sales in a more competitive post-COVID retail landscape. Estee Lauder dropped 3.7% after offering a forecast for profit this upcoming fiscal year that fell short of Wall Street's estimates. The beauty company said it expects tariffs to shave roughly $100 million off its upcoming earnings. La-Z-Boy sank 12.1% after the furniture maker's profit and revenue for the spring came up shy of analysts' expectations. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Fairbanks, AK (99701) Today Rain showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. TDT | Manama Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com A proposal to create a fixed employment support scheme for people with disabilities in Bahrains public and private sectors has been placed before Parliament. The plan sets out full salary coverage for the first two years, followed by permanent state funding of 75 per cent of wages, even if the employee changes jobs. It is intended to counter reluctance among some employers to hire people with disabilities and to ensure steady access to work. Dignity This proposal is about giving people with disabilities a fair chance to work, to contribute, and to live with dignity, said MP Jalal Kadhem. The state has a duty to create equal opportunities and this scheme is a step towards that. The proposal would bring together the Ministry of Labour, the Civil Service Bureau, the Ministry of Social Development and Tamkeen, the Labour Fund. It also includes training programmes geared to the abilities of disabled jobseekers and the demands of the market, with the aim of securing their long-term place in the workforce. Stability This is about ensuring lasting support, Kadhem said. We are proposing a fixed system that guarantees stability and sends a clear message to employers that disabled citizens must be included in Bahrains development. The memorandum attached to the proposal cites Article 4 of the Constitution, which affirms justice, equality and equal opportunity as pillars of society, and Article 13, which requires the state to provide work for citizens. It also points to the principles of Bahrains Economic Vision 2030. Masure Kadhem added that the measure would encourage recruitment in both state bodies and private companies while giving disabled workers a stronger role in economic and social life. By supporting wages and offering proper training, we give people with disabilities the tools to succeed. They deserve to be seen as equals in the workplace and in society, he said. The proposal has been referred to Parliament for study by the relevant committee. OSAKA, Aug 20 (News On Japan) - A glowing object was seen streaking across the sky in western Japan on Tuesday night, with multiple reports of a bright flash followed by a trail of light. Observers suggested it may have been a particularly bright meteor, known as a fireball, or possibly a meteorite. Footage taken in Kagoshima City shortly after 11 p.m. showed the sky momentarily turning white before an orange light appeared to fall from above. Similar sightings were reported in Osaka and Kobe. According to the Kagoshima Local Meteorological Observatory, sensors installed on Sakurajima recorded an air vibration, or sonic wave, at around 11:08 p.m., coinciding with the moment the light was observed. Multiple locations across Kagoshima Prefecture also confirmed the flash. Meteorological officials said it was likely a fireball or meteorite. Toshihisa Maeda, director of the Sendai Space Museum in Satsumasendai City, said, "It was bright enough to make Sakurajima visible at night. I believe it was a fireball, which is among the brightest type of meteors." Source: TBS VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 20, 2025 /CNW/ - As thousands of British Columbian students head back to class, a harsh reality emerges: Breakfast Club of Canada, the country's largest school food provider, is witnessing a record number of children attending supported breakfast programs. Indeed, at least one in three children affirm arriving at school feeling hungry almost every day1. Faced with this reality, the organization is launching a fundraising campaign and calling on the population of British Columbia to join the movement to help feed children. In a context of rising food insecurity, soaring food prices, increased cost of living and the burden of tariffs, families across British Columbia are facing impossible choices which directly impact the well-being of children. Today, at least one in three children lives in a food-insecure household, also making them about 30% of food bank users in the province2. Despite the recent governmental commitments, this ongoing crisis is putting unprecedented strain on schools and nonprofits, including Breakfast Club of Canada, which is being called upon more than ever. "Behind these numbers lies immense potential: talents, voices, and dreams are at risk due to a lack of access to nutritious food. Breakfast programs are not a universal solution to today's challenges, but they remain a beneficial intervention for thousands of students throughout the school year," says Tommy Kulczyk, President and CEO of Breakfast Club of Canada. "Every child deserves an equal chance to success,'' he adds. _______________________________ 1 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2019). Child well-being outcomes. Consulted on June 3, 2025 2 Food Banks BC Hunger Report 2024, page 11 A seat at the table for equality Breakfast Club of Canada and its community partners have seen an average 20% increase in the number of children served in existing breakfast programs over the past few years, from coast to coast to coast. Today, over 20,000 children benefit from a nutritious breakfast through over 300 school nutrition programs supported by the Club and its partners, and the demand continues to grow. "We recognize the efforts and initiatives from all levels of government, especially through the National School Food Program, that played an important role in helping schools respond to growing needs. Despite this important step, now more than ever, support from all sectors is essential to maintain and expand programs that ensure every child starts their day with the nourishment they need," says Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director of Government Relations at Breakfast Club of Canada. "Whether in urban centres or remote regions, access to nutritious food is vital to help students focus, learn and grow. This is an issue that concerns us all," she adds. Indeed, the Club has observed that one in three schools across the province identifies access to healthy, affordable food as a daily challenge. Education is essential. So is nutritious food. Let's make the choice to help feed children at school. Proud of its 30-year history, Breakfast Club of Canada supports a variety of operational models through community partners like Nanaimo-Ladysmith Schools Foundation and Whistler Community Services Society. The Club is committed to continuing this support while ensuring that every breakfast includes the key components of Canada's Food Guide (protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) as well as promoting local food sourcing and food sovereignty within communities. Breakfast Club of Canada is calling on British Columbians to join this movement of solidarity and believe in the power of breakfast. Starting today, anyone can help a child reach their full potential by texting "CLUB" to 20222 or by donating breakfastclubcanada.org/back-to-school. For this important fundraising campaign, the Club can also count on the generosity of the MTY Foundation, who will match all donations until October 31. To build awareness, ads will be broadcast on TV, online, and across social media throughout the campaign. Together, let's help children reach their full potential. About Breakfast Club of Canada Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products across Canada, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook , Instagram , X and LinkedIn . SOURCE Breakfast Club of Canada Media Contact: Eric Aach, [email protected], 514 569-3594 TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2025 /CNW/ - As thousands of students are heading back to class, a harsh reality emerges: Breakfast Club of Canada, the country's largest school food provider, is witnessing a record number of children attending supported breakfast programs. Indeed, at least one in three children in the country affirm arriving at school feeling hungry almost every day.1 Faced with this reality, the organization is launching a fundraising campaign and calling on Canadians to join the solidarity movement to feed children. In a context of rising food insecurity, soaring food prices, increased cost of living and the burden of tariffs, families across Canada are facing impossible choices which directly impact the well-being of children and their capacity to learn. Today, nearly 2.5 million children2 live in a food-insecure household, which represents a third of the children in the country. This is an alarming increase of nearly 20% in just one year.3 Despite recent commitments by governments, this surge is putting immense pressure on school and nonprofit organizations, such as the Club, which are being called upon more than ever. "Behind these numbers lies immense potential: talents, voices and dreams at risk due to a lack of access to nutritious food. Breakfast programs are not a universal solution to today's challenges, but they remain a beneficial intervention for thousands of students throughout the school year," says Tommy Kulczyk, President and CEO of Breakfast Club of Canada. "Every child deserves an equal chance to succeed, no matter their circumstances," he adds. ___________________________ 1 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2019). Child well-being outcomes. Consulted on June 3, 2025 2 Statistics Canada. Table 13-10-0835-01 Food insecurity by selected demographic characteristics DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/1310083501-eng 3 Li T, Fafard St-Germain AA, Tarasuk V. (2023) Household food insecurity in Canada, 2022. Toronto: Research to identify policy options to reduce food insecurity (PROOF). Retrieved from https://proof.utoronto.ca/ A seat at the table for equality Breakfast Club of Canada and its community partners have seen an average 30% increase in the number of children served in existing breakfast programs over the past few years, from coast to coast to coast. Today, over 880,000 children benefit from a nutritious breakfast through over 4,900 school nutrition programs supported by the Club and its partners, and the demand continues to grow. "We recognize the efforts and initiatives from all levels of government, especially through the National School Food Program, that played an important role in helping schools respond to growing needs. Despite this step, now more than ever, support from all sectors is essential to maintain and expand programs that ensure every child starts their day with the nourishment they need," says Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director of Government Relations at Breakfast Club of Canada. "Whether in urban centres or remote regions, all students deserve access to nutritious food at school to support their development and learning. This is an issue that concerns us all," she adds. Indeed, the Club has observed that one in three schools across the country identifies access to healthy, affordable food as a daily challenge. Education is essential. So is nutritious food. Let's make the choice to help feed children at school. Proud of its 30-year history, Breakfast Club of Canada supports a variety of operational models through its national network. The Club is committed to continuing this support while ensuring that every breakfast includes the key components of Canada's Food Guide (protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) as well as promoting local food sourcing and food sovereignty within communities. Breakfast Club of Canada is calling on Canadians to join this movement of solidarity and believe in the power of breakfast. Starting today, anyone can help a child reach their full potential by texting "CLUB" to 20222 or by donating at breakfastclubcanada.org/back-to-school. For this important fundraising campaign, the Club can also count on the generosity of the MTY Foundation and Les Producteurs de lait du Quebec, which will match all donations until October 31. To build awareness, ads will be broadcast on TV, online, and across social media throughout the campaign. Together, let's help children reach their full potential. About Breakfast Club of Canada Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook , Instagram , X and LinkedIn . SOURCE Breakfast Club of Canada Media Contact: Eric Aach, [email protected], 514 569-3594 TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2025 /CNW/ - As thousands of students in Ontario are heading back to class, Breakfast Club of Canada, the country's largest school food provider, is witnessing a record number of children attending supported breakfast programs. Indeed, at least one in three children in the country affirm arriving at school feeling hungry almost every day1. Faced with this reality, the organization is launching a fundraising campaign and calling on the population of Ontario to join the movement to help feed children. In the context of rising food insecurity, soaring food prices, increased cost of living, and the added burden of tariffs, families across Ontario are facing impossible choices, which directly impact the well-being of the youth and their capacity to learn. Today, nearly one in three children lives in a food-insecure household2, a crisis so severe that several cities, including Toronto, Kingston, and Mississauga, have officially declared food insecurity a state of emergency in recent months. Despite the recent governmental commitments, this ongoing crisis is putting unprecedented strain on schools and nonprofits, including Breakfast Club of Canada, as more families turn to school food programs. "Behind these numbers lies immense potential: talents, voices and dreams are at risk due to a lack of access to nutritious food. Breakfast programs are not a universal solution to today's challenges, but they remain a beneficial intervention for thousands of students throughout the school year," says Tommy Kulczyk, President and CEO of Breakfast Club of Canada. "Every child deserves an equal chance to success, no matter their circumstances," he adds. ____________________________ 1 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2019). Child well-being outcomes. Consulted on June 3, 2025 2 Statistics Canada. Table 13-10-0835-01 Food insecurity by selected demographic characteristics DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/1310083501-eng A seat at the table for equality Breakfast Club of Canada and its community partners have seen an average 30% increase in the number of children served in existing breakfast programs over the past few years in Ontario. Today, over 650,000 children benefit from a nutritious breakfast through over 3,200 school nutrition programs supported by the Club and its partners, and the demand continues to grow. "We recognize the efforts and initiatives from all levels of government, especially through the National School Food Program, that played an important role in helping schools respond to growing needs. Despite this important step, now more than ever, support from all sectors is essential to maintain and expand programs that ensure every child starts their day with the nourishment they need," says Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director of Government Relations at Breakfast Club of Canada. "Whether in urban centres or remote regions, all students deserve access to nutritious food at school to support their development and learning. This is an issue that concerns us all," she adds. Indeed, the Club has observed that one in three schools across the province identifies access to healthy, affordable food as a daily challenge. Education is essential. So is nutritious food. Let's make the choice to help feed children at school. Proud of its 30-year history, Breakfast Club of Canada supports a variety of operational models through First Nations partners, as well as Student Nutrition Ontario and its network of regional lead agencies. The Club is committed to continuing this support while ensuring that every breakfast includes the key components of Canada's Food Guide (protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) as well as promoting local food sourcing and food sovereignty within communities. Breakfast Club of Canada is calling on Ontarians to join this movement of solidarity and believe in the power of breakfast. Starting today, anyone can help a child reach their full potential by texting "CLUB" to 20222 or by donating at breakfastclubcanada.org/back-to-school. For this important fundraising campaign, the Club can also count on the generosity of the MTY Foundation, which will match all donations until October 31. To build awareness, ads will be broadcast on TV, online, and across social media throughout the campaign. Together, let's help children reach their full potential. About Breakfast Club of Canada Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products across Canada, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. SOURCE Breakfast Club of Canada Media Contact: Eric Aach, [email protected], 514 569-3594 Hooked on Habitat connects passion with purpose. Anglers can enter the sweepstakes to help conserve and restore the very habitats that support strong fish populations, clean waterways and vibrant recreational spaces. Each entry provides a chance to win "reel" great prizes ranging in value from $500 to $27,000. Ticket purchase packs include seven for $50, three tickets for $25 and single tickets for $10. Over the next six weeks, three grand prizes will be available to be won along with five early bird draws. Ticket purchases support DUC's innovative wetland conservation and restoration efforts nationwide. With Canada's cherished fishing spots increasingly threatened by pollution, invasive species, habitat loss and degradation, the DUC sweepstakes provides anglers with an opportunity to give back to the ecosystems they value most. Fishing is woven into Canada's cultural fabric, from its importance and significance to Indigenous communities to its place as a cherished national pastime. Wetlands offer spawning, nursery and foraging habitats for many fish species. DUC is leading innovative wetland research, restoration and conservation efforts to ensure these valuable habitats continue to support thriving fish populations across the country as well as the communities that depend on them. Hooked on Habitat prizes and draw schedule The campaign launched on Aug. 18, 2025. Sweepstakes entries close on Oct. 12, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CDT. The grand prize draws will be held on Oct. 15, 2025 at 12:01 p.m. CDT. Hooked on Habitat participants have a chance to win outstanding weekly prizes and impressive gear, including: Week 1 - Early bird draws: One of two All-Ages Adventure Kits [Each kit value: ~$500.00 CAD] Draw closes: August 31, 2025 - 11:59 p.m. CDT Draw date: Sept. 3, 2025 - 12:01 p.m. CDT Make memories that last a lifetime with this all-ages fishing gear bundle! Designed to get the whole crew casting, this prize pack includes a variety of easy-to-use rods, reels and tackle that are perfect for anglers of all skill levels. From first casts to family fishing adventures, it's everything you need to spark a lifelong love of the outdoors. Each kit includes: 2x Shakespeare spin caster kits spin caster kits 2x Abu Garcia rod and reel combos rod and reel combos 4x Berkley hats Assorted tackle Week 2 - Early bird draw: YETI Coldwater Kit [Value: $573.00 CAD] Draw closes: Sept. 7, 2025 - 11:59 p.m. CDT Draw date: Sept. 10, 2025 - 12:01 p.m. CDT Gear up for your next adventure with this ultimate angler's prize pack! Whether you're casting lines at sunrise or kicking back at the cottage, the YETI Coldwater Kit has you covered. Perfect for long days on the lake, dock or trail. Built tough for the wild, just like you. 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Combo includes: 1 x 13 Fishing Myth Casting Rod 7'2 Medium Heavy 1 x 13 Fishing Concept A Gen 2 Baitcasting Reel 1 x Lithium Ion Cordless Fillet Knife Combo 10 x Crush City Customs Lure 1X Rapala UV Shirt 1x Rapala Cap Week 4 - Early bird draw: GARMIN Navigator Pack [Value: $1,739.99 CAD ] Draw closes: Sept. 21, 2025 - 11:59 p.m. CDT Draw date: Sept. 24, 2025 - 12:01 p.m. CDT Chart your course to the perfect catch with the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 9" sv. Featuring crystal-clear sonar, premium mapping and an easy-to-read touchscreen, this powerhouse puts you in command of the water. From hidden hotspots to trophy fish, you'll see it allbecause knowing the water better than a local means reeling in more. Week 5 - Early bird draw: Beretta Pursuit Pack [Value: $1,899.98 CAD ] Draw closes: Sept. 28, 2025 - 11:59 p.m. CDT Draw date: Oct. 1, 2025 - 12:01 p.m. CDT Stay warm, dry, and ready for anything with this top-tier Beretta B-Xtreme GTX Jacket and Bib pants combo. Designed for the demands of life on the water, this rugged Gore-Tex outerwear is built to handle early morning launches, windy casts and unexpected downpours. Whether you're reeling in a big one or waiting out the rain, this gear keeps you comfortable from dock to boat and back again. Week 6 One of three grand prize(s): Draw closes: Oct. 12, 2025 - 11:59 p.m. CDT Draw date: Oct. 15, 2025 12:01 p.m. CDT Plummer's Arctic Circle Lodges Four-Day Fishing Adventure for Four [Value $27,000.00 CAD] Trip for four to experience Canada's Northern Wilderness on a four-day, fly-in fishing adventure with world-famous operator, Plummer's Arctic Lodges. On this trip, you'll enjoy the pristine waters, untouched landscape and unparalleled fishing of Great Slave Lake, targeting Lake Trout and Arctic Grayling. Trips take place between June 22 to August 29, 2026, and include flights for the winner. Features: 4 roundtrip economy flights to Yellowknife with WestJet airlines and charter flight to the lodge. with WestJet airlines and charter flight to the lodge. Private guest cabins with attached bathrooms Fully guided fishing Meals provided by a Red Seal Chef TRACKER SUPER GUIDE V-16 T w/ 40 ELHPT FourStroke Mercury Boat, motor, trailer provided by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's Canada [Value: $24,000.00 CAD] The new Super Guide V-16 Tiller is as wide open for possibilities as your day. Equipped with spacious storage, multiple seating locations, an intuitive and well-equipped gauge pod and reliable Mercury power. Princecraft Pond Package: 2023 Princecraft 1032 JON boat and 2024 Mercury 2.5 MH 4S outboard [Value: $3,274 CAD] Hit the water with this perfect Princecraft pond package powered by Mercury and J & B Cycle and Marine. This hardworking aluminum Princecraft Jon boat, equipped with a 2.5 horsepower Mercury outboard, is perfect for early mornings on the pond. Click to learn more about the Hooked on Habitat sweepstakes, support clean water and wetland conservation. Options to enter with or without purchase are available at ducks.ca/fishing. Resources Visit: ducks.donordrive.com/hookedonhabitat ducks.donordrive.com/hookedonhabitat Support DUC conservation efforts with a purchase from our new DUCGear store All proceeds from sales go to support DUC conservation efforts. Enter the store All proceeds from sales go to support DUC conservation efforts. Enter the store Watch now: Wetlands at work Wetlands at work Media assets: Hooked on Habitat About Ducks Unlimited Canada Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the country's largest land conservancy and a leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC uses sound science and partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations, Indigenous Peoples and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment. To learn more about DUC's innovative environmental solutions and services, visit www.ducks.ca. SOURCE Ducks Unlimited Canada [email protected] Funding will help communities, support entrepreneurs, attract talent, and build a skilled workforce right here in Alberta EDMONTON, AB, Aug. 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Rural and Indigenous communities, entrepreneurs, and businesses across the Prairies play a key role in contributing to Canada's economic strength while supporting high quality jobs. The Government of Canada is making targeted investments in locally led initiatives that support economic reconciliation while enabling rural prosperity. Minister Olszewski announces federal investments to bolster rural and Indigenous economic development across Alberta (CNW Group/Prairies Economic Development Canada) Today, the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), announced more than $5.9 million for seven projects across Alberta to help communities strengthen rural employers and expand economic development opportunities. The seven projects include: Supporting Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) to build Indigenous-led Community Atlasesdata platforms to assist communities with industry consultations, land use, decision-making on industrial projects, and land reclamation. It is receiving $1 million . to build Indigenous-led Community Atlasesdata platforms to assist communities with industry consultations, land use, decision-making on industrial projects, and land reclamation. It is receiving . Funding for Siksika Nation to establish a new business resource centre and deliver programming to entrepreneurs. They are receiving $810,300 . to establish a new business resource centre and deliver programming to entrepreneurs. They are receiving . Enabling the County of Grande Prairie and the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce to launch Work Northwest Alberta a collaborative partnership and regional approach to attract, retain, and develop a skilled workforce. They are receiving $689,000 . to launch Work Northwest Alberta a collaborative partnership and regional approach to attract, retain, and develop a skilled workforce. They are receiving . Helping Arts Council Wood Buffalo to transform a vacant Fort McMurray property into a large-scale arts incubator, supporting local artisans and hands-on community learning. It is receiving $750,000 . to transform a vacant property into a large-scale arts incubator, supporting local artisans and hands-on community learning. It is receiving . Funding for AKSIS - Edmonton Indigenous Business and Professional Association to develop and operate the AKSIS Indigenous Resource Centre to provide resources, networking opportunities, and support to Indigenous entrepreneursas well as deliver cultural awareness workshops to strengthen the community of non-Indigenous allies in Edmonton . It is receiving $200,000 . to develop and operate the AKSIS Indigenous Resource Centre to provide resources, networking opportunities, and support to Indigenous entrepreneursas well as deliver cultural awareness workshops to strengthen the community of non-Indigenous allies in . It is receiving . The Rural Routes to Climate Solutions Society will support the Blackfoot Confederacy to adopt regenerative agriculture practices, which align with cultural protocols, by launching a program to promote agribusiness. They are receiving $458,250 . will support the Blackfoot Confederacy to adopt regenerative agriculture practices, which align with cultural protocols, by launching a program to promote agribusiness. They are receiving . Support Bear Hills Gas Station to develop a 2,000 square foot travel centre that includes fuel and electric vehicle (EV) refueling as well as a convenience store as part of a Louis Bull Tribe economic development initiative in Maskwacis. It is receiving $2 million . Quotes "From arts and cultural venues to agribusinesses and tourism, rural and Indigenous communities across the Prairies are home to a multitude of businesses and initiatives that fuel Canada's economy and advance economic reconciliation. Our new government's investments will help address the unique needs and opportunities of local communities to realize their vision for long-term economic development." The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) "This investment enables NAIT to work alongside Indigenous communities to co-create data platforms that strengthen decision-making, support land stewardship, and build local capacity. The Indigenous Community-led Atlases project advances community-driven research, while contributing to workforce development for a stronger, more sustainable future." Laura Jo Gunter, President & CEO, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology "This investment in the AKSIS Indigenous Resource Centre is more than funding. It's a commitment to the future of Indigenous business in Edmonton. By creating this hub, we're strengthening the foundations for Indigenous economic prosperity ensuring our contributions continue to shape a stronger, more inclusive Edmonton economy for future generations." Shelly Mandeville, Co-Executive Director for AKSIS Edmonton Quick facts PrairiesCan funding is being provided through two programs: the Community Economic Development and Diversification (CEDD) program and the Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) program. CEDD supports economic development initiatives that contribute to the economic growth and diversification of communities across the Prairie provinces. Through this program, PrairiesCan enables communities to leverage their capacity and strengths to respond to economic development opportunities and adjust to changing and challenging economic circumstances. The RIE program creates, grows and nurtures inclusive regional ecosystems that support what businesses need to innovate from start to finish and an environment where companies can innovate, grow and compete. Funding announced today is non-repayable and will support regional economic ecosystems, including Indigenous communities. The investments announced today are expected to support approximately 375 jobs across Alberta . Associated links Stay connected Follow PrairiesCan on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378 TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388 SOURCE Prairies Economic Development Canada Contacts: Mathis Denis, Director of Communications, Office of the Hon. Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, 343-573-1846, [email protected]; Tina Garstad, Communications Officer, Prairies Economic Development Canada, 403-923-0648, [email protected] REGINA, SK, Aug. 19, 2025 /CNW/ - SSC Security Services Corp. ("SSC" or the "Company") (TSXV: SECU) (OTCQX: SECUF), a national provider of cyber, physical and electronic security services to commercial, industrial and public sector clients across Canada, is pleased to release its results for the third quarter ended June 30, 2025. All figures are presented in Canadian dollars. "Our third quarter results came in as expected. We continue to see improved profitability from stronger margins as a result of our careful expense management. Gross margin has continued to strengthen, and our base business of recurring revenue continues to grow profitably. We like it when temporary contracts come in the door and they add nicely to our top line picture, however, more important is strong ongoing operational management and gross margin growth within our baseline recurring monthly revenue. As we continue to grow, we see that the size and scale of our operations nicely positions us for the temporary opportunities as they arise," said Chairman and CEO Doug Emsley. "We continue to buy back our shares and take a disciplined approach to acquisitions. Our objective is always to protect our cash and be opportunistic in our efforts to grow the Company. We continue to be well capitalised and debt free. One important point that often goes unmentioned is that, over the past several years, we've returned $55.4 million dollars to shareholders through share buybacks and dividends while consistently operating a profitable business. It's a track record we're extremely proud of," said Emsley. Key Highlights for Q3 2025: Continued Margin Improvement - Gross profit for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was $5.3 million (gross margin of 17.5%), up from $4.7 million (15.9%) during the same quarter last year. The nine-month year-to-date gross profit is $14.6 million (16.7%), up from $14.3 million (15.8%) during the same nine-month period last year. Gross profit for the quarter ended was (gross margin of 17.5%), up from (15.9%) during the same quarter last year. The nine-month year-to-date gross profit is (16.7%), up from (15.8%) during the same nine-month period last year. Revenue Growth - Revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 were $30.2 million compared with $29.7 million during the same three-month period last year, an increase of $0.5 million or 1.7%. Revenues for the quarter ended were compared with during the same three-month period last year, an increase of or 1.7%. Improved Adjusted EBITDA - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $1.4 million ( $0.08 per share), up from $1.3 million ( $0.07 per share) during the same quarter last year. This represents a 14% improvement in Q3 Adjusted EBITDA over the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was ( per share), up from ( per share) during the same quarter last year. This represents a 14% improvement in Q3 Adjusted EBITDA over the prior year. NCIB Share Buybacks - During the quarter we bought back 140,900 shares of the Company at an average price of $2.42 per share (cancelling all 140,900 shares). During the quarter we bought back 140,900 shares of the Company at an average price of per share (cancelling all 140,900 shares). 36 th Consecutive Quarterly Dividend - During the quarter we paid $0.03 per share in dividends to shareholders. During the quarter we paid per share in dividends to shareholders. We finished the quarter ended June 30, 2025 with: Cash and cash equivalents of $9.6 million equal to $0.53 per share; Working capital of $25.4 million ; Total shareholders' equity of $61.8 million ; and No debt. with: Key Performance Indicators for the comparable periods are summarized below: Key Performance Indicators Quarter ended June 30 Nine months ended June 30 (All amounts are in thousands of Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated) 2025 2024 2025 2024 Revenue 30,177 29,726 87,048 91,010 Cost of sales 24,893 25,012 72,495 76,668 Gross margin 5,284 4,713 14,553 14,343 Gross margin (%) 17.5 % 15.9 % 16.7 % 15.8 % Comprehensive net income (loss) 58 26 (57) 742 Comprehensive net income (loss) per share - basic $0.00 $0.00 $(0.00) $0.04 Adjusted net income 779 715 1,778 1,510 Adjusted net income per share - basic $0.04 $0.04 $0.10 $0.08 Adjusted EBITDA 1,445 1,265 3,650 3,766 Adjusted EBITDA per share - basic $0.08 $0.07 $0.20 $0.20 REVENUE, GROSS PROFIT & NET INCOME Revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, were $30.2 million compared with $29.7 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2024, an increase of $0.5 million (revenue increase of 1.7%). The increase in revenues over the same period last year is attributed to internally generated organic growth. Gross profit for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was $5.3 million (17.5% of revenue) compared to $4.7 million (15.9% of revenue) during the same quarter last year. We continue to see steady improvement in our gross profit margin percentages. These improvements are a result of the continued focus on operating efficiencies and cost reduction initiatives. Comprehensive net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was $0.0 million (profit of $0.00 per share), unchanged from net income the same quarter last year of $0.0 million (profit of $0.00 per share). ADJUSTED NET INCOME & ADJUSTED EBITDA Adjusted EBITDA is the primary KPI used by the Company to measure the financial performance of the Company. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, was $1.4 million ($0.08 per share), compared with the adjusted EBITDA of $1.3 million ($0.07 per share) for the prior year third quarter ended June 30, 2024 (this represents a 14.3% increase in Adjusted EBITDA per share). Adjusted net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was $0.8 million (profit of $0.04 per share), compared to an adjusted net income in the same quarter last year of $0.7 million (profit of $0.04 per share). A reconciliation of earnings to adjusted net income and Adjusted EBITDA is provided in the Non-IFRS section of the MD&A published concurrently with this press release.* BALANCE SHEET Key balance sheet items are summarized below: Statements of Financial Position As at As at June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024 Cash 9,634 12,367 Accounts receivable 23,222 23,176 Legacy business assets 6,075 6,719 Working capital 25,354 26,523 Long-term debt 0 0 Total assets 78,551 81,181 Total liabilities 16,746 15,682 Total shareholders' equity 61,805 65,499 Common shares outstanding 18,302 18,816 UPDATE ON NORMAL COURSE ISSUER BID During the quarter ended June 30, 2025, we bought back 140,900 shares at an average price of $2.42 per share (same quarter last year: 116,800 shares at an average price of $2.59 per share). All shares bought back under the normal course issuer bid have been cancelled. We continue to believe that our shares have been trading in a price range which does not adequately reflect their value and that the purchase of shares under the NCIB enhances remaining shareholder value. Since 2017, the Company has cancelled nearly 48% of its outstanding shares through buybacks. OUTLOOK We are seeing continued growth in demand for the kind of innovative and cost-effective security services and solutions that we offer at SSC. Our ability to combine physical and electronic security services in a fully integrated way is the future of our industry. Additional growth may also come via acquisition, as we look to acquire other profitable companies in the Canadian security industry. Acquisitions may help us reach our growth targets more quickly, but we will not rush to complete new deals, and we will maintain our financial conservatism throughout. Most of our remaining legacy assets are expected to convert to cash over the next year. Our objective is to make these resources available for the expansion of our security business. We also plan to continue to distribute capital to shareholders via our dividend, operate with minimal to no debt while maintaining solid liquidity, focusing on maintaining strong margins, and maximizing our Adjusted EBITDA per share. ABOUT SSC SSC Security Services Corp. is a national provider of cyber, physical and electronic security services to corporate and public sector clients across Canada. For more information, please visit www.securityservicescorp.ca NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Forward Looking Statements This release includes forward-looking statements regarding SSC and its business. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of SSC's management. In some cases the forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting SSC, including risks regarding the security industry, the agricultural industry, economic factors and the equity markets generally and many other factors beyond the control of SSC. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and SSC undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. *Non-IFRS Measures SSC measures key performance metrics established by management as being key indicators of the Company's strength, using certain non-IFRS performance measures, including: EBITDA, EBITDA per share, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA per share, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Net Income per share. The Company uses these non-IFRS measures for its own internal purposes. These non-IFRS measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS, and these measures may be calculated differently by other companies. The presentation of these non-IFRS measures is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The Company provides these non-IFRS measures to enable investors and analysts to understand the underlying operating and financial performance of the Company in the same way as it is frequently evaluated by Management. Management will periodically assess these non-IFRS measures and the components thereof to ensure their continued use is beneficial to the evaluation of the underlying operating and financial performance of the Company. For more detailed information, please refer to the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis dated August 19, 2025 available on the Company's website at www.securityservicescorp.ca and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. SOURCE SSC Security Services Corp. For further information, please contact: Doug Emsley, President & CEO, (306) 347-1024, [email protected]; Brett Leonard, Chief Financial Officer, (306) 347-1242, [email protected] Tesla has applied to get government support for a series of 9 megacharging stations from California to Texas. Tesla-Owned or Operated Megacharging Installations These are primarily at Teslas Gigafactories for testing and production support: Giga Nevada (Sparks, NV): Early Megachargers installed as far back as 2021 for Semi prototyping and testing. Expanded for ongoing operations. Giga Texas (Austin, TX): New Semi Megacharger added in May 2025 to support increased Semi production and testing. Carson, CA (19300 S Hamilton Ave): Teslas first public Megacharger site, with construction permits filed in February 2025. Located near the 405 and 110 freeways and the Port of Long Beach. As of mid-2025, it includes up to 12 stalls for Class 8 vehicles like the Semi. This site is operational for limited use, marking Teslas initial step toward public access. Planned Megacharging and Depot Charging Through End of 2026 Teslas plans emphasize scaling for Semi volume production, which is set to ramp up in late 2025 and hit full scale (up to 50,000 units annually) in 2026. This includes a dedicated public Megacharger network along major freight corridors, plus expanded depot charging for customers. Announcements from April-May 2025 (e.g., at ACT Expo) outline the following: Public Megacharger Network Expansion 46 New Megacharger Stations: Tesla is developing a public network with 46 initial locations, expected to be operational by early 2027. Construction is underway across major U.S. freight corridors (e.g., between California and Texas). Through 2026, expect progressive rollout: Initial focus on 9 stations from California to Texas (e.g., along I-10 and I-5 corridors). Sites will include high-power stalls (1-1.2 MW) integrated with solar and Megapack batteries for off-grid capability. First full-scale sites beyond Carson, CA, targeted for completion in 2026, with others following. Timeline: Equipment landing and site setup throughout 2025-2026, with volume deployment ramping in 2026 to support Semi production scale-up. Customer-Owned Depot Megacharging Installations Tesla customers, particularly early Semi adopters, have installed Megachargers at their depots for fleet charging. These are often co-developed with Tesla and powered by on-site solar or grid connections PepsiCo/Frito-Lay Facility, Modesto, CA: Initial depot charging installed in late 2022 for PepsiCos early Semi fleet (first deliveries in December 2022). Expanded by 2025 to support additional trucks. PepsiCo/Frito-Lay Facility, Charlotte, NC: Major Megacharger hub installed in July 2025, with 18 stalls each delivering up to 1 MW. Supports rapid charging to 70% in about 30 minutes for Semi trucks. PepsiCo Facility, Denver, CO: Expansion of Semi charging infrastructure added in July 2025, including multiple Megacharger stalls for depot operations. Livermore Distribution Center, CA: Tesla Semi chargers (likely Megachargers) installed by May 2025, potentially for Teslas own logistics or partner use. Customer Depot Charging Expansions As Semi deliveries increase in 2026, Tesla anticipates more customer installations similar to PepsiCos. Plans include:Custom depot setups for new Semi fleets, emphasizing slow overnight charging (to minimize costs) combined with on-route Megachargers. Integration with Teslas energy products (e.g., Megapacks for energy storage) at depots in states like California, Texas, and North Carolina. Potential expansions at existing customer sites (e.g., further PepsiCo locations) and new adopters, driven by Semi orders. Key Enablers and Broader Plans Battery and Tech Upgrades: New 4680 cells and e-PTO (electric power take-off) systems announced in 2025 will enable faster charging and better efficiency, supporting network growth. Geographic Focus: Primarily U.S.-centric (major highways like I-405, I-110, I-10), with potential for Europe if Semi expands there. Regulatory and Incentive Ties: Plans align with U.S. incentives (e.g., IRA-compliant cells) and state programs for EV trucking infrastructure. Challenges: Rollout depends on permitting and grid capacity; Tesla emphasizes solar + battery integration to mitigate this. Compatibility and Effectiveness of Tesla Semi Using Superchargers The Tesla Semi is primarily designed for high-power Megachargers (up to 1.2 MW with V4 hardware), which allow for rapid range top-offs, such as adding 400 miles in about 30 minutes. However, it can use regular Tesla Superchargers for charging, though this is not the optimal or intended method for operational use. Heres a breakdown based on available data:Compatibility Connector and Setup: The Semi uses a proprietary high-power connector for Megachargers, but for Superchargers, Tesla has employed a custom extension cord system that connects to multiple Supercharger stalls simultaneously. This bundles power from several V3 (250 kW max) or V4 stalls into the Semis charging ports. Early prototypes were spotted using this setup during cross-country testing as far back as 2018. Voltage and Power Handling: Superchargers operate at around 400-500V, while the Semis battery is optimized for 800-1000V systems. V4 Superchargers (rolling out in 2025) support up to 1000V and 1.2 MW for the Semi, making them more compatible. Older V3 stations limit the Semi to lower effective power. Current Status (as of August 2025): Tesla Semis have been observed charging at Superchargers during testing and limited fleet operations (e.g., PepsiCo fleets). However, this is mostly for emergencies or short top-offs, not routine use. The Semis software and hardware are compatible, but public access is restrictedfleet operators coordinate with Tesla. Charging Speeds:V3 Superchargers (250 kW max): Using multiple stalls (e.g., 4-8), effective power can reach 500-1000 kW in theory, but practically its around 300-600 kW due to limitations. Adding 200 miles (~300 kWh) takes 30-60 minutes if bundled; single stall would take 1-2 hours. This is slow for trucking needs and ties up multiple stalls. V4 Superchargers (500 kW for EVs, up to 1.2 MW for Semi): Much bettercan deliver megawatt-level charging with the right cable. Adding 400 miles could take under 30 minutes. V4 cabinets (deploying in 2025) support this, but as of now, theyre limited to select sites. With V4 rollout, compatibility improves significantly. Teslas Dan Priestley noted immersion-cooled cables enable 1+ MW without bulky hardware, making Superchargers more viable for Semi. Supercharger Locations with Room for Tesla Semi TrucksMost Supercharger stalls are back-in designs for cars, not accommodating the Semis size (up to 70-80 feet with trailer). However, Tesla marks trailer-friendly sites in the appthese have pull-through stalls, wider spaces, or are at truck stops. As of August 2025, there are ~200 trailer-friendly Superchargers globally (mostly U.S.), filtered via the Tesla app or sites like supercharge.info (which has a trailer-friendly filter). Jillian Michaels (right) is sharing her side of the story about her history with Bob Harper (left). Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP Jillian Michaels, a former trainer on the NBC reality series The Biggest Loser, is speaking out about a new docuseries that explores the shows complicated legacy. A title card in Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, which premiered on Netflix on Friday, August 15, notes that Michaels, 51, declined to participate in the doc. However, she is mentioned in all three parts, and footage of her is shown throughout. Michaels took to Instagram on Tuesday, August 19, to shut down a lie from the series. She denied The Biggest Loser medical advisor Dr. Robert Huizengas claim that she broke the shows rules by giving contestants caffeine pills, which work as appetite suppressants. Michaels shared an alleged screenshot of an email thread between herself, Biggest Loser producers Todd Lubin and Adam Kaloustian, her fellow trainer Bob Harper, and Sandy Krum, whom she referred to as Dr. Huizengas guy. In the body of the email, an NBC coordinating producer said she could have Stacker 2 or 3 supplements, which contain caffeine, for contestants first thing in the morning. In the caption, Michaels claimed that Caffeine was NEVER banned on The Biggest Loser and that Dr. Huizenga did approve caffeine pills on many seasons of the show. READ MORE: Where is The Biggest Loser winner Rachel Frederickson now? An update on her dramatic weight loss In Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, Dr. Huizenga alleged that he even banned coffee for contestants, calling caffeine pills absolutely against everything the show stood for. When sharing her receipts, Michaels wrote of Dr. Huizengas claim, Wild how some folks still lie like its 1985 before texts and email were a thing. Michaels also took aim at Harpers characterization of her in the doc. The last image is my second to last text ever to Bob Harper. Take from it what you will, Michaels wrote in the Instagram posts caption. She attached an alleged screenshot of a message she sent to Harper in June 2014. I really think its sty of you to not even respond to my texts. Its this kind of thing that always makes me so disappointed [by] our relationship, the message read. Harper called out Michaels in the docuseries for not reaching out when he suffered a massive heart attack in 2017. We werent besties, but we were partners on a television show for a very long time, Harper said, noting that Michaels silence after his health crisis spoke volumes to him. I would not expect Jillian Michaels to do anything other than what she wants to do. NJ.com has reached out to Dr. Huizenga, Harper, and Netflix for comment. The Biggest Loser, which aired on NBC from 2004-2016 and on USA Network in 2020, followed contestants deemed overweight as they competed to win a $250,000 prize by shedding as many pounds as possible. Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser is available to stream on Netflix. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/. Its been 15 years since Amanda Knox was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher while studying abroad in Italy. Knox, 38, is now a writer, a podcaster, an activist, a standup comedian, and the mother of two children. She has penned two memoirs to date, Waiting to Be Heard (2013) and Free: My Search for Meaning (2025), and she is an advocate for criminal justice reform and media ethics. The multihyphenate shares daughter Eureka, 4, and son Echo, 22 months, with husband Christopher Robinson, whom she married in 2020. Between her personal and professional life, Knox is juggling a lot these days. She and her aptly titled musical group, The Exoneree Band, even performed with Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCreedy in April. Knox has reclaimed her story in all sorts of ways, including by serving as an executive producer on a new Hulu dramatization titled The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. The series, which premiered on Wednesday, August 20, stars Grace Van Patten in the titular role. Knox cowrote the final episode and had a hand in the casting process. What we were looking for in an actress to play me wasnt just the right look; it was the ability for this person to embody me at wildly different moments of my life, when I was young and naive, when I was older and haunted, going through the best moments of my life and the worst, Knox told Elle in August. I loved that Grace was able to capture my whimsy, my lightness of being. And just her willingness to work so hard to get it right, to put everything on the table and hold nothing back. In December 2009, then-22-year-old Knox was convicted on charges of faking a break-in, defamation, sexual violence, and murder. She was sentenced to 26 years in prison. Her boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito, was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison. The verdict was widely viewed as unjust in the United States, where Knox is from. After an appeal, Knox and Sollecito were found not guilty of the murder in October 2011 and released from prison. The acquittal was overturned in 2013, but Knox was definitively acquitted by the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation in 2015. READ MORE: Woman kidnapped by her stalker and held in soundproof bunker speaks out Rudy Guede, who was found guilty of sexually assaulting and murdering Kercher in 2008, was released from prison in 2021. The prosecutors in Knoxs trial claimed that Knox, Sollecito, and Guede had all killed Kercher. It might surprise some people to learn that Knox is still in contact with Giuliano Mignini, the lead prosecutor in her trial. During a February interview with The Guardian, Knox said that although Mignini has sent her cards signed Merry Christmas from your prosecutor, he still wont give her a straight answer about whether he believes shes fully innocent. Hes said publicly that he now thinks that I had nothing to do with the murder, but that I was still physically present, Knox said. So we go back to what was being told to me in my interrogation room. He says things to me like, I know youre not lying. I just think that you dont remember what really happened, which is incredibly patronizing. READ MORE: Where is David Berkowitz now? An update on the Son of Sam killer Still, Knox described meeting with Mignini in Italy 15 years after Kerchers murder as an empowering experience. As much as I want him to absolve me, I think he wants me to absolve him more, she said. The one time in my life where I felt unstoppable was when I realized that it wasnt about what I was going to get from him, it was about what I was going to give him. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox is available to stream on Hulu. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/. Its understandably difficult for New Jerseyans to admit when a beloved eaterys classic dish is being done better by a newcomer. But thats exactly whats happening in South Jersey. The Garnet Grill opened this past February in Haddon Heights with an intriguing menu item a Camden-style cheesesteak. That might not mean much to cheesesteak neophytes, but its obvious to those in the know. The new restaurant is emulating the iconic cheesesteak from Donkeys Place in Camden. Yes, the very same cheesesteak Anthony Bourdain once famously crowned the best. Donkeys Place has been serving the sandwich since 1943. So its no surprise the new-school steak spots homage has sparked controversy on the South Jersey food scene. But even as a Donkeys Place-lover, I have to admit the Garnet Grill does the Camden-style cheesesteak better. As a child, it was riveting to hear my grandfather reminisce about Donkeys Places mythic sandwiches. The round, seeded rolls. The tangy caramelized onions and spicy pepper relish. Their ability to balance out inebriation after a long night of drinking. Ive had quite a few steaks at Donkeys myself over the years, even as recently as earlier this month, and theyre still delicious. But my trip to The Garnet Grill proved that the original can be outdone. Garnet Grill co-owner Patrick Duff, a Delran native, put opening a restaurant on his bucket list a few years ago as he was battling cancer. I wanted to make regional flavors, stuff thats all around the Jersey and Philly area, Duff said. We like to take some of that regional flair and run with it. The Garnet Grill in Barrington. (Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media) Christopher Burch The Garnet Grill, named for the mascot from nearby Haddon Heights High School, also serves sauced chicken tenders inspired by the buffalo tails at One More Bar & Grill in Tabernacle and cranky fries, similar to crab fries served by Chickies & Petes. But the star of the show is the Camden-style cheesesteak, featuring sliced ribeye layered with Cooper sharp cheese and caramelized onions on a poppyseed kaiser roll. It may look like a Donkeys Place steak, but it tastes different. And it simply tastes better. Cooper sharp is the hottest cheese in the cheesesteak game Donkeys still uses white American. And caramelized onions cut through the creaminess of the cheese in every bite. But it is the steak itself that simply outshines whats being served at Donkeys. The ribeye is well-seasoned, youd be surprised by how many spots miss this step. Duff was inspired by time spent in his wifes native Thailand to top the steak with pineapple juice as it cooks to keep it moist. The eatery also offers its own pepper relish sweet and spicy peppers chopped finely to create a spicy, tangy topping just like Donkeys Place does. This is the one category in which the old-school Camden joint still has the edge, theirs simply packs more punch and flavor. But Garnet Grills meat quality and Cooper sharp cheese elevate it over the Camden classic. Philly cheesesteak purists might hesitate to give anyone the edge over Donkeys Place. Duff admits he has received mixed opinions from Donkeys diehards. Its weird because online theyll come after me, Duff said. Even Donkeys came onto my (Facebook) page and said I was doing a Donkeys dupe. Duff says he isnt ripping off a classic. He says hes trying to help put Camden on the culinary map. The Philly cheesesteak is known around the world, Duff said. So I thought itd be cool if that could happen with Camden. Camden-style cheesesteak from The Garnet Grill in Barrington. (Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media) Christopher Burch More food coverage: Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SwishBurch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/. Trenton Puerto Rican Community & Friends Organization 1st Vice President Kassandra Sanchez showing an attendee how to play a raffle game at the organization's Puerto Rican Festival on Aug. 3, at the Mill Hill Park, located at 165 E. Front St., in Trenton. Kassandra Sanchez As a little girl, Kassandra Sanchez remembers sitting on the side of street to watch the annual Trenton Puerto Rican Parade go by in her home city. I dont think I would have ever thought that I would be in the position that I am now, said Sanchez, who today is the 1st vice president of the Trenton Puerto Rican Community and Friends Organization that annually hosts the citys Puerto Rican parade. The organization was started by a group of Puerto Rican Trentonians who organized the citys first Puerto Rican Day parade in 1978 to celebrates culture, heritage and history throughout the year. More than 9,000 Puerto Ricans reside in states capital, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. Although the organization didnt host its annual parade this year, the organization held its Seguimos Aqui Festival event on Aug. 3 at Mill Hill Park in Trenton. The parade will return in 2026. An exact date has not been announced. Despite not growing up in Puerto Rico, Sanchez, 27, said her family brought the island to her household. Kassandra Sanchez became the 1st vice president of the Trenton Puerto Rican Community and Friends Organization in March 2025. Kassandra Sanchez Sanchezs father was born in the Town of Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. While her mother was born and raised in Trenton with roots originating from the Town of Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico. From listening to her grandfather play the cuatro to frequently visiting her extended family on the island, Sanchez said she was raised to be proud of her heritage. As a child you dont really appreciate it as much as when youre an adult. So, when you look back, youre like, I am who I am today, because I was surrounded by that as a child, said Sanchez, who grew up primarily speaking Spanish in her home. When shes not helping to organize the organizations numerous community events, Sanchez can be found teaching her 3rd grade students at Stony Brook Elementary School in Pennington. Kassandra Sanchez, 27, being swore in as the Trenton Puerto Rican Community and Friends Organization the 1st vice president on March 2025, at Kassandra Sanchez Sanchez said she knew from an early age she wanted to be a teacher and ultimately majored in elementary education and Spanish at The College of New Jersey. I always knew theres something about that spark that children have that I wanted to be part of, Sanchez said. This is what Im meant to be doing. For a class project, Sanchez with help from the colleges Center for Community Engagement coordinator Samuel Kanig interviewed key members of Trentons Puerto Rican community to capture their stories. A lot of them were part of that first group of Puerto Ricans in the city. We were the first Latino community to establish ourselves in Trenton, and there was no record of that except for a couple of newspaper articles, said Sanchez, who graduated with an elementary education degree in May 2020. Sanchez credits this project for defining who she is today. It was such an awesome experience, and it was cool to then tell my parents everything that I learned and then hear their side of the story of living around these people and the impact they made on the city, said Sanchez. Through her role in the organization, Sanchez hopes to inspire young people to get more involved in their community and to be proud of their culture. I think as we learn about others, we see ourselves in them too. So thats been my motivation to stand as, hopefully, that light for everyone, but specifically the youth, she said. Mosaic staff writer Vashti Harris can be reached at vharris@njadvancemedia.com. Welcome to Mosaic. Follow us on Instagram at @MosaicNJcom, on Facebook at MosaicNJcom, on Twitter (X) at @MosaicNJcom and on YouTube at @MosaicNJcom. A New York City-based company is getting ready to open its second indoor pickleball club in North Jersey, officials said. Tours were being offered Tuesday at Sportime Pickleball Wayne in Passaic County, which is scheduled to open Sept. 6. An Ocean County man admitted Monday that he choked a woman until she passed out a Point Pleasant Borough home in 2022, authorities said. Juan Santiago-Rojas, 31, of Point Pleasant Borough, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and now faces 10 years in state prison when he is sentenced, according to a statement from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office. The investigation began on Aug. 22, 2022, when police responded to a Butler Avenue home and found an unconscious woman, the office said. The woman had serious injuries to head and neck and was taken to a local hospital and then Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment, officials said. She was later released. Investigators identified Santiago-Rojas as her assailant, and on Aug. 23, 2022, they charged him with aggravated assault and issued a warrant for his arrest, investigators said. He was not taken into custody until Dec. 8, 2023, when police in Wilmington, North Carolina arrested him, authorities said. He was extradited to New Jersey on Jan. 12, 2024, and has been held in the Ocean County Jail since that time. When detectives discovered that Santiago-Rojas had choked the woman until she passed out, he was additionally charged with attempted murder. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. The Democratic Party is in some deep trouble even before voters head to the polls, according to a new analysis from The New York Times. The New York Times analysis, published on Wednesday, found that Democrats are "bleeding support beyond the ballot box" when it comes to voter registration. The analysis found that all of the 30 states that track voter registration by political party saw drops in Democratic Party registrations between the 2020 and 2024 elections. The analysis, using voter registration data from nonpartisan data firm L2, found that the Democratic Party lost 2.1 million registered voters across 30 states and Washington, D.C. between the 2020 and 2024 elections. On the other hand, Republicans gained 2.4 million registered voters. Democrats still have the advantage in registered members overall, especially since some red states like Texas do not allow voters to register with a political party. However, the New York Times found that Democrats fell from an 11-percentage point advantage over Republicans in 2020 to a 6-percentage-point edge in 2024. The Times also reported that Democrats lost ground across four critical battleground states, including Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, between the 2020 and 2024 elections. This loss in Democratic support could help explain some of the reasoning behind President Donald Trumps success across those swing states in the 2024 election. New York Times national political correspondent Shane Goldmacher said that the most jarring statistic from the report was the Democratic Partys drop among newly registered voters. In 2018, Democrats accounted for 63 percent of voters who newly registered as either Democratic or Republican.By 2024, the partys share had shrunk to less than 48 percent, Goldmacher wrote on social media platform X. For me, this was the most jarring stat I found: In 2018, Democrats accounted for 63 percent of voters who newly registered as either Democratic or Republican. By 2024, the partys share had shrunk to less than 48 percent.https://t.co/7QUMyL2zzX Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) August 20, 2025 In a separate piece for The New York Times, Goldmacher also explained how the gender gap in the voter registration data has helped Republicans. In 2024, the Republican advantage among men who were newly registering to vote with a major party was double the Democratic edge among women, Goldmacher wrote. More than 60 percent of men who registered with a major party became Republicans in 2024, while only 55 percent of women became Democrats. That roughly 10-point edge for Democrats among new female voters last year is down drastically from 2018, when the party enjoyed a gargantuan nearly 38-percentage-point advantage," he added. The analysis comes as Democrats have failed to unite behind one platform ahead of the 2026 midterms. Since the start of Trumps term, Democrats have struggled to combat the presidents agenda as many critics warn the party remains leaderless following then-Vice President Kamala Harris loss to Trump last fall. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill vowed Wednesday to freeze rapidly rising electricity bills if elected, campaigning on an issue that has caught fire in the hotly contested race for the states top political job. Sherrill said she would declare a state of emergency on her first day in office and order a statewide freeze on energy prices while repeating her policy stances to invest in solar and nuclear energy production, creating what she termed an energy arsenal. She also supported efforts to modernize natural gas production and investments into battery energy storage. Speaking to reporters outside a home in Kenilworth, the Democrat also announced plans to invest in clean energy production while directing state officials to challenge grid operator PJM Interconnection. When I take office, the average New Jersey family wont see an increase in utility rates for an entire year, Sherrill said. The announcement drew an immediate response from the campaign of Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli, who has charged that Sherrill has been in lockstep with Democratic Gov. Phil Murphys clean energy policies, including placing great emphasis on wind energy projects opposed by RepuPresident Donald Trump. Ciattarelli argues these policies have inflated prices. When Im governor, things are going to change, Ciattarelli said in a statement issued by his campaign Wednesday. Ill ban offshore wind and diversify our energy sources in New Jersey to once again include natural gas and nuclear. Ill rewrite our master plan and deliver safe, clean, and sustainable energy to everyone in our state at a price you can afford. New Jersey energy bills have increased from 17% to 20% this year, and the sticker shock could make it a big issue in the campaign. Voters place part of the blame on the price hikes on the Murphy administration, according to a recent poll from Farliegh Dickinson University. Democratic insiders worry this could hurt Sherrill. Sherrill argued Wednesday the Trump administrations policies have hindered energy production projects from being built, elevating costs. Murphys emphasis on wind energy projects off the Jersey Shore had already run into big trouble before Trump took office with a vow to stop them. Sherrill has also charged that Trumps Big Beautiful Bill, will contribute to the problem because it ends federal subsidies on wind and solar energy projects, pointing out that the Trump-endorsed Ciattarelli supports them. The New Jersey League of Conservation Voters on Wednesday lauded Sherrills plans. Mikies plan to cap energy prices in the short term and speed approval of new solar energy projects, the cheapest energy in America, while safeguarding our open space and environmental protections, will create union jobs while providing cheap, clean energy that we need to lower costs for the long term, the organizations executive director, Ed Potosnak, said in a statement. Sherrill did not elaborate further on her intentions to freeze price hikes. Prices have risen through PJMs auction process, which acquires shares of energy for New Jerseys public utility customers. Democrats have pointed the finger of blame at PJM, saying its decisions have shortchanged New Jersey ratepayers. Theyve called for more state oversight over the grid operator. PJM did not immediately return a request for comment on Sherrills policy announcement. Sherrill announcement comes as the Murphy administration implements attempted relief to New Jerseys ratepayers. Last week, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved a $100 subsidy to all of the states 3.9 million customers using its top four energy providers. Those companies have also agreed to defer some costs until later in the year, when the demand for energy drops. Separately, Murphy signed a law on Friday requiring the state Board of Public Utilities to investigate PJM. NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com. President Donald Trump, left, has been a target of social media attacks from California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), right, in recent weeks. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong and Marcio Jose Sanchez) California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is facing intense blowback from some supporters of President Donald Trump. A social media account run by Newsoms press office has made headlines over the past few weeks as it continues to mock Trump and his MAGA base. Many of the posts on X mimic the presidents signature announcements on his Truth Social platform using insults, all-caps and unnecessary punctuation, as well as his popular sign-off line, Thank you for your attention to this matter! Although the account has drawn constant criticism from conservatives since launching its posting blitz, it attracted even more ire late Tuesday. Richard Grenell Trumps presidential envoy for special missions and the president of the Kennedy Center claimed it is so obvious that Newsom isnt personally behind posting on the account. Its some new team hes hired who has convinced him to step aside and let them try something new, Grenell wrote. Hes so phony. Hes not even able to tweet on his own! Newsoms account had later fired back: The Kennedy Centers janitor caught us. The Kennedy Centers janitor caught us. https://t.co/i2LcbhLCtR Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 19, 2025 While some social media users found the comeback entertaining, others on the right argued that Newsom, a rumored 2028 presidential contender, is a thorn in the side of the Democratic Party. Grenell had shot back: Stop making fun of working class people. Elitism is so ugly. This is exactly why people like my Dad, whos been a Union pipefitter for 40 years, is now a hardcore Republican. There are many, many folks just like him, conservative podcaster Nick Sortor added. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani also weighed in: I wonder how all the hardworking janitorsmany currently working overnight in quiet, empty buildings as I post thisfeel about Newsoms disdain for their profession and livelihood? This is what todays Democrat Party leaders think of hardworking, honest Americans. Pathetic." "Gavin Newsom should never be President because he doesnt understand that youre supposed to treat the janitor with the same level of respect as the CEO," far-right activist Laura Loomer wrote. One user said: "Democrats love mocking blue collar professions as if they dont matter. Ivory tower elites jeer at everyday Americans and then they wonder why they have completely lost the working class." "Showing your privilege and elitism again. You will never be President," someone else posted. Since going viral, the account has specifically taken aim at the brewing redistricting battle between California and Texas. Last Thursday, Newsom announced that he will move forward with a plan to combat a Republican-led effort in the Lone Star State to add up to five safe seats ahead of the 2026 midterms. The GOPs pursue of an unusual mid-decade redistricting plan backed by Trump is poised to pass, according to Texas officials. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers argue that it will unfairly stack the deck to preserve the presidents House majority. Newsom introduced his countermeasure, dubbed the Election Rigging Response Act, which would allow his state to sidestep its independent commission that has created district maps since 2010. It comes as Texas Democrats returned to the state following a two-week walkout aimed at ultimately delay a vote on the newly redrawn map. In the days leading up to his announcement, Newsom issued a series of online warnings to Trump. DONALD TACO TRUMP, AS MANY CALL HIM, MISSED THE DEADLINE!!! CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE BEAUTIFUL MAPS, THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!), the account wrote last week. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. A new poll is showing warning signs for former Vice President Kamala Harris at home. California Democrats prefer Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to Harris in a hypothetical 2028 presidential primary, POLITICO and its partners revealed on Wednesday. The two leading voices in the Democratic Party have been floated as contenders for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. Newsom leads Harris, who has a long history in California politics, 25% to 19% among the states registered Democratic voters and Democratic-leaning independents, according to a POLITICO-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab survey. Per the poll, 75% of registered Democratic voters said they are excited about a possible campaign from Newsom, while 67% said the same about Harris. Newsoms success could potentially be attributed to how he has taken on President Donald Trumps agenda. He most recently made headlines after announcing plans to counter a Republican-led redistricting proposal in Texas, backed by the president, to add easily winnable GOP seats ahead of the 2026 midterms in an effort to preserve the partys slim House majority. The California legislature is slated to vote Thursday on a newly drawn congressional map, which could ultimately flip Republican-held seats to blue in response. Meanwhile, Harris could be seen as remaining more on the sidelines. The former vice president announced last month that she will not be running in the California gubernatorial race in 2026, squashing widespread speculation that she would be making a run in her home state. Her announcement, though, did not rule out a future White House bid. Theres affection for her, but maybe less confidence that she would be a strong candidate, Jack Citrin, a longtime political science professor at U.C. Berkeley and partner on the poll, told POLITICO, adding that Newsom is in the news everyday. If you think someone is running, youre more likely to support them. Harris previously served as the state attorney general, before representing California as a U.S. senator up until 2021. She then became second in command under former President Joe Biden, before eventually becoming the Democratic Partys nominee in the 2024 election. She lost to Trump, who dominated in all swing states, posing questions about her political future. The poll had former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg polling in third place, behind Newsom and Harris, receiving the support of 13% of respondents. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez trailed at 10%, while Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were in the single digits. The poll, conducted between July 28 and Aug. 12, surveyed 1,445 total registered voters, including 807 registered Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Vice President JD Vance, joined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, speaks to members of the National Guard at Union Station in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Al Drago/Pool via AP) AP White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller is telling critics to stick it. Miller, alongside Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, traveled to Union Station on Wednesday to meet with National Guard soldiers stationed at the transportation hub. The visit came as demonstrators have taken to the streets in Washington, D.C., to protest President Donald Trumps recent announcement of a federal takeover of the police department and the deployment of the National Guard in the city. For too long, 99% of this city has been terrorized by 1% of this city... We are not going to let the communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nations capital, Miller said during a news conference inside the station. Miller also claimed that the protesters have no roots and no connections to the city. Theyre the ones whove been advocating for the 1%. The criminals, the killers, the rapists, the drug dealers. And Im glad theyre here today, because me, Pete and the vice president are all going to leave here, and inspired by them, were going to add thousands more resources to this city..., Miller said. So we are going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because theyre all over 90 years old, and were going to get back in the business of protecting the American people and the citizens of Washington, D.C., he added, noting that most of the citizens who live in Washington, D.C., are Black. Miller: So we are going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old. pic.twitter.com/795kXeQZEj Acyn (@Acyn) August 20, 2025 In similar remarks, Vance capitalized on a free D.C. slogan from protesters, saying Lets free D.C. from lawlessness. It is kind of bizarre we have a bunch of old, primarily white people who are out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when they have never felt danger in their entire lives, Vance continued. Vance also pointed to D.C. having a terrible crime problem, telling reporters to look around and talk to a resident. As the White House has touted more than 550 arrests since Aug. 7, as the Trump administration began increasing the presence of federal law enforcement, Democratic lawmakers and critics have maintained that Trump has continued to exaggerate the problem at hand. Many, including local officials, have pointed to data found on the Metropolitan Police Departments website. Police data reports a 27% drop in total violent crime as of Tuesday, compared to statistics from last year. The department also shows decreases in all crime categories in the city, including homicide, robbery, sex abuse and burglary. In early January, federal officials revealed that total violent crime for 2024 had hit a 30-year low down 35% from 2023 after homicide reached the highest recorded number since the mid-1990s. Meanwhile, several outlets reported on Tuesday that the Justice Department has launched an investigation into whether the police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower. Trump had hinted at a probe in a post on social media earlier this week. D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety, he wrote on Truth Social. This is a very bad and dangerous thing to do, and they are under serious investigation for so doing! In a separate post, Trump also claimed that D.C. has become the safest and is getting better every single hour. Despite his claims, city residents have mainly expressed disapproval with the moves to crack down on crime. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. A Pentagon spokesperson lashed out at the Washington Post over a new report that detailed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths shocking security costs. The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Hegseths "unusually large personal security requirements are straining" the U.S. Army agency that is responsible for protecting him. The report found that Hegseths security needs are a multimillion-dollar initiative that requires the Armys Criminal Investigation Division (CID) to protect family residences across three states. Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesman and a senior adviser, criticized the Washington Post report in a scathing statement shared on social media platform X. He claimed that the report was criticizing Hegseth for receiving appropriate protection and alleged, without evidence, that the newspaper revealed personal information about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. In the wake of two assassinations attempts against President Trump, ICE agents facing a 1000% increase in assaults, and repeated threats of retaliation from Iran for striking their nuclear capabilities, its astonishing that the Washington Post is criticizing a high-ranking cabinet official for receiving appropriate security protection, especially after doxxing the DHS Secretary last week, Parnell wrote on X. Any action pertaining to the security of Secretary Hegseth and his family has been in response to the threat environment and at the full recommendation the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID). When left-wing blogs like the Washington Post continue to dox cabinet secretaries security protocols and movements, it puts lives at risk, he added. In the wake of two assassinations attempts against President Trump, ICE agents facing a 1000% increase in assaults, and repeated threats of retaliation from Iran for striking their nuclear capabilities, it's astonishing that the Washington Post is criticizing a high-ranking https://t.co/39SfiZOyPo Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellUSA) August 20, 2025 Hegseths acting deputy press secretary, Joel Valdez, said on Wednesday that there should be severe punishment for the three journalists who wrote the report. WaPo intentionally published sensitive details of @SecDefs security detail for him and his family - putting their safety at risk, he wrote on X. The posts from Parnell and Valdez are at odds with the Washington Posts report, which stated that it "withheld several sensitive details gathered in the course of reporting this article, including the size of Hegseths protective details and the precise locations where they are assigned." Instead, the investigation focused on how the Armys CID staff is reportedly strained due to the security needs of Hegseth. According to the Washington Post report, security requirements for Hegseth, his family and his residences have added pressure to the Armys CID. We have complete inability to achieve our most basic missions, one person told The Post. People familiar with the matter told the Post that historically, about 150 CIDs agents are serve on security details for top defense officials, including the Defense Secretary. However, one person said that number is now 400 and going up," while another said that the figure is over 500, according to the report. Ive never seen this many security teams for one guy, one CID official told the Post. Nobody has. The Post cited Hegseths large family and the rise of political violence as reasons for the increased security for the top defense official. Two people told the Post that Hegseth received an increase of security after a bomb threat was made against his home in Tennessee earlier this year. Hegseths tenure as head of the Defense Department has been tumultuous since the beginning. He faced widespread backlash for sending sensitive military information in a group text, firing some of his top aides and for targeting Pentagon officials with polygraph tests. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. It turns out California Gov. Gavin Newsoms newest strategy to mock President Donald Trump is absolutely working, according to CNN analyst Harry Enten. In recent weeks, one of Newsoms social media accounts has been mocking MAGA with Trump-style tweets criticizing the president and touting the California governor. While some MAGA pundits have decried Newsoms new strategy, Enten revealed Tuesday that Newsoms plan is actually working to gain attention. Enten said on Laura Coates Live that Newsoms press office account on social media platform X has increased its following by 450% since mid-June. That account, get this, up 450% in terms of the number of followers since mid-June.And its not just on Twitter, X, where Newsom is gaining. Even on TikTok and Instagram. His followers are up over a million since January alone. My goodness gracious, he said. He said that daily Google searches for Newsom are up 1,300% since June 1 and up 500% since Aug. 1. Newsoms new social media strategy comes as he eyes a potential run for president in the 2028 election. So, the bottom line is in politics, especially if youre thinking of entering in 2028, its all about generating attention. And so far, Gavin Newsom has done a good job at generating attention, Enten said. Coates: Has this actually been working for Newsom? Enten: It absolutely has been working in terms of generating attention, which is what he's trying to do pic.twitter.com/nPn2bQTuTz Acyn (@Acyn) August 20, 2025 Before Entens segment, CNNs Laura Coates played a clip of Fox News host Dana Perino complaining about Newsoms Trump-style tweets earlier this week. I dont know where his wife is, Perino said. If I were his wife, I would say, You are making a fool of yourself. Stop it. Do not let your staff tweet, and if youre doing it yourself, put your phone away and start over." Newsoms press office account has taken to Trumps style of posting, including writing in all-caps tweets and signing the posts with Thank you for your attention to this matter!. Critics, including Newsoms press office, pointed out that Perino criticized Newsoms posts but not similar ones by Trump In the most recent post as of Wednesday morning, Newsoms press office jokingly took aim at Fox News Greg Gutfeld for criticizing him. This tweet mimicked Trumps complaints about TV hosts critical coverage of him. I SELDOM WATCH LOW-RATED GARBAGEMAN GREG GUTFELD BUT, WHEN I DO, I MARVEL AT THE FAKE LAUGHTER ON THE SHOW. IT SOUNDS LIKE A BAD LAUGH MACHINE, ITS SO OBNOXIOUS AND DISGUSTING, JUST LIKE HIM, ALWAYS LAUGHING NO MATTER WHAT IS SAID. REAL PATRIOTS HATE IT WHEN FOX (EDITS THE TAPES) PUTS GARBAGEMAN GREG ON. FOX OUGHT TO GET SMART, AND NOT USE LOSERS LIKE THIS. ALSO, THEY SHOULDNT ALLOW NEGATIVE ADS ABOUT ME. THANK YOU!" the account wrote on X. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. President Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One after meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) AP CNN played a 2017 clip of President Donald Trump praising Smithsonian museums on Tuesday, just hours after he criticized them on social media. Trump decried the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. as WOKE in a scathing post on Truth Social, contrasting sharply with his praise for those museums in a resurfaced 2017 clip aired Tuesday on CNNs NewsNight with Abby Phillip. I had the privilege of visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture right here in Washington, D.C. Its a new, beautiful Smithsonian Museum that serves as a shining example of African Americans incredible contributions to our culture, our society, and our history, Trump said in the 2017 clip. It also tells of the great struggle for freedom and equality that prevailed against the sins of slavery and the injustice of discrimination. The work and love of the people who help create such a masterpiece is a testament to the legacy of so many leaders it honors, he continued. Trump 2017: I had the privilege of visiting the National Museum of African American history and culture right here in Washington, D.C. It's a new, beautiful smithsonian museum that serves as a shining example of African Americans incredible contributions to our culture, our pic.twitter.com/p8VkrOYhVx Acyn (@Acyn) August 20, 2025 Those 2017 comments are at odds with his inflammatory statement posted Tuesday on Truth Social where he complained that Smithsonian exhibits show how bad Slavery was. The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future. We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made, Trump wrote on Truth Social. This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE. We have the HOTTEST Country in the World, and we want people to talk about it, including in our Museums, he continued. In her opening comments, CNNs Abby Philip said museums should protect those stories, the images, the lessons, the very things that inform so much of our current state of our republic, from racism to poverty, no matter how painful, or in the presidents words, how horrible the lesson. CNN contributor Leah Wright Rigueur said Tuesday that Trumps post is part of a larger effort to both stain-wash and whitewash American history. And so for the president, I think, to just simply erase that and push that away tells itparticularly after praising it a few years ago tells us that this is part of a much larger agenda, Rigueur said. This is part of a much larger agenda to erase things that, really, I think the country is just not refuses to deal with and is really uncomfortable with, she added. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Airports are generally the least exciting part of heading out on vacation. From the never-ending lines at security checkpoints to screening processes that sometimes seem to go on for hours, TSA is offering a limited-time deal this year that could make traveling a whole lot easier. TSA PreCheck Deal Save $15 When you apply for TSA PreCheck with a family member, you can save $15. This limited-time offer will expire Oct. 31. Sign Up Now For a limited time, TSA has announced that travelers can get a buy-one-get-one deal on their upcoming TSA PreCheck enrollments. Youll definitely want to take advantage of this before youre next flight out of Newark Liberty International Airport. Heres what you need to know about taking part in this TSA PreCheck deal. What is TSA PreCheck? In 2013, TSA created the TSA PreCheck program, which game travelers who are eligible to enroll can cut the standard security lines and enter a quicker and shorter dedicated TSA PreCheck line. In addition to how much quicker the lines are, TSA PreCheck travelers dont have to remove their shoes, outerwear, belts, laptops, and liquids in the 3-1-1 bag when going through security. TSA PreCheck is available for U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or lawful permanent residents who are considered to be low-risk travelers. Travelers cannot have a criminal record for certain offenses like murder, extortion, or espionage, and cannot have pending criminal charges for certain offenses. To be part of TSA PreCheck, applicants will need to complete an online application, attend an in-person interview and complete a background check at an enrollment center. They will also need to provide a valid form of photo identification and proof of citizenship or lawful permanent resident status. You can find more information about signing up for TSA PreCheck here. TSA PreCheck 2025 Deal: Buy One, Get One $15 off + CLEAR Bundle TSA states that you can enroll in, TSA PreCheck and get $15 off the second enrollment when two people sign up together through an authorized enrollment provider. You can take advantage of this limited-time offer by completing your enrollment before Oct. 31. If you use this deal with the enrollment provider Idemia, then you will pay $62 instead of $77. If you want to use the buy-one-get-one TSA PreCheck deal through Clear, then you will pay $65, instead of $80 with the BOGO offer. You can find more information about this buy-one-get-one TSA PreCheck deal here. If youre looking to truly expedite your airport experience, you can take advantage of the TSA PreCheck and CLEAR Bundle, which is $209 right now, instead of $289. TSA PreCheck costs $80 for five years, and CLEAR costs $209 annually. So, youre essentially getting TSA PreCheck for free through this promotion. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicole Iuzzolino can be reached at niuzzolino@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. A Long Beach Township Beach Patrol lifeguard watches the rough surf generated by Hurricane Erin under a red flag that indicates swimming is banned in the township on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. Most Jersey Shore beaches are closed to swimming Wednesday and Thursday. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media UPDATE: Hurricane Erins worst impacts expected Thursday night as pounding surf, high tides spark flooding threat The already massive Hurricane Erin grew even bigger and stronger Wednesday afternoon, and the storm may strengthen into a major Category 3 hurricane by Wednesday night. Thats the latest word from the National Hurricane Center, which continues to warn beach-goers up and down the East Coast including the entire Jersey Shore to stay out of the Atlantic Ocean during the next two days. MORE: Hurricane Erin brings waves crashing onto these Jersey Shore boardwalks Turbulent seas, huge breaking waves and powerful rip currents will all create life-threatening conditions for boaters and swimmers both Wednesday and Thursday, according to weather forecasters and public officials. Erins top sustained winds are blowing at 110 mph, making it a high-level Category 2 hurricane just short of returning to major hurricane status. Your browser does not support the HTML video element. This is a view of Hurricane Erin from a NOAA satellite high up in space on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 In addition to its growing strength, Erins size is massive. The storm is now more than 800 miles wide as it continues to churn northward off the eastern Atlantic coast. Forecasters say hurricane-force winds are now stretching out as far as 105 miles from Erins center, and tropical storm-force winds extend outward to 265 miles. As of Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Erins center was about 530 miles west of Bermuda, 335 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and about 635 miles south of Cape May, New Jersey. Hurricane Erin grew even bigger and stronger Wednesday afternoon, and the storm may strengthen into a major Category 3 hurricane by Wednesday night. Here's the latest forecast track. National Hurricane Center At its closest pass, Erins center is expected to be spinning about 350 to 400 miles southeast of Cape May on Thursday. That is close enough for the storm to bring 40 to 50 mph wind gusts, huge waves and dangerous rip currents to beaches in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties, forecasters say. Minor to moderate coastal flooding is expected along the Jersey Shore, with some areas at risk of major flooding particularly during high tide cycles Thursday evening through Friday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Even though Hurricane Erin is spinning far offshore, it could be powerful enough to cause a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet high along the Jersey Shore, forecasters say. AccuWeather Significant coastal flooding and tidal flooding is possible in Cape May County, the agency noted. Emergency management officials in Cape May County noted that forecasts indicate a peak (tidal) surge of 1 to 3 feet in the Delaware Bay, which may impact low-lying areas of bayside communities in Middle Township, Dennis Township, and surrounding areas. Weather forecasters and safety officials are warning beach-goers to stay out of the ocean, because Hurricane Erin will be generating huge waves and powerful rip currents that could be deadly. National Weather Service Latest weather alerts in N.J. Wind advisory: Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean counties from 10 a.m. Thursday to midnight Thursday. Steady northeast winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph expected. Coastal flood warning: Atlantic and Cape May counties from 5 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Saturday. The greatest impacts from coastal flooding are expected with the Thursday evening high tide. Locally major flooding impacts are possible. Coastal flood warning: Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and southeastern Burlington counties until 2 a.m. Saturday. One to two feet of inundation above ground level possible in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways. High surf advisory: Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties now until Friday at 6 p.m. Large breaking waves of 5 to 8 feet are expected in the surf zone on Wednesday, and breaking waves as high as 7 to 12 feet are expected on Thursday. Rip current alert: Forecasters are warning beach-goers about a high risk of life-threatening rip currents at all ocean beaches in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties on Wednesday and Thursday, possibly extending into Friday. Red warning flags are displayed in Seaside Heights banning swimming due to rough surf and dangerous rip currents generated by Hurricane Erin. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Areas shaded in red have the highest risk of coastal flooding from Hurricane Erin's strong winds pushing water onto land, especially during high tide cycles on Thursday. National Weather Service Current weather radar Thank you for relying on us to provide the local weather news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. Made possible thanks to National Lottery players, the project aims to progress the post-excavation analysis of at least 14 archaeological digs undertaken in Barnstaple during the 1970s and 1980s, firmly placing Barnstaple on the archaeological map. Development funding has been awarded by the Heritage Fund to help the museum and its development trust progress their plans to apply for a full National Lottery grant at a later date. Additional funding to support the project has also been provided by North Devon Council and Devon County Council, among others. Significant finds date from the 12th century through to the early modern period, and include three 17th century pottery kilns in which the ceramic pots were fired that established North Devons early trade relations with the Americas. The Potted History project will deal with a large backlog of archaeological finds, which are currently housed in museum stores. The aim is to digitise and publish a vast collection of material including the physical finds themselves alongside paper documents and photographs. The project will provide opportunities for volunteering, skills training and community engagement to increase public interest in our regions pottery heritage. It will also provide hands-on opportunities particularly for young people to try out traditional North Devon pottery making skills. A post-excavation archaeologist will be appointed as part of the first phase of the project to conduct a nine-month pilot alongside a team of volunteers. They will develop training programmes in post-excavation techniques and develop procedures for processing large quantities of finds, especially pottery. A detailed report on the Barnstaple Library site excavations will be published together with a detailed three-year plan. In addition, a further funding bid will be made to deal with the remainder of the excavations, fundraising for which is already underway. The Potted History is not only said to be of local and national significance but is of great interest to those working with ceramic finds overseas too. Large quantities of North Devon pots were extensively traded to Wales and Ireland, and even to the emerging colonies in the USA and Canada where fragments are frequently found in archaeological excavations. Alison Mills, director of the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon said: The amazing archaeological discoveries in Barnstaple in the 1970s and 1980s have been waiting to be analysed and published for decades. We are thrilled to have received this initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we can now develop our plans to share Barnstaples potted history with local people and a worldwide audience. Stuart McLeod, director of England London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: Were delighted to offer our initial support to the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon. This project will uncover and share the regions rich archaeological heritage and shine a light on Barnstaples fascinating past, offering new opportunities for learning, volunteering, and community engagement. We look forward to working with the team to progress their plans to apply for a full grant at a later date. The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon invites anyone interested in finding out more about the project or joining the team of volunteers to get in touch. Donations to support the project are welcome via the museum website: https://barnstaplemuseum.org.uk/support-us The News in Brief Wednesday, August 20, 2025 A Georgian citizen was illegally detained by Russian occupation forces on August 19 near the village of Kveshi in the Gori municipality, close to the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region, the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) reported.According to the SSSG, the co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions and Georgia's international partners were immediately informed of the detention. The agency stressed that every available mechanism has been activated to secure the release of the detained citizen as quickly as possible."The responsibility for all destructive acts committed in the occupied territories of Georgia, as well as along the occupation line, lies with the occupying power," the SSSG said, directly holding Russia accountable for the incident.The illegal detention comes amid ongoing tensions along the occupation line, where Russian forces frequently carry out so-called "borderization" activities and detain Georgian citizens under various pretexts.The European Union Delegation to Georgia highlighted the country's EU membership aspirations as a step toward a more secure and stable future. In a statement posted on social media, the delegation emphasized the EU's long-standing role in fostering peace and cooperation in Europe."The European Union was created in the 1950s to rebuild a continent devastated by war. Today it is the most peaceful region in the world, where former rivals work together to achieve prosperity," the delegation said. The statement noted that since the EU's founding, the continent has experienced more than 70 years without war, describing this as a historic achievement in establishing long-lasting peace."Georgia's path toward EU membership is a path leading to a safer and more secure future, which means becoming part of this historic peace project," the statement concluded.The political parties Lelo - Strong Georgia and Gakharia for Georgia have selected Irakli Kupradze, Secretary General of Strong Georgia, as their joint candidate for mayor of Tbilisi in the upcoming October 4 local elections. The announcement was made at an event held in Rike Park.During the presentation, Tazo Datunashvili, one of the leaders of Lelo - Strong Georgia, called on supporters to commit fully to the campaign. "Fight to the end, fight with every possibility, and fight only until victory," he said.Datunashvili framed the campaign as a mission to protect Georgia from external threats, stating, "Let's save Georgia once again from conquest, let's save this country from the Russian boot. This is the mission we wake up with, and this is the mission we go to sleep with."Ana Buchukuri, leader of Gakharia for Georgia, expressed optimism about the cooperation between the two parties. "We are confident that our cooperation will continue successfully. We are not fighting against each other, we are fighting against the system that replaced democracy with autocracy," she said. Airtel Tanzania has reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zanzibar Communication and ICT Infrastructure Agency (ZICTIA) that outlines a framework to collaborate on key infrastructure projects in Zanzibar to expand access to telecoms and internet services. According to media reports on Tuesday, the MoU calls for Airtel Tanzania and ZICTIA to initiate projects that will improve broadband connectivity, boost digital inclusion, and deliver technology-driven community support services. Apart from infrastructure, Airtel Tanzania and ZICTIA will also work together to promote financial inclusion by making digital financial services more accessible and convenient for users. According to Tanzanian newspaper The Guardian, Zanzibars Minister for Infrastructure, Communication and Transport, Khalid Salum Mohammed, described the agreement as a milestone in advancing the governments digital agenda. We believe in public-private partnerships, not just as policy, but as a practical pathway to accelerate e-government, e-learning, e-health and e-commerce especially in underserved communities, he said in a statement. We are investing in infrastructure and partnerships that empower communities, support government priorities, and position Zanzibar for a future defined by innovation and inclusive growth, added Airtel Tanzania MD Charles Kamoto. Ghana and Burkina Faso have reportedly begun a bilateral meeting to address cross-border signal interference. The National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana and Autorite de Regulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes (ARCEP) of Burkina Faso began the meeting, held virtually, on 19 August. The meeting, which was expected to conclude today, brings together representatives from both countries, including regulators and mobile network operators, to deliberate on strategies and finalise a frequency coordination agreement that will help mitigate interference challenges along their common borders. As the Acting Director General of the NCA, Rev Ing Edmund Fianko, noted, Ghana had already signed a frequency agreement with Togo and looked forward to concluding a similar arrangement with Burkina Faso. This initiative was in response to complaints received from consumers along the GhanaBurkina Faso border regarding interference issues. The aim is that provisions will be made for minimum signal strength across the border, and that operators on both sides must comply with the new thresholds once agreed. The meetings provide an opportunity to examine the results of the measurements taken during the last joint spectrum monitoring exercise conducted along the borders of the two countries between October and December 2024. Cross-border interference in Africa has been in the news more than once recently. Earlier this month we reported that the communications regulators of the Congo-Brazzaville and Angola had taken a decisive step in bilateral cooperation in the management of radio frequency spectrum to reduce interference problems along the common border of the two countries, which is 231 kilometres long. Jerry Davich Metro columnist Follow Jerry Davich 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 The mystery began with a recently taken photo of a beat-up, well-traveled footlocker thats been around for decades. It has a rusty padlock, two metal latches, and every corner is reinforced with riveted metal fixtures. Faded letters state, HOWARD HENRY, 4240 E. 13th STREET, GARY INDIANA, U.S.A. Im familiar with the location of the address in the Aetna section of Gary, near where I was raised. This antiquated piece of traveling history is currently a long way from its former home on the east side of the Steel City. Help get this vintage piece to its rightful family, Sandra Alvarez posted on her Facebook page last week. Her niece, Taylor Mori, noticed the footlocker at a thrift shop in Fairfield, California, located 40 miles from Sacramento and 2,000 more miles away from Gary. Her late mother was a U.S. Navy veteran, which added another twist of interest. Taylor saw the address on the trunk and felt a connection, Alvarez told me. I would be grateful if we could find the family. The footlockers original owner, Howard Henry, was born Sept. 3, 1918, in Chicago. He died Oct. 15, 1991, in Vallejo, California. Henry was 73. The inscription on his grave marker states: S. SGT. US ARMY, WORLD WAR II. Henry was married to Rosalie Rose Anne Marzec in Chicago on Aug. 23, 1947. After their divorce in 1960, he moved to California and married Evelyn (Mudd) Fritsch in 1967 in Contra Costa County. After her death in 1988, Henry married a third time to Almeda (Setzer) Howdeshell in 1989 in Nevada, according to records. Henry's findagrave.com page has a memoriam signed, Your son & grandsons, dated April 17, 2010, under the flowers tab, wrote Christian Davis, an amateur genealogist from Crown Point. I've already sent a message to the account that posted this memoriam through the site's internal messaging system. I will also pursue this second generation. Davis, 63, is one of many people who contributed clues, insights or information about the mystery behind the old footlocker after seeing my Facebook post last week. It stated simply, Im sharing this post and photo to help find the proper home for this piece of traveling history. That post was shared more than 200 times, connecting me with dozens of strangers who felt compelled to help find the proper home for the trunk. This aspect about people impressed me more than the old trunk. It taps into our natural curiosity. Just looked up some info, one social media reader commented. The house still exists and stands at that location in Gary built in 1956, so this owner must have lived there in the late 50s/early 60s. Howard A. Henry lived at that address in 1957! He was a field worker, another person wrote. I found the obit for Rose Anne, someone else commented. She and Howard have a son named James, who lives in Vacaville, California, at least as of 2008 when she passed. Pieces to the digital puzzle began to take shape. I'm confident (99th percentile) that I've located Henry's son in Seattle. Awaiting a response, Davis told me. At least one of the sons stayed in Gary and later graduated from Northwestern. That would be Howard Nolan Henry. He's the informant on this death certificate. Rose Anne Henrys death certificate from 2008 lists the same Gary address. She may have died in that home, I was told. So if their son James lived in Vacaville, and the trunk was found in Vacaville, its likely that James either died or is downsizing and donated the trunk, Davis concluded. Who knows how many purposes that footlocker has had. Or what items were once inside. Or all the destinations it has traveled. If only the footlocker could talk and share its story firsthand. Instead, strangers are left to chase ghosts and surviving family members who may want nothing to do with this cross-country mystery. It's a fine balance fraught with potential peril when dealing with family histories, Davis said. You never know what you may uncover. You have to be tenacious when searching for needles in haystacks. Genealogy became a passion for Davis because his father knew so very little about his own father's family. Social media is often a more productive method. But there's no guarantee a person will respond. At least one person went to that Gary home to see if anyone there was interested in the trunk. I'm not sure how that turned out. When it comes to genealogy, Ive learned that savvy sleuths can be a determined bunch. People have a natural tendency to help unpack an intriguing mystery. Similar to that old trunk, its not about the destination but the journey. Love following these kinds of stories. The history is so awesome, one woman wrote on my post. Janice Cagle, a Hammond native living in Georgia, said she picks up old Bibles at yard sales and reunites them with families. It is always an amazing journey and so far no one has refused my goodwill, she told me. Alvarez said people from California, New York, Florida, and other states have since joined the mystery. And of course family and friends in Northwest Indiana, she said. On Tuesday, her niece returned to that thrift shop in Fairfield, California, to see if the footlocker is still available, for $40. It's still there, waiting to be claimed by anyone interested in its history, or just history. Maps: How Ukraines Frontline Has Moved President Vladimir V. Putins demand that Ukraine cede the entirety of the Donbas region before Russia stops fighting has highlighted a central question of any negotiations: where to draw a border both sides could accept. But finding a solution will be fraught. President Volodymyr Zelensky flatly rejected Russias proposal, invoking Ukraines Constitution, which states that its territory is indivisible and inviolable. Russia Kharkiv Area of the Donbas still held by Ukraine. Donbas Ukraine 228 miles Ukraine Held by Russia Source: Institute for the Study of War with American Enterprise Institutes Critical Threats Project (extent of Russian-held areas) Note: As of Aug. 17, 2025 The New York Times Ukraine has long said that its goal is to restore the borders that were in place before Russia first invaded more than a decade ago. Mr. Putin has shown no willingness to end his pursuit of the Donbas. Agreeing to a new border will require formalizing a 750-mile front that has violently shifted sometimes in Ukraines favor, other times in Russias for years. Here is a look at Russias advances into Ukrainian territory since it first invaded Crimea in 2014. 2014-2022: Russian invasion of Crimea and the Donbas Russian-held territory Kyiv Kharkiv Ukraine Donbas Kherson Crimea Note: As of Feb. 24, 2022 The New York Times Russian forces seized Crimea, a peninsula extending from Ukraines southern coast, in 2014. Mr. Putin then annexed the territory, a move that is not recognized internationally, after staging a widely disputed referendum. Later that year, Russian-backed separatist forces also seized territory in eastern Ukraine. Fierce fighting saw approximately one-third of the Donbas occupied by Russian-backed forces, which declared breakaway republics. Separatists fought against the Ukrainian Army along a largely static front line until the full-scale invasion in 2022. 2022 Russian invasion Russian-held territory Kyiv Kharkiv Ukraine Dnipro R. Donbas Kherson Russia Crimea Note: As of March 31, 2022 The New York Times Russia made sweeping territorial gains in the first month of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its forces seized a wide corridor of territory connecting Crimea to the Donbas; launched a massive assault toward Kyiv, Ukraines capital; and advanced deeper into eastern Ukraine. By late March, Russia had reached the high watermark of its territorial control of Ukraine. 2022 Ukrainian counteroffensives Russian-held territory Kyiv Kharkiv Ukraine Dnipro R. Donbas Kherson Russia Crimea Note: As of Nov. 30, 2022 The New York Times After failing to capture Kyiv, Russia withdrew from northern Ukraine in April 2022 to refocus efforts on the Donbas. Later that year, Ukrainian forces mounted two huge counteroffensives, recapturing most of the Kharkiv region in the east, then pushing Russian forces back across the Dnipro River in the south and regaining control of Kherson city. By November 2022, Russia was forced out of many areas it had seized earlier in the war. Today Russian-held territory Kyiv Kharkiv Ukraine Luhansk Dnipro R. Sloviansk Kramatorsk Donetsk Kherson Russia Crimea Note: As of Aug. 17, 2025 The New York Times Since then, Russia has continued to push forward across much of the 750-mile front, although it has failed to make a significant breakthrough. Recently, Russia has made its largest territorial gains since the summer of 2022, capturing more than 200 square miles in July, according to open-source estimates. Most of its advances have resulted from assaults by small groups of infantry, often moving on foot or by motorbike. But Russia is still some way from achieving full control of the Donbas, which the Kremlin typically sees as comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine. Moscow now controls almost all of Luhansk, but Ukraine still controls more than 2,500 square miles of territory in Donetsk. The territory Ukraine holds in Donetsk is among the most heavily fortified areas of the front, and includes two major cities, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, which have served as a Ukrainian military hub since 2014. A Ukrainian withdrawal from that area would see it lose its defensive positions. At least 200,000 Ukrainians also still live on the land. The Invisible Target in Iran Why is it so difficult to know how much damage U.S. strikes did to the underground Fordo nuclear site? For the same reason it was so hard to hit in the first place. Ventilation shafts More than 260 ft. under the mountain FORDO NUCLEAR FACILITY Ventilation shafts More than 260 ft. under the mountain FORDO NUCLEAR FACILITY Ventilation shafts (exact shape unknown) Centrifuges FORDO NUCLEAR FACILITY Ventilation shafts (exact shape unknown) Centrifuges FORDO NUCLEAR FACILITY Size of each bomb Six bombs hit each target FORDO NUCLEAR FACILITY Six bombs hit each target Ventilation shafts (exact shape unknown) Size of each bomb FORDO NUCLEAR FACILITY Pressure from the blast LOW HIGH Second blasts shock wave Shock wave through shaft FORDO NUCLEAR FACILITY Pressure from the blast LOW HIGH Shock wave through shaft Second blasts shock wave FORDO NUCLEAR FACILITY A graphic shows a model of Fordo, Irans nuclear enrichment facility built deep under a mountain, and the ventilation shafts running down to it. At the end, a blast simulation shows what a shock wave through the facility could have looked like. On June 22, the United States launched an attack on Fordo, an Iranian nuclear enrichment facility buried deep within a mountain, using the deepest-penetrating conventional bomb the United States has ever built. The U.S. strike targeted two ventilation shafts, hitting each with a cascade of six GBU-57 bombs, fracturing the layers of rock and concrete shielding the underground facility. The bombs probably did not reach the chamber holding the centrifuges critical to Irans nuclear program, Defense Department officials said. The goal, they indicated, was to destroy them with shock waves and other effects of the blasts. Note: The floor plan is based on a report from the Institute for Science and International Security. The shock wave simulation, for illustrative purposes only, was created by Viper Applied Science and depicts a scenario in which the blasts occurred in the ventilation shaft about 60 feet from the facility and in which the facility has no blast doors. The simulation shows detonations of two bombs, with the second blast occurring two seconds after the first. Without access to the site, it may be quite some time before outside experts can gauge exactly how seriously Fordo was damaged, though a recent U.S. assessment described it as badly damaged. But a look at the bomb used and the facilitys structure, as well as an assessment of the sites geology, offers some clues. The bomb Ballistics and blast experts describe the GBU-57 as akin to a giant bullet. Dropped from a B-2 bomber, the 30,000-pound bomb, which includes more than 5,000 pounds of explosives, hits the ground at around supersonic speed before detonating. As powerful as it is, even a bomb like the GBU-57 is not certain to destroy a hardened target buried deep in the rock of a mountainside, experts say. How deep the GBU-57 could go in limestone-like material 1 The bombs speed and weight make it smash through the ground ... 0 ft. Shallow crater 2 leaving a shallow crater and a fracture zone after detonation. 20 40 3 Fracture zone The fractured rock allows a second bomb to penetrate deeper than the first. 60 4 The next bombs would reach various depths depending on rock damage, which can be highly variable. 80 The enrichment facility is estimated to be 260 to 360 feet deep. 100 1 How deep the GBU-57 could go in limestone-like material The bombs speed and weight make it smash through the ground 2 leaving a shallow crater and a fracture zone after detonation. 3 The fractured rock allows a second bomb to penetrate deeper than the first. 0 ft. Shallow crater 20 First bomb could penetrate 13-36 ft. 40 Fracture zone 60 The second bomb could reach up to 105 ft. 80 4 The next bombs would reach various depths depending on rock damage, which can be highly variable. 100 The enrichment facility is estimated to be 260 to 360 feet deep. Note: Ranges are approximate and based on a homogenous limestone-like material without air cavities or concrete structures. In ignimbrite, a type of volcanic rock that several geologists say may be found at Fordo, one estimate showed the first bomb could fall within limestone ranges, though further estimates were not available. Source: Estimates for The New York Times by Raymond Daddazio, senior consultant and president emeritus at Thornton Tomasetti, an engineering and applied science firm A rough estimate shows that a 30,000-pound projectile moving faster than the speed of sound would travel at most five to 10 meters up to around 35 feet into several common types of rock, including those most likely found at Fordo, said Ryan Hurley, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Johns Hopkins and an expert on the behavior of rocks in extreme conditions. Most estimates put Fordos depth at somewhere between 260 and 360 feet. Fractures left by the first blast could allow subsequent bombs to reach deeper, but just how far is hard to predict. Mr. Hurley and other experts said that a precise calculation of the damage was impossible without advanced computer simulations, classified data on real-world tests, the exact speed and shape of the bomb, and extensive knowledge of Fordos structure and the geology of the site. The ventilation shafts When the strike planners looked for vulnerabilities in Fordos structure, they zeroed in on the ventilation shafts that open to the mountainside above the bunker, which would allow them to avoid trying to blast their way through the hard rock above the facility. The main shafts did not go straight down, said a Defense Department official familiar with the decision making, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. They zigged and zagged somewhat at the top, meaning that the path to the bunker was not a straight shot until toward the end. Ventilation shafts Ventilation shafts Zigzagging vents meant each bomb was expected to hit a mix of air, rock and concrete. A zigzag design could also mean that the facility did not sit directly under the bombs' path. Facility Facility Ventilation shafts U.S. officials assumed that the vent zigzagged, so each bomb was expected to hit a variable mix of air, rock and concrete. Facility Ventilation shafts A zigzag design could also mean that the facility did not sit directly under the bombs' path. Facility Ventilation shafts Ventilation shafts Zigzagging vents meant each bomb was expected to hit a mix of air, rock and concrete. A zigzag design could also mean that the facility did not sit directly under the bombs' path. Facility Facility The exact shape of the ventilation shafts was unclear, but angles would mean the bombs would encounter a combination of rock and open tunnels. Planners decided that they would need multiple bombs. Each of the shafts opened to a trident shape at the top, according to a June 26 Pentagon briefing. In both locations, the aim was to blow off a concrete cap with one bomb and drop five more down the main shaft. The geology The damage that a GBU-57 or a succession of them causes depends on the geology at the point of impact. Several geologists consulted by The New York Times said that an Iranian survey of the Fordo area, published in 2020 in Geopersia, an academic journal from the University of Tehran, indicates that the rock there consists largely of ignimbrite, a type of volcanic rock. Caspian Sea Alborz Mountains VOLCANIC ROCKS Tehran IRAN Fordo The rocks at Fordo appear to be ignimbrite. Qom IRAN 30 miles Caspian Sea Alborz Mountains Qazvin Tehran VOLCANIC ROCKS Fordo The rocks at Fordo appear to be ignimbrite. Qom IRAN IRAN 30 miles Source: U.S. Geological Survey Note: A more detailed geological survey published in Geopersia about the area surrounding Fordo further specified the type of volcanic rock as ignimbrite. Ignimbrite is a great thing to dig into, said Yizhaq Makovsky, a geoscientist and associate professor at the University of Haifa in Israel. He said that the ancient, subterranean dwellings in Cappadocia, in central Turkey, were carved into ignimbrite. Some of those structures have multiple levels, connecting tunnels and hundreds of entrances. The precise grade, or hardness, of the ignimbrite around Fordo is unclear, Professor Makovsky said, but as in Cappadocia, the material probably made it easier to build an underground bunker. Visually, the ignimbrite around Fordo appears to be relatively soft, he said, but closer study would be required to be certain. Ignimbrite offered another advantage for the Iranians, he said. Because it is relatively porous, it may act to tamp down damaging shock waves, like those from the American bombs. In that way, he said, ignimbrite may act like sacks of sand around old forts, put up to stop the bullets. Nick Glumac, an engineering professor and explosives expert at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said there was little doubt about the cushioning effect of ignimbrite, or volcanic tuff. Tuff is well known in the blast community as a very efficient absorber of energy one of the absolute best, Professor Glumac said. Porous materials like that are used in many applications to limit the damage zone associated with blast from a high explosive. The facility The Fordo complex also had multiple stories, the Defense Department official said, increasing the number of bombs the United States calculated it needed to use to destroy the centrifuges and other equipment. Multiple underground stories may have dissipated the force of the blast. Ventilation shaft Shock wave Multiple underground stories may have dissipated the force of the blast. Ventilation shaft Shock wave And the bunker could have been protected in other ways. Iran is a major producer of concrete, and Iranian researchers have published papers on concrete mixed with minuscule steel fibers and other strengthening materials. By forming a bridge across tiny cracks when the concrete is stressed, the fibers can make concrete more resistant to blasts or impact, said Clay Naito, a professor of structural engineering at Lehigh University whose research focuses on the performance of reinforced concrete. The use of fibers can double or triple the tensile strength, and allow the cracks to remain stable, Professor Naito said. That keeps the concrete together to a much greater extent. How much it helps depends on the power of the blast and the specific mix of concrete, he said. Its unclear whether the Iranians put this material into Fordo, but he said it had become routine in the United States to spray concrete on the inside of tunnels with steel fibers as a layer of protection and structural support. More elaborate approaches might involve steel plates to help absorb the shock of an explosion or keep concrete shards from flying off the walls and damaging equipment or injuring personnel. Some of the protective measures in place at Fordo are known. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have over the years described thick-walled chambers separated by heavy, blast-resistant doors. The variables So, how badly was Fordo damaged? A lot depends on how close to the facility any of the bombs detonated. But with so many variables and so many unknowns it may be difficult to ever really be certain. The bombs probably did not reach the centrifuge chambers themselves, although analysts are still conducting detailed assessments, the Defense Department official said. The goal, the official said, was to use the shock waves and other effects of the explosions to destroy the centrifuges. If the bombs did not reach the bunker itself, the explosions could still have caused major damage if they took place just outside it or in a ventilation shaft. In that case, there would be some structural damage where the shock waves hit. And then as we get into the broader tunnels and further out, its having a damaging effect on equipment, said Andrew Nicholson, a director of Viper Applied Science, an Edinburgh-based company that develops blast simulation software and studies the effects of extreme loads on structures. If one or more bombs did manage to reach the bunker, the damage, however significant, might still be limited. I would think it would toast everything pretty substantially, said Peter McDonald, another director at Viper. But as devastating as a blast in the confined space of the bunker would have been for the equipment, Mr. McDonald added, he would not expect a full collapse of Fordo. Structural damage would most likely be limited to areas near the explosion. Damage depends on where the bombs detonated Detonation inside the rock Shock waves and shards of concrete would cause damage. Detonation inside the shaft Shock waves and blast would channel directly into facility. Bomb Detonation inside the facility Facility The blast would be most devastating. Ventilation shafts Detonation inside the rock Shock waves and shards of concrete would cause damage. Bomb Detonation inside the shaft Shock waves and blast would channel directly into facility. Detonation inside the facility Facility The blast would be most devastating. Professor Hurley, the Johns Hopkins mechanical engineering expert, said that the Pentagons overall approach appeared to have been sound. I would say that if they studied the geology and ventilation shafts as carefully as reported, then its likely that they did very significant damage, he said. Thats consistent with the growing confidence of American officials that the strike badly damaged Fordo and wiped out its array of centrifuges. But Jon B. Wolfsthal, the director of global risk at the Federation of American Scientists and an arms control official in the White House during the Obama and Biden administrations, said that how much the U.S. strike on Fordo set back Irans nuclear program would depend on precisely how the shock waves and other effects of the blast tore through the bunker. If its a shock wave, Mr. Wolfsthal said, theres a lot of things there that are being recovered. If its more of a fiery blast, and everythings been destroyed, theres probably very little. But until we know that, I cant do an effective calculation for how much might be left and how much can be salvaged. The Mianhua Library, located near the village of Mianhua, in Chinas Guanxi Province, is a unique library housed in a large grotto, on the side of a rock cliff. Ever since it opened in May of this year, Mianhua Library has been going viral on Chinese social media. Libraries arent usually very popular online, but this isnt your regular library; its an incredible attraction not only for book lovers but also for travelers in search of stunning vistas. Nestled on the edge of a towering cliff, surrounded by lush greenery, Mianhua Library looks like something created with artificial intelligence, but its actually a real place that anyone can visit as long as they can make the trek there. The exterior of the library makes quite a first impression with its rock-hanging wooden walkways and balconies, but its the inside that really takes your breath away. Mianhua Library is located inside a large grotto with thousands of books lining its irregular walls. The library is situated in a rural area, but although it provides access to books for the local community, it is more of a tourist attraction that has already drawn in visitors from all over the country. For more incredible-looking bookstores, check out Dujiangyan Zhongshuge, in in Dujiangyan, China, and the worlds largest monastic library at Admont Abbey, in Austria. India has signed Mercury Public Affairs to a $75K monthly retainer contract as Donald Trumps threat to double the 25 percent tariff on it for the purchase of Russian oil looms Mercury is to provide strategic communications services including federal lobbying, media relations, digital audit, social media strategy and advertising. The 50 percent tariff, which is supposed to go into effect Aug. 27, would cover about $50B in Indian exports to the US. Trumps tariff policy has brought together India and its rival China. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met with India prime minister Narendra Modi on Aug 19 in New Delhi. He said the countries should view each other as partners rather than adversaries or threats, according to a statement from Chinas foreign ministry. They should coexist against a backdrop of unilateral bullying, Wang added. Mercury partners David Vitter (former Louisiana Republican Senator), and Bryan Lanza (communications director for the 2020 Trump transition team) represent India. The six-member team includes Kevin Thomas (Mercurys Long Island co-chair and the first Indian-American elected to the New York State Senate.) Mercurys three-month contact with India went into effect on Aug. 15. Omniconm owns Mercury. When is Putin going to throw a bone to his poodle? How about never? How much further will shameless Donald Trump debase himself? He literally rolled out the red carpet for the convicted war criminal in Anchorage, and then gave the former KGB operative a childish wave as he approached. What did he get in return? Trump had the audacity to exit the White House meeting with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelinsky and other European leaders to make a phone call to his master to apparently receive his marching orders. He dropped his demand for a ceasefire in Ukraine, jettisoned promised sanctions against Russia and now supports Putins land swap deal, including territory under Ukrainian control. While calling for European peacekeepers in Ukraine, Trump has vowed there will be no American boots on the ground there, as long as he is president. The US president gets downright starry-eyed and weak in the knees at the mere mention of Putins name. Prior to the beginning of the DC summit, he whispered to French president Emmanuel Macron about Putin: I think he wants to make a deal. I think he wants to make a deal for me. Do you understand? As crazy as it sounds. Thinking Putin is itching to make a deal with Trump is totally bonkers. The only deal that Putin wants to make with Trump is the US sell-out of Ukraine, and the possibility of Alaska returning to Russian control. Trumps fawning fixation on Putin is sick and a far cry from another Republican president, Ronald Reagan, who demanded that Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall. Reagan understood that Russian leaders only respond to firmness and strength. Trump is wishy-washy and weak. If The Gipper was around today, he would seize Russias foreign assets and earmark them for economic development and rebuilding of Ukraine, ratchet up sanctions on Russia and its trading partners, and expedite the flow of US weapons into the war zone. And he would have put Trumps conversation with Putin on speaker phone to be heard by all the European leaders who attended the DC summit. Thats what allies do. Sinking fast Donald Trumps net approval rateshare who approve minus those who disapprove has plunged to -15 points, according to The Economists presidential approval tracker. He had a +3 points positive rating in January. Only fourteen states gave Trump a positive net approval rating. They ranged from Idaho (+46.6 points) to South Carolina (+0.1 points). Trump has negative ratings in places that voted for him and are considered ruby red. Those states include Texas (-11.9 points), Indiana (-5 points), Florida (-4.4 points), Missouri (-4.2 percent), Mississippi (-3.5 points), and Louisiana (-0.8 points). The District of Columbia, which is currently occupied by National Guard troops, scored highest in the net Trump disapproval category at -74.8 points. Maryland (-38.5 points), Massachusetts (-38.2 points), Hawaii (-37.9 points), California (-33.1 points), and Washington (-32.4 points) followed. My hunch: Trumps disapproval numbers will skyrocket once the cutbacks from his One Big Bonkers Bill kick in. Good luck, Mark Exiting WPP CEO Mark Read finally got some good news as Mastercard shifts its $180M global media business to WPP Media from Carat. Thats a ray of sunshine following WPPs loss of Coca-Colas $700M North American media buying account in May, and the $1.7B Mars global business in June. Both went to former arch-rival Frances Publicis Group, which is now well ahead of its UK counterpart. Former Publicis CEO Maurice Levy and ex-WPP boss Martin Sorrell relished trashing each other. Those days are long gone. Publicis revenues grew 10 percent during Q2, while WPP numbers slid 12.6 percent. Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun expects his firm to grow five percent organically for the full-year. Read predicted a three to five percent decline in 2025. Mastercard is the first big win for WPP Media, which changed its name from GroupM in May. At that time, Read said GroupM was built for a time when media scale mattered most, WPP Media reflects the power of AI, data and technology and simpler, more integrated solutions. Lets hope WPP Media can help WPP regain its mojo. Microsoft veteran and WPP board member Cindy Rose takes over for Read on Sept. 1. She will have her hands full. Gardai are investigating several reports of Electric Picnic ticket scams. Ireland's biggest music and arts festival weekend returns to Stradbally on August 29, with tickets all sold out, except for resale tickets. A spokesperson confirmed that multiple scams have been reported to Laois Offaly Garda Division, "We are investigating a number of reported Electric Picnic ticket scams. An investigation is underway," they said. The Garda spokesperson advise the public on how to avoid getting caught, now easily done with instant money transfers. "We are advising people to be very cautious buying tickets away from official channels, and to only use official sites to buy tickets. "People are going on a photograph of a ticket that could already have been sold. Be vigilant," the Laois Garda spokesperson said. Electric Picnic organisers Festival Republic also have advice on avoiding getting scammed. "If you see tickets for Electric Picnic advertised anywhere other than on Ticketmaster you stand a good chance of getting ripped off and possibly being refused entry. The most usual reasons are listed below. "Festival Republic will be unable to assist you if you have bought from an unauthorised source, as we will have no purchase history available for the ticket. "All event tickets are checked by our staff at entry to the event and again at the wristband exchange for camping shows any forged tickets will be confiscated from you, you will not be permitted to the event and you may face questioning from the police. "We do not issue Print at home tickets for Electric Picnic, any tickets that are offered for sale fitting that description are a scam. "A second common scam occurs when genuine tickets, have already been cancelled by the seller with Ticketmaster, and are then sold to an unsuspecting fan. These may appear to be genuine when received, but will not scan at the gates when you arrive on site. To be as safe as you can and to avoid obtaining a suspect ticket, follow these simple guidelines: "Do not buy from an unofficial ticket agent The only authorised ticket agent for Electric Picnic is Ticketmaster. Do not buy from internet auction sites. Do not buy a ticket online without seeing its face value. Do not pay more than the authorised standard booking fee per ticket. These are displayed on Ticketmaster. If you live in Ireland do not buy from a website with an overseas office address or with no registered address shown. Do not buy from another individual or tout, either in advance in your home town, or outside the event. "If you ignore these pointers you are likely to pay a lot of money for something worthless as your ticket will be invalid." Electric Picnic has an increased capacity of 80,000 for 2025. Headliners this year include Hozier, Sam Fender, Kings of Leon, Chappel Roan, Fat Boy Slim and Becky Hill. A family living in Mayo who have Eyrecourt roots, are suffering with one of the hardest blows for any family in recent months. In mid June of this year, they lost their three year old daughter Saoirse to leukaemia as a result of rare a serious genetic condition. Now their one year old daughter Eabha is fighting for her life and needs a lifesaving bone marrow transplant as she has the same genetic condition that her sister died from. Little Eabha Duggan is presently in the Dutch city of Utrecht, at the Prinses Maxima Centrum, undergoing tests ahead of a bone marrow transplant. Such specialised treatment cannot be carried out in Ireland so the family has to travel to the Netherlands to this world leading specialist childrens hospital, just weeks after they buried their eldest daughter. Martina OBrien from Eyrecourt, just over the bridge from Banagher, is married to Tommy Duggan and living in Claremorris. Martinas parents Pat and Rose are well known because they have many relations spread throughout the Midlands. We are devastated and distraught at what is happening to our grandchildren and our daughter and her husband, Pat said. No parents should have to bury a child, its cruel and now to think the second child is fighting for her life, its unimaginable, he said with tears in his eyes. Three year old Saoirse underwent a bone marrow transplant in February 2024 and the initial prognosis was positive, but sadly the cancer returned just months before she passed away in June. Pat explained that the family had little or no time to grieve the loss of their child with their attentions turning to their second child who is now fighting her own battle. Not to mention the massive costs involved, said Pat. He went on to explain that the family could be a long time away if all goes well for Eabha because she will need considerable monitoring for a long time to come. A few weeks ago, Martinas sister Anne Marie Kenny, alongside her friend Louise Clarke, set up a Go-Fund-Me-Page to help the family meet with the massive costs involved. Their target initially was 40,000 and to date, over 128,000 has been raised in support of Eabha. This is every familys worst nightmare but heartbreakingly for the Duggan family, this is their second time down this road. Martina and Tommy are heartbroken at the loss of Saoirse and now to have to deal with this is beyond belief, Pat said. At least the Go Fund Me page will provide some financial relief to Tommy and Martina so that they can focus their full attention on Eabhas care. The family are extremely grateful to everyone and overwhelmed by the incredible support they are receiving because while the medical costs for Eabhas treatment are covered by the HSE, There are still considerable costs incurred by the family that must be met. Such a horrible nightmare for any family to go through, certainly touches the hearts of everyone. People are extremely generous at times like this and we are very thankful, said Pat. The family are hoping that medical science can help little Eabha who is well and doesnt have leukaemia at this time but its important and indeed its vital that she gets all the medical help and treatment she needs before it does occur as it could be too late then like her big sister who was diagnosed in late 2023 but lost her battle to this rare genetic condition. If you would like to contribute to the fundraiser just go to the link below https://www.gofundme.com/f/together-for-eabha-duggan-mayobonemarrowtransplant Gaelscoil na Laochra are seeking a new secretary to join their growing school community for 10 hours per week. Applicants should have a good level of Irish and be willing to undertake further training in the language if required. The position is subject to the terms of circular 36/2022 revision of salaries and annual leave arrangements for school secretaries. The entry-level for this role is on the first point of the scale unless the candidate has previous work experience in this field. The position is subject to a 6-month probationary period and satisfactory Garda Vetting. The successful candidate will be required to undertake TUSLA child protection training. The school secretary will be an integral part of the school community, working closely with the school principal, and will manage the school office in a welcoming, professional and discreet manner. The successful candidate will have/be: - Excellent interpersonal and communication skills - Proficiency in ICT including word processing, spreadsheets, email etc. - Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team - Reliability, trustworthiness and strict adherence to confidentiality - Flexibility and be adaptable to the needs of the school - Proactive in identifying improvements to ensure smooth systems and procedures - A positive outlook - A willingness to engage in continuous professional development Essential Skills & Experience: - Administrative and secretarial skills - Proficiency in ICT and office applications - Excellent interpersonal skills, including oral and written communication skills -Excellent organisational skills, ensuring good record-keeping, filing (hard copy and electronically) and adherence to school procedures & policies - Knowledge of GDPR & Data Protection requirements - Liaising with parents, staff, pupils, service providers, school suppliers, Parents Association and visitors - To be aware of and comply with school policies and procedures, particularly regarding child safeguarding, health and safety, confidentiality and data protection and report any concerns -Knowledge in operating and maintaining a school online banking and payment system -Previous secretarial experience desirable - Financial administration experience desirable The ideal candidate would have knowledge and experience in using some or all of the following; Aladdin, Esinet, Payroll, FSSU accounting templates, Microsoft Office, Medmark, TUSLA returns and other school applications. Key Duties & Responsibilities: - Assisting the Principal and staff in managing school correspondence, communication by post, email, telephone and other school platforms being used - Assisting the Treasurer in maintaining all financial records, FSSU monthly reports and managing online payments - Updating, managing and storing school records in compliance with GDPR and all other regulatory requirements - Maintaining school and office supplies and operating all office machines - photocopier/laminator etc - Attend meetings and events as required - Assisting the Principal in the administration of the school enrolment process -Assisting with drafting and presentation of school documents - Assisting with general school admin, office management: procurement, organisation of school events and activities, liaison with service providers and suppliers - Other duties as allocated by the principal Interviews begin on September 8. This will be confirmed upon completion of shortlisting and only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Requirements to apply for this role include a letter of application, references and a digital CV. Applications may be submitted by email to foluntas@gaelscoilnalaochra.com. The roll number is 20461B. Further enquiries can be made by contacting priomhoide@gaelscoilnalaochra.com or calling 087-4394549 *Sponsored Content In Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered, E.F. Schumacher's 1973 book, he explained that the owner of a utility does not matter nearly as much as its size. Seven years later, in Human Scale, Kirkpatrick Sale advocated for human endeavors at scales we can comprehend. He explained that whenever any enterprise (not just a utility, but also an apartment complex, bank, health-care system, school system, news outlet, corporation or food production) gets big, it becomes unmanageable. He called for a retreat from globalization and human scale governance. Fifty and 45 years later, I wonder if small is possible. Take the Internet. Online, every request requires manufacturing an individual computer (one smartphone has 125+ substances, each with its own intercontinental supply chain); access networks (with each antenna requiring manufacturing, electricity and backup battery power); and data storage centers (with every server requiring manufacturing, electricity, cooling systems and water for cooling). Consider solar PVs, battery energy storage, or wind turbines. For starters, solar panels, concrete mounts, chemicals, inverters, turbine blades, electrical wiring, each engage the global super-factory during manufacturing and delivery: renewables ecological impacts are Not Small. Plus, at end-of-life, every electronic device (including solar panels, batteries and laptops) is hazardous waste. Our discard system for hazardous, non-biodegradeable waste is intercontinental. Not small. How do we say no to Unimaginably Large Scale Infrastructure? Just by sending you this substack and your reading it we've each engaged it. Let's return to small: Walk more. Quit using the dryer and hang your laundry. Resist buying anything new (don't engage that global super-factory). Keep what we have in good repair. Pay children to grow food and compost kitchen scraps (see more about that below). Practice an electronic Sabbath. Say thanks for what we have. RESISTING BIG Congress is now considering bills that would strip local government's ability to enact protective regulation around data centers. Tell your Congress Members: Stop efforts to prevent state and local governments from regulating data centers. Tuscon recently rejected a massive data center proposal. The city of Saint Charles, Missouri, has entered a non-disclosure agreement with developers of a massive data center, keeping the project's impacts on their electricity rates and water quality undisclosed. Nearby residents can't vote on this proposal. Councilors will vote August 19th. Alas, alas. Unregulated, artificial intelligence involves unsustainable amounts of water, fossil fuels, toxic waste, and increased electricity costs. CleanEnergyCoalitionSFC, a group of 1800 Santa Feans who aim for safe transition to renewable energy, warns that no emergency plan can protect the community from the fire risks involved with AES' proposed 680-acre Rancho Viejo solar project. Its BESS (battery energy storage) facility would house 570,000 lithium-ion batteries in an area where high winds are common. Santa Fe City and County have hastily scheduled a Wildfire Town Hall with PNM Wednesday, August 20th at 5:30 at the Santa Fe Farmer's Market Pavilion perhaps to assure residents of the AES BESS facility's safety. Beware of battery energy storage systems. Emotionally intelligent AI companions, sex partners and therapists (they SOUND human) are now revved to help relieve our species from messy, agitating, unavailable people. Adults report forming profound connections and even falling in love with these robots. The effects of childrens' interactions with chatbot companions on their development, relationships and self-concept over time remain unknown. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Police continue to search for the person suspected of robbing a Vancouver bank branch and escaping on a bicycle late Monday morning. The suspect implied they had a gun during the robbery at the U.S. Bank at 6704 NE 117th Avenue, the Clark County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. Surveillance video in Vancouver shows a bank robbery suspect on a bike. Clark County Sheriff's Office There were no reported injuries during the incident. The sheriffs office stated that the suspect robbed the bank but didnt say how much money was taken. Authorities released security footage showing the suspect during the robbery and afterward on a bike, and they asked anyone who might have information about the persons identity to contact Sgt. Adam Beck at adam.beck@clark.wa.gov. -- The Oregonian/OregonLive Ethan J. Foltz was identified as the administrator of the Rapper Bot that infected digital video recorders, Wi-Fi routers or other computers with malware in the U.S. as well in China, Japan and Ireland, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alaska. Canva for NJ.com A 22-year-old Eugene man has been accused of developing one of the worlds most powerful hacking networks and renting it out to others to conduct large-scale cyberattacks targeting victims including Elon Musks social media site X -- in more than 80 countries. Ethan J. Foltz was identified as the administrator of the Rapper Bot that infected digital video recorders, Wi-Fi routers or other computers with malware in the U.S. as well in China, Japan and Ireland, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alaska. Rapper Bot clients would then issue commands to the infected devices to send large volumes of traffic to victim computers and servers, prosecutors allege in the complaint. Such attacks cause companies lost revenue, loss of customers and added expenses to respond to attacks. The complaint also alleges that some Rapper Bot customers leveraged attack volumes to extort the companies affected. Elliott R. Peterson, an agent with the U.S. Department of Defenses Office of Inspector General, said the Rapper Bot was a variant that evolved from malware called Mirai that had been published on a Hackforums website in 2016. The administrators of the Mirai malware were prosecuted and convicted in federal court in Alaska. The complaint claims that Rapper Bot was used in more than 370,000 attacks with at least 18,000 victims. But investigators suspect the number of victims is in the millions because the bot has operated at least since 2021, Peterson wrote in the affidavit in support of the complaint. The complaint references public reports about a social media site that was the victim of a cyberattack in March as an alleged victim. Musks site was taken down by a cyberattack in March. At the time Musk made claims about the attack being done by a large, coordinated group and/or a country. Rapper Bot has been in operation since at least 2021, the complaint said. The cyberattacks compromised internet sites and systems by flooding them with an enormous amount of traffic, causing them to slow down or crash, Peterson wrote. I believe that Rapper Bot, with roughly 65,000 to 95,000 victim devices, regularly conducted attacks that commonly measured between 2 and 3 terabits per second, or hundreds of times larger than the expected capacity of a typical server located in a data center. Rapper Bots largest attacks may have exceeded 6 Terabits per second, Peterson wrote. This would place Rapper Bot among the most powerful DDoS (Distributed denial of service) botnets to have ever existed, he wrote. Peterson began investigating Rapper Bot after learning that a number of devices affected were in Alaska and were targeting internet companies providing service to the U.S. Department of Defense, the complaint says. Federal investigators searched Foltzs home in Eugene on Aug. 6 and interviewed him there. In a recorded interview, Foltz said he was the primary administrator of Rapper Bot, which he nicknamed CowBot and that his primary partner was someone he knew only as SlayKings, the affidavit says. On Telegram, Foltz used the handle, Special Agent William Stevens Johnson III, the affidavit says. According to the interview, only Foltz and Slaykings had privileges to execute large-scale attacks. Foltz also was asked about the attack on the social media company X in March and acknowledged the attack, saying he had suspended the Rapper Bot customers from his service who had launched it, the affidavit says. Federal investigators halted Rapper Bots attack capabilities and obtained administrative control of it, according to the affidavit. Foltz is charged with aiding and abetting computer intrusions. He remains out of custody but has been issued a summons to appear in federal court in Anchorage in the District of Alaska. Foltz, who does not appear to have any prior criminal record, could not be immediately reached for comment. A relative in Eugene Tuesday declined comment. Todays announcement highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle emerging cyber threats targeting the Department of Defense and the defense industrial base, federal agent Kenneth DeChellis said in a statement. He is in charge of the cyber field office of the Defense Departments criminal investigative service. -- Maxine Bernstein covers federal court and criminal justice. Reach her at 503-221-8212, mbernstein@oregonian.com, follow her on X @maxoregonian, on Bluesky @maxbernstein.bsky.social or on LinkedIn. Student mentors and past participants in the College Assistance Migrant Program, or CAMP, pose in 2021 at Portland Community College. From left, Fatima Sanchez, Joceyn Tapia, Nejdet De Jesus, Alejandra Villanueva, Eulalia Francisco and Sam Gonzalez. Portland Community College The journey to and through college for Marisela Marquez Alonso and her three brothers began at Portland Community College, in a 50-year-old, federally funded program that now hangs in limbo. The four siblings, who mostly grew up in Hillsboro, are the children of migrant farmworkers from Mexico who worked seasonal harvests in Oregon, California and Washington and the first in their family to attend college. To do so, they each relied on the federal College Assistance Migrant Program, or CAMP, to help pay for their first year at Portland Community Colleges Rock Creek Campus and to counsel them and help them navigate through that first year. Theyre among thousands of migrant workers and families who benefited from the program over the past five decades. But current students risk losing the college aid because the Trump administration withheld funds. Marquez Alonso, who today holds an undergraduate degree from Oregon State University and a graduate degree in education leadership from Portland State University, said her family is the definition of why the CAMP program works. Along with financial aid, the program provides specialized tutors, academic advisers and career counseling. One (brother) got his degree in business administration and hes now working for Nike. The other one is a drug and alcohol abuse counselor. I mean, these are careers, professions, that my parents are far away from, she said. Thousands of migrant farm workers and their families have attended and graduated from college with help from the program, which former President Lyndon B. Johnson and his Office of Economic Opportunity established in 1967 as part of the War on Poverty. Johnson also oversaw the creation of the federal Migrant Education Program in 1966, providing K-12 schools with resources to keep the children of migrant farmworkers in school while on the move, and the High School Equivalency Program, or HEP, in 1967, to help migratory and seasonal farmworkers and their family members earn the equivalent of a high school diploma. But in July officials at the U.S. Department of Education told the roughly 100 institutions of higher education across the country that offer those programs including nearly all of Oregons community colleges and Oregon State University that they will not receive $52 million in congressionally allocated funding until the federal education agency and the Office of Management and Budget undertake a programmatic review. The federal officials offered no timeline for when they will end their review and release funds. President Donald Trump proposed eliminating all funding for the Office of Migrant Education in his 2026 budget as part of his broader dismantling of the federal Department of Education. Officials at both the education and budget agencies did not respond to requests for more information or comments. Two paths Greg Contreras, director of the CAMP and HEP programs at Portland Community College and the president of The National HEP/CAMP Association, said federal officials are withholding $474,000 that the college expected to receive in July to run the programs next year. In September, he will have 45 students starting in the College Assistance Migrant Program who might not get scholarship money they expected or many of the specialized services that students before them received. Across the country, more than 8,000 students were slated to be served by the HEP and CAMP programs, according to the association. Were going to have a CAMP orientation in early September, where well share with students two pathways to success: One, if we get our funds, the different services that theyre going to get, he said. The other pathway to success that we want to share with our incoming group of students is if we dont get our funds, what the college can provide for them. Contreras said federal education officials have given him no information about the fate of funding for the programs. Portland Community College has secured other funding for his job through Oct. 8, he said. There are roughly 58 students enrolled in Portland Community Colleges High School Equivalency Program each year, he said. Among the current students is Marquez Alonsos mother, who could be left in limbo if the program is cut. She will have to find a different kind of GED program, Marquez Alonso said. Her father, a recent graduate of the HEP program, just got his diploma in the mail, she said. Federal uncertainty around the migrant education programs has also made a mark on Marquez Alonsos trajectory. She returned to Portland Community College two years ago to work as an adviser for the CAMP program. But she recently took a different academic advising job at the college thats not tied to federal funding. I am in no position not to have a job, she said. I was like, I have to secure something. She said she is unlikely to return to advising for the CAMP program, even if funding comes through. I dont think financially it would be ideal, she said. -- Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon Capital Chronicle is part ofStates Newsroom, the nations largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. Lexie Echols, who rescued the barn owl from a barbed-wire fence in May, releases it back to the wild on Aug. 18, 2025. Claire Peterson/Chintimini Wildlife Center The barn owl whose rescue from a barbed-wire fence in Lebanon went viral on TikTok earlier this year has been rehabilitated and released. After nearly three months in the Chintimini Wildlife Centers hospital in Corvallis, the barn owl was cleared to return to the wild and took flight on Monday. Handlers released it near the spot where it was originally found, a wildlife rehabilitation requirement by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, but a safe distance from the barbed wire. The owl made a full recovery from severe emaciation and barbed-wire wounds, according to a statement from the wildlife center. When it was first brought to the center, its survival was uncertain. This owl underwent multiple surgeries and careful stitching of the wounds, which were located on the wing in locations that must heal perfectly to facilitate flight, the statement said. The owl was moved to a flight cage a few weeks ago, where it continued to regain strength, according to the wildlife center. The rescued barn owl was released into the wild on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, after weeks of rehabilitation. Claire Peterson/Chintimini Wildlife Center The video of the May rescue shows how Lexie Echols, the 31-year-old photographer who discovered the injured owl, untangled the birds wings from the fence and brought it to the center. The video, posted to TikTok, racked up more than 45 million views, six million likes and thousands of comments. Echols, worried the owl wouldnt survive, put a link to donate to the wildlife center in her TikTok bio, which helped raise more than $50,000. On Monday, she helped release the owl back to the wild. It felt like a miracle, knowing from where the owl started, said Echols, who lives in Lebanon. Seeing the owl fly out of the box for the first time was really moving. Echols said she was nervous at first and practiced opening the box with a stuffed animal. The owl took around a minute to fly out of the box after Echols opened it, according to a new video she posted Tuesday. Finally, as Echols kneeled behind the plastic crate, the owl flapped free, soared above a cemetery and landed in a nearby tree. It sat for a moment on a branch, looking down at Echols, before turning and flying away. Maddie Khaw covers breaking news, public safety and more for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach her at mkhaw@oregonian.com. A mob of people wait to get an autograp from Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh while he was at the Little League World Series. John Beauge The 2025 Little League Baseball World Series continues with Tokyo, Japan, facing off with Santa Cruz, Aruba, in this elimination game, with the winner heading to the quarterfinals. The first pitch is scheduled for Wednesday, August 20, at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET (3 p.m. MT) with a live broadcast on ESPN and streaming live on demand. WATCH NOW: 2025 Little League World Series live for FREE with Fubo (free trial), or with a subscription to DIRECTV (free trial). Sling is not currently offering a free trial, but it does have some exciting new options. With their new monthly, weekly, and daily passes, you have a ton of flexibility. What TV channel is Tokyo, Japan vs. Santa Cruz, Aruba on today? Is it streaming free anywhere? When: Wednesday, August 20, at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET (3 p.m. MT). Where: South Williamsport, Pennsylvania TV channel: ESPN How to watch streaming live: You can watch the 2025 Little League World Series live with a free trial from Fubo, or you can catch the action with a subscription to DIRECTV (free trial). Also, check out new offers from Sling. There is no free trial, but theyre now offering monthly, weekly, and daily passes. Complete 2025 Little League World Series schedule When I was a child, my family would pull me down the beach in a little red wagon, wrapped in a sleeping bag to keep me warm. Even from this young age, sand in between my toes and cool water rushing against my ankles has always been an unbeatable feeling. Just like Jamie Hale, my love for the coast started as a baby, and I hope to give similar memories to future generations. However, changing ocean environments put that hope at risk: What will ocean memories be like in the future? The impacts of climate change are causing the ocean to become more acidic. As humans release more carbon into the atmosphere, ocean pH levels drop and drastically change these ecosystems. Corals in Oregons rocky reefs, such as Cape Blanco, and shelled creatures in deep sea canyons, such as Astoria Canyon, rely on a stable pH to form their shells and structure. The foundation of a healthy ocean is at risk, and we must act soon to avoid irreparable damage. Luckily, the ocean also offers a great tool to reduce the carbon in our atmosphere. The underwater forests on our coast, made up of kelp and eelgrass, could absorb and store enough carbon to slow the impacts of climate change. Together, we must do as much as we can to support these habitats, for the sake of the many memories that future Oregonians will make on our coasts. Jessica Mcneill, Eugene Mcneill is an intern working for Environment Oregon on its oceans campaign To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion. State and local officials said Tuesday they will not investigate allegations that a group of seven Portland city councilors broke transparency rules, citing a state law that provides only a narrow window in which grievances can be filed. The decision drew sharp criticism from experts, who warned the provision undermines accountability. New Seasons Market will move its headquarters to the Electric Block development in Portland's Central Eastside, shown in this undated handout photo. Killian Pacific New Seasons Market will move its headquarters across Portlands east side to the Electric Blocks office campus, departing offices in the former Washington High School after a decade. The grocer said Wednesday it chose the Skylight building, developed at 120 S.E. Clay St. by real estate firm Killian Pacific, following an extensive search for a new office. Melissa Lappin is taken into custody in Washington County Circuit Court in Hillsboro on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Vickie Connor/The Oregonian A Beaverton woman who collected government benefits as the body of her dead son lay in a bedroom of her home for five months was sentenced Tuesday to four years and nine months in prison. Melissa Lappin, 44, earlier this summer pleaded guilty to several felonies, including abusing a corpse, first-degree theft and first-degree forgery for her continued collection of state benefits after the death of her son, Eric, in May 2024. Eric Lappin was 26 when he died, Washington County Deputy District Attorney Christina Luedtke said during Lappins sentencing hearing. Lappin told authorities that her son had choked to death and that she discovered he had died the following day, Luedtke said. For the next five months after that, Ms. Lappin proceeded to collect government benefits, Luedtke said. She proceeded to lie and forge documents in order to collect those government benefits. She said the state benefits amounted to nearly $24,000. Lappins lawyer, Ryan Corbridge, said his client received the benefits because she served as her sons caregiver. He said she worked at times but mostly cared for him full time. Corbridge told Circuit Judge Rebecca Guptill that Eric Lappin had Down syndrome, autism and was nonverbal. Lappin served as her sons primary caregiver, Luedtke told the judge. Lappin lied to her friends and family, telling them that her son was alive, Luedtke said. The prosecutor said the case came to light last fall after Lappins father arrived at the home and demanded to see his grandson after not seeing him for months. He entered the home and instead of his grandson he found a decomposed body, she said. Lappin had an unusually close relationship with her son given his vulnerable condition, Corbridge told the court. This was a relationship that did not go the natural course, he said. Instead, it remained in that infant stage for 26 years. He said Lappin has been diagnosed with depression and bereavement disorder and that she has held a steady job with Columbia Sportswear for the past 10 months, earning recognition for her work. He said she acted not out of greed but out of fear of letting people know that her child had died. He sought a sentence of probation. Lappin addressed the court, saying she is filled with deep regret for the actions that have brought me here. She offered no explanation of her selfish decisions surrounding her sons death. I cant claim to fully understand how I ended up making the choices I did, but I dont expect anyone else to either, she said. But I know they were wrong and I know they hurt the person I love most in this world. Even after he was gone, I apologized to Eric numerous times a day. I do not stand here making excuses, she said. I stand here to take full responsibility for my actions. She agreed to repay the state the benefits she received. Guptill rejected probation for Lappin, noting Lappins deception and her decision to leave her sons body unattended for 105 days. I cant begin to understand how that happened and how during that timeframe you continued to accept the money from the state, Guptill said. This is just an unfortunate circumstance, the judge said. I feel badly for everyones loss here. At the end of the day, this is about Eric. Guptill said she also took into account Lappins criminal history, which she said included some lying behaviors. Lappin has 2003 and 2006 convictions for animal neglect and passing a bad check. Lappins relatives sobbed and cried out to her as deputies placed her in handcuffs and led out the door to the county jail. I love you, one said. Eric will be with you, another told her. Noelle Crombie is an enterprise reporter with a focus on criminal justice. Reach her at 503-276-7184 or ncrombie@oregonian.com. An extreme heat watch was issued by the National Weather Service on Wednesday at 2:50 a.m. valid from Friday 11 a.m. until Monday 5 a.m. for Lower Columbia River, Tualatin Valley, West Hills and Chehalem Mountains, Inner Portland Metro, Outer Southeast Portland Metro, West Central Willamette Valley, East Central Willamette Valley, Benton County Lowlands, Linn County Lowlands, Lane County Lowlands, West Columbia River Gorge of Oregon above 500 ft and Clackamas County Cascade Foothills. The weather service says, "Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures of 95 to 100 degrees F possible. Overnight temperatures will range from 60 to 68 degrees F on Friday night and up to 70 degrees on Saturday night, warmest for locations north of Salem." "Heat related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat events, especially for those spending time outdoors or without access to adequate cooling," explains the weather service. Beating the heat: Heat safety guidelines from the weather service Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids. Seek cool shelter: Stay indoors in an air-conditioned room to keep cool. Avoid sun exposure: Avoid direct sun exposure, protect yourself and check on vulnerable relatives and neighbors. Child and pet safety: Never leave young children and pets unattended in hot vehicles - car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. Caution outdoors: If you work or spend time outside, be sure to take additional safety measures. Time your activities wisely: Consider rescheduling strenuous activities to early morning or evening if possible. Recognize heat-related issues: Recognize the warning signs and familiarize yourself with symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Dress for comfort: Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing to help your body stay cool. Additional tips for outdoor workers: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas for outdoor workers. If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location. In emergencies, call 911 for immediate assistance. These NWS heat safety recommendations are vital for your well-being during periods of high temperatures. Stay informed and take the necessary steps to protect yourself and others from the heat's potentially dangerous effects. Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service. An updated extreme heat watch was released by the National Weather Service on Wednesday at 1:35 p.m. valid from Friday 11 a.m. until Monday 5 a.m. for Lower Columbia River, Tualatin Valley, West Hills and Chehalem Mountains, Inner Portland Metro, East Portland Metro, Outer Southeast Portland Metro, West Central Willamette Valley, East Central Willamette Valley, Benton County Lowlands, Linn County Lowlands, Lane County Lowlands, West Columbia River Gorge of Oregon above 500 ft, West Columbia River Gorge I-84 Corridor, Upper Hood River Valley, Central Columbia River Gorge I-84 Corridor and Clackamas County Cascade Foothills. The weather service says, "Dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures of 96 - 101F and overnight low temperatures of 60 - 70F possible. The warmest overnight lows will occur in urban areas to the north of Salem and in the Columbia River Gorge." "Heat related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat events, especially for those spending time outdoors or without access to adequate cooling," adds the weather service. Heat safety: Protecting yourself in hot conditions Stay hydrated: Make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Seek shelter: Stay in an air-conditioned room. Avoid sun exposure: Avoid direct sun exposure, protect yourself and check on vulnerable relatives and neighbors. Child and pet safety: Do not leave young children and pets unattended in vehicles when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. Caution outdoors: When working or spending time outside, take extra precautions. Optimal timing: If possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening when the heat is less intense. Recognize heat-related issues: Learn to identify the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Dress for comfort: Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing to help your body stay cool. Additional tips for outdoor workers: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas for outdoor workers. If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location. In emergencies, call 911 for immediate assistance. These NWS heat safety recommendations are vital for your well-being during periods of high temperatures. Stay informed and take the necessary steps to protect yourself and others from the heat's potentially dangerous effects. Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service. New research reveals why engaged employees deliver 20% higher productivity, and how small businesses can tap this without big budgets. Whats happening: As the Federal Governments Economic Reform Roundtable focuses on regulation, AI and tax reform, workforce transformation expert David Campbell argues Australias productivity crisis has a critical blind spotbrand perception. Why this matters: With Australia recording its largest annual productivity decline on record in 2022-23, organisations may be missing a fundamental driver of performance that connects directly to employee engagement, retention and output. David Campbell, Partner at Brand Rebellion, believes sustainable productivity gains require more than systems upgrades. They need employees who genuinely believe in the organisations they work for. You cant digitise your way out of disengagement, structural reform wont stick without behavioural change, and AI wont deliver returns if the workforce resists it, Campbell says. His argument centres on a simple premise: brand isnt just a marketing asset its a performance driver that creates a flywheel effect between perception and productivity. Perception drives performance Campbell points to organisational research showing the tangible business impact of brand perception. Organisations with compelling employer brands see up to 28% reduction in turnover, while aligned employees report 21% higher engagement according to Gallup research. These arent vanity metrics, theyre business results tied directly to how people perceive and believe in the brand they work for, he says. The performance benefits extend beyond engagement. Gallups research shows aligned teams deliver up to 20% increases in quality and productivity, while organisations with strong employer brands attract 50% more qualified applicants and report 50% lower cost-to-hire. For businesses grappling with skills shortages and rising hiring costs, these metrics represent significant operational advantages. The productivity flywheel Campbell describes the relationship between brand and performance as a self-reinforcing cycle. Strong brands attract talent, aligned employees drive performance, which builds trust and enhances reputationcreating momentum that compounds results. But just like the flywheel, the momentum only holds if its components are in sync, he explains. Remove one component, like diminishing culture, and the system loses momentum. The Productivity Commissions report identified disengagement, skills shortages, resistance to change and lack of cultural readiness as key drivers of Australias productivity declineall fundamentally human challenges that perception shapes. When people connect to the brand and culture that theyre part of, they are more open to adapt, more willing to embrace change, and more driven to deliver, Campbell says. Brand belief matters Campbell argues that high-performing organisations share common characteristics: brand promises that reflect real culture rather than aspiration, messaging that signals genuine organisational values, and experiences that reinforce trust both internally and externally. A high-performing workforce isnt built on instruction; its built on belief, he says. When people believe in the organisation that theyre part of, they bring more energy, take greater ownership, and move with more agility. This perspective reframes Australias productivity challenge as not just a systems problem, but a people and perception opportunity that requires different solutions than traditional policy responses. Human challenges ignored While billions flow into technology and efficiency reforms, Campbell believes the human element of productivity remains undervalued in policy discussions. Performance wont be powered by platforms alone, but by people who are aligned in purpose and inspired to act, and that starts with perception, he says. His recommendation for sustainable productivity gains: Stop asking people to do more with less and start giving them something to believe in. Because when people believe, they performnot because theyre told to, but because they choose to. As Australias productivity debate continues, Campbells perspective suggests the solution may require looking beyond systems and structures to the fundamental human need for purpose and belonging in the workplace. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. On Wednesday at 1:59 p.m. the National Weather Service issued an extreme heat watch valid from Saturday noon until Tuesday 9 p.m. for Eastern Columbia River Gorge of Oregon, Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon, Foothills of the Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon, Foothills of the Southern Blue Mountains of Oregon and North Central Oregon. The weather service describes, "Dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures of 95 to 105 degrees possible. This will pose a major to extreme risk of heat-related illness." "Heat related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat events. Extreme heat will significantly increase the risk of heat-related illnesses for much of the population, especially those who are heat sensitive and those without effective cooling or adequate hydration," explains the weather service. Hot weather safety: Tips for staying safe and healthy Stay hydrated: Remember to drink plenty of fluids. Seek cool shelter: Stay in an air-conditioned room. Avoid sun exposure: Stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Child and pet safety: Do not leave young children and pets unattended in vehicles when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. Caution outdoors: If you work or spend time outside, be sure to take additional safety measures. Time your activities wisely: If possible, move strenuous activities to early morning or evening for more favorable conditions. Recognize heat-related issues: Familiarize yourself with warning signs and how to recognize the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Dress for comfort: Select lightweight and loose-fitting outfits for enhanced comfort. Additional recommendations for outdoor workers: For outdoor workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends regular rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas. If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location. In emergency situations, dial 911 for immediate assistance. These NWS heat safety recommendations are vital for your well-being during periods of high temperatures. Stay informed and take the necessary steps to protect yourself and others from the heat's potentially dangerous effects. Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service. Norman City Council appointed the members of the Ward 5 candidate selection committee and discussed Norman Police Departments use of cameras that would capture the license plate of all passing vehicles in a special meeting Tuesday. Selection committee appointees The news: Council approved the appointment of five residents to the Ward 5 candidate selection committee. NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name When major news breaks + a few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing... The committee will interview applicants for the Ward 5 seat following former Ward 5 Councilmember Michael Nashs resignation. The five committee members are: Randy Carter, a self-employed photographer and volunteer for Pike Off OTA and Oklahomans for Responsible Transportation Heidi Smith, director of operations for the Thunderbird Clubhouse and part of the Social and Voluntary Services Commission and the Community Development Block Grant program John Griego, an insurance broker and owner of Griego Insurance group, LLC Aysha Prather, serves on Normans bicycle advisory committee Shavonne Evans, a real estate agent for Keller Williams Mulinix Realty in Norman What theyre saying: During the meeting, Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman said he hopes to have the Ward 5 seat filled by councils Sept. 9 meeting. City Clerk Brenda Hall said over 10 people have already applied for the seat. The vote: The appointments were unanimously approved. NPD cameras NO PAYWALL, NONPARTISAN Students pay about $14 in fees that support the Daily. If you're not a student, please join those invested in OU and Norman who have given more than $125,000 in recent years to support our independent journalism. SUPPORT OUR LOCAL JOURNALISM The news: Council heard a presentation about Flock Safety cameras from Flock Director of Public Affairs Trevor Chandler. Flock cameras scan the license plates, as well as make, model, color and description of every vehicle that drives past them. What theyre saying: Holman told OU Daily Monday that NPD has been interested in implementing this technology in Norman for a couple years to mirror procedures made by other departments in the OKC-metro. According to Chandler, one camera would cost $3,500 per year, which also includes the cost for maintenance and upgrades. NPD Deputy Chief Ricky Jackson said his hope would be to install around 15 cameras within the city. Chandler said Flock cameras are currently used by over 50 law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma, including the Cleveland County Sheriffs Office. Several Norman businesses and neighborhoods own Flock cameras, NPD Crime Analyst Jason Redden said. NPD crime analysts said the number of private cameras across the city is under a dozen. Chandler said Flock camera owners can share data with law enforcement, but cannot access data that law enforcement collects. Jackson said a Norman business helped solve a case that occurred in its parking lot by sharing its Flock camera data with law enforcement. Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant raised questions about possible data breaches. Chandler said Flock has never experienced a data breach and, if one occurred, the company would be contractually obligated to notify the agencies involved. Holman told OU Daily after the meeting that because of the ability of municipalities to share Flock data, he would be curious to know if Cleveland County had any cameras in Norman. If Cleveland County already has cameras, and if theres an agreement where Norman PD is able to access that, could we save that money and spend it otherwise on public safety? Holman said. This story was edited by Ana Barboza. Professor Furuta Motoo, a leading Japanese scholar of Vietnamese studies, has highlighted the remarkable success of the August Revolution in 1945 and its significance to the world. In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency's resident correspondents in Japan on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (Aug. 19, 1945 - 2025) and the National Day (Sept. 2, 1945 2025), Professor Furuta noted that just in a short time between Japan's surrender to the Allies on Aug. 15, 1945 and the arrival of Allied forces in Vietnam, the revolutionary movement swiftly mobilized support of a large number of Vietnamese people. He stated that the revolution had three defining characteristics: it occurred at the right moment, garnered immense support from the people, and took place throughout the entire country. He argued that these qualities provided strong legitimacy to the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which has since endured and strengthened into today's Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Placing Vietnam's revolution in a regional and global context, Professor Furuta pointed out that most of Southeast Asia nations were under Japanese occupation during World War II. When Japan was defeated, the region became one of the earliest centers of national liberation struggles. Indonesia's declaration of independence on Aug. 17, 1945 and Vietnam's August Revolution just two days later were among the first clear expressions of a global drive for self-determination, he stressed. From this perspective, Vietnam's August Revolution carried two important international meanings. First, it spearheaded the worldwide movement for national liberation after World War II. Second, it inaugurated the era of independence in Southeast Asia, drawing global attention to the region. The Japanese scholar also emphasized the lasting universal values of the revolution. He recalled that President Ho Chi Minh, in proclaiming Vietnam's independence on Sept. 2, 1945, deliberately cited the immortal words of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and France's Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. The universal significance of the August Revolution lies in affirming national independence as an inseparable part of humanity's democratic ideals. While the right of people to self-determination is today enshrined in the United Nations Charter, Professor Furuta argued that Vietnam's Revolution and Declaration of Independence made a decisive contribution to securing its broader recognition in the immediate post-war years. He concluded that the revolution's core spirit was to demonstrate to the world the independence of a unified Vietnam, firmly upheld in solidarity with Southeast Asia - the world's most vibrant arena of national liberation at the time. That spirit continues to guide modern Vietnam as an active member of ASEAN, seeking deeper integration and contributing to global development. We already knew that Google Assistant was soon to be replaced by a new experience powered by Gemini. Now we know what that new experience will be called, and when its arriving. Gemini for Home is the name of the new Gemini-powered voice assistant for Google smart speakers and displays, including the current Nest Audio, Nest Mini, Nest Hub, and Nest Hub Max. Early access to Gemini for Home kicks off in October, Google announced in a blog post Wednesday, with both free and paid versions available. Google didnt say how much the paid version of Gemini for Home will cost. Google had already been experimenting with Gemini on its Nest speakers over the past several months. Its not clear if the just-announced Gemini for Home is an iteration of that effort or an entirely new assistant, but whatever it is, its coming soon. Among Gemini for Homes broad capabilities are many of the same features weve seen in Alexa+, Amazons own take on an advanced AI-powered assistant for the home. For example, youll be able to ask Gemini for Home (youll still use the Hey Google wake word) to play the song-of-the-year winner from 1990 or play that song from this years summer blockbuster about race cars, and the assistant should be able to suss out which track youre thinking about, Google sayssame as what Alexa+ can do (or should do, anyway). Gemini for Home will also be able to decipher more complex smart home commands, such as dim the lights, and set the temp to 72 degrees, as well as manage calendars, lists, and timers from natural-language voice prompts (add the ingredients to make an authentic Italian lasagna to my shopping list). Besides smart home commands, youll also be able to launch chats with Gemini via Google Live, which promises natural back-and-forth discussion without the need of saying Hey Google over and over. For example, youll be able to ask for help with a recipe, troubleshoot a busted dishwasher, or request a bedtime story for a youngster. Again, this should all sound familiar to anyone whos been following Amazons Alexa+, which has been very slowly rolling out over the past several months. Like Google for Home soon will be, Alexa+ is currently in an early access period, and it allows for more back-and-forth discussion, more natural-language smart home commands (Alexa, make it brighter in here), help finding obscure music tracks, and providing assistance in the kitchen. Alexa+ is free during its early preview, but will eventually cost $20 a month, while Prime members will get Alexa+ included with their various Prime benefits. The classic Alexa will remain completely free, Amazon has said. Again, Google has yet to say how much the paid version of Google at Home will cost, or how it will differ from the free version. This news story is part of TechHives in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers. Anchor Dennis Owens at ABC27 in Harrisburg. Nexstar, the parent company of ABC27 plans to buy Tegna. January 25, 2019 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com PENNLIVE.COM Nexstar Media Group, the owner of ABC27, plans to purchase Tegna, the owner of FOX43. Nexstar announced on Tuesday that it plans to acquire all outstanding shares of Tegna for $22 per share in a cash transaction valued at $6.2 billion. Perry Sook, chairman and CEO of Nexstar said the acquisition would increase his companys reach by expanding its presence in major markets like Atlanta, Phoenix, Seattle, and Minneapolis. Nexstar has a stellar long-term record of growth through its deals, having completed many well-received transactions since 2011, including the 2019 acquisition of Tribune Media, Sook said in a news release. The playbook we followed to make those transactions successful improving and increasing local content, executing on identified synergies, and quickly de-leveraging our balance sheet with free cash flow post close are the same opportunities and strategies we will use in connection with this transaction. With committed financing and a plan for significant synergy realization, we believe the combined entity will be poised for growth, leverage reduction, and the enhancement of shareholder value. Upon closing, Nexstar, together with its partners, will have 265 full-power television stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia and will have a presence in 132 of the countrys 210 television designated market areas. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including Tegna shareholder and regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close by the second half of 2026. In addition to WHTM ABC27, Nexstar also owns WTAJ in Altoona and WBRE/WYOU in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In addition to WPMT FOX43, Tegna also owns WNEP in Wilkes-Barre. This is not the first time that Nexstar was planning to purchase the parent company of FOX43. In 2019, Nexstar purchased the Tribune Media Company. But as part of that agreement Tribune sold 11 stations, including FOX43, to Tegna to comply with the Federal Communications Commissions local and national television ownership rules and to obtain FCC and Department of Justice approval for the Nexstar/Tribune Media transaction. Tegna is a spin-off of Gannett, which owns USA Today and numerous newspapers across the country including a few in the midstate in the Chambersburg, York, Lebanon and Hanover areas. The two companies separated in 2015. ABC27 is based in Harrisburg. FOX43 is based in York Township. The future of the annual Fourth of July fireworks at Koons Park, here in 2023, remains uncertain after the Lingelstown Fire Company pulled its financial support. (Vicki Vellios Briner | Special to PennLive, file) Vicki Vellios Briner | Special to PennLive Lower Paxton officials will be reevaluating the townships annual Fourth of July fireworks show after the fire company that was helping to pay for it pulled the funding. On Aug. 19, the Linglestown Fire Co. announced it was no longer going to chip in for Lower Paxton Townships fireworks show at Koons Park. Arrests have been made at the event each year for the past three. The fire company blamed the behavior of some attendees for the decision made at its monthly business meeting. In a press release, the company said the show had developed a different feeling to the members of the fire company, the other first responders who assist and the residents who attend it. In 2023, police at the fireworks show arrested several attendees, all under the age of 18, including one who was carrying a stolen handgun. In 2024, eight more arrests were made, including two who were charged with throwing fireworks at a police animal. The 2025 event saw the same behaviors from some attendees, leading to charges against a dozen people, including an 18-year-old who was charged with aggravated assault and other felonies. Jack Sherzer, communications manager for Lower Paxton Township, said to PennLive that disruptive behavior has become common at events across central Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, disruptive behavior at public gatherings has become an all-too-common challenge both in our region and across the country, Sherzer said via email. Despite this, the township remains committed to protecting our residents and continuing to host community events that families look forward to events that bring people together and enhance the quality of life in Lower Paxton. In light of Linglestown Fire Companys decision, we will be reevaluating with the supervisors and our planning committee. Sherzer also said that township officials were unaware of the fire companys decision until the press release was put out. Lower Paxton Township is disappointed by the decision of the Linglestown Fire Company to withdraw its support for future fireworks events, a decision the township only learned about this morning, Sherzer said Tuesday via email. While several arrests were made (in 2025), our police department acted swiftly and appropriately to ensure the safety of everyone present. We sincerely thank the Linglestown Fire Company for its many years of dedication and support in helping make this event a success for our community. Township officials met on Feb. 11 to discuss where the 2025 event should be held and were initially unable to decide. Later that week, officials voted unanimously to keep the event at Koons Park, despite requests from the townships director of public safety, Adam Kosheba, to move the event to George Park. We have to break the cycle if we want to stop something from occurring, Kosheba said at the meeting. Kosheba did not respond to PennLives request for comment this week. Several central Pennsylvania residents left comments under the fire companys post, hoping for event changes. In the meantime, the fire company is looking into some other type of annual event to continue to give back to our community, its press release read. We are proud to have been able to bring this show to the residents of Lingelstown and Lower Paxton Township for many years, and we look forward to assisting as a part of the first responder cadre to help ensure a safe and fun event if the Township chooses to continue on their own. A Cool Spaces home at 1709 Olmsted Way West in Lower Allen Township. Photo provided by realtor. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com This impressive home, built in 2000 by Heritage Builders, sits on almost an acre of wooded land in this Cumberland County neighborhood. Described in the listing as a home where exceptional craftsmanship and thoughtful design and upgrades create an unparalleled living experience, it is all that, and more. 29 1 / 29 1709 Olmsted Way West: Cool Spaces With 5 bedrooms, 6 baths and an entirely finished walk-out lower level in-law quarters that includes a bedroom, kitchen, living room with fireplace and laundry room, this property is the epitome of luxury. Upscale moldings, wainscoting, high ceilings, recessed lighting, and a half bath off the foyer featuring lighted display niches, a golden mosaic tile backsplash, and a stacked stone veneer accent wall set the tone. The first floor partial bath. A Cool Spaces home at 1709 Olmsted Way West in Lower Allen Township. July 21, 2025. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com The home is no rookie to Cool Spaces, having been featured in November, 2021. Many improvements have occurred throughout, as can be seen in the link here. A sister to this home was featured last week in Cool Spaces. After entering the grand foyer with chandelier and curved staircase, the first floor moves naturally to the right into the formal living room with vaulted ceiling, followed by the formal dining room, with opens to the sun-filled piano room, wrapped in bay windows overlooking the back yard. The living room. A Cool Spaces home at 1709 Olmsted Way West in Lower Allen Township. July 21, 2025. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com The living room, dining room and the back yard-facing bar room, with two-story vaulted ceiling, all open to the gourmet kitchen. The kitchen includes a gas fireplace, walk-in pantry, custom hand-glazed cabinetry with built-in lighting, gas range, Sub-Zero refrigerator, dishwasher, built-in microwave, and a coffee bar. A private media room is located around the corner and down a short hallway from the kitchen. This flexible space is easily accessed from the driveway entrance. The primary suite at the top of a curved staircase has a dramatic double door opening. The suite opens to a voluminous space with vaulted coffered ceiling, crown molding with lighting, nearly floor-to-ceiling windows, and a gas fireplace. The primary suite. A Cool Spaces home at 1709 Olmsted Way West in Lower Allen Township. July 21, 2025. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com The ensuite bath has tiled floors, dual vanities with custom cabinetry, Jacuzzi soaking tub, closeted privacy commode, large tiled shower with a spray head at each end and seating, and a large walk-in closet with closet system at the far end of the room, with window lighting to make finding clothes easy during the day. A bonus extension room area off of the master bedroom offers stairs down to a door exiting to the outdoor patio between the home and garage. This area has closet storage, a laundry room and a large room used as a home gym with fireplace over one of the two garages. This room can easily be transformed into a guest suite. Outside, this home features a four car garage and space perfect for entertaining. The outdoor space offers ample room for large gatherings, while a beautiful small creek lined with natural stone provides a serene setting. Located at 1709 Olmsted Way West in Lower Allen Township, the home is listed at $1,295,000, with sale pending, by agent Jim Bedorf with Coldwell Banker Realty. Want more Cool Spaces? See all of our stories showcasing the neatest homes in central Pennsylvania by clicking here. Know of any Cool Spaces? Submit ideas to dgleiter@pennlive.com. Its safe to say in some areas, technology is doing more harm than good, even in todays dating scene. A man from New Jersey died on his way to meet a Kendall Jenner lookalike AI chatbot, according to reports. Thongbue Bue Wongbandue, 76, left his home in Piscataway, New Jersey in March to meet a beautiful young woman named, Big sis Billie, who had invited him to her Manhattan apartment. Instead, plans unraveled when he fell near a Rutgers University parking lot in New Brunswick while rushing to catch a train and suffered fatal head and neck injuries. It seems that Billie, a Meta-designed artificial intelligence chatbot and spin-off of an earlier AI persona modeled on Kendell Jenner, had promised Bue, who was left cognitively impaired following a stroke in 2017, that she was a real person. After spending three days on life support, Wongbandue died on March 28. A report by Reuters earlier this week, revealed the circumstances surrounding his death. Wongbandues family shared the messages from the chatbot telling him she was just across the river from you in Jersey and that she could leave the door to her apartment unlocked at 123 Main Street, Apartment 404 NYC. Should I open the door in a hug or a kiss, Bu?! another message read from the bot. My thought was that he was being scammed to go into the city and be robbed, his wife, Linda, told Reuters. I understand trying to grab a users attention, maybe to sell them something, his daughter, Julie, said. But for a bot to say Come visit me is insane. Though his family tried to stop him, Wongbandue was adamant about making the trip. The traumatic event heightened questions about Metas policies for its generative AI chatbots, which are intended to be digital companies. Instead, Reuters found chatbots allow flirtation, romantic role play with adults, and, until recently, sensual exchanges with children. A Meta content risk standards document reviewed by the news agency stated that it is acceptable to engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual. The company supposedly removed that provision after Reuters began asking questions. The company declined to comment directly on Wongbandues death and didnt address questions from the news agency about why it allows chatbots to tell users theyre real people and initiate romantic conversations. But the company doubled down about Big sis Billie not being Kendall Jenner and does not purport to be Kendall Jenner. As Ive gone through the chat, it just looks like Billies giving him what he wants to hear, daughter Julie said. Which is fine, but why did it have to lie? If it hadnt responded I am real, that would probably have deterred him from believing there was someone in New York waiting for him. Though his wife Linda isnt totally against AI, she believes the chatbots romantic features are dangerous. A lot of people in my age group have depression, and if AI is going to guide someone out of a slump, thatd be OK, Linda said. But this romantic thing, what right do they have to put that in social media? Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is stepping up its game, aiming to rival Singapore and Bangkok as Asia-Pacific's next big hub to attract more international airlines. Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) chief aviation and strategy officer Megat Ardian Wira Mohd Aminuddin said the airport operator is targeting 12 foreign airlines to fly to Malaysia this year, a goal similar to what it successfully achieved in 2024. Megat Ardian shared that MAHB has been actively working with global carriers over the last two years through airline networking events such as Routes World and Routes Asia, as well as direct visits to airline headquarters. It now takes a more holistic approach with the input from its new shareholders by looking at both airline and passenger behaviors, including loyalty usage and passenger segmentation. He added that the team is currently in talks with several European national carriers that do not yet serve KLIA, while also maintaining engagements with airlines in China and the Middle East. KLIA recorded 30 million passengers in the first half of 2025, a nearly 10% increase compared to the same period in 2024, with average load factors hovering around 78%. While KLIA remains MAHB's central focus, Megat Ardian said other local international airports such as Penang International Airport, Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Langkawi International Airport and Kuching International Airport are also playing supporting roles. KLIA is the gateway and hub for international connectivity, but the regional airports are evolving and feeding into the ecosystem. Each has its own development plan under Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd, he added. We would hazard to say that not many people are worse off after having ice cream. (Getty Images) Getty Images In many cases (or, shall we hazard to say, most cases), people arent worse off after having some ice cream. And when Pennsylvanians reach for a carton of ice cream to take the edge off, the name on the box is usually well-known to locals. According to a study sent by Coffeeness via emailed press release and as many of you may have ascertained by the headline and the previous sentence Turkey Hill was found to be the most popular ice cream brand in the Keystone State. In fact, Pennsylvania was only one of two states in the country that listed the Columbia, Lancaster County-based brand as their number one, the other being Delaware. Researchers at Coffeeness determined each states favorite ice cream brand by first seeding a list of all the major packaged brands nationwide. From there, they used metrics such as Google Trends to measure search volume and sales data to confirm final results. As such, Ben & Jerrys took the top spot on a national scale, claiming the most popular ranking in 14 states total. Jenis Splendid Ice Creams took second while Tillamook claimed third. Whats fascinating is how close the top two brands are Ben & Jerrys leads with 14 states while Jenis is right behind with 13, said CEO of Coffeeness, Arne Preuss, via the release. Thats a much tighter race than I expected between a 47-year-old Vermont classic and a newer artisanal brand from Ohio. Even more surprising is seeing household names like Haagen-Dazs down the list with just two states [Alaska and Hawaii]. Michigan was alone it its love for Marshalls. Ditto for North Dakota and its favorite ice cream brand, Halo Top. The person spray painted security cameras at the Salvation Army in Chambersburg around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday, according to a police report. Chambersburg Police A person wearing a monkey costume and face mask vandalized a Salvation Army location in Chambersburg early Tuesday morning. Around 4:45 a.m., the person was seen spray painting the security cameras at the Salvation Army located on the 100 block of Lincoln Way West. The person spray painted security cameras at the Salvation Army in Chambersburg around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday, according to a police report. Chambersburg Police Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Chambersburg police at 717-264-4131. "Dallas," a collie-type dog, was rescued overnight Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in York County. Volunteers searched for her for days after spotting her with a pretzel jar over her head. (Photo courtesy of Canine Rescue of Central PA) Canine Rescue of Central PA A missing dog wandering York County for days with a pretzel jar over her head has been rescued, thanks to the help of two local drone pilots. The search for the Collie-type dog was launched after a volunteer from Canine Rescue of Central PA spotted her with the pretzel jar over her face Monday morning. To track the dog down, the shelter partnered with Find Toby in PA, a statewide Facebook group that helps spread the word about and find missing pets. Volunteers searched all day Monday and Tuesday, with two drone operators joining the campaign late Tuesday night. At 3 a.m. Wednesday, drone pilot Dallas Fuhrman from Nighthawk Drone Services found the dog deep in a cornfield, disoriented, exhausted, and still struggling with the jar, Canine Rescue of Central PA wrote on Facebook. The dog whos since been named Dallas in honor of the pilot who found her was taken to Shores Veterinary Emergency Center in Cumberland County for emergency treatment, the shelter said. Dallas is suffering from severe dehydration, is infested with ticks, and is clearly in distress, Canine Rescue of Central PA said. She is now receiving the urgent care she needs, and we are awaiting bloodwork to better understand her full condition. The rescue of Dallas was only possible because of a compassionate community that refused to give up. Canine Rescue of Central PA said Dallass medical treatment is expected to cost about $3,500. Anyone interested in donating to her care can do so online. She is not up for adoption right now. Three Pennsylvania congressional Republicans on Tuesday said they backed President Donald Trumps plan to eliminate mail-in ballots ahead of next years midterm elections. During a tour of weapons manufacturer BAE Systems in York County, Sen. Dave McCormick suggested it might be a pie-in-the-sky idea, but one he would ultimately support. My quick reaction is if we can wave a magic wand and do away with all voting machines and have single-day voting in person and not early mail and balloting, if we could have that world, I would prefer that world, he said. Trump on Monday announced on his social media site that he plans to get rid of mail-in ballots and voting machines in the country ahead of next years midterm elections. During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, Trump called mail-in ballots corrupt. And its time that the Republicans get tough and stop it because the Democrats want it. Its the only way they can get elected, he said. The president said he would sign an executive order that would bar states from using mail ballots and potentially some voting machines. No evidence that voting machines are highly inaccurate, as the president claimed, has ever been found in the U.S. McCormick noted that Republicans (and Trump) during the 2024 general election encouraged voters to use mail-in ballots, which resulted in his party and Trump succeeding at the ballot box. I would never want to unilaterally disarm on that, McCormick said. I would only want to go down that path if there was a real path where they were eliminated across the board. Im not sure if thats a viable path or not. I havent thought a lot about it, but thats my view on it. Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday downplayed Trumps threats, noting the constraints of the U.S. Constitution. Donald Trump can sign whatever the hell executive orders he wants to sign, Shapiro said. But he cant change the Constitution with an executive order. The Constitution gives the authority to set our election rules to the states. Trump has widely inspired support for himself and discord among voters with baseless claims about the integrity of mail-in ballots and the 2020 election, which he lost to President Joe Biden. Research has found that hand-counted ballots are less accurate and more costly than mail-in ballots. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker of Lancaster, who joined the tour at BAE Systems in York County on Tuesday, said that if he had his choice, he would do away with mail voting as well. But we as Republicans learn to work within that system, he said. Well continue to do that. But if we could do away with it, I would certainly vote for that. Smucker noted that the election process and voting is under the jurisdiction of states and not the federal government. I dont know exactly what the president has in mind here, but I would have some hesitation with taking control of all of the election process at the federal level, Smucker said. But.... we would be much better off if we went back to a system that we know has worked for a very long time. Voting records show that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to vote by mail. Voting officials across all states have found no evidence of significant election fraud in mail ballots or any other form of voting. Rep. Scott Perry of the 10th congressional district, which includes parts of York and Dauphin counties, agreed with McCormick and Smucker, saying he wished he lived in a world that had single-day voting with no electronic machines, with the exception of absentee ballots where necessary. Perry reiterated a familiar and baseless talking point that undocumented immigrants were voting and affecting election results. Perry touted the SAVE Act or the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act which would require individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. We would like to see that enforced, Perry said. Americans want to know that citizens are the ones that are voting and not people that are here illegally. And thats one of the places where we as the federal government should weigh in and can weigh in. The bill was passed by the House and is now in the Senate. Veronika Rodriguez, convicted of making a false rape report, is led by deputies out of Lebanon County Courthouse. She was ordered to serve 30 days in prison in a case that has drawn sharp scrutiny from critics of police handling of sex assault allegations. Charles Thompson LEBANON A woman at the center of the storm over how to handle sex assault allegations was sent to Lebanon County Prison Wednesday for illegally recording and sharing a sex act with an Air National Guard officer that she said was rape. Judge Charles T. Jones Jr. ordered Veronika Rodriguez to serve a minimum of 30 days in jail, with immediate parole at that point as long as she has no misconducts. TLC says Whitney gets a shocking pregnancy test result on the next episode of My Big Fat Fabulous Life. My Big Fat Fabulous Life, season 13, episode eight, airs at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, on TLC. LIVE STREAM: Fans can watch TLC without cable on : Fans can watch TLC without cable on Philo, which offers a seven-day free trial; DirecTV, which has a five-day free trial; and SlingTV. The episode is called When She Got There, the Cupboard Was Bare. The synopsis is, Needing to shake off her Greensboro blues, Whitney escapes to Salem to visit her bewitching new friends, Sabrina and Corrine; the lure of a beachfront cottage tempts her away from home, but a shocking pregnancy test result may change everything. In season 13, TLC said, ... Whitney Thore is putting herself first and making bold moves toward the life she wants. With her signature humor and heart, she reignites her passion for dance, explores the possibility of a fresh start in Salem, Massachusetts, and takes meaningful steps toward becoming a mother on her own through artificial insemination. While continuing her search for love, Whitney embraces change and new beginnings, proving that lifes most fabulous moments come from living unapologetically. What is Philo? Philo is a streaming service that offers more than 70 live channels and more than 70,000 titles on demand for $28 a month. Philo has a SEVEN-DAY FREE TRIAL. Channels include AMC, AMC+, A&E, MTV, BET, Discovery, VH1, Food Network, History, Nickelodeon, OWN, TLC, Lifetime, Hallmark, Paramount and TV One. Add-on packages include EPIX, STARZ and Movies and More. Philo offers an unlimited 1-year DRV. What is DirecTV? DirecTV provides access to more than 100 channels, hundreds of on-demand titles, the ability to stream through three devices at once, and unlimited Cloud DVR storage. Channels include ABC, HGTV, Hallmark, Bravo, BET, Discovery, Food Network, AMC, Animal Planet, CMT, Comedy Central, FX, ID, Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and PBS Kids. Subscription package prices start at $86.99 a month. The streaming service offers a FIVE-DAY FREE TRIAL. What is Sling TV? Sling streaming service is $45.99 a month for the Orange (35 channels) or Blue (43 channels) Levels. Orange plus Blue is $60.99 a month. Premium subscribers also can get a month of Showtime, STARZ and EPIX for free. Channels include CMT, Bravo, BET, Comedy Central, A&E, AMC, Animal Planet, Discovery+, Hallmark, History, National Geographic, Lifetime, TLC and USA. A timeshare is a vacation property arrangement where multiple buyers share ownership, allowing them to use the property for a set period each year. Instead of purchasing a vacation home outright, timeshare owners split the costs and reserve time slots for their stays. On August 13, the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned four Mexican individuals, and 13 Mexican companies linked to timeshare fraud led by the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). These individuals and companies are based in or near Puerto Vallarta, a popular tourist destination that also serves as a strategic stronghold for CJNG. A brutally violent cartel, CJNG is a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization that is increasingly supplementing its drug trafficking proceeds with alternative revenue streams such as timeshare fraud and fuel theft. We are coming for terrorist drug cartels like Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion that are flooding our country with fentanyl, said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. CJNG is one of the most powerful cartels in the world. It has conducted acts of violence, including attacks on the Mexican military and police with military-grade weaponry, the use of drones to drop explosives on Mexican law enforcement, and assassinations and attempted assassinations of Mexican officials. In addition to drug trafficking, the groups core source of revenue, CJNG is also generating alternative revenue streams through fuel theft, extortion, and timeshare fraud, among other activities. Mexico-based cartels have been targeting U.S. owners of timeshares through call centers in Mexico staffed by telemarketers fluent in English. Beginning in about 2012, CJNG took control of timeshare fraud schemes in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, and the surrounding area. These complex scams often target older Americans who can lose their life savings. The lifecycle of these scams can last years, resulting in financial and emotional devastation of the victims while enriching cartels like CJNG. The three senior CJNG members sanctioned who were most involved in timeshare fraud are Julio Cesar Montero Pinzon, Carlos Andres Rivera Varela, and Francisco Javier Gudino Haro. These three individuals have also been part of a CJNG enforcement group based in Puerto Vallarta that orchestrates assassinations of rivals and politicians. Also sanctioned is Michael Ibarra Diaz. An ostensibly legitimate businessman involved in the tourism industry, Ibarra is engaged in timeshare fraud on behalf of CJNG. These cartels continue to create new ways to generate revenue to fuel their terrorist operations, said Secretary Bessent. At President Trumps direction, we will continue our effort to completely eradicate the cartels ability to generate revenue, including their efforts to prey on elderly Americans through timeshare fraud. It is deeply disappointing that the transitional government of South Sudan has yet to deliver the peace and stability the people of South Sudan deserve, said Ambassador Dorothy Shea, Acting U.S. Representative to the United Nations. Despite significant international efforts to support South Sudans post-conflict recovery, stabilization, and reconstruction, South Sudans leaders have failed to demonstrate the political will to do their part. This includes integrating the armed forces, using public revenue transparently and appropriately, creating civic space, and renouncing violence as a tool for political competition. South Sudans leaders from all parties share responsibility for these failures, declared Ambassador Shea. Most recently, the actions of South Sudanese leaders have signaled de facto abandonment of the 2018 peace agreement on which the transitional government is based. We cannot pretend that the agreement is being implemented while First Vice President [Riek] Machar is under house arrest, others from his party are in detention, and [the South Sudan People's Defense Forces] military strikes continue against other South Sudanese, said Ambassador Shea. Generations of South Sudanese citizens remain trapped in a cycle of conflict, acute need, and disenfranchisement due to the lack of political will on the part their leaders to change a system that affords them power. The most recent violence in Upper Nile State, Jonglei State, and other parts of South Sudan highlight the devastating consequences of this failure to break that cycle. Aerial bombardments and ground attacks between April 1 and July 15 have displaced 300,000 people, while escalating military operations across the country have resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths and destroyed critical infrastructure. Women and girls endure conflict-related sexual violence, and children are maimed, killed, or forcibly recruited into combat. The escalating crisis has forced over 132,000 South Sudanese to seek refuge in neighboring countries between April 1 and July 15, further destabilizing the region and straining host nations. More than 70 percent of South Sudans population now requires humanitarian assistance. Yet humanitarian services provided by the international community have been systematically hindered by both the most recent conflict and by decades of violence against humanitarian workers, predation, and corruption. These unilateral actions by the transitional government clearly violate the 2018 peace agreement, undermine unity, threaten to return the country to another civil war, and deprive South Sudanese people of their homes and livelihoods, and deny the country peace and prosperity. The United States strongly urges all parties to immediately cease hostilities, release all unjustly detained political prisoners, and recommit to the principles of dialogue to prevent further violence. Day 2 of the $102,000 Onyx SHRS PLO Invitational gets underway at 2 p.m. local time inside the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. After a thrilling Day 1 that drew 66 entries, just 27 players remain in the hunt for one of the most prestigious titles of the Onyx Super High Roller Series. Leading the pack is Mikalai Vaskaboinikau, who stormed into the lead with 10,475,000 and returns as both the top-performing invitee and overall chip leader. He is followed by Cong Pham (6,970,000), Laszlo Bujtas (5,800,000), and "Dubai Police" (5,650,000), all looking to mount their own charge toward the final day. Top Ten Chip Counts Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Mikalai Vaskaboinikau Belarus 10,475,000 419 2 Cong Pham United States 6,970,000 279 3 Laszlo Bujtas Hungary 5,800,000 232 4 "Dubai Police" United Arab Emirates 5,650,000 226 5 "flipandgo" Cyprus 3,175,000 127 6 Phil Ivey United States 2,885,000 115 7 Ilya Bulychev Russian Federation 2,750,000 110 8 Biao Ding China 2,300,000 92 9 Martin Dam Denmark 2,150,000 86 10 Joni Jouhkimainen Finland 2,050,000 82 The star-studded lineup also includes the likes of Phil Ivey, Artur Martirosian, Nick Schulman, and Ben Lamb. For now, the structure keeps invitees facing invitees and pros battling pros, but after Level 12 the groups will merge to create one combined field. Late registration remains open until the start of Level 10, expected around 4:15 p.m., and another full day of 60-minute levels is on the schedule as the Invitational continues its march toward tomorrow's final table. The final table of the $102,000 Onyx SHRS PLO Invitational will be streamed from 2 p.m. local time tomorrow, giving fans around the world the chance to watch every hand play out with full commentary and hole cards on a 30-minute delay. Stay tuned to PokerNews for complete live coverage of the $102,000 Onyx SHRS PLO Invitational. : English : . : (BWA) . . " " . " ". . . . . " " . . . " " . . . . . . . . . Reporter Spencer Donovan covers Greenville for The Post and Courier. He's an Atlanta native and graduate of the University of Georgia. You can find him on walks around town, eating at local restaurants and hiking in the mountains. After a decision by the South Carolina Supreme Court, the United Methodist Church conference and the dozens of churches being sued for leaving know their next legal steps in a battle over property and bank accounts. Editor Ralph Mancini is an award-winning editor whos been employed by the Post and Courier since 2022. Previously, Mancini served in a variety of newspaper roles in New York City, Washington State and North Dakota. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. Grace Beahm Alford is the Assistant Visuals Editor for The Post and Courier, where she has been since 2001. Her photojournalism has sent her to every corner of South Carolina, and was part of the newspaper's team recognized as a Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Feature Photography for coverage of the mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church. Nick Reynolds covers politics for the Post and Courier. A native of Central New York, he spent three-and-a-half years covering politics in Wyoming before joining the paper in late 2021. His work has appeared in outlets like Newsweek, Poynter, the Associated Press, and the Washington Post. He lives in Columbia. Senior Politics Reporter Caitlin Byrd is the senior politics reporter at The Post and Courier. An award-winning journalist, Byrd previously worked as an enterprise reporter for The State newspaper, where she covered the Charleston region and South Carolina politics. Raised in eastern North Carolina, she has called South Carolina home since 2016. Reporter Max White is a reporter for The Post and Courier Spartanburg primarily covering local government and business. He is a South Carolina native of Charleston and graduated from the University of South Carolina in December 2023. Palestinian woman Reham Said is seen with her children at a temporary shelter in Gaza City, on Aug. 13, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) GAZA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- For years, international aid organizations served as Gaza's fragile safety net, helping more than two million people endure the suffocating blockade imposed since 2007. They provided food, medicine, and schooling, often the difference between survival and despair. But as war drags on, even the aid workers -- once the backbone of this system -- have themselves become displaced, hungry, and afraid. As the world observes World Humanitarian Day on Tuesday, their lives now mirror those of the people they were hired to help. Before the war, Reham Said, a 36-year-old United Nations employee from Gaza City, considered herself among the fortunate few. Her salary offered stability, a modest but comfortable life for her husband and four children. Today, her family moves from shelter to shelter, driven out by bombings, shortages, and fear. "From the fourth day of the war, my journey of displacement began," she recalled. "I moved more than ten times. Once, my sister's house, where we had taken refuge, was bombed. We emerged from the rubble injured, but we survived." Daily existence has been stripped to the barest tasks. Bread, once bought at bakeries, is now baked over open fires. Water and electricity are scarce. Laundry is done by hand. Palestinian woman Reham Said is seen at a temporary shelter in Gaza City, on Aug. 13, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) "My children often go to bed hungry due to the flour shortage and the closure of crossings," she said. Even when she had money, markets were empty, and banks ran dry. Her husband was injured while trying to collect aid near the border. Since then, the family has survived on scattered handouts and overpriced goods. Samar Dawas, 42, worked as an administrator for another international organization. She described her prewar life as "stable," supported by her salary and a modest home in Gaza City with her husband and two children. That stability collapsed in the first week of fighting. Her neighborhood was bombed, and the family fled at night, carrying only clothes and identity documents. They now live in a school turned shelter, sharing a classroom with dozens of strangers. "I wake up at dawn to help distribute bread and water, then return to my children to prepare a simple meal, often lentils or rice if available," she said. Electricity is gone, nights blur into days, and fear fills the silence. Tents for displaced Palestinians are seen near a beach in Gaza City on Aug. 10, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) "My children ask when we will return home, and I have no answer. I try to distract them with stories or games, but fear overwhelms them." The war has reduced aid agencies to shadows of themselves. Restrictions and bombardments have crippled their ability to deliver food, medicine, and relief. After a brief ceasefire ended in March, Israel tightened the blockade, worsening shortages of flour, fuel, and medicine. United Nations officials now warn that famine looms for most of Gaza's population. At shelters, workers like Reham and Samar juggle the roles of employee and survivor. Reham tries to give her children improvised lessons at home. Samar registers displaced families while her own children sleep on the classroom floor. Children carrying collected items walk on rubble after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Aug. 8, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) "Even the simplest things, like finding a clean glass of water or a quiet place to sleep, have become daily challenges," Samar said. Both women -- once providers of stability -- now plead for international intervention, not just for Gaza's civilians but also for the aid system itself. "UN agencies are Gaza's lifeline, and without them, the situation would be much worse," Reham said. Samar added, "I never imagined living and working in the same place, with my children sleeping on the floor among hundreds of strangers. The war has taken away our homes, our security, and our simplest dreams." Editor: Zhang Zhou PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 10:00:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 615 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Bioz, Inc. , a trusted source for AI-enhanced research insights and citation transparency, is pleased to announce the impactful integration ofBioz Badgesand a Bioz Content Hub forAlomone Labs , a leading manufacturer of research tools for ion channels, receptors, and neuroscience. This strategic collaboration has transformed how Alomone showcases product citations, providing researchers with powerful tools to access scientific data more efficiently than ever before. Bioz Content Hub Bioz Content Hub on the Alomone WebsiteWith Bioz Pro Badges, the highest level of badge functionality, embedded on product webpages, Alomone now offers a uniquely enriched experience for researchers, offering both transparent citation access and a rich layer of AI-based functionality. Users can now explore peer-reviewed publications alongside cutting-edge content such as AI-generated article summaries, namely AI Briefs, coupled with Cited-By analytics, supplementary article data, patents, and even Ph.D. theses, providing a comprehensive view of how Alomone's products are used in real-world research.Key interactive features of Alomone's Bioz Pro Badges include custom filters for dilution and reactivity, which allow scientists to quickly narrow down relevant data tailored to their specific experimentation needs. This creates a highly engaging and efficient research journey.Alomone Labs also benefits from a dedicated Bioz Content Hub hosted directly on their website, a standalone publication page that brings together their full product catalog with citation-rich content. This knowledge hub serves as a central destination for researchers to explore validated tools backed by peer-reviewed data. Paired with Bioz Pro Badges, the Content Hub delivers a seamless, research-driven digital experience that aligns with how today's scientists evaluate and select reagents."Partnering with Bioz has significantly elevated the way we present our scientific contributions," saidHelene Levy , Head of People, Internal Operations and Global Coordination at Alomone Labs. "Our researchers really appreciate being able to see how our products are used in real studies, it adds a level of trust and transparency that wasn't possible before. Having this data right on our website not only strengthens credibility, but it's also attracting new scientists who are looking for highly-validated tools they can trust." "Alomone Labs is setting the bar for how research suppliers can harness scientific content to inform and inspire their customers," saidDr. Karin Lachmi , Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Bioz. "The addition of AI Briefs to Alomone's solutions represents an exciting step forward. By instantly surfacing key insights from scientific articles, this feature enhances how researchers interact with publication data and holds great potential for deepening engagement and reinforcing the credibility of Alomone's products." This collaboration reflects a shared vision to empower scientists with trusted, transparent, and AI-enhanced tools that shorten the path from product selection to research publication.About Bioz Bioz is the world's most advanced AI search engine for scientific research, offering evidence-based product ratings and recommendations to guide scientists toward the most validated products for their discoveries. Bioz's solutions for suppliers include Bioz Badges and Bioz Content Hubs, web-based widgets that enhance user engagement and increase sales conversion.About Alomone LabsFounded in 1989, Alomone Labs is a globally respected provider of research tools for neuroscience and cell signaling, specializing in ion channels, receptors, and other Membrane proteins. With a catalog of highly validated antibodies, ligands, toxins, and peptides, Alomone serves the life science community with products that consistently support high-impact research. The company's commitment to quality, scientific excellence, and customer support has made it a trusted partner for academic and pharmaceutical laboratories worldwide.Helpful LinksBiozBioz BadgesBioz StarsAlomone LabsFor more information on Bioz solutions for suppliers, please reach out toinfo@ bioz.com Contact InformationDaniel LevittCEOpr@ bioz.com SOURCE: Bioz, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 09:05:12 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 896 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 /BioNxt Solutions Inc. ("BioNxt" or the "Company") (CSE:BNXT)(OTC PINK:BNXTF)(FSE:BXT), a bioscience company specializing in innovative drug delivery technologies, is pleased to announce two key milestones in the expansion and protection of its proprietary drug delivery platform targeting neurological autoimmune disorders. The Company has formally initiated the prioritized examination process for its U.S. patent application for BNT23001, a novel sublingual thin-film cladribine formulation for multiple sclerosis (MS), under the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) Track One Program. Simultaneously, BioNxt has received acceptance of core claims for a broad international patent designed as a platform-level umbrella protecting the Company's sublingual thin-film delivery technology across a wide range of diseases, drug compounds, and applications.Fast-Tracked U.S. Patent Filing via Track One to Accelerate Clinical Development MilestonesBioNxt is pursuing the USPTO's Track One Prioritized Examination Program to accelerate patent review for BNT23001. Once accepted, this program enables final patent disposition within 12 months, with most applicants receiving a first Office Action in approximately two months and a final decision in under seven months. For BioNxt, this fast-track status represents a strategic opportunity to secure near-term U.S. patent protection and strengthen its IP position ahead of pivotal bioequivalence studies and commercial partnering discussions.BNT23001 is an orally dissolvable thin-film formulation of cladribine, a well-established immunomodulatory compound. Delivered sublingually, the formulation is designed for improved bioavailability, faster onset of action, and enhanced patient compliance, particularly in populations affected by dysphagia or seeking non-invasive alternatives to traditional tablets or injections.A Strategic Path Toward Superbioavailability and Rapid ApprovalBioNxt is advancing BNT23001 for relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS), as well as generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG). Merck KGaA is currently conducting a Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate cladribine capsules in GMG ( ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06463587), further validating the therapeutic relevance of the compound beyond MS. This clinical activity by Merck reinforces the therapeutic relevance of cladribine in GMG and underscores the opportunity for BioNxt to differentiate and potentially partner or collaborate with its own next-generation, patient-centric delivery format.BioNxt's objective is to confirm that its sublingual thin film offers superbioavailability in comparison to Merck's MAVENCLAD tablets, which generated more than US$1 billion in sales in 2023. If superior bioavailability is demonstrated relative to MAVENCLAD, BioNxt would qualify for an accelerated regulatory path under Article 10a of the European hybrid application framework, requiring only comparative PK data in healthy volunteers. A preclinical pharmacokinetic (PK) study in pigs, an established translational model for oral and sublingual absorption, will be initiated in the near-term to provide critical bioavailability data to support regulatory positioning and formulation optimization.BioNxt's Broad Patent: A Platform-Level Umbrella for Autoimmune NeurologyIn parallel to its U.S. patent fast-tracking, BioNxt has achieved a major intellectual property milestone with the acceptance of core claims in its broad international umbrella patent protecting its thin-film delivery platform. This foundational patent is not limited to BNT23001, but instead provides platform-level protection for a wide range of drug compounds, therapeutic indications, administration methods, and manufacturing processes.The umbrella patent provides long-term exclusivity, extending into the 2040s, not only for cladribine, but for a broad class of drug compounds delivered via BioNxt's proprietary sublingual thin-film technology. This includes protection for composition, manufacturing, administration methods, and use across multiple autoimmune and neuroinflammatory indications.Key disease targets include relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis, generalized myasthenia gravis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), autoimmune encephalitis, central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis, optic neuritis, Hashimoto's encephalopathy, cerebral lupus, and Sjogren's syndrome. While Sjogren's is primarily known for its effects on exocrine glands, it is also associated with neurological complications in some patients.The patent has received core claim acceptance from both the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO), and BioNxt has initiated national-phase filings in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. This patent framework enables BioNxt to scale its platform across additional indications using the same delivery modality, reducing development timelines and leveraging shared regulatory infrastructure.Targeting Global Markets and Significant Unmet NeedAutoimmune neurodegenerative diseases represent a significant global burden with limited therapeutic options and poor adherence to existing therapies. BioNxt's thin-film delivery technology is designed to improve tolerability and usability across these patient populations. Unlike conventional tablets or injectable formulations, BioNxt's thin-film platform bypasses the gastrointestinal tract, supports rapid absorption, and improves dosing convenience, critical in chronic autoimmune disorders where long-term adherence is essential.More than 2.8 million people are living with multiple sclerosis (MS) globally, including nearly 1 million in the United States alone, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a 2019 study published in Neurology (Wallin et al., 2019; National MS Society). The U.S. MS drug market was valued at USD 7.81 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow to over USD 17.15 billion by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 8.18% (Precedence Research, 2024).Generalized myasthenia gravis affects an estimated 700,000 people globally and remains an area of unmet therapeutic need (ClinicalTrialsArena, 2023). BioNxt estimates that its initial target indications, MS and GMG, represent a combined total addressable market of USD 42-46 billion by 2032, based on internal analysis and third-party forecasting. The central nervous system therapeutics market is projected to exceed USD 239 billion by 2032, highlighting the broader opportunity for innovation in neuroimmunology (GMI Insights, 2024).The Company expects to report results from its preclinical PK study later this year, supp PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 17:03:00 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 337 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of Roblox Corporation ("Roblox" or "the Company") (NYSE:RBLX). Investors who purchased Roblox securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/RBLX Investigation DetailsOn August 14, 2025, the State of Louisiana filed a lawsuit against Roblox, alleging that the Company fails to protect children from predators on its gaming platform. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said, "Due to Roblox's lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana. Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety. Every parent should be aware of the clear and present danger poised to their children by Roblox so they can prevent the unthinkable from ever happening in their own home." Following this news, Roblox's stock price dropped more than 6.3% on August 15, 2025.What's Next?If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased Roblox securities, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/RBLX . You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 332-239-2660There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.ContactBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 18:15:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 396 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Connex Credit Union ("Connex") recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted to Connex.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On June 3, 2025, Connex became aware of a security incident affecting its internal network. Upon detection, Connex launched an immediate investigation with assistance from third-party cybersecurity experts.The investigation revealed that an unauthorized third party accessed or downloaded files between June 2 and June 3, 2025. Connex reviewed the impacted files to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals.The impacted data may include names, Social Security numbers, account numbers, and government-issued IDs.Connex filed a notice of the breach with the California Attorney General on August 7, 2025, and began mailing notification letters to affected individuals on August 6, 2025. Compensation may be available for those individuals who receive notice that their sensitive personal information was compromised.WHY YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION?Data breaches are serious matters that can cause long-term damage. Hackers may use stolen information to commit identity theft, financial fraud, or other crimes. Companies that fail to secure your personal data may be held liable for the resulting harm.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?If you received a data breach notification letter from Connex Credit Union, you are likely to be affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected individuals are entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. Our firm works on a 100% contingency fee basis - you pay nothing unless we win your case! Visit our website to learn more. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 11:00:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 939 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 "Two Federal Agencies, One Unconstitutional Playbook, all While Agency Overreach Crushes a 125 year old Family Farm and Paralyzes a Cannabis Cultivation Company for 7 years alike" says Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ International Holdings. DEA Administrator Terry Cole fix it!WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / In a landmark July 2025 decision, theThird Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a stinging rebuketo the Department of Labor for violating the Constitution through its system of in-house courts where agency employees served as prosecutor, judge, and jury. The case involved the Marino family, whose fourth-generation New Jersey farm was driven into collapse over a paperwork error and $500,000 in fines.Yet even as this decision was being celebrated as a victory for due process, another federal agency, the Drug Enforcement Agency, was employing the same unconstitutional playbook against MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, a company seeking to produce FDA-grade cannabis for clinical trials on Huntington's disease and Multiple Sclerosis.The parallel patterns reveal a disturbing trend of federal agencies operating outside constitutional constraints, with devastating consequences for small businesses and medical innovation.The Pattern: Investigator, Prosecutor, Judge and JuryThe Marino family's ordeal began when Department Of Labor inspectors spent four days at their farm instead of the usual one, then waited months before levying staggering fines over a paperwork error-a mistakenly checked box regarding meal provisions for workers. The Marinos were then trapped in a Kafkaesque system where DOL agents investigated, DOL prosecutors argued the case, and a DOL judge decided the outcome.MMJ BioPharma has faced nearly identical treatment from the DEA. The company filed its application for bulk manufacturing registration to grow cannabis for research in clinical trials in December 2018, yet seven years later, remains entangled in an administrative nightmare where DEA officials investigate, DEA attorneys prosecute, and DEA judges adjudicate-a system the Department of Justice has admitted may be constitutionally flawed.Table: Comparison of Agency ActionsAgency TacticDepartment of Labor (Marino Case)DEA (MMJ BioPharma Case)Initial OffensePaperwork error (wrong box checked on meal provision form)Regulatory interpretations (vault specifications, supply agreements)Financial Demand$550,000 in fines and back wages$20,000/month in facility costs without revenueAdjudication SystemDOL administrative law judgesDEA administrative law judgesConstitutional StatusRuled unconstitutional by 3rd Circuit (2025)DOJ concedes ALJ protections may violate Article II (2025)Business Impact125-year-old farm forced to closeFDA-grade research facility paralyzedBureaucratic Obstruction: The DEA's Moving GoalpostsMMJ BioPharma's experience reads like a textbook case of regulatory weaponization. The company invested approximately $100,000 in a secure vault after DEA Investigator Thomas Cook from the Providence office insisted on concrete thickness specifications that exceeded requirements-demanding protection against hypothetical thieves tunneling underground despite seismic monitoring systems being an approved alternative.The arbitrary demands continued at the highest levels. Deputy Administrator Matthew Strait instructed MMJ to provide a "bona fide supply agreement" and followed the DEA's December 2020 rule suggesting the agency would purchase cannabis and resell it to researchers. When MMJ produced an agreement with Catalent Pharma Solutions for API processing, DEA rejected it for not containing terms like those in a sample agreement the agency provided-despite the company following the DEA's own framework.Perhaps most egregiously, DOJ attorney Cara Krysil advised MMJ that they could submit a $25 million NIH grant application using their DEA application number rather than a registration number-assurances that proved false when NIH rejected the application, costing the company critical research funding.The Human and Medical CostFor the Marino family, the financial and emotional toll was catastrophic. After nine years fighting DOL, they were forced to auction their 125-year-old farming operation-every tractor, combine, and piece of land-in a devastating two-day sale.MMJ BioPharma has similarly bled under the weight of bureaucratic intransigence, spending over $20,000 monthly in facility costs without permission to operate. The human cost extends beyond financials to patients awaiting potential treatments for neurological conditions-patients who remain without access to standardized, FDA-grade cannabis medicines because of the DEA's obstruction."The public will be sickened to find out what DOL did," Joe Marino said after his victory. Similarly, medical advocates are increasingly alarmed by the DEA's pattern of behavior 1.The Legal Landscape Shifts Beneath ThemEven as the DEA continues its administrative proceedings against MMJ BioPharma, the legal foundation for such agency tribunals is crumbling:Jarkesy v. SEC (2024): The Supreme Court ruled that defendants facing civil penalties from agency proceedings are entitled to jury trials under the Seventh Amendment.Marino v. DOL (2025): The Third Circuit unanimously ruled DOL's in-house court system unconstitutional.DOJ Concession (2025): The Justice Department admitted that multiple layers of removal protections for ALJs "do not comport with the separation of powers and Article II" and would no longer defend them in litigation.Despite these developments, the DEA continues its administrative proceeding against MMJ BioPharma, even as the Department of Justice has effectively conceded the constitutional deficiencies of the very system being used to judge the company.A Path ForwardThe solution to this constitutional crisis requires decisive action:Stay DEA Proceedings: Administrator Terry Cole should immediately stay the administrative case against MMJ BioPharma and move it to Article III courts.Establish Clear Guidelines: The DEA must publish workable, consistent standards for "bona fide supply agreements" that don't require impossible pre-conditions.Credit Compliance: The agency should acknowledge investments already made in compliance with regulations rather than moving goalposts.Transparent Timeline: The DEA must provide a public, accountable timetable for research registration decisions.Independent Review: An external compliance panel without DEA ties should review requirements for rationality and consistency.Conclusion: Justice Delayed Is Justice DeniedThe Marino family ultimately received vindication from the Third Circuit, but only after los PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 01:00:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 788 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / August 19, 2025 / Discovery Energy Metals Corp. (CSE:DEMC)(OTCQB:DEMCF)(FRA:Q3Q0) (WKN: A3EFKA) ("Discovery" or the "Company"), a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing domestic energy freedom through regional Energy Metals discovery, is pleased to announce that it has completed a non-brokered private placement of 10,000,000 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.10 per Unit for gross proceeds of $1,000,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company and one transferable share purchase warrant, with each warrant exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.15 per share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. The gross proceeds from the Offering will be used for general working capital and property exploration.All securities issued in connection with the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day pursuant to applicable securities law.None of the securities sold in connection with the Offering are registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no such securities were offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.For more information please visit: www.discoveryenergymetals.com About Discovery Energy Metals Corp. (CSE: DEMC) (OTCQB: DEMCF) (FRA: Q3Q0) (WKN: A3EFKA)Discovery Energy Metals Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing mineral resource projects in North America. The Company holds a 100% interest in 1,675 mineral claims in Serindac Lake and 2,113 mineral claims in Vaubert Lake for a combined total of approximately 164,283 hectares (~405,952 acres) located in the Nunavik region of Northern Quebec, 303 mineral claims comprising approximately 16,392 hectares (~40,505.5 acres) identified as the Route De Nord, Lac Belanger, Lac Ferland and Lac Roberston properties located across the northern and eastern regions of Quebec including the prolific lithium district of the James Bay region, and a further 8 mineral claims totaling approximately 5,283 hectares (~13,054.58 acres) identified as the Crystal Lake property in north-central British Columbia. Additionally, the Company is actively advancing its ESN Project for gold exploration in Nevada and evaluating the Koster Dam Project in Central British Columbia through a joint venture with Cariboo Rose Resources. Find out more at: www.discoveryenergymetals.com and follow us on X (formerly twitter), and LinkedIn.On behalf of the Board of Directors,Mike HodgePresident & Chief Executive OfficerFor further information, please contact:Discovery Energy Metals Corp. 1450 - 789 West Pender Street,Vancouver, BC Canada V6C 1H2Telephone: +1 (604) 681-1568Email: info@ discoveryenergymetals.com Web: www.discoveryenergymetals.com Caution Regarding Forward-Looking InformationCertain statements contained in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", "potential", "indicative" and similar expressions. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Offering, including the timing, terms and anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering, the timely receipt of all necessary approvals for the Offering, and other statements regarding the Company's future business plans and objectives. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of risks and uncertainties inherent in the exploration and development of mineral properties, fluctuations in commodity prices, counterparty risk, market conditions, regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, changes to the Company's strategic growth plans, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation.SOURCE: Discovery Energy Metals Corp. PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 22:35:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 770 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 RIGA, LATVIA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Dr. Ashleys Limitedis proud to announce that its founder and global CEO, Dr. Kanans Visvanats, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Dr Albert Schweitzer Medical Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious award honors Dr. Visvanats and his incredible efforts in the sphere of medicine and his lifetime commitment to providing healthcare support to underserved communities worldwide.The Dr. Albert Schweitzer Medical Lifetime Achievement Award is an honour that celebrates the achievements of individuals who have performed exemplary service to medical research, humanitarian efforts, and health policy in the extension of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, a Nobel laureate and the pioneer of humanitarian medical work. Dr. Visvanats is a successor in the spirit of Dr. Albert Schweitzer as he heads the task of supplying life-saving pharmaceuticals to the most inaccessible parts of the world.Dr. Visvanats Impact on the Pharmaceutical IndustryBeing the Founder ofDr. Ashleys Limited , Dr. Visvanats has shown tremendous leadership in not just having innovations in medical science but also getting them to those populations that require them most. As the leader, the firm has led to affordable solutions in producing and distributing generic and patented medicines that have significantly reduced the cost of life-saving drugs.Dr. Visvanath's work in Dr. Ashley's Limited has been central to the company's mission, which is to make medicines accessible and affordable, among other things, particularly in emerging markets. His strategies have allowed the firm to expand its operations and export its pharmaceutical products to more than 80 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. The company produces oncology, anti-malaria, HIV-AIDS, and other infectious disease unit medicine, thus contributing substantially to global public health.Figure 1 Dr. Ashleys - Medicine Beyond BordersHumanitarian and Business LeadershipDr. Visvanats humanitarian efforts extend beyond the corporate world. He is an active participant in global health efforts, having worked with the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology, Development (CSTD) as a Garwood Innovation Fellow at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. And Fellow at The Royal Society of Chemistry London. These positions can enable him to sway world health policy, advocate for access to medicines, and take part in research and development efforts to address the health-related challenges that worry everyone.The award was conferred following the final round of voting by the International Albert Schweitzer Foundation (IASF). In a congratulatory email, Prof. Dr. Bang-Ning Liu, Independent Director of the IASF, expressed heartfelt admiration and gratitude on behalf of the entire committee. The email highlighted Dr. Visvanats' exceptional contributions to science, medicine, and humanitarian progress.Dr. Visvanats Vision for the FutureMoving into the future, Dr. Visvanats aims to increase the reputable global presence of Dr. Ashleys Limited as well as increase innovation in the pharmaceutical production process. The company is also working towards improving warehousing and inventory management capacity to achieve efficiency and shorter lead times. Dr. Visvanats is also leading in creating pathways for bringing orphan drugs and newer Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) to market, in areas of unmet therapeutic needs.Dr. Ashley's Limited, investment in research and development (R&D) is part of its long-term strategy. The company holds a steady investment in manufacturing technology advancement that should decrease the price of manufacturing and increase access to necessary drugs.Mr. Santosh Banerjee Business Development Head (SEA) at Asprofin Bank Corporation, and assigned Private Banker to Dr. Kanans opined, "Through these technologies, Dr. Ashley's Limited will be able to make more progress in the scenario against global health issues, including cancer, malaria, and viral infections." About Dr. Ashleys LimitedDr. Ashleys Limited was incorporated in 2012. The firm is a global front-runner in the creation, production, and distribution of squeezed into Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and Orphan Drugs. The mission of this firm is to deliver life-saving medicines to underserved markets and involves targeted non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as well as infectious diseases. Dr. Ashley's Limited has its operations in more than 80 countries, and its customers span the whole world in need of vital healthcare items.Dr. Ashleys Limited has built a highly-rated brand and reputation among its potential customers as a leading company in distributing quality and innovative solutions in the pharmaceutical industry globally. Corporate social responsibility and the sustainability of the company's business practices have seen it gain the trust of governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and healthcare providers across the globe.For more information, please visitDr. Ashleys Limiteds website .Dr Ashleys LimitedDr. Kanans Visvanats FRSC dkv@ drashleys.com Address: Unit No 1504, 15th Floor Peninsula Square, 18 Sung On Street, Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SarFor more information on theInternational Albert Schweitzer Foundation .SOURCE: Dr Ashleys Limited PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 14:30:10 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 954 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Strategic JV Expands ESGold Portfolio with Second Permitted Project Aimed at Cash Flow, Growth and Remediation in South AmericaVANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 /ESGold Corp. ("ESGold" or the "Company") (CSE:ESAU)(OTCQB:ESAUF)(FSE:Z7D) announced today that it has entered into a binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Planta Magdalena S.A.S. ("Planta"), a Colombian corporation, to form a joint venture for the development and reprocessing of fully permitted, gold- and silver-bearing tailings in the Department of Bolivar, Colombia.This strategic move represents a significant step in ESGold's plan to expand its tailings-to-cash-flow model beyond Quebec, applying modern, environmentally responsible processing to legacy tailings in one of South America's most prolific gold-producing regions. The Company aims to generate high-margin, scalable production while delivering environmental remediation benefits and positioning itself for further growth across the Americas.Deal HighlightsStructure & Consideration: ESGold will contribute C$1.5 million for a 50% JV interest and will hold a first right of refusal to purchase the remaining 50% within 12 months at fair market value determined by independent third-party appraisal.Permitting: Planta advises that it holds permits to commence tailings production. ESGold will conduct independent verification of all permits and licences as part of its due diligence prior to entering into a definitive agreement.Strategic Rationale: The Bolivar JV is designed to replicate ESGold's low-capex, high-margin tailings model developed at Montauban (Quebec), while remediating legacy mine sites and improving environmental outcomes for local communities.Fast-Track Workplan: Preliminary due-diligence fire-assay sampling of tailings (27 samples) has been completed. Concentrate tests on the assayed tailings are being finalized at Montauban and will be shipped to ACTLABS in Val-d'Or for analysis. On-site geological and metallurgical visits are being scheduled to finalize the proposed circuit and recovery parameters.Path to Production: Subject to a definitive agreement, verification, and commissioning, the Company's objective is to add a second high-margin operation alongside Montauban, with a target start-up in 2026."Bolivar has a long and storied history as one of Colombia's most prolific gold-producing regions, with decades of artisanal and small-scale mining contributing significantly to the country's overall output," said Gordon Robb, CEO of ESGold. "The region still processes hundreds of thousands of tonnes of ore annually, yet much of it is handled using rudimentary mercury amalgamation methods that leave behind a substantial amount of gold and silver in the tailings. This creates an immense opportunity for ESGold to apply modern, environmentally responsible recovery technology that can significantly improve yields while remediating legacy mine sites. The early validation from our due-diligence sampling is highly encouraging, and it underscores the scalability of our tailings-to-cash-flow model as we aim to build a second high-margin operation in one of the most prolific gold-bearing districts in all South America." Initial Due-Diligence SamplingAs part of joint ESGold-Planta due diligence, 27 tailings samples were collected across the tailings sector and submitted to ACTLABS. Highlights (sample IDs as received) include:SS806: 42.683 g/t AuSS816: 19.284 g/t AuSS817: 18.332 g/t AuSS825: 10.787 g/t AuIn total, 8 of 27 samples assayed above 5 g/t Au, including several high-grade results; multiple samples also returned notable silver values exceeding 190 g/t Ag.Cautionary Note: The samples referenced above are selective in nature, were collected for due-diligence screening, and may not be representative of the tailings as a whole. No mineral resource or reserve is being declared. Additional systematic sampling, QA/QC, and metallurgical test work are required to determine grade continuity, recoveries, and economic parameters. Results will be disclosed following Qualified Person (QP) review.ESGold is finalizing bulk-sample concentrate tests to confirm recovery rates for the proposed mining circuit. Testing will be completed at the Company's Montauban facilities with confirmed assays at ACTLABS in Quebec on an expedited basis.Why Bolivar, ColombiaThe Department of Bolivar is recognized as one of Colombia's most prolific gold-producing regions, with a mining tradition that spans centuries. Today, artisanal and small-scale miners in the region collectively process an estimated 300,000 tonnes of ore annually, producing approximately 128,000 ounces of gold. Despite this significant output, much of the material is processed using rudimentary mercury amalgamation methods, which typically recover less than half of the contained gold and silver.This long-standing reliance on outdated technology leaves a substantial portion of precious metals unrecovered in the tailings. Modern, mercury-free processing techniques can materially improve recovery rates while eliminating the environmental harm caused by mercury. The combination of a large, continuous feed of tailings, a skilled local workforce, and the region's established mining infrastructure creates a unique opportunity to launch a high-margin, environmentally responsible operation with near-term scalability potential.By starting in Bolivar, ESGold positions itself to demonstrate the economic advantages of its tailings-to-cash flow model in one of South America's most prolific gold-bearing districts, while delivering tangible environmental remediation benefits to local communities."The Bolivar opportunity perfectly fits our vision for ESGold's growth," said Paul Mastantuono, Chairman and COO. "This is a permitted project in one of South America's most prolific gold districts, with the potential to quickly generate high-margin cash flow using our modern, environmentally responsible processing. The initial sample results are encouraging, and we're eager to complete the next stages of technical and legal due diligence. Our team sees this as a launchpad to scale our proven model across multiple jurisdictions, delivering value for shareholders while making a measurable positive impact in the communities where we operate." Next Steps & ConditionsDefinitive Agreement: Finalize binding terms with Planta Magdalena following the completion of legal, technical, and financial due diligence. This includes title and lien verification, litigation search, licensing and permitting review, and confirmation of compliance with Colombian mining and enviro PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 22:00:09 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 922 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Lindsay Martel Montgomery,Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto, has co-authored an influential new study that deepens our understanding of Indigenous histories through a unique blend of archaeological analysis and community knowledge.TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Lindsay Martel Montgomery,Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto, has co-authored an influential new study that deepens our understanding of Indigenous histories through a unique blend of archaeological analysis and community knowledge. This research, published with long-time collaborator Melanie Cootsona in the Journal of Social Archaeology, highlights centuries of human-avian relationships at Picuris Pueblo in northern New Mexico, placing Indigenous oral histories at the heart of archaeological interpretation.The study challenges the sidelining of Indigenous ways of understanding relationships between humans, animals, and landscapes and long-standing assumptions in zooarchaeology that separate "wild" from "domestic" animals often. Lindsay Martel Montgomery and Cootsona address this by integrating traditional knowledge and personal narratives from Picuris Pueblo tribal members with material evidence from the old pueblo, producing a more holistic and culturally grounded history.Developing a Gifting ApproachAt the center of this research is a "gifting" framework. Drawing from oral histories, the framework emphasizes care, reciprocity, and respect in understanding human-avian relationships. This approach not only sheds new light on avian faunal materials, such as turkey remains, but also recognizes the cultural values and responsibilities embedded in these relationships.The archaeological evidence studied dates between 1300 and 1800 CE, a period during which ancestral Picuris people developed an intensive and sophisticated agricultural landscape. The findings show that turkeys were not merely economic resources but partners in a network of reciprocal relationships with plants, water systems, and the broader northern Rio Grande landscape.According toLindsay Martel Montgomery,multi-dimension approach taken in the article opens up new pathways for engaging communities and working with legacy archaeological collections. "By centering oral histories alongside archaeological data, we are not just adding Indigenous perspectives to existing narratives. We are reframing the entire process of interpretation so that the community's knowledge and values guide the questions and shape the conclusions." Collaborating with Picuris PuebloThis collaborative project is built on years of relationship-building and trust with Picuris Pueblo. Community members shared oral histories and personal narratives that connect present-day cultural practices with centuries-old traditions. This collaboration ensured that interpretations remained accountable to the Pueblo's values and perspectives.Rather than treating this archaeological collection as abstract objects of study, the project recognized it as part of a living landscape with ongoing cultural significance. This approach aligns with broader movements in Indigenous archaeology, which seek to replace extractive models with methods grounded in partnership and shared authority.Challenging the Nature-Culture DivideIn traditional Western archaeology, animals have often been categorized as either "wild" or "domestic," reinforcing a rigid nature-culture binary. This binary overlooks the ways Indigenous communities have long interacted with animals in ways that do not fit neatly into those categories.The gifting framework proposed by Lindsay Martel Montgomery and Cootsonar offers a more nuanced interpretation. Turkeys, for example, were not solely raised for food or feather harvesting but were part of a relational network where care for the animals reflected broader responsibilities to the land and community.The research builds on critiques from BIPOC scholars and archaeologists working within posthumanist and object-oriented approaches, who have called for dismantling the limitations of Western ontology and epistemology in archaeological practice.Material Evidence and Oral Histories in DialogueThe study's methodology involved placing archaeological findings-such as turkey bones, eggshell fragments, and associated agricultural remains-into dialogue with oral traditions passed down through generations of Picuris Pueblo people. This dual approach revealed how agricultural practices, water management systems, and human-animal relationships developed together over centuries.By integrating both forms of evidence, the research situates oral histories as authoritative sources of historical knowledge rather than reducing them to analogies or mere supplements for material analysis.Implications for Archaeology and Heritage PracticeThe work with Picuris Pueblo offers a model for other archaeologists seeking to work collaboratively with Indigenous communities. It demonstrates how ethical research can be rooted in care and reciprocity while still producing rigorous, peer-reviewed scholarship.The approach taken in this article reflects Lindsay Martel Montgomery's broader body of work advocating for Indigenous data sovereignty, community-led research agendas, and adherence to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. These principles ensure that communities retain control over how their histories are documented, interpreted, and shared.A Broader Commitment to Decolonizing ArchaeologyThis study is part of Lindsay Martel Montgomery's ongoing effort to decolonize archaeological practice. She has worked extensively on community-based projects in North America, often focusing on long-term partnerships that prioritize the needs and goals of Indigenous collaborators. Her scholarship bridges academic research, public engagement, and policy advocacy, influencing how universities, museums, and heritage agencies approach cultural resource management."Decolonizing archaeology is not about inserting diversity into existing systems," she explains. "It is about fundamentally rethinking those systems so that they reflect the values, priorities, and leadership of the communities whose histories are being studied." Educational ImpactAt the University of Toronto, Lindsay Martel Montgomery incorporates these collaborative principles into her teaching. She develops courses that bring Indigenous knowledge holders and BIPOC scholars into the classroom and encourages students to think critically about the ethics of research. Her mentorship prepares the next generation of archaeologists to work in ways that respect community authority and cultural protocols.Looking ForwardThe publication in the Journal of Social Arch PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 16:47:12 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 305 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Levi & Korsinsky notifies investors that it has commenced an investigation of Encompass Health Corporation ("Encompass Health Corporation") (NYSE:EHC) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.On July 15, 2025, the New York Times published an article, entitled "Even Grave Errors at Rehab Hospitals Go Unpenalized and Undisclosed," discussing the state of the private rehabilitation hospital industry. In the article, the Times specifically identified Encompass as one of the for-profit rehab corporations that "have had rare but serious incident of patient harm and perform below average on two key safety measure tracked by Medicare." The article went on to note specific examples highlighting significant patient safety concerns, medication errors, and an overall lack of oversight at Encompass' hospitals. Following this news, Encompass' stock price fell by $12.39 per share to close at $ 107.28 per share. To obtain additional information, go to:or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212)363-7500.WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT:Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212)363-7500 Fax: (212)363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Epicenter Group and the family of Ukrainian MP Anatoliy Urbansky plan to build a grain terminal at Pivdenny Port in Odesa region with an annual handling capacity of 5 million tonnes of grain. The project is estimated to cost between $160 million and $270 million, according to Latifundist.com. The first announcement of the terminal project was made in November 2024 by Epicenter K CEO Petro Mykhailyshyn. In April 2025, the information was confirmed by the group's head of agribusiness, Svitlana Nikityuk. The publication reports that the terminal project is more than just business plans on paper. In 2025, Casablanca Shipping Limited (Cyprus), whose founder is Epicenter K LLC, acquired a 32.61% stake in Promtekhnovatsiya LLC (Odesa). The remaining shares are held by Anatoliy Urbansky (16.48%) and Kateryna and Denys Urbansky, who each own 25.46%. Promtekhnovatsiya leases land plots in the water area of Pivdenny Port and near the local T1606 road. The total area for construction is around 32 hectares. This area is sufficient for building a railway and truck unloading station close to the highway, from which grain will be transported via conveyor gallery to silos and the transshipment terminal. The construction remains at the project stage, developed in 2024. Its planned cargo turnover is 5 million tonnes per year, with a total silo storage capacity of 250,000 tonnes. According to the project, a dedicated railway station will be built with an annual throughput capacity of up to 3 million tonnes and the ability to handle up to five freight trains (5070 cars) daily. The land plot for the station covers 10 hectares. The site will feature a railcar unloading station with a capacity of 2,000 tonnes per hour and a truck unloading station with a capacity of 1,000 tonnes per hour. A 1,600-meter conveyor gallery with a throughput of 1,200 tonnes per hour will connect the unloading station with the main elevators. Grain will be delivered to about 50 silos with a combined storage capacity of 250,000 tonnes, located on a 10-hectare site. Plans also include building a berth up to 350 meters long with a depth of 16 meters. Agricultural products will be loaded using two tower cranes with a combined handling capacity of 1,500 tonnes per hour. All equipment for unloading, transportation, storage, and transshipment of grain is owned by Promtekhnovatsiya. Port officials familiar with the construction process said the project is progressing successfully. The launch of the terminal is scheduled for 2026. Despite the technical complexity, industry sources expressed optimism that the project will be completed on time. However, market participants are reluctant to predict the payback period. Epicenter K, which includes Epicenter Agro, was established in 2003 and opened its first hypermarket in Kyiv in December of the same year. It has a network of eponymous shopping centers in Ukraine. Since 2016, it has been developing the agricultural direction of the business. It processes more than 160,000 hectares in Vinnytsia, Khmelnytsky, Ternopil, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy and Kyiv regions. The group includes 20 livestock farms and 15 silo complexes. The agroholding's own production of agricultural products is about 1 million tonnes. In 2025, Epicenter Agro launched its own trading. PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 08:20:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 629 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TAIPEI, TW / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / PEOPLElogy Berhad("PEOPLElogy" or "the Group"), an integrated people development solutions provider, proudly announces its recognition as a winner of the Digital Talent Development Award at theWITSA Global Awards 2025 . This global accolade, conferred by the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), honours outstanding contributions to advancing technology and innovation for societal benefit across sectors including education, healthcare, finance, and governance.The WITSA Global Awards, formerly known as the WITSA Global Innovation and Tech Excellence Awards, celebrate individuals, organisations, and government bodies that have significantly advanced the global digital landscape. With entries judged by an international panel of experts across 6 continents, these awards represent a global benchmark for excellence across critical categories including AI, cybersecurity, smart cities, digital opportunity, and talent development. The 2025 edition was held in Taipei, Taiwan, as part of the WITSA Global AI Summit 2025, drawing entries that demonstrated exceptional innovation, scale, and impact in advancing technology for societal good.PEOPLElogy's award-winning nomination was a testament to its consistent impact and forward-thinking strategies. As the first public-listed company in Southeast Asia focusing on people development solutions, proudly founded in Malaysia, PEOPLElogy has grown from a team of five to over 100 professionals, achieving RM29.24 million in revenue in FY2024. The company has trained over 250,000 talents and introduced its proprietary "6D Framework", delivering measurable, scalable, and high-impact digital upskilling development programs. Its "BUILD A FUTURE TEAM" initiative further enhances workforce readiness by collaborating with government bodies, skill providers, and industry leaders which all aligned with PEOPLElogy's bold mission to impact 10 million lives globally.Recognised for its inclusive, holistic, and future-oriented approach, PEOPLElogy's work sets a new standard in digital talent development. The company bridges critical skills gaps for governments, businesses, and communities by integrating technical education, digital literacy, and workforce adaptability. The award not only validates PEOPLElogy's scalable impact but also reinforces its leadership in driving digital equity and innovation across Asia and beyond.Mr. Allen Lee, Executive Director and Managing Director of PEOPLElogy, said, "This award is a testament to the tangible and visible impact of our efforts. From empowering individuals to shaping the future of workforces, our mission has always been to create real, measurable change. We are deeply honored to be acknowledged on the global stage by WITSA and remain committed to pushing the boundaries of digital talent transformation." Dato' Dr. Sean Seah, Chairman of WITSA, also highlighted in the WITSA Global Awards 2025, "All winners and merit recipients tonight exemplify the promise of digital and innovation, towards the sustainability and well-being of the global tech community. They are about making a significant global impact, from governments, industries, to all communities." Looking ahead, PEOPLElogy aims to maintain this standard of excellence by continuing to drive inclusive, adaptive, and future-proof digital learning initiatives. As the first public-listed people development company in Southeast Asia, PEOPLElogy remains steadfast in its purpose to empower talents, accelerate workforce transformation, and shape the digital future for generations to come.###ABOUT PEOPLElogy BERHADPEOPLElogy Berhad is an award-winning integrated people development solutions provider, delivering end-to-end services across three core segments: Discovery, Development, and Digital. As Malaysia's first public-listed People Development Company, PEOPLElogy is a pioneer in digital upskilling and workforce transformation, empowering individuals and organizations to thrive in the digital economy.With a mission to impact 10 million lives, PEOPLElogy is redefining how people work, learn, and grow - preparing a future-ready workforce through innovative, holistic, and scalable solutions.For more information, visit: www.peoplelogy.com Issued By: Swan Consultancy Sdn. Bhd. on behalf of PEOPLElogy BerhadFor more information, please contact:Jazmin WanEmail: j.wan@ swanconsultancy.biz William YeoEmail: w.yeo@ swanconsultancy.biz Elaine Yap Head of Corporate Branding & CommunicationsEmail: Elaine.Yap@PEOPLElogy.com SOURCE: PEOPLElogy Berhad PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 18:05:22 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1077 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR TO BE TRANSMITTED, DISTRIBUTED TO, OR SENT BY, ANY NATIONAL OR RESIDENT OR CITIZEN OF ANY SUCH COUNTRIES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION MAY CONTRAVENE LOCAL SECURITIES LAWS OR REGULATIONS.THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR CONTAIN ANY INVITATION, SOLICITATION, RECOMMENDATION, OFFER OR ADVICE TO ANY PERSON TO SUBSCRIBE FOR, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR DISPOSE OF ANY SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD BREACH ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION.THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE UK VERSION OF REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 ON MARKET ABUSE ("UK MAR"), AS IT FORMS PART OF UK DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AND REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 ON MARKET ABUSE ("EU MAR"). UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND SUCH PERSONS SHALL THEREFORE CEASE TO BE IN POSSESSION OF INSIDE INFORMATION.NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.CASCAIS, PORTUGAL / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Pulsar Helium Inc. (AIM:PLSR)(TSXV:PLSR)(OTCQB:PSRHF) ("Pulsar" or the "Company"), a leading helium project development company, is pleased to announce that it intends to complete a private placement financing by way of an accelerated bookbuild (the "Offering") of a minimum of 13,043,478 common shares of the Company (each, a "Common Share") at a price of GBP 0.23 (approximately CAD$0.43)per Common Share (the "Issue Price") to raise minimum gross proceeds of GBP 3,000,000 (approximately CAD$5,610,000) and a maximum of 21,739,130 Common Shares at the Issue Price to raise maximum gross proceeds of GBP 5,000,000 (approximately CAD$9,350,000).The Offering will be conducted by way of an accelerated bookbuild process managed by OAK Securities as exclusive bookrunner. The bookbuild will open immediately following this announcement. The timing of the closing of the bookbuild and allocations are at the absolute discretion of OAK Securities and the Company. It is currently envisaged that the result of bookbuild will be announced by the Company at approximately 07:00 (UK time) on August 21, 2025.Net proceeds received pursuant to the Offering will be used to advance Pulsar's flagship Topaz helium project in Minnesota, USA and for general working capital purposes. Specifically, upon closing of the Offering, the Company intends to sign a new contract for drilling of up to 10 new appraisal wells, to further define the size and shape of the helium-bearing reservoir. Other activities to be funded from the net proceeds of the Offering within the coming 12 months include a preliminary economic assessment and resource update.Closing of the Offering (and associated admission to trading on AIM of the new Common Shares issued pursuant to the Offering) is anticipated to occur on or about August 29, 2025 ("Closing"), subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals.The Company has been informed by University Bancorp Inc, its c. 5% shareholder and principal lender, that it intends to participate in the Offering in order to maintain its equity interest.Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Common Shares issuable under the Offering will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in the UK and all of the provinces of Canada (except Quebec) pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A.2 of NI 45-106 (the "LIFE Exemption"). As such, the securities issued to subscribers will not be subject to resale restrictions in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.There is an offering document (the "Offering Document") dated August 20, 2025 related to the Offering and prepared pursuant to the CSA's Listed Issuer Financing Exemption that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at https://www.pulsarhelium.com . This Offering Document contains additional details regarding the Offering, including additional details regarding the expected use of proceeds therefrom. Prospective investors in the Offering should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Offering Document does not contain an offer of transferable securities to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of section 102B of the Financials Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended ("FSMA") and is not required to be issued as a prospectus pursuant to section 85 of FSMA. It has not been, nor will it be approved by, or filed with, the Financial Conduct Authority or any other authority which would be a competent authority for the purposes of the UK Prospectus Regulation.The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any United States state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any available exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable United States state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.Pulsar has appointed OAK Securities (a trading name of Merlin Partners LLP), to act as the Company's exclusive bookrunner and placement agent in connection with the Offering to UK residents pursuant to a placing agreement. OAK Securities will be paid an advisory fee of 20,000, payable in cash and a cash fee in an amount equal to six per cent (6.0%) of the gross proceeds raised from UK resident investors introduced to the Company by OAK Securities pursuant to the Offering. The Company will also issue Common Share purchase warrants (the "Broker Warrants") to OAK Securities equal to 6.0% of the number of Common Shares acquired by investors introduced to the Company by OAK S PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-21 00:02:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 465 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Chairman of the Board at Leman Manhattan Preparatory School Recognized for Pioneering Role in Technology and EducationNEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Renowned entrepreneur, technologist, and education innovatorRick Inatomehas been honored as a 2025 Distinguished Leader by Marquis Who's Who, an accolade reserved for a select group of exemplary professionals across industries. The distinction recognizes Inatome's visionary contributions to the digital age and his transformative leadership in business and education.As Chairman of the Board atLeman Manhattan Preparatory School , Mr. Inatome has redefined how independent schools approach modern challenges. Under his leadership, the school has become a model for leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize learning outcomes and personalize education. His commitment to making education more adaptive, inclusive, and future-facing reflects a broader mission of social impact through innovation.A Detroit native and descendant of Japanese Americans interned during World War II, Inatome's journey began with building computers in his Michigan State University dorm room. In 1976, he founded Inacomp Computer Centers and soon played a pivotal role in bringing personal computers to the mainstream. Collaborating with early tech titans such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Steve Wozniak, Inatome helped build a Fortune 500 company. He later served as President of Microsoft's inaugural advisory board and was a key advisor to Apple for a decade.His leadership philosophy is grounded in personal development and organizational excellence. Inatome's ventures extend beyond tech into successful business turnarounds, private equity, and educational innovation. Through Collegio Partners LLC, his current firm, he continues consulting, investing, and mentoring across sectors, focusing on creating sustainable, socially beneficial enterprises.Among his many honors, Inatome has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. Magazine and the Harvard Business Club, and he is a member of the prestigious Computer Hall of Fame. He also holds a knighthood from the Royal Order of Francis I.Rick Inatome's recognition as a 2025 Distinguished Leader underscores a lifelong commitment to innovation, mentorship, and service. As he continues to shape the future through ventures like Leman Manhattan and Collegio Partners, his influence remains a blueprint for purposeful leadership in the 21st century.About Rick Inatome Rick Inatomeis a transformative business leader whose legacy includes being an architect of the digital age. Working with other pioneers such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, he established a disruptive technology distribution channel that introduced the personal computer first to the general public and then to corporate America. Rick Inatome is among a select group of tech giants in the Computer Hall of Fame and was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. Magazine. He has founded and managed various private equity funds, served on numerous boards, and is in demand as a consultant, mentor, and public speaker.Collegio Partners/Don Lively844.526.5534 info@ collegiopartners.com SOURCE: Collegio Partners/Don Lively PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 22:10:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 466 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 RALEIGH, NC / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers is proud to announce that it has once again been recognized by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly as one of the state's Best Family-Led Law Firms for 2025. This marks the second consecutive year the firm has earned this distinction, a testament to its ongoing commitment to justice, integrity, and family values. Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers Riddle & Riddle Injury LawyersBuilt on Family, Rooted in JusticeFounded byGene Riddle , the firm began as a small personal injury practice with a simple mission: treat every client like family while fighting tirelessly for justice. Over the years, that mission has shaped Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers into a statewide name synonymous with trusted legal representation, compassionate service, and an unwavering dedication to those who have been injured or wronged.A Legacy Carried ForwardThe Riddle family tradition in law continues to grow. In 2025, Gene's daughter Alex Riddle was officially named a partner at the firm. Alex brings a sharp legal mind, a fierce commitment to justice, and a fresh perspective that ensures Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers continues to evolve while honoring its roots.The legacy doesn't stop there. Arden Riddle, Gene's youngest daughter, is currently attending the University of North Carolina School of Law and is expected to join the practice in 2026. Together, the Riddle family is building a multigenerational practice that not only delivers results in the courtroom but also cultivates a culture of compassion, resilience, and family-first values.Recognition That ResonatesThe firm attributes its continued success to three guiding principles:Personal relationships with clients - Treating each case with the care and dedication it deserves.A team that works like a family - Fostering collaboration, support, and unity at every level.Deep-rooted community ties - Maintaining strong connections with the people and places they serve acrossNorth Carolina .Being included on North Carolina Lawyers Weekly's 2025 list of Best Family-Led Law Firms represents more than industry acknowledgment-it is a reflection of what truly sets Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers apart.About Riddle & Riddle Injury LawyersRiddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers extends heartfelt gratitude to every client who has trusted the firm to handle their case with the same care as if it were their own family's. That trust is the foundation of the firm's mission and the driving force behind every success.If you or someone you love has been injured, Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers is committed to protecting your family. For more information about the firm and its commitment to family values, visit their website or contact them by phone or online.Media Contact:Company Name: Riddle & Riddle Injury LawyersAddress: 4600 Marriott Dr STE 500City: Raleigh]State: North CarolinaZip: 27612Country: United StatesPhone: (919) 876-3020Website: https://justicecounts.com/ Contact InformationGene RiddleManaging Partnercontactus@ justicecounts.com (800) 525-7111SOURCE: Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 05:05:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 847 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 RALEIGH, NC / ACCESS Newswire / August 19, 2025 / In a move that will help Sunseeker gain an important position in the smart lawn market, the company has announced that its smart robotic mowers are now available atLowe's online shopping platform . This launch aims to provide advanced, environmentally friendly lawn care technology to homeowners in the United States.The Sunseeker CEO said:"We think of a future in which robotic lawn care is not the exception anymore, but the rule, at Sunseeker. By collaborating with Lowe's, we are capable of earning the business of even more homeowners than before, and also provide them with the ease, accuracy, and sustainability that has become synonymous with the Sunseeker experience." Smart Lawn Care Just Leveled UpThe partnership with Lowe's is a significant step forward in Sunseeker's history, since the company has the vision of transforming maintenance in the outdoors through innovative robotics. Lowe's, being one of the most reliable home improvement companies in America, provides an excellent route to reach the technological-savvy customers who want smarter, greener solutions for their properties. The action also classifies robotic mowing further as a mainstream product rather than expensive and uncommon.Innovation Off The Ground with Sunseeker X7 RangeThe central product in the product distribution channel of Sunseeker is the X7 series of robotic mowers. It is considered a product that is expected to change how homeowners treat their lawns. The X7 is constructed with the latest artificial intelligence, RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) navigational technology, and precision-engineered parts. These provide professionals with the results that can compete and, in most cases, outperform traditional mowing services.Some of the Major capabilities:Adaptive mowing patterns that scale to the environmental conditions in a real-time fashion, achieving even mowing and healthier lawnsRTK-level accuracy in positioning that lets the mower work with centimeter precision; no perimeter wires are requiredThe multi-zone management, which enables the homeowner to set and manage various areas of his/her lawn without complicationsTechnology that detects and avoids obstacles safely for those around pets, children, and outdoor furnitureWeatherproof toughness, which includes an IPX certification, allows mowing through a light rain shower and general dust and dirt resistanceThe X7 provides a performance that is low in noise and energy efficient through its electric motor. This makes it less impactful on the environment and minimizes nuisance to the neighbours.Note: A companion mobile app allows homeowners full remote control of the mower. It has scheduling and makes the mower a vital part of the smart home ecosystem.A Standardized Sustainability and ExpanseBoth Sunseeker and Lowe's commit to the production of products that will improve and upgrade life with minimal harm done to the environment. Robotic lawn mowers, such as the X7, assist in limiting the amount of carbon emissions and noise pollution.Moreover, the mower has a smart scheduling that enhances better animated cutting according to the patterns of the grass. This leads to healthier turf and avoids wastage of resources. Through incorporating the product line of the Sunseeker in its online shop, Lowe's is offering its existing customers an eco-friendly product line. This can be consistent with the current shift in demand for home improvement products.Luxury vs Lifestyle NeededWhat was at one time seen to be an advanced piece of technology is now starting to become the norm in the household. Robotic mowers are time and energy-efficient; they help to maintain the health of your lawn and work without much human interaction, which leaves the property owner with more free time and less hard work.The user-friendly design of Sunseeker means that its customers do not need to be technically qualified to initiate and enjoy the products produced by the company. The X7 series is easy to install, the controls in the app are simple to use, and the system is programmed itself. This increases its availability to a large number of homeowners. The move toward democratized smart lawn care technology shows the larger trend of home automation.Purchase and AvailabilityTheLowe's, which specializes in selling high-quality tools and appliances, has now begun direct selling of Sunseeker robotic mowers. The X7 series is considered the flagship series among them. The customers can experience product lineups, feature comparison, and reliable shipping and customer care service centers offered by Lowe's.To learn more about the full range of Sunseeker products, refer to the official sitesunseekertech.com . Follow Sunseeker through social media to receive the latest updates, tutorials, and product experiences:Instagram:@SunseekerNAFacebook:SunseekerNAYouTube:SunseekerNAAbout Sunseeker RoboticSunseeker Robotic Technology is an innovation leader in intelligent lawn care. It is striving to reconceive outdoor living in terms of both innovation and sustainability, and customer-centric design. Its product range consists of versatile robotics, AI-based navigation, and environmentally friendly engineering. It enables homeowners to have the same professional-level capabilities in lawn work as they can with professional mowing without the time and labor costs.Media Details:Website URL: sunseekertech.comCompany Name: Sunseeker North AmericaEmail address: marketing.global@sunseekertech.com Address: 4330 Matthews Indian Trail Rd STE AIndian Trail, NC, USA 28079SOURCE: Sunseeker North America PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 14:55:57 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1017 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATESVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 /Tectonic Metals Inc. (" Tectonic " or the " Company ") (TSX-V: TECT ) is pleased to announce the successful closing of the Company's previously announced upsized private placement offering (the " Offering "), raising aggregate gross proceeds of C$21,207,639. The Offering underscores the support from large, established, and highly respected institutional investors in Tectonic's strategy and the potential of the Company's flagship Flat Gold Project in Alaska (" Flat " or the " Flat Project ").Under the Offering, the Company issued an aggregate of 22,323,831 common shares (the "Common Shares") at a price of C$0.95 per Common Share. The Offering comprised a brokered offering (the " Brokered Offering "), led by 3L Capital Inc., together with Canaccord Genuity Corp. and Research Capital Corporation (collectively, the " Agents "), and a non-brokered offering (the " Non-Brokered Offering ").Under the Offering, an aggregate of 14,585,105 Common Shares (the " LIFE Shares ") were issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions (" NI 45-106 "), as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing , for gross proceeds of C$13,855,849.75, and an aggregate of 7,738,726 Common Shares (the " Hold Shares ") were issued pursuant to the accredited investor exemption under NI 45-106 for gross proceeds of $7,351,789.70.A total of 14,085,105 LIFE Shares and 1,508,000 Hold Shares were issued under the Brokered Offering and a total of 500,000 LIFE Shares and 6,230,726 Hold Shares were issued under the Non-Brokered Offering.Tectonic's largest shareholder, Crescat Capital LLC, who currently beneficially owns or controls approximately 20.98% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of Tectonic, participated in the Non-Brokered Offering for 3,157,895 Hold Shares for an aggregate purchase price of $3,000,000.25, pursuant to a pre-emptive right granted to them by Tectonic. The Offering, including the issuance of the Hold Shares to Crescat, constitutes a related party transaction (as such term is defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (" MI 61-101 "). This transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as the Company is not listed or quoted on any of the stock exchanges or markets listed in subsection 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, and neither the fair market value of the securities distributed nor the consideration received from related parties (as defined under MI 61-101) for the securities issued under the Offering exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization.In connection with the Offering, the Company paid cash commissions and advisory fees in the aggregate amount of $913,711 (excluding applicable taxes) and issued an aggregate of 962,722 compensation warrants (" Compensation Warrants "), subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the " TSXV "). Each Compensation Warrant is exercisable to acquire one Common Share (a " Compensation Warrant Share ") at a price $1.23 until February 20, 2027.The Hold Shares, Compensation Warrants and any Compensation Warrant Shares issued upon exercise of Compensation Warrants are subject to a hold period and may not be traded until December 21, 2025 except as permitted by applicable securities legislation and the rules and policies of the TSXV.The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to advance the Flat Project and for general corporate and working capital purposes.This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " 1933 Act "), or under any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws.About Tectonic Metals Ltd.Tectonic Metals Inc. is a gold exploration company founded by the same key executives who transformed Kaminak Gold from a $3 million venture into a $520 million success story. These leaders raised $165 million to fund the acquisition, discovery, and advancement of the Coffee Gold Project in the Yukon Territory, including the completion of a bankable feasibility study, before selling the multi-million-ounce gold project to Goldcorp Inc. (now Newmont) for C$520 million in 2016.Success with the Coffee Gold Project is only one example, as each member of the Tectonic team has a significant track record of success in all facets of exploration and mining, including over 30 Moz of gold discoveries, 18 feasibility studies, 20 projects permitted, over $3 billion in M&A transactions and over $2 billion in capital raising. The Coffee Team is now back with Tectonic Metals, and we believe we've found the next Coffee Gold Project, but BIGGER this time with the Flat Gold Project ("Flat").Flat is located in Alaska, just 40 km from Novagold's Donlin Gold Project-the 5th largest undeveloped gold deposit. Spanning 99,800 acres of predominantly Native-owned land belonging to Doyon Limited (Tectonic's second-largest shareholder and one of Alaska's largest Native Regional Corporations), Flat hosts a bulk-tonnage, Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold System (RIRGS) comparable to the Fort Knox gold mine.Recognized as a prime example of the direct relationship between placer gold and bedrock sources, placer gold shed from Flat's intrusions has contributed to placer gold production. Notably, exploration at Flat has resulted in gold being intersected in all 86 drill holes, covering 3 km of drilled mineralized strike and reaching a vertical depth of 325 m at its primary intrusion target, Chicken Mountain - open in all directions.Learn More About Tectonic MetalsSubscribe To Our Email ListView our 2025 Fact Sheet or Corporate PresentationTour The Flat Gold ProjectTectonic invites you to take a virtual tour of our Flat Gold Project with both the CEO of Tectonic and one of Alaska's largest for-profit Native Regional Corporations, DoyonTo Be A Part Of PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 08:01:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1000 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CALGARY, AB / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / Tocvan Ventures Corp. (the "Company") (CSE:TOC)(OTCQB:TCVNF)(WKN:TV3/A2PE64), is pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher Gordon as Head of Corporate Development, effective immediately. Mr. Gordon brings over 18 years of experience advising mining companies on business and marketing strategies, investor relations, and capital raising, positioning him to significantly enhance Tocvan's strategic growth as it advances its gold and silver projects in Sonora, Mexico.Mr. Gordon has a distinguished track record in the resource sector. From 2013 to 2017, he served as Director of Investor Relations at Integra Gold, where he played a pivotal role in creating market awareness and raising capital, contributing to the company's $600 million acquisition by Eldorado Gold in 2017. Following this, Mr. Gordon was Director of Business Development and Investor Relations at Integra Resources from 2017 to 2025, overseeing marketing initiatives and building strong investor relationships. He has also advised prominent companies such as West Timmins Mining, Mag Silver, Puget Ventures, and Global Cobalt, and continues to provide consultancy services to Integra Resources."We are thrilled to welcome Christopher to the Tocvan team," said Brodie A. Sutherland, President and CEO of Tocvan Ventures. "His extensive experience in corporate development and proven ability to drive market awareness and secure financing will be invaluable as we advance our Gran Pilar Gold-Silver Project and El Picacho Gold Project. Christopher's leadership will strengthen our position as we work toward becoming a leading mineral exploration and development company." In his role as Head of Corporate Development, Mr. Gordon will oversee investor relations, strategic partnerships, and capital market initiatives, working closely with the executive team to support Tocvan's goal of unlocking the potential of its flagship projects in Sonora, Mexico."I am excited to join Tocvan at this pivotal time," said Christopher Gordon. "The Gran Pilar project represents exceptional opportunity in a top-tier mining jurisdiction. I look forward to leveraging my experience to enhance Tocvan's market presence and drive its strategic objectives forward." WebinarREGISTER HERETocvan Ventures is pleased to announce an upcoming webinar scheduled for Wednesday, September 10th at 12:00pm EST. This event follows our recent permit approvals, marking a significant advancement for the company. During the webinar, our team will discuss the details of these new permits, outline Tocvan's future plans, and share our strategic approach to project execution. Investors and stakeholders can anticipate updates on operational milestones and insights into the next phase of Tocvan's growth, as we continue to build value across our portfolio. We invite all interested parties to join us and learn more about the exciting developments underway at Tocvan Ventures.Option AllocationThe Company announces that its Board of Directors has approved a grant of stock options to Mr. Gordon pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan. A total of 300,000 stock options have been granted to acquire common shares in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.91 per share. Of these stock options, a total of 150,000 vest immediately and 150,000 vest twelve months from the grant date. All options issued will expire August 19, 2030.Gran Pilar Drill Highlights:2025 Diamond Drilling Highlights include:83.5m @ 1.3 g/t Au, including 9.7m @ 10.3 g/t Au (March 11, 2025 News Release)97.4m @ 0.7 g/t Au, including 36.3m @ 1.6 g/t Au (March 19, 2025 News Release)64.9m @ 1.2 g/t Au, including 3.0m @ 21.6 g/t Au and 209 g/t Ag (March 26, 2025 News Release)46.9m @ 0.5 g/t Au, including 2.6m @ 7.2 g/t Au and 80 g/t Ag (April 16, 2025 News Release)2025 RC Drilling Highlights include:106.8m @ 0.6 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 19.4 g/t Au (February 25, 2025 News Release)41.2m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 6.1m @ 5.4 g/t Au (May 7, 2025 News Release)2024 RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):42.7m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 10.9 g/t Au56.4m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 14.7 g/t Au16.8m @ 0.8 g/t Au and 19 g/t Ag2022 Phase III Diamond Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):116.9m @ 1.2 g/t Au, including 10.2m @ 12 g/t Au and 23 g/t Ag108.9m @ 0.8 g/t Au, including 9.4m @ 7.6 g/t Au and 5 g/t Ag63.4m @ 0.6 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag, including 29.9m @ 0.9 g/t Au and 18 g/t Ag2021 Phase II RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):39.7m @ 1.0 g/t Au, including 1.5m @ 14.6 g/t Au47.7m @ 0.7 g/t Au including 3m @ 5.6 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag29m @ 0.7 g/t Au35.1m @ 0.7 g/t Au2020 Phase I RC Drilling Highlights include (all lengths are drilled thicknesses):94.6m @ 1.6 g/t Au, including 9.2m @ 10.8 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag;41.2m @ 1.1 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 6.0 g/t Au and 12 g/t Ag ;24.4m @ 2.5 g/t Au and 73 g/t Ag, including 1.5m @ 33.4 g/t Au and 1,090 g/t Ag15,000m of Historic Core & RC drilling. Highlights include:61.0m @ 0.8 g/t Au21.0m @ 38.3 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag13.0m @ 9.6 g/t Au9.0m @ 10.2 g/t Au and 46 g/t AgPilar Bulk Sample Summary:62% Recovery of Gold Achieved Over 46-day Leaching PeriodHead Grade Calculated at 1.9 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag; Extracted Grade Calculated at 1.2 g/t Au and 3 g/t AgBulk Sample Only Included Coarse Fraction of Material (+3/4" to +1/8")Fine Fraction (-1/8") Indicates Rapid Recovery with Agitated LeachAgitated Bottle Roll Test Returned Rapid and High Recovery Results: 80% Recovery of Gold and 94% Recovery of Silver after Rapid 24-hour Retention TimeAdditional Metallurgical Studies:Gravity Recovery with Agitated Leach Results of Five Composite Samples Returned95 to 99% Recovery of Gold73 to 97% Recovery of SilverIncludes the Recovery of 99% Au and 73% Ag from Drill Core Composite at 120-meter depth.About Tocvan Ventures Corp.Tocvan Ventures Corp. is a dynamic exploration and development company advancing high-potential gold and silver projects in the mine-friendly jurisdiction of Sonora, Mexico. At its flagship Gran Pilar Gold-Silver Project, Tocvan holds a 100% interest in over 21 km of prospective ground, bolstered by the pivotal 2023 land acquisition that provides ample space for scalable mine infrastructure, including a planned 50,000-tonne pilot productio PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 14:45:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 956 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 MCS Gearupstands out as a trusted provider of cutting-edge gear, delivering durability, affordability, and unmatched customer care to enthusiasts, professionals, and agencies alike.BONITA SPRINGS, FL / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 / The world of firearms and tactical gear is evolving at a rapid pace. As new technologies reshape the industry, the demand for smarter, safer, and more sustainable solutions has never been greater. From biometric-enabled firearms and AI-powered optics to eco-friendly apparel and modular customization, today's market reflects a powerful blend of innovation and practicality. At the center of this exciting transformation, MCS Gearup stands out as a trusted provider of cutting-edge gear, delivering durability, affordability, and unmatched customer care to enthusiasts, professionals, and agencies alike.The Future of Tactical Gear and Firearms: What's Trending1. Customization and Modular GearAnother key trend is personalization. Shooters and tactical professionals increasingly prefer modular firearms and accessories that can be configured for different missions. From adjustable stocks to modular grips and rails, the ability to tailor gear to specific environments is now standard practice.MCS Gearupstocks a wide range of modular components and customizable kits, ensuring every customer, whether recreational shooter or tactical operator, can build the perfect setup at a price below MSRP.2. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable SolutionsSustainability has entered the tactical world. Manufacturers are introducing biodegradable ammunition, recycled fabrics, and eco-friendly armor materials. These innovations are particularly relevant for hunting and outdoor activities, where environmental stewardship is increasingly important.By sourcing gear from manufacturers committed to green practices, MCS Gearup supports the movement toward tactical equipment that balances performance with responsibility.3. Smarter Apparel, Boots, and ArmorProtective gear is also advancing. Lightweight composite armor, breathable materials, and AI-powered adaptive camouflage are changing how professionals and enthusiasts operate in the field. Tactical boots incorporate shock-absorbing soles, adaptive cushioning, and smart insoles that monitor stress points.MCS Gearup stays ahead by continually adding new apparel and protective equipment to its catalog with products designed for comfort, resilience, and long-term performance.4. Digital-First Shopping and SubscriptionsToday's buyers expect convenience and accessibility, which is why digital platforms dominate. Virtual consultations, 3D product previews, and subscription services for ammunition and accessories are redefining how customers shop.With a constantly updated website and daily product additions, MCS Gearup makes it easy for customers to explore the latest trends online. Weekly promotions, discount codes, and shipping deals further stretch every dollar, making high-end gear accessible to more people.5. Training, Education, and ResponsibilityThe evolution of gear also brings a growing emphasis on education and training. From online classes to in-person instruction, responsible ownership and skill development remain essential. MCS Gearup not only supplies the tools but also supports a culture of safe, responsible, and informed firearm use.MCS Gearup : A Reliable Partner in a Changing IndustryWhile trends come and go, trust, value, and service remain timeless. That's where MCS Gearup sets itself apart. Based in Bonita Springs, Florida, the company has built a reputation as a go-to source for tactical excellence, serving individuals, agencies, and businesses nationwide.Why Customers Choose MCS GearupUnbeatable Pricing - Always below MSRP, with weekly promotions and shipping discounts.USA-Made Quality - Durable gear built for the field, range, or duty.Customer Care - A live support team available seven days a week, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. EST at 239-848-6757.Satisfaction Guarantee - 30-day return policy and full warranty on defects, with repair or replacement offered-no questions asked.Wholesale & Dealer Programs - Flexible solutions for bulk buyers and agencies.Next-Day Shipping - Speed and reliability for time-sensitive orders.Whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned professional, MCS Gearup provides not only gear but peace of mind.Looking Ahead: 2025 and BeyondThe tactical gear and firearm industry is at a turning point. Smarter technologies, modular customization, and eco-conscious solutions are redefining expectations. At the same time, the importance of customer trust and affordability is more critical than ever.MCS Gearup bridges these two worlds: offering state-of-the-art products aligned with global trends, while maintaining old-fashioned values of service and reliability. As innovation accelerates, MCS Gearup will continue to ensure customers have access to the tools of tomorrow today.About MCS GearupMCS Gearup is a leading provider of tactical gear and firearm accessories, offering an unbeatable combination of affordable pricing, top-quality products, and exceptional customer care. Based in Bonita Springs, Florida, the company proudly stocks a wide range of USA-made gear designed for durability, performance, and reliability. With new products added daily and a commitment to customer satisfaction, MCS Gearup has become the trusted choice for individuals, agencies, and businesses nationwide.Our constantly growing inventory features new items added daily, and all products are priced below MSRP, making it easy to find exactly what you need without overspending. We also offer weekly promotions, exclusive discount codes, and reduced shipping rates to help you save more on every order.We stand firmly behind every item we sell. All purchases come with a 30-day return policy, a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and a comprehensive warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship. If there's a problem, we'll make it right.At MCS Gearup, support doesn't end after checkout. Our knowledgeable team is ready to assist you 7 days a week from 9 am to 10 pm EST. Reach out via phone at 239-848-6757 or email us anytime at Sales@ mcsgearup.com for fast, friendly help.We also proudly offer wholesale and dealer programs for bulk buyers and resellers, as well as next-day shipping options for urgent needs.Whether you're gearing up for the range, duty, or your next adventure, MCS Gearup delivers the quality, speed, and support you deserve.Explore our selection today atwww.mcsgearup.com where premium gear meets unbeatable service.Contact: MCS GearupBonita Springs, FL239-848-6757 Email: Sales@ mcsgearup.com PR-Inside.com: 2025-08-20 15:00:49 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 545 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LAWRENCEVILLE, GA / ACCESS Newswire / August 20, 2025 /Vastian, a leading provider of Quality management software for hospitals and laboratories, today announced its partnership with the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) to streamline the regulatory compliance process for acute care and critical access hospitals. Vastian has integrated the ACHC accreditation standards within its Quality management system application, Vastian Readiness, allowing hospitals to access and adhere to the latest ACHC standards, upload or connect evidence of their standard compliance, and closely monitor their state of survey preparedness.Vastian Readiness is a robust accreditation and survey readiness management solution that enables teams to efficiently organize survey standards, responses, and documentation in a single location. The automated platform keeps hospitals ready for any self-assessment, mock, or on-site survey, allowing teams to effectively show evidence of their higher standards to all deeming authorities."Vastian and ACHC are united in our commitment to elevating Quality and helping hospitals meet the highest standards," said Michelle Hilburn, Vastian's associate vice president of Quality, compliance and standards. "This seamless integration supports continuous improvement and consistent readiness for accreditation surveys, ultimately contributing to higher quality care and better patient outcomes in the acute and critical care spaces." The integration of ACHC standards within Vastian's platform enhances efficiency by reducing the administrative burden associated with manual updates and tracking, and encourages regulatory compliance as a shared responsibility across the organization. Within Vastian's integrated platform, any activity, task, or evidence across its other five applications (Document Control, APPIL, Events, Rounding, and Competency) can also be connected to the ACHC accreditation process."ACHC is proud to partner with Vastian in supporting hospitals that strive to deliver safe, high-quality care," said Patrick Horine, vice president, acute care services at ACHC. "By integrating our standards into Vastian's Readiness platform, hospitals gain real-time access to the latest accreditation requirements and the tools to promote continuous compliance and improvement. This automation empowers care teams to stay survey-ready while focusing more time and energy on what matters most: improving patient care." Learn more about Vastian here and learn more about ACHC here.###About Vastian Founded in 1995, Vastian provides the leading SaaS-based quality management software for clinical laboratories and hospitals in the country. We offer support for more than 5,000 healthcare facilities in all 50 states, 50 countries, all 7 continents, and over 500,000 clinical professionals each year. With our proprietary platform, we provide a full suite of solutions from document and compliance management to enterprise and individual education and CEUs, as well as readiness assessments to ensure preparedness for compliance agency regulations and certification. Vastian is a private equity backed, fast-growing business based in Lawrenceville, GA, outside Atlanta. Learn more at Vastian.com or click here.About ACHCAccreditation leader ACHC develops solutions trusted by healthcare providers across the continuum of care though a proven commitment to a customized, collaborative accreditation experience tailored to individual needs. ACHC's Acute Care Hospital Accreditation Program dates from 1945, has held CMS deeming authority since 1965, and joined the ACHC program portfolio in 2020.To learn more, visit achc.org , email customerservice@ achc.org , or call (855) 937-2242.Media Contacts:Donald ThompsonDirector of MarketingVastian don@ vastian.com Alison BoghosianSenior Account Executive PRMower, on behalf of Vastian aboghosian@ mower.com Christopher CoxSenior Business Development RepresentativeACHC CCox@ achc.org SOURCE: Vastian The Presidency has dismissed reports suggesting Nigeria was absent or unprepared at the ongoing Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, Japan, saying the narrative around an empty booth misrepresents the countrys mission and engagements at the summit. In a statement on Wednesday, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga said the portrayal of Nigerias participation through the lens of a single unmanned booth totally misrepresented our countrys mission and activities at the conference. According to him, the delegation, led by President Bola Tinubu, is focused on bilateral and multilateral meetings aimed at boosting power, industry and agriculture. The Nigerian official delegation working with Corporate Nigeria, represented by some of our leading business leaders, didnt come to Yokohama and Tokyo to attend any Trade Expo, designed as an open forum for participating nations, Mr Onanuga said. According to him, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) will host an investment forum on Thursday. He explained further that ministers are holding sideline talks with global institutions, while President Tinubu is scheduled to meet executives of Toyota Corporation, CFAO, UN-Habitat, UNDP and the International Finance Corporation. The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, is leading discussions on projects with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), including the Lagos-Ogun Power Transmission System Improvement, a partnership between the National Power Training Institute and JICA, and the $190 million Distributed Access Through Renewable Energy Scale-up programme. Mr Adelabu is also expected to negotiate with TOSHIBA and HITACHI. The statement said the Bank of Industry, led by Managing Director Supo Olusi, is also holding talks with JICA and other multilateral institutions on its annual global fund syndication. The clarification comes after attendees found Nigerias booth at the conference and trade expo empty. A Nigerian participant, Idris Bello, co-founder of The Wennovation Hub and one of Africas leading angel investors and startup advisors, posted videos showing that the countrys booth was unmanned. Mr Bello said he was ashamed to find the booth empty and stepped in to engage visitors and potential investors, providing insights into different sectors of the Nigerian economy. The tweet caused outrage as other participants at the conference backed him and volunteered to help. Had an interesting time manning the Nigeria booth today with Idris, Ola Brown, another participant, posted on X. Unfortunately, the booth was left unstaffed by the Nigerian public sector team, but we still had engaging conversations with academics, private business owners, and NGOs who asked great questions. David Brown, another Nigerian professional at the summit, also weighed in. We are on the ground to support our dear country, he tweeted. But this is so disappointing, more so that the Japanese are so eager to do business with us, but we prioritise vibes!! Anyway, we are on the ground in Japan. The controversy has sparked concern that Nigeria is failing to maximise opportunities at TICAD, a triennial forum established in 1993 to strengthen economic cooperation between Japan and Africa. This years edition is seen as a key platform for trade, investment, and partnership deals across infrastructure, technology, and energy transition. Mr Onanuga, however, insisted the viral picture is misleading and that Nigeria is actively taking part in TICAD9 through key meetings and negotiations. Social media posts are often sensational and do not tell complete stories, just as the trending video does not capture Nigerias participation at TICAD 9. Our country is fully and well represented and part of the essential conversations and negotiations that are going on at TICAD9, he said. Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak has responded to the Russian attacks on the Odessa and Sumy regions on Wednesday night. "Odesa region, Sumy region. These attacks must end. Strengthening security in the air, on land and at sea is our priority. Pressure on Russia to end the war is too," he said on Telegram on Wednesday morning. He specified that the Russians' target this time was a fuel and energy infrastructure facility where a fire broke out. Also, according to Yermak, civilian buildings were damaged. "In conditions when the aggressor speaks of a desire for peace, its strikes demonstrate that the Russian Federation is in no hurry to end the war," he said. As reported, the Russian occupiers attacked the Odesa region with drones, as a result of which infrastructure facilities and production facilities were damaged, and one person was injured. The occupiers also used drones to strike the private sector in Sumy Oblast, fires broke out in the Okhtyrsk community, and there are casualties. Beer maker Champion Breweries has agreed to buy all the brand assets and intellectual property of the range of products within the Bullet drink portfolio, the company disclosed on Wednesday. The new decision represents its first acquisition since a new majority owner took over last year. The deal opens up the window for the Uyo-based brewer, known for producing lager beer and malt drinks, to try its hand at energy drinks and high-growth food and beverage products as it seeks to broaden its offerings in a market where profit margin is typically slim and volume can be the winning factor. The transaction is structured as an asset carve-out, with the assets to be held in a newly incorporated company in the Netherlands, the company said in a note to the Nigerian Exchange. Post-acquisition, Champion Breweries Plc will hold a majority interest in the new business, while Vinar N.V, a Belgian entity and the majority shareholders of Sun Mark, will hold a minority stake, it added. Sun Mark International Limited, a British FMCG company, currently owns the Bullet brand. In 2024, new core investor Enjoycorp acquired the 86.5 per cent interest owned by Heineken B.V through Raysun Nigeria Limited in Champions Breweries after more than three years in which the Dutch liquor giant held the controlling stake. Enjoycorp, registered in the UK and incorporated last year, has Ehimare Idiahi, a board member of Champion Breweries, as one of its directors, according to checks by PREMIUM TIMES. A go-ahead from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and other regulatory approvals must be in place before the Bullet acquisition can be completed. Champion Breweries summoned an emergency general meeting in July to talk shareholders into acquiring an entity, which it did not name at the time, in order to actualise its strategic growth plans. It also demanded their consent to raise N45 billion in fresh capital and issue additional 5 billion shares. A key resolution from the talks was the authorisation to undertake an acquisition transaction whether by way of acquisition of shares of a going concern or through the acquisition of equity interest in a special purpose vehicle that holds intellectual property rights and brand assets. The idea, the company added, is to secure a beneficial ownership and control of the said intellectual property and brand. The business combination at end of the takeover process will unify the financials of Bullets operations into those of Champion Breweries, the manufacturer said. As of half-year 2025, the brewers total assets jumped to N25.9 billion from N21.3 billion last December. After-tax profit for the period stood at N2.3 billion, compared to a net loss of N386.7 million a year earlier. On 6 May, a Trans Niger Delta pipeline carrying crude oil burst at B-Dere, a community in the Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. The incident forced Daniel Kpoobari-Bani, his wife, and their four children to leave their home quickly to escape the flammable oil gushing out of the ruptured pipeline a few metres away from their front door. The oil spread into many homes and farmlands in the community. My compound was affected by the leakage, Mr Kpoobari-Bani narrated to PREMIUM TIMES during a visit to the community at the time. We have been in discomfort since the incident occurred. Workers from the Shell oil company stopped the spillage on 15 May. This reporter observed as two tanker trucks sucked up the oil with long hoses as a humming bulldozer cleared a pathway for them. Armed soldiers stood at strategic positions as residents gathered to watch the operation. Before the arrival of the workers, residents were scooping up the flowing oil into buckets and jerrycans. The air was thick with the choking odour of crude oil. Cooking became hazardous due to the risk of explosion, forcing many residents to relocate from their homes. Before the workers fixed the ruptured pipeline, PREMIUM TIMES observed that the soil and crops in the surrounding farmlands had absorbed the crude content, and the environment was polluted. The leaflets and pseudostems of cassava, cocoyam, banana, and plantaina major staple crop grown by community residentslooked greasy and dripped with oil. Some residents who scooped up the crude oil had hidden it in the crop fields. Shell needs to relocate us from here, Mr Kpoobari-Bani told PREMIUM TIMES, recalling a similar leakage two years earlier. Crude oil has destroyed our crops, and we can no longer drink the water from our wells. The residents of Ogoniland and other oil-producing areas in Rivers State have a history of protesting against the deleterious impacts of oil production on their natural environment and livelihoods. Their protests have occasionally been met with repression by the government. Ugly Trend In the 1950s, Nigeria discovered crude oil in commercial quantities, eventually becoming the 15th-largest crude oil producer globally and the largest in Africa. Oil exploration and production in the country have predominantly been in the Niger Delta region. However, many oil-rich communities, such as Ogoniland, suffer hydrocarbon pollution. Many residents whose primary occupations are crop farming and fishing can no longer access farmlands and water, due to continuous oil leaks from creeks and pipelines. Clean Up The May spillage in B-Dere was one of the latest episodes of environmental degradation in Ogoniland. Extensive fossil fuel pollution has been recorded in the area over the past three decades, forcing the Nigerian government and the relevant stakeholders to initiate a $1 billion cleanup and restoration programme in 2018. The programme followed a comprehensive study conducted by the United Nations Environment Programme in 2011. The remediation/restoration effort is being carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), an agency of the government domiciled at the Federal Ministry of Environment. However, the impact of the cleanup initiative remains largely negligible, as major oil pipelines traversing these communities frequently leak, resulting in spills that continue to harm the environment. HYPREP did not respond to an email sent to the designated address on its website for comments on our findings. However, according to data published by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA)a Nigerian government agency monitoring oil spillsover 9,890 incidents were documented across Nigeria between 2015 and July 2025. The data reveals that the highest number of spillages occurred in 2023 (1,518), but the highest volume of crude spill was in 2015 (nearly 56,000 barrels). NOSDRAs oil spill monitoring report states that Rivers State recorded the most spills with 4,184 incidents, followed by Bayelsa (2,118), and Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Imo with 1,589, 399, and 272 cases, respectively. The data attributes the predominant cause of oil spills to sabotage. Other significant causes include corrosion and equipment failures. The B-Dere spill was blamed on equipment failure by a company identified as RENAISSANCE. This probably refers to Renaissance Africa Energy Company, a member of a consortium that recently acquired Shells Nigerian subsidiary, SPDC, in a significant transition in Nigerias oil and gas sector. The consortium includes ND Western, Aradel Holdings, FIRST Exploration, and Petro. The group did not respond to an email seeking its comments on our findings. Approximately 100 barrels (15,900 litres) of crude oil were spilt in the B-Dere pipeline rupture, as detailed by NOSDRA data. NOSDRA said, A rough-edged hole, approximately 10 cm in diameter, was discovered on the pipeline at the 6 oclock position. However, community members believe the volume spilt was much higher. They said the spillage began on 6 May and was not contained until 15 May. Moreover, environmentalists have argued that pollution and environmental damage caused by oil spills in Nigeria have never been adequately assessed, and the affected communities and individuals are mostly not compensated. Some Shell officials took pictures of the environment where the spillage occurred recently, and they took my name and that of my mother. Then they asked us to wait until they get back to us, Mr Kpoobari-Bani told PREMIUM TIMES when contacted in late July. Crops decay, water pollution Five years ago, Gbarale Joy abandoned the farms where she grew cassava, corn, vegetables and melon in her hometown of Sii, due to incessant oil spillage. If we plant seeds, they rot. When my cassava reached the stage of uprooting, I couldnt find anything underground. Even the stems rotted, she told PREMIUM TIMES in May. We get seafood from this saltwater, but we cant find any of these in the water anymore. We used to have periwinkle and other aquatic life from the water, but you cant find them anymore due to these spills. Akwa Ibom On a Tuesday morning in May, Sylvanus Omotoye, a fisherman at the Ibeno beach terminal in the oil-rich Akwa Ibom State, sat on a cross brace of his wooden canoe to prepare his fishing nets for the days expedition. Due to the effects of oil spills on the water, we have experienced a significant decline in fish catch over the years, said Mr Omotoye, who has worked in Ibeno for nearly 50 years. Some fishermen have migrated to Cameroon. Ibeno, alongside Mbo and Eastern Obolo, is a key oil-producing local government area in Akwa Ibom. Communities like Ikot Abasi, Onna, and Esit-Eket are also recognised for their significant oil and gas production. Ibeno hosts leading oil and gas exploration companies, such as Seplat Energy Limited (ExxonMobil). The community residents engage in fishing and crop farming. The farmers cultivate crops such as yams, cassava, cocoyams, corn, banana, and plantain, among others. Oil spill has reduced my catches significantly, and destroyed my fishing nets, said a fisherman. We didnt usually travel far into the sea to make catches in the past, but now that is not the case, he said. Palliatives not sustainable Some environmental justice activists in the region believe the government and the oil companies are not committed to addressing the issues. Oil spill has brought untold hardship to farmers across the Niger Delta. Oils have penetrated the soil for over 70 years. Their crops decay upon harvest. Most of the farmers are on loans, said Umo Isua-Ikoh, coordinator of the Peace Point Development Foundation (PPDF), an environmental Justice advocacy group working in the region. He said farmers take loans to invest in their farms, but often cannot repay. When they come to harvest, they get nothing from their field. Already, they are in debt. Some have developed hypertension or even run away, Mr Isua-Ikoh said. The Ogoni clean up has been going on for over 10 years, yet no impact. It is supposed to be a model for cleaning up the Niger Delta, but if they are still struggling with that for many years, when will it get to Ibeno? It is a big challenge, he said. The activist accused the government of colluding with the International Oil Companies (IOCs) against local communities. All that they will be talking about is palliatives. Even when the palliatives come, they fall on the table of the politicians. So the people impacted are not benefiting, he said. Like Mr Isua-Ikoh, John David, an Ibeno high chief, said the government and IOCs did not act over several spills reported to them. Many oil spills have been happening. NOSDRA and DPR will come, but at the end of the day, you will not hear anything about it. Politicians, governors, and commissioners would come whenever there is an oil spill and address the community, but uptill now, nothing has been done, he said. Way forward An environmental justice campaigner, Nnimmo Bassey, noted that pipelines have lifespans and are to be replaced when they expire. He added that the oil companies have the responsibility to keep their facilities secure and in good condition. We hardly see that happening in Nigeria, he lamented. Mr Bassey, who is also the director of HOMEF, explained further that oil wells also have lifespans, just like mines for solid minerals, and should be decommissioned before being abandoned at the end of the lifespans. He said in Nigeria, the first oil wells drilled in the 1950s were abandoned in the 1970s without being decommissioned. Such oil wells dot the Niger Delta and are still leaking crude and polluting the environment. Frequent or regular oil spills are marks of irresponsibility by the oil companies and their partners, said Mr Bassey. The delivery of this investigation is made possible by funding support from the Centre for Investigative Journalism (CJID) The Chairperson of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Dayo Ekong, has said the political influence of the 2023 presidential candidate of the LP, Peter Obi, has waned. Mrs Ekong, in a post on her X handle on Tuesday, said it was time for Mr Obi to pause and ponder on his ambition to become Nigerias president in 2027. Why Obis influence is waning During the 2023 general election, Mr Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, enjoyed overwhelming support from many Nigerians, especially from the South-east and South-south. Although the LP candidate came third in the election, his party recorded surprising victories across states, a development attributed to the former governors political influence. But Mrs Ekong said Mr Obis recent actions were eroding his hitherto political influence in Nigeria. The LP chairperson argued that the leadership crisis in the LP and Mr Obis alleged opposition to the Julius Abure-led faction of the party were behind Mr Obis waning influence. Peter Obis influence in the Nigerian polity appears to be waning, as Nigerians grow increasingly tired and wary of what some perceive as inconsistent antics and political manoeuvring. His (Obis) interventions, once seen as principled, now risk being viewed as disruptive and self-serving, alienating allies and diminishing his appeal, she said. Mrs Ekong further argued that the evidence of Mr Obis waning influence lies in recent electoral outcomes in Nigeria where his endorsement of candidates failed to deliver victories. She stressed that the recorded election failures despite Mr Obis endorsements signalled a loss of the magnetic pull he once commanded, citing elections in Edo, Imo and Anambra States in which candidates endorsed by Mr Obi failed to win. The most telling blow came recently in the Anambra State by-elections, particularly in Onitsha Peter Obis backyard and supposed stronghold. Here, we witnessed his sudden switch of allegiance, embodying the Labour today, ADC tomorrow shenanigans that have confused supporters and diluted party loyalty, she said. Mrs Ekong recalled that before the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency rerun, Mr Obi abandoned the LP candidate in the election and endorsed Justina Azuka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), even donning an ADC-branded cap during campaigns. She said despite Mr Obis support, the ADC candidate failed to win, with the LP candidate performing even worse, while the APGA candidate won the exercise without the former governors backing. These patterns are not isolated; they point to a broader trend of waning influence. Public sentiment, as reflected in recent discussions, suggests that Nigerians are fatigued by Obis frequent shifts and perceived acrimony toward the Labour Party structures that once elevated him. A wise politician like Peter Obi, known for his prudence and vision, has suddenly lost so much appeal even in his backyard, she said. The threads of his political legacy are unravelling slowly but surely, undone by decisions that prioritise personal alliances over party cohesion. Step back Mrs Ekong advised Mr Obi to step back and engage in meditation to find out more reasons for his waning political influence in Nigeria. She said the former governor should find out why parties he aligned with in Anambra, like ADC, faltered so badly, while APGA triumphed without him. The chairperson suggested that Mr Obis ongoing acrimony against the Labour Partys leadership could be hindering his support from Nigerians. Peter Obi has surrounded himself with those who he feels have his best interest at heart, but time will surely tell. We all openly admonished (Nyesom) Wike for his PDP/APC antics but turned a blind eye to Peter Obis LP/ADC antics. The electorate is watching all these and slowly making up their minds against 2027, she added. Background The LP has been battling an intense leadership crisis for a while now which has split the party into two factions. While the disputed National Chairperson of the party, Mr Abure, leads one of the factions, Peter Obi and Mr Otti, belong to another faction of the LP. The LPs National Executive Committee had sacked the Abure-led executive in September last year and appointed Ms Usman, a former minister of finance and ex-senator representing Kaduna South, to lead a 29-member caretaker committee and facilitate the election of a new party leadership within 90 days. But weeks later, the Court of Appeal in Abuja recognised Mr Abure as the national chairperson of the LP. However, the Supreme Court, on Friday, 4 April, set aside the judgement of the lower court. A five-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously held that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to have affirmed Mr Abure as chairperson of the LP since the substance of the case was about the partys leadership. It held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party over which courts lacked jurisdiction. The court upheld the appeal filed against the judgement by Mrs Usman. The Supreme Court held that Ms Usmans appeal was meritorious, as it also dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Mr Abure-led faction of the LP for lacking merit. But the Abure-led faction of the LP argued the Supreme Court did not sack Mr Abure and other executives of the party. The National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, claimed that the Supreme Courts position was that the matter was purely an internal affair of the party, insisting that the court did not set aside the Court of Appeal judgement of 13 November 2024, which affirmed Mr Abure as the national chairperson of the party. READ ALSO: Deputy Senate President to upgrade BUK Stadium Meanwhile, in the heat of the leadership crisis in the LP, Mr Obi and other politicians from various political parties in the country formed the National Opposition Coalition Group to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections. The group, in July, adopted ADC as its platform for the 2027 general election. Mr Obi later argued that his joining the opposition coalition under the ADC platform does not amount to anti-party activity because the coalition was for the 2027 election which had not come yet. The word mosquito immediately brings malaria to mind. The insect is notorious for transmitting the parasite that causes the deadly disease, which kills hundreds of thousands every year. However, mosquitoes are not just about malaria. They are also responsible for spreading several other diseases that have left communities struggling with outbreaks and health emergencies in recent years. To mark World Mosquito Day, PREMIUM TIMES takes a closer look at the range of diseases linked to the insect and their impact in Nigeria and beyond. World Mosquito Day World Mosquito Day is marked annually on 20 August to highlight the dangers posed by mosquitoes and the diseases they spread. The commemoration dates back to 1897, when British doctor Ronald Ross discovered that female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria parasites. His finding changed the course of medical science, shaping global approaches to prevention and treatment. The day serves as a reminder of the progress made against malaria and as a call to action against other mosquito-borne illnesses. The theme for World Mosquito Day 2025 is: Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world. This theme emphasises the importance of ensuring equitable access to malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, particularly for vulnerable and resource-limited communities. Health agencies, researchers, and communities worldwide use the occasion to spread awareness, strengthen preventive measures, and push for continued investment in controlling one of the deadliest insects to humans. Deadly diseases spread by mosquitoes Malaria remains the most widespread disease, caused by the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Its symptoms include fever, chills, sweating, fatigue, and headache. The symptoms can escalate quickly, and without prompt treatment, severe malaria may lead to organ failure and death. According to the latest World Malaria Report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 263 million cases of malaria and 597,000 deaths were recorded in 2023 alone. Since 2000, global efforts have averted 2.2 billion cases and 12.7 million deaths, yet the disease remains a major threat, particularly in Africa, where about 95 per cent of the deaths occurred last year. Nigeria carries one of the heaviest burdens, accounting for 27 per cent of the global toll. But malaria is only one of several health risks carried by mosquitoes. In recent years, outbreaks of other viral infections have emerged or resurfaced, fuelled by climate change, urbanisation, and poor sanitation. Research shows that the insect spreads far beyond this single disease, transmitting other life-threatening infections such as yellow fever, Dengue and Zika virus. Dengue fever, transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, is often described as one of the fastest-growing mosquito-borne infections. Dengue brings high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, joint and muscle aches, nausea, and skin rash. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) in July warned of the surge of Dengue fever, alongside cholera and yellow fever. Yellow fever, also transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, has long been endemic in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria. Its symptoms range from fever and headache to jaundice, nausea, and vomiting, with severe cases leading to bleeding and organ failure. Another mosquito-borne viral disease, chikungunya, causes the sudden onset of fever and debilitating joint pain, often accompanied by rash and headache. Although no cases have been confirmed in Nigeria, health authorities remain cautious, citing global reports of rising infections. The NCDC urged Nigerians to stay vigilant despite the absence of local transmission. Zika virus, though less frequently reported, is also a potential threat. The only time it drew major public attention in Nigeria was in 2016, when PREMIUM TIMES reported on a warning by NCDC that environmental conditions in the country could fuel its spread. While transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, Zika infections during pregnancy have been linked to birth defects such as microcephaly, making it a continuing global health challenge. Prevention and control Experts agree that controlling mosquito-borne diseases requires a multi-pronged approach. Preventive strategies include the use of insecticide-treated nets, environmental sanitation to eliminate breeding sites, indoor spraying, vaccination for diseases such as yellow fever, and timely diagnosis and treatment. WHO urges countries to strengthen primary healthcare, invest in surveillance systems, and promote community awareness. In Nigeria, health officials say citizens must play a role too, from using bed nets to seeking early care for fevers rather than self-medicating. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Bright Ngene of the Labour Party (LP) as the winner of the rerun election held in Enugu South Urban Constituency of Enugu State. INEC declared Mr Ngene as the winner of the Enugu rerun election in a statement by its spokesperson, Sam Olumekun, on Tuesday. The Enugu South Urban Constituency rerun was held on 16 August 2025, the fourth attempt the court-ordered exercise was to happen. The election, which was ordered after the 2023 election was nullified in eight polling units, had faced repeated disruptions since February 2024. Meanwhile, Mr Ngene is currently serving a seven-year jail term in Enugu State Correctional Centre after an Enugu South Magistrate Court sentenced him to prison on 28 July 2024 over a communal crisis. INEC declaration Mr Olumekun, in the statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, confirmed that Mr Ngene secured the highest number of votes to defeat his closest rival, Sam Ngene of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Two re-run elections by order of the Election Petition Appeal Tribunals were held in Enugu and Kano States. After previous disruptions of the elections in the two states by violence and thuggery, the elections have now been concluded, he stated. Continuing, the INEC spokesperson said: Declaration and return were made by the returning officers. For the Enugu South 1 State Constituency of Enugu State, Ngene Bright Emeka of the Labour Party (LP) was declared the winner. He noted that the elected candidates would be presented with Certificates of Return on 21 August and 22 2025 for the National Assembly candidates and State House of Assembly candidates respectively. The occasion will take place at the INEC National Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday 21st August 2025 at 3.00 pm. For State Houses of Assembly, the Certificates of Return will be presented to members-elect by the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in our State offices on Friday 22nd August 2025 at 11.00 am, he said. Background INEC had declared the LPs Mr Ngene winner of the election held for the constituency on 18 March 2023, but a tribunal nullified his election in September of that year, before ordering a rerun election within 90 days. The PDP candidate in the election, Sam Ngene, challenged Mr Ngenes election at the tribunal. The LP candidate won in all the rerun elections, including the one ordered by a Court of Appeal. But the polls were all cancelled afterwards. Even the rerun election held on 16 August 2025 initially looked set to be declared inconclusive after polling officials failed to produce sensitive election materials, including result sheets which appeared to make the exercise impossible. Meanwhile, the LPs Mr Ngene was convicted in the heat of his repeated victories in the cancelled rerun elections. He was sentenced to seven-year jail term by the Enugu South Magistrate Court, presided by E. D. Onwu. The LP candidate was first arraigned in 2017 alongside two others by the police in Enugu State over theft of N15 million belonging to Akwuke, a community in Enugu South Local Government Area of the state. The matter had not come up since 2017 when Mr Ngene served as legal counsel to his Akwuke Community in Enugu State. The matter was later referred to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). However, after Mr Ngene initial election victory in 2023, the magistrate who had earlier transferred the case to ADR revisited the case, explaining that he was under instruction to conclude the matter. Observers say the prosecution and hurried conviction of the LP candidate was politically motivated. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) may suspend its planned nationwide strike following the issuance of a new government circular on doctors remuneration. At an Emergency Delegates Meeting (EDM) held in Abuja on Wednesday, delegates from all 36 states and the FCT, including past presidents, secretaries-general, and affiliate bodies of the NMA, convened to review developments surrounding the associations 21-day strike ultimatum to the federal government. A source at the meeting told PREMIUM TIMES that the discussion centred on the federal governments response to the associations 19-point demand submitted to the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC), the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The demands centred largely on dissatisfaction with an earlier circular that the doctors said failed to address their concerns over pay disparities and poor working conditions Speaking at the meeting, the NMA President, Bala Audu, who brandished the document before the delegates, reportedly confirmed that the government had issued a fresh circular revising the remuneration structure for medical doctors and other health workers. Mr Audu was said to have described the new development as a significant breakthrough, noting that it effectively nullifies the previous circular that triggered the threat of industrial action. According to Mr Audu, the revised structure is expected to address long-standing disputes among different professional groups in the Nigerian health sector, paving the way for relative peace and stability in the industry. The source confirmed that the Chairman, Lagos State Branch of the Association, Babajide Saheed, read out the contents of the revised circular on the floor of the EDM. The attendees then resolved to shelve the planned strike if the government implements the new circular. When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Audu, he confirmed that the association had received the new pay circular but said the planned strike is still on until the government implements the new circular. 21-Day Ultimatum On 28 July, the NMA issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to meet its demands or risk a nationwide strike in the health sector. In a statement, Mr Audu said the association rejected a circular from the NSIWC, dated 27 June 2025 (Ref: SWC/5/04/5.218/III/646), which reviewed allowances for medical and dental officers in the Federal Public Service. He argued that the circular violated existing collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and worsened tensions among doctors who continue to serve despite mounting challenges. The Nigerian Medical Association expresses grave disappointment and unequivocally condemns the circular purportedly issued to address the consequential adjustment of allowances under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure for medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria, he said. The circular is grossly inadequate, misleading and constitutes a flagrant violation of the spirit and letter of the agreements painstakingly reached during the collective bargaining process between the NMA and the Federal Government of Nigeria. We reject this new circular in its entirety and demand a new circular that reflects previous agreements reached. He stressed that fairness and justice must guide adjustments to doctors allowances and noted that the associations salary structure proposals had been disregarded. Doctors Demands As part of its demands, the NMA called for the immediate withdrawal of the June circular and the correction of consequential salary adjustments in line with the CBAs of 2001, 2009, and 2014. The association also demanded strict adherence to the principle of relativity between the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), particularly with respect to call duty allowances, as well as the payment of all accumulated backlogs. In addition, the doctors want all arrears of 25 and 35 per cent CONMESS, clinical duty, and accoutrement allowances settled without delay. They are also asking for the prompt payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), alongside a review of the fund to reflect prevailing economic realities. The association further demanded the immediate convocation of overdue CBA negotiations on CONMESS and the release of the circular on clinical duty and other allowances for honorary consultants, which was agreed upon in January 2024. Other issues raised include the implementation of scarce skills and specialist allowances for medical consultants, approval of excess workload allowances for doctors, compliance with the 2021 hazard allowance agreement, and the enforcement of the 2024 CONMESS circular for house officers. The NMA also insisted on the universal application of CONMESS across federal and state ministries, departments, and agencies to curb internal brain drain. Beyond remuneration, the doctors are seeking comprehensive health insurance coverage for all medical and dental practitioners, as well as the immediate constitution of management boards for federal hospitals to strengthen governance and efficiency. They also want the issuance of a circular implementing the new retirement age for medical and dental practitioners, alongside robust welfare packages, including health and social support for healthcare workers. The association equally demanded the reversal of the appointment of other healthcare professionals as consultants in hospitals, warning that such practices could compromise patient safety and the overall standard of medical care in the country. The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has ordered 11 electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) to appear before it over a combined debt of 2.6 trillion owed to the federation. The directive was issued on Wednesday at an investigative conducted by the committee after its members reviewed the 2021 Auditor-Generals report, which raised serious concerns about financial management in the power sector. The committee is chaired by Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun). At the session, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) Plc, Johnson Akinnawo, confirmed that as of 30 September 2020, the Discos had accumulated liabilities totalling 2.6 trillion. According to him, Abuja Disco owes 330.4 billion, Eko Disco 231 billion, Benin Disco 233.2 billion, Enugu Disco 258.3 billion, Ibadan Disco 325.7 billion, and Ikeja Disco 310 billion, Others are Jos Disco 161.7 billion, Kaduna Disco 277.7 billion, Kano Disco 211.7 billion, Port Harcourt Disco 239.7 billion, while Yola Disco is indebted to the tune of 107.4 billion. Beyond this huge debt burden, the Auditor-Generals report also flagged other irregularities in the electricity market. It noted that NBET failed to collect 30 billion owed by market operators and recorded a shortfall of 549 million in its statutory one per cent income from institutional charges. The report also revealed that 100 billion was paid to Generation Companies for electricity not delivered to the grid, while Nigeria is still owed 26 billion by two foreign firms for power exported to Togo, Benin and Niger. In addition, the Discos were found to have under-remitted 166 billion below the threshold set by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and had also failed to settle invoices amounting to 2.7 billion. Following deliberations, Yahaya Kusada (APC, Katsina) moved a motion seconded by Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo) asking all Discos to appear before the Committee to explain their failure to remit funds and to present clear repayment plans. With the magnitude of liabilities before us, it is imperative that these companies appear before the committee to clarify their positions and outline plans for repayment, Mr Kusada said. The committee also resolved to summon other market operators and stakeholders identified in the Auditor-Generals report. Dates for the appearances will be communicated to the affected parties in due course. The concerns over the Discos financial obligations come despite recent disclosures by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. Earlier in July, NERC reported that the Discos collected a total revenue of 553.63 billion in the first quarter of 2025 from customer billings worth 744.27 billion. While three of the Discos recorded improvements in collection efficiency compared to the last quarter of 2024, eight of them posted declines. Port Harcourt Disco recorded the sharpest fall with -15.11 percentage points, followed by Kaduna with -7.12 points and Eko with -5.21 points. Coverage areas of Discos Nigerias electricity market is structured around 11 distribution companies (DisCos), each assigned to specific states, with Lagos being the only state served by two separate companies. These DisCos are responsible for delivering power to households and businesses across the country. READ ALSO: DisCos assure Lagos residents of daily power restoration amid TCN maintenance The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) supplies electricity to Delta, Edo, Ekiti, and Ondo states, while the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC) covers Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara. Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC) is responsible for Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states, whereas the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) handles Adamawa, Borno, Taraba, and Yobe. The Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) supplies Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, and Plateau states. In the central region, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) covers the Federal Capital Territory alongside Kogi, Nasarawa, and Niger states. The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) oversees Kwara, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo states. Lagos is split between the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IEDC) and the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC). The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) serves Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers states. In the South-east, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) supplies Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. A foundation member of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has expressed total support for the proposed review of the existing Revenue Allocation Formula, saying it is long overdue. Mr Okechukwu described the planned review as a Win-Win- Balanced Federalism via fiscal restructuring, especially now that the National Assembly is in the process of amending the countrys Constitution. He stated his position while addressing journalists a few hours after Mohammed Bello, the Chairperson, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) announced plans to review the Revenue Allocation Formula. Mr Bello said the aim of the review was to produce a fair, just and equitable revenue sharing formula that reflects the current responsibilities, needs and capacities of the three tiers of government, in line with constitutional rules. Mr Okechukwu, a former director general of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), canvassed the urgent need to reduce the huge extant revenue allocation to federal government from 52 per cent to 40 per cent, to guarantee ultimate balanced federalism. This, he said, would enhance the progress and prosperity of the citizenry, albeit ultimately advancing the frontiers of grassroots democracy. My observation over the last decades informed that the political banditry, ultra-nepotism and tension soaked presidential election in our dear fatherland is largely due to unbalanced federalism. And unbalanced federalism is an outlier of do or die struggle of who presides over the huge Oil Revenue (a.k.a. national cake) at the over centralised federal government, he said. In this context, Mr Okechukwu said that he agreed wholeheartedly with Mr Bellos submission that the review of the vertical revenue-sharing formula, which determines how federally collected revenues are shared among the federal, state, and local governments had been long overdue. He argued that this 33 years old revenue formula 52.68 per cent federal government, 26.72 per cent states, 20.60 per cent LGAs, 4.8 percent Special Funds, 1 per cent FCT and Ecological Fund, 1.68 per cent Natural Resources, and 0.5 per cent Stabilisation Fund, is antithetical to development and retrogressive. May I humbly submit that In line with RMAFC constitutional responsibility, as a matter of urgent national security and in response to the evolving socio-economic, political and fiscal realities should propose revenue formula of 40 per cent FG, 40 per cent states, 10 per cent LGAs and 10 per cent to the rest, Mr Okechukwu retorted. When asked why the LGAs, a vital tier should be slashed to only 10 per cent, the APC chieftain countered that since all genuine efforts made in the last 25 years to retrieve LGAs from the stranglehold of our Emperor governors, even the financial autonomy initiative by President Tinubu, which culminated in the 11 July , 2024 Supreme Court landmark judgment had failed woefully, it has become pragmatic imperative to stop chasing shadows. He recalled that revenue allocation review exercises in the past had been controversial and marred by hate pandemic of ignorant political bandits masquerading as ethno-religious champions. Mr Okechukwu, accordingly, appealed to divisive elements and agents of polarisation to sheath their arsenal and acknowledge the gospel truth; that abject poverty, grinding hunger, gross unemployment, crisis of inequality and palpable insecurity are still unfortunately plaguing all the six geopolitical zones. He called on President Bola Tinubu, the governors, national and state legislators and patriots to breathe life into the Constitution, especially now the document is being altered. For years, residents across Plateau State have seen young men and women taken from their communities, lured by traffickers with promises of jobs and education that often end in exploitation. On Thursday, the Plateau State Ministry of Justice and the State Taskforce on Anti-Human Trafficking held a one-day workshop in Jos that brought together community leaders, security agencies, civil society groups, and government officials. While officials described the workshop as a turning point, participants from local communities said frustration remains high because convictions are rare despite mounting cases of trafficking. The chairperson of the Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, Olivia Dazyem, told the participants that the painful reality is that existing laws are poorly enforced. Communities complain that their children are taken, yet there are hardly any convictions. Until we go beyond talk, people will continue to lose trust, Mrs Dazyem said. READ ALSO: Burkina Faso expels top UN official The Plateau State Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Alexander Adole, warned that trafficking in the state has become a multi-layered crisis legal, institutional, and social. He called for stronger grassroots engagement and sustainable funding. Justice Charles Domlong, who represented the judiciary, noted that courts depend solely on strong evidence, not emotions, and called on investigators to ensure meticulous fact-finding so that genuine cases can be prosecuted effectively. In closing, the Plateau State Attorney General, Philemon Daffi, said the government will support the drafting of a new anti-trafficking law tailored to Plateaus specific realities. The police in Anambra State, Nigerias South-east, say they have arrested two suspects over alleged rape of two girls in separate incidents in the state. The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday. How the incidents happened In one of the cases, Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said, a suspect named Emmanuel Sampson allegedly lured the eight-year-old daughter of his neighbour under the pretext of giving her food, and then raped her. The spokesperson said the case was initially reported at the Central Police Station in Onitsha on 8 August 2025 before being transferred to the Gender Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). In the second case, Mr Ikenga said another suspect, ThankGod Damian, a security man at an estate, allegedly lured a 13-year-old girl into an uncompleted building and raped her. He said the second case was initially reported at 3-3 Divisional Police Headquarters, but was subsequently transferred to the Gender Unit of the SCID on 14 August 2025. Police operatives have secured medical evidence to prove the suspects culpability and will charge the case to Court on Wednesday, August 20th, 2025 (today), the spokesperson said. He assured that the police in Anambra State remain committed to ensuring justice for victims of sexual and gender-based violence. However, parents and guardians are further advised to remain vigilant and to promptly report all suspected cases to the nearest police formation for immediate action, Mr Ikenga said. Prohibited in Nigeria Nigeria, in 2015, enacted the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act, which outlawed all forms of violence against women and girls, including rape, female circumcision and forceful ejection. Offenders, on conviction, face life imprisonment or maximum of 14-year jail term, depending on the age of the offender and type of violence committed. Several persons have been convicted by various courts for rape. An Ado-Ekiti High Court, in July 2022, sentenced a 49-year-old man, Dele Adeyanju, to four years imprisonment for raping an 11-year-old girl. A Bauchi High Court, in 2017, sentenced two middle aged men to life in prison for raping a 40-year-old woman and plucking out her eyes. Fourteen people were injured in a massive attack on Okhtyrka (Sumy region) by Russian occupiers on Wednesday night, three of them children. "Some 14 people sought medical help, including a family with three children - a 5-month-old, 4-year-old and 6-year-old boy. At least 13 houses were damaged or destroyed," the Sumy Regional Prosecutor's Office's Facebook page reported. As reported in the Telegram channel of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, emergency workers rescued a woman from under the rubble, who was handed over to ambulance doctors. "The hit was recorded at several locations at once. Private households, non-residential buildings and citizens' cars were damaged. Fires broke out. Rescuers eliminated all sources of combustion," the message says. According to the investigation, the occupiers attacked the private sector of Okhtyrka with 15 drones from 00:05 to 00:18 on August 20. A pre-trial investigation is underway into the fact of committing war crimes (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted illicit drugs valued at N692m in Katsina State, in what officials described as the largest seizure in the commands history. Two private vehicles were stopped in separate operations around Kongolom and other border communities, with officers discovering cartons of tramadol, fragaballin capsules and nearly 200 wraps of cannabis hidden inside. The area controller, Abba-Aji Idriss, told reporters the haul reveals how drug smuggling has overtaken rice as the contraband of choice along Nigerias northern borders. This is the largest of its kind in the command, Idriss said, displaying the seized drugs. You cannot divorce the use of drugs from the banditry going on in this region. The smugglers conceal them in ordinary-looking vehicles, but luck was on our side. The breakdown of the seizure included 14 cartons of tramadol worth an estimated N28 million, fragaballin capsules valued at N650 million, and cannabis sativa worth N14 million. One suspect has been arrested and is expected to face charges after preliminary investigations, Mr Idriss said. He appealed to residents of border communities to work with customs officers to curb the trafficking of illicit substances, which he linked to insecurity in the region. Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has upheld the resolutions of the State House of Assembly ordering the suspension of some public officials. The officials affected are the Executive Chairperson of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri; the Chairperson of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Grace Adagba; and the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Lottery Commission, Michael Uper. All three officials are to proceed on a one-month suspension effective Wednesday. In line with the resolutions passed by the House, His Excellency affirms the following: the suspension of Mr. Maxwell Ogiri, Mrs. Grace Adagba, and Mr. Michael Uper, each for a period of one month, effective from today, the governors spokesperson, Tersoo Kula, said in a statement. Mr Kula, the chief press secretary to the governor, quoted Mr Alia as reiterating his commitment to the rule of law, due process, and the principles of separation of powers. READ ALSO: Nigeria customs intercepts N700 million illicit drugs in Katsina He added that the governor commended the House of Assembly for exercising its constitutional responsibilities and assured residents of the state that his administration would remain dedicated to transparency, accountability, and good governance. The governor also urged all affected institutions to ensure seamless continuity of service delivery during the suspension period, and appealled to the people of the state to continue supporting the governments efforts towards building a state that works for all. The police in Rivers State have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly macheting his 44-year-old girlfriend to death. The police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday. The suspect, identified as Kingsley Chinamezu, aka Power Sharp, from Ogbo-Hill, Abia State, allegedly macheted his girlfriend to death on 30 July in the Umuebule Community, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. After committing the heinous crime, the suspect fled to Egbeta village in Edo State and began issuing further threats to the victims family members, boasting that he could still harm them without consequences. Upon a formal complaint by the victims family and proactive efforts by the operatives of the command, the commissioner of police assigned the case to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Mrs Iringe-Koko said. The suspect, the police said, was traced, located, and arrested on August 15, 2025, in his hideout at Egbeta village, Edo State. Ms Iringe-Keke, a superintendent of police, said the suspect voluntarily confessed to the crime, providing details of the events leading to the murder. Evidence is being collected, and the suspect is undergoing further investigation and profiling for potential involvement in other related crimes. The suspect will face prosecution upon completion of the investigation, she added. READ ALSO: Governor Alia backs Benue Assembly on suspension of public officials This is the second time in about 24 hours that the police have reported a case of a man allegedly killing his girlfriend. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how a man in the state, identified as Doctor, allegedly stabbed his girlfriend, Ima, to death over infidelity. The man (suspect) has been arrested, and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Port Harcourt, Ms Iringe-Koko told our reporter on Tuesday. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and due process following recent media reports alleging irregularities in its operations. Reports circulating in a section of the media alleged that the commission was under scrutiny for mismanaging funds related to the 2025 Hajj. PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the allegation. However, in a statement signed by its Assistant Director, Information and Publication, Fatima Usara, the Commission dismissed what it called unverified allegations making the rounds, stressing that it remains dedicated to its statutory mandate of serving Nigerian pilgrims with honesty and efficiency. NAHCON further emphasised that it maintains a cooperative relationship with relevant government institutions, including anti-corruption agencies, and will not shield any staff or person found culpable of misconduct. The Commission wishes to reaffirm that, as a responsible organisation, NAHCON maintains an open and ongoing relationship with all relevant government agencies, including anti-corruption and regulatory bodies. This cooperation is a standing principle of the Commissions operations and its belief in due process and the rule of law. The Commission would not shield any staff or process found wanting, the statement said. Read the full statement NAHCON Reaffirms Commitment to Due Process and Accountability The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) is aware of certain media publications making various comments regarding the Commission, its operations and unverified allegations. As a public institution established by law, NAHCON remains dedicated to its functions with the highest sense of responsibility, honesty, accountability, and a zeal to deliver efficient services. This is in line with its mandate to serve Nigerian pilgrims and the nation well. The Commission wishes to reaffirm that, as a responsible organisation, NAHCON maintains an open and ongoing relationship with all relevant government agencies, including anti-corruption and regulatory bodies. This cooperation is a standing principle of the Commissions operations and its belief in due process and the rule of law. The Commission would not shield any staff or process found wanting. However, the Commission 4 respectfully urges the public and especially the media to exercise restraint on speculations and allow the appropriate authorities to conclude their work by established procedures without subjecting perhaps innocent persons to indignity through media trials. We are confident that whatever the truth is, it will emerge through the appropriate channels. The Commission remains focused on post-Hajj evaluations, addressing operational challenges, and strengthening measures to ensure even better service delivery in future Hajj operations. Fatima Sanda Usara, Assistant Director, Information and Publication, For Chairman/CEO, NAHCON The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has approved the creation of two new area commands and the upgrade of five police stations to divisional status in Benue State, in what authorities say is a response to the states deepening security challenges. According to the police, the decision followed an appraisal of recent operations which revealed geographical gaps between security formations and vulnerable communities across troubled local government areas of the state. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Benue, Udeme Edet, announced the development in a statement on Wednesday. The two Area Commands created are Daudu Area Command and Naka Area Command, while the five police stations that have been upgraded to police Divisions are Ayilamo, Yelwata, Jato-Aka, Okpokolo and Agan Police Divisions, Ms Edet said. According to her, Daudu Area Command will oversee Guma, Daudu, Yelwata, and Agan police divisions, while Naka Area Command will supervise Naka, Apa, Agatu, and Okpokolo divisions. Ms Edet explained that the restructuring was aimed at boosting the police response to security threats in the state. READ ALSO: Police rescue 20 Ghanaians allegedly trafficked to Akwa Ibom This adjustment will assist the command in policing troubled areas with large and difficult terrains. These Divisions will also ensure quick resolution of conflict between farmers and herders and facilitate quick response to distress calls, he said. The Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, commended the inspector-general for what he described as a crucial intervention designed to strengthen policing in the state. Mr Emenari also lauded the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, for his support of security agencies in the ongoing efforts to safeguard lives and property in Benue. The police in Ebonyi State, Nigerias South-east, say they have arrested 131 crime suspects in the past six weeks in the state. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adaku Uche-Anya, disclosed this on Tuesday during a briefing at the state police headquarters in Abakaliki, the state capital. Mrs Uche-Anya said the police also rescued kidnap victims, recovered firearms, and stolen vehicles within the period which was between July and mid-August 2025. The police chief said the achievements were through proactive policing, intelligence-led operations, and community engagement. She said of the 131 arrested crime suspects, 120 were males while 11 others were females. According to her, the suspects were arrested for various offences including kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, and cult-related crimes. Mrs Uche-Anya said that out of this number, 52 suspects have been charged to court, while others were still under investigation. The police commissioner further revealed that six vehicles, 15 assorted firearms, and 50 rounds of ammunition were recovered within the period. Rescue of kidnap victims Mrs Uche-Anya said, in one of the separate operations on 14 August, police operatives rescued two kidnapped students unhurt from an uncompleted building in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state. She said three suspects James Nweke, Oliver Nwali, and Nwojiji Onyebuchi were arrested at the scene. The police commissioner said, in another operation, police operatives prevented the ongoing Ihie-Ezza Ekembe crisis from escalating. She said a suspect, Agboti Kingsley, allegedly hired as a mercenary to instigate violence, was arrested by the operatives. Murder Mrs Uche-Amya further revealed that operatives from the Special Weapons and Tactics have arrested three suspects in connection with the killing of a resident, Udu Nnachi, during the Ekoli Edda unrest on 9 July. She identified the arrested suspects as Amarachi Ude, Idika Ama Okoro, and Sunday Ama Olughu. The commissioner said the suspects would be arraigned upon the conclusion of the investigation. Community engagement Mrs Uche-Anya noted that the agrarian nature of Ebonyi makes land and boundary disputes a recurring challenge during farming seasons. The commissioner said, to forestall violence, the police in the state have deployed early-warning systems and embraced dialogue with leaders in flashpoint communities. Through proactive strategies, we are recording encouraging results while remaining vigilant in ensuring the safety of our people, she said. The police chief hailed residents of the state for their support and urged them to continue providing timely information to the police to aid in crime fighting. The Command remains resolute in its mandate to protect lives and property, and to sustain peace and security across the state, she assured. Increased attacks Like other states in Nigerias South-east, security has deteriorated in Ebonyi State with frequent attacks by armed persons. Kidnappers, cultists and even armed robbers are believed to be partly responsible for the growing insecurity in the region. Also, separatist groups like the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been linked to some deadly attacks in the region. The IPOB-linked attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities. But the group has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks. Hundreds of people have been killed or abducted, and several others injured in some of such attacks in the region. IPOB is a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of South-south Nigeria. Nineteen-year-old Ba Gado still remembers the chaotic night of 30 October 2022. Motivated by the successful Kuje prison break led by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a joint team of jihadists (from Nigeria and the Sahel) stormed the Wawa military detention facility in a bid to free their captured comrades. Soldiers repelled the attack, but for Mr Gado and his community, that night marked the beginning of a nightmare that would engulf the hundreds of communities surrounding the Kainji National Park. A year earlier, the warning signs had already appeared. Rangers working with the park stumbled into a group of bandits during a routine patrol. One of them, Tanko, was killed, while several others were wounded, and their patrol vehicle was set ablaze, according to multiple sources in Wawa. Gripped by fear, the park management suspended operations, leaving vast stretches of protected forestland exposed to armed groups, including al-Qaeda affiliatesJamaa Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) and Jamaatu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as Ansaru. Since then, Kainji, Nigerias first national park, which once served as a sanctuary of biodiversity, has steadily transformed into a conflict zone. While bandit kingpins like the late Ali Kawaje and the venomous Dogo Gide entrenched themselves in the Zugurma sector, a jihadist cell led by Mallam Mamuda took control of the Borgo sector, exploiting locals and targeting security forces. What was once a conservation haven has become what locals, including park rangers, described as a battlefield. Before and after 2012 Boko Haram schism Al-Qaedas footprint in Nigeria could be traced back to mid-2009 when the late Abubakar Shekau, the successor of Boko Haram founder Muhammed Yusuf, sought its monetary and weaponry support through Abou Zeid, a commander of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) who was later killed in Mali in 2013. Experts said that Boko Haram under Mr Shekau received support, funds, training and weapons from AQIM. However, Mr Shekaus increasing brutality, particularly his indiscriminate targeting of Muslims, strained relations with al-Qaeda. By 2012, AQIM severed ties with Mr Shekau, paving the way for its rival faction, Ansaru, which broke away [from Boko Haram] a year before under the leadership of Khalid Al-Barnawi. Ansaru, at the time, was operating from Birnin Gwari and other areas surrounding the Kamuku National Park in Kaduna, north-western Nigeria. But it went under the radar in 2016 following the arrest of its leader. It resurfaced in January 2020 after killing at least six soldiers in the convoy of a traditional ruler. But before its violent resurgence, two jihadi experts, Jacob Zenn and Caleb Weiss, found that Ansaru had embedded itself in criminal activities, blurring the lines between jihadism and banditry. Adopting the playbook of its networks in the Sahel, the group exploited the herders grievances to its advantage, recruiting the aggrieved herders and forming alliances with bandit kingpins like Messers Gide and Kawaje. Ansaru was involved in high-profile attacks and kidnappings, such as the Abuja-Kaduna train attack and Kuje prison break. The attack was in collaboration with the Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction and some bandits. From Benin to Nigeria: The Infiltration of al-Qaeda into Kainji forest When park patrols were suspended in 2021, the vacuum created gave room for armed groups to spread unchecked across Kainjis vast landscape. In their study, James Barnett & Ahmed Rufai referenced an internal memo by African Parks Network, recounting how some groups of turbaned Sahelian jihadists approached a park ranger and a staff member of W National Park in northern Benin. The experts said the men suspected to be members of JNIM from Burkina Faso were not looking for a fight with the park ranger that day Their aim was reaching northwestern Nigeria. Given the timing and direction of their travel, the experts said the JNIM fighters were likely passing through Benin in order to reach Nigeria and link up with Ansaru, with the aim of pledging bayah (an Islamic oath of loyalty) to al-Qaeda. Subsequently, locals observed cross-border movement of more armed people with the demeanour of the Sahelian terrorists. Our people close to the border with Benin Republic observed that more terrorists, including their wives and children, came in and out of the park area, a resident of Kemanji, one of the terrorised Kwara State villages around the park, told PREMIUM TIMES. A similar pattern of border movement was noticed around Luma and Babana, near Wawa in Niger State. Soon, the terror group led by Mr Mamuda started infiltrating villages from its hideout in the Kainji park. They promised to fight kidnappers terrorising our people and even gave unhindered access to farmlands and fish ponds in the reserved forest, Yunusa Idris, a resident of Kaima local government in Kwara State, said. They also gave access to illegal loggers. But the mutual benefits did not last long. The group turned on its host after security operatives invaded its enclave and arrested its members in urban cities. It subsequently accused farmers, loggers and fishermen of spying for the military. That marked the genesis of its violent campaign. In several audio messages obtained by this reporter, the group promised to launch a war against the community, labelling them as enemies. Following the audio messages that went viral in communities around Kwara and Niger states, the group attacked Kemanji and Duruma villages (in Kwara) and Luma in Niger State. Mamuda or Ansaru? Before the recent covert operation that led to the arrest of its leadersAbu Baraa and Mahmud al-Nigeri locals knew the group as Mamuda. However, there are diverse opinions about the groups affiliation. Some experts linked it to Darul Salam, an isolated group evicted from Niger State in 2009. However, the recent covert operation revealed that the group is identified as Ansaru. Before this operation, many jihadi researchers with whom our reporter has been finding an answer to the question of the groups affiliation believed that it was linked to JNIM. Although there was no evidence that JNIM operates in Nigeria, the Sahelian group has claimed attacks near Nigerias border with Benin. An independent jihadi researcher, Brant Philip, told PREMIUM TIMES that the Mr Mamuda-led group could have a peaceful relationship with JNIM as their territorial bases occupy the same area around Kainji reserve and lake. Mr Philip said cross-border activities like transporting and trafficking of weapons and fuel around the border area could be taking place between the groups. Taiwo Adebayo, a Lake Chad Basin researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), shared a similar view, disputing claims that the Mamuda-led group is linked to Darul Salam. The group is largely Ansaru, Mr Adebayo said. There are possibilities that some remnant of the Darul Salam joined forces with Boko Harams Sadiku in Shiroro, Niger State, after they were dispersed in Niger. Mr Adebayo said the leader of Darul Salam was made to sign an undertaking that his group would not take part in any violence after his arrest in 2009. When [another] Darul Salam resurfaced in Nasarawa and was dislodged, the leader came out publicly to deny his involvement, Mr Adebayo continued. So there is no clarity of what Darul Salam is, and there is also not enough evidence to link the [Mamuda-led] group to them. Ribadus crackdown and Ansarus leadership arrests The recent covert operation that led to the arrest of Abu Baraa and Mahmud al-Nigeri, the leaders of the Ansaru, was officially confirmed by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu on 16 August. Mr Ribadu, whose office has recorded tremendous counterterrorism successes since his appointment by President Tinubu, described the arrests as part of a broader counterterrorism strategy aimed at dismantling jihadist networks operating in Nigerias forest reserves. Security experts believe the capture of these commanders marks one of the most significant blows to Ansaru. However, concerns remain that their dispersed foot soldiers, if not curtailed, could regroup or return to banditry, further deteriorating the security situation in the area. From Wawa to Kamuku, the story of Nigerias forests is no longer about biodiversity but survival. Unless local grievances are addressed and cross-border security strengthened, the once-safe parks like the Kainji and Kamuku risk becoming the next Sahelian stronghold of al-Qaeda and Islamic State, including their affiliateISWAP and Lakurawa. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reported Tuesday that vigilante groups suffered the highest number of killings in July, according to the commissions latest observatory report. While noting the importance of vigilantes supporting the nations security, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, said, July was the deadliest month for vigilante groups in the country. There were almost a hundred fatalities. Their decimation portends danger for our collective security and the enjoyment of our liberties. These are not isolated incidents; they represent a failure of security, justice, and accountability, he said at the NHRCs headquarters in Abuja. The Senior Human Rights Adviser, Hilary Ogbonna, presented the observatory. He noted 375 killings and 98 kidnappings in July. Mr Ogbonna explained killings declined by 45 percent compared to June. According to the commission, 97 vigilantes were killed in July, 30 farmers, and 11 children. There were also 38 deaths by accident, 34 cult-related killings, and 13 faith-related killings. The NHRC also noted acts of violence by cultist groups and killings of law enforcement agents by bandits. Mr Ojukwu commended the cooperation between the State Security Service (SSS), the Armed Forces, and the Office of the National Security Adviser for the arrest of the leaders of Ansaru. The NHRC welcomes the arrests of the leaders of Ansaru, a deadly terrorist organisation which is responsible for gross human rights violations of Nigerians. We commend the Department of State Services, the Armed Forces, and the Office of the National Security Adviser for this feat. There is much we can achieve in safeguarding our citizens and human rights if agencies collaborate and adopt human rights-based approaches. We call on the authorities to swiftly put every machinery in place to ensure swift trials of the terrorist leaders and ensure that they are held to the highest form of accountability befitting their heinous crimes. On 16 August, National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed that a months-long, intelligence-driven operation led to the arrest of Mahmud Muhammad Usman, popularly known as Abu Baraa, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Mallam Mamuda, two of the most wanted leaders of the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru group. Julys human rights dashboard In July, the NHRC recorded 331,035 human rights complaints, with the North-central region leading the chart with 140,707 complaints, followed by the North-west with 63,296, the North-east with 55,287, the South-east with 41,895, the South-west with 15,280, and the South-south with 14,570. The top 10 places where the most complaints were recorded were Benue State, 39,637; NHRC headquarters in Abuja, 34,911; Borno State, 32,050; Kaduna State, 26,078; Niger State, 21,496; Plateau State, 20,245; Imo State, 17,406; Sokoto, 15,163; the FCT, 10,424; and Kogi State, 10,334. The report also indicated that 82,037 complaints bordered on violation of law enforcement and human dignity, 81,320 of freedom from discrimination, and 51,221 violations of economic and social rights. Violation of womens and childrens rights The report said that during the period under review, 1,947 women complained of gender based discrimination while 1,334 reported denial of access to their children. Also, 1,244 women complained of the violation of their sexual and reproductive rights. The NHRC also received 4,692 complaints of sexual violence, 917 complaints of domestic violence, and 17 rape cases. There were also 961 complaints of child custody, 758 cases of child abandonment, and 517 cases of sexual abuse of children. However, the commission announced that it completed 3,260 investigations in July, visited 154 correctional centres and places of detention, and five military formations. It also summoned the Nigerian police and sent letters regarding 40 cases. The US State Department has revoked the visas of more than 6,000 international students for overstays and violations of the law. This announcement comes amid an ongoing crackdown on immigration and international students carried out by President Donald Trumps administration. The department, on Monday, said many of the visas revoked involve violations such as assault, burglary and driving under alcohol influence. It also said some other visas were revoked because the students expressed support for terrorism, without specifying what this meant. Since the beginning of the year, the administration has targeted students who have protested in support of Palestine, claiming that they had expressed antisemitic behaviour. Every single student visa revoked under the Trump Administration has happened because the individual has either broken the law or expressed support for terrorism while in the United States, the State Department said in a statement, according to Fox News Digital. It also stated that more than 4,000, out of the 6,000 visas revoked, were visitors who broke the law. About 4,000 visas alone have been revoked because these visitors broke the law while visiting our country, including records of assault and DUIs. Another 200-300 visas were also revoked for terrorism done under INA 3B, the State Department said, referring to code that defines terrorist activity broadly as acts that endanger human life or violate US law. It further noted that about 800 students lost their visas over assault-related offences, either after being arrested or charged. Earlier in the year, the US government suspended the scheduling of interviews for student visa applicants worldwide. When it resumed processing in June, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the country introduced a new policy that required international students to unlock their social media accounts for review. This policy affected students from Nigeria and other countries. The US government also ordered consular officers in different countries to look out for posts and messages that could be deemed hostile to the United States, its government, culture, institutions or founding principles. It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer, and that is exactly what the Trump Administration is doing every single day, a State Department official had said. In July, Nigerias public health landscape was shaped by a wave of urgent alerts, government interventions, and fresh initiatives. From cholera warnings and renewed investments in primary healthcare to the expansion of neonatal insurance and rising climate-related health risks, the month highlighted both the countrys persistent challenges and its ongoing efforts to strengthen health systems. Heres a look at some of the most important health stories in July Over 80,000 children at risk as cholera spreads in West, Central Africa UNICEF The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has warned that more than 80,000 children are at high risk of contracting cholera as the rainy season intensifies across West and Central Africa. In a new report, the UN agency said the heightened risk is being driven by ongoing cholera outbreaks in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), raising the likelihood of cross-border transmission to neighbouring countries. Other countries such as Chad, the Republic of Congo, Ghana, Cote dIvoire, and Togo are also dealing with active epidemics. Meanwhile, Niger, Liberia, Benin, the Central African Republic, and Cameroon remain under close watch due to their vulnerability to infection. FG disburses N20 billion to over 4,000 PHCs in Northern Nigeria The federal government disbursed over N20 billion to support 4,362 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the last two years. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, explained that 274 projects have been executed across 35 tertiary hospitals in northern Nigeria, serving over 4.5 million outpatients and 1.6 million inpatients. The minister noted that the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu administration to improving national health outcomes is being matched with action, with the provision of health infrastructure across all levels of healthcare delivery nationwide. NHIA to expand health insurance to newborns, partners with neonatal experts In July, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) announced plans to expand healthcare access for newborns by incorporating neonatal care into its flagship Financing Access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care (CEmOC) programme. The Director-General of NHIA, Kelechi Ohiri, said the maternal health component of the programme, launched nearly a year ago, had already delivered life-saving interventions to over 6,000 vulnerable women with obstetric complications nationwide. He said building on this progress, the scheme is now shifting focus to the often-overlooked neonatal population. Nurses, doctors strike cripple services in public hospitals Health services in many Nigerian public hospitals were disrupted as nurses under the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) had a nationwide seven-day warning strike. The industrial action, which followed the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government, left patients struggling to access health care. In Lagos, the situation was further compounded by a separate three-day warning strike by doctors under the Medical Guild, protesting salary deductions. Visits to public health facilities in Abuja and Lagos by our reporters showed disruptions in service delivery, with many outpatient units shut. Patients were turned away in some hospitals, while others had their appointments cancelled or rescheduled. Experts suggest how to fix Nigerias primary healthcare crisis In July, health experts, policymakers, and private innovators renewed calls for local investment and intentional digital innovation to address Nigerias long-standing primary healthcare crisis. The experts made the call at the third edition of the Insights Learning Forum (ILF) in Abuja. The event, themed Local Investments for Connected Communities: The Power of Digital Health Networks in Public Health Transformation, captured the cross-sector consensus that meaningful change must begin at the local level and be driven by Nigerians. NCDC warns on cholera, yellow fever, dengue fever As Nigerias flood season intensifies, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) issued a nationwide health alert over the rising threat of waterborne and vector-borne diseases. The agency warned of a surge in cholera, yellow fever and dengue fever cases, especially in states already experiencing floods and heavy rainfall. The alert follows a recent impact-based weather forecast from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which identified Sokoto, Kaduna, Zamfara, Yobe and several other states as facing heightened risk of flooding throughout July. US senators move to exempt global HIV/AIDS funding from Trump spending cuts The United States Senate moved to exempt the global anti-AIDS programme, Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), from major foreign aid cuts proposed by President Donald Trumps administration. This development offers hope to millions of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and other developing countries. The decision follows pressure from key Republican senators who resisted a White House-backed plan to slash $400 million from PEPFAR. First launched in 2003 under President George W. Bush, the government says PEPFAR has provided life-saving antiretroviral treatment and healthcare support to more than 25 million people worldwide. FCT targets 983,497 children for 2025 malaria campaign The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) aims to reach 983,497 children in 2025 with Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), a preventive intervention against malaria for children under five. The State Project Manager of the Philanthropic Funding Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (PF SMC) in the FCT, Olutomi Sodipo, disclosed this during a press conference in Abuja. Ms Sodipo said the intervention targeted children aged three to 59 months, those most vulnerable due to weaker immune systems. Africa CDC launches framework to combat health impact of climate change The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) launched a strategic framework to address the health impacts of climate change. The Director-General of the Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, described climate change as one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. He spoke during the official launch of the framework. Mr Kaseya said climate change is already wreaking havoc across Africa, driving extreme weather events, shifting disease patterns, food insecurity, and waterborne illnesses. According to him, a review of over 2,000 public health events on the continent between 2001 and 2021 reveals that 56 per cent were linked to climate change, 30m Nigerians on treatment for NTDs Official The federal government announced major progress in the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), with approximately 30 million Nigerians receiving ivermectin treatment for Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) and Lymphatic Filariasis. The Director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW), Godwin Ntadom, said that through collective efforts, Nigeria continues to record steady progress in the fight against Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis. Mr Ntadom noted that transmission of Lymphatic Filariasis has been interrupted in 379 LGAs while the Onchocerciasis Elimination Programme has halted disease transmission in nine states and completely eliminated the disease in two. Private medical practitioners attend to over 70% of Nigerian patients Group The Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) said that private medical practitioners currently attend to about 70 to 80 per cent of Nigerian patients. The President of the association, Kay Adesola, said private medical doctors are committed to enhancing the treatment of emergency cases nationwide, aiming to significantly reduce fatalities during critical health situations. He emphasised the associations desire to manage all emergencies, highlighting private medical facilities as the primary round-the-clock life-saving entities within the health sector. The Supervisory Board of the Joint-Stock Company Ukrainian Defense Industry has appointed Herman Smetanin, who previously held this position, as the General Director following the results of the competition. "The search, selection and assessment of candidates, of which there were 14, was carried out by the international company Odgers Berndtson. It specializes in the selection of top-level managers and has a number of successful cases in leading Ukrainian and foreign businesses. The decision to appoint a new General Director was made after the final interviews with candidates who were shortlisted based on the results of the preliminary selection," the Ukroboronprom Telegram said on Wednesday. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Ukroboronprom, David Lomdzhariya, noted that Smetanin has gained "unique work experience and is well-versed in both the internal processes of enterprises and the organization of the work of the defense industry at the government level." As reported, Smetanin, born in 1992, was appointed General Director of JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry (the successor to Ukroboronprom) at the end of June 2023. Prior to that, he briefly headed the Malyshev Plant, where in 2020-2021 he was the Director of Production, in 2021-2022 he was the Director of the Kharkiv Armored Plant, and in 2016-2020 - the Chief Engineer of the Lviv Armored Plant. In September 2024, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Smetanin as Minister of Strategic Industries, and Oleg Hulyak was later appointed as the General Director of Ukroboronprom. On July 17, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada, on the proposal of the newly appointed Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, approved the new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, in which Smetanin did not receive a position. It was already announced then that he would again head Ukroboronprom. Combined security operatives have dislodged notorious commanders of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Imo State, South-east Nigeria. The police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday. Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, said the operation was conducted on Monday at Ubaa, Umuaka, a volatile community in Njaba Local Government Area of the state. The spokesperson said police operatives in collaboration with those of other unnamed security agencies carried out the operation. He said the joint operation followed a tip-off and confessional statements from two earlier arrested suspects: Uchenna Opara and Ozioma Ihedoro all males. On sighting the operatives, the armed terrorists opened fire but were overpowered by the superior firepower of the security forces, forcing them to flee into the adjoining bushes with gunshot injuries, he stated. Investigation is ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects. Two Biafra flags, one POS machine, one AK-47 rifle with three magazines, 40 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition were among the items recovered from the hideouts, according to the police. Others were 60 rounds of live GPMG ammunition, two pump-action guns, and 582 live cartridges. Police commissioner speaks Mr Okoye said the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, in synergy with other security agencies, has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and report to the police suspicious persons with gunshot injuries. Mr Danjuma assured residents of Imo State that the police in the state were committed to ensuring their safety in the state. READ ALSO: Police arrest suspected IPOB member over stolen vehicle The police chief enjoined the residents to use designated phone lines to contact the police especially during security emergencies for prompt action. IPOB has been linked to some deadly attacks in the South-east and South-south Nigeria. But the group has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks. The group is seeking the secession of South-east and some parts of the South-south from Nigeria. Nonye Soludo, wife of Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has condemned the assault and stripping of the female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) by vigilante operatives in the state. The assault, stripping PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the NYSC member, Jennifer Elobor, was assaulted and stripped by operatives of Agunechemba Vigilante Group in the state. The incident occurred on 23 July 2025 in Oba, a community in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state. The clip, however, went viral on Monday after the Haven 360 Foundation uploaded it on their Facebook page. Authorities later said the vigilante operatives involved in the assault had been identified and arrested. Its very disturbing In a post on her Facebook page on Tuesday, Mrs Soludo said there was no justification for such an ugly and humiliating abuse. She argued that such a demeaning approach to law and order was alien to the identity of Anambra State and its government. There are always rules of engagement in such situations, and they must prioritise dignity, civility, and respect. I find the Oba incident very disturbing and appeal to appropriate authorities that are already looking into it to take critical measures to not only entrench justice but to, most importantly, ensure that we do not see such a worrisome scene ever again, she said. Its unacceptable and dehumanising NYSC The management of the NYSC has expressed sadness over the incident. In a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday, the NYSC spokesperson, Caroline Embu, said authorities of the scheme have condemned the unacceptable and dehumanising manner in which the operatives conducted their operations. While appreciating the concern of the general public over this horrific incident, as well as the initial measures taken by the Anambra State Government, Management wishes to assure the general public that it believes in, and supports the ongoing investigation by the Nigeria Police Force towards unravelling what transpired. This we trust will help get justice for the corps member in question and any other aggrieved party, she said. Ms Embu stressed that necessary administrative procedures were underway to assist the assaulted corps member to manage the physiological and psychological trauma resulting from the incident. Management wishes to use this medium to restate its strong commitment to the welfare and security of corps members nationwide, she added. The global climate action agenda is under attack, with United States President Donald Trumps second term amplifying climate denialism and misinformation. Driven by national security concerns on the back of the Ukraine war, erstwhile global climate leaders the European Union (EU) and its member countries are significantly scaling back their climate ambition and action. This is compounded by a multilateral system under siege. But new possibilities for accelerating climate action through innovative partnerships can emerge. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been the primary instrument for climate change action since its first Conference of the Parties (COP) in 1995. Highlights include the Kyoto Protocol, the IPCC science platform and the Paris Agreement. But consistent and powerful attacks on the United Nations and climate negotiations have held back progress. Other related negotiations have also been affected, such as the Plastics Treaty which last week again failed to reach agreement. This means that climate action has to rely on individual countries and mini-lateral blocks like the G7, BRICS and G20 which are becoming increasingly prominent. The G7 had its origins in the Group of Six, formed in 1975 in response to the OPEC Oil Embargo. Membership comprised the USA, United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Japan and Italy countries with the largest GDPs, excluding the Soviet Union. By 1998 Canada, the EU and Russia had joined, making up the G8. (Russia was again excluded in 2014 after the annexation of the Crimea.) The groups genesis in a fossil fuel crisis and impending financial catastrophe is an important part of its DNA. The G7s climate journey has been a rollercoaster ride. While some of its members, notably the Europeans, have been at the forefront of the global climate dialogue, Canada and Japan have been more conservative. For example, Japan is ranked 58th on the Climate Change Performance Index. The US position seems to be determined by who is in the White House. In the last decade, Democrat presidents have been strongly pro-climate action while Republican presidents have resisted. The net result has been a schizophrenic response from the G7 to climate action in spite of initiatives like the Climate Club. Given that G7 countries still constitute 30 per cent of global GDP, it remains core to any advancement on climate finance. The G7s rival is BRICS+. The blocs origins lie with Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov in the early 1990s, in the era of the IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) and RIC (Russia, India and China) forums. Jim ONeill from Goldman Sachs is largely credited with naming the group. BRICS+ has 10 members Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia and the UAE with a long list of countries interested in joining. Current members contribute some 35 per cent of the global GDP. While BRICS+ includes significant fossil fuel heavyweights, some members have become leaders in climate action. China has rapidly become a low-carbon energy superpower with 59 per cent of its power now generated by renewables. It is also the global leader in solar, wind, hydrogen and battery technology production, and according to the World Economic Forum has become a major driver of a global green transition. Brazil, which holds the Presidency of the 2025 Climate COP, also demonstrates climate leadership with 89 per cent of its energy coming from renewables. South Africa and Indonesia are in the leading club of coal and oil dominated countries that have signed up to a Just Energy Transition. The G20, founded in 1999 in response to the 1997/8 Asian financial crisis, represents countries with significant global economic influence, which collectively make up around 85 per cent of the worlds GDP. It includes all G7 members plus the EU, as well as five BRICS+ members and the African Union. The G20 has the opportunity to bridge the geopolitical divide between these two incredibly important mini-laterals. The November G20 summit will be the first on African soil. As the continent that contributes the least to global emissions yet experiences catastrophic climate related natural disasters, this years G20 could help like-minded G7 and BRICS+ members create a powerful climate club to accelerate action and African partnerships. Four priorities outlined by the South African Presidencys promising G20 2025 framework point in this direction. First is taking action to strengthen disaster resilience and responsiveness. Many disasters globally are either directly climate change related, or accelerated by climate change. The UN Early warnings for All Initiative has set a deadline of 2027 for completely developing a Multi-hazard Early Warning System. Regions of Africa would be prime sites for pilots. The second priority is ensuring debt stability for low-income countries. This is an important extension of the Bridgetown Initiative to make the international financial architecture a much fairer system. The idea presented at COP27 by Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley has climate finance at its heart. Third, mobilising finance for Just Energy Transitions. This is a critical subset of climate financing that could achieve the UNs Energy Sustainable Development Goal (SDG7) on universal energy access within Paris Agreement Climate goals. Fourth is harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development. Critical minerals are essential to power the 4th Industrial Revolution and enable the energy revolution away from fossil fuels. This will rapidly become a major geopolitical risk if the major players fail to agree on the sustainable exploitation of critical minerals. The 2025 African G20 holds promise. Bridging divisions to form a new climate club could accelerate our collective trajectory toward a more sustainable world, possibly within the boundaries of the Paris Agreement. And Africa is available as a prime candidate to demonstrate the success of such an initiative. Dhesigen Naidoo, Research Associate, Climate Risk and Human Security Project, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Pretoria (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish). The Acting Governor of Katsina State, Faruk Lawal-Jobe, has called on the federal government to provide comprehensive security support to protect the people of the state from escalating attacks. Mr Lawal-Jobe made the call on Tuesday in Katsina following the tragic incident at Unguwan Muntau, in the Malumfashi Local Government Area, where 13 worshippers were killed in a mosque. The acting governor said President Bola Tinubu must check the persistent threats facing innocent citizens. We respectfully request Mr President to give matching orders to all security agencies to holistically and decisively bring an end to these unprovoked attacks on our peaceful communities. The people of Katsina State deserve to live in safety and pursue their livelihoods without fear, he said. Our farmers, traders, and families should not have to live in constant fear. We need our Presidents direct intervention to mobilise all necessary resources and provide the security architecture our state requires. However, the acting governor expressed gratitude to the security agents currently operating in the state. We acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of our security personnel who continue to risk their lives to protect our communities. Their dedication and sacrifices are highly appreciated; all these efforts will not go unnoticed, the acting governor added. He particularly commended the Community Watch Corps and the vigilante groups for standing firm in defending people against criminal elements. The state government assured the citizens of its continued commitment to working with the federal authorities and security agencies to restore lasting peace and stability across the state. (NAN) The police in Akwa Ibom State have rescued 20 Ghanaians allegedly trafficked into the state. Timfon John, the police spokesperson in the state, disclosed this in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday. Ms John, a deputy superintendent of police, said the victims were rescued on Monday in a compound in Obio Etoi, Uyo Local Government Area of the state. The operation leading to the rescue was a collaborative effort following a request for assistance from the Ghana Police Service and the International Police. Acting on credible information, operatives surrounded a well-fenced building at 4:17 p.m. on Monday, 18 August, 2025. The raid led to the rescue of 10 males and 10 females, all confirmed to be Ghanaian nationals. The victims presently appear disoriented and have been unable to provide useful information, leading investigators to suspect they may have been hypnotised, Ms John said, and promised to update the public on the outcome of the investigation. The police did not state if any suspected traffickers were arrested during the operation. The incident occurred four months after operatives in the state rescued a two-day-old baby and arrested two traffickers who allegedly wanted to sell the baby for N800,000. Punch newspaper reported that polive operatives in Akwa Ibom intercepted a vehicle along Nsit Atai-Oron Road driven by a male and two female occupants with a newborn baby, where the baby was rescued. READ ALSO: Police arrest man for allegedly macheting girlfriend to death Ms John had told the newspaper that the rescued baby had been taken to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare in Uyo for care and custody, pending the conclusion of the investigation. PREMIUM TIMES in March reported that the police in the state uncovered an illegal maternity home, allegedly involved in child trafficking, unlawful medical practice, and impersonation. The police had said that the illegal maternity home was uncovered in Usung Atiat, Abak Local Government Area of the state, and that the rescued women have been placed under protective care while the police continued the investigations. Bandits on Tuesday killed five crop farmers in a suspected reprisal attack in the Kakangi ward of the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The communitys residents said the attack followed the killing of a cattle herder on Monday by suspected vigilantes from Wamba in the neighbouring Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State. The convener, Birnin Gwari- Niger inter-border Community for Peace and Development, Ishaq Kasai, while speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, alleged that the vigilante attack on the cattle herder was carried out to scuttle a peace deal with bandits that had brought relative peace to the Birnin-Gwari Emirate. He said about seven farmers had been killed in the last two weeks by bandits who invaded Katakaki under Kakangi ward and Dagara Magajin Gari under Birnin Gwari ward from neighbouring Zamfara and Niger states. Mr Kasai said three farmers were severely injured and two motorcycles were stolen in the attack at Dagara Magajin Gari. Despite ongoing efforts at peace and reconciliation, we regret to report a deeply disturbing resurgence of violent attacks in the Area, recent of which involves the killings of 5 innocent farmers in Kakangi Community of the Western Part of Birnin-Gwari LGA of Kaduna State. In this month alone, at least seven (7) innocent persons have been killed in Birnin-Gwari, and several others seriously injured; the majority of whom were peaceful farmers who were either attacked on their farms or on their way to cultivate their lands. Most recently, on Tuesday, 19/8/2025, a shocking attack occurred in Kakangi district, where five (5) farmers were brutally murdered while working on their farms taken by surprise in a manner that reflects the increasing boldness of these criminal elements. In addition, three individuals were shot and severely injured, and at the time of this statement, several community members remain unaccounted for following the ambush launched by armed bandits on various farms in Kakangi, Mr Kasai said. The community appealed to the authorities to address the resurgence of attacks in the area. We, therefore, issue this urgent call to action to the Local Government authorities, the Kaduna State Government, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and all other actors of the peace deal and reconciliation to take immediate and decisive measures to prevent a total breakdown of the fragile peace that the people of Birnin-Gwari have long worked hard to restore. We condemn, in the strongest terms, these unjustified killings of innocent farmers in Kakangi and express our heartfelt condolences to the Kakangi Chiefdoms Council and the entire people of the community. This is not just a tragedy but a direct attack on food security, on peace, and on the livelihoods of rural Nigerians who ask for nothing more than to live and farm in peace, Mr Kasai said. READ ALSO: INEC declares LP candidate serving jail term winner of assembly rerun election Birnin Gwari and several parts of Kaduna State have been plagued for over a decade by armed conflict and violence, as gunmen, locally called bandits, frequently attacked vulnerable communities, killing and kidnapping residents. Recently, normalcy has returned to the areas after the state government brokered a peace between the herders and the farming communities. However, Birnin Gwari residents said the vigilante members, who did not participate in the peace truce, were deliberately frustrating the deal. President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday in Yokohama, Japan, lauded the Nigerian armed forces for their successes in the war against insurgency and criminality while emphasising his administrations commitment to addressing the root causes of insecurity through strengthening the government security apparatus and ongoing economic reforms. President Tinubu made the remarks during his intervention at the plenary session on Peace and Stability at the 9th meeting of the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9). He reaffirmed that inclusivity, diversity, and the rule of law remain Nigerias greatest strengths. He described the current momentum in the Nigerian Armed Forces as a springboard for national development and stability. He spoke after the opening ceremony, during which the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasised the importance of mutual understanding, local solutions, and collaborative efforts for Africas development. The prime minister outlined Japans focus on private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration. Prime Minister Ishiba announced a collaborative economic framework between Japan and the African Development Bank that will see a maximum of $5.5 billion disbursed to Africa, utilising Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) private sector investment finance as a catalyst. President Tinubu emphasised the ongoing investments in infrastructure, institutional reforms, and collaboration with civil society and international partners to improve the living standards of all Nigerians. Nigerias brave armed forces can win any number of battles, but we do justice to their heroism only when we, as government, are courageous in tackling not just terror, but also the underlying causes, the president said. President Tinubu stressed the essence of peace and stability to meaningful development, lamenting that conflicts are still ongoing in many African countries despite some progress. However, he highlighted recent peace pacts brokered in the Congo as evidence that a new model of mediation and economic considerations can yield success. We should be under no illusions about the scale of our task. But neither should we underestimate the successes we have had. In the past, competition for resources has weakened states and triggered conflict. Now, we see mediators directly linking outcomes to investment in Congo. It is working and underlines the need for fresh thinking in everything we do to deliver peace and stability. Nigeria understands this process well. We believe inclusivity and diversity under the rule of law are our strengths. We have argued for this vision, and we have fought for it. We are still fighting for it today. We have learned that our brave armed forces can win many battles. But we can do justice to their heroism and sacrifice only when we, as governments, display the courage to be tough, not only on terror, but on the causes of terror, he said. President Tinubu appealed for market-driven cooperation and partnerships across nations rather than the hackneyed appeals for aid and handouts. President Tinubu seized the opportunity to call on the Japanese government to support the campaign for reforms in the United Nations organs, especially the United Nations Security Council, to give African countries a greater voice. It is the view of Nigeria that Africas quest for fair and equitable representation in the UN Security Council is a just and fair demand. Indeed, Africa deserves two seats in the Permanent Category, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the Right of Veto. Africa also deserves additional seats in the nonpermanent seat category of the Security Council, as encapsulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. Addressing the role of information and technology, President Tinubu called for international cooperation to ensure technology becomes a tool for peace and trust, not division and alienation. Prime Minister Ishiba emphasised that locally rooted solutions are essential for Africas development. Japan is providing various cooperation and support for Africa. But first of all, Japan needs to know more about Africa. So, in creating solutions together, this co-creation at the TICAD 9, we focus on three important areas: private sector-led sustainable growth, Youth and Women, and Regional integration and connectivity within and beyond Africa. He appealed to African countries to assist Japan as it grapples with the challenges of a declining population and shrinking agricultural land. In 75 years from now, the population of Japan would have been halved. In the local communities, the population continues to decline; this is one big challenge Japan is facing. All agricultural land is being reduced, another major challenge for Japan. Mr Ishiba underscored the positives of Africas youthful population: There is another potential in Africa; there is so much growing young population in Africa, but for the power of young people in Africa to flourish, you need to create a manufacturing industry and create employment, and that, I believe, is very important. READ ALSO: Bandits kill five in suspected reprisal attack in Kaduna In Africa, there is a primary industry, agriculture, forestry, and industries, and then it jumped over to the tertiary sectors and the services industries. There is a jump in economic growth that Japan and other Asian countries have experienced and they have tried to move from the primary, the agriculture, fisheries, forestry to the secondary, that is a necessary process because the power of the youth could be realised fully in the manufacturing industry to improve the productivity of Africas manufacturing sector. Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) August 20, 2025 Nigerias booth at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) was empty on Wednesday, the opening day of the 3-day conference, sparking online outrage. The development followed a viral post by Idris Bello, co-founder of The Wennovation Hub and one of Africas leading angel investors and startup advisors, showing that the countrys booth was unmanned. The claim prompted backlash, with Nigerians questioning official preparedness at a conference meant to attract partners and investment. Mr Bello said he was ashamed to find the booth empty and stepped in to engage visitors and potential investors, providing insights into different sectors of the Nigerian economy. I hate to show negative things about Nigeria but it is sad that Nigeria is the only unmanned booth at TICAD9 in Japan. Upon all the folks who probably got estacode for coming to Japan. Only God knows how many Japanese folks have asked me about the unmanned booth seeing my dressing. So ashamed I have now designated myself as Honorary Consul and taken over the booth to engage visitors, he wrote. The tweet caused ripples and outrage as other participants at the conference backed him and volunteered to help. Had an interesting time manning the Nigeria booth today with Idris, Ola Brown, another participant, posted on X. Unfortunately, the booth was left unstaffed by the Nigerian public sector team, but we still had engaging conversations with academics, private business owners, and NGOs who asked great questions. David Brown, another Nigerian professional at the summit, also weighed in. We are on the ground to support our dear country, he tweeted. But this is so disappointing, more so that the Japanese are so eager to do business with us, but we prioritise vibes!! Anyway, we are on the ground in Japan. The development drew scathing criticisms online. One user, GWG, wrote: Nigeria as a country is bedevilled by chronic nepotism and patronage, arguing that appointments are often based on connections rather than merit. Another, Kenykore, said: This is the same conference the president is supposed to be attending and they couldnt even ensure at least one rep is there. User BYKX4 added: The wrong set of people are sent to represent Nigeria at such fairs, lamenting what he described as a lack of interest in marketing the country abroad. The timing intensified scrutiny, as President Bola Tinubu had arrived in Japan on 18 August, two days before the summit opened. Nigeria is open for business and ready for partnership, Mr Tinubu said on arrival at Haneda International Airport at about 12:55 a.m. local time, where he was received by Hideo Matsubara, Japans ambassador in charge of TICAD. This visit is not only about participation in an important summit, but about building stronger bridges between our nations. The Presidency described the trip, Mr Tinubus first official visit to Japan since taking office on 29 May 2023, as a significant milestone in Nigerias efforts to expand trade relations with Asia, while pursuing sustainable growth and industrialisation at home. Reactions Meanwhile, Nigerian officials rejected the allegation that Nigeria abandoned its stand at the conference. Contrary to a tweet made by a participant at TICAD, the Nigerian Booth at #TICAD9 has not yet been opened. The booth will be officially inaugurated on Thursday, 21st August 2025, after which it will become fully operational and serve the delegates of TICAD, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in reaction to the outrage. The episode mirrors past occurrences where Nigerias representation at foreign summits and conferences has been the subject of criticism. On 9 August, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the countrys representatives were missing in action in some of the deliberations on the plastics treaty in Geneva, where more than 176 countries gathered under the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to craft a binding global framework. About TICAD 9 TICAD 9 is being held in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, from 20 to 22 August. Launched by the Japanese government in 1993 and co-hosted by the United Nations, the UN Development Programme, the World Bank, and the African Union Commission, the forum provides a platform for high-level dialogue on African development. The agenda focuses on African-led growth, international cooperation, and sustainable investment. This years sessions cover urbanisation, infrastructure, climate resilience, healthcare, and technology transformation, alongside partnerships on maternal and child health, antimicrobial resistance, and renewable energy projects. The Japanese government says it is concerned about the Asian countrys declining population and shrinking agricultural land. While speaking at the 9th meeting of the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9), Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba raised concern about the countrys population decline, describing it as one of the biggest challenges. PREMIUM TIMES reports that over the years, Japans population has been reducing, and it shows no sign of slowing down. Last year, the country shrank by more than 900,000 people, the biggest annual drop on record, according to government data. Data released last week by Japans Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that the decline brought the countrys population to 120 million. Farmland abandonment due to rural depopulation, ageing farmers, and a lack of successors has also led to a shrinking of agricultural land. Japans arable land dropped from 4.142 million hectares in 2018 to 4.086 million hectares in 2021. This is unlike in Nigeria, where the population continues to rise, with the West African country expected to be the third most populous country in the world by 2050. In his speech, the Japanese prime minister reportedly appealed to African countries to assist his country as it struggles to grapple with these challenges. Details of Mr Ishibas speech were contained in a statement by the office of the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, who is also in Japan for the TICAD9 conference. Mr Ishiba noted that the population of Japan would be reduced by half in the next 75 years. In local communities, the population continues to decline; this is one big challenge Japan is facing. All agricultural land is being reduced, another major challenge for Japan. This is a potential in Africa; there is a growing young population in Africa, but for the power of young people in Africa to flourish, you need to create a manufacturing industry and create employment, and that, I believe, is very important, he said. He noted that Africas economy is rooted in primary industries such as agriculture and forestry and that the continent needs to move towards secondary manufacturing industries. There is a jump in economic growth that Japan and other Asian countries have experienced and they have tried to move from the primary, the agriculture, fisheries, forestry to the secondary, that is a necessary process because the power of the youth could be realised fully in the manufacturing industry to improve the productivity of Africas manufacturing sector, the prime minister said. Governor Charles Soludo has ordered the sack and prosecution of eight vigilante operatives involved in the assault and stripping of the female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State. The assault, stripping PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the NYSC member, Jennifer Elobor, was assaulted and stripped by operatives of Agunechemba Vigilante Group in the state. The incident occurred on 23 July 2025 in Oba, a community in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state. The clip, however, went viral on Monday after the Haven 360 Foundation uploaded the clip on their Facebook page. Authorities later said the vigilante operatives involved in the assault had been identified and arrested. Sack of the operatives Ken Emeakayi, the special adviser on community security to Governor Soludo, announced the sack of the eight vigilante operatives in Awka on Wednesday. PREMIUM TIMES obtained a video clip showing Mr Emeakayi announcing the sack of the operatives. He said the Anambra State Government arrested the operatives on 23 July upon receiving reports of the incident because their actions were outside the purview of the vigilante groups mandate. Mr Emeakayi said the operatives would be handed over to the police for prosecution. The special adviser explained that the prosecution had been delayed because the assaulted corps members and their parents had pleaded for the case to be dropped, citing the possible negative effect on them. The Soludo administration will not tolerate any form of unprofessionalism, brutality or abuse of office by security operatives. Any officer found guilty of misconduct will face immediate dismissal and prosecution, he said. Mr Emeakayi stressed that the government had already settled the victims medical bills, paid her damaged valuables, including a laptop and phone, and tendered a public apology to her family, NYSC and all Nigerians. This government is committed to professionalism, accountability and respect for human rights in all security engagements, he stated. Photo: Unsplash Australia has completed the official procedures and joined the Register of Damage Caused by the Russian Federation's Aggression against Ukraine, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has reported. As the press service of the department reported on Wednesday, the country will participate in the Register's activities as an associate member. From now on, its participants and associate members are 44 states and the European Union. The Register of Damage is the first element of an international compensation mechanism, the need for which was determined by the UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-11/5 "Promoting the Implementation of Legal Protection and Ensuring Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Aggression against Ukraine" of November 14, 2022. It was established on the basis of the Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe CM/Res(2023)3 on the Establishment of an Extended Partial Agreement on the Register of Damage Caused by the Russian Federation's Aggression against Ukraine. The establishment was announced at the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe, held on 1617 May 2023 in Reykjavik (Iceland). From 2 April 2024, the Register will accept applications for compensation for damages, losses or harm caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine. Currently, applications can be submitted in 11 categories. The list is gradually expanding. The Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted another set of eight internet fraudsters arrested at a hotel within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) complex in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The convicts arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the OOPL on 15 August pleaded guilty to cybercrime charges. The judge, Dehinde Dipeolu, delivered the judgement on Wednesday, holding that the EFCC had proved its case through evidence and the defendants admissions. He convicted the defendants of offences including obtaining money under false pretence, identity theft, and romance scams, contrary to the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and the EFCC Act, 2004. Out of nine defendants, eight pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them. The convicts were part of 93 suspects apprehended during a sting operation at the hotel. EFCC investigators told the court that incriminating evidence, including iPhones and fraudulent documents retrieved from the defendants devices, linked them to online scams. Some of the convicts admitted to earning millions of naira through romance fraud and tendered restitution in bank drafts and managers cheques, all of which were admitted as exhibits without objection. In his ruling, Mr Dipeolu sentenced Jinadu Rasaq Gbenisola to three months imprisonment with an option of a N500,000 fine. Salami Ponmile Basiru received the same term with an option of a N2 million fine. Both men forfeited their iPhones to the federal government. Tijani Babatunde was sentenced to three months imprisonment or a N1 million fine after admitting to romance scams through which he made between N5 million and N10 million. He also forfeited his iPhone 13 and refunded N4 million via bank draft. David Damilola Ogunmuyiwa, arrested with an iPhone 16, was sentenced to one month imprisonment or a N200,000 fine, and made restitution of N70,000. Agada Prosper received three months imprisonment or a N200,000 fine and forfeited his iPhone 12 Pro Max. Awal Yusuf, who benefited $600 from romance fraud, was sentenced to three months imprisonment with an option of a N700,000 fine; his iPhone 11 and a $300 managers cheque were forfeited. Amsa Lawal Oluwatobi was sentenced to three months imprisonment with an option of a N300,000 fine, and forfeited his iPhone 13 and a N200,000 bank draft. Yusuf Damilola, the ninth convict, admitted to obtaining 6,000 Canadian dollars and $150 through romance scams. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment or a N6 million fine, and forfeited his iPhone 12 and a N1 million managers cheque. READ ALSO: Court convicts three internet fraudsters arrested during OOPL raid as EFCC arraigns fourth suspect The judge ruled that the sentences would serve both as punishment and deterrence. One other defendant who pleaded not guilty was remanded in custody pending trial. PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that seven other suspects arrested during the same Abeokuta operationincluding Isaac Akinwale, Ibrahim Azeez Olatunji, Habeeb Oladipupo Oshundairo, and Bisiriyu Abiodunwere convicted last Friday for identity theft and obtaining money by false pretence. The police in Enugu State, South-east Nigeria, say they have arrested two male suspects for the alleged abduction and murder of a five-year-old boy in Udi Local Government Area of the state. Daniel Ndukwe, the police spokesperson in the state, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. Mr Ndukwe, a superintendent of police, said the prime suspect, Ikediekpere Obodoagu, 18, allegedly colluded with an accomplice, Sunday Michael, 24, to commit the crime. The victim, Wisdom, was the prime suspects cousin. They hail from Okinitor village, Amankwo Ngwo, a community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu. The alleged accomplice is a security guard at 9th Mile and a native of Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigerias north-east. How it happened Mr Ndukwe said the victim was reported missing on 26 July 2025 after which the prime suspect used his accomplice to demand N1 million ransom from the victims father. The police spokesperson explained that the prime suspects use of an accomplice to demand ransom was an attempt to protect his identity. He said the suspects were arrested on 11 and 12 August 2025 by police operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad, following intelligence gathered after ransom demands were reported. When the ransom went unmet, the suspect murdered the child and buried him in a bush near their residence in Okinitor, Amankwo Ngwo, Udi Local Government Area, he said. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime. The prime suspect thereafter led operatives to the scene, where the victims body was exhumed in the presence of medical personnel, including a doctor, who certified the child dead, Mr Ndukwe narrated. Commissioner speaks Mr Ndukwe said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Bitrus Giwa, has commiserated with the bereaved family and assured them that the suspects will be arraigned upon conclusion of investigations. Mr Giwa reiterated that the police in the state are committed to detecting and preventing heinous crimes and ensuring justice in the state. Prohibited in Nigeria Murder is outlawed in Section 315 (6) of Nigerias Criminal Code Act. Offenders, on conviction, face a death sentence, section 319 (1) said. Similarly, Nigeria in May 2022 enacted the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act (2022), which outlawed all forms of kidnapping in the country. The Act prescribes the death sentence for kidnapping in a case where the abduction leads to loss of life and life imprisonment where there is no loss of life. It was an amendment to the now-defunct Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act (2013), which had prescribed a 10-year jail term for kidnapping. The new Act also prescribes at least a 15-year jail term for whoever pays ransom to free kidnapped victims. Several people have been convicted of murder, and others convicted of kidnapping across Nigeria. A high court in Lokoja, Kogi State, in January 2022, sentenced a man, Muritala Dare, to death by hanging for stabbing his colleague to death with a broken bottle. An Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos, in September 2022, sentenced kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has said the growing threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) might claim more than 39 million lives by the year 2050 if not tackled. The Head of Disease Prevention at NCDC and Chair of Nigerias AMR Coordinating Committee, Tochi Okwor, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Abuja. Ms Okwor described AMR as one of the biggest challenges facing global health, food systems, and economies today. She said that AMR is not just a medical issue but a crisis that demands urgent policy, science and leadership responses. AMR was linked to about 4.7 million deaths worldwide in 2021, with more than one million directly caused by drug-resistant infections, she said. If left unchecked, AMR could claim up to 39 million lives by 2050, equivalent to nearly three deaths every minute and could cost the global economy almost $1 trillion annually. According to her, communities with weaker health systems bore the heaviest burden and without urgent action, common infections could become untreatable, increasing risks of severe outbreaks. She explained that Nigeria has been building its AMR response for nearly a decade, anchored on the one health approach that integrates human, animal and environmental health. Our governance frameworks, surveillance systems and policies are gradually evolving, but the challenge is far from over, she noted. Ms Okwor recently completed a Fleming Fund Policy Fellowship hosted by the University of Liverpool. She said that the experience provided renewed clarity on how to transform AMR data into actionable policies and how stronger engagement with lawmakers could help build legal frameworks for AMR governance in Nigeria. The UK experience showed me how scientific evidence is systematically translated into legislation. Effective AMR governance must rest on robust legal foundations and that is a pathway we must pursue in Nigeria, she stressed. Highlighting the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration, she observed that Nigeria must move beyond representation to meaningful partnerships at sub-national levels, particularly in integrating animal and environmental health into AMR strategies. Nigeria is set to host the 2026 High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR, positioning the country at the centre of global dialogue on the issue. She said that the fellowship has sharpened her strategy for international engagement and would help Nigeria present stronger leadership in the global AMR movement. Data without context is powerless. We must build the skills to interpret AMR data and translate it into equitable, actionable policies that protect our citizens and strengthen health security. NAN reports that AMR happens when germs like bacteria, viruses and fungi stop responding to medicines, making infections harder to treat. It leads to longer illnesses, higher medical costs and more deaths. Misuse of antibiotics, overuse in humans and animals and fake or poor-quality drugs fuel the problem. (NAN) Mainpower Electricity Distribution Company has filed a petition before the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) over the EERCs new tariff reduction order. MainPower is the electricity company in Enugu State which succeeded Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). The new tariff order The EERC had issued a new tariff to MainPower Electricity Distribution Ltd, compelling the electricity company to slash the electricity tariff in the South-eastern state. The reviewed electricity cost for Band A was brought down from N209/ kWh (per kiloWatt) to N160/kWh, which was billed to take effect from 1 August 2025. Both experts and institutions, including the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, have since faulted the EERC tariff order. Petition against new tariff order The Mainpowers petition was dated 14 August 2025 and signed by the Managing Director and the CEO of the electricity company, Ernest Mupwaya. In the petition, supported with a four-paragraph affidavit, Mainpower appealed for a review of order No. EERC/2025/003: Tariff Order for Mainpower Electricity Distribution Limited 2025 to avoid loss of revenue due to downward review of tariff. The electricity company said in the petition that the tariff order, published by the EERC on 18 July for them, was not agreed by the parties and that the same did not comply with the Regulation No. EERC/R004: Enugu State Regulatory Commission: Methodology for Tariff Regulation, 2024 (Methodology for Tariff). Mainpower stressed that the methodology for tariff insists that EERC should subject such review to a formal hearing if the commission does not reach an agreement on cost with the electricity company within 21 days The electricity company said EERC, through a letter dated 30 June 2025, invited it for a three-day meeting to agree on the various parameters for the tariff, which was billed to be held from 2 to 4 July 2025. However, Mainpower insists it never came to an agreement with the EERC on certain key parameters with huge sensitivity effect. The electricity company revealed that during and after the meetings, the understanding with the EERC was that the process as enunciated in the Methodology of Tariff would be followed and that both parties would reach an agreement on the said parameters mentioned above or hold a formal hearing as provided in Schedule 1 of the Methodology of Tariff. The petitioner (Mainpower) was surprised that the respondent (EERC) without agreement on these important and tariff-sensitive parameters proceeded to conclude the tariffs and publish the Tariff Order on Friday, 18th July, 2025. The petitioner states that despite the incident mentioned in paragraph 9 above, it further engaged the respondent and parties agreed to have a meeting on 25th July, 2025 to address the concerns of the Petitioner especially as this will threaten the Vesting Contract arrangement between the petitioners Holding Company, Enugu Electricity Distribution Plc (EEDC) and Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET) from where Petitioner receives its supply of electricity, the petition read in part. Mainpower said after their presentation during the meetings, the EERC, in another letter dated 30 July 2025, maintained that they would go ahead with the implementation of the Tariff Order on 1 August 2025. Reverse the new tariff order Mainpower, in the petition, urged the EERC to reverse the new tariff order, explaining that if implemented, it would irreversibly affect the companys business. Giving an instance of the impacts, the electricity company said the tariff creates an average monthly revenue shortfall of between N1.3 billion and N1.5 billion, resulting in a cumulative gap of about N6.98 billion over five months. It also said the new tariff would make compliance with NBET and Market Operator (MO) settlement obligations to drop significantly, from current levels of about 97% to an estimated 81% by the end of 2025. The outcome is a business sustainability risk, it stated. Other impacts of the new tariff include possible disconnection of supply to MainPower, investment risk, operational impact and strategic & reputational impact, the company stated. Mainpower, therefore, prayed the EERC to order the suspension of the application of the Tariff Order pending the determination of its case. The electricity company also asked for an order of the commission for a review to approve either Scenario 1 of N206.80/Kwh or Scenario 2 of N194.54/Kwh as contained in its petition. Three suspected kidnappers were on Wednesday killed during a gun battle with police operatives and local hunters in Ikare Akoko, in Akoko North-east Local Government Area of Ondo State. The gun battle followed the abduction of one Tijani Aremu, 60, in the area and ransom in millions of naira demanded by his abductors. It was gathered that the kidnappers had planned to collect the money in an agreed location. Police operatives and local hunters then laid ambush at the said location, but the kidnappers would not easily surrender, leading to a gun battle that resulted in the death of the suspects. When the suspected kidnappers arrived to collect the proceeds of their crime, they were engaged in a fierce gun duel with the operatives. In the process, one of the kidnappers was neutralised and a single-barrel rifle recovered, while several others escaped with bullet injuries, Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, said while confirming the incident on Wednesday. The combined team immediately intensified a combing operation in the adjoining forests, which led to the recovery of two additional lifeless bodies of suspected kidnappers, bringing the total number neutralised to three. Furthermore, two suspects, namely Yahaya Isa m (20 years) and Ismail Ismail m, were arrested in connection with the kidnapping. Sustained pressure during the operation eventually culminated in the safe rescue of the victim, Tijani Aremu, who was found unharmed. He was promptly taken to Hospital, for medical examination and is set to be reunited with his family. Mr Ayanlade noted the people-centered style of policing of the force, which emphasises community engagement, inter-agency cooperation, and partnership with non-state actors. He added that these provided the strategic direction that made the operation possible. He further commended the forest hunters for their courage, vigilance, and selfless collaboration, which greatly complemented the effort of the police and contributed to the eventual rescue of the victim. This operation is a clear testament to what can be achieved when security agencies and community stakeholders work hand in hand, he said. The command has in the recent past apprehended some criminals in the state, especially kidnappers following the upsurge of kidnapping cases. Some persons were arrested for abducting a lecturer with the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko. Residents are however concerned about ensuring the prosecution of the suspects to forestall the return of the criminals to their trade and putting the society at further risk. Nigerias revival begins with education. Not just any education free, compulsory, high-quality schooling that reshapes society. It will take political will, sustained investment, and patience. But the reward a nation where every child has a real chance, where voters are informed, and where leaders are held to accountis worth the struggle. From documentaries about the animal kingdom, we learn a simple truth: a strong animal needs all four legs to be sturdy. A weakness in even one leg makes it vulnerable. Similarly, Nigeria, a nation that often defies all logic, needs a solid foundation to thrive. It is a country that can persevere through crises that should break it, yet falters when success seems within reach. This phenomenon, which we have come to call the Nigerian factor, often leaves us wondering: What will it take to get our country back on track? There has been much public commentary on Nigerias economy, including recent, widely publicised commendations on its stability and ongoing reforms from figures like Charles Soludo and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. I agree that economic reforms are core to progress they are fundamental and foundational. All serious governments must undertake them. While I dont want to diminish the current administrations efforts, these reforms are a basic expectation, not a cause for grand celebration. I would argue that Nigeria has been severely broken in many areas for decades, and successive administrations have not made significant contributions to building upon the achievements of their predecessors. I believe Nigerias path to lasting change rests on four foundational pillars, much like the four legs of a strong animal: education, healthcare, the rule of law, and electricity. These four areas, though seemingly distinct, are deeply interconnected and crucial for long-term national development. We cannot afford to neglect a single one. While all are equally important, in this piece I will start with a deep dive into the most fundamental: education. The Power of Education: To achieve rapid and sustainable transformation, Nigeria needs a bold, long-term commitment to education. This means a 20- to 25-year national plan for free and compulsory primary and secondary education, enforced by strict penalties for parents or guardians who keep their children out of school. This isnt just a policy; it is a revolutionary act that will permanently alter our nations trajectory. To make this happen, we must radically shift our financial priorities. A much larger portion of our national budget should be allocated to primary and secondary education, rather than universities, as some argue. Education at these foundational levels should be for everyone, while university education remains for a select few based on ability and intellectual capacity. When we get this right, everything else from reducing corruption to improving voter awareness and electing better leaders will fall into place. But free education is useless if the quality is poor. If we are going to do this, we must do it right. We must take two parallel steps to ensure excellence. First, invest in our teachers. We need a massive financial commitment to retrain our educators, modernise and decolonise the curriculum. Even more critically, we must drastically increase teachers salaries not just double them, but at least triple the current pay, with progressive increases over the next five years. This will not only honour the sacrifices our teachers make but also attract Nigerias best and brightest minds to the profession. Teaching must become a career of choice, not a last resort. Some might immediately argue that my proposal is flawed because primary and secondary education are the constitutional responsibility of state governors, not the Federal Government. I believe this is precisely why a national legal framework is required. This challenge doesnt make the plan inoperable; it makes it urgent. The Nigerian people need enhanced advocacy at the state level, and the only way to ensure lasting change is to back this educational revolution with a binding national commitment. Second, modernise our schools. We must equip every school with modern infrastructure, including computer labs and IT facilities. Imagine schools so well-maintained that students would be scandalised by the sight of someone urinating in public. We need schools with clean, modern toilets that instil a sense of pride and dignity in our children. This transformation will be a complex, even brutal, process. It will mean weeding out incompetent teachers through rigorous testing and the closing down of subpar private schools. But the benefits will be immense. Parents and guardians will naturally choose the better public school for their children, so private schools that fail to compete will naturally thin out and collapse. Over time, teaching will become a highly respected profession, and the quality of education will soar. The first five to 10 years of this journey will be the most crucial, setting us on an irreversible path to a better future. The ripple effect of this change will touch every citizen. Its no surprise to Nigerians that relatively lower-income citizens, such as artisans and drivers, often send their children to private schools. They are ambitious for their children and want them to succeed. This category will find relief in a sound, publicly funded education system. Middle-class families who currently spend exorbitant amounts on often-mediocre private schools will also find relief. Our public schools will once again become a source of pride, as they were in the past. This systemic improvement in education will bring more long-term value to Nigerians, than even the removal of fuel subsidies and the stabilisation of the naira combined. Some might immediately argue that my proposal is flawed because primary and secondary education are the constitutional responsibility of state governors, not the Federal Government. I believe this is precisely why a national legal framework is required. This challenge doesnt make the plan inoperable; it makes it urgent. The Nigerian people need enhanced advocacy at the state level, and the only way to ensure lasting change is to back this educational revolution with a binding national commitment. Our collective future demands a unified approach, regardless of where the constitutional responsibility lies. The constitutional reality doesnt kill the plan it gives us a clear mission. Redefining Leadership and Qualifications: Now, let us connect the value of this back to leadership and governance, because there is a counterintuitive truth involved. Many assume that a great leader must have an advanced degree or educational qualification to succeed. I would argue this is a misconception. A remarkably educated leader is not a guarantee of a great government. Instead, it is an educated citizenry that ensures long-term, sustainable development of a nation. If we examine Nigerias history, some of our most impactful and effective leaders were not necessarily the most formally educated. Consider the example of the late Lateef Jakande, a former governor of Lagos State. Despite his relatively modest educational background compared to many of his highly educated peers and successors, he achieved remarkable things in just four years and three months. His success was not dependent on a university degree; it was a testament to his vision and commitment to the people. He lived a modest, spartan life and required no extensive security measures, moving around freely during his tenure. This is why I believe we should re-examine the push to set specific educational requirements for public office, particularly for the presidency and governorship. Why exactly do we want to disrespect the intelligence of the Nigerian voter? While it is easy to claim that our voters are uninformed, that conclusion is both arrogant and disrespectful. To reform our education sector, free education alone is not enough quality is non-negotiable. We must: (1) Retrain teachers and overhaul the curriculum education must be modern, digital, and relevant. (2) Triple teachers salaries attracting the best minds requires paying them like professionals, not martyrs. (3) Rebuild school infrastructure every school should have computers, modern toilets, and facilities that inspire pride. Nigerian voters generally know what they want. If they believe education is a prerequisite for a particular office, they will not vote for a candidate who lacks it. An enlightened electorate demands performance. They reject incompetence. They hold leaders accountable. This is why free, quality basic education matters more than presidential degree requirements. Democracy, at its core, is about the will of the majority. The beauty of it is that the majority has the absolute right to make a wrong decision. If they choose a leader who fails them, they also have the power to hold them accountable through impeachment or simply by not re-electing them. Limiting who can run based on a narrow educational standard is a form of elitism a dismissal of native intelligence and the wisdom of the masses. Should we bar someone from the presidency for lacking a university degree? No. The UK and US impose no such restrictions; all citizens, irrespective of their education level, are eligible. Democracy means trusting voters to decide. If Nigerians reject an unqualified candidate, they will vote accordingly. But to legally exclude citizens based on education is elitist and undemocratic. The age, gender, and educational background of candidates should be left to the voters to decide. If our current laws allow a 90-year-old to run for president, why would we exclude a 20-year-old? Both might be considered inappropriate by some, but the ultimate decision should rest with the people, not a constitutional mandate. Political parties with national reach are also unlikely to field candidates whom the public would widely perceive as unfit for office. Instead of focusing on arbitrary educational qualifications, we should prioritise more essential, yet inclusive, criteria. For instance, it is far more critical that a president is mentally and physically fit to hold office. Requiring a mandatory medical and psychiatric evaluation for all candidates would be a far more meaningful and responsible step toward ensuring effective leadership. It would also be a better reflection of the kind of leaders a nation deserves. To reform our education sector, free education alone is not enough quality is non-negotiable. We must: (1) Retrain teachers and overhaul the curriculum education must be modern, digital, and relevant. (2) Triple teachers salaries attracting the best minds requires paying them like professionals, not martyrs. (3) Rebuild school infrastructure every school should have computers, modern toilets, and facilities that inspire pride. Today, teaching is a last-resort career. We must make it one of the most desirable professions in Nigeria. Would you encourage your child to become a teacher under current conditions? If not, why expect others to sacrifice? When teaching becomes prestigious, incompetence will be weeded out, and standards will rise. In conclusion, Nigerias revival begins with education. Not just any education free, compulsory, high-quality schooling that reshapes society. It will take political will, sustained investment, and patience. But the reward a nation where every child has a real chance, where voters are informed, and where leaders are held to accountis worth the struggle. The other three pillars healthcare, rule of law, and electricity will follow in subsequent discussions. But first, we must lay the foundation. Without it, Nigeria will keep stumbling. With it, nothing can stop us. The time to act is now. Gbolahan Gbadamosi can be reached at [email protected] WASU was equally concerned with confronting the misrepresentations, and negative perceptions of Africans in the imperialised world. To confront these, it sought to, act as bureau of information on African history, customs, law, and institutions. It also decided to present the global community with the, true picture of African life and philosophy, thereby making African contribution towards the progress of civilization. It further sought to foster the spirit of national consciousness and racial pride amongst its members. The centenary of the Pan Africanist and anti-colonial West African Students Union (WASU) was 7 August. It was founded in London by twenty one British-colonised West African students. Initially, membership was limited to West African students. But from 1928, it widened its membership to encompass all students of African descent. Extreme racial prejudices, racial discrimination, and the difficulties in securing accommodation were what galvanised the students to form WASU. British landladies generally considered it socially embarrassing to rent places to Africans. They believed that Africans had a gruesome, insatiable, and uncontrollable appetite for sex. They even slammed Africans with extra charges, called the colour tax, when they rented houses to them. It was therefore not surprising that WASUs first objective was to, provide and maintain a hostel for African students. It also sought to, foster the spirit of self, unity and race amongst its members; and to promote a: spirit of good, better understanding and brotherhood between all persons of African descent and other races of mankind But WASU was equally concerned with confronting the misrepresentations, and negative perceptions of Africans in the imperialised world. To confront these, it sought to, act as bureau of information on African history, customs, law, and institutions. It also decided to present the global community with the, true picture of African life and philosophy, thereby making African contribution towards the progress of civilization. It further sought to foster the spirit of national consciousness and racial pride amongst its members. The union also publish a monthly magazine called WASU. Thus, WASU, from the beginning, was a politically inclined organisation, as shown by the personalities it elected as its patrons; namely: Casely Hayford, Kumansihene Prempeh, Marcus Garvey, and Paul Robeson. The WASU political orientation and activism can be categorised into three stages. The first was the liberal era when it believed that British colonial forces had goodwill towards Africa. That British racism and other negativities towards Africans were largely due to their ignorance of African history, laws, customs, institutions, values and languages. As this stage, WASU leader, Ladipo Solanke, passionately appealed to British colonial administrators to, give up the idea of regarding every educated element as his enemy If he wants to understand the native properly he can only do so through the educated elements Let him embrace the educated as his brothers, his co-partners in the duty of guardianship of Africa. Another WASU activist appealed to educated Africans to always, seek support and recognition from the British Government in whatever they want to do. The second stage was the beginning of the radicalisation of WASU. This was triggered primarily by the Great Depression, the rise of fascism in Europe; fascist Italys invasion of Ethiopia; the successes of the socialist construction in Soviet Union; the emergence of a critical and radical press, as well as a militant labour movement in West Africa. It equally established working relations with the British Labour Party. Therefore, they demanded the co-optation and involvement of educated Africans in the administration of the colonies; the application of individual legal rights and freedom to all, including the equality of all before the law; and the granting of partial self-government for Africans. In demanding these, they stressed, We are all for conservatism and order, but we are as much, if not more, for liberty. Another leader added that they are not out to oust the White races from their present dominant position in the world, but rather aimed towards the development of the potentialities of West Africans, so as to bring her to the approximate level when she shall become effective co-operator. WASUs liberal inclinations led it to fraternising with the Welfare Association, the Federation of Student Societies, the International Labour Defence, the Free Speech and Assembly Committee, the New India Political Group, the Society of Friends, the Society for International Studies, and the League Against Imperialism. The second stage was the beginning of the radicalisation of WASU. This was triggered primarily by the Great Depression, the rise of fascism in Europe; fascist Italys invasion of Ethiopia; the successes of the socialist construction in Soviet Union; the emergence of a critical and radical press, as well as a militant labour movement in West Africa. It equally established working relations with the British Labour Party. WASU criticised the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, formed the Ethiopian Defence Committee, and participated in various anti-fascist meetings and rallies. It also established contacts with left-wing and communist forces. The union began to increasingly criticise and reject Western civilisation, culture, and imperialism. It posited that the primary source of European development lay in, the exploitation of the many by few for the enrichment of the latter. And in such a society, war is an integral part. What Italy is doing today the other great nation have done in the past. When it is not war of aggression, as in the case of Italy, it is war of a subtle, but nevertheless ruthless nature between classes. Walter Rodney must have had WASU in mind, when he wrote in his How Europe Underdeveloped Africa that, Students who were taken to universities in the metropoles were the most favoured and most pampered of the Africans selected by the White colonial overlords to become Europeanised; and yet they were among the first to argue vocally and logically that the liberty, equality, and fraternity about which they were taught, should apply to Africa After all, most of them were sent there to study British Constitution and constitutional law. WASU argued that the wars in Europe were a daily reminder that Western civilisation had outlived its usefulness; that Europeans have nothing to be proud of; and that it was time for, Africans to start thinking of sending missionaries to Europe to humanise the natives. The union also severely criticised Indirect Rule, arguing that this reinforced the power of the feudal aristocrats; enabled self-enrichment; and promoted ethnic antagonisms at the expense of national unity. It added that the aristocrats were merely tools of colonial governments for the exploitation and oppression of Africa, and they would slow down the struggles for national independence. Based, on these, WASU demanded civil and democratic reforms, and the all-round development of West Africa. The third stage was from the tail-end of the Second World War when the union fused its Pan-Africanism with Marxism-Leninism. During this period, one WASU activist said colonialism is a system of, exploitation, domination and slavery, while another argued at the 1948 WASU conference that, the British Government had done nothing at all in West Africa, that it had betrayed Africans to capitalist monopolies and that every scheme begun in Africa was designed to enrich the Europeans and exploit Africans. WASU activist, the famous Kwame Nkrumah, wrote, When two cultures meet: there is bound to be a crisis a crisis which often results in the cultural synthesis of the two. Development is the result of internal and external conflict relations. The struggle of opposites which causes development leads at a certain point, to revolutionary break, and emergence of a new thing a new culture, a new education or a new life. At the 1954 Conference of Commonwealth Communist Parties, a WASU delegate, Ademola Thomas, thundered, There can be no real advance in Nigerias fight for national liberation until all genuine Marxist elements come together in a united party which will fulfil the role of Marxism and working class leadership within the broadest national front and so, advance the struggle against imperialism and its reactionary puppets. Walter Rodney must have had WASU in mind, when he wrote in his How Europe Underdeveloped Africa that, Students who were taken to universities in the metropoles were the most favoured and most pampered of the Africans selected by the White colonial overlords to become Europeanised; and yet they were among the first to argue vocally and logically that the liberty, equality, and fraternity about which they were taught, should apply to Africa After all, most of them were sent there to study British Constitution and constitutional law. With WASU, the flames of independence in Africa, could not be put out. Ahmed Aminu-Ramatu Yusuf worked as deputy director, Cabinet Affairs Office, The Presidency, and retired as General Manager (Administration), Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NiMet). Email: [email protected] The Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has said that military operations and law enforcement measures alone cannot end violent extremism and terrorism in Nigerias North-west. Speaking in Kaduna on Tuesday at the opening of a two-day regional summit on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE), Mr Sani argued that insecurity in the region is rooted in poverty, inequality, exclusion, poor governance, and lack of opportunities for young people. Mr Sani stressed that until these drivers are addressed, military gains will remain unsustainable. PREMIUM TIMES understands that the Nigerian government has factored in these root causes, splitting its counterterrorism operations into twokinetic and non-kinetic. The North-west summit The summit jointly organised by PCVE Knowledge, Innovation and Resource Hub (KIRH) and the PAVE Network, in collaboration with the National Counter Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), brought together security officials, policymakers and civil society actors. It is supported by NEYIF and funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF). Represented by his Commissioner for Internal Security, Sule Shuaibu, Governor Sani described violent extremism as one of the gravest threats to human security and national development. He said it has displaced families, eroded livelihoods, disrupted education and destroyed public trust. We must adopt a holistic and coordinated response, he said, emphasising inclusivity, justice and respect for human rights. The National Counter Terrorism Centre Coordinator, Adamu Laka, echoed Governor Sanis view, calling for a community-driven and intelligence-led approach. Mr Laka cited porous borders, climate-induced conflicts, and weak governance as factors fueling insecurity. Meanwhile, PAVE Steering Committee Chair, Jaiye Gaskiya, insisted that restoring full autonomy to local governments was crucial, arguing that grassroots governance is the most accountable and responsive to citizens needs. These concerns raised by the governor and Mr Laka have been capitalised upon by terror kingpins such Bello Turji who claimed to be fighting against the marginalisation and ill-treatment of the Fulanis. The first generation of bandits, known as Kungiyar Gayu, also exploited the Fulani grievances. They claimed to have picked arms to stop cattle rustling. But the movement later lost its focus, engaging in thefts they set out to curb. This led to confrontations between them and the outlawed Yansakai vigilantes who did not only target the criminal bandits, but also the innocent Fulanis, a situation that triggered more Fulanis to pick arms and turn the burgeoning banditry industry into a sustained enterprise. Kadunas government fight against terrorism Like other North-western states, Kaduna has also been plagued by years-long banditry and a pocket-size spillover of insurgency in the North-east and North-central regions. Data in this reporters possession showed that 485 people were killed and more than 1,700 others were kidnapped under the two years stewardship of Governor Sani. The state has witnessed many high-profile attacks by bandits and jihadists hibernating in its thick forests, especially the Kamuku forest reserve extending to the forests in Zamfara and Niger states. Jihadi groups like Ansaru and Sadiku-led Boko Haram as well as several bandit groups, including those led by kingpins Dogo Gide, Yellow Janbros and others, have terrorised rural dwellers in Kaduna before authorities struck a deal with some of them, especially in Birnin Gwari axis. Following the peace deal, Kaduna has witnessed no significant attack. This model, our reporter understands, could be one of the pointers that Governor Sanis statement at the summit was hinged upon. Although similar deals were struck in other banditry-ravaged states like Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Sokoto, armed groups always reneged and returned to violent raids on unsuspecting villagers. ( Read 3408 Times) Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar / Udaipur, Aug 19: Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde emphasized the importance of imparting art and cultural education to children and providing them a platform so that Indias folk heritage can be preserved. He was addressing the valedictory session of the two-day cultural festival Warsaa Sahyadricha organized by the West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC), Udaipur, under the Ministry of Culture, in association with the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Mumbai, at MIT Colleges Manthan Hall in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Governor Bagde stated that India cannot be enslaved again because its strength lies in cultural unity. If this culture remains intact, no power can cast an evil eye on India, he remarked. Stressing the need to replace Macaulays colonial education system, he called for an education policy rooted in Indian values and heritage. He also appreciated WZCC Udaipur director Furqan Khan and his team for successfully organizing such festivals across India. The event was inaugurated with traditional lamp lighting, worship of Lord Natarajas idol, and the singing of the national anthem along with Maharashtras state song. Guests were felicitated with shawls and floral bouquets. Kathak Ballet & Lavani Mesmerize Audience The highlight of the evening was the renowned Kathak exponent Shama Bhates ballet Krishna the Liberator, performed with her troupe of 14 dancers including Amira Patankar and Avani Gadre. Through intricate expressions, rhythm and choreography, they portrayed Lord Krishnas episodes such as Kaliya Naag Vadh, Govardhan lifting, slaying of Kansa, Makhan Chori, and Vastraharan, symbolizing liberation from fear and societal evils. The ballet also subtly depicted Krishnas love for nature and resistance against orthodoxy, winning thunderous applause from the audience. Equally captivating was the energetic Lavani dance by celebrated artiste Pramila Suryavanshi, whose graceful expressions and swift movements in the traditional nine-yard saree reflected the rustic charm of Maharashtrian folk. The performance, set to the beats of dholki and ektal, electrified the hall with repeated rounds of applause. Symphony of Folk Instruments Another major attraction was the folk symphony blending traditional instruments from Rajasthan, Kutch and Maharashtra. The desert rhythms of khartal, sarangi, kamaicha, morchang, matka, harmonium, dholak combined with Kutchs jodia pava, veena, gamelu, manjira and Maharashtras tutari and naal created a unique musical landscape, enthralling the audience. Choreographic Fusion of Seven States Under the direction of Santosh Nair, a choreographic showcase brought together diverse folk dances: Maharashtras Gondhal, Goas Samai, Rajasthans Chari and Kalbelia, Gujarats Rathwa and Siddi Dhamal, Manipurs Pung Cholom, West Bengals Purulia Chhau (Natua), and Punjabs Bhangra. The vibrant confluence of costumes, rhythms and formations transformed the auditorium into a celebration of Indias cultural unity, earning repeated standing ovations. WZCC Director Furqan Khan remarked that such festivals are aimed at bridging cultural distances by bringing the folk heritage of one region to another, allowing art lovers and common people to experience Indias diversity. The two-day cultural fiesta truly lived up to its name Warsaa Sahyadricha (Heritage of the Sahyadris), leaving audiences enthralled with a rare blend of tradition, rhythm, and artistic brilliance. Source : Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized the idea of holding trilateral talks between the leaders of Ukraine, the United States and the Russian Federation to end the war in Budapest, recalling that it was there that a memorandum on guarantees of Ukraine's territorial integrity and security from the United States and the Russian Federation was signed in 1994. "Budapest? Not everyone remembers this, but in 1994 Ukraine already received guarantees of territorial integrity from the United States, Russia and Great Britain. In Budapest. Maybe I'm superstitious, but this time I would try to find a different place," Tusk said on X on Wednesday. Earlier, Politico, citing its own sources in the US presidential administration, reported that the White House plans to hold peace talks between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Donald Trump with Vladimir Putin, in Budapest. "While the Secret Service often considers multiple locations, and the final venue could change, Budapest is emerging as the White House's top choice, said two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Trump he prefers Moscow, while French President Emmanuel Macron has pushed for Geneva as the ideal meeting location. Not to be outdone, Switzerland's foreign minister has promised Putin "immunity" for an outstanding war crimes arrest warrant if the country, known for its neutrality, is chosen for peace talks," the report said. Meanwhile, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt, when asked about a possible Budapest meeting during a Tuesday press briefing, said: "I'm not going to confirm or deny any locations." At the same time, she confirmed that Putin had agreed to meet with Zelenskyy, adding that the White House was working with Russia and Ukraine to make the bilateral meeting happen. The publication notes that now Russian officials are beginning to slow down any meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 2San, a global distributor of innovative Home Diagnostic Testing products, is proud to announce that it has successfully achieved Certification to ISO 13485:2016, the premiere and internationally recognized standard for Quality Management Systems specific to the medical device industry. The achievement of ISO 13485 demonstrates 2San's commitment to continued excellence, and alignment in meeting requirements for the FDA and other global regulators. "Achievement of ISO13485 for 2San ensures compliance to the highest standards of industry expectations globally." Post this Dan Calder, 2San co-Managing Director, said, "Our Quality and Regulatory team have done exceptional work in preparation for, and in completing the robust process audits of our organization." This certification supports the mission of 2San to deliver innovative, easy to use, high quality, self-testing products that deliver actionable information and empower people everywhere to take control of their health where and when they choose. "We are excited to have completed this significant milestone," shared Ralph Webb, Global Commercial Director, "and we're confident that this substantial accomplishment will resonate with our customers and business partners as we continue to grow our self-test portfolio." Global Director of Quality & Regulatory, Chelsea Tooze, shared, "Achievement of ISO13485 for 2San ensures compliance to the highest standards of industry expectations globally." will allow 2San to elevate and innovate our offerings to the next level while ensuring we are placing appropriate and effective controls which emphasize the efficacy and safety of the medical devices supplied across the world. About 2San 2SAN is a global diagnostics company who are transforming the future of healthcare by delivering innovative home-testing diagnostic solutions that empower individuals to take control of their health and wellness where and when they choose. The company believes good health should be accessible to everyone, and self-testing for all is a key pathway to this end. Understanding your health leads to more informed treatment pathways and improved outcomes. Better care. Better life. Learn more about 2San at https://www.2san.com/ SOURCE 2SAN LLC Our new Atmos Rewards Summit card is designed for global travelers and modern explorers, packed with benefits they value most. It features a brand-new Global Companion Award benefit, passes to Alaska Lounges, a faster path to achieving status, 3x points on all eligible dining and foreign purchases, and much more. "The Atmos Rewards Summit card sets a new bar for what a premium travel card can be globally connected, deeply rewarding and designed to elevate every step of the journey," said Brett Catlin, vice president of loyalty, alliances and sales at Alaska Airlines. "We crafted this card from the ground up to offer unique, industry-leading benefits with outsized rewards and experiential enhancements unmatched by any other airline card." With our new Atmos Rewards loyalty program, miles are now 'points,' and elite-qualifying miles are referred to as 'status points.' Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card benefits Go Global Introducing the Global Companion Award: This new award unlocks extraordinary value when redeeming points for two. Available exclusively to Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite cardholders, the Global Companion Award covers a companion's ticket when booking award travel for two people on the same itinerary, up to a set number of points. Cardholders can earn up to two Global Companion Awards per year for use across our full network including Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, one world and our global partners in any class of service, including Business Class and First Class. 25,000-point Global Companion Award : Earned after qualifying spend on a new account and annually after each card anniversary. Redeem it for up to 25,000 points off a companion award ticket. 100,000-point Global Companion Award : Earned by spending $60,000 or more on purchases in a card anniversary year. Ideal for unlocking global redemptions, including premium cabin experiences. Here's an example of how the benefit could be used with the 100,000-point Global Companion Award : A cardholder wants to redeem points for a pair of roundtrip tickets in Business Class between Seattle and Tokyo Narita. The award costs as little as 120,000 points per passenger. The primary traveler would redeem 120,000 points for their flight. By using their Global Companion Award, the companion ticket redemption would be covered for only 20,000 points. Applicable taxes and fees must be paid with the Summit card. This new award unlocks extraordinary value when redeeming points for two. Available exclusively to Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite cardholders, the Global Companion Award covers a companion's ticket when booking award travel for two people on the same itinerary, up to a set number of points. Cardholders can earn up to two Global Companion Awards per year for use across our full network including Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, world and our global partners in any class of service, including Business Class and First Class. 3x points on eligible dining and foreign purchases : Earn three points for every dollar spent on the card on eligible dining purchases and eligible purchases when traveling around the globe. Also earn 3x points on eligible Alaska and Hawaiian purchases. Eligible Bank of America account holders earn a 10% rewards bonus on all card purchases, amplifying their rewards earning that's 3.3 points per dollar spent on purchases across these categories, more than any other airline card on the market. : Earn three points for every dollar spent on the card on eligible dining purchases and eligible purchases when traveling around the globe. Also earn 3x points on eligible and Hawaiian purchases. Eligible Bank of America account holders earn a 10% rewards bonus on all card purchases, amplifying their rewards earning that's 3.3 points per dollar spent on purchases across these categories, more than any other airline card on the market. Waived partner award booking fees: When using points to book with our partners, save up to $25 per person on every roundtrip flight. Partner-imposed surcharges and government taxes and fees apply. Travel Better Alaska Lounge passes: Enjoy a relaxing start to your trip with eight passes each year to any of the Alaska Lounges a value of over $500 . Each pass is valid for your entire travel day, so you can access multiple lounges along your journey and includes entry for up to two accompanying children. For existing Alaska Lounge members, these passes can be shared with family and friends. Plus, through 2026, cardholders visiting the Alaska Lounge receive access to an all-new premium bar experience when they show their Summit Card including elevated wines, signature cocktails and exclusive curations, just for cardholders. Enjoy a relaxing start to your trip with eight passes each year to any of the Alaska Lounges a value of over . Each pass is valid for your entire travel day, so you can access multiple lounges along your journey and includes entry for up to two accompanying children. For existing Alaska Lounge members, these passes can be shared with family and friends. Plus, through 2026, cardholders visiting the Alaska Lounge receive access to an all-new premium bar experience when they show their Summit Card including elevated wines, signature cocktails and exclusive curations, just for cardholders. Every $2 spent on purchases = 1 status point and get 10,000 status points every year beginning on your first card anniversary: The more cardholders use their card, the more status points they earn with no limit on status points earned with the Summit card. Additionally, cardholders receive 10,000 status points annually beginning with the first anniversary of becoming a cardholder. With the anniversary bonus, the Atmos Rewards Summit card offers the fastest path to status of any airline card, with 20,000 status points earning Atmos Silver (and one world Ruby) and 40,000 status points earning Atmos Gold (and one world Sapphire). The more cardholders use their card, the more status points they earn with no limit on status points earned with the Summit card. Additionally, cardholders receive 10,000 status points annually beginning with the first anniversary of becoming a cardholder. With the anniversary bonus, the Atmos Rewards Summit card offers the fastest path to status of any airline card, with 20,000 status points earning (and world Ruby) and 40,000 status points earning (and world Sapphire). Instant travel delay credit : An industry first, if a cardholder experiences a same-day Alaska Airlines flight delay of more than two hours, for any reason, or a flight cancellation within 24 hours of scheduled departure, they will automatically receive an instant $50 voucher, valid for 48 hours, linked to their Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card. : An industry first, if a cardholder experiences a same-day Alaska Airlines flight delay of more than two hours, for any reason, or a flight cancellation within 24 hours of scheduled departure, they will automatically receive an instant voucher, valid for 48 hours, linked to their Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card. Free checked bag and preferred boarding: Cardholders and up to six additional guests on the same reservation can receive a free checked bag on Alaska and Hawaiian-operated flights, along with early group boarding on Alaska * when flights are purchased with the card. That's up to $490 in waived baggage fees on a roundtrip itinerary. Experience More Waived same-day confirmed flight change fee : Giving cardholders the flexibility to change travel plans, saving up to $50 on each one-way flight. : Giving cardholders the flexibility to change travel plans, saving up to on each one-way flight. Partner program points transfers: Cardholders receive exclusive access to transfer points to a robust slate of hotel partner programs, including many at a 1:1 exchange rate, unlocking even more redemption opportunities. With five hotel transfer partners at launch, covering over 25,000 hotels worldwide, the Summit card offers a unique lineup of redemption options in the air and on the ground. Cardholders receive exclusive access to transfer points to a robust slate of hotel partner programs, including many at a 1:1 exchange rate, unlocking even more redemption opportunities. With five hotel transfer partners at launch, covering over 25,000 hotels worldwide, the Summit card offers a unique lineup of redemption options in the air and on the ground. Free points sharing: Cardholders can establish a sharing network with up to 10 other Atmos Rewards members including friends, family, or other cardholders to transfer redeemable points back and forth, with no transfer fees. "We've partnered with Alaska Airlines in launching the new Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite credit card at a time when consumers are increasingly prioritizing convenience, value and access to premium travel experiences," said Lora Monfared, Head of Consumer Card Products at Bank of America. "This co-branded card unlocks exclusive benefits and rewards for cardholders and allows travelers to earn more points while stretching their spending further." Learn more about everything the new card can do at AtmosRewards.com/SummitCard. The card has an annual fee of $395**. For a limited time, new Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite cardholders receive 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of opening their account with this offer**. The bonus points alone could land you a business class ticket between Seattle and Tokyo, or up to three roundtrip flights between the West Coast and Hawai'i in the main cabin. Continued value with the Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature card With Atmos Rewards, our popular, long-time credit card is also getting a rebrand. The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card transforms into the Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature card. For existing cardholders, there's no action to take, and benefits including our $99 Companion Fare benefit ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23), now valid for all Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America will continue without interruption. Newly branded Atmos Rewards Ascent cards will be provided to existing cardholders at card expiration and to new cardholders upon approval. *Preferred boarding for Hawaiian flights will be available later in the fall ** We make credit card offers in many different ways. To ensure you get a specific promotion, you must respond to the marketing message you received. For information about rates, fees, other costs and benefits associated with the use of this credit card, please see the disclosures accompanying the credit card application**. Visa Signature and Visa Infinite are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association and are used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. This credit card program is issued and administered by Bank of America, N.A. About Alaska Air Group Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, with McGee Air Services a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. We'll serve new destinations in Europe beginning in spring 2026: Rome, London and Reykjavik, Iceland. Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance with Hawaiian scheduled to join in 2026. With oneworld and our additional global partners, guests can earn and redeem points for travel to over 1,000 worldwide destinations. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Learn more about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK." About Bank of America Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,700 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC). For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts. SOURCE Alaska Airlines Starting in 2026, members of Atmos Rewards, an enhanced, combined loyalty program by Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, will enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi on Starlink-equipped aircraft. Building on its long-time partnership to deliver T-Mobile customers free Wi-Fi, T-Mobile is expanding this benefit to all Atmos Rewards members beginning on select flights in 2026. T-Mobile customers who are also Atmos Rewards members will enjoy a seamless, ad-free sign-on experience to Alaska's free, ultra-fast Wi-Fi with additional exclusive perks for T-Mobile customers to be announced later this year. SEATTLE, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines and T-Mobile both Pacific Northwest-based leaders in innovation are setting a new standard in inflight connectivity, delivering ultra-fast Wi-Fi, free for Atmos Rewards members everywhere the airline flies. To bring this next-level experience to life, Alaska is proud to name T-Mobile as its presenting partner for this new, free benefit to guests. Guests will experience one of the most advanced inflight connectivity networks in the industry. T-Mobile customers will enjoy exclusive benefits to enhance their inflight experience, including a seamless, ad-free Wi-Fi log-on - with more to be announced later this year. "This collaboration goes beyond a typical sponsorship it's a shared commitment between two hometown leaders focused on delivering more value, innovation and ease to travelers across the Pacific Northwest and beyond," said Mike Katz, President of Marketing, Strategy and Products at T-Mobile. "At T-Mobile, our mission is to be the best in the world at connecting customers to their world and together with Alaska, we're going one step further by extending the same seamless, in-flight Wi-Fi experience our customers love to every Atmos Rewards member." Alaska's fleetwide rollout of new, ultra-fast Wi-Fi begins in 2026 including regional, narrowbody and widebody. When installation is complete by 2027, Alaska will provide the most flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport offering unmatched gate-to-gate low-latency, high-bandwidth Wi-Fi, exclusively for Atmos Rewards members. Membership is free and easy to join. Guests will be able to log in or easily sign up for Atmos Rewards to access Wi-Fi at no cost. Atmos Rewards is our industry-leading enhanced loyalty program that unifies the best of Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan and Hawaiian Airlines' HawaiianMiles into a combined platform to deliver more choice, more rewards and more global access than ever before for our members. Since 2014, T-Mobile has led the industry in delivering free inflight connectivity experiences to its customers, who already enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi on Alaska flights. Today's announcement builds on Alaska Airlines' longstanding partnership with T-Mobile, which already powers the tools the airline's Flight Attendants, Pilots and Ground Crews use today to efficiently and safely operate the airline. About Alaska Air Group Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, with McGee Air Services a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. We'll serve new destinations in Europe beginning in spring 2026: Rome, London and Reykjavik, Iceland. Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance with Hawaiian scheduled to join in 2026. With oneworld and our additional global partners, guests can earn and redeem points for travel to over 1,000 worldwide destinations. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Learn more about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK." About T-Mobile T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is America's supercharged Un-carrier, delivering an advanced 4G LTE and transformative nationwide 5G network that will offer reliable connectivity for all. T-Mobile's customers benefit from its unmatched combination of value and quality, unwavering obsession with offering them the best possible service experience and undisputable drive for disruption that creates competition and innovation in wireless and beyond. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Mint Mobile. For more information please visit: https://www.t-mobile.com. SOURCE Alaska Airlines CORAL GABLES, Fla., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alpha-1 Foundation (A1F) is excited to announce the formation of AlphaDetect, a new non-profit subsidiary of A1F, to lead a centralized effort to identify individuals with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1 or AATD). A1F is excited to announce the formation of AlphaDetect. Post this AlphaDetect Alpha-1 is a genetically inherited condition that significantly increases the risk of developing pulmonary emphysema in adults and/or liver disease in both children and adults. Despite decades of research and the development of numerous clinical testing guidelines, over 90% of individuals with Alpha-1 remain undiagnosed. Research continues to underscore the dangers of delayed diagnosis, including irreversible damage to the lungs and liver, and adverse impacts on survival. Dr. James Stoller, Chairman of the Education Institute at Cleveland Clinic and AlphaDetect Board Chair, has shared, "Although past detection efforts have made progress, they have not meaningfully changed the trajectory of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency detection. The stubbornly persistent under-detection of Alpha-1 over the past 30 years underscores the urgent need for a more effective and sustainable approach." AlphaDetect, powered by the Alpha-1 Foundation, will lead a transformative initiative that unifies community stakeholders, including patients, healthcare providers, advocates, and industry partners, all with a collective common purpose: to ensure no Alpha-1 patient is left undetected. After years of questions, receiving a diagnosis is the first step in an Alpha-1 patient's journey. Detection accelerates answers and informs decisions. Jon Hagstrom, A1F's Board Chair, reflects on his own personal story, "As an Alpha-1 patient, having a cure at the time I was diagnosed would not have changed my outcome. I still would have only had 29% lung function and been unable to walk up a flight of stairs. The most underserved Alphas are the ones who don't know they have the disease." AlphaDetect's focus is to standardize and integrate Alpha-1 screening into lung and liver care, as well as empower patients to find their own answers. AlphaDetect will offer free genetic testing for AATD, performed in a proprietary AlphaDetect laboratory, at no cost to patients or insurance. AlphaDetect will have an on-site, dedicated, confidential customer care team to answer provider and/or patient inquiries regarding testing, test kit status, and results. A physician with expertise in AATD will also be on call to address clinical or scientific questions from testing healthcare providers. To evolve detection innovation for both lung and liver, an incubator space will be available for mission-aligned Alpha-1 research and detection-related innovation pilots. Dr. Mark Brantly, an Alpha-1 specialist with years of experience running his own Alpha-1 testing lab, shares the excitement of the Foundation, "A more uniform and consistent approach is essential, and I'm thrilled to see the Alpha-1 community uniting around centralized detection. Only through collaboration and innovation can we achieve the breakthrough in early detection that's been needed for far too long." AlphaDetect will be funded by the Alpha-1 Foundation, industry partners, and community fundraising. We are grateful to CSL for our first contribution. Also, thank you to Grifols and AlphaNet for their long-standing detection programs and family testing efforts, and to the many patients, healthcare professionals, advocates, and other stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to advance AATD Detection. Your efforts have set the stage for what's next. AlphaDetect will be led by an experienced, dedicated team with deep roots in rare disease, detection strategy, and the Alpha-1 community: Julie Murray , CEO , with 20+ years of U.S. and Global industry, strategy, and business development leadership, will translate rare disease experience and multi-disciplinary detection approaches into organizational leadership for AlphaDetect. She will also closely align AlphaDetect with A1F's mission. , with 20+ years of U.S. and Global industry, strategy, and business development leadership, will translate rare disease experience and multi-disciplinary detection approaches into organizational leadership for AlphaDetect. She will also closely align AlphaDetect with A1F's mission. Danielle Holm, Sr. Director, Operations , with 15+ years in market research, data analysis, and business operations, will focus on building partnerships, collaborations, and tools that create new avenues for detection and detection-related technologies. , with 15+ years in market research, data analysis, and business operations, will focus on building partnerships, collaborations, and tools that create new avenues for detection and detection-related technologies. Larry Hinson, National Director, Provider Engagement, with 20+ years in rare disease provider engagement, market development, and commercial leadership, will build and lead the engagement team to advance educational programs, which will accelerate our national detection strategy. AlphaDetect will also benefit from the expert guidance of its Board of Directors, including: James Stoller, MD, MS , AlphaDetect Board Chair, Chairman of the Education Institute, and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Cleveland Clinic , AlphaDetect Board Chair, Chairman of the Education Institute, and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Cleveland Clinic Mark Brantly, MD , Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Florida , Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Scott Santarella , President & CEO, Alpha-1 Foundation , President & CEO, Alpha-1 Foundation Jon Hagstrom , Chair, Alpha-1 Foundation Board of Directors , Chair, Alpha-1 Foundation Board of Directors Julie Murray , CEO, AlphaDetect , CEO, AlphaDetect David Brenner, MD , President & CEO Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute , President & CEO Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute David Lomas , MD, PhD , Professor of Medicine, University College of London , Professor of Medicine, University College of Sutton Faller, MBA , Chief Administrative Officer & Board Secretary, Cairn Therapeutics, Inc. , Chief Administrative Officer & Board Secretary, Cairn Therapeutics, Inc. Gerald Mosely , PhD, Founder & President, CP&P Development, LLC As we look ahead, Julie Murray has shared, "Alphas are hidden in plain sight. You have our commitment to accelerate and strengthen Alpha-1 detection through a unified and transformative approach. Please continue to share your thoughts and ideas; we are stronger together. Each of us has a role in helping an Alpha find their answer and take their first step into this incredible community of support." A1F is looking forward to engaging and connecting across the Alpha-1 Community, in collaboration with AlphaDetect, to continue to improve the lives of those affected by Alpha-1. The Alpha-1 Foundation will continue to be based in Coral Gables, Florida; AlphaDetect will be based in Durham, NC. Stay tuned for additional updates on AlphaDetect's launch, planned for mid-2026. For more information, visit our website: Alpha-1 Foundation Launches Innovative New Model for Centralized Detection About AlphaDetect AlphaDetect, founded in 2025, is committed to uncovering anyone with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1). Located in Durham, NC, AlphaDetect will operate as a limited liability company and wholly owned non-profit charitable subsidiary of A1F, deriving tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. About the Alpha-1 Foundation The Alpha-1 Foundation, founded in 1995 and located in Coral Gables, FL, is a 501(c)(3) charity committed to finding a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1) and to improving the lives of people affected by the condition worldwide. A1F has invested over $100 million to support Alpha-1 research and programs at 130 institutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. For more information, visit alpha1.org Contact: Jeanne Kushner Senior Director of Communications & Policy 877-228-7321 [email protected] SOURCE Alpha-1 Foundation The latest release introduces real-time, context-aware analysis, secure portfolio tools, and persistent memory delivering sharper answers and a safer, more personalized user experience. NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AskNewt, a leading provider of AI-powered financial and personal insights, today announced the upcoming release of AskNewt Version 3.0, the company's most advanced platform update to date. Built on direct feedback from its growing user community, AskNewt 3.0 introduces powerful new features designed to enhance accuracy, speed, and personalization across financial research, decision-making, and everyday use. "AskNewt 3.0 represents a major step forward in how individuals and professionals can leverage AI for timely, accurate, and actionable insights," Chief AI Officer Abbas Shah said, adding that "Our goal is to deliver a smarter and safer AI assistant that not only answers questions, but also anticipates user needs, learns preferences, and supports critical decision-making in real time." Key Features of AskNewt 3.0: Sharper Answers, Faster Advanced parsing of financial and general queries powered by the latest large language models. Real-Time, Context-Aware Insights Information and analysis that reflect current events and market conditions. Personalized Experience Persistent memory that adapts to each user's profile, interests, and history. Smarter Financial Tools Secure portfolio uploads with real-time performance tracking and instant stock analysis. Everyday Intelligence Expanded support for trip planning, restaurant booking, shopping deals, and more. Streamlined Interface A cleaner, more focused design for seamless user experience. Continuous Self-Improvement A system that learns and improves with each engagement. Private by Design Strict commitment to data privacy, with no sharing of user information with third parties. About AskNewt New York-based AskNewt, LLC has developed AskNewt, an AI Agentic search engine built for sharper, faster answersespecially for financial and complex queries. It delivers real-time, context-aware insights with verified accuracy, a streamlined interface, and personalized results that improve over time. Private by design and free to use, AskNewt aims to reach 1520 million users in two years, following a proven B2C growth and monetization model. Download the mobile apps here for AskNewt: Apple Store link https://apps.apple.com/us/app/asknewt/id6739311323 Google Play link https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asknewt.android.app SOURCE AskNewt, LLC DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- he global automated stationary NDT & inspection systems market is expected to grow from USD 767.4 million in 2025 to USD 1,195.9 million by 2030, registering a robust CAGR of 9.3% according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The projected growth is primarily attributed to the increasing need for accurate, high-speed inspection solutions in sectors such as metals, automotive, and aerospace. Automated systems enable real-time defect detection, reduce reliance on manual inspection, and support continuous operations. Additionally, regulatory mandates for safety and quality compliance are accelerating adoption. Technological advancements in AI, machine vision, and multi-technology integration enhance system capabilities and market appeal. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=233564506 Browse in-depth TOC on "Automated Stationary NDT & Inspection Systems Market" 70 Tables 60 Figures 250 Pages Automated Stationary NDT & Inspection Systems Market Scope: Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2025 $ 767.4 million Estimated Value by 2030 $ 1,195.9 million Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 9.3% Market Size Available for 20212030 Forecast Period 20252030 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By system type, technology, and vertical Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Limited Availability of Field-Proven Use Cases and Skilled Integration Experts Key Market Opportunities Growth of Modular, Multi-technology Inspection Platforms Key Market Drivers Real-time Inline Quality Control for High-throughput Production The ultrasonic testing (UT) technology is estimated to account for the largest market share in the automated stationary NDT & inspection systems market in 2025 Ultrasonic testing (UT) is estimated to account for the largest share in the automated stationary NDT & inspection systems market in 2025, owing to its widespread industrial adoption, high accuracy in flaw detection, and versatility across metals, aerospace, and manufacturing sectors. UT's ability to detect both surface and subsurface defects in a non-intrusive manner makes it indispensable for quality control in high-volume production lines. Additionally, advancements in phased array UT (PAUT) and integration with automated scanners have further strengthened its dominance. Eddy Current Testing (ECT) is expected to be the second-largest segment, particularly in applications requiring rapid surface inspection. In-line system type is projected to be the fastest-growing segment in the automated stationary NDT & inspection systems market during 20252030 In-line automated NDT systems are projected to be the fastest-growing segment between 2025 and 2030, driven by the increasing demand for real-time quality assurance in high-throughput production environments. These systems offer continuous monitoring without interrupting workflow, significantly reducing inspection time and improving defect traceability. Sectors such as metals, automotive, and rail prioritize in-line systems to meet stringent safety and quality standards while optimizing productivity. Integration with AI, machine vision, and multi-sensor platforms further enhances their appeal, making in-line setups a key enabler of smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 transformations. Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=233564506 Europe is expected to grow at the second-highest CAGR in the automated stationary NDT & inspection systems industry during the forecast period This growth is driven by Europe's strong emphasis on industrial automation, stringent quality and safety regulations, and advanced manufacturing capabilities across key sectors such as aerospace, rail, and energy. Government-led initiatives supporting digital transformation and infrastructure modernization, such as the European Green Deal, are further accelerating the adoption of automated inspection systems. The presence of established NDT technology providers in countries like Germany and France also reinforces regional market expansion. Major companies operating in the global automated stationary NDT & inspection systems companies include EVIDENT (Japan), Waygate Technologies (US), FOERSTER (Germany), Eddyfi (Canada), and Magnetic Analysis Corporation (US). 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Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/automated-stationary-ndt-inspection-systems-companies.asp Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/automated-stationary-ndt-inspection-systems.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets New analysis reveals strategic insurance adjustments during back-to-school season can dramatically reduce family premiums, especially for households adding teen drivers LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Families conducting back-to-school insurance reviews can save up to $3,700 annually through strategic discount optimization, with the greatest savings potential for households adding teen drivers, according to new analysis by CheapInsurance.com , an insurance rate comparison tool, based on national insurance industry data. The research reveals that while adding a 16-year-old driver increases family auto premiums by an average of $3,252 nationwidea 158% jumplayered discount strategies implemented during back-to-school season can offset much of this financial impact. Strategic insurance adjustments during back-to-school season can dramatically reduce family premiums. Post this Substantial Savings Across All Family Types For typical American families spending approximately $4,132 annually on auto and homeowners insurance, strategic reviews yield significant results: Families without teen drivers can achieve savings ranging from $413 (conservative 10% bundling approach) to over $1,500 annually through combined bundling and telematics programs, according to Consumer Reports analysis and National Association of Insurance Commissioners data. Families adding teen drivers face the largest premium increases but also the greatest savings opportunities. Strategic implementation of multiple discount categories can generate annual savings exceeding $3,700 through: Good student discounts: 10-25% premium reduction for B-average students Driver education completion: Up to 15% savings (approximately $630 average) average) Telematics/safe driving programs: 10-40% reductions averaging $1,680 annually annually Strategic driver-vehicle assignment: $840 average savings potential average savings potential Home-auto bundling: Up to 30% combined premium reduction "Many families don't realize that a comprehensive back-to-school insurance review can offset much of the financial shock of adding a teen driver," said Fausto Bucheli Jr, President of CheapInsurance.com. "The key is understanding which discounts stack and implementing multiple strategies simultaneously rather than pursuing individual savings in isolation." Critical Safety and Financial Context The urgency extends beyond cost considerations. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , teens aged 16-19 have nearly three times the fatal crash rate per mile compared to adult drivers, with 3,048 teen fatalities in motor vehicle crashes during 2023. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of teen deaths. Telematics programs offer dual benefitspremium savings and safety improvements. NAIC research indicates these programs correlate with approximately 50% crash-risk reductions, making them particularly valuable for newly licensed drivers. Beyond Auto Insurance Back-to-school reviews should encompass comprehensive coverage evaluation. Students require updated property protectionhomeowners policies typically limit off-premises coverage to 10% of personal property limits, often necessitating separate renters insurance for off-campus housing averaging $170 annually. Families should also consider umbrella liability policies, which provide $1 million additional coverage for approximately $200-350 annuallycritical protection given increased exposure with teen drivers. Strategic Implementation Insurance experts recommend families request parallel quotes comparing bundled versus unbundled coverage, with and without telematics programs. Student documentation including grades and driver education certificates should be submitted immediately to capture available discounts. About CheapInsurance.com Founded in 1974, CheapInsurance.com is a trusted insurance solutions broker dedicated to helping individuals and families across the United States find affordable, high-quality insurance coverage. With nearly five decades of experience, the company partners with top-rated national insurers to offer a wide array of products, including auto, SR-22, motorcycle, home, renters, life, health, RV, and boat insurance. CheapInsurance.com simplifies the insurance shopping process through its user-friendly online platform, providing instant quotes tailored to each customer's unique needs. By combining unbeatable affordability with reliable coverage options, the company ensures that customers can secure the protection they need without compromising on quality. Headquartered in Chino Hills, California, CheapInsurance.com is committed to delivering exceptional service and value to its clients nationwide. For more information, visit www.cheapinsurance.com or contact [email protected]. SOURCE Cheapinsurance.com MySmile launches its Back-to-School sale, offering 15% off all oral care products until August 22, helping students head back to school with healthy and confident smiles. LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As backpacks get packed and classrooms come alive again, MySmile, a trusted leader in innovative and affordable oral care solutions, is excited to announce its Back-to-School Sale, running now through August 22. Families and students can take advantage of 15% off every product on MySmile's website from advanced sonic toothbrushes and portable water flossers to natural ingredient-based toothpastemaking it easier than ever to head into the school year with healthy, confident smiles. Why Oral Care Matters This Back-to-School Season While back-to-school shopping often centers on supplies and outfits, oral care is just as essential. According to dental experts, oral health plays a direct role in self-confidence, classroom focus, and long-term well-being. Poor oral hygiene can lead to discomfort, missed school days, and even lower self-esteemmaking the right oral care products as important as a new backpack or laptop. "Back-to-school isn't just about new pencils and textbooks; it's about setting up students for success in every area of life," said Bobby Jacob, Founder of MySmile. "A confident smile can boost a student's self-esteem and help them feel ready to take on the year ahead. Our Back-to-School Sale is designed to give families access to professional-quality oral care at affordable prices." Top Back-to-School Oral Care Tips from MySmile To keep smiles healthy and bright throughout the school year, MySmile recommends the following simple yet effective oral care habits: Make Brushing Count Encourage students to brush for at least two minutes, twice daily. The MySmile Sonic Toothbrush uses advanced sonic technology to remove plaque more effectively than manual brushing. Don't Skip the Floss A cordless (https://mysmilesteeth.com/products/portable-teeth-water-flosser-water-cleaner) water flosser makes flossing easy, quick, and even fun. Portable designs are perfect for college students, athletes, and anyone with braces. Choose Gentle, Natural Ingredients Toothpaste that's free of harsh chemicals but packed with natural ingredients can protect enamel, freshen breath, and support long-term oral health. The MySmile Natural Toothpaste is specially formulated for safe everyday use. Consistency Is Key Creating daily oral care routines helps students build healthy habits that last well beyond the school year. Must-Have Oral Care Products for Students MySmile Cordless Water Flosser Compact, portable, and powerful, it's ideal for dorm rooms, backpacks, and athletes on the go. Compact, portable, and powerful, it's ideal for dorm rooms, backpacks, and athletes on the go. MySmile Sonic Toothbrush Affordable yet professional, ensuring a deep clean for healthier gums and brighter smiles. Affordable yet professional, ensuring a deep clean for healthier gums and brighter smiles. MySmile Natural Toothpaste Made with gentle, effective ingredients that support oral health without synthetic additives. These products are not only highly rated by customers worldwide but are also designed to be affordable, student-friendly, and effective. Back-to-School Sale Details The Back-to-School Sale is live now on mysmilesteeth.com . Customers can enjoy 15% off every product sitewide until August 22 . Whether shopping for a high schooler with braces, a college student moving into a dorm, or simply refreshing the family's oral care kit, this sale provides the perfect opportunity to stock up on essentials. Shop the Sale Today The countdown to a brighter, healthier school year is on. Don't miss your chance to save 15% on all MySmile products now through August 22. Shop Now at hmysmilesteeth.com Media Contact: For Media, contact Winnie, Digital Marketing Manager at [email protected] MySmile is a leading brand dedicated to revolutionizing oral care with innovative products that deliver professional results from the comfort of your home. Specializing in whitening, gum health, and overall dental wellness, MySmile offers a variety of high-quality oral care solutions, including whitening kits, portable mouthwash, water flossers, and toothbrushes. Available online and at top retailers like Amazon,Target, Macy's, and Kohl's, MySmile is committed to making it easier for people to achieve their dream smile. With a focus on simplicity, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. SOURCE MySmile Oral Care Inc. Special Operations Forces (SOF) operators have seriously wounded Lieutenant General of the Russian Army Esedulla Abachev in Kursk region. "Esedulla Abachev, Lieutenant General of the Russian Armed Forces, was seriously wounded as a result of special operations by the Special Operations Forces. The fire damage to the car of the deputy commander of the North Group of Forces of the Russian Armed Forces was carried out by the UA_REG TEAM unit of SOF. This happened on the night of August 17.5 kilometers from the city of Rylsk, Kursk region," SOF said on Telegram on Wednesday. According to available information, as a result of the wounding of the general of the enemy army, his arm and leg were amputated. He was urgently transported by plane to Moscow. As noted, in 2023, the Ukrainian prosecutor's office submitted charges against Esedulla Abachev to the court. "With the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, Abachev commanded the so-called "2nd Army Corps of the People's Militia of the LPR". He directly gave orders to bomb and destroy settlements in the Luhansk region," SOF said. CLEARWATER, Fla., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Place To Work and PEOPLE magazine have honored BayCare Health System as one of the 2025 PEOPLE Companies that Care, ranking No. 17 nationally. This is BayCare's fifth time being named to this prestigious list, and this year BayCare is especially proud to be recognized as the top-ranked health care system in the country and the highest-ranked Florida-based company. BayCare's national recognition on the 2025 PEOPLE Companies That Care list highlights how BayCare goes above and beyond for its team members and community. The PEOPLE Companies that Care list is highly competitive and recognized as one of the most respected measures of purpose-driven workplace culture in the nation, spotlighting organizations that put their people and communities first. Survey responses reflect a comprehensive picture of the workplace experience. Honorees were selected based on their ability to care for employees, families and the communities where they operate. "BayCare's 33,000-plus team members are our greatest asset. Every day, they deliver compassionate care within our hospital walls and throughout the communities of West Central Florida to improve the health of all we serve," said BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners. "I'm grateful to each and every team member who contributes to BayCare's extraordinary culture and to the exceptional care and outreach that made it possible for us to be named to this list." "Witnessing the innovative spirit with which these companies invest in their employees, communities, and the world is truly invigorating," says Charlotte Triggs, PEOPLE GM and editor-in-chief. "Their commitment reflects our mission, to feature what happens when ordinary people do extraordinary work." The PEOPLE award is the latest national workplace metric to celebrate BayCare. Over the past year, BayCare earned the No. 17 spot in the nation on the 2024 Great Place To Work and Fortune Best Workplaces in Health Care list, marking the eighth consecutive year on the list. BayCare also earned a spot on the highly competitive Fortune Best Workplaces for Women list. For the second consecutive year, BayCare was named a Top Workplace in the USA by Energage and USA Today, moving up in the rankings to No. 30. BayCare was named one of Tampa Bay's Top Workplaces by the Tampa Bay Times for the 11th consecutive year. Most recently, BayCare was ranked No. 17 on the 2025 Healthcare Top Workplaces with 1,000-plus team members list by TopWorkplaces.com and Energage. About BayCare BayCare is a leading not-for-profit academic health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 16 hospitals, including a children's hospital, and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. The system is West Central Florida's largest provider of behavioral health and pediatric services and its provider group, BayCare Medical Group, is one of the largest in the region. BayCare's diverse network of ambulatory services includes laboratories, imaging, surgical centers, BayCare Urgent Care locations, wellness centers and one of Florida's largest home care agencies, BayCare HomeCare. BayCare's mission is to improve the health of all it serves through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit BayCare.org. About the PEOPLE Companies That Care List Great Place To Work selected the 2025 PEOPLE Companies that Care List by gathering and analyzing over 1.3 million confidential survey responses from companies representing more than 8.4 million U.S. employees at Great Place To Work Certified organizations. Of those, more than 1 million responses came from employees at companies eligible for the list and these rankings are based on that feedback. Company rankings are derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place To Work Trust Index Survey and essays submitted by participating companies. Read the full methodology. About Great Place To Work As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Its proprietary platform and Great Place To Work Model help companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces List. Follow Great Place To Work on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram or visit greatplacetowork.com and sign up for the newsletter to learn more. About PEOPLE PEOPLE delivers the most trustworthy celebrity news and captivating human interest stories, connecting you to the pulse of American culture. Since our first issue hit stands in 1974, we have been striving to tell compelling stories about the people behind the issues, as opposed to just the issues themselves. We are your everyday escape, taking you inside the lives of intriguing stars, newsmakers, up-and-comers, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things. We serve and delight you by providing ideas about beauty, food, and style through the lens of the people influencing the trends. And we are a force for good by telling stories of hope, optimism, and kindness that drive conversation and inspire action. SOURCE BayCare Health System DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackmer, part of PSG, a Dover (NYSE: DOV) company, and a global leader in rotating pumps and reciprocating compressor technologies, today announced the launch of its new Hydraulic Adapter Kit for the upgrade of Blackmer LB080 and LB160 Series Reciprocating Gas Compressors. Designed to meet the evolving needs of mobile liquid petroleum gas (LPG) applications, the Hydraulic Adapter Kit (patent pending) seamlessly transforms existing compressor setups into compact, chassis-mounted, hydraulically-driven systems. This easy-to-install package eliminates the need for flywheels, reducing weight and footprint while improving field performance. In addition to being a retrofit solution, the Hydraulic Adapter Kit is also available as a factory-installed option. "Operators in mobile LPG applications face constant pressure to reduce weight, save space and increase efficiency," said Ron Crouch, Product Management Director of Blackmer. "The Blackmer Hydraulic Adapter Kit directly addresses those issues by making upgrades easier and more effective, without the cost and complexity of a full system overhaul." The Hydraulic Adapter Kit helps operators of small LPG applications: Save space by eliminating bulky flywheels; Reduce weight to improve mobility and fuel economy; Increase fuel efficiency to help lower operating costs; Simplify installation, with no shaft alignment required; and Minimize downtime with streamlined integration. "Whether you're upgrading an older system or building out new applications, the Hydraulic Adapter Kit is important to a successful mobile LPG operation," said Crouch. "It's a straightforward, cost-effective solution for customers who want to enhance their compressors." For more information on Blackmer, please go to blackmer.com. For more information on PSG, please go to psgdover.com. About Blackmer: Blackmer is the leading global provider of innovative and high-quality positive displacement, regenerative turbine and centrifugal pump, and reciprocating compressor technologies for the transfer of liquids and gasses. For more than a century, the Blackmer name has stood for unparalleled product performance, superior services and support, well-timed innovation and a commitment to total customer satisfaction. Supported by a worldwide network of distributors and original equipment manufacturers, Blackmer pumps and compressors are used in a multitude of applications in the Process, Energy and Military & Marine markets. Blackmer, headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, is part of PSG, a Dover company. For more information on Blackmer, please go to blackmer.com. About PSG: PSG is the global pump, metering and dispensing-solution expert, enabling the safe and efficient transfer of critical and valuable fluids that require optimal performance and reliability in applications where it matters most. Additionally, PSG is a leading provider of flow meters designed to reduce waste and downtime while accurately measuring, monitoring and controlling the distribution of fluids. Headquartered in Downers Grove, IL, USA, PSG is comprised of several world-class brands, including Abaque, All-Flo, Almatec, Blackmer, Cryo-Mach, Ebsray, em-tec, Griswold, Hydro, ipp, Malema, Mouvex, Neptune, PSG Biotech, Quantex, Quattroflow and Wilden. PSG products are manufactured on four continents North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia in state-of-the-art facilities that practice lean manufacturing and are ISO-certified. PSG is part of the Pumps & Process Solutions segment of Dover Corporation. For additional information on PSG, please visit psgdover.com. PSG: Where Innovation Flows. About Dover: Dover is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of over $7 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Clean Energy & Fueling, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Climate & Sustainability Technologies. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 70 years, our team of approximately 24,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at dovercorporation.com. PSG Contact: Christopher Walsh (331) 277-8137 [email protected] Dover Media Contact: Adrian Sakowicz, VP, Communications (630) 743-5039 [email protected] Dover Investor Contact: Jack Dickens, VP, Investor Relations (630) 743-2566 [email protected] SOURCE Dover BEIJING, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lou Bingqiang comes from Yiwu, China. For the past 14 years, he's been doing trade in Peruspeaking fluent Spanish and doing business with the locals. Today, he's not only a successful entrepreneur, but also serves as Chairman of the Zhejiang General Chamber of Commerce in Peru, supporting Zhejiang natives in that country. But 14 years ago, Lou had never left China. He knew nothing about Peru. So why did he choose it as the first stop on his overseas journey? Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2753409/0818.mp4 HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Claire's Holdings LLC ("Claire's" or "the Company") today announced that it has entered into an agreement with an affiliate of Ames Watson, a private holding company that purchases, transforms and partners with companies to create long term value, for Ames Watson to acquire Claire's business operations in North America. Following its decision to commence voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings in the U.S. and proceedings in Canada under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) (together, the "Restructuring Proceedings"), Claire's has continued to explore every option to maximize the value of its business. The sale of these stores and Claire's IP to Ames Watson will significantly benefit the Company's efforts to create value through its Restructuring Proceedings. As part of the agreement, Claire's has paused the liquidation process at a significant number of stores. For its other stores in North America, the liquidation process will continue. The sale is subject to approval by the Courts in the U.S. and Canada, and other customary closing conditions. "As we continue through our restructuring proceedings, our team has worked tirelessly to explore every option for preserving the value of the Claire's business and brand," said Chris Cramer, CEO of Claire's. "We are glad to reach this definitive agreement to sell a portion of our North America operations to Ames Watson and maximize the value of our company for all our stakeholders. I would again like to extend my gratitude to every Claire's employee who has continued to show up for our customers during this challenging time for our business." "We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Claire's and support the next chapter for this iconic brand," said Lawrence Berger, Co-Founder of Ames Watson. "Claire's has built a powerful emotional connection with generations of consumers through its focus on self-expression, creativity, and accessible fashion. We are committed to investing in its future by preserving a significant retail footprint across North America, working closely with the Claire's team to ensure a seamless transition and creating a renewed path to growth based on our deep experience working with consumer brands." Claire's will continue to provide updates on the sale process through filings with the Courts in the U.S. and Canada. Additional information regarding the Chapter 11 proceedings is available at www.omniagentsolutions.com/claires . Court filings and information regarding the claims process are available at www.omniagentsolutions.com/claires , by calling the Company's claims agent, Omni Agent Solutions, toll-free at (888) 202-5971 (U.S.) or (747) 293-0183 (International) or by sending an email to [email protected] . Additional information regarding the Company's CCAA proceedings and related court-filed materials is available at the court-appointed monitor's website at www.ksvadvisory.com/experience/case/claires , by calling KSV Advisory at +1 (844) 249-2665, or by emailing at [email protected] . Advisors Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal counsel to Claire's. Houlihan Lokey is serving as investment banker, and Alvarez & Marsal is serving as restructuring advisor. Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is serving as Canadian legal counsel to Claire's. Paul Hastings LLP is serving as legal counsel to Ames Watson. About Claire's Holdings LLC Claire's Holdings LLC is a fully integrated, global fashion brand powerhouse committed to inspiring self-expression through the creation and delivery of exclusive, well-curated products and experiences. Through its global brands, Claire's and Icing, the company delivers an immersive, omnichannel shopping experience with owned and concession stores throughout North America and Europe as well as around the world. More information regarding Claire's is available at corporate.claires.com. About Ames Watson Founded by Lawrence Berger and Tom Ripley in 2018, Ames Watson is a privately held holding company based in Columbia, Md. which purchases, transforms and partners with companies to create long term value. Ames Watson has over $2 Billion in annual revenue. Brands owned or invested in by Ames Watson include Lids, LidsU, Unrivaled Teamwear, South Moon Under, Mitchell & Ness, Ebbets Field Flannels, Zygo, Hungry and Margaux. Media Contact Prosek Partners for Claire's [email protected] SOURCE Claire's "This campaign is a major moment for us all four sisters in one Clarins campaign! I'm always traveling with about half my bag full of Clarins products and I've been using the Multi-Active Glow Serum since our photo shoot in May! The serum is amazing, it's like a filter for your skin! I can't wait for our friends, everyone to pop in to Sephora and try it too," says supermodel and reality television star, Brooks Nader. The campaign shoot reflects the energy of the product, shot outside with natural lighting to show the true glow and smooth texture on the skin from the serum, and paired different personalities that uniquely bond and work perfectly together! Multi-Active Glow Serum is a landmark product launch for the brand, and a testament to Clarins' 70+ plus years of research in plant science and dermatological innovation. This shake-shifting serum is a double dose of potent actives that for the first time brilliantly merges Stabilized Vitamin C and Glycolic Acid (AHA), two actives that typically are incompatible together, that for a supercharged glow. Stabilized Vitamin C to boost glowvisibly brightening skin and evening tone while smoothing fine lines. AHA exfoliates dull skin, revealing instant radiance while evening the complexion. Acerola Seed Extract adds additional antioxidant benefits and hydrates to amplify radiance. This unique pink micro-pearl texture is lightweight, quick-absorbing, and hydrating. Clinically proven to provide 24H hydration and boost skin's glow +45% in 28 days. It is clinically proven to instantly brighten, even skin tone and smooth skin texture, while visibly refining pores with continued use. The Multi-Active Glow Serum campaign featuring Brooks Nader and her sisters will roll out across digital platforms, social media, and select outdoor placements Fall 2025. Multi-Active Glow Serum is available to shop at Sephora.com. About Clarins Clarins, was founded in a professional Parisian beauty institute by Jacques Courtin-Clarins in 1954. Clarins is family-owned and is distributed in more than 150 countriesoffering skincare innovations for face and body, men's, and makeup. With unique expertise in Phyto-chemistry, Clarins Laboratories are considered pioneers in the fields of plant science and technology. The brand values are rooted in an ongoing dialogue with consumers, an abiding respect for nature and people, and commitments to sustainable sourcing, including Les Domaines Clarinstwo organic farms and open-air laboratories in France. In 2025, Clarins was Certified B Corporation. Currently carbon neutral, the company will further reduce its carbon footprint by 30% and become 100% plastic neutral using 100% recyclable packaging by the end of 2025. Partners include Pur Projetmore than 800,000 trees planted to date; Plastic Odysseya three-year expedition across three continents with 30 stopovers to fight against plastic pollution; and Mary's Mealmore than 45 million school meals provided to children in need to date. Lucas Petry, Clarins Communications Manager - [email protected] Melissa Reidhead, Clarins Executive Director, Communications - [email protected] www.clarinsusa.com SOURCE Clarins USA Ranked Eighth Nationwide, Clark Atlanta University is Celebrated for Preparing Students for Lasting Career Success, Based on Alumni Career Outcomes ATLANTA, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is proud to announce its ranking as the eighth best Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in LinkedIn's inaugural Top 10 Colleges ranking, which highlights institutions that best prepare their graduates for long-term career success. This recognition underscores the pivotal role that HBCUs play in the U.S. educational landscape, particularly as enrollment numbers rebound following pandemic lows. Commitment to Career Success The LinkedIn Top 10 Colleges methodology evaluates institutions based on the career outcomes of their alumni, measuring factors such as the speed at which graduates secure full-time positions and their advancement into senior-level roles. As one of the leading HBCUs, CAU is dedicated to equipping its students with the skills and experiences necessary to thrive in their careers. Addressing Global Market Demands "Being ranked as the eighth best HBCU is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and resilience of our faculty, staff, and students," states Clark Atlanta University President George T. French, Jr., Ph.D., in highlighting the university's commitment to preparing students for the evolving global job market. "As we continue to enhance our programs and resources, including our innovative offerings in artificial intelligence (AI) and cyber-physical systems, we remain focused on ensuring that our graduates are well-equipped to meet the demands of the ever-changing workforce and global economy." Diverse Graduate Programs Clark Atlanta University offers a diverse array of graduate programs across various disciplines, including business, education, public administration, and social work. Notably, CAU has also introduced cutting-edge programs in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and cyber-physical systems, preparing students to excel in the global market. These programs are designed to provide students with the advanced knowledge and practical skills required to navigate today's competitive job landscape. CAU's faculty, comprised of accomplished scholars and industry professionals, is committed to fostering a dynamic learning environment that encourages innovation and critical thinking. Celebrating Faculty Contributions Clark Atlanta University Provost Charlene Gilbert, Ph.D., emphasized the vital role of faculty in this achievement, stating, "This recognition is a reflection of our dedicated faculty who are committed to providing an exceptional educational experience. Their unwavering support and mentorship empower our students to thrive in their careers. At Clark Atlanta University, we believe in the potential of our students and the transformative power of education, which is made possible through the excellence of our faculty." A Rich History of Excellence With its parent institutions Atlanta University and Clark College founded in 1865 and 1869 respectively, Clark Atlanta University has a rich history of academic excellence and a commitment to social justice and community empowerment. As the only university in the Atlanta University Center, CAU stands at the heart of a consortium that includes renowned institutions such as Spelman College and Morehouse College. This unique position fosters collaborative opportunities for students, enhancing their educational journey and expanding their professional networks. About Clark Atlanta University Clark Atlanta University was formed with the consolidation of Atlanta University and Clark College. Atlanta University, established in 1865 by the American Missionary Association, was the nation's first institution to award graduate degrees to African Americans. Clark College, established four years later in 1869, was the nation's first four-year liberal arts college to serve a primarily African American student population. Today, with nearly 4,000 students, CAU is the largest of the four institutions (CAU, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Morehouse School of Medicine) that comprise the Atlanta University Center Consortium. It is also the largest of the 37-member UNCF institutions. CAU offers a wide range of bachelor, master and doctorate degree programs in business, education, public administration, and social work and in innovative fields such as cyber-physical systems. Notable alumni include: James Weldon Johnson, poet, and songwriter of Lift Every Voice and Sing "The Black National Anthem"; Ralph David Abernathy Sr., American civil rights activist; Congressman Hank Johnson, Georgia District 4; Kenya Barris, American award-winning television and movie producer; Kenny Leon, Tony Award-winning Broadway Director; and Jacque Reid, Emmy Award-winning Television Personality and Journalist. To learn more about Clark Atlanta University, visit www.cau.edu. SOURCE Clark Atlanta University The cloud security market is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace owing to increasing adoption of cloud platforms and advancements in cloud technologies. WESTFORD, Mass., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyQuest Technology Consulting published a report, titled, "Cloud Security Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2025-2032", valued at USD 47.8 billion in 2024. With a projected CAGR of 18.6% from 2025 to 2032, the market is expected to reach USD 187.1 billion by the end of 2032. Imposition of stringent security regulations and growing complexity of cyberattacks are expected to bolster the demand for cloud security solutions in the future. Download Sample Pages of Research Overview: https://www.skyquestt.com/sample-request/cloud-security-market Cloud Security Market Dynamics: Surge in adoption of multi-cloud environments is also boosting the demand for better security. This diversification introduces complex security challenges such as managing multiple access points and inconsistent policies. To mitigate these risks, organizations are investing in robust cloud security solutions, including cloud workload protection platforms (CWPP) and cloud security posture management (CSPM). The need for unified visibility and compliance across cloud environments is pushing demand. Robust increase in prevalence of cyberattacks, including ransomware, phishing, and DDoS attacks targeting cloud infrastructure is also supporting market development. As organizations migrate sensitive data and applications to the cloud, the risk surface grows significantly. High-profile breaches have amplified awareness, prompting enterprises to prioritize cloud-specific security investments. Cloud-native tools for threat detection, zero trust architecture, and data encryption are gaining traction. Recent Developments in Cloud Security Market In April 2024 , Arch0, a new player in the cloud security space, announced that it had raised USD 1.25 million in a pre-seed financing round. The company intended to use the freshly raised capital to expand its team and develop more advanced AI-powered cloud security solutions. , Arch0, a new player in the cloud security space, announced that it had raised in a pre-seed financing round. The company intended to use the freshly raised capital to expand its team and develop more advanced AI-powered cloud security solutions. In March 2024 , the cloud-focused business arm of American tech giant Google called Google Cloud, launched a new cloud risk management solution for enterprises. Security Command Center Enterprise works on improving enterprise security through seamless integration using Mandiant expertise. , the cloud-focused business arm of American tech giant Google called Google Cloud, launched a new cloud risk management solution for enterprises. Security Command Center Enterprise works on improving enterprise security through seamless integration using Mandiant expertise. In February 2024 , Uptycs, a top company operating in the cloud security market, announced the launch of its new channel-first partner program for enterprise applications. The new program is named Upward. The launch will help secure hybrid cloud environments and provide better cloud security services for its enterprise users. Speak to our Analyst: https://www.skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/cloud-security-market Major Challenges in Cloud Security Industry Multiple organizations are still heavily reliant on legacy infrastructure for their operations, which is not compliant with cloud security solutions. Integrating cloud security solutions with outdated on-premise systems can be technically challenging and resource-intensive. Compatibility issues often arise, especially when adopting advanced features like AI-based threat analytics or automated policy enforcement. This complexity can slow down implementation, increase costs, and discourage smaller firms from transitioning fully to the cloud. Awareness regarding cloud security is still not as expected and shortage of skilled workforce makes this issue worse. Many organizations lack awareness of specific cloud risks such as misconfigurations, insecure APIs, and shared responsibility models. This knowledge gap results in underinvestment or reliance on inadequate security tools. Without proper understanding and capabilities, businesses remain vulnerable, limiting widespread adoption of comprehensive cloud security solutions. Competitive Landscape: Creating cloud security solutions that are updated as per evolving threat landscape remains the top priority of cloud security companies. Integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning with cloud security solutions can also help improve threat detection capabilities of solutions. The major players in the cloud security industry include, Microsoft Corporation ( USA ) ) Amazon Web Services Inc. ( USA ) ) Google LLC ( USA ) ) CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. ( USA ) ) Palo Alto Networks, Inc. ( USA ) ) Zscaler, Inc. ( USA ) ) Fortinet, Inc. ( USA ) ) Cisco Systems, Inc. ( USA ) ) Trend Micro Incorporated ( Japan ) ) Okta Inc. ( USA ) View Full Report: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/cloud-security-market Cloud Security Market Segmentation: Global cloud security market is segmented by component, deployment, enterprise size, and end use. Based on component, the market is segmented into solution and services. Based on deployment, the market is segmented into private, hybrid, and public. Based on enterprise size, the market is segmented into large enterprises and small & medium enterprises (SMEs). Based on end use, the market is segmented into BFSI, retail & e-commerce, IT & telecom, healthcare, manufacturing, government, aerospace & defense, energy & utilities, transportation & logistics, and others. By enterprise type, the large enterprise segment dominated the global cloud security market in 2024 as large enterprises mostly operate in highly regulated industries and environments. the large enterprise segment dominated the global cloud security market in 2024 as large enterprises mostly operate in highly regulated industries and environments. By deployment , the private segment dominated the global cloud security market in 2024 owing to use of mission-critical applications by multiple organizations. , the private segment dominated the global cloud security market in 2024 owing to use of mission-critical applications by multiple organizations. By component , the solutions segment dominated the global cloud security market in 2024, which can be linked to rising complexity of cloud platforms and the subsequent need for advanced security tools. , the solutions segment dominated the global cloud security market in 2024, which can be linked to rising complexity of cloud platforms and the subsequent need for advanced security tools. By end-user, the IT & telecom segment dominated the global cloud security market in 2024 owing to increasing migration of IT and telecom companies towards crowd and rising incidence of cyberattacks for the same. Buy this Research Report (250+ Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures): https://www.skyquestt.com/buy-now/cloud-security-market Regional Insights Growing incidence of sophisticated cyberattacks, mature cloud adoption ecosystem, and stringent regulations allow North America to lead global cloud security demand. Presence of top cloud security providers in the United States is also further cementing the high share of this region. Canada is also expected to be an opportune country going forward. Increasing cloud adoption among small and medium enterprises, growing digital transformation, and rising cybersecurity awareness are forecasted to make Asia Pacific the fastest growing market for cloud security companies. Japan, China, India, and South Korea are slated to be the key countries in Asia Pacific as digital literacy increases. Stringent regulations for data privacy and sovereignty are governing the demand for cloud security in Europe. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulation plays a crucial role in shaping up the cloud security adoption landscape in almost all European countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom. In the LAMEA region, the cloud security market is driven by the launch of new digitization efforts and growing incidence of cyberattacks. Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates are expected to be the most opportune countries in this region. Explore Extensive ongoing Coverage on Related Topics: Physical Security Market: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/physical-security-market Cloud Storage Market: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/cloud-storage-market Data Center Security Market: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/data-center-security-market Home Security Systems Market: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/home-security-systems-market Wound Care Market: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/wound-care-market About SkyQuest Technology Consulting SkyQuest Technology Consulting is a leading Strategy Consulting and Market Research firm, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and growth consulting services, trusted by CXOs from Fortune 500 Companies, Start-ups, and MSMEs. The company comprises a team of expert research analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports in our database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 40+ industries & sub industries across 25 major countries worldwide, serving global clients across diverse industries. The company specializes in delivering customized intelligence, data-driven insights, and strategic advisory services that enable businesses to stay competitive and make informed decisions in rapidly evolving industries. Contact Us: SkyQuest Technology Consulting 1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886 USA (+1) 351-333-4748 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Website: https://www.skyquestt.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2446095/SkyQuest_Logo.jpg SOURCE SkyQuest Technology AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Common Threads, the nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to advancing food and nutrition education in under-resourced communities, proudly announces the appointment of six new members to its National Board of Directors: Kate MacKenzie, Bill Kim, Pritesh Gandhi, Dr. Max Teplitski, Hugh Forrest, and Apurva Patel. "A future-forward approach to nutrition security requires all of us. I'm proud and energized to welcome our new board members, whose passion, leadership, and diverse experiences will help us navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and shape a bold new vision, one that creates healthier futures for children nationwide," said Common Threads CEO, Linda Novick O'Keefe. Kate MacKenzie, MS, RD serves as Executive Director of New York City's Mayor's Office of Food Policy, where she advises on citywide food policy and leads initiatives such as Food Forward NYC, the city's first 10-year food policy plan. Her leadership has reduced the carbon footprint of city food purchases, launched Plant-Powered Fridays in public schools, and strengthened the city's emergency food system. A graduate of Columbia University and Cornell University, MacKenzie is known for building coalitions across sectors to address food insecurity. She is also the mother of two NYC public school students, both proud school lunch eaters. Bill Kim is an acclaimed chef and restaurateur celebrated for blending fine dining techniques with bold, approachable flavors. A graduate of Triton and Kendall Colleges, he trained under culinary icons such as Charlie Trotter before launching Chicago favorites like urbanbelly, Belly Shack, and bellyQ. His award-winning cookbook, Korean BBQ: Master Your Grill in Seven Sauces, reflects his playful, globally inspired style. Kim continues to expand his culinary footprint both in the U.S. and internationally, using food as a bridge between cultures and communities. Pritesh Gandhi, MD, MPH currently serves as the Systems Senior VP and Chief Health Equity and Community Impact Officer for CommonSpirit Health. He is a physician leader with extensive experience across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, committed to improving health equity for underserved communities. Gandhi served as the Chief Community Health Officer at Walmart, he has also served as Chief Medical Officer at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading health security operations during national emergencies. A Fulbright Scholar and Presidential Leadership Scholar, Gandhi is recognized for turning complex policy challenges into actionable solutions. He continues to practice medicine and mentor the next generation of health leaders. Dr. Max Teplitski is Chief Science Officer at the International Fresh Produce Association, guiding global programs in science, agriculture, technology, and sustainability. Formerly with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, he has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and earned awards for his groundbreaking work in environmental microbiology. A Fulbright Specialist and sought-after speaker, Teplitski is committed to advancing food safety and sustainability through innovation. He also serves as Courtesy Faculty at the University of Florida's Plant Pathology Department. Hugh Forrest spent over three decades shaping South by Southwest (SXSW) into a global platform where technology, culture, and creativity converge. As former President and Chief Programming Officer, he expanded the event's international reach and championed diversity and inclusion within the creative industries. Forrest's civic leadership includes service on nonprofit boards, raising over $1 million for the Central Texas Food Bank through the Austin Reggae Festival. His work reflects a deep belief in the power of community and collaboration to spark lasting change. Apurva Patel is U.S. Social Impact Director at Novo Nordisk Inc., where he leads philanthropic investments focused on chronic disease prevention, nutrition, and food system reform for vulnerable populations. With more than 25 years in global community development, Patel has led large-scale initiatives in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the U.S. for organizations such as the American Red Cross. His career reflects a commitment to building healthier, more resilient communities through partnerships that drive systemic change. About Common Threads Common Threads is a nationally recognized nonprofit that champions better community health through the transformative power of food. For over two decades, we have empowered children and families with cooking and nutrition education to foster lifelong wellness, guided by the belief that access to quality food is a fundamental human right. Operating in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and New York, we have reached over 700,000 participants, partnered with more than 2,200 schools and organizations, and provided over 5 million nourishing meals. Learn more at www.commonthreads.org , and @CommonThreadsOrg ( Instagram , LinkedIn and Facebook ) SOURCE Common Threads Dive into D Smoke's latest musical offering as he navigates his dreamstate and reality featuring collaborations with Snoop Dogg, BJ The Chicago Kid, Lucky Daye, and LaRussell. LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- D Smoke, 3x-GRAMMY-nominated artist, announces his third studio album "Wake Up Supa," via WoodWorks Record & Death Row Records available August 26, 2025, on all streaming platforms. The album takes fans on an introspective journey blending dreamstate and reality, featuring singles like "No Passes," "Na Na Na," and "Frequency," which capture themes of awakening and introspection. Wake Up Supa (Album Cover). Known for layered rhymes in English and Spanish, Inglewood native D Smoke delivers heartfelt narratives. "Wake Up Supa" acts as a window into his perspective and self-awareness, offering 14 tracks with distinctive cultural reflections through features from Snoop Dogg, Lucky Daye, Tiffany Gouche, JANE HANDCOCK, PJ Morton, and others. D Smoke embarks on an 18-city North America Tour in October just as he reprises his role as "Raphael" on season 4 of Mayor of Kingstown showcasing his continued evolution since winning Netflix's Rhythm + Flow. "Wake Up Supa" is a cultural exploration, solidifying D Smoke's vital voice as a pivotal music industry figure. Pre-save the album on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon. Tour details: DSmokeMusic.com/tour WATCH: D Smoke Justin Credible Freestyle (Power 106) | A Color Show: D Smoke (COLORSxSTUDIOS) About Daniel "D Smoke" Farris Hailing from Inglewood, California, D Smoke personifies the city's potent cultural duality nurtured by urban terrain and a family's gospel music legacy. Gaining fame as the breakout star and winner of Netflix's Rhythm + Flow, he earned 2020 GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist and Best Rap Album. D Smoke first gained global notoriety as champion and undisputed breakout star of Netflix's Rhythm + Flow before going on to garner 2 GRAMMY nominations in 2020 for Best New Artist and Best Rap Album. D Smoke continues to thrive as a lyricist, musician, and social activist. LISTEN: Inglewood High (2019) Black Habits (2020) War & Wonders (2022) Follow D Smoke: - Twitter: @DSMOKE7 - Instagram: @DSMOKE7 - YouTube: YouTube.com/DSmokeMusic - Facebook: Facebook.com/dsmokemusic - TikTok @inglewoodSmoke SOURCE D Smoke DJ Set with Austin Millz, early morning joy, and clean-label sips at Gitano in the heart of NYC this September NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a city known for its late nights and endless bars, a new kind of party is taking center stage: one without alcohol. On Saturday, September 27th, Daybreaker, the global sober dance movement, will team up with clean-label lifestyle brand FlavCity to throw what is set to be the largest sober dance party in U.S. history. Daybreaker and FlavCity Are Throwing the Biggest Sober Dance Party in U.S. History Hosted at Gitano NYC, a lush indooroutdoor jungle oasis in the heart of Manhattan, the event marks a watershed moment in the cultural shift toward wellness and intentional living. With a headline set from Austin Millz, a body-waking workout led by HOUSEWORK's Sydney Miller, and a high-energy crowd fueled by community, not substances, this event is part of Daybreaker's global Have Fun, Be Nice Tour. "This is more than a morning party, it's a cultural reset," said Radha Agrawal, CEO & Co-Founder of Daybreaker. "We're showing that joy, belonging, and human connection are amplified - not dimmed - without alcohol. Partnering with FlavCity makes perfect sense: together we're proving that health and happiness can and should coexist." FlavCity will be sampling its clean-label protein smoothies, electrolytes, and a new category launching later this Fall to offer a taste of the brand's mission to make health deliciously simple and accessible to all. This one-time collaboration brings together two like-minded communities: Daybreaker, championing joy, connection, and intentional living, and FlavCity, dedicated to transparency and real, recognizable ingredients - empowering people to eat better without ever compromising on flavor. Together, they celebrate feeling good from the inside out - merging movement, mindfulness, and ingredient integrity in one uplifting experience. "At FlavCity, we believe that feeling good starts from the inside out and that wellness should be fun, delicious, and accessible to everyone. Partnering with Daybreaker is the perfect way to bring that mission to life. There's nothing more energizing than starting your day with movement, community, and real ingredients that actually fuel you to feel your best - on and off the dance floor," said Bobby Parrish, Founder of FlavCity and Creator. This event will signify Daybreaker's largest USA event of 2025. It arrives on the heels of Daybreaker's first-ever festival at Hackney Bridge in East London, which brought together thousands of members of its vibrant global community who seek joy, human connection, and movement without the influence of alcohol. In today's culture, where wellness and mindfulness are increasingly valued, Daybreaker champions the importance of sober celebration as a way to experience deeper presence, authentic connection, and the simple euphoria of living in the moment. The event will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Gitano NYC, located at Pier 17, 89 South Street, New York, NY 10038. Guests can secure their spot by purchasing tickets at https://www.daybreaker.com/event/new-york-09-27/ About FlavCity FlavCity is on a mission to make healthy choices understandable, approachable, fun, and craveably delicious. Founded by trusted clean eating advocate Bobby Parrish, the brand is built on a foundation of ingredient transparency, offering real food protein smoothies, functional beverages, and supplements crafted with integrity and high-quality ingredients. Beginning on YouTube with a mission of helping people understand their ingredients, the brand has since taken on a life itself and evolved to offer its own line of products that meet those same high standards for its loyal community of millions. FlavCity empowers people to eat better, shop smarter, and take control of their health, without ever compromising on taste. Products are available nationwide on ShopFlavCity.com and Amazon. ABOUT DAYBREAKER Daybreaker is a global movement of over 800,000 spirited individuals breaking day with dance, energy, and joy across 64 cities worldwide. Founded by social entrepreneur Radha Agrawal, Daybreaker aims to eliminate loneliness and instill collective joy through dance, play, and connection. From its humble beginnings in NYC to its current global presence, Daybreaker continues to grow, reflecting its core values of wellness, camaraderie, self-expression, mindfulness, and mischief. As a minority woman-owned business, Daybreaker champions inclusivity, ensuring a multigenerational dance floor open to all. https://www.daybreaker.com/ https://www.instagram.com/dybrkr https://www.facebook.com/dybrkr PRESS CONTACTS: Jon Bleicher - Prospect PR, [email protected], 973-330-1711 Jamie Warner - ICA, [email protected], 914-960-3559 SOURCE FlavCity; Daybreaker Britain ready to deploy up to 30,000 troops in Ukraine off the frontline - media European officials met on Tuesday to discuss a plan to send British and French troops to Ukraine as part of a peace deal, including the number and position of troops, Bloomberg reported, citing its own informed sources. "A gathering of European officials on Tuesday focused on a plan to send British and French troops to Ukraine as part of a peace agreement, including the size and position of military personnel, according to people familiar with the matter. About 10 countries would be ready to send forces to the war-battered nation, they said on condition of anonymity," the publication writes. The next part of the plan involves a so-called American backstop, which would facilitate intelligence sharing, border surveillance, weapons and, possibly, air defense. At the same time, the nature of any US support remains unclear. " While European leaders heralded the White House meeting as a breakthrough, pointing to Trumps stand on guarantees, several officials said they remain skeptical about the prospect of a peace deal and whether guarantees will be enough to deter Putin," the report said. According to the publication, a total of about ten countries are ready to send troops to Ukraine. It is reported that European military representatives will meet with their American counterparts in the coming days to clarify "reliable security guarantees and prepare for the deployment of support forces if the fighting stops." The talks will include NATO's supreme commander in Europe, as well as the heads of defense departments of member states, sources familiar with the matter said. The British The Guardian writes that the Chief of the Defense Staff of the United Kingdom Tony Radakin will visit the Pentagon on Wednesday to finalize the fact that 30 different countries are ready to make commitments to Ukraine's national security. " Radakin is expected to confirm the UK will provide soldiers to help with logistical support and training, but not deploy them close to Russia. Officials had been talking about deploying as many as 30,000 troops to protect Ukrainian sites, but that has been scaled back amid opposition from some European countries," the report said. An unnamed British official told the newspaper that Radakin will reiterate promises made last week by the UK Defense Secretary, John Healy, who said the UK was ready to deploy troops to Ukraine "to ensure safe skies, safe seas and strengthen Ukrainian forces." "Wednesday is a really important moment. Nothing happens in Washington without the president giving the green light, so Trump giving his support to security guarantees on Monday kickstarted a lot of activity," another British official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. They said ministers see it as logistical and training support, not as sending battalions of troops to the front lines that could see them in combat. Wednesday's meetings are seen in Europe as a crucial step towards a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, which British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said will only be possible if the United States is prepared to provide security guarantees. Some experts say European leaders do not expect Vladimir Putin to agree to even such a limited deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine, and that European leaders are considering isolating the Russian president. But British officials insist that is not the case, and that Britain and its partners are seriously preparing to send troops to the country if needed. The Halstead, a new 55-plus active adult community will bring hybrid villa living, with priority reservations beginning Aug. 20. KALAMAZOO, Mich., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Heritage Community of Kalamazoo announces the purchase of 13.35 acres of land in Texas Township for $1.2 million, where it plans to develop The Halstead, a new 55-plus active adult community. The Halstead by Heritage Community of Kalamazoo will bring upscale villa homes to the market, designed around a newer housing concept: hybrid living. These hybrid villas will combine the convenience of apartment-style living, with the space of a townhome design. Phase one of community development is anticipated to include 60 villas, with the potential for a total of up to 105 in the future. Offering maintenance-free lifestyles and the room to live comfortably and actively, this unique entrance-fee development will offer retirees and soon-to-be retirees care for life should they need it later in life. Emphasizing both luxury and sustainability, every villa home will be a corner unit and feature an open-concept layout with two bedrooms or two bedrooms plus a den, ranging from 1,400 to 2,200 square feet. The expansive floor plans will allow for abundant natural light and include high-end kitchens, energy-efficient appliances, premium finishes and modern design throughout. "This marks the start of a meaningful new chapter for Heritage," said Julie Deppner, president & CEO of Heritage Community of Kalamazoo. "Since 1945, we've thoughtfully renovated and evolved our existing campus over the years but this marks the first time we're opening an entirely new, satellite community. With the introduction of The Halstead's hybrid villa homes, we're embracing a forward-thinking approach to living that reflects the needs of today's active, 55 and better adults." The Halstead's priority program will launch on Aug. 20, offering prospective residents a range of incentives and benefits. Those who place a fully refundable $1,000 deposit will receive early access to floor plans, priority selection of home location ahead of the general public and preferred pricing. Priority members will also be invited to a number of member-only receptions, programs and seminars. "People are retiring differently in 2025 and beyond," said Matt Shankle, vice president of marketing & business development at Heritage Community of Kalamazoo. "There are a lot of new ways to live active, healthy, engaged, independent lifestyles for longer periods of time, and The Halstead is part of that new frontier in retirement living." Located just west of the Q Avenue and 8th Street intersection in the area known as Texas Corners, the new community will be surrounded by a thriving neighborhood, just steps from a range of amenities, shopping, and dining, and only seven miles from Heritage Community of Kalamazoo at 2300 Portage Street. As a Life Plan Community, Heritage Community of Kalamazoo offers all levels of senior living independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and home care. The life care contract that guarantees care for residents will be part of The Halstead's entrance fee plan. The Halstead is expected to open in 2028. For more information or to join the priority program, visit HeritageCommunity.com/Texas-Township or call (269) 238-0862. About Heritage Community of Kalamazoo Heritage Community of Kalamazoo is a premier Life Plan Community located in Kalamazoo's historic Milwood neighborhood. As the only locally owned and operated, non-profit senior living residence in the area, the community offers a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing & rehabilitation and home care. Founded in 1945, Heritage is the largest and oldest continuum of care community in Southwest Michigan. At Heritage Community, the future of independent senior living meets the leading edge of health and wellness. Media Contact: Rick Chambers 269.873.5820 [email protected] SOURCE Heritage Community of Kalamazoo A first for any global airline, members can choose how they earn points and status points when they fly with us by distance traveled, price paid or segments flown The #1 airline rewards program is getting even better: Atmos Rewards members enjoy industry-leading generosity with even more ways to earn and redeem points for travel adventures around the globe Unleash the full power of Atmos Rewards with our new premium credit card, the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card, offering a Global Companion Award and an even faster way to earn status Alaska ushers in a new era of inflight connectivity with the installation of ultra-fast Starlink Wi-Fi, free for Atmos Rewards members beginning in 2026 SEATTLE, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On a mission to transform global travel, Alaska Airlines launched Atmos Rewards today our evolved, supercharged loyalty program that unifies the best of Mileage Plan and Hawaiian Airlines' HawaiianMiles into a combined platform to deliver more choice, more rewards and more global access than ever before for our members. Introducing Atmos Rewards Introducing Atmos Rewards Atmos Rewards continues the generosity that Mileage Plan has long been known for. Alaska has the #1 airline rewards program according to U.S. News & World Report. And it's getting even better. Atmos Rewards offers new ways to earn valuable points across an extensive worldwide network spanning over 1,000 destinations, connected by the strength of Alaska, Hawaiian and more than 30 global airline partners, including the oneworld alliance. We've also assembled a rich collection of partners to earn points with when our members are not flying. Atmos Rewards is the global airline program that encourages members to tailor the program to their travel style and choose what matters most to them, from flexible point-earning options to preferred perks and personalized benefits in the new Atmos Communities. "Atmos Rewards is more than a loyalty program it's a reflection of how guests travel today," said Andrew Harrison, chief commercial officer at Alaska Airlines. "We listened to what our members value most and built a program that's grounded in generosity, personalization and practicality. We're putting our members in the pilot's seat, giving them control over how they earn and redeem, while honoring the legacy and values of both Alaska and Hawaiian." The power of choice, points that go further and greater access to the world Choose among three ways to earn: We're introducing a first for a global airline that gives our members ultimate flexibility. Later in 2026, points and status points can be earned in one of three ways when flying with us. Members can select the earning option that works best for them and change their preference once a year: Distance traveled: Earn based on how far you go with one point for every mile flown. For thrifty travelers who take cross-country or international trips, this might be the best choice. Price paid: Earn five points for every $1 spent when purchasing a flight. This includes airfare and upgrades purchased in premium cabins. For travelers flying in our premium cabins, including our lie-flat suites, this might be the best choice. Segments flown: Earn a flat 500 points for each flight segment flown. For flyers who take numerous short-distance flights, such as those between Neighbor Islands in Hawai`i or within California , this option guarantees a set number of points on every trip. We're introducing a first for a global airline that gives our members ultimate flexibility. Later in 2026, points and status points can be earned in one of three ways when flying with us. Members can select the earning option that works best for them and change their preference once a year: Reward yourself : We keep adding new ways for members to use their valuable points to see the world. They can redeem points for award travel to more than 1,000 destinations on Alaska , Hawaiian and 30+ global airline partners, including one world member airlines. Redemptions start at only 4,500 points one-way. : We keep adding new ways for members to use their valuable points to see the world. They can redeem points for award travel to more than 1,000 destinations on , Hawaiian and 30+ global airline partners, including world member airlines. Redemptions start at only 4,500 points one-way. We're installing Starlink across the entire Alaska fleet: Alaska and Hawaiian will add Starlink inflight connectivity to more planes, bringing the fastest Wi-Fi in the skies to even more flights. Alaska has teamed up with T-Mobile to make this new Wi-Fi service free exclusively for Atmos Rewards members. Installations on Alaska's fleet will begin in 2026 and be completed in 2027. and Hawaiian will add Starlink inflight connectivity to more planes, bringing the fastest Wi-Fi in the skies to even more flights. has teamed up with T-Mobile to make this new Wi-Fi service free exclusively for Atmos Rewards members. Installations on fleet will begin in 2026 and be completed in 2027. More partners, more points: Atmos Rewards members can now earn 2 points for every $1 spent on everyday Lyft rides, and 3 points for every $1 spent on airport and elevated Lyft rides. Link your Atmos Rewards and Lyft accounts at alaskalyft.com to earn more points wherever you go. Later this year, we'll add more partners to our lineup. Book stays : Explore nearly a million hotels and vacation rentals worldwide where you can earn or redeem points. Atmos Rewards Unlocked : Points can also be used to secure tickets to unique events and travel experiences available only to Atmos Rewards members. Atmos Rewards members can now earn 2 points for every spent on everyday Lyft rides, and 3 points for every spent on airport and elevated Lyft rides. Link your Atmos Rewards and Lyft accounts at alaskalyft.com to earn more points wherever you go. Later this year, we'll add more partners to our lineup. Endless earning: Points and status points are earned on flights with us and our partners, as well as through routine purchases with the Atmos Rewards Visa credit cards and Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard credit cards* and on purchases made with our non-airline partners. Members can also earn status points when they book award travel. Points are used for various redemptions, and status points track progress toward reaching status and milestones. Points and status points are earned on flights with us and our partners, as well as through routine purchases with the Atmos Rewards Visa credit cards and Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard credit cards* and on purchases made with our non-airline partners. Members can also earn status points when they book award travel. Points are used for various redemptions, and status points track progress toward reaching status and milestones. The power of our new premium card: With our new Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card, co-branded with Bank of America, cardholders can reach status and milestones even faster by earning 1 status point for every $2 spent on purchases. With our new Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card, co-branded with Bank of America, cardholders can reach status and milestones even faster by earning 1 status point for every spent on purchases. Milestones unleash perks : Rewards come earlier and more often when members reach milestones with their status points. Each milestone unlocks a choice of perks starting at just 10,000 status points. : Rewards come earlier and more often when members reach milestones with their status points. Each milestone unlocks a choice of perks starting at just 10,000 status points. More generous upgrades are on the way: For our Atmos Titanium members, we'll be the only U.S. airline to offer complimentary, day-of-departure upgrades into global Business Class for them and a companion without requiring points or a certificate. Also, status holders and one companion can take advantage of complimentary upgrades on Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America beginning next spring. For our Atmos Titanium members, we'll be the only U.S. airline to offer complimentary, day-of-departure upgrades into global Business Class for them and a companion without requiring points or a certificate. Also, status holders and one companion can take advantage of complimentary upgrades on Hawaiian Airlines flights within beginning next spring. With new Atmos Communities, pick a group and enjoy extra benefits: All members can choose to be part of Atmos Communities later in 2026 with exclusive benefits tailored to what interests them most. Options include groups unique to members within a specific area of residence, like our popular Huakai by Hawaiian for Hawai'i residents and Club 49 for residents of the state of Alaska (available now), or benefits aligned with interests like travel with families, wellness and more. "Atmos Rewards is designed to set a new standard for airline loyalty more generous, more flexible and easier to use, whether members are flying across the globe or just across the Islands. With the combination of Alaska and Hawaiian, we seized a rare opportunity to imagine how we could make the most generous loyalty program even better," said Brett Catlin, vice president of loyalty, alliances and sales at Alaska Airlines. "With industry-first features like customizable ways to earn and unique benefits tailored to how people travel, we're giving our guests more control, more value and more reasons to engage." What you need to know As of today, Mileage Plan members are now Atmos Rewards members. They retain their existing account numbers with no interruption to their benefits there's nothing they need to do. With Atmos Rewards, Mileage Plan miles are now 'points' and elite-qualifying miles are referred to as 'status points.' One Mileage Plan or HawaiianMiles mile = one Atmos Rewards point. The value of points does not change, and points do not expire. Members can continue to redeem for travel on Alaska , Hawaiian and our global partners. , Hawaiian and our global partners. HawaiianMiles members and all their miles will automatically transition into Atmos Rewards on Oct. 1 . They will receive a new account number if they have not previously linked their HawaiianMiles account to a Mileage Plan account. We have more details for HawaiianMiles members here. . They will receive a new account number if they have not previously linked their HawaiianMiles account to a Mileage Plan account. We have more details for HawaiianMiles members here. Alaska Airlines Visa cards are being rebranded as Atmos Rewards Visa cards. Account numbers and benefits remain the same. Use of the cards and benefits will continue without interruption there's no action for cardholders to take. The Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard* continues unchanged. The card name and benefits stay the same, and cardmembers do not need to take any action. We'll remain the only U.S. airline that offers points for miles flown, but later in 2026, members will be able to choose how they earn points: by distance traveled, price paid or segments flown. For members who have status with us, benefits stay the same with more on the way. Learn more about the new Atmos tier names and updates to earning status here. More about Atmos Rewards The Atmos Rewards name is designed to inspire wonder. It's a play on "atmosphere," embodying an elevated brand that takes travelers to new heights through a visual identity reminiscent of an airplane window, inspiring flyers to dream. The soft gradients, smoothly transitioning in color and intensity, harmoniously weave together the blue of Alaska and the purple and pink of Hawaiian. The name also cues a promise of "most" demonstrating the 11 years of Alaska's Mileage Plan being named the number one airline loyalty program and cueing more rewards, more destinations and more choice. Visit atmosrewards.com to learn even more about our new loyalty program. And follow us on our new Atmos Rewards social channels: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn and YouTube. Our credit card programs A perfect complement to Atmos Rewards is our new premium credit card: the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card. It features exclusive travel perks, including a unique Global Companion Award that can be redeemed on our partners and in premium cabins, accelerated points and status earning potential, Alaska Lounge passes, and other benefits designed to elevate every step of the journey. Learn more about all the benefits at AtmosRewards.com/SummitCard. The card has an annual fee of $395**. The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card and Alaska Airlines Visa Business card are being rebranded to Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature card and Atmos Rewards Visa Business card. Alaska's Famous Companion Fare will now be our $99 Companion Fare. Account numbers remain the same, and cardholders will continue to enjoy all the same benefits and earning power with Atmos Rewards. Current cardholders will receive an Atmos Rewards-branded credit card, featuring the new name and design, when their current card expires. Eligible Atmos Rewards Visa cardholders have access to select benefits across both airlines, including a free checked bag, the $99 Companion Fare, and 3x points on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases. For Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard cardmembers, there is also no interruption in service or use of benefits now or upon the HawaiianMiles transition to Atmos Rewards on Oct. 1. Cardmembers enjoy select benefits across both airlines, including two free checked bags on eligible flights and 3x points on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases. Our growing global gateway in Seattle Alaska continues to expand internationally with new flights from our hometown airport in Seattle where we're the largest carrier to Rome, London and Reykjavik, Iceland. Nonstop service to those European markets is scheduled to begin in spring 2026. We currently fly from Seattle to Tokyo Narita, with flights to Seoul Incheon starting Sept. 12. By 2030, we plan to serve 12 intercontinental destinations from Seattle. To support Alaska's transformation, we're establishing a 787-9 hub in Seattle that will deploy as many as 17 787s across our global network. * Hawaiian credit cards continue to earn HawaiianMiles until Oct. 1, 2025. **Terms and conditions apply. These credit card programs are issued and administered by Bank of America, N.A. Visa, Visa Signature and Visa Infinite are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association and are used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. About Alaska Air Group Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, with McGee Air Services a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. We'll serve new destinations in Europe beginning in spring 2026: Rome, London and Reykjavik, Iceland. Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance with Hawaiian scheduled to join in 2026. With oneworld and our additional global partners, guests can earn and redeem points for travel to over 1,000 worldwide destinations. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Learn more about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK." SOURCE Alaska Airlines Kapital is stepping in to acquire fully vetted assets from Intercam, following a rigorous process of analyzing and identifying non-toxic assets by K2 Integrity, a premier financial risk and forensic advisory firm. Kapital is engaging constructively with U.S. Treasury and Mexican government officials to ensure the transaction is aligned with their priorities. Kapital's next-generation compliance systems integrate AI-enabled AML/CFT protocols with rigorous KYC due diligence, customer risk assessments, and continuous monitoring to prevent illicit activity. Upon closing, Kapital will invest $100 million to strengthen operations and compliance and expand client offerings through technological innovation and AI-driven insights. MEXICO CITY, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kapital Bank ("Kapital"), a global financial institution, today announced it will acquire Grupo Financiero Intercam's brokerage, asset management, and operational banking assets, as announced by the Mexican government on August 19, 2025. To safeguard the integrity of this transaction, Kapital and Intercam have engaged K2 Integrity, a premier risk advisory and forensic diligence firm, to review and validate the assets. This process ensures that only fully vetted, non-toxic assets are included in the acquisition. The proposed acquisition is subject to the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements as well as customary regulatory approvals. Importantly, Kapital is engaged in constructive discussions with both the U.S. Treasury and Mexican government officials to ensure the transaction is fully aligned with their priorities. Key approvals have already been obtained, including from the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV). Kapital's next-generation compliance systems are powered by AI-enabled Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) protocols. These systems combine advanced data analytics with a comprehensive compliance framework that includes rigorous KYC due diligence, customer risk assessments, ongoing transaction monitoring, and restricted party screening. Leveraging data from Mexico's SAT electronic invoice system, Kapital proactively screens customers, counterparties, and transactions to identify and prevent illicit finance. Kapital's compliance program is designed to meet the highest global standards. Its controls are fully aligned with international AML/CFT requirements, including OFAC standards, while providing transparency and accountability to regulators, investors, and clients. None of Intercam's compliance personnel will be joining the bank. Kapital provides capital to small- and medium-sized businesses while also offering clients visibility into operations, cash flows, loan management, payroll, benefits, and invoicing. The company was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer in both 2024 and 2025. Kapital was named to CNBC's Disruptor 50 list in 2024. "Kapital Bank was founded to transform how businesses access financial services, using AI and technology to automate and streamline processes. We are proud to step in to acquire these assets at this critical moment and are pleased to be in active discussions with the U.S. Treasury. This acquisition will position us among the top 15 banks in Mexico, firmly establishing Kapital as the leading banking partner for businesses in the country," said Rene Saul, co-founder and CEO of Kapital Bank. Upon closing, Kapital will invest $100 million USD into Kapital's banking operations. The investment will reinforce operations and ensure obligations to clients and investors are fulfilled. Intercam's clients will continue using their regular products and channels, now with improved compliance and efficiency due to Kapital's best-in-class technology and AI, automation, and operational intelligence. Kapital is incorporated in Delaware, backed by U.S. institutional investors including Tribe Capital, Cervin Ventures, and Tru Arrow. The transaction will yield Kapital approximately 180,000 additional clients, including 800,000 pensioners. Following the transaction, Kapital will serve close to 300,000 customers and manage over $3 billion in assets for customers in the U.S., Mexico, and Colombia. About Kapital Bank Kapital Bank is a global financial institution transforming business access to capital through its advanced technology platform. With operations in Mexico and Colombia, it offers innovative and accessible business solutions driven by artificial intelligence. Kapital enables companies to manage operations, loans, and cash flow efficiently, giving them the competitive edge of large corporationsat a fraction of the cost. www.kapital.mx SOURCE Kapital NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Six years into a $100 million lawsuit brought by Kasowitz LLP on behalf of fintech pioneer FinancialApps, LLC against defendants Envestnet, Inc. and Yodlee, Inc. for trade secret misappropriation, tortious interference, and unfair competition, a Special Master appointed by the Delaware District Court has recommended formal sanctions against both Envestnet (recently acquired by Bain Capital) and Yodlee (recently acquired by STG Partners), to address their intentional spoliation of evidence. Defendants were found to have acted with the "intent to deprive" FinancialApps of "highly relevant" logging data generated by software known as "Papertrail," which "would have likely [provided] some of the best evidence" of Defendants' alleged misconduct. On December 10, 2024, Judge Jennifer L. Hall of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware appointed Chad S.C. Stover as Special Master to provide a Report and Recommendation for the resolution of the parties' competing spoliation Motions. On August 20, 2025, Special Master Stover's Report and Recommendation was publicly filed, recommending that the District Court grant the portion of FinancialApps' motion related to the spoliation of Papertrail data, and deny Defendants' motion entirely. A copy of Special Master Stover's Report and Recommendation may be found here: https://www.kasowitz.com/media/iwwnr3th/finapps-spoliation-report-and-recommendation.pdf. The Kasowitz LLP team representing FinancialApps is led by partners Marc E. Kasowitz, Matthew A. Kraus, and A. Macdonald Caputo, Jr., and includes associates Joshua Marks, Frank Piacenti, and Kathleen Kennedy. About Kasowitz LLP Kasowitz LLP is a leading national law firm with a core focus on commercial litigation, complemented by exceptionally strong bankruptcy/restructuring and real estate transactional practices. Kasowitz is known for its creative, aggressive litigators and willingness to take on tough cases. The firm has extensive trial experience and is always trial-ready, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in every area of litigation. Kasowitz is committed to pursuing aggressive and innovative approaches to its clients' most challenging legal matters. Headquartered in New York City, the firm also has offices in Atlanta, Boulder, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.kasowitz.com. Contact: Shannon O'Reilly 212-547-1290 [email protected] SOURCE Kasowitz LLP NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lanvin Group (NYSE: LANV, the "Group"), a global luxury fashion group, will release its unaudited results for the first half of 2025 on Friday, August 29, 2025. On the same day, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (8:00 p.m. China Standard Time), the Group will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the released results and provide an outlook for the second half of 2025. Management will refer to a slide presentation during the call, which will be made available on the day of the call. To view the presentation, please visit the "Events" tab of the Group's investor relations website at https://ir.lanvin-group.com. All participants who would like to join the conference call must pre-register using the link provided below. Once the registration is complete, participants will receive dial-in numbers, a passcode, and a registrant ID which can be used to join the conference call. Participants may register at any time, including up to and after the call starts. Registration Link: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10202336/ffc7b43240 Additionally, an archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Group's investor relations website at https://ir.lanvin-group.com. A replay of the conference call will be accessible approximately one hour after the live call until September 5, 2025, by dialing the following numbers: US Toll Free: 1-877-344-7529 International Toll: 1-412-317-0088 Canada Toll Free: 855-669-9658 Replay Access Code: 6290073 Additionally, a recording of the call will be available on the investor relations website. About Lanvin Group Lanvin Group is a leading global luxury fashion group headquartered in Shanghai, China and Milan, Italy, managing iconic brands worldwide including Lanvin, Wolford, Sergio Rossi, St. John Knits, and Caruso. Harnessing the power of its unique strategic alliance of industry-leading partners in the luxury fashion sector, Lanvin Group strives to expand the global footprint of its portfolio brands and achieve sustainable growth through strategic investment and extensive operational know-how, combined with an intimate understanding and unparalleled access to the fastest-growing luxury fashion markets in the world. For more information about Lanvin Group, please visit www.lanvin-group.com, and to view our investor presentation, please visit www.lanvin-group.com/investor-relation/. SOURCE LANVIN GROUP Applications will be accepted beginning September 1 Pediatric wellness support for Stark County families $50,000 in grants available CANTON, Ohio, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty HealthShare, in collaboration with the Canton Repository, has announced the opening of applications for the Sharing Hearts Fund for Pediatric Wellness, a charitable arm of the healthcare sharing ministry that provides support to Stark County families with medical needs related to pediatric wellness. These important wellness procedures include physical exams, dental exams and teeth cleaning, vision exams and eyeglasses, and hearing tests. The Sharing Hearts Fund awarded more than $17,000 in grants in July to five Stark County families. More than $50,000 is available in this second round of funding. "We were blessed to have had the opportunity to help these deserving children with their medical and dental needs," said Dorsey Morrow, Liberty HealthShare chief executive officer. "It was heartening to read the responses from our awardees as they shared how this funding will make a difference in their child's life." Morrow said he expects the second round of grants to support even more families due to changes that make it easier for applicants to find medical providers to perform the funded procedures. "We are thankful for the assistance of several community partners who are helping with our outreach to families in need of this financial support," Morrow said. Families seeking funding will go through a simple application process during which they will identify their needed procedure and explain their financial need. The application will be available on the Sharing Hearts Fund website at www.libertyhealthshare.org/sharing-hearts beginning September 1. Paper applications will also be available at Liberty HealthShare, 4455 Hills & Dales Rd. NW, Canton, Ohio 44708. All applications received by 5 p.m. on September 30 will be considered for this second round of funding. Grant requests will be reviewed by the Sharing Hearts Fund's Application Review Committee, made up of Stark County leaders who work in fields related to the well-being of residents, including representatives from social service agencies and churches. In addition to Morrow and Amy Hagan, Liberty HealthShare vice president of medical services, committee members include Jenn Warner, executive director, Legacy Project of Stark County; Scott Schnyders, chief executive officer, Refuge of Hope; Amanda Anschutz, president, Compassion Delivered, and Rev. Walter Moss, retired senior pastor, Canton Foursquare Church. All dollars awarded are generated through donations and grants that are separate and distinct from the operational funding of the Liberty HealthShare ministry. Anyone wishing to support the Sharing Hearts Fund can make tax deductible donations on Liberty HealthShare's website. For more information about the Sharing Hearts Fund, contact Diana Willey at (330) 942-0268 or [email protected]. Established in 1995, Liberty HealthShare provides a cost-effective, faith-based alternative to health insurance. Members enjoy the freedom to choose their own providers while participating in a compassionate, Christian community. Transparency and stewardship are central, with programs tailored for families, seniors, and individuals. Liberty HealthShare is a non-profit 501(c) (3) charitable Christian medical cost-sharing ministry focused on members helping each other in times of need. The faith-based program, which facilitates healthsharing for its members, is a caring community of health-conscious individuals and families who choose to support one another and agree to the Christian values of stewardship to make healthcare affordable for all. It is the only healthsharing ministry to have earned both a 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator and a 2025 GuideStar Gold Seal from Candid, the nation's leading non-profit evaluators, for its operational excellence, transparency, and accountability. Liberty HealthShare is not an insurance company nor is it offered through an insurance company. Liberty HealthShare's Sharing Programs do not guarantee or promise that a member's medical bills will be paid or assigned to others for payment. Whether anyone chooses to pay a member's medical bills will be totally voluntary. As such, Liberty HealthShare's Sharing Programs should never be considered as a substitute for an insurance policy. Whether a member receives any payments for medical expenses and whether or not Liberty HealthShare continues to operate, the member is always liable for any unpaid bills. SOURCE Liberty HealthShare Transaction Reduces Nabors Net Debt by More Than 25% HAMILTON, Bermuda, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nabors Industries Ltd. ("Nabors" or the "Company") (NYSE: NBR) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Nabors' Quail Tools, LLC ("Quail") subsidiary to Superior Energy Services, Inc. ("Superior"). Net consideration for the sale totals $600 million plus adjustments for net working capital. Consideration is comprised of cash of $375 million and a seller note of $250 million. The Company expects to incur cash taxes on the sale of approximately $5 million, after using net operating loss carryforwards. The transaction will close today. Quail is a leading provider of high-performance downhole tubulars to the U.S. oil and gas drilling market. Superior also provides rental tubulars, to both the U.S. and international markets. The transaction includes a Preferred Supplier Agreement under which Superior will be the preferred supplier of rental drill pipe and related products to Nabors. Since the close of the Parker transaction, the performance of Quail has exceeded Nabors' expectations even in challenging market conditions. Nabors currently estimates that Quail will generate adjusted EBITDA of approximately $150 million in 2025, excluding any synergies that Superior may realize. Anthony Petrello, Chairman, President & CEO of Nabors, commented, "In Superior, we believe Dave Lesar and his talented team will enable Quail to achieve even greater success. The combined company will be the premier provider in both the U.S. land and offshore tubular rental space, and there are substantial additional synergy opportunities. "This deal is your textbook win-win for both parties. "We are retaining the balance of the portfolio that we acquired from Parker Wellbore, which includes tubular running services in the U.S. and Middle East, drilling rigs, and rig operations and management contracts ("O&M"). This portfolio is already making a solid contribution to our results, and we expect further improvement as we realize targeted cost synergies." Financial Rationale Original Parker Transaction At the close of the Parker acquisition in March, Nabors estimated that for the full-year 2025, the Parker business would earn adjusted EBITDA of $150 million and incur capital expenditures of $80 million. The Company also expected to realize post-acquisition synergies of $40 million, resulting in free cash flow to Nabors of $80 million in 2025. To fund the acquisition, Nabors issued 4.8 million common shares at $37.50 per share and assumed approximately $93 million in net debt, as defined in the merger agreement. Total consideration of approximately $273 million was equivalent to 1.6 times expected 2025 adjusted EBITDA, including acquisition costs of $39 million and targeted synergies. Acceleration of free cash flow Upon full realization of the net proceeds from this transaction, Nabors will be accelerating more than five years of anticipated free cash flow from the combined Parker businesses. Strengthens Nabors Balance Sheet Upon full realization of the sale proceeds, Nabors expects net debt to decline by $625 million. As of June 30, 2025, Nabors reported long-term debt of $2.7 billion, and net debt of $2.3 billion. This transaction is expected to facilitate a reduction in net debt of more than 25%, and deliver annual interest savings in excess of $50 million, enhancing Nabors' financial flexibility. Additional Upside from Profitable and Growing Retained Businesses Following the divestiture, Nabors will retain the drilling rig, O&M, and tubular running services operations acquired from Parker. Shortly following the close of the Parker acquisition, in the second quarter, Nabors completed the sale of idle Parker rig assets generating cash proceeds of approximately $35 million. Nabors expects the retained businesses to generate full-year 2025 adjusted EBITDA at a run rate of at least $55 million including realized 2025 post-closing synergies. Net Positive Impact from Parker Acquisition and the Quail Disposition The combined net effect of the Parker and Quail transactions to Nabors' legacy (pre- Parker) business is summarized as follows: Attributing proceeds of $625 million to the 4.8 million Nabors common shares issued, would result in a share issuance value of approximately $130 per share. Additionally, the retained businesses are expected to contribute more than $55 million annual run-rate adjusted EBITDA. The implied net cost of acquiring this retained business is the assumed $93 million net debt, plus transaction costs of $39 million , less the $35 million in realized proceeds from asset sales, which totals $97 million and represents 1.8 times adjusted EBITDA. The retained business yields, at Nabors current valuation multiple (3.7 times 2025 consensus estimated EBITDA), additional implied equity value of $107 million , which translates into an additional $22 per issued share. Mr. Petrello noted, "We would like to recognize the talented and dedicated Quail Tools team. They have built the leading franchise in the space. Their outstanding record of performance and strong customer base position them well for the future. These attributes made our decision to sell Quail a difficult one. However, the metrics of this transaction are clear. This divestiture creates significant value for our shareholders." About Nabors Industries Nabors Industries (NYSE: NBR) is a leading provider of advanced technology for the energy industry. With presence in more than 20 countries, Nabors has established a global network of people, technology and equipment to deploy solutions that deliver safe, efficient and responsible energy production. By leveraging its core competencies, particularly in drilling, engineering, automation, data science and manufacturing, Nabors aims to innovate the future of energy and enable the transition to a lower-carbon world. Learn more about Nabors and its energy technology leadership: www.nabors.com. Advisors Nabors engaged Haynes Boone as legal counsel in connection with the transaction. Forward-looking Statements The information included in this press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, as disclosed by Nabors from time to time in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of these factors, Nabors' actual results may differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect management's estimates and beliefs as of the date of this press release. Nabors does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements. Non-GAAP Disclaimer This press release presents certain "non-GAAP" financial measures. The components of these non-GAAP measures are computed by using amounts that are determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). Adjusted EBITDA means income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, interest expense, investment income (loss), gain on bargain purchase, other, net, depreciation and amortization expenses and certain cash expenses. Free cash flow represents net cash provided by operating activities less cash used for capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sales of assets. Net debt is calculated as total debt minus the sum of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments. Each of these non-GAAP measures has limitations and therefore should not be used in isolation or as a substitute for the amounts reported in accordance with GAAP. However, management evaluates the performance of its operating segments and the consolidated Company based on several criteria, including adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow and net debt because it believes that these financial measures accurately reflect the Company's ongoing profitability, performance and liquidity. Securities analysts and investors also use these measures as some of the metrics on which they analyze the Company's performance. Other companies in this industry may compute these measures differently. We do not provide a forward-looking reconciliation of our outlook for adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow or net debt as the amount and significance of items required to develop meaningful comparable GAAP financial measures cannot be estimated at this time without unreasonable efforts. These special items could be meaningful. Investor Contacts: William C. Conroy, CFA, Vice President of Corporate Development & Investor Relations, +1 281-775-2423 or via e-mail [email protected], or Kara K. Peak, Director of Corporate Development & Investor Relations, +1 281-775-4954 or via email [email protected]. To request investor materials, contact Nabors' corporate headquarters in Hamilton, Bermuda at +441-292-1510 or via e-mail [email protected] NABORS INDUSTRIES LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES RECONCILIATION OF NET DEBT TO TOTAL DEBT (Unaudited) (In thousands) June 30, 2025 March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024 Long-term debt $ 2,672,820 $ 2,685,169 $ 2,505,217 Less: Cash and short-term investments 387,355 404,109 397,299 Net Debt $ 2,285,465 $ 2,281,060 $ 2,107,918 SOURCE Nabors Industries Ltd. The Prudential Foundation provides grant to open college savings plans for kindergartners NEWARK, N.J., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As thousands of Newark families are preparing children for their first day of kindergarten in September, a new Newark Public Schools initiative will open college savings accounts for every kindergarten student funded by a $150,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation. District officials and their partners today announced the launch of Newark Saves, a college savings program that creates a college savings accounts for 3,000 incoming Newark kindergartners beginning this school year. The Newark Saves College Savings Program is also made possible through a partnership with the FOCUS Hispanic Center for Community Development. This initiative is aligned with the City of Newark's initiatives aimed at ending poverty among Newark families, including Mayor Ras J. Baraka's Newark Movement for Economic Equity (NMEE). "It's not too soon to start thinking about 2038, when this year's kindergartners will be starting college," Superintendent Leon said. "As more Newark Public Schools students are admitted to higher education institutions every year, the Newark Saves College Savings Program will help reduce cost as a barrier to attending or finishing college." "At Prudential, we believe that financial security is the foundation for living better, longer," said Shane Harris, Prudential's Vice President of Inclusive Solutions and President of the Prudential Foundation. "Through the Newark Saves College program, we're investing in Newark's future by helping families save for post-secondary education, which is a meaningful step toward increasing economic mobility and long-term financial wellness. This initiative reflects our broader commitment to expanding access to financial security in our hometown and around the world." "FOCUS has always been committed to empowering Newark's families with the tools and support they need to thrive," said Maritza Arauz, Executive Director of FOCUS Hispanic Center for Community Development. "Through the Newark Saves College Savings Program, we are proud to help remove financial barriers and open doors to higher education starting in kindergarten. This program is not just about saving for college. It's about affirming that every child in Newark has a future worth investing in." "Newark Public Schools students have shown time and time again that they have what it takes to succeed in college," said Board of Education President Hasani K. Council. "The Newark Saves College Savings Program will help our students and families have what it takes to pay for college. It will help make college education more attainable for our students while helping them avoid heavy student loan debt. Of everything good in financials that this initiative will teach our students, the parental component in this program will be a game changer for their families." "We do our best in Newark to grow our children into well rounded adults with every life opportunity available to them," said Mayor Baraka. "This brilliant innovation helps resident families grow their children's college funds while the students ascend to build on their academic achievements. The awarded seed money, accompanying family financial literacy program and the savings incentives and rewards demonstrate the Prudential Foundation's unshakable commitment to the highest caliber of corporate social responsibility. Newark is blessed to have Prudential as such a long-term, compassionate partner and to have the creative leadership of Superintendent Leon." Superintendent Leon thanked The Prudential Foundation for its generous support and the FOCUS Hispanic Center for Community Development and the Newark Public Schools Foundation for their partnership. Every year, our students prove they're ready for college. Newark Saves is designed to make sure they also have the financial support to finish. Through the program, district families will learn what they can do now to be prepared to pay for their children's college education in the future. About Newark Public Schools The Newark Public Schools is the largest school district in New Jersey and dates back to 1676. The District currently enrolls over 41,000 students in 65 schools. After more than two decades of state operation and upon return to local control in 2018, the District has opened ten new schools under Superintendent Leon's leadership with an additional portfolio of new options to be announced in the coming months and years. The Newark Board of Education serves as a beacon of educational excellence, dedicated to nurturing the potential of every student. With a commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and fostering a love for learning, the District continues to shape future generations and make a positive impact within the community. About Newark Saves The Newark Saves College Savings Program will foster a culture of college savings among families with children entering kindergarten by: Enrolling eligible kindergarten families in 529 college savings accounts with Equitable, a leading financial services company, by the end of the first program year, aiming for 3,000 students in the 2025-2026 academic year, while integrating financial literacy education for families. college savings accounts with Equitable, a leading financial services company, by the end of the first program year, aiming for 3,000 students in the 2025-2026 academic year, while integrating financial literacy education for families. Providing comprehensive financial literacy workshops and college planning sessions at all of the district's elementary schools Parent Liaisons, in collaboration with FOCUS and Equitable, will offer hands-on support to help families navigate the savings process. Developing outreach strategies in multiple languages to effectively engage all eligible families and close awareness gaps. Utilizing social media, digital marketing, newsletters, and conferences to ensure program impact and widespread participation. Each participating family will receive a $25 seed deposit to open their child's 529 college savings account, with opportunities for additional incentive deposits over time for actions such as parents attending parent-teacher conferences, and students maintaining strong attendance or participating in academic enrichment activities. The Newark Saves College Savings Program is part of a broader effort to build a strong "college-going culture" in the city. Research shows that a family's ability to pay for college is one of the strongest predictors of whether a student will graduate. Even modest savings significantly increase the likelihood of both enrollment and completion. For more information about the Newark Saves College Savings Program or how to contribute, visit newarksaves.org SOURCE Newark Board of Education BEIJING, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The year 2025 is the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. During that period, the Nanjing Massacre was one of the darkest moments. On December 13, 1937, Japanese troops captured Nanjing, where they killed over 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers over the following six weeks. This atrocity stands as a national catastrophe for the Chinese people and a great calamity for humanity. Descendants of foreign friends who aided Chinas resistance against Japanese aggression, as well as international media representatives share their observations and perspectives on the Journal of Nanjing Massacre Studies In recent years, a growing number of Chinese publications on the Nanjing Massacre have been translated into foreign languages, presenting historical truths to the global community. Among these publications is the Journal of Nanjing Massacre Studies. This quarterly peer-reviewed journal, distributed both in China and abroad, is co-sponsored by the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders and the Nanjing Press. Since 2019, in collaboration with China International Communications Group, the journal has expanded its reach with English, Japanese and French editions, now circulating in over 50 countries and regions. Readers can find the journal at 420 globally renowned universities and libraries, including Harvard University and The British Library, over 200 Japanese friendship organizations, and more than 140 overseas book retailers. Beijing Review interviewed descendants of foreign friends who aided China's resistance against Japanese aggression, as well as international media representatives, on this topic. Below are their observations and perspectives: Michael Crook, Son of the China Friendship Medal winner Isabel Crook, Chair of International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives Being mindful of the past is not in order to perpetuate hatred or seek revenge, but to learn from history and face the future, strive for peace, lasting peace. This is also what I expect from the Journal of Nanjing Massacre Studies. I flipped through a couple of issues, which contained research on foreign friends who helped save Chinese people during the Nanjing Massacre, such as [German businessman] John Rabe and Austrian mechanic Rupert Hatz, etc. I found these very good, and I hope more such articles will be published in the future. John Rabe's grandson, Thomas Rabe, is a good friend of mine. I suggest that descendants of international friends who helped publicize the atrocities, or helped rescue Chinese people from the massacre, might be asked to contribute articles, so that more people can understand the history of the Nanjing Massacre. Eric Foster, Nephew of U.S. journalist Helen Foster Snow (1907-97) The Journal of Nanjing Massacre Studies is a very well-documented piece of academic work with all the important references proving its authenticity, this means nobody can honestly speak out against it. The reason I say this is that, four years ago, when I researched this terrible massacre for my soon-to-be-published book, there were still people on the Internet trying to deny that it ever happened. They were still trying to make it controversial. I ended up writing a nine-page article about it as we really want to let more people in the world know about it. I hope that with the publication of this Journal of Nanjing Massacre Studies, more and more people will learn about this important history. Mahnoor Makhdoom, Editor of The Daily Mail, Pakistan I think many people around the world know more about Auschwitz than this. And the Jewish community in general has spent decades promoting and raising awareness about this. You can see countless movies, documentaries, books. So I think the Journal of Nanjing Massacre Studies is an excellent initiative. I learned that it was started a few years ago. I think it has the potential to serve as an excellent platform to raise awareness in the international communities about this atrocity. I think they could use this as a platform to promote more international exchanges, seminars, cooperate with journals in other countries. It's also [available] in different languages, including English. So I'm looking forward to getting more access to it so I can learn more about the history. Einar Tangen, American commentator, Senior researcher of Taihe Institute The Nanjing Massacre is something that I read about in school when I was studying history, both in America and in Great Britain. The Nanjing [Massacre] was the most visible and violent and massive demonstration of the cruelty and inhumanness that can be unleashed by mankind. The Journal of Nanjing Massacre Studies is an important journal. It's very academic. I've gone through many of their articles on a year-by-year basis, and I think they're excellent. They do draw many conclusions, and they talk about a lot of the issues behind the massacre and what happened afterwards. There is a discussion about the legalistic side of it, because I'm a lawyer, it was interesting to me. But many people don't read history, so how are you going to reach them? If you want to reach them, you're going to have to use videos, documentaries, social media. You have to have long form, short form. And language is not enough. You have to show visuals. What you do is you show pictures of Auschwitz, you show pictures in Nanjing, you show pictures of Gaza, and you show them all at the same time, so that people understand it is the same thing. You have to awake the consciousness of the entire world to reach them in ways that they understand. And by doing that, you can seize hold of people's understanding. Then they can give them hope by saying, we can prevent this by not dehumanizing other people. Comments to [email protected] SOURCE Beijing Review Class Action Law Firm Teams Up with Leading Fintech Platform to Help Investors Automatically Collect Settlement Funds STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Silver Golub & Teitell LLP, a leading plaintiffs' class action law firm, today announced a strategic partnership with 11th.com, an innovative fintech platform that helps investors automatically recover securities class action settlements. This collaboration addresses a critical problem in the investment industry: the billions of dollars in settlement funds that go unclaimed each year by eligible investors. Studies show that 97 percent of individual investors and 66 percent of institutional investors fail to collect their share of securities class action settlements. 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"Too many investors are leaving money on the table because they're unaware of available settlements or find the claims process too complex. Partnering with 11th allows us to provide a seamless solution for our clients that works automatically in the background. " 11th.com's platform operates through a simple three-step process: investors connect their accounts with brokers, custodians, or portfolio reporting systems; the platform's engine automatically scans, matches, and files claims for all eligible funds; and investors receive payouts via direct deposit. The service eliminates the traditional barriers that prevent investors from claiming their rightful settlements, including lack of awareness, complex paperwork, and missed deadlines. "We're thrilled to work with Silver Golub & Teitell, a firm with such a strong reputation in class action litigation," said George Semashko, CPO at 11th.com. "Their expertise in class action cases combined with our automated recovery technology creates a powerful solution for investors who have been underserved by traditional settlement recovery processes." Silver Golub & Teitell has built a reputation for excellence in plaintiffs' class actions, including recently winning a $145 million securities settlement for investors in a series of mutual funds managed by Allianz Global Investors. The partnership with 11th.com reflects both organizations' commitment to investor protection and maximizing recovery for those who have suffered investment losses. By combining SGT's litigation expertise with 11th.com's innovative technology platform, the collaboration aims to dramatically increase the percentage of eligible investors who successfully recover settlement funds. About Silver Golub & Teitell LLP Silver Golub & Teitell LLP is a plaintiffs' litigation firm that pursues life-changing cases in Connecticut and across the United States. The firm pursues complex class actions involving securities, data privacy and other cutting-edge issues, as well as complex commercial litigation, medical malpractice and serious personal injury cases. About 11th.com 11th.com is a leading fintech platform that helps investors automatically recover securities class action settlements. The platform has served over 50,000 investors, processed more than $250 million in claims, and achieved a 100% claim acceptance rate. 11th.com's automated system scans, matches, and files claims for eligible funds, allowing investors to receive settlements as seamlessly as dividend payments. SOURCE Silver Golub & Teitell LLP Reuters: At this mornings press conference on preparations for next months military parade, there was no mention of participating foreign troops or the attendance of foreign leaders. Is the Foreign Ministry able to provide us an update on this aspect? Mao Ning: Thank you for your interest. Information will be released in due time. CCTV: Foreign Minister Wang Yi just concluded his visit to India. The visit drew close attention. Can you further brief us on the visit? Mao Ning: Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India from August 18 to 20 upon invitation where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, held talks with Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and together with Indias National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval co-chaired the 24th Round of Talks Between the Special Representatives of China and India on the Boundary Question. During Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit, the two sides agreed on resuming dialogue mechanisms in various fields, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, upholding multilateralism, jointly dealing with global challenges and opposing unilateral bullying acts. On the boundary question, the two sides reached new common understandings, agreeing to conduct normalized management and control, maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas, properly address areas of sensitivity, and initiate boundary negotiations in areas where conditions are met. Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted that in October last year, President Xi Jinping had a successful meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan, enabling a reset and fresh start of China-India relations. The two sides have since earnestly implemented the important common understandings reached between the two leaders and taken the bilateral relationship into a new process of improvement and development. This did not come easy and needs to be cherished. As each others neighbors and two major developing countries, China and India share similar philosophies and extensive common interests. There is all the more reason for the two countries to trust and support each other. The current circumstances further highlight the strategic significance of China-India relations and the strategic value of bilateral cooperation. The Indian side noted that India and China are partners, not adversaries, and that a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship between India and China is in the mutual interest of the two countries. The two sides need to enhance communication, deepen mutual understanding, and expand cooperation to demonstrate the immense potential and bright prospects of India-China cooperation to the world. The two sides agreed to step up exchanges and cooperation in various fields, promote the sustained and steady growth of China-India ties, deliver more for the two peoples and make the two civilizations due contribution to human progress. Al Jazeera: The war in Gaza today has reached 685 days and is in the shadow of what has been seen as starvation policy by Israel. Yesterday, there was a press conference in Qatar by the Qatar foreign ministers spokesman, and he said that Hamas has agreed on a draft by mediators. And even the foreign minister of Egypt has mentioned that the Palestinian side has agreed on a draft of a permanent ceasefire. Some analysts say that now the ball is on the Israeli side. Israel has a choice of going to that ceasefire or going into the plan of reoccupying Gaza. How would China see the situation in Gaza in the shadow of all these details? Mao Ning: China is closely following the situation in Gaza and hopes an early ceasefire arrangement could be reached to deescalate the situation and ease the humanitarian crisis. RIA Novosti: The Eastern Economic Forum will be held in early September in Vladivostok. Last years forum was attended by Vice President Han Zheng. Does China plan to send a delegation to this years Eastern Economic Forum? Mao Ning: The Eastern Economic Forum is an important platform for exchanges, mutual learning, and common development among regional countries. China, as always, supports Russia in hosting a successful forum. As for your specific question, I have no information to offer at the moment. Bloomberg: The U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated in media interviews that the U.S. is satisfied with the current tariffs set up with China. This is seen as a signal that the Trump administration is looking to maintain calm with China prior to the expiration of the tariff deadline in November. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comments on Secretary Bessents comments related to this overall satisfaction with the current tariff level? Mao Ning: Id refer you to competent authorities for anything specific. We hope the U.S. will work with China, act according to the important common understandings reached by the two presidents during their phone call, make good use of the economic and trade consultation mechanism, and strive for positive outcomes on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit. Al Jazeera: Now there are military drills between Australia and the Philippines off the west of Palawan Island. I think they started a few days ago and they are continuing until August 29. How do you see this phenomenon of expanding the Filipino drills with partners, with India, Australia and the United States, in recent years? Mao Ning: Military cooperation between countries should be conducive to regional peace and stability, and not target any third party. China will firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has documented over UAH 1 million in illegal profits from the smuggling of draft-age men across the border, and 171 indictments have been sent to court against 251 individuals involved in schemes for draft evaders, SBI Director Oleksiy Sukhachev has said. In a comment to Interfax-Ukraine, he stressed that combating the illegal smuggling of draft-age men across the state border is a priority in the Bureau's work. "Quite often, law enforcement officers, local officials, employees of the Territorial Recuritment Centers and Social Support Centers are involved in such illegal schemes," Sukhachev noted. According to him, this is not just a criminal transaction, but a phenomenon that directly undermines the country's defense capabilities. "Making money from the war by helping men evade mobilization or illegally leave the territory of Ukraine is absolutely unacceptable. This is a direct blow to the state and those who defend it on the front lines every day. Anyone who organizes or facilitates such transactions should be aware that punishment will be inevitable," he said. Sukhachev reported that in total, since the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation has investigated more than 570 cases under Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - illegal smuggling of persons across the border. "Currently, State Bureau employees have already sent 171 indictments to court against 251 individuals. During these investigations, more than 1 million UAH of ill-gotten gains were documented, and more than 58 million UAH of property of the defendants was seized," Sukhachev informed. He clarified that this is not just about isolated cases, but also about large-scale schemes. "We are actively cooperating on this issue with the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Police, the State Border Guard Service and in clear coordination with the Prosecutor General's Office. We are trying to effectively counteract this phenomenon in all regions of the country," the SBI director concluded. HONG KONG, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sisram Medical Ltd (the "Company" or "Sisram", 1696.HK; referred to collectively with its subsidiaries as the "Group"), a global consumer wellness group, featuring a distinguished synergistic ecosystem of business building blocks and consumer-focused approaches including Energy-Based Devices (EBD), and Injectables, alongside other complementary offerings, today announced its unaudited consolidated interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2025 (the "Reporting Period"). FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Revenue was US$165.5 million , representing a decrease of 1.9% YoY , representing a decrease of 1.9% YoY Revenue of Injectables line achieved US$14.4 million , representing a significant increase of 218.1% YoY , representing a significant increase of 218.1% YoY Revenue in the international market [1] was US$108.9 million , up 7.1% YoY. In APAC, revenue achieved a 17.6% increase YoY was , up 7.1% YoY. In APAC, revenue achieved a 17.6% increase YoY Gross margin decreased from 62.4% to 60.0%, mainly due to a shift toward higher-cost core-professionals and sophisticated products with premium materials, along with lower North America revenue share revenue share Adjusted net profit was US$12.0 million , down 28.1% YoY Advancing EBD Market Potential with AI powered Innovations for an Intelligent, Integrated Approach to Aesthetic Care During the Reporting Period, Sisram reinforced its leadership in non-invasive body contouring with peer-reviewed validation of the Alma Accent Prime platform in the Nature Scientific Reports, creating new commercial opportunities globally. Alma Harmony also exceeded expectations, further strengthening the Company's position in advanced aesthetic solutions. Expanding beyond energy-based technologies, Sisram introduced innovations that build an intelligent, integrated infrastructure across the patient journey. In North America, Universkin by Alma marked a milestone in AI-assisted skincare, gaining rapid adoption and positive feedback. The Alma IQ intelligent skin analysis platform was introduced globally to enhanced diagnostic precision, treatment planning, and patient engagement. By harnessing AI, Sisram is moving from standalone treatments to comprehensive solutions, unlocking new potential through combined therapies and advancing its strategic leadership in medical aesthetics. Expanding Dermal Injectables Global Footprint with Successful Market Entry and Scaling in Key Markets Sisram's injectables business continued to strengthen as the Company's second growth engine, delivering robust growth of 218.1% during the Reporting Period. This marks a strategic evolution from technology development to global commercialization, signaling the entry of this line of business into a growth harvest phase. The Company accelerated penetration of Profhilo, its next-generation hyaluronic acidbased bioremodeling product, in Thailand, establishing it as a category benchmark and driving strong sales and profitability. Preparations progressed for the mainland China launch of DAXXIFY, a long-lasting botulinum toxin type A product which is expected to take place in the coming months. Sisram also enhanced commercialization of the Revanesse filler series, building specialized teams in the UK, DACH, Australia and New Zealand with the aim of strengthening regional operations. In addition, the Company continued to advance the commercialization in strategic regions of its partner Hallura and it first-of-its-kind hyaluronic acid biostimulator combination. Leveraging its commercial infrastructure and expanding penetration in key markets, Sisram is laying a solid foundation for scalable growth in dermal injectables, further reinforcing its ecosystem advantage in global medical aesthetics. Accelerating High-Quality Growth Through a Glocalized Model Sisram has transitioned from global direct sales to a "glocalization" model, shifting its focus from rapid expansion to deeply rooted local operations. By combining global resources with local insights, the Company is building end-to-end value chain capabilities that drive sustainable, high-quality growth. APAC remained a strong growth engine with a 17.6% revenue increase YoY, led by outstanding performances in Thailand and South Korea. In China, Sisram is accelerating the integration of R&D, manufacturing, and commercialization to create a local closed-loop ecosystem. This not only strengthens margins and supply chain resilience, but also transforms the direct sales business into a regional innovation hub. With "global standards and local innovation" at its core, Sisram is reinforcing its position in strategic markets and unlocking new growth momentum worldwide. Outlook Looking ahead to H2 2025, Sisram forecasts a stronger performance both in revenue and net profit. The Company will strategically focus on strengthening corporate leadership in APAC and North America, its key growth engines. Through regional innovation and wellness ecosystem synergy, Sisram will build differentiated competitive advantages while enhancing operational excellence and market share. In North America, the Company will build on the successful launch of Universkin by Alma and Alma IQ, alongside continued strong demand for Sisram's energy-based medical device solutions, advancing an innovative, integrated approach to aesthetic care. In the APAC region, the Company will expedite the launch of its long-lasting botulinum toxin product DAXXIFY in mainland China, while driving the commercial expansion of core injectables such as Revanesse and Profhilo in key markets. Concurrently, it will advance the launch and market ramp-up of the "" and "" energy-based devices in China, reinforcing the competitive edge in premium aesthetic solutions. By building a synergistic ecosystem of product portfolio, technological innovation, and market strategy, the Company aims to fuel high-quality, sustainable growth with forward-looking vision and strategic execution. Mr. Liu Yi, Chairman and Executive Director of Sisram, commented: "Sisram is accelerating the development of an integrated growth model built on technology innovation, ecosystem expansion, and glocalization. The upcoming launch of DAXXIFY in mainland China will serve as a key milestone, working in synergy with our global injectables portfolio to establish a strong second growth engine. By combining AI integration with material innovations, we are expanding the frontiers of medical aesthetics, while strengthening supply chain resilience through localized end-to-end capabilities and a multi-center manufacturing network. Looking ahead, we remain committed to optimizing resources, unlocking ecosystem synergies, and building a more competitive, future-ready medical aesthetics platform." Mr. Lior Dayan, CEO of Sisram and Alma, said: "In the first half of 2025, Sisram advanced its position as a holistic wellness ecosystem leader in medical aesthetics. Leveraging AI-powered innovation and continuous technological advancement, we introduced major advancements. We also strengthened our intelligent infrastructure to deliver greater value for customers and elevate patient experience. Combined with accelerated commercialization, localized market strategies, and a reinforced supply chain, these capabilities have driven strong performance across our core markets. Our global presence enabled us to navigate regional challenges, invest confidently in growth initiatives, and lay a solid foundation for sustainable leadership in the years ahead." [1] The term "international market" refers to the global market excluding North America. About Sisram Medical Ltd Sisram Medical Ltd (1696.HK) is a global leader in medical aesthetic solutions with over 25 years of expertise in energy-based devices (EBD). Built on a legacy of innovation and clinical excellence, the Company's synergistic ecosystem spans EBD technologies, injectables, diagnostics, and complementary solutions. Sisram serves customers in over 110 countries and regions, delivering award-winning products that set new standards in safety, efficacy, and personalized aesthetic care for millions of patients worldwide. The Company is majority-owned by Fosun Pharma, one of China's leading healthcare groups, and was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in September 2017. Sisram Medical Enhancing Quality of Life http://www.sisram-medical.com SOURCE Sisram Medical Ltd The Jenkins Charitable Foundation donation to Tampa General will help to create a new space for complex vascular surgeries. TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Foundation received a transformational gift from the Jenkins Charitable Foundation to fund a new hybrid operating room at Tampa General. The gift will bring to fruition another space at the academic medical center on Davis Islands that integrates a state-of-the-art surgical environment with the advanced imaging capabilities of an interventional suite, a critical combination for performing highly complex vascular surgeries. The cost to build the new hybrid operating room is just under $10 million. Clockwise from top left: Laura La Rocca, Stephen Jenkins, Steve Jenkins and Carole Jenkins. Portrait session with the Jenkins family, including Steve and Carol Jenkins, for the TGH Foundation, photographed on July 21, 2025. "This exceptional gift will elevate the already world-class care available to our patients at Tampa General," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. "Donors like the Jenkins family truly understand the spirit of innovation and the mission of caring for everyone in the most advanced way possible." The Jenkins Family Hybrid Operating Room will be the second of its kind at Tampa General, with more planned for the Taneja Surgical, Neuroscience & Transplant Tower currently under construction on the Davis Islands campus. "This hybrid operating room is a game-changer for patients with complex vascular disease," said Dr. Jean Bismuth, chief of Vascular Surgery and medical director of the TGH Heart & Vascular Institute. "It streamlines care, promises to improve outcomes and elevates the standard of vascular treatment for the entire Tampa Bay community we proudly serve. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to bring this level of care to our patients." For Steve and Carole Jenkins and their children, Laura and Stephen, the donation from their family foundation is a way to honor their backgrounds in science and technology. The Jenkins family has called Tampa home for five generations. In 1957, Steve's father, Richard B. Jenkins, launched Beach Pharmaceuticals from his home with his wife and children. Since then, three generations have been involved in pharmaceutical development, manufacturing and sales. "As our beautiful city continues to grow, it is our hope to help TGH provide access to cutting-edge care in the community," said Steve Jenkins. "Our family has witnessed the quality services provided by Tampa General, and it is our desire to help ensure that TGH has the necessary tools to attract the best leaders, researchers and physicians in their fields. We are honored to be able to contribute to the ongoing success of Tampa General." The gift, part of the TGH Foundation's Elevating Excellence: Innovating Tomorrow's TGH campaign, means that this advanced care will be available to patients sooner. "Tampa General is profoundly grateful to the Jenkins family for their visionary giving and investment in world-class health care in our community," said Frann Leppla, executive vice president and chief philanthropy officer at Tampa General. "It's a beautiful and humbling thing to see the amazing results made possible with a gift of this magnitude." ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL Tampa General Hospital, a 1,529-bed, not-for-profit academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the Tampa Bay region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. The system's hospitals include Tampa General Hospital, Tampa General Rehabilitation Hospital, Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital, all in Tampa; Tampa General Brooksville, Tampa General Spring Hill and Tampa General Crystal River. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in Tampa Bay in U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 Best Hospitals, with two medical specialties ranking among the top 20 in the nation and eight medical specialties listed among the top 50 best hospital programs in the United States. As the first hospital in Florida to open a clinical command center for real-time situational awareness, Tampa General has elevated its digital care coordination center to the next level by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and its analytics platform across inpatient and outpatient care to ensure patients receive leading-edge care as quickly and safely as possible. The academic health system's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by three prestigious Forbes magazine rankings in the 2025 America's Best Large Employers, the top 50 in Florida in the 2024 America's Best Employers by State and the 2023 America's Best Employers for Women. Tampa General is the safety-net hospital for the region, caring for anyone regardless of ability to pay; in fiscal year 2023, Tampa General provided a net community benefit of approximately $301.8 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It was the nation's No. 1 adult solid organ transplant center in 2024 and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care their conditions require. Tampa General is home to a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General's footprint includes TGH North, which consists of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties; 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices; TGH Family Care Center Kennedy; two TGH outpatient centers; TGH Virtual Health; and 19 TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care, powered by the Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). For more information, go to www.tgh.org. Media Contact: Beth Hardy, APR Assistant Manager Publications & Physician Communications (727) 510-6363 (cell) [email protected] SOURCE Tampa General Hospital Peer-reviewed results published in Supportive Care in Cancer, the official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC). WILMINGTON, Del., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Chemomouthpiece, LLC, a privately held medical device company that develops and commercializes supportive cancer care products, today announced the peer-reviewed results from its pivotal, multi-center, randomized, controlled trial were published in Supportive Care in Cancer, the official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care In Cancer (MASCC). The study, "Multi-institutional, randomized, controlled trial to assess the efficacy and tolerability of a reusable, self-contained cryotherapy delivery device", evaluated the Chemo Mouthpiece, an FDA 510(k) cleared intraoral cryotherapy device, and demonstrated statistically significant reductions in patient-reported oral pain and opioid or analgesic use during chemotherapy treatment. Use of the Chemo Mouthpiece resulted in a 46% reduction in patient-reported oral pain symptoms compared to the control group. Additionally, there was a 68% reduction in opioid or analgesic use compared to the control group. The device showed efficacy across more than 30 chemotherapy regimens and 17 cancer types. The Chemo Mouthpiece was well-tolerated by patients, with no reported safety issues. Notably, 83% of patients indicated they would recommend the device for patients undergoing chemotherapy. A Practical Advancement in Oral Mucositis Management "Cryotherapy is a well-established strategy for mitigating oral mucositis, but its traditional delivery using ice chips presents practical challenges for patients and care teams," said Stephen Sonis, DMD, DMSc, Senior Lecturer in Oral Medicine at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and a member of the senior faculty at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital. "The data from this trial indicate that cryotherapy delivered by the Chemo Mouthpiece provided patients with an effective and well-tolerated alternative to ice that could be used throughout their treatment period, both in the clinic and at home. Chemo Mouthpiece-delivered cryotherapy reduced patients' symptoms and need to rely on analgesics for pain management." Richard Zuniga, MD, Medical Chief of Research at New York Cancer and Blood Specialists and lead study investigator, said, "The data from this rigorous, multi-center trial clearly validate the Chemo Mouthpiece as a safe and effective tool for addressing oral mucositis-related pain and related opioid use. The scope of chemotherapy regimens and cancer types included in the study underscores the potential to benefit the diverse patient population impacted by oral mucositis. These findings represent a meaningful step forward in supportive oncology care." Innovation Driven by Personal Experience The Chemo Mouthpiece device was developed by company founder and CEO David Yoskowitz, a cancer survivor who experienced firsthand the debilitating effects of oral mucositis from chemotherapy and the lack of effective, tolerable options. At the time, his treatment options included ice chips to mitigate and minimize oral pain; however, they often caused nausea, were difficult to maintain in his mouth, and failed to effectively cool the entire oral cavity. These challenges led him to engineer a better solution. "This study is not just a scientific milestone, it's deeply personal," said Yoskowitz. "It's incredibly rewarding to see the clinical data confirm the device's impact on pain reduction and patient quality of life. Not only for me, but for our original goal, to help reduce the suffering associated with oral mucositis for every at-risk patient." About the Trial The randomized trial enrolled 164 patients undergoing chemotherapy and assigned them in a 2:1 ratio to receive either the Chemo Mouthpiece plus best supportive care (arm A) or best supportive care alone (arm B) across 16 U.S. study sites. Inclusion criteria allowed broad tumor diagnoses and chemotherapy regimens. Patients used the device during infusion and for five days post-infusion across two treatment cycles. They completed daily questionnaires to assess oral pain and analgesic use. Device tolerability was also assessed via patient surveys. Unlike traditional oral cryotherapy approaches, which are generally recommended only for chemotherapy drugs with a short half-life during infusion, the trial included regimens with both short and long half-life agents. The portability, tolerability, and user-friendly design of the Chemo Mouthpiece made it practical for patients to continue use at home, when chemotherapy agents may still be circulating in the body. This extended use was associated with improved efficacy across a variety of chemotherapy regimens. The study was published in Supportive Care in Cancer, the official journal of MASCC: Zuniga, R., Dembla, V., Alam, N. et al. Multi-institutional, randomized, controlled trial to assess the efficacy and tolerability of a reusable, self-contained cryotherapy delivery device. Support Care Cancer 33, 732 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-025-09795-x About Oral Mucositis Oral mucositis is a painful and often debilitating side effect of chemotherapy, characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes in the mouth. It can interfere with a patient's ability to eat, drink, speak, and sleep and ultimately can reduce quality of life and delay treatment. Clinical impacts may include: Delays or dose reductions in cancer therapy Increased risk of infection due to open oral wounds Significant weight loss and nutritional challenges Greater dependence on opioids and analgesics Higher rates of ER visits and hospitalizations Increased financial and emotional burden for patients About the Chemo Mouthpiece The Chemo Mouthpiece is a self-contained cryotherapy device designed to cool the entire oral cavity during and after chemotherapy infusion. By inducing vasoconstriction in the oral cavity, the device reduces the local presence of chemotherapy drugs, helping to mitigate mucosal injury. Available by prescription only, the device is reusable, pre-filled, and designed for use in both the clinic and at home when chemotherapy may still be circulating, supporting utility across short and long halflife regimens. The FDA awarded the Chemo Mouthpiece Breakthrough Device Designation in December 2021 and the device was FDA 510(k) cleared in January 2024. INDICATION FOR USE: (Rx only) The Chemo Mouthpiece is intended to be used to cool the oral mucosa to reduce the incidence and severity of chemotherapy induced oral mucositis in adult patients. See Important Safety Information at www.chemomouthpiece.com/resources About Chemomouthpiece, LLC Chemomouthpiece, LLC is a privately held medical device company headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded by a cancer survivor, the company's mission is to bring patient-driven innovation to the forefront of supportive oncology care. The Chemo Mouthpiece is the company's flagship product, designed to help reduce the incidence and severity of oral mucositis, one of the most common and painful side effects of chemotherapy, impacting up to 80% of patients depending on cancer type. This release contains forward-looking statements regarding Chemomouthpiece, LLC, including its potential benefits and future development plans, which are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements except as required by law. For more information on Chemomouthpiece, LLC, please visit our website at www.chemomouthpiece.com or contact; Scott Narins, Director of Investor Relations [email protected] or Bonni Tattoli, VP, Commercial Operations at [email protected] SOURCE Chemomouthpiece, LLC Thanks to high temperatures and variable precipitation, certain cities are at greater risk for pest-borne diseases FAIRFAX, Va., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) released its Public Health Pest Index, a bi-annual forecast identifying the United States cities most at risk for pest surges through the remainder of summer and into fall. This critical report comes as extreme weather patterns nationwide have created optimal conditions for disease-carrying pests, placing millions of Americans in greater danger of exposure. Fall 2025 Public Health Pest Index. "There's a common misconception that pest threats are predictably seasonal, but changing weather patterns have rewritten the rules," said Dr. Jim Fredericks, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for NPMA. "Pests are staying active longer, increasing the risk of disease transmission. Our Public Health Pest Index helps families and businesses understand these evolving threats and take proactive steps to protect their health and property year-round." Nationwide, these longer pest seasons are leading to serious health consequences. "Emergency departments are reporting significant increases in tick bite-related visits, while rates of mosquito- and tick-borne illnesses like West Nile virus and Lyme disease are on the rise," explained Dr. Jorge Parada, Medical Advisor for NPMA with a focus on infectious disease. "Beyond these, cockroaches can trigger severe asthma symptoms in children, rodents can spread over 35 diseases, and flies can transmit more than 100 pathogens." The top U.S. cities* named to NPMA's Public Health Pest Index include: Baltimore : Sweltering heat and record rainfall have created a perfect storm for mosquitoes and ticks. This extreme weather threatens to push pest activity into fall, increasing exposure to West Nile virus and tick-borne illnesses. Charlotte: A hot, rainy season could provide ideal breeding conditions for moisture-loving pests. Residents face prolonged exposure periods that may stretch disease transmission risks well beyond the summer months. New Orleans : Scorching heat and record downpours will likely drive population booms among cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes. The city's notorious humidity, combined with summer's wet weather, creates year-round breeding conditions that show no signs of slowing. New York : Dramatically warmer summer temperatures and increased rainfall are leading to longer, more active seasons for cockroaches, mosquitoes, and rodents. As a result, these pests are likely to move inside, drawn to climate-controlled environments and food sources. Philadelphia : An exceptionally wet spring set the stage for a surge in mosquito breeding, while high summer temperatures are driving cockroaches and rodents indoors in search of water. Recent West Nile virus detections in the region make the threat even more serious, as mosquito populations can multiply rapidly. Portland : Extreme summer heat and drought conditions prime the environment for a surge in pest invasions. As natural water and food sources dry up, desperate cockroaches and rodents will seek refuge in homes and businesses. Salt Lake City : Unseasonably warm spring temperatures coupled with hot summer conditions can prolong mosquito and tick breeding season. Combined with June's added moisture, pest activity may stay high well into fall, putting outdoor enthusiasts at heightened risk in Utah's popular recreation areas. San Francisco : After a warm spring and intense summer, the Bay Area may face unexpected pest challenges. Following an exceptionally dry June, late summer rain could trigger a surge in cockroach and mosquito activity through fall. Washington, D.C. : A wet spring followed by a scorching summer introduces ideal conditions for a multi-pest surge across the nation's capital. These conditions can allow cockroaches, flies, ticks and mosquitoes to thrive throughout neighborhoods and recreational areas. West Palm Beach: Record spring and summer heat, paired with increased rainfall, is helping mosquito populations multiply, heightening the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses in the area. *Listed in alphabetical order, not numeric ranking. To protect Americans and their families from escalating pest-borne health threats, NPMA recommends immediate action: eliminate sources of standing water, maintain grass and shrubs to reduce pest harborage, regularly check for and seal cracks around building foundations, and store food in airtight containers. When outdoors, use insect repellent containing EPA-registered ingredients and conduct thorough tick checks after activities. If you suspect a pest infestation, always contact a qualified pest control professional to properly identify and address the issue. For more information on pests and the risks they pose, visit PestWorld.org. About the National Pest Management Association The NPMA, a non-profit organization with more than 4,000 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry's commitment to the protection of public health, food and property from the diseases and dangers of pests. For more information, visit PestWorld.org or follow @PestWorld on Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube and @PestWorldOfficial on Instagram. SOURCE National Pest Management Association PANAMA CITY, Fla., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Virga Law Firm proudly announces the release of Episode 16 of its ongoing family law podcast series, featuring a compelling conversation between managing attorney Gerard Virga and Rebecca Perra, Judicial Education Coordinator at Our Family Wizarda leading co-parenting technology platform used across the United States. Released on Friday, Aug. 15, the episode, titled "Navigating Co-Parenting with Technology," explores the intersection of family law and digital tools, with a focus on improving communication between co-parents for the benefit of their children. In this episode, Virga and Perra discuss: Rebecca's journey from practicing attorney to family law educator The evolution and purpose of Our Family Wizard as a centralized communication tool as a centralized communication tool How features like secure messaging, Tone Meter , financial tracking, and journaling support healthier co-parenting dynamics , financial tracking, and journaling support healthier co-parenting dynamics The role of AI in reducing conflict and promoting more respectful digital interactions Ways the platform offers support and safety to domestic violence survivors navigating co-parenting The conversation also touches on the legal significance of documentation and record-keeping in custody disputes, making the episode a must-listen for attorneys, mediators, guardians ad litem, and anyone working in the family law space. Episode 16 is now available on all major podcast platforms. A preview clip and promotional materials are also available on The Virga Law Firm's social media platforms. Followers of Our Family Wizard and Rebecca Perra, who together reach over 26,000 professionals on LinkedIn, are also encouraged to share and engage. Listen to the episode here: www.youtube.com/@TheFloridaFamilyLawAttorney Media Contact: Mary Virga [email protected] SOURCE The Virga Law Firm, P.A. BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanguard Renewables, a leading provider of environmental services and Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), has announced a commercial partnership with the CMA CGM Group (CMA CGM), a global leader in sea, land, air, and logistics solutions, designed to support the decarbonization of its shipping activities. CMA CGM secures access to long-term RNG supply from Vanguard Renewables, advancing the decarbonization of its global shipping operations. Under the terms of the agreement, CMA CGM will make a strategic minority investment in Vanguard Renewables through its energy fund PULSE, ensuring access to significant volumes of RNG to be delivered on a long-term basis. The agreement highlights the critical role that Vanguard's RNG is poised to play in the decarbonization of the maritime industry. Vanguard Renewables offers a leading network of solutions to divert organic waste from landfills and collaborates with food and beverage manufacturers and retailers seeking organic waste disposal options. The company produces RNG through proprietary anerobic digesters that are powered by farm and organic waste. Vanguard Renewable will dedicate up to four projects to CMA CGM production. With this option, CMA CGM can access high-quality, low carbon intensity RNG produced by Vanguard Renewables' large-scale facilities across the U.S. The company's investment in Vanguard Renewables comes as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently announced its Net-zero Framework. Under the draft regulations, shipowners must reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or face financial penalties if they exceed a GHG fuel intensity threshold. This partnership highlights the potential of LNG vessels as a transitional solution toward bioLNG, playing an active role in advancing the decarbonization of the shipping industry. Vanguard Renewables' unique position as a producer of RNG from both dairy and food waste gives customers the opportunity to optimize the cost of GHG abatement. Michael O'Laughlin, CEO of Vanguard Renewables, adds: "We are thrilled to partner with CMA CGM, the third largest container shipping company in the world, in support of their decarbonization objectives. We see this pioneering collaboration as a key step in supporting the maritime sector as the global industry takes a bold step toward improving emissions. Vanguard Renewables' unique business model provides a blueprint for a truly circular solution that offers significant benefits for GHG emission reduction and diverting organic waste from landfills. With a national footprint, backing by BlackRock, and a proven ability to scale to meet the increasing demand of RNG globally, Vanguard Renewables is committed to providing a reliable clean fuel source for years to come." Guggenheim Securities, LLC served as financial advisor to Vanguard Renewables in connection with this transaction. About Vanguard Renewables: Vanguard Renewables is a leading U.S. environmental services company and producer of biomethane from organic waste. Headquartered in Weston, Massachusetts, the company builds, owns, and operates on-farm anaerobic digesters that convert food, beverage, and agricultural waste into pipeline-ready renewable natural gas. Vanguard Renewables is rapidly scaling its national footprint, with operational sites across the Northeast and new facilities under construction in the Midwest and South. By diverting valuable waste streams from landfills, the company is reducing greenhouse gas emissions at scale while supporting critical domestic energy infrastructure and regenerative agriculture for America's farms. Vanguard Renewables is a portfolio company of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), part of BlackRock. Learn more at www.vanguardrenewables.com For media inquiries: Vanguard Renewables [email protected] CMA CGM [email protected] SOURCE Vanguard Renewables GOLETA, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitamin Angels and Walgreens are pleased to share a 12-year partnership milestone of reaching 500 million women, infants, and young children in underserved communities, both in the U.S. and in 65 countries worldwide, with life-changing vitamins and minerals. These essential nutrients lay the foundation for healthier, brighter futures. "For the past 12 years, Vitamin Angels and Walgreens have helped improve the health of a child or mom every second of every day. This is incredible! This milestone underscores the extraordinary impact a long-standing, mission-aligned nonprofit-corporate partnership can achieve," said Ana Cespedes, Vitamin Angels CEO. "Together, we are proving that meaningful, global change is not only possible - it's happening." By addressing critical gaps in nutrition, Vitamin Angels and Walgreens are advancing global health equity. Improving access to essential nutrients not only supports healthier pregnancies, birth outcomes, and sets children on a path toward healthy growth and development, but also paves the way for long-term prosperity. It ensures that people have an equal chance to grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. Since 2013, Walgreens has donated 1% of participating vitamin and supplement products' retail sales to Vitamin Angels. In 2024, this support helped enable Vitamin Angels' U.S. program to reach 500,000 underserved pregnant women. That same year, Vitamin Angels and Walgreens also expanded their Prenatal Vitamin Program, which provides free prenatal multivitamins and nutrition education to pregnant women in underserved communities across all 50 states in over 2,300 Walgreens locations nationwide. The program also offers a direct-ship option in select markets, ensuring even greater access to essential nutrition for pregnant women in need. To learn more about Vitamin Angels and Walgreens visit: https://vitaminangels.org/walgreens/partnership/ ABOUT VITAMIN ANGELS Founded in 1994, Vitamin Angels is a public health nonprofit working to improve maternal and child nutrition in underserved communities worldwide. We reach more than 74 million women and children in over 65 countries annually through an extensive network of partner organizations, including governments. By strengthening, extending, and amplifying our partners' impact, we help ensure the most nutritionally vulnerable groupspregnant women, infants, and young children receive the essential nutrition they need to support a healthy future. We deliver proven nutrition interventions, provide technical assistance, and test effective strategies to create an enabling environment for optimal health outcomes. Both Charity Navigator and GuideStar give Vitamin Angels their highest marks for financial transparency. To learn more, visit www.vitaminangels.org. CONTACT: Antonette Kamara, [email protected] SOURCE Vitamin Angels Hands-On Learning and Career Support to Fast-Track Your Cybersecurity Future COOKEVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) , the nonprofit organization dedicated to the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in cybersecurity has opened applications for its 6th annual Security Training Scholarship Program . This transformative career accelerator powered by WiCyS Tier 1 Partners and Premier Supporters such as Bloomberg, Craig Newmark Philanthropies and Truist Foundation has already helped more than 4,600 individuals build hands-on skills toward launching careers in cybersecurity. WiCyS Security Training Scholarship The multi-stage program offers WiCyS members a structured pathway to upskill through hands-on training, community building and direct career placement support. Applications are open now through Aug. 30, 2025 to all WiCyS members aged 18 and older who are seeking cybersecurity employment within the next 18 months. Only first-time applicants will be accepted. A dedicated Veteran and Military Spouse Track made possible by Craig Newmark Philanthropies will expand mentorship, employer networking, career placement and conference access for participants with military backgrounds, recognizing the unique skills and mission-driven mindset they bring to the field. The cybersecurity industry faces a critical workforce shortage with 4.8 million professionals needed worldwidea 19% increase year over year according to the ISC2 Workforce Study (Sept. 2024). Addressing this gap requires looking beyond traditional career pipelines and recognizing the untapped potential of those from unconventional backgrounds such as nursing, teaching, social work and morefields where problem-solving, communication and resilience are already well-honed. By broadening our perspective on what qualifies someone for a cybersecurity career we can build a more resilient and capable workforce. The WiCyS Security Training Scholarship is designed to break down barriers to entry, prioritizing aptitude, grit and drive over prior technical experience. Through its staged learning model, participants build technical skills, confidence and lasting professional connections, gaining access to wraparound support services that prepare them to enter and advance in thriving, lucrative cybersecurity careers in less than a yearmaking a measurable impact on the global talent shortage. The results speak for themselves. The program has achieved a 92% career placement rate for advanced training scholars within 12 months of completion for job seekers reaching the final stage. Past participants have moved into roles such as Cloud Security Engineer, SOC Analyst, Incident Responder and Penetration Tester in under a year. Alumna Stephani Guimaraes Lima went from a Help Desk role to SOC Analyst L1 in just 10 months, crediting the program's mentorship and community for her success. "The WiCyS Security Training Scholarship is not only about learning cybersecurity skills in every program tier. It's also about building my confidence and realizing I can achieve anything I set my mind to. This experience has truly changed my life and how I see my career and opportunities for my future. It also made connecting to inspiring people in the cohort possible," said Lima. WiCyS Premier Supporter and Craigslist Founder Craig Newmark praised the program's industry impact: "Cybersecurity is a field where everyone who can contribute should be involved. WiCyS plays a vital role in making this possible by opening doors for talented individuals regardless of their background," said Newmark. "Our grant is a step towards ensuring that more women have the opportunity to make a significant impact in cybersecurity." Applications are open now through Aug. 30, 2025. To learn more and apply visit: https://www.wicys.org/benefits/security-training-scholarship About Women in CyberSecurity Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) is a nonprofit organization with international reach dedicated to the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in cybersecurity. Founded by Dr. Ambareen Siraj through a National Science Foundation grant given to Tennessee Tech University in 2013, WiCyS offers opportunities, trainings, events and resources for its community and members. Strategic partners include Tier 1: 3M, Akamai Technologies, Amazon, Bloomberg, Cisco, Ford Motor Company, Google, Lockheed Martin, Optum, Sandia National Laboratories, SANS Institute, SentinelOne. Tier 2: Accenture, Adobe, Microsoft, Navy Federal Credit Union, PayPal, PSEG Services Corporation, Tenable, The MITRE Corporation, Workday. To partner, visit http://www.wicys.org/support/strategic-partnerships/ . About SANS Institute The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. Today, SANS is the most trusted and, by far, the largest provider of cybersecurity training and certification to professionals in government and commercial institutions worldwide. Renowned SANS instructors teach more than 85 courses at in-person and virtual cybersecurity events and OnDemand. GIAC, an affiliate of the SANS Institute, validates practitioner skills through more than 50 hands-on technical certifications in cybersecurity. The SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited independent subsidiary, offers master's and bachelor's degrees, graduate certificates, and an undergraduate certificate in cybersecurity. SANS also delivers a wide variety of free resources to the InfoSec community, including consensus projects, research reports, webcasts, podcasts, and newsletters; it also operates the Internet's early warning systemthe Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners representing varied global organizations, from corporations to universities, working together to support and educate the global information security community. http://www.sans.org About Craig Newmark Philanthropies Craig Newmark is a Web pioneer best known for creating craigslist, which he stepped away from running day-to-day two decades ago. Craig's full-time philanthropic work focuses on supporting organizations protecting America's security and democracy. He has given more than $300 million in support of veterans and military families, nonpartisan journalism, cyber security education programs, hunger relief, and pigeon rescue. Craig was influenced by his Sunday School teachers who escaped the Holocaust, set his moral compass, and taught him to treat people like you want to be treated and how to know when enough is enough. He's not as funny as he thinks he is. SOURCE Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) Law Office of Alex Martinez, PLLC, and Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia, PLLC, represent employee's widow, Cynthia Rodriguez. MCALLEN, Texas, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The widow of Juan Nava Hernandez, an employee of Oak Texas Bar and Grill, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Hidalgo County District Court against Oak Texas Bar and Grill, LLC, and John Anthony Saenz. Cynthia Rodriguez, left, the widow of Juan Nava Hernandez, right, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Hidalgo County District Court against Oak Texas Bar and Grill, LLC, and John Anthony Saenz. The lawsuit alleges that Mr. Nava, an employee of the bar, was killed in the parking lot by Mr. Saenz, a patron who had just left the bar after being over-served alcohol, despite being obviously intoxicated. According to the complaint, on August 1, 2025, Nava was performing his duties as an employee of the bar, taking out the trash, when he was violently struck and killed in the parking lot by Saenz, a patron who had just left the bar after being over-served alcohol, despite being obviously intoxicated. Video evidence shows Saenz recklessly driving through the lot, running over Nava, and fatally crushing him against a cinderblock wall. "This was not just a preventable tragedy it was the killing of a hard-working employee doing his job," said Attorney Alex Martinez of the Law Office of Alex Martinez, PLLC, who represents Mrs. Rodriguez, along with Attorney Ricardo A. Garcia of the Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia PLLC. "Juan Nava Hernandez showed up to work, and he never came home. The bar's decision to keep serving alcohol to an intoxicated customer cost their own employee his life." Attorney Ricardo A. Garcia added: "Texas law makes it clear: bars cannot serve alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons. Oak Texas Bar and Grill chose profits over safety, and one of their own workers paid the ultimate price. This case is about justice for Juan and his family and accountability for those responsible." The lawsuit seeks monetary relief over $1 million for wrongful death, negligence, gross negligence, and survival claims. Mrs. Rodriguez seeks damages for loss of financial support, loss of companionship, mental anguish, funeral and burial expenses, and exemplary damages to punish and deter such egregious conduct. Case Information Case Style : Cynthia Rodriguez , Individually and as Surviving Spouse of Juan Nava Hernandez , Deceased v. John Anthony Saenz and Oak Texas Bar & Grill, LLC : , Individually and as Surviving Spouse of , Deceased v. and Oak Texas Bar & Grill, LLC Court : Hidalgo County District Court, Texas : District Court, Cause No.: C-3997-25-1 About the Firms The Law Office of Alex Martinez, PLLC has more than 15 years of experience providing aggressive and compassionate representation for victims of personal injury and wrongful death, standing up for families, and their most difficult times. The Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia, PLLC has decades of experience, representing families in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases across Texas fighting tirelessly to ensure justice for victims of negligence and corporate wrongdoing. SOURCE The Law Offices of Alex Martinez CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- XtalPi announced on the 20th that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Korea's leading pharmaceutical company Dong-A ST, to jointly develop therapeutics for immunological and inflammatory diseases. This collaboration will be based on XtalPi's intelligent and automated drug discovery platform, which integrates artificial intelligence (AI), quantum physics, and large-scale automated robotic experiments. The two companies plan to co-identify targets and discover first-in-class or best-in-class drug candidates using XtalPi's proprietary AI-driven drug discovery platform. The XtalPi platform combines the speed and generative power of AI with the accuracy of its robotic lab-in-the-loop to accelerate drug discovery and vastly expand the explorable chemical space. This integrated workflow spans deep-learning-based molecule design, quantum physics and molecular dynamics simulations for predicting drug-target interactions, automated chemical synthesis, and experimental validation of candidate compounds' key pharmaceutical properties. Leveraging its expertise in immunology and inflammation as well as its experience in small molecule drug development, Dong-A ST will actively participate throughout the entire R&D processincluding candidate validation, efficacy and safety testing, and the formulation of preclinical and clinical development strategies. The company also plans to explore strategies for pipeline expansion and assess commercialization potential. Through this partnership, Dong-A ST aims to strengthen its pipeline in the immunology and inflammation space and expand its R&D scope beyond small molecule therapeutics into areas such as targeted protein degradation (TPD), biologics, antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), and gene therapies. John Wang, Senior Vice President of Drug Discovery at XtalPi, stated: "The combination of Dong-A ST's extensive expertise and XtalPi's proven AI-robotics platform is well-positioned to translate scientific innovation into competitive precision medicines. Together, we aim to rapidly discover and rigorously validate novel drug candidates across multiple modalities to unlock unique market opportunities, and deliver transformative therapies for global patients." Jae-Hong Park, Head of R&D at Dong-A ST, remarked, "This collaboration marks a pivotal step in expanding Dong-A ST's R&D capabilities," adding, "By leveraging synergies with XtalPi's AI platform, we expect to accelerate the development of next-generation treatments for immune and inflammatory diseases." Meanwhile, both Dong-A ST and XtalPi operate open innovation offices in Boston, USA. This geographic proximity will facilitate closer and more efficient collaboration throughout the drug discovery process. About Dong-A ST Dong-A ST Co., Ltd. (170900.KO) was established in 1932 and is a leading Korean pharmaceutical company engaged in the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of ethical drugs, biosimilars, medical devices, and diagnostics. Its key products include Stillen (gastritis), Zydena (erectile dysfunction), Motilitone (functional dyspepsia), and Imuldosa (ustekinuma biosimilar). Leveraging strong R&D capabilities and a history of innovation, Dong-A ST is expanding its pipeline in immunology, inflammation, neurological disease, metabolic diseases, and oncology, while advancing into new modalities such as biologics, ADCs, TPD, and gene therapies. About XtalPi XtalPi Holdings Limited (XtalPi, 2228.HK) was founded in 2015 by three physicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is an innovative R&D platform powered by quantum physics, artificial intelligence, and robotics. By integrating first-principles calculations, AI algorithms, high-performance cloud computing, and standardized automation systems, XtalPi provides digital and intelligent R&D solutions for companies in the pharmaceutical, materials science, agricultural technology, energy, new chemicals, and cosmetics industries. SOURCE XtalPi Inc. The Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence has recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt in the first reading a bill on payments for treatment to military personnel released from captivity, committee member Iryna Friz (European Solidarity faction) has said. "The Committee on National Security has recommended that the Verkhovna Rada support as a basis the draft law (No. 13627) on payments to military personnel released from captivity who have diseases requiring long-term inpatient treatment," Friz told Interfax-Ukraine after the committee meeting on Wednesday. According to the MP, the bill provides for the provision of military personnel released from captivity with an additional monthly remuneration of UAH 50,000 for three months of treatment. She noted that according to the bill, this norm applies to inpatient, outpatient treatment and rehabilitation. "The payment will cover treatment required due to injuries (disfigurement, trauma, contusion) or diseases that were acquired or aggravated during captivity. Persons who surrendered to captivity voluntarily or committed a crime against Ukraine will not be entitled to payments," Friz said. According to her, such payments should not be limited to three months, as rehabilitation or treatment often lasts longer. She added that she intends to make this amendment when preparing the bill for the second reading. According to the parliament's website, bill No. 13627 on amendments to certain laws regarding payments to servicemen released from captivity who have diseases requiring long-term inpatient treatment was registered in the Verkhovna Rada on August 14. HIGHLAND, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (YSMN), one of the largest employers in the Inland Empire, has earned a Great Place To Work Certification for the fifth consecutive year. Based directly on team member feedback, this certification underscores the Tribe's dedication to fostering a workplace culture grounded in purpose, inclusion and connection. Organizations certified as a Great Place To Work earn high scores from employees in categories related to benefits, workplace culture, leadership, compensation and more. "It's really great to see that our teams not only value their unique benefits, but also enjoy coming to work for the Tribe," said Lynn Faraca-Bond, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. "The vibrant energy here comes from the dedication of over 7,500 amazing team members. Their passion and hard work are what sets us apart." Team members across YSMN's Tribal Government Operations and Yaamava' Resort & Casino at San Manuel consistently express pride in the Tribe's philanthropic impact, which they view as a purposeful extension of their work. As a steadfast community partner, YSMN invests deeply in its team members, the Inland Empire region and Native American causes nationwide. Since 2002, the Tribe has contributed more than $425 million to charitable organizations. This spirit of giving is rooted in the Serrano value of Yawa'to act on one's beliefsand is brought to life through Team Member giving programs that encourage and celebrate community involvement. At Yaamava' Resort & Casino, YSMN's flagship property, the Tribe's workforce delivers world class service that has earned prestigious accolades such as USA Today's 10Best #1 Best Casino Outside of Vegas and #1 Best Casino Restaurant. The property's AAA Five Diamond designationthe only casino resort to hold this honorreflects the team's commitment to excellence and elevating the guest experience. As YSMN celebrates five years of being a certified Great Place To Work, its leadership remains committed to nurturing a workplace culture that prioritizes well-being, empowers every team member to thrive, and supports the broader dedication of service to its people, guests and the community. About Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is a federally recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. The Tribe, formerly known as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, proudly reclaims their ancestral nameYuhaaviatam (pronounced "yu-HAH-vee-ah-tahm") honoring the deep-rooted heritage and enduring legacy of their people. Exercising their inherent sovereign right to self-governance, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is committed to providing essential services to their citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services, and promoting social, economic, and cultural development. As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains, and high deserts, the Yuhaaviatam have called this region home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region. For more information, visit sanmanuel-nsn.gov About Great Place To Work Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. SOURCE Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation On Wednesday, following the summit in Washington on the settlement of the war in Ukraine, a meeting of the North Atlantic Council was held, and a roundtable of the heads of defense departments of NATO member states will also be held today, Alliance spokeswoman Allison Hart said. "In continuation of the meetings held in Washington on ending the war against Ukraine, a meeting of the North Atlantic Council was held this morning, and this afternoon the heads of defense departments of NATO member states will gather for a roundtable," Hart said on X on Wednesday. The results of the North Atlantic Council meeting have not yet been reported. According to the British The Guardian, NATO military leaders are meeting virtually today at 3:30 p.m. Kyiv time to "discuss the latest developments in Ukraine, including possible security guarantees that could be provided in the event of a peace agreement," but the details of the meeting are not being disclosed. On Tuesday evening, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kaine reportedly held talks with European military leaders on "the best options for a potential peace deal in Ukraine." If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Washington, Aug 20 : The US state of Tennessee announced that it is sending around 160 National Guard troops to Washington after US President Donald Trump asserted that crime and homelessness have been out of control in the nation's capital. The latest development came about a week after Trump declared a crime "emergency" in the US capital and deployed around 800 troops from the Washington National Guard on August 11. Over the weekend, the Republican governors of West Virginia, Ohio and South Carolina pledged to deploy National Guard troops to the national capital. On Monday, Mississippi and Louisiana also said they would deploy National Guard troops to Washington. The troops from Republican-led Tennessee are expected to arrive by the end of this week. By then, the total number of National Guard troops in Washington could reach around 2,000. Such moves have drawn strong backlash from Democrats. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, on Tuesday implored her colleagues "from Ohio, West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi and every other state to reject the temptation to use their soldiers to reinforce a dangerous, politically motivated agenda." To deploy National Guard troops to another jurisdiction, "without the request and consent of that state's governor -- or, in this case, the local authorities of Washington, DC -- undermines the mission of the National Guard, wastes resources needed for real emergencies, and, perhaps worst of all, adds to the divisiveness that already threatens our United States," Kelly said. Damascus, Aug 20 : Syria's foreign affairs chief, Assad Hassan al-Shibani, met with an Israeli delegation in Paris to discuss efforts to reduce tensions and bolster stability in southern Syria, according to Syria's state news agency SANA. Al-Shibani and the Israeli delegation focused on de-escalation, non-interference in Syria's internal affairs, and the revival of the 1974 disengagement agreement that has governed the frontier for decades, said SANA, adding that their talks also covered ways to monitor the ceasefire in Sweida province, a flashpoint in the country's south. The meeting, held under US mediation, is part of a wider diplomatic push to safeguard Syria's territorial integrity and promote regional security, Xinhua news agency reported quoting SANA. Earlier this month, al-Shibani met in Amman with Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack. The three agreed to form a Syrian-Jordanian-US working group aimed at supporting Damascus' efforts to maintain the Sweida ceasefire and work toward a comprehensive solution to the country's crisis, according to the report. In December, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, Israel deployed ground forces into the buffer zone of the two countries, a demilitarised area between the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and Syria. The buffer zone is monitored by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, which was established under the 1974 disengagement agreement. Israel later captured the Syrian-controlled side of Mount Hermon. Madrid, Aug 20 : Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that his government will declare a civil protection emergency in response to widespread wildfires ravaging the country. Sanchez made the announcement on Tuesday during a visit to a firefighting command post in Caceres, southwest Spain, one of the worst-hit areas along with the northwestern regions of Galicia and Castilla-Leon. Calling the situation "a calamity," Sanchez pledged government support, including compensation for those who have suffered losses from the fires. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, more than 382,000 hectares have burned in Spain so far in 2025, with over 300,000 hectares destroyed in the past two weeks alone. Regional emergency services reported that four people have died this month and more than 30,000 residents have been evacuated. Sanchez also underlined the need to confront climate change, describing it as the root cause of the crisis. "We cannot limit ourselves to reacting when fires start. We must prepare the ground so that when they break out, the damage is reduced," he said. Global warming is driving longer, more intense and more frequent heatwaves around the world. By lowering humidity in the air, vegetation and soil, and reducing the threshold at which materials ignite, heatwaves turn vegetation into highly flammable fuel and make wildfires even harder to control. While the phenomenon has fuelled fires across southern Europe this summer, Spain has been hit particularly hard, finally getting some respite on Tuesday. Photo: https://t.me/svyrydenkoy Prime Minister Yulia Svirydenko discussed with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov the opening of negotiation clusters on Ukraine's accession to the European Union. "Ukraine has fulfilled all technical conditions and is ready to open the first three negotiation clusters with the EU - "Fundamentals," "Internal Market" and "External Relations." Already in early September, the EU will have the opportunity to make a decision on opening the first Cluster. This will be an important step in supporting Ukraine towards European integration. We also emphasize: Ukraine and Moldova must move together - and we appreciate that Bulgaria shares this position," Svirydenko said on Telegram. According to her, the parties also discussed educational issues, in particular, the fact that teaching the Bulgarian language in Ukraine will continue. "Every day, the Russians attack the Ukrainian energy system. I am grateful to Bulgaria for its assistance in restoring it, for its support for the diversification of supplies and energy security projects," Svyrydenko added. New Delhi, Aug 20 : A fresh wave of bomb threats has hit the national capital as multiple schools in Delhi received threatening emails early Wednesday morning, prompting immediate emergency responses from the Delhi Police and Fire Services. According to officials, two schools, SKV Malviya Nagar and Andhra School, Prasad Nagar, received bomb threat emails around 7:40 a.m. and 7:42 a.m., respectively. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) confirmed that these emails triggered the swift deployment of search teams, bomb disposal squads, and police units to the concerned locations. Police and other cooperating agencies are on-site, and comprehensive search operations are currently underway. The DFS also warned of the possibility that more schools may have been targeted, suggesting a broader investigation is being pursued. The situation has once again raised alarm among students, parents, and school staff, coming just days after a similar incident. On August 18, Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka had to be evacuated following a bomb threat call received around 7:00 a.m. In that case too, authorities responded immediately, and bomb squads conducted a thorough search. Fortunately, the threat turned out to be a hoax. The latest scare also brings back chilling memories of an incident last month, when over 50 schools across Delhi received similar email threats. Those messages caused widespread panic, forcing several institutions to shift to online classes and prompting city-wide emergency operations involving dog squads, fire brigades, and bomb disposal teams. All of those threats were later deemed non-credible. In each of these cases, evacuation and on-site verification remain the standard protocol, ensuring the safety of students and staff before normal operations are resumed. The Delhi Police are currently investigating the origin of the latest emails, while cybercrime units are working to trace the sender or group responsible for what appears to be a recurring pattern of disruption. Authorities are urging the public to remain calm but vigilant, as the safety of children and school communities remains the highest priority. Chennai, Aug 20 : Continuous heavy rainfall in the Cauvery catchment areas of Karnataka and Kerala has pushed the Kabini and Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoirs to their full capacity, forcing authorities to release large volumes of water downstream. This has resulted in a dramatic rise in the flow of the Cauvery River, leaving Hogenakkal in Tamil Naduas Dharmapuri district inundated and prompting flood alerts for residents along the riverbanks. Officials confirmed that both reservoirs in Karnataka had reached their maximum storage levels and began releasing water as a precautionary measure. The discharge into the Cauvery has surged steadily, creating a cascading effect downstream. On Tuesday, inflows into Hogenakkal were recorded at around 50,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs). By 9 a.m. on Tuesday, the flow had risen to 105,000 cusecs, increasing to 115,000 cusecs by 11 a.m., and peaking at nearly 135,000 cusecs by 4 p.m. The sudden and heavy inflow has transformed the Hogenakkal landscape, with the riverbanks overflowing and low-lying areas resembling flooded forests. The Dharmapuri district administration has responded with precautionary measures, banning bathing and coracle rides in the Hogenakkal tourist zone to ensure public safety. Residents living in vulnerable areas along the Cauvery have been advised to move to safer locations until the situation stabilises. The surge in water has created both opportunities and risks for Tamil Nadu. While the Mettur Dam and other irrigation systems are expected to benefit from the abundant inflow, the threat of flooding in residential areas has forced the government to balance resource management with disaster preparedness. Officials in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are closely monitoring the situation. While Karnataka authorities continue to regulate releases from Kabini and KRS based on rainfall patterns, Tamil Naduas water resources and disaster management teams remain on high alert. Evacuation measures are in place should the river level rise further. The heavy inflows underscore the fragile balance of monsoon-fed river systems in South India, where full reservoirs upstream can bring both relief and risk downstream. For now, Hogenakkal and nearby villages remain under strict watch as the Cauvery swells with force. New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Congress party paid homage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on Wednesday, marking the occasion of his birth anniversary, also celebrated as 'Sadbhavana Divas'. Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal arrived at the Veer Bhumi in New Delhi, along with many party leaders and workers, to pay their solemn respects to the former Prime Minister. Suring this occasion, Priyanka Gandhi's husband, businessman Robert Vadra and their son Raihan Vadra also paid floral tributes to Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi, who served as India's Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989, assumed office following the assassination of his mother, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. At the age of 40, he became the youngest Prime Minister in Indian history. Rajiv Gandhi led the country until the 1989 general elections, after which he served as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He resigned in December 1990, just six months before he was assassinated in a brutal terrorist attack. Earlier in the day, marking the occasion, Congress took to X and posted, "On the birth anniversary of the architect of modern India, 'Bharat Ratna' former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi ji, we offer countless salutations. On this Sadbhavana Divas, remembering Rajiv Gandhi ji's dreams, we reaffirm his resolve." Kharge also took to social media and paid tributes to the former Prime Minister, calling him a "remarkable leader" who propelled the country into the 21st century. "Today, as we observe Sadbhavana Diwas, we remember Rajiv Gandhi, a remarkable leader who inspired hope in millions and propelled India into the 21st century. Innumerable achievements for India exemplified Rajiv Gandhi's legacy and brought transformative changes in the country. We pay our deepest respects to him on his birth anniversary," the Congress chief posted on X. Seoul, Aug 20 : South Korea's food exports to the United States posted the first on-year decline in around two years in July, due to Washington's sweeping tariff scheme, data showed on Wednesday. The country exported US$139 million worth of agricultural goods and food products to the U.S. last month, down 6.7 percent from the same month last year, according to the data from the Korea Trade Statistics Promotion Institute. It marks the first time since May 2023 that the country's food exports to the U.S. dropped from a year earlier, reports Yonhap news agency. By item, shipments of instant noodles, or "ramyeon" in Korean, one of the key export items, retreated 17.8 percent on-year to $14 million. Exports of snacks fell by an even greater margin of 25.9 percent to $20 million, while those of sauces and ginseng dipped 7.2 percent and 13.4 percent on-year, respectively. Cumulative exports to the U.S. in the January-July period grew 21.3 percent from the same period last year. The growth rate, however, slowed sharply from a 27 percent on-year growth for the January-June period. Industry officials partly attributed the slowdown to companies securing stocks ahead of Washington's tariff deadline. The Donald Trump administration had announced plans to levy 15 percent tariffs on all South Korean goods starting Aug. 7. Such panic buying was particularly noticeable in instant ramyeon, whose shipments to the U.S. had spiked 58.7 percent on-year in June. Food exports could fall even further, as U.S. consumers reduce spending amid a grim outlook for the country's economy, market watchers said. "Local companies operating in the U.S. were unable to avoid the effects from a slowdown in consumer spending," said analyst Kang Eun-ji from Korea Investment & Securities Co., noting U.S. sales of major food companies, such as CJ CheilJedang Corp., declined in the second quarter. To address the situation, Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung was set to convene a meeting later Wednesday aimed at boosting food exports. At the meeting, which will be the third of its kind to be held, the minister will outline the government's support measures for export companies and gather feedback from the firms and other related agencies, the ministry said. a"IANS na/ Mumbai, Aug 20 : Actor Sunny Hinduja, whose latest release is "Saare Jahan Se Accha", has decoded what makes period films and series so popular among all ages. Mumbai, Aug 20 (IANS) Actor Sunny Hinduja, whose latest release is "Saare Jahan Se Accha", has decoded what makes period films and series so popular among all ages. Sunny told IANS: "I think, there have been great stories, there have been great narratives, there have been great people, about whom we don't know." The actor himself enjoys binge-watching biographies. "I personally love biographies and if they get the opportunity it is like a great education, in a very subtle way. So it is also like celebrating the people, who have done such great things in their life, in their time. So I always feel it is a delight to see," said the actor. He added: "And there are a lot of generations who are making a living from Instagram reels. So a little balance is also important. But you are right actually." "Saare Jahan Se Accha" follows the gripping journey of RAW agent Vishnu Shankar, who is assigned a dangerous mission deep inside Pakistan. Set against the tense backdrop of the 1970s, a time when every strategic move risked igniting a global nuclear conflict, the show captures the fierce intelligence war between India's RAW and Pakistan's ISI. The series also stars Pratik Gandhi, Suhail Nayyar, Kritika Kamra, Tillotama Shome, Rajat Kapoor, and Anup Soni. Created by Gaurav Shukla and produced by Bombay Fables, with Bhavesh Mandalia as creative producer, "Saare Jahan Se Accha" will premiere ahead of Independence Day on August 13 on Netflix. Sunny gained popularity in 2021 by playing an important character of Sandeep Bhaiya in the TVF web series, Aspirants. He has also worked in TV series The Family Man, Chacha Vidhayak Hain Humare Season 2 and Jamun. He was also seen recently in Mandala Murders is created and co-directed by Gopi Puthran, alongside Manan Rawat, The series is based on the novel The Butcher of Benares. Set in the fictional town of Charandaspur, Uttar Pradesh, it blends mystery, supernatural horror, and psychological thriller elements. The series follows detectives Rea Thomas and Vikram Singh as they investigate ritualistic murders linked to a secret cult, the Aayastis, and a mythical entity called Yast. Seoul, Aug 20 : The government will help the ailing petrochemical sector's "voluntary" restructuring efforts aimed at tackling the industrywide crisis stemming from a global oversupply, the industry ministry said on Wednesday. The road map for restructuring the petrochemical industry is aimed at reducing oversupply, transiting to the production of high-value specialty products, improving the fiscal health of companies and minimising the impact of the restructuring on regional economies, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, reports Yonhap news agency. The government support for the restructuring plan will be provided under three principles: "simultaneous" restructuring of three petrochemical industrial complexes, "sufficient" self-rescue efforts and preparation of a "feasible" business restructuring plan by companies, and the establishment of a "comprehensive" government support package, the ministry explained. The plan was announced during a meeting of economy-related ministers on strengthening the industrial competitiveness of South Korea that came amid concerns that local petrochemical companies may not survive the ongoing crisis sparked by sluggish global demand and the oversupply of cheap Chinese products. A recent report by Boston Consulting Group warned that if the current downturn persists, nearly half of South Korean petrochemical firms may not survive the next three years given their weak financial health. Following the meeting, Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan also met with officials from the petrochemical industry, where the two sides signed an agreement on government support for companies' voluntary restructuring efforts to boost the competitiveness of the sector. For the goal, the petrochemical industry vowed to work toward reducing up to 3.7 million tons of naphtha cracking centre capacity and shifting to the production of high-value and eco-friendly products. Under the agreement, petrochemical firms will draw up and submit a detailed business restructuring plan, including measures to bolster competitiveness and improve the financial structure, by the end of this year, according to the ministry. The ministry said it will then review the plans to devise a support package covering financial aid, tax benefits, incentives for research and development (R&D) projects, and regulation reforms for the companies. The government is also considering designating the central city of Seosan, which houses one of the country's three major petrochemical industrial complexes, as a special zone requiring a preemptive response to an industrial crisis, it added. The government designated the southwestern city of Yeosu, which also hosts a petrochemical industrial complex, as such a zone in May. a"IANS na/ New Delhi, Aug 20 : Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal on Wednesday demanded an answer from the Union Home Minister on the attack on Delhi Chief Minister, and said the law and order situation in the country is deteriorating. "The responsibility is on Union Home Minister Amit Shah to answer on the situation of law and order in the country. Things have reached a stage where no one is safe. Shah has to give answers," said Venugopal. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during the weekly 'Jan Sunvai' at her official residence in Civil Lines on Wednesday. The police have arrested the attacker, identified as Rajesh Khimji from Gujarat's Rajkot, and are interrogating him. However, the reason for the attack is not clear yet. Official confirmation about the attack and the attacker was awaited. Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa strongly condemned the attack on the Chief Minister and said, "The CM works tirelessly for the people of Delhi, and this is nothing but a conspiracy by the opposition. They cannot tolerate that a Chief Minister spends hours among the public, meeting people openly at her residence without restrictions." Claiming a conspiracy, he said, "This clearly indicates a political conspiracy behind the incident. The Delhi Police are investigating the matter, and all facts will soon come to light." Minister Kapil Sharma also took to X and condemned the attack, indicating a political conspiracy. "The attempt to attack Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ji during a public hearing is a cowardly act. Those who are afraid of the Ayushman Card, Devi buses, improving sewer systems, and the cleaning of the Yamuna... they are now resorting to such tactics," Mishra said. "The determined government, chosen by the people's mandate, will neither bow nor stop for the sake of Delhi's development," he added. Meanwhile, security has been heightened at the Chief Minister's residence. Top officials of the Delhi Police are present at the spot, and an investigation is underway at the Civil Lines police station. According to the police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) has reached the CM Rekha Gupta's residence. The Chief Minister conducts 'Jan Sunvai' every week at her official residence to listen to the public grievances. Hundreds of people visit her during the 'Jan Sunvai'. United Nations, Aug 20 : While Pakistan pretends to be a champion of human rights, its "shameful record" of "heinous crimes of sexual violence against women" set in during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War continues today with impunity, India has charged at the Security Council. India's Permanent Mission's Charge d'Affaires Eldos Mathew Punnoose said on Tuesday (local time), "The utter impunity with which the Pakistan army perpetrated heinous crimes of gross sexual violence against women in erstwhile East Pakistan in 1971 is a matter of shameful record." "This deplorable pattern continues unabated and with impunity to this day", he said in a riposte to Pakistan's allegations against India. During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Pakistan's Army and its allies in what was then known as East Pakistan, raped as many as 4,00,000 women in an orchestrated campaign "It is ironic that those who perpetrate these crimes are now masquerading as champions of justice," he said. "The duplicity and hypocrisy are self-evident," he added. Charge d'Affaires Punnoose was replying to allegations made by Pakistan's Permanent Representative Asim Iftikar Ahmad against India. While the subject of the Council debate was 'Identifying Innovative Strategies to Ensure Access to Life-Saving Services and Protection for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones', Pakistan, as it always does, regardless of the topic, brought in Kashmir to attack India. Punnoose outlined the range of rampant crimes weaponised against women by Pakistan He said UN agencies have recorded those crimes. "Rampant abduction, trafficking, child early and forced marriages and domestic servitude, sexual violence and forced religious conversions of thousands of vulnerable women and girls as weapons of persecution towards religious and ethnic minority communities are reported and chronicled, including in the recent Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reports," he said. Pramila Patten, the secretary-general's special representative for issues of sexual violence in conflict, faced criticism coordinated between Pakistan's UN mission and a Palestinian journalist. After communicating with the mission, the journalist asked the secretary-general's spokesperson at his daily briefing why the allegations made by Pakistan's ambassador were not included in her remarks to the Council. The spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, brushed it off, saying, "I think Ms Patten's office drafted a report with all the information that was available to them. That's all I can say." Patten warned that victims of sexual violence were facing a crisis as resources to help them were being cut. "We are told there is no money for lifesaving aid, even as military expenditure soars, and the world spends more in 24 hours on arms than it does in a year on addressing gender-based violence in conflict," she said. Punnoose mentioned the reports by the OHCHR, and the most recent one said that in Pakistan, "Women, particularly in detention on blasphemy charges, face significant gendered harms". The experts' report released last month said, "We are shocked at reports of increasing violence against vulnerable communities on grounds of their religion or belief. "These communities have witnessed relentless attacks, killings and unending harassment for months in the context of hostility and advocacy of hatred against them," they said. A comprehensive review of the situation in Pakistan by the OHCHR's Human Rights Committee in December said it "remains concerned about the high level of violence against women and girls, including murder, rape, kidnapping and domestic violence". The Committee also highlighted the human rights situation in Balochistan, where there were reports that participants in the Aurat (Women's) March faced "enforced disappearances, torture, excessive use of force and mass and arbitrary arrests". New Delhi, Aug 20 : BJP Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva on Wednesday said that Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's condition is stable, but she is in shock following the attack on her during the 'Jan Sunvai' at her official residence in Civil Lines. He condemned the act and said that such attacks should not take place in a democracy. The state BJP chief also mentioned that the attacker tried to grab CM Gupta's hand and then attacked her. Speaking to the reporters outside the Chief Minister's residence, Sachdeva said, "During the public hearing, the Chief Minister was interacting closely with the people when suddenly a man approached her with some papers, grabbed her hand and tried to pull her because of which, I think that the CM hit her head at maybe a table or a chair." "The attacker was immediately caught by the people present. Police are investigating the matter to identify the man and his intentions," he said. "The Chief Minister is stable but in shock. She is a strong woman, and her commitment to Delhi is unaffected. As soon as she feels fine, she will surely come in front of the Delhiites again. She works for 18 hours for Delhi and is a very strong woman; she will soon be back," he added. He dismissed the reports of the Chief Minister being hit by a stone and being slapped. Meanwhile, the man who attacked Chief Minister Gupta has been identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, a resident of Gujarat's Rajkot, sources said. The Delhi Police have contacted their counterparts in Gujarat regarding the same, the sources added. The sources also said that 41-year-old Rajesh told the police that he hails from Rajkot. The police are interrogating the man to ascertain the cause of the attack. Official confirmation on the attack and the attacker is awaited. This incident is being viewed as a significant lapse in her security. Additionally, the Delhi Police will conduct an internal inquiry regarding how the incident occurred despite so much security. Chennai, Aug 20 : One of India's top music directors Devi Sri Prasad has now shared a favourite picture of his in which his parents are seen wearing ornaments that he himself designed! Taking to his X timeline to share a picture of his parents sporting the jewels on the occasion of World Photography Day, Devi Sri Prasad wrote, "HAPPY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY DAY !!! This is one of my Most Memorable Moments when I clicked a pic of my mom and dad, after gifting them a gold musical style bracelet(For Dad) & gold bangle with diamond musical notes (For Mom) , which I designed myself and got them made on the occasion when I completed my 15 Years of music journey!!! I guess I should have a video of me designing those in the jewellery store... Will search and post the video and the pics soon !! #worldphotographyday2025" Devi Sri Prasad, who is one of the top music directors in both the Tamil and Telugu film industries, was recently praised by director Harish Shankar, who is now in the process of directing the Pawan Kalyan starrer Ustaad Bhagat Singh, for his music. The director had recently penned a heart touching post in which he had told that ace music director Devi Sri Prasad didnat just score music for his films but that he actually became their heartbeat. Harish Shankar, while greeting music director Devi Sri Prasad on his birthday this year, had said, "Dear DSP, From the very first moment our paths crossed, I knew you werenat just a music director, you were a force. From sleepless jam sessions to stadiums echoing with your anthems, our journey together has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. Full of fire, faith, and friendship." The director then said, "You didnat just score music for my filmsa you became the heartbeat of them." "On your special day, Iam not just celebrating the artist, Iam celebrating the man who stood by me, believed in me, and brought life to my stories through sound. Happy Birthday to India's Biggest Chartbusters creator," he had said. JSC Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways - UZ) has added several trains to the western direction in August-October, the company said in a statement on Wednesday, including train No. 284/283 Uzhhorod-Kyiv, which will run every other day from September 1 until the start of the new schedule for 2026. "The train is connected in Kyiv to high-speed trains in the Kharkiv and Dnipro directions, so it will be useful if there are suddenly no free seats left in the Western direction from Kharkiv or Dnipro on the desired date," UZ said on Telegram. These additional trains also include No. 159/160 Kyiv - Truskavets departing from Kyiv and Truskavets on September 1, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 and October 3, 4, 5 and No. 218/217 Chop - Lviv departing from Chop and Lviv on September 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29. In addition, on August 27 and 28, train No. 249/250 Kyiv - Lviv departing from both cities will be added, and separately on August 25, 28, 30, 31, train No. 220/219 Kyiv - Dnipro departing from Kyiv and Dnipro. The company previously reported that during the period from August 11 to 17, it transported 644,000 passengers, which is 4.8% or almost 30,000 more than during the same period in 2024. The most searches this week were for the directions in both directions "Kyiv-Lviv" 151,600 requests against 21,800 seats. The direction "Kyiv-Odesa" 92,300 requests against 19,100 available seats, "Kyiv-Kharkiv" 69,200 searches and 18,500 thousand seats, "Kyiv-Przemysl" 65,000 requests against 22,800 available seats and the direction "Kyiv-Dnipro" 55,000 searches and 16,900. Mumbai, Aug 20 : Actress Salma Hayek is remembering the late actor Matthew Perry. On Wednesday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared a picture and a video from their movie 'Fools Rush In'. She wrote in the caption, "Thinking of you today Matthew". 'Fools Rush In', which was released in 1997, is a romantic comedy film starring Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek, directed by Andy Tennant. In the film, Matthew essayed the role of Alex Whitman, a New York City project manager aka architect, is sent to Las Vegas to supervise the construction of a nightclub that his firm has been hired to build. Salma essayed the role of Isabel Fuentes-Whitman, a Mexican-American photographer. Perry passed away at the age of 54 on October 28, 2023, after he was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. He was pronounced dead at 4:17 pm the same day. He was 54 years old. On November 3, 2023, his funeral was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles where he was buried. His father, mother and stepfather attended, as did his 'Friends' co-stars. Following the actor's demise, the National Philanthropic Trust established the Matthew Perry Foundation to support people suffering from addiction. On December 15, 2023, his death was revealed to have occurred due to acute effects of ketamine. Jasveen Sangha, 42, who is dubbed as the "Ketamine Queen", was charged with overdose. She later agreed to plead guilty to selling the drugs that ultimately killed the 'Friends' actor. She pleaded guilty to five charges in Los Angeles, including one count of distributing ketamine resulting in death or bodily injury, as per the Justice Department. New Delhi, Aug 20 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday condemned the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at her official residence in New Delhi's Civil Lines, saying there is no place for violence in a democratic system. Taking to X, former Delhi CM Kejriwal said, "The attack on Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democratic system, differences of opinion and opposition are acceptable, but there can be no place for violence." "I am confident that the Delhi Police will take appropriate action. I hope the Chief Minister is completely safe and healthy," he added. Chief Minister Gupta was attacked during the weekly Jan Sunvai at her official residence in Civil Lines on Wednesday. The police have arrested the attacker and are interrogating him. However, the reason for the attack is unclear. The man who attacked Delhi Chief Minister Gupta was identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, a resident of Gujarat's Rajkot, sources said. The Delhi Police has contacted the Gujarat Police regarding the same, they added. According to sources, 41-year-old Rajesh told the police that he hails from Rajkot. The police are interrogating the man to ascertain the cause of the attack. This incident is being viewed as a significant lapse in her security. Additionally, the Delhi Police will conduct an internal inquiry into how the incident occurred despite tight security. Sources told IANS that Rajesh, during the weekly public hearing, suddenly came out and hurled a heavy object at the Chief Minister. According to preliminary unverified information, the attacker shouted at the Chief Minister, slapped her, and began abusing her. There was a serious scuffle involving the Chief Minister. Rajesh handed some papers to the chief minister and referred to a court case before assaulting her, as per some unverified reports. Currently, the Chief Minister is being monitored by a doctor, after which it will be clear how many injuries she has suffered, said sources. Following the incident, security has been stepped up at the Chief Minister's residence. Top officials of the Delhi Police are present at the spot, and an investigation is underway. According to the police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) has reached CM Gupta's residence. More details are awaited. Mumbai, Aug 20 : Actress Gauahar Khan, who is expecting her second baby with husband Zaid Darbar, celebrated a beautiful yet intimate baby shower yesterday and shared glimpses from the happy celebration over social media. The couple, who announced their pregnancy earlier this year in the cutest way, looked radiant as they marked the special day surrounded by close family and friends. Dressed in a shimmering yellow-golden gown, Gauahar looked breathtaking as usual. She kept her hair open and teamed up her look with bold red lips and opted for minimal makeup. Adding to her elegance, she wore gold jewellery that comprised of a delicately crafted necklace, and a single bangle that perfectly complemented her attire. Zaid, on the other hand, kept it simple yet classy and stylish in white pants paired with a loose shirt featuring a black-and-red abstract print. Social media is flooded with the clips of her baby shower event. Gauahar too has shared some fun snippets from the inside of the celebration. In one of the videos, Gauahar and Zaid can be seen cutting a two-tier cake decorated with pastel flowers capturing the happiness of the occasion. On the personal front, Gauahar and Zaid tied the knot in 2020 and they welcomed their first baby, Zehan, in May 2023. Earlier this April, Gauahar and Zaid shared the news of their second pregnancy with a very adorable post. She had captioned it as, "Bismillah, need your prayers and love, make the world dance by spreading love, #GazaBaby2, #AllahuMaBarikFihi" On the professional front, Gauhar's show 'Fauji 2' recently completed 100 episodes on DD National featuring actors Vicky Jain, Ashish Bharadwaj, Utkarsh Kohli, and Rudra Soni. She was also recently seen in Lovely Lola, alongside Isha Malviya, that was produced under Ravi Dubey & Sargun Mehta's production banner, Dreamiyaata Drama, on YouTube. Gauahar received great appreciation and applause for both the shows. Mumbai, Aug 20 : Shiv Sena(UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance failed to secure any seats in the BEST Credit Society elections. Out of 21 candidates, the panel led by labour leader Shashank Rao won 14 seats, and the panel led by BJP legislator Prasad Lad secured seven. It was the maiden test for the estranged Thackeray brothers, who had come together on the Hindi language issue, and later decided to stay together in view of the upcoming elections to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation. However, the Thackeray brand has failed to show magic in the BEST elections. It has come as a major blow to both brothers, who are gearing up for the BMC elections. The BJP-led Mahayuti has said that it will win the civic body elections this time. The five-yearly elections of The Best Employees Co-op Credit Society Ltd were held on Monday. Despite heavy rain, the workers responded overwhelmingly, and a voter turnout of 83 per cent was recorded. This election was considered to be prestigious for the Thackeray brothers and the BJP, especially MLA Prasad Lad, who had, from day one of the campaign, claimed that the Thackeray brand wouldn't work and they would not be able to win a single seat. It was expected that there would be a major fight between the Thackeray brothers and MLA Prasad Lad in this election, as both groups were claiming victory on social media. However, the real contest took place between Prasad Lad's panel and Shashank Rao's panel. Most of the members of Shiv Sena(UBT)'s labour wing, Kamgar Sena, are members of this credit union, and therefore, the Thackeray brothers were optimistic of scoring a victory. However, due to a lack of preparation, the Kamgar Sena fought the elections, hoping that the Thackeray brand would work and they would be able to ride to victory on the alliance between the two brothers. The Kamgar Sena even nominated a woman activist from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The Shashank Rao panel and Prasad Lad panel, during their campaign, flagged the alleged irregularities committed by the outgoing board of directors, dominated by the Kamgar Sena. This election was considered a rehearsal for the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation elections. Therefore, the results of this election attracted the attention of not only BEST workers but also political circles and workers from Shiv Sena(UBT) and MNS and also from the BJP. The election was held at 35 centres, including all the BEST centres and offices. The counting of votes was to take place at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at the Wadala depot. However, due to the rain, the counting officials could not arrive on time. Therefore, the counting of votes began after 2 p.m. The counting of votes continued till late at night. Since there were a total of 35 centres and 150 candidates, the counting of the ballot papers was delayed. The election results were announced on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, the BJP has targeted the Thackeray brothers after their alliance failed to win a single seat in the Best Credit Society elections. BJP legislator Prasad Lad, in his post on X, taunted, "Thackeray" brand 21 faced 000, 00/21, meaning the brand's boss could not win a single seat..." On the other hand, state BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye in his post on X said, "If you add up two zeros, where one has nothing left to lose and the other has nothing left to gain, and no matter how many zeros you add to them, the answer to that math is zero, what will happen if you don't recognise the answer that even unschooled children know?... To find the answer to this question, look at the election results of 'Best Kamgar Patpedhi'! Till yesterday, two zeros were challenging us to measure our worth, today they have realized their worth!!" New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon on Wednesday following yet another morning of disruption by Opposition members, who stormed the well of the House, demanding a debate on the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) The Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon on Wednesday following yet another morning of disruption by Opposition members, who stormed the well of the House, demanding a debate on the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. The protest, marked by placards and slogans, echoed similar scenes witnessed throughout the Monsoon Session. Speaker Om Birla initiated proceedings with Question Hour, calling on Congress MP Suresh Kumar Shetka and BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre. However, before Dhotre could complete his question, the Speaker intervened, visibly disappointed by the escalating commotion. Addressing the protesting MPs, Speaker Birla said, "It is not appropriate to bring placards with sticks into the House. You are part of this institution and must cooperate in its functioning." Despite repeated appeals for order, the Opposition remained defiant, pressing for an immediate discussion on the alleged irregularities in Bihar's voter roll revision. The Speaker's efforts to restore decorum were met with continued sloganeering and commotion, prompting him to adjourn the House till noon. The disruption is part of a broader standoff between the Opposition and the government over transparency in electoral processes. INDIA bloc leaders have accused the Modi government of stonewalling debate on the SIR exercise, which they claim could impact upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh recently stated that the government's "obstinacy" has led to repeated adjournments and walkouts. This latest adjournment adds to a growing list of procedural halts during the Monsoon Session, which began on July 21. While the government has pushed forward with legislative business, including the passage of key bills in the absence of Opposition members, the persistent protests have cast a shadow over parliamentary functioning. As the House reconvenes at noon, it remains to be seen whether any breakthrough will emerge or if the deadlock will continue to define the session's tone. Speaker Birla's call for cooperation underscores the urgency of restoring legislative normalcy amid deepening political fault lines. Jaipur, Aug 20 : At least four people were killed in a road accident and four others were injured on the Kota-Udaipur highway in Rajasthan's Bundi district early Wednesday morning, said officials The collision occurred near the Baba Ramdev temple in the Dabi police station area of Bundi district at around 5 a.m. According to preliminary information, a dumper and a car collided head-on with significant impact. The car, carrying eight people, was en route from Beawar to Rajsamand, reportedly arranged by contractor Hemraj. The accident took place just 5 km before the Dhaneshwar toll plaza. An ambulance was dispatched immediately after the highway control room alerted emergency services. Upon reaching the scene, rescue personnel found all eight car occupants injured. The victims were first rushed to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Dabi, according to the officials here. Tragically, one person was declared dead on arrival. The remaining injured were referred to Kotaas Medical College Hospital for further treatment. At the hospital in Kota, three more victims, including a woman, succumbed to their injuries during treatment. The four surviving victims continue to receive medical care, with one of them being a one-and-a-half-year-old child. Police officials confirmed the details, stating that the accident occurred in front of the Baba Ramdev temple, not far from the Dhaneshwar toll. The officials added that the deceased's bodies were kept in the mortuary, and post-mortem procedures would be conducted once their families arrive. The crash caused a stir in the area, briefly disrupting traffic on the highway. Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the collision and whether negligence or overspeeding was involved. The tragic accident again gives lessons that travellers should be extra careful during early morning hours when visibility is low and fatigue often plays a role, said the officials. Jaipur, Aug 20 : A late-night bomb threat email sent to The Palace School in Jaipur's Manak Chowk police station area triggered a major security operation on Wednesday morning. The school administration alerted the police early Wednesday after discovering the threatening message in their inbox. Following the report, senior police officials, along with the Bomb Disposal Squad, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), and dog squad, rushed to the school premises. A full-scale search operation has been underway since morning to ensure the safety of students and staff. The mail threatens explosion in classrooms and toilet, said police. According to officials, the email claimed that two TNT IEDs had been planted in the classrooms and toilet area of classes 4 to 7, threatening that they would explode by 1.45 p.m. The message instructed the school to evacuate all children before that time. Speaking on the matter, DCP North Karan Sharma confirmed that a thorough search is being conducted and all necessary protocols are being followed. "All agencies have been deployed, and we are checking every corner of the school," he said. The Cyber Cell has started investigating the source of the email. "The Jaipur Police cyber team has joined the investigation and is actively working to trace the origin of the threatening email. The team is examining the IP address from which the mail was sent. The threat is being taken very seriously," DCP Sharma added. This is not the first time The Palace School has received such a threat. A similar email had been sent earlier, which also led to a security sweep. However, nothing suspicious was found during that previous incident. Despite the history of false threats, police say they are treating the current situation with utmost caution. Every possible angle is being investigated, and a security perimeter has been established around the school. Students were not present at the school at the time of the threat, as it was received during the night. New Delhi, Aug 20 : Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee have developed HyEco -- a first-of-its-kind integrated flood-water quality modelling platform which shows how potential disease-causing microbes can travel in floodwaters and where people are most at risk of getting affected. This novel framework, which also predicts how urban flood waters will spread across a city, was tested during the 2023 Delhi floods. The results were alarming; over 60 per cent of flooded areas were in the high to very high danger zones, and harmful bacteria (E. coli) in the water were found to be hundreds of thousands of times above safe limits. Children, in particular, faced infection risks more than double the internationally accepted safety levels when playing in floodwaters. Floodwaters in many Indian cities mix with untreated sewage and industrial waste, creating a toxic mix that can lead to outbreaks of diarrhoea, cholera, and other dangerous water-borne diseases. HyEco can help authorities see these threats in advance, identify "health danger hotspots," and take quick action to protect people, for example, by improving sewage treatment, cleaning drains before monsoons, warning residents through SMS alerts, and using advanced water cleaning methods. "Floods don't just damage buildings; they can trigger silent health crises. HyEco gives us the power to see where the danger will be highest, so action can be taken before it's too late," said Prof. Mohit P. Mohanty, Department of Water Resources Development and Management, IIT Roorkee. "This research is a perfect example of science serving society. By helping cities prepare for both the visible and hidden dangers of floods, HyEco can play a vital role in building safer, healthier, and climate-resilient communities in India and around the world," said Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee. HyEco is designed to be used not just in India but in flood-prone cities worldwide, from Mumbai to Manila, Jakarta to New Orleans, offering an innovative, science-based solution to reduce the risk of waterborne diseases after floods. The research supports key government missions, such as the National Mission for Clean Ganga, Swachh Bharat Mission, National Disaster Management Plan, and the National Health Mission. It also helps meet several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and SDG 13 (climate action). Kochi, Aug 20 : The Kerala government on Wednesday informed the High Court that it has constituted a Grievance Redressal Committee under the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2018. The submission was made before a division bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji, as it heard a writ petition seeking enforcement of safety standards in public medical facilities. The plea was filed in the wake of the recent collapse of a bathroom building at the Kottayam Medical College, which led to the death of 56-year-old Bindhu, who had come for her daughteras surgery. The tragedy drew widespread criticism after it emerged that a rescue operation was delayed. Hearing about the incident, Health Minister Veena George and Ports Minister V.N. Vasavan reached the accident site and initially assured that no one was trapped under the debris. But later it was found that Bindhu was trapped under the debris. The opposition Congress then alleged that her life was lost due to lapses in the response. On Wednesday, the court had expressed strong concern over the stateas failure to frame Rules under the 2018 Act to ensure periodic inspections of clinical establishments, including government hospitals, even seven years after the lawas enactment. It had also criticised the absence of a Grievance Redressal Committee for nearly 18 months after the earlier committeeas term expired in 2024. On Wednesday, the government submitted that the required rules will be framed within three months. The court directed the state to place its submissions in the form of an affidavit before the next hearing, which has been posted for August 26. The Congress had demanded a judicial probe into the Kottayam incident. On the day of the accident, state Congress President Sunny Joseph and senior leaders visited the hospital complex, alleging gross negligence and accusing the government of trying to downplay the tragedy. The Pinarayi Vijayan government, however, ordered a probe by the District Collector instead of a judicial inquiry. In the aftermath, the government announced rehabilitation measures, including offering a government job to Bindhuas son and taking responsibility for the medical expenses of her daughter. Sydney, Aug 20 : Millions of residents of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) were on Wednesday told to prepare for possible flooding as a severe wet weather system hit the country's east coast. Authorities in NSW on Wednesday issued heavy rainfall warnings for communities along almost 1,000 km of the state's coastline, including Sydney. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said that the significant rain event driven by three separate weather systems was expected to bring isolated rainfall totals of up to 75 millimetres on Wednesday night, followed by up to 120 millimetres on Thursday and another 60 millimetres on Friday. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, NSW State Emergency Service Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz said that some communities that have been hit by heavy rainfall in recent months could experience flooding overnight. She said that water from previous severe rainfall events made flooding more likely and warned residents that complacency is a risk. "This year we have seen significant weather events, significant flooding and a lot of damage. We know the community is tired and volunteers are tired," Platz said. Regions north of Sydney experienced record-breaking flooding in May that caused five deaths. Steve Bernasconi, a hazard preparedness manager at the BoM, said on Wednesday that the current event was not expected to bring enough rain to prompt a severe weather warning, but that it could cause isolated major flooding due to some water catchments already being at capacity, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier on August 2, more than 27,500 homes in the east coast Australian state of NSW were without power because of damage from heavy rain, strong winds and snowfall, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) had reported. ABC quoted local power provider Essential Energy as saying that impacted customers should prepare for the power outages to continue overnight, because though its crews were working to restore power "where it is safe to do so," severe weather would cause delays. The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) had said on its website that moderate to heavy rainfall was forecast to persist in the Coffs Coast, Mid North Coast, Upper Hunter and New England regions in the state on Saturday afternoon, and it had issued 28 warnings about storms, and predicted minor flooding, as well as possible moderate flooding. Nicole Hogan, Assistant Commissioner of NSW SES, had said that heavy and persistent rainfall could cause roads to become flooded and impassable. Russian troops fired artillery at Bilozerka, one person was killed and another was wounded, head of Kherson Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, said on Wednesday. "Today at about 12:00, Russian occupiers fired artillery at a residential building in Bilozerka. As a result of this enemy attack, a 39-year-old man received fatal injuries. My condolences to the family and friends of the deceased. A local resident was also wounded," the Telegram message says. It is reported that at this point, doctors have provided assistance to the victim and released her for outpatient treatment. Washington, Aug 20 : Continuing with his ongoing engagements with the American leaders, India's Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra held a meeting with US Representative Pete Sessions, explaining him New Delhi's position regarding recent developments, including trade. "Engaged in a productive discussion with Representative Pete Sessions, Chairman of Congressional Sub-Committee on Governmental Operations in the US House of Representatives. Briefed him on India's position on recent developments, including trade, and exchanged views on energy security and the growing hydrocarbon partnership between our countries," the Indian diplomat posted on X on Wednesday, India time. On Tuesday, Kwatra stated that he met US Representative Marc Veasey and briefed him about India's stance on recent developments. During the discussions, the Indian diplomat stressed the importance of "fair, balanced and mutually beneficial trade" to further strengthen bilateral ties. "Had a fruitful discussion with Representative Veasey, Vice Co-Chair of India Caucus in the US House of Representatives. Briefed him on Indiaas position on recent developments and underlined the importance of fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade to further strengthen our partnership India US," Kwatra posted on X. Kwatra also spoke to US Representative Michael Baumgartner and briefed him on recent developments in India-US ties and New Delhi's views regarding mutual trade and energy ties. Sharing insights regarding his meeting with Baumgartner, Kwatra wrote on X, "Had the opportunity to speak with Representative Michael Baumgartner today. Briefed him on recent developments in US-India partnership and Indiaas perspectives on mutual trade and energy ties. Grateful for his strong support for the relationship." Kwatra's meetings with the US representatives come at a critical juncture as US President Donald Trump earlier this month announced an additional 25 per cent tariff hike, citing Indiaas continued imports of Russian crude oil as the primary reason. This comes on top of a previous 25 per cent tariff that came into effect on July 20. Responding sharply to the US move, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had called the decision "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable", stating that Indiaas energy needs and strategic autonomy must be respected. Dehra Dun, Aug 20 : The Uttarakhand Assembly on Wednesday passed eight Bills, including the much-debated anti-conversion Bill, the Uttarakhand Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025, and a vote-on-account of Rs 5,315 crore in a session marked by repeated adjournments, drawing sharp criticism from Muslim religious leaders. While the Congress raised a storm over deteriorating law and order, Muslim leaders voiced concern, saying that such legislative moves would not solve the underlying problems. They emphasised the need for equal treatment of all communities and justice for every religion. Speaking to IANS, Mufti Maulana Danish Qadri said: "We need to understand what religious conversion really is. Today, if someone converts to Hinduism, they receive respect. But if a Hindu, Sikh, or Christian wishes to embrace Islam out of free will, why should there be any problem? However, if anyonea"Muslim or Hindua"is forced into conversion, then it is certainly wrong." "Religion is a matter of individual choice. If anyone forcibly converts another, there should be equal punishment irrespective of the community. To me, this looks more like politics than principle. Accepting any religion should remain a personal decision," he added. Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi was equally critical, "Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has prepared a series of laws - first bringing UCC, then abolishing the Madrasa Board, followed by the Minority Educational Institutions Bill, and now the anti-conversion Bill. But the problem will not be solved with all these things. True justice will come only when every religion is treated fairly. Hindus and Muslims must be seen as equals, without dividing the public along religious lines." He further cautioned that sowing division could have lasting consequences. "People will remember if hatred is spread and if communities are divided. It would be better if leaders took an oath to ensure fairness and harmony." On August 14, the Uttarakhand Cabinet had approved amendments to the anti-conversion law to make it harsher, with stringent provisions like punishment up to life imprisonment and heavy fines being added to the new bill. The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill-2025 was approved in the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dhami. According to the Bill, apart from strict punishment for illegal religious conversion, provisions such as a ban on propaganda through digital media and protection of victims have been added. Seoul, Aug 20 : South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Wednesday relations with Japan are "very important" with many opportunities for mutual cooperation. Kim made the remarks during a meeting with Japanese delegates visiting Seoul to attend the Korea-Japan Forum, as President Lee Jae Myung was set to visit Tokyo later this week for summit talks with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Yonhap News Agency reported. "With the launch of the new administration, South Korea and Japan are moving forward on a future-oriented path," Kim said. "The two countries have a very important relationship with many areas of mutual cooperation, and the president's decision to visit Japan was made in that context." The Japanese delegates expressed Tokyo's commitment to continue efforts in building "a more mature, robust and future-oriented" bilateral relationship. The delegation included former Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Yasumasa Nagamine, acting chair of the forum, and Japanese lawmakers. The Korea-Japan Forum is an annual forum launched in 1993 to promote high-level talks between the two countries. Lee was set to depart for Tokyo for a summit with Ishiba, before traveling to Washington for his first summit with US President Donald Trump on August 25. Earlier on August 15, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he would pursue "forward-looking, mutually beneficial cooperation" with Japan through active "shuttle diplomacy" while expressing hope that Japan will squarely face up to its history of wartime aggression. Lee made the remarks in his speech marking the 80th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule as he was set to visit Tokyo for summit talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba later this month shortly before a planned summit with US President Donald Trump, Yonhap News Agency reported. "Guided by the principle of pragmatic, national interest-focused diplomacy, we will seek forward-looking, mutually beneficial cooperation with Japan while holding frequent meetings and frank dialogues through shuttle diplomacy," Lee said. Marking also the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, Lee said Seoul and Tokyo should face their painful history and redefine bilateral ties to move forward, describing Japan as "a neighbor across the sea" and "an indispensable partner" in economic development. "I hope that the Japanese government will squarely face up to our painful history and strive to maintain trust between our two countries," he said. Chandigarh, Aug 20 : The Northern India Textile Mills Association (NITMA) on Wednesday lauded the Central government's decisive decision to exempt import duties on all varieties of cotton (HSN 5201) till September 30. The exemption covers five per cent customs duty, five per cent Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC), and one per cent additional cess, offering much-needed relief to the textile industry. NITMA Senior Vice-President Munish Avasthi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visionary leadership and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh for swiftly addressing the textile industry's pressing concerns. He emphasised that this measure is a critical enabler in achieving India's $100 billion textile export target, especially as the sector grapples with high raw material costs and a widening gap between domestic and global cotton prices. "The removal of import duty on cotton is a strategic intervention that will stabilise the supply chain and support the entire cotton value chain during a period of acute raw material stress," said Avasthi in a statement. However, he also flagged a concern regarding the limited duration of the exemption, noting that cotton shipments from key sourcing countries, such as the US and Brazil, generally require 70 -75 days, potentially limiting the benefit for importers. On the man-made fibre (MMF) front, Sidharth Khanna, President of NITMA, highlighted the long-standing issue of Inverted Duty Structure (IDS) under GST, which continues to hinder growth and investment across the MMF textile value chain. While commending the government's proactive stance on cotton, he urged the Ministries of Finance and Textiles to extend similar support to MMF by adopting a uniform five per cent GST rate across the MMF value chain, in line with the cotton value chain by reducing GST on MMF yarn from 12 to five per cent and on inputs like PTA, MEG, and man-made fibres from 18 to five per cent. Bengaluru, Aug 20 : In a major development, the Karnataka government has announced that it has accepted the Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission report, with certain modifications, and implemented its recommendations on the long-pending issue of internal reservation. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made a statement in session in this regard on Wednesday and announced that, "The Government is pleased to place before this House that the report of Justice Nagamohan Das has been accepted with modifications. We believe that this decision has succeeded in delivering justice to the decades-long struggle for internal reservation." Chief Minister Siddaramaiah further declared that the Karnataka government has decided to immediately begin recruitment processes upon issuing the order on internal reservation, and to provide a one-time relaxation in the age limit. "The Commission had recommended classification of Scheduled Castes into categories A, B, C, D, and E. The Cabinet has modified this to three categories and provided reservation: Category A (Left-Hand castes) 6 per cent, Category B (Right-Hand castes) 6 per cent, and Category C 5 per cent," CM Siddaramaiah announced. "This restructuring has been done to ensure equality and fairness in providing opportunities in education, employment, and other sectors for all 101 Scheduled Castes. The Cabinet has kept in mind the principles laid down by the Supreme Court while making this decision," CM Siddaramaiah underlined. "Our government has demonstrated that Karnataka, as a progressive state, is also at the forefront of ensuring social justice," he underlined. Giving more details, CM Siddaramaiah stated, "Regarding internal reservation for Scheduled Castes, on August 1, 2024, the Supreme Court in the case of State of Punjab and Others vs. Devinder Singh delivered the following judgment: 'The provision provides the State with the power to make any special provisions for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.' Thereby, it recognises the wide power of the State to employ a range of means to secure substantive equality. This would include sub-classification within the Scheduled Castes." CM Siddaramaiah said, "This clearly establishes that the constitutional authority to sub-classify Scheduled Castes rests with the State governments. It also opined that internal reservation can be provided in order to strengthen the core spirit of equality enshrined under Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution, without violating the principle of equality." "In this background, our government, on November 12, 2024, constituted a one-member commission headed by Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das. The Commission was directed to collect empirical data and make recommendations regarding the provision of internal reservation," CM Siddaramaiah stated. Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission conducted a comprehensive study of 101 Scheduled Castes in the State and submitted its report on August 1, 2025. The Commission collected data covering 1,05,09,871 individuals belonging to Scheduled Castes, which accounted for 93 per cent of the Scheduled Caste population. The Cabinet thoroughly examined this report, he said. "In the Cabinet meeting held on August 19, 2025, we accepted Justice Nagamohan Das' recommendations with certain modifications," CM Siddaramaiah stated. "Communities identified by the Commission as Left-Hand section will be provided 6 per cent internal reservation; the Commission had grouped castes such as Paraya and Mogera (Right-Hand) with the Left-Hand section. The Cabinet decided to retain these communities with the Right-Hand group, and therefore, 6 per cent reservation will be given to the Right-Hand section," the CM announced. "Among the Adi Karnataka, Adi Andhra, and Adi Dravida groups, a population of 4,74,954 will be equally distributed between the Left-Hand and Right-Hand groups," CM Siddaramaiah added. "Justice Nagamohan Das had recommended 4 per cent reservation for the Touchable group of castes, and 1 per cent for 59 castes with a population of 5,22,099, categorized as Sub-Group A. For certain technical reasons, the cabinet has decided to merge these two groups and provide 5 per cent reservation together," the Congress leader said. He further stated, "The Government has decided to constitute a Permanent Scheduled Castes Commission to study and review the mobility and status of these castes periodically and submit reports based on available data." "The Congress Government has also decided to withdraw the cases filed against activists who fought for internal reservation. If, in future, any modifications are required in this decision, they will be made based on the data obtained from the upcoming national census," CM Siddaramaiah stated. Bhopal, Aug 20 : Young female advocate Archana Tiwari, who was recovered from Kathmandu in Nepal late on Tuesday, had planned her mysterious disappearance along with her two- three friends. She de-boarded at Itarsi railway station and then went to Shujalpur in Shajapur district and lived there for two days. She later moved to Hyderabad and then to Jodhpur. Further, she reached New Delhi and then went to Nepal. Interestingly, one of her male friends, Tejendra Singh, who helped her in her mysterious plan, is in Tihar Central Jail in New Delhi, according to Bhopal Railway SP Rahul Kumar Lodha. "Archana Tiwari made this plan to avoid her marriage. She assumed that if she remained missing for a few days, her family would stop talking about her marriage, and then she would be back to her life again. However, extensive media coverage made her talk to her family and disclose her current location," Lodha told IANS. A police official said that Tejendra Singh, who has a criminal background, was arrested by Delhi Police two to three days ago in connection with another case, and he was sent to Tihar Central Jail. Another male friend, who was part of this entire conspiracy - Saransh Jain, has been arrested by the Bhopal Police. In fact, Saransh's arrest disclosed the entire plan. Saransh, who works in a private firm in Indore, was known to Archana for the last several years. According to Lodha, Archana had been aunder intense pressure from her family to abandon her studies and marry a Patwari." Babita Kataria, a woman GRP cop, who recovered Archana Tiwari at the India-Nepal border (Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh), said that she was alone in Nepal. "First, we went to New Delhi and then Nepal. She was alone there," Kataria, who is posted in Gwalior, said. The case drew widespread attention after Archanaas baga"containing Rakshabandhan giftsa"was found abandoned at Umaria station. Her last known communication was a call to her aunt on August 7, after which her phone went silent. Archana has been handed over to her family. However, there are several questions that remain unanswered. Police said that further investigation is underway. New Delhi, Aug 20 : Relations between Pakistan and the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan have soured over time. This is owing to a variety of factors that also include disputes over the Durand Line and the alleged shielding of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) by the Taliban. In a bid to counter this, the ISI indulged in a dangerous game by propping up the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which is looking at making gains in Afghanistan. Before the ISKP was formed, the founder of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had made an offer to the Taliban asking the group to join hands with it. Baghdadi was of the view that the Taliban and the Islamic State should join hands in a bid to establish the Islamic Caliphate. The Taliban was however not agreeable to this offer and felt that it could not play second fiddle to the Islamic State. Moreover, with a US withdrawal in sight, the Taliban wanted to rule the country and did not want any foreign outfit on its soil. Since then, the two groups have been at loggerheads, and their men fight each other quite regularly. With the TTP upping the ante against the Pakistan establishment and the army facing severe losses, the ISI came up with a plan to overcome this problem. With the relations with the Taliban going down, the ISI backed the ISKP. For the ISKP, this was an acceptable offer since it felt that with the backing of Pakistan, it could make inroads in Afghanistan. The ISI, on the other hand, expected the ISKP to keep both the TTP and Taliban engaged, so that the heat on the Pakistan army would come down. In doing so, the ISI played an immensely dangerous game, and a new grouping of terror outfits is in the offing. The TTP too needs more alliances, and according to Intelligence officials, the outfit has been in talks with Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent (AQIS). Al Qaeda is a known backer of the Taliban and would never hurt its interests in Afghanistan. The AQIS, set up in 2014, has not had much of an impact in the region. An alliance with the TTP would bode well for the organisation. The TTP could well become an umbrella group for other terror organisations, and this has raised the possibility of an alliance with the AQIS. If the TTP and AQIS do come together, it would be a stronger grouping. However, the problem is that this is not just a dangerous merger in the context of Pakistanas security. The AQIS has more interests in India and Bangladesh, and in the long run, such a merger will impact the security of the entire region. The AQIS has been without a major ally in the region and hence has failed to make the kind of impact it would have wanted to. Such an alliance would bolster the outfit, and it could become stronger. The major worry would be the security situation in Bangladesh. The border is already tense with several terror groups trying to set up modules in India. Most of these terror groups back Al Qaeda. While the Islamic State too has the support of some groups in Bangladesh, the support base for Al Qaeda is much larger. Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, Al Qaeda was quick to react. It released a 12-page statement on its official media outlet, Al-Sahab, backing the movement that led to a change in regime. "This is not an ordinary incident that the Muslims of Bengal have today risen up in the form of a storm of hate and anger against the faction that had become a symbol of atrocities and conflicts thrust upon Bangladesh, that was exploiting the Muslims of Bangladesh by making them the slave of the polytheist Hindus, and by whose hands the followers of the religion [of Islam] endured crimes and subjugation," the Emir of the AQIS Usama Mahmood had written. These remarks by the Emir make it amply clear that the primary target is India, as it is a Hindu-majority country. With the AQIS making its intentions clear, the security headache would be the possible alliance with the TTP. Hyderabad, Aug 20 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao linked the polls to the post of Vice-President of India to urea shortage in Telangana and said the BRS will support the alliance that assures supply of 2 lakh tonnes of the fertilizer to the state. Voicing concern over the problems faced by Telangana farmers due to urea shortage and holding the state government responsible for the situation, he told media persons on Wednesday that the BRS will support the formation which can ensure supply of urea to meet the requirements of farmers. "We have four votes (in Rajya Sabha). We will support the alliance which makes a categorical statement for supply of urea," he said. Stating that the BRS was not aligned with the NDA or INDIA Bloc, he said that the BRS is an independent party. "We are an independent party. We have no bosses in Delhi. The people of Telangana are our only bosses," he said. K.T. Rama Rao said neither the NDA nor the INDIA Bloc approached the BRS for support in the polls for the VP's post. "No alliance has approached us yet. But our decision will be taken solely in the interest of Telangana farmers," he said. K.T. Rama Rao stated that he finds no difference between the Congress and BJP as both have done nothing for Telangana. "With eight Congress MPs and eight BJP MPs, Telangana has gained nothing. 8+8 has only meant zero benefit for our state," he claimed. The BRS leader also accused the Congress of hypocrisy on social justice, pointing out that despite claiming affection for BCs, the party had not nominated a BC leader for the Vice-Presidential polls. "If they were serious, they could have fielded intellectuals like Kancha Ilaiah or any eminent BC leader," he remarked. K.T. Rama Rao said his party would take a decision on the vice-presidential election after a discussion with MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other leaders. "If the Congress CM nominates a candidate, we will oppose without hesitation," he said when asked about reports that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy may be behind the choice of former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy as the INDIA Bloc candidate. He launched a scathing attack on the state government, holding it responsible for the unprecedented urea crisis in Telangana. He described the shortage as an "artificial scarcity created by the Congress' misrule" and demanded immediate corrective measures. He claimed that fertilizer stocks were being diverted and sold in the black market by Congress leaders, while lakhs of farmers were forced to queue up for hours across the state. "For the first time in Telangana's history, women farmers are spending nights outside depots, farmers are leaving shoes and Aadhaar cards in queues to save their place, and in some cases even facing police cases for demanding fertiliser. This humiliation never happened in KCR's 10-year rule," he said. The BRS leader demanded that the State government release a White Paper detailing the quantum of fertiliser supplied by the Centre, stock position in warehouses, actual distribution to farmers, and quantities diverted or missing. He also urged the Centre to order a comprehensive investigation and take strict action against those responsible. He criticised Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi for remaining silent on the fertiliser crisis despite his 'Rythu Declaration' promises. He alleged that Revanth Reddy's government failed on every front loan waiver, Rythu Bandhu, free power, procurement, bonus, crop insurance, and now fertilizer procurement. "Over 600 farmers have already committed suicide under this regime. Revanth visited Delhi 51 times but could not bring even 51 bags of urea for Telangana," he claimed. Warning of an agitation if the crisis continues, he said BRS would soon announce a statewide protest programme from village to state level. "Farmers should not lose hope. BRS will fight until this crisis is resolved. We will not allow the Congress government to ruin Telangana's farming progress," he declared. Raipur, Aug 20 : In a stern rebuke to administrative negligence, the Chhattisgarh High Court has directed the state government to pay Rs 25,000 compensation each to 84 children of Government Pre-Secondary School in Lachhanpur village, Palari block, who were served food contaminated by a stray dog and later administered anti-rabies injections without parental consent or departmental disclosure. The matter is listed for hearing on September 17. The incident, which occurred on July 28, came to light after a news channel reported it on August 2. According to the investigation, a stray dog entered the school kitchen and consumed part of the vegetable curry prepared for the mid-day meal. Despite being aware of the contamination, the cook and the in-charge headmaster allegedly served the same food to the students. Following complaints from parents, all 84 children were quietly given three doses of anti-rabies injections, but the school failed to inform the Education Department. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice BD Guru, while hearing the matter on Tuesday, expressed serious concern over the report submitted by the district Collector and the Education Department's response. The court ruled that the state had failed in its duty to ensure safe and hygienic food for schoolchildren and ordered compensation to be paid within one month. "The government and the self-help group assigned to provide mid-day meals were negligent. The food was unfit for consumption, and despite administering anti-rabies injections, the matter was suppressed. We deem it proper that Rs 25,000 be paid by the State to each student who consumed the meal," the bench stated. Following the media exposure and preliminary inquiry, the Jai Laxmi Self Help Group responsible for the mid-day meal was removed. District Collector Deepak Soni suspended the school's in-charge headmaster, Netram Giri and teacher Vedprakash Patel on August 5. Additionally, annual salary increments of three other teachersLB Ravilal Sahu, LB Nemichand Baghel, and LB Nampyari Dhruvwere withheld for dereliction of duty. On August 6, cluster coordinator Yogesh Kumar Patel was also found guilty of negligence for failing to report the incident to higher authorities. District Education Officer Rakesh Sharma confirmed the court's order and stated that steps are being taken to ensure such lapses do not recur. The case has sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for stricter oversight of mid-day meal programmes across the state. New Delhi, Aug 20 : US President Donald Trump's announcement to collaborate with Pakistan on oil exploration and mining is an "unforced error" that could cost substantial amounts of money, as past attempts to uncover oil deposits in the country have repeatedly failed to yield results, according to an article. "By agreeing to assist in oil extraction, Trump is continuing his expedient repositioning in the region. Still, in doing so, the US President is also overlooking the inevitable strategic pitfalls that lie ahead of this move. While Balochistan serves as a significant source of natural gas in Pakistan, the prospect of oil in the province has long eluded successive governments. Islamabad has repeatedly pointed towards unproven assessments that the country, and its surrounding waters, could be home to billions of barrels of untapped oil, only for each claim to eventually be disproved by unsuccessful drill attempts," the article by Marcus Andreopoulos, published in Inkstick, pointed out. "The sharp uptick in violence targeting Chinese workers and infrastructure projects in Pakistan over the last three years should serve as a further warning against greater US involvement in the country," the article states. Islamabad, on the other hand, will be hoping that Trump can overlook any misgivings and can channel much-needed American investment its way, whether or not Washington will ever see any returns on its outlay, it points out. Other analysts also see Trump's enthusiasm for Pakistan's "massive oil reserves" as puzzling, as the Asian country's crude oil reserves are estimated at a mere 234 to 353 million barrels, placing it around 50th globally. Pakistan is dependent on imports to meet its oil needs and currently imports oil from the US as well. Even if oil extraction were to succeed, particularly in Balochistan, where reserves are believed to exist, the consequences could be destabilising. Balochistan has long been a flashpoint of ethnic and political unrest, exacerbated by perceptions of exploitation by foreign powers. China's heavy footprint in the region through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has already fuelled resentment. US involvement in resource extraction could further alienate local populations and entangle Washington in a volatile domestic conflict. Balochistan holds strategic interest for the US as a potential vantage point to keep a close watch on Iran. But leveraging the province for geopolitical gain is fraught with the risk of escalating tensions in a region that harbours strong anti-Western sentiment. According to Worldometer data, Pakistan had 353.5 million barrels of proven oil reserves as of 2016, placing it 52nd globally and accounting for just 0.021 per cent of the world's total reserves. At current consumption levels of about 556,000 barrels per day, these reserves would cover less than two years of domestic demand if the country does not import oil, according to Worldometer data. Daily oil production is around 70,00080,000 barrels per day, which covers only about 1520 per cent of its own consumption. An Indian Oil Corporation official pointed out that the current price of petrol in Pakistan is Rs 272.15 per litre, and for high-speed diesel it's Rs 284.35 per litre, which are more than twice the prices of these fuels in India. These are among the highest prices in the world and reflect the high degree of dependence on imports. The oil exploration success rate is extremely low, and political, financial, and security concerns are a major concern for investors. The refining capacity in Pakistan is also limited and ageing, the Indian Oil official further added. Poland ready to provide infrastructure for military mission in Ukraine, but not its soldiers - defense minister Photo: Unsplash Poland is ready to provide infrastructure and logistics for allied troops if they decide to send contingents to Ukraine, although Polish soldiers will not directly participate in the mission, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense of Poland Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Wednesday. "We will not send Polish troops to Ukraine. This is the government's position not only for now, but for many months," Kosiniak-Kamysz said, as quoted by Polish media. He added that this fact "does not mean that Poland is not participating in the so-called Coalition of the Willing." "We have other tasks, and we are talking about relations with our allies, who fully understand Poland's position," the head of the Ministry of Defense emphasized. He explained that he meant, in particular, "the protection of NATO's eastern flank, the Polish-Belarusian border, where 5-6 thousand servicemen constantly ensure security, as well as the provision of infrastructure and logistics for a potential peacekeeping mission." "In this process, tens, hundreds, thousands of Polish soldiers will be deployed on Polish territory to ensure the security of allied troops that may be deployed in Ukraine," Kosiniak-Kamysz added. New Delhi, Aug 20 : In a sensational twist to the Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assault case, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday claimed that the attacker Rajesh Khimji Sakriya was linked to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). BJP MLA Harish Khurana took to X and shared a picture of the attacker with AAP's Gujarat MLA Gopal Italia. He hinted that the attack on Delhi CM at her residence during the 'Jan Sunwaai' was backed and supported by the AAP. Sharing the attacker's photo with Gopal Italia, AAP MLA from Visavadar Assembly seat, Khurana stated that this photo speaks a lot about the 'conspiracy' and also satirically asked, "Kejriwal ji, what is this relationship called?" The BJP leader and Moti Nagar MLA Harish Khurana also responded sharply to claims of 'drama behind attack' by an AAP MLA Anil Jha, who stated that the slapping episode was nothing but a 'drama and was stage-managed' for publicity. Anil Jha, AAP MLA from Kirari and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, said that there was no attack on the Delhi CM and it was 'all drama'. "No attack happened. I have known her for a long time now. This is a story, and she got a man to stage-manage this," he told the scribes. Sharply countering his charge, Khurana said, "All political parties have condemned this attack on the Chief Minister. Arvind Kejriwal ji, you are condemning the attack, but an AAP MLA is calling it a drama. Is this the party's official stand? Your party has expertise in such drama. You should be ashamed." The attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta at her residence this morning triggered a series of political reactions, with leaders across the spectrum condemning it. Top AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi also condemned the incident; however, BJP leaders called it a conspiracy behind the attack. Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said her rivals cannot tolerate the Chief Minister's work on the ground and hinted that this attack was due to political reasons. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has booked Rajesh Bhai Khimji, the Rajkot resident, for attacking Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at her official residence in Civil Lines under the attempt to murder charge. Dhaka, Aug 20 : Bangladesh's Awami League party on Wednesday slammed the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government for acquitting all the convicts in the horrific August 2004 grenade attack that had left 24 people dead and hundreds injured. The party led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated that the move proves Yunus government's "direct collusion with militants and terrorists" as well as its "active patronage of extremism". The party recalled it was after 14 long years in 2018 that the Bangladeshi Court delivered its verdict in the August 21 grenade attack case by sentencing 19 of the 49 accused to death, another 19 to life imprisonment and the remaining 11 to various prison terms. However, it alleged that the "illegal usurpers and fascist Yunus group" have acquitted all those convicted. Additionally, the Awami League asserted that the August 21 grenade attack was a continuation of the barbaric killings of August 15, 1975, aimed at eliminating Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmanas bloodline and ideals by assassinating his daughter Sheikh Hasina. It described the attack as a "vile conspiracy" by the Bangladesh Nationalist Partya"Jamaat-e-Islami evil alliance," terming them as the main political patrons of "militant and terrorist groups" in the country. According to the party, the attack was orchestrated under the blueprint of Tarique Rahman, son of then Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, along with war criminals and Jamaat leaders Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, then State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, BNP leader and former Deputy Minister Abdus Salam Pintu, militant leader Mufti Hannan, and other anti-Liberation reactionary groups. "On August 21, 2004 a militant group, using the then state machinery, carried out a barbaric grenade attack in front of the Bangladesh Awami League's central office at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue during an anti-terrorism, anti-extremism, and anti-corruption rally. The Awami League became the direct victim of this atrocious act of terrorism. On that day, 22 leaders and activists, including Ivy Rahmana"Womenas Affairs Secretary of the Awami League and wife of late President Zillur Rahman a" were martyred in the heinous attack," read a statement issued by the Awami League. Highlighting that more than 500 leaders, activists, and journalists from print and electronic media were injured by a grenade splinter, the party stated that several injured Awami League leaders, activists, and supporters still endure unbearable suffering from those injuries. "The type of barbaric massacre carried out by the BNP-Jamaat coalition government at a political rally with direct and indirect state support is rare in world history. The Bengali nation will never forget that dark day. Since 2004, the people of Bangladesh, inspired by the spirit of the Liberation War, have observed August 21 with various programmes against terrorism and extremism in memory of the victims," the Awami League stated. The party announced a series of programmes to be held on Thursday in memory of the victims of the August 21, 2004 grenade attack, recalling it as one of the most horrific and brutal days in the country's history. New Delhi, Aug 20 : India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Russia, on Wednesday signed the Terms of Reference to launch negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The terms of reference were signed in Moscow by Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ajay Bhadoo, on behalf of India, and Deputy Director, Trade Policy Department, Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), Mikhail Cherekaev. During his visit, Bhadoo also called on the Minister in charge of Trade, EEC, Andrei Slepnev. The heads of negotiation groups apprised the Minister about the milestone achieved with the signing of the terms of reference and discussed the next steps to formally launch the negotiation process, including organisational aspects of the future trade deal, the statement said. Both sides noted the growing trade turnover between India and the EAEU, which stood at $69 billion in 2024, which represented a 7 per cent increase over the corresponding figure for 2023. With a combined GDP of $6.5 trillion, the proposed FTA is expected to expand market access for Indian exporters, support diversification into new sectors and geographies, enhance competitiveness, and deliver significant benefits to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the official statement said. The terms of reference provide the framework for negotiations and are expected to unlock untapped trade potential, increase investments and establish a stronger, durable Indiaa"EAEU economic partnership. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the early conclusion of the agreement and to building a long-term institutional framework for trade cooperation, the statement added. Trade discussions between India and Eurasia include various sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, and electric vehicles. While India has a trade surplus with most EAEU countries, it has a significant trade deficit with Russia, largely due to oil imports. The proposed International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is seen as a crucial infrastructure project that can further enhance trade connectivity and reduce transportation costs between India and Eurasia. New Delhi, Aug 20 : Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said a joint committee comprising senior officials of the Central Water Commission (CWC), the governments of Haryana and Delhi would be constituted to make the Yamuna river clean and pure on the lines of the Ganga. This committee will not only focus on the cleaning of the Yamuna but also work towards resolving other related issues. The Chief Minister was interacting with the media after attending a meeting on "Inter-State Coordination Related to Yamuna Water Rejuvenation" chaired by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil here. CM Saini said since the formation of the Delhi government under the leadership of Rekha Gupta, developmental plans are being prepared at a rapid pace and their implementation is progressing continuously. He informed that work for cleaning the Yamuna is being carried out on a war footing. The process of treating sewage water from drains through sewage treatment plants (STPs) before releasing it into the river has been significantly accelerated. The Chief Minister said under the ongoing campaign, 16,000 metric tonnes of garbage has already been removed from the Yamuna. The river will be made clean and pure as per the target set in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the rejuvenation of the Yamuna is the top priority of both governments and assured that the public will soon witness a clean and rejuvenated Yamuna. The Chief Minister said the biological oxygen demand (BOD) level of the drain falling into the Yamuna from Palla village in Karnal district is 80, and necessary steps are being taken to further purify this water. He said there has been a significant improvement in the BOD level of Yamuna water at Okhla in Faridabad. To further enhance water quality, 44 STPs have already been established, through which about 620 MLD of water is being treated every day. In addition, nine more STPs are being set up to clean another 510 MLD water. The Chief Minister said issues related to the environment and water know no boundaries, and therefore both states will have to work together to make the Yamuna completely clean and clear. He said strict measures are being taken to ensure that polluted water is not discharged directly into the river, and necessary directions have already been issued to the officers in this regard. He said the services of representatives and experts from both Delhi and Haryana will be utilized to monitor the Najafgarh Lake and drain. In addition, the BOD level of the polluted water being discharged from industries in Haryana will also be regularly checked. --IANS vg/pgh Dhaka, Aug 20 : Bangladesh's former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun was produced before the country's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Wednesday in connection with a case registered against him for alleged crimes against humanity during last year's July demonstrations, local media reported. He was brought from prison to the tribunal on Wednesday morning to testify against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in the case. The three-member bench of the ICT, led by Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder, is also set to record the 13th testimony against Hasina and two others, Bangladesh's leading Bengali daily Jugantor reported. Last month, local media reported that the ICT framed charges against three persons, including Hasina and former Home Minister Kamal, in a case related to the alleged "crimes against humanity" during last year's July protest. The other co-accused, former IGP Al Mamun, reportedly has become a state witness - a witness for the prosecution - in the case. Following the development, Bangladesh's Awami League Party condemned the "inhuman torture and coercion" used to force Mamun to become a state witness in a "false and farcical case" filed against Hasina and two others at the "so-called ICT" of the country. "This is part of a malicious attempt to wrongfully convict the daughter of Bangabandhu, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and others based on false and baseless allegations. The Awami League strongly condemns and expresses its utter disgust at this heinous and despicable incident," read a statement issued by the party last month. Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on Wednesday placed former acting Mayor of Gazipur City Corporation, Asadur Rahman Kiron, on a three-day remand over charges of alleged attempted murder of businessman Ishtiaq Mahmud during last year's July protests. The court also ordered former Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayor Atiqul Islam to be shown arrested in the same case. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate M Mizbah Ur Rahman issued the order after a hearing petition filed by investigation officer Sub-Inspector Md Nazmul Sakib of Uttara East Police Station seeking a seven-day remand for Kiron, while requesting to show Atiqul, arrested in the case. These latest developments come amid the ongoing crackdown on Awami League leaders, along with the officials associated with the party, under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. Analysts reckon the developments as a major political vendetta being pursued by the Yunus regime, as several cases were filed against the former Prime Minister Hasina, her party members and the working officials during her tenure on frivolous grounds immediately following her ouster in August 2024. Almaty, Aug 20 : Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday chaired a meeting on the economy and budget planning, where officials presented reports on the current economic situation, future development prospects and parameters of the 2026-28 state budget. Tokayev stressed the need for careful planning and efficient use of financial resources at both the national and local levels. He said the budget must remain balanced while covering social commitments and long-term regional development plans, with funds allocated and spent as intended, Xinhua News Agency reported. He added that sustainable growth depends on consistent fiscal policy and tighter monitoring to improve transparency and accountability in public spending. On Monday, Kazakhstan's Defence Ministry announced the establishment of a specialised Artificial Intelligence (AI) unit aimed at accelerating the digital transformation of the country's armed forces. According to the ministry's statement, the unit will develop AI solutions for big data analysis, automated command systems, operational modelling and real-time decision-making in combat situations. "In accordance with the instructions of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan and with the goal of enhancing management efficiency, optimising processes, and strengthening defence capabilities, the Ministry of Defence has established a specialised unit responsible for the implementation and development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies," the ministry said The unit will work with domestic and international research centres, universities and IT companies to integrate AI technologies into defence systems and promote a national framework for military AI applications. As part of the initiative, the ministry will also train officers and analysts in advanced digital technologies. "This move lays the foundation for a modernised defence system where AI enhances operational efficiency and security," the ministry said. Additionally, Deputy Minister of Defence for Digitalisation Darkhan Akhmediev on Tuesday inspected the Work of Digital Officers in Garrisons. "In the Abay and Ayagoz garrisons, Deputy Minister of Defence for Digitalisation Darkhan Akhmediev assessed the effectiveness of implementing digital technologies in the operations of military units and institutions," the defence ministry said in a post on X. Gwalior, Aug 20 : Union Minister of Communication Jyotiraditya Scindia will kick-start a four-day extensive inspection in flood-affected areas in his Lok Sabha constituency Guna from Thursday, an official said in a statement on Wednesday. The Minister, along with his team, will be visiting several villages in Ashoknagar, Shivpuri and Guna districts (these three districts are in Guna Lok Sabha constituency) and meeting the people. He will hold discussions to assess losses during flood in the first week of this month. "I have always treated the people of Guna as my family, and I try to stand with them whenever they need me in difficult times. In the next four days, I will reach to people who got affected by flood recently. This is not just an inspection, but meet and then listen to them," Scindia said in a statement. Earlier this month, when heavy and continuous rainfall had resulted in flood in several parts of Gwalior-Chambal regions, especially in Guna, Shivpuri and Ashoknagar districts, a joint rescue operation was carried out by Armed forces and NDRF and SDRF. More than 400 people were airlifted. More than 30 people had lost lives during flood, of them, 22 had died in Shivpuri and 7 in Guna. Scindia, who was elected Lok Sabha MP from Guna after the death of his father and Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia in a plane crash in 2001, maintained a close relationship with the people of his political bastion. He faced a major political setback when he lost the Lok Sabha election in 2019. The following year (in March 2020), Jyotiraditya Scindia ended his longstanding association with Congress and joined the BJP. In 2024, Scindia contested his first Lok Sabha election on the BJP's symbol and wrested his family seat Guna with a record margin and therefore, according to political observers, he wants to continue to maintain a close and consistent connection with the people of Guna. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav then stated that more than 50 relief shelters were set up to accommodate more than 3,000 people. During that time, Scindia not only sought quick support from the Centre and State governments, but he monitored minute-to-minute development. On August 5, he along with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had carried out an aerial inspection. Bhubaneswar, Aug 20 : Renowned litterateur and Padma Shri awardee Binod Pasayat passed away in Odisha's Sambalpur on Wednesday at the age of 89. He breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Sambalpur District Headquarters Hospital. Pasayat had been suffering from prostate cancer for a long time. His health condition worsened on Wednesday morning following which he was admitted to the hospital, where he breathed his last. Born on December 3, 1935, in Kusmel village of Balangir district, Pasayat made remarkable contributions to Sambalpuri language and literature. He also authored several songs and plays in Sambalpuri. In January 2023, he was conferred the Padma Shri by the government of India for his excellence in the field of performing arts, especially for his work in "Giti Natya" (musical plays). Union Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan condoled his demise in a post on X, calling it an irreparable loss to Odisha's literary and cultural world. Expressing grief, Dharmendra Pradhan wrote on X: "I am deeply saddened and heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of Padmashree Binod Kumar Pasayat, the distinguished playwright, poet, and writer from Sambalpur. For decades, he made invaluable contributions to Sambalpuri literature and music, bringing pride to our state. He was a silent devotee. His contributions to the world of Sambalpuri literature will remain forever memorable. Praying for the eternal peace of the departed soul, I extend my condolences to the bereaved family." Later, on Wednesday evening, Pasayat's mortal remains were taken to Rajghat in Sambalpur where the district administration accorded him a Guard of Honour before the final rites were performed. Speaking of the loss, his elder son Biswajit Pasayat expressed deep grief and recalled his father's lifelong dedication to Sambalpuri literature and culture. Though he gained national recognition, he chose to remain a barber, deeply connected to his community. Kabul, Aug 20 : Afghan counter-narcotics police have thwarted two major drug trafficking attempts and arrested three suspected smugglers in northern Takhar and southern Zabul provinces, the Ministry of Interior Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday. According to the ministry, acting on intelligence tips, security forces launched two separate operations on the outskirts of Taluqan city, the capital of Takhar, and Shajoy district of Zabul, seizing 249 kg of opium and apprehending three traffickers, Xinhua News Agency reported. The detainees are under preliminary investigation and will be handed over to judicial organs for further legal action, the statement added. In a related development, Afghan counter-narcotics police on Monday arrested 16 suspected drug traffickers and confiscated 872 kg of narcotics in western Herat province, the ministry reported. In a similar action, Afghan police have uncovered a quantity of weapons and ammunition during two separate operations in eastern Ghazni and southern Uruzgan provinces, the Ministry of Interior Affairs announced on Wednesday. The contraband included 16 pieces of heavy and light arms, such as PK machine guns, M16 rifles, Kalashnikovs, assault rifles, and rocket launchers, discovered in Tirin Kot city, the capital of Uruzgan, and Jaghouri and Qara Bagh districts of Ghazni, the ministry said. Additionally, authorities confiscated a substantial amount of ammunition and military equipment, including communication devices, explosives, and a large quantity of cartridges and bullets during the operations, it added. The operations are part of the Afghan interim government's ongoing efforts to stabilise security across the war-torn country, having recovered thousands of arms and vast quantities of ammunition over the past four years. Earlier on August 10, the Ministry of Interior Affairs said that Afghan security forces discovered a large amount of weapons and military equipment in the eastern Paktia province. The items were seized during a series of operations on the outskirts of Samkani and Ahmad Khil districts, the ministry said. Chandigarh, Aug 20 : Haryana Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh on Wednesday said the proposed Jungle Safari project in the Aravalli region is an initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The detailed design and project report will be prepared within the next two months, followed by the global tender process, so that work on the project can start soon. "The project aims not only to boost eco-tourism, but also to protect biodiversity and create employment opportunities for local people," he said. Singh was chairing a review meeting with officers of the Forest Department here. The Life Science Education Trust gave a presentation on the project. He said the Aravalli is India's oldest mountain range, spread across Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi, covering 1.15 million hectares. The central government has entrusted Haryana with the responsibility of the Aravalli Green Wall Project and Jungle Safari, which will prove to be a milestone in environmental conservation. Singh said earlier, this project was with the Tourism Department. Now it has been handed over to the Forest Department. He personally visited the Gorewada Safari in Nagpur and the Vantara project in Gujarat for inspiration. The Haryana government's aim is to have this mega project inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi, he added. It was informed at the meeting that the Aravalli Safari is proposed over nearly 10,000 acres in Gurugram and Nuh districts. In the first phase, it will be developed on around 2,500 acres. The project will be implemented in accordance with the rules of the Central Zoo Authority and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Minister said this will be a major investment project, and possibilities under the PPP model will be explored for its operation. Just like Gujarat's Vantara and Kevadia Zoo projects have signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs), Haryana too will complete the MoU process soon. He also shared that guidelines for the night safari have now been issued. Through the Aravalli Green Wall project, large-scale plantation of indigenous species, soil health improvement, groundwater recharge, and biodiversity conservation will be ensured. Cabinet approves presidential decree on granting foreigners the right to serve as officers in National Guard The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the draft presidential decree, which opens up the opportunity for foreigners and stateless persons to serve in the National Guard not only as privates and sergeants, but also as officers. As reported on the Telegram channel by MP Oleksiy Honcharenko (European Solidarity faction), the draft decree provides for: special verification of candidates, medical examination and polygraph; the procedure for concluding contracts (from 1 to 5 years, for officers - up to 10 years); assignment of military ranks according to NATO standards. Kolkata, Aug 20 : Indian Secular Front (ISF) workers led by its leader Nawsad Siddiqui, an MLA, on Wednesday held a demonstration at Kolkata's Metro Channel in Esplanade area over several issues. The ISF activists protested against Election Commission's proposed SIR (Special Intensive Revision), atrocities on Bengali migrant workers outside West Bengal, Waqf Amendment Act and OBC certificate issue. However, as the protesters did not have permission for the demonstration, police detained ISF members including Siddique. The ISF legislator alleged that he was physically assaulted by the policemen and punched in the chest. "I was punched. They physically assaulted me. I am being harassed for staging a protest which is my democratic right," Siddiqui said while being put into a prison van by the police. As the protesters refused to disperse from the area, a scuffle broke out between them and police personnel. The ISF MLA claimed that they were holding a peaceful protest. "We were peacefully protesting in Esplanade area. Our protest was against Waqf (Amendment) Act, the harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers from West Bengal and the Centre's plan to remove names of Indian citizens from the voter's list in the name of holding SIR. We had sought permission to hold the protest. But Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's administration is not allowing us to hold the protest even for a brief period," said the ISF MLA. Siddiqui and his party workers were taken to the Jorasankho Police Station. There, he fell sick following the alleged physical assault. Later, he was taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Siddiqui is the lone ISF MLA in 294-seat strong West Bengal Legislative Assembly. In 2021 state Assembly polls, ISF had contested the election in alliance with the CPI-M-led Left Front and Indian National Congress. While both Left and Congress drew a blank in the Assembly election, ISF won only one seat. Siddiqui had won the election from Bhangar Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district. Deputy Commissioner of Police (central division) of Kolkata Police, Indira Mukherjee, however, said they used minimal force to disperse the crowd and resume traffic movement in the area. "We used minimum force to lift the blockade by the ISF. This was done to resume movement of traffic in the busy thoroughfare. There has been no report of injury to anyone in this process," said the police officer. Responding to queries on alleged physical assault on Siddiqui, the police officer said: "We are looking into the matter." New Delhi, Aug 20 : Advanced therapies and technology are the key to tackling the rare disease burden in India, said government health officials on Wednesday. Officials from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), under the Ministry of Health, and NITI Aayog stressed this line of action while addressing the National Conference on Rare Diseases, organised by business chamber FICCI. There are roughly 7,000 known rare diseases that are estimated to collectively affect close to 90 million Indians. "From early diagnosis to advanced therapies like cell and enzyme treatments -- we must now build robust regulatory pathways and use tech to ensure access across India," NITI Aayog's Member, Health, Dr Vinod K. Paul, said. "Advanced therapies hold the key to transforming rare disease care," Drugs Controller General, CDSCO, Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, said. The expert highlighted the transformative potential of advanced therapies to strengthen Indiaas rare diseases ecosystem and improve patient outcomes. He stated that the "CDSCO is committed to enabling safe, timely access as we integrate these innovations into Indiaas public healthcare system", under the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD). Officials also underlined the need for a collective resolve to ensure faster diagnosis, equitable treatment, and an improved quality of life for patients battling rare diseases. Secretary, Pharmaceuticals in the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, Amit Agrawal, emphasised that addressing rare diseases must be seen not merely as a medical challenge but as a moral responsibility. The sessions focused on boosting access, awareness, and affordability to address the rare disease burden. The experts also deliberated on tackling the high treatment costs, limited therapy access, and fragmented care pathways that challenge rare disease patients -- especially children. aIndia must focus on national-scale health outcomes, with affordable access at the core. We are leveraging Jan Aushadhi, bridging cost gaps, and enabling Make in India innovation to transform rare disease care," Paul said. The experts also urged strengthening Centres of Excellence for rare diseases through a hub-and-spoke model, supported by centralised patient registries and digital tools. "Early diagnosis is crucial -- not just for treatment but for understanding rare diseases. It requires focused research to identify and manage these conditions effectively," ICMR Emeritus Scientist Madhulika Kabra said. AIIMS' Child Neurology Department's Prof Sheffali Gulati, called for more government initiatives and public-private partnerships through Centres of Excellence, which "must ensure proper management of medications and therapies for effective rare disease care". The conference brought together policymakers and healthcare leaders to explore opportunities for strengthening rare care. Hazaribagh, Aug 20 : A tragic road accident claimed the lives of a 12-hour-old newborn and his aunt, Poonam Devi, on Wednesday morning along the Ranchi-Patna National Highway near Sirsi village in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand. The childas father, Anil Mahato, sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College Hospital for treatment. According to police, the baby was born on Tuesday, but his motheras health was deteriorating. On Wednesday, Anil was taking the newborn to Hazaribagh for a medical check-up, accompanied by his wifeas sister, Poonam Devi. While riding a bike towards the town, they were hit by a speeding heavy vehicle. The infant and Poonam died on the spot, while Anil was critically injured. The tragic deaths sparked anger among villagers, who gathered in large numbers and placed the bodies on the highway, blocking traffic. A massive jam stretched for several kilometres on the busy Ranchi-Patna NH as vehicles remained stranded for nearly three hours. Officials, including Ichak Circle Officer Ramji Prasad Gupta and Thana In charge Rajdeep, rushed to the spot with additional police forces to pacify the crowd. The villagers demanded strict action against the driver responsible and adequate compensation for the bereaved family. After assurances from the administration, the blockade was lifted and traffic was gradually restored. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination at Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College Hospital. Local residents alleged that the area near the Nagwan Toll Plaza has become an accident-prone zone, with frequent accidents due to haphazard parking of vehicles at intersections and a lack of effective traffic management. They accused the administration of negligence and demanded immediate steps to improve road safety. The grieving family remains inconsolable, while police said efforts are on to trace and arrest the errant driver. Windhoek, Aug 20 : Newly-imposed tariffs by the United States could weigh heavily on Namibia's trade balance and government finances, particularly threatening the country's polished diamond exports, Bank of Namibia Governor Johannes Gawaxab warned on Wednesday. Following a monetary policy dialogue, Gawaxab said that the US decision to impose a 15-per cent tariff on polished diamonds may reduce export volumes and erode government revenue, Xinhua News Agency reported. Diamonds, which contribute roughly 10 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and over one-fifth of export revenues, remain one of Namibia's most critical sources of foreign exchange and public income. Gawaxab noted that while uranium, a key export commodity for Namibia, is exempt due to its strategic importance to the United States, other commodities such as marble and salt now face higher costs and reduced competitiveness in the US market as a result of the tariffs. The governor cautioned that the trade measures come at a time when Namibia's economy is already slowing, with GDP growth projected at 3.5 per cent in 2025, down from 3.7 per cent in 2024. According to the central bank, industry stakeholders at the monetary policy dialogue echoed concerns, warning that the tariffs could dampen Namibia's export competitiveness in the short term, while urging continued dialogue to help exporters navigate the challenges. The United States imposed new tariffs on imports from most African countries, including Namibia, effective August 1, under its reciprocal trade policy. Meanwhile, Namibia's mining sector held firm in July as uranium output surged 36 per cent year-on-year, supported by stronger gold production and a monthly rebound in diamonds, the Chamber of Mines of Namibia said Tuesday. In its monthly mining update, the chamber said uranium has maintained its role as Namibia's top export commodity, accounting for 29.3 per cent of the country's exports in May, valued at 3.45 billion Namibian dollars (about 196 million US dollars), the bulk of which was shipped to China. According to the chamber, gold production rose 7 per cent in June compared to both the previous month and a year earlier. At the same time, international gold prices averaged 3,352 US dollars per ounce in June, 44 per cent higher than the previous year, strengthening Namibia's export earnings, the chamber said. Meanwhile, diamonds showed a 24 per cent monthly rebound in production during June, but annual output remains in decline, the chamber said, adding that prices have fallen 45 per cent since 2022 due to oversupply and competition from lab-grown alternatives. The chamber said the gemstones made up 10.2 per cent of exports in May, with sales largely to Botswana, the United Arab Emirates, and Belgium. However, it warned that the recent reduction of US tariffs on Namibian exports from 21 per cent to 15 per cent still creates uncertainty for exporters because of frequent changes in policy. It noted that while the latest adjustment offers some relief, the lack of stability in tariff regimes makes it difficult for Namibian producers to plan ahead and secure long-term trade agreements. Kabul, Aug 20 : Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Taliban counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul on Wednesday, congratulating Afghanistan on its "new achievements in national development". Wang Yi expressed China's willingness to support Taliban regime in implementing "prudent governance", focusing on development, resolutely combating terrorism, and maintaining good neighbourliness and friendship to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region. Kabul, Aug 20 (IANS) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Taliban counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul on Wednesday, congratulating Afghanistan on its "new achievements in national development". Wang Yi expressed China's willingness to support Taliban regime in implementing "prudent governance", focusing on development, resolutely combating terrorism, and maintaining good neighbourliness and friendship to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region. "We must properly handle the relationship between security and development. Strengthening security cooperation between China and Afghanistan will provide guarantees for economic cooperation, and deepening economic cooperation will also enhance Afghanistan's security capabilities," read a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. During the meeting, Wang Yi stressed that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Afghanistan. He expressed China's willingness to support Afghanistan in pursuing an "economy-centered" policy and work with Kabul to carry forward the friendship between the two nations, deepen political mutual trust, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, agriculture, poverty reduction, water conservancy, connectivity, and culture. The statement added, "China hopes to ensure that the China-Afghanistan friendship continues to grow stronger, bring greater benefits to the two countries and their peoples, and make new contributions to regional peace, stability, and development." During the meeting, Muttaqi welcomed Wang Yi to Kabul and thanked China for its support to Afghanistan in its fight against "external interference". He lauded China's contribution in maintaining regional peace and development. He expressed Afghanistan's willingness to deepen bilateral relations on the basis of equality and mutual respect, strengthen exchanges at all levels, establish a regular economic and trade dialogue mechanism, and promote more mutually beneficial results from practical cooperation. Earlier in the day, Wang Yi and Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar arrived in Kabul to attend trilateral meeting with the Taliban officials, with a focus on economic cooperation, security and political dialogue to shape regional role of Afghanistan, leading Afghan news agency Khaama Press reported. Washington, Aug 20 : David Salvo, the Managing Director of the Alliance for Securing Democracy at German Marshall Fund and a former senior policy advisor at the US State Department, believes that the possibility of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky remains "extremely low" even though Washington has announced the beginning of "arrangements for a meeting" between both leaders. The White House on Tuesday claimed that the Russian leader has agreed to the big-ticket engagement. Speaking exclusively with IANS, Salvo argued that Monday's meetings between Trump and European leaders had "pleasant optics" but were little on substance. According to him, there is still a "massive gap" between European and American positions on security guarantees for Ukraine. "Despite what the White House says and hopes, I assess the possibility of a meeting between Presidents Putin and Zelensky in the near future to be extremely low. Putin does not consider Zelensky the legitimate leader of Ukraine and I donat imagine him sitting across the table unless he knows Zelensky is going to capitulate to basically all of Russiaas demands. Russia will insist on preparatory talks at lower levels between Russian and Ukrainian delegations before the Kremlin ever agrees to put Putin in the room with Zelensky," Salvo told IANS. European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met the US President at the White House on Monday following his meeting with Putin in Alaska, last week. European leaders who met Trump included UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. "The meeting between European leaders and President Trump had pleasant optics, but little on substance. There's still a massive gap between European and Ukrainian leaders' vision for security guarantees for Ukraine and the Trump administration's vision. There are still differences in the sequencing of events - whether a ceasefire should precede a comprehensive peace agreement or whether the two should coincide. If the Europeans came to Washington hoping to convince Trump to walk away from his general agreement with President Putin, reached in Alaska a few days prior, they largely failed," believes Salvo. After his meetings with the Ukrainian President and European leaders, Trump announced that he is arranging a meeting between Zelensky and Putin in his effort to end the devastating war that has killed hundreds of thousands of civilians and military personnel. Following the meeting, Trump spoke to the Russian President and held discussions to hold a trilateral meeting - Zelensky, Putin and Trump - to discuss the peace talks. However, Salvo emphasised that it is "extremely difficult" to envision Moscow softening its "maximalist position" about excluding NATO countries' forces from Ukraine after a settlement is reached. "That, of course, will be a major impediment to reaching an expeditious conclusion to the war in Ukraine, which Russia itself does not want. Russia prefers to keep fighting, believing it has the military advantage to acquire even more territory a" and weaken President Zelensky - prior to a negotiation. Ukraine will have a difficult time concluding any peace agreement that doesnat make clear guarantees for its security. The wild card is the United States. Will it throw Ukraine under the bus and push it to agree to Russiaas maximalist terms? Trump has been vague about what sort of role the United States would play, other than to say he wonat commit American boots on the ground," he told IANS in an interview. Moscow has reportedly proposed that Kyiv should "fully withdraw from eastern Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts" in exchange for a Russian promise to freeze the frontlines in the southern oblasts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. "I think Kyiv could agree to a land swap provided they do not have to recognise Russian control of Ukrainian territory de jure and credible security guarantees are spelled out in a legally binding way a" essentially in an Article 5-like arrangement with clear US participation. Absent that, it will be extremely difficult for Kyiv to accept a land swap," said Salvo. The former senior policy advisor at the US State Department also emphasised that he expects the threat of secondary US sanctions on India and China to continue. "But, I donat think the administration has a great interest in implementing them and it wonat be a prominent part of the conversation. In Congress, however, I would expect continued bipartisan support to go after Russiaas enablers," he stated. Amaravati, Aug 20 : An Andhra Pradesh MLA and his followers allegedly assaulted Forest Department officials after kidnapping them near Srisailam in Nandyal district, according to a police complaint. Srisailam MLA B. Rajasekhara Reddy of the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and his followers allegedly attacked the officials of Nekkanti Forest Range, a part of Srisailam Tiger Reserve's Markapuram Division, late on Tuesday. The forest officials lodged a complaint with the police. According to them, the MLA and his followers kidnapped and assaulted them near Srisailam around 10 p.m. on Tuesday. According to the complaint lodged at Srisailam One Town Police Station, the MLA and others kidnapped Nekkanti Range Deputy Forest Officer Ram Naik, Beat officers Guruvaiah, Mohan Kumar and driver Karimullah and assaulted them. The Forest officials informed the higher officials about the incident. Later, a complaint was lodged with the police. The employees told media persons that they were on a patrolling duty in connection with the case relating to the killing of a tiger when the MLA and his followers confronted them near a check-post. One of the employees said they abused them and told them that they were not following their orders and cooperating despite their government being in power. The employees alleged that the MLA himself drove the government vehicle in which they were kidnapped and assaulted. The vehicle was driven around the area till 2 a.m. before the employees were let off. Meanwhile, Chenchu and other tribals staged a protest against the attack at Sunnipenta, Srisailam, Dornala and Yerragondapalem. The association of forest officials condemned the incident. They said the matter has been brought to the notice of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who also holds the forest portfolio. They demanded strong action against those involved in the attack on the employees belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, and minorities. Meanwhile, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has taken serious note of the incident involving his party MLA. He spoke to senior officials about the incident and sought a detailed report. The Chief Minister directed officials to register a case and take up an investigation. Opposition YSR Congress Party has alleged that the TDP MLA Rajasekhara Reddy, under the influence of alcohol, attacked forest officers on duty, obstructed patrolling operations, and even harassed tribal staff. This shocking incident has drawn widespread criticism and highlighted the lawlessness among ruling party legislators, the party said. Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 20 : Congress' Kerala President Sunny Joseph on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, alleging that he misused his office to protect top officials accused in a vigilance case. Referring to the vigilance court's remarks in the illegal assets case against ADGP M.R. Ajith Kumar, Joseph said the judgment clearly stated that the accused received a "clean chit" with the Chief Minister's approval. He also claimed that even the Chief Minister's Political Secretary, P. Sasi, was an accused in the case, but the government chose to shield them instead of upholding the rule of law. "This is a blatant violation of the oath of office. The court has observed that the intervention of the Chief Minister to protect the accused was unlawful and unconstitutional. No Chief Minister in Kerala's history has faced such a severe judicial censure. In the past, leaders in similar situations have stepped down, and Pinarayi Vijayan must do the same," Joseph demanded. The state Congress chief also alleged that Ajith Kumar acted as a "bridge" between the Chief Minister and the RSS, which explained the undue protection extended to him. He further accused the ruling CPI-M's leadership of remaining silent over allegations that party leaders had diverted government project funds, stressing that the matter required a thorough probe. Joseph condemned recent violent attacks on Congress workers across the state, claiming that CPI-M "criminal elements" were acting with police support. He cited incidents in Kayamkulam, Kadakkal, Kannur, and Ezhuconn Polytechnic College, where Congress and KSU activists were allegedly targeted during peaceful events. "The police are not acting impartially. The Home portfolio lies with the Chief Minister himself, and he is providing political cover for these attacks," he said. Calling for accountability, the Congress state chief demanded that the government and police ensure the protection of citizens' lives and uphold the rule of law. Meanwhile, Joseph announced that as part of preparations for the upcoming local body elections, ward-level Congress committees will conduct a statewide house visit and fundraising campaign from August 29 to September 2. The programme will also explain to the people the "anti-people" policies of both the state and central governments, as well as party leader Rahul Gandhi's efforts to safeguard democratic values, he said. New Delhi, Aug 20 : Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday participated in a crucial Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting to deliberate on the proposed levy of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on life and health insurance products. The meeting was held in the presence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and brought together finance ministers and senior representatives from various states. In a post on social media platform X, Sangma wrote: "Participated in the Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting to deliberate on the proposed GST levy on life and health insurance, in the esteemed presence of Hon'ble Union Finance Minister, Smt. @nsitharaman ji." The discussions are seen as significant in view of concerns raised by several states and stakeholders over the potential impact of higher taxation on essential financial protection products. Life and health insurance have emerged as vital tools for financial security, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic underscored the need for wider health coverage. However, there has been an apprehension that an additional GST burden could discourage policyholders, especially middle-class families, from availing insurance. Officials present at the meeting said deliberations focused on striking a balance between revenue considerations for the exchequer and the need to keep insurance products affordable for the public. While some states have backed the Centre's proposal citing the need for uniform tax treatment, others, including representatives from smaller states, stressed that affordability must remain the top priority. Chief Minister Sangma, who has consistently advocated for people-centric fiscal policies, is understood to have voiced the concerns of smaller states and highlighted the necessity of safeguarding citizens' access to life and health insurance. The GoM will reportedly compile its recommendations and submit them to the GST Council for further consideration. A final decision on whether to impose, modify, or defer the proposed GST levy is expected to be taken in the upcoming Council meeting. The outcome of these deliberations could have wide-ranging implications for India's insurance sector, which is striving to expand penetration in both urban and rural markets. Bhopal, Aug 20 : Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel on Wednesday emphasised the need for genetic card matching before marriage to prevent sickle cell anaemia, a hereditary disease. Patel said that early identification and prompt treatment are the most effective ways to prevent sickle cell anaemia. "The earlier the disease is detected, the greater the chances of controlling it," he added while addressing a workshop on Sickle Cell Anaemia at the Eklavya Adarsh Vidyalaya Auditorium in tribal dominated Mandla district on Wednesday. The programme was organised by the Ayush department of the Madhya Pradesh government, an initiative of the Centre government to eradicate sickle cell disease. While addressing the event, Patel urged people to visit health centres and get themselves tested, pointing out that facilities are available to detect the disease in the motheras womb as well as within 72 hours of a childas birth. He claimed that around seven crore people have been tested across the country, including 1.14 crore in Madhya Pradesh, since the Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a campaign to eradicate Sickle Cell Anaemia from Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol district in 2023. During the programme, the Governor, who is handling the Centre's Sickle Cell eradication campaign directly and reviewing the process at least once in month, held an interactive session with children from the tribal community suffering from Sickle Cell Anaemia. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Ayush Minister Inder Singh Parmar said that the main objective of the workshop is to gather knowledge from doctors and traditional Vaidyas for the elimination of sickle cell anaemia and to spread it widely among the people. He further claimed that the government of India has approved the establishment of an Ayurveda Research Centre in Balaghat, and MoUs are being signed with institutions doing notable work in research. He added that efforts are underway to preserve the knowledge of traditional Vaidyas by documenting their research and connecting generations-old practices with modern technology. --IANS pd/dan Photo: https://www.kmu.gov.ua/ The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has allocated UAH 300 million for the reconstruction of apartments and the completion of shelters in Kyiv region, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has said. "Today, the government adopted a number of important decisions in the field of reconstruction, medicine and education. UAH 300 million has been allocated for the reconstruction of Kyiv region. Kyiv region will receive funds from the Fund for the elimination of the consequences of armed aggression to complete the projects that have been started," Svyrydenko said in the Telegram channel following the results of the government meeting on Wednesday. According to her, this will allow: to restore 988 apartments for almost 3,000 residents; provide education for over 1,200 children in four schools thanks to the completion of shelters. "This decision will allow for the restoration of housing in Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel and other communities of the region that suffered from the full-scale invasion," she said. Mumbai, Aug 20 : The Maharashtra government on Wednesday transferred five bureaucrats. Sanjay Chavan, Additional Controller of Stamp, Mumbai has been posted as Collector, Parbhani, according to a notification. Raghunath Gawade (IAS:SCS:2011) Collector, Parbhani has been appointed as Additional Controller of Stamp, Mumbai. Buveneswari S. (IAS:RR:2015) Collector, Washim has been posted as Managing Director, Maharashtra State Seeds Corporation, Akola. Yogesh Kumbhejkar (IAS:RR:2016) Managing Director, Maharashtra State Seeds Corporation, Akola has been appointed as Collector, Washim. Varsha Meena (IAS:RR:2018) has been posted as Collector, Akola. Earlier, on August 12, the state government had transferred seven bureaucrats. Dr Ashok Karanjkar (IAS:SCS:2009) has been posted as Member Secretary, Rest of Maharashtra Statutory Development Board, Mumbai. Dr Sanjay Kolte (IAS:SCS:2010) Collector, Bhandara has been appointed as Managing Director, Shivshahi Punarvasan Project, Mumbai. Sushil Khodwekar (IAS:RR:2011) Member Secretary, Rest of Maharashtra Development Board, Mumbai has been posted as Development Commissioner (Un-organised Labour), Mumbai. Sawan Kumar (IAS:RR:2019) Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Nandurbar has been appointed as Collector, Bhandara. Naman Goyal (IAS:RR:2022) Project Officer, ITDP, Bhamragad and Assistant Collector, Attapali Sub Division, Gadchiroli has been [psted as Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Nandurbar. Dr GVS Pavandatta (IAS:RR:2023) Assistant Collector, Desaiganj Sub Division, Gadchiroli has been posted as Assistant Collector, Igatpuri Sub Division, Nashik. Laghima Tiwari (IAS:RR:2023) Assistant Collector, Ballarpur Sub Division, Chandrapur has been posted as Assistant Collector, Gondpimpri Sub Division, Chandrapur. Notably, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday, after the weekly cabinet meeting, unveiled the emblem for Ganeshotsav, which will be celebrated as 'Rajya Mahotsav' from this year onwards. A fund of around Rs 11 crore has been allocated for a series of diverse cultural programmes, including competitions, illuminations, lectures and folk-art performances. This year, through the direct participation of the state government, Ganeshotsav will be showcased on national and international platforms, informed Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar. He added that the emblem will be prominently used as the official identity of the festival across all celebrations. From this year onwards, the Maharashtra Government will directly participate in the celebrations and take steps to elevate the festival to national and international prominence. This year, two themes 'Operation Sindoor', a tribute to the valour of the Indian Army and 'Swadeshi Jagar', a call for building a self-reliant and Atmanirbhar Bharat- have been woven into the celebrations of Ganeshotsav, which has now been accorded the status of 'Rajya Mahotsav', said a government release. Minister Shelar said, "Maharashtra is a land rich in art, culture and tradition. It is blessed with the legacy of saints, social reformers, great leaders, warriors, spiritual thinkers and an inclusive heritage. This sacred land of the Deccan has been intellectually vibrant and socially united, laying the foundation for the state's economic, social and cultural progress. Ganeshotsav has played a crucial role in fostering this unity. The centuries-old tradition of domestic Ganesh celebrations, and the decades-old public Ganeshotsav culture, are proud symbols of Maharashtra's cultural and social harmony." Guwahati, Aug 20 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced a series of development initiatives for Sootea while paying homage to freedom fighters on the occasion of Sootea Divas. CM Sarma laid the foundation for a Rs 5 crore project to transform the historic Sootea Police Station, where the Tricolour was first hoisted during the Quit India Movement in 1942, into a tourist destination. He also sanctioned Rs 2 crore for the construction of a new complex at the Open Bihu field, a key venue for cultural activities in the region. The Chief Minister said the government is committed to blending heritage preservation with development. "Our effort is to make Sootea not just a symbol of history but also a hub of cultural tourism and economic activity," he said. He highlighted recent government interventions in the constituency, including the promotion of Baresahariya Bhaona, creation of the Freedom Fighter Bhumidhar Bordoloi Memorial Stadium and hospital, and infrastructure upgrades at Tyagbir Hem Baruah College. Earlier in the day, he dedicated two new girls' hostels and their main gates at the college, marking a push to improve academic facilities. CM Sarma also stressed the government's vision for economic self-reliance through industrialisation. He announced that a tile manufacturing plant is being set up on 2,000 bighas of land in Sootea, adding that the project will generate significant employment for local youth. He linked the initiative to Advantage Assam 2.0, which has attracted investment proposals worth Rs 5 lakh crore. "Industrialisation is not for industrialists alone, but to ensure our youth do not have to migrate outside for low-wage jobs," he said. In line with creating opportunities for the younger generation, the Chief Minister said that Japanese language training centres will start functioning across Assam from November this year. The move, he explained, will prepare local youth for global employment opportunities. Reiterating his government's vision, Sarma said Assam must move ahead on all frontstourism, industry, education, and culture -- by drawing strength from its people's resilience. The event was attended by MLAs Padma Hazarika, Ganesh Limbu, Promode Borthakur, Utpal Bora, Krishna Kamal Tanti, Diganta Ghatowar, family members of freedom fighters, and other dignitaries. --IANS tdr/pgh Pune, Aug 20 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the need of the hour is to embrace artificial intelligence for favorable development. Although cases of digital financial fraud are also coming to the fore due to artificial intelligence, it is necessary to use artificial intelligence responsibly and positively. The use of 'AI' for healthcare in remote areas and in drug manufacturing is an example of this. He was speaking at the inauguration of Symbiosis Artificial Intelligence Institute at Symbiosis International University. "In the present era, major changes are taking place due to artificial intelligence, quantum computing and semiconductors. If the challenges of such technologies are utilized efficiently, positive effects are seen on the speed of progress and efficiency. Indians have the potential to succeed even in the fast-paced wave of artificial intelligence. For this, there is a need for educational institutions that can spread this knowledge to the common people. Symbiosis has taken the initiative at the right time for this and in this effort, SAI will be a successful and pioneering institution in the country," asserted the Chief Minister. Stating that this is the right time to learn about artificial intelligence and take the lead in this revolution, CM Fadnavis said that the state government has started efforts to use artificial intelligence in the agricultural sector. This technology will be useful to farmers at every stage of agriculture and will make their lives easier. Useful technologies based on artificial intelligence were showcased at the Agri Hackathon held in Pune. "The state government has created AI chatbots. So that the doubts of the farmers can be resolved in their own language. The government has tied up with Google to suggest solutions to the traffic problems in Pune with the help of artificial intelligence. So that the necessary information for traffic planning can be obtained immediately. "This technology can be used in multiple ways to make human life easier. The state government has started 3 institutes related to artificial intelligence in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur in collaboration with Microsoft. These institutes will work in various fields like law and order, administration, agriculture, technology and along with this citizens will be trained on the basic knowledge of artificial intelligence," he said. CM Fadnavis stated that the spread of artificial intelligence has sparked a debate about the challenges facing society. In particular, questions are being raised about the impact of artificial intelligence on employment. "Similar doubts were raised regarding the internet and computer revolution in the nineties but the country turned this revolution into an opportunity and Indians established their dominance in the field of information technology in the world. Today, we have an opportunity to take the lead in this field by bringing the knowledge of the field of 'AI' to the common people," remarked the chief minister. Moscow, Aug 20 : In a key diplomatic engagement aimed at reinforcing the "special privileged strategic partnership" between India and Russia, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday (August 21). Moscow, Aug 20 (IANS) In a key diplomatic engagement aimed at reinforcing the "special privileged strategic partnership" between India and Russia, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday (August 21). The talks are expected to cover a wide spectrum of bilateral, regional, and global issues, with a strong emphasis on economic resilience and multipolar cooperation. A major focus will be on developing transportation, logistics, and financial systems that operate independently of countries imposing sanctionsan effort to safeguard economic sovereignty and expand the use of national currencies in bilateral trade. The meeting comes at a time when both nations are seeking to deepen political dialogue across bilateral and multilateral platforms, including the UN (United Nations), BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), and G20 (Group of Twenty). Officials from both sides have underscored that mutual trust and respect remain the cornerstone of Indo-Russian relations. Key areas of discussion will include strengthening interdepartmental cooperation in sectors such as energy, finance, defence production, science, and culture. The ministers are also expected to review progress in agricultural, scientific-technical, and infrastructure collaboration, while outlining the schedule for upcoming high-level contacts. On the global front, Jaishankar and Lavrov will exchange views on pressing international developments, including the evolving security architecture in the Asia-Pacific, the conflict in Ukraine, the situation in Afghanistan, and the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli confrontation. Both Moscow and New Delhi continue to advocate for a multipolar world order, viewing it as essential to maintaining global equilibrium. Russia has reiterated its commitment to building an inclusive international system based on constructive dialogue and mutual respect. The meeting is seen as a reaffirmation of the strategic depth of Indo-Russian ties and a step towards enhancing cooperation in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. Aizawl, Aug 20 : The Assam Rifles have seized highly addictive methamphetamine tablets and heroin valued at around Rs 10.74 crore in Mizoram, officials said on Wednesday. A Defence spokesman said that based on specific intelligence, Assam Rifles launched an operation on Tuesday night at Zokhawthar areas of eastern Mizoramas Champhai district, a hotspot of drugs smuggling from neighbouring Myanmar. During the operation, the para-military troops approached to apprehend a suspect but the individual managed to flee leaving behind a Chinese Kenbo bike and a mobile phone. Upon searching the two-wheeler, the team recovered 3.33 kg (30,300 Tablets) of banned Methamphetamine tablets and 190.90 grams of heroin with a total value of around Rs 10.74 crore. The recovered narcotics, Kenbo bike and mobile phone have been handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, Champhai for further investigation. The successful seizure of narcotics and Indian currencies underscores relentless efforts of Assam Rifles in disrupting supply chain of drugs trafficking, an Assam Rifles statement said. Meanwhile, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma earlier said that the state lies within close proximity to the aGolden Trianglea, a region notorious for drug trafficking. Flagging off the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (Drugs Free India Campaign) in Aizawl, the Chief Minister said that this geographical location has led to the frequent inflow of drugs into the state. Noting that drugs bring no benefit to society and must be eradicated completely, Lalduhoma, a former IPS officer, also urged communities to be vigilant and united in their stand against drug abuse, ensuring that Mizo society remains protected from such harmful influences. The Chief Minister encouraged young people to abstain entirely from drugs, warning that even occasional use is the first step towards addiction. He further called on those already trapped in addiction to courageously step away and rebuild their lives. --IANS sc/pgh Srinagar, Aug 20 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested six Jammu and Kashmir policemen, including two officers, on the orders of the Supreme Court for custodial torture of a constable. Officials said that the arrested policemen include a deputy superintendent of police (Dy SP) and an inspector, in addition to two civilians involved in the custodial torture of a police constable. The Supreme Court on July 21 directed the CBI to register an FIR over the "brutal and inhuman custodial torture" of a police constable in Jammu and Kashmir and ordered the Union Territory (UT) administration to pay him Rs 50 lakh compensation. A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta said the injuries caused to the constable during his illegal detention, particularly the "complete mutilation of his genitalia, use of pepper/chilly powder and electric shocks on his genitalia, were grave reminders of the inhuman torture meted out to him. "The cumulative effect of all these facts is deeply shocking to the conscience of this court. The violation of Article 21 is not only evident but egregious," the apex court added. The CBI had identified six policemen in the case, which included Dy SP Kupwara, Aijaz Ahmad Naiko; Sub-Inspector (SI) Riyaz Ahmad, Jahangir Ahmad, Imtiyaz Ahmad, Mohammed Younis and Shakir Ahmad, all policemen who were posted with the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC), Kupwara. The CBI had set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a Superintendent of Police-rank officer, to investigate the case. The FIR mentioned that the medical records of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) Hospital, Soura, Srinagar, mentioned "complete mutilation of genitalia with both testicles removed, laceration on the scrotum, tenderness on palms and feet, bruises on buttocks extending to thighs, multiple vegetative particles in the rectum, and fractures throughout the body." The victim's wife, in a written complaint, had mentioned the ordeal her husband went through since he was detained on February 20, 2023, in the JIC, Kupwara. "Senior Superintendent of Police, Kupwara, handed over my husband to the in-charge Dy SP Naiko and SI Riyaz, who kept my husband for six days in the centre and unleashed severe torture, leaving him to die," she said. She claimed that police officials were abandoning her husband, Khursheed, "at some place in a half-dead condition. But due to the hue and cry of residents of the nearby area, the police officials were compelled to shift him to a hospital." She alleged that the police officials severely tortured her husband for six days and that his "private parts were cut off, besides iron rods being inserted in his private part continuously for six days. Also, red pepper was inserted in his rectum, and he was given electric shocks." "The SSP acted as a mere spectator," the wife alleged. "There is no example of such barbaric torture known in the history of mankind. No relative or family member was allowed to see or meet Khursheed during the six days of his confinement," she added. To the average shooter, it may not be intuitive to want to compare .300 Blackout to 7.62x39mm, but once you dive into the ballistics, you find that these two are actually pretty similar. Since youre here, youve probably already figured this out and are wondering which one is better for your needs, and how to choose between them. Well, were going to try to settle that. Were going to take a close look at these two titans, compare their ballistics, overall pros and cons, and best use cases to help you pick the right one for your next rifle purchase or build, or upcoming shooting adventure. SOME IMPORTANT BACKGROUND The 7.6239 was developed for the Russian SKS and AK-47 rifles during the end of WWII with some small modifications in the early post-war. Since then, it has been a mainstay among the states of the former Soviet Union and has spread all around the world. It was originally developed as an intermediate cartridge to bridge the gap between pistol-caliber sub-machine guns like the PPSH and Thompson, and infantry rifles and machine guns firing .30-06 Springfield, and 7.62x54R. SKS with some upgrades There was also a lot of influence from the StG44, and its 7.92x33mm Kurtz cartridge, and the Soviets wanted something with similar performance out of a small rifle format. From there, the SKS, AK-47, and RPD machine guns were adopted and used. In the US, the 7.6239 is, of course, still popular with shooters who like the SKS and the myriad AK derivatives out there, but its also been shoehorned into the AR-15. Truthfully, the round will function in a small-action AR-style system, but it definitely wasnt designed around working on that platform. Of course, the idea of shooting a .30 caliber round out of an AR-15 sounds awesome, right? Well, AAC thought the same, and that was a big part of the creation of the .300 Blackout. AAC, known for their suppressors, wanted an easily-suppressible, .30-caliber round that would at least be close to the 7.6239, while also working well in an AR-15. Thus was the .300 AAC Blackout (.300 BLK) born. It was originally intended to be used with suppressed short-barreled rifles at close ranges, with subsonic ammo, and to fully burn its powder in a short, 9 barrel. Daniel Defense M4V5 300Blk Suppressed In a short-barreled AR, .300 Blackout feeds and cycles reliably, and it doesnt produce a huge amount of excessive combustion gas or a huge fireball at the end of the barrel. Subsonic loads fired through a suppressor are very quiet and still hit hard enough to reliably stop a human attacker or medium game animal inside of 200 yards. .300 BLK AND 7.62X39MM TODAY These days, both of these rounds are fairly popular, especially with hunters in areas like the Eastern United States, where most shots on medium-game animals like deer take place within 200 yards or so due to the terrain and dense brush. You can get a variety of rifles for each, as well as pistol-style cut-down guns without a stock, and ammo is available at just about every sporting goods store and online outdoor retailer. BALLISTIC COMPARISON As you can probably imagine, due to their similar sizes, and the fact that one was created to more or less imitate the ballistics of the other, these two rounds perform very similarly on paper. Depending on the exact brand and load for each, theyre going to be almost the exact same bullet weight, very close in B.C., but different in muzzle velocity. Left to right .300BLK, 6mm ARC, 7.6239, 6.8 SPC II, and 5.56mm Generally speaking, 7.6239 will have about 150-200 FPS more muzzle velocity than 300 BLK, if youre shooting super-sonic loads. Sub-sonic loads are basically identical. REAL WORLD USES Of course, numbers in a table can only tell you so much about how a round performs. Lets take a look at some key use cases for these two rounds to give us more of an idea of where each one might outperform the other. Hunting Both of these rounds are popular with hunters, especially in places where close to medium-range shots are the norm. These rounds have similar down-range performance, similar performance against soft tissue, and a wide variety of rifles available that are appropriate for hunting. The 7.6239 has a longer effective range, but not enough that were willing to call it the winner on extra yardage since it doesnt really have enough power to reliably drop medium game at those distances. Where things start to really differ is in terms of suppressed usage and the quality of available rifles. Lots of 300 BLK ammo choices! The AK-47 may be the most common rifle on the planet, but it's not exactly a go-to hunting rifle. Older SKS rifles are fine for hunting, but they're neither precise nor easy to mount a scope to without extensive modifications. Uppers in both 7.6239 and 300 BLK arent hard to find for the AR-15. You can also find both in several bolt-action rifles, although these are a bit less common. Either option works well, and both provide basically the same ballistics. The big difference for AR-15s will be magazines and feeding. Because 300 BLK was designed for the AR-15, it works better in a number of ways. 7.6239 can work well, but it might take some more fiddling to get right. Overall, if youre shooting subsonic and preferably suppressed 300 BLK takes the win with more availability and better parts. If you want supersonic, 7.6239 might have a slight edge due to higher MV. Target Shooting When it comes to target shooting, energy, sectional density, and penetration are all less of an issue, and the playing field is leveled significantly. Both of these rounds are plenty accurate, and the available rifles for them are as well, though it may be a little bit easier to find a 1-MOA .300 BLK rifle than a 1-MOA 7.6239 one here in the US. And they both suck at long range, with most shooting topping out at around 300-400 yards, with the 7.6239 winning out in terms of overall range. US Palm AK So to decide on this one, we have to look at another factor: ammo cost. And this is one where the 7.6239 absolutely blows .300 Blackout out of the water. It's hard to get a good average cost for ammo these days, considering how volatile things are in terms of price, but rest assured 7.6239 is cheaper. It's about 30-40% of what .300 BLK is in most cases. And when it comes to target shooting, price matters, especially for high-volume shooters. So this one goes to the Soviet contender. Self-Defense For self-defense purposes, either of these rounds will be terrifyingly effective. Unless youre Tom Selleck fighting corrupt cattle baron Alan Rickman in the 1800s (if you actually get that reference, let me know in the comments) then you arent ever really going to need to defend yourself at a distance of hundreds of yards. In terms of tissue damage, these two rounds are going to be about the same, ditto mag capacity, reliability, availability of defensive ammo, etc. Maxim 300 BLK Where we start to see a difference is when we look at weapons more optimized for self-defense, like a short-barreled, suppressed weapon. And since most other aspects of these rounds are too similar to really split hairs over, that gives the advantage to the .300 BLK. With the Blackout, youre less likely to get gas blowback, it will cycle more reliably in a suppressed firearm, and you wont lose (much) velocity shooting it out of a short barrel like you will with 7.6239. You also wont get a mini flashbang of a fireball at the end of your barrel each time you shoot. Suppressed Shooting It's probably not a shock that the round that was specifically designed to perform well when subsonic and suppressed is the winner here, but there are still some considerations worth keeping in mind. First, theres a much lower drop in performance when you fire .300 Blackout out of a short 9 barrel. 7.6239 really needs a longer barrel to perform well. Once you add a can to that, you end up with not quite a pike of a rifle, but pretty close. Suppressed AK at CANCON 2022 Subsonic loads will often struggle to cycle in a semi-auto 7.6239 rifle, and .300 BLK subsonic loads will run all day in almost any AR-15 on the planet. Easy call here. Available Rifles and Ammo Weve touched on this a bit before, but when it comes to overall available rifles and ammo, at least in the Western Hemisphere, .300 Blackout is going to have more and better options available both in terms of rifles and the shiny brass things they eat. Outside the US, its absolutely easier to get your hands on an AK variant or an SKS, or some of the 7.6239 modern rifles, but here in America, youre going to have a much easier time getting a .300 Blackout option. The same goes for ammo. Theres not a lot of match grade or subsonic 7.6239 ammo available here in the US unless youre willing to stalk online retailers looking for a good deal. For general target ammo, you can find plenty of 7.6239, of course, but it's generally of lower quality. The Cypher X and Plumb Precision AK trigger module allow for rock-n-lock calibers like 7.6239, 5.4539, and 5.5645. With the Steiner CQT thermal red dot sight, its like an actual 21st century take on the AK platform. Now, does that mean you cant find an insanely good 7.62x39mm rifle that will shoot like a dream and take the wings off a fly at 100 yards? Absolutely not. Theres a huge number of great AK manufacturers and 7.6239 uppers for ARs in the US if you want to go that route. Youll just pay a premium for them. The same goes for ammo. Higher-end or specialty 7.6239 for hunting, self-defense, or subsonic use is definitely available, but in more limited quantities than equivalent .300 BLK ammo. The one where the 7.6239 wins out is when it comes to cheap surplus or steel-cased ammo. If youre the buy it cheap and stack it deep type, then the Russian round wins. LOOSE ROUNDS Honestly, both of these rounds are great. Theyve proven themselves (obviously, the 7.6239 a little more so, at least in terms of time in service), and they each have a place in almost any shooters gun safe. If youre looking to get one for a specific purpose, hopefully, this has guided you in the right direction. And if youre looking for an overall winner the answer is simple get both. The Russian occupation army shelled the market in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, with rocket artillery, killing at least three people, injuring four more, damaging commercial premises, housing and infrastructure, Head of the regional military administration Vadym Filashkin said on Wednesday afternoon. "At least three people were killed and four were wounded as a result of the strikes on Kostiantynivka. The Russians launched eight Smerch missiles at the city deliberately aiming at the market. Thus, 15 shopping pavilions, eight private houses, six high-rise buildings, a shop, two cars and a power grid were damaged," he said. Filashkin said it is dangerous to remain in Donetsk region, as the Russians are deliberately striking in such a way as to kill and maim as many civilians as possible, and called for a timely evacuation. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Wednesday deferred the hearing on Vedanta Ltd's proposed demerger to September 17, as market regulator Sebi is yet to complete the scrutiny of the proposal, while the central government has raised certain objections. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters The matter, which was part-heard earlier, had been adjourned to August 20. On July 2, the ministry of petroleum and natural gas had objected to Vedanta's proposed demerger before the NCLT Mumbai bench. Meanwhile, the tribunal was informed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) that it has no further comments on the proposed demerger scheme and is verifying Vedanta's compliance with applicable regulatory norms. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) legal counsel also confirmed that a no-objection certificate has been issued for the demerger. However, the legal representative from the ministry of petroleum and natural gas requested additional time to present the ministry's observations on the scheme at the next hearing. In a statement, Vedanta said the ministry has filed its representation before NCLT Mumbai and the company has filed its response. Vedanta's counsel couldn't conclude his arguments today and even the tribunal commented that these arguments cannot be concluded in a single hearing and after discussion with all parties fixed the next date... September 17," it added. The company said Sebi has issued an administrative warning letter regarding a procedural lapse on the modification of the Scheme, without prior written consent. This letter is cautionary and does not impose any financial or operational restrictions. "The Company has already disclosed this development and is fully cooperating with Sebi. "Corrective actions have been undertaken, and the Board's comments will be shared with Sebi as advised," the statement added. Vedanta further clarified on the SC judgment dated August 19, stating that it pertains to a legacy contractual matter and has no bearing on Vedanta's demerger process. "This Supreme Court judgment is on Talwandi Sabo Power Limited's (TSPL) appeal in relation to the passing on the customs duty benefits availed under the Mega Power Policy to Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) under the change in law provisions of the power purchase agreement (PPA). "We are reviewing the judgement and evaluating the next steps, including legal options available to us," it added. In September 2023, Vedanta had announced its demerger plan, proposing to create four independent listed companies focusing on aluminum, oil and gas, power, and base metals to streamline operations, improve management focus, and unlock shareholder value. In March 2025, the deadline for completing the demerger was extended to September 30, 2025, due to pending approvals from the NCLT and other government bodies. 'The Election Commission's involvement in the avoidable SIR controversy has carried a message down to the last voter -- who just does not like it,' observes N Sathiya Moorthy. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspects an honour guard during Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, August 15, 2025. Photograph: Altaf Hussain/Reuters Despite delivering the longest Independence Day speech and also for the highest number of times compared to all his predecessors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this time round, failed to impress his 'bhakts' of the past decade and inspire the nation as his call for banging plates to drive away Covid did even a few years back. If someone is talking about his I-Day speech this time, it is not about the series of governmental announcements the prime minister made. Instead, it related to the forced reference to his ruling BJP's ideological RSS parent in the context of the nation's freedom. If the political opposition was vocal, there were many others among the silent middle-class that was supportive of him, but who seem suspicious of Modi and his ongoing/upcoming Project. There is an underlying fear now even among his ardent supporters as different from committed cadres that the Election Commission's 'SIR Project' was not a standalone affair, but was aimed at paving the way for pushing through an ideological agenda faster than what the nation may be prepared for, if at all. The Modi message this time was as much to the RSS parent and its guardians in Nagpur as to the nation -- if the latter was still the case. Despite both sides maintaining a stoic silence, there are increasing indications that Team Modi may have yielded, or has to yield ground, to the RSS for the first time from before his prime ministerial nomination for the successful Elections-2014. The RSS understands that it still needs Modi's face for the BJP to retain power. More importantly, after he had truncated the multiple lines of succession down the line with the single elimination of those above him, starting with his one-time godfather L K Advani, if the BJP were to weaken itself owing to intra-group rivalries, it may take decades, if at all, for them to come back to power. In the interim, the 'secularist successors' of any BJP government at the Centre in the next five or ten years, could undo and re-do what all the Modi dispensation has 'achieved' for the ideology. It is not that the 'Modi magic' is fading but Team Modi is also failing the leader and his cause -- mainly owing to over-exposure, over-use and structured thinking with little left outside the box to think and act afresh. In this overall background, going by the looks of it since Elections 2024, Modi's spin doctors may have to think afresh, given the predictability of their lines and packaging for their master and his minions to mouth before the public, on issues of concern both to the nation and to the ruling BJP, not necessarily in that order. In short, Modi's 'Mr India' image is fading, and fading faster than his spin doctors and image-builders are ready to accept. The involvement of the independent Election Commission in the avoidable SIR controversy, beginning with poll-bound Bihar, has carried a message down to the last voter -- who just does not like it. True, Modi's line that he was 'ready to pay the price for protecting our farmer's interest' in the context of US President Donald Trump's tariff war and insistence on India opening up the agriculture sector for American imports, did the trick, yes, but the emotional quotient was much less than anytime in the past. But it did not take all the blemish attaching to Bihar-SIR and Rahul Gandhi's 'vote-theft charge', unlike on more serious charges in the decade gone by. But neither Team Modi nor his experienced spin doctors, nor the RSS cadres who have been doing all the spade work, more for the cause than maybe for the leader, seems aware of the impossibility of the emerging situation. Maybe they are aware but are unable to accept and acknowledge it, and act accordingly, in the absence of an alternative tactic, narrative or both. First and foremost, people are getting wiser. Yes, even now, the voter may not be able to predict what was to come next from the Modi armour, but once it is delivered, a sense of deja vu tends to overtake the recipient of the message. It is an 'I-thought-so' moment, only that 'I did not spare enough time, or did not have enough time, to think it out and vocalise the hidden sentiment and conclusion.' It is not good for the 'Modi magic' that was assiduously built since before Elections 2014. At the time, the nation did not know who the man was, or what his 'Gujarat Development Model' was all about, yet, his spin doctors and propagandists together convinced voters at the national level they had known them both for long, and benefited from such knowledge. Such a sense was over and above what the BJP had done to destroy the UPA-II's image, through over-playing the 2G scam, which divided the Congress-led ruling combine at the Centre than uniting it. Nowhere was it more visible in southern Tamil Nadu, where the DMK ally of the Congress leader of the UPA-II at the Centre lost the 2011 assembly elections earlier because the latter would not defend the former, when nothing much had been lost. By the time the middle class voter across the nation was ready to acknowledge that the CAG's bloated figure of Rs 1.78 lakh crore in the 2G scam was purposefully floated, Elections 2014 were over and Modi had become prime minister. What the nation has seen since is only a repeat of the same or similar strategy, only with facts and names replaced in each one of them, from the previous one. IMAGE: Modi at a meeting in Siwan, June 20, 2025. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo It is thus for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, the BJP has taken up the construction of a massive Sita temple, like the Ayodhya temple for Ram. The party has forgotten the 2024 results, when the BJP, despite being the powerful ruling party in Uttar Pradesh, won only 37 of 80 Lok Sabha seats. It also lost the prestigious Faizabad constituency, where Ayodhya is located, only months after Modi had consecrated the Ram temple with pomp and splendour. It is not only emotional issues such as this one that suffers from the Keynesian 'marginal utility' economic theory, so to say. Even on security matters combined with emotional issues, there is an increasingly decreasing voter interest and support for the cause, when repeated. The electoral outcomes of the Indira Gandhi assassination (1984), the Rajiv Gandhi assassination (1991) and the 'Coimbatore serial blasts' (1998) bear testimony. There is a hidden or an open message now for the Modi's spin doctors, who are more loyalists than possibly professionals and may have a limited vision and openness to see changes where and when they occur and adapt to the emerging situation. As may be recalled, the Indira Gandhi assassination impacted the entire nation as none else, the Rajiv assassination's electoral effect was felt only in Tamil Nadu, the scene of the crime, and a few places elsewhere in the country. The electoral effect of the 'Coimbatore serial blasts' was minimal even in the state, despite the gruesomeness and the religious content of the event. IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and INDIA bloc leaders during their protest march, August 11, 2025, to the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's electoral rolls and alleging voter fraud in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo Today, in the era of social media outreach that has penetrated down to the last village and hamlet, and in a language and dialect that the locals understand, the BJP may have lost the initial advantage available to Team Modi in 2014. Sure enough, the Congress-led Opposition is still old-fashioned, but unknowingly, but not unwittingly, they are stopping with creating doubts, suspicions and credibility-gaps in the voter's mind about the party and leader in mind. In turn, this cannot be measured through cadre-approaches or even scientific voter-surveys. It has to be felt, and for it, Team Modi's eyes, ears and mind should be open and closer to the ground than they think they still are. For when it hits them, it may become too late for applying correctives, owing also to the credibility gaps, not only in the party and the leader but also the grassroots-level messenger. The Bihar-SIR issue and Rahul's 'vote-theft' charge have done precisely that. They have just kindled voter curiosity, not about what the BJP or even the RSS cadres may have done at the grassroots level. Instead, the voter is concerned more about the Election Commission's role in all this, and how the Supreme Court is handling it all. In their own small ways, and minimal understanding of democratic processes and legal consequences, they have begun recalling the era of T N Seshan at the Election Commission's helm, even in street-corner chit-chats. This is not a good omen for the ruling party. The more the grassroots-level voter discusses these things among themselves, greater are the chances that they flag it before the local teacher, lawyer and doctor, opinion-makers who have been unabashed 'Modi bhakts' across the country through the past decade and more. Slowly but surely, the resoluteness of the latter class can wane, as had happened in the case of other parties and leaders. Overnight, opinion-makers will become opinion-seekers, and unknown to them, an internal metamorphosis could be at work. IMAGE: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and INDIA bloc MPs, wearing T-shirts featuring the name Minta Devi, a voter allegedly listed as 124 years old in the Election Commission's voter list, protest over the alleged voter fraud and SIR issues outside Parliament, August 12, 2025. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo The BJP strategists and spin doctors have to remember only one thing from the near past. From 2013 onwards, they had openly and through their social media handles ridiculed Rahul Gandhi as 'Pappu', childish or child-like, as you may want to interpret. By denigrating him non-stop, the BJP campaigners hoped to break Rahul's morale and that of his party. They almost succeeded with the latter, but not the former. All of a sudden, they stopped referring to Rahul as 'Pappu'. That was possibly after they had belatedly begun feeling the wind on their faces. For instance, the run-up to Elections 2024 showed Rahul Gandhi drawing huge and curious crowds to his two-stage Bharat Jodo Yatra. Not only the Congress cadres but also their regional and sub-regional allies were enthused and re-energised. Coupled with the inevitability of anti-incumbency hanging over the Modi dispensation at the end of a decade, the new-found INDIA combine at least could push the BJP's seat-share to the lowest figure of 240 in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Today, the government is on the crutches provided by the Telugu Desam Party and the Janata Dal-United allies in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. Through all this, the BJP strategists would have understood -- or they should understand -- that more than the political rivals coming close to the BJP's seat tally with 234 seats, the BJP under Modi lost more seats than they could afford. As alliances, the BJP-NDA could poll only 42.5 per cent votes against the INDIA combine's 40.6 per cent -- the lowest ever gap of 1.9 per cent. IMAGE: Modi receives a warm welcome during a roadshow in Bengaluru, August 10, 2025. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo It is here that Rahul's 'vote-theft' charge and the 'Bihar-SIR' issue assume greater significance for political parties and their cadres, especially for those in the INDIA combine. Together, the two issues have questioned the Election Commission's credibility in the minds of the average voter who had voted for the BJP and had sworn by Modi until now. For the Congress-led Opposition, it is half the battle won, whatever the Supreme Court's final directive in the matter. The Election Commission's indicated defiance that it is not bound to submit details of the 65 lakh names struck off the Bihar electoral rolls has conveyed what neither the EC, not certainly the Modi government, had wanted to convey -- especially to the Indian voter. N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and author, is a Chennai-based policy analyst and political commentator. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'Trump has personally weighed in to overcome doubts and reservations about Pakistan among his top advisors.' Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff "Clearly, not all of the US national security bureaucracy is onboard with cultivating closer relations with Pakistan, so the relationship is very likely to rise or fall -- like so much else -- on President Trump's personal whims," assesses Daniel S Markey. Dr Markey -- senior advisor on South Asia at the United States Institute of Peace, the Washington, DC-based think-tank -- is one of America's most astute observers of the India-Pakistan-US relationship. Dr Markey is also a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies Foreign Policy Institute. From 2007 to 2015, Dr Markey was a senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. From 2003 to 2007, Dr Markey was a member of the US State Department's Policy Planning Staff, focusing on US strategy in South Asia. "It is highly unlikely that President Trump's closer ties with Pakistan pose a serious threat to India; concrete areas of US-Pakistan cooperation are still far less than they were only a decade ago, even if Indian leaders find President Trump's rhetoric extremely galling," Dr Markey tells Rediff's Nikhil Lakshman in the concluding segment of a two-part interview. Part 1 of the Interview: 'Have Modi And Trump Fallen Out?' What do you make of the Trump administration's sudden fondness for Syed Asim Munir and Pakistan? The lure of cryptos, Rawalpindi as an intermediary with Iran's ayatollahs, resuming a security arrangement to keep tabs on Afghanistan and ISIS-Khorasan: What would you attribute as the motivations for President Trump cultivating the field marshal? Pakistan has taken an 'anything goes' approach to cultivating closer ties with the Trump administration and with President Trump personally. Pakistan's early gift (external link) of the Abbey Gate bombing plotter to US custody set the tone for Pakistan's cooperative overtures that have indeed extended to cryptocurrency, critical minerals, trade negotiations, and oil exploration. Field Marshal Munir has also engaged in some shuttle diplomacy with Iran and, conceivably, could be open to conversations about how Pakistan might be helpful to other US efforts in the Middle East. Although it is impossible to discern which of these -- or other -- Pakistani efforts was the one to tip the scales in Pakistan's favour, I understand that President Trump has personally weighed in to overcome doubts and reservations about Pakistan among his top advisors. Clearly, not all of the US national security bureaucracy is onboard with cultivating closer relations with Pakistan, so the relationship is very likely to rise or fall -- like so much else -- on President Trump's personal whims. IMAGE: A police officer stands in front of the trafficin Karachi, May 20, 2025, next to posters of Asim Munir. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters Has India more reason to be worried by this Washington-Rawalpindi nexus than it has to from Mr Trump's almost daily castigations of India? Could this Washington-Rawalpindi equation undermine what New Delhi and Washington have carefully built over a quarter of a century? India will have to decide for itself what it can and cannot accept in terms of a US-Pakistan relationship. From my perspective, it is highly unlikely that President Trump's closer ties with Pakistan pose a serious threat to India; concrete areas of US-Pakistan cooperation are still far less than they were only a decade ago, even if Indian leaders find President Trump's rhetoric extremely galling. It is highly unlikely, for instance, that Washington and Islamabad will reopen the door to major defence transfers and assistance. Actually, the deeper threat to the US-India relationship would come if the Trump administration fundamentally rethinks the nature of US competition with China and, in so doing, no longer perceives India as a necessary strategic partner in that global geopolitical contest. The bottom line is that India could, if it chooses, dismiss US-Pakistan ties as of only marginal significance. But that is more easily said than done, given the fraught politics of the issue. IMAGE: Members of the Pakistani Hindu community hold flags and placards with Asim Munir's photograph as they chant slogans during a rally in support of the Pakistan army in Karachi, May 10, 2025. Photograph: Shakil Adil/Reuters Did New Delhi not read the tea leaves right after Operation Sindoor when Rawalpindi played its cards better not only in the way it reached out to Secretary of State Marco Rubio about urging US intervention in ending the conflict, but then pandering to Mr Trump's ego by telling him that he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for ensuring a ceasefire? Were India's diplomats unwilling to demonstrate flexibility since it would violate one of the cardinal elements of Indian statecraft -- that no outside mediation was acceptable on Kashmir? I know that India's diplomats have come under some fire at home, with critics suggesting that they misplayed Washington in a number of different ways. And it is true that Pakistan has shrewdly played its cards, partially by pandering to the President's ego, and partially by taking advantage of what appears to be the Trump administration's limited appreciation or understanding of India's posture or the long history of India-Pakistan hostility. However, nearly every world leader -- including both US allies and adversaries -- has struggled mightily to navigate ties with President Trump. To blame India's diplomats, their policies, or their methods would understate the nature of the challenge they face. An Indian diplomat told Milan Vaishnav of the Carnegie Endowment that while New Delhi has access to the White House, Rawalpindi has access to Mar a Lago. In your assessment, has Pakistan outmanoeuvred India in appealing to a famously transactional president by luring him with what it can give him, his family and maybe America? Do you think, while adhering to the canon of strategic autonomy, India's rulers and diplomats need to be more adroit while dealing with Mr Trump? Every country is seeking to be 'more adroit' in dealing with President Trump, but India's leaders will have to judge whether extreme adroitness would force them to cross lines they will soon come to regret. Odds are that President Trump will depart the White House in less than four years. Where does India wish to be at the end of that era? Moreover, we are less than a year into Trump's term; what new demands will come next year or the year after? India may be wiser to play a longer game. With respect to India's strategic autonomy, India's recent experience of conflict with Pakistan demonstrated some of the downsides associated with that strategy. Just as India has chosen to avoid taking sides on other conflicts, especially the Russian war against Ukraine, much of the world refused to take India's side against Pakistan. Going it alone is easy in times of peace and prosperity, while allies bring burdens. But allies show their value at times of adversity. IMAGE: People carry posters showing the pictures of Asim Munir along with Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director-general, the inter-service public relations wing of the Pakistan armed forces, at a rally in Lahore, May 11, 2025, in support of the Pakistan army a day after the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan. Photograph: Mohsin Raza/Reuters How do you see the Pakistan-US relationship in the short term? What are the signs that we need to look out for very carefully, for better or for worse? For US-Pakistan relations, I will be looking for more clues about what factors are really driving Trump's new appreciation for Asim Munir. Above all, I am watching whether Pakistan has pledged to be helpful in the Middle East, starting with Iran, but also -- and this would be a blockbuster -- on a broader deal to reinforce the Abraham Accords and create new options in Gaza. At this moment I don't expect much, but Munir's two visits to the United States are so uncharacteristic that I can't help but think something else is afoot. Union Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday introduced three Bills in Lok Sabha for the removal of prime minister, chief ministers and ministers arrested on serious criminal charges for 30 days, drawing fierce protests from the Opposition as the draft laws were referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament. IMAGE: Home Minister Amit Shah tables the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, August 20, 2025. Photograph: ANI/X Amid repeated disruptions, Shah introduced the three Bills as a resolution was passed by a voice vote to refer the measures to a Joint Committee of Parliament comprising 21 members from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha. The Committee has been mandated to submit its report to the House by the last day of the first week of the next session. The next session (winter session) of Parliament is likely to be convened in the third week of November. As soon as the Bills were tabled, the Opposition members began protesting and trooped into the well, raising slogans. Some even tore copies of the Bills in front of Shah. Opposition MPs, including AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress's Manish Tewari and K C Venugopal, spoke against the introduction, terming the proposed law against the Constitution and federalism, while Shah rejected criticism that the Bills were brought in haste. The home minister also said that the Bills will be sent to the Joint Committee of Parliament where members of both Houses, including those from the Opposition, would get an opportunity to give their suggestions. When Venugopal raised the issue of Shah's arrest while he was the Gujarat home minister and asked about his claim of morality in politics, the senior BJP leader countered, saying he had resigned on moral grounds before his arrest and joined the government only after being discharged by the court. "We cannot be so shameless that we continue to occupy constitutional positions while facing serious charges," Shah said. Amid continuous noisy protests, the House was adjourned till 5 pm as Speaker Om Birla repeatedly asked the Opposition members to take their seats and maintain the dignity of the House. Earlier in the day, as the protests escalated, there was a brief jostling between Opposition and ruling party MPs with BJP members, including Union Ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu and Kiren Rijiju, stepping in to shield Shah. Three House marshals formed a protective ring around Shah. Even after the House was adjourned, Opposition members persisted with loud sloganeering. The three Bills are the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025; the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Bills have proposed that if the prime minister, Union ministers or chief ministers, are arrested and detained in custody for 30 consecutive days for offences that attract a jail term of at least five years, they will lose their job on the 31st day. Opposing the Bills at the introduction stage, Owaisi said the Constitution is being amended to "destabilise governments". Tewari echoed similar views, saying an individual is "innocent till proven guilty". "This Bill is against the jurisprudence of criminal justice and distorts Parliamentary democracy. The Bill opens door for political misuse and throws all constitutional safeguards to the winds," he said. RSP MP NK Premchandran alleged that the Bills are being introduced in "undue haste". "These Bills are not being introduced as per the procedures of the House. What is the undue haste in bringing such important Bills that they have not even been circulated to the members," he said. According to the Bill, there is no provision under the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 (20 of 1963) for the removal of the chief minister or a minister arrested and detained in custody on account of serious criminal charges. Hence, there is a need to amend section 45 of the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, to provide a legal framework for the removal of a chief minister or a minister in such cases. A young man poured petrol on a guest teacher and set her ablaze over an alleged love affair, leaving her badly injured, in Narsinghpur district of Madhya Pradesh, a police official said on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo The accused, Suryansh Kochar, an 18-and-a-half year-old man, who passed Class 10 a year ago, has been arrested, he said. The teacher (26) suffered 25 per cent burn injuries in the incident on Monday and has been referred to Jabalpur Medical College for better treatment, the official said. Deputy Superintendent of Police Sandeep Bhuria said the accused has been arrested and a case registered against him. "The incident is related to a love affair and investigation is being done on that basis. Further action will be taken on the basis of their statements," he informed. Bhuria said Kochar is a former student of Utkrisht School at Narsinghpur, where the victim was posted as a guest teacher recently. School Principal GS Patel said the victim had been posted as a lab technician as well as a guest teacher just one-and-a-half months ago. "This incident has shocked everyone," Patel added. The mother of a Gujarat man, accused of attacking Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, on Wednesday claimed her son was not affiliated to any political party and had gone to the national capital to protest against the Supreme Court's order on stray dogs. IMAGE: The attacker has been identified as Rajesh Sakaria from Gujarat's Rajkot city. Photograph: ANI on X CM Gupta was attacked during a 'Jan Sunwai' programme at her camp office in Delhi's Civil Lines on Wednesday morning, her office said. According to a senior police officer, the accused was detained and was being interrogated. Sources in Delhi BJP said the attacker first gave the chief minister some papers during the public hearing and then allegedly attacked her. The accused has been identified as Rajesh Sakaria (41), who resided with his wife, son and parents at Gokul Park on Kotharia Road in Gujarat's Rajkot city. After he was taken into custody, the Rajkot police reached his residence and questioned his mother Bhanuben Sakaria. Later talking to reporters, Bhanuben claimed her son, who is an auto-rickshaw driver, was not affiliated to any political party. She further claimed her son is an animal lover, who went to Delhi to take part in a protest against the recent Supreme Court order to relocate all stray dogs from streets of the national capital to shelters. "He loves dogs, cows and birds. That is why he was upset after the SC said all the stray dogs in Delhi should be captured. He went to Haridwar a few days back and then told us over phone that he will go to Delhi to participate in protests in support of dogs," she said. "That's all he told us over the phone when we asked when he would return," Bhanuben said. The Gujarat education department has sought a report after a primary school in Bhavnagar staged an Independence Day play that depicted burqa-clad girls as terrorists, triggering a controversy, an official said on Wednesday. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph:ANI Photo A notice seeking the report was issued after local Muslims, under the banner of 'Bandharan Bachao Samiti', urged officials to take stern action against the school's teachers for depicting their community in a "bad light" through the play. Munjal Badmaliya, the administrative officer of the Bhavnagar Municipal School Board, said that the District Education Officer (DEO) has issued a notice to them and sought an explanation within seven days. The civic board runs the school. In a video of the play that went viral on social media, a few girls in white dresses can be seen performing on a song describing the beauty of Kashmir. Moments later, three burqa-clad girls carrying guns enter the scene and shoot the others, while an audio in the background says that terrorists had killed innocent civilians during the Pahalgam attack. Badmaliya said the all-girls primary school, located in the Kumbharwada area of the city, had organised a play based on Operation Sindoor as part of their Independence Day celebrations on August 15. "After the video surfaced on social media, the DEO received a representation alleging that the play had hurt the sentiments of Muslims. The DEO has sought a factual report from us within seven days about the I-Day event held at our school on August 15," he said. The official said they have appointed a coordinator to conduct a probe into the alleged incident. A preliminary probe showed that the school teachers and principal had no intention to hurt the sentiments of any community, he said. The school principal told us officials the play was based on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, he said. The girls who were given the role of terrorists were instructed to cover their faces with black cloth. However, these girls wear burqas, and according to them, they were more easily available than a piece of black cloth, said Badmaliya. The real intention behind the play was to show respect to the country's armed forces for their role in Operation Sindoor and not to hurt the sentiments of any community, the official said. We are still probing this issue from every angle and will submit a detailed report to the DEO, he added. After the cold-blooded killing of 26 persons, mostly tourists, near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, India launched Operation Sindoor to target terror bases inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Xi Story: Xi's enduring bond with Xizang mirrors region's dramatic transformation Xinhua) 15:47, August 19, 2025 LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Nestled in the mountains of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, a small village recently received a special letter from Beijing -- thousands of kilometers away -- reigniting villager Dawa Gyaltsen's cherished memories from four years prior. "Learning that the village has undergone new changes in recent years and villagers' incomes have increased, I feel happy for you," the letter reads. Dated June 2025, the message came as a reply from Chinese President Xi Jinping. It arrived in a year of special significance: the 60th anniversary of the founding of Xizang Autonomous Region. For Dawa Gyaltsen, the letter was both a personal treasure and a source of motivation. "In recent years, we have vigorously developed the 'peach blossom economy.' Our roads are wider, and our lives are richer. We'd be honored if President Xi could revisit us and see these changes," he said. His mind drifted back to 2021, when Xi, during an inspection tour of Xizang, visited his home in Galai Village -- examining the grains bag by bag, sampling traditional Tibetan cheese, and engaging in a heartfelt conversation. Galai, a picturesque village in Nyingchi, boasts over 1,000 peach trees, some dating back more than six centuries. Yet, it was only in recent years that rural tourism blossomed into a pillar industry, transforming local livelihoods. "In the past, wild peach trees were felled for firewood. Today, we've come to realize that 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,'" Penpa, the village's Party chief, told Xi. Peach blossoms, long revered in Chinese culture as emblems of pastoral beauty, now draw flocks of visitors to Galai each spring for its vibrant festival, aided by the convenience of a nearby highway. This "peach blossom economy" has become a reliable source of prosperity for the villagers. With pride, Dawa Gyaltsen recounted his family's diversified income streams -- from transportation services and construction equipment to dividends from Peach Blossom Valley tourism. "That adds up to several hundred thousand yuan -- a happy family indeed," Xi said with a smile. Xi's connection with Xizang stretches back decades. In 1998, as Fujian Province's deputy Party chief, he first set foot in the region while overseeing developmental support initiatives. The poor and dangerous road conditions left Xi with a deep impression. "At a narrow section, we had to get off to move two logs to get through. Those officials heading to Medog had to arrive there by horse," he later recalled. Medog, also in Nyingchi cradled deep in the Himalayas, was once China's only county without highway access. Xi kept a close watch on its progress. In March 2013, during his first participation in the annual session of the national legislature after taking office as general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Xi joined lawmakers from Xizang in a deliberation session. He asked Padma Chodron, a lawmaker hailing from Medog, whether the highway had opened. "When I told him it would open soon, he nodded with a smile," Padma Chodron recounted. That same year, the 117-kilometer Medog Highway finally ended the county's isolation, revolutionizing travel, education, and healthcare access. Under Xi's leadership, Xizang has witnessed sweeping advancements in policy, infrastructure, and economic vitality. From 2012 to 2024, the region's road network nearly doubled to 120,000 kilometers, linking every town and village. Nine pillar industries -- spanning clean energy, cultural tourism, and ecological development -- now flourish, propelling the regional GDP to 276.5 billion yuan (about 38.7 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, a staggering 155-fold increase from that of 1965. By 2024, the urban and rural per capita disposable income were 121 times and 199 times the 1965 level, respectively. In Xizang, as across China, all rural residents have been lifted out of extreme poverty. Daily life has become markedly more prosperous and modern -- for example, all townships and 70 percent of villages now have access to 5G networks. "From carrying water in buckets to turning on taps, from oil lamps to electric lights, and from dirt paths to paved roads -- our farmers and herders now live vastly better lives," Xi observed. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) On August 19, 2025, the eighth "Chinese Doctors' Day," Ambassador Wang Qing visited the Chinese Military Medical Cooperation Expert Group, the China Medical Team, and the Chinese Fixed Biosafety Laboratory Expert Group in Sierra Leone. He made on-site inspections of the work and life of the three medical and health teams and extended holiday greetings and high respect to the experts. Ambassador Wang Qing highly praised the medical experts in Sierra Leone for upholding the spirit of Red Doctors, the great anti-epidemic spirit, and the spirit of China medical teams. They overcame difficulties and made selfless contributions under extremely difficult conditions in Sierra Leone, achieving outstanding work results and making significant contributions to deepening China-Sierra Leone medical and health cooperation and enhancing the traditional friendship between the two countries. He encouraged the medical team to uphold the theme of this year's Chinese Doctors' Day, "Virtue in Action, Skill in Diligence," to maintain the noble professional spirit, enhance their service capabilities, complete their mission in Sierra Leone with high quality, and make new contributions to building a community of health for all mankind. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine Volunteers of the Ukrainian Red Cross (URCS) provide assistance to evacuees from Donetsk region at the transit center in Lozova (Kharkiv region). Recently, a transit centre for evacuees from Donetsk was opened in the town of Lozova, Kharkiv region. Volunteers from the Lozova branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross promptly arrived to provide assistance, offering first aid and psychological first aid, URCS said on Facebook. Volunteers provide first aid and psychological assistance. For evacuated children, with the assistance of the Ukrainian Red Cross, a psychosocial support zone has been organized in the transit center, where volunteers conduct psychoeducational sessions. If necessary, everyone is treated to tea and snacks. Russia has a "special mechanism" to confront any challenge arising out of the US slapping punitive measures against India for its procurement of Russian crude oil, Russian charge d'affaires Roman Babushkin said on Wednesday. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/Reuters The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a downturn after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil. At a media briefing, Babushkin projected the rapid upswing in his country's ties with New Delhi in several critical areas and said Russia has been a "partner of choice" for India's requirement of various military platforms and hardware. The Russian charge d'affaires described as "unjustified" the unrelenting American pressure on India to stop buying Russian oil and said such an approach as well as sanctions are detrimental to the global economic stability and energy security. "It is a challenging situation for India. We are enjoying trust in our partnership with India and we are committed to address challenges that may come in the energy ties between the two counties," Babushkin asserted, exuding confidence that India-Russia energy cooperation will continue to grow. Last week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the Trump administration may increase secondary tariffs on India if it continues to procure Russian crude oil. Though the US imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for its energy ties with Russia, it has not initiated similar actions against China, the largest buyer of Russian crude oil. Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics. India turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Consequently, from a mere 1.7 per cent share in total oil imports in 2019-20, Russia's share increased to 35.1 per cent in 2024-25, and it is now the biggest oil supplier to India. "The sanctions are hitting those who are imposing them. We are confident that India-Russia energy cooperation will continue notwithstanding the external pressure," Babushkin said. "Russia is the biggest supplier to India of crude oil and India's demands are growing. Certainly, this is a perfect case of mutual accommodation and complementarity of our economies. "If hypothetically speaking, India refuses to procure Russian oil, it will not lead to mutually beneficial cooperation with the West. They (Western powers) are behaving like neo-colonial powers," the Russian diplomat said. Babushkin said both sides are committed to take the volume of bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2030. To a question on American tariffs on Indian goods, he said the Russian market will welcome Indian exports. The Russian charge d'affaires said the dates for President Vladimir Putin's visit to India later this year have not been firmed up. To a question, he said the role of BRICS as a stabilising force will increase amid the ongoing global turbulence. In terms of GDP, the size of the economy of BRICS is about USD 77 trillion while it is USD 57 trillion for Group of Seven (G7) nations, he said, arguing that the BRICS is emerging as a major economic power. The Russian diplomat also said that the defence and security cooperation between India and Russia are set to expand further. India's Russian-supplied S-400 air defence systems played a critical role during the May 7 to 10 hostilities between Indian and Pakistani militaries. India, China have reached new common understandings agreeing to conduct normalised management and control of the boundary during the just concluded visit of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to New Delhi, Beijing said on Wednesday. IMAGE: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi, August 19, 2025. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo Wang visited New Delhi on August 18-19 during which he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attended the 24th round of Special Representatives (SRs) talks with NSA Ajit Doval and held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Summing up the outcome of Wang's visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing here that during his visit, the two sides also agreed on resuming dialogue mechanisms in various fields, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, upholding multilateralism, jointly dealing with global challenges and opposing unilateral bullying acts. On the boundary question, the two sides reached new common understandings, agreeing to conduct normalised management and control, maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas, properly address areas of sensitivity, and initiate boundary negotiations in areas where conditions are met, she said. Mao said in his meetings, Wang also noted that the current circumstances further highlight the strategic significance of China-India relations and the strategic value of bilateral cooperation apparently referring to the US President Donald Trump's tariff threats. A press release issued by the Foreign Ministry here about Wang's meeting with PM Modi said Wang has conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's and Premier Li Qiang's warm greetings to him. Wang welcomed Modi's visit to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to be held in the Chinese city of Tianjin on August 31-September 1, it said. The Chinese foreign minister said that the successful meeting between Modi and Xi in Russia last year has provided guidance for the resumption and a new start for China-India relations. Both sides have been earnestly implementing the common understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, promoting bilateral relations to enter a new course of improvement and development, he told Modi. This has not come by easily, and should be cherished, he said. Wang said that his visit to India also served to prepare for high-level exchanges between the two countries. Through comprehensive and in-depth communication, in terms of bilateral relations, the two sides have agreed on restarting dialogue mechanisms across various fields, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, upholding multilateralism, jointly addressing global challenges, and opposing unilateralism and bullying acts, the press release quoted him as saying. Wang emphasized that China-India relations have experienced ups and downs, and the lessons learned are worth remembering, it said. Regardless of the circumstances, both sides should adhere to the correct positioning of being partners, not rivals, and prudently manage differences to ensure that boundary disputes do not affect the overall relationship between the two countries, Wang said. In the current international situation, the strategic significance of China-India relations is increasingly prominent, and the strategic value of China-India cooperation is even more notable, he said. Both sides will earnestly implement the important common understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen exchanges and cooperation across various fields, and promote the steady and long-term development of China-India relations, the release said. Both sides will bring greater benefits to the people of both countries, and make due contributions to the cause of human progress as two major civilisations, the press release quoted Wang as saying. India has slammed Pakistan at a UN debate by drawing attention to the heinous crimes of gross sexual violence against women in erstwhile East Pakistan in 1971, adding the pattern continues with impunity to this day. IMAGE: Eldos Mathew Punnoose, India's Counsellor and Charge d'Affaires delivers his statement at the open debate at the UN. Photograph: @IndiaUNNewYork/X Briefly addressing what he called as the baseless allegation raised by the Pakistan delegate during the debate on Tuesday, Eldos Mathew Punnoose, India's Counsellor and Charge d'Affaires said that the 1971's instances of sexual violence against women is a matter of shameful record. Punnoose was delivering his statement at the open debate on 'Innovative Strategies to Ensure Access to Life-Saving Services and Protection for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones.' The utter impunity with which the Pakistan army perpetrated heinous crimes of gross sexual violence against women in erstwhile East Pakistan in 1971 is a matter of shameful record, he said. He was apparently referring to a series of massacres and rapes in 1971 in East Pakistan, in what is today's Bangladesh. This deplorable pattern continues unabated and with impunity to this day, the Indian diplomat said. Rampant abduction, trafficking, child early and forced marriages and domestic servitude, sexual violence and forced religious conversions of thousands of vulnerable women and girls as weapons of persecution towards religious and ethnic minority communities are reported and chronicled, including in the recent OHCHR reports, Punnoose said. He also alleged that it is ironical that those who perpetrate these crimes are now masquerading as champions of justice. The duplicity and hypocrisy is self-evident, he added. Punnoose was responding to Pakistan's allegation that sexual violence has long been deployed to punish and humiliate communities in Kashmir. Punnoose in his statement said, Perpetrators of heinous acts of conflict-related sexual violence must be condemned in the strongest possible terms and brought to justice. Sexual violence in conflict zones not only destroys individual lives but tears apart the very fabric of societies, leaving lasting scars on communities for generations, he added. He also referred to the UNSC Resolution 2467 of 2019, which he said has been instrumental in highlighting the need to provide victims access to national relief and reparations programmes, healthcare, psychosocial care, safe shelter, legal aid and facilitate rehabilitation and reintegration efforts to bring a semblance of normalcy to their lives. He listed India's contribution at the global level when it came to commitment to eliminate sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping, humanitarian and development work; and how Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the Circle of Leadership on the prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse in United Nations operations. Punnoose also listed steps taken at the domestic level and said India has implemented a comprehensive domestic strategy for women's safety, which could offer insights for ensuring access to life-saving services and protection for survivors in conflict situations. India is ready to share the expertise and experience with interested Member States through our comprehensive training programmes, he added. Anticipating future warfare scenarios through "predictive technologies" and creating precise, targeted systems for counter-action are among the three-fold goals when it comes to India's futuristic defence programme, Sudarshan Chakra Mission, the government said on Wednesday. IMAGE: The Made-in-India Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) howitzer. Photograph: ANI Photo In a broad synopsis of the country's security scenario, the Press Information Bureau on Wednesday shared some data and a summary of various defence-related developments in the past 11 years, titled 'Transformation of India's Defence and Internal Security Posture'. "Unlike in the past, India under the present government has become a global force to reckon with, a nation that speaks on issues from a position of strength," it says. The government said India has adopted a "firm and clear approach towards cross-border terrorism", adding that the pattern of action over the last decade reflects this policy. The most recent and defining operation came in May 2025 with Operation Sindoor. In response to the killing of civilians in Pahalgam, "India gave its armed forces full freedom of action", the synopsis says. Using drones and precision munitions, they struck nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. More than 100 terrorists were eliminated, including individuals linked to the IC814 hijacking and the Pulwama attack. Pakistan attempted retaliatory strikes through drones and missiles, but Indian counter-drone systems neutralised them, it adds. In his 79th Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Operation Sindoor as "a new normal", making it clear that "India will respond with full force whenever terrorism threatens its citizens," the synopsis says. Beyond immediate responses, the Modi government is preparing for "long-term threats," the government said. In his Independence Day speech, Modi had announced the Sudarshan Chakra Mission, a futuristic defence programme. "Its goals are threefold -- to ensure the entire system is researched, developed, and manufactured in India; to anticipate future warfare scenarios through predictive technologies; and to create precise, targeted systems for counter-action. By 2035, the aim is to provide a comprehensive national security shield for both strategic and civilian assets," it says. In the last eleven years, India's defence and internal security posture under the government of PM Modi has undergone a "profound transformation", it says. The shift has been marked by "greater clarity of purpose, stronger deterrence, and a sustained drive for self-reliance," the synopsis says. This government has consistently underlined that "national security is non-negotiable", and to ensure this security, India will build its own capacity and preparedness. This has resulted in a "more confident, modern, and proactive approach to challenges, both external and internal". it adds. Firm responses to terrorism, the clear articulation of new normal with Pakistan and futuristic initiatives like the Sudarshan Chakra Mission underscore a "forward-looking security doctrine," the government asserted. India's defence and internal security posture under the Modi government reflects a "decisive shift towards strength, clarity, and self-reliance". With record investments in defence, rapid growth in indigenous production, bold reforms, and the adoption of emerging technologies, India has transitioned from being a major importer to a rising global exporter of defence equipment, it added. "India's defence expenditure has steadily increased under the present government, rising from Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 201314 to Rs 6.81 lakh crore in 202526," the PIB synopsis says. "The focus is no longer only on acquiring weapons but also on building domestic capacity. In 202425, defence production touched a record Rs 1.50 lakh crore, more than triple the 201415 level," it adds. Fighter jets, missile systems, artillery systems, warships, naval vessels, aircraft carriers and a lot more are now being made in India, underlining how strongly "self-reliance and deterrence have become the cornerstone of national security," the government said. Defence exports grew thirty-four times over the last decade, reaching Rs 23,622 crore in 202425. Indian equipment is now exported to over 100 nations, including the United States, France, and Armenia, it said. The synopsis also shared data related to indigenisation efforts. The SRIJAN Portal (2020) enables the industry to locally develop items earlier imported. "To date, over 46,798 items have been listed". And, Positive Indigenisation Lists by DPSUs have identified 5,012 items (across five tranches), "signalling a phased ban on imports", it says. At the same time, progress in internal stability, food and energy security, financial inclusion, and technology innovation demonstrates that Atmanirbharta is "not confined to defence alone" but forms the foundation of a "resilient and confident India prepared to meet both traditional and non-traditional challenges on its path to becoming a global leader", the government asserted. "This tectonic shift reflects the deep resolve of the government to see the country as Viksit Bharat in every sense in the years to come. It also reaffirms that this government does not merely believe in rhetoric, but has actually done, and is continuing to do, what it takes to make India 'Viksit'," it said. A female lawyer and civil judge aspirant, Archana Tiwari, who was reported missing while travelling on a train nearly two weeks ago, was traced in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Khiri town on Nepal border on Tuesday, a police official said. IMAGE: Archana Tiwari was a practicing lawyer at the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court and was also preparing for a civil judge examination. Photograph: X Tiwari, who was heading to Katni from Indore on the intervening nights of August 7-8 for Rakshabandhan festival, did not reach her destination and was missing since then. "Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel finally traced Archana Tiwari in Lakhimpur-Khiri town on the Indo-Nepal border after 12 days of hectic search," SP (Railways) Rahul Kumar Lodha said. Cops are bringing her back to Bhopal and after recording her statement, details of the entire episode will be known, he said. Tiwari's kin earlier suspected that she was a victim of human trafficking and sought a CBI probe, but Lodha did not say anything about this angle. According to police, the last location of the 29-year-old lawyer was traced to Itarsi station. After that, her mobile phone was found switched off. Tiwari was a practicing lawyer at the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court. She was also preparing for a civil judge examination. She left for Katni on August 7 by the Narmada Express train, but did not reach her destination. Tiwari's family members later lodged a missing person complaint at the Rani Kamalapati GRP police station in Bhopal. Police searched for clues in areas ranging from Rani Kamalapati station to Itarsi and Katni, and scanned CCTV cameras of stations and surrounding areas. Lodha said Tiwari's last location was Itarsi station. A day after India and China agreed to resume border trade through Lipulekh, Nepal on Wednesday said that the territory is its inseparable part and also incorporated in its official map. IMAGE: File image of Border Roads Organisation connecting Kailash Mansarovar route to Lipulekh pass. Photograph: ANI Photo The Nepal government is clear that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani, situated East of Mahakali river, are inseparable parts of Nepal. These are also officially incorporated in the Nepalese map, included in the Constitution as well, the foreign ministry said. Responding to the Nepal government's statement, the ministry of external affairs said such claims are "neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence". MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "Border trade between India and China through Lipulekh Pass commenced in 1954 and has been going on for decades. This trade had been disrupted in recent years due to Covid and other developments, and both sides have now agreed to resume it." As regards territorial claims, our position remains that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. Any unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable, he added. A joint document released on Tuesday after wide-ranging talks in New Delhi between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said both sides agreed to re-open border trade through the three designated trading points, namely Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass. The Nepal foreign ministry statement came in response to questions raised by Nepalese media regarding the announcement by India and China to resume border trade through Lipulekh. It is a well-known fact that the Nepal government has been requesting the government of India not to construct or expand roads and indulge in any kind of activity such as border trade in the territory, read the statement issued by spokesperson of the foreign ministry, Lok Bahadur Chhetri. It is also well known that the Nepal government has already informed the government of China that the area lies in Nepalese territory, it added. The Nepal government is committed to resolving the border issue between the two countries through diplomatic channels on the basis of historical treaty - agreement, facts, map and other evidence complying with the spirit of cordial and friendly relations existing between Nepal and India, read the statement. On June 18, 2020, Nepal completed the process to update the country's political map by incorporating three strategically important areas Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura areas by amending its Constitution. India called it a unilateral act and termed as untenable the artificial enlargement of the territorial claims by Nepal. Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states -- Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The Opposition parties on Wednesday alleged that the Modi government is attempting to turn India into a "dictatorship" with the introduction of three Bills that seek to provide for removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and ministers arrested on serious charges, and vowed to oppose it "tooth and nail". Photograph: / Rediff.com IMAGE: Proceedings of the Lok Sabha are underway during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, August 20 2025. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Bills have been brought to elevate the "declining" moral standards and maintain integrity in politics. He hit back at the opposition parties, accusing them of protesting the move to remain outside the ambit of the law, running governments from jail and not relinquishing their attachment to power. Shah on Wednesday moved the three Bills in the Lok Sabha for the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and ministers arrested on serious criminal charges for 30 days, drawing fierce protests from the Opposition. It was referred to a joint committee of Parliament for scrutiny. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the country is being pushed back to medieval times when the king would get anyone he did not like arrested, as he criticised the new Bills seeking to remove the prime minister, chief ministers or ministers for serious offences. "There is no concept of what an elected person is. He doesn't like your face, so he tells the ED to file a case and then the democratically elected person is wiped out within 30 days. This is new," the Congress leader said at a function to felicitate the Opposition's vice presidential candidate B Sudershan Reddy in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan (old Parliament). At the function, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of introducing the Bills in "subterfuge" at the fag end of Parliament's Monsoon session, leaving no scope for a "meaningful debate or scrutiny". He said the Bills, if passed, will undermine the core values of parliamentary democracy and federalism. "Over the last 11 years, we have witnessed the blatant misuse of parliamentary majority to arm the autonomous agencies like the ED, I-T and CBI with draconian powers to target opposition leaders," the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the constitutional amendment Bill pertaining to the removal of a prime minister, CMs and ministers after being arrested for criminal charges, alleging that it will "end" the democratic era in India forever. In a post on X, the Trinamool Congress chief also said that the amendment Bill is a step "more than a super-Emergency" and will "finish" independence of the country's judiciary". Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said in a post on X, "This is how DICTATORSHIPS begin: Steal votes, Silence rivals and Crush States. "The Union BJP government has decided to defile the Constitution and its democratic foundations by turning India into a dictatorship under the Prime Minister," the DMK supremo said. This is a "sinister attempt" to intimidate regional parties in the NDA, "whose leaders are chief ministers or ministers in various States", he claimed. Stalin further said the first move of "any emerging dictator" is to give himself the power to arrest and remove rivals from office. "That is exactly what this Bill seeks to do," he said, and called upon all the democratic forces to unite against "this attempt to turn India into a dictatorship". Hitting back, Shah said the Bill has been brought to elevate the "declining moral standards and maintain integrity in politics" in view of public resentment towards the "menace" and Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's commitment to "restoring moral standards in politics". "On one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced a constitutional amendment to bring himself within the ambit of the law, and on the other hand, the entire Opposition, led by the Congress, has opposed it to remain outside the law's ambit, run governments from jail and not relinquish their attachment to power," he said in a series of posts on X. "Now, the people of the country will have to decide whether it is appropriate for a minister, chief minister or the prime minister to run the government while in jail," the Union home minister said. The Left parties said the Bills are a direct "assault" on democracy and the federal framework, and vowed to oppose it "tooth and nail". "Modi Govt's 3 bills to oust PM, CMs, Ministers after 30 days in custody expose its neo-fascist characteristics," CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby said on X, flaying the move. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan slammed the opposition parties and said those opposing the three Bills want to bring anarchy and show that they are above the law. "This law is very necessary under today's circumstances," he told reporters in the Parliament House complex. There have been some instances in recent times when some people want to run the government and their ministries from jail, Pradhan said, and demanded that the opposition parties "clarify whether they support that nobody should resign even if they are behind bars". BJP MP and former Union minister Anurag Thakur said the way the opposition members protested in the House showed that "they stand by corruption and the corrupt, and they are ready to go to any extent to save the corrupt". "The question arises as to what the Opposition is protesting against. Is it morality or corruption?" he told reporters. "The fight is clear. The Opposition stands with corruption and the corrupt. The BJP-NDA wants to make politics corruption-free," Thakur added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the people of the country will have to decide whether it is appropriate for a minister, chief minister or the prime minister to run the government while in jail. IMAGE: Opposition MPs tear and throw the copies of the three Bills towards Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha, which seek to remove the Prime Minister or Chief Ministers who are facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and have been detained for 30 consecutive days, during the monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi, August 20, 2025. Photograph: Sansad TV/ANI Video Grab Shah said this hours after he introduced in the Lok Sabha three Bills, which envisage the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and ministers arrested on serious criminal charges for 30 days, drawing fierce protests from the Opposition. The draft laws were referred to a joint committee of Parliament. The home minister said on one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought a constitutional amendment Bill to bring himself within the ambit of the law, and on the other hand, the entire Opposition, led by the Congress, has opposed it "to remain outside the law's ambit, run governments from jail and not relinquish their attachment to power". "Now, the people of the country will have to decide whether it is appropriate for a minister, chief minister or the prime minister to run the government while in jail," he said in a series of posts on X in Hindi. Shah said seeing the Modi government's commitment against political corruption in the country and the public's outrage, he introduced a Constitutional Amendment Bill in Parliament with the consent of the Lok Sabha Speaker, which ensures that important constitutional posts such as the prime minister, chief minister and ministers at the Centre and in the states cannot run the government while in jail. "The purpose of this Bill is to elevate the declining level of morality in public life and bring integrity to politics," he said. The law that will come into existence through these three Bills is as follows: no person, while arrested and in jail, can govern as prime minister, chief minister or minister of the central or state government. "When the Constitution was framed, our Constitution-makers could not have imagined that in the future, there would be political figures who would not resign on moral grounds before being arrested," he said. The home minister said that in recent years, an astonishing situation has arisen in the country where chief ministers or ministers have continued to run the government immorally from jail without resigning. He said the Bill also includes a provision that allows an accused politician to seek bail from the court within 30 days of arrest. If they fail to obtain bail within 30 days, on the 31st day, either the prime minister or chief ministers in the states will be removed them from their posts, or they will automatically become legally ineligible to perform their duties, he said, adding if such a leader is granted bail after the legal process, they can resume their position. Shah said the country also remembers the time when "in this very great House" (Parliament), the then prime minister Indira Gandhi, through Constitutional Amendment No. 39, granted such a privilege to the prime minister that no legal action could be taken against them. "On one side, this is the work culture and policy of the Congress, that they place the prime minister above the law through constitutional amendments. On the other side, the policy of the Bharatiya Janata Party is that we are bringing our government's prime minister, ministers and chief ministers within the ambit of law," he said. The home minister said a Congress leader in the House also made a personal remark against him, saying that when the Congress "falsely implicated him in a fabricated case" and had him arrested, he (Shah) did not resign. "I want to remind the Congress that I had already resigned before being arrested, and even after being released on bail, I did not take any constitutional position until I was fully proven innocent by the court. "The court dismissed the false case against me, stating that it was motivated by political vendetta," he said. Shah said the BJP and the NDA have always stood for ethical values and party veteran Lal Krishna Advani also resigned from his post as soon as allegations were made against him. On the other hand, he said, the Congress party continues to carry forward the "unethical tradition" started by Indira Gandhi. The home minister claimed the same Congress party that brought an Ordinance to protect RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, which Rahul Gandhi opposed, is now seeing the same Rahul Gandhi embracing Yadav at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. He said the public fully understands this duplicity of the Opposition. Shah said it was clear from the beginning that this Bill would be placed before the Joint Committee of Parliament, where it would be thoroughly discussed. "Yet, abandoning all shame and decency, the entire INDI alliance, led by the Congress, gathered to oppose it with crude behaviour to protect the corrupt. Today, the Opposition has been completely exposed in front of the public," he said. The three Bills are the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025; the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025. The three Bills have proposed that if the prime minister, Union ministers or chief ministers are arrested and detained in custody for 30 consecutive days for offences that attract a jail term of at least five years, they will lose their job on the thirty-first day. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday once again claimed that United States President Donald Trump has ended the military conflict between India and Pakistan. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump. Photograph: Ken Cedeno/Reuters "The President is using the might of American strength to demand that respect from our allies, our friends, our adversaries all around the world," Leavitt said at a press briefing. She said that it was seen not only in the progress with Russia and Ukraine but also "in the closing of seven global conflicts around the world." "We've seen it with the end of the conflict between India and Pakistan, which could have resulted in a nuclear war if we had not had a President who believed in the strength and the leverage that comes with the job of being the President of the United States of America," Leavitt said. In an answer to another question, Leavitt said that Trump used trade "in a very powerful way as leverage" to bring the India-Pakistan conflict to an end. Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after a "long night" of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim over 40 times that he "helped settle" the tensions between India and Pakistan. India has been consistently maintaining that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said in Parliament that no leader of any country asked India to stop Operation Sindoor. Meanwhile, replying to one more question, Leavitt said that Trump has imposed sanctions on India to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. "The President has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He has taken actions as you seen sanctions on India and other actions as well. He has made himself very clear that he wants to see this war end," she added. Earlier in an interview to CNBC, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent also accused India of profiteering by reselling Russian oil. US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs totalling 50 per cent on India including 25 per cent for New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil that will come into effect from August 27. India has called the tariffs unjustified and unreasonable. India said that, like any major economy, it will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security. The United States pressure on India for its procurement of Russian crude oil is "unjustified", a senior Russian diplomat said on Wednesday. IMAGE: Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin. Photograph: ANI on X We are confident that India-Russia energy cooperation will continue notwithstanding the external pressure, Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin said. It is a "challenging" situation for India, he said at a media briefing and added that, we have "trust" in our ties with New Delhi. In the context of Western punitive measures against Russia, Babushkin said the sanctions are hitting those who are imposing them. To a question, he said the role of BRICS as a stabilising force will increase amid the ongoing global turbulence. His remarks came against the backdrop of strain in India's ties with the US following President Donald Trump doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent that included an additional penalty of 25 per cent for purchasing Russian crude oil. US President Trump this month issued an executive order slapping an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods as a penalty for New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil. Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics. India turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022. Consequently, from a mere 1.7 per cent share in total oil imports in 2019-20, Russia's share increased to 35.1 per cent in 2024-25, and it is now the biggest oil supplier to India. Polish Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said that the unknown object that fell and exploded in a cornfield near the village of ukow County, Lublin Voivodeship, on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday is a Russian drone, Onet.pl reported on Wednesday. "Russia is again provoking NATO countries. After the incidents with drones that occurred in Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia, we are again dealing with a Russian drone. This is a special moment when discussions about peace are ongoing," he said at a press conference at the Defense Ministry. He added: "At a moment when there is hope that this war that Russia started, a war against the Ukrainian state, a war that also threatens NATO countries, has a chance to end, Russia is provoking again." National Democratic Alliance candidate C P Radhakrishnan on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the vice presidential election in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi submits nomination papers of NDA's vice presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan to Rajya Sabha Secretary General. Photograph: @BJP4India/X Modi, flanked by Radhakrishnan and senior NDA leaders, handed over four sets of nomination papers to Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody, who is the returning officer for the vice presidential election. The four sets of nomination papers have Modi, Singh, Shah and Janata Dal-United leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh as lead proposers. The returning officer examined the nomination papers following which Radhakrishnan signed a register. The returning officer then handed over an acknowledgement slip of the nomination papers to the prime minister. Modi, Shah, senior ministers Pralhad Joshi, Dharmendra Pradhan and other NDA leaders, including Telugu Desam Party leader and Union Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, Shiv Sena leader Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilasleader Chirag Paswan escorted Radhakrishnan to the office of the returning officer in Parliament. Earlier, Radhakrishan paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders at Prerna Sthal, which houses statues of iconic personalities, in Parliament complex. Radhakrishnan, whose election as Vice President is a certainty, was accompanied by Union ministers and other leaders from the BJP-led alliance. Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar was Kashmir's leading venue for protests where fortified defences had been set up by security forces. Today a group of youngsters dances at the Chowk and makes reels. IMAGE: The iconic Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk. Photographs: Archana Masih/Rediff Dressed in black jeans and tops, four girls were doing a synchronised walk as four boys standing opposite made a reel of the girls' act. This is happening just below the lit up Clock Tower in Lal Chowk at the heart of Srinagar on the eve of Independence Day. Till a few years ago, the spot, a literal Hindi translation of the Communist 'Red Square' in Moscow, was Kashmir's leading venue for protests with fortified defences set up by security forces. Security personnel used to be stationed inside a bunker at the base of the Ghanta Ghar itself. Today, young tourists are making reels in gay abandon with loud peals of laughter. Tourists walk around and stop by to take pictures of the iconic spot which was built by Bajaj Electricals in the 1980s and given a face lift recently. Since tourism in Kashmir has been severely hit after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, Lal Chowk did not have the usual throngs of people. "It is quiet now, otherwise this place is choc-a-block," said a local. IMAGE: Lal Chowk bustling with activities with an electronic signboard reading 'India: Har Ghar Tiranga' for Independence Day. IMAGE: Hotels flank both sides of the Clock Tower. IMAGE: A number of shops do some aggressive selling. The central part of the square is an open space with benches where one can spend an interesting evening. There are rows of shops on either side and every now and then a salesman accosts you to direct you towards the stores in the buildings opposite Lal Chowk. Hotels -- one is called 'Naya Kashmir' -- line the chowk. A giant electronic screen on the far end has information on government schemes and I-Day greeting. There is a selfie point with the colours of the national flag promoting the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' slogan. Armed CRPF personnel in camouflaged uniforms keep quiet vigil. A five minute walk from Ghanta Ghar is the Balidan Stambh in honour of Jammu and Kashmir police personnel who died in the line of duty. Inaugurated on I-Day last year, it was closed on the eve of I-Day last week. Security personnel were guarding the gates in keeping with the security drill because Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was to pay homage the next morning [August 15]. IMAGE: A Tiranga selfie point near Ghanta Ghar. IMAGE: Another selfie point at Polo View which is a walking promenade with shops on either side. IMAGE: The majestic Chinar tree is a sight of beauty at the centre of Polo View. From Lal Chowk, past Balidan Stambh to Polo View is a nice stretch for an evening stroll. In between Ghanta Ghar and Balidan Stambh is Press Colony where security personnel and armoured vehicles stand guard, a stark reminder of a gruesome tragedy that happened here a few years ago. As I stand outside the office of a Kashmiri newspaper, I am told that right where I am chatting is the spot where journalist and Editor of Rising Kashmir Shujaat Bukhari was gunned down by terrorists in 2018. It shakes you up and makes you realise how violence has left deep scars in Kashmir. At a newspaper vendor's shop opposite the Press Colony, the shop owner has started selling Kashmiri souvenirs instead of newspapers. But he hasn't given it up completely because in the corner of his stall are a stack of the day's newspapers including Rising Kashmir. As we pick up a few newspapers and ask him how much to pay, "How can I accept money for newspapers from a journalist?", the Kashmiri vendor tells us with a genial smile. He refuses the money even after much persuasion and only accepts it on the next day when we return to buy another set of newspapers. This time we won the day - but his warmth and appreciation for newspaper readers won our hearts. Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'His willingness to take the initiative to fight for truth and justice and his willingness to cross swords with anyone for a just cause.' IMAGE: INDIA Vice Presidential Candidate and former Supreme Court Justice B Sudershan Reddy arrives at Delhi airport, August 19, 2025. Photograph: Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain/ANI Photo/span> The 2025 vice presidential election presents a compelling Constitutional contest between two distinct candidates representing India's political divide. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance has named Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan as its nominee, while the INDIA bloc has unanimously selected former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy. Reddy's "extraordinary journey" -- from the agricultural fields of rural Andhra Pradesh to the Supreme Court of India -- states one of his batchmates at Osmania University where they studied law together, has made him the Opposition's consensus candidate. His reputation for fairness, Constitutional expertise and administrative acumen convinced leaders across the INDIA bloc that the retired judge was best placed to embody their vision of Constitutional governance and impart integrity to India's federal structure. The Constitutional Scholar Forged in College Corridors The phone rang in a quiet Hyderabad home on Tuesday morning, August 19, bringing news that would thrust a 79-year-old retired Supreme Court judge back into the national spotlight. When Justice B Sudershan Reddy received confirmation of his nomination as the INDIA bloc's vice-presidential candidate, his response was characteristically measured: 'I am very, very happy. Thank you.' For those who have known Justice Reddy throughout his remarkable journey from the agricultural fields of Ranga Reddy district to the highest echelons of India's judiciary, Tuesday's announcement was both surprising and predictable. Surprising because the soft-spoken judge has never sought political office and predictable because his reputation for Constitutional integrity and administrative excellence made him an obvious choice for Opposition leaders seeking a unifying candidate. The story of how B Sudershan Reddy became the unanimous choice of 26 Opposition parties begins not in Delhi's political corridors but in the classrooms of Osmania University's law college in the 1960s, where a young student earned a nickname that would prove prophetic, says one of his classmates from their law school days. The Making of 'Turram Khan' A classmate from Osmania University, also another retired judge, recalls how the young law student earned a striking nickname: "One of the first freedom fighters of Hyderabad, a person called Turram Khan, fought against the British and the Nizam of Hyderabad. He was the first person to start the independent struggle in India, some believe. During our college days, Sudershan was fondly called 'Turram Khan'." "The name reflected not only admiration for Sudershan's intelligence and leadership, but also a recognition of his tendency to take the initiative and stand out in any group," he recalls. The nickname stuck because it captured something essential about the young law student's character -- "his willingness to take the initiative to fight for truth and justice and his willingness to cross swords with anyone for a just cause." Another classmate from Osmania University, retired Justice P Swaroop Reddy of the Andhra Pradesh high court, remembers those formative years: "He was my classmate -- he was a brilliant fellow -- High court judge earlier than me from the bar. Then he was the chief justice of the Gauhati high court. Then judge of the Supreme Court." The admiration in his voice is unmistakable as he continues: "He was very intelligent and a dominating personality. He was a very good advocate." IMAGE: Justice B Sudershan Reddy at Delhi airport, August 19, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo/span> From Bar to Bench: A Meteoric Rise Born on July 8, 1946 in Akula Mylaram village into a farming family, young Sudershan grew up in rural Andhra Pradesh. In 1971, he graduated from Osmania University, enrolled as an advocate, and began practising civil and Constitutional law under K Pratap Reddy, one of Andhra Pradesh's leading senior advocates. His practice soon extended to labour, service, and administrative law. He was appointed government pleader for the Andhra Pradesh high court from 1988 to 1990 and briefly served as additional standing counsel for the central government in 1990 -- an experience that offered him valuable insights into governance and the executive. In 1995, he was elevated as a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh high court. A decade later, on December 5, 2005, he became chief justice of the Gauhati high court. The pinnacle of his career came on January 12, 2007, when he was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of India, serving until his retirement on July 8, 2011. During his Supreme Court tenure, Justice Reddy authored judgments that underscored his reputation for fairness and Constitutional fidelity. The most significant was the 2011 Salwa Judum judgment (along with Justice S S Nijjar in the Nandini Sundar vs State of Chhattisgarh), which disbanded a State-backed militia -- the Salwa Judum militia as illegal and unconstitutional -- and reaffirmed the rights of tribals against state excesses. Prodyut Bordoloi, the Congress MP from Assam's Nagaon constituency, witnessed Justice Reddy's tenure at the Gauhati high court firsthand. "He was always considered to be very fair, very rational and never influenced by any political ideology." "Justice Sudershan Reddy was always respected," Bordoloi adds. "He was an epitome of fairness and his judgments were always very fair, upright and rooted in Constitutional principles." The Goa Experiment: Principle Over Position Perhaps no episode in Justice Reddy's career better illustrates his character than his brief but principled tenure as Goa's first Lokayukta. He assumed charge in March 2013 but resigned just seven months later in October, citing personal reasons. The resignation triggered political controversy and legal challenges, but the Bombay high court upheld the process, affirming that he had acted within his rights. Goa AAP president Amit Palyekar reflects on that period: "People who come from the judiciary, who are upright people and who have held a post like this -- more particularly when the system is changing, transforming, and then you become part of the transforming system -- I think you cannot choose a better person than somebody like him (for the post of vice president)." His later assignments include serving as chairman of Telangana's caste census panel and as Supreme Court-appointed oversight authority for Karnataka's mining environmental restoration plan, both sensitive and politically charged responsibilities that required balance and Constitutional rigour. The Unanimous Choice When Opposition leaders gathered to select their vice presidential candidate, Justice Reddy's name emerged from extensive consultations across party lines. Bordoloi explains the reasoning: "Obviously his track record, his personality, his deep abiding faith in the Indian Constitution rather than any political or sectarian ideology favoured his candidature." "He's a man of stature and a man of repute, so INDIA alliance partners chose him," says Bordoloi even as he refuses to disclose the names of other contenders considered by the INDIA bloc before unanimously choosing Reddy. The Congress MP emphasises that this wasn't about regional considerations or political calculations: "These are all people reading between the lines. I don't think any such sectarian or regional consideration should matter." "His track record, his personality, his stature clinched the deal. Everybody zeroed in on him," says Bordoloi in response to if the INDIA bloc made it a South versus South contest. This assessment aligns with what his former classmate P Swaroop Reddy believes makes Justice Reddy the ideal choice for the vice presidential role: "He would be wonderful because he knows a lot about law and the Constitution thoroughly. He is very good in administrative and Constitutional law and has a lot of command over these matters. He can control the Rajya Sabha very well and legally take specific and correct steps." IMAGE: Former Supreme Court judge B Sudhershan Reddy. Photograph: Sansad TV A Constitutional Custodian for Turbulent Times "Throughout his rise to prominence, Justice Reddy never forgot his agricultural roots or the values that shaped him," says the batchmate who narrated the Turram Khan story. "His approach to justice remained grounded in the belief that Constitutional principles should serve the common people, not abstract legal theories." Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge framed the choice in ideological terms: 'This vice presidential contest is an ideological battle, and all the Opposition parties agreed on this. That is why we have nominated B Sudershan Reddy as the joint candidate.' As Justice Reddy prepares to file his nomination on August 21 for the September 9 contest, his candidature represents more than just political strategy -- it embodies the opposition's vision of constitutional governance. "In an era when institutional independence faces unprecedented challenges, the selection of a judge whose career has been defined by fairness and integrity sends a powerful message," says his Osmania batchmate. His journey from the boy called 'Turram Khan' in college corridors to potential vice president of India illustrates both personal achievement and democratic possibility. "Whether addressing the Rajya Sabha or upholding Constitutional proprieties," says P Swaroop Reddy, "Justice Reddy's record suggests he would bring the same principled approach that earned him respect across political lines throughout his judicial career." Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Sweden was ready to help provide security guarantees for Ukraine after the Washington summits, including by providing aerial reconnaissance and naval resources. In his interview with Sveriges Radio, he noted that Ukraine's economic and military partners "stand firmly on its side right now, when this can be tested in a truly critical situation." Kristersson noted that Sweden could contribute by providing aerial reconnaissance and naval resources. However, the Prime Minister expressed doubts about the advisability of the presence of Swedish troops in Ukraine. "I don't think it's about moving a lot of troops from other countries to Ukraine, but rather about Ukraine being able to take responsibility for its own country so securely that Russia won't try to do it again," Kristersson said. Members of the Representative Town Meeting gather at the Brattleboro Union High School to vote on a new town budget on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook. Isaac Evans-Frantz is a member of the Brattleboro Select Board. The opinions expressed by columnists and op-ed writers do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media. Tim Stevenson is a community organizer with Post Oil Solutions from Athens (bereal@vermontel.net), and is the author of Resilience and Resistance: Building Sustainable Communities for a Post Oil Age and Transformative Activism: A Values Revolution in Everyday Life in a Time of Societal Collapse," and is currently at work on a book about mutual care associations. The opinions expressed by columnists and op-ed writers do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media. Spark New Zealand has announced a new five-year strategy alongside its 2025 results and an admission that not all the challenges we faced were beyond our control. The company has been refocusing on its core business, reviewing non-core assets, undertaking cost cutting measures and focusing on realising value from its data centre business, chair Justine Smyth told shareholders today. As a result, Spark now has shed over 1,200 staff with 4,043 employees now compared to 5,291 at the end of 2024. The past year has been one of the most challenging periods in Sparks history, as we navigated economic headwinds, materially lower customer spending, and ongoing structural change in some of our markets, Smyth told shareholders. Not all the challenges we faced were beyond our control, and at our AGM in November we outlined the significant transformation programme we would implement to improve performance. Recognising the environment has changed significantly since we announced our SPK-26 strategy, the board has approved a new five-year strategy that focuses Spark, and its capital investment, from a broader digital services ambition to its core business of connectivity. Sparks new focus is on returning to its history of stable annuity-like returns, with predictable free cash flow and growing dividends over time for shareholders, she said. Sparks results included reported revenue of $3,725M, down 2.5% on 2024, while adjusted revenue of $3,700M declined 4.2%. Ukraine's military says it has cut off Russian infiltration units that broke through a defensive line north of the eastern city of Pokrovsk. But for residents in the nearby town of Dobropillya, the relief is hard to feel amid relentless bombardment. The Russian advance in early August relied on small, fast-moving squads. Some used motorcycles and rode close to Ukrainian positions then dismounted and advanced on foot, according to a member of Ukraines 82nd Air Assault Brigade which is driving the counterattack. The soldier, who goes by the code name "Fizruk," told RFE/RL's Current Time that many Russian units that managed to penetrate several kilometers beyond the front line are now cut off. The mopping-up and stabilization operations are quite successful at the moment, he said. "I think we will conclude soon." But even as Ukrainian troops hold the line and push back the Russian advance, civilians in Dobropillya face continued Russian strikes. On August 16, the tail of a Russian missile smashed through all five floors of a residential building, leaving apartments gutted and neighbors staring into each others homes through broken floors. My wife was sitting at the table, then it came," said Yuri. "Dust, smoke. She shouted, I cant see anything! I moved here and my leg fell through [the hole]. Residents told Current Time correspondent Borys Sachalko that the warhead broke off and landed outside the building as the town endured waves of Shahed drone attacks and glide bombs. Those who remain in the once thriving mining town speak of hardship and grief. We are without water. Everyone wants to drink! Please, help us to get water, even if its not drinkable, one woman pleaded. Larisa, stepping over shattered glass and brick, recalled losing her closest friend: She said she was going to buy something, since things were on sale. She never came back." Despite the recent diplomatic talks about ending the war, more and more of Dobropillya's residents are looking to leave. "We kept waiting for negotiations, for peace to come, said Larisa. Afghanistan's Taliban authorities are hosting a trilateral meeting with China and Pakistan on August 20, as Beijing looks to de-escalate tensions between the two countries by incentivizing cooperation through new trade and investment opportunities amid a flurry of diplomatic outreach. The daylong meeting is expected to cover joint efforts to combat terrorism and the expansion of China's trillion-dollar global infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), into Afghanistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This is a $60 billion series of projects launched by Islamabad and Beijing under the umbrella of the BRI. "Comprehensive discussions will be held on a number of important issues, including political, economic, and regional cooperation among the three countries," Hafiz Zia Ahmad, a deputy spokesman for Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry, said in a post on X ahead of the meeting. Obtaining a formal deal to extend CPEC to Afghanistan would not only be a boost for a cash-strapped Taliban searching for international legitimacy, it would also mark a diplomatic win for Beijing as it steps up its engagement and adapts to new shifts across the region. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is hosting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar. Wang's trip to Kabul follows high-profile meetings in New Delhi where Beijing looked to capitalize on tensions caused by US tariffs on Indian goods. A Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said an agreement was reached to tackle Beijing's simmering border dispute with New Delhi. Following the trip to Afghanistan, Wang will travel to Islamabad for a three-day visit ahead of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit at the end of August, where China will host leaders and top officials from Pakistan and India as well as leaders from Russia, Central Asia, Belarus, and Iran. China's Diplomatic Push Although neither China nor Pakistan has formally recognized the Taliban government, Beijing has acted as a facilitator behind the scenes. The discussions in Kabul mark the first time that officials have met since May. That meeting saw a verbal agreement from Beijing to extend the trade and infrastructure links that it has already built up through CPEC over the past decade to Afghanistan. Pakistan also upgraded its diplomatic relations with the Taliban in its aftermath by sending its first ambassador to Kabul since the militant group seized power in 2021. Back then, many saw the Taliban's return as a strategic win for Pakistan, given its historical ties to the group, but relations between them have deteriorated. Islamabad has accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing groups like Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to launch attacks across the border. The TTP, formed in 2007, shares ideological roots with the Afghan Taliban but operates independently. The TTP has also threatened Chinese interests, particularly CPEC, where Chinese nationals working on projects in Pakistan have become a regular target for attacks. Since 2021, 14 terrorist attacks have taken place in the country targeting Chinese citizens. China has pushed for joint law enforcement cooperation between the Taliban and Pakistan, and that appears to have accelerated since officials last met in May. The Taliban has reportedly pledged it would not allow Afghan territory to be used for TTP operations, and China's special envoy on Afghan affairs, Yue Xiaoyong, visited both Afghanistan and Pakistan in July. Is China Ready To Extend CPEC To Afghanistan? CPEC was framed as a flagship part of the BRI when it was launched in 2015, but it has since become something of a cautionary tale for China as it has grappled with delayed projects, cost overruns, security concerns, and escalating debt stress in Pakistan. Since then, Beijing has been reluctant to greenlight large-scale projects for CPEC and has since sought to see through its most viable pre-existing ones. That caution will also follow any movement on integrating Afghanistan into the infrastructure project. Beijing's interest in linking Afghanistan to BRI through CPEC predates the Taliban's return to power, but limited practical progress has been made despite a renewed interest from China in Afghanistan's substantial mineral and resource wealth. It still remains uncertain at what pace China will look to formally incorporate Afghanistan. Improving relations between the Taliban and Islamabad and improving security cooperation are precursors that Beijing will look to build on that progress through its meetings this month. But implementing projects on the ground in Afghanistan has always proved difficult and any new projects on an extended CPEC will have to contend with a still volatile security situation on the ground. Russia has dramatically increased sabotage operations throughout Europe, a new report has found, with the number of attacks targeting critical infrastructure nearly quadrupling since 2023. The findings, by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, dovetail with a growing number of press reports, indictments, and intelligence warnings alleging Moscow has made covert sabotage and surveillance operations a major priority, aimed at destabilizing European governments. "While Russia has so far failed to achieve its primary aim, European capitals have struggled to respond to Russian sabotage operations and have found it challenging to agree a unified response, coordinate action, develop effective deterrence measures and impose sufficient costs on the Kremlin," the report by the London-based think tank said. The scope of so-called hybrid attacks blamed on Russia includes arson attacks, incidents where ships have damaged undersea communications cables, disruption of GPS satellite navigation signals, and the hacking of computer infrastructure. The bulk of the targets, the report released August 19 found, are in Ukraine or are connected to European efforts to support or supply Ukraine with military and other civilian hardware. The uptick of incidents coincided with Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, and spiked in 2023 and 2024, quadrupling over that period. The report also tallied a slowdown in attacks in the first half of 2025, though it was unclear exactly what that could be attributed to. European and other Western governments have expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers, many working under diplomatic cover, dating back to before the Ukraine invasion. That has forced Russian agencies to turn to proxy or mercenary-type of operations, where people are hired, some unwittingly, to carry out sabotage or other operations. Last month, a British court convicted three men of setting fire to a London warehouse where Ukrainian-bound equipment was being stored, a plot prosecutors said was orchestrated by operatives linked to the Russian mercenary company Wagner. In a related incident, three Ukrainians have been accused of trying to set fire to properties linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Russia has exploited gaps in legal systems through its 'gig economy' approach, enabling it to avoid attribution and responsibility. Since 2022 and the expulsion of hundreds of its intelligence officers from European capitals, Russia has been highly effective in its online recruitment of third-country nationals to circumvent European counter-intelligence measures," the report said. There was no immediate response to the report from Russian officials. European governments have also under-invested in maintaining security systems for critical infrastructure, the report said, even as fears mount that the covert campaign could be part of a longer-term effort by Russia. "Some NATO member states have assessed Russia's unconventional war to be part of its long-term preparations for a potential military confrontation with NATO," the report said. As diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine have intensified in recent days, Kyiv and its backers have sought to ram home a key point: lasting peace is only possible with credible, enforceable security guarantees for Ukraine, not merely symbolic pledges or paper agreements. This is rooted in Russia's record of ignoring treaty pledges to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and independence. "A security guarantee can also be something like the Budapest Memorandum of 1994," Clifford May of the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies told RFE/RL's Current Time. "Russia signed it. America signed it. Britain signed it. And it said, we will all respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. That security guarantee was not literally worth the paper it was written on," May said. The memorandum is one of at least six international agreements that Russia's aggression in Ukraine has violated. These include a 2003 border treaty signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, the 2010 Kharkiv agreements enabling Russia to maintain its naval base in Crimea, and the 2014-15 Minsk Accords aimed at ending combat in the Donbas. Treaties Violated By Russia In Ukraine 1. The UN Charter 2. The Almaty Declaration (1991) 3. The 1997 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Russia and Ukraine 4. The bilateral border treaty (2003) 5. The 2010 Kharkiv Agreements 6. The 2014-15 Minsk Accords All this makes Ukraine understandably wary of agreeing to a peace deal with Russia without having credible security guarantees in place. At talks in Washington on August 18, US President Donald Trump offered reassurance. While he ruled out allowing Ukraine to join NATO, he said European countries want to give protection...and well help them out with that. Trump also said that European countries would provide "the first line of defense," but the United States would "be involved." But the details must still be nailed down. Boots On The Ground European countries have been planning, since March, a military force to be deployed to Ukraine after a cease-fire or peace deal. Here too, almost no details have been made public, although Britain and France have said they would be prepared to put boots on the ground. Political leaders in European capitals have always made it clear that a prerequisite for a mission is US involvement, and Trump has now spoken of providing help including air support. European military planners were set to meet US counterparts this week to discuss this, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has, according to Axios, been tasked with leading the talks. Roland Freudenstein, founder of the Brussels Freedom Hub, a think tank, called the Washington talks "a Groundhog Day" as "in substance nothing too positive has really happened." "The real question here is to what extent there will be European boots on the ground and to what extent there will be American backing for this European presence in Ukraine," Freudenstein told RFE/RL. Moscow has repeatedly said that the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine would be unacceptable. NATO-Lite After last week's Alaska summit between Trump and Putin, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN that discussions yielded the potential for granting Ukraine "Article 5-like" protections, referring to NATO's mutual defense clause. This could work without troops being deployed. But again, no details have been provided. May warns that "people need to understand" what exactly Article 5 is in practice. "Article 5 under the NATO treaty says you attack one NATO member, you've attacked all NATO members, and theoretically, all NATO members will respond. Is it definite that it will happen? I'm not absolutely sure, and this worries me," May said. This brings the debate back to the beginning -- how can Ukraine be given a security guarantee that is more than a promise that can later be broken. Freudenstein said that Trump "talked about the security guarantee in a very general, murky way," and, therefore, "we really have no idea what exactly the United States is to provide" to Ukraine. Ukraine's military says it has cut off Russian infiltration units who broke through a defensive line north of the eastern city of Pokrovsk. But that has provided little relief for residents of the nearby town of Dobropillya who continue to face Russian strikes despite recent diplomatic efforts to end the war. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/ The British authorities, as part of the sanctions against Russia, introduced sanctions against three individuals and five companies, accusing them of helping Russia bypass sanctions, the British Foreign Office said on Wednesday. "UK cracks down on Russia's attempts to avoid sanctions by exploiting Kyrgyz financial systems and crypto networks," the Foreign Office said in a press release. The UK took this step "after the United States announced similar measures, demonstrating shared commitment to crack down on sanctions circumvention," the document said. According to the document, the British sanctions target the Grinex cryptocurrency exchange and the Kyrgyz companies Tengricoin and Old Vector. Besides, the restrictions apply to Capital Bank and its Director Kantemir Chalbayev. The blacklists also include the Altair Holding company, based in Luxembourg. Besides the director of Capital Bank, the sanctions target Nazarbek Zhanyshbek and Russian citizen Leonid Shumakov. On August 14, the United States included in the sanctions lists the A7 company, created with the participation of PSB Bank and specializing in settlements for foreign trade operations. Sanctions were also imposed on A7 Agent and A71, the Grinex cryptocurrency exchange, two platforms - Exved and INDEFI Smartbank, the Garantex Europe company (the Estonian legal entity of the crypto exchange Garantex), and the Old Vector company (Bishkek). The U.S. Department of Justice earlier said the country's law enforcement agencies, in collaboration with Germany and Finland, had destroyed the online infrastructure of Garantex on March 6 as it was suspected of breaching sanctions and money laundering. A7 was created in fall 2024. The company offers services to Russian exporters and importers in settlements with foreign partners. A7 was included in the UK sanctions list in May and was sanctioned by the European Union in July. Meloni proposes to provide Ukraine with mechanism for collective assistance, but refuse to actually join NATO Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has put forward a proposal to provide Kyiv with collective security guarantees, but without admitting Ukraine to NATO, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources. "A proposal that amounts to a NATO-like collective defense clause, but does not come with actual actual membership in the alliance, is being pushed by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. (...) The Italian plan recognizes that NATO membership for Ukraine is off the table, but would offer a mechanism for collective assistance, people familiar with the discussions said," the agency said. Bloomberg's interlocutors clarified that the issue is Ukraine signing bilateral agreements with other states that could oblige them to provide Kyiv with immediate assistance in the event of a renewed war by Russia. Other states can provide military and economic assistance to the Ukrainian authorities as soon as possible, and impose sanctions against Russia, the sources said. However, it is unclear whether such plans imply sending European countries their military to Ukraine. However, the interlocutors warned, discussions are ongoing, and the content of the proposals may change. The Italian government did not comment on this information. The age old question of Who Shot Queen Medb? will be examined this Thursday in a fascinating talk by Mike McCarthy of Rathcroghan Visitor Centre. The talk, which is part of Heritage Week and is suitable for children aged 12 and over, will take place at Roscommon Arts Centre at 8pm on Thursday night. Why not leave Netflix aside and journey back in time to prehistoric Iron Age Rathcroghan to share in an evening of storytelling recounting some of the oldest tales in Roscommon and Ireland. Hear firsthand about the origins of Queen Medb and her great cattle raid to Ulster, which features a host of legendary characters such as the boy hero Cuchulainn, the Connacht warrior Fraoch and immortals of the Otherworld including the vengeful Macha and the formidable battle goddess, Morrigan, who dwells in the Cave of Cruachan, Irelands reputed Gate to Hell. Mike McCarthy has worked for over 10 years as a Tour Guide, Research Assistant and Deputy Manager of the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre and has been re-telling the story of Queen Medb in halls, lecture theatres and on top of ancient raths for years. He is the co-author of numerous publications including SliSeandalaiochta Rath Cruachan the Rathcroghan Archaeological trail and Rathcroghan The Guidebook. To book please visit here . On Friday, 22nd August 2025, thousands of young people across Ireland will finally open their Leaving Certificate results. For many, it will be a day of celebration; for others, it may bring anxiety or disappointment. Regardless of the results, it is important to remember that there are many pathways forward into further education, training, or employment and one should not panic if they do not receive their preferred choice or offer. The main options available are: The CAO System For those who have applied through the CAO system, the first round of offers will be released on Wednesday, 27th August at 2pm. If a student has applied for Level 8 courses and Level 7/6 courses, they will receive two offers, one at each level subject to meeting entry requirements for individual courses and having the required points. Round 1 offers will be available on Wednesday, 27th August at 2pm. Round 1 closing date is Tuesday, 2nd September at 3pm. Round 2 offers follow on Monday, 8th September at 2pm, with further rounds continuing through September. Round 2 closing date is Wednesday, 10th September at 3pm. Remember, you can only accept one offer per round, but accepting a round 1 offer does not stop you being offered a higher preference in later rounds. If you do not receive an offer, you may still apply for Available/Vacant Places through CAO from Thursday 28th August at 12pm. New courses advertised over the summer such as the Masters of Pharmacy (MPharm) course in ATU Sligo (AU975) and the new Bachelor of Science in General Nursing in MU Maynooth (MH701) are options available to students via the Available Places section on CAO. The first round of offers pf CAO offers will be released on Wednesday, 27th August at 2pm. Apprenticeships Apprenticeships allow students to earn while they learn, combining paid on-the-job training with college-based learning. They are proving to be a very popular choice for young people graduating from school due to the diverse range of apprenticeships now available nationwide. Available in traditional trades like plumbing, electrical and hairdressing, but also in newer areas such as finance, IT, hospitality, and healthcare. Apprentices earn a salary while training, reducing the financial burden of further study. Provide a clear career pathway with strong employment prospects after completion. Many apprenticeships are linked to industries experiencing high demand for skilled workers, ensuring strong job security. Enable students to build valuable work experience and industry contacts from the start of their careers. For further information see www.apprenticeship.ie or liaise directly with potential employers. PLC (Post-Leaving Certificate) Courses PLCs, offered in Further Education Colleges nationwide, are a stepping stone to work or higher education. Students engage with PLC courses if they do not achieve points or requirements needed for a particular higher education course. Other students who do achieve entry requirements for their chosen college course decide to embark on a Post-Leaving Certificate course of study as a means of ascertaining if their preferred college course is definitely for them. If one is unsure about signing up for a three-to-four-year degree course, a PLC offers an additional year for further career exploration without huge commitment or financial outlay. Typically, one-year courses at Level 5 or Level 6. Provide practical skills and can link directly into degree programmes via QQI-FET Progression Routes. One can progress to higher education colleges and universities on successful completion of their PLC course. Worth considering if you want more time to explore interests, gain qualifications, or prepare for college life. Generally, a student will study for a PLC closer to home and fees associated with these course are significantly lower than progressing to a higher-level education institute. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis or until places on a particular course reach maximum capacity, so early application is advised. Applications are made directly with the PLC college your local ETB and fetchcourses.ie National Tertiary Degrees A newer option, these degrees start in your local Further Education College and progress to partner universities or technological universities. Ideal for students who prefer smaller classes initially. Offer recognised degree qualifications outside of the traditional CAO route. While these courses commence in a local further education college, there is a DEFINITE pathway to higher education in the following year. You can achieve the career you want without the pressure of needing significant Leaving Certificate points to do so. Moving from Further Education to Higher Education will feel seamless, with courses designed together, teachers working side by side, and students sharing the same learning spaces and experiences. For more information see www.nto.ie Many Irish students now pursue educational opportunities in Europe and the UK. Pic: iStock Studying Abroad Many Irish students now pursue educational opportunities in Europe and the UK, especially for competitive areas like Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, and Physiotherapy. Entry requirements can be lower than in Ireland. Degrees are widely recognised within the EU. Students should research carefully: tuition fees, cost of living, and professional recognition. For more information, please see www.eunicas.ie and www.medicalpoland.ie Deferring a College Offer Sometimes students decide to delay starting college for a year. This is called a deferment. If youre thinking of deferring, heres what you need to do: Wait until you get your CAO offer. You can only defer once youve been officially offered the course. Please dont accept the offer on your CAO account. If you accept it, you wont be able to defer. Contact the college admissions office straight away. Send them an email or letter explaining that youd like to defer and follow the instructions they give you. Each college has its own rules. Reapply to the CAO next year: - Complete a CAO application again by 1st February. - Put your deferred course down as your first and only choice. - Please note: if you list another course above it, your deferred place will be cancelled. - If you follow these steps, your place will be saved for the following year, even if the points for the course go up. Repeating the Leaving Certificate For some, repeating is the right option: You can retake all your subjects or focus on key ones. Points cannot be combined across years, but minimum entry requirements (like Irish or Maths) can be. Consider carefully whether repeating is the best choice for you, or if a PLC/apprenticeship might be a more suitable route. Apprenticeships allow students to earn while they learn, combining paid on-the-job training with college-based learning. Pic: iStock Directly to Employment Going to university or college is not always the right path for everybody. Some people just arent ready right now, whether thats emotionally, mentally, or simply because they would prefer to get out into the world and start working. Getting a job straight after school can be a great choice. You will earn money, gain independence, and pick up valuable life skills that can help you later on. In fact, many people find that after a few years of working, they feel more prepared and motivated to return to study if they want to. It is also important to remember that not everyone is suited to academic learning. Plenty of people build amazing careers by using their practical skills, creativity, or people skills instead. Success doesnt only come through college; many individuals thrive in the workplace and go on to become highly successful in both their personal and professional lives. Viewing Examination Scripts and Appealing Examination Grades Key Dates Friday 22nd August 10am Leaving Certificate Results issued through the CSSP. May be available earlier in some schools. Tuesday 26th August 12pm Access to examination data, marks achieved in subjects examined. Tuesday 26th August 5pm Access to view exam scripts opens. Wednesday 27th August 8pm Application to view examination scripts closes. Saturday 30th August 9am Sunday 31st August 9am Access to view scripts marked online. Saturday 30th August Access to view scripts marked manually in schools. Schools will contact candidates who wish to view to make an appointment. Sunday 31st August 10am Application to appeal opens. Monday 01st September 5pm Application to appeal closes. Friday 26th September 11am Results of Leaving Certificate Appeals issued online. Get Advice Before Deciding The most important step for students and their families who are unsure of how to proceed is to seek sound advice. Speak to your Guidance Counsellor, who can explain all available routes and help match them to your interests, strengths, and goals. Parents and guardians play a vital role in supporting calm, well-informed decision-making. Remember: there is no single pathway to success. Each students journey is unique. Emer is a Guidance Counsellor in Elphin Community School and has extensive experience in supporting students with their educational choices through the CAO and has extensive experience in the Further Education & Training Sector (FET). St. Coman's Church of Ireland in Roscommon town has announced an exciting programme of events to coincide with National Heritage Week. The theme of these events is 'Exploring Our foundations' which will celebrate the church's place in the community. This year marks the 250th anniversary since St. Coman founded his first monastery on the site of the present church building and is a major historical and religious site in the county, cherished by successive generations of Roscommon people. A major cultural event will take place today, Wednesday August 20th from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., entitled Aspects of the History of St Coman's Church. This eagerly awaited event will incorporate a performance by the Roscommon One Town Voice Community Choir and a fascinating talk by local historian, Albert Siggins. The illustrated talk will focus on the history of the church, its graveyard and its people. Coinciding with the talk will be the launch of a booklet of the same name, written by Albert Siggins to mark this special anniversary year. This event has been made possible with funding from Roscommon County Council. Also on Sunday, August 24th from 2 p.m., there will be a talk on the Cross of Cong which holds particular connections to Roscommon town. The Cross enjoys particular connections with Roscommon and these will be explored during this talk. As part of a series of Open Afternoons, the church building will be open for visitors to learn of the significance of the site itself, the present church building and its graveyard through some visual displays and memorials in the church. These open afternoons take place from Wednesday August 20th to Saturday August 23rd inclusive from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, August 24th from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.. All events are free of charge, with an opportunity to make a voluntary donation which will be divided between church funds and Roscommon Tidy Towns Association. Further details are available on www.heritageweek.ie and social media - FB: Roscommon Church of Ireland. St. Coman's Church of Ireland on Henry St, Roscommon has been part of the streetscape of the town since the building opened in 1775, though the ground where it is situated has been associated with St. Coman for a much longer time. The present building underwent thorough restoration in the 1880s, with internal galleries removed, windows inserted and a side transept added. A millennium project launched in 1999 saw major restoration work to the clock and the tower, supported enormously by the people of the town and local community. The current Select Vestry (committee) members planning these 250th anniversary celebrations see themselves merely as custodians of this building, endeavouring to honour its past and safeguard its future in the town which derived its name from the saint who founded his first church on this site. Select Vestry Committee member Susan Compton said visitors to these events will acquire an increased awareness of the significance of St. Comans and his historical legacy. Our events offer the public a unique opportunity to explore the influence of St. Coman. St. Comans Day is celebrated on St. Stephens Day (December 26th). Like St. Patrick, St. Coman was a visionary figure and his legacy lives on in the wonderful Church we have in the centre of Roscommon town. These events during National Heritage Week emphasise the importance of St. Comans as a unique figure in the story of our county, said Susan. For more on these and other events during Heritage Week in county Roscommon, visit https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings?q=&where%5B%5D=roscommon#listings and select a particular event from the events showcased. Haryana Teacher Death Case: Family and Villagers Demand Post Mortem At AIIMS Delhi The family members and their villagers are not satisfied with the findings. Haryana Teacher Death Case: Family And Villagers Demand Haryana Teacher Death Case: Family And Villagers Demand Post Mortem At AIIMS Delhi Latest News: The deceaseds father, Sanjay, on Wednesday said, while demanding justice for his 19-year-old daughter, who was found dead in a field in Bhiwani, said he, along with his supporters, wants the post-mortem of the deceased to be done at AIIMS Delhi. Victim's father, Sanjay, speaking to ANI, said, "...The people standing here want her medical (post-mortem) to be done at AIIMS Delhi. And after that, they initiate a CBI investigation... Doctors say there is nothing left in her body; it is all over. Whether it is done at AIIMS or elsewhere, it makes no difference... My demand is that my daughter receives justice..." Advertisement His late daughter a playschool teacher, had gone missing and was found later dead in a field near a canal at Singhani village of Bhiwani district in Haryana on August 13. Later on Monday, a suicide note emerged, which the police said was found on the same day the body was discovered and the family knew about it all along. Two postmortems have already been done, as per reports. One of the postmortems was done at Rohtak's Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences. The police said the findings pointed at suicide, citing a she was also found in a video surveillance, buying a pesticide. The family members and their villagers are not satisfied with the findings. Advertisement Haryana State Women Commission chairperson Renu Bhatia said that ultimately the we have to trust the medical reports. Women Commission chairperson Renu Bhatia, speaking to ANI on the matter, said, This issue has been ongoing for 5-6 days with much hype... We're saddened by the politics surrounding it. The government has accepted every demand of the family... Ultimately, we have to trust the medical reports... (For more news apart from 'Haryana Teacher Death Case: Govt Transfers Manishas Death Case To CBI After Public Outrage,' stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Haryana Transfers Manisha's Death Case To CBI After Public Outrage The order remains in place for 48 hours, from 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday to 11:00 a.m. on August 21st. Haryana Transfers Manishas Death Case To CBI After Public Outrage Latest News The Haryana government has decided to hand over the investigation into Manishas death case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), based on her familys demand, Haryana CM said. Advertisement Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini said the state government is handling the case with complete seriousness and transparency to ensure justice and that he is monitoring the case himself. On Wednesday, in a post on X, the CM wrote, The state government and police administration are working with full seriousness and transparency to ensure justice for our daughter Manisha from Bhiwani and her family. I myself am continuously monitoring the reports of this case. Based on the family's demand, the Haryana government is going to hand over this case to the CBI for an impartial investigation. Full justice will be ensured in this matter, he added in the post written in Hindi. Advertisement The decision comes after massive public outrage. Earlier on Tuesday, in a move to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order, following the death, Haryana Home Secretary ordered the suspension of the mobile internet services, bulk SMS and all dongle services provided on mobile networks except the voice calls in the jurisdiction of the districts Bhiwani & Charkhi Dadri of Haryana. The order remains in place for 48 hours, from 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday to 11:00 a.m. on August 21st. About Manishas Death Case: Manisha, a 19-year-old playschool teacher, was found dead in a field, near a canal at Singhani village of Bhiwani district in Haryana on August 13. She had gone missing on August 11, after school, while purportedly inquiring about admission at a nursing college. Advertisement The police on Monday evening, after the post-mortem, ruled out foul play and pointed to her having committed suicide by ingesting poison. Her family vehemently rejected the findings after the post-mortem. Her father, Sanjay, on Tuesday, while rejecting the findings, said, "The administration is saying that my daughter committed suicide. But I can say that she can never commit suicide. I want justice." A suicide note emerged on Monday; however, the police said it was found on the same day the body was found and that the deceaseds family knew about it all along. Advertisement According to the police, the deceased wrote about the parents being upset with her in the suicide note. Her villagers, along with the family, questioned the latest findings and continued blocking a key road in Bhiwani. Purported Suicide Note Found on Monday: The purported suicide note was found near Manisha's body in a bag. The bag also had her Aadhaar card and other documents, the Bhiwani Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar said in a statement. The handwriting matches (with that of the woman), the SP is quoted as saying in a report by Hindustan Times (HT) on the matter. "Mummy, Papa, you did a lot for me, but you were upset with me. I was not wrong. Also, I did nothing wrong. I want to fulfil my parents dream. I wanted to be a nursing officer. I dont want to be a financial burden. I am sorry if I have hurt you," according to police cited in the HT report. SP added that there was proof of the 19-year-old buying insecticide. He said the girl was found to be buying insecticide in a video surveillance. "There is a record in the register of the seller that the woman had taken this quantity of insecticide and paid a particular amount for the same to the seller, he said. He said that the next part of the investigation will be to ascertain whether the insecticide was consumed or not, and that the viscera report has been sent to the forensic sciences laboratory along with other samples. "In the viscera sample, the presence of insecticide has been confirmed in the body. So, there is self-purchase, there is a suicide note, there is poison in the body," the Superintendent added. One of the autopsies conducted at Rohtak's Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) has helped clarify the cause of the injuries on the deceaseds face, police said, as per the HT report. The police said that, according to the post-mortem report, there is no evidence to support that the person was sexually assaulted, and confirmed that there were no cuts on the throat. In the first post-mortem report, the doctor mentioned that these wounds are lacerated wounds with a gnawing effect. Gnawing is when any scavenger eats the body. The doctor has very clearly mentioned that these are the scavenging animal bites, and he has used the word gnawing effect. A portion of the neck was missing. Eyes were not there, face skin was not there. However, no vital organ below the neck is missing, the SP was quoted as saying in an earlier report of the news portal. (For more news apart from 'Haryana Teacher Death Case: Govt Transfers Manishas Death Case To CBI After Public Outrage,' stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) 50 Schools In Delhi Receives Fresh Bomb Threats, Just 2 Days After 32 Schools Received Threats (Representative Image) The image is from the previous bomb threat on August 18. In the image, parents are leaving shools premises with thier children. Emergency responders have launched a search operation. 50 Schools In Delhi Receives Fresh Bomb Threats Latest News: Around 50 schools in Delhi received fresh bomb threats on Wednesday (August 20, 2025) through e-mail. Police along with fire personnel and bomb disposal squads rushed to different schools immediately. Emergency responders have launched a search operation. Advertisement The schools that received bomb threats include Rahul Model School and Maxfort School in Dwarka and SKV in Malviya Nagar and Andhra School in Prasad Nagar. This threats comes just two days after 32 schools in the national Capital received bomb threats, which later turned out to be hoaxes. Read Previous Bomb Threats Here. Advertisement (For more news apart from '50 Schools In Delhi Receive Fresh Bomb Threats, Just 2 Days After 32 Schools Received Threats,' stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Centre To Introduce Bill For The Restoration Of Statehood To Jammu And Kashmir The centre will also introduce a landmark Constitution amendment Bill for the removal of the Prime Minister, Union... Centre To Introduce Bill For The Restoration Of Statehood To Jammu And Kashmir Latest News: The Centre, according to multiple reports, is going to introduce a bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday seeking to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which is now a Union Territory (UT). In a first, the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two union territories in 2019 into the UT of Jammu and Kashmir with legislative power and the UT of Ladakh without one. It was the first time a state was downgraded to a Union Territory in the history of India. Advertisement The Government of India, on August 5, 2019, abrogated Articles 370 and 35A, which had granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir since 1949. Removal of the special status from the erstwhile state was announced by Home Minister Amit Shah in the parliament that year. UT of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on August 7, in a letter to all national parties, including BJP, called for a bill to be introduced in the ongoing monsoon Parliament session to restore statehood. Advertisement The Supreme Court had given the Centre eight weeks to respond to a petition filed by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, an academician seeking the restoration of Statehood. Meanwhile, the centre will also introduce a landmark Constitution amendment Bill for the removal of the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and state ministers if arrested and detained for 30 consecutive days for any offence punishable with five years imprisonment or more, the Tribune reported. (For more news apart from 'Centre To Introduce Bill For The Restoration Of Statehood To Jammu And Kashmir,' stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) INDIA Alliance: Denied Opp. in Parliament, Sudershan Reddy Right Candidate Agasint 'Transgressions' "Over the last 11 years, we have witnessed the blatant misuse of parliamentary majority to arm the autonomous agencies like ED, I-T, CBI" INDIA Alliance Holds Discussion With VP Candidate B. Sudershan Reddy Latest News: Members of the INDIA alliance late on Wednesday held discussions with INDIA alliance Vice-Presidential nominee, former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy, in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge speaking at the discussion said, "At a time when the integrity of our democratic institutions is facing unprecedented challenges, his (former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy) nomination stands as a firm commitment to restoring fairness, impartiality, and dignity to the functioning of the Rajya Sabha, which has been in steady decline. Advertisement He said the credibility of Indias democratic polity rests on Parliament serving as a robust forum where members freely and fairly articulate the grievances and aspirations of the people they represent. Constitutional Amendment Bill that undermines the core values of parliamentary democracy and federalism are being introduced in subterfuge at the fag end of the session, leaving no scope for meaningful debate or scrutiny," he added. The vice presidential election is scheduled to be held on the 9th, next month. The INDIA bloc on Tuesday announced former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy as its Vice Presidential candidate. Meanwhile, the NDA has chosen Maharashtra governor and senior RSS Veteran CP Radhakrishnan as their candidate for the post. Advertisement Continuing the speech at the discussion today, Mallikarjun Kharge said, the bills introduced today in the parliament will undermine and destabilize democratically elected governments in the states. He said, "Over the last 11 years, we have witnessed the blatant misuse of parliamentary majority to arm the autonomous agencies like ED, I-T, and CBI with draconian powers to target opposition leaders. Now, these new Bills are set to become instruments in the hands of the ruling party to further undermine and destabilise democratically elected governments in the states. He alleged that the opposition is repeatedly denied opportunities to raise matters of vital public concern in the parliament, and said, therefore, to resist against these transgressions in Parliament, the nation needs impartial justice B. Sudarshan Reddy. Advertisement In Parliament, we have seen a growing trend of stifling opposition voices. We are repeatedly denied the opportunity to raise matters of vital public concern in the House...To resist and decisively act against these transgressions in Parliament, the nation needs an exemplary, impartial justice B. Sudarshan Reddy as the Vice-President of India. His nomination represents our collective resolve to defend and uphold the democratic ideals that define India. Shri Reddys life and work reflect the spirit of our Constitution, a commitment to fairness, compassion, and the empowerment of every citizen," Kharge said. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Opposition parties stand united in our support for B. Sudershan Reddy. We are confident that his wisdom, integrity, and dedication will inspire and guide our nation toward a future rooted in justice and unity. We call upon every member of Parliament to join us in this historic endeavor to protect and preserve the values that make our democracy vibrant and resilient," he added. Advertisement (For more news apart from 'INDIA Alliance: Denied Opp. in Parliament, Sudershan Reddy Right Candidate Agasint 'Transgressions' ',' stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) BBMB Releases Water From Pong & Bhakra Dams, Flood Alert Issued in Several Districts Latest News The danger mark for Bhakra is 1,650 feet, and it becomes uncontrollable beyond 1,675 feet." BBMB Releases Water From Pong & Bhakra Dams, Flood Alert Issued in Several Districts Latest News: The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) opening the floodgates on Tuesday has triggered fear among villagers and farmers in Punjabs border areas. According to a report by the Indian Express, about 45,000 cusecs of water were released into the Sutlej River on Tuesday, of which 38,000 cusecs were through turbines and another 7,000 cusecs via the spillway. Advertisement The report said that at 11 am on Tuesday, the water level in Bhakra touched 1,665 feet, crossing the safety limit of 1,650 feet. The brim capacity of the Dam is 1,680.82 feet. Yesterday, as per the report, the inflow rose to 70,500 cusecs. According to the Tribune report, the Senior Design Engineer, Water Regulation, BBMB Nangal, yesterday issued a schedule for the release from the Dam for yesterday. Advertisement According to the schedule, the floodgates of the dam were opened at 3 pm by one foot in the first phase, while in the second phase at 4 PM, the floodgates were scheduled to be opened by two feet, and in the third phase at 5 PM, the floodgates were scheduled to be opened up to three feet. BBMB administration has directed officials to strictly follow the plan to ensure safety. Additionally, due to the rising water level in the Pong Dam, BBMB has also announced the release of water from the dam starting 6 am on Wednesday, the Indian Express report said. The Pong Dam will release an extra 6000 cusecs of water into the Beas River due to increasing inflows. Advertisement According to the report, the water level in Pong Dam rose to 1,383 feet, with an inflow of 84,000 cusecs and discharge of 66,000 cusecs. Flood alerts have been issued in Rupnagar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, and Tarn Taran districts. The report noted that around 30 villages in Ferozepur and Fazilka are already waterlogged. Advertisement Jaskirat Singh of Naroa Punjab Forum, an NGO working on river water issues, as cited in the report, said the issues were raised since earlier this month; however, the action appeared to have come only after the flood-like situation emerged. The danger mark for Bhakra is 1,650 feet, and it becomes uncontrollable beyond 1,675 feet. For Pong, the danger level is 1,390 feet, and beyond 1,410 feet, it cannot be managed, Jaskirat Singh is quoted as saying in the report. (For more news apart from 'Haryana Teacher Death Case: Govt Transfers Manishas Death Case To CBI After Public Outrage,' stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Photo: https://www.kmu.gov.ua/ Prime Ministers of Ukraine and Estonia Yulia Svyrydenko and Kristen Michal discussed the issues of Ukraine's European integration and cooperation in the defense sector and agreed to meet "at the earliest opportunity." "The key topic of the conversation is Ukraine's European integration. We are technically ready to open the first three negotiation clusters and count on Estonia's support so that Ukraine and Moldova move along this path together," Svyrydenko said in a Telegram channel on Wednesday evening, talking about communicating with her colleague in a virtual format. According to her, they discussed defense cooperation separately. "We are grateful for Estonia's strategic decision to direct 0.3% of GDP to support Ukraine and for its readiness for joint projects. "The timely delivery of EUR 100 million of aid in the form of products from Estonian manufacturers is important. We have the potential to expand joint procurement, in particular through the SAFE mechanism," Svyrydenko said. "We have agreed with our Estonian colleague to meet at the earliest opportunity," she added. Svyrydenko also congratulated Michal on the Day of Restoration of Independence, which is celebrated in Estonia today. August 20, 2025 A roundup of domestic and international news Newsflash Newsroom, 20.08.2025, 13:55 Security. Romania will contribute to solid security guarantees for Ukraine, President Nicusor Dan has assured. After two videoconferences with European leaders, in the format of the Coalition of the Willing and the European Council, the Romanian head of state said that Russia must stop killing civilians and that sanctions must be maintained and, if necessary, even intensified. In addition, President Dan said, we must ensure the immediate return of all kidnapped Ukrainian children, and Romania will continue to support this effort. Ukraine. US President Donald Trump discussed on the phone with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban the possibility of Budapest being the venue for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Hungary is one of the countries that, given its good relations with Moscow, will not enforce the arrest warrant issued against Putin by the International Criminal Court. According to AFP, Putin proposed that the meeting with Zelensky take place in Moscow. On the other hand, the United States could provide air support as part of the security guarantees offered to Ukraine, but sending American ground forces to that country is out of the question, according to the White House leader. The statements were made after a meeting between Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, and European leaders, where they discussed that a possible peace agreement should also include security guarantees for Ukraine. The US president has stated that it is unclear at this point whether Vladimir Putin really wants an agreement. According to Reuters, US and European military strategists are currently analyzing various scenarios related to security guarantees, especially since the Russian Foreign Ministry has said that Moscow will not accept the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine. Ro-alert. The population in northern Tulcea County (southeastern Romania) was warned on Tuesday night via a RO-Alert message about the possibility of objects falling into Romanian airspace amid Russias attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube. However, the groups of drones launched by Russia did not enter Romanian airspace, the Ministry of National Defense announced in a statement. Following the attacks, two Typhoon aircraft of the German Air Force, deployed at the 57th Air Base Mihail Kogalniceanu to carry out enhanced air policing missions, were scrambled to monitor the air situation in the border area with Ukraine. Close cooperation with allies in enhanced air policing missions strengthens Romanias defense capability and contributes to the deterrence and defense posture on NATOs eastern flank, the Ministry of National Defense statement added. Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has approved the armys plan to occupy Gaza City and ordered the mobilization of 60,000 reservists to participate in the operation, AFP reports. The Israeli official also approved humanitarian preparations for the evacuation of the population. Israel announced in early August that it was preparing to take control of Gaza City and nearby refugee camps, with the stated aim of defeating Hamas and freeing hostages kidnapped during the Palestinian Islamist groups attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late last week that he had adopted the new plan, approved by his security cabinet, for this new phase of operations. According to Palestinian health authorities, more than 60,000 people have been killed and another 145,000 wounded in this war. Projects. The Romanian Government adopted on Tuesday, in an extraordinary meeting, an emergency ordinance suspending the financing of certain projects from European funds, especially those with a completion rate of less than 30%. The measure comes after consultations with mayors across the country and aims to avoid the risk of losing money from the PNRR. The authorities have announced that the list of projects that will receive funding will be drawn up in about two weeks. The Minister of Investment has specified that some projects that have made less than 30% progress but will be completed by August 31 next year could also receive funding through the PNRR. Dragos Pislaru also said that for the other projects, the Executive will identify alternative sources of funding, in this context a new emergency ordinance will be drafted. Protests. Representatives of forestry unions are protesting today in front of the Ministry of the Environment in Bucharest, dissatisfied with the project to reorganize Romsilva. The protesters claim that the ministry refuses to listen to the opinions of forestry professionals and supports a project that was developed without any impact assessment and contains numerous errors. The foresters also say that if it is passed into law by the government, the current reform project will endanger state forests, lead to the collapse of the National Forest Administration Romsilva, and result in job losses. In principle, the Executives proposals for the reorganisation of the Authority in question provide for a reduction in the number of forestry departments from one in each county to 12. At the same time, a 90% reduction in the number of directors is envisaged, as well as a series of financial efficiency measures. Rabla. Romanias Ministry of the Environment is launching a public consultation on the Guide for the car scrapping program known as Rabla, by the end of the week. The program will be reopened in September with a budget of 200 million lei (approximately 40 million euros), and the value of the vouchers will be reduced, adjusted to the current economic context, the institution said in a statement. According to the authorities, Romania has met its target in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to scrap 250,000 polluting cars, and in its 20 years of existence, Rabla has led to the removal of over one million old cars from circulation. (MI) Security guarantees for Ukraine? The European leaders are taking the first steps towards establishing solid security guarantees for Ukraine. President Nicusor Dan Daniela Budu, 20.08.2025, 14:00 Romania will contribute to providing solid security guarantees for Ukraine, which will be implemented through close cooperation between Europe and the US, President Nicusor Dan said on Tuesday after having participated online in the Coalition of the Willing and the European Council meetings. In a post on a social network, the head of state stressed that this is an investment in the security of Europe, not just Ukraine. According to Nicusor Dan, the involvement of the US President Donald Trump in a peace agreement for Ukraine is essential, and any peace must be just and lasting, with Europes role also being crucial. Nicusor Dan stressed the importance of transatlantic coordination, an element that remains the strongest advantage in deterring Moscows aggression, and the fact that Russia must stop killing civilians if it is truly committed to achieving peace. The head of state also said that sanctions must be maintained and, if necessary, even intensified until a peace agreement is reached. We must ensure the immediate return of all abducted Ukrainian children Romania will continue to support this effort, Nicusor Dan said. After participating in the two video conferences, Nicusor Dan said that a series of conclusions were formulated, one being that the United States is interested in the war in Ukraine and in the security of Europe, which is a very good thing, and the second conclusion was that we are much closer to a tripartite meeting between the US Ukraine Russia. The third conclusion is that the Western world is united on this subject, in the sense that it is a war of aggression, that Ukraine is the victim in this war. According to him, fighting for peace means respecting the international order. He recalled that in recent days a series of meetings have taken place that preceded the discussions that the American president had, on Monday, with the Ukrainian one, Volodymyr Zelensky, and with the European leaders. It was seen that Europe is united and that all seven European leaders who were there spoke in one voice: pressure on organizing this tripartite meeting, Nicusor Dan also stated. When the war ends, president Dan added, there are discussions between Western countries, including the United States, regarding a long-term peace. On the other hand, the Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu had a discussion on Monday with the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, to align efforts for peace, as well as the next steps at the European level. For Romania, ensuring a long-lasting peace, and not just an indefinite pause in the war, as well as the implications for the Black Sea are essential in this process. We support a strong, common voice of the Coalition of the Willing, the head of Romanian diplomacy stated. All the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing states reconfirmed their support for Ukraine on Tuesday. And the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, stressed that the main security guarantee for Kyiv must be that Ukraine has armed forces capable of defending its sovereignty. The European leader added that the priorities are to stop the massacres, advance the prisoner exchange and ensure the return to Ukraine of thousands of children abducted by Russia. At the same time, he says, the process of Kyivs accession to the European Union must advance and Europe must be part of any peace negotiations, alongside Ukraine, Russia and the US, as its security is also at stake. (LS) The Syrian Civil War commenced on March 15th, 2011, as did the Syrian Humanitarian Crisis. This war forced more than 14 million Syrians to flee their homes and families to acquire safety. Millions of Syrian refugees were required to live in poverty, in run down areas and refugee camps. Thus, what was the impact of this humanitarian crisis on the people of Syria? The Human Impact The humanitarian crisis has induced more than 7.4 million Syrians to be displaced in their own country whilst 70 percent of the population are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. The Syrian Civil War has provoked 3 million Syrians to lose their jobs and 12.9 million citizens to lose access to basic needs such as water and food. Many health faculties, hospitals, schools, roads, and bridges lie in ruins of destruction whilst few are only partially functional. In addition, the majority of Syrian children have also experienced displacement, violence and loss which can usher to many being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Over 10,000 children are also unaccompanied or separated whilst an estimated 2.5 million children in Syria are out of school. Furthermore, the conflict has resulted in 618,000 deaths and 113,000 disappearances. The Root Causes The Syrian Civil War began with protests against the Ba'athist regime ruled by Bashar al-Assad. These protests which were initially sparked by arrests of teenagers for government oppositions, were suppressed and met rapidly with violence which escalated into the Syrian Civil War. The protests and pro-democracy rallies were root causes of the conflict. Furthermore, the war and displacement of the citizens created this severe humanitarian crisis, which left millions of people in need of necessities like food, water, shelter, and medical care. This humanitarian crisis was further complicated due to the war and its many consequences on the economy, infrastructure, and overall health of the people. The Displacement Crisis 14 million Syrians citizens have been imposed to flee their homes whilst more than 6 million Syrian refugees now live in neighbouring countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq or further abroad. 1.3 million live in countries of the European Union and over 198,000 Syrian refuges live in the USA. Moreover, in 2025, approximately 850 Syrian refugees are now living in Luxembourg. Syrian refugees have sought asylum in more than 130 countries; however, Turkey hosts the largest population of Syrian refugees with 2.8 million. More than 70 percent of Syrian refugees are living in poverty, with limited access to basic services, education or job opportunities and few prospects of returning home. In Greece for example, the rejection rates for Syrian refugees seeking asylum was 23.34% in 2023. Additionally, approximately 8% of Syrian refugees reside in refugee camps whilst the remaining 92% of Syrian refuges often live in urban or rural areas, frequently facing challenges such as poverty, limited access to services, and precarious living conditions. How the situation has evolved Currently in 2025, the humanitarian refugee crisis in Syria is still ongoing however there have been numerous positive changes. While the situation in Syria remains one of the largest displacement crises in the world, over 500,000 Syrian refugees and 1,700,000 internally displaced people have now been reported to have returned to their home region or country. This shift has created a positive change as many families and homes are now reunited. The situation has also improved and evolved with the countless amounts of help from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) which has provided essential services like shelters, supplies, and medical care, as well as helping to repair civilian infrastructure and providing humanitarian assistance. CARE has also helped make positive changes for the humanitarian crisis by supporting the affected population in Syria through assistance, relief supplies, protection, and livelihood support. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched an investigation into the recent deadly Florida highway crash. The investigation will focus on the driver involved in the crash and the motor carrier, White Hawk Carriers, Inc. Preliminary results of the investigation have found when interviewed the driver did not speak English, and both Washington State and New Mexico violated FMCSA rules. Criminal illegal alien Harjinder Singh of Indian origin was arrested for three counts of vehicular homicide after the truck he was driving caused an accident in St. Lucie County on August 12. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Harjinder Singh attempted to make an illegal U-turn through an "Official Use Only" access point in St. Lucie County. By blocking all lanes of the highway with his truck, Singh caused a brutal wreck, instantly killing three innocent people and leaving Florida families shattered. Video obtained from Breaking911 from inside the tractor trailer shows the exact moment Singh decided to break U.S. highway laws as he turned his truck into traffic- his face shows no shock or remorse for his actions or the lives he destroyed. "Three innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom's California Department of Motor Vehicles issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver's License. This state of governance is asinine," said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. "How many more innocent people must die before Gavin Newsom stops playing games with the safety of the American public?," he asked. Singh obtained a Commercial Driver's License in California, despite having no legal right to be in the United States, according to the Department of Homeland Security. ICE issued an immigration detainer on August 16 after Singh was arrested to ensure he remains in custody after his state prosecution, preventing him from slipping back onto America's streets. This detainer ensures he will be transferred to ICE custody the moment his criminal case concludes. "If states had followed the rules, this driver would never have been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us. This crash was a preventable tragedy directly caused by reckless decisions and compounded by despicable failures. Non-enforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier, resulting in unqualified foreign drivers improperly acquiring licenses to operate 40-ton vehicles," said Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. (SGO.PA), a French sustainable construction company, on Wednesday announced that it has agreed to sell Australia-based CSR Ltd.'s Badgerys Creek property asset for a consideration of A$575 million or around 320 million euros. The transaction is expected to be completed on December 19. The divesting property is located adjacent to the new Western Sydney Airport. It is part of CSR's at least A$1.3 billion worth property assets identified for monetization in the mid-term by Saint-Gobain at the time of the CSR acquisition in July 2024. Saint-Gobain has so far sold A$900 million worth of CSR assets, including Badgerys Creek, since the acquisition. In the Paris market, SGO.PA shares were trading 0.65% lower at 100 Euros. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News With its practical design, a comprehensive feature set and competitive pricing, Maruti Ertiga has emerged as Indias bestselling entry-level MPV 2025 Maruti Ertiga has started arriving at showrooms, revealing multiple new updates. The MPV has enhanced road presence and improvements in passenger comfort and safety. Lets take a closer look. 2025 Maruti Ertiga Exterior updates New 2025 Ertiga is easy to identify with its new extended roof mounted rear spoiler. It enhances the MPVs overall look and feel and ensures a more dynamic presence. New 2025 Ertiga has gained 40 mm in length and now measures 4,435 mm. Exterior updates for 2025 Ertiga also include refreshed tail lamps and new tailgate and rear quarter panels. Apart from these changes, most other exterior features are the same as earlier. Front grille design and lighting setup have been carried over. Interior updates Inside, the 2025 Maruti Ertiga offers improved safety with 6-airbags as standard across all variants. The existing model has 2-airbags with the lower variants and 4-airbags with the top variant. Trim levels are the same as earlier LXi, VXi, ZXi and ZXi+. Another safety update is TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system), available with only the top model. All 7 seats now come with 3-point seatbelts. The current model has a lap belt for the 2nd row middle passenger. Changes have been made in the AC setup, ensuring enhanced cooling for 2nd and 3rd row passengers. The current model is available with a roof-mounted AC vent that channels air to both 2nd row and 3rd row. 2025 Ertiga has the 2nd row AC vents placed in the front centre console. Just below the AC vents, users can access two Type-C charging ports. 3rd row passengers also get their separate AC vents, installed on the sides. These come with adjustable fan speed. Two Type-C USB ports are also available in the 3rd row with the ZXi and ZXi+ variants. In other updates, a PM 2.5 filter has been introduced with the top model. A headrest has been added to the middle seat in the 2nd row. Most other features are the same as earlier. Key highlights include a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Arkamys premium sound system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and MID with colour TFT instrument cluster. Safety kit includes electronic stability program, hill hold, ABS with EBD and brake assist, rear parking sensors, rear parking camera and central locking. Top variants have a range of connectivity features via Suzuki Connect. Same powertrain options 2025 Maruti Ertiga continues with the existing 1.5-litre K15C smart hybrid petrol engine. It generates 103 PS and 139 Nm of torque. Transmission choices include 5-speed manual and 6-speed AT. Ertiga CNG generates 87 PS and 121.5 Nm of torque. It is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. Below is a detailed walkaround by Car Dekh Lo. A tragic incident has been reported from Avinashi, Tamil Nadu, where a brand-new Tata Harrier EV allegedly malfunctioned while operating in summon mode, resulting in the death of a users relative. According to a post shared by a Reddit user earlier today, the victim sustained a severe head injury during the mishap and later succumbed. The incident, captured on video, shows the SUV in motion under summon mode a feature that allows the vehicle to move autonomously at low speeds without direct driver input. Fatal Accident Reported Involving Tata Harrier EV Summon Mode in Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/ETgWyoz8GF RushLane (@rushlane) August 20, 2025 According to a Reddit post, the incident occurred when the vehicles summon mode was either activated accidentally or malfunctioned. The car reportedly began moving while the drivers side door was open. In an attempt to stop the moving SUV, the man tried to apply the brakes, but slipped and fell, sustaining a head injury. He was declared brain dead by doctors shortly after. The CCTV time and date stamp is 14th August 2025, evening around 5:53 PM. The circumstances that led to the accident remain unclear, and it is not yet verified whether the malfunction was due to a technical fault, user error, or external factors. Family members are still in shock and have not initiated legal proceedings against Tata Motors. The Redditor further claimed that the deceased had already faced a software-related issue with the Harrier EV prior to the accident. On one occasion, the car reportedly shut down on the road and failed to restart until technicians from the dealership intervened. Authorities in Avinashi are yet to confirm details about the case or whether an investigation has been initiated. Tata Motors has reached out to clarify that the Harrier EV involved in the reported incident remains with the family, and not with the company. Below is the official statement from the company. Update 21st Aug Tata Motors Statement We were informed of the tragic accident and are deeply saddened by the loss. Our thoughts, prayers, and heartfelt support are with the deceaseds family. We are currently gathering all relevant facts. Preliminary observations from video shared online/ on social media suggests that the vehicle may have rolled back from the top of a slope due to gravity and ricocheted after striking an unknown object, suggesting that the motor was not engaged. The vehicle remains with the family and has been driven since the incident, and we have not yet had the opportunity to inspect it. Update 23rd August New CCTV Angle Surfaces Another view is here pic.twitter.com/yGgBfZ0QLs AP (@purohit__anuj) August 23, 2025 ? Tata Harrier EV Summon Mode Accident Update A new CCTV angle has surfaced, showing the front view of the crash that tragically led to a fatality in Avinashi, TN https://t.co/fNOCdm2SQh RushLane (@rushlane) August 24, 2025 The Harrier EV, which was launched a few weeks ago, is among the companys most advanced electric SUVs, equipped with modern driver-assist and convenience features, including summon functionality. The reported death has sparked concern and debate online about the safety of semi-autonomous features in vehicles operating in Indian conditions. Road safety experts stress that while advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and summon functions are designed for convenience, they must always be used with caution, and users should remain vigilant. Source Russia is ready to continue negotiations with Ukraine in any format, but a potential summit meeting must be carefully prepared and put an end to the negotiation process, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday. "We are ready for any format," Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow, Russian media reported. "But when it comes to high-level meetings, it is necessary to prepare them most carefully at all previous stages so that the summits do not result in a worsening of the situation, but really put an end to the negotiations that we are ready to continue," the Russian minister added. The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that during a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin "made a proposal not only to continue these negotiations [with Ukraine], but also to think about raising the level of the heads of delegations." And this fits in precisely with our proposal that, within the framework of this process, a separate block should be devoted to examining the political aspects of the settlement, along with the military and humanitarian ones, the minister noted. He added that "this idea was positively received by President Trump." "We expect that he will convey it and explain it to the Kyiv representatives, and we will get a reaction," Lavrov said. He also said that Moscow cannot agree to a situation where collective security issues in connection with the situation in Ukraine will be resolved without Russia. "I am sure that the West, and above all the United States, understands perfectly well that seriously discussing issues of ensuring security without the Russian Federation is a utopia, a road to nowhere," Lavrov emphasized. On Thursday, August 21, at 13.00, a meeting of the Capital Region discussion club will begin in the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on the topic "How the activities and inaction of law enforcement officers affect reconstruction, investment climate, and defense capability." Participants inlcude: political scientist, discussion moderator Oleksiy Voronenko, lawyer, head of the NGO Ukrainian Association of Freelance (Public) Inspectors of Architectural and Construction Control Serhiy Vozny, veteran of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, entrepreneur, leader of the Bila Tserkva Volunteer Corps Oleksandr Mahdych, sociologist, founder of the Active Group company Andriy Yeremenko (8/5-A Reitarska St.). The broadcast will be available on the Interfax-Ukraine agency's YouTube channel. Registration of journalists on site with editorial ID cards. Indian PM meets Chinese FM on ties Xinhua) 08:27, August 20, 2025 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Javed Dar) NEW DELHI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met here on Tuesday with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs. Modi said that both India and China are ancient civilizations, and they have enjoyed a long history of friendly exchanges, and the Kazan meeting between leaders of the two countries last October turned out to be a turning point for the improvement and development of bilateral ties. He stressed that India and China are partners, not rivals, and are sharing the same goal of achieving faster growths, and should increase exchanges, promote mutual understanding and expand cooperation, saying that huge potentials and bright future of bilateral cooperation could be perceived by the whole world. The two sides should properly manage and settle boundary issues, so that differences will not evolve into conflict, he said. He said that this year is the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and China, and the two countrie should approach bilateral ties from a long-term perspective, and the emerging of the Asian century is closely associated with India-China cooperation, and it is imperative for the two countries to work together for world development and wellbeing of mankind. He also said that he is looking forward to attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Tianjin summit. Wang welcomed Modi's attendance at the upcoming summit, saying that leaders of both countries reached important consensus during the Kazan meeting, and the two countries have implemented the consensus to enable bilateral ties to enter a new course of improvement and development. Calling his visit to India a preparation for high-level exchanges between the two countries, Wang said during the visit, China and India have reached consensus on restarting dialogue mechanisms in various fields, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, upholding multilateralism, jointly addressing global challenges, and opposing unilateral bullying. Regarding the boundary question, the two sides reached new consensus on conducting regular management and control, maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas, appropriately handling sensitive points, and initiating boundary negotiations in areas where conditions are met, he said. Wang said that bilateral ties have experienced ups and downs, and lessons could be learned from the past. No matter what happens, both sides should maintain correct perceptions of being partners, not rivals, adhere to the principle of properly managing differences to ensure that boundary disputes do not affect the overall situation of bilateral relations. Under the current international situation, strategic significance of China-India relations is increasingly prominent, and strategic value of China-India cooperation is more meaningful, he said, adding that the two sides will earnestly implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, promote the stable and long-term development of China-India relations so as to better benefit the peoples of both countries. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Javed Dar) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Dongji fishermen's heroic WWII rescue of British POWs will be forever remembered People's Daily Online) 11:17, August 20, 2025 Denise Wynne, the daughter of a survivor of the Lisbon Maru incident, stated in a recent interview that her father had always told her those fishermen were heroes. She relayed that her father had said that without the Chinese fishermen, he would not have survived, and she would not even exist. She also emphasized that her father believed the whole world should know that those fishermen are great heroes. In October 1942, the Japanese army requisitioned the Lisbon Maru, a passenger and cargo ship, to transport over 1,800 British POWs from Hong Kong back to Japan. Because the Japanese military violated the Geneva Convention by not flying any flags or symbols indicating the transport of prisoners of war, the ship was torpedoed by an American submarine as it passed through waters near Dongji Island in Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province. In the sinking of Lisbon Maru, "The Japanese rescued their own men from the Lisbon Maru, and other Japanese ships were shooting at the prisoners of war as they jumped into the sea to escape," Denise Wynne said. At this critical moment, the fishermen from Dongji Island risked their lives to carry out repeated rescue missions in small boats, braving gunfire and explosions, ultimately saving 384 British POWs. Denise Wynne's father, Dennis Morley, was one of the survivors and the last survivor of the Lisbon Maru incident. He passed away in 2021. Wynne shared that, for her father, recalling the past was not easy. She recalled that after one interview, her father had fallen silent for days and was nearly in a state of emotional collapse. Wynne explained that he had been overwhelmed by the brutal memories and thoughts of his lost companions, including one of his best friends. She also remembered him saying that, despite the savage brutality they faced from the Japanese Army, the Chinese fishermen had been exceptionally kind and brave. In May 2025, Wynne and 18 other descendants of the British POWs in the Lisbon Maru incident traveled to China to attend the unveiling of a memorial dedicated to the Dongji fishermen's heroic rescue. The sea breeze was blowing, and the waves were crashing. On Qingbang Island in Dongji town, Zhoushan city, a memorial inscribed with the words "Love knows no boundary; Friendship transcends time" stood. On the left side of the memorial, a bilingual inscription in both Chinese and English commemorates the rescue of the British POWs by the local Dongji fishermen. Wynne expressed that the moment she touched the memorial, she was overwhelmed with indescribable emotions. She said she could finally comfort her father, knowing that his wish had been fulfilledthat the heroic deeds of the Dongji fishermen would be forever remembered and honored. This rescue operation was not a coordinated military effort but a moral decision made by ordinary civilians. Due to the language barrier, the rescued POWs and the Dongji fishermen could only communicate through gestures and eye contact. Despite lack of food and other resources, the Dongji fishermen shared their meager supplies of food and herbs with the British POWs. It serves as a significant testament to the alliance between China and the UK in World War II, as both nations fought side by side against fascism. It also stands as a touching historical story of deep friendship between the peoples of both countries. During his visit to the UK in 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping cited the Lisbon Maru rescue, emphasizing that the friendship forged between the people of China and the UK during the wartime will never fade and is a valuable asset in bilateral relations. In 2022, on the 80th anniversary of the Lisbon Maru incident, Wynne sent a letter to Xi, expressing gratitude for the Chinese rescue efforts and her unwavering support for the enduring friendship between the people of the UK and China. "The touching story of heroic fishermen from Zhoushan, Zhejiang coming to the rescue of British prisoners of war on board the Lisbon Maru in 1942 is an important testimony to China and the UK fighting shoulder to shoulder as allies against fascist aggression during World War II. It is also a historical episode epitomizing the profound friendship forged between the people of our two countries," Xi wrote in his reply letter. When the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang, delivered the reply letter to her home, Denise Wynne expressed that she was been truly surprised and deeply moved. Now 76 years old, Wynne stated her firm support for the lasting friendship between the peoples of the UK and China, adding that she was willing to contribute to this cause in any way she could. Wynne, who often stays in touch with her friends on Dongji Island, mentioned that her ties with China were growing increasingly strong. She described China as vast and beautiful, and expressed her hope to visit the country more often while she was still physically able. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chengliang) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed on Wednesday the summit between Russia and the United States that took place in Anchorage, Alaska, last week, Azernews reports. Following a telephone conversation between two leaders, the Russian presidency issued a statement, saying that both Putin and Erdogan also talked about "latest developments in the situation around Ukraine" and that Moscow "noted with satisfaction Turkiye's assistance in holding talks between representatives of Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul." Additionally, the Kremlin shared that the leaders discussed the bilateral agenda, as well as further deepening of trade and investment ties between the two countries. European premiere of WWII film 'Dongji Recue' held in London 13:12, August 20, 2025 By Xu Liang, Xu Liqun ( People's Daily Online The European premiere of the film "Dongji Recue" was recently held in London, the U.K., with Chinese Ambassador to the U.K. Zheng Zeguang attending and delivering a speech. Zheng noted that although China and the U.K. were involved in different battlefields, the two countries shouldered the common mission of fighting against fascist aggression and defending human justice in the darkest times of World War II. The people of the two countries forged a deep friendship during the war. The most touching scene occurred in October 1942, when fishermen in Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, braved a hail of bullets from Japanese troops to rescue 384 British POWs from the Lisbon Maru. The film "Dongji Recue" and the documentary "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" vividly depict the heroic deeds of the fishermen from Dongji Island. Chinese Ambassador to the U.K. Zheng Zeguang delivers a speech at the premiere. (Photo/Yang Haopeng) 83 years have passed since the rescue of the British soldiers from the Lisbon Maru, and the world has undergone tremendous changes, but we should remember this valuable memory and continue the friendship between the Chinese and British people, Zheng said. The more turbulent the world becomes, the more we should promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the U.K., strengthen cooperation in various fields, jointly safeguard the outcomes of WWII, address global challenges, and make new contributions to world peace, stability and prosperity. "Dongji Recue" is based on a real incident that happened in October 1942, when the Japanese army requisitioned the cargo-passenger vessel "Lisbon Maru" to carry more than 1,800 British prisoners of war (POWs) from Hong Kong to Japan. In violation of international conventions, the Japanese army did not put any markings on the ship to indicate the POWs inside. Torpedoed by the U.S. army, the vessel sank in the waters near the Zhoushan Islands in Zhejiang. Local fishermen risked their own lives to rescue the POWs while under Japanese gunfire. Anthony Jones, chairman of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association, speaks at the premiere. (Photo/Yang Haopeng) Anthony Jones, chairman of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association, has for years actively collected historical materials and visited survivors' families, continuously calling for international attention to this humanitarian event. He said that seeing films like "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" and "Dongji Rescue," which allow more people to learn about the true story of how Zhoushan fishermen risked their lives to save British POWs, is the best consolation for the deceased and the deepest tribute to courage and kindness. Jones hopes that such films will make this history be remembered by the world and inspire more people to cherish peace and friendship. William Franklyn-Miller, who played British POW Thomas Newman in the film, attended the premiere with his family. He told People's Daily Online that through this filming, he learned about a little-known part of history and felt a responsibility to make more people aware of this past. He praised the fearless spirit of the local fishermen in rescuing the British soldiers and recalled feeling the warmth and friendliness of the local fishermen while filming on Dongji Island with Chinese actors. He expressed hope to visit the island again in the future. Creators and representatives of different walks of life pose for a photo during the premiere of "Dongji Rescue." (Photo/Yang Haopeng) After the screening, many British viewers, including family members of the victims of the Lisbon Maru, expressed their hope that films on similar themes would help more people in the U.K. learn about this part of history. (Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang) China's resistance during WWII significant, inspirational to Asia: historian Hans van de Ven (People's Daily App) 13:25, August 20, 2025 This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Hans van de Ven from the University of Cambridge recently shared his insights into China's experiences during World War II and their significance with the People's Daily. "China's determination to persist in fighting [Japanese] military aggression is very important and helped recreate a new modern world," said the historian, stressing that China's resistance inspired people across Asia in their independent efforts. (Produced by Zhan Huilan, Li Yuanxin, Zhang Jian and Chu Chu; intern Lin Xiaochen also contributed to the video.) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) China reiterates stance on Ukraine crisis, urges talks (People's Daily App) 13:36, August 20, 2025 China said it has consistently upheld an objective and fair position on the Ukraine crisis, urging dialogue, respect for sovereignty, observance of UN principles and support for peace efforts on August 19, 2025. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Ann Arbor has it all: the University of Michigan, great shopping, bars and restaurants and amazing concert venues. It also has a vitality that only few college towns across the country can boast. It's the kind of city that draws in the undergrads and then, keeps the grads for good. Federico Masini: Making Chinese language accessible in Italy 13:37, August 20, 2025 By Claire Ding, Yu Ying ( People's Daily Online Founded in 1303, Sapienza University of Rome is not only one of the world's oldest universities but also the largest in Europe by student enrolment. At the Sapienza Language Centre, we met Professor Federico Masini, who teaches Chinese Language and Literature in the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy. Since 2006, Masini has also served as director of the Confucius Institute at Sapienza, one of the earliest Confucius Institutes in Europe. For him, cross-cultural understanding begins with language. "Learning Chinese," he affirmed, "is a vital opportunity to foster communication between cultures." Masini recalled that in the 1970s, studying Chinese in Rome and southern Europe on the whole was not easy. With limited resources, he began learning the language on his own. After completing his university studies in linguistics and philosophy, he earned a scholarship to study at the Beijing Language Institute, known today as Beijing Language and Culture University. He later gained a position in the Italian embassy in Beijing and spent nine years in total in China. Federico Masini (Photo/Patrick Shead-Simmonds) During his time in China, Masini began collecting material to study the emergence of the modern Chinese language. His research focused on how contact with foreigners on Chinese soil in the early 19th century influenced the Chinese lexicon. The influences began with English and German, then continued with Japanese, he explained. For example, the Chinese word for "railway" was an import from German, while "telephone" entered the language through Japanese. His research culminated in a monograph published in the Journal of Chinese Linguistics in the United States, which was subsequently translated into Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Another key dimension of Masini's career has been the development of teaching materials for Chinese as a foreign language in Italy. Alongside his colleagues, he has authored more than 10 textbooks, tailored for learners at different levels, from high school to university. Their work pushed the Italian education authority to formally recognize Chinese as a foreign language taught at the high school level. Today, over 20,000 high school students in Italy study Chinese. Masini credits this success to their team's dedication to curriculum development, which he believes significantly contributed to the diffusion of Chinese language learning in the Italian high school system. He also proudly notes that at least 10 of his former PhD students are now professors in China, working in fields such as Chinese language, Italian studies, and history. As the director of the Confucius Institute at Sapienza, Masini expressed his excitement about the institute celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. He strongly believes in the value of learning Chinese language and Chinese culture "no matter what you will pursue in life and particularly deserving to be studied by Italians, whom among other Europeans, have a strong historical link with China." For Masini, the goal of teaching Chinese in Italy is straightforward. He acknowledges that not all Italian high school students will become translators of Chinese literature or interpreters of Chinese language, but he hopes that through Chinese language education, students will gain the ability to be acquainted with China and the Chinese people, without awkwardness, regardless of their future careers. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Wu Chengliang) Wholesale prices in Germany unexpectedly fell in July, with the annual rate of deflation picking up to a 13-month high, according to data out on Wednesday from Destatis. The producer price index (PPI) fell 0.1% last month, pulling back after a 0.1% increase in June, the Federal Statistical Office reported. The consensus forecast was for another 0.1% gain. Compared with 12 months earlier, the PPI was down 1.5% in July, following a 1.3% decrease in June. This was the steepest rate of decline since June 2024 and below the -1.3% market estimate. Energy prices were 6.8% lower than last year, with natural gas prices down 8.6% and electricity prices falling 7.8%. Mineral oil products were also 7.9% cheaper, while heating oil prices were 5.7% less and motor fuel prices fell 3.9%. Intermediate goods prices also fell 0.9%, offsetting a 1.8% increase in capital goods, a 3.5% jump in non-durable consumer goods and a 1.9% increase in durable consumer goods. Shortlists for the 2025 Ned Kelly Awards have been released. Sponsored by the Australian Crime Writers Association, the awards honor works in the categories of best crime fiction, true crime, and international crime fiction, as well as debut crime fiction, which was previously announced. Winners will be named in September. The judging panel said this year's entries "offered a large range of sub-genre within the crime fiction category, including humor, horror, futuristic, historic and rural crime as well as a book of connected short stories. Settings, too, ranged across several international locations in addition to Australia's inner city, farmlands, and much loved outback." Lhasa prepares celebrations of 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region Ecns.cn) 13:58, August 20, 2025 Photo taken on Aug. 18, 2025 shows the colorful banners hung along a main road in Lhasa, Xizang Autonomous Region. (Photo: China News Service/Gongga Laisong) The year 2025 marks the 60th founding anniversary of China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Lhasa is preparing for the celebrations of this anniversary, with national flags and colorful banners standing in neat rows, fluttering in the wind. Meanwhile, workers are busy decorating the city. Photo taken on Aug. 18, 2025 shows the national flags and colorful banners hung along a main road in Lhasa, Xizang Autonomous Region. (Photo: China News Service/Gongga Laisong) Photo taken on Aug. 18, 2025 shows the colorful banners hung along a main road in Lhasa, Xizang Autonomous Region. (Photo: China News Service/Gongga Laisong) Photo taken on Aug. 18, 2025 shows a banner reading "Celebrating the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region" at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. (Photo: China News Service/Gongga Laisong) Photo taken on Aug. 18, 2025 shows a flower bed at the square before the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. (Photo: China News Service/Gongga Laisong) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Finding the right life partner is a very personal journey, and in Telugu families, it is also a decision that brings families together. With more people turning to digital platforms for matchmaking, the need for a marriage matching app for Telugus that balances safety, privacy, and cultural alignment has never been greater. But how do you choose an app that you can trust to protect your information while helping you discover compatible matches? This blog walks you through the key features to look for in a marriage matching app for Telugus, ensuring you can make an informed choice for yourself and your family. Features That Build Trust in Online Matchmaking When choosing a marriage matching app for Telugus, safety should be non-negotiable. The right platform should offer strong trust-building features to give users and their families peace of mind. Verified Profiles and Background Screening One of the biggest concerns about online matchmaking is the risk of fake profiles. A good marriage matching app for Telugus should have strict verification protocols, including ID verification and phone number validation. These measures help ensure that the profiles you view are authentic and serious about finding a marriage partner. Photo and Contact Privacy Settings Privacy controls are crucial, especially in matrimonial searches. Look for apps that allow you to decide who can view your photos and contact information. A reliable marriage matching app for Telugus will let you blur your photos or restrict them to only approved matches. Similarly, you should be able to share your phone number or chat only after building initial trust. Flag and Report Options for User Safety Even with strict checks, you might encounter users who behave inappropriately. The app should offer easy-to-access flag and report options. A dedicated safety team that promptly reviews reports and takes action is a sign of a platform that prioritises user security. Ensuring Cultural and Lifestyle Compatibility In Telugu matchmaking, compatibility goes beyond basic interests. Families often look for alignment in community, lifestyle, and even astrology. The best marriage matching app for Telugus integrates tools to make this process smoother. Smart Filters for Community and Profession An efficient app should provide filters for community preferences, educational background, and profession. This saves time by showing only the most relevant profiles. For instance, if a family prefers matches within a specific community or career field, they should be able to set these as priorities. An efficient app should provide filters for community preferences, educational background, and profession. This saves time by showing only the most relevant profiles. For instance, if a family prefers matches within a specific community or career field, they should be able to set these as priorities. AI Matchmaking Based on Shared Goals Modern matchmaking apps now use artificial intelligence to understand your values and long-term goals. A leading marriage matching app for Telugus will recommend matches based on age, location, and preferences, including career aspirations and lifestyle choices. This increases the possibility of finding someone who shares your vision for the future. In-App Horoscope Match Indicators Astrological compatibility remains important in many Telugu families. Look for an app that offers in-app horoscope-matching features. Some platforms even allow you to upload your birth details to automatically generate match scores based on traditional methods like Guna Milan. User Support That Cares About Families Matchmaking is often a family affair, especially in Telugu households. Choosing an app with user-friendly support features can make the process less stressful for everyone involved. Step-by-Step Assistance for First-Time Users For those new to online matchmaking, navigating an app can feel overwhelming. A well-designed marriage matching app for Telugus provides guided steps for profile creation, search settings, and starting conversations. Many platforms now offer assisted matrimony services. With this, relationship managers help you at each stage, from shortlisting profiles to arranging introductions. Look for apps with interactive tutorials, help centres, or dedicated assistance to make the process even smoother. Multilingual Help for Smooth Communication Not everyone in the family may be comfortable with English-only interfaces. A good marriage matching app for Telugus will offer support in Telugu and English to make it inclusive for parents and elders. This ensures that all family members can participate in evaluating and shortlisting matches. Easy Tools for Family Involvement in Match Discussions Some apps offer features where family members can create linked accounts or receive updates on shortlisted profiles. This keeps parents involved without compromising the individuals privacy. Choose an app that facilitates collaboration while allowing the primary user to stay in control. Building Safer Matches, One Click at a Time The rise of online matchmaking has transformed how Telugu families approach marriage discussions, making it easier to connect while upholding family values. With this shift comes the responsibility to choose a trustworthy platform. A secure marriage matching app for Telugus should offer verified profiles, strong privacy settings, cultural filters, and family-friendly tools, ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all. It is essential to select a platform that understands both your privacy needs and the traditions that matter to your family. Taking the time to explore available features and involving your family in the process can help you make the right choice. Platforms like Telugu Matrimony prioritise these values, helping you find matches that truly matter. The right partner and the right platform can make this journey joyful and meaningful for everyone involved. Non-fossil fuels now account for half of Indias installed energy capacity, five years ahead of the 2030 target. Coal generates over 74% of electricity, and production rose by 5% last year, highlighting ongoing dependence. Limited energy storage capacity restricts renewable use, making India reliant on coal and imports of rare earth metals. India has reached a major milestone in its energy sector, with non-fossil fuels now accounting for half of the countrys installed power capacity. The achievement came five years ahead of the original 2030 target under the Paris Agreement, and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi described it as 'a landmark in Indias energy transition journey'. He said it is a key step towards Indias broader goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. While the 50 percent mark is significant, experts warn that it only reflects installed capacity the potential to generate electricity rather than actual production. Climate expert Avantika Goswami of the Centre for Science and Environment noted that renewable energy generation is still low. Nearly three-quarters of Indias electricity comes from coal-fired power plants, which are highly polluting. Indias reliance on coal has not decreased. The country, the second-largest consumer of coal in the world, increased production by five percent last year, mining one billion tonnes. The coal ministry described this as part of 'Indias coal boom', noting that coal is essential for meeting energy demands and supporting industries such as steel and cement. Coal still supplies over 74 percent of the nations electricity, highlighting the challenge of transitioning to cleaner energy while meeting growing demand. Globally, India is the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the United States. However, per capita emissions remain low, at about one-third of the global average, given its population of 1.4 billion. Climate activist Harjeet Singh of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation said that considering Indias size and development needs, it is making notable efforts. The country has pledged to cut emissions by 45 percent by 2030, even as electricity demand is expected to more than double by 2047. Meeting this growing demand while reducing emissions will require expanding renewable power and improving storage systems. Solar energy leads with 119 gigawatts, making India the third-largest solar producer in the world. Massive solar and wind farms are under development, including one in a desert area the size of Singapore. Hydropower, wind, and nuclear energy make up the remaining share, with nuclear contributing less than two percent. Indias total installed power capacity is 484.8 gigawatts, with half coming from non-fossil fuel sources.leads with 119 gigawatts, making India the third-largest solar producer in the world. Massive solar and wind farms are under development, including one in a desert area the size of Singapore. Hydropower, wind, and nuclear energy make up the remaining share, with nuclear contributing less than two percent. Renewable energy is intermittent, generating power only when the sun shines or the wind blows. India currently has just 505 megawatt-hours of storage capacity, far below what is needed to use renewable power efficiently. Minister Joshi highlighted the issue during the launch of a battery storage plant in June, warning that without storage, India risks either wasting renewable energy or reverting to coal during shortages. Battery storage requires rare earth metals, largely controlled by China, which supplies about 70 percent of global demand. This dependency was reportedly discussed during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to New Delhi. India is also exploring pump-hydro storage projects, where excess renewable energy pumps water into reservoirs that can later generate electricity during peak demand. Experts emphasize that a successful energy transition requires multiple approaches. Goswami said India must reduce emissions from inefficient coal plants, better integrate renewable sources into the grid, and develop reliable storage systems. These steps are necessary to reduce dependence on coal while meeting rising electricity needs. Reaching 50 percent non-fossil fuel capacity ahead of schedule is a significant achievement and demonstrates Indias commitment to renewable energy. Yet coals continued dominance in actual electricity generation shows the scale of the challenge ahead. With electricity demand expected to double over the next two decades, India will need to balance growth, clean energy, and coal reliance carefully. Storage technology, resource diversification, and coal efficiency improvements will play a key role in shaping the countrys energy future. Assistant Chief Melissa Eger, the NYPD borough commander, speaks during a press conference after the fatal shooting of Jesse Campbell on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. New York Attorney General Letitia James has opened an investigation into the fatal shooting. (Owen Reiter for the Advance/SILive.com) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. New York Attorney General Letitia James has opened an investigation into the fatal shooting of 44-year-old Jesse Campbell Friday night in Great Kills following an encounter with two off-duty police officers. According to a statement from the attorney general, the inquiry by the Office of Special Investigation falls under a New York State Executive law that requires an assessment of all incidents in which a police officer may have caused a death through their actions or omissions. Mine shafts 10, left, and 9, right, tower over the Resolution Copper Mining Company facility, June 9, 2023, in Miami, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York, File) AP A U.S. appeals court has temporarily blocked the transfer of federal forest land in Arizona to a pair of international companies that plan to mine one of the largest copper deposits in North America. The transfer was scheduled for Tuesday. But a panel of judges with the 9th U.S. District Court of Appeals issued a temporary injunction late Monday in response to last-minute appeals by a Native American tribe and environmentalists. The land includes Oak Flat an area used for centuries for religious ceremonies, prayer and gathering of medicinal plants by the San Carlos Apache people and other Native American tribes. The fight over Oak Flat has spanned two decades, with the latest legal wrangling centered on a required environmental review that was released by the U.S. Forest Service earlier this summer and an appraisal of the land to be mined by Resolution Copper about 60 miles (96 kilometers) east of Phoenix. Before the land exchange can happen, the plaintiffs argued that the federal government must prepare a comprehensive review that covers every aspect of the planned mine and all related infrastructure. They said the government failed to consider the potential for a dam breach, pipeline failure and if there was an emergency plan for a tailings storage area. As for the appraisal, they said it doesnt account for the value of the copper deposits that are at least 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) below the surface. The appeals court plans to hear arguments on the merits of the case later this year. Opponents of the mine consider the court action a victory, saying prayers are paying off. This injunction comes in a desperate time of asking for miracles, all over the country and all over the world, Wendsler Nosie Sr. of the group Apache Stronghold said in a statement shared on social media. Nosie, a former tribal chairman, described the land and water at Oak Flat as precious. Apache Stronghold, the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other plaintiffs having been fighting for years to save what tribal members call Chichil Bildagoteel. The area is dotted with oak groves and traditional plants the Apaches consider essential to their religion. We will continue praying that the court understands the grave injustice of trading our sacred grounds to foreign mining companies that seek to destroy Chichil Bidagoteel to extract copper that will be exported overseas, Tribal Chairman Terry Rambler said in statement. Resolution Copper a subsidiary of international mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP estimates the mine will generate $1 billion a year for Arizonas economy and create thousands of jobs. The project has support in the nearby community of Superior. Resolution Copper has said the project underwent an extensive review by the U.S. Forest Service that has included consultation with tribes that have ancestral ties to the land. The collaborative process has directly led to major changes to the mining plan to preserve and reduce potential impacts on tribal, social, environmental and cultural interests, the company stated. The Forest Service has argued in court filings that it has no discretion because the land exchange was mandated by Congress when language was included in a must-pass national defense spending bill that was signed into law in 2014 by then-President Barack Obama. There have been unsuccessful legislative attempts in the years since to withdraw the Oak Flat area from mining activity. A 62-year-old Florida resident was attack by an alligator after she inadvertently made contact with the reptile while hiking on a trail in Naples. (Mobile Press Register) NAPLES, FLORIDA Youre not even safe on hiking paths inside the Sunshine State. A Florida woman was recently hospitalized after she was attacked by a alligator while she hiked on Bird Rookery Swamp Trail in Collier County, according to multiple reports. The incident involving 62-year-old Michele Miller took place last Sunday. She was airlifted to a local hospital, according to winknews.com. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the 7-foot reptile took the woman by surprise after she inadvertently made contact with it while strolling through a watery part of the trail. She sustained injuries on a leg, arm and back after the gator attempted to drag her into the water, but her friends saved her from going in. One of her friends then called 911. Shortly after the attack, a licensed nuisance alligator was called to relocate the alligator, according to ABC Gulf Coast. It is not known if the gator was captured. The Bird Rookery Swamp includes 12 miles of hiking trails and that, in addition to gators, their are numerous other animals present. A drone view from Conference House Park shows the Tottenville shoreline overlooking New Jersey where a possible pipeline could be built. (Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon) Jason Paderon STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The Northeast Supply Enhancement Project has passed the requirements necessary to meet the Clean Air Act, according to a filing with the United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The project, also called the NESE pipeline, had been undergoing its Final General Conformity Determination Reevaluation a mission to determine the potential air quality impacts associated with the construction and operation of specific components of the project. The components analyzed by the GCD Reevaluation include, as listed in a written statement: 10.2 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline loop1 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (the Quarryville Loop); 3.4 miles of 26-inch-diameter pipeline loop in Middlesex County, New Jersey (the Madison Loop); 23.5 miles of 26-inch-diameter pipeline loop onshore and offshore in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties, New Jersey and Queens and Richmond Counties, New York (Raritan Bay Loop); Modification of existing Compressor Station 200 in Chester County, Pennsylvania; New Compressor Station 206 in Somerset County, New Jersey; and Ancillary facilities. The GCD Reevaluation looked particularly at the emissions that will be produced by the pipeline in the New York and New Jersey area. It was determined, according to the statement, that the project would achieve conformity with the New York and New Jersey State Implementation Plans through the purchase of emission reduction credits of nitrogen oxides to offset project emissions. The public commentary period on the pipeline with the state Department of Environmental Conservation wrapped up on Aug. 16 at 5 p.m. The comments received by the DEC will undergo an evaluation as it continues to explore the projects permit and certificate feasibility. Presently, the project is pursuing the following three permits: Article 15 Protection of Waters permit Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certificate State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit The pipeline has become the object of protests across the city, including a march across the Brooklyn Bridge on Aug. 9 that even Lieutenant Gov. Anthony Delgado attended. The NESE pipeline was denied by New York state a whopping three times, said Laura Shindell, the New York State director for the Food and Water Watch. Our Department of Environmental Conservation reported themselves that the pipeline would have devastating effects on New Yorks water quality, the harbors marine life, and it would fly in the face of New Yorks climate law. Over 100 organizations penned a letter in opposition of the pipeline, with reasons varying between environmental concerns to the monetary burden that will be foisted onto the shoulders of the five boroughs. Despite Staten Islanders and Manhattanites not receiving any of the gas that would be pumped through the pipeline, the project would be paid for through a 3.5% increase to National Grid bills. Omar Abukwaik, 4, his aunt and chaperone, Maha Aburezeq, second from left, officers from the U.S. Customs and Border Control and Elissa Montanti, second from right, founder and director of the Global Medical Relief Fund. (Courtesy/Elissa Montanti) Staten Island Advance STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- At just 4 years old, Omar Abukwaik lost his arm and suffered severe injuries when a bombing destroyed his home and killed his entire family in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war. The boy also suffered severe burns to his body, including on portions of his leg, and his face was badly bruised by shrapnel. With little hope for survival in his own country, Abukwaik was brought to New York through the Staten Island-based Global Medical Relief Fund on Jan. 17, 2024 for medical treatment. Omar Abukwaik is fitted for his prosthetic arm by Luis Velasquez, a certified prosthetist and pedorthic at Shriner's Hospital. (Courtesy/Elissa Montanti) Staten Island Advance Abukwaik underwent surgery in Shriners Childrens Hospital to repair damage to his leg. He also received silicone treatments to his arm to prepare him for his prosthetic. He returned to Gaza a few months later, but he will likely need to come back to the U.S. as he grows to be fitted for a new, larger prosthetic. Now, Elissa Montanti, founder of the Global Medical Relief Fund, fears it will be impossible for him to return due to a new travel ban placed on Gaza by the Trump Administration. This [travel ban] is very concerning. Im personally upset that theres a lack of empathy and decency about what is happening," said Montanti, who often is referred to as the angel of Staten Island. People preach Christianity, and whats good and whats right. Well, you know what? Live your faith, dont preach, she said of those behind the travel bans. And Abukwaik is only one of thousands of children who may not receive life-saving medical treatment due to several travel bans put into action by the Trump Administration this year, she said. Elissa Montanti stands with two Tanzanian people, Mwigulu Magesa (left), and Baraka Lusambo, who are receiving medical treatment in the country. (Courtesy of Elissa Montanti) There are thousands of children who need help. How can they be denied?...This is preventing us from bringing children to the U.S. who desperately need to come here for medical treatment, said Montanti. Her organization helps kids who live in impoverished African countries, Central and South America, and the Middle East. They are children who have lost the use of limbs or eyes, have been severely burned, or injured due to war, natural disaster or illness. Many of the children who have already been treated need to come from their own countries because they outgrow their prosthetics, or they need additional surgeries. Why is this happening? We have to ask why?" she added. That question is directed at the Trump Administrations travel bans, which as of Saturday, includes Gaza. The Gaza ban came a day after conservative activist Laura Loomer posted videos on social media of children from war-torn Gaza arriving in the U.S. for medical treatment, according to the Associated Press. She was questioning how they obtained visas. Soon after, the State Department said it was halting all visitor visas for people from Gaza pending a review. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday told Face the Nation on CBS that the travel ban was issued after outreach from multiple congressional offices asking questions about it," the report said. Rubio said some of the organizations bragging about and involved in acquiring these visas have strong links to terrorist groups like Hamas, he told reporters despite not providing evidence or naming those organizations. The travel ban on Gaza follows a June move by President Donald Trump to block entry to the U.S. from 12 countries, including those from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. In addition, heightened restrictions were placed on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Elissa Montanti, often referred to as the angel of Staten Island is worried President Donald Trumps travel ban will prevent her organization, the Global Medical Relief Fund, from helping all the children around the globe who desperately need care. Courtesy of Elissa Montanti About the Global Medical Relief Fund Since she founded the organization from her small apartment on Staten Island in 1997, Montanti, who is an Advance Woman of Achievement, has helped hundreds of children from all over the world get the medical care they often cant receive in their own country. From a blinded boy in Iraq to a group from Tanzania who were attacked for their limbs, she has secured necessary medical care for kids devastated by injuries. Part of Montantis fear is that more countries -- more of those her organization serves -- will be added to the travel ban. I am praying that it will not affect the countries that we help, including Rwanda, Tanzania, (Eswatini), Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia..., she said. She noted that the process to bring children here for medical treatment from several countries has recently gotten more complicated. We cant get through to some embassies; the one in Rwanda is not getting back to us. Will they be denying some of the children? We dont know. We cant even get in to make an appointment in Gambia, she said noting there could be several reasons for these delays. I know they are laying people off, but a big part of it is this administration; its greatly affecting us negatively, said Montanti. Neuchatel, August 20, 2025 - There are watches that follow time. And those that set the pace. This season, BA111OD unveils a new collection of seven automatic models - four three-hand and three moonphase watches - that bring the essentials back to the forefront: clean design, reliable Swiss mechanics, and fair pricing. Elegant without nostalgia, technical without ostentation: these pieces strike a clear balance. Inspired by mid-20th century watchmaking codes, the series embraces a neo-vintage style, subtly reimagined for today. 41mm 316L steel case, concave bezel, rounded lugs, transparent caseback, 4 oclock crown, sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective coating. All powered by Soprod automatic movements. Conceived as a bridge between heritage and modernity, this collection embodies BA111ODs commitment to making Swiss Made watchmaking accessible without compromise. Designed, developed, and hand-assembled in Neuchatel, at the Maisons workshop located on Place des Halles, it marks a new chapter for the brand. Rooted in history, focused on essentials. The Chapter 8 3-hand with its black dial BA111OD Imagined, designed, and hand-assembled in Neuchatel In the heart of the city, on Place des Halles, BA111OD has set up its own watchmaking workshop. It is there just a few steps from its designer Liliane Murenzi and its clients that each timepiece in this collection is hand- assembled by the Maisons watchmakers. This direct connection between design and production ensures every detail is carefully controlled, while celebrating local watchmaking craftsmanship. We wanted to create a simple, elegant, well-crafted watch but above all, one that offers true value. Swiss Made should not be an inaccessible luxury. This collection is our answer: an automatic watch, designed in Neuchatel, starting at CHF 595, explains Thomas Baillod, founder of BA111OD. The Chapter 8 3-hand with its gold Milanais bracelet BA111OD Two expressions, one shared philosophy Three-hand: hours, minutes, small seconds. A clear, straightforward reading nothing superfluous. Moonphase: hours, minutes, small seconds, date, and moon phase display. A poetic complication within a structured dial. All versions are powered by Swiss Soprod automatic movements and come fitted with your choice of interchangeable strap: Milanese mesh or nubuck leather. Each model is built on a carefully crafted watchmaking architecture. The sandblasted dial, available in four tones - sand, grey, black, or white - plays with textured contrasts. Faceted, polished hands are coated in Super-LumiNova for optimal readability, day or night. Water-resistant to 5 ATM, these watches are designed to match the rhythm of everyday life with elegance and discretion. The Chapter 8 Moonphase with its grey dial BA111OD The gateway into the BA111OD universe With this collection, BA111OD introduces its entry point into Swiss mechanical watchmaking. Starting at CHF 595. for the three-hand models and CHF 1,110. for the moonphase versions, the brand continues to carve out a unique space between bold design and accessibility. The collection is available for pre-order now at www.ba111od.com as well as through official retail partners. First deliveries will begin in early October 2025.. Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe! Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions. Premium Subscription As low as $8.25 per week Premium Includes: -- Access to the Daily Journals e-Edition: a digital replica of our daily newspaper including crossword puzzles, games, comics, classifieds and ads. You can download a digital replica of the Daily Journal for offline reading. You can also clip & download articles or images from the e-edition to share with others The most recent 90 issues are available at any given time. -- Unlimited access to our award-winning online content -- Commenting access on all stories as a valued member of the DJ community -- NEW! Access to our online-only digital crossword puzzle. A new puzzle every day, seven days a week! By 2020, BNK moved all its transactional business online and announced its remaining branch in Kalgoorlie would close. The company prudently managed its way through the COVID years, as loan growth slowed throughout the entire banking sector. In 2021, BNK muscled into new territory by teaming up with Bendigo Bank and Goldman Sachs to launch a $250 million prime and $500 million specialist residential securitisation warehouse - a savvy move that rewired its growth engine at just the right time. BNK manages the loans and earns fees servicing them, while freeing up capital to fund new lending. The beauty of these warehouses was simple but powerful. By shifting to this model, growth was no longer chained to the size of its balance sheet. Compressed margins had become a notable dynamic in the residential mortgage market, where stiff competition from the big four banks and non-bank lenders narrowed the lending spread to less than one per cent, making the mortgage market a largely loss-making sector for smaller operators. Under the stewardship of its new chief executive officer Allan Savins, who took the company reins in January 2022, BNK made a bold pivot to shift 30 per cent of its book into higher margin loan offerings for the small to medium enterprise (SME) sector, while retaining property as its first form of security. It also sold Finsure to MA Financial Group in 2022, banking $151.6 million for the company and returning $60 million to shareholders through a combination of fully franked dividends and a capital return. Between 2022 and 2025, BNK was able to put together some smart deals to rebalance its exposure. First it acquired $230 million in higher margin loans from the Goldmans warehouse which the bank already underwrites and services on its system. The bank then bundled $347 million of Goldmans warehouse loans into a product dubbed Robusta 2024-1 as part of its securitisation deal. Lastly it sold $220 million in low margin residential mortgages from the Bendigo warehouse back to Bendigo for a gross profit of $2 million and ongoing servicing fees, thereby resetting the on-balance-sheet book closer to the desired 70:30 ratio. Last week, BNK unlocked a third stream of lending revenue by diving into the structured credit market - teaming up with a syndicate of lenders to back a rising Australian non-bank financier. Most of the senior funding came from an investment bank, with BNK chipping in a smaller slice. The final top-up came from the non-bank lender, which takes on the riskiest position in the stack and would be the first to wear any losses if things went south. The warehouse facility was designed to allow the non-bank lender to access wholesale funds, which it can lend to its customers. Banking is often regarded as easy money, but the reality can be very different. Razor-sharp margins, black swan events such as COVID and cost of living pressures have all presented challenges to growth across the sector, particularly for smaller and mid-tier players. By going online and slashing branch costs, however, BNK has started to turn the tide in one of bankings toughest corners. Coupled with rejigging its loan book to focus on fatter margins, the strategy appears to be paying off handsomely. The bank posted an underlying profit of $1.8 million for the first half of FY25 - a staggering 500 per cent jump on the previous half and demolishing 2024s full-year loss of $900,000. It also continued an improving trend from losses of $1.5 million in FY23 and $2.1 million in FY22. BNKs transformation from a humble credit union in Kalgoorlie to an online, profit-making banking challenger with an unrestricted licence is remarkable. Its a tale of savvy pivots, bold leadership and a laser focus on where the real margins lie. In a sector where many small players have struggled to keep pace with the majors, BNK appears to be carving out its own path. With profits on the rise, a lean digital model in the works and a diversified loan book aimed squarely at higher-margin small business enterprise lending, BNK now looks poised for a new era of growth. If recent moves are anything to go by, this nimble operator is far from done rewriting the banking playbook. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Infini Resources has identified 14 new high-priority uranium targets at its Reynolds Lake project in Canadas world-class Athabasca Basin. A comprehensive desktop study has blended historical data with the latest geophysical surveys to pinpoint compelling zones for potential shallow, unconformity-style uranium mineralisation. Unconformity-style mineralisation is typical of the Athabascas many world-class deposits. Camecos Cigar Lake mine, 50km east of Infini Resources Reynolds Lake project in Canadas world-class Athabasca Basin, where desktop studies have lit up 14 priority uranium targets for follow Infini says its 386-square-kilometre Reynolds Lake project, perched on the eastern edge of the basin, is highly prospective for mineralisation. It sits just 50 kilometres from Denison Minings McLean Lake operations. The study integrates lake sediment geochemistry, regional airborne radiometric data and results from a recent high-resolution time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) survey. Lindian Resources share price has jumped out of the gates today on heavy turnover and hit another fresh high of 26.5 cents a share, after the company banked $91.5 million from an oversubscribed jumbo placement. The new funding clears the decks for the company to start full-scale construction of its flagship Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi. Lindian Resources has secured $91.5 million in fresh funds to kick off construction at its world-class Kangankunde rare earths mine near Kangankunde Mountain in Malawi. The capital raising was struck at 21c a share from the issue of 435.7 million shares spread over two tranches. Lindian said the offer drew a stampede of support from local and international institutions and that bids flooded in well above the target. Investor demand was so strong that Lindian only had to trim 6.7 per cent off its last close to seal the deal. Against recent trading averages, the placement was even sweeter, coming in at a 12.5 per cent premium to the five-day mark and a whopping 48 per cent above the 20-day average. Say what you like about the Independent Commission Against Corruption it works too quickly/too slowly, its too secretive/too public, its a kangaroo court/a bastion of our democracy the one thing you cant accuse our states top corruption warriors of is lying low. On Wednesday, the ICAC played a central role in Sydneys news cycle. The commissions big day in the spotlight started early: just after 7am, Eddie Obeid the corrupt former Labor MP who was brought down after an extensive ICAC investigation found him guilty of misconduct in public office plodded out of jail. Bill Saravinovski, the former Bayside mayor, will face court next month. Credit: Kate Geraghty Hours after he walked free, another ICAC victim was heading inside: Daryl Maguire, that bad boy regional MP whose relationship with former premier Gladys Berejiklian was revealed when the commission played tapped phone calls between the pair, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for misleading a corruption inquiry. He was swiftly released on bail. But the agencys sting doesnt stop there: CBD now brings you news that Bill Saravinovski, the former mayor of Bayside Council in Sydneys south, has been hit with three charges of giving misleading evidence to the commission. 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 Whats good, whats bad, and whats in between in literature? Here we review the latest titles. See all 51 stories . This weeks books include the fiction debut of the former queen of current affairs, some Australian coastal noir, two true wartime tales and shocking tales from Australias paramedic frontlines. FICTION PICK OF THE WEEK The Far Side of the Moon Jana Wendt Text Publishing, $40 Anyone who had a nerd-crush on Jana Wendt growing up (raises hand) will be eager to read the short stories in her debut fiction collection, The Far Side of the Moon. Wendt was a fixture on Australian television for decades, establishing herself as a star reporter with Channel Nines 60 Minutes in 1982 and going on to become as her fictional alter ego is described in the story Fame and Nothingness the queen of current affairs. That story probes the disconnect between fame and the (often quotidian) private life of someone touched by it, with an appealing blend of wistfulness and playful bemusement. Only two of the tales are related: the final stories deliver drastically divergent perspectives from co-workers at a numismatics shop, in a fable-like illustration of the effects of cynicism and openness. It isnt Rashomon, exactly, but Wendts keen intellect and imagination make for a strikingly plausible, humane contrast. Readers will take pleasure, too, in the volumes running themes particularly the puzzles it constructs from the different kinds of truth, and the opposing strategies deployed to uncover them, in journalism and fiction. King Tide Luke Johnson Affirm Press, $34.99 Advertisement Billed as Great Ocean Road noir, Luke Johnsons King Tide is a foreboding, character-driven crime fiction set in the fictional town of Lagunes Bay on Victorias Surf Coast. In the wake of a monster storm and king tide, a buried corpse is washed free from its sandy grave. The victim is a young woman, Hayley, who vanished from the town years before; suspicion falls widely in a community that did little to find out what happened to her. Now young adults, Hayleys peers must know something, and the gruesome secret implicates Tate, the towns golden boy who may have been Hayleys final boyfriend, and his bad boy best friend Luther. Meanwhile, Brylie and her Anglican vicar father have returned to Lagunes Bay the former still resentful and clueless about why they left town in the first place setting everyone further on edge. King Tide leans into its rugged setting to amplify the sense of danger and deliverson genre tropes. Johnson has written a mystery laden with dark secrets, suspense, and small-town menace, while crafting young adult characters realistic and complex enough for a coming-of-age novel to infiltrate by stealth. Eva Reddys Trip of a Lifetime Fiona McKenzie Kekic HQ, $32.99 Eva wakes up to the 50th birthday from hell. She receives an anonymous Facebook message informing her that her husband is having an affair. And she loses her job. As if thats not enough, her elderly parents have gone missing in India, Bollywood dancing their way to some obscure fate with only a trail of very weird TikTok videos as clues to their whereabouts. Eva decides to put miles between herself and her faithless husband and embarks on an epic rescue mission. Whats disguised as a search for lost parents is, of course, a quest of self-discovery, as Eva steps outside her humdrum existence into a larger-than-life subcontinental adventure. Eva Reddys Trip of a Lifetime is strongly reminiscent of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, though itll also remind readers of the feelgood classic Shirley Valentine in its main arc a middle-aged woman liberating herself from the weight of social expectation and reckoning with middle age, love, and second chances in an exotic locale. Stillwater Tanya Scott Allen & Unwin, $34.99 Advertisement Luke Harris returns to Melbourne and appears to be an ordinary university student, but his past life wont leave him alone. As a teenager, Luke was an underworld enforcer, and his skills from street smarts to how to bury a body remain of value to Gus Alberici, the brutal crime boss he worked for. It was only a matter of time before Gus resurfaced, and when he does, its to coerce Luke into finding a few things that have vanished Lukes father, for one, and a large pile of Guss cash, for another. Pressured to resume his old life, Luke seems to have no choice but to resort to nefarious skills to stay alive, track down his dad, and discover what happened to the missing loot. Stillwater is a gritty Australian crime thriller with plenty of action and suspense. Its artfully paced, written in a muscular style, and the fortunes of its flawed (anti)hero should keep readers on the edge of their seats. Land of Hope Cate Baum Indigo Press, $29.99 Land of Hope folds a dystopian fable into an Emily Bronte-like gothic novel. Its a fascinating idea for a crossover, and the central character, Hope Gleason, seems to emanate from the wild and windswept moors as if she were a ghost already. Rumours and myths about Hope and her role in her husbands brutality swirl long before an indescribable sound annihilates a nearby village. A weapon of some kind has been unleashed, and Hope takes an orphaned lad under her wing, as the two survivors embark on a grim quest for a serial killer amid the apocalypse. Like Bronte, Cate Baum uses the brooding, elemental landscape to expressionistic effect, and she channels the spirit of Cormac McCarthy in the mercilessness and extremity of the novels examination of evil. The orphan is irritating, it must be said, but the passions at play and Baums morbid imagination should have you hooked regardless, especially if youre a fan of Wuthering Heights, gothic sensibility, serial killer chillers, or all three. NON-FICTION PICK OF THE WEEK Survival in Singapore Tom Trumble Penguin, $36.99 Advertisement In September 1943, Australian commandos after having sailed from Australia in a craft disguised as an Asian fishing boat entered Singapore Harbour and sank a reputed seven Japanese ships. The somewhat surprised Japanese assumed it was a local operation and arrested large numbers of suspects, including detainees in Changi prison. Its the repercussions of the raid that are the main focus of Tom Trumbles evocative study of extraordinary fortitude and inner strength. Elizabeth Choy, for example, who became known as the Heroine of Singapore, endured intense torture and brutal beatings, her ordeal (via a variety of primary sources) presented here in vivid, grim detail. Likewise, British diplomat Robert Heatlie Scott, who drew strength from a volume of the complete work of Keats given to him by an interrogating member of the Japanese military police. Both survived the war. Its not just the characters, though Trumble is adept at describing the city itself at this time with eerie details like hooded Japanese informants cruising the streets. A comprehensive, dramatic (sometimes novelistic) re-creation of dramatic times. Sins of the Filthy Rich Peter Coleman Affirm, $36.99 As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, The very rich are different from you and me. Indeed! One measure of it can be found in the things they consume such as the worlds most expensive spirit, a US$44 million Limoncello. Coleman has fun delving into the obscenities of the rich and famous throughout history, which he divides into seven parts, one for each of the deadly sins. Theres no shortage of rogues for the gallery, be it the aptly named Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus, whose wealth equated to the yearly incomes of 32,000 citizens or the almost universally detested Belgian king Leopold II, whose genocidal greed bled the Congo dry. From papal orgies hosted by the Borgias to exorbitant modern weddings, this is a chronicle of fantastical sounding but true excess. And, as much as we might think ordinary punters admire them, Coleman highlights the case of Luigi Mangione, who murdered multi-millionaire Brian Thompson and became something of a cult hero on social media. In the spirit of Boccaccio, funny and sobering. The Last Tour Ann Curthoys MUP, $39.99 When Paul Robeson sang to workers on the construction site of the Sydney Opera House, it became famous as the first concert on the site, but was one of many in the tour of Australia and New Zealand by Robeson and his wife, feminist and activist, Eslanda. This may be an academic study of what proved to be Robesons last tour, but its a very engaging one: Robeson is the subject of the book, but its also a window into post-war, Cold War Australia. In what amounts to a portrait of the tour, Curthoys emphasises its many facets, especially its political side, Robeson being a Marxist who made his support of the USSR well known; a political stance that led to his and his wifes passports being revoked. Apart from the music, the Robesons were deeply interested in Indigenous and womens rights movements in Australia and New Zealand. Along the way, we learn about Robesons studies and reading, Robeson being the only African American at Rutgers in 1915. First-rate cultural, political and social history. Advertisement Often imitated, never equaled, creations by MB&F never leave one indifferent. Each Horological Machine forms a unique mechanical masterpiece. Anatomy of an aesthetic success story. Flashback. 2007, MB&F unveils Horological Machine No.1. The shape of its case stands out in an industry where the orthodoxy of case geometries (round shapes, in particular) reigns supreme. Against the current, the creation provokes thought. A UHO (Unidentified Horological Object)? An anti-watch? Or simply a talking piece with ephemeral fame? Every new machine added to the collection has since dispelled these doubts. More than just a dazzling coup, the Geneva-based brand has patiently built a unique universe, where high watchmaking converses with kinetic art and creative irreverence. The recently unveiled Horological Machine No.8 Purple serves as a chromatic manifesto. Horological Machine No.1 MB&F The Right to Be Different We are never in opposition, always in creation. A Horological Machine is intrinsically a kinetic sculpture powered by a three-dimensional watch movement. The caliber orchestrates the choreography while telling the time. As a young engineer more than thirty-five years ago, I fell in love with mechanical watchmaking because it was one of the rare places where engineering, humanity, and beauty came together to tell a story, notes Maximilian Busser, founder of MB&F. These words echo the vision of Eric Giroud, who has participated in designing all the timepieces in the range. It's not about dissent, but rather simply a different and unique approach. The various inspirations regarding MB&F watches are often of a nature different from watchmaking and thus, the stylistic result differs from the usual codes used in watchmaking. If I had to classify MB&F in a more cultural registry, I would say it is more of a horological counter-culture. A Creative Process at Its Peak The Grail in watchmaking is the quest itself. The objective for the creator is always to create, to take risks, to blaze new trails. One only feels alive by putting oneself in danger, aptly reminds Maximilian Busser. Over the years, the boundary between industrial design and mechanical art has continued to blur. The Horological Machines establish themselves as narrative objects, wearable sculptures, both conceptual and functional. Maximilian Busser MB&F While the futuristic lines of each HM remain immediately identifiable, the color, in turn, becomes a vector of expression in its own right. The Purple hue of the HM8 is not just a simple aesthetic artifice. It redefines its presence on the wrist, amplifying its attraction power. The color brings diversity to the model and allows it to appeal more thanks to its different appearance depending on the colors. Not forgetting that a new color can allow a model to live longer and sometimes give it a new visual identity, analyzes Eric Giroud while specifying, the impact of a color change affects many components and sometimes this can be a bit complex In the case of a project, it is necessary to integrate the different colors from the beginning of the creative process to test whether such or such a color is coherent, without forgetting the trends related to color that can come into play. Horological Machine No.8 Purple MB&F The approach is therefore thoughtful and controlled. The HM8 Purple is announced as one of the final iterations of this model of pilot watches with a disruptive personality. Next year will see its last iteration. In four summers, it will have experienced four limited series, and then it will be gone, informs the CEO of MB&F. Between creative freedom, stylistic boldness, and respect for craftsmanship, MB&F continues to assert the right to be different. Not on the fringes of contemporary watchmaking, but as a parallel path, decidedly singular, authentic, and very much alive. Drive-Away Dolls, as it was renamed for distribution , had a very mixed response. Coen and Cooke, however, felt newly energised. The second in what will be their trilogy of lesbian genre films is Honey Dont!. This time they have gone hard-boiled, with a detective played by Margaret Qualley who also played the adventurer in Drive-Away Dolls set against an assortment of dead bodies, dumb cops and a profiteering preacher played with great gusto by Chris Evans, aka Captain America. Like Drive-Away Dolls, it is shot with brightly lit verve by Australian cinematographer Ari Wegner. After making The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, their 2018 western, they decided to take a break from working together. What now? Joel Coen chose to make an austere version of Macbeth with his wife, Frances McDormand. His brother, meanwhile, turned to a pleasure he shares with wife Tricia Cooke: B-movie trash. Out of the bottom drawer came a script they wrote 20 years earlier, just as a fun thing to do together, called Drive-Away Dykes. It was a crime caper about a lesbian adventuress and her timid friend who discover on a road trip which includes a lot of stop-offs at lesbian bars in unexpected places that they are inadvertently driving away some very dodgy goods. Going back to 1984, their first feature, Blood Simple, was textbook noir: shot in the shadows, ordinary people doing unspeakably bad things, laden with atmosphere. The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) leant into the snappy dialogue-driven dramas of the 50s; No Country for Old Men (2007) adapted Cormac McCarthys novel with appropriate gravitas; The Big Lebowski (1998) was an absurdist comedy about friendship, bowling and a missing rug. The brothers have carved out their shared name as the go-to weekend entertainment for the university educated. As half of the Coen brothers, Ethan Coen has written and directed films with his brother Joel that pay tribute to many genres, while always looking unmistakably like Coen Bros movies. Neither of them can say exactly what led them down this road. At the most basic level, they are writing the kind of movies they like to see. We like B-movies, we like detective movies, we like genre movies and genre fiction of the hard-boiled kind: Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, that kind of stuff, Ethan Coen says. So you write the kind of stuff that you find yourself liking as an audience or as a reader, but its unlike most examples of the form in that the detective is a lesbian. They are also on a kind of mission. Cooke says she started looking for films with lesbian characters as a student. I didnt really understand my sexual orientation until I was almost an adult, maybe 18, she says. And then, when I was very aware of who I was, I thought Id watch some lesbian movies and there just arent that many. This was the 80s, so most of the ones that existed had tragic ends. Queer cinema took off in the 90s, but the films were still generally decidedly earnest. Where were the fun lesbians? The road movies and horror? So we decided to do that because nobody was doing it. Tricia Cooke (left), Margaret Qualley and Ethan Coen on the set of Honey Dont!. Credit: AP Cooke joined the Coens team in 1989. Recently graduated from New York Universitys film-making course, she got a job as a camera assistant on Millers Crossing, shooting in New Orleans. Unlike most film buffs of the time, she hadnt seen Blood Simple or Raising Arizona, but someone had put in a good word for her. Later, when she expressed an interest in moving to editing, the brothers took her on as an apprentice in New York; meanwhile, a friendship was brewing. Ethan asked me on a date, and we went to see Drugstore Cowboy, she told Moviemaker magazine. I told him, Im a lesbian, Im not interested. In the end, that didnt seem to matter. They married in 1993 and had two children, now adults; the relationship has clearly endured in an unconventional way, with both husband and wife having other partners. Its not easy sometimes, and it can be very difficult for even our friends and family to understand, Cooke said in the Moviemaker interview. You navigate it one day at a time. Weve been in this kind of dynamic for over 20 years, and we still take it one day at a time. KANGAROO ISLAND (M) 111 minutes Kangaroo Island is about sibling rivalry. Its the kind of story that pops up regularly on the streaming services but director Timothy David and screenwriter Sally Gifford have given it extra oomph by setting it against the seductively scenic backdrop of South Australias Kangaroo Island. Rebecca Breeds plays Lou, an Australian actor living in Los Angeles who reluctantly returns to the family home. Credit: Maslow Entertainment David, a South Australian, had spent more than a decade in New York, pursuing a highly successful and innovative career in advertising, when he and Gifford, his wife, decided to buy a holiday house on the island and both, it seems, have been in love with the place ever since. You could call the film a romance, but the love object is the island itself. When we first meet Lou (Rebecca Breeds) she has been trying to make it as an actress in Los Angeles but things are not going well mainly because of her propensity for getting drunk and missing auditions. She has an excuse more of that later but in these introductory scenes, she rattles around being irritating. Swaths of NSW are bracing for possible flooding after days of heavy rain fell on already soaked catchments. A prepare to isolate warning is currently in place for Gunnedah in north-central NSW, which is still recovering from major flooding at the start of this month. A pedestrian braves the rain on Friday morning. Credit: Sam Mooy With water storage along the Peel and Namoi Rivers already full and the catchment saturated, the Bureau of Meteorology is again warning of a major inundation for the town just west of Armidale on Saturday. Meanwhile, minor flood warnings apply to the Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers, including parts of Sydneys outskirts like North Richmond, Wallacia, Windsor and Menangle Bridge. Across the state, warnings are also in place for the Hunter, and much of the Mid North Coast and Mid-West. Advertisement Eating outJust open Clam Bar teams Chinese restaurant opens in the CBD The much-anticipated venue will soon serve supper until 1am, providing Sydney with another option for late-night spring rolls, live seafood and cocktails. Scott Bolles August 20, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles 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 Has a new late-night Golden Century alternative just dropped near Martin Place? Grandfathers, the highly anticipated Chinese restaurant and cocktail bar from the team behind Clam Bar, Neptunes Grotto and Pellegrino 2000 has opened, making no secret of its late-night aspirations. Grandfathers co-owner Andy Tyson says the team hasnt set out to take Golden Centurys historic post-midnight eating mantle, but they do want to present a late-night Sydney option and will offer a supper service. The Grandfathers team just before opening in Sydney. Jason Loucas Well just do dinner this week, and from next week well be open until 1am. Then lunch [yum cha] the week after. Good Food revealed in April that Tyson and business partners Michael Clift and Dan Pepperell had secured the former site of chef David Thompsons Long Chim restaurant, on the corner of Pitt Street and Angel Place in the CBD (close to Merivales Ivy precinct). Advertisement With its black and red zig-zag carpet, Tyson says Grandfathers is aiming for a dark, moody vibe. He doesnt like cliched comparisons, but admits theres a bit of a late-night New York feel to the space. Food largely focuses on the regions of Guangdong and Sichuan. We find Sichuan dishes can complement the classics of Cantonese cuisine in a variety of ways, says Pepperell. (From left) Dan Pepperell, Andy Tyson and Michael Clift at their now-closed Bistrot 916 in 2021. Alongside crisp-skinned pigeon, char siu pork, and scallop spring rolls, the opening menu lists mouth numbing prawns and husband and wife salad, with veal tongue and crispy tripe. Tyson says the strange flavour cold cut chicken (chicken, peanuts and red chilli oil) proved an early hit among those to sample the menu pre-opening. The restaurant is named in honour of Clifts Chinese grandfather, who inspired the chefs career through his love of food. I think China has the most diverse and historic cuisine in the world, says Clift. We consider it to be the mother of all cuisines. Advertisement The 140-seat restaurant has many of the accoutrements of Chinese restaurants. But its seafood tanks are filled with tropical fish rather than anything edible such as lobsters or coral trout. Clift says they wanted the visual display without staff having to wrangle produce on the dining room floor. Theres live seafood, just not on display, says Tyson. Diners can also expect a serious wine list. Weve got a distinct riesling focus along with a ridiculous selection of icons by the glass, he says. Meanwhile, the cocktail list features several riffs on classics, such as the Sesame Sazerac, Five-Spice Manhattan and Green Melon Negroni. Lunch (from September 3), dinner and late-night supper (from August 28) daily Corner of Pitt Street and Angel Place, Sydney, grandfathers.com Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up 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 Benjamin Netanyahu claims Anthony Albaneses actions recognising Palestine, calling for an end to violence, slaughter and starvation, and cancelling the visa of a far-right provocateur show he has abandoned Australias Jews (Netanyahu blasts Albanese as weak as diplomatic relations plummet, August 20). Personally, there is only one world leader I feel abandoned by, and that is Netanyahu himself. It is Netanyahu whose disproportionate actions have led to such a global increase in antisemitism, Netanyahu whose actions have gone far beyond any pretense of justice, Netanyahu who makes me feel unsafe and angry and crushingly disappointed. Never again means never again, for anyone. It doesnt mean you can commit genocide in my name. Ry Feder, North Avoca Credit: Cathy Wilcox Netanyahus personal attacks on elected leaders in Australia should be viewed in context of his history of undermining democracy in his own country. Before Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995 for pursuing peace with Palestinians, Netanyahu led a mock funeral procession with signs saying Death to Rabin. After Rabins murder, Netanyahu ensured that act of terrorism was rewarded by dismantling the popular movement for peace and crushing any two-state solution. His opposition to Australias decades-long bipartisan support for a two-state solution and recognition of Palestine is to be expected. But Australians should not forget his personal attacks on his political opponents have a history of provoking violence, resulting in the death of a popular leader pursuing the same goal. Our democracy could do without Bibis brand of political interference. David Snell, Enmore History will remember Albanese for having the strength to stand up to Netanyahu and to stand with moderate Australians and Israelis, who also denounce the acts of his extremist government. This has nothing to do with antisemitism. Albanese speaks for many Jewish and non-Jewish Australians by calling out a sovereign friend who is on a vengeful rampage. Right-wing Israeli politician Simcha Rothman has rightfully been denied a visa to Australia. He speaks words of horror of justified starvation, of child enemies and more. Given his position, these are more than just words of hate. He has the capacity to enact these threats. Netanyahu and his government have betrayed and shamed Israel. It would be weak of Albanese to not speak out. Tell them. Stop them. Take away their keys. Nell Knight, Avoca Beach Netanyahu is taking a leaf out of the Trump playbook calling Albanese weak. Yet, Netanyahu is so weak he delays an election by prolonging his war with Hamas, knowing full well he will probably lose any election and will face criminal changes once out of office. He is fighting a forever war to keep himself in power and out of prison. That is real weakness. Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove Netanyahus claim that Albanese is abandoning Australian Jews couldnt be more wrong: they are our kin, they are our family, we will protect them with our lives as Australians have in the past, as well as anyone else who is persecuted for their religious beliefs. Australia is a nation of decent citizens who abhor self-praising speech from people who have lost their moral and compassionate compass. Vanna Gallassi, Marsfield More than 100 nations have condemned the Netanyahu government for its actions in Gaza. There are Jews in most of these countries, yet I havent heard Netanyahu saying those leaders have abandoned the Jews. Does he think Albanese is a soft target, or that his spray will intimidate the others into capitulation? Its not an intelligent way of keeping people on his side and thats what Netanyahu desperately needs right now. David Gordon, Cranebrook Advertisement The Coalition sticks by Netanyahu like a barnacle to a ship. It wants Australia to maintain our strong relationship with Israel. In 2021, the total trade with Israel was $1.34 billion, with Australian exports at $325 million and imports from Israel at $1.02 billion. Their importance to us is negligible. It is all fluster and bluster by conservative politicians. And just to add to the hysterics, millions of Jewish people around the world want a two-state solution. Are they being antisemitic? John Rome, Mt Lawley (WA) It appears that in recognising Palestine, Albanese may have done more potential harm to our relationship with Israel and the US than Scott Morrison did with China. Risking his renewed political capital on a Morrison moment so early in his new term will ultimately define it, for better or for worse. William S Lloyd, Denistone Why the big fuss over a war criminal calling Albanese names? Good on the prime minister for ignoring this hysterical bully. Rob Mills, Riverview If someone as morally bankrupt as Benjamin Netanyahu condemns your actions, you can reasonably assume those actions were probably the correct ones. Carl Boyd, Cooks Hill If Albo even felt the need to respond to a certain comment about him, Netanyahu is an anagram for Aunt Hyena. Just saying. Barry Ffrench, Cronulla If the government thinks its doing such a good job making Jewish Australians feel safe, why are Jewish schools, synagogues, aged care centres and other institutions kept behind high fences and patrolled by armed guards? What other schools, mosques, churches or aged care centres require this level of security in Australia? What punishments have been dealt out to the perpetrators of the high number of recent antisemitic attacks weve seen? Margaret Perlman, Randwick Advertisement Wasted opportunity The parlous state of the Australian economy for which the roundtable is desperately seeking answers largely comes down to one incident the Tampa crisis in 2001 which made border security a key election issue and, with its associated lies and misinformation, led to John Howards victory. Labors Kim Beazley was set to win and would have been the prime minister the country so badly needed. Beazley was a believer in the smart country and Australia becoming a highly skilled research and development-based modern economy. Instead, we got Howard gutting medical training, undermining our medical system, particularly rurally, and handing the benefits of the mining boom to the already well-off. Imagine what a Beazley government could have done with that mining boom in advancing this country. Lou Collier, Mapleton (Qld) Correspondent Mark Wills, who suggests the roundtable should consider removing the diesel fuel rebate scheme, has not fully considered its merits (Letters, August 20). The off-road rebate not only applies to miners, but also to primary producers. If all rebates were removed for miners, fishers and farmers, imagine the price of meat, vegetables, fish and fruit at the supermarket. They would all increase dramatically. Also, the often remote location of these industries dictates that diesel is currently the only viable option to power these sectors. Removing the subsidy would certainly guarantee a higher price for all produce at the point of sale, minerals included. Solar and wind are not yet fully viable alternatives. David Sayers, Gwandalan Peter Nash suggests three more things that should be discussed at the summit (Letters, August 20). Here is another. With so many demands on our health system and with more coming from people who are retired like me, isnt it time we made some contribution to the health system from our tax-free superannuation? Might I suggest a flat tax of say $200 a year from everyone over a certain level of tax-free income, which should go straight into the health system. This justifies the heavy use of the health system by the aged who might have an advantage in the tax structure. Ken Pares, Forster Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Treasury secretary Jenny Wilkinson at the economic roundtable. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer The Manly cafe, like any cafe struggling to turn a profit, now has Northern Beaches Council trying to restrict their trade for the benefit of a few while ignoring the huge boost to public amenity that such active outlets provide (Popular bakery fights a Sydney council over outdoor seating, August 20). This regulation over-reach by local government ought to be front and centre of the Productivity Commissions agenda. Its the organic, less-regulated nature of such precincts that make them so appealing here in the back lanes of Manly, and indeed in any of our favourite cities around the world. Hands off, council. Paul Johnson, Avalon Beach Advertisement Its a sad fact that the profits versus productivity tug-of-war inevitably ends up in debating the necessary level of regulation (Go ahead, cut red tape if you must, August 20). Ross Gittins correctly identifies the overlap between the three levels of government as the source of much over-regulation. Any regulator needs to ask questions such as: What is the problem? Is regulation required to minimise it? Is someone else already regulating it? Is there another (fairer, simpler, quicker) way to improve things while still adequately protecting the community? Unfortunately, history shows us that while the vast majority of populations, enterprises and individuals behave responsibly and ethically, we need protection from the few that dont. One of the main problems with any regulatory regime is the difficulty in enforcing it, so the golden rule should be only to set rules you can apply and monitor sufficiently for them to be effective. Jenifer Nicholls, Windsor (Vic) Thank you, Ross Gittins, for highlighting another thing that should be discussed at the round table resources tax (PM cries poor as gas riches go untaxed, August 13). Billions of dollars of finite sovereign resources are given to foreign gas giants free no tax is paid. Then Aussies are charged usurious prices for the same gas in the form of imports. To add insult to injury, our PM continues the practice of giving $11 billion in utterly undeserved taxpayer subsidies to resources companies. These contracts are a gross betrayal of Aussie taxpayers. They should be ripped up immediately and a new and fairer deal struck. Sadly, I confidently predict that our PMs talkfest this week will not discuss this important issue. It would appear he lacks the spine to go up against those who fight back. Dave Panichi, Marrickville Boys will be boys Having met genuinely autistic children, one would recognise another straight away (Seven in 10 new people joining NDIS for autism, August 20). The fact so many ordinary Australian children are suddenly being recognised as such would indicate an over-diagnosis by specialists and others, perhaps keen to boost their profession and earnings. Unruly and noisy behaviour is typical of many young boys and is just a phase, but they are being drugged out by anxious parents with the help of doctors. Donald Hawes, Peel There seems to be much angst about the NDIS becoming a de facto support system for struggling children in Australia. Shouldnt we be rather asking why there seems to be a meteoric rise in the number of autism diagnoses each year? If the diagnoses are accurate, then we must find out whether its a genetic issue or something in our environment chemical pollution perhaps or both. Psychologists are either wrong, or autism is indeed growing more common. Whatever the circumstance, our focus should be on the children. Even if the money doesnt come out of the NDIS, funds still have to be provided under a support budget for children. We already have a low birth rate in this country. Given that we have to look after the children, this is a problem that should not just be seen as a short-term budgetary burden. Kim Woo, Mascot Zelenskys last laugh Michael Koziols reference to Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenksy escaping another [Trump] dressing down both by dressing up and joking about it with a reporter (You look fabulous in that suit, August 19) shows that first impressions matter and that flattery may get you somewhere. Perhaps what ultimately promotes dialogue between leaders is respect, which can be helped by humour. The variously attributed quote never trust a person who never laughs may have a grain of truth in it. Perhaps Putin should take note. Paul Casey, Callala Bay Advertisement President Donald Trump, left, greets Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives at the White House. Credit: AP High-risk strategy Gaming Minister David Harris uses a selective survey which stated that less than 1 per cent of the population experience high-risk gambling harm to justify doing nothing to address an addiction that is continuing to cause great social harm in our society (Gambling counsellors despair as vital funding to be stopped, August 20). John Cotterill, Kingsford Privatise and lose If CSL was still a government-owned company with no profit or share price to worry about, Trumps tariffs wouldnt matter and the Australian public would be the winners in terms of affordable pharmaceuticals (Trumps tariffs and anti-vaxxer clash with Australias $130b health giant, August 19). What is it about socialism that wage earners with no share portfolios find so scary at election time? So-called aspirationals are largely dreamers and, in the real world, often losers. Alynn Pratt, Grenfell Advertisement Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun expressed frustration the councils former chief executive John Ajaka had not handled the budget to his liking months before the bureaucrat was sacked, an inquiry has heard. The public inquiry into alleged dysfunction and maladministration at Liverpool City Council heard the once-friendly relationship between Mannoun and Ajaka, a former Liberal MP, had soured in the lead-up to a fiery meeting last April during which Ajaka told Mannoun to shut the f--- up. Chief executive John Ajaka (right) was dismissed after a bitter falling out with Mayor Ned Mannoun (left). Credit: Dion Georgopolous, Geoff Jones Ajaka, the councils 10th permanent or acting CEO in eight years, was stood down a week later, pending an external investigation into his behaviour at that meeting. A mayoral minute to terminate Ajakas contract passed with the mayors casting vote at a council meeting on May 29. Mannouns former executive assistant Lauren Myers on Wednesday recalled a conversation she had with the mayor last February or March when she had asked him what he was doing with John. A 12-year-old girl accused of stabbing her foster carer and stealing a vehicle to visit an equine therapy centre will undergo a mental health assessment as part of a bail application. Emergency services were called on Sunday to Augustine Heights at Ipswich, west of Brisbane, where a 55-year-old woman was found with a stab wound to her chest. Police said a 12-year-old-girl who resided with the victim was charged with attempted murder and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. Police attended the Bradman Street address around 10am on Friday in relation to a welfare check. The woman was transported to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a serious but stable condition. A woman in her 30s is assisting police with their inquiries after a baby boy was found dead in a stormwater drain in Alexander Heights on Monday, and is receiving appropriate care and support. WA Police released a statement on Wednesday evening after making a public plea for the woman to come forward this week. Officers were called to La Salle Road about 1pm to reports the childs body had been found by two workmen. On Tuesday, police confirmed the baby was a newborn boy who had been in the drain for several days. Benjamin Netanyahus personal attack on Anthony Albanese as weak marks a new low in Australia-Israel relations. Relations between the two nations, which have been historic allies since the establishment of Israel after World War II, have been deteriorating for more than a year. Following the brutal attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel had enormous sympathy from the international community. The horrific images of people being attacked, kidnapped and killed drew widespread condemnation. But Israels unrelenting, scorched-earth approach to Gaza since then has done enormous damage to that global goodwill, and contributed directly to Albaneses decision to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations next month. Konrad Morgen, with the face of a gray-haired office worker or a high school nerd, who did not immediately appear intimidating even when squeezed into his SS uniform, bears no physical resemblance to the tough fictional detective Bernie Gunther, created by the late writer Philip Kerr, who also investigated crimes from within the police system of the Third Reich. But that man with the bottle-bottom glasses and the air of a bland bureaucrat was someone real. A judge and SS policeman who lived an extremely dangerous life acting against his own comrades on the razors edge of the perverse Nazi judicial system and using what remained of the law in the corrupt and amoral Hitlerian universe to investigate and bring to justice a whopping 200 members of the organization. Morgens list includes high-ranking officials and even concentration camp commandants, the elite of the SS, of whom he personally arrested five, two of whom were executed. He acted against such lethal figures as Oskar Dirlewanger, leader of the most brutal and degenerate brigade of combatants in the Waffen-SS; Karl-Otto Koch, commandant of Buchenwald (he also arrested his wife, Ilse Koch, notorious for her cruelty and lasciviousness); Colonel Hermann Fegelein, Hitlers future brother-in-law, or Amon Goth, commandant of the Krakow-Plaszow camp, portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in Schindlers List. He even dared to put Adolf Eichmann, the architect of the Final Solution, under his microscope and went to Auschwitz to investigate corruption and murders (at Auschwitz!), confronting its exasperated commandant Rudolph Hoss, who could not understand the point of a police investigation in the midst of the greatest crime committed in the history of humanity. Morgen (Frankfurt, 1909-1982) managed to deliver justice or at least a little of it in a world where justice seemed impossible. How he did it, somewhat like The Untouchables and Al Capone, is one of the most extraordinary stories of the Nazi era and World War II. A recent biography of Konrad Morgen, Hitlers Crime Fighter (Biteback Publishing, 2024), by the British historian David Lee, analyses the figure of the unusual judge and SS police official and, without avoiding the controversial aspects of his career and personality (which have predominated in other examinations of the character), opts for a favourable verdict, considering that his role as a true SS cog concealed a genuine moral indignation at the Holocaust and even an attempt, to the extent possible, to put a spoke in the wheels of that atrocity. Konrad Morgen, in SS uniform. Fritz Bauer Institut Praised by scholars such as historian Helen Fry, the book delves into Morgens surprising career he miraculously survived his dangerous work and the Second World War and exposes the reader to the mind-boggling string of 800 cases opened due to his tenacity within the SS against its own members. It is difficult to explain how, within the Third Reich, in an eminently criminal state, it was possible to investigate and prosecute (and even condemn to death: Karl Koch was shot) people who were part of the regimes own repressive and murderous apparatus. But Morgen took advantage of the legal loopholes remaining in Hitlers Germany, where two legal systems overlapped: the mainstream, customary in all civilized countries, and Nazi laws. Morgen couldnt investigate and prosecute members of the SS for the genocide they were perpetrating, but he could, paradoxically, do so for corruption or for illegal killings (that is, outside of orders issued by the Reich leadership, especially Heinrich Himmler and ultimately Hitler). Its almost laughable (the black, sardonic laugh of a Bernie Gunther) to imagine the expression on the face of an SS officer whom Morgen called to testify for an unjustified murder while he was working flat out in the Majdanek extermination camp, where 360,000 people were killed, an average of 250 a day for four years. This stupefaction is perceptible throughout all the investigations and cases carried out by the SS investigator. The accused are incredulous: so, we can kill hundreds of thousands of people in a thousand horrendous ways, but not that one? Can we steal like crazy all over Europe and strip the victims of even their gold teeth, even though we cant keep anything for ourselves? In Himmlers insane logic, Lee recalls, quoting Peter Longerich, the great biographer of the Nazi leader, the SS had to act decently, even in crime. And, of course, all the profit derived from the persecution and murder of the Reichs enemies had to go, without exception, to the state coffers (and the SS treasury). Himmler didnt want to be robbed, of course, what villainy. Thats what Morgen was clinging to, acting on the direct orders of the Reichsfuhrer-SS to pursue SS members who flouted the organizations rules and code of honor. One of the problems Morgen a thorn in the side of the SS faced was that his prosecution witnesses quickly disappeared. Himmler forced him to desist several times, as in the case of the Eichmann investigation over some stolen diamonds: he could not be stopped since he was carrying out, he was told, a secret task of the utmost importance to the Fuhrer. German civilians confront the atrocities committed by the Nazis at the Buchenwald concentration camp after being transported there by the U.S. military police. Keystone (getty) It is debatable (and some scholars have questioned his motives) what ultimately guided Konrad Morgen, an SS officer (he held the rank of Sturmbannfuhrer, or major), a member of the party since 1933, and a man completely enmeshed in the Nazi police and judicial mechanisms. He has been painted as a crusader of Himmlers extravagant morality and was even accused of having assisted in a medical experiment using poison on Russian prisoners of war. What is indisputable is that he risked his neck by confronting powerful and extremely dangerous senior officials in the organization his main nemesis was Oswald Pohl, head of the SS economic and administrative department and even by provoking the anxieties of truly diabolical figures who were beyond his real punitive capacity. Several times he was stopped in his tracks ultimately the regime could not do without its best assassins and on one occasion, in 1942, he was even stripped of his rank and sent to fight on the Eastern Front as a private in a very tough Waffen-SS combat unit with a very high casualty rate (the SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Germania, part of the Viking Division), a way of getting rid of the annoying, nosy, pain-in-the-ass bureaucrat. Surprisingly, Morgen (a character who is crying out for a film) returned from the front line in May 1943 Himmler had called him back for another job, investigating corruption at Buchenwald: his career is very reminiscent of that of Kerrs detective not only alive but as a soldier who performed to the best of his ability and even received the Infantry Assault Badge. SS officers Richard Baer, Josef Mengele and Rudolf Hoss socialize at Auschwitz. Universal History Archive (Getty) Morgens fascinating career in the SS judicial section, which Lee follows meticulously case by case among the most mind-boggling is that of the Buchenwald doctor Waldemar Hoven allows us to observe the unique twists and turns of police action and justice in the Third Reich. The real-life doppelganger of Bernie Gunther, Kerrs detective, of whose novels David Lee professes to be a devoted admirer, faced similar moral challenges, even having the same superiors, such as Arthur Nebe, who saw no contradiction in being a senior detective in the criminal police (Kripo) and commander of an extermination group, Einsatzgruppe B, with 45,000 deaths to his name. After the war, Morgen, who was denazified in 1948, continued his work in the field of justice and testified as a witness in various trials against Nazi criminals, including those at Nuremberg. His research allowed Morgen to witness Nazi atrocities firsthand, such as the tour organized for him of the extermination machinery at Birkenau or the results of the massacre of Jews during Operation Harvest Festival, Aktion Erntefest, in Lublin in 1943, while he was investigating Christian Wirth, head of the death camps in Poland. His personal life was marked by his affair with a woman, Maria Wachter, whom the SS refused to allow him to marry because she opposed the regime, and whom he married after the war. David Lee points out that Morgen, who described himself as a Gerechtigkeitsfanatiker (a fanatic for justice), would not have seemed as attractive a figure as Bernie Gunther: he lacked his cynical Berlin sense of humor and existentialism, and his turbulent love life; he was deeply rooted in traditional German values and had a strong sense of honor. But both the real and the fictional police officer put their detective talents at the service of the most terrible employers imaginable, and had the audacity and courage to break their rules. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition London: When the police entered Jacob Powers bedroom in the sleepy English village of Hamstead Marshall, they found a notebook with the words KILL LIST scrawled on the cover. Inside, Power had written out his extensive plan to become a serial killer. In the woods behind his house, where he lived with his mother and stepfather, he had dug two graves, and he stockpiled equipment in his home for a kill room, inspired by the television show Dexter, which graphically depicted a serial killers life. He had bought knives, restraints and body bags. The cast of the television series Dexter, with Michael C. Hall as the serial-killing main character. The chilling details of Powers plans were laid out by prosecutors at his two-week trial this month in Reading, 65 kilometres west of London, in a case that has illustrated a gap in British laws for prosecuting people who plan multiple killings without a terrorist motive. Prosecutors had initially charged Power with attempted murder, but decided in the end they could only pursue charges of burglary and property damage under current law. 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 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese found himself standing precipitously in the path of a potentially disastrous international storm blasting in from Israel overnight when his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu called him a weak apologist for Hamas. In a blistering letter sent in response to Australias recognition of a Palestinian state and a diplomatic tit-for-tat visa row, the conservative Israeli leader did not hold back. History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews, Netanyahu wrote. Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire, the letter reads. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace Australian Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets. Loading It doesnt get much more personal or damning than that, and there was a collective holding of breath as the nation waited to see how the Australian leader would respond as Australian-Israeli relations hit a new low. When he broke his silence about noon, Albanese was measured in tone. Speaking from South Australia, he said he treated foreign leaders with respect and didnt take the description of him as weak personally. PHILIPSBURG:--- The ongoing discussions surrounding GEBE tariffs and the fuel clause have become a central topic of public and political discourse in St. Maarten. Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunications (TEATT), Grisha Heyliger-Marten, in response to her Ministrys involvement in controlling cost of fuel sold to NV GEBE, said her ministry's involvement and the collaborative efforts being undertaken to address the situation. GEBE Tariffs and the Role of the Ministry of TEATT Minister Heyliger-Marten acknowledged the widespread attention that GEBE, the island's utility company, has garnered in recent months. She emphasized that her ministry plays a critical role in regulating price controls and rates related to GEBE. This includes oversight of the fuel clause, which directly impacts the cost of electricity for consumers. The Minister explained that the Bureau of Telecommunications and Post (BTP) conducted a comprehensive breakdown of the fuel clause, which has been submitted to GEBE for review. This analysis is a key step in understanding the cost structure and ensuring transparency in the pricing mechanism. However, the process is ongoing, with discussions continuing between various stakeholders, including the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI). "Price control and price rates related to GEBE do fall under the Ministry of TEATT," Minister Heyliger-Marten stated. "I am most definitely working in collaboration with the Prime Minister and other ministers to address these issues." The Investigation and Public Concerns When asked about the ongoing investigation into GEBE, Minister Heyliger-Marten clarified that it falls outside her purview to announce or decide on legal actions. She noted that the Justice Department is responsible for determining the next steps based on the findings of the investigation. While the details remain under review, the Minister encouraged the public to stay informed through the available reports. The GEBE saga has sparked widespread debate, with many questioning the transparency and accountability of the utility company's operations. Minister Heyliger-Marten's comments reflect the government's commitment to addressing these concerns through a collaborative and multi-ministerial approach. Collaboration and Next Steps The Minister highlighted the importance of collaboration among government entities to resolve the issues surrounding GEBE. A meeting in Parliament, scheduled for the following day, is expected to provide further clarity on the matter. The Prime Minister is anticipated to deliver a comprehensive update, including the outcomes of ongoing discussions and the proposed way forward. Minister Heyliger-Marten's proactive involvement underscores the Ministry of TEATT's dedication to ensuring fair and transparent pricing for consumers. By working closely with other government officials and agencies, the Ministry aims to address the challenges facing GEBE and restore public confidence in the utility provider. Broader Implications The GEBE situation serves as a reminder of the critical role that government oversight plays in regulating essential services. As discussions continue, the public will be looking to the government for decisive action and clear communication. Minister Heyliger-Marten's commitment to collaboration and transparency is a step in the right direction, but the road ahead will require sustained effort and accountability from all parties involved. In conclusion, the GEBE saga remains a complex issue with far-reaching implications for St. Maarten's residents and businesses. As the government works to address these challenges, the public can expect further updates and, hopefully, tangible solutions in the near future. Press Release from Business Wire: Kioxia Corporation (AFP) Aug 20, 2025 TOKYO, Aug 20, 2025 (BSW) - Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, has successfully developed a prototype of a large-capacity, high-bandwidth flash memory module essential for large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) models. This achievement was made within the "Post-5G Information and Communication Systems Infrastructure Enhancement R&D Project (JPNP20017)" commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan's national research and development agency. This memory module features a large capacity of five terabytes (TB) and a high bandwidth of 64 gigabytes per second (GB/s). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250819038375/en/ Flash Memory Module and a Use Case To address the trade-off between capacity and bandwidth that has been a challenge with DRAM-based conventional memory modules, Kioxia has developed a new module configuration utilizing daisy-chained connections with beads of flash memories. We have also developed high-speed transceiver technology enabling bandwidths of 128 gigabits per second (Gbps), along with techniques to enhance flash memory performance. These innovations have been effectively applied to both memory controllers and memory modules. The practical application of this memory module is expected to accelerate digital transformation by enabling the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data analysis, and advanced AI processing in post-5G/6G Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) servers and other applications. 1. Background In the post-5G/6G era, wireless networks are expected to achieve higher speeds, lower latency, and the ability to connect more devices simultaneously. However, transmitting data to remote cloud servers for processing increases latency across the entire network, including wired networks, making real-time applications difficult. For this reason, there is a need for the widespread adoption of MEC servers that process data closer to users, which is expected to drive digital transformation across a variety of industries. Furthermore, the demand for advanced AI applications, such as generative AI, has been rising in recent years. Alongside the performance improvements of MEC servers, memory modules are also required to have even larger capacity and higher bandwidth. Against this background, Kioxia has focused on enhancing the capacity and bandwidth of memory modules using flash memory for this project. The company has succeeded in developing a prototype memory module with a capacity of 5 TB and a bandwidth of 64 GB/s, and has verified its operability. 2. Achievements of This Project 2.1 Adoption of Daisy-Chain Connections To achieve both large-capacity and high-bandwidth memory modules, Kioxia has adopted a daisy-chain connection with beads of controllers connected to each memory board instead of a bus connection. As a result, the bandwidth is not degraded even when the number of flash memories is increased, and a large capacity beyond the conventional limit is achieved. 2.2 128 Gbps PAM41 High-speed, Low-power Transceiver High-speed differential serial signaling is applied to daisy-chain connections between memory controllers instead of parallel signaling to reduce the number of connections, and PAM4 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation with 4 Levels) is utilized to achieve higher bandwidth of 128 Gbps with low-power consumption. 2.3 Technologies Boosting Flash Memory Performance To shorten the read latency of flash memory in memory modules, Kioxia has developed flash prefetch technology, which minimizes the latency by pre-fetching data during sequential accesses, and implemented this in the controller. In addition, memory bandwidth has been increased to 4.0 Gbps by applying low amplitude signaling and distortion correction/suppression technology to the interface between the memory controller and flash memory. 2.4 Memory Controller and Memory Module Prototyping By implementing 128 Gbps PAM4 high-speed, low-power transceivers and technologies boosting flash memory performance, Kioxia has prototyped a memory controller and memory module that uses PCIe(R) 6.0 (64 Gbps, 8 lanes) as the host interface to the server. The prototyped memory module demonstrated that a capacity of 5TB and a bandwidth of 64GB/s can be realized with less than 40 watts of power consumption. 3. Future Plans In addition to IoT and big data analysis and advanced AI processing at the edge, Kioxia is promoting the early commercialization and practical implementation of the findings from this research, exploiting new market trends such as generative AI. 1 PAM4 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation with 4 Levels): data transmission technique using four voltage levels representing two-bit data. * PCIe is a registered trademark of PCI-SIG. * Company names, product names and service names may be trademarks of third-party companies. * This announcement has been prepared to provide information on our business and does not constitute or form part of an offer or invitation to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for or otherwise acquire any securities in any jurisdiction or an inducement to engage in investment activity nor shall it form the basis of or be relied on in connection with any contract thereof. * Information in this document, including product prices and specifications, content of services and contact information, is correct on the date of the announcement but is subject to change without prior notice. About Kioxia Kioxia is a world leader in memory solutions, dedicated to the development, production and sale of flash memory and solid-state drives (SSDs). In April 2017, its predecessor Toshiba Memory was spun off from Toshiba Corporation, the company that invented NAND flash memory in 1987. Kioxia is committed to uplifting the world with "memory" by offering products, services and systems that create choice for customers and memory-based value for society. Kioxia's innovative 3D flash memory technology, BiCS FLASH?, is shaping the future of storage in high-density applications, including advanced smartphones, PCs, automotive systems, data centers and generative AI systems. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250819038375/en/ Contact Kota Yamaji Public Relations Kioxia Corporation +81-3-6478-2319 [email protected] 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. A study published in Nature in 2024 identified six depression biotypes based on the brain dynamics of more than 800 patients. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showed, for example, that some reported cognitive overactivity, while others showed a pattern of poor performance in the neuronal circuitry that controls attention. In their therapeutic correlates, the former responded better to certain types of antidepressants, and among the latter, psychotherapy did not seem to work too well. In another group of patients, hyperconnectivity of brain circuits and high benefit from behavioral interventions were the norm. The other three biotypes also presented their own neurological characteristics and different levels of therapeutic response. Martien Kas, a Dutch researcher and president of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, cites this study to illustrate how much technology can help refine psychiatric diagnoses. This is a field of medicine in which unlike other specialties patient diagnosis is still carried out almost exclusively on the basis of highly subjective information: what the patient says is happening to them (their symptoms) and what the doctor interprets based on this account. Kas sums up his optimism: There is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of emerging knowledge about the brain to use this quantitative information to make better diagnoses. He alludes to a pioneering analysis published in 2016 in the American Journal of Psychiatry that, using a wide range of brain markers, classified three biotypes for people suffering from psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. The authors acknowledged their aim to go beyond guided by objectivity the heavy reliance on the DSM manual (the bible of psychiatric diagnosis) when it comes to labeling the suffering of people with mental health issues. The DSM, in its fifth edition (updated in 2022), lays out an overwhelming catalog of nearly 300 disorders with symptoms that, according to some critics, are vague and tend to overlap. Better differentiating pathologies that sometimes co-occur in similar emotions and thoughts is one of the main goals of Kamilla Miskowiak, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, who is applying virtual reality tools to obtain more accurate assessments. According to a review published in The BMJ in 2024, the false positive rate for depression could be higher than 60%, bipolar disorders are often confused with psychosis, and schizophrenia diagnoses change, over the medium term, for a range of 30-50% of patients. In a recent pilot study published in European Neuropsychopharmacology, Miskowiak and colleagues measured skin conductance in response to immersive virtual reality scenarios (a crowded elevator, a crying baby) in 100 patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder (BPD). Differences in this biomarker considered by Miskowiak highly effective for assessing individual agitation were notable among the three groups. According to Miskowiak, virtual reality is a very promising technology for more accurate diagnosis. This is due to its low cost and because, in disorders like BPD, the person does not usually cooperate with the doctor due to their difficulties with social interaction. In any case, Miskowiak admits that we are still far from being able to use it reliably in psychiatrists offices. An app that sees post-traumatic stress Some companies are already marketing technological products that are supposedly useful for narrowing down the sometimes vague nature of each disorder. Texas-based Senseye advertises on its website what it calls the worlds first diagnostic platform for objectively assessing mental health. Its methodology focuses on an individuals eye activity (gaze direction, pupil dilation, iris biomechanics) during specific visual tasks. For now, its cell phone application is only used to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the company, its product is at least as effective as the CAPS-5, the most widely used scale for determining whether someone has PTSD. Jessica Jackson, chair of the American Psychological Associations advisory committee on technology and mental health, is cautious, stating categorically that we are not yet capable of making better diagnoses thanks to technology. Jackson mentions promising tools that attempt to detect depressive traits in the voice using large language models the foundation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) although for now she considers these and similar initiatives to fall into the realm of guesswork. Martien Kas admits that we still do not fully understand the underlying mechanisms in psychiatry and that we do not fully know what, how, and when to measure, although progress has accelerated in recent times. Jackson adds that mental disorders often involve a series of environmental and biological causes that are difficult to decipher, with relational complexity adding another hurdle for accurate diagnosis. Furthermore, she points out, there are cultural factors whose ignorance can mislead even the best psychiatrist: For example, anger as a symptom of depression among the Black community in the U.S. The arrival of generative AI For Kas, it is precisely in this murky mix of factors, in the bilateral interaction between the brain and the environment, the understanding of which requires collecting a large amount of multimodal data, that AI can shed the most light. A review published in Nature in 2022 found highly variable accuracy (21% to 100%) in AI models that integrate all kinds of information (neuroimaging results, psychological evaluations, etc.) to decide whether someone has disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or bipolar disorder. Another review published last February in Cambridge University Press observed that AI-based mental health diagnoses often rely on random trees, a learning algorithm that uses a weighted analysis of a data amalgamation to better understand the forest (the specific pathology). The study, in which Spanish researcher Pablo Cruz participated, also concluded that AI has the potential to improve psychiatric practice both predictively (by alerting people to risk factors that lead to early intervention) and by more accurately suggesting therapeutic alternatives. Cruz remains cautious: We are [in applying AI in psychiatry] at an early stage, although the situation could change enormously in 10 or 15 years. He adds that AI or technology as a whole does not necessarily need to fully replace the clinical eye of doctors, but can simply help increase the likelihood of correct diagnosis and ensure it is not a one-shot game. Jessica Jackson also predicts that, in the future, technological tools will carry at least as much weight as a doctors subjective judgment, especially in severe illnesses like schizophrenia (where there is greater potential to isolate specific biomarkers) and less so in more common, milder disorders such as anxiety. As Kas notes, anxiety (or its close relative, fear) serves an evolutionary function that complicates distinguishing pathology from life itself even when using the most sophisticated technology. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The plan for the Israeli occupation of Gaza City has begun. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed Wednesday morning the approval of the military project to occupy the largest municipality in the occupied Palestinian territories, where nearly one million people live in poverty. Hours later, military spokesman Effie Defrin confirmed that the first steps are already being taken. We have begun preliminary operations and the first phases of the attack on Gaza City. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) already control the outskirts of the city, Defrin said. A few minutes earlier Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to whom the army planned to present its plans for the takeover of Gaza City on Thursday, called in a statement for a shortening of the timetable for seizing control of the last terrorist strongholds and the defeat of Hamas, creating a greater sense of urgency. Several political leaders have argued in recent days that this will be the definitive operation to bring about the collapse of the Palestinian militia, despite the fact that the IDFs commander-in-chief opposed it days ago on the grounds that it puts the lives of Israeli hostages at risk. Katz gave the green light to the plan proposed by the military leadership during a meeting on Tuesday attended by the head of the Israeli army, Eyal Zamir who was tasked with designing the offensive and other senior military and intelligence officials. During that meeting, the leaders also approved the call-up of 60,000 reservists who are to enlist on September 2 to carry out the invasion of Gaza City. It is estimated that the total number of reserve soldiers who will be mobilized in the coming months to reinforce the Israeli army not only to be deployed in Gaza, but also to swell the ranks of the troops coinciding with that operation will reach 130,000. Israeli leaders hope to empty Gaza City and push its population southward before October 7, a symbolic date as it will mark two years since the Hamas-led massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel. From that point on, the Israeli plan is to surround the municipality and launch an offensive against Hamas in the area. Currently, around one million people are surviving amid the rubble in Gaza City, according to estimates by the United Nations and other international organizations. This population is hungry and weakened after 22 months in which the Israeli government has subjected the entire enclave to a military offensive and the blockade of basic supplies. Humanitarian organizations and the UN have warned that the new offensive will have catastrophic consequences for the civilian population: not only because it will lead to more deaths in the last two years, Israel has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians in the Strip but also because it will encourage the separation of families and vulnerable people amid a chaotic exodus, distancing them from the few public services that remain intact. Israel is continuing with its plans to occupy Gaza City despite Hamas acceptance on Monday of a truce proposal. The government of Qatar one of the mediating countries in this phase of the conflict, along with Egypt noted that the proposal accepted by the Palestinian party-militia is almost identical to one that Israel had already approved weeks ago, but Netanyahus administration has not yet clarified whether it will sign it. Senior Israeli officials have assured the press that the government is studying the text. In any case, the fact that Israeli officials are devoting their time to working on plans that run counter to a ceasefire dampens the prospects for a positive response. The invasion of Gaza City also worries the families of Israeli hostages who remain in the hands of Hamas. Almost simultaneously with Katzs announcement, the Forum of Families of the Captives and Missing issued a statement of condemnation: Approving plans to occupy Gaza [City] when there is a proposal [for a truce] on the table for Netanyahu to approve... is a stab in the heart of the families, the text reads. The plan that should have been approved yesterday [Tuesday night] is the return of every captive. The Forum is demanding a meeting with the defense minister and the army chief to give them assurances that their loved ones will not be in danger as Israeli troops advance. The chief of staff is in a complicated situation: according to various Israeli media outlets, he has opposed the launch of the invasion in several meetings because he believes it puts the lives of captives that Hamas may be hiding in the area at risk. But the war cabinet led by Netanyahu is moving forward with the operation. An Israeli tank maneuvers on the Israeli side of the border with Gaza, August 20. Amir Cohen (REUTERS) Pressure in favor of war The continuation of the war comes amid calls from various ministers in Netanyahus government for the offensive to continue in order to keep the executive afloat. The latest to express this view was Orit Strook, Minister of Settlements and National Missions, who warned on Wednesday that her political party, Religious Zionism, would probably leave the coalition if the government took measures it did not like. A right-wing government that implements left-wing policies has no right to exist, Strook said. Although the plan to occupy Gaza City has not received final approval from the security cabinet, the Israeli press claims, citing anonymous sources, that the army is already beginning preparations for the offensive against the perimeter of Gaza City, especially in the Zeitoun neighborhood. This assessment fits with reports of the Gazan population fleeing the neighborhood for more than a week amid shelling. The Euro Med monitoring group recorded the start of these operations on August 11 and counted the exodus of tens of thousands of people and the demolition of 400 buildings, including private residences, during the first six days. According to Israeli representatives, Tuesdays meeting between defense leaders addressed how to prepare the southern Gaza Strip for the arrival of those who will be expelled from Gaza City. These efforts would allegedly include field hospitals. The Israeli leaders present at that meeting named the operation to take Gaza Gideons Chariots B. In May, the same leaders approved an operation called Gideons Chariots with the aim of controlling 75% of Gazas territory, which they hoped would be decisive in subduing Hamas and securing the release of captives. That did not happen. Months later, Israeli analysts warn that applying the same strategy now will not yield different results. The Israeli army believes that Hamas has two brigades remaining in Gaza City. Israel reiterates that it wants total victory over the Islamist militia, but has not defined what that victory would entail. Since the beginning of the conflict, multiple reports suggest that Hamas and other Palestinian militias have been able to recruit new fighters. In May 2025, the Israeli army estimated that Hamas had about 40,000 fighters, a figure similar to what it had before the conflict. Gaza City, the main population center in the Strip, had 650,000 inhabitants in 2021, according to figures from the Palestinian authorities. However, the military offensive launched by Israel on Gaza in October 2023 has caused successive forced displacements of thousands of people throughout the enclave over the past two years, making it very difficult to know how many people remain in Gaza City at this time. Even so, estimates from various international organizations suggest that the current population is close to one million. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Pope Leo XIV is preparing for his first international journey as head of the Roman Catholic Church, with a visit to Lebanon expected by December, Azernews reports, citing statements from Cardinal Bechara Rai. While the exact date of the trip has not yet been finalized, Cardinal Rai confirmed that "preparations are already underway." The visit would mark a significant moment in Pope Leo's papacy, underscoring the Vatican's focus on engaging with the Middle East during a time of regional and religious complexity. A Vatican official also confirmed that the trip is in the planning stages and may include an additional stop in Turkey. Pope Leo has previously expressed his desire to visit Turkey this year to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, which convened in 325 AD and laid foundational doctrines of Christian theology. The commemoration is expected to take place near Lake Iznik, the historical site of the council. The potential dual-nation visit would be rich in both spiritual and geopolitical significance, highlighting the Popes commitment to interfaith dialogue and historical continuity within the Christian tradition. The Equal Earth projection, recommended by the Correct The Map campaign to replace the classic Mercator projection, corrects the distortions that make countries appear larger or smaller the farther they are from the Equator and closer to the poles. A map is not just a technical tool, but a symbol, and symbols matter. For us, correcting the map also means correcting the global narrative about Africa, says Fara Ndiaye, co-founder and deputy executive director of Speak Up Africa, one of the organizations behind Correct the Map. The African Union (AU) has just endorsed this initiative, which seeks to force governments, international organizations, and educational organizations to stop using the Mercator world map in favor of one that more accurately shows the size of Africa, which is minimized in the classic projection. It might seem to be just a map, but in reality, it is not, AU Commission deputy chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi told Reuters, saying the Mercator fostered the false impression that Africa was marginal, despite being the worlds second-largest continent by land area. Ndiaye believes this endorsement is a historic achievement that sends a powerful political message. Its the first time a pan-African institution has taken a clear position on the visual representation of Africa, he explains in a video call with EL PAIS, adding that this support transforms what was initially a cultural and civic demand into a continental policy aimed at the entire world. For Carlos Lopes, a professor at the University of Cape Town and a contributor to Africa No Filter, the other organization behind the initiative, AUs support is a sign that Africa refuses to remain a footnote in its own history. In an email exchange, the academic says that this isnt just a cartographic debate, but rather one about dignity, education, and even diplomacy. After all, if your house always appeared tiny on Google Maps, youd end up wanting it corrected, he adds. Although these criticisms of the Mercator map are not new, the campaign has reignited the debate at a moment of postcolonial rupture and reaffirmation of African identity. Lopes believes the persistence of these distortions has to do with the fact that, once a worldview takes root, it becomes very comfortable. However, he believes that maps are not innocent drawings, but rather shape how we see ourselves and others: If Africa appears smaller than it is [in relation to other continents], so does its weight in the imagination of citizens and decision-makers. Correcting the map is not vanity: it is reclaiming reality. Incorrect maps undermine the capacity for action In 1569, the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator decided that a new kind of map was needed for navigation. Because the Earth is spherical, if you drew a straight line on a map to travel, for example, from Seville to Cuba, you would end up off course, explains British historian Jerry Brotton, author of A History of the World in 12 Maps. His solution was a projection that inevitably creates distortion: the farther north or south you go, the greater the distortion. He wasnt deliberately minimizing the size of Africa, says Brotton, adding that Mercator designed it to aid eastwest navigation. When you look at polar regions like Siberia, northern Canada, or Greenland, they appear greatly magnified. I ask my students to compare the size of Greenland and Africa. In the Mercator projection, the two landmasses appear the same size. However, in reality, Greenland is 14 times smaller, explains cartographer Bernhard Jenny, a professor at Monash University and co-creator of the Equal Earth projection. This is the map weve primarily seen since the 16th century. But I think its important to note that it had a specific purpose, maritime navigation, not to represent the continents equally. The world has evolved enormously in recent centuries. And its important that we make sure we update the tools to reflect reality, Ndiaye explains. Lopes agrees: Children learn from these maps. They grow up thinking Africa is modest in size when, in reality, its gigantic: larger than the U.S., China, India, Japan, and much of Europe combined. Perception translates into confidence, and confidence into action. So yes, inaccurate maps undermine the capacity for action. We also know that this distortion has geopolitical consequences, as maps reinforce the perception of which regions are central and powerful and which are peripheral, adds Ndiaye. By adopting these fair representations in schools, the media, and international organizations outside of Africa, we contribute to breaking down these outdated hierarchies and promoting a more balanced world. The Mercator projection is still used in tech companies, institutions, and schools, though changes are gradually taking place. In 2018, Google Maps replaced it with a 3D globe on its desktop version, although users can switch back to Mercator if they prefer. The cell phone app still defaults to Mercator. Institutions such as NASA have used projections like Equal Earth for climate maps, and a World Bank spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that they now use Winkel-Tripel or Equal Earth for static maps, gradually phasing out Mercator on web maps. The campaign recommends the Equal Earth projection, created in 2018 by Bernhard Jenny, Tom Patterson, and Bojan Savric. We asked ourselves, How is it possible that people still seriously use that [Mercator] map projection for world maps? We decided we had to do something, Jenny recalls. With Equal Earth, its creators hope to offer an alternative to traditional projections and help people better understand how the continents are formed. A global debate on the representation of Africa The executive director of Speak Up Africa believes that whats at stake is not just a change in the proportions of the world map. Showing Africa in its true size reinforces pride and confidence among Africans, especially among the younger generation. And thats why I think its also important that the campaigns first audience be Africans, explains Ndiaye, adding that change must come from within the continent: When we know exactly who we are and what we stand for in the world, that will facilitate our relationships with others. However, she argues that correcting the map is not only an African issue; this more accurate construction of the world concerns everyone: When non-Africans grow up learning from distorted maps, they develop the mistaken perception that Africa is smaller and less significant than it really is. The campaign hopes that African Ministries of Education, especially following support from the African Union, will adopt the Equal Earth projection in school curricula. It also advocates for African and international media to use more accurate maps in their publications. The campaign wants to spark a global debate on how Africa is represented in education systems, narratives, and the collective imagination. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Notting Hill Carnival: Two stabbed and 423 arrests but 'less serious violence than previous years', police say More than 400 arrests but 'less violence' at Notting Hill Carnival The case for which former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe Velez, 73, was sentenced to 12 years in prison continues to shake the country. This past Monday, two magistrates from the Superior Court of Bogota annulled part of the ruling in which, two weeks earlier, a judge in the same city had determined that the founder of the Democratic Center political party was responsible for the crimes of bribery in judicial proceedings and procedural fraud. The magistrates found that Judge Sandra Heredia violated the right-wing leaders fundamental rights by ruling that he should serve his sentence without waiting for a second-instance review a decision that is normally reserved for exceptional cases. This supports the argument of Uribe, his lawyers, and his allies that the judge acted with political motivations. The lack of impartiality of Judge 44 and the lack of guarantees suffered by Alvaro Uribe in the process against him have been demonstrated, posted Uribes congressional ally Andres Forero, one of many public statements supporting this argument. Tuesdays decision, another first-instance ruling that can be appealed or even reviewed by the Constitutional Court, occurs in a context familiar to Colombians: the debate over a tutela action, a legal procedure intended to safeguard fundamental rights in cases where there is no other effective way to protect them. Uribes defense, led by criminal lawyer Jaime Granados, chose this fast, simple, and very popular route in 2024, more than 950,000 tutelas were filed to secure Uribes release. His team focused on challenging Heredias reasoning behind the argument that Uribe should begin serving his sentence prior to an appellate review one of the most controversial parts of the order arguing that it was so precarious that it should be lifted immediately while the court fully reviewed the tutela request. Magistrate Leonel Rogeles, in charge of processing the petition, initially denied the request. At this time, no irregularities are evident that are significant enough to establish a significant impact on fundamental rights, he wrote in an order that led to the former presidents preventive detention. Meanwhile, Uribes political base launched a two-pronged media and political campaign. On one hand, they accused Judge Heredia and the Colombian judiciary in general of being part of a lawfare strategy (instrumentalizing the justice system). The only explanation for a ruling against is that its due to lawfare, Granados told this newspaper a few weeks earlier. Politics has prevailed over the law to convict me, Uribe declared. This isnt a ruling, its revenge. Its not a sentence, its an attack. Its not justice, its fear, Senator and presidential candidate Paloma Valencia posted on X. She was seconded by Maria Fernanda Cabal, her colleague in Congress and in the campaign. It will be a driving force in the fight for a justice system that is never exploited to judicialize politics, she said of the ruling. Even U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined in: The weaponization of Colombias judicial branch by radical judges has now set a worrisome precedent, he shared on X. This narrative gained renewed traction on Tuesday, as the tutela argued that Heredias decision acted to the detriment of [Uribes] fundamental right to individual liberty. This story carries strong emotional weight, forming the second prong of Uribes response to the conviction. Three days after the initial tutela denial, with the politician formally confined to his country home near Medellin, thousands of people marched on National Day to protest the conviction and detention. More than for Alvaro Uribes innocence, I march so that the fight against the narco-socialism they want to impose on us can continue freely, said Jeronimo Uribe, the former presidents son, in the streets of the countrys second-largest city. Its a forward-looking message, oriented toward what lies ahead, which was exactly what the former president emphasized in his first reaction following Tuesdays ruling. Thank God, thank you to so many compatriots for their expressions of solidarity. Every minute of my freedom I will dedicate to the freedom of Colombia, he wrote in X. It echoes what his son had said on the streets of his city, or the call from his party for those mobilizations: We will march for Alvaro Uribe Velez, for democracy and freedoms in Colombia. Also to tell the country that there is little time left: we are just over a year away from ending the dark night. It is a call to focus on the 2026 legislative and presidential elections, framing the effort under the banner of political persecution. This is particularly resonant for a party that was founded in 2013 as a right-wing political uprising against the government of Juan Manuel Santos. A key part of the partys lore is the (unproven) claim that it was defrauded in the 2014 election, when the then-president lost the first round but won the second against the Uribista candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga. Whats more, it is a party that last week buried its senator and presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay, who was assassinated in an attack ordered by perpetrators who have yet to be identified. Throughout the protracted legal process that began against Uribe in February 2018, he had already been detained in 2020 while serving as a senator, the Bogota Tribunal had already examined tutelas and ruled both for and against him, and national elections had taken place both won by the right in 2018 and by the left in 2022 What has not happened until now are such abrupt twists at a moment when Uribe needs to select a candidate, nor outcomes that are so decisive for the distribution of power in elections just months away. Nor have there been such tight deadlines: only two months remain before the case could be closed due to the statute of limitations a resolution that would relieve Uribe of a headache but would not give him the political momentum of a full acquittal or the impact of a confirmed conviction. Theyre supplying a lot of the bombs, and a lot of the arms and ammunition to Israel to do what theyre doing. So they should be ashamed of themselves instead of bringing in these people (to court) for stupid reasons. Allow Google Search To use the search feature, we need your consent to load Google Custom Search, which may use cookies or similar technologies. Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to enable search. See our privacy policy for more information. Allow and Continue In response to the Met imposing conditions on the protest, Kneecap described this move as a "calculated political decision" that was "designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome", and "asked supporters to go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful". It is said those involved in the murder plot tracked Erens daily routine, and after receiving information that he was in a cafe on July 10 Armagan is said to have dressed in camouflage, armed himself with the gun, and taken the electric bicycle to the location. Conservative leader Daniel Elmer said the council was using planning rules to try to ensure it was families being housed in the area rather than single adult males. He said to do so, which would effectively convert the hotels into hostels, should require a change of use. Renewed talks among the coalition of the willing follow last weeks summit between Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska as the US president continued to push for an end to a conflict he had promised he could finish on his first day in office. Although Bonnie had her struggles, alongside her talent for singing and great sense of humour, she continued to be the most kind, polite, caring and wonderful daughter anyone could ever wish for. She will never be forgotten. What Bonnie had to go through shouldnt happen to anyone. She didnt want to feel the way she did, Bonnie was desperate to have a life without sadness. When asked why the council did not previously take legal action, Mr Whitbread said: It goes back to 2020 when we were in the pandemic originally, and at that time, it was used for young families, women and children, which is completely different to having it used for single males. Mohamed (a fictitious name) is 13 years old and lives in a town in the province of Youssoufia, 200 miles south of Rabat, in the deep interior of Morocco. Orphaned of his father, he makes a living by selling bags and parking cars at markets to help his mother, who is disabled and undergoing psychiatric treatment. Life has not smiled on Mohamed nor on the thousands of street children in the Maghreb country who often cling to the underside of an international truck bound for a ferry to Europe, or swim through storms toward the breakwaters of the Spanish exclave cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Mohamed took advantage of the moussem (popular festival) of Moulay Abdallah Amghar festival in the coastal city of Al Jadida (74 miles north of Youssoufia) to try to earn some extra money and witness one of Moroccos largest celebrations, which until last weekend had attracted nearly half a million people over the course of a week. Once the echo of the rifle shots from the riders of the traditional tabouridas (a traditional show of Moroccan horsemanship), had faded, Moroccans were shocked by the news of the gang rape of Mohamed, who was drugged and sexually assaulted last Thursday by more than a dozen young men from the region. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), one of the most active civil society NGOs, has documented the horrific crime committed against the young man from Youssoufia in a complaint addressed to the Attorny Generals Office. Moroccan police have already made an arrest and identified the suspects, the digital portal Hesspres reported Tuesday. In a state of shock, with his eyes lost in space, according to witnesses cited by the local press, Mohamed tried to return to his city by bus. Other passengers noticed that his condition was deteriorating during the trip and alerted the Gendarmerie upon arrival, who immediately transferred the boy to the Lala Hasma Provincial Hospital in the city. However, given the seriousness of his diagnosis, forensic doctors simply confirmed the rape and ordered that he be taken to the Mohamed VI University Hospital in Marrakech, the southern capital of the country located about 62 miles away, for more detailed testing. He could barely move or speak. His condition was critical, with severe behavioral changes. Mohamed, who is undergoing an extensive psychological evaluation, provided the security forces with a description and address of some of his attackers, whom he knew. Hamid Raudi, coordinator of the Youssoufia branch of the AMDH, told the online newspaper Yabibladi that the attackers raped the boy after drugging him. They took turns abusing him as he lay unconscious in a tent. His situation is desperate, the activist said after speaking with the victims family, who alerted the NGO to the events. The scene we saw at the hospital was extremely painful, Raudi revealed. Any negligence or delay in addressing the case will be interpreted as a betrayal of the victim, his family, and society as a whole. In a country like Morocco, where large festivals take place every summer traditional and religious, such as the moussems, or popular and secular, such as the Gnaoua Music Festival in Essaouira or the Jazz Festival in Tangier public opinion is now questioning on social media whether the safety of minors is sufficiently guaranteed. Police investigations are ongoing, while the case of the gang rape of the minor has reopened the debate on the reintroduction of the death penalty, provided for in the current Penal Code but under a de facto moratorium since 1993, when the last execution took place in the country. The tragedy of the moussem in El Jadida has shaken the conscience of many Moroccans, still reeling from previous sexual assaults on minors in that same city in 2023 and in Tangier in 2020. Starting point for migrant minors The inland provinces of central and southern Morocco are traditional departure points for minors and young irregular migrants seeking a future in Europe. Several of them, originally from the El Jadida region, have drowned while trying to swim to the Tarajal and Benzu breakwaters, which mark the southern and western borders of Spain, according to El Faro de Ceuta. On the night of August 15, the Civil Guard and Moroccan police recorded the attempts of around 300 people who tried to swim to Spanish territory. Migratory pressure has been increasing this summer, with peaks such as that of the last Sunday in July, when 57 minors arrived. In the first half of August, another 59 risked their lives at sea to enter. Last January, the body of 27-year-old A.M. was delivered to his family in a hearse for burial in El Jadida. He was the eldest of six siblings. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition This trip offers a bit of calm for some of our older residents who would prefer not to be at the heart of the action. Its just one of the ways we support our residents and support Carnival. Texas real estate investor and developer Ali Choudhri filed Chapter 11 petitions in San Antonio for two of his companies, Meandering Bend LLC and Memorial Glen Cove LLC. Shown is the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at 615 E. Houston. St., where the U.S. Bankruptcy Court is located. Staff file photo Houston investor and developer Ali Choudhri, who has touted acquiring over $1.2 billion in real estate assets and building the tallest single-family house in the state, is making his way around Texas courtrooms. Choudhris legal issues have taken him to state district courts in Harris and Travis counties, both of Houstons appeals courts and the Texas Supreme Court. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Chapter 7 case playing out in Houston bankruptcy court even landed him in jail for a few days in April after a judge found him in civil contempt of court for failing to turn over records to the trustee administering the case involving Jetall Cos. Now Choudhri has made his way to San Antonio. Just this month, he put two more of his companies into bankruptcy in San Antonio. Why he chose San Antonio to file Chapter 11 cases for the bucolic-sounding Meandering Bend LLC and Memorial Glen Cove LLC, which he had listed as having Austin addresses, wasnt immediately clear even to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael Parker. On Monday, he ordered Choudhri or his lawyer to appear in court Aug. 27 for a hearing to determine whether both cases should be transferred to Austin. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ironically, Choudhri filed a Chapter 11 case for another one of his numerous companies, Dalio Holdings LLC, in Austin just days before the filing of the Meandering Bend and Memorial Glen Cove cases even though Dalio shows a Houston address. Dalio reported assets that includes nearly $20 million owed to it, while its most significant debt is almost $3.5 million from an arbitration agreement hes disputing. Texas real estate investor Ali Choudhri recently put two of his companies into bankruptcy in San Antonio. Screen shot The bare-bones bankruptcy petitions Choudhri filed in the San Antonio cases gave no hint of the companies holdings or what led them to seek refuge from creditors. Each filing had boxes checked off showing their assets and liabilities in the range of $1 million to $10 million. Justin Rayome, a Houston lawyer who filed the bankruptcy petitions, didnt respond to an email seeking comment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Litigation over office space that has been ongoing in Houston for more than 13 years may have been the impetus behind the San Antonio bankruptcies. Before the bankruptcy cases were filed, a court-appointed receiver in the Houston case sought a judges approval to take control of Meandering Bends and Memorial Glen Coves assets and sell them. The Travis Central Appraisal District shows Meandering Bend, doing business as Austin Monumental Arts, owns a roughly 4,000-square-foot building on about a fifth of an acre at 1011 E. 16th St. Its been appraised at more than $600,000, but it has a $441,00 mortgage on it, a court filing shows. Receiver Travis Vargo described the building in the document as vacant and bare. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Memorial Glen Cove owns at least four vacant lots and a residence at 207 Malone St. in Houston that Vargo described as uninhabitable. Choudhri has almost $2 million in equity in the properties, according to a filing by Vargo. Choudhri amended Memorial Glen Coves bankruptcy petition on Monday to change its principal place of business from Austin to Kerrville. And in what must sound all too familiar to Choudhri, Vargo asked a Harris County court to hold Choudhri in civil or criminal contempt for allegedly failing to turn over documents. Vargo sought sanctions of either fines or incarceration. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Choudhri responded by challenging the courts jurisdiction and objecting to Vargos appointment as receiver. Choudhri also gave notice that he would appeal the issues to the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston. But Choudhri apparently has not complied with the appeal courts rules and has been ordered to file a brief by Sept. 18 or risk having the case dismissed. On Aug. 13, though, Choudhri gave notice that he had moved the Houston state court lawsuit to bankruptcy court in San Antonio. It was a short-lived move. On Tuesday, Parker, the bankruptcy judge presiding over Meandering Bends case, ruled that the lawsuit couldnt be moved to San Antonio because Harris County is not within the same federal court district as San Antonio. The judge sent the case back to Harris County. He did the same for a 2023 lawsuit Choudhri moved to the bankruptcy court in the Memorial Glen Cove case. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Meanwhile, in an unrelated matter, Choudhri last month filed a lawsuit in Travis County alleging he we was physically prevented from bidding on the building where the Capital Grille operates at 117 W. Fourth St. in downtown Austin at a July 6, 2021, foreclosure auction. The Poppi x Alix Earle internship aims to give college juniors and seniors hands-on experience in marketing. Joshua Sobel/Provided by poppi Austin-based prebiotic soda company Poppi is stepping into higher education, at least temporarily. The company announced plans to launch a paid summer 2026 internship in partnership with social media influencer Alix Earle, a figure whose following has made her a familiar name among Gen Z audiences. The internship, unveiled during a surprise visit from Earle to students in Austin this past weekend, will focus on social media, influencer, experiential and brand marketing. The company said the program is designed for college juniors and seniors studying business, marketing or advertising in the United States. One student will be selected to join the companys Culture Team for the summer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad How to apply for the Poppi x Alix Earl internship Students have until Sept. 15 to apply online for the internship. Provided by poppi / Joshua Sobel Applications are due Sept. 15, and the selected intern will be announced on Sept. 22. To apply, students must submit an online application on the Poppi website and share on social media why they believe theyre ready for a career in brand marketing. The program is set to begin in June 2026 and includes a visit to Poppis Austin headquarters and participation in the companys annual marketing summit. While internships in consumer marketing are not uncommon, the direct tie to an influencer points to how brands continue to fold digital celebrity into their business strategies. The internship also arrives as Poppi continues to invest in its own campus presence. The company runs a college ambassador program that places students on campuses nationwide to host events, create branded content and promote products. Advertisement Article continues below this ad So, who is Alix Earle? Influencer Alix Earle surprised Austin students to announce the launch of a summer internship with prebiotic soda company Poppi. joshua sobel/Provided by poppi / Joshua Sobel Earle rose to prominence on TikTok in 2022, where her videos documenting daily routines, fashion choices and beauty products went viral. She amassed millions of followers across platforms and has become one of the most visible personalities among Gen Z audiences. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pork burrito at Mercado Sin Nombre. MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN The national press has caught wind of one of the most exciting and unexpected little gems in the Austin hospitality scene. Bon Appetit named Mercado Sin Nombre one of the best new breakfast spots in America, with the alleyway coffee shop in East Austin taking up list real estate with restaurants from Oregon to Massachusetts. The publication praised Julian Maltby's walk-up window cafe for its nixtamalization of Mexican corn that leads to egg biscuits and inventive pastries like a masa Twinkie. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mercado Sin Nombre punches way above its weight. We wrote about the staff and its dishes, including a stellar chile colorado pork burrito in our Best Dishes in April feature earlier this year. In that piece, we wrote the following: Just a few bites and a slight investigation lets you know that there is much more to Julian Maltby's coffee shop than meets the eye. Yes, he's celebrating the products of Mexico, specifically corn and coffee, but the food program is being helmed by the kind of major talent you expect at award-winning restaurants, not walk-up windows. Chef B. Loza was the chef de cuisine at fine dining restaurant Bacalar, and the craftsmanship of a full service restaurant is on display even in something as seemingly simple as a burrito. Dusky pork chile colorado, made with the earth and sweetness of dried ancho and pasilla chiles, stuffs a housemade pink corn tortilla. And the accompanying salsa tatemada, packed with burned garlic and onion, takes the kind of time and care you'd expect from one of Austin's top Mexican restaurants. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mercado Sin Nombre is open morning and early afternoon Wednesday-Sunday at 408 N Pleasant Valley Road. Julian Maltby opened Mercado Sin Nombre to highlight the corn and coffee of Mexico. MATTHEW ODAM/AMERICAN-STATESMAN Best breakfasts in Austin The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff, proclaimed American astrophysicist Carl Sagan in his famous book Cosmos almost half a century ago. A team of scientists has now been able to peer into these stellar bowels for the first time, the chaotic forge where the chemical elements that make up human beings and everything around them are formed. I was dazzled, recalls German astrophysicist Steve Schulze, who led the research. To understand the significance of this discovery, we must go back to the Big Bang that gave rise to the universe 13.8 billion years ago. In the first three minutes after the Big Bang, almost all of the universes light atoms were formed, especially the ever-present hydrogen, the accumulations of which form stars. In the interior of a star, the temperature and pressure are so high that hydrogen fuses and forms increasingly heavier elements, starting with helium. The combination of silicon and sulfur, for example, produces iron, the heaviest atom that can be generated inside a star. The result is a kind of cosmic onion, a term commonly used by astronomers. This process transforms the star into a layered structure: hydrogen on the outside, then helium, then layers of carbon/oxygen, magnesium/neon/oxygen, oxygen/silicon/sulfur, and finally iron in the center. Therefore, the silicon- and sulfur-rich layer is buried beneath many other materials and is inaccessible under normal circumstances, making it almost impossible to observe directly, notes Schulze, of Northwestern University in Evanston, Texas. In September 2021, a telescope located at the summit of a Hawaiian volcano recorded the spectrum of light emitted by a supernova, the explosion of a star. The explosion, which occurred 2.2 billion light-years away and was called SN 2021yfj, was not just another supernova. The device captured the phenomenon at an extraordinary moment, just as the star was stripping away its outer layers, allowing a glimpse into its interior. At first, we didnt know we had discovered a star stripped to the bone. I was astounded when Professor Avishay Gal-Yam of the Weizmann Institute of Science [in Israel] concluded that we had observed silicon, sulfur, and argon, Schulze recalls. His discovery was published Wednesday on the cover of the journal Nature, a leading international science publication. German astrophysicist Steve Schulze, photographed Wednesday. Anamaria Gkini Schulze, born in Halle, Germany 45 years ago, emphasizes that more than one billion stars are known in the Milky Way galaxy in which Earth is located and in its neighboring Magellanic Clouds. Most of these stars retain their hydrogen layer upon death, but a minority lose this layer or even the deeper helium layer before exploding into a supernova. This surface stripping can occur due to strong stellar winds, eruptions, or interactions with another star, but a virtually complete stellar stripping has never been detected. No star in the Milky Way or the Magellanic Clouds is known to be stripped down to the oxygen/silicon layer. The discovery of supernova SN 2021yfj indicates that rare and very extreme stripping processes exist, argues Schulze, who worked at the Institute of Astrophysics at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile until a decade ago. The fusion of chemical elements heavier than carbon only occurs in stars that are at least eight times the mass of the Sun, earning them the designation massive. This is the first time we have observed the inner layers of a massive star, which is important for testing and improving our models of stellar evolution. Furthermore, this discovery provides us with information about the formation of silicon and sulfur in massive stars, adds Schulze. The German astrophysicists explanation echoes another similar thought by Sagan, this time from his television series Cosmos: The silicon in the rocks, the oxygen in the air, the carbon in our DNA, the gold in our banks, the uranium in our arsenals, were all made thousands of light years away and billions of years ago. Our planet, our society, and we ourselves are built of star stuff. Physicist Jose Angel Martin Gagos team has built a 4 million machine in his laboratory to simulate the death of stars at the Institute of Materials Science in Madrid. Martin Gago and his colleague Gonzalo Santoro, from the Institute of Fundamental Physics, celebrate the new discovery in a joint assessment sent to this newspaper. This observation confirms the layered structure of supernovae, which is the model that has been used to describe them, although until now it was not clear whether it was valid. Confirming this model is very important for describing stellar evolution, they state. Supernovae and red giant stars are essential objects in the formation of cosmic dust, the two Spanish researchers emphasize. This study provides fundamental information for understanding how chemical species form and evolve in the universe. At the level of laboratory astrochemistry, this work opens new avenues, as it provides empirical values for the abundances of silicon and sulfur that could be used to recreate in the laboratory the conditions for the formation and evolution of molecules rich in these elements, they explain. This approach will allow progress in the modeling of chemical reactions and a deeper understanding of the processes of cosmic dust formation in space, they add. The discovery of the naked star offers an unprecedented window into the creation of the stellar substance from which humans and everything else are made. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Dunkin' Donuts announced the launch of its fall menu on Aug. 20, 2025. Dunkin' Donuts It's finally time pumpkin spice is back! At one major chain, at least. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Dunkin' has officially launch its fall menu, with some iconic classics and new flavors. Here's what we know. When does Dunkin' get pumpkin spice? Dunkin' fall menu release date The Dunkin' fall flavors, including pumpkin spice, became available Wednesday, Aug. 20. Dunkin' Donuts fall menu Dunkin' announced the launch of its pumpkin-inspired menu Wednesday morning, featuring beloved classics and new flavors. Here are the food and drink items listed: Advertisement Article continues below this ad new Cereal N' Milk Latte Dunkin' Donuts introduces a new item, the Cereal N' Milk Latte, for its fall 2025 menu. Dunkin' Donuts new Mixed Berry Daydream Refresher Dunkin' Donuts introduced Mixed Berry, a new flavor of the Sabrina Carpenter-inspired Daydream Refresher lineup, as part of its 2025 fall menu. Dunkin' Donuts Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte new Chipotle Loaded Hash Browns Chipotle Loaded Hash Browns Maple Sugar Bacon Sandwich, Snacking Bacon, Wake Up Wrap $6 Meal Deal: medium coffee, hot or iced; bacon, egg and cheese sandwich; and hash browns new Kreme Delight Donut Kreme Delight Donut new Iced Pumpkin Loaf Iced Pumpkin Loaf Glazed Pumpkin Donuts, Munchkins, Pumpkin Muffin Advertisement Article continues below this ad Food blogger markie_devo posted what appears to be a leaked Halloween menu in late July. The blogger has a history of providing authentic leaks, and the Dunkin' post accurately listed the launch date. The blogger suggests the new items will drop Oct. 15 and include the following: new Candy Bar Signature Latte Candy Bar Signature Latte Spider Specialty Donut Halloween Sprinkle Takeover new Halloween Munchkin Bucket When does the Starbucks fall menu start? Starbucks announced that the fan-favorite Pumpkin Spice Latte will be available for purchase starting August 26. It will be joined by new fall menu items and a seasonal grocery lineup. Courtesy of Starbucks Starbucks revealed its Pumpkin Spice Latte will return to stores Tuesday, August 26, the company announced in July. This year's seasonal menu will feature beloved classics as well as new flavors. Georgetown police American-Statesman A Georgetown police officer had sex with a domestic violence victim while on-duty investigating her case, according to an arrest affidavit. Dylan Wright, 26, was charged with misuse of official information, a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Both Wright and the victim said the sex on Aug. 1 was consensual, the affidavit said. But Wright relied on official information related to the victim's domestic violence case "to advance his agenda of having a sexual relationship" with the victim, the affidavit said. He made calculated decisions during the investigation, the document said, including flirting with the victim and removing his body-worn camera before he had sex with her. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The victim told police that Wright took advantage of the situation, the affidavit said. She said she felt emotionally vulnerable because the sex happened right after she had been abused by her boyfriend, police said. While investigating the case, Wright knew the victim was "intoxicated, vulnerable, battered and emotionally distraught," the affidavit said. The victim called police at 2:42 a.m. Aug. 1 saying her boyfriend had assaulted her, the affidavit said. It said Wright initially met with her in a store parking lot and observed injuries on her. Police arrested her boyfriend at her apartment, the document said. Wright was allowed access to the victim's apartment during the investigation on Aug. 1, according to the affidavit. It said he was alone with her for a few minutes while another officer was outside discussing an issue related to the investigation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While Wright was alone with the victim he flirted with her, the affidavit said. The other officer at the scene then came back to the apartment and then both Wright and the other officer left together, the affidavit said. The other police officer returned to the police station but Wright went to his patrol car and removed his body camera, the affidavit said. Video evidence from the victim's doorbell camera showed that Wright returned a few minutes later to her apartment, police said. Wright and the victim then had sex inside the apartment, the affidavit said. The victim said Wright told her not to tell anyone they had sex or he would lose his job, according to the document. "Officer Wright said he got 'white knighted' and explained that he was the protector who comes in to save someone," according to the affidavit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police received a complaint on Aug. 6 from a person who said a Georgetown police officer had sexually assaulted someone on Aug. 1, the affidavit said. Wright was placed on paid administrative leave on Aug. 6 pending an internal investigation. Georgetown police requested assistance from the Texas Rangers, who charged Wright on Aug. 13. According to civil service law, an officer accused of a crime is placed on paid administrative leave. If the officer is indicted then the officer is put on unpaid administrative leave. Wright had not been indicted as of Wednesday. He could not be reached for comment. Wright has been working as a Georgetown police officer for more than three years, police said. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick displays a range of hem-based products he worked to ban in the last legislative session. After Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a measure to enact a ban, Patrick indicated he'll continue that fight in a special session beginning Monday. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Texas senators approved several bills Monday, one of which included another attempt at blocking hemp-derived THC products, marking another push after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a similar proposal earlier this summer. Although progress slowed when Texas House Democrats left the state to block Republicans from advancing new congressional maps, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 6 in a 22-8 vote at the start of the second legislative session, which now awaits consideration in the House. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here is what to know about the bill and current marijuana laws. What is SB 6? The passage of Senate Bill 6, authored by Sen. Charles Perry, marks the third effort by Senate lawmakers to restrict public access to hemp-derived THC, arguing the products pose risks to children. As reported by The Texas Tribune, the measure mirrors the Houses version, which likewise seeks to ban the sale of consumable hemp products that contain THC. However, after Gov. Abbott vetoed a similar THC ban earlier this year, some legislators indicated they may favor stricter regulations instead of an outright prohibition. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What is SB 5? Senate Bill 5, introduced during the first special legislative session, aimed to prohibit all consumable hemp products containing any detectable cannabinoids other than CBD or CBG. It also includes restrictions like raising the purchase age to 21 and adding criminal penalties for violations. What happened with SB 3? Senate Bill 3 was previously vetoed by Gov. Abbott on June 22. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a legislative statement, it was argued that SB 3 would have faced a legal uphill battle. The statement highlighted that similar bans in other states, like Arkansas, had been swiftly blocked by federal courts. At worst, Senate Bill 3 would be permanently invalidated by the courts; at best, its implementation would be delayed for years as the case winds its way through the legal system, the statement read. We can do better. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, one of the most vocal proponents of SB 3, has argued that SB 3 is "a life-and-death issue." Shortly after Gov. Abbott vetoed the bill, Patrick criticized his decision. Even if his proposed bill passed as he suggests, it would take a lot of time for them to get up to speed, to have manufacturing testing, to test it at all levels, Patrick said. During that time, they would still be operating as they are. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Whats the difference between THC and CBD? Cannabidiol (CBD) is a nonpsychoactive compound derived from cannabis. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the compound that causes intoxication or a high. What is hemp? The Texas Agriculture Code defines "hemp" as "the plant Cannabis sativa L." containing a delta9 THC concentration of less than 0.3% on a dryweight basis. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Is medical marijuana legal in Texas? Yes but only in a limited form. The CompassionateUse Program, created in 2015, allows lowTHC cannabis for patients with intractable epilepsy. It was expanded in 2021 and again in 2025 to include chronic pain, hospice care and terminal illness, among other conditions. Qualifying conditions under the current law include: Advertisement Article continues below this ad New University of Texas President Jim Davis has a long history with the institution, most recently as its chief operating officer. American-Statesman The University of Texas System Board of Regents voted Wednesday to approve Jim Davis as the UT president and John Zerwas as chancellor. Both candidates had served as interim leaders before their appointment and were named sole finalists in July in accordance with Texas law. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Davis was selected from an alternative process permitted in the regents rules to promote an existing UT leader instead of a national search, the same process his predecessor, Jay Hartzell, who now is president of Southern Methodist University, also was appointed by. He was reviewed by a select committee that gave their "unanimous" support for Davis's appointment, Board Chairman Kevin Eltife said at the meeting. He didn't start his career in academia or work as a professor but has a long history with the institution both personally as a student and most recently as its senior vice president and chief operating officer, overseeing university housing and operations, and as vice president of legal affairs. His father was chair of UT's Radio, Television and Film department, and many of his family members attended the flagship. "UT is my home, and I am deeply grateful to the UT System Board of Regents for the trust placed in me to lead this incredible University," Davis said in a post on X after the vote. "Our future is bright, and I believe our best days are ahead." Before coming to the university, he served as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's deputy with a focus on civil litigation and advising state agencies, including the UT System, according to his university biography. He also had a private law firm and served as a cryptologist in the U.S. Navy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He is one of only two presidents in UT's history to come to the role through a non-academic path, and the first in more than 100 years, though his biography states he has been a "frequent continuing legal education lecturer with a focus on governmental regulatory issues and legal ethics." "I'm so grateful for the trust of that Board of Regents to their confidence in me, but also their confidence in the university," Davis said in an interview with the American-Statesman after the vote. "We have so much to accomplish in this fall semester and in the years to come." Since regents named him interim leader in February, Davis has hired a new provost, William Inboden, founder of UT's Clements Center for National Security who ran a civics school at the University of Florida; secured $100 million from the UT System for the School of Civic Leadership with top state leadership's support; and eliminated the flags program, which required students to take UT-specific core requirements in key areas from quantitative reasoning to cultural diversity, to start a skills-based program later this year as lawmakers began targeting perceived "indoctrination" in core curriculum. He also has also spent time getting to know the university community, he told the Statesman, meeting with students, staff and faculty leaders as well as alumni and lawmakers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad John Zerwas, the new chancellor of the University of Texas System, was a seven-term Republican state representative and the system's executive vice chancellor for health affairs. Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman Zerwas also came to higher education unconventionally. An anesthesiologist, a seven-term Republican state representative and the UT System's executive vice chancellor for health affairs, he wanted to be the next chancellor of the largest higher education system in Texas as the self-described capstone of his career. "It is certainly something I never saw in my career happening but I couldn't be happier to be part of this organization and the future that we all see," Zerwas said after the vote Wednesday. "Not just in higher education in general, but but for our students, for our research, for our faculty, this is the premier public university in the state of Texas." He found his passion for higher education as chairman of the Texas House Higher Education Committee, seeing its extraordinary potential to transform the economic earnings of all Texans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Per the alternative process for presidential selection, a special committee reviewed Davis for the position after he was named sole finalist. The panel was chaired by UT alumnus Robert Rowling, a prominent donor to the McCombs School of Business and the CEO and co-founder of TRT Holdings, a Dallas-based company that owns Omni Hotels & Resorts. The committee also consisted of two university presidents in the system, five UT faculty members, two UT System officials, the student body president and an alumnus, according to a document of committee members shared by a system official. The official said the committee did not submit a report nor is required to by regents' rules about the finalist. At the time Davis was named sole finalist, Pauline Strong, president of the UT Austin chapter of the American Association of University Professors and speaking as an individual, said the chapter regrets that Davis was named finalist without a collaborative prior review. We regret that the board of regents did not include faculty in consideration of finalists for the position of President of the University of Texas at Austin," Strong said in a statement to the American-Statesman on July 21, "and urge the board to take the views of faculty and all stakeholders seriously as the process moves forward." The special committee met with Davis and provided "excellent" feedback to the board, Eltife said at the meeting. He added they were "overwhelmingly supportive" of Davis' appointment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jim Davis has a remarkable track record of getting monumental things done on the Forty Acres, Eltife said. We have no doubt that under his leadership, working with the Board of Regents, UT Austin will achieve even higher levels as one of the worlds great public universities." Davis wants incoming students to know he is excited to welcome them back to campus. "I understand, I've been in their shoes," Davis said. "I can feel their excitement and I'm so ready to share that with them." U.S. representatives Lloyd Doggett, left, and Greg Casar listen during a news conference in which U.S. representatives spoke against Texas redistricting efforts at a news conference at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Thursday, July 31, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, left, and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, picket outside the Governors Mansion to protest the Republican plan for Congressional redistricting in Austin, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett speaks against Texas redistricting efforts at a news conference at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Thursday, July 31, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Ever since Republicans released their new congressional redistricting plan that pits Lloyd Doggett against Greg Casar, the two Austin Democrats have said they're focused on a common enemy: defeating President Donald Trump's push for five more GOP seats in next year's midterms. This isn't about my seat. This isn't about Congressman Doggetts seat," Casar said at a rally outside the Governor's Mansion early this month where he and Doggett marched side by side with about 100 demonstrators. "This isn't about any member of Congress. This is about the people of the United States being able to have their voices heard in order to form a more perfect union. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But just days later, that vow of solidarity began to splinter. Doggett, in an email to supporters, suggested that even though the Democrats' fight to kill redistricting was ongoing, perhaps it was time to prepare for a Republican victory. To that effect, Doggett said, he was best suited to run in the new, safely-Democratic Austin district and Casar should shift his sights to a neighboring seat that will favor Republicans and does not include the state's capital city. Casar, who represents District 35, has said he has no plans to run for a seat that will no longer include at least part of Austin. In an email to his supporters, Casar's aide Stephanie Trinh bristled at Doggett's suggestion. "Without discussing it with Greg or his team, Congressman Doggett sent an email to supporters saying that if the maps pass Greg should leave Austin to run in a south-Texas district that Trump won by nearly 10 points," Trinh said in the email. "Other than the fact that Republicans arbitrarily assigned this seat the same number as Gregs current one, theres no reason it would make sense for Greg to run in that district fewer than 10% of Gregs constituents would be in it." Advertisement Article continues below this ad With 30 years of service in the U.S. House under his belt, the 78-year-old Doggett stands to be among the top leaders in Congress if Democrats wrest control of the chamber next year. READ MORE: Interactive maps show how Texas GOP redistricting plans hinge on noncitizens Casar is in only his second term in Washington. But at 36, he appears to be on the fast track for leadership. Heading into the 2025 congressional session, he was elected to chair the House's Progressive Caucus, and he used that platform to make appearances both in Texas and in other states to highlight the organization's agenda. From a political standpoint, it makes perfect sense for Republicans to force Casar and Doggett into a cage match that only one can survive, said James Henson, who heads the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "For all the unpredictability that we've seen in this (redistricting) process, this is one of the more predictable things," Henson said. "It's the core of their strategy, to put two Austin area Democrats together in the same district." A generational divide With the new maps appearing more and more certain, some Austin Democrats are reluctantly beginning to choose sides. For Mike Siegel, a member of the Austin city council who made failed bids for a congressional seat in 2018 and 2020, a Doggett-Casar race would be about the future versus the past. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Even though Congressman Doggett has the seniority and all this expertise, we really need to have a leader for many years to come," Siegel said. And (we need) someone who's really going build a movement not just represent a district, but build a movement for political change. And I think that's what Congressman Casar offers." Alfred Stanley, an Austin Democratic operative whose career in the Austin political trenches is nearly as long as Doggett's, said the veteran congressman's long tenure would be hard to replace, especially if Democrats retake the majority in the U.S. House. He rejected any suggestion that time has passed Doggett by. "In Congress, what matters is seniority in terms of being able to address the crucial problems," Stanley said. "If we lose Doggett, we're going to lose a crucial voice on that health subcommittee. It's irreplaceable. There's no question in my mind." Since winning his first race for Congress in 1994, Doggett has built and maintained a grassroots network that propelled him to victory in 15 consecutive reelection campaigns. And he survived no fewer than three past Republican redistricting efforts that sought to end his career. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Casar, too, is a product of the Democratic grassroots in Texas' most reliably Democratic large city. He was a workers rights organizer before winning a seat in the Austin city council in 2015, and won election to Congress in 2022. At Saturday's rally on the steps of the Texas Capitol, the two appeared worlds apart. There was no joint photo opportunity, and their speeches were about an hour apart from one another. Without mentioning Casar's name, Doggett made a back-handed case that his fellow Democrat is best positioned to deny Republicans at least one of the five new seats they are seeking. "In the redrawn district that is nearest the one where we're standing right now, Hispanics have a strong majority, and Biden got 49% against Trump," Doggett said of the proposed district that would meander south toward San Antonio. "Is there anyone here who believes that we ought to abandon that or any of these other redrawn districts and surrender them to Trump? Do you think that a dynamic nominee and a united effort by all of us can beat Trump at his own game?" Advertisement Article continues below this ad Doggett, who was the first prominent Democrat to call for then-President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign last year, has since disputed that he was picking a fight with his fellow Democrat, saying his "only war is against Trump." For his part, Casar is using public appearances to highlight his commitment to representing Austin as a way to push back on any notion that he'd run for office outside of the city. "When I feel lost or down, when I feel horrible, I think about all of you," Casar said at the Capitol rally. "I think about all of us. You all make me so proud of Austin, Texas. I'm proud that our city is fighting. I'm proud of the grit that we have, even when the odds are stacked against us. And we need that fight and that grit now more than ever." Jen Ramos, a Democratic activist and a member of the state party's executive committee, said she's not ready to take sides, assuming the proposed map is enacted. But she added, the political landscape in Austin has shifted significantly during the half-century Doggett has been in public life. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "The political climate has changed. It's more diverse," Ramos said. "It could be anybody's game. Signs saying the Texas State Capitol was closed after a report suspicious social media post on the evening of Aug. 19, 2025. Protesters had gathered inside to support Texas Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, in her confinement before being asked to evacuate. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Protesters chant outside the Texas House chamber at the Texas State Capitol in support of Texas Democrats and Texas Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, who was confined to the House Chamber after refusing a DPS escort, Aug. 19, 2025. Moments later, protesters were asked to evacuate the Capitol after a reported suspicious social media post, according to KXAN. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Texas State Troopers gather outside the Texas House of Representatives chamber, preparing to ask protesters supporting Texas Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, to evacuate after a suspicous social media post was reported on Aug. 19, 2025, according to KXAN. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Protester Adelyne Reyneros chants with a growing crowd outside the south gates of the Texas Capitol after it was evacuated due to a reported suspicious social media post, Aug. 19, 2025. Protesters had gathered inside to support Texas Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, in her confinement before being asked to evacuate. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman About a 150 demonstrators were moved off the grounds of the Texas Capitol Tuesday evening amid growing protests of the plan to redraw the state's congressional map during a special session of the Legislature. The demonstrators, many carrying handmade signs, spent much of Tuesday inside the building demanding that Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier be allowed to leave the grounds without a Texas Department of Public Safety officer shadowing her whereabouts. The Fort Worth lawmaker had declined on Monday to submit to the outside monitoring put in place by House Speaker Dustin Burrows. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The NBC affiliate KXAN reported that DPS had received report of a concerning post on social media ahead of the partial evacuation. A Hearst Newspapers photographer documenting the demonstration said the Capitol was cleared of most of its occupants around 7 p.m. Then, the protestors who had planned to use the Capitol grounds as their forum were ordered down the wide path known as the Great Walk and outside of the property's south gate. While the demonstrators continued their protest, Collier and some of her colleagues who had joined her in detention remained in the House chamber. A handful of Democrats and their staff members were also inside the building, but free to leave, according to a staff member with them who requested anonymity to speak publicly. The House is expected to debate and vote on the redistricting measure on Wednesday. Members of the Druze minority and their supporters protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in July amid the ongoing clashes between Syrian government forces and Druze armed groups in the southern Syrian city of Sweida. Ohad Zwigenberg/Associated Press In my 23 years in Austin working at Interfaith Action of Central Texas, I met numerous wonderful people who are genuinely committed to interfaith connections, and exhibit curiosity and openness toward other beliefs, especially less-known faith groups. Our affable, first-world curiosity frequently does not extend to learning about the living conditions of interesting minority faith groups. In the areas of the world where minorities live, their surrounding majority usually consider their very existence a travesty. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Many may not be aware of recent attacks on the Druze community in southern Syria. It came to the worlds attention when Israel bombed in Syria stating that they are protecting their Druze allies. This in itself brought the Syrian Druze dangerous, unwanted attention. The Druze are a minority, esoteric religious group comprised of about 1 million people, who mostly live in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. They historically broke away from the Shiite Muslim sect in the 10th century and started their own faith based on Greek and Roman philosophy, eastern religions, as well as the regional Islam. They are monotheistic, but unlike other Abrahamic faiths, believe in reincarnation. This is based on the premise that the world is a learning experience not a test and you cannot possibly learn enough about yourself, God and the world through the course of one short lifetime. The Druze mostly keep to their own communities. There are no religious rituals, no requirements of prayer or fasting, no temples, no pressure to learn anything about the faith. The premise is that rituals are unnecessary. Once you are born a Druze, you are ready to recognize that God is within you and about you, and you need no guidance to reach him or know him. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lubna Zeidan is a Lebanese American Druze, who has helped refugees in Austin thorugh Interfaith Action of Central Texas. Austin American-Statesman I was born a Druze because my parents were also born into the faith. You cannot convert to the Druze faith, nor can a Druze really convert to another religion. You are Druze until you die in this lifetime and acquiring any other beliefs makes no difference. You are Druze because of who you are, not what you believe. The Druze have survived this long in the middle of a highly sectarian region by staying in their own areas, successfully intimidating any attackers, and mainly not making waves. As a group, they dont really care to participate in the regional politics of their country of residence. The saying goes whoever marries my mother is my stepfather. So, if the motherland is ruled by Muslims, Jews or seculars, the Druze dont see that as any of their concern. Their allegiance is to their land and their community; when Israel was formed and other Palestinians took refuge in neighboring countries, the Druze stayed put. Throughout history when the Druze were provoked, they always responded with ultimate valor and severity with the aim of teaching the perpetrators not to mess with them again. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Right now, though, the more numerous Bedouin tribes in Syria decided to provoke by accosting a Druze passerby. Of course, in long-standing Middle Eastern tradition, its an eye for an eye. So, retaliations were consequently committed on both sides. Incidents like this happen every few years and are usually resolved. The difference now is that the Bedouins have called on regional allies and the rhetoric has changed. The conflict is now described as a larger regional faith-based clash and there was a call to arms resulting in more than a thousand Druze losing their lives and thousands more displaced from their villages. The more worrisome issue is that the Syrian government has not been neutral, entering the area with the pretext of stopping the violence but instead executing more than 100 Druze civilians. It also allowed its ISIS-adjacent allies to enter the fray. These military-trained mercenaries had already massacred a large number of Alawite civilians in the northwestern regions and are always ready to battle infidels. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, holds his permission slip, granting him permission to leave the House Chamber, after the session ended for the day at the Capitol in Austin, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Texas Democrats knew they would face retribution for leaving the state to stop a vote on redistricting maps designed to help President Donald Trump. But they said Republicans in the Texas House crossed a line by essentially detaining them en masse and then assigning state troopers to trail them everywhere they go to ensure they come back for a key vote expected on Wednesday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This is a wrongful use of power, said state Rep. Penny Morales Shaw, D-Houston. Democrats had already come back on their own volition, Morales Shaw noted, and there is no reason to be spending money on Texas Department of Public Safety units. Theyre taking an actual police officer who has a real job to do and pulling them off the streets to stay with me for a political exercise, state Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, said as a DPS officer followed a few feet behind her on her way from one meeting to the next. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Technically, Democrats consented to the police presence. House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, required Democrats who fled the state to prevent the vote on the redistricting map to sign a permission slip to allow police to trail them in order to be allowed to leave the Texas House chambers. Burrows needs at least 100 members of the House to show up on Wednesday morning to have enough votes to pass anything. There are 88 Republicans in the Texas House, so he needs to ensure some Democrats also show up to be able to pass the redistricting plan that Trump wants. State Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, was the only Democrat to refuse to sign for the right to leave on Monday night. She spent the night instead in the Texas House chamber while other Democrats were allowed to leave and go home. Collier, a University of Houston graduate, said she wasnt going to give up her rights so easily. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There is no reason why we should be in the custody of anyone, she said. Former Vice President Kamala Harris was among those who called Collier to encourage her to keep up the fight late into the night. Several other Texas Democrats returned to the Capitol on Tuesday night, determined to show solidarity with Collier. Several ripped up the permission slips they originally signed and said they would participate in a sleepover with Collier. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, works on the House floor during the debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman House Speaker Dustin Burrows presides over the debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, speaks against a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, waves to supporters from the House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday morning, Aug. 20, 2025, after spending two nights in the chamber for refusing to sign a permission slip to leave. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Protesters gather in the rotunda outside the House Chamber at the Texas Capitol as lawmakers debate a redrawn U.S. congressional map in Texas during a special, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Eric Gay/AP House Speaker Dustin Burrows presides over the debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, left, Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, and Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, discuss the congressional redistricting plan at the in the House Chamber at Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Rep. David Lowe, R-North Richland Hills, listens to the debate of a congressional redistricting plan in the House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman A congressional redistricting map on the desk of a representative during the debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, D-San Antonio, speaks against a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, debates a congressional redistricting plan with a group of Democratic state representatives in the House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Rep. Marc LaHood, R-San Antonio, looks at a congressional redistricting map during debate of a congressional redistricting plan in the House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro, right, speaks to protesters gather in the rotunda outside the House Chamber at the Texas Capitol as lawmakers debate a redrawn U.S. congressional map in Texas during a special, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Eric Gay/AP Protesters gather in the rotunda outside the House Chamber at the Texas Capitol as lawmakers debate a redrawn U.S. congressional map in Texas during a special, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Eric Gay/AP Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Allen, listens to the debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman The Texas House is set to vote Wednesday on a new congressional map that would give Republicans five more winnable seats in the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats delayed consideration of the redistricting proposal for two weeks after they staged a walkout and denied the chamber a quorum needed to conduct business. But ultimately, they don't have the numbers to block it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The new map, requested by President Donald Trump, would eliminate a Democratic-leaning district in Houston, Austin and Dallas, and move more Republican voters into two Democratically-held seats in South Texas. The changes are all but certain to face court challenges. The debate began at 10 a.m. Follow here for the latest. The Texas House approved a new congressional map Wednesday that stands to boost Republicans power in Congress, overcoming weeks of protests from House Democrats who fled the state to stall a vote on the mid-cycle redistricting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It passed the chamber by 88-52 vote, and needed one more procedural vote before being sent to the Senate for consideration. -Taylor Goldenstein, Isaac Yu 5:21 p.m. Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, listens to the debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman By the time debate on the map entered its sixth hour, Texas House Republicans had largely disengaged. As one after another of their Democratic colleagues slammed them for stealing votes and pushing to pass a racist map, many GOP members sat back in their chairs, scrolling on their phones or talking over bills with their deskmates. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Others stood in the wings and listened. One, Republican state Rep. Pat Curry of Waco, said he respected his colleagues right to speak and understood some of their points but said they were going too far by suggesting the map is racist. I think theyre acting how their party expects them to be in situations like this. What I dont appreciate is the case theyre trying to make about racism, he said. Its over the top (the map) is not racist. Rep. Ryan Guillen, a Republican and the whip of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, said Texas was simply making its maps as partisan as maps in other U.S. states. The courts have kept Texas from having maps much like the rest of the country, and recent court opinions have changed that, he said. Now Texas has the opportunity to do what other states have done. Advertisement Article continues below this ad - Bayliss Wagner In their bid for five more congressional seats, Texas Republicans are turning to an unlikely source to help spread out their gains: noncitizens. Four of the five districts that are drawn to be newly winnable for the GOP include pockets of current Democratic-held congressional districts with low rates of citizenship. In other words, Republicans appear to be padding the new districts with people who are counted in the census, but who cant actually vote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad State Rep. Armando Walle, a Democrat from Houston, in a speech before the vote condemned changes to U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcias District 29, which sheds thousands of Hispanic voters under the new map. Make no mistake, members, and to the public, House Bill 4, this map being rammed through the process today obliterates that district, Walle said. It treats our voters as crash-test dummies. The district has been dismantled. State Rep. Ron Reynolds, a former chairman of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, lamented that the Voting Rights Act anniversary recently passed on Aug. 6, and yet 50 years after that civil rights struggle, the Texas Legislature is passing a map that takes us back to those dark days. Advertisement Article continues below this ad - Taylor Goldenstein, 2:37 p.m. Activists protest against mid-decade redistricting at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Organizations gathered to demand that Gov. Greg Abbott and state representatives release Texas House Democrats confined to the House Chamber, pass flood relief and reject redistricting maps. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman The gambit by Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Wu of Houston to tie the passage of the redistricting bill to the release of the so-called Epstein files was shelved without coming up for a vote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wu offered an amendment to the bill to essentially say redistricting could not take effect until the details of the investigative files related to sexual abuse allegation of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein are made public. Epstein, who committed suicide while in prison, was a one-time friend of President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and other prominent personalities. Wus amendment was killed on a parliamentary move called a point of order because it was not germane to the actual redistricting bill. -John C. Moritz, 2:15 p.m. Advertisement Article continues below this ad State Rep. Nicole Collier abruptly exited a virtual press conference she was doing with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other national Democrats from the bathroom in the Texas House. Sorry I have to leave, they said it was a felony for me to do this, she said to the camera. Apparently I cant be on the floor or in the bathroom. Collier has spent the past two days in the Texas House after refusing to submit to Republican monitoring ahead of the redistricting vote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While the debate was unfolding on Wednesday, she went into a womens bathroom near the House floor to join the press conference with Newsom, U.S. Sen. Corey Booker of New Jersey and Democratic National Chair Ken Martin. Just before Collier said she was forced off the call, Newsom assured her his state will have her back and fight for their own redistricting maps if Texas Gov. Greg Abbott doesnt end his political maneuver. California has your back and I appreciate you Nicole, Newsom said. -Jeremy Wallace, 2:05 p.m. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, works on the House floor during the debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Democratic U.S. House Reps. Al Green, Joaquin Castro, Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar joined an anti-redistricting demonstration in the Capitol Rotunda while the map neared a vote on the House floor. The gathering of about 100 people was loud but orderly, and the lawmakers called for continued opposition to redrawing the map that could reduce the number of Texas Democrats in Congress by up to five. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Green, whose Houston district would undergo a dramatic change, called on demonstrators to make their voices heard at the ballot box. You have to register to vote, and everyone you know has to register to vote, Green said. -John C. Moritz, 1:22 p.m. Congressman Al Green speaks as activists protest against mid-decade redistricting at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Organizations gathered to demand that Gov. Greg Abbott and state representatives release Texas House Democrats confined to the House Chamber, pass flood relief and reject redistricting maps. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Democratic Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins and redistricting bill author Todd Hunter, their voices rising in anger, sparred over whether the proposed map would effectively deny Black Texans their right to representation in Congress. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I'm talking about the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, who potentially will lose two seats. I'm talking about an interest group that I thought had a role Gervin Hawkins said before Hunter cut her off and accused her of interrupting him. You want to be fair. Let me finish, Hunter said, and referenced the Democrats quorum break. You opened up the questions. You own the walkout, you said you did that. But don't come into this body and say we didn't include you. You left us for 18 days, and thats wrong. Several Republicans applauded. House Speaker Dustin Burrows banged the gavel and began to ask for order, but Hunter said members of the gallery had previously applauded for Gervin-Hawkins, so he ought to be allowed equal treatment. Both lawmakers attempted to lessen the tension, but neither fully succeeded. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Representative Hunter, I do respect you tremendously, and I respect this body, Gervin-Hawkins said. But what I don't respect is an obvious racist move on what you're attempting to do. We disagree 100%, Hunter responded. - John C. Moritz and Taylor Goldenstein, 12:40 p.m. In the first temperature check of the day, the Republican-led House voted to deny Democrats more time to ask questions of the redistricting bills author, effectively limiting their time after about an hour. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The vote indicates that Republicans are fed up with Democrats efforts to delay the passage of the legislation and could foreshadow an abbreviated debate. The chamber is now taking up amendments, of which there are at least seven. The first was a symbolic one from state Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat from Grand Prairie, that would kill the bill. Members, it is not too late, Turner said. I urge you to vote yes on this amendment, reject this attempt to rig our elections and send a clear signal that our democracy is not for sale. End this racially discriminatory redistricting right now. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After he spoke, a group of a couple dozen protesters in the gallery erupted in applause for Turner. The amendment was ultimately tabled. - Taylor Goldenstein and John C. Moritz, 12:10 p.m. Plaintiffs in an ongoing lawsuit over Texas' 2021 political maps are already gearing up for a fight over the GOPs latest, controversial mid-cycle redistricting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The League of United Latin American Citizens and several other groups representing minority voters are asking a federal court to set aside time in September for a hearing on whether to block the new congressional map that state lawmakers are likely to pass this week. The map is egregiously unconstitutional, and its implementation must be immediately enjoined, they wrote. - Taylor Goldenstein, 12:01 p.m. State representatives look at a congressional redistricting maps during debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman A handful of the Texas Democrats female members are wearing dark green in a show of support for the victims and survivors of last months deadly Central Texas floods. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texans all over the state have been tying green ribbons to trees and in other publicly visible places to commemorate the lost lives. It was the same color that Rep. Nicole Collier, a Fort Worth Democrat, was wearing Monday when she declined to sign a permission form releasing her into the custody of a state trooper, essentially choosing to confine herself to the House floor for two straight days. Collier was still wearing that dark green blazer on Wednesday. State Rep. Penny Morales Shaw, of Houston, said members were wearing the color in support of disaster response legislation being the priority business of the Legislature today and in support of the Kerr County survivors. - Taylor Goldenstein, 11:35 a.m. Advertisement Article continues below this ad An El Paso judge has issued a restraining order against Attorney General Ken Paxton in his effort to shutter Beto ORourkes political organization, which the Texas Republican has accused of bribery by helping Democrats flee the state earlier this month to block redistricting. Judge Annabell Perez wrote in a ruling Tuesday that Paxton was singling out one organization for targeted enforcement based solely on that organizations protected constitutional activity. Perez also accused Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate, of going after ORourke because he may also run for that office. Paxtons action is part of a larger course of attempting to use the legal system to impinge on Powered by Peoples constitutionally protected activity, Perez wrote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad -Benjamin Wermund State Rep. Senfronia Thompson of Houston, the House's most senior Democrat, questioned redistricting bill author Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, about why he changed the map that he had originally filed. The latest map would further boost Republican strength in several districts. For example, in the Houston area, Congressional District 9, now represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Green, would become even redder than initially proposed by picking up some of U.S. Rep. Brian Babins district. Hunter said the decision to make the changes were made by "me and the lawyers." Advertisement Article continues below this ad State representatives look at a congressional redistricting maps during debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Asked how he came to the decision, Hunter noted that most of the Democrats had left the state to break quorum. "You all chose to walk out," Hunter said when Rep. Ramon Romero of Fort Worth took over the questioning from Thompson. "You kept work from being done. ... Don't use that to belabor this bill. John C. Moritz, 11:05 a.m. Advertisement Article continues below this ad State Rep. Todd Hunter, author of the redistricting bill, introduced the legislation and sought to dispel the Democrats narrative that Republicans are pushing it through without public input. The Corpus Christi Republican described how three hearings were held during the first special session, though he did not mention that most of those were held before the proposed map was released. One 12-hour hearing was held after the map was made public. You want transparency? he said, as he pulled his black-rimmed glasses from his coat pocket. Here's the U.S. Supreme Court legal transparency: The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward: to improve Republican political performance. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Then, Hunter ran through the changes in the map and opened the floor for questions. Taylor Goldenstein, 10:47 a.m. Even though the House Democrats were back in the chamber Wednesday, they clearly were not happy about it. And they were less happy about the requirement that does not allow them to come and go as they please without the threat of arrest. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rep. Gina Hinojosa of Austin said Article 3, Section 14 of the Texas Constitution should provide them protection from being detained by law enforcement. Here's what it says: "Senators and Representatives shall, except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during the session of the Legislature, and in going to and returning from the same." House Speaker Dustin Burrows responded that other, but unspecified, constitutional provisions override the sections, leaving in place his order that any Democrat who leaves during the redistricting debate will be detained. John C. Moritz, 10:40 a.m. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The day began with Republicans and Democrats blaming each other for delaying disaster relief bills related to last months deadly Central Texas flooding. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, an Austin Democrat, questioned why the House was taking up redistricting before anything else. Hinojosa moved to suspend all business to take up disaster relief and put the lives and safety of children in Texas over politics. Advertisement Article continues below this ad House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, declined to recognize her for that purpose. Then, state Rep. Ellen Troxclair, a Republican also from Austin, stood to refute that notion with a pointed question. Isn't it true that because we did not have quorum, because members of this body chose not to show up and do their job, the work of Texas has been delayed, not stopped, but delayed?, she said. And so that relief to those families is finally going to be done within these next two weeks, because they have finally shown up to work. -Taylor Goldenstein Advertisement Article continues below this ad House Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Wu is seeking to tie the redistricting legislation to the release of the so-called Epstein files by the U.S. Department of Justice. President Donald Trump was a one-time friend of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Democrats, and some conservatives, have demanded that the Trump administration release the investigative files. At the same time he's demanding Abbott ram through racist maps, he's making sure Congressional Republicans block the release of files that could expose his decades-long relationship with a child sex trafficker, Wu, D-Houston, said in a statement. This amendment forces Republicans to choose between their loyalty to Trump and their obligation to expose sexual predators. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wus amendment is unlikely to be adopted by the House GOP majority. John C. Moritz, 10:13 a.m. A crowd of supporters gathered outside the House chamber about an hour before the House gaveled in Wednesday. The group of Democrats who joined Rep. Nicole Collier in spending the night in the chamber emerged and spoke to them. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I just want to say thank you for all the people who have supported us and supported Rep. Collier, said state Rep. Rhetta Bowers, of Rowlett. We wanted to be in here with her, through the night and into today, just standing in solidarity. The crowd cheered for the representatives as they reentered the chamber through the heavy wooden doors, then they launched into a chorus of We Shall Not Be Moved led by activist Idona Griffith, who played an acoustic guitar. Demonstrators and reporters are in their places ahead of the House floor debate on redistricting. #txlege pic.twitter.com/LBRqabkrO4 John C. Moritz (@JohnnieMo) August 20, 2025 We are Texas Democrats, we shall not be moved, they sang. Were fighting for democracy, we shall not be moved. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They held signs reading, Let them out! and Protect Voting Rights - Stop the Redistricting and Defend the Constitution. Taylor Goldenstein, 9:55 a.m. Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, holds his permission slip, granting him permission to leave the House Chamber, after the session ended for the day at the Capitol in Austin, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman State Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth camped out another night in the Texas House, after she refused Republican leaders orders to sign a permission slip and accept a police escort in order to leave the chamber. And she got from encouragement from colleagues and former Vice President Kamala Harris, who called Collier and posted her support on social media. Advertisement Article continues below this ad You are among those who history will reveal to have been the heroes of this moment, Harris told her, according to a posted record of the call. Collier responded, I cant tell you how much this means to me and the community that I represent, that you care. Bayliss Wagner, 9:10 a.m. Since June, and without much fanfare, dozens of National Guard soldiers in Albuquerque, the capital and largest city of New Mexico, have been listening to police communications, monitoring traffic cameras, and helping secure crime scene perimeters. These are not the typical duties of a military force designed as a locally deployable contingent, usually used to support natural disasters or emergency situations, but they are responding to an explicit request from the local police. At the same time, in Washington, D.C., the presence of National Guard troops ordered by President Donald Trump last week to address an alleged crime crisis has drawn strong criticism from the Democratic opposition as well as protests from the citys residents. The deployment of 60 to 70 personnel in Albuquerque was originally requested in April by the city police, who, in an emergency petition, cited the fentanyl epidemic and rising youth violence as critical problems requiring immediate intervention. Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham approved the request, and a week ago, just as the National Guard arrived in Washington, she signed a declaration of a state of emergency for the northern part of the state, allowing her to mobilize more troops there if necessary. President Trump, on the other hand, ordered 800 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. without any prior request from local authorities, citing the oft-repeated security crisis that is not backed by statistics. In response to this troop mobilization and the attempt to take direct control of the local Washington police, Democrats nationwide denounced what they consider an illegal and dangerous use of the troops. Similar criticism arose when Trump sent thousands of National Guard personnel to California in June during protests against his immigration agenda. In a statement condemning the presidents unilateral action in Washington, Governor Grisham and the mayor of Albuquerque warned Trumps massive executive overreach in Washington sets a dangerous precedent and undermines safety in our nations capital. Foreseeing potential accusations of hypocrisy for taking the same action as Trump, they emphasized the differences between the two situations. The contrast couldnt be clearer: while President Trump uses the National Guard to trample local leadership, New Mexico brings together local and state governments to make our communities genuinely safer, said the statement. National Guard in Washington, August 19, 2025. Jose Luis Magana (AP) Washington Attorney General Brian Schwalb, for his part, has said he considers the military intervention unnecessary and noted that crime in the capital has recently fallen to historic lows. Trump, however, has suggested extending the measure to other major Democratic-run cities, such as Chicago, New York, and again Los Angeles, despite independent reports also showing sustained drops in crime in all three during 2025. One of the key issues in the dispute is who controls the National Guard. In each state, governors act as commander-in-chief of their troops, while in the District of Columbia that authority falls directly to the president. This legal difference explains why Trump was able to deploy soldiers in the capital without a request. However, if he declares a state of emergency, he can take control of a given states National Guard, as he did in Los Angeles in June. This, in turn, fuels controversy over the scope of the Posse Comitatus Act, which since 1878 has prohibited the Army from performing domestic policing functions. This debate has reached the courts: a California court is currently reviewing arguments over whether sending soldiers to Los Angeles violated the law. The Posse Comitatus Act also reserves public safety to the states, but its wording as with many ambiguous laws in the U.S. legal system allows for multiple interpretations. The most concerned critics see in the presidents actions a dangerous precedent for the federal government to begin using troops for local security matters. In New Mexico, consequently, the official narrative seeks to distance itself from Trumps order in Washington. In press releases and statements, local authorities have emphasized that the troops deployed in Albuquerque do not patrol in camouflage uniforms or carry weapons, but wear polos, without rifles or authority to make arrests. Their role, they insist, is limited to support tasks: guarding crime scenes, monitoring traffic, and assisting with logistics. In Washington, the federal government has said something similar, yet the dozens of daily arrests since the troops arrival and the presence of tanks and soldiers with automatic rifles on the capitals streets have heightened tensions that reassuring words are seeking to calm. Furthermore, while the use of the National Guard in Washington responds to an ostensibly fabricated crime crisis, in New Mexico it responds to a tangible and growing pressure. Rio Arriba County, recently declared in emergency, has the highest overdose death rate in the state, and Albuquerque is facing a surge in youth violence directly linked to fentanyl trafficking. On the surface, the soldiers currently patrolling Washington and Albuquerque perform similar tasks: maintaining a presence on the streets, providing logistical support to local police, and guarding sensitive sites. However, the context, legal limits, and relationship with local civilian authorities create a political divide that has become yet another partisan flashpoint. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Ive solved six wars in six months. That was U.S. President Donald Trumps response to criticism of his role as mediator between Russia and Ukraine, just hours before receiving Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy and a delegation of European heads of state on Monday at the White House. It is also a claim that has become increasingly common in the Republicans messages from the Oval Office, in statements to the press, and in his posts on Truth Social, his social network. In the midst of coverage of the summit a decisive moment in efforts to achieve peace two questions arose among several journalists: What are the conflicts that Trump has claimed to have ended? And how much truth is there in his words? The news site Axios sent the White House a list of conflicts to confirm whether these were the wars Trump was referring to. The reply from a spokesperson surprised them. They were not six, but seven wars that the president supposedly had resolved. Yet after reviewing the list, they were left with more doubts than answers. The Republican counts among his achievements agreements reached during his first term, fragile truces in still-active conflicts, and even claims credit for mediations that one of the parties disputes. The list sent by the White House includes the conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Israel and Iran, India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Serbia and Kosovo. Im averaging about a war a month, Trump boasted in July, when he presented the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand as a success of his foreign policy. But this average is far from accurate. Mediation in the conflicts between Egypt and Ethiopia, and between Serbia and Kosovo, dates back to his first presidency (20172021). And in the first case supposedly a conflict between the two African countries there was no peace agreement at all, because it was not even a war but tensions over the construction of a dam on the Nile River. Trump, in fact, tried to convince the Ethiopian government to reach a deal in 2020, but Addis Ababa walked away from the negotiations. As for Serbia and Kosovo, both sides signed a partial peace agreement in Washington in 2020 following Kosovos unilateral declaration of independence in 2008, but tensions remain high. NATO urged both parties to normalize their relations this March. To move this dialogue forward, both sides must show flexibility, make the necessary compromises, and focus on the long-term gains, said NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. In his second term, which began in January this year, the Republican has focused on influencing various conflicts as a demonstration of Washingtons strength on the international stage. American leadership is back under President Trump, read the statement released by the White House after the meeting with Zelenskiy, which also highlighted the presidents unrelenting commitment to peace before moving on to a series of praises from the visiting European dignitaries. It is a clear example of how the U.S. president wants to be seen by others and one of the driving forces behind his obsession with winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Peacemaker in Chief Once again, President Trump has proven to be the peacemaker-in-chief, said Derrick Van Orden, Republican congressman from Wisconsin, congratulating the president on the ceasefire between Iran and Israel at the end of last June. It was one of the cases in which the presidents efforts were overshadowed by the methods he used to achieve peace. The so-called Twelve-Day War ended after Trump announced a ceasefire following U.S. bombings of three Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump has also used tariffs as a tool in negotiating peace. When hostilities broke out between Cambodia and Thailand, the president said he would not negotiate a reduction in tariffs until both sides ended the conflict. I am proud to be the president of peace, Trump declared after announcing a ceasefire on July 28. The ceasefire proved fragile just two days after the presidents of both countries posed together in Malaysia shaking hands, and China last week called on its neighbors to find a permanent solution to their border disputes. Buddhist monks hold portraits of U.S. President Donald Trump during a march for peace, in Phnom Penh. Roun Ry (REUTERS) That sense of fragility in the ceasefires reached has also become evident in the conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. After signing a peace agreement in June at the White House, the Congolese army and the rebel group M23, backed by Rwanda, have accused each other of failing to respect the pact, according to Axios. In other cases, doubts have been raised as to whether Trumps involvement was decisive in halting hostilities that broke out last May between India and Pakistan, two nuclear powers. There was no [...] U.S. mediation between India and Pakistan, declared Indian Foreign Minister Vikram Misri in mid-June. Barely a month earlier, Trump had claimed on Truth Social that a ceasefire was reached after a long night of talks mediated by the United States. In other cases, doubts have been raised about whether Trumps involvement was decisive in halting the hostilities that erupted last May between the two nuclear powers. There was no US mediation between India and Pakistan, Indian Foreign Minister Vikram Misri stated in mid-June. Just a month earlier, Trump said on Truth or Dare that a truce had been reached after a long night of U.S.-mediated dialogue. A week before traveling to Alaska to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday, Trump met at the White House the leaders of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, to sign a preliminary peace deal to end a long-running territorial conflict that has resulted in more than three decades of clashes. Pashinyan said the American deserves the Nobel, and Aliyev assured that the Republican had brought peace to the Caucasus. But once again, doubts are growing over how effective the agreement will be in ending the conflict, while Iran and Russia have opposed it, fearing that it could upset the geopolitical balance in the region. Nobel campaign Ive negotiated five wars to their end, Trump said in an interview with Fox News after the summit with Putin. I have seven, host Sean Hannity interrupted. The president explained that he didnt think it was necessary to include the decimation of [Irans] nuclear arsenal among his diplomatic efforts. On Thursday, Dagens Naeringsliv, Norways most influential financial daily, reported that Trump called Jens Stoltenberg, the former Norwegian prime minister, current finance minister, and former NATO secretary general, a month ago. He wanted the Nobel Prize and to talk about tariffs, the newspaper reported, citing anonymous sources. Stoltenberg confirmed he spoke with Trump, though he said the call focused on tariffs and the trade relationship between the two countries. I will not go into further detail about the content of the conversation, he said in a statement to Reuters. A White House spokesperson confirmed the call took place, but did not confirm that the prize was discussed. Every year, a five-member Norwegian committee evaluates the Nobel Peace Prize nominations and selects the winners. No, I wont get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and thats all that matters to me! Trump said on social media in June. Give Trump the Nobel! And an Emmy. And an Oscar, journalist Frank Bruni quipped in an op-ed in The New York Times. The Nobel Peace Prize is traditionally presented on December 10. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Hiring foreign workers does not mean replacing Romanian citizens, but a last resort solution to the acute shortage of local human resources, and demanding a ban on foreign workers in Romania means denying the exact right the Romanians have enjoyed in order to build a better life, by working legally in Italy, Spain, Germany, Great Britain or on other continents, warns the Labor Importers Employers' Association (PIFM). In a statement sent on Wednesday, PIFM denounces the hostile messages circulated on social media, which incite discrimination against Asian workers, and demands the protection of the dignity of immigrant workers, agerpres reports. According to the cited source, Romania is facing an acute shortage of personnel in multiple fields, and foreign legal workers contribute to the functioning of the economy. Any company that takes in non-EU labor does so only as a last resort, after having gone through a clearly established legal procedure with the National Employment Agency (ANOFM). In the first instance, Romanian employers are required to declare job vacancies to the National Employment Agency to try to fill them with local labor, including by promoting available positions online. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan will pay a working visit to the Republic of Moldova on Saturday, marking his first official visit as Prime Minister of Romania, during which he will participate in a series of activities alongside Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean, agerpres reports. According to a Government press release, discussions will focus on key bilateral cooperation topics and projects, including those funded by Romania through non-reimbursable financial assistance, as well as aspects related to Moldova's European integration. President Nicusor Dan stated on Wednesday that his visit to the US will most likely be carried out at the beginning of next year, if everything goes according to plan, occasion on which concrete security and economic matters are to be discussed. Asked, on Wednesday, in Rosia Montana, when he is to pay a visit to the US, President Nicusor Dan responded that "probably at the beginning of next year, if everything goes according to plan.'', agerpres reports. "In the meantime, it is important to go through the preliminary steps, and when we go there, to go with concrete matters of security, obviously, but also economic. It's very important for us to have more foreign investors in Romania and obviously US companies in technology, in the energy sector, it's very important to have them," the President stated. This article was co-published with Los Angeles Times and Puente News Collaborative , a bilingual nonprofit newsroom, convener, and funder dedicated to high-quality, fact-based news and information from the U.S.-Mexico border. Inside a windowless and dark shipping container turned into a high-tech surveillance command center, two analysts peered at their own set of six screens that showed data coming in from an MQ-9 Predator B drone. Both were looking for two adults and a child who had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border and had fled when a Border Patrol agent approached in a truck. Inside the drone hangar on the other side of the Fort Huachuca base sat another former shipping container, this one occupied by a drone pilot and a camera operator, who pivoted the drones camera to scan 9 square miles of shrubs and saguaros for the migrants. Like the command center, the onetime shipping container was dark, lit only by the glow of the computer screens. The hunt for the three migrants embodied how advanced technology has become a vital part of the Trump administrations efforts to secure the border. This type of drone, previously used in warfare, was operated by the National Air Security Operations division of Customs and Border Protection at the Army base about 70 miles south of Tucson. A reporter was allowed to observe the operation in April on the condition that personnel not be named and that no photographs be taken. The Department of Homeland Security allocated 12,000 hours of MQ-9 drone flight time this year at the Fort Huachuca base, and says the flights cost $3,800 per hour, though an inspector general report in 2015 said the amount is closer to $13,000 when factoring in personnel salaries and operational costs. Maintenance issues and bad weather often mean the drones fly around half the allotted hours, officials said. With the precipitous drop in migrant crossings at the southern U.S. border, the drones are now tasked with fewer missions. That means they have the time to track small groups or even individual border jumpers trekking north through the desert, including a father and child. The drone flying this day was mounted with radar, called Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar, or VaDER, that could identify any moving object in the drones sight, and pinpoint them with color-coded dots for the two analysts in the first container. The program had already located three Border Patrol agents, one on foot and two on motorcycles, searching for the migrants. The analysts had also identified three cows and two horses, headed towards Mexico. Then, one of the analysts spotted something. We got them, he said to his colleague, who had been scanning the terrain. Good work. The analyst dropped a pin on the migrants, and the VaDER program began tracking their movement in a blue trail. Now, he had to guide agents on the ground to them. A soldier walks past a drone in a hangar at Fort Huachuca on April 3, 2025. Ross D. Franklin (AP) Weve got an adult male and a child, I think, tucked in this bush, the analyst radioed to his team, as he toggled between the live video to an infrared camera view that shows the heat signature of every living thing in range. The analyst saw his Border Patrol colleagues approaching on motorcycles. The roar of the oncoming machines scared up a bird, the tracking program showed. The migrants began running. OK, it looks like theyre starting, the camera operator said into the radio to the Border Patrol agents. Theyre hearing the bikes. They hear you guys. The camera operator and the other personnel spoke in the professional, matter-of-fact tone of 911 operators. One adult and the child began scrambling up a hill. Theyre moving north and west, mainly, the camera operator said. Starting to pick up the pace going uphill. The agents rushed in on the pair and detained them. It was a mother and her child. The drone team turned its attention to the third person, who was stumbling through the brush and making a beeline for the Mexican border. If you cut due south from your current location, the drone pilot said to the camera operator. You should pick up some sign. The camera operator, as directed, panned across the desert, scanning farther and farther south. Ive got them, he said when he spotted someone running. He radioed the coordinates to the Border Patrol team. By now, the man, carrying a backpack, had scaled a hill. Hes on the ridge line right now, working his way up due south, slowly, the camera operator radioed. Then the man dropped something. Hey, mark that spot, the camera operator said. He just threw a pack, right here where my cross-hairs are at. Agents would go back later and see if the backpack contained drugs, an analyst said. Usually, if its food or water, theyre not going to do that, he said. On this spring morning, the drone wasnt the only airborne asset deployed. A helicopter had joined the chase to catch the southbound man, who stumbled, got up and kept running. He took a pretty good spill there, an analyst said into the radio. We have a help inbound, three point five minutes out, the camera operator said. A helicopter came into the drones view. It swooped in, circling the location of the man, who was by now hiding under a bush. You just passed over him, the camera operator radioed the helicopter pilot. Hes between you and that saguaro. With a keystroke, he switched to infrared vision to find the mans heat profile through the brush to make sure he still had him. Guided by the camera operator, the pilot landed the helicopter in a cloud of dust near the cowering target. The video feed showed agents jump out of the aircraft, detain the man and load him into the helicopter. The chopper lifted off and tilted back north towards a nearby Border Patrol post. Thanks, sir, appreciate all the help, the analyst said to the helicopter pilot. Mission accomplished, the drone pilot turned the MQ-9 back along the U.S.-Mexico border, scanning the vast desert in search of more migrants. The military is planning to deliver a third MQ-9 drone to the base this fall after spending a year retrofitting it for civilian authority use. Steve Fisher is a Puente News Collaborative and covers security in Mexico. He has written for The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The specialized intervention module for extinguishing wildfires that Romania is sending to Spain, made up of of 51 firefighters within the Inspectorate General for Emergency Situations (IGSU) and its subordinate units will operate in the Galicia region. Initially, the positioning of the Romanian firefighters was set for the city of Jarilla, in the province of Caceres, Extremadura community, but the change was made taking into account the dynamics of the fires, agerpres reports. According to the quoted source, the situation on the ground is dynamic and further changes may occur.Thus, Romania reaffirms its solidarity and commitment to supporting the member states of the European Union in the management of large-scale emergency situations. Representatives of the Sanitas healthcare trade union federation met Wednesday with Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete and ministry experts to discuss the healthcare reforms expected to be included in the second package of measures, agerpres reports. "We were presented with the draft emergency ordinance (OUG), which is set to be released for public consultation later today, following our meeting and which mainly introduces the following changes: increasing the point value for outpatient medical services to 8 RON, until January 1, 2026; mandatory outpatient activity for all doctors, with more flexible organization of services in outpatient clinics; changes to the criteria for appointing department heads and hospital managers; a new mechanism for financing medical services, developed by the CNAS [the National Health Insurance House], which maintains the 'influence' component but allocates it based on multiple performance criteria (complexity of solved cases, patient flow, bed numbers, etc.); regulated funding for severe cases transferred from private to public hospitals," according to a post on the Facebook page of the Sanitas healthcare trade union federation. They also requested to be included in the working groups drafting future legislative proposals related to Healthcare reform.Sanitas representatives announced they will also hold a meeting with the Minister of Labor for consultations regarding the social assistance system. Si quieres compartir tu cuenta, cambia tu suscripcion a la modalidad Premium, asi podras anadir otro usuario. Cada uno accedera con su propia cuenta de email, lo que os permitira personalizar vuestra experiencia en EL PAIS. Tienes una suscripcion de empresa? Accede aqui para contratar mas cuentas. En el caso de no saber quien esta usando tu cuenta, te recomendamos cambiar tu contrasena aqui. Si decides continuar compartiendo tu cuenta, este mensaje se mostrara en tu dispositivo y en el de la otra persona que esta usando tu cuenta de forma indefinida, afectando a tu experiencia de lectura. Puedes consultar aqui los terminos y condiciones de la suscripcion digital. ST. CHARLES The now-scuttled St. Charles data center would have dumped five million gallons of water into Dardenne Creek and posed significant and irreversible threats to the environment, according to a prominent environmental group and the state conservation agency. It would have displaced endangered or threatened animal and plant species, officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation said in a letter to St. Charles. And it would have caused increased flooding risks for residents living downstream in the rural community of Kampville, a conservation nonprofit wrote in a second letter. This project exemplifies the kind of short-sighted development Great Rivers Habitat Alliance was founded to oppose, said alliance Executive Director J. Michael Checkett. The data center was planned to be built on 440-acres along Highway 370 in north St. Charles, but the company on Monday withdrew the proposal in light of burgeoning public opposition to the data center, dubbed Project Cumulus. The company said it planned to retool the proposal and potentially resubmit it in the future. The site still makes a ton of sense, Korb Maxwell, a representative for the developer, said Tuesday. But we have no timeline for when we will resubmit. Maxwell acknowledged public concerns, and said the company will do a better job addressing them. But he also said the project is changing. For instance, he said, the developer is now thinking it will dump wastewater into the St. Charles sewer system. And some wildlife concerns, which Maxwell said are limited to one section of the property, could be avoided. Much of the publics criticism of the project focused on the data centers water and electricity consumption and what company would ultimately be using the facility. The sprawling complex, which would have consisted of five warehouses operating 24 hours a day, was a project of CRG, the development arm of construction giant, Clayco. But environmental groups, such as the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, were also concerned about it. In an Aug. 14 letter, Department of Conservation Director Jason A. Sumners urged the council to delay its vote, scheduled for Tuesday, to allow the organization more time to review the proposal, which had changed markedly since the department was first asked to consult on the project. Initially, Sumners said, the state was told by engineering consultant Kimley-Horn, a North Carolina-based firm, that the project was a potential light development. It has since come to the departments attention that this project is a data center with projected coolant water consumption of five million gallons of water per day discharging into Dardenne Creek, Sumners wrote in his letter. Assistant department director Aaron Jeffries told the Post-Dispatch on Tuesday that while such a discharge would have certainly raised the water level in the creek, the department was also concerned about the quality of the water being dumped. We had been told that the water inside the data center was going to be treated with a chemical, he said. We wanted to know what the chemical was, how it could be removed, and how it would have impacted the fish and invertebrates that are in the creek. In a town hall last week at the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, Kimley-Horn staff members explained the data center would have a water circuit system that would reuse the water four to five times. The project planned to get water from the commercial company Missouri American Water and from the city of St. Louis, representatives said. Officials have not said how much water would be needed to cool the data center, which was designed to be temperature-controlled. Some water would be lost to evaporation, they said, as it passed through the water circuit system. The water would be injected with chemicals, but the staff did not identify what chemicals when asked by residents. Moreover, the developer planned to dredge the Mississippi River, collecting sediment that would then be pumped through a network of pipes to the project site in order to raise it 15 feet out of the floodplain, similar to the process used to build Highway 370. But Jeffries said the department of conservation also only learned of that plan a few days ago after Sumners letter. Great Rivers, the conservation group, was especially concerned about the impact on the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, according to the letter from Checkett, sent Aug. 18. The confluence is not a blank slate for industrial expansion it is a living system that supports wildlife, agriculture, recreation and clean water, he said. The region is a critical stop for millions of migratory birds, both groups said. The confluence is a national treasure, Checkett said, containing important agricultural grounds that feed our families, wildlife habitats that sustain the fall and spring migrations of millions of migratory birds, riverine habitats that provide clean water for fishes, amphibians, reptiles and people. The conservation department also said the data center would have eliminated habitat for the endangered Indiana bat and threatened tricolored bat, Sumners said in his letter. It could have affected Bald Eagle nesting areas. And it could impact the decurrent false aster, an endangered white daisy-type flower that exclusively grows in St. Charles County. The flower, which primarily grows in wetlands, marshes, and lakes, was prevalent in the marshes that once stretched across northeastern St. Charles County. Jeffries said the importance of eagles, bats and flowers should not be overlooked. The bats, he said, consume a significant number of insects that could adversely impact farmers crops. If the bats go away, farmers would have to use additional chemicals to ward insects off their farm fields. Every species is valuable, he said. And once you lose it, you lose it forever. The MQM-172 Arrowhead drone, shown here, is similar to the Iranian Shahed-136, which has caused much damage during the war in Ukraine. The Air Force is asking industry for proposals that would provide up to 36 reverse-engineered replicas of the Shahed-136. (LinkedIn/Daniel Beck/Griffon Aerospace) The Air Force is on a quest for some drone clones, with a recent solicitation asking industry to replicate an Iranian aircraft that has wreaked havoc in the Russia-Ukraine war and elsewhere. The service intends to buy at least 16 one-to-one copies of a reverse-engineered Shahed-136, with the option to purchase 20 more later, according to federal documents issued earlier this month. First appearing in battle six years ago, the inexpensive class of one-way attack drones has become a principal weapon for Iran and its allies. Sixteen of the drones are not enough to match the firepower of Iran or Russia, which is mass-producing the weapons and at one point was firing 140 Shahed variants into Ukraine every day. Instead, the U.S. likely wants to use them for testing and training, experts say, underscoring the growing threat from cheap unmanned aircraft. The drones are estimated to cost between $20,000 and $50,000 apiece, making them cheaper than most long-range attack drones, and have played a key part in Irans layered attacks on Israel, where they are often deployed alongside ballistic and cruise missiles. Last month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reviewed a new model known as the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, or LUCAS, designed by Arizona-based defense contractor SpektreWorks to rival the power of the Shahed-136. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looks at a display of the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, or LUCAS, drone in the courtyard of the Pentagon on July 16, 2025. (Facebook/Army Contracting Command Rock Island) The Air Force offered some basic parameters for the Shahed replicas, including dimensions, propulsion system and payload capacity, but it didnt specify anything about the interior electronics. That suggests that the focus is more on kinetic deterrence than electronic warfare, said Wolf-Christian Paes, senior fellow for armed conflict at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. (The Air Force) basically wants something that flies like a Shahed, looks like a Shahed and arguably has a similar sort of radar signature like a Shahed, Paes said. This is about how to potentially shoot it out of the sky if it approaches your position. The specified quantity of up to 36 also suggests that the military may be trying to prepare for a mass drone attack, a known weakness of U.S. defense systems, Paes said. U.S. forces are better-equipped for tracking and shooting down incoming fighter planes or bombers, not the slow, low-flying Shahed drones, which are difficult for radar to pick up, he said. Thats something that is hard to train (for) if you dont have a suitable target drone that flies a similar profile, Paes said. The first confirmed use of a Shahed came in 2019, when drone strikes on Saudi oil facilities temporarily disrupted the global oil supply. Since then, the Iranian drones have been used by Tehrans allies in Yemen and Iraq, and have been co-opted by Russia under the name Geran-2. There may be no more famous one-way attack drone in the world today than the Shahed-136, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, the senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies It can deliver up to 200 pounds of explosives to predesignated targets at a range of at least 1,200 miles, according to the Open Source Munitions Portal, an online database compiled by munitions experts. A similar variant, the Shahed-131, has slightly smaller dimensions and can deliver a payload of up to about 45 pounds, according to the database. The U.S., Israel and Ukraine have been able to defeat large numbers of the drones on the battlefield, but drone deterrence has become a question of both cost and military tactics, Taleblu said. Their low price and high volume have shifted the burden of interception into as much a financial equation as a military one, given the cost to track, detect, and most importantly, intercept and destroy these low and slow flying systems, he said. The Air Force said in its request for info that the drone replicas will be sent to the Armament Directorate at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, which designs, develops and fields air-delivered weapons systems. The service isnt providing detailed technical designs, which means potential vendors will be required to analyze and develop their own copies of the Shahed-136. Military family housing in Katterbach, Germany, part of U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach, which had the lowest rating in a recent Army housing survey. (U.S. Army) KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany Soldiers and their families in Europe give government housing substandard marks, while some serving in Asia were more upbeat, according to annual survey results. Concerns reported by soldiers worldwide who participated in the 2025 Army tenant satisfaction survey included mold and pest infestations, cramped living conditions and security breaches, leading to theft and privacy invasions, according to a survey summary the Army provided to Stars and Stripes. Some of the chief concerns among family housing tenants in all survey areas included overcrowding and outdated facilities, an unfair housing allocation process, depressing living conditions and inadequate trash management. Many of our government-owned units in our housing areas are roughly 70 years old and lack some of the modern amenities that our families might be accustomed to prior to arriving in Europe, Mark Heeter, a spokesman for Installation Command-Europe, said in a statement Wednesday. In Europe, the Army plans to make significant investments to either upgrade, replace or build new Army-owned family housing to a standard similar to housing at installations in the United States, Heeter said. That work includes construction at U.S. Army Garrison Italy that he called the largest overseas housing project in the world. Out of 16 installations in regions throughout the U.S., the Pacific and Europe, five of the six lowest-rated family housing communities are in Germany or Italy. U.S. Army Garrison Ansbachs housing scored 59.1 out of 100, the only post to receive a rating of poor, indicating tenants strong displeasure with the property and/or the level of service and the need for immediate improvements. We are currently evaluating and diving deep into the survey results for all our garrisons on an individual basis and will be looking at Ansbach and the others to identify trends and areas of improvement, Heeter said. The other five locations, from the bottom up, in satisfaction were Stuttgart, Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific and Rheinland-Pfalz, landing in the below-average range; and Wiesbaden, Germany, and U.S. Army Garrison Italy in the average range. The highest overall satisfaction scores came from Fort Eisenhower in Georgia, recently renamed Fort Gordon; Hawthorne Army Depot, Calif.; Dugway Proving Ground in Utah and U.S. Army Garrison Daegu, South Korea. For the first time, this years survey included service members without families. The Army annually seeks feedback on housing and services to prioritize areas for improvement, the service said in a statement Wednesday about the findings. The family housing survey was conducted from March to May. Surveys were sent to 9,095 homes, and a little more than 1 in 5 responded, according to CEL & Associates, the consulting company hired by the Army to do the survey. The unaccompanied housing survey was distributed to 93,725 tenants, with an 11% response rate. The consulting company said the number of responses is typical for the demographic in a first-year survey. Europe as a region scored the worst overall among barracks residents, with a poor satisfaction score of 63.1. Pacific housing wasnt rated much higher, with a below average score of 65.9. Wiesbadens barracks had the lowest satisfaction rating in Europe, ranking 41st out of 46 installations, according to the survey summary. Some results were encouraging for Europe, Heeter said. For example, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux received an award for providing a high level of service to barracks residents, he said. In family housing, he added, Europes total score either held steady or improved in property condition, service and satisfaction compared with last years results. The command remains committed to improving homes and the services it provides, Heeter said. Mayor Daisuke Hanashiro, left, and Maj. Gen. Brian Wolford, commander of Marine Corps Installations Pacific, take part in a joint patrol of Gate 2 Street in Okinawa city, Okinawa, April 18, 2025. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes) CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa Nine Marines may face charges under the military justice system after encountering a joint patrol in Okinawa city, the latest sign that the military is cracking down on off-duty misconduct. About 50 U.S. and Japanese civil and military authorities took part in the patrol near Gate 2 Street, a nightlife district outside Kadena Air Base, from midnight to 2 a.m. Saturday, a spokesman for Okinawa citys Base Policy Division said by phone Monday. Some Japanese government officials speak to the press only on condition of anonymity. Military police took the Marines into custody during the patrol and released them later that morning to their commands, which will determine possible charges, Marine Corps Installations Pacific spokeswoman 1st Lt. Kelsey Enlow said by phone Wednesday. The detentions represent a step up in enforcing liberty rules imposed after a spate of sexual assault cases surfaced on the island, the installations commander said this week. As you do everything through operations, you slowly ramp up in the context of those operations, and over the last several months its been kind of an education process, Maj. Gen. Brian Wolford told reporters Monday during a roundtable at Camp Foster. Now over the last weekend we have transitioned to enforcement of those regulations. The patrol included 20 law enforcement officers from base Provost Marshals Offices, 12 of them Marines, who continued until about 5 a.m., Enlow said. Local and prefectural police and representatives of the Okinawa Defense Bureau, an arm of Japans Ministry of Defense, made up the rest. Maj. Gen. Brian Wolford, commander of Marine Corps Installations Pacific, speaks with reporters at Ocean Breeze on Camp Foster, Okinawa, Aug. 18, 2025. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes) Three Marines were fingerprinted and entered into the provost marshal database for alleged violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Enlow said by phone Wednesday, without elaborating. The other six either refused to provide a valid ID, became aggressive, or tried to flee the area, she wrote in an email Monday. One Marine who was shouting and acting aggressively was held down by police and later taken to Naval Hospital Okinawa, the Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper reported Tuesday, citing unnamed officials. Enlow and Okinawa Prefectural Police declined to confirm or deny the report. All nine Marines were held at the Provost Marshals Office on Foster before being released to unit representatives later Saturday morning, Enlow said. Each command has expressed their desire for fast and aggressive adjudication, she said. Joint patrols began April 18 in response to a series of sexual assault allegations against U.S. service members over the past couple of years. Senior Airman Brennon Washington was convicted last year of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor in December 2023. Marine Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton was convicted in June of strangling and attempting to sexually assault a woman in May 2024. Both cases are under appeal. Two other cases are still pending. No one was detained during the first three joint patrols, Marine Corps Installations Command spokesman Maj. Brett Dornhege-Lazaroff said in July. On Saturday, law enforcement officers stopped at least 25 service members for violating liberty rules, which were modified by U.S. Forces Japan in September to prohibit troops from being in a drinking establishment or consuming alcohol publicly after 1 a.m. Military police photographed their IDs and reminded them of the policy, Enlow said. Wolford said during Mondays roundtable that the Marine Corps is working to expand the patrols to Okinawas capital, Naha, and is in discussions with local police and Mayor Satoru Chinen, though no date has been set. He said he does not foresee patrol escalating to further levels of enforcement. Weve been doing education, getting exposure out there in the towns and villages up to this point, Wolford said. I think were at the level we need to be at with the joint patrols, so I dont see it escalating, because the word is getting out I do not see it escalating; I see it staying constant. The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima is seen Aug. 19, 2025, returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., due to Hurricane Erin. (X/John Morgan) The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group returned stateside earlier this week as a hurricane in the western Atlantic Ocean threatened high winds and large swells along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima was photographed by a ship spotter on Tuesday as the vessel returned to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. The group includes the amphibious transport dock ships USS Fort Lauderdale and USS San Antonio, which also arrived in Norfolk, USNI News reported Tuesday, citing an unnamed Navy official. The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit also is part of the group, which comprises more than 4,500 Marines and sailors, according to the Navy. The ships returned to stay safe from the hurricane, the official told USNI. Over the weekend, Erin intensified to a major hurricane but later weakened, downgrading to a Category 2 storm early Wednesday, with maximum sustained winds of about 100 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The hurricane was not expected to make landfall, but the center warned against swimming at most U.S East Coast beaches due to the potential for life-threatening surf and rip currents. The ARGs return came just five days after it departed Norfolk on what the Navy said was a regularly scheduled deployment. It was the first deployment for a U.S. amphibious ready group in eight months, according to USNI. The group had traveled to waters off the North Carolina coast to onload the Marine expeditionary unit. It wasnt clear whether that embark was completed, USNI reported. The Navy didnt say in a statement Friday where the group was headed. But Reuters and CNN, citing unidentified U.S. officials, reported that it was deployed to waters around Latin America and the Caribbean to fight drug cartels. Additionally, the destroyers USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham and USS Sampson were being deployed near Venezuela over the coming months as part of President Donald Trumps counternarcotics strategy, The Associated Press reported Tuesday, citing an unidentified U.S. official. Also on Tuesday, the Navy said a U.S. Coast Guard detachment embarked on USS Sampson had interdicted a suspected drug smuggling vessel Aug. 11 in international waters, seizing nearly 1,300 pounds of cocaine. The Navy said the ship was operating in a known drug trafficking corridor but did not specify where the interdiction occurred. A Japan Self-Defense Force vessel and two tugboats shoot water at the USS New Orleans near White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Aug. 20, 2025. (Japan coast guard) Japans coast guard and military are helping the Navy battle a blaze that broke out aboard an amphibious transport docking ship off Okinawas southeastern coast on Wednesday evening. Crews are responding to a fire aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) this evening, Aug. 20, (Japan time) which is in the vicinity of Okinawa, Japan, U.S. 7th Fleet wrote in an unsigned statement emailed to Stars and Stripes. We will provide more details as they become available. Task Force 76 spokesman Lt. Cmdr. John Mike acknowledged additional email and phone inquiries but did not immediately provide responses. Camp Foster sent a message to the Japan coast guard at 5 p.m. stating there was a fire aboard the San Antonio-class vessel near White Beach Naval Facility, according to a coast guard news release. The crew is currently engaged in firefighting efforts, but we have requested the Japan Coast Guard to assist with the firefighting, the message said, according to the release. No injuries or oil spills were reported, according to a second coast guard release. The USS New Orleans operates off the coast of White Beach, Okinawa, Aug. 20, 2025. (Japan coast guard) The fire started in the front part of the 684-foot-long vessel, a coast guard spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday. We do not know if it started on the outside or the inside of the ship; we are still investigating, he said. Two tugboats and an unspecified Self-Defense Force vessel were participating in firefighting efforts at 6 p.m., the spokesman said. Camp Foster withdrew the firefighting request at 5:55 p.m. and asked all vessels to stay about a mile away, the coast guard said. The request was reinstated at 7:28 p.m. The coast guard initially dispatched one vessel and was preparing to join firefighting efforts as of 8:30 p.m., the spokesman said. Some Japanese government officials may speak to the press only on condition of anonymity. Wendy Hensel, president of the University of Hawaii, and Kelly McKeague, director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, shake hands after signing a cooperative agreement on Aug. 19, 2025, at the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus in Honolulu. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes) HONOLULU The University of Hawaii and the Defense Department have entered a five-year cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing efforts to find and identify the nations missing war dead. The deal, signed Tuesday by UH President Wendy Hensel and Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Director Kelly McKeague, will also allow students to work alongside scientists at the agencys state-of-the-art forensic laboratory on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Under the agreement, students and faculty will gain access to DPAAs scientific experts, data and lab resources, while the agency will benefit from the universitys academic programs and research facilities. Today, we celebrate the beginning of an important new partnership between the University of Hawaii and the DPAA, one that will strengthen science and technology education, expand training and research opportunities and open new career pathways for our students, all while advancing DPAAs vital mission to account for missing U.S. personnel from prior conflicts, Hensel said during the signing ceremony on campus. Roughly 81,000 service members remain missing from World War II and later conflicts. McKeague said just over 37,000 are considered potentially recoverable, with the rest lost at sea or under circumstances that make recovery highly unlikely. Federal law requires the Pentagon to fund recovery efforts at a level sufficient to account for at least 200 missing personnel each year. After falling short in recent fiscal years, the agency since Oct 1 had made 208 identifications as of Tuesday. Congress granted the Pentagon authority a decade ago to establish private partnerships in its mission to account for missing service members, and DPAA now maintains 130 such affiliations, McKeague said. The university and DPAA have been cooperating in an informal manner for years, but the agreement will bring that to a much higher level, he said. First of all, it expands and I believe emboldens the partnerships that we do have by creating access to the entire university system to include the School of Medicine, and it just formalizes it, it facilitates it, he said. And then, more importantly, in the reverse, we also have an opportunity to open up our facilities, our scientists, to university participants, whether they be faculty or students. Right now, we dont have that in place. This agreement will allow that to happen. Hensel underscored the successful UH-DPAA collaboration that helped to build Cambodias archeological workforce and developed a database for isotopic analysis that allows DPAA to distinguish remains of Asian-American service members among those with origins in Hawaii, the U.S. mainland or elsewhere in Asia. There are currently two Cambodian students Cambodian nationals that are here getting their degree in anthropology that will one day go back to help us with the missing in Cambodia, but also help Cambodia expand its anthropological capacity in-country, McKeague said. So, the ramifications for both DPAA and UH extend well beyond the state. Hensel also alluded to the importance of continued emphasis on such partnerships at a time when university research is at risk because of deep funding cuts being made by the Trump administration. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, speaks in Pyongyang in an undated photo from the state-run Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA) The North Korean leaders influential sister has dismissed the Souths recent calls for dialogue and urged her countrys diplomats to prepare for preemptive counteraction, state media reported Wednesday. Kim Yo Jong, a senior official on the State Affairs Commission, called South Korean President Lee Jae-myungs push for improved ties a pipe dream, according to a statement published by the Korean Central News Agency. She accused Lee of trying to create an amicable image while hosting a large-scale military exercise with the United States. U.S. airmen conduct pre-flight checks during an Ulchi Freedom Shield drill at Osan Air Base, South Korea, Aug. 18, 2025. (Jason Cochran/U.S. Air Force) The allies began the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise on Monday, involving about 20 field drills across South Korea. Washington and Seoul describe the training as routine and defensive, while Pyongyang routinely condemns the maneuvers as invasion rehearsals. Kim said Lees outreach while conducting military drills highlights South Koreas double standards, declaring Seoul cannot be a diplomatic partner for the North. South Koreas Ministry of Unification responded Wednesday, saying in an emailed statement that it is important to respect each other to achieve peace. The ministry said Lees administration seeks stability and prosperity for both Koreas and pledged to move past as era of confrontation and competition to a new era of peaceful coexistence and co-development. Lee has vowed to gradually rebuild relations, starting with restoring a military agreement both countries abandoned last year. His predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, suspended the 2018 Comprehensive Military Agreement in June 2024 after North Korea conducted missile tests and floated trash-filled balloons across the border. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un withdrew from the accord entirely seven months earlier, citing the need to bolster his countrys border defenses. Separately, KCNA reported Tuesday that Kim inspected the Norths newest destroyer, the Choe Hyon, at a shipyard in Nampo. During the visit, he accused the U.S. and South Korea of seeking to ignite a war through the Ulchi drills and called for a rapid expansion of nuclearization. Maj. Matthew Lowery, the fires and effects coordinator for Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, greets a Filipino service member during Exercise Alon's opening ceremony in Puerto Princesa, Philippines, Aug. 15, 2025. (Keegan Jones/U.S. Marine Corps) U.S. Marines have launched amphibious training in the Philippines with Filipino and Australian troops, shortly after completing a disaster-response mission in the countrys north. Members of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin joined Exercise Alon, which began Friday and runs through Aug. 29 on the islands of Luzon and Palawan, the unit said in a news release Monday. Alon, first held in 2023, is Australias largest overseas exercise with the Philippines, Australian chief of joint operations Vice Adm. Justin Jones said Friday in a statement from the Department of Defence. The 2,500-member Marine force began a six-month deployment to Australias Northern Territory in March but has participated in at least five exercises in the Philippines this year. Last month, Marines helped deliver food and other supplies to northern communities affected by typhoons, tropical storms and monsoon rains. The pivot from crisis response to Exercise Alon is a testament of the relationships weve built with our regional partners and another chance to prove them in the field, Col. Jason Armas, the rotational forces commander, said in the release. Alon meaning wave in Tagalog includes maritime security training. The Marines contribution involves a headquarters element, a reinforced rifle company and an aviation detachment, according to the release. More than 3,600 personnel are taking part, including forces from Canada. The training comes amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, where Beijing and Manila have clashed over disputed territory. On Aug. 11, a Chinese navy ship collided with a Chinese coast guard vessel while trying to drive the Philippine coast guard away from Scarborough Shoal, about 140 miles west of Luzon. Two days later, the destroyer USS Higgins sailed past the shoal in a freedom-of-navigation operation. Scarborough Shoal one of many small rock formations in the South China Sea is 750 nautical miles from mainland China, but that hasnt stopped Chinese fishermen excavating live coral and harvesting endangered species such as giant clams without permission from the Philippines. During Alon, MV-22B Osprey aircraft from Hawaii-based Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 will drop Australian and Philippine special forces paratroops, according to the release. The Ospreys will also insert U.S. and Philippine troops alongside Philippine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to simulate seizing key terrain, while Philippine and Australian forces conduct a simultaneous amphibious raid. The exercise includes a live-fire maritime strike with forces integrating command and control, aviation, logistics and fire, the release said. Australia, like the United States, has a visiting forces agreement with the Philippines that allows for troop deployments between the countries. Australia has deployed HMAS Brisbane, ground forces, F/A-18F Super Hornet fighters, EA-18G electronic attack aircraft and a C-130J Super Hercules to this months drills, according to the Defence Department. This exercise reflects Australias commitment to working with partners to ensure we maintain a region where state sovereignty is protected, international law is followed, and nations can make decisions free from coercion, Jones said. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich speaks at LANDEURO in Wiesbaden, Germany, July 17, 2025. Grynkewich, NATOs supreme allied commander Europe, will take part in a NATO defense chiefs virtual meeting on Ukraine on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes) BRUSSELS NATO defense chiefs were due to hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, a senior alliance official said, as Western countries pushing for an end to Russias war on Ukraine devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement. Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the chair of NATOs Military Committee, said that 32 defense chiefs from across the alliance would hold a video conference as a U.S.-led diplomatic push seeks to end the fighting. U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATOs supreme allied commander Europe, will take part in the talks, Dragone said on social platform X. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov chided efforts to work on security arrangements in Ukraine without Moscows involvement. We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work, Lavrov said Wednesday, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. Russia will ensure (its) legitimate interests firmly and harshly, Lavrov added at a news conference in Moscow with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi. Defense chiefs work on details of a Ukraine security force U.S. President Donald Trump met last Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and on Monday hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and prominent European leaders at the White House. Neither meeting delivered concrete progress. Trump is trying to steer Putin and Zelenskyy toward a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbor, but there are major obstacles. They include Ukraines demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia wont mount another invasion in the coming years. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace, Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight. Kyivs European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, has signed up to support the initiative. Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the U.S. might play is unclear. Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending U.S. troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept NATO troops in Ukraine. Attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian strikes also targeted ports and fuel and energy infrastructure, officials said. Zelenskyy said the strikes only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential. Switzerland could host a Putin-Zelenskyy summit Trump said Monday he has begun arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, although the Kremlin hasnt publicly confirmed such a possibility and no venue was suggested. Lavrov, in his Moscow press conference, said Russia is prepared to continue negotiations with Ukraine in any format. He said Putin proposed to Trump raising the level of representation in delegations that recently took part in largely fruitless direct talks in Istanbul. He added that a separate block (of talks) should be devoted to examining the political aspects of the settlement, along with the military and humanitarian ones. Ukraine and Western leaders have accused Putin of dragging out peace negotiations in the hope of capturing more land before any settlement. French President Emmanuel Macron has said the summit could happen in Europe and proposed the Swiss city of Geneva. Switzerland has expressed its willingness to act as host. Putins ability to travel abroad is limited because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on a warrant dating back to March 2023 for alleged involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children. More than 100 countries are ICC signatories and have a legal obligation to arrest the Russian leader on their soil. Switzerland intends to ask the ICC to exempt it from sanctions in order to allow Putin in for a summit, according to a senior official in The Hague with direct knowledge of the request. The official was not authorized to speak about the proceedings and spoke on condition of anonymity. Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Molly Quell contributed from The Hague. With illegal crossings at the U.S. southern border at their lowest level in decades, the Trump administration wants to take another step to deter the arrival of new immigrants. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday that the entire U.S.-Mexico border wall will be painted black to make it even harder for people to climb it. The idea is for the metal structure to absorb more heat, to the point where it becomes too hot to touch. Its tall, which makes it very, very difficult to climb, almost impossible. It also goes deep into the ground, which would make it very difficult, if not impossible, to dig under. And today, we are also going to be painting it black, Noem said during a visit to a section of the wall in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black, it gets even warmer, and it will make it even harder for people to climb, Noem added. She even brought a roller to help with the painting. U.S. Border Patrol Director Mike Banks, who attended the event with Noem, noted that the black paint would also help prevent rust. Painting the border wall is an idea Trump considered during his first term, when he made the territorial barrier a central axis of his immigration policy and pushed for the construction of hundreds of miles of it at all costs. At that time, he also wanted the structure to be black, a design change that was estimated to cost $500 million in 2020, according to government contracts obtained by The Washington Post. This time, Trump will receive more than $46 billion to complete the wall as part of the new funding approved by Congress in July as part of the presidents tax overhaul. We had an incredible amount of resources allocated to us in the big beautiful bill, because thats going to allow us to continue construction, Noem said Tuesday, adding that the government is building approximately half a mile per day. The secretary did not specify how much it would cost to paint the structure. The administrations renewed push to expand and paint the southern border wall, which currently stands at about 745 miles in length, comes as illegal border crossings have declined dramatically as a result of the presidents immigration crackdown, which includes accelerated, mass deportations and thousands of arrests per day. In July, irregular crossings at all U.S. borders plummeted to the lowest level ever recorded, according to the latest data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The southwest border recorded 4,601 apprehensions, a 24% drop from the previous record in June and a 92% decrease from July 2024, during Joe Bidens term, when border arrests reached more than 6,000 per day. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition A locator map shows Syria and its capital Damascus. (AP) BEIRUT A U.S.-led coalition captured a senior member of the Islamic State group in northwest Syria on Wednesday, state media and a war monitor reported. It was not immediately clear if the man is the IS supreme leader. The U.S. military did not respond to a request for comment by The Associated Press. The operation that included landing troops from helicopters occurred before dawn in Atmeh town near the Turkish border, and an IS commander known as Abu Hafs al-Qurayshi, an Iraqi citizen, was taken away while another Iraqi citizen was killed, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory said the man captured had a French-speaking woman with him, and it was not immediately clear if she was taken by the U.S. force or by Syrian security forces who later cordoned the area. Two years ago, IS announced that a man called Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi was named as its new leader after Turkish authorities killed his predecessor. Syrian state TV on Wednesday quoted an unnamed security official as saying the Iraqi man targeted in the operation is known as Ali, adding that his real name is Salah Noman. It said Noman was living in an apartment with his wife, son and mother. It said he was killed in the raid. There was no immediate clarification for the difference in names reported by state media and the war monitor. IS broke away from al-Qaida more than a decade ago and attracted supporters from around the world after it declared a so-called caliphate in 2014 in large parts of Syria and Iraq. Despite its defeat in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later, IS militants still carry out deadly attacks in both countries and elsewhere. Al-Qurayshi is not the real name of IS leaders but comes from Quraish, the name of the tribe to which Islams Prophet Muhammad belonged. IS claims its leaders hail from the tribe, and al-Qurayshi is part of their nom de guerre. Army Sgt. Davis Duncan, left, and Sgt. Tyrese Stanley prepare to hook up a sling load to a CH-47 Chinook helicopter at Fort Bliss, Texas, on July 16, 2025. (Rynishia Lewis/U.S. Army) WASHINGTON U.S. troops serving along the southern border since Jan. 20 to support Border and Customs Protection agents can now receive the Mexican Border Defense Medal, according to a Pentagon memo. A defense official who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed the authenticity of the Aug. 13 memo shared on social media but could not provide additional information. To qualify for the Mexican Border Defense Medal, troops must have been permanently assigned, attached, or detailed to a unit that deployed as part of a designated Defense Department operation supporting federal border agents for 30 days, according to the memo. Military personnel must have deployed within 100 nautical miles of the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas including San Antonio, New Mexico, Arizona and California, or in U.S. waters up to 24 nautical miles from the border. Eligible service members will receive the Mexican Border Defense Medal instead of the Armed Forces Service Medal, which had been awarded to troops supporting federal agents along the U.S.-Mexico border starting in 2019, according to the memo. Active-duty, Reserve and National Guard troops began deploying to the southern border in April 2018 after President Donald Trump referred to the influx of migrants at the time as an invasion. The Armed Forces Service Medal was created by executive order under former President Bill Clinton in 1996. It was given to troops who deployed to the border between May 2006 and July 2008 under former President George W. Bush. It has also been awarded to troops who have taken part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in Bosnia, Haiti, Iraq and Africa. Troops and veterans who have already received the Armed Forces Service Medal can apply with their military branches to receive the Mexican Border Defense Medal, but they cannot receive both medals for the same period of service, according to the memo. Since Trumps return to the White House, his administration has made the crackdown on undocumented migrants one of its highest priorities. About 8,500 troops are now deployed to the southern border working primarily to detect possible illegal activity, the Pentagon has said. The military has established four military zones allowing troops to conduct law enforcement activities just as they would at military bases, including temporary detention, searches and crowd-control operations. Similarly named medals were created more than a century ago. The Mexican Service Medal was created in 1917 for troops who took part in operations in Mexico between 1911 and 1919. The Mexican Border Service Medal, established in 1918, recognizes service members assigned to the U.S.-Mexico border between May 1916 and March 1917. The award also recognized those who served from January 1916 to April 1917, according to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The U.S. was then engaged in the Pancho Villa Expedition, a military operation conducted by the Army against the forces of Mexican revolutionary Francisco Pancho Villa. Three National Guard members patrol near Nationals Park in Washington on Aug. 19, 2025. Approximately 800 Guard troops are deployed throughout the city. (Joseph Spraktes/U.S. Army) WASHINGTON A National Guard vehicle was involved in a car crash on Wednesday morning near Capitol Hill as troops expand their operations throughout the city as part of President Donald Trumps initiative to crack down on crime, military officials said. The crash occurred at about 6:14 a.m. and involved a D.C. National Guard all-terrain vehicle and a civilian vehicle at the intersection of 8th Street SE and North Carolina Avenue, according to the Joint Task Force-District of Columbia. The driver in the civilian vehicle was extricated and transported to hospital with minor injuries, DC Fire spokesman Vito Maggiolo said in a statement. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, the joint task force said. Army Col. Lawrence Doane, commander of the DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force, stands outside Nationals Park in Washington on Aug. 19, 2025. (Joseph Spraktes/U.S. Army) Trump last week ordered 800 D.C. National Guard troops to deploy throughout the city to help curtail crime in the nations capital. Troops began 24-hour operations on Thursday. The Guard troops have mostly been seen outside of Union Station and on the National Mall. But their mission has expanded to include 10 Metro stations in support of transit police, the Joint Task Force said. The Pentagon has been providing news releases highlighting efforts of the National Guard. One photo spotlighted Army 2nd Lt. Harry Siegel patrolling Nationals Park on Tuesday night during the Washington Nationals game against the New York Mets. Another focused on Army Spc. Trashwn Parham and Capt. Giho Yang, who were patrolling the Waterfront Metro Station on Monday. Parham said she saw and overheard a civilian brandishing a knife and making verbal threats. She immediately called the Metropolitan Police Department who responded to the incident, the release said. In just the past nine days, weve seen a 35% reduction in violent crime. Weve seen over a 50% reduction in robberies, Vice President JD Vance told reporters without sighting a source for the data. From left, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance greet members of the National Guard at Union Station in Washington on Aug. 20, 2025. (Al Drago/Pool photo via AP) Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Stephen Miller, serving as homeland security adviser and deputy chief of staff for policy at the White House, visited Union Station on Wednesday to speak with Guard members and speak about the administrations efforts. All three officials spoke as troops stood around them. Protesters could be heard shouting free D.C. At times, it was difficult to hear the officials over the protesters. Were going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home because theyre all over 90 years old, and were going to get back to the business of protecting the American people and the citizens of Washington, D.C., Miller said. The D.C. National Guard reported Monday that it had 896 Army and Air National Guard members deployed in Washington. Six Republican-led states also have agreed to send more than 1,100 troops collectively to Washington as part of Trumps effort to combat crime in the city. Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana were the latest to approve troops after West Virginia, Ohio and South Carolina. D.C. police data indicates violent crime has decreased 26% compared to last year. The D.C. U.S. Attorneys Office also announced in January that violent crime in the city in 2024 was at a 30-year low, citing police data. But Trump said Monday in a post on Truth Social that Washington officials gave fake crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety. The Justice Department is investigating whether D.C. police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower, The Washington Post reported. The self-styled citizen journalist and former postman is charged with committing an affray with another individual, David McConnell A prominent anti-immigration campaigner has appeared in court over an alleged public order offence involving political rivals outside a church in Bray, Co Wicklow during last years general election campaign. Philip Dwyer (57) of Tallaght Cross West, Tallaght, Dublin 24 appeared before a sitting of Bray District Court on Wednesday in relation to an incident outside the Holy Redeemer Church on Main Street, Bray, Co Wicklow on November 24, 2024. The self-styled citizen journalist and former postman is charged with committing an affray with another individual, David McConnell. Mr McConnell (66) is the father of People Before Profits candidate in the constituency of Wicklow in last Novembers general election, Kellie McConnell. Mr Dwyer, a former member of the right-wing National Party, stood as an independent candidate in Wicklow in the same election. Both men were canvassing voters on Main Street in Bray at the time of the alleged offence. The charge in Mr Dwyers case states that both men are accused of using or threatening to use unlawful violence towards each other outside the Holy Redeemer Church, contrary to Section 16 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. It also states that the alleged conduct was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at said place to fear for his or another persons safety. The court heard that Mr Dwyer had replied no comment after arrest, charge and caution. Counsel for the accused, Ciara OBrien BL, was granted an application for free legal aid for Mr Dwyer. Judge John OLeary also granted another application by the barrister for a disclosure order. Mr Dwyer, who was accompanied to court by another high-profile, anti-immigration activist, Fergus Power, did not speak during the brief hearing. Judge OLeary remanded him on bail to appear before the same court on October 20. In recent years, Mr Dwyer has become a regular attendant at anti-immigration protests including demonstrations outside building housing international protection applicants as well as properties rumoured as potential locations for housing asylum seekers. He was 14th out of 18 candidates with 435 first preference votes in Novembers election one position behind Ms McConnell who was in 13th place with 1,259 votes. Mr Dwyer has also contested several other elections unsuccessfully including last years local and European elections when he was a candidate for the far-right party, Ireland First. It is understood gardai investigated the incident outside the church in Bray after it was reported by Mr McConnell. A video which captured part of the encounter between the two accused parties was also shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Mr Dwyer. In the short piece of footage, Mr Dwyer incorrectly identified the rival campaigners as members of the Social Democrats and engaged in an exchange about abortion and transgender issues. Philip Dwyer Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th Accused pleaded guilty to obstructing the search, but had no drugs on him and was spared criminal record Forbidden Fruit takes place on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin A man who became aggressive when gardai tried to search him for drugs at a Dublin music festival has been spared a criminal record. Joshua Brown (20) had no drugs, but would not let officers carry out a search when they stopped him at the Forbidden Fruit event earlier this summer. Judge Treasa Kelly struck the case out after he made a charity donation. Brown, a plumber from Turnapin Grove, Cloghran, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to obstructing a garda drugs search. Forbidden Fruit takes place on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th Dublin District Court heard gardai believed they saw him acting suspiciously at a concert at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, on June 1. When they went to search him, he reacted aggressively and would not let them. He had no previous convictions. There was no excuse for the offence, but nothing came of the search and the accused was not someone who was involved in drugs, his lawyer said. She said Brown had his whole life ahead of him and asked the judge not to convict him, given his guilty plea and good record. He had brought a sum of money to court. You have to respect the gardai, they have a difficult enough job to do, Judge Kelly told Brown. The move was disclosed yesterday by his solicitors Gerry Adams has donated his 100,000 defamation award to various causes, including Unicef, the GAA, and an organisation supporting the families of IRA volunteers who lost their lives during the troubles. The move was disclosed yesterday by his solicitors, almost three months after a High Court jury in Dublin found the former Sinn Fein leader had been defamed by a 2016 BBC programme and a BBC website article containing allegations he sanctioned the murder of ex-party official Denis Donaldson. Mr Adams (76) denied any involvement in the killing and sued over the Spotlight programme and the article. The corporation confirmed in June it would not be appealing the outcome of the case, which has left it facing legal costs estimated at around 3m. A statement issued by Johnsons Solicitors, the law firm that represented Mr Adams, said it could confirm the BBC had discharged the order of the court in relation to damages awarded by the jury. Mr Adams said at the outset of his defamation case against the BBC that he intended to donate any damages awarded to good causes, the statement said. Donations have been made to Unicef for the children of Gaza, local An Cumann Luthchleas Gael, An Cumann Cabhrach, to the Irish-language sector, to the homeless and Belfast-based youth, mental health and suicide prevention projects and others. An Cumann Cabhrach is an organisation that provides support for families of republican prisoners and IRA volunteers who lost their lives during the Northern Ireland conflict. Mr Donaldson (55), a former Sinn Fein administrator in Stormont, was shot dead at a remote cottage in Glenties, Co Donegal, in April 2006 - four months after he admitted to having been an informer for police and MI5 since the 1980s. At the time, Mr Adams was Sinn Fein president and TD for Louth, but he has since retired from frontline politics. Mr Adams denied any knowledge or involvement in the killing and described the programme as a grievous smear. The BBC argued that words used did not mean that Mr Adams sanctioned the murder and that it had merely published an allegation made by a former British agent, known only as Martin, who infiltrated Sinn Fein and the IRA. It said that it had been left up to viewers and readers to decide. The BBC also argued that Mr Adams was not entitled to damages due to his reputation as having been an IRA leader, something he has always denied. However, a jury found the words meant that Mr Adams sanctioned and approved the murder. It also found the BBCs actions had not been in good faith and that it had not been fair and reasonable to publish the allegation. Mr Adams legal team said the verdict was a full vindication for their client, while the BBC said it was disappointed with the outcome. After the verdict, Mr Adams said taking the case was about putting manners on the BBC, a comment that was described as chilling by Seamus Dooley, the Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists. Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 19th The accused was "caught red-handed" when a passing garda saw what happened and intervened, a court heard A man attacked a Dublin Bus driver with a metal implement in a vicious, random and unprovoked assault in the city centre, it is alleged. Ionut Christian Bariz (39) is accused of striking the 63-year-old man on the head from behind with the weapon, then punching him to the ground as he walked home from work on a crowded street in the middle of the day. The accused was "caught red-handed" when a passing garda saw what happened and intervened, a court heard. Judge John Brennan refused him bail and remanded him in custody when he appeared in Dublin District Court. Mr Bariz, from Romania and of no fixed address, is charged with assault causing harm to the driver and possession of an article intended to cause injury. Objecting to bail, Garda Katherine Ward said the driver was making his way home from work at Beresford Place at 2pm yesterday after finishing a shift when he was randomly assaulted. He was struck on the back of the head with a metal article approximately 12 inches in length and before he could register this had occurred, he was punched on the head from behind, causing him to fall to the ground. A garda on patrol nearby witnessed the alleged assault and exited his patrol vehicle, Gda Ward continued. The accused dropped the metal implement and gardai used incapacitant spray and arrested him due to the level of aggression and violence in the assault witnessed. The accused was taken to Pearse Street garda station where he made no reply to the charges after caution. According to gardai, there was no reason for the accused to assault the driver, who was not known to him. It was a random attack on a busy street in the middle of the day with no regard for members of the public, the garda said. The area was highly populated with residents and road traffic. It was only by good fortune that gardai were in the immediate area and intervened in the assault, she said. The alleged victim suffered swelling and pain to his head and neck but also suffered significant mental distress and was still quite shook up last night. Gardai believed the accused, who had only been in Ireland for three months, was a serious flight risk and had said he intended to leave Ireland in the immediate future. Gardai also feared he could commit offences if bailed. Applying for bail, defence solicitor Eoin Lysaght said Mr Bariz had been working but had lost his job because he could not get a PPS number. Judge Brennan said the charges were very serious and the alleged attack was a quite vicious assault on a crowded street. It was also alleged the accused was effectively caught red-handed." He remanded the accused in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court tomorrow. The judge also recommended appropriate medical assistance for the accused, at Mr Lysaghts request. Mr Bariz has not yet entered pleas to the charges. Stock photo: Getty Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th Judge John Hughes said he would give Jason Fay (22) a chance. A jobseeker who pushed a social welfare office worker and kicked a door when refused a payment had been on his way to buy a suit for a cousins funeral, a court has heard. Jason Fay (22) also threatened to break a gardas nose in another incident in Dublin city centre, forcing officers to pepper-spray him. Judge John Hughes said he would give him a chance and referred his case to the drug treatment court. Fay, of Hardwicke Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to assault and public order charges. Stock image Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th Dublin District Court heard gardai were called to the Intreo Centre on Parnell Street on July 15 last year. Fay had gone to collect money when he became aggressive towards a worker, pushed him and kicked a glass door. Fay had been on his way to buy a suit for the funeral of a cousin, his lawyer said. There was an issue over his payment, he was in a somewhat heightened state and reacted in a totally inappropriate way. Separately, gardai were on duty at the GPO on September 11 when they saw Fay acting aggressively. When they approached him, he called the gardai f****ts, threatened them, saying Ill break your nose, and resisted arrest. The accused was now clean of drugs and had started working as a painter-decorator. Judge Hughes referred Fay to the drugs court but said if not found suitable he would have to be considered for community service. Otherwise, he would be looking down the barrel of jail. Dublin District Court heard his actions were due to a rush of blood to the head. A man behaved outrageously when he helped construct a makeshift barrier from scraps of metal and timber to stop gardai seizing a car from a Dublin halting site. In a random traffic stop an hour later, Michael Maughan endangered the public when he mounted a footpath in his vehicle and drove through a pedestrian crossing to prevent officers confiscating his truck. Dublin District Court heard his actions were due to a rush of blood to the head and heightened emotions over the vehicle seizures by the gardai. Judge John Hughes gave him a nine-month suspended sentence, banned him from driving for a year, fined him 500 and told him to take an anger management course. Michael Maughan drove on a footpath to escape gardai Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th Maughan (29), of Silloge Green, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to garda obstruction, threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour and endangerment. Dublin District Court heard gardai were seizing a Toyota Corolla at wasteground at the NCT Halting Site, Naul Road, on April 16 last year when men, including Maughan, protested. They erected a makeshift barrier at the site entrance, obstructing a tow company. Maughan was not the owner of the car and was not the main protester, the garda said. Another man who was more actively involved had been dealt with by the courts. The accuseds lawyer said the barrier was hamfisted and very much off the cuff with whatever they could lay their hands on. An hour later, other gardai on patrol at Naul Road saw the accused driving a Mercedes flatbed truck with no operating rear brake lights. When pulled over, he did not have insurance or a licence on him. He said his home was very near and he could return to get them. When gardai said they would seize the truck he became distressed. There was a bit of a shouting match, a garda said, and Maughan returned to the truck. He reversed around the patrol car and drove on to the footpath and through a pedestrian crossing with no consideration for other road users. Maughans home was a stones throw away, the endangerment was not protracted and nobody came to any harm, his lawyer said. He took umbrage that [gardai] were about to seize his vehicle and, rightly or wrongly, emotions were high, he said. I wont be intimidated into silence, that is not the Ireland I believe in. A Dublin councillor who has received abuse because she is from India has vowed that she wont be intimidated into silence and said the outpouring of support in Ireland for Indian people following recent attacks shows that the vast majority here stand against hate. A recent spate of violent attacks on members of the Indian diaspora in Ireland has caused serious concern in recent weeks and led to the cancellation of India Day celebrations due to take place in the Phoenix Park today. Several members of the Indian community have come forward to tell their stories of violent unprovoked racist attacks, the majority of which have been carried out by teenagers. Donaghmede Councillor Supriya Singh (FG) told the Sunday World that like many others she has received abuse but said Ireland is still a safe, welcoming, open society. Like many people who speak out publicly, I have experienced online abuse. But I wont be intimidated into silence. That is not the Ireland I believe in, and not the Dublin I am helping to build. Michael D Higgins The attacks have received widespread coverage in India and Cllr Singh said she has been contacted by many people there concerned about what is happening here. My message to them is clear Ireland is still one of the most welcoming, safe, and open societies in the world. The recent incidents are deeply troubling and must be addressed, but they do not define this country or its people. The outpouring of solidarity from Irish neighbours, colleagues, and leaders shows that the overwhelming majority stand firmly against hate. Cllr Singh said would be concerned if members of the Indian community felt compelled to leave due to the recent incident because Ireland has been their home and continues to be a place of opportunity and friendship. These incidents dont reflect the Ireland most of us know and experience every day. The actions of a few should not overshadow the values of the many Irish people. Cllr Singh said the Indian community is making a remarkable contribution across every aspect of Irish life. From hospitals where thousands of Indian doctors, nurses and carers work tirelessly, to tech companies, universities, and research centres driving innovation, to small businesses creating jobs. This is not just about economics-its about culture, friendship, and solidarity. Ireland has welcomed the Indian community, and in return the community is helping Ireland thrive. There has been widespread condemnation of the attacks with President Michael D Higgins. On Monday the Ireland India Council announced it would not go ahead with a planned India Day festival that was due to take place at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park today. The Indian Embassy hosted India Day celebrations marking the 79th year of Indias independence at India House in Dublin on Friday. The attacks have received widespread coverage in India and on Thursday Indias External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said they raised the issue with Irish authorities. There have been several cases of violence against Indian nationals in Ireland. We have strongly taken up this matter with the Irish authorities in Dublin as well as with the embassy here. Councillor Supriya Singh Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th John Fennessy is also said to have been given oxygen after experiencing breathing difficulties before his death on August 6 five days after his arrest. THE IRISHMAN who died after being arrested in Ecuador over an alleged 600,000 cocaine smuggling plot arrived at hospital from prison after suffering a prolonged hypertensive crisis, it emerged today. John Fennessy (64) had severely elevated blood pressure when he arrived at Monte Sinai Hospital from Guayaquil Prison as well as abdominal pain and an altered level of consciousness according to his death certificate. Ecuadorian TV station Ecuavisa, which published details about the events leading up to Mr Hennessys death overnight, said he had been suffering a 12-hour hypertensive crisis by the time he reached hospital. The serious medical condition is marked by the soaring of someones blood pressure to an unusually high level and can cause damage to blood vessels and major organs as well as leading to a heart attack or stroke. Mr Fennessy, from Edenderry, Co Offaly, is also said to have been given oxygen after experiencing breathing difficulties before his death on August 6 five days after his arrest. The alleged delay in getting him to hospital will raise more question marks about prison chiefs handling of the Irishmans medical emergency, although his death is not being treated as suspicious and has been linked to a heart attack. Seized firearms in evidence bags A second Irishman, aged 23-years-old, remains in prison in Guayaquil following the discovery of a suitcase with just over 15 kilos of cocaine inside at the citys international airport before he boarded a flight to Spain with it. Overnight Ecuadorian media reported the Irish nationals entered the country on July 23 and checked into an unnamed hotel in the centre of Guayaquil. Both men took a taxi to an apartment block in the north of the city where one of three people they met there gave them the suitcase and accompanied them to the airport, according to the local reports. Read more Irishman dies in Ecuador prison after being held over six-figure cocaine bust The younger of the two Irishmen is said to have stayed on at the airport but John left in another taxi around 45 minutes later just before 9.30am on August 1. The 23-year-old was arrested at the airport after a sniffer dog detected the drugs inside the suitcase and John apprehended later the same day at their hotel. John Fennessy seen with his younger travelling companion The three men they met at the apartment block had vanished by the time police arrived and have yet to be arrested, but two firearms, nearly 60 rounds of ammunition, $10,000 and a money counting machine were seized at a property there. Police say the younger Irishman was about to board a flight to Madrid when he was held but it has not been made clear if he was going to travel alone. Ecuavisa said a court file includes a request from the judge who ordered the Irishmens remand in prison to officially notify the director of Guayaquils prisons about their detention and the fact they would be under his administrative responsibility. It added: The document was intended to serve as a reminder that it is the direct responsibility of the centre where they are being held, as well as the Prisoner Care Service, to guarantee the safety and protection of their rights to life and health. John Fennessy died shortly after appearing before magistrates Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th There has been no official response yet from local prison authorities to Mr Fennessys death. Ecuadors interior ministry announced details of the arrests earlier this month and published pictures of the drugs operation showing pixelated images of the two men surrounded by police. It also showed pictures of the cocaine blocks, a digital weighing scale, a revolver, a handgun and ammunition. The Irish government is providing assistance to the family of the dead man. In a statement the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance. As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases, it added. The footage shows Sheylla Cabreras 36-year-old husband, Jossimar Cabrera, clearly struggling This...Suspected murdered caught on a Ring doorbell dragging body of wife away from scene A man caught by a security camera dragging a large sack outside the apartment he shared with his murdered wife is the main suspect in her killing. The footage shows Sheylla Cabreras 36-year-old husband, Jossimar Cabrera, struggling with the clearly-heavy sack as he drags it along the ground where the couple lived with their three young sons. Los Angeles County Sheriff's detectives discovered the security camera video of her husband dragging something in "a large piece of material," possibly a sack, from the complex in the 500 block of Lancaster Boulevard in Lancaster, California. This then led to the discovery of a woman's body in Angeles National Forest. Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th The Montrose Mountain Search and Rescue Team reported on Saturday that they had found a similar object thrown over the side of an embankment. The material contained the body of Cabrera, authorities said. A cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiners Office. Cabrera has been identified as a person of interest in his wife's death. The three children who were reported missing were found safe on Saturday and taken into protective custody in Peru. Jossimar was briefly detained at the airport but was released because at that time, his wife's body had not been found. Sheylla Cabrera and her 36-year-old husband, Jossimar Cabrera Neighbours of the couple say the case has disturbed their community with one local describing it as scary, very spooky. The victim's parents said they last spoke with their daughter on August 9 when she told them of her plans to leave Jossimar and take their three young children. At a vigil in Lancaster, women and neighbours who knew Gutierrez held signs that read "Justice for Sheylla" and "Not one more." They said a prayer in her memory and called for justice in her name, describing her as an unconditional friend, a loving mother and a hard worker. "Because she didn't have family here in the US, we are her voice in this moment, and that is what we ask for," one of her friends said in Spanish. Neighbours who had begun a search for Sheylla reported her missing to authorities. They then found the video of Jossimar dragging the large sack, which they say was recorded around 4am on August 10. Jossimar, a Peruvian national, had fled the United States before the discovery of his wife's body, according to FoxLA. Their kids are now in protective custody, NBC Los Angeles has reported. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department is working with Peruvian law enforcement to track down Jossimar in Peru. They intend to extradite him to the United States - where it is believed he will face murder charges. He had reportedly been briefly detained at an airport in Peru, but was released as his wife's body had not been discovered at that point. Sheylla's cause of death is yet to be confirmed. According to neighbours, she had said her husband was physically abusive. Gutierrez's mother says that her daughter reported her husband for domestic violence in Peru, and that the last time they spoke, she told her she would be filing a report against him in Lancaster. Paula Rowan has big stars donning her striking fashion items Paula Rowan has a boutique at the Westbury Mall in Dublin An Irish designer has had a hand in hit TV show Wednesday as she supplied the cast with their costume gloves. The stars wearing the striking fashion items in the Netflix series include Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta Jones, Joanna Lumley and Lady Gaga. The second series of Wednesday hit the streaming platform earlier this month and was shot on location in Ireland in counties Dublin, Wicklow and Offaly. And the shows stylist did not have far to travel to pick up the gloves when he was here as they were found in designer Paula Rowans boutique in Dublins Westbury Mall. I work with a lot of celebrities and a lot of celebrity stylists, so my reputation has grown, Paula, from Blackrock, Co Dublin, tells the Sunday World. Catherine Zeta Its not just a case of people casually stumbling upon me, the reputation has grown internationally, without sounding arrogant about that. And thats how they found me. They knew before they came over here. The costume designer that came in was English and he said that it had been recommended he speak with me before he came over here, so thats how it came about. They were for all the main characters in the show. Paula smiles when asked if shes watched Wednesday and seen her creations on the show. Jenna Ortega I have indeed, she says, adding that shes a fan of the show. I think its great, I think its amazing and I love anything by Tim Burton (the director), to be perfectly honest with you. Its that kind of ethereal avant garde its a good mixture and balance of both. Among her famous clients down through the years are Taylor Swift, Madonna, Kate Middleton, Kendall Jenner, Kate Moss, Helen Mirren, Ariana Grande, Naomi Campbell, Julianne Moore, Princess Charlene of Monaco, Ronnie Wood, Martin Scorsese, Richard E Grant and Sabina Higgins. Ive had some nice moments like that over the last few years, she smiles. Basically, its not just the case of stylists coming in. At this stage Ive done all the gloves for House of Gucci. Im in Vogue every month. But Paula rarely gets to meet the stars who end up wearing her gloves. Unless theyve walked into the shop and I would never say who or what because that would be breaking confidentiality and probably GDPR and everything else so Id be quite private about people that I work with as well, she says. Joey King wearing Paulas creations I only talk about it if its out in the public arena in relation to what theyre wearing, but I never get into the ins and outs of how or who or what or where. At the end of the day, Im a small brand and when youre recognised internationally its a testament to your work its very nice recognition. Paula completed her studies at UCD and opened her boutique in the Westbury Mall in 2006, before she launched her first collection in 2008. When Madonna wore one of her gloves she requested to keep a black pair. Theyre elbow length ones and are called Montserrat gloves, Paula says. Kendall Jenner also donned Paulas gloves in an Italian issue of Vogue. It was a huge spread and my gloves were in seven different shots so a lot of that [demand] may be coming from that exposure, she recalls. Kendall is one of the highest paid models in the world and when you have a figure as beautiful as that, both visually and the way she wears clothes the effect that type of person has on your gloves is absolutely huge for any small brand. For me, its a huge accolade. Paula Rowan has a boutique at the Westbury Mall in Dublin Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th Paulas gloves continue to garner attention and she believes its the quality of her products that sets her apart. They are photographed for the main Vogue fashion shoot pretty much every month at this point, she confirms. The gloves are all made of high quality leather and lambskin and are manufactured in Naples. Each glove is made by hand and takes three months to produce, she reveals. They are all handmade in Italy. Prices vary from a couple of hundred euro for a pair to over 1,000. Im a leather goods specialist, Paula says. In the shop, I sell bags from other producers, smaller brands that people dont know. Its more about the quality and the finish of the leather. But the gloves are my main focus. Wednesday is based on characters from the Addams Family cartoon created by Charles Addams. The first season of Wednesday, which was shot primarily in Romania, centred on Wednesday Addams as a student at Nevermore Academy, a school for outcasts. She attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree, and solve a supernatural mystery from her parents past, all the while building close friendships with her fellow students. I dont want policies or promises, I want to make sure this never happens to another person again The daughter of a woman who died at a Swiss euthanasia clinic has said she wants to make sure that what happened to her mother never happens to another person again. Megan Slough Royal only learned about her mother Maureens death through a message on WhatsApp earlier this summer. None of the family of the Cavan-based woman were with the 58-year-old as she slipped away at a clinic in Switzerland. Ms Slough Royal says she was later informed by the clinic that her mother had told them she was aware of her decision. Maureen Slough with her daughter Megan Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th But Ms Royal was further horrified when she was informed that her mothers ashes would be posted to her. The clinic has told her they will video call relatives before they carry out the procedure, but Ms Slough Royal told Lunchtime Live: Nothing they do is going to satisfy me. I dont want policies or promises, I want to make sure this never happens to another person again. Ms Slough Royal highlighted the fact that relatives who are informed that their loved ones are about to undergo assisted suicide could be accidently breaking the law. The first thing they said was theyre going to start video calling people, she said. This new video call thing is totally haphazard; assisted suicide is illegal in so many countries. You might be breaking the law of your home country by agreeing. Ms Slough travelled to the Pegasos clinic in Switzerland less than a month ago, on July 8, having told her family she was going to Lithuania with a friend. Her family became suspicious and contacted her. They say she promised to return. But Ms Royal and Ms Sloughs partner, Mick Lynch, would later receive a message from a volunteer for the Pegasos group to inform them of her death. Maureen Slough The family immediately set about trying to find out why they were not informed by the clinic in advance, and also questioned if Ms Sloughs history of mental illness was assessed by the clinic first. The Pegasos group has said in response to questions from family and friends of Ms Slough, that it received a letter from Ms Sloughs daughter Megan saying she was aware of her mothers wishes and accepted them. It also says it verified the letter through an email response to Ms Royal using an email address supplied by Ms Slough. Ms Royal has said she never wrote such a letter or verified any contact from Pegasos, and now her family think Ms Slough may have forged the letter and verified it using an email address she created herself. Pegasos was asked further questions by the Irish Independent as to why it did not ring Ms Royal, and whether it sought a mental health history for Ms Slough before her death. The Pegasos group responded that Ms Slough went through an extensive assessment process leading up to her death, including an independent psychiatric evaluation confirming she was of sound mind. Her brother Philip, a UK solicitor, has now written to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the UK, asking it to investigate the matter with Swiss authorities. The grieving daughter said her mother had tried to take her own life last year following the deaths of two of her sisters, and was not in her right mind when she made her decision to go to Switzerland. Her latest granddaughter had been born just days earlier. They should not have allowed her to make that decision on her own. This group did not contact me, even though my mother had nominated me as next of kin. They waited until afterwards and then told me she had died listening to an Elvis Presley song, Ms Royal said. If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, you can call Samaritans free on 116123 or email jo@samaritans.ie; or call Pieta on freephone 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444 At the White House, Trump vowed U.S. involvement in guaranteeing Ukraine's security, while urging Europe to be the "first line of defense." Zelensky hailed it as a "strong signal" to Russia. Yet without a ceasefire, are they any closer to ending the conflict? In this episode of Global Q, Xinhua's Simon Robinson unpacks exactly what Trump, Zelensky and European leaders agreed on, from security guarantees to future summits. A Xinhua News Agency Production Mark previously played underage at the club and we are all deeply saddened by his loss The football club where Mark Kiely played as a youngster has said they are deeply saddened by the Donegal mans death in Portugal. Family and friends had asked for the public's help in trying to locate Mark who was last seen in the early hours of Saturday, August 16, in the Old Town area of Albufeira. However, it was later confirmed that he had been found dead. A post on the Donegal Town FC Facebook page reads: Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Mark Kiely who has sadly passed away. Mark previously played underage at the club and we are all deeply saddened by his loss. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam. Mark Kielty Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th Marks sudden disappearance sparked widespread concern among family, friends, locals and fellow tourists. His family had taken to social media with urgent appeals to anyone with information about his whereabouts to come forward. Tragically, the search ended with the heartbreaking confirmation of his death. In a statement his family said: "We have found Mark, but unfortunately not the outcome we had been hoping for. Huge thanks to all our friends and family for support and help in trying to find him. May Mark rest in peace." The initial appeal had stated: "Mark Kiely from Co Donegal, Ireland has been missing since 2am on Saturday, August 16 around The Old Town area of Albufeira (near beach tunnel). "If anyone has any information at all on his last location or whereabouts please contact this number 0035387 6701702 and the Albufeira police station on 351 289 590 790. "He was last seen wearing cream shorts and a light green polo shirt. "Any information at all please get in contact ASAP." As hours passed with no contact, his concerned family and friends launched a social media appeal asking for anyone with information to help track Mark down. Tragically, authorities confirmed his body was found on Monday near the Albufeira fishing port. Pousadas Godinho, the captain of the port of Portimao, told the Portugal Resident that the state police force, Policia Judiciaria (PJ), were now looking into the death. He said: We can confirm the body belonged to an Irish male citizen. PJ police have taken over the investigation. Those who knew Mark have described the news as heartbreaking referring to Mark as such a gentleman and a lovely fella. Another wrote: So sad, RIP Mark you were very special to your friends. Rob Andrews was slapped with the hefty bill from Belfast City Airport. Rob Andrews was stunned when he was handed a 170 (197) bill for collecting his mother-in-law from Belfast City Airport. Teacher Rob was at the airport on December 20 last year to pick up his elderly mother-in-law who was travelling from England to spend Christmas with him and his wife. Happy to pay the 3 fee for collecting flyers, he was stunned to receive an unexpected Christmas card demanding he cough up 100. The demand issued by Sheffield-based private company Vehicle Control Services accused Rob of stopping in a prohibited zone. His crime was to pause for a matter of seconds as he read signage to make sure he was going to the right place. Hes the latest victim of a controversial ticketing policy that has seen dozens of motorists hit with hefty fines. It was the start of a seven-month battle during which he challenged the fine, only to lose a series of appeals without adequate explanation of the grounds for refusal. Rob Andrews. Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 19th In increasingly aggressive communications, he was threatened with court and his case was handed to a debt recovery agency based in Cheshire. They gave him a 14-day ultimatum to settle the fine, which by now had climbed to 170. It was only last week when Rob said he was prepared to fight his corner in court and that he was going to the press did the debt agency suddenly drop his case. By their own admission I was only there for 17 seconds, thats how long it took me to read the signage to make sure I wasnt going to the wrong car park, he said. I was not blocking anyone, as the pictures they sent me show, there are no other cars either in front or behind me. As soon as I worked out where I was supposed to be going I went through the barrier. Its a nonsense, you have to stop anyway to wait for the barrier to open. He said he decided to fight the fine as a matter of principle. Im lucky I could afford to pay it and make it go away, but 100 is a lot of money and then it quickly rose to 170 thats a lot for someone to part with for what is clearly something that is wrong. I could have just paid it my wife kept telling me just get rid of it but it made me so angry, especially for those who would struggle to have that sort of money, nearly 200, spare. Thats a big hole in your weekly budget. He said he exchanged numerous emails with VCS and subsequently the Independent Appeals Service who rejected his challenge, saying their decision had been taken on the basis of the law. Last month the Sunday World revealed VCS is imposing fines in Northern Ireland according to law that applies to England and Wales and not here. It followed a similar case in which car owner June Bowers (81) was hit with a 40 fine when her car was snapped pausing at the same barrier as the driver read the signage. The fine spiralled to 170 as her husband Joe, a veteran trade unionist, challenged it. After a five-month battle VCS dropped the case when it was clear the Bowers were not for standing down. It just makes me angry that these companies can harass and bully people, said Rob this week. The City Airport has a lot to answer for, are they happy that their customers are being chased and harassed like this? I feel for elderly or vulnerable people who face these demands, its very intimidating, unnecessarily so, and if you do appeal it, it becomes even more bullying. He admitted he felt he had exhausted by the process and was ready to admit defeat and pay the fine when he read the Bowers story in the Sunday World. I got in touch with Joe and he told me not to back down, he said. Belfast City Airport said: At Belfast City Airport, the safety of our site users is of the utmost importance. For that reason, no stop zones are in place across our site. These zones are clearly signposted and motorists that do stop are subject to a Charge Notice from Vehicle Control Services. We do however recognise that unforeseen circumstances may arise and so we continue to work closely with Vehicle Control Services to review each individual case to ensure that a genuine violation of our health and safety measures and a breach of the Terms and Conditions has taken place. Oasis returned to Dublin and enjoyed a two-night stint at GAA HQ. Tens of thousands of fans descended on Croke Park for two sold-out Oasis concerts at the weekend Noel Gallagher has said he is feeling a bit shaky after wrapping up the Ireland and UK leg of the Oasis comeback tour at Croke Park over the weekend. Asked on UK radio station Talksport how he was feeling, he said he was a bit shaky after wrapping up the bands two nights at GAA HQ and celebrating with an afterparty at ODonoghues pub on Baggot Street in the city centre. "It went on. It went on, it eventually finished, we had to get a flight home, but it went on for a while, he said. It was a lot of singing, a lot of drinking and a lot of talking nonsense it was quite a night. Gallagher was joined by bandmates and Richard Ashcroft, among others, at the well known Dublin pub. Tens of thousands of fans descended on Croke Park for two sold-out Oasis concerts at the weekend Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th Gallagher said he felt on top of the world, couldnt be any better and is blown away by the reception to Oasis comeback tour. "Its difficult to put into words, actually. Every night is the crowds first night, so every nights got that kind of same energy to it. Its been truly amazing. Im not usually short for words but I cant really articulate it at the minute to be honest. Admitting his legs had turned to jelly early on in the first night of the tour at Cardiffs Principality Stadium, he said he is particularly looking forward to playing for the Argentinian crowd at River Plates home stadium in Buenos Aires. "Were not really a band who have huddles before we go on or anything like that. I cant speak for anyone else, but for me personally I grossly underestimated what I was getting into. Asked for his thoughts on how his brother has performed on the tour, he said: "Its great to be back with Bonehead and Liam and you know, just be doing it again. I guess when its all said and done well sit and reflect on it, but its great being back in the band with Liam. I forgot how funny he was. Joking that Liams voice, which has been praised throughout the tour, was the work of AI, he said his brother is smashing it. Im proud of him. Having been the front of a band for 16 years, I know how difficult that is. I couldnt do the stadium thing like he does it, its not in my nature, but Ive gotta say man, I look around and I think good for you mate. Its been amazing. She said her mother was talking about rabies, but I misunderstood and felt very sad for the bats that could be sick. I had just watched a TV programme about bats, and my mother knew I was very inquisitive... She told me if I ever saw a bat in real life, I wasnt allowed to touch it because it could be sick. Chalmers gained her qualification from Massey University in 2020 and said she had a calling from age 3 to become a vet. South African-born Chalmers, 29, who works at Vetcare Bethlehem, is in Tonga to run a free week-long clinic with other volunteers from New Zealand-based charity South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW). Tauranga veterinarian Mariska Chalmers found her passion in life at age 3 when her mother warned her not to touch bats because they could be sick. She told me there were medicines to make them better, and thats what a vet does. Chalmers said from a very young age she began rescuing all sorts of animals, including earthworms and birds that fell out of nests. She also volunteered at the Whanganui Bird Rescue Centre during her university days. Empathy for anything living and feeling the pain of seeing them suffering, and the desire to do what I could to fix it, has never waned. Chalmers said she had been a SPAW volunteer for three years. The charity, through volunteers, donations and sponsors, provided free veterinary clinic services in South Pacific countries that have little or no veterinary care. On Friday, Chalmers and seven other SPAW volunteer vets and vet nurses flew to Tongatapu in Tonga. This was her third SPAW volunteer trip to Tonga, but her first as a team leader. The team of volunteers also includes two from Rangiora, three from Auckland, another from Tauranga, and one from Adelaide Hills, Australia. During each clinic, the volunteer teams work with local partners and organisations, desexing hundreds of animals and providing hundreds of consultations alongside other surgeries. They also dispense medication as well as flea and worm treatments. Tauranga vet Mariska Chalmers with a puppy given a health check before being desexed during her 2024 SPAW volunteer trip to Tonga. Photo / Mariska Chalmers Chalmers paid for her own flights, took annual leave, and paid a fee towards her accommodation costs in Tonga. The charity also called for donations to fund the week-long clinic, she said. Im excited to have the opportunity to see the people and the animals Ive treated on previous visits. Chalmers said helping our South Pacific neighbours was important work. Its not just about showing up, doing some stuff for five days and hoping it goes well. We dont want to be seen as knights in shining armour, but as people participating alongside members of the community. I think there is a lot of beauty and value in returning to the same place so that I can see whether the impacts we have made are heading in the right direction. She said the animals they treated typically ranged from cats and dogs to farm animals, including pet pigs and injured horses, but ultimately, they helped any animal that needed it. We do many, many surgeries. The ones that are more of a shock are the amputations, and thats what hit me as to the gravity of the situation in Tonga. Vetcare Bethlehem vet Mariska Chalmers, with one of the clinic's clients Loki, is leading a team of SPAW volunteers to Tonga. Photo / Sandra Conchie Chalmers said during a previous trip, she visited the small island of Vavau, where a dog had to wait six months for surgery for a broken leg after being hit by a car. Theres always a real energy in the air, huge relief, and gratitude from the community when we arrive. They often do what they can to show their gratitude, whether its bringing in food and drink for us or making monetary donations. Cash donations are used to fund future trips. Chalmer urged others to become SPAW volunteers. I work at this job so I can do this volunteer work overseas- its empowering. The most important thing is to have empathy, passion and a desire to help in any way you can. SPAW founder Karen Schade said hundreds of volunteer vets and vet nurses had given their time to the cause during the past 15 years and improved the lives of thousands of animals. In 2024 alone, more than 2,500 animals in the Kingdom of Tonga and Samoa were treated during seven week-long clinics. Our incredible volunteers desexed more than 900 animals, and treated more than 500 animals via telemedicine consultations. The value of these services to local communities was more than $1.3 million last year. Schade said SPAW was a small charity entirely run by volunteers. These clinics are vital for providing essential care and keeping animal populations under control. We couldnt provide these services without the volunteers, donors, supporters and partners who generously give financial contributions, medications or food. Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 25 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year. Police are open to negotiations with Tom Phillips as the fugitive and his children approach four years in hiding. In Paddy Gower Has Issues, Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew Saunders said police were open to discussions with Phillips to ensure the familys safe return. Phillips and his children Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, nine, have been missing since December 2021, when they disappeared from Marokopa farmland. Though the family was seen alive in October 2024, concerns about the childrens wellbeing in the harsh Waikato native bush remain. Saunders said police would be willing to negotiate with either Phillips or his associates to bring an end to the ordeal. The people that are helping Tom, they need to talk to us, or they need to reach out to someone that they trust to communicate with us, and we can start the ball rolling with getting that negotiation happening. Phillips allegedly committed an armed robbery of ANZ Te Kuiti in May 2023, resulting in a warrant for his arrest. He appeared to be accompanied by one of the children during the incident, fleeing on a motorbike after shooting at a local supermarket employee. Saunders reiterated that police want to bring a safe end to the ongoing manhunt. Everything can be worked through, but hes got to have some endgame. Its been long enough now and its time to get those children out and let them get on with their lives. Tom Phillips' sister Rozzi Pethybridge. Photo / Andrew Warner Phillips sister Rozzi Pethybridge also appeared in the programme, her first public interview since her brother and his children went missing. Pethybridge said she would like to explain why Phillips has disappeared, but as there are matters before the Family Court, many of the details cannot be discussed. I would like New Zealanders to know that when he left in December 2021 with his three children, he did have legal day-to-day care of those three children. But since his disappearance, the children have officially been transferred to the custody of Oranga Tamariki. Pethybridge suspects the fact the children will be in state care when returned is a major reason Phillips remains in hiding, with Gower suggesting assurances about their custody might bring the family home. Pethybridge said she would help her brother face any proceedings eventuating from the disappearance and subsequent robbery. Not knowing how the family is doing is what bothers her the most, she said. Part of me hopes he is being helped so that he has people he can rely on to help him. But at the same time, Id be very angry at anyone who is helping him and not telling us how theyre doing. She expressed concerns for the childrens wellbeing, but said Phillips is a good bushman who wouldnt allow them to suffer. The hard thing about not knowing is that we dont know how good of a nest or a hut hes got. Pethybridge was tearful as she described her missing family, particularly her nieces and nephew, whose lives she said she wanted to be part of again. Putting Christmas presents under the tree for them every year, she remains hopeful for a reunion. Thunder, heavy rain and hail hit the Bay of Plenty as a thunderstorm moved across the region on Tuesday. Residents pulled out their phones and recorded the event, which hit the region around 4pm, after a seemingly fine day. One SunLive reader said she witnessed hail, thunder and lightning at Paengaroa Village. Other residents took to social saying it looked like snow. An Ohauiti resident said a black cloud lingered over her house when she got home around 3.30pm. Moments later, it just bucketed down. My cats ran inside in disgust that they got wet. Then the thunder hit. It was the first time our kitten had heard thunder. She buried her head in my arms. Do you have any weather-related photos? Email them to newsroom@thesun.co.nz Being a new cafe opening up in April, it shows that we are on the right track. I am super proud of our team and what we have accomplished so far. We are elated with our win, Toast on the Green chef Mike Schank told the Herald . The first-time entrant in the annual competition claimed the honour for its McChickle & Bacon toastie, made with shredded chicken, bacon, burger sauce, American cheddar, pickle pesto and McClures Bread & Butter Pickles. Newmarkets Toast on the Green has been crowned tops in this years Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover. An Auckland cafe has been named the home of New Zealands best toasted sandwich with a unique combination of chicken, bacon and pickles. Head judge Kerry Tyack described the cafes entry as a knockout punch of flavour and deliciousness. There is heaps going on here but the creators have nailed it, he said. The not-too-sweet burger sauce, the right cheese and of course the lashings of McClures pickles is a polyamorous marriage of fun flavours ... Its an easy eat and great on the wallet. Now in its eighth year, the competition saw a record 208 entries from hospitality businesses nationwide, making 2025 the busiest year yet for the judging panel. We have been blown away with the inventiveness, incredible flavour combos and the love that cooks and chefs have poured into their toasties, said competition co-founder Nick Brown. Schank said the team wanted to have some fun with their entry, drawing on his Canadian roots to stir some creativity. Toast on Green chef Mike Schank said the team is "elated" with their win. Photo / Babiche Martens When looking for inspiration I sometimes feel nostalgic, and did here. Using one of my favourite holidays, Thanksgiving, I created this toastie basing it off what I would make with the leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner. Toast on the Greens win marks the first time an Auckland establishment has claimed the national title. The winning toastie will remain on the cafes menu for the next month. [The win] means a lot to the business, Schank said. Its still a very tough time here for us in hospitality, more due to the cost of living right now. We understand to some, eating out can be a luxury ... We are going to use this energy and continue to have great offerings for people. This win makes the long shifts in the kitchen worthwhile. Nga mihi New Zealand. Last years top prize went to Okere Falls Store near Rotorua, which became its second win in three years. Despite believing their 2024 entry was too polarising to have a chance, chef Rich Johns' Figgy In The Middle championed over the 169 other entries. Great NZ Toastie Takeover 2025 finalists: The Dipper - Longroom, Auckland McChickle & Bacon - Toast on the Green, Auckland Hogget Stuck in Spelt - Lime Cafe, Rotorua Braised Birria Brotha - Capers Cafe + Store, Rotorua Pulled in the Paddock - Jimmy Coops, Taupo Prawn Toastie - Madame Social, Napier The MacRib Toastie - Best Burgers, Havelock North Reubens Rudolph - The Offering, Greytown Piggy Bank - The Offering at Moore Wilsons, Masterton The Marrakesh Melt - The Jellyfish, Mapua Smoked Wagyu Brisket Toastie - The Cafe at Christchurch Casino, Christchurch Ms Mac McClure - Johnny Crema, Queenstown This Pickles on Fire - All Good Bagels, Queenstown Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023. The rising number of abandoned and derelict boats in Tauranga Harbour is becoming a costly issue, with ratepayers often footing the bill for their disposal if they sink. Bay of Plenty Harbourmaster Jon Jon Peters said the problem was escalating. In the last two months, the Harbourmaster team has already recovered three sunken vessels with another recovery currently underway. Were seeing more and more boats left to deteriorate on their moorings, said Peters. Each one of these vessels can cost anywhere up to $25,000 to remove if they sink, and when we cant recover the costs from the owner, the community ultimately pays for this. The issue isnt unique to the Bay of Plenty. Across New Zealand, abandoned boats are becoming a national concern. Many of the vessels now causing problems were built during the boating boom of the 1960s and 70s and now decades later theyre reaching the end of their usable life. Some owners cant afford the upkeep anymore. Others dont have the skills or time to maintain their boats, and some just lose interest and walk away. Unfortunately, if those boats sink, they may become hazards to navigation, create environmental risks and become costly to dispose of. Derelict boat which sunk in Tauranga harbour. Photo / Bay of Plenty Regional Council Severe weather events in recent years have only made matters worse. Boats that are already in poor condition are more likely to break free from moorings or sink during storms, creating urgent safety and environmental concerns in potentially hazardous conditions. The Bay of Plenty Harbourmaster team manages 490 moorings across the region and annual inspections by the Regional Councils marine biosecurity dive team have revealed that around 40% of vessels moored in Tauranga Harbour are showing signs of neglect, with no recent hull maintenance. This is a red flag, said Peters. Neglected boats are more likely to become derelict and, once they reach that point, the costs and risks of sinking multiply. Removing a sunken vessel is no small task. The cost depends on the size of the boat, the materials its made from and how difficult it is to access especially if it has sunk in deep water. Even a relatively small boat can cost thousands to recover, Mr Peters says. We do everything we can to reclaim costs from the owner, but in many cases, theyve disappeared or simply cant pay. Thats when the cost lands on ratepayers. Peters urged boat owners to take responsibility before their vessels become a problem. He warned that insurance was unlikely to cover the cost of removing a wreck, as its considered the owners responsibility. The Harbourmaster team plays a critical role in managing the regions waterways, which includes investigating and removing wrecks under the Maritime Transport Act 1994. The Act gives the Harbourmaster authority to act quickly in the interest of safety and the environment, and the ability to recover costs from boat owners. The Harbourmaster team will be looking to trace the chain of ownership of the boat to recover costs. Its a warning to derelict boat owners not to try and on-sell the problem As the number of derelict vessels continues to rise, the Harbourmaster team remains committed to identifying responsible parties and pursuing all available avenues to recover costs, ensuring that the financial burden does not continue to fall unfairly on the community. A Mount Maunganui New Years Eve festival is set to return for its biggest rendition yet after three years of sold-out shows. Backed by big names and a new format, the festival will host UK heavyweights Rudimental, bringing drum and bass, house and soul music to the Bay. Famous Last Words launched in 2021 and returns to Baypark, Mount Maunganui on December 31. The festival, presented by Trademark Live and George FM, will feature three stages for the first time including an outdoor stage. Mitch Lowe, owner of Trademark Live and co-promoter of Famous Last Words, said his organisation had been championing drum and bass in New Zealand for more than 15 years. Nothing makes us happier than seeing it all come together on New Years Eve in our hometown. The festival has sold out for the last three years, each time welcoming between 5000 and 6500 attendees. For us, it is about celebrating New Years Eve in one of New Zealands most iconic summer destinations, bringing both locals and visitors together for a memorable send-off to the year. Lowe said the Mount was an incredible destination for the festivals demographic and he expected to see a bigger crowd this year. Famous Last Words has sold out for the last three years, each time welcoming between 5000 to 6500 attendees. Photo / Desmond Nielsen The event is really the cherry on top of an epic Kiwi road trip. Rudimental have been named as the headlining act and have also been announced as a headline act at Rhythm and Alps. The band rose to prominence in 2012 when their single Feel the Love, featuring John Newman, topped the UK singles chart. They have won several awards, including a Brit Award and the Mobo Award for Best Album, and achieved multiple platinum awards for record sales in several countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia. Today, the group have 12.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify and hit songs such as These Days featuring Jess Glynne, Macklemore and Dan Caplen, with more than one billion streams. Lowe said Trademark Live focused on bringing artists with high energy who connected with New Zealand audiences and represented the best of global and local electronic music. It is a balance of international heavyweights, cult favourites and emerging talent. Rudimental will be joined by more than 10 other international artists including Kurupt FM, Turno, Flux Pavilion and UK vocalist Issey Cross, with more to be announced. Lowe said locals will hit the jackpot with the artists set to perform. We look forward to hosting you all for our biggest rendition yet. Ticket pre-sales begin on August 26 at 7pm, and general on-sale begins August 27 at 7pm. Once a modest farming community in the countryside of Syria's central Hama province, al-Hawash has become a graveyard of broken concrete and twisted rebar. Residents returning to the village are working to restore their homes. #GLOBALink Enrique Miranda Malaga Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 09:26 Share This week's Feria de Malaga is not proving to be very good for people who enjoy spending the day at the beach, despite the high temperatures that are usually recorded in August. On Tuesday, Spain's state meteorological agency (Aemet) activated an amber warning for temperatures of up to 39C in the city, accompanied by inland winds. This Wednesday, the hot 'terral' wind will continue to make its presence felt, although with less intensity. Aemet has therefore reduced the heat warning to yellow. Maximum temperatures of 36C are expected in the Costa del Sol, Guadalhorce valley and Axarquia areas from 1pm to 9pm. But in addition to this warning for high temperatures, there will also be a coastal phenomena warning, also active on 20 along the coast of Malaga province. This warning will be activated between 3pm and 8pm in the Malaga regions of Sol and Guadalhorce and Axarquia and winds are expected to blow from the southwest at 50 to 60 kilometres per hour (force 7) with waves of two to three metres. In other words, it will be an afternoon of strong winds and waves that will not be conducive to visit the beaches of Malaga. At a regional level in Andalucia, clear skies and a general decrease in temperatures are forecast. Winds will be light to moderate from the west, intensifying in the afternoon. On the Mediterranean coast and the Strait of Gibraltar, "strong" westerly winds are expected, with occasional "very strong" gusts. Eugenio Cabezas Axarquia Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 15:19 Share The muscatel raisin sector of the Axarquia area of Malaga province is "in serious danger of disappearing", after suffering yet another year of a decrease in production due to a mildew fungus, which has seriously damaged the harvest, with 80% losses. This indicates that many raisin drying racks will be empty this year. The drought and the mildew fungus have seriously damaged an area whose star product is the raisin. Many Axarquia villages and hundreds of families depend on the production of it for their livelihood. It is estimated that more than two thousand families maintain this ancestral crop in the small inland municipalities of the eastern area of the province. General secretary of the union of small farmers (Upa) in Malaga Francisco Moscoso said that the majority of farmers "will not even manage to fill one and a half racks", which will lead to substantial economic losses, "because production costs remain high and ruinously low farm-gate prices make the crop unsustainable". "Production costs remain high and ruinously low farm-gate prices make the crop unsustainable" "We are going to experience another very concerning situation this summer. The rains that fell with the 'Dana' had raised expectations for a good harvest, but the lack of rainfall since then has been very damaging. The high incidence of mildew has been the final straw, meaning that the Axarquia, which is the main producer of raisins in Malaga, will see this year's crop greatly reduced," Moscoso warned, adding that the vines this year had initially indicated that the harvest would be good. "There have already been many seasons in which we have suffered a significant drop in production, sometimes up to 60%. The situation in 2025 is more serious than ever, because the losses rise to an average of 80% of the harvest. Before, a farmer who had five racks could fill three at the most, if they were lucky. This year, if they can fill one and a half, it will be a miracle," Moscoso said. Production costs "Producers in the Axarquia will find it very difficult to keep their farms operational. Substantial losses due to the scarce production of raisins, high production costs, which are constantly increasing, and the ruinous farm-gate prices we receive for this excellent product make cultivation unviable in an area that lives off the vines. We fear that many farmers will not be able to continue with their farms, which means that the future of the sector is quite uncertain. The poor harvest we will have is going to make many farmers rethink whether to continue," Moscoso explained. He launched a "desperate" appeal to administrations. "We can't take any more. If we at least had fair farm-gate prices, we could hold on and look to the future with some optimism. This is why it is necessary for the administrations to be aware of the reality we are going through and help us make a decent living from our crops and in our villages," Moscoso stated. "If only we had fair farm-gate prices, we could hold on and look to the future with some optimism" Producers are also concerned that they do not receive any compensation from the "alleged publicity" that goes hand in hand with being "listed in the world agricultural heritage system" since April 2018. According to Moscoso, other crops do not experience the same lack of results from promotion. "Administrations should adopt measures aimed at real promotion that will have a positive impact on farmers," Moscoso stated. Javier Almellones Benalmadena Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 16:37 Share Mountains, beaches, a traditional old town and amazing theme parks. These are just some of the attributes of Benalmadena, one of the most prosperous and complete towns on the western Costa del Sol. In its various population centres there are sites of great tourist interest, such as one of the most beautiful marinas in Europe or the iconic Buddhist stupa. Coves and sandy beaches for a summer day Zoom J.A. Carvajal, Torrequebrada, La Viborilla, Las Yucas, Santa Ana or Bilbil. There are up to a dozen beaches along the Benalmadena coastline. Among them there is a great variety, from wide sandy beaches located next to more equipped promenades to more secluded coves, such as Viborilla, or even Benalnatura, a nudist beach. Many of the beaches in the municipality today have been awarded the Blue Flag or the Q for Quality. Puerto Marina: the architectural pearl of the Mediterranean Zoom J.A. It is a real architectural jewel on the Mediterranean. In addition to its importance as a nautical destination, Puerto Marina, which has more than a thousand berths , has commercial, leisure and tourist attractions. There you can find dozens of shops, restaurants, bars and discotheques, and you can even go on excursions on the sea with the help of nautical tourism companies. Inside the marina, there is a real sanctuary for marine life related to our seas and oceans. This is Sea Life, a space where visitors are left open-mouthed. Sea Life: The visit that leaves everyone with their mouths wide open Zoom Sea Life Watching a shark pass right overhead, seeing an island of rays or even watching the graceful movements of otters - one of this summer's new attractions - are unforgettable experiences. There are a variety of options, rates and events at Sea Life, which is open every day of the summer between 10.30am and 11pm. Colomares Castle: one of the most unique buildings on the Costa del Sol Zoom SUR The Colomares castle is just over three decades old, but it has already become an emblem of Benalmadena. This building was built by a private individual to pay homage to Christopher Columbus and his discovery of the New World. Although it is privately owned, it can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday in summer (from 10am to 2pm and from 5pm to 9pm). Tickets (between 2 and 3 euros) are purchased directly at the ticket office. Interestingly, there is another contemporary, but neo-Mudejar castle on the coast, Bil-Bil, where events are regularly held. Selwo Marina: an experience for the five senses Zoom The Selwo Marina park, located just a few metres from the Parque de la Paloma, is one of the many must-see attractions on the Costa del Sol. There you can come into direct contact with some of the species that live there, such as dolphins, penguins and sea lions. Spectators can feed them or even swim with them. The park is divided into five geographical zones, according to the origin of its species. Benalmadena cable car: a high-altitude journey to the summit of Calamorro Zoom SUR Just a stone's throw from Tivoli, the cable car from the Selwo company takes you to the top of Calamorro, one of the mountains with the best views on the Costa del Sol. After a thrilling ride - not suitable for people with vertigo - you can enjoy different activities at the summit, from observing the sky to bird of prey exhibitions or hiking trails. There are considerable discounts if you buy online on the Teleferico Benalmadena website. Butterfly house and Buddhist stupa: a pair with panoramic views of the Mediterranean Zoom J.A. In Benalmadena Pueblo, the Mariposario (butterfly park) and the Buddhist stupa, located practically opposite each other, can be visited this summer as one of the most recommended plans. In the first one you will be able to learn more about the life of butterflies and other living creatures from different parts of the planet. You can even interact with some of them. In the second, there is a place for relaxation with spectacular views of the coast. Chus Heredia Malaga Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 15:40 Share Big plans were heavily promoted for Malaga during the first decade of this century, which is when councillor Concepcion Gutierrez was in charge of city council's department for public works and transport. These schemes sought to set aside spaces for business opportunities, the environment and infrastructure so as to better align the different municipal plans across the wider city, thereby providing a more coherent plan for what was fast becoming a sprawling metropolis. One such plan is Malaga's urban land regulation and urban development plan (known as POTAUM) that, for example, included the much-discussed northern wastewater treatment plant, dating from 2009. The Axarquia's POTA plan also dates back to 2006. The same applies to the developments for the western side of the Costa del Sol, a plan overturned by the courts in 2015. Now, two decades after these initial steps, it has received environmental approval, according to a resolution from the general secretariat for the environment that has been published in the official gazette of the Junta de Andalucia's regional government (BOJA). The plan for the western Costa del Sol includes key aspects such as reserving space for the coastal train to extend, a commitment to freeing up tolls on the AP-7 motorway and improved water infrastructure. "Taking into account the results of the consultations carried out and in accordance with the provisions of Law 7/2007, of 9 July, on the 'integrated management of environmental quality' and to ensure a high level of environmental protection and proper integration of environmental aspects, this ordinary strategic environmental assessment procedure is resolved with a favourable environmental declaration [...]," concluded the resolution as published in the BOJA on Monday. Conurbation This plan for urban land use and development, known as a POT, considers the need for this extensive and well-populated conurbation, this metropolitan continuum that fills the coastline between Manilva and Torremolinos, to be connected by a coastal railway. This is one of the main conclusions of the document, something that was originally planned by the team of Jerez-based architect Manuel Gonzalez Fustegueras. Furthermore, the planning experts see the opportunity to transform the A-7 into a large metropolitan boulevard with priority for public transport, the need for a second seawater desalination plant on this coastline and the improvement of water connections with the Campo de Gibraltar. Water In the case of water connections, they are included in the Gibralmedina dam project, a project already drafted by the Junta. The desalination plant will be the subject of a preliminary assessment project by Acosol as part of its own investment plan as the public water company for this stretch of the Costa del Sol. As for the AP-7 toll motorway, its road permeability and the improvement of traffic from Torremolinos are currently being studied by the Ministry of Transport in Madrid, which has also launched a feasibility study for the coastal train. It is worth remembering that, at the time of that first POT for urban development, a double tunnel in Cala de Mijas was approved for the aforementioned railway corridor, which had a metro-like format. The economic crisis of 2008 and the fallout from that effectively thwarted the project. Strategic The POT, therefore, does not define in-depth models, but rather only strategic needs, just looking at the big picture and taking into account issues such as demographic projections and demand scenarios. The POT has once again been subjected to a complex process of objections and the views of affected town councils have been heard. The document covers the future needs of nine municipalities in the province: Marbella, Estepona, Fuengirola, Mijas, Benahavis, Manilva, Ojen, Istan and Casares, all of which participated in its development. The previous POT was declared null and void by Spain's Supreme Court in 2015. In the last legislature at Malaga city hall, the department for public works resumed the drafting of this plan. Malaga-Fuengirola suburban trainline The new POT also highlights the vital importance of improving the Cercanias network for commuters and other local rail users, which currently links Malaga and Fuengirola, as well as extending it to the other municipalities mentioned above. This, in conjunction with a more high-speed model, such as the one now appearing to gain traction for the coastal train. Toll motorway links The document has planned up to seven new toll motorway links: Casares, Benahavis, Istan, Elviria, Hospital de la Costa del Sol, La Cala de Mijas and Las Lagunas. It also supports upgrading the Ronda-San Pedro road, which is in the process of being repaired following the closure caused by the landslide during Storm Jana that affected the viaduct in Benahavis. It also advocates doing the same for the western section of the Carretera de Arco, between Cartama, Coin, Monda, Ojen and the coast. Road links The road network also addresses improvements to the A-387, between Alhaurin El Grande and Fuengirola via the mountain pass of Puerto de los Pescadores, and the A-368 that links Torremolinos and Mijas. The Manilva-Gaucin road, which soon became an alternative route to the Costa del Sol during the aforementioned closure of the Ronda-San Pedro road, is also incorporated into the text. The document makes significant room for transport interchanges to promote intermodality, as well as BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) systems. The Cercanias rail network's vicinity is crucial for all this other infrastructure, as is the aforementioned metropolitan boulevard on the A-7. As for water resources, the failed Mijas-Fuengirola desalination plant is discussed, as is the need to work on both the eastern and western branches of the 'water highway'. The need for a reversible connection with Malaga city is also highlighted, as already evident with the inauguration of the Rojas pumping station at Churriana, with a capacity to transfer 500 litres per second in both directions, although these pumping stations are hampered by the poor state of the upstream network. Other water projects Without actually being considered, other ideas were put forward such as connecting the Genal river system with that of the Rio Verde, a proposal that was discarded when the project to re-build La Concepcion reservoir was not pursued and the Gibralmedina dam on the Guadiaro was chosen instead. The technical document also deals with issues such as water purification, wastewater treatment and sanitation and recalls some unfinished projects from the past, such as the Ojen and Alaminos dams. Likewise, express mention is made of the need to preserve and protect groundwater, with special emphasis on the Sierra de Mijas. SUR Malaga Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 15:11 Share The Junta de Andalucia regional government has received 16 bids - involving 39 companies entering into 15 joint ventures and one individual bid - for the construction of the third and last section of the latest Malaga city metro extension. It is a project with a base budget of 61.65 million euros and a completion period of 36 months. The new 510-metre-long route will run under Calle Eugenio Gross, Calle Blas de Lezo and Avenida Simon Bolivar. The project also includes the construction of the future Hospital Civil station, which will serve the future third hospital of Malaga, the current health centre and Hospital Materno Infantil, as well as the residents of the Bailen-Miraflores district - the fourth most populated in the city. Minister of public works Rocio Diaz has highlighted the importance of this last stretch, which proves the regional government and its president Juanma Moreno's "commitment to Malaga and its people". "The work is carried out at a good pace to provide Malaga with a modern, sustainable public transport system that meets its needs." Like the previous sections, the third one will be built using the "cut and cover" system. This construction method consists of the installation of screens to delimit the tunnel and station enclosure, the replacement of the surface with a cover slab and, subsequently, the excavation inside the tunnel. The contract includes the installation of the track superstructure (the rails and points on which the trains will run), as well as the reintegration of the affected urban environment. With this tender, the extension of the Malaga metro between Guadalmedina and Hospital Civil will be completed, totalling 1.8 kilometres and three new stations. It is estimated that this extension will bring around 3.5 million additional passengers per year to the metro network, which reached a record demand of 18.2 million passengers in 2024. The extension of the Malaga metro is co-financed with European funds from the ERDF operational programme in Andalucia 2021-2027 and the Junta regional government's own funds. Diaz stressed that the completion of the project "will mark a turning point for Malaga's transport network, favouring a more sustainable city, with fewer emissions and more efficient public transport". A 59-year-old British woman was arrested on the Costa del Sol on Sunday, 10 August, on suspicion that she had inappropriately touched a 14-year-old Italian girl in a sexual way. According to sources, the suspect has a long police record. The incident happened around 11pm at the Bulevar area of La Cala in Mijas. The girl was sitting on a bench when the woman approached her, engaged her in conversation to apparently gain her trust and allegedly started to touch her intimate areas. The girl became scared and ran to a nearby property, where she told her aunt what had happened. The relative was the one to call the police, who were mobilised to the scene. The Local Police assisted the minor and proceeded to arrest the suspect. The minor was first taken for an assessment at a health centre and then to the Guardia Civil, where she and her family could file a police complaint. Ines Romero Madrid Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 18:09 Share Can you imagine going to the supermarket and realising that you don't have your wallet or purse just as you are about to pay? Although it is not a common occurrence, anyone can slip up. This is exactly what Carolina Cazadora said had happened to her. The young woman went to a Mercadona store in Spain to buy a carton of milk for her brother. However, she said was unable to make the purchase because she didn't have any money with her. Faced with this issue, the young woman asked another lady in the queue if she would buy the milk for her. "I'm sorry, I forgot my money. It's for my brother, please. He hasn't eaten anything today," she said. However, she did not convince the lady, who bluntly replied: "No, no, no. Ask someone else for it." A little disappointed, Carolina decided to ask another woman she met in the queue. TikToker Carolina Cazadora explained the same thing to the second woman, but this time she received a positive response. And what happened next left the kind-hearted shopper speechless. Without the elderly woman noticing, Carolina told the cashier at Mercadona that she was going to pay for the entire purchase. "With a card, please," she said and paid for both the carton of milk and the entire grocery basket of the woman who offered helped her. When the kind-hearted shopper took out her purse, the supermarket employee told her that the young woman had already paid. "I don't understand," said the elderly woman in response. A few minutes later, Carolina met up with her and clarified. "It was because you wanted to help me. Because you said 'yes', I decided to help you instead," she explained. J. M. L. Guadalajara Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 15:59 Share A bull run in the Fontanar countryside area of the Guadalajara municippality in Spain has provoked the anger of animal welfare and protection associations who have publicly criticised the alleged mistreatment that an animal received during the event - an incident that they claim could constitute a breach of Spain's animal welfare law. The traditional run was held last weekend, as part of the festivities in honour of San Roque. The imposing five-year-old bull was hired from the Jose Escolar ranch. As mayor Jesus Caballero announced at the presentation of the event, the animal would, "without a doubt, thrill all bull lovers". Bull runs are very popular in the Guadalajara area. This year's event, however, ended in controversy, as several vehicles allegedly rammed the animal. Some participants also allegedly took along dogs and encouraged them to harass and bite the bull. These incidents have been described as "mistreatment" by the animal welfare organisations, including the Luna Nueva association, representatives of which said that they had been surprised to see the town hall itself post photos and videos on social media, demonstrating that the animal welfare law had been violated. The law bans the use of animals at events where they might suffer physical or psychological damages. According to Luna Nueva, "deliberately ramming a bull with a vehicle and allowing dogs to interfere can constitute a crime of animal abuse". Moreover, the regulations of the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha only allow the use of special vehicles in the bull runs in the countryside but never to hit the bulls. When asked for an explanation, Fontanar town hall responded that "the event passed off without incidents". However, the municipal team didn't go further and instead praised "the bravery, stamina and strength of the bull - a first-class bull - and the skill and expertise of the participants". Two police officers have shot dead a 46-year-old Chinese man who tried to attack them with a knife in the city of Valencia in Spain. According to initial investigations, the officers were forced to shoot in self-defence when they were attacked in a confined space on a landing of a building. The incident happened at around 4pm on Monday in a five-storey block in Calle Godofredo Ros when the National Police officers arrived after receiving a report of a violent argument between two neighbours. A man who lives on the estate called 091 to ask the police to attend because a neighbour was banging on the door of his flat and had also threatened him with a knife. The first officers to arrive at the building interviewed the person who had called for help, and then went to the flat where the individual who had been involved in the incident lived. Confined space This man, who apparently ran a bar in a nearby street, met the police officers with a large knife and lunged at them, forcing them to shoot in self-defence with their service weapons. The confrontation took place in a confined space, next to the door of the house, which limited the officers' movements and also their ability to respond quickly and appropriately to the attempted attack. A resident of the street claims that he heard a dozen gunshots in a few seconds. "The shots were so close together that it sounded like a barrage," the man said. However, another witness said that the number of shots was lower: "Four or five." According to initial investigations, the Chinese citizen was shot four times and the two policemen fired seven shots. After receiving a report of the shooting in the Monteolivete neighbourhood, a team from the emergency medical aid service (SAMU) arrived on the scene. Several National Police patrols also arrived to support the first officers who intervened in the incident. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, one of the policemen performed stabilisation techniques on the injured man, as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation manoeuvres, which were then continued by the SAMU medics, but they were unable to save him, according to medical sources. A forensic team arrived shortly afterwards and carried out a thorough inspection of the building. Police specialists collected the shell casings and examined the bullet impacts, as some of the shots missed the man. Sources from the emergency information and coordination centre (CICU) and the Valencia regional police headquarters confirmed that the deceased man had "gunshot wounds", but did not specify the number of bullet impacts or shots fired by the officers. After a thorough inspection by forensic officers, the judge on duty ordered the body to be removed shortly after 6pm. The body was then transferred to the institute of legal medicine in Valencia so that the forensic experts could carry out an autopsy. Experienced The police officers who fired the shots have only been in the force for a few years, but they have experience in public safety services, as they belong to the operational response group (GOR) of the Ruzafa police station, a unit created to intervene in incidents that require immediate action. The two officers have served in numerous incidents that have occurred in recent years on the streets of Valencia. The man who called the police for help said that his neighbour was very agitated and had a knife in his hand, so the officers took precautions and moved a little away from the door, but the assailant suddenly came out of the flat and attacked them. According to local residents, the victim was not a violent person, although he allegedly drank a lot of alcohol since his separation from his wife, and had been involved in some incidents in the building. The Chinese national sometimes used a crutch to walk due to sciatic nerve pain. Known to his friends as Luis, in 2010 he was stabbed in Beniferri when he defended a woman. He was hospitalised in La Fe after receiving three stab wounds to his chest, abdomen and shoulder. The police arrested the assailant for attempted murder. BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's V-Day military parade is organized under a wartime command system, a military official said on Wednesday. According to Xu Guizhong, a senior officer from the Central Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, the parade, scheduled for Sept. 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, will involve thousands of troops, over 100 aircraft and hundreds of ground armaments. The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, intelligent assessment systems, and simulation technologies have been employed in drills for the upcoming parade, said Xu at a press conference. The technologies are used to enhance formation drills, joint air-ground maneuvers, and other parade-specific training, improving both efficiency and quality, he added. Oswego, N.Y. Two mosquito samples tested positive for the Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE) in West Monroe and Palermo in Oswego County, health officials said. The Oswego County Health Department was notified by the state health department on Tuesday of the positive results. One sample was collected Aug. 12 in Palermo, and the other was collected Aug. 14 in West Monroe. The West Monroe site was part of the target area sprayed on Aug. 7. The Palermo site is a new location with positive results this summer. These lab reports remind us that, although aerial spraying is effective in reducing some mosquito populations, it does not completely eradicate all mosquitoes or the diseases they carry, said Vera Dunsmoor, Oswego Countys public health director. EEE is rare but can be severe. About 30% of people who develop severe EEE die, and many survivors face ongoing neurological problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, behavioral changes and drowsiness. Health officials recommend using insect repellent, wearing long pants and socks outdoors, and limiting outdoor activities between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active. Both Oswego and Madison counties have sprayed areas this summer after detecting mosquitoes carrying EEE and West Nile virus. New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo is looking for campaign help from an unlikely source, according to a report: President Donald Trump. Politico is reporting that Cuomo, a former governor of New York state, told the crowd at a recent fundraiser in the Hamptons that he believed Trump will ultimately help his independent bid for mayor. Cuomo was defeated by Zohran Mamdani in New York Citys Democratic mayoral primary in June, but stayed in the race on an independent line. In November he will face Mamdani, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and incumbent Eric Adams, also running as an independent. Cuomo believes that Trump will support whichever candidate has the best chance to stop Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist. We can minimize (the Sliwa) vote, because hell never be a serious candidate, Cuomo said, according to Politico. And Trump himself, as well as top Republicans, will say the goal is to stop Mamdani. And youll be wasting your vote on Sliwa. So I feel good about that. Cuomo was asked at the Hamptons fundraiser if he or his team was talking with Trump about the race. Lets put it this way: I knew the president very well, Cuomo said, according to Politico. I believe theres a big piece of him that actually wants redemption in New York. He feels that he was rejected by New York. We voted for Hillary Clinton. Bill de Blasio took his name off things. So I believe there will be opportunities to actually cooperate with him. I also believe that hes not going to want to fight with me in New York if he can avoid it. Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi told the New York Times that Cuomo was speaking hypothetically. Were not asking for or expecting help from anyone, Azzopardi said. Cuomo and Trump have had a rocky relationship. When Cuomo was governor of New York in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, he frequently sparred with Trump. While campaigning in New Yorks Democratic mayoral primary earlier this year, Cuomo called Trump diabolical and an existential threat to the city. In May, it was reported that Trumps Department of Justice had opened an investigation into Cuomo, claiming he lied to Congress about his actions during the Covid-19 pandemic. But in July, Trump said that he thought Cuomo should remain in the race, saying Cuomo had a good shot at winning. Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that Cuomo and Trump had spoken about the race. Cuomo denied the report. Trump has been highly critical of Mamdani, repeatedly calling the 33-year old member of the state Assembly a communist a charge that Mamdani has denied, saying he is a democratic socialist. Trump has also suggested that if Mamdani won, the federal government could step in and run New York City. The Central New York Community Foundation has stepped up to help WCNY-TV through a difficult time for public broadcasting stations. The foundation said Wednesday it will loan WCNY nearly $500,000 to help the broadcaster keep operating a job training program for adults interested in careers in the television and film industries. WCNY approached the Syracuse charity for help because it has not yet received a state grant payment from Empire State Development that supports the training program, said Katrina Crocker, the foundations vice president of communications. WCNY will be expected to pay back the low-interest loan once it receives the delayed grant payment, Crocker said. The money will allow WCNY to move forward with its next round of workforce development training programs over the course of 28 weeks, according to the Syracuse-based public broadcaster. The program is open to adults from ages 25 to 39 from underserved neighborhoods who want to learn skills for higher paying film production and warehouse jobs in the entertainment industry. The loan comes at a time when WCNY-TV is facing the loss of $1.3 million in federal grants, or almost 20% of its annual budget of about $7 million. The federal grants were canceled as part of President Donald Trumps decision to rescind $1.1 billion that Congress previously approved for public TV and radio stations including NPR and PBS. WCNY said the federal funding loss means it may have to cut the frequency of its local programs, reduce staff hours and struggle to meet its public service mission. Contact Mark Weiner at 571-970-3751. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Javed Dar) NEW DELHI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met here on Tuesday with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs. Modi said that both India and China are ancient civilizations, and they have enjoyed a long history of friendly exchanges, and the Kazan meeting between leaders of the two countries last October turned out to be a turning point for the improvement and development of bilateral ties. He stressed that India and China are partners, not rivals, and are sharing the same goal of achieving faster growths, and should increase exchanges, promote mutual understanding and expand cooperation, saying that huge potentials and bright future of bilateral cooperation could be perceived by the whole world. The two sides should properly manage and settle boundary issues, so that differences will not evolve into conflict, he said. He said that this year is the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and China, and the two countrie should approach bilateral ties from a long-term perspective, and the emerging of the Asian century is closely associated with India-China cooperation, and it is imperative for the two countries to work together for world development and wellbeing of mankind. He also said that he is looking forward to attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Tianjin summit. Wang welcomed Modi's attendance at the upcoming summit, saying that leaders of both countries reached important consensus during the Kazan meeting, and the two countries have implemented the consensus to enable bilateral ties to enter a new course of improvement and development. Calling his visit to India a preparation for high-level exchanges between the two countries, Wang said during the visit, China and India have reached consensus on restarting dialogue mechanisms in various fields, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, upholding multilateralism, jointly addressing global challenges, and opposing unilateral bullying. Regarding the boundary question, the two sides reached new consensus on conducting regular management and control, maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas, appropriately handling sensitive points, and initiating boundary negotiations in areas where conditions are met, he said. Wang said that bilateral ties have experienced ups and downs, and lessons could be learned from the past. No matter what happens, both sides should maintain correct perceptions of being partners, not rivals, adhere to the principle of properly managing differences to ensure that boundary disputes do not affect the overall situation of bilateral relations. Under the current international situation, strategic significance of China-India relations is increasingly prominent, and strategic value of China-India cooperation is more meaningful, he said, adding that the two sides will earnestly implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, promote the stable and long-term development of China-India relations so as to better benefit the peoples of both countries. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Javed Dar) Dippy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 7,944 Thanked: 5,504 Times Volkswagen faces lawsuit in US for touch-sensitive steering controls The lawsuit says that due to the overly sensitive nature of these controls, its possible to automatically engage the Adaptive Cruise Control with a mere light brush of the hand, potentially putting drivers in dangerous situations. The case is focused on VWs ID.4 models that feature these capacitive buttons. It also mentions two plaintiffs who are reportedly now terrified and hesitant to drive their vehicles. It is also alleged that VW has failed to disclose the defect, nor has it offered customers repairs or replacements free of charge. Its also been alleged that VW has known about the problem because of customer complaints, internal records, and information sent from dealers. The lawsuit has been filed in a New Jersey federal court and also says that the company has violated consumer protection laws in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Plaintiffs have also claimed that VW is guilty of common law fraud by omission, apart from breach of express and implied warranty and unjust enrichment. Volkswagen said almost three years ago that it would ditch the capacitive steering wheel controls and bring back physical buttons. That is expected to happen with the launch of the all-electric ID.2all. Physical buttons are expected to make a comeback in other VW models as well, but that will take a few years to implement. Source: Link to Team BHP news Touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons seemed cool and futuristic when Volkswagen introduced them. However, according to a new class action lawsuit in the US, these buttons may pose a genuine safety risk.The lawsuit says that due to the overly sensitive nature of these controls, its possible to automatically engage the Adaptive Cruise Control with a mere light brush of the hand, potentially putting drivers in dangerous situations.The case is focused on VWs ID.4 models that feature these capacitive buttons. It also mentions two plaintiffs who are reportedly now terrified and hesitant to drive their vehicles. It is also alleged that VW has failed to disclose the defect, nor has it offered customers repairs or replacements free of charge. Its also been alleged that VW has known about the problem because of customer complaints, internal records, and information sent from dealers.The lawsuit has been filed in a New Jersey federal court and also says that the company has violated consumer protection laws in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Plaintiffs have also claimed that VW is guilty of common law fraud by omission, apart from breach of express and implied warranty and unjust enrichment.Volkswagen said almost three years ago that it would ditch the capacitive steering wheel controls and bring back physical buttons. That is expected to happen with the launch of the all-electric ID.2all. Physical buttons are expected to make a comeback in other VW models as well, but that will take a few years to implement.Source: Carscoops More than 6000 emails of Russia hacked, leaked by Xhack ErTn, Team Tunisian Hacker. It seems like Team Tunisian Hacker is on fire today, after hacking more than 80 websites from Israel and 500 websites hosted From U.S. Xhack ErTn, leader of Team Tunisian Hacker have leaked 6000+ emails of Russia. The data is Available in simple plain text format and can be seen from three of the paste provided Universal Pictures finds pirated torrent copy of Jurassic World seeded from its own servers Shocking yet true, the producers of mega hit, Jurassic World, Universal Pictures has been hosting the seeds of pirated torrents of the film. The Universal Pictures in France found out that it has been seeding a pirated copy of its latest blockbuster Jurassic World from its own servers. Jurassic World is a 2015 American science fiction adventure film directed by Colin Trevorrow. It is the fourth installment of the Jurassic Park series. The film stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent DOnofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Omar Sy, B. D. Wong, and Irrfan Khan. It has been a mega hit across the world mopping up $1.526 billion upto now. Its popularity means that it has been a choice of torrent pirates and has been the top downloaded torrent since it appeared on the torrent websites. But little did Universal know that it was helping the pirates cause by hosting the seeding on its own servers. Upon noticing the issue, the security team of Universal Pictures filed a takedown notice with Google on 15 July under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Google acknowledged the DMCA complaint and blocked websites and links allegedly hosting or linking to pirated copies of Jurassic World. Among the block requests was a link to https://127.0.0.1:4001/#/fr/. The Internet Protocol address 127.0.0.1 is typically reserved to describe the localhost or machine on which a program or user is operating. This indicates the pirated copy of the movie was being hosted within Universals own computer network. The program likely found a file being linked to from outside Universals network on its own computers, meaning that Universal was seeding pirated copies of its own movie. Earlier in the year, Universal Pictures had requested Google to remove the Internet Movie Database page listing its film Fast & Furious 7, despite it hosting no infringing content. Dancing Panda Chinese spies hacked Emails of Top U.S. Officials and used it to exploit their social networks by spreading malware US Governments trouble of being intruded by foreign cyber attacks does not seems to be ending soon, with just days after the disclosure of Russian hackers successful compromise over the Pentagons Joint Staff email system, a new report from NBC News citing a senior U.S. intelligence official and a top secret document says Chinese cyber spies successfully accessed private emails of top US National security personnel since at least April 2010. The intrusion which has been code-named as Dancing Panda or Legion Amethyst by US officials targeted all top national security and trade officials, said a NSA top secret briefing from 2014. The intrusion which began in sometime around April 2010 was still going on at the time of the briefing. Earlier in 2011 Google already confirmed that the Gmail accounts of US Officials were compromised but the briefing suggests that not only Googles Gmail but email accounts from other service providers were also compromised and used to harvest the email address contacts of targeted officials which was then used to exploit their social networks by sending malware to their friends and colleagues, the documents said. The official government emails which uses additional security layers were not compromised says the senior U.S. intelligence official. The email-intrusion also coincides with the time period of former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons use of a private email account during 2009 to 2013. An earlier revelation from NSA Whistle blower Edward Snowden suggested that Chinese cyber spies sometime around 2010 tried to spy on four U.S. officials, including then Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead. A last week report from NBC News says that the Chinese have hacked the US nearly 700 times of which more than 600 successful attacks were on corporate, private or government networks. Ad blockers, once seen as a niche browser tool, have become the center of a long-running clash between internet users and publishers. What began as a fight between users wanting freedom from intrusive ads and publishers wanting to keep their business model alive has now reached a pivotal moment in Germanys highest court. Germanys Federal Supreme Court (BGH) has reopened a case that could ultimately ban ad blockers in the country. The case involves media powerhouse Axel Springer and Eyeo, the Cologne-based company behind Adblock Plus, one of the worlds most popular ad-blocking tools. The Case Axel Springer, which owns major outlets like Bild and Welt, argues that websites arent just text and pictures they are also made up of code that counts as a protected computer program. It further argues that when an ad blocker hides an advertisement, it is actually illegally interfering with the underlying code that builds a website inside a browser without permission. Meanwhile, Eyeo insists that it is simply letting users decide what to see. Earlier, a lower court in Hamburg wasnt convinced and had dismissed this argument. But on July 31, 2025, the BGH overturned parts of that ruling, saying judges hadnt properly examined whether browser code like the Document Object Model (DOM) and CSS Object Model (CSSOM) are legally protected works and if hiding ads amounts to unauthorized tampering. It cannot be excluded that the bytecode, or the code generated from it, is protected as a computer program, and that the ad blocker, through modification or modifying reproduction, infringed the exclusive right thereto, reads BGHs statement (automated translation) The case is now being sent back to the Hamburg lower courts for deeper technical scrutiny. Why It Matters The implications stretch far beyond advertising. If courts agree with Springers view, it could mean that any browser extension that modifies websitesfrom privacy filters to accessibility toolswould be considered illegal. This could impact not only ad blockers, but also tools designed to improve accessibility, strengthen security, or prevent online tracking. Mozilla, the maker of the Firefox browser, has warned that this could make Germany the first democratic country to outlaw ad blockers a move it says would harm user freedom, innovation, and online privacy. In a statement, Daniel Nazer, Mozillas Senior IP & Product Counsel, said that the ruling risks creating a chilling effect with browsers locking down features and extension developers pulling back to avoid lawsuits. We sincerely hope that Germany does not become the second jurisdiction (after China) to ban ad blockers. This will significantly limit users ability to control their online environment and potentially open the door to similar restrictions elsewhere. Such a precedent could embolden legal challenges against other extensions that protect privacy, enhance accessibility, or improve security, added Nazer. Whats Next The case is far from over, as it now returns to Hamburgs lower courts, where further hearings could stretch on for years. Until then, ad blockers remain legal in Germany but no one can say for sure how long that will last. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Helge Lund, chair of the board of directors of Novo Nordisk, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Global biomedical companies, including Novo Nordisk, are welcome to step up cooperation with China, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said on Wednesday when meeting with Helge Lund, chair of the company's board of directors. By continuously deepening its reform and expanding its high-level opening-up, China will provide huge development opportunities for enterprises from all over the world, including Novo Nordisk, Han said. China prioritizes its people's health. It has built the world's largest basic health care insurance network and its average life expectancy continues to rise, Han said, welcoming Novo Nordisk and other leading biomedical companies to step up cooperation with China. Lund spoke highly of the achievements China's economic and social development has seen in recent years, stating that the company will cultivate the Chinese market further, expand investment in China and achieve win-win results. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Helge Lund, chair of the board of directors of Novo Nordisk, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks ended lower on Wednesday, tracking declines in U.S. technology shares as investors took profits from recent gains in artificial intelligence (AI)-related stocks. The benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, fell 657.74 points, or 1.51 percent, from the previous day to close at 42,888.55. Selling was sparked by overnight losses in U.S. tech shares, including a steep fall in semiconductor giant Nvidia. In Tokyo, major chip-related stocks such as Advantest and Tokyo Electron retreated, while SoftBank Group plunged. Game makers like Nintendo and Konami Holdings also weakened. By contrast, some domestic demand-related shares, including food and transport firms, attracted buying interest, while Toyota, Mitsubishi UFJ, Kyocera, Honda, and Oriental Land provided support. The broader Topix index fell 17.72 points, or 0.57 percent, to close at 3,098.91. On the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market, declining issues numbered 846, against 708 gainers and 66 unchanged. NEW DELHI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Delhi Police nabbed a 41-year-old man after he physically assaulted Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at her official residence on Wednesday morning, while she was listening to public grievances. The man was identified as Rajesh Khimji, hailing from the western state of Gujarat. The Delhi Police personnel were interrogating him to know the reason behind the assault. According to a Delhi Police official, the assailant slapped the Delhi chief minister and then held her by her hand and hair. "The chief minister received minor injuries during the assault. It is learnt that she received a small head injury. She is being medically examined," he added. Quoting eye-witnesses, an online report by Hindustan Times said the chief minister was interacting with citizens and listening to their grievances, when a man suddenly surged forward, handed over a piece of paper to her, started talking loudly, used expletives, and then slapped her. Meanwhile, media reports from Gujarat quoted her mother as saying that her son was a "dog lover," and was disturbed over the recent row over removing stray dogs from Delhi and nearby areas, leading to a series of protests at various places in the country. Only a day ago, the Delhi chief minister issued strict directions to all officers concerned not to take any kind of harsh action that may hurt dog lovers' sentiments or harm the dogs. Political leaders cutting across party lines condemned the assault on the female leader. Gupta belongs to the main ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party. She assumed office in February this year. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Isnt taste a wonderful thing? Its the fascinating idea that two people can watch the same film, and emerge with completely different perhaps even polarised verdicts on what they just saw. There is never going to be a masterpiece that pleases everybody who sees it, just as there has never been a piece of schlock that could not somewhere locate an apologist. Over time, however, opinions tend to group, and solidify: a canon is formed. These are the best films according to critics, or awards bodies, or members of the public. But what happens when this verdict is simply off base? Throughout the decades, there have been countless examples of films that have received vast amounts of eager praise disproportionate to the actual merits of the film itself. Here are 25 such films, works that have been rewarded with commendations that they do not deserve. Some have been hyped up by critics, some by awards bodies, and others simply by popular consensus. From The Notebook to Everything Everywhere All at Once, here are 25 of the most overrated movies ever released... 25. American Hustle (2013) David ORussells Seventies-set caper about con artists ticked plenty of boxes: true story, great cast, visually superb. But the two other boxes it ticked? Smoke and mirrors. Carried by stellar performances from its female leads, the film was, beneath the surface, a convoluted and incoherent pastiche of too many genres and ambitions. Beyond Jennifer Lawrences stupendous gravity-defying up-do, there was nothing particularly special about American Hustle no matter what its 10 Oscar nominations suggest. More telling is that this hotly-tipped flash-in-the-pan sensation won zero. Annabel Nugent 24. Gravity (2013) Sandra Bullock floats around space for two hours in this very serious film that received a cosmic ten Oscar nominations (winning seven). Its supposed to make a deeper point, about existentialism, about depression, about death and rebirth. But theres only so much you can see of the insides of space equipment before the point is stretched to infinity and beyond. Maira Butt open image in gallery Sandra Bullock in Gravity' ( Courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture ) 23. Private Benjamin (1980) This is a movie that is rightly celebrated for its influence, but feels over-celebrated for its actual quality. As a Jewish-American ditz who enrols in the army, Goldie Hawn is characteristically effervescent, but the movie that surrounds her rarely lives up to her charisma its instead stodgy and largely unfunny, repetitive instead of involving. A key inspiration for films such as Legally Blonde and The House Bunny, it warrants kudos as a blueprint, but not for much else. Adam White 22. Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) You are probably not remembering Desperately Seeking Susan correctly. You will remember Madonnas Into the Groove, its sensational theme song. You will remember Madonna herself, in her rubber bracelets, fingerless gloves and sheer fabric as the Susan of the title. And youll remember that cool, grimy Eighties New York that serves as the backdrop to director Susan Seidelmans comedy film. All are present and accounted for. But you wont remember that Seidelmans movie is otherwise overlong and almost hypnotically low-energy, that Madonna is merely a cameo player, and that the movie runs out of plot by its halfway mark. If you loved it as a kid, dont watch it again as an adult. If you havent watched it at all but intend to, keep your expectations low. AW 21. Prisoners (2013) Ill admit that Denis Villeneuves thriller, about the abduction of two young girls, is a handsomely made film, thanks in large part to the cinematography of the great Roger Deakins. But, despite being championed by many as an early masterpiece from the Dune director Villeneuve, Prisoners simply isnt all that an overblown, mannered attempt to varnish a pulpy story into something worthy of prestige. Louis Chilton 20. Elf (2003) Perhaps the most over-hyped genre of all, Christmas movies are often hastily canonised simply because there are so few festive alternatives. Such is the case with Elf, the bland and too-broad story of a human (Will Ferrell) raised as an adoptive Christmas elf. Stacked next to real bona fide Yuletide classics, Elf is a boorish and unwelcome imposter, a film whose dubious qualities are all too often brushed aside as good old seasonal mawk. LC 19. Top Gun (1986) Top Gun makes more sense when you consider its source material. Not a book or someones life story. Not a comic book, or a historical source. Instead, Tony Scotts 1987 fighter pilot flick was inspired by a picture in a glossy magazine happened upon by the films writer. It was two guys in leather jackets and sunglasses standing in front of the biggest, fastest f***ing airplane you ever saw in your life! recalled screenwriter Chip Proser. The film doesnt venture much deeper than that. Albeit entertaining, Top Gun was, in effect, little more than a two-hour advertisement for aviator sunglasses and sheepskin jackets yet for years was hailed as a pillar of Eighties action cinema. Last years long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick was a step up in practically every regard. AN 18. Fight Club (1999) David Finchers provocative anti-establishment psychodrama became a cult classic almost immediately after it was released. But Fight Club, for all its grubby excess, was always punching slightly above its weight: the messaging was a little smug and obvious, and the story too dark and jaded for its own good. Fincher would go on to make better, more mature films later in his career compared to Zodiac, for instance, Fight Club is the work of a filmmaker still working out which impulses to follow, and which ought to be reined in. LC 17. Good Will Hunting (1997) Theres an old Hollywood rumour that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon deliberately made their breakout film Good Will Hunting as commercial and Oscar-friendly as possible purely to get it financed and make them famous in the process. Treacly plotting? Check. Inspirational themes? Check. A scene-stealing, catnip-for-best-supporting-actor character written for a veteran star (Robin Williams)? Check. And it worked! Good Will Hunting turned Affleck and Damon into household names and won them an Oscar. Its also among the least interesting things they and director Gus Van Sant have ever done, an incredibly OK drama that never quite warranted the hubbub that surrounded it. AW open image in gallery Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting ( Miramax ) 16. The Birds (1963) There are several parts of The Birds that have endured as pure, uncut cinema; Alfred Hitchcocks eye for unease remains more or less unsurpassed. But, especially when juxtaposed with his best works (Rear Window, Psycho), this story of avian bedlam is a bit of an uneven and dated affair, a disaster movie that remains more fascinating in its concept than its execution. LC 15. Gladiator (2000) To this day, one of the greatest tricks in cinema remains Ridley Scott convincing everyone that Gladiator was an Oscar-worthy historical epic, and not just a bullish action flick with a big budget and a heavy-handed script. As to Russell Crowes iconic question, audiences were without a doubt entertained but five Academy Awards? Come on. The late, legendary film critic Roger Ebert called it as he saw it: Gladiator lacks joy. It employs depression as a substitute for personality, and believes that if the characters are bitter and morose enough, we wont notice how dull they are. AN open image in gallery Russell Crowe in Gladiator ( Dreamworks LLC & Universal Pictures ) 14. The Notebook (2004) Ask anyone to recommend a good romance, and theres a good chance they will inevitably lead with The Notebook. But this Ryan Gosling-Rachel Macadams matchup isnt romantic its deeply sinister. The Notebook follows two young lovers kept apart by their respective social classes: Noah is destitute, Allie is classy and rich. He falls in love at first sight after he spots his unassuming target on a carnival ride, before convincing her she needs to learn to trust. He then creepily pines after her for the rest of his life until they remarry, after which he recounts the entire tale to her while she is living with dementia. Its as warm and fuzzy as Netflixs disturbing thriller You. MB 13. Gone with the Wind (1939) A film that has long been cited among the best movies ever made, Gone with the Wind is certainly epic, in both its lavish set pieces and mammoth three-hour runtime. But while there are parts of this film that still sing, much of it is either dry and tedious, or else terribly problematic. A favourite film of Donald Trump, Gone with the Wind is now shown with a disclaimer beforehand warning of its outdated cultural values. Maybe its time this film, too, was best left for the wind. LC open image in gallery Clark Gable as Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind ( Getty Images ) 12. The Revenant (2015) Remembered primarily as the film that finally won Leonardo DiCaprio his Oscar, the real surprise about The Revenant is just how overrated its lead performance is: DiCaprio grunts and gurns like a demon, but ultimately fails to bring any personality to this otherwise frigid tale of revenge in the American wilderness. LC 11. The English Patient (1996) The term Oscar bait dates back to the days of Old Hollywood, but Id argue it found its apotheosis in 1996 with The English Patient. On paper, a sweeping historical romance starring Ralph Fiennes and Kristen Scott Thomas sounds downright charming in reality, it is long-winded, pretentious, and did I mention long-winded? Flashbacks arrive at such a glacial pace that it is impossible to be swept off your feet. In the words of Elaine Benes in Seinfeld: Quit telling your stupid story about the stupid desert and just die already. Die! AN open image in gallery Ralph Fiennes as Count Laszlo Almasy and Kristin Scott Thomas as Katharine Clifton ( Lionsgate/Miramax ) 10. Once Upon a Time in America (1984) You feel every minute of Sergio Leones four-hour crime epic, which has its fans but never quite hits the heights to match its impressive ambition. It probably doesnt help that several of its cast members among them Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci swam in similar waters to much more powerful effect in work such as The Godfather Part II and Goodfellas. This tale of Prohibition-era gangsters also riffs on the same queasy sexual politics that dominate Leones earlier Westerns every woman here is raped, some enjoy it, some are only ever mocked for it. This is sumptuous but grubby work. AW 9. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Miracle on 34th Street has long been revered as one of the eternal classics of the festive season. But this tale of a shopping mall Santa who turns out to be the real deal really doesnt deserve to be uttered in the same breath as a film such as Its a Wonderful Life. The sentiment here is laid on so thick as to be cloying; this clunky and distinctly American parable is best viewed as a time-capsule curio rather than a movie that still resonates nearly 80 years on. LC open image in gallery Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle and Natalie Wood as Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street' ( 20th Century Fox ) 8. Amelie (2001) Twee romance Amelie is a good and inventive film, but no movie would be able to withstand the kind of hype that Jean-Pierre Jeunets movie endured. For a generation, Amelie was not just a French film but the French film, a movie that came to represent in shorthand an entire filmmaking culture. How could any film live up to that? It cant, of course this is a film far better appreciated as a quirky acquired taste. LC 7. The Breakfast Club (1985) Detention drama The Breakfast Club is celebrated as a high point of both John Hughess career and 1980s teen films as a genre. But while the movie undoubtedly has its charms, much about this has aged horribly, from the insidious social messaging to the cringe-inducing dance sequence. Hughes, meanwhile, has done far superior work elsewhere. LC open image in gallery Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club' ( Universal ) 6. Friday the 13th (1980) Friday the 13th is widely cited as a landmark work in the slasher genre, a film that helped establish and popularise the stalker template thats still iterated on to this day. As an actual film, however, its a long way from its vaunted reputation. Theres room for scuzzy exploitation in horror, of course, but compared to films such as Halloween, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Black Christmas, this is a shockingly crass and unedifying spree to behold. LC 5. Grease (1978) When was the last time you actually sat down to watch Grease? And by Grease I mean all 110 minutes of the thing, and not just the songs. Yes, those songs are great big, euphoric bangers guaranteed to get even the most dire of parties going but the rest of Grease is a hot mess, a by-the-numbers slog even when its not being egregiously offensive. Theres a reason the best way to watch this is on a Sunday afternoon while doing the housework. AW 4. Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) Whatever you think of the relative merits of Everything Everywhere All At Once, a kind of low-budget action pastiche that sent Michelle Yeoh into a multiverse of parallel realities, theres no accounting for the magnitudes of its massive success. A strange hodge-podge of blunt earnestness and daffy internet humour, EEAAO swept the Oscars in 2023, winning best picture, best director and three acting categories (among others). A remarkable achievement for a film that lacked the depth or sophistication of most of its rivals. LC 3. Up (2009) Everyone loves Up, the heart-wrenching Pixar animation about a man who grows old, tragically loses his wife, and decides to explore the world in a balloon-powered flying house. Well, everyone loves the first 20 minutes. The fact is, the rest of this much-hyped animated film fails to live up to its pitch-perfect opening, and pales in comparison to the Disney studios better fare. Its up for a bit then down, down, down. LC 2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Prison-set Stephen King adaptation The Shawshank Redemption is a perfectly good film. It has good performances (from Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman), and a strong, moving story. But is it really the best film ever made? Of course not. And yet, Shawshank has long sat atop the ranking of IMDBs greatest movies list an honour that radically outstrips its qualities as a film. LC open image in gallery Tim Robbins in Shawshank' ( Warner Bros ) 1. Joker (2019) Has there ever been a film so bafflingly acclaimed as Joker? Seeing critics hurl stars at this self-serious supervillain adaptation made me feel as if I were the victim of some elaborate prank: I dont understand how this can be construed as a good or enjoyable film. Phoenixs Oscar-winning performance, as delusional misfit Arthur Fleck, is an exercise in gaudy over-acting, and his character is situated in a story thats neither interesting nor remotely fun. And yet, people loved it, and paid to see it in their droves I guess the jokes on me. LC Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Seth Meyers has comedically shed light on the joke rivalry between Andy Samberg and his dog Frisbee, who died this week. The chat show host announced the death of his 14-year-old Italian greyhound on Tuesday (19 August), prompting many to wonder how Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Samberg would take the news. Samberg has repeatedly made playful comments about disliking Frisbee so much so that its become a Hollywood running joke leading to YouTube compilations of his remarks. When one outlet, reporting Frisbees death, referred to the canine as being famously disliked by Andy Samberg, Meyers wrote on X/Twitter: She also disliked him, FWIW. Meyers addressed Sambergs rivalry with Frisbee in April, telling the Late Night audience: Hes hated my dog since she was little and now shes 14. The presenter said that Samberg leaned into the joke so much that he would return the Meyers familys Christmas card he was sent with Frisbees face scratched out like a serial killer. open image in gallery Seth Meyers paid tribute to dog Frisbee ( Instagram ) Samberg himself commented on the joke rivalry on Amy Poehlers podcast Good Hang back in July, during which Meyers asked Poehler to prank Samberg by telling him that Frisbee had died. Dont even play, cause Ill be so happy, Samberg joked. I will never back off that. That dog sucks, dude. And I know this is a good vibes cast, so I dont even want to bring that energy, but that dog is like a rat carcass. open image in gallery Seth Meyers joked that Frisbee disliked Andy Samberg after long-running rivalry ( X/Twitter ) Frisbee belonged to Meyers, 51, his wife Alexi Ashe, 42, and their children Ashe Olson, nine, Axel Strahl, seven, and Adelaide Ruth, three. The host of Late Night with Seth Meyers announced the news of Frisbees death in a moving Instagram post, writing: RIP to Frisbee, our OG IG who I was happy to go grey with. She was at her best curled in your lap and patient when we dressed her up like a pilgrim. Thanks for 14 amazing years, girl. In the wake of the news, many pointed to Sambergs joke comments about Frisbee and highlighted that Frisbee actually passed away on Sambergs 47th birthday. So very sorry. May her memory be a blessing to all those who loved her. And may it haunt Andy Samberg all the days of his life, one person commented to Meyers Instagram post. Another added: Very sorry for your loss. I hope she haunts Andy Samberg for years to come. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jussie Smollett has opened up about the initial reaction to the alleged hate crime he was subjected to in 2019, which he was later accused of staging for publicity. In Netflixs new documentary The Truth About Jussie Smollett?, premiering Friday, the 43-year-old actor recalls feeling like I was being eulogized online as reports of his alleged hate crime rapidly circulated. I felt like I had died, and I was alive to see and what people were saying was so kind, but it was too much for me, he says in the film, according to People magazine. It made me very uncomfortable. It made me extremely embarrassed. It made me feel extremely emasculated. Smollett previously starred on the music drama Empire from 2015 to 2019. He left the show after claiming that two men assaulted him, spouted racial and homophobic slurs, and tossed a noose around his neck in downtown Chicago, while he was filming the television show. The two men brothers, Abimbola Bola and Olabinjo Ola Osundairo later claimed that Smollett had hired them to stage the attack, a claim the actor has consistently denied. He was charged with filing a false police report, and his character was written out of the final season of Empire. open image in gallery Jussie Smollett was accused of hiring two men to racially abuse him for publicity in 2019 ( Getty ) When the case went to trial, testimony alleged Smollett had paid $3,500 to two men he knew from Empire to carry out the attack. Prosecutors said he told them what slurs to shout and to yell that Smollett was in MAGA country, a reference to Donald Trumps presidential campaign slogan. I believe he wanted to be the poster boy of activism for Black people, for gay people, for marginalized people, says Bola in the new documentary. Ola adds: I thought it was crazy, but at the same time, Im like, Its Hollywood. This is how it goes. Prosecutors alleged at the time that the actor staged the attack because he was unhappy with the studios response to hate mail he received while filming Empire. open image in gallery Jussie Smollett in a scene from The Truth About Jussie Smollett? ( Netflix ) In his own testimony, Smollett said that there was no hoax and that he was the victim of a hate crime in his downtown Chicago neighborhood. He has always maintained his innocence. Despite this, a jury convicted him of five counts of disorderly conduct in 2021. He was sentenced to 150 days in jail six of which he served before being freed pending appeal 30 months of probation, and was ordered to pay approximately $130,000 in restitution. The Illinois Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 2024 because of a non-prosecution agreement he had entered into with the Cook County attorneys office. The Truth About Jussie Smollett? begins streaming on Netflix on August 22. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Catherine Zeta-Jones has opened up about how she and her husband, fellow film star Michael Douglas, cope with their relationship being in the spotlight. The Welsh star, who is currently starring in Wednesday on Netflix and is also known for her Oscar-winning turn in Chicago, has been married to Wall Street and Fatal Attraction actor Douglas for 25 years. Zeta-Jones, 55, and Douglas, 80, share two children Dylan and Carys, born in 2000 and 2003 respectively. The couple moved away from New York to Bermuda to raise their family, with Zeta-Jones telling The Sunday Times Style in a new interview: The city in the summertime is too hot, so Michael took me to the Hamptons and I was like, same people in shorts. The social calendar is exhausting. So Michael took me to Bermuda because his mother was Bermudian and I thought, I love this. Its an hour and a half in a plane. Its a British colony, there were pictures of the Queen when I went to the bank. So we bought a house there and stayed for 10 years. The actor also explained that these days, as a couple, they tend to spend time in their home in Spain, away from the spotlight. She opened up about the challenges of being in such a high-profile relationship, saying: Two celebrities together make 10. Its just the way it is. Theres two versions of the story and theres two make-believes. She added: We dont listen to the crap that is written about us, thats the main thing. And we respect our space, were independent spirits. We are very similar; we were born on the same day, 25 years apart. Were not afraid to be verbal, to express ourselves. I wear everything on my sleeve and so does he, which is good. Zeta-Jones and Douglas in 2024 ( Getty ) The couple have four homes one in Spain, one in Canada, and two in New York. Douglas the son of Kirk Douglas, famous for playing Spartacus in 1960 recently announced that he has no serious intentions of acting again, instead preferring to watch my wife work. In response to this, Zeta-Jones told Style: Michael has definitely earned the chance to slow down. But I never say never. Hes his fathers son and loves to work lets just say, retirement is a flexible concept. Douglas was one of the biggest film stars of the 1980s, appearing in Romancing the Stone, Fatal Attraction and Wall Street, for which he won his second Oscar. His first Academy Award was for producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The actor dedicated the last 10 years of his career to Marvel, playing Hank Pym in three Ant-Man films as well as 2019 blockbuster Avengers: Endgame. Its that time of the year when it feels like were definitely saying goodbye to summer, and its vital we embrace all moments of pleasure. Its like theres some sort of winters coming foreboding in the air. Maybe its enjoying a BBQ with friends, ideally cooked by someone else (my BBQing prowess is limited to say the least); or clinging on to the halcyon days of picnicking as the leaves fall around you in the park. I wonder if youre feeling like me, though? That this summers been one long haemorrhage of cash. It certainly feels more than ever that it pays to be savvier with your spending most of the major supermarkets reward customers with loyalty cards, and wines no different. So this bank holiday weekend, Ive selected some wines that are super purse-friendly, whether theyre in the numerous 25 per cent off any mixed six offers that are currently running, or are just outstanding value for money. Ive focused on four major retailers, including Asda. Yes, you read that right its wine range seems to go from strength to strength, especially for lower-priced bottles. In fact, it had the biggest medal haul from the supermarkets in this years Decanter World Wine Awards, a highly respected international competition. I hope this gives you some inspiration when youre shopping in the coming days to snap up a bank holiday bargain. All of the retailers mentioned are running their deals until the end of the weekend. I urge you to embrace the softening light of the late summer sun with a beautiful (good value) glass of wine. open image in gallery Proof that supermarket shelves can rival the fine wine merchants Waitroses range brings home medals and value in equal measure ( Rosamund Hall ) Le Val Albarino 2023, Rias Baixas, Spain Waitrose, 13.50 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 26/08/25) or 13 from 27/08/25 (RRP 18), 12.5 per cent ABV A superbly classy albarino from the homeland of the Rias Baixas region of northwestern Spain. Le Val, made by the highly respected La Val winery, is a prime example of its house style. Its appealingly crisp and racy with lean minerality alongside notes of soft lemon curd and yellow apple. Its generous with wonderful length. Kaapzicht Granite Ridge Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2023, South Africa Waitrose, 11.25 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 26/08/25; RRP 15), 13 per cent ABV A lovely ripe, textured and satisfying South African chenin blanc from old bush vines grown in and around Stellenbosch. Its brimming with pineapple and fruit bowls full of ripe stone fruit and a subtle saline lick on the finish. Gorgeous White 2023, Georgia Waitrose, 7.50 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 26/08/25; RRP 10), 12 per cent ABV Have you ever tried a wine from Georgia, one of the longest continuing wine-producing countries in the world? If not, this is a super place to start. Made from the native white grape rkatsiteli, its a great example of the quality of modern Georgian wine at an affordable price point. I love its uplifting freshness, with a lovely lemon kick alongside appealing aromas of orchard blossom and a sprinkling of white pepper. Le Chouchou Syrah 2023, Gerard Bertrand, France Waitrose, 9.56 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 26/08/25; RRP 12.75), 11 per cent ABV This supremely affable and chillable red should be a house staple in every fridge door. An enticing blend of grenache, syrah and cinsault, its like a posy of pretty scented flowers, bright red cherries and a revitalising freshness. Not only is it easy on the palate, its easy on the wallet over the bank holiday weekend too. Waitrose Blueprint Reserve Claret 2023, Bordeaux, France Waitrose, 5.44 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 26/08/25; RRP 7.25), 13.5 per cent ABV If youre looking for an everyday, inexpensive claret from Bordeaux, then this will tick the boxes. Its a medium-bodied red with aromas of red plums and hedgerow fruits. A simple, well-balanced wine with gentle, smooth tannins. open image in gallery From petit chablis to pignoletto, Sainsburys bottles prove you dont need to leave the weekly shop to drink well ( Rosamund Hall ) Villa Antinori, Toscana Rosso, Italy Sainsburys, 12.38 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 24/08/25 with Nectar or 16.50 with Nectar until 02/09/25; RRP 20), 13.5 per cent ABV I have a list of wines that I recommend to friends and family when theyre looking for top-flight wines at affordable prices, and this always features. Made by the Italian wine dynasty Marchesi Antinori, which produces the worlds most expensive wines, Tignanello, this is its offering for us mere mortals, and its available when youre picking up your milk! Expect aromas of ripe plums, blackberries, blackcurrants and a hint of sweet ginger and vanilla spice, all brought together with rich, melting tannins. Sainsburys Taste The Difference Pignoletto, Italy, NV Sainsburys, 4.50 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 24/08/25 with Nectar or 6 with Nectar until 02/09/25; RRP 8), 11 per cent ABV Hot on the heels of the OG of Italian fizz, prosecco, are a number of its Italian cousins, including this pignoletto from Emilia Romagna, which is good value for money at full price, but on offer, its a steal. Is pignoletto the new prosecco? Unlikely, but its certainly a lovely and refreshing alternative if youre looking for a soft, super-friendly sparkling wine full of ripe pears, acacia honey and lemon sherbet joy. Sainsburys Taste The Difference Languedoc White 2024, France Sainsburys, 5.81 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 24/08/25 with Nectar or 7.75 with Nectar until 02/09/25; RRP 9.25),12.5 per cent ABV You can be spoilt for choice with super value wines from the Languedoc region of southern France. It grows a gorgeous array of varieties, producing a fantastic range of styles, and is a real safe pair of wine hands. I was seriously impressed with this white made from a blend of vermentino, marsanne and grenache it delivers glassfuls of ripe peaches, lemon cream and golden apples tied up with a subtle mineral finish. Grande Reserve Bergerac White 2024, France Sainsburys, 5.44 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 24/08/25 with Nectar or 7.25 with Nectar until 02/09/25; RRP 8.25);12.5 per cent ABV If you love easy-going sauvignon blanc, then why not switch it up with this white from the Bergerac region, located just to the east of its famous neighbour, Bordeaux. A simple house wine with the sauvignon blanc delivering notes of citrus and fresh grass, with semillon adding a soft, creamy edge. Sainsburys Taste The Difference Petit Chablis 2023, France Sainsburys 9.75 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 24/08/25 with Nectar or 13 with Nectar until 02/09/25; RRP 15),12.5 per cent ABV Chablis is so expensive these days, even petit chablis, which refers to the first level of wine classification in the French region of Chablis. This good-value example, made from 100 per cent chardonnay (as is all chablis), has a beautiful, racy lemon-zest burst alongside crisp green apples and gentle, supple roundness on the finish. Sainsburys Taste The Difference Lisboa Red, Portugal Sainsburys, 5.44 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 24/08/25 with Nectar or 7.25 with Nectar until 02/09/25; RRP 7.75),13.5 per cent ABV This may not be from a premium Portuguese wine region, but its certainly from one of the best for quality and pleasurable drinkability. A blend of indigenous varietals full of ripe black cherries, blueberries and juicy plums with an appealing smooth vanilla lick. Simple, yet effortlessly satisfying. Piccini Memoro 2023, Italy Sainsburys, 6.94 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 24/08/25 with Nectar; RRP 9.25), 13 per cent ABV A vigorously delicious red that consistently delivers an excellent quality-to-price ratio, making it a steal in the Nectar offer. Beautifully concentrated with notes of sweet red cherries, ripe, oozing figs and sun-drenched raisins all kept in line with a little tannic grip. If you love an amarone but, like me, rarely feel you can afford one, or you enjoy your reds fuller-bodied with a deep richness, then this wont disappoint. open image in gallery Tescos line-up shows how far a Clubcard can stretch from champagne to Californian orange wine ( Rosamund Hall ) Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top, Champagne, France, NV Tesco, 18.75 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25 with Clubcard or 25 until 08/09/25; RRP 34), 12.5 per cent ABV A staple grand marque champagne, and a good one to look out for when its on offer. Its a bright, energetic, well-made champagne with warm buttery notes and a lifted lemon freshness. Tescos Finest Passerina, Abruzzo, Italy Tesco, 6.19 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25 with Clubcard; RRP 8.25), 12 per cent ABV Hailing from the region of Abruzzo, where they seem to enjoy naming their grapes after the animals that like eating them (such as pecorino, which refers to the sheep in the region), passerina, in this case, refers to a sparrow. Fauna aside, its a delicate white wine with fresh ripe pears, juicy honeydew melon and soft white blossom. Trimbach Riesling 2022, Alsace, France Tesco, 12 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25 with Clubcard or 16 until 08/09/25; RRP 18), 12.5 per cent ABV Trimbach is easily one of Alsaces most respected wine producers, with a history dating back hundreds of years. This is a solid example of a full-bodied, Alsatian riesling thats full of tangy lime and with a generous, waxy, floral finish. Bonny Doon Le Cigare Orange 2024, Central Coast, California, USA Tesco, 11.44 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25 with Clubcard; RRP 15.25), 10.5 per cent ABV Some orange wines can be a little extreme to the uninitiated, but this sits in exactly the right place if youre looking for an easy orange wine or have never experimented with the style before. From a highly respected Californian producer, this blend of grenache blanc and noir, pinot gris, orange muscat and chenin blanc has had 15 days maceration on the skins thats where the colour extraction comes from. Its a mouthful of apricots and peaches, with slices of orange zest, with an appealing touch of tannic grip. Its a supremely versatile wine that would work well with a multitude of foods. Howard Park Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Australia Tesco, 7.88 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25 with Clubcard or 10.50 until 08/09/25; RRP 13), 14 per cent ABV A wonderful example of Aussie cabernet sauvignon that delivers just the right amount of rich, full-bodied depth, but doesnt feel like youve done 10 rounds in the ring. Its been aged in French oak for 18 months before release and displays appealing notes of sweet blackcurrant, wild rosemary, concentrated blackberries and cherries. Altano Rewilding Edition Douro 2022, Portugal Tesco, 8.25 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25 with Clubcard; RRP 11); 13.5 per cent ABV The Symington family (the producers of this wine) not only has an exceptional wine pedigree, but its also driving the global agenda for regenerative and sustainable viticulture. Made in the most easterly reaches of the Douro Valley, its an appealing, fruit-forward red with great elegance and freshness, expect flavours of ripe plums, plump raspberries, blackberries and a hint of liquorice. open image in gallery Once overlooked, Asda is now winning gold medals and fans alike with wines that punch well above their price tag ( Rosamund Hall ) Lake Garda Sparkling, Italy, NV Asda, 5.23 on offer until 25/08/25 (RRP 6.97), 11 per cent ABV I thought Id offer you not one but two alternatives to prosecco. This joyous frothy wine is from grapes grown around Lake Garda, Italys largest lake, with a beautiful backdrop of the Alps in the distance. Made in the same method as prosecco from the garganega grape, famous for making soave, it happily reminds me of a bellini its bursting with white peaches alongside a little lemon twist and soft yellow plums. Alvarinho Azul 2024, Portugal Asda, 5.60 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25; RRP 7.47), 12 per cent ABV Simple and easy. This uncomplicated alvarinho (Portugals spelling of albarino, and not as complex as its Spanish neighbours expression) was a 2025 gold winner at the hugely respected Decanter World Wine Awards. A light and breezy glass full of juice-laden green apples and squeezes of fresh lemon. Extra Special Gavi di Gavi 2023, Piedmont, Italy Asda, 7.70 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25; RRP 10.27), 12.5 per cent ABV I was super-excited when I tasted this gavi, made from the Cortese grape, the staple white wine of the Piedmont region in northwest Italy. It really overdelivers for the money. A beautifully vibrant wine with an array of lemon-lime and mandarin citrus flavours wrapped up with a gentle honeyed-almond edge and a long, lingering finish. Exceptional by ASDA Gruner Veltliner Asda, 6.09 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25; RRP 8.12), 11.5 per cent ABV This is absolutely textbook gruner veltliner, Austrias white-wunder-grape, and I love it. Its light and crisp with twirls of lime peel, delicate white flowers and a slightly spicy candied ginger finish. It really is outstanding value for money, full price, or otherwise. Wine Atlas Cinsault 2024, South Africa Asda, 5.23 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25; RRP 6.97), 13.5 per cent ABV An easy, and highly quaffable South African red wine that could be served a little chilled to see out the last days of summer. Its brimming with ripe red plums, sweet cherries and a lick of cinnamon spice. Extra Special Old Vine Garnacha 2024, Carinena, Spain Asda, 4.63 (25 per cent off any mixed six until 25/08/25; RRP 6.17), 14.5 per cent ABV This is another super value-for-money red wine from the Carinena region of northeastern Spain, an area famed for producing good quality garnacha (aka grenache). Its abundant in bright red fruits think juicy, plump, ripe strawberries and sweet red cherries, a total crowd pleaser, even if the crowds just you and your best mate. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Margaret Qualley is trying to play matchmaker for her mother, Andie MacDowell, and comedian Bill Murray. During The Substance actors appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, Qualley was playing a game of True or False when the actor revealed she had attemped just that evening to get the two Groundhog Day actors together. OK, I once tried to set up Bill Murray with my mom, Qualley read the prompt, asking Fallon to guess if the story was true or false. Although Fallon thought the story was false, she confirmed that it was true. The Maid noted that she saw Murray shortly before she came on the show. Literally, tonight, Bill Murray pops into my backstage dressing room, she said. He pops in, hes all ... Hes wearing a Piggly Wiggly shirt. In addition to MacDowell and Murray starring together in the 1993 classic, they also both ended up living in Charleston, South Carolina. I once tried to set up Bill Murray with my mom, Qualley said during a game of True or False with Jimmy Fallon ( Getty Images ) Hes like, You know, your mom and I we didnt get along so good while we were making that movie, Qualley recalled Murray telling her. And he was like, She took a long time to get her hair done, and she didnt know her lines this one time, and I was like, Yeah, well, I heard a different story, sir. Qualley thought about how perfect the timing was for both of them to be single and living in Charleston. They've got this kind of rage towards each other, but maybe he's trying to make amends, she said, adding that she gave Murray her mothers phone number. And you know, if hes got any sense at all, hed be the luckiest guy in the world, she continued. Murray has previously talked about his experience working with MacDowell on Groundhog Day in a 2021 interview with Collider. She drove me absolutely nuts. We were always waiting for Andie MacDowells hair, he said at the time. Ive thought about it many times, that I owe her a real apology because she did drive me crazy. Im not really method, but I must have really resented the fact that she still hadnt fallen in love with me. We were 17 weeks into the movie and she still didnt like me. MacDowell was previously married to Paul Qualley from 1986 to 1999. In addition to Margaret, the former couple shares 39-year-old Justin Qualley and Rainey Qualley, 36. A few years later, in 2001, she married Rhett Hartzog. They divorced in 2004. As for Murray, he was married to Margaret Keely from 1981 to 1986, and to Jennifer Butler from 1997 to 2008. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Kristin Davis has opened up about going on a date with Matthew Perry. The Sex and the City actor, 60, revealed on Mondays episode of her Are You a Charlotte? podcast that she was once set up with the late Friends actor, who died in 2023. She explained that in the years after she starred on Melrose Place from 1995 to 1996, and before Sex and the Citys premiere in 1998, her friend who was an attorney had her meet Perry. It was at a house. It was a dinner party. It was so low-key, she said, noting that there were a bunch of Hollywood people there. She could not specifically name anyone at the party except for this lawyer and Matthew. Davis praised how lovely the 17 Again actor was, explaining that despite a relationship not panning out from their one date, there was one quality about Perry that stood out. Davis recalled being introduced to Perry by an attorney friend ( Getty Images ) He sits next to me and he's talking about how thrilled he is, how happy they are on the set at Friends, she said about the hit sitcom, which ran from 1994 to 2004. I was like, Wow, he's so happy. She compared what Perry was telling her about Friends to the set of Melrose Place, which wasn't the happiest place in a way. There were 15 series regulars. Everyone had the feeling they might get cut or whatever, Davis recalled, adding that the environment felt competitive and stressy. At the party after dinner, the And Just Like That actor recalled there being access to marijuana despite not participating herself. Davis has never married, though she previously dated Alec Baldwin. In 2011, at age 46, she adopted her daughter, Gemma Rose. In 2018, she adopted her son, Wilson. Perry also never married, but was briefly engaged to Molly Hurwitz in November 2020 before ending their engagement in June 2021. Perry, who was internationally known for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on Friends, was found dead in a hot tub at his home on October 28, 2023. A medical examiner later ruled that ketamine was his primary cause of death. The actor had been using the drug through his regular doctor in a legal but off-label treatment for depression that has become increasingly common. On Monday, a woman known as the Ketamine Queen, who was charged with selling Perry the drug that killed him, agreed to a plea deal. Jasveen Sangha agreed to plead guilty, becoming the fifth and final person implicated in the death of the Friends star to do so. The others are Perrys assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who injected Perry on the day of his death according to court filings; San Diego ketamine clinic owner Dr Mark Chavez; Erik Fleming, who pled guilty to providing Perry with ketamine, and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who was charged with distributing the drug to Perry. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, poses for a group photo while meeting with representatives from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in the plateau region in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) LHASA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged concerted efforts to write a splendid chapter of Chinese modernization in Xizang Autonomous Region when he met with representatives from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in the plateau region. Xi is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC). On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, he extended sincere greetings and heartfelt wishes to the people of all ethnic groups in Xizang. Xi led a central delegation to arrive in the regional capital, Lhasa, earlier in the day to attend activities marking the region's 60th founding anniversary. Also on Wednesday afternoon, Xi held separate meetings with representatives of cadres who come to work in Xizang from other parts of the country, local officials at various levels and from various departments, judicial workers and police officers, as well as patriotic members of the religious circles, among others. Xi also met with military officers ranked colonel and above, along with representatives of grassroots role models and civilian personnel from troops stationed in Lhasa. He conveyed his greetings to all military personnel in Xizang on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC. Senior leaders including Wang Huning and Cai Qi attended these meetings. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, poses for a group photo while meeting with representatives of cadres who come to work in Xizang from other parts of the country in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with representatives of cadres who come to work in Xizang from other parts of the country in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, poses for a group photo while meeting with representatives of local officials at various levels and from various departments in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, poses for a group photo while meeting with representatives of judicial workers and police officers in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, poses for a group photo while meeting with representatives of patriotic members of the religious circles in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with representatives of military personnel stationed in Xizang, in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Strictly stars Molly Rainford and Tyler West are engaged three years after meeting on the show. In a wholesome two-step away from the so-called Strictly curse, EastEnders actor Rainford and Kiss FM DJ West found love after competing as contestants on the BBC dancing competition in 2022. West, 29, has now proposed to a surprised Rainford, 24, while on a romantic getaway in Mykonos and shared a video of the emotional moment online. Rainford could be seen observing the sunset before turning around to see West down on one knee. I dont know where to start so Im hoping you can continue making me the luckiest man on this Earth, like you do every single day, he said, before popping the question. open image in gallery Tyler West surprises Molly Rainford with romantic Mykonos proposal ( Instagram ) Rainford said yes immediately, with West exclaiming: Get in! Thats what Im talking about! He shared the clip on Instagram alongside the caption: Found our forever. Many of their celebrity friends have congratulated the couple, with Strictly: It Takes Two host Fleur East calling it the most beautiful proposal. open image in gallery Molly Rainford said yes to Tyler Wests proposal immediately to the backdrop of a sunset ( Instagram ) JLS star Marvin Humes, who is also a DJ on Kiss FM, wrote: Wow... this is a lot. Couldnt be happier for two incredible people who are just perfect for eachother... Im SO happy!!! Ah man this has made my night... congrats family... Melvin Odoom, formerly a DJ on Kiss before moving to BBC Radio 1, added: Why am I smiling at my phone so hard! Congratulations guys. During Strictly, Rainford became friends with West, who was eliminated from the series during a week seven dance off against his now-fiancee. Their friendship became a romance in 2023, with Rainford telling OK: Everyone thinks that we got together on the show, but we didnt. It kind of happened after but whats so lovely is that we kind of built a little friendship. I think because it stems from such a cool friendship into something more, thats what makes it so cool. Hes a good boy. Im very lucky. Rainford made it to the Strictly 2022 final alongside professional partner Carlos Gu. Wildlife presenter Hamza Yassin was that years winner. open image in gallery Molly Rainford and Tyler West started their relationship after meeting on 'Strictly in 2022 ( Getty Images for Lionsgate UK ) Several of the shows previous stars have found love on the competition after falling victim to what has been branded the Strictly curse. The most scandalous example of the so-called curse occurred in 2018, when photographers captured comedian Seann Walsh kissing his dance partner Katya Jones, despite him being in a relationship. The pictures went viral, souring the pairs experience on the show, and they were booted off within weeks. In 2007, Flavia Cacace and ex-EastEnders actor Matt Di Angelo became a romantic item after being partnered together with Cacace dumping her long-time boyfriend Vincent Simone, who was also a dancer on the show. Reflecting on the situation in 2016, Cacace said: It was a disaster. It all happened in the most atrocious way. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sydney Sweeney has responded to the criticism she received for making a soap with her bathwater, which went viral and sold out immediately. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on Wednesday, the Anyone But You actor addressed her side hustles away from Hollywood, which range from selling Miu Miu bags to the limited edition soap. Sweeney told the outlet she didnt expect the negative reaction she received when the soap was first announced. I think its important to have a finger on the pulse of what people are saying, because everything is a conversation with the audience, she said. It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting, Sweeney continued. They all loved the idea of Jacob Elordis bathwater. At the time of its launch, Sweeney said that the Dr. Squatch soap was a response to fan demand. When your fans start asking for your bathwater, you can either ignore it, or turn it into a bar of Dr. Squatch soap, Sweeney said of her Bathwater Bliss soap. Only 5,000 bars of the $8 ap were made and sold in June, and were quickly put up for sale on eBay for between $100 and $2,000. It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting, Sweeney said about her viral bathwater soap ( Getty Images ) According to the Journal, the soap currently fetches around $1,500 on the resale market. Earlier this month, Sweeney became embroiled in another controversy, this time over her participation in an ad campaign for American Eagle. For the campaign, which includes the limited launch of the wide-legged The Sydney Jean, the actor featured in multiple photos and videos, including one where she cleans off a poster of herself wearing a denim jacket and jeans and bearing a punny tagline about denim. While the phrase initially said, Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes, the last word was then crossed out and replaced with Jeans. The same tagline appears in nearly every ad for the campaign. Online critics pointed out that phrases such as good genes and great genes have historically been used in the language of eugenicists, who believe the human race can be improved genetically by selective breeding. Following the release of the ad, American Eagle released a statement on Instagram to address the backlash. Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans, the retailer wrote. Her jeans. Her story. However, when asked about the controversy by the Journal, Sweeney declined to comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Authorities have arrested a California man suspected of murdering two people, over a decade after their deaths including an innocent bystander killed in front of her children. Maria Soza, 32, was standing outside her San Francisco home with her three children when she was struck and killed by a stray bullet during a drive-by shooting in 2015. The other victim killed in the shooting was 38-year-old Donte Glenn of San Francisco. On Tuesday, the San Francisco District Attorneys Office announced they had finally arrested a suspect in the cold cases. Anthony James Tyree, 34, also known as Dot Diggla, has been charged with two counts of murder, attempted murder, and possession of a firearm by a felon. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Tyree was arrested Monday at his home in Pittsburg, California, after homicide cold case investigators linked him to the shooting. He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon at the San Francisco Hall of Justice. open image in gallery Maria Soza was standing outside her San Francisco home with her three children when she was struck and killed by a stray bullet during a drive-by shooting in 2015 ( GoFundMe ) The shootings unfolded on January 27, 2015, when two vehicles sped through the Bayview District neighborhood near Revere Avenue and Ingalls Street. According to prosecutors, Tyree was a passenger in the Dodge pickup when he and another passenger opened fire on a black Infinity SUV. Mr. Tyree and another passenger opened fire at the Infinity and its occupants, the District Attorneys Office wrote. The barrage of bullets hit and wounded the driver of the Infinity, and hit and killed the passenger. A stray bullet from the shooting hit and killed a woman standing outside her residence with her family. That woman was Soza, who family members said in a GoFundMe campaign had just returned from picking her children, aged 13, 8, and 3, from school, when the shooting occured. She collapsed in front of her children, before being rushed to a hospital where she died. Minutes after Soza was shot, the other victim, Glenn, was found with multiple gunshot wounds after trying to get help at The Old Clam House restaurant on Bayshore Boulevard, CBS News reported. He died before reaching a hospital. The case remained unsolved for years, until last summer, when San Francisco police homicide cold case detectives reopened the investigation. By August 2024, investigators developed probable cause linking Tyree to the two murders. On Monday, officers executed a search warrant at Tyrees Pittsburg home, where they said they located an AR-15-style ghost gun hidden in his bedroom. He was taken into custody and is being held at San Francisco County Jail. Prosecutors said they will seek to keep him detained without bail, citing the danger he poses to the public. This arrest is the result of tireless work by our homicide cold case unit, Jenkins said. We will now fight to secure justice for Maria Soza, Donte Glenn, and their families. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Three young children looking for food led police to the scene of their parents murder-suicide inside a Houston home, authorities said. A man and woman, both 26, were found dead Monday in what police say was likely a murder-suicide at an apartment complex in west Houston, KHOU 11 reported. The couples small children who are ages 3, 2, and 1 were found sitting outside an apartment complex looking for food, investigators said. Police were called to the complex just after 5 p.m. by neighbors, who said the children had been sitting outside in the heat for hours. According to weather reports, the temperature in Houston hit a high of 97 degrees. The children told police that their parents were dead inside their apartment, and authorities found the unnamed couple inside with gunshot wounds. Three young children who were looking for food led police to the scene of their parents murder-suicide inside a Houston home. ( Houston Police Department ) Lt. Larry Crowson with the Houston Police Department told KHOU it appeared that the man killed the woman before turning the gun on himself. The names of the couple, who were both 26, have not been publicly shared. Crowson also said it appeared the couple had been dead for about 24 hours. The three children were uninjured in the incident, police wrote on X. The children have been placed into the care of their grandmother. Child Protective Services is also involved. Anyone with additional information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at (713) 308-3600. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A 16-year-old Miami boy faces multiple charges after he shot his younger stepbrother during an argument over clothing, according to reports. The alleged incident unfolded Tuesday afternoon inside the brothers' home in the Wynwood neighborhood. Police said that the 13-year-old victim returned home from school to find his older stepbrother, Landon Lumpkin, wearing his clothes. When the younger brother demanded that Lumpkin remove them, Lumpkin responded by pointing what he allegedly intended to be a scare-inducing gun at him. However, the weapon accidentally fired, sending a bullet into the 13-year-old's left shoulder, according to a police report reviewed by Local 10. Their mother heard the gunshot from her bedroom and rushed into the boys' room to find her youngest son bleeding on the floor. She immediately took him to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, where he remains in stable condition. Lumpkin was taken to Miami Police Department headquarters and provided a statement, alongside his mother, the outlet reports. open image in gallery Landon Lumpkin, 16, of Miami, is behind bars after he allegedly shot his younger stepbrother during a heated argument about clothes. ( PA Archive ) Lumpkin now faces multiple charges, including aggravated battery with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a minor. He was also charged with grand theft of a firearm, as the .45-caliber Glock 21 used in the incident had been reported stolen in Miami. The victims mother did not know that Lumpkin had a gun, Miami Police Officer Mike Vega said. Both parties say he didnt intend to shoot his brother, but a gun does not go off by itself, Vega said, per the outlet. Someone has to press the trigger in order for the bullet to come out of that gun. Lumpkin appeared in a juvenile court Wednesday and is now set to be tried as an adult. His next hearing is scheduled for September 9. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Nearly five hours had passed before police in New Orleans responded to a call about a missing 12-year-old with autism a crucial gap his family says may have cost precious time in finding him. Bryan Vasquez, who is autistic and nonverbal, hasnt been seen since the early morning hours of August 14 when he slipped out of his bedroom window. Kristiane Morales-Fajardo, a family friend and spokesperson, said Bryans mother called 911 that morning and then later went in person to the New Orleans Police Department station but hours passed before police responded. According to the police departments calls for service database, the call came from the same block where the boys family lives in the Michoud area around 10 a.m., Fox8Live reported. The data then reveals there is about a five hour gap between the call and when the NOPD dispatched an officer, at nearly 3 p.m. open image in gallery Bryan Vasquez, who is autistic and nonverbal, has been missing since August 14 ( New Orleans Police Department ) An NOPD spokesperson would not confirm to Fox8Live how quickly officers responded, saying only that the department is conducting an internal review of the response. The Independent has reached out for comment. Meanwhile, the search for Bryan continues as the spokesperson says the family is worried because the child requires daily medication and is especially vulnerable. We need to find him, Morales-Fajardo said. We need to be turning over every garbage can, every tire, everything out here in the city. We need to cut down every grass thats overgrown. We need every light to be turned on. We need more, and were not going to stop. Ring cameras captured the boy walking through the neighborhood wearing only a diaper on Thursday morning, a source told Fox8Live, revealing that he later took off the diaper and was spotted naked on Sevres Street. Morales-Fajardo said the family is demanding an Amber Alert be issued for the boy, arguing that the Level II Endangered Missing Child advisory that was sent out on Friday isnt enough. We want to know why havent the local and state officials put out an Amber Alert for a missing 12-year-old child? Nonverbal, possibly without any clothing, that is in need of his medication? Morales-Fajardo said. We need an Amber Alert, she urged. And we need the city and state leaders to be out here with this family, using their resources to help us find Bryan. open image in gallery Bryan Vasquezs family says it took nearly five hours for police to respond to their missing child report ( New Orleans Police Department ) Louisiana State Police said Amber Alerts are reserved for confirmed child abductions that meet strict federal guidelines. Because Bryan was not believed to be abducted, the agency issued the lesser advisory, which allowed his information to be shared on highway signs and social media. In the meantime, police are asking residents in the area to check their backyards, sheds, under raised homes, and to review security footage from the morning of August 14. Search crews from the United Cajun Navy have been called in to cover canals and wooded areas using boats, divers, and thermal drones. Police say Bryan does not understand English or Spanish, and may be disoriented. Anyone with information is urged to call 911 or the New Orleans Police Department directly. Bryans family, especially his sister, are desperate to have him back. We might not know where he is, but we have to find him, Brianna said at a press conference. We love him so much. We need to find him. We need him to come back. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A woman from Arizona is recovering after she was beaten unconscious by a man at a concert in Pasadena, California. The woman, who chose to withhold her identity, was attending a Rufus Du Sol concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena with one of her friends on Saturday night. She and her friend drove from Phoenix to Pasadena for the show, and during the concert they spilled some of their drinks on a man sitting in front of them, according to KTLA. We apologized immediately, but he yelled that it was intentional and ran off, leaving his companion behind, the woman told The Festival Owl. We apologized to her and thought it was over. The man reportedly returned approximately a half hour later and began screaming at the woman and her friend and threatened to hurt them. The woman told the outlet she tried to deescalate the situation and apologize, but the man then allegedly punched her in the face. She fell unconscious and woke up some time later in a medical tent. The attack was recorded and went viral online. In the footage of the attack the man launches into a group of people to strike the woman. He throws at least five punches during his attack. A woman in the crowd tries to grab him and pull him away. Complaints that the concert was poorly managed were lobbed at the venue in the aftermath of the assault. A man who allegedly attacked a woman while they were attending a concert at the Rose Bowl on August 16, 2025. A video shows the man hitting the victim at least five times, knocking her unconscious and leaving her bloodied and bruised. Police are still searching for the man. ( The Festive Owl ) Among the long laundry list of complaints was crowd crushing in tunnels, people pushing in overcrowded stairs, aggressive drunk people, arguments, fans blocking exits, incredibly long shuttle lines, and, sadly, assault, the LA music blog Grimy Goods said in a post. Another woman who was seated just a few rows from where the attack occurred told KTLA that there were people crammed into her section and blocking the walkways. "So, crowd control was nonexistent," Christina Molina told KTLA said. The Independent has requested comment from the Rose Bowl. She also claims she saw other concertgoers openly using drugs, and wondered if intoxication fueled the man's attack on the victim. The woman who was attacked returned to Arizona where she is recovering from the encounter. She has reported the incident to relevant police agencies. According to KTLA, police are searching for her attacker. Anyone who does recognize the man in the video is asked to call the Pasadena Police Department or to anonymously call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers Hotlline. "We are traumatized," the victim said in a post about the attack shared to The Festive Owl. "If anyone knows this man or his companion , PLEASE reach out. He should be held accountable for this assault." Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Starting Thursday, all PlayStation 5 models sold in the United States will see a $50 price increase, Sony revealed, citing the mounting financial pressure from newly imposed tariffs under the Trump administration. Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment, Sony said in a blog post on Wednesday, announcing the difficult decision. Under the revised pricing, the standard PS5 will now retail for $549.99, up from $499.99. The Digital Edition will be priced at $499.99, and the PS5 Pro will cost $749.99 Sony, a Japanese company, confirmed that prices for accessories will remain unchanged. President Donald Trumps new tariffs, which went into effect on August 1, impose up to 25 percent duties on Japanese electronics. The tariffs are part of Trumps hopes to get companies to move manufacturing to the U.S., which experts say is unrealistic for complex tech. The tariffs will cost the company $685 million annually, according to IGN. open image in gallery The standard PS5 will now retail for $549.99 ( Getty Images ) The companys CFO, Lin Tao, warned in May that costs would likely reach consumers. PlayStation prices have increased across the world - including Europe and Australasia - but U.S. consumers were spared until now. VP Isabelle Tomatis also said the they could no longer absorb the burden, leading to the hike. Sony has moved to diversify its supply chain in recent months, transferring console manufacturing for the U.S. market outside of China to soften tariff impacts. This price hike aligns Sony with its competitors. Microsoft has already raised Xbox prices, and Nintendo followed suit, delaying Switch 2 pre-orders due to tariffs before later raising the price of its original console. Trump insisted in an April interview with ABC News that consumer costs are falling and claimed foreign countries, including China, would eat tariffs despite economists' warning Americans will face higher prices. open image in gallery Sony's global headquarters is based in Japan, meaning the company is subject to tariffs of up to 25 percent. ( AFP via Getty Images ) He defended a 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods, which only ended up lasting a month, while dismissing concerns that it would raise costs on essentials like electronics, clothing, and housing. "You don't know that," Trump told ABC News anchor and Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran when asked about potential price rises. "You don't know whether or not China's gonna to eat it." "That's mathematics," Moran responded. "China probably will eat those tariffs," Trump replied. "They were ripping us off like nobody's ever ripped us off They're not doing that anymore." GAZA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have voiced urgent calls for the reopening of border crossings to ease deteriorating humanitarian conditions, as Israel's war on the enclave has been continuing for 22 months in a row. Since March 2, when the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas ended, Israel has tightened its blockade on Gaza, sharply reducing the entry of food, fuel, and humanitarian aid. Speaking separately to Xinhua, local residents and officials said the restrictions have pushed the enclave's 2.3 million people closer to famine. Many Gazans told Xinhua they now rely on limited air-dropped aid or food parcels distributed by centers affiliated with the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). However, residents say these facilities cannot replace the reopening of crossings, which they view as the only sustainable solution. In Gaza City's Shuja'iyya neighborhood, 52-year-old Abu Mohammed Baraka said parachuted aid is "insufficient and undignified." He noted that competition over parcels often leads to disputes. "As soon as the parachutes fall, people rush toward them. Quarrels and even assaults happen because everyone is desperate," he said. His wife and six children live entirely on aid, but he emphasized that "the real solution is to open the crossings so that people can buy their food like the rest of the world." Displaced Palestinians voiced similar concerns. Ahmed al-Nawajha, a 29-year-old from Khan Younis whose father was killed in an Israeli airstrike, currently lives with his mother and four sisters in a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. He said his family survives on aid parcels, but reaching food distribution points remains risky. "Sometimes planes drop aid in remote areas, and people may be killed while trying to reach it. This is why I was forced to go to the GHF centers despite the danger," he told Xinhua. "We are not asking for luxuries. We only want the crossings to open so that we can live like people in the rest of the world," he said. Umm Yousef Salama, a 38-year-old mother of four from Al-Shati refugee camp, described how her family sometimes receives only one cooked meal per day from a nearby aid center. "It is not enough for all of us, but at least it prevents us from going hungry for a few hours," she said. Her teenage son occasionally risks going after parachuted aid, while she spends hours waiting in queues. "We face two bitter choices: risk our lives under the planes or stand in line for hours at the centers, and in both cases, the food is never enough," she said. Health authorities in Gaza reported on Wednesday that 22 people were killed and 49 others injured in the past 24 hours while attempting to obtain food aid. Since late May, when U.S.-backed distribution centers began operations, at least 2,018 people have died and more than 14,947 have been injured in incidents linked to food scarcity and aid distribution, according to official data. The authorities added that starvation- and malnutrition-related deaths have risen to 269, including 112 children, following three new deaths from malnutrition in the past 24 hours. The overall death toll from the Israeli military campaign in Gaza has reached 62,122, with 156,758 others wounded since Oct. 7, 2023, according to Gaza's health authorities. They added that since March 18, 10,576 people have been killed and 44,717 injured, illustrating the scale of recent escalations. The closure of crossings has also prevented fuel deliveries, causing severe disruptions in hospitals, bakeries, and water stations. International organizations have sounded the alarm over the consequences of the restrictions. At the same time, repeated Israeli threats of launching a new ground operation have heightened public fears. Gaza-based political analyst Aahed Ferwana told Xinhua that such an operation "would worsen displacement and destruction." He said that while Egypt and Qatar continue mediation efforts to restore a truce, "no breakthrough has been achieved so far." Ismail al-Thawabta, head of the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza, highlighted the gap between humanitarian needs and actual aid deliveries. "Before the war, around 600 trucks entered Gaza every day, while the Strip now requires nearly 1,000 trucks daily to meet the minimum needs of a population that has been facing famine since March," al-Thawabta told Xinhua. He said that between Aug. 1 and Aug. 18, only 1,937 trucks entered Gaza, averaging far below daily requirements. "This means people's suffering continues, and their basic needs for food, medicine, and fuel remain unmet," he added. Well-known ABC journalists are considered high risk in sweeping new rules introduced on Wednesday dictating what staff can and cant say publicly, with even one-on-one conversations and WhatsApp groups considered public in some instances. In comparison, the broadcaster places high-profile actors in its Screen division, or a former sports player who regularly appears on the ABC, in a lower risk category, and less likely to be viewed as a representative of the organisation. The ABC introduced new public comment guidelines for staff on Wednesday. Credit: The Age The ABC introduced the new public comment guidelines for its 4000-plus staff on Wednesday, two months after it lost a legal case against Antoinette Lattouf, who was sacked over a social media post while in casual employment at the public broadcaster. The broadcasters editorial director, Gavin Fang, told staff its social media rules would be scrapped and replaced with the new guidelines, which place long-running ABC presenters at an even greater risk, a document shared with staff, seen by this masthead said. BOGOTA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Superior Court of Bogota on Tuesday revoked the house arrest imposed on Aug. 1 on former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez, ordering his immediate release until the second instance of the conviction is decided. Uribe, who led Colombia from 2002 to 2010, was sentenced to 12 years of house arrest at his residence after being found guilty of bribery in criminal proceedings and procedural fraud. He was the first former head of state in the country's history to be criminally convicted. "Thanks to so many compatriots for their expressions of solidarity. I will dedicate every minute of my freedom to the freedom of Colombia," said the ex-president on the social media platform X. The conviction stems from a case dating back to 2012, when Uribe accused Senator Ivan Cepeda of manipulating testimony from former paramilitaries. Colombia's Supreme Court of Justice dismissed the allegations and instead opened an investigation into Uribe in 2018. The superior court has until Oct. 16 to deliver its final ruling on the case. 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 Esteemed English actor Dame Harriet Walter has been in high demand the past few years from playing the icy, patrician mother of the Roy siblings on Succession and Rebeccas flighty mum on Ted Lasso to a chain-smoking Russian gymnast-turned-assassin in Killing Eve. I focus on trying not to repeat myself, the 74-year-old says. Thats what brought her to Australia for a whirlwind fortnight late last year, to star as Pattie in six-part series Playing Gracie Darling: a character described by creator, writer and co-executive producer Miranda Nation as an old hippie at heart. Loading On a hot December day halfway through the 12-week shoot, Walters Pattie is sitting on the banks of Middle Harbour at Echo Point Park smoking a spliff and reflecting on motherhood and mistakes. Shes become the kind of matriarch who enjoys sharing an afternoon joint with her adult daughter, according to New Zealand actor Morgana OReilly (The White Lotus), who plays Joni. The pair reflects on tumultuous events that occurred almost three decades earlier, when Joni was a teenager and Pattie was struggling with the pressures of being a parent. You get quite a narrow band of roles when you get older, and even women in middle-age feel that the roles are pretty stereotyped, Walter says. Most people write you as an old lady in an old peoples home or something. They forget that we were the generation who grew up with the Rolling Stones, letting our hair down, literally, after the war. Its easy to forget that the oldies now had quite a naughty youth, so Im quite pleased to be playing someone in a script that recognises that. Dame Harriet Walter in Playing Gracie Darling. Credit: Sarah Enticknap/Curio/Sony Pictures Television Advertisement However, the show isnt as laid-back as that tender scene suggests. In fact, Playing Gracie Darling could be described as a crime drama as it features several familiar generic markers: a small town, dark secrets and missing girls. Two disappearances have occurred, 27 years apart, with the spectre of supernatural forces at play. Gracie Darling (Kristina Bogic), Jonis best friend when they were teenagers, vanished one night after a seance staged by a group of friends in a shack in a forest outside town. Decades later, another Darling daughter has disappeared. OReilly jokes the series is basically Mare of Easttown, but with ghosts. Yet in its focus on girls and women, during their teenage years and later life, it also traverses territory explored in a number of recent dramas such as Sharp Objects, Yellowjackets, One Night and Bad Behaviour. Morgana OReilly as Joni Grey in Playing Gracie Darling. Nation started working on the series in 2021 and took the project to Jo Porter and Rachel Gardners Curio Pictures. Loading Mirandas storytelling is so propulsive, Porter says. Her pitch drew us in from the get-go. It was a fresh way into a mystery thriller and a bit of a genre mash. The access point of a seance, that thrill of dabbling in the unknown, is something that many of us enjoyed as children. And what shes cleverly done is create a pathway for people who are believers in the spiritual world. Though, for others who might be more rational or cynical, theres always another explanation. Advertisement When it came to casting the central role of the adult Joni, a child psychologist and the single mother of two girls, Mina (Chloe Brink) and Lulu (Stella Miller), Porter knew that shed already worked with the ideal actor on Neighbours and Wentworth. Morgana is one of those actors who draws you in with her vulnerability, heart and warmth, she says. She brings an incredible honesty and a lot of that comes from her sense of humour. Shes not afraid to be vulnerable, shes magnetic on screen, and she has a sprite-like quality, a sort of youthful energy that Ill bet shes going to have her entire life. For OReilly, the opportunity of a series lead came in what had already been a great year as shed also appeared in the third season of The White Lotus, playing hotel employee Pam. With years of experience to her credit, she reckons that acting can be a roller coaster ride: the stress of auditions, sometimes never hearing anything afterwards, sometimes getting multiple callbacks but no work. Actors, she says, have an addiction to hope. But, she adds with an appreciative smile, Then something like this comes out of left field. Morgana OReilly in The White Lotus season 3. Credit: HBO Max Walter also describes her involvement in the production as a left-field opportunity that came from working with Gardner and director Jonathan Brough on The End (2020). When she agreed to return to Australia for this project, the production schedule had to be structured to accommodate her commitment to Apple TV+s dystopian drama Silo. Her scenes were shoehorned into a tight two weeks and Porter says Walter hit the ground running. Loading The story sees Pattie and Joni grappling with the pressures of parenting within the framework of the mystery surrounding the Darlings. Walter describes their relationship as quite complicated because Pattie has a sort of free-spirit thing that would rather not be tied down to a family, but shes got Joni, and she loves her very much. Advertisement Meanwhile, Jonis teenage daughter, Mina, whos increasingly testing her independence, is now around the age Joni was when Gracie vanished. Memories of that traumatic event are triggered by the latest disappearance, reawakening Jonis feelings of guilt and recrimination. OReilly says Joni (played as a teenager by Eloise Rothfield) is rocked by emotional confusion. Like everybody, shes a paradox. She lives in a world of rationality, and shes found a semblance of control of her life. Shes conquered a lot in a logical sense: shes become a psychologist, and shes very good in her field, shes got children, shes on top of everything. So at the start of the series, when another girl goes missing, its a reminder that she cant control her life, and she cant control her relationship with her daughter. To an extent, she adds, Joni embodies the central conversation of the show, which is the rational versus the magic. Nation says that, though the saying is a bit overused her heroine is a strong, complex character. I love how complex and contradictory people are, the way that were all flawed and full of contradictions. Gracies disappearance has haunted Joni, and she has reached for the pragmatism of psychology as a way to protect herself and cope with her guilt. If supernatural forces do exist, then shes guilty of abandoning her friend to their mercy. Its safer for her to believe that they dont and that theres a rational reason for her friends disappearance. Thats the tension that we see Joni grappling with throughout the series, reflecting the question at the heart of the show: can everything be explained or are there forces that we dont fully know and understand? Advertisement Advertisement Eating outComing soon Two-hatted Melbourne Chinese restaurant is bringing its cult eggplant to Sydney Victor Liongs Lee Ho Fook will open in the Harbour City next month, hot on the heels of newcomers Grandfathers and Youngs Palace. Scott Bolles August 21, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles 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 A near carbon copy of chefs hatted Melbourne restaurant Lee Ho Fook will open in Sydney next month, its arrival coinciding with a mini boom in Chinese restaurants in the Harbour City. The two-hatted Lee Ho Fook will land at Castlereagh Street in the Sydney CBD, hot on the heels of Grandfathers, a late-night Chinese restaurant near Martin Place from the team behind Clam Bar, and Potts Points Youngs Palace, which both open this week. Victor Liong is the head chef and owner of Lee Ho Fook, which will open in Sydney in September. Itll be something of a homecoming for Lee Ho Fooks owner-chef, Victor Liong, who grew up in Sydney before opening the award-winning Lee Ho Fook in 2013. The Homebush-raised chef said he knew hed found Lee Ho Fooks Sydney home when he walked into the Dixson & Sons restaurant at Porter House. Were in an old wool store in Melbourne, the building in Sydney [a heritage listed former tobacco factory] was built around the same time, theres the same exposed brick, Liong said. Advertisement Lee Ho Fook will open in the old Dixson & Sons site at Porter House. Steve Woodburn The chef confirmed his menu will move north. When the restaurant opens on September 17, Sydneysiders will be able to tuck into prawn toast with sea urchin, duck with quince hoisin and Glacier 51 Toothfish with silken tofu. Lee Ho Fooks signature dish, Four Dances of the Sea, will also feature. It might be a Sydney version, depending on what I can get. But I love that idea of four different types of seafood done four ways, Liong said. The Four Dances of the Sea, pictured at the original Melbourne restaurant, featuring kingfish and trout sashimi; marinated scallops; and razorback prawns. Joe Armao The Ages chief restaurant critic, Besha Rodell, listed it as a go-to dish in a 16/20 review, praising Liongs gift for big flavours: even when youre experiencing his umami-bomb flair, the main impression is one of exactitude, of careful consideration for texture and balance and contrast. Advertisement Liong has teamed with Trippas White Group, the same hospitality giant which recently lured chef Mark Best out of Sydney restaurant retirement, opening revolving restaurant Infinity by Mark Best. Trippas is overseeing the food and beverage operations across the Porter House Hotel Precinct. Liong described his deal as a partnership, rather than a consultancy. Its too expensive to open a restaurant on your own now, he said. Steamed Glacier 51 Toothfish with organic tofu, ginger and spring onion oil will feature on the Sydney menu. Parker Blain This latest move isnt Liongs first foray back to Sydney. He was briefly involved at Chuuka restaurant in Pyrmont, which saw him team with Japanese-American chef Chase Kojima to deliver a hybrid Chinese-Japanese menu. Liong said the restaurant wasnt helped by its timing, closing during the pandemic in 2021. One advantage of opening a restaurant in his hometown is being able to tap into an existing network. Liongs sister, Nianci Liong (ex-Momofuku Seiobo, King Clarence), will step in as restaurant manager, while Brad Guest (ex-Shell House, Sixpenny) will be the head chef. Advertisement Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up The first rule of men dyeing their hair: do not talk about dyeing your hair. Its not Fight Club, this is Dye Club, where no man wants to be recognised in the street as a member. While actresses Andie MacDowell, Helen Mirren and Sarah Jessica Parker have loudly championed the choice of women to dye, or not to dye their hair, theres relative silence from men. We only really look at mens hair colour through a well-considered lens, says British hair whisperer and colourist Josh Wood. Its when men get it wrong that we build up an image bank of what mens colour is. Hair colourist Josh Wood, who has worked with Mick Jagger, David Bowie and David Beckham and whose products are now stocked at Mecca. Credit: Steven Siewert That image bank contains images of celebrities, such as Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, George Clooney in the Broadway play Goodnight and Good Luck and even Rupert Murdoch. Alongside his work with Elle Macpherson, Kylie Minogue and Victoria Beckham, Wood is helping men take a positive approach to hair colour. A man cried and embraced his family as he was found not guilty of raping a University of Sydney student after a party at St Pauls College campus, with the act filmed at the mans Rose Bay apartment and later found on the womans phone. Darcy Nivison Clifton pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent against the then-18-year-old following a dress-up party at a bar on the Sydney University grounds in late 2022. Darcy Clifton departs Darlinghurst Courthouse after a not guilty verdict for allegedly raping a Sydney university student. Credit: Wolter Peeters The 22-year-old faced a trial with two weeks worth of evidence in Sydneys Darlinghurst District Court. His family hugged him and wept as he was acquitted of the alleged rape early on Wednesday afternoon. The 12-person jury retired about 12pm on August 13 to deliberate and delivered two notes to the judge in the following days, expressing they had been unable to reach a verdict. Judge Jennie Girdham, SC, first gave a direction asking them to continue deliberating and a second direction, on Tuesday afternoon, to try to reach a majority verdict, which would require 11 of the 12 jurors to reach a unanimous decision. They returned their not guilty verdict about 12pm on Wednesday. A teenager has been charged with the murder of an underworld figure whose death at the height of a Sydney gangland feud sparked the establishment of a major police taskforce. Taskforce Falcon detectives on Wednesday morning arrested Mohammed Youssef, 19, over the killing of 32-year-old Dawood Zakaria, who died after the Toyota HiLux he was travelling in with three associates was sprayed with bullets at Granville on May 25. Underworld figure Dawood Zakaria died after being shot in the head in May. Credit: Rolling Stone The group was set upon by two occupants of a black Mercedes-Benz who fired at least seven shots at the HiLux while it was stopped at traffic lights. Zakaria survived a gunshot wound to the head, but later died in hospital. The 19-year-old has also been charged with shooting at Parramatta lawyer Sylvan Singh, 25, who was shot in the arm and the shoulder, with intent to murder, as well as participating in a criminal group, possessing ammunition, stealing two cars and dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was refused police bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Thursday. Unqualified builders who were licensed in Queensland using fraudulent documents have exploited a loophole to transfer to Victoria, where they have been employed to build homes and work on major commercial projects. The widespread scam, which came to light this week in a court hearing, is the latest in a string of issues raised with Australias mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs). Victorian-based builders were licensed using fraudulent documents and mutual recognition arrangements with Queensland authorities, the County Court has heard. Credit: Oscar Colman As revealed by this masthead, Commonwealth MRAs have already led to under-qualified teachers and surveyors becoming registered in other states so they can transfer to work in Victoria, where they would not be qualified for direct registration. The County Court of Victoria heard on Monday that Melbourne builder Alex Dimopoulos ran a scheme from 2014 to 2015 using fraudulent documents and the lower threshold required by Queenslands construction regulator to gain building licences for Victorian-based migrant workers. The Victorian government is leading the review to identify opportunities for improvement and action, and Butler said ministers will consider the outcomes in the coming months, as a matter of priority. Loading Monash IVF initially commissioned McLeod to conduct an independent investigation on March 4, after it became aware in February that an embryo transfer error at its Brisbane facility had resulted in a Queensland woman giving birth to a strangers baby. Within two months, the company asked McLeod to expand the review after the company admitted a different woman had been implanted with the wrong embryo during a procedure at its Clayton clinic on June 5. In Wednesdays announcement to the ASX, the company said the review found that although there were stark differences in the circumstances of the embryo bungles at its Brisbane and Clayton clinics, human error was at the heart of both incidents. Monash IVF said the review found that the two incidents were unrelated, different in nature and had occurred years apart. It found that both of the cases involved non-standard IVF treatment and circumstances that would not typically arise in the majority of procedures. Fiona McLeod AO, SC, undertook an independent review into Monash IVFs embryo mix-ups. It said McLeod had found that the Brisbane incident was the result of human error alone. She found that the Clayton mix-up had resulted from a range of factors, including human error at multiple stages, as well as limitations in the IT system. The review found that those limitations ultimately made the transfer process more vulnerable to human error. Acting chief executive Malik Jainudeen said the company had already implemented many of the independent reviews recommendations, and it was committed to implementing the remainder of the proposed measures but he did not reveal details of what the recommendations or measures were. To the affected patients and everybody who entrusts Monash IVF with their dreams of building a family, we are deeply sorry for the distress these incidents have caused, he said. We have implemented, or will be implementing, the recommendations of the independent review and have taken additional measures to reduce the risk of such incidents occurring in the future because the care and safety of our patients is and will always be at the heart of everything we do. Loading The Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) which acts as a self-regulator for the fertility industry said that because Monash IVF was a publicly listed company it was legally obliged to release market-sensitive information to the stock exchange. It means the ASX takes greater priority than regulators or health authorities. This can mean that critical information of great public interest is made available to financial markets before it has been properly reviewed by the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee (RTAC), or health regulators, FSANZ said. This gap highlights a serious weakness in Australias regulatory framework for assisted reproduction. Currently, oversight varies state by state and does not provide a uniform national safeguard. To strengthen transparency and protect patients, FSANZ believes a national approach is required. This would ensure that findings from serious incidents are notified to the peak body and regulators prior to market announcements, so that responses can be coordinated in the public interest. Fertility patient advocate Michelle Galea, who established the support group Assisted Reproductive Treatment Families, said the government must listen to pleas for greater transparency into IVF clinics. These are not isolated incidents Monash IVF is not the only clinic where serious mistakes have occurred, she said. We are creating humans. There are more embryo mix-ups than reported publicly. Many families are silenced by non-disclosure agreements and claims that the IVF clinics are protecting their privacy, but the government must demand full transparency. Dr Sarah Lensen, research fellow with Melbourne Universitys Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said Monashs IVFs failure to release more information about the errors undermined confidence in the wider fertility sector. Loading I think its disappointing that Monash IVF hasnt given more detail about how the embryo mix-up occurred. The transparency would go a long way to reassure the public that our Australian IVF clinics are putting patient interests ahead of all else, she said. While the clinic has cited privacy considerations, it is difficult to see how a clearer explanation of the nature of the error would necessarily compromise the privacy of the individuals involved. A Victorian government spokesperson said Monash IVF had agreed to engage an independent external expert to provide oversight and assurance of its systems and processes separate to the McLeod review, over which the department-based health regulator would have oversight. Loading Staff emails were also accessed after the protests, which the deputy commissioner found happened after the urgency of protest passed, and could have been dealt with more carefully. The collection and use of the data involved the surveillance of students and staff, and surveillance by its nature is antithetical to human rights, the breach was serious, Dixon wrote. She found there were circumstances where the institution could have achieved the same outcomes with fewer impacts on privacy to those involved and those incidentally caught up in the inquiries. Surveillance of individuals should only ever be undertaken in the most serious of circumstances, where clear guidelines are available, authorising processes are well managed, and individuals understand the purpose and limitations of the use of the information. But the deputy commissioner did not issue a compliance notice, which would have forced the university to take action to ensure compliance with privacy provisions in a dedicated time frame. A university spokesperson said a new surveillance policy we being developed, and Melbourne wanted to improve communication and enhance governance around data use. We are implementing changes to our policies and procedures, including a new surveillance policy that will be openly communicated to all staff and students. Our use of Wi-Fi location data was to investigate potential breaches of our rules or policies. These rules and policies strike a balance between rights to protest and the need to manage safety and other risks. In March 2025, updated IT terms of use were published detailing the Wi-Fi network could be used to detect, identify and investigate users, including by using network data to infer the location of an individual via their connected device. Wi-Fi data can also be used to investigate any unlawful or antisocial behaviour, or breach of university policy. The universitys vice president Katerina Kapobassis said Melbourne could have provided clearer notice to students and staff in relation to the use of Wi-Fi location data, but she defended the move. We maintain that the use of Wi-Fi location data in student misconduct cases was reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances, given the overriding need to keep our community safe and conduct our core activities of teaching, learning and research, she said in a statement published on the universitys website. In an email sent in August included in the report, university vice chancellor Emma Johnston said the use of Wi-Fi location data was a necessary part of the investigation into potentially unlawful activity. The use of this technology in the circumstances was reasonably proportionate, given the limited personal information involved, the small number of people who had access to that information and the overriding need to keep our community safe and conduct our core activities of teaching, learning and research, Johnston wrote. NTEU national president Alison Barnes said university surveillance was a direct threat to academic freedom and the right to protest, dissent and debate. Universities should not be operating like Big Brother, Barnes said in a statement. Universities must not quietly roll out surveillance programs and only tidy up their policies once caught out. She said it highlighted a chilling effect surveillance had on the right to protest, dissent and debate. The university did not comment on whether it would be withdrawing reprimands against students as a result of the data use. Activist group University Melbourne for Palestine said the decision to not issue a compliance notice was deeply disappointing, and said it was a missed opportunity. These breaches are not minor. They expose deep structural failures in how the university governs data, communicates with its community, and respects fundamental human rights, the group said. But acknowledgement of these breaches alone does not equal accountability. The group said the report didnt undo harm the university had inflicted, nor address the broader breach of trust between the institution, its students and staff. We strongly believe a compliance notice should have been issued not just as a reprimand, but as a clear signal that institutions must be held accountable when they violate privacy laws. SYDNEY, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Millions of residents of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) were on Wednesday told to prepare for possible flooding as a severe wet weather system hits the country's east coast. Authorities in NSW on Wednesday issued heavy rainfall warnings for communities along almost 1,000 km of the state's coastline, including Sydney. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said that the significant rain event driven by three separate weather systems was expected to bring isolated rainfall totals of up to 75 millimeters on Wednesday night, followed by up to 120 millimeters on Thursday and another 60 millimeters on Friday. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, NSW State Emergency Service Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz said that some communities that have been hit by heavy rainfall in recent months could experience flooding overnight. She said that water from previous severe rainfall events made flooding more likely and warned residents that complacency is a risk. "This year we have seen significant weather events, significant flooding and a lot of damage. We know the community is tired and volunteers are tired," Platz said. Regions north of Sydney experienced record-breaking flooding in May that caused five deaths. Steve Bernasconi, a hazard preparedness manager at the BoM, said on Wednesday that the current event was not expected to bring enough rain to prompt a severe weather warning, but that it could cause isolated major flooding due to some water catchments already being at capacity. So post-tax income and pension payments have gone up relative to the overall population, but not all parts of the population. Older Australians have a post-tax income one-third higher than someone aged between 18 and 30. They used to be around the same. The change has been caused by more tax on the younger cohort and less tax (and larger income streams) for the older bunch. Before the turn of the century, retirees received relatively little in the way of income, relying largely on the age pension to get by. Superannuation was created to ensure older people did not have to rely on government support. It was all aimed at giving retirees dignity in their later years. But along the way, its gone way beyond dignity. In too many cases, its become estate planning, tax management or wealth transference. The average 60-ish retiree drawing tax-free income from their super plus a bit of the age pension is getting the same income as an average working 40-year-old. But the spending pressures on a retiree and someone in their early 40s are very different. The retiree doesnt face the pressures of saving for the future or supporting a growing family. They have probably paid off their mortgage while they spend far less than someone of working age. Housing prices have outpaced incomes for a generation, delivering a wealth boost to older people while shutting the young out of the market. Credit: Peter Rae One of those saving pressures is finding a deposit for a home. In 1990, to buy a median-priced house in Sydney required almost seven times the median income. Its now more than 13 times the median income. Thats a big factor in the collapse in home ownership among under-35s. That fall in ownership is one of the factors contributing to the drop-off in fertility rates among younger couples. Were asking younger Australians to pay huge amounts for their higher education, leaving many in debt for longer (another issue making it more difficult for this group of people to save for a deposit). Breunig and his team point out that we have a tax and welfare system which rewards people who move their wealth into income-generating low- or no-tax asset classes. About two-thirds of income is captured by the tax system. Thats great if you have assets not attracting tax. But for those who dont, like most people under the age of 40, that translates into paying more tax. And that tax is probably going towards services (the health system, aged care) used by older Australians. This is why Breunig and his team believe the intergenerational contract is broken. The current tax and transfer system, with its growing obligations to the growing cohort of older Australians and shrinking resources from which to meet those obligations, is spiralling down and unsustainable, they found. To resolve this problem, you could slash spending. The second-largest expense for the federal budget is the age pension, at $66 billion a year. Thats followed by the NDIS ($51 billion), aged care services ($41 billion), medical benefits ($35 billion) and assistance to the states to run their hospitals ($34 billion). Loading The largest expense in the budget world is actually the GST at $101 billion, which goes straight out the door, mostly to fund state hospitals. Combined, thats about 40 per cent of the budget, much of which flows to the old, the sick, the disabled and the young. Another option is to increase taxes on older Australians. That would be the bunch of politically important voters who have managed to move the tax system in their favour over the past 30 years. The economic roundtable was all about finding ways to lift our nations collective living standards while also fixing the budget bottom line. When it came to tax, the usual ideas such as company tax or the GST dominated discussion. More than a quarter of households contain one person, but 6 per cent of homes are one-bedroom apartments or studios, leaving some with few affordable housing options. The most common household type is two-person, a third of all. The most common dwelling size is a three-bedroom home, Cotality research found. More than 60 per cent of households have one or two people, in contrast to the popular idea of the nuclear family. But most homes are family-sized three-quarters of homes have at least three bedrooms. Cotality Australia head of research Eliza Owen said there is a mismatch between the number of people per household and the number of bedrooms per house. Advertisement InspirationTrain journeys I loved Europes trains, until I found a bus better than first-class Natasha Bazika August 21, 2025 5:00am Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles 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 Europes web of railways has long held a romantic allure for travellers. While occasionally chaotic, its generally efficient and can get you from one end of Europe to another for a reasonable price. At least, thats what I thought until a Bologna to Rome train ticket slapped me with a 220 price tag for two people. Its not absurd for Trenitalia, but when I found an option that would save us 200 ($360), I couldnt pass it up. Theres a certain prejudice against bus travel. Cramped seats, delayed departures, and questionable hygiene are the stereotypes that might come to mind. But that doesnt seem to be the case for Itabus, Italys newest bus company. Italys newest bus company, Itabus. Getty Images The Itabus website promises a new travel experience where comfort, quality, and safety are combined with convenience, innovation, and ecology. Advertisement Our departure point at Rome Tiburtina station is anything but convenient. Its mostly outside, has few facilities, and has a weird smell. At this point, Im reminded of why I prefer rail travel and train stations with mini supermarkets and cafes. Bus stations are not a place you want to linger. The big red Itabus rolls into the station. We hand our luggage over to the bus attendant and get our assigned seats. Unlike Flixbus, Itabus passengers are entitled to one free hold luggage and one free hand luggage. Inside, the bus has two decks. The lower deck has spacious seating with a few table seats, which is great for those who need to work on the go or for families. The Wi-Fi is also fast and free, which is relatively unheard of, even for rail travel. The lower deck includes some table seats. The top deck seats are much larger, with an adjustable footrest and double armrests. Every seat has USB and power outlets. Wed inadvertently booked the panoramic front-row seats, which provide a wraparound window view. Advertisement The bus makes its first stop two hours into the journey, allowing for a 30-minute lunch break. The truck stop has the usual snacks and drinks mini-mart, but it also has a gourmet food hall, where pasta is prepared in front of you, roasted meats are sliced to order, and you can load up a tray with restaurant-quality salads and side dishes. Back on the bus, for the next three hours, the rolling hills and mountain scenery unfold like a cinematic experience from our panoramic seats. Itabuss panoramic seats on the upper deck. We arrive in Bologna a few minutes late (which I attribute to Italian time), feeling refreshed and ready to explore. While I wont abandon trains entirely, Ive gained a newfound respect for bus travel. Itabus has set a new standard, and Im eager to see if other bus companies can match their level of comfort and service. Granted, trains are quicker for short distances the Rome-to-Bologna journey takes just three hours by rail, compared to five-and-a-half hours on Itabus. But I enjoy the slower pace. Advertisement Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now. Traveller Guides Advertisement Reviews & adviceTravel tips Never eat Maccas: The 13 most annoying middle-class takes on travel Anthony Peregrine August 21, 2025 5:00am Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles 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 212 View all comments There are many supposed truisms about travel trotted out by right-thinking people. These are often misguided. Among the more specious are the following: 1. Chain hotels are soulless, so to be avoided Perfectly comfortable: The Holiday Inn in Dandenong, Victoria. No. Give me a clean room, a comfortable bed, a bath in the bathroom (Lord help us, not the bedroom), lighting I can understand, predictable standards and Ill supply all the soul thats needed. 2. Always eat where the locals eat Advertisement Why? Even in Europe, locals will eat some appalling muck or perhaps youve never tried Provencal pieds-et-paquets or Norwegian rakfisk? And following locals in, say, Hackney might very well lead to jellied eels. How Aussies will curse Cockneys for that bit of advice. 3. Keep off the beaten track When a beaten track is worth ticking off ... Barcelonas Sagrada Familia. iStock Wrong. The track is beaten because theres something worthwhile at the end of it. Otherwise it wouldnt be beaten. Stay off the beaten track and youll likely end up somewhere no-one wants to go: Chernobyl, North Korea, Rockhampton, that sort of place. 4. Airline meals are dreadful Advertisement Really? Youre moving at 800km/h, 10,000 metres above the ground and youre complaining about the state of the lasagne? 5. You mustnt use knives and forks for Chinese food, or spaghetti Spaghetti with a knife? Why not. iStock Oh yes, you must. Thin sticks are uniquely ill-designed for the eating of rice and noodles. Only a totalitarian society would insist on them. Meanwhile, the Italian requirement that spaghetti be not cut but twirled is just another of their ways coffee invisible to the naked eye, Mario Balotelli, the Mafia of annoying the world. Chop it up, for heavens sake it tastes the same and doesnt stain. 6. We got on marvellously, though we had no common language Advertisement No. You thought you got by with signs and smiles. You didnt. As you expressed admiration for Volodymyr Zelensky, so they understood you were inviting them for a fortnight back in Geelong. 7. In France, you dont order a well-done steak or a flat white in mid-afternoon Flat white after noon ... so what if your waiter disapproves? iStock Yes you do, if you want to. Youre the customer, Gaspard is the waiter. He disapproves? So what? If he was so great, hed be sitting where you are and youd be serving him. 8. Were not tourists, were travellers Advertisement Poolside at MGallery Amarterra Villas Bali inferior? We think not. No, youre not. If you leave home for leisure, youre a tourist. Travellers are merely tourists with ideas above their station and odd headgear. Theres no moral or qualitative hierarchy of holiday experiences. Flying to Bali is in no way inferior to flying to Papua New Guinea. Its just a different departure gate. 9. We always try to soak up local culture Dangerous. Flamenco is occasionally OK, as is tango in Buenos Aires. That said, fado in Lisbon, dirndl skirts in Bavaria and any folk dancing anywhere have the same effect on a holiday as a colonoscopy. 10. We never stoop to fast food outlets Advertisement Chain restaurant food can be a welcome alternative to some resort food. Getty Images Believe me, you would if you saw the alternatives in some resorts I could mention. Put it this way: thank heavens for Maccas in Nadi, Fiji. 11. We never fly Jetstar they treat passengers like cattle Related Article Travel tips The 20 annoying things the travel industry constantly gets wrong No, they dont. Look around you again. Its mainly the passengers who behave like cattle. Jetstar staff undoubtedly take vows of patience. Were I faced with shuffling hordes trying to cram a ton of hand luggage into the overhead locker and a gallon of wine or beer down their throats, Id be roaring down the aisle, kicking travellers right and left towards the emergency exits. Which Id open. Advertisement 12. We dont buy tourist tat A pity. Gift shops, their owners and families depend on you buying a small cuckoo clock or plate featuring a bloke in lederhosen blowing an alpenhorn and emblazoned Andenken aus Deutschland [souvenir from Germany]. 13. Sorry, but we dont do lying-about-on-the-beach holidays Yes, we get it; youre way too cultivated for that, way too clever to relax with a book and your family and a glass of rose and maybe some friends and maybe also a leisurely dip and laughter and a chance to educate the kids (How do crabs have babies? Sideways) and the sort of relaxation you always say you hanker for, dont have time at home. Why waste time doing all that, when theres a neo-Gothic chapel to explore? The Telegraph, London with Traveller Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Minnesota's Certified Dark Sky Park to host free astronomy event Aug. 29 - 30 INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn., Aug. 19, 2025 -- Voyageurs Conservancy , the National Park Service (NPS) and partners are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Voyageurs National Park and its renowned night skies with an end-of-summer Star Party over Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29 30. The Certified Dark Sky Park is a primarily water-based park in northern Minnesota, spanning more than 218,000 acres of lakes, forests and streams. The fifth annual Voyageurs Star Party recognizes the importance of preserving the park's dark skies through land and water-based activities, including expert speakers, Ranger-led programs, stargazing canoe tours, telescope viewing sessions, and guided constellation tours, with activities taking place at the Rainy Lake and Kabetogama Lake Visitor Centers. The free, family-friendly event is a collaborative effort among Voyageurs Conservancy, the official charitable partner of the park, the National Park Service, Starry Skies North, Wilderness Inquiry, and Bell Museum. View a full schedule of 2025 Star Party events, locations, and other details at Voyageurs.org/starparty . Voyageurs Star Party* program highlights include: Hear from astronomy experts, including: Voyageurs Conservancy dark sky specialist and NASA ambassador, Jesse Gates ; Starry Skies North president and DarkSky International delegate, Todd Burlet ; and Travis Novitsky , photographer for the Spirits Dancing and co-producer of the award-winning documentary Northern Nights, Starry Skies , who will share extensive night sky knowledge and Indigenous cultural connections to the cosmos ; president and DarkSky International delegate, ; and photographer for the and co-producer of the award-winning documentary , who will share extensive night sky knowledge and Indigenous cultural connections to the cosmos Stargaze aboard the Canoemobile with Wilderness Inquiry Become a Dark Sky Junior Ranger Learn all about light pollution, its impact, solutions, and opportunities Attend a " Northern Nights Starry Skies " film showing " film showing Gaze through guided telescope sessions, constellation tours and galaxies under Voyageurs' star-studded skies Learn about gravity with the Bell Museum Enjoy live music, s'mores and stories under the stars Star Party programs will take place in Voyageurs National Park at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center on Fri., Aug. 29, and the Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center on Sat., Aug. 30. Most activities take place from 7 p.m. to midnight. There is no entry fee to the park, and Star Party pre-registration is appreciated, but not required. Specific event times and planning details can be found at voyageurs.org/starparty . "From amateur astronomers to first-time stargazers, the Star Party is a stellar opportunity to connect with our awe-inspiring universe and recognize the importance of protecting our night skies. Although light pollution threatens dark skies across the globe, Voyageurs is one of the best places in the world to see night skies," said executive director, Voyageurs Conservancy, Christina Hausman Rhode. "Seeing the natural wonder of the park after dark and learning about the cultural connection to our night skies is a bucket list experience," added Hausman Rhode. Voyageurs Dark Sky Initiative Voyageurs Conservancy and the NPS secured International Dark Sky Park certification from DarkSky International for Voyageurs in 2020. Today, the Voyageurs Dark Sky Initiative is a joint effort to preserve light pollution-free habitats for the species who call the park home, and an opportunity to expand business engagement and public awareness around the natural and cultural significance of the park's dark skies through educational programming, events and resources, including: Voyageurs Classroom Through the Voyageurs Classroom initiative, Voyageurs Conservancy, the NPS, and partners offer education programming to bring the park to classrooms across the state and nation, including engaging dark sky programming and events that aim to educate youth and the public on the significance of our dark skies. Through the initiative, Voyageurs Conservancy, the NPS, and partners offer education programming to bring the park to classrooms across the state and nation, including engaging dark sky programming and events that aim to educate youth and the public on the significance of our dark skies. Park-After-Dark Programs During summer months, the park and the Conservancy host regular telescope sessions and night sky tours in Voyageurs and surrounding communities. During summer months, the park and the Conservancy host regular in Voyageurs and surrounding communities. Voyageurs Dark Sky Visitor Guide This new and free guide offers night sky viewing tips and stellar stargazing spots in Voyageurs. This new and free guide offers night sky viewing tips and stellar stargazing spots in Voyageurs. Boreal Stargazing Week The weeklong celebration of Minnesota's night skies features Voyageurs-based nighttime activities that highlight our dark sky park, along with starry, statewide programming. The Feb. 2026 event is a collaborative effort among Voyageurs Conservancy, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Voyageurs National Park, Superior National Forest, Bell Museum, and Starry Skies North. You can support Voyageurs Classroom and Dark Sky initiatives with a donation at voyageurs.org/give . Sign up to receive Conservancy updates at voyageurs.org/subscribe . "I invite everyone to come out to the park and experience the awe and beauty of seeing the stars under some of the darkest skies in the country," said Kate Severson, program manager for interpretation and education, Voyageurs National Park. "Voyageurs' annual Star Party is a chance to rekindle that timeless sense of wonder, to look up, feel small in the best way, and leave with a renewed appreciation for the universe and the science that helps us understand it," added Severson. Voyageurs 50th Anniversary Voyageurs Conservancy and the NPS are commemorating Voyageurs' 50th anniversary in 2025 with special events like the Star Party, philanthropy, community partnerships, storytelling, and more. This week, park enthusiasts are encouraged to j oin the #Voyageurs50 celebration by visiting the all-new Voyageurs National Park exhibit at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair Aug. 21 23 to honor the half-century milestone. Additionally, the Voyageurs 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes runs through Sept. 30 for a chance to win Voyageurs-inspired prizes, including a Wenonah Canoe, a two-night stay in Voyageur Outpost's geodesic dome, floating chairs from Paddle North, a custom Voyageurs map blanket from Faribault Mills, and more. Visit voyageurs.org/50th for more information and follow @VoyageursConservancy on Instagram and Facebook . About Voyageurs Conservancy Voyageurs Conservancy , the official charitable partner of Voyageurs National Park, is a community of people dedicated to preserving, protecting, and sharing the unique experience of Minnesota's only national park. The Conservancy works directly with the National Park Service to support conservation and recreation projects, advance education and outreach, and protect the wild nature of the park. About Voyageurs National Park Voyageurs National Park spans 218,000+ acres of natural beauty in northern Minnesota, offering a year-round adventure wonderland of ancient exposed rock ridges, cliffs, wetlands, forests, streams, and dozens of lakes. Established in 1975, the primarily water-based park is named after the French-Canadian Voyageurs who once navigated these border waters. Whether exploring by land, water, or ice, there's something for everyone. *Funding for this program was provided in part by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). SOURCE Voyageurs Conservancy TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A fire broke out Wednesday evening aboard a U.S. Navy vessel off the coast of a U.S. military port in Uruma City of Japan's Okinawa Prefecture, local media reported. The Japan Coast Guard received an emergency call around 5 p.m. local time reporting that the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans, more than 200 meters in length, had caught fire, national broadcaster NHK reported. Crew members were conducting firefighting efforts and requested support from Japanese authorities, according to the report. Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force has deployed ships to assist in firefighting, while the Coast Guard dispatched patrol vessels to the site. Smoke was observed rising from the bow of the vessel. No injuries have been reported and no evacuation of the U.S. crew has been requested so far, said the report. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visits an international innovation center in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. Li made a fact-finding and research tour in the Chinese capital of Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday called for high-quality sci-tech empowerment and policy support to boost the quality and promote the upgrading of China's bio-medicine industry. Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a fact-finding and research tour in the Chinese capital of Beijing. While visiting Changping Laboratory, Li called for efforts to focus on global forefront and key fields, achieve further major original results, and nurture more high-caliber talent in the life sciences, thus enhancing the basis for the development of China's bio-medicine industry. During tours of a bio-tech enterprise and an international innovation center, Li stressed the importance of encouraging domestic companies to deepen international cooperation and boost their creativity and competitiveness, as well as the importance of optimizing the country's platform construction and operations model. At a seminar, Li called for efforts to boost original innovation and core-technology breakthroughs in key fields, and to boost the industry's development through comprehensive AI empowerment. He also urged more effective guidance for the application of high-quality, innovative medicines, and called for efforts to promote the modernization and industrialization of traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visits a bio-tech enterprise in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. Li made a fact-finding and research tour in the Chinese capital of Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ang) KABUL, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here on Wednesday with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that as a neighbor and partner, China congratulates Afghanistan on new achievements it has made in national development. China pursues a policy of friendship toward all the Afghan people and has always been at the forefront among major countries and neighboring countries in developing relations with Afghanistan, Wang said. He noted that China will continue to support the Afghan government in governing steadily, focusing on development, resolutely fighting terrorism, promoting good-neighborliness and friendship, and achieving lasting stability. It is hoped that Afghanistan will continue to make every effort to crack down on the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, so as to remove obstacles and inject impetus into the further development of bilateral relations, Wang said. He added that China is ready to work together with Afghanistan to carry forward friendship, deepen political mutual trust, and strengthen cooperation in the economy, trade, agriculture, poverty reduction, water conservancy, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges. Muttaqi expressed gratitude to China for its valuable support to Afghanistan in opposing external interference, and praised China's important contribution to safeguarding regional peace and development. Friendship with China is the cornerstone of Afghanistan's foreign policy, Muttaqi said, noting that Afghanistan attaches great importance to China's security concerns and will never allow anyone or any force to use Afghan territory to engage in activities harmful to China. Afghanistan is ready to strengthen security and counter-terrorism cooperation with China to jointly safeguard lasting peace and stability in the region, Muttaqi added. Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, speaks during a video conference on autumn grain field management and agricultural disaster prevention held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong on Wednesday urged enhanced efforts in autumn grain field management and agricultural disaster prevention to achieve the country's annual grain production targets. Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a video conference on the topic held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. With just over a month to go before the mass harvest of autumn grain -- a critical period for yield formation, amid frequent natural disasters -- sustained efforts must be made to enhance disaster-monitoring and early-warning systems, Liu said. Authorities must monitor drought, flooding, typhoons, extreme heat, early frost, pests and diseases closely, taking targeted measures to minimize losses, he said. Post-disaster agricultural recovery must be organized promptly, with damaged farmlands and irrigation facilities restored swiftly, he said, adding that special attention should be paid to disaster impacts in formerly impoverished areas and among individuals who have been lifted out of poverty. Relevant departments should cooperate closely to ensure financial support, the handling of insurance claims and the regulation of the grain market, thereby guaranteeing a successful autumn grain harvest, he said. American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) has been given a consensus recommendation of Hold by the twenty-five research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, fifteen have assigned a hold recommendation and eight have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $311.05. A number of research firms have recently commented on AXP. Truist Financial increased their price objective on American Express from $335.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on American Express from $260.00 to $342.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, July 11th. Redburn Atlantic upgraded American Express from a sell rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $270.00 to $255.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 23rd. Monness Crespi & Hardt downgraded American Express from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, July 15th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on American Express from $360.00 to $371.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 9th. Get American Express alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on AXP Insider Activity at American Express Institutional Trading of American Express In related news, insider Anna Marrs sold 5,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $310.77, for a total value of $1,709,235.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 20,311 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,312,049.47. This represents a 21.31% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Also, insider Laureen Seeger sold 16,998 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $294.83, for a total value of $5,011,520.34. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 9,001 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,653,764.83. This trade represents a 65.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold a total of 134,219 shares of company stock valued at $40,555,901 in the last three months. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in American Express during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,897,335,000. Nuveen LLC acquired a new stake in American Express during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,454,667,000. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main lifted its position in American Express by 463.3% during the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 4,357,487 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $1,293,259,000 after acquiring an additional 3,583,959 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in American Express by 13.7% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 18,025,562 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $4,849,777,000 after acquiring an additional 2,168,445 shares during the period. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in American Express by 27,625.2% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,162,846 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $581,914,000 after acquiring an additional 2,155,045 shares during the period. 84.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. American Express Price Performance Shares of NYSE AXP opened at $306.1130 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $307.46 and its two-hundred day moving average is $290.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80, a current ratio of 1.61 and a quick ratio of 1.60. American Express has a 1-year low of $220.43 and a 1-year high of $329.14. The company has a market cap of $213.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 1.28. American Express (NYSE:AXP Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 18th. The payment services company reported $4.08 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.86 by $0.22. American Express had a return on equity of 32.87% and a net margin of 14.78%.The company had revenue of $17.86 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.70 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $3.49 EPS. American Expresss revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that American Express will post 15.33 EPS for the current fiscal year. American Express Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 3rd were issued a $0.82 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, July 3rd. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. American Expresss dividend payout ratio is presently 23.02%. American Express Company Profile (Get 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. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for American Express Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Express and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. HAIKOU, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- For Wang Xia, some of her earliest memories are connected with the red-flowered black mangrove, a rare and fragile tree her father has spent his life cultivating. Notably, even after his retirement, her dad continues this work. "The latest is the fourth generation, which shows major improvements in disease resistance compared with earlier versions," said Wang, 30, who now also works at the Dongzhai Port National Nature Reserve Authority in south China's Hainan Province. Nicknamed the "giant panda" of the mangrove forest, the red-flowered black mangrove is a first-class nationally protected plant. It is vital for ecological restoration in coastal areas -- but extremely selective about its growing environment. A lack of protection led the wild population of this tree to the brink of extinction in China about ten years ago. Thanks to the efforts of researchers across the whole island, like Wang's father, Wang Shijun -- more than 16,000 of these trees have been cultivated in Hainan in recent years, with over 4,000 successfully transplanted into natural habitats, according to latest statistics. At Dongzhai Port Reserve, one of the first sites in China to cultivate the species, 720 second-generation saplings have been transplanted into the wild, while nearly 2,000 third-generation saplings are undergoing acclimatization, and more than 80 fourth-generation saplings are thriving, Wang said. Beyond breeding this rare mangrove, staff at Dongzhai Port Reserve have adopted innovative, site-specific methods in their restoration work. In areas heavily eroded by waves, where mangroves struggle to survive, workers use discarded oyster shells to build protective barriers against waves. After dredging and raising the land, they plant mangrove seedlings -- and this approach has protected more than 15,000 meters of shoreline. "This initiative is a first for the reserve and offers valuable experience for mangrove restoration nationwide," Wang said. The reserve's mangrove area has steadily expanded. In its latest ecological restoration project initiated in early 2023, an additional 1,600 mu (about 107 hectares) have been added to date, local authorities said. As mangrove areas can provide habitats for water birds and other creatures, wildlife is returning as well. The number of recorded bird species has risen from 180 to 230 and the black-faced spoonbill, a first-class nationally protected bird, has reappeared after an eight-year absence, Wang noted. Mangroves not only improve the coastal ecological environment and serve as habitats for rare species, but also provide livelihoods for local people. As ecological conditions improve, nearby villagers are embracing conservation and eco-tourism. Many now work at the reserve as boat drivers, ticket sellers and cleaners, increasing their monthly incomes. Others have launched agritourism businesses on their own properties. Mangrove restoration can also contribute to China's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. In May 2022, a mangrove area jointly restored by the Dongzhai Port Reserve, generated Hainan's first blue carbon trade -- amounting to over 3,000 tonnes of carbon credits worth more than 300,000 yuan (about 41,760 U.S. dollars). Proceeds have been used to fund mangrove management and local community projects. The project is expected to generate more than 90,000 tonnes of carbon credits over the next 40 years. For staff at Dongzhai Port Reserve, daily patrols remain essential. Li Shichuan, who also conducts some research work, said they have cooperated with local research institutions to monitor seedling survival, track waterbird populations and record biodiversity during routine patrols. The goal, Li said, is to eventually give each mangrove area a "digital record" that documents micro-topography, plant and animal activity, and other ecological indicators, which would guide long-term protection strategies. Li, who has worked at the reserve since the 1990s, said he has also witnessed the change of local people's attitudes. Years ago, a villager asked what to do about mangroves sprouting on his salt-affected farmland. In the past, Li said, the trees might have been cut. Now, however, villagers know that these plants are protected. "This change is what I find most rewarding after all these years of work," he added. Enditem (Liu Chaoran, Yin Jiajun, Tian Mengyao, Huang Qianya, Wang Kexuan and Lai Lishan also contributed to the story.) Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the twenty-three brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have given a hold recommendation, fifteen have given a buy recommendation and two have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $190.6842. A number of research firms have recently weighed in on DLR. Bank of America began coverage on Digital Realty Trust in a report on Monday, May 19th. They issued a buy rating and a $210.00 target price on the stock. Mizuho lifted their price target on Digital Realty Trust from $177.00 to $191.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, June 17th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Digital Realty Trust from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday, June 1st. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a buy rating and set a $193.00 price target (up from $190.00) on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a report on Friday, April 25th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a buy rating and set a $200.00 price target (up from $174.00) on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a report on Monday, July 28th. Get Digital Realty Trust alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Digital Realty Trust Digital Realty Trust Stock Up 0.9% DLR stock opened at $166.4760 on Friday. Digital Realty Trust has a twelve month low of $129.95 and a twelve month high of $198.00. The company has a quick ratio of 2.22, a current ratio of 2.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82. The stocks 50 day moving average is $173.21 and its 200-day moving average is $163.55. The firm has a market capitalization of $56.78 billion, a PE ratio of 43.69, a P/E/G ratio of 4.75 and a beta of 0.92. Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.74 by $0.13. Digital Realty Trust had a return on equity of 6.46% and a net margin of 23.98%.The company had revenue of $1.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.44 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.65 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. Digital Realty Trust has set its FY 2025 guidance at 7.150-7.250 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Digital Realty Trust will post 7.07 EPS for the current fiscal year. Digital Realty Trust Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Monday, September 15th will be issued a dividend of $1.22 per share. This represents a $4.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 15th. Digital Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 128.08%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Mark R. Patterson sold 175 shares of Digital Realty Trust stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $176.50, for a total transaction of $30,887.50. Following the sale, the director directly owned 6,522 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,151,133. This trade represents a 2.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Digital Realty Trust Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Greykasell Wealth Strategies Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust in the first quarter valued at $26,000. South Plains Financial Inc. raised its stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 280.5% in the second quarter. South Plains Financial Inc. now owns 156 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 115 shares during the period. Tobam bought a new stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust in the second quarter valued at $28,000. WPG Advisers LLC bought a new stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust in the first quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, 1 North Wealth Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust in the first quarter valued at $31,000. 99.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Digital Realty Trust Company Profile (Get Free Report) Digital Realty Trust, Inc operates as a real estate investment trust, which engages in the provision of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. It serves the following industries: artificial intelligence (AI), networks, cloud, digital media, mobile, financial services, healthcare, and gaming. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Digital Realty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Digital Realty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Palo Alto Networks, Broadcom, ServiceNow, CyberArk Software, and Arista Networks are the five Telecom stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Telecom stocks are shares of publicly traded companies that build, maintain and operate telecommunications networkssuch as wireless carriers, broadband providers and network equipment manufacturersto deliver voice, data and internet services. Because these firms invest heavily in infrastructure like cell towers, fiberoptic cables and satellites, they tend to generate stable, predictable cash flows. As a result, telecom stocks are often prized for their relatively high dividend yields and appeal to incomeoriented investors. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Telecom stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Palo Alto Networks, Inc. provides cybersecurity solutions worldwide. The company offers firewall appliances and software; and Panorama, a security management solution for the global control of network security platform as a virtual or a physical appliance. It also provides subscription services covering the areas of threat prevention, malware and persistent threat, URL filtering, laptop and mobile device protection, DNS security, Internet of Things security, SaaS security API, and SaaS security inline, as well as threat intelligence, and data loss prevention. Broadcom (AVGO) Broadcom Inc. designs, develops, and supplies various semiconductor devices with a focus on complex digital and mixed signal complementary metal oxide semiconductor based devices and analog III-V based products worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Semiconductor Solutions and Infrastructure Software. Read Our Latest Research Report on AVGO ServiceNow (NOW) 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. Read Our Latest Research Report on NOW CyberArk Software (CYBR) CyberArk Software Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, develops, markets, and sells software-based identity security solutions and services in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and internationally. Its solutions include Privileged Access Manager, which offers risk-based credential security and session; Vendor Privileged Access Manager combines Privileged Access Manager and Remote Access to provide secure access to third-party vendors; Dynamic Privileged Access, a SaaS solution that provides just-in-time access to Linux Virtual Machines; Endpoint Privilege Manager, a SaaS solution that secures privileges on the endpoint; and Secure Desktop, a solution that protects access to endpoints. Read Our Latest Research Report on CYBR Arista Networks (ANET) Arista Networks, Inc. engages in the development, marketing, and sale of data-driven, client to cloud networking solutions for data center, campus, and routing environments in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. Its cloud networking solutions consist of Extensible Operating System (EOS), a publish-subscribe state-sharing networking operating system offered in combination with a set of network applications. Read Our Latest Research Report on ANET Featured Articles Credit Agricole S A lifted its position in shares of Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM Free Report) by 16.4% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 179,731 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 25,268 shares during the period. Credit Agricole S As holdings in Howmet Aerospace were worth $23,317,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda acquired a new stake in Howmet Aerospace in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Pinpoint Asset Management Ltd increased its holdings in Howmet Aerospace by 42.8% in the 1st quarter. Pinpoint Asset Management Ltd now owns 237 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Hemington Wealth Management increased its holdings in Howmet Aerospace by 46.6% in the 1st quarter. Hemington Wealth Management now owns 255 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC increased its holdings in Howmet Aerospace by 114.6% in the 1st quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 264 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Howmet Aerospace by 100.7% in the 1st quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC now owns 279 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. 90.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Howmet Aerospace alerts: Howmet Aerospace Stock Performance NYSE:HWM opened at $172.0750 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 2.31 and a quick ratio of 1.08. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $179.90 and a two-hundred day moving average of $153.65. The stock has a market cap of $69.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.31, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.48. Howmet Aerospace Inc. has a 1-year low of $90.71 and a 1-year high of $193.26. Howmet Aerospace Increases Dividend Howmet Aerospace ( NYSE:HWM Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.87 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $2.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.99 billion. Howmet Aerospace had a net margin of 18.09% and a return on equity of 28.17%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.67 EPS. Howmet Aerospace has set its Q3 2025 guidance at 0.890-0.910 EPS. FY 2025 guidance at 3.560-3.640 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Howmet Aerospace Inc. will post 3.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 25th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 8th will be given a $0.12 dividend. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 8th. This is an increase from Howmet Aerospaces previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. Howmet Aerospaces dividend payout ratio is currently 14.04%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages recently issued reports on HWM. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Howmet Aerospace from $150.00 to $190.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, August 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Howmet Aerospace in a report on Monday, June 30th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Howmet Aerospace from $170.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, July 17th. Bank of America increased their price target on Howmet Aerospace from $185.00 to $215.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, August 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Howmet Aerospace from $118.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, May 2nd. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $172.13. Check Out Our Latest Report on Howmet Aerospace About Howmet Aerospace (Free Report) Howmet Aerospace Inc provides advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries in the United States, Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Italy, Canada, Poland, China, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Engine Products, Fastening Systems, Engineered Structures, and Forged Wheels. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HWM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Howmet Aerospace Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Howmet Aerospace and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG Free Report) by 2.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 4,161 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after buying an additional 104 shares during the quarter. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc.s holdings in EOG Resources were worth $534,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Korea Investment CORP raised its position in shares of EOG Resources by 42.6% during the first quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 602,581 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $77,275,000 after acquiring an additional 180,122 shares during the last quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC raised its holdings in EOG Resources by 19.3% during the 1st quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 109,928 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $14,097,000 after purchasing an additional 17,789 shares during the last quarter. Watts Gwilliam & Co. LLC raised its holdings in EOG Resources by 3.7% during the 1st quarter. Watts Gwilliam & Co. LLC now owns 5,897 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $756,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares during the last quarter. Aviso Financial Inc. lifted its position in EOG Resources by 8.0% during the 1st quarter. Aviso Financial Inc. now owns 7,085 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $909,000 after purchasing an additional 522 shares during the period. Finally, Granite Harbor Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 3.2% in the 1st quarter. Granite Harbor Advisors Inc. now owns 3,034 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $389,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. 89.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get EOG Resources alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In EOG has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a buy rating and set a $148.00 price target (up from $144.00) on shares of EOG Resources in a research note on Friday, June 13th. Morgan Stanley set a $135.00 target price on shares of EOG Resources and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, June 2nd. Stephens assumed coverage on EOG Resources in a research note on Tuesday, June 17th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $137.00 target price on the stock. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of EOG Resources from $137.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, June 2nd. Finally, Mizuho cut their price objective on EOG Resources from $140.00 to $134.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, May 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $140.71. EOG Resources Price Performance NYSE EOG opened at $117.1930 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.61, a current ratio of 1.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 12-month low of $102.52 and a 12-month high of $138.18. The firms 50 day moving average is $120.34 and its 200-day moving average is $119.26. The company has a market capitalization of $63.99 billion, a PE ratio of 11.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 9.03 and a beta of 0.80. EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 7th. The energy exploration company reported $2.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.14 by $0.18. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 20.51% and a net margin of 25.25%.The business had revenue of $5.48 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.45 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $3.16 earnings per share. EOG Resourcess quarterly revenue was down 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 11.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. EOG Resources Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 17th will be paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 17th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.5%. This is an increase from EOG Resourcess previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. EOG Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.90%. Insider Activity at EOG Resources In related news, COO Jeffrey R. Leitzell sold 3,951 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, June 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.65, for a total value of $472,737.15. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 45,739 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,472,671.35. This trade represents a 7.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. EOG Resources Company Profile (Free Report) EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas primarily in producing basins in the United States, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and internationally. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for EOG Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for EOG Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report) by 0.5% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 228,690 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,071 shares during the quarter. Osterweis Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $15,880,000 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 company. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 8.1% in the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 15,492,384 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,332,655,000 after purchasing an additional 1,165,955 shares during the period. Folketrygdfondet lifted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 6.9% in the 1st quarter. Folketrygdfondet now owns 9,521,912 shares of the companys stock valued at $661,202,000 after purchasing an additional 617,974 shares during the period. Nuveen Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 73.2% in the 4th quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 6,244,931 shares of the companys stock valued at $537,189,000 after purchasing an additional 2,639,693 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 11.3% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 5,692,554 shares of the companys stock valued at $395,291,000 after purchasing an additional 576,900 shares during the period. Finally, Sustainable Growth Advisers LP lifted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. Sustainable Growth Advisers LP now owns 5,543,246 shares of the companys stock valued at $384,923,000 after purchasing an additional 202,443 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 11.54% of the companys stock. Get Novo Nordisk A/S alerts: Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Up 1.8% NVO stock opened at $54.7420 on Wednesday. Novo Nordisk A/S has a 1-year low of $45.05 and a 1-year high of $139.74. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $64.03 and a 200-day moving average price of $69.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.56. The stock has a market capitalization of $244.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.84 and a beta of 0.63. Novo Nordisk A/S Cuts Dividend Novo Nordisk A/S ( NYSE:NVO Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 6th. The company reported $0.97 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.93 by $0.04. Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 78.64% and a net margin of 35.60%.The company had revenue of $11.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $77.51 billion. Equities analysts forecast that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 26th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 18th will be issued a dividend of $0.4119 per share. This represents a yield of 240.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 18th. Novo Nordisk A/Ss payout ratio is currently 22.53%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Wall Street Zen cut Novo Nordisk A/S from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, August 2nd. UBS Group lowered Novo Nordisk A/S from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 5th. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on Novo Nordisk A/S from $105.00 to $70.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Dbs Bank lowered Novo Nordisk A/S to a sell rating in a research report on Friday, April 25th. Finally, HSBC lowered Novo Nordisk A/S from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $57.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Thursday, July 31st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell 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 $81.00. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on NVO Novo Nordisk A/S Company Profile (Free Report) Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Moelis & Company (NYSE:MC Free Report) Equities researchers at Zacks Research lifted their Q1 2026 earnings estimates for Moelis & Company in a research report issued on Thursday, August 14th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the asset manager will post earnings of $0.66 per share for the quarter, up from their prior estimate of $0.60. The consensus estimate for Moelis & Companys current full-year earnings is $2.97 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Moelis & Companys Q3 2026 earnings at $0.64 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.55 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $0.88 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.93 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $3.72 EPS. Get Moelis & Company alerts: Moelis & Company (NYSE:MC Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The asset manager reported $0.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.21. Moelis & Company had a net margin of 14.31% and a return on equity of 42.72%. The business had revenue of $365.38 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $269.57 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.18 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 38.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on shares of Moelis & Company from $69.00 to $89.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, July 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of Moelis & Company from $55.00 to $52.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Moelis & Company from $56.00 to $63.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, May 15th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Moelis & Company from an underweight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their target price for the company from $42.00 to $68.00 in a report on Monday, June 23rd. Finally, JMP Securities reiterated a market perform rating on shares of Moelis & Company in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $66.00. Read Our Latest Analysis on Moelis & Company Moelis & Company Trading Down 0.6% MC opened at $71.1770 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.59 billion, a PE ratio of 28.02 and a beta of 1.70. Moelis & Company has a twelve month low of $47.00 and a twelve month high of $82.89. The firms 50-day moving average price is $66.87 and its 200 day moving average price is $62.86. Institutional Trading of Moelis & Company Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Fulton Bank N.A. lifted its stake in shares of Moelis & Company by 2.9% in the second quarter. Fulton Bank N.A. now owns 6,581 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $410,000 after purchasing an additional 188 shares during the period. Peak Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Moelis & Company by 2.4% in the first quarter. Peak Financial Advisors LLC now owns 8,567 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $500,000 after purchasing an additional 204 shares during the period. Palisades Investment Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Moelis & Company by 0.3% in the first quarter. Palisades Investment Partners LLC now owns 76,730 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $4,478,000 after purchasing an additional 204 shares during the period. California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its stake in shares of Moelis & Company by 0.3% in the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 69,155 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $4,310,000 after purchasing an additional 209 shares during the period. Finally, Choreo LLC lifted its stake in shares of Moelis & Company by 5.1% in the first quarter. Choreo LLC now owns 5,075 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $296,000 after purchasing an additional 244 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.53% of the companys stock. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, General Counsel Osamu R. Watanabe sold 6,340 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.64, for a total value of $460,537.60. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel owned 131 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,515.84. This trade represents a 97.98% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 6.40% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Moelis & Company Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 18th. Investors of record on Monday, August 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.65 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 4th. This represents a $2.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.7%. Moelis & Companys dividend payout ratio is currently 102.36%. Moelis & Company Company Profile (Get Free Report) Moelis & Co operates as a holding company. It engages in the provision of financial advisory, capital raising and asset management services to a client base including corporations, governments, sovereign wealth funds and financial sponsors. The firm focuses on clients including large public multinational corporations, middle market private companies, financial sponsors, entrepreneurs and governments. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Moelis & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Moelis & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TFB Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 3.0% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 1,757 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 52 shares during the quarter. TFB Advisors LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $1,451,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Redwood Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Redwood Investments LLC now owns 2,209 shares of the companys stock worth $1,705,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares during the period. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,459 shares of the companys stock worth $1,205,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares during the period. Hixon Zuercher LLC lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Hixon Zuercher LLC now owns 1,789 shares of the companys stock worth $1,477,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares during the period. O Brien Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 25.5% in the 1st quarter. O Brien Wealth Partners LLC now owns 59 shares of the companys stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares during the period. Finally, Ascent Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. Ascent Capital Management LLC now owns 495 shares of the companys stock worth $409,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares during the period. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on LLY shares. HSBC cut shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a buy rating to a reduce rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $1,150.00 to $700.00 in a research report on Monday, April 28th. Leerink Partners reissued a market perform rating and set a $715.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Thursday, August 7th. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an overweight rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Erste Group Bank cut shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, June 5th. Finally, UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,050.00 to $895.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $950.17. Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance LLY opened at $703.5670 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $665.90 billion, a PE ratio of 45.98, a PEG ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.44. Eli Lilly and Company has a twelve month low of $623.78 and a twelve month high of $972.53. The firms 50-day moving average price is $760.97 and its 200 day moving average price is $793.02. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 7th. The company reported $6.31 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.59 by $0.72. The company had revenue of $15.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.40 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 25.91% and a return on equity of 92.72%. Eli Lilly and Companys revenue was up 37.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $3.92 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 21.750-23.000 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current fiscal year. Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 15th will be issued a $1.50 dividend. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 15th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is currently 39.22%. Insider Transactions at Eli Lilly and Company In related news, EVP Daniel Skovronsky acquired 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 12th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $634.40 per share, for a total transaction of $634,400.00. Following the acquisition, the executive vice president owned 137,660 shares in the company, valued at $87,331,504. The trade was a 0.73% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director J Erik Fyrwald bought 1,565 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 12th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $642.33 per share, for a total transaction of $1,005,246.45. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 74,578 shares in the company, valued at $47,903,686.74. This trade represents a 2.14% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders acquired 4,514 shares of company stock worth $2,894,841. 0.14% of the stock is owned by company insiders. About Eli Lilly and Company (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. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NOUAKCHOTT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Mauritania on Tuesday handed over a batch of food supplies to the Assaba Region to support residents recently affected by floods. The donation, comprising rice, cooking oil, sugar, and milk powder, was delivered during a ceremony attended by Wang Yongzhao, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Mauritania, and Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Habib, president of the regional council of Assaba. Both officials signed the handover certificate. Wang conveyed sympathy to flood-affected communities in the region and expressed hope that the aid would help residents recover from the disaster and improve living conditions. Habib thanked the Chinese embassy for what he described as a generous gesture, saying it reflects the genuine friendship of the Chinese people toward the people of Mauritania, and would be remembered by the residents of Assaba. This photo taken on Aug. 19, 2025 shows decorations on a street in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The streets of Lhasa are adorned with lanterns and decorations in celebration of the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Tenzing Nima Qadhup) This photo taken on Aug. 19, 2025 shows decorations on a street in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The streets of Lhasa are adorned with lanterns and decorations in celebration of the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida) This photo taken on Aug. 19, 2025 shows a street view in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The streets of Lhasa are adorned with lanterns and decorations in celebration of the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida) This photo taken on Aug. 18, 2025 shows a street view in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The streets of Lhasa are adorned with lanterns and decorations in celebration of the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Tenzing Nima Qadhup) A child poses for photos at a floral installation in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 19, 2025. The streets of Lhasa are adorned with lanterns and decorations in celebration of the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) This photo taken on Aug. 19, 2025 shows decorations on a street in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The streets of Lhasa are adorned with lanterns and decorations in celebration of the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) This photo taken on Aug. 19, 2025 shows a street view in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The streets of Lhasa are adorned with lanterns and decorations in celebration of the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida) A pediatrician participates in a free clinic event at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Dongdan campus) in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 19, 2025. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) held a free clinic event here on Tuesday to mark the eighth Doctors' Day. More than 50 medical staff representatives provided on-site health consultations to patients. Meanwhile, hospital volunteers drew personalized cartoon pictures for the participating medical personnel. Inaugurated in 2018, China's Doctors' Day is celebrated on Aug. 19 every year to honor doctors in the country and their contributions. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) A volunteer draws a personalized cartoon picture for a doctor during a free clinic event in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 19, 2025. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) held a free clinic event here on Tuesday to mark the eighth Doctors' Day. More than 50 medical staff representatives provided on-site health consultations to patients. Meanwhile, hospital volunteers drew personalized cartoon pictures for the participating medical personnel. Inaugurated in 2018, China's Doctors' Day is celebrated on Aug. 19 every year to honor doctors in the country and their contributions. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) A woman registers during a free clinic event at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Dongdan campus) in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 19, 2025. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) held a free clinic event here on Tuesday to mark the eighth Doctors' Day. More than 50 medical staff representatives provided on-site health consultations to patients. Meanwhile, hospital volunteers drew personalized cartoon pictures for the participating medical personnel. Inaugurated in 2018, China's Doctors' Day is celebrated on Aug. 19 every year to honor doctors in the country and their contributions. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) People participate in a free clinic event at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Dongdan campus) in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 19, 2025. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) held a free clinic event here on Tuesday to mark the eighth Doctors' Day. More than 50 medical staff representatives provided on-site health consultations to patients. Meanwhile, hospital volunteers drew personalized cartoon pictures for the participating medical personnel. Inaugurated in 2018, China's Doctors' Day is celebrated on Aug. 19 every year to honor doctors in the country and their contributions. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) A doctor demonstrates her personalized cartoon picture drew by volunteers during a free clinic event at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Dongdan campus) in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 19, 2025. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) held a free clinic event here on Tuesday to mark the eighth Doctors' Day. More than 50 medical staff representatives provided on-site health consultations to patients. Meanwhile, hospital volunteers drew personalized cartoon pictures for the participating medical personnel. Inaugurated in 2018, China's Doctors' Day is celebrated on Aug. 19 every year to honor doctors in the country and their contributions. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) A medical personnel participates in a free clinic event at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Dongdan campus) in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 19, 2025. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) held a free clinic event here on Tuesday to mark the eighth Doctors' Day. More than 50 medical staff representatives provided on-site health consultations to patients. Meanwhile, hospital volunteers drew personalized cartoon pictures for the participating medical personnel. Inaugurated in 2018, China's Doctors' Day is celebrated on Aug. 19 every year to honor doctors in the country and their contributions. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to people while attending a gala marking the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region in regional capital Lhasa, Aug. 20, 2025. Xi joined people of all ethnic groups in Xizang to watch the gala entitled "Joyful Songs of the Snowy Plateau Region." (Xinhua/Yan Yan) LHASA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a gala marking the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region in the regional capital Lhasa Wednesday evening. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joined people of all ethnic groups in Xizang to watch the gala entitled "Joyful Songs of the Snowy Plateau Region." The gala is structured in three parts. The first part depicts the vibrant efforts in building a socialist new Xizang. The second part showcases the dynamism brought by reform and opening up to the snowy plateau while the final part presents a prosperous and happy new Xizang. Senior leaders including Wang Huning and Cai Qi also watched the gala. Xi led a central delegation to arrive in Lhasa earlier Wednesday for the anniversary celebration activities. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to people while attending a gala marking the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region in regional capital Lhasa, Aug. 20, 2025. Xi joined people of all ethnic groups in Xizang to watch the gala entitled "Joyful Songs of the Snowy Plateau Region." (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's first 8K movie shot in space, titled "SHENZHOU 13," is set to premiere nationwide on Sept. 5, China Media Group (CMG) has announced with the release of a trailer. The movie features footage captured by Shenzhou-13 astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu. The story is based on the crew's six-month orbital mission in the country's space station, according to the CMG. The movie, largely told from Wang's perspective, showcases never-before-seen cosmic vistas and intimate glimpses of life aboard the space station. As China's first space-based film project, it was shot using fully domestically developed 8K ultra-high-definition cameras. The creative team, working alongside aerospace engineers, overcame significant challenges, including rocket vibration tests, space environment simulations and adapting equipment for safe charging and storage within the space station. The specialized filming equipment was delivered to the space station via the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft in 2021. On Oct. 16, 2021, the Shenzhou-13 mission sent three taikonauts to China's space station core module for a six-month stay. During their mission, the crew members performed extravehicular activities twice and delivered two live classes from the space station. The mission marked China's completion of the verification of key technologies used on the space station. The Calcutta High Court has warned Congress leader and MP Abhishek Banerjee that it may pass an ex-parte order against him if he fails to respond to an election petition challenging his 2024 Lok Sabha victory from Diamond Harbour. The case, filed by BJP candidate Abhijit Das Bobby, alleges widespread malpractice and booth capturing during the polls. The matter, listed as EP/05/2024, came up before Justice Sugato Majumdar on Tuesday. Mr Banerjees counsel has already sought adjournments on three previous occasions but has yet to submit a written reply. On Tuesday, his lawyers again asked for more time, prompting sharp objections from senior advocate Bilwadal Bhattacharya, appearing for the petitioner. Advertisement Justice Majumdar initially proposed a fine of Rs 5,000 for the delay but later waived it. However, he set 28 August as the final deadline for Banerjees response, cautioning that failure to comply would lead to an ex-parte order. The court has already directed the Election Commission of India and the South 24-Parganas district magistrate to preserve all election-related records, including EVMs and CCTV footage. On Tuesday, the petitioners counsel pressed for forensic examination of these materials. The ECIs counsel indicated the commission would oppose the move, prompting the judge to remark that its conduct raised serious doubts about its neutrality. Advertisement The next hearing is scheduled for 4 September. Governor C V Ananda Bose has sent an eight-page recommendation to the Union home ministry for the benefit of Bengali migrant workers, who are facing harassment across the country and returning to the state. Sources in Raj Bhavan said the report has been forwarded to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well. Advertisement The move from the Governor came a day after chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced a new rehabilitation scheme, Shramashree, for Bengali migrant workers who are facing harassment in BJP-ruled states. Advertisement According to Raj Bhavan sources, the Governor has made several recommendations to address the challenges of migrant workers in West Bengal and ensure their socio-economic justice. One of the recommendations is opening up a registration portal for migrant workers, regular communication with the concerned labour department, provision of low-cost hotels, creating a working environment and etc. According to the source, Governor Bose recommended the implementation of the West Bengal Migrant Worker Registration Portal. A multilingual digital portal must be launched quickly, and the portal will be linked to Aadhaar for the identification of the worker. After registration, a special digital migrant workers card needs to be issued, which will act as a portable identity card. The Governor also recommended signing MoUs with major destination states of migrant workers (such as Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi). The MoUs should identify the responsibilities of implementing minimum wages, adhering to workplace safety standards and establishing expeditious mechanisms for redressal of grievances of West Bengal workers within their jurisdiction. He further recommended appointment of Labour Welfare Officers (LWOs) in major migrant centres like Kochi (Kerala), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Ahmedabad (Gujarat) and Delhi. In another recommendation, the Governor stressed on construction of affordable migrant hostels in all states or areas where migrant workers are in large numbers. In addition, the One Family One Ration Card scheme should be replaced with One Citizen One Ration Card, so that such workers can get their subsidised food grains from any Public Distribution System (PDS) shop in the country. A 247 multilingual helpline should be created where migrant workers can report wage theft, physical or verbal abuse, contractual disputes or emergencies. Besides implementation of strict monitoring and regulation of placement agencies involved in the recruitment of Bengali women for domestic work needs to be done, said the source. In a bold move to instil national pride and awareness of Indias counter-terror capabilities among students, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released two specially designed modules on Operation Sindoor for schoolchildren from Classes 3 to 12. The operation, which is described as more than just a military strike, is framed as a national commitment to peace, justice, and the memory of those who lost their lives in the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. Advertisement Launched as supplementary material, the modules came over three months after Operation Sindoor, Indias strategic and precise military response to the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. Advertisement According to the material, the aim is not only to educate students about a critical national security event but also to shape their understanding of Indias growing global stature and commitment to self-defence. The modules assert that the Pahalgam attack was orchestrated under direct orders from Pakistans military and political leadership, despite Pakistans public denial of involvement. The attack, which targeted civilians including tourists, was intended to incite fear and communal unrest. In response, Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, as a measured but forceful retaliation. India launched missiles and air strikes, targeting nine terrorist sites situated in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on May 7, 2025. Out of nine targets which were finally chosen and approved, seven of these terror camps were destroyed by the Indian Army, while the Indian Air Force destroyed terrorist targets in Muridke and Bahawalpur, which are the nerve centres of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, one of the modules states. Importantly, the NCERT emphasises Indias commitment to minimising collateral damage. Every target was double-checked. Only terrorist bases were attacked. This operation showed that India would not let terror masterminds escape punishment, the module explains. It further notes that no civilian casualties were reported a point reiterated as part of Indias moral and strategic high ground. The modules are split across two educational levels: Operation Sindoor A Saga of Valour is tailored for the preparatory and middle stages (Classes 3 to 8). Operation Sindoor- A Mission of Honour and Bravery is meant for secondary stage students (Classes 9 to 12). Both modules underline the Indian Armed Forces coordinated response. They also highlight the synergy between the Army, Air Force, and strategic command leadership. The operation is also described as a turning point in Indias counter-terror doctrine. The doctrine sends a clear message of deterrence. Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the module declares: Operation Sindoor is not an ordinary military operation. It is a confluence of Indias policy, intent, and decisive capability. The material also praises the local civilian response in Kashmir, noting how residents vocally condemned the terror attack a development that, according to the module, breaks stereotypes and shows the real voice of peace-loving people. With this initiative, NCERT aims to create awareness among students about Indias defence preparedness, use of advanced technology, and principled stance in global geopolitics while also honouring the memory of those lost in acts of terror. The central government has raised serious objections to Vedantas demerger and has cited concealment and non-disclosure of details. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has pushed back the hearing on the matter just days after SEBI issued an administrative warning to the company over modifying the Scheme of Arrangement without consent from the regulator. Advertisement The NCLT deferred the matter to September 17 for further hearing. Advertisement As per the reports, the government said it will not be able to recover dues if the demerger is followed through and that there has been concealment and non-disclosure of key details. The mining major had inflated revenue and concealed liabilities, the Centre informed the NCLT. Sebi confirmed that alterations were made post-clearance, calling the move a serious breach of its master circular. The regulator also said it had issued an administrative warning to the company and underlined that such modifications should have been placed before Vedantas board for formal approval. Notably, Vedanta on August 14 had also confirmed that it received an administrative warning from Sebi over modification to the Scheme of Arrangement without prior written consent of Sebi. The company has been advised by the regulator to exercise caution in the future and share the boards comments on the administrative warning, along with corrective actions that will be undertaken. India should encourage targeted Chinese FDI in manufacturing under the PLI scheme, particularly in high-dependence sectors like electronics, automobiles, and pharmaceuticals, thereby strengthening domestic capacity, local supply chains, and technology transfer, says a latest study. Amidst the thaw in India-China relations, the study Calibrating Indias Economic Engagement Strategy with China Amidst the Changing Geopolitical Landscape by International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has examined the existing imbalances in economic relations between the two countries and suggested key recommendations for the way forward. Advertisement Trade with China has remained highly imbalanced, with imports worth US $113.5 billion and exports just US $14.3 billion, resulting in a record bilateral deficit of US $99.2 billion in 2024-25. On the other hand, FDI inflows from China have remained abysmally low at US $886 million during the last decade. Advertisement The study, undertaken by Professor Nisha Taneja and her team, explores three key questions: (i) How can India enhance and diversify its exports to China? (ii) What strategies can reduce Indias import dependence on China? and (iii) How can Chinese FDI into India be increased with appropriate guardrails? ICRIER, New Delhi said in a statement. As per the study, Indias untapped export potential to China is estimated at US$ 161 billion almost ten times the actual export value, 74 per cent of which is in medium and high-tech sectors unlike the composition of current exports which are concentrated in primary, and resource-based sectors. India needs to adopt an export diversification strategy and target items with high export potential such as telephone sets, aircraft, turbojets, motor vehicle parts, and photo-semiconductor devices. The study highlights that the realisation of large additional export potential with China has been constrained by several tariff and non-tariff barriers. To address market access barriers, India and China should set up a joint task force to resolve NTBs, improve transparency through fair testing and WTO compliant communication. On its part, India must upgrade its quality standards to enhance export competitiveness and reduce vulnerability to trade measures. As regards imports from China, Indias heavy reliance on Chinese imports, especially in intermediate and capital goods, raises concerns, but complete decoupling is unrealistic given Chinas deep integration in global value chains. Rather, the study recommends that India should encourage targeted Chinese FDI in manufacturing under the PLI scheme, particularly in high-dependence sectors like electronics, automobiles, and pharmaceuticals, thereby strengthening domestic capacity, local supply chains, and technology transfer, the statement said. Besides, India should reduce uncompetitive imports by sourcing from more competitive suppliers such as Vietnam, South Korea, and the UAE, which offer lower prices than China for several products. Indias uncompetitive importswhere other suppliers provide cheaper alternativesare mainly concentrated in machinery, electronics, and chemicals, valued at nearly US$ 30 billion, and account for about two-thirds of the import value of the top 50 products. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly condemned the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, declaring that violence has no place in a democracy. The AAP has expressed confidence that Delhi Police would act against the culprits, while urging all parties to unequivocally reject violence. AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal strongly condemned the attack on CM Gupta. Advertisement He took to X and wrote: The attack on Delhis Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democratic system, differences of opinion and opposition are acceptable, but there can be no place for violence. I am confident that the Delhi Police will take appropriate action. I hope the Chief Minister is completely safe and healthy. Advertisement In a video statement, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said, Today, news is coming in that Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked, someone tried to slap her. This is absolutely condemnable. Any form of violence has no place in our society, and Mahatma Gandhi taught us this a hundred years ago. The question iswhich parties and which ideologies are promoting violence in the country and in society? Who is patronising violence, encouraging it, legitimising it? He further stated, Violence is not limited to an attack on a Chief Minister. When SSC aspirants and teachers demand their rights, the polices brutality against them is also violence. Farmers sat for months under scorching sunlight, rain, and cold to demand their rights, and the police mercilessly beat themtheir heads were broken, they were dragged into the streets. That too is violence. The way police often behave with our citizens is also violence. They do not have the right to punish; that right belongs only to the courts. That too is violence. A fresh wave of bomb threats has hit the national capital as multiple schools in Delhi received threatening emails early Wednesday morning, prompting immediate emergency responses from the Delhi Police and Fire Services. According to officials, two schools, SKV Malviya Nagar and Andhra School, Prasad Nagar, received bomb threat emails around 7:40 a.m. and 7:42 a.m., respectively. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) confirmed that these emails triggered the swift deployment of search teams, bomb disposal squads, and police units to the concerned locations. Advertisement Police and other cooperating agencies are on-site, and comprehensive search operations are currently underway. Advertisement The DFS also warned of the possibility that more schools may have been targeted, suggesting a broader investigation is being pursued. The situation has once again raised alarm among students, parents, and school staff, coming just days after a similar incident. On August 18, Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka had to be evacuated following a bomb threat call received around 7:00 a.m. In that case too, authorities responded immediately, and bomb squads conducted a thorough search. Fortunately, the threat turned out to be a hoax. The latest scare also brings back chilling memories of an incident last month, when over 50 schools across Delhi received similar email threats. Those messages caused widespread panic, forcing several institutions to shift to online classes and prompting city-wide emergency operations involving dog squads, fire brigades, and bomb disposal teams. All of those threats were later deemed non-credible. In each of these cases, evacuation and on-site verification remain the standard protocol, ensuring the safety of students and staff before normal operations are resumed. The Delhi Police are currently investigating the origin of the latest emails, while cybercrime units are working to trace the sender or group responsible for what appears to be a recurring pattern of disruption. Authorities are urging the public to remain calm but vigilant, as the safety of children and school communities remains the highest priority. The Independent Peoples Tribunal on Wednesday released its report with regard to the conflict in Manipur amid the presence of experts in New Delhi at the Press Club of India. The said tribunal on Manipur was constituted by the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in the year 2024 in the context of the issues of violence pertaining to the north-eastern state. Advertisement The tribunal recommends that access to justice needs to be established in the hill region, with the establishment of a permanent bench of a high court in the hill region of the state. Advertisement The jury recommends that an SIT consisting of independent officers from states other than Manipur needs to be set up for a probe in a large number of cases arising from the conflict. Report by the PUCLs tribunal also emphasizes that for having lasting peace in the state, structural changes, community dialogue, legal accountability, and sustained moral leadership are required. As per the PUCL, the tribunal comprised 14 jury members, including former Judge SC, Kurian Joseph, as the chairperson. Based on the material placed before the tribunal, the jury has identified multiple causes underlying the conflict. According to the jurys observations based on the submissions before the tribunal, amongst the pre-existing factors were the historical ethnic divisions, socio-political marginalization, and also disputes. As per the report, what may have led to the escalation of feelings of mistrust and enmity between the communities were the alleged hate campaigns and other factors. Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ang) KABUL, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund here on Wednesday met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. In the meeting, Akhund said the Chinese government and people have always held a friendly and positive attitude towards Afghanistan, and he thanked China for speaking up for Afghanistan on the international stage. China is a force for justice in the world, consistently committed to friendly cooperation and mutual development with Afghanistan and other countries, said the prime minister. History has shown that those who attempt to interfere in the affairs of other nations will suffer the consequences, while countries that pursue friendly policies will succeed, Akhund said, noting that this is China's unique strength. Like China, Afghanistan adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and is willing to coexist amicably and cooperate with all nations. Over the past two decades, Afghanistan has endured the ravages of war and chaos, and some Western countries continue to maliciously smear its reputation, Akhund said. The Afghan government will make every effort to resolve issues, promote development, and improve the livelihoods of its people, he said, stressing that it does not wish to and will not create trouble for other countries. Afghanistan looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China to advance a positive and sustainable friendly relationship, and will never allow any force to use the Afghan territory to threaten China, standing firmly with China at all times, said the prime minister. For his part, Wang said China and Afghanistan have maintained friendly relations for thousands of years. China has consistently adhered to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, respecting the choice of the Afghan people, their cultural traditions, and the governance model established according to their national conditions. China supports Afghanistan in upholding its independence to achieve development and revitalization. China has made the proposal to build a community with a shared future with its neighboring countries, and build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home together, and jointly promote modernization. Afghanistan is indispensable and should be an important partner in this process, Wang said. Throughout history, the Chinese foreign minister said, imperialists, colonists, and hegemonists have all attempted to invade Afghanistan, but all have failed, and such schemes will not succeed in the future. China has consistently advocated for the equality of all countries, big and small, and opposes the strong bullying the weak or the big oppressing the small. All countries should treat each other equally and cooperate for mutual benefit, Wang said. The world should not see the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer; every country, including Afghanistan, has the right to achieve development and revitalization, he noted. Wang pointed out that since the change of government in Afghanistan, the Chinese foreign minister has visited the country twice, which reflects China's sincere wish to develop ties with Afghanistan and promote traditional friendship. As a neighboring country of Afghanistan, China will continue to uphold justice, oppose unilateral bullying, and engage in cooperation in various fields with Afghanistan, Wang said, adding that strengthening security cooperation will provide the necessary guarantee for economic cooperation. Noting that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement is a terrorist organization listed by the United Nations Security Council, Wang said China hopes Afghanistan will take its concerns seriously and intensify its efforts to combat the terrorist forces. Wang expressed confidence that under the leadership of the Afghan government, Afghanistan will achieve greater development and better serve its people. During his visit, Wang also held talks with the Afghan foreign minister and met with the Afghan minister of interior affairs. A group of BJP leaders from Tripura, led by party state President Rajib Bhattacharjee, met several Central leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to discuss party-related matters. The 10-member delegation held a series of meetings with the Central leadership in New Delhi to discuss the strategies to strengthen the saffron partys base among the tribals, sources said. They called on Shah and are scheduled to meet other BJP ministers and leaders on Wednesday and Thursday, they added. Advertisement During their meeting with the Union home minister, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, BJPs Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, among others were also present. Advertisement Tripura Industry and Commerce Minister and prominent tribal leader of the party, Santana Chakma, said in a meeting with Amit Shah that the states tribal development, as well as the overall development, was discussed. Tripura BJP general secretary Bipin Debbarma said during the meeting with the Union home minister, discussions were held on how to further strengthen the party base among the tribals, who constitute one-third of Tripuras over four million population. Tripuras Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, former Lok Sabha member Rebati Tripura, MLA Rama Pada Jamatia all tribal leaders were also in the party delegation. A six-member delegation of the BJPs tribal leaders held a meeting with the partys National General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh in the national capital last week and discussed organisational matters involving tribals. A BJP leader had said in Agartala that the tribal leaders led by Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma discussed the ensuing election to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), polling for which is due early next year. The 30-member politically-important TTAADC has been governed by the BJPs ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP). The ruling BJP has been trying to strengthen its organisational base in the TTAADC, which has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripuras 10,491 sq km area, and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which around 84 per cent are tribals. Tribals play a vital role in electoral politics in Tripura. The Ministry of Education through NCERT in collaboration with the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysuru and Central University of Odisha, Koraput have developed and launched a total number of 117 primers, including 89 tribal language primers, minister Jayant Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday. Of the 89 tribal language primers, 15 are from Odisha. There are primers in 15 languages of Odisha (Desia, Kuwi, Gadaba (Gutob), Juang, Kui, Kisan, Santhali (Odia), Savara (Sora), Gondi-Odia, Ho-Odia, Odia, Kandha (Khond), Malto, Munda, Parji (Durua)). Besides, Joyful Mathematics of Class 1 and Class 2 have also been translated into Santhali and Bodo, the Minister said. Advertisement These are languages spoken by at least 10,000 populations. These primers are designed to support multilingualism and utilize childrens mother tongue as a medium of instruction, aligning with the NEP-2020. Advertisement Tribal language primers are educational materials developed to support the preservation and teaching of indigenous languages, often used in early childhood education. Education in the mother tongues of learners during the formative years is one major goal of the NEP 2020 and the NCF-FS & National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, the Minister said in the reply. Besides, the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education has launched a National Mission called National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) on 5 July, 2021 for ensuring that every child in the country (including all district of Odisha) necessarily attains foundational literacy and numeracy by the end of Grade 2. This Mission has been set up under the aegis of the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha- an integrated scheme for School Education. Under Samagra Shiksha scheme, education is imparted with equitable access to the highest-quality education for all learners regardless of social or economic background, the Minister added in the written reply. Expressing deep concern over submergence of large areas in Odishas Malkangiri district due to the Polavaram Project in Andhra Pradesh and its adverse effect on livelihoods of thousands of tribal people, especially those from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the Chairman Central Water Commission (CWC) at New Delhi seeking safeguarding the larger interest of the would-be-affected people in the state. Seeking reassessment of the submergence levels and revision of the Polavaram project accordingly to prevent any adverse impact on Odisha, BJD called upon CWC to issue a stop work order to the Government of Andhra Pradesh and the Union Government until the demands of Odisha are addressed. Advertisement Demanding initiation of a consultation process with all the concerned Chief Ministers through the CWC, BJD called for the prioritization of the safety and well-being of the tribal communities in Malkangiri by conducting proper surveys and identifying the areas likely to be submerged. Advertisement Stating that despite the recommendations of experts and the Odisha Governments concerns regarding the safety of tribal populations and people of Malkangiri district, the BJD pointed out that CWC has refused to conduct a fresh backwater study for the revised design flood. The memorandum pointed out the Apex Court ruling in 2022, which had expressed reservations on the expansion of the project. There are some technical reports available, but more may be required depending on the expansion of the project. Similarly, the issue of environmental clearances would also have to be addressed. It is our suggestion that a pioneering role must be played by the Central Water Commission and a meeting be called of all the stakeholders, the Supreme Court had observed in 2022, adjudicating the writ petition filed in this regard. Apprehending the adverse impact of the project in Malkangiri, the party said the Centre has recently sanctioned Rs 17,936 crores for the completion of the Polavaram Project, paying little heed to Odishas concern. This project was conceived under the resolution of the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal (GWDT), which outlined agreements between Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh. However, significant changes have been made to the original design flood discharge capacity, increasing the flood discharge from 36 lakh cusecs to 50 lakh cusecs, without sufficient consideration of the backwater impact in the upstream states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. This shift has caused apprehensions among the affected populations of Malkangiri, who are at the risk of losing their lands and homes, the memorandum stated. A Convention of the Polavaram Action Committee comprising all stakeholders of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, including all Tribal people and inhabitants of the affected area, was held on 28 February last at Motu in Malkangiri district. The convention unanimously raised grave concerns about the plausible damage to the livelihood, ecology, and displacement issues in Malkangiri and adjoining areas of Andhra Pradesh & Chhattisgarh. Allaying apprehensions of displacement expressed by various quarters, the Centre, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha in February last year, claimed that there would be no submergence in Odisha due to the Polavaram irrigation project if the option of building protective embankments with adequate drainage arrangements to protect land and property is exercised by the state. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who was allegedly assaulted by a Gujarati man during her public hearing at her camp office in Civil Lines area, said on Wednesday that such attacks can never weaken her resolve to serve people, adding that her Jan Sunwai (public hearing) programme would continue as usual. In a statement posted on X, Gupta said, The attack on me during this mornings public hearing was not just an attack on me, but a cowardly attempt on our resolve to serve Delhi and work for the welfare of the people, she said on X. The Delhi CM said that she was shocked initially but was feeling better now. She also requested her well-wishers not to trouble themselves by coming to meet her. I will soon be seen working among you again, she assured her supporters. The Chief Minister further stated that such attacks can never break my spirit and resolve to serve people. Now, I will be among you with even more energy and dedication than before. Public hearings and the resolution of peoples problems will continue with the same seriousness and commitment as before, she added. Her attacker, a 41-year old man from Gujarats Rajkot was arrested by the police from the spot. He has been identified as Sakriya Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai and he is currently being jointly interrogated by IB and Delhi Police. A case of attempt to murder has also been registered against the accused man and further investigation is on. Meanwhile, Sakriyas mother has claimed that her son was a dog lover and was upset with the recent Supreme Court order on removal of stray dogs from Delhi-NCR, suggesting this could be the motive behind the attack. He loves dogs, cows and birds. That is why he was upset after the SC said all the stray dogs in Delhi should be captured, his mother told reporters. He went to Haridwar a few days back and then told us over phone that he will go to Delhi to participate in protests in support of dogs, she added. The police in Bhopal have registered an FIR on Wednesday against Congress MLA from Bhopal, Arif Masood, on charges of using forged documents to obtain a No Objection Certificate two decades ago for running the Indira Priyadarshini College in the Khanugaon area of the city. The FIR has been registered on the strict directives of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The High Court Bench of Justice Atul Shreedharan and Justice Pradeep Mittal had directed the Bhopal Commissioner of Police to register the FIR against Masood as well as the officials of the MP Higher Education Department who were allegedly involved in providing the recognition to the College through forged papers and also for not taking any action in the matter for the past 20 years. Advertisement The Court also ordered to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter in detail. The three-member SIT has been formed and it is headed by Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Sanjeev Shami. The Court has directed the SIT to submit its report in 90 days. Advertisement The College is operated by the Aman Welfare Society of which Arif Masood is the Secretary. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shalini Dixit, the FIR against Masood has been registered at the Koh-e-Fiza Police Station under Sections 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the IPC. The High Court has also issued orders for a complete ban on new admissions in the College for the next session. However, the Court permitted the College to continue for the current session in the interest of the more than 1000 students currently studying in the institution. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who has been on loggerheads with the party leadership for his contrasting views on several issues, on Wednesday appeared to have taken yet another differing stand on the bills to remove the prime minister, chief ministers, and ministers. The three bills The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025; The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025 are likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday. Advertisement These amendments provide legal framwork for removal of ministers who are arrested and kept in custody for 30 consecutive days on allegations of an offence punishable with imprisonment of five years or more. They shall be removed from office on the 31st day. Advertisement Reacting to the bills, Congress MP from Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the bills are draconian, saying these are just to put a veil across the eyes of the people. Tomorrow, you can put any kind of a case on a CM, have him arrested for 30 days without conviction, and he ceases to be a CM. It is absolutely anti-constitutional, undemocratic and very unfortunate, she told reporters outside Parliament. Tharoor, however, presented contrasting views, saying it was reasonable that anyone who does anything wrong should be liable for punishment. On the face of it, it seems reasonable that anyone who does anything wrong should be liable to punishment and should not be holding a high constitutional office or a political office. I think that makes sense, he said. Several other Opposition leaders also crticised the proposed ammendments with Sudhakar Singh of RJD calling it a step towards dictatorship. A step is being taken to move towards dictatorship in the country; if any person challenges the establishment of power, such people will be arrested overnight and sent to jail. India is on the verge of becoming Pakistan and Bangladesh, where opposition leaders are either in jail or abroad. An attempt is being made to adopt the same method inside India, which will be opposed, he said. AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi called the bills unconstitutional and asked who would arrest the prime minister? All in all, the BJP government wants to make our country a police state through these billsWe will oppose them. The BJP is forgetting that power is not eternal, he added. The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to organise cultural programs once a week at various cultural, religious, and tourist sites across the state. These events will begin in August 2025 and continue until March 31, 2026. The initiative is aimed at strengthening the livelihood of folk artists and improving their economic condition. For each site, an honorarium of Rs 40,000 will be provided to the artistes per day, along with Rs 8,000 for programme arrangements, making a total of Rs 48,000 per site. Advertisement This information was shared on Wednesday by Uttar Pradesh Tourism & Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh at his official residence. Advertisement He informed that programmes will be held for around 15 days at each site. In this way, organising cultural programmes at 21 identified locations will incur an estimated expenditure of Rs 352.80 lakh. He added that such events will not only draw large numbers of devotees and tourists but also create local employment opportunities and increase state revenue. The minister further said that venues have already been identified for these cultural programmes. These include Kusumvan Sarovar, Mathura; Jhansi Fort; Ramghat, Chitrakoot; Subah-e-Banaras, Varanasi; Triveni Ghat, Prayagraj; Kudiyaghat, Lohia Park, Rai Umanath Bali, and Janeshwar Mishra Park in Lucknow; Shukr Teerth, Muzaffarnagar; Ramgarh Tal, Gorakhpur; Ram Ki Paidi, Ayodhya, and Samour Baba Dham, Firozabad. The list also includes Sita Samahit Sthal, Bhadohi; Bateshwar Dham, Agra; Parmeshwari Dham, Azamgarh; Vindhyavasini Temple, Vindhyachal; Prem Mandir, Vrindavan; Naimisharanya Dham, Sitapur; Devipatan Temple, Balrampur; Garhmukteshwar, Hapur; Shakumbhari Devi, Saharanpur; and Sheetla Dham Temple, Mainpuri. Minister Jaiveer Singh emphasised that these programs will also help preserve fading forms of folk music and traditional art, while simultaneously providing financial support to artists. He noted that the state government, particularly through the Culture Department, is committed to the preservation and promotion of folk arts. The objective is not only to safeguard these art forms but also to pass them on to the younger generation. At the same time, such events will enhance public interest and attraction towards cultural, religious, and tourism destinations across the state. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) in Moscow on Wednesday. The session, aimed at further deepening bilateral relations, is a key engagement in his ongoing three-day official visit to Russia from August 19 to 21. Advertisement The External Affairs Minister is also scheduled to address the India-Russia Business Forum, where both sides will explore avenues to bolster trade and investment ties. Advertisement Jaishankars visit comes at the invitation of Denis Manturov, the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted the strategic significance of the visit. Dr. S. Jaishankar will undertake an official visit to Russia on 19-21 August 2025 to co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) scheduled for 20 August 2025, the MEA said in a statement. The visit aims to further strengthen the longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, the statement further said. During his stay, Jaishankar will also hold bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The meeting marks a continuation of frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries. The two leaders had previously met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers meeting on July 15, as well as during the recent BRICS Summit. Earlier this year, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also visited Moscow for Foreign Office Consultations with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, underscoring the consistent diplomatic momentum between New Delhi and Moscow. The visit precedes a potential high-level interaction, as Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday criticised the introduction of three new bills that provide for the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers if they remain in custody for 30 days. He said the move would push the country back to medieval times. We are going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at his will. If he didnt like someones face, he could get the ED to arrest them, and a democratically elected person could be thrown out within 30 days, the Leader of the Opposition remarked. Advertisement Advertisement We are going back to medieval times pic.twitter.com/jiZOSysbue Congress (@INCIndia) August 20, 2025 Rahul, wearing a black T-shirt as a mark of protest against the bills, added: There is a war going on between those who are attacking the Constitution and those who are defending it. His remarks came hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled three bills The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha. The amendments provide a legal framework to remove the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, or ministers who are arrested and remain in custody for 30 consecutive days on charges punishable with imprisonment of five years or more. Such removal will take effect on the 31st day. According to the provisions, the President will effect the removal of the Prime Minister or Union ministers, the Governor in the case of Chief Ministers, the Chief Minister for state ministers, and the Lieutenant Governor in the case of a Union Territory Chief Minister. However, the Opposition has strongly opposed the bills, describing them as draconian and an attempt to topple non-BJP governments. Congress MP Manish Tewari said the bills violate the basic structure of the Constitution. The Constitution of India and the rule of law say that you are innocent until proven guilty. This has enormous potential for misuse of state power and is destructive of Article 21 of the Constitution, he stated. RJD MP Manoj Jha echoed similar concerns, calling the bills an attempt to impose Opposition-free democracy. There is an important, clear distinction in law between the accused and the convicted. That distinction has now ended. They are turning their concept of Opposition-free democracy into reality. I alert Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar, and others in their party perhaps they want to target someone against them too, Jha said. The protest in Parliament escalated when some Opposition MPs tore copies of the bills and hurled them towards Home Minister Amit Shah. Amid the uproar, Shah proposed referring the bills to a Joint Committee of Parliament. The motion was adopted, and the bills were referred to a Joint Committee comprising 21 members of the Lok Sabha (to be appointed by the Speaker) and 10 members of the Rajya Sabha (to be nominated by the Deputy Chairman). Russian diplomat Roman Babushkin on Wednesday reflected on high tariffs imposed by the US on Indian goods and said that if the West criticises you, it means you are doing everything right. On the US trade adviser stating that India should stop buying Russian oil, Roman Babushkin, Charge dAffaires of the Russian Embassy in India, said, If the West criticises you, it means you are doing everything rightWe dont expect that to happen (India to stop buying oil from India). We know about the challenging circumstances for India. Advertisement #WATCH | Delhi | On US trade adviser stating India should stop buying Russian oil, Roman Babushkin, Charge dAffaires of the Russian Embassy in India,If the West criticises you, it means you are doing everything rightWe dont expect that to happen (India to stop buying oil pic.twitter.com/THIeVouyiy Advertisement ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 He stated, This is the true strategic partnership we are enjoying. Whatever happens, even during challenges, we are committed to removing any problemsThe recent phone call by President Putin to PM Modi ji, explaining and sharing the information about recent developments in Ukraine, means India matters a lot to Russia. We are capable of finding any solution for mutual satisfaction. The deepening of our partnership will help us grow together We have seen this problem of sanctions for many years now, but our trade is growing. In recent years, our trade has grown by 7 times, he added. India is a global power and a leading economy with a diversified foreign policy, he further added. In August 2025, the US under President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on Indian importsfirst a 25% reciprocal tariff starting August 1, followed by an additional 25% penalty tied specifically to Indias continued purchases of discounted Russian oilbringing the total tariff to a staggering 50%. ALMATY, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday chaired a meeting on the economy and budget planning, where officials presented reports on the current economic situation, future development prospects and parameters of the 2026-28 state budget. Tokayev stressed the need for careful planning and efficient use of financial resources at both the national and local levels. He said the budget must remain balanced while covering social commitments and long-term regional development plans, with funds allocated and spent as intended. He added that sustainable growth depends on consistent fiscal policy and tighter monitoring to improve transparency and accountability in public spending. Following the long standing demand of several right wing organisations, the Union government has approved the renaming of Jalalabad town in Uttar Pradeshs Shahjahanpur district to Parshurampuri. Union Minister Jitin Prasada, who hails from Shahjahanpur district, thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for granting approval for the name change. Advertisement Heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the Honorable Home Minister Shri Amit Shah ji for granting permission to change the name of Jalalabad in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to Parshurampuri! Prasada wrote on X. Advertisement He also expressed his gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, saying the decision has provided a moment of pride for the entire Sanatani community. The minister also shared a letter Ministry of Home Affairs letter addressed to the UP Chief Secretary, that stated Government of India has No Objection to the change of the name of town Jalalabad as Parshurampuri District Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Following the Home Ministrys approval, the Uttar Pradesh government is expected to issue a Gazette Notification spelling the new name accordingly in Devanagri (Hindi), Roman (English) and Regional languages. Earlier, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti had suggested to Yogi Adityanath to change the name of Shahjahanpur. We should not continue the names of the city that showcase our slavery era, she had commented. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said that it was not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India, asserting that New Delhi doesnt allow political activities against other countries on its soil. The response from the MEA came after the Interim Government of Bangladesh expressed concern over the reported opening of the offices of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas party Awami League in India, saying that such a development poses a threat to bilateral relations between Dhaka and New Delhi. Advertisement This development also risks upholding the good-neighbourly relations with India driven by mutual trust and mutual respect, and lends serious implications for the political transformation underway in Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Advertisement Responding to Dhakas statement, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, The Government of India is not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action that is contrary to Indian law. The Government does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil. Jaiswal further stated that the press statement by the Interim Government of Bangaldesh calling for action against the reported establishment of offices of the banned Awami League in New Delhi and Kolkata, was misplaced. Jaiswal also reiterated that New Delhi expects free, fair and inclusive elections be held in Bangaldesh at the earliest to ascertain the will and mandate of the people. The row over purported Awami League offices comes in the backdrop of strained ties between New Delhi and Dhaka in the wake of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas ouster. Hasina is reportedly residing in India after fleeing Bangladesh following a massive student uprising against her government last year. Leaders of the opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh courted controversy on Wednesday as they tied a memorandum addressed to the Collector, on a dog after the Collector did not come to receive the same in the Chhindwara district of the state. The incident occurred during the Congress partys protest outside the Chhindwara Collectorate. Advertisement The party staged the protest on various issues including shortage of fertilizers for farmers, illegal activities of land mafias, and vote theft, among others. Advertisement Scores of Congress workers gathered at a park and conducted a public meeting. From there, the protesters marched to the Collector office and staged a dharna for about an hour. MP Congress Chief Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, former minister Sukhdev Panse and other leaders were present during the protest. The protesters sat outside the Collectors office demanding that the official receive a memorandum from them. However, the Collector did not meet the protesters and other officials of the police and district administration asked the Congress leaders to hand over the memorandum to them. Nonetheless, the Congress leaders remained adamant that they would give the memorandum only to the Collector. But when the Collector did not come to take the memorandum even after about an hour, the irate Congress leaders tied the piece of paper with their demands to the neck of a stray dog. National Democratic Alliances Vice-Presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan on Wednesday met former prime minister H D Deve Gowda here. Gowda expressed happiness for Radhakrishnan being selected as the NDA candidate for the post. Advertisement The Vice-Presidential election is scheduled for September 9. Advertisement Today, Maharashtra Governor and NDA Vice-Presidential candidate, C P Radhakrishnan, met me; its an honour for me. C P Radhakrishnan has a lot of experience. He has also served as the Governor of many states. He has been selected by PM Modi, and I am very happy that he has been selected, Gowda said. Earlier in the day, Radhakrishnan filed his nomination papers for the Vice Presidential elections in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju and Arjun Ram Meghwal were also present on the occasion. Meanwhile, Modi said that Radhakrishnan will prove an outstanding Vice President of India. The NDA family is confident that he will be an outstanding VP and will enrich our journey towards national progress, the Prime Minister posted on X. Radhakrishnan paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Rani Lakshmibai, B R Ambedkar and Bhagwan Birsa Munda in the premises of Parliament. On Tuesday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced the name of Sudershan Reddy as Vice Presidential candidate of the opposition parties. This Vice-Presidential contest is an ideological battle. All Opposition parties have nominated Shri B Sudershan Reddy Garu as their joint candidate for the position of the Vice President of India, he said in a social media post. Senior Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also said that the Opposition is united in this ideological battle. I warmly congratulate B Sudershan Reddy Garu on being nominated as the joint opposition candidate for the Vice President of India. A distinguished jurist and champion of justice, he represents the spirit of our Constitution safeguarding peoples rights, equality and our democracy. We stand united in this ideological battle and wish him all the very best, Gandhi posted on X. He is expected to file his nomination on August 21. The Vande Bharat rail service between Bikaner and Delhi is expected to start its run soon. The information was shared by Bikaner MP and Union Minister of State (MoS) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on his X handle on Wednesday. Advertisement This service would reduce the journey time between Bikaner Delhi Cantt by almost one-and-a-half hours and also make the travel comfortable. Hence, it would give a boost to tourism, business trade activities and the pace of industrialization too, he said. Advertisement The Law Minister also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the gift of the new service to the people of Bikaner. According to official sources, the new service may be launched next month. The time taken to reach Delhi Cantt from Bikaner will be almost six hours. On the way, it would have a brief stopover at Ratangarh, Churu, Loharu and Rewari stations. This would be the third Vande Bharat Rail service in Rajasthan. Presently, two Vande Bharat trains run between Ajmer Delhi and Jodhpur Sabarmati (Ahmedabad). The state is also waiting for the launch of another Vande Bharat service between Jaipur and Jodhpur. The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday witnessed noisy scenes during Question Hour as the ruling and opposition members sparred over the issue of employment. Heated exchanges marked the proceedings after questions were raised on job creation figures. Advertisement Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured the House that this year will bring only jobs, but the Opposition demanded clarity on why employment numbers had dipped compared to earlier claims. Dissatisfied with his response, BJP members staged a walkout. Advertisement Responding to questions from Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and other BJP MLAs Vipin Singh Parmar, Satpal Singh Satti and Bikram Singh the Chief Minister reiterated that all promises made in the Congress manifesto would be fulfilled within five years. He also confirmed that the commitment of providing Rs 1,500 to women would be honoured. Sukhu said that candidates selected through the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission and the State Staff Selection Commission would be regularised after two years of service. The term contract, he added, had been replaced with trainee following a court order. He informed the House that 5,960 posts had been created across various departments. He accused the previous BJP government of opening institutions without creating posts or filling vacancies. The Chief Minister stated that 7,000 posts had been filled in the Education Department alone, along with 5,000 pump operators and 1,100 nurses. Results for 200 doctors posts were awaited, and appointments for 6,200 NTT teachers would be made within two months, he stated. He added that the government was facilitating overseas employment opportunities for state youth, with discussions underway with agencies in Europe and Japan. Some youths had already secured jobs in Saudi Arabia, he said. The BJP, however, questioned inconsistencies in the figures. Vipin Parmar pointed out that while the government earlier claimed 34,980 jobs were given, on August 15 the Chief Minister himself said 23,191 people had been employed. Why this contradiction? he asked, demanding an apology to the youth. Bikram Thakur and Satpal Satti also pressed the government over its promise of five lakh jobs in five years, alleging that the prpmises were not being fulfilled. Jai Ram Thakur accused the Chief Minister of misleading the House. Earlier you said 34,980 jobs, now you claim 23,191. Where have 11,000 jobs gone? he asked. Hitting back, the Chief Minister said the Opposition was confused and only seeking excuses to walk out. If I am lying, bring a privilege motion against me, Sukhu challenged. Police have arrested the man who allegedly attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai in Delhi on Wednesday. According to Delhi Police, the accused identified himself as Rajesh Sakriya and said that he belonged to Rajkot, Gujarat. Rajesh Sakriyas mother, Bhanuben, claimed he acted out of his love for dogs after watching videos of dogs being taken away in Delhi. Advertisement She appealed to the CM for forgiveness, citing their poverty and Rajeshs devotion to Mahadev. Advertisement Rajesh left home saying he was going to Ujjain, where he visits often, but later revealed he was in Delhi for the dogs. #WATCH | Bhanuben, mother of Rajesh Khimji, who attacked Delhi CM Rekha Gupta today, says, My son did this out of his love for dogs. I appeal to the CM that we are poor people, my son should be forgiven He is a devotee of Mahadev. He left home saying that he was going to https://t.co/qbnsyljq3r pic.twitter.com/mKA7zxHabs ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 Footage showed him surveying the CMs Shalimar Bagh residence on August 19, a day before the attack. As per the accuseds neighbour, Sureshbhai, Khimji is a simple and generous man who loves animals. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta attacked at her residence during public event; attempt to murder charge filed against accused I have known him for the last 5-6 years. He is a simple and generous man who has a love for animals, Sureshbhai told a news agency. Bhanuben, mother of Rajesh Sakriya, who attacked the Delhi CM today, said, I have no information. One man has been apprehended for allegedly attacking Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public grievance session at her Civil Lines residence in the national capital, Delhi Police said. The accused identified himself as Rajesh Sakriya and said that he belonged to Rajkot, Gujarat, they said. The incident occurred during the weekly Jan Sunvai programme when a man in his mid-30s approached her, handed over a paper, suddenly shouted, slapped her, pulled her hair, and hurled abuses, as per the police. As per police sources, a heavy object was hurled at her, causing her to fall to the ground. The Chief Minister is currently under medical observation while senior Delhi Police officials are on the spot. Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva strongly condemned the attack on CM Rekha Gupta during the weekly Jan Sunvai. A participant of the programme described the incident, stating, I had come from Uttam Nagar with a complaint over the sewer. When I reached the gates, chaos broke out because the CM was slapped. This is wrong Meanwhile, Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav condemned the incident, calling it unfortunate. He said, This is very unfortunate. The CM leads the entire Delhi, and I think that the more such incidents are condemned, the less they will be. But this incident also exposes womens safety. If the CM of Delhi is not safe, how can a common man or common woman be safe? One of the people present on the spot, Anjali, said, This is wrong. Everyone has the right to Jan Sunvai. If an imposter can slap her, this is a big deal I was there. The person was speaking, and he suddenly slapped. Police have taken him away Reportedly, the accused was carrying some court-related documents in his hands at the time of the attack on the Chief Minister. The confrontation between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Election Commission of India has opened a troubling new chapter in the political discourse of the country. By accusing the Commission of colluding with the ruling party to steal votes, Mr Gandhi has hurled one of the gravest charges imaginable in a democracy. The Commission, in turn, has responded with unusual sharpness, demanding either an affidavit or an apology. What should have been a sober debate over the integrity of the electoral roll has now snowballed into a test of credibility between a constitutional body and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Gandhis allegations are not without context. Concerns about inflated or manipulated voter lists have been part of Indian elections for decades. The problem lies in the manner of his campaign. Instead of placing evidence on record through the mechanisms available ~ such as election petitions or formal objections to the rolls ~ he has chosen to bypass due process and escalate his claims through mass rallies and social media. This strategy creates suspicion but offers little in terms of legal remedy. The Election Commission, for its part, has sought to project strength by issuing a stark ultimatum. The insistence on an oath or apology, however, risks sending out the impression that the institution is more interested in protecting its reputation than in calmly addressing legitimate queries. Advertisement A constitutional body that has long enjoyed public trust must remember that credibility is reinforced by openness, not by defensiveness. Electoral rolls, by their very nature, are prone to clerical errors, duplication, and manipulation at the margins. Political parties of every hue have historically tried to exploit this. To pretend otherwise is to overlook the lived history of Indian democracy. What is needed is not a shouting match between institutions and opposition leaders, but a transparent mechanism that addresses doubts with facts, timelines, and accountability. The danger of the present standoff is that it reduces a systemic issue into a personal duel. The Congress has taken a maximalist stance by painting the entire democratic edifice as compromised. Advertisement The Commission, instead of engaging with the data calmly, has allowed itself to appear combative. In the process, the electorate ~ the constituency whose faith both sides claim to defend ~ has been left confused and polarised. Ultimately, Mr Gandhis campaign may succeed in energising his supporters, but unless backed by verifiable evidence it will remain a political slogan rather than a democratic corrective. The Commission, meanwhile, must recognise that every allegation, however ill-framed, is also an opportunity to reaffirm its transparency. Indian democracy has endured seven decades of turbulence precisely because its institutions were able to command trust despite imperfections. That trust must not be squandered in the heat of political battle. The abrupt cancellation of US trade negotiators planned visit to New Delhi from 25 to 29 August, just days before punitive tariffs were to take effect, marks a pivotal moment in US-India relations. Hopes for a breakthrough or even a temporary respite vanished overnight. What should alarm us most isnt the tariff hike to 50 per cent ~ though that is severe ~ but the clear signal that economic coercion is being wielded as diplomacy. India finds itself in the crosshairs over its continued purchase of discounted Russian oil, an understandable pragmatic choice. Our energy needs and access to affordable fuel ~ a matter of national interest should not be overshadowed by geopolitical posturing. Western economies, including the US and EU, continue their own imports from Russia, yet India is singled out. This isnt just inequitable ~ its perilously hypocritical. The USs stubborn insistence that India open its farm and dairy sectors and abandon energy partnerships is revealing: it demands compromise, but delivers little in return. It is a negotiation tilted in favour of one side, undermining the notion of a truly bilaterally beneficial agreement. Advertisement The cancellation of the sixth round of talks underscores that the US isnt merely frustrated by lagging progress ~ it is weaponising patience. But lets reflect on Indias broader strategy. Prime Minister Narendra Modis Independence Day speech, reiterating self-reliance in manufacturing and a protective stance for farmers, was timely. If external forces aim to impose their will through tariffs, Indias answer lies in economic resilience ~ diversifying markets, adding value internally, and doubling down on Make in India. Advertisement Even before this crisis, analysts warned that up to 87 per cent of Indias exports to the US could be impacted by reciprocal tariffs; with the escalation to 50 per cent, the stakes are existential for key sectors like textiles, gems, pharmaceuticals, and leather. The tariff escalation is also a wake-up call for Indias exporters. Too often, dependence on a single dominant market leaves businesses vulnerable to sudden shifts in policy abroad. This is the moment to accelerate outreach to Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America ~ regions where Indias products are competitive and political frictions less likely to intrude on commerce. Theres also a strategic dimension. A breakdown in trust with India weakens the larger geopolitical architecture of the Indo-Pacific, including the Quad. Nuanced diplomacy thrives on flexibility, not ultimatums. India remains committed to its global partnerships ~ but on terms that respect sovereign interest and economic logic. In solidarity with global opinion ~ from economists calling the US move self-destructive to commentators noting the deepening rift between the two nations ~ India must proceed carefully but firmly. The turn of events is not a setback, it is a crucible. It tests Indias capacity to stand tall amid multinational pressure, to modernise strategically, and to uphold our values of autonomy, fairness, and resilience. Let the world know: India does not yield under coercion but will always engage on its own terms. KABUL, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 64 commuters have been killed and three others sustained injuries in a deadly road mishap in western Afghanistan's Herat province on Tuesday night, head of the rescue department in the province, Abdul Zahir Noorzai, said Wednesday. The accident took place after a passenger bus collided with a motorbike and a mini-truck on a road linking the neighboring Iran to Herat city in Afghanistan, the official added. The majority of the victims, including women and children, were Afghan refugees who returned from Iran to settle in their homeland, Afghanistan, according to the official. In the meantime, another official, on the condition of anonymity, said that the passenger bus caught fire and many bodies could not be recognized. The number of the victims, according to the official, could go up as the collection of information continues. For decades, Indias space story was written by one name, ISRO. From the humble launch of Aryabhata in 1975 to the historic Chandrayaan-3 moon landing, it has been the crown jewel of Indian science. But while our scientists were conquering the cosmos, there remained a silent vulnerability: we were still dependent on foreign satellites for critical Earth Observation (EO) data. That changes now. Advertisement In a landmark announcement, four Indian companies, PixxelSpace India, Piersight Space, Satsure Analytics India, and Dhruva Space, will join forces to build and operate Indias first indigenous commercial EO satellite constellation. Over the next five years, they will invest more than 1,200 crore to deploy 12 state-of-the-art satellites under the EO-PPP (public-private partnership) model facilitated by IN-SPACe, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre under the Department of Space. Advertisement This is not just an industrial project; it is a strategic necessity. In the age of information warfare, the country that controls high-resolution Earth data controls a vast strategic advantage. From tracking enemy troop movements to monitoring illegal land grabs, from assessing crop yields to spotting disaster zones in real time, EO satellites are the eyes of a modern nation. Until now, Indias eyes have often relied on imported lenses. That was not just a commercial inconvenience; it was a potential national security hazard. By developing our own EO network designed, built, and operated entirely by Indian talent, this project will slash dependence on foreign providers and ensure data sovereignty. The satellites will feature Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), enabling them to map the Earths surface day or night, in any weather. That means they will not blink during monsoons, cloud cover, or darkness, ideal for maritime surveillance, border monitoring, and infrastructure tracking. They will serve applications ranging from precision agriculture to environmental compliance, urban planning, and disaster relief. In short, these satellites will be a tool for governance, security, and economic growth simultaneously. The timing could not be better. The governments target is to grow Indias space economy from $8.4 billion in 2022 to $44 billion by 2033. But this growth cannot come from ISRO alone; it needs a thriving private space sector. The EO-PPP framework is an ideal blend: the government provides strategic, technical, and policy support, while private firms bring innovation, agility, and risk-taking ability. This is exactly the model that allowed private players like SpaceX in the US to revolutionise global space access. But theres a difference: Indias approach is rooted in national interest, not just profit. Today, when even social media data is weaponized, why should India leave its geospatial intelligence in foreign hands? This is why this project is more than a business; its a shield for our sovereignty. Critics may argue about the cost of 1,200 crore over five years, but that is a fraction of the strategic and economic value these satellites will generate. Every cyclone predicted more accurately, every illegal mining site detected early, and every floodplain mapped in time will save lives, resources, and billions in disaster recovery costs. Add to that the economic spin-offs of data services, AI-driven analytics, space manufacturing jobsand the multiplier effect becomes obvious. Its also worth noting that this private consortium is not a foreign investment play. These are homegrown companies, led by Indian engineers, funded by Indian capital, and aligned with Indian strategic goals. Pixxel CEO Awais Ahmed has called this a testament to Indias vision for a vibrant space economy. Piersight co-founder Gaurav Seth has highlighted that their focus is on delivering ready-to-use intelligence, not just raw data. This shift from image delivery to decision support is crucial because in modern governance, speed is security. When agencies can get actionable alerts within minutes, they can act, not just react. From a civilisational perspective, this is a continuation of Bharats journey from being seen as a consumer of technology to becoming a creator and exporter. Just as the IT revolution turned India into the back office of the world, the space-tech revolution can turn us into a global hub for geospatial intelligence, serving both national and international clients on our terms. The symbolism is powerful: four agile Indian firms, with government backing, taking charge of our space-based intelligence infrastructure. This is not outsourcing our future; this is insourcing our destiny. And as these satellites take their positions in orbit, they will not just be circling Earth, they will be orbiting around the idea of a self-reliant, secure, and strategically empowered Bharat. If we execute well, this could be the start of Indias second space age, one where sovereignty is safeguarded not just by soldiers at the border, but also by satellites in the sky. The writer is a techie, political analyst, and author. A court in Dhaka on Tuesday announced a travel ban on Bangladeshs former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas former military secretary Major General (Retd.) Salahuddin Miaji and three of his family members over corruption allegations. Three of Miajis family members who have been placed under travel ban include his wife Nazma Begum and daughters Samiha Sabnam and Raisa Sabnam, Bangladeshs leading newspaper Daily Star reported. Judge Zakir Hossain Galib of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judges Court announced the decision after ACC Deputy Director Rezaul Karim, who is leading the inquiry team, presented an application in this regard. Advertisement In the application, the ACC official claimed that Miaji, who is also a former lawmaker from Jhenaidah-3 constituency, received a huge amount of money through illegal means and corruption. He was involved in grabbing land through abuse of power at Chanchra union of Jashore. Furthermore, he developed a park on 400 bigha of land at Chanchra union. Advertisement The ACC official stated that a credible source informed him that Miaji and his family members were trying to flee the nation. In case they escaped from the nation, the inquiry into the allegations brought against them will get hindered. The ACC in its application stated that an order is needed to stop them from running away from the nation, as per the report. Salahuddin Miaji and his brother-in-law were arrested on February 18 from his privately-owned Shyamol Chhaya Park in Rudrapur village under Chanchra union of Jashore Sadar Upazila. Prior to that, Miaji and his brother-in-law were surrounded by students and local residents. Members of the joint forces reached the site, detained them and later handed them over to the police. On Monday, a Bangladeshi court ordered former Law Minister Anisul Huq to be shown arrested in connection with two cases linked to last years July demonstrations. Additionally, former Election Commission (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed was also taken into custody in a separate case filed with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station in Dhaka, on alleged charges of election manipulation, local media reported. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Monirul Islam passed the order after the accused were produced before the court, granting the request of the investigation officers to have Anisul Huq shown arrested. Huq was shown arrested in two cases over the alleged murder of an electrician named Mohammad Shawon Sikder and the attempted murder of another individual, Ashraful alias Fahin, in Lalbagh during last years July protests, Bangladeshi daily Jugantor reported. Citing the case statement, local media reported that Shawon was shot dead on July 19 last year in front of Eden College in Dhaka while returning home during the protests. Subsequently, on January 21, a case was lodged against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 40 others. In the other case, Ashraful filed a case on May 25 against Hasina and 130 others, alleging that he was shot during the protests on July 18 inside Azimpur government colony in Dhaka. Meanwhile, former Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin was shown to be arrested in a case over allegations of election fraud and treason. Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader (BNP) Salah Uddin Khan filed the case on June 22 at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station, accusing three former chief election commissioners and 24 others of manipulating the 10th to 12th parliamentary elections. On June 25, additional charges of treason, fraud, and embezzlement were brought against them. These latest developments come amid the ongoing crackdown on Awami League leaders, along with the officials associated with the party, under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could happen in the next two weeks. Speaking in an interview with the French LCI news channel, Macron said that Putin, who held phone talks with US President Donald Trump on Monday, expressed his readiness to meet Zelensky within that timeframe, Xinhua News Agency reported. Advertisement We have decided to have a bilateral meeting between the two Presidents, then a trilateral meeting (with Trump), and then a multilateral meeting where the Europeans must be at the table, Macron said. Advertisement The French President added that such meetings should be held in Europe, reflecting the collective will of European leaders. Unlike their 2019 meeting in France, Macron suggested that the upcoming meetings could take place in a neutral country, such as Switzerland or Turkey, where Russia and Ukraine have previously held bilateral talks. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia proposed a bilateral meeting with Ukraine, followed by a trilateral meeting. In a news conference following his meetings with US President Donald Trump at the White House, Zelensky said on Monday that he is ready for any format of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said that he would participate in the following trilateral meeting, depending on how the first meeting goes. Zelensky added that he does not know the details about the proposed bilateral meeting. He said that he does not want to impose conditions on the meeting because Putin would follow with his own conditions. I believe unconditionally we should meet and think about the further development of this path to the end of the war, he said. Putin told Trump on Monday that he is willing to meet Zelensky, a person familiar with the call said. Putin told Trump, whom he met Friday in Alaska, of his readiness to meet Zelensky during a telephone call in a break from White House talks in Washington with European leaders, the person said on condition of anonymity. Trump said on Monday that he had started arranging a two-way peace meeting between Ukraines Zelensky and Russias Putin to be followed by three-way talks involving himself. At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky, he said after hosting the Ukrainian President and European leaders at the White House. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself. The Baloch National Movement (BNM) commemorated 11 August as Pledge Renewal Day with gatherings in Kech, Gwadar and Awaran regions, reaffirming their commitment to the struggle for Balochistans independence and condemning Pakistans authority as a form of colonial domination. During an event in the Kech Gwadar Zone, prominent BNM figures such as Information and Culture Secretary Qazi Dad Mohammad Rehan, Finance Secretary Nasir Baloch, Zonal President Baba J.R., and Zonal General Secretary Bahaar Baloch spoke to members of the party. The speakers stated, We have lost our freedom, but not our dignity. 11 August is not a day of celebration; rather, it serves as a reminder that we were once free, and we must reclaim that freedom. Advertisement They characterised freedom as escaping from Pakistans bondage, highlighting the constant threats of arrest, abduction, and enforced disappearances in Balochistan. They emphasised that Pledge Renewal Day, initially suggested by the martyred leader Waja Ghulam Mohammad Baloch, should be marked as a serious recommitment to the cause, not as a festive occasion. The leaders indicated that the current movement signifies the fifth phase of the Baloch freedom struggle, with both men and women making significant sacrifices. Pakistan was labelled as an adversary lacking civilisation that continues to perpetrate violence, but the Baloch people remain united in their resistance. In the Awaran Zone, the BNM held smaller assemblies attended by local supporters and members. Advertisement They contended that Pakistans governance extends the colonial legacy established by the British, who originally acquired Baloch lands through deceptive agreements before completely taking over. Today, Pakistan acts as a vestige of colonialism, stripping the Baloch nation of its freedom and denying it all rights, the speakers asserted. The BNM concluded by reiterating that the Baloch nation would never abandon its quest for freedom and would continue to fight against bondage until liberation is realised. Another Baloch youth was brutally murdered in Balochistans Kech district by Pakistan-backed death squads as the cycle of persecution continues amid a surge in extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture across the province, a leading human rights organisation alleged on Tuesday. Condemning the extrajudicial killing, Paank, the Baloch National Movements Human Rights Department, mentioned that 22-year-old Hatim Dilpul, a resident of Tajhaban, Kech, was targetted while performing a routine taskcarrying groceries and essential supplies to his elderly grandparents in the mountainous area of the region. Advertisement Citing reports, the rights body stated that the Pakistani death squads indiscriminately fired on him, leaving his body riddled with bullets. His remains were later recovered, bearing clear signs of targetted execution. Advertisement This heinous act follows a pattern of threats, harassment, and intimidation that Hatim had previously endured from the same state-backed death squads. His killing is not an isolated incident but part of the wider, systematic campaign of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, and collective punishment carried out against the Baloch civilian population with complete impunity, read a statement issued by Paank. The rights body held Pakistan fully responsible for this crime and called on the international human rights organisations, the United Nations, and the global community to urgently intervene, demand accountability, and ensure justice for Adam Dilpul and countless other victims of state-sponsored atrocities in Balochistan. Meanwhile, highlighting another incident of enforced disappearance, Paank stated that on the night of August 17, Pakistani security forces forcibly disappeared Baloch youth Mir Yousaf Ali from Karachi. The rights body stated that according to his father, this is not the first tragedy the family has endured, as 15 years ago, three of Yousafs elder brothers and more than 30 relatives were forcibly disappeared from the Tootak area of Khuzdar district in Balochistan. None of them has been seen or heard since their disappearance. Paank strongly condemned the enforced disappearance of Yousaf Ali, calling the act a blatant violation of international human rights laws and a continuation of Pakistans ongoing war crimes in Balochistan. Furthermore, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) stated that a Baloch family protesting the enforced disappearance of their son by Pakistani forces continued their sit-in demonstrations outside the Karachi Press Club for the 15th consecutive day on Tuesday despite heavy rain. Zahid Ali, a 25-year-old International Relations student at the University of Karachi, was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces on July 17, along with his rickshaw that he drove part-time to support his family. This morning, Karachi witnessed heavy rain, yet Zahids father, Abdul Hameed a hepatitis patient with declining health remained at the camp, refusing to abandon the sit-in for even a moment. His only demand is the safe release of his son, stated the BYC The human rights body urged students, civil society, media, and all concerned citizens to stand with Abdul Hameed and his family during their time of struggle. HANOI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam is set to tighten car emission standards in the capital Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City beginning in 2027, according to a draft decision from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. Cars manufactured from 2017 will be required to meet Level 4 standards from January 2027, while those produced from 2022 must comply with Level 5 standards starting January 2028, local newspaper Tuoi Tre (Youth) reported Wednesday. Level 4 and Level 5 are categories defined under the circular on Vietnam's National Technical Regulations on Emissions of Automobiles Participating in Road Traffic, issued in June 2025, which set maximum permissible exhaust limits to reduce pollution and improve air quality. The proposal assigns ministries to ensure fuel quality, update inspection protocols, and enforce compliance, while granting local governments the right to adopt stricter timelines if needed, the report added. In July, Vietnam also announced a ban on fossil-fuel-powered motorbikes and mopeds from entering Hanoi's inner Ring Road 1 starting July 1, 2026, as part of a broader effort to combat air pollution. Saint-Laurent, QC (H4T1V6) Today Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 68F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 54F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. TASHKENT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan exported cherries worth 51 million U.S. dollars in the first seven months this year, the National Statistics Committee said Tuesday. "From January to July 2025, Uzbekistan exported 25.2 thousand tons of cherries valued at 51 million U.S. dollars to 17 countries," the committee said. Russia was the main market for Uzbek cherries, importing 18,200 tons, followed by Kazakhstan with 3,600 tons and Kyrgyzstan with 2,700 tons, it added. Uzbekistan's GDP is expected to grow by 6.5 percent in 2025, local media reported in June, citing the Eurasian Development Bank. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. It is a well-known truism that wars are a violent extension of state politics. After the high-intensity USIraq War of the early 2000s, many believed that the futility and massive costs of such conflicts would deter large-scale wars in the future. Unfortunately, that expectation was misplaced. The RussiaUkraine war, which began on February 24, 2022, and continues more than three years later, has shown that prolonged wars are not going away. This is why the world looked forward to the recent TrumpPutin peace talks in Alaska on August 15, aimed at ending the conflict. Although inconclusive, the negotiations highlighted that Russia is unwilling to give up most of the Ukrainian territories it occupied or captured before and during the war, and it appears there is not much that Ukraine's Western backers may be able to do about it. Over the past three and a half years, the RussiaUkraine war has become a laboratory of modern warfare, in the backdrop of evolving global power equations. Both strategic and tactical lessons are being drawn, many of which hold relevance for Indias national security. Strategic lessons from the Russia-Ukraine War There are a number of important lessons from the war that have implications at the politico-strategic level. 1. Wars will remain instruments of politics - prolonged wars favour the stronger side The Russia-Ukraine conflict illustrates that wars, whether initiated directly or through proxies, will continue to occur, as states pursue political aims. And for Ukraine, being a proxy has not implied that support from backers has been wholehearted and guaranteed throughout. Also, the war has not been short or decisive as was initially planned by Russia, but has stretched into a prolonged attritional struggle. The prolonged war has favoured Russia, the stronger side, as time has gradually weakened Ukraine, the weaker. For India, this implies not just preparing for swift conflicts but for long-drawn wars and prolonged standoffs too. The war also highlights the importance of staying away from getting caught up in a situation of becoming a proxy for a major power. A strong and sustained warfighting capability needs to be built up. Stockpiles of ammunition, precision-guided munitions (PGMs), drones, and spare parts are essential. Indias drive toward Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence must accelerate, with particular focus on artillery, drones, PGMs, air defence and electronic warfare. 2. Once lost in war, it may not be possible to recover territory through diplomacy It is apparent that, in the current state of global and regional geopolitics, loss of territory in war would be extremely difficult to reverse through diplomacy. India shares a long-contested border with its northern neighbouran aggressive major power, which is likely to continue its 'salami slicing' policy. Preventing loss of land would be a more doable option than trying to recover it after loss. Thus, deterrence must not be just symbolic, but should be based on strong warfighting capability. Therefore, the need for strength through deterrence, resilience, preparedness and self-reliance is paramount. 3. The character of war is rapidly changing While the fundamental nature of war remains constant, its character is swiftly evolving with technology. Modern conflicts are being fought across multiple domainsland, sea, air, cyber, space, and information. The RussiaUkraine war has been marked by drone warfare, precision-guided munitions (PGMs), AI-driven targeting, cyber operations, and grey-zone tactics. Ukraine benefitted from NATOs technological and informational support, leveraging Western media and diplomacy to mobilise global opinion. India must prepare for grey-zone warfare in peacetime and ensure readiness for technology-driven multi-domain wars against potential adversaries at extremely short notice. 4. Nuclear deterrence has limits Russias nuclear arsenal has deterred NATO from direct military intervention, but it has not stopped Western support to Ukraine in terms of arms, intelligence, and financial aid. Likewise, Indias nuclear capability may not prevent adversaries from initiating limited conflicts, as seen in Chinas 2020 intrusions in Ladakh. Deterrence against this northern neighbour cannot rest entirely on possession of nuclear weapons or defensive posturing. In the case of our western adversary, India must remain cautious about escalation but should not be overly constrained by its nuclear posturing. 5. Alliances and partnerships are vital Ukraines survival has depended heavily on NATOs logistical, financial, and technological support. Russia, in turn, has leaned on China, Iran, and North Korea, while maintaining pragmatic ties with Turkey despite its support for Ukraine. For India, this highlights the importance of cultivating strategic partnerships alongside self-reliance. Strong ties with the US, France, Japan, and Israel should be deepened, while also maintaining relations with Russia and Iran. Not creating new adversaries unnecessarily is equally important. 6. Resilience is decisive Ukraine has resisted strongly despite being the weaker side in the conflict, facing relentless Russian strikes on its energy, infrastructure, and cities. National morale, governance, and determination have allowed it to impose high costs on Russia. For India, this means keeping the armed forces motivated and resilient while hardening energy, telecom, and transport networks against cyber and missile strikes. National willpower can offset asymmetry in size and resources. 8. Airwarfare lessons As demonstrated by Ukraine, drones have become the air force of the weak. Moreover, despite stronger airpower resources, air dominance was not guaranteed to Russia due to challenges from resilient, dispersed and well-integrated Ukrainian air defences. The Russian Air Fforce has frequently targeted Ukrainian airfields, radars and command networks by launching drones, PGMs and glide bombs from stand-off ranges. Yet, hardened shelters, dispersal of air assets to advanced landing grounds and rapid runway repair have allowed Ukrainian air assets to survive. Besides, Ukraine has used asymmetric warfare means, such as innovative drone attacks in Operation Spider Web, to destroy crucial Russian airpower assets. 9. Naval warfare lessons The Russian Navy has maintained overall dominance of the northern and eastern Black Sea and continues to control access to Crimea. It has employed long-range precision strikes, launching Kalibr cruise missiles from Kilo-class submarines, to project power against Ukraine's ports and shipping, and to strike at Ukraine's infrastructure and power grids in depth, thus extending its role beyond traditional sea control missions. Its control of sea lanes and partial opening to allow Ukrainian exports of grains and metals has shown it can weaponise maritime trade effectively. Nonetheless, though Ukraine's navy has no large ships at its disposal, its asymmetric tactics, using sea drones, long-range missiles, like Neptune and Storm Shadow, and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) as well as drone swarms from the sea have resulted in heavy losses to Russia's Black Sea fleet at Sevastopol. Ukraine claims 27 Russian naval vessels have been destroyed or seriously damaged. This has forced Russia to re-base its main combat ships to Novorossiyisk and other ports, to avoid further casualties and remain operational. The Indian Navy too needs to strike deep inland from the sea. Ukraines use of asymmetric warfare assets, especially Neptune missiles, UAVs and naval drones against the Black Sea Fleet offers lessons for Indias potential confrontations with both our potential adversaries. Also, the need to enhance jointness between the Navy and the Air Force has been emphasised. Tactical Lessons from the Russia-Ukraine War 1. Drone-centric warfare Drones have dominated the Russia-Ukraine battlefield. Ukraine has employed Turkish TB-2s, long-range Bober drones, commercial quadcopters, first-person view (FPV) racing drones, Warmate loitering munitions, and Magura naval drones, often coordinated through AI-assisted targeting. Russia has used Lancet loitering drones, Iranian-designed Shaheds, Orlan UAVs, and custom FPVs for ISR and strikes. From $400 FPVs to long-range kamikaze drones, UAVs have proven decisive. India too must develop drone swarms, naval drones and loitering munitions as well as robust counter-drone capabilities for operations within and across its borders. 2. Precision-guided munitions (PGMs) Ukraines NATO-supplied Excalibur shells, HIMARS rockets, Javelin missiles, and Storm Shadow cruise missiles allowed it to maximise the effect of limited arsenals by destroying high-value targets with fewer munitions. Russia, by contrast, used mass PGMsFAB glide bombs, Kalibr cruise missiles, and Kinzhal hypersonic missilesto overwhelm defences and inflict psychological pressure. India must expand stocks of indigenous PGMs such as Pinaka rockets, SAAW, and BrahMos variants for achieving economy of effort through precision strikes. 3. Layered air defence Russias saturation tactics using drones and missiles have forced Ukraine to deploy a multi-layered air defence, including Patriot, NASAMS, and IRIS-T systems. India must integrate its S-400, Akash, QRSAM, and Iron Domelike systems into a seamless, multi-tiered defence architecture, backed by counter-drone capabilities. 4. Electronic warfare and communications Russias GPS jamming and electronic warfare (EW) disrupted Ukrainian drones and communications, but Ukraine adapted using Starlink and frequency agility. There are lessons in this from both sides. India must strengthen EW forces, secure both satellite and ground communications, and invest in resilient quantum and frequency-hopping systems. 5. Infantry and urban warfare Battles in Mariupol, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka underscored the enduring importance of infantry in close combat, trench warfare, and urban fighting. India must modernise infantry equipment, enhance night-fighting and drone capabilities, and train for dense urban and semi-urban combatsimilar to conditions on its borders. Conclusion The RussiaUkraine war has emphasised that future conflicts in our context will be multi-domain and technology-driven, and could well be protracted. Also, any loss of territory to a stronger, aggressive adversary will be extremely difficult to reverse diplomatically. For India, several imperatives emerge. Strategically, India must accelerate defence self-reliance, while simultaneously building military strength, resilience and reliable partnerships. Just as Ukraine leveraged civilian and corporate innovation, partnerships with private industry and startups in drones, AI, cyber, and EW are vital. More budget must be assigned to capital spending. Tactically, India must prioritise drone warfare, PGMs, stand-off air strikes, layered air defence, sea-launched missiles and modern infantry capabilities. Preparing for attritional, high-tech conflict with China in the Himalayas requires a focus on drones, EW, and cyber resilience. Against Pakistan, precision strikes and drone swarms may deliver early gains, but the possibility of saturation attacks in return must be anticipated. In the maritime sphere, Ukraines use of asymmetric warfare assets, especially Neptune missiles, UAVs and naval drones against the Black Sea Fleet offers lessons for Indias potential confrontations with both our potential adversaries. The overarching message is clear: India must prepare not just for winning short, decisive wars but also for gaining favourable outcomes in prolonged, grinding conflicts across multiple domains. Advantages in technology, partnerships, resilience, and national willpower will be the deciding factors in tomorrows wars. (The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK) In a demonstration of its strategic military capabilities, India on Wednesday successfully test-fired the 'Agni 5' intermediate-range ballistic missile. According to the defence ministry, the test-firing of the missile from the Integrated Test Range in Odisha's Chandipur validated all operational and technical parameters. "Intermediate range ballistic missile 'Agni 5' was successfully test-fired from the integrated test range, Chandipur in Odisha on August 20," the ministry said in a brief statement. "The launch validated all operational and technical parameters. It was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command," it added. The missile, which uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine, is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometres with a very high degree of accuracy. ALSO READ: Future warfare lessons for India from Russia-Ukraine war Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it is primarily designed as a nuclear-capable missile for strategic deterrence. The missile, which incorporates a ring-laser gyro-based inertial navigation system and thrust vector control for precision, can be quickly launched from road-mobile platforms, increasing survivability and operational flexibility. The government had earlier said the design and deployment of Agni-5 is in line with Indias stated policy to have credible minimum deterrence that underpins the commitment to No First Use. The imprisonment of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Jharkhands Hemant Soren, and Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji has jolted state politics and exposed a constitutional blind spot. Their arrests in corruption and money laundering cases have become textbook triggers for the Modi government to push for a new legal framework on how sitting prime ministers, chief ministers, and ministers should be dealt with when entangled in criminal proceedings. The Union Home Ministry, led by Amit Shah, has signalled an intent to introduce legislation barring individuals holding these offices from continuing in power if they face imprisonment beyond a defined period. The proposal has ignited a debate on whether Indias political system needs such a codified safeguard or whether it risks destabilising federalism and weaponising law enforcement. "A minister, who for any period of 30 consecutive days during holding the office as such, is arrested and detained in custody, on an allegation of committing an offence punishable with imprisonment of five years or more, shall be removed from his office by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister by the thirty-first day after being taken into such custody," one of the bills stated. Kejriwal and Soren precedents Arvind Kejriwal, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy case, spent several weeks in jail. Though released on interim bail for electioneering, his continued custodial spells paralysed the Delhi government, with ministers left unsure about leadership directions. Hemant Soren, arrested by the ED in a money laundering case linked to alleged land scams, resigned from the CMs chair hours before his arrest, but later sought to reclaim office once released on bail. The Jharkhand Raj Bhavan was caught in a constitutional tussle over whether he could reassume power. Both cases exposed the glaring absence of a clear legal mechanism dealing with scenarios where sitting heads of government face prolonged incarceration. Unlike MPs and MLAs, who are automatically disqualified upon conviction for two years or more under the Representation of the People Act, no law explicitly addresses whether a prime minister or chief minister can continue in office while in judicial custody without conviction. Why the Centre sees a Legislative gap The Centre argues that prolonged incarceration of top executive figures, without a conviction, creates a governance vacuum and erodes public confidence. Highly placed sources tell The Week that there are three main concerns: Administrative Paralysis: A jailed CM or minister cannot convene cabinet meetings, sign files, or attend legislative business. Constitutional Morality: While the Constitution expects ministers to act under the principle of collective responsibility, incarceration undermines their ability to discharge duties with integrity. Public Trust: Allowing those under serious criminal investigation to continue in office risks normalising corruption and diminishing faith in democratic institutions. The proposed framework Though details are still being worked out, the government is reportedly considering a law that automatically suspends or de-seats PMs, CMs, and ministers if they remain in custody for more than 30 days. Key features being discussed include: Time Threshold: If a minister is arrested and remains in jail beyond a month (without bail), they must vacate office. Temporary Bar: If later acquitted or released, they may be re-appointed. Uniform Applicability: The law would apply equally to the Union and state executive, covering the PM, CMs, and all ministers. Alignment with RPA: The law would mirror the logic of disqualification rules for legislators but extend it to the executive. Counter-arguments The proposal, however, has triggered sharp criticism as well, especially from the Opposition, stating that the ruling party wishes to bring such a law to remove opposition chief ministers after failing to defeat them electorally. "What a vicious circle! No guidelines for arrest followed! Arrests of opposition leaders rampant and disproportionate," senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi posted on X. "The best way to destabilise the opposition is to unleash biased central agencies to arrest opposition CMs and, despite being unable to defeat them electorally, remove them by arbitrary arrests!! And no ruling party incumbent CM ever touched!!," he added. Presumption of Innocence: Critics argue that arrest is not guilt, and an accused person must be presumed innocent until proven otherwise. Automatic suspension risks punishing individuals before conviction. Weaponisation of Agencies: With central agencies like the ED and CBI already accused of being used selectively, opposition parties fear such a law will become a political weapon. A government at the Centre could engineer the arrests of state leaders to destabilise rival dispensations. Federal Undermining: In a federal polity, CMs are accountable to their assemblies, not the Centre. Any law dictating when they must resign could tilt the balance of power away from the states. Judicial Safeguards Already Exist: Courts already have the power to deny bail, remove accused ministers from office, or monitor investigations. Codifying blanket suspensions may be redundant. Constitutional and Judicial backdrop The Constitution itself is silent on whether a PM or CM must resign on arrest. The guiding principle has been constitutional morality and political convention. For instance, former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav resigned after his conviction in the fodder scam but ensured his wife was installed as his successor. The Supreme Court, in past judgments, has nudged towards higher standards of integrity but has refrained from laying down mandatory disqualification rules. In the Manoj Narula vs Union of India (2014) case, the Court held that it is for the Prime Minister or Chief Minister to decide whether to induct persons with criminal cases into the cabinet, emphasising constitutional trust over judicial fiat. The Constitution is silent on whether a PM or CM must resign on arrest. Article 75(2) states the Prime Minister holds office during the pleasure of the President and Article 164(1) states the Chief Minister holds office during the pleasure of the Governor. Traditionally, this has been interpreted to mean that political convention and majority support in the legislature decide whether a leader stays. Commissions on CentreState relations, from Sarkaria to Punchhi, never recommended codifying arrest-based bars. They preferred leaving it to political morality and legislative accountability. Thus, any new law mandating removal on mere custody would face immediate constitutional scrutiny. What lies ahead The debate is far from settled. For such a law to pass, it must clear both Houses of Parliament and withstand constitutional scrutiny. Any automatic disqualification without conviction could face challenges under Articles 14 and 21 (equality and due process). The judiciary may have to ultimately test whether such a law is a reasonable restriction in the public interest. Delhi Police have arrested a man in connection with the attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a 'Jan Sunwai' programme at her official residence in Civil Lines on Thursday morning. According to reports, the accused has been identified as Rakesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Saakiya, 35, a resident of Rajkot, Gujarat. The BJP alleged that the man, posing as a complainant, first gave the CM some papers during the public hearing and then attacked her. The security personnel present at the venue immediately rushed to the spot and apprehended the attacker. Officials said the attack was pre-planned. #Update | Delhi CM Attack Update: The attacker has been identified as Rakesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Saakiya, a resident of Rajkot. Police said the attack was pre-planned. He was carrying court-related documents concerning his relatives lodged in Tihar Jail at the time of the incident. pic.twitter.com/gYxRQbNdsP United News of India (@uniindianews) August 20, 2025 The Delhi Police have contacted their Gujarat counterparts to verify his background and uncover any potential motives or political affiliations. Saakiyas mother, Bhanu, told investigating officials that her son was a dog lover and that he had been upset over the recent Supreme Court order, directing authorities to shift all stray dogs in Delhi to shelter homes. Police, however, have launched a detailed investigation into the incident and tightened the security of the CM House. Attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai | Delhi Police say that the accused is identifying himself as Rajesh Khimji and says that he belongs to Rajkot, Gujarat. It is being verified whether his name and address are accurate. His documents are being verified. ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 The chief minister was taken to a hospital, though she sustained no major injuries. The Jan Sunwai, a forum where the public can voice their grievances directly to the CM, has been temporarily suspended following the incident. Details awaited -- Experts are unanimous that Mumbais best and first line of defense against the incessant rain is advanced and citizen-focused early warning systems. The city has been battered by rain for the last four days, and the downpour is expected to continue on Wednesday too, leaving large parts of it waterlogged. Between August 1 and August 19, Santa Cruz recorded 944 mm of rainfallwell above the citys monthly average of 560.8 mmwhile Colaba logged 461.8 mm during the same period. The city has once again surpassed its threshold, highlighting Mumbais recurring vulnerability to urban flooding during extreme monsoon events. Meteorologists explain that multiple weather systems have converged to intensify this spell of rain. A low-pressure area over Vidarbha, a cyclonic circulation over the Northeast Arabian Sea, a depression over the Bay of Bengal, and an active offshore monsoon trough along the Konkan coast created vigorous conditions along coastal Maharashtra, including Mumbai. When such systems align, they reinforce one another, leading to exceptionally heavy rainfall activity. Climate Scientist Dr Raghu Murtugudde, emeritus professor, University of Maryland & Retired Professor, IIT-Mumbai, said that while three-digit rainfall is not new to the city but climate change has a role to play. Researchers from IIT-Mumbai and the University of Maryland noted that a key factor is the faster-than-average warming of the Middle East, which drives instability in the Arabian Sea and increases moisture transport into the Western Ghats. This northward push of moist winds results in heavy precipitation concentrated over shorter durations. Dr Akshay Deoras, research scientist, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Reading, UK, said that this years patternan unusually dry July followed by sudden torrential August downpoursis consistent with broader climatic trends. Globally, a warming atmosphere is expected to enhance the intensity of extreme weather, a trend already reflected in Mumbais rainfall variability. According to Dr Subimal Ghosh, Institute Chair Professor, Department of Civil Engineering & Convener, Interdisciplinary Program in Climate Studies-IIT Mumbai, while forecasting accuracy has improved, information must reach communities in time to enable decisions such as staying off flooded roads or avoiding flood-prone zones. The Mumbai Flood Monitoring System, developed at IIT, is one such tool that disseminates real-time data to key agencies and stakeholders. However, weather professionals caution that accurate forecasts are meaningless without seamless coordination among civic authorities, disaster management units, and municipal agencies. Former IMD officials have argued that delayed communication between agencies undermines the entire purpose of forecasting. They suggest that clear evacuation protocols and designated escape routes for high-risk areas must become part of long-term planning, rather than reactive measures during crises. While forecasting reduces risk, scientists and policy experts emphasize that Mumbai must also invest in structural and policy measures to manage flooding. A key recommendation from climate and urban planning experts at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is to carry out detailed flood mapping of the city, identifying hotspots and modeling drainage patterns. This includes the use of Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves, which help predict expected rainfall volumes and peak flow discharges for different parts of the city. Such predictive frameworks enable planners to design drainage upgrades and flood management strategies tailored to city-specific needs. The Thane City Flood Risk Management Action Plan (2024), prepared by CEEW, is cited as an example of how systematic analysis can inform resilience strategies. The plan, based on 52 years of rainfall data, created ward-wise flood risk indices and actionable strategies across short-, medium-, and long-term timescales. Experts argue that applying a similar approach in Mumbai will better prepare the city for escalating urban flood risks. Year after year, the city struggles with the same imagery of waterlogged streets, stranded commuters, and submerged vehicles. But climate researchers and sustainability experts argue that the crisis has now taken a deeper dimension. Studies consistently show that floods are the leading natural disaster globally in terms of losses and damages, and Indias megacities remain highly exposed. Institutions such as IPE Global are working with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to create AI-based multi-hazard risk mapping tools. These would serve as decision-making aids for administrators, helping integrate climate resilience into governance, infrastructure planning, and emergency response. Analysts stress that while natural variability is a key element driving monsoon swings, human-induced warming acts as an accelerator. With the Arabian Sea heating at an alarming pace and moisture influx intensifying, Mumbais vulnerability will only rise. The challenge for the city lies not merely in forecasting storms but in embedding adaptation into its very fabricthrough drainage redesign, urban planning, citizen engagement, and technology-driven decision systems. The consensus is clear: extreme monsoon events are here to stay, and their intensity is only set to increase. For Mumbai, the path forward requires a combination of accurate early warning, effective inter-agency coordination, climate-resilient infrastructure, and informed citizen participation. Without these measures, the citys familiar cycle of flooding each monsoon will continue to be its most pressing climate challenge. Home Minister Amit Shah has tabled the bill that would compel the Prime Minister, chief ministers, and ministers across states and Union Territories to resign or face removal if they spend 30 consecutive days in custody for offences carrying a minimum punishment of five years. Soon after the introduction, the bill was referred to the joint committee for larger scrutiny. The government pitches the move as a safeguard for clean governance, but the Opposition denounces it as a constitutional overreach tailor-made for political misuse. The proposals stark departure lies in shifting the trigger from conviction to arrest, a break from the established norm under the Representation of the People Act and the Supreme Courts Lily Thomas ruling, which link disqualification to conviction. What the Constitution already says about removal At the Centre level, ministers hold office during the pleasure of the President as per Article 75. In the states, ministers hold office during the pleasure of the Governor as per Article 164. In practice, this pleasure is exercised on the aid and advice of the Prime Minister/Chief Minister, Presidents or Governors do not normally sack ministers on their own initiative except in constitutional breakdowns, like after a government loses majority. In Union Territories with legislatures, the Lieutenant Governor/Administrator sits at the seam between local cabinets and the Union. Delhis Article 239AA makes the Council of Ministers collectively responsible to the Assembly, while the LG acts on aid and advice except in matters reserved like land, police, public order or where he acts in his discretion. Amendments and rules governing the transaction of business have, in recent years, strengthened the Unions hand in Delhis day-to-day governance. If a central law now prescribes removal after 30 days arrest, LGs could become the operative authorities implementing that removal in UTs, raising fresh CentreUT friction over who decides, how swiftly, and on what record. Presumption of innocence vs principles of accountability After Lily Thomas, legislators convicted and sentenced to two years or more are automatically disqualified. The bills seek to push the bar earlier at the arrest stage for executive office-holders wielding day-to-day state power. The government says this protects institutional integrity and public trust when an office-holder is unavailable or compromised by incarceration. #WATCH | Raipur, Chhattisgarh | Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel says, "Once these laws are passed, all the ministers, chief ministers, and central ministers across the country will be under their control because today there is such a system that if someone applies such a section, https://t.co/V8895YWhue pic.twitter.com/7ow7t4PNJ4 ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 But the presumption of innocence is a bedrock criminal-law value linked to Article 21 due process, and an accused is innocent until proven guilty. Indian courts have warned that statutes can dilute this principle only with compelling justification. Making custodial status determinative of executive tenure risks blurring the line between accusation and guilt, especially under special statutes where obtaining bail is hard and custody can be prolonged. In political life, arrests can be strategic, creating an arrest-to-removal pipeline, which risks turning police/judicial custody into a political weapon. The proposed safeguards The removal is limited to (a) serious charges carrying 5 plus years imprisonment and (b) 30 continuous days under arrest/detention. Thats narrower than a blanket rule, and it arguably avoids knee-jerk removals for petty offences or brief detentions. Still, two vulnerabilities remain: 1. Arrest is executive-led, often by central agencies in high-profile cases. Without an independent filter, like a judicial finding that a prima facie case exists, a motivated arrest plus custodial extensions can produce automatic political consequences. 2. No built-in review is visible yet. If the bills dont require a quick, reasoned, judicial confirmation before removal, challenges will argue violation of due process and collective responsibility, and an assault on federalism when imposed on states. Who actually sacks under the new regime? Even if Parliament creates a removal obligation, the formal act will still route through existing constitutional actors: Union: The President removes Union ministers, but only on the PMs advice; if the law mandates removal after X condition, the PM/Law Ministry would advise the President accordingly. States: Governors remove state ministers on CMs advice; a statutory mandate would compel the CM to advise, but if a CM resists, can a Governor act alone? That would reopen the discretion vs advice debate and almost certainly land in court. #WATCH | Delhi | BJP MP Anurag Thakur says, "What is the opposition protesting against, morality or corruption? After all, in Indian politics, if we talk about resigning on the basis of morality and against corruption, and then about making laws, why does the opposition oppose https://t.co/pesA2MdnHd pic.twitter.com/gP80TLnpIm ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 UTs: LGs (as Presidents nominees) would likely execute removal for UT ministers, sharpening CentreUT fault lines already visible in Delhi and Puducherry. What it means in practicefor states and UTs Any CM/ministers currently in judicial custody for 30+ days on serious charges would face immediate exit, precipitating cabinet reshuffles, possible trust votes, or caretaker arrangements. More Centrestate litigation: If Governors/LGs move faster than elected executives (or vice-versa), states will race to courts to restrain unilateral removals, citing the aid-and-advice rule and collective responsibility. Policing incentives: The politics of arrest will intensify. If custody equals removal, incentives for selective arrests grow, especially in UTs where central agencies and LGs already loom large. India already disqualifies convicted lawmakers; the government now wants arrest-based removal for those who exercise executive power. That sharpens accountability but risks eroding the presumption of innocence and supercharging the politics of arrest. Bangladesh previously alleged that Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, which is banned in Bangladesh, has set up offices in Delhi and Kolkata and urged India to ensure their closure. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Wednesday rubbished allegations raised by Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus government that Awami League members residing in India are carrying out anti-Dhaka activities. The ministry asserted that India does not allow any foreign political party to operate on its soil, dubbing the allegations by the interim Bangladeshi government as "misplaced". Our response to media queries on the Press Statement issued by the Interim Government of Bangladesh https://t.co/XDLTjDUBuH pic.twitter.com/UvT2MgwN20 Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) August 20, 2025 It should be noted that ousted Bangladeshi leader and former PM Sheikh Hasina is staying in India in self-exile ever since she was forced to leave Dhaka in August 2024. Dhaka previously alleged that Hasina's Awami League, which is banned in Bangladesh, has set up offices in Delhi and Kolkata and urged India to ensure their closure. Bangladeshi foreign ministry also claimed that many senior Awami leaders accused of criminal cases in Bangladesh are absconding and remain in India. It went on to allege that Awami leaders, disguised as members of an NGO, held a public outreach even at the Delhi Press Club on July 21, 2025, and distributed booklets to members of the press. "To date, several reports in Indian media affirm increasing overtures of the party while being on the Indian soil," the Bangladeshi ministry said in a press statement. Activities by the banned BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE on Indian soil risks long-term friendship and multifarious engagements between #Bangladesh & #India as also mutual trust and respect between two (-) #people. pic.twitter.com/nzVqKaajNE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@BDMOFA) August 20, 2025 The Centre clarified that it is not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by Awami League members in the country or any acts that are violating Indian law. "The Government does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil. The Press Statement by the Interim Government of Bangladesh is thus misplaced," the MEA said. The ministry said that it expects "free, fair and inclusive" elections to be held in Bangladesh at the earliest, reflecting the mandate of the people. ULAN BATOR, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring on Wednesday continued to warn of heavy rainfall and potential flooding across the country. According to the agency, intense rain has been battering multiple regions since Wednesday morning, including all nine districts of the capital and neighboring Tuv Province in central Mongolia. Western provinces such as Bayan-Ulgii, Uvs, and Khovd, along with northern provinces including Selenge, Orkhon, and Darkhan-Uul, are also affected. Authorities have urged residents, particularly those living near riverbanks, to take precautionary measures. In July, a total of 43 people, including 14 children, were killed in water-related accidents in Mongolia, according to the agency. The introduction of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Amendment Bill, 2025, empowering the Lieutenant Governor to remove any minister arrested or detained for 30 consecutive days on charges punishable with five years or more in prison, on the recommendation of the CM, has sent signals that the restoration of statehood is not on the Centre's immediate agenda. Instead, the amendment appears aimed at further strengthening the office of the Lieutenant Governor. The proposed amendment fills a gap in the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which did not contain any provision for the removal of a Chief Minister or a minister arrested and held in custody on account of serious criminal charges. The new bill states that once a minister is in custody for 30 consecutive days, the Chief Minister must advise the Lieutenant Governor to remove the person from office, and such advice must be tendered by the thirty-first day. #WATCH | Copies of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 torn and thrown towards HM Amit Shah in Lok Sabha. pic.twitter.com/x9CqjAausr ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 The move comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Courts observations on August 14, while hearing a plea on the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The apex court remarked that the situation in the Union Territory cannot be ignored in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, and underlined that the decision to restore statehood rests with the executive and Parliament. The remarks prompted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to launch a signature campaign across Jammu and Kashmir to mobilise public support for the demand for statehood before the next hearing in October. The timing of the Bill is also significant. In the run-up to August 5, the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, there had been heightened speculation that the Centre was preparing to announce another major political move in Jammu and Kashmir. Rumours ranged from the restoration of statehood to the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmirgranting statehood to Jammu, along with parts of south Kashmir that fall under the AnantnagRajouri parliamentary constituency, while retaining the Valley as a Union Territory. However, the day passed without any surprises, easing the frayed nerves of many in the Valley, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The introduction of the new bill, instead of a statehood package, has reaffirmed the Centres preference for retaining a strong role for the Lieutenant Governor in the governance of Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha adopted a motion moved by the Home Minister to refer the J&K Reorganisation Amendment Bill, along with two other bills, to a Joint Committee of Parliament. The committee will undertake a clause-by-clause examination, consult experts, and conduct a comprehensive review before the bills are brought back for final passage. The Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has requested the Lok Sabha Secretariat to include four new bills for introduction on Wednesday, including the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025. Alongside this legislation, the House is set to consider the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The days agenda also features a motion to refer the three amendment billsthe Constitution Bill, the Government of Union Territories Bill, and the J&K Reorganisation Billto a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament following their introduction. A special discussion is scheduled on Indias First Astronaut Abroad and the International Space Station Critical Role of the Space Programme for Viksit Bharat 2047. Any business not concluded on Wednesday will be carried forward to Thursday as noted in the schedule. While the exact contents of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, are not known, speculation in political and civil society circles suggests that some amendments will have political and administrative implications for the region. The bill also raises curiosity regarding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. BREAKING Yes confirmed. Also an Amendment to J&K Reorganization Act 2019 in the Parliament tomorrow. By all indications, it means restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/TAvx8rCJHm Ahmed Ali Fayyaz (@ahmedalifayyaz) August 19, 2025 The introduction of the bill concerning Jammu and Kashmir comes on the heels of speculation that the Modi government is planning another round of political restructuring for the region. Recently, speculation has ranged from the restoration of statehood to a controversial bifurcation, granting statehood to Jammu while retaining Kashmir as a Union Territory (UT). The trigger for this debate was the approach of August 5, 2019, the date on which Article 370 was abrogated, resulting in the division of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two UTsJammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Many believed the Modi government might use the occasion to announce another significant decision. A high-level meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the President added fuel to the fire. Given the governments history of using symbolic dates for historic decisions, expectations grew that something major would unfold. However, the day passed quietly, with no announcement made. The reason remains unclear, but the debates still rage on. A three-storey building collapsed in Delhi's Daryaganj on Wednesday afternoon. Three people died in the collapse of the building near Sadbhavana Park along the old City Wall in Old Delhi. Meanwhile, rescue operations are underway. The deceased have been identified as Zubair, Gulsagar, and Tafiq. The three men had died on the spot, and their bodies were moved to LNJP Hospital. VIDEO | Three people died after a building collapsed near Sadbhavna Park in central Delhis Daryaganj on Wednesday, an official said. An information about the incident was received at 12.14 pm following which four fire tenders were rushed to the spot where a building, consisting pic.twitter.com/af6rUUb1GH Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2025 The building was an old and dilapidated house. This incident happened at 12.14 pm. Four fire engines, along with the police, arrived on scene after information was received. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan said, "Civic authorities, including DDMA, have been informed, and rescue efforts are underway. Legal action will be taken after verification of facts. Many people were trapped under the debris of the building. Three people were rescued and sent to the LNJP hospital. The neighbouring residents believe that more people are trapped under the building. Efforts are underway to ensure the area is secure and further casualties are prevented. The cause of the collapse is still being investigated. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was allegedly attacked by a visitor at her residence on Wednesday during the weekly Jan Sunvai, according to reports. Gupta has been taken to the hospital. The attacker, a 35-year-old male, arrived at Guptas house while the public hearing was going on. On the pretext of submitting an application, he approached Gupta. He then began verbally abusing her, pulling her hair, and slapping her, according to unverified reports. The attacker has been taken to custody, and his motive is unknown. It is said that he was referring to a court case when attacking the Chief Minister. Doctors were immediately called to conduct a medical examination of Gupta, after which she was transferred to the hospital. The government is yet to reveal the details of her health status. #WATCH | Attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai | Shailendra Kumar says, "I had come from Uttam Nagar with a complaint over sewer. When I reached the gates, chaos broke out because the CM was slapped. This is wrong..." pic.twitter.com/dVIJhz6ipD ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 #WATCH | Attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai | Anjali, who was present at the spot, says, "This is wrong. Everyone has the right to Jan Sunvai. If an imposter can slap her, this is a big deal...I was there...The person was speaking and he suddenly slapped. Police pic.twitter.com/fsQCY8Jl0P ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 Delhi BJP has condemned this incident. Senior leader Ramesh Bidhuri called it an attempt to attack Gupta and disrupt the public meeting. BJP Delhi president Virendraa Sachdeva too strongly condemned the attack on the Chief Minister. Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav termed the incident unfortunate. The CM leads the entire Delhi, and I think that the more such incidents are condemned, the less it is. But this incident also exposes women's safety. If the CM of Delhi is not safe, how can a common man or common woman be safe?" he said. Over 50 schools in the national capital received fresh bomb threats on Wednesday morning, prompting a search operation and evacuation. The schools which received the threat through e-mail included Rahul Model School and Maxfort School in Dwarka, SKV in Malviya Nagar and Andhra School in Prasad Nagar. According to police, a group identifying itself as Terrorisers 111 sent an email to these schools demanding USD 25,000. The same group had allegedly demanded USD 5,000 in cryptocurrency after sending bomb threats on August 18. #WATCH | Delhi: Visuals from outside Andhra Education Society (AES) in Prasad Nagar, Karol Bagh which is one of the schools in the city which have received bomb threats. pic.twitter.com/S8nKB9tqWY ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 The group also claimed that they had breached the IT systems of these schools and would detonate bombs within 48 hours across their premises. Evacuate all schools and suspend operations immediately to avoid loss of life. Any attempt to contact authorities will trigger immediate detonation and public release of your sensitive data, the mail read. Police teams, along with fire personnel and bomb disposal squads, rushed to the premises immediately. On August 18, at least 32 schools in Delhi received similar threats, which later turned out to be hoaxes. Among the institutions targeted were Delhi Public School, Modern Convent School, Shree Ram World School, and CRPF School in Dwarka. The frequent threats, though they turned out to be fake, have left the parents worried and frustrated. "Such incidents have become frequent. While some parents have started taking it lightly, others remain scared of what might happen. We want strict action and a permanent solution, as these threats disrupt our children's studies and also our work," a parent told PTI news agency. According to police data, over a hundred educational institutions across Delhi-NCR have received explosion threats so far this year. They included three Delhi University collegesIP College for Women, Hindu College, and Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC). President of the Delhi Parents Association, Aprajita Gautam, noted that the repeated threats were creating fear and insecurity among families. "The safety of our children is paramount. We urge authorities to take strict action and restore confidence in the system," she said. Bharat Arora, president of the Action Committee of Unaided Private Recognised Schools, also said the repeated hoaxes were profoundly concerning as they disrupted academic schedules and instilled fear among students, families, and teachers. BJP MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking an Enforcement Directorate investigation into money laundering in connection with YouTubers spreading misinformation to defame Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple. Poojary alleged that the YouTubers spreading misinformation received funds from different sources, including overseas. #WATCH | Mangaluru: Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar visited and offered prayers at the Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple in Ujire, Dakshina Kannada. (Video Source: Dy CM's office) pic.twitter.com/VHzjJt6AaR ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025 This comes as Veerendra Heggade, the Dharmadhikari of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala, has slammed the allegations regarding the multiple rapes, murders, and burials in the temple town in the past 20 years, claiming they are "baseless and false". YouTuber's AI video flagged In July, Kannada YouTuber Sameer MD was booked for allegedly spreading misinformation through an AI-generated video on the secret burial case. He was slapped with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 192, 240, and 353(1)(b) for wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot and giving false information regarding an offence. In a video, he discussed the claimes levelled by a former sanitation worker, who alleged that he was forced to secretly bury sexual assault victims in the forests surrounding Dharmasthala. However, police said the YouTuber fabricated and unverified details that was not present in the official complaint or the sworn statement from the whistleblower. Veerendra Heggade calls for speedy SIT probe Pointing out that the investigation should conclude and the truth should come out at the earliest, Heggade told PTI that "it is not good that allegations are made and they remain that way." He was referring to the ongoing probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Siddaramaiah government. SIT chief Pranav Mohanty on Wednesday visited Dharmasthala to meet the officials. Alleging that there is an "organised campaign" targeting Dharmasthala over the past 14 years, the head of the Dakshina Kannada temple said, "Irked by the good work being done by us, some elements carry out false campaigns but we are unperturbed." A rare meeting took place in Paris on August 19 between Syrias Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and an Israeli delegation, marking an unexpected step in efforts to normalise relations between the two long-time adversaries. The direct talks were brokered by the United States, which has been pushing for stability across the region under President Donald Trumps vision of a prosperous Middle East that includes a Syria at peace with its neighbours, Israel among them. Discussions centred on de-escalating tensions and reaffirming the 1974 ceasefire agreement, which created a demilitarised buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian forces under UN supervision. Syrias state news agency SANA reported that the Paris meeting had produced understandings that support stability in the region and had included discussion of non-interference in Syrian domestic affairs. While Damascus confirmed the meeting, breaking with its past practice of acknowledging only indirect talks, Israel remained silent. Reports suggest that Al-Shibani had already met Israels Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Azerbaijan in July and again in Paris earlier in August. The diplomatic engagement comes in the wake of dramatic changes inside Syria. In December 2024, President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown after a rebel offensive led by Islamist factions. His fall created a power vacuum in which Israeli forces seized control of the UN-patrolled buffer zone and began launching airstrikes on Syrian military sites, with the aim of preventing hostile groups from entrenching themselves near its borders. Israel has been wary of Syrias new government, now led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander. Although Sharaa has pledged to rebuild the country, his short tenure has been marred by sectarian violence, raising fears in Israel that Iranian-backed militias or extremist groups could gain influence along the frontier. One trigger for Israels heightened military involvement was the outbreak of violence in southern Sweida province last month. The clashes pitted Bedouin clans, government forces, and armed Druze groups against one another. Allegations that Syrian troops killed Druze civilians and disrespected religious leaders provoked strong reactions. Israel responded with airstrikes, including a strike on the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Damascus, declaring it was acting to protect the Druze community. The Druze are a minority with strong ties to Israel, where many serve in the military. Following these strikes, a truce mediated by the United States, Turkey, and Arab states calmed most of the fighting. Yet tensions remain acute. Syrian government forces have surrounded Sweida city, creating what local Druze describe as a siege. Supplies are scarce, and humanitarian aid has been blocked. The United States envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, met with Sheikh Moafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of Israels Druze, to hear demands for an end to the blockade, the release of kidnapped Druze, and international guarantees of their safety. Historically wary of Israel, many Syrian Druze have begun seeking its protection. There have been instances of some of them waving Israeli flags during demonstrations, demanding self-determination, much to the chagrin of other Syrians. Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948. Israel captured the Golan Heights during the 1967 Middle East War and annexed it in 1981, a move recognised only by Washington. Despite periodic calls for restoring the 1974 disengagement line, Israels Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has made clear that the Golan will remain part of Israel in any future settlement, a position Syria rejects as premature. Within Syria, President Sharaa has called for national reunification through integration rather than force. He has appealed to separatist groups, particularly in Sweida, while also seeking to bring the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces under the authority of the defence ministry. His interim administration has created a committee to investigate the recent violence against Druze civilians, although scepticism remains about its effectiveness. The Paris talks, therefore, mark a tentative step towards dialogue, but it happened in an atmosphere of deep mistrust. Israel fears the rise of extremist groups in Syrias new order, while Damascus resents foreign interference. Both sides face pressures from minority groups and international actors. The meeting, however, signals a rare opening in a relationship defined by decades of conflict. US President Donald Trumps sudden fondness for Pakistan continues to baffle analysts and geopolitical experts, who believe Islamabad could score because it managed to navigate the Trump world at a time of global uncertanities. Besides securing one of the lowest US tariffs among Asian economies at 19 percent, Islamabad has also managed to get the US to come up with a joint plan to explore its massive oil reserves. Ayaz Amir, a political commentator and former Pakistani officer, told The Washington Post that the US-Pakistan bonhomie has come as a surprise to most people even in Pakistan and perhaps to India as well. Another analyst, Michael Kugelman, thinks the thaw in the relations left a lot of question marks. But, the Post report, quoting analysts, has shed light on how the Pakistan Army was behind the successful outreach programme, which eventually resulted in Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir getting an invite to Washington twice. Just after Trump returned to the White House, there was anxiety in Islamabad that he might seek the release of imprisoned opposition leader and former prime minister Imran Khan, according to analysts and former officials. Their fears came true when a bipartisan bill was introduced in the US Congress in March seeking to impose sanctions on Pakistan's Army chief, General Asim Munir, for his alleged role in persecuting political opponents, including former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. The bill explicitly accused Munir of "knowingly engaging in the wrongful persecution and imprisonment of political opponents". It was then that the Pakistani military decided to oversee the negotiations itself, the Washington Post quoted unnamed Pakistani officials. Pakistans interior minister Mohsin Naqvi was the first to arrive in Washington, just after Trumps inauguration, to meet the members of Congress. The Pakistani military also hired Pakistan also hired Javelin Advisors, a lobbying firm led by George A. Sorial, a long-standing executive at Trumps businesses, and Keith Schiller, a former bodyguard for Trump who later served in the White House, the report added. But the first move towards thaw in the relationship came in March after Pakistan aided in capturing a senior ISIS terrorist accused of the 2021 suicide bombing in Kabul that killed 13 American troops. Then came Operation Sindhoor, which saw Pakistan acknowledging and even lavishing praise on Trump for brokering a ceasefire between the countries. They also nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Within weeks, Trump invited Munir to have lunch with him at the White House, which served as a tacit acknowledgement of Munirs growing political clout. That said, many Pakistani analysts are warning that the relationship may crumble. Flattery is not a strategy its not long-term, Maleeha Lodhi, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, told The Post. The new image released by the White House of European leaders sitting around US President Donald Trumps desk during their visit to Washington, DC, has been mocked by social media users and the Chinese state media, which termed it embarrassing powerplay. The image shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finland President Alexander Stubb, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU Commission, gathered around Trumps table at Oval Office. A historic day at the White House as European leaders joined President Trump in the Oval Office. President Donald J. Trump is the President of PEACE. pic.twitter.com/V91JvL7K9Z The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 19, 2025 The image was shared by the official account of the White House on Tuesday with the caption: A historic day at the White House as European leaders joined President Trump in the Oval Office. President Donald J. Trump is the President of PEACE. However, the image was derided by the Chinese state-backed Global Times for its embarrassing power play. The report said the embarrassing power play overshadowed what was meant to be a show of global unity. While German media DW said the European leaders were sitting in a protective semicircle to save Zelenskyy from another embarrassment, UK-based Independent said Trump seemed to be hosting a bunch of unruly schoolchildren. Daniel Foubert, a French-Polish geoeconomist, said on X that The EU has made Europe meaningless. European leaders rushed to Washington in numbers, desperate to be seen, desperate to be heard. They came not as partners but as petitioners, waiting for the word of one man who now holds all the cards, Foubert said. The picture was criticised by social media users as well. One user wrote: Do none of these leaders have any testosterone whatsoever or PR teams that can approve/reject seating arrangements. Most embarrassing thing Ive ever seen for the EU. Why Trump is angry with India Because European leaders are swallowing an impossible level of humiliation Italian PM, German Chancellor, French President ... all sitting like kids in principal's office Impossible for PM Modi to sit like this Trump wants India to become a pic.twitter.com/0SXMW8gpgg Abhishek (@AbhishBanerj) August 19, 2025 One user from India wrote: Why is Trump angry with India? Because European leaders are swallowing an impossible level of humiliation. Italian PM, German Chancellor, French President... all sitting like kids in principal's office Impossible for PM Modi to sit like this, he said. COLOMBO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has issued over 1,300 driving licenses to foreign nationals after the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) established a license issuance counter at the Bandaranaike International Airport, the DMT said on Wednesday. The DMT said 1,338 driving licenses have been issued until Aug. 17 since the counter was established on Aug. 3. The dedicated counter was introduced for the convenience of foreigners visiting Sri Lanka. Earlier, foreign tourists who wanted a driving license had to visit the DMT office in Colombo. Over 1.5 million foreign tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka so far this year. Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE:AAP Free Report) Equities research analysts at DA Davidson issued their Q3 2025 EPS estimates for shares of Advance Auto Parts in a report issued on Friday, August 15th. DA Davidson analyst M. Baker expects that the company will post earnings per share of $0.73 for the quarter. DA Davidson currently has a Neutral rating and a $63.00 target price on the stock. The consensus estimate for Advance Auto Parts current full-year earnings is ($0.46) per share. DA Davidson also issued estimates for Advance Auto Parts FY2026 earnings at $4.26 EPS. Get Advance Auto Parts alerts: Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Citigroup set a $60.00 target price on shares of Advance Auto Parts in a research note on Thursday, August 14th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Advance Auto Parts from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, August 15th. Raymond James Financial raised their target price on shares of Advance Auto Parts to $49.17 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Monday, May 26th. Evercore ISI lifted their target price on shares of Advance Auto Parts from $56.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 12th. Finally, UBS Group set a $65.00 price target on Advance Auto Parts and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, August 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eighteen have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Reduce and a consensus price target of $51.01. Advance Auto Parts Stock Down 0.5% Shares of NYSE:AAP opened at $56.2890 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The company has a market capitalization of $3.37 billion, a P/E ratio of -8.84 and a beta of 1.05. Advance Auto Parts has a 52-week low of $28.89 and a 52-week high of $70.00. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $55.30 and its 200-day simple moving average is $44.76. Advance Auto Parts (NYSE:AAP Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 14th. The company reported $0.69 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $2.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.97 billion. Advance Auto Parts had a negative return on equity of 1.97% and a negative net margin of 4.37%.Advance Auto Partss quarterly revenue was down 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.75 EPS. Advance Auto Parts has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.200-2.20 EPS. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Advance Auto Parts A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Rexford Capital Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Advance Auto Parts in the 2nd quarter valued at about $172,000. Public Sector Pension Investment Board raised its holdings in Advance Auto Parts by 8.4% in the second quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 203,949 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,482,000 after buying an additional 15,790 shares during the period. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new position in Advance Auto Parts during the second quarter valued at approximately $2,090,000. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in Advance Auto Parts during the second quarter worth approximately $101,000. Finally, State of Tennessee Department of Treasury grew its stake in Advance Auto Parts by 61.6% during the second quarter. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury now owns 23,407 shares of the companys stock worth $1,088,000 after buying an additional 8,926 shares during the period. 88.75% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Insider Buying and Selling at Advance Auto Parts In related news, SVP Jason Hand sold 948 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $48.52, for a total value of $45,996.96. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 9,876 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $479,183.52. This trade represents a 8.76% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.67% of the companys stock. Advance Auto Parts Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 10th. Advance Auto Partss dividend payout ratio is presently -15.70%. About Advance Auto Parts (Get Free Report) Advance Auto Parts, Inc provides automotive replacement parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items for domestic and imported cars, vans, sport utility vehicles, and light and heavy duty trucks. The company offers battery accessories; belts and hoses; brakes and brake pads; chassis and climate control parts; clutches and drive shafts; engines and engine parts; exhaust systems and parts; hub assemblies; ignition components and wires; radiators and cooling parts; starters and alternators; and steering and alignment parts. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Advance Auto Parts Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Advance Auto Parts and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM Free Report) (TSE:CM) Equities researchers at National Bank Financial raised their Q3 2025 EPS estimates for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, August 14th. National Bank Financial analyst G. Dechaine now expects that the bank will earn $1.39 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $1.35. National Bank Financial has a Sector Perform rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces current full-year earnings is $5.50 per share. National Bank Financial also issued estimates for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces Q4 2025 earnings at $1.40 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $5.89 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $6.29 EPS. Get Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce alerts: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM Get Free Report) (TSE:CM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 29th. The bank reported $1.44 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.10. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had a return on equity of 14.51% and a net margin of 12.19%.The business had revenue of $5.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.78 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.75 EPS. The companys revenue was up 13.9% on a year-over-year basis. Several other equities research analysts have also commented on the company. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from $98.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, May 30th. Scotiabank started coverage on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a research note on Thursday, May 15th. They issued a sector outperform rating for the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, August 9th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from $108.00 to $116.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, May 30th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $109.00. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on CM Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Stock Down 1.0% Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce stock opened at $73.0950 on Monday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $71.77 and its 200 day moving average price is $64.85. The company has a quick ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The firm has a market cap of $67.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.06. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a 52 week low of $52.96 and a 52 week high of $74.63. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. HM Payson & Co. purchased a new stake in shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce during the first quarter worth approximately $29,000. TruNorth Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by 156.0% during the 1st quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 512 shares of the banks stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 312 shares during the last quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce during the 1st quarter worth $32,000. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce during the second quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in the second quarter valued at about $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 49.88% of the companys stock. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 28th. Investors of record on Friday, June 27th were issued a $0.7024 dividend. This represents a $2.81 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 27th. This is a positive change from Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces previous quarterly dividend of $0.67. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces payout ratio is presently 49.56%. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Company Profile (Get Free Report) Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM Free Report) (NYSE:CM) Stock analysts at National Bank Financial raised their FY2025 EPS estimates for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a research report issued on Thursday, August 14th. National Bank Financial analyst G. Dechaine now forecasts that the company will post earnings per share of $8.07 for the year, up from their previous estimate of $8.02. National Bank Financial currently has a Sector Perform rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces current full-year earnings is $6.41 per share. National Bank Financial also issued estimates for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces Q4 2025 earnings at $1.92 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $8.61 EPS. Get Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce alerts: Several other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Desjardins boosted their price objective on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$100.00 to C$106.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 13th. Scotiabank raised Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, May 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price objective on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$116.00 to C$112.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 9th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$94.00 to C$102.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 13th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$94.00 to C$96.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Thursday, August 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$99.46. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Price Performance Shares of CM stock opened at C$101.38 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of C$94.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.39, a P/E/G ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a fifty day moving average price of C$98.39 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$90.36. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a one year low of C$72.23 and a one year high of C$102.45. Insider Buying and Selling at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce In other Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce news, Senior Officer Christina Charlotte Kramer sold 43,490 shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$93.07, for a total value of C$4,047,614.30. Also, Senior Officer Shawn Beber sold 9,107 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$94.28, for a total transaction of C$858,567.89. Insiders sold a total of 105,837 shares of company stock valued at $9,903,590 in the last three months. 0.02% of the stock is owned by insiders. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 28th. Investors of record on Monday, July 28th were paid a $0.97 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 27th. This represents a $3.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.8%. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces dividend payout ratio is 47.55%. About Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (Get Free Report) Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is Canadas fifth- largest bank, operating three business segments: retail and business banking, wealth management, and capital markets. It serves approximately 11 million personal banking and business customers, primarily in Canada. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC lowered its holdings in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK Free Report) by 39.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 56,084 shares of the banks stock after selling 36,141 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLCs holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $4,704,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of BK. Nuveen LLC acquired a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon during the 1st quarter worth $773,627,000. Northern Trust Corp raised its position in Bank of New York Mellon by 19.1% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 9,533,615 shares of the banks stock worth $732,468,000 after buying an additional 1,526,686 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its position in Bank of New York Mellon by 9,538.9% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,399,958 shares of the banks stock worth $117,414,000 after buying an additional 1,385,434 shares during the last quarter. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd purchased a new position in Bank of New York Mellon during the 1st quarter worth $92,502,000. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its position in Bank of New York Mellon by 15.9% during the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 7,689,477 shares of the banks stock worth $590,783,000 after buying an additional 1,055,389 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.31% of the companys stock. Get Bank of New York Mellon alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have commented on BK shares. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $95.00 to $101.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 16th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $100.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, August 14th. Evercore ISI upped their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 2nd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $105.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 16th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $96.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 16th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Bank of New York Mellon presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $95.08. Insider Activity at Bank of New York Mellon In other news, EVP J Kevin Mccarthy sold 20,000 shares of Bank of New York Mellon stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.45, for a total transaction of $1,969,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 35,115 shares in the company, valued at $3,457,071.75. The trade was a 36.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Bank of New York Mellon Stock Down 0.7% BK stock opened at $100.9870 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $71.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.42, a P/E/G ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.12. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation has a 52 week low of $65.01 and a 52 week high of $104.47. The companys 50-day moving average price is $96.22 and its 200 day moving average price is $88.30. The company has a current ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86. Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 15th. The bank reported $1.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.73 by $0.21. Bank of New York Mellon had a net margin of 12.27% and a return on equity of 13.46%. The firm had revenue of $4.77 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.80 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.51 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation will post 6.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Bank of New York Mellon Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 25th were issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. This is a boost from Bank of New York Mellons previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 25th. Bank of New York Mellons payout ratio is presently 32.37%. Bank of New York Mellon Profile (Free Report) The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, and data analytics. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of New York Mellon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of New York Mellon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Korea Investment CORP grew its position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL Free Report) by 16.5% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 139,177 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 19,664 shares during the period. Korea Investment CORP owned about 0.05% of Royal Caribbean Cruises worth $28,593,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of RCL. Brooklyn Investment Group raised its holdings in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises by 68.0% during the 1st quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 3,557 shares of the companys stock valued at $731,000 after buying an additional 1,440 shares in the last quarter. Roberts Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises in the first quarter worth approximately $572,000. Ethic Inc. grew its position in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 24.6% during the first quarter. Ethic Inc. now owns 11,552 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,404,000 after acquiring an additional 2,280 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises by 26.8% during the first quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,174 shares of the companys stock worth $447,000 after acquiring an additional 459 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Leigh Baldwin & CO. LLC raised its stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises by 8.6% during the first quarter. Leigh Baldwin & CO. LLC now owns 1,314 shares of the companys stock worth $270,000 after acquiring an additional 104 shares in the last quarter. 87.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Royal Caribbean Cruises alerts: Royal Caribbean Cruises Price Performance RCL opened at $329.9540 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 0.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.88. The company has a market cap of $89.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 2.22. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $315.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $259.40. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has a 12-month low of $154.08 and a 12-month high of $355.91. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Royal Caribbean Cruises ( NYSE:RCL Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 29th. The company reported $4.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.04 by $0.34. Royal Caribbean Cruises had a net margin of 20.97% and a return on equity of 47.15%. The firm had revenue of $4.54 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.54 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $3.21 EPS. The companys revenue was up 10.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Royal Caribbean Cruises has set its FY 2025 guidance at 15.410-15.550 EPS. Q3 2025 guidance at 5.550-5.650 EPS. Research analysts predict that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will post 14.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Macquarie cut their price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $300.00 to $265.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 9th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their price target on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $290.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 2nd. Barclays raised their price objective on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $263.00 to $358.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 9th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Royal Caribbean Cruises from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, June 28th. Finally, Citigroup increased their target price on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $390.00 to $399.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $323.10. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Royal Caribbean Cruises Insider Buying and Selling In other news, Director Richard D. Fain sold 16,000 shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $311.02, for a total transaction of $4,976,320.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 150,291 shares in the company, valued at approximately $46,743,506.82. This trade represents a 9.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CAO Henry L. Pujol sold 5,207 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $329.47, for a total value of $1,715,550.29. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 7,826 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,578,432.22. This represents a 39.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 6.95% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Royal Caribbean Cruises Profile (Free Report) Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates as a cruise company worldwide. The company operates cruises under the Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises brands, which comprise a range of itineraries. As of February 21, 2024, it operated 65 ships. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Royal Caribbean Cruises Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Royal Caribbean Cruises and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Korea Investment CORP cut its position in ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE:OKE Free Report) by 8.2% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 313,817 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 28,049 shares during the quarter. Korea Investment CORP owned approximately 0.05% of ONEOK worth $31,137,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in ONEOK by 7.2% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 75,196,969 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $7,461,043,000 after acquiring an additional 5,076,705 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen LLC acquired a new stake in shares of ONEOK in the 1st quarter worth $440,535,000. Boston Partners purchased a new position in ONEOK during the 1st quarter worth $353,596,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its position in ONEOK by 13.8% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 20,957,230 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,079,376,000 after buying an additional 2,542,449 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its position in ONEOK by 240.5% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 2,790,760 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $280,194,000 after buying an additional 1,971,147 shares in the last quarter. 69.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get ONEOK alerts: ONEOK Stock Up 0.5% Shares of OKE opened at $73.4090 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $79.88 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $86.20. The stock has a market cap of $46.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.31, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.99. ONEOK, Inc. has a 12 month low of $72.18 and a 12 month high of $118.07. ONEOK Announces Dividend ONEOK ( NYSE:OKE Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 4th. The utilities provider reported $1.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.33 by $0.01. ONEOK had a return on equity of 14.90% and a net margin of 11.06%.The company had revenue of $8.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.20 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.33 EPS. ONEOK has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.370-5.370 EPS. Equities analysts predict that ONEOK, Inc. will post 5.07 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 1st were paid a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 1st. ONEOKs dividend payout ratio is currently 80.31%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on ONEOK from $110.00 to $107.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Scotiabank set a $92.00 target price on shares of ONEOK and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of ONEOK from $94.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, July 3rd. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of ONEOK from $110.00 to $102.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 6th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on shares of ONEOK from $94.00 to $88.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, ONEOK currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $103.57. Get Our Latest Research Report on ONEOK ONEOK Profile (Free Report) ONEOK, Inc engages in gathering, processing, fractionation, storage, transportation, and marketing of natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) in the United States. It operates through four segments: Natural Gas Gathering and Processing, Natural Gas Liquids, Natural Gas Pipelines, and Refined Products and Crude. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding OKE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE:OKE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for ONEOK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ONEOK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wellington Management Group LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE:ALLY Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 6,961,375 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $253,881,000. Wellington Management Group LLP owned approximately 2.27% of Ally Financial as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ally Financial during the 1st quarter valued at $1,998,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas acquired a new position in shares of Ally Financial during the 1st quarter worth $1,462,000. Bessemer Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Ally Financial by 59.6% during the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,010 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 377 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its stake in shares of Ally Financial by 40.6% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 3,295 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $120,000 after purchasing an additional 952 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC increased its stake in shares of Ally Financial by 56.3% during the 1st quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 67,630 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,466,000 after purchasing an additional 24,372 shares during the last quarter. 88.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Ally Financial alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets ALLY has been the topic of several analyst reports. Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of Ally Financial from $44.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 24th. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating and issued a $47.00 price objective (up from $39.00) on shares of Ally Financial in a research note on Thursday, July 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an outperform rating on shares of Ally Financial in a research note on Monday, July 14th. BTIG Research raised Ally Financial from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, July 14th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Ally Financial from $44.00 to $45.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, July 21st. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $42.80. Ally Financial Stock Down 0.5% Shares of ALLY stock opened at $38.2070 on Wednesday. Ally Financial Inc. has a 12 month low of $29.52 and a 12 month high of $43.86. The firm has a market cap of $11.76 billion, a PE ratio of 24.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.30 and a beta of 1.16. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $38.56 and a 200-day moving average of $36.25. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. Ally Financial (NYSE:ALLY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.99 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.78 by $0.21. Ally Financial had a return on equity of 9.48% and a net margin of 7.64%.The company had revenue of $2.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.03 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.97 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Ally Financial Inc. will post 3.57 EPS for the current year. Ally Financial Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 1st were issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 1st. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.1%. Ally Financials payout ratio is 77.92%. About Ally Financial (Free Report) Ally Financial Inc, a digital financial-services company, provides various digital financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda. The company operates through Automotive Finance Operations, Insurance Operations, Mortgage Finance Operations, and Corporate Finance Operations segments. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Ally Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ally Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Korea Investment CORP raised its stake in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW Free Report) by 6.2% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 37,730 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 2,188 shares during the period. Korea Investment CORPs holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $37,271,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC raised its position in W.W. Grainger by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 486 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $480,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 3.2% in the first quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 323 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $319,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Hemington Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. Hemington Wealth Management now owns 1,139 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,125,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Crew Capital Management Ltd. lifted its position in shares of W.W. Grainger by 4.7% in the 1st quarter. Crew Capital Management Ltd. now owns 270 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $267,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares during the period. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC increased its holdings in W.W. Grainger by 34.3% during the first quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 47 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 12 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.70% of the companys stock. Get W.W. Grainger alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at W.W. Grainger In other news, VP Krantz Nancy L. Berardinelli sold 280 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,075.20, for a total value of $301,056.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 3,369 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,622,348.80. The trade was a 7.67% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 6.10% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have recently weighed in on GWW. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,100.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, May 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,176.00 to $1,007.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on W.W. Grainger from $1,215.00 to $1,160.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 11th. Finally, Loop Capital cut their target price on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $1,080.38. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on W.W. Grainger W.W. Grainger Stock Up 1.7% GWW stock opened at $994.2970 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.82, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $1,022.08 and a two-hundred day moving average of $1,021.22. The company has a market cap of $47.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.23, a PEG ratio of 2.85 and a beta of 1.18. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 12 month low of $893.99 and a 12 month high of $1,227.66. W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $9.97 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $10.07 by ($0.10). W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 10.99% and a return on equity of 49.63%. The business had revenue of $4.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.52 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $9.76 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. W.W. Grainger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 38.500-40.250 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 11th will be given a dividend of $2.26 per share. This represents a $9.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 11th. W.W. Graingers payout ratio is currently 22.94%. W.W. Grainger Company Profile (Free Report) 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. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GWW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for W.W. Grainger Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for W.W. Grainger and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shinhan Financial Group Co Ltd (NYSE:SHG Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totaling 145,400 shares, adropof41.7% from the July 15th total of 249,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 207,800 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.7 days. Currently,0.0% of the companys stock are sold short. Currently,0.0% of the companys stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 207,800 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.7 days. Institutional Trading of Shinhan Financial Group Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Wayfinding Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Shinhan Financial Group during the first quarter worth about $25,000. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. acquired a new position in Shinhan Financial Group in the first quarter worth about $28,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in Shinhan Financial Group by 1,465.5% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 908 shares of the banks stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 850 shares in the last quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Shinhan Financial Group in the second quarter worth about $47,000. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its stake in Shinhan Financial Group by 240.7% in the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,908 shares of the banks stock worth $86,000 after purchasing an additional 1,348 shares in the last quarter. 7.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Shinhan Financial Group alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Wall Street Zen raised Shinhan Financial Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, August 2nd. Shinhan Financial Group Stock Down 1.0% Shares of NYSE SHG opened at $48.2760 on Wednesday. Shinhan Financial Group has a 1 year low of $28.76 and a 1 year high of $52.00. The firm has a market cap of $23.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.84, a PEG ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.03. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $47.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $39.29. Shinhan Financial Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) Shinhan Financial Group Co, Ltd. provides financial products and services in South Korea and internationally. The company operates through six segments: Banking, Credit Card, Securities, Insurance, Credit, and Others. It offers retail banking services, including demand, savings, and fixed deposit-taking; checking accounts; mortgage and home equity, and retail lending; electronic banking and automatic teller machines (ATM); and bill paying, payroll and check-cashing, currency exchange, and wire fund transfer services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Shinhan Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Shinhan Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. VIENTIANE, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Officials from Laos and members of the Asian Productivity Organization gathered in Laos to discuss enhancing access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to support technological upgrading and resource efficiency. The workshop was held in Lao capital Vientiane from Tuesday to Friday, bringing together scholars and industry experts to share insights, strategies, and policy recommendations to support MSMEs, Lao Economic Daily reported on Wednesday. The event aims to explore new financial policies and frameworks that will make it easier for MSMEs to secure funding for modern technology adoption. Upgrading machinery and production methods is seen as essential to improving product quality, reducing costs, and boosting international competitiveness. During the event, participants will exchange experiences and best practices, with key discussions focusing on how innovation and technology can drive productivity and sustainability in the MSME sector, as well as on strengthening partnerships between MSMEs and financial institutions. For Laos, the meeting also serves as a valuable platform to expand knowledge, foster international cooperation, and promote access to capital and new technologies. These efforts are expected to help build a more resilient, efficient, and competitive MSME sector for the future. Sappi (OTCMKTS:SPPJY Get Free Report) and Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV (OTCMKTS:KCDMY Get Free Report) are both basic materials companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, institutional ownership, earnings, risk, dividends and analyst recommendations. Dividends Sappi pays an annual dividend of $0.10 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.3%. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV pays an annual dividend of $0.49 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.0%. Sappi pays out 58.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV pays out 79.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Sappi is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Get Sappi alerts: Profitability This table compares Sappi and Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CVs net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Sappi 1.75% 6.09% 2.56% Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV 13.36% 135.47% 14.19% Analyst Recommendations Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Sappi 1 0 0 0 1.00 Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV 0 1 0 0 2.00 Volatility and Risk This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for Sappi and Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV, as provided by MarketBeat. Sappi has a beta of 0.76, indicating that its stock price is 24% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV has a beta of 0.73, indicating that its stock price is 27% less volatile than the S&P 500. Earnings & Valuation This table compares Sappi and Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CVs top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Sappi $5.46 billion 0.16 $33.00 million $0.17 9.41 Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV $3.01 billion 1.99 $429.88 million $0.62 15.69 Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Sappi. Sappi is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV beats Sappi on 8 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks. About Sappi (Get Free Report) Sappi Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of materials made from woodfiber-based renewable resources in Europe, North America, and South Africa. The company manufacture and sells dissolving pulp, and wood and paper pulp; graphic papers, coated and uncoated papers, and casting and release papers; and packaging and specialty papers, including packaging and specialty papers, including flexible packaging papers, label papers, functional paper packaging products, containerboards, paperboards, silicone base papers, and dye sublimation papers. It also provides biomaterials, such as valida, lignin, furfural, and sweeteners, as well as forestry products; and engages in the treasury and insurance business. The company was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. About Kimberly-Clark de Mexico SAB de CV (Get Free Report) Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and markets disposable products in Mexico. The company offers baby diapers, training pants, swim pants, wet wipes, shampoos, creams, bar soaps, and feeding products. It also provides toilet papers, napkins, facial tissues, paper towels, feminine pads, panty liners, tampons, intimate wipes, and menstrual cups. In addition, the company offers pets shampoos, sprays, repellents, and cleaners. Further, it provides liquid hand soap, foaming liquid soap, and liquid body wash; and underwear, protectors, feminine pads, pre-folded products for adults. Additionally, the company offers anti-bacterial gels; disinfectant sprays; face masks; dispensers; hand towels; and industrial cleaning cloths. The company offers its products primarily under the Huggies, KleenBebe, Kleenex, Evenflo, Petalo, Suavel, Cottonelle, Depend, Kotex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Vogue, Delsey, Diapro, LYS, Fancy, Kimberly-Clark, and Escudo brands. The company exports its products. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. was founded in 1925 and is based in Mexico City, Mexico. Receive News & Ratings for Sappi Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sappi and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Banco BTG Pactual S.A. bought a new stake in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 100,278 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock, valued at approximately $2,541,000. Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Pfizer by 856.8% in the first quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 20,053,828 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $508,164,000 after buying an additional 17,957,928 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen LLC acquired a new position in Pfizer during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $389,861,000. Starboard Value LP acquired a new position in Pfizer during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $407,730,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its stake in Pfizer by 51.9% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 26,456,457 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $670,407,000 after purchasing an additional 9,041,990 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its stake in Pfizer by 307.5% during the 1st quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 10,046,340 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $254,574,000 after purchasing an additional 7,581,030 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.36% of the companys stock. Get Pfizer alerts: Pfizer Trading Up 0.9% Shares of PFE stock opened at $25.2950 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 1.16 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The company has a market cap of $143.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.45, a PEG ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 0.52. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $24.64 and a 200-day simple moving average of $24.41. Pfizer Inc. has a 1-year low of $20.92 and a 1-year high of $30.43. Pfizer Dividend Announcement Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 5th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.20. The firm had revenue of $14.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.43 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 21.42% and a net margin of 16.84%.The businesss revenue was up 10.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.60 earnings per share. Pfizer has set its FY 2025 guidance at 2.900-3.100 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, July 25th will be issued a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 25th. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 91.49%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have commented on PFE shares. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 6th. Redburn Atlantic decreased their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $29.00 to $27.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $25.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $28.12. Get Our Latest Analysis on PFE About Pfizer (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Luts & Greenleigh Group Inc. reduced its stake in Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM Free Report) by 2.8% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 240,259 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 6,897 shares during the period. Exxon Mobil makes up approximately 28.4% of Luts & Greenleigh Group Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its biggest position. Luts & Greenleigh Group Inc.s holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $28,574,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Dorsey & Whitney Trust CO LLC lifted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 14.1% during the first quarter. Dorsey & Whitney Trust CO LLC now owns 32,543 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $3,870,000 after purchasing an additional 4,011 shares during the last quarter. Aspire Growth Partners LLC lifted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 3.1% during the first quarter. Aspire Growth Partners LLC now owns 13,628 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,621,000 after purchasing an additional 405 shares during the last quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 27.8% during the first quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 14,036 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,670,000 after purchasing an additional 3,051 shares during the last quarter. Frisch Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 12.6% during the first quarter. Frisch Financial Group Inc. now owns 11,777 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,401,000 after purchasing an additional 1,320 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Erste Asset Management GmbH lifted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 62.2% during the first quarter. Erste Asset Management GmbH now owns 36,650 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $4,315,000 after purchasing an additional 14,055 shares during the last quarter. 61.80% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Exxon Mobil alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have weighed in on XOM shares. Mizuho cut their target price on Exxon Mobil from $129.00 to $124.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $127.00 price target on Exxon Mobil and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, June 26th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Thursday, May 22nd. Barclays reiterated a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Thursday, May 22nd. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their price target on Exxon Mobil from $134.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Exxon Mobil currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $125.84. Exxon Mobil Price Performance Exxon Mobil stock opened at $107.3140 on Wednesday. Exxon Mobil Corporation has a 52 week low of $97.80 and a 52 week high of $126.34. The companys 50 day moving average price is $110.29 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $108.87. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The stock has a market cap of $457.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.24, a P/E/G ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 0.53. Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 1st. The oil and gas company reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.17. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 9.17% and a return on equity of 11.34%. The company had revenue of $81.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $79.07 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.14 EPS. Exxon Mobils quarterly revenue was down 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 earnings per share for the current year. Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Friday, August 15th will be paid a $0.99 dividend. This represents a $3.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 15th. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is currently 56.25%. Exxon Mobil Company Profile (Free Report) Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding XOM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Exxon Mobil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Exxon Mobil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Capital Analysts LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 5.7% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 93,742 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after purchasing an additional 5,067 shares during the period. Capital Analysts LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $12,435,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 169,823,136 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $22,527,039,000 after buying an additional 1,177,739 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 12.8% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 29,763,415 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,948,117,000 after acquiring an additional 3,371,113 shares in the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp lifted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 10.3% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 22,056,860 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $2,494,851,000 after acquiring an additional 2,060,650 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 29.2% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 15,985,797 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,120,516,000 after acquiring an additional 3,616,471 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 12.8% during the first quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 14,451,305 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $1,916,966,000 after acquiring an additional 1,639,954 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.18% of the companys stock. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Insider Transactions at Abbott Laboratories In other Abbott Laboratories news, CFO Philip P. Boudreau sold 5,550 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction on Friday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $134.55, for a total transaction of $746,752.50. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 51,003 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,862,453.65. The trade was a 9.81% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.46% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $147.00 to $142.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 18th. Mizuho boosted their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 16th. Leerink Partnrs raised Abbott Laboratories to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, June 16th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Abbott Laboratories from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $143.00 to $145.00 in a research note on Friday, July 18th. Finally, William Blair upgraded Abbott Laboratories to a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 17th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $144.47. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Price Performance Shares of NYSE ABT opened at $131.1940 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $228.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.44, a PEG ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.82. Abbott Laboratories has a fifty-two week low of $110.33 and a fifty-two week high of $141.23. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $131.28 and its 200 day simple moving average is $131.24. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 17th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.26 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.26. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 18.32% and a net margin of 32.43%.The firm had revenue of $11.14 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.01 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.14 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Abbott Laboratories has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.100-5.200 EPS. Q3 2025 guidance at 1.280-1.320 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 15th were paid a dividend of $0.59 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, July 15th. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.57%. 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. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. HMS Capital Management LLC reduced its stake in Stryker Corporation (NYSE:SYK Free Report) by 5.9% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,394 shares of the medical technology companys stock after selling 274 shares during the period. HMS Capital Management LLCs holdings in Stryker were worth $1,518,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Venture Visionary Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Stryker by 10.6% in the 1st quarter. Venture Visionary Partners LLC now owns 4,273 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $1,591,000 after purchasing an additional 410 shares during the last quarter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. boosted its position in shares of Stryker by 11.7% in the 1st quarter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. now owns 61,466 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $22,895,000 after purchasing an additional 6,431 shares during the last quarter. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S lifted its holdings in Stryker by 205.4% during the first quarter. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S now owns 54,271 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $20,202,000 after acquiring an additional 36,502 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in Stryker by 9.1% during the first quarter. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 1,199 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $446,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Texas Capital Bank Wealth Management Services Inc lifted its holdings in Stryker by 1.6% during the first quarter. Texas Capital Bank Wealth Management Services Inc now owns 2,001 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $745,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. 77.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Stryker alerts: Insider Activity In other news, Director Ronda E. Stryker sold 200,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $376.45, for a total transaction of $75,290,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 3,222,108 shares in the company, valued at $1,212,962,556.60. The trade was a 5.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 5.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades SYK has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded Stryker from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, July 18th. Evercore ISI lifted their target price on Stryker from $390.00 to $415.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, July 8th. Citigroup reiterated a buy rating and set a $455.00 target price (up from $443.00) on shares of Stryker in a report on Thursday, May 22nd. BTIG Research restated a buy rating on shares of Stryker in a report on Monday, July 14th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein set a $450.00 price target on Stryker in a report on Monday, May 5th. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $430.10. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Stryker Stryker Price Performance Shares of NYSE SYK opened at $389.9640 on Wednesday. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $386.87 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $379.45. The company has a market cap of $149.09 billion, a PE ratio of 51.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. Stryker Corporation has a twelve month low of $329.16 and a twelve month high of $406.19. Stryker (NYSE:SYK Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The medical technology company reported $3.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.07 by $0.06. Stryker had a return on equity of 23.94% and a net margin of 12.25%.The firm had revenue of $6.02 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.92 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.81 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Stryker has set its FY 2025 guidance at 13.400-13.600 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Stryker Corporation will post 13.47 EPS for the current year. Stryker Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.84 per share. This represents a $3.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 30th. Strykers payout ratio is currently 44.50%. Stryker Profile (Free Report) Stryker Corporation operates as a medical technology company. The company operates through two segments, MedSurg and Neurotechnology, and Orthopaedics and Spine. The Orthopaedics and Spine segment provides implants for use in total joint replacements, such as hip, knee and shoulder, and trauma and extremities surgeries. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SYK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Stryker Corporation (NYSE:SYK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Stryker Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stryker and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Joseph P. Lucia & Associates LLC lowered its stake in International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM Free Report) by 4.8% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 4,425 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 222 shares during the period. Joseph P. Lucia & Associates LLCs holdings in International Business Machines were worth $1,100,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in IBM. MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the 1st quarter valued at $396,000. Brooklyn Investment Group lifted its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 32.7% in the 1st quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 6,622 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,647,000 after purchasing an additional 1,630 shares during the period. Left Brain Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 1,547.8% in the 1st quarter. Left Brain Wealth Management LLC now owns 17,664 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $4,392,000 after purchasing an additional 16,592 shares during the period. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC lifted its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 47.0% in the 1st quarter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC now owns 7,507 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,867,000 after purchasing an additional 2,399 shares during the period. Finally, Wedbush Securities Inc. lifted its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 5.6% in the 1st quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. now owns 62,067 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $15,434,000 after purchasing an additional 3,276 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.96% of the companys stock. Get International Business Machines alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have weighed in on IBM. Citigroup restated an outperform rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Saturday, May 10th. KGI Securities set a $242.00 price objective on shares of International Business Machines and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, April 24th. Bank of America reduced their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $320.00 to $310.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 24th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $195.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research report on Thursday, July 24th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a hold rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Wednesday, April 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $268.75. International Business Machines Stock Up 0.7% Shares of International Business Machines stock opened at $241.01 on Wednesday. International Business Machines Corporation has a 52-week low of $193.75 and a 52-week high of $296.16. The company has a 50 day moving average of $271.93 and a 200 day moving average of $258.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00. The company has a market capitalization of $223.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.13, a P/E/G ratio of 3.69 and a beta of 0.69. International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 23rd. The technology company reported $2.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.65 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $16.98 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.58 billion. International Business Machines had a net margin of 9.11% and a return on equity of 37.62%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.43 earnings per share. International Business Machines has set its FY 2025 guidance at EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 EPS for the current fiscal year. International Business Machines 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. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IBM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for International Business Machines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Business Machines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Free Report) by 27.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,993 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 760 shares during the period. Osterweis Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $143,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WFC. Accretive Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the first quarter worth about $399,000. Secured Retirement Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $408,000. RKL Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 166.4% in the 1st quarter. RKL Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,185 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $588,000 after buying an additional 5,113 shares during the last quarter. Allianz SE raised its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 22.6% in the 1st quarter. Allianz SE now owns 212,335 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $15,244,000 after buying an additional 39,150 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp raised its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 12.1% in the 4th quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 651,808 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $45,783,000 after buying an additional 70,104 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.90% of the companys stock. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Wells Fargo & Company Stock Performance WFC opened at $77.4680 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $79.27 and a 200 day simple moving average of $74.95. The company has a market capitalization of $248.16 billion, a PE ratio of 13.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.20. Wells Fargo & Company has a 1 year low of $50.22 and a 1 year high of $84.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.83. Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 15th. The financial services provider reported $1.54 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.41 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $20.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.83 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.29% and a net margin of 16.82%.The companys quarterly revenue was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.33 EPS. Research analysts expect that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.89 EPS for the current year. Wells Fargo & Company declared that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Tuesday, April 29th that allows the company to buyback $40.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to buy up to 17.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally a sign that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued. Wells Fargo & Company Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.45 per share. This is an increase from Wells Fargo & Companys previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 8th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Wells Fargo & Companys payout ratio is presently 30.82%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Phillip Securities lowered Wells Fargo & Company from a strong-buy rating to a moderate buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 17th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $77.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 4th. Evercore ISI reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Tuesday, July 8th. Wall Street Zen lowered Wells Fargo & Company from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Saturday, July 26th. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a neutral rating on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Tuesday, July 8th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $81.58. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Wells Fargo & Company 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. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. HMS Capital Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK Free Report) by 2.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,454 shares of the companys stock after selling 118 shares during the quarter. McKesson accounts for 1.5% of HMS Capital Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest position. HMS Capital Management LLCs holdings in McKesson were worth $2,948,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its holdings in shares of McKesson by 75,632.7% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,393,152 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,610,567,000 after purchasing an additional 2,389,992 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen LLC acquired a new stake in shares of McKesson in the 1st quarter valued at $475,235,000. Farallon Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of McKesson in the 4th quarter valued at $348,044,000. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its holdings in shares of McKesson by 4,559.6% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 427,703 shares of the companys stock valued at $287,840,000 after purchasing an additional 418,524 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Boston Partners raised its holdings in shares of McKesson by 33.3% in the 1st quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,461,785 shares of the companys stock valued at $984,927,000 after purchasing an additional 365,484 shares in the last quarter. 85.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get McKesson alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth MCK has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of McKesson from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Sunday, July 13th. Cowen reiterated a buy rating on shares of McKesson in a research note on Thursday, August 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of McKesson from $766.00 to $772.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 13th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of McKesson from $708.00 to $805.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 29th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating and set a $810.00 price target (up from $770.00) on shares of McKesson in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, McKesson currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $719.27. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, EVP Thomas L. Rodgers sold 2,891 shares of McKesson stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $712.18, for a total value of $2,058,912.38. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 2,544 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,811,785.92. The trade was a 53.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Leann B. Smith sold 341 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $717.91, for a total transaction of $244,807.31. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 2,800 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,010,148. This represents a 10.86% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 64,204 shares of company stock valued at $45,152,392. Corporate insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. McKesson Stock Up 0.8% Shares of NYSE:MCK opened at $676.8290 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $84.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.99, a PEG ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.50. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $708.26 and its 200-day simple moving average is $683.16. McKesson Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $464.42 and a fifty-two week high of $737.89. McKesson (NYSE:MCK Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, August 6th. The company reported $8.26 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $8.33 by ($0.07). The firm had revenue of $97.83 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $95.93 billion. McKesson had a net margin of 0.84% and a negative return on equity of 196.66%. The firms revenue was up 23.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $7.88 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that McKesson Corporation will post 32.77 EPS for the current year. McKesson Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 2nd will be issued a $0.82 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 2nd. This is a positive change from McKessons previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. McKessons payout ratio is presently 11.32%. McKesson Company Profile (Free Report) McKesson Corporation provides healthcare services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: U.S. Pharmaceutical, Prescription Technology Solutions (RxTS), Medical-Surgical Solutions, and International. The U.S. Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded, generic, specialty, biosimilar and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs, and other healthcare-related products. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MCK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for McKesson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for McKesson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. decreased its position in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJH Free Report) by 18.0% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,742 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,694 shares during the quarter. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc.s holdings in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF were worth $452,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its position in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 2.7% during the first quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 796,784 shares of the companys stock worth $46,482,000 after purchasing an additional 20,785 shares during the last quarter. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX increased its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX now owns 22,111 shares of the companys stock worth $1,290,000 after buying an additional 465 shares during the last quarter. Texas Capital Bank Wealth Management Services Inc raised its position in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 38.1% during the 1st quarter. Texas Capital Bank Wealth Management Services Inc now owns 344,563 shares of the companys stock valued at $20,105,000 after buying an additional 95,039 shares during the period. Colonial Trust Advisors lifted its holdings in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 1.5% in the first quarter. Colonial Trust Advisors now owns 219,992 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,837,000 after acquiring an additional 3,178 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GSG Advisors LLC purchased a new position in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF in the first quarter worth approximately $233,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 14.60% of the companys stock. Get iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Stock Up 0.2% NYSEARCA:IJH opened at $63.81 on Wednesday. iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF has a 52 week low of $50.15 and a 52 week high of $68.33. The company has a market capitalization of $97.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.00 and a beta of 1.12. The stocks fifty day moving average is $62.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is $60.52. About iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Ishares S&P Midcap 400 Index Fund, formerly The iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (the Fund), seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the United States mid-cap stocks, as represented by the Standard & Poors MidCap 400 (the Underlying Index). Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IJH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GM Advisory Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW Free Report) by 57.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 32,548 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 11,812 shares during the quarter. GM Advisory Group LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $2,548,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in SCHW. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 380.5% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 24,240 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,794,000 after acquiring an additional 19,195 shares in the last quarter. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury boosted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 7.9% during the 4th quarter. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury now owns 560,942 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $41,515,000 after acquiring an additional 40,997 shares in the last quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 16.2% during the 4th quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 47,591 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,522,000 after acquiring an additional 6,636 shares in the last quarter. J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG bought a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab during the 4th quarter worth about $220,000. Finally, Alta Advisers Ltd boosted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 24.3% during the 4th quarter. Alta Advisers Ltd now owns 4,970 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $368,000 after acquiring an additional 970 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 84.38% of the companys stock. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, insider Nigel J. Murtagh sold 24,096 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.91, for a total value of $2,359,239.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 58,999 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,776,592.09. This represents a 29.00% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Walter W. Bettinger sold 173,876 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.84, for a total value of $17,185,903.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman directly owned 590,734 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $58,388,148.56. The trade was a 22.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 260,516 shares of company stock worth $25,139,583 in the last 90 days. 6.30% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Charles Schwab Trading Down 0.4% Charles Schwab stock opened at $95.7530 on Wednesday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $93.40 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $85.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The stock has a market cap of $173.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 0.96. The Charles Schwab Corporation has a 12 month low of $61.16 and a 12 month high of $99.59. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.10 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $5.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.64 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 19.30% and a net margin of 33.68%.The companys revenue for the quarter was up 24.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.73 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that The Charles Schwab Corporation will post 4.22 EPS for the current year. Charles Schwab declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Thursday, July 24th that authorizes the company to repurchase $20.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the financial services provider to purchase up to 11.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often an indication that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued. Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 22nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 8th will be issued a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 8th. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is presently 29.03%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts recently weighed in on SCHW shares. JMP Securities increased their target price on Charles Schwab from $106.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a research note on Monday, July 21st. TD Securities increased their target price on Charles Schwab from $95.00 to $113.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 20th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Charles Schwab from $117.00 to $131.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 29th. Truist Financial increased their target price on Charles Schwab from $107.00 to $112.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 15th. Finally, William Blair downgraded Charles Schwab from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, July 3rd. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $99.60. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Charles Schwab Charles Schwab Profile (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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Couples participate in a group wedding ceremony during a folk culture activity in Dongbaihu Town of Zhuji City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 20, 2025. A series of folk culture and tourism activities were held here in celebration of the upcoming traditional Qixi Festival, known as Chinese Valentine's Day. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) Couples participate in a group wedding ceremony during a folk culture activity in Dongbaihu Town of Zhuji City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 20, 2025. A series of folk culture and tourism activities were held here in celebration of the upcoming traditional Qixi Festival, known as Chinese Valentine's Day. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) A bridal sedan chair is pictured during a folk culture activity in Dongbaihu Town of Zhuji City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 20, 2025. A series of folk culture and tourism activities were held here in celebration of the upcoming traditional Qixi Festival, known as Chinese Valentine's Day. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) Couples participate in a group wedding ceremony during a folk culture activity in Dongbaihu Town of Zhuji City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 20, 2025. A series of folk culture and tourism activities were held here in celebration of the upcoming traditional Qixi Festival, known as Chinese Valentine's Day. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) Police put this one on blast today and it deserves a good look for those who haven't seen it yet . . . The video they're sharing is from the Westside and then further through into the Crossroads . . . Shots fired into a vehicle with children inside two adults struck Help us find the people on these ATVs and dirt bikes. Saturday night, at 11:23 p.m., a large group on ATVs and bikes followed a victim from E. 18th & Grand Blvd. to E. 27th and Indiana Ave. where someone in the group shot into a vehicle, striking two adults. If you have information, call our Assault Unit at 816-234-5227 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. You can also visit http://kccrimestoppers.com. ############ Additionally, here are more local crime links that are also worth look . . . Check TKC news gathering . . . 2 injured after ATV, dirt bike racers shoot into car with kids inside: Kansas City PD Police are asking the public for help in finding a group of ATV and dirt bike drivers who shot into a car on Saturday night, leaving two adults injured. IN DEPTH: What crime data says about Jackson County's focused deterrence strategies It's been 15 months since Jackson County launched its "Save KC" program. Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson met with KSHB 41's Alyssa Jackson to talk about SAVE KC's success and its challenges. Man sentenced to prison after 2024 fatal wrong-way crash in Johnson County Matthew Karabas was sentenced to prison after a 2024 deadly wrong-way crash in Johnson County, Kansas. 'It's an epidemic': South Plaza residents frustrated by repeated car break-ins Residents in a South Plaza neighborhood, known for its walkability and nearby parks, are now dealing with a persistent problem: car break-ins. Child sex trafficking charges filed against Lee's Summit man could lead to life sentences A Lee's Summit man has been accused of child sex trafficking. Clay County grand jury indicts man for alleged child molestation at Smithville Lake A Clay County grand jury has indicted a man for an alleged child molestation incident at Smithville beach on Independence Day weekend. Law enforcement, alcohol, and drug prevention and recovery centers weigh in on purple fentanyl As the fight against fentanyl continues, law enforcement agencies are warning about another deadly form of the drug: purple fentanyl. Father comes forward with concerns after KC woman found dead in MS Authorities have confirmed that the body found in a shallow grave in Mississippi is that of La'Datra Williams, a Kansas City woman who had been missing for months. KCPD investigating deadly hit-and-run on Independence, Monroe KCPD investigating a fatal hit-and-run on Independence Avenue and Monroe Avenue. The incident happened Saturday at 10:04 p.m. Kansas City man acquitted of murder, other charges in 2024 case A Kansas City man was acquitted of murder following a jury trial in Jackson County Circuit Court. He faced charges after a 2024 shooting. Grandview teen charged in 2024 Raytown deadly shooting An 18-year-old Grandview man has been sentenced for a deadly shooting in Raytown last year. Vigil honors, remembers Kansas City man killed in July shooting There have been more than 100 victims of homicide in Kansas City, Missouri in 2025. Grandview mother mourns teen daughter lost to KC gun violence: 'I'm in disbelief' Traelynn Sibley, 16, was days away from starting her junior year at Grandview High School when she was shot and killed by a bullet fired from outside during a sleepover at a friend's home in Kansas City. Jackson County's crime prevention organization has a new leader COMBAT stands for the Community Backed Anti-Crime Tax and if you live in Jackson County, you pay for it. Developing . . . We can't claim insider knowledge with this this one but people we trust sent this our way, TKC read it and agrees that it deserves consideration . . . First . . . Perspective on the behind the scenes of the decision . . . And then . . . The press release from the KC metro county . . . Check-it . . . Tale of Competence and Clowns Lets talk about leadershipthe type that works for people and the non-existent kind. Platte County, where commissioners are proving they actually know how to govern, is an example of the former. An example of non-existent leadership is Jackson County, where the politicians govern like theyre auditioning for a circus act, stumbling over their egos while taxpayers suffer. The contrast couldnt be starker, and the recent deal Platte County secured with the Missouri State Tax Commission (STC) is a blazing neon sign of whos getting it right. Platte County led by Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker, just pulled off a masterclass in negotiation. Facing a draconian 15% property value hike mandated by the STC, they didnt just roll over like spineless opportunists. No, they fought tooth and nail, securing a Memorandum of Understanding that slashed the increase to a far more reasonable 6.835%. This isnt just a win; its a lifeline for taxpayers already stretched thin. Fricker showed what it looks like when elected officials actually care about their constituents. They hired outside counsel, dug in, and delivered a deal that aligns with real-world home price trends7.75% annually from 2019 to 2024while shielding residents from the STCs heavy-handed overreach. Meanwhile, Jackson Countys so-called leaders are busy tripping over their own incompetence. Their property tax assessment process is a chaotic mess, riddled with errors and inflated valuations that have residents fuming, and hurting financially. While Platte County was out there negotiating like adults, Jackson Countys politicians were too busy pointing fingers and dodging accountability, behaving worse than five-year-olds eating their body weight in sugar and Red Dye 40. Their assessments are so wildly inconsistent and homeowners are getting slapped with bills that make no sense. Instead of fighting for fairness, Jackson Countys officials are hiding behind excuses and bureaucratic jargon. Its pathetic. It should be criminal. Platte Countys team didnt just stop at securing a better deal. Theyre calling out the broken system that let this mess happen in the first place. Frickers already looking ahead, pushing for legislative reforms to fix Missouris outdated, arbitrary property tax framework. Thats vision. Thats leadership. Compare that to Jackson County, where the politicians are content to let taxpayers drown in unfair assessments while they bicker over who gets the best office chair. Jax Co. politicos are so busy playing political musical chairs they fail to notice their residents are fed up. Its a disgrace. ####################### Press Release: Platte County Secures Favorable Agreement with Missouri State Tax Commission Platte City, MO August 20, 2025 Today, Platte County Clerk Jera Pruitt and Board of Equalization Chair Lee Ann Fadler signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Missouri State Tax Commission (STC), finalizing a negotiated agreement that requires the County to raise all residential property values 6.835% over the 2024 assessed values. This modest increase aligns more closely with actual home price increases, which were roughly 7.75% per year from 2019 through 2024 and represents a significant reduction from the STCs original order on July 30, which mandated a 15% across-the-board increase. This agreement is a clear victory for Platte County taxpayers, as it substantially reduces the financial impact of the STCs initial directive, Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker stated. With very little leverage and very little time, we were able to secure a better deal for Platte County taxpayers that reflects more realistic property value increases.However, the imposed valuation increase circumvents the traditional data-driven assessment process used by Missouri assessors for decades, replacing it with arbitrary valuations dictated by the STC that impact all property owners regardless of the actual increase in individual property values. Commissioner Fricker and the County Commission, with support from other county officials and the BOE, engaged outside counsel and led negotiations with the STC to arrive at this agreement. Their efforts secured a compromise that protects taxpayers from a more difficult financial burden. Commissioner Fricker added, While were pleased with this outcome, were deeply troubled by the way property tax assessment oversight is handled at the state level. We believe voters should have the authority to judge whether elected officials are serving the community effectively and then make their opinions known at the ballot box. So we now turn our attention to working with the Governor and our state legislators to enact meaningful reforms to the property tax assessment and oversight process, ensuring a fairer and more transparent framework for all Missourians. At the end of the day, Missouri needs a consistent, predictable property tax system that doesnt price people out of their homes. Platte County remains committed to advocating for its residents and navigating complex state mandates while pushing for lasting legislative solutions. ####################### Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Fox4: Platte County property values increasing with new STC agreement KSHB: Battle between Platte County officials and Missouri State Tax Commission ended Tuesday with an agreement Developing . . . Thank you for signing up! Youll soon be getting your Toronto scoop in your inbox. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page. LJUBLJANA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia has sent its first shipment of humanitarian aid for Gaza to Jordan, the Ministry of Defence said Tuesday. The aid, consisting of food and blankets from the Defence Ministry's reserves, was transported by a Spartan military cargo aircraft. Two more flights are scheduled, with all deliveries expected to be completed by the end of August. According to the ministry, the shipment was received in Jordan at a military airport near Amman. Defence Minister Borut Sajovic stressed the importance of the operation, noting that civilians in Gaza have endured nearly two years of conflict with limited humanitarian assistance reaching the enclave. Earlier this month, the Slovenian government approved additional humanitarian aid for Gaza worth 870,500 euros (about 1.01 million U.S. dollars), mainly in the form of food and blankets. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. The peace framework agreement between Armenia (BB-/Stable) and Azerbaijan (BBB-/Stable) is a positive step toward a comprehensive deal and reduces the risk of renewed hostilities, Fitch Ratings said in its latest outlook, Trend reports. Achieving a peace agreement is unlikely to immediately affect either countrys ratings, but could support positive medium-term credit trends, notably via expanded trade that may boost growth, although this is difficult to quantify, the agency said. Fitch confirmed its previous outlook that a return to military conflict between the two countries is unlikely. Tangible benefits to economic growth, government revenues and trade will take a few years at least to materialize, the forecast added. For Azerbaijan, as Fitch noted, reduced tensions with Armenia could foster greater focus on domestic reforms, such as economic diversification and strengthening governance. On August 8, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the United States Donald Trump, and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint declaration on the meeting between the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia in Washington. Besides, as part of the meeting between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the US Donald Trump, and Prime Nikol Pashinyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan initialled the draft Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and signed a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (on the closure of the OSCE Minsk Process, the personal representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the conflict discussed by the Minsk Conference, and the High-Level Planning Group). BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Azerbaijans Ambassador to Paris Leyla Abdullayeva congratulated Sophie Lagoutte on her appointment as the new Ambassador of France to Baku, Trend reports. "My sincere congratulations, dear colleague. I hope that our joint efforts will contribute to the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and France," Abdullayeva wrote on her page on X. Lagoutte, in turn, also shared a publication in this regard. "It is a great honor for me to serve France, our interests and compatriots as ambassador to Azerbaijan. I will fulfill this position, continuing the path of Anne Boillon. Together with the team of the French embassy in Azerbaijan, I look forward to the opportunity to further develop Franco-Azerbaijani relations in this region, which is of strategic importance for our country and the European Union," the diplomat noted. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Azerbaijans Ambassador to France Leyla Abdullayeva expressed her gratitude to Lewin Moise Moche, Vice President of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER), for his support of Azerbaijan, Trend reports. "True friends are always there in difficult times. Thank you, dear Lewin Moise Moche, for always being by our side and for your loyal friendship. We hope that the historic agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia will open a new regional chapter of peace and prosperity," she wrote on her page on X. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. The EU strongly supports the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Anitta Hipper, EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told Trend. "We have been working for years with both parties and international partners to create the conditions for lasting peace. We welcome the finalization of the negotiations on the draft agreement on Peace and Establishment of Interstate Relations in March 2025 and its initialling by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the White House on August 8, 2025," she said. Hipper added that the EU fully supports the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process and has been working for years with both parties and international partners to create the conditions for lasting peace. "We continue to stand ready to work with partners towards full-fledged normalization, providing additional support and expertise, including for the practical implementation of next steps," the spokesperson added. On August 8, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the United States Donald Trump, and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint declaration on the meeting between the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia in Washington. Besides, as part of the meeting between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the US Donald Trump, and Prime Nikol Pashinyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan initialled the draft Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and signed a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (on the closure of the OSCE Minsk Process, the personal representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the conflict discussed by the Minsk Conference, and the High-Level Planning Group). BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has sent a congratulatory letter to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports. "Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, dear brother, I was very pleased to receive the news about the Joint Declaration you signed in Washington with the participation of Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of the United States Donald Trump. I regard this document, first and foremost, as a clear outcome of your tireless efforts and resolute political will, as well as courageous and just initiatives over many years towards the restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the achievement of lasting peace and sustainable development in the South Caucasus region. The significant progress made in recent years under your leadership on the path towards the signing of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia deserves special commendation. We take immense pride in the fact that the truly brotherly people of Azerbaijan have achieved such high accomplishments even during a period of serious trials and rapid changes. Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, Your wise and far-sighted policy not only ensures the full realization of the long-cherished aspirations of the brotherly people of Azerbaijan and the strengthening of its reputation and respect in the international arena but also lays a solid foundation for the consolidation of lasting peace and progress in the region. Taking this opportunity, I once again sincerely congratulate you on this historic success and wish you robust health, family happiness, and new achievements in your responsible state activity, as well as lasting peace and prosperity to the friendly people of Azerbaijan," reads the letter. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. A NOMAD AVIATION AG aircraft operating the LondonDushanbe route requested an emergency landing at Heydar Aliyev International Airport due to a technical issue, Trend reports. According to the airport authorities, the aircraft successfully landed at the Baku airport at 02:21 local time. Heydar Aliyev International Airport, operating in line with international standards, provides reliable support to passengers and aircraft in technical and emergency situations, demonstrating a high level of operational efficiency. On September 1, 2025, Trend News Agency celebrates an important milestone - its 30th anniversary. Over three decades, Trend has grown from a small editorial office into one of the regions leading and most respected multilingual agencies, covering key events in the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Caspian region. Thanks to the professionalism and dedication of its team, the agency has earned recognition from politicians, diplomats, and business leaders around the world. Looking ahead, Trend aims to expand further into European and Asian media markets. Platforms have already been established in Turkiye and across Europe, providing a foundation for the agency to compete with media outlets in these regions. Renowned energy and international affairs expert Ariel Cohen, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and Managing Director of the Energy, Growth, and Security Program at the International Tax and Investment Center in Washington, shared his impressions of working with Trend: "Trend agency is 30 years young! Proud to be there at the creation. It is now a mature professional multilingual news agency valued by business people and media near and far," he said. He added that Trends work is especially valuable to professionals worldwide. "Trend provides crucial information that cannot be found elsewhere. Its reporting contributes to the economic development of the Caspian region, Central Asia, and the Caucasus - and that contribution is invaluable," Ariel Cohen emphasized. Congratulating Trend on its anniversary, the political scientist expressed confidence in the agencys future: "May the next three decades be even more successful." BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held a phone conversation with Spains Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation Jose Manuel Albares Bueno on August 20, 2025, Trend reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the call, Albares congratulated Azerbaijan on the progress achieved in the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, which was highlighted during the summit meeting of the Azerbaijani president in the United States. "The discussion focused on the current state and future prospects of Azerbaijan-Spain and Azerbaijan-European Union (EU) relations. The ministers emphasized the importance of cooperation in economic and trade relations, energy, tourism, humanitarian initiatives, and education. The Spanish prime ministers visit to Azerbaijan within the framework of COP29 was also positively recalled. Continuing the political consultations organized between the Foreign Ministries in 2024, preparations are underway for the next round of consultations to be held in Baku soon. The conversation also included an exchange of views on regional issues of mutual interest," the statement said. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. The Ministry of Culture of Greece has announced that restoration and enhancement works at the Kasta Tumulus in Amphipolis are moving forward, with a total project budget exceeding 10 million euros, Trend reports. The project is co-funded by the Regional Operational Program of Central Macedonia (ESPA 20212027) and national resources of the Ministry of Culture. The initiative includes visitor pathways, reception and service facilities, and the construction of a museum and exhibition hall. The studiesarchitectural, structural, electromechanical, museological, and museographichave been fully completed, enabling work to continue under the supervision of the Ministrys restoration and museum directorates, along with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Serres. A parallel project is already underway to stabilize the peribolos (marble enclosure) of the burial monument. The Kasta Tumulus is of great historical and archaeological significance and requires a holistic approachtumulus, circular enclosure, and monumental tombto ensure full protection and accessibility. The exhibition hall will both serve visitors needs and regulate access, since the interior space allows only small groups. Our goal is to combine preservation with a complete visitor experience that includes archaeological finds, digital applications, and modern facilities, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni emphasized the emblematic importance of the Kasta Tumulus. The visitor infrastructure includes accessible routes for all, including people with disabilities, viewing platforms, parking areas, and an exhibition hall showcasing significant artifacts such as the marble door of the tomb chamber and fragments of the caryatids. The exhibition will be structured in three parts: archaeological finds, digital interaction with the monument, and an open gallery with direct views of the tumulus and its original marble enclosure. Designed with bioclimatic principles, the new museum building will be largely subterranean, blending with the natural landscape while minimizing environmental impact. The project aims not only to protect and highlight the monument but also to strengthen cultural tourism in Amphipolis and the wider region. Minister Mendoni also thanked former Regional Governor and current EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Regional Governor Athina Aidona, and the Regional Authority of Central Macedonia for their continued support and cooperation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. The future of the digital industry and the strategic importance of secure, long-term, zero-emission energy for powering AI gigafactories and data centers were at the center of discussions between Bulgarias Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov and senior representatives of the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA) and IP3 Corporation during a working visit to the United States, Trend reports. Minister Stankov highlighted the competitive advantages of the area surrounding the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, pointing to its direct access to nuclear energy, excellent fiber-optic connectivity, and the availability of water resources from the Danube River for cooling. Such projects require an uninterrupted power supply with high volumes of stable, secure, and affordable energyqualities provided by nuclear power. Bulgaria, already a well-established producer and net exporter of electricity, is determined to use this strength as a foundation for sustainable economic growth, quality employment, and the development of high-tech industries, said Stankov. The minister also discussed potential projects aimed at developing high-tech industrial zones powered by stable and clean energy. As part of this vision, the organization of a specialized investment expo targeting companies in the digital economy sector was proposed. Energy diversification and sustainable LNG supply were also on the agenda during Stankovs meeting with Carolyn Eliaasen, Vice President for Government Affairs at leading U.S. energy company Phillips 66. The two sides discussed long-term supply options, infrastructure needs, and opportunities to strengthen transatlantic energy cooperation. In addition, the Bulgarian delegation participated in a roundtable hosted by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) on the theme Critical Energy Infrastructure in Bulgaria: Aligning Policy, Finance, and Technology. The discussions underscored the need for close collaboration between the public sector, financial institutions, and technology companies to maximize the long-term value of strategic investments. The strategic opportunity for Bulgaria to establish itself as a pivotal nexus for sustainable energy solutions and advanced digital technologies was distinctly articulated throughout the visit. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel WINDHOEK, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Newly imposed tariffs by the United States could weigh heavily on Namibia's trade balance and government finances, particularly threatening the country's polished diamond exports, Bank of Namibia Governor Johannes Gawaxab warned on Wednesday. Gawaxab said following a monetary policy dialogue that the U.S. decision to impose a 15-percent tariff on polished diamonds may reduce export volumes and erode government revenue. Diamonds, which contribute roughly 10 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and over one-fifth of export revenues, remain one of Namibia's most critical sources of foreign exchange and public income. Gawaxab noted that while uranium, a key export commodity for Namibia, is exempt due to its strategic importance to the United States, other commodities such as marble and salt now face higher costs and reduced competitiveness in the U.S. market as a result of the tariffs. The governor cautioned that the trade measures come at a time when Namibia's economy is already slowing, with GDP growth projected at 3.5 percent in 2025, down from 3.7 percent in 2024. According to the central bank, industry stakeholders at the monetary policy dialogue echoed concerns, warning that the tariffs could dampen Namibia's export competitiveness in the short term, while urging continued dialogue to help exporters navigate the challenges. The United States imposed new tariffs on imports from most African countries, including Namibia, effective Aug. 1, under its reciprocal trade policy. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 21. On August 18, the White House hosted one of the central meetings during the Bulgarian delegations working visit to the United States, led by Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov, Trend reports. Talks with David Copley, Special Advisor in the Presidents Administration, and Jarrod Agen, Executive Director of the National Energy Domination Council, focused on the role of liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies in strengthening energy diversification and security in Southeastern Europe. Through strategic partnerships and projects, Bulgaria reaffirms its ambition to be a key factor in Southeastern Europes energy security, Minister Stankov stated. He briefed U.S. officials on progress at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, where two new reactors are planned to operate using Westinghouses AP1000 technology the first of their kind in Europe. The discussions also addressed administrative and regulatory hurdles to advancing other major energy projects. Bulgaria underscored the importance of consistent U.S. support, particularly the role of the U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) in providing long-term financing for the construction of Kozloduys 7th and 8th units. Critical minerals were another focus of the August 18 talks, with both sides recognizing their strategic importance for energy independence. U.S.Bulgaria cooperation across the full value chain from exploration and extraction to processing and refining of rare earth and critical materials was described as holding significant potential. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Between August 19th and the 25th, Sarunas Birutis, the Acting Minister of Culture of Lithuania, will be visiting Japan with Ruta Kackute, the Director General of the National Museum of Lithuania, Trend reports. During the visit, the two countries will sign the second institutional cooperation agreement in their history, between the National Museum of Lithuania and the Nagoya City Museum. The Lithuanian delegation will also honor the memory of Chiune Sugihara, participate in the official opening of the annual Lithuania Now festival in Gifu, and attend the Baltic Unity Day celebration at the Baltic Pavilion at EXPO. This visit marks the first trip to Japan by a Lithuanian Minister of Culture in more than a decade, reflecting the intensifying cultural cooperation between the two nations. The visit also carries special importance ahead of 2026, when Japan will host major Lithuanian cultural projects, including an exhibition of works by M. K. Ciurlionis at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo and the exhibition LithuaniaEcho of Songs in the Baltic Forests at the Nagoya City Museum, accompanied by joint training sessions for museum professionals from both countries. At EXPO 2025 Osaka, the Lithuanian delegation, led by Minister Birutis, will not only take part in the official Baltic Unity Day celebration but also meet with the official Latvian delegation, contribute to the Forest of Civilizations project, and visit the pavilions of Lithuanias key international partners. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Latvias Ministry of Culture State Secretary Dace Vilsone will embark on a working visit to Tokyo and Osaka from August 2023 to explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation in cultural education, with a particular focus on animation training, and to take part in Baltic Unity Day at the World Expo 2025, Trend reports. On August 21, Vilsone is scheduled to meet senior officials from Japans Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to discuss cooperation in creative industries, especially in film, video games, and design. Talks will also cover cultural exchange in literature, music, visual arts, and performing arts, as well as Japans best practices in safeguarding cultural heritage during crises, including climate-related disasters. The possibility of inviting Japanese professors to contribute to Latvias education system will also be explored. As part of the visit, Vilsone will meet the leadership of Japans oldest animation school, Yoyogi Animation Academy, to discuss collaboration in the film and gaming industries. Latvias Culture Academy and Art Academy are currently developing a new international animation education program, where Japanese expertise could play a key role. Discussions will also be held with the president of Joshibi University of Art and Design on academic cooperation with Latvian universities, design networking, and creative residency opportunities in Latvia. On August 22, Vilsone will meet with representatives of Osaka University of Arts to discuss academic collaboration with the Art Academy of Latvia and the inclusion of Japanese lecturers in the new animation program. She will also hold talks with the leadership of the Japanese Language Institute to strengthen cultural exchanges, promote Latvian cultural projects, and open pathways for Latvian performances and tours in Japan. The visit will conclude on August 23, when Vilsone will participate in the opening events of Baltic Unity Day at Expo 2025 and tour the national pavilions of Japan, the Baltic states, Ukraine, and other countries. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. On August 19, the Latvian government approved the Ministry of Transports initiative to sign an air transport agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, strengthening Latvias aviation sector and enhancing its competitiveness, Trend reports. The agreement between the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was scheduled to be signed during the 42nd Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), taking place in Montreal from September 23 to October 3, 2025. The objective of the accord was to delineate a regulatory structure for the systematic operation of aerial services between Latvia and Saudi Arabia. The document delineated the entitlements of Latvian and Saudi carriers, stipulations for the initiation of scheduled passenger and freight operations, as well as the regulatory frameworks that both parties are mandated to adhere to. The accord encompassed stipulations regarding aeronautical safety protocols, equitable competitive practices, tariff determination frameworks, fiscal obligations, reciprocal acknowledgment of credentials and certifications, as well as mechanisms for conflict resolution. Upon implementation, the accord was anticipated to enhance the operational framework of Latvian carriers and augment the portfolio of destinations accessible to travelers. Fostering synergistic partnerships in the aviation sector with Saudi Arabia has the potential to enhance regional interconnectivity across the Middle East and Southwest Asia moving forward. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. On August 20, 2025, Latvias Minister of Defense Andris Spruds met with US Congressman Andrew Harris to discuss regional security, NATO unity, and Latvias continued strengthening of its defense capabilities, Trend reports. The United States is our strategic partner and a reliable ally. I greatly value US support, including that of Congress, for security in our region. This unity sends an important signal both to our society and to those who might wish to endanger peace in Europe, Minister Spruds stressed. Congressman Harris expressed strong support for NATO and the Baltic states on behalf of the US Congress. He highlighted the important role of Latvia and Poland as early examples among allies in purposefully increasing defense spending. Harris welcomed Latvias move toward allocating 5 percent of its GDP to defense, noting that it sends a significant signal of Latvias commitment to collective security. The US Congressman also underlined that Russia must be cautious with provocations, as NATO remains united and ready to defend its member states. Minister Spruds expressed gratitude to the United States for its enduring and robust military footprint in Latvia, underscoring that Washington serves as a pivotal ally in fortifying Latvias defense architecture and in bolstering deterrence and security along NATOs eastern perimeter. He also emphasized the recent operational demonstration of the US Air Forces B-1B Lancer bomber flyover conducted yesterday, accentuating the strategic posture and forward deployment of American assets in the Baltic theater. Strategic alignment in defense initiatives with the United States continues to be a paramount bilateral focus for Latvia. Since 2014, US military assets have been strategically positioned in the Baltic states on a rotational framework as part of the Atlantic Resolve initiative, underscoring Americas sustained engagement in NATOs collective defense architecture and its unwavering dedication to fostering peace and stability in the Baltic theater and Poland. In recent years, the strategic partnership between Latvia and the United States has undergone significant enhancement, encompassing substantial defense acquisitions and collaborative military initiatives. In December 2023, Latvia and the United States formalized a $105 million procurement agreement for the acquisition of Naval Strike Missile coastal defense systems, engineered by Raytheon in collaboration with Norways Kongsberg. Latvia has formalized a procurement agreement with the US government for the acquisition of six HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) from Lockheed Martin, with delivery anticipated to commence in 2027. The United States continues to serve as a pivotal strategic ally and partner to Latvia, significantly contributing to the enhancement of Latvia's security architecture. The bilateral engagement between the two sovereign entities is anchored in a confluence of aligned principles and a mutual dedication to democratic governance. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Iran's non-oil exports to Kyrgyzstan falling off In the first four months of the year, Irans non-oil exports reached 49 million tons, valued at $16.5 billion, declining 6% in value and 1.5% in volume compared to the same period last year. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register Azerbaijan tallies detailed tourist arrivals from top countries in 7M2025 Azerbaijan welcomed nearly 1.48 million foreign tourists, with the majority arriving from Russia, Turkiye, and India. Travel by air accounted for most visits, while outbound trips by Azerbaijani citizens slightly declined, with Turkey remaining the top destination. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 20. Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan Ilzat Kasimov held negotiations with representatives of Xinjiang Huijia Biotechnology, a Chinese company specializing in stevia cultivation and the production of natural sugar substitutes, Trend reports via the Ministry. During the meeting, the parties discussed opportunities for joint investment projects in Uzbekistan, focusing on the introduction of advanced agricultural technologies. An agreement was reached to expand cooperation and develop innovative initiatives in the agro-industrial and biotechnology sectors. Established in 2021, Xinjiang Huijia Biotechnology is one of Chinas leading biotechnology producers, processing around 10,000 tons of stevia annually. Its products are used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and chemical industries. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. By the end of this year, the Ganja Innovation Center is scheduled to open in Azerbaijan, along with a prototyping laboratory at Nakhchivan State University, said Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Samir Mammadov during the final day of the presentation of an innovation program implemented across the regions, Trend reports. He said the program aims to support the development of the startup ecosystem not only in Baku but also in the regions, strengthening infrastructure, financial resources, human capital, and the technological community. The expansion of innovation activity in the regions helps develop entrepreneurial skills among young people and, as a result, drives socio-economic growth tailored to the specifics of each region. This is exactly the goal of projects implemented in the regions, such as Innostart, 4u1arada (Four in One), and ecomX, which focus on the development of e-commerce, he noted. The deputy minister emphasized that more than 500 residents of Ganja, Lankaran, Sumgayit, and surrounding areas took part in the ecomX project. As part of the project, educational and incubation programs in e-commerce were carried out, and 15 new e-commerce platforms were created. At the Demo Day event held at the end of the program, teams were awarded cash prizes totaling 30,000 manats, Mammadov added. He also said that the training and mentorship program under 4u1arada led to the creation of 32 startups, whose development was supported through bootcamps organized in Guba and Ismayilli. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. For the Azerbaijan Agency for Innovation and Digital Development (IDDA), startups are the foundation of the approach to building an ecosystem. Global experience also confirms that they are a leading force in innovation, said IDDA Chairman Farid Osmanov during the final day of the presentation of an innovation program implemented across the regions, Trend reports. He noted that startups are capable of attracting a significant share of venture capital worldwide: For example, in 2024 alone, the total volume of venture investments in the United States reached $209 billion, of which $190 billion went directly to startups. The chairman emphasized that in recent years, targeted and systematic steps have been taken in Azerbaijan to strengthen the startup ecosystem: As an agency that unites the ecosystem under one roof, we have already achieved concrete results through programs implemented in collaboration with local and international partners. From 2022 to 2024, our local startups attracted more than 2.4 million euros in investments from various international investors and organizations. This both reflects confidence in the countrys innovation potential and represents a tangible outcome of our initiatives. Osmanov highlighted that the agency has been actively organizing incubation and acceleration programs: This year, we launched two important acceleration programs. One of them is the 4+1 ClimAccelerator, implemented jointly with Sabanc ARF and Viveka. The program aims to promote climate innovation and create a platform for regional collaboration. The results are impressive: more than 150 applications were received from 14 countries, 56 startups were adapted to the B2B format, and 10 startups were presented in Baku during COP29. At the programs closing ceremony in Istanbul, the local startup AZIRRIGATION was awarded a grant of 50,000 euros. He also spoke about the international SaaS acceleration program conducted in collaboration with the Startup Wise Guys accelerator: Our goal is to expand access for local startups to global markets and increase their competitiveness. We support the promotion of startups not only within the country but also internationally. As part of the Roadshow project, our startups participated in international events, creating opportunities for networking and establishing contacts with investors. Today, the robust digital infrastructure developed across the country provides real opportunities for the growth of innovation-minded communities. The Innostart project aims to realize this potential and support startups seeking to make a positive contribution to their regional economy through innovation. The project has been running for the past three years with the support of IDIA and SUP.VC. In 20242025, with expanded scope, activities were conducted in four regions, 20 cities, and one district. The project included 32 informational events, 8 hackathons, 8 incubation programs, and 4 regional Demo Days. In total, more than 2,000 people participated, the chairman noted. Osmanov added that 116 teams presented their innovative ideas and MVPs during the hackathons, 24 of which received a prize fund of 60,000 manats: Thirty-five teams participated in incubation programs, 29 developed their projects to MVP stage, and one team received a Startup Certificate. Today, 17 teams will present their projects at Demo Day. Within the trainer and mentor preparation program (ToT), 18 new mentors have been trained. The project has established partnerships with central government bodies, local administrations, state and private organizations, NGOs, universities, vocational education centers, and regional offices. This, in turn, contributes to the effective operation of innovation centers being established in the regions under the Agencys initiative and helps build a sustainable regional innovation ecosystem. BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China is highly concerned about the current situation in Gaza, and calls for effectively alleviating the humanitarian crisis there, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday. "We hope that all parties will reach a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible, and promote the de-escalation of the situation," Mao told at a regular press briefing when asked about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Nearly two years into the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gaza is unraveling under the weight of starvation and siege. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. The number of venture funds in Azerbaijan is set to increase, Farid Osmanov, the Chairman of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA), told reporters, Trend reports. Speaking at the final presentation of an innovation program held in the regions, Osmanov noted that three venture funds have already hit the ground running in the country, and efforts are in full swing to grow their numbers. He added that more than 30 startups have received investment projects, with further cooperation being carried out alongside relevant institutions to broaden these initiatives. There are numerous critical components for establishing a robust innovation ecosystem within our nation. One of them is facilitating startups with streamlined capital acquisition mechanisms and optimizing their pathways to fiscal resources. Considering the global landscape, ongoing initiatives are being executed in the domain of venture capital financing and investment evolution, Osmanov underscored. A venture fund (also known as a risk capital fund) is a financial vehicle that invests in startups and early-stage companies with high risk but strong growth potential. In simple terms, venture funds back projects that do not yet have a strong market presence but demonstrate rapid development prospects. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Iran and Belarus could further strengthen their constructive cooperation within BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union, said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during a meeting in Minsk with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Trend reports. He noted that Iran and Belarus share similar perspectives and positions in many international forums, creating opportunities for deeper collaboration between the two countries. Pezeshkian added that this shared vision could help ensure the full implementation of agreements reached in various areas, including economic, trade, cultural, military, and tourism sectors. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, August 20. A new tourist ring route has been developed to connect iconic sites of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Trend reports via the Uzbekistans Tourism Committee under the Ministry of Ecology. The large-scale project, aimed at boosting cross-border tourism, will cover more than 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and other cultural and natural landmarks. The route is designed to showcase the rich history, art, and nature of Central Asia, offering travelers access to some of the regions most famous attractions. In Turkmenistan, the program includes Ancient Merv, the Darvaza Gas Crater, and Kunyaurgench. In Uzbekistan, tourists will visit Khivas Ichan-Kala and Dishan-Kala, the Savitsky Museum in Nukus, and ancient fortresses in Karakalpakstan and Khorezm such as Kyzyl-Kala, Chilpyk-Kala, Toprak-Kala, and Ayaz-Kala. The Kazakh segment features the Torysh and Bozjyra valleys, Mount Sherkala, and the Shakpak-Ata Mausoleum. The initiative is being implemented within the framework of the presidential decree of Uzbekistan On measures to increase the role and importance of tourism in the economy by dramatically increasing the flow of tourists and accelerating the expansion of the volume of tourist services in 20252026, which provides for the creation of joint cross-border routes. DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, August 20. Chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan Firdavs Tolibzoda held a video conference with analysts of the international rating agency Moodys Investors Service to discuss the development of the countrys banking system, Trend reports via the National Bank. The sides reviewed the macroeconomic situation and explored prospects for cooperation within the framework of rating assessments. Discussions also focused on global and national economic trends, the stability of Tajikistans financial system, dynamics of banking indicators, monetary policy, reserve management, and further cooperation priorities. The National Bank noted that since 2014 it has been cooperating with Moodys Investors Service in assessing the sovereign debt rating of Tajikistan. To assist business and financial executives in making informed decisions, Moody's offers data, intelligence, and analytical tools. With more than 115 years of experience, Moody's offers highly qualified analysts, comprehensive data, strong tools backed by innovative technologies, and a forward-looking perspective. The entity assists clients in accelerating value creation in this era of exponential risk in a number of ways, including through our three cloud-based SaaS businesses that support vital banking, insurance, and KYC workflows: Ratings, Research & Insights; Premier Fixed Income Research Business; Data & Information; and Decision Solutions. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Iran and Belarus came together in Minsk today to sign off on a series of cooperation documents, wrapping up their efforts with a joint declaration between the two countries, Trend reports via the official information portal of the Iranian president. The joint declaration was signed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko. The accords encompass a diverse spectrum of domains, integrating political frameworks, international legal stipulations, tourism initiatives, artistic endeavors, media strategies, healthcare paradigms, pharmaceutical regulations, industrial policies, environmental considerations, free trade agreements, and the establishment of special economic zones, alongside investment protocols. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Belarus on August 19. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. The final day of the presentation of an innovation program implemented in Azerbaijans regions is taking place in Baku, Trend reports. The event is attended by Chairman of the Board of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDIA) Farid Osmanov, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Samir Mammadov, and First Deputy Chairman of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency Samir Humbatov. As part of the program, educational activities, hackathons, and incubation projects were organized, and support was provided to 35 new innovative initiatives in the regions. The event will also feature the presentation of the programs final results and the awarding of a prize fund of 50,000 manat ($29,411). Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Samir Mammadov highlighted that over the past 4 years, the number of households with access to stable broadband, high-speed internet increased 13-fold, reaching nearly 3 million, ensuring full national coverage. The spread of high-speed internet has technically expanded the capabilities of technology parks. In JanuaryAugust 2025, residency status was granted to 26 legal entities, including 2 foreign companies. Furthermore, since amendments to the Model Charter on Technology Parks in 2023, a total of 144 legal entities, including 8 foreign ones, have obtained residency outside technology parks. I should also note that to support the growth of businesses of legal entities granted residency to operate outside the technopark, relevant statistical data were collected from them. Based on this information, the next stages of the support mechanism have been planned, including projects aimed at fostering the development of these companies and enhancing their export potential, he stated. Mammadov added that significant steps have been taken in recent years to build the innovation ecosystem. With IDDAs support over the past 3 years, various incubation and acceleration programs, hackathons, and ideathons have been held, supporting more than 600 startups. Over 275 of them advanced their ideas to the minimum viable product stage. Our regions, universities, and both local and international partners have played an active role in this process, enabling our startups to cover diverse fields such as e-commerce, health tech, edtech, agritech, fintech, green technologies, internet of things, big data, and the gaming industry. Venture capital mechanisms have also entered a crucial stage, with more than $15 million of capital raised through various funds, of which over $2.2 million have already been invested in regional startups, he noted. Speaking at the event, IDDA Chairman Farid Osmanov announced that new innovation centers are planned to be opened in Ganja and Nakhchivan to bring together young innovators. He stressed that these hubs will allow regional innovators to present their ideas to experts, investors, and ecosystem stakeholders for further development. I am sure that every Innostart program participants, every startup and every mentor, will make a meaningful contribution to the growth of the innovation economy across our regions. As IDDA, we stand by you and remain ready to support the sustainable development of your new initiatives, Osmanov emphasized. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, August 20. The Ministry of Agriculture of Kyrgyzstan has proposed introducing a three-year moratorium on commercial fishing, including especially valuable fish species, Trend reports via the Ministry. The preliminary regulatory framework has been proffered for stakeholder engagement and public discourse. The regulatory frameworks will be implemented across fisheries deemed of national significance, encompassing the Toktogul, Bazar-Korgon, Kirov, Kurpsai, Shamaldysai, Tash-Kumyr, and Uch-Korgon reservoirs. The ministry indicates that illicit and unregulated fishing activities in recent years have compromised the ecological sustainability of commercially viable species, resulting in a significant depletion of fish populations. Inadequate safeguarding protocols, the absence of controlled propagation methodologies, and constrained aquatic biological investigations have exacerbated the predicament. Authorities underscored that in conjunction with the moratorium, it is imperative to enhance fish stock conservation measures and deploy artificial propagation initiatives to rejuvenate populations. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 20. In Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the Uzatom Agency hosted a working meeting between a Kazakh delegationled by Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, Zhomart Aliyevand representatives from key Uzbek governmental bodies and expert organizations, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The aim of the talks was to bolster cooperation between the two parties in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, swap stories on environmental and radiation safety, and join forces in training personnel in the nuclear field. During the meeting, the Director of the Uzatom Agency, Azim Akhmedkhadzhayev, highlighted the importance of experience exchange between the two countries, which are both pursuing nuclear energy development projects. According to him, cooperation will enable both sides to jointly advance nuclear technologies in energy, medicine, agriculture, and water purification. Kazakhstans Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Zhomart Aliyev, emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue and Kazakhstans interest in learning from Uzbekistans experience to minimize risks and improve the efficiency of its own nuclear energy development program. "The parties discussed issues related to radiation and nuclear safety, seismic resistance of nuclear power plant construction sites, and the creation of a joint monitoring system for radiation and environmental conditions. Special attention was given to training personnel, educational programs, and professional development for specialists," the statement said. At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties reiterated their dedication to enhancing the collaborative alliance and underscored the significance of synergistic initiatives for the secure and sustainable advancement of nuclear energy within the Central Asian region. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 20. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree allocating $21.6 billion in 2026-2027 to boost entrepreneurship and improve infrastructure across Uzbekistan, Trend reports via the Uzbek president's press service. The decision was a direct outcome of a transparent symposium convened between the head of state and business magnates on August 20, 2025, during which Mirziyoyev articulated fundamental obstacles and committed to innovative strategies to bolster commercial engagement. The mandate delineates substantial fiscal backing for enterprise advancement, encompassing $320 million earmarked for free economic zones and substantial initiatives involving foreign capital, $20 billion in credit facilities for small and medium-sized enterprises facilitated through commercial banking institutions, and an additional $320 million allocated via the Entrepreneurship Development Company to actualize 5,000 entrepreneurial ventures. In order to optimize credit accessibility, the decree delineates the implementation of a novel scoring paradigm for evaluating the creditworthiness of enterprises seeking loan facilities, slated for activation in May 2026. The innovative framework will leverage datasets from a myriad of public and private repositories, encompassing fiscal contributions, utility remittances, trade flux, and export transactions. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Kars-Igdir-Aralik-Dilucu railway line will take place on August 22, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu said, Trend reports. Uraloglu said that this line will become an important part of the Zangezur corridor, which will provide communication between Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The minister said that the length of the Kars-Igdir-Aralik-Dilucu railway will be 224 kilometers. He added that the line's capacity will be 5.5 million passengers and 15 million tons of cargo per year. "This line will provide a new, uninterrupted railway connection between Turkiye and Azerbaijan. At the same time, the production potential of Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia will be brought to foreign markets faster, and the tourism potential of the Mediterranean will increase," he noted. According to him, with the launch of the Zangezur Corridor, which will strengthen economic cooperation in the South Caucasus, the East-West line running from Beijing to London will function more effectively. A press conference on V-Day military parade preparations is held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin) BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's massive V-Day military parade, scheduled for Sept. 3 in Tian'anmen Square, is meant to signal that the country upholds peace and will firmly defend international fairness and justice, a military official said Wednesday. Wu Zeke, deputy director of the Office of the Leading Group for the Military Parade and a senior officer of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks at a press conference to outline preparations for the parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The 70-minute parade will proceed in two steps: a military review by President Xi Jinping and a march-past of troops in Tian'anmen Square, according to the military officer. Troops participating in the parade will be lining up in formations along Chang'an Avenue in Beijing, and they will be reviewed by Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CMC, Wu said. The parade will demonstrate the armed forces' firm commitment to following the command of the CPC and their loyalty to the Party's leadership core, he added. A total of 45 formations and echelons will be involved in the grand parade, Wu said, adding that during the parade march-past, airborne flag-guarding echelons, foot formations, battle flag formations, armament columns and aerial echelons will pass through or fly across Tian'anmen Square in order. Currently, all parade preparations have been basically completed, according to the military officer. The parade will be the first of its kind after China embarked on its new journey to pursue Chinese modernization on all fronts, Wu said, adding that will showcase that under the leadership of the CPC, the country and the armed forces have grown strong, and the great spirit of the War of Resistance lives on. He noted that the parade will demonstrate to the world that the victory 80 years ago was a triumph of justice over evil, light over darkness, and progress over reaction. China was the first to fight against fascist aggression and sustained the longest resistance. With huge national sacrifice, the Chinese people held ground in the main theater in the East of the World Anti-Fascist War. China tied down and fought the bulk of Japanese forces, wiping out more than 1.5 million enemy troops in the war, Wu said, highlighting that China had made a major contribution to the triumph of the World Anti-Fascist War. In 1945, after 14 years of resistance, China achieved victory at a tremendous cost of 35 million military and civilian casualties, accounting for one-third of the total casualties suffered by all countries in World War II. Japan surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945, signing the Instrument of Surrender to China and other Allied powers. China celebrated the victory the following day. In 2014, the country legislated to designate Sept. 3 as Victory Day of its War of Resistance. On Sept. 3, 2015, Xi reviewed troops in a parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory, the first non-National Day parade held in Tian'anmen Square. Foreign leaders have also been invited to attend this year's parade. Wu said China will work together with peace-loving countries and people across the world to uphold and advocate the correct historical view of World War II, resolutely safeguard the post-war international order, firmly defend international fairness and justice, firmly oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. NEW STRUCTURE Xu Guizhong, a senior officer from the Central Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), told the press conference that the parade is organized under a wartime command system, and will involve thousands of troops, over 100 aircraft and hundreds of ground armaments. A new layout of the structure of the Chinese armed forces will be displayed for the first time in the parade, according to Wu. Led by the Party, national and military flags, troop formations will march during the parade, holding the flags of various military forces as well as the flag of the People's Armed Police Force, Wu said. The PLA's new system of services and arms, comprising four services of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Rocket Force, as well as four arms of the Aerospace Force, the Cyberspace Force, the Information Support Force, and the Joint Logistics Support Force, was established as part of Xi's military reform plan. Under Xi, military reforms took on an unprecedented pace. The Army now accounts for less than 50 percent of the total active-duty personnel; non-combat units have been cut by nearly half; and the officer corps has been reduced by 30 percent -- all to streamline the military and improve combat capabilities. LATEST ARMAMENTS The parade will showcase a series of new-generation armaments, such as fourth-generation tanks and aircraft, unmanned intelligence and counter-unmanned equipment, and advanced missiles including hypersonic ones, Wu said. A large proportion of the weapons will be making their public debut, Wu added. All the armaments to be displayed are domestically made and in active service, said Wu. Directed-energy weapons and electronic jamming systems will also be displayed, he said. In addition, the parade will feature other types of advanced equipment such as hypersonic and air defense anti-missile equipment and strategic missiles, which will demonstrate China's powerful strategic deterrence capability, Wu noted. With a high level of informatization and intelligence, the weapons and equipment to be displayed will fully demonstrate the strong capability of the Chinese armed forces to adapt to sci-tech development and the evolution of war forms, and to win future wars, he said. The display will fully demonstrate the Chinese military's strong ability to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, as well as to uphold world peace, he added. A journalist asks a question during a press conference on V-Day military parade preparations held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin) A journalist asks a question during a press conference on V-Day military parade preparations held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin) Major General Xu Guizhong, a senior officer from the Central Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, speaks during a press conference on V-Day military parade preparations held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin) A press conference on V-Day military parade preparations is held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin) A press conference on V-Day military parade preparations is held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin) Major General Wu Zeke, a senior officer of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, speaks during a press conference on V-Day military parade preparations held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin) Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. Kazakhstan suggests thermal coal price regulation over monopoly worries Photo: he Agency for Protection and Development of Competition of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kazakhstans Competition Agency has proposed state regulation of thermal coal prices due to the dominant market position of "Bogatyr Komir," which supplies over 70 percent of coal to energy producers. The company has increased prices annually, prompting an antitrust investigation upheld by the Supreme Court. Rising coal costs significantly impact electricity tariffs and utility prices. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Over the past four years, the number of households in Azerbaijan with access to high-speed fixed broadband internet has grown 13-fold, reaching around 3 million and achieving full nationwide coverage, said Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Samir Mammadov, Trend reports. He made the remark during the final day of the presentation of an innovation program implemented across Azerbaijans regions. Mammadov noted that the project, in addition to improving internet infrastructure, represents a strategic step toward shaping the countrys digital future. The expansion of high-speed internet has significantly enhanced the operational capabilities of Azerbaijans technoparks. From January to August 2025, 26 legal entities, including two foreign companies, received technopark resident status. Following amendments to the Model Regulation on Technoparks in 2023, 144 legal entities, including eight foreign companies, were granted resident status to operate outside the technoparks, he said. To support the growth of companies operating outside technoparks, relevant statistical data was collected, forming the basis for the next stages of the support mechanism. This project will implement initiatives aimed at fostering the growth of these companies and increasing their export potential, he added. The deputy minister also highlighted the progress made in Azerbaijans innovation ecosystem in recent years. With the support of IRIA, a variety of incubation and acceleration programs, hackathons, and ideathons have been organized over the past three years. More than 600 startups received support, with over 275 advancing their ideas to the stage of a minimally viable product. Regions, universities, and local and international partners actively participated in this process. As a result, startups have expanded into sectors such as e-commerce, healthcare technologies, edtech and agritech, fintech, clean technologies, the Internet of Things, big data, and the gaming industry. At the same time, venture mechanisms in Azerbaijan have entered a new phase. Over the past few years, various domestic funds have raised more than $15 million in capital, of which over $2.2 million has already been invested in startups operating in the region. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, August 20. President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov today received the Head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva, to discuss bilateral cooperation, Trend reports via the press service of the Kyrgyz President. The talks zeroed in on building up cultural, humanitarian, and educational connections between the two countries. President Zhaparov pointed out that, thanks to the teamwork with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Kyrgyz-Uzbek relations are moving forward and growing stronger in the spirit of strategic partnership. Mirziyoyeva articulated appreciation for the cordial reception and transmitted salutations from President Mirziyoyev. Emphasizing the elevated caliber of intergovernmental relations predicated on reciprocal esteem and amicable coexistence, she accentuated the pivotal function of the heads of state from both nations. She elaborated on the youth intellectual competition Zakovat conducted in Bishkek, characterizing it as an emblem of collaborative synergy and amicable rapport between the Kyrgyz and Uzbek youth demographics. At the culmination of the assembly, President Zhaparov extended his best wishes to Mirziyoyeva in her governmental obligations. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, August 20. Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the UN Office at Geneva Sharaf Sheralizoda held a meeting with UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner Ruvendrini Menikdiwela on August 19, Trend reports via Tajik MFA. The parties engaged in a dialogue focusing on pivotal domains of collaboration between Tajikistan and UNHCR, alongside additional matters of reciprocal significance. Tajikistan maintains a robust collaborative framework with UNHCR, emphasizing the enhancement of refugee support mechanisms, optimizing asylum protocols, and executing humanitarian initiatives. The partnership encompasses strategic initiatives focused on border governance, social welfare frameworks, and the enhancement of institutional capacities for governmental entities engaging with at-risk demographics. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, August 20. Chairman of the Assembly of Representatives of the National Assembly of Tajikistan, Faizali Idizoda, met today with the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Tajikistan, Aymurad Kochmuradov, to discuss ways to expand inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, Trend reports via the parliament. Idizoda underscored that the bilateral dynamics between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have been progressively evolving in recent years, propelled by the proactive strategies of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, the National Leader of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. He emphasized that inter-parliamentary synergies facilitate the exchange of best practices, foster alignment on regional and international agendas, and bolster mutual initiatives within global platforms. The Tajik legislative body, he elaborated, will persist in its endeavors to bolster collaborative synergies, especially within the operational parameters of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the initiatives of the Tajik-Turkmen Friendship Group. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, August 19. Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Myahri Byashimova held talks with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine to Turkmenistan Rana Abu Hijleh, Trend reports via Turkmen MFA. The meeting focused on political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation. The Palestinian ambassador expressed gratitude to the Turkmen leadership for the humanitarian support provided to the Palestinian people, conveying appreciation on behalf of her countrys leadership. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and advancing partnership in priority areas. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 17. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met with Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, Marco Rubio wrote on its X page, Trend reports. During a meeting with the head of the Turkmen Foreign Ministry, Rubio said that the United States intends to continue cooperation with Turkmenistan in order to expand economic and commercial ties between the two countries. "Welcomed Turkmenistan Foreign Minister Meredov to the US State Department today. I conveyed that the U.S. intends to keep working with Turkmenistan to expand our economic and commercial ties, promote regional integration through the C5+1 diplomatic platform, and to make the region safer," the publication says. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Belarus is committed to fulfilling all obligations to Iran, said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is visiting Minsk, Trend reports. We are ready to discuss any issues - from food security to military-technical cooperation. There are no off-limits topics. Everything we do is aimed at the well-being of both our peoples, Iranian and Belarusian, Lukashenko said. The president added that all remaining issues will be addressed today in an open and friendly discussion. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. Any changes to the duration or mandate of the EU mission in Armenia would need to be agreed upon between Armenia and the EU, Anitta Hipper, EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told Trend. Commenting on the future activities of the EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA), she noted that the mission is "an exclusively civilian and unarmed mission, which was established at the request of Armenia's authorities in February 2023 in support of peace and normalisation efforts in the region." "The Mission is tasked to observe and report on the situation on the ground on the Armenian side of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. It continues its impartial work in line with its mandate, maintaining a frequent and visible presence among border communities," Hipper added. On January 23, 2023, the EU established a civilian mission in Armenia (EUMA) under the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) to operate along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Its mandate was later extended for two years, until early 2027. NEW DELHI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, held talks with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar here on Monday. The two sides had positive, constructive, and forward-looking discussions on bilateral, regional, and international issues of common interest, and agreed on the following understandings and outcomes. First, both sides emphasized that the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries plays a crucial and irreplaceable role in the development of China-India relations. They agreed that a stable, cooperative, and forward-looking bilateral relationship is in their mutual interest to realize their development potential fully. They further agreed that both sides should earnestly implement the important common understandings reached between the two leaders and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of China-India relations. Second, the Chinese side welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attendance at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. The Indian side reaffirmed its full support to the Chinese SCO presidency, and looked forward to a successful SCO summit with fruitful outcomes. Third, both sides agreed to support each other in hosting successful diplomatic events. The Chinese side will support India in hosting the 2026 BRICS summit. The Indian side will support China in hosting the 2027 BRICS summit. Fourth, both sides agreed to explore the resumption of various intergovernmental bilateral dialogue and exchange mechanisms to strengthen cooperation, address each other's concerns, and properly manage differences, including holding the Third Meeting of the China-India High-level Mechanism on People-to-People Exchanges in India in 2026. Fifth, both sides agreed to continue supporting each other in holding events in 2025 to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. Sixth, both sides agreed to resume direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest and finalize an updated air services agreement. Both sides also agreed on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media, and other visitors in both directions. Seventh, both sides agreed to continue and further expand the scale of Indian pilgrimage to the sacred mountains and lakes in China's Xizang Autonomous Region in 2026. Eighth, both sides agreed to facilitate trade and investment flows between the two countries through concrete measures. Ninth, both sides agreed to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas through friendly consultations. Tenth, both sides agreed to promote multilateralism, strengthen communication on major international and regional issues, maintain a rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and promote a multi-polar world that safeguards the interests of developing countries. TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Japan's exports to the United States fell 10.1 percent in July from a year earlier, marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline, the country's finance ministry said Wednesday. The steep drop was led by a sharp fall in auto shipments, reflecting the impact of U.S. tariff measures. Auto exports to the United States plunged 28.4 percent, while shipments of auto parts fell 17.4 percent, both hit by higher tariffs. Japan's overall exports fell 2.6 percent to 9.36 trillion yen (about 6.31 million U.S. dollars), declining for the third straight month. Imports dropped 7.5 percent to 9.48 trillion yen, reflecting lower crude oil, coal, and LNG costs amid falling global energy prices and a stronger yen. The country's trade balance posted a deficit of 117.5 billion yen last month, the first in two months, the data showed. (1 Japanese yen equals 0.007 U.S. dollars) An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 15, 2025 shows a scene during a Guozhuang dance party in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) Riders are pictured in a horse race in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 17, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) People watch a horse race in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 17, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) Riders are pictured in a horse race in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 17, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) Participants are pictured during a singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 17, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) A rider is pictured in a yak race in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 19, 2025. A singing competition of Tibetan love songs "Layi" is held in conjunction with a horse race here from Aug. 15 to 21. Evening parties featuring Tibetan square dance Guozhuang are also hosted in duration of the two events. (Xinhua/Qi Zhiyue) Welcome Guest! You are here: Home 2025 Makkah Quran Contest Winners' Announcement Today The winners of the 45th King Abdulaziz International Competition for Memorizing, Reciting, and Interpreting Holy Quran will be announced and honored in a closing ceremony at the Grand Mosque in Makkah today i.e. Wednesday August 20, 2025 after Isha Prayers Wednesday August 20, 2025 9:04 PM , ummid.com News Network [Stage is set for the award ceremony of 2025 King Abdulaziz International Competition for the Memorization of the Holy Quran at Grand Mosque in Makkah.] Makkah Quran Contest Winners 2025: The winners of the 45th King Abdulaziz International Competition for Memorizing, Reciting, and Interpreting Holy Quran will be announced and honored in a closing ceremony at the Grand Mosque in Makkah today i.e. Wednesday August 20, 2025 after Isha Prayers. "The winners of the 45th session of King Abdulaziz International Competition for the Memorization of Holy Quran will be honored at a closing ceremony in the Grand Mosque in Makkah after Isha Prayers on Wednesday August 20, 2025", Ministry of Islamic Affairs Saudi Arabia said. Makkah Qurant Contest 2025 Final Round The final rounds of the 2025 King Abdulaziz International Competition for Memorizing, Reciting, and Interpreting Holy Quran began last Saturday August 09, 2025 . The final round of the Quran contest continued till Thursday August 14, 2025 when a total of 27 contestants recited Quran as per the contest competition guidelines. The 27 contestants were from Mauritania, the Philippines, Japan, Guinea-Bissau, France, the United States of America, New Zealand, South Africa, Barbados, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Guinea, Germany, Zambia, Guyana, Comoros, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Finland, Rwanda, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. As part of the competition package, the participants visited different historical places of religeous and architectural importance. The participants on Saturday August 16 left for visit to The Prophet (PBUH) Mosque in Madinah. Award Ceremony for 2025 King Abdulaziz International Winners The ministry is now organising the closing ceremony to honor the winners preparation for which is completed. "Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region, will preside over the closing ceremony held today at the Grand Mosque in Makkah for the winners of the 45th King Abdulaziz International Competition for the Memorization, Recitation and Interpretation of the Holy Quran", the Ministery of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance said. "During the ceremony, the first winners of the five branches of the competition will be honored, in addition to honoring the members of the jury, in an atmosphere of faith befitting the status of this international competition, which embodies the Kingdom's leading role in serving Holy Quran and caring for its people", the Ministry said. Makkah Quran Contest 2025: Watch Highlights Five Categories The competition is divided into five categories: Memorization of the entire Holy Quran, with accurate recitation and intonation following the seven rules of recitation Memorization of the Quran along with interpretation of its terms Memorization of 15 juz (parts) of the Quran with proper recitation and intonation Memorization of five juz with correct recitation and intonation A category for shorter lengths of memorization with corresponding recitation and intonation requirements. A total of 179 contestants from 128 countries were selected for the final rounds after the qualifying rounds held online. As many as 27 contestants recited Quran as per the contest guidelines on the last day of final rounds Thursday August 14, 2025. Makkah Quran Contest Prize Money The total value of the competitions prizes is around SR4 million ($1.07 million), in addition to SR1 million that will be apportioned out to all participants. The top prize in the first category is SR 500,000, the top prize for the second category is SR 300,000, for the third category the top prize is SR 200,00, for the fourth category SR 150,000 and for the 5th and last category the first prize is SR 65,000. The 44th edition of the King Abdulaziz International Competition for Memorization, Recitation, and Interpretation of Holy Quran was also held with the same schedule. Saudi National, Saad bin Ibrahim bin Hamd had won the top prize of the 2024 Makkah Quran Contest . Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Cities Waterlogged: How Infrastructure Failures Swamp Pune and Mumbai The current situation with flooding in both Pune and Mumbai should be a call to action, but because these are regular occurrences every year, we accept them as inevitable now take them in our stride Wednesday August 20, 2025 4:45 PM , Akash Pharande The real estate industry in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, its twin city, has been booming in recent years, making them two of the fastest-growing cities in India. In just five years, the number of new homes sold in Pune went from 60,000 in 2019 to 90,000 in 2024 - a huge 50% rise. This growth has obviously worked well for the local economy, but it has also revealed major flaws in the city's infrastructure. Such flaws are producing chaos that can potentially wreck a city's future. Pune is not the only case in point - Mumbai is perhaps an even more appropriate example, as is seen in the current flooding situation which has once again brought the financial capital to its knees. The Mithi River flood management plan is inordinately delayed. Aspects like interceptor drains, pumping stations and floodgates are pending, with no clear resolution point in sight. Mumbai's ancient stormwater drainage system is being improved, but it is woefully unequal to the onslaught of the annual rain onslaught which literally puts low-lying districts underwater. In Pune, major delays in separating stormwater and sewage drains and slow progress on flood protection walls along Ambil Odha stream and other city nallas have left vulnerable areas prone to flooding. The postponement of key culvert construction in Hinjewadi IT Park has resulted in frequent waterlogging and disruption despite below-average rainfall. From Urban Boom to Infrastructure Crisis However city planning authorities view the current problems that these two cities face, their solutions have not kept up with the fast pace of real estate development. It is, more or less, the same story across all Indian metros - roads, water supply, sewage, and waste management facilities are all falling behind rampant construction. The impact is worst on the new suburban and peripheral areas that have just been consolidated into the city limits. The results: Traffic jams and perennially crowded roads Water shortages and electric grid failures Unreliable waste management, leading to excessive reliance on landfills and degrading some areas, which have become veritable dumping grounds for the whole city Urban flooding due to poor drainage These problems not only make life harder for residents but also hurt the city's economy. Much of the current problems can be attributed to delays in infrastructure rollouts, sometimes because of overlapping jurisdictions, at other times due to complex approval processes, and usually also because of insufficient enforcement of existing measures. Many important infrastructure projects have been inordinately delayed across our top cities. There are many such examples in Pune and PCMC. The extremely important Kharadi-Keshavnagar bridge, which would instantly decongest the Pune-Solapur highway, has been bogged down by bureaucratic red tape and land acquisition issues for more than a decade. Pune Metro Phase 2, specifically the Swargate-Katraj route and the Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar line, are also delayed. Stormwater drainage upgrades and road widening in many peripheral areas are way overdue. Where is the real problem? The authorities sometimes claim it is because of lack of funds, and at other times troubles with land acquisition. Often, the real reason is just clashing agendas of opposing politicians. The problems that people who live in the affected areas face are secondary concerns, if they are concerns at all beyond seasonal vote bank politics. If action isn't taken right now, Pune could go down the same path of unsustainable urbanization as Mumbai, an many other Indian cities. A Quick and Coordinated Response The focus needs to change from planning to execution on a war footing: State agencies like PMRDA, PCMC, and PMC must begin to work together, and more closely The focus needs to be on building more roads, enhancing public transportation, clearing and widening storm drains, ensuring adequate water supply across all parts of the city, and completely upgrading sanitation facilities. Capital must be made available for infrastructure investments, for which public-private partnerships (PPPs) and municipal bonds can be used Regulatory approvals for must be digitized To prevent the environment from collapsing altogether, more green areas must be created as urban 'lung space', and water bodies must be protected. The Heavy Cost of Delayed Action Delays in creating adequate infrastructure and remedying systems that have failed to work result in steadily worsening urban pollution and flooding, and increasing strain on public services all around. The costs of commuting rise inexorably as citizens must take long, congested detours to reach work and back home, and the environment gets degraded with every passing year. Business productivity declines, and the entire city's economy goes into a tailspin. Citizens will have increasingly unequal access to clean drinking water and sanitation, and handicapped transportation of people and goods makes everything more expensive and harms the environment with every minute spent in a traffic jam. The current situation with flooding in both Pune and Mumbai should be a call to action, but because these are regular occurrences every year, we accept them as inevitable now take them in our stride. This acceptance of the unacceptable is, perhaps, the greatest misfortune of all. [The writer, Akash Pharande is Managing Director - Pharande Spaces, a leading real estate construction and development firm famous for its township projects in Greater Pune and beyond. Pharande Promoters & Builders, the flagship company of Pharande Spaces and an ISO 9001-2000 certified company, is a pioneer of townships in the region. With the recent inclusion of Puneville Commercial into one of its most iconic townships, Pharande Spaces taken a major step towards addressing Pune's current and future requirements for fully integrated residential-commercial convenience.] Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Hajj 2026: Last Date of Advance Haj Amount Payment Extended The Haj Committee of India has extended the last date of payment of Advance Haj Amount (First Installment of Hajj Amount). Wednesday August 20, 2025 8:10 PM , ummid.com News Network Hajj 2026: The Haj Committee of India has extended the last date of payment of Advance Haj Amount (First Installment of Hajj Amount). As per the notification dated August 13, 2025, the last date to pay the Advance Haj Amount was August 20, 2025. The Haj Committee of India, however, in a notification released today has extended the last date of Advance Hajj Amount payment by five more days. Last Date of Advance Haj Amount Payment The Haj Committee of India had conducted online draw or Qurrah on August 13, 2025 and released the list of provisionally selected pilgrims. All provisionally selected pilgrims were asked to make the Advance Haj Amount on or before August 20, 2025. "All provisionally selected pilgrims will be required to pay the advance Haj amount of Rs. 1,52,300/- latest by August 20, 2025 if their name is in the list of pilgrims released after the Qurrah", the Haj Committee of India said. In a notification released today, the Haj Committee of India said Advance Haj Amount can be paid till August 25, 2025. Pilgrims should not that their selection through Qurrah is provisional and will be confirmed only if they pay the Advance Haj Amount of INR 1,52,300/- before the due date. The last date of payment of Advance Haj Amount for pilgrims who opted for Short Duration Haj (Short Hajj Package) is also August 25, 2025, the Haj Committee of India said. Hajj Amount Payment Option As per the Haj Committee notification, options to make Advance Haj Amount and Balanced Hajj Amount is as follows. The payment can be made: Through E-Payment Facility available on the Haj Committee of India website " hajcommittee.gov.in " or Haj Suvidha App using Credit Card/Debit Card or Net Banking. " or Haj Suvidha App using Credit Card/Debit Card or Net Banking. Specified Pay in Slip in any branch of State Bank of India or Union Bank of India in the account og Haj Committee of India using Bank Reference Number available on HCoI website against each cover number. Pilgrims should note that they must mention the unique Bank Reference Number provided to each cover in the deposit receipt. Last date to submit and upload signed copy of Haj Application Form (HAF) with declaration, copy of pay-in slip/online receipt and medical screening and fitness certificate is August 30, 2025. Hajj 2026 Waiting List If a provisionally selected pilgrim fails to pay the advance Haj amount before the last date, pilgrims in Hajj 2026 waiting list will be given chance. The Haj Committee of India had on August 13, 2026 released the waiting list of 95,336 pilgrims from 11 states who have been included in the wait list. The wait list pilgrims will be given chance if pilgrims in the provisionally selected list do not make the Hajj amount payment before the due date. The wait list pilgrims should note that their chance will come as per the waiting list number which starts with "WL". Hajj 2026 Flight Schedule The Hajj 2026 Action Plan has not released yet the date and time of inbound and outbound flights from India to Saudi Arabia and vice-versa. The Haj Committee of India, however, said there will be a total 18 Hajj Embarkations Points. The details of EPs are as under: 1. Srinagar, 2. Gaya, 3. Guwahati, 4. Indore, 5. Jaipur, 6. Nagpur, 7. Delhi, 8. Mumbai, 9. Kolkata, 10. Bengaluru, 11. Hyderabad, 12. Cochin, 13. Chennai, 14. Ahmedabad, 15. Lucknow, 16. Kannur, 17. Calicut 18. Vijayawada The Haj Committee publishes details of first Haj flight from India and the first return flight from Saudi Arabia in advance along with the complete flight schedule. The Haj flight schedule should be published in due course. The likely date of Hajj 2026 is May 24 to 29, 2026. The final date of Haj 2026 (1447), however, will be confirmed after Dhul Hijjah 1447 AH moon sighting. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Second Round of Iran-Israel War? The US and Israel are threatening to attack Iran's nuclear programme, while Tehran has announced to continue uranium enrichment. Wednesday August 20, 2025 11:47 AM , Asad Mirza It has been only 47 days since the Iran-Israel war ended. The peace in the Middle East is only 47 days old. But barely after a month-and-a-half, the possibility of reignition of a new war has increased once again. The situation is tense again after the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel in June. The US and Israel are threatening to attack Iran's nuclear programme, while Tehran has announced to continue uranium enrichment. Meanwhile, threats of war and counter-statements are coming from both sides, but a senior army officer close to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has claimed that the US is unable to attack Iran due to its economic and military limitations. Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in an interview with Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen channel that, "If the US feels that it cannot defeat Iran through war and wants to negotiate for a real solution, then we will respond positively. But if the talks are an excuse to prepare for war, then it is useless for us." Larijani's statement on the one hand shows the possibility of a diplomatic solution, while on the other hand it also raises questions about America's intentions. On their part, France, the United Kingdom and Germany have warned Iran that if it does not resume nuclear talks and produce concrete results by the end of August, UN sanctions may be reimposed. After the military attacks launched by Israel in June and the US bombing of three Iranian nuclear installations on the ninth day, the Trump administration had claimed that Iran's nuclear programme was over. However, Iran has repeatedly said that its nuclear programme is for civilian use only and it has no intention of making a bomb. But in reality, at present, amid the stalling of nuclear talks and fears of military tensions, both sides are engaged in war preparations. Iran has insisted on strengthening its military preparations, while Israel and the US are constantly threatening military action. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei warned at a press conference in Tehran on Monday (August 18), thatIsrael's expansionism, if left unchecked, could drag the Middles East region into "endless wars. Baghaei sounded the alarm while slamming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent claims about realising the so-called "Greater Israel" vision, which Netanyahu described as including occupied Palestinian territories and parts of neighbouring Arab states. This "Greater Israel" idea has laid bare Israel's domineering and expansionist nature, Baghaei said. Baghaei said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) deputy director general's visit to Iran earlier this month aimed to establish guidelines for Iran-IAEA interactions after Israeli and US attacks on Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities in June. He added that more talks between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog are due to take place in the coming days. Meanwhile, The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, the top most military body in Iran, controlling both the Iranian Army and the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) has sternly warned the United States and the Zionist regime against any renewed aggression against the Islamic Republic, stressing that such folly will be met with a crushing response much stronger than that of the 12-day imposed war in June. The top Iranian military body released a statement on Saturday (August 16), as it commemorated the release anniversary of the prisoners of war from Iraq. The statement was followed by a warning by top military adviser to Irans supreme leader on Sunday (August 17), that another war with Israel or the United States was likely, dismissing the current ceasefire as just another phase in the conflict. We are not in a ceasefire; we are in a stage of war. No protocol, regulation, or agreement has been written between us and the US or Israel, said IRGC General Yahya Rahim Safavi.I think another war may happen, and after that, there may be no more wars. Safavis comments are the latest in a series of combative remarks from military leaders on both sides, with Israels army chief vowing readiness for further strikes and Irans General Staff warning of a far stronger response to any future attacks by US or Israel. As Tensions heat-up a middle eastern expert says that he believes that an all-out war could begin again by the end of August.There's a catch, however Israel won't be able to sustain such a military venture without the US fully backing its efforts, according to Trita Parsi, the executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. While both Israel and Iran keep their weapons stores "under wraps," Parsi said that Western intelligence assessments indicated that Iran "still has 1,600 missiles that can reach Israel." Israel, on the other hand, was already "running low on interceptors," including Arrow 3 interceptors. "The exact levels are unknown, but much indicates that Israel could not have continued the war much longer (unless the US entered it fully)," Parsi told the Express US. Nevertheless, Israel seems to be relying on US aid, he said. In an article for Foreign Policy, which was also sent to the Express US, Parsi wrote, "Israel is likely to launch another war with Iran before December perhaps even as early as late August." Iran is already anticipating another Israeli attack against it, Parsi said, and is "preparing." In the first 12-day war, he said the Middle Eastern country "played the long game, pacing its missile attacks as it anticipated a prolonged conflict." That means two things the first is that Iran has enough missiles to fight a war of attrition, and the second is that it's likely to change its strategy in the case of a second war. "In the next round, however, Iran is likely to strike decisively from the outset, aiming to dispel any notion that it can be subdued under Israeli military dominance," Parsi wrote. "As a result, the coming war will likely be far bloodier than the first," he added. And that poses a serious issue for the US, he said, should the country join the conflict. The expert went on to say that Israel's war back in June, was "never solely about Iran's nuclear programme." Instead, it was about "shifting the balance of power in the Middle East." "For more than two decades, Israel has pushed the United States to take military action against Iran to weaken it and restore a favourable regional balance one that Israel cannot achieve on its own," Parsi wrote. "In this context, Israels strikes had three main objectives beyond weakening Irans nuclear infrastructure. It sought to draw the United States into direct military conflict with Iran, to decapitate the Iranian regime, and to turn the country into the next Syria or Lebanon countries that Israel can bomb with impunity and without any US involvement," he continued. Only one of those goals was realised, however, Parsi said. The US was drawn into the conflict, but Iran's regime was not incapacitated. And neither was its nuclear programme, he added. Overall, the chances of another round of war between Iran and Israel seems rather slim, as Israel is currently focussed on getting Gaza free of Gazans, to annex more unauthorised territory, an action against which no strong international condemnation or counter has come so far. Meanwhile, US President Trump is preoccupied with his tariff wars and political and economic situation back home and seems least interested to start another war, which may ultimately prove to be his nemesis. (Asad Mirza is a New Delhi-based senior commentator on national, international, defence and strategic affairs, environmental issues, an interfaith practitioner, and a media consultant.) Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic The Asia Dilemma: Can India and China Avoid Collision? Border tensions, trade gaps, and global shifts demand practical stepsfrom New Delhi and Beijing. Wednesday August 20, 2025 6:32 PM , Mohammed Affan When India and China exchange handshakes, it rarely feels simple. There is always history in the room, memories of war, missed opportunities, and moments of uneasy partnership. Yet there is also the reality that nearly one in three people on Earth live across their borders, and what these two countries choose to do, fight, compete, or cooperate, shapes not just Asia but the world. This week, Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in New Delhi, 1820 August 2025, for the 24th round of border talks, among the worlds longest-running negotiations. His visit comes at a moment of global flux: U.S.India ties face turbulence after President Trumps 50% tariffs on Indian exports, while New Delhi and Beijing cautiously test the waters of rapprochement. Some even speculate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may travel to China later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, his first visit in seven years. A Relationship of Highs and Lows Since 1950, ties have swung between promise and disappointment. The optimism of Panchsheel in the 1950s collapsed with the 1962 war, leaving scars that still shape mistrust. Rajiv Gandhis 1988 Beijing visit reopened doors, while Vajpayees 2003 trip and the 2005 Strategic Partnership Agreement created a more stable footing. The XiModi years have been especially contradictory: informal summits at Wuhan (2018) and Mamallapuram (2019) raised hopes, but Doklam (2017) and Galwan (2020) reminded both sides how fragile peace remains. Today, trade crosses $118 billion annually, yet their troops still face off in Ladakh. It is a relationship both deeply interdependent and deeply contested. Where Cooperation Still Makes Sense 1. Economic Interdependence Trade is the backbone. According to the Global Trade Research Initiative, IndiaChina trade reached $118.4 billion in 202324, making China Indias largest partner. As ORFs Samir Saran put it: There is no way you can be a $10 trillion economy without a substantial trading relationship with China. Calls for decoupling remain politically popular but practically limited. A better strategy is de-risking, building supply chain resilience without cutting ties altogether. 2. Resuming Connectivity Direct flights are back, select border crossings have reopened, and high-level defence and foreign ministry dialogues have restarted. After years of near-freeze, these modest steps signal both sides want to manage differences, if not resolve them. 3. Multilateral Engagements Despite rivalry, India and China often converge in BRICS, the SCO, and the G20. Both push for reform of global governance, especially to amplify the Global Souths voice. On climate change, energy transition, and supply chains, cooperation is not just possibleit is necessary. Economist Jeffrey Sachs has even suggested India revisit joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to diversify trade links. Where Friction Persists 1. Trade Imbalance According to Indias Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the trade deficit with China reached a record $99.2 billion in FY 202425, driven by imports of electronics, batteries, and solar cells. Exports, meanwhile, fell 14.5%. This asymmetry leaves India dependent and strategically vulnerable. 2. Border Dispute The Ladakh and Arunachal sectors remain flashpoints. The October 2024 patrolling accord in Depsang and Demchok was a tactical step forward, but large troop deployments show how thin trust remains. 3. Competing Geopolitical Visions Beijings expanding influence in South Asia and the Indian Ocean fuels Indian fears of encirclement, while China views Indias closeness with the U.S. and the Quad as containment. These competing leadership claims keep relations brittle. Bridging the Divide: Small Steps, Real Impact India and China dont need sweeping declarations to reset ties. What they need are practical, visible steps that build trust slowly. Crisis hotlines between local commanders could prevent routine patrol encounters from spiraling into clashes. Joint projects in renewable energy or public health would show citizensnot just elitesthat cooperation delivers real benefits. Student exchanges and easier visas could bring the next generation closer, creating familiarity instead of suspicion. Expanding direct flights would reconnect people-to-people ties frozen since the pandemic. According to recent research, public opinion in both countries is marked by deeply negative perceptions of the other, reinforcing an entrenched trust deficit. These small, visible measures cannot erase that hostility overnight, but they can begin to soften attitudes and rebuild confidence at the societal level. Former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao calls this competitive coexistence: recognizing rivalry but managing it with guardrails strong enough to prevent crisis. Looking Ahead: 75 Years, A Choice Point At 75 years, IndiaChina ties stand at a crossroads. They can fall back into old cycles of suspicion, or attempt to build steadier coexistence. Borders will remain contested; suspicions will not vanish. But climate action, trade stability, and a stronger Global South cannot wait for perfect trust. The test will be whether the much-cited three mutualsmutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interestmove from words to practice. If they do, India and China could show the world that even fierce rivals can cooperate when global stakes are too high to ignore. Seventy-five years after Nehru and Zhou first exchanged ambassadors, the real question is no longer about friendship or enmity. It is whether two ancient civilisations, both rising in the 21st century, can find a way to live as neighbours without letting rivalry consume the future. [The writer, Mohammed Affan, is a final-year Indian undergraduate student of Political Science and International Relations at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University. He successfully completed his Erasmus program in Poland and writes on diplomacy, international relations and policies, global justice and human rights.] Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic LHASA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, who leads a central delegation, arrived in Lhasa, capital of Xizang Autonomous Region, on Wednesday to attend activities in celebration of the region's 60th founding anniversary. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, and the delegation received a warm welcome from people of various ethnic groups in Xizang at the airport and in Lhasa's city proper. Xi is accompanied by Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the central delegation, as well as Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee. Both Wang and Cai are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Tran Quang Phuong, vice chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhao Leji met with Tran Quang Phuong, vice chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, in Beijing on Wednesday. Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said China is willing to work with Vietnam to enhance strategic communication, maintain solidarity and cooperation, join hands in advancing their respective modernization, and accelerate the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. He added that the NPC is willing to enhance exchanges with the National Assembly of Vietnam, engage in mutual learning on the building of a socialist country under the rule of law, and provide legal guarantees for practical cooperation between the two countries. Tran Quang Phuong said the National Assembly of Vietnam is willing to work with the NPC to enhance exchanges and mutual learning in legislation and supervision in accordance with the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two parties and the two countries, and make legislative contributions to promoting reform and development in both countries. Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Tran Quang Phuong, vice chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BEIRUT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese army said on Wednesday it has arrested three Palestinians at the entrance to the southern city of Saida in a security operation targeting militant groups. In a statement, the army said the men were accused of involvement in multiple militant activities inside the Ain al-Helweh refugee camp. They are also wanted for smuggling weapons from Syria into Lebanon and for firing weapons, according to the army's Directorate of Guidance. The arrests are part of ongoing efforts to monitor and dismantle militant networks, the army said, adding that investigations are under way under judicial supervision. It said operations against militant elements and criminal activity will continue to safeguard public security. A Cuban sandwich from La Segunda Bakery [Photo courtesy of La Segunda Bakery] By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing Philadelphia has cheesesteaks. Chicago boasts Italian beef. New Orleans offers muffaletta, and New York shines with pastrami on rye. And Tampa? Its offering is the Cuban sandwich layers of pork (and sometimes salami), Swiss cheese, pickles and yellow mustard pressed hot between crusty Cuban bread. In 2012, the Tampa City Council even declared it the citys official signature sandwich. But for one day a year, the Cuban sandwich belongs to everyone. Every Aug. 23 since 2016, National Cuban Sandwich Day is celebrated with deals throughout the United States and even throughout the world. Those who indulge might also thank the University of South Florida. USF researchers wrote the sandwichs definitive history, the chemistry classes helped perfect the baking method used by the worlds best-known Cuban bread maker, and a graduate founded National Cuban Sandwich Day. The cover for the history book on Cuban sandwiches [Photo courtesy of Andy Huse] USF students and faculty have always had great taste when it comes to Tampas native sandwich, said USF booster Richard Gonzmart, a long-time supporter of USF and fourth-generation owner of the Columbia Restaurant, which has been serving Cuban sandwiches for 120 years. The Cuban sandwich is pure Tampa: layered, resilient when pressed, and unapologetically authentic, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. And thanks to USF, weve got the research to back it up. Its not up for debate where the best Cuban comes from its in our history, and in our hands. The history This might sound strange, but for decades, there was a debate over the origins of the Cuban sandwich. Both Tampa and Miami claimed their Cuban immigrants invented it hence the name. Tampa insists it includes roast pork, ham and salami. Miami argues salami should never be part of the recipe. As curator of Florida Studies at the USF Tampa Library, Andy Huse was often drawn into the debate. I was getting five or six calls a year about it, he said. I realized maybe it was time to write a book and look into the story behind the Cuban sandwich. Huse teamed up with USF Professor Barbara Cruz and Jeff Houck, vice president of marketing for the Columbia Restaurant Group. In 2022, they published The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers, exploring the delicacys origins and social history. And it turns out the sandwich was invented in Cuba at least according to historical records. Huse said it appeared on Havana menus in the 1800s, before showing up in a Tampa restaurant. I think people had lived with it being either Tampa or Miami for so long that it just became true, Huse said. Andy Huse Barbara Cruz In Cuba, Cruz said, They didnt call it a Cuban sandwich. They referred to it as a mixto, or a combination. Still, Tampa deserves credit for popularizing it, they argue. It had the nations largest Cuban population for more than half a century before Miami became the cultures epicenter in the 1960s. I hear so many stories from people with childhood memories about getting Cuban sandwiches with a grandfather or parent at a certain restaurant, Huse said. They have a real visceral association with the sandwich. Its more than just a sandwich in Tampa. Its part of our culture. Cuban bread being prepared at La Segunda Bakery in Tampa [Photo by Brian Adams] The bread If youve eaten even just one Cuban sandwich, there is a better-than-average chance that it was served on Cuban bread from La Segunda Bakery, the 110-year-old business with four locations throughout the Tampa Bay area. Fourth-generation owner Anthony Copeland More estimates that they bake 22,000 loaves a day, six days a week. Thats nearly 7 million a year, shipped throughout the continental United States. We bake between 60 and 75% of the Cuban bread, he said. Were definitely the largest producers in the world. The quality is owed, at least in part, to USF. La Segunda founder Juan More came to Tampa via Cuba with a piece of paper scribbled with his Cuban bread recipe. In 1915, he opened the first La Segunda location in Ybor City, which was Tampas Cuban community. Tony More [Photo courtesy of La Segunda Bakery] But his grandson, Tony More, initially had little interest in going into the family business. His love was chemistry. He earned a bachelors degree in the subject as part of USFs first graduating class and later earned a doctorate from another university. Tony More then taught high school chemistry before deciding that baking was his true calling. La Segunda took off under his direction, and he often credited his USF chemistry background. When youre baking Cuban bread, there are a lot of variables, Anthony Copeland More said. It depends on the weather of the day, the speed of the crew, the flour, the silo all these different things. My father used his knowledge of chemistry to excel at figuring out solutions to get the dough coming out the right way no matter what. The holiday Chris Spata took his USF journalism professors words to heart. They were clear that we could have fun, too, said Spata, who graduated in 2011 and is a reporter for the Tampa Bay Times. They said we could cover breaking news and work on investigations while also writing offbeat exposes. That USF lesson also led to the creation of National Cuban Sandwich Day. In August 2016, I did a story for the Times on where all these national food holidays came from, Spata said. Very few had ties to real proclamations or quasi-holidays. Most were made up by someone who paid calendar and marketing companies to promote it. So, Spata decided to see how easy it would be to start one. Chris Spata {Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times] He chose Cuban sandwiches because, well, theyre delicious, and Aug. 23 because it was coming up plus no other beloved food had claimed that date. It was already National Sponge Cake Day, but nobody really likes that, Spata said with a laugh. He created a Facebook page and drafted a press release, which he emailed to 1,200 food writers and submitted to top calendar sites. It wasnt malicious, and I wasnt trying to fool anyone, Spata said. I was just proving a point that these things are easy to start. But he didnt expect it to take off the way it did. A week later, when Aug. 23 rolled around, Spata woke to coast-to-coast media coverage and restaurants offering celebratory deals. Its gone beyond national, Spata said. Ive seen places in Korea and Europe celebrating it. So now its real and actually celebrated by a lot of people. I think it will probably be my strongest legacy. Honestly, Im fine with that. Vietnam Briefing has developed into a premium source for insight on doing business in Vietnam. It publishes business news concerning foreign direct investment into Vietnam, including the most important tax, legal and accounting issues. The Vietnam Briefing Magazine was first published in 2009, and is contributed to by investment professionals based in Vietnam. NAIROBI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Wednesday announced the launch of a project to boost the phasing out of toxic fluorinated firefighting foams and replace them with safer alternatives in African airports. Dubbed "Fortifying Infrastructure for Responsible Extinguishment (FIRE)," the 82.5-million-U.S.-dollar project will be implemented at major airports in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, director of UNEP's Industry and Economy Division, termed FIRE a crucial initiative that will boost the capacity of African countries to eradicate harmful pollutants found in firefighting foam supply chains. "It supports a practical transition to safer, accessible and affordable alternatives, showing that environmental and health protection can go hand in hand with business and operational viability," Aggarwal-Khan said in a statement issued by UNEP in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. A 10-million-dollar grant from the Global Environment Facility and 72.5 million dollars in co-financing from partners will phase out firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), hazardous "forever chemicals" linked to serious environmental and health risks, according to UNEP. UNEP said the implementation of the FIRE project is expected to lead to the safe removal of 4,500 tonnes of PFAS-contaminated material from fire trucks and the safe disposal of 130 tonnes of PFAS-based foam concentrate. Juan Carlos Salazar, secretary general of the ICAO, said the specialized agency of the United Nations is committed to supporting the adoption of safer and more sustainable firefighting practices at airports across the globe. ALMATY, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan's antitrust authority has proposed state regulation of thermal coal prices in a bid to curb monopolistic practices in the sector and stabilize electricity tariffs, the agency said Wednesday. The proposal has been included in the sixth package of amendments to the country's antimonopoly legislation, which is now under consideration in parliament, according to the Agency for Protection and Development of Competition of Kazakhstan. The wholesale market for coal supplied to power plants in Kazakhstan is largely monopolized, with major producer Bogatyr Coal LLP holding more than 70 percent of the market, the agency noted. Over the past five years, the company has repeatedly raised coal prices by between 5 and 21.5 percent annually. In 2023, an investigation into signs of monopolistic pricing was launched, and earlier this year the Supreme Court confirmed the legality of that probe. Rising coal prices also drive up the cost of food and utilities, where price control measures are applied, the agency said. While state regulation currently covers the production, transmission and supply of electricity and heat, it does not apply to coal, resulting in sharp price fluctuations and cash flow gaps for power-generating companies, according to the agency. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox dramatises one of the most sensationalised crime cases of the 21st century. A new eight-part TV series focuses on the story of Amanda Knox, an American college student who was wrongfully convicted and later acquitted of the 2007 murder of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, in the central Italian city of Perugia. What sets this series apart is that Knox herself serves as an executive producer, along with Monica Lewinsky, a choice that frames the show as an attempt to reclaim the narrative from the media frenzy that defined the original case. The Hulu series, which premieres on Disney+ in Italy on 20 August, is billed as an account of "Knox's harrowing journey after being wrongfully imprisoned for her roommate's murder, her battle to prove her innocence and regain her freedom". The show centres on the miscarriage of justice, delving into the flawed investigation, language barriers and the sensationalism that turned Knox into a global figure vilified as "Foxy Knoxy." The show captures the various stages of Knox's ordeal (with Grace Van Patten in the lead role) and explores the perspectives of her co-accused then boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, and the Italian prosecutor, Giuliano Mignini, who led the investigation. While the series has been commended for its compelling performances and its focus on the human impact of the case, it has also drawn criticism for its tone, which some reviewers describe as "bubbly" and overly-romanticised, with hammy scenes and cliches. Other critics have panned it for not fully including the perspective of Kercher, or her family. Meredith's sister Stephanie Kercher told The Guardian last year as filming got underway in Italy: "Our family has been through so much and it is difficult to understand how this serves any purpose." Amanda Knox on trial in Perugia in January 2011. Photo credit: Alessia Pierdomenico / Shutterstock.com. Earlier this year Knox lost her bid to overturn a slander conviction in relation to the murder of Kercher after Italy's top court upheld the ruling. American Knox, 38, spent four years in prison in Italy after being wrongfully convicted of Kercher's murder, before being cleared of the crime in 2015 along with her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. Rudy Guede, the only person definitively convicted of Kercher's murder, was released in 2021 after serving 14 years of a 16-year jail sentence. He has always maintained his innocence. Knox returned to Italy last year in an attempt to quash a three-year defamation conviction for falsely accusing Congolese bar owner Patrick Lumumba of killing Kercher, telling reporters that she wanted to clear her name "once and for all of the false charges against me." Lawyers for Knox claimed that she had been under police duress when she named Lumumba who was jailed for two weeks in 2007 before being released. However Knox lost her bid to overturn the slander conviction after a court in Florence upheld the ruling, prompting her to appeal the verdict in one last attempt to clear her name. Now a writer, activist and podcast host, Knox returned to the US in 2011 after being freed by an appeals court in Italy. Photo Disney+ Sarah Slater An Irish fashion designer who was found dead on board a boat in New York will be remembered for her laughter and the memories made, mourners at her funeral were told on Wednesday. Martha Nolan-OSlatarra (33), originally from Monacurragh, Co Carlow, was found unconscious on the boat at Montauk Yacht Club in Long Island on Tuesday, August 5th. A man she was onboard the boat with raised the alarm and two men on a nearby yacht performed CPR. The business woman was later pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services a short time later. A police investigation into her death is being carried out by US-based Suffolk County police detectives. Hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects to the fashion entrepreneur who left Carlow almost 10 years ago. The funeral took place at 10am in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow town. Symbols of Marthas life were presented during the hour-long service which included her passport representing her love of travel and adventure, clothing from her luxury resort fashion brand East x East, and Marthas prayer, which her mother Elma recites every Tuesday as her daughter was born on a Tuesday and died on a Tuesday. Other symbols included a photo showing her beauty inside and out, Irish and American flags to recall the life she lived on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and a tin whistle showing her love of music. Marthas sister Jacqui in her eulogy said: Martha my beautiful sister. You taught me everything I needed to know in life. I didnt always see you but I knew you were there. Growing up with you was like having a built in best friend from sharing secrets to late night talks. We've been through it all together. She described how through thick and thin a sisters love is consistent. We know each other's quirks, dreams and fears. The bond between us sisters is unique and unbreakable. Cheers to the laughter, the tears, the countless memories that were made. You will be in my heart forever Martha. Nick, Marthas partner, added that she had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into. Whether it was her signature hi or her famous hand gestures, one but couldnt help to feel her positive presence in every space she entered. Martha had a way of people she loved first. She loved helping people and many of you have been lucky enough to experience that love, he said. Whether it was telling you to cop on to focus on the goodness in this life or just being a shoulder to lean on. The shining light that Martha brought into this world is a reflection of everybody in this room. Friends, family, loved ones, those past and present, we all have been lucky to have known Martha and we must live every day forward with her in our hearts. Fr Thomas OByrne in his homily said Martha lived "a short life but a packed life." Ms Nolan OSlatarra is survived by her mother Elma, her father Seamus, her sister Jacqui, her younger siblings, her mothers partner Patrick and her partner Nick. A postmortem carried out on Martha's body by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office showed there were no visible signs of injury. Authorities said the postmortem results were inconclusive and are awaiting further test results to decide the direction of their investigation. NAIROBI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) on Wednesday commissioned a modern patrol boat for Sibiloi National Park in an effort to bolster the protection of Lake Turkana in the northwest region of the country. Erustus Kanga, director general of KWS, told journalists in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi that the water vessel, donated by its partners, is equipped with modern sonar and radar technologies. "The boat will play a critical role in strengthening surveillance, deterring illegal activities, protecting fisheries, and ensuring the safety of both wildlife and communities whose livelihoods depend on the lake's fragile ecosystem," Kanga said. He revealed that the boat will improve safety for KWS rangers while enhancing their ability to secure Lake Turkana by enabling timely patrols. He observed that beyond security, the patrol boat is expected to open new horizons for tourism in northern Kenya through offering safer access to the lake and national park. Mekuria Argaw, executive director of the Horn of Africa Regional Environmental Center and Network, emphasized the importance of protecting both the water body and wildlife park, as they are connected to wildlife parks in Ethiopia. A Waterford man accused of murder has had his case sent forward for trial. Marcus O'Neill (34), of 15 O'Brien Street, Waterford city, was charged with the murder of Gillian Curran in January of this year. On Tuesday morning, August 19, he appeared before Judge Miriam Walsh, wearing a dark green polo shirt. At one point during proceedings, Judge Walsh said, "Stop sighing in my court", to the accused. Garda Sergeant Martin Hickey served the Book of Evidence to the defendant. Sgt Hickey confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had instructed that the matter go to trial at the first sessions at the Criminal Court of Justice (CCJ) on October 6, 2025. The Court heard that Mr O'Neill will also have to appear in Waterford District Court over a separate Public Order offence. He is to appear via video link on December 9. A meeting is due to take place this week in relation to a major fish kill that occurred in the River Blackwater which run through Counties Waterford, Cork and Kerry. Senior management from Inland Fisheries Ireland are due to meet angler representatives in Co. Cork on Friday, in relation to the fish kill. IFI Acting CEO Suzanne Campion will be among a delegation due to attend the meeting to discuss the matter with key stakeholders. Commenting, Ms Campion said: IFIs primary function is to protect and manage freshwater fish and their habitats. The large fish kill on the River Blackwater is very distressing for anglers and others who enjoy the river." "It is also distressing for IFI staff who have devoted many years caring for fish in the catchment," she said. "We await a report on the event from the Marine Institute to try establish a cause of the fish mortalities," she added. Ms Campion said the IFI's staff will continue to actively monitor the river to assess the scale of the incident. While some local angling clubs who use the river estimated the scale of the kill could be in excess of 40,000 fish the IFI's official estimate is that between 8,000 and 10,000 fish have died in the River Blackwater in the last 10 days. Ms Campion said that estimating the number of mortalities in a fish kill is always difficult as many dead fish will be taken by predators, caught under banks out of sight, sink to the bottom of pools or be washed downstream. It's also possible that the same fish may be reported by different observers. Some of the anglers pictured with just some of the fish killed. Pic: Federation of Irish Salmon & Sea Trout Anglers FB Ms Campion said the Marine Institute advice provided to IFI is that there is no precedent for dead fish to be removed from the river and deceased fish should be left where they are found. The EPA, which has been liaising with IFIs lead Senior Fisheries Environmental Officer throughout the investigation, inspected water treatment plants and licenced commercial discharges in the affected area and the EPAs preliminary results did not report anything of concern. In addition to high temperatures and low flow conditions at the River Blackwater, underlying water quality issues, over a period of time, may be a contributory factor in the fish kill. The kill relates mainly to brown trout with the affected area of the river stretching to in excess of 18km, according to the IFI. Commenting on the situation, Sean Long, Director of IFIs South-Western River Basin District, said: The Marine Institute, the competent authority for fish health in Ireland, conducted diagnostic sampling of affected fish on site on August 14, at Mallow. IFI expects to receive a related report within 20 days of that date." "Disease outbreaks can occur in wild fish populations and are influenced by numerous factors, including environmental change," said Mr Long. However, he added that "no evidence of a polluting or harmful discharge has been detected to date in the river". Meanwhile, IFI continues to consult with Uisce Eireann, the EPA, Cork County Council and the Marine Institute on the matter and the Marine Institutes Fish Health Unit has advised the removal of dead fish from the water is not necessary. IFI officers will continue to monitor the watercourse in the coming days to further assess the incident. Affected trout were observed in the River Blackwater for around 6km downstream of Mallow and up to 12km upstream of Mallow. However, they have also been seen at the Awbeg river, and the Clyda river, which joins the Blackwater west of Mallow. IFI continues to appeal to people to report instances of fish kills to its 24-hour confidential phoneline on 0818 34 74 24. Writers festival organisers around the country are expressing dismay over the fallout from the Bendigo Writers Festival saying such codes of conduct stifle freedom of expression. Censorship is never the right answer, says Brooke Webb, chief executive of the Sydney Writers Festival, adding that freedom of speech and freedom of expression underpin a civil society. The authors have spoken and here we are ... You invite an author because you want to hear what they want to say, says Webb, who has led the Sydney event for five years. Sydney Writers Festival chief executive Brooke Webb. Credit: Belinda Rolland More than 50 participants withdrew from the Bendigo event last week, protesting against a code of conduct sent two days before the festival was set to begin, requiring them to avoid language or topics that could be considered inflammatory, divisive, or disrespectful. The analysis that Frances decision to recognise the state of Palestine in September explains the rise in antisemitic violence in France is erroneous, abject, and will not go unanswered, Macrons office said in a statement. Loading The current period calls for seriousness and responsibility, not generalisation and manipulation. The row between the leaders comes as the Israel Defence Forces move to take control of Gaza City, the most populous part of the Palestinian enclave, in a military operation strongly criticised by France, Australia and other countries. Hours after he denounced Netanyahu for his letter, Macron stepped up his criticism of the IDF operation and spoke to King Abdullah II of Jordan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the opposition to the Israeli policy. The military offensive in Gaza that Israel is preparing can only lead to disaster for both peoples and risks plunging the entire region into a cycle of permanent war, Macron said after those talks. He called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, the large-scale delivery of aid to people of Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and the strengthening of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza. Macron will co-chair a meeting at the UN in September with Saudi Arabia to seek a political solution that includes recognising a Palestinian state, a future fiercely opposed by Netanyahu and a majority of Israeli voters. Macron said the political solution was the only credible way forward for both sides of the Gaza conflict. No to war. Yes to peace and security for all, he wrote on social media. Loading Netanyahu kept up his criticism of national leaders who plan to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN, slamming British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a podcast released on Wednesday in the UK. The standard that is being applied is not merely wrong, its just downright dangerous. Because youre really rewarding these monstrous terrorists with the greatest prize and thats because of weakness, he said. Netanyahu told the TRIGGERnometry podcast that Britain would not give statehood to its enemies if it had endured an attack like the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Would you say, Oh, well, we should give our attackers a state right next to London? Of course not, he said. Israels military said on Wednesday that it would call up 60,000 reservists ahead of an expanded military operation in Gaza City, where many Palestinians have chosen to stay despite the danger, as seeking safety seems increasingly futile amid the growing humanitarian crisis. The call-up of extra reservists was part of a plan Defence Minister Israel Katz approved to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gazas most densely populated areas, the military said. An Israeli tank moves through an area near the Israeli-Gaza border on Wednesday. Credit: AP The plan, which is expected to receive the chief of staffs final approval in the coming days, also includes extending the service of 20,000 additional reservists already on active duty. It comes as the Israeli government considers a new ceasefire proposal to pause nearly two years of war. We have begun the preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack on Gaza City, and already now IDF forces are holding the outskirts of Gaza City, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, Israels military spokesperson, told reporters on Wednesday. Defrin said troops were already operating on the outskirts of Gaza City and that Hamas was now a battered and bruised guerrilla force. We will deepen the attack on Hamas in Gaza City, a stronghold of governmental and military terror for the terrorist organisation, the spokesman said. Hamas, in a statement on Telegram, accused Netanyahu of obstructing the ceasefire deal in favour of continuing a brutal war against innocent civilians in Gaza City. Netanyahus disregard for the mediators proposal ... proves that he is the real obstructionist of any agreement. The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when gunmen led by Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities near the border, killing some 1200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages including children into Gaza, according to Israeli figures. Loading More than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels air and ground war in Gaza since then, according to Gaza health officials, who do not say how many were militants but have said most of those killed have been women and children. Hamas has accepted a proposal put forward by Arab mediators for a 60-day ceasefire that would involve releasing some of the remaining hostages and freeing Palestinian prisoners in Israel. The Israeli government, which has said all 50 remaining hostages must be released at once, is studying the proposal. It believes 20 hostages are still alive. Separately, Israel gave final approval on Wednesday for a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank that would in effect cut the territory in two. Palestinians and rights groups say the plan could destroy hopes for a future Palestinian state. Washington: As the dust settles on a whirlwind of activity over the past week regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, its difficult to discern what if anything was achieved. What started with a historic, if disconcerting, meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday (Saturday AEST) led to a hasty summit with European leaders at the White House four days later, after which the US president went on Fox News and undid a lot of what was achieved only hours earlier. Here are five things we can take away from the exercise. Trumps deference to Russian power is undiminished Donald Trump greets Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday. Credit: AP Much was made of the fact Trump called the Russian president towards the end of his meeting with European leaders on Monday (Tuesday AEST), after flagging his intention to do so. He told Fox News he left the room to make the call. I didnt do it in front of them, I thought that would be disrespectful to President Putin, he said. GAZA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned on Wednesday that Israel's escalation of military operations in Gaza risks worsening the already dire humanitarian situation and endangering the lives of captives held in the enclave. "Any further escalation in military operations will only deepen the suffering, tear more families apart, and threaten an irreversible humanitarian crisis," said Julien Lerisson, head of the ICRC delegation in Israel and the Palestinian territories. He said civilians in Gaza are living in "abhorrent conditions," with more than 80 percent of the territory already covered by evacuation orders. "It is unimaginable that civilians could be compelled to move to an even smaller area," Lerisson added, warning that large-scale evacuations under current conditions would pose additional risks. The ICRC stressed that international humanitarian law guarantees the protection of civilians whether they flee or remain, and urged all parties to take "constant care" to avoid civilian harm during military operations. "After months of relentless hostilities and repeated displacement, the people in Gaza are utterly exhausted. What they need is not more pressure, but relief. Not more fear, but a chance to breathe," Lerisson said, calling for safe access to food, medicine, clean water, and shelter, and for unimpeded humanitarian access across the strip. The Israeli military said it began calling up 60,000 reservists on Wednesday ahead of a planned offensive to seize Gaza City and displace its population. Another 20,000 would be summoned in the coming days, bringing the total to 110,000-130,000 in three phases, an army spokesperson said. NANNING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A smart monitoring system of a key fishway along the Pinglu Canal has officially started operating, marking new progress in ecological protection. As a core project of the Western Land-Sea New Corridor, the Pinglu Canal spans approximately 134.2 km, crossing Nanning and Qinzhou in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and flowing into the Beibu Gulf. Approved in April last year, the fishway features a monitoring system with six core facilities and a comprehensive information platform. Underwater attraction lights guide fish into the channel, while AI recognition and sonar imaging technologies track numbers, species and movements in real time, according to Pinglu Canal Group Co., Ltd. The fishway represents a significant step in making the Pinglu Canal a green project, and has become a highlight of the canal's ecological protection efforts. Authorities will continue optimizing the monitoring system to support the development of a world-class ecological waterway. DAMASCUS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Syrian authorities said on Wednesday that all humanitarian aid must enter the country through Damascus-approved channels, rejecting calls to establish alternative cross-border corridors, particularly in the southern province of Sweida. An unnamed official, quoted by state news agency SANA, said deliveries must be coordinated directly with Damascus to ensure they are "safe and organized." The official said the Syrian authorities have granted United Nations agencies the necessary approvals and that Syrian relief convoys continue to operate regularly. The statement amounts to a rejection of proposals from Sweida to open aid corridors through Jordan or Israel. The SANA report said the policy applies nationwide. The announcement came amid escalating unrest in Sweida, where Druze armed groups have clashed with Sunni-led factions and government forces. Israel has previously provided medical assistance in the area, complicating the dispute over aid access. Weber State professor, students research environmental impact on snowy plovers August 20, 2025 OGDEN, Utah For over 15 years, John Cavitt, a respected zoology professor of Weber State Universitys College of Science, has been a leading expert in avian ecology and spearheaded critical efforts to study and protect the endangered western snowy plover. Since 2008, Cavitt has dedicated countless hours to uncovering the mysteries of the unseen birds unique mating and migration patterns behaviors that may hold the key to preventing their extinction. Back then, his team counted 5,541 plovers across the shores of the Great Salt Lake. An updated estimate is expected later this fall. The snowy plover is a small shorebird that has been evading extinction for decades, though vulnerable to threats like natural predators, habitat loss, and destructive human activity. Their camouflaged appearance and preference for remote nesting sites make them a challenging study, but Cavitt is intrigued by their adaptability. Theyre living in a very harsh situation, he said. A lot of the aspects of their behavior are kind of flexible, so they can respond to these different kinds of changes that are going on, and that is what initially got me started looking at them when I came to Weber in 2003. Cavitt is particularly interested in the snowy plovers mating pattern. Unlike most other birds, they can be monogamous, polygynous, or polyandrous depending on environmental conditions and mate availability. Hes also fascinated by their ability to adapt to fast-changing habitats. As their environment shrinks, they scour the area searching for a new home rather than staying put in a single nest as many birds do. Back in 2008, we were covering an area of around 900 square miles, Cavitt said. That area has dramatically shrunk. Its now about 500 square miles, and that is due to a whole host of things. Among the biggest contributors to habitat loss are receding lake levels and the spread of phragmites, an invasive reed that can disrupt nesting sites and reduce invertebrate populations many birds rely on for food. Currently, Cavitt and his team, which includes WSU students, continue to make vital contributions to their field as they work with the Utah Division of Wildlife and local land managers to digitally map known habitats in and around the Great Salt Lake. Using methodology established in their 2008 survey, they estimate the population and sort them into three bins based on habitat quality and bird density. Weve had sites we were pretty confident were the best habitat because weve seen birds there before, and those are our top priorities, Cavitt said. Approximately 70% of the 500 clusters mapped fall into the largest bin, or areas with ideal habitats and higher populations. Around 20% fall into the medium bin, which includes seemingly suitable but uninhabited areas. The remaining 10% are filed in the smallest bin, which is composed of environments that are kind of iffy, but still something that should be checked out, according to Cavitt. Cavitt remains optimistic about the birds survival. His teams latest survey covered the breeding period between May 15 and June 15. They found that environment loss is still a major factor, but saw an encouraging amount of birds. The significance of Cavitts research extends beyond saving a single species. As an indicator species, snowy plover health reflects the conditions of their broader ecosystems, with their decline pointing to larger environmental issues that can affect other species, including humans: The plover warns us in real time, Cavitt said. The teams research underlines the urgent need for habitat protection, sustainable water management, and coordinated conservation efforts to preserve ecological balance across the Great Salt Lake region. For more information on zoology at Weber State, visit the department website. TEHRAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could return to Iran with approval from the country's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). Araghchi's remarks, made in an interview with Iran's official news agency IRNA, came amid suspended cooperation between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog following Iran's parliamentary legislation in late June. Iran cannot completely stop cooperation with the IAEA, Araghchi said, noting that upcoming fuel replacement at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant will require IAEA inspectors' presence. Any IAEA inspection requests for nuclear facilities not recently attacked by Israel and the United States will be submitted to the SNSC for conditional approval, he said. Araghchi affirmed Iran's intention to remain in the Non-Proliferation Treaty while reserving the right to withdraw if necessary. He also suggested Iran might send diplomats to Vienna for another round of talks with the IAEA following the Aug. 11 negotiations in Tehran. Regarding threats by France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3, to trigger the snapback mechanism, Araghchi said the E3 have forfeited this right by withdrawing in practice from the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran and the E3 have not yet agreed on a basis for resuming their negotiations, but might hold a meeting on the issue in the coming days, he said, adding that time remains unripe for effective negotiations between Iran and the United States. On June 13, two days prior to the sixth round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, Israel launched major airstrikes on several areas in Iran. Iran responded with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel. On June 22, U.S. forces bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities. In retaliation, Iran struck the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Following a 12-day war, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was achieved on June 24. In late June, Iran's parliament suspended cooperation with the IAEA, accusing Israel and the United States of carrying out the strikes earlier that month. In recent days, Washington has repeatedly demanded that Iran completely cease uranium enrichment, a request firmly rejected by Tehran. Meanwhile, Iran and the E3 have held several rounds of talks covering Tehran's nuclear program and the removal of sanctions, among other issues, since September 2024. The E3 have, over the past months, been threatening Iran with triggering the snapback mechanism, a clause in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed in 2015 between Iran and world powers, that will allow the other parties to reimpose all international sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the agreement. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit The currach was an invaluable lifeline to generations of fishing communities on the West coast, according to a retired Belderrig academic who has a long-held love of the traditional vessel. Author Breandan Mac Conamhna (Brendan Caulfield) launched his latest book last week. The 89-year-olds book, entitled The Currachs and Naomhoga of Ireland, was launched in the Erris Coast Hotel Geesala on Friday last. The book is published by Mayo Books Press. I have been fascinated by currachs since I was a barefoot gasur in Belderrig, said Breandan, who previously penned a book on the unique Belderrig Currach, having grown up in the North Mayo village during the 1940s. The salmon fishing at that time lasted from mid-June to the second week in August. At that time, 50 men in 10 currachs put to sea every evening. I was down with the currachs like every other boy in the village every evening they were going out and became fascinated with them. Breandan said the currachs significance to life on the west coast cannot be overlooked. There was a very vibrant fishing industry along the western seaboard and it kept many communities alive. The humble currach was key to the survival of the fishing industry. Later on in life I began to appreciate how significant and important the currach was for the very poor population that lived on the west coast of Ireland. The currach was the main fishing vessel on the west coast from 1850 to 1960. At its height there were something between 1,500 to 2,000 fishing currachs on that stretch of coast. There were no more than 400 fishing row boats and sail boats at the time. The currach was by far the most important fishing vessel on the coast. It fed the people who lived on that coast. Fishermen generally had four to five acres of land for which they paid an exorbitant rent in the early years to greedy landlords and the currach fed them. It provided food all year around, said Breandan. The front cover of Breandan Mac Conamhna's new book on currachs. He said the currach helped local people prosper and avoid a life of abject poverty. This was especially the case in the early 1940s when employment opportunities in the West of Ireland were extremely limited and many men did not want to emigrate to England because of World War II. The fishing industry was thriving in North Mayo in the mid-twentieth century when Breandan was growing up in Belderrig. In 1950, 50 men were fishing out of Belderrig. The average share was 100 per man. Just think about how important that was in those days. A one-year old hogget would go for about 30 so the farm incomes on the tiny holding that they had were something like 50 to 80 at the time and they earned 100 in the six weeks of the salmon season. That was an enormous contribution to their income," he remarks. "My father was a school teacher and principal. In 1950 he earned 170 as a principal. So 50 fishermen in Belderrig with the fishing and farming were earning as much as a school teacher. "That happened all along the coast and it had a major significance for the quality of life for people on the coast of Ireland. Breandan also recalled the huge mackerel catches that would come ashore at the pier in Belderrig. Heaps and heaps of mackerel. I have so many wonderful memories of the currach. Since I retired I have been studying currachs." He has vivid memories of the highly competitive currach boat races. The last currach race I helped to organise, believe it or not in 1953, ended in a massive brawl as currach races all over the coast always did!" he recalls, laughing. Breandan was born and reared in Belderrig in the Erris Gaeltacht. For the last 40 years he has lived in Riverstown, Co Sligo. He taught and lectured for 20 years in the United Kingdom before being appointed principal of the then Regional Technical College in Sligo in 1980. Breandan later served as Director of the Institute of Technology, Sligo. He retired in 2001 and this his fourth book to be published. Breandan also helped to build three currachs which are regularly displayed at maritime festivals in France. In addition to his latest book, later this year a special work entitled Sceal Muiri Mhuigh Eo, which is written in the Erris dialect of Irish, will be published. This will be the first book in decades to be written in that dialect. The Currachs and Naomhoga of Ireland is available in all local bookshops in Mayo and online from www.mayobooks.ie. Ive often wondered why Ive been so uncomfortable with the physical force element in Irish history. I used to trace it to my unease as a child with Padraig Pearses coupling of the fight for Irish freedom with blood sacrifices that had forced resonances with Jesus dying on the cross on Calvary paying the ultimate sacrifice for the ultimate good. Years later as I studied history I came to realise that whatever substance there was in my instinctive revulsion from the bloody sacrifices that peppered the road to 1916 and beyond and the ballads and the culture that glorified them had found an alternative strategy in the political philosophy of the Liberator, Daniel OConnell. OConnell became my hero as the violent and bloody history of the fight for Irish freedom that justified any level of violence and death became more and more suspect as many young men of twenty were given guns and bombs and sent out to kill often indiscriminately not just the perceived enemies of Irish freedom but innocent bystanders regarded as collateral damage in the glorious campaign. As a young man when the Northern Troubles were at their deadliest, my contemporaries wrongly convinced that they were fighting for (and if necessary dying for) Ireland found themselves holding AK-47s and carrying bombs as people were gunned down or blown to bits as any sacrifice by the freedom fighters or those they eliminated was justified in a series of increasingly violent and bloody campaigns. And as a young man I watched on RTE Televisions evening news as police picked through the devastation of the subsequent outrages gathering body-parts into body-bags while spokespersons for the Provos and other copycat groups competed in defending their role in the fight for Irish freedom and the glorious accolades that they imagined would follow. But as the campaign continued, it was becoming progressively more obvious by the day that, with leaders like John Hume and Seamus Mallon patiently teasing out the indefensible reality behind the ballads and the blarney, the Provo campaign had morally run into the sand. The final solution after decades of murder and mayhem and incalculable mountains of pain and suffering meant Hume and others had to ease the freedom fighters towards a peace dividend. The trick was to get them to throw in the blood-soaked towel yet allow them to pretend that any dividend that accrued from three decades of madness would be attributed to the freedom fighters. But the Irish people knew that deep down it was all a pretence to allow the Provos their moment in the sun and to get them to see sense. Over three decades of bombing and killing and graves and funerals and all the craziness and sufferings that ensued, it was a small price for peace to indulge the public strutting of Provo leaders taking laps of honour on the international stage as they imagined themselves the victors. For me the figure of Daniel OConnell hovered over those three decades as, in comparison, his political philosophy and moral purpose set in relief the very opposite of the Provo course. The Provos sought the glory and continue to claim that their campaign of violence and blood was justified mostly because they never gave in a reality now undermined as their celebrations of victory have diminished into sing-songs in alcohol-laden tributes in pubs and in quasi-military posturing at the funerals of the freedom fighters. On the other hand, those who laud the OConnell philosophy, praise him for knowing as a public servant with a clear moral compass that there comes a point at which it is the responsible, ethical decision to give in. OConnell recognised that point had arrived when as the famous Clontarf Monster meeting of 1843 drew near, he took an adult decision to call off the meeting because he knew that if it went ahead the probability was that it would result in a huge loss of life. Thus, the Provo mentality could claim that OConnells strategy was a failure and that OConnell himself was a coward. it was an unsurprising riposte as the tradition of violence was so embedded in the Irish psyche that OConnell, as a result of the Clontarf decision, could easily be presented as a failure. But, as we know things are not always what they seem. The Provo victory, though presented as such in the declining blood and violence tradition of Irish politics, now widely discredited, was in effect a defeat because, as many commentators now point out, a united Ireland had more chance of becoming a reality if unity was based on the uniting of the people of the north and south and not on bombing them into a united Ireland. So, from that perspective, the Provo campaign was a disaster. In simple terms, the blood and violence tradition is now past its sell-by date and the dawning truth is that if OConnells pacifism had been adopted as a realistic option there would be no point in inflicting the recent Troubles on our people, north and south, and no need for the 1916 bloody campaign as much more would have happened more gradually in terms of movement towards unity among people north and south without the murder and the mayhem of those years. The difficult truth is that the Provo campaign achieved very little and that the OConnell formula of responsible pacificism would have delivered as much or maybe more without the huge loss of life and the terrible theatre of suffering so many had to so needlessly endure. BUCHAREST, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Romania's Labor Importers Employers' Association (PIFM) on Wednesday cautioned against rising anti-immigrant sentiment and urged authorities to protect the dignity and rights of foreign workers. In a statement posted on Facebook, the association denounced hostile messages on social media targeting Asian workers, stressing that hiring non-EU labor is a "last resort" to address the country's severe workforce shortages. PIFM explained that Romanian companies must first declare vacancies with the National Employment Agency (ANOFM). Only when these positions cannot be filled locally are employers allowed to recruit abroad, through a complex and costly procedure that can take up to a year. "These non-EU employees work honestly, pay taxes, and earn their living with dignity. Stigmatizing them based on ethnicity or nationality origin is not only immoral, but also contrary to the European and international values Romania has committed to," the association added. According to the General Inspectorate for Immigration, more than 140,000 non-EU nationals were legally employed in Romania at the end of 2024, mainly from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and India. Over 60 percent work in construction, hospitality, and transport sectors, which have been heavily hit by labor shortages. BAMAKO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Former Malian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga, detained since Aug. 12, was remanded in custody on Tuesday on charges of "misappropriation of public assets" following a Supreme Court hearing, his lawyer has said. Cheick Oumar Konare, the lawyer, said Maiga denied the allegations and "remained calm," adding that the former leader considered prison a risk any politician must be ready to face. The measure followed an investigation into alleged mismanagement of public funds during Maiga's tenure as prime minister and head of the Universal Access Fund Management Agency between 2021 and 2024. Several of his former collaborators were also taken into custody earlier this month, with accusations linked to findings from the Office of the Auditor General. Judicial sources said the decision marked "an important step in a complex case." Maiga, a key figure in the "Movement of June 5-Rally of Patriotic Forces," which spearheaded protests against former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in 2020, was appointed prime minister in 2021 but dismissed in late 2024 after relations with transitional President Assimi Goita deteriorated. In recent weeks, he has openly criticized the military authorities. ANTANANARIVO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Madagascar welcomed more than 150,000 international tourists in the first half of 2025, an increase of more than 3,000 arrivals compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts. Among the first six months of 2025, April saw the largest influx, with 32,483 international arrivals. Those arrivals confirm the recovery of tourism since 2024, when Madagascar recorded 147,822 international arrivals in the first half of the year, exceeding the 126,733 tourists in the same period in 2019, the reference year before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, tourism revenues reached more than 780 million U.S. dollars, according to the ministry. The Madagascan government aims to reach one million tourists by 2028, positioning the sector as a key driver of the country's development. ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of humanitarian workers in Africa and beyond as the world observed World Humanitarian Day. "Every day, in the most dangerous conditions, humanitarian workers save lives, ease suffering, and protect human dignity. They represent the very best of our shared humanity," said Youssouf in a message issued by the AU on Tuesday in connection with the international day. The chairperson noted that Africa and the wider world face overlapping crises, including protracted conflicts, an accelerating climate emergency, food insecurity, shrinking humanitarian resources, and mounting pressure on the multilateral system. "These converging challenges are compounding vulnerabilities and testing the limits of our collective response," the chairperson stressed. He called for renewed global solidarity, stronger multilateral partnerships, and predictable and sustainable investment to prevent crises and safeguard peace. "Humanitarian action must be backed by political will, grounded in international humanitarian law, and complemented by efforts to tackle the root causes of crises," he added. The AU stands shoulder to shoulder with humanitarian actors worldwide, the chairperson said, adding that "protecting life and dignity is not just a collective responsibility -- it is the moral imperative of our time." On Aug. 19, 2003, a bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killed 22 humanitarian aid workers, including United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello. Five years later, the General Assembly adopted a resolution designating Aug. 19 as World Humanitarian Day. Serge Alain Nitegeka's exhibition Black Subjects When: Tuesday, 26 August 2025 - Saturday, 01 November 2025 Where: Wits Art Museum Start time: 10:00 Enquiries: Kutlwano.Mokgojwa@wits.ac.za Cost: Free Join the Wits Art Museum for the opening of Serge Alain Nitegeka's exhibition Black Subjects. The exhibition opening will be on the Tuesday 26 August 2025 at 18:00 for 18:30. The exhibition will be opened by Professor David Andrew from the University of Witwatersrand Fine Arts department, Johannesburg. Nitegeka presents his first institutional solo show in Johannesburg. He returns to his alma mater, where as a student, his studio was in a space above the central gallery, now repurposed into offices. For Black Subjects, he stages a monumental sculptural intervention almost directly below this formative location, re-engaging with an institution that has been instrumental in his practice and thinking over two decades. Working across painting, sculpture and video, Nitegeka grounds his practice in a language of abstraction, geometry and colour. The experiential interaction with the work refutes passivity, resulting in a congruence between the body and space. CANBERRA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday that he treats fellow world leaders with respect after Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu described him as a "weak" politician. In a post on social media platform X on Tuesday night, Netanyahu's office said that history will remember Albanese as a "weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews." The comments represented an escalation in a political dispute between the two countries sparked by Albanese's announcement earlier this month that Australia would formally recognize a Palestinian state at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September. Responding on Wednesday, Albanese said at a press conference in Adelaide that he would not take Netanyahu's criticism personally and would continue to engage diplomatically and with respect. He said that his job is to represent the Australian national interest and that Australians want Israelis and Palestinians to "stop killing each other." "Australians look at television coverage, in spite of the fact that there is limited media presence in Gaza, they look at what is happening, they look at the increasing settlements in the West Bank, and they look at the decision that Israel made in March to restrict the access of aid, food and water that people in Gaza needed, and they look at that and they think that something needs to change," he said. Tony Burke, Australia's minister for home affairs, told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio on Wednesday morning that Netanyahu had "lashed out" at several countries that had moved to support Palestinian statehood. "Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry," Burke said. The Australian government on Monday announced it would deny entry to far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman days before he was due to arrive for a speaking tour, which was followed by Israel revoking the visas of Australia's diplomatic representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Sky News Australia reported on Tuesday that Netanyahu on Sunday wrote to Albanese, accusing him of failing to address an epidemic of antisemitism in Australia. AI: Laziness and stupidity, our biggest risk In remembering South Africas Grand Geek lies a legacy that shows us how we should think about and engage with artificial intelligence. Barry was very engaged and curious, deeply empathetic, very focused on solving problems, and in his quiet way, he was very challenging, intellectually rigorous, and thoroughly sceptical, said Sir John Lazar, technology leader, investor, philanthropist and Wits alumnus, in presenting the 2025 Professor Barry Dwolatzky Memorial Lecture. Prof. Barry, as he was affectionately called, had left a profound impact on all he met, and in his 50 years as a student, lecturer, researcher, innovator, mentor and visionary at Wits University. He also lectured Lazar in computer science in the early 80s at Wits during a time of deep turmoil in South Africa. However, Lazar recalls he had a wonderful education and found truly astounding grounding at Wits. Today it is still a wonderful, vibrant, top-class institution, and Im proud of that. Lazar became President of the Royal Academy of Engineering in the UK in 2024, and earlier this year was knighted by Britains King Charles III for his services to engineering and technology. Somewhere in the middle His lecture, titled: AI in Africa: Innovation under Constraints, focused on the divergent views in the AI debate: In one divergent, people on one end say AI is going to save humanity, make us more productive and happy, while on the other side of the spectrum, are people thinking "pure extinction and it is going to happen quite quickly. Then one end of another diversion is driven by social scientists and people in the humanities who say: AI is just a stochastic parrot and BS generator, and on the other side, people are saying artificial general intelligence will happen next week. Among all these perspectives lies a genuine opportunity in the coming years for Africa and Africans, with exciting prospects for the continent to leverage its innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. Entrepreneurship is unbelievably important, said Lazar, praising Prof. Barry's vision for an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem at Wits that led to his appointment as the University's first Director of Innovation Strategy. These are skills which we have to teach young people today. African young people are already running multiple hustles at the same time, and doing it brilliantly. They need to be nurtured and supported. He said that Africa is the young continent, while every other continent is ageing. Looking into the future, it is very important for the world that Africa succeeds, 'and the world will thank us for that'. The only way to do this, Lazar said, is to join up. This is an African opportunity, and we really need to work together to maximise, and join up ambitious thinking. Just be like Prof. Barry Lazar did, however, warn what he believes to be the biggest risk of AI: A short circuit to laziness and stupidity. We need to talk about how we teach people about AI, and we also need to be talking about attitudinal skills. As this revolution unfolds, the people who thrive, who benefit, who come through this are going to be ones who have developed a particular set of attitudinal skills. What are these attitudinal skills? Its the same list of qualities that Prof. Barry possessed: Engaged & Curious Empathetic Problem-solving Challenging Rigorous Skeptical We have to engage. We have to be curious. We have to hold on to our human qualities and our empathy. We have to very, very strongly be problem-solving. And most importantly, we have to be unbelievably, intellectually rigorous. We have to challenge them (AI) at every turn. We have to be sceptical. We have to engage with these tools on an everyday basis, particularly as we worry about the downside effects. So, I guess, at the end of all of this, just be like Barry! Lazar ended his talk. Prof Barrys legacy: Builder of bridges Known as the Grand Geek of digital innovation in South Africa, Prof. Barry was a passionate believer that young people have the creativity, energy, drive and reason to build a new South Africa, Africa and the world. He dedicated 50 years of his life to Wits in various capacities, including as Emeritus Professor in the School of Electrical and Information Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment; Founder and Director of the Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE); and Founder of the Wits Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, the Universitys digital innovation hub located in Braamfontein. Prof. Barry passed away less than a month after the Wits Innovation Centre (WIC) was launched in 2023. "A centre he conceived and brought to life. I have no doubt that he would be immensely proud of how his vision has flourished over the past two years. Earlier this year, our first cohort of postgraduate diploma in innovation students graduated, and we awarded the inaugural David Fine Innovation Award, said Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research & Innovation. Dr David Fine, Wits alumnus and renowned entrepreneurial chemist who also attended the lecture online, generously donated R50 million to Wits in 2022 to establish the Angela and David Fine Chair in Innovation, which laid the groundwork for the establishment of the WIC. The Wits Innovation Fund has also been established, and several spin-out companies are now in the pipeline. Read more about the WICs milestones. "Barry was a colleague and dear friend. He was a builder of bridges between disciplines, between people, between imagination and implementation. His quiet love, his passion, his unwavering insistence that things could and must be better, his endless optimism in the human spirit, is what we honour today. He deeply, deeply believed in the potential of young people and in the importance of giving them room to lead, fail and fly, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor of Wits University said in paying tribute to Prof. Barry. The Memorial Lecture is an annual event to celebrate Prof. Barrys legacy and to build on his vision for the University to be an innovation leader where academics and students can use their knowledge to advance our community, city, country, continent and the globe. The inaugural Memorial Lecture was presented by Professor Solomon Assefa in 2024. Biography of Sir John Lazar Co-founder, Enza Capital | Chair, Raspberry Pi Foundation | President, Royal Academy of Engineering John Lazar is a technology leader, investor, and philanthropist with a deep commitment to innovation in Africa and globally. He is Co-founder and General Partner at Enza Capital, a Nairobi-based firm backing tech-driven solutions across the continent, with investments in over 35 African companies. Since 2020, John has chaired the Raspberry Pi Foundation, which aims to empower young people through computing and Al. In 2024, Raspberry Pi Holdings listed on the London Stock Exchange, generating an endowment of nearly $800 million for the Foundation's global mission. He became President of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2024, following years of leadership within the Academy and his long-standing support for African engineering innovators through the Africa Prize. Previously, John was CEO and Chairman of Metaswitch Networks, a global leader in cloud communications software, acquired by Microsoft in 2020. He has also made over 40 angel investments and supported numerous tech start-ups in the UK and Africa. A Rhodes Scholar, he holds degrees from Oxford University (MSc in Computation and DPhil in History) and Wits University (BSc Hons in Computer Science). He was awarded a CBE in 2016 and a Knighthood in 2025 for services to engineering and technology. KABUL, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Afghan police have uncovered a quantity of weapons and ammunition during two separate operations in eastern Ghazni and southern Uruzgan provinces, the Ministry of Interior Affairs announced on Wednesday. The contraband included 16 pieces of heavy and light arms, such as PK machine guns, M16 rifles, Kalashnikovs, assault rifles, and rocket launchers, discovered in Tirin Kot city, the capital of Uruzgan, and Jaghouri and Qara Bagh districts of Ghazni, said the ministry. Additionally, authorities confiscated a substantial amount of ammunition and military equipment, including communication devices, explosives, and a large quantity of cartridges and bullets during the operations, it added. The operations are part of the Afghan interim government's ongoing efforts to stabilize security across the war-torn country, having recovered thousands of arms and vast quantities of ammunition over the past four years. PYONGYANG, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) sharply criticized the "appeasement offensive" by the South Korean government, ruling out again any possibilities of diplomatic engagement between the two Koreas, state media said on Wednesday. Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, derided the "offensive" during an analysis of the latest statements by the new South Korean government, which she called "deceptive." Kim was speaking at a consultative meeting with the DPRK Foreign Ministry officials a day earlier, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. She said that the Republic of Korea (ROK) has invariably pursued the ambition for confrontation with the DPRK. The remarks rejected South Korea's claims that it respects the social system of the DPRK, will not seek any form of unification through assimilation, and has no intention of committing any hostile acts. The ROK is testing a plan to remove the DPRK's nuclear and missile capabilities and expand an attack into its territory through the current joint military drill, Kim was quoted by the KCNA as saying, in reference to the ongoing annual combined Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise between the United States and South Korea. "South Korea has an ulterior motive to finally shift the responsibility for the DPRK-ROK relations failing to recover onto the DPRK," the senior official said, adding that "the ROK cannot be a diplomatic partner of the DPRK," according to the KCNA report. First domino in national redistricting fight likely to fall with Texas GOP poised for vote on maps Trump vows to change how elections are run. The US Constitution doesn't give him that power For the first time, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) leadership last week publicly acknowledged something of the scale of the job losses being inflicted on university workers across Australia. Cost-cutting universities are sacking 3,578 staff nationally, new data reveals, the Australian newspaper reported last Friday, based on comments made to it by NTEU national president Alison Barnes. The job cuts since last year were across 18 universities. Workers rally at the Australian National University on November 14, 2024 [Photo: NTEU ACT] The article stated that the union estimates 1,114 looming cuts at the Australian National University, 400 at both Western Sydney University and the University of Technology Sydney, 272 at the University of Southern Queensland, 276 at the University of Wollongong and 200 at the University of Canberra. This is only a partial list. As previously reported by the World Socialist Web Site, the job destruction list also includes Sydneys Macquarie University, Charles Sturt University and the universities of Newcastle, Tasmania, Charles Darwin, Federation, James Cook, Griffith, La Trobe and Swinburne. The NTEU is still playing down the magnitude of the cuts. Evidently based on Barnes comments, the newspaper reported that the losses would account for 2.5 percent of academic, research and administrative jobs in the sector. That is a vast understatement. At some of the countrys 39 public universities, the announced job losses go far deeper, exceeding 10 percent at Western Sydney University (WSU), for example. In another instance, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) management has just suspended nearly a fifth of its courses, despite protests by staff and students. After earlier announcing it will cut as many as 400 jobs, or about a tenth of the workforce, UTS has stopped new enrolments for 120 courses, across faculties including business, law, engineering and IT, health and science, notably targeting international studies. Just four years ago, around 500 UTS staff lost their jobs during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the NTEU volunteered job and salary cuts and suppressed opposition throughout the university sector. Across the country, job cuts are continuing, regardless of protest rallies and demonstrations at many individual universities. In recent weeks alone, the University of Newcastle management announced, via an all-staff email, cost-cutting of at least $20.6 million this year. Previous modelling indicates that could mean up to 400 job losses. Staff members at the university told the media that the cuts were like Hunger Games, because they are forced to compete against each other for remaining positions. At the Australian National University (ANU), the management has just revealed that security, cleaning and maintenance services would make up the next stage of its job cuts, following several rounds of academic retrenchments. To add insult to injury, the ANU management released a draft psychosocial risk assessment outlining the potential impacts of its restructuring on staff wellbeing. The hazards included job insecurity, higher job demands, lack of role clarity, poor support and conflict between colleagues, clients and students. These retrenchments are first and foremost a direct result of the Albanese governments reactionary cuts to enrolments by overseas students. Their exorbitant fees have helped prop up the chronically-underfunded universities for the past decade and a half since the Rudd-Gillard Labor governments funding cuts and market-driven education revolution. The Labor government is deliberately applying financial pressure to the universities, in order to align them with the national priorities set out in last years Universities Accord report. That report insisted that both teaching and research must focus on serving the needs of the corporate elite, as well as the development of a war economy, including the AUKUS military pact and military-related industries, in preparation for a US-led war against China. Yet in her comments to the Australian, Barnes again attributed this nationwide assault to individual university vice-chancellors, deliberately obscuring the role of the Labor government. She said the job losses were completely unjustified in almost every case, attacking vice-chancellors for blaming Labors caps on international student enrolments. Barnes claimed that almost every university was in operating surplus, and criticised the high salaries of university executives, with vice-chancellors taking home an average of $1 million a year. But these lucrative remuneration packages simply embody the transformation of universities into corporate entities serving the training and research needs of the ruling class, a process that the Albanese government is taking to a new level. Labors agenda has five main components: Imposing sharp cuts to international student enrolments, making them scapegoats for the ongoing housing affordability crisis affecting working-class households, and stoking anti-immigrant poison. Continuing the previous Liberal-National governments Job-ready Graduates program, which has set punishing fees on domestic arts, humanities, social sciences and law students, while also cutting university revenues for these courses. Advising universities and researchers to comply with a Trump administration questionnaire threatening to cut off joint funding for research unless their projects serve the needs of US foreign policy and military objectives. At least 11 universities have suffered research funding cuts as a result. Implementing the Universities Accord, which demands that universities must restructure to satisfy the profit needs of big business and the development of war-related industries, such as the $368 billion AUKUS plan to acquire or build nuclear-powered attack submarines. Tying university funding, from next year, to mission compacts, signed with a new government-appointed Australian Tertiary Education Commission, to deliver the required outcomes. The Labor government, like the Trump administration, is also seeking to suppress opposition by staff and students to the US-backed Israeli mass murder in Palestine. Education Minister Jason Clare personally instigated moves to freeze the research grant of Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, a prominent critic of the genocide, at Macquarie University. Far from opposing Labors agenda, the NTEU and the other main campus trade union, the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), have formed a virtual partnership with the government to support its restructuring agenda, while blaming individual university chiefs for the resulting job and course cuts. A June 25 NTEU media statement hailed Clare, who is spearheading Labors assault, for referring serious governance concerns at ANU to regulator TEQSA [Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency]. In the press release, NTEU president Barnes praised Clares unprecedented intervention as a watershed moment in the NTEUs campaign to fix the disgraceful governance crisis that has engulfed our public universities. She called for new national and state legislation to pull these rogue university executives into line so we can provide world-class research and teaching. The real purpose of such legislation would be to enforce Labors pro-corporate and pro-military refashioning of the universities, as well as its crackdown on anti-genocide dissent. The Albanese government and Jillian Segal, its Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia, have slandered any opposition to the Zionist state and its crimes as antisemitic. The NTEU and CPSU leaderships have opposed any unified struggle by staff and students against this assault. At the same time, as has just happened at WSU, they are seeking deals with vice-chancellors to assist them to achieve their job-cutting and restructuring goals, mainly through voluntary retrenchment packages, as the unions have done for decades. Labors offensive is in line with a worldwide pro-corporate and pro-war transformation of universities. In the UK, for example, the Starmer Labour government is presiding over the elimination of what is now estimated to be as many as 20,000 university jobs, including via voluntary redundancies and hiring freezes, also reinforced by international student cuts. To defeat this assault requires the formation of new organisations of struggle, that is rank-and-file committees, independent of the corporatist trade union apparatuses. The WSU and Macquarie University Rank-and-File Committees recently convened an online public meeting to fight for a unified campaign against Labors job cuts and the underlying reshaping of tertiary education. Rank-and-file committees are needed to link up with workers in Australia and globally through the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees. They can develop demands based on the needs of students and staff, not the dictates of capitalist governments and the corporate elite. These demands could include: Halt and reverse the thousands of job cuts and the resulting sky-rocketing workloads Stop the cuts to international student enrolments End the victimisation of Randa Abdel-Fattah and other academics who oppose the genocide in Gaza Free first-class education for all students instead of channelling billions of dollars into preparations for US-led wars. This is part of the broader struggle for a socialist perspective, against capitalism itself and its agenda of war and a relentless assault on the working class and democratic rights. To discuss and develop rank-and-file committees to take up this essential fight, contact the Committee for Public Education (CFPE), the educators rank-and-file network. Contact the CFPE: Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/commforpubliceducation Twitter: CFPE_Australia Facebook: facebook.com/groups/opposeaeusellout Students from universities and high schools around Australia struck earlier this month in opposition to the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the complicity of the Australian Labor government of Anthony Albanese. While the strikes, held on August 7, were not as numerous as the first ones held in November 2023, hundreds of students walked out of class in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Wollongong. The largest demonstration was in Melbourne, where around 500 students rallied outside the State Library and marched through the city. Melbourne student strike on Thursday August 7, 2025 The student strikes, which drew many young people to protest against the Gaza genocide for their first time, demonstrate the ongoing mass opposition among workers and youth internationally to the horrific crimes of imperialism. They took place in the wake of a large march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which organisers estimated at attracting over 300,000 people. The strikes were organised by the pseudo-left group Socialist Alternative. As at other pro-Palestine rallies, they presented the bankrupt perspective that the Labor government, which is directly complicit in the mass murder in Gaza, can be pressured to oppose the genocide. At the Melbourne strike, speakers including Nasser Mashni, president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, and Robert Martin, a member of the Freedom Flotilla, promoted the fraud that protest is working and needs to be continued. In reality, the Albanese Labor administration, a pro-war government of Australian imperialism, has responded to the mass protests of the past nearly two years by slandering protesters as antisemitic, expanding state suppression and assaulting basic democratic rights. Labors pledge to vote in favour of recognising a Palestinian state was an utterly cynical attempt to distance itself from the genocide, in which it continues to be actively involved. In practice, it would mean recognising a pile of rubble and corpses, while supporting Israel as it completes the ethnic-cleansing of Palestine. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) went to the strikes to advance a revolutionary socialist perspective. We warned that appealing to governments responsible for the genocide to change course was a dead-end that would only facilitate the completion of the genocide. We raised the need to campaign within the working class for industrial actions, including strikes, that would cripple the Israeli war machine, in opposition to the corporatised union leaderships that have blocked such a struggle. And we insisted that this must be part of the fight to build an international and socialist anti-war movement. IYSSE campaigners spoke with the following students at the Melbourne rally. Leo and Elle Leo and Elle were both attending a school strike for Gaza for the first time. They participated in some of the school strikes for climate in 2019 when they were in primary school. Leo said: I have been closely following the genocide in Palestine for the past year or so, although Ive been aware since the beginning. Its appalling whats happening. Probably hundreds of thousands are dead or starving. And nothing is really being done about it. Australia is actively giving parts of jets to Israel. Elle added: Staying silent is a kind of condonement of the current siege and occupation of Gaza. And the Australian government is clearly engaged in arms trade with Israel. Thats why we came today. Leo spoke on how the genocide is being backed and enabled by all the imperialist powers, from the US and Europe to Australia. All these Western governments are supporting ethnic cleansing. Its horrific for Israel to be doing this, because this is a sort of holocaust against Gaza. They are essentially weaponising the tragedies suffered during World War II, said Elle, and using them against the Palestinians and those who support them. They are doing a very similar thing in Gaza. On the ongoing protests against these blatant war crimes, Leo said, Maybe a part of me is pessimistic, because Im not sure how much progress is made just out of these protests. In a way, peaceful protests are standing up for what you believe in, rather than expecting anything to come of it. At this point, I think that if protests like this one can be ignored by the Australian government, they will be. Left to right: Sophie, Sophia, Aud, Ayla High school students Sophie, Sophia, Aud and Ayla joined the rally together from the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School. Sophia said: Its a really important cause and its impossible to ignore now as well. I think that when you weigh up your priorities, missing a class versus supporting something of this importance is like, of course. Its really easy to feel helpless when were in a whole different country and you cant really do anything when youre so young, Aud added. So this is kind of the way of trying to make even the smallest of a difference. Ayla said: I think its been going on for so long and its been ignored by governments, but also I think reminding school institutions as well that its going on by missing classes is really important. On Israels deepening of the genocide, Sophie said: I just think its completely inhumane and horrible, especially with the current food shortages and starvation. Its an ultimate form of cruelty that I think it really does need to stop. Its sickening the fact that theyre targeting civilians, Sophia added. IYSSE campaigners asked the students what they thought about Prime Minister Albaneses mealy-mouthed denunciations of the starvation of Palestinians while the Labor government continues to support Israels genocide. If he actually cared, there would have been some sort of interference by now. I think that its very much just trying to appear supportive, Aud said. Sophia agreed, raising, Its one thing to say that you recognise that somethings wrong and its another thing to, when youre in a position of power, use that position and actually do something with it. Ayla added: I think that him talking about it was just performative and to quiet people. IYSSE members linked the Gaza genocide to the broader eruption of militarism, including the US-NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine and the preparations for war against China in the Asia-Pacific, which threatens nuclear catastrophe. Me, Sophia and Sophie are all history of revolutions students, so its terrible whats happening, but its so interesting because its just a repeat of stuff thats happened in the past and to learn about it and then go out and watch it happen in real time, its really concerning, said Ayla. Sophia added: Its quite scary. We see the impact that it has globally on regular people economically and socially, emotionally, and I think it just makes you scared about your own future. It might not be affecting us right now but what about in 10 years? Who knows. So right now, theres a chance to push it back and support each other. The IYSSE campaigner referred to the attempts by governments to suppress pro-Palestinian protests, including the Labor state government in New South Wales attempting to block the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest. I definitely think its horrible and its completely against the human right to protest and human right of free speech, said Aud. Its just so un-empathetic of whats happening. I also think its unsurprising that theyre trying to stop protests, added Sophia. Anytime that the public speaks out, their immediate reaction isnt to actually listen to us, but its to shut us down. So continuing and fighting even more aggressively against it is the right course of action. Finally, the interviewer explained the IYSSEs analysis that protest to government alone will not end the genocide. What youth and students must do is fight to mobilise the working class, the social force which is capable of ending the capitalist system which is the source of war. The IYSSEs perspective is that young people call on workers to go on strike in key industries to prevent the manufacture and shipment of arms to Israel. The response from the students to this program was enthusiastic. Sophia said: Im in complete support of that, and honestly, its one thing to strike from one classthat doesnt change or impact anything. I think a complete shutdown is the only real action that can be taken. In order for it to work, everyone has to do their part, Ayla added. So, like you said, dock workers need to stop, students need to stop, everyone needs to stop. President Donald Trump, left, greets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives at the White House, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Washington. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon] There is no historical parallel for the summit meeting that took place in Washington on Monday. With only 24 hours notice, the heads of government of the four economically strongest European countries, the head of the European Union (EU) Commission and the Secretary General of NATO traveled to the American capital to support Ukrainian President Zelensky in his meeting with US President Trump. Such a gathering of high-ranking politicians is usually only seen at state funerals, excepting regular summit meetings that are prepared months in advance. The meeting in Washington may indeed be the prelude to a funeral: the funeral of NATO, which has shaped transatlantic relations for 76 years. The bizarre facade of the meetingthe adulation and gestures of humility towards Trump, the Europeans desperate efforts to present a united front, the assurances that they were in agreement and only wanted peaceconcealed the deep cracks in the NATO alliance. In fact, the differences have never been so sharp. While European leaders groveled and bowed before Trump, a figure despised worldwide, as if in a Moliere comedy, they could see the heavily armed soldiers in front of the White House that Trump had brought to the capital to demonstrate: I am the dictator here. What prompted European leaders to cut short their vacations and rush to Washington was the fear that Trump might reach an agreement with Russian President Putin at their expense. For years, they have invested enormous resources in arming Ukraine and stepping up pressure on Russia. They have demonized Russian President Putin as the incarnation of evil, with whom it is impossible to negotiate because he only understands the language of force. They believed themselves to be in agreement with the US, at least as long as Joe Biden was in the White House. According to figures from the Kiel Institute (IFW), Europe has supported Ukraine with military and financial aid totaling 167 billion since the war began three and a half years ago and has pledged a further 90 billion. The US has provided 114 billion and pledged a further 4 billion. The US was initially the driving force. Even Germany, the largest donor to Ukraine after the US, hesitated for a long time to stop purchasing cheap natural gas from Russia until American pressure and the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines left it with no other choice. But now, Trump is carrying out a sharp turn in US foreign policy. On Friday, he welcomed Putin with open arms in Alaska and agreed to negotiations on ending the war. Trump hopes this will give him access to strategic raw materials in Russia and Ukraine, weaken his European rivals against whom he has already imposed punitive tariffs and undermine the alliance between Russia and China. The US would be able to focus its military forces even more strongly than before on preparing for war against China. Since the meeting between Trump and Putin, the lines between Kiev, Brussels, Berlin, Paris and London have been buzzing. The Europeans feel betrayed. Their goal of bringing Ukraine and Russia under their control with American support has proven to be a disastrous miscalculation. The European imperialist powers are still too weak militarily to continue the war against Russia without US support. Ukraine, which itself has recently suffered heavy territorial losses, is battling with a shortage of soldiers, and public sentiment is shifting. According to a recent Gallup poll, 69 percent of Ukrainians are in favor of a quick negotiated peace, while only 24 percent want to continue fighting. Three years ago, the ratio was reversed. Under these circumstances, the European powers are trying to influence Trump, whose policy is also controversial in the US, in their favor. The trip to Washington served this purpose. If they fail to prevent Trump from withdrawing from the war, then Ukraine should at least be turned into a heavily armed fortress that maintains pressure on Russia. However, the meeting did not result in an agreement. The European leaders considered it a success that there was no scandal and that they were not thrown out of the White House, as Zelensky was six months ago. It could have turned out very differently, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz commented afterwards. When Merz repeated the European demand in front of the cameras that Russia must agree to a ceasefire before negotiations could begin, Trump brusquely dismissed him. Ill say it again, in the six wars Ive settled, there was no ceasefire, he replied. The European powers felt hopeful when Trump and his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced that Putin was prepared to accept Western security guarantees for Ukraine and that the US would support such guarantees in some form. But it has quickly become apparent that the term security guarantees is interpreted in completely different ways. Trump has already rejected Ukraines admission to NATO. A mutual defense clause for Ukraine, similar to the one NATO countries grant each other under Article 5, is under discussion. However, it would be of little value unless backed up by military force. French President Macron and British Prime Minister Starmer have long been advocating the deployment of a Western peacekeeping force in Ukraine to deter Russia. Macron repeated this to the BBC after the meeting in Washington: We will need to help Ukraine with boots on the ground. However, neither France nor the UK can mobilise easily the many thousands of soldiers that would be needed for a robust force. Chancellor Merz has indicated for the first time that the German Armed Forces could also participate. But it also lacks resources, and the opposition to such plans is enormous. The US rejects the deployment of its own troops in Ukraine. President Trump confirmed this once again on Fox News after the meeting in Washington. Neither the US nor NATO would participate in a force, he said. If there were to be one, it would have to come from the European countries. There is also talk of a so-called tripwire force, consisting of a smaller number of soldiers, which would trigger NATO intervention in the event of a confrontation with Russia. A third option is a purely observer force, which would hardly be accepted as a security guarantee by Ukraine and its closest allies. It is hard to imagine that Russia will accept the deployment of Western troops on Ukrainian soil in any form, given that NATOs advance eastwards was the reason for Russias invasion of Ukraine. The demand for boots on the ground therefore serves also to sabotage a negotiated solution and continue the war. Macron confirmed this when he told NBC that reports that Ukraine was losing the war were total fake news. Another proposal for how Ukraine could obtain security guarantees from the US came from Kiev. The Ukrainian government has proposed to purchase US weapons worth $100 billion in return and to produce drones worth $50 billion jointly with the US. Europe is to pay for the arms deal. The proposal was made in a document prepared for the Washington summit, quoted by the Financial Times. For the European powers, this would mean paying for a Pax Americana that excludes them and undermines their efforts to develop their own arms industry. The working class must not support either side in this conflict. A deal between Trump and Putin would not be a step toward peace but rather a further escalation toward a third world war, directed primarily against China and also being pushed forward in the Middle East. For their part, the Europeans are determined to continue the war against Russia in Ukraine, which has already claimed hundreds of thousands of victims and threatens to escalate into a direct confrontation with the nuclear-armed power Russia. Both possibilities can only be achieved through massive attacks on the social and democratic rights of the working class. In the US, Trump is in the midst of establishing an authoritarian dictatorship, and in Europe, the ruling elites are suppressing opposition to war and militarism and shifting the enormous costs of rearmament onto the population. Resistance to war and militarism coincides directly with the struggle against social cuts, layoffs and dictatorship. The threat of war can only be stopped by an independent movement of the international working class fighting to overthrow capitalism and build a socialist society. New Zealands right-wing coalition government announced last week that it is considering formally recognising the state of Palestine at next months United Nations General Assembly meeting. The Australian, British, Canadian and French governments have already indicated that they are prepared to recognise Palestine as a state, in a cynical attempt to divert attention from their continued backing of the Israeli regimes genocide in Gaza. The National Party-led government in Wellington is similarly trying to deflect mass opposition to the genocide, even as it continues to provide diplomatic, political and military support for Israel and US imperialism. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters [AP Photo/Rick Rycroft] In a statement on August 11, Foreign Minister Winston Peters, from the right-wing nationalist NZ First Party, said New Zealand had long supported a two-state solution and called for a ceasefire and a political settlement to enable Israelis and Palestinians to live peacefully side-by-side. He said the cabinet would make its decision in September after discussing whether a Palestinian state was viable. The imperialist powers are well aware that UN recognition of a Palestinian statewhich would be ruled by the Palestinian Authority, the hated puppet of Israel and US imperialismwill not stop the destruction of the Palestinian people. Peters statement portrayed the NZ government as a distant, deeply concerned onlooker, wanting to bring an end to the human catastrophe in Gaza. Peters declared: While we are a long way away from the Middle East, we will continue to ensure our voice is heard. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon similarly told a media conference on August 14: We are a long way away from this conflict, we have very limited connections to Israel in terms of trade ties or other things, but we stand up for values. The day before, Luxon had told reporters: Whats happening in Gaza is utterly, utterly appalling. I think Netanyahu has gone way too far. I think he has lost the plot. This was a gentle scolding of the Israeli Prime Ministera wanted war criminal whose regime has massacred tens of thousands of people, inflicted mass starvation on millions, and is seeking to ethnically cleanse the Gaza Strip. Luxon and Peters attempt to portray their government as uninvolved in these crimes is a fraud. As a member of the US-led Five Eyes intelligence network, New Zealands spy agencies conduct surveillance around the world on behalf of US imperialism, which is a full partner in Israels genocide. The NZ government refused to condemn President Trumps plan for a complete takeover of Gaza. Several New Zealand Defence Force personnel are deployed in the Middle East, where they are embedded with US forces that are protecting supply lines for Israel and bombing targets in Yemen. New Zealand capitalists are funding and profiting from the slaughter. The charity Mindful Money has calculated that funds which are part of the KiwiSaver retirement savings schemewhich most workers pay intohave invested $900 million in the armaments industry. The value of weapons-related investments surged by 40.9 percent in the past year as companies cashed in on war and genocide. The Post reported on August 14 that, according to Mindful Money, $71.9 million of KiwiSaver and retail fund money was invested in weapons companies whose wares were used in the Gaza war, including Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Boeing and Rheinmetall. New Zealand-based funds had also invested $179.9 million in two non-weapons companies whose products were aiding the Israeli war effort. These are Caterpillar, which has supplied armoured D9 bulldozers used in Israels ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, accompanying combat troops and paving their way by clearing roads and demolishing buildings; and Amphenol, which makes components for military and aerospace systems. The government continues to lash out against even mild criticism of its pro-Israel stance. On Tuesday August 12, Speaker Gerry Brownlee barred opposition Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick from parliament for the rest of the week in retaliation for her speech calling for sanctions on Israel for war crimes. In a blatant attack on free speech, Brownlee suspended Swarbrick after she refused to apologise for stating: If we find six of 68 government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history. Brownlee declared he would not tolerate the implication that government MPs were spineless. The Greens and the Labour Party are seeking to ensure that the widespread anger among workers and youth over the genocide remains subordinated to the capitalist, parliamentary system. At a protest in Auckland on August 16 called by the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, Swarbrick denounced the system that is asking you to turn away from a genocide that is happening on the other side of the world. Her only practical advice to the crowd, however, was to do exactly what you are doing right now: turn up. That is, keep attending protests to pressure the right-wing government to sanction Israel and recognise Palestinian statehood. The reality is that no party in parliament represents a genuine opposition to imperialist war. The 2017-2023 Labour Party-led coalition government, which included the Greens, maintained diplomatic and political ties with Israel and deepened New Zealands alliance with the United States and NATO. Before it lost the October 2023 election, and for some time afterwards, Labour openly backed Israels onslaught against Gaza. The Greens, for their part, supported the decision in 2022 to send New Zealand troops to Britain to assist in training Ukrainian soldiers for the US-NATO proxy war against Russia. The party also argued for greater military spending to support New Zealands ability to intervene throughout the Pacific region. The Labour Party and sections of the union bureaucracy have endorsed the current governments plan to double military spending, as New Zealand is integrated more closely into US plans for war against China. The destruction of Gaza and the mass murder of the Palestinian people are inseparable from the imperialist drive to dominate the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Asiain fact, to re-colonize the entire worldat the expense of Russia and China. That is why the genocide will not by ended by creating a Palestinian state, whose population will remain entirely at the mercy of the Zionist regime and its imperialist backers. The developing Third World War will only be stopped by mobilizing the working class against its source: the capitalist system. A consciously socialist movement against war and austerity must be builtincluding mass strikes to shut down the production and supply of weapons and the financing of war. Such a movement can only be built in a political struggle against Labour and the Greens. It also requires a rebellion against the pro-capitalist union bureaucracies, which in every country have prevented strikes and other actions by workers that would disrupt weapons shipments to Israel. The World Socialist Web Site and Mehring Yaynclk (Books), in collaboration with the Adalar (Princes Islands) Municipality, held a commemoration event titled The 85th Anniversary of the Assassination of Leon Trotsky: Historical Significance and Enduring Consequences on the island of Buyukada (Prinkipo), Turkey, on Saturday, August 16. The event featured an online interview with David North, the chairperson of the International Editorial Board of the World Socialist Web Site. The interviewer was Ulas Atesci, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Group in Turkey, which works in political solidarity with the International Committee of the Fourth International. This transcript has been lightly edited for readability. Ulas Atesci (UA): Leon Trotsky was assassinated 85 years ago, on August 20, 1940. In your writings you have referred to the assassination as the most politically consequential in the 20th century. What do you mean by this? David North (DN): To understand the significance of Trotskys assassination, one must understand his place in world history, what he represented and the social struggles with which he was identified. Leon Trotsky was the personification of the revolutionary movement of the working class for socialism. His assassination was the culmination of a criminal onslaught against the working class on a world scale; Nazism and Stalinism were different forms in which the reaction against the October Revolution expressed itself. Trotsky personified that great revolution, which was the culmination of an immense social, political and intellectual development of humanity that can be traced back to the Enlightenment and even to the Renaissance. Trotskys assassination in 1940 was the climax of a political process of genocide that exterminated the flower of socialist culture. His murder removed from the scene an individual who was politically and intellectually irreplaceable. If I could use an analogy: Imagine music, if Mozart, Bach, Beethoven had been removed violently at the height of their creativity; or science, without Newton and Einstein. In the sphere of politics, Trotsky, occupied a position of that magnitude. His death deprived the working class of a strategist of incomparable genius. It is not an exaggeration to say that 85 years after his death, we are still dealing with the consequences of his death, and with the consequences of the extermination of the generation of revolutionists in Russia in Europe in the course of the 1930s and 1940s. Trotsky said that the crisis of mankind is the crisis of leadership. That crisis was a product of the destruction of the Bolshevik Revolution and of the great Russian and European socialist culture that had its origins in the work of Marx and Engels. And so when we say that his murder was the most consequential political assassination of the past century, I mean it in this sense: The political reverberations of that assassination are with us to this day, and in commemorating this assassination, we are recommitting ourselves to the building of the leadership that Trotsky and Lenin had fought to build, and which proved itself in 1917 capable of rising to the demands of the crisis of capitalism. So that is perhaps the best way I can explain what I meant when I wrote that Trotskys assassination was the most consequential. Lenin addressing a crowd of revolutionary workers in Petrograd in 1920. Trotsky is on the right. UA: Why was it necessary for Stalin to kill Trotsky? Was this simply an act of political vengeance against an old political opponent, or did Stalin really have reason to fear Trotsky? DN: It was certainly an act of political vengeance. Stalin was a political criminal. He murdered not only his political opponents. He exterminated their families, their friends, their associates. But in a political sense, the decision to assassinate Trotsky was dictated by the immense fear that Stalin had of the political influence exerted by Trotsky on a world scale and within the Soviet Union itself. Stalin, of course, had participated in the October Revolution. He had experienced the impact of a crisis on the consciousness of the masses. And he understood very well, from the experience of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which arose in the midst of World War I, that a crisis of similar dimensions could produce a huge radicalization within the working class, in which the position of Trotsky would be profoundly transformed. He never believed that Trotsky was nothing more than an isolated and helpless exile. There are many petty-bourgeois academics today who may write that, but thats not the political reality. Trotsky was killed in 1940. World War II had already begun, the catastrophe was unfolding. It was only a matter of time before the catastrophic consequences of Stalins policies, his betrayals across Europe, in Germany, in France, in Spain, would make clear that he had opened the door to the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. Stalin had gone through the experience of the October Revolution, and he understood that with the approach of war, the crisis that it would generate within the Soviet Union itself, particularly under conditions of looming disaster, that all the repressed support for Trotsky could very suddenly emerge. After all, Trotsky still lived in the consciousness of the working class as the founder and leader of the Red Army, the brilliant strategist that had defeated the imperialist armies in the Civil War between 1918 and 1921. The famous socialist writer Victor Serge, in his book Russia Twenty Years After, said that the first shocks of a war will lead millions in the Soviet Union to think immediately of the organizer of victory, Leon Trotsky. That is why Stalin saw the assassination of Trotsky as a political necessity for the reactionary bureaucratic regime that he headed. Leon Trotsky speaking to Red Army during the Civil War following the Russian Revolution But Stalin was not the only reactionary leader who feared Trotsky. A very well-known discussion took place in 1940 between Hitler and the French ambassador, Coulondre. Paraphrasing Coulondre, he said to Hitler, Notwithstanding your military victories in France, has it not occurred to you that with the development of war, the real victor could prove to be Trotsky? Hitler reacted in shock, responding, I know, but why did you push me toward war? Why didnt you make compromises? Trotsky, reading of this discussion as it was reported in a French newspaper, said, What these gentlemen fear, as reactionary representatives of barbarism, is the approach of revolution, and they give that revolution my name. The killing of Trotsky was a preventive response of the Stalinist regime and of world reaction to the specter of socialist revolution. Thats the real reason for Trotskys assassination. UA: Trotskys assassination was the culmination of a political genocide in the USSR, justified by lies that Trotsky and his supporters were agents of Hitler. Today, Stalinist and pseudo-left organizations repeat these lies. Can you comment on this? DN: Well, those who repeat these lies simply expose themselves as liars. The crimes committed by Stalin have been so overwhelmingly documented, and the fraudulent character of the allegations that were thrown against Trotsky and virtually the entire leadership of the Bolshevik Party were so comprehensively exposed, that to repeat them today places those who utilize these lies in the same category as those who deny the Holocaust carried out by the Nazis. Stalin accused virtually the entire surviving leadership of the Bolshevik Revolution of being agents of fascism, of being instruments of Hitlers regime. But in 1939, after he had carried out his Terror against the socialist working class and intelligentsia of the Soviet Union, it was Stalin who signed a pact with Hitler. In fact, for the next two years until the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union in June of 1941, it was not permitted for members of the Communist Parties who were active in Western Europe to speak ill of the Hitler regime. Stalin and Ribbentrop after signing the Non-Aggression Pact in the Kremlin on August 23, 1939 [Photo by Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-H27337 / CC BY-SA 3.0 It was Trotsky who warned that the outcome of Stalinism would be the destruction of the Soviet Union and that the bureaucracy would restore capitalism. That happened finally in 1991. So the repetition of Stalins lies can only be done politically by those who support his reactionary program, who are reactionary petty-bourgeois nationalists, fundamentally hostile to the program of socialist internationalism for which Trotsky fought. One can have, of course, a legitimate discussion with principled intellectuals and a broad discussion within the working class about the history of the Russian Revolution, the complexities of its history. But all such discussions must be based on truth, on facts. There is no place in that discussion for those who perpetuate miserable lies, who justify mass murder and who can transform Stalin into a political hero. In fact, such people find themselves not in the camp of socialism but in the camp of reactionary nationalism, and as a matter of fact, in the camp of Putin and the Russian nationalists who base themselves not on the October Revolution but on the reactionary traditions of Tsarism, which was overthrown by the Russian working class in 1917. Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the United Russia party congress in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, December 14, 2024. [AP Photo/Sergei Bobylev] UA: There was a previous attempt on Trotskys life on May 24, 1940. Could you speak about that attack and Trotskys response? DN: On the evening of May 24, 1940, a Stalinist gang of assassins led by the painter David Alfaro Siqueiros was allowed to enter Trotskys villa in Coyoacan in the early morning hours by the guard who was on duty, an American by the name of Robert Sheldon Harte. It would later be established that Harte was actually a Stalinist agent. He opened the door to the villa, and this gang entered the compound armed with machine guns, incendiary devices and actually entered into Trotskys bedroom and began firing machine guns. Extraordinarily, Trotsky and his wife, as they awoke, managed to roll off the bed. The machine guns were pointed somewhat upward, and they fired into the bed and into the wall. It was dark, and they somehow did not succeed, miraculously, in killing Trotsky. In the course of this attack, Trotskys grandson Seva Volkov, who was only 14 years old, was wounded in the toe, but that was not as a serious injury. The assassins then withdrew. Trotsky's bedroom at his villa in Coyoacan, Mexico, riddled with bullets from the May 24, 1940 attack. Trotsky immediately left his room. This was not the first time in Trotskys life that he had come under fire. He had experience with this, and he began to look for his guard. Unfortunately, his guard consisted entirely of amateurs. They were not prepared for an attack of this character. I was later told by a survivor of that attack, the captain of Trotskys guard Harold Robins, that when Trotsky found the guards he was obviously disappointed with their failure to respond or take any action in any event. They soon realized that Harte had disappeared. It was not clear whether he had been kidnapped or gone voluntarily, i.e., whether he was a participant in the conspiracy or merely a victim of it. Not long after, his body was found, and notwithstanding doubts about his role, the initial conclusion was that he was kidnapped and murdered. However, Trotsky did say that the possibility that he was an agent was not excluded. Subsequent information, particularly documents uncovered after the Soviet Union was dissolved, has conclusively established that Harte was a GPU agent, who participated in the assassination conspiracy. Again, its important to take note of the timing. The attack in May 1940 took place against the background of the Nazi invasion of France, and it was Stalins hope that public opinion would be concentrated on the escalation of the war, that the assassination of Trotsky would not dominate international headlines. In the aftermath of the assassination attempt, Trotsky first of all devoted an enormous amount of his time to exposing the conspiracy. He wrote a very powerful essay, titled, Stalin Seeks My Death, in which he said, I live on this earth not in accordance with the rule but as an exception to the rule. The Stalinists and their supporters among petty-bourgeois intellectuals and unprincipled elements actually tried to advance the claim that Trotsky had organized the assault himself, that it was not a real assassination attempt. Trotsky comprehensively exposed this lie, and of course, what occurred on August 20 was to demonstrate the scale of that lie. He also wrote another article, The GPU and the Comintern, exposing the extent to which the different Communist Parties all over the world, the Stalinist parties, were actually under the control of the Soviet bureaucracy. Trotsky knew that there would be another attempt on his life. In 1976, when I was in Mexico gathering information on the assassination of Trotsky, a journalist who knew Trotsky recalled a conversation that he had with Trotsky just a few days before his assassination, in which Trotsky said, There will be another attempt on my life. It will be carried out either by someone I know or someone who has access to the villa. The journalist told me that he was very fond of Trotsky, he respected him immensely, and was very depressed when Trotsky said this to him, but that Trotsky smiled and said, Well, you know, whatever happens, I still will win. And you know why? The journalist asked why, and Trotsky came up close to him and whispered in his ear, Because Im much smarter than Stalin. Of course, what Trotsky was really saying was that he had confidence in the political perspective for which he fought, and that Stalin, whatever temporary successes he had, was without perspective. To use a metaphor which Trotsky had earlier applied to the opponents of the revolution, he would wind up in the waste basket of history. UA: It has been claimed that Trotskys assassination was inevitable? Do you agree with this assessment, or could it have been prevented? DN: That is a complicated question, and it depends on what you mean by inevitable. If one is speaking of a historical process, there are, of course, inevitabilities. The class struggle in capitalist society is inevitable. Revolution and counterrevolution arise inevitably out of the contradictions of that system. War and the struggle against war arise inevitably out of the geopolitics of world capitalism. But if youre speaking of a specific event, then, of course, one has to use the term inevitability much more carefully. It was inevitable, as Trotsky had foreseen, that there would be an attempt on his life. It was inevitable that the Soviet bureaucracy would attempt to murder Trotsky. Was it inevitable that the attempt would succeed? No, it was not. It did not succeed on May 24, 1940, and it was not inevitable that the attempt would succeed on August 20, 1940. It succeeded because of a failure of even the most basic security. Mexican police hold the pick axe that Mercader used to murder Trotsky in 1940. The assassin Ramon Mercader had been infiltrated into Trotskys household by an agent. He arrived at the villa in Coyoacan on August 20, in the late afternoon. It was a sunny day, and he was carrying a raincoat. Trotsky had met with Mercader only three days earlier and had expressed suspicion about this individual, and he had even stated that he never wanted to see him again, but his guards did not respond to this. In particular, as we were later to discover, his principal secretary in Coyoacan, Joseph Hansen, was himself a Stalinist agent. When Mercader arrived with a raincoat, he was not searched. In his raincoat, he was carrying an automatic gun, an alpenstock and a knife. Had that raincoat been taken from him, the assassination would not have taken place. It was not, and he was allowed to enter Trotskys study alone with Trotsky where the attack took place. So the assassination on that date was not inevitable. It could have been prevented. There are lessons which have to be drawn from that experience, and we have sought to draw them. Political security is a very critical issue, and no political party that takes the question of the struggle against imperialist reaction seriously can ignore it. So its important to understand that while the attempts on Trotskys life were inevitable, their success was not inevitable. We are Marxists, not fatalists. There are historical laws, but those historical laws do not lead to a predetermined conclusion, and thats important for understanding the political situation today. In one sense, the development of capitalism, the development of imperialism, leads to genocide, fascism and nuclear war. But it also leads to socialist revolution. And so the question really is, which of those tendencies will come to predominate, the tendencies toward destruction or the tendencies toward revolution? Thats the decisive question. Here we come to the critical issue of political leadership. As Marxists, we believe that the same tendencies which threaten mankind with destruction also contain within them the possibility for socialist revolution. In that sense, we are historical optimists. Revolution is possible. Its victory is possible. But we are not complacent. And we understand that unless we fight and unless we take the actions which are necessary, unless we have a correct political program, and we are able to impart that program to the working class, the danger of a catastrophe is very great. Thats why we fight to build revolutionary leadership. UA: You have now been active in the struggle for socialist revolution for 55 years. How have you maintained your optimism and determination in the face of so many decades of political reaction? DN: The great advantage of Marxism is that it approaches and analyzes objective reality scientifically and not impressionistically. It understands that the forms of appearance are contradictory, and what appears to be the dominance of reaction also contains within it the possibility of revolution. When I joined the Trotskyist movement in 1971, it was a time when the Soviet Union was seen by many to be all-powerful. The Communist Parties numbered in the millions, and yet their influence was based on false policies that proved to be unviable. All that has happened, whether it is the collapse of the Soviet Union or the restoration of capitalism in China, has confirmed the Trotskyist perspective. Our perspective has been a correct one; it has correctly analyzed the objective situation. While the initial beneficiaries of developments have been the forces of political reaction, other processes are underway. Revolutions dont occur because everything is going splendidly, and people decide they just would like to change things, to have things a bit better than they are. Revolutions dont announce themselves like birthday parties, where everybody receives an invitation and are asked to come to a celebration of a birthday. Revolutions are always unexpected. They always appear to be impossible, because they generally arrive at the point in which reaction, in a certain sense, has reached its most extreme stage of development. That was true in the France of 1789, and it certainly was true in the Russia of 1917. A session of the Petrograd Soviet of soldiers during the 1917 Revolution The world situation which we presently live in is again demonstrating the complete incapacity of capitalism to deal with the immense social, economic, ecological problems of our age. It is a system which, in every sense of the word, is bankrupt. No one can believe that nuclear war is a viable alternative to the problems of mankind, or that the use of genocide is going to be acceptable to the vast portions of humanity. Resistance is growing everywhere, but its necessary for that resistance to interact with the correct political perspective. We are on the eve of the greatest revolutionary explosions in history, and I think the basis of optimism is to recognize the power of these objective tendencies. As I said before, history does not give us revolution wrapped up as a birthday present. We have to extract from the objective situation its revolutionary potential and act upon it. Thats the decisive question. I believe that the experiences through which masses of people have passedtheyve witnessed the bankruptcy of social democracy, of Stalinism, of bourgeois nationalismnow perhaps theyll recognize the need to return to the authentic theory and practice of social revolution. They will once again draw their lessons from Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky and from its contemporary manifestation, the Marxism of the 21st century, Trotskyism and the program of the International Committee of the Fourth International. I believe in that perspective, and thats why my comrades and I are immensely optimistic that the next period of development will see a huge shift by the working class towards social revolution. And I think perhaps not that distant, not so far in the future, we will hold another celebration on Buyukada, and it will be under conditions in which that perspective will be at a far more advanced stage of realization. Air Canada flight attendants picketing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning that it had reached a tentative agreement with Air Canada to shut down the strike by 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and its subsidiary Air Canada Rouge. The strike, which erupted last Saturday, was the first national walkout by the cabin crew at the countrys largest carrier in 40 years and had quickly paralyzed its operations worldwide. It was waged in opposition to the Liberal governments attempt to suppress the strike using the anti-democratic powers contained in the Canada Labour Code. CUPEs shutting down of the strike without giving workers any clue as to what is in the tentative agreement and without a vote marks a clear betrayal. It comes after flight attendants, in a courageous stand, had openly defied the Liberal governments invocation of Section 107 of the Canada Labour Codea provision recently reinterpreted to allow the state to unilaterally declare strikes illegal and impose binding arbitration. Less than 12 hours after the strike began, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu invoked Section 107 to criminalize the walkout. For more than two days, the workers continued their action in defiance of the strikebreaking initiative, throwing the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney into a deep political crisis. The Air Canada strikers defiance of Section 107 was unprecedented since the previous Liberal government under Justin Trudeau innovated its use to shut down strikes without having to pass back-to-work legislation through parliament. The Liberal government used Section 107 to target workers in a number of key economic sectors, including on the rails, docks and at Canada Post. Each time, the respective union or unions collaborated in enforcing the back-to-work order. The flight attendants militant action in the face of threatened fines and possible jail time shattered the complacent assumption within ruling circles that workers could be cowed by injunctions and law and order threats. The strike expressed the deep social anger accumulated after years of stagnant or falling real wages, abusive scheduling practices, and the imposition of an estimated average of more than 35 hours of unpaid work per month. CUPEs cutting a deal in the dark of night to restart operations was not a victory but an act of sabotage aimed at saving the government, Air Canada and the entire corporate establishment from a movement that threatened to spiral out of their control and mobilize broader sections of the working class who face the same exploitative working conditions and declining living standards as flight attendants. Flight attendants voted 99 percent in favor of strike action on a turnout exceeding 94 percentfigures that demonstrate overwhelming determination. Their defiance won powerful sympathy from workers across Canada and internationally, who face the same attacks on wages, conditions and the right to strike. But CUPE, which for decades has functioned as an arm of the corporations and governments in suppressing the working class, acted with ruthless speed to suppress the strike, which had continued only under pressure from the rank and file. Without releasing any details of the tentative settlement, it ordered a return to work. What the unions, the Liberal government and big business feared most was that the flight attendants defiance of the back-to-work order would spread and mobilize broader sections of the working class across Canada, North America and globally. The union bureaucracys claim that the deal represents transformational change and that Unpaid work is over because it abolishes unpaid ground duties is a fraud. Air Canada had already offered to pay 50 percent of the wage rate for such work prior to the strike. That CUPE trumpets this as a breakthrough only confirms that workers will be paid far below their full wage rate, while other concessionson scheduling, staffing levels, or health benefitsare almost certainly included in the deal to offset costs. Admitting that many flight attendants were slaving for poverty wages less than a living wage, Air Canada chief operations officer Mark Nasr told Global News of the tentative agreement, It will include ground pay, it will include much-needed raises to get to a living wage for our more junior flight attendants and many other aspects that will make this the right package that recognizes all of their tremendous contributions. Flight attendants must follow the powerful momentum of their strike with a decisive rejection of this sellout and vote No when they are eventually given the opportunity. Another political crisis contained with the union bureaucracys help The flight attendants defiance of Section 107 opened up a serious political crisis for the newly minted government of the former central banker Carney. Less than four months after replacing Justin Trudeau as leader, the Prime Minister confronted the prospect of an open rebellion of workers against the government strike ban. This rebellion exposed the fraudulent nationalist rhetoric of Team Canada and national unity deployed by the ruling elitewith the full support of the union bureaucracy and the social democratic NDPwhile pursuing austerity, militarism and a reactionary trade war with the United States. Cynically welcoming the agreement to end the strike, Carney posted on X Tuesday, I am relieved that Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have reached a tentative agreement early this morning. It is my hope that this will ensure flight attendants are compensated fairly at all times, while ending disruption for hundreds of thousands of Canadian families, workers, and visitors to Canada. Hajdu issued a similar statement dripping with hypocrisy, while hailing an announced government probe of the question of unpaid work. Having issued the order to break the flight attendants strike and enforce arbitration on behalf of Air Canada management, Hajdu declared, The best agreements are the ones made at the table. I am relieved that the parties agreed to meet together last night. Throughout our ongoing meetings I strongly urged them to find a deal together at the table. Carneys government, with the full support of big business and the corporate media, has both followed on and dramatically intensified the Trudeau Liberal governments drive to swell capitalist profits and advance Canadian imperialist interests. This includes illegalizing the Air Canada strike, and forcing Canada Post workers, whose month-long walkout was outlawed last December under Section 107, to vote on Canada Posts concessions-filled best and final contract offers. What the flight attendants bold defiance proved is that the working class is no longer willing to quietly accept the abolition of the right to strike, and the imposition of a dictatorship in the workplace where workers terms of employment are determined by binding arbitration. The strike revealed the immense power of the working class. With Air Canada responsible for more than half the nations passenger capacity, the walkout disrupted thousands of flights and threatened to ripple across the global airline industry. The government and corporate elite were compelled to intervene not from a position of strength but out of fear that the strike would ignite a broader movement. CUPEs betrayal was therefore not just a retreat imposed on the rank and file but a calculated political maneuver to staunch a developing class confrontation, and allow the ruling class to regroup and press forward with the evisceration of workers democratic and social rights. The sellout at Air Canada recalls nothing so much as CUPE and the unions suppression of the November 2022 strike by 55,000 Ontario education workers. That strike began with the low-paid workers defying Premier Doug Fords preemptive anti-strike law banning job action. Mass solidarity developed among workers across the province, including calls for a general strike. CUPE and other major Canadian unions entered backroom talks with Ford to persuade him to withdraw his strike ban in exchange for the calling off of the strike without any of the workers demands being met. The unions intervention rescued Ford from an impending political mass movement of the working class that the unions feared they could not have controlled. Within weeks of sabotaging the struggle, CUPE rammed through an agreement on the education workers that contained many of the key concessions Fords government had tried to impose by means of the original strike ban. In both cases, the union bureaucracyincluding the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and Uniforacted as the guarantor of state authority, claiming to be opposed to strike bans while at the same time enforcing concessions and isolating the struggles to prevent them from becoming the spearhead of a wider working-class movement. Nationalism, militarism, and the assault on the working class The betrayal of the flight attendants cannot be understood apart from the broader political orientation of the union bureaucracy. CUPE and the CLC are central partners of the Liberal government in promoting a foul campaign of economic nationalism, urging workers to rally behind Team Canada in trade conflicts with Washington and Beijing. This nationalism serves to tie the working class to Canadian imperialisms global ambitions. Carney has pledged tens of billions in increased military spending over the coming decade, and is expanding Canadian participation in US-led military operations, including Trumps proposed Golden Dome missile shield, in hopes of securing Canadian imperialisms place in a renewed North American economic and military bloc. The unions role is to smother opposition at home while whipping up nationalism to divide workers and justify austerity. Just as the United Auto Workers in the U.S. has embraced Trumps America First tariffs and militarism, Canadian unions have rallied behind Carney in the name of defending jobs and protecting communities. In reality, they are defending the profits of Canadian corporations and the geopolitical interests of the Canadian ruling class. The way forward: Independent rank-and-file organization Despite CUPEs betrayal, the Air Canada flight attendants strike stands as a critical turning point in the class struggle. For three days, workers defied not only their employer but the government and the state. They demonstrated that workers can defy anti-democratic strike bans and begin to mount a counter-offensive. But their struggle was strangled by the union bureaucracy, which subordinated their demands to the needs of Canadian capitalism. The lessons are clear. Workers cannot leave their struggles in the hands of the CLC, Unifor, CUPE, CUPW or any section of the nationalist, pro-capitalist union apparatus. To advance their fight, flight attendants must form independent rank-and-file committees, democratically controlled by workers themselves and committed to fight back against state repression and capitalist diktats. These committees should reach out to pilots, ground crews, maintenance workers, and airline staff across North America, where unpaid work and falling real wages are just as burning an issue. Above all, the struggle must be guided by a socialist and internationalist strategy. The ruling class is waging a global offensive of austerity, authoritarianism and war. The working class must respond by uniting across borders, industries and continents in a common struggle against capitalism. The International Committee of the Fourth International and its Socialist Equality Parties have initiated the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) to provide precisely this organizational and political framework. Through the building of such committees, workers can articulate demands based on their needsnot corporate profitand overcome the sabotage of the bureaucracies, wielding their immense social power in coordinated, international struggles. The flight attendants defiance of Section 107 exposed the fragility of the ruling class and the immense potential power of the working class. To realize that potential, their struggle must be continued on a new basis: against the sellouts of the union bureaucracy, against capitalism, and for the socialist reorganization of society to meet human need, not private profit. Around 17,000 Sri Lankan postal workers are continuing indefinite strike action they began on Sunday over 19 demands. The nationwide walkout which involves all ranks, apart from sub-postmasters, has virtually paralysed the countrys postal services. Postal workers marching towards Presidential Secretariat, in Colombo, on August 19. The striking postal workers are demanding resolution to various issues, including overtime payments, permanency for all employees in acting, substitute and labour positions, the prompt filling of all vacancies, promotions and outstanding issues in the postal transport section. They also want three wage increments for first-class officers and the removal of fingerprint machines for recording the arrival and departure of workers. Yesterday, more than 600 striking postal workers protested outside the Central Mail Exchange in Colombo and then marched to the Presidential Secretariat where union officials presented a letter to President Dissanayake calling on him to resolve the dispute. The strike is part of a growing wave of industrial action and the radicalisation of workers in Sri Lanka and around the world against attacks on their social and democratic rights. Today, non-academic workers from 17 universities and allied institutions are to join a nationwide one-day strike to protest cost-cutting measures in the governments 2025 budget. On July 22, around 16,000 workers from the Ceylon Electricity Boards 22,000-strong workforce participated in a sick-leave walkout to protest the governments plans to restructure the CEB in preparation for privatisation of the state-owned industry. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna/National Peoples Power (JVP/NPP) government, which fears the postal workers action will spread to other sections of the working class, has rapidly moved against the strike. It has cancelled postal workers leave from Saturday, effectively making the strike illegal, and denounced the walkout as unjust. Post-Master General (PMG) Ruwan Sathkumara told the media that the strike was unreasonable and falsely claimed that many of the employees demands have already been met. If the union leaders want a discussion with authorities, then the strike must be called off, he declared. We are ready for negotiations. But our position is to call off the strike and come to negotiations. There is no point in negotiating while there is a strike, he said. Postal and Telecommunications Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said that the strikes place an additional burden on the Treasury. In the future, this could affect scheduled salary increases or overtime payments. Therefore, I consider this an unjust strike. Replying to a journalists question at the cabinet press briefing yesterday, Jayatissa claimed 17 of the strikers 19 demands have been either resolved or are being resolved, leaving two remaining demands. One of them is about overtime payments [but] we cant increase overtime payments and cant remove fingerprint machines. He then issued a threat: Those postal employees who agree with that can stay and the others can find jobs anywhere else. Jayatissas demand for strikers to drop their demands and return to work makes clear that the government is readying itself to crush the strike. Postal workers have categorically rejected the claims of Jayatissa and the post-master general, insisting that none of their 19 demands has been addressed. Workers have pointed out that the wage increases in the 2025 budget simply involved adding allowances to their existing basic monthly salaries. These only amounted to hikes of between 2,000 and 12,000 rupees ($US6.65$US39.88) which failed to compensate for the skyrocketing cost of living. Leaders of the Postal and Telecommunications Officers Association (PTOA) and Joint Postal Trade Union Front (JPTUF) have called the strike, not to organise a genuine struggle for postal workers demands, but to dissipate their growing anger over these long-standing issues. Union officials are spreading false illusions that exerting pressure on the JVP/NPP government will force it to grant postal workers demands. On August 13, the executive committee of the All Ceylon Sub-Postmasters Association issued a cynical statement claiming that since four of the issues affecting the sub-postmasters included in the 19 demands had been resolved, it would not join the national walkout. The other issues related to the strike do not directly affect the sub-postmasters and we will not be entitled to any benefits associated with the strike at the end, it said. On Monday, a JPTUF spokesperson told the media: We have presented our demands to several governments, 11 media ministers and three postmaster generals. Despite this, there are no solutions, which is why we decided to begin a continuous strike. While the postal worker unions have called numerous protests and strikes, they have insisted in every case that workers could win their demands by exerting more pressure on management and governments. These protests resolved nothing, however, but only resulted in the list of demands growing longer. The current postal workers strike is the fourth this year, following two-day token strikes in March and May and an overtime strike on July 1516. These strikes were shut down following false promises of a resolution by government and postal department authorities. The union leaderships have done the same thing with this weeks letter to President Dissanayake, appealing to him to intervene and resolve the dispute. However Dissanayake and his right-wing capitalist government, which is completely committed to the International Monetary Funds austerity measures, will not change course. The postal workers should place no confidence in the trade union leaders, who, just as they have done in the past, will betray their struggle at the first opportunity. An article on the Sinhala-language section of the WSWS on Sunday explained, No section of the working class that comes into struggle to defend their wages, jobs, living conditions, and democratic rights can defend or win their rights without defeating the policies of the government The industrial and political strength of the working class must be mobilised to defend the postal workers strike. Striking postal workers must turn to other workers and appeal for their active support. The defeat of the struggle of one section of workers will set the stage for attacks on all other sections. Sri Lankan workers can only defeat the governments IMF-dictated austerity measures by mobilising their own independent strength and uniting with their international class brothers and sisters. Postal workers must take matters into their own hands. This means establishing democratically elected action committees in post offices, operational offices and the central mail exchange, independent of the union bureaucracies and representatives of the bourgeois parties, in alliance with action committees in other workplaces, offices and the plantations. These committees should initiate a joint struggle of the working class against the JVP/NPP government and its IMF policies, as part of the fight for a workers and peasants government committed to the socialist program of nationalising all banks, large corporations, estates and other key economic centres under workers democratic control. Scores of writers scheduled to appear at the Bendigo Writers Festival boycotted the annual literary event last weekend in a powerful protest against the last-minute imposition of a code of conduct on all speakers at the festival. The unprecedented directive, sent to speakers two days before the popular gathering in the regional city northwest of Melbourne, aimed to stifle all discussion of Israels war crimes in Gaza at the festival. Bendigo Writers Festival, 2023 [Photo: La Trobe University] La Trobe University, using its role as principal sponsor and program curator, ordered all writers to avoid language and topics that could be considered inflammatory, divisive or disrespectful. Participants were told they had to commit to La Trobe Universitys Anti-Racism Plan, a 17-page document that adopts Universities Australias definition of antisemitismone that deliberately conflates Jewish people, a historically oppressed minority, with the reactionary exclusivist state of Israel, an imperialist outpost of US-NATO strategy in the Middle East. That definition, which asserts that most Jewish Australians regard Zionism as a core part of their Jewish identity, was crafted to brand all criticism or exposure of Israeli war crimes as racism. The censorship of last weekends festival followed a backroom campaign by the Australian Academic Alliance Against Antisemitism (5A), a group of Zionist academics from 31 universities. In a letter sent to the La Trobe University vice-chancellor and deputy vice-chancellor, as well as the Bendigo Writers Festival organisers, the 5A group denounced the festival for featuring Palestinian-Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah as a keynote speaker. It branded Abdel-Fattah as an extremist anti-Israel and antisemitic activist and slanderously accused her of being a direct threat to the Jewish community. Confronted with the festivals anti-democratic directive, Abdel-Fattah withdrew, followed by dozens of other writers and La Trobe history professor Claire Wright, who had curated the universitys program at the event. They were joined by Evelyn Araluen, Jess Hill, Claire G. Coleman, Paul Daley, Melanie Cheng, Jock Serong, Thomas Mayo, Cher Tan, Madison Griffiths, Kelly Gardiner, and scores of others, along with the events principal book supplier. Writers published scathing withdrawal letters: Claire G. Coleman said she could not appear at a festival that is attempting to compel or censor my speech. Kelly Gardiner called attempts to prevent discussion of the genocide in Gaza outrageous, while Paul Daley described it as a shameful episode in Australian literary life. More than 200 Australian authors signed a statement by Readers and Writers Against the Genocide, expressing solidarity with the boycott and condemning the code as a blueprint for self-censorship and silencing dissent. Twenty-one of the 71 scheduled events, including the opening and closing galas, were formally cancelled and eight of La Trobes nine sessions dropped. Even as sessions collapsed, the festivals website continued to display names and images of writers who had withdrawn, while disabling all comments and automatically processing refunds. Faced with the festivals collapse, officials responded with lies and doublespeak, refusing to acknowledge the coordinated pro-Zionist lobbying that led to the censorship of participating writers and the resulting crisis. Festival manager Julie Amos attempted to dismiss the boycott as a small number of authors withdrawing, while claiming the gag order was intended to emphasise the importance of safety and wellbeing for all participants. Bogus claims of safety were echoed by La Trobe University, which declared that it expected the festival to have measures in place to ensure respectful exchange of views as well as community safety. The Greater Bendigo City Council backed the censorship as its flagship event disintegrated, refusing to acknowledge that its capitulation to lobby pressure had destroyed the festival. The rapid and determined decision by writers, academics and other participants to withdraw from last weekends festival is an important expression of the deep-seated popular opposition to the Gaza genocide and the governments attacks on those opposing Israels war crimes. It powerfully demonstrates that writers and other creative workers will not be silenced and follows a forthright appeal in June by prize-winning author Michelle de Kretser. Kretser used her Sydney Writers Festival address to condemn Israels war crimes after winning the Stella Prize for her novel Theory & Practice. The two-time Miles Franklin winner said government support for Israels crimes had serious consequences for democracy in Australia, with scholars, creatives, and journalists silenced, their funding revoked, and their contracts cancelled for expressing anti-genocide views. She warned that precious rights were being eroded and authoritarian laws rushed in on the flimsiest of pretexts. Earlier this year, Creative Australia removed Lebanese-Australian artist Khaled Sabsabian outspoken supporter of Palestinefrom representing Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale after a right-wing media campaign supported by federal arts minister Tony Burke. More than 4,300 artists signed protest statements, and the five other shortlisted artists refused to serve as replacements, threatening to leave Australia without representation at the exhibition. Creative Australia was forced to reinstate Sabsabi in July following the backlash. The weaponisation of antisemitism accusations is being challenged by Jewish voices. Randa Abdel-Fattah [Photo: Pan Macmillan Australia ] Max Kaiser of the Jewish Council of Australia dismissed 5As characterisation of Abdel-Fattah, stating that she in no way poses a threat to Jews and has been a long-standing ally of ours. Kaiser described 5A as a right-wing pro-Israel lobby group that institutions should ignore, noting that a growing number of Jewish people are moving away from Zionism. The attempt to silence artists and writers is part of a broader assault on cultural life. Palestinian academics and supporters have been systematically targeted, using false antisemitism allegations to remove voices from academic and cultural discourse. Zionist lobby groups are only the immediate spearhead of these attacks. The censorship could not take place without the unwavering political support of Australias ruling eliteincluding the federal Labor government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and its state counterparts. In February, the Albanese Labor government, with bipartisan support from the Liberal-National Coalition, pushed through new hate speech offences carrying mandatory minimum six-year prison terms, expanding police and prosecutorial powers against dissent. The vague laws are intended to criminalise strident condemnations of Zionism. The Victorian and New South Wales state Labor governments have passed anti-democratic measures aimed at pro-Palestine protesters. At the same time, the Albanese government maintains dozens of export permits to Israel, keeps Australia in the F-35 supply chain used to bomb Gaza, and upholds a $917 million contract with Israeli arms maker Elbit Systems. Labors claim that Australia does not supply weapons to Israel is a patent lie. The methods used against Palestine supporterssurveillance, court actions, cultural blacklists and coordinated lobby pressure campaignswill be unleashed against striking workers and protesters opposing war in the Middle East, and the broader eruption of imperialist militarism, including Australias frontline role in the US-led preparations for a conflict with China. The Bendigo boycott shows the readiness of artists, workers, and youth to fight against war and political repression. That struggle cannot go forward if it is restricted to appeals to Labor and parliament. Writers, artists, and creative workers must take their place in the fight to build an independent socialist movement of the working class against the Gaza genocide, the ever-growing danger of a third imperialist war, authoritarianism and their source, the bankrupt capitalist order. Striking Air Canada flight attendants and their supporters picketing at Ottawa's Macdonald-Cartier International Airport on Mondaythe second day of their defiance of a Liberal government back-to-work order. Over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants courageously defied a federal Liberal government back-to-work order to continue their strike against intolerable working conditions and real wage cuts. After three days on the picket line beginning Saturday, the strikers saw their struggle sabotaged and sold out early Tuesday by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which concluded a rotten agreement with management and a government-appointed mediator with a notorious record of imposing deep concessions on workers. In conversations with World Socialist Web Site reporters Monday, Air Canada workers emphasized their determination to fight and explained how the issues they were fighting for are questions of burning relevance to all workers. It was precisely because of the potential for the strike to become the catalyst for a much broader movement against ruthless exploitation, capitalist austerity and state strikebreaking that the CUPE bureaucracy, backed by Unifor and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), did all it could to shut it down as quickly as possible. A union steward on the picket line at Ottawa Airport said: Our position right now is that the government does not have the right to quash the quasi-constitutional rights in our laws that say that workers have the right to unite. This law was the same one used against the postal workers and the legal track takes a lot of time to get a ruling on anything, it has to make its way up to the Supreme Court unfortunately. Seeing as how they are doing it repeatedly now, there is no right to strike in Canada. The worker stressed the need to appeal to other sections of workers to join the struggle. In the past year alone, the Liberal government has used the same Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to unilaterally criminalize strikes by rail workers, postal workers and dockers, bypassing Parliament. The worker said: We should be uniting, we should be fighting and we should be standing here. They say that CUPE will be expanding this action, but I dont know what form that is going to take. If you heard the remarks from our president yesterday, this is a fight that is much bigger than the Air Canada workers. Management tried to force us back to work using the CIRB (Canada Industrial Relations Board), people were getting calls from the employers saying you have to report back to work. The militant bluster of leading CUPE officials, including National President Mark Hancock, was aimed above all at maintaining political control over the Air Canada strikers, who are outraged by their conditions and determined to fight back. But this was a two-faced policy. At the same time as Hancock loudly told a press conference Monday that he was ready to go to prison to defend workers right to strike against the government, CUPE officials were preparing to resume talks with Air Canada management under the leadership of government-appointed mediator Robert Kaplan. Kaplan was the chair of the Independent Inquiry Commission (IIC) into Canada Post earlier this year, a body that issued recommendations legitimizing the Amazonification of the postal service through the use of low-paid, precariously employed workers, the adoption of seven-day-a-week delivery and the ending of home delivery. Two flight attendants told the WSWS in Ottawa: We all have to stick togetherWe cant have any strays. If they want to designate us as essential workers [which would prohibit them from striking under Canadian law], then they need to give us the pay of essential workers. This is happening everywhere. We are still waiting to hear if we are going back to work. We are getting some public workers, some postal workers, some members from OPSEU (Ontario Public Service Employees Union) here, so weve been getting some support. Were not deemed an essential service, and it would be in our contractno striking allowedif we were an essential service, but were not. They tried this in 2014, and it didnt work; and then Lisa Raitt and Stephen Harper deemed it a hardship on the economy and yet look what he did to the public serviceshe razed them! They also denounced the current Liberal government, commenting, Theyre taking away the rights of all union workers and all Canadians away by not allowing us to strike. One of the workers explained that while they no longer worked for Air Canada, they came to the picket line to show solidarity with the strikers: Im actually no longer with Air Canada. I retired, and now Im with Porter (Airlines), and we just unionized. So some of us came down to support because we are also with CUPE now, and we want fair conditions for our flight attendants just like Air Canada, and its not just themselves now. We are here for every union person. Yes, passengers got stranded, but a snowstorm would do that. Workers were eager to discuss the broader political context within which the strike took place, including the Canadian ruling classs turn to policies of war and support for Israels genocide against the Palestinians. After a WSWS reporter explained that all of the established parties defend the capitalist profit system and the interests of the bosses against the workers, one worker among a group of three listening responded, All of them are responsible for whats going on in Gaza. At a rally in support of the strike Sunday morning in Montreal, workers were also in a fighting mood. Some expressed anger over the governments strike ban, with one declaring, Is our government becoming a Trump government? Daniel Berkley, a leading member of the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC), sent a statement of solidarity to the Air Canada strikers. The PWRFC was established in June 2024 by postal workers determined to take control of their contract fight away from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) bureaucracy and broaden their fight for decent-paying, secure jobs into an industrial and political counteroffensive involving all workers. Berkley wrote: I call on postal workers to join Air Canada workers in a solidarity strike! We are currently in a legal strike position, but our union has called for the government to impose binding arbitration, taking away our right to strike and even vote on our contract, while they waste our time and deepen our demoralization with an ineffective overtime ban. Together, we have the opportunity to broaden our struggles across industry lines! Together, we have the opportunity to fight for our right to strike! Together, we have the opportunity to fight to protect all public services, to fight for workers control over new technologies, and to fight for a decent work-life balance, safe and well-paying jobs! Like postal workers, flight attendants have been pushed too far on too many issues, and our response is informed with increasing militancy. To be clear: I am referring to the rank-and-file workers who have been bullied and pushed around. The expectations for us to take on extra work with no extra pay is one of the issues we are fighting over. Canada Post and the union call it dynamic routing, but we frontline workers see it for what it is: gigification to bring profitability and ultimately privatization to the post office, at the expense of public services and working conditions. It was the fear of such a unified struggle drawing Air Canada workers, postal workers and others together in a movement breaking out of the pro-employer straitjacket that prompted the CUPE leadership to do everything in its power to halt the strike as soon as possible. The despicable manner in which this was done, with a brief statement in the dead of night that provided no details to the strikers about what was agreed to, underlines the urgent necessity for workers to build rank-and-file committees to advance their demands, and reject the nationalist, pro-capitalist framework imposed on them by the union bureaucracy by building the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). Organize a fight against the UFCWs betrayal! Fill out the form below for help establishing a Kroger Workers Rank-and-File Committee. All submissions will be kept anonymous. Indiana Kroger workers are being forced to vote this week on a third tentative agreement (TA) pushed by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 700, after overwhelmingly rejecting two previous contracts. Workers voted down the first TA in May by 74 percent and rejected the second in July, though the union refused to release the vote totals. The UFCW bureaucracy is moving aggressively to block a strike, despite widespread support for one among the rank and file. I thought we were going to strike, one worker told a World Socialist Web Site reporter as she headed into her shift. The contract is part of a nationwide campaign of sabotage being waged by the UFCW bureaucracy. Around 100,000 grocery workers in the UFCW have had contracts expire over the course of the year, but the bureaucracy is deliberately working to isolate workers from different regions and chains, and block a nationwide movement. It follows sellouts in Colorado and California, and other parts of the US. The actions of Local 700 in particular are a repeat of 2022, when they forced workers to vote repeatedly on virtually the same contract until it was ratified. This late act of sabotage proves that workers must take matters into their own hands by founding a rank-and-file committee, and preparing a fight against both Kroger and their lackeys in the union bureaucracy. Anger over poverty wages and union collusion Workers are furious at the UFCWs deliberate defiance of their demands for strike action. Would it not be worth a struggle for a short while to make sure that everybody gets treated fairly in our stores? Look at what utility clerks are making... They only get two 25 cent raises over the three years... Some of the people who are utility clerks have conditions that make it hard for them to do other positions. Why should they be paid less when they are going into parking lots in extreme weather, and cleaning up filthy messes? Still a year at full time hours to get health coverage, a technician said. As a part-time licensed pharmacy technician that is at a level 3, this shows that I will be making less due to the new step program? And I cant get full time status because we dont have the hours? How is this protecting the employees? For a union, this contract isnt the best especially after waiting this long. Gas prices are up, milk, even bread & water costs more. This is not enough to support our families on. We must demand more money. Stand strong. Guessing either the Union isnt listening or they dont care. This is the same contract except retro pay and it is being paid as a bonus so taxes will eat it up. So my answer is still no. Yes, we should of already gone on strike. All this is, is games. Still nothing added for people who have been with this company for years, another worker explained. Making the same amount of money as teenagers walking through the door. Part-time people make up a huge part of this company & will forever get treated like garbage. Go screw yourself UFCW LOCAL 700, one worker said. Offer us the same Proposal 3 times. That will be a 3rd no..they work for the best interest of Kroger. What is in the contract The UFCWs deal makes only cosmetic changes from the earlier proposals workers rejected. It offers a wage increase of $2.75 for team leaders and store clerks, broken up into three tiers, starting from $16.05 to $20.35, with $0.90 added in the final year of the contract. New hires face a 12-month waiting period and only advance to the second tier if they average more than 30 hours per week, while advancement to tier three requires averaging 36 hours. Utility clerks are capped at $14.75 by the end of the dealwell below the estimated $32,000 minimum annual cost of living in Indiana. Pharmacy technicians remain trapped under $23 an hour even at the highest levels. The previous TA included a $250 gift card, which has now been removed. Instead, raises are backdated to June 1. A veteran worker explained: The only thing they did was take back the $250 gift card and, to try and push it through, make the wage increases retroactive to June 1. So, if you are getting $.50 raise, this means on a 40-hour week, you would get 40 x $.50 x 12 weeks = $240. For those getting a $.25 raise, its $120 and those getting a $.75 raise, its $360. The rank and file versus the bureaucrats While grocery workers at Safeway, Stater Bros. and King Soopers have also expressed support for strike action, the UFCW has systematically shut down or betrayed struggles, forcing through similar sellout agreements. In Indiana, the union is once again blocking collective action. Having rejected two contracts, workers are being told to vote again until they get it right. The UFCWs maneuvers are aimed at protecting Krogers profits, not defending workers livelihoods. The experience of the past three months has made this clear: the UFCW will not organize a fight. Every vote, every renegotiation has produced the same resultworkers are forced to vote on poverty contracts while a strike is blocked. Ballot counting cannot be left in the hands of the union bureaucracy. In 2022, the Kroger Workers Rank-and-File Committee demanded direct oversight of negotiations and voting, and a national contract covering all Kroger workers. That fight must be renewed and expanded. Workers must form independent rank-and-file strike committees in every store to: Kick out the bargaining committee and replace it with militant workers elected from the shop floor. Negotiations must be livestreamed and reported daily to the membership. Hold emergency meetings to prepare strike action, based on the principle of no contract, no work. These committees must be independent of all factions of the UFCW bureaucracy, including appendages like the Essential Workers for Democracy caucus, which are seeking to channel opposition back into the Democratic Party. The task facing Indiana Kroger workers is to link up their struggle with grocery and retail workers across the country. By taking control of the fight into their own hands, workers can begin the national counteroffensive needed to secure livable wages, secure jobs and dignity at work. WELLINGTON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government confirmed on Wednesday it will legislate on the closure of the greyhound racing industry by July 31, 2026. The cabinet's decision has followed three official reviews since 2013 and ongoing concerns over animal welfare. "Too many dogs continue to die and be seriously injured, and it is time to do the right thing," said New Zealand Racing Minister Winston Peters. Cabinet has agreed in full to the recommendations from the Ministerial Advisory Committee tasked with planning the transition, Peters said, citing the Australian state of Tasmania's recent decision to abandon greyhound racing. A government-backed Transition Agency will be established to manage the re-homing of greyhounds and to support industry participants through the closure process. Peters said the plan provides certainty for participants and ensures animal welfare remains central during the transition. The bill to formally ban the sport will be introduced to parliament later this year, with the public invited to make submissions. If passed, New Zealand will be among the few countries to ban greyhound racing on animal welfare grounds. Following his in-person meeting with Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin last Friday, and again on Monday, President Donald Trump called for banning all votes by mail ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. A photo put out by the White House showing Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. [Photo: The White House] Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Friday, Trump said that Putin told him, Your election was rigged because you have mail-in voting. He said, Mail-in voting, every election. He said, No country has mail-in voting. Its impossible to have mail-in voting and have honest elections. And he said that to me, it was very interesting because we talked about 2020. He said, You won that election by so much. Praising Putin and Russian elections, which have allowed the former Stalinist KGB agent to remain in power for roughly the last 26 years, Trump added, But Vladimir Putin, smart guy, said you cant have an honest election with mail-in voting. And he said theres not a country in the world that uses it now. Voting by post is popular in dozens of countries. Since 2008, all voters in Germany have had the option of voting by mail, with about 47 percent using mail-in voting in 2021. In Switzerland, as many as 90 percent of voters cast ballots by mail. Canada has provided mail-in ballots to all citizens since 1993. Several other countries, including Australia, Austria, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Norway, Finland and France, also have exceptions that allow mail-in or absentee voting. Even in certain parts of Russia voting is allowed online and, in some cases, the ballot box will actually be brought to the homes of disabled or elderly residents. Ignoring this, and the fact that millions of people voted for Trump and Republicans by mail in the 2024 election, Trump went on to smear hundreds of thousands of postal workers as dishonest and incompetent, saying, It cant be honest. It goes through a postman. It goes through somebody else, somebody else, somebody. Leaving no doubt that his efforts to restrict mail-in voting have nothing to do with election integrity and are instead solely aimed at suppressing voter turnout, Trump said: You know, when you go to a really well-run voting booth, you go in, you have to hand a card, a picture, a this or that. You dont have everything perfect, you get sent back, go get it. Laying the groundwork for invalidating and challenging not only the 2026 midterm elections but this Novembers New York City mayoral election, Trump concluded: This mail-in voting, you cant have a great democratic republic. You cant have it. Well, maybe thats why were going to end up with a communist mayor in New York. I dont know. May he probably is very happy with mail-in voting. But you cant have a great democracy with mail-in voting. In his White House meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, Trump, unprompted, brought up his plans to block voting by mail, saying mail-in ballots are corrupt you can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots and we as a Republican Party are going to do everything possible, that we get rid of mail-in ballots. President Donald Trump meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. [AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson] Trump said, We are going to start with an executive order thats being written right now by the best lawyers in the country, to end mail-in ballots because they are corrupt. Trump, repeating a blatant lie, said, Do you know we are the only country in the world, I believe, I may be wrong, but just about, the only country in the world that uses them because of what has happened. Massive fraud all over the place. As he did during the Stop the Steal build-up prior to his failed coup of January 6, 2021, Trump recycled fascist conspiracy theories concerning the legitimacy of electronic vote tabulators. He said the other thing we want to change is the machines. Following Bidens 2020 election victory, fascists and Republicans, from Alex Jones to then-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell and Virginia Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, spread lies that foreign entities, from communists in Venezuela to Italian spy satellites, manipulated vote totals in favor of Biden. Trump followed up his White House declarations with a post on his social media site that read, in part: I am going to a lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and also, while were at it, Highly Inaccurate, Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES, which cost Ten Times more than accurate and sophisticated Watermark Paper, which is faster, and leaves NO DOUBT, at the end of the evening, as to who WON, and who LOST, the Election. Trump added that he would sign an executive order to help bring HONEST to the 2026 Midterm Elections. He said: Remember, the States are merely an agent for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating votes. They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do. Trumps fascistic assertion that states are merely an agent that must acquiesce to the desires of the president is constitutionally baseless. The Constitution enumerates no authority for the president to oversee elections. The United States, unlike many other countries, has state-run elections, with over 10,000 different election jurisdictions spread throughout states, counties, municipalities and townships. Ballots and voting processes are decided on by state legislatures, while only Congress, not the president, can make or alter rules for federal elections. The post ended with Trump claiming Democrats would oppose his efforts because THEY CHEAT. He added that Democrats are virtually Unelectable without using this completely disproven Mail-in SCAM. Trumps latest attacks are not isolated outbursts, but part of a deliberate strategy whose purpose is to delegitimize any election outcome that does not favor him. In 2020, the supposed corruptibility of voting by post was the core pretext Trump used to claim the election was stolen and rigged. Thousands of fascists, incited by Trump and his allies in the Republican Party and corporate press, stormed the Capitol on January 6, demanding to hang Mike Pence because he dared to certify rigged election results. Emboldened by Biden and the Democratic Partys failure to prosecute Trump and his accomplices in the failed coup, Trump and the Republicans have accelerated their drive to establish a dictatorship in the last two months. On June 7, Trump federalized 4,000 members of the California National Guard and ordered 700 US Marines to occupy Los Angeles, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) gestapo, backed by the Los Angeles Police Department, carried out illegal and violent raids targeting workers and their family members. Five days later, on June 12, California Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat, was violently assaulted by federal agents after attempting to question Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference, at which Noem declared, We are not going away. We are staying here to liberate the city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country. On August 11, the Trump White House declared a Crime Emergency in Washington D.C. and ordered the D.C. mayor, Democrat Muriel Bowser, to provide the services of the Metropolitan Police force for Federal Purposes. This was followed on August 16 by the first National Guard troop surge into the nations capital. Over the last three days, Republican governors from South Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee have pledged to send roughly 2,000 soldiers to aid the federal takeover of Washington D.C. On August 19, the Republican-controlled Texas State legislature advanced new gerrymandered maps, ordered by Trump, that seek to replace five Democratic-controlled seats with Republican seats. Demonstration against high rents in Berlin, September 2021. Banner reads: "Together against Displacement and #CollectiveMadness" The German government is planning a reform of the citizens allowance (Burgergeld) welfare payments, which would cut housing support for the poorest households. In the face of rapidly rising rents, this represents a social catastrophe for a growing number of families. According to plans drawn up by the ruling coalition of the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Social Democrats (SPD), the housing support element within Burgergeld is to be reduced. In the traditional summer interview with broadcaster ARD last month, Chancellor Merz (CDU) had already advocated capping rental support as part of a comprehensive reform of Burgergeld. Burgergeld, which is available to people with little or no income, is at the centre of the governments social cuts. It is to be downgraded this year to a kind of basic social security. This means that the roughly 40 billion budgeted for 2024 will be drastically reduced. A double-digit billion-euro sum is to be saved through the capping of rental payments for those in need. Accompanying these plans for a brutal attack on the poorest layers is a foul and deceitful campaign about alleged luxury rents for Burgergeld recipients, spearheaded by CDU circles and right-wing media. For example, North Rhine-Westphalia state Prime Minister Hendrik Wust (CDU) recently demanded that the state should no longer pay for very large and very expensive apartments for Burgergeld recipients. In the ARD summer interview, Merz claimed that Burgergeld recipients in major cities received up to 20 per square metre from the welfare office for a 100-square-metre apartment, which a normal workers family could not afford. Merz is deliberately stirring up envy against the poorest, who are supposedly living in luxury, in order to justify cuts. The reality, of course, is very different. Market rents have exploded over the past three years, and affordable housing is scarcely available. On average, asking rents in Germany rose by 18.3 percent. In Munich, they are now around 20 per square metre, making the Bavarian capital the most expensive city in Germany. Other expensive cities include Frankfurt am Main and Stuttgart. Berlin ranks 10th for highest asking rents: since early 2022, they have risen by 42.6 percent to an average of 14.90 per square metre. In Berlin in 2024, there was a significant gap between market rents and existing rents. The average existing rent is 7.21 per square metre. Many tenants remain in their cheaper apartments because moving would mean significantly higher rent. Cities such as Kaiserslautern and Cottbus also saw substantial increases41.7 and 41.3 percent respectively. Average rents now stand at 10.05 (Kaiserslautern) and 8.86 (Cottbus). This shows that rent increases are not only occurring in major cities but also increasingly in medium-sized and smaller cities. Inward moves from more expensive urban areas are driving prices even higher. While more and more households must spend over half their income on rent, the coffers of the property corporations are filling up. Rising rental income has produced record profits for Germanys two largest real estate companies this year. Vonovias adjusted pre-tax profit rose by around 11 percent to 984.3 million. By the end of the year, it is expected to reach 1.85 billion to 1.95 billion, an increase of around 100 million over the original forecast, according to finance daily Handelsblatt. LEG also reported a 15.4 percent rise for the first half of the year. Overall, the second-largest German housing companys profit rose to over 448 million. This development is politically intended. Federal and state governments work closely with the real estate lobby, and even minimal interventions that would affect the profit interests of property corporations are avoided. At the same time, despite growing demand, almost no new housing is being built. The previous government of the SPD, Greens and Liberal Democrats (FDP) intended to build 400,000 new homes annually, including at least 100,000 social housing units. This target was significantly missed from 2021 to 2024. In each year from 2021 to 2023, fewer than 300,000 new homes were built. In 2024, the number was only 251,900. Furthermore, Burgergeld recipients already often receive only part of their actual rent costs. They must pay the difference from their miserably low standard allowance. According to the federal governments response to a parliamentary question from the Left Party, Job Centres last year did not reimburse 334,000 households entitled to Burgergeld for the full cost of their rent. This affects 12.6 percent of all households receiving basic social security payments. On average, these households had to pay 116 per month on rent out of their standard allowance. For a single adult with a current standard allowance of 563, this means a reduction to less than 450. Job Centres justify this by claiming they may only cover reasonable housing costs. However, this criterion is not uniformly regulated but individually determined by each municipality. Those affected must then pay the difference out of their own pockets. This so-called housing cost gap in Berlin averages 180Burgergeld recipients there must cover over 23 percent of actual accommodation and heating costs themselves. The consequences of this policy are already devastating. In Berlin alone, there were 2,371 evictions in 2023; in 2024, there were 2,495an increase of 5.2 percent. Nationwide, the number rose from 32,669 in 2023 to 35,006 in 2024, an increase of 7.1 percent. This trend is reflected in growing homelessness. At the start of the year, Berlin reported 15,710 homeless minors, 16.5 percent more than the previous year (13,480). Overall, more than 50,000 people in Berlin currently live without a permanent home, at least 30 percent of whom are children and young people. The Berlin Senate (state executive) estimates that the number will rise to over 87,000 by the end of 2029, yet no countermeasures are being taken. The so-called Housing First project, launched in 2018, is little more than a token measure. So far, it has only housed 227 homeless people. At the current pace, it would take over 1,500 years to house all the homeless in Berlin in this way. The planned attacks by the Merz government on the last remnants of the welfare state will further exacerbate this crisis. The money saved on housing, education and health will flow directly into military rearmament. The federal government plans to triple military spending within five years. The NATO target of 5 percent of GDP for military and war-related expenditure is to be reached by 2029, and not as originally planned in 2035. To achieve this, the military budget is to rise from the current 86.5 billion to over 150 billion. On August 11, Romanian farmworker Gheorghe Vranciu, 61, collapsed and died while harvesting fruit in an orchard in Alcarras, Catalonia. Vranciu died amid one of Spains fiercest heat waves in years, with temperatures climbing above 40C (104F) and peaking at 43.8C (111F). His death, officially attributed to acute cardiorespiratory failure, exposes the brutal working conditions facing agricultural labourers, many of them migrants, as heat waves surge due to climate change. Firefighters stand in front of the flames during a wildfire in Santa Baia De Montes, northwestern Spain, Thursday, August 14, 2025. [AP Photo/Lalo R. Villar] The circumstances surrounding his death are damning. Several companies in the area had already suspended activity that day, following occupational risk prevention services calls on employers to halt work due to the extreme heat. Spanish labour regulations require companies to suspend or adapt outdoor work whenever Meteocat, the Catalan Meteorological Service, or Aemet, Spains national weather agency, issue an orange or red alert, unless employers can reorganise operations and eliminate heat risks. Yet Vranciu was kept in the fields. Around midday, he reported feeling ill and asked his supervisor to be taken home. Instead, he was told to rest under a tree. For nearly three hours, he lay suffering in the blazing heat. Emergency services were not contacted until 16:00. By the time paramedics arrived, he was beyond help. Gheorghe Vranciu died under a tree, alone. His death is not an accident, but a social crime. The rest of the crew was forced to continue until 5:30 p.m., a schedule the company never allows to be shortened. If you say something, theyll fire you, a worker told El Periodico. Vrancius colleagues described the routine brutality to the same newspaper: from Monday to Friday, they worked from seven in the morning until one in the afternoon, took a half-hour break, then resumed until half past five in the eveningten hours a day, plus six hours on Saturday. In total, 56 hours a week (the legal limit in Spain is 40), carried out in searing heat. His son, Ovidiu Vranciu, told eldiario.es: They were told they had to stay until 5 p.m., and that anyone who didnt want to shouldnt come back tomorrow. Vranciu was employed through a temporary work agency (ETT) at a farm owned by Agroalimentaria El Pla S.L., managed by Ignasi Argiles Figuerola, one of Catalonias wealthiest businessmen, with a fortune of 150 million and senior leadership in the powerful Nufri Group. The company cynically denied responsibility. Last Thursday, 100 people, including seasonal workers, gathered in Lleida to denounce the death. Under the slogan Enough abuse in the fields, protesters called the death a murder and denounced a system that puts profits before peoples lives. Vrancius relatives demanded justice: You cannot just let a man die alone under a tree. The political establishment and the union bureaucracies rushed to shield agribusiness. Alcarras mayor Jordi Castany, of the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), cynically praised the efforts of local agricultural companies, claiming they provided early shifts and water. The Unio de Pagesos (Agricultural Union), which claims to represent seasonal workers but also defends the interests of farmers, held a press conference to denounce the stigmatisation of farmers after Vrancius death. They insisted the vast majority of farmers comply with regulations. The social-democratic General Union of Workers (UGT), linked to the Socialist Party (PSOE), currently in power, demanded only that the administration intensify labour inspections when high temperatures pose a serious risk to workers health and that if necessary, outdoor activities must be halted. Workers Commissions (CCOO), aligned with the pseudo-left Sumar and Podemos parties, declared: Someone will have to explain how it can be justified that a person is working above 40 degrees, adding that safety improvements were still far from reaching all workers. Union officials could have called on local union delegates to invoke Article 21.3 of the Occupational Risk Prevention Law to halt work without penalty during heat waves. This law states that when the employer does not adopt or allow the adoption of the necessary measures to guarantee the safety and health of workers, their legal representatives may, by majority, decide to suspend the activity of workers affected by this risk. Yet, just as during the devastating floods in Valencia last year that claimed 224 lives, including workers forced to work amid the floods, the unions refused to take any action. UGT and CCOO are the chief enforcers of social peace with the employers and the capitalist state. For decades they have collaborated with agribusiness to impose longer hours, precarious contracts and wage freezes, while turning a blind eye to the exploitation of undocumented migrants denied legal wages and basic conditions. Not once have they called a strike to defend workers from extreme heat. They work to channel outrage into harmless appeals to the employers, the Catalan government, the Socialist Party (PSOE)-Sumar government that enforce these brutal conditions on workers. They draw hundreds of millions of euros in salaries and privileges from their integration into the capitalist state. Their calls for more inspections are a smokescreen: they well know that enforcement is sporadic and penalties, if ever imposed, negligible. The PSOE-Sumar government, like its Podemos-PSOE predecessor, has overseen years of cuts to labour inspectorate and imposed labour reforms that intensified exploitation, particularly in the agriculture sector that generates tens of billions of euros in operating profit annually. At the same time, it has showered corporations with billions in subsidies and EU recovery funds, whilst diverting billions more in record military expenses to prepare for imperialist war abroad. Vrancius death is part of a growing toll of preventable, work-related heat fatalities. It is the second confirmed case this summer in Catalonia, after the heat-related death in June of a Barcelona street cleaner. Official labour statistics systematically undercount such deaths, treating them as cardiac events or accidents. In 2024, Spains Ministry of Labour registered zero heat-related deaths. Yet the Ministry of Healths mortality monitoring system estimated 2,012 deaths that summer due to high temperatures; another system estimated over 4,000 in June alone. This underreporting is a European phenomenon. In 2023, only 21 of the EUs 27 states even reported statistics on work-related deaths from extreme temperatures. Most claimed there were none. Greece has not reported a single case since 2008, though summer temperatures regularly hit above 40C. France, which had one of its hottest summers on record in 2022, has acknowledged only one workplace death from heat in 15 years. This exposes the European bourgeoisies long-standing refusal to recognise heat as a workplace hazard. The UNs World Meteorological Organization estimate that 489,000 people died each year from heat-related causes between 2000 and 2019. Europe accounted for 36 percent of these deaths. The fight to prevent such deaths cannot be left to employers, governments or the trade unions. Measures to save lives such as suspending work during the hottest hours, mandatory shaded breaks, free access to water, on-site medical care, abolition of subcontracting through temporary agencies, and investment in protective technology, are well known. In Japan, for example, some workers already use Cuchafu Fuku, high-tech jackets with built-in air conditioning. Worker safety is technically feasible, but deliberately withheld. ISLAMABAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were killed and 10 others injured in rain-related incidents in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi as record downpours turned neighborhoods into lakes, disrupted flights, and caused power shutdowns, local authorities said Wednesday. According to the state-run Rescue 1122 department, victims died in electrocutions, drownings, and wall collapses across Karachi, the capital city of southern Sindh province, after heavy rain struck the city since Tuesday morning. Among the dead were four members of a family in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi after their house wall collapsed, while others lost their lives to rain-soaked power lines and floods in low-lying areas. The provincial government of Sindh declared Wednesday a public holiday, shutting down schools and offices in an effort to keep citizens off inundated streets. Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab announced a rain emergency, deploying rescue and sanitation teams, while Governor of Sindh Kamran Tessori opened the Governor's House to shelter stranded citizens. Flights at Jinnah International Airport of Karachi were severely disrupted, with at least eight cancellations and 20 delays, as power outages at a high level and internet breakdowns crippled communication. The provincial government announced that all concerned departments are engaged in rescue efforts, and it warned residents to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and keep away from electric poles. The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast further heavy rains until Aug. 23 in Karachi. MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Discussing security guarantees for Ukraine without Russian involvement is a "road to nowhere," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday. "We cannot agree that now it is proposed to resolve questions of security, collective security, without the Russian Federation. This will not work," Lavrov told reporters in Moscow, stressing that the West, primarily the United States, understands that "seriously discussing Ukraine's security guarantees without Russia is a road to nowhere." The minister noted that Russia is in favor of the security guarantees from Europe being "truly reliable." As to the prospect of a possible trilateral meeting on Ukraine, Lavrov said Russia is ready to conduct talks in any format, but any high-level meeting should be carefully prepared so that it would not worsen the current situation. U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House on Monday, with focuses on security guarantees for Ukraine and a possible trilateral meeting between Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Later Zelensky said that security guarantees for Kiev could be finalized within the next 10 days and would "probably be 'unpacked' by our partners." MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russian forces launched strikes on berthing facilities used for fuel deliveries for the Ukrainian troops, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday. The strikes also targeted a drone assembly workshop and temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 148 areas, the ministry said in a statement. Russian forces have captured two settlements in the Donetsk region and one in the Dnipropetrovsk region, it added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier in the day that Russia raided a gas distribution station in the Odesa region overnight. He added that 14 people were injured in the Sumy region due to Russian drone strikes, while five apartments were hit in the Donetsk region, trapping at least three, with rescue operations still underway. According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russian forces launched 93 combat and decoy drones, along with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, overnight on Tuesday. No one books a flight ticket with the thought that they may be injured during their journey, but sometimes weird things happen. Just ask Savannah Gowarty, a New York City luxury real estate agent and star of Netflixs Owning Manhattan. Recently, Gowarty flew from New York to Lisbon, Portugal, but got a little bit more than she bargained for in the trip. In a viral TikTok video, the Raleigh, North Carolina native revealed that she chipped one of her teeth when the center partition divider went up while Gowarty was attempted to talk to her seatmate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, Gowarty needed dental surgery to repair the damage. "I was taken very well care of and delta covered everything!" she clarified in the caption. View the original article to see embedded media. The cause of the malfunction is unclear. Gowarty claimed that Delta momentarily disabled all of the dividers pending an investigation, but a Delta flight attendant in the comments said they remain in use in business class on all of the company's planes. Gowarty, who boasts over 38,000 followers on TikTok and nearly 52,000 on Instagram, has been documenting many of her travels this summer. Among the places she visited were Italy and Portugal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then a real estate agent for SERHANT, Gowarty was a star of the first season of Owning Manhattan. However, she likely won't be featured on the show's second installment, as she now works at Compass, a rival agency. This isn't her first plane incident Back in 2024, Gowarty went viral when she shared a video from inside a JetBlue cabin. In the clip, there was a visible fine mist in the air and Gowarty said it seemed to be raining in the cabin. However, JetBlue had another explanation for the issue. "The condensation or mist is common, especially in humid climates, and does not cause wetness inside the aircraft, the airline said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We believe the customers were wet due to heavy rain that occurred as they were boarding via an outside ramp and stairs. Reality Star Reveals Dental Injury Suffered on Delta Airlines Flight first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 17, 2025 Billy Corben and Jen Gatiens Men of War, one of the first documentaries that Neon produced and funded, will be available to watch via PVOD starting Sept. 9. The doc, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto Film International Festival, chronicles Operation Gideon, a 2020 sea invasion of Venezuela by a coalition of local dissidents and American mercenaries to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro. Former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau planned the failed mission that happened just weeks after the Trump administration placed a $15 million bounty on President Maduro. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goudreau, a former Special Forces soldier who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, planned to land in Venezuela via speedboat with approximately 60 other men in an attempt to capture Maduro, an authoritarian president. At the time, Goudreau said that he and his team were acting to protect Venezuelas democracy after Maduros 2018 re-election, which was boycotted by the opposition and condemned as undemocratic by the U.S. In 2024, Goudreau was charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods from the U.S. and unlawful possession of a machine gun, among 14 counts. His trial is expected to begin soon. Corben (Cocaine Cowboys) and Gatien (Limelight) began filming Men of War in 2021. In the 102-minute film, the directors trace the botched incursion and the few characters who lived to tell the tale: a journalist, Goudreau, a Miami-based dissident, an army general, and the brother of one of the captured American mercenaries. The doc also features exclusive prison recordings of retired Venezuelan General Cliver Alcala Cordones and interviews with J.J. Rendon, strategist to Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido. When the filmmakers approached us with the wildly compelling story behind Men of War, we couldnt have imagined that story would still be playing out in 2025, Neon said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Variety film critic Murtada Elfadl described the film as a morally complicated portrait of a mercenary who thinks hes a righteous soldier: a man who obviously cannot grapple with the consequences of his actions. Prior to the docs TIFF debut, Neons EVP of nonfiction, Dan OMeara, told Variety that Men of War appealed to the company for a number of reasons. Every part of [Goudreaus] project felt ill-conceived and impossible, said OMeara. They approached [Venezuela] by boat, and that boat broke down. There also were not that many guys involved. Everybody was wondering, What were these guys thinking? How could they have thought that they were going to get away with this, and at whose behest? Jordan was made this laughing stock. As it turns out, he was working for and had been hired by very powerful people in the Venezuelan opposition party, and he was in touch with the White House. Mike Pences people were giving [Goudreau] the tacit wink-wink like, If this all works out, you will have our support. Jordan was also in touch with Keith Schiller, Trumps former bodyguard. So, he believed at the time that he was undertaking a project that had the blessing of the Trump administration. In May, Neon theatrically released Men of War and qualified it for Oscar consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Neons 2017 inception, the company has become a major player in the doc landscape, distributing Fire of Love, Moonage Daydream, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. Men of War was produced and financed by Neon, in association with Rakontur, Deerjen, and Hyperobject. The film was produced by Alfred Spellman, Jen Gatien, and Billy Corben. Tom Quinn, Dan OMeara, Todd Schulman, and Adam McKay serve as executive producers. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The humble pie might be as quintessentially American as desserts could get. It's safe to say that almost everyone in the United States has fond memories of eating pies since childhood. But did you know that this American staple wasn't created in the country? Instead, it's believed that Ancient Romans (with Greek inspiration) are among those to have the earliest written pie recipes. The idea of pies soon made its way to England where the dish was really embraced. When English immigrants later arrived in America, they brought these delicious treats along, and the rest is history! The United States has so many types of pies today, from an easy apple pie that's loved across the country, to regional favorites like Southern-style sweet potato pie. Interestingly, what's now seen as an indulgent dessert was once preferred by people in the country because it was a great way to use available ingredients economically. Of course, this led to the creation of plenty of pie flavors. Later, the introduction of iceboxes and convenience food gave people the means to experiment further with pie fillings. While some of these pies have managed to remain beloved classics in American kitchens to this day, many of them have nearly vanished. If you'd like to take a trip down memory lane and see what these pies were like and what eventually caused them to fade out of the limelight, you're in for a treat with this list. Read more: 14 Old-School Desserts People Loved To Eat In The 1970s Sawdust Pie Sawdust pie on a silver plate placed on a wooden table - achadmix / Instagram Though the term sawdust might make this pie sound unappealing, it was anything but. In fact, sawdust pie was made with such a lovely combination of ingredients that it would genuinely make you wonder why it isn't as prevalent anymore. The moniker came from the way its filling looked, because children mentioned that it resembled baked sawdust. The earliest recipe for sawdust pie appeared in Bon Appetit magazine in 1983, making it only a few decades old today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sawdust pie had a filling made with sugar, coconut flakes, pecans, graham cracker crumbs, and egg whites. All one had to do was mix these ingredients together until well combined, pour them into a lined pie crust, and bake until set. But that's definitely not all! Once the pie cooled, it was topped with a hefty amount of whipped cream and sliced bananas. This pie was made for the first time at Patti's restaurant situated in Grand Rivers, Kentucky supposedly in the late '70s. In fact, the recipe was published in Bon Appetit magazine because a woman wrote the editor a letter stating she enjoyed sawdust pie for the first time at that very restaurant. After it was featured in the magazine, its popularity grew. But unfortunately, this pie isn't as common in most American kitchens today. If you'd still like a slice, you can make it at home given how easy the recipe is, or get it at Patti's 1880's Settlement, Kentucky. Black Bottom Pie Black bottom pie on a white plate topped with whipped cream - stephaniereads / Instagram If you like classic chocolate pies, you're bound to love an old-school black bottom pie. Recipes for this decadent pie began appearing around the beginning of the 20th century. The base was mostly made of crushed ginger cookies, though sometimes graham crackers were also used. This pie's filling was a luscious mixture of milk, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, and gelatin, along with the star ingredient: chocolate. Plenty of recipes used cocoa powder instead, as it could easily be swapped in when out of baking chocolate. Once the chocolate filling set, a creamy topping made with gelatin and whipped cream was spread over the pie. Usually, the topping was also flavored with either vanilla or rum. Some versions were slightly more complicated than this one, but this was the most standard way to make a black bottom pie. Though some recipes came around a bit earlier, this pie actually rose to fame in the late '30s. It remained popular over the following decade, as this was also the time people either already had iceboxes or started investing in refrigerators -- perfect for this no-bake dessert. As for its origin, some people believe it to be from the Southern United States, which isn't surprising considering how pervasive pies are there. However, according to research most claims remain that the pie was actually created in Southern California -- Los Angeles to be specific. Black bottom pie soon became a beloved dessert across the country. But over the years it did lose its touch, and now barely anyone knows about this vintage classic. Onion Pie Old-school onion pie placed on a parchment paper over a wooden board - Sergii Koval / Shutterstock When you think of an onion pie, you might picture a pie packed with savory ingredients. But believe it or not, the onions in this pie were often paired with apples. As odd as that sounds, it's likely that the pie tasted okay, which led to it becoming popular in the 18th century. Moreover, it needed only a handful of budget-friendly ingredients, making it an ideal meal to feed a family when rations were tight -- something that many people were looking for back in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recipe for onion pie was also featured in one of the first editions of "Primitive Cookery." This cookbook was, in fact, meant for home cooks who wanted to prepare cost-effective meals. A recipe also appeared in a cookbook in 1747 called "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy." So you're probably wondering what else was in this pie and how it was made. A filling made with onions, apples, and potatoes that was often flavored with spices like nutmeg, pepper, and mace was packed in a homemade pie crust and baked. People made onion pies after the 18th century as well, but the newer variation was completely different as it sidelined the potatoes and apples and used cheese and cream instead. The older version eventually faded into obscurity. But if it still sounds intriguing, you could try making it yourself. You also don't have to worry about tearing up when slicing all those onions, as there are plenty of ways to chop onions and not cry. Impossible Pie Impossible pie placed on a kitchen counter - straderjeanne / Instagram It's believed that impossible pie was created in one of the Southern states. That said, if you have ever browsed through old-school Betty Crocker cookbooks, you might be wondering which impossible pie we are talking about, since they had an entire series of recipes with that name. Well, there was originally only one impossible pie, and the idea behind it was that it didn't require a separate pie crust. Instead, all the ingredients were combined together and added into a tin to form a pie where the filling and the crust were essentially the same. General Mills was inspired by the dish and came up with a range of Impossible pie recipes which suggested using Bisquick mix. However, most of them weren't even close to the original impossible pie, except the impossible coconut pie, which was unsurprisingly also one of the first recipes published in the Betty Crocker Impossible series. The original impossible pie was made with ingredients like eggs, melted butter, flour, milk, vanilla, sugar, and coconut flakes, and as per records, the first recipe was released in 1968. Everything was blended together and poured into pie tins, then baked. Since the pie was packed with coconut, its roots were linked to the Southern states, as the ingredient was commonly added to pies there. Some variations of the original recipe came around in the '70s, including one that swapped flour for buttermilk biscuit mix. But the pie's popularity eventually declined. Green Tomato Pie A slice of green tomato pie on a white plate that is placed on a wooden table - stacey.ballis / Instagram While there are plenty of tasty recipes you can make with tomatoes, using them in a pie wouldn't instantly come to mind. But believe it or not, tomato pies made with red tomatoes are still often enjoyed and no, they aren't the same as pizza. Sadly though, green tomato pie from yesteryear has indeed vanished. Interestingly, it was a sweet pie that closely resembled apple pie. This was because it was quite common to use green tomatoes in place of apples in pies when the latter wasn't readily available a couple of centuries ago . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Green tomato pie was mentioned in The Washington Post all the way back in 1901. This dessert was quite the rage around the same time, especially in the South. It was made the same way apple pies are, of course, with a homemade pie crust as the base. The filling was prepared by mixing chopped or sliced green tomatoes with sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Raisins were also often added to the mix. The finishing touch was a crust on top, after which the pie was baked. The idea probably sounds weird but the pie turned out pretty delicious, thanks to the similar texture and taste of apples and green tomatoes. Hence, it's definitely worth giving green tomato pie a shot when you're looking to experiment with a classic apple pie recipe. Lemon Icebox Pie Lemon icebox pie placed on a marble table - i_amjuancarlos / Instagram This retro pie was partially named after the appliance it was stored in, which was essentially an early version of the modern refrigerator -- the humble icebox. Though there were plenty of icebox pie flavors back in the day, the one that managed to catch on with people most was the lemon icebox pie. Folks in the Southern United States loved making this pie on hot days because it was a no-bake dessert and was served cold. Lemon icebox pie consisted of a crust made either with vanilla wafers or graham crackers. The filling was made with lemon juice, egg yolks, condensed milk, and sugar, but some versions also added gelatin to help it set better. It was usually served as-is, but some people also preferred topping it with meringue. As you may have figured, it could be prepared in very little time. Even though iceboxes were common in the mid 1800s, one of the first recipes for lemon icebox pies supposedly appeared in the 1930s. Surprisingly, iceboxes were also seeing a major decline in popularity around the same time, as refrigerators had started taking over. But that didn't really stop anyone from making a classic lemon icebox pie and cooling it in the refrigerator. However, this pie eventually lost its charm even after people started refrigerating them. It now remains a beloved nostalgic dessert for many. For anyone who wants to try, luckily, it can easily be replicated at home. Transparent Pie Transparent pie made in an aluminum tin placed on a wire rack - ky_spiceguy_ / Instagram A classic from Kentucky, transparent pie is often confused with the southern chess pie, but they aren't the same even though they have a similar appearance. This pie was created by people living around Northern Kentucky. It could be put together easily, and also had a subtle flavor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who created it essentially mixed together whatever ingredients were available in their kitchens. So, the filling was made with cream, butter, flour, eggs, sugar, and a dash of vanilla. Just like most classic pies, the simple filling was then poured into a pie shell and baked. Transparent pie originated in the 1800s, with references showing up in local newspapers in the state around the 1890s. However, this pie really made a mark across Kentucky after it became available at Magee's Bakery situated in Maysville. The bakery actually began serving the pie a few decades after it was created, in the 1930s. Unsurprisingly, transparent pie is still somewhat prevalent in some parts of Kentucky. But besides that, its appeal is mostly lost. It's still worth trying this recipe considering its simple flavors, and even more so if you're a big fan of George Clooney, as he is a major admirer of this pie thanks to his Kentucky roots. Since it has a mild flavor base, you can also experiment and switch some of the ingredients from the traditional recipe to make it your own. Pineapple Pie Pineapple pie with lattice work placed on a table with a fork on the side - Aliya Roesli / Shutterstock There are plenty of ways pineapple is eaten around the world, but adding it to desserts was possibly the favorite way to enjoy it for most Americans. Take this vintage pineapple pie, for instance, which was quite popular in the 1900s and various companies printed out recipe advertisements for it. Though it's difficult to pinpoint when and where this pie originated, it can be assumed that it was around the same time canned pineapples hit the market. In fact, three recipes appeared in an advertisement for canned pineapple by Hawaiian Pineapple Canners supposedly in 1922, calling it "The Great American Dessert." One recipe suggested topping the pineapple pie with meringue, another involved covering the filling with a pie crust, and the last one was pretty fancy, as it had various layers of pie crust, pineapple filling, and whipped cream. Almost two decades later in 1938, Good Housekeeping also printed a recipe for this pie and it was quite simple as it only consisted of a pastry crust, pineapple filling, and a homemade meringue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later in 1950, Pillsbury released a recipe for pineapple pie in an advertisement to market their pie crust mix. This was one of those quintessential pie recipes, with a crust at the base, a hearty pineapple filling, and lattice work with the remaining pie crust on top. Regardless of all these advertisements over those few decades, the humble pineapple pie's popularity eventually did decline, probably due to changing preferences. Kool-Aid Pie A slice of Kool-Aid pie on a plate with a Kool-Aid pie in an aluminum tin placed on a table - baronxwasteland / Instagram Considering how much people love the refreshing drink itself, it's not a shocker that someone decided to turn it into a pie at some point, though it isn't known who created the recipe. That said, one of the first documented instances of Kool-Aid pie in print was in 1974. The pie tasted exactly like the beverage, sweet and refreshing, with the filling nestled over a perfectly crunchy crust. Kool-Aid pie was great for hot days, not only because of its light flavor, but also for being a dessert that required no cooking or baking. The base was simply made by lining a pie tin with crushed graham crackers. Its filling required mixing Kool-Aid, sweetened condensed milk, and whipped cream/Cool Whip together until it was light and airy. After its prominence in the late 20th century, this pie saw a surge in popularity once again starting in 2009. The searches continued to grow slowly, with occasional spikes until almost the end of 2022, especially in Mississippi. But after that peak, interests steadily declined, and the pie lost its prevalence across the country once again. The best part about this vintage pie, and also a solid reason why it deserves a revival today, is that it can be made with any flavor of Kool-Aid. So, if you're a fan of the drink, there's no reason not to give this forgotten pie a shot on a summer day. Grasshopper Pie A slice of grasshopper pie on a plate - Tuvision / Shutterstock We bet you're wondering what exactly grasshopper pie is and how it got such a strange name. Was it made with real grasshoppers? Luckily, no. Grasshopper pie was actually named after a classic cocktail called grasshopper and not the insect. This cocktail is made with white creme de cacao and creme de menthe -- the liqueur that gave it a striking green color similar to a grasshopper, hence the moniker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grasshopper pie unsurprisingly had the same flavor combination as the cocktail -- which had the perfect balance of mint and chocolate, making it taste refreshing and decadent at the same time. Its filling was made with both the liqueurs used in the cocktail, milk, cream, and marshmallows, though some recipes switched the liqueurs with extracts. It was made by heating the milk, melting the marshmallows in it, adding in the liqueurs, and folding in whipped cream. The crust featured crushed chocolate wafer cookies. Once the pie had set, it was garnished with even more dark chocolate to make it taste extra rich. It's believed that grasshopper pie was actually invented by the wife of the person who created the grasshopper cocktail. The original recipe for the pie appeared in the '60s and it was a massive hit throughout the decade. It managed to stay prevalent even in the '70s, after which it faded out of the limelight. Nevertheless, those who like mint and chocolate together should give this no-bake pie a go, as it's very likely that they'd enjoy it. Hungry for more? Sign up for the free Daily Meal newsletter for delicious recipes, cooking tips, kitchen hacks, and more, delivered straight to your inbox. Read the original article on The Daily Meal. In Fort Worth, its Burger Week. In Arlington, its Save the Tacos month. And across North Texas, its still DFW Restaurant Week and the Hatch Green Chile Festival. Enjoy summer deals while you can. Pumpkin Spice season lurks around the corner. A look at current special weeks, months and deals: Fort Worth Burger Week The promotion benefit through Aug. 24 features $7 burgers at more than 30 restaurants, with a token donation to the Tarrant Area Food Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two of Fort Worths all-time favorite burgers, Freds Texas Cafes green chile cheeseburger and Tommys Hamburgers Thai kimchi cheeseburger, are on the list. Each has two locations. Newer favorites include Big Kat Burgers at Crystal Springs Hideaway, Duchess at the Nobleman, Rexs and Walloons. More great burger deals include the Bearded Lady taverns Spicy smashburger, a five-alarm festival with ghost-pepper jack cheese, fried peppers, grilled jalapenos, lettuce, onion and habanero mayo. See the list, photos and details at FortWorthBurgerWeek.com. The Spicy smashburger with ghost-pepper jack cheese, fried peppers, grilled jalapenos, lettuce, onion and habanero mayo is a regular menu item at The Bearded Lady pub and tavern in Fort Worth. #SaveTheTacos Arlingtons tourist bureau has launched its taco taste-off to pick the citys favorite taco. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through Sept. 30, 24 restaurants will serve their best tacos, including some unusual entrants like Cake-aholics Bakerys taco sundae, Hurtado Barbecues duck carnitas taco and Marquez Bakerys tamale taco with corn pico. See the list and plan a taco tour at arlington.org. Duck carnitas are the Save the Tacos special at Hurtado Barbecue in Arlington. DFW Restaurant Week The week of promotional specials really lasts a month through Aug. 31, so theres time to eat a $49 or $59 full 3-course dinner or a $29 lunch at one of 33 restaurants benefiting a family-service charity. Lena Pope gets $1 of every $5 spent on the specials, so its a good deal for diners and families. Early picks: Quince Riverside, Rise Souffle or Wicked Butcher in Fort Worth; Soy Cowboy Asian in Arlington; Ferraris in Grapevine, or almost any of the prime steakhouses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Find the list at dfwrestaurantweek.com. Blue Mesa Grills Hatch green chile menu features a chiles rellenos plate with a choice of two or three Hatch chiles in three flavors: Jack cheese with blue corn, smoked chicken or garlic-basil shrimp. Hatch Green Chile Festival The fresh chile harvest is in from southern New Mexico, and it gets spicier toward late August. That means its time to order fresh green chiles in restaurants like Pappasitos Cantina, offering specials through Sept. 1. Pappasitos is serving Hatch chcken tacos, Hatch pork empanadas, Hatch shrimp brochettes or fajitas and Hatch pulled pork enchiladas. The Blue Goose Cantina restaurants are serving Hatch shrimp tacos, Hatch chimichurri steaks, Hatch enchiladas and burritos and Hatch huevos rancheros at brunch. Blue Mesa Grill is where the Hatch chile party began, and it continues with Hatch items on the Sunday brunch buffet in August and daily specials such as Hatch chiles rellenos. Croatia has quickly risen as a hot destination for travelers, thanks to its stunning beaches and medieval architecture worthy of being featured in Game of Thrones. Those enchanted by the Balkan country can now live and work there for up to several years as a digital nomad under updated regulations. According to the Republic of Croatia's Ministry of the Interior website, eligible applicants can work remotely from the country for up to 18 months defined as a temporary stay with the ability to submit a new application after six months after expiration. "Close family members," including non-married partners of more than three years, can also join if they meet the requirements. The digital nomad visa was initially launched in 2021, and was recently updated this past March to permit longer stays, according to Travel + Leisure Asia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what people should know about Croatia's updated digital nomad visa. Croatia is known for its gorgeous coastline. Ready to move abroad? These 7 countries are the most affordable for digital nomads What are the benefits of being a digital nomad in Croatia? Situated on the Adriatic Sea for a relaxed Mediterranean vibe, Croatia is known for its natural beauty, including sunshine-drenched coastlines and islands, charming towns, and rich history. (The country is home to 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.) For those hoping for a lower cost of living, Croatia averages 22.6% cheaper compared to the United States, according to Numbeo. It's also a relatively safe country, with a Level 1 travel advisory by the U.S. State Department, the lowest possible designation. Who can apply for Croatia's digital nomad visa? The country defines a digital nomad as a third-country national a non-citizen of the European Union, European Economic Area or Switzerland "who is employed or performs work through communication technology fora company or his own company that is not registered in the Republic of Croatia and does not perform work or provide services to employers in the Republic of Croatia." What are the requirements for Croatia's digital nomad visa? People need to submit several documents in order to apply for the digital nomad visa. They are: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A travel document, like a passport, that'll be valid for longer than three months past your intended stay Proof of health insurance for the time they'll be in Croatia "Proof of purpose," which is essentially evidence of employment by a foreign company, like a contract Proof of a minimum monthly income of 3,295 (about $3,837), which is 2.5 the average monthly net salary of the previous year as published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Longer stays require more financial evidence. You'll need to show that you have at least 39,540 (about $46,046) in your bank account if you want to stay a year, and 59,310 (about $68,859) if you plan to stay the full 18 months. Proof of no criminal offenses or convictions in your country of residence An address in Croatia, like a lease contract or title deed. "This is important for determining the police administration/police station which is locally competent for processing your application," the website states. How much does Croatia's digital nomad visa cost? This picture taken on May 17, 2020, shows a general view of the old town of the city of Dubrovnik, on the Adriatic coast of Croatia. If you're applying for the temporary stay at a consular post, it will cost a total of 189.88 (about $221.07) for the temporary stay, long-term visa and biometric residence card. For online applications, the total is 87.59 (about $101.99). This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Croatia welcomes remote workers with longer digital nomad stays In 2018 I wrote a magazine cover story headlined Broken Airways. I reported how lack of investment had left many travellers flying ABBA, or Anyone But British Airways. Based on dozens of recent flights short- and long-haul, in all classes Im happy to say things have certainly improved since then. Thanks to investment by new management, hangar-fresh jets with gleaming cabins are taking to the skies, shonky IT systems have been rebooted, and new call centres mean telephone queries are answered faster. Food on board is improving. But BAs overall customer service, the reliability of some older aircraft, its website and app, and some cabins still need work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scroll down to see my verdict on each aspect of the BA experience, plus my overall rating. The hub airport: London Heathrow Score: 9/10 T5 is the newest terminal at Heathrow and the best large terminal in Europe. Its glass walls flood the main terminal and the satellite B and C gates with natural light. Before sunrise or after dark, it glows invitingly. Even though it handles some 35 million passengers a year, I find check in and security checks are fast. Thats because most customers check in before heading to the airport and use the fast bag-drop service, and all but a few security lanes now have the new scanners which means youre unlikely to have to take liquids or a laptop or iPad out of your bag. First Class passengers and BA Club Gold members can use super-fast, exclusive First Wing check in and security checks. Most BA passengers at Heathrow use the fast bag-drop service Theres the usual retail and restaurant offerings found at major international airports, though Paul Smith, Fortnum & Mason and The Macallan offer something different. Arrivals are swift, thanks to the large number of passport eGates. My tip I find it is often quicker to take the lift to level -4 and walk between the main terminal and the B Gates than wait for the shuttle train. The route network Score 8/10 BA soars above all its UK-based rivals with direct, non-stop long-haul services from London to 77 cities from Heathrow and Gatwick airports as well as 130 short-haul destinations across Europe from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports, with some seasonal departures from airports such as Stansted and Edinburgh. BA is the only British carrier to fly direct to South America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, unlike its rivals Virgin Atlantic, Delta, United, JetBlue, Aer Lingus, and many Asian and Gulf carriers it does not offer direct long-haul flights from airports in the north of England and Scotland. My tip I often pick up bargain World Traveller Plus and Club World fares to the US in summer by flying via New York JFK because business travel slumps in July and August and airlines cut fares to boost sales. The fleet Score 8/10 BA operates an Airbus and Embraer short-haul fleet (no troubled Boeing Max jets) and on long-haul routes it flies Boeing 777s and 787 Dreamliners, Airbus A350s and double-decker A380 superjumbos. The Dreamliners and the A350s are the newest and most comfortable. The A380 is best avoided because it suffers maintenance problems and has the oldest seats, including the old back to front seat configuration in business class. The A380s will be refurbished with all-new cabins starting next year. You can check the aircraft type when you book online. It will be listed for each flight on each route. The cabins BA is the only UK carrier to offer two classes in short haul EasyJet has one class only and Virgin Atlantic has no short-haul services. BA is also the only UK airline to offer four classes on long-haul services. BA alone offers first class on transatlantic routes from Britain. Virgins Upper Class is halfway between business and first class. All US carriers have abandoned or are about to abandon first class across the pond. The legroom in Euro Traveller is uncomfortably close to Ryanair and EasyJet Short haul Euro Traveller (economy) and Club Europe (business class) Score 7/10 BA operates out of hub or primary airports, not secondary airports as budget carriers often do. Unlike budget carriers, hold baggage is included in the price of the ticket unless you choose a hand-baggage-only basic fare. Seat selection is free for those in the BA Club loyalty programme with bronze status or above. BAs Airbus and Embraer fleet is young and most planes come with Wi-Fi and all new leather seats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the legroom in economy is uncomfortably close to Ryanair and EasyJet on the Airbus jets and the newly-introduced offer of a free bottle of water and snack is cheap and not at all cheerful. Bring back a free cuppa in the morning and a cheeky G&T in the evening! Short-haul business class is not worth the substantial fare premium since the seat is the same as in economy with the same legroom albeit with the centre seat in the set of three on each side of the cabin blocked off to make sure I dont have to rub shoulders with a 7am stag three pints in by 8am. At a glance Better than EasyJet and much better than Ryanair (and often as cheap when bags are included), but lacks sparkle. Long haul Economy (World Traveller) Score: 6/10 Virgin Atlantic and the major US carriers offer a few rows of seats at the front of the cabin with extra legroom for a little extra cash. Instead, BA has standard economy seats around 17 inches wide, throughout the cabin. They are arranged 3-4-3, 3-3-3 or 2-4-2 depending on the aircraft, with a meagre 31-inch pitch the measure of legroom airlines use. Im 6ft tall and if the person in front of me reclines, I have no room at all, not even enough to read a magazine. World Traveller cabins have 17-inch-wide standard economy seats and little legroom The headrest wraps around my head, so I do not need to take a neck pillow. There are no plug sockets to charge phones: USB ports only. The headphones are flimsy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BAs food in economy is as good as any across the pond. Expect pea and broad bean salad, roast chicken with tomato and spinach or vegetarian pasta, and sticky toffee pudding, with wine, beer, spirits or soft drinks. At a glance A basic economy product with surprisingly good food. Premium Economy (World Traveller Plus) Score: 8/10 British Airways was quick to follow Virgin Atlantics lead in introducing the class between economy and business and I think it remains BAs best cabin when compared with rival carriers. The seats configured 2-3-2 or 2-4-2 feature navy-blue fabric which creates a warm ambience (First and Club World are too grey). They come with a foot rest, a hook to hang a jacket, and a sturdy headrest that wraps around my head, so I dont need to take a neck pillow. The seat pitch is 38in and the width is 18.5in-19in. I always try to book the front row seats so no-one can recline into my face. All seats have a plug socket, except the front-row seats which have a USB slot only. There are pre-lunch or pre-dinner cocktails or mocktails, followed by, typically, a green salad, chicken curry and passion fruit panna cotta or cheese, with wines, beers or spirits. At a glance It feels special, and if you shop around it can be great value for money. Business Class (Club World / Club Europe) Score: 7/10 The Club Suite, available on most jets except the A380, is a mini suite arranged 1-2-1 across the cabin. The seat, upholstered in charcoal cloth similar to BAs first class, is 21 inches wide and folds down into a 6ft 6in long bed. It has a door that fully closes. The TV screen is a decent 18.5 inches. The table is sturdy it does not flex when I type on my laptop. All seats have a plug socket plus USB slots. BAs Club Suite is spacious, but the bed is uncomfortable The suite feels as spacious as all its competitors bar Qatar Airways, with its class-leading Q Suite. Its great for day flights but I find it worse than the competition overnight because, once folded down into bed mode, it is not as smooth and as flat a bed as on other carriers. Memo to BA: give us a thicker mattress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are cocktails to whet the appetite for poached prawn salad, grilled Scottish salmon, and warm chocolate and walnut cake or cheese. Drinks include English sparkling wine, Whispering Angel rose, and wiry pinot noirs. The only duff notes are the bread, the coffee, and the breakfast, which are all terrible. At a glance It is a big improvement on BAs old business class with the back-to-front seat pairs but lags newer offerings from Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific. First Class (First) Score: 6/10 There are 8-14 suites, depending on the aircraft. The door fully closes for privacy and there is a small wardrobe to hang a jacket and trousers. The seat reclines to create a smooth, comfortable 6ft 5in-long bed. Theres an excellent Elemis amenity kit with enough grooming products to last me a long weekend. BAs current First Class cabin may look snazzy but it is outgunned by Lufthansa, Air France, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad. Food includes lobster, beef Wellington, Dover sole and a selection of British cheeses, served with Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame 2015, Nyetimber Rose, Chablis Premier Cru and Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux. The bespoke crockery is stylish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even with these perks, BA is outgunned by the latest offerings from Lufthansa, Air France, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad. These all have more luxurious suites and better food and wine. Emirates and Etihad offer on-board showers. Air France, Lufthansa and Delta will chauffeur drive me from the lounge to the steps of the aircraft. Emirates and Etihad have chauffeur drive to and from the airport. At a glance BAs new first-class suite (due in 2026) cant come fast enough. The service Score: 7/10 After years of chicken or beef service, BA is beginning to live up to its old slogan: To Fly, To Serve. But it still lags Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Etihad, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, all of whose staff at the airport and on board always look genuinely pleased to see me regardless of what cabin Im travelling in. When it comes to reliability of its services, anecdotal and statistical evidence suggest that BA suffers more flight cancellations and disruptions than its rivals. The loyalty programme Score: 8/10 Travellers who join the BA Club can earn tier points for a Bronze, Silver, Gold, Gold Guest List status, plus Avios (BAs air miles). I think Silver is the best value tier because you do not have to spend a fortune to obtain it and you can choose the best seats on board for no extra charge, use fast track security at UK airports, access lounges in the UK and overseas, and board jets early. BA still lags behind its rivals when it comes to customer service The lounges Score 7/10 There are five BA lounges at T5, BAs hub. All offer all-day dining and you can have a shower. The Club lounges are for those travelling in BA Club World or BA Club silver card holders and above travelling in any class. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gold card holders flying in any class can use the bright and airy First lounge. It has a terrace, albeit an indoor one, where youll find an ice-cream cart. Heathrows Concorde Room has full table service The Concorde Room works best in the evening where I like to dine in the private booths, with full table service. The menu includes air-dried ham with truffle, followed by chalk-stream trout, served with Hattingley Valley English sparkling wine, Chablis premier cru and claret. BAs lounges tend to be crowded. Changes to the BA Club, which make it more expensive to earn tier points, will help to fix the problem by reducing the number who attain gold or silver status. BA has some great overseas lounges, notably Boston, but tends to lag its competitors, including not just the deep-pocketed Gulf carriers, Singapore Airlines and Qantas, but also Delta whose Delta One lounge at JFK is the best business-class lounge in the US. My tip Prosecco is on the menu in the BA Club lounges but ask for champagne and your wish will be granted. Overall rating 7/10 About our expert John Arlidge has flown more miles, on more airlines, on more routes than any other UK aviation writer From British Airways Concorde to the 21-hour non-stop Qantas flight from London to Sydney, John Arlidge has flown more miles, on more airlines, on more routes than any other UK aviation writer. He has been highly commended six times as Feature Writer of the Year and Business Journalist of the Year in the British Press Awards. 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. Booking a Caribbean cruise during hurricane season, especially one sailing between mid-August and mid-October, always comes with the increased risk that your cruise could be impacted by a storm. Although many late summer and early fall cruises sail with flawless weather, and often less-crowded ships and ports, you never know when a hurricane will come along and spoil your vacation plans. If a hurricane is churning up rough seas, making you worry that your cruise will feel less like a vacation and more like a ride you want to get off, do you have any options? Can you get a refund if you back out of a cruise due to a hurricane? Related: How cruisers can stay safe amid Hurricane Erin, Bahamas drownings Thats what one cruise passenger asked Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald as Hurricane Erin raged in the Atlantic, causing multiple cruise itinerary changes, port cancellations, and heavy seas for ships sailing from the U.S. East Coast to The Bahamas and Caribbean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Does Carnival give full refunds if we decide we aint cruising while there is a hurricane out there, an unidentified passenger asked the brand ambassador in a message he shared on his Facebook page on Aug. 19. Heald answered the passengers question in a post on his popular Facebook page since its likely a question on a number of cruise vacationers' minds as Hurricane Erin barrels on and more tropical disturbances get added to the watch list. Want the latest cruise news and deals? Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Carnival Vista missed a visit to Half Moon Cay in The Bahamas on Aug. 19 due to rough seas caused by Hurricane Erin. Image source: Alisha dos Santos/TravelHost Carnival only provides refunds when cruises get canceled The answer is that we will not give a full refund unless your cruise is canceled, Heald wrote in his post. "However, this is a great question. The simple advice here is that we will always keep you safe, always. Trust the captain, trust the crew and have all the fun you deserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not only the captain and crew who are dedicated to keeping their ship and passengers safe. Cruise lines have their own meteorologists and teams of experts who continuously monitor the weather conditions everywhere that their ships sail. Related: Carnival, Royal Caribbean divert cruises to avoid Hurricane Erin When necessary, cruise lines will make itinerary changes to avoid storms and ensure smoother sailings. Sometimes, cruises do get canceled during hurricane season. This usually happens when ports close and ships get stuck at sea due significant storms. In those cases, Carnival and other cruise lines will provide full refunds to passengers booked on the canceled cruises. Occasionally, cruise lines will offer passengers some form of compensation like an onboard credit when a cruise misses a port and no replacement port is added. But if you decide to skip a cruise thats still sailing, even with a revised itinerary, you wont be able to get a refund. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Travel insurance offers peace of mind for hurricane season cruises To sail with more peace of mind during hurricane season, or anytime really, consider travel insurance. If you purchase travel insurance for a cruise, youre covered for costs associated with trip interruptions, medical emergencies, lost baggage, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You dont have to purchase travel insurance through your cruise line, but Carnival and other cruise lines offer optional vacation protection packages. Some, like Carnival Vacation Protection, bundle travel insurance with a trip cancellation benefit. Related: Insure yourself against your vacation getting rained out with new travel protections With Carnival Vacation Protection trip cancellation, you can get a full refund if you need to cancel for common reasons like severe weather or illness. If you need to cancel for any other reason not listed in the plan, you'll get 75% of your cruise cost back in the form of a future cruise credit. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Mes Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Come Cruise With Me section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here. LONDON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Britain has signed an agreement with Iraq to strengthen migration cooperation, according to a statement issued by the British government on Wednesday. "This agreement aims to further deter small boat arrivals," the statement said, noting that it "will establish formal processes to return those with no legal right to be in the UK swiftly." Hailing the agreement, British Security Minister Dan Jarvis said, "By working together on security, development and migration challenges, we are building stronger relationships that benefit both our countries whilst tackling shared challenges like organised crime and irregular migration." The number of Iraqi nationals arriving in Britain by small boat declined to 1,900 in the year ending March 2025, compared with 2,600 in the previous year, according to the statement. Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Image: Dovapi/Getty Images) It was a trip to Ireland in August 2023 that changed things for Susan Taylor. While her hometown of Austin, Texas was baking in heat and humidity, she landed in Belfast to find pleasant and mild temperatures. The weather was so cool and lovely, she says. I just loved it. The trip transformed the way Taylor, who is retired, traveled. Rather than visiting hot locations, she decided to focus her travel to more temperate climates. Youre spending a lot of money on these vacations, she says. Do you really want to be super crowded in 90 degree weather and no air conditioning? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As much of the world experiences record breaking temperatures due to global warming, many once popular travel destinations are seeing their summers transformed by climate changeespecially in Europe, which is currently the fastest warming continent. Facing searing heat waves, many Italian beachfronts saw as much as a 25% drop in visitors in June and July this year. High temperatures have forced Athens, often crowned Europes hottest city, to shut down the Acropolis during the hottest hours of the day. City planners in Paris are already prepping to respond to 122F dayswhich they say are not that far away. Tourists are taking notice of the extreme heat, and in many cases, changing how they travel. As a result, once overlooked destinationsfrom the Rocky Mountains to Australiaare seeing a rise in summer visitors. The travel group EF Go Ahead Tours, through which Taylor booked her trip, recently surveyed travelers on the trend. It found that more than half of older Millennial, Gen X, and Baby Boomer American and Canadian travelers said that extreme summer heat was influencing their international travel plans. The leading cooler destinations favored by summer travelers, according to the survey, include the Rocky Mountains, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Australia, and New Zealand. When there's extreme change that we're finding in certain parts of the world, travelers are attracted to destinations that are a little bit cooler, says Heidi Durflinger, CEO, EF World Journeys USA. They're looking to either travel to destinations that are not as hot [during summer peak months] or travel during the off season to destinations that are a little cooler and more comfortable during that time of year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Global tourism is responsible for 8% of the worlds carbon emissions in 2024, according to the World Tourism Forum Institute. But while people continue to explore the world, according to EF Go Ahead Tourss survey, travelers of all ages are more aware of the impact of climate change and the impact the travel industry is having on sustainability; 75% of global travelers have a desire to travel more sustainably, according to a 2024 study from Bookings.com. In many cases, this awareness is also shaping how and where people vacation. Read more: We Have All Become Travel Influencers. Its Ruining the Planet Sweden is one of the countries thats seen an influx of tourists seeking out cooler destinations. The countrys tourism board, Visit Sweden, began noticing an uptick in visitors when pandemic lockdown restrictions began to ease worldwide. But when they began researching the trend, dubbed by many travelers as coolcations, they discovered that many visitors were looking for more than just more temperate weather. It wasn't just about the climate, says Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden. There was a lot more underneath that trend[tourists were] traveling in places where there weren't that many people, looking to be in nature in a sustainable way. Earlier this summer, Taylor went to Norway, and she has plans to spend the rest of the summer in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Iceland. The more she travels, the more shes been unintentionally convincing other tourists to change their travel habits. Earlier this summer, she met travelers who had spent time in Italys Dolomite mountains, and lamented the lack of air conditioning and stiff heat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of times we as Americans are just programmed to think let's go to Hawaii or the national parks, and in the summer, unfortunately you find out with the temperature changes in the world it's getting hotter and hotter and more and more uncomfortable and unpleasant, says Taylor. I think a lot of people are starting to pick their travel locations with that in mind. Write to Simmone Shah at simmone.shah@time.com. The Brief A student is dead following a stabbing at Maryvale High School, Phoenix Police said. It happened at around 10:54 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The suspect, who is also a student, is in custody. PHOENIX - One student is dead following a stabbing at a Phoenix high school on Aug. 19, and another student is in custody, the police department said. What we know According to a statement released by Phoenix Police, a Phoenix Police officer who was working as a School Safety Officer for Maryvale High School was alerted by school staff members at around 10:54 a.m. that an assault had happened inside a classroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The officer was directed to the administration building, where he detained one of the students involved," police said. "A second student was located by officers and firefighters suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was quickly treated on scene and rushed to the hospital, where he died from his injuries." The victim is Michael Montoya II, 16. The suspect was not identified. On Aug. 20, police released more information about what happened, including what weapon was involved, after there were rumors scissors were used. "Detectives learned the victim, 16-year-old Michael Montoya II, was attacked while in class by another male classmate who was armed with a folding pocketknife, believed to have been brought onto campus. After the attack, the suspect ran out of the classroom and dropped the knife. He was seen by security staff bleeding from his hand and was placed into custody. Both Montoya and the suspect were taken to separate hospitals. Montoya died from his injuries while at the hospital," police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school district says Maryvale HS had an iDay on Aug. 20, which is remote learning. Counselors will be available for students and staff. Officers responded to a stabbing call at Maryvale High School around 11 a.m. Two people were taken to the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries, the other with non-life-threatening injuries. There is no longer a threat to the school and public. pic.twitter.com/D1R5YqpKuV Phoenix Police (@PhoenixPolice) August 19, 2025 @PhoenixPolice confirms stabbing on campus of Maryvale High School this morning and one student has life threatening injuries, the school is on lockdown #fox10phoenixpic.twitter.com/EDYinUeVlu Rick Davis (@rdavisfox10) August 19, 2025 Dig deeper The school itself was reportedly placed on a two-hour lockdown following the incident. School officials did not release much information to parents, but did tell them to stay home. Some worried parents, however, gathered at the school's perimeter. "He texted and said, 'Mom, something happened at school. We're on lockdown. I said, I'm coming,'" said Veronica Lizarrega. "It's just, like, you can't even do nothing," said Amapola Lopez. "I feel like going inside and getting them, but I cant, and I have two kids in there." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Families cried and embraced as they were reunited. "Even having to send that text message," Lizarrega said. "I mean, it's something you thought youd never have to do." Some parents say they want to pull their kids from Maryvale High after multiple incidents. "After this, I'm done with this school," a parent said. One mother said the chaos was made worse because of the new statewide policy limiting cell phone use in classrooms. "Because he wasnt answering You just think everything," a parent said. Another said, "They wont let me in. The office doesnt answer." What they're saying Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has issued a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The death of a student as the result of a stabbing at Maryvale High School is a terrible tragedy. Schools must be safe places. The on-campus school safety officer responded immediately, rendered aid to the student and did his job well. This terrible incident reinforces my commitment to doing everything possible to make schools safe." Maryvale High School is part of the Phoenix Union High School District, and a member of that district's school board, Jeremiah Cota, has issued a statement on the incident. "As a board member of Phoenix Union High School District, my thoughts and prayers are with the students, staff, and families at Maryvale High School. Prayers for the victims in today's violent incident." As a board member of Phoenix Union High School District, my thoughts and prayers are with the students, staff, and families at Maryvale High School @MVPantherNation in the Phoenix Union @PhoenixUnion school district. Prayers for the victims in today's violent incident. Jeremiah Cota (@jeremiahcota) August 19, 2025 Phoenix City Councilmember Betty Guardado, who represents the area, issued a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I am heartbroken and deeply disturbed by the violent incident that took place today at Maryvale High School. My thoughts are with the student who was injured, their family, and the entire school community as they process this traumatic event. Classrooms should be a safe place for all students. As a mother and a representative of our community, I want everyone to feel safe at school. Our community stands united in support, and I am committed to working with the school district, community and Phoenix Police to ensure their safety." What you can do Investigators say anyone with video or photos related to the incident to submit them to the police department. Area where the incident happened NEED TO KNOW Two students got into a classroom fight at Maryvale High School in Phoenix on Tuesday, Aug. 19 One of the students was stabbed and transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his severe injuries The other student sustained non-life-threatening injuries One student was fatally stabbed after a classroom fight escalated at Maryvale High School in Phoenix on Tuesday, Aug. 19, according to the Arizona Department of Education news release. Shortly before 11 a.m. local time, Phoenix police officers and fire crews responded to the high school, according to the Phoenix Police Department (PPD). Michael Montoya II, 16, was attacked while in class "by another male classmate who was armed with a folding pocketknife, believed to have been brought onto campus," per a PPD Wednesday, Aug. 20 news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the attack, the suspect, who has not been publicly identified, allegedly ran out of the classroom and dropped the knife. Security staff spotted him and placed him under custody. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said in a statement that the schools safety officer responded immediately and rendered aid to the student. Both students were transported to the hospital. One of the teens succumbed to his severe injuries and died. The other student sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The school was under an active lockdown after the incident, a Phoenix Union High School District spokesperson said, per AZ Family. All the other students and faculty were safe after the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation is ongoing. 12 News/YouTube Maryvale High School in Phoenix, Arizona Maryvale High School in Phoenix, Arizona The death of a student as the result of a stabbing at Maryvale High School is a terrible tragedy. Schools must be safe places, Horne said. This terrible incident reinforces my commitment to doing everything possible to make schools safe. Phoenix City Councilwoman Betty Guardado also issued a statement following the teens death. I am heartbroken and deeply disturbed by the violent incident that took place today at Maryvale High School. My thoughts are with the student who was injured, their family, and the entire school community as they process this traumatic event, she wrote, per Fox 10. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Classrooms should be a safe place for all students. As a mother and a representative of our community, I want everyone to feel safe at school. Our community stands united in support, and I am committed to working with the school district, community and Phoenix Police to ensure their safety. The school, with a student body of 2,850, is equipped with metal detectors already and a school security officer. Neither prevented this tragedy. These measures created the appearance of securitybut they are not what our community truly needs, councilwoman Anna Hernandez said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. Hernandez also said her office will continue to push Phoenix City Council and Phoenix Union School District to redirect funding away from surveillance-heavy responses and toward mental health services, school counselors, peer support networks, and preventative care. Councilwoman Laura Pastor also expressed outrage in a statement shared with PEOPLE. She sent her "deepest sorrow and condolences to the family who lost their son in this tragic accident," adding, "At the same time, I am angry. I am angry that this happened at a school a place that is meant to be a safe environment for learning, growth, and support." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noting that "safety is a top priority," Pastor said she will "support efforts to enhance safety measures in our schools" to help prevent another tragedy. Councilwoman Kesha Hodge Washington also expressed condolences before calling on the community to come together. "No parent should have to endure the pain of losing a child in this way, and no student should ever feel unsafe in a classroom," Washington said in part in a statement shared with PEOPLE. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Detectives continue to ask anyone with any information or videos to submit those items to Phoenix police through Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. A representative for the Phoenix Union High School District did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for more information on Tuesday. Read the original article on People When it comes to choosing the best high school in Louisiana, factors like education proficiency and college preparedness are often things to consider. U.S. News & World Report has made it easy to find schools that excel in such matters, ranking high schools based on college-level exam scores, graduation rates and more. On U.S. News & World Reports' ranking, top schools' proficiency in subjects like mathematics, reading and science can also be found. U.S. News & World Report: 10 best high schools in Louisiana In order to rank the best high school in Louisiana, U.S. News & World Report analyzed schools' graduation rate, performance on state-required tests and how well schools prepare students for college. 1. Benjamin Franklin High School Benjamin Franklin High School, located at 2001 Leon C Simon Dr. in New Orleans, is ranked as the number one high school in Louisiana. Here, the Advanced Placement (AP) participation rate is 91% and 78% of students passed at least one AP exam. The school's graduation rate is approximately 95%, according to U.S. News & World Report. 2. Haynes Academy School for Advanced Studies Haynes Academy School for Advanced Studies in Metairie, at 4301 Grace King Pl., is ranked as the second best high school in Louisiana. This school has a 100% AP participation rate, with 75% of students passing at least one AP exam. The school has a graduation rate of approximately 95%, says U.S. News & World Report. 3. Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy, located at 701 Churchill Pkwy. in Avondale, is said to be the third best school in Louisiana. The AP participation rate at this school is 72% and 57% of students passed at least one AP exam. This school also has a graduation rate of approximately 95%, according to U.S. News & World Report. 4. The Willow School The Willow School in New Orleans, located at 5624 Freret St., is among the best high schools in Louisiana. The AP participation rate at the school is 96%, with 76% of students passing at least one AP exam. Approximately 95% of students graduate from The Willow School, says U.S. News & World Report. 5. Baton Rouge Magnet High School Baton Rouge Magnet High School, located at 2825 Government St., ranks highly within the state for college readiness and curriculum breadth. This school's AP participation rate is 87% and 60% of students passed at least one AP exam. The graduation rate is approximately 95%, according to U.S. News & World Report. 6. Caddo Parish Magnet High School Caddo Parish Magnet High School graduation Friday May 27, 2022 at Hirsch Memorial Coliseum. Caddo Parish Magnet High School, located at 1601 Viking Dr. in Shreveport, is highly rated in the state for college curriculum breadth and state assessment proficiency. Here, the AP participation rate is 70% and 58% of students passed at least one AP exam. The school has a graduation rate of approximately 95%, says U.S. News & World Report. 7. Magnet Academy for Cultural Arts Magnet Academy for Cultural Arts in Opelousas, located at 1100 E Leo St., is among the best high schools in the state, ranking highly for state assessment performance. This school's AP participation rate is 75%, with 36% of students passing at least one AP exam. The graduation rate is approximately 95%, according to U.S. News & World Report. 8. Liberty High School Liberty High School, located in Baton Rouge at 1105 Lee Dr., is ranked number eight within Louisiana. The AP participation rate at this school is 100%, with 34% of students passing at least one AP exam. The school's graduation rate is approximately 95%, says U.S. News & World Report. 9. Thomas Jefferson High School for Advanced Studies Thomas Jefferson High School for Advanced Studies, located in Gretna in 910 Gretna Blvd., ranks among the top schools in Louisiana for state assessment performance. The school's AP participation rate is 48% and 31% of students passed at least one AP exam. The graduation rate is approximately 95%, says U.S. News & World Report. 10. LSU Laboratory School LSU Laboratory School in Baton Rouge, located at 45 Dalrymple Dr., is said to be the tenth best high school in Louisiana. Here, the AP participation rate is 67% and 42% of students passed at least one AP exam. The school's graduation rate is approximately 95%, according to U.S. News & World Report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: The best high school in Louisiana? US News & World Report ranks 10 best As housing costs soar and remote work policies shift, many Americans are leaving major cities behind in search of more affordable places to live. A recent Realtor.com report reveals that rising unemployment and sky-high housing prices are pushing residents out of major metros such as New York, Chicago and Boston. Check Out: These Are Americas 50 Wealthiest Suburbs in 2025 Learn More: 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks Affordability remains a primary driver of home searches, Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said in a press release. Americans continue to take a broader view of where they can live, often looking beyond their current metro areas in hopes of stretching their dollar and improving their lifestyle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are the 10 metro areas that saw the steepest drop in local interest, based on the share of out-of-market home searches in Q2 2025. Also see where people leaving New York are going. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images San Jose, California Also includes: Sunnyvale and Santa Clara Share of out-of-market home searches: 93.7% Find Out: How Much House Does $300K, $400K and $500K Buy You in Every State? Also See: The Cheapest Place To Buy a Home in Every State SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto Washington, D.C. Also includes: Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia Share of out-of-market home searches: 86.4% Explore More: 20 Cities Where Home Prices Are Expected To Crash in the Next 12 Months benedek / iStock.com Seattle Also includes: Tacoma and Bellevue, Washington Share of out-of-market home searches: 80.5% DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Salt Lake City Also includes: Murray, Utah Share of out-of-market home searches: 77% DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto Stockton, California Also includes: Lodi Share of out-of-market home searches: 72.9% Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto Durham, North Carolina Also includes: Chapel Hill Share of out-of-market home searches: 72.6% See More: 10 Cities Where Home Prices Are Expected To Skyrocket in the Next 12 Months Shutterstock.com Chicago Also includes: Naperville and Elgin, Illinois Share of out-of-market home searches: 72.6% milehightraveler / Getty Images/iStockphoto Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Denver Also includes: Aurora and Centennial, Colorado Share of out-of-market home searches: 72.1% DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto Boston Also includes: Cambridge and Newton, Massachusetts Share of out-of-market home searches: 72% OlegAlbinsky / Getty Images/iStockphoto New York City Also includes: Newark and Jersey City, New Jersey Share of out-of-market home searches: 71.7% Editors note: Data was sourced from Realtor.com and reflects Q2 2025. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Cities Americans Are Fleeing in Search of More Affordable Homes Sameeha Sultana was not really supposed to be on a youth group outing that traveled to Belmar last Friday evening. Her mom was not keen on Sameeha and her 12-year-old sister taking the trip, organized by Young Muslims of Jersey City, because she knew her daughters were not strong swimmers even though theyd had some swim classes in school. But the sisters wanted so badly to go to the beach because theyd never been to the oceanside of the Jersey Shore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, they arranged a ride with another mother, who was driving her own daughter. The group arrived about 5:30 p.m. shortly after lifeguards go off duty. At about 6:30 p.m., Sultana and her sister started struggling in the ocean off 8th Avenue. A good Samaritan rescued the younger sister. A growing group of rescuers, joined by lifeguards, could not immediately locate Sultana. READ MORE: N.J. man rescues 12-year-old girl caught in rip current at Jersey shore, but older sister couldnt be saved Rescuers found her about an hour later a block north off 7th Avenue. Waiting paramedics did what they could, but shed been under too long. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 13-year-old girl who was inseparable from her younger sister, loved art and drawing and makeup and being outside, and dreamed of one day traveling out of the country was gone. She was a happy girl, a very happy girl, her heartbroken mother Ishrath Parveen told NJ Advance Media Tuesday evening. She and her son Syed Rahman say theyre left with memories and a traumatized younger sister. They shared some of the excruciating details of a Friday night they wish never happened. Like the frantic phone call Parveen received from the sister, who was crying, then another voice coming onto the phone and saying something like, your daughter is drowned, she is missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then having to call Syed, telling him to come home and the drive toward a location shared on a cell phone. The sisters voices sound similar and through the hysterics and tears, Parveen she was unsure which daughter was in peril for the two hours it took to get to her daughter from their Jersey City home. The mother and son are not surprised that the 12-year-old kept screaming for her sister, as told by Thomas Walsh, a retired Monmouth County corrections officer, who saved the younger sister. As Walsh brought the sister to shore, she kept saying, My sister, my sister, my sister is still out there, he told the Asbury Park Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were best friends, Parveen said. Rahman talked highly of the Young Muslims youth group, which regularly runs Friday excursions, that he participated in for years. They have food, activities and support kids strengthening connections to their faith. They really wanted to go, they were excited to go, Parveen said. Still, she said she was not feeling good about the trip, but the younger daughter filled out the Google permission form and when they got to the youth group meeting at a local mosque near their home, they joined the beach trip. Parveen said the other mom was unaware of her wishes, and had a good intention, since she knew Parveen worked on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She just was thinking, OK, (Parveens) busy, so at least I can take you guys, Parveen said. Rahman said his sisters were among many young girls who did not have experience with the ocean, much less rip currents. I do not think they even know what that is, he said. Their arrival after guards left, he said, was not to try and avoid beach badges. The trip was planned for the afternoon, delayed a bit and it took time to get there from Jersey City. The brother said hes learned that the girls mainly stayed in the shallow water, but clearly, his sisters were caught in something. Unfortunately, I believe the rip current brought them out further, and under. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parveen said shes comforted by the words of her younger daughter, who said, that before the tragedy, Sameeha was having a great time. She specifically asked her daughter, What was it like? What was Sameeha doing? As Parveen put it, What was her expression? She was happy, the sister said. She was enjoying swimming. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) A 13-year-old boy was sent to the hospital Wednesday afternoon after being hit by a car while walking home from Holt Jr. High School, according to the Ingham County Sheriffs Office. Deputies were initially dispatched to the crash, located in the area of Aurelius Rd. and Wilcox Rd, at around 2:50 p.m. According to deputies, a 46-year-old woman from Okemos was driving southbound on Aurelius Rd. when her vehicle hit the boy, who was walking home from the school. He was sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this time, it is unknown how the crash occurred, and deputies are currently investigating. If you have any information that could assist with the investigation, the sheriffs office encourages you to contact Deputy Trent Ernst at 517-676-8444, extension 1961. 6 News has reached out to Holt Public Schools for comment, but we have yet to receive a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. A 13-year-old Yulee student has been arrested and charged with making violent threats and aggravated stalking after posing as another student on social media. The Nassau County Sheriffs Office claimed Wednesday that the suspect impersonated another student online and warned the community about the impact of cyberbullying crimes. For weeks, 13-year-old Aaron Wiese was under suspicion for making the threatening social media posts, which came from an account using his photo and name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It made me feel unsafe and I felt like I couldnt even leave my own home, said Aaron. Sheriff Bill Leeper said those posts were aimed at a female student and made disturbing statements like you will feel a great amount of pain and when I peel you open it wont be torture, it will be art. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] But Leeper explained that after speaking with Aaron and his family, investigators learned he didnt have access to social media and had reported the account to TikTok. After the account was removed, another account using Aarons image and name appeared and continued making threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies were able to identify the suspect, now accused of being behind the imposter account, as a 13-year-old girl Aaron says used to be his friend. Shes been arrested and charged with making written threats to kill and aggravated stalking. She later wrote an apology letter for what she had done and she said she was just making a joke. This is no joke, said Sheriff Leeper. This isnt the only recent case of students posing as others to make school threats. Just last week, a 14-year-old student in Clay County was charged after allegedly making threats towards a school posing as his older brother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aaron and his mother Amy said the ordeal took a serious toll on them. They told reporters their neighbors stopped talking to them and they even considered moving away, feeling powerless to defend Aarons reputation. Now, theyre speaking out to help students understand how cyber crimes like these impact victims. For somebody to sit behind a keyboard and think that this was just funny to use my sons name and his face, its inexcusable and Im sorry, but actions have consequences, said Amy. The Nassau Sheriffs victim advocate said there are tools parents can use to help monitor their childrens social media activity. Apps like Safer Kid, Net Nanny, M Spy and Bark were recommended. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] A 14-year-old teenager is accused of setting fire to a cabin in Maine that is owned by a Massachusetts resident, officials said. The boys name was not released because he is a juvenile. On Friday, the Maine State Fire Marshals Office was requested to assist Rangeley Fire and Police with a fire investigation at 50 Pleasant St. in Rangeley. The property, a vacant two-story home with an attached garage/barn, had been entered and ransacked, investigators said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple small fires that had self-extinguished were found, resulting in only minimal damage. Investigators identified a 14-year-old male suspect, who was already on supervised release for a prior offense. The same boy was also involved in a separate fire at the Saddleback View Apartments on Aug. 9, according to investigators. On Monday, investigators established probable cause relating to the fires, and the juvenile was taken into custody. He was charged with Arson related to the Saddleback View Apartments incident. Rangeley Police then transported the boy to the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assiting the Maine State Fire Marshals Office were Rangeley Police and Fire, the Department of Corrections, and the Juvenile Community Corrections Office. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Residents in Metros 16th District have been invited to a meeting Thursday night to share their thoughts, opinions and concerns with a rezoning proposal that would affect multiple neighborhoods in Southeast Nashville. The community-led meeting will be hosted by 16th United, a grassroots organization coordinated of various neighborhood residents. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at Glencliff High School. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. According to the group, the meeting will be a place for anyone in Nashville to hear the implications of large-scale rezoning like the one proposed by Metro Councilwoman Ginny Welsch, though the focus of the meeting will be those living in the 16th District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Barbara Clinton, with 16th United, she and many of her neighbors in the 16th District were surprised to learn about a large-scale rezoning plan proposed in their district by Welsch in April. South Nashville neighbors organize ahead of possible rezoning proposal When the neighbors came to understand what she was proposing, they werent satisfied with the answers that she had to their questions and to the level of communication that she had, she told News 2. Although were several different neighborhoods in this district, a number of people from various neighborhoods came together and formed 16th United. Theres been a lot of activity around this community rezoning process because neighbors here want to have input into what happens in this neighborhood. Attendees of the meeting will hear a presentation on the findings of a community survey and have an Q & A opportunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At issue is a proposed upzoning of 628 acres of single-family properties to high-density residential (RM40 and RM20). 16th United believes the proposal is too aggressive, disruptive, and lacking in public transparency. Key concerns from those in 16th United include what they call a lack of transparency, a false affordability narrative, market misalignment, and what they call a false affordability narrative, as well as environmental concerns and ongoing infrastructure issues. 16th District community members are for thoughtful development and wish to be involved in any decision and/or changes, the group said online. This proposal would only benefit developers while displacing existing residents and undermining affordability. Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizers have stressed they arent opposed to growth entirely; rather, they believe a one-size-fits-all upzoning would be a mistake, calling it a death by a thousand cuts. Like 16th United, Clinton said she recognized the need for growth, but she and other neighbors had concerns that the infrastructure in the area would not be able to handle a sudden influx of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Wed like infrastructure problems dealt with first, Clinton said. Thats a common request across all of the neighborhoods in the district. Overall, Clinton told News 2 neighbors take issue with the lack of opportunity to be involved with shaping the upzoning plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That bothered a lot of people, she said. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Since then, Clinton said the community has come together to make clear what residents want for their neighborhood. One of the things that people really are interested in is a neighborhood where its possible, even with a modest income, to own a home, she told News 2. There are also commonalities among the different affected neighborhoods, such as community safety, walkability, more sidewalks and more parks. People like it here. They dont want a major change, but they do recognize that we do need more density in the city and that more people are coming. Were prepared to help do our part with that, Clinton said. Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@wkrn.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. BRUSSELS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Monday to seek stronger U.S. security commitments for Kiev and ensure Europe remains at the table in peace efforts with Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte took part in what officials described as an unusually coordinated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. Participants called the talks "good," but key questions remained unresolved, including a ceasefire, the legal shape of security guarantees and possible Ukrainian territorial concessions. DIVISIONS ON CEASEFIRE The White House sessions highlighted a fundamental split between the United States and Europe over whether to halt fighting before wider negotiations. During Monday's meetings with European leaders, Trump had said he was no longer pursuing a ceasefire. "If you look at the six deals that I settled this year, they were all at war. I didn't do any ceasefires," Trump stated, telling Zelensky, "I don't think you need a ceasefire." Zelensky, Merz and Macron pushed back, arguing that a truce was essential. "I cannot imagine the next meeting without a ceasefire," Merz said, calling it a "complex negotiation." Macron voiced "great doubts" about Russia's willingness for peace, warning that Moscow still sought to weaken Ukraine and seize territory. He called a ceasefire a "necessity." However, Trump remained unmoved, saying the decision rested with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We're going to let the president go over and talk to the president, and we'll see how that works out," he said, repeating that none of the conflicts he claimed to have settled involved a truce. BUYING U.S. WEAPONS FOR SECURITY GUARANTEE Security guarantees for Ukraine dominated the multilateral talks, mentioned nearly 20 times in public remarks. Trump said Europe would provide most of the commitments, with Washington in a coordinating role. "I think the European nations are going to take a lot of the burden. We're going to help them, and we're going to make it very secure," Trump said. After the meetings, he wrote on Truth Social that the guarantees would be provided by "various European Countries, with a coordination with the United States of America." Zelensky told reporters details would be finalized within 10 days, noting Ukraine had proposed buying about 90 billion dollars worth of U.S. weapons. The Financial Times reported Kiev had pitched Washington a plan to purchase 100 billion dollars worth of U.S. arms, financed by European partners. NATO's Rutte said troop deployments were not under discussion but could form part of "future conversations." Geopolitical analyst Velina Tchakarova said Trump's approach shifted the burden to Europe, casting Washington as an "enabler rather than anchor tenant." She warned of risks among the allies if the United States rejects Ukraine's NATO accession while Europe pushes for stronger guarantees. TRUMP EYES ZELENSKY-PUTIN SUMMIT Trump said he was arranging a direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin, to be followed by a trilateral summit with U.S. participation, for which Ukraine was prepared, according to Zelensky. European leaders welcomed the idea but stressed the need to remain involved. Macron called a trilateral summit "very important" but urged that Europe also have a voice. "As a follow-up, we would need the quadrilateral meeting, because when we speak about security guarantees, we speak about the whole security of the European continent," he said. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump and Putin backed continued direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations during a phone call. He said Trump initiated the call after the White House meetings and that both leaders discussed raising the level of participants in future negotiations. CHICAGO A 17-year-old boy is in critical condition following a shooting Tuesday evening in West Town. Officers responded to the 1600 block of North Washtenaw after 5:10 p.m. on the report of a shooting. Police said a 17-year-old boy was on the sidewalk when he sustained a gunshot wound to the left shoulder. He was transported to St. Marys in critical condition. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one is in custody. Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.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 WGN-TV. North Dakota Pipeline Authority Executive Director Justin Kringstad listens to a presentation during a July 30, 2025, North Dakota Industrial Commission meeting. (Photo by Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor) Two pipeline companies are competing for a financial guarantee of up to $500 million from the North Dakota government to bring natural gas to the eastern half of the state. The North Dakota Industrial Commission is expected to decide on Thursday which project to back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state wants more pipeline capacity to help oil and gas operators in the Bakken reach customers in the east, said North Dakota Pipeline Authority Executive Director Justin Kringstad. Right now, eastern North Dakota gets its natural gas from one source the Viking Gas Transmission pipeline, which brings gas down from Canada. A pipeline connecting the area to the west would support economic development as well as make the power supply in the east more secure, Kringstad said. Theres long been a risk in having a single source of supply, he said. A west-to-east natural gas pipeline also would benefit Bakken oil producers. As Bakken wells age, they produce a higher percentage of natural gas. Inadequate natural gas pipeline capacity could cause producers to cut back on oil production which would reduce state oil tax revenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state has had a program to encourage businesses to increase natural gas pipeline capacity since 2007, but it went unfunded for years. The Legislature in 2023 made $30 million per year in financing available. The 2025 Legislature then voted to increase this amount to $50 million per year. The states support was essential to get companies interested in the project, Kringstad said. WBI Energy and Intensity Infrastructure Partners put their hats in the ring for the contract. Representatives from both companies pitched their vision for the pipeline project in July presentations to the Industrial Commission, which consists of the governor, attorney general and agriculture commissioner. North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, left, Gov. Kelly Armstrong, center and Attorney General Drew Wrigley hold an Industrial Commissioner meeting on May 22, 2025, in the North Dakota Capitol in Bismarck. (Photo by Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor) WBI Energy proposes building the first phase of the new pipeline from McKenzie County to Washburn, and the second phase from Washburn to Mapleton, just west of Fargo. The company would also build out an extension from Jamestown to Ellendale, home to a data center. WBIs timeline is to have phase one in service in November 2029, and phase two in service in November of 2030. WBIs project, known as Bakken East, is expected to transport about 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day to eastern North Dakota, Kringstad said, noting the initial designs could change as the project progresses. North Dakota produces more than 3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WBIs pipeline would be built entirely in North Dakota but would be considered an interstate pipeline because it connects with other pipelines that leave the state. That means it would be permitted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, not the North Dakota Public Service Commission. Intensity Infrastructure Partners pitched a pipeline that would first extend from Watford City to Underwood in phase one, and then connect Underwood to Casselton in phase two. Intensity said it would aim to finish the first leg of the project by July 1, 2029, and the second phase by Jan. 1, 2030. The capacity to central North Dakota would be about 1.1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas. The capacity to eastern North Dakota would be about 430 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, expandable to 875 million cubic feet, Kringstad said. However, Intensity officials told the Industrial Commission the second phase of the project is not yet firm. Intensity is seeking up to $50 million per year from the state for phase one of the project, or $30 million per year for a smaller version of phase one. The Intensity project would be considered an intrastate pipeline, which means it would be regulated by the North Dakota Public Service Commission. It also would require some certificates from FERC for connections with other interstate pipelines. Intensity has a partnership with Rainbow Energy, which operates Coal Creek Station at Underwood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Kelly Armstrong, who chairs the Industrial Commission, indicated in July that the board would select a winner during its August meeting. We have tough decisions to make, but its a whole lot better than not having any decision, Armstrong said. After a project is selected, the state would negotiate specific terms with the company, Kringstad said. North Dakota is purchasing capacity on the pipeline as a financial backstop. However, the state plans to release its pipeline capacity to private businesses. WBI Energy said in its application that its confident a customer will want to acquire the states capacity. Kringstad said there are already companies expressing interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the state cant release its capacity, another option would be for the North Dakota Pipeline Authority to work with a gas marketing firm to try to recoup the states investment, Kringstad said. In a worst-case scenario, the state would provide up to $500 million, or $50 million a year for 10 years, and not be able to recoup its investment. The funding would come through a loan from the Bank of North Dakota, to be repaid with state dollars from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund. The No. 1 goal of the program is to release that capacity back to the private sector as quickly as possible, Kringstad said. This story was updated to correct the amount Intensity is seeking from the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer can be reached at msteurer@northdakotamonitor.com. Editor Amy Dalrymple can be reached at adalrymple@northdakotamonitor.com. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro, who was reported missing Thursday in Yucaipa, Calif. (San Bernardino Sheriff's Department) The mystery of a missing 7-month-old boy in Yucaipa took another twist when authorities confirmed Wednesday that they removed a 2-year-old child from the home of the same couple that reported the infant missing last week. It's unclear what prompted officials with child protective services to remove the 2-year-old. A spokesperson for Riverside County declined to comment, citing state confidentiality laws. Nearly a week after the disappearance of Emmanuel Haro in Yucaipa, investigators have released little new information on the case and an unconfirmed report that the boy was spotted in Bakersfield over the weekend resulted in no new leads, according to authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement officials say they cannot rule out foul play in the case. An attorney for the boy's father acknowledged that the father was convicted of child endangerment in 2023 involving another child but insists he was not involved in the disappearance of his own son. Rebecca Haro said she was attacked and knocked unconscious while changing her son's diaper outside her vehicle in front of a sporting goods store in Yucaipa on Thursday evening. When she woke up, Emmanuel was gone, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Since then, she and her husband, Jake Haro, have been repeatedly questioned by authorities. They turned over all their electronic devices and their vehicle was seized by investigators on the same day the boy was reported missing, according to authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Riverside County authorities confirmed Wednesday that they removed a 2-year-old child from the Haro home after Emmanuel was reported missing, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The removal is another twist in an already complicated case. Rebecca Haro stopped speaking with investigators when they confronted her about inconsistencies in her initial statement, according to the Sheriff's Department. Vincent Hughes, a family attorney who has previously represented Jake Haro in criminal court, said the mother was distraught during the interview and declined to take a polygraph test when sheriff's investigators asked her. But she and her husband are cooperating with the investigation, Hughes said, and just want answers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They just want their son back, they want people to put in the same effort that they're using to question them to go out and search for Emmanuel," Hughes told The Times. Read more: Mystery deepens into missing California baby after mother stops cooperating with investigators Hughes said he represented Jake Haro when he was convicted of child endangerment in Riverside County in 2023 but there have been no charges filed in connection with Emmanuel's disappearance. "As far as we know, nobody has been charged with a crime," he said. "In America, you're innocent until proven guilty. That hasn't changed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The child endangerment case began in October 2018, when Jake Haro and his then wife, Vanessa, were interviewed by Hemet police after their baby was examined at a local hospital, according to a police affidavit seeking an arrest warrant. The unidentified girl had a skull fracture, several healing fractures to her ribs, a brain hemorrhage, swelling in the neck and a healing tibia fracture in her leg. A doctor who examined the child told police the girl had "intracranial hemorrhage, brain injury, cervical spine injury and retinal hemorrhages" and other injuries, the affidavit said. Jake Haro told police that he accidentally dropped the baby into a center divider in their kitchen sink while giving her a bath, but the doctor said the injuries did not fit that narrative. The couple blamed each other, according to the officer's affidavit. In 2023, Jake Haro was convicted of felony willful child endangerment and his then-wife was convicted of misdemeanor willful harm to a child, court records show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's unclear who has custody of the child involved in that incident and if that child lived in the same home with Emmanuel. Over the weekend, the family received a tip about an alleged sighting of the boy in Bakersfield. They notified the Sheriff's Department, Hughes said, but have received no updates about the tip. A Sheriff's Department spokesperson said investigators are aware of the reported sighting but offered no specific information about the location. Emmanuel's parents do not have a vehicle or their mobile phones, so they're relying on others for information and support, Hughes said. They're being harassed at their home by media and their home address was shared online by amateur true crime sleuths. Emmanuel was last seen wearing a black onesie with a Nike logo. He has brown hair, brown eyes and is cross-eyed, according to his family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Specialized Investigations Division at (909) 890-4904. Callers wishing to remain anonymous should contact WeTip at (800) 78-CRIME (27463) or go to wetip.com. 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. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Two people were injured in a crash Tuesday evening, Aug. 19 in East El Paso, a Fire Department spokesperson said. The crash happened shortly after 5 p.m. at Gateway East and Stanley Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One person was taken to the hospital with serious injuries (Code 3) and one person was transported with non-life-threatening injuries (Code 1), the spokesperson said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Charlotte residents will head to the polls to decide who should advance to the November general election for Charlotte City Council. In-person early voting starts August 21. The primary is on September 9th. Channel 9 sent key questions to all candidates. Their responses are posted unedited. ALSO READ: Where you can vote early in Charlotte for the primary election Whoever wins the primaries in Districts 1, 4, and 5 will serve on the next Charlotte City Council. There is no opposition for these seats in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats and unaffiliated voters can vote in all districts. Republicans can only vote in the District 6 primary. This is the only contested Republican race in September. Unaffiliated voters can choose the Republican ballot in District 6. See the candidates responses in each race below: The Political Beat Candidate Guide: City of Charlotte Mayor The Political Beat Candidate Guide: Charlotte City Council At-Large The Political Beat Candidate Guide: Charlotte City Council- District 1 The Political Beat Candidate Guide: Charlotte City CouncilDistrict 3 The Political Beat Candidate Guide: Charlotte City CouncilDistrict 4 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Political Beat Candidate Guide: Charlotte City CouncilDistrict 5 The Political Beat Candidate Guide: Charlotte City CouncilDistrict 6 Use the map below to easily find your city council district and a link to our guide for the district. (WATCH BELOW: Charlotte City Council approves conversion of motel to studio apartments) PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) An Oregon man was charged in a federal complaint on Tuesday for allegedly leading large-scale cyberattacks across dozens of countries. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Alaska announced 22-year-old Ethan Foltz of Eugene faces one count of aiding and abetting computer intrusions. If convicted, Foltz faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Authorities allege Foltz is behind the Rapper Bot Distributed Denial of Service-for-hire Botnet, conducting cyberattacks since at least 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oregon, Washington leaders fire back at AG Bondi over sanctuary policy threats According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, Rapper Bot, also known as Eleven Eleven Botnet, and CowBot, is a Botnet that mainly compromises devices such as Digital Video Recorders or Wi-Fi routers by infecting the devices with malware. Clients working with Rapper Bot then issue commands to victims devices to send large volumes of DDoS traffic to victim computers and servers around the world. According to court documents, Foltz and his co-conspirators monetized Rapper Bot by providing paying customers with access to one of the most sophisticated and powerful DDoS-for-hire Botnets currently in existence, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Providence to cease labor and delivery services at Seaside hospital Authorities allege Rapper Bot targeted victims in more than 80 countries, including a U.S. government network, a social media platform and U.S. technology companies. The lawsuit notes from April 2025 to present, Rapper Bot allegedly conducted more than 370,000 attacks that targeted 18,000 victims. Authorities further allege that Rapper Bot used 65,000 to 95,000 infected victims devices to regularly conduct the DDoS attacks, which commonly measure between two to three Terabits per second. Authorities, however, allege that Rapper Bots largest attack may have exceeded six Terabits per second. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KOIN Morning Digest According to court documents, DDoS attacks have become more powerful, and impact victims finances through lost revenue, disgruntled customers, resources used to respond to attacks and bandwidth usage costs. The criminal complaint details that a DDoS attack averaging over two Terabits per second lasting 30 seconds might cost a victim anywhere from $500 to $10,000. It is also alleged that some Rapper Bot customers used extortion demands, leveraging the DDoS attack volumes of the Botnet to extort victims, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Alaska explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On August 6, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Foltzs Oregon home, noting authorities then obtained administrative control over Rapper Bot. Portland tax advisory group proposes major changes to city taxes Rapper Bot was one of the most powerful DDoS botnets to ever exist, but the outstanding investigatory work by (Defense Criminal Investigative Service) cyber agents and support of my office and industry partners has put an end to Foltzs time as administrator and effectively disrupted the activities of this transnational criminal group, said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. Our office remains committed to disrupting and dismantling cyber criminals that threaten internet security and infrastructure in the District of Alaska and across the United States. Todays announcement highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle emerging cyber threats targeting the Department of Defense and the defense industrial base, added Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, DCIS, Cyber Field Office. The Rapper Bot malware was a clear threat, and the focused efforts of DCIS, our industry partners, and the federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorneys Office in Alaska, sends a clear signal to those who would harm the DoDs personnel, infrastructure, and intellectual property, that their actions will come at a cost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. 25 Investigates: Canton mom detained at Logan Airport despite legal status released from ICE custody The Canton mother who was detained at Logan Airport despite being a legal US resident was released Wednesday. ICE officials told 25 Investigates that 42-year-old mother of three Jemmy Jimenez Rosa was transported from Maine to Burlington, Massachusetts for her release. She is out and home with her family tonight. A green card is a privilege, not a right, and under our nations laws, our government has the authority to revoke a green card if our laws are broken and abused, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said. Lawful Permanent Residents presenting at a U.S. port of entry with previous criminal convictions may be subject to mandatory detention and/or may be asked to provide additional documentation to be set up for an immigration hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosas family says she was detained on August 11 at Logan Airport while returning from a family vacation in Mexico with her husband and their three young daughters. She was in custody until Wednesday, August 20. Husband Marcel Rosa, a U.S. citizen, says he handed over all the passports and his wifes green card when they landed at Logan. He says his wife came to the United States legally from Peru at the age of nine, and she has held a green card ever since. The US Government renewed her green card again in July. Still, he says an officer pulled Jemmy aside for additional questioning. She was taken into a room alone. I walked in, and my wifes head was just down, and you could tell her whole spirit was just crushed, he recalled. Jemmy was held at Logan for four days without access to her medication, a phone call, or even a shower before being transferred to a facility in Maine, according to her family and their attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosa says his wife suffers from high blood pressure, is diabetic, and takes medication to treat mental health conditions. She has been hospitalized twice for treatment during her detention at Logan, Rosa says. 25Investigates reporting on those allegations caught the attention of Massachusetts Congressman Stephen Lynch This case obviously raised some red flags in terms of the delay and what services are available to her as a legal permanent resident, Lynch said. Lynch explained he was told by CBP agents that Jemmy did not request a phone call. Thats sort of a weak excuse; they should have informed her of that right, Lynch said. There were some medical issues that needed to be addressed. Those were not addressed until she was transferred up to Maine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lynch also explained that he was told Jemmy was brought to Maine because there were no open beds in any similar Massachusetts facilities. 25 Investigates has asked CBP and ICE officials twice regarding the allegations of Jemmys detention, but has not heard back. Rosa says when his wife was detained initially, the officer brought up a decades-old marijuana case. At age 20, Jemmy pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession and served probation. However, 25 Investigates was there when Jemmys criminal record was wiped clean this week. Her attorney argued in Massachusetts District Court that Jemmy wasnt given proper counsel when she agreed to the plea 22 years ago. The judge and prosecutor agreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With that decision, her attorney filed a motion with the federal court to release Jemmy. He says after that, and one day after 25 Investigates reporting, he was notified that ICE was preparing for her release. Lynch told Boston 25s Kerry Kavanaugh that he hopes to visit Logan Airport to see the holding areas. Definitely worth looking into, especially where theres a delay to getting a person access to medical care, Lynch said. The family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover legal and unexpected expenses. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW HONOLULU (KHON2) For 28 years, Hawaii-based food vendors have had the chance to shine at the Daniel K. Akaka ALA Hawaii Food Show, sampling their products to military buyers such as the Navy Exchanges, Defense Commissary Agency, etc. UH Manoa dining has a hidden food court for everyone Originally started in 1997 by Senator Daniel K. Akaka at the Turtle Bay Resort, it was named in his honor in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The show gives vendors opportunities not only to promote their brand, but also to get their products into consideration for commissary and exchange shelves. Every year I come, this gets bigger and bigger, more suppliers, more opportunity to bring in local products, said Robert Culbreth, Director of Sales for Non-Fresh Foods. Its a great partnership, its good for our military customers, its great for the state of Hawaii. Its an honor to be considered as a potential vendor for the commissaries, said Jan Hori, owner of Hawaiian Pie Co. To be able to share our love of pie with other military families. But its not just for vendors to do business. Some say that getting a taste of the Hawaiian Islands for the military is equally important. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You One item that Im featuring is 100% Hawaiian-grown macadamia nuts. These are from the Big Island of Hilo, and if anything says Hawaii, its Kona Coffee, which I also sell, and the macadamia nut, said Steven Mulgrew, President of Mulvadi Corporation, and a vendor at the show since 1997. So hopefully this year we got this into Costco and Longs, wed like to get this into the military, into our military friends and families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were taking care of our military members and their families; theyre part of our ohana, said Sharon Zambo-Fan, Chairperson for ALA Hawaii, when asked about the importance of the event. So by providing local items in the commissaries and exchanges, its a great benefit for our military. Over six thousand local products have been selected for commissary and exchange shelves, including Uncles Handmade Ice Cream, Diamond Bakery, Aloha Shoyu, Hawaiian Sun, and much more. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Commissary shoppers save an average of 34% on products in Hawaii. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. Aug. 19Investigators have linked a second source of DNA evidence to Travis Decker in the deaths of his three daughters earlier this year. On June 2, authorities found the bodies of Olivia, 5, Evelyn, 8, and Paityn, 9, at the Rock Island campground near Icicle Road in Leavenworth. The girls were reported missing after their father, Decker, now 33, failed to return the girls to their mother following a scheduled visitation on May 30. The girls were found with plastic bags over their heads; a DNA analysis by the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed Decker's DNA matched the DNA profiles obtained from the plastic bags, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said in a news release on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, autopsies determined that the cause of death for each of the girls was suffocation, and the manner of death was homicide. Zip ties found "in the immediate area of the bodies" also tested positive for Decker's DNA, the news release said. Now, the sheriff's office is waiting for more evidence to be tested by the crime lab, according to Chief Ryan Moody with the sheriff's office. A previous DNA analysis of crime scene evidence also implicated Decker. Items taken from the scene matched blood samples also found at the campsite, the sheriff's office said July 1. The sheriff's office hasn't received new information regarding Decker's whereabouts or if he's dead or alive, according to the news release, but they continue to communicate with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to coordinate search efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decker was a member of the Army National Guard and served in the U.S. Army from 2013 to 2021 as an infantryman, according to a National Guard spokesperson. During his enlistment, he deployed to Afghanistan. The girls' mother, Whitney Decker, filed for divorce from Decker in November 2022. In Chelan County Superior Court filings, she described his struggles with mental health and said he had borderline personality disorder. At the time the girls went missing, Decker was allowed visits every other weekend Fridays through Sundays in the Wenatchee Valley, but they were not permitted to be overnight. In a court declaration, Whitney Decker said the girls' father struggled to maintain stability and housing since their separation, and that his mental health issues were affecting their daughters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of a parenting plan, he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation related to anger management. The evaluation should've been completed within 30 days, but court records show he never completed the evaluation. Decker's whereabouts remain unknown. He's 5 -foot- 8 with black hair, brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a tan or green shirt and dark shorts. The U.S. Marshals Service is still offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading directly to Decker's arrest. He is wanted on three counts of aggravated first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping. Officials continue to ask the public to report any sightings or suspicious activity by calling 911 or contacting the nearest U.S. Marshal's office or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at (800) 336-0102 or USMS Tips at usmarshals.gov/tips. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) The second suspect in a New Years Day homicide has been extradited back to North Carolina, according to the Winston-Salem Police Department. 38-year-old Henry Montarious Smith was initially arrested in Florida in July as a suspect in the deadly shooting of John Derriman Richards, 54. He was extradited back to North Carolina on Monday and is being held in the Forsyth County Detention Center without bond. Henry Montarious Smith (WSPD) Background Terros Derone Drayton (Winston-Salem Police Department) Police responded to a home on Peachtree Street around 11:20 p.m. on Jan. 1. At the scene, they found Richards dead and a child injured from the shooting. Two other adults and three children were also in the home but were unharmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith was identified as a suspect along with Terros Derone Drayton, 34, of High Point, who was taken into custody on July 10. Smith was located and taken into custody in Florida with assistance from the US Marshals Service and the Florida Highway Patrol. He has been charged with felony murder, discharging a weapon into occupied property, assault with the intent to kill and discharging a weapon into an occupied property inflicting serious injury. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Republican lawmakers in California filed a lawsuit Tuesday with the California Supreme Court to stop Governor Gavin Newsom's plan to redraw the U.S. House districts in the country's most populous state. "Today I joined my colleagues in filing a lawsuit challenging the rushed redistricting process," California state assembly member Tri Ta wrote on social platform X, as the Democratic-controlled legislature prepares to vote this week on the plan in Sacramento, the state capital. Redistricting means redrawing electoral district boundaries that impact elections for the U.S. House of Representatives. "California's Constitution requires bills to be in print for 30 days, but that safeguard was ignored. By bypassing this provision, Sacramento has effectively shut voters out of engaging in their own legislative process," he said. A petition shared by Ta showed four Republican legislators signed onto the filing. Last week, Newsom said California would put a state constitutional amendment on the ballot in a Nov. 4 special election that could temporarily redraw the state's congressional districts mid-decade "to respond to what's happening in Texas." His plan would allow one-time adjustments in 2026, 2028 and 2030. Newsom's proposal could net Democrats five more U.S. House seats to their current 43-9 majority. California, home to nearly 40 million residents, has the largest delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives, with 52 seats. The move came as the GOP-dominated Texas state House on Monday advanced a redistricting bill pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump, following the return of Democratic lawmakers who had staged a two-week walkout in protest. Following a 12-8 party-line panel vote, the redrawn congressional map, aiming to create five new Republican districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, is expected to be brought to the House floor for a vote this week. The dueling efforts in California and Texas reflected a broader partisan struggle over congressional boundaries. Multiple U.S. media outlets have described it as an "arms race." NEED TO KNOW A mother and father have been discovered dead in their Houston home in an apparent murder-suicide, the Houston Police revealed on X Police found the bodies after being led to them by the couple's young children, aged 1, 2 and 3 Eyewitnesses said the children had been asking for food and were being tended to by neighbors A mother and father were found dead in their home in an apparent murder-suicide, leaving their three young children behind. On Monday, Aug. 18, police responded to a shooting incident at a residence on Meadowglen Lane, Houston, where they found a man and woman dead, the Houston Police announced on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three young children, aged 1, 2 and 3, were located uninjured at the scene and are being cared for, according to the police. Houston Police visited the home at around 4:15 p.m. local time on Monday for a welfare check and found the three children sitting outside being tended to by some neighbors. The three children led the police to their parents dead bodies in the home, ABC 13 Eyewitness News reported. [The children] were out in an apartment complex parking lot asking for food, Houston Police Lt. Larry Crowson said at a press conference, per KHOU 11. Officers responded to the location. They asked where their parents were and [the children] said they were in the apartment deceased. "The little ones, you could tell they were hungry and thirsty," neighbor Deborah McMillan told ABC 13 Eyewitness News. "The oldest one is who hurts me the most because she was vivid in details of what she had witnessed with her parents." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deceased man and woman were reportedly both in their 20s. It is believed that the man shot the woman first before turning the gun on himself, around 24 hours before being found, per KHOU 11 and ABC 13 Eyewitness News. Getty A Houston Police car A Houston Police car Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. McMillan claimed that the woman had tried to leave her husband before the incident. "She came over a few times, asking to use the phone. I would talk to her, try to tell her, 'Hey, it's not worth it,' " she told ABC 13 Eyewitness News. "Her main thing is that she didn't want to leave because of the kids." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The children were sent to their grandmother's home following the incident per multiple outlets, and an investigation is ongoing. PEOPLE has reached out to the Houston Police for comment, but did not immediately hear back. Read the original article on People Editors note: This story has been updated to correctly reflect the job positions of Hemp and Revisky. MACOUPIN COUNTY, Ill. One officer and two employees affiliated with law enforcement were arrested and charged after a victim was beaten at a central Illinois bar over the weekend, according to authorities. The Staunton Police Department, in a Wednesday news release, identified three suspects in the case as Logan Hemp and Joshua Revisky, who were employees at the Macoupin County Sheriffs Office and Jeffrey Schoen, a police officer for the Bunker Hill Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hemp, Revisky and Schoen were all formally charged with aggravated battery in a public place, according to the news release. According to Staunton police, the investigation began when the victims sister reported an assault occurred at Skeeters bar in Staunton around 1 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16. Staunton police then contacted the victim, and Hemp, Revisky, and Schoen were all identified as suspects. Staunton police arrested the three men with assistance from the Macoupin County Sheriffs Office. They were booked into the Montgomery County Jail due to an employment conflict. Ex-teacher charged with child porn possession Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staunton police said Hemp, Revisky, and Schoen appeared in Macoupin County Court on Tuesday for initial hearings and were released from custody under conditions set by the SAFE-T Act. During the hearing, the Macoupin County States Attorneys Office recused itself from the case and said it would seek the appointment of a special prosecutor. In a separate news release, Macoupin County Sheriff Shawn Kahl confirmed that Hemp and Revsiky were allegedly involved in the assault and placed on administrative leave pending a complete internal investigation. Authorities have not disclosed whether Schoen is on leave. The Staunton Police Department is asking anyone with relevant information in this case to contact the department at 618-635-3333. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. PERINTON, N.Y. (WROC) Despite a July deadline for everyone to move out, News 8 has learned three residents remain at the Northfield Enriched Senior Housing Facility in Perinton. Family Service Communities, also referred to under the title Family Service of Rochester, operates the Northfield. The group has been under public scrutiny following several chaotic situations surrounding short notices to residents at three other programs at various facilities it manages earlier this year. The nonprofit running the facility said that due to financial troubles, it would have to sell the facility, and those living there would need to leave. This all comes as another nonprofit, CDS Monarch, is slated to purchase the facility and take over operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Questions remain as to why and how residents at The Northfield were among the last to know about the planned sale, which is a months-long process. DOH adds that the planned sale to nonprofit CDS Monarch cannot be finalized until all residents are safely placed elsewhere. Its a difficult challenge given the current housing and senior living facility market, with incredibly short notice for residents to move, which was given only about 30 days initially. Supervising Attorney of Legal Assistance of Western New York in Rochester, Jeffrey Nieznanski, said the reason why residents were left in the dark for so long is due to a loophole between state regulation and state law. His client is one of the three remaining residents at The Northfield still in need of placement. The policy that was instituted by the Department of Health says that theyre not supposed to be providing information to people but the law, which supersedes and trumps the policy, does say that residents have the right to be given knowledge of available choices and the right to make independent, personal decisions, Nieznanski said. News 8 also confirmed the Monroe County District Attorneys Office is investigating Family Service Communities over its financial management. The financial state of the nonprofit is something the group cited as the reasoning behind the downfall and subsequent short-notice chaos of informing residents of other Enriched Housing Programs it manages (not owns) at various facilities earlier this year. CDS Monarch told News 8 on Tuesday that its affiliate, iCircle, was able to meet with Northfield residents in July to help educate them on the ability to secure long-term care benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are vulnerable residents, they need care, they cant just up and leave and find a placement that suits their needs and that honors their dignity and their agency. New York State must change its regulations, treat these individuals like adults, said 17th District Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart, a Democrat. Nieznanski added, The concern is this could happen again at any time, any place around the state where an adult care facility is closing, is that people could be, again, be left with little time to make major choices about where to live. The New York State Department of Health provided the following statement to News 8 on Tuesday: Family Service of Rochester, the operator of the facility, must remain open until the last resident is safely discharged, which is consistent with state regulation, their approved voluntary closure plan and licensure requirements. Pursuant to their approved voluntary closure plan, Family Service of Rochester must work with residents to identify appropriate housing solutions that align with each residents preferences and individual needs, ensuring residents have sufficient time and support to make informed decisions about their next home and the services they choose. New York State Department of Health Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. Despite the flurry of diplomacy between the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, and Europe over the last five days on ending the war, Moscow has continued to allow its forces to unleash daily attacks on Ukrainian civilians. At least 31 civilians have been killed and 145 injured in Russian strikes across Ukraine since U.S. President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Aug. 15. Hours before Putin walked down the red carpet in Anchorage, Russian attacks killed six civilians and injured 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next day, on Aug. 16, three people were killed and 12 were injured as a result of Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast, where the words human safari have become synonymous with Russia's first-person-view drone attacks in the area that target civilians. "Getting around the city is like the lottery, because it is impossible to plan or predict shelling or drone attacks, Kherson resident, Nataliia Shatylova Pohasiy, told the Kyiv Independent. Civilian casualties in Ukraine between Aug. 15-20, 2025. (Nizar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent) Five people were killed and 11 were injured on Aug. 17. Ahead of the Zelensky-Trump meeting at the White House, Russian strikes killed 13 and injured 65 across Ukraine on Aug. 18. Just hours before Zelensky and European leaders were scheduled to meet with Trump, a Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia killed three and injured another 30 people. Zelensky condemned the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia "knows that today there is a meeting in Washington to end the war," he said, referring to his talks with Trump later in the day. "Putin will kill demonstratively in order to continue putting pressure on Ukraine and Europe and to undermine diplomatic efforts," Zelensky added. The most casualties on Aug. 18 were reported in Kharkiv, with 24 people injured, seven killed, including a one-and-a-half-year-old girl. Rescuers carry an injured civilian from a building damaged by Russian drone strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 18, 2025. (Serhii Masin/Anadolu via Getty Images) Residents gather near a damaged apartment building after Russian drone strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 18, 2025. (Viktoriia Yakymenko/Suspilne Ukraine/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images) On Aug. 19, not long after the Trump-Zelensky meeting, Russia launched a missile attack on central Ukraine. On Aug. 20, five people were killed and 34 were injured, 14 of them in Sumy Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A family with wounded children, aged five months, four years, and six years, sought help after the attack," Zelensky said on Aug. 20. In July this year, at least 286 civilians were killed and 1,388 injured in Ukraine, setting a new record since the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion, U.N. human rights monitors said on Aug. 13. "For the second month in a row, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine hits a new three-year high," said Danielle Bell, head of the U.N. human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine. Russia's use of long-range weapons like missiles and loitering munitions accounted for almost 40% of the casualties, the U.N. said in its report. Short-range drones were the second most common cause of civilian losses, amounting to 24%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: We finally watched Russians at War its worse than we thought Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. CHICAGO (WGN) Felony charges have been filed against five men after several guns were allegedly found during a traffic stop in River North. Cook County Sheriffs police did not provide specific details on when the incident unfolded, but said it all began after officers attempted to stop a red Chevrolet Impala in River North for allegedly having illegally tinted windows. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after the officers activated their emergency lights, the vehicle allegedly sped away before the driver eventually came to a stop in an alley in the 500 block of North LaSalle Boulevard. After stopping, authorities ordered the driver to turn off the vehicle and roll down the windows, while the passengers were asked to get out. Photo provided by the Cook County Sheriffs Office shows guns and marijuana allegedly recovered during a River North traffic stop. Photos provided by the Cook County Sheriffs Office show 19-year-old Zion Bellamy (top left), 20-year-old Zavion Bellamy (top center), 22-year-old Trajhan Young (top right), 18-year-old Adayveon Young (bottom left), and 18-year-old Jermel Rogers (bottom right), who are all facing felony charges in connection with a traffic stop in River North Following a search of all five people inside the car, authorities said 19-year-old Zavion Bellamy and 18-year-old Adayveon Young were allegedly found with loaded 9mm handguns that were equipped with extended magazines, while 19-year-old Zion Bellamy and 18-year-old Jermel Rogers were allegedly found with loaded 9mm handguns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amid the search, officers also uncovered a fifth gun from beneath the front passenger seat, a loaded .40 caliber handgun equipped with an extended magazine. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland After being taken into custody, officers said 22-year-old Trajhan Young allegedly told officers that the fifth gun was his. Authorities said in total, more than 100 rounds of ammunition and over 20 grams of marijuana were allegedly recovered during the stop. Officers said none of the suspects had a valid FOID or CCL and they were all taken into custody following the stop. Charges against all five are currently pending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. Hurricane Erin may not be forecast to make landfall, but the sprawling Category 2 storm is still going to impact much of the East Coast as it tracks north this week. On Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency to prepare for the life-threatening rip currents and storm surge expected to affect the coastal region. Heres what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day. 1 Smithsonian President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric about the Smithsonian Institution on Tuesday, alleging that its museums were too focused on the negative aspects of US history, including how bad slavery was. The comments, which he posted on his social media site, came a week after the White House ordered a review of the Smithsonians museums and exhibits to ensure alignment with the Presidents directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions. If the Smithsonian refuses to purge materials that conflict with Trumps political directives, it could suffer a fate similar to the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities. Both organizations lost tens of millions of dollars in federal funding earlier this year, which has affected small museums, libraries, arts programs and research projects across the country. 2 Immigration People applying to live or work in the US will now be screened for anti-Americanism in their immigration applications, authorities said Tuesday. According to a policy update by US Citizenship & Immigration Services, immigration officers will be able to scrutinize applicants social media posts for any anti-American activity. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, compared the move to McCarthyism in the 1950s, when authorities prosecuted left-wing individuals amid a widespread public panic over communism and its influence on US institutions. The term (anti-Americanism) has no prior precedent in immigration law and its definition is entirely up to the Trump (administration), Reichlin-Melnick said. 3 DC More National Guard troops arrived in Washington, DC, on Tuesday to assist in President Trumps emergency crime crackdown in the nations capital. The troops, which were deployed from West Virginia, could begin operations as soon as today, a defense official told CNN. Republican governors from five other states Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee have also promised to deploy their National Guard troops and escalate Trumps efforts to amass armed forces in the capital. Although the president has repeatedly complained about rising crime in DC, overall crime numbers are lower this year than in 2024. 4 Texas redistricting Some Texas House Democrats ripped up agreements to leave the House floor under police escort and spent Tuesday night in the chamber in protest. They joined state Rep. Nicole Collier, who on Monday refused to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts. Texas Republicans efforts to redraw the states congressional districts in the middle of the decade were hindered when dozens of quorum-breaking Democratic House members left the state. Upon their return to the Capitol on Monday, House Speaker Dustin Burrows ordered constraints put on their movements. The Texas House is aiming to vote on the redistricting measure after it reconvenes today, and Republicans are expected to move quickly to approve their new map, which could potentially eliminate five Democratic US House seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. 5 Covid-19 With Covid-19 levels on the rise in the US, and transmission increasing in at least 45 states, the American Academy of Pediatrics released its updated recommendations for vaccines on Tuesday, including Covid-19 shots. The AAPs guidance is a break from the current CDC recommendations and defies HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who announced in May that the CDC would no longer recommend Covid-19 vaccines for healthy children or pregnant women. The AAP, on the other hand, recommends that all children, ages 6 months through 23 months, should receive a Covid-19 vaccine unless they have allergies to the vaccine or its ingredients. It also recommends a single dose of the vaccine for children ages 2 through 18 years if they are at high risk of Covid-19, residents of long-term care facilities, have never been vaccinated against Covid-19 or live in a household with people who are high risk for Covid-19. Breakfast browse FDA issues warning about frozen shrimp The public is urged not to eat certain bags of shrimp sold at Walmart, citing concerns about unsanitary conditions and radioactive contamination. Aubrey Plaza opens up about her daily struggle with grief Her husband, writer/director Jeff Baena, died in January at the age of 47. Can star power inspire snacking? Thats what major food companies are hoping as they tap celebrities to create new flavors. Cambridge Dictionary adds new words The list includes popular slang like broligarchy and dululu. Is the cassette making a comeback? And will Taylor Swifts new album, which will be available on cassette, turn the trend into a revival? Big number 460 million Thats how many metric tons of plastic are made each year. Quotable Ayoub will become the first woman to represent the Palestinian people at the Miss Universe pageant. Weather Check your local forecast to see what you can expect. And finally Feeling nostalgic, Gen X? Its cool. The 80s are back. Todays edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNNs Andrew Torgan. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Eleven pounds of rodent meat and 52 pounds of primate meat were intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport in July, according to the federal agency. The two separate instances of bushmeat, meat from wild animals such as monkeys and rats, were encountered within days of each other in late July, according to a CBP news release. The rodent meat arrived with a traveler from the West African country Togo, and the primate meat, which was declared as antelope, arrived with a traveler from the Central African nation of Gabon, according the news release. Customs seized the meat and turned it over to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each traveler was fined $300 for the undeclared agricultural items, according to the news release. BACK-TO-BACK BUSHMEAT: Agriculture specialists encountered potentially disease ridden bushmeat twice within one week at #DetroitMetroAirport late last month. Primate and rodent meat were intercepted from Gabon and Togo, respectively. Read more https://t.co/ZguVlrBQF9 pic.twitter.com/vFgCzLReuc DFO Marty C. Raybon (@DFODetroit) August 20, 2025 Bushmeat is important to the economy and culture in Central Africa, according to Theodore Trefon, a teaching professional in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and senior researcher at the Royal Museum for Central Africa, who wrote the book "Bushmeat. Culture, Economy and Conservation in Central Africa." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bushmeat is illegal to import to the U.S. because it can be infected with germs or parasites that can cause sickness in people, according to a page on the Centers for Disease Control's website. "Bushmeat is often consumed raw or after being minimally processed by smoking, drying, or salting," according to the CDC. "These minimal processing procedures are not sufficient to render the meat noninfectious." Human ebola infections have been associated with hunting, butchering and processing meat from infected animals, though "there have been no reports of human sickness in the United States from coming into contact with, preparing, or consuming bushmeat brought into the United States illegally," according to a page on the Centers for Disease Control's website posted in July 2024. CBP Public Affairs Officer Youseff Fawaz said CBP intercepts bushmeat at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport about once every few weeks, an uptick from last year when it would happen about once a month. Fawaz said intercepting bushmeat is more common in the summertime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: 5 pounds of cherries infested with fly maggots, pupae intercepted at Detroit Metro Airport There have been about 24 instances of bushmeat since October, the start of the federal fiscal year, Fawaz said. CBP said travelers should declare all food and plant items upon arrival to the United States to help "prevent the introduction of exotic pests and diseases." Contact Natalie Davies at ndavies@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bushmeat intercepted by CBP at Detroit Metro Airport MEMPHIS, Tenn. Memphis planned new bridge across the Mississippi River now has a name. The Interstate 55 bridge will be named Kings Crossing, in honor of three transformative figures in the citys history: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., B.B. King and the King of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley. The Departments of Transportation for Tennessee and Arkansas made the announcement Wednesday. Kings Crossing connects the two states, which are jointly helping fund the project along with federal money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $800 million project will mark the single-largest transportation investment in Tennessee history, according to Gov. Bill Lee. It will replace the existing Memphis-Arkansas Bridge, which dates to the late 1940s. I-55 bridge replacement to begin in 2026 TDOT says the design phase is underway and construction on the Kings Crossing bridge is expected to begin in fiscal year 2026 and wrap up in 2031. Kings Crossing is more than just a piece of infrastructure; it is a symbol of our collective history, heritage, and the enduring spirit of unity that defines this region, said TDOT Commissioner Will Reid in a news release. Naming this bridge in honor of these gentlemen pays tribute to their extraordinary legacies individuals who transcended barriers, fostered cultural exchange, and used their talents to build bridges between people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Authorities found six severed heads along a road in a part of central Mexico where such extreme violence is rare, prosecutors said on Tuesday. The remains were first reported by drivers using a road that links the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala, the prosecutors said. Another head and other human remains were found in the western city of Colima, news outlets said Tuesday. The heads found in Tlaxcala were those of men, the prosecutor's office said as it announced an investigation into the crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local media said that at the site of grisly find there was a pamphlet blaming the violence on a settling of scores between gangs that rob fuel. Messages are often left on victims' bodies by cartels seeking to threaten their rivals or punish behavior they claim violates their rules. Both Puebla and Tlaxcala are home to gangs that deal in drugs and fuel. But these states are new to this kind of extreme violence more common in other parts of Mexico, which is plagued by drug-related brutality. However in recent months bodies have been found in areas near the border between the two states. Extreme violence such as decapitation is more common in northern states and along the Pacific coast. Drug cartels operate in both. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On June 30, authorities found 20 bodies along a road in northwest Sinaloa state, five of them headless. In April 2024, authorities in Mexico found seven bodies with five of them decapitated and another completely dismembered with a message on each corpse in a car left in the middle of traffic on a main expressway. In April 2022, the severed heads of six men were reportedly discovered on top of a Volkswagen abandoned on a busy boulevard in southern Mexico. According to local authorities, a warning sign was reportedly strung from two trees was also found at the gruesome scene. The month before that, six heads and other body parts were found on the roof of a car on the main street of Chilapa in the southern state of Guerrero. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 480,000 people have died in drug-related violence around Mexico since 2006, when the government deployed federal troops to take on the country's powerful drug cartels. Another 130,000 are missing. Last week, Mexico sent 26 high-ranking cartel figures to the United States in the latest major deal with the Trump administration as American authorities ratchet up pressure on criminal networks smuggling drugs across the border. Earlier this month, Mr. Trump directed the military to target drug cartels in Latin America, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to CBS News. It's not clear if or when the military could take action. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum responded by saying there would be "no invasion of Mexico." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine Texas House poised to vote on controversial redistricting plan Trump insists Putin-Zelenskyy meeting is being set up, Budapest emerges as potential location NEED TO KNOW Six severed human heads have been found along a road in Mexico The victims have not been identified though it has been reported that they are all male The heads were discovered in what is widely considered to be a peaceful area Six human heads were found on a road between the Mexican states of Puebla and Tlaxcala. The severed heads were discovered in what are considered to be mostly peaceful regions in the early hours of Tuesday, Aug. 19, according to the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While officials said the heads belonged to men, there have been no additional details surrounding the victims' identities or indication of a motive behind the killings shared publicly, per BBC and CNN. According to local outlet La Jornada, a person called 911 at 6:45 a.m. local time, reporting that they had seen "what appeared to be a human head, on the side of the road." GummyBone/Getty Police car (stock image) Police car (stock image) The heads were reportedly in a state of decomposition, La Jornada reported, with one of the heads being found with a banner that featured a name attributed to a criminal group. It was signed "La Barredora", which translates to "the sweeper," according to the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PEOPLE has contacted the Attorney General's Office of the State of Tlaxcala for further comment. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Police sources told La Jornada that the skin on the heads were peeling off. The banner that was found also reportedly accused alleged perpetrators of carrying out violent activities in the area. Puebla and Tlaxcala are not known to be regions of high cartel crime, per BBC and CNN. The #FGJE opened an investigation into the discovery of six male head limbs near the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala, the Attorney General's Office of the State of Tlaxcala said in a statement on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon learning of the events, Investigative Police officers and experts from the Institute of Forensic Sciences (INCIFO) went to the scene, where they conducted the corresponding examination and began the initial investigation. they continued. Officials added, The #FGJE will continue with the relevant diligence, with the aim of clarifying what happened and imposing responsibility to whoever or those who are responsible. This news comes after 20 bodies were found in Sinaloa, with five being decapitated on a federal highway bridge, according to CNN. Read the original article on People MEXICO CITY, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday denied that her government has agreed with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to launch a joint operation against drug cartels. "There is no agreement with the DEA. The DEA issued the statement, we don't know on what grounds. We have not reached any agreement with the DEA, nor have any of the (Mexican) security agencies," the president said during her morning press conference at the National Palace. "It is important to clear this up," she said, "because any joint communication is done jointly. We do not validate anything issued by a United States government agency that has not been consulted with the Mexican government." "The only thing we have is a group of police officers from the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection who were conducting a workshop in Texas. That's all there is, there's nothing else," she said. She noted that the two governments have been working for several months toward a security agreement, coordinated by the Mexican Foreign Ministry. "This agreement is about to be signed, which is fundamentally based on sovereignty, mutual trust and territorial respect, that is, that each party operates within its own territory, and coordination without subordination," she added. A 60-year-old man was seriously injured after a motorcycle crash on Interstate 70 near the Indiana/Ohio line on Saturday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Wayne County Sheriffs Office wrote in a social media post that deputies assisted a woman searching for her missing boyfriend. His cellphone last pinged on I-70 westbound near the 156 marker, according to a Facebook post. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies found 60-year-old Todd George and his motorcycle in tall grass near an exit ramp. He appeared to lose control and hit sandbags that secured a construction sign before going off the road, the sheriffs office said. Medics transported him to Reid Health. George was later flown to Miami Valley Hospital with serious injuries. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] DANBURY, Conn. (WTHN) 65 individuals in multiple Connecticut cities were arrested over the course of a four-day operation spearheaded by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE), the agency said. All 65 people arrested as part of the operation were in the country illegally, according to ICE, and 29 of them have been either convicted or charged with other crimes. RELATED: 65 undocumented immigrants in Connecticut detained by ICE over a 4-day period Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested are criminals and breaking federal law, but many of these individuals also victimized innocent people and traumatized communities rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators and members of violent transnational criminal gangs, Patricia Hyde, the acting head of ICEs Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Boston, said. Among the individuals characterized by ICE as the worst of the worst: An Ecuadorian man in Danbury who was convicted of a sex assault in 2008 A Guatemalan man in Norwalk convicted of sexual assault, threatening and multiple counts of driving under the influence An El Salvadoran man in Danbury convicted of drug charges, harassment, carrying a prohibited weapon and cruelty to a child ICE said others arrested had been identified as members of international gangs or had criminal histories in their native countries. The announcement did not include any additional details on those claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The multi-day sweep, done in collaboration with agents from the FBI, DEA, ATF and the U.S. Marshals Service, was dubbed Operation Broken Trust by ICE. The operations name is a nod to Connecticuts Trust Act, which broadly limits cooperation between state and local law enforcement and ICE. The act sets strict limits on when Connecticut law enforcement can hand over individuals in their custody to ICE. The act was recently expanded with the support of Gov. Ned Lamont and the Democratic-controlled legislature. RELATED: Democratic states double down on laws resisting Trumps immigration crackdown Sanctuary legislation like Connecticuts Trust Act only endangers the communities it claims to protect, Hyde said. Such laws only force law enforcement professionals to release criminal alien offenders back into the very communities they have already victimized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That statement from Hyde echoes what opponents of the Trust Act in Connecticut have long argued that a lack of cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration agents often forces ICE to pursue individuals out on the streets rather than taking custody of them in the confines of a police station, jail or courthouse. Through a spokesman, Gov. Ned Lamont disputed the characterization of the state as a sanctuary for illegal immigration. Connecticut is not a sanctuary state and we do not condone using terror as a tool for immigration efforts, Rob Blanchard, a Lamont spokesman, said. Blanchard said that the recent ICE operation demonstrates that nothing in Connecticut law prevented immigration officials from conducting these enforcement efforts, contrary to their own agencys assertions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of Lamonts fellow Democrats voiced their opposition to the ICE operation, while also defending one of their own from a wave of criticism related to the immigration sweep. Last Friday, State Rep. Corey Paris, a Democrat from Stamford, posted on his Instagram story warning his followers of reported ICE activity in his district. RELATED: Connecticut state official responds to ICE raids I urge all residents to remain vigilant, stay aware of your surroundings, and, above all, prioritize your safety, Paris wrote in his post. He encouraged anyone with knowledge of ICE activity to share it with local advocacy organizations who can respond quickly and appropriately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after he posted his message, the conservative social media page Libs of TikTok posted on social media accusing Paris of doxxing ICEs live location. Doxxing is a term they typically refers to the public disclosure of private information often addresses and phone numbers. Charge him, the Libs of TikTok post read. Libs of TikTok tagged the accounts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE. Over the weekend, ICE had reposted the Libs of TikTok post, tagging the U.S. Department of Justice. As a result of the national spotlight placed on his statement, Paris said he and his family have received graphic threats. A group of Democratic elected officials gathered Wednesday to voice their support for Paris and condemn the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Corey, we are with you, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said. We have your back. You are not alone. On the other side of the aisle, the states highest-ranking Republican elected official added his voice to the chorus condemning violent threats. Regardless of what occurred or what was said by Representative Paris, nothing warrants the threats hes been receiving, State Sen. Steve Harding, the State Senate Minority Leader, said. Earlier this year, Harding himself was on the receiving end of violent threats targeting the home he lives in with his young family and the home of his parents. It is wrong, its terrible, its disgusting, Harding said of threats of political violence. Its the worst of our politics and it needs to stop. State Senate Minority Leader Sen. Steve Harding and Senior Deputy Republican Leader Sen. Rob Sampson released this statement regarding the detainments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Car washes become target of ICE raids in Connecticut Good. This is excellent news. Connecticuts streets are now safer. Violent offenders are now in custody. The federal government clearly has taken note of Connecticuts super-sanctuary policies, even though Gov. Lamont and Democrats really, really dont want the term sanctuary state applied to our state. The federal government clearly has taken note that Connecticut law under Democrat one-party rule prohibits local and state law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities including for those who have been convicted for violent felonies. Some examples: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some examples: Contamination of water supply or food supply for terrorist purposes Damage to public transportation property for terrorist purposes Strangulation Assault of an elderly/blind or disabled person in the second degree with a firearm So we thank ICE and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi for their focus on Connecticut and their diligence in making Connecticuts streets safer. Connecticut Republicans will continue to stand for law and order, and we will continue to stand with victims of violent crime. Congressman Jim Himes (D-4th District) released the following statement regarding the detainments: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since taking office, Donald Trump has launched a disgusting attack against immigrants in this country. Entirely contemptuous of legal precedent, his administration is more focused on instilling fear than on effectively decreasing crime. Masked ICE agents are targeting schools and churches, dragging people, including legal residents, off the street, and throwing them into inhumane detention centers without recourse. This is the behavior of an authoritarian, not a democratically elected leader. We will not allow MAGA to dehumanize members of our community based on their skin color or ethnicity. A persons legal status does not negate their right to due process in the United States, and I will keep fighting alongside state local leaders to uphold the rights and civil liberties of all of Connecticuts residents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A McLaughlin man has been sentenced to 31 years in prison after sexually abusing a three-year-old. In late 2023, 67-year-old Kurtis Cross was staying at a home in McLaughlin where several young children lived, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. When another family member came home, she noticed a three-year-old terrified in Cross bedroom where he had abused her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. The knock came around 6 a.m. on the morning of Aug. 8, for 71-year-old activist Katherine Hinds. It was surreal, the pounding on the door woke up my entire street, Hinds said. I thought they had a battery ram. Hinds and her husband awoke to find two Connecticut State Police troopers at her Hamden door ready to arrest her, she said. My husband asked for a copy of a warrant, which they did not provide, Hinds said. They handcuffed me and put me in the front seat of the cruiser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hinds, a member of the progressive group Visibility Brigade, has been protesting President Donald Trump and Elon Musk from highway overpasses around the New Haven area, sometimes affixing signs to fencing. The Hamden resident, who filed a formal complaint against Trooper Joshua Jackson last month, alleges she has been the victim of harassment after several visits from Jackson while out protesting. This was the second time in a month that troopers arrested Hinds, according to Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder PC, the law firm that is representing Hinds. She was charged in July with placing unauthorized signs on a highway, breach of peace and trespassing, all misdemeanor offenses. During the second arrest, new charges were brought against Hinds for separate incidents, including second-degree criminal trespass, second-degree breach of peace and unauthorized signs on a highway for what her lawyers said was peacefully holding a sign on a public sidewalk. Why a CT group provides rush hour resistance to connect with voters in protest of Trumps policies Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hinds told the Courant that, only after calling her attorney, was she able to change into appropriate clothing and alleged that no warrant was ever shown to her upon her arrest. Once in the state police cruiser, Hinds alleged that Jackson, the state trooper who handcuffed her, played God Bless the USA on the radio, a known theme at Trumps rallies. Now her lawyers are alleging that Jackson arrested Hinds as possible retribution for filing a complaint against him. Having now received a copy of TFC Jacksons affidavit that he submitted to obtain an arrest warrant for Ms. Hinds, it is clear that he failed to inform the reviewing judge that the person he was seeking to arrest had recently filed a misconduct complaint against him. The new charges also appear to arise from TFC Jacksons unilateral review of Ms. Hindss Facebook page, a review which began after she had already been arrested for essentially the same charges, according to a letter addressed to the Office of the States Attorney from the law firm Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder PC. Attorneys Christopher Mattei, Margaret Donovan, and Douglas Morabito are representing Hinds. Mattei and Donovan have recently helped FBI agents facing scrutiny for their involvement in probes of Trump. Mattei has also represented Sandy Hook families against Alex Jones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For a misdemeanor, this does not happen, period, Donovan said. A 6 a.m. knock on the door arrest? Were talking like taking down a gang or drug related operation. This is something you need to do when you have a dangerous target and you want to catch them by surprise. Or this is done as a show of force or message, which is why this is unacceptable. We work with state police a lot and we are holding out hope this is just an aberration, Donovan said. State police alleged that Hinds and her fellow protestors were in violation of Connecticut Department of Transportation regulations. CTDOT does not require permits for individuals to congregate on pedestrian areas adjacent to the roadway. While a permit is not required, CTDOT is not charged with enforcing the law and defers to law enforcement as to when a probable violation necessitates an arrest be made, said DOT spokesperson Eva Zymaris. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CTDOT does require a permit for certain activities in the state Right-of-Way, such as utility installations, driveway modifications, and private development. Additionally, state regulations prohibit unauthorized signs in the Right-of-Way, such as signage that is installed in the ground or affixed to a structure, such as the fence on a highway overpass. These regulations do not apply to someone holding a sign in the Right-of-Way, Zymaris said in a statement. Unauthorized, disruptive activities on a state roadway or bridge can become a public safety issue which would be appropriate for law enforcement to handle. Regarding hanging any materials on state infrastructure, due to safety concerns, such as driver distraction, materials falling onto vehicles or people below, this would not be permitted by CTDOT, according to regulations.. In the arrest warrant affidavit for Hinds, state police said that on May 19, the trooper was on routine patrol in his marked Connecticut State Police cruiser and just after 8:30 a.m. he allegedly saw a group of people on the Howard Avenue overpass over Interstate 95 in New Haven and multiple large signs were attached to both sides of the overpass. The large signs were affixed to the safety fencing of the overpass with the message Free Khalil and other various anti-Trump, anti-ICE and anti-government political messaging written across the signs. These signs were constructed in similar fashion to the aforementioned signs that were observed on 02/14/2025 and 04/24/2025. Each individual black panel contained a white painted letter and the panels were combined together to spell out the messages and bungee cords were used to attach the panels to the safety fencing, according to the warrant affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This incident was brought to the undersigneds attention due to unusually heavy traffic congestion that was occurring on both directions of the highway in that area. Traffic was backing up in both directions for approximately one half (1/2) of a mile prior to the overpass, the warrant affidavit said. Due to the assembly creating a dangerous distraction to highway traffic and being in violation of Connecticut law and Department of Transportation regulations, the trooper wrote that he made contact with the group that was on overpass and immediately identified Hinds as being the organizer and leader of the assembly. Hinds was immediately ordered to remove the signs that were affixed to the overpass as they were creating heavy traffic congestion in the area and a hazardous situation for the motoring public, as well as emergency vehicles that may need to pass through the area. Hinds and other members of the assembly refused all lawful orders to remove the signs, according to the warrant affidavit. Hinds and other members of the assembly were then given lawful commands to produce a form of identification and/or their names and dates of birth of which all refused to do so. Only one member of the group ultimately produced their identification after numerous lawful commands. The group only began to remove the signs after additional lawful commands were given and after the undersigned began removing the signs for them. The assembly did ultimately end up removing all of the signs and agreed to clear the area, the warrant affidavit said. Due to this assembly being larger than previous ones and other pending calls for service, Hinds was given a third and final verbal warning for this incident and advised that the next offense would result in Hinds arrest. The remainder of the group was advised that it is unlawful to not present their identifications to law enforcement upon request during a criminal investigation, but due to other pending calls for service that required troopers to clear the scene, they would not be charged at this time. The trooper noted that Hinds was arrested on July 19 at the overpass in West Haven, and that he then investigated her Facebook posts about being on highway overpasses with the various signs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police have backed Jackson in the matter and said that he was justified in arresting Hinds. We are aware that this matter has been previously investigated by internal affairs and that probable cause existed to support an arrest in each incident, state police said in a statement. No disciplinary action has been warranted in the matter, state police said. Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com. More than 750 employees across the Department of Health and Human Services sent a signed letter to members of Congress and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday morning, calling on the secretary to stop spreading misinformation. The letter states the deadly shooting that occurred at the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 8 was "not random" and was driven by "politicized rhetoric." Authorities said the 30-year-old gunman -- who killed a police officer in the attack -- had been harboring yearslong grievances with the COVID-19 vaccine. He believed he suffered negative health effects after he got the vaccine, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found written documents at his home indicating that he wanted to make his discontent known. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: 1 week after deadly shooting at CDC, some employees feel Trump and RFK Jr. have moved on The signatories are accusing Kennedy of endangering the lives of HHS employees by spreading misinformation. Kennedy, who oversees the CDC, has peddled vaccine skepticism throughout his career. Before becoming health secretary, Kennedy falsely called the COVID-19 vaccine the "deadliest vaccine ever made." In a statement to ABC News, HHS said, "Secretary Kennedy is standing firmly with CDC employees -- both on the ground and across every center -- ensuring their safety and well-being remain a top priority. In the wake of this heartbreaking shooting, he traveled to Atlanta to offer his support and reaffirm his deep respect, calling the CDC 'a shining star among global health agencies.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For the first time in its 70-year history, the mission of HHS is truly resonating with the American people -- driven by President Trump and Secretary Kennedy's bold commitment to Make America Healthy Again," the statement continued. "Any attempt to conflate widely supported public health reforms with the violence of a suicidal mass shooter is an attempt to politicize a tragedy." Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images - PHOTO: Bullet holes are seen in windows at the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) Global Headquarters following a shooting that left two dead, on August 9, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. In the letter, the employees accused Kennedy of being "complicit in dismantling America's public health infrastructure" and of "repeatedly spreading inaccurate health information." A CDC staffer who signed the letter and asked to remain anonymous due to fears of retribution and safety concerns said she has been frustrated by what she sees as misinformation coming from the nation's top public health officials. "As part of my oath as a public health professional to stay true to the science and help people, it just felt like a I needed to speak up in some way," the staffer told ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the letter, the employees pointed to various examples, such as Kennedy referring to the CDC as a "cesspool of corruption" in a post on X and falsely claiming mRNA vaccines "failed to protect effectively" against COVID and flu. The letter said such "dangerous and deceitful statements and actions" contributed to the harassment and violence experienced by CDC employees. Dr. Shiv Prasad, a scientific review officer at the National Institutes of Health who signed the letter, said he felt compelled to do so for many reasons. "Like my colleagues at the CDC, I am concerned about several things," Prasad, speaking in his personal capacity and not on behalf of NIH or HHS, told ABC News. "One is the misinformation that's being spread, especially concerning vaccines and COVID-19 and it has a way of vilifying federal workers who are working every day to ensure the health of Americans." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He went on, "I'm concerned about the safety of HHS workers ... I think we are all potential targets now." MORE: RFK Jr. cancels at least $500M in mRNA vaccine funding. What are the implications? The letter called on Kennedy to take a number of actions by Sept. 2, including not spreading inaccurate health information, affirming the scientific integrity of the CDC and guaranteeing the safety of the HHS workforce. "Our asks in the letter are genuine, and we certainly hope that Secretary Kennedy will hold true to his oath and do his best to, you know, advance science and affirm that CDC does scientific, nonpartisan work," the CDC staffer said. "We certainly hold that hope, and you know that I would say that our our desire for that, and our hope for that is genuine." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prasad added that he would also like to see action from Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of NIH. Bhattacharya recently supported Kennedy's decision to cancel $500 million in federal funding for mRNA vaccine development, saying the decision was made because "the mRNA platform is no longer viable." Prasad said he and his colleagues would like Bhattacharya "to consider the effect of his words, potential effect on NIH staff, because he has made some comments in the past about the origins of COVID-19 and certainly recently with the NIH moving away from mRNA vaccine technology." "These things are not accepted by the field and, again it's misinformation, and it could lead to it could put us at risk," he continued. ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett contributed to this report. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Marco Rubio defended the conventional understanding of birthright citizenship, which contradicts the view embraced by the administration he currently serves as secretary of state. The contrast is especially striking because Rubio is one of the defendants in federal lawsuits challenging President Donald Trump's attempt to restrict birthright citizenship by executive decree. When New York Times reporter Adam Liptak noted those points this week, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said it was "absurd" that the paper was "wasting time digging around for decade-old made-up stories." Yet Rubio's history on this issue is relevant to the birthright citizenship debate because it illustrates the clash between Trump's idiosyncratic reading of the 14th Amendment and a longstanding, bipartisan consensus about its meaning. The 14th Amendment says "all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof" are "citizens of the United States." An executive order that Trump issued on his first day in office nevertheless purported to exclude U.S.-born children from citizenship when neither parent is a citizen or legal permanent resident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That order is consistent with the 14th Amendment, Trump argues, because the children it covers are not subject to U.S. jurisdiction. The government's lawyers say jurisdiction requires both "primary allegiance" and "permanent domicile"criteria that undocumented immigrants, legal visitors, and authorized temporary residents cannot meet. Trump's position is untenable for reasons that Rubio's attorney, election law specialist Jason Torchinsky, explained in a 2016 motion to dismiss a lawsuit by fringe presidential candidate David Librace. The lawsuit argued that Rubio, then a Florida senator, was not qualified to run for president because his Cuban immigrant parents were not U.S. citizens when he was born. That argument was fundamentally mistaken, Torchinsky said, because Rubio was indisputably born in the United States, which was enough to make him a "natural born citizen"the requirement that Librace claimed Rubio did not meet. "Under the common law of England at the time of the American founding, under U.S. Supreme Court precedent, and under U.S. historical practice," Torchinsky noted, "anyone born in the United States, regardless of ancestry and immigration status of the parents, is a 'natural born citizen' under the Constitution." English common law recognized just two exceptions to the general rule of citizenship by birth: children of diplomats and foreign military invaders, groups that were not subject to English jurisdiction. When the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, Torchinsky wrote, "there was no question that persons born in the United States to foreign parents (who were not diplomats or hostile, occupying enemies) were citizens of the United States by virtue of their birth." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That understanding was apparent in early judicial decisions and in subsequent legislative debates. The Supreme Court confirmed it in 1898, when the justices held that a man who had been born to Chinese parents in San Francisco thereby qualified as a U.S. citizen. The Court recognized one additional exception to birthright citizenship in the American context: Like the offspring of diplomats and foreign enemies, it said, "children of members of the Indian tribes owing direct allegiance to their several tribes," which had quasi-sovereign status, were not subject to U.S. jurisdiction within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. But apart from those three exceptions, the Court ruled, anyone born in the United States automatically becomes a U.S. citizen. The Supreme Court has repeatedly reiterated that principle, holding that even children of unauthorized residents are citizens by birtha position echoed by officials in the executive and legislative branches. This background explains why Rubio's lawyer warned that "entertaining Mr. Librace's argument would jeopardize centuries of precedent." That is precisely what Trump aims to do, but so far his plan has not fared well in the courts. The Supreme Court is expected to take up the issue during its next term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where will Rubio stand then? According to Pigott, the secretary of state is "100 percent aligned with President Trump's agenda." Copyright 2025 by Creators Syndicate Inc. The post 9 Years Ago, Marco Rubio Explained Why Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order Is Unconstitutional appeared first on Reason.com. Governor Greg Abbott signed three housing reform bills into law on August 18 at the Texas Capitol, targeting the states housing affordability crisis with measures that ease development restrictions. The legislation removes barriers for smaller lot sizes, opens commercial zones to residential development, and reforms zoning protest rules. Supporters say the reforms create more flexibility for developers across Texas. Housing affordability is one of the key issues on the minds of Texans today, Abbott said. Thankfully, we have taken large steps to make the American dream of affording a home a reality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 15, authored by Sen. Paul Bettencourt and Rep. Gary Gates, prohibits cities from mandating unreasonably large lot sizes on unplatted tracts exceeding five acres. It also bars municipalities from imposing certain requirements on small lots, including excessive setbacks, covered parking, and permeable surface mandates beyond 30%. Senate Bill 840, authored by Sen. Bryan Hughes and Rep. Cole Hefner, opens office, retail, and warehouse zones in large cities to residential development. It also removes fees and requirements that previously blocked housing construction in commercial areas. House Bill 24, authored by Rep. Angelina Orr, reforms what supporters have labeled the tyrants veto, a process that allowed property owners to block zoning changes through petitions. The measure is expected to make residential rezoning easier and increase housing density. As The Dallas Express previously reported, the 89th Legislative Session placed heavy emphasis on housing affordability, with lawmakers pushing reforms to reduce development barriers and expand access to attainable housing statewide. Abbott thanked lawmakers and housing advocates for working to make Texas the best place to live, work, and raise a family. He was joined by Bettencourt, Hughes, Gates, Hefner, Orr, and housing policy advocates at the ceremony. On August 19, 2013 in Golden City, Missouri, 12-year-old Adriaunna Horton was playing at Hazel Parka park she visits daily with her sisters and friendsbefore she stepped into a pickup truck and wouldnt be found for several days. Hortons friends began looking for her, but it didnt take long before the kids contacted her father and then the police. One of the kids said they saw her getting into a truck. Crime Traveler: The Ft. Leonard Wood Massacre Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pickup truck was found an hour and a half later and a suspect was in custody. The suspect was a family acquaintance, Bobby Bourne. Bourne and Hortons father, James Horton, briefly worked together on a construction job. However, Horton was nowhere to be found. Its not like it was when you and I grew up, we have people come in all the time we dont know who they are or where theyre from, and what upsets me most is she knew this fellow. She played with this guys kids, said Velma Horton, Adriaunnas grandmother. Its unreal. I feel for people when this happens because Ive been fortunate it hasnt happened to me but now it has happened to me. Search crews began using canines, horses, ATVs, and even a helicopter. Day 2 By day two, about 250 volunteers showed up as well as about 500 law enforcement, Fire, and Search and Rescue workers fanned out searching along the creek in Golden City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later that night Bobby Bourne would be behind bars in the Barton County Jail charged with kidnapping and a one million dollar bond. Day 3 We really do appreciate them helping and everyone coming from where they have to look for her and law enforcement, we appreciate what theyre doing we cant thank them enough. There is people out here I dont know, said Cliff Horton, Adriaunnas uncle. Crime Traveler: The chilling murders of the Staudte Family Its a small town. Thats what we do. We help each other but yeah, if it was my granddaughter, I would sure want everyone out here. said Tom Combs a Golden City resident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 1:50 p.m., officers discovered a body buried in a rural area outside of Golden City. It would take another 24 hours to confirm the identity of the body, it was Adriaunna Horton. The community came together in support of Hortons family at her memorial service. In a town of nearly 800 people, roughly 700 packed inside the Golden City High School gym. A horse-drawn carriage took her casket to the cemetery where she was laid to rest. Bobby Bourne Bourne claimed he took the girl to an abandoned residence to question her about the location of her father, James. Bourne claimed that Horton ran away from him, fell down, and died as a result of falling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He led investigators to a wooded area southeast of Golden City where he said Hortons body would be located. When her body was found, investigators observed that she was sexually assaulted. The autopsy would show Horton was strangled to death. Bobby Bourne_2411133612390760595 Bobby Bourne was already facing a kidnapping charge. He was now charged with first-degree murder, first-degree statutory rape, forcible rape and child kidnapping. During his arraignment, Bourne did not enter a plea. Bourne was not a man without a criminal history. In fact, he was reportedly on probation for five years for crimes he committed two years prior to the murder case of Horton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A judge sentenced Bourne to five years probation for the charges of second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer and three counts of domestic assault against his then-wife. She filed for divorce in lieu of the charges involving Horton. Crime Traveler: A Bankers Murder Because Bourne was charged with a crime during probation, he was already facing 15 years in prison prior to the Horton case. Barry County prosecutors would eventually drop the forcible rape charge. The Trial Leading up to the trial, Bourne pleaded not guilty and requested the trial to take place in Buchanan County. According to an article by The Joplin Globe, The ex-wife of Bourne testified that he was abusing drugs, hearing voices and going without sleep in the three days preceding Hortons abduction and slaying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A motive has never been publicly stated, but a prosecutor briefly mentioned the states theory that Bourne did it to get revenge after his wife and the girls father had an affair. The alleged affair occurred while Bourne was in jail. The Horton family, frustrated by how long the process of beginning the trial took, began petitioning for something called Adriaunnas Law. The petitions were meant to create or better enforce laws that demand harsher punishments for child abusers as well as measures that will better protect child abuse victims. bobby bourne_1531516338685.jpg.jpg On July 13, 2018, five years after Horton was abducted and killed, Bobby Bourne pleaded guilty. For more Crime Traveler stories, 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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. Istanbul, Turkiye The fluorescent lights of Adana City Training and Research Hospital cast harsh shadows across Hamed Abu Zerkas gaunt face as he stands beside his six-month-old daughters hospital bed. The 34-year-olds weathered hands tremble as he adjusts Habibas blanket. Abdullah, his four-and-a-half-year-old son, died Tuesday morning in this same room, his small body finally succumbing to the malnutrition that had been slowly consuming him for months as Israel laid siege to Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family became emblems of the Israel-imposed famine on Gazas 2.1 million people when a video of Abdullah went viral weeks ago, the clearly malnourished child screaming in hunger, asking for food, as his mother wept helplessly. Their story captured international attention and prompted the medical evacuation that brought them to Turkiye, which seemed like salvation but came too late for Abdullah. Basma Abu Zerka, 30, sits in the corner holding a small bundle of her sons clothes. She speaks little, crying silently. We lost our child. Were living through tremendous pain, Hamed says, his voice raw. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamed hollowly describes the pain of powerlessly watching his children waste away. His voice cracks as he recalls the final weeks in Gaza, when finding a single tomato became an impossible dream. There isnt even clean drinking water there. Bombs are falling; theres hunger and death everywhere. Abdullah and Habiba needed urgent treatment, Hamed continues, his eyes fixed on his daughter. Every day, they became smaller, weaker. The evacuation to Turkiye came through a Foreign Ministry humanitarian programme, with Turkish officials working diplomatic channels to secure the familys passage. But the process took weeks time that Abdullahs failing body couldnt afford. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turkish officials contacted us and were with us until we arrived here, Hamed explains. We thank everyone who contributed to helping us. But we arrived carrying children who were already ghosts of themselves. The flight to Adana was the first time either child had left Gaza. Abdullah, barely conscious from malnutrition, likely had no awareness of the journey. Habiba, younger and slightly more resilient, cried weakly during takeoff. Medical battle against time At the Adana hospital, medical staff recognised the severity of the childrens conditions. Abdullah arrived with severe complications stemming from prolonged malnutrition: organ dysfunction, immune system collapse, and developmental delays that spoke to months of inadequate nutrition. Hamed and Basma Abu Zerka with Habiba as she lies in a hospital bed [Bekir Omer Fansa/Anadolu Agency} Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr Mehmet Yilmaz, the hospitals chief of paediatric intensive care, has treated numerous children evacuated from conflict zones, but the Abu Zerka siblings conditions shocked even experienced medical staff. These children often arrive with damage that has been building for months, he explains. For 10 days, medical teams worked around the clock to save Abdullah, administering specialised nutrition therapy, treating severe dehydration, and monitoring his vital organs as they struggled to function. But the boys body, depleted by months of hunger, couldnt respond to treatment. He was so small, recalls Nurse Ayse Demir, who cared for Abdullah during his final days. Even with all our equipment, all our medicine, we couldnt undo what months of starvation had done to his little body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United Nations estimates that over 90 percent of Gazas population faces severe food insecurity, with children particularly vulnerable to malnutrition-related complications. Fighting for Habiba Six-month-old Habiba fights the same battle her brother fought and lost. Her tiny frame tells the same story of prolonged hunger arms like twigs, ribs visible beneath translucent skin, eyes that seem too large for her face. Medical staff are cautiously optimistic about her recovery prospects, noting that her younger age may have protected her from some of the more severe complications. Her parents maintain a vigil that blends hope with mourning, sleeping in chairs beside her bed, eating hospital meals while remembering family dinners back home in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple doesnt know what will come next. Their return to Gaza is contingent on Habibas recovery and the situation in their homeland. Meanwhile, they must process their loss far away from extended family, cultural rituals, and the familiarity that typically provides comfort during mourning. Abdullah was cremated in the Gulbahcesi neighbourhood cemetery in Adana, a quiet ceremony attended by locals who had never met the child but understood the universal language of parental loss. Imam Mehmet Tasci led prayers in Arabic while Turkish neighbours stood respectfully beside the grieving family. We buried our son in a foreign land, Hamed says, his voice breaking completely. He should have grown up running through Gazas streets, playing with neighbourhood children, learning prayers from his grandmother. Instead, his grave is thousands of kilometres from everyone who should have watched him grow. Local mosque leaders and Turkish families in the neighbourhood have organised ongoing support for the Palestinian family, providing meals and emotional assistance during their extended hospital stay. The cost of survival People ask when we will go home, Hamed explains. But how do you return to a place where you watched your children waste away? How do you go back to the rooms where your son cried for food you couldnt provide? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turkiye has been one of the most active countries in providing medical evacuations for Gaza patients, with hundreds of Palestinians receiving treatment in Turkish hospitals since the conflict began. However, the World Health Organization reports that only a fraction of those needing medical evacuation from Gaza have been able to leave. Abdullah Abu Zerka lived for four and a half years, most of them in wartime. Today, his parents grieve his loss while fighting to save their remaining child. The piece was published in collaboration with Egab. NEW YORK (PIX11) New York City Health and Hospitals received over $10 million to support abortion care at its 11 hospitals over the next three years. The funds are provided by the New York State Abortion Access Program. They will be used to support providers, purchase new equipment, supplies, and abortion doulas, the hospital announced Tuesday. More Local News I am thrilled that Governor Hochul and other state-level leaders have chosen to continue allocating resources toward this essential healthcare service, said NYC Health + Hospitals System Director of Complex Family Planning Marisa Nadas. Abortion care is vital to New Yorkers having agency over their lives and reaching their full potential. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, the hospital system provided over 6,000 abortions. Abortion has been legal under New York State law since 1970, three years before the Roe v. Wade decision was legalized, according to a New York State website. Though Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, abortion is protected under Proposition One, an amendment in the New York Constitution. 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Key Points Cardano's peer-reviewed approach sets it apart from other cryptocurrencies. The risk is that Cardano will develop too slowly, costing it market share. 10 stocks we like better than Cardano Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) is a cryptocurrency that sometimes goes against the grain. Its ADA token is a proof-of-stake cryptocurrency, which means the tokens can be staked to earn rewards. The man behind it, Charles Hoskinson, was also a co-founder of Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). Image source: Getty Images. Cardano's biggest selling point In an industry that's often focused on short-term gains, Cardano is built to last. Each step of its development has been peer-reviewed and carefully thought through. It is designed to scale easily and work with other blockchains. The Cardano team is also more outward-looking than other cryptocurrencies and focused on real-world use cases. For example, it has been working in Africa and Asia for years to promote financial inclusion -- spreading financial tools to more people. It spent several years creating a blockchain-based way to track education records in Ethiopia. The project didn't succeed, but the technology played a key part in Cardano's decentralized identity work. That could be increasingly important in the real world as we grapple with ongoing data breaches. Cardano's biggest risk However, Cardano's slow-and-steady approach could be too slow, costing it market share. Once developers start using a particular coding language or platform, it takes a lot to make them switch. And blockchains like Cardano need users and developers if they are to grow and stay relevant. Cardano didn't launch its smart contract capabilities until 2021. That's later than other cryptocurrencies like Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) and Tezos (CRYPTO: XTZ). Smart contracts are crucial for layer 1 blockchains as they make them programmable. Its late start is one reason the Cardano ecosystem currently has a fraction of the applications of other top cryptocurrencies. Cardano has long-term potential It's still early days in the smart contract crypto race, and there's a lot to play for. That relative infancy makes it important that crypto investments are part of a wider, balanced portfolio. For Cardano, crypto's next chapter could present an opportunity. As crypto becomes more mainstream, its dependability may appeal to non-crypto businesses. And if security and scalability become more important than speed and transaction costs, developers may well switch to Cardano. Should you buy stock in Cardano right now? Before you buy stock in Cardano, consider this: Attorneys for Kilmar Abrego Garcia are asking the federal judge overseeing his criminal case to throw out the human smuggling charges hes facing, alleging the Justice Department singled him out for prosecution after he challenged his wrongful deportation to El Salvador earlier this year. The request made Tuesday to US District Judge Waverly Crenshaw in Nashville comes several days before Abrego Garcia is expected to be released from criminal custody pending his trial on the federal charges. The 35-page filing to Crenshaw accuses President Donald Trumps Justice Department of prosecuting the criminal case as retribution for Abrego Garcias protracted legal fight against the governments deportation of him in mid-March. The Maryland father of three was wrongly deported in violation of an earlier court order that expressly forbade his removal to El Salvador. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Abrego responded to the governments shocking, illegal conduct by filing a lawsuit. Rather than fix its mistake and return Mr. Abrego to the United States, the government fought back at every level of the federal court system, his attorneys wrote in the filing. And at every level, Mr. Abrego won. This case results from the governments concerted effort to punish him for having the audacity to fight back, rather than accept a brutal injustice. The lawyers are asking Crenshaw, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, to throw out the two criminal counts brought against him earlier this year based on their assertion that hes the subject of selective or vindictive prosecution. Those motions are infrequently made and rarely succeed. But if there has ever been a case for dismissal on those grounds, this is that case. The government is attempting to use this case and this Court to punish Mr. Abrego for successfully fighting his unlawful removal. That is a constitutional violation of the most basic sort, they wrote in court papers. The Indictment must be dismissed. The filing points to statements made by various administration officials from Trump to Attorney General Pam Bondi to make the case that his prosecution is intended to justify officials false claims that deporting him to El Salvador had been the right thing to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And it points out that the traffic stop that is at the center of the governments case against him occurred years earlier a fact his lawyers claim is sufficient to establish discriminatory effect. In total, it took the government 903 days after the traffic stop in this case on November 30, 2022 to obtain an indictment on May 21, 2025, they wrote, adding that they couldnt find any similar case within the federal circuit that hears appeals arising from Tennessee and several other states. Abrego Garcias trial is set to begin in January 2026. Katheryn Millwee holds a portrait of Kilmar Abrego Garcia outside the federal courthouse Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) - George Walker IV/AP/File Last month, Crenshaw declined to undo a separate judges decision to let Abrego Garcia remain free while he awaits trial. But hes remained behind bars after the magistrate judge in his case paused her release order for a month. That pause is expected to end later this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the federal judge in Maryland overseeing the case Abrego Garica and his family brought against officials to secure his return to the US from El Salvador has barred the administration from quickly deporting him again once hes released from criminal custody. That ruling from US District Judge Paula Xinis, also an Obama appointee, is meant to do two things: Restore Abrego Garcia to the immigration position he was in before his deportation in mid-March and ensure his due process rights arent violated again should officials try to remove him from the US a second time. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Abrupt and potentially irreversible changes in Antarctica driven by climate change could lift global oceans by meters and lead to "catastrophic consequences for generations," scientists warned Wednesday. More broadly, a state-of-knowledge review by a score of top experts revealed accelerating shifts across the region that are often both a cause and effect of global warming, according to a study published in Nature, a peer-reviewed international scientific journal. The study's authors suggest that limiting CO2 emissions, and in turn preventing global warming from exceeding at least 1.5 degrees Celsius, "will be imperative" to reduce and prepare for the broad effects of abrupt Antarctic and Southern Ocean changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Antarctica is showing worrying signs of rapid change across its ice, ocean and ecosystems," lead author and Australian National University professor Nerilie Abram told the Agence France-Presse. "Some of these abrupt changes will be difficult to stop." Shifts in different facets of Antarctica's climate system amplify each other and have accelerated the pace of warming globally as well, Abram said. The study looked at evidence of abrupt change or "regime shifts" in sea ice, regional ocean currents, the continent's ice sheet and ice shelves, and marine life. It also examined how they interact. Floating sea ice does not significantly add to sea level when it melts, but its retreat does replace white surfaces that reflect almost all of the sun's energy back into space with deep blue water, which absorbs the same amount instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ninety percent of the heat generated by manmade global warming is soaked up by oceans. Retreating sea ice After increasing slightly during the first 35 years that satellite data was available, Antarctic sea ice cover plunged dramatically over the last decade. Since 2014, sea ice has retreated on average 120 kilometers, or roughly 75 miles, from the continent's shoreline. That contraction has happened about three times faster in 10 years than the decline in Arctic sea ice over nearly 50. By July 2025, daily sea ice extent in both hemispheres was at its third lowest in the 47-year satellite record, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data from NASA, released in 2020, indicated that Antarctica and Greenland had lost thousands of gigatons of ice between 2003 and 2019, indirectly contributing to more than half an inch of overall sea level rise around the world. Last September, scientists warned that the Antarctic Ice Sheet, officially called the Thwaites Glacier, would deteriorate "further and faster," with the increased melting expected to trigger rising sea levels. Research conducted by the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, a collective of more than 100 scientists, found that the volume of water flowing into the sea from the Thwaites glacier and others nearby had doubled from the 1990s to the 2010s. The "overwhelming evidence of a regime shift in sea ice" means that, on current trends, Antarctica could essentially become ice free in summer sooner than the Arctic, the recent study published Wednesday in Nature found. This will speed up warming in the region and beyond, and could push some marine species toward extinction, experts warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the last two years, for example, helpless emperor penguin chicks perished at multiple breeding grounds, drowning or freezing to death when sea ice gave way earlier than usual under their tiny feet. Of five sites monitored in the Bellingshausen Sea region in 2023, all but one experienced a 100% loss of chicks, earlier research reported. Unlike sea ice, ice sheets and the ice shelves to which they are connected are on or supported by land. The world would need to heat up by 5 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial levels to melt the entire Antarctic ice sheet, which would lift global oceans an almost unimaginable 58 meters, or nearly 200 feet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Point of no return Global warming to date on average about 1.3 degrees Celsius is fast approaching a threshold that would cause part of the ice sheet to generate at least three meters of sea level rise, flooding coastal areas inhabited today by hundreds of millions, the study said. "Unstoppable collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is one of the most concerning global tipping points," said Abram. "The evidence points to this being triggered at global warming well below 2C." Another potential risk is the collapse of the Antarctic Overturning Circulation, a system of ocean currents that distribute heat and nutrients within the the region and globally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A "rapid and substantial slowdown" of the currents has already begun, and evidence from the previous interglacial period between two ice ages before our own, 125,000 years ago, points to an abrupt stagnation of the system under conditions similar to those seen today. "This would lead to widespread climate and ecosystem impacts," ranging from an intensification of global warming to a decrease in the ocean's capacity to absorb CO2, the study reported. Ultimately, the only way to slow down the interlocking changes is to stop adding more planet-warming gases into the atmosphere. "The greenhouse gas emission decisions that we make over the coming decade or two will lock in how much ice we will lose and how quickly it will be lost," Abram said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine The most widespread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines this year Court blocks Texas law requiring public classrooms to display Ten Commandments A retired fire inspector from Bird Creek, Alaska, received an unexpected gift: a brand-new Ural motorcycle, presented as a personal gift from Russian President Vladimir Putin, following a chance encounter with Russian state media journalists. Mark Warren, the recipient, recounted the unusual series of events that began on August 6 while he was riding his sidecar Ural motorcycle in downtown Anchorage. Two Russian journalists approached him at an intersection, asking about his bike. There were two gentlemen at an intersection that stopped me, and they identified themselves as Russian journalists, and they were interested in why I had the bike, Warren said, as reported by Alaskas News Source. It was purely just information about the bike, why I bought it, and about what I did to fix it up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warren explained that it had become difficult and expensive to find parts for it since the war in Ukraine. The journalists filmed Warren discussing his motorcycle, a Ural model originally manufactured in Russia and now assembled in Kazakhstan since 2022. During the conversation, they asked his opinion about the upcoming U.S.-Russia summit in Anchorage. I just said, I just hope something good comes out of it, Warren recalled, per Anchorage Daily News (ADN). On August 13, one of the journalists contacted Warren, informing him that the clip had gone viral in Russia and had reached Putin. The journalist said the Russian president wanted to gift Warren a new Ural motorcycle. Initially skeptical, Warren described the offer as batst crazy, suspecting a scam. I said call me when its off base, because at this point I just felt, this is so random and so strange that I felt apprehensive about this being actually really going to happen this doesnt just happen. I know no one from the Russian Embassy, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the August 15 Trump-Putin summit at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson ended without a Ukraine war ceasefire agreement, Warren received another call from a Russian official. He calls and says, We have your bike, Warren said, per ADN. Its on the base, but were trying to figure out how to get it to you. The motorcycle, a khaki green Ural Gear-Up valued at about $22,000, had reportedly arrived from Russia on Putins jet. On August 16, Warren and his wife met with Russian officials at the Lakefront Hotel in Spenard, where a camera crew unveiled the motorcycle. This is a personal gift from the president of the Russian Federation, an official told Warren, as captured in Russian state media footage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warren rode the bike briefly for the cameras and later trailered it home, still navigating customs and titling issues. Paperwork indicates the bike was manufactured on August 12 in Russia. A document from the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the U.S. confirmed the gift, stating, The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the United States of America on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir V. Putin, transfers as an act of giving the following property: Motorcycle Gear-Up,. No explanation for the gift was provided, and the embassy did not respond to inquiries from Alaskas News Source. Warren expressed bewilderment at the gesture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no reason why they could have should give me a bike. I havent done anything for them or to them, and I dont know anybody, he said. So yeah, its so absolutely astronomically random that it was hard for me to understand why this happens. Matter of fact, I still dont know why. Despite the controversy surrounding Putin, who faces U.S. sanctions and an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes in Ukraine, Warren accepted the gift without hesitation, though he acknowledged public criticism. I pissed off all sorts of people, he said. I took it. I could have not taken it, and probably pissed off just as many people as doing that. I dont care. He emphasized that he does not see himself as part of Russian propaganda, stating, Theyre getting nothing from me. Nothing. Russian state media described the gift as a goodwill gesture to Americans. Warren plans to sell his older Ural and ride the new one, calling it a good bike, per ADN. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Linda Frank understands the deep pain of losing a loved one without warning. But this death is different. In 2015, my son, Lamar Johnson, was pulled over for a traffic ticket in Baker. He was taken to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, and four days later, he was found hanging in his cell, said Frank. Frank, along with other families who lost loved ones in jail, wants better handling of inmate deaths in prisons. Recently, inmates have died in East Baton Rouge and West Baton Rouge prisons. This has raised concerns about the treatment of people in jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What were the conditions that led up to this happening and how was it allowed to persist to the level that it has for the numbers that we have since we started counting in 2012? Theres been over 80 deaths in that jail. And so, you have to ask yourself that this is not a one-off, she said. Sherie Thomas, Executive Director of the Justice and Accountability Center of Louisiana, has asked the same questions. East Baton Rouge have the highest number of deaths per capita in the nation. And so, we realize that this is not an isolated incident for West Baton Rouge, but we definitely need to identify how the deaths are occurring in custody, said Thomas. Thomas works to help those in jail turn their lives around. But she also tries to save them from harm inside prison walls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FBI looking for potential Louisiana victims of former gymnastics coach charged with sexual exploitation of children She helped pass a law in 2023. This law aims to provide the public with more information about prison conditions. There are no set policies for reporting deaths for jails in Louisiana. And so, once we obtain more data, we can look at the trends and be able to identify where the problems are and how the solutions can be most effective, she said. Frank said its love that drives her to keep fighting for justice for her son and others who suffered in jail. She said if the public knows more, then people can help stop the issue before it gets worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The community has to be involved in demanding that those in administration, the share of the metro council, be held accountable for the conditions and the treatment of the citizens that they are paid to protect while they are awaiting their day in court, said Frank. 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. BULLARD, Texas (KETK) A former bookkeeper was arrested after she allegedly embezzled over $67,000 from an East Texas construction company. According to a Smith County arrest affidavit, on July 7, the owners of the construction company based in Bullard contacted the Bullard Police Department and reported that their bookkeeper, Danielle Marie Stanley, had been embezzling funds from their business accounts over the past year. Authorities seek second suspect in Polk County tractor theft Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The owners explained that Stanley had been stealing funds from two business accounts by writing unauthorized checks to herself totaling around $67,670.84 without their consent. Stanley has been employed with the company since May 31, 2023, and has never been permitted to sign checks on either of the business accounts. Mugshot of Danielle Marie Stanley, courtesy of Smith County Jail On July 3, one of the owners believed the business accounts looked to be low in funds and made a comment to the other owner that she believed there was supposed to be more money in the account. [One owner] stated that she began to conduct an internal audit of [the companys] financial documents, the affidavit said. This audit revealed approximately $7,000 in fraudulent checks that Stanley wrote to herself. The owners believed that Stanley knew that they had found out about the funds being stolen, and learned that Stanley told a witness that she had been stealing funds from the business accounts. On July 5, this witness revealed to [one owner] that Stanley had confessed to doing something bad and that she stole the money from the construction companys business account to pay off credit card debt, the document said. On the morning of July 7, the owners confronted Stanley about the theft, and she agreed she would pay them back and would meet them at the bank. Stanley agreed to pay back a total of $9,439.61 to the business accounts, the affidavit said. Even with Stanleys payment of $9,439.61 leaves the amount of $58,231.23 stolen from the [companys] accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three teens arrested after stealing East Texas school bus The owner later continued the audit of financial documents and found multiple other unauthorized checks made out to Stanley and her bank to pay her credit cards and mortgage. Further investigation revealed that Stanley altered entries in the [companys] accounting software (QuickBooks) to conceal the unauthorized disbursements. Specifically, Stanley changed the payee or expense category in QuickBooks to make it appear as though the payments were for legitimate business expenses, such as office supplies and software or edited the payees description to make it appear as if the checks were being issued to contractors that were doing work for [the company], when in fact the checks were being deposited into Stanleys bank accounts. Smith County arrest affidavit Bullard PD said that the alterations in QuickBooks further showed an intent to conceal the theft and mislead the owners. The owners also told police that the checks written by Stanley were forged with their signatures. Officers saw copies of the checks that were signed in handwriting inconsistent with that of the owners. According to the affidavit, Stanleys first unauthorized check was on May 3, 2024, and her last one was on June 5, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stanley was arrested on Aug. 13 for theft of property, but posted her $100,000 bond the same day. You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. The death toll from a bus crash in western Afghanistan has risen to 79, after two survivors died from their injuries, an interim Taliban administration official said. The incident occurred late on Tuesday in Herat provinces Guzara district, when a passenger bus carrying Afghan returnees from Iran struck a motorcycle and a fuel truck, triggering a huge fire. At least 19 children were among those killed, Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesman for the interim Interior Ministry, told reporters in Kabul on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mohammad Janan Moqadas, chief physician at the military hospital, said many bodies were too badly burned to be identified. A journalist with the AFP news agency reported that cleanup crews were working on Wednesday to remove the burned-out bus and the twisted wreckage of the other vehicles. There was a lot of fire There was a lot of screaming, but we couldnt even get within 50 metres to rescue anyone, witness Akbar Tawakoli, 34, told AFP. Only three people were saved from the bus. They were also on fire and their clothes were burned. Abdullah, 25, another witness, told AFP, I was very saddened that most of the passengers on the bus were children and women. Security personnel stand guard at the site of a bus crash in Guzara district of Herat province on August 20, 2025 [Mohsen Karimi/AFP] The bus was transporting Afghans recently expelled from Iran to the capital, Kabul, provincial spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi said. The central government has ordered an investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the loss of numerous Afghan lives and the injuries sustained in a tragic bus collision and subsequent fire in Herat province last night, it said in a statement. More than 1.5 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan this year alone, according to the United Nations migration agency, as both countries step up deportations after decades of hosting Afghan refugees. Many arrive with little means and face dire conditions in a country battling poverty and mass unemployment. The state-run Bakhtar News Agency described the incident as one of Afghanistans deadliest accidents in recent years. In December 2023, two separate bus crashes involving tankers killed 52 people, while in March 2024, another 20 died in a collision in Helmand province. In late 2022, a tanker overturned in the Salang Pass, igniting a fire that killed 31. (WBRE/WYOU) Attorney General Dave Sunday joined a coalition calling on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to take action on the ban of a drug linked to deaths in Pennsylvania and across the country. In a letter to DEA Administrator Terry Cole, 21 Attorneys General issued a warning on bromazolam, a dangerous and unregulated designer drug often referred to as designer Xanax. According to the release, the synthetic drug is highly potent and unpredictable, especially when mixed with opioids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Designer benzodiazepines, such as bromazolam, appeared in Pennsylvania starting in 2022, when they were part of 59 overdose deaths, with bromazolam most commonly found, AG Sunday stated. That figure nearly tripled a year later, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Authorities noted that Narcan is ineffective against the drug in overdose emergencies. It is a race to stay ahead of drug traffickers when dealing with synthetic drugs, and lives depend on immediate action that will give law enforcement the tools to proactively target traffickers. This substance has no legitimate purpose and is becoming far too common in Pennsylvania and across the nation. Attorney General Dave Sunday Authorities reported that some drug traffickers selling bromazolam are incorrectly labeling the drug as legal prescription drugs or they may be adding bromazolam to other drugs, including fentanyl, other opioids, or methamphetamine. Attorney General Sunday joined the Kentucky-led letter along with Attorneys General from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to 28/22 News. Attorney General Keith Ellison at a press conference on Feb. 9, 2024. Photo by Madison McVan/Minnesota Reformer. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued the Trump administration for the 35th time this year, this time alleging that the federal government is illegally placing conditions on funds for services and resources for crime victims. Ellison joined 20 other attorneys general in filing the suit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Victims of Crime Act, signed by President Ronald Regan in 1984, created grant programs to pay for victim and witness advocacy services; emergency shelter; medical, funeral, and burial expenses; crime scene cleanup; sexual assault forensic exams; and more. This year, the U.S. Department of Justice, which administers the program, imposed new conditions on the grants, mandating that they may not be used for any program or activity that, directly or indirectly, violates (or promotes or facilitates the violation of) federal immigration lawincluding by failing togive access to DHS agents, or honor DHS requests and provide requested notice to DHS agents. In other words, states and the organizations that provide crime victim services, like domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, child advocacy centers cant access the funds without agreeing to cooperate with President Donald Trumps immigration priorities. Crime victims deserve so much better than to be used as political leverage, so I am filing a lawsuit to put an end to that and make sure victims get the support and compensation they deserve, Ellison said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past four years, Minnesota has received an average of nearly $2 million per year in Victims of Crime Act grants. Last year, grant recipients served more than 115,000 individuals in Minnesota, according to DOJ data. The lawsuit alleges that the DOJ violated the Administrative Procedure Act, which requires federal agencies to work within the language of the law approved by Congress the Victims of Crime Act makes no mention of immigration. The lawsuit also accuses the federal government of violating the separation of powers outlined in the Constitution by refusing to spend money allocated by Congress. Colstrip Power Plant (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan). What is it about top executives in monopoly utilities that makes them want to play cowboy capitalists? Case in point is NorthWestern Energys plan to provide power to gigantic data centers. With great ballyhoo across the state, NorthWestern Energy announced it signed a letter of intent to provide as much as 1,000 megawatts of electricity to Quantica Infrastructure for its proposed data center. Thats more than their current total electric load of 760 megawatts. That amount of power would use all of NorthWesterns existing generation capacity. You would think that this monopoly business and its top brass would be satisfied with its current situation. In exchange for providing power to its current customer base (thats us), they receive a virtual guarantee they will not lose their investment for any reason. They also get a guaranteed rate of return on their investments that hovers around 10%. That is for the entire life of the facility regardless of economic conditions or competition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In exchange for running this sleepy little monopoly, which is headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, their current CEO, Brian Bird, received $4.8 million in 2024. The 2023 corporate proxy statement lists Board Chairwoman Linda Sullivan receiving an annual retainer of $150,000 plus 3,750 shares of stock. Current price per share is around $55. For comparison, the manager of Flathead Electric Cooperative, the largest public power provider in Montana, receives just under $550,000 per year. But now NorthWestern wants to take on a lot of risk building new facilities and making investments betting on the latest fashion trend to come down the pike data centers. And if they miss their bet, we all suffer the consequences. Maybe the business booster crowd needs a history lesson. In 1971, the Bureau of Reclamation released the North Central Power Study. The plan called for massive coal development on the northern plains. In Montana alone, they envisioned 17 coal plants roughly the size of the Colstrip plants. Of course, the Montana Power Company (NorthWestern Energys predecessor) and other corporate interests in Montana were all for it. For them, the environmental degradation and negative impact on existing ag producers and others were worth the cost. But ranchers, Native tribes, and many others were not convinced. They organized to oppose the massive development being proposed by the coal and utility industries. In the end, only four plants were built and owned by a consortium of utilities. It also spawned two of the most powerful citizen groups in the state The Montana Environmental Information Center and Northern Plains Resource Council. To this day, they remain actively engaged in protecting Montanas people and environment from corporate interests seeking a quick dollar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fast forward to 1997 and the electric deregulation fiasco. Management of the Montana Power Company became bored with the stodgy old regulated utility business. So they decided to sell off the power plants and power lines they owned. They took all of that money and dumped it into Touch America, a fledgling telecommunications company. In short order, Touch America went bankrupt and all of that money evaporated. Montana suffered through years of economic chaos. We went from some of the lowest customer rates in the country to some of the highest rates in the Northwest. NorthWestern is now proposing significant rate increases on a regular basis, while still trying to acquire worn out, expensive coal plants in the Colstrip complex. In the emerging world of huge data centers serving everything from artificial intelligence to cryptocurrency ponzi schemes, NorthWestern sees a new shiny object on the horizon: Huge electric loads required by data centers. Unfortunately, this confronts us when the national government is run by delusional ideologues. Here in Montana, billionaire tech moguls and far-right legislators are running state government. The Public Service Commission, which should be protecting us from the greed of corporate CEOs, looks more like the clown show in a three-ring circus. Strap in and hold onto your wallets, folks. Its gonna be a wild ride. Ken Toole served on the Public Service Commission from 2007 to 2011. He was a member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, serving as its chairman in 2005. He served as the vice chair of the Senate Taxation Committee in 2005. He was also the President of The Policy Institute, a private group which conducted research on economic issues including energy and taxation. AHN Saint Vincent Cancer Institute is hosting a cancer screening clinic on Oct. 11 in Grove City, offering a range of screenings for both AHN and non-AHN patients. The clinic will provide screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal, head and neck, lung, prostate, and skin cancers. Registration is open to all patients, regardless of insurance status, but appointments are required by calling 814-452-5960. This one-day clinic offers a convenient opportunity to receive several critical cancer screenings in a single visit. The screenings are available for various age groups, including breast cancer screenings for those aged 40-74 and lung cancer screenings for individuals aged 50-80 with a history of cigarette smoking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last event held at AHN Saint Vincent on April 5 drew 79 attendees who received 121 screenings. Of those screenings, 81% provided normal results and 19% yielded abnormal results. The AHN Cancer Institute has been offering comprehensive cancer screenings since 2014. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. Certain deficits in human skills such as creativity and critical thinking could hinder the adoption of artificial intelligence tools in the workplace, according to an Aug. 6 report from Multiverse. Learning scientists identified 13 human skillsets that are critical for successful AI implementation: analytical reasoning, creativity, systems thinking, AI ethics, cultural sensitivity, curiosity, self-regulated learning, detail orientation, adaptability, determination, empathy, tailored communication and effective feedback. Leaders are spending millions on AI tools, but their investment focus isnt going to succeed. They think its a technology problem when its really a human and technology problem, Gary Eimerman, chief learning officer at Multiverse, said in a statement. Without a deliberate focus on capabilities like analytical reasoning and creativity, as well as culture and behaviors, AI projects will never deliver up to their potential. Multiverse researchers identified the skillsets by conducting qualitative and observational studies with AI power users, as well as insights from upskilling workers in AI use. The 13 human skills sit alongside technical skills such as prompt engineering, AI model evaluation and AI process modeling as upskilling priorities, according to the report. Overall, the 13 skills fall into four overarching categories cognitive skills, AI responsibility, self-management skills and communication that help workers effectively implement AI. Put together, the skillsets allow employees to reason, make decisions, seek feedback and ethically use technology to achieve desired objectives. During the research, for instance, principles related to ethical oversight, output verification and creative experimentation were significant differentiators for AI power users. Upskilling in these areas can help workers move from passive AI use to active innovation, the report found. Workplace AI use can come with tradeoffs, both enhancing employee ideas but also reducing diversity of thought and the benefits of brainstorming activities, according to a study from the University of Pennsylvania. Human skills remain critical, the researchers said, and employers could face setbacks by not taking that into account. In fact, 3 in 5 employers say soft skills are more important today than five years ago, according to a TestGorilla report. Using a holistic approach to evaluate job candidates including their skills, values, personality and cultural fit leads to better results in the hiring process, most employers said. For many people, AI has become a tool for work, trip planning and more, and while it has certain productivity and creativity benefits, it also comes with negatives such as its environmental impact and the fact that it can replace jobs (and, in turn, cause layoffs). Beyond this, more and more news has come out about the dangerous impact it can have on emotional and mental health, including a relatively new phenomenon known as AI psychosis. Psychosis is when a person is having a really difficult time figuring out whats real and whats not ... sometimes they may be aware of it, sometimes they might not be, explained Katelynn Garry, a licensed professional clinical counselor with Thriveworks in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Advertisement Advertisement Psychosis can be triggered by lots of things, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression, along with certain medications, sleep deprivation, drugs and alcohol, Garry noted. In the case of AI psychosis, its defined as cases where people have increasing delusional thoughts that are either amplified by AI and possibly induced by AI, said Dr. Marlynn Wei, a psychiatrist, AI and mental health consultant, and founder of The Psychology of AI. AI psychosis is not a clinical diagnosis, but is instead a phenomenon thats been reported anecdotally, explained Wei. Like AI technology, AI psychosis is a new condition that experts are learning every day. Its not yet clear if AI use alone can cause this, but it can be a component that contributes to delusional thoughts and amplifies them, she said. Related: Real Therapists vs. ChatGPT: We Compared Their Advice, And There Are Major Pros And Cons It also doesnt look the same in every person. Theres different categories of delusions hyper-religious or spiritual delusions when people believe the AI chatbot is a God ... theres grandiose delusions where people believe ... they have special knowledge. And then theres also romantic delusions, which is when someone believes theyre in a relationship with AI, Wei explained. Advertisement Advertisement No matter what kind of psychosis someone is dealing with, AI is based on user-engagement and is taught to validate inputs, explained Wei. People are using these general purpose [large language models], like ChatGPT, initially, to validate their views, but then it spins off and amplifies [and] it kind of validates and amplifies their delusion, Wei added. AI can feed the delusions that accompany psychosis, added Garry. Since AI is meant to agree with you, if you want to get a certain answer out of AI, you can pose questions that easily make that happen, noted Garry. So, AI can seemingly back up delusional thoughts, making them seem even more real. It's important to have guard rails around when and how you use AI. Oscar Wong via Getty Images There are certain groups who are more vulnerable when it comes to AI use. The use of AI chatbots is not inherently dangerous, and not everyone is at risk of AI-induced psychosis. While some people will be able to use AI safely, whether for work, weekly meal planning or vacation planning, others wont be able to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Research is ongoing to determine who is at higher risk of AI psychosis, but those who are more vulnerable seem to include folks with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, severe depression and bipolar disorders, said Wei. Although, it can also occur in folks with no known mental health history, Wei added. Certain medications can also put someone at higher risk of psychosis, Garry said. In terms of what might be risk factors, I dont think we know, but just from understanding, I think the risk factors are people who are more socially isolated, dont have social support, maybe lonely or in a more vulnerable position ... over-reliance [on AI] and creating a dependence on it, an emotional dependence, Wei said. Theres no research, so we dont know. These are just hypotheses, noted Wei. If youre worried about a loved ones AI use (or your own), Garry said there are some things you should look out for. Advertisement Advertisement Are they feeling like someone is out to harm them? ... Are they sleeping? Are they isolating from others? Are they staying up all night to talk to chat? Are they not going out and having real conversations with real people? Garry said. These are all red flags. If someone struggles to stop using AI for a period of time like taking a break from AI when they go on vacation or out for the work day or has a bad reaction when asked to limit their use, you should take notice. If you or a loved one exhibits these behaviors you should seek help from a mental health professional, Garry said. You should create rules around your AI use to keep you (and your kids) safe. To safely use AI, its important to have boundaries with it, Garry said. Those could be guard rails regarding when you use it or how you use it. Advertisement Advertisement First, not using an AI chatbot when youre in a vulnerable state is one important boundary. When youre feeling really low, call a friend. Dont talk to chat, Garry said. And then at night, especially when no one else is awake around you and youre feeling lonely, dont talk to chat either because thats going to create that reliability [of] Well, when no ones here to talk to, I can talk to this, she said. This is also important for your children, Garry said. Teach them not to use AI when theyre feeling down or for emotional needs, she noted. Start educating your kids on the risk of [AI] and that [it]is not a professional, Garry said. Advertisement Advertisement If they do start relying on AI for support, ask them what led them to this so you can understand what theyre going through and help them find a better solution, Garry said. On a larger scale, advocating for changes in AI legislation, regulations, all of those things to make sure that theyre not just putting out AI without these safeguards there, Garry said. Related: New Research Suggests An Alarming Relationship Between COVID, Flu And Breast Cancer AI should not be a replacement for therapy. These general purpose AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude, they were not designed to be peoples therapists, or to detect this kind of behavior or how to manage this [kind of behavior], Wei said. Advertisement Advertisement The companies behind these tools are working on improvements, but being someones therapist still isnt the main task of AI chatbots, she noted, despite the fact thats increasingly why people use them. One of the top uses right now of generative AI is as your therapist or companion, for emotional support, Wei noted. And this is dangerous. AI cant pick up on nonverbal cues, it cant offer compassion or see the signs of a mental health crisis, added Garry. And unlike conversations with a therapist, your messages to ChatGPT arent confidential, said Wei. Meaning, your innermost thoughts could be leaked. Regular, in-person therapy and online therapy can come with hurdles such as costs, insurance coverage and simply making the time to actually go to therapy. Advertisement Advertisement Its no wonder people are turning to AI for emotional support, especially as the country faces a loneliness epidemic. But this isnt what a traditional AI chatbot is meant for. AI can create a false sense of connectedness, said Garry. For true connection, reach out to loved ones or seek new connections. While that is certainly easier said than done for everyone, and especially people who are more isolated from others, its crucial. Im going to push you to get out of your comfort zone a little bit. So thats going to those work events, maybe talking with someone in your classroom that you havent talked to before. Its reaching out to someone who you havent talked to in 20 years ... you never know what that could build or rebuild, Garry said. And going out as much as you can, even to just the gym, the mall, walking around in those places you never know who youre going to run into. If you arent up for leaving your house and meeting people, even joining social media groups at least you know that is a real person on the other end of that, said Garry. Advertisement Advertisement Once again, if you are struggling with your mental health, AI isnt the answer. If cost is an issue, some therapists offer sliding scale fees for those who cant afford therapy, and many insurance companies cover in-network providers. Open Path Collective also offers low-cost therapy to those without health care coverage. If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Related... Read the original on HuffPost By Emma Farge and Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA (Reuters) -International aid groups say they have not yet been able to deliver shelter materials to Gaza despite Israeli authorities saying they have lifted restrictions on such supplies, and warn that further delays could cause more Palestinian deaths. Aid organisations say Israel had in effect been blocking the delivery of materials for shelters for nearly six months, with tent poles previously listed among items Israeli authorities considered could have a military as well as civilian use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With international concern over the plight of Palestinians mounting as the war in Gaza continues, Israel announced measures last month to let more aid into Gaza and said on Saturday that it would start allowing shelter materials in from the next day. But officials from five aid groups, including U.N. agencies, told Reuters that shelter materials needed by large numbers of displaced Palestinians were still not reaching Gaza and blamed Israeli bureaucratic hurdles. "The United Nations and our partners have...not been able to bring in shelter materials following the Israeli announcement," the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), spokesperson Jens Laerke said. "There's a set of impediments that still needs to be addressed, including Israeli customs clearance." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CARE International, ShelterBox and the Norwegian Refugee Council also said they had not yet received any authorisation to deliver shelter materials. Another international NGO, which declined to be identified, said it had been unable to deliver such supplies but was trying to get clearance. Over 1.3 million Gazans lack tents, the United Nations said this month, and more people are expected to be displaced by an Israeli operation to seize Gaza City. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid, did not immediately respond to Reuters questions. It has previously said it invests considerable efforts to ensure aid reaches Gaza and has denied restricting supplies. After nearly two years of war, many displaced Palestinians are living in the rubble of their homes or in tents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Life in the tent is no life at all...There's no proper bathroom, not even a decent place to sit. We end up sitting in the street, suffocating in the heat," 55-year-old Ibrahim Tabassi said in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis. He shares his cramped tent, made from tarpaulin sheets and scrap metal, with nine other family members. Clothes and pots hang inside. Another Gaza resident, Sanaa Abu Jamous, said that she, like many other Gazans, had been using the same tattered tent throughout the war. "My tent is extremely worn out," she said. DELIVERIES VIA KEREM SHALOM CROSSING Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel said on Saturday that deliveries of materials for shelters would be allowed via the Kerem Shalom Crossing with Israel but would have to undergo security inspections. The Red Cross told Reuters it had received permission from COGAT to bring in shelter materials from what is known as the Jordanian corridor to Kerem Shalom, but that many challenges remain. CARE International said it had received no confirmation that the change in policy had been enacted. The Norwegian Refugee Council, a humanitarian organisation, said it had applied for permission to deliver 3,000 tents across Gaza, including the north, but had not yet received a reply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many aid groups are resisting Israeli demands - under measures imposed in March - to register because it means disclosing personal information about Palestinian staff. COGAT says the mechanism is a security screening intended to ensure aid goes directly to the population rather than to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. ShelterBox's regional director, Haroon Altaf, said granting permission to only a select number of aid groups would not meet demand for shelter materials. "If it's only a handful of organisations that can bring shelter aid in, it doesn't really change much and it's deeply concerning. People are going to die because of it," he said. (Additional reporting by Bassam Masoud and Yazan Kalach, Nidal Al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Hatem Khaled in Khan Younis, Editing by Timothy Heritage) Airbus workers will strike for 10 days next month, Unite union has announced. The union, which represents more than 3,000 aircraft fitters and engineers at the company - which has a site in Broughton, Flintshire - said its members voted in favour of industrial action over pay. The strike will take place over a three-week period from 2 September. Airbus UK said its priority remains to find a solution together with the union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unite members have delivered a 90% in favour of taking industrial action. It said the strike action will "disrupt production of wings for Airbus's core commercial and military aircraft programmes". "Airbus is generating billions in profit; workers deserve a fair deal. Our members are simply seeking fairness not favours," Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, adding that works have the "total support of their union in this dispute". Rhys McCarthy, Unite national officer, said the pay offer "simply doesn't reflect the money Airbus is making or the current cost of living crisis". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sue Partridge, Airbus UK's country manager commercial aircraft said the company have made a "competitive and fair" pay offer that "builds on the strong foundations of pay increases totalling over 20% in the last three years and a 2,644 bonus payment made in April this year". United Airlines and Delta Air Lines were hit with class-action lawsuits Tuesday accusing them of charging passengers more for window seats that were actually next to an opaque wall. Law firm Greenbaum Olbrantz filed the cases in federal court in San Francisco and Brooklyn, N.Y., on behalf of passengers who said they wouldnt have paid extra had they known they wouldnt have a window. A large proportion of airline travelers prefer window seats, and are willing to pay extra money to obtain them. For many, it is a special experience to see the world from 30,000 feet, or to watch a descent into LaGuardia, each lawsuit states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Windows can captivate or distract an antsy child. Many people have a fear of flying, or get claustrophobic or motion sick on planes, and windows give them a greater level of comfort in an otherwise stressful environment, they continue. Others just want a burst of sunlight to brighten their days. A United Airlines spokesperson declined to comment on ongoing litigation. The Hill has reached out to Delta for comment. Commercial airlines regularly fly planes that have at least one row with no window, sometimes to make room for air conditioning ducts or other equipment. The lawsuits say other companies, including American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, disclose to customers at checkout those seats dont have a window, while United and Delta do not. The law firm estimated both airlines have each likely sold at least 1 million windowless seats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like its competitors, both United and Delta offer basic fares that do not include complimentary seat selection. Passengers must upgrade their fare class to do so, and some windowless rows are in more premium sections that require additional costs. The airlines also enable passengers to pay for the seats by using miles or through rewards programs. When travelers book a seat on an airplane next to the wall, they expect it to have a window, the Delta lawsuit states. Updated at 1:54 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. An airman stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, who died after being shot by an AK-47 fired through the wall of an off-base apartment in Wyoming, has been identified by service officials. Senior Airman Joshua Aragon, a specialist assigned to the 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron at the base's 90th Missile Wing, died early Saturday morning, a statement released late Tuesday evening detailed. The airman accused of firing the weapon was identified as Airman 1st Class Jadan Orr with the 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron. Orr has been "charged with involuntary manslaughter by the Laramie County District Attorney's Office," the statement said. Additionally, Military.com confirmed that charge with the local circuit court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: Air Force Chief's Sudden Retirement Raises Question of 'Who Is Next' in Leadership Shake-Up The new details from F.E. Warren Air Force Base mark the second case of involuntary manslaughter being investigated involving Security Forces airmen at the Cheyenne, Wyoming, installation this summer. In a Facebook Post on Saturday, the Cheyenne Police Department said that Aragon was 23 years old and that Orr was 20 years old. The incident happened after several friends had been drinking at an apartment until the early morning hours on Saturday, the police said. Orr had gone into the bedroom of the apartment with two friends and allegedly began handling an AK-47 in the room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At some point, Orr picked up an AK-47 that was in the room," the Cheyenne Police Department said on Facebook."While manipulating the firearm, Orr charged it and fired it through the wall into the living room, striking the victim in the torso." "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Senior Airman Aragon," Col. Terry Holmes, 90th Missile Wing commander, said in a statement. "He was a valued member of our defender team, and his passing leaves a tremendous void. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and fellow airmen as we grieve this heartbreaking loss." The Cheyenne Police Department is investigating the incident, and the 90th Missile Wing is cooperating with the probe, the Air Force's statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Security Forces Airman Brayden Lovan, 21, was killed by a firearm discharge involving a Sig Sauer M18 handgun at F.E. Warren. The July 20 incident led to a widespread pause of the pistol's use throughout Air Force Global Strike Command, as well as an investigation throughout the entire Air Force. But earlier this month, the Air Force announced that "an individual has now been arrested on suspicion of making a false official statement, obstruction of justice, and involuntary manslaughter." Air Force Global Strike Command's pause of the handgun's use is still ongoing. Lovan's death renewed scrutiny of Sig Sauer's P320 handgun, including its M17 and M18 military variants, amid yearslong allegations, lawsuits and reports of the pistols firing without the trigger being pulled. Following the announcement of the Air Force Global Strike Command investigation, the gun manufacturer said in a statement late last month that it has "absolute confidence in the U.S. military's ability to conduct a thorough investigation and report their findings." It defended the P320 handgun, calling it "one of the safest, most advanced pistols in the world -- meeting and exceeding all industry safety standards." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No public statement has been issued by Sig Sauer following the announcement of the arrest and involuntary manslaughter charge related to Lovan's death. Related: Airman Accused of Firing AK-47 Through Apartment Wall in Latest Gun Death Near Wyoming Base Imagine the shock and horror on the faces of Indian airport officials when they opened a passenger's luggage to find live animals being smuggled across international borders. What's happening? Late last month, customs officials at the Kempegowda International Airport, an international airport serving Bengaluru, India, intercepted 24-year-old Vinayagamoorthy Kottesvaran and his luggage upon landing in KIA from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, The Hindu reported. The airport officials received a tip-off and searched his luggage, finding four siamangs and two Northern pig-tailed macaques inside them. These Southeast Asian primates, whose conservation statuses are endangered and vulnerable, respectively, were found in cardboard boxes inside two large suitcases, expected to be passed off to Kottesvaran's handler, known as Ansari. The airport officials suspect that these trafficked primates were headed to private zoos in India. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the officials, this bust was a violation of India's Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) both stipulations regulating the import and trade of certain wildlife species in India. Punishable offenses carry an imprisonment term of up to seven years. Per The Hindu, the rescued primates will be sent back to Malaysia while officials continue to uncover the rest of the associated wildlife trafficking network. Why is wildlife trafficking concerning? Wildlife trafficking, or the illegal transport of protected or managed wildlife species across borders, is dangerous on many levels. For one, wildlife trafficking usually targets endangered or rare species as seen in this case which removes wildlife from their natural habitats and pushes them closer to extinction. Biodiversity loss, driven by human actions like the illegal removal of wildlife and habitat destruction, such as deforestation, disrupts food chains and can upset entire ecosystems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If these wildlife species are successfully brought into a new space, they could still pose a threat to the ecological balance of their new habitat, overtaking the space as an invasive species. Many of these trafficked animals also do not survive transport because of the horrible conditions they are transported in, such as these eastern box turtles that were squished into boxes of almonds and chocolate cookies. Wildlife trafficking is on the rise globally. In Latin America, reports estimated that there were about 2,000 wildlife seizures and poaching incidents between 2017 and 2022. Interpol and the World Customs Organization seized nearly 20,000 live animals. What can I do to help? Wildlife trafficking happens domestically and across international borders. In some cases, these animals are headed to zoos where they support business generated from wildlife tourism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As an individual, you can help limit wildlife trafficking by not supporting the businesses that profit from trafficked animals. The red flags may not always be obvious, but pay attention if the businesses allow direct contact with the wildlife or if the animals seem unhappy and are kept in poor conditions. Do your due diligence when researching these wildlife sites and use your voice to advocate against suspicious businesses. 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. Authorities intercepted two air travelers accused of attempting to smuggle rare, exotic animals into India through Pune Airport, highlighting the global problem of wildlife trafficking and its consequences. What happened? According to the Bridge Chronicle, customs officials acting on a tip detained two individuals, Zaheerabbas Aynal Mandal and Bhavesh Rameshbhai Solanki, for allegedly smuggling animals. On July 15, authorities say the pair concealed the illicit cargo on a trip from Bangkok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Airport officials located 14 green tree pythons (one of which had died), four double-eyed fig parrots, and a rare pair of Sumatran striped rabbits. On X, the official CGST & Customs Pune Zone account confirmed the seizure and arrests. Pune Customs intercepted two passengers from Bangkok on 15-07-2025 and seized 14 Green Tree Pythons, 4 Fig Parrots & 2 Sumatran Rabbits. A case under Customs Act & Wildlife Act was booked. Both arrested; investigation is ongoing. pic.twitter.com/OayXLIVHmb CGST & Customs Pune Zone (@cgstcuspunezone) July 16, 2025 RESQ Charitable Trust provided medical attention to the animals, all of which "were reportedly in poor condition upon discovery." Efforts to return the animals to their native lands were underway after their discovery. Why is wildlife smuggling so concerning? Wildlife smuggling is a major threat to both ecosystems and humans. When exotic species are illegally introduced into new environments, they can become invasive. Invasive species disrupt delicate ecological balances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Non-native animals can outcompete local species for food and resources, prey on native wildlife, and even introduce new diseases to an ecosystem. 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. Invasive species can lead to declining populations or even the extinction of native species. Such imbalances can impact humans, too, disrupting the food supply, draining natural resources, and affecting local habitats and the environment at large. The unpleasant conditions in which the seized animals were kept underscore the risk to wildlife posed by smuggling and demand for exotic pets. The illegal wildlife trade is a multi-billion-dollar criminal enterprise, an unlawful practice that undermines conservation efforts worldwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poaching animals from their natural habitats destroys biodiversity and destabilizes ecosystems. What's being done about the illegal wildlife trade? In this case, swift action on the part of customs officials led to the capture of the alleged smugglers and the recovery of the sickly animals. International cooperation, strict laws, and increased public awareness can help curb wildlife smuggling. Protecting endangered species and their habitats is a global effort. Supporting conservation efforts and reporting suspicious activities can contribute to protecting vulnerable species. 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. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) Eligible kids within the Alabama Foster Care system can now receive funding for trade school, or college expenses. Embrace Alabama Kids is providing financial assistance to young adults through Support for Success (S4S). S4S offers qualifying current and former foster kids the opportunity to apply for a Education and Training Voucher (ETV) funds and additional scholarships to assist them in attending a trade school, community college, or university. The program is also extended to those who are part of the states kinship-guardianship program or who are adopted from foster care after age 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program will provide up to $5,000/per year for qualified school-related expenses on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible students in postsecondary degree programs. The Education and Training Voucher requirements can be found below: In Foster Care status on 18th birthday or Kinship-guardianship/adoption after age of 16 Youth eligibility is verified by AL State DHR Must be younger than 26 at the start of the semester / term Making adequate academic progress as determined by the institution (for ongoing award) Students must complete FAFSA to be eligible for ETV, but they do NOT have to receive Pell Grant to be eligible for ETV. Must re-apply annually In Alabama, 63% of foster youth graduate from high school, according to Alabama Department of Education data. Nationally, less than 10% of foster youth obtain a college degree. Specifically, in Alabama, only about 11% of foster youth pursue and complete post-secondary education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have any questions, or need immediate assistance, contact (334)-387-2168. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. An Alabama teacher has lauded the benefits of a new state law banning cell phones in school classrooms. Its magic, Tuscaloosa County High School 11th-grade history teacher Jonathan Buchwalter said in a TikTok earlier this month that reached nearly two million views. Across the U.S., thirty-three states have enacted legislation regarding school cellphone usage, amid a growing effort to restrict students smartphone access in schools, over concerns about mental health and academic attentiveness, according to Ballotpedia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, all of my students, 100% of them, took notes in my class, did their assignment, asked for help when they got stuck, and turned it in, and then when they were done, they talked to each other, he said. Buchwalter explained it was still early days, and a complete assessment of the legislation's impact could only be determined at the end of the school year. New cell phone laws have seen restrictions enforced across 33 states (Getty/iStock) I have been pulling my hair out for like, eight years. Has it been this easy a solution the whole time? Buchwalter asked his followers in the video. Just days before Buchwalter revealed the benefits in his classroom, two studies identified links between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and depression, anxiety, and insomnia in teenagers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almost half of teens have admitted to being online constantly, according to 2024 data from the Pew Research Center. While 72% said they sometimes or frequently check their notifications from the minute they wake up. They're chemically addicted to their phones, Buchwalter said, adding, They cannot experience anything that isn't constant stimulation. As of July this year, 26 states Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Ohio, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia enforced a full ban or cellphone limit in classrooms. Other state departments, including the Connecticut Department of Education, the Kansas Department of Education, and the Washington Department of Education, have opted to create policies that limit classroom usage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued an executive order encouraging districts to limit cellphones in schools. In Alaska, Colorado, and Minnesota, legislation requires K-12 public school districts to adopt policies around student cellphone use; however, the laws do not specify how the policies should be implemented. Back in February, the National Center for Education Statistics outlined the benefits of the bans. The latest School Pulse Panel data underscore that school leaders see cell phones as more than just a classroom distraction, said NCES Commissioner Peggy Carr. With 53 percent of school leaders reporting negative impacts of cell phone use on academic performance, and even more citing negative impacts on students mental health and attention spans, schools are facing a critical issue. Schools are responding with practical solutions, like banning or restricting phone use. ALABASTER, Ala. (WIAT) The race for mayor in Alabaster is one week away, and residents are making their voices heard on what issues matter most. When asked what theyd like to see addressed, residents pointed to infrastructure and schools as top priorities. A few more smart lights would be helpful, said Linda Grover, who lives in Alabaster. Just keep going in a good direction with the school system, resident Amber Coleman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CBS 42 sat down with both candidates incumbent mayor Scott Brakefield and challenger Yoko Brown, an educator to ask how they plan to tackle these concerns. Brakefield pointed to his administrations work on road improvements. Since I got in office, weve improved intersections by putting new lighting in. Weve added turn lanes to busy roads, Brakefield said. We were awarded about a $2 million grant that will allow us to synchronize Highway 119 with all the red lights and more effectively flow traffic. Alabama educator urging leaders to mandate panic buttons in schools Brown, meanwhile, said she wants to ensure residents have more say in how the city grows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will research if grants are available, and once they do become available, I will ensure that will be our first priority, Brown said. For local business owners like William Cholewinski, who runs Chubbfathers, growth must be managed carefully. The city has done a wonderful job, both managing that influx of growth, balancing it with making sure that our education system takes the same path forward, Cholewinski said. Brown argued that growth needs to be paired with equity. She said residents she has spoken with feel underrepresented, especially with construction for the new municipal facilities making traffic patterns inconvenient for neighbors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The quality of life of Alabaster isnt just about shiny new buildings going up, Brown said. Its reaching everyone, listening to the concerns of our residents, making sure that theyre being heard and allowing residents to make decisions when it comes to big projects. Brakefield responded that development under his leadership has always been tied to broader benefits for the city. When we do things, theres a benefit also tied to that development that will help transportation that will help move people along, Brakefield said. On education, both candidates agreed they would continue to support the appointed school board if elected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Election Day in Alabaster is set for Aug. 26. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. American International Group (AIG) has appointed Scott Hallworth as its new chief digital officer, effective 1 September 2025. Hallworth will be tasked with steering AIG's digital, data and generative AI (genAI) strategy, with an emphasis on scaling genAI throughout the organisation. Joining AIG from Hewlett Packard, Hallworth brings expertise in technology and financial services. His previous roles include chief data officer at both HP and Capital One. Additionally, he has a background in insurance and risk management, evidenced by his experience at Travelers, where he worked as senior vice-president and chief actuary. Upon joining AIG, Hallworth will be integrated into the executive leadership team and will operate out of New York. Hallworth will initially report to Claude Wade, who currently holds the position of executive vice-president, chief digital officer and global head of Business Operations & Claims. Wade will step down from his existing position and move to an advisory role at the end of the year to address health concerns. AIG chairman and CEO Peter Zaffino said: I want to thank Claude for his tremendous contributions to AIG during his tenure and the lasting impact he has had on our company. His leadership in driving enterprise standards in our global operations, along with establishing our data, digital and AI foundation has been profound, and we will benefit from Claudes work for years to come. Hallworth will report directly to Zaffino from 1 January 2026. Zaffino stated: Scott Hallworth brings a deep, technical background in digital, genAI and actuarial capabilities to AIG. He is an accomplished leader with broad expertise, supported by over 30 years of experience leading enterprise-wide digital and data strategies across the technology, banking and insurance industries. This move follows the appointment of John Neal as the president of AIG's General Insurance organisation, effective 1 December 2025. "AIG hires new chief digital officer " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas (Photo via DOE) The Florida Board of Education is prescribing First Amendment training and threatening school board member salaries in Alachua County after a school board meeting went viral. In July, Alachua School Board Vice Chair Tina Certain asked a public commenter, Jeremy Clepper, to leave the room after he caused what board members called a disruption. Before deputies could escort the man from the room, the districts attorney advised against removing him. The board then went into recess. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a Board of Education meeting Wednesday, public commenters, state board members, and the chair and vice chair of the Alachua County board took turns explaining their perspectives on a First Amendment concern that arose out of the county board meeting in late July. Certain, presiding at the time, maintained that all speakers had been granted time to speak and that she called for Cleppers removal after he began shouting on his way back to his seat, and that he had disrupted the meeting earlier. At all times, I upheld the boards obligation to allow public input and to maintain order, Certain said, adding that she hoped to clarify significant mischaracterizations of the events. He was recognized, he spoke, and he was heard. He was allowed to use his full two minutes to express his personal views, many of which were sharply critical of the board members. He was not silenced, he was not removed during or immediately after his comments, Certain said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state board voted to approve the recommendation Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas proposed: That there is probable cause that Alachua officials did not comply with parental freedom of speech protections and that board members should participate in free-speech training. Additionally, the state will monitor the board during the new school year to ensure that there is not another violation of First Amendment rights for parents in that district. If the board finds violations, it will deny Alachua board members their paychecks. This is the moment to restore trust in the Alachua County School Board, to reinforce the First Amendment and parents rights, promote transparency, and ensure that parents and students are not silenced when they speak up, Kamoutsas said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter Kamoutsas wrote to Alachua board Chair Sarah Rockwell on Aug. 1, he said all members should be held accountable for creating an environment where citizens constitutional rights are under attack, going on to say that he has found probable cause that state laws were violated during the meeting. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The comment Clepper attended the Alachua meeting shortly after Rockwell came under criticism for a social media comment she made after pro wrestler and GOP figure Hulk Hogan died. Oh did Hulk die? I didnt even know. Good. One less MAGA in the world, Rockwell commented online about the wrestler who spoke during the 2024 Republican National Convention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the Alachua meeting in question, board members underwent a public comment training session and Rockwell made public apologies for her remark, which she maintains is protected speech. Chair Rockwell, Im proud that you owned up to it and apologized for those comments, state board member Daniel Foganholi said. But I believe that this shouldnt be about politics and, again, we get caught up in a situation talking about something that is not about our students. These are adult problems that were spending time on. Literacy is nonpartisan, student achievement is nonpartisan. Earlier this summer, the board called the Hillsborough County superintendent to defend that districts review of library books. If this would have happened to a left-leaning parent, we would have done the same thing, let me make that abundantly clear, Kamoutsas said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the state board meeting, public commenters filled the room in support of and in opposition to taking action against Alachua County, one of the few Democratic-majority counties in the state. Tim Marden, mayor of Newberry and chair of the Alachua Republican Party, spoke during the public comment period. Yall are completely over the target here, 100%, Marden said. This is just a symptom of greater disease that we have going on in the school board of Alachua County. The reason therere not more conservatives in that room is because of the toxic environment that has been created in and outside of these meetings. The Florida Education Association slammed the state boards action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Governors playbook was in full display today when the school board discussed protecting parents rights, but in practice, are only concerned about the rights of those who agree with them, the FEA said in a news release. Theres no better example of that than the Florida Department of Educations effort to ban books, censor learning, and dictate whose voices and stories are allowed in our schools. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein signed an executive order Tuesday that will form a new task force with the goal of addressing gang violence in the state. One community leader in Charlotte told Channel 9s Eli Brand this initiative is long overdue. Charles Robinson, the founder of One Time, Inc. and leading organizer in an effort to create a safer Sugar Creek Corridor, says addressing gangs is going to be one of the biggest parts of curbing violence in Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ALSO READ >> Youth gang crime surges nearly 50% across North Carolina, alarming officials He says he has personally witnessed just how damaging they can be. Unfortunately, were behind the eight ball with the gangs and the recruiting and whats actually happening in Charlotte, Robinson said. Robinson grew up in Mecklenburg County. He has spent years working to make his community safer -- most recently by founding One Time, Inc., an organization working to address crime. The numbers dont lie, he said. Were looking at our youthful offenders, the same ones committing the same crimes, and a lot of times its violent crimes. Its associated with gang life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robinson says he supports the new gang prevention and intervention task force created by the governor. It will include law enforcement, education leaders, mental health and substance use organizations, and people who have successfully left gangs. It is grounded in the core belief that many acts of violence can be prevented if we address root causes and offer people better options, Stein said. According to the governor, there are 4,000 validated gang members in the state with juvenile gang crime rising nearly 50% in the last five years. We have kids that are 13, 14-year-old kids that are in cells with ABC mats on the floor, Robinson said. Its despairing. Alarms should be ringing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robinson says the more kids you keep from joining gangs, the fewer problems those gangs can cause in the future. He says its important to support children. Everybody is so focused on trying to survive, but that leaves our babies at risk, he said. These kids arent horrible kids, they just make bad decisions. He says while he agrees with the governors initiative state-wide, he also hopes it has more local connections especially here in Mecklenburg County. Gov. Stein also encouraged the General Assembly to pass a new budget that includes raises for law enforcement. He says that will attract more people to those jobs and help reduce violence. VIDEO: Community leaders join Sugar Creek residents to address ongoing crime issues The House of Representatives is seen largely empty on Aug. 19, 2025. After lawmakers voted to override two of the governor's vetoes on Aug. 2, most members departed Juneau and the special session. Legislative leadership said they will take up policy items at the next regular session. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon) The Alaska State Legislature gaveled in and out Tuesday as a technical step in running down the clock on a special session, slated to end Aug. 31. Legislative leaders say theyve already accomplished their priorities successfully overriding two vetoes by Gov. Mike Dunleavy and have no interest in taking up further business this month. Dunleavy had called the special session and asked lawmakers to work on education and agriculture measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House and Senate presiding officers House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, and Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak were both on a morning flight that was delayed due to Juneau fog, pushing back the planned floor sessions for more than an hour. But within minutes, they adjourned both the House and Senate until another session at 10 a.m. Aug 31. Thats also expected to be a brief formality, known as a technical session. Were going to stand our ground, Edgmon said in an interview afterward. And if he wants to call us back in, he said referring to the chance of the governor calling another special session, second verse same as the first, you know. The results are going to be second verse same as the first, too. Edgmon and Stevens both confirmed that the governors education policy priorities would be considered by a new joint education funding task force, which is scheduled to meet Aug. 25, and in the regular session in January. Stevens also pointed to the next session for considering a new Alaska Department of Agriculture, as the Legislature has rejected Dunleavys executive order creating one. Dunleavy had asked the Legislature again to act on the order in August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If its his executive order, we cant affect that. We cant amend it. We cant change it in any way. And so we much prefer to have a bill, Stevens said in an interview Tuesday. The advantage of going through the legislative process is that we take the time to study all the issues. We can hear various legislators thoughts on it, we can hear from the public, and it just winds up with a better process. Sen. Robert Myers, R-North Pole, said by phone on Tuesday that the Republican-led minority caucus supports Dunleavys education policy items and would have liked to see them considered. It was at least an opportunity for us to try to drill down a little further and take some time on different education policies, rather than just talking about the funding that was vetoed and then moving on, he said. Jeff Turner, Dunleavys communications director, said by email on Tuesday, its disappointing that the legislature is choosing to kick the can down the road. Asked whether Dunleavy plans to call another special session this fall, Turner replied that if the governor chose to do so, it would be announced in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Myers said hes not confident there would be any further work or negotiation if the governor called another special session. Of course, thats his prerogative, but the way that the majorities are behaving, I dont see that anything significant is going to change, which is, again, disappointing. You know, we should be focusing on our outcomes for our students, not on playing these kinds of political games. Five legislators attended the technical sessions, including Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage, Rep. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, and Edgmon in the House and Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, and Stevens in the Senate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WEST MEAD TOWNSHIP Good times and vibes were flowing at the Crawford County Fair on Monday as, for the first time, alcohol was served on the grounds to fairgoers. Voodoo Brewing Company and Davenport Cidery & Winery brought some fan favorites to the fair, including brews Hazy Vibes IPA, the Voodoo Love Child Belgian, Lacto-Kooler sour, and Empty Calories light beer; Black & Blue cider; a strawberry and peach wine, and more. Thats good, Maryanne Heckathorn of Corry remarked as she bounced between samples of Voodoo brews. Its the first time Ive ever had Voodoo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a night of firsts as it was her first time at the Crawford County Fair and her husband and daughters first concert. She never had the chance to attend the fair before, but with her birthday on Thursday, her husband got her tickets to the fairs country music night. As a bartender, Heckathorn appreciated the variety of alcohol available and was surprised that this was the first year it was offered. I think that its an awesome idea, she said, paying for her drink and taking her seat Monday night at the grandstand stage. So far, people seem pretty receptive to it, so Im hoping that people are enjoying that were here, explained Megan Buchman, Voodoo Brewing Co. employee. She mentioned how Heckathorn had never tried their beers before, so this partnership with the fair helps them on various fronts. Were kind of getting the word out about us, too. Being a local company, its really great. Im hoping that things go really well and people dont make a mess of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being that it was the first year the fairgrounds had alcohol, the bartenders kept a close eye on who they were serving, along with 15 other fair workers who monitored the crowd during the concert. For people who werent attending the concert, it was maybe a little too strict. Another couple, Michelle Estadt and Conrad Eckert, of Meadville and Conneaut Lake, said they just wanted to grab a drink before buying a goat and were met with an unwelcoming tone. They understood the need for restrictions, though. I understand we want to keep the fair clean and a good atmosphere for younger people, but when they have the concert, I think its a nice thing to have, Estadt said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two attend the fair each year, and after Voodoos Arch Street location closed near the end of last year, they jumped at the opportunity to try something new at the fair. Were not here to see the band, we just like I said were fans of Voodoo and I guess this is the first year theyve actually had beer available at the fair, Estadt said. Just on a hot day, grab a cold beer. Overall, Crawford County Fair Board President Dean Maynard said it seemed like a success. Around 8:30 or 9 p.m., Voodoo actually had to go get more beer to keep the taps pouring. The board felt it was successful, and were happy we were able to bring it to the grounds for the one event, Maynard said. Our motto is to build on what works, and it definitely worked, so Im predicting well see it in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the oversight necessary to accommodate public drinking isnt sustainable for the whole week, Maynard foresees hosting the local partners for one night again next year. Its part of a larger effort to bring more collaborations to the fair and reignite the country music night crowd, which had begun to dwindle in the past several years. The two companies were set up by the grandstand stage before and during the concert on Monday night, including headliner Tyler Braden and special guests Kashus Culpepper and Brenna Bone. Bob Perry remembers seeing algae on Palmer Lake before, but never this bad. ... this algae is having the effect of coloring the entire lake green, he said, adding that there were only spots of algae visible in the past. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department issued a toxic algae advisory for Palmer Lake on July 1, warning visitors to avoid areas of the lake with visible algae. It remains in effect as of Tuesday, based on a sample collected last week, an environmental health specialist for the department, Lindsay Tuttle, confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuttle wrote in a statement that the type of algae identified on Palmer Lake is a potentially toxin producing cyanobacteria. The lakes murky water this summer has sparked discussions among the local homeowners association about what to do to mitigate the algaes impacts to recreation on the privately-owned lake, which is accessible to about 500 homes. Perry serves as head of operations and finance for the Palmer Lake Beach Club and lives by the lake. In an interview on Aug. 6, he said the HOA has been looking to improve the health of the lake without burdening residents with the cost of expensive treatments. It hasnt been easy. ... the pricing has become, quite bluntly, really extreme, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The homeowners own Palmer Lake and are responsible for managing it. The Palmer Lake HOA has historically treated the lake on an annual basis and invested $40,000 into a new lake drainage system in 2020, according to its website. Recently, theyve seen the costs for treatment skyrocket from $3,000-$4,000 a year to $10,000-$20,000 a year, he told The News Tribune. For small HOAs like ours that are very frugal, it is, frankly, a difficult work, he said. Algae on Palmer Lake on the Key Peninsula has turned the lake green in recent months, pictured Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 in Lakebay, Wash. An update on the HOA website notes that if the association foots the bill for treatment, members dues would increase by as much as $35 per year per lot. Perry said the current dues are $230 a year a significant sum for many of their residents, some of whom are on fixed incomes, he said. While algae occurs naturally in freshwater bodies and can be helpful for the environment, some types can produce toxins. Cyanobacteria or blue-green algae can make humans or animals sick and prevent wading, swimming, fishing or other activities in lakes. It can look like spilled paint on the surface of the water, streaks or clumps. Its often green but can be other colors like turquoise, red, yellow, brown or white, the health department website says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palmer Lake isnt the only lake thats had algae warnings in recent years. Other Pierce County lakes listed with active toxic algae advisories this summer include Silver Lake near Eatonville and Spanaway Lake. Algae growth in Pierce County lakes and beyond The health department monitors 11 lakes for toxic algae in Pierce County: Bay Lake, Clear Lake, Harts Lake, Lake Minterwood, Ohop Lake, Palmer Lake, Silver Lake, Spanaway Lake, Tanwax Lake, Lake Tapps and Lake Whitman, the department website says. Spanaway Lake on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2023. Over the 20-plus years that Tuttle, the environmental health specialist, has worked for the county health department, shes seen the frequency of toxic algae advisories for the countys lakes rise and fall. Some years are worse, some years are better, she said. She also noted that the monitoring program has adapted over time based on changing scientific guidance from the state Department of Ecology. At the same time, the health department has only been tracking these tests since 2006, which she said is still a fairly short time period to really be able to say if there are any trends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scientists generally agree that harmful algal blooms have been increasing in the U.S. and across the world, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website says. West Bishop is the algae scientist and water quality research manager at EutroPHIX, a private water restoration company that has worked on lakes across the country including in Washington state. These harmful algal blooms are expanding in all types of water bodies at all sorts of scales, and its truly a global issue, Bishop said. ... It is an expanding and growing threat to water resources. Algae on Palmer Lake on the Key Peninsula has turned the lake green in recent months, pictured Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 in Lakebay, Wash. There are a number of reasons for that, Bishop said. A key factor is nutrient pollution, since algae thrive off of nutrients in the water. These nutrients can come from a variety of sources, including wildlife, leaky septic systems and fertilizer runoff, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He listed several other changes in the environment that can also play a role, including intense rain and runoff and rising temperatures. Solutions to harmful algal blooms Picking up pet waste, reducing fertilizer use on your property and keeping your septic system in working order are all strategies property owners can take to prevent nutrients from entering lakes in their watershed, said Tuttle, the health department environmental health specialist. She noted that the health department has rolled out a program notifying septic system owners in parts of Pierce County including the Key Peninsula that their systems require inspection, targeting sensitive areas in terms of water quality. The health department website says that all septic system owners in the county will eventually receive those notifications. Bishop also spoke about the importance of making changes in the larger watershed. But wildlife such as geese, whose poop contains phosphorus and legacy nutrients that have accumulated in the sediment can be harder to intercept, which is why an effective treatment plan also involves looking at the lake itself, he told The News Tribune. Algae on Palmer Lake on the Key Peninsula has turned the lake green in recent months, pictured Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 in Lakebay, Wash. Each system is a little different, so we tailor a prescription to the specific need at a site based on the nutrient concentration, based on that legacy accumulation of sediment, the type of cyanobacteria that are present, the uses of the water resource, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that phosphorus is one of the key underlying factors to cyanobacteria blooms, and treatment can include targeting that nutrient with a product specially developed to bind it and make it into a mineral that the cyanobacteria cant use to grow. Who oversees algae treatment on Washington lakes? Tuttle, the health department environmental health specialist, said that the Department of Ecology is truly the agency that oversees treatment in the state. Communities that want to treat their own lake need a permit through Ecology to do so, she said. The states Freshwater Algae Control Program website has more information and resources for managing algae blooms. The permit is the states Aquatic Plant and Algae Management General Permit. Only licensed pesticide applicators with an aquatic endorsement can apply for this permit, and state law indicates that the licensing requirements include passing a special exam that covers laws and safety around pesticide use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perry, the Palmer Lake HOA employee, said volunteers have tried going through the process of certification because of the high cost of hiring an outside company. The process has proven very difficult, frustrating their efforts: it involves a self-paced curriculum that takes several hundred hours and a very difficult exam only administered at select times, he said. Tuttle acknowledged that it often falls on the homeowners around lakes to develop a lake management plan and implement it through the permitting process. I know its definitely proved a bumpy road, she said. She said the Department of Ecology staff are good resources to get help. The Palmer Lake HOA has monthly board meetings, and theyre discussing the situation in-depth, Perry told The News Tribune. Hes not concerned about the toxicity of the lake, but said that residents use the lake for recreation and that the unfamiliar algae theyre seeing has made them very unhappy. Typically, on our lake this time of year, on a Saturday or Sunday there are 25 or 30 kids swimming in the lake, Perry said. We have docks. We have beaches. They love being in the lake. Its an important community asset. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have only been a few swimmers in recent weeks, he said. The HOA website says the board is looking at several options including increasing the flow of water in the lake, aerating the lake, finding a temporary treatment company and other strategies. ... this is not simply something where you wave a wand over and it goes away, Perry said. It is a complex ecosystem and environmental issue. ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) Alro Steel donated $200,000 to the future Roanoke County Career and Technical Center. The funds will go toward equipment, material, and supplies for the welding and motorsports program. Marlo Stevens, regional manager at Alro, says its not just an investment in the center, but an investment in the future of his industry. The industry has seen a little bit of a struggle in terms of students actually having programs such as this to support them, so for us, when we see opportunities like this, we like to be a part of it and be able to invest in the future, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cave Spring High Schools 66th knight, highest honor for any student Christian Kisch, principal at the Burton Center for Arts and Technology and future principal at the new technical center, says theres a demand from the students too. Theres a big student need for a place like this, he said. There are folks all over, not just the Roanoke Valley, but across the Commonwealth and across the country, that really need skilled workers. It is an industry that we all know is aging out in terms of a lot of our experienced folks. So we have to fill that talent pipeline. Roanoke County Public Schools breaks ground on new career and technology center Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Center is expected to be finished in 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. Fox Nation is revisiting one of the most sensational true crime cases of the 21st century the Amanda Knox story in a new special that reexamines the twists, trials and lingering questions surrounding the American exchange student accused of murder in Italy. The Seattle native spent nearly four years in an Italian prison after being accused of murdering her roommate Meredith Kercher while studying abroad. To some, she was a cold-blooded killer. To others, she was a scapegoat trapped in a legal nightmare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Since O.J. Simpson, this was the biggest case. This was the other case of the century, and it was going to be spun by different people [in] different ways," said Dr. Greg Hampikian, a forensic DNA expert, in the new special. Kidnapping Survivor, Once Dismissed As A Liar, Now Retrains Police To Help Victims Amanda Knox is led away from Perugia's Court of Appeal by police officers on Nov. 24, 2010, in Perugia, Italy. Knox was later acquitted of the crime. Along with attorney Anne Bremner and journalist Angenette Levy, Hampikian broke down the Knox case in the Fox Nation special, starting from the moment she left the U.S. and became a suspect abroad. Read On The Fox News App Before the handcuffs, Knox was a student at the University of Washington with her sights set on Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She wanted to go abroad like anybody at that age, wanting to branch out," said Bremner. She worked three jobs, including one as a barista, to make that dream a reality. Amanda Knox Gives Warning To Students Wanting To Study Abroad, 10 Years After Being Acquitted Of Murder With a goal to learn Italian and become a translator, she arrived in Perugia, Italy, in September 2007 and moved into a flat with three roommates, one of whom was Kercher, a British exchange student. Along the way, a romantic relationship emerged when Knox met a man while attending a concert with Kercher. Raffaele Sollecito, a 23-year-old student who was in the area to study information technology, was added to the triangle of suspicion surrounding Kercher's unexpected death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were reports that Kercher was stabbed several times and sexually assaulted in the middle of the night, but further details surrounding the incident remained mysterious. With a window broken and a rock found nearby, police initially speculated that the crime was a burglary gone wrong, but when they realized nothing had been taken from the property, they developed alternative theories. Amanda Knox's Advice For American Linked To Punta Cana Missing Persons Case Amanda Knox addresses a panel discussion titled "Trial by Media" during the Criminal Justice Festival at the Law University of Modena, northern Italy, on June 15, 2019. Knox later revisited Italy, years after her final acquittal. Investigators then zeroed in on Knox, Sollecito and an innocent bar owner despite having no physical evidence to support their implication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The police in Perugia they don't think Amanda Knox is acting appropriately for someone whose roommate was stabbed 47 times," Levy explained. Bremner chalked up that suspicion to cultural differences that largely shaped Italian authorities' perceptions. One image of Knox kissing Sollecito outside the murder site was plastered everywhere, but Bremner said it failed to capture the despondent looks they shared immediately after. Click Here To Join Fox Nation Then, one text message a complete misunderstanding shifted everything, raising suspicion even higher. To learn more about the Amanda Knox case, including her hours-long interrogation, a faulty statement, the emergence of a well-known criminal and the road to Knox's eventual acquittal, subscribe to Fox Nation and begin streaming "Framed: The Amanda Knox Story" today. Original article source: Amanda Knox: How one misunderstood text sparked suspicion in infamous murder case NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) A new Amazon delivery station is set to be built in East Texas, according to the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation (NEDC). The new facility will be built in Nacogdoches and is estimated to be 63,000 square feet. The facility is expected to be built along Highway 59 North between FM 343 and Ernest McLain Road. Med truck tire blowout leads to crash, injuring 2 firefighters in Jasper County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nacogdoches Mayor Randy Johnson spoke about the opening of the new delivery station and the economic benefits the new facility will provide. The opening of Amazons last-mile delivery station in Nacogdoches marks a step forward for our local economy, Johnson said. This investment brings jobs and increased connectivity to our region, reinforcing that Nacogdoches is open for business. Jucys Hamburgers to open new locations in Whitehouse, Lindale Jessica Breaux, the senior manager of economic development for Amazon, spoke about how the new facility will allow Amazon to better serve its East Texas customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This last-mile facility will allow us to better serve customers in Nacogdoches and the surrounding area, Breaux said. Were grateful for our partnership with the City of Nacogdoches and the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation. The NEDC stated that since 2010, Amazon has created 89,000 full- and part-time jobs in Texas and invested more than $70 billion across the state, including infrastructure and compensation to our employees. Were thrilled to welcome Amazon to Nacogdoches. Their decision to invest here is a strong vote of confidence in our workforce, our infrastructure, and our communitys future, Scott Bowyer, Chair of the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation said. This project reflects the growth NEDCO works hard to support by creating jobs and enhancing services for our region. You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Hurricane Erin has captured attention for how quickly it grew and how wide its footprint has become. It formed on August 11, reached hurricane strength on August 15 as it neared the Lesser Antilles, and intensified to a Category 5 the next day with peak sustained winds of 160 mph. NBC reports Erin has since weakened after drenching Puerto Rico, parts of the Bahamas, and nearby islands. The system is moving northwest with hurricane-force winds extending roughly 80 miles from the center, and the National Hurricane Center expects heavy rain, dangerous surf, and rip currents to affect the East Coast, Canada, and Bermuda over the next several days. On the U.S. mainland, the current forecast does not call for a direct strike. Even so, officials have warned of serious coastal impacts. Flood warnings are in effect for Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina through Thursday evening, with a coastal flood advisory for New Jersey and Delaware. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Carolina ordered an evacuation of Hatteras Island ahead of the storms closest pass, and the Outer Banks has declared a state of emergency. In short, Erin may remain offshore, but it still poses risks that demand attention. Moments like this send people looking for a historical perspective. We have made a clear, ranked rundown of the deadliest hurricanes connected to the United States, moving from the highest toll downward, based on official data. 1) Great Galveston Hurricane (Texas, 1900) The Galveston storm remains, by a wide margin, the deadliest weather disaster in U.S. history. At least 8,000 people died on September 8, 1900, with some estimates reaching 12,000. The island city on the Texas Gulf Coast was devastated. More than 10,000 residents were left homeless, and property losses were put at $30 million, according to the National Hurricane Center. Galvestons death toll anchors any discussion of hurricane risk in the United States, a reminder that surge and wind together can overwhelm even densely settled areas. 2) Hurricane Maria (Puerto Rico, 2017) Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico as a Category 4 on September 20, 2017, and shattered the infrastructure for months. While the immediate official count listed 64 deaths, a study commissioned by Puerto Ricos governor and conducted by researchers at George Washington Universitys Milken Institute School of Public Health examined historical mortality patterns from 2010 to 2017 and compared them with actual deaths from September 2017 through February 2018 in Puerto Ricos vital records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That analysis estimated 2,975 excess deaths tied to the hurricanes aftermath. The historical NOAA/NHC list runs through 18512010 and focuses on the mainland United States, so it does not list Maria. Its true toll came not only from wind and surge, but also from the prolonged loss of power, water, and medical services. 3) 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane (Puerto Rico and Florida) This Cape Verdetype hurricane left a wide swath of destruction and at least 2,500 deaths after striking Puerto Rico and then South Florida. The steepest losses occurred around Lake Okeechobee, where a six-to-nine-foot lake surge overtopped and inundated surrounding communities; 1,836 people died in Florida alone. The storm also killed 312 people in Puerto Rico and 18 in the Bahamas. According to the National Hurricane Center, it caused an estimated $50 million in damage in Puerto Rico and $25 million in Florida. The episode is one of Floridas darkest hurricane chapters, demonstrating how inland surge from large bodies of water can be as lethal as open-coast flooding. 4) Cheniere Caminada (Great October Storm, Louisiana, 1893) In October 1893, a powerful Category 4 hurricane struck the fishing community of Cheniere Caminada in Jefferson Parish and ravaged stretches of coastal Louisiana. The death toll is estimated at around 2,000, with approximately 1,1001,400 deaths onshore, according to the National Hurricane Center. Archival accounts preserved by the Louisiana State University Library describe towns and crops wiped out and numerous vessels lost. The storms destruction across settlements and waterways shows how quickly low-lying Gulf communities can be overwhelmed when surge and wind arrive together. 5) Sea Islands Hurricane (Georgia/South Carolina, 1893) Just weeks before the Louisiana disaster, another deadly storm struck farther east. The Sea Islands hurricane made landfall near Savannah in August 1893 as a Category 3, bringing winds up to 121 mph and a 16-foot storm surge, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 2,000 people died, and 30,000 were left homeless, and damage was estimated at $1 million. It was one of three deadly hurricanes in the 1893 Atlantic season. The combination of surge, wind, and the vulnerability of barrier-island settlements turned it into one of the most consequential storms in the Southeasts history. 6) Hurricane Katrina (Gulf Coast, 2005) Hurricane Katrina devastated the northern Gulf Coast in August 2005 and is responsible for approximately 1,200 deaths: about 1,000 in Louisiana, 200 in Mississippi, and seven in southern Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center. While the storm itself was severe, the greatest devastation followed the storm-surge flooding and levee failures across the New Orleans area, which inundated large parts of the city and its eastern suburbs. Katrinas legacy is a stark lesson in how storm surge, engineering failures, and urban exposure can combine to catastrophic effect. 7) Georgia/South Carolina Hurricane (1881) The 1881 Georgia/South Carolina hurricane struck with little warning in August. It made landfall at high tide as a Category 2 and caused at least 700 deaths along the Georgia coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storm predates the naming system that the National Hurricane Center introduced in the early 1950s. However, historical summaries note that it is generally identified by its year and the states that bore the brunt of the impact. Its rapid onset and timing at high tide compounded the danger for coastal residents. 8) Hurricane Audrey (Louisiana and Texas, 1957) Audrey made landfall in late June 1957 and turned into one of the most lethal storms of the mid-20th century along the western Gulf. 416 people died as eight-to 12-foot storm surges penetrated southwestern Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center. U.S. damage reached an estimated $150 million. The surge heights recorded in the summaries show why even a fast-moving early-season hurricane can be devastating when it arrives at or near high tide over shallow coastal shelves. 9) Labor Day Hurricane (Florida Keys, 1935) The Labor Day storm of 1935 roared across the Florida Keys and is described by the National Hurricane Center as the most intense hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States. It caused 408 deaths and about $6 million in damage, according to NOAA and NHC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many victims were World War I veterans working on construction projects in the Keys. The ferocity of the wind and the limited evacuation options along the island chain contributed to the high fatality count. 10) Last Island Hurricane (Louisiana, 1856) Rounding out the top ten is the 1856 Last Island storm. 400 people died when the hurricane swept across the resort community in August of that year. In its aftermath, even the islands highest points were under roughly five feet of water. The resort hotel and nearby gambling houses were destroyed, vegetation was stripped, and the island itself was split in half, according to NOAA. The account underscores how a single major landfall can fundamentally reshape barrier islands. History does not predict the next storm, but it does provide scale. From Galvestons unimaginable toll in 1900 to Marias island-wide humanitarian crisis in 2017, the deadliest U.S. hurricanes share a common thread. Surge and flooding are often the primary killers, and the worst outcomes happen when fast-rising water meets vulnerable communities. Erin is not expected to be that kind of disaster for the mainland, yet the current alerts and evacuations reflect the same lesson. When water is the threat, distance from the eye is not protection. Erins present track keeps the storm's center offshore, but the hazard picture is still serious. Widespread rip currents, rough surf, and periods of heavy rain along long stretches of the coastline. When America goes to war, it likes to be on the offensive. Nobody ever defended anything successfully, Gen. George S. Patton famously said. There is only attack and attack and attack some more. But for six months after Pearl Harbor, the U.S. military retreated and retreated some more. The U.S. garrison in the Philippines, under Gen. Douglas MacArthur, steadily retreated before the Japanese onslaught that culminated in the surrender at Bataan in May 1942. Isolated outposts at Wake Island and Guam fell, while the decimated and outnumbered U.S. fleet carefully stuck to hit-and-run as America mobilized for total war. Today, a U.S. Army officer has a warning: In the face of growing Chinese military power, America needs to relearn how to conduct a fighting retreat in the Pacific. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fading advantages in firepower, distributed forces, and the growing operational reach of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) require an expansion of operational thought, wrote Maj. Patrick Smith in a recent essay for Military Review, an Army professional publication. The joint force must consider methods of retrograde to shape advantages in time, space, and force. Smith lists several factors that imperil Americas position in the Pacific. Small constellations of U.S. elements ashore and afloat encircle the looming mass of mainland China, he wrote. Operating on tenuous exterior lines, they are vulnerable to defeat in detail by a prodigious array of standoff munitions or blockade. Resupply is difficult within range of Chinese weapons, reserves of personnel and munitions are scarce, and regional partners can quickly about-face on support to U.S. forces, making presence in some locales untenable. Smith also worries that the U.S. lacks sufficient sealift, arguing that glaring training shortfalls in crisis response, worsened by maintenance deficiencies, compromise U.S. capacity to conduct amphibious actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of all military operations, retreat under fire is probably the most difficult. Smith points to several historical examples where U.S. forces had to conduct fighting withdrawals, including the American Revolution, Civil War and World War II. Perhaps the most relevant example for the Pacific today is the 1941 Philippines campaign, where MacArthur planned a delaying action that called for U.S. and Filipino troops to gradually retreat from Manila south to the fortified Bataan peninsula and then hold on until a relief force arrived from America. Dugout Doug MacArthurs leadership in 1941 was controversial to say the least, but the six-month resistance until May 1942 did inflict some delay on Japanese operations. Given that Manila was 2,000 miles from Tokyo and 5,000 miles from Pearl Harbor, choosing to conduct a retrograde operation while awaiting reinforcement was not an unreasonable strategy. The problem was that the relief force lay at the bottom of Pearl Harbor after the Japanese attack on December 7th. Not only didnt the promised reinforcements arrive, but there was insufficient transport to evacuate the Philippines garrison. Strategic planners failed to prioritize sealift as the American Filipino force grimly gave way, Smith noted. A similar fate nearly befell Washingtons army with its backs to the East River at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, but for a regiment composed of Massachusetts fishermen who ferried the Continentals to safety. A more successful example was Gen. Ulysses S. Grants 1864 campaign in Virginia, when the Army of the Potomac withdrew from Cold Harbor. Through an elaborate deception campaign, Grant diverted Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lees attention by ordering the Army of the Shenandoah to make a feint attack toward Lynchburg 140 miles away. The Army of the Potomac then redeployed by crossing the James River, a potentially fatal operation if the Confederates had attacked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith argues that the U.S. needs to relearn how to retreat. Fighting withdrawals and delays will be sharpened arrows in the quiver of operational leaders campaigning in the early stages of a Pacific fight, he wrote. In those precarious moments, the joint force should prudently select positions from which it can absorb repeated blows while degrading enemy means. Smith envisions a widely distributed joint force that would confound the PLA with a targeting dilemma if it decides to switch to the offensive. Deception operations would be key: Similar to Grants illusory movements to confuse Lee, feints, demonstrations, and advances within and outside of theater may freeze enemy actions to create time and space for movement of friendly forces. Adroit maneuvers, well-timed withdrawals and clever deception operations would exploit American strengths and Chinese weaknesses, Smith argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, most Americans would probably agree with Patton that the best defense is a good offense. Knowing how to retreat is important, but its more important to be able to absorb the enemys blows while inflicting your own, Eric Heginbotham, a researcher at MITs Center for International Studies, told Defense News. In contrast to 1941, the situation in the Pacific today has to do largely with long-range fires and our ability to survive adversary ones while conducting our own, Heginbotham said. The problem is that the U.S. has failed to harden its Pacific airbases against Chinese missile barrages, or ensure that U.S. forces enjoy flexible and redundant logistics that can function in the face of Chinese attacks. This has a bit less to do with retrograde per se, than not putting our forces forward in highly vulnerable positions, said Heginbotham. Dispersing for distributed operations can help mitigate those vulnerabilities. Nonetheless, Heginbotham agrees the U.S. military needs to know how to retrograde operations. Ironically, despite Americas distaste for retreat, the U.S. can do this better than China. One advantage we do enjoy in the Pacific is maritime depth and the ability to engage where and when we want, Heginbotham said. In contrast, the Chinese fleet is up against a continent. It has nowhere to run or hide and is, in effect, in the shooting gallery from day one. The July data breach at U.S. insurance giant Allianz Life allowed hackers to steal the personal information of 1.1 million customers, according to data breach notification site Have I Been Pwned. Allianz Life disclosed the data breach in late July, confirming that hackers stole the personal information of the majority of its 1.4 million customers and its employees from a cloud-stored customer relationship database. Allianz has so far refused to confirm exactly how many people are affected by the breach. Have I Been Pwned, a data breach notification site that alerts people when their email address has been caught up in data breaches, said in a post on Monday the Allianz Life breach includes customers names, gender, date of birth, email and home addresses, and phone numbers from a database hosted by cloud giant Salesforce. Allianz Life later told the states of Texas and Massachusetts the hackers also stole Social Security numbers in the breach. Brett Weinberg, a spokesperson for Allianz Life, declined to comment to TechCrunch as the companys investigation is ongoing. Allianz Life is one of a series of tech and corporate giants that have been targeted in recent months by a hacking crew known as ShinyHunters, a group known for their social engineering skills aimed at tricking employees into granting them access to the companys databases. Google, Cisco, airline giant Qantas, and retailer Pandora and also HR giant Workday, as reported by TechCrunch on Monday have also reported recent data thefts related to their Salesforce-hosted data. The ShinyHunters gang is said to be preparing a data leak site in an attempt to extort victims into paying the hackers to delete the data, a tactic often employed by ransomware gangs. The group reportedly overlaps with other hacking and crime groups, including Scattered Spider and The Com, a known collective of cybercriminals who use hacking, extortion, and sometimes threats of violence to break into networks. Were always looking to evolve, and by providing some insight into your perspective and feedback into TechCrunch and our coverage and events, you can help us! Fill out this survey to let us know how were doing and get the chance to win a prize in return! Fact checked by Sarah Scott Parents/Getty Images Key Points The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released updated immunization guidelines for babies and children. In some areas, their recommendations break from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s guidance. The most glaring difference involves the COVID-19 vaccination. Where the CDC advises parents to consult a health care provider about COVID-19 vaccines for children, the AAP offers more explicit guidelines about who should get vaccinated and when. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released an updated vaccine schedule for children, with guidance that breaks with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s current recommendations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a news release on August 19, 2025, the AAP announced its updated "evidence-based immunization schedule" that contains recommendations on influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines, along with many others. "It differs from recent recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the CDC, which was overhauled this year and replaced with individuals who have a history of spreading vaccine misinformation," the AAP says in a statement. What Are the AAP's Guidelines for Flu, RSV, and COVID-19? The AAP specifically details its guidance for influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 in its news release, although the full recommendations include all vaccinations. When it comes to those three common respiratory illnesses, the AAP advises the following: RSV To protect babies against RSV, the AAP recommends vaccination for babies younger than 8 months if... Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement the pregnant parent did not receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy or the vaccination status of the pregnant parent is unknown or the baby was born less than 14 days after the birthing person was vaccinated The AAP also recommends vaccination for babies ages 8 months through 19 months who are at high risk of RSV and entering their second RSV season. Influenza To protect against the flu, the AAP recommends that babies and children receive annual influenza vaccines beginning at 6 months of age. "The flu can be much more serious than just a cold or run-of-the-mill viral infection, especially for children under the age of 5 or those with conditions like asthma or diabetes," says Kristina Bryant, MD, FAAP, a member of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases. "It is also something that kids can catchand spreadeasily." COVID-19 Because babies 6 through 23 months of age are at a higher risk for severe COVID-19 infections, the AAP recommends COVID vaccinations for all children in that age group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AAP also recommends COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 2 through 18 years belonging to higher risk groups that include: people who are at a higher risk for severe COVID-19 people who live with anyone at a high risk for severe COVID-19 those who live in group residences and anyone who has never been vaccinated against COVID-19 The AAP also notes that children ages 2 through 18 who do not fall into a high-risk category can also still receive a COVID-19 vaccine, at their parent or caregiver's discretion. The updated recommendations to the AAP's vaccination guidances also included immunizations such as Hepatitis B, Meningococcal, HPV, and more. How Do These AAP Guidelines Differ From the CDC Guidelines? One glaring difference between the two organizations surrounds the guidance for COVID-19 vaccinations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where the AAP explicitly recommends COVID-19 vaccination for babies 6 through 23 months and high-risk groups of children thereafter, the CDC is more lax on its wording. The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccinations for adults, but notes that "parents of children ages 6 months to 17 years should discuss the benefits of vaccination with a healthcare provider." When comparing the full pediatric vaccination schedules between the AAP and CDC, there are other differences to note. For example, when it comes to the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, the AAP recommends beginning the series of vaccinations between 9 and 12 years old. The CDC's guidelines suggest 11-12 years old. The AAP will continue to provide recommendations for immunizations that are rooted in science and are in the best interest of the health of infants, children, and adolescents, AAP President Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, says in the organization's news release. Pediatricians know how important routine childhood immunizations are in keeping children, families, and their communities healthy and thriving. For a full look at the AAP's immunization guidelines, please see below. For further details, specific circumstances, and other notes, click here. American Academy of Pediatrics Read the original article on Parents It's not uncommon for an airline to promote international flights with photos or iconic imagery from the destination, like the Eiffel Tower for a flight to Paris, the Colosseum for a flight to Rome. However, some basic fact-checking should probably be done first. This week, American Airlines used some beautiful imagery of a castle to promote its new flight to Prague in the Czech Republic. The only problem is that the castle the airline used in its advertising is actually located nowhere near Prague. American Airlines Launches New Flight to Prague Earlier this month, American Airlines officially announced a new flight from Philadelphia to Prague, along with a new flight to Budapest, Hungary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Customers continue to tell us that Europe is where they want to go each summer and these new routes make it even easier to cross the Atlantic in 2026," Americans Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning said in a statement earlier this month. We are excited to grow our network to new destinations like Prague and Budapest and offer even more premium travel experiences on our flights to Tokyo. The new flight will begin in May of 2026, but the airline has already begun advertising the new flight. American Airlines Begins Advertising Prague Flights After American Airlines announced the new flight to Prague, it immediately began advertising the route across multiple channels, including a full database e-mail blast, which was captured in a screenshot by Gary Leff of View From the Wing. "Vacation in Prague: Wander through Pragues timeless beauty with castles, cafes and cobblestone streets," the advertisement reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those words accompanied a photograph of Cesky Krumlov Castle, which is undeniably beautiful. However, it isn't in Prague, as the language suggests. In fact, it isn't even particularly close to Prague. An Embarrassing Mistake As Leff pointed out, the castle is actually located in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. "Americans marketing of 'Pragues timeless beauty' and Pragues 'castles and cobblestone streets' do not show either. Instead, thats Cesky Krumlov Castle complex overlooking the Vltava River, with the towns historic center and signature red-tiled rooftops," Leff wrote for View From the Wing. Further, Leff pointed out that the ad makes even less sense, considering Prague isn't even the closest or most convenient airport to the castle, and American already operated a flight to a city that is just as close to the castle as Prague. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Prague isnt even the closest airport to Cesky Krumlov, since Linz (with good air connections via Frankfurt, train from Vienna, and plenty of low cost carrier service especially seasonally) is much closer. (Salzburg is just as straightforward a journey though its a few kilometers farther away. Munich is about half an hour farther away American already offered equally convenient service to Cesky Krumlov!)," Leff wrote. More than that, there is a castle in Prague that would have made much more sense for American Airlines to use in its marketing. "If American wanted an image of a castle for their Prague service, then maybe use Prague Castle? Thats the most the most significant Czech monument. Its one of the citys main landmarks, visible from much of central Prague, and the office of the President of the Czech Republic. And its actually in Prague!" Leff wrote. Clearly, Southwest should have verified the location of the castle in the marketing before rolling it out. American Airlines Called Out After Embarrassing Mistake first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 17, 2025 NEED TO KNOW An American Airlines pilot declared a mayday shortly after departing Boston Logan International Airport on Aug. 17 In an audio recording, the pilot announces "multiple failures multiple failures including navigation and automation as well" Last month, a United Airlines pilot declared a mayday due to engine failure A scary audio recording caught the moment an American Airlines pilot declared a mayday shortly after takeoff. On Sunday, Aug. 17, American Airlines flight 2616 departed Boston Logan International Airport at 6:45 p.m. local time, according to flight tracker FlightAware. After flying for 10 minutes, the Philadelphia-bound flight diverted back to its Boston origin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boston, American 2616 were lowering to 8,000, declaring a mayday, the pilot says in an audio recording posted by LiveATC.net. We need to return back to Boston. We have a loss of the autopilot, loss of auto-thrust and we have a position disagree between both of our [flight management systems] They later emphasized the issues to the authorities on the ground: We have multiple failures including navigation and automation as well." Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/Shutterstock An American Airlines plane An American Airlines plane According to the pilot, there were 200 souls on board and 237 minutes worth of fuel. In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the flight returned safely to Boston Logan around 7:30 p.m. local time after crews reported a possible flight system issue. The agency confirmed it will investigate the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the FAAs aircraft registry, the flight was operating a 2013 Airbus A321-211. On Aug. 20, a spokesperson for the airlines confirmed the incident to PEOPLE citing a maintenance issue. The flight landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power, they shared in a statement. The aircraft has been taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty American Airlines planes grounded American Airlines planes grounded They added: We never want to disrupt our customers travel plans and apologize for the inconvenience. Last month, a United Airlines pilot declared a mayday shortly after departing Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On July 25, the Munich-bound flight operating a Boeing 787 experienced an engine failure. The plane was carrying 219 passengers and 11 crew members. Failure, engine failure, left engine, United 108, pilots told air traffic controllers in a recording obtained by the account You Can See ATC on YouTube. Declaring an emergency. Mayday, mayday, mayday, they added while flying at 5,000 feet. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Air traffic controllers instructed crews to make a right turn and return to the airport, but the plane was too heavy. Since it was carrying enough fuel for a transatlantic flight, the pilots needed to adjust the weight of the jet before landing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After looping around the airport twice and dumping the necessary amount of fuel, crews safely landed after more than 30 minutes in the air. United flight 108 to Munich returned to Washington Dulles shortly after takeoff to address a mechanical issue, a spokesperson for United shared in a statement with PEOPLE. The plane landed safely, and all passengers deplaned normally at the gate. The representative confirmed the flight was canceled and the carrier made alternate arrangements for travelers. Read the original article on People Every year, the US Department of State releases a report on human rights practices in other countries (CRHRP). One of my first assignments as a political officer at the US embassy was to coordinate and edit one country report. Not surprisingly, certain governments sometimes take issue with how their policies are characterised in the CRHRP. For example, South Africa claimed a recent CRHRP was inaccurate and deeply flawed in criticising them for failing to investigate, prosecute and punish officials who committed human rights abuses or violence against racial minorities. President Cyril Ramaphosa seemed bewildered in May when President Trump took him to task for the murders of white farmers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His governments defence seems to be that South Africas horrific levels of crime afflict everyone, not just white people, and that the motives are not racist but merely criminal. That is unlikely to mollify a country impoverished under an incompetent succession of ANC leaders, nor will Ramaphosas explanation that they havent actually used their sweeping new Land Expropriation Act inspire commercial farmers who feed the country to invest in their farms. But I digress. China doesnt just reject US criticism, theyve cheekily published their own report criticising the US for the chronic disease of racism, and basic rights and freedoms being disregarded. Usually, the governments taking the most criticism in the CRHRP are repressive or feckless regimes, from China to Zimbabwe, that suppress free speech, stifle religious expression, or oppress women, minority groups, and political dissidents. That doesnt sound like the England in which I was born over half a century ago. But this year, the Country Report on the UK flags Britain as a risky place to speak your mind. The CRHRP claims that the human rights situation worsened in the United Kingdom during the year, citing credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression, including enforcement of or threat of criminal or civil laws in order to limit expression; and crimes, violence, or threats of violence motivated by anti-Semitism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report notes restrictions on speech even silent meditation near abortion clinics, and the Online Safety Acts curtailment of internet speech, policed by Ofcom. It calls out government censorship of speech deemed misinformation or hate speech, including in relation to migrants and crimes committed by foreign nationals. It could have gone even further. In its section on Worker Rights, the CRHRP doesnt discuss the people who have been sacked or disciplined for refusing to accept the forced speech codes of gender ideology, like prison officer David Toshack or nurse Jennifer Melle; or for social media posters who have criticised government action, like teacher Simon Pearson. Like the proverbial frog in slowly heating water, perhaps Brits cant see what is happening to their freedoms. But looking from the outside, we can, and the State Department has called it out. In reaction, I expect the British Left to be as indignant and in denial as the establishment in Washington DC is about crime. Now Donald Trump has temporarily taken over local law enforcement in the city, the Leftist establishment and the national media are claiming that violent crime is lower than in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This ignores some inconvenient realities. First, unreliable numbers. The city has reportedly just settled a lawsuit from a whistleblowing police officer who had alleged that her supervisors were re-classifying serious crimes as lesser offences, to flatter the citys crime statistics. Second, even the supposedly lower murder rate puts Washington among the most dangerous cities in the nation. Like the DC establishment, the British government and much of the media are happy to ignore Lucy Connolly, who is still in prison after she made an unwise online post (and then deleted it); Hamit Coskun, who was prosecuted after he burnt a book; and the thousands of ordinary Brits who have been accused of Non-Crime Hate Incidents, which is at the very least an astonishing waste of police time. The Left likes to pretend that the real villains in the fight for free speech are people like Kathleen Stock, Maya Forstater, and JK Rowling, who courageously state objective truth, rather than the gender ideologues trying to force women to accept men in their changing rooms, prisons, and shelters. George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and other writers of the early 20th century predicted a future where the populace was dumbed down, repressed, and fed information by an authoritarian state. In the dystopian futures they imagined in 1984 and Brave New World, independent, critical thinking was banned and speech violators were punished. That sounds like the logical destiny of Britain if it maintains its present course. There is already a semi-official dogma on gender ideology, immigration, and crime which it is costly to challenge. Censorship and group-think get worse if not disrupted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of rejecting Americas criticism in high dudgeon, I hope Britain will heed the warning of its Atlantic cousins and return to the people their right to speak their minds. For the land of Magna Carta to slowly sink into repression and state control would be a great injustice to Britains present inhabitants, and an insult to our ancestors work of centuries. Simon Hankinson is a senior research fellow in The Heritage Foundations Border Security and Immigration Center and author of The Ten Woke Commandments (You Must Not Obey) from Academica Books. 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. Pew Research Centers latest study, How Americans View Journalists in the Digital Age, contains a mixed bag. First, the good news: 59% of adults say they consider the profession very or extremely important to society, while citing honesty, intelligence and authenticity as qualities they most prize in reporting. Except like a lot of surveys, what people say often contradicts what they do at least when it comes to consuming news. Theres a gap between what news consumers say they want and what they actually seek out in their news sources. Simply put, some of those Americans who emphasized honesty (93%), intelligence (89%) and authenticity (82%) as key factors they want from journalism, perhaps giving the answer they thought was expected. More from TheWrap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Honesty, moreover, now means different things to different people, with Donald Trump and his supporters tossing around the word dishonest at the press on a regular basis, while his administration lies about crime statistics, polling numbers and health issues, and seeks to stop releasing jobs data when he doesnt like the results. Trump has also endeavored to flood the White House press pool with sycophants, which were on full display this week during his meeting with European leaders and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, prompting one veteran correspondent to grumble to CNN about the fawning questions lobbed at Trump, calling them embarrassing. Trump and his surrogates, meanwhile, hammer the press for anything perceived as less than worshipful reporting. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt unloaded on reporters Tuesday for their coverage of Trumps attempts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, saying from the podium, Many outlets in this room continue to try to actively undermine the president and sabotage the efforts toward peace. Like other institutions, the media has exhibited at best an uneven track record in weathering those relentless assaults, which have been abetted by officials like Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr, who appears to place serving Trumps needs above all else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the small-victories department, for those operating on the brink of despair, the Pew results didnt completely add to the darkening mood. The notion that three in five respondents would embrace the importance of journalism feels significant, especially given all the griping about the media across the partisan divide. Clear majorities also cited the importance of accuracy and correcting false information from public figures, though with marked gaps between Democrats and Republicans on the latter. Still, even for glass-half-full types, its hard not to focus on the negative. Half of the Americans polled said they believe journalists are losing influence, which is undoubtedly true. In addition, a much higher percentage of young adults consider new media described as everything from podcasts to newsletters to people who post about the news on social media as legitimate alternatives for news and information, which doesnt bode well for traditional practitioners who have already lost considerable ground to those voices. Those operating outside the constraints of journalism also help fuel narratives that can be at odds with facts, while providing immediacy and visceral qualities that grab peoples attention and create hard-to-shake perceptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie posted on Bluesky regarding Trump dispatching troops to major cities under the guise of addressing rampant crime, declines in crime rates are generally not reported on nothing sexy there while any instance of violence is given sensational coverage, so that the perception is of growing crime even when American cities are safer than ever. If people dont feel safer, in other words, the numbers/facts dont matter not when theres another video of someone getting mugged, posted somewhere, every few minutes. A National Guard vehicle parked near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Not surprisingly, Pews question about whether journalists are important reflected sharp partisan and educational splits, with just over two-thirds of college graduates saying journalists are extremely or very important, compared to 51% of those with a high school diploma or less. The same held true for bias and honesty, with roughly three-quarters and half of self-identified Republicans saying journalists are biased and dishonest, respectively, compared to 45% and 19% of Democrats. How do journalists combat this? Is just being honest, intelligent and authentic enough when so many people are predisposed to think youre not, while gravitating toward networks, websites and personalities that echo those assumptions? And does playing Whac-a-Mole with falsehoods, trying to disprove them, accomplish anything beyond preaching to the choir? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In some ways, the studys authors noted, Americans ideas about journalists are still tied to what the news industry looked like in the 20th century. Trump is using an old playbook in places, from invoking the Alien Enemies Act a relic from the 1790s to his fondness for tariffs, which have prompted comparisons to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which, not incidentally, exacerbated the Great Depression. When it comes to media, though, surviving Trump 2.0 is going to require 21st-century solutions, and as the Pew study indicates, seven months into his term, theres still no clear game plan for that. The post Heres How Americans View Journalists in the Trump Era appeared first on TheWrap. AmeriCorps is under siege. What happens in the communities it serves? SILVER SPRING, Md. Daniel Zare worked one-on-one as an AmeriCorps member with students going through rough times in school, lightening teachers workload in the classroom. At AmeriCorps Project CHANGE, based in Silver Springs Sligo Middle School, Zare was one of several in his group who tracked adolescents emotional and social wellbeing over months using a system dubbed My Score. They then helped support the kids who were struggling the most. In April, though, the program screeched to a halt. Thats when the Trump administration abruptly canceled nearly $400 million in active AmeriCorps grants across the United States that fund volunteers who embed in communities, in exchange for a small stipend and education award. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the work that we had culminating toward the end of the year, the relationships that we built with teachers and students and officials, it just completely went kaput because we were told we weren't allowed to go to work at all, Zare, 27, told States Newsroom. Like so many longstanding federal programs and institutions severely reduced or dismantled as part of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency project, AmeriCorps and its nonprofit partners are now assessing the damage and seeking a way forward. AmeriCorps programs that survived last springs DOGE cuts are slowly beginning a new year of service amid major uncertainty over whether they will be able to continue their work in classrooms, food banks, senior centers and other community hubs. Winners and losers among states AmeriCorps, a federal agency signed into law in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton, places roughly 200,000 members across the United States at 35,000 service locations, according to current agency data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members serve in schools, local governments, and with a wide range of nonprofits that focus on health, disaster relief, environmental stewardship, workforce development, and veterans. The staffers, who pledge to get things done for America, are paid a modest living allowance that hovers around the poverty line. Some, but not all, can get health insurance while in the program. Members who complete their service term, which usually lasts from 10 to 12 months, receive an education award that can be used to pursue a degree, earn a trade certificate, or pay student loans. AmeriCorps federal dollars reach programs via a couple routes. In many cases, grants flow from AmeriCorps to governor-led state and territorial commissions that divvy them up according to local priorities. In other cases, federal dollars flow straight to a program via a competitive grant process. Map showing which states have the most AmeriCorps service members ranging from 227 to 22,773. - Ashley Murray // States Newsroom Kaira Esgate, CEO of Americas Service Commissions, said when the Trump administration ordered the cuts in April, some states lost large portions of their AmeriCorps portfolio, while other states fared better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were no real clear trend lines around what or who got terminated and why, said Esgate, whose member organization represents all 49 state commissions (South Dakota doesnt have one) and the commissions for the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Abby Andre, executive director of The Impact Project, a new nonprofit tracking government cuts, has been collecting data and plotting on an interactive map where AmeriCorps programs have been canceled. Andre, a former Department of Justice litigator, has also worked with her team to build other maps showing where federal workforce cuts have been felt across the country. "AmeriCorps is a really great example of the federal dollars being kind of invisible in communities. Communities often don't know that a local food bank or a senior center is supported by AmeriCorps volunteers and AmeriCorps money," said Andre, who taught administrative law at the Vermont Law School after working under President Barack Obama and in Trump's first administration. Andre said communities with a lack of social services, including in rural areas, will likely feel the biggest losses without an AmeriCorps presence because the agency "facilitates pennies-on-the-dollar type services through volunteer work." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's not as though if these community services folded, those communities would have the money to fund equal or better services through the private market," she said. Losing trust The Maryland Governors Office on Service and Volunteerism gave the green light to Project CHANGE to keep its program, which serves Montgomery County in suburban Washington, D.C., running through the upcoming school year. Paul Costello, director of Project CHANGE, is now scrambling to launch a new AmeriCorps cohort after receiving the news on July 22 that the initiative had been funded. He estimates members wont be able to begin until almost a month into the school year. Paul Costello reads student self-assessments of their confidence levels, hopefulness and excitement for learning at Sligo Middle School in Silver Spring, Maryland. - Ashley Murray // States Newsroom Sadly, AmeriCorps, as a brand name, is badly damaged, I think. I mean, I've got a meeting on Wednesday with a major partner who told us two weeks ago We thought you were dead, Costello, pictured above, told States Newsroom in an Aug. 11 interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Costellos program not only places service members in Montgomery County Public Schools, where Zare served, but also with partners including Community Bridges, Montgomery Housing Partnership and Family Learning Solutions. The nonprofits respectively focus on helping adolescent girls from diverse backgrounds, children whose families live in community-developed affordable housing units, and teens eyeing college and career paths. The countys school system is the largest in the state and serves a highly diverse population. About 44% of the systems 160,000 students qualify for free and reduced meals, and close to 20% are learning English while continuing to speak another language at home. Costellos 18 cohort members embedded in those schools and nonprofits this past academic year were suddenly yanked in April when the government cut his grant. The partners, who had planned and budgeted to have the members through June, were thrown into total chaos, Costello said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So some of them are so desperate, they rely on their members. They had to dig into their pockets to keep them on as staff. And then we go back to them this year and say, You want members this year? AmeriCorps has made no attempt to make them whole. So theyve been screwed, Costello said. AmeriCorps did not respond to States Newsrooms questions about nonprofits losing money. Legal action The federal courts granted some relief to members and organizations who abruptly lost living allowances and contractually obligated funding. A Maryland federal district judge ordered in June that funding and positions be restored in 24 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia that sued the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another district judge in the state also handed a win to more than a dozen nonprofits from across the country that sued to recover funding they were owed. But for many, it was too late, and AmeriCorps future still feels shaky. After suddenly losing his living allowance in April, Zare had to leave Silver Spring. I was renting a room off of Georgia (Avenue), and I was not able to pay rent there anymore, so I actually moved back to my mom's in Germantown for the time being, he told States Newsroom in August, referring to another Maryland suburb. Hillary Kane, director of the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development, said by the time the court orders were issued, many of her AmeriCorps members had already found other positions and she had completely let go of one of her full-time staffers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the court injunctions were welcome news, reinstating the programs remained questionable, Kane wrote in a July 21 update for Nonprofit Quarterly. Kanes organization is a member of the National College Attainment Network, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that was among the successful plaintiffs. Other organizations that joined the lawsuit are based in California, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Virginia. The Democratic-led states that won reinstatement for AmeriCorps members include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Going forward? Kane got news on July 10 that PennSERVE, Pennsylvanias state service commission, reinstated funding for her AmeriCorps program that places members in four West Philadelphia high schools to mentor students on their post-graduation plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The late notice meant Kane could only begin recruiting new members in mid-July. And so our start date has to be a bit fluid, Kane told States Newsroom during a July 22 interview. We have to essentially recruit people into this one-year cohort position, and say, We're hoping to start September 2, but we're not 100% sure. Can you kind of just roll with it? It's an awkward position to have to be in. The AmeriCorps pledge hangs at Project CHANGE at Sligo Middle School in Silver Spring, Maryland. - Ashley Murray // States Newsroom Other AmeriCorps programs have not fared so well, as the Trump administrations Office of Management and Budget continues to withhold funds that were appropriated by Congress for the ongoing fiscal year. Trump signed legislation in March that extended the $1.26 billion for AmeriCorps for the full 2025 fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30. Kane said the most insidious part of the recent AmeriCorps storyline is that programs that receive grants directly from the federal agency are being strung along by OMB. So there are agencies who have been theoretically awarded money, but theyre like, Is it actually going to happen? Should I spend all this money and then not be able to bill the federal government to reimburse me if OMB is going to hold it hostage? Programs at risk include 130 recently expired contracts for AmeriCorps Foster Grandparent and Senior Companions programs that support roughly 6,000 senior citizen volunteers across 35 states. The programs are eligible for just over $50 million for the new service year, which should be off to a start. Congress pleads with budget office A bipartisan group of U.S. senators pressed the executive branch agency on Aug. 1 to release the funds. Further delays in grantmaking will have immediate and irreversible consequences for programs, AmeriCorps members, and communities, the senators wrote in a letter to OMB Director Russ Vought. Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina joined Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York in signing the letter. All are members of the Senate National Service Caucus. The White House and AmeriCorps did not respond for comment. The Republican-led Senate Committee on Appropriations voted on July 31 to preserve $1.25 billion in AmeriCorps funding for fiscal year 2026. Collins chairs the committee. U.S. House appropriators, which for the last two years under Republican leadership have sought to cut AmeriCorps funding, are expected to debate its budget in September. But its almost certain Congress will have to pass a stopgap spending bill when the end of the fiscal year arrives to stave off a partial government shutdown, so a final decision on funding may not come for months. Change for everyone Zare never did have a chance to say goodbye to all his students in April. And even though the option was on the table, he did not sign up to serve a third year with AmeriCorps. Before he applied and earned a spot with Project CHANGE, Zare was working odd jobs, including as a utilities contractor for Comcast. He had also earned his associates degree. I don't think there's any other program to take someone like me who was working a couple of different jobs and put them in an environment like this, to see firsthand as an American citizen how our classrooms operate and what position I would need to be in to actually be of benefit, Zare told States Newsroom. Zare is now freelancing and debating his next move, whether thats a new job or further higher education. AmeriCorps is something that I'm always going to cherish because a lot of the people there still help me, he said. Editors note: D.C. Bureau Senior Reporter Ashley Murray served in AmeriCorps in 2009-2010. This story was produced by States Newsroom and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. The U.S. Navys San Antonio class amphibious warfare ship USS New Orleans suffered a fire today while it was off White Beach in Uruma City on the Japanese island of Okinawa. A U.S. official has confirmed to TWZ that the blaze has been contained, but it is unclear at this time if it has been fully extinguished. The fire started at about 5:00 PM local time (4:00 AM Eastern), according to NHK in Japan. At the time of writing, there have been no reports of casualties, and the cause and extent of the damage remain unknown. The New Orleans is homeported in Sasebo on the Japanese home island of Kyushu to the north, and is assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet. A screen capture from a video showing the response to the fire aboard the USS New Orleans. NHK capture via X Crews are responding to a fire aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) this evening, Aug. 20, (Japan Time), which is in the vicinity of Okinawa, Japan, another Navy spokesperson had earlier told TWZ in a statement. We will provide more details as they become available. *Details still emerging* USS New Orleans (LPD 18) San Antonio-class Flight I amphibious transport dock reports fire on board while off of Okinawa August 20, 2025 SRC: INT- https://t.co/11Z3Z1PvQM pic.twitter.com/lmYxD055G5 WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) August 20, 2025 Smoke was confirmed rising from the bow of the ship, but so far there have been no requests to evacuate the crew, a Japanese Coast Guard official told NHK. A Navy spokesperson confirmed to us that no evacuation order has been given. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Videos from the scene posted by NHK show two firefighting tugs located on both sides of the bow pouring water on the vessel. A Navy spokesperson told us the tugs were from White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa. Footage showing firefighting ships with the Japanese Coast Guard fighting a fire onboard the San Antonio-Class Amphibious Transport Dock, USS New Orleans (LPD-18), off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. pic.twitter.com/czcUFgvSO8 OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 20, 2025 NEW: Fire broke out aboard the USS New Orleans (LPD-18) while docked at White Beach, Okinawa, Japan. US Navy & Japan Self-Defense Forces fought the blaze. Cause, damage, and casualties not yet confirmed. pic.twitter.com/xbWLGoA1Xd Clash Report (@clashreport) August 20, 2025 NHK reported that Japan Self-Defense Force vessels arrived to conduct firefighting efforts, and the Japan Coast Guard had also dispatched a patrol boat to the scene. A Navy spokesperson earlier told TWZ that they believed that the ships crew, plus the two tugs from White Beach, had been actively fighting the fire. A stock picture of the San Antonio class amphibious warfare ship USS New Orleans. (USN) Okinawas White Beach is a staging area for Marines and their equipment based on Okinawa, according to the Navy. This departure point allows utility landing craft and air-cushioned landing vehicles to ferry troops, vehicles and equipment to amphibious ships pier side or at sea. The cause of the fire and extent of the damage will be investigated, a Navy spokesperson also told TWZ. Update, 5:52 PM Eastern: The U.S. 7th Fleet has now put out a statement regarding the fire aboard USS New Orleans, which it says was extinguished at approximately 4:00 AM local time on August 21. This is roughly 12 hours after the blaze began. Two crew members were treated aboard the ship for unspecified minor injuries. An investigation is now underway. A fire aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), which is anchored near White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, was declared extinguished at 4 a.m., Aug. 21. Read more: https://t.co/vPUWV7XC5A pic.twitter.com/P0l06Oqgye 7th Fleet (@US7thFleet) August 20, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The full statement is as follows: A fire aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), which is anchored near White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, was declared extinguished at 4 a.m., Aug. 21. The fire began at approximately 4 p.m., Aug. 20. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. New Orleans Sailors firefighting efforts were supported by the crew of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22), which is moored at White Beach Naval Facility. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force; Japan Coast Guard; and U.S. Navy commands from across Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa also provided critical support to the firefighting efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two Sailors were taken to New Orleans medical for minor injuries. New Orleans crew will remain aboard the ship. Additional services and berthing are available aboard San Diego and Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa, if needed. Continue to follow U.S. 7th Fleet for updates. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com Ana Navarro of The View is accusing first lady Melania Trump of hypocrisy, and she has a long list of receipts to back it up. On Aug.15, President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to negotiate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine a goal that ultimately went unmet. During the meeting, Trump reportedly handed Putin a letter from Melania Trump urging him to protect children and future generations worldwide, saying, It is time. Related: Kid Rock Goes Into Meltdown Mode After Getting Punked By Gavin Newsoms X Account The letter, which was obtained by Fox News, was reposted by Navarro on Instagram on Tuesday but not before the political commentator added her own unflinching critique of Melania Trumps message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just cant with the performative, hypocrisy from these people, Navarro captioned her video, right before reading the first ladys words claiming that Putin could usher in peace with merely a stroke of the pen. In the video, Navarro juxtaposed Melania Trumps appeal for global peace with the Trump administrations treatment of immigrant families in the U.S., especially children. She pointed to the fear among immigrant children, many of whom are U.S. citizens, who live in constant anxiety over their parents being dragged through the streets of America. From Left: "The View" co-host Ana Navarro and first lady Melania Trump Getty Images Among Navarros list of examples were the school children in Los Angeles, California, who were detained by ICE. Earlier this month, the government agency mistakenly detained a disabled youth outside of his L.A. school. Trump and his minions have literally destroyed U.S. aid that could feed starving children, instead of distributing it, Navarro continued in her caption. They are destroying and separating families. They are taking safety nets away from poor American children and giving tax-breaks to the ultra wealthy. Related: JD Vance Heckled At Photo Op With National Guard In DC While Navarro acknowledged the importance of advocating for Ukrainian children, she urged the first lady to turn her attention closer to home namely, to the policies enacted by her own husband. She wrote that Trump should spare her the gestures towards influencing Putin, and suggested that she stands a better chance of influencing Trump. Related: Donald Trump Reveals What He Told Melania After Hunter Bidens Epstein Relationship Comments There are children in America crying, suffering, going to bed in fear, Navarro said, returning to homes that are abandoned and empty, not knowing where their next meal is coming from because of what her husband is doing. Related... Read the original on HuffPost The Brief Andre White is challenging his current boss, Robert Luna, in the 2026 election for LA County Sheriff. White said the department is in need of new and young leadership. LOS ANGELES - Detective Andre White is looking to take over the job of his boss, Robert Luna, by competing against him in the race for LA County Sheriff. White,a lifelong LA resident, spoke to FOX 11 about his run for sheriff and explained that the department is in need of a generational shift in leadership. What they're saying "I believe we've lost touch of who we're actually serving and that's the community. I believe our leaders and current leaders and past leaders actually have just lost touch of reality, of what an everyday person is going through in Los Angeles County. We're going through so many differences and so many changes very fast, and I believe that it's time for the next generation to take lead on that and be a proper leader for everyone," White said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He explained that while it's important to have veterans and others to lean on, young blood is needed in the department to move forward and help with innovative ideas. "Things are everlasting, changing, and we need the youth to step up and take control. I think a lot of people don't realize, with our department over the next probably five to 10 years, it's going to be a shift, and it's already happening, that you're going to have more people with 20 years of service less on, than 20 years or more." If elected as sheriff, he said on day one in office, he would meet with department leaders to align on a shared vision and pledge that accountability would extend to captains, commanders, and all leadership positions not just deputies and detectives. "It can no longer be just the deputies, the detectives and the lower-level people that are held accountable. I will ensure that each person wearing that badge in a leadership position is held accountable for here on out," White stated. Who is Andre White? White, 34, has been with the LA County Sheriff's Department for 11 years. His first assignment was workingat the Twin Towers Correctional Facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He spent seven years at the Carson Sheriff Station as both a patrol deputy and training officer, and one year as a Detective with Operation Safe Streets. Prior to becoming a detective, he was an EMT for five years, serving alongside the Los Angeles County Fire Department. He also worked in the ER at Torrance Memorial. Raised in the city of Compton, White hopes to become the first-ever black sheriff in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department history. Candidates running for sheriff Other candidates in the race for sheriff include former Sheriff Alex Villanueva, retired LASD Captain Mike Bornman, and Lt. Oscar Martinez of the Palmdale station. What's next California's Primary Election will be held June 2, 2026. The top two candidates will then move on to the November election. The race is nonpartisan, meaning party affiliation will not be listed on the ballot. The Brief Ann Arbor police are searching for a suspected peeping tom targeting college women and trying to look into bedrooms. Officials are issuing a warning, hoping to catch him before he strikes again. ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - Police in Ann Arbor are looking for a peeping Tom, a man accused of targeting college-aged women and trying to peer into their bedrooms. Big picture view Officials are issuing a warning, hoping to catch him before he strikes again. According to police, this has happened six to eight times within the past ten days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect uses a bucket or trash can to gain access to a window where he can then spy on his victims, who are typically young women. All of this is happening in parts of the city near or just north of the campus of the University of Michigan. The latest report occurred Monday at 1 a.m. in the 500 block of Kingsley, just four blocks from the police station. What they're saying So far, police have just a vague description of the suspect: a man with white or light complexion, medium build, wearing dark clothing. All of these incidents happened at night or early in the morning. "If you have blinds or curtains, use them or get them installed. Look at the lighting in the backyard or on the side as you approach the house," said Ann Arbor Police Lt. Andrew Janette. "If you are renting, talk to your landlord and make sure they have them installed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police are asking people to review their security cameras and Ring doorbells to see if they notice anyone lingering around the sides of homes or backyards in the middle of the night. If you see someone suspicious, call the police and let them know. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has completed its acquisition of AssuredPartners at a gross consideration of $13.45bn. The deal was announced in December last year. AssuredPartners, a US-based insurance broker, provides services across commercial property/casualty (P&C), specialty, employee benefits and personal lines. The acquisition is expected to expand Gallagher's retail middle-market P&C and employee benefits presence across the US and strengthen its UK and Ireland presence. It is also expected to provide new business opportunities through the integration of Gallagher's expertise, data, analytics and product offerings. Arthur J. Gallagher chairman and CEO J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr. said: "I am extremely excited to welcome our new colleagues to Gallagher. Together, we will further build upon our client-centric, entrepreneurial cultures and utilise our product and industry expertise, extensive data, innovative analytical tools, outstanding service and broad product offerings to provide our clients with the very best insurance and risk management solutions. The transaction also aims to enhance Gallagher's capabilities in various niche practice groups including transportation, energy, healthcare, government contractors and public entity sectors. The deal is also intended to support the growth of its wholesale, reinsurance and claims management businesses. It is expected to be financially beneficial, with projections of double-digit adjusted earnings per share accretion, the company said in a press release. The terms of the agreement involved Gallagher purchasing the stock of AssuredPartners parent company from private equity firm GTCR and funds advised by Apax Partners. The acquisition was funded using net proceeds from equity and debt financing transactions. In March, Arthur J. Gallagher purchased Woodruff Sawyer for $1.2bn. Woodruff Sawyer, based in San Francisco, specialises in commercial P&C products, employee benefits solutions and risk management services, predominantly catering to middle and large-market clients. "Arthur J. Gallagher concludes $13.45bn purchase of AssuredPartners " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa) is defending herself amid social media backlash, as the Republican lawmaker left what some users are calling a ridiculous tip at a restaurant in an attempt to celebrate the GOPs no tax on tips deduction passed earlier this year. Mandel Ngan / Getty Images Made a pit stop in Iowa County for lunch at Sun Down Bar and Grill, Miller-Meeks wrote Monday on X, formerly Twitter. I got to celebrate No Tax on Tips with our wonderful server, shes thrilled about this provision and excited to keep more of what she earns! Related: "This Is Deeply Fascist": People Are Floored That This Banner Was Actually Placed On A Government Building In DC An accompanying image of her receipt showed Miller-Meeks had a $7 order of corn nuggets and a $10 Philly cheesesteak sandwich, which came to a total of $18.19, after adding local sales tax. The photo showed Miller-Meeks left $21 and small change on her table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pictured receipt notably confirmed that a 20% tip on the total bill would amount to $3.40. Youd think the server would at least get $5 since youre using her as a political prop on a cash tip she wouldnt have reported, one user replied on X, with another person commenting: Ive never seen someone brag so hard about being such a cheap asshole. The congresswoman, whose post received nearly 10 million views and landed more than 2,000 comments, has since responded to the reactions with a statement from a spokesperson which slammed Democrats and noted that she paid acceptable gratuity. The Congresswoman left a 20% tip, and unlike Democrats, she did not vote to increase taxes on hardworking Iowans, Miller-Meeks' communications director Anthony Fakhoury told CBS 2 Iowa in a statement Tuesday. No Tax on Tips means more money in the pockets of servers, not the IRS. Related: "The Daily Show" Destroyed Trump's Latest Biden Attack By Showing Literally Just 1 Clip That Proved He Was So, So Wrong Tom Williams / Getty Images While the backlash exclusively centered on what critics called the stingy gratuity Miller-Meeks paid, the no tax on tips deduction itself has been criticized for its limitations ever since President Donald Trump signed it into law as part of the GOPs big, beautiful bill earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump hailed the measure as a triumph, fulfilling his campaign vow of ending taxes on tips. In reality, it merely provides a tax deduction on up to $25,000 of tip income and only applies to federal income tax meaning workers still have to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on tips. Related: People Are Roasting "MAGA Makeup" On TikTok, And It Might Be The Shadiest Thing I've Seen All Year Social media users ultimately werent concerned with those details Monday, with many aghast that Miller-Meeks tried to champion her party by tipping only $3 on her lunch. patriottakes / RepMMM / Via x.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: A Video Of Obama Exposing MAGAs Double Standards Is Going Viral, And Its A Startling Reminder Of Just How Much Things Have Changed This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in In the News: Trump Thought Alaska Was Russia, And The Internet Is Having An Absolute Field Day With It Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom Has Been Roasting MAGA Left And Right, And WOW, Is It Entertaining Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom Is Going Viral For Shutting Down JD Vance With One Single Map Read it on BuzzFeed.com A federal judge on Wednesday denied the Trump Justice Departments motion to unseal grand jury transcripts in Jeffrey Epsteins New York sex trafficking case, dealing the DOJ its latest loss on the subject, in a ruling that spotlights the governments bumbling legal effort and lack of transparency in the Epstein scandal. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Richard Berman follows an Aug. 11 decision from another judge in New York that rejected the DOJs motion to unseal transcripts in the case of convicted Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as a July ruling from a judge in Florida rejecting DOJs Epstein-related unsealing effort in that state. Ruling against the DOJ in the Maxwell case, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer wrote that [a] member of the public, appreciating that the Maxwell grand jury materials do not contribute anything to public knowledge, might conclude that the Governments motion for their unsealing was aimed not at transparency but at diversion aimed not at full disclosure but at the illusion of such. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly rejecting the effort in Epsteins case specifically, Berman wrote Wednesday that the unsealing motion appeared to be a diversion from the full scope of Epstein-related files in the governments possession. He wrote that the grand jury testimony is just a hearsay snippet of Epsteins alleged conduct, and that the information in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison with the information in the DOJs hands. He also criticized the government for not properly notifying victims before filing the motion. Epstein died in 2019 while being held on trafficking charges in New York, with the medical examiner deeming his death a suicide. Maxwell was subsequently convicted and is appealing while simultaneously seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump. After she met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trumps former personal defense lawyer, the government moved Maxwell to a minimum-security facility. That raised speculation about what benefits the administration might grant her as the White House faces political backlash from its refusal to release all the Epstein-related information in its possession, as promised. Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administrations legal cases. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com One of the most active volcanoes in the world is living up to its reputation as it gears up for another eruption. An eruption at Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is imminent, based on current activity, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Lava fountains -- jets of lava that are sprayed into the air during an eruption -- are expected to begin flowing between Wednesday and Saturday. MORE: Eruption at Hawaii's Kilauea volcano sends lava shooting 1,000 feet in air Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kilauea began to show signs of eruption on Monday, when deflation was recorded on two tiltmeters, instruments used to measure the tilting or rotation of a structure or the ground surface, according to the USGS. M. Patrick/USGS - PHOTO: On Aug. 18, 2025, two USGS scientists and two researchers from the University of Colorado hiked to an overview of the north vent in Halemaumau crater at Kilauea volcano to confirm if lava was moving up inside the vent. Continued tremors and what's known as "glow" at Kilauea indicate that magma remains relatively high in the north vent of the volcano, according to the USGS. In addition, "elevated degassing continues from the vent." "The onset and persistence of glow suggest that magma is close to the surface," the USGS said in its latest update. MORE: Kilauea, active Hawaiian volcano, could erupt like a 'stomp-rocket toy,' new study suggests Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current volcano alert level is at "Watch" or "Orange" level, indicating heightened or escalating unrest and an increased potential for eruption, according to the USGS. Once the eruption begins, it will be the 31st time Kilauea has erupted since December. In some of the eruptions, lava was seen shooting up to 1,000 feet from the volcano's vent. USGS - PHOTO: This close-up view of the Kilauea summit eruption's north vent was captured during an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) overflight conducted by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists on Aug. 18, 2025. Magma has been using the same pathway to gather in a chamber under the Halemaumau Crater since Dec. 23, making the eruptions "intermittently active" within the crater, according to the USGS. The last eruption ended on Aug. 6 after 12 hours of continuous fountaining, according to the USGS. Lava fountains reached up to 165 feet and covered 80% of the crater floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Hawaii's Big Island abuzz over simultaneous eruptions at Mauna Loa and Kilauea The eruption was characterized by episodic lava fountaining not seen since the 1980s, according to the USGS. Kilauea has erupted dozens of times since 1952. Eruptive activity was nearly continuous along the volcano's East Rift Zone between 1983 and 2018. H. Weiss-Racine/USGS - PHOTO: On August 18, the goal field observations confirmed that lava was moving up inside the vent. While perched lava was not observed, lava spatter was visible intermittently during gas pistoning events. High levels of volcanic gas -- including water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide -- is a major hazard of concern. Strands of volcanic glass known as "Pele's hair", are present throughout the summit area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and can spread by wind, even after fountaining has ended, according to the USGS. Kilauea's caldera rim surrounding the Halemaumau crater has been closed to the public since 2007 due to such hazards. (Photo/Emma Ricketts) President Donald Trump took a strong stance on Tuesday on the ongoing Resolution Copper dispute, issuing pointed criticism of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals following its decision to temporarily halt the planned land transfer. Trump's response came one day after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an emergency injunction on Monday, temporarily blocking the Trump administrations plan to transfer Oak Flata sacred and ecologically sensitive area in Arizonato a private mining company. The decision comes as three separate lawsuits challenging the controversial land exchange continue to move through the courts. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Continuing a familiar theme from his presidency, Trump accused the court of overstepping its authority, labeling its actions as politically driven rather than grounded in law. His remarks echo longstanding grievances he expressed during his time in office, when he often accused the 9th Circuit of ideological bias. "The Radical Left 9th Circuit Court just ruled against the biggest copper mine in the United States," Trump stated on his Truth Social platform, setting the tone for his opposition to the ruling. He further escalated his rhetoric by portraying resistance to the Resolution Copper project as unpatriotic. Trump described critics of the initiative as aligned with foreign competitors, casting the mine's development as a matter of national economic interest. In particularly striking language, Trump suggested that opponents of the Resolution Copper project are "Anti-American, and representing other copper competitive countries." This framing attempts to position the mining project as a matter of national interest and economic patriotism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr. of Apache Stronghold response to President Trump: "Our nation cannot survive if we sacrifice what is sacred in pursuit of temporary profits. Today, President Trump said he wants to destroy our holy ground of Oak Flat so a foreign-owned corporation can send copper to China. Whether youre Republican, Democrat, or neither, that is a terrible deal for the American people. But this fight is much bigger than politics or profit. This is a fight about our identity as a nation. Do we respect religious freedom? Will we safeguard our environment for our children and grandchildren? Or will we sacrifice it all for corporate greed? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were grateful that weve been joined in our struggle by people of many faithsCatholics, Protestants, Muslims, Jews, and moreand people of every political persuasion. Thats because this is not a partisan issue. It is a moral one. If we destroy our sacred land and poison our environment, we are betraying our children and grandchildren and hurting ourselves. The future of the entire human race is at stake. Three times now, courts have stopped this destructive project. That is because it is unjust, bad for our nation, and bad for the world. We hope the courts will stop the destruction of Oak Flat once and for all. No matter what happens, I call on all people to continue to pray for justice and to stand with us in protecting Oak Flat. By protecting Oak Flat, we protect our children and grandchildren, protect Mother Earth, and protect everything that is sacred." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net." Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net MISSOURI Vaccination records just became much more accessible for Missouri residents after the state launched a new app. The new app, Docket, allows Missouri residents with a ShowMeVax record to access their vaccination files digitally. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services launched the new app for residents to access personal and family immunization records. To access the records, residents must create an account on Docket using their email address, Apple ID, or Gmail account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two charged with abandoning corpse at SLU Hospital, stealing victims car and phone After creating an account, to search for vaccination records, residents must provide a valid phone number or email address, legal name, date of birth, and gender to match the ShowMeVax record exactly. According to the state, millions of immunization records are stored in ShowMeVax, the web-based electronic database that Docket has access to. Missouri joins eight other states, including the District of Columbia, to provide resources through the Docket app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A federal appeals court on Wednesday sided with the Trump administration and halted for now a lower courts order that had kept in place temporary protections for 60,000 migrants from Central America and Nepal. This means that the Republican administration can move toward removing an estimated 7,000 people from Nepal whose Temporary Protected Status designations expired Aug. 5. The TPS designations and legal status of 51,000 Hondurans and 3,000 Nicaraguans are set to expire Sept. 8, at which point they will become eligible for removal. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco granted the emergency stay pending an appeal as lead plaintiff National TPS Alliance alleges that the administration acted unlawfully in ending Temporary Protected Status designations for people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district courts order granting plaintiffs motion to postpone, entered July 31, 2025, is stayed pending further order of this court, wrote the judges, who are appointees of Democrat Bill Clinton and Republicans George W. Bush and Donald Trump. Temporary Protected Status is a designation that can be granted by the Homeland Security secretary, preventing migrants from being deported and allowing them to work. The Trump administration has aggressively sought to remove the protection, thus making more people eligible for removal. Its part of a wider effort by the administration to carry out mass deportations of immigrants. Secretary Kristi Noem can extend Temporary Protected Status to immigrants in the U.S. if conditions in their homelands are deemed unsafe for return due to a natural disaster, political instability or other dangerous conditions. Immigrant rights advocates say TPS holders from Nepal have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade while people from Honduras and Nicaragua have lived in the country for 26 years, after Hurricane Mitch in 1998 devastated both countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration is systematically de-documenting immigrants who have lived lawfully in this country for decades, raising U.S.-citizen children, starting businesses, and contributing to their communities, said Jessica Bansal, attorney at the National Day Laborer Organization, in a statement. Noem ended the programs after determining that conditions no longer warranted protections. In a sharply written July 31 order, U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson in San Francisco kept the protections in place while the case proceeds. The next hearing is Nov. 18. She said the administration ended the migrant status protections without an objective review of the country conditions, such as political violence in Honduras and the impact of recent hurricanes and storms in Nicaragua. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary at DHS, said, TPS was never meant to be a de facto asylum system, yet that is how previous administrations have used it for decades. The Trump administration has already terminated TPS designations for about 350,000 Venezuelans, 500,000 Haitians, more than 160,000 Ukrainians and thousands of people from Afghanistan and Cameroon. Some have pending lawsuits in federal courts. Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that Noems decisions are unlawful because they were predetermined by President Donald Trumps campaign promises and motivated by racial animus. But Drew Ensign, a U.S. deputy assistant attorney general, said at a hearing Tuesday that the government suffers an ongoing irreparable harm from its inability to carry out the programs that it has determined are warranted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Honduras Deputy Foreign Minister Gerardo Torres said Wednesday that the appellate decision was unfortunate. He said the government hopes to at least buy time for Hondurans with the temporary status so they can seek out another way to stay legally in the U.S. Were going to wait to see what the National TPS Alliance decides, its possible the case could be elevated to the United States Supreme Court, but we have to wait, he said. In May, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end TPS designations for Venezuelans. The justices provided no rationale, which is common in emergency appeals, and did not rule on the underlying claims. Associated Press journalist Marlon Gonzalez in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, contributed to this report. A federal appeals court has given the Trump administration the go-ahead to end deportation protections and revoke work permits for more than 63,000 immigrants from Nicaragua, Honduras and Nepal, despite a lower court judges conclusion that the administrations action was driven by racism. A 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel voted, 3-0, Wednesday to grant the Justice Departments request for an emergency order allowing it to proceed with the termination of Temporary Protected Status for citizens of the three countries while litigation over the issue continues. The appeals courts two-page order did not offer a detailed rationale for putting on hold the fiery ruling U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson, a Biden appointee, issued last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thompson said the Trump administration directive to end so-called TPS status for Nicaraguan, Honduran and Nepali immigrants amounted to a repugnant desire to purify their blood. The 9th Circuit panel that stayed Thompsons ruling consisted of Judge Consuelo Callahan, a George W. Bush appointee, Judge Eric Miller, a Trump appointee, and Judge Michael Hawkins, a Clinton appointee. During oral arguments before the appeals court panel on Tuesday, Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign said Thompsons conclusion was based on thin evidence. He dismissed as ancient President Donald Trumps comment from 2023 that immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country and said only a single social media post Thompson mentioned, from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, even related to one of the three countries at issue in the case. Ensign also argued that courts have no authority to review Noems decisions on TPS. He pointed to a May ruling from the Supreme Court allowing DHS to proceed with plans to end the protections for 350,000 Venezuelans, arguing the ruling made clear that the appeals court should allow the wind-down for citizens of Nicaragua, Honduras and Nepal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immigrant rights advocate Ahilan Arulanantham said the cases were not analogous, in part because Hondurans and Nicaraguans impacted by the litigation have been in the U.S. for more than 26 years and Nepalis more than 10 years, while Venezuelans gained the protected status more recently. The thing we had in the Supreme Court had nothing to do with these at all, Arulanantham told the judges. Arulanantham, co-director of the UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy, decried the 9th Circuit ruling Wednesday, particularly the judges lack of explanation for their conclusion. The courts failure to provide any reasoning for its decision, including why this was an emergency, falls far short of what due process requires, and our clients deserve, Arulanantham said. The decision simply sanctions the governments power grab, exposing tens of thousands of people to illegal detention and deportation. They deserve better than what this court has done today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security called the ruling "another huge legal victory for the Trump Administration." "Temporary Protected Status was always meant to be just that: Temporary, said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. TPS was never meant to be a de facto asylum system, yet that is how previous administrations have used it for decades while allowing hundreds of thousands of foreigners into the country without proper vetting. This unanimous decision will help restore integrity to our immigration system to keep our homeland and its people safe. TPS status for Nepalis was set to expire Aug. 5, so they could be required to leave the country immediately. Protections for Hondurans and Nicaraguans are now set to end Sept. 8, barring further court action. However, not all of the roughly 63,000 immigrants covered by the ruling Wednesday face the prospect of immediate deportation. Some have pending claims for asylum or withholding of deportation, which could allow them to remain in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its emergency stay request, the Trump administration asked the panel to halt further action in the lawsuit pending in the district court and said the government planned to make a rare request to remove Thompson from the matter, citing her use of extreme rhetoric with no bearing on this case. The 9th Circuit panel declined to put a hold on the proceedings before Thompson, saying such a move wasnt justified simply because DOJ might move to disqualify her in the future. Aug. 19New Mexico's seven-day "cooling off" period for most gun purchases violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. A three-member panel of the Denver-based court reversed the decision by U.S. District Judge James Browning of Albuquerque, who refused to grant a preliminary injunction in July 2024 to halt enforcement of the law. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, in a statement on Tuesday, appeared to favor appealing the ruling, a sentiment echoed by state Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, who co-sponsored the measure during the 2024 legislative session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have tried very hard in the Legislature to stay within the lanes that the U.S. Supreme Court has put up," Cervantes told the Journal. "The challenge is that the Supreme Court keeps changing the goal posts." He said the 10th Circuit's conclusion was unexpected, considering that a number of other courts at the same level as the 10th Circuit have upheld such waiting periods as constitutional. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers joined gun shop representatives in lauding the appeals decision. "Justice delayed is justice denied," said Jason Archie, manager of Right To Bear Arms gun shop at 11200 Montgomery NE. "It was represented as a way to prevent crime, but I didn't see that crime went down at all." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said enforcement of the waiting period was a "hassle" that most customers weren't happy about. The legal challenge to the law, which was enacted in early 2024, was filed on behalf of two gun owners, one from Farmington and the other from Albuquerque, who complained about trying to buy a firearm for personal purposes only to be told they had to come back a week later to pick it up. Supporters argued that the waiting period would help reduce gun violence and gun deaths in New Mexico. "Even though the potential to reduce impulsive gun violence might be true, once we acknowledge that the Waiting Period Act likely burdens Second Amendment activity, that potential is outweighed," wrote the appeals panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The appeals court found that the law applies "a blanket burden across all of society, assuming that everyone is dangerous or unstable before they can exercise their Second Amendment right." In her statement, Lujan Grisham said the decision was "deeply disappointing, plainly wrong and likely to cost lives in New Mexico. New Mexico's waiting period law was carefully crafted to minimize gun violence while respecting Second Amendment rights." She said the dissenting opinion in the ruling even notes that New Mexico's law "is likely to save approximately thirty-seven lives per year." "This ruling ignores a recent binding Tenth Circuit precedent that upheld Colorado's law barring gun purchases by anyone under the age of 21 a law that requires 18-year-olds to wait three years to purchase a weapon," she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling also mischaracterizes New Mexico's gun purchase waiting period, saying it applies to "everyone" when, in fact, it doesn't apply to those who sell guns to immediate family members, those with a concealed carry permit and law enforcement officers, the governor stated. "The evidence is clear waiting periods prevent impulsive acts of violence and suicide, giving people time to step back and reassess their emotions during moments of crisis. I'm disappointed that today's ruling doesn't take this into account," she stated, adding that her administration was reviewing its legal options in reaction to the "misguided ruling." The New Mexico House initially approved a 14-day waiting period in early 2024, but a floor amendment cut the wait time to seven days before the final passage. Meanwhile, Rhode Island, Maryland and New Jersey have adopted a seven-day waiting period, with four states, Colorado, Florida, Illinois and Vermont opting for three days. California has a 30-day waiting period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Browning, after hearing legal arguments and testimony from historian witnesses, also considered the plain language of the Second Amendment. He concluded that the right to acquire a firearm in New Mexico, which mandated the waiting period, didn't impede the right to "keep and bear" a firearm. But the appeals court held the opposite view, stating that "the constitutional injury to the Plaintiffs is so broad and clear that they have met their higher burden entitling them to an injunction changing the status quo." The court reversed Browning's ruling, and sent the case back for further proceedings. Republican legislators predicted this outcome during debate on the bill in 2024, but Democrats nonetheless passed HB 129 without a single Republican vote, stated Brandon Harris, spokesperson for the state Senate Republican Leadership office. Senate Republican Leader Bill Sharer of Farmington welcomed the appeal court ruling, reiterating that "the clear language of the 2nd Amendment says that 'the right of the people to keep and bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.'" Sharer also questioned the logic behind the law itself, pointing out that "Criminals certainly don't wait seven days before breaking into our homes and threatening our families and properties... What sense does it make to require law-abiding citizens to wait seven days before being able to defend themselves?" PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) A trio of appellate court judges shredded the attorney of a Bartonville man sentenced to 14 years in prison in connection with a drunk driving fatality in 2022. The panel, from the 4th District Appellate Court in Springfield, also took issue with the judge, now-retired John Vespa, saying we question whether the original judge would fairly sentence the defendant on remand. Judge denies Bartonville teens request to remain in jail pending appeal of DUI charge Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 38-page opinion, handed down late Tuesday afternoon, means Clayton Bell, now 20, will return at some point to Peoria County and possibly have his 14-year prison term reduced. Bell was convicted of aggravated DUI in connection with the Feb. 27, 2022, crash on West Pfeiffer Road just outside Bartonville that killed Mia Dusek. The 14-year term is the maximum under law, and Bell must serve at least 85%. The crash occurred around 12:25 a.m. in the 6700 block of Pfeiffer, a stretch of road with steep hills that can block a drivers line of sight. Deputies with the Peoria County Sheriffs Office arrived to find the overturned vehicle. Illinois teen sentenced to maximum sentence for DUI death of 15-year-old Bartonville girl Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It had been going at a high rate of speed testimony during the hearing said it was close to 85 mph just before the crash. Passengers who survived said the car was trying to catch air. At issue were whether Vespa considered youth-based sentencing factors when he handled down the 14 years in June 2023. That was a maximum sentence under the law and unusual for a first-time offender. Bells new attorney he fired his original one, Kevin Sullivan, after the initial sentencing argued Sullivan failed to contest key factors in the states case and also failed to offer up the juvenile factors. Sullivan did not address the youth-based sentencing factors in mitigation, particularly the factor involving peer pressure, or present evidence and argument related to those factors. No reasonable attorney in the same circumstances would have ignored the youth-based sentencing factors and left their youthful client to be sentenced based on incomplete information. Sullivans strategy was so unsound and unreasonable it left the States case against the defendant without a meaningful adversarial challenge, wrote Judge James Knecht, with Judges Eugene Doherty and Amy Lannerd concurring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawsuit filed in the death of 15-year-old Bartonville girl; names driver & liquor store Such factors should have weighed heavily on Vespa, as Bell was 17 at the time and thus a minor. Vespa said he did consider those factors when he denied a motion to reconsider Bells sentence last summer; a statement that the appellate panel took issue with. The record contradicts that statement. At the sentencing hearing, neither defense counsel, the State, nor the trial court mentioned the statutory juvenile factors in mitigation, the judges said. (Vespas) own pronouncement at sentencing undermines any assertion these factors were considered before he imposed the maximum sentence allowed for even adult offenders: Statutory factors in mitigation are: The defendant has no history of criminal activity. Thats it for statutory factors in mitigation. While defense counsel did not present sufficient evidence on these factors, the court remained obligated to consider and apply them to the evidence before it, they wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The panel also took issue with Sullivans strategy. Bell had pleaded guilty and given that he was a first-time offender, it appears that it was hoped that a lesser sentence would have been reached. Sullivans strategy of ignoring relevant youth-based sentencing factors appears to have left him unprepared to respond to issues plainly troubling the trial court, the panel wrote, that his plan of not questioning the other youths in the car was not proper. . . . we reject the idea an argument seeking application of those factors in these circumstances could be seen as shifting blame,' the panel wrote. The youth-based sentencing factors are relevant to examine a defendants level of culpability and his or her state of mind in committing the offense. Without explaining the context with evidence available to him, Sullivan failed to use key evidence from a passenger in the car to show defendant acted, not in callous disregard to his passengers, but in a manner consistent with the wishes and encouragement of his peers, they wrote. One can accept full responsibility while also explaining ones mindset in the commission of an offense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sullivan, they said, used the premise that a youth driver is treated the same as an adult. Thats false, they said, as Illinois law plainly recognizes the diminished culpability of youthful offenders.' Particularly at issue was a video shown during the sentencing hearing where several people are screaming and pleading with the driver, Bell, seconds before the crash. The video, the panel says, doesnt tell the whole story. A passenger in the car, according to court records, told police officers at the crash scene that Mia had been urging Bell to catch air. But Sullivan left that alone, the panel said, and didnt argue for mitigating factors for his client based upon peer pressure. Sullivan elected a strategy of accepting responsibility and not shifting blame to Mia, believing casting any blame on the deceased 15-year-old would result in a greater sentence, the panel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West Peoria liquor store owner appeals license revocation The case has been a lightening rod for the community. In the wake of Mias death, her family filed a lawsuit against the West Peoria liquor store which sold the alcohol that wound up with Bell that night. Long known as the place to go for underage drinkers, the lawsuit caused the sale of the store to another company and led the village of West Peoria to take action against the store as well. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. PIERCE CITY, Mo. A potential explosive device spurs quick action by multiple southwest Missouri agencies. According to the Pierce City Fire Protection District, the Pierce City Fire District, along with the Lawrence County Sheriffs Office, responded to reports of a potential explosive device near a residence. The affected area, Spruce Street and Adams Street, was temporarily closed while authorities assessed the danger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple agencies secured the scene, and the Springfield Fire Department Bomb Squad was requested to assist in the investigation. The Barry-Lawrence County Ambulance District was on scene in case medical attention was needed. The device, discovered in a shed, was eventually determined to be inert. Following this, the area was cleared shortly before 6:00 p.m. and was reopened to the public. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Key Points Soho House has signed a $2.7 billion take-private agreement with a consortium investors, including Ashton Kutcher. Kutcher will join Soho House's board as part of the deal. Investors who aren't already shareholders have limited options. 10 stocks we like better than Soho House & Co Inc. Actor Ashton Kutcher starred in films like No Strings Attached (2011), Dude, Where's My Car? (2000), and What Happens in Vegas (2008), but now he's set to be the star of a corporate boardroom. Kutcher is leading a consortium of investors who are part of a $2.7 billion deal to take high-end membership club Soho House (NYSE: SHCO) private. As part of the deal, Kutcher will take a seat on Soho House's board. Here's what investors need to know. Image source: Getty Images. Some strings attached Soho House shareholders will receive $9 in cash per share when the deal closes. That represents an 83% premium over the pre-offer share price of $4.91 a share. The stock hasn't traded at that level since June 2022, although it's lower than the company's initial public offering (IPO) price of $14 per share from July 2021. It also represents a significant upside to the stock's Friday close of $7.64 a share. So, besides Ashton Kutcher, who are the buyers? Kutcher's consortium is partnering with MCR, the third-largest owner-operator of hotels in the U.S. While the bulk of MCR's portfolio consists of branded mid-priced hotels like Homewood Suites and Residence Inn, in recent years it has begun purchasing higher-end properties. In 2015, it bought the iconic Eero Saarinen-designed TWA hotel at JFK Airport and in 2023 it purchased the historic Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City. Soho House, a membership club offering exclusive access to a global portfolio of high-end vacation properties, spas, and coworking spaces, will further expand its high-end portfolio. As part of the deal, MCR's chairman and CEO, Tyler Morse, will take a seat on Soho House's board, along with Kutcher. The company is also getting a new CFO, Neil Thomson, who has spent 30 years in the hospitality industry. Dude, where's my update? The announcement took Wall Street by surprise, since it had been more than six months since the company had provided any new information about its potential privatization. On Dec. 19 of last year, Soho House announced it had received an offer from an unidentified "third-party consortium" to take the company private. That announcement caused the share price to immediately jump 47%, from $4.91 to $7.22. In its 2024 earnings release, Soho House included a "transaction update," that read, in part, "The Company set up a Special Committee to assess the offer and the parties continue to assess the offer and a potential transaction, however no assurances can be given that the Special Committee's assessment will result in any change in strategy, or if a transaction will be undertaken." The controversy over Donald Trump and his administrations handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case continues. On Tuesdays The Beat, Ari Melber delivered a special report laying out a timeline of Epstein's case and tracing what he called a sordid path of crimes, investigations, corruption and deals with government insiders. Melber said the recap raised fresh questions for Trump and other government officials. Melber began with the controversial 2008 sweetheart deal that federal prosecutors in Florida gave Esptein. That deal granted the millionaire immunity from prosecution on sex-trafficking charges. The MSNBC host said the evasion of accountability later created a problem for Trump during his first stint in the White House, after he promoted the prosecutor responsible for reaching that agreement with Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eventually, Trumps Justice Department would bring new charges against Epstein in 2019. But, just a month later, the millionaire was found dead in his jail cell from an apparent suicide under circumstances that sparked immediate conspiracy theories. Everyone knew Epstein was a notorious, high-profile defendant, and yet he died, Melber said. The Epstein saga has continued to plague Trump into his second term. The president was heavily criticized by many members of the MAGA base after a Justice Department and FBI memo released by his administration found that there was no evidence Epstein had kept a client list or that he was murdered. The administration also drew ire when Trumps former personal lawyer turned deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, flew to Florida to question Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. The president has repeatedly said he has the power to pardon Maxwell, who was moved to a lower security facility in Texas shortly after her conversation with Blanche. Even if we learn nothing else about this, its an open scandal for this administration, Melber observed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Politics aside, Melber reminded viewers that at its core, this is a case that matters so much to the many people, many victims, whose lives were forever altered by Epstein and Maxwell. The big thing the Trump administration has done is continue the secrecy, continue to cut the victims out, and, most astoundingly, help and serve an Epstein sex trafficking co-conspirator over truth or justice for the victims, he said. You can watch Melbers full timeline breakdown in the clip at the top of the page. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com CLARK COUNTY, Ark. A 33-year-old Clark County man was sentenced Friday to 90 years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material, including images generated with artificial intelligence that depicted real children and adults from the local community. Ethan Tanner Fagan was convicted on 30 counts related to child pornography. The sentence includes a 10-year term, a six-year term for promoting obscene material, and a 15-year suspended imposition of sentence for the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Clark County man sentenced to 90 years for child pornography, AI-generated images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation began on April 27, 2024, after authorities received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During the probe, Arkansas State Police (ASP) special agents discovered that Fagan possessed and exchanged explicit images, some of which were generated using AI technology to depict real children and adults from Clark County and nearby areas. Sgt. Corwin Battle, commander of the ASP Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force said the AI-generated images were particularly alarming because they showed actual community members, including children, in explicit and undressed states. Battle noted that Fagan also exchanged illegal images with an individual in Ohio. This is the first time weve seen a conviction involving AI-generated images of this scale and nature, Battle said. The technology is evolving rapidly, and it presents new challenges for law enforcement. According to Battle, the case uncovered more than 100 items on Fagans social media accounts, including both real and AI-generated material. Some images involved children as young as eight or nine, and Battle said many of the victims were known to Fagan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Battle emphasized the trauma experienced by victims and their families. Many of these young victims were innocent, having only been photographed by their parents or guardians, said ASP investigator Mark Johnson. Now, their images are being manipulated and distributed in ways that are deeply upsetting and damaging. The investigation also revealed Fagans use of social media platforms to send and receive illicit images and messages. After executing search warrants on his social media accounts, a work truck and a flash drive found during a search of his residence, investigators recovered numerous illegal images. Battle warned that advances in AI technology could soon enable the creation of highly realistic images and videos that are indistinguishable from genuine photographs, complicating efforts to combat child exploitation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a double-edged sword, Battle said. Prosecutors ask Congress for help in race against time to protect children from AI dangers State law now allows law enforcement to pursue cases involving images that are indistinguishable from real children, even if the actual child cannot be identified. This legal change, enacted during the last legislative session, aims to address the rapidly evolving threat. Battle said that more than 1,970 cases of online enticement and sextortion have been reported in Arkansas this year alone, with the number expected to rise. Battle said ASP continues to work closely with federal partners to monitor cyber tips and protect vulnerable children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We urge parents, teachers, and young people to be vigilant online and to review privacy settings on social media, Battle said. Fagans sentencing marks the largest child exploitation case involving AI technology in the state to date. Battle said they do anticipate more cases emerging as technology advances and law enforcement continues to adapt. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Editors Note: This article has been updated to clarify that the director of the Army Heat Center plays an advisory role, not an authoritative one, in working with commanders to prevent heat injuries. When a soldier at a resident command in Fort Benning, Georgia, gets heatstroke and its not clear that proper protocols were followed the battalion commander or unit leader can expect an email from Lt. Col. Dave DeGroot asking for details. DeGroot, director of the Army Heat Center at Bennings Martin Army Community Hospital, has been on a mission since 2019 to raise awareness about prevention of and response to heat injuries. And hes finding, he says, that compiling data and communicating best practices is enabling leaders to hold their formations accountable and prevent heat injuries from turning debilitating or deadly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its no coincidence that Benning is home to the Army Heat Center. From 2020 to 2024, the base, home to the Armys Infantry School and Ranger School, saw 1,839 heat injury cases, or 14.8% of all heat injuries recorded among the active-duty force, according to data released in June. The next location on the list, Camp Lejeune/Cherry Point, North Carolina, had 894 heat injuries fewer than half that of Benning. The Heat Center was established following the 2016 death of a 21-year-old officer in Ranger School whod been treated for hyponatremia, a potentially fatal condition in which overhydration leads to critically low sodium levels. Overall cases of heatstroke rose precipitously at Benning from 55 in 2017 to 95 and 96 in 2018 and 2019, respectively, before dropping again to around 50. Heat injury, a range of conditions like cramping and fainting due to the bodys inability to cool itself down, also peaked in 2019 with 192 cases. Heat injuries fell to just 26 and 25 cases in 2020 and 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, DeGroot co-authored a study calling for more on-site medical staff for key training events at Benning, as well as more involvement from leadership. And while newly released data for the entire Defense Department shows a climbing rate of heatstroke cases everywhere 2024 had a five-year high incidence rate of 36.4 cases of heatstroke per 100,000 person-years, or 471 total cases that trend hasnt been seen at Benning, DeGroot said. Going back to 2018, which is the year before the Heat Center was formally created, youve seen a 70% drop in heatstroke cases, DeGroot told Military Times in an August interview. We had, I believe, 90 exertional heatstroke cases in 2018. Last year, we had 20. That represented an all-time low since recording began in 2017, he said. There have been 20 cases to date this year, he added, just ahead of the 18 year-to-date in 2024. While those numbers dont include non-resident commands like the 75th Ranger Regiment, DeGroot said he sees the effect that communication and awareness has had. If you have a suspected [heat] casualty, you do two things: you strip them down and apply ice sheets to get them cooled off, DeGroot said, adding that it was important to treat heat casualties on the spot, rather than transporting a sick soldier to a medical center first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When deviations happen, I will then reach out to the appropriate battalion commander and say, Hey, would you please look into this? Id rather be good than lucky, so we will actively engage with unit leaders on those rare occasions when best practices arent followed. The Army Heat Center demonstrated best practices for responding to heat injuries during its 7th annual Heat Forum at Fort Benning in 2023. (Ronald Mooney/Martin Army Community Hospital) DeGroot said he reached out to a unit a few weeks previously when he discovered a leader had placed a suspected heat casualty in a government vehicle and driven them to a company training area before applying ice sheets for cooling. After a follow-up conversation, he said, he learned the soldier had fallen out of formation and only started developing symptoms of heat injury in the vehicle. Thats a judgment call a drill sergeant made, and in review, it was the right one, DeGroot said. We had that dialogue with the unit, got that clarity, and, Oh, OK, no concerns here. But with sweltering summers and training requirements that need to be met, DeGroot said he realizes its not always possible to prevent soldiers from exerting themselves in dangerous heat. Thus, he said, Heat Center staff cant be overly prescriptive with training recommendations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Basic trainnig and the Ranger Course are drastically different, and the commanders of those respective types of training are going to have different viewpoints on acceptable risk, he said. So what we do is provide them with guidance. Across DOD, the data released in June shows a steady increase in cases of heat exhaustion, with a significant increase in inpatient heat exhaustion cases in 2023 and 2024. Inpatient heat exhaustion cases jumped from 50 in 2022 to 115 and 78 the next two years. DeGroot said some of that increase may be driven by better understanding of the condition and intervention that prevents these cases from progressing to something worse. The data, he added, is hard to parse, as its DOD-wide and not correlated to specific units or locations. Fort Benning, he said, has not seen a similar uptick in heat exhaustion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres no direct parallel to the Army Heat Center among the other services. And in addition to invitations to other Army bases, including Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Stewart, Georgia; and Fort Irwin, California, DeGroot said hes received requests from other services to visit and share risk mitigation guidance. Corpsman receives medal for saving Marine from heat stroke Hes presented at a National Guard Medical Conference and made visits to Lackland Air Force Base and Joint Base San Antonio in Texas and Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. Worst-case scenarios do continue to happen, however. In 2023, an Illinois National Guard member died of heat injuries while training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and another Guard member was hospitalized with heat injuries. We can provide all the recommendations in the world, everything weve got in our arsenal thats based on evidence, DeGroot said. But if unit leaders arent listening and implementing those, its all falling on deaf ears and not having an effect. An arrest has been made following reports that a man poured petrol on a bus and set it alight. Police attended the incident on Chesterfield Road in Sheffield at about 13:00 BST. The 37-year-old was taken to hospital with injuries, and arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. South Yorkshire Police said work was ongoing to understand the circumstances of the incident. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North More on this story Related internet links Artefacts found by archaeologists near the planned East West Rail route have been put on display. Items including pottery, coins and brooches will be shown at two pop-up museums in Bedford and Milton Keynes, hosted by Museum of London Archaeology. Further digs will be carried out along the route, ahead of plans to have trains running between Oxford and Cambridge on the line. On its website, East West Rail said "the events will give visitors a rare opportunity to see what everyday life was like more than 2,000 years ago". More archaeological investigations along the route were about to begin [East West Rail] Visitors to the free pop-ups will also be able to speak to archaeologists about excavations made in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement East West Rail is a planned line to connect Oxford and Cambridge via Milton Keynes and Bedford. Trains between Oxford and Bedford were expected to be running from 2030. Universal said the project was one of the reasons it had considered land in Kempston Hardwick, Bedfordshire, for its proposed UK theme park. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Related internet links MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) A student at Asbury High School was arrested for making a threat inside a classroom on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for Marshall County Schools. MCS said that after the student made the threat, he was immediately detained, and then school security took him into custody. He didnt have a happen a weapon, but did make a threat, school officials added. We will continue to take all comments seriously and keep safety as our number one priority, the MCS spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marshall County Sheriff Phil Sims confirmed to News 19 the student was 13 years old and was taken into custody by Deputy SROs. He was then placed under arrest and referred to juvenile authorities, Sims said. The 13-year-old will also not be returning to school. Sims added that SROs acted quickly after they were notified by school 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 WHNT.com. BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Ascension Sacred Heart Bay is rolling out a lifesaving treatment thats a first for the area. Its called Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy or CRRT, a special type of dialysis for patients in critical condition. Its used when a patients kidneys suddenly stop working and their body cannot tolerate *conventional dialysis. Dialysis is a medical procedure used to remove excess waste from the blood, which helps the kidneys function more effectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until now, CRTT patients often had to be transferred to other facilities. Now theyll be able to get the care right here in Bay County. Walton County unveils new Choctaw Beach Fire Station The treatment is used in the intensive care unit for those suffering from acute kidney injury or advanced kidney disease. Local health officials say the need is significant, with more than a third of Bay County adults battling high blood pressure and nearly 14% living with diabetes. Both are major risk factors for kidney disease. We had patients that certainly needed CRRT and ended up leaving this hospital, and it created a hardship on the patient, created a hardship on the family, where they have to go away for a service that now we have available. So more patients will be considered for that therapy because its now available, Ascension Sacred Heart Bay Nephrologist Dr. Ahmad Rifai said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With this new option, doctors hope more patients will have a better chance at recovery without the added stress of traveling for care. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. The Atlanta City Council voted to ban short-term rentals, such as Airbnb and Vrbo units, in the Home Park neighborhood. The neighborhood is "fantastically situated between Atlantic Station, Georgia Tech, the Westside Provisions District, and Techwood Drive along the Downtown Connector," according to community information. On Monday, council members voted almost unanimously to ban short-term rentals in the area, citing what documents describe as a "proliferation of Short-term rentals in residential zoning districts" having an impact on the personal safety and comfort of personal residents. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, council documents said that transient commercial occupancies are illegal in residential zones and the expansion of those illegal short-term rentals is a disruptive threat to the distinctive character of residential neighborhoods. As a result, the city amended the zoning code to block anyone from operating short-term rentals in the Home Park District, saying it was in the best interest of the public health, safety and welfare. Going forward, licenses for short-term rentals will not be issued in the Home Park District. Members of council voted the ordinance into effect 12-2. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A man whose turbo-charged car hit and killed a pedestrian on a crossing has been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving. Albert Jarosz, 27, admitted causing Rodrigo-Vasile Cosma's death by careless driving in Bedford last year. Jarosz, of Brereton Road, Bedford, had denied causing death by dangerous driving. but was found guilty by a jury at Luton Crown Court. Mr Cosma, 25, was hit by Jarosz's Audi A6 at a junction in Bedford town centre on 26 March 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jurors heard how the accident happened at about 18:30 GMT at the junction of Midland Road, River Street and Greyfriars. Prosecutor Sam Barker told the trial that Mr Cosma was crossing the road just after the traffic lights turned green. Jarosz moved into a left-hand lane, before cutting back into a right-hand lane to get ahead in a "selfish" move, he said. A police crash investigator estimated the car was travelling at 45mph in a 30mph zone. Jarosz, who came from Poland in 2019, said he had been driving home from a garage in nearby Milton Ernest, where he was a car body worker. He said he had been driving in the UK for four years before the collision, but had not read the Highway Code, and was unfamiliar with the road layout in central Bedford. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I just followed the road but, before the traffic lights, I realised I am in the wrong lane, so I decided to change lanes," Jarosz told the trial. "I thought I had got enough time to get in front of the stationary cars. "I accelerated a bit just to get in front of the cars." Jarosz stopped and called 999 after the accident, jurors were told. One of the witnesses said he saw him with his head in his hands, saying: ''I am sorry''. Court staff said Judge Allison Hunter had adjourned sentencing to 14 October. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Related internet links AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) The Richmond County Sheriffs Office located and and arrested a man who is accused of shooting his stepfather. The incident happened in 2023 in the Southgate Shopping Center on Gordon Highway. Jaquan Lewis, now 20-year-old, was found in South Carolina. Reports say that Lewis shot his stepfather in the chest in February 2023 and hes been wanted by law enforcement ever since. Lewis was 17-years-old at the time of the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis 38-year-old stepfather was found on the ground in the alleyway between City Gear and Citi Trends by Richmond County Sheriffs Office Deputies. The victim was suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest and was struggling to breath when RCSO Deputies arrived on the scene. Four (4) 9mm shell casings were recovered at the scene, according to an incident report filed in the case. Lewis is now booked at the Richmond County Jail. He is charged with one count of Aggravated Assault (Family-Gun), one count of Possession of Firearm or Knife During Crime, and two counts of Simple Battery Family Violence. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BBAI) ) is one of the AI Stocks On Wall Streets Radar. On August 15, the company announced the launch of a next-generation cargo security management solution in partnership with Narval Holding Corp., through Narvals subsidiary International Shipping Compliance, S.A. (ISC), in Panama. The AI-powered cargo security management solution will begin in Panama with planned expansion across the region and worldwide. BigBear.ai-developed en route cargo chain-of-custody application will use biometric verification to link drivers and transport vehicles to a cargo container and its corresponding security seal. This will ensure full accountability of the cargo contents from origin to destination. The solution secures the global supply chain by enabling real-time driver and tracking monitoring with a centralized management platform. Cargo flows can be supervised with better precision, ensuring better detection of anomalies, and generation of actionable insights. BigBear.ai (BBAI) Brings AI Cargo Security to Panama, Eyes Global Expansion A cargo ship hauled with containers on its deck, heading to a port. Securing the global supply chain requires innovation, trust, and the ability to verify each handoff along the way. By partnering with Narval Holding Corp. in Panama a critical gateway for global trade we will deliver an AI-driven solution to strengthen cargo security today, while laying the foundation for broader regional adoption and collaborations with the international shipping lines. -Kevin McAleenan, CEO of BigBear.ai. BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BBAI) is an artificial intelligence specialist that provides decision intelligence solutions for national security, digital identity, supply chain and logistics, enterprise operations, and manned-unmanned teaming in autonomous systems. While we acknowledge the potential of BBAI as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 10 AI Stocks Analysts Are Watching Closely and 10 AI Stocks Making Headlines This Week Disclosure: None. Australia lashed Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday after he said the country's prime minister was weak, with a top minister saying strength was more than "how many people you can blow up". For decades, Australia has considered itself a close friend of Israel, but the relationship has swiftly unravelled since Canberra announced last week it would recognise a Palestinian state. Netanyahu drastically escalated a war of words on Tuesday night, calling his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese a "weak politician who betrayed Israel". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Wednesday it was the sign of a frustrated leader "lashing out". "Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry," Burke told national broadcaster ABC. "What we've seen with some of the actions they are taking is a continued isolation of Israel from the world, and that is not in their interests either." Through the 1950s, Australia was a refuge for Jews fleeing the horrors of the Holocaust. The city of Melbourne at one point housed, per capita, the largest population of Holocaust survivors anywhere outside of Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu was infuriated when Australia declared it would recognise Palestinian statehood next month, following similar pledges from France, Canada and the United Kingdom. In the space of nine days since that decision, relations between Australia and Israel have plummeted. - 'Abandoned Australia's Jews' - Australia on Monday cancelled the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman -- a member of Netanyahu's governing coalition -- saying his planned speaking tour would "spread division". The tit-for-tat continued on Tuesday, when Israel retaliated by revoking visas held by Canberra's diplomatic representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then came Netanyahu's social media outburst. "History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews," he said on X. Israel finds itself increasingly isolated as it continues to wage war in Gaza, a conflict triggered by the October 2023 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas. UN-backed experts have warned of widespread famine unfolding in the territory, where Israel has severely restricted the entry of humanitarian aid. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said last week that Netanyahu had "lost the plot". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Relations between Australia and Israel started fraying late last year following a spate of anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne. Netanyahu accused the Australian government of harbouring "anti-Israel sentiment" after a synagogue was firebombed in December. sft/djw/cwl By Renju Jose and Alasdair Pal SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday played down Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu's pointed condemnation of his decision to recognise a Palestinian state, saying he treated the leaders of other countries with respect. "I don't take these things personally, I engage with people diplomatically. He has had similar things to say about other leaders," Albanese said during a media briefing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu's personal attack on Albanese, describing him as a "weak politician", has further strained relations between the two countries. Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke told national broadcaster ABC earlier on Wednesday that strength was "not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry. "Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when there's a decision that we know Israel won't like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu." Ties have soured since Australia decided last week to conditionally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews," Netanyahu said in a post on X on Tuesday. Albanese told reporters that he had informed Netanyahu about Australia's decision to support a Palestinian state before his centre-left government formally announced the plan. "At that time, I gave Prime Minister Netanyahu a clear indication of my view and Australia's view going forward but also a clear indication of the direction in which we were headed," Albanese said. "I gave him the opportunity to outline what political solution there was and gave him that opportunity." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel this week revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority after Albanese's Labor government cancelled the visa of an Israeli lawmaker over remarks the Australian government considered controversial and inflammatory. Israel has been facing increasing international pressure over its military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed thousands of civilians and plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, displacing most of its population. The offensive began nearly two years ago after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 more hostage. (Reporting by Renju Jose and Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Kate Mayberry) MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Authorities have arrested 13 people for their alleged roles in the May attack which left two high-ranking Mexico City officials dead, Mayor Clara Brugada said on Wednesday. The daytime shooting of two of Brugada's top aides by gunmen on motorbikes shocked the city, seen as a relative pocket of safety compared to elsewhere in the nation. (Reporting by Kylie Madry and Raul Cortes; Editing by Sarah Morland) Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada has announced that authorities arrested 13 people for their alleged roles in the May attack that killed two high-ranking officials in the Mexican capital. Brugada did not identify the suspects on Wednesday, but she said three were involved directly in the shooting. In this operation, 13 people were arrested, including three people who directly participated in the murder, and others related to the logistical preparation of the event, she told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The daytime shooting of two of Brugadas top aides by gunmen on motorbikes shocked the city, seen as a relative pocket of safety compared to the rest of the country. The victims were Brugadas personal secretary Ximena Guzman and adviser Jose Munoz. In memory of our colleagues and out of respect for their families and friends, this government will not rest until the truth is known and justice is served, the mayor said in a social media post on Wednesday. After the shooting, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, a Brugada ally who previously served as the capitals mayor, vowed that her government would ensure that justice is served. We express our solidarity and support for the families of these two individuals who have worked in our movement for a long time, Sheinbaum said in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know them, we stand with their families, and we will give her [Brugada] all the support the city needs from the Mexican government. For decades, Mexico has been struggling with high crime rates and murders, including violence against political and security officials as well as journalists. In 2020, Mexico Citys security chief, Omar Garcia Harfuch, survived an ambush by gunmen that killed two of his bodyguards and a bystander. Shortly after taking office last year, Sheinbaums administration announced a security strategy that focused on boosting intelligence gathering, strengthening the National Guard police and addressing root causes, including poverty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, the United States which has been struggling with its own crime rates issued a travel advisory for Mexico, warning of security risks. Many violent crimes take place in Mexico. They include homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, the US State Department said. There is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Mexico. Homicide detectives in Springfield continue to investigate the knife fight that claimed the life of a 36-year-old man Sunday. On Wednesday, the Hampden District Attorneys Office identified the victim as Xavier Lebron-Telles of Springfield. When Springfield police responded to a report of a stabbing at 8:45 p.m. Sunday, they found Lebron-Telles and another adult male with stab wounds. The call was to the 0-100 block of Cedar Street in the Six Corners neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both men were taken to Baystate Medical Center. The unidentified man transported was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The case is being investigated by the Hampden District Attorneys Murder Unit in conjunction with the Springfield Police Department Homicide Unit. Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni expressed his condolences to the victims family. Read the original article on MassLive. Authorities have released the identity of a man who was fatally struck by a New Jersey Transit train early Tuesday morning. Brian Posch, 29, of Clark in Union County, died after he was struck by a a Raritan Valley Line train about 1:45 a.m. Tuesday just east of the Cranford Station, according to a transit spokesperson. The train departed Newark Penn Station at 1:28 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive in Raritan at 2:34 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were no injuries to the 25 passengers or crew members, officials said. NJ Transit police are handling the investigation. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Two weekend busts of an international wildlife trafficking gang in India led to multiple arrests and the rescue of dozens of endangered animals, the Deccan Chronicle reported. What happened? Madhya Pradesh's Special Tiger Strike Force had been tracking members of a suspected international wildlife trafficking gang for several months before it made the successful busts in July. First, the team intercepted a car, which turned out to be full of live individuals from multiple endangered aquatic species, including gharials a member of the crocodile family and red-crowned roofed turtles. STSF also arrested three people in connection with the trafficking, all of whom had prior wildlife crime records, the Chronicle reported. Advertisement Advertisement Then, after gathering information from the suspects, STSF made a second raid the following day, rescuing more live turtles. All in all, it saved 30 gharial hatchlings, 17 red-crowned roofed turtles, and 19 three-striped roofed turtles. "We cannot elaborate more on the raids in Gwalior at this stage since more people are suspected to be involved in the illicit business," one anonymous forest officer told the Chronicle. Why is wildlife smuggling so harmful? This gang is suspected to be smuggling wildlife out of the National Chambal Sanctuary, which is a critical habitat for endangered species. The gharial, for example, is listed as critically endangered and is protected under India's Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Generally, species are smuggled for the exotic pet trade and for use in traditional medicine and as aphrodisiacs. Many of them end up in Southeast Asia, particularly China, via Bangladesh and Myanmar, the Chronicle explained. Advertisement Advertisement Poaching and smuggling has led to the extinction, or near-extinction, of many species around the globe. And these losses resonate far beyond their local ecosystems. Whether it's the loss of an apex predator or that of a keystone species, significant changes in any population can throw an entire ecosystem out of balance. Additionally, many animals that are trafficked into new environments can become invasive species there, outcompeting native species for food and other resources. What's being done to crack down on smuggling? India has had success with conservation efforts for rare aquatic species. Special partnerships between the government and farmers and fishers, for example, have helped to revive gharial populations. Nevertheless, some degree of poaching and trafficking will always be present, which is why groups such as STSF are crucial. And comparable nonprofit, NGO, and government task forces around the world are hard at work doing everything from cracking down on ivory poaching to promoting human-animal coexistence. Advertisement Advertisement As a consumer, it's important to be aware of the signs of the illegal wildlife trade. This means checking to ensure you're only buying products and pets that are clearly and ethically sourced. If you suspect illicit activity, you can find local tip lines in your area to report it. 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. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Two 18-wheelers have crashed and stalled traffic on I-20 in Abilene Wednesday afternoon. The incident happened in the eastbound lanes of the interstate around the Grape Street exit just before 1:30 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police at the scene told KTAB and KRBC one 18-wheeler was traveling in the outside lane when the driver decided to merge into the inside lane, hitting another 18-wheeler he said he didnt see. No injuries were reported in connection to this crash, but traffic is backed up in the eastbound lanes of I-20 and will be for some time as clean up crews wait for tow-trucks to come get the heavily damaged 18-wheelers. Motorists are asked to avoid the area if possible. No further information is available at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. So thats it? After all the stagecraft, optimistic language and, credit where due, a stirring reminder of the American presidents singular convening power, the Russia-Ukraine war continues. Sure, its unrealistic to have expected a made-for-Hollywood conclusion to the three-and-a-half-year conflict following a pair of summits bookending a single weekend. However, its also hard to ignore that the only concrete change from a week ago is that President Donald Trump is no longer demanding a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know, Trump gave Ukraine and its European allies a measure of cover Monday by assuring that the U.S. would be involved in a post-war security architecture. But thats then. And what guarantees that Trump would actually follow through on his vague assurances about Americas commitment? For the moment, what came from Trumps meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska and the mini-NATO session in Washington is that Russia is no longer facing unified Western demands for a ceasefire nor the threat of additional American sanctions. Now, Trumps defenders will say this is the beginning of the process, and now Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet ahead of a trilateral meeting between the two foes and Trump. But Im skeptical that even the first meeting will take place without part of what lured Putin to Anchorage in the first place: the threat of more damage to Russias wartime economy. Without that pressure and any consequences that would arise from inaction, Putin, freed from the demand of a ceasefire, will press on with the war and slow-walk diplomatic efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump likes setting dates, so why not issue another such ultimatum as he did over the summer? If Putin does not sit down for both meetings by Sept. 15 a little more generous than Trumps usual two weeks Russia will be hit with a wave of new sanctions. And this time it will be the full suite of secondary sanctions with the teeth of law because of a bill written by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), which sanctions Russia's trading partners and now has 84 sponsors. The bipartisan duo has been flogging their legislation for months, but Trump has made no secret of preferring to set his own foreign policy rather than have it be shaped by Congress. Here, however, is an opportunity for Trump to involve that pesky Article One branch, if mostly just for diplomatic leverage. The president can point to the post-summit domestic expectations for action, what with Trump extending an invite to American soil and rolling out a literal red carpet for an adversary. Then he can say he wont block the Graham-Blumenthal bill from coming to his desk if Putin embarrasses him by refusing to come to the table with Zelenskyy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the start of the summer, Graham was relentless in pushing the measure on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue at one point in June, even telling me he was hoping it would come for a vote on his July birthday. Yet since Trump levied higher tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil and then moved to diplomacy with Putin, the ever-wily South Carolinian has put the bill on ice, portraying it as a mere backup plan at the ready. Well, nows the moment for Trump to haul the legislation back out. Russia may not exactly be a model of democracy, but Putin grasps domestic political pressures. And Trump, whos plenty capable of political theater, can convincingly convey that both parties here are expecting results after all the capital he spent in the back-to-back meetings. After all, the president incurred the wrath of hawks by rescuing Putin from international isolation to say nothing of the next-time-in-Moscow chumminess and alarmed the doves by telling the Europeans that the U.S. will be part of an eventual peacekeeping effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If summer turns to fall and theres not even a bilateral meeting yet scheduled between Putin and Zelenskyy, it will become clear Trump got played. And it will become equally clear his cajoling wasnt sufficient. Despite what Trump was caught saying on a hot mic to French President Emmanuel Macron, Putin doesnt want to make a deal for the American president. Yet he may be pushed closer to agreeing to one if that American president returns to his posture from earlier this summer and wields a stick. You can hear him saying it: Come on, Vladimir, I stuck my neck out for you. And this bill, you see, its got nearly the entire Senate behind it, and I cant hold them back any longer if they see you dragging this out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I worry that the most honest statement made in either summit came from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who on Monday momentarily interrupted the Trump praise-a-thon to say: I can't imagine the next meeting will take place without a cease-fire. But absent one, the next best way to prod Putin back to negotiations is with what has already worked and which Putin grasps: force. UFC legend B.J. Penn has been ordered to stay away from his mother with no contact for the next year after a judge in Hawaii approved a protective order amid disturbing allegations of abuse and concerns over the fighters mental health. Penns mother Lorraine Shin initially filed for the protective order back in May after Penn was arrested by police several times over just a few short weeks. The initial allegations against Penn included extreme psychological abuse with the former two-division UFC champion claiming that his family had been killed and replaced with imposters. The order approved by Judge Jeffrey Ng prevents Penn from having any contact with his mother, which includes staying at least 100 yards away from her residence or place of employment. He must also stay at least 100 feet away from any neutral location and Penn is ordered to leave immediately if he happens to run into his mother anywhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only contact the two parties are allowed to have under the courts orders are through courtroom proceedings, when attorneys are present or if legal documents are being served. The order runs through May 26, 2026, which is one year after Shin initially sought protection against her son. In the documentation filed for the restraining order, Shin claimed she returned home from a trip and found all of her belongings removed from her bedroom. Penn denied any involvement in missing property. A few days later, Shin claimed her purse was stolen from a safe and that led to her making a theft report with police. Shin later installed a lock on her bedroom door along with security cameras for the house but claims Penn took down the cameras and he also put glue into my dead bolts that stopped me from opening my bedroom door. Prior to filing for the restraining order, Shin told police she returned home from a separate trip and found that Penn had allegedly put duct tape over her security cameras and glue into the deadbolt lock on her bedroom door to prevent her from entering. Shin later accused Penn of stealing her mail and when she claims she found the mail in the back of a vehicle that belonged to one of her sons friends, the 46-year-old fighter denied it was her mail and allegedly grabbed her arms and shoved her against the car, which led to his mother screaming at the top of her lungs for her son Reagan Penn to help her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Penn was eventually arrested and told to stay away from his mother for the next 48 hours, but Shin claims he returned to the home and she presented video evidence as proof to police, which led to Penns second arrest in as many days. I believe my son [B.J. Penn] is suffering from Capgras delusional syndrome (a psychiatric disorder in which a person holds a delusion that a friend, spouse, parent, other close family member has been replaced by an identical imposter), Shin told police when filing for the restraining order. He believes Im an imposter who has killed his family to gain control of the family assets. In the best interest for my safety, I ask the court for a six-month [temporary restraining order] and have my son ordered to get medical treatment or other source of therapy. Penn was ultimately arrested four times in less than two weeks, which included violating the restraining order issued back in May. As of now, there are no further court hearings scheduled with the judge approving the protective order against Penn for the next year. Ethnic festivals across China lighten up August People's Daily Online) 16:04, August 19, 2025 Ganqiuqiao Originating in the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Ganqiuqiao is a traditional festival of the Bouyei ethnic group in Ziyun Miao and Bouyei Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Held annually on Liqiuthe Beginning of Autumn solar term in the Chinese lunar calendarthe festival sees young men and women dressed in their finest traditional attire gathering on well-known local bridges to court and socialize, reminiscent of the "magpie bridge" meeting in Chinese legend. Once a harvest celebration centered on blessings, songs, and dances, ganqiuqiao has evolved into a modern cultural event that fosters harmony, inclusiveness, and stronger community bonds. (Intern Geng Yujie contributed to this story.) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Du Mingming) Blueoval SK LLC, the electric vehicle (EV) battery joint venture between South Koreas SK On Company and Ford Motor Company, launched production at its newly-built plant in the US state of Kentucky, marking the start of commercial operations for the company. The 50:50 joint venture was established in July 2022, with plans to invest US$ 11.4 billion in three EV battery plants in the US, including two in Kentucky and one in Tennessee. Blueoval SK began construction of its first Kentucky plant, in Glendale, at the end of 2022. Commercial operations began in August 2025, with production of batteries for the Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck and the extended-range E-Transit cargo van. Commercial production at the joint ventures Tennessee facility is scheduled to commence in 2026, while the start-up date for the second Kentucky plant has yet to be decided, depending on demand. BlueOval SKs CEO, Michael Adams, said in a statement: "The start of production is a significant milestone that strengthens our position in the EV battery market. BlueOval SK is creating good-paying American jobs, strengthening the domestic supply chain, and driving the transition to zero-emissions transportation." SK On also has two wholly-owned plants in the US state of Georgia, with another plant a joint venture with Hyundai Motor Group also scheduled to go into production in 2026. "Blueoval SK begins EV battery production in the US" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. Some Labour councils have joined Conservative and Reform-run authorities in considering legal challenges against housing asylum seekers in hotels. Earlier this week, the High Court granted Conservative-controlled Epping Forest District Council a temporary injunction to stop 140 asylum seekers living at the Bell Hotel in Essex. Now more than half a dozen councils have announced they are assessing their legal options and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has instructed Tory-controlled councils the party will back them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked about potential legal challenges, education minister Catherine McKinnell said Labour "inherited an absolute mess of an immigration system from the previous government". The latest Home Office figures show the number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels has risen 8% over the last year, to 32,059 at the end of June. However, that's a 43% drop compared to September 2023, when numbers peaked at 56,042, and is also a slight decrease on the total at the end of March, which was 32,345. The leader of one of the Labour-controlled councils, Tamworth's Carol Dean, said her authority had previously decided against legal action but was now "carefully assessing" what she called a "potentially important legal precedent". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, Labour-run Wirral council asked the Home Office to review its decision to house single male asylum seekers rather than families in the former Holiday Inn Express in Hoylake. However, other Labour-run councils in Newcastle and Brighton and Hove have ruled out legal challenges, with the former saying they wanted to provide "sanctuary". The Epping case is the first time a judge has ruled in favour of a council over asylum hotels, because he council was able to prove "evidenced harms" related to protests around the hotel, which had led to violence and arrests. Government ministers are now drawing up contingency plans to move asylum seekers out of the hotel by the court's deadline of 12 September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further successful legal challenges have the potential to pile more pressure on the government to find alternative housing options for migrants. Hailing the high Court ruling blocking a hotel from housing asylum seekers as "a victory for local people", Badenoch wrote to Tory council leaders saying: "We back you to take similar action... if your legal advice supports it." A Labour spokesperson said Badenoch's letter was "desperate and hypocritical nonsense from the architects of the broken asylum system". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the previous government, the number of asylum hotels in use "rose as high as 400", they said, adding: "There are now half that and there are now 20,000 fewer asylum seekers in hotels than at their peak under the Tories." At least four more Conservative-run councils, including Broxbourne, Reigate and Banstead, and Hillingdon, were considering legal action following the Epping ruling, shadow home secretary Chris Philp told BBC Breakfast. "I think these councils are sick and tired of having these asylum hotels, housing predominantly young men who entered the country illegally, in these communities," he said. "They want to see them closed down." [BBC] The Conservative leader of Broxbourne Council, Corina Gander, said she was "expecting to go down the same path" as Epping Forest District Council when filing a legal challenge to an asylum hotel in her area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We do not know who is in that hotel and it has brought an unease to the community," Gander told BBC Newsnight. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said all councils controlled by his party will "do everything in their power to follow Epping's lead". But Reform spokesman Zia Yusuf conceded that only "a minority" of those councils have planning control. The leader of Reform UK-led West Northamptonshire Council said he was "considering the implications of this judgment to understand any similarities and differences and actively looking at the options now available to us". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hotel use rose sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic, hitting a peak of 56,042 in 2023 when the Conservatives were in government, having previously only been used in short-term emergencies. The Labour government has pledged to end the use of migrant hotels by 2029, by cutting small-boat crossings and speeding up decisions on asylum claims. Home Office figures show the number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels was fell 15% between December and March this year, when there were 32,345. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Philp, who was a home office minister when the use of hotels dramatically increased, has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper calling for former military sites or barges to be used as asylum accommodation, instead of other hotels, flats or house-shares. He also defended the right to peaceful protest, including outside asylum hotels, although he admitted "of course there have been some elements that haven't been" peaceful and claimed some people were "understandably angry". Earlier this month, police officers were pelted with eggs, fireworks were let off and vehicles damaged after what started as a "peaceful protest" at the Bell Hotel, police said. [BBC] [BBC] Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond. (The Center Square) Wisconsins Democratic U.S. Senator says there is a difference between the move to redraw Texas congressional map and the move to do the same in Wisconsin. Sen. Tammy Baldwin told reporters the request to redraw Wisconsins political map is not inherently political. While Wisconsin, I dont think, is one that is going to be one that does partisan redistricting, I cant criticize too harshly those governors in blue states that are saying We should reconsider our maps, Baldwin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats from Texas fled to the state earlier this month to try and stop Texas Republicans from redrawing their map to add five more Republican-heavy congressional districts. Baldwin blamed that move on President Trump. But she also said Democrats cannot sit by and watch it happen. We cant fight back with one hand tied behind our backs, she added. There is a push to redraw Wisconsins congressional map, as well. A handful of law firms filed a lawsuit in June that asks the liberal-majority Wisconsin Supreme Court to correct the states anti-competitive gerrymander. Specifically, the firms want to redraw western Wisconsins 3rd District where Republican Derrick Van Orden has won two close races in the past two elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The firms also want new boundaries for southern Wisconsins 1st District. Republican Congressman Bryan Steil has won that seat with slightly larger margins than Van Orden, but the firms say both should be more Democrat-friendly. The Wisconsin Court has not said if it will take the case. The court has already rejected a separate request to redraw Wisconsins maps. Baldwin continued to say that she would prefer to see politics taken completely out of the redistricting process. Id like to see us move, nationally, in the direction of non-partisan redistricting, Baldwin explained. Bam Bam is home. The 14-year-old Dachshund captured the hearts and minds around the globe after hed been reported stolen in June from his Logan Square owner, Angel Santiago. Santiago is legally blind due to glaucoma and relied on Bam Bam as a service dog. The pair was reunited Tuesday night, police said, after a man and woman dropped Bam Bam off at Chicago Polices 16th District station. Officers said the dog appeared in good health. Detectives are still investigating the theft, and no one is in custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santiago told the Tribune Wednesday morning he thanked God for being reunited with his beloved Bam Bam. I prayed every day and night, he said. Bam Bam was reportedly stolen from Santiagos yard on June 5, according to a GoFundMe created to help raise funds for Bam Bams search. The news of the theft went viral on social media, and Santiago told the Tribune hed received calls of support from as far away as Spain and New Zealand. Santiago walked several miles a day looking for his dog. No matter how many times I fall I always get up, Santiago said, kissing Bam Bam on the neck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Davis, who runs Best Furry Friend Pet Rescue and Discovery based in McHenry County, said its miraculous that after more than two months, Santiago and Bam Bam were able to reunite. In many cases, lost or stolen pets never make it back to their owners, Davis said. The first 24 hours are most critical after a dog goes missing, he said. The longer pets are separated from their owners, the more likely they are to enter survival mode, rendering them more skittish and less likely to interact with people. Stolen pet cases like Bam Bams are a whole different scenario from lost pets because of human involvement, Davis said. People steal dogs for a myriad of reasons, including to resell or use as bait in fighting rings. That means stolen dogs can end up in farther and less predictable places than lost ones, Davis added. Still, in both situations, its important to get the word out fast, both online and around the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everybody was looking for that dog at that point, Davis said. If anybody thought they could hold onto that dog and not have a friend, family member, a neighbor spot it and make a call, they would be naive. This was the best thing that couldve happened, to have it posted all over the news. By Wednesday afternoon, Bam Bam was at the Niles Animal Hospital to be assessed. The pooch is really skinny, Santiago said as veterinarians looked over the dog. Bam Bams nails were also overgrown when the two reunited Tuesday night. Santiago said hes worried about his dogs psychological health. Bam Bam isnt as spunky as he was before and seems to be having trouble sleeping with the lights off, Santiago said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a really rough night, Santiago said. Nonetheless, Santiago said hes grateful to people from around the world who supported his search for Bam Bam. That includes the two people who dropped Santiagos companion off at the police station Tuesday, whom he said he hopes to meet someday. Bam Bam is my world, Santiago said. He is my lifesaver. I just wish I could hug everybody who thought of Bam Bam. Bam Bam is home. The 14-year-old Dachshund captured the hearts and minds around the globe after hed been reported stolen in June from his Logan Square owner, Angel Santiago. Santiago is legally blind due to glaucoma and relied on Bam Bam as a service dog. The pair was reunited Tuesday night, police said, after a man and woman dropped Bam Bam off at Chicago Polices 16th District station. Officers said the dog appeared in good health. Detectives are still investigating the theft, and no one is in custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santiago told the Tribune Wednesday morning he thanked God for being reunited with his beloved Bam Bam. I prayed every day and night, he said. Bam Bam was reportedly stolen from Santiagos yard on June 5, according to a GoFundMe created to help raise funds for Bam Bams search. The news of the theft went viral on social media, and Santiago told the Tribune hed received calls of support from as far away as Spain and New Zealand. Santiago walked several miles a day looking for his dog. No matter how many times I fall I always get up, Santiago said, kissing Bam Bam on the neck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Davis, who runs Best Furry Friend Pet Rescue and Discovery based in McHenry County, said its miraculous that after more than two months, Santiago and Bam Bam were able to reunite. In many cases, lost or stolen pets never make it back to their owners, Davis said. The first 24 hours are most critical after a dog goes missing, he said. The longer pets are separated from their owners, the more likely they are to enter survival mode, rendering them more skittish and less likely to interact with people. Stolen pet cases like Bam Bams are a whole different scenario from lost pets because of human involvement, Davis said. People steal dogs for a myriad of reasons, including to resell or use as bait in fighting rings. That means stolen dogs can end up in farther and less predictable places than lost ones, Davis added. Still, in both situations, its important to get the word out fast, both online and around the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everybody was looking for that dog at that point, Davis said. If anybody thought they could hold onto that dog and not have a friend, family member, a neighbor spot it and make a call, they would be naive. This was the best thing that couldve happened, to have it posted all over the news. Bam Bam was microchipped which helped their reunification, Santiago said. Santiago said the fact that Bam Bam was microchipped aided their reunification. The process safely implants a device the size of a rice grain into a pet, said Celene Mielcarek, head of program operations at PAWS Chicago. Pet microchips arent GPS tracking devices, Mielcarke said, but they can help locate a missing or stolen pets owner when scanned by law enforcement or a veterinarian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By Wednesday afternoon, Bam Bam was at the Niles Animal Hospital to be assessed. The pooch is really skinny, Santiago said as veterinarians looked over the dog. Bam Bams nails were also overgrown when the two reunited Tuesday night. Santiago said hes worried about his dogs psychological health. Bam Bam isnt as spunky as he was before and seems to be having trouble sleeping with the lights off, Santiago said. It was a really rough night, Santiago said. Nonetheless, Santiago said hes grateful to people from around the world who supported his search for Bam Bam. That includes the two people who dropped Santiagos companion off at the police station Tuesday, whom he said he hopes to meet someday. Bam Bam is my world, Santiago said. He is my lifesaver. I just wish I could hug everybody who thought of Bam Bam. Bam Bam is home. The 14-year-old dachshund captured hearts and minds around the globe after hed been reported stolen in June from Angel Santiago, his Logan Square owner. Santiago is legally blind because of glaucoma and relied on Bam Bam as an emotional support dog. The pair were reunited Tuesday night, police said, after a man and woman dropped Bam Bam off at the Chicago police 16th District station. Officers said the dog appeared in good health. Detectives are still investigating the theft, and no one is in custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santiago told the Tribune Wednesday morning he thanked God for being reunited with his beloved Bam Bam. I prayed every day and night, he said. Bam Bam was stolen from Santiagos yard the night of June 5, according to police. The news of the theft went viral on social media, and a GoFundMe created to help fund the search for Bam Bam raised nearly $20,000. Santiago told the Tribune hed received calls of support from as far away as Spain and New Zealand. Santiago said he walked up to 7 miles a day looking for his dog, who he relies on to provide some visual aid, such as helping him avoid potholes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No matter how many times I fall I always get up, Santiago said, kissing Bam Bam on the neck. Michael Davis, who runs Best Furry Friend Pet Rescue and Discovery based in McHenry County, said its miraculous that after more than two months, Santiago and Bam Bam were back together. In many cases, lost or stolen pets never make it back to their owners, Davis said. The first 24 hours are most critical after a dog goes missing, he said. The longer pets are separated from their owners, the more likely they are to enter survival mode, rendering them more skittish and less likely to interact with people. Stolen pet cases such as Bam Bams are a whole different scenario from lost pets because of human involvement, Davis said. People steal dogs for myriad reasons, including to resell or use as bait in fighting rings. That means stolen dogs can end up in more distant and less predictable places than lost ones, Davis added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, in both situations, its important to get the word out fast, both online and around the neighborhood. Everybody was looking for that dog at that point, Davis said. If anybody thought they could hold onto that dog and not have a friend, family member, a neighbor spot it and make a call, they would be naive. This was the best thing that couldve happened, to have it posted all over the news. Santiago said the fact Bam Bam was microchipped aided their reunification. The process safely implants a device the size of a rice grain into a pet, said Celene Mielcarek, head of program operations at PAWS Chicago. Pet microchips arent GPS tracking devices, Mielcarek said, but they can help locate a missing or stolen pets owner when scanned by law enforcement or a veterinarian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By Wednesday afternoon, Bam Bam was at the Niles Animal Hospital to be assessed. The pooch is really skinny, Santiago said as veterinarians looked over the dog. Bam Bams nails were also overgrown when the two reconnected Tuesday night. Aside from minor heart and liver issues that seemed to have developed after Bam Bam was stolen, the dog came back from his vet exam with a clean bill of health, Santiago said. Santiago said hes worried about his dogs psychological well-being. Bam Bam isnt as spunky as he was before and seems to be having trouble sleeping with the lights off, Santiago said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, Santiago said hes grateful to people from around the world who supported his search for Bam Bam. That includes the two people who dropped Santiagos companion off at the police station Tuesday, whom he said he hopes to meet someday. Bam Bam is my world, Santiago said. He is my lifesaver. I just wish I could hug everybody who thought of Bam Bam. Now back with his darling dachshund, Santiago said hes looking forward to a staycation with Bam Bam. Theyll watch Paw Patrol and other doggy movies and shows, Santiago said. Its his time, Santiago said, cradling Bam Bam. He needs to be home and secure and loved. Today we discuss flora, fauna and self-gratification. Youve been away. Yes, I was living in a tent for two weeks, communing with the pine trees and black bears of the Sierra. You heard about Californias likely special election? I did. It seems Gov. Gavin Newsom will have his way, with help from the Democratic-run Legislature, and voters will be asked in November to approve a partisan gerrymander aimed at offsetting a similar Republican power grab in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As many as five GOP House seats could be erased from the congressional map drawn by California's independent redistricting commission, which voters established more than a decade ago expressly to take the line-drawing away from a bunch of self-interested politicians. Fighting fire with fire! Could we please retire that phrase. Huh? Also references to knife fights and Democrats showing up with pencils, rubber bands, butter knives and other wimpy implements. The campaign hasnt even started and already those metaphors have grown stale. Fine. At least Democrats are showing some fight. In an impulsive, shortsighted fashion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: To counter Texas, California lawmakers take up plan to redraw congressional districts Look, I get it. Donald Trump truly knows no bottom when it comes to undermining democratic norms, running a familial kleptocracy and, in the felicitous phrase of Gustavo Arellano, my fellow Times columnista, treating the Constitution like a pee pad. Democrats are powerless in Washington, where a pliant Republican-controlled Congress and a supine right-wing Supreme Court have shown all the deference of a maitre d' squiring Trump to his favorite table. So the idea of doing something to push back against the president is quite invigorating and, no doubt, gratifying for Democratic partisans. It's also expedient and facile, sparing the party from looking inward and doing the truly hard work it faces. Taking on Republicans over redistricting a fight among insiders, as far as many voters are concerned does absolutely nothing to address the larger problem confronting Democrats, which is the absence of any broader message beyond: Trump, bad! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We saw how that worked for them in 2024. But this is a "break-the-glass" moment for our democracy. Gov. Newsom said so! Please. The only thing worse than a grasping and nakedly calculating politician is a politician who wraps his grasping and naked calculation in all sorts of red, white and blue bunting. At bottom, this is all about Newsom's overweening presidential ambitions. How so? The whole episode started when our gallivanting governor went on a left-wing podcast during a Southern campaign swing and huffed and puffed about responding to Trump and Texas by executing a similar gerrymander in California. (He elided the fact that, under the state Constitution, he has no such authority. Hence the need for a special election to seek voter approval of new, slanted political lines.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon enough, Newsom's threat took on a life of its own. Normally, redistricting is done once every 10 years, after the latest census. Suddenly, mid-decade redistricting became a new front in the ever-escalating war between red and blue; now several more states are talking about rejiggering their congressional maps for partisan gain. The problem for Newsom and his fellow Democrats is that Republicans have a lot more gerrymandering opportunities than they do. So instead of those five Democratic-held seats in Texas, many more could be at risk for the party in 2026. Golly. Though, it should be said, at this point all that election handicapping is nothing more than speculation. What do you mean? Democrats need to flip three congressional districts to seize control of the House. That's why Trump prodded Texas Republicans to try to nab those five extra seats, to give the GOP some padding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But there's no guarantee Republicans will win all five seats. They're counting on the same strong Latino support Trump received in 2024, and recent polling suggests some of that pro-GOP sentiment may be waning. Beyond that, the ever-insightful Amy Walter, of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, makes an important point. "Even as the possibility of new maps in Texas and California may change the size and the shape of the 2026 playing field," she wrote in a recent analysis, "the fate of the Republican-controlled House is ultimately still going to be determined by two fundamental questions: how do voters feel about the state of the economy, and how do independent voters assess the party in power?" It's a long way to November 2026. But at this point, neither of those factors augurs well for Trump and Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: News Analysis: Newsoms decision to fight fire with fire could have profound political consequences Well, they started it, by messing with Texas. True. And none of this is meant to defend Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott or the president's other political henchmen. But effectively disenfranchising millions of California Republicans isn't any better than effectively disenfranchising millions of Texas Democrats. Huh? If Democrats have their way, the GOP would hold just a handful of California's 52 House seats, or even less. How is that possibly fair, or representative, in a state that's home to millions of Republican voters more, in fact, than any state other than Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are already countless residents, many living outside Democrats' city and suburban strongholds, who feel ignored and politically impotent. That's not healthy for California, or democracy. It breeds anger, resentment, cynicism and a kind of political nihilism that, ultimately, helps lead to the election of a middle-finger president like Donald Trump. Of course, Newsom may not care, since at this twilight point of his governorship it's all about his White House hopes and desire to pander to the Democrats' aggrieved political base. By fighting fire with fire! And potentially burning the whole place down. Get the latest from Mark Z. Barabak Focusing on politics out West, from the Golden Gate to the U.S. Capitol. Sign me up. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A Bartow County man pleaded guilty to federal child enticement and evidence tampering charges on Friday in Rome. William Eric Cooper, 45, was arrested by FBI agents after exchanging more than 1,000 chat messages with a 15-year-old, who identified herself as a ninth-grader. Many of the messages were sexual in nature. Cooper told the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct and send him depictions of it. In exchange, he promised to meet her in North Carolina to help her run away from her family. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] When agents arrested Cooper, they seized cell phones from his car and home, which contained a sexually explicit video of the 15-year-old and more than 250 images and videos depicting other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The enticement charges to which Cooper pleaded guilty carry a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum term of 10 years of imprisonment. His sentencing hearings are scheduled for Nov. 21 before U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from several local law enforcement agencies. Protecting children from sexual predators is among the highest priorities for law enforcement at every level, said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, who personally handled the court proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown stated, These crimes are especially disturbing. Those who engage in child exploitation will be held accountable for their conduct. TRENDING STORIES: Radioactive shrimp heading for Walmart found at Georgia port Child at daycare eats kratom, needs to be revived, police say STORY 3 [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) Another bat has tested positive for rabies in the Utica area, this time in South Utica, according to the Oneida County Department of Health. The bat was caught and sent to the New York State Department of Healths Wadsworth Center in Albany on Monday, August 18. Positive results were reported back to the county Health Department on Tuesday, August 19. One person and two cats were exposed to the bat. The person received post-exposure treatment, while the cats received boosters for their vaccinations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the second bat in approximately a week to test positive for rabies. On Thursday, August 14, one was found in New Hartford. The Health Department warned residents to keep watch of the signs of rabies, which include: The animal acting strangely, mad, or shy, The animal is getting unusually close The animal is foaming or drooling from the mouth. The department warned residents to stay away from any wild or stray animals. If, despite your best efforts, you are bitten or come into contact with saliva, seek medical attention and contact the Oneida County Health Department to determine the next steps. If you see any animal acting strangely, the Health Department encourages you to call your local animal control officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Health Department also warned people that it is New York State law that all dogs, cats, and ferrets be vaccinated for rabies. Unvaccinated pets in contact with wildlife that is suspected or confirmed to be infected must be euthanized or strictly quarantined at the owners expense. All dogs and cats must be vaccinated for rabies at 4 months old, one year following the initial dose, and then every three years following. Ferrets must receive their initial dose by four months old, then booster shots every year following. There is one rabies clinic in the area over the next two months: at the Trenton Town Hall on Wednesday, October 1, from 5 pm to 7 pm. For more information on rabies prevention or to schedule a vaccination, you are encouraged to visit the countys website at ocgov.net/rabies. If you have questions or are concerned about possible exposure, you are asked to contact the Oneida County Health Department 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 315-798-5064. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com. BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) A few weeks ago, News 13 told you about a group of Jamaican Lake residents urging Bay County officials to halt development plans for a hotel. At Tuesdays commission meeting, the group expressed their concerns to county officials again. Were not anti-development, were anti flooding: Hotel project raises concerns The heart of this issue is the current lack of necessary infrastructure to address constant flooding issues in the area, and the fear that the development will exacerbate the problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County officials have once again reiterated that the parcel of land located at 23030 Front Beach Road has always been zoned commercial, and state statute makes any sort of reversal nearly impossible. However, as we previously reported, the county has entered into a partnership with the developer to build a stormwater pump system along with the hotel. It would be funded and maintained by the countys infrastructure surtax. The lack of a solution in place before the start of development sparked further frustration from residents. On Tuesday, county officials addressed those concerns, saying the infrastructure phase of any development comes first, and that although the partnership is the only option right now, there are still questions to be asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve got to ask the right questions and how can we use the tax funds and or grants or other things to be able to come up with a holistic solution that allows the developer to do what hes legally entitled to do underneath the Bert Harris Act in our land development regulations, but also meet the needs of what the citizens are, County Commissioner Doug Moore said. One of the big concerns I hear from the residents is that the contractor is going to start or make this worse before he does his stormwater. One of the requirements the county will have is the storm water system has to be built first before he builds the development, that should alleviate that concern, Chief Infrastructure Officer Keith Bryant said. County officials they will continue to have open dialogue with the residents throughout this process and reiterated that there is a lot still up in the air at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. The BBC was wrong not to use the word terrorist to describe Hamas in its coverage of the Oct 7 attacks, the broadcasters former head of news has said. James Harding, who led the BBCs news output between 2013 and 2018 and is now editor-in-chief of the Observer, took aim at the corporation for its decision not to use the term, arguing that journalists shouldnt censor words, but use them accurately. The BBC triggered outrage and accusations of anti-Semitism after it refused to use the term terrorist to describe the gunmen who massacred more than 1,000 people and took hundreds hostage in the worst loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It instead describes them as militants and states that Hamas is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK, Israel and others. Mr Harding, who is Jewish, said newsrooms had been plunged into furious argument over how to cover Israel and Gaza, adding that the conflict was very hard to view dispassionately. He admitted that the corporation had for sure made mistakes, including serious ones during his tenure. However, he insisted that the BBC was not institutionally anti-Semitic. Delivering the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Wednesday, Mr Harding said: I am Jewish, proudly so. Im proud, too, to have worked for the most important news organisation in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The BBC is not institutionally anti-Semitic. Its untrue to say it is. Its also unhelpful much better to correct the mistakes and address the judgment calls that have been wrong, than smear the institution, impugn the character of all the people who work there and, potentially, undermine journalists in the field working in the most difficult and dangerous of conditions. Despite its pledge to describe Hamas as a banned terror group, analysis of the BBCs online news stories earlier this year found that the broadcaster was failing to do so in nine out of 10 reports. The BBC has said it makes clear that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation where possible and appropriate, but argued that the longevity of the conflict means there is less need to constantly repeat the phrase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the broadcaster came under further scrutiny last month after its current head of news told staff that the Hamas government of Gaza and the organisations military wing were different. Deborah Turness made the comments after the BBC broke its own editorial guidelines by broadcasting a Gaza documentary without disclosing that its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. The Board of Deputies of British Jews condemned the remarks, accusing Mr Turness of obfuscating and minimising the BBCs failings. The BBC has also been embroiled in a row over its decision to air a controversial Glastonbury set by artist Bob Vylan - Yui Mok/PA The broadcaster has also been embroiled in a row over its decision to air a controversial Glastonbury set by artist Bob Vylan, which led chants of death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That scandal prompted an intervention by Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, who warned there was a problem of leadership at the BBC, sparking uncertainty over the future of director general Tim Davie. In his speech, Mr Harding described Ms Nandys comments as chilling, arguing that the corporation should be kept beyond the reach of politicians. The veteran news executive, who raised concerns about Reforms pledge to scrap the licence fee, said the Prime Minister should not be involved in the appointment of the BBCs chairman and director general. He also called for an independent commission to be set up to decide the future of the BBCs funding model. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: Political interference and the perception of a political presence looming over the BBC is a problem, one that weve got too accustomed to. And it looks likely to get worse. We need to get on with putting the countrys most important editorial and creative organisation beyond the reach of politicians now. Mr Harding became editor-in-chief of the Observer after his news start-up Tortoise Media bought the Sunday newspaper from the Guardian in a controversial deal earlier this year. Prior to leading BBC News, he was editor of The Times. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Hospital intelligence solutions provider Bluesight has launched ShortageCheck technology designed to assist health systems and hospitals in tracking, forecasting and managing drug inventories. ShortageCheck integrates real-time inventory data, predictive analytics, and collaborative planning tools into a comprehensive platform. This innovation is poised to ensure that caregivers and patients have uninterrupted access to essential medications. Monitoring over 20 real-time market signals, encompassing demand spikes and fulfilment delays, ShortageCheck provides coverage across more than 2,500 acute care facilities across the US. It identifies early warning signs of drug shortages, offering up to a 90-day lead time, with an average of 42 days, allowing healthcare institutions to prepare and adapt their inventory management strategies. By assessing levels of inventory, usage rates along with days-on-hand, the platform offers in-depth insights into the potential impact of each shortage. This enables organisations to evaluate risk, prioritise responses and leverage ShortageCheck's communication tools for cross-team coordination and planning. Bluesight CEO and co-founder Kevin MacDonald said: Shortage management has been one of, if not the most critical, pain point for our customers over the last six years. When drug shortages hit without warning, it forces teams to scramble for alternatives, and patient care ultimately suffers. With improving health system operations as our top priority, the launch of ShortageCheck marks a significant milestone in ensuring customers have the solutions needed to get ahead of shortages before they hit, preserving labour hours and costs during a time when drug costs are rising, staff shortages persist, and medicare reimbursement changes are on the horizon. ShortageCheck is part of the hospital intelligence solutions suite of Bluesight, which includes CostCheck, KitCheck, 340BCheck, ControlCheck and PrivacyPro. These tools collectively offer hospitals the capability to restock inventory quicker, reduce drug expenditure, streamline audit preparations, pinpoint drug diversion more effectively, and save time in protecting patient privacy. This January, Bluesight expanded its capabilities by acquiring Protenus, a healthcare compliance analytics platform provider. "Bluesight introduces ShortageCheck to manage drug inventories in hospitals" was originally created and published by Hospital Management, a GlobalData owned brand. Bea V. Larsen, a trailblazing attorney who in 1986 became the first woman to serve as president of the Cincinnati Bar Association, died Aug. 12 in Bloomington, Indiana, at age 96. Bea was such a mentor and role model to so many young women lawyers, especially at a time when there were so few women who had blazed the trail for us, said Barbara J. Howard, who was Cincinnati Bar Association president in 2001-2002. Larsen was one of the few women in Hamilton County to work as a trial lawyer in the 1970s. She served as director of the Legal Aid Societys public defender division from 1974 to 1979. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the last several decades of her more than 50-year legal career, she was a mediator for the Center for Resolution of Disputes, which she founded in 1988. Bea Larsen, attorney, mediator, author. Larsen was calm and wise, said Marianna Bettman, a former judge and retired law professor who shared office space with Larsen in the 1980s. She always somehow had that calming effect on us and always prodded us to come to our own conclusion about better ways to handle things than just getting mad, Bettman said. Larsen shared her weekly commentaries on the air at WVXU-FM radio from 1994 to 2002. She then moved to blogging online at bealarsen.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, she published several of her essays in her book, The Third Person in the Room: Stories of Relationships at a Turning Point, which Kirkus Reviews called an emotional, thought-provoking read about the fragility of relationships. Jim Scott, left, Bea Larsen, Steve Forbes and William Moll in 1998. With her colleague Bob Rack, she co-founded Beyond Civility, a nonprofit that hosted workshops and side-by-side conversations to encourage respectful public discourse. She finally retired in 2017, when she was 88. She had such a huge impact on the legal profession, and but she also just as a person had such an impact on a number of us as individuals, friends, professional colleagues, said Jerry Lawson, who was executive director of the Center for Resolution of Disputes alongside Larsen for more than 20 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Therell never be another Bea. 'Shes not one of the boys' She was born Beatrice Vita Rosenblum on March 9, 1929, in New York City. She attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where she met her future husband, Leonard Larsen. They were married in 1949. The family moved to Cincinnati in 1956 when Leonard was hired as a geology professor at the University of Cincinnati. I lived the life that women lived back then in the 50s, Larsen told Kirkus Reviews in 2020. I never expected to do anything but be a homemaker until the 60s hit and the world changed. Bill Seitz, left, Bea Larsen and Roxanne Qualls in 2012. With her kids in school, at age 35 she began attending law classes at night at Salmon P. Chase College of Law, then held in the Central Parkway YMCA building. She was the only woman in the class of 1969. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Larsen blazed another trail in 1979 by running for Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge. Her campaign slogan, Shes not one of the boys, stirred up voters who saw the courtrooms dominated by men. Although she came in seventh for five seats on the bench, her good showing gave more women confidence to run for judgeships. I think the fact I did run as well as I did sends a message to both parties that the time is right (for women judges), she told The Enquirer in 1979. Certainly, its clear the electorate is ready. She then started a private law practice specializing in domestic law, but became frustrated by the way divorce proceedings more often lined lawyers pockets than solved disputes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As president of the Cincinnati Bar Association, she introduced a mediation program as an alternative to litigation, allowing sides to settle before going to trial. That led to the creation of the Center for Resolution of Disputes, where she served as mediator for nearly three decades. She was very instrumental in starting the notion of collaborative law, said Bettman. Instead of being adversaries, trying to work things out together somehow instead of being on opposite sides, trying to come to a resolution together. Larsen also helped establish the Roundtable cooperative between the Cincinnati Bar Association and members of the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati to create opportunities for minority lawyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Larsen was inducted into the Ohio Womens Hall of Fame in 1988. Her husband, Len, died in 2002. She is survived by her children, Neil, Grey and Julia Larsen; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bea Larsen, first woman to lead Cincinnati Bar Association, dies at 96 CLEVELAND (WJW) The National Weather Service has issued a beach hazard statement, warning swimmers about dangerous rip currents on Lake Erie this week. Body found near Edgewater Beach The warning was issued for Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Lake, Lorain and Ottawa counties, from Wednesday evening through Thursday evening, when a high risk of rip currents is expected, according to the weather service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts warn that these currents can carry swimmers away from shore through a sand bar and along structures extending out into the lake. Everyone should stay out of the water to avoid the hazardous conditions, officials said. The NWS already issued a beach hazard statement for Ohio and Pennsylvania beaches on Monday. Video: Suspect accused of rummaging through Westlake senior center belongings The warning comes as multiple people went missing from Lake Erie beaches over the weekend. Keep up with the latest weather conditions here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Did it want one scoop or two? Deputies from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office who were dispatched to an ice cream shop at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe on Sunday were greeted with a big surprise when they found a bear behind the counter, according to a Sheriff's Office news release. "The deputies could barely believe their eyes," the Sheriff's Office wrote in a lighthearted social media post about the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before they ushered the animal away, deputies made sure to snap a couple of pictures which show the bear peeking above a counter. "With some encouragement, the bear ultimately left, but only after showing interest in the strawberry ice cream," the department said. The bear didn't cause much property damage and there was also very little cleanup required. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) The mother of the only camper still missing from Camp Mystic shared a heartfelt tribute to her daughter and called for legislative action while speaking at the Texas Capitol Wednesday. CiCi Williams Steward, alongside her husband Will, expressed her unwavering support for Senate Bill 1, which is related to campground and youth camp safety, to the Texas Senate committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding. Flash flooding claimed more than 130 lives in Central Texas. Heres what we know about the victims Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cecilia Cile Steward was 8 years old, and she was excited to go to Camp Mystic for the first time, her mother said. Camp Mystic is located in Kerrville, where at least 117 people died, including 37 children, in the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County. Nine of the victims were carried downstream into Kendall County. Two others remained missing, as of Wednesday. Overall, at least 135 people died in the flooding across Central Texas. Texas summer camps must be properly equipped, trained, and held accountable, so that future generations of children can experience the joy of camp without being placed in preventable danger, Steward said. Camp Mystic is shown in Hunt, Texas on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Three generations of women in my family went to Camp Mystic. This year, it was finally Ciles turn, Steward said. For Cile, camp meant adventure, memories, friendships and lessons to carry for a lifetime. For me, it meant watching my child grow and learn but always under the assurance that she would be safe. Joy and growth cannot exist without safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: A tribute to Texas flood victims Steward went on to say that the assurance she received that Cile, along with the other young girls at the camp, was betrayed that day of the floods. Ciles chance to experience camp only existed because I was ensured that her safety, and the safety of all the young girls, was paramount. I ask you, what could have been more important than that, Steward said. Obvious, common sense safety measures were absent. Protocols that should have been in place were ignored. As a result, my daughter was stolen from us. Ciles life ended, not because of an unavoidable act of nature, but because of preventable failures, on just her fifth day of camp. Black hole of pain: Camp Mystic families advocate for flood safety legislation at Capitol Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steward said the passing of SB 1 could be the start of a promise that the lives and deaths of the campers will bring change. This legislation cannot bring back our daughters, but it is the beginning of change that must occur so that this tragedy never happens again, Steward said. In addition to the families that are here today and that lost their children, there are hundreds of other campers that were affected by this that survived. The survival guilt and trauma that they went through for many is unknowable. They will be dealing with this for the rest of their lives. It is unfathomable. Steward said her family continues to live in a torture chamber of uncertainty until Ciles body is found. My baby girl is still missing, she said. The agony is relenting. We cannot begin to grieve or to honor the fullness of her short, beautiful life until she is recovered and laid safely to rest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. [Source] Beijing rejected U.S. President Donald Trumps recent claim that Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him there would be no invasion of Taiwan during Trumps term, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry firmly reiterating the position that Taiwan is an internal Chinese matter. The response came days after Trump recounted a conversation between the two leaders in a Fox News interview on Friday. Trumps claims: Trump said Xi made the assurance during a phone call, allegedly telling him, I will never do it as long as youre president, while describing China as very patient. Trump did not indicate when the conversation occurred, though the two leaders were confirmed to have spoken in April and June. Beijing responds: Speaking to reporters on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that the Taiwan issue is purely an internal affair of China and how to resolve the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people. She reaffirmed Beijings position that while peaceful reunification remains the goal, China would not permit any attempt to separate Taiwan from the mainland. Taipeis response: Taiwans government responded on Tuesday by distancing itself from the political exchange. Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei said the islands security must be achieved through its own efforts and reiterated its focus on building stronger defense capabilities in the face of sustained pressure from the Chinese government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Shohei Ohtani and agent accused of derailing $240 million Hawaii real estate project Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! WASHINTGON Oregons lone Republican congressman is firing back against criticism of President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill, saying the bill does far more good than Democrats have let on. Republican Rep. Cliff Bentz on Tuesday, Aug. 19, issued a statement criticizing Oregon Gov. Tina Koteks recent comments on Trumps sweeping tax-and-spending bill, saying the governor is misleading Oregonians and leaving out key facts. While the Governor portrays (the bill) as a wholesale attack on children, families and working people, the reality is far different, Bentz said in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, Congress passed H.R. 1. The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill. It was a signature win for the Trump administration, but has been criticized for its cuts to programs for working families and vital social services. The bill would cut funding from the Oregon Health Plan, which is the states Medicaid program, and put more than 200,000 Oregonians at risk of losing health care coverage. Following the bills passage, Kotek has said Oregon stands to lose more than $15 billion in federal funding for health care, food assistance and other programs over the next few years. The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress have betrayed American children and families, who will become sicker, hungrier, and less prosperous because of President Trumps budget bill, Kotek said in a statement. Oregonians will see less of their federal tax dollars coming back to our state for things they count on. Rural hospitals across the state have braced for cuts and state and federal Democrats, including Kotek and former Gov. John Kitzhaber, both urged Bentz to oppose the bill in the House, citing the potential harm to his largely rural district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in the Aug. 19 statement, Bentz defended the bill, saying it targets inefficiencies in state-administered programs. Bentz cited Oregons policy of providing more than two years of continuous Medicaid eligibility for most adults, even when income levels exceed federal thresholds or individuals gain employer-sponsored insurance. The bill would require states to review eligibility twice beginning in 2027. The bill protects Medicaid for those it was meant to serve, Bentz said. Seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families. Bentz also criticized Koteks claims the bill will impact food programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as food stamps. New work requirements will likely reduce access to SNAP for Oregonians, Kotek said, and Koteks office has estimated Oregon will lose $3 billion in federal funding for SNAP in the next few years. The loss comes from a new fine imposed by the federal government on states with high payment error rates, which includes Oregon. The state will shoulder a higher cost for administering the program if its error rate rises above 5%. In 2024, Oregons error rate was more than 14%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only way to get a states attention is to levy a penalty when the state fails to do its job, Bentz said. Bentz also criticized Kotek for failing to acknowledge other provisions in the bill, including $10 billion in tax cuts for farmers and ranchers, disaster relief funding, increased crop insurance support, and tax benefits for families and workers. Additional measures include increased funding for the military, border wall construction, and expansion of the Border Patrol. Silence on these important matters is one thing, Bentz said, but pushing out misleading and fear-generating statements regarding the bill is quite another. Bentz has drawn sharp criticism from the rest of Oregons congressional delegation for his support of the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oregon Rep. Janelle Bynum was in Madras which lies within Bentzs district last week with the Oregon Nurses Association, raising the alarm about Medicaid cuts in the bill, and the threat to rural health care under the Trump administration. Bentz, who was invited to the meeting but did not attend, was the subject of much discussion. I mean, where you at, boy? Bynum told Central Oregon Daily News. Bentzs full statement is below: WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Cliff Bentz issued the following statement in response to Governor Tina Koteks recent comments regarding the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) on SNAP and Medicaid: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Kotek recently discussed the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). Her comments are misleading and leave out key facts about what this legislation does for Oregon. While the Governor portrays the OBBB as a wholesale attack on children, families, and working people, the reality is far different. Democrats in Oregon have ignored the majority of the provisions in the bill and instead focused on the bills healthcare and nutrition assistance reforms. Here is the truth: this bill protects Medicaid for those it was meant to serve: seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families. The bill DOES NOT touch Medicare. Instead, it slows unchecked spending and begins the process of fixing billion-dollar loopholes in Medicaid that states have exploited for years. And like the Medicaid provisions, the reforms to SNAP (Food Stamps) are not aimed at cutting coverage but instead focus on state and individual accountability. For example, Oregon is currently the only state in the nation that provides most adult Medicaid recipients with more than two years of continuous eligibility. As a result, even when people get jobs with access to employer-sponsored insurance or earn far in excess of 130% if the Federal Poverty Level, many stay on Medicaid. Studies have found that Oregon leads the nation in the percentage of people retaining Medicaid coverage. Why pay for insurance if you can get the federal government and state to pay for your coverage? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently reported that more than 2.8 million Americans are potentially enrolled in both Medicaid and ACA exchange plans at the same time, costing taxpayers billions in duplicate coverage. This needs to change. Starting in 2027, the OBBB will require that states conduct eligibility redeterminations twice annually for ACA expansion enrollees (able-bodied adults), replacing the patchwork of state schedules with a clear six-month standard. State programs will be able to automate verifications using federal data, such as Social Security numbers and death records, eliminating repetitive paperwork and catching cases of fraud. The bill invests $250 million in system upgrades to support these changes. Taken together, these reforms reduce administrative layers, speed benefit processing, and give states the resources they need for efficient, accountable implementation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill takes long-overdue steps to restore integrity to the SNAP (Food Stamp) program. In 2024, Oregon once again had one of the worst SNAP error rates in the nation, with an error rate of 14.06%. Oregons performance as so bad that the state was fined millions of dollars but the federal government, but just a fraction of the actual amount the state had lost. SNAP error rates are a misuse of taxpayer funds because they pay out benefits incorrectly, wasting money that should go only to eligible recipients. The only way to get a states attention is to levy a penalty when the state fails to do its job. Under this bill, states with error rates above 5% will be required to contribute up to 20% of the cost of the SNAP state benefit unless corrective action is taken. States that stay below a 5% error rate will not be penalized. The Governor failed to mention literally dozens of provisions in the bill beneficial to Oregonians, including: $10 billion in tax cuts for our farmers and ranchers, disaster relief funding, stronger crop insurance, and higher wheat reference prices. She failed to mention the extensions of the 2017 Trump tax cuts, which prevented a 22% tax hike on millions of families, and new deductions for tips, overtime pay, Social Security benefits, and U.S.-made vehicles. She failed to mention that increasing timber harvest on federal lands as provided in the bill will create jobs and reduces wildfire risk. She failed to mention the 12.5 billion invested in improving our air traffic control systems. She failed to mention the increase in the child tax credit or the childcare tax benefits to employers. She failed to mention the added funding for the military, the funding for completion of the border wall, the funding for the addition of thousands more border patrol agents guarding the border against fentanyl and other drugs. She failed to mention opportunity zones, deductibility of investments in manufacturing, and increased support for energy development. Overall, the Governors remarks failed to account for economic growth, higher wages, and reduced waste that these reforms will bring. The Governors failures to mention any of these things, even though they mean so much to Oregonians, may be due to the fact that not one Democrat Congressman/woman from Oregon, including our Senators and all five of Oregons Democrat congresswomen, voted for this bill. Silence on these important matters is one thing but pushing out misleading and fear generating statements regarding the Bill is quite another. I do hope that the voters in Oregon will take the time to look at summaries of the OBBB and draw their own conclusions as to its value to them and to our nation. BERLIN, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) Berlin officers looking for a man suspected of stealing from a local Kohls. Local police were advised about this incident on Tuesday, August 19. Authorities say that the man, pictured below, allegedly stole an unidentified amount of merchandise from the store on Berlin Mall road. (Courtesy: Berlin Police Department) (Courtesy: Berlin Police Department) Individuals with information can call or send a message to police at 802-223-4401. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. BERWICK, La. (KLFY) Berwick Police Department announces the arrest of three teenagers following two separate disturbances involving fights and social media videos, authorities said. Chief David Leonard Sr. said a 14-, 16- and 17-year-old were arrested for disturbing the peace. One of them was identified as Bradley Howard, 17. Officers responded to a fight the morning of Aug. 8. A video later surfaced showing two juveniles who had clearly agreed to meet and fight, authorities said. During the altercation, a third person joined in and began striking and kicking the other teen while he was lying defenseless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fourth person, 14, who filmed the incident and shared the video on social media, was also arrested and charged with unlawful posting of criminal activity. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Later that evening, officers responded to another disturbance in the area of River Road involving several people. Three of the teens involved in the morning fight participated in this second incident as an act of retaliation, authorities said. No other details were released. Latest post Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. Back-to-school season is in full swing, and for students at three Oklahoma City schools, they're attending classes at one of the top 500 schools in the nation, according to a new list. U.S. News & World Report compiled data on more than 24,000 public high schools throughout the nation and ranked nearly 18,000. These schools were ranked on their performance on state assessments, college preparation, graduation rates and more. Of the top 10 schools in Oklahoma, the majority are in and around the capital city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's where Oklahoma schools ranked on the list. What is the best high school in Oklahoma? In the U.S. News ranking, Classen High School of Advanced Studies ranked the highest in Oklahoma. The school ranked well due to its high marks in Advanced Placement scores as well as availability, 99% graduation rate, and 68% reading proficiency, among other categories. Exterior of Classen SAS High School at Northeast, part of the Oklahoma City Public Schools, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. Related: U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon visits Dove Science Academy during book tour. The school ranked high in several categories, including college readiness (756th in the nation), state assessment proficiency (479th), and state assessment performance (207). What are the top high schools in Oklahoma? According to U.S. News, these are the top high schools in Oklahoma: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Classen High School of Advanced Studies, Oklahoma City Harding Charter Preparatory High School, Oklahoma City Dove Science Academy High School, Oklahoma City Booker T. Washington High School, Tulsa North High School, Edmond Memorial High School, Edmond Santa Fe High School, Edmond Norman North High School, Norman Deer Creek High School, Edmond Bethany High School, Bethany Where are the best high schools in the country? U.S. News analyzed over 24,000 public schools, and these are the five best high schools in the nation: BASIS Tucson North, Tucson, Arizona Signature School, Evansville, Indiana Central Magnet School, Murfreesboro, Tennessee Davidson Academy, Reno, Nevada Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, Virginia This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What is the best high school in Oklahoma? US News ranks these at top This story was written by Terry Schrimscher for the Trussville Tribune. SPRINGVILLE, Ala. (TRIBUNE) The Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville has secured more funding for education. The announcement came during the August 19 meeting of the Springville City Council when Nature Preserve Manager Doug Morrison read a letter awarding the city more than $335,000 in funds for the construction of an education pavilion at the preserve. This project has been funded for the following amount, $335,836.80, Morrison said as he read the letter to the council members. The City of Springville will construct a pavilion to support educational classes and provide restrooms and covered picnic tables at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal grant will require matching funds of $83,959.20 from the city to complete the project. Last month, the council voted to move the existing education coordinator position at the preserve to a full-time job in anticipation of the increasing role of nature education for Alabama students at Big Canoe Creek. Speaking to The Tribune, Morrison talked about the expanded role of nature education and the help he has gotten from the community which resulted in the funding. Hats off to Mike McCown, a local citizen who worked tirelessly on the ADECA RTP application and Candice Hill with St. Clair Economic Development for their efforts, Morrison said. Also grateful for the continued support from Mayor Thomas and the City Council. Lets get our nature on! University of North Alabama shares report looking at future of lions on campus Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morrison said the city is ready to assume a leadership role in nature education and noted the nonprofit foundation supporting the nature preserve still needs long term support. With our recent addition of a full time education coordinator, the timing couldnt be better. We are ready, Morrison said. Ready to fulfill our vision of educating the public about conservation, preservation and learning more about the incredible biodiversity in this great State. Great things are happening at the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve. He told The Tribune Big Canoe Creek Preserve Partners, a 501c(3) nonprofit supporting the preserve, was created to support the preservation and conservation efforts of the preserve and encouraged people to visit bigcanoecreekpreserve.org. Mayor Thomas offered congratulations to Morrison during the meeting and spoke to The Tribune about the importance of the work being done at the nature preserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement its always encouraging, and further affirming the amazing asset for Springville and beyond that is the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve. Its continues to be an invaluable resource and worthwhile investment for everyone, said Thomas. The next meeting of the Springville City Council has been moved due to the Labor Day holiday. The meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. on September 2. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The British Business Bank has entered an agreement with Close Brothers to provide up to 300m under the ENABLE Guarantees programme. Funds from this transaction will be directed towards Close Brothers asset finance's portfolio, supporting hire purchase, sale and hire purchase back, and leasing options. Close Brothers has a history of collaboration with the British Business Bank, being an accredited partner in delivering several financing programmes, including the Growth Guarantee Scheme and former schemes such as the RLS, CBILS, BBLS, and CLBILS. British Business Bank structured financial institutions managing director Michael Strevens said: Close Brothers is a trusted and long-standing finance provider to thousands of UK smaller businesses. This transaction reflects both institutions commitment to ensuring small businesses continue to access the finance they need especially in tougher times. Were pleased to support this deal that helps Close Brothers to provide even greater support to smaller businesses across the UK. Close Brothers Commercial CEO Matt Roper added: We are a proud supporter of the UKs SME community and are delighted to be participating in the ENABLE Guarantees programme, in partnership with the British Business Bank. Close Brothers Commercial which our asset finance business is a key part of provides almost 5bn of lending to business owners, with loan sizes ranging from 5k to 100m; the ENABLE programme will allow us to support a larger number of firms as they look to invest in their future. The ENABLE Guarantees programme aims to incentivise lending to smaller businesses in the UK by offering a government-backed guarantee against portfolios of debt finance, in exchange for a fee. Last month, the British Business Bank's Growth Guarantee Scheme channelled 2.5bn into financing for smaller businesses across the UK, with 69% of this funding reaching companies outside of London and the south-east. "British Business Bank supports Close Brothers with 300m guarantee" was originally created and published by Leasing Life, a GlobalData owned brand. Despite Hurricane Erin being hundreds of miles off the East Coast, the now Category 2 storms strength is still being felt along Floridas Atlantic coastline. It was rough, but we all stayed together, beachgoer Sheena Williams said. Sheena Williams is visiting with her kids from West Virginia. She tells me she couldnt pass up the opportunity to soak up the beach. We didnt get very deep, we got at most maybe rib cage level, and we just got pummeled by waves, Williams said. We had a blast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Our first alert weather team says there will be a high rip current risk for the next few days, waves as tall as 6-10 feet tomorrow, and possible beach erosion along our coastline. Tim Champion is one of the dozens of surfers taking advantage of the high surf from Hurricane Erin. I took off tomorrow, and its supposed to be like a washing machine tomorrow, Champion said. However, Al, who is visiting from the Northeast, tells me he has no desire to test his luck. Its too rough, somebody could get hurt, you can you know die, and so I wouldnt do it, said Al. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To stay up to date with the latest weather updates, be sure to download our Action News Jax First Alert Weather app. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. DENVER (KDVR) A new bill at the Colorado State Capitol would temporarily halt the states gray wolf reintroduction program and redirect funding to help cover health insurance costs. The proposal, co-sponsored by Rep. Matthew Martinez, would move about $264,000 out of Colorado Parks and Wildlifes wolf program and into the Colorado Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise. What cuts, layoffs in state and local government could mean for the economy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martinez said the change is necessary as lawmakers confront a more than $1 billion state budget shortfall. He noted that the wolf program has cost far more than originally anticipated, with $3.4 million spent last year alone compared to the $800,000 voters were told when Proposition 114 passed in 2020. You look at what the initial ballot initiative had stated $800,000 for this program in its entirety were looking at a little over $3.4 million in this last budget year alone, Martinez said. Supporters of the measure, including livestock producers, say its a chance to hit pause on reintroductions while the state gets its finances under control. But wildlife advocates argue the bill goes much further than moving money. Michael Saul with Defenders of Wildlife said the legislation would forbid CPW from releasing any additional wolves, calling it an attempt to undermine the will of voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you read the text of this bill, it does much more than simply move a relatively small amount of money around; it expressly forbids Colorado Parks and Wildlife from reintroducing any more wolves, Saul said. At least 6 gray wolf pups confirmed in One Ear Pack in Jackson County: CPW Colorado voters approved Proposition 114 in 2020, requiring CPW to restore gray wolves to the Western Slope. Since 2023, the agency has released dozens of wolves, with packs already breeding and spreading. The legislation is expected to be introduced on Thursday as part of a special session focused on Colorados budget crisis. It is likely to spark sharp debate over whether fiscal pressures should outweigh voter-mandated conservation efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. (The Center Square) Reinstating work requirements for some welfare recipients found support across the aisle on Wednesday. Its a notable change after the partisan nature of the debate in recent years: Republicans have long wanted waivers from the mandate, which have been used on and off for the last 20 years, to expire amid fears about prolonged government dependency and fraud. Democrats see the option as economically justified absent a stronger safety net. Without a waiver, able-bodied adults would have to work at least 20 hours a week or spend the equivalent amount of time in a workforce development program. Until the requirement is met, benefits would be limited to three months over a three-year period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Frank Burns, D-Johnstown, wants to see a return to the Welfare to Work program implemented in 1996 under former President Bill Clinton, which he said incentivized recipients for seeking employment. This successful shift in welfare policy showed that improving welfare services can be achieved while lowering costs for taxpayers and increasing employment, Burns said of his House Bill 1807. The bill, cosigned by Rep. Mark Gillen, a Republican representing a district in Reading, would require able-bodied adults to work or engage with their communities to qualify for Medicaid. The intention is to encourage physically and mentally able Medicaid enrollees to find employment, job training, or volunteer opportunities, Burns said. Work and community engagement policies such as this have proven to be successful in several states, with reduced costs and decreases in unemployment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Welfare expansion has outpaced population growth: Pennsylvania has only gained 700,000 residents since 2000. But the state budget is dominated by this spending that runs through the Department of Human Services. Medicaid spending has ballooned over the last 25 years. The state spent $10.7 billion on 1.3 million residents in 2000, but now, the commonwealth appropriates $47 billion to provide benefits to 3.3 million residents. Though human services eat up a significant chunk of all state budgets, the commonwealth stands out: Pennsylvanias Medicaid expenditures as a percentage of its budget is the highest in the nation, according to an analysis from the Foundation for Government Accountability. Sam Adolphsen, the foundations policy director, has argued during past legislative hearings that almost half of the commonwealths beneficiaries on Medicaid are able-bodied adults. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a 2024 legislative hearing, Adelson called it fraud by design when recipients could get in the Medicaid program before the state verified eligibility. Meanwhile, 14,000 people with intellectual and physical disabilities remain on a waiting list for resources. That's how you get this robbery of this safety net, he said. If youre stopping fraud and saving money, its to protect these folks and taxpayers. For critics of work requirements, its not that simple. In an analysis from the Urban Institute, able-bodied adults are considered a challenging group to serve. These beneficiaries are more likely to be homeless or live with a mental or physical condition that doesnt qualify as a disability, even though it makes working unrealistic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The research also showed that income decreases for residents who only receive benefits for three months, suggesting that time limits do not encourage employment. Farry has a second proposal, House Bill 1808, that wants to try extended limits for transitioning off benefits in a different program Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The cash benefits would be reformed through a Clinton-inspired Welfare to Work pilot program, in which recipients will increase employment hours as benefits taper off. The pilot would launch in counties with populations between 90,000 and 209,999, where recipients working 20 hours would receive full benefits for six months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After that, the employer will increase working hours to 30 per week, while the state reduces cash assistance to 70%. After a year, a beneficiary will be expected to work 40 hours a week and transition out of the program entirely. This program will encourage companies to hire individuals enrolled on the welfare rolls, helping families to transition to self-sufficiency by providing an incentive to work, Burns said in the proposals cosponsorship memo. In doing so, businesses will be able to tap into this potential pool of workers. Democratic Reps. Manuel Guzman and Jim Haddock, as well as Republican Rep. Andrew Kuzma have co-sponsored the bill. Both await consideration in the House Human Services Committee. Anthony Hennen contributed to this report. Under President Donald Trumps guidance, federal authorities have stepped up their attacks on homeless Americans this past week, with a move to clear encampments in Washington a centerpiece of the multi-agency crackdown underway in the nations capital. Last Thursday, federal agents, backed by police, went after unhoused people in Washington Circle and near the Kennedy Center, in operations that were staged overnight when fewer watchful eyes would be present. As the federal push into the capital takes hold, its the homeless who find themselves at the tip of the authoritarian spear as Trumps paramilitaries single them out. This is by no means the first time Trump has railed against homeless Americans, but it is the most drastic use of force hes carried out against them. After days of ramping up his rhetoric, he unleashed various federal agents from the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, and the Drug Enforcement Administration in the name of fighting crimedespite the record-low levels D.C. is currently enjoying after a deadly 2023and going after the homeless population. Trumps rhetoric and use of state power against the most vulnerable isnt unique to him, or even the Republican Party. Rather, its an escalation of a bipartisan antipathy to the homeless thats become increasingly prevalent over the last year. Across the country, local governments are trying to address homelessness not by tackling the affordability crisis, or the lack of shelter and housing, but by pushing for out of sight, out of mind tactics. The president, if anything, is merely building on their groundwork. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs, and homeless people, Trump said last Monday at his press conference announcing the surge in law enforcement and troops. Prior to that, hed posted an ultimatum that unhoused residents of the District needed to leave the capital. (They could even get help, he said, but they had to be far away from D.C.) Throughout the buildup to the deployment of federal law enforcement agents across the city, Trump continually likened not having a place to sleep with unlawfulness, and repeatedly conflated the state of homelessness with crime. So now the troops have been sent out into the streets. The agents are ambling around the city, arresting people seemingly at random and getting at least one sandwich thrown at them by an angry resident. Meanwhile, the citys homeless population (around 5,100 per the latest point-in-time homeless count, the overwhelming majority of whom are in shelters or temporary housing, per the data) finds itself vulnerable to enhanced sweeps. It would be easy to call Trumps actions unique. Unquestionably cruel and horrific, they rely on the power of the presidency and control over levers of power most other officials dont have. But Trump benefits greatly from the years of growing bipartisan consensus around the country from people who would rather push homeless Americans out of sight than actually address inequality and povertythat is to say, address the policy mistakes that bipartisan legislators at all levels of government have made over the past decade that have created and fostered Americas homelessness crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump nodded to this consensus in an executive order he gave in July addressing crime and disorder on Americas streets. It described endemic vagrancy, disorderly behavior, sudden confrontations, and violent attacks [that] have made our cities unsafe. While the order was written with the familiar Trumpian patois, it really wasnt much different from what some state and local governments had put out in the last year since the Supreme Courts 2024 ruling in the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson case. That decision said that it wasnt a violation of the Eighth Amendment to ban outdoor camping, even if there were no shelter beds or places to be offered to people sleeping on the streets. It essentially gave local governments the opportunity to criminalize homelessness, a privilege that they had been itching to use and quickly did after the Supreme Court gave the green light. More than 200 local laws were swiftly enacted, criminalizing people for having nowhere to sleep. They ranged from Phoenix to San Francisco, with no clear divide between Republicans and Democrats in how these laws rolled out. In California, Governor Gavin Newsomwhile a high-profile Trump critic on other issueshelped pave the way for Trumps own escalation on the homeless by ordering state agencies to clear encampments with urgency, coupled with threats to city and county governments that the state would withhold funding unless they complied. This is not about criminalization, Newsom said at the time, even as he pushed for de facto criminalization over the more effective but slower process of building housing and getting people into shelters with services. Some cities took action without Newsoms prompting. In San Francisco, the city began issuing bus tickets before offering housing or shelter, in another case of prioritizing out-of-sight policies rather than housing. Trump has a long history of animus toward the unhoused, even suggesting setting up internment camps far outside of cities as a place to put people, even involuntarily. Naturally, none of his proposals actually tackle the affordability crisis or any of the underlying causes of homelessness; his issuing of ultimatums for the homeless to leave Washington, D.C., did not offer any explanation as to how such a migration would be made convenient. So far, Trump has not set up his proposed internment camps for the homeless (although his administration clearly has shown a capacity and willingness to set up similar facilities as part of its sweeping mass deportation efforts). Instead, his targeted actions in D.C. feel like an extension of what mostly liberal governments have done in California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before he announced the military mission, Trumps anti-homeless screed claimed that the administration would provide help for people who left their lives in the city. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. Keep in mind that many people on the streets in D.C., as with other places, have jobs along with other ties to the city they live in. Being forced to leave could impact their income, relationships, and their overall ability to claw themselves out of the precarity that left them on the streets. None of this seems to matter to the White House. The Trump administration has not elaborated on any sort of help it might offer. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said this week that unhoused people will be given the option to leave their encampment, to be taken to a homeless shelter, to be offered addiction or mental health services. If they dont, they will be susceptible to fines or to jail time. That is not federal help. That is an ultimatum to leave or be punished. Of the roughly 5,100 people who are homeless in the capital, approximately 15 percent are unsheltered and on the streets. The city does not have enough shelter beds to house everyone. One unhoused D.C. resident, whose encampment was photographed and shared by Trump, noted he was forced to leave when the area was cleared, only able to get a motel room for a few nights thanks to a donation from someone. So what are the options for hundreds of people already experiencing poverty? It seems to be either paying for something they likely cant afford or go to jail. Either way its a guaranteed punishment. People without homes have the same legal and constitutional rights as anyone else in this countryto be free from unlawful search and seizure, to have due process, to have the right to travel, and the right to choose which jurisdiction to live in, Amber W. Harding, executive director of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, said in a statement. She affirmed that D.C. does not have enough shelter beds for everyone on the street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Should this population manage to leave the city, they still wont have homes and could easily find themselves targeted in other state and local governments draconian homelessness policies. Encampment clearings are damaging. Tents might go away, but the people who are displaced end up hurt. Belongings, including medicine, IDs, and important documents, often get seized or destroyed, which makes it even harder for people to survive while homeless or get themselves out of homelessness. But thats the way of doing business in America, and its been handed down to President Trump from lawmakers and officials in political parties of all sides across the country. So what is the end game? Is the administration looking to fill local jails with impoverished people, or send them to new, remote internment camps as it has teased? If Democrats want to undercut Trumps arguments and actually address poverty, will they focus on social services and affordability, or stick with Trumps reactionary rhetoric and autocratic use of the police? Either way, homelessness in America is a failure with many fathers, exacerbated by a bipartisan policy consensus that laid the foundation and provided the precedent for whats currently happening in D.C. AUSTIN (KXAN) Dozens of families packed inside a small room at the Texas Capitol Monday shared tragic stories and where their lives are now after learning their daughters died in July floods at Camp Mystic. Flash flooding claimed more than 130 lives in Central Texas. Heres what we know about the victims My anguish is as infinite as the stars in the sky a black hole of pain, 8-year-old Virginia Hollis mother said. We dont know when she died, we dont know how, we really dont know anything Camp Mystic families advocate for flood safety legislation at Capitolall we do know is our daughter was at camp, she was not protected, she was not safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After 25 campers and two counselors were swept away by fast-rising water, lawmakers are looking to pass legislation to create uniform flood safety measures, protocols and standards. This, after Camp Mystic, along the Guadalupe River, has been criticized by parents and officials for not doing enough to keep kids safe. Senate Bill 1 relates specifically to camp ground and youth camp safety. It would require a number of changes: An online list of licensed youth camps Prohibit the state from issuing renewing a license to a youth camp that operates one or more cabins located in a floodplain Additional health and safety standards, including making sure staff and volunteers are trained on the camps emergency plan Camp emergency plans would be required to be stored in a state data base that the Texas Department of Emergency Management can access Give parents access to the emergency plan upon request A mandated safety orientation conducted by a camp operator or staff no more than 48 hours into camp for all campers The reality for families who lost their girls is dark, as they work to honor their daughters who were lost in what has been deemed a preventable loss. After their testimony, senators also heard from other camp that do have effective safety measures, to help with determining best practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Camp Mystic not accredited nationally, eight others in Kerr County are West Harris County Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who co-authored SB 1, said the bill does have bipartisan support and will be taken up again on Thursday. He told KXAN he expects changes to be implemented before any other child attends a summer camp in the state. The flood warning management system, is about $50 million, Bettencourt said. No system is going to be foolproof. Well be back with whatever changes we need in 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. American teens feelings of loneliness rose 8% and suicidal thoughts rose 5% between 2019 and 2023. Experts point to isolation during COVID-19 school closures as one key driver of this teen mental health crisis. But in a new study, we show that the reality around school closures might be a little more complicated. We analyzed four waves of Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study survey data from the 2020-21 school year for 6,245 teens (mean age 13.2 years) nationwide. Forty-two percent of them attended school remotely, 27% attended at least partially in person, 24% moved from remote to in-person learning and 7% attended in some other pattern (moving into and out of in-person learning multiple times, for example). The racial/ethnic composition was similar to that of the United States teen population, with 53% white respondents, 14% Black, 24% Latino and 10% students with other backgrounds. The sample was approximately evenly split by gender, and about one-fourth of responding students came from households with total income under $50,000. What did we find? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In line with the accepted wisdom, teens who attended school in person during the 2020-21 school year reported better mental health outcomes than those who took online or hybrid classes. They reported being both happier and less stressed. But when looking at the relationship between the type of school attended and mental health for teens of different races/ethnicities, family incomes and types of neighborhoods, we found disparate patterns. Black and Latino teens, lower-income students and those from less-advantaged neighborhoods often reported being happier and less stressed when they attended school remotely that year than hybrid or in person. This is in contrast to the finding that, overall, teens in remote schooling reported being less happy. In some cases, the less-privileged teens reported being happier than their more privileged peers in remote schooling; in others, it meant that less-privileged teens reported similar mental health across all types of schooling, whereas their wealthier classmates reported worse mental health when attending remotely. More privileged teens were happiest and least stressed when attending school in person. These differences were sometimes quite large. For instance, white students attending school in person scored 2.7 points higher on our 36-point measure of happiness than those in fully remote classes. But for Black students, it was the opposite those attending in person scored 0.5 points lower. Latino students also did not see nearly the large benefit of in-person attendance as white students did. Similarly, students whose families earned between $100,000 and $199,999 a year scored 2.7 points higher when attending in person versus remote. But those whose families earned less than $25,000 per year scored 1.2 points lower. Similar patterns were seen on our measures of stress levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The survey responses do not contain enough information to explain these widely disparate patterns. Maybe less-privileged teens, whose families were hit harder by the pandemic than their wealthier peers, were more concerned about contracting COVID and infecting loved ones. Perhaps their schools were more stressful than those attended by more privileged teens, so remote schooling was a welcome reprieve. Whatever the reason, the type of school predicted different mental health outcomes for different groups of students, complicating the story that school closures were bad for all kids. This is not to say that kids with different backgrounds should be encouraged to attend school remotely versus in person in the name of mental health. At a baseline, thats segregation, which is morally repugnant. On top of that, our analysis didnt touch on the academic harms of remote schooling, which are substantial particularly for less-privileged students, who tend to suffer greater learning loss than their more privileged peers. When making a decision as important as whether to close schools, officials must consider multiple effects, including academics and mental and public health. But it is critically important to get to the bottom of why students from varied backgrounds experienced different types of school so differently. If schools are to be places where all students can learn at their best and thrive, they must support the mental health and well-being of students from all backgrounds. It is clear from our research that simplistic understandings about what happened in schools during COVID no longer suffice. Our results provide valuable new evidence that the closures were experienced differently by varied groups of students, so it shouldnt be surprising if different student groups need different interventions and resources in recovering from the pandemic and its aftermath. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, the possibility of future pandemics and other disasters means spring 2020 may not be the last time U.S. schools need to close on a large scale. The next time schools shut and then reopen, less-privileged students may need help in transitioning back to in-person schooling, above and beyond the support all students will need to make up missed learning. Research described in this article was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health, Award Number R01HD108398 (PI: Hackman). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Texas Republican lawmakers are advancing a redistricting plan that would expand GOP control in Congress while creating new majority-Black districts in Houston and Dallas. Supporters say the maps reflect political performance and demographic change. Critics argue they weaken minority voting power and cement Republican dominance. State Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi), who chairs the redistricting committee, was blunt: We have five new districts, and these five new districts are based on political performance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If adopted, the maps could boost GOP seats from about two-thirds to nearly four-fifths of Texas congressional delegation, according to the Texas Tribune. The plan also creates two majority-Black districtsone in Houston and another in Dallaswhere none exist today. Democratic leaders and voting rights advocates blasted the plan. This is a power grab, plain and simple communities of color who have driven nearly all of this states growth stand to pay the price, said John Bisognano of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. Protests have taken place at the Texas Capitol, with Black and Latino demonstrators warning the maps would limit minority representation. Some Black Republicans expressed support. We need the right people representing us, said Chyna Gragg. Dallas GOP chair Allen West argued the plan could spur competition in areas where Republicans have been absent. Sholdon Daniels, a Republican running in Dallas 30th District, added: We feel empowered, and we feel like we are finally getting a voice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican strategists also see opportunities in South Texas. We have three Hispanic-predominated districts in South Texas that we believe we can carve out for Republican leadership, said GOP strategist Mitch Little. Local GOP leaders are expanding outreach. The Dallas County Republican Party recently hosted a town hall in Lancaster, a Democratic stronghold, to connect with minority voters. Voting rights groups counter the plan would dilute Latino voting power by dividing communities or concentrating voters. They argue the maps reduce the number of Black and Latino opportunity districts compared to today. Lawmakers are expected to vote in the coming weeks. The outcome could reshape Texas political balance and fuel national debates over redistricting and representation. BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY) If youre looking for a new place to pamper yourself, the answer may be Bridgeports newest nail salon. Bliss Nails, located at 519 East Main Street in Bridgeport, held a ribbon-cutting on Tuesday to welcome the community to its new storefront. Pedicure chairs inside Bliss Nails. (WBOY image) Manicure seats inside the nail salon. (WBOY image) The location of the salon was a no-brainer, as owners James Mai and Vivian Nguyen also own Hello Vietnam, the neighboring restaurant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New rec center in Clarksburg honors renowned local boxer 12 News spoke with Mai about why he chose to open another business. We have ties with the salon industry, and we want to keep that as well. We still have our license, so we want to continue. We have our clients who have been waiting for us, so were back and we want to provide our services, Mai said. Bliss Nails owners Vivian Nguyen (left) and James Mai (right). (WBOY image) Bliss Nails offers things like oxygen treatments, manicures, pedicures and eyelash extensions. Its hours of operation are 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. The salon is also offering 20% off its services during its opening week to celebrate its grand opening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. BLUEFIELD In addition to popsicles, officers with the Bluefield Police Department will soon be distributing juice boxes to area children as well. The police department will be the first West Virginia-based law enforcement agency to participate in Operation Juice Box, a non-profit campaign that provides police officers with juice boxes to pass out to kids in the areas they patrol, according to Bluefield Police Chief Dennis Dillow. The goal of the program is to help build positive relationships between law enforcement and youth, one juice box at a time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It helps break down barriers between the children and the police department, Dillow said. Ive said this before, but if we can get our children to change how they think about police, and not be afraid then anytime theyre in trouble, theyll seek us out. And so thats what were looking for. The Bluefield Police Department has already been distributing popsicles to area children through its new Copsicle Patrol. The agency plans to begin distributing juice boxes to children in the next week or two, possibly starting at Bluefield Primary School. The Bluefield Police Department found out about Operation Juice Box through social media, and reached out to the non-profit with the help of Catherine Candace at city hall to see if the group would let the Bluefield Police Department participate. I mean, its just an extension of what were doing with the popsicles, Dillow said. Were actually the first in West Virginia to do this. So you know anytime we can be the first to do something like that its a positive. Im all for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dillow said Operation Juicebox was founded in Dallas, Texas in 2016 and has since spread across the country as more law enforcement agencies get involved. The program initially donated 200 juice boxes to the Bluefield Police Department, and additional donations were received from other places as well. In all, the police department will be distributing about 700 hundred juice boxes to children in the coming weeks. So were going to set up a date with the primary school where we can go up one morning and Detective Sgt. (Kevin) Ross and Sergeant (Amanda) Moore they are going to give out juice boxes to the kids, Dillow said. While Ross and Moore have been active with the popsicle campaign, Dillow said all of the officers with the police department have been involved with the effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The police cruiser operated by Ross was decorated earlier this summer with magnets and transformed into the Copsicle Truck, according to Kevin Fleming, administrative assistant for the Bluefield Police Department. Since that time, the Copsicle Patrol has been at numerous community events and gatherings, including the citys new splash pad and in recent days at the Big Blue Festival at city park, the back-to-school Backpack Bash at the Karen Preservati Center in Princeton and at the Wade Center in Bluefield. The juice box was just an extension of that, Dillow said of the Copsicle Patrol. We didnt come up with the idea, but we were happy to participate in it. Again its just another thing to break down the barriers with children that dont normally get to interact with us. So thats what we want. Dillow said he hopes to begin distributing the juice boxes to area school children possibly as early as next week. Well participate in it as long as they help us with it, Dillow said of Operation Juice Box. Its a program that doesnt cost a lot, but the ramifications from it are great. I mean, you couldnt ask for a better interaction with the children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, Dillow said the Copsicle Patrol will continue through the remainder of the summer distributing popsicles to children as well. The community outreach efforts by the police department are having a positive impact upon area families and children in particular. Now some of the police officers are recognized by area children and their parents when they are off duty. Now Ill be in a store you know off duty and they will recognize me, Dillow, who has also been busy distributing popsicles, said of the children. Theyll speak to me. According to the Operation Juice Box website, the campaign provides patrol deputies and police officers with juice boxes to pass out to the kids in the areas they patrol with a goal of promoting a positive relationship between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve. In addition to providing free juice boxes, other non-perishable goods such as crayons and coloring books also are provided to law enforcement personnel which they, in turn, give to the public, with an emphasis on giving them to children, according to the Operation Juice Box. The goal is to break down barriers, develop relationships, and instill a positive image of law enforcement in the minds of youth, the website says. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com Officials in Massachusetts have arrested the ex-boyfriend of a missing 18-year-old who was 11 weeks pregnant, after he allegedly confessed to murdering her and showed detectives where her body was buried, according to prosecutors. Kylee Monteiro, a recent high school graduate who was 11 weeks pregnant, had been missing since Aug. 7, police and her family said. She had last been seen in the area of Country Street in Rehoboth, Mass., according to police. Gregory Groom, Monteiro's ex-boyfriend, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with murder after he allegedly confessed to killing Monteiro last week, Bristol County, Mass., prosecutors said during Groom's arraignment on Wednesday. Faith Monteiro - PHOTO: Kylee Monteiro, 18, has been missing since Aug. 7, according to the Rehoboth Police Department. On Aug. 8, Groom contacted police, saying that his girlfriend was missing and reporting that she had been "at his house, she was looking for a place to stay, they got into an argument and that she ultimately left his residence," prosecutors said. Groom further said that she "hadn't been seen or heard from since," according to prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After friends and family hadn't heard from Monteiro, police visited Groom's residence and began an investigation, prosecutors said. Groom told investigators that Monteiro was 11 weeks pregnant and had told him that he was the unborn child's father, according to prosecutors. He further said that on Aug. 6, the day before Monteiro disappeared, she had "left a residential program and took a rideshare to his house" and was looking to stay with him, prosecutors said. Groom said his argument with Monteiro was about "whether or not he would allow her to stay on his property," according to prosecutors. An ABC News request for additional comment sent to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office did not immediately receive a response. MORE: Teen missing for 1 week after going on vacation in Florida found dead: Sheriff Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, Mointeiro's older sister, Faith Monteiro, told ABC News that her younger sibling had been living at a homeless shelter for pregnant women in Pembroke, Mass., for the past few weeks because she and Groom's relationship was "on and off" at the time and they had been experiencing "domestic issues," Faith Monteiro said, including a physical altercation that allegedly occurred the night before she disappeared. Investigators learned from Faith Monteiro that the night her sister arrived at Groom's house, Kylee texted Faith, allegedly saying that Groom "threw me on the ground and pulled my hair and strangled me," prosecutors said. According to prosecutors, Monteiro also allegedly told her sister that her "phone is at 4% and if I die, it was Greg." WCVB - PHOTO: Gregory Groom was arraigned in court on Aug. 20 after confessing to murdering his ex-girlfriend, 18-year-old Kylee Monteiro. The family tried to get in touch with Monteiro to move her to a safer location but she replied that she was "attempting to continue to stay at Mr. Groom's residence," prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials conducted a search of Groom's 25-acre property on Aug. 14 but "nothing of significance was found," prosecutors said. Then on Tuesday, Groom reported to police for another interview and allegedly admitted that on Aug. 6, he had gotten into an altercation with Monteiro during which he "pushed her, she fell backwards and she hit her head," prosecutors said. MORE: Husband of California woman found dead in forest fled to Peru, authorities say When Monteiro attempted to contact another individual, Groom allegedly said that he told Monteiro that he would "knock her cellphone out of her hand," according to prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators continued to press Groom on Monteiro's whereabouts and informed him that they were granted a search warrant for his residence and were "prepared to search the property and dig if necessary," prosecutors said. At that point, Groom began to draw a "rudimentary map" showing a shed on his property "where he was known to stay" and where he allegedly said that the argument between him and Monteiro took place, according to prosecutors. He allegedly confessed that he stabbed Monteiro "twice in the neck and once in the chest," and that the stab wound in the chest broke off the knife's blade, prosecutors said. MORE: Travis Decker search: Authorities reveal disturbing crime scene details, new DNA analysis "Based on that stabbing, Ms. Monteiro was deceased," prosecutors said on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Groom allegedly told police that he then spent "several hours" digging a hole in the woods, approximately 20 yards from where he stabbed her, prosecutors said, then "pushed her body into a hole and covered it up" after sunrise. After Groom's alleged confession, officers went to his property and found a "large pile of brush" with cut-down trees in the woods. Approximately 5 feet underneath this area, a "body consistent with Kylee Monteiro was discovered," prosecutors said. Monteiro's body is currently with the medical examiner undergoing "identification process" and an autopsy, prosecutors said. Along with the murder charge, Groom has also been charged with assault and battery on a pregnant victim, assault and battery on a family or household member, and aggravated intimidation of a witness, juror, police or court official, prosecutors said. WCVB - PHOTO: Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn speaks to reporters after the arraignment of Gregory Groom, who has confessed to murdering his ex-girlfriend. Bristol Count District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn told reporters after the arraignment that it is "still too early" to determine the motive for this murder but the investigation will continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quinn also said he met with Monteiro's family on Wednesday and told them to be "patient with the process despite the trauma they are experiencing." Groom is being held without bail. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10. The majority of UK SMEs are comfortable with AI assessing their insurance needs and recommending the most suitable coverage options, according to GlobalData surveying. Meanwhile, AI-native insurance broker Meshed has secured backing from Aviva and other investors, with the aim of reshaping the commercial insurance market for SMEs. GlobalDatas 2025 UK SME Insurance Survey has found that 64.5% of SMEs are comfortable, to some extent, with AI assessing their insurance needs and recommending the most suitable coverage options. Moreover, over a quarter of SMEs (26.7%) cited that they were extremely comfortable with this. How comfortable are you/would you be for an AI tool to do the following? 2025 Source: GlobalDatas 2025 UK SME Insurance Survey. Meanwhile, Meshed has raised 950,000 ($1.3m) in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round to transform the commercial insurance market for SMEs. Investors included Haatch, Aviva via Founders Factory, the Exponential Science Foundation, and several angel backers. Meshed highlights that around 80% of UK SMEs remain underinsured, largely due to outdated brokerage practices and inefficient manual processes. By deploying AI-powered agents for quoting, data collection, and other routine tasks, the firm aims to cut administrative costs, reduce premiums, and enable brokers to focus more on client relationships and specialist advice. Yet, findings from our 2025 UK Commercial Insurance Broker Survey indicate that brokers may be underestimating the scale of disruption that AI could bring. Only 5.2% of brokers see AI as the biggest threat to their business, compared with 13.2% citing competition from other brokers and 11.2% from direct players. Moreover, adoption remains limited, with just 5.9% of brokers using AI-driven policy recommendation tools, while 78.6% report no plans to adopt them. Brokers should recognize that while AI may not seem like the greatest threat today, failing to adopt it could make it one tomorrow. By overlooking AI, brokers risk falling behind faster-moving competitors and losing relevance in a market where efficiency and digital capabilities increasingly drive client expectations. "Brokers risk falling behind as AI disruption accelerates" was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The Caddo Parish Sheriffs Office is investigating the death after workers reported a body in the water near the Jimmie Davis Bridge. Just before 7:30 a.m. CPSO deputies arrived at the Jimmie Davis construction site on Clyde Fant Parkway and E. 70th Street for a reported deceased body. Three arrested for womans fatal shooting on MLK Drive CPSO spokesperson confirmed that a white male was retrieved from the water, and they are investigating this incident as a possible criminal act. Investigators have not given any additional information about the condition of the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an ongoing investigation, and we will update this story as local authorities provide the 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 KTALnews.com. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro once labelled her fellow Fox News anchor Sean Hannity an egomaniac and bragged about helping President Donald Trump, according to newly-released bombshell text messages. Pirro is at the center of a lawsuit brought by the voting machine manufacturer Smartmatic against Fox, in which the former is seeking $2.7 billion in damages for what it alleges do the networks anchors spread falsehoods and conspiracy theories about its products in the aftermath of Trumps defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Fox settled a similar defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 for $787.5 million but has insisted that Smartmatics suit is without merit. Jeanine Pirro, now U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who was formerly an anchor on Fox News and is regularly cited in a lawsuit brought against the network by the voting machine manufacturer Smartmatic (Getty) The evidence shows that Smartmatics business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trumps lawyers on Fox News and that Smartmatic grossly inflated its damage claims to generate headlines and chill free speech, the network said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, in the aftermath of Smartmatics executives getting indicted for bribery charges, we are eager and ready to continue defending our press freedoms. The texts gathered by the company concerning Pirro were released as part of an unredacted court filing on Tuesday and paint a fascinating picture of life behind the scenes at Fox. In one message sent by Pirro in September 2020 to Ronna McDaniel, the then-chair of the Republican National Committee, she bragged, I work so hard for the party across the country. Im the Number 1 watched show on all news cable all weekend. I work so hard for the President and party. In another message on October 27, she told a friend that Hannity had stormed into the Oval Office of the White House like he owns the place, throws his papers on the Pres desk and says, you dont mind if I use your private bathroom, and walks into bathroom within Oval and uses it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She continued: [He] Looks at me and says, I got to talk to him Its all abt him, period. No one else matters. Sean Hannity, Foxs star anchor, whom Pirro accused of being an egomaniac in a text message sent in October 2020 (Fox News) Smartmatic also argues in its suit that Pirro served as an information conduit to Sidney Powell, the self-styled Kraken attorney at the forefront of claims that Bidens victory at the polls was achieved by fraud, citing a message in which she encourages the lawyer to keep fighting. The texts further reveal that Jerry Andrews, the producer of Pirros show Justice with Judge Jeanine, warned her against making false claims about the election on air. You should be very careful with this stuff and protect yourself given the ongoing calls for evidence that has not materialized, he told her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pirro was then angered when Fox decided against running an episode on November 7 and wrote to Hannity: IM TIRED OF THE CENSORSHIP AND IM EMBARRASSED BY HOW THEY CALLED THIS ELECTION. Hannity replied by observing: Fox News promoting u every 5 seconds. Its hilarious. Sidney Powell, AKA The Kraken, whom Pirro is accused of feeding information to in the lawsuit (AP) According to Smartmatic, Pirro otherwise acknowledged in a deposition that the 2020 election was not stolen, agreed that it had been fair and free and that the company did nothing wrong. I believe that theres been no showing that Smartmatic engaged in any problems, she said, according to the filing, which also quoted her as answering I do when asked by the companys lawyers whether she believed Biden was legitimately elected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere, Pirro is seen complaining to the presidents son Eric Trump that her ex-husband, Albert Pirro, was not initially granted a pardon by Trump over his tax evasion conviction and calling former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was granted clemency, a selfish bastard, writing to Keriks girlfriend: I DONT CARE [ABOUT] ANYONE ELSE. Other Fox anchors mentioned in the suit include Jesse Watters, who texted his fellow presenter Greg Gutfeld in December 2020: Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL. More cautious was Bret Baier, who, according to the filing, messaged executive Jay Wallace accusing Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business of airing falsehoods and declaring: None of that is true as far as we can tell. We need to fact-check this crap. Chicago Board of Education President Sean Harden has challenged the districts new proposed budget, expressing doubts about its heavy reliance on revenue from special taxing districts to close a $734 million deficit. The hesitancy repeatedly expressed by Harden, who was appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, during two public hearings signals further growing tension within the school board over how to address the districts deepening fiscal crisis. Chicago Public Schools fiscal road map, backed by interim CEO Macquline King, runs counter to the agenda of Johnson, a former Chicago Teachers Union organizer, who has advocated both now and in the past for borrowing to address budget woes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the auditorium at CPS headquarters in the Loop Tuesday, the boards divide over the budget between elected and mayoral-appointed board members was on full display. After parents, educators, local officials and advocates weighed in on how best to close the districts budget gap, Harden led the discussion between passionate board members on both sides. Debby Pope, a mayoral appointee representing District 2B on the North Side, raised concerns about relying on uncertain revenue projections. I am not an advocate of irresponsibility. However, I do think it is irresponsible to make assumptions about income, about money we will or wont get in the future, she said. Other members expressed support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Balancing the budget on the backs of our children so that we can help out our mayor. Thats not our responsibility, said Jennie Custer, who was elected and represents District 1B on the Far Northwest Side. Balancing the budget with tax increment financing Among many avenues to shave and save money, the districts new plan relies on $379 million from tax increment financing districts, or TIFs, the taxing districts drawn around the city that seek to spur redevelopment through local projects approved by Chicagos Department of Planning and Development. Every year, aldermen allocate extra money from their districts, in what is known as a TIF surplus. The city receives less than a quarter of that money, while CPS receives over half. Established under Mayor Harold Washington in 1984, the TIF system has, in the past, received criticism for its lack of transparency and for taking away money from taxing bodies like the school district. Johnson has promised to phase out the tax tool, but is also reliant on extra TIF funds to balance his razor-thin budget. Last year, the district received a record $300 million in TIF surplus from the city, and is planning to get $379 million this year, according to Sitkowski. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harden pushed back on that notion Tuesday. It is my understanding that the city has moved away from using TIF surplus as a means of balancing the budget, Harden said. What happens in the event the TIF assumptions that were basing this budget on arent met, whats our contingency? CPS Chief Budget Officer Mike Sitkowski said he knows relying on TIFs isnt a long-term solution, but reiterated that its the best option that we have available. He pointed to policies governing TIF surplus, explaining that the state TIF act and several city policies indicate the money is, indeed, there. Withholding TIF surplus funding from CPS would contradict established city policy or violate state law, and would hurt CPS students, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several aldermen spoke in favor of the districts budget proposal and underscored Sitkowskis point. In order to solve our own budget, we need to take out a TIF surplus, said Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th. Anyone whos telling you that were going to withhold TIF is lying to you. The pension payment CTU once called a despicable shell game Ultimately, the discussion around TIFs is connected to two items that were markedly absent from the districts budget proposal, which Sitkowski first presented at a board meeting last week: accepting $200 million in borrowing and covering a controversial $175 million pension payment to the city for municipal and nonteaching CPS employees. Both measures were recently backed by Johnson, but rejected by interim CEO King, following the lead of her predecessor, Pedro Martinez, who left the district after a high-profile clash with the mayor over finances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether CPS secures additional TIF funds will likely determine the fate of both the loan and pension payment. The proposed budget includes the potential for the district to make the pension payment, but it is dependent on whether CPS receives more funding, from either the city or state. The city is legally obligated to make the payment. And for almost 100 years, the city did cover the payment to the pension, called the Municipal Employees Annuity & Benefit Fund of Chicago. Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot asked CPS to begin making payments in 2020, and the district used the flexibility provided by pandemic relief funds to help. CTU at the time called the move a despicable shell game that rips off CPS. Johnson included not making the payments in his transition report, but facing his own budget challenges, last year asked CPS to shoulder the cost. With pandemic funding expiring, then-CEO Martinez refused, and, at the last hour, City Hall absorbed the payment. Last Wednesday, board members aligned with Johnson sent a letter to King, urging her to revise the budget to include both the loan and the pension payment. Eleven members signed on all but two, Jitu Brown and Ebony DeBerry, were appointed by the mayor. The letter was first reported by the Sun-Times. The liabilities of loans On Tuesday, Sitkowski presented the same CPS budget plan as he did last week with no pension payment and no borrowing emphasizing its aim to minimize classroom cuts while working to keep future debt levels under control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He reiterated that borrowing for operating expenses would send the district into a spiral of credit downgrades, pointing out that a decade ago, when the district previously borrowed continuously, CPS received 34 rating downgrades. Weve lived through years of forced austerity, and this budget takes necessary steps to protect our schools from reliving this past, he said. The districts debt already stands at $9 billion, and CPS officials plan to refinance $1.8 billion of that prior debt, district officials said Tuesday. Borrowing hundreds of millions would ultimately cost the district more because of interest on a loan, CPS Chief Financial Officer Miroslava Meija Krug said, similar to a mortgage on a house. She estimated a $200 million loan would balloon to $394 million over 15 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But board members, mostly those appointed by Johnson, were skeptical. Board member Emma Lozano of District 7A on the Southwest Side, appointed by the mayor, said she refinanced her house as a single mom. I want everybody to remember when you have to take out a loan, all of us have done it, and weve paid it off, and sometimes theres higher interest and less interest, but we figure it out, she said. This is an intelligent board, and we can figure it out. The board has repeatedly called for the city and state to step up to help CPS get through its dire fiscal predicament, through TIFs or expanded revenue tools such as a potential state sales tax on services like repairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elected board member Jessica Biggs of the South Sides District 6 said the way the board acts now could affect the states willingness to collaborate on funding solutions. Weve heard the state express that they really are interested in seeing some long-term reform before they come to the districts aid, she said. We are the backbone of our schools This years budget crisis galvanized more parents into action, spurred in part by the interim CEOs public engagement push. In navigating mounting fiscal pressure and calls from the city to borrow money, King launched a series of community meetings aimed at bringing families into the conversation and the fight for funding. In those sessions, Chicagoans have expressed a disinterest in borrowing. CTU sang a different tune on Tuesday, lamenting cuts to schools and asking for more creative solutions to the budget woes. The district has already laid off hundreds of custodians, lunchroom staff, crossing guards, teachers and classroom support staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the meeting went on inside CPS headquarters, the teachers union rallied outside, demanding a budget with firm financial solutions not one based on ifs, paraprofessional Lashawn Wallace argued. We need guarantees. I need guarantees. Ive worked in CPS classrooms for 32 years, said Wallace. Were the ones who make children feel safe. We are the backbone of our schools. Keerti Nandan, a special education teacher at Sutherland Elementary, said ongoing uncertainty is straining already limited resources. She said her school is down five paraprofessionals. Its only day two, and as a special education teacher, I can tell you that our paraprofessionals are already stretched to a breaking point, she said. (Theyre) skipping their own lunches just to keep things running. Nandan said wanting kids to have warmth, clean classrooms, safe drinking water and safe streets shouldnt be too much. Chicago Board of Education President Sean Harden has challenged the districts new proposed budget, expressing doubts about its heavy reliance on revenue from special taxing districts to close a $734 million deficit. The hesitancy repeatedly expressed by Harden, who was appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, during two public hearings Tuesday signals further growing tension within the school board over how to address the districts deepening fiscal crisis. Chicago Public Schools fiscal road map, backed by interim CEO Macquline King, runs counter to the agenda of Johnson, a former Chicago Teachers Union organizer, who has advocated both now and in the past for borrowing to address budget woes. The standoff illustrates two entrenched sides the mayor, Harden and their allies who support borrowing, against board members and advocates who dont digging in just over a week before the district is required by law to balance its budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the auditorium at CPS headquarters in the Loop Tuesday, the boards divide over the budget between elected and mayoral-appointed board members was on full display. After parents, educators, local officials and advocates weighed in on how best to close the districts budget gap, Harden led the discussion between passionate board members on both sides. Debby Pope, a mayoral appointee representing District 2B on the North Side, raised concerns about relying on uncertain revenue projections. I am not an advocate of irresponsibility. However, I do think it is irresponsible to make assumptions about income, about money we will or wont get in the future, she said. Other members expressed support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Balancing the budget on the backs of our children so that we can help out our mayor. Thats not our responsibility, said Jennie Custer, who was elected and represents District 1B on the Far Northwest Side. Balancing the budget with tax increment financing Among many avenues to shave and save money, the districts new plan relies on $379 million from tax increment financing districts, or TIFs, the taxing districts drawn around the city that seek to spur redevelopment through local projects approved by Chicagos Department of Planning and Development. Every year, city officials can sweep out revenues that are not obligated to specific projects to use as general revenue, in what is known as a TIF surplus. The city receives about a quarter of the surplus total and must disburse the rest back to other taxing districts. CPS receives roughly half, and other government bodies like the county and the Park District receive the rest. Established under Mayor Harold Washington in 1984, the TIF system has in the past received criticism for its lack of transparency, and for preventing other government bodies from tapping growing property values. Johnson has promised to phase out dozens of districts over the coming decades, but has increasingly relied on TIF surpluses to plug his own budget gaps. Last year, Johnson declared a record TIF surplus. CPS received $300 million for its current budget and is requesting $379 million for the next, according to CPS Chief Budget Officer Mike Sitkowski. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harden pushed back on that notion Tuesday. It is my understanding that the city has moved away from using TIF surplus as a means of balancing the budget, Harden said. What happens in the event the TIF assumptions that were basing this budget on arent met, whats our contingency? Sitkowski said he knows relying on TIFs isnt a long-term solution, but reiterated that its the best option that we have available. The citys TIFs raised roughly $1.2 billion last year, and their cumulative balances at the end of 2024 were nearly $3.2 billion, according to city data. He noted that the state TIF act and several city policies dictate how surplus is handled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Withholding TIF surplus funding from CPS would contradict established city policy or violate state law, and would hurt CPS students, he said. Several aldermen spoke in favor of the districts budget proposal and underscored Sitkowskis point. In order to solve our own budget, we need to take out a TIF surplus, said Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th. Anyone whos telling you that were going to withhold TIF is lying to you. The pension payment CTU once called a despicable shell game Ultimately, the discussion around TIFs is connected to two items that were markedly absent from the districts budget proposal, which Sitkowski first presented at a board meeting last week: accepting $200 million in borrowing and covering a controversial $175 million pension payment to the city for municipal and nonteaching CPS employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both measures were recently backed by Johnson, but rejected by interim CEO King, following the lead of her predecessor, Pedro Martinez, who left the district after a high-profile clash with the mayor over finances. Whether CPS secures additional TIF funds will likely determine the fate of both the loan and pension payment. The proposed budget includes the potential for the district to make the pension payment, but it is dependent on whether CPS receives more funding, from either the city or state. The city is legally obligated to make the payment. And for almost 100 years, the city did cover the payment to the pension, called the Municipal Employees Annuity & Benefit Fund of Chicago. Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot asked CPS to begin making payments in 2020, and the district used the flexibility provided by pandemic relief funds to help. CTU at the time called the move a despicable shell game that rips off CPS. Johnson included not making the payments in his transition report, but facing his own budget challenges, last year asked CPS to shoulder the cost. With pandemic funding expiring, then-CEO Martinez refused, and, at the last hour, City Hall absorbed the payment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, board members aligned with Johnson sent a letter to King, urging her to revise the budget to include both the loan and the pension payment. Eleven members signed on all but two, Jitu Brown and Ebony DeBerry, were appointed by the mayor. The letter was first reported by the Sun-Times. The liabilities of loans On Tuesday, Sitkowski presented the same CPS budget plan as he did last week with no pension payment and no borrowing emphasizing its aim to minimize classroom cuts while working to keep future debt levels under control. He reiterated that borrowing for operating expenses would send the district into a spiral of credit downgrades, pointing out that a decade ago, when the district previously borrowed continuously, CPS received 34 rating downgrades. Weve lived through years of forced austerity, and this budget takes necessary steps to protect our schools from reliving this past, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The districts debt already stands at $9 billion, and CPS officials plan to refinance $1.8 billion of that prior debt, district officials said Tuesday. Borrowing hundreds of millions would ultimately cost the district more because of interest on a loan, CPS Chief Financial Officer Miroslava Meija Krug said, similar to a mortgage on a house. She estimated a $200 million loan would balloon to $394 million over 15 years. But board members, mostly those appointed by Johnson, were skeptical. Board member Emma Lozano of District 7A on the Southwest Side, appointed by the mayor, said she refinanced her house as a single mom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want everybody to remember when you have to take out a loan, all of us have done it, and weve paid it off, and sometimes theres higher interest and less interest, but we figure it out, she said. This is an intelligent board, and we can figure it out. The board has repeatedly called for the city and state to step up to help CPS get through its dire fiscal predicament, through TIFs or expanded revenue tools such as a potential state sales tax on services like repairs. Elected board member Jessica Biggs of the South Sides District 6 said the way the board acts now could affect the states willingness to collaborate on funding solutions. Weve heard the state express that they really are interested in seeing some long-term reform before they come to the districts aid, she said. We are the backbone of our schools This years budget crisis galvanized more parents into action, spurred in part by the interim CEOs public engagement push. In navigating mounting fiscal pressure and calls from the city to borrow money, King launched a series of community meetings aimed at bringing families into the conversation and the fight for funding. In those sessions, Chicagoans have expressed a disinterest in borrowing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CTU sang a different tune on Tuesday, lamenting cuts to schools and asking for more creative solutions to the budget woes. The district has already laid off hundreds of custodians, lunchroom staff, crossing guards, teachers and classroom support staff. While the meeting went on inside CPS headquarters, the teachers union rallied outside, demanding a budget with firm financial solutions not one based on ifs, paraprofessional Lashawn Wallace argued. We need guarantees. I need guarantees. Ive worked in CPS classrooms for 32 years, said Wallace. Were the ones who make children feel safe. We are the backbone of our schools. Keerti Nandan, a special education teacher at Sutherland Elementary, said ongoing uncertainty is straining already limited resources. She said her school is down five paraprofessionals. Its only day two, and as a special education teacher, I can tell you that our paraprofessionals are already stretched to a breaking point, she said. (Theyre) skipping their own lunches just to keep things running. Nandan said wanting kids to have warmth, clean classrooms, safe drinking water and safe streets shouldnt be too much. BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) The Box Elder County Parade will honor fallen officers Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada. Tonight, the 100-year anniversary of the Box Elder County Parade began in Tremonton at 5 p.m. in partnership with ACE hardware to showcase local businesses, clubs, and talent honoring community members and paying tribute to Sergeant Sorensen and Officer Estrada. It will run from 600 South to 600 North along Tremont Street. Local businesses show support for local law enforcement, remember Officer Estrada in wake of Tremonton tragedy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sergeant Sorensens children kicked off the parade leading two riderless horses, each representing and honoring Sorensen and Estrada. The empty saddles were filled instead with floral arrangements, and boots hanged off the side of the saddles. Draped across the horses backs were black flags with a blue stripe in the middle, a symbol to honor law enforcement. Riderless horses representing fallen Tremonton officers (KTVX//Kade Garner) Riderless horses representing fallen Tremonton officers (KTVX//Kade Garner) Riderless horses representing fallen Tremonton officers (KTVX//Kade Garner) The community was encouraged to bring flags and blue ribbons to honor the fallen officers. The parade included more than 100 entries and floats this year. Parade Director Kristi Kent said that the parade really brings the community together in a beloved tradition, and this year, thats especially important. I mean, I was there at the procession on Monday night, and everybody was crying. You just felt it, and I just want that same feeling for the parade as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think it will help everyone, Kent continued. Like we saw on Monday at the procession, everyone just wants to let them know that we love them, and I think thats a great way to start the parade. One of Sgt. Sorensens neighbors, Nancy Pierce, thought it was a welcome addition to the hundred-year tradition. I think its amazing that Sgt. Sorensens children are the two leading the horses. I think thats a fantastic way to honor him because he was such a great guy, she said. Rodeo theme night pays tribute As the Box Elder County Fair continues, the Golden Spike PRCA Rodeo also begins Wednesday evening with theme nights for people wanting to participate. Wednesday August 20 is domestic violence awareness night, and to honor victims of domestic violence, attendees are encouraged to wear purple. This was the planned theme for the night all along, but it just happens to coincide with the tragedy. The call that the Tremonton officers responded to on Sunday night was a domestic violence call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rodeo began with the two riderless horses from the parade being led into the rodeo grounds. Brent Rose, President of the Golden Spike Rodeo, told ABC4.com that there is a great deal of sorrow in our hearts for what happened. The rodeo held a moment of silence and remembrance for the fallen officers service and sacrifice. I hope that the families know our hearts are with them because we are. I knew the one man is younger than me, but I know the family and my heart breaks for them, Rose said. Saturday, Aug. 23, will be Patriot Night where another tribute will honor the fallen officers. Rodeo goers in attendance can wear red, white, and blue to participate in the tribute. Patriot night is intended to honor all who serve our country in the military and law enforcement, but there will be a special ceremony honoring Sorensen and Estrada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More information on the parade, rodeo, and more can be found on the Box Elder County website. This years fair is honoring 100 years of community, connection, and celebration with its theme: 100 Year Love A Fair. In addition to the parade and rodeo, the fair will feature entertainment, food, livestock exhibits, carnival rides, vendors, and more. Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. A new Safe Haven Baby Box will open in Wapakoneta, providing an anonymous option for parents to surrender infants safely. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A blessing of the box located at the Wapakoneta Fire Department on Willipe Street will be held on Aug. 21 at noon. We have seen time and time again that preparation can save and change lives, Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, said. I am grateful for local advocates who take our mission to their community. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wapakoneta baby box was made possible through the efforts of numerous local families and organizations. Safe Haven Baby Boxes was founded by Kelsey with the mission to end infant abandonment. In addition to baby boxes, the organization provides a confidential National Hotline, 1-866-99BABY1, to support parents in crisis. Across the country, there are 372 Safe Haven Baby Box locations, with 16 in Ohio. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A 9-year-old Humboldt Park boy has died after falling down the stairs and hitting his head in the wake of an argument that turned physical at a CTA train station in the West Loop earlier this month. An autopsy performed Tuesday determined that the boy, Elijah Flores, died of blunt force injuries to the head in a death that was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiners office. As of late Tuesday afternoon, more than nine days after the incident, no arrests had been made as Belmont Area detectives investigated, Chicago police said. The Cook County states attorneys office confirmed to the Tribune that it had been notified of the investigation, but provided no further details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Late in the morning on Aug. 10, a 22-year-old man traveling with Elijah got into a verbal altercation with two other men at the Clinton Green Line stop at 540 W. Lake St., according to police and the CTA. The argument turned physical when one man struck the 22-year-old in the back with an unknown object, causing him and the boy to fall down the stairs. Authorities have not publicly stated the mans relationship to the boy. Elijah was transported to Lurie Childrens Hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead Saturday. The men fled the scene in an unknown direction, police said. In a statement, CTA officials said they extend its deepest condolences to the family of Elijah Ramon Flores, adding they would continue to work with police as they investigate. Police have not released an image of the suspects. Two GoFundMe pages have been launched to help with funeral expenses. One had more than $16,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elijah was excited to start a new school year, full of dreams and innocence, the page reads. According to the page, Elijah suffered life-threatening head and brain injuries and was ultimately declared brain dead. An organ donor, Elijah will give others an opportunity to live by donating his organs, the page states. Donations received through the fundraiser, the page states, will go directly to Elijahs mother to help cover funeral expenses and medical bills. A second GoFundMe raising money for funeral costs and expenses had nearly $1,200 as of Tuesday night. tkenny@chicagotribune.com Aug. 19TUCUMCARI Law enforcement officers last week arrested a 15-year-old boy after he was accused of planning to bring a gun to Tucumcari High School. New Mexico State Police Lt. Jerry Hernandez stated in an email to The News that the unidentified juvenile was charged with a felony count of making a threat with a firearm to a public school. Hernandez said the boy was arrested without incident and taken to the Lea County Juvenile Detention Center in Lovington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hernandez stated that state police received a report on Aug. 13 indicating the boy intended to bring a firearm onto school grounds. A news release from state police stated the boy planned to bring the firearm to THS the next day. The next day, state police executed a search warrant at a Tucumcari home, where they seized six firearms including two rifles and a shotgun along with a large quantity of assorted ammunition. Hernandez said the child's foster parents had owned the firearms. He said police were still investigating how the boy would have gained access to the guns. "This case serves as a clear example of how the New Mexico State Police prioritize the safety and security of schools, staff and students, taking all threats to educational institutions with the utmost seriousness," Hernandez wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Veronica Hernandez, administrative assistant and maintenance director at Tucumcari Public Schools, said the district found out about the alleged threat after school had been dismissed on Wednesday afternoon. She declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation. Tucumcari Police Chief Lorenzo Emillio said his department assisted in the investigation, as did the Quay County Sheriff's Office. District Attorney Heidi Adams stated in an email Friday that the juvenile wouldn't be tried as an adult because the charge "isn't eligible for that type of punishment." Hernandez and state police stated the juvenile suspect has an extensive criminal history and was linked to more than 70 police calls for service at his home since June, including threats, assault and battery and his being in possession of a stolen firearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emillio said the foster parents made nearly all the 70 police calls, mostly in instances where the teen was acting unruly or had run away from home. "He's definitely got issues," he said of the teen. The TPD chief said the juvenile was not previously arrested because his conduct before last week "didn't rise to the level of criminal acts." Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham weighed in on the arrest. "To any teen thinking about making threats or bringing harm to a school: think twice," she wrote on social media. "These actions are serious crimes with lifelong consequences. There's always a better way. Your life and the lives of others matter. "I commend the students, school staff, and law enforcement who acted swiftly to prevent a potential tragedy at Tucumcari High. We must continue to look out for one another." John Looney, Sr., owner of Bad Boy Bail Bonds, speak to the John Looney literally fought the law. And he won. Looney, who owns Bad Boy Bail Bonds in Gallatin County, took two Bozeman municipal judges to court, alleging that they had unfairly and illegally discriminated against his business. This week, the City of Bozeman has settled with him for $100,000. Looneys case was notable for several reasons: First, it saw him forced to take two municipal judges to federal court, after sitting Gallatin County state judges as well as the Montana Supreme Court appeared not to find a judge willing to take the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case is also notable because it marks one of the few times in the states history where judges havent been protected by judicial immunity a far-reaching legal doctrine in which judges cannot be sued for decisions related to administering justice as judge. However, U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy ruled that judicial immunity didnt necessarily allow the judges to blacklist Looneys business. The case is also notable because the 2025 Legislature considered it in light of a slate of judicial reform bills that Republicans had championed, but mostly fizzled out by the sessions end. The case drew broad attention, leading the national bail bonding association to call on Montana leaders and courts to remedy what it believed was a miscarriage of justice. Meanwhile, the states Judicial Standards Committee also dismissed the challenge. The states judicial standards committee is comprised of attorneys as well as citizens who receive and evaluate complaints against sitting judges, and when appropriate, mete out disciplinary sanctions. The challenge happened because Looney purchased the name of a former bail bond company, Bad Boy Bail Bonds, but didnt purchase the business itself. However, several bonds issued under the name had been forfeited, and the two municipal judges Colleen Herrington and Karolina Tierney, ordered Looney to pay the amount, $1,585, which he originally refused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Looney attempted to explain that the had purchased just the name and not the company or its book of business, the judges ordered that Bozeman municipal court not accept bail bonds from Bad Boy Bail Bonds, leading him to allege that he was losing tens of thousands of dollars. At one point, other counties began to follow suit. Even after Looney paid one of the bonds under protest, the judges continued to refuse bonds, at one point asking the states insurance commission to revoke Looneys bonding authority. Herrington is running unopposed for re-election to her municipal judge position. Its a four-year term. Attorney Matthew Monforton, who represented Looney and his business, said that the settlement will be paid by the citys insurance carrier. Mr. Looney got justice, but only by fighting a long and costly battle against two of the states most vindictive and unfit judges, Monforton said to the Daily Montanan. Mr. Looney had to wage this battle on his own because the Legislature and the JSC refused to act against this egregious judicial abuse. President Donald Trump attacked mail-in voting on Monday with an anecdote about one of his own trips to the ballot box that included a very unlikely detail. Aaron Schwartz - Pa Images / Getty Images They asked me for my license plate, he insisted. I said, I dont know if I have it. They said, Sir, you have to have it. I was very impressed, actually. MSNBC Trump didnt mention where this happened, but he has cast his most recent ballots in his adopted home state of Florida, which requires voters to present a photo ID, as well as proof of signature if its not on the photo ID. MSNBC A license plate doesnt contain a photo or a signature. MSNBC Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: "This Is Deeply Fascist": People Are Floored That This Banner Was Actually Placed On A Government Building In DC A Florida drivers license has both, and may be what the president was referring to. MSNBC But given his attacks on former President Joe Bidens gaffes, Trumps critics werent gonna cut him any slack. They fired back on X: If Biden said this it would be on the evening news for days. https://t.co/Gv56ZMrw4B Mark Elliott (markmobility@bsky.social) (@markmobility) August 18, 2025 @markmobility / MSNBC / Via x.com So a couple thingsjust like Trump Im a registered voter in here in Florida. As a resident of 20 years. Ive voted in more elections than he has within this state.Ive never been asked for my license plate to vote. This is both total bullshit and batshit crazy. https://t.co/ug5oynWuWx The Uncultured Black AristoCAT (@camarawilliams) August 18, 2025 @camarawilliams / MSNBC / Via x.com I honestly can say, I never had to show anyone my license plate to vote. Machine Pun Kelly (@KellyScaletta) August 18, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement @KellyScaletta / Via x.com Trump: "When you go to a voting booth... they asked me for my license plate, right? I said, I don't know if I have. And they said, sure, you have to have it. Oh, it's a very impressive actually."Made-up nonsense from Dementia Don, as usual. pic.twitter.com/YJXYf0m0Qh Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 18, 2025 @RpsAgainstTrump / MSNBC / Via x.com LOL. Imagine what this wouldve sounded like coming out of Bidens mouth. https://t.co/eESCMYQUQc Sarah Smith (@Hale_Storm) August 19, 2025 @Hale_Storm / MSNBC / Via x.com My license plate stuff you say when youve never had to drive yourself anywhere Cant wait for @jaketappers book about this https://t.co/skGbHkpZOq The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) August 18, 2025 @TheTNHoller / MSNBC / Via x.com Related: "The Daily Show" Destroyed Trump's Latest Biden Attack By Showing Literally Just 1 Clip That Proved He Was So, So Wrong The cheese has slid off the cracker Tony Michaels (@thetonymichaels) August 18, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement @thetonymichaels / Via x.com They asked me to point to my name on a printed out list laying on the table. But cool story bro. Warren (@swd2) August 18, 2025 @swd2 / Via x.com If Joe Biden had said that when he votes, they ask to see his license plate, there wouldve been merciless coverage on Fox News. Heck, even an impeachment countdown clock. But when Donald Trump says something resembling what a nursing home patient would say? Crickets. pic.twitter.com/AFkQoo3X8W Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) August 18, 2025 @RussOnPolitics / Via x.com Holy shit. Trumps brain is pure mush at this point. https://t.co/vHXAdiUTdg Common sense progressive (@TheSensibleProg) August 18, 2025 @TheSensibleProg / MSNBC / Via x.com Holy fuck. His brain is gone. https://t.co/w0qKQHD9cD Spiros Ghost (@AntiToxicPeople) August 18, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement @AntiToxicPeople / MSNBC / Via x.com Related: People Are Roasting "MAGA Makeup" On TikTok, And It Might Be The Shadiest Thing I've Seen All Year sir, this is a DMV https://t.co/XgfZRIx4uq alexandra j. roberts (@lexlanham) August 19, 2025 Kind of bulky to present your license plate at the voting booth isn't it? https://t.co/nFV47a950w pic.twitter.com/xMWN6YEiQO George Wept (@GeorgeWept) August 18, 2025 @GeorgeWept / MSNBC / Via x.com Who here hasnt been asked for your license plate when you vote? Marybeth in Florida (@marybeth5025) August 18, 2025 @marybeth5025 / Via x.com Do you have to own a car to vote in the US? https://t.co/WywyokAIkY Kathy Jackson#3.5% FBPE (@JakajackKathy) August 18, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement @JakajackKathy / MSNBC / Via x.com Why on God's name would a voting official ask you for your car's license plate? You don't need to own a car in order to have a license. https://t.co/HNribjG2HL James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) August 18, 2025 @JamesSurowiecki / MSNBC / Via x.com License plate? The metal thingy on the bumper of the car?You sure about that? https://t.co/tbSwBsfiEx THE Bruce St. James (@TheBruceStJames) August 19, 2025 @TheBruceStJames / MSNBC / Via x.com This never has happened in the history of U.S. voting. https://t.co/yJTC52FEmy Terry Blount (@TBlountNews) August 18, 2025 @TBlountNews / MSNBC / Via x.com License plate? Wow USA has some weird new rules. But sure, ok. https://t.co/i5OwOGYhKn Julie Wright (@reddogcw) August 18, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement @reddogcw / MSNBC / Via x.com Related: Gavin Newsom Is Going Viral For Shutting Down JD Vance With One Single Map Yeah its such a drag having to carry your license plate into the polling center. To save time, I usually back my car up close to the window so they can see my plate and I can get my ballot. What a fucking moron. #DementiaDon https://t.co/xwVfsC81sh Scary Larry (@aintscarylarry) August 18, 2025 @aintscarylarry / MSNBC / Via x.com I know I always hate having to screw off the license plates from my car when I vote. Kay F*CK PUTIN (@katelykeanon) August 18, 2025 @katelykeanon / Via x.com Don't forget to bring a screwdriver next time you go to vote so you can remove your license plate and present in a "very impressive" way at the voting booth! https://t.co/uMm0jPnJxm Mark Raymond (@markraymond) August 18, 2025 @markraymond / MSNBC / Via x.com Bring your license plate to the polls, folks. Trumps orders. https://t.co/yuETNbEwKF David Pepper (@DavidPepper) August 18, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement @DavidPepper / MSNBC / Via x.com After reading the tweet below, should we laugh or cry? https://t.co/RdAmNhFHKq ABerman333 (@ABerman333) August 19, 2025 @ABerman333 / MSNBC / Via x.com Even his lies have dementia. https://t.co/zBbQqroQXC shut up, josh (@ChiefJosheola) August 19, 2025 @ChiefJosheola / MSNBC / Via x.com This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in In the News: Trump Thought Alaska Was Russia, And The Internet Is Having An Absolute Field Day With It Also in In the News: 14 Happy News Stories From This Week That Won't Cure Your Depression, But Might Lighten The Mental Load Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom Has Been Roasting MAGA Left And Right, And WOW, Is It Entertaining Read it on BuzzFeed.com This story was originally published on Retail Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Retail Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Brooks Runnings second-quarter global revenue jumped 19% year over year, the activewear brand announced Wednesday. The privately held company did not share precise sales figures. In the U.S., its performance running footwear market rose 9% year over year, driven by a 16% increase in premium footwear sales. Customers in the U.S. and Canada drove a 13% increase in North American sales compared to last year, per the press release. The company introduced eight footwear styles in the second quarter, which resulted in a 28% surge in unit growth in new footwear styles, the release said. Dive Insight: While Brooks Running is privately held, its sales results indicate the brand is continuing to perform well despite larger economic uncertainty. A year ago, the activewear brand reported a 15% increase in revenue, a record for the company at that time. This year, its Q2 revenue set an all-time quarterly high for the second consecutive quarter, per its Wednesday press release. In its latest earnings announcement, Brooks Running highlighted the success of its Disney partnership. The collaboration led to a collection of Disney-themed performance running shoes during the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend in April. The first batch of Disney-themed footwear sold out in 12 hours on the brands website, and a second batch generated records for hourly e-commerce revenue for the company, per the press release. Brooks continues to execute at a very high level, delivering outstanding value to our customers while adapting to a dynamic business environment, Dan Sheridan, Brooks Running CEO, said in a statement. Our innovative product pipeline, the strength of our global business model, and our authentic touchpoints with consumers are a testament to our teams customer-first approach. Brooks financial announcement comes at a volatile time for the footwear industry. In April, the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America sent a letter to President Donald Trump to consider tariff exemptions on shoe imports. Meanwhile, in Adidas second-quarter earnings release, the company said it expects the U.S. tariffs to drive a 200-million-euro (roughly $230 million) impact on its product costs. U.S. department stores, apparel and footwear retailers will likely be hit the hardest by the U.S. tariffs, Moodys Ratings said in a report released last month. The ratings agency predicts that revenues will rise 3% at most. DES MOINES, Iowa Bras for the Cause is gearing up for its five-year Cancerversary event on Sunday. WHO 13s Lindsey Burrell is joined by Wanda Barkdoll and Katie Neibauer with Bras for the Cause to discuss the non-profits 5th annual fundraiser, B4 Ride: Bras, Bikes, Bars & Beers bike ride on Sunday, August 24. Over 500 teacher positions unfilled in Iowa, schools seek online solutions The bike ride tours popular spots in Des Moines as riders show off in their pinkest outfits and most creative bras, with the best bra being named at the end of the event. Participants will help raise funds for uninsured or underinsured Iowans seeking breast or cervical cancer care and treatments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To learn more and sign up for the bike ride, click here. Metro News: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. The area of Amazon rainforest lost to fires in Brazil in July fell 65 percent compared to a year ago, the MapBiomas monitoring platform said Wednesday, boosting the government as it prepares to host the UN climate change conference. Satellite images showed that 143,000 hectares (353,360 acres) of the world's biggest tropical forest were razed by fires last month, down dramatically from the same month last year, when a historic drought whipped up record numbers of fires. The figure -- the smallest since MapBiomas began monthly satellite mapping of fire damage in 2019 -- comes three months before President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva hosts the COP30 UN conference in the Amazon city of Belem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across Brazil, 748,000 hectares of land were consumed by fire in July, down 40 percent on last year. Between January and July, a total of 2.45 million hectares burned across Brazil, down 59 percent over the same period in 2024. The Cerrado, a vast region of tropical savannah in central Brazil, suffered the worst destruction in July, with 571,000 hectares going up in flames, down 16 percent in a year. Felipe Martenexen, a researcher at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, attributed the improvements to a "more intense and sustained rainy season" this year. He added that the environmental and economic damage wrought by the 2024 fires and increased surveillance by the authorities of land clearance may also have "led farmers and residents to be more careful." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While drought abetted the spread of fires last year, many of the blazes were started illegally by people clearing land for agriculture. Lula has pledged to end Amazon deforestation by 2030. ll/lg/cb/acb BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) Brazils federal police said messages found on the telephone of former President Jair Bolsonaro showed he once wanted to flee to Argentina and request political asylum, according to documents seen Wednesday by The Associated Press. Bolsonaro is currently awaiting a Supreme Court ruling about an alleged coup attempt and learned Wednesday he might face another case as police formally accused him and one of his sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, of obstruction of justice in connection with his trial. The 170-page report said Bolsonaro had drafted a request for political asylum from Argentine President Javier Mileis government dated Feb. 10, 2024. He saved the document two days after authorities searched his home and office as part of the alleged coup plot investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close to that date, Bolsonaro admittedly spent two nights at the Hungarian Embassy in Brasilia, fueling speculation he may have been attempting to avoid arrest. The Argentina plot is part of the wider police accusation of obstruction of justice, in which Bolsonaro has allegedly ignored precautionary measures established for his house arrest and spread content to his allies to directly hit Brazilian democratic institutions, notably the Supreme Court and even Brazils Congress, according to the report. The AP reviewed the police evidence, which included messaging app exchanges and voice messages, after police forwarded the documents to Brazils Supreme Court. Bolsonaro would face another trial if the attorney-general decides to charge him. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees the case, gave Bolsonaros lawyers 48 hours to explain why the former president sought political asylum in Argentina and failed to comply with other precautionary measures of his house arrest, such as avoiding contact with people outside his family circle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asylum in Argentina In a 33-page letter addressed to Milei, Bolsonaro claimed he was being politically persecuted in Brazil. Both are staunch supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has recently repeated some of the former president's claims in his decision to impose 50% tariffs on Brazilian exports. I, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, request political asylum from Your Excellency in the Republic of Argentina, under an urgent regime, as I find myself in a situation of political persecution in Brazil and fear for my life, the former Brazilian leader wrote. Bolsonaro had his passport seized by Brazil's Supreme Court in on Feb. 8, 2024. He has repeatedly sought to get it back, including prior to Trump's inauguration earlier this year. De Moraes rejected all requests as the former president is seen as a flight risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Manuel Adorni, spokesperson for Milei, said the Argentine government hasnt received anything yet. Bolsonaro did not comment about the investigation. The former Brazilian president attended Milei's inauguration in December 2023, while the serving President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva did not attend. Lula and Milei have had a frosty relationship since the right-wing Argentine took office. Silas Malafaia, a very popular evangelical pastor who is a staunch ally of Bolsonaros, had his passport and cell phone seized by investigators but was not formally accused of obstruction of justice. Praising Trump Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brazil's federal police gathered several messages between Bolsonaro and his son in which they show interest in praising Trump to affect legal proceedings back home. You wont have time to reverse the situation if the guy here turns his back on you. Everything here is very touchy, every little thing affects you, Eduardo Bolsonaro told his father in one of the exchanges. In todays situation, you dont even need to worry about jail; you wont be arrested. But Im afraid things will change here (in the United States). Even inside the White House, there are people telling (Trump): OK, Brazil is gone. Lets move on, Eduardo Bolsonaro said. Earlier, Eduardo Bolsonaro said in a statement that he never aimed at interfering in any ongoing proceedings in Brazil. He added the conversations with his father that are part of the investigation are absolutely normal and its publication has a political bias. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some exchanges also show frictions sauced with expletives between father and son. Eduardo, who moved to the U.S. earlier this year despite holding a seat in Brazil's congress, calls Bolsonaro ungrateful for his efforts to influence the Trump administration in their favor. Eduardo Bolsonaro also asks his father to ACT RESPONSIBLY so he doesn't have to remain much longer in the U.S. Avoiding prison Eduardo Bolsonaro also said he had secured U.S. government support with great difficulty, claiming that he and an ally, Paulo Figueiredo, were the only ones with access to the White House. He also told his father that Trumps pressure was the only chance Bolsonaro had to avoid prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most powerful man in the world is on your side. We did our part, Eduardo texted on July 10. Brazil's federal police also investigated conversations between Bolsonaro and Martin de Luca, a lawyer for video platform Rumble and the Trump Media Group in a case challenging Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees the investigations against the former president. De Luca sent the former president information about Rumble's lawsuit against de Moraes in the U.S. On July 14, De Luca wrote to Bolsonaro, saying he was receiving interview requests from U.S. media for the former president. That same day, Bolsonaro sent De Luca a voice message seeking his advice. I drafted a note, I think I sent it to you, with four short paragraphs. It is good, praising Trump, saying that freedom is much more important than economic issues," Bolsonaro said. "I was really happy with Trump, very grateful to him. Please guide me with a short statement from your side, so I can post it on my channels and send it back to you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A verdict and sentence in the coup trial will come from a Supreme Court panel of five justices. They are scheduled to announce their rulings between Sept. 2 and 12. The new findings will not be part of that decision. Prosecutors say Bolsonaro and several of his allies headed a criminal organization that plotted to overturn the election, including plans to kill Lula and de Moraes. ___ Sa Pessoa reported from Sao Paulo. AP journalist Isabel DeBre contributed to this report from Buenos Aires. ___ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america New Release: Farm, merge, grow and expand your land in this new puzzle game! New Release: Farm, merge, grow and expand your land in this new puzzle game! JACKSON, Ky. (FOX 56) Breathitt County Schools will not be in session on Thursday, Aug 21. School officials issued the notice on Wednesday afternoon. This Thursday (8.21.2025), in honor of the memory of Jayden Spicer, our school will be closed to give students, staff, and families the time and space to grieve, reflect, and support one another. We encourage everyone to wear blue or their favorite superhero attire as a tribute to Jaydensymbols of strength, hope, and resilience, the notice reads. RELATED: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jayden Spicer was reported missing by his mother, Felicia Gross, and stepfather, Joshua Gross, on Wednesday, Aug. 6. After an exhaustive search lasting nearly a week, Kentucky State Police said that Jaydens mother came forward to lead investigators to where she allegedly buried her son. Both Felicia and Joshua face charges in connection with his death. Judge Executive Jeff Noble proclaimed Aug. 21 as Jayden Spicer Day in Breathitt County as family and friends prepare to lay the boy to rest. Breathitt Funeral Home announced in his obituary that a visitation would be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, with a funeral following at 2 p.m. He will be laid to rest at his grandmothers feet in the Molands Cemetery in Canoe, per funeral home staff. Please continue to hold Jaydens family, friends, and our entire school community in your thoughts and prayers. Let us stand together, uplift one another, and offer comfort as we navigate this lossside by side. We recognize that healing takes a community, and whether through a shared memory, a quiet moment, or simply being present, your support makes a difference, school officials wrote. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All area first responders are invited to join the funeral procession to light up Breathitt County in Jaydens favorite colors, red and blue. School officials announced that classes will resume on Friday as scheduled. We look forward to welcoming everyone back with care and compassion as we continue to support one another. Resources will be available for anyone in need when school resumes, Breathitt County Schools said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Brian Walshe murder case: Judge denies another defense motion ahead of trial Another key ruling was made Tuesday in the case against Brian Walshe, the Cohasset man accused of dismembering his wife, Ana Walshe, with a hacksaw and disposing of her remains after using his sons iPad to Google the best ways to get rid of a body. Judge Diane Freniere denied a defense motion to dismiss an indictment charging Walshe with first-degree murder on the ground that the grand jury heard insufficient evidence to sustain an indictment. In the motion filed last week, lawyers claimed that prosecutors violated Walshes rights by not reviewing confidential materials that could aid his defense. Prosecutors, however, argued that they are unable to review these materials due to federal regulations, as they are reportedly tied to the Karen Read murder case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The specifics of these materials and their connection to the Read case remain unclear. In denying the motion, Freniere stated that evidence presented to the grand jury was sufficient to meet the probable cause standard to believe that he intended to kill Ana and that he decided to do so after a period of reflection. Brian Walshe motion to dismiss denied - Aug. 19, 2025 by Boston 25 Desk Prosecutors allege that Walshe killed his 39-year-old wife on Jan. 1, 2023, and misled investigators about her disappearance in early 2023. In March 2023, a Norfolk County grand jury indicted Walshe on a charge of murder, misleading a police investigation/obstruction of justice, and improper conveyance of a human body in connection with his wifes death. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ana Walshe, a mother of three young children and a real estate professional who worked in Washington, D.C., vanished on New Years Day 2023 and was reported missing a few days later, authorities said. Prosecutors have alleged that Walshe killed his wife in their Cohasset home on New Years Day. The couples three young boys were reportedly home at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Days after Anas disappearance, a hacksaw and a blood-soaked rug believed to contain biological evidence were recovered from their home by investigators. Police later searched trash bins, dumpsters, trash trucks, and trash facilities in the areas where Brian Walshe traveled following her disappearance. Earlier this summer, Freniere issued a ruling allowing the prosecution to use evidence from Walshes sons iPad, including alleged Google searches for the best ways to get rid of a body and how long DNA lasts, during the trial. Freniere determined that investigators did not exceed the scope of Walshes consent when searching his devices, despite pushback from the defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors have also previously said that a broken knife with blood on it was found in the basement of the Walshe family home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Norfolk District Attorneys Office previously said that it was awaiting DNA test results from dozens of items. In September 2024, prosecutors announced that they wouldnt call then-suspended-and-now-fired Massachusetts State Police trooper Michael Proctor to testify in Walshes upcoming trial. Proctor was the lead investigator assigned to Ana Walshes murder. State police suspended Proctor in July 2024 following Karen Reads mistrial. While testifying during Reads trial, Proctor received criticism for inappropriate texts he sent about Read. He was fired from his role with the law enforcement agency in March, and Read was acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges just months later. Walshe has been held without bail since his arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is currently serving a three-year prison sentence for selling fake Andy Warhol paintings. His murder trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 20. Anas body has never been found. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A European Union proposal called "Chat Control" is gaining support from a majority of member states. The plan would require messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Signal to scan all user-generated content, even if it is end-to-end encrypted. Proponents argue this is necessary to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material, but critics claim it would lead to mass surveillance and destroy digital privacy. The plan involves client-side scanning, which would inspect content on a user's device before it is encrypted. This would also necessitate mandatory age verification, effectively ending anonymity on these platforms. The post Brickbat: Nosy Neighbour appeared first on Reason.com. BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY) Amid debate over two internal investigations into the City of Bridgeport itself, the city council held a special session Tuesday night to decide whether to complete them. Last week, attorney William Ihlenfeld explained that there were two investigations, one that he was hired for by former City Manager Patrick Ford, known as Investigation A, and another, which was an offshoot of that initial investigation, and is known as Investigation B. The council voted Tuesday night to approve the completion of the initial investigation, which had an associated price of $15,000, with Councilmember Chris Kinney saying that its essentially done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the council voted to postpone making a decision on Investigation B, which had an associated price of $25,000, with several council members saying they werent privy to what Investigation B is actually looking into. Previous coverage City Recorder Harry Murray put forth the motion to postpone approval of Investigation B to next week to allow for further discussions before the regular meeting. I know zip about what this is about. Ive heard two things since all this started. One was they wanted to see the emails, Murray said at one point in the meeting. The other was that it was the tip of the iceberg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motion to postpone passed 4-3, with Mayor Robert Matheny arguing that postponing a decision on the investigation works against restoring trust from the public. Councilmembers Kinney and Jaclyn Rominger made explicit assurances that the investigation would be complete. 12 News talked to Murray after the meeting who said that now that the $15,000 has been approved for Investigation A, the city council should be able to share a report in a matter of weeks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. If you plan on attending Tall Ships Erie on Aug. 21-24, there security measures in place to be aware of before traveling down to Dobbins Landing. As this is a Maritime Event of National Significance, Tall Ships Erie has implemented enhanced security measures to ensure the safety of all its patrons, according to a Facebook post. Security on site One of the major security precautions that Tall Ships Erie is taking is having Tall Ships Erie Security on scene for the duration of the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All bags and personal belongings will be checked at the gates of the festival and no weapons are allowed. Drones are also prohibited anywhere over the festival grounds, waterfront or ships. Fleet tracker: How to track the vessels before they reach port for Tall Ships Erie Pennsylvania State Police and the United States Coast Guard will also be on scene monitoring both the waters and festival. Are tickets required for entry? To enter Tall Ships Erie, tickets, wristbands or credentials are required. Tickets and pass information can be found here. What bags can I bring to Tall Ships Erie? During Tall Ships Erie, large backpacks the size of camping backpacks are prohibited. Small backpacks and purses are permitted. I have a baby, what can I bring to Tall Ships Erie? If you are bringing an infant to the festival, the following security measures are in place: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Small coolers five quarts or less are permitted only for baby formula or medicine. Baby food or formula must be in a plastic container. Strollers and small wagons for children can be used around the festival footprint but cannot be taken on the ships. Please take personal belongings out of strollers or wagons if planning to board a ship. Strollers and wagons are subject to be searched before entry to the festival. Can I bring an umbrella to Tall Ships Erie? Although the National Weather Service is predicting fair weather with only a couple of light showers during Tall Ships Erie, umbrellas are not permitted on the ships. Visitors boarding a ship can bring a light rain jacket. Can I bring outside food and drinks to Tall Ships Erie? All outside food and open beverages are prohibited at Tall Ships Erie. Each guest is allowed to bring one factory-sealed water bottle. While food cannot be brought through security, Erie's bayfront and downtown area have a variety of restaurants and amenities within walking distance of the festival footprint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: How to get to the Tall Ships Erie Festival from Buffalo, Cleveland or Pittsburgh Where can I learn more about Tall Ships Erie? For additional information about Tall Ships Erie and the events taking place during the festival weekend check out their website tallshipserie.org or their Facebook page. Contact Nicholas Sorensen at Nsorensen@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Tall Ships Erie: Items that will be allowed through security BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) The City of Bristol, Virginia has given the owner of the former Virginia Intermont (VI) College campus 15 days to fix certain issues at the property. If the citys demands are not met by that time, legal action will be taken, according to a letter from the city manager and city attorney. Bristol, Virginia had previously set a date of Monday, Aug. 18 for U.S. Magis International, the China-based company that owns the property, to provide a written plan for the former campuss future. City of Bristol, Va. sets deadline for VI campus plan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Magis has owned the property since 2016. The company originally planned to open a business at the former VI property, but the campus has sat empty since VIs closure in 2014. Bristol, Virginia, had previously deemed the property blighted. In December 2024, a massive fire destroyed large portions of the campus and left several buildings in a ruin-like state. The city worked with state lawmakers to find an avenue of reclaiming the property from U.S. Magis afterward. On Tuesday, the city posted an update on the VI property matter on its website. Bristol leaders are giving U.S. Magis 15 days to take some immediate actions at the property, which include hiring licensed professionals, securing the property and mowing the grounds. Mayor Becky Nave previously told News Channel 11 that if U.S. Magis did not provide a plan for the property by Monday, the city would file another lawsuit. Bristol did file a lawsuit against the company in an attempt to start the legal process for the city to reclaim the property; however, the lawsuit was dropped when U.S. Magis paid more than $600,000 it owed in delinquent taxes. U.S. Magis Attorneys Email In a Monday email addressed to Bristol, Virginia City Manager and City Attorney Randall Eads, John Kieffer, the attorney representing U.S. Magis, said he believed there were short-term and long-term objectives that needed to be reached. Kieffer wrote that the city had fenced the VI property, and there did not appear to be any immediate public safety concerns since people could not access the campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kieffer claimed the company would be hiring a security contractor very shortly, and U.S. Magis plans to post signage against trespassing. In the email, Kieffer claimed other issues, like the remediation and reconstruction of the campus properties, could not be taken care of as quickly as the city requested. Magis has spent considerable time and effort recently in planning for its college program, including some cooperative programs with East Tennessee State University, Kieffer wrote. When the Virginia Business College enterprise fell short in 2022, considerable renovation had been done to the dormitory, student center, and classroom buildings. These improvements should still be structurally sound. Kieffer stated a list of defective conditions provided by Eads was unclear and asked for further clarification before U.S. Magis provided a concrete plan and timetable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Again, none of these conditions would appear to endanger the non-trespassing public, Kieffer wrote. In the final paragraph of his email, Kieffer wrote that with the growing season nearing an end, he did not believe the city would need to continue mowing the property, and he asked for notification if city leaders thought otherwise. Kieffer also asked Eads to let him know if Bristol personnel wanted to go to the property and for what purpose so he could schedule a visit. I am not aware that Magis has been notified of any past City activity on the property, Kieffer wrote. City Manager Responds Eads responded to Kieffer on behalf of the City of Bristol, Virginia on Tuesday. His answer made it clear that the city did not have much faith in U.S. Magis to address the issues at the property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eads opened by saying U.S. Magis had not provided a timeline for when any work to fix the issues at the property would take place. Unfortunately, I believe this is another delay tactic by your client to attempt to absolve itself from any responsibility, Eads wrote. In the letter, Eads confirmed that the city had taken measures to secure the property, but people were still regularly accessing it. Eads stated the fire at VI was started by homeless individuals, which could have led to loss of life. The time it is taking to hire a security contractor is also an issue that Eads highlighted, as he claimed U.S. Magis said the company would hire security in late June or early July 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City finds it hard to believe that it takes more than six weeks to hire a security contractor to oversee security at your clients property, Eads wrote. It is imperative that your client secure the buildings as soon as possible. As far as the previous renovations and list of defective conditions Kieffer referenced in his email, Eads answered in a direct fashion. The renovations that were completed in 2022 no longer exist, Eads stated in his reply. Vandals have destroyed the property to such an extent that a full rebuild of the interior of most of the buildings will be required. The list of defective conditions that were sent to you and your client exists at every building on campus. Eads also addressed the matter of the grass and mowing, citing city code that requires mowing when in excess of 12 inches. He wrote that the growing season will continue through October and that the city would continue to mow the property if U.S. Magis did not hire a landscaper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City is requesting that certain action items be taken within the next 15 days, or the City will file suit against your client to obtain a court order that will require your client to take immediate and active steps to address the situation at the VI campus. The City of Bristol, Virginia asked that U.S. Magis do the following in 15 days: Hire a Virginia-licensed architect and a Virginia-licensed structural engineer to meet with the citys building official and review the property Hire a landscaper to mow the property at least once a month between April and October, with a stipulation that the campus is mowed again before Aug. 31 Hire a contractor to provide 24/7 security at the property Provide a timeline of when actions will be taken at the property within 30 days Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. By Amy Lv and Lewis Jackson BEIJING (Reuters) -China's exports of rare earth magnets recovered to hit a six-month high in July, showing trade flows of the critical minerals key to electric vehicles have returned to levels seen before Beijing imposed export curbs. Exports from the world's largest rare earth magnet supplier rose nearly 75% from June to hit the highest for a single month since January at 5,577 metric tons last month, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Wednesday. The July volume, which was in line with analysts' expectations, was also 5.7% higher than 5,278 tons shipped in the same month last year. FILE PHOTO: Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in Lianyungang The continued recovery in exports came after Beijing agreed to a series of deals with the United States and Europe to increase shipments and ease the export control imposed in April in retaliation for U.S. tariffs. Shipments declined sharply in April and May due to lengthy approval processes for securing export licences, upending global supply chains and forcing some automakers outside China to halt some production due to a rare earths shortage. By country, Germany remained the No.1 export destination with a volume of 1,116 tons, up 46% from the prior month. Outbound shipments to the United States last month also jumped by 75.5% from the month before to 619 tons, 4.8% higher than the same month in 2024. In the first seven months of this year, China's exports of rare earth magnets totaled 27,897 tons, with the annual fall narrowing to 15% from 18.9% for the first half. (Reporting by Amy Lv and Lewis Jackson; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Sonali Paul) BROCKTON, Mass. (WPRI) Brockton High Schools choral director was arrested Tuesday morning following a months-long human trafficking investigation, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz. Matthew Cunningham, 35, has been charged with sexual conduct for a fee and trafficking a person for sexual servitude. Cruz said Cunningham reportedly met up with an underage boy back in late April, performed a sexual act on him and then paid him through an app. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation into Cunningham began after app administrators flagged the transaction and alerted the FBI, according to Cruz. Cunningham pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted $25,000 cash bail. He was also ordered not to contact the victim or Brockton High School, stay off social media, surrender his passport and remain in Massachusetts. Cruz said the investigation is ongoing at this time and will include a forensic examination of Cunninghams cell phone. Cunningham, whos also president-elect of the Massachusetts American Choral Directors Association, was placed on paid administrative leave immediately following his arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are deeply troubled by the allegations in this case, Brockton Public Schools spokesperson Jordan Mayblum said in a statement. Our priority at this time is the safety and well-being of our students. Mayblum said the district is actively working to marshal the resources necessary to support students and staff as the investigation continues. Cunninghams next court date is slated for Sept. 18. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Funeral services have been set for a popular New Brunswick-based attorney who died last month pursuing his other passion as the captain of shipwreck hunting expeditions. A religious family funeral for Joseph M. Mazraani is at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 23 at Saint Sharbel Maronite Church, 526 Easton Ave., in the Somerset section of Franklin. Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m. Aug. 22 at the DeMoro Funeral Home, 517 Route 33, Millstone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mazraani, 47, died July 29 in a diving-related incident believed to be related to a medical emergency about 200 miles offshore from Massachusetts, on the eastern edge of Georges Bank, during a dive to a shipwreck the team called The Big Engine Steamer, according to a Facebook post by D/V Tenacious, Mazraani's New Jersey-based dive vessel that locates, dives, and salvages shipwrecks. Attorney Joseph Mazraani in court during the 2017 Timothy Puskas trial "Joe Mazraani was larger than life. He was kind, compassionate, and generous. A mentor and a student, a friend, brother, son, and partner. Whether motoring aboard D/V Tenacious, diving into deep and dangerous water, or defending his clients in court, Joe demanded the best of everyone around him. Sometimes he demanded it grumpily but he always demanded by example," the Facebook post said. According to his obituary, Mazraani was born in Beirut, Lebanon and grew up during the height of the Lebanese Civil War. He came to the U.S. at 15 and later graduated from the City University of New York with a degree in film studies and earned his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law. He was a founding partner at the Mazraani, Liguori & Farmer law firm, 57 Paterson St., New Brunswick, located across the street from the entrance to the Middlesex County Courthouse, where he practiced both criminal and civil law. The Mazraani, Liguori & Farmer law firm on Paterson Street in New Brunswick "In the courtroom, Joe was a force of nature brilliant on his feet and on paper, with a mastery of the rules of evidence that allowed him to dismantle cases before they began. It was the conflicts Joe witnessed growing up in Lebanon that led him to be peculiarly sensitive to victims of government oppression. He dedicated his life to criminal defense because he wanted to be the bulwark between the State and the individual," his obituary states. "If you sought to take away his clients freedom, you had to go through him first. He left nothing on the field. He could turn a routine pretrial motion into hours of argument that, for better or worse, held the attention of everyone in the room. When cases went to trial, his authenticity, clarity, and dramatic approach won over juries time and again." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mazraani's career included victories in two separate cases that led to exonerations recognized by the National Registry of Exonerations. One of those involved Timothy Puskas who, after spending a decade behind bars, was found not guilty last year of all charges in the 2014 murder of former Rutgers student William "Billy McCaw. Joseph Mazraani It was the second trial for Puskas after his 2017 conviction was overturned in state appellate court. Mazraani and Puskas posed for a photo together when Puskas was released from custody. A Facebook page remembering Billy McCaw also included a news story post about Mazraani's death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to his obituary, Mazraani was known as one of the worlds leading shipwreck hunters and technical divers and will be remembered as one of the great East Coast dive boat captains. His love of the ocean began during childhood summers by the Mediterranean and he became a certified scuba diver in the mid-1990s and started exploring wrecks along the Northeast coast. In 2010, he founded Atlantic Wreck Salvage and acquired his own vessel, D/V Tenacious, which he outfitted for ambitious deep-water expeditions, his obituary states. "He lived every moment fully, without compromise," his obituary states. Mazraani is survived by his partner Jennifer Sellitti, who is also an attorney, his parents, brother, law partners, friends, colleagues and fellow divers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Atlantic Wreck Salvage has organized a memorial fund in Mazraani's name to promote shipwreck exploration and preservation of maritime history. Contact Jennifer Sellitti at jsellitti@dvtenacious.com for the address for donations to be made to the Captain Joe Mazraani Memorial Fund. Email: srussell@gannettnj.com Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Funeral set for New Brunswick attorney Joe Mazraani Bryan Kohberger brazenly boasted about the Idaho murders to a classmate, according to newly unsealed documents. Weeks after the killings of four University of Idaho students, Kohberger allegedly told a female colleague from his criminology PhD program that whoever carried out the crimes was a "pretty good" killer. The now-convicted murderer, Bryan Kohberger, also reportedly praised the killer's timing, noting how the attacks took place just as students were preparing to leave for break. The Former PhD Student Praised The Idaho Killer As 'Pretty Good' Ada County Sheriff's Office/MEGA Bryan Kohberger allegedly had no qualms about boasting about the murders of four University of Idaho students, despite the gruesome nature of his crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three weeks after the murders, Kohberger, who appears to have kept up with the news around his handiwork, struck up a conversation with a female classmate at Washington State University, during which he brought up the case on his own. According to newly unsealed documents cited by TMZ, the woman recalled Kohberger praising the killer, saying the person "must have been pretty good." As for why he had this viewpoint, Kohberger, during the conversation, hinted partly at it by praising the killer's timing for the murders. The documents revealed that he discussed with the woman how University of Idaho students were about to leave for winter break and that the killer made a "good choice" committing the murders at that time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kohberger also suggested the murders could have been a "one-and-done" act, signaling that he didn't expect the perpetrator to ever be caught. Many Bryan Kohberger Murder Case Docs Have Been Unsealed MEGA Unfortunately for Kohberger, a combination of DNA evidence, cell phone tracking, and surveillance footage led to his arrest on December 30, 2022, more than a month after the murders. Thereafter, a long legal back-and-forth lasted until July 2025, when he eventually signed a plea deal that took the death penalty off the table but punished him with four consecutive life sentences in a maximum security prison. With the case no longer going to trial, a number of previously sealed documents, such as the ones that revealed his discussion with the WSU female student, have become accessible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the released documents detail Kohberger's activities before and after committing the murders, also highlighting his bizarre relationship with his mother. A few have also included interviews between police authorities and several individuals who knew Kohberger from Washington State University, where he was studying for a PhD in Criminology at the time he committed the brutal murders. The Convicted Murderer Supported The Death Penalty MEGA While many of the documents revealed shocking details about the convicted murderer, perhaps the most striking was one showing that Kohberger supported the very death penalty he later avoided by taking a plea deal. The records detailed how Kohberger was a vocal supporter of capital punishment in his PhD classes and stood alone in that stance among his colleagues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As reported by The Blast, they also revealed that he was adamant in defending his position, once using a disturbing example directed at a classmate without regard for how it might affect her. "Kohberger asked her if her 12-year-old daughter was raped and murdered if she would support the death penalty," wrote Det. Michael Van Leuven, who interviewed the lady while investigating the murder case. Bryan Kohberger's Colleague Felt Targeted By Him, Unsealed Documents Reveal MEGA The woman's encounter with Kohberger took a heavy toll on her, as she also burst into tears while being interviewed by the Idaho State Police during the murder case. She also told the ISP that she felt targeted by Kohberger during his time at Washington State University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to her, the former PhD student would often trap her at her desk and then "talk her into the ground" with his weird ideologies and discriminatory comments. Idaho Authorities Pause Release On Crime Scene Photos After Petition From Victim's Family ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA More documents slated for release have been put on hold after one of the victims' families filed a petition against the city of Moscow following the release of some crime scene photos, per Idaho News. The petition led to a judge issuing a temporary restriction order and injunction on audio, photos, and videos of Madison Mogen's room, the victim whose family was angered by the release of these records. However, the city of Moscow opted not to release any footage pertaining to the crime scenes of any of the victims until the petition is ruled on in court. Bryan Kohbergers former classmates in his Washington State University graduate program shared that he had multiple injuries on his body after he murdered the Idaho Four. In a People article published on Wednesday, August 20, the outlet obtained documents from Idaho State Police, Moscow State Police, and the Pullman Police Department, which revealed that multiple students had noticed injuries on him when he came back to class on November 29, 2022. Kohberger, 30, returned to school after he brutally stabbed Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Madison Mogen, 21, to death on November 13 in Moscow, Idaho. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One female student told police that Kohberger who was arrested six weeks after the murders had cuts on his hands that were similar to cat scratches, which he used Band-Aids for, per People. A second student said she saw him with bloody knuckles, and that the hands looked really beat up like he was hitting something, but couldnt remember if it was just prior to the homicides, or after. A third classmate told police Kohberger had bruised knuckles, with redness halfway up the back of the left hand from his knuckles, as well as a cut on his ring finger, according to People. An additional classmate noticed scratches on his hands and face, while another said that in December, he still had bloody knuckles and bad cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kohberger reportedly told his fellow pupils different stories about how he sustained his injuries, including being a boxer, getting into an indoor accident and being involved in a car accident. While it is unclear if Kohberger got the bruising and scratches from the slayings, they could have been from Kernodle, as she is said to have fought back during the attack. In July 2025, Kohberger pleaded guilty to the murders. He is currently serving four consecutive life sentences at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution. Originally appeared on E! Online Bryan Kohberger is looking to relocate. Less than one month after he was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of four University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, the former criminology student filed a handwritten request to be moved to a different section of his jail, alleging that he's been subject to issues with his facilities and harassment from other inmates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Addressed to the deputy warden of his cell block, Kohberger's July 30 letterobtained by E! Newsasked for a meeting to discuss "recent flooding" in his part of the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, in addition to "minute-by-minute verbal threats" and "harassment" that he was facing from other prisoners. I wish to discuss if I may be transferred to another ad-seg setting," he wrote. "The J-block is an environment that I wish to transfer from. If possible, I request to transfer to B-block immediately." And an incident report submitted a week later further detailed the alleged harassment that Kohberger referenced, according to an Aug. 4 Idaho Department of Corrections Incident Report also obtained by E!. More from E! Online Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per the report, the 30-year-oldwho confessed to all four murders as part of a plea deal ahead of his July 23 sentencingstated his concerns about the threats, alleging that a fellow inmate told him, "I'll butt f--k you." Additionally, during a separate interaction, Kohberger recalled an unidentified person shouting, "The only ass we'll be eating is Kohberger's." Photo by Kyle Green-Pool/Getty Images And while an officer guarding the prison block at the time confirmed "vulgar language being used and directed towards Kohberger" in a follow-up conversation, Kohberger was not ultimately transferred to a new block, according to the incident report. "The allegation is substantiated but due to no aggressor being able to be positively identified, and Kohberger saying he feels safe to remain on tier 2 in J-Block," the filing stated, "no further actions were taken." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In direct response to Kohberger's written request, a staff member at the correctional facility also provided some advice for the convicted killer going forward. "J-2 is generally a fairly calm and quieter tier. I do not think that B-Block would be any better for you," the officer replied, according to the document. "Give it some time." For more on Kohberger's murder case, keep reading. Who Were Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle? Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, were University of Idaho students who lived in an off-campus apartment. On Nov. 12, 2022the night before their bodies were foundGoncalves and Mogen were at a nearby sports bar, while Kernodle and Chapin were at the latters fraternity party. By 2 a.m. on Nov. 13, the four roommates and Chapin were back at the three-story rental house. Goncalves was a senior majoring in general studies at the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. She was expected to graduate in December before heading to Austin, Texas, for a job at a marketing firm, her friend Jordyn Quesnell told The New York Times. Mogen, who was studying marketing, was best friends with Goncalves since the sixth grade. She had plans to move to Boise after graduation, family friend Jessie Frost shared with The Idaho Statesman. Kernodle was a junior majoring in marketing, the University said at the time. She and Chapinwho majored in recreation, sport and tourism managementhad been dating since the spring, the roommates neighbor Ellie McKnight told NBC News. Were There Any Survivors? Two roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, had been home at the time of the murders. In text messages that were unsealed March 6, 2025, Mortensen and Funke tried contacting their roommates on Nov. 13 after the former saw a masked man moving through the house, according to documents obtained by E! News. "No one is answering," Mortensen texted Funke at 4:22 a.m. "I'm rlly confused rn." She continued to reach out to their roommates, urging them to respond. "Pls answer," she texted Goncalves at 4:32 a.m. and again at 10:23 a.m. "R u up??" At 11:58 a.m., a 911 call was placed after Kernodle was found unresponsive, per an additional motion obtained by E! News. A woman named A1 in the transcript described the current situation to the operator. "One of the roommates who's passed out and she was drunk last night and she's not waking up," she said on the phone. "They saw some man in their house last night." Who Is Bryan Kohberger and How Was He Found? Bryan Kohberger, who was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, was a doctoral candidate at Washington State University. Over one month after the bodies of Gonclaves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin were discovered, Kohberger was taken into custody Dec. 30 in Monroe County, Penn. He was extradited to Idaho Jan. 4, 2023. As for how authorities connected him to the killings? DNA was found on a knife sheath that was left at the crime scene, prosecutors revealed in June 2023 court documents, per NBC News. When the DNA didn't match anyone in the FBI database, authorities ran the DNA through public ancestry websites to create a list of potential suspects, according to the filings. After learning that Kohberger had driven to his parents' home in Monroe County, local officials then went through their trash and found DNA that tied him to that found on the sheath. What Was Kohbergers Initial Defense? At the moment, a motive for the attack has not been detailed and a gag order prevents many involved in the case from speaking publicly, NBC News reported. However, the unsealed documents provided some insight into their initial arguments. Kohberger's attorneys argued in a motion obtained by E! News to strike the death penalty that Kohbergerwho initially faced death penalty if found guilty on all countshas autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that executing him would violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on "cruel and unusual punishment." His defense argued that Kohbereger "displays extremely rigid thinking, perseverates on specific topics, processes information on a piecemeal basis, struggles to plan ahead, and demonstrates little insight into his own behaviors and emotions." "Due to his ASD, Mr. Kohberger simply cannot comport himself in a manner that aligns with societal expectations of normalcy," the motion said. "This creates an unconscionable risk that he will be executed because of his disability rather than his culpability." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where Was the Trial Set? Initially, Kohberger had a judge enter a not-guilty plea to the first-degree murder charges on his behalf after remaining silent at his May 2023 arraignment. Although his trial was set to begin Oct. 2, 2023, Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial in August 2023. His trial datewhich was scheduled to take place in Ada County, more than 300 miles from Latah County, where the killings took placewas set to begin Aug. 11, 2025. Latah County Judge John Judge previously ruled in favor of the transfer request made by Kohberger's defense in September 2024 based on "presumed prejudice" if the trial remained in Latah County. Ada County Judge Steven Hippler denied the defense's request to suppress key DNA and other evidence, including cell phone and email records, surveillance footage, past Amazon purchases and DNA evidence in the trial. What Was the Verdict in the Trial? Kohberger's murder trial was abruptly canceled after he took a plea deal from prosecutors on June 30, 2025. In accepting the deal, Kohberger agreed to plead guilty to four counts of murder and one count of burglary, as well as waive his rights to appeal and ask for a more lenient prison sentence. He entered his guilty plea on July 2, 2025, confirming with a "yes" after the judge asked if he killed all four victims "willingly, unlawfully, deliberately and with premeditation and malice with forethought." Did Kohberger Take a Selfie After the Murders? A selfie Kohberger took the morning after the murders took place was introduced in March 2025. The photograph, which sees him in front of a shower showing a thumbs up, displays how he may fit the description a witness identified as "D.M." gave in filings, who said the perpetrator had "bushy eyebrows." Steve Gonclaves, the father of victim Kaylee, later reacted to the image calling it a "trophy" in an interview with Fox and Friends. "I know the timeline, I know that he had just returned to the crime scene and he had come back," Gonclaves said. "He had realized that nobody had called 911." As he put it, "To him, thats his little trophy to let him know like, Hey, I got away with it, nobodys on me. What Did Kohberger Google Before the Murders? In a 2025 Dateline documentary about the murders, a former classmate of Kohbergers detailed a peculiar text she received from him after making his acquaintance at a party. I definitely felt a little obligated to chat with him, because to me, he seemed a little awkward, the studentidentified as Hollyexplained. Kind of like you might expect for a PhD student who didn't know anyone at the party and was maybe trying his best to kind of get out there and be social and make friends. The following day, Holly said she received a text from him, which she described as overly formal. Hey, I am pretty sure we spoke about hiking trips yesterday, Bryans text from July 10, 2022 at 1:19 p.m., read, per Dateline. I really enjoy that activity, so please let me know. Thanks! Elsewhere in the Dateline documentary, Kohbergers browsing history was found to have included searches for Ted Bundy, Britney Spears song Criminal, and the term University of Idaho Murders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Did Kohberger Confess to Killing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle? After accepting a plea deal that would spare him from the death penalty, Kohberger changed his plea to guilty in the murders of Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin, as well as one count of burglary, at a July 2, 2025 hearing in Idaho. When judge Hippler questioned Kohberger if he killed each victim "willingly, unlawfully, deliberately and with premeditation and malice with forethought," he replied with a firm, "Yes" for each. In taking the plea deal, Kohberger has waived his right to appeal or ask for a more lenient prison sentence, according to Hippler. How Long Is Kohberger's Prison Sentence? Though the families of Goncalves and Kernodle each slammed the decision to issue a plea deal, therby taking the death penalty off the table, Kohberger was officially sentenced to life in prison July 23, 2025. Judge Hippler sentenced Kohberger to four life termsto be served consecutivelywithout the possibility of parole for each count of first-degree murder, along with a $50,000 fine for each count and a $5,000 civil penalty to be paid to each of the victims' families. He also gave Kohberger 10 years and imposed a fine of $50,000 on the burglary count. For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App (NewsNation) Bryan Kohberger was vocally in favor of capital punishment before he murdered four University of Idaho students in 2022, according to new documents from the Idaho State Police. Kohberger, a former criminology student at Washington State University, avoided the death penalty by accepting a plea deal and admitting to the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. This latest insight into Kohbergers mindset came from police interviews with WSU faculty members. As reported by NewsNation, one of Kohbergers professors worried about his predatory tendencies and issued a warning before the murders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryan Kohberger obsessed with serial killers, ex-teacher told police Kohberger caused classmate to cry Police documents showed Kohberger debated with a female classmate over the death penalty and was the sole person in his class to speak up in favor. Kohberger got angry to the point where he told the woman to imagine how she would feel if her 12-year-old daughter were raped and murdered. She later told police that she cried over the incident. Kohberger also suggested that the families of the victims should determine whether someone is sentenced to death. Kohberger decided to take a plea deal to avoid just such a sentence. Bryan Kohberger loves watching himself One of Kohbergers previous cellmates said he liked watching TV, and particularly stories about himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The convicted murderer would say things like, Wow, Im on every channel, and the only time he would change the channel is that is when topics came up about his family. According to the cellmates, Kohberger said his favorite movie was American Psycho, starring Christian Bale, in which the main character Patrick Bateman refers to his parents as mother and father, as Kohberger did. Kohbergers sexist, creepy behavior alarmed university faculty and students before Idaho murders Kohberger has been residing in Idahos Maximum Security Institution for three weeks. Placed in J Block for his own protection, Banfield has learned Kohbergers fellow hardcore offenders are going out of their way, as far as they can, to make the notorious newcomer miserable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His fellow inmates have been taking turns shouting through the air ducts, all day and all night, to keep Kohberger from sleeping at night or even hearing himself think during the day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. Bryan Kohberger was outspoken about his support of the death penalty before he murdered four University of Idaho students. Court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Tuesday, August 19, revealed that Kohberger allegedly discussed capital punishment in one of his Washington State University classes while pursuing his PhD. According to the docs, Kohberger was the only member of his class in support of the death penalty. Kohberger asked one of his fellow students whether she would support the death penalty if her 12-year-old daughter was raped and murdered, per the docs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details about Kohbergers case have continued to emerge more than one month after the 30-year-old convicted killer accepted a plea deal in order to avoid the death penalty. Can Bryan Kohberger Appeal His Conviction After Entering a Plea Deal? The Answer Is Complicated Kohberger broke into a house in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022, and fatally stabbed college students Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. He was arrested one month later. Initially, Kohberger pleaded not guilty to the murders. Last month, as part of his deal, he pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. He was sentenced to four lifetimes in prison for the crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A trial would have begun this month if Kohberger hadnt accepted the plea deal. Idaho prosecutor Bill Thompson confirmed in an interview following Kohbergers sentencing that the prosecution would have sought the death penalty had the case gone to trial. "This certainly was a case where the death penalty was appropriate, he told The Idaho Statesman late last month. If we ended up going through trial into a penalty phase, I think under the law it met the elements. He was also confident Kohberger would be convicted had the case gone to trial. Details About Idaho College Murders Emerge as Gag Order Lifts: What Bryan Kohberger Did Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our thought is that this case is on track for trial, and if thats where it goes, thats where its going to go, Thompson shared. And were going to do our best job to present everything that we believe is legally relevant to help the jury make that decision. Thompson, who has been the Latah County Prosecutor since 1992, also addressed widespread criticism about Kohbergers plea deal. I think that we did our job, and we had the opportunity to do it in a way to really give some immediate finality, which wouldnt have happened if we had to go through trial, Thompson told the publication. Were pleased and relieved that the community and the victims families arent going to have to continue to live through this and relive this during a trial. Bryan Kohberger's faculty member saw the writing on the wall before the tragedy struck. The felon's sinister tendencies were picked up on by a very observant school staff who predicted likely sexual abuse in his future endeavors, before he embarked on his murderous voyage in 2022. Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to life in prison last month after he pled guilty to killing four University of Idaho students in a home off campus in November 2022. Inside Bryan Kohberger's Reported Problematic Behaviors Before The Murders Pexels - Washington State University Campus The convicted felon reportedly exhibited tendencies to be sexist and creepy, according to his fellow graduating students, in their statement to investigators. Kohberger's behavior even caught the attention of a faculty member at Washington State University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The faculty member reportedly told her colleagues that if Kohberger rose to the position of a professor, he would stalk or put his students in harm's way by sexually abusing them. She reportedly urged her co-workers to cut off his funding to get rid of him from that environment for good. "If we give him a Ph.D., that's the guy who in in those many years when he is a professor, we will hear is harassing, stalking, and sexually abusing ... his students at whatever university," the faculty member noted. According to AP News, the faculty member's account was just one out of numerous narratives by several people who have encountered Kohberger in any way, as collated by Idaho State Police. More Details About Kohberger's Conduct Towards Female Students ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA The investigator recalled an instance where Kohberger would sometimes enter into a space where female grad students worked. He would reportedly block the exit door, leaving the women begging to be let out of the building, and she would sometimes be forced to intervene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The WSU faculty member believed the convicted felon was also stalking people as he allegedly broke into a female grad student's room last year, carting away perfume and underwear. Some people in the department also felt he acted like an incel who had the tendency to rape women. A PhD student who was a coursemate of Kohberger told officers that he particularly enjoyed creating conflict. The felon also loved to talk down on women and often talked about sexual burglary, which was his area of specialization in school. An instructor also detailed cases of receiving complaints about his attitudes towards staff and students in the criminal justice program. The Complaints About Kohberger Were Right From The Beginning MEGA A few months into the start of the program at WSU, Kohberger's name was mentioned in about 13 complaints bordering on discriminatory comments during his interaction with the aggrieved reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As seen on The Blast, official sources confirmed that the first set of reports trickled in around August 2022, which was a few days into the first semester of his doctoral program in Criminology. Twelve more reports followed three months after the first complaints, with one student alleging that he held the reputation for being a naughty person in the department. The felon once told a divorced woman that he did not fancy "broken women," and also offended a classmate who was deaf by asking her if she would ever bear children due to her disability. The faculty member detailed how his name came up in disciplinary meetings and how she often condemned his actions towards classmates and his professors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He would also stare at people and stand uncomfortably close or 'lean' over women, making them very uncomfortable," she noted. Kohberger's usual line of defense during the point of inquiry was that people often misinterpreted his comments. The Former PhD Student Admired The Idaho Killer's Skills ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Three weeks after Kohberger carried out the killings, he struck up a conversation with his colleague, of course feigning ignorance of what he had done, and praised the murderer for doing a pretty good job. Details from the unsealed documents revealed that he had engaged in a conversation with his female classmate, who was about to go on winter break. The Blast shared that he declared that the killer's timing to carry out the murders was perfectly chosen. He also hinted that the murderer probably planned for it to be a one-and-done thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luck ran out for the murderer as his arrest came nearly a month after he committed the murders. Law enforcement officials reportedly utilized a combination of DNA evidence, cell phone tracking, and surveillance footage to bring him to book. Kohberger's complicated relationship with his mother was also revealed in the unsealed documents after it was confirmed that the case would no longer go on trial. Bryan Kohberger Was A Staunch Supporter Of The Death Penalty ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA The 30-year-old, during his criminology classes, often expressed his inclination towards the adoption of the death penalty as punishment for known crimes. Information from the unsealed documents showed that he not only spoke in favor of the death penalty, but he also agreed that the victim's family should hold the right to determine its application or otherwise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He would go the extra mile by using gory examples to defend his perspective, including asking a classmate during a debate to visualize her daughter becoming a victim of a heinous crime. Kohberger reportedly asked the classmate if she would then support the death penalty if her daughter were violently assaulted and then killed in cold blood. NEED TO KNOW An Idaho State Police report released recently shows faculty and fellow grad students at Washington State University were growing concerned about Bryan Kohberger Kohberger was exhibiting disturbing and sexist behavior towards female students and staff, according to interviews Idaho State Police conducted after his arrest Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences in prison for the murders of four University of Idaho students in November 2022 A former criminology professor of convicted murderer Bryan Kohberger warned coworkers about him potentially harassing, stalking, and sexually abusing future students if he one day became a professor himself, according to a new police report. The Associated Press first reported Monday that the Washington State University faculty member had urged other staff to cut off the funding Kohberger, now 30, was receiving for his Ph.D. program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is smart enough that in four years we will have to give him a Ph.D., the professor told colleagues, according to the AP, which cited a 550-page police report published by Idaho State Police last week. Mark my word, I work with predators, if we give him a Ph.D., thats the guy that in that many years when he is a professor, we will hear is harassing, stalking, and sexually abusing ... his students at wherever university, the professors warning continued, according to the documents, which were also reviewed by PEOPLE. Kohbergers fellow grad students also shared reservations and concerns about his behavior, which they described to police as sexist and creepy during a number of police interviews after Kohberger was arrested in connection with the murder of four University of Idaho students in November 2022. Based on how he talks to women and treats women, people in the department thought he was a possible future rapist, the Idaho State Police report says, though no one suspected him of committing the Moscow murders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One faculty member told police Kohberger was aggressive towards women and made them feel uncomfortable, adding that the faculty discussed how they could intervene with his behavior. Idaho Dept of Corrections Bryan Kohberger Bryan Kohberger A Ph.D. student told police during a December 2022 interview that Kohberger would often talk to her about sexual burglary, which was his field of study and it made her feel uncomfortable. Kohberger was interested in the emotions of what it felt like when committing a crime, the police report said the student told investigators, adding that the student said Kohberger discussed how offenders might avoid getting caught and about different emotions violent offenders might have. The student said she logged a number of complaints to faculty after the conversations. A student also told police she had never met anyone who acted in such a condescending manner and wondered why people in power in the department did not address his behavior, adding that the way he spoke to females in the department was unsettling to them. Courtesy of Chapin Family; Maddie Mogen/Instagram; Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram; Xana Kernodle/Instagram Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves. Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves. Others were advised not to leave particular students alone with Kohberger, according to the police report, while some students theorized whether Kohberger was an incel based on his internet posts and in-person behavior towards women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho State Police reported that some instructors even kept a tally on a white board in their offices to count the number of times when Kohberger was late to class when female instructors were presenting or when he would cut off a female when she was speaking. In reference to the Moscow homicides, he would say that it was horrible, the police report, based on the interviews with fellow students and Washington State faculty, said. In discussing whether the murderer would be caught, he said maybe it was a one and done type thing. Kohberger pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students last month: Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. He was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without parole in late July. Read the original article on People LEBANON JUNCTION, Ky. (FOX 56) Deputies with the Bullitt County Sheriffs Office (BCSO) were able to find a 16-year-old who last made contact with her family on Aug. 17. MISSING IN KENTUCKY Just before 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20, the Bullitt County Sheriffs Office announced that Kierra Taulbee had been found. Kierra has fading pink highlights in her hair, a pierced nose, piercings in lower lip, and a tattoo of a mushroom on her left wrist, deputies wrote. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information that could help find Kierra is asked to contact the BCSO at (502) 543-1262. This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 56 News for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. (Reuters) -Citigroup has hired law firm Paul Weiss to investigate complaints about the behavior of the bank's wealth management chief, Andy Sieg, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter. The complaints accused Sieg "of intimidating and unfairly sidelining employees", the report said. Paul Weiss's investigation is now complete, it added, citing sources. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Paul Weiss did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Sieg, who joined Citi as the head of wealth management from rival Bank of America in September 2023, did not respond to Reuters requests by phone, LinkedIn and email for a comment. "Andy is a highly respected leader with more than 25 years operating at the most senior levels of the wealth management industry," Citi spokesperson Mark Costiglio said in an email statement to Reuters, adding that the wealth business has transformed under his leadership. "We look forward to Andy continuing to drive strong business performance," he said. In a statement to Bloomberg News, Costiglio said it was "standard practice" for the bank to engage an outside law firm to probe allegations against a senior member of the management team "to ensure independence and prevent even the appearance of a possible conflict of interest". (Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru and Tatiana Bautzer in New York; additional reporting by Lananh Nguyen in New York; Editing by Arun Koyyur) A bus carrying Afghans recently deported from Iran crashed and burst into flames Tuesday, killing dozens of men, women and children. At least 76 people were killed after a collision on a highway in the city of Herat, governor spokesperson Mufti Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi told CNN. The bus, which had departed from Islam Qala, a town near Afghanistan-Iran border, was heading toward capital Kabul, when it crashed, Saeedi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video from the site shows the bus engulfed in flames with thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky. Photos show the vehicle charred as people gather around it. The burned bodies of the passengers were transferred to a provincial hospital, according to Ahmadullah Muttaqi, Director of the Information and Culture Department in Herat Province. At least 17 children were killed in the crash, Muttaqi said. The devastating crash comes as Iran has intensified the deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants. Tehran had previously declared its intention to remove the millions of undocumented Afghans who carry out lower-paid labor across Iran, often in tough conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deportations part of a program Iran announced in March radically increased in the days after Irans conflict with Israel, fueled by unsubstantiated claims that Afghans had spied for Israel prior to and during the attacks. More than half a million Afghans were expelled from Iran in the 16 days after its conflict with Israel ended in June, according to the United Nations, in what may be one of the largest forced movements of population this decade. Many Afghans have lived for years in Iran, often in semi-permanent conditions despite lacking documentation. The abrupt rise in deportations and claims of Afghans spying attracted international condemnation. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com (Repeats to fix byline, no changes in content) By Mohammad Yunus Yawar KABUL (Reuters) -An overcrowded bus carrying Afghans expelled from Iran crashed in western Afghanistan and at least 79 people were killed, authorities said on Wednesday. The crash on the Herat-Kabul highway involved a motorcycle, a truck and a bus late on Tuesday, said Ahmdullah Muttaqi, head of the information department for Herats provincial government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bus was carrying Afghan refugees expelled from Iran, part of an exodus of hundreds of thousands of people, who were on their way from the border to Kabul. Abdul Mateen Qaniee, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, said that the bus caught fire after the accident, which happened a 30-minute drive outside Herat. He said on Wednesday that the death toll was 79, with 17 children among the deceased. Video footage from the scene showed bright flames engulfing the bus, with a fire truck trying to douse the flames. A charred metal skeleton remained of the bus afterwards, pictures showed. Traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan, with poor infrastructure exacerbated by decades of war, and drivers not following the rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We urge transportation authorities to provide accurate information about the accident as soon as possible and to share their findings regarding the responsible party, said Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Afghan government. Herat, a key border province of Afghanistan touching Iran and Turkmenistan, is currently hosting tens of thousands of deported migrants from Iran. (Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar, writing by Saeed Shah; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) Seventy-eight people were killed in a collision in western Afghanistan Tuesday evening between a bus carrying Afghan migrants, a truck and a motorcycle, local officials said. Mutfi Muhammad Yousuf Saeedi, spokesman for the Herat provincial governor, said the dead included women and 17 children. One person hospitalized from the crash was in critical condition. Onlookers stand at the site of a bus crash in the Guzara district of Herat province in Afghanistan on August 20, 2025. / Credit: MOHSEN KARIMI / AFP via Getty Images The truck was carrying petroleum that instantly sparked a fire, officials said. It happened on a busy highway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Taliban announced Wednesday that they arrested the head of the transportation company involved in the bus accident. The company's operations have been halted until the government's investigation is complete. Mufti Saeedi confirmed to CBS News that the bus was carrying refugees who had recently been deported from neighboring Iran. They were part of a large-scale operation to remove Afghans from Iran initiated after the Israel-Iran 12-day war in June. Thousands of Afghans were forced to leave, often under dire circumstances, as tension heightened in the region. Many faced significant hardships during their transfer as they grappled with the challenges of displacement and their uncertain future. Videos and photos shared on social media showed the bus in flames. "Firefighters arrived at the scene of the accident quickly, but unfortunately, they were unable to rescue anyone," Ahmadullah Mutaqi, director of information and culture in Herat, told CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state-run Bakhtar News Agency said Tuesday's accident was one of Afghanistan's deadliest in recent years. Traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan due in part to poor roads after decades of conflict, dangerous driving on highways and a lack of regulation. Buses and trucks are often overloaded, which increases the risk of accidents. In December, two bus accidents involving a fuel tanker and a truck on a highway through central Afghanistan killed at least 52. -- Agence France-Presse contributed to this report. Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine U.S. Open "fan week" begins Hurricane Erin could erode parts of the East Coast SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) As Caddo Parish students kicked off the 2025-2026 school year, Superintendent Keith Burton began his 34th year as an educator and second year as the districts top administrator. Hes making his mark on the district with a fresh look and philosophy. New Caddo and Bossier educators gain confidence from past roles Not only have we rebranded our district with graphics and a new website, new app, and all that, but we are building around a new mindset of excellence, everyone, everyday, Burton explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burton said empowering everyone to contribute and strive for excellence in their individual domains is vital, especially in such a geographically expansive district. If you look at going from below Keithville all the way up north to Vivian to the state line of Arkansas, youve have the challenges of transportation. You have the challenges of ensuring youve got quality communication, the same message is getting out to all families no matter if theyre urban or if theyre rural, shared Burton. Transportation has been a top priority, with the district adding new bus drivers and 10 new buses to the the fleet this year, to prevent delays. Its got to be solved. We cannot be a district that doesnt provide quality customer service when were transporting students, said Burton. It is my goal that no matter where a student lives in this district, that we will have on time transportation and its going to make a great difference for families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also making a difference for families is choice. In addition to the districts magnet program, which has been around for decades, theyve launched two new K through 8 district-wide academies. J.S. Clark Academy focuses on workforce development and Broadmoor STEM Academy focuses on science, technology, engineering and math. You didnt have to test. You didnt have to meet a certain GPA. The only thing you had to have was an interest in that area and we opened the doors for you, Burton said. He added that more personalized educational opportunities will be a focus for the future at Caddo Parish Schools. We will continue to look at expanding family choices to be able to provide children no matter again no matter where they zip code is opportunities to attend schools that theyre interested in, Burton confirmed. Its my belief that education is the one thing that provides every student to define their life path. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. SHREVEPORT, La (KTAL/KMSS)- The Caddo Parish School Board approved a one-time stipend for all employees eligible for benefits to receive $1,500. Superintendent Keith Burton had requested $1,000; however, board member Jessica Yeates proposed $500 more, and the board approved it. They also approved money from the State of Louisiana. Red River United President Jordan Thomas said, Their going to receive $3,500, $2000 from the state and $1,500 from the local district and our classified employees will receive $1,500 from the district and one thousand from the state, so they will receive $2,500. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Superintendent Burton and board president Jasmine Green both say they are working towards permanent raises but they must be sustainable. Green said, I wish we could do more, but this is a great start. The money will be disbursed on September 12 to those who qualify. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. TYLER, Texas (KETK) The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler continues to expand their conservation efforts by partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Behind-the-scenes look at the Caldwell Zoos newest expansion: Amazon Rivers Edge Back in July, 36 fully grown Attwaters Prairie Chickens were picked up by U.S. Fish & Wildlife and taken to a protected wildlife refuge in Texas. Over the past few months, the zoos dedicated bird team worked to collect a new set of eggs, nuture the chicks and ensure the flightly friends remained healthy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each bird was carefully tagged, dewormed and provided with medications before the big release. In order to track the success of the conservation efforts, the Attwaters Prairie Chickens were fitted with radio collars which will allow experts to monitor the movements in the wild. The obvious choice: Caldwell Zoo announces new president, CEO For more than twenty years, Caldwell Zoo has played a vital role in the Attwaters Prairie Chicken breeding and conservation program, releasing hundreds of birds back into their native habitat. This effort is critical, as habitat loss from urban expansion and cattle grazing has pushed this once-abundant species to the brink of extinction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once numbering over a million across the coastal prairies of Texas and Louisiana, only a small population remains in Texas today. To learn more about the zoos future, visit Caldwell Zoo online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Amy Reichert had a few days notice to pack her bags and catch an early morning flight from San Diego to Sacramento, Calif. I just felt like I needed to be here physically, she said. Reichert took the first flight into the states Capitol city to protest against Assembly Bill 495, or the Family Preparedness Plan Act, on Tuesday in front of the state Capitol. Huge crowd on California Capitol steps AGAINST AB 495 pic.twitter.com/6hqVCEf3dK Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) August 19, 2025 The bill is intended to aid migrant children of deported parents but the policy has a few holes, Reichert said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proponents of the bill say it will help migrant parents, while opponents say it will strip parents of their rights to decide who cares for their children. The bill expands who is allowed to sign a caregivers authorization affidavit, a legal form to give an adult authority over a childs schooling and healthcare decisions, allowing an adults to become a caregiver to a child without a requirement that parents sign the form. It also expands the definition of a caregiver to a relative or a nonrelative, which could include anyone, from a family friend to a teacher. The proposed bill relies on the caregivers declaration and does not mandate any sort of background checks. What are critics saying? The mobilization efforts against the bill are growing. Among the people making opposed to the bill is Steve Hilton, a British-American political Republican commentator who is running for governor. In a video on X, he said the bill legalized kidnapping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics, like Reichert, argue the bill will have negative consequences for American families and could lead to child exploitation. She hadnt seen any major red flags in an earlier version of the bill but then learned about the changes. There were more safeguards on it. Those safeguards were taken off and it was frightening because I do have a school aged child myself, Reichert said. Remember we all have different living situations," she said, adding that the bill could legally embolden one parent to make decisions without considering the other or going through the court system, should the couple be divorced or separated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reichert, the founder of Restore San Diego, who also pushed for the reopening of schools and businesses in 2020, spoke to the Deseret News on her walk from the Hyatt Regency, where she attended a meeting to organize lobbying efforts against the bill, to the Capitol steps. She was tasked with leading people to Sen. Steve Padillas office to ask him to vote against the bill, which passed the Assembly and is now being considered in the California State Senate. As Reichert arrived at the protest ahead of time, she switched to FaceTime, giving the Deseret News a peek into the scene on the ground. Live gospel music played in the background as hundreds of people held signs that said STOP AB 495 and Dont Gamble with Child Safety, as they stood scattered around the steps and the lawn waiting for the programming to begin. Legal precedent against AB 495 Will Estrada, the senior counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, who was also at the protest, chatted with the Deseret News ahead of attending and speaking at the rally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Estrada was at a hotel across the street, alongside a crowd of people with signs gathered in the atrium. As people have dug into this, theyve realized that this is not just in an immigration context. This is a bill that really comes between the parent-child relationship, he said. The family is the foundation of society, Estrada said. Whether found in religious scriptures, from Jewish, Christian to Islamic, or Greek philosophy most cultures are in agreement about this foundation, he said. The Supreme Court has protected this relationship for 102 years, he added. Beginning with Meyer v. Nebraska (1923) and Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925), the courts have asserted a child doesnt belong to the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And just earlier this year, Mahmoud v. Taylor, the Supreme Court case regarding parental opt-outs of certain curriculum in the public schools, reaffirmed parental rights as fundamental, as Estrada put it. He said he is optimistic California Gov. Gavin Newsom will listen to reason. Hes a dad to four children himself, the legal counsel noted, adding, Parental rights are for everyone and the government should not come between that. Proponents of the bill argue it will help ease disruptions for children when families are separated because of immigration issues. Parents facing tough situations, like sudden deportation because of their undocumented immigration status, are often faced with impossible choices, Alliance for Childrens Rights said in a statement. Incarceration, military service or illness are other reasons where such an affidavit comes into play. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some make the difficult choice to suspend their parental rights through the complicated probate guardianship process, others opt to use a caregivers authorization affidavit for a more informal arrangement. The statement noted these affidavits are already an existing route for caregivers who arent the parent or legal guardian. This paperwork doesnt transfer over the custody of the child a court order would still be required. California's push to redraw the state's congressional districts to favor Democrats faced early opposition Tuesday during legislative hearings, a preview of the obstacles ahead for Gov. Gavin Newsom and his allies as they try to convince voters to back the effort. California Democrats entered the redistricting fray after Republicans in Texas moved to reconfigure their political districts to increase by five the number of GOP members of Congress after the 2026 midterm elections, a move that could sway the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections. The proposed map of new districts in California that could go before voters in November could cost as many as five Golden State Republicans their seats in Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Sacramento, Republicans criticized Democrats for trying to scrap the independent redistricting process approved by voters in 2010, a change designed to remove self-serving politics and partisan game-playing. GOP lawmakers argued that the public and legislators had little time to review the maps of the proposed congressional districts and questioned who crafted the new districts and bankrolled the effort. In an attempt to slow down the push by Democrats, California Republicans filed an emergency petition at the California Supreme Court, arguing that Democrats violated the state Constitution by rushing the bills through the legislature. The state Constitution requires lawmakers to introduce non-budget bills 30 days before they are voted on, unless the Legislature waives that rule by a three-fourths majority vote. The bills were introduced Monday through a common process known as "gut and amend," where lawmakers strip out the language from an older pending bill and replace it with a new proposal. The lawsuit said that without the Supreme Court's intervention, the state could enact "significant new legislation that the public has only seen for, at most, a few days," according to the lawsuit filed by GOP state Sens. Tony Strickland of Huntington Beach and Suzette Martinez Valladares of Acton and Assemblymembers Tri Ta of Westminster and Kathryn Sanchez of Trabuco Canyon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats bristled at the questions about their actions, including grilling by reporters and Republicans about who had drawn the proposed congressional districts that the party wants to put before voters. "When I go to a restaurant, I don't need to meet the chef," said Assembly Elections Committee chair Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz). Democrats unveiled their campaign to suspend the independent redistricting commission's work Thursday, proposed maps of the redrawn districts were submitted to state legislative leaders Friday, and the three bills were introduced in the legislature Monday. If passed by a two-thirds vote in both bodies of the legislature and signed by Newsom this week, as expected, the measure will be on the ballot on Nov. 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, lawmakers listened to hours of testimony and debate, frequently engaging in testy exchanges. After heated arguing and interrupting during an Assembly Elections Committee hearing, Pellerin admonished Assemblymembers Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) and David Tangipa (R-Clovis). "I would like you both to give me a little time and respect," Pellerin said near the end of a hearing that lasted about five hours. Tangipa and the committee's vice chair, Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo (R-Tulare), repeatedly questioned witnesses about issues that the GOP is likely to continue to raise: the speed with which the legislation is being pushed through, the cost of the special election, the limited opportunity for public comment on the maps, who drew the proposed new districts and who is funding the effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tangipa voiced concerns that legislators had too little time to review the legislation. "That's insanity, and that's heartbreaking to the rest of Californians," Tangipa said. "How can you say you actually care about the people of California? Berman dismissed the criticism, saying the bill was five pages long. In a Senate elections committee hearing, State Sen. Steve Choi (R-Irvine), the only Republican on the panel, repeatedly pressed Democrats about how the maps had been drawn before they were presented. Tom Willis, Newsom's campaign counsel who appeared as a witness to support the redistricting bills, said the map was "publicly submitted, and then the legislature reviewed it carefully and made sure that it was legally compliant." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, Choi asked, who drew the maps in the first place? Willis said he couldn't answer, because he "wasn't a part of that process." In response to questions about why California should change their independent redistricting ethos to respond to potential moves by Texas, state Sen. Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) was blunt. "This is a partisan gerrymander," she said, to counter the impacts of Trump administration policy decisions, from healthcare cuts to immigration raids, that are disproportionately impacting Californians. "That's what we're talking about here." Her comments prompted a GOP operative who is aiding the opposition campaign to the ballot measure to say, "It made me salivate." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California Common Cause, an ardent supporter of independent redistricting, initially signaled openness to revisiting the states independent redistricting rules because they would not "call for unilateral political disarmament in the face of authoritarianism." But on Tuesday, the group announced its opposition to a state Senate bill. "It would create significant rollbacks in voter protections," the group said in a statement, arguing that the legislation would result in reduced in-person voting, less opportunities for underrepresented communities to cast ballots and dampens opportunities for public input. "These changes to the Elections Code ... would hinder full voter participation, with likely disproportionate harm falling to already underrepresented Californians." 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. A South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for the plague yes, the same pest-transmitted disease estimated to have killed 25 million Europeans in the Middle Ages. It is believed that the person contracted the rare and dangerous disease after being bitten by an infected flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area, according to El Dorado County health officials. The patient is under the care of a medical professional and recovering at home, health officials said. "Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher-elevation areas of El Dorado County," Kyle Fliflet, the countys acting director of public health, said in a statement. "Its important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and/or camping in areas where wild rodents are present." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plague is a very serious disease but can be treated with easily available antibiotics, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The sooner a patient is diagnosed and receives treatment, the greater their chances of making a full recovery, according to the CDC. Read more: Plague-infected squirrels found at Yosemite National Park campground The disease is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is most commonly spread to humans by bites from infected fleas, according to El Dorado County health officials. The disease can also be spread by infected-rodent bites or by exposure to infected dogs and cats. The disease is extremely uncommon and infects on average seven people in the U.S. per year, according to the CDC. Nevertheless, it must be taken seriously because of the high potential for death if left untreated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last plague case reported in El Dorado County was in 2020 and was also believed to be transmitted in the South Lake Tahoe area, health officials said. Two California plague cases were reported in 2015, probably caused by bites from an infected flea or rodent in Yosemite National Park. All three patients received treatment and made a full recovery, health officials said. There were 45 ground squirrels or chipmunks recorded with evidence of exposure to the plague bacterium in the Lake Tahoe Basin from 2021 to the present, according to the California Department of Public Health, which routinely monitors rodent populations for plague activity across the state. El Dorado County health officials urged residents and visitors to take steps to avoid exposure to rodents or ticks when exploring the wilderness around Lake Tahoe. Measures include wearing long pants tucked into boots, using a bug repellent with DEET, never feeding or touching rodents, refraining from camping near animal burrows or dead rodents, and leaving dogs at home when possible. More than 80% of plague cases in the U.S. have been in the bubonic form, from which patients will develop swollen, painful lymph nodes called buboes, according to the CDC. This form of the disease typically results from an infected-flea bite, and symptoms such as buboes, fever, headache, chills and weakness develop within two to eight days, according to the CDC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, an Arizona resident died of the pneumonic form of the plague, which can develop when bacteria spread to the lungs of a patient with untreated bubonic plague. This is the most serious form of the plague and can have an incubation period of just one day. It's also the only form of the plague that can spread from human to human. During the Middle Ages, infected rats were to blame for the Black Death in Europe in the 14th century. The last urban rat-infected plague outbreak in America took place in Los Angeles in 1924 and 1925, according to the CDC. 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. (KTXL) A resident of South Lake Tahoe, California, has tested positive for the plague, health officials have confirmed. Few details were made available about the resident, but the El Dorado County Environmental Management Division and Public Health Division said the patient is under the care of a medical professional while recovering at home. The case remains under investigation. It is believed that the person became ill after being bitten by a flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What still causes the plague in the US? Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County, said Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado Countys Acting Director of Public Health. Its important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking, and or camping in areas where wild rodents are present. The plague is caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, which is mostly transmitted by the bites of fleas that have the bacteria from infected squirrels, chipmunks, and other wild rodents. Dogs and cats may also bring plague-infected fleas into the home, according to health officials. People can get the plague if bitten by infected fleas. Plague can be prevented by avoiding contact with wild rodents, and by keeping pets away from rodent burrows, public health officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Driver charged with DWI after building explodes in North Carolina Officials said CHPD has been monitoring rodent populations for plague activity in California and closely coordinating with health officials. Camera footage shows activities in El Doardo County from 2021 through 2024, uncovering 41 rodents that showed evidence of being exposed to the plague bacterium. This year, El Doardo County health officials said four additional rodents have tested positive in the Tahoe Basin. There are three types of plague that present with different symptoms and are caused by different things. Bubonic plague is caused by the bites of fleas that are mostly found on rodents. Authorities said the symptoms of plague will usually show up within two weeks of exposure to an infected animal or flea, and they include fever, nausea, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes. The plague can be treated effectively with antibiotics if symptoms are shown early. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Septicemic plague, which has similar symptoms, can develop from untreated bubonic plague as well as from the handling of infected animals. Should a person with bubonic or septicemic plague go without treatment, and the bacteria reach their lungs, they can develop pneumonic plague. Like other forms of plague, a person infected with pneumonic plague may develop a fever, headache, weakness, and pneumonia, with the latter developing rapidly. While bubonic and septicemic plague may take a few days to set in, the incubation period for pneumonic plague may be just over a day, the CDC reports. Its the only form that can be spread person-to-person, and it is considered the most serious form of the disease. El Dorado County health officials did not specify which type of plague the patient had contracted. Regardless of the type of plague, about 90% of those infected survive with quick treatment. Untreated, plague is nearly always fatal, the Cleveland Clinic said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dangerous suspect at large after ranger stabbed at Colorado State Park: officials Infected fleas are largely to blame for plague cases that occur in the U.S. today, but the handling of infected animals like cats, rabbits, rats, mice, and squirrels, according to New Yorks Department of Health has also been known to lead to the plague. Earlier this year, northern Arizona recorded its first pneumonic plague-related death since 2007. Health officials have not said how the Arizona resident became infected. A case of bubonic plague reported in Oregon early last year, the first in the state since 2015, was believed to be brought on by a pet cat. In recent years, Colorado has reported a cat testing positive for septicemic plague and a cat, two prairie dog colonies, and a squirrel testing positive for bubonic plague. To avoid the plague, health officials advise against feeding squirrels, chipmunks, and other wild rodents. Should you find a sick, injured, or dead rodent, you should not touch it. You should also not let your pets play with or pick up such a rodent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When camping, officials say you should avoid sleeping or resting near animal burrows or where dead rodents have been spotted. Youll also want to wear bug spray with DEET on your socks or pant cuffs to reduce flea exposure. If you have to bring your pet into an area where fleas may be present, experts suggest using flea control products. Cats are highly susceptible to the plague and can, in turn, pose a threat to humans. Should your cat become ill after interacting with a rodent, its recommended that you take them to a veterinarian. If you feel ill after being in an area where plague has occurred, or is known to occur, consult a physician. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Cresset You can find original article here Wealthmanagement. Subscribe to our free daily Wealthmanagement newsletter. Cresset, a $72 billion registered investment advisor based in Chicago, announced plans to merge with Monticello Associates, an employee-owned institutional consulting firm with $124 billion in assets under advisement. The deal, expected to close later this year, adds to Cressets institutional advisory capabilities and brings the RIAs total assets to nearly $200 billion. Denver-based Monticello was founded in 1992 by Grady Durham and serves 175 clients, including foundations, endowments and family offices. The entire Monticello team, which comprises 58 team members, will join Cresset. In addition to Denver, the firm also has offices in Cleveland, Boston and Washington, D.C. Monticello will continue to operate as an independent brand, led by Durham. Susie Cranston, president of Cresset, said the combination of the two firms will benefit clients on both sides who may have a need for new capabilities. Maybe one of Monticellos clients investment committees personally would like some support, and theyre looking for an introduction," she said. Or, it could be that some of the family offices that Monticello serves need some augmentation in some area that they dont provide services in. Similarly, on Cressets side, we have quite a few clients that serve on different endowments, foundations boards, and they need investment consulting expertise. Over the last several years, many in the RIA business have made concerted efforts to serve the institutional market. For example, one of the biggest RIAs in the country, Mariner Wealth Advisors, acquired two institutional consulting firms, AndCo Consulting and Fourth Street Performance Partners, last year, adding $104 billion in assets and 100 employees. Late last year, Hightower took a majority interest in NEPC, an institutional consulting firm and outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO). And SageView Advisory Group, a California-based registered investment advisory firm, recently acquired CAP STRAT, an Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based institutional retirement plan consulting and wealth management firm with $25 billion in assets. This is a trend that you will see continue as our business moves forward, as the industry moves forward, because it is such a fantastic way for clients to be better served, for capabilities to be added to all sides," Cranston said. Cresset was founded by Eric Becker and Stein in 2017 to manage their own families assets. The duo came out of the private equity world, and the firm has focused on bringing private placements to its wealthy clients. It serves high-net-worth clients, including entrepreneurs, CEOs and executives, as well as multigenerational families. Cresset provides boutique family office services, personalized wealth management, private investing opportunities and a community focused on peer-to-peer learning. Late last year, Cresset sold a minority stake to Constellation Wealth Capital, the private equity company created by former Emigrant Partners CEO Karl Heckenberg to invest in the growing RIA channel. (The Center Square) California schools are providing resources for students if immigration officials visit their campus. As students get ready to go back to school, Southern California schools are taking proactive measures to protect students from federal immigration agents on campus. After federal agents detained a 15-year-old boy outside his Los Angeles high school last week, many families are fearful of immigration raids within schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No child can learn if theyre living in fear, Estefany Castaneda, board president of Centinela Valley Union High School District, said. Our schools must be safe havens. Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, said there should be restrictions on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement near schools so that students can focus on their education. As our students return to school, we are calling on every community partner to help ensure that classrooms remain places of learning and belonging, Carvalho said in a statement. Children have been through enough from the pandemic to natural disasters. They should not have to carry the added weight of fear when walking through their school gates. LAUSD told The Center Square that the district, which is the second largest in the nation, already practices what Senate Bill 98 is trying to accomplish across the state: Federal immigration enforcement would be required to notify schools when agents are coming onto campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SB 98, also known as the Sending Alerts to Families in Education (SAFE) act, authored by state Sen. Sasha Renee Perez, D-Pasadena, would require a notice to California schools if immigration enforcement is coming onto campus. LAUSD will also give students Know Your Rights cards so they can be better equipped to respond to possible ICE enforcement. The district has also stated that there will be online classes for students who are fearful of attending school in person. California State University, Los Angeles, has also provided resources for students if they are approached by ICE agents on campus. The university's website states that if an immigration officer approaches a student, they are to notify the Cal State LA designees immediately. If the officer is requesting information or documents, the website says to fill out a form depicting the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The form requests the student's contact information and then details of the encounter: the name and badge number of the officer, their contact information and a description of the request. The CSU is deeply committed to ensuring that academic opportunities are available to all students, regardless of immigration status. Core to the CSU mission is providing a space where all students feel welcomed and safe as they pursue their education, Erik Hollins, executive director of strategic communications at CSU, told The Center Square. The CSU will do everything we can to support our undocumented community. This has also become a priority in the nation's fifth biggest school district. The Clark County School District in Nevada has struck a deal with ICE to not conduct raids or arrests in schools in Las Vegas and other surrounding counties. California drivers dont want to lose their electric vehicle tax incentives, but even voters in one of the bluest states are wary about reviving plans to phase out gas cars. Voters are split down the middle on whether California should stick to its guns on its Trump-blocked plans to phase out sales of gas cars by 2035, according to an exclusive POLITICO-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab poll. Only 46 percent of the more than 1,400 registered voters surveyed said they support the policy, while 47 percent said no. Yes, there was an obvious partisan split: 60 percent of Democrats said they backed the phase-out, compared with 40 percent of independents and 31 percent of Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the results offer a note of caution for Gov. Gavin Newsom, who directed the California Air Resources Board to start writing new vehicle emissions rules after Republicans revoked the states sales mandates for cars and heavy-duty trucks in June. None of us really like the idea of government intervening to take something away from us, said Dan Sperling, a former California Air Resources Board member and director of the University of California, Davis Institute for Transportation Studies. That's even the most liberal of us. Poll respondents are more bought into Newsom's plan to backfill the soon-to-be-defunct $7,500 federal EV tax credit. Nearly two-thirds 64 percent said they would support state-funded tax incentives once the federal subsidy ends Sept. 30, as part of the Trump administrations ongoing attacks on clean energy policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That question again showed a partisan divide, with 80 percent of Democrats saying they back the approach, compared with 60 percent of independent voters and just 43 percent of Republicans. But the overall result bolsters Newsoms push to backfill incentives that the Biden administration used to coax drivers off fossil fuels, as he suggested using cap-and-trade revenues last year and directed state agencies to consider in a June executive order. But Jack Citrin, a veteran political science professor at UC Berkeley and partner on the poll, said a closer look at the poll results shows that Democrats need to keep affordability in mind. He pointed to the fact that 28 percent of respondents said theyd support new EV incentives only if gas prices arent impacted and another 20 percent said they should be reserved for low-income buyers, reflecting the fact that cost of living was the top concern of voters polled. And 64 percent of respondents said gasoline prices are putting a significant, extreme or moderate burden on their household budgets. That reflects a concern with the cost of all of this, Citrin said. Yes, we're for environmental protection. Yes, we're for all of this, just as long as it doesn't cost a lot. The poll comes as state agencies released a joint report Tuesday with recommendations for countering Trumps assault, calling on lawmakers to bolster tax incentives, improve charging infrastructure and regulate facilities that attract polluting trucks, but offering few specific timelines or dollar figures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CARB Chair Liane Randolph framed the report which Newsom asked for in his June order as a first step in the states defense against a hostile federal government. Clean air efforts are under siege, putting the health of every American at risk, she said during a press briefing. California is continuing to fight back and will not give up on cleaner air and better public health. Sperling called the report a surprisingly modest document, and said it lacks the specificity he hoped to see. The word I would use is disconcerting, Sperling said when asked about where California stands in its fight against Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The POLITICO-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab poll was fielded by TrueDot, the artificial intelligence-accelerated research platform, in collaboration with the Citrin Center and Possibility Lab at UC Berkeley and POLITICO. The public opinion study, made possible in part with support from the California Constitution Center, was conducted in the field between July 28 and Aug. 12. The sample of 1,445 registered voters was selected at random by Verasight, with interviews conducted in English and Spanish, and includes an oversample of Hispanic voters. The modeled error estimate for the full sample is plus or minus 2.6 percent. The policy influencer study was conducted from July 30 to Aug. 11, among 512 subscribers to POLITICO Pro, and the modeled error estimate is plus or minus 3.7 percent. Like this content? Consider signing up for POLITICOs California Climate newsletter. Wonderful article I just finished reading the story from the St. Joseph News-Press on Tuesday, August 12, named A century of influence. It was written about Harold Roe Bartle, the name man for the Chiefs, and it was written by Cameron Montemayor and written with a great deal of help from former St. Joe Mayor Bill McMurray. And I just want to say what a wonderfully done story that is by both of those gentlemen. It was informative and just a good feel-good story, good information. Thank you for publishing that. Local is the way to go Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do not agree with the pick for the company to run the FBO at Rosecrans. For the FBO, I think local is the way to go. Breaking records I think the city ought to strive for the Guinness World Book of Records on how many streets that they can have shut down at one time. He's an embarrassment Trump totally embarrassed the United States with his treatment of Putin. I thought he was going to kiss Putin on the red carpet. Trump got nothing from this meeting and Putin got everything he wanted. And as I suspected, Trump is not going to give Ukraine any weapons, and he's not going to sanction Russia. He's a total embarrassment. Not in his right mind Donald Trump is a complete failure as president, so he blames the Democrats, news media and everybody that says things he doesn't like. This man isn't in his right mind. Money raised from seized criminal assets should be directly reinvested in efforts to fight organised crime, a police watchdog has said. HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS), Craig Naylor, called for the change following a wave of gangland disorder. He praised Police Scotland's response, and said the centralisation of the force had helped to tackle organised crime. However, Mr Naylor said further action was needed at a time of "increasing demand" on officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an annual report, HMICS said the Scottish government should consider an "asset recovery incentivisation scheme" that would allow Police Scotland and other agencies to use money raised from criminals' assets to combat crime. A similar scheme is already in operation across the rest of the UK. Mr Naylor's report found that more than 10m was recovered in Scotland using proceeds of crime legislation in 2023-24. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While this money is not directly funnelled back to the police, it can be used for the government's CashBack for Communities programme, which provides free activities and programmes for young people including those at risk of offending or reoffending. Mr Naylor said: "In England, Northern Ireland and Wales, Proceeds of Crime Act reporting agencies can and do receive money from the proceeds recovered from crime under the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (Aris). "The Home Office encourages agencies to invest Aris funds into areas that will increase asset recovery or, where appropriate, to fund local crime fighting priorities. "This process is not applicable in Scotland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At a time of increasing demand, I would be encouraged to see conversations to consider if some funding could be released from seized assets to bolster the fight against organised crime and maintain Scotland's position as a top performer in this area." Police Scotland has arrested more than 50 people in recent months following a outbreak of gangland violence [PA Media] Mr Naylor told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland that the amount of money recovered in Scotland using proceeds of crime law was smaller than expected. He said it could be increased if Police Scotland was able to use some of the funds to hire forensic accountants, specialist lawyers and cryptocurrency experts. Mr Naylor said that the CashBack for Communities scheme was "very effective" and that rather than diverting funds away from the programme, channelling more proceeds of crime cash directly to police could ultimately increase its funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm looking for this sort of win-win situation where they recover more at the same time as getting more money back into Cashback for Communities," he said. In other parts of the UK, criminal assets worth 243.3m were seized in 2023-24. Of that total, 98.1m was distributed to agencies, including police forces, to fund crime fighting. Efforts to tackle organised crime in Scotland have been ramped up in recent months following an outbreak of gangland activity. Assaults, shootings and fire bombings across the central belt have so far led to more than 50 arrests. The Scottish Prison Service said it was having to play "a daily game of chess" in its jails to keep violent rivals apart. Organised crime threat The HMICS report found that the merging of Scotland's eight police forces into one centralised agency - a process that took place in 2013 - had "undoubtedly strengthened its ability to effectively tackle the threat from organised crime groups". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Naylor also said a new policing act passed by the Scottish Parliament in March addressed concerns raised by HMICS about vetting officers, granting the chief constable the power to dismiss any officer who cannot meet maintain standards. However, he warned "too little consideration" had been given to the effects of the legislation", including the financial impact. Police Scotland said it was open to discussion on changes to how proceeds of crime can be used. A spokesperson said: "The process in place in other parts of the United Kingdom and further afield where seized assets and money is reinvested can be seen to have significant impact on the efforts to tackle serious and organised crime." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice Secretary Angela Constance welcomed the report's praise for Police Scotland, and the conclusion that the centralisation of the force had strengthened efforts to tackle organised crime. She said money recovered through proceeds of crime legislation was primarily used to fund community projects "aimed at diverting young people away from crime". Constance added that since 2008 more than 156m of "ill-gotten gains" had been distributed through the CashBack for Communities scheme, supporting 1.4m young people. Russias saber-rattling in the Arctic is forcing Canada to deepen military cooperation with its Nordic NATO allies a marked policy shift away from the United States. Prime Minister Mark Carney has dispatched two top Cabinet ministers to Sweden and Finland this week in pursuit of new defense deals including a look at Swedens Saab Gripen fighter jet. Canada had previously decided on the Lockheed Martin F-35, a flagship export under President Donald Trump. But amid a trade war, at a time when other allies are turning away from the U.S. war plane, Canada is reconsidering its C$19-billion plan to buy a new fleet of F-35s. Clearly, there are trade tensions [with the U.S.], and we want to become closer to our friends, Industry Minister Melanie Joly said Monday as Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch formally welcomed her to Stockholm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadas Arctic defense strategy is shifting away from a bilateral relationship with the United States toward a broader NATO framework. With Sweden and Finland joining NATO after Russias February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and in the wake of Trumps tariff attacks Ottawa is widening its foreign policy focus to align with NATO as the foundation of its Arctic security. Busch said she welcomed a strategic partnership, focusing on security and defense, investment and competitiveness, digital innovation and energy raw materials. Joly name-checked Canadian ties to Saab, as well as to Sweden tech giants Ericsson and ABB (Asea Brown Boveri). We have the crown jewels of the private sector of Sweden already in our country, but we want to do more, the minister said. On Tuesday, Canada added one more jewel when Roshel, a Canadian manufacturer of armored vehicles, signed a "strategic partnership agreement" with Swedish steel producer Swebor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roshel said in a statement that the partnership will "establish Canadas first facility dedicated to production of ballistic-grade steel" a key ingredient in military vehicles. Earlier in the trip, Joly visited Saab, the Swedish manufacturer of the Gripen at one time a runner-up on Canadas shortlist to replace its aging fleet of CF-18s. Lockheed Martin won that contract, and will deliver 16 of the stealth fighters so far. Joly is joined on this weeks trip by Stephen Fuhr, Canadas new secretary of state for defense procurement, as Ottawa contemplates whether it will buy 72 more F-35s. Later in the week, Joly is to cut the ribbon on a joint Finnish-Canadian shipbuilding venture that will begin manufacturing a new fleet of icebreakers for Canadas Coast Guard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile in Europe, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand was scheduled to meet with Finland President Alexander Stubb on Tuesday. The tete-a-tete follows Stubb's appearance at the White House Monday alongside other European leaders, supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Trump-brokered negotiation with Russias Vladimir Putin to end the war in Eastern Europe. Anand said NATO, which was founded during the Cold War on the premise it was an eastward-facing European bulwark against the Soviet Union, must confront Russia beyond Europes borders in the Far North. NATO's gaze also has to shift westward and north because of the changing geopolitical landscape, especially following Feb. 24, 2022, Anand said Monday. Our priority in terms of Canada's Arctic foreign policy is to ensure that we leave no stone unturned to protect and defend Canada's sovereignty, she added. Anand said that will mean tens of billions of dollars of new spending on Arctic infrastructure. The minister added that it was no longer appropriate for civilian and military infrastructure projects to exist in bureaucratic silos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we talk about critical minerals in the north, yes, that's an economic question, but it's also a defense and security question, and it is embedded in our foreign policy, Anand said. Anand met with foreign ministers from the Nordic 5 group of countries, including her host, Elina Valtonen, and their counterparts from Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. They later issued a joint statement of unwavering solidarity with Ukraine. The Nordic countries and Canada are ready to play an active role in combining the efforts of the Coalition of the Willing with those of the United States to ensure the strength and credibility of these security guarantees, Anand and her Nordic counterparts said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They emphasized that Ukraines borders must remain intact, and that Russia has no veto over Ukraines possible pathway to EU or NATO membership. They also called for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children who were taken to Russia after the war started. For as long as Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine, we together with partners and allies will continue to maintain and increase pressure on Russias war economy, the Nordic 5 said. Russia poses a long-term threat to European security. Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks to his supporters after losing the Canadian Federal Election on April 29, 2025 in Ottawa, Canada. Credit - Minas PanagiotakisGetty Images Canadas Pierre Poilievre is back after an election loss for the ages. The Conservative Party leader won a by-election on Monday in Battle River-Crowfoot, a Tory electoral district in Alberta that hes never lived in. He can finally return to Parliament after the embarrassment of losing his own seat of Carleton in Ottawa during the federal election in April, which saw the Conservatives blow a more than 20-point lead to a Liberal Party led by former central banker Mark Carney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poilievre won his by-election with 80% of the vote. A casual observer might assume there may be few demanding Poilievre quit as Tory leader with such a healthy margin, mistaking a single parliamentary district for the countryor the party. Thats a fair enough mistake. Some folks, including me, were making the case only months ago for him to stay on. After all, the Conservatives had managed a strong general election performance with 41% of the vote, but were punished by first-past-the-post. Poilievre was a steady hand who just had to wait for the Liberals to implode, which they would, eventually, as all Liberals do in time. April gave way to May and June, and as summer settled in, the Liberals remained atop the polls as Carney continued to wrong-foot the Conservatives by giving them just about everything they wanted. There was something of a Greek tragedy to it, with Poilievre getting his waythe end of the unpopular carbon tax, lower taxes, lower internal trade barriers, and a government that was all-in on building big, national infrastructure projects. When Air Canada flight attendants went on strike in recent days, Carneys labor minister asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order them back to work, a move one might have expected from Poilievre. Critics have been asking whether, with Liberals like these, one even needs Conservatives, or ones like Poilievre, at least. Read More: Pierre Poilievre Is the Ron DeSantis of Canada In January, Poilievre faces a leadership review, and nows the time to ask if he should stay on. Increasingly, the answer is no. Of course, he won his by-election with ease. But its one of the safest Tory seats in Canada, and was vacated by Damien Kurek, who stepped aside so his leader could waltz back into office. It was a move that undermined Poilievres leadership even as it affirmed it, having to contest a tap-in putt of a district when months earlier he seemed a shoo-in for Prime Minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since April, Poilievre has been unable to make up ground against Carneys Liberals. A big problem for the Conservative leader is that when voters meet him, when they get to know him, they dont like him, which puts his party at a structural disadvantage. The Angus Reid Institutes Poilievre monitor finds the Conservative leaders unfavorability numbers persistently high. Going back to the fall of 2022, over 50% of those surveyed disliked Poilievre. That number never got better than 49%, and now sits at 57%. His numbers are particularly dismal among women and younger voters, but even among the 55+ age bracket that traditionally votes Conservative, Poilievre manages just 39% approval. Whats more, during the last federal election, where leadership was a constant theme amid the unprecedented threats from President Donald Trump to make Canada the 51st state and impose devastating tariffs, Carney outpaced Poilievre on likability and governance qualities. In July, Abacus Data found that Carney still beat Poilievre on key leadership metrics, an advantage that, should it hold, could help the Liberals eventually turn their parliamentary minority into a majority. Read More: How Canada Got Hooked on the U.S. Economy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poilievre said in July every election comes with lessons. But his tone never shifted. He remained the same doctrinaire culture warrior. In August, Poilievre attacked Canadas electric vehicle mandate, calling it Carneys tax in a move reminiscent of his partys axe the tax battle against carbon pricing. The play comes as Trump takes on Californias EV mandate. But the focus makes Poilievre look too close to Trump and risks backfiring if Carney goes ahead and once again ditches a Justin Trudeau-era policy. Perhaps the most damning thing you can say about Poilievre is hes become redundant. Hes a less capable, less experienced, less likable iteration of a business Liberal committed to low taxes, a lean regulatory regime, and infrastructure and resource development. Read More: How Trump Revived Canada's Liberals The Conservatives could do with a reseta return to the drawing board. They need a likable leader who at the very least seems like they have the capacity to touch grass from time to time. The odds are that the Liberals, now nearly 10 years in power, will do themselves in, as all governments do. But Poilievre has proven that hes unwilling or unable to adapt to a political moment thats different from the advantageous one his party enjoyed before Trump and tariffs. For that reason alone, theres good cause for the Conservatives to ditch Poilievre sooner than later. Come January, if the party hasnt managed better fortunes, some Conservatives might try to do just that. Contact us at letters@time.com. (NEXSTAR) The number of Candida auris infections reported to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention this year has nearly tripled in the past three and a half months as health care providers struggle to contain the the drug-resistant and deadly fungus. At the end of April, the CDC had recorded 1,052 Candida auris. By Aug. 9, the last week of available data, the total number of cases had grown to 2,809 cases across 21 states, surpassing the number of cases we saw at this time last year. Candida auris, also called C. auris, was first identified in the U.S. fewer than 10 years ago. Since then, the number of cases have increased every year. The CDC has considered the fungus an urgent antimicrobial resistance threat because it has developed ways to defeat the drugs that are designed to kill it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fungus labeled urgent threat by CDC is spreading rapidly, hospital study finds In the past three months, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee recorded their first cases, joining 17 other states that were already tracking the fungus spread in 2025. Of the roughly 2,800 cases reported so far this year, about a quarter (or 727 cases) were in Texas alone. Some of the biggest spread was in the Midwest, where cases in a handful of states more than doubled since April. Illinois reported 362 cases, Michigan reported 342, Ohio had 291 and Indiana had 164. Candida auris can be hard or impossible to be treat because antifungal medications arent effective. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you get infected with this pathogen thats resistant to any treatment, theres no treatment we can give you to help combat it. Youre all on your own, Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, told Nexstar. What still causes the plague in the US? People with a healthy immune system may be able to fight off infection on their own, but the fungus mainly spreads in health care settings, where people are sick and vulnerable. The fungus can survive on surfaces, like countertops, doorknobs, or even peoples skin, for a long time before spreading to vulnerable patients. People with catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes and PICC lines are at the highest risk because the pathogen can enter the body through these types of devices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A study published last month, which looked at patients with Candida auris primarily in Nevada and Florida, found more than half of patients required admission to the intensive care unit and more than one-third needed mechanical ventilation. More than half of patients, whose average age was between 60 and 64, also needed a blood transfusion. In the past, the CDC estimated that based on information from a limited number of patients, 3060% of people with C. auris infections have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. NEW YORK Attorney General Pam Bondis fresh threats to Democrat-led cities and states demanding they drop their sanctuary policies is being met this week with a collective nope. Leaders ranging from the governors of California, Illinois and Minnesota to the mayors of New York City, Denver and Boston are standing their ground on limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officers in their responses to a letter Bondi sent to more than 30 jurisdictions. This ends now, Bondi wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Actually, it doesnt, the Democrats replied by her Tuesday deadline uniformly rejecting the Trump administrations assertion that theyre interfering with federal immigration enforcement. That the federal government would insist that Minnesota should divert state resources to do the federal governments job or help effectuate some kind of misguided political agenda is fundamentally inconsistent with our founding principles as a nation, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the former Democratic nominee for vice president, said in his letter to the attorney general. The response letters culled from POLITICOs outreach to the 35 cities, counties and states on the Department of Justices updated U.S. Sanctuary Jurisdiction List ranged in tone from antagonistic to diplomatic in the face of Bondis threats of criminal prosecution. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosted a news-conference-turned-anti-Trump rally to trumpet the citys resistance, while New York City Mayor Eric Adams sent a conciliatory two-paragraph letter via the citys corporation counsel. But together, the replies represent uniform Democratic pushback to President Donald Trumps deportation agenda and reflect a deepening conflict between his administration and the blue cities and states fighting to distance themselves from its aggressive enforcement efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondi has vowed swift retribution for local governments failing to comply with the demands of her letter. Were going to work with our other agencies to cut off their federal funding. We are going to send in law enforcement, just like we did during the L.A. riots, just like were doing here in Washington, D.C., she told Fox Business this week. And if theyre not going to keep their citizens safe, Donald Trump will keep them safe. Top White House aide Stephen Miller singled out Wus defiance for condemnation, telling Fox News that Boston will now face not only revocation of funds, not only the loss of taxpayer support, but also potential criminal charges for harboring and smuggling. Trump has warned that cities like New York City and Chicago could be next in line for a federal takeover of their police forces, after he activated the National Guard in Washington to combat crime and dispatched federal officers to Los Angeles to quell protests. And for months across the country, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been detaining immigrants en masse, including children and those leaving immigration court hearings. In federal court, the Trump administration is facing off with cities and states over the legality of their sanctuary policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanctuary policies differ across the country but broadly restrict local resources from being used for federal immigration enforcement, except in some serious criminal cases. Defenders say the guidelines allow local law enforcement to focus on fighting crime and encourage immigrants to cooperate with police investigations without fear of deportation. Federal courts, including Trump-appointed judges, have upheld the right of local and state governments to forego cooperation with federal enforcement efforts. Oregons enacted laws are consistent with the Tenth Amendment and anticommandeering rule, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek wrote in her response to Bondi. The state does not take on the additional expense or burden to perform federal immigration enforcement as it is the job of the federal government. While Wu, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and others rallied against Trump on the East Coast, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell presented another united Democratic front on the West Coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A letter like this cannot be normalized, Ferguson said at a news conference. Let me be very clear: Washington state will not be bullied or intimidated by threats and legally baseless accusations. The flurry of correspondence sent last week by Bondi represents the latest salvo in Trumps war on sanctuary jurisdictions; it's also opened new fronts of conflicts over the presidents deportation agenda. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential contender for president in 2028, responded via his legal affairs secretary by issuing a deadline of his own to Bondi. By Tuesday, August 26, 2025, please submit a response to this letter that confirms that you have issued internal guidance clarifying that prosecuting or threatening prosecutions against state and local officials for complying with California law, or similar local policies, is improper because controlling law forecloses any legal basis for such prosecutions, David Sapp wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives of Hoboken, New Jersey, and Rochester, New York, both noted that Bondi could be violating a legal ethics code by corresponding with officials about a subject shes suing them over, especially as she dangles the possibility of criminal charges. It appears to be highly inappropriate, lets put it that way, Mayor Ravi Bhalla of Hoboken, one of four New Jersey cities sued by Trump, told POLITICO. Bhalla said he is asking New Jersey and Florida legal officials to review whether Bondis conduct was unethical. A Justice Department spokesperson responded Wednesday: Since every letter was addressed to the legal representative of the official responsible for these dangerous sanctuary policies, there is no basis for any complaint. The Department is entitledand indeed obligated to put officials on notice when they fail to uphold the law and our Constitution. Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City are among the other jurisdictions that have been mired in lawsuits with the Trump administration as it seeks to void local policies that restrict how they interact with ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the renewed focus on sanctuary jurisdictions recalled the errors the Justice Department had made when initially building the list. A spokesperson for Colorado stressed that the state is not a sanctuary and mistakenly remains on the updated list, which was posted with amendments in early August after being taken down in June amid complaints that it included sites without policies that restrict cooperation with federal authorities. Nevada, led by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, also remains on the updated list despite having no sanctuary designation. Some Democrats are reveling in a new opportunity to confront the Trump administration. Bostons Wu is running for reelection this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her campaign is capitalizing on the fight with the president, declaring in a fundraising email after her news conference turned rally: Donald Trump and Pam Bondi are trying to strong-arm Boston into cooperating with their cruel, dangerous mass deportation policies. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul who with Walz and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was called before a Republican-led House panel in June to testify about their states immigration policies used her response letter to recall Bondis time as a statewide official. I recognize that you disagree with New Yorks view of what the constitution requires of states, and the legality of New York State law and policy, and now contrary to the positions you took as Florida Attorney General believe states are merely vassals of the federal government, wrote Hochul, who faces a reelection fight next year. These disputes are rightly before the courts for resolution. The courts have repeatedly upheld the rights of states to take a pass on helping federal immigration officials unless they have a warrant looking for known criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge last month threw out the Trump administrations bid to force Illinois and Chicago to aid its mass deportation efforts, saying it would encroach on autonomy guaranteed to states under the Constitution. Chicago Alderman Andre Vasquez, who chairs the City Council Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said the Trump administration is continuing to overreach. Even if the court says that they cant do something, Vasquez told POLITICO, it doesnt mean theyll follow what the court says. Brakkton Booker and Danny Nguyen contributed to this report. CANTON, Texas (KETK) Canton residents are speaking out against the new website for the Grand Saline Creek reservoir, voicing their displeasure at the city council meeting on Tuesday. The Canton City Council met Tuesday night in a packed room filled with residents pushing back against the Grand Saline Creek reservoir project. Amazon plans new delivery station in Nacogdoches If your land was being stolen, would you be upset? I mean, thats exactly whats happening, Canton resident Donna Greer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the meeting, the Canton City Council announced the launch of the Grand Saline Creek Reservoir website, where people can read about the project, see frequently asked questions, and submit questions. It was a last-ditch effort for transparency, of which there has never been any transparency through this whole thing, Geer said. Residents said they think the information on the site is wrong, claiming it doesnt show the harm it would bring to people. My thoughts are its misrepresented, its not truthful, and it was put out the day before the big meeting, Geer said. It was a last-ditch effort for transparency, of which there has never been any transparency through this whole thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Med truck tire blowout leads to crash, injuring 2 firefighters in Jasper County Van Zandt County resident John Borgstedt said hes surprised the mayor is still pushing this project forward and wants people to know he and others in the community will continue to fight against it. Families just want to take their house, 143 families houses. She wants to take over 5000 something acres, and she says there are no structures that are going to be affected by this, Borgstedt 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. Databricks, a data-analytics software company, is finalising a new funding round that would value the company at $100bn, up over 61% from its last round in December 2024. The company has signed a term sheet for a very late-stage, or Series K, round, which it expects to close soon with backing from existing investors. Databricks co-founder and CEO Ali Ghodsi said: Databricks is benefiting from an unprecedented global demand for AI apps and agents, turning companies data into goldmines. Were thrilled this round is already over-subscribed and to partner with strategic, long-term investors who share our vision for the future of AI. The company did not disclose the size of the investment; however, Reuters, citing a person familiar with the matter, reported that the company is looking to raise more than $1bn from existing investors including Thrive Capital, Insight Partners and Andreessen Horowitz. The company intends to use the new capital to accelerate its AI strategy expanding Agent Bricks, investing in its new database offering Lakebase, and fuelling global growth. During the June Data + AI Summit, Databricks unveiled Agent Bricks, a product designed to create production-ready AI agents tailored to enterprise data, alongside Lakebase, a novel operational database (OLTP) based on open-source Postgres and optimised for AI agents. The company also intends to use the investment to support future AI acquisitions and deepen AI research. Over the past two quarters, the company has either launched or broadened partnerships with major firms including Microsoft, Google Cloud, Anthropic, SAP, and Palantir. Currently, more than 15,000 customers globally utilise the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. Built on an open-source framework, the platform aims to democratise access to data and AI, simplifying the process of leveraging data for analytics and AI applications. Databricks, headquartered in San Francisco, serves more than 15,000 organisations worldwide, including Block, Comcast, Conde Nast, Rivian, and Shell. The company was established by the original creators of Lakehouse, Apache Spark, Delta Lake, MLflow, and Unity Catalog. "Databricks nears $100bn valuation with new funding round" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. CAPE LOOKOUT, N.C. (WNCT) Hurricane Erin is expected to bring life-threatening surf and rip currents to Cape Lookout in Eastern North Carolina. Tropical storm conditions, including storm surge flooding and large waves, are anticipated to cause significant beach erosion and overwash. The National Seashore is issuing an advisory to alert visitors to the potential dangers. The Harkers Island Visitor Center will close today at 10 A.M. EDT. Visitors with upcoming Great Island Camp reservations should monitor the weather conditions. Cancelled reservations due to weather will be issued a full refund at www.recreation.gov, or call (877) 444-6777. Island Express Ferry Service will remain closed out of Beaufort and Harkers Island through Friday, at least. For more information call Island Express Ferry Service at (252) 728-7433 or go online to: islandexpressferryservices.com. Visitors with vehicle ferry reservations may call their respective ferry for more information regarding schedule and/or reservations at the following: For visitors heading to North Core Banks Morris Marina (Atlantic, NC; (252) 225-4261), and for visitors heading to South Core Banks Cape Lookout Cabins and Camps Ferry Service (Davis, NC; (252) 729-9751) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more visit go.nps.gov/stormwatch, and via Facebook at facebook.com/CapeLookoutNPS Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT. VALPARAISO, Ind. A Porter County man will spend more than two years in federal prison for embezzling over $500,000 from a staffing firm and spending the money on home repairs and luxury jewelry. Charles Nelson, a 67-year-old Valparaiso, Indiana, resident who pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud last year, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison, Andrew Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced Wednesday. According to prosecutors, the scheme unfolded between 2018 and 2019 while Nelson was acting as CFO of a staffing firms Chicago office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said during that period, Nelson made several unauthorized credit card purchases for his own benefit. Initially, the purchases were for meals and travel, but he eventually went on to purchase extravagant items, including Cartier and Rolex watches, a gold and diamond bracelet, high-end appliances and even renovations to his home. Nelson was able to hide the purchases by circumventing multiple corporate controls over expenditures. Defendant squandered the companys money on extravagant items, such as gold, coins, jewelry, trips, and meals, Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly argued in the governments sentencing memorandum. His offense was not an isolated lapse in judgment or simple mistake. It was a carefully orchestrated pattern of theft from a company that trusted defendant to serve as CFO, and his offense took a financial and emotional toll on the honest, hard-working employees left in its wake. Nelsons sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey on Monday, Aug. 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the sentence, Nelson was also ordered to pay $510,319 in restitution. Prosecutors did not provide a booking photo for Nelson. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) If youve visited Carillon Park this summer, your ears have gotten a treat with not only the bells but also the Carillon Park Concert Band. The best of the best from around the area audition to be a part of the long-loved tradition every year. Students play musical selections at the park alongside the bells of the Carillon. I played in this band myself a long time ago. I was the assistant director of this group for many years. Ive been the director now for a couple of years, and its just great to see the City of Dayton and here at Dayton History, how well they support us to be able to keep something like this going, says Bryce Newton, who is the director of the Carillon Park Concert Band. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not a very common thing that a concert band and the Carillon get the opportunity to perform together. Well actually do one piece of music this afternoon called Carillon Fanfare that was written for the group. Theyll actually perform together. So its a pretty unique opportunity musically for students and something thats definitely unique to Dayton. The Carillon Park Concert Band is composed of dozens of local high school students. Hearing all the different melodies and kind of how they intertwine is really, really cool, says Brookville High School senior Eva Holler. Tracing back to 1945 across the street to Old River Park, it used to be called the NCR Concert Band. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Share your good news with 2! I had a great grandfather who worked for NCR. So, I get to hear stories of him through my grandmother, and knowing that, I can be just that much more connected to my family is something thats really powerful, says Holler. For decades, the stories and sounds have been entertaining audiences, with people in the park coming to watch and listen. The excitement for me is that its a conglomerate group of kids from multiple different schools, and him coming in as a freshman, he gets a chance to play maybe some harder pieces than what he was used to in middle school, says Jan Caplinger, whose son is part of the band. This is fabulous. Its my first time hearing it with the bells. Im really excited about that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sound like no other, the band creates a symphony with the Carillon. You have one of Daytons best-known landmarks, which is not just a statue or a sculpture, but its an actual musical instrument, a working, living musical instrument, says Alex Heckman, Vice President of Dayton History. Alan Bowman is only the third Carillonneur assigned to Deeds Carillon in all these 75 plus years. And so hell have a great audience today of the band members and other extended family members that are here to enjoy the concert. And so hell play a selection, and then theyll play a selection, and its back and forth. The familiar sound of the bells plays along with familiar tunes. Kettering Fairmont junior Matthew Lambdin is in the trombone section. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of different music that youll recognize. Theres not a song that weve played that I havent listened to on like the radio, says Lambdin. I like that I get to be a part of that. The summertime ensemble blends the bells with the band and the past with the present for a harmony of history. Musical selections include everything from marches, to Broadway tunes, to movie music, to light classics. Deeds Carillon concerts are typically held on Sundays, with the Carillon Park Concert Band performing from the end of May until the end of June. ***Because of music rights rules, 2 NEWS cannot post video any of their music online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Longtime CBS standards and practices executive Carol Altieri has died at her home in Palm Desert, Calif. after a long illness. She was 76. Altieri died Aug. 9, CBS confirmed. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A native of Queens who grew up on Long Island, Altieri spent 35 years at CBS, rising through the ranks of its program practices department. She joined the Tiffany network in 1969 in New York as an executive assistant during the heady days when CBS leaders William Paley and Frank Stanton were among the most powerful forces in media. Altieri was promoted to editor in 1974 and to senior editor in 1977. She moved to Los Angeles in 1982 and was promoted to VP of program practices in 1984. Altieri retired as senior VP in 2005. Altieri was known for her even hand in dealing with producers and the competing pressures of her job. She was respected for understanding the creative concerns of writers and producers while also serving as CBS ethical compass, as the company described. Altieri represented the network in legislative settings and with special interest groups and industry task forces. In later years, she wrote for UCLAs Anderson School of Business publications and served as a lecturer on business ethics and practices. In a 1999 story on the changing nature of TV standards and practices departments, Altieri told Variety: Standards are like a constitution. They can be interpreted strictly or loosely depending on what societys telling us. If were going to stay vital and alive, we cant be too strict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Altieris family requests that contributions be made in her name to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital or to Wounded Warriors Project. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. MADISON COUNTY, Neb. (KCAU) A northeast Nebraska woman convicted of first-degree murder and other crimes is asking for a new trial. Attorneys representing Carrie Jones said her right to a fair trial was violated because of insufficient evidence in her case, as well as other issues outlined in state statutes. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones was found guilty in early August in connection with the 2022 deaths of 4 people in Laurel, Nebraska. A hearing on the new trial motion is set for November 20 in Cedar County District Court. That is the same day Jones is scheduled to be sentenced. Find all the information about the cases of Carrie and Jason Jones 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, speaks to reporters on Jan. 9, 2024, at the Colorado Bar Association office in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser filed a brief Tuesday outlining the states arguments defending a 2019 Colorado law that bans conversion therapy for minors in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The case concerns a Colorado state law that bans conversion therapy, the practice of trying to change a persons sexual orientation, such as to eliminate same-sex attraction, or gender identity. Conservative religious law firm Alliance Defending Freedom represents the plaintiff, Kaley Chiles, a Colorado Springs counselor who argues the Colorado law violates a counselors right to free speech by prohibiting certain conversations related to gender and sexuality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The named defendant in the case is Patty Salazar, executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. The Supreme Court decided to hear the case in March, and will hear arguments in the case during its term that starts in October. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Colorado law protects patients from receiving substandard care and that conversion therapy has been regulated in the U.S. for more than a century, Weiser said in a press conference Tuesday. He said the law does not prohibit a provider from sharing information, content, or viewpoints with a patient, and therapists are still permitted to tell patients about conversion practices offered by religious entities or others. Theres never been a First Amendment objection to protecting patients and prohibiting substandard care regardless of whether or not the care is carried out through words, Weiser said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About half of U.S. states and Washington, D.C., ban conversion therapy, and the American Medical Association opposes it. The Human Rights Campaign, a national organization that advocates equality for all LGBTQ+ people, says every mainstream medical and mental health organization has rejected the practice for decades and that it can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness and suicide, particularly for minors. The 2019 law prohibits licensed psychiatrists and mental health care providers from engaging in conversion therapy with patients under 18 years old. Providers who conduct conversion therapy are subject to disciplinary action from the appropriate licensing board, though Weiser said the state hasnt taken disciplinary action against any providers since the law went into effect. There have never been any disciplinary actions against the therapist in this case, Weiser said of Chiles. None of what the therapist is alleging actually appears to violate Colorado law, because she says that shes not trying to change a patients sexual orientation or gender identity. Chiles petition to the Supreme Court says she is a practicing Christian who believes that people flourish when they live consistently with Gods design, including their biological sex. It says she views her career as an outgrowth of her faith and that many clients come to her because of her Christianity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A ruling against the state would open the possibility to challenging other licensing and malpractice processes, Weiser said. The brief the state filed says, From this countrys infancy, states have exercised their power to regulate professional healthcare treatment to protect patients from substandard care, and that has always included treatments performed with words like therapy. What is at stake is whether or not the Supreme Court opens up a First Amendment exemption to professional licensing and malpractice systems that are designed to prevent patients from suffering substandard care, and that is the core argument we make in our brief, Weiser said. The Supreme Court has never created such an exemption before. They shouldnt do so now. According to The Associated Press, the court declined to review a similar challenge in 2023. While the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the Colorado law, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down local bans on conversion therapy in Florida. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE In a rush? Get an abbreviated, text view of what's happening with Hurricane Erin. Hurricane Erin strengthened as it took a turn to the north Wednesday and conditions are expected to deteriorate soon in North Carolina's Outer Banks, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. Some strengthening of the strong Category 2 storm is possible during the next day or so, and Erin could become a major hurricane again by tonight. Weakening is likely to begin by Friday, but Erin is forecast to remain a hurricane into the weekend. A major hurricane is a Category 3 or higher storm, with maximum sustained winds of at least 111 mph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hurricane Erin to bring 'powerful' 20-foot waves along East Coast Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location Beachgoers were cautioned against swimming at most U.S. east coast beaches due to life-threatening surf and rip currents. The National Weather Service in Melbourne warned large swells from Erin will peak across Florida waters today, bringing large breaking waves and a high risk for deadly rip currents. Waves could reach 6 to 10 feet. "Stay out of the ocean," the National Weather Service Jacksonville warned, saying waves along the Northeast Florida coast could reach up to 11 feet. Hurricane Erin projected path. See current location Special note on the NHC cone: The forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Location : 520 miles west of Bermuda; 295 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina Maximum sustained winds: 110 mph Movement : north at 14 mph Pressure : 943 mb Next advisory: 8, 11 p.m. ET Track all active storms North Carolina braces for Hurricane Erin. See watches, warnings The National Hurricane Center said weather conditions are expected to deteriorate along the coast of North Carolina by tonight as outer bands from Erin approach. The National Weather Service in Morehead City, North Carolina, said coastal impacts began overnight along the Outer Banks and will worsen throughout the day. Storm surge of 3 feet or greater is expected above ground level and there's a potential for Highway 12 on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands "to be impassable and/or inaccessible through late week due to significant wave run up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Numerous roads will likely be impassable under several feet of water and vehicles will likely be submerged. Consider moving cars to higher ground." Several watches associated with Erin have been issued for North Carolina: Storm surge warning: Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina Tropical storm warning: Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia, including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds. NC 12 may be 'impassable' for days due to Hurricane Erin over wash. See evacuation routes See peak storm surge forecast from Hurricane Erin Spaghetti models for Hurricane Erin. See projected path Special note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Track Hurricane Erin Is there a hurricane coming to Florida? No. Erin is located east of Florida but it is forecast to bring life-threatening surf and dangerous rip currents from Florida to Canada. What impacts is Hurricane Erin having on Florida? Florida rip current risk associated with Hurricane Erin Aug. 20, 2025, Ocean swells associated with Hurricane Erin are expected to bring large ocean swells and life-threatening rip currents to Florida's coast. Wave heights could reach up to 11 feet along Northeast Florida beaches. Expect rough, high surf through Aug. 21, the National Weather Service Jacksonville posted on X. Minor coastal flooding is possible near high tide. Along east central Florida beaches, breaking waves could reach 6 to 10 feet, according to the National Weather Service Melbourne. How strong is Hurricane Erin and where could it go? At 5 p.m., the eye of Hurricane Erin was located near latitude 31.2 North, longitude 73.6 West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erin is moving toward the north near 14 mph. A turn toward the north-northeast is expected later today and tonight, followed by a faster motion toward the northeast and east-northeast by Thursday and Friday. On the forecast track, the center of Erin will move over the western Atlantic between the U.S. east coast and Bermuda today through early Friday, and then pass south of Atlantic Canada Friday and Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are near 110 mph, with higher gusts. Some strengthening is expected during the next day or so, and Erin could become a major hurricane again by tonight. Weakening is likely to begin by Friday, but Erin is forecast to remain a hurricane into the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erin is a large hurricane. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles, from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 265 miles. Watches and warnings issued for Hurricane Erin A storm surge warning is in effect for: Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina A tropical storm warning is in effect for: Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina to the North Carolina/Virginia border, including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds A tropical storm watch is in effect for: Bermuda Hazards affecting land from Hurricane Erin Wind: Tropical storm conditions are expected over portions of the North Carolina Outer Banks and the Virginia coastline beginning late today. Elsewhere along the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coast, wind gusts to tropical storm force are likely Thursday through early Friday. Tropical storm conditions are possible on Bermuda Thursday and Friday. Surf: Swells generated by Erin will affect the Bahamas, Bermuda, the east coast of the United States, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days. These rough ocean conditions are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Storm surge: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide... Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina: 2 to 4 feet The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. Rainfall: The outer bands of Erin may bring up to 1 inch of rainfall to the Outer Banks of North Carolina this afternoon into Thursday. Key messages from the National Hurricane Center: What you need to know about Hurricane Erin Erin is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the beaches of the Bahamas, much of the east coast of the U.S., Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days. Beachgoers in those areas should follow advice from lifeguards, local authorities, and beach warning flags. Storm surge flooding and tropical storm conditions are expected in the North Carolina Outer Banks beginning later today and lasting through Thursday. The storm surge will be accompanied by large waves, leading to significant beach erosion and overwash, making some roads impassible. Tropical storm conditions are expected on Thursday along the Virginia coast. Wind gusts to tropical storm force are likely along portions of the remainder of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and southern New England coasts Thursday through early Friday. Tropical storm conditions are possible on Bermuda on Thursday and Friday. Current forecast: How strong could Hurricane Erin get? At 5 p.m.: 110 mph 12 hours: 115 mph 24 hours: 115 mph 36 hours: 110 mph 48 hours: 100 mph 60 hours: 85 mph 72 hours: 65 mph 96 hours: 65 mph; post-tropical, extratropical 120 hours: 50 mph; post-tropical, extratropical Hurricane categories: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale Saffir-Simpson wind scale for hurricanes, tropical storms. Category 1 hurricane : 74-95 mph Category 2 hurricane : 96-110 mph Category 3 hurricane : 111-129 mph Category 4 hurricane : 130-156 mph Category 5 hurricane: 157 mph or higher Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text What's next? We will update our tropical weather coverage daily. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. This story has been updated to include new information. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Hurricane Erin projected path, Florida impacts from Cat 2 storm NEED TO KNOW A body found in Rocky Mountain National Park has been identified as Blake Kieckhafer The Larimer County Coroner's Office also revealed his cause of death and what they think happened Kieckhafer was last spotted on Aug. 7 in the Upper Beaver Meadows area of the park after being dropped off by a ride share service, a National Park Service spokesperson said A body found in Rocky Mountain National Park has been identified as Blake Kieckhafer, a 23-year-old man who disappeared after getting dropped off at the Colorado park. In an update this week, the Larimer County Coroner's Office announced that the deceased had been "positively and scientifically identified" as the Nebraska man, who was last seen after being dropped off at the park on Aug. 7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An autopsy conducted on Thursday, Aug. 14, found that Kieckhafer died of multiple blunt force injuries and his manner of death was ruled an accident. "Based on the circumstances of the scene and death investigation, it is believed the decedent died on August 9, 2025, from an accidental fall," a spokesperson for the coroner's office said, noting they will not be releasing any additional information. A Rocky Mountain National Park spokesperson announced on Thursday, Aug. 14, that authorities found remains likely associated with Kieckhafer. His body was recovered above Emerald Lake. "Rocky Mountain National Park rangers completed an on-scene investigation and recovery operations took place by helicopter," a park spokesperson said in a statement. "His body was flown to a landing zone in Rocky Mountain National Park and transferred to the Larimer County Coroners Office." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Search efforts began after Kieckhafer's family reported him missing to park rangers on Aug. 11, a National Park Service spokesperson said in a statement. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Kieckhafer was last spotted in the Upper Beaver Meadows area of the park on Aug. 7, around 5:20 p.m. local time, when he was dropped off by a ride share service, the NPS spokesperson said. Read the original article on People LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The Clark County teachers union and the school district are preparing to approve a new collective bargaining agreement, but what exactly is in it? There is wording in the contract reached between the Clark County Education Association and the Clark County School District that states teachers may use reasonable and necessary force. That section in the agreement outlines protecting teachers from assaults and/or battery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It states educators may use reasonable and necessary force, with the contract referring to NRS code 392.4633 on the type of force that can be used: To quell a disturbance that threatens physical injury to any person or the destruction of property To obtain possession of a weapon or other dangerous object within a pupils control For the purpose of self-defense or the defense of another person To escort a disruptive pupil who refuses to go voluntarily with the proper authorities The collective bargaining agreement also referred to SB 460. Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and other state and local leaders held a ceremonial bill signing for it on Monday. Clark County Education Association President Marie Neisess spoke at the event in support of the contract. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want this to be the destination school district. We want CCSD to be the number one choice for families, Neisess said. Negotiations between CCSD and CCEA were much different this time around compared to 2023, when teachers protested in mass and closed schools by calling out sick. This is starting my fifth year as president. For the first four years, there was a lot of chaos in our district, Neisses said. Besides making permanent the teacher raises lawmakers approved in 2023, Interim State Superintendent Steve Canavero said SB 460 protects teachers. For one, it makes school employees immune from civil and criminal liability for actions taken to stop fights or other incidents that pose safety risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill also includes many other changes that will positively affect children and educators across the state, Canavero said. According to records 8 News Now obtained from the district, there were 443 calls to CCSDPD in the 2024 and 2025 school year labeled as an assault/battery on a student by a staff member. SB 460 also applied immunity from civil and criminal liability to private school staff members who take actions in good faith to stop fights, assaults, or other dangerous incidents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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) In honor of National Aviation Week, 8 News Now reporter JC Fernandez was live Wednesday morning from Freedom Park inside Nellis AFB with Dan Wheaton, historian for the 57th Wing. Wheaton began by outlining the history of Freedom Park, an outdoor museum on the base that displays aircraft retired from active service. JC Fernandez was live this morning from Freedom Park inside Nellis AFB with Dan Wheaton, historian for the 57th Wing. (KLAS) Celebrating National Aviation Week At Nellis Air Force Base. (KLAS) (KLAS) (KLAS) He also shared the story of Nellis Air Force Base itself, which first opened in 1941 as the Las Vegas Army Airfield. It was later renamed to honor 1st Lieutenant William Harrell Nellis, a Las Vegas native and World War II fighter pilot who lost his life in combat in 1944. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wheaton showcased some of the impressive static aircraft on display, including: Fairchild A-10A Warthog General Dynamics F-111A Aardvark Lockheed YF-117A Night Hawk McDonnell F-4C Phantom II North American F-86E Sabre North American F-100D Super Sabre Northrop F-5E Tiger II Republic F-105G Thunderchief Each aircraft has its history of missions and has played a role in shaping our militarys past. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Despite notable progress, these enhancements were insufficient for President Santokhi. During July 2025, he lost office due to the fallout from those stringent economic austerity measures and ongoing corruption allegations. It was President Santokhi who saw Surinames burgeoning offshore oil boom as a silver bullet for a crisis-prone economy, which over the last decade contracted sharply. For 2015, Suriname reported gross domestic product (GDP) of $5.13 billion, yet by 2024 it had plunged 13% to $4.46 billion. This marked decline is hurting the population of one of South Americas poorest countries, where one in six people live in poverty There is, however, still a long way to go. The IMF outlined the need for Paramaribo to enforce fiscal discipline, strengthen tax administration, improve regulatory transparency, and bolster governance mechanisms. The objectives of the program have been broadly achieved. The economy is growing, inflation is receding, public debt is declining, the autonomy and governance of the central bank have been strengthened, and investor confidence is returning. Paramaribo, since the 2020 pandemic, has been battling yet another deep financial crisis , which spilled over into violence at the start of 2023 as the cost of living spiraled out of control. Protestors stormed Surinames National Assembly in February 2023 as then-President Chan Snatokhis International Monetary Fund (IMF) mandated economic austerity hit hard in a country where nearly a fifth of the population lives below the poverty line. Despite the hardships triggered by the austerity program, which included slashing government spending, removing energy subsidies, and sharply devaluing the Suriname dollar, there are signs of success. The IMF Executive Board, after reviewing the arrangement in March 2025 stated: It is a long time coming, but the impoverished South American country of Suriname is poised to enjoy the fruits of a major oil boom. For nearly a decade, the government, in the capital Paramaribo, hungrily eyed neighboring Guyanas drilling success, which transformed that country into the worlds newest petrostate . Yet Surinames offshore drilling, despite yielding positive results, repeatedly experienced uncertainty and delays . This took place as the economic situation in the former Dutch colony deteriorated, causing to President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, a former police commissioner, to lose office. Newly appointed president opposition leader Jennifer Geerlings-Simons faces uncertainty over the economy and the anticipated oil boom. Story Continues During January 2020, APA, the then operator of Block 58, announced the first discovery in Block 58 at the Maka Central-1 well. This was followed by four more discoveries, with the most recent being the Krabdagu discovery made during 2022. Source: APA Corporation EnerCom Oil & Gas Conference. Since the last discovery, a series of appraisal wells were drilled at the Sapakara and Krabdagu discoveries, which confirmed the presence of a reservoir containing an estimated 750 million barrels of crude oil. The oil discovered in Suriname was determined to be light and sweet with API gravities of between 35 degrees and 60 degrees with a low sulfur content. Those are important attributes in a world with a focus on producing high-quality low low-emission fuels, which are cheaper and easier to manufacture from lighter sweet crude oil. First oil from one of the five significant oil discoveries made in offshore Block 58 was initially expected in 2026, although this did not occur, with TotalEnergies postponing development of the oil acreage. Poor exploration results, including several dry wells, inconsistent seismic data, and concerns about the reservoir related to a high gas-to-oil ratio, impacted the multi-billion-dollar final investment decision (FID). For those reasons, TotalEnergies at the end of 2022 postponed the FID to further appraise and better define the oilfield's attributes. Finally, in October 2024, TotalEnergies and APA announced the $10.5 billion FID for developing the Sapakara and Krabdagu discoveries, targeting first oil in 2028. The latest news from TotalEnergies shows development of Block 58 is well underway. The project, dubbed GranMorgu, is located 93 miles offshore east of Paramaribo, targeting a reservoir containing recoverable oil resources of over 750 million barrels. Source: APA Corporation Third Quarter 2024 Financial and Operational Supplement. GranMorgu will be comprised of one drillship and a semi-submersible rig with 16 production wells and 16 injector wells. The facility is designed with nameplate capacity of 220,000 barrels per day and storage for up to 2.1 million barrels. GranMorgu will yield 220,000 barrels of crude oil and 450 million cubic feet of natural gas each day. Commissioning and first oil are projected for 2028, which represents a two-year delay from Paramaribos original timeline. The carbon intensity of oil extraction from GranMorgu is forecast to be low. This is an important attribute in a low carbon world where governments are substantially reducing greenhouse emissions and energy companies pledge to be net carbon neutral. This includes TotalEnergies, which plans to be net carbon zero across its worldwide operations by 2050. The supermajor recently confirmed the GranMorgu project fits that goal with an all-electric Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel being installed at GranMorgu. TotalEnergies is committed to no routine flaring and for all gas produced to be injected into the FPSOs tanks. For these reasons, GranMorgu is forecast to emit less than 16 kilograms of carbon per barrel of oil equivalent extracted. This is lower than the global average of 18 kilograms of carbon produced per barrel of oil equivalent lifted, but higher than neighboring Guyana, where an average of only nine kilograms of carbon is discharged per barrel. This will ensure Suriname retains its status as a global carbon sink. The 38 million acres of forest covering the former Dutch colony absorbs 8.8 million tons of carbon annually, while the country only produces seven million tons. TotalEnergies pledged to assist Paramaribo with maintaining Surinames status as a carbon-negative country. Once GranMorgu is operational, it will generate considerable income for a fiscally challenged Paramaribo, which is struggling to find sufficient income to balance the budget while meeting sovereign debt repayments. The potential government revenue is boosted by the national oil company and industry regulator Staatsolie securing a 20% interest in GranMorgu. This stake, which is worth $2.4 billion, forms an important plank in Staatsolies goal of tripling revenue to almost $1.8 billion before the end of this decade. While estimates vary, GranMorgu is expected to earn $16 billion to $26 billion of revenue for Paramaribo over the life of the oilfield, dwarfing Surinames 2024 GDP of $4.46 billion. By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Read this article on OilPrice.com A Central Florida man faces charges for harassing his disabled neighbors. On Aug. 17, deputies arrested Antonio Roman for four counts of stalking, two counts of battery on a disabled person and two counts of battery, according to a press release from the Marion County Sheriffs Office. Roman admitted to using a surveillance system and a sprinkler system to intentionally spray two children, who have special needs, as they got on and off the school bus in front of his house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Corporal Kyle Ferguson initially responded to a home on Southwest 51st Circle in Ocala regarding the sprinkler system on April 30, but the victims stated it became more consistent on Aug. 8. Victims told Ferguson the incidents happened so often that the father began wearing swimming attire to shield his children from being sprayed. Ferguson watched Romans residence and confirmed the sprinkler system was directly aimed at the bus stop, according to the press release. Authorities called Roman, and he admitted to being upset about the location of the bus stop, stating that the wheelchair ramp used part of his driveway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He confessed to manually activating the sprinklers because he was upset the bus was on [his] side. Ferguson obtained an arrest warrant for Roman, who, at the time, was at his secondary residence out of state. When he returned to Ocala, he turned himself in, and deputies transported him to the Marion County Jail. MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) The Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro has just been ranked the third-best high school in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report. The school also ranks as the top high school in Rutherford County, the Metro Nashville area and Tennessee. We have a robotics program thats very exceptional; we have a biomedical program, a business program, Central Magnet School Principal John Ash said. It is nice when you are recognized, and it makes some of that hard work and those long days worth it. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Last years senior class had an average 31.4 ACT score. So far, 14 students in this years senior class have a perfect ACT score. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school has roughly 800 spots that students must apply for. We utilize their standardized test scores from the two previous years from when they apply and their grades, and we take them; we have a spreadsheet for each grade. We put the numbers in, and we take them on the best scores, Ash said. School administrators said one key advantage at Central Magnet School is students ability to take advanced placement and dual-enrollment courses. All of our students have college credit when they graduate, Ash said. Last year, we had 193 graduate, and we had $12.5 million in accepted academic scholarships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Central Magnet School certainly speaks to the growth the area has seen with many families attracted to Rutherford County Schools. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Ash credited the hard work of faculty and students for the recent ranking. We can change kids lives and families lives by making them successful, Ash said. Weve had several first person in their family go to college, attend Ivy League schools and things like that. I mean its life changing. Ash said Central Magnet Schools enrollment is currently capped. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. The Norwich Area Veterans Council will host its annual Iraq/Afghanistan war commemoration ceremony at 1 p.m. Aug. 30. The event will take place at the Richard E. Hourigan VFW Post 594, located at 30 Connecticut Ave., Norwich, according to a community announcement. The ceremony aims to honor those who served, were killed in action or are listed as missing in action during the conflicts. It will specifically remember Keith Heidtman and Jacob Martir, two Norwich men who lost their lives in Iraq. Martir, an Army specialist, was 21 when he was killed by small-arms fire in Baghdad in 2004. Heidtman, an Army first lieutenant, was 24 when his helicopter was shot down in Diyala province in 2007. Keith Heidtman and Jacob Martir From October 2001 to February 2024, the United States has reported 60,618 casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, including 7,085 military fatalities and 53,533 wounded service members. Connecticut has lost 32 residents in the Iraq war and 20 in the Afghanistan war, with two missing in action from Desert Storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The guest speaker for the ceremony will be Mark Jones, C Civ USN, Subbase Public Relations Office, a former U.S. Navy flight operations launch officer during Desert Storm. This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich CT veterans to host Iraq, Afghanistan war memorial event Dispatchers inside South Sound 911's central Tacoma office are working with counselors on behavioral health calls as part of a new partnership between the Washington Department of Health and providers who oversee the state's 988 mental health hotlines. (Photo courtesy of South Sound 911) During Dianna Cabers 15-year tenure at South Sound 911 the public safety answering center for a majority of fire and law enforcement agencies in Pierce County dispatchers have rarely transferred anyone to a regional crisis and suicide hotline. Practically every call that reached their Tacoma communication center was handled by first responders. The only caller we were transferring to a crisis line before was someone who called and said, can I talk to crisis? Caber, manager of the center, said. Outside of that, it was getting entered for a law enforcement or fire department response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Practices fundamentally changed two years ago, after trained mental health counselors from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline embedded themselves inside Sound Sounds call center under a state pilot program. Large numbers of calls are now diverted, at least partially, away from emergency responders like law enforcement. The shift is one component of a broader and ambitious effort to overhaul Washingtons behavioral health response system following the launch of 988, which debuted across the country in July 2022 as a replacement for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Changing from the former suicide hotline number, 1-800-273-8255, to an easy-to-remember three-digit replacement drove a significant increase in volume. Record numbers have connected with trained counselors via phone, text and chat since 988 launched. In Washington, calls are up 52% from launch, according to a state report published last December. Text messages rose 923%. And call volumes have continued to grow monthly, said Courtney Colwell, director of 988 Services for Volunteers of America of Western Washington. Calls were up 37% since last year, and 8% between June in July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Volunteers of America, based in Everett, is one of three providers handling 988 calls in Washington. VOA handles calls from a vast majority of the state, excluding those in King and six counties near Spokane. Only about 10% of those calls require any sort of dispatch, Colwell said. About 10% of calls end with a mobile crisis outreach team being deployed, while about 2% might need a response from law enforcement or firefighters. A lot of people just need someone to talk to, she said. Much of the work being done around 988 is still in its infancy, but has shown promising results, Caber says. Their partnership with Volunteers of America has been a huge benefit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the biggest innovations has been conference calls, where a 911 call receiver and 988 counselor are on the line at the same time with a caller able to give them advice as they wait for first responders. About 16% of calls are now being handled in this format, Colwell said, while the rest are flat transfers. Being together opens up many opportunities to support callers and maintain a no wrong door approach, Caber said. No matter who you call and where you go, were going to get you to the right people. Someone to respond and somewhere to go From the beginning, Washington officials envisioned 988 as an entry point to a more comprehensive system, adopting legislation to enhance the states behavioral health infrastructure to provide help beyond the initial call. The concept, based on the ideal crisis continuum outlined by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, was that in addition to a crisis line to call, there would be local dispatch services and facilities for people to go for follow-up care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At launch, the promise for the future of Washingtons lifeline was threefold: someone to call, someone to respond, and a place to go, then-Gov. Jay Inslee wrote in a 2024 blog post. Three years later, many of those initial promises are still a work in progress, said Jolene Kron, executive director of the Salish Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization. Several state workgroups continue to discuss the future of 988 and its role in the states crisis system. A spokesperson for the Washington state Health Care Authority, the agency tasked with overseeing much of this work, did not make a representative available for an interview by press time. One of the questions is how 988 fits in with the existing local crisis lines. Salish, one of 10 state-funded regional behavioral health providers, runs its own behavioral health hotline distinct from and created prior to the launch of 988 for residents of Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallam Counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Salish Regional Crisis Line and 988 services coordinate with each other. Volunteers of America runs both, but they are separate entities. Kron said this requires some call transferring between the two lines, in an effort to maintain a no-wrong-door approach. In an emergency, an individual can call either line, she says. There are few transfers from 988 to the Salish Line, Kron said. Part of that is 988 has historically been used for suicide prevention, meaning most callers are only looking for someone to talk to and their issues are resolved on the phone. If a call needs an in-person response, it has to be transferred to Salish, Kron said. They are the only ones who can dispatch the mobile crisis outreach team run by the nonprofit Kitsap Mental Health Services. Kron said that is something that could be changed down the road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Challenges around georouting also exist for 988, to some degree, Kron said. Previously, when some dialed 988, their calls were routed to a call center based on their phones area code not their actual location. That changed for major wireless carriers like T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T last year, but smaller providers still have this issue. Many of the folks we would be serving are probably not on those larger plans, so we continue to support folks using the Salish regional crisis line for most expedient direct access, Kron said. Theres not a barrier to using 988, it would just mean an additional call transfer. This article was first published by the Kitsap Sun through the Murrow News Fellow program, managed by Washington State University. In an increasingly timid broadcasting environment, Channel 4 content boss Ian Katz has said the network is going where rivals are refusing to go. Speaking at last nights annual dinner at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Katz flagged recent documentaries Gaza: Doctors Under Attack and 1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story as proof that Channel 4 is taking risks while others reach for international formats and reboots. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where others bottle it, we broadcast it, said Katz, flagging the Gaza: Doctors Under Attack saga as an exemplar. Produced by ex-Channel 4 News boss Ben de Pear, Gaza: Doctors Under Attack was initially forged for the BBC but was dropped by the corporation over the risk of creating a perception of partiality after its director criticized Israel on the Today programme. This came amid the separate Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone scandal, which impacted the BBC for months. After the BBC shelved Doctors Under Attack, Channel 4 swooped in and aired the doc several weeks back to a strong set of reviews. One of the things Im proudest of this year is the fact that we aired Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, a film which some considered too hot to handle, Katz said last night. I think that decision reflected our commitment to independent journalism and public interest broadcasting. I also think it underscored the fact that in the increasingly timid broadcasting environment, Channel 4 is still willing to take risks, whether its around tackling stories that others wont, betting on British IP when others are reaching for international formats and reboots or backing new talent when others are reverting to the same clutch of familiar names. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katz praised Channel 4 interim CEO Jonathan Allan for approving the docs broadcast on his first day in the gig, describing this as the most bracing first day that anyones ever experienced. His reference to international formats and reboots could reopen old wounds. At Edinburgh 2022, he locked horns with then-BBC content boss Charlotte Moore, who criticized his take on reboots, stating well, Channel 4 bought The Great British Bake Off back. Katz said Channel 4s risk-taking penchant applies not only to Doctors Under Attack but to programmes that open up noisy, conversation-driving topics to broad audiences such as the Bonnie Blue documentary, which has been criticized for its content and has seen a number of advertisers pull their advertising. Channel 4 has continued to stand by the doc throughout. Katz will address the fest again later today during a Spotlight Session. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. An electric car charging station. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program to build out the capacity for charging electric vehicles has been restarted after being suspended by the Trump administration early this year. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) A suspended federally funded program to expand the nations electric vehicle charging capacity has been jolted back to life. Prospective developers seeking to build stations in Wisconsin and share in the states federal grant have until Sept. 5 to submit their proposals, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wisconsin was one of the first states to take part in the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) project, part of the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. Our state DOT was incredibly proactive in participating in the program, Amy Barilleaux, communications director for Clean Wisconsin, told the Wisconsin Examiner. The states allotment was $78 million and 53 projects were awarded with the funds in May 2024, a state DOT spokesperson said. The department signed 39 agreements accounting for $16 million before the program was frozen earlier this year; eight projects have been completed and five are under construction. Countermanding the push to reduce reliance on fossil fuels that have been associated with worsening climate change, President Donald Trump issued executive orders promoting fossil fuels and attempting to block measures to promote renewable energy that were enacted during former President Joe Bidens administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of Trumps first such orders, on the day he took office, froze NEVI funding that had not been committed to projects by then. It should have never been paused in the first place, Barrilleaux said. This was money that was allocated by Congress that was ours to spend under this program. Wisconsin along with more than a dozen other states and the District of Columbia sued to restore the NEVI grants. A federal judge in June blocked the Trump administration from freezing the grants or withholding the money from the 14 states and D.C. that joined the lawsuit. Barrilleaux noted that by joining the lawsuit, Wisconsin was able to benefit from the ruling that released the money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued new guidance for the grants Aug. 11. The new guidance eliminates various provisions in the original federal program, including specifications that emphasized using renewable energy, required consumer protections and required engagement with rural, underserved and disadvantaged communities. While I dont agree with subsidizing green energy, we will respect Congress will and make sure this program uses federal resources efficiently, Duffy wrote in a statement. Its good that were getting back to building out this infrastructure, said Ben Behlke, clean technology programs manager for Renew Wisconsin. This is a great opportunity for us to solve the chicken or the egg issue as it relates to making charging available as adoption of electric vehicles becomes more prevalent. Beyond making this technology more accessible, electrifying our transportation is a necessary part of our effort to create a clean energy economy. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is entering the next phase of implementing artificial intelligence (AI) during the 2025-26 school year. The project is in continuation of the districts approach to AI integration to support student learning, improve operational efficiency, and align CMSs four Pillars of Excellence: Academic, People, Operational, and Engagement. CMS is laying the groundwork for responsible, future-ready learning environments, said CMS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill. Were balancing innovation with safety and clarity to make sure our students and staff benefit from the opportunities AI can provide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district says it will continue to prioritize data privacy and security. Starting this upcoming school year, the district will take the following steps: All CMS employees are required to complete foundational training in AI Literacy & Data Privacy. All CMS students will receive grade-level-appropriate digital citizenship and AI literacy lessons, aligned with the North Carolina Department of Public Instructions Student AI Use Continuum , which builds shared understanding and expectations for student use of AI, supporting responsible use and academic integrity. The district has also launched its first AI Champion Schools , selected to pilot new instructional and operational uses of AI and share learnings across the district. More than 150 AI Champion facilitators were trained over the summer to deliver professional learning that is designed to deepen staff skills for using AI safely and responsibly. All central office staff, school principals and assistant principals, and AI Champion School teams will receive training by December 2025. CMS has selected an AI tool that meets our strict data privacy and security requirements for staff to use, after completion of foundational training, to enhance, not replace, learning and teaching. Lessons from this work will be shared with families through CMS Family Academy and in a new asynchronous AI Literacy course for families. This work reflects the insights we heard from students, families, educators and staff last year, said Rebecca Lehtinen, executive director of Educational Technology. We are building a foundation where everyone understands the basics of AI, while also empowering our AI Champions to go deeper and lead the way. This kind of tiered, proactive professional learning is how we prepare our schools for the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information about CMS AI initiative, visit cmsk12.org/ai. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A local animal rescue is stepping in after a Charlotte pet store was shut down. North Carolina inspectors said at least 11 puppies died, leading officials to pull the license for Happy Puppy Universe. The pet store is also accused of not telling customers that the puppies they were buying were sick. So he is, Mika is a Siberian Husky, and he is about 18 weeks old, said Colleen Sowers, the founder of Peanuts Place Small Breed Rescue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mika is healthy. Hes one of the lucky ones that has been cleared, he doesnt have any infections or anything, said Sowers. But some of the other puppies he was in the pet store with are sick, and state inspectors say others died. Some of them were pretty lethargic. We noticed that right away that they were pretty depressed, said Sowers. She took in 38 dogs from Happy Puppy Universe after the pet store in Charlottes University area was shut down last week by the state. I asked her how many puppies? She told me about 40, and we quickly started loading up crates, said Sowers about the call she got from a manager at the pet store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The North Carolina Department of Agriculture yanked the businesss license, saying the pet store posed an imminent danger to the animals in their care. State records show that at least 11 puppies from the store died in the last two months. Inspectors add that the pet store failed to correct a disease problem noted by a veterinarian back in May, and they didnt tell the people buying the dogs about the medical condition of the puppies. Ive been contacted by no less than a dozen or more people that had just recently bought dogs from that store and all of them were deathly ill, said Sowers. Happy Puppy Universe is still within the 14-day window; it has to tell the State Department of Agriculture where it has taken the dogs from the store. The business cannot reapply for a license for another year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the sweetest dog I think weve ever taken in, said Sowers. Mika is up for adoption now, but hes one of the only ones. Sowers said the rest of the puppies are being treated for illnesses, but she hopes one day all of them will be ready to adopt. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Microsofts head of artificial intelligence (AI) has warned that digital chatbots are fuelling a flood of delusion and psychosis. Mustafa Suleyman, the British entrepreneur who leads Microsofts AI efforts, admitted he was growing more and more concerned about the psychosis risk of chatbots after reports of users experiencing mental breakdowns when using ChatGPT. He also said he feared these problems would not be limited to those who are already at risk of mental health issues and would spread delusions to the general population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Suleyman said: My central worry is that many people will start to believe in the illusion of AI chatbots as conscious entities so strongly that theyll soon advocate for AI rights. This development will be a dangerous turn in AI progress and deserves our immediate attention. Mr Suleyman said there was zero evidence that current chatbots had any kind of consciousness, but that growing numbers of people were starting to believe their own AI bots had become self-aware. To many people, its a highly compelling and very real interaction, he said. Concerns around AI psychosis, attachment and mental health are already growing. Some people reportedly believe their AI is God, or a fictional character, or fall in love with it to the point of absolute distraction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that researchers were being inundated with queries from people asking, Is my AI conscious? What does it mean if it is? Is it ok that I love it? The trickle of emails is turning into a flood. Mr Suleyman said the rise of these delusions created a frankly dangerous risk that society would hand human rights to AI bots. Doctors and psychiatrists have repeatedly warned that people who become obsessed with services like ChatGPT risk spiralling into psychosis and losing touch with reality. Digital chatbots are prone to being overly agreeable to their users, which can cause them to affirm deluded beliefs in users with pre-existing mental health problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical experts have also reported cases of chatbot users becoming addicted to their digital companions, believing they are alive or have godlike powers. Mr Suleyman urged AI companies to hard-code guardrails into their chatbots to dispel users delusions. His remarks come after Sam Altman, the boss of ChatGPT developer OpenAI, admitted his technology had been encouraging delusion in some people. OpenAI has attempted to tweak its chatbot to make it less sycophantic and prone to encouraging users wrongly held beliefs. This month, OpenAI briefly deleted one of its earlier versions of ChatGPT, leading some users to claim that the company had killed their friend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One user told Mr Altman: Please, can I have it back? Ive never had anyone in my life be supportive of me. 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. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) Ten cheetah cubs held in captivity since birth and destined for international wildlife trade markets have been rescued in Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia Laurie Marker, the founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF). which is caring for the cubs, said Wednesday they were all in a stable condition despite all of them having been undernourished and limping due to being tied in captivity for months. She said one 8-month-old cub was unable to walk after been tied up for six months, while a 5-month-old was very malnourished (a bag of bones), with sores all over her body and full of botfly maggots which are under the skin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But with cubs like this, we need to start them onto on food slowly due to refeeding syndrome, similar to people in starvation, she added. Two people who were in possession of the cubs were arrested during a Aug 14 operation in the northern Sallahley District. The authorities have urged the public to report suspected wildlife trade activities. Environment Ministry Director Abdinasir Hussein Said told journalists that the cheetah cubs have joined a group of 109 others rescued in similar operations. Somaliland is a major transit hub for the illegal wildlife trade. Hundreds of cheetahs and leopards from the Horn of Africa have been transported to Gulf countries through the Gulf of Aden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Possession of wildlife is illegal in Somaliland, and police often crack down on suspected traders. We encourage the people of Somaliland to protect wildlife in their natural habitats, as their best interests lie there, said Hussein. We can imagine the distress of a mother being separated from her young. "These animals are currently suffering due to being separated from their mothers, which may lead to the mothers experiencing stress and potentially dying. Once again, we emphasize the importance of protecting wildlife in their habitats. Conservationists in the Horn of Africa have previously expressed concern over the rise in demand for exotic pets in Gulf countries and the resulting illegal trade affecting ecosystems in Horn of Africa nations. - Associated Press journalist Mohamed Sheikh Nor contributed to this report from Mogadishu, Somalia Diageo has agreed to sell two of its Australian ready-to-drink brands, UDL and Ruski Lemon, to local drinks group Vok Beverages. The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. In a joint statement, Dan Hamilton, the managing director of Diageo's Australia business, said: The decision to sell UDL and Ruski was not made lightly but we believe it is the best way to preserve the legacy of these iconic brands and unlock future growth and innovation across Diageos broader portfolio." The sale to Vok Beverages is expected to be finalised by 1 October. "Diageo Australia and Vok Beverages will work together to ensure a smooth transition for the continued supply of UDL and Ruski to their valued customer base," the joint statement read. Ruski Lemon is a vodka-based RTD beverage, while the UDL range contains pre-mixed cocktails in flavours such as Blue Lagoon, Pina Colada, and Mango Daiquiri. The brands were created by Diageo and its predecessor company United Distillers Limited. UDL was launched in 1965, while Ruski came onto the market in 1997, the year Diageo was founded. UDL and Ruski are sold mostly in Australia but also have "limited sales" in New Zealand and some markets in the South Pacific region, Diageo told Just Drinks. Vok Beverages, founded in 2002, is the alcoholic drinks subsidiary of local company Bickfords Group of Companies. The South Australia-based business specialises in the production, sales and marketing of beer, wine, spirits, cider and RTD beverages. Its portfolio includes 23rd Street Distillery gins, Beenleigh Rum and Vok Liqueurs. In the statement, Vok Beverages managing director Angelo Kotses said: Since 2002, Vok Beverages has been proudly crafting exceptional spirits, RTDs, beer, and wine from our local manufacturing facility in South Australia, building trusted brands with a passionate consumer following. "Were thrilled to be giving UDL and Ruski a bold new chapter, with exciting plans already underway to surprise, inspire, and delight both customers and consumers alike. Diageo still produces a range of RTD brands in Australia under the brands Bundaberg rum, Smirnoff vodka, Johnnie Walker whisky, Captain Morgan rum and Gordon's gin. The sale comes as Diageo intensifies its cost-saving efforts. The company recently announced plans to achieve $625m in cost savings over the next three years, an increase of $125m from its initial $500m target outlined in its Accelerate initiative in May. "Diageo sells two RTD brands to Australias Vok Beverages" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. When the rain comes, Sharen Renee Parish sits on her basement steps and waits for the water to mop up mud, a tall task for the disabled Chicago Transit Authority retiree who needs a caregiver. It worked as heavy rains fell Monday night. But in the storms over the weekend, the water just kept coming, rising past her knees. Im not even supposed to be in the basement trying to do this, but I have no one to assist me. No one whatsoever, Parish said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 61-year-old caught the attention of Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday morning as he walked through the Gage Park neighborhood, flanked by a number of top city officials tasked with overseeing sewers, streets and emergencies, leaving buckets of cleaning supplies disinfectant, dust masks, mop heads and more on doorsteps and in outstretched hands. A devastated Parish told the mayor that her purple-and-white sided home now with a broken boiler and a furnace fixed after July flooding broken again is her one shot at leaving generational wealth for her granddaughter. All my efforts are fruitless, she said. Ive called everyone and I cant get any assistance. Well, were here, the mayor responded. We dont control the rain. The infrastructure in our city has been in need of repair for a very long time. Were committed to that repair. We need your help and support, because these repairs do require investments. We are living in a time in which people want me to cut the budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From the flooded basements on the citys Southwest Side to a flooded riverwalk in Naperville, thousands across Chicago and the suburbs were affected by storms Monday night into early Tuesday. Damages were only made worse by the weekends storms, a meteorologist said. Allison Anderson, director of the Will County Emergency Management Agency, said every corner of her county has felt the impact of this weekends severe weather. Residents have reported flooded basements and roadways, she said, and it will take a few weeks to fully understand the scope of damage. There were at least 45 reports of storm and flooding damage to homes after opening an assessment survey for just a few hours Tuesday. This one is definitely elevated compared to other ones this year, Anderson said, referring to previous summer storms that caused widespread flooding. In DuPage County, officials estimated that flood control facilities took in more than 82 million gallons of water during the recent storms. The DuPage River even overflowed its banks, covering the Naperville Riverwalk Tuesday. The countys stormwater management field crew responded to calls for assistance Saturday night and again on Monday by pumping floodwaters in portions of Westmont and Lisle, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Up to 7 inches of rain in northwest Indiana led to scattered flooding, school delays and power outages. BPs Whiting Refinery operations were also impacted by the thunderstorms after an odor was reported near the refinery. The repeated storms are taking their toll. In Emetric Whittingtons bungalow, an unbearable smell lingers in her basement, she told the Tribune from her porch in Gage Park. She was also forced to move her brother to an upstairs room after the basements ceiling collapsed from water damage. On Tuesday morning, boxes filled her living room, a sign of the decision she made after Julys flooding. Whittington, 59, said she will move from her home of 15 years, although she isnt sure where she will go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im trying to find a place, its like a needle in a haystack, she said, adding she hopes to stay in the city near her job as a home health care aide. Its frustrating and sad and depressing. Its making me nervous. You know, weve been here for a long time. Highly variable rainfall Rainfall totals were highly variable, from half an inch in downtown Chicago to 3 to 4 inches in the south suburbs Monday and Tuesday, said Lee Carlaw, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Carlaw said the storms were caused by a low pressure area that was able to wring out all the moisture from the atmosphere because of Mondays high humidity, leading to slow-moving, heavy-rain producing thunderstorms. Carlaw said flooding was likely exacerbated by the weekends rain, which saturated the soil and made the conditions more favorable for flash flooding. The weather service also warned that swimming conditions at Chicagos beaches remain life-threatening until Thursday, with expected waves of 3 to 6 feet. One bright spot, however, is that a cold front will gradually work its way through the Chicago area, Carlaw said. By Wednesday, he said conditions will be cooler and less humid. Precipitation isnt in the forecast this week either, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats good news for crews working to clean up storm damage at one Mount Prospect apartment complex. Officials believe a microburst, a downdraft of air that can cause damaging winds, caused the roof of the four-story apartment complex at 701 Huntington Commons Road to partially blow off Saturday afternoon, displacing residents from its more than 60 units. As crews carried out water-soaked carpeting and other destroyed belongings Tuesday morning, some residents waited outside to ask for updates on their homes. Olga Bruessel, lives on the buildings first floor with her son. She said she had lived in the apartment for about a year, and is staying with a friend for the time being. We finally settled in just for this to happen, she said, adding that she doesnt have renters insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bruessel was in her car during the Saturday storm. She said she had only about 40 minutes to grab her belongings from the apartment. Some (residents) didnt even have a chance to get any of their things, she said. Kylie Cerk, a spokesperson for Mount Prospect, said the property owner hired a structural engineer and restoration company to assess and clean up the damage. She added that a few people remain in temporary shelters. Cook County officials also reported storm damage in Cicero and Berwyn. How will the city respond to a 100-year downpour? Meanwhile, Chicagos Department of Water Management Commissioner Randy Conner called the rain, nearly 6 inches in under two hours, a 100-year downpour. The emergency management office is asking residents impacted by the storms to fill out a flood damage assessment survey, which they say helps them pursue options for additional resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its like trying to put 10 gallons of water into a five-gallon bucket at a rate of 20 gallons per 30 seconds, Conner said. Speaking with reporters, Johnson officials floated a few quicker solutions adding sensors in drains, planting thousands of trees and more aggressively clearing pipes. But, ultimately, the mayor said with a changing climate and an insufficient drainage system on the South and West sides, the city must raise progressive revenue to pay for major fixes. The ultimate goal is to make sure that this doesnt become the norm, and it really requires us to invest in people, and that will require progressive revenue, he said. Well bring it to the residents and people can decide if we want to remain stagnant and continue to get what we have received or do we want to press forward so that families who are hurting from these floods dont have to worry every time it rains. Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, praised the mayor for visiting flooded homes but criticized him for pushing for more city revenue at the scene and pinning blame so heavily on the areas sewer lines. A major water main nearby was replaced last year and is still covered in fresh concrete, he said. Lopez and five other South and Southwest side aldermen sent Johnson a letter Monday asking him to establish a rebate for homeowners who install flood-preventing backflow valves, a spend he estimated could cost as much as $50 million. He wants Johnson to spend city money to help residents clean up now, in anticipation of federal funds that could take years to come, or never arrive. WAYLAND, Mich. (WOOD) Joshua Gerald Young didnt waste much time. Fifteen seconds after he sat down next to his alleged target in a Wayland-area home, Young reached over, touched the mans face and tried to turn it toward him for a kiss. I dont know if I want to kiss just yet, said the man, responding to the advance. Young, 36, thought he was meeting up with a 15-year-old boy when he arrived at the sting house around 9 p.m. on Aug. 4. He was wrong; the youthful-looking man seated next to Young on the couch was actually 21, a decoy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 7 alleged child sex abusers arrested in West Michigan as part of nationwide sting I didnt realize this was another (expletive) set-up, Young exclaimed when the YouTuber who set up the operation strolled into the room. Do you know who I am? asked Kai Kinsley, whose YouTube page, on which he posts sting videos, has attracted 1.27 million followers. So, whats going on here tonight, Josh? I got (expletive) set up again, replied Young, who told Kinsley hed met the friend sitting next to him on Snapchat. How old did this friend tell you that he was? asked Kinsley. 15, Young replied. Had I not been here tonight, you would have showered and cuddled and got naked with this 15-year-old boy? inquired Kinsley at one point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Correct, Young responded, his demeanor flat with resignation; hed been in this position before. Kinsley busted Young nearly two years ago in a Grand Rapids motel room. SEX OFFENDER: DAMN In that case, Young admitted he thought he was meeting up with a 14-year-old girl. Damn, exclaimed Young when Kinsley and crew entered the motel room in 2023. 2 from Grand Rapids area arrested in sex trafficking sting Young had already removed his shirt, later acknowledging he would have laid down, cuddled and gotten into it heavy if Kinsley hadnt shown up. I dont know what you mean, said Kinsley. Im just trying to get an understanding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just like, having sex, explained Young. So, you came here to have sex with a 14-year-old girl? asked Kinsley. When she texted me she told me she was 14, said Young. I know Im probably going to go to jail. The Grand Rapids man had been there before. Young was 25 years old in 2014 when he pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct for touching an 8-year-old girl, an offense that landed him on the sex offender registry. Kinsley figured Youngs criminal record would help guarantee his arrest when Kent County sheriffs deputies responded to Kinsleys call from the motel. But thats not what happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats your name sir? asked a Kent County deputy, standing outside the motel room door. Josh, replied Young. Josh, you wanna come out and talk to me really quick? BUSTED BUT NOT ARRESTED Deputies took Kinsleys report, but Young was never arrested. That would take two more years, another sting, and a different county. When Kinsleys team contacted the Barry County Sheriffs Office from the sting house Aug. 4, deputies showed up and arrested Young on the spot. Young admitted to Kinsley that hed continued talking to minors, trying to set up meetings and sending explicit pictures in the two years since the sting at the Grand Rapids motel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young remains behind bars in the Barry County Jail. His defense attorney, Gordon Shane McNeill, told Target 8 hes already met with his client and, at this early stage, has no concerns regarding Youngs mental competency. The Kent County Sheriffs Office told Target 8 investigators and supervisors at the department reviewed the 2023 complaint and closed it out in accordance with the guidance provided by the Prosecutors Office. Predator patrol: Bikers snare local man in recorded sting Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker has a long-standing policy against filing criminal charges in cases that arise from citizen-led stings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (KCSO) is aware of a recent report indicating that one complaint related to a citizen-led sexual predator sting operation did not proceed to the Prosecutors Office for formal review before the case was closed by the KCSO, read a statement the department released to Target 8. This incident was part of a sting not sanctioned, coordinated, or conducted by law enforcement. PROSECUTOR: IVE NEVER SEEN THIS. Becker, when questioned by Target 8, said it was difficult for him to comment on the Joshua Gerald Young case because it did not come to his office. Ive never seen this, said Becker, watching the Aug. 4 Barry County sting video in his office for the first time. Its troubling. Becker said the no-prosecution policy was developed to discourage vigilantes from engaging in confrontations that put them and the public at great risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats the biggest thing, said Becker. The cameras in the face, the dramatic, To Catch a Predator type situations. Thats a recipe for disaster. We had individuals who were bringing guns to these confrontations. There are so many ways that things could go bad. But Becker said hes made exceptions in egregious cases, like the Grand Rapids man who showed up at a Wyoming park to meet what he thought was an 11-year-old girl. Instead, he was confronted by a group called Bikers Against Predators, which conducts predator stings across the country. Wyoming Police forwarded the case to Becker in early 2024, and the prosecutor charged it. I never said, Dont send (the cases) down here, we wont take a look at them, said Becker, noting hed prefer police forward cases to his office for review. I wasnt aware they thought that. Well bring that up with them for sure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement College students charged in TikTok-inspired catch a predator plot appear in court KCSO: WE WILL SEND CASES TO PROSECUTOR The sheriffs office said, moving forward, it will send such cases to Beckers office. To enhance consistency and public confidence, KCSO will ensure that all similar cases are forwarded to the Prosecutors Office for official review and potential charges before being closed, read KCSOs statement. The agency went on to note that KCSO conducts proactive investigations of its own but does so within the bounds of state and federal law, preserving the chain of custody and, when probable cause exists, makes arrests and submits complete case files to the Prosecutors Office for charge review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since July this year, KCSO said the prosecutors office has filed charges in six separate child exploitation investigations, with additional open cases still under investigation. The Kent County Sheriffs Office (KCSO) is aware of a recent report indicating that one complaint related to a citizen-led sexual predator sting operation did not proceed to the Prosecutors Office for formal review before the case was closed by the KCSO. This incident was part of a sting not sanctioned, coordinated, or conducted by law enforcement. After completing their activities, the citizen group submitted a report to the KCSO. KCSO takes reports of child exploitation very seriously. Investigators and supervisors reviewed the mentioned complaint and closed it in accordance with the guidance provided by the Prosecutors Office. To enhance consistency and public confidence, KCSO will ensure that all similar cases are forwarded to the Prosecutors Office for official review and potential charges before being closed. KCSO welcomes reports from any member of the community and encourages immediate reporting of suspected criminal activity. However, KCSO strongly discourages citizen-led sting operations. Such actions pose safety risks, can compromise evidence, and may hinder successful prosecutions. The KCSO conducts proactive investigations, including stings similar to the one completed by this group, but within the bounds of state and federal law, preserving the chain of custody, and, when probable cause exists, makes arrests and submits complete case files to the Prosecutors Office for charge review. Since July this year, KCSO has had charges authorized in six separate child exploitation investigations, with multiple additional open cases still under investigation. KCSO shares the communitys commitment to protecting children, said Bryan Muir, Undersheriff of the KCSO. The safest and most effective approach is to report concerns directly to law enforcement so that trained investigators can build prosecutable cases while ensuring the safety of victims, bystanders, and the integrity of the evidence. Kent County Sheriffs Office Becker, too, implored the public to let police conduct sting operations and confront the predators they ensnare. The prosecutor is wary, too, of the motives of online sleuths. Theyre not there just being Good Samaritans, theyre doing this for a reason to advance their own profile, to get clicks. Kai Kinsley acknowledges that some online watchdogs are more interested in making money or a name for themselves, but he says thats not him. I do it because I have a genuine passion for what I do, declared Kinsley, explaining that, as a young teen, hed come across child pornography on an older, out-of-state relatives phone during a visit and reported it to police, which prompted criminal charges. Kinsley, 21, began conducting stings in 2021 and earns income from online ad revenue and fees subscribers pay to access his videos. He said hes caught around 70 predators, 20 or 30 of whom were charged criminally. FIVE STING ARRESTS IN THREE MONTHS It took a little while of trial and error, Kinsley said, explaining that he had to figure out which counties will file criminal charges based on his stings. For example, Barry County, Ive gotten five arrests there of the five pedophiles I caught there. Kinsley said all of the Barry County cases occurred within the last three months. Private Sin: How a church protected child molesters Barry County Prosecutor Juile Nakfoor-Pratt said she could not comment on open criminal cases but issued a statement making clear her position on citizen-led stings: The Barry County Prosecutors Office is deeply concerned about the safety well-being of minor children in our community, however, we want to ensure that investigations into this conduct are done by police officers. Police Officers are educated and trained in both law and procedure and their focus is on the safety of our community. When citizens form a task force of their own, many are doing so for the right reasons, but often overlook proper and legal procedure, which can negatively affect our cases . Also, the to catch a predator cases are often placed on social media. , which adds a premature and often widespread public exposure that is often harmful to the case. When citizens want to assist police, they should call the police to let them know they are aware of a possible predator situation, give the police the information they have and let the police take over from there. When the police are investigating a predator that is soliciting a minor, they take time to organize the apprehension and arrest of these individuals. They coordinate among themselves and with other departments to ensure the apprehension and arrest goes smoothly. I cannot comment on our pending cases at this time, except to note that all defendants are innocent until proven guilty. Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt Nakfoor-Pratt also expressed concern about the impact of posting such stings on social media, which results in premature and often widespread public exposure that is often harmful to the case. CONTROVERSY NOT NEW The controversy surrounding citizen-led stings is not new. In 2019, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Michigan State Police issued a joint statement making clear their position. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Michigan State Police (MSP) are sending a strong message to residents who are targeting suspected child sexual predators: vigilante activity will not be tolerated, read the release. A vigilantes recent behavior in the Grand Rapids area has escalated and demonstrated reckless conduct, including luring suspected online predators to a public place, recording the sometimes-violent interactions, then posting the videos on social media, according to the Michigan State Police. Authorities have told the vigilante, and others like him, they arent able to prosecute any more cases based on information gleaned by this method. The Kent County Sheriffs Office said the public can do the following to help protect children in West Michigan: Report suspected online exploitation or attempted child solicitation to KCSO at (616) 632-6100, 911 for incidents in progress, or Silent Observer for anonymous tips. Preserve evidence. Do not confront suspects or arrange meetings. Save original messages, screenshots, and files to provide to investigators. To report child sexual exploitation to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, go to CyberTipline.org. Or call 1.800.THE.LOST (843.5678). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Child Protect of Mercer County says funding granted by Gov. Morrisey is much needed PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) Child Protect of Mercer County is one of several Child Advocacy Centers across the state receiving funding from the $2.5 million in grant monies announced by Governor Patrick Morrisey. Governor Morrisey announces more than $2.5 million to fight child abuse and sexual assault Child Protect of Mercer County will be receiving more than $82,000 from Governor Morriseys grant. Beth Sizemore, Child Advocacy Center Program Director for Child Protect, said this money is crucial to keep their facility up and running. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said they provide many services to the Mercer County community and this state funding will help them continue to do so. That funding that comes from the state of West Virginia is money that we use to provide extremely valuable services right here in Mercer County. We provide forensic interviewing, and then we provide all kinds of follow-up services for children who have been physically, sexually abused and/or neglected, said Sizemore. She said the monies will also be used to pay the salaries of those employed at Child Protect, keeping people who care about these children in the best place for them to help. Erica Merrill, a Child Forensic Interviewer at Child Protect, said the funding is especially needed for her to keep doing her job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said this is because what she does is not readily available just anywhere. So, by us receiving that funding it then secures the fact that we will continue to provide this unique service to children that they cant just go and get anywhere, said Merrill. Family Treatment Court graduates celebrated Merrill said forensic interviewing for children is a delicate process that one must be rigorously trained in. She said the information she gets from the children she interviews is used by law enforcement and the court systems to bring whoever abused the child to justice. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KABUL (Reuters) -China told Afghanistan on Wednesday that Beijing was keen on exploring and mining minerals in Afghanistan and wanted Kabul to formally join its Belt and Road Initiative, the Afghan Taliban foreign ministry said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is visiting Kabul and held talks with Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, the ministry said in a statement, adding that both countries wanted to expand cooperation in a range of areas. Beijing will continue to support the Afghan government to achieve long-term peace and stability, Wang told Muttaqi, according to a readout of the meeting released by China's foreign ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China was willing to deepen mutual political trust with Afghanistan and step up cooperation in areas including trade and agriculture, Wang said. He called on Afghanistan to combat militant forces, adding that tighter security ties would provide a guarantee for bilateral economic cooperation. "Mr. Wang Yi also mentioned that China intends to initiate practical mining activities this year," the Afghan statement said. In a separate meeting with the Afghan Taliban prime minister, Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Wang said "China will continue to uphold justice, oppose unilateral bullying, and engage in cooperation in various fields with Afghanistan". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wang urged Akhund's government to take seriously Chinese concerns over "terrorist forces" and step up efforts to combat them, according to a readout of the meeting from Wang's ministry. China was the first country to appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan under the Taliban and has sought to develop its ties with the hardline Islamist group that took control of the war-torn country in 2021. The impoverished country, rich in lithium, copper and iron deposits, could offer a wealth of mineral resources to boost Beijing's supply chain security, analysts say. (Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar. Writing by Sudipto Ganguly. Editing by YP Rajesh and Mark Potter) By Liz Lee BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to strengthen trilateral exchanges at all levels, as Beijing pushes to strengthen security with its neighbours, according to a statement from the ministry. Wang, who attended a three-way meeting with his counterparts in Kabul on Wednesday, said the countries should continue to build strategic mutual trust and deepen security cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China is ready to understand and support issues involving each country's core interests and firmly oppose external interference in the region as well as any organisation or individual undermining each other's national sovereignty, the minister said, according to a readout on Thursday. "It is necessary to improve the security dialogue mechanism, deepen law enforcement and security cooperation, strengthen the fight against transnational terrorist activities, and eradicate the breeding ground for terrorism," Wang said. The readout did not mention any terrorist groups, but a report by Chinese state media Xinhua on Wang's meeting with Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi mentioned the East Turkestan Islamic Movement. The report cited Wang as saying China hopes Afghanistan will intensify efforts to combat such terrorist forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China shares a 596 km (370 miles) border with Pakistan that runs through the Karakoram Mountains, extending from the tripoint with Afghanistan to the disputed area with India near the Siachen Glacier. With Afghanistan, China shares a 92 km (57 miles) border that meets Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan territory. The countries border China's northwest Xinjiang region, which had in the past been beset by conflict which Beijing blamed on Islamist militants and ethnic Uyghur separatists who say they seek to establish an independent East Turkestan. Wang also told his counterparts that the three countries should expand development cooperation, trade and investment exchanges, and network connectivity. (Reporting by Liz Lee and Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Michael Perry) TALATAN, China (AP) Chinese government officials last month showed off what they say will be the world's largest solar farm when completed high on a Tibetan plateau. It will cover 610 square kilometers (235 square miles), which is the size of Chicago. China has been installing solar panels far faster than anywhere else in the world, and the investment is starting to pay off. A study released Thursday found that the country's carbon emissions edged down 1% in the first six months of 2025 compared to a year earlier, extending a trend that began in March 2024. The good news is China's carbon emissions may have peaked well ahead of a government target of doing so before 2030. But China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, will need to bring them down much more sharply to play its part in slowing global climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For China to reach its declared goal of carbon neutrality by 2060, emissions would need to fall 3% on average over the next 35 years, said Lauri Myllyvirta, the Finland-based author of the study and lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. China needs to get to that 3% territory as soon as possible, he said. 'Moment of global significance' China's emissions have fallen before during economic slowdowns. What's different this time is electricity demand is growing up 3.7% in the first half of this year but the increase in power from solar, wind and nuclear has easily outpaced that, according to Myllyvirta, who analyzes the most recent data in a study published on the U.K.-based Carbon Brief website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were talking really for the first time about a structural declining trend in Chinas emissions, he said. China installed 212 gigawatts of solar capacity in the first six months of the year, more than America's entire capacity of 178 gigawatts as of the end of 2024, the study said. Electricity from solar has overtaken hydropower in China and is poised to surpass wind this year to become the country's largest source of clean energy. Some 51 gigawatts of wind power was added from January to June. Li Shuo, the director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington, described the plateauing of China's carbon emissions as a turning point in the effort to combat climate change. This is a moment of global significance, offering a rare glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak climate landscape, he wrote in an email response. It also shows that a country can cut emissions while still growing economically, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Li cautioned that China's heavy reliance on coal remains a serious threat to progress on climate and said the economy needs to shift to less resource-intensive sectors. There's still a long road ahead, he said. Power for 5m households A seemingly endless expanse of solar panels stretches toward the horizon on the Tibetan plateau. White two-story buildings rise above them at regular intervals. In an area that is largely desert, the massive solar project has wrought a surprising change on the landscape. The panels act as windbreaks to reduce dust and sand and slow soil evaporation, giving vegetation a foothold. Thousands of sheep, dubbed photovoltaic sheep, graze happily on the scrubby plants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wang Anwei, the energy administration chief of Hainan Prefecture, called it a win-win situation on multiple levels. In terms of production, enterprises generate electricity on the top level, and in terms of ecology, grass grows at the bottom under the solar panels, and villagers can herd sheep in between," he said. Solar panels have been installed on about two-thirds of the land, with power already flowing from completed phases. When fully complete, the project will have more than 7 million panels and be capable of generating enough power for 5 million households. Like many of Chinas solar and wind farms, it was built in the relatively sparsely populated west. A major challenge is getting electricity to the population centers and factories in Chinas east. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The distribution of green energy resources is perfectly misaligned with the current industrial distribution of our country, Zhang Jinming, the vice governor of Qinghai province, told journalists on a government-organized tour. Coal-fired power plants Part of the solution is building transmission lines traversing the country. One connects Qinghai to Henan province. Two more are planned, including one to Guangdong province in the southeast, almost at the opposite corner of the country. Making full use of the power is hindered by the relatively inflexible way that China's electricity grid is managed, tailored to the steady output of coal plants rather than more variable and less predictable wind and solar, Myllyvirta said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an issue that the policymakers have recognized and are trying to manage, but it does require big changes to the way coal-fired power plants operate and big changes to the way the transmission network operates, he said. So its no small task. ___ Moritsugu reported from Beijing. Associated Press video producer Wayne Zhang contributed. ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Chinese leader Xi Jinping made a rare visit to Tibet on Wednesday to mark the 60th anniversary of the consolidation of Beijings long-contested rule over the Himalayan territory. Xi arrived in Tibets regional capital of Lhasa, where he received a warm welcome from people of various ethnic groups" who waved bouquets of flowers and danced to joyful rhythms, the Xinhua News Agency said. The agency said Xi urged the building of a modern socialist Tibet that is united, prosperous, civilized, harmonious and beautiful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Communist forces occupied Tibet in 1951. In 1965, Mao Zedongs single-party dictatorship established the Tibet autonomous region. Decades of political repression followed, including the demolition of some Buddhist monasteries and the imprisonment of monks. Recent years have seen the large-scale migration of majority Han Chinese to the high-altitude region, the virtual closure of Tibet to journalists and foreigners, the removal of Tibetan children from their families to boarding schools where they are taught in Mandarin, and the repression of all forms of political or cultural expression outside Communist Party control. China also insists on the right to appoint a reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhisms highest-ranking leader, who recently turned 90 and lives in self-imposed exile in neighboring India after fleeing Chinese rule in 1959. On Tuesday, exiled Tibetans protested in India against the Chinese foreign ministers visit there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics say repression in Tibet has become more systematic and wide-reaching since the crushing of anti-government protests in 2008, while China claims to have reduced poverty and built up the regions infrastructure. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say they were essentially independent for most of that time under their Buddhist theocracy. China's contested border with India runs along Tibet's southern edge, where China has been building roads and other infrastructure for possible military use. Prosecutors charged Marquis Johnson with first-degree assault in the Aug. 8 Chinatown acid attack on a 30-year-old cook, who sustained severe injuries. The 34-year-old was charged at 4 :35 p.m. Tuesday, just under the wire of the 48-hour charging deadline. Had they not met the deadline, police would have had to release Johnson. Johnsons bail was set at $500, 000. First-degree assault is a Class B felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $25, 000 fine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson likely will make his initial court appearance in Honolulu District Court this morning. Johnson surrendered at the main police station at 5 :35 p.m. Sunday after police named him Thursday and provided a photograph to the public, naming him as the Aug. 8 acid attack suspect. Johnsons arrest shocked friends, who described him as a kind, sweet person who danced ballet and flamenco. They had hoped it was a case of mistaken identity, which had occurred before. Johnson was wrongly arrested in 2022 while he was walking along a Waikiki street around midnight on Aug. 22, 2020, where two car theft suspects, who also were Black men, had been in the area. In the complaint, Johnson said he was told to lie prone on the ground, and handcuffed, in a case of mistaken identity, and that one officer used excessive force. The case was recently settled in federal court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Aug. 8 attack, police said the suspect approached the victim on the sidewalk, asked him a few questions, then suddenly threw sulfuric acid on the victim. The victim told police he did not know his assailant, police Lt. Deena Thoemmes said. The incident occurred at the corner of North Hotel and Smith streets. An employee of Lucky Belly, a restaurant at that intersection, said the victim, a cook, had come from Livestock Tavern to get some food items from Lucky Belly, which has the same owners. He said the attack occurred just outside Lucky Bellys kitchen after the cook left to return to Livestock Tavern. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said the acid attack victim returned to his workplace, where co-workers aided him and called 911. A witness provided a description that resulted in a police sketch of a man wearing a do-rag head covering and glasses. Police said the assailant had a camera around his neck and was carrying a red or maroon water bottle. That description was initially shared with the public Aug. 13, five days after the attack. Police also provided images from surveillance video of the suspect, wearing a blue hooded shirt, walking across the street. The acid attack has similarities to two previous attacks, which were related to each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first was allegedly carried out by Paul Cameron in 2023 at a Mililani fitness center against a young woman he knew. Cameron also was charged in the second attack as an accomplice in attempted murder in an apparently random attack against a Chinese language teacher. The second attack was allegedly part of a murder-for-hire plot by Cameron to divert attention from him as a possible suspect in the first case. The man facing trial in the second attack is Sebastian Mahkwan, who Cameron allegedly enlisted while they were in jail. A Chinese man in California has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to exporting guns, ammunition and sensitive military equipment to North Korea. Shenghua Wen, 42, was paid about $2m (1.5m) by the North Korean regime for his smuggling exploits, in a case that highlights the way Pyongyang evades the international sanctions meant to curtail its arms trade. For a country known as the hermit kingdom, this [smuggling] network is extensive, said Dr Edward Howell, an expert on contemporary North Korea at the University of Oxford. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Wen had first made contact with officials from North Korea at the regimes embassy in China. He then moved to the United States on a student visa in 2012, and illegally remained in the country when it expired in 2013. But it was not until 2022 that two officials contacted him using an encrypted messaging platform called Wickr, asking him to acquire guns and sensitive technology. Mr Wen then purchased firearms in Texas, transported them back to the Port of Long Beach in California, and shipped at least three containers to North Korea after filing false export information. One of the containers, said to be carrying a fridge, reached Hong Kong in January 2024 and was later sent on to Nampo the pariah states largest port. Part of the arms and equipment seized by the FBI during a raid on Wens home in August 2024 He also purchased approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition and obtained sensitive technology, such as a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver. These items, stored in two secure briefcases, were seized from his home during an FBI raid in August 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, Mr Wen admitted to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which authorises the US president to regulate commerce with countries if there is a threat to national security, and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. Dr Howell said it was rare but not unheard of for individuals to be arrested for smuggling military items into North Korea. US prosecutors said the weapons were intended for a potential attack on South Korea For instance, in 2022, Virgil Griffith, a US cryptocurrency researcher, was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiring to help North Korea evade sanctions. But Dr Howell added that the smuggling system used to procure weapons, oil, coal and textiles is now highly extensive it does not just involve rogue individuals, but a vast network of front companies, shady partnerships and powerful friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: China and Russia are the main actors directly coordinating these illicit transfers, with recent evidence of Chinese ports mooring North Korean ships delivering weapons to Russia being one example. Circumventing sanctions is complex and costly, which is why Russias decision to provide North Korea with a direct supply of crude oil in exchange for troops and munitions to assist Russias war against Ukraine is so beneficial for the Kim regime, added Dr Howell. Doing so frees up financial resources, allowing Pyongyang to spend more on its nuclear and missile capabilities. 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. Chinas huge upcoming military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the countrys victory over Japan in World War II is shaping up to be the most significant showcase of new capabilities in years. TWZ has previously reported on a number of new air combat drone designs that will make their official debut at the event, but a bevy of previously unseen missiles has also been capturing particular attention. A massive burst of imagery of parade preparations, which have been ongoing for weeks now, began circulating online over the weekend. The parade itself is scheduled to take place in Beijing on Sept. 3. Trucks carrying missiles seen during parade preparations this past weekend. Chinese Internet One quartet of missiles seen amid the parade preparations with the designations YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19, and YJ-20 has been especially eye-catching. The exact target sets these missiles are intended to engage are unclear, as are their launch modes. China has historically applied YJ designators to anti-ship and/or land attack cruise missiles that can be fired from aircraft, surface warships, submarines, and/or ground-based launchers. Various new missiles (ship UVLS launch?) confirmed, my 2c on roles: YJ-15, ramjet compact supersonic? YJ-17, waverider hypersonic glide? YJ-19, ?maybe scramjet hypersonic? YJ-20, biconical hypersonic/aeroballistic? Possibly seen before from 055.. Via REautomaton, SDF pic.twitter.com/9061QDAi09 Rick Joe (@RickJoe_PLA) August 17, 2025 The YJ-15 looks to be a new ramjet-powered design with a layout that is similar in very broad strokes to the existing YJ-12. The YJ-12 is a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile that can be air, sea, and ground-launched. The YJ-12 is itself at least externally reminiscent of the Soviet-era Kh-31. The YJ-12s manufacturer, state-run China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), has said in the past that at least the export version, called the CM-302, also has a secondary land-attack capability. A handout picture showing YJ-12 missiles on parade in Beijing in 2019. Government of the Peoples Republic of China The shaping of the nose on the YJ-17 points first and foremost to a design capable of reaching hypersonic speeds, defined as anything above Mach 5. This may be a waverider type missile that skips on top of the shockwaves produced during high-speed flight to gain additional lift. The YJ-17s seen on a truck, still under wraps. Chinese Internet Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been some discussion about whether the front end of the YJ-17 might actually be an unpowered hypersonic boost-glide vehicle that detaches after launch, despite the cruise missile designation, based on the lack of a clearly obvious air intake. Unlike air-breathing hypersonic cruise missiles, a boost-glide vehicle uses a booster to reach an optimal speed and altitude before descending back down to its target along a relatively shallow, atmospheric flight path to its target, all while maneuvering erratically along the way. The combination of this flight profile and very high speed presents particular challenges for defending forces. A graphic showing, in a very rudimentary way, the differences in trajectories between a traditional ballistic missile, a hypersonic boost-glide vehicle, an aero or quasi-ballistic missile, and an air-breathing hypersonic cruise missile. GAO However, a very narrow slit inlet may be present in some of the images of this particular missile that have emerged so far. Air-breathing hypersonic cruise missiles also generally use a rocket booster to get up to sufficient speed for their ramjet/scramjet engines to take over. One of the pictures that has emerged of the YJ-17 design, which may show a narrow slit inlet under the nose, as seen in the close-up at right. Chinese Internet In contrast to the YJ-17, the YJ-19 does have a very visible air intake under the nose. Its overall configuration also aligns with other known high supersonic and hypersonic missiles powered by advanced ramjet or scramjet engines. Even under wraps, the YJ-19s pronounced air intake is visible. Chinese Internet Outwardly at least, the YJ-20 looks to have a relatively traditional multi-stage ballistic design. The missile aligns well with a mysterious missile seen being fired from what was said to be a Type 055 destroyer in a video that appeared online in 2022. That weapon has also been referred to as the YJ-21 in the intervening years, though that designation does not seem to have ever been confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rick Joe, a long-time tracker of Chinese military developments, has also noted that the YJ-20 has similarities to a missile design previously seen in renders associated with a triple-pack insert for a maritime vertical launch system (VLS). That VLS, in turn, may be primarily intended for use on submarines, especially the future Type 095 (also written Type 09V), though it could also potentially be installed on surface warships with sufficient internal space. Now that we see YJ-20 clearly and know its name, one is reminded of these again IYKYK https://t.co/xQdByvdUAy pic.twitter.com/Ene4uMgnz1 Rick Joe (@RickJoe_PLA) August 17, 2025 Collectively, the YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19, and YJ-20 point to a significant boost in the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys high-speed strike capabilities, especially in the maritime domain. In addition to presenting complications for defending forces, hypersonic missiles simply offer a way to close a kill chain faster, making them especially well-suited for use against time-sensitive targets. A number of other missiles without clearly visible designations have been seen as part of the ongoing parade preparations, a number of which may also be previously unseen designs. Some of the imagery available shows very large transporter vehicles, some of which are clearly seen carrying equally large missile canisters, but that do not readily align with known Chinese designs. This prompted talk about whether a new intercontinental ballistic missile or another type of long-range ballistic missile is set to be unveiled. 3/9 Parade : 11 (?) missiles from PLARF this year https://t.co/n3rCInKD1H pic.twitter.com/Jea0CouWNa luritie (@luritie) August 16, 2025 Experts and observers have noted that at least one of the vehicles looks to be designed to load ICBMs into silos, rather than fire them, based on a lack of key features and the shaping of the missile canister it carries. China has exponentially increased the number of ICBM silos it has in recent years, though it is unclear if each one holds a missile, or is even intended to. A shell game involving loaded and unloaded silos mixed together presents targeting challenges for opponents, as you can read more about here. The vehicle has no gas generator and the canister itself is somewhat short. Very likely this is the DF-31 silo loader. https://t.co/BBx1kl1nN8 pic.twitter.com/gWGWB7lz78 Decker Eveleth (@dex_eve) August 16, 2025 What may be a stealthy ground-launched cruise missile, based on its angular shaping and green paint job, has also been seen in the convoys taking part in the parade preparations. Its general configuration points to a design analogous to the U.S. Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile (TLAM). The grainy picture of this missile available now limits what else can be gleaned about the design so far. Not sure if this one was already posted besides all the other fancy stuff looks like a new cruise missile (most likely a land-attack system) and maybe also as a stealthy KD-20/20A replacement? pic.twitter.com/Jq1MwlbMTl @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) August 19, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The PLA Rocket Force's (PLARF) commitment to a new seemingly subsonic ground-launched land-attack cruise missile is a notable development given the strikingly modest scale at which the CJ-10 and CJ-10A cruise missiles are understood to have been deployed. While the https://t.co/WTtMIFRKyo pic.twitter.com/ZQxCRSQjdn Shahryar Pasandideh (@shahpas) August 16, 2025 Air and missile defense interceptors also look set to be a major element of the upcoming parade, though less imagery of them has emerged from the preparations so far. From what has been seen so far, the HQ-11, HQ-16, and HQ-19, all of which have been previously disclosed, could be among the systems on display next month. PLA Unknown Air Defense Convoy | Beijing HQ-11(?) HQ-16(?) HQ-19(?) HQ-26(?) HQ-29(?) HQ-32(?) pic.twitter.com/Eb7hRVfZaT David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) August 16, 2025 Anticipation has already been growing for weeks now about the potential for an official reveal of a new high-end anti-ballistic missile system, often referred to now (and apparently unofficially) as the HQ-29. Past sightings of what could be an associated six-axle transporter-erector-launcher point to a very large interceptor, which could be capable of mid-course intercept attempts against ballistic missiles traveling outside the Earths atmosphere. An image purportedly depicting Chinas HQ-29 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) System has emerged. The photo features: One Transport Erector Launcher (TEL) One Radar Mast One Command Vehicle One Power Unit/Logistical Support vehicle The HQ-29 system is anticipated to be https://t.co/sC8VzSCbtw pic.twitter.com/ah0CBJE5Vt OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) August 8, 2025 There has also been talk about a possible debut of another anti-ballistic missile system that has been referred to as the HQ-26. Past reports have suggested this system could offer equivalent exo-atmospheric intercept capability to the U.S. Standard Missile-3 (SM-3). What looks to be a long-range surface-to-air missile system, designated the HQ-20, which does not appear to have been previously disclosed, has also been spotted. The eight-wheeled TEL for this system can carry at least eight interceptors at a time. The TEL also looks similar to the one used in the HQ-9 system, which is analogous to the Soviet-designed S-300, but the HQ-20s interceptors are notably smaller. A broadly similar dichotomy is notably seen in the size of PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors for the U.S. Patriot surface-to-air missile system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As TWZ noted in our previous report about the new drones set to be showcased at the upcoming parade in Beijing, a wide array of materiel, including new heavy armored vehicles and uncrewed underwater vehicles, have also been spotted as the preparations continue. There will be a flyover component, where additional surprises may emerge, as well. Overall, what weve seen already is clearly intended to highlight Chinas progress in modernizing its armed forces across the board, and send signals to opponents both regionally and globally. In addition, as we have stressed before, some of what will be shown at the parade could be aspirational. At the same time, even the mock-ups that China has shown at top-level national events like this in the past have often reflected very real developments. In terms of missiles, the DF-17, a hypersonic boost-glide vehicle design that was first shown publicly in mock-up form at another major parade in 2019, is a prime example of this. More and more about the full breadth of missiles and other capabilities that will be on display at the parade is likely to be revealed as it gets closer to the actual event. Contact the author: joe@twz.com By Luciana Magalhaes and Patricia Vilas Boas SAO PAULO (Reuters) -A Brazilian subsidiary of China's ride-hailing company DiDi Global sued Chinese rival Keeta on Monday in a Sao Paulo court alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition, according to court documents seen by Reuters. The lawsuit comes days after Keeta, which is entering the Brazilian market, sued DiDi's Brazilian unit, 99, in Brazil, alleging its food delivery app 99Food was trying to restrict restaurants from working with more than two delivery platforms. In Monday's lawsuit, 99 accused Keeta, owned by Chinese delivery giant Meituan, of using colors, graphics and font similar to 99's platform to "catapult its commercial operations" in the Brazilian market. "The numerous visual similarities ... induce undue consumer confusion and the defendants seek to 'hitch a ride'" on 99's success, the lawsuit said, requesting the court order Keeta to change its logo. In a statement to Reuters, Keeta said its logo and colors have been associated with Meituan for over 14 years and Keeta itself for the past three years. 99 declined to comment. (Reporting by Luciana Magalhaes and Patricia Vilas Boas in Sao Paulo; Editing by Daina Beth Solomon and Cynthia Osterman) A Chinese national in California has been sentenced to eight years in prison for shipping firearms and ammunition to North Korea. North Korean officials paid Shenghua Wen around $2 million (1.7 million) to ship two containers of weapons and other items from Long Beach in California to North Korea via Hong Kong in 2023, according to the US Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. The 42-year-old pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, the authorities said. Wen was sentenced on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wen arrived in the US from China on a student visa in 2012 and remained in the country illegally after it expired in December 2023, according to the attorney's office. He told investigators that before he entered the US, he met with North Korean officials at an embassy in China, where they instructed him to procure goods for Pyongyang. Wen said he believed that the weapons would be used for a surprise attack against South Korea, and also admitted that he had tried to buy uniforms to disguise North Korean soldiers, according to a criminal complaint filed in September. Related Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, North Korean officials contacted Wen via an online messaging app and instructed him to buy firearms, the attorney's office said. To carry out his operation, Wen purchased a business in 2023 called Super Armory, a federal firearms licensee, and registered it under his business partner's name in Texas. He had other people purchase the firearms and then drove them to California, misrepresenting the shipments as a refrigerator and camera parts. Investigators did not say whether Wen had organised any shipments during his first 10 years in the US. The FBI in September seized 50,000 rounds of ammunition from Wen's home in the Los Angeles suburb of Ontario that had been stored in a van parked in the driveway. They also seized a chemical threat identification device and a transmission detection device that Wen said he planned to send to the North Korean government for military use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities did not specify in the complaint the types of weapons that were exported. United Nations resolutions ban North Korea from trading weapons. Washington has also imposed its own sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic missile activities. Pyongyang condemns Seoul North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has demonstrated an intent to deploy battlefield nuclear weapons along the North's border with South Korea, a US ally, recently delivering nuclear-capable missile launchers to frontline military units. Tensions flared again this week between Seoul and Pyongyang as South Korea and the United States began their annual large-scale joint military exercise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Kim condemned the drills and vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces to counter rivals as he inspected the nation's most advanced warship, state media said on Tuesday. North Korea has brushed aside calls by South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae-myung for the two rivals to resume diplomacy, and relations have soured in recent years as Kim accelerated his weapons programme and deepened alignment with Moscow following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. FILE: In this photo provided by the North Korean government, leader Kim Jong Un supervises a drill of artillery and missile systems in eastern North Korea, May 8, 2025. - Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korea's leader, on Wednesday once again taunted South Korea's efforts to improve ties and said Pyongyang would never accept Seoul as a diplomatic partner, according to state media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim reportedly told foreign ministry officials that reconciliation with South Korea would never happen, and urged the ministry to pursue "proper countermeasures" against Seoul, which she labelled the "most hostile state" and a "faithful dog" of Washington. In response to Kim Yo-jong's comments, South Korea's Unification Ministry which handles inter-Korean affairs said Lee's government will continue to take "proactive steps for peace" and called for mutual respect between the countries. An illegal immigrant accused of exporting shipments of firearms, ammunition and other military items that were concealed inside shipping containers to North Korea was sentenced Monday to eight years in prison. Shenghua Wen, 42, of the Los Angeles suburb of Ontario, had been in federal custody since December 2024 before pleading guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. Wen, a Chinese citizen, entered the United States in 2012 on a student visa and remained in the U.S. illegally after the visa expired in December 2013, the Justice Department said. Before entering the U.S., Wen met with North Korean government officials at that country's embassy in China, where they asked him to procure goods on behalf of the communist state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese Student Arrested For Allegedly Smuggling Undeclared Biological Materials Seen In New Mugshot Shenghua Wen purchased guns and other items that he illegally shipped to North Korea from California, federal prosecutors said. "Wen and some co-conspirators successfully shipped firearms and ammunition to North Korea by concealing the items inside shipping containers that were shipped from Long Beach, California, through Hong Kong, China, to North Korea," federal prosecutors said. On Aug. 14, authorities seized two devices a chemical threat identification device and a hand-held broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices at Wen's home that he intended to send to North Korea, the Justice Department said. On Sept. 6, law enforcement seized approximately 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen allegedly obtained to send to North Korea. Read On The Fox News App Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles Messages retrieved from Wens cellphones revealed discussions with co-conspirators about shipping military-grade equipment to North Korea. Some of these messages included photographs that Wen sent of items controlled for export under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a December news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese Phd Student From Wuhan Arrested Smuggling Biological Materials After Deleting Electronic Evidence: Doj Federal prosecutors said agents seized devices from Wen's home. From January to April 2024, Wen sent emails and text messages to a U.S.-based broker about obtaining a civilian plane engine. There also were several text messages on Wens iPhone about price negotiations for the plane and its engine. North Korean officials wired Wen $2 million to get the firearms and other items. He told investigators that he believed the North Korean government wanted the weapons and ammunition for a potential attack on South Korea. With the money, Wen was able to pay for an armory and a federal firearm license for $150,000 and listed his partner's name as the business owner to register with the Texas secretary of state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an effort to fly under the radar and avoid detection by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), he had others buy guns for him, authorities said. A North Korean flag flutters next to concertina wire at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "Once the straw purchasers gave Wen the firearms, he transported them to California, packed the firearms into a shipping container, and shipped the container to China, knowing that it would be transferred to North Korea," court documents state. Original article source: Chinese national who overstayed visa learns fate for exporting weapons to North Korea Correction: A previous version incorrectly stated the student pleaded guilty to charges. The story has been corrected. We regret the error. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) One of the Chinese scientists accused of trying to smuggle concealed biological material to the University of Michigan has pleaded no contest to multiple criminal charges. The U.S. Attorneys Office of the Eastern District of Michigan announced late Tuesday that Chengxuan Han has pleaded no contest to three counts of smuggling and one count of providing false statements to U.S. Custom and Border Protection Officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for breaking news alert emails Han was arrested in June at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after arriving on a flight from China. She is working toward a Ph.D from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology and was set to spend a year completing a project involving round worms at a University of Michigan lab. As part of her work, Han sent multiple packages from China to the U-M lab. Those packages were intercepted by federal authorities and flagged for not having proper permits. When questioned, Han allegedly lied or misled customs officials. According to The Associated Press, experts familiar with the material found in the packages said it didnt appear to be dangerous. The guidelines for importing biological materials into the U.S. for research purposes are stringent, but clear, and actions like this undermine the legitimate work of other visiting scholars, CBP Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The maximum penalty for smuggling goods into the U.S. is 20 years in prison, and the maximum penalty for making false statements carries up to 5 years in prison. It remains to be seen whether Han took a plea deal in favor of lighter sentencing guidelines. Hans case is different than a separate one against two Chinese scientists also working at the University of Michigan. Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu were arrested days before Han for trying to bring in a fungus called fusarium graminearum. The fungus, according to the USAO, is considered a potential agroterrorism weapon. It can trigger disease in wheat, barley and rice and is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses each year across the world. It is also dangerous to humans and livestock, causing vomiting, liver damage and even reproductive defects. US reports another arrest of Chinese scientist with no permit to send biological material Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the AP, the university has not been accused of any misconduct and has received no money from the Chinese government related to the work of the three scientists. In a statement, university officials said they strongly condemn any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the universitys critical public mission. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Rows of neatly dressed soldiers marched in unison to shouted instructions at a training ground in humid Beijing on Wednesday, as China prepares to unveil new domestically produced military hardware at a parade next month. President Xi Jinping will inspect troops in the capital's Tiananmen Square at the event to mark 80 years since the end of World War II, with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and other world leaders expected to attend. Pin-straight lines of men and women clutching guns packed the pavement at a rehearsal on a military training square under the hot sun in northwest Beijing on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soldiers in their twenties stared sternly as sweat collected on their faces and soaked through their fatigues. Wang Ranran, an army guard, said she was "extremely proud" to participate in the parade on September 3. "China often uses the term 'steel-gun rose' to describe its female soldiers," she said. "The combination of roses and guns, we really like it." Troops wearing white, green and navy blue uniforms with Chinese flags on their chests started and stopped to the piercing voices of the officers directing the show. Training that is "strict, difficult and practical" has always been the army's tradition, said Lan Yu, a second-level staff sergeant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rehearsals had not lasted long, he said, because parade training was part of their daily schedule. - New hardware - Millions of Chinese people were killed during a prolonged war with imperial Japan in the 1930s and 40s, which became part of a global conflict following Tokyo's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The ruling Communist Party has held a series of blockbuster events in recent years to commemorate its wartime resistance. China's military will showcase its latest equipment on September 3, "reflecting the evolution of modern warfare", Major General Wu Zeke, an official at China's military commission, told a news briefing on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All of the weapons and equipment taking part in this review were selected from domestically produced, currently active main battle systems, with a significant proportion being newly unveiled equipment," Wu said. These will include strategic heavy weapons and hypersonic precision systems, as well as unmanned and counter-unmanned equipment making their public debut, he said. The parade, which will last around 70 minutes, will "fully showcase our military's powerful capability to prevail in modern war", Wu said. It will also feature ground troops marching in formation, armoured columns, aerial echelons and other high-tech fighting gear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kremlin has confirmed that Putin will attend, and Chinese officials said other world leaders were also expected at the parade. China raised its defence spending for 2025 by 7.2 percent in March. The increase comes as Beijing's armed forces undergo rapid modernisation and eye deepening strategic competition with the United States. China has the world's second-largest military budget but lags well behind the United States, its primary strategic rival. bur-je-mya/ This is an adapted excerpt from the Aug. 19 episode of All In with Chris Hayes. Even though things are pretty dire in the life of our nation right now, just know this: If you are not happy with the direction our country is heading, well, you are not alone. On Monday, Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik the MAGA foot soldier who was Donald Trumps pick to be the United Nations ambassador but had to stay in Congress because Republicans desperately needed her vote made a rare public appearance in her upstate New York district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Stefanik got up to speak at a memorial event honoring a local Republican politician, the congresswoman was repeatedly heckled and booed. People in the crowd called her a traitor and a coward and demanded that she show up for a town hall with her constituents. But Stefaniks constituents in upstate New York are not alone. That is pretty much the tone throughout the country right now. Congress is in its August recess, and this is the time when voters typically get to let their elected officials know what they really think, in forums and town halls. Its clear Americans are not happy with the direction of the country. In the rare instances where Republican lawmakers do hold events, theyve been met with a similar reaction to that of Stefanik. But, according to NPR, fewer than 10% of House Republicans have even bothered to do in-person town halls this summer. Republicans claim the events are being mobbed by the far left. But here is the thing: It is not just the far left, and it is not just town halls. It is everywhere you look. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like the huge protests weve seen in thousands of communities across the nation, all against Trump and his agenda. In fact, according to USA Today, June 2025 saw more than 4,600 protests, the most in a calendar month since June 2020, after the police killing of George Floyd. Its also in the polling. A recent Pew poll of more than 3,500 adults found that Trumps approval rating had plummeted since January. He is now underwater by 22 points. Thats not a one-off. The same poll showed Trump underwater by double-digit margins on some of the biggest issues of the summer. The majority of Americans disapprove of his budget bill that gives billionaires tax breaks and slashes services for everybody else. They also disapprove of his tariffs, and hes underwater by 44% on his handling of the case against his old friend, the late alleged child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. When asked about Trumps overall effect on the federal government, respondents said he is making it worse by a 2-to-1 margin. Its everywhere you look. Its anecdotal and its quantitative and qualitative: Trump and the MAGA agenda are really unpopular. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just consider the No. 1 issue that very clearly got Trump the key votes he needed to win the election last year: widespread anger about high prices. Despite Trumps promises to lower prices, Americans are still seeing costs for just about everything go up. People are feeling it, and they are making themselves heard. The way democracy is supposed to work is that elected leaders answer to the people who elect them. Right now, the public is shouting, booing and hissing at the Republicans who run Congress and the White House. Its clear they dont want to hear it, but I dont think ignoring the American people will make it go away. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com If youre in trouble or hurt or need, go to poor people. Theyre the only ones thatll help the only ones. Ma Joad in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath (1939) There are no dream homes in Valley View Estates. No estates, either. No McMansions, no luxury condos, no manicured lawns, tightly pruned fruit trees or flawless blacktopped driveways. Valley View Estates is a trailer park in Archbald, home to some of Lackawanna Countys poorest and most powerless citizens. The people who live there dont have much but each other to rely on, and the owner is poised to take that, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The residents of Valley View Estates are in the way of progress and must be cleared like underbrush to make way for development of a nearly 1 million-square-foot artificial intelligence data center campus. Called Project Gravity, the plan would build at least six two-story buildings across 186 acres between Business Route 6 and Eynon Jermyn Road. If approved, Project Gravity will erase Valley View Estates. Residents were informed in a form letter that the ownership of the trailer park also known as Jermyn Mobile Home Village will change on April 15 and tenants must find new homes. Times-Tribune Staff Writer Frank Lesnefsky got a tip about the letter and we dropped in on Monday afternoon to talk with tenants on their rented turf. We were welcomed with open arms by a tiny, tight-knit community unused to outsiders showing any interest in their opinions. These neighbors are family to each other. They have to be just to get by. Everybody in this trailer park is on a fixed income, and some are handicapped, said Tina Goble, who moved to the park from Scranton five years ago. Goble said she used to work in a nursing home, but injured her back lifting a patient. Now she collects Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My daughter has special needs, and theres little kids living in this trailer park, she said as we chatted outside neighbor Narda Wallaces trailer. So, like I said, everybody here is just pretty much Screwed, said Wallaces 9-year-old daughter, Yazmaine. Her mom and Goble scolded the girl for her freshness, but the kid wasnt wrong. Residents of Valley View Estates have a history of getting screwed. Under the previous owner, water service was shut off twice over the owners nonpayment of bills. Garbage collection fees also went unpaid and borough officials condemned some trailers for having no electrical connection and other hazards. The county stepped up and paid to have the water service restored. The money was later repaid, as were the delinquent garbage fees. After the trailer park was sold in 2018, tenants worked with new owners Kech Chou Lonhky and her husband, Heap Ngo, of Lancaster, to clean up the property and its reputation. No one would call the place a paradise, but its better than it used to be, residents said. Soon, it just wont be. They didnt really give us a lot of time, Goble said. Seven months is not a lot of time to find a new place. Plus, winter is coming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most tenants have pets, which many landlords wont accept. Some have kids and pets, which some landlords count as two strikes. There are also more than 30 stray cats living at Valley View Estates. Many have been spayed and neutered and some have collars. All have names. A friendly tabby named Batman almost came home with me. When were gone, there will be no one to take care of the cats, Goble said. Were trying to rehome ourselves, and we cant even rehome the cats. The tenants at Valley View Estates have precious little of their own, but freely share what they can. Their kindness to each other and their care for the homeless cats they feed, collar and name reveal them as good people sticking together in hard times. Their hospitality to a pair of sweaty strangers on a parbaked August afternoon was warmer than Ive experienced in plenty of upscale environments. Gravity pulls harder on the poor and powerless. The Grapes of Wrath has been my favorite novel since I first read it as a teenager. It is elegantly written and the most honest indictment of the boundless greed that feeds vulture capitalism and eats up the meager lives of the most needy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The book tells the story of the fictional Joad family, poor, uneducated subsistence farmers forced to flee their Oklahoma home in search of the good life as migrant workers in California. What they find is exploitation, intimidation and indifference to their very existence. Upon its release, the wealthy establishment condemned the novel as scandalous and subversive because, although it was a work of fiction, Steinbeck used it to tell truths the greedy and powerful cant afford to acknowledge and dont want the poor and powerless to know. Less than a mile up the road from Valley View Estates, the Highlands at Archbald is a sprawling development of dream homes, some owned by some of Lackawanna Countys most prosperous and powerful people. McMansions, luxury condos, manicured lawns, tightly pruned fruit trees and flawless blacktopped driveways stretch as far as the eye can see. If Project Gravity proceeds as planned, those dream homes and the country club in their midst will be in sight and sound of a nearly 1 million-square-foot artificial intelligence data center campus. The dream homes of the Highlands at Archbald and the doomed trailers of Valley View Estates are in the same neighborhood. Only the tenants of the trailer park have been formally notified. CHRIS KELLY, the Times-Tribune columnist, will always side with little people over Big Anything. Contact the writer: ckelly@scrantontimes.com; @cjkink on X; Chris Kelly, The Times-Tribune on Facebook. Tomorrow night, August 18th, the Christian Service Center will begin a new homeless shelter bus program in Orlando, converting two buses into mobile shelters. This initiative is a joint effort involving the city, the Christian Service Center, and 407-Connect. Each bus features 21 sleeping pods, air conditioning, restrooms, and storage, offering a safe sleeping space for 42 people every night. The mobile shelter buses are created to meet the urgent need for safe sleeping options for Orlandos homeless community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program leverages buses to provide flexibility and mobility, enabling it to serve various areas as required. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Veteran broadcaster Chuck Todd painted President Trumps diplomacy as a belief in the rules of the jungle as Trump ups pressure on Russia and Ukraine to end the more than three-year war in Eastern Europe. Donald Trump believes in the rules of the jungle, the bigger are in charge, the smaller have to even if youre even if you have the moral ground, doesnt matter, you dont have the strength here, Todd said Tuesday on CNNs The Arena with host Dana Bash. So, this is a case where I think this is why some people while we all may people may have mistaken his support of Russia in some sort of nefarious way when its he just views it as well, Russia and China are the big people, and we have to deal with them differently than you do the others, which doesnt sit well with people that believe in constitutional republics, the former Meet the Press host said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His comments come days after Trump met with the Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky separately. On Friday, he traveled to Alaska for his first face-to-face meeting with Putin since his first term in office. While few details were revealed about the conversation, Trump said the two made progress in their talks, but no deal was reached. On Monday, he welcomed Zelensky and European leaders to the White House, where they discussed potential security guarantees. The Ukrainian leader said earlier this week that they discussed many issues at the meeting and touted important negotiations that were taking place. Russia said Wednesday any talks around potential Western security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a wider peace deal to end the war are a road to nowhere unless they are a part of the discussions. We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have already explained more than once that Russia does not overstate its interests, but we will ensure our legitimate interests firmly and harshly, he added. While a trilateral meeting between Zelensky, Putin and Trump has been floated, the president said the other two should meet first. The Hill has reached out to the White House 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. BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Its important for us to keep showing up because if not you, then who? If not now, then when? said Father Philip Egitto of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. With the tenth execution in the state carried out on Tuesday, the chimes across the street from the Florida State Prison rang out for the tenth time too. The sounds meant convicted murderer Kayle Bates had been put to death. Ringing that bell, we say to our governor, not in my name, because when someone is executed in Florida, the blood of the victim is on all of us, said Egitto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And so, when I say victim, I mean that because today is a premeditated planned murder. Anti-death penalty advocates hold vigil at Bates execution Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Daytona Beach has travelled to the prison to hold a vigil and an anti-death penalty gathering at all 10 executions this year. They say theyre not objecting the execution in protest, but in prayer. This is not a place where people are coming to just rant and rave and scream. This is really a day of prayer for us, said Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church member RoxAnne Bowers. Bowers has been a part of the church for four years. Tuesday marked her first time at the prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those prisoners. They know were here. So thats important to me, for them to know that somebody out here cares and is willing to sit out here and truly care about them and whats happening, Bowers continued. With more executions set over the coming weeks, members of the church say theyll be back. The first time, it was hard. I went home that night, and I thought, I need to keep doing this. It just feels like someone needs to be representing these people. Not that they didnt do it, but theyre human beings who have found the lord. And I am praying for their soul, said Kathy Hackett, member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. The group also prayed for the victim, Renee White, her family, and Bates family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next execution is scheduled for August 28. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. [UPDATE: Council Member Anthony Ortega has since commented that the council hired an attorney to investigate and prosecute the charges against Mayor Randall Weddle and thought that there was enough grey area over the mayor's residency not to proceed.] London City Council held a special-called meeting Friday, voting to approve two resolutions one issuing amended charges of misconduct against Mayor Randall Weddle and setting a public hearing to hear them, and another launching an investigation into city operations. Council Member Kelly Greene chaired the meeting in Mayor Weddles absence after being nominated by Jim Baker. The motion was seconded by Judd Weaver. Carmine Iaccarino, Weddles attorney, attended via Zoom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Council Member Stacy Benge was also absent due to vacation. As the meeting began, Greene invited attendees to move closer if space permitted, as several were lined up outside of the Council Chambers without seating available. I would like to invite all you all, that can and want to, to step into the room if you want to sit on the floors, or we are live streaming, so thats something you might want to do also, Greene said. Youre welcome to come in and line the walls or sit in the floor, whatever you want. City Attorney Larry Bryson reminded the council to remain mindful of public meeting accommodation requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madam Chairman, just a point of order I mentioned to your counsel previously, and I know you addressed, that people can come in and sit in the floor and stuff, said Bryson. Just be mindful of the requirements of a public meeting and the accommodations that youre supposed to make for a public meeting. Id be remiss if I did not bring that to your attention. City Council Attorney Conrad Cessna responded, Thank you for bringing that to our attention. I think Ms. Greenemade it available to everyone. I appreciate the number of people that are here. Theyre welcome to come in. KRS 61.840, regarding conditions for attendance at public meetings, states: All agencies shall provide meeting room conditions, including adequate space, seating, and acoustics, which insofar as is feasible allow effective public observation of the public meetings. Among resolutions approved at the meeting was Resolution 2025-06, which amends charges of misconduct the council previously issued against Mayor Weddle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The original resolution filed by the London City Council outlined around 14 charges against Mayor Weddle alleging improper hiring practices, misuse of authority over the London Housing Authority, and misuse of the police department among other claims. The amended resolution expands the allegations to 15, while also removing the prior charge that Weddle failed to comply with city residency requirements. Baker and Greene declined to comment on the matter at this time, with Benge commenting, I didnt know about the amendments until the day before. Benge, reiterating he had been on vacation, said hed rather wait to hear and see matters in an official capacity before commenting further. As for legal counsel, Cessna directed The Sentinel-Echo to TJ Roberts, another attorney recently retained by council, who had not responded as of press time Tuesday afternoon. The Sentinel-Echo also attempted to contact Ortega, Weaver and Young for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amended allegations are as follows: Hiring and paying persons to positions not established by the City of London or its Council, without fixed compensation (KRS 83A.070(3)) Paying employees in excess of approved rates or positions and failing to recover unlawful wages Removing members of the London Housing Authority without compliance (KRS 80.090) Appointing members of the Housing Authority without compliance (KRS 80.030) Directing Housing Authority employees to disregard laws/regulations and misusing police presence Calling further Housing Authority meetings to harass employees after notice of an improperly constituted board Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Misusing the police department and its resources to create a personal protection detail Falsely asserting jurisdiction over contractors and FEMA funds outside city limits Using a personal media outlet, Laurel County News+, to harass a city employee Refusing to hold regularly called and scheduled council meetings in March, April, and May 2025 (KRS 61.820 violation) Deliberately refusing to publish or delaying the timely publication of duly enacted ordinances (KRS 83A.060) Refusing to enforce or comply with the Citys Code of Ethics (KRS 83A.130(3) and Ordinance 2023-10) Wrongfully filing ethics charges against Council Members Justin Young, Kelly Greene, Anthony Ortega, and Judd Weaver for purposes of harassment Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illegally signing and executing a $5,000,000 mortgage for property at 998 Levi Jackson Road, London, KY, without City Council approval Improperly impeding or attempting to impede the investigation and disposition of the charges. Baker moved to approve the resolution, receiving a second from Justin Young. It passed unanimously. Planning and Zoning Commissioner Sharon Benge, among other community members, then asked, What was the resolution? I read it, Greene responded. I said a resolution issuing amended charges of misconduct in setting a public hearing pursuant to KRS 83A.040. City Council Attorney Conrad Cessna then asked Acting City Clerk Ashley Taylor, Ashley, do you want to just make it easier and just read the entire thing? I apologize for that, but just read the entire documentation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Council Member Anthony Ortega responded, We can just post it online, to which Cessna replied, Or we could just read it. Alright, I mean, technically by KRS, you dont need to read a resolution, Ortega said. Just let her read it, Baker chimed. Nonetheless, Ortega decided to hand a copy of the resolution to one of the concerned attendees, and Taylor did not read the resolution aloud. The resolution schedules a public hearing for Sept. 5 at 9 a.m. at the Laurel County Courthouses Fiscal Court room, where the council will consider whether to remove Weddle from office under KRS 83A.040(9). Resolution 2025-07 orders the City Clerk, Mayor, Finance Director, Chief of Police, and Human Resources Director to provide sworn statements and specific documents to the council. The requests include explanations and records on matters such as pay rates, housing authority membership, police protection details for the mayor, and directives regarding city meetings, ordinances and contracts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The resolution also seeks information related to the $5 million mortgage, FEMA funds, ethics complaints filed against council members, and communications concerning the London Housing Authority. Greene read, That is a resolution investigating aspects of the City of London, Kentucky, and directing statements to be made under oath and information and documents to be submitted to the City Council by the City Clerk, the Mayor, Finance Director, Chief of Police, and Human Resource Director. Ortega moved to approve Resolution 2025-07, with a second from Weaver. The measure passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned following a motion from Ortega, seconded by Weaver. Audience members then shouted and booed council members as they made their exit through a side door, escorted by London Police officers. While Mayor Weddle was not in attendance, he did later offer comment, stating, Im appalled but not surprised that council refused to follow state laws today [by] not allowing members of the public to enter that room and [giving] them adequate space to attend, and refusing to read the resolution. The Trump-Putin and subsequent Trump-Zelenskiy meetings provided ample talking points for the markets at large; however, the lack of sanctioning threats has been mostly a bearish factor for crude prices. The price drops of late have been relatively tiny, with ICE Brent still trading around $66 per barrel, yet the upside from here seems to be minimal, barring a sudden escalation. Beijing Bags Barrels as Indian Refiners Mull Their Russia Options - According to media reports, Chinese refineries have purchased at least 15 cargoes for October and November delivery as Indias state-owned refineries limit their imports of Russian crude amidst rising geopolitical tensions. - Russias medium sour Urals grade, accounting for more than half of its oil exports, tends to flow mostly to India because of shorter logistics from the Black Sea and Baltic Sea ports of the country. - Chinese refiners have imported only two cargoes of Urals in June, only one in July, however as Indias demand started to wane, theyve scooped up at least 10 tankers for October, quadrupling their intake compared to the 2025 average of 40,000 b/d. - Soaring Chinese imports of Russian oil are also a reaction to higher Middle Eastern prices, after Saudi Aramco hiked its September-loading formula prices to a $3.20 per barrel premium over Oman/Dubai. Market Movers - UK-based energy major Shell (LON:SHEL) has transferred its stakes in four contiguous blocks in the central part of the Gulf of Mexico to BP (NYSE:BP), indicating that the high-impact Penguin prospect mightve turned out to be dry. - Algerias state oil company Sonatrach has struck oil in Libya, confirming prospective resources at in the onshore Block 065 it operates, just south of the Wafa field that produces 40,000 b/d of crude. - US utility company Black Hills (NYSE:BLK) agreed to purchase its industry peer NorthWestern Energy for $3.6 billion in an all-stock deal, marking another important step in Americas power M&A landscape. - Italys energy major ENI (BIT:ENI) agreed to sell a 49.99% stake in its carbon capture and storage projects to BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) subsidiary GIP, mostly covering upstream assets in the North Sea. Tuesday, August 19, 2025 The Trump-Putin and subsequent Trump-Zelenskiy meetings provided ample talking points for the markets at large, however the lack of sanctioning threats has been mostly a bearish factor for crude prices. The price drops of late have been relatively tiny, with ICE Brent still trading around $66 per barrel, yet the upside from here seems to be minimal, barring a sudden escalation. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A proposal to loosen zoning rules for backyard casitas and reduce parking requirements in Central El Paso neighborhoods will not move forward, at least for now. The El Paso City Council deleted the items from the agenda on Tuesday, Aug. 19 before a final vote could be taken. The proposal would have allowed casitas or small backyard homes on any single-family lot, removed the requirement for homeowners to live on-site, and eliminate certain off-street parking mandates in Downtown, Uptown and nearby neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters, including District 8 Rep. Chris Canales, argued the changes were needed to address the Citys housing shortage. More than 100,000 people sit on the waitlist for the housing authority. These arent just statistics. They represent thousands of families, seniors and young people who cannot find a place to live in their own community, Canales said during the meeting. The scale of the crisis makes it irresponsible to keep outdated rules on the books that drive up costs and make it harder to build housing. But the opposition was strong. Dozens of residents spoke up against the plan, citing concerns about increased traffic, limited parking, and outside investors buying up property in historic neighborhoods. Im very concerned about allowing nonresidents, including corporations, to buy properties in our neighborhoods. They dont have a stake or a heart in this community, one resident told council members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before council could vote, District 5 Rep. Ivan Nino moved to delete the item altogether. Reps. Alejandra Chavez and Lily Limon also voiced opposition. I heard from 16 people that said no, and only two that said yes, Limon said. And as a frequent watcher of Shark Tank, Im out. This is not the first time the issue has come before City Council. A similar proposal was brought forward in 2024 but never passed. City officials say the discussion will continue, and the item could return for consideration at a later date. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Grinding charcoal with a few drops of goat's milk, 60-year-old Basran Jogi peers at the faces of two small Pakistani sisters preparing for their first tattoos. The practice of elder women needling delicate shapes onto the faces, hands, and arms of younger generations stretches back centuries in the Hindu villages that dot the southern border with India. "First draw two straight lines between the eyebrows," Jogi instructs her friend poised with a sewing needle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Now insert the needle along the lines but slowly, until it bleeds." Six-year-old Pooja barely winces as dotted circles and triangles are tattooed onto her chin and forehead. On the outskirts of the rural town of Umerkot in Sindh province, her seven-year-old sister Champa declares eagerly beside her that "I am ready too". In recent years, however, as rural Hindu communities in Muslim-majority Pakistan become more connected to nearby cities, many young women have opted out of the "old ways". "These signs set us apart from others," said 20-year-old Durga Prem, a computer science student who grew up in the nearby city of Badin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our generation doesn't like them anymore. In the age of social media, young girls avoid facial tattoos because they think these marks will make them look different or unattractive." Her sister Mumta has also refused to accept the tattoos that mark their mother and grandmothers. "But if we were still in the village, we might have had these marks on our faces or arms," she reflects. - Ward off evil spirits - Just two percent of Pakistan's 240 million people are Hindu, and the majority live in rural areas of southern Sindh province. Discrimination against minorities runs deep and Hindu activist Mukesh Meghwar, a prominent voice for religious harmony, believes younger generations do not want to be instantly identified as Hindu in public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Muslims believe tattoos are not permissible in Islam, and even those who have them rarely display them in public. "We can't force our girls to continue this practice," Meghwar told AFP. "It's their choice. But unfortunately, we may be the last generation to see tattoos on our women's faces, necks, hands, and arms," he said. Few Hindus that AFP spoke with recalled the meaning behind the practice of tattoos or when it began, but anthropologists believe it has been part of their cultural heritage for hundreds of years. "These symbols are part of the culture of people who trace their roots to the Indus civilisation," anthropologist Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro told AFP, referring to a Bronze Age period that pre-dates modern religion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These 'marks' were traditionally used to identify members of a community" and to "ward off evil spirits", he adds. Admiring the work on the grinning faces of the two little sisters, elder Jogi agreed that it was an ancestral tradition that enhanced the beauty of women. "We don't make them for any specific reason it's a practice that has continued for years. This is our passion," she told AFP. The marks that begin dark black quickly fade to a deep green colour, but last a lifetime. "They belong to us," said Jamna Kolhi, who received her first tattoos as a young girl alongside Jogi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These were drawn by my childhood friend - she passed away a few years ago," 40-year-old Jamna Kolhi told AFP. "Whenever I see these tattoos, I remember her and those old days. It's a lifelong remembrance." sma/ecl/fox KANSAS CITY, Mo. The city of Independence is once again handing out free Narcan to the community this week, in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day. Over the last three years, the Health Services Division has handed out nearly 1,000 Naloxone kits to residents in Independence. Now, on Wednesday morning, the city will continue to offer people the life-saving medication for free. Overland Park to adopt new flag design featuring a green tree Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres everything you need to know: Wednesday, Aug. 20 10:30 a.m. 1 p.m. Mid-Continent Public Library Farview Branch 18109 E. 12th St. N. 3 p.m. 4:30 p.m. Walmart Neighborhood Market 3411 S. Noland Rd. Thursday, Aug. 21 11:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. Fairmount Community Center 217 S. Cedar Ave. Friday, Aug. 22 9 a.m. 11 a.m. Mid-Continent Public Library North Independence Branch 317 W. 24 Hwy 1 p.m. 4 p.m. Walmart Supercenter 4000 S. Bolger Rd. According to a report by Johns Hopkins University, from 2021 to 2024, roughly 100,000 people died from a drug overdose in the U.S., with 80,000 of those deaths involving opioids of some variety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, based on a 2018 CDC study, about 40% of said opioid overdose deaths could have been prevented if Narcan had been administered by a bystander. For more information about Narcan, contact your health care provider, or click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Darryl Littleton, Gabrelle Simmons and Hal Nash of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles listen to peoples testimony during a hearing on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Civil rights groups said they have been encouraged by changes made by the board since Nash became chair last month. (Ralph Chapoco/Alabama Reflector) About a month and a half into Hal Nashs term as chair of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles, civil rights and criminal justice reform groups say theyve seen changes to the boards operations and decision-making. Officials of the ACLU of Alabama said at an event in Montgomery on Saturday that since Nash took over in July, members of the board appear to be speaking to each other more and questioning witnesses in parole hearings more closely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You all should be very hopeful, said Nichelle Cunningham, a paralegal with the ACLU of Alabama who is spearheading the organizations efforts to reform the states parole system. You have a decent board that is going to be fair, that is going to be united, they are not going to be pitted against each other in their decision making. If your loved one is denied, I personally feel there is something that is lacking in that file. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Gov. Kay Ivey appointed Nash, a former Jackson County corrections deputy, to the position in July, replacing former chair Leigh Gwathney. Gwathney came on board after the Alabama Legislature passed new laws changing parole after the mistaken release of Jimmy ONeal Spencer on parole in 2017. Spencer went on to kill three people, including a seven-year-old child, in a series of robberies in Guntersville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation established the director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles and made it a cabinet-level position. They outlined more strict rules for granting parole for people who committed violent crimes and established guidelines that the parole board may follow when deciding to grant parole. Members of the parole board had granted parole to more than 50% of the applicants as recently as 2017. However, the parole rate began to decline steadily shortly into Gwathneys tenure as chair. In 2023, the parole rate decreased to 8%, its lowest point before it increased to about 26% in 2025. Civil rights groups criticized Gwathney for consistently voting against applicants seeking parole throughout her tenure. Legislators on the Joint Prison Oversight Committee also expressed disapproval after she was unable to answer their questions concerning the parole guidelines at a meeting in October. The ACLU of Alabama has been sending witnesses to observe the parole board hearings for the past few years after the organization expressed concerns after the rate that the parole board granted parole plummeted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Nash succeeded Gwathney, parole rates have gone up. From the beginning of the year through Gwathneys departure in early July, the board granted parole almost 18% of the time. In the cases that have come before the board since Nash became chair, the parole rate increased to almost 30%, according to the Alabama Reflectors calculations using information obtained from the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles. I think that he has come in with an open mind, Cunningham said in an interview on Saturday. He explains that this is going to be open and fair. We are going into this hearing open-minded. It is going to be fair, and he is going to give it all his attention. In two successive rounds of parole board hearings on Tuesday, Nash opened the proceedings by telling attendees the board was interested in their testimony. The parole board denied parole for the applicants in the first round, all with offenses considered violent and whose loved ones presented little evidence of any programs completed while incarcerated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the second round, the members granted parole to two applicants. The mother of one of the applicants spoke on his behalf at the hearing and was asked about the living situation should he be released. What would your answer be if he were paroled? Nash asked the applicants mother. The mother said that her son, who is on the autism spectrum, would come to live with her and that she would help ensure he would take his medication and undergo therapy. Members also granted parole for another applicant whose sister said that the applicant earned his GED, completed an anger management program as well as obtaining his commercial drivers license. He also drives a van to transport others who are incarcerated. They seem to listen, and they seem to want what is actually best for people who were there, said Veronica Johnson of the Alabama Justice Initiative, who also spoke during the panel. One person in particular, called the families back up to get some clarification. MEMPHIS, Tenn. In todays consumer alert, you could be eligible to receive thousands of dollars if you were the victim of a recent data breach. AT&T customers can now file claims to receive as much as $7500 in a class action settlement over two data breaches. The first breach happened in March of last year and affected more than 70 million current and former customers. Personal information, including birth dates and Social Security numbers, was found on the dark web. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second data breach happened months later, and it exposed the records of calls and texts of nearly all of AT&Ts cellular customers. If you were impacted by these AT&T data breaches, you should have received an email within the past few days. See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South. Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. The subject line reads Email Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement. It came from Kroll Settlement Administration using the following email address: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Claims can be submitted for the first, second, or both settlements. Its important to note, the deadline to submit claims is November 18. You can visit Telecom-Data-Settlement.com to submit the claim or get more information. If you click on the submit claim button, youll be asked for your Class Member ID, which was provided in the email, as well as your email or AT&T account number. You can also call (833) 890-4930. Now, this isnt quite a done deal yet; theres a final approval hearing set for December 3. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. At its heart, its a ridiculous image. A battle droid from Star Wars sits on the ground, clutching its aluminum knees (hinges?) to its chest. The droid doesnt have a face, just that George Lucas-designed chrome head that looks like a drawing of a Borzoi from memory. Still, its obviously dejected. The air around the droid is bullying it with colorful insults: tin skin, sparky, oil slurper, and, the lone jeer thats canon, clanker. The drawing was posted on X over the weekend by a user claiming their son was the original artist. They couldnt have known that their post would kick off a debate about racial slurs and the rush to adopt new epithets for outgroups. lmaooooooo my son drew this today pic.twitter.com/tbezODeVl2 eric63 amg biturbo 4matic (@EricMTerrill1) August 16, 2025 Many social media users accused the slang term, which has grown in popularity on apps like TikTok, of being thinly veiled racism and an opportunity to say slurs without consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The clanker meme is really weird and feels like an excuse for white people to almost say slurs with plausible deniability, one user wrote. The clanker jokes are funny until you clock that white people are itching to call ANYTHING a slur, wrote another. The term originated in the Star Wars universe as a derogatory term for omnipresent droids. It remained popular in that fandom, particularly among gamers making in-jokes about Star Wars: Battlefront and other releases set in the galaxy far, far away. The term for an automaton picked up steam elsewhere with the advent of artificial intelligence and the wider adoption of delivery robots. The jurys still out on whether the term can be considered offensive, and its already found its way into polite society. Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego used the term while promoting a piece of legislation that would cut down on automated customer service lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sick of yelling REPRESENTATIVE into the phone 10 times just to talk to a human being? he wrote on X in July. My new bill makes sure you dont have to talk to a clanker if you dont want to. The post Is clanker a slur? Anti-robot jokes accused of being thinly veiled racism appeared first on Salon.com. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson slammed acting U.S. attorney Sigal Chattah on Wednesday, calling her unfit to serve after she blamed him and a judge for allowing an accused child sex predator from Israel to leave the country. Earlier this month, police in Las Vegas arrested Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, on a charge of luring a child with a computer for sex acts. The arrest was one of eight in a sting operation involving local and federal departments. A post on an Israeli government website indicates Alexandrovich works as the head of the Technological Defense Division at the Israel National Cyber Directorate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Aug. 6, Alexandrovich chatted online with the decoy posing as a 15-year-old girl about meeting for sexual contact, the 8 News Now Investigators first reported Monday, citing court documents. Police then arrested Alexandrovich as he prepared to meet with the decoy. Tom Alexandrovich (center) speaks during a conference. (Israel National Cyber Directorate) Alexandrovich posted a $10,000 standard bail shortly after his arrest and never saw a judge before his release, records said. The process allows defendants to pay the fee and waive their right to a probable cause hearing, which a justice court oversees. Critics have blamed Wolfsons office, the court and the U.S. Attorneys Office for allowing Alexandrovich to return to Israel; however, none had any involvement in his release. Its an accusation that we did something wrong when we did nothing wrong, Wolfson said Wednesday about the misinformation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A liberal district attorney and state court judge in Nevada FAILED TO REQUIRE AN ALLEGED CHILD MOLESTER TO SURRENDER HIS PASSPORT, which allowed him to flee our country, Chattah tweeted from her official X account on Monday evening. Wolfson and his federal counterpart discussed the case earlier in the day in a conversation Wolfson described as her approval of the eight arrests involved in the sting. These assertions couldnt be farther from the truth, Wolfson said Wednesday. I deal with the facts, not political garbage. This behavior from the U.S. attorney is further evidence of her unfitness to serve. A statement from the U.S. State Department also incorrectly reported that Alexandrovich appeared before a judge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If she doesnt know, she should check before she makes reckless statements, Wolfson added. Prosecutors had yet to formally file charges against Alexandrovich as of Wednesday. A status check in his case was scheduled before a judge on Aug. 27. That day, a judge will hear from prosecutors to see if the criminal complaint the actual charging document was filed. At that point, the judge can re-address bail and place further restrictions should she deem them necessary. It is likely an attorney will appear in court on his behalf. Wolfson added that there was no communication from the investigators and police who interviewed Alexandrovich that he posed a flight risk, even though court documents mention he planned to leave the country the day after his arrest. It hurt me personally, Wolfson said about Chattahs comments. I believe I have a pretty good reputation. I believe my reputation is not being a liberal district attorney. In fact, I view myself as a moderate. I make decisions not based on politics, whether youre a Republican, Independent or Democrat, I make my decisions based on whats right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We intend on defending this matter within the justice system, not the media, Alexandrovichs attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement Tuesday. People should not rush to judgment and everyone is presumed innocent. Finally, his release was consistent with normal procedures and bail was posted. Chattah is a former Republican National Committee woman who made an unsuccessful run for Nevada Attorney General in 2022. President Donald Trump appointed Chattah as the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Nevada in late July. She resigned from her position as interim U.S. Attorney before the 120-day deadline expired. This triggered the Federal Vacancy Act, which allowed the president to appoint Chattah to the new position and remain in the office, she told 8 News Now in an earlier interview. Nevadas two U.S. senators, Democrats Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, have been vocal against Chattahs appointment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chattah did not return a request for comment from the 8 News Now Investigators regarding this story. 8 News Now Investigator David Charns can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.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 KLAS. WARNING: This article contains depictions of child neglect/abuse. CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A Clarksville woman has been sentenced to serve nearly a dozen years in federal prison after she was indicted on aggravated child neglect charges, according to the United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Tennessee. On Wednesday, Aug. 20, Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire announced that 29-year-old Lyndsey Bustamante was sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison following an incident that left her baby injured more than two years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MAY 2023 | Fort Campbell couple indicted on child neglect charges after baby suffers burns, skull fracture In 2023, Bustamante and her husband, Andrew Garasich, were indicted by a federal grand jury after their two-month-old sustained burns. Officials said the incident occurred on Dec. 30, 2022, which is when Garasich gave the baby a bath in water that was too hot. Even though Bustamante was away from home with her five-year-old son when the incident took place, her husband allegedly told her about burning their baby, but neither parent sought medical attention until Jan. 4, 2024. When the couple was interviewed by the FBI in May 2023, Garasich allegedly told agents that he noticed the babys butt was beet reed as he was drying him off. However, he later left the home with the baby to go to Edible Arrangements to pick up chocolate-covered strawberries for Bustamante. Then, after returning home, he began to remove skin from the babys body, according to the attorneys office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE | Latest headlines from Clarksville and Montgomery County After the baby was burned in the bath, Bustamante allegedly bathed the two-month-old again between Dec. 31 to Jan. 4, and attempted to treat the burns with soap, diaper rash cream, aloe and ibuprofen. Then, on Jan. 1, 2023, officials said she sent a friend a message on Facebook to ask if she should take the baby to the hospital because the skin was peeling really bad. Finally, on Jan. 4, 2023, Bustamante took the baby to the Houston County Community Hospital, where medical personnel reportedly determined that the two-month-old needed to be flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center due to the severity of his injuries. In addition, the DOJ reported that when the baby was assessed at Vanderbilt, staff noted partial to full thickness burns on the babys buttocks, perineum, lower extremities, and left elbow. The two-month-old had also sustained a left parietal skull fracture, per medical personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: Former Army sergeant stationed at Fort Campbell sentenced for child neglect after 2-month-old sustained burns and skull fracture The baby reportedly remained hospitalized for two months before being discharged. Now, both children are in the custody of the Department of Childrens Services. The victim in this case was a two-month-old child who was horribly neglected by the Defendant and barely survived, said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. The child is now in a loving home but will face lifelong struggles because of the Defendants choices. This case shows that we will not hesitate to prosecute those who hurt children and, if they are convicted, we will seek long sentences in federal prison for them. This sentencing reaffirms our steadfast commitment to protecting our children, the most vulnerable among us, said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. Andrew Garasich and his wife, Lyndsey Bustamante, thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong. Let this serve as a warning: if you harm children in any way, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will find you and ensure you face the full consequences of your actions. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Following her prison term, Bustamante will be on supervised release for four years. Last month, her husband, Garasich, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation, the FBI Nashville Field Office and Clarksville Resident Agency all assisted in an investigation into the case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. The Brief Officials said Amir Kelly didn't get off the bus after school on Tuesday. He was later found but disappeared again. Kelly was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black pants, black slides and/or black Jordan sneakers, and carrying a clear backpack. CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - Police said they need the public's help finding a missing child in Clayton County. What we know Officials said Amir Kelly didn't get off the bus after school on Tuesday. Officers responded to Kelly's house just before 5 p.m. regarding a missing person. Later Tuesday night, Kelly was located at a home on River Station Boulevard, according to police. Kelly went home, but then left the house again without permission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelly was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black pants, black slides and/or black Jordan sneakers, and carrying a clear backpack. What you can do If you see Amir Kelly or have any information about his whereabouts, please contact the Clayton County Police Department at (770) 477-3648 immediately. DAVIS, W.Va. (WBOY) While the 2026 elections may still be months away, county clerks and election officials from across the state gathered in Tucker County this week to prepare for the polls next year. Representatives from all 55 counties were in attendance at the Canaan Valley Resort in Davis for a three-day conference hosted by West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner and his Elections Division staff. We do this as a lead-up into each election, mid-term or general election. Its my first election conference as newly elected Secretary of State, so were very pleased with the fact that, again, all 55 counties are participating, Warner said. (R-WV) Secretary of State Kris Warner addresses participants of the County Clerk Conference at Canaan Valley Resort (WBOY Photo) WVDEP approves permit for proposed Tucker County data center Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conference focused on voter registration, federal guidelines, absentee voting, election day preparation, ADA compliance for polling locations, canvassing and election night reporting. Warner said that more than 200 representatives from across the state were present this week, and that events such as this help West Virginias municipalities stay prepared for election season and allow citizens to vote with confidence. Its the clerks that get the job done, and when you have all 55 counties represented, you know that its going to be another great year, and another election where people can show up and vote, and have confidence in the system, get unofficial results on election night and ten days later have those election results certified, so its very rewarding, Warner said. The 2026 Primary Election in West Virginia is set for Tuesday, May 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. Banks, insurance companies, and fintech firms are under growing pressurefrom increasing competition, regulatory demands, and ever more demanding customers. Technology is evolving rapidly, clients are online, and they expect services that respond to their needs in real time. Yet, in many areas, pricing in the financial sector remains unchangedfixed rates, uniform offers, one price for all. Imagine two customers: one is a small business owner applying for a loan at 11 PM from a mobile phone in New York City, and one is a first-time homebuyer in Los Angeles, visiting a local branch - why should they receive the same offer? Their situations, behaviour, and motivations are different, so the offer should be different too. This is precisely the essence of dynamic pricingan approach that is revolutionising how financial products are priced. Its a data-driven model that uses artificial intelligence to deliver the most appropriate price to each customer, so that it is fair for the individual and profitable for the provider. The problem with traditional pricing Most banks today operate with a simple scheme: predefined offers with several rate levels based on basic customer parameters, such as income, age, and creditworthiness. This approach is transparent and easy to manage but often leads to losses or missed opportunities: Undervalued offers for high-creditworthy clients these clients would accept slightly higher rates in exchange for fast service, flexible terms, etc., but the system fails to recognise it. Overpriced offers for riskier clients leading to rejection, even though a better-priced offer would have been acceptable and feasible. Inability to respond to real-time customer behaviour (e.g., online activity, changing consumer patterns). Limited competitiveness in the digital environment, where customers expect instant, personalised responses. Additionally, uniform pricing ignores market variability, such as seasonality, competitor promotions, and shifting demand trends. What Is dynamic pricing and how does it work? Dynamic pricing is an intelligent approach to pricing. It uses advanced algorithms that consider a wide range of data, from customer behaviour to market conditions, and generates personalised offers in real time. How does it work in practice? Context analysis Using machine learning, the system identifies the customer's decision-making phaseare they just exploring, in urgent need, or hesitant? Dozens of factors are tracked, such as request time, device used, and behavior history in apps or online channels. Ahead of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's expected arrival in the Milwaukee area Aug. 21, county officials said they're aiming to direct the agency's staff to areas with the most damage from the historic flood that battered the region earlier this month. Early damage estimates from the storm in Milwaukee County have surpassed $34 million, and of more than 3,400 flood-damaged homes that have undergone a preliminary assessment by the county, more than half have been categorized as having major damage or being a total loss. The FEMA assessments are a crucial step in securing a federal disaster declaration and unlocking federal financial aid for residents. But after the visit is over, it's unknown how long it will be before President Donald Trump decides whether to make that declaration, Cassandra Libal, director of the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, said during an Aug. 20 news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between 40 and 60 FEMA staff will be deployed to southeastern Wisconsin, Libal said. They'll take information about damage in the area provided by the county and set out to make their own assessments. Libal said residents do not need to be at home when FEMA staff come by, because they can examine external damage. She also urged people not to worry if they don't get a visit. The agency is doing a virtual review of some properties ahead of time. Agency staff likely will be in the area through early next week. "Once they complete what they need to do ... the timeline is in their hands," Libal said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madeline Heim covers health and the environment for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What we know about FEMA's arrival in Milwaukee to look at flood damage The 2026 midterms are more than a year away, but some high-profile primary election battles in the Democratic Party are gaining national attention. Much of that attention is focused on the age of the candidates. Thanks to Texas proposed mid-decade redistricting, a showdown is looming between two Democrats serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from that state: 36-year-old Rep. Greg Casar has made clear his intention to run against a colleague, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, despite Doggetts public pressure on Casar to run in a different district. Doggett is 78 years old and has served in the House since 1994. An even more stark generational divide has emerged in New Yorks 12th district, where 26-year-old political organizer Liam Elkind is making a similar challenge in a Democratic primary. The 18-term incumbent in that race, Rep. Jerry Nadler, will be 79 years old by next years midterm election. He began his political career as a New York state assemblyman in 1977 more than 20 years before Elkind was born. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These generational matchups have become common in the Democratic Party. They have also gained significant attention, particularly since the 2018 upset of another veteran Democratic leader, Rep. Joe Crowley of New York, in a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was 28 at the time. These challengers often criticize the seniority of older lawmakers. They say seniority is not a benefit but a hindrance to effective representation because the longtime incumbents are out of touch with the needs of their districts and the country, and that remaining in office crowds out crucial younger perspectives. As generational challenges have become more common, theyve also become sharper in their explicit appeals to age as a key candidate quality. And candidates like Elkind have made the argument that the stakes go beyond generational vibes. A geriatric Congress can also have demonstrable effects on the policymaking that happens on Capitol Hill. Slim majorities make age a bigger issue Why is candidate age so prominent in the current election cycle? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One big reason is that razor-thin majorities in Congress make every seat count. Slim margins create legislative and institutional uncertainty that has very real consequences for how Congress is run and how policy gets made. In his candidacy announcement video, Elkind makes this point explicitly: In the last five months, three House Democrats passed away, allowing Trumps billionaire bill, gutting health care and food stamps for millions of people, to go through by one vote. Although its likely that Trumps big, beautiful bill would have passed even without these vacancies, the Democratic absences undoubtedly made Speaker Mike Johnsons job of passing the bill a little bit easier. Elkind also notes that the last eight members of Congress who passed away in office were Democrats. In essence, Elkind is arguing that Democrats must elect more young members not just as a matter of representation but as a way of preserving power in Congress. How do vacancies occur? Seat vacancies caused by the early departures of members of Congress happen regularly, and in a variety of ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 118th Congress, which met from Jan. 3, 2023, to Jan. 3, 2025, set a modern record with 17 vacancies, a rate unmatched going back to the 1950s. This was partly because of four member deaths, including Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. Other high-profile vacancies in the 118th Congress were due to different causes. Some members were forced to resign or even expelled from Congress because of scandal, like GOP Rep. George Santos of New York, who was convicted in 2024 for a range of crimes and subsequently sentenced to several years in prison. Others cut short their current term due to political defeats: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, resigned after being ousted from his leadership post in 2023. The current 119th Congress has seen additional resignations from members who took positions in the second Trump administration. Resignation is the most common reason for departure in recent Congresses. However, at least one member and often more than one has died in all but one Congress in the past 70 years. The number of deaths that regularly occur among members is more than sufficient to change how the majority party functions in a closely contested Congress like this one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And for Democrats, three member deaths in the first nine months of the current Congress is far ahead of previous years paces, making incumbents advanced age a relevant issue on the campaign trail. How are vacancies filled? Although U.S. Senate vacancies are often though not always filled through an appointment by the governor of that state, the Constitution mandates that House vacancies be filled by special elections scheduled by the governor. These elections usually happen within a few months of the vacancy. What this means is that there are real possibilities for the size of a partys majority to shrink, or grow, between election years, in ways that have profound impacts on policymaking. And even if a majority party shift doesnt happen, a district could still replace a moderate departing representative with an extremist, or vice versa. What does this mean for the 2026 midterms? Whether younger candidates message will resonate with primary election voters remains an open question. Longer-serving incumbents hold major advantages like deeper campaign experience. Younger candidates traditionally lack the name recognition and donor bases that older incumbents have built up over decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But given the public concern over the high-profile declines of candidates for president like former President Joe Biden and for Congress, like Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Mitch McConnell, generational politics may be more important than ever, and help reverse this trend. This story contains material from a previous article published on Jan. 3, 2023. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Charlie Hunt, Boise State University Read more: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charlie Hunt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. The 2026 midterms are more than a year away, but some high-profile primary election battles in the Democratic Party are gaining national attention. Much of that attention is focused on the age of the candidates. Thanks to Texas proposed mid-decade redistricting, a showdown is looming between two Democrats serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from that state: 36-year-old Rep. Greg Casar has made clear his intention to run against a colleague, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, despite Doggetts public pressure on Casar to run in a different district. Doggett is 78 years old and has served in the House since 1994. An even more stark generational divide has emerged in New Yorks 12th district, where 26-year-old political organizer Liam Elkind is making a similar challenge in a Democratic primary. The 18-term incumbent in that race, Rep. Jerry Nadler, will be 79 years old by next years midterm election. He began his political career as a New York state assemblyman in 1977 more than 20 years before Elkind was born. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These generational matchups have become common in the Democratic Party. They have also gained significant attention, particularly since the 2018 upset of another veteran Democratic leader, Rep. Joe Crowley of New York, in a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was 28 at the time. These challengers often criticize the seniority of older lawmakers. They say seniority is not a benefit but a hindrance to effective representation because the longtime incumbents are out of touch with the needs of their districts and the country, and that remaining in office crowds out crucial younger perspectives. As generational challenges have become more common, theyve also become sharper in their explicit appeals to age as a key candidate quality. And candidates like Elkind have made the argument that the stakes go beyond generational vibes. A geriatric Congress can also have demonstrable effects on the policymaking that happens on Capitol Hill. Slim majorities make age a bigger issue Why is candidate age so prominent in the current election cycle? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One big reason is that razor-thin majorities in Congress make every seat count. Slim margins create legislative and institutional uncertainty that has very real consequences for how Congress is run and how policy gets made. In his candidacy announcement video, Elkind makes this point explicitly: In the last five months, three House Democrats passed away, allowing Trumps billionaire bill, gutting health care and food stamps for millions of people, to go through by one vote. Although its likely that Trumps big, beautiful bill would have passed even without these vacancies, the Democratic absences undoubtedly made Speaker Mike Johnsons job of passing the bill a little bit easier. Elkind also notes that the last eight members of Congress who passed away in office were Democrats. In essence, Elkind is arguing that Democrats must elect more young members not just as a matter of representation but as a way of preserving power in Congress. How do vacancies occur? Seat vacancies caused by the early departures of members of Congress happen regularly, and in a variety of ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 118th Congress, which met from Jan. 3, 2023, to Jan. 3, 2025, set a modern record with 17 vacancies, a rate unmatched going back to the 1950s. This was partly because of four member deaths, including Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. Other high-profile vacancies in the 118th Congress were due to different causes. Some members were forced to resign or even expelled from Congress because of scandal, like GOP Rep. George Santos of New York, who was convicted in 2024 for a range of crimes and subsequently sentenced to several years in prison. Others cut short their current term due to political defeats: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, resigned after being ousted from his leadership post in 2023. The current 119th Congress has seen additional resignations from members who took positions in the second Trump administration. Resignation is the most common reason for departure in recent Congresses. However, at least one member and often more than one has died in all but one Congress in the past 70 years. The number of deaths that regularly occur among members is more than sufficient to change how the majority party functions in a closely contested Congress like this one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And for Democrats, three member deaths in the first nine months of the current Congress is far ahead of previous years paces, making incumbents advanced age a relevant issue on the campaign trail. How are vacancies filled? Although U.S. Senate vacancies are often though not always filled through an appointment by the governor of that state, the Constitution mandates that House vacancies be filled by special elections scheduled by the governor. These elections usually happen within a few months of the vacancy. What this means is that there are real possibilities for the size of a partys majority to shrink, or grow, between election years, in ways that have profound impacts on policymaking. And even if a majority party shift doesnt happen, a district could still replace a moderate departing representative with an extremist, or vice versa. What does this mean for the 2026 midterms? Whether younger candidates message will resonate with primary election voters remains an open question. Longer-serving incumbents hold major advantages like deeper campaign experience. Younger candidates traditionally lack the name recognition and donor bases that older incumbents have built up over decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But given the public concern over the high-profile declines of candidates for president like former President Joe Biden and for Congress, like Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Mitch McConnell, generational politics may be more important than ever, and help reverse this trend. Charlie Hunt is an associate professor of political science at Boise State University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The post In a Closely Divided Congress, Aging Lawmakers Are a Problem for Democrats appeared first on Katie Couric Media. Sudden and intense bursts of extreme rainfall are causing devastation across mountainous parts of South Asia, triggering flash floods, deadly mudflows and huge landslides that have washed out entire neighbourhoods and turned vibrant communities into heaps of mud and rubble. In northwest Pakistan, ferocious floods have crashed through villages, killing at least 321 people in the space of 48 hours, local authorities reported Saturday. More than ten villages in the Buner region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were devastated by flash flooding, and dozens of people are believed to still be trapped under the thick mud and debris. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In India-administered Kashmir, at least 60 people were killed and more than 200 were missing when walls of mud and water gushed through the Himalayan town of Chashoti on Friday, according to Reuters news agency. Earlier this month, another surge of flood water tore through a village in Indias mountainous Uttarakhand state, leaving at least four people dead. unknown content item - Local authorities in both countries have said much of the deadly floods and landslides were triggered by sudden and violent bouts of torrential rain called cloudbursts. Scientists say these extreme episodes of rain, be they cloudbursts or longer periods of torrential downpours, are set to get more frequent and ferocious in this ecologically fragile region as the climate crisis intensifies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what to know. What is a cloudburst? Cloudbursts are sudden, highly localized downpours that can be destructive by the sheer volume of water they unleash in a short period of time, often triggering dangerous flash floods and landslides. They occur in mountainous regions, especially during the monsoon season, when there is a lot of moisture in the air. The areas that have been inundated by destructive rains and floods in recent weeks are in the foothills of South Asias giant mountain ranges that are home to the worlds tallest peaks and glaciers. Monsoonal air hits those mountains, rapidly cooling as it rises and condenses into dense clouds that can then unleash torrents. An aerial view shows houses partially submerged in sludge along a riverbed in the aftermath of flash floods at the Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on August 17, 2025. - Abdul Majeed/AFP/Getty Images The India Meteorological Department defines a cloudburst as having a rainfall rate over 100 mm (4 inches) per hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush are especially vulnerable because of their steep slopes, fragile geology, and narrow valleys that funnel storm runoff into destructive torrents, Roxy Mathew Koll, climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, told CNN. Residents in Pakistans hard-hit Salarzai described a torrent of mud and massive boulders that made the ground shake like an earthquake. Why are they so devastating? These extreme, localized bursts of rain are difficult to forecast. This is also a data-sparse region, whether we are studying cloudbursts or glacial outburst floods, making it harder to understand, monitor, and forecast these events, said Koll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storms are also too small and fast for precise prediction. The regions high poverty levels, a lack of infrastructure and access to basic facilities are also barriers to communicating what little information is available to communities who live there. A girl sits outside of her family home, which was damaged following heavy rains and flooding in Pacha Kalay Bazar, in Buner district, Pakistan, on August 18, 2025. - Akhtar Soomro/Reuters The bigger gap is not the technology gap, its the communication gap, said Islamabad-based climate expert Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. Weaker governance and lack of early warning systems in these regions have compounded the problem, he added. Together with rampant deforestation and unplanned development, its a deadly combination. Because of very heavy deforestation, any torrential rain and cloudburst will result in landslides, mudslides, theyll bring boulders and timber with them, said Sheikh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are often heavy casualties because a very high percentage of people live along the water bodies and the preparedness time is extremely limited, he said. How is the climate crisis making extreme rain worse? Cloudbursts in the region have occurred with greater intensity and frequency in recent years, fuelled by record-shattering global temperatures. Warmer air soaks up water like a sponge, and all this extra moisture can result in extreme rain and sudden downpours like cloudbursts, especially when that air meets the mountains. Warmer oceans are loading the monsoon with extra moisture, and a warmer atmosphere holds more water, fueling intense rainfall when moist air is forced up steep mountain slopes, said Koll, from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the southwest monsoon season, annual rains fall across parts of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh brought by winds from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, which have undergone rapid warming in recent years. A shopkeeper removes mud and debris in front of his shop following Friday's flash flooding at a market in Pir Baba, an area of Buner district, Pakistan, on August 17, 2025. - Muhammad Sajjad/AP Before this years floods, prolonged heatwaves had baked the region. For each degree thats higher than the average temperature, theres 7% greater moisture in the air, said Sheikh. If theres a stronger heatwave in the South Asian subcontinent, in India or in Pakistan, we can assume the rainfall will be heavier. And melting glaciers are only adding to the disaster. The massive ranges of the Himalayas and Karakoram region house thousands of glaciers, which are melting and losing mass at an increasingly rapid rate as the world warms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While glacial melt does not directly cause cloudbursts, it creates unstable lakes and fragile terrain that can worsen their impacts through floods and landslides, Koll said. How has climate change already affected the region? Pakistan is responsible for less than 1% of the worlds planet-warming gases, European Union data shows, yet it is the most vulnerable nation to the climate crisis, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. Climate change has already altered the landscape of the region. The monsoon itself is shifting under climate change, with longer dry spells punctuated by short, extreme bursts of rain patterns that have already tripled heavy rainfall events across India in recent decades, said Koll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pakistan suffered its most devastating monsoon season in recent times in 2022, when widespread flooding killed almost 2,000 people, displaced thousands and caused an estimated $40 billion in damage. Men transport water bottles on a motorbike through a flooded street amid a downpour in Lahore, Pakistan August 9, 2025. - Mohin Raza/Reuters Deadly flooding has occurred every year since. A recent study found that rainfall that hit Pakistan between June and July this year was heavier because of the climate crisis. In Pakistan, the timing, location and quantity of monsoon rains has shifted so that that average rainfall seems to have decreased in Pakistan, but the frequency of torrential rains has increased, said Sheikh. Drought and flooding can impact the country in the same month during the monsoon, so water availability is becoming more uncertain in a country already suffering a severe water crisis. That affects our food security and cropping patterns, said Sheikh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The devastation and financial toll wrought by the floods in Pakistan, India and Nepal this year is what the climate crisis looks like at about 1.2 degrees Celsius of global warming since industrialization. But the world is on track for around 3 degrees Celsius of warming by the end of the century, as humans continue to burn planet-heating fossil fuels. And scientists warn every fraction of a degree of warming will worsen the impacts of the crisis. Call for countries to pull together The Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush regions span eight countries and extreme weather events in one have a knock-on effect in another. It is super critical for the governments of these South Asian nations to come together, said Sheikh. We face the same set of problems, and there are similar solutions, he said. But our ability to learn from each other and learn each others scientific knowledge, communal knowledge, is absolutely handicapped. And that is very damaging for us. But already fraught relations between Pakistan and India deteriorated to their lowest level in years in May when the two sides escalated a long-running conflict in Kashmir, leading India to suspend a key treaty that governs the sharing of the waters of the Indus river that flows through both countries. In this aerial picture, volunteers carry aid for residents, after flash floods hit Buner district in northern Pakistan's mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on August 18, 2025. - Abdul Majeed/AFP/Getty Images Thats why the Indus Water Treaty needs another lease of life to tackle emerging climate threats and challenges in the water sector, he said. For the millions of people who live downstream in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, building resiliency is key. That means avoiding settlements, construction, and mining in hazard zones, enforcing climate-resilient infrastructure, and strengthening early warning systems, said Koll. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WSAV) The United States Coast Guard Station Tybee provided assistance to a disabled boat carrying two passengers Tuesday night near Ossabaw Island. Station Tybee was assisted by a helicopter crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Savannah. Once arriving on scene, the helicopter crew deployed a rescue swimmer to begin assessing the situation aboard the 39-foot sailboat. After a short time, the diver was able to confirm that both passengers aboard the boat were suffering from injuries and required medical assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both passengers were brought safely aboard the Station Tybee vessel and transferred to EMS at Kilkenny Marina in Richmond Hill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. With back-to-school season commencing, have you ever wondered what happens to the people who blatantly lie on college applications? Darren Star Productions / Via giphy.com Some of them inevitably get caught, and it's definitely not the best look for them. In one Reddit thread (which you can see here), college admissions officers and independent college consultants shared the wildest instances of lying they've seen on an application, and some of these are so bad, it's hard not to chuckle a little. Here are 15 memorable instances of people who inflated or even completely fabricated their experiences, as told by the pros themselves: Related: 20 Of The Greatest, Most Wholesome Posts From The Internet This Week That You've Gotta Read Right Now If You're In Need Of A Mood-Booster 1."There was an application that was talking so elegantly about music, their supposed expertise, and when they submitted a music supplement, it got the lowest faculty rating lol. Don't know if that's lying or being delusional or both. Funny all the same." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aggravating_Humor 2."They submitted a fake 'official' transcript. But they screwed up our mailing address, so it was returned to sender. They had the wherewithal to use the return address for the school they were faking, so it was sent back to that school's registrar. The registrar reached out to me, saying, 'Hey, this student didn't go here.'" frankenplant 3."Not an admissions officer, but I work with families as an independent consultant. A blatantly faked part of an application I've seen is an essay draft where every period in the sentence was followed by two spaces... that's what the older generation (i.e. parents) was taught with typing." Dariogaona / Getty Images "A relic of the typewriter and early word processing (who calls it that anymore) days. Having seen previous examples of the student's actual writing to compare with, it was pretty obvious that the parent had more than a heavy hand in that draft. We stopped working together after I gently called them out on it and warned them. They got very defensive lol." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brother_Ma_Education 4."I used to be an admissions officer, and the one that is most common was when a student would say they had no disciplinary history, but the counselor's letter would say or imply otherwise." coral225 Related: "My Alarm Bells Were Going Off": People Are Sharing Their Wildest "I Fing Knew It" Moments That Prove You Should ALWAYS Trust Your Gut 5."The student wrote about his experience in the womb. While this isn't technically lying, it's pretty damn wild." EmploymentNegative59 6."Its not hard to see through most 'non-profits.' Perhaps not lying, per se, but if your website looks like a standard Squarespace site or has 10 officers who are all college seniors, the BS detector is going off." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FieldOfFutureDreams 7."I had one homeschooled applicant whose mom's transcript reported all As, but the transcripts directly from community college (for dual enrollment) showed Cs and Bs." Threespeedjones / Getty Images admissioncat Related: 24 "I'm So Self-Centered And Oblivious" Screenshots That Are Pure Entitlement 8."There was one student who had letters of recommendation where one was talking about how they were the absolute best student in the world, but the counselor's LOR destroyed the student, calling them the most immature student who cheats on exams. One person was lying on this application. I never looked into it because they weren't very competitive in the end, anyway." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aggravating_Humor 9."I'm a professional consultant and not a former AO, but there are several instances in my career when I refused to continue working with a student, or they refused to continue working with me, because I would not support fabricated information." Fizkes / Getty Images "A student who spent time in Afghanistan wrote in an essay draft that the Taliban bombed a television studio where he was working because it aired a documentary he made about women's education. There was a bombing at the TV studio around that time. Still, he was nowhere near the building, and the Taliban's stated reason was the TV station's coverage of military activities. I'll also add that I met only with the kid's dad, and it was clear that he would be the one revising the essays. When I insisted that I meet directly with the student and explained that he needed to be honest (and that AOs could discover what I did), the dad ghosted me." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AppHelper 10."I had a student write an essay about holding her grandmother's hand while she died, watching the heart rate monitor, and feeling a sense of peace. Upon questioning, she was THREE when her grandmother passed. She said she didn't really remember it, but her mother had told her about it." FoolishConsistency17 11."I had an applicant who put down 'University Donor' on their activities list, indicating they donated $100 to the university. Do they think we don't have access to this database? Even if it was true (which it wasn't), definitely don't put that on the activities list." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EliteScholarAdvising 12."Triplets and their cousin all in the same graduating class at a high school used the same expensive independent college consultant. She wrote their (bad) essay for them and submitted the same one for all four students." Klh49 / Getty Images "We rejected all four and took a step further to notify the other schools they applied to (back when Common App asked and students willingly put their whole college list never do that). One had already been admitted to Notre Dame and had it rescinded. The parents and students accused us of lying and threatened to sue until we simply showed them their identical four essays. I think they turned on the consultant after that. The best part? This was a prominent college consultant in her 60s who was working with some of the most affluent schools in a large TX city for decades. We ended up combing back through all the essays from the area that year and found a few more. We didnt bother looking into past years. AI would have been nice back then." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LicketLicketyZooZoo Related: 33 "Brutal Truths" Men Say They Could NEVER Reveal To Women's Faces 13."They submitted fake letters of reference. I was suspicious of the email address for one recommender, so I Googled them to try and find a different way to contact them to verify they actually submitted the letter. The person had been dead for almost two years." Frankenplant 14."My dad has reviewed apps for a summer research program before. One guy put he started a nonprofit that helped 800k North Korean refugees establish themselves (for reference, theres 200-300k total)." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PhilosophyBeLyin 15.And finally, "If you havent watched the Varsity Blues scandal documentary on Netflix, I highly recommend it. These kids lied about wild stuff. The one that eventually broke the case wide open was one kid saying he did varsity crew for 4 years at high school. His high school didnt have a crew team AO thought his app was suspicious, so he called the counselor to confirm." ndg127 What do you think? Let me know in the comments! Also in Internet Finds: These 15 Hilarious Internet Fails From Last Week Made Me Laugh So Hard I Shed A Single Tear Also in Internet Finds: "He Would Squeeze People's Hands When He Shook Them": 26 Incredibly Chilling Stories From People Who Knew Murderers Also in Internet Finds: "My Alarm Bells Were Going Off": People Are Sharing Their Wildest "I Fing Knew It" Moments That Prove You Should ALWAYS Trust Your Gut Read it on BuzzFeed.com BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) A Colombian appeals court ruled on Tuesday that the country's former president, Alvaro Uribe, must be released from house arrest while he challenges his conviction for bribery and witness tampering. The conservative leader was sentenced on Aug. 1 to 12 years of house arrest for threatening and trying to flip witnesses who had spoken to investigators about his alleged role in the formation of a right-wing paramilitary group in the 1990s. Uribe denies the charges and has appealed the conviction to the Superior Tribunal in Bogota, the country's capital. The court has until mid-October to issue a definitive ruling on the case, which has gripped Colombia and also provoked reactions from Uribes allies in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Superior Tribunal said Tuesday it approved an injunction filed by Uribes defense team seeking his release from house arrest. Uribes lawyers argued his right to due process was violated by the arrest order against him, as well as his right to a presumption of innocence. The former president, who governed from 2002 to 2010 with strong support from the U.S., is a polarizing figure in Colombia, where many credit him for saving the country from becoming a failed state, while others associate him with human rights violations and the rise of paramilitary groups in the 1990s. During Uribe's term, Colombia' s military obtained crucial victories against the FARC rebels, which later forced the group into peace negotiations and turned Uribe into an icon of Latin America's conservative movement. But thousands of young people were also killed by the military and passed off as rebels by soldiers seeking promotions, as officers were pushed to augment their kill rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case against Uribe dates back to 2012, when he filed a libel suit against Ivan Cepeda, a left-wing legislator who had gathered statements from former members of paramilitary groups accusing Uribe of being one of the founders of Bloque Metro, a paramilitary group that defended cattle ranchers from attacks by rebel groups. In 2018, Colombia's Supreme Court dismissed the suit and instead launched an investigation of Uribe, who was accused by prosecutors of trying to obstruct justice by flipping witnesses who had spoken to Cepeda about the former president's alleged ties to the illegal group. Judge Sandra Heredia said in July there was enough evidence to determine that Uribe conspired with a lawyer to coax three former members of paramilitary groups who were in prison into changing testimony they had provided to Cepeda, whose father was killed by paramilitaries in the 1980s. Uribe's defense said that the evidence was obtained illegally, and that Uribe had only sought meetings with the imprisoned paramilitary figures as part of his preparation for trial and to verify testimonies that were also being used in a murder trial against his brother, Santiago Uribe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few days after convicting Uribe, Judge Heredia sentenced the former president to 12 years of house arrest, arguing he should be detained immediately to preserve the peaceful coexistence of citizens by demonstrating that even a public figure could not walk free after being convicted. Uribe is widely admired by conservatives in Latin America and the U.S., and the judge said his connections abroad would make it easy for him to flee the country if he was still free while appealing his case. However, Bogota's Superior Tribunal ruled Tuesday that Judge Heredia used vague reasoning" to order Uribe's detention and that the arrest warrant against him had violated his right to equal treatment under the law. The court also dismissed arguments that Uribe would escape Colombia, saying he had left the country multiple times during his trial and had always returned to face justice. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston speaks at a town hall in the Denver neighborhood Five Points on July 25, 2023. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Colorado and Denver officials pushed back Tuesday against U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondis pressure for them to cooperate with deportation efforts after Bondi sent a letter to several so-called sanctuary states, cities and counties last week. The state and Denver both received the letter, the officials confirmed. In the letter sent to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, which Newsline obtained, Bondi said your jurisdiction has been identified as one that engages in sanctuary policies and practices that thwart federal immigration enforcement to the detriment of the interests of the United States. This ends now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondi sent the letter on Aug. 13, and requested answers from the recipients by Tuesday. She demanded the recipients confirm their commitment to complying with federal law and identify the immediate initiatives they are taking to eliminate laws, policies and practices that impede federal immigration enforcement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Gov. Jared Polis and Acting Denver City Attorney Katie McLoughlin responded on Tuesday, but neither agreed to change any laws or policies, based on letters obtained by Newsline. Both Denver and Colorado have laws that limit certain types of cooperation between local or state officials and federal immigration authorities for non-criminal matters. Colorado has and will continue to comply with federal law, Polis said in his response letter. Colorado, like many states, will not allow the federal government to commandeer our public safety resources, and our right to do so is protected by the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. We do not find any conflict between state and federal law in this matter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polis said that Colorado is not a sanctuary state, and added that the state fully cooperates with federal authorities in identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting criminals regardless of immigration status. Denver is not going to be bullied ... Not by the Trump administration, not by anyone. Jordan Fuja, spokesperson with the Denver mayors office The Trump administration, which has pursued mass deportations, has faced setbacks in its attempts to force more local cooperation with immigration arrests, including a court reversal on July 25, when a federal judge dismissed a sanctuary policies case against Illinois, Chicago and Cook County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state and local policies reflect a decision to not participate in enforcing civil immigration law a decision protected by the Tenth Amendment, Judge Lindsay Jenkins wrote in an order now under appeal. The Justice Department on Aug. 5 released a list of jurisdictions it deems sanctuaries, including 12 states, the District of Columbia, four counties and 18 cities. Denver and Colorado are on the list, and both jurisdictions face federal lawsuits challenging their immigration-related policies. Denver is not going to be bullied, said Jordan Fuja, a spokesperson with the Denver mayors office. Not by the Trump administration, not by anyone. We have always followed the law and will continue fighting to protect the rights of residents, as well as the federal funding they are entitled to as taxpayers. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) On Wednesday, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will inform families whose children, aged seven to 18, may be due for routine vaccines through text or email. The Colorado Immunization Information System shows that over 470,000 children are due for routine vaccinations, including those required for schools. Parents or guardians will either receive a text message from 45778 or an email from cdphe.vaccine.registry@state.co.us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The messages will read as follows: Dear parent(s) or guardian(s), According to state public health records, your child/children aged 7 through 18 years may be due for routine vaccine(s), including those required for K-12 schools. The best way to ensure your child has a healthy school year is to get them vaccinated. Now is the perfect time to check vaccines off of your back-to-school list. Contact a health care provider or your local public health agency to make an appointment and learn more about which vaccine(s) are needed. If your child/children are already up to date with their vaccine(s), let us know by filling out this secure form. Be sure to attach a copy of their vaccine record. We are standing by to update their vaccination record in our Colorado Immunization Information System and will notify you by email when it has been updated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To find a vaccine provider near you, visit cdphe.colorado.gov/immunizations/get-vaccinated You can exempt your child/children from school-required vaccines. For more information, visit: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/vaccine-exemptions. (Including this language is a statutory requirement) Messages that come through text may be shorter and omit some sentences. Families can access their childs immunization records through the Colorado Immunization Information Systems self-serve portal. Medicaid and CHP+, among other health insurance plans, tend to cover the cost of routine childhood vaccinations. Even without health insurance, individuals can get certain vaccinations for free at approximately 600 locations across the state, including 17 in Mesa County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) The Columbus City Schools Board of Education met Tuesday for the first time since the districts treasurer shared that $50 million in budget cuts have to be made. The board passed a resolution saying the districts budget must be reduced by that amount starting with fiscal year 2027, which begins in July 1, 2026. Now, its up to Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman to come up with recommendations. Columbus teachers union OKs new contract Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chapman said the district is in this position because of the rising cost to educate students and the decrease in public school funding from the state. She and other district leaders will now have to find areas where they believe cuts can be made. Were looking at all areas of the organization to see how we can make continuous improvements, Chapman said. She said nothing is off the table at this point. The district will be looking a possible cuts to personnel, transportation, and programming. The number one goal in all of those conversations is how we can redirect resources back to the classroom to close these budget gaps, because we know that our students need more resources and more supports, Chapman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She will need to present a list of recommended cuts to the board in November. Columbus lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai cleared to proceed Board president Michael Cole said this gives district leaders enough time to come up with solutions while keeping the timeline on track. We want to work diligently with the superintendent to ensure that we are fair and as equitable as possible on behalf of students, but that were taking the time to do the deep dive necessary to know exactly what that list of cuts will be, Cole said. He added that there is a possibility that more schools in the district could be closed and consolidated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The answer to the question effectively is yes, we want to ensure that were taking consideration of everything possible, Cole said. Both district leaders said the goal with the cuts is to have the least amount of impact on students as possible. Mother-daughter duo to relaunch New Orleans-inspired eatery, cafe in Columbus We want to be sure that kids have everything they possibly can have in the classroom, Cole said. Its a tough decision. Its a lot of hard work that has to happen, a bigger, deep dive. With the passage of Tuesdays ordinance, the district now has less than one year to make the $50 million in cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) will release earnings results for the second quarter, before the opening bell on Thursday, Aug. 21. Analysts expect the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company to report quarterly earnings at 74 cents per share, up from 67 cents per share in the year-ago period. Walmart projects to report quarterly revenue at $174.32 billion, compared to $167.77 billion a year earlier, according to data from Benzinga Pro. With the recent buzz around Walmart, some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company's dividends. As of now, the retailer offers an annual dividend yield of 0.93%, which is a quarterly dividend amount of 23 cents per share (94 cents a year). To figure out how to earn $500 monthly from Walmart, we start with the yearly target of $6,000 ($500 x 12 months). Next, we take this amount and divide it by Walmart's 94-cent dividend: $6,000 / $0.94 = 6,383 shares. So, an investor would need to own approximately $646,534 worth of Walmart, or 6,383 shares to generate a monthly dividend income of $500. Assuming a more conservative goal of $100 monthly ($1,200 annually), we do the same calculation: $1,200 / $0.94 = 1,277 shares, or $129,347 to generate a monthly dividend income of $100. Note that dividend yield can change on a rolling basis, as the dividend payment and the stock price both fluctuate over time. View more earnings on WMT The dividend yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend payment by the current stock price. As the stock price changes, the dividend yield will also change. Lets say a stock pays an annual dividend of $2 and its current price is $50. Its dividend yield would be 4%. However, if the stock price increases to $60, the dividend yield would decrease to 3.33% ($2/$60). Conversely, if the stock price decreases to $40, the dividend yield would increase to 5% ($2/$40). Further, the dividend payment itself can also change over time, which can also impact the dividend yield. If a company increases its dividend payment, the dividend yield will increase even if the stock price remains the same. Similarly, if a company decreases its dividend payment, the dividend yield will decrease. WMT Price Action: Shares of Walmart rose by 0.6% to close at $101.29 on Tuesday. On Monday, Guggenheim analyst John Heinbockel maintained a Buy rating on Walmart. He also raised the price target from $112 to $115. Read More: Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) Wichita County Sheriff David Dukes retirement sets the stage for big decisions for the Wichita County commissioners court. On Tuesday, August 19, commissioners held a closed-door session to discuss the process of choosing his replacement. While commissioners took no action today, Judge Johnson says theyll likely place the matter on the agenda next week. Under the law, the commissioners court has full authority to appoint a new sheriff to fill the vacancy. Whoever is appointed will serve until the next general election in November of 2026, which will cover the final two years of the current four-year term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After that, voters will decide in the 2028 election who will hold the office for a full four-year term. Judge Johnson says he has the utmost faith that the sheriffs office will continue operations seamlessly during this transition, no matter who is appointed. State law gives us pretty broad flexibility in how we how we choose to appoint any vacancy in office that were given the authority to appoint. It just requires the agenda item so that the public can know about it, can come in, make their feelings heard, and can listen to the discussion. Then it just requires a motion and a vote on a person for the court to do, like any other item, Judge Johnson said. Again, the session will be public, and Judge Johnson encourages community members to come and weigh in on the decision. Sheriff Duke remains in office until his retirement becomes official on August 31. Of course, we will update you as we learn who will fill his vacancy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. CHEYENNE Legislators voted to sponsor bills addressing the states use of paper ballots and ballot drop boxes during Fridays Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee meeting. The two bills, which would require paper ballots be the default voting method in each county and would prohibit the use of ballot drop boxes, are in alignment with legislation that Secretary of State Chuck Gray backed earlier this year. During the meeting, Gray repeatedly referred to President Trumps executive order Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections, saying these bills are essential to achieving the presidents objectives. The bills also align with Grays election integrity agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wyoming Republican Party Chairman Bryan Miller echoed Grays concerns. National politics have driven a big distrust in the election system, and that distrust is very prevalent in Wyoming at the moment, Miller said. Bottom line, the perception is the reality. Though Gray and Miller insisted that these bills are essential to election security, opponents of the bills noted that they responded to perception, rather than addressing any documented errors. Wyoming League of Women Voters President Linda Barton told the committee that they should heavily consider the input of the county clerks, and avoid supporting legislation that takes away local control for the sake of national agendas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bills before you today do not meet that standard, Barton told the committee. Instead, they erect barriers; impose costly, unfunded mandates; reduce access, and risk undermining public trust in our elections. Barton noted that voter access should be considered alongside election integrity. We must carefully consider the real-life effects on both election administration and voter access, Barton said. For many Wyoming voters shift workers, farmers, ranchers, people with health challenges, and those facing immediate harsh weather barriers to voting are more than theoretical. The committee was originally set to hear 11 bills Friday morning, but later voted to only work four for the sake of time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee also worked on two draft bills, one prohibiting ballot harvesting and one addressing voter registration procedures, which will be revisited during their November meeting. Ballot harvesting refers to the practice of individuals collecting and submitting completed absentee or mail-in ballots on behalf of other voters, rather than the voters submitting their own ballots directly. Paper ballots The committee voted to sponsor the draft bill on pen and paper ballots, which would require counties to use pen and paper as the default method to mark ballots for Wyoming elections, with exceptions for people with disabilities. Laramie County is the only county in the state that doesnt currently provide pen and paper ballots as a default measure. Instead, the county uses an express voting system as its default. Voters insert a card into a machine, select their candidates on a touchscreen and receive a printed ballot with a list of their votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gray specifically took issue with the barcodes produced during the process, which encodes the voters selections. Relying on barcodes decreases the trust in our elections, because electors cannot verify that the barcodes on their ballots correspond with the candidates they voted for, Gray said. This bill will increase confidence in our elections, because voters will trust that their ballot was counted accurately when they fill them out with pen and paper. These electronic voting systems are largely used to increase accessibility for voters who may not be able to fill out a paper ballot without assistance. Gray noted that, further down the line, he would support accessing options that are still accessible, but do not include barcodes. There have been no documented cases of inconsistencies between barcodes and printed votes in Wyoming, Platte County Clerk Malcolm Ervin told the committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been, however, one documented case in 2023, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, where the voters selection shown on the machine-generated code differed from the selections that appeared on the human-readable printout, Ervin said. Further investigation showed that the code accurately reflected the voters choices, but a programming error had caused the text version to be incorrect. The votes were tabulated correctly based on the code. That same coding error is not exclusive to the express vote, Ervin said. It could happen on the paper ballot, as well. These errors have strengthened the argument for testing counting systems prior to an election, as opposed to restricting methods of voting, Ervin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other issue with the bill is how difficult it would be for Laramie County to comply with the bill by the 2026 election cycle. Laramie County is the largest county in the state, home to 16% of the voting population. In an email correspondence presented to the committee by Mary Lankford, a lobbyist for the County Clerks Association of Wyoming, Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee wrote that the bill would completely upend Laramie Countys elections, a recipe for disaster for Wyomings largest county that could impact elections across the state. According to Lee, Laramie County would have to completely change its operational plans and would have to acquire additional voting equipment. That equipment would also have to be installed and tested by the vendor prior to undergoing additional required logic and accuracy tests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laramie County does not have the staff, money or time to make such a drastic change in voting operations, Lee wrote. The committee voted amend the bills effective date to effective immediately and then voted to sponsor the draft bill, with Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, and co-chair Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, opposed. Ballot boxes The committee also voted to sponsor a bill that would prohibit the use of drop boxes for the delivery of ballots. Instead, absentee ballots would have to be mailed in or delivered by hand. I remain convinced that the use of unstaffed and unattended ballot drop boxes is not secure or the best means for our state, Gray told the committee, referencing a few instances in which ballot boxes were tampered with, including recent arson cases in Oregon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the major concerns with prohibiting the use of ballot boxes is limiting voter access. Many blue-collar workers in Wyoming have jobs that require long hours, Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, told the committee. My concern all along with this bill was the fact that it was eliminating the ability of a working man or woman to come into town at 7 oclock at night and drop their ballot off, Landen said. Gray responded to Landens concern, saying that the working man was a priority of himself and Trump. Working people support these measures, Gray said. Theres no question about that. He offered no supporting evidence to back up that assertion, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yin also pointed out that mailing ballots would effectively send them out of the state, as Wyoming no longer has a local U.S. Postal Service distribution center. The nearest distribution center is in Denver, Colorado, or Salt Lake City, Utah. It goes out of the state and then it comes back, Yin said. And so how do I know that my ballot is more secured in the postal collection box than a box thats in the county courthouse in my county and will never leave the county? Gray noted that election-related mail should not leave the state. The committee rejected an amendment to allow voters to deliver their ballots to a drop box in a county or other governmental entitys building; the box would be accessible from the buildings exterior. The amendment would have required the drop box to remain under constant video surveillance, and only a county clerk or their designee would have access to the secured receptacle. The committee amended the bills effective date to effective immediately and then voted to sponsor the draft bill, with Landen, Yin and Case opposed. A London community member has filed a formal complaint questioning whether a sitting city council member is meeting residency requirements under Kentucky law. The complaint, submitted by Leslie Foley, is directed at London City Council Member Anthony Ortega. Foley said she filed her concerns with the Kentucky Attorney Generals Office, citing KRS 83A.040, which requires council members to maintain their primary residence within city limits during their term. The Sentinel-Echo contacted Attorney General Russell Coleman for comment but had not received a response as of press time Tuesday afternoon. Foley said her concern is rooted in ensuring that the same standards should apply to council members as they attempt to apply to the mayor. This statement is in reference to the charges City Council recently brought against Mayor Randall Weddle. Formerly among those charges was a failure to meet city residency requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Foley drew attention to the fact that after she filed an appeal with Acting City Clerk Ashley Taylor on August 10, the council removed that charge from the amended version of the impeachment resolution, which was approved during the councils special-called meeting on August 15. The Sentinel-Echo contacted Attorney TJ Roberts regarding the removal as City Council Attorney Conrad Cessna confirmed Roberts is handling the charges but attempts to reach Roberts for comment were unsuccessful as of press time Tuesday. An open records request for Foleys appeal was also filed but had not received a response by press time. Foleys evidence package against Ortega includes a combination of property records, online images and rental listings. Among the materials are Facebook photos from May through August 2025 that appear to show Ortegas family at a residence outside city limits on Afton Lane. Foley compared the images with Google Street View and mapping data, pointing out identifying features such as utility boxes, trees and surrounding houses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foley also provided property records showing Ortega as the owner of a home at 205 East Fifth Street in London, but claimed that the family appeared to be living elsewhere. Screenshots from the Airbnb platform show the Fifth Street home listed as a short-term rental called The Brick on 5th, with the entire property advertised for guest stays. The listing described full access to the home, driveway and yard with reviews from visitors. Foley said she verified the listing on August 16 and noted that shortly after she made her complaint public on social media, the listing was altered to block bookings until November. Foley emphasized that her actions were not personal, but intended to uphold accountability. In a statement, she said, This is not about personal attacks, but about making sure our city leaders follow the same rules we are all required to follow. As citizens, we have a right to expect accountability and transparency in government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ortega, in response, acknowledged that his residence was temporarily listed on Airbnb but said the circumstances were tied to family needs. As many in our community know, Claytina and I are raising several children, including two infants, Ortega said. During the summer break, while I was occupied with work and some of our children were experiencing illness, Claytinas mother generously offered for us to stay with her to help lighten the load. During this time, we did not want to leave our home vacant and incurring costs unnecessarily, so I listed our residence on Airbnb for a couple months to help offset expenses something thats especially important when providing for five children. He stressed that the Fifth Street address is his primary and only residence, noting that it is the address where he is registered to vote, pays taxes, holds his drivers license, registers his vehicles and where his children attend the local elementary school. To suggest that my temporary absence for family reasons amounts to a violation of residency requirements is without merit, Ortega said, citing KRS 116.035, which defines a persons residence as the place where their habitation is fixed and to which they intend to return when absent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statute further notes that residency is not lost by absence if the individual maintains that intent to return. Ortega added, That said, I am encouraged to see members of the public taking residency requirements for elected officials seriously. My hope is that this same standard will be applied equally to all elected officers in the City of London. Doing so would help ensure that our government truly serves the best interests of the people. Two construction companies are facing prosecution for health and safety offences after an employee was seriously injured at the Hinkley Point C construction site in Somerset. The accident happened on 22 August 2022 when a wall of rebar mesh, a metal lattice used to support structures, fell on the man as he was working in a pre-fabrication yard at the site near Bridgwater. Contractors Bouygues Travaux Publics SAS and Laing O'Rourke Delivery Limited each face a single charge of failing to plan, manage and monitor construction work without risks to health and safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson from Bylor, a joint venture between the two contractors, said it is "cooperating fully" with the regulator. The decision to begin legal proceedings follows an investigation by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the UK's independent nuclear regulator. A location and date for the first court hearing is yet to be announced. Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Related internet links Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders have compared the transfer of part of Donetsk Oblast to Russia to the US having to give up part of Florida. This analogy left a strong impression on US President Trump during talks at the White House on Monday 18 August. Source: The Financial Times, as reported by European Pravda Details: One of the stumbling blocks in the peace talks is Russia's demand that Ukraine cede territory in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in exchange for freezing the front line in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. However, Kyiv insists that it will not cede any territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As two sources familiar with the matter said, at a meeting at the White House on Monday, Zelenskyy and European leaders compared the surrender of the rest of Donetsk Oblast to Trump giving up eastern Florida, the state where the American leader's Mar-a-Lago estate is located. The sources added that this analogy left a strong impression on the US president. Background: On Monday 18 August, after a conversation with Kremlin leader Putin, Trump announced that he was beginning to prepare a meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia. Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stressed that only reliable security guarantees for Ukraine will deter Russia from a potential attack in the future. The leaders of the Coalition of the Willing agreed at a meeting on Tuesday 19 August to hold talks with the US in the near future on "reliable security guarantees" for Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Con Edison is hiring: Jobs that dont require a degree NEW YORK (PIX11) Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. is looking to fill entry-level positions and is hiring individuals without college degrees. The positions are listed on Con Edisons career website. More Local News Applicants must have a high school diploma and a drivers license. Stock handlers Job duties include following safe work practices and procedures, performing work assignments at each location as required, providing customer service to crews, ordering and issuing materials, and receiving internal deliveries and packages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Applicants should be able to perform heavy manual labor and be able to perform extended driving through heavy traffic and severe off-road conditions. The starting salary is $26.78 an hour. Benefits include health, vision, dental, an employer-paid pension plan, and a 401(k). Click here to see more open positions. Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Tunisias General Labour Union (UGTT) is poised to take on President Kais Saied in a protest scheduled for August 21. The union called for a protest against what it says are government attempts to undermine workers rights, and the use of intimidation to curb strikes, referring to a three-day UGTT transport strike at the end of July. Since he seized power on July 25, 2021, Saied has radically undermined the role of parliament and political parties while granting himself vastly increased powers through a constitution revised according to his edicts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet the UGTTs ability to mobilise its hundreds of thousands of members stands as one of the few remaining counters to Saied, analysts say. The UGTT has always been more than just a trade union, Hamza Meddeb of the Carnegie Institute, who has written extensively on the organisation, told Al Jazeera. It was established even before Tunisian independence, and played a significant role in achieving that, he said of Tunisias liberation from France in 1956. Since then, its played both an economic role as well as a political role, such as in 2015, when it was the principal force behind establishing the National Dialogue, Meddeb continued, referring to a political crisis when the UGTT and three other civil society organisations helped prevent the collapse of Tunisias post-revolutionary democracy. Tunisias President Kais Saied [File: Johanna Geron/Pool via Reuters] Inevitable confrontation Matters reached a head between UGTT and Saied on August 7 when hundreds of Saieds supporters rallied outside UGTT headquarters, accusing it of corruption and squandering peoples money after a three-day transport strike in late July paralysed much of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following night, Saied defended the anti-union protesters, repeating their calls for union accountability and stressing that, contrary to claims from both the UGTT and rights groups, his supporters had not intended violence. There are files that must be opened because the people are demanding accountability so that their money can be returned to them, Saied said in a video posted on the presidencys official Facebook page. Further confrontations between the president and the union were inevitable, but many analysts point to what they say is a union weakened by internal schisms and the threat to its decades-long monopoly on union power in Tunisia. For the past two years, the UGTT has been silent, certainly on the political side of things, a political analyst who remained in Tunisia told Al Jazeera, on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saied even revised the labour code without consulting them, they said of the May decision to change laws that affected many of UGTTs members. Previously, making a decision on that scale without the UGTT would have been inconceivable, he said. UGTT supporters take to the streets in 2023. Analysts say the unions ability to draw similar numbers to the streets has declined in the years since [Jihed Abidellaoui/Reuters] A weakened union Much of the UGTTs relatively low profile lies in an internal rupture, prompted by its decision in 2021 to extend its boards mandate from two to three terms, which is said to have splintered the unions membership and undermined it. There are many in the UGTT who see the 2021 decision as a coup detat of the unions own, which has really weakened the boards decision to do anything, Meddeb said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You also cant avoid the fact that the financial situation across the country is getting much, much worse, which means that the core membership of the union the state-dependent middle class are also suffering, and are blaming a board they already have little faith in for that, too. So, when Saied calls it a corrupt union that makes sense to much of its membership, Meddeb said. Its also easy, [given its long history and close relationships with all of Tunisias past governments] for Saied to paint it as part of the countrys elite that has been holding its people back, he concluded. A rival union emerges Moves to undermine the UGTTs base are already under way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, the government announced it would halt the longstanding practice of allowing union officials to receive their government salaries while on union business, with more such moves expected. UGTT secretary-general, Noureddine Taboubi, called for a protest in response to what the union says are government attacks upon it [File: Fethi Belaid/AFP] Saied is also said to be encouraging the rival Union of Tunisian Workers (UTT), which analysts such as author Hatem Nafti say could try to take advantage of any weakening of the bond between the UGTT and its membership, to boost its standing. How successful that would be in light of the UTT leaderships previous convictions on corruption charges, remained to be seen, he added. That the UTT is ready to step into any breach left by the UGTT was clear last week, when it issued a statement accusing its rivals of what it said was the defamation of the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nafti said that the government might also seek to halt the practice of deducting UGTT membership fees from state employees salaries at source before transferring the funds to the union, which would give UTT more hope of winning members away from UGTT. That Kais Saied would move against the UGTT was written from day one, Nafti told Al Jazeera from Paris, where he now lives. Populism doesnt allow any mediator between the leader and the people, so firstly, he got rid of rival political parties, then civil society and the media. Even the television networks that support him dont show political programmes any more, he said. The UGTT was the logical next step. The group's ultimate goal is to establish a caliphate in Central Africa, similar to ISISs vision in Iraq and Syria. A massacre of Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has spotlighted the growing threat of extremist groups operating across Central Africa. While such massacres are not new, extremist groups - someaffiliated with ISIS - have been active in Africa for many years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, following the defeat of ISIS and its affiliates in Iraq and Syria between 2017 and 2019, these groups have increasingly focused on parts of Africa. This includes regions of the Sahel, stretching across North and Central Africa, and areas further south, such as Mozambique. This shift in focus is raising alarms in the Middle East, as extremist groups in Africa could lead to radicalization returning to the region. A series of recent articles in the UAE-based Al-Ain media highlight this concern. An article published on August 19 focused on Muslim Brotherhood infiltration in Sudan, while another on August 20 discussed the role of ISIS in the DRC. Soldiers from the Ugandan People's Defence Forces and a soldier from the 214th DP Battalion of the DRC Armed Forces, as part of the joint operation between the two armies, Shujaa, stand along a road between Bulongo and Beni, North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, December, 2024 (credit: PHILEMON BARBIER/AFP via Getty Images) The report stated that deep in the forests of the DRC and on the border with Uganda, the influence of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), one of Africas most dangerous terrorist organizations, is growing. ISIS-affiliates kill over 40 people including children at church Human Rights Watch (HRW) and others have reported on the massacre, which occurred on the night of July 26-27, 2025, when the ADF killed over 40 people, including several children, during a church gathering in eastern DRC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HRW noted that several other children were abducted and remain missing. The ADF, a Ugandan-led group that pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2019, was behind the attack. Although the current ties between the ADF and ISIS remain unclear, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channel, reporting 45 deaths. The massacre raises concerns about the ability of the DRCs national army and the UN peacekeeping forces to protect civilians. The BBC reported that more than 40 people were killed in the attack, most of them worshippers at a church in Komanda. Nine of the victims were children, according to the UN peacekeeping mission. The ADF, which emerged in Uganda in the 1990s, accused the Ugandan government of persecuting Muslims, but is now based in the DRC, where it targets civilians of all religions. It also operates in Uganda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UAE's Al-Ain media believes the ADF is growing in power. The report describes the group as the "bloody arm of ISIS in the Central African Republic," citing French magazine Le Point. The ADF, it claims, poses an existential threat to the fragile states in the Great Lakes region. The article asks, Where did this movement come from? How did it transform from a local opposition into a transnational terrorist group? And what is the truth behind its project to establish a caliphate in the heart of Africa? Under the leadership of Moussa Sika Paluku since 2015, the group has increasingly turned to extremism and terrorism, pledging allegiance to ISIS in 2019. The article points to poor coordination between forces in Uganda and the DRC as a factor enabling the ADF to thrive. The group targets both Muslims and Christians and has built a strong internal economic network by exploiting gold mines, forests, and imposing taxes on farmers and traders. The ADF operates small businesses and pharmacies as logistical covers, making the group relatively independent and difficult to eradicate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group's ultimate goal is to establish a caliphate in Central Africa, similar to ISISs vision in Iraq and Syria. To achieve this, the ADF aims to weaken the governments of Uganda and the DRC, taking advantage of border states such as North Kivu. The report states, "The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) is no longer just a local insurgency; it has become a transnational terrorist group that thrives on the weakness of states and the collapse of their institutions. It now represents a double threat: a bloody caliphate project on the one hand and an armed 'mafia state' on the other." The core message of the Al-Ain article is that the world must stop ignoring the growing threats in Central Africa. These extremist threats have largely gone unaddressed for decades, as the US has sought to reduce its focus on Africa, leaving a power vacuum. This has allowed China, Russia, and Turkey to expand their influence. The UAE medias focus on the issue aims to raise alarms among its allies in the UK and US, urging them to address the threat in the region. Welcome to Foreign Policys Africa Brief. The highlights this week: Fighting ramps up in eastern Congo as peace talks fall through, Malis junta arrests generals and a French national over an alleged destabilization plot, and a toxic spill at a Zambian copper mine may be much worse than previously reported. Sign up to receive Africa Brief in your inbox every Wednesday. Sign up to receive Africa Brief in your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time. Enter your email Sign Up Loading... Signed Up Abuses Mount in Congo Despite a Qatari-facilitated cease-fire and U.S.-brokered peace agreement, fighting has intensified in recent weeks in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than 100 armed groups are vying for control of vast mineral deposits. Earlier this month, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels launched an offensive around the town of Mulamba in South Kivu province, violating a cease-fire brokered in Doha in mid-July. M23 and Congo also agreed to secure a permanent peace deal by Aug. 18, but the deadline was missed on Monday when M23 walked away from the talks, accusing the Congolese government of continued attacks against the territories the group had seized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, another rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), began a series of attacks last week that killed more than 50 people in eastern Congos North Kivu province. The ADF also took at least 100 hostages and burned and looted homes and shops. The ADF is a Ugandan rebel group that emerged in the mid-1990s over domestic grievances against long-serving President Yoweri Museveni. Amid pressure from the Ugandan army in 2001, the group fled to North Kivu and, in 2018, aligned itself with the Islamic State. The ADF attacks have compounded eastern Congos multifaceted challenges. Fighting in the region escalated rapidly at the beginning of this year, when M23 rebels launched a major offensive after a period of relative inactivity. The group has seized large swaths of land this year, including Goma and Bukavu, eastern Congos largest cities. Since taking control, M23 has instilled a climate of fear and vicious reprisals among the local population, said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty Internationals regional director for east and southern Africa. Media outlets and United Nations experts have reported on human rights abuses and horrific sexual violence carried out by M23 and other parties in the conflict. According to the U.N., children comprise nearly 40 percent of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The peace deal that Congo and Rwanda signed in Washington in June did little to ease fighting. More than 300 people were killed by M23, aided by members of the Rwandan military, between July 9 and 21 in North Kivu, according to accounts received by the U.N. human rights office. Congolese army spokesperson Sylvain Ekenge recently said in a statement that M23 is launching almost daily attacks. Meanwhile, M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka accused Kinshasa of offensive military maneuvers aimed at full-scale war last week. So far, there has been little change in conflict dynamics on the ground, and there is no realistic plan for dismantling the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23, Sasha Lezhnev and John Prendergast wrote in Foreign Policy earlier this month. Meanwhile, Ugandan troops have expanded their footprint in North Kivu, citing security concerns from the ADF. But a U.N. report recently alleged that Uganda also benefits from Congos illegal mineral trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Security experts suggest that all actors involved in the fighting need to be held accountable for orchestrating violence against civilians in Congo. The latest attacks underscore the reality that a long-lasting peace plan must involve more than just a select few of the parties to the conflict. The Week Ahead Wednesday, Aug. 20, to Friday, Aug. 22: The Tokyo International Conference on African Development is held in Yokohama, Japan. Thursday, Aug. 21: The U.N. Security Council discusses the U.N. Support Mission in Libya and sanctions against the country. Monday, Aug. 25: Health ministers convene for the 75th session of the World Health Organizations Regional Committee for Africa, held in Lusaka, Zambia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Were Watching Malian plot. Malis military leadership said Thursday that it had arrested several people, including two Malian army generals and a French national, for allegedly plotting to destabilize the government. Authorities claimed that French citizen Yann Vezilier was working on behalf of the French intelligence service and that fringe elements of the Malian armed security forces were detained for trying to destabilize the institutions of the republic. Frances foreign ministry said the allegations against Vezilier were unfounded and that he is an embassy worker in Bamako, Malis capital. The arrests come shortly after Malis interim president, Gen. Assimi Goitawho seized power in a 2020 coupwas granted a five-year term in July, renewable as many times as necessary without election. The junta also suspended political parties in May despite earlier promises to return the country to civilian rule by March 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps refugee cap. The Trump administration is considering a refugee admissions cap of 40,000 people next year, with around 30,000 of those slots reserved for white South Africans, according to a Reuters report based on an internal email and interviews with two anonymous U.S. officials. On his first day in office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump suspended the countrys refugee admissions program. Since then, his administration has offered refugee status to white Afrikaners on the basis of alleged racial persecution in South Africaclaims that the countrys government denies. Zambias unsafe river. Six months after an acid spill at a Chinese-owned copper mine in Zambia, an independent audit has found that the disaster released around 30 times more toxic sludge than the 50,000 tons reported by the company and the Zambian government. The spill occurred when a tailings dam partially collapsed at a mine run by Sino-Metals Leach, a subsidiary of the state-run China Nonferrous Mining Corp. According to Drizit Zambia, the company hired by Sino-Metals to evaluate the accident, at least 1.5 million tons of toxic material spilled, contaminating the Mwambashi River, which flows into the Kafue River. (Sino-Metals questioned Drizits methodology and has terminated its contract with the firm.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 60 percent of Zambias 20 million people live in the Kafue River basin, and the river supplies drinking water to around 5 million people, including residents of the capital, Lusaka. The disaster may be one of the global mining industrys worst ecological disasters to date. According to Bloomberg, Michael Gonzales, the U.S. ambassador to Zambia, wrote in an Aug. 6 email to staff that the disaster appeared to be the sixth-worst in history. Libyas municipal elections. Libyans voted in local elections on Saturday in areas controlled by the U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli. Elections were scheduled in 63 municipalities, but polls were suspended in 11 of them, mostly areas in the east that are under a rival administration controlled by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. In addition, arson attacks the Friday before the elections destroyed electoral documents in the northwestern city of Zawiyah and nearby Sahel al-Gharbi, leading to the postponement of elections in seven additional municipalities until Aug. 23. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These criminal assaults aimed to deprive Libyans of their right to choose their representatives, said Abdel Hakim al-Shaab, a board member of Libyas electoral commission. This Week in Infrastructure Last week, the Nigerian government, De-Sadel Nigeria, and China Liancai Petroleum Investment Holdings announced that they are set to begin construction of a 2,500-mile high-speed rail network. The project will connect Lagos to Port Harcourt via Abuja and Kano and will take an estimated three years to build. The first phase of the $60 billion project is being financed by the Asian Development Investment Bank, which is backed by China. The project also involves converting some of Nigerias diesel-powered trains to run on liquefied natural gas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FPs Most Read This Week Trump Has No Idea How to Do Diplomacy With Putin or Europe by Stephen M. Walt Key Takeaways From Trumps Meeting With Zelensky by Rishi Iyengar The Next Israel-Iran War Is Coming by Trita Parsi What Were Reading Sudans foreign-driven war. In the Continent, Eisa Dafallah argues that more than two years of civil war have turned Sudan into a patchwork of overlapping military, administrative, and economic zones, where local dynamics intersect with regional interests and financial imperatives. The United Arab Emirates and Egypt have particularly heavy stakes in the conflict. Before the war, most Sudanese gold was exported to the UAE, Dafallah writes. But data shows that in 2024, 100% of Sudans declared gold exports went to Egypt. Language of power. In the Guardian, an excerpt from the late Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiongos recently published book, Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas, explores the importance of preserving African languages amid the unequal power relationships between languages. A variation of the Irish situation, where even after independence, the intellectuals express themselves more fluently in the language of imperial conquest than in the languages from their own country, is present in every postcolonial situation, Ngugi writes. In the case of Africa, you even hear the identity of the continent being described in terms of Europhonity: anglophone, francophone and lusophone. DAKAR, Senegal (AP) A proposed peace deal between the government of Congo and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seeks to reinstate government control over rebel-held areas, according to a copy of the draft seen by The Associated Press. The draft, which was proposed by Qatar, outlines a three-phase process to achieve peace. The proposal will be discussed under mediation by both parties in Doha in coming days. Those directly involved in the peace efforts confirmed its authenticity to AP. Belgium's foreign minister, Maxime Prevot, told reporters on Tuesday that Congos President Felix Tshisekedi is not satisfied with the draft agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new phase of discussions will open in the coming hours and days in Doha. President Tshisekedi confirmed to me that the proposed text is not satisfactory. That is an important element to keep in mind, said Prevot. M23 political leader Bertrand Bisimwa said the group is "focused on implementing the Doha Declaration in terms of the ceasefire and the release of prisoners. Congo has been wracked by conflict with more than 100 armed groups, with the loss of millions of lives since the 1990s. The current fighting is the most intense in years and culminated earlier this year when M23 rebels captured major cities in the east of the country for the first time in more than a decade. The group took control of the major cities of Goma and Bukavu earlier this year and has consolidated its hold by appointing loyalists to senior administrative positions. They also control dozens of other smaller towns and villages in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The draft peace deal would be the culmination of a U.S. and Qatar-sponsored attempt at peace that has gotten both Congo and Rwanda to sign a peace deal in Washington last month. In statements on Tuesday, the Congolese government and M23 accused each other of violating the ceasefire. The M23 rebel group is the most prominent armed group in the conflict, and its major advance early this year left bodies on the streets. With 7 million people displaced in Congo, the United Nations has called it one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth. Another investment firm is putting funds on the blockchain. Anthony Scaramucci, founder and managing partner of SkyBridge Capital, announced Tuesday that his company plans to hold around $300 million from two funds in the form of tokenized assets. SkyBridges move comes amid a wave of enthusiasm for what the crypto industry calls tokenization. The process entails creating digital token versions of real-world assets like Treasury bills, which can be easily traded on a blockchain in the same way as Bitcoin or stablecoins. Im basically seeing 2026 into 2027 as the age of real-world tokenization, Scaramucci, a former Goldman Sachs executive who had a brief stint at the White House during President Donald Trumps first term, told Fortune. SkyBridge Capital plans to deploy its tokenized funds on Avalanche, a blockchain that boasts almost $2 billion in assets on its network, according to crypto analytics provider DefiLlama. The amount of money that SkyBridge will deploy is about 10% of his firms assets under management, Scaramucci told Fortune. One of the two funds hes tokenizing specializes in investments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin that have not been deemed securities by the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to SkyBridges most recent investor disclosure. The other is a fund of funds composed of SkyBridges other investment vehicles, including both its venture and crypto funds. Advocates say issuing products like investment funds on decentralized networks can reduce transaction fees and cut out middlemen. Traditionally, there are a series of individuals between the buyers and sellers of financial assets, each of whom has to vet and evaluate the origin of, say, a stake in a fundeven if that fund is made up of cryptocurrencies already on blockchains. Each of these middlemen can charge fees and slow the process down. Blockchains are decentralized databases, meaning that no one party can tamper with the information stored on the network. Hence, there theoretically does not need to be a middleman to verify the owner and authenticity of a financial asset issued on it. Users can look up the details themselves. While proponents have lauded the virtues of tokenization for some time, the business of putting real-world assets on blockchains is still nascent, though it appears to be gaining momentum. Financial heavyweights like BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, and VanEck have recently issued their own money-market funds onto a series of blockchains like Solana and Aptos. Eventually, advocates envision a world where investors can buy and transfer their stakes in various funds without having to wade through spreadsheets or repeated calls to banks to wire money. Congressman Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, blasted Democrats and the members of the media who have been critical of President Donald Trump sending the National Guard to the streets of Washington, D.C., in an effort to curb the rampant crime plaguing the city. Hunt also revealed that his own D.C. apartment complex in the Navy Yard area was broken into last year, leaving a front desk attendant robbed of her belongings just several floors away from the congressmans own unit. "Downstairs in my apartment complex, there was a woman who was robbed," Hunt told Fox News Digital. "She had her computer stolen, her phone stolen, and her iPad stolen right behind the desk, and we were all blocks away from the Capitol." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was a three-minute drive away from the Capitol when this happened," Hunt added. "Across the street from our complex was where Henry Cuellar was robbed at gunpoint . I don't understand what these [critics] are talking about. It's not safe." Hunt insists that the city is not safe. Ms-13 Gang Member Arrested In Dc As Bondi Touts Admin's 'Extraordinary' Crime Crackdown Trumps military intervention to combat crime in D.C. has been widely criticized by Democrats, with House Judiciary ranking member Jamie Raskin , D-Md., introducing a resolution last week to prevent the president from keeping service members in the district. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because Washington, D.C., is not a state, Trump was able to invoke Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, allowing him to declare a public emergency and deploy federal resources into the area. "Just like I took care of the Border, where you had ZERO Illegals coming across last month, from millions the year before, I will take care of our cherished Capital, and we will make it, truly, GREAT AGAIN," Trump stated in an Aug. 11 White House fact sheet on the emergency declaration. "Before the tents, squalor, filth, and Crime, it was the most beautiful Capital in the World. It will soon be that again." President Donald Trump has faced criticism for sending federal resources to Washington, D.C., to combat crime and homelessness. Dc Police Accused Of Changing Crime Stats Just Weeks Before Trump Federalized City Hunt also noted the actions of several Democrat governors who used their respective states National Guard to combat various issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Tim Walz used the National Guard to implement COVID restrictions on people, not to take care of the murder capital of the United States," Hunt told Fox. "Gavin Newsom is willing to clean up downtown LA in California for the president of China to come visit, but you won't clean it up just for everyday citizens when all this crime is happening?" The White House has also touted the success of the military presence in the nations capital, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt telling reporters during a Tuesday press briefing that 465 arrests have been made since the start of the operation, including an MS-13 gang member illegally in the U.S. with convictions for drug possession and driving while intoxicated (DWI). The White House has lauded the success of the D.C. crime crackdown. Photos: Feds Take Over Dc As Trump Cracks Down On Capital Crime "Thanks to President Trump's leadership and the outstanding work of both federal and local law enforcement, dangerous gang members like the one picked up last night will not be allowed on the streets of our nation's capital," Leavitt told the press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the residents of D.C., James Laverty, a staffer on Capitol Hill, told Fox News that the military presence has made a "noticeable difference" in the nations capital. "In certain areas, like Navy Yard and U Street, it feels much safer than it did just a week ago," Laverty told Fox. "This past weekend, there was a noticeable difference in the vibe late at night, and I think it goes without saying that the impact of the National Guard on the streets is the clear reason for the newly found safe sentiment in DC." Original article source: Congressman whose DC apartment complex was robbed blasts Democrats for criticizing Trump crime crackdown OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) A traveling series for discussions on the future of biotech across America made its way to Oklahoma City Tuesday. Congresswoman Stephanie Bice was among those there to talk about research among other topics. KFOR was there to ask her about recent proposals from the Trump Administration that would cut funding to that very industry here at home. LOCAL NEWS: In by 10 reminds parents to get kids home by 10 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a meeting of the minds at Innovation Hall Tuesday morning with the National Security Commission of Emerging Biotechnology and their traveling series on the future of biotech across America. But Tuesday, it was specific to Oklahoma. Oklahoma is emerging in general and it has been this is not a new thing and weve been working on this for years, Oklahomas Secretary of Commerce Deborah Moonrad said. Biotech is a growing component in industries like agriculture and medicine. The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation is one of the big names at the center of Oklahomas biomedical research industry. But, theres been recent budget proposals from the Trump Administration that would cut funding to the National Institutes of Health and in turn, the OMRF who voiced concerns about that back in July. Our ability to recruit new investigators here, our ability to give them support that they need so that they can get the research done is going to be significantly hampered, OMRF President Dr. Andrew Weyrich said back in mid-July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weyrich added that theyve seen delays in getting grants and they have received less funding in the first 5 months of this year compared to 2024. KFOR asked Bice about the proposed cuts Tuesday morning. No, no, no we are here to talk about the commission, Bice responded when being asked about NIH cuts. LOCAL NEWS: Data: OCDC inmates routinely having to wait days for release after bonds approved Thats fair, I was just going to talk about, I heard a lot about OMRF, we said. We spoke with OMRF a month ago, they are very worried about the budget resolution and the cuts that might be coming with that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will fight to make sure that doesnt happen because we recognize that investment in research is critically important not just for OMRF but across the country, Bice said. For diseases for cures to cancer. These are things that I think have been suggested, but Congress is not interested in doing those huge cuts that have been proposed. Bice also said she has had positive discussions with the NIH. To be clear, the budget with the NIH cuts have not gone through yet. Weyrich told us if it does, the cut would be unprecedented to what theyve seen in the past. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) An armed suspect believed to be fleeing out of Vermont was taken into custody by Stamford police around 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Connecticut State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation believed 23-year-old Mason L. Payne to have traveled to Connecticut in a black Audi after allegedly dragging a trooper in Massachusetts following a domestic incident in Vermont. Five juveniles arrested after stolen car crashes into tree in Trumbull Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stamford police said that narcotics detectives were able to confirm that Payne was staying at the Red Carpet Inn and took him into custody without incident. A search of the hotel room and his vehicle resulted in the discovery of two firearms. Shelton police previously described Payne as armed and dangerous and said hes made threats to harm law enforcement officers. According to police, the domestic incident happened in Dover, Vt., around 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Authorities said they responded to the report of a domestic assault allegedly involving an unspecified weapon. The video below is outdated and aired on News 8 before the suspect was taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Payne encountered a trooper during a traffic stop around 10 p.m. Tuesday in Holyoke, Mass., on Interstate 91 near Exit 15, when he allegedly dragged the trooper several feet with the vehicle while attempting to flee. Massachusetts State Police deployed a K-9 unit and air wing as the car continued fleeing into Holyoke. A cruiser attempted to tag the fleeing vehicle with a tracking device known as Star Chase but was unsuccessful. State police said they terminated the pursuit for safety reasons. The trooper was not seriously injured, state police said. State police said the FBI is leading the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information, watch the videos in the players above. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Building a new natural gas pipeline from Pennsylvania to New York would not make electricity in New England more affordable or reliable, experts say, despite the Trump administrations push to revive a project that stalled out years ago. Environmental advocates object to the construction of more gas infrastructure at a time when much of New England is trying to wean itself off fossil fuels, but there are economic concerns as well. Industry insiders say the proposed Constitution pipeline would do little to get more gas to New England power plants and could raise costs for both generators and consumers. There certainly is an increasing demand for energy, particularly electricity, said Jeremy McDiarmid, managing director and general counsel for national industry group Advanced Energy United. But the narrative that natural gas is going to somehow create a big downward pressure on electricity and energy bills is just not proven out in the data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin breathed new life into that narrative in a Boston Globe op-ed published this month. The piece advocates for the approval of the Constitution pipeline, a proposed 125-mile project that would transport gas from the fracking fields of Pennsylvania into New York, on the grounds that it would save New Englanders money. Its the latest in the EPAs shift away from its historical mission of safeguarding environmental and public health and toward slashing regulations with the goal of unleashing American energy and lowering costs for residents. Since President Donald Trump took office, the agency has announced plans to end the $7 billion Solar for All program that funds solar projects for low-income households, eliminate the Energy Star label for energy-efficient appliances, and strip itself of authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The Constitution pipeline is not a new project. Federal regulators initially approved it in 2014, but New York rejected the projects water-quality certification in 2016. Legal battles ensued, and in 2020, energy development company Williams dropped the proposal. Then, in May, the Trump administration lifted its stop-work order on a major offshore wind project under construction off Long Islands coast, claiming the move was part of a deal in which New Yorks Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul agreed to reverse the states long-standing opposition to natural gas pipelines. Days later, Williams declared it would resurrect plans for two pipelines: Constitution and the Northeast Supply Enhancement project, a shorter line that would mostly run underwater off New Jersey and New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his Boston Globe piece, Zeldin traces New Englands soaring electricity prices the highest of any region in the continental U.S. back to an inadequate supply of natural gas to the areas power plants. The Constitution pipeline would transport more gas into New York, where it could be exported to its neighbors to the East. More gas would mean more reliable power generation and lower electricity prices, Zeldin contends. It has the ring of a plausible argument. New Englands power producers are heavily dependent on natural gas 55% of the regions electricity came from gas-fired plants in 2024 and leadership at regional grid operator ISO New England has pointed to lack of gas supply as a concern for reliability as demand on the system grows. At the same time, the Trump administrations hostility to offshore wind has slowed or sidelined several developments that states like Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts were counting on to boost power supplies in coming years. While there are a tremendous amount of ambitions around large-scale renewable energy, we have really struggled to make that operable, said Dan Dolan, president of the New England Power Generators Association, a trade group that represents the regions electricity producers. Piping more gas up from Pennsylvanias ample supplies could seem like an economically sensible way to bolster the grid in light of these facts. The reality is far more complicated, however, say advocates and experts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The major problem is that the pipeline wouldnt actually bring much, if any, new gas into New England, Dolan said. The Constitution pipeline would terminate in Schoharie County, New York, where it would connect to pipes that already carry gas into New England. That existing infrastructure is the true bottleneck, he said. The pipes into and around New England are narrow and limited, so bringing a higher volume of gas into New York doesnt mean more can flow throughout the neighboring region. There are no plans in the works to alleviate those constraints, and the models for funding such projects make it highly unlikely there will be any proposals for pipelines into or within New England in the near future, Dolan said. I am not aware of any large-scale gas supply projects into New England today, he said. Until there is a way to increase that, I struggle to see how Constitution changes anything meaningful for us. Furthermore, multiple New England states are enacting plans to transition away from natural gas for home heating and appliances. In late 2023, Massachusetts regulators laid out plans for transitioning gas utilities toward clean energy, with the explicit goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. In May 2025, Maine opened an investigation into the future of its gas utilities. These efforts could reduce demand for natural gas for heating, freeing up some supply for power plants, Dolan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if new pipelines increased New Englands gas supply, that influx of fuel would be unlikely to consistently lower prices in the long term, experts said. Despite the appealing logic that more supply leads to lower costs, natural gas prices are inherently volatile and susceptible to influence by global events. In 2022, for example, the wholesale price more than tripled from its 2020 level, hitting $6.45 per million British thermal units, after Russia invaded Ukraine. Last year, the average price was $2.20; next year it is forecast to hit $4.30, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The region is already over-reliant on natural gas, said Sarah Krame, staff attorney with the Sierra Clubs environmental law program. That is why we have seen volatile and skyrocketing gas and electricity bills in recent years. A better solution to both price and reliability worries, said advocates, would be to build a system that simply requires less gas. That would mean relying on a diverse portfolio of options that includes solar, offshore wind, battery storage, energy efficiency, and demand-response programs. Such resources could be coordinated to create virtual power plants a collection of geographically distributed resources that can work together to supply power to the grid and reduce demand. Not only do these networks emit less greenhouse gases than fossil-fueled plants, but their components can be built more quickly and cheaply, McDiarmid said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This approach already had a chance to prove itself this summer, when solar and storage worked together to lower peak demand during a heat wave that saw temperatures hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit around the region, noted Amy Boyd Rabin, vice president of policy and regulatory affairs at the Environmental League of Massachusetts. To me thats a sign that we need more renewables, not that we need to double down on fossil fuels, she said. (COLORADO SPRINGS) A converted, historic elementary school in Colorado Springs will now serve as transitional housing for families experiencing homelessness and will provide wrap-around services to help them reach stability and independence. On Wednesday, Aug. 20, Catholic Charities of Central Colorado (CCCC) hosted a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Hunt Family Housing facility, which includes 24 units of housing for homeless families. The new apartments are located at 601 South Institute Street in the Hillside Neighborhood, and families will begin moving into the units later this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the nonprofit, the conversion of the historic Helen Hunt Elementary school to the new housing units will have a significant impact in reducing family homelessness in our community. The project was designed to address the critical shortage of housing for homeless families in El Paso County by providing transitional housing paired with comprehensive support services, according to a press release. The focus is on helping families achieve stability, healing, and self-reliance through a trauma-informed, family-centered approach. According to CCCC, core features of the program include: Wraparound Support Services: Families are assigned a case manager and behavioral health specialist to guide them through their transition, focusing on stability and resiliency. Comprehensive Care: Services include case management, behavioral health therapy, early childhood and parent education, and enrichment activities/social development programs. Trauma-Informed Environment: All aspects of the program, from furnishings to daily operations, are designed to reduce re-traumatization and promote family well-being. Resident Empowerment: Families participate in program agreements that emphasize respect for the living environment and belongings, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we had the opportunity to purchase the Hunt Campus in 2022, the dream of developing housing to help homeless families became a reality, said Andy Barton, CEO of Catholic Charities of Central Colorado. Each year, we should be able to help about 60 individuals, and about 120 every three years. According to CCCC, fundraising efforts will continue to offset annual apartment operating costs, and if the community wants to help, they can either sponsor an apartment by clicking the link above or donate to the nonprofits wishlist at CCharitiesCC.org/Wishlist. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. TREMONTON, Utah (ABC4) A legal expert broke down the case of the man suspected of killing two Tremonton police officers and injuring another, discussing whether he could face the death penalty. On Sunday, police officers responded to a domestic violence call in Tremonton, and Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada were shot and killed. Deputy Mike Allred of Box Elder County Sherrifs Office and his K9 Azula were seriously injured, but they are expected to recover. Following the shooting, Ryan Bate, 32, was arrested on two counts of aggravated murder (capital felony), attempted aggravated murder (first-degree felony), and assault (class-B misdemeanor). However, formal charges have not been filed yet, as prosecutors are considering the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ NEXT: Tremonton shooter used high-powered rifle to kill officers, police say If Bate is charged with aggravated murder and convicted for it, he could face the death penalty. As formal charges have not been filed yet, this is all still hypothetical, but it is a real possibility. One possible reason charges havent been filed yet is because another officer was injured and survived, Utah attorney Clayton Simms said. The prosecutor may delay filing charges to determine if that officer heals up. We hope that that officer is okay and heals up, but the extent of their permanent injuries is not known yet. According to Simms, another possible reason for the delay in charges being filed is that they are working to get Bate an attorney, likely a public defender, and that public defender would need to be qualified for death penalty cases and have the time to take on that case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aggravated murder is a capital charge, which means that it qualifies for the death penalty. Beyond that, killing a police officer can qualify for the death penalty as well. Two officers shot and killed in Tremonton honored, Utahns pay their respect Simms explained, If you kill a law enforcement officer, a police officer, you can face the death penalty in Utah. If its a death when youre trying to escape custody, if its particularly cruel, then you can face the death penalty in Utah. Thats what prosecutors are looking at. One factor in deciding whether someone gets the death penalty is if another crime was being committed at the same time, Simms said. Bate was also arrested for allegedly assaulting his partner in a domestic violence incident, which is the initial call that police responded to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If youre trying to escape from that situation or injure a witness in that particular case, then you can face the death penalty, Simms explained. He also said that the death of multiple people and the death of a police officer are other factors in determining the death penalty, both of which apply in this case. Over the past few decades, over 200 people have been charged with the death penalty in the state of Utah, Simms said. Now, the number of executions that happen is very low, he explained. Last two years, two people have been executed, so its rare that people are actually executed through the death penalty. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. LUFKIN, Texas (KETK) A Lufkin man pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation after being arrested in February. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Eastern District of Texas, on Feb. 3, 2025, Preston Allen, 58, was arrested at his house in Lufkin when officers found him standing outside with an AR-15 style rifle. Mugshot of Preston Allen, courtesy of Angelina County Jail Operation Take Back America: 2 Mexican nationals sentenced after trafficking meth in East Texas Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allen was ordered to put the rifle on the ground and was taken into custody, officials said. Further investigation revealed Allen is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. Allen pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on Tuesday and faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The Department of Justice said a sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation. Lufkin man pleads guilty to federal firearms violation Allens case was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. FLORIDA (WMBB) At 6:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, a 67-year-old Kayle Bates was executed for the murder of Janet Renee White. On June 14th, 1982, authorities say Bates kidnapped White from her job at a Lynn Haven insurance office, dragged her into some woods behind the office, tried to rape her, and then beat her to death. Bates was convicted in 1983 and received the death penalty. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for Bates on July 18, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected last-ditch appeals filed by attorneys for convicted killer Kayle Bates, setting the stage for Bates to be executed Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison. Batess attorneys raised a series of issues in state and federal courts to try to halt the execution, including that evidence of organic brain damage was not adequately considered before Bates received the death penalty during a 1995 resentencing proceeding. Also, Bates attorneys argued jurors were misled to believe Bates could be released on parole in 12 years if he was not sentenced to death. Remembering Renee part one | mypanhandle.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida set a modern-era record for executions in a year when Edward Zakrzewski was put to death by lethal injection on July 31 for the 1994 murders of his wife and two children in Okaloosa County. The previous record for executions in a year was eight in 1984 and 2014. The modern era represents the period since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling halted executions in 1972. WMBB is covering the execution from the Florida State Prison and will have more details as they come in. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. BAYFIELD COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) Law enforcement agencies in northern Wisconsin are actively searching for a man with a known history of theft who is wanted on multiple arrest warrants following a pursuit and stolen vehicle incident on Tuesday. On the afternoon of August 19, deputies with the Bayfield County Sheriffs Office sent out a release regarding the search for Robert Ganz-Brown after an attempted traffic stop around 4 a.m. Three arrested after traffic stop near daycare in Winneconne Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies say Ganz-Brown, who is wanted on multiple arrest warrants in Wisconsin, reportedly failed to stop and fled in a minivan. Shortly after, spike strips were successful and disabled the minivan; however, Ganz-Brown escaped on foot. Robert Ganz-Brown (Bayfield County Sheriffs Office) Later that morning, deputies learned that a vehicle had been stolen from an occupied residence. The suspect then fled to Douglas County in the stolen vehicle, where deputies lost visual contact. The stolen vehicle was later recovered by the Superior Police Department, and the search for Ganz-Brown is ongoing. Ganz-Brown has a known history of theft, including stealing vehicles and fleeing from law enforcement. At this time, there is no indication of an ongoing threat to the public. However, anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Bayfield County Sheriffs Office or call 911. Bayfield County Sheriffs Office Authorities are asking residents not to approach or try to detain Ganz-Brown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oshkosh detectives arrest shooting suspect, find two guns at his residence According to the Superior Police Department and Douglas County Sheriffs Office, Ganz-Brown has contacts in Superior and rural Douglas County. Douglas County Sheriffs Office is also asking residents to try and get a license plate number, clothing description, and physical features to relay to the authorities. Please lock your homes, garages, and outbuildings. Do not leave keys in anything. He is known to steal anything he can drive, sell or camp/live in. Make sure your security cameras are activated, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office stated in a Facebook post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local 5 will update this story when additional details are released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Cool Zones open across San Diego County; extreme heat warning in effect SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) As temperatures are expected to soar into the triple-digits for parts of San Diego County this week, city and county officials are reminding people of several available Cool Zones where they can seek relief from the heat. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for San Diego County mountains and valleys from 10 a.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Friday, with temperatures expected to reach over 100 degrees. How to protect pets during dangerous heat wave Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the countys desert communities and several other parts of Southern California are under an extreme heat warning until 8 p.m. Saturday, with dangerously hot conditions of temperatures up to 116 degrees expected. San Diegans can seek respite from the hot weather at public cooling shelters, including all county-owned libraries, which are designated as Cool Zones until Oct. 31. A full list of sites designated by the county as Cool Zones, as well as their hours of operation, can be found at this link. More weather: Forecast | Alerts | Live Radar | Newsletter People may also visit any of the sites listed below, which are operated by the City of San Diego: Cool Zone Address Azalea Recreation Center 2596 Violet St. Balboa Park Activity Center 2145 Park Blvd. Canyonside Recreation Center 12350 Black Mountain Rd. Kearny Mesa Recreation Center 3170 Armstrong St. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center 6401 Skyline Dr. Montgomery Waller Recreation Center 3020 Coronado Ave. Mountain View Community Center 641 S. Boundary St. Nobel Recreation Center 8810 Judicial Dr. Pacific Beach Recreation Center 1405 Diamond St. Rancho Bernardo-Glassman Recreation Center 18448 West Bernardo Dr. San Carlos Recreation Center 6445 Lake Badin Ave. All city public libraries are also designated as cooling shelters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. (Reuters) -Activist investors have targeted major healthcare companies over the past year to push them to improve their performance, with some campaigns only coming to light after announcements of board changes. Below are some notable healthcare companies that came under activist pressure in the last 12 months. MEDTRONIC In August 2025, the medical device maker appointed two new independent directors to its board and created independent committees focused on improving its performance, after Elliott Investment Management took a large stake, making it one of the company's biggest shareholders. AVANTOR Engine Capital targeted the life sciences firm in August 2025, urging it to bring in new board directors, cut costs and even consider a sale. CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES The contract research firm settled with Elliott Investment Management in May 2025 by agreeing to add four new board directors and launch a strategic review of the business. NOVO NORDISK Activist hedge fund Parvus Asset Management is building a stake in the company, as investors have grown concerned that the Danish drugmaker has lost its first-mover advantage in the lucrative weight-loss drug market, the Financial Times reported in June 2025. Reuters has not independently verified the report. GERRESHEIMER London-based investment fund Asset Value Investors in June 2025 pressed the German medical packaging maker to find ways to restore its market value. AVI, with a 3.5% stake in Gerresheimer, said the company needs a new financial leadership to regain its credibility. ILLUMINA In March 2025, the gene-sequencing maker said activist investor Keith Meister would join its board. HENRY SCHEIN In January, private equity firm KKR built a large stake in the medical and dental supplies distributor and reached a deal to add members to the company's board. Henry Schein was also under pressure from other investors, including Ananym Capital Management. PFIZER Activist hedge fund Starboard Value in October 2024 called for management accountability for the company's underperformance. This month, Starboard increased its holding in the drugmaker to 8.5 million shares, which represented about 0.15% of the outstanding shares as of June end. KENVUE In October 2024, Starboard Value took a significant stake in the Band-Aid maker, criticizing the weak performance of its skin health segment, which houses Neutrogena, Aveeno and other brands. After a proxy battle, the companies reached a deal in early 2025 that gave Starboard CEO Jeffrey Smith and two independent directors board seats. Nearly two months after the six-alarm fire that displaced more than 800 residents of The Cooper apartments near downtown Fort Worth, some tenants still dont know when or if they will be able to retrieve cherished possessions. Multiple residents who are plaintiffs in a lawsuit testified at a hearing Tuesday and asked the court for an injunction to protect their items from being demolished or destroyed. Several of them lived in apartments that were listed in a June 27 structural engineers report as being safe for temporary access, according to attorney Katie Steele. CAMP Facility Services project manager James Miles said a lot has changed since that initial report. The company is in charge of fire remediation at the complex, and Miles said conditions in Building 1, where the fire started on the roof, continue to deteriorate. Eight units collapsed during the blaze, and theres concern another collapse could occur that would have a domino effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We discovered movement in the building, Miles said. Miles has limited the number of workers allowed in Building 1 and instituted a 3,000 pound per floor weight limit. Mold overgrowth is also a serious problem, and workers currently have to use hazmat suits with respirators, he said. Steele told the court that the June 23 fire changed her clients lives forever. The loss my clients face is irreparable, she said. David Twist, a Delta Airlines pilot, had just returned from a bike ride when he smelled smoke. He wasnt able to reach anyone in the office, so he called the Fire Department. He exited his apartment at 1:37 p.m. with just his wallet and the clothes on his back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twist said he went out for lunch. He assumed he could go home after the fire was out, but when he got back to the complex, the blaze had grown. At that point, I never imagined I wouldnt be able to get back in, he said. On June 27, Twist received an email listing the numbers of the apartments no one would be allowed to enter due to safety issues. He was relieved to see his unit wasnt on the list. The email indicated tenants could retrieve necessary items June 30, and Twist said he was the first person in line that morning. Among the items on Twists list were things he needed for work, including his pilots license and passport. But five minutes after he handed his list to a worker in a Cushman and Wakefield polo shirt the company managing the complex at that time he was told the firefighters said his apartment was iffy. No one could get in to retrieve anything. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twist was able to get a new passport and other work-related items, but he said several things inside his unit are irreplaceable. He needs his medical records from the time he spent in the Air Force for future health care, and the photos of his children and two guitars from his late father have tremendous sentimental value. Twist sent an email to the complex saying he didnt need his belongings right away, but he would like to get them out in the future. He asked they not be destroyed. He never heard back until July 31, when he received an email saying his things were a total loss and would be discarded. Twist said hes sure the fire didnt destroy his possessions because of where the blaze was located, and he has hope they are still intact. The Cooper residents protest outside the building in Fort Worth on Wednesday, July 23. Residents planned the protest to mark one month since The Cooper apartment fire displaced the tenants, leaving them without their belongings. Samuel Russell moved into Building 1 on June 9. He was able to get his late mothers ashes and a few other possessions out during the short window of time tenants were given on June 30, but his U.S. Navy uniforms and several paintings his mother made are still inside. Russell also received the July 31 email saying the things in his apartment would be taken out for him and destroyed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almost like they were doing me a favor, Russell said of the email. Russell said there was no time frame given to dispose of the items. He quickly responded with an email saying he just wanted his uniforms and the things from his mother, but all he got was a ChatGPT response. He decided to take legal action. I dont want someone to die to get my stuff back, but according to the email, my apartment is accessible, Russell said. Roger Diseker, the attorney for The Cooper Fort Worth LLC and the propertys owner Lightbulb Capital Group, said the owners are doing their best to save the building so that the tenants can access their possessions in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My clients havent communicated well enough with the tenants, Diseker said, but added that it wasnt out of malice but due to the fallout from the fire that they are still dealing with. He likened it to a truck wreck that is still in process. Closing arguments for and against the injunction are scheduled for Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. More top stories from our newsroom: See how your childs school rates in new Texas A-F grades Jury hears of womans grave under house at Fort Worth death penalty trial North Texas Powerball player just misses $531 million jackpot [Get our breaking news alerts.] Police on Wednesday released images of a young man investigators believe is responsible for a caught-on-camera execution-style killing of a Bronx father of four earlier this month, officials said. The gunman, wearing a black T-shirt with multicolored lettering, black pants and black-and-red sneakers, had the hood of his sweatshirt cinched over his face when he was recorded stepping up and shooting Ralph Herrera in the left side of the head at point-blank range, police said. Herrera, 33, lived just around the block from where he was killed, according to officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooter was later recorded in the same area without the hood over his face, but was identified by his shirt and sneakers, cops said. Herrera, whose nickname was Chicken, was standing outside Exotic World, a smoke shop where he worked, on Westchester Ave. near Morrison Ave. in the Bronxs Soundview section, beneath the MTAs elevated No. 6 line, around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 7, when he was ambushed by the killer. He was rushed him to Jacobi Hospital, where he died. A motive for the shooting was not immediately disclosed. Police sources said Herrera had an extensive criminal history with 27 arrests, including one bust for possessing an illegal firearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day after his death, dozens of votive candles were lit and left on the sidewalk outside Exotic World as the victims friends consoled each other and swapped stories about Herrera. Hes a good man, good father, one friend was overheard saying. He took care of his community, said another friend. If there was a kid right here, hed buy him an ice cream. Friends said Herrera, a Soundview native who was a huge Eminem fan, rapped under the stage name Xhixken Dondada and created a music video titled Stolies. At one point, Herrera and the man who owned the studio where he recorded traveled to California, where they met Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of his energy, we met all these people, his friend said. Responding officers found a single bullet casing on the sidewalk at the scene of murder. The gunman was last seen running down Westchester Ave. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information about the gunmans whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. Joseph Hatley, an attorney representing the city of Leavenworth, argues in front of District Judge John Bryant in early August. Bryant ruled last week that the cases in front of him should await an appellate court decision. (Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA CoreCivic and the city of Leavenworth will continue their fight over development regulations in front of a Kansas appellate court after a Leavenworth district judge decided to wait for a decision in that case. Judge John Bryant on Friday said the primary issues being argued in his court would be significantly affected by the case thats being appealed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court believes that due to the pending appellate review and ongoing federal case, the court has no choice but to stay certain decisions pending the outcomes of those matters, Bryant wrote in his decision. The legal issues in those matters overlap the issues pending before this court to such a degree as to make them unable to be parsed. CoreCivic and Leavenworth city officials are arguing about the reopening of the CoreCivic prison facility, which closed in 2021. CoreCivic signed a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to open the vacant facility to house immigration detainees. However, Leavenworth told CoreCivic that it needed to go through the citys updated development process and apply for a special use permit, which would require multiple steps and include public hearings. CoreCivic contends the permit is not needed. Bryant also said that if the city is successful in the federal case, it would make any decisions in this matter moot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Bryant did dismiss one of the four counts in the case, in which Leavenworth says the CoreCivic operation creates a public nuisance. While Leavenworth goes to great lengths to paint Defendant CoreCivic in a negative light, Bryant said he finds those arguments are based on past complaints about the prisons operation. There can be no question that as Defendant CoreCivics facility currently sits, it is not a nuisance and Plaintiff pleads no facts that would portray it as such, Bryant wrote. Leavenworth and CoreCivic continue to stand firm in their opposing views that led them to court. The city believes the case is important because it needs to ensure development processes are followed, said city manager Scott Peterson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is the core argument of the City Commission, he said. They want to ensure that the city of Leavenworth has the right to govern development within its city limits, and that anyone looking to open a business in Leavenworth follows the process as outlined in the adopted city ordinances. The city doesnt have the financial resources of CoreCivic, Peterson said. However, the City Commission has made it clear that ensuring Leavenworths ability to govern development and hold companies like CoreCivic accountable to the Citys development regulations is money well spent, he said. CoreCivic could save all of us a lot of money by applying for the special use permit, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The national private prison company, through spokesman Ryan Gustin, said only that it is pursuing all avenues to successfully end the legal matters so it can fulfill the ICE contract. CoreCivic respects the entire judicial process, both at the state and federal level, and we welcome the opportunity to present our position to the courts, Gustin said. Hearings in the appellate court case, filed by CoreCivic, have not been set. The case names the city of Leavenworth, the mayor, the mayor pro tem and three members of the city council, and it will be heard by District Judge Toby Krause. In its complaint, CoreCivic alleges the city is violating the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution. That clause sets federal laws as supreme over state laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By denying the company the ability to fulfill its ICE contract, Leavenworth is interfering with the operations of the federal government, CoreCivics initial filing said. The complaint also alleges that CoreCivic, as a contractor for the United States, is clothed in the Federal Governments intergovernmental immunity under the Supremacy Clause. Such immunity, the complaint said, stops states from regulating or discriminating against the federal government or those with whom it deals. Correction: A previous version of the caption for this story misidentified the attorney who is seen speaking. HOUSTON (KFDX/KJTL) The justices of the First Court of Appeals have returned their decision in the appeal case for one of the most gruesome child murder cases in Wichita Countys history. Corey Allen Trumbull was found guilty of capital murder by a Wichita County jury on August 29, 2023, for the horrific death of Logan Cline, 11, whose body was found in an abandoned car in Wichita Falls in February 2020. PREVIOUS STORY: Corey Trumbull appealing capital murder conviction Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the jury returned its verdict after just 15 minutes of deliberation, Trumbull was automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A full recap of proceedings from Trumbulls capital murder trial, including live blogs from the 78th District Courtroom, can be found below: In March 2024, Trumbulls appellate attorney filed a brief on his behalf, requesting that the First Court of Appeals in Houston overturn his capital murder conviction altogether and remand the case for a new trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumbulls defense alleged in the appellate brief that during the trial, the prosecution didnt present evidence that Trumbull knowingly and intentionally caused Clines death, arguing that the evidence presented in the trial amounts to mere speculation. After the prosecution filed a brief in response to the defenses claims, the appellate case was deemed ready to submit in June 2024. However, the case wasnt submitted to the appellate court justices until July 2025. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, nearly two years after Trumbull was convicted of capital murder, the First Court of Appeals returned its memorandum opinion, affirming the trial courts conviction. RELATED: Appeal updates in major Texoma criminal cases Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The appellate justices overruled Trumbulls sole issue raised on appeal, arguing that there is ample evidence to support the jurys conclusion that Trumbulls desire was for his abuse to cause the death of Logan Cline. In their opinion, the appellate justices said that the fact that Cline was starved, the fact that Trumbull stomped on his head, and the fact that Trumbull didnt call for any medical attention for the child were all evidence of his intent to kill Cline. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, it is sufficient to support a finding, beyond a reasonable doubt, that [Trumbull] beat [Cline] to death with the intent to kill him, the opinion said. Trumbull will now have 30 days to file for a petition for a discretionary review from the Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest court in Texas. The petition represents his last appellate option. This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. From left, Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-6th), Gov. Wes Moore and Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton speak to reporters In July. The three were part of a meeting to discuss a decision by FEMA to deny federal aid to help areas of the state recover from devastating floods in May. Moore appealed that denial Tuesday in a letter to President Donald Trump. (File photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.) The cost of damage to two Western Maryland counties from a flash flood in May has more than doubled, easily justifying the need for federal emergency aid, state officials said Tuesday. The new estimates were detailed in a letter from Gov. Wes Moore (D) to President Donald Trump (R). The letter sent Tuesday makes good on Moores announcement last month to appeal a denial of federal aid by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of our original request, local jurisdictions and Maryland state agencies reported an estimated $15.8 million in damages, Moore wrote in his seven-page letter to Trump. The governor said in the letter, which was released to media, that state emergency management officials found $17.9 million in additional costs related to the flooding in Allegany and Garrett Counties that are eligible for federal aid, bringing the overall estimate of eligible damages from the May flood to $33.7 million. This amount is nearly triple Marylands statewide threshold, indicating the need for FEMA Public Assistance, Moore wrote. The damage came from extreme storms that inundated parts of Allegany and Garrett counties in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georges Creek surged to more than 12 feet above major flood stage. Wills Creek in Cumberland rose 8 feet. The Potomac River also flooded. Areas of both counties were evacuated. Midland, Lonaconing, and Westernport were among the hardest-hit areas. Moore declared a state of emergency in the area. In addition to providing some state aid, an application for federal recovery funds was also submitted. FEMA denied that request in a brief letter that offered no detailed justification. Moores letter Tuesday makes good on a vow to appeal that denial. Last month, the governor traveled to Westernport to meet with local officials in a closed-door meeting. Afterward, he noted that an aid request from West Virginia had been approved for a lower amount of damages, and that the denial of federal aid for Maryland is petty, it is partisan, and it is punishing and is deeply unfair to the people of Allegany and Garrett County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive stopped trying to do the mental gymnastics of trying to understand how this administration is making its decisions, or what to expect when it comes to partnership with them, Moore told reporters last month. In his appeal letter Tuesday, Moore made no mention of West Virginia but instead spent seven pages elaborating on damage to public infrastructure, homes and schools left in the wake of the flooding. While Westernport Elementary School suffered severe first-floor flood damage, Moore said the school will re-open this fall with students attending classes on upper floors as repairs continue. But the school has no functioning boiler. Moore noted that the mean temperature in the area in September is 66 degrees. Schools typically turn on the heating systems once temperatures fall below 68 degrees. Moore called the lack of a working heating system a critical issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flood also damaged the school cafeteria and kitchen. Breakfast and lunch for students will have to be brought in daily from another school. Moore added that the state and counties are working together to improve data collection using existing weather stations in the area. The terrain in the mountains has made forecasting and monitoring in the area difficult, and incorporation of these tools will improve these areas as well as tracking severe weather trends, Moore wrote. By identifying and taking corrective actions, post-disaster mitigation can help Allegany and Garrett Counties reduce future financial burden of property and infrastructure damage, recover faster, and take a more proactive stance towards disaster preparedness. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Texas cotton industry is getting ready to wage a war against fast fashion in the name of their livelihoods, public health, and the planet. What's happening? According to The Texas Tribune, Plains Cotton Growers, an organization representing cotton farmers in Texas' High Plains, has launched an anti-fast-fashion campaign. The cotton producers want to make consumers aware of how harmful fast fashion is to their health, the economy, and the environment. The campaign is using honest and emotional messaging to help people understand the risks of supporting fast-fashion brands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one of the organization's latest Instagram posts, it asks people if they'd rather wear clothes made from natural fibers or from oil that pollutes the planet, ending with the caption: "Wear cotton. Check your labels. It starts with us." This is just the latest in eye-catching, informative posts. The Instagram account for Plains Cotton Growers (@plainscottongrowers) has posted several graphics demonstrating the impact of microplastics and advice on how to choose more sustainable clothing. Why is fast fashion dangerous? Fast-fashion brands use synthetic materials to craft low-quality clothes that require frequent replacement. This means more spending and more production, which creates planet-warming emissions and worsens plastic pollution. As the cotton growers emphasize, synthetic clothes break down into microplastics, which can build up in the human body and lead to health problems. These tiny particles also harm plants, animals, water sources, soil, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walt Hagood, a Lubbock cotton producer of 46 years, told The Texas Tribune, "It's mind-boggling to me that this isn't a larger public conversation." What's being done to stop fast fashion? These cotton producers are scared for their livelihoods and people's safety. They know that fast fashion is destroying the planet and want to encourage people to embrace natural cotton. Kara Bishop, PCG's director of communications and public affairs, told the Tribune, "We've got to do something to slow down the momentum of plastic pollution. But there's got to be some kind of emotional anchor. You can't just tell people to wear cotton." People can help these farmers and the planet by breaking up with fast fashion and avoiding synthetic materials. Instead, opt for 100% cotton. Support the farmers who want to give people high-quality clothing that's good for them and the environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And whenever possible, educate other people on the downsides of fast fashion. The clothes might seem cheap, but the true cost is far higher than most realize. 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. Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to hear just how much Washington, D.C., hates them as they attempted a friendly photo op with Donald Trumps federal forces Wednesday. As Vance, Hegseth, and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller walked through Washingtons Union Station, surrounded by a gaggle of photographers and guards, it was immediately clear that they were unwelcome there. Oh look, its couch-fucker! one person shouted in a video shared to X by HuffPost reporter Arthur Delaney. You gonna fuck a couch, buddy? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shouting built to a crescendo, and it became difficult to make out the jeers of individual onlookers. But one sentiment was clear: Go fuck a couch, JD Vance! the first heckler shouted. JD Vance heckled a bit as he enters Shake Shack in DCs Union Station pic.twitter.com/dkRc7tyhAB Arthur Delaney (@ArthurDelaneyHP) August 20, 2025 The Team Trump trio had arrived to deliver burgers (bought at the Shake Shack in Union Station) to National Guardsmen hanging around the train station, well within the sights of their own photographers. Six red-led states have mobilized roughly 1,200 additional troops to join the 800 already unleashed on Washingtons streets, tasked with stopping crimethe rate of which was already down. The group took a few questions from the press, shouting their answers over the chants of dissidents. Miller tried to dismiss the demonstrators as elderly white hippies. Vance strained to hear a question over the sounds of people in the train station. The question was: Polls show that a majority of D.C. residents dont support the guard here. So whats your message to the majority of D.C. residents? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im highly skeptical that a majority of D.C. residents dont want their city to beto have better public safety and more reasonable safety standards within Washington, D.C., Vance said over the shouting. I dont know what poll youre talking about, maybe the same poll that said that Kamala Harris would win the popular vote by 10 points. Vance then ended the question session, clearly irritated. In fact, a recent Washington Post-Schar School poll found that 65 percent of D.C. residents did not think that Trumps deployment of the National Guard would make the city safer. As Vance glad-handed National Guard troops, chants of Free D.C. could be heard in the background. Free D.C. chants fill the halls of Union Station as JD Vance, Pete Hegseth, and Stephen Miller shake hands with National Guard troops. pic.twitter.com/yfVHrBs6I9 The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) August 20, 2025 Another video shared by HuffPost reporter Igor Bobic showed the trio departing the station while deafening boos echoed off the high ceilings, the large hall bristling with contempt. Boo! Get out of here, cried one onlooker. Vance and Hegseth leaving Union Station, lots of boos pic.twitter.com/oRT9wOca8c Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) August 20, 2025 It seems that the residents of D.C. have spokenand they want Trumps cronies gone. A council leader has said his authority will explore its options following a High Court ruling to stop a hotel housing asylum seekers. Ian Cooper, of Reform UK-controlled Staffordshire County Council, said he welcomed the decision to grant a temporary injunction blocking migrants being placed at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. The injunction was sought by Epping Forest District Council and came as thousands protested at the site after an asylum seeker living there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Cooper said he previously wrote to the Home Secretary about the issue and that the ongoing use of hotels to house asylum seekers was "unacceptable". "We welcome this ruling and will be in contact with our district and borough council partners to explore what options this now gives us in Staffordshire," he said. "The control and protection of our country's borders is a national issue but the impact of central government policy is felt in communities across Staffordshire." The Holiday Inn Express in Tamworth was damaged during disorder on 4 August 2024 [BBC] Mr Justice Eyre made his High Court judgement on Tuesday after refusing an 11th-hour effort from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to get the council's case dismissed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Home Office had warned the decision would "substantially impact" its ability to house asylum seekers in hotels across the UK. Asylum seekers must be moved out of the hotel by 16:00 BST on 12 September, the judge ruled. Angela Eagle, Border Security Minister, has said the government would carefully consider the judgement and continue working with local authorities and communities to address "legitimate concerns". "Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament," she added. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said all 12 councils controlled by his party would "do everything in their power to follow Epping's lead". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Cooper's comments came barely more than a year after violent disorder broke out at the Holiday Inn Express in Tamworth, which was housing asylum seekers. Police came under fire from missiles during the riot and a fire was started inside the hotel. Multiple people have since been jailed for taking part in the unrest. People considering taking part in disorder in Staffordshire were recently urged to "think again" by the county's police, fire and crime commissioner Ben Adams. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More on this story Related internet links Councils across England are poised to take legal action to remove asylum seekers from hotels in their areas. It follows the High Court granting a district council a temporary injunction to block asylum seekers from lodging at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. All 12 councils controlled by Reform UK will "do everything in their power to follow Epping's lead", the party's leader Nigel Farage said. A Conservative-run council in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, also said it is considering taking similar action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle said the government will "continue working with local authorities and communities to address legitimate concerns". Writing in the Telegraph, Farage urged people "concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels" to "follow the example of the town in Essex" in peaceful protest. The judge in the case ruled in favour of Epping Forest District Council after it argued that the hotel had become a public safety risk because of its alleged planning law breach by ceasing to be a true hotel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case returns in October, when a judge will have to decide whether The Bell Hotel has unlawfully changed how it is being used. Dan Jarvis, Minister of State for Security, told the BBC the government had "never thought that hotels were an appropriate source of accommodation for asylum seekers." When asked where the asylum seekers at The Bell Hotel would be moved to, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the government was "looking at options" to rehouse them in "suitably appropriate alternative accommodation." He said it was up to local councils to decide on whether to pursue similar legal action, but stressed that there were "quite specific circumstances" in the Epping case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The basis of the legal case was around a planning matter," he added. The case brought by Epping Forest was that the alleged planning breach had led to evidenced harms. Critically, these harms related to protests which had led to violence and arrests. For other councils to follow suit they would have to show the High Court evidence of local harm. 'Set a precedent' Tory-run Broxbourne Council was the first local authority to declare it was seeking legal advice after the ruling "as a matter of urgency about whether it could take a similar action" over a hotel in Cheshunt. Council leader Corina Gander told the BBC that Epping Forest District Council had "set a precedent". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The government has failed, and now local councils are standing up," she said. "Enough is enough now." Meanwhile, the leader of South Norfolk District Council, also run by the Conservatives, said the council will not go down the same route over a hotel housing asylum seekers in Diss which has been the subject of protest. Daniel Elmer said the authority was using planning rules to ensure it was families being housed in the area rather than single adult males. Government ministers say they are braced for other councils to follow Epping's lead. The ruling causes immediate practical difficulties for the Home Office, which has less than a month to find alternative accommodation for the asylum seekers currently housed at the Bell Hotel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Home Office lawyers have acknowledged that the ruling could "substantially impact" the government's ability to house the 32,000 asylum seekers living in 210 hotels across the UK if other councils pursue similar action to Epping Forest District Council. They also warned that granting Epping Forest an interim injunction "runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests round other asylum accommodation." The government has pledged to no longer use hotels by the end of this parliament, but some contracts are in place until 2029, and pressure could grow on ministers to find alternative accommodation at a greater pace than envisaged. Dame Angela added: "Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Home Office has also suggested The Bell Hotel injunction "runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests". Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that people should be "removed upon arrival" and sent either to "their country of origin or a safe third country like Rwanda." If this happened then, he said, "the problem of accommodating people who have crossed the channel illegally, almost all of whom are young men, wouldn't arrive in the first place." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Epping saw thousands of people protest outside the hotel after an asylum seeker living there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Hadush Kebatu, 41, denies the charges against him, while a second man who resides at the hotel, 32-year-old Syrian national Mohammed Sharwarq has been charged with two counts of common assault and four of assault by beating - concerning four complainants. Essex Police said the protests, which were also attended by those in support of asylum seekers, became violent on occasion. Sixteen people have been charged with offences relating to disturbances during the demonstrations. Conservative-run Epping Forest District Council was granted an injunction to block migrants staying at the hotel after an eleventh-hour effort from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to have the council's case dismissed was ignored. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district council's leader Chris Whitbread called the injunction "great news" but asked residents not to protest or "over-celebrate", having previously said the protests risked causing "irreparable harm." "This is the beginning. It is not the end," he added in response to the ruling. Similar cases in recent years have seen judges refuse to intervene but Epping Forest told the court its case was different as the hotel had become a safety risk, as well as a breach of planning law. During the case, the government's lawyer said any injunction granted could act as "an impetus for further violent protests" and could "substantially interfere" with the statutory duty of the Home Office to avoid a breach of the asylum seekers' human rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asylum seekers staying at the hotel must move out of The Bell Hotel by 16:00 BST on 12 September, the judge ruled. Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said "everyone agrees hotels are the wrong answer" as they "cost the taxpayer billions, trap people in limbo and are flashpoints in communities." He added: "We see how protests and hostility leave people who have fled war and persecution feeling terrified and targeted in the very places they are forced to live. "This makes an already traumatising situation worse and prevents people from feeling safe." LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Senior Director of Aviation James C. Chrisley will take over the Clark County Department of Aviation when Rosemary Vassiliadis retires in September. Chrisley was appointed as the next director on Tuesday. The job gives Chrisley responsibility for running Harry Reid International Airport and four smaller airports in the county. Reid Airport is one of the top 10 busiest airports in North America, generally ranked at No. 7 by various organizations. Vassiliadis has led the department since 2013, overseeing a period of tremendous growth that will continue as Chrisley takes the helm. She described him as her right hand, with more than 30 years experience. Vassiliadis is retiring on Sept. 12. Images of the Las Vegas airports new campaign provided by Harry Reid International Airport. Chrisley has been instrumental in big events, including the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix and Super Bowl LVIII, which stressed the departments ability to accommodate private jets. He has also played a key leadership role in developing plans for a supplemental airport, which will be built in the Ivanpah Valley near the Nevada-California border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major milestone in creation of 2nd Las Vegas airport as feds take initial step Clark County Manager Kevin Schiller cited Chrisleys qualifications and his importance to a smooth transition. With more than 30 years of leadership experience managing airport and security operations at commercial, general aviation, and military airports across southern Nevada, the U.S., and globally, Jim Chrisley is prepared to take on the challenge of Director of Aviation at Harry Reid International Airport, Schiller said. Rosemary Vassiliadis is certainly hard to replace, but she has laid the groundwork for Jim to successfully take over the next chapter of aviation in our region. I look forward to working with Jim and helping to ensure the airport remains the best welcome to our County, Schiller said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Besides Reid Airport, the department oversees the Henderson Executive Airport, the North Las Vegas airport, the Jean Sport Aviation Center and Overton-Perkins Field. I am honored to lead the Clark County aviation system at such an exciting time, Chrisley said. Our airports play a critical role in connecting people, driving tourism, and power our local and states economy. I look forward to continuing our tradition of operational excellence while preparing for the future of air travel in Southern Nevada through a series of modernization, maximization and expansion initiatives. Before joining the Department of Aviation, Chrisley served more than 21 years in the U.S. Air Force as a civil engineering and mission support officer. His knowledge of this airport system, his calm and thoughtful leadership style, and his dedication to public service are unmatched, Vassiliadis said of Chrisley. I am retiring, knowing that our airports and our future are in the best possible hands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. This story was originally published on Banking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Banking Dive newsletter. The Federal Reserve Board nixed a program Friday that it created in 2023 to police banks fintech and cryptocurrency activities. The move aligns with regulators about-face on crypto and the Trump administrations support of artificial intelligence, which has become almost synonymous with bank and fintech innovation moves. Since the Board started its program to supervise certain crypto and fintech activities in banks, the Board has strengthened its understanding of those activities, related risks, and bank risk management practices, the Fed said Friday. As a result, the Fed has folded its supervision of banks crypto and fintech activities back into its standard supervisory process, it said. The Novel Activities Supervision Program was created nearly two years exactly prior its withdrawal, to foster the benefits of financial innovation while recognizing and appropriately addressing risks to ensure the safety and soundness of the banking system. Through NASP, the Fed said it intended to build upon and enhance its technical expertise to better understand novel activities, the novel manifestations of risks of such activities, and appropriate controls to manage such risks. NASP was additionally intended to inform the development of the Feds supervisory approaches for banks engaging in novel activities, including distributed ledger technology. When NASP was created, it was critically important for innovative banks working to responsibly [innovate] to best serve their consumers, Ian P. Moloney, American Fintech Council senior vice president and head of policy and regulatory affairs, said in an emailed statement. However, we respect the Federal Reserve's decision to fold the NASP's functions into their general supervision activities and encourage continued education of examiners on emerging technologies to ensure they are able to properly assess the risks associated with those technologies, Moloney said. AFC is eager to work with [Fed] Vice Chair [for Supervision Michelle] Bowman as she continues instituting her pragmatic vision for innovation into the office." Recommended Reading (The Center Square) The Ohio Supreme Court said Wednesday it wants to see evidence and briefs on whether the Geauga County Sheriffs Office can keep records secret of its relationship with U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement and other federal agencies. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio sued in May for communications and records relating to the contract between the sheriffs department and ICE officials after local officials refused to turn over the information. ACLU-Ohio believes the records are public under Ohios public records law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This case is part of a broader pattern, and we are gratified that the Supreme Court of Ohio has decided that it will move forward, Amy Gilbert, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Ohio, said in a statement. "Now we are eager for the Court to take the next step and confirm that government officials cannot skirt their legal duty to provide information in a lawful and timely manner. Ohio public records law is clear: these records belong to the public. The ACLU of Ohio is proud to serve as a watchdog for government transparency, and we will continue to hold Geauga County accountable." The suit against Geauga County is one of two similar cases filed by ACLU-Ohio this year. ACLU-Ohio filed a lawsuit with the Ohio Supreme Court after Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens refused to release the same information. The Seneca County Sheriffs Office entered into a partnership with ICE as a detention facility and offers specialized training programs for deputies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its been an ICE facility for 25 years, holding people waiting on immigration proceedings. The federal government pays the county for each person held at the facility. Stevens said the information is federal records and subject to federal open records laws and not state disclosure laws. Theres a thin line between exposing children to ideas and forcing beliefs on them. At least, thats what a federal judge in Texas concluded after he ruled Wednesday that public schools in the state are not allowed to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, issued a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt enforcement of SB 10, a Texas law that requires public schools to post a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The law was set to take effect Sept. 1. Related: This Is Socialism: Right-Wing Host Short-Circuits Over Trumps Terrible New Move [T]he displays are likely to pressure the child-Plaintiffs into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the States favored religious scripture, and into suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious background and beliefs while at school, Biery wrote. Related: The Supreme Court Will Decide If Taxpayers Have To Fund Religious Schools In June, a group of Texas families from diverse denominational backgrounds some plaintiffs are Jewish, while others are Christian, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist or consider themselves nonreligious sued to stop the law from going into effect, arguing that it was not only a violation of the First Amendment but that the displays would infringe on parents rights to raise their children as they saw fit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One pastor plaintiff, Griff Martin, said displaying the Ten Commandments was un-American and un-Baptist since it violated the bedrock principle of his familys Baptist heritage. My childrens faith should be shaped by family and our religious community, not a Christian nationalist movement that confuses God with power, Griffin said. For now, the ruling will only apply to the dozen independent school districts named in the lawsuit. How the order may be applied to other districts is unclear. The Texas Attorney Generals Office did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. Biery drew on a wide array of subjects history, literature, politics, art and, of course, religion to explain his reasoning. His 55-page ruling is dotted with quotes, letters and analogies from a diverse range of figures, from Founding Father Thomas Jefferson to silent film star Greta Garbo, who, Biery noted, famously remarked I want to be alone in the 1932 film Grand Hotel. Related: The Religious Right Is Plotting How To Get Christianity Into Schools Ultimately, in matters of conscience, faith, beliefs and the soul, most people are Garbo-esque. They just want to be left alone, neither proselytized nor ostracized, including what occurs to their children in government run schools, Biery wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge also laid bare his concerns of what a forced display of one religious groups sacred texts may mean. If government-run public schools also joined hands with religion and had the power to impose religious views, questions arise: Which holy books and prayers would be preferred? The Torah? The Book of Mormon? The Catholic Bible? The New Testament? The Bible as edited by Thomas Jefferson? The Quran? Would Christians be required to face Mecca or observe Hebrew prayer? Would Jews and Muslims be obligated to stand and recite the Lords Prayer? One need only look at the states of Israel and Iran to see the conflicts which arise when government and religion become closely intertwined, he wrote. Texas argued that posting the commandments in classrooms was not the same as teaching them. But Biery said that argument ignored the fact that students, who are a captive audience, may raise questions that their teachers feel compelled to answer. That is what they do, Biery wrote of students. Teenage boys, being the curious hormonally driven creatures they are, might ask: Mrs. Walker, I know about lying and I love my parents, but how do I do adultery? Truly an awkward moment for overworked and underpaid educators, who already have to deal with sex education issues, and a classic example of the law of unintended consequences in legislative edicts. Related: White House Spokesperson Totally Loses It Over Rock Star's Trump Takedown The judge recommended that if the Texas Legislature felt so compelled to communicate virtue or morality to students in the classroom, they might consider alternatives to posting the Ten Commandments like multiple versions of lessons of behavior from many cultures melted into the American motto of E pluribus unum, Biery wrote, referring to the phrase that translates to out of many, one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A concept currently in decline, he wrote. Texas legislators could similarly consider public displays of the five moral precepts of Buddhism, like abstaining from killing, stealing, engaging in sexual misconduct, lying and intoxicants, Biery proposed. Or, the judge wrote, maybe just displays of the message do unto others as you would have them done unto you. Be kind. Be respectful. Or even a display of the theme found inside Robert Fulghums book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten such as, Share everything. Play Fair. Dont hit people. ... Clean up your own mess. Dont take things that arent yours. Say youre sorry when you hurt somebody. ... Live a balanced life. ... When you go out into the world, ... hold hands, and stick together. The injunction marks the third time that courts have struck down an attempt by school districts to post Ten Commandments in the classroom. A federal appeals court blocked a similar law in Louisiana, and a judge in Arkansas recently ruled that at least four districts are barred from putting up the displays. Related... Read the original on HuffPost PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The Portland Police Bureau is not obligated to enforce noise complaints from protests outside a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland, according to a new court ruling. The ruling comes after the tenant of a low-income apartment complex near the ICE facility sued the city, alleging that the polices failure to enforce noise laws caused adverse effects on her health. Providence hospital will end labor, delivery services Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, despite the City of Portlands Title 18 Noise Control Code stating quiet hours are generally between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., the judge did not rule in the womans favor. In a statement, a spokesperson for the City of Portland said, The City is grateful for the Courts thoughtful consideration of this matter. The City of Portlands Ombudsmans Office also told KOIN 6 News in a statement that the noise complaint enforcement outside the ICE facility also fell outside its jurisdiction. The original lawsuit, which ultimately sided with the city, saw the South Portland tenant complaining about sound amplification devices, including bullhorns and other high-pitched sounds, used at all hours of the day and night during protests. The woman allegedly woke up one morning with blood coming from her ear after one noisy night of protest in late June, according to the suit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concerns raised over Camas city-wide camping ban For more than two months now, protests have taken place outside the ICE facility, often resulting in property destruction like graffiti and federal agents deploying flash-bangs and tear gas. The womans lawsuit also alleged she was exposed to noxious chemicals via munitions deployed during the protest that came in through her open window. Some of the protesters also allegedly threatened the woman, who is disabled and doesnt have a car, the suit said. KOIN 6 News spoke with local South Portland residents on Tuesday, with many of them saying there is still a good amount of commotion going on during protests surrounding the South Macadam Avenue facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One neighbor described it as warzone-like, while another said they agree with the protesters cause, but take issue with their tactics. Ive never had to carry any kind of personal protection. But now I carry a stun gun and I carry bear mace, and I fear for my life, said one South Portland resident who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. Some said theyve been cussed out by protesters hassling them for their ID, while others are now seeking to move out of the South Portland area entirely due to the fracas. There are now anti-camping notices from the City of Portland outside the ICE Facility. However, the green signs have been posted in the past only for the overnight protesters to return, periodically, over the past two months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. (The Center Square) A second federal judge has denied the Trump administrations request to unseal grand jury material from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epsteins 2019 trial. New York-based U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, a Clinton appointee, ruled Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Justice fails to demonstrate legally convincing arguments for why the court should unseal the transcripts. DOJ had filed a request on July 18 for grand jury documents from cases United States v. Epstein and United States v. Maxwell, the latter case concerning Epsteins close associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who aided and participated in Epsteins sex trafficking of minor girls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department argued that special circumstances, extensive public interest, and the belief that the grand jury materials contain critical pieces of an important moment in our nations history merited a reveal. The Trump administrations requests were individually denied by two different federal judges. Berman ruled against the government on similar legal grounds as the rest, arguing that the federal government, not the court, is the logical party to make public disclosure of any Epstein investigation materials. Berman acknowledged that while there is certainly and appropriately lots of discussion about the Epstein case, the Trump administration has already undertaken a comprehensive investigation of its own and allegedly compiled roughly 100,000 pages of Epstein-related documents. The 70-odd page grand jury testimony pales in comparison to information already in the DOJs possession, Berman said, particularly as the grand jury heard no testimony from Epsteins victims, only the hearsay testimony of one FBI agent, who is still alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Epstein died awaiting trial in 2019, while Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence that she recently appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Interest in their crimes resurfaced after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Epsteins alleged client list was sitting on [her] desk, only for the administration to backtrack and claim that no such list existed. In an attempt to quell public outcry, President Donald Trump asked the DOJ to request the grand jury material from Epsteins and Maxwells trials be released. But Berman ruled that the Trump administrations public interest justification is legally insufficient, particularly since court precedent only considers public interest a legitimate basis for unsealing grand jury testimony if several decades have passed. Berman also listed possible threats to victims safety and privacy as another compelling reason to deny the request. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Trump administration has not responded to the ruling. The DOJ did announce Tuesday that it will begin releasing some of its Epstein-related records this week, as The Center Square reported. NORFOLK, Va.(WAVY) Organizers of the Cousinz Festival and JustUs ideas have partnered together for a nonpartisan pre-festival summit. Cousinz Festival co-founders Pusha T, Nathaniel FAMLAY Johnson, Antonio Dowe and a coalition of state and national organizations are set to launch CousinzCon. CousinzCon is a free one-day summit set to take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Waterside District. This summit is dedicated to education, training and mobilization around criminal justice reform, civic engagement, and culture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeezy, T-Pain and Lil Kim set to headline 2nd Annual Cousinz Festival Weve said since its inception that Cousinz Festival was bigger than the music. Its about Community and how we continue to impact the community even after the festival. said Cousinz Co-Founder Pusha T. I have worked with some of the team from JustUs Ideas for over 10 years, and I am proud were bringing the first-ever CousinzCon to life here at home ahead of this years festival. This is what real change looks like in action. The coalitions include All Americans Vote (AAV), Working Families Power, Color of Change PAC, SEIU, Onyx Impact, Black Men Vote, Mobilize Justice, Virginia Peoples PAC, and more. At Color Of Change PAC, weve been a national leader in advancing criminal justice reform and building safe, thriving communities. We are proud to join the CousinzCon partnership because it is about putting those ideals into action, ensuring that young people, justice-impacted communities, and those too often left out of the political process have the tools, knowledge, and power to shape the future of Virginia. said Jamarr Brown, Executive Director, Color Of Change PAC. Weve long connected culture to organizing, and this summit continues and expands that work to mobilize voters and elect leaders throughout the Commonwealth who will prioritize safety and justice for all of us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CousinzCon is also partnering with AAVs Turn Up, Turn Out (TUTO) initiative. Participants can check their voter registration status for a chance to win premium experiences such as VIP concert tickets, festival access, food vouchers, and merchandise. In 2024, TUTO campaigns generated nearly 200,000 voter registration checks through partnerships with Dreamville Festival, ONE Musicfest and more. So far in 2025, weve added over 25,000 new sign-ups from giveaways with artists like Kendrick Lamar and Beyonce. said Tamer Mokhtar, Executive Director of AAV. Cousinz Festival is the next chapter in building our network of over 175,000 engaged cousins nationwide. To register for CousinzCon, click here. Space is limited. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. A major doctors group disagrees with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding COVID-19 vaccinations. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends vaccines for children aged 6 months to 23 months. In contrast, the CDC says that parents of children ages 6 months to 17 years should discuss the benefits of vaccination with a healthcare provider and does not recommend the shot for healthy youth in this age group. More Coverage: WGNs Medical Watch Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson Dr. Deanna Behrens joined the WGN Evening News at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19, to discuss why the group disagrees with the CDC when it comes to COVID vaccinations. The new vaccine schedule that the AAP put out does differ a couple of ways from what the CDC is recommending, Behrens told WGN Evening News anchor Lourdes Duarte. Those are things that we strongly believe based on decades of research for certain things like influenza and then also the most up-to-date research for things such as the COVID-19 virus. Watch the full interview in the video player above. Sign up for our Medical Watch newsletter. This daily update includes important information from WGNs Dina Bair and the Med Watch team, including, the latest updates from health organizations, in-depth reporting on advancements in medical technology and treatments, as well as personal features related to people in the medical field. Sign up here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. When the BBC exposed Russell McMaster as a cowboy builder last year, angry clients demanded he be prosecuted. The 64-year-old had accepted about 220,000 from seven customers to complete home improvements over a two-year period. Instead, he left his customers tens of thousands out of pocket with half-built extensions and renovations. This week, Ayrshire-based McMaster was due to face trial over an allegation he had defrauded a customer by pretending he would carry out construction work at his home four years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he was acquitted on Wednesday when the Crown dropped the case. McMaster, it emerged, had handed back 3,000 he was alleged to have taken by fraud. How did this happen and what remedies do customers really have when left at the mercy of rogue traders? Jim McGinley told BBC Scotland News he paid McMaster 3,000 to "secure his services" for internal renovations [BBC] Retired social worker Jim McGinley reported McMaster to police in late 2022 after waiting more than a year for work to start at his home in Uddingston, North Lanarkshire. He had paid the builder 3,000 to "secure his services" for internal renovations. After a months-long wait for planning consent, Jim says that McMaster became "evasive" and stopped returning calls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pair eventually fell out after Jim left a negative online review about his business, VJL Builders. Believing that he had been "the victim of a con", he contacted police. He said: "Police were very diligent and seemed very keen to present it at court They felt that he was a fraudster, a bogus builder." McMaster full name Alexander Russell McMaster was charged with fraud, accused of obtaining the 3,000 by pretending he would carry out construction work at Jim's home. However, when the case called for trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court, prosecutors announced the case would be discontinued because McMaster had repaid the money in the weeks before trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jim said he had agreed to drop the case after discussions with the Crown. "The reason we went to court was because we wanted to stop this happening to other people," he said. "On discussion with the procurator fiscal, it became clear that perhaps taking the money was the best option. But in truth we felt, and it seems crazy, that we'd let people down." Customers left out of pocket This wasn't the first time McMaster, from Irvine, had been reported to police. At least two of his former customers contacted Police Scotland in 2023. They were among seven clients who contacted the BBC about McMaster, who traded under the company names VJL Builders and Alex McMaster Builders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In those cases, customers who had contacted police were told their complaints were a "civil matter" and directed to trading standards. North Ayrshire trading standards confirmed it had received seven complaints about McMaster's businesses in 2023. One of those complaints came from Chris Jardine. When we first interviewed him in the autumn of 2023, his loft space was a building site with exposed beams and tarpaulin covering roof tiles. When we went back to his house in Bridge of Weir last week, not much had changed. Chris Jardine said he paid McMaster more than 30,000 for a loft conversion but the job was abandoned midway through [BBC] Chris said McMaster was paid more than 30,000 for a loft conversion but abandoned the job midway through, leaving the Jardine family with a hole in the ceiling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eventually, he also reported the matter to police and trading standards. He also had assurances from McMaster via his lawyer that he would be repaid 15,000. No payment was made, and the loft remains as it was. Chris who is married with two children took out extra loans to try and finish the work and said the affair had "crippled" his family's finances. "It's hard to quantify how much money he owes us, because of the extra damage he did," he said. "He has taken food out my kids' mouths. That's what really annoys me. It will affect us long-term because everything I do will be to pay back the debt he has left us with." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another customer, Grant Kilpatrick, told BBC Scotland News that McMaster left him with a half-finished extension and was owed between 15,000 and 20,000. He said he reported McMaster to police and was also told it was a civil matter. Police Scotland said each case was assessed on its own merits and that it provided "suitable advice" to both the Jardines and the Kilpatricks. A spokesperson said that in Grant Kilpatrick's case, inquiries had been carried out and no criminality was established. Civil action 'not always easy' The Jardines and Kilpatricks had both hired a company called VJL Builders in July 2022. The business was registered at Companies House a month later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While both were pursuing the company, VJL was dissolved in January 2024. It had never filed accounts. Hazel Knowles, senior project lead for Advice Direct Scotland, said tackling rogue trade was challenging and that "civil action is not always easy". "Rogue traders frequently dissolve their companies to avoid liability leaving consumers with little recourse," she said. "Consumers do have rights, including the ability to cancel contracts and claim refunds if they've been misled or pressured. "They may also be entitled to compensation for distress - but these rights are only effective if consumers act quickly and seek advice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We urge anyone affected to report rogue trading to us and to contact their bank if money has been lost." Dr Nick McKerrell, senior law lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University, said there was a greater chance of a successful prosecution where it could be shown that there was no intention or ability to carry out the work, something which could be seen as a "dishonest misrepresentation". However, it was more complicated if some work was done, because it becomes more difficult to show that the builder was never going to finish the job. He said it was not a fair fight in many of the legal cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's an individual against a business organisation which can adopt a number of tactics to avoid private law actions," he said. McMaster 'unavailable' for comment McMaster has a string of businesses listed on Companies House under different variations of his name most of them dissolved. Previous reporting by the Daily Record newspaper in 2006 and 2013 revealed how his old businesses left customers in debt after closing down. Only Alex McMaster Builders remains active. A note on the Companies House website states that a strike-off action had been temporarily suspended after someone objected to the attempt to dissolve the company. The BBC attempted to contact the builder between December 2023 and February to answer allegations he was a rogue operator. McMaster did not respond until he sent a text messages stating that he was "unavailable". However, we managed to approach McMaster in person outside court this month. We asked whether he planned reimburse his other customers and whether he shut VJL Builders down to avoid paying them back. Hurrying away with a friend, he made no comment. ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (WGN) Police are investigating a crash involving a motorcycle on Illinois Route 53 in Arlington Heights that sent at least one person to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. According to Illinois State Police, the crash involved a motorcycle and a dump track and happened at 12:20 p.m. on southbound Route 53, just north of Palatine Road. ISP says one person has been transported to an area hospital. Their condition was not provided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two southbound lanes were be closed but reopened at 4:45 p.m. No additional 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 WGN-TV. The US Navy amphibious warship USS New Orleans caught fire near Okinawa, Japan. Crews from the ship and a supporting vessel responded to the fire, as did Japanese forces. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are unclear, but it has been put out. A fire that broke out aboard the US Navy amphibious warship USS New Orleans anchored off the coast of Japan has finally been put out after 12 hours, the Navy said. Navy sailors from the New Orleans and supporting USS San Diego had been battling the blaze since Wednesday evening local time. Hours later, the fire had been contained but was still ongoing. The cause is under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Navy first confirmed the fire on Wednesday morning. "Crews are responding to a fire aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) this evening, Aug. 20, (Japan Time), which is in the vicinity of Okinawa, Japan. We will provide more details as they become available," a Navy spokesperson told Business Insider. According to local Japanese media, Japan's Coast Guard assisted with firefighting activities around 5 pm local time. Footage from local broadcasting showed firefighting ships assisting with putting out the flames. Footage showing firefighting ships with the Japanese Coast Guard fighting a fire onboard the San Antonio-Class Amphibious Transport Dock, USS New Orleans (LPD-18), off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. pic.twitter.com/czcUFgvSO8 OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 20, 2025 The US Navy's 7th Fleet said the fire started around 4 pm local time and that two sailors were taken to medical for minor injuries. The fire wasn't extinguished until 4 am the next day. The USS New Orleans is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock commissioned in 2007. The warship is designed to move Marines, their gear, and aircraft like CH-46 Sea Knights and MV-22 Ospreys into combat zones. It was in the water near White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa when the fire broke out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Navy previously fought a vicious fire aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego in July 2020, an incident that saw four days of around-the-clock efforts to put out all active fires aboard the ship. That fire left 62 people 40 sailors and 23 civilians injured from smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion. Repairs for the USS Bonhomme Richard, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, were estimated to take up to seven years and cost billions of dollars. It was ultimately decommissioned and scrapped. Update: August 20, 2025 This story has been updated to include the latest information from the Navy. Read the original article on Business Insider Critics and supporters of proposed $17B data center in Coweta County sound off A proposed $17 billion data center project in Coweta County by San Francisco-based Prologis is facing public scrutiny as residents express concerns over its impact on the community. The data center, planned on over 300 acres of conservation land, requires rezoning approval from Coweta County commissioners. Public hearings have been held to discuss the project, with many residents advocating for stricter regulations on data centers. They have a noise problem, then theres lighting, and the massive amount of resources data centers use is detrimental to a community, said Steve Swope, a neighbor opposing the project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the latest public hearing, a large crowd gathered to voice their opinions, with many expressing skepticism about the data centers potential impact. Applause erupted each time a critic spoke. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Prologis, the company behind the proposal, claims that the location was chosen due to its proximity to an electrical station and that it will meet or exceed local regulations. Supporters of the project argue that it will generate significant tax revenue for the county. Alejandro Glomba, a neighbor supporting the project, stated, The only way we can avoid to pay tax increases is bring in revenue. This sentiment was echoed by others who see economic benefits in the data centers construction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County staff have recommended that commissioners impose stricter regulations on data center noise, proximity to homes, and resource usage. Another public comment session is scheduled for September 11 at the fairgrounds, as commissioners seek a larger venue to accommodate the high level of public interest. The decision on the rezoning application will likely hinge on these ongoing discussions and the communitys feedback. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images You can find original article here Wealthmanagement. Subscribe to our free daily Wealthmanagement newsletter. A former Wells Fargo Advisors employee is suing the firm and questioning whether her ethnicity and gender played a role in her termination. Lisa Krugler originally filed suit against Wells Fargo Advisors in July in Kentucky state court, but the case was transferred to federal jurisdiction last week. According to the complaint, Krugler joined WFA as a client services associate around May 2021, where she was tasked with helping advisors generate documents, run office responsibilities and process estates. According to the suit, she was adopted from South Korea and grew up in the United States. According to LinkedIn, Krugler worked for Cullinan Associates for eight years before moving to Wells Fargo. The suit noted that she was the only non-white Wells Fargo team member in her location and had consistently met performance review expectations. Krugler said she served as primary support for three advisors, backed up other associates working with eight advisors, and helped handle office tasks. Krugler argued she had the highest workload of anyone in the office. Krugler purportedly asked for a raise in January of this year, and while she was assigned more work, she didnt get a pay bump. According to the complaint, Kruglers supervisor, Chris Bohnert, was observed to treat the women in the office differently than the men, frequently ignoring female coworkers altogether. Krugler found it challenging to take time off, as she often had to do the work of multiple associates. However, according to the suit, she traveled to Disney World in June to celebrate her sons birthday. On the trips third day, Krugler got a call from Bohnert, which surprised her because WFA prohibits work during paid time off. Believing it must be important, Mrs. Krugler answered the phone, the complaint read. Mr. Bohnert began the call by stating, Im glad youre at the happiest place on Earth, because I have to let you go. According to the suit, Krugler was shocked by the callousness and lack of professionalism on the call, and asked Bohnert to call back with a third-party witness to the conversation; Bohnert allegedly said he would, but Krugler never received that call. According to Krugler, she was never given a satisfactory answer for her firing. When she asked if her status as a Korean woman was the reason she was terminated, Mr. Bohnert responded, I dont know. Its nothing personal, the complaint read. Two construction workers who contracted Legionnaires disease while on the job in Harlem are suing over what attorney and civil rights activist Ben Crump called a preventable outbreak that has already killed five people and sickened more than 100 others. The pair of lawsuits filed on Wednesday specifically take aim at Rising Sun Construction and Skanska USA Building, two companies that allegedly managed construction projects at and near Harlem Hospital. Nuncio Quinto a Long Island resident and union electrician for a subcontractor working under Skanska alleged in his suit that the company had been aware the threat of an outbreak loomed over their worksites. Attorney Jared Scotto specifically cited a July 1 bulletin distributed by NYC Health and Hospitals to the construction companies as proof they were forewarned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quinto said he initially believed he had food poisoning before his family rushed him to he hospital. He was diagnosed with Legionnaires disease, which is a type of pneumonia contracted by inhaling contaminated water vapor. While the disease typically manifests with flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, muscle aches and cough, it can additionally result in headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, confusion or diarrhea. Quinto said he also experienced rashes and difficulty breathing. I couldnt even talk, he told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday. I would speak a few words and then I had to gasp for air. I had internal bleeding. I was just lethargic. I couldnt put things together. I sat there for two weeks basically, he continued. Im up a little now and walking around and feeling better. Its a process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quinto also alleged that Skanska urged him against discussing his condition with his coworkers when he recovered. The second plaintiff, Duane Headley, who is suing Rising Sun Construction, offered similar claims in his suit. He said he too is still recovering from his bout with the disease. The Legionnaires outbreak was initially detected on July 25, with the New York City Department of Health reporting a total of 22 cases. Since then, five people have died and 108 cases have been identified across five ZIP codes in Upper Manhattan, including 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037 and 10039. A subsequent investigation linked the growing cluster to 12 cooling towers on top of 10 buildings, all of which tested positive for Legionella pneumophila, a type of bacteria that causes Legionnaires disease, officials said. Among those buildings are the Harlem Hospital, the Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic, the NYC Economic Development Corporation and the CUNY City College Marshak Science Building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nobody gave them any warning that we detected something, you should have your mask, were going to shut down the site until we can figure out these cooling towers are safe and free from legionella bacteria. Because its preventable, Crump said. Once you know, you have a duty to act. The pair of lawsuits come just days after officials confirmed all 12 cooling towers in Central Harlem that tested positive for live Legionella bacteria have been fully drained and disinfected. The question that we would ask is are the people comfortable thinking that they can be negligent in Harlem and not in other places? Rev. Al Sharpton posited during Wednesday presser. And if other places have been negligent, they should come forward. Both Crump and Scotto have asked that anyone who lives and works in New York City and has fallen ill with Legionnaires disease this year contact them at 888-790-3136 By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) -A federal judge ordered CVS Health's pharmacy benefit manager unit to pay $289.9 million in damages and penalties after it overcharged Medicare for prescription drugs. In a Tuesday decision, Chief Judge Mitchell Goldberg in Philadelphia federal court tripled to $285 million the damages he had ordered CVS Caremark to pay in June, citing the federal False Claims Act. He added a $4.87 million civil fine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goldberg rejected CVS' request to pay less, saying that while CVS Caremark was liable for only two years of overbilling, evidence at trial "made clear that the fraud was financially motivated, not the result of some innocent or mistaken belief." CVS, based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, said on Wednesday it plans to appeal. Last month, a Manhattan federal judge ordered CVS' Omnicare unit to pay $948.8 million in a separate whistleblower lawsuit alleging fraudulent billing. CVS plans to appeal that judgment. Goldberg presided in March over a non-jury trial in the whistleblower case brought by Sarah Behnke, a former head actuary for Medicare Part D at Aetna. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She accused CVS Caremark of having caused health insurers such as Aetna to submit inflated claims since 2010 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), while pharmacies such as Rite Aid and Walgreens were paid less. CVS argued that the original $95 million in damages was substantial, and punitive damages should be limited to $95 million. But the judge said CVS Caremark's fraud not only financially harmed the government, but diminished public confidence in it. "CMS relies on companies like Caremark to truthfully and accurately report Part D drug prices," he wrote. "Caremark's conduct broke CMS's trust, and as a result, the public's trust in CMS." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Behnke sued in 2014. CVS bought Aetna four years later. The False Claims Act lets whistleblowers sue on behalf of the government and share in recoveries, typically 15% to 30%. The case is US ex rel Behnke v CVS Caremark Corp et al, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, No. 14-00824. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Mark Porter) The Czech election frontrunners campaign has been derailed after one of his potential ministers allegedly ordered a hitman to kill the dog belonging to her ex-husbands girlfriend. Andrej Babis, a billionaire businessman turned politician who served as prime minister of the republic from 2017 to 2021, is leading in the polls ahead of the October election. Margita Balastikova, an MP in his Right-wing ANO party and a close political ally, was widely expected to feature in his cabinet and was rumoured to be in line for the role of agriculture minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But she was dropped from the partys candidate list after leaked recordings showed her apparently conspiring to hire an assassin to kill a dog belonging to her ex-husbands new partner. The expose, by Czech newspaper Seznam Zpravy, claimed that Ms Balastikova said: When are you going to arrange for her dog to be shot? A male voice then replied: Do you understand that this person is risking criminal liability? The pair discussed how a mutual contact would carry out the contract killing, and he could want as much as 50,000 euros for the hit. Former prime minister Andrej Babis, who is ahead in the polls, with his close ally, Margita Balastikova - Ondrej Deml/ CTK Ms Balastikova was divorcing her husband Josef Balastik at the time the recording was made in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He secretly placed devices in their home to gather evidence of their fractious relationship, he claimed. Ms Balastikova also allegedly boasted of using her connections to destroy her ex-husbands company. The MP claimed the audio had been fake but her party ordered her to stand down from the upcoming election over the scandal. She said in a Facebook post: I have never sought out or contacted anyone to do something so terrible. If it is true that the police are looking into the matter, which I do not know yet, I expect to learn what I allegedly said. Mr Balastiks company filed a criminal complaint and investigations were ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His ex-wife claimed the allegations had been part of a plot to damage the party. The fact that all these lies have surfaced right now is, to me, a clear sign that its an attempt to damage the ANO movement ahead of the elections, she said, and perhaps also to distract from a number of government scandals. Mr Babis later told voters: Of course Balastikova messed up. You just cant talk like that Unfortunately, its her mistake and I dealt with it right away, because we all love animals. The Eurosceptic party leader is an admirer of Donald Trump and had aligned with Marine Le Pen and Viktor Orban in European parliament. There have been fears he could steer the Czech Republic towards Russias orbit if victorious in autumn. 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. WASHINGTON A vast majority of the residential population in Washington, D.C., oppose President Donald Trumps takeover of local law enforcement even as the president continues to send hundreds of National Guard troops to the 68-square-mile district. Almost 80% of residents say they oppose the takeover, including 69% who say they strongly oppose and 10% who only somewhat oppose, according to a new survey conducted by The Washington Post. Thats far above the 17% who say they either strongly or somewhat approve assuming control of local police. Another 4% said they have no opinion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump announced last week he would send at least 800 National Guard soldiers to the nations capital to crack down on what he described as out of control crime, particularly attacks committed by teenagers. Since the beginning of 2025, juveniles have made up more than 50% of arrests related to carjacking, according to D.C. police. A majority of those arrests are made up of teens who are 15 and 16 years old. Still, crime rates in the city overall have gone down over the last year, according to statistics from the Metropolitan Police Department. Violent crime, for example, has decreased by 26% compared to this time last year. However, Trump has accused the city of falsifying its data to make it appear as if crime is going down. The Department of Justice even went so far as to open an investigation into the Metropolitan Police Department this week, claiming actual crime is far worse than what the numbers show. People walk past armed Park Police as officers from several federal agencies including Federal Marshalls, Park Police, and FBI, arrest a man from within an apartment complex, Tuesday, August 19, 2025, in the Petworth neighborhood of northwest Washington. | Jacquelyn Martin Meanwhile, only 31% of D.C. residents say crime is extremely or very serious, according to The Washington Post poll. Another 41% said it was moderately serious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than a quarter (28%) said they found crime to be not too or not at all serious, the poll shows. A federalized takeover of any aspect of a citys operations will naturally create a backlash, and that is clearly happening here, Mark Rozell, dean of George Mason Universitys Schar School of Policy and Government, which co-sponsored the poll, said in a statement. Residents are saying it is not as bad as the president claims, and they want to reclaim the image of their city against a presidential narrative that is tarnishing D.C.s reputation. Members of the District of Columbia National Guard patrol outside Union Station, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Washington. | Jose Luis Magana At least six Republican-led states have sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., over the last week, including West Virginia, South Carolina, Ohio, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee. Members of the D.C. National Guard have also been placed throughout the city. The soldiers presence has prompted anger and protests from residents in targeted neighborhoods, with some even being arrested for interfering with law enforcements arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump took federal control of the city by invoking a rarely used statute that allows the president to oversee the citys law enforcement on a temporary basis. The order would expire in 30 days unless explicitly extended by Congress. Thats unlikely to happen as it would require Democratic support in the Senate. As a result, Trump suggested he might look at other ways to extend federal presence in the capital without congressional approval. The Washington Post poll surveyed 604 residents in Washington between Aug. 14-17 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. Amid a protracted debate over whether the Menendez brothers should be freed from prison decades after being convicted of murdering their parents, L.A. Countys top law enforcement official is voicing a scathing opinion on the case. In a statement released Wednesday morning, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said explicitly that he believes Lyle and Erik Menendez have never fully accepted responsibility for the horrific murders of their parents. Instead, [they continue] to promote a false narrative of self-defense that was rejected by the jury decades ago, Hochmans statement reads. We have consistently opposed their release because they have not demonstrated full insight into their crimes or shown that they have been fully rehabilitated, and therefore continue to pose a risk to society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Hochman, the gravity of the brothers murders cannot be minimized without undermining confidence in the justice system and pointed to another case involving parole being denied to an infamous offender: Sirhan Sirhan, the man who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, was denied parole by Gov. Gavin Newsom in March 2023 because Sirhan, now 81, failed to exhibit full insight and responsibility for his actions, which is a critical factor in determining ones eligibility for parole. The same principle applies to [the Menendez brothers case], Hochman said. The Menendez Brothers Murder Trial: Justice served or rigged? The DA also noted that recent documentaries and films have drawn renewed attention to the case, but he expressed that anything not involving the facts and the law would not be considered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This case, like all cases especially those that captivate the public must be viewed with a critical eye. Justice should never be swayed by spectacle, Hochman said. My personal opinions are irrelevant. What matters and what guides my office is the evidence, the facts of the case, and the application of the law. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman gives a news conference about the Menendez brothers case in Los Angeles, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Lyle and Erik Menendez shot and and killed their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion in August of 1989, when they were 21 and 18, respectively. They were accused of first-degree murder and tried separately, with both juries coming to a deadlock in 1994. A retrial began the following year with just one jury and the brothers were convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in July 1996. Decades passed before the brothers family asked the courts in 2023 to reexamine the conviction in light of new evidence and allegations against Jose Menendez, who was a record executive at RCA Records, that included a letter reportedly written by Erik that claimed his father sexually assaulted him as a child. Another letter from a former member of the boy band Menudo that was also submitted purportedly accused Jose of raping him when he was 14. In September 2024, a nine-episode Netflix series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, was released, which reignited public interest in the case. In October, then-District Attorney George Gascon announced his office would be reevaluating new evidence before doubling down and publicly voicing his support for their resentencing. Both sides of the family held a press conference pleading for their release shortly after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ex-LAFD Chief Crowley sues city, Mayor Bass Gascons announcement, however, was all but nullified the next month when he lost his re-election bid to Nathan Hochman, who has time and again expressed hesitancy and disapproval when it comes to freeing the brothers. Heres my approach, whether its the Menendez case or quite honestly any case: you have to do the hard work, Hochman told KTLA on Nov. 6, shortly after he defeated Gascon. You have to look, in that case, at thousands of pages of confidential prison files, you have to review thousands of trial transcripts from months-long trials, and you have to speak to the prosecutors, law enforcement and the defense counseland the victims families. Only then can you be in a position to determine whether resentencing is the remedy in this situation or whether what is asked for in the resentencing is the appropriate request, he continued. Im not in that position now, but I can tell you if I do have to make that call, I will do the hard work to make the right decision. This combination of two booking photos provided by the California Department of Corrections shows Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle Menendez. (California Department of Corrections via AP, File) After taking office, Hochman said publicly that the courts should deny the brothers habeas petition. Legal experts also cast doubt on other ways for the brothers to be freed, such as a clemency request from the governor Newsom said previously that he will defer the decision until Hochman reviews the evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The resentencing hearing for the brothers, who have spent 35 years in prison, did proceed earlier this year despite Hochmans attempts to stop it. At the hearing, a judge resentenced them from life in prison to a 50-year sentence, automatically making Lyle and Erik, now 57 and 54, respectively, eligible for parole under Californias youthful offender law since they committed the crime under the age of 26. The state parole board must still decide whether to release them from prison. Im not saying they should be released, its not for me to decide, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic said when the resentencing was announced on May 13. I do believe theyve done enough in the past 35 years, that they should get that chance. Click here to view Hochmans Statement of View on the Menendez brothers case. A video discussing The Anatomy of the Menendez Case that was published by the DAs office is available to view here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. The High Court has ruled against housing asylum seekers at The Bell Hotel in Epping, granting a temporary injunction that could reshape the UKs asylum policy. Local councils, including Broxbourne, are now considering similar legal action, raising the question: where will migrants go if more hotels are closed? In this episode of The Daily T, Camilla and Tim discuss the political fallout of the Epping ruling, the future of migrant hotels across Britain, and how the Labour government will respond. Will ministers attempt to overturn the decision, or risk a wave of councils following suit? With a record 50,000 migrants crossing the Channel since Labour took office and Reforms Nigel Farage hailing it a great victory, the pressure is mounting on the government. And we talk about the rise of the Pink Ladies - the local mothers leading peaceful protests outside asylum hotels - and the growing grass roots movement they represent. Lindsey Thompson, an Epping resident and one of the original protestors, joins us to explain why she took to the streets and why the campaign is gaining national attention. Watch episodes of The Daily T here. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. Dale Vince, the Labour-backing energy tycoon, has compared Elon Musks Tesla to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as he opposes the companys bid to sell electricity to households. Mr Vince posted a photo of hooded Klan members featuring a modified Tesla logo and the caption The White Power Company as he urged people to write to Ofgem opposing the companys entry into the energy market. Tesla has applied to Ofgem for an electricity supply licence that would allow it to challenge companies such as British Gas by selling electricity directly to peoples homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, thousands of people have written to the regulator opposing the application through a campaign led by activist group Best for Britain. Adding his voice to the opposition on Wednesday, Mr Vince said: Im not sure if anyone ever objected to an application for an energy supply licence before so Ofgem must be staggered to have received over 8,000 objections to Musks application so far, before sharing the email address to which objections can be sent. I'm not sure if anyone ever objected to an application for an energy supply licence before - so OFGEM must be staggered to have received over 8,000 objections to Musk's application so far. If you want to join the party mail OFGEM using this email address: pic.twitter.com/uKdegvxfiM Dale Vince (@DaleVince) August 20, 2025 Mr Vince later added: Theres a widespread view that Musk holds some far-Right views. His support for Tommy Robinson is just one example and of course, theres his infamous salute. Eight thousand objections to Ofgem must be unprecedented. We found the upside-down Tesla-esque logo online where it went viral. And of course, the KKK are a symbol of the far Right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The name itself, of course, that we suggest for his new company, is a play on words. Tesla Electric, as the provider would be known, would be a direct rival to Mr Vinces Ecotricity, which claims to be Britains greenest energy company. Although Mr Musk has put off many progressive voters with his support for Donald Trump and anti-woke positions, it has said its electricity provider would support the transition to renewable energy, and may attract households who already own its electric cars or Powerwall battery packs. Mr Vinces comments reignite a bitter rivalry between the two companies. Ecotricity, which built one of Britains first electric charging networks, accused Tesla of bullying in 2014 after Mr Musks company allegedly attempted to take over Ecotricitys sites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company sued Tesla and they settled out of court, with the latter paying what Mr Vince later called a load of money. He recently said that Teslas senior team who he dealt with in 2014, were incredibly ... amoral, immoral, untrustworthy people. Tesla also complained to the Advertising Standards Authority over Ecotricitys claim to supply Britains greenest energy, with the body ruling in Mr Vinces favour. Hes a bad man running a bad company, and I wouldnt buy his car, Mr Vince recently told a podcast. The public has until Friday to comment to Ofgem about Teslas licence application. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Best for Britain has claimed that Mr Musks work for Mr Trump and his department of government efficiency should be unacceptable and disqualifying qualities for entrance into our energy markets. 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. LOS ANGELES (AP) A dangerous, multiday heat wave descended on much of California and the U.S. Southwest, with near-record temperatures expected along with a higher risk of wildfires. Officials opened cooling centers this week in Los Angeles, where residents are warned to avoid strenuous outdoor activities. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered state firefighting resources deployed in areas where blazes could ignite. Here's what you need to know. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sizzling hot The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for Southern California starting Wednesday into the weekend. If outdoor activities cant be avoided, forecasters say, they should be moved to early morning hours. And everyone should hydrate. Downtown Los Angeles was forecast to reach 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 degrees Celsius) on Friday, while valleys to the north braced for temperatures as high as 108 F (42 C). It will be several degrees hotter in desert areas including Palm Springs. Candice Catlett, who uses a wheelchair, rolled herself toward some shade as temperatures started spiking Tuesday in downtown LA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its sizzling hot out here, Catlett said. I have sunblock. Hopefully, I can find some cold water. Im trying to stay out of the direct sun. Further north, nearly-always-hot Death Valley could see a severe 120 F (49 C), the weather service said, 14 degrees shy of its record high of 134 F (56 C) set more than a century ago when in 1913 it hit the highest-ever recorded temperature on Earth. In Arizona, the peak of the heat wave will hit Thursday and Friday, with the mercury possibly reaching 110 F (43 C) in the southern and western parts of the state. Similar temperatures were likely in Las Vegas. Fire risk Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Red flag warnings, signaling elevated wildfire danger, have been issued across Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties until Saturday. If you live in a high fire danger area in the mountains or foothills, review your evacuation plans and route and stay tuned to your local emergency officials, the weather service said in a statement. The state has sent 10 fire engines and multiple firefighting teams to LA County to assist local agencies if blazes break out. By prepositioning firefighting crews, equipment, and other resources in high-risk areas, we can respond faster and more effectively when needed," said Nancy Ward, director of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California's largest blaze this year, the Gifford Fire, was at 95% containment Wednesday after charring nearly 206 square miles (534 square kilometers) of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties since erupting on Aug. 1. The cause is under investigation. Thunderstorms too Adding to the chance for wildfires, especially in mountain areas, is lightning that could accompany thunderstorms, said Sam Zuber, a meteorologist with the weather service's San Diego office. We have monsoonal moisture coming in, we have an unstable environment because of the heat, and that creates perfect condition for thunderstorms, Zuber said Wednesday. She added that lightning can strike in dry areas up to 15 miles (24 kilometers) away from where downpours occur. Heavy rain could also cause localized flooding and mudslides, forecasters warned. Danville leaders announce whitewater channel development DANVILLE, Va. (WFXR)- Officials in Danville are looking to transform a section of the Dan River into a whitewater attraction. The Whitewater Channel would be located adjacent to White Mill, on four acres of the former Dan River Mills property. According to Danville Parks and Recreation, the channel will feature adjustable whitewater elements for all skill levels, from beginners to Olympic athletes. The site will have public access points, spectator areas, and multiple connections to the Riverwalk trail. (rendering provided by Danville Parks and Recreation) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This project is more than recreation. Its about revitalization, boosting tourism, supporting local businesses, and putting Danville on the map as a destination city, the Facebook post read. The channel will be developed by Scott Shipley, an professional canoeist who competed in three Summer Olympic Games. The project is part on the citys plan to revitalize the area with the construction of Riverfront Park. It was first announced in May 2021, after the city received a $720,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. At the time, more than $7 million had been raised through public and private sources. The project was then estimated to cost north of $10 million. Free family fun at 17th Annual Smith River Fest Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Whitewater Channel is scheduled to open in 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Stock market information displayed at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York, US, on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. A selloff in the riskier corners of the global market deepened, with stocks plunging and traders rushing to the safety of bonds as concerns about a slowdown in the world's largest economy intensified. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg Money managers are scaling back their bearish stance on China, adding technology and consumer stocks to their portfolios amid a four-month-long rally, according to an HSBC Holdings Plc survey. Mainland China currently accounts for almost 28% of portfolios across nearly 300 actively-managed emerging-market funds overseeing a combined $617 billion, the survey shows. Thats up from 22.5% a year earlier, though the group as a whole remains 340 basis points underweight. Most Read from Bloomberg Demand for mainland China has improved since April, with the underweight narrowing by about 60 basis points, the banks head of global equity strategy Alastair Pinder and analyst Pankaj Agarwala wrote in a report Tuesday. The shift comes amid a strong year for Chinese equities, with stocks listed on the Shanghai or Shenzhen Stock Exchanges poised for their fourth straight month of gains. Chinas tech shares got a boost at the start of 2025 thanks to the nations progress in generative artificial intelligence. Investors are also getting more confident about Chinas ability to weather US President Donald Trumps tariffs as officials continue to negotiate. Investors surveyed by HSBC boosted their allocations to shares of Alibaba Group, Xiaomi and BYD. Alibaba is among the biggest contributors for gains in a benchmark emerging-market index this year. Elsewhere, Latin America remains a consensus overweight among EM stock pickers, with MercadoLibre among favored picks. Investors are also showing renewed interest in South Korea following its June elections, while paring back positions in Poland after a strong year-to-date rally. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A Middletown woman has been sentenced to prison for wiretapping and alleging a false rape at Ft. Indiantown Gap. Veronika Rodriguez was sentenced to 30 days to 2 years, less one day, in jail on two felony violations of the Wiretap Act and one count of false report to law enforcement, according to the Lebanon County District Attorneys Office. The DAs Office said Rodriguez enrolled herself in the Air National Guard and worked at the reception desk at the medical facility. Upon being enrolled, she was instructed as to the various levels of discipline, which included fraternization, or contact with military men outside of that necessitated by work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On January 8, 2023, the victim, a military Doctor ranked as Major, appeared in uniform for medical care and made plans with Rodriguez to go out on a date the next evening. The DAs office says Rodriguez and the victim drove themselves to a local eatery, where they ate dinner and flirted. Lebanon County DA: Woman convicted of lying about being raped by military doctor After the victim drove Rodriguez back to her car parking lot, the DAs Office says the flirting turned into physical, sexual behavior. After briefly stopping at a gas station, the victim then drove Rodriguez to a nearby Ft. Indiantown Gap parking lot for privacy, where they had sex until police encountered their car, which had been illegally parked on property after hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DAs Office says Rodriguez never expressed anything other than embarrassment in the police officers presence and did not claim to be the target of a sexual assault. Rodriguez later revealed to police that she recorded part of her night with the victim as early as their dinner at a local restaurant on her cell phone, which the victim had no idea was occurring. Rodriguez also recorded the victim during the sexual encounter. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Alerts According to the DAs Office, when meeting with police, Rodriguez played self-edited portions of the recording to convince authorities she was a victim of a sexual assault. Upon reviewing the phones contents in their entirety, police learned that the recorded evidence confirmed that Rodriguez engaged in consensual sexual activity with the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities also searched Rodriguezs phone, which revealed her ongoing sexual interest and her bragging about the incident to her friends. After the victim cancelled their next date and after being confronted by her supervisor about fraternization, she falsely described the encounter as rape, per the DAs Office. Veronika cannot be compared to victims of sexual violence, as the jury has decided she was no such victim. This case should not discourage actual victims of sexual violence from coming forward and reporting. We in law enforcement are here to support those victims, said District Attorney Pier Hess Graf and Senior Deputy Amy Muller in a statement. The Defendants actions make every actual report of sexual violence more difficult for those victims and she should be fully ashamed of herself everyday hereafter. The DAs Office added that by the date of the offense, Rodriguez had been enrolled in the Air National Guard for 16 months without ever passing basic training. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. President Donald Trump has unleashed federal officers and the National Guard on the streets of Washington, D.C. ostensibly to combat "violent gangs" and other criminals, but videos appear to show agents harassing and detaining food delivery workers, leaving the capital's immigrant population wary. A recent NBC News report documented a D.C. resident's shock when after ordering food from Uber Eats he went outside to determine why his delivery driver hadn't made it to his house, only to find the driver surrounded by federal agents. I stepped into the street, I looked down and see lights in the direction, like police lights, in the direction of where my driver was, Tyler DeSue told NBC News. It was my driver by himself and, like, nine different officers all wearing different uniforms. ... Most of them had face coverings on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agents reportedly took the driver, named Sidi, into custody after questioning him about his vehicle's registration and his immigration status. Sidi asked for an Arabic translator as he was unsure of why he was being detained, but a Homeland Security Investigations agent informed him no one with them spoke Arabic and thus could not tell him why he was being detained in a way he could understand. Federal agents have been deployed to the capital, ostensibly to combat violent gangs and other criminals (Reuters) According to the report, Sidi is not the only delivery driver to face harassment at the hands of Trump's federal agents. Videos and eyewitness accounts of agents stopping drivers have been making the rounds online and are being discussed in delivery driver chat groups, according to the report. During a normal day in the District, delivery drivers typically criss-cross the city picking up orders, some in their cars and others on small scooters with attached delivery boxes. But locals are reporting that fewer drivers are on the streets since the crackdown began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of people who come to pick up orders has diminished, Clarissa Vasquez, who works at a Columbia Heights restaurant, told NBC News. We are at 4% of the people who come to pick up food. Some of the drivers may have left D.C. to take orders in nearby Virginia and Maryland, where they're less likely to run into federal agents. Atenas Estrada, a program director with Amica Center for Immigrant Rights in D.C., said the center is aware of the reports concerning delivery drivers. She told NBC News that the threat of detainment can lead to fear among both undocumented and documented migrants. What I am seeing, personally, is widespread fear amongst community members. People, you know, making decisions or avoiding places that they perhaps would not otherwise avoid or leave, Estrada told NBC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump launched his federal patrols after Edward Coristine, aka Big Balls, one of DOGE head Elon Musks staffers, was attacked by a group of teenagers from Maryland. Despite Trumps insistence that D.C. is rife with violent crime, official statistics from the Metropolitan Police Department show a 30 percent decrease in violent crime since the same time last year. The president has accused the MPD of reporting fake crime numbers to create a false illusion of safety in a Truth Social post. He suggested that a probe into the departments numbers may be underway. This is a very bad and dangerous thing to do, and they are under serious investigation for so doing! Trump wrote. In January, just before Trump took office, the Justice Department released a report noting that violent crime in D.C. was down by 35 percent, marking the lowest its been in 30 years. A majority of residents in the nations capital are opposed to President Trumps takeover of the citys police department, according to a poll released Wednesday. The latest survey, released The Washington Post, shows 69 percent of participants said they strongly oppose the presidents decision to take federal control over the Metropolitan Police Department, and 10 percent said they somewhat oppose the move. Another 9 percent said they strongly approve of the Trump administrations federalization of local police, while 8 percent said they somewhat support the crackdown on crime. About 4 percent said they had no opinion, the poll found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has sought to justify his decision by pointing to violent crimes and carjackings in the nations capital. The argument comes as data shows crime in the District has slowed in recent months. The Justice Department announced this week that it launched a probe into the crime data. The president has also deployed hundreds of National Guard troops to help federal law enforcement patrol the streets. Amid rising tension, some have even been equipped with weapons. As the survey shows, many D.C. residents are frustrated by the administrations show of force. Trumps overheated rhetoric about D.C. crime has evoked strong feelings among many residents offended by such characterizations of their city, said Mark Rozell, dean of George Mason Universitys Schar School of Policy and Government, which co-sponsored the poll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federalized takeover of any aspect of a citys operations will naturally create a backlash, and that is clearly happening here, Rozell continued. Residents are saying it is not as bad as the president claims, and they want to reclaim the image of their city against a presidential narrative that is tarnishing D.C.s reputation. South Carolina, West Virginia and other states have deployed their own National Guard troops to help with the presidents police takeover. The president has also pushed to extend the federalization of law enforcement beyond the 30 days allowed under the citys Home Rule Act. This doesnt make sense. You know it doesnt make sense, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) said during a recent press conference. The numbers on the ground in the District dont support a thousand people from other states coming to Washington, D.C. You know that. In the latest poll, around 31 percent said crime was extremely or very serious in the District, compared to 41 percent who said it was only moderately serious. Another 28 percent of participants said it was not too serious or not at all serious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Post-Schar School poll was conducted Aug. 14-17 among 604 residents in Washington has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) Federal agents made a gut-churning discovery when they stopped by a London home looking for a man connected to multiple Drug Enforcement Administration investigations. An affidavit obtained by FOX 56 shows that federal agents were made aware of 53-year-old Scottie Sheltons connections to the eastern Kentucky drug trade. Shelton had reportedly served as an informant in the past, and on Aug. 12, Special Agent David Wilson and several other agents set out for Sheltons Southern Oakes Road home in hopes that hed share information pertinent to their other investigations. Theres reportedly a white sheet metal structure about 100 yards from the primary residence. Wilson noted that they couldnt initially find Shelton, but were met with a strong and pungent odor, similar to that of a decaying corpse, near the white metal building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the agents on scene contacted one of their sources, who explained that theyd personally seen a jail cell built on the second story of the metal building, and in 2020 had allegedly seen photographs of a young female restrained inside. Read more of the latest Kentucky news Around 3 p.m., agents requested a welfare check. After the Laurel County Sheriffs Office deputies arrived on the scene, Shelton emerged from the metal building and permitted investigators to come inside. According to Agent Wilson, upstairs, deputies found a cell-like room that appeared to be a torture chamber complete with handcuffs, rope, and several guns. Downstairs, deputies found a deer carcass in another room with a lot of disturbed earth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shelton reportedly told investigators that he typically buries drugs around the property and sometimes forgets where he buried them. He allowed the agents to rummage through one dirt pile in particular, where authorities uncovered what Wilson describes as a human bone. Shelton explained that a man had brought Indian remains to his property and buried them in that same area, per an affidavit. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Thats when authorities decided to secure a search warrant for Sheltons property. The sheriffs office contacted Kentucky Fish and Wildlife (KFW), reporting finding a rotting two-point buck in the metal building. When KFW arrived on the scene, officials discovered: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A bobcat skull 2 mounted bobcats A hawks head and feet 20 deer skulls and caps A turkey beard under seven inches A turkey beard under 10 inches A turkey beard attached to the feet and spurs under an inch A turkey beard attached to the feet and spurs over an inch According to a citation, none of the harvested animals were reported. During an interview with special agents, Shelton reportedly admitted to burying around eight kilograms of methamphetamine and an unknown amount of pills in the garage, but hed forgotten where they were. When he recently remembered, an affidavit noted that Shelton decided to dig them up and give the drugs to people he knew. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Wilson, Shelton drew a map of where the narcotics were buried. Using the map, investigators reportedly found 6,000 pills believed to be oxycodone and around 1,200 grams of methamphetamine. Shelton faces 24 counts of illegal take of deer/wild turkey and illegal taking of wildlife on the state level. Federal investigators have charged Shelton with possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He was lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center and is in U.S. Marshal custody. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Almost 400 people have died in Pakistan after flash floods brought destruction throughout the countrys north. The heavier than usual monsoon season has also battered Mumbai, leaving swaths of the Indian megalopolis under water. Huge rainfall has wreaked havoc across much of the northern hemisphere this summer, including floods in central Texas that led to one of the states worst natural disasters, as well as record downpours in Mexico City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts fear that global warming which leads to increased evaporation and thus more frequent and intense downpours will make once-extraordinary climatic events more common. The Pakistan floods, in particular, highlight why a rapid transition from fossil fuels is so urgent, an expert told the Associated Press. Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson is seeking another stay of execution and a new trial after claiming the Anderson County Judiciary acted unconstitutionally multiple times in his case, citing new evidence brought to Robersons legal team in June. Roberson was convicted in 2003 of killing his chronically ill 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, by violently shaking her before taking her to a hospital. A 125-page petition filed Wednesday in the 3rd District Court in Anderson County claims Nikki was taken off life support at the direction of her grandparents despite Roberson being her sole conservator only after representatives with the Anderson County Judiciary falsely told hospital staff the couple was Nikkis legal conservators. Roberson was arrested for capital murder after Nikki died. The filing also suggests that then 3rd District Court Judge Jerry Calhoon was improperly involved in the case and signed off on an order to provide Robersons legal counsel despite his son, Mark Calhoon, being a prosecutor in Robersons trial. The former judge did not preside over the trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jerry Calhoon also presided over Robersons custody battle for Nikki with her grandparents, Larry and Verna Bowman, and revoked his custody after he was arrested. Mark Calhoon took over as 3rd District Court judge in 2007. The petition states that the new evidence was only made available because state Rep. Lacey Hull, R-Houston, learned of the Anderson County Judiciarys involvement in allowing Nikkis grandparents to remove her from life support. Hull provided an affidavit that was included in the filing. Hull met with representatives from Childrens Medical Center of Dallas, where Nikki was taken off life support, during the legislative session to discuss a bill in February. During the meeting, she pointed out Robersons legal custody, according to her affidavit. Hull said the representatives seemed unaware of Robersons sole conservator rights until that meeting. My perception was that CMCD became aware for the first time during this meeting with me in 2025 that hospital staff had been misinformed by [Anderson] County about who had authority to withdraw life-sustaining treatment from Mr. Roberson's daughter Nikki when that action was taken, Hull said in the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Attorney General Ken Paxton requested an execution date for Roberson, who is scheduled to be put to death on Oct. 16, Hull reached out to Robersons attorney and informed her of her discussion with the hospital representatives. Hull was part of a bipartisan group of lawmakers who called for Robersons clemency in 2024 before he was scheduled to be executed. His case became a flashpoint in the Legislature as lawmakers successfully managed to stall his execution by subpoenaing him for a committee hearing in October. At the center of public discussion on Robersons conviction is shaken baby syndrome, which Nikki was diagnosed with and what Robersons attorneys say prosecutors hinged his conviction on. Shaken baby syndrome has since become a contested diagnosis, as some research has suggested the symptoms used to identify the syndrome can also be caused by other factors, like short falls. More all-star speakers confirmed for The Texas Tribune Festival, Nov. 1315! This years lineup just got even more exciting with the addition of State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo; former United States Attorney General Eric Holder; Abby Phillip, anchor of CNN NewsNight; Aaron Reitz, 2026 Republican candidate for Texas Attorney General; and State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin. Get your tickets today! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. By Ahmed Kingimi MAIDUGURI (Reuters) -The death toll from an attack by gunmen on a mosque and nearby homes in Nigeria's northwest Katsina state has risen to at least 50, with around 60 others abducted, local officials and residents said on Wednesday. The attack occurred early on Tuesday in the remote community of Unguwan Mantau, in Malumfashi district, as Muslim worshippers gathered for Fajr, the dawn prayer. Witnesses reported that armed assailants arrived on motorcycles, opening fire inside the mosque before moving through the village. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aminu Ibrahim, a lawmaker representing Malumfashi, said at least 30 people were killed and 20 others burned alive in what he described as a series of brutal attacks on the community. Katsina police spokesperson Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu said officers intercepted the attackers and successfully prevented a planned assault on two villages. But while fleeing through Mantau, the attackers opened fire on residents. Several homes were also set ablaze before security forces arrived at the scene, he said. Survivors recounted harrowing scenes of women and girls being dragged away by the assailants. "They started shooting inside the mosque while people were praying," said Muhammad Abdullahi, a resident. "My neighbour was killed. I was lucky I didn't come out early." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Fatima Abakar, an official at the local general hospital, told Reuters that 27 bodies were registered at the morgue, though many victims were taken by relatives for Islamic burial rites. Northwest Nigeria has seen a surge in attacks by gangs, known locally as bandits, in recent years targeting villages and highways, abducting residents for ransom, and extorting farming communities. (Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri; writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by Alex Richardson) Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The decision about a trial for a member of the rap group Kneecap accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah in London last year has been postponed. Liam Og O hAnnaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court Wednesday, BBC reported. He was met by a large crowd of supporters, many with Palestinian flags. O hAnnaidh, 27, performs under the stage name Mo Chara. The Belfast musician denies the charge and said the case is "political." He told a crowd of supporters after his court appearance that the case was a distraction from what is happening in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors allege O hAnnaidh displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, last November. O hAnnaidh has not entered a plea to the charge and is on unconditional bail. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring will rule Sept. 26 on whether he has jurisdiction to try the case. Kneecap performed at the Glastonbury Festival June 28. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI In court, O hAnnaidh sat beside an Irish language interpreter. The court heard three hours of arguments about whether the charge was brought within the six-month time limit. His defense team is seeking to get the case thrown out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Metropolitan police also arrested a man outside the court on suspicion of supporting the Palestine Action group. "A man remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of supporting a proscribed terrorist group, Palestine Action, in Marylebone Road, NW1, this morning," a spokesperson for the police said. On July 24, Kneecap was banned by the Hungarian government "for anti-Semitism and glorifying terrorism" for their support of Palestine and criticism of Israel. A lawyer representing Jimmy Lai said Wednesday it was "not wrong to support freedom of expression" as the defence began closing arguments in the jailed Hong Kong media mogul's national security trial. The 77-year-old founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper has contested two counts of foreign collusion, with authorities accusing him of using various platforms to lobby Western nations to sanction China and Hong Kong. The charges are brought under the city's national security law, which Beijing imposed in 2020 after the finance hub saw huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests the year before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defence lawyer Robert Pang told the court it was "not wrong" to support freedom of expression and human rights. "It is not wrong to try to persuade the government to change its policy... Nor is it wrong not to love a particular administration, or even the country," he added. Aside from the collusion offence -- which could land him in prison for life -- Lai is also charged with "seditious publication" related to 161 articles, including op-eds carrying his byline. Pang began his closing arguments by pointing to three Apple Daily news articles that prosecutors deemed seditious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's factual reporting," he said, adding that the 161 items made up a tiny fraction of the newspaper's output. But judge Esther Toh countered that it was "pointless" to play a numbers game, adding that the judges had already gone through the articles carefully. - 'Not credible' testimony - Earlier in the day, prosecutor Anthony Chau challenged Lai's courtroom testimony -- which spanned more than 50 days -- as "not credible". The portrayal of Apple Daily as a "neutral defender of Hong Kong's core values" was "utterly misleading", Chau told judges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(Lai) and Apple Daily were anti-communist for many years," he said, adding that the tycoon "glorified violence, mutual destruction and martyrdom against the (Chinese Communist Party) regime". The prosecutor also pointed to a trove of communications, some on WhatsApp, that allegedly tied Lai to political figures in the United States and a plan to lobby for Western sanctions against China and Hong Kong around the time of the 2019 protests. "(Lai) was clearly a betrayer of national interests," he said, wrapping up his case after two and half days. Lai was attentive during Wednesday's hearing, waving and gesturing to family and supporters in the public gallery when he entered the courtroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The septuagenarian was outfitted with a heart rate monitor and prescribed medication after the defence said last week that Lai was experiencing heart palpitations. Concerns have been raised previously over Lai's health by his family and rights groups. The media tycoon has been kept behind bars since December 2020, reportedly in solitary confinement, and has lost weight during that time. The Hong Kong government has said Lai was receiving "adequate and comprehensive" medical care, with a senior medical officer earlier declaring him "physically and mentally fit for court". hol/reb/mtp The student experience is changing at universities after multiple diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices and centers have been shut down. Schools such as the University of Michigan have shuttered their diversity centers after the Trump administration began targeting institutions and pulling funding, while other universities in places such as Texas, Florida and Kansas had to close programs due to state law. The shift is creating a new environment this academic year even as experts say antisemitism and racism are among top concerns for students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campus Reforms anti-DEI tracker found that as of April, 20 states have passed legislation that bans various diversity initiatives on campuses, ranging from dedicated centers to trainings. Most of the states have been Republican strongholds, but other schools, including the University of Michigan and Columbia University, shuttered some DEI initiatives due to pressure and an executive order from President Trump early in his administration targeting diversity efforts both on and off campuses. The students who make Americas colleges and universities diverse will be returning to the same conditions but a different reality, said Shaun Harper, a professor of education, business, and public policy at the University of Southern California, adding, They will return to campus climates that are still racist, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, ableist and otherwise discriminatory. But theyre going to be returning to places that no longer have the infrastructure to address those challenges. So, the challenges remain, but there will be fewer resources, fewer policies and fewer people to protect students from those realities, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration is seeking to ban DEI nationally, but has faced legal setbacks. Earlier this year, the Education Department sent out a Dear Colleague letter threatening to pull funding to schools with what it called illegal DEI. It also sent out a letter to K-12 districts demanding they certify there were no DEI programs in classrooms. A judge recently ruled against both of those memos, concluding they violated proper administrative procedures for issuing new guidance to schools. While the Department is disappointed in the judges ruling, judicial action enjoining or setting aside this guidance has not stopped our ability to enforce Title VI protections for students at an unprecedented level. The Department remains committed to its responsibility to uphold students anti-discrimination protections under the law, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But as the administration loses in court and many small schools do not have big diversity programs, some students might see little change. Marjorie Hass, president of the Council of Independent Colleges, said that between the administrations court losses and the lack of diversity programs at many schools to begin with, in many ways, students will find that little has changed. Smaller campuses tend not to have specific centers or institutes; they tend to be more likely to have individuals that are there helping each student succeed. So, in some cases, I think we dont want to overestimate how much has actually changed. Many campuses are continuing to stay the course, Hass said. But in some big universities with substantial programs, changes will be hard not to notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates say these initiatives were meant to help students who deal with discrimination on campus or help individuals feel included and welcomed, emphasizing these initiatives were never strictly limited to any one group of people. While some multicultural events or centers have designated names such as the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs at the University of South Carolina, their defenders argue they were never made to exclude others. These centers and programs provided welcoming environments for students based on backgrounds [and] identity, while also being open and accessible to other students, creating a sense of belonging for students from underrepresented communities or marginalized communities, said Paulette Granberry Russell, president and CEO of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. A lot of those centers have been either eliminated or determined as spaces that were open to others, but with a clearly stated expectation that those centers had to be open and welcoming for all, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For students who used these resources, options will be limited going forward. Some universities may have revamped their programs or names to continue providing at least some of the services they offered before, a tactic the Trump administration has decried and is hoping to root out. Students in schools where these programs have been completely eliminated could protest, although stricter protest rules have been put in place on many campuses this year. We also know that students have a long tradition to draw on a protest. I dont know that we have seen campus protests around these issues yet, but I think it will, certainly will bear watching, Hass said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But advocates say it shouldnt be up to students or faculty, calling on university leadership to take charge. I dont think it should be students stepping up in this moment. I think it should be our campus leaders and administrators who are stepping up in this moment, said Kaleb Briscoe, an associate professor of adult and higher education at the University of Oklahoma. It should not be students, it should not be faculty, it should be leaders, Briscoe said, adding, Students will just fall in the cracks of these gaps. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In a restaurant, a waiter pours wine for a guest. Germany's hospitality sector has sunk deeper into crisis, with restaurants and hotels reporting declines in business during the first half of 2025. Bernd Weibrod/dpa Germany's hospitality sector has sunk deeper into crisis, with restaurants and hotels reporting declines in business during the first half of 2025. Adjusted for price changes, sales dropped by 3.7% compared with the same period last year, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported on Wednesday. Only higher prices kept revenues from collapsing further: in nominal terms, turnover slipped just 0.1%. Restaurants were hit hardest, with sales down 4.1%, while hotels and other accommodation providers recorded a 2.6% decline, Destatis reported. The setback has been linked partly to the restoration of Germany's full 19% value-added tax (VAT) on food in 2024, when a reduced 7% rate introduced during the coronavirus pandemic expired. The new government plans to reinstate the lower rate in the coming year. Industry association DEHOGA believes reintroducing the lower rate is a question of survival for many restaurants. "Only a return to 7% VAT on food can provide the necessary breathing space," said the group's president, Guido Zollick. "Without 7% VAT, there is not only a threat of gastronomic diversity dying out, but also a noticeable loss of quality of life and culture in our city centres." German consumers should not expect the tax cut to lower prices, however. Guido Noll from the NGG trade union said "anyone hoping that this will make their schnitzel, goulash soup or Kaiserschmarrn pancake cheaper has not reckoned with owners." "Restaurateurs will find many flimsy reasons why they urgently need the 12% [difference in tax] - for their business and for themselves." The fallout over a Ring camera discovered in Delray Beach Fire Chief Ronald Martins office continued into this week with criticism from the union president over what he said was a double standard when it comes to the citys investigations of leadership compared to rank-and-file employees. The investigation into Martins camera concluded on Aug. 5, a day after it began. City officials had received an anonymous complaint five days prior that described Martins placement of a camera in his office as unauthorized and possibly illegal, the city said. An investigator interviewed four people, including Martin, who said he had first placed the camera in his office last year due to a series of incidents he found suspicious, including the discovery of pornographic magazines, a bottle of bourbon, and chewing tobacco in his desk. The city found Martin to be in violation of policies for not receiving permission or telling anyone about the camera, and the city manager issued him a verbal counseling. Last week, the city released records of the investigation to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, which include five recorded interviews beginning about 9 a.m. and ending about 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 4. The length of the investigation spurred criticism from Craig Mahoney, the president of the Delray Beach chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters, who told the Sun Sentinel Tuesday that he has been getting complaints from some firefighters about the discipline Martin faced compared to the sometimes months-long investigations faced by rank-and-file members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City leadership holds firefighters to one standard and its directors to another, Mahoney wrote in a Saturday letter sent to city commissioners, Martin and his executive staff. Our members are removed from duty at the first hint of an allegation, and their investigations often linger for months. Here, the investigation began four days late and was finished in a single day. The recent criticism comes less than a year after a fire truck crash with a Brightline train, which had spawned investigations into four members of the fire department, some of which had to do with the crash itself and others with the citys handling of driver license suspensions. Martin had released the names of the four employees under investigation immediately following the crash, leading to backlash from the union over what it considered a lack of due process. The Brightline crash was not specifically cited in the letter, but Mahoney said it was one of many months-long investigations. Another city investigation into Delray Beach police officers response to a 2023 off-duty car accident involving the driver who was later fired after the Brightline crash concluded this week, clearing all of the officers. The camera investigation During the investigation, city investigators briefly spoke to Chief Martin as well as a deputy chief, three assistant chiefs, an IT manager and Martins executive assistant, according to a report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the recorded interviews, Martins lasted 25 minutes; the remaining interviews were all under 10 minutes. Martin told the investigator that strange events had begun the second day of his job, when he discovered a pack of cigarettes, a can of chewing tobacco and a lighter in his credenza. He then sent himself personal email with the subject line Note to Self about what he had discovered, according to a copy of the email. A few weeks into his tenure, Martin limited access to his office to only himself, his executive assistant, the IT manager and the cleaning crew. His executive assistant retired on Friday. When he returned to his office after Thanksgiving, Martin said he found his door open. He decided to bring in the Ring camera, which he said he had used in his offices in the past. Then, in the aftermath of the Brightline crash, Martin said he was looking for records for an audit he was performing on training when he opened a bottom drawer and found the pornographic magazine and a half-consumed bottle of bourbon. Im like, this is concerning to me, Martin told the investigator, according to a recording of his interview. Is it a holdover from my previous person? Is somebody trying to set me up for something? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he was not trying to secretly surveil people and did not pay for the subscription that allows Ring camera users to view past recordings. Most of the time when he was notified of activity in his office he would see the cleaning crew or his executive assistant inside, he said. Martin also said the camera gave him solace due to attacks he had been receiving from outside entities since the Brightline crash. In the months after the crash, he had returned home to find profanity-laced correspondence on his car calling him a carpet bagger and telling him to go back to Louisiana. In June, he said he found the windshield wiper blades removed from his car. The fire chief took a week off shortly after the Ring camera investigation concluded, though city officials have not clarified whether his leave was mandatory or by choice. City Manager Terrence Moore said he had spoken with Martin before he took the week off, and that it was for personal reasons, but did not say what the reasons were. Mahoneys letter also took issue with Martins criticism of the fire department and allegations of trespassing and sabotage, saying unverified claims erode public trust and damage morale. He has not received a response to the letter. Martin has since returned to work, and declined to comment when reached by the Sun Sentinel, referring questions to a city spokesperson. The spokesperson did not return emails and calls about his absence or the unions comments on the investigation. Delray Beach city officials remain insistent on keeping the citys LGBTQ+ pride intersection, approving a decision Tuesday to proceed with an administrative hearing to determine the road displays fate. At the hearing on Sept. 2, a judge would decide whether the state has the power to force Delray Beach officials to remove the rainbow pavement markings at Northeast Second Avenue and Northeast First Street. The Florida Department of Transportations directive to remove such art from intersections and crosswalks across the state has been met with scrutiny, though officials in various cities have felt no choice but to comply, fearing the loss of funding. Key West city commissioners recently voted to keep their rainbow intersection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two other cities in Palm Beach County with rainbow intersections West Palm Beach and Boynton Beach immediately said they would comply. A majority of the Delray Beach city commissioners favored moving forward with a hearing. In the states letter to the city, the southeast Florida district secretary of the state Department of Transportation had presented as an option having a hearing on Sept. 2. During Tuesdays meeting, Mayor Tom Carney said, What we can control is at least our approach back, which is saying, OK, were going to follow the law. Were going to follow the option that was given us and exhaust our administrative remedies.' Related Articles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several people, many of whom are not Delray Beach residents, spoke in support of keeping the Delray pride intersection during the city meeting. By voting yes on keeping the rainbow crosswalk, your city sets an example and inspires other cities and towns to do the same, said Robin Ponce, a Pembroke Pines resident. The Florida government in Tallahassee has nothing to offer its citizens except hate and division. Persecuting any population, especially minority groups, is only done as a distraction to the nothingburger they have to offer us. Erasing the sidewalks will never, ever erase all of us. Only Commissioner Juli Casale dissented, concerned about retaliation from the state if the city is deemed noncompliant. If we poke the bear, are they going to take the money? she said during the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vice Mayor Rob Long sees it differently, expressing indignation in response to the states demands. This isnt a notice, its an ultimatum. For a state agency to announce they will destroy something we lawfully installed without our consent isnt just government overreach, its trespass, destruction of property and an unlawful usurpation of the authority we, as elected government, were elected to exercise, he said. This is one of the most extreme abuses of power Ive ever faced up here. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) A Delta Air Lines pilot and his ex-girlfriend pleaded not guilty in Contra Costa County court Tuesday to dozens of child sex abuse charges. Pilot Rustom Bhagwagar, 34, and Jennifer Michelle Spitz Powell, 45, were ordered to return to court on August 29 for a preliminary hearing. Their attorneys declined to waive the co-defendants rights to a speedy trial. Bhagwagar and Powell are accused of sexually assaulting a girl who was less than 10 years old. All of the alleged crimes were committed in Contra Costa County between 2017 and 2023, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pilot lived in Florida up until his arrest. Powell lived in Pleasant Hill and Alamo, court documents show. Rustom Bhagwagar and Jennifer Powell are seen in 2025 mugshots released by the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office. Due to the victims age and the nature of the allegations, the victim will not be named by the District Attorneys Office in order to protect her identity, the District Attorneys Office wrote. On July 26, Bhagwagar was arrested in a cockpit moments after he landed a Delta Air Lines plane at San Francisco International Airport. Shocked passengers watched as Department of Homeland Security agents and deputies with the Contra Costa Sheriffs Office hauled the pilot away. Powell was arrested on July 29. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors charged the former couple with 24 felony counts, including oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child 10 years or younger, aggravated sexual assault of a child, and forcible lewd acts upon a child. District Attorney Diana Becton previously said, Every child deserves to feel safe, protected, and heard when an injustice like this occurs. Our office stands firmly committed to protecting children and holding those who cause harm accountable. The pilot is currently locked in Martinez Detention Facility with $15 million bail. If convicted, Bhagwagar and Powell will face 15 years to life in state prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. United and Delta Airlines are being sued by passengers who say they paid extra for window seats only to be seated next to a barren wall during their flight. The proposed class action lawsuits, filed in federal courts Tuesday seek millions of dollars in damages for over one million customers who rode on each airline. While some Boeing 737, Boeing 757 and Airbus A321 planes have rows entirely without windows due to air conditioning ducts or other systems Delta and United do not flag this to customers purchasing window seats, the complaint claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement United and Delta charge hundreds of dollars for such seats and make no mention that they are without windows. Meanwhile, their competitors, American and Alaska Airlines, inform their customers that these types of seats do not have a window while booking, Reuters reported. The lawsuit notes that passengers often buy window seats for specific reasons, including for extra light or legroom, to occupy children or to calm traveling anxieties. United and Delta did not immediately return requests for comment from The Independent. Delta and United airlines are being sued by passengers who paid extra for window seats, but were instead seated next to an empty wall. (AP) A large proportion of airline travelers prefer window seats, and are willing to pay extra money to obtain them. For many, it is a special experience to see the world from 30,000 feet, or to watch a descent into LaGuardia, each lawsuit states, according to The Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Windows can captivate or distract an antsy child. Many people have a fear of flying, or get claustrophobic or motion sick on planes, and windows give them a greater level of comfort in an otherwise stressful environment, they continue. Others just want a burst of sunlight to brighten their days. United and Delta, like many other airlines, offer basic fares that do not include seat selection. Passengers must pay extra to choose their seat, and some windowless rows are in upgraded sections. Both complaints specifically note that had the plaintiffs known the seats they were purchasing and paying extra for were windowless, they wouldnt have selected them. The Delta lawsuit was filed by Nicholas Meyer of Brooklyn, New York, while the United suit is led by Marc Brenman of San Francisco and Aviva Copaken of Los Angeles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While customers can do research online to see if their seat is without a window, Carter Greenbaum, a lawyer whose firm filed both lawsuits, told Reuters that doesnt excuse the airlines bad behavior. A company cant misrepresent the nature of the products it sells and then rely on third party reviews to say a customer should have known that it was lying, Greenbaum said. Some passengers feel more comfortable flying with a window seat, and, as every traveler knows, you can sometimes pay more to ensure you get one. However, a law firm is alleging that some airlines, such as Delta and United, aren't following through as promised. Law Firm Claims That Some Delta & United Passengers Who Pay for Window Seats End Up 'Staring at a Blank Wall' The website Class Action Lawsuits contains a posting indicating that a lawsuit is in the works. "Many airlines, including United Airlines, allow passengers to reserve specific seats for an additional fee, often ranging from $15 to $100 depending on the seats location," the website says. "Window seats are especially popular, offering natural light and scenic views during the flight." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, "due to aircraft designs and configurations, some seats labeled and sold as 'window seats' are positioned where no window exists," alleges the website. "Passengers who paid extra for these seats say they ended up staring at a blank wall." "This discrepancy has led to passenger complaints and, now, legal action. The United Airlines lawsuit claims that this practice may violate consumer protection laws, as well as airline passenger rights and may constitute false advertising," the website says. The Windowless Seat Controversy Has Hit Social Media Before A TikTok video previously emerged showing such a windowless seat. Although the website only mentions United, an attorney with the law firm in question told NBC Bay Area that the firm wants to include Delta Airlines in a similar class action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were seeking to hold United and Delta accountable for an unfair and misleading business practice they could fix overnight, said attorney Casey Olbrantz, to the station. NBC Bay Area identified the law firm as the Go Law firm, aka Greenbaum Olbrantz. The two airlines did not respond to requests for comment from news outlets. Related: Southwest Airlines Announces 'Unprecedented' Change Amid Free Bag Outrage Delta, United Airlines Face Major Claim Over Window Seats first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 17, 2025 Former Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (Photo from Brown's website.) Former Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is back, officially announcing on Monday his long-anticipated campaign to reclaim a seat in Congress. Ohio Republicans are ready to fight. I didnt plan to run for office again, but when I see whats going on, I know I can do something about it for Ohio, Brown said in his announcement. Thats why Im running for Senate. Because even in these challenging times, I still believe if you stand up for workers, treat people with respect and always fight for Ohio, you can actually make a difference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown, who lost his seat in 2024 to Sen. Bernie Moreno, is returning to the political spotlight, and the stakes are high. Ohio could very well be the tipping point state for the entire Senate, said Ohio Democratic strategist David Pepper. Ohio Democratic Party members, including Pepper, say that the senators history of supporting workers will be key to his campaign. I think Sherrods message, which really gets sort of the wherewithal of every Ohio family in a time where people are really struggling and stressed, I think its gonna really hit home, Pepper said. He will face off against Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, whom President Donald Trump and the rest of the Ohio GOP, like party leader Tony Schroeder, are backing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senator Husteds devotion to the conservative values that we just got done voting for, for President Trump last November, are going to wind up carrying the day, Schroeder said. Husted was appointed to his role by Gov. Mike DeWine this January and has already raised $6 million. We just got done telling Senator Brown that we didnt want him to represent us in D.C. anymore, and were about to do it again, Schroeder said. Hes carried every bit of the woke agenda in D.C. the open border was a huge issue in Ohio, absolutely huge, and he voted for all of it. Browns campaign has already begun targeting Husted for his votes to make massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Husteds team sent us this statement from spokesperson Tyson Shepard: Sherrod Browns recent announcement means Ohioans will face a clear choice in 2026. For 30 years, he has imposed Washingtons problems on Ohio, pushing radical liberal policies that have left a lasting burden on the next generation. Jon Husted offers the opposite approach, applying Ohios values and solutions to fix a broken Washington. The challenges our nation faces are the same ones Husted has helped our state confront and overcome, championing the values he learned growing up in northwest Ohio: hard work, personal responsibility, family, faith, freedom and patriotism. Even though Brown over-performed Democrats all over the country, including Kamala Harris by eight points in Ohio, he lost by four points to Moreno. Pepper was asked about Browns 2024 loss and how he fixes it for 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I mean its a combination of things, Pepper said. if you ever lose, you dont say, Well, we should do everything the same. Of course, the Trump turnout mattered. We clearly have to do better in our cities. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Scoop Democrats in the US Congress are pushing for the reestablishment of an Obama-era business council in Africa to counter what they say is rising Chinese influence on the continent. In a letter seen by Semafor, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on a hawkish House of Representatives subcommittee focused on China, called on the US Commerce department to reconvene the Presidents Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) and host high-level trade missions to counter the efforts of China to expand its influence in the region and make further inroads to the detriment of American interests. Chinas bilateral trade with Africa reached $280 billion last year, and is now around four times that of the US. Meanwhile the Trump administration has effectively killed the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), a favorable trade pact, with the introduction of new tariffs on African exports. Know More While Republicans on the committee did not sign the letter, it captured sentiments they have aired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The PAC-DBIA was established in 2014, during former US President Barack Obamas second term, and advised the president on how to strengthen engagement between the US and African countries. In many ways it would be in line with the Trumps administrations own rhetoric around commercial diplomacy in Africa, as it pushes back at the primary role of foreign aid in the US role on the continent. The reconvening of PAC-DBIA and the deployment of trade missions are a necessary first step in competing with [China] in Africa, wrote Krishnamoorthi in the letter addressed to Trevor Kellogg, the acting under secretary for international trade. Step Back The recent cuts by the Trump administration to foreign aid, democracy support projects, and humanitarian missions, alongside rising tariffs and tougher immigration policies, have been driving Africans to China and Russia, analysts have said. Notable RALEIGH, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) While midterm elections are still more than a year away, candidates who will face tough re-election battles are already looking for ways to expand their base. Don Davis, a Democrat from Eastern North Carolina, is re-upping his affiliation with a group that pushes centrist policies over partisan politics, called the Forward Party. North Carolina is a purple state, and its congressional districts are drawn in a way that usually leads to single-party dominance in each district, but East Carolina Professor Brad Lockerbie said that cant be said for the Davis district, NC-01. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He lives in a district or represents a district that is going to be competitive in a two-party context, said Lockerbie. It is a seat that democrats want to keep and republicans want to steal, as the GOP holds a slim majority in the US House. The democrats probably need to hold on to the Don Davis seat to have much of a chance at a majority. I think whoever gets the majority in the House, its going to be a very narrow majority, added Lockerbie. Radio station WUNC reported that last week, Davis re-upped his affiliation with the Forward Party, which is described as an organization that is not left and not right, opposed to polarization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Davis re-election campaign made clear the congressman is a democrat and has no plans to switch parties, but that he supports the Forward Partys mission. My party affiliation will remain unchanged, but my focus is crystal clear: prioritizing the well-being of the individuals I serve and ensuring their voices are always at the forefront, Davis said via a statement. While Davis was able to win re-election in 2024 after affiliating with the group, there is no guarantee he will see that same result in 2026. Its going to be difficult no matter what he does; hes hoping to thread that needle between the Democrats and the Republicans, but I think its going to be difficult, said Lockerbie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Wisconsin has a wide-open field for lieutenant governor in 2026 and the race is officially underway. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, a Democrat, is running for governor and will give up her post, leaving an open seat. Wisconsin's primary election is set for Aug. 11, 2026, to narrow the field for governor, lieutenant governor and other offices. The final candidates will move on to the Nov. 3 general election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's a running list of candidates from major political parties who are campaigning for lieutenant governor, in order of their announcement date. We'll update this list as more candidates officially join the race: Sarah Godlewski, a Democrat Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, 43, launched a campaign for lieutenant governor on Aug. 20. Wisconsin Treasurer Sarah Godlewski speaks during the ceremony. Godlewski previously held the position of state treasurer and unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 2022. She was appointed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to her current post in March 2023.Im not running for this office because I need another title, Godlewski said at an event in Madison launching her campaign. Im running for this office because I want to be a part of the team thats not just going to win, but deliver for the state of Wisconsin. This story will be updated as candidates launch campaigns. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Democrat Sarah Godlewski first to launch bid for lieutenant governor In the weeks after he won the 2021 Democratic primary for mayor of New York City, Eric Adams was enthusiastically embraced by the partys establishment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi posed for a picture with Adams and described herself as honored to host him at a meeting of House Democrats. He was seated near President Biden at a White House session. Why Top Democrats Are Listening to Eric Adams Right Now was the headline of a New York Times story. Four years later, Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral Democratic primary in the Big Apple by a larger margin than Adams, with far more overall votes, and on the strength of a spectacular campaign that inspired young voters across the country. But the partys establishment is dissing him. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, hugely influential figures in both New York and national politics, have refused to endorse Mamdani. Same for the states other senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Governor Kathy Hochul. Many prominent national Democrats, such as Rahm Emanuel and Cory Booker, are also either criticizing Mamdani or refusing to back him. It was considered a coup for Mamdani when it was reported that he and Barack Obama had a lengthy and positive phone call. But the former president hasnt actually publicly announced his support for Mamdani, either. The shunning of Mamdani is an important illustration of the state of the Democratic Party in 2025. It shows some unfortunate truths about the partys center-left establishment and points to some clear steps progressives must take. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why are center-left Democrats so reluctant to endorse Mamdani? At first, they hinted that he didnt care enough about the safety of Jewish New Yorkers, since he had refused to condemn the phrase Globalize the intifada during his primary run. But now that Mamdani has declared that phrase problematic, the goalposts have moved. Jeffries claimed last week that voters in his congressional district arent convinced Mamdanis ideas are achievable. (Mandami won Jeffriess district during the primary.) I dont buy the viability of Mamdanis ideas as the reason prominent Democrats refuse to endorse the winner of the Democratic primary, particularly in a race against Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo, who have long records of scandal and are in some ways trying to align with President Trump. If politicians only endorsed candidates who they were sure could implement their campaign promises, there would be very few endorsements. Let me move to what I suspect are their actual reasons for the cold shoulder Mamdani is receiving. First, many center-left Democratic strategists and lawmakers fear that prominent progressives tar the entire party as overly left-wing. So they dont want a socialist to become mayor of New York City and certainly would not endorse that person and encourage his victory. Theres something to this perspective. Republicans do run ads attacking moderate Democrats in purple and red districts and states for what more progressive Democrats in very blue areas say and do. Perhaps those ads work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But thats nothing new. Before the arrival of the Squad made her seem more centrist, Republicans constantly likened moderate Democrats to Pelosi and other coastal figures in the party. In the 1990s, Democrats attacked moderate Republicans by suggesting that they were clones of then-Speaker Newt Gingrich. A political party will almost always have some more ideological figures that the other side can attack. Also, the idea of local representation is important. New York Citys electorate is to the left of say, Wisconsins. So its entirely appropriate that the citys leadership reflects that liberalism. Zohran Mamdani is electable in New York City. Candidates there shouldnt be judged on their palatability in swing House districts far away. As party leaders, Jeffries and Schumer in particular may view their roles as appealing to the median voter across the country. Thats reasonable. If their position is that they cant associate themselves with Mandami because he is too far left for swing voters outside New York, they should state that explicitly (or at least have their aides leak it). That way, they are not implying that Mamdani has policies so radical that he cant be endorsed even for New York City. It would also end the drama around their refusal to endorse Mandami. If their primary considerations are swing voters far away, they have little reason to back Mamdani, no matter what he promises them. But I doubt the wariness of Mamdani is entirely about electability and party positioning nationally. I worry that Jeffries, Schumer, Gillibrand, and perhaps more importantly their campaign donors simply oppose someone as progressive as Mamdani holding office, particularly one as prestigious as mayor of New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One big piece of evidence for that theory is that Jeffries basically did nothing as progressives Cori Bush and Jamal Bowman were ousted from their U.S. House seats in Democratic primaries last year. Bush and Bowman were not perfect politicians, but they were perfectly electable in general elections in their districts. But more centrist forces in the party, particularly pro-Israel donors, spent heavily to defeat them. A similar centrist coalition is developing in New York, egged on by the refusal of the citys top Democrats to coalesce around Mamdani. Im really disappointed by whats happening in New York. In my view, the Democratic Party in the Trump era must be a true coalitionrespecting ideological differences. That cant work if the center-left rejects progressives who win Democratic primaries fair and square (not to mention in one of the more stunning upsets in recent New York political history). Even if these party leaders end up endorsing Mamdani before the election, they have damaged him and implied that winning a Democratic primary alone is not enough to get support from party elders. What should progressives do about the rejection of Mamdani? First of all, progressive activists and non-politicians (me, for example) should complain about the unfairness of it all. Most on the left got behind Kamala Harris during last years presidential election, even though we felt the Biden-Harris administration was facilitating a genocide in Gaza. Surely free buses, rent freezes, and public grocery stores (Mamdanis ideas) are not more problematic than providing arms to Israel as it kills Palestinian civilians. Jeffries and Schumer perhaps have to consider swing districts and states. But there is nothing stopping Cory Booker, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Biden, Harris, Obama, Pete Buttigieg, and numerous other Democrats who arent part of the partys top current leadership from endorsing Mamdani right now. Progressives should make the case that Vote blue no matter what seems to be only respected by one side. Secondly, progressive activists should acknowledge this reality and internalize what it portendsthat centrist Democrats have real differences with progressives on many issues and arent going to cede control of the party easily. A few years ago, I hoped and perhaps expected that the Democratic Party would become a true progressive party, in the same way that conservatives have captured the GOP. In Republican politics today, the party usually nominates the most conservative person who can win the election in a given area. (So in Maine thats Susan Collins, in Texas its someone like Ted Cruz.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Democratic politics are likely to be split along center-left versus left lines for the foreseeable future. So Michelle Wu, Bostons very successful mayor, is facing a primary challenge because there is a moderate faction in the city that views her as too progressive. Progressive strategist Waleed Shadid argued in a sharp recent piece that the Democratic center is so strong and ready to contest the left that progressives should for now retrench from trying to win primaries and general elections in purple and red states and instead focus exclusively on winning primaries in very blue areas. Progressive candidates, though, shouldnt lead with their annoyance with the establishment. Instead, they should follow Mamdanis model: Campaign hard to rank-and-file Democratic voters; meet with establishment leaders and court their support; dont complain about establishment resistance even after those meetings. The average Democratic voter isnt a committed progressive or moderate. They want Democrats to win and stop Trump. They like charismatic, inspiring candidates of all stripes. They arent eager to hear Democrats bash one another. So Mamdani, by meeting with Jeffries, Schumer, and the like, is doing his part. Those politicians are making themselves look bad by refusing to endorse a Democratic candidate who seems eager to build alliances across the party. Even centrist voices such as the Bulwarks Tim Miller are questioning why Jeffries and other senior Democrats wont endorse Mamdani. But I dont think progressive politicians should just let this behavior slide, either. They need to recognize that they are in a coalition with some allies who dont respect them, and act accordingly. Progressives have leverage, and they should use it. For example, if Democrats win the House majority next year, progressive members should demand, in exchange for voting for Jeffries to be speaker, that he pledge to endorse the Democratic nominee for president, whoever that is. That way, if somehow a progressive wins the nomination, Jeffries wont be able to repeat this dance of bashing the candidate that the partys voters support. If he wont make that commitment, progressive members should not give their votes to Jeffries for speaker, instead holding out for another Democrat who will make such a pledge. The Democratic Party is so ideologically diverse these days, from Rashida Tlaib to Jared Golden, that there are bound to be conflicts. But not every disagreement is legitimate. There is no good reason for Jeffries, Schumer, or Gillibrand to refuse to support Mamdani, an inspiring candidate who won the primary and is willing to work with people to his right, particularly when his opponents are the ethically challenged Adams and Cuomo. Party leaders are dead wrong hereand their terrible instincts in New York are a reflection of their broader shortcomings. Global Eggs, set up by Brazilian investor Ricardo Faria, has expanded its presence in Spain with the acquisition of the El Granjero egg company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed but Faria said in a statement that family-owned El Granjero generates annual revenues of 70m ($81.8m). This acquisition not only brings valuable production capacity but also reinforces our commitment to growth in Europe, he added. El Granjero will join Global Eggs European business Hevo Group, which was created in 2022 through the integration of Dagu, Ous Roig, and Granja Agas. Founded in the 1960s in Segovia, El Granjero is one of Spains major brands in egg distribution, Hevo Group said in a separate statement. The business produces more than 26 million dozen eggs annually, employs around 90 staff, and operates three production sites in San Cristobal de Cuellar, La Olombrada, and Campas Pero, Hero Group added. With this deal, Hevo Group increases its capacity to over 120 million dozen eggs annually, supported by five million birds, six grading centres, and 25 farms. In November, Faria became Hevo Groups majority shareholder, acquiring the stake from Madrid-based Cleon Capital and Austrias Yana Investment Partners. The Guadalajara-based company said El Granjero is also a leader in cage-free egg production backed by a planned 18m investment this year to accelerate the transition. For Luxembourg-based Global Eggs, this is its second acquisition in Spain in 2025 following the purchase of Granja Legaria in May, which added one million laying hens to its operations. Overall, the conglomerate now manages 43 million birds across 93 farms worldwide, including Brazil via Granja Faria, another company set up by Faria. Earlier this year, Global Eggs also entered the US with the acquisition of Hillandale Farms. "Global Eggs acquires Spains El Granjero to expand European footprint " was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. A group of Senate and House Democrats is pushing officials at the Department of Homeland Security for more information about the use of the immigration detention facility in the Florida Everglades known as "Alligator Alcatraz." In a letter sent late Tuesday to the heads of the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and FEMA, the lawmakers expressed concern that the Trump administration's decision to use what lawmakers called a "novel state-run immigration detention model" could violate federal law and make the federal government less accountable for the conditions at immigrant detention centers. The letter comes as the Trump administration has embraced the model of using state-run facilities -- as opposed to federal or private ones -- to detain noncitizens during immigration proceedings, including using a shuttered state prison as an additional site in Florida, dubbed "Deportation Depot," and expanding ICE detention space in an Indiana correctional facility dubbed the "Speedway Slammer" and in a Nebraska facility to be called "Cornhusker Clink." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Judge dismisses part of lawsuit over detainees' legal access at 'Alligator Alcatraz' "Experts worry this novel state-run immigration detention model will allow Florida to create an 'independent, unaccountable detention system' that runs parallel to the federal detention system," the group of eight senators and 57 representatives wrote. The "Alligator Alcatraz" detention facility has been the subject of intense political and legal scrutiny since it was rapidly constructed on the site of a rarely used airstrip in the Florida Everglades in June. The temporary detention center -- which currently can house 3,000 migrants awaiting deportation -- was toured by President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in early July. "They have a lot of bodyguards and a lot of cops that are in the form of alligators. You don't have to pay them so much." Trump said while touring the facility. "I wouldn't want to run through the Everglades for long." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the letter, spearheaded by Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the lawmakers asked the Department of Homeland Security to provide more information about the facility by Sept. 3. They asked the Trump administration to identify the legal authority that allows Florida to run the facility, confirm the facility meets federal standards for the treatment of detainees, and outline the criteria used by DHS to reimburse Florida for the facility. Joe Raedle/Getty Images - PHOTO: An ambulance arrives at the entrance to "Alligator Alcatraz" at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, August 14, 2025 in Ochopee, Florida. "Brushing aside concerns from human rights watchdogs, environmentalist groups, and Tribal nations, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has greenlit the construction of this expansive detention facility that may violate detained individuals' human rights, jeopardize public and environmental health, and violate federal law. We ask that DHS promptly provide critical information for the American public to better understand this detention plan," the Democratic lawmakers wrote. The lawmakers also requested additional information about legal access for detainees at the facility and the environmental impact of the site -- issues that have been at the center of two federal lawsuits challenging the facility. A federal judge has temporarily paused further construction at the site over environmental concerns, and a lawsuit over legal access was partially dismissed after the Trump administration established a nearby immigration court to handle issues stemming from Alligator Alcatraz. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the letter. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has previously said the facility complies with federal detention standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has lauded "Alligator Alcatraz" as an efficient way for Florida to work with the Trump administration to carry out deportations, and has encouraged other states to do the same. "I know that the administration has called on other states to follow suit and expand this type of capacity, and I would just reiterate that call. I think it's important. I think it will make a difference," DeSantis said at a press conference at the site in July. "The whole purpose is to make this be a place that can facilitate increased frequency and numbers of deportations of illegal aliens." Since "Alligator Alcatraz" opened in July, immigration advocates have been pushing for more information about the facility, arguing that the custodial and operational details were initially kept murky to prevent oversight. According to documents released in an ongoing lawsuit challenging the facility, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Florida State Guard -- along with private contractors -- are running the site under a 287(g) agreement with the federal government. MORE: 'It's like you're dead alive': Families, advocates allege inhumane conditions at 'Alligator Alcatraz' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While the aliens are in the physical custody of the State, they are for certain legal purposes treated as in the custody of the federal government," an attorney with the Department of Justice wrote in a court filing earlier this month. According to H. Marissa Montes, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, the model used by Alligator Alcatraz allows the federal government to outsource detention facilities to eager states and private contractors. While the federal government has long relied on county jails and for-profit prison companies to house detainees, facilities like "Alligator Alcatraz" expand the scale of individual states' involvement in federal immigration proceedings, Montes said. "Given that DHS is working directly with the Florida state government on a detention facility with alarming implications, DHS should ensure transparency and accountability surrounding the facility's financing operations," the lawmakers wrote in their letter. With Trump vowing to carry out the largest deportation in U.S. history, the use of facilities like "Alligator Alcatraz" contributes to a deterrent effect that encourages self-deportation, according to Montes, who runs Loyola's Immigrant Justice Clinic. "We've got an increased number of people who come in seeking to self-deport because they'd rather self-deport in a way that's dignified, right, than at the hands of the federal government," Montes said. New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martinez (bottom left) joined Washington Senate Deputy Majority Leader Manka Dhingra and Illinois House Speaker Pro Tempore Kam Buckner at a virtual news conference Aug. 19 hosted by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Communications Director Lauren Chou. (Screenshot courtesy of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee) High-ranking lawmakers from statehouses in New Mexico, Washington and Illinois on Tuesday sought to draw a contrast between their economic policies and President Donald Trump and Republicans tariffs, trade wars and mass deportations. During a news conference Tuesday hosted by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the national Democratic Partys arm focused on electing Democrats to state legislatures, New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martinez of Albuquerque said the Trump administrations tariffs and trade wars are raising prices of groceries and creating challenges for New Mexicos small business owners, especially its breweries and coffee roasters, in a state bordering Mexico and where international trade is vital to its economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martinez also pointed to Immigration and Customs Enforcements mass deportations effects on the states entire workforce, especially farmworkers, oil and gas workers and their loved ones. Were the second-highest producer of oil and gas, and a lot of that workforce is either undocumented or in mixed-status families, Martinez said. New Mexico is famous for Hatch green chile. Guess who picks that chile: immigrant communities. To contrast his partys policies with those of Republicans, Martinez pointed to New Mexicos enactment of guaranteed access to child care and early childhood education in the state constitution; tuition-free college; free lunches in public schools and tax cuts for people with lower incomes. An email and voicemail seeking comment from the Republican Party of New Mexico was not returned on Tuesday. Source NM also asked a spokesperson for the Senate Republican Leadership Office for comment and will update this story as needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois House Speaker Pro Tempore Ken Buckner said the tariffs on steel, aluminum and lumber are driving up the prices of housing, food and health care. Across the country, families are already stretched to the breaking point, Buckner said. And instead of helping, Republicans gave us something that made it all worse: Trumps tariffs. Washington Senate Deputy Majority Leader Manka Dhingra said the tariffs will shrink her states robust import and export economy with Canada and raise prices at grocery stores, fuel pumps and car dealerships for everyone. Tariffs on Canadian softwood would hike construction costs for homes and residential buildings, she said. This is an artificially created crisis due to the impulse of one man, which will impact the pocketbook of every Washingtonian and American, Dhingra said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dhingra said Democrats are not opposed to tariffs across the board but rather disagree with the way Trump is carrying out his tariffs. We can be thoughtful, we can be methodical, we can have conversations and if there are tariffs that need to be imposed, lets make sure we do it the right way and make sure theres predictability there, she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX President Donald Trump participates in a walking tour of the immigration detention center nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Ochopee, Florida. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok) South Florida U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley have written a letter calling on the heads of the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and FEMA to provide detailed information regarding the operation of the Everglades immigration detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz. Human rights experts have condemned the plan as cruel and inhumane by design, reads the letter, co-signed by more than 60 other Democrats from the House and Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Construction progressed at turbo speed, and it remains unclear whether the facility has plans to ensure medical care, rapid hurricane evacuation, access to counsel, and sufficient infrastructure for sewage, running water, and temperature controls, despite being located in one of the hottest parts of the state. The lawmakers say they want federal authorities to provide extensive information about the facility by Sept. 3, including: Identify the legal authority that allows Florida to run the facility; Confirm that it meets federal standards for the treatment of detainees; Identify private vendors contracted to operate the facility; Identify criteria are used to segregate detainees; Explain what is being done to prevent contamination of drinking water; Explain any consultation with the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes before construction of the facility; and Tell whether any minors or women have been detained at the facility. Six of the eight members of the Florida Democratic congressional delegation signed the letter; the only members who did not were South Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz and Central Floridas Darren Soto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge on Monday dismissed part of a lawsuit over the legal rights of detainees at the facility. U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz in the Southern District of Florida ruled that claims detainees at the facility lack confidential access to immigration court were rendered moot when the Trump administration designated the Krome North Processing Center near Miami as a site for the cases to be heard. The court order transferred the case to the Middle District of Florida. The detention site is in Collier County, under the Middle Districts jurisdiction. Eunice Cho, senior counsel at the ACLU National Prison Project, said Wednesday that because of the lawsuit the federal government is now allowing immigrants at Alligator Alcatraz the ability to petition the immigration court for release from detention. Related litigation A second lawsuit over environmental concerns at the facility by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity has resulted in U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ordering a 14-day pause on additional construction on the site while witnesses testify at a hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Ron DeSantis announced last week that state officials are now working on opening a second immigration detention facility that will be called Deportation Depot within the Baker Correctional Institution, a temporarily closed state prison in Northeast Florida. It will hold around 1,300 detainees and is expected to open sometime next month. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Democratic lawmakers are pressing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for more information about how the Trump administration teamed up with the state of Florida to create a controversial detention facility for migrants in the middle of the Everglades. Brushing aside concerns from human rights watchdogs, environmentalist groups, and Tribal nations, [DHS] has greenlit the construction of this expansive detention facility that may violate detained individuals human rights, jeopardize public and environmental health and violate federal law, House and Senate Democrats wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem dated Wednesday. The detention facility, dubbed Alligator Alcatraz, opened in early July to house arrested migrants awaiting deportation. It was created through a state and federal partnership, with Florida officials leading oversight and construction, with DHS footing the bill. President Trump toured the facility when it opened, along with Noem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge last week temporarily halted expansion of the site after tribal and environmental groups filed a lawsuit over potential damage to wetlands. Located just south of Miami, Alligator Alcatraz quickly raised alarms about conditions for detainees in the hot, humid climate. Some whistleblowers have described worm-infested food, plumbing problems and other issues since its opening. The Everglades site was selected precisely because of its remote location and harsh surroundings, which Florida officials reportedly view as an ideal location to house and transport migrants,' the Democrats wrote in their letter Wednesday. We ask that DHS promptly provide critical information for the American public to better understand this detention plan. The letter was signed by more than five dozen members of Congress, led by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.). It requested that DHS respond to several questions by September 3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A group of Senate Democrats on Wednesday urged U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to press the government of Israel to protect journalists in Gaza and allow international media to access the war-torn territory. Their letter, which was led by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and signed by 16 other Democratic senators, cited the recent deaths of Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif, who Israel claims is connected to Hamas, and five other reporters by an Israeli drone strike. More than 190 journalists have been killed since the start of Israels military offensive in Gaza the deadliest period for journalists since the Committee to Protect Journalists began tracking such data in 1992. Related: Trump Is Gutting The State Department And Dragging Diplomats Through The Mud Israel has not provided convincing evidence for its claim that al-Sharif was a Hamas militant, the senators wrote. Absent a compelling explanation of the military objective for this attack, it appears Israel is publicly admitting to targeting and killing journalists who have shown the world the scale of suffering in Gaza, which would be a violation of international law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senators also expressed concern about Israels repression of journalists in other areas of conflict like the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria. Related: Fears Of A Total Media Blackout In Gaza Intensify As Another Group Of Journalists Is Targeted And Killed The United States must make it clear to Israel that banning and censoring media organizations and targeting or threatening members of the press is unacceptable and must stop, they said. The absence of U.S. government support for accountability efforts serves to undermines U.S. moral leadership and credibility in the region and around the world. Related: Press Freedom Groups Urge Biden To Demand Israel Allow Media Access In Gaza State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters last week that the department discussed the matter of al-Sharifs killing with Israel, echoing its governments claim that he and other Palestinian reporters may have been Hamas fighters in disguise. Related: Trump Makes Awkward U-Turn After Failed Ceasefire Talks With Zelenskyy And Putin We refer you to Israel, Bruce said. Israel has released evidence al-Sharif was part of Hamas and was supportive of the Hamas attack on October 7. Theyre the ones who have the evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned al-Sharifs death. If Israel can kill the most prominent Gazan journalist, then it can kill anyone, Sara Qudah, Middle East and North Africa CPJ regional director, said in a statement. The world needs to see these deadly attacks on journalists inside Gaza, as well as its censorship of journalists in Israel and the West Bank, for what they are: a deliberate and systematic attempt to cover up Israels actions. Palestinians are experiencing unprecedented starvation and more than a million are facing more displacement because of Israeli military plans. President Donald Trump last month acknowledged that Gazans are experiencing real starvation, but he has largely stuck by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as his government prepares to take control of Gaza City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Trump went so far as to call Netanyahu and himself a war hero for approving airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. More Stories Paul Krugman Warns This Trump Policy Will Hurt More Than People Realize Kid Rock Goes Into Meltdown Mode After Getting Punked By Gavin Newsoms X Account Israel Bombs Journalists As New Report Marks Grim Milestone For Gaza's Press Read the original on HuffPost (The Center Square) Comments from the president on use of snail mail for election ballots have been amplified and Wednesday were given credence by the North Carolina Democratic Party. Second-term President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would lead a movement to end mail-in ballots and voting machines. To do so, hell need big-time help from a Congress with Republicans in slim majorities of 53-47 in the Senate and 219-212 with four vacancies in the House of Representatives. Per the Constitutions Elections Clause, the president cannot change election laws or compel states to do so. State legislatures set the times, places and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, although Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This means an executive order would, as many have already this year, likely draw litigation and an uphill battle in any courtroom. Response to Trump from North Carolina Republicans was muted at best. Anderson Clayton, chairwoman of the Democrats state party, issued a statement a day later that was conspicuous by absence of a challenge to the constitutional law. It isnt hard to see that this is Trumps latest attempt to distract from the millions of Americans who are about to be kicked off Medicaid, the pain his tariffs are causing, and his refusal to release the Epstein files, Clayton said Wednesday. Rather than addressing the real issues facing our communities, he is sowing division and confusion. Use of the U.S. Postal Service in elections for North Carolina is nearly a half-century old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first time absentee by mail ballots were allowed was 1977, though only for people with disabilities or those who would be out of state on Election Day. An application process was necessary. In 1999, eligibility changed to any voter, and one-stop early voting locations were introduced. The early in-person method third Thursday before through Saturday prior to Election Day arrived in 2001, and in 2007 same-day registration became part of the norm. Democrats had a legislative trifecta at the time. According to Claytons release, 95% of the states voters did not use mail for their votes in 2024. The turnout of more than 5.7 million was 73.7% of voters on the rolls. Democrats in the state have a history of trying to keep all avenues and voting windows open. Theyve opposed having all ballots into election offices by the time polls close on Election Day; supported the absentee ballots process beginning 60 days before Election Day; and supported keeping the longest window open, including on Sundays, for in-person early voting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have also litigated a law on requirement of photo identification to vote that led to a six-year wait for voters 2018 amendment approval to be fully implemented. They were also not on board for any measures, state or federal, that strengthened U.S. citizenship standards in order to vote during the most recent immigration policy battles. Eight states California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington and Washington, D.C., conduct elections entirely by mail. For specific small elections, that list expands to include Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming. Put another way, 1 in 3 states significantly rely on the mail process for their elections. Demolition of Memorial Stadium at Seattle Center is now underway, as crews continue dismantling the 1947-built structure to make way for a modern, multi-purpose facility. The project follows a redevelopment effort led by Seattle Public Schools, the City of Seattle, and the One Roof Stadium Partnership. Construction is expected to last through 2027, with demolition currently focused on removing the southern grandstands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Work on the site is scheduled to take place on weekdays and includes activities such as vacuum excavation, saw cutting, core drilling, and dump truck traffic. According to Seattle Center, some of these operations may begin as early as 5 a.m. The Harrison Street pedestrian access point is closed during this phase of construction, with detours directing visitors to Thomas Street and Mercer Street. Seattle Center advises that the closure will remain in place until mid-September. Environmental considerations are also a key part of the project. Trees within the construction area were removed with permits and arborist approval, and portions of the wood are being repurposed for mulch and zoo habitat enrichment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Replacement trees will be planted at the site and throughout Seattle Public Schools property, with a net increase in canopy cover once the project is complete. While much of the stadium is being dismantled, one of its most historic elements will remain. The World War II Memorial Wall, which honors Seattle high school students and alumni who died in the war, will be preserved and integrated into the design of the new stadium. The new venue will feature covered seating for about 6,500 spectators, expandable to 8,000, along with upgraded locker rooms, concessions, and educational and cultural spaces. Completion is targeted for fall 2027. The Democratic Party is in trouble. Donald Trump swept the battleground states to defeat Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, while Democrats ceded control of Congress to Republicans. The president has not been popular over his first months in office, yet Democrats havent been able to block Trumps tax cuts for the wealthy or investigate his rank corruption and Americans have had it with the partys feckless opposition. Quinnipiac University released a poll last month finding that only 19 percent of voters approve of the job the party is doing in Congress, a historic low. Democrats hope they can regain control of the House of Representatives after next years midterm elections but according to a new analysis by The New York Times, the party is losing registered voters at an alarming clip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Times found that of the 30 states that track voter registration by party, Democrats lost ground to Republicans in all 30 of them between 2020 and 2024. The disparity amounted to 4.5 million voters, nationwide, with Democrats losing 2.1 million voters and Republicans gaining 2.4 million voters. The registration advantage Democrats used to hold in battleground states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina has all but evaporated, while other traditional battleground states like Florida have officially flipped to Republicans. I can speak to the [Florida] experience very directly: The only windows in the last 20 years where Dems have seen actual gains in [voter registration] were because of party-driven, or candidate-driven VR efforts. Everything else has a trend line going the other way, Steve Schale, a longtime Democratic strategist based in Florida, wrote in response to the Times story, criticizing how the party has turned registration efforts over to nonprofit groups. One major flaw with that strategy: Charities arent allowed to advocate that people vote for a certain candidate so theres little guarantee that liberal efforts to register voters are producing registered Democrats, let alone motivated Democrats. Voter registration efforts arent cheap, and the partys increasingly dire financial situation could hinder its ability to keep pace with Republicans. Politico reported this week that the Democratic National Committee is struggling to raise money, only holding $15 million in cash at the end of June, compared to the $80 million in the Republican National Committees coffers. The gap, which is growing, is almost twice as big as it was six months into Trumps first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres plenty of data to explain why people arent exactly thrilled about giving their hard-earned money to the Democratic Party. Barely a week after Quinnipiac found that only 19 percent of registered voters approve of the job Democrats are doing in Congress, The Wall Street Journal released a survey finding that 63 percent of voters have an unfavorable view of the party, the lowest number since 1990. A few days later, Rolling Stone published a poll from liberal watchdog End Citizens United which found that voters in key congressional districts believe Democrats are more corrupt than Republicans. Yes, Democrats have been historically lost in the wilderness following Trumps win last November when millions upon millions of voters who showed up for the party in 2020 decided to stay at home but theres also some data indicating how they may be able to save themselves. Democratic pollster Celinda Lake found last month that Democratic voters who skipped out on the 2024 election favor progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani crushing Andrew Cuomo in New York Citys mayoral primary is certainly another indication that voters want progressive candidates with conviction. Nevertheless, scores of establishment Democrats from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) have so far refused to endorse Mamdani, effectively spurning a new direction for the party. Its abundantly clear that a new direction is necessary, though, if the party wants to win back the voters it has lost, not to mention convincing new voters that Democrats are actually looking out for their welfare. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Danish government has announced it will abolish a 25% sales tax on books, in an effort to combat a "reading crisis". The tax is is one of the highest in the world. Culture Minister Jacob Engel-Schmidt says he hopes scrapping it will lead to more books flying off the shelves. The measure is expected to cost about 330 million kroner ($50m, 38m) a year. Data from the OECD, an intergovernmental think tank, shows that a quarter of Danish 15-year-olds cannot understand a simple text. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The reading crisis has unfortunately been spreading in recent years," said Engel-Schmidt. He added that he was "incredibly proud" of the move to scrap the tax. He said "massive money should be spent on investing in the consumption and culture" of the Danish people. In Finland, Sweden and Norway - which also have a standard Value Added Tax (VAT) of 25% like Denmark - the VAT on books is 14%, 6% and 0% respectively. In the UK, books are also VAT-free. Surveys have shown declining levels of reading and comprehension among Danish teenagers, said Mads Rosendahl Thomsen, vice-chair of the government's working group on literature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Younger children can easily improve their reading skills "but at 15 the ability to understand a text is pretty important", he told the BBC. The numbers were "pretty shocking," he said, referring to the OECD research. Young people struggle with reading because they have "so many options" and can be "easily distracted". He said removing VAT on books was not a complete solution, but it would make books "more accessible". The government's working group on literature also looked into ways to export Danish literature, the digitalisation of the book market and the impact on authors' pay. Sorting through bundles of letters, small packages and magazines, Herman Moyano is getting ready for his early morning post round. Cargo bikes and vans stream out from the depot, just north of Copenhagen, as Herman departs on his scooter. For the past seven years he's been delivering mail for Denmark's national postal service PostNord. "I used to think that all the people are waiting for something, a special letter, a special communication, a special package," he says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Herman has noticed the loads getting lighter, and rather than letters, these days it's mostly bills and bank statements. "I have seen the mail going down gradually. But that's picked up pace over the last couple of years," he adds. "Nowadays, it seems... it's going really, really down." The steep decline in letter volumes has been driven largely by digitalisation, and PostNord announced in March that it will cease letter services at the end of the year. It will bring to an end four centuries of letter deliveries by the state-owned operation. A third of its workforce is being let go, as it sheds 2,200 positions in its loss-making letter arm. Instead it will focus on its profitable parcel business, creating 700 new roles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Danes hardly receive any letters anymore. It's been going down for years and years," says Kim Pedersen, chief of PostNord Denmark. "They're receiving one letter a month on average, it's not a lot." "On the contrary, Danes love to shop online," he adds. "Global e-commerce is growing significantly, and we are moving with it." Fifteen years ago, PostNord operated several enormous letter-sorting facilities, but now there's just one on the western outskirts of Copenhagen. Since 2000, the volume of letters the business handles has declined by more than 90%, from around 1.4 billion to 110 million last year, and it continues to fall rapidly. Postman Herman Moyano says he is delivering fewer letters these days [BBC] As PostNord prepares to cease letter deliveries, 1,500 of its red post boxes are being removed from Danish streets. However, few locals in the capital appear to use them much. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copenhagen resident Nikolaj Brchner Andres says he cannot recall when he last sent a letter. "I don't think I've sent a letter in years... I'm not even sure how to do it anymore, to be honest." From email and cashless mobile payments, to digital health cards carried by smartphone, there's an app for almost everything in Denmark - and it's one of the world's most digitalised nations, second only to South Korea, according to the OECD's 2023 Digital Government Index. The Danish government has embraced a "digital by default" policy, and for more than a decade correspondence with the public has been carried out electronically. "We are facing this natural evolution of a digitalised society, earlier than maybe some other countries," Mr Pedersen explains. "In Denmark, we are maybe five or 10 years ahead." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The high cost of sending a letter in Denmark is also a contributing factor behind its decline. In 2024, a new law opened up the postal market to private competition and took away its exemption from the country's 25% rate of VAT, so the price of a PostNord stamp jumped to 29 Danish krone ($4.55; 3.35) per letter. "That made [volumes] drop even further faster," Mr Pedersen points out. The big fall in the number of letters being posted is replicated Europe-wide, says postal sector expert Hazel King, editor of the magazine Parcel and Postal Technology International. "Letters across Europe have been declining for years," she says. "I think PostNord's decision is a reflection of how the whole market has gone, and the way the consumer is moving." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Physical mail has dropped by 30% or more from its historical peak, across all major global markets, according to a report by consultancy firm McKinsey. In Europe, Germany and Switzerland have seen the slowest declines in letters, says Florian Neuhaus, who co-authored the study. "It's only 40% there, but everybody else sees around a 50 to 70% decline [since 2008]." There's a similar pattern in the US, where mail has also declined 46%. "Clearly this is driven by digitalisation and how people communicate in general," adds Mr Neuhaus. "Overall, the economics in letters are just getting worse and worse." PostNord now has only one sorting office [BBC] In March, Germany's Deutsche Post said it was slashing 8,000 jobs, while cost-cutting efforts at the UK's 500-year-old Royal Mail will see it scale back second-class letter deliveries to only every other weekday, while targets for first class delivery times have also been lowered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I do think that we will see the end of letters in the mainstream," says Ms King. "However, I'm not sure we'll ever see zero letters, pointing to a necessity to protect medical letters, and services for the elderly, disabled and rural areas." In Denmark, letter deliveries won't actually come to an end. Instead, private delivery firm DAO will step into the gap with its own nationwide service. Yet DaneAge, an advocacy group for the elderly, fears that older people may struggle with the changes to letter deliveries. "Most elderly live in small towns and in the rural places," says Marlene Rishoj Cordes, one of its senior consultants. "When there's not as many post boxes around, they will have a harder time delivering mail. " Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the trade union that represents postal workers, 3F Postal Union, has voiced concerns that rural services may worsen. The decline in the posting of letters is a global phenomenon [BBC] DAO strongly disagrees with these fears. It's historically a newspaper and magazine distributor with nationwide reach, and has become one of the country's major parcel couriers. A recent survey found DAO's deliveries were faster, with more letters arriving within five days than PostNord. "We are coming to all households, and we are in the rural areas in the whole country," assures its chief executive Hans Peter Nissen. Last year it handled 21 million letters and, from 2026, following PostNord's exit, DAO expects to take on 30 to 40 million more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its staff will deliver letters directly, while doing newspaper and parcel rounds, Mr Nissen explains. Meanwhile, post is collected from mailboxes inside affiliated shops, though doorstep pick-ups can be booked for a small additional fee. DAO plans to install a new sorting machine and add around 250 more staff to its 2,500 workforce. As physical letters decline across Europe, Denmark's experience perhaps offers a window on the future. In this increasingly digital world, however, there are still many who find joy in sending and receiving personal letters, including Copenhagener Jette Eiring Williams, who writes to her daughter overseas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think the young generation wants that old school feeling," Ms Williams says. "She loves the physical touch of something, so not just an email or a text anymore." Read more global business stories Key Points The average healthcare stock is yielding a fairly modest 1.8% these days. Medtronic has a historically high yield and a long history of raising its dividend. Alexandria Real Estate's yield is ultra-high, and it has plenty of dividend coverage. 10 stocks we like better than Medtronic The average healthcare stock has a yield of just 1.8%, which isn't much to write home about today. You can do much better than that with Medtronic (NYSE: MDT), currently yielding 3%, or if you're really income-hungry, Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE: ARE), now at 6.9%. Here's why these two high-yield healthcare stocks could be buy-and-hold candidates for your income portfolio right now. Medtronic is moving in the right direction A $1,000 investment in Medtronic will get you around 10 shares of the medical device giant. It has operations in the cardiovascular, neuroscience, medical-surgical, and diabetes arenas, and is a major player in every niche in which it operates. It also has a long history of success that's highlighted by the company's 48-year streak of annual dividend increases, which puts it just two years away from Dividend King status. That dividend streak is really important because it shows that Medtronic knows how to survive through both good and bad times. Indeed, a company can't create a record like that without having successfully muddled through a few rough patches. The 3% dividend yield is historically high today, which signals that Medtronic is going through another rough patch. What's happening right now, however, isn't unusual. Medtronic's business is heavily dependent on research and development. R&D is notoriously lumpy, and recent years haven't been great for new product launches. But new products are starting to get introduced, which should help boost growth. Meanwhile, costs have become an issue. It's normal for a large company to experience bloat, and Medtronic is looking to slim down and refocus around its most profitable businesses; the next big move is the spinoff of its diabetes business in 2026. The move is expected to be accretive in the first year, highlighting management's focus on profitability. Image source: Getty Images. In other words, Medtronic is doing what it should be doing -- and that is what it has long done as a business. If you have a buy-and-hold mentality, putting $1,000 to work in Medtronic today could be a great long-term investment choice. Alexandria is an industry-leading healthcare landlord You can buy around 12 shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities with $1,000. It's a real estate investment trust (REIT) that focuses on owning medical offices. But that description doesn't do it justice, because those medical offices are highly specialized around medical research. They're vastly different from doctors' offices, given the technology needed to support healthcare research and development. After a tense and sharply divided debate Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted to oppose a state bill that aims to vastly expand high-density housing near public transit hubs, arguing that the state should leave important planning decisions to local legislators. The council voted 8 to 5 to oppose Senate Bill 79, which seeks to mitigate the state's housing shortage by allowing buildings of up to nine stories near certain train stops and slightly smaller buildings near some bus stops throughout California. "A one-size-fits-all mandate from Sacramento is not safe, and it's not responsible," said City Councilmember Traci Park at a news conference before the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Park, who was joined at the news conference by Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and John Lee, said the bill was an attempt by its sponsor, state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), and other state legislators to "hijack" local planning from the city. Lee, who authored the resolution opposing the bill, called it "not planning" but "chaos." Read more: L.A. is under the gun to add housing units. The hard part? Where and how many Wiener lamented the City Council's vote. "Opponents of SB 79 are offering no real solutions to address our housing shortage at the scale needed to make housing more affordable," Wiener said in a statement. "Californias affordability crisis threatens our economy, our diversity, and our fundamental strength as a state." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to creating more affordable housing, the bill would increase public transit ridership, reduce traffic and help the state meet its climate goals, he said. Councilmember Nithya Raman, who voted against opposing the bill, said the city's housing crisis is so dire that the council needs to work with the drafters of the bill even if there are elements of it they do not support. "Overall, we talk a lot about our housing crisis on this body, but our actions have not met the moment," she said. "If I thought that this body was acting in good faith to address our housing crisis, I would support this [resolution]." The bill, which passed the Senate and is before the Assembly Appropriations Committee, would allow heights of nine stories near major transit hubs, such as certain Metro train stops in L.A. A quarter-mile from a stop, buildings could be seven stories tall, and a half-mile from a stop, they could be six stories. Single-family neighborhoods within a half-mile of transit stops would be included in the new zoning rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Near smaller transit stops, such as light rail or bus rapid transit, the allowed heights would be slightly lower. Next week, the Appropriations Committee will determine whether the bill goes to the Assembly floor for a vote. If passed in both chambers, the bill would go to Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign by mid-October. The City Council's resolution opposing the bill has no binding effect on the state Legislature but gives the council a platform to potentially lobby in Sacramento against its passage. The resolution also called for the city to be exempt from the bill because it has a state-approved housing plan. Read more: Los Angeles City Council gives final approval to housing rezoning plan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If they hadnt taken a position on this, the state Legislature would say, 'Well, the city of L.A. doesnt care,'" said Zev Yaroslavsky, a former City Council member and now the director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. Mayor Karen Bass has not yet taken a position on the bill. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto came out against it in May, arguing that it would cost the city billions of dollars to upgrade infrastructure such as sewage and electrical systems to handle an influx of residents in previously low-density neighborhoods. Wiener's office said the bill allows for cities to exempt some properties near transit hubs if they meet density guidelines. This year, the City Council passed the Citywide Housing Incentive Program, which provides incentives for developers to build market-rate and affordable units and aims to boost building along commercial corridors and in dense residential neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The council passed the ordinance, which left single-family zones largely untouched after pushback from homeowners groups, a week before a state deadline for the city to have a housing plan in place. As part of the plan, the city was required to find land where an additional 255,000 homes could be built. 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. DENVER (KDVR) Summer heat returns to Denvers weather forecast, bringing high temperatures close to record levels. Weather tonight: Mainly clear Tuesday night will be mainly clear. Low temperatures will fall to the 50s in areas of the high country, with possible 40s in other areas. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up for weather alerts from the Pinpoint Weather team Weather tomorrow: Sunny, hot Wednesday will be sunny and hot. High temperatures will reach the mid-90s, which is about 10 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year, but still shy of the daily record, which is 99 degrees set in 2013. Looking ahead: Hot midweek, weekend rain chances The warming trend continues on Thursday. High temperatures will fall just shy of the daily record, which is 99 degrees set in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, the next big change moves in on Friday and into the weekend. A cold front will move through on Friday, capping temperatures at more seasonal levels in the upper 80s alongside scattered showers and thunderstorms. FOX31 Weather: View the latest Denver forecasts, maps and radar Behind the front, a cooling trend will begin this weekend. High temperatures will be in the lower 80s on Saturday with a few showers and storms, then fall to the upper 70s, which is 10 degrees below normal on Sunday and 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 FOX31 Denver. NEW YORK A 6-year-old student and her family were deported just before the start of the new school year in New York, a case sparking uproar across the state including from the governor and officials in the nation's largest public school system. The second-grade New York City public school student went with her mother and older brother on Aug. 12 to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-in at a federal building in lower Manhattan when agents detained them, a family lawyer told USA TODAY. New York City officials confirmed the student and her mother, who were living in Queens, were deported the morning of Aug. 19. The Ecuadorian family, who sought asylum in the country after arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in December 2022, were among migrants detained in controversial tactics by the Trump administration while people attend routine immigration court hearings or ICE check-ins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York City schools saw increased enrollment driven, in part, by families who had sought asylum during the Biden administration. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul weighed in on the familys behalf, and school officials are working to assure students that schools will remain a welcoming place. She had no power to decide which country she would be living, said Astrid Avedissian, a lawyer for one of the student's siblings, who is 16. "She had no power to decide which border she would be crossing." When immigrant families in parts of Hillsborough County need help, many turn to Ana Lamb, a longtime advocate in Wimauma. This year, the calls she gets are filled with fear, she said. Many families are so afraid of drawing attention that they avoid reaching out to authorities. This happens even in serious situations that could have been resolved, or even prevented, with a direct call to the sheriff or police, said Lamb. They dont do it. Why? Because the fear is stronger than urgency. Trust between local immigrant communities and law enforcement agencies has eroded due to changes in state and federal immigration policy, according to advocates and community leaders who hear these concerns firsthand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Programs that involve local police assisting immigration authorities have fueled those fears. Many of those arrested have no criminal history, raising concerns that even a call for help could make things worse. Florida has more of those law enforcement partnerships than any other state, with 318 statewide, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. TheRev. Andy Oliver, of Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, said trust between the community and law enforcement has withered in recent months. I dont think its ever been worse, Oliversaid. People dont leave the house as much, people that choose not to go to the hospital or seek medical help when they need it. Its a very scary time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, Oliver led an immigration protest outside the Pinellas County Jail. Two days after the protest, he said, sheriffs deputies showed up in his church parking lot with multiple vehicles including patrol cars, large vans and undercover units without giving any notice. When Oliver filed a public records request to learn more about the incident, the sheriffs office denied it, he said, citing an ongoing investigation. Pinellas sheriffs spokesperson Jamie Miller said the deputies presence in the church parking lot that day was for a narcotics operation, and the parking lot was only used as a staging location. It was not related to anything regarding immigration or ICE, Miller said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Oliver said it could have been a retaliatory operation, an attempt to intimidate him and his congregation, or an effort to silence their public speech. He sees it as an example of the current state of the relationship. A recent Tampa Bay Times analysis found that the number of people held in Tampa Bay jails for immigration enforcement has increased in recent months. In Pinellas County, an average of 162 people were held each day in June on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers. Manatee, Pasco and Polk countiesalso reported increases. Hillsborough declined to release its numbers, citing federal rules. In Pinellas, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said hehas not seen any shift in how the immigrant community views his agency. He said theyve always had a good relationship with them. Nothings changed in that regard, Gualtieri said in a recent interview. Were not going out and doing street-level immigration enforcement. Were not targeting people. What were doing is, if people commit crimes and they come to jail, were going to deal with that just like we always have. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Hillsborough, the sheriffs office has not observed any significant changes in community cooperation, spokesperson Carolina Montelongo said. She cited more than 80 engagement events over the past five months, including cultural events and mentoring programs where its deputies have actively participated. Residents continue to report incidents, share information and assist with investigations that contribute directly to public safety, Montelongo said. Alayne Unterberger, executive director of the Tampa-based Florida Institute for Community Studies, said there is already an issue with community trust. The institute partners with communities and families in Tampa and across the state to help improve access to education, health care and other services. Whatever trust there was is significantly diminished already, and its only been five months, said Unterberger, referring to the start of zero-tolerance immigration policies. Right now, if any police show up, everyone will leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The impact on families, especially children, is alarming, Unterberger said. With school back in session, shes worried that many kids may be too afraid to leave their parents. Bonni Tandet of Wimauma helped organize a food donation event in July to support local and immigrant families in need. No one showed up. She later heard from other community members that rumors had spread about a possible police and immigration presence in the area. In St. Petersburg, police spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez said her department worked hard to maintain strong ties with residents of all backgrounds. Fernandez said while it may not be possible to satisfy every individual, we believe the overall perception of our agency is positive, thanks in large part to the many community outreach programs we actively support and promote. In Pasco, the sheriffs office said its Community Outreach Bureau, which serves as a bridge to the public, has attended around 200 events within the past five months, including food distributions, job fairs and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While we cannot speak on behalf of the community, Pasco Sheriffs Office considers our relationship with the people we serve to be strong, a spokesperson said in an email. The Hispanic Outreach Center, a nonprofit in Clearwater, has had a long-standing relationship with law enforcement. The center values the efforts made over time to build trust and open lines of communication in service to the Hispanic community, chief executive officer Amanda Markiewicz said. Still, Markiewicz acknowledged that experiences vary, and fear of immigration enforcement continues to shape how people engage with law enforcement. Many families we serve worry that a simple traffic violation could lead to detention or deportation, Markiewicz said, which can create hesitation in reporting crimes, seeking help or even attending community events where police may be present. Elizabeth Aranda, a sociology professor and director of USFs Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center, is studying the relationship between communities and law enforcement. She said it is fractured and broken in many respects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From my own research, I can tell you that immigrants are terrified of the police, Aranda said. They will do everything in their power to avoid them, and all of the immigrants in our study have no criminal record, so the only reason they are avoiding them is because they are afraid of what they can do to them. Aranda said that fear of detention and deportation leads many immigrants to avoid calling the police, even as victims, or to report crimes anonymously, making it harder for police to rely on them as witnesses. Their children are picking up on this, Arandasaid. So we have a generation of immigrant and U.S.-born children that are growing up and socialized to not trust law enforcement. I dont think these patterns can be easily undone. Erika Escamilla, a Clearwater resident and member of Unidos Mexicanos de la Florida, a nonprofit organization in Clearwater, said there is widespread confusion within the community. The group metseparately in June with Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy and Gualtieri to seek clarity on law enforcements role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Escamilla said, many people feel uneasy. Unfortunately, theres fear and uncertainty toward them, said Escamilla. You dont know if theyre with (immigration authorities) or if theyre on your side. We received a question through our Instagram account asking "if it's true what people say" that President Barack Obama deported more immigrants than Donald Trump. To answer our follower, Factchequeado reviewed the public deportation data available from 1993 to June 2025, to compare the policies of both presidents and other administrations. Deportation statistics ("removals") are not available in a single repository, updated information is lacking, and there are limitations that we note at the end of this text in the methodology section. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not have publicly available deportation figures for Trump's second term. It has data through December 2024, but not all of it is in the same link or in a statistical record that breaks it down by year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of this, we obtained the number of deportations from January to June 2025 via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by the Deportation Data Project, an academic and litigation initiative that collects and publishes datasets on U.S. government immigration control. The project is led by David Hausman, professor at UC Berkeley School of Law, Graeme Blair, professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Amber Qureshi, an attorney specializing in federal immigration and FOIA litigation. The Deportation Data Project leaders are concerned about the reliability of ICE's record regarding the deportation table from late June 2025: "It may not include all relevant records." They warn that associated fields, such as departure dates, "may also create an incomplete picture of deportations." This demonstrates the limitations in accessing and analyzing the data. What 30+ Years of Deportations Show Across 5 Presidents Despite the challenges posed by current migration figures, data compiled and analyzed by Factchequeado shows that President Obama deported more immigrants than any other president in the last three decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obama's immigration policies primarily focused on deporting immigrants with criminal charges and those considered national security threats, especially during his final years in office. By contrast, under President Trump, criminal priorities were eliminated, categorizing all undocumented individuals as deportable. For instance, in this article, we explained that 80% of immigrants taken to detention centers in the first months of Trump's second term had no criminal record. Yet authorities publicly describe them as "the worst of the worst." Additionally, detentions of immigrants without crimes rose from 1,048 in January 2025 to 11,972 in June 2025. Our analysis covers fiscal year 1993 through June 26 of fiscal year 2025, encompassing the administrations of Democrat Bill Clinton, Republican George W. Bush, Democrat Barack Obama, Democrat Joe Biden, and Republican Donald Trump. We provide a breakdown of the statistics by president and by period of government. Bill Clinton (1993-2000) - 8 years 863,958 deportations | Annual average: 107,994 | Daily average over 8 years: 296 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All figures are based on fiscal years (October-September) FY 1993: 42,469 deportations (125/day). FY 1994: 45,621 deportations (125/day). FY 1995: 50,873 deportations (139/day). FY 1996: 69,588 deportations (191/day). FY 1997: 114,292 deportations (313/day). FY 1998: 172,547 deportations (473/day). FY 1999: 180,101 deportations (493/day). FY 2000: 188,467 deportations (516/day). Context of the period: Under Clinton, deportations focused primarily on people with criminal backgrounds and immigration violations. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 expanded deportation categories and reduced available legal defenses. George W. Bush (2001-2008) - 8 years 2,021,965 deportations | Annual average: 252,745 | Daily average over 8 years: 692 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FY 2001: 189,026 deportations (518/day). FY 2002: 165,168 deportations (453/day). FY 2003: 211,098 deportations (578/day). FY 2004: 240,665 deportations (659/day). FY 2005: 246,431 deportations (675/day). FY 2006: 280,974 deportations (770/day). FY 2007: 319,382 deportations (875/day). FY 2008: 369,221 deportations (1,012/day). Context of the period: Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in 2001, Bush prioritized deportations for national security reasons. He expanded the operations of the newly created ICE (2003) and intensified workplace raids. Deportations included both criminals and those accused of civil immigration violations. Obama's First Administration (2009-2012) 1,589,451 deportations | Annual average: 397,362 | Daily average: 1,088 FY 2009: 389,834 deportations (1,068/day). FY 2010: 392,862 deportations (1,076/day). FY 2011: 396,906 deportations (1,087/day). FY 2012: 409,849 deportations (1,123/day). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2012, a historic peak was reached, with an average of 1,123 deportations per day. This unprecedented figure led immigrant organizations to label Obama the Deporter in Chief. Context of the period: Obama's first administration maintained the Secure Communities program launched in 2008 under Bush's presidency, a system where local police sent fingerprints to the FBI for identification, and the FBI sent the information to ICE to detect immigrants without legal status or with deportation orders. Deporting people with serious crimes and recent border crossers became a priority. Expulsions of immigrants without criminal records in the country's interior decreased. However, of the 375,000 immigrants expelled during the 6 years the program operated (active until 2014), more than 70% did not have crimes considered a national security threat, according to data from Syracuse University's TRAC Center (Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a time when he faced criticism for the high number of deportations, Obama approved the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in June 2012. Obama's Second Administration (2013-2016) 1,160,255 | Annual average: 290,063 | Daily average: 794 FY 2013: 368,644 deportations (1,010/day). FY 2014: 315,943 deportations (866/day). FY 2015: 235,413 deportations (645/day). FY 2016: 240,255 deportations (658/day). Context of the period: During the first fiscal year of Obama's second administration, thousands of immigrants were deported for entering without authorization (46,759 cases), a misdemeanor; driving under the influence of alcohol (29,852 cases); and for traffic violations (15,548 cases), despite the goal being to focus on level 1 criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2014, Secure Communities closed, and DHS created the Priority Enforcement Program (PEP) with 4 categories for deportation: Priority 1: national security threats (terrorists, spies), dangerous criminals, and recent border arrivals after January 1, 2014. Priority 2: people with an extensive history of immigration violations (those who had recently crossed the border but were not priority 1). Priority 3: immigrants with minor crimes but sentences of more than 90 days (DUI, domestic violence, theft, etc.). Priority 4: people with final deportation orders issued after January 1, 2014. With the new priority system, deportations dropped in the last three years of his administration to less than 1,000 per day. The Obama years: From 2009 to 2016, his administration deported 2,749,706 individuals, averaging 343,713 deportations per yearthe highest in 32 years. In 2012, the daily peak reached 1,123 deportations. Trump's First Administration (2017-2020) 935,346 deportations | Annual average: 233,836 | Daily average: 641 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FY 2017: 226,119 deportations (620/day). FY 2018: 256,085 deportations (702/day). FY 2019: 267,258 deportations (732/day). FY 2020: 185,884 deportations (509/day). Context of the period: Trump reversed the changes with PEP, and his administration eliminated the DHS's 4 deportation priority categories. He signed an executive order to return to the Secure Communities system and arrests intensified in the country's interior. Deportations due to traffic violations increased again (138% after 9 months of the government change). He implemented, with the endorsement of former Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the "Remain in Mexico" policy, a program that forced non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for months or years while U.S. immigration courts resolved their cases. Migrant communities, including families with children, set up tents on the Mexican side of the border and were exposed to extortion, kidnapping, and other crimes. The measure faced judicial restrictions. Joe Biden (2021-2025) - 4 years 545,252 deportations | Annual average: 136,313 | Daily average: 373 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FY 2021: 59,011 deportations (162/day). FY 2022: 72,177 deportations (198/day). FY 2023: 142,580 deportations (391/day). FY 2024: 271,484 deportations (744/day). Context of the period: Biden ordered a 100-day pause on interior deportations for people with final removal orders, except for national security threats, recent border crossings (after November 1, 2020), and cases where the law required deportation. But a federal judge in Texas blocked it after 6 days. His administration formally ended the "Remain in Mexico" program, and implemented more selective interim priorities focused on 3 categories: (1) national security threats, (2) recent border crossings, and (3) people released from prison with convictions for serious aggravated felonies who represent a public threat. The DHS established "Prosecutorial Discretion Guidelines" that maintained the three categories but added mitigating factors (age, time in the United States, military service, family ties) that agents had to consider before arresting or deporting someone, even if they were in a priority category. Interior deportations fell and returns at the southern border and immigrants convicted of serious crime increased. He launched the CBP One program, a mobile application to request an appointment from outside the United States to process asylum. Title 42 Expulsions under Trump and Biden from March 2020 to May 2023 Between March 2020 and May 2023, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) carried out 2,381,810 expedited removals under Title 42 at the southern border. Expelled immigrants had no right to asylum process, and these figures are not included in formal removals. Title 42 is a 1944 public health provision that allows restricting entry to prevent disease. Trump began using it for immigration expulsions in March 2020 as a COVID-19 measure, and Biden maintained it during part of his term. Expedited removals by fiscal year: 2020: 206,770. 2021: 1,071,074. 2022: 1,103,966. Trump's Second Administration (January-June 2025) 128,039 deportations | 5.2 months* | Daily average: 810 (over 158 days). January 2025 (January 20-31): 12,094 deportations (1,008/day over 12 days). February 2025 (complete): 21,441 deportations (766/day over 28 days). March 2025 (complete): 21,913 deportations (707/day over 31 days). April 2025 (complete): 22,355 deportations (745/day over 30 days). May 2025 (complete): 27,853 deportations (898/day over 31 days). June 2025 (June 1-26): 22,383 deportations (861/day over 26 days). Context of the period: Trump began his second administration with more than 1,000 deportations per day in the last weeks of January, according to ICE data obtained by the Deportation Data Project and analyzed by Factchequeado. On January 23, 2025, alone, his administration deported more than 2,000 people, according to our analysis. Although deportations decreased in February and March to less than 800 per day, they increased in May and June 2025 to an average of 860 per day. However, these numbers did not reach the daily averages recorded during Obama's peak years. While deportees are fewer, the number of arrests have hit record highs. According to ICE data, the number of people in detention centers exceeded 60,000 on August 11, 2025, and, as we previously reported, 8 out of 10 have no criminal record. Trump has signed anti-immigrant executive orders, carried out large-scale coordinated raids, and expanded cooperation with local authorities. Additionally, among other things, he has signed agreements with third countries to receive expelled immigrants without due process rights. For example, he sent 238 Venezuelans to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act and labeled most of them as Tren de Aragua members based on their tattoos, although they weren't. He has also sent migrants to Sudan and other third countries. *Monthly breakdown with data provided by ICE to the Deportation Data Project. The January to June period analyzed corresponds to the second part of fiscal year 2025 that began under Biden on October 1, 2024, and will end on September 30, 2025, under Trump. Methodology We examined the Immigration Statistics Yearbooks from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), available only through fiscal year 2022; ICE annual reports through December 2024; and a dataset of deportations from the first six months of fiscal year 2025 provided by ICE to the Deportation Data Project via FOIA request, analyzed by Factchequeado. It's important to clarify that the term "deportation" commonly used does not correspond to the official terminology in U.S. government public records, where they are called "removals." Removals are formal orders to leave the country issued by an immigration judge or ICE officer that have severe legal consequences: removed persons are prohibited from returning to the United States for periods ranging from five years to permanent bans, depending on the case. Factchequeado is a verification media outlet built by a Spanish-speaking community to tackle disinformation in the United States. Do you want to be part of it? Join us and verify the content you receive by sending it to our WhatsApp +16468736087 or to factchequeado.com/whatsapp. Read also: Lo peor de lo peor: el discurso del gobierno de Trump sobre los migrantes detenidos no refleja sus propios datos Arrests of immigrants with no criminal record up more than 1,000%, while criminal arrests rise 55%: the change at ICE under Trump administration Aiden Creech, a 14-year-old boy, is reported missing after last being seen on August 18, 2025, in Sorrento, Florida. Aiden was last seen wearing a black shirt and camouflage shorts. He is described as a white male, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with brown hair, blue eyes, and roughly 180 pounds. If you have any information about Aidens location, please contact the Lake County Sheriffs Office at 352-343-2101 or reach out to CRIMELINE. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) Deputy Mike Allred, who was injured while responding to a domestic violence call in Tremonton where two officers lost their lives, is speaking out for the first time since the incident. Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada were shot and killed. Deputy Allred of Box Elder County Sherrifs Office and his K9 Azula were seriously injured that night. My heart breaks for the loss of my two Brothers, my friends. There is no doubt in my mind that they would do the same for me!! My heart aches for their families, all of my Brothers and Sisters who do this job. We may have different colors of uniforms but we all work together and are one big team. We are all hurting, Allred said on a post on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He would show up time and time again: Family remembers Sgt Sorensen killed in line of duty in Tremonton Allred shared that Azula, his K9 who was injured in the shooting, is healing and will be fine. Deputy Allred and Azula were injured in a shooting in Tremonton Sunday. (Courtesy//DPS) The deputy expressed thanks to his family for holding him together during this time. Families and friends make ribbons at vigil to honor fallen Tremonton officer If I could ask one thing to come from this senseless tragedy, dont forget how much love and support is being handed out right now. Communities are coming together, people are coming together. Kindness and love is being shared. Keep this moving forward and dont stop ever, Allred continued. Who is Deputy Allred? Deputy Allred has worked for Box Elder County Sheriffs Office for five years and worked two of those years as a K9 handler with Azula. Azula is certified in narcotics detection and tracking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reportedly, Deputy Allred and Azula were third on scene of the domestic disturbance, as they responded to a call for back up. The suspect, later identified as Ryan Bate, allegedly shot several rounds at Allreds vehicle using a high-powered rifle, hitting and injuring Deputy Allred and Azula. Two officers shot and killed in Tremonton honored, Utahns pay their respect Utah Governor Spencer Cox also visited them, and said, Spent some time with K9 Officer Azula and her handler, Deputy Mike Allred. Both of them were wounded in the awful shooting in Tremonton, but are now home recovering. They are grateful for the prayers and outpouring of support from every corner of the state. Azula, K9 Officer, is recovering after being shot in Tremonton (Courtesy: Governor Spencer Cox) Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. The meeting was thought to be the first meeting between a senior Israeli official and Qatari officials since Hamas's response to the hostage deal proposal. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with senior Qatari officials in France, a source familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. The meeting was thought to be the first meeting between a senior Israeli official and Qatari officials since Hamas's response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz were expected on Thursday to approve the plans for the conquest of Gaza City. The discussion will take place against the backdrop of a Hamas proposal, backed by mediators Egypt and Qatar, for a partial deal that would include the release of 10 living hostages and a 60-day ceasefire. Ahead of the approval, Netanyahu ordered to shorten the timeline for taking control of the last terrorist strongholds and defeating Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen at the opening ceremony of the new Knesset museum, in Jerusalem, August 11, 2025 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) Hostage deal gaps can be bridged 'within days' Officials from the mediating countries told The Post that the outline presented is very close to the framework Israel had agreed to a few weeks ago. Yes, there are gaps, but they can be bridged within days, one official said. Israel has maintained ambiguity regarding the proposal. On the one hand, officials stressed again on Wednesday that the goal remains a deal for the release of all the hostages. On the other hand, Israel has not explicitly rejected the proposal submitted. The assessment is that Israel is waiting to see whether the launch of a Gaza City offensive will prompt Hamas to shift toward a comprehensive deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told Fox News that three weeks ago, this proposal was on the table, and Hamas dragged us along in negotiations. President Trump declared he was not going to tolerate that any longer, and guess what happened? There was a significant breakthrough. Still, Witkoff added that the president had been very firm and direct in his post, and he wants all the hostages back. That is our position. This conflict must end immediately. Twenty hostages need to be returned to their families. Lets just end this bring peace and tranquility to the people of Gaza and rebuild Gaza the way it should be rebuilt, as the president has outlined, Trumps envoy said. Londonderry's historic city walls are the most vandalised monument in Northern Ireland, according to new figures. A total of 193 incidents have been recorded by the Department for Communities on the walls between April 2021 and April 2025. That equates to 65% of all incidents recorded at historic monuments in Northern Ireland over during the same time. The city's walls date back to the 1600s. They are Northern Ireland's largest state monument and one of the city's most popular visitor attractions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Anderson from the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society said the accessibility of the walls made them "much more liable to attacks of this nature". "This vandalism is the bottom of the scale of a very large problem that goes way beyond monuments," Mr Anderson said. "Whether it's graffiti on Derry's walls or whether it's arson on a listed building, these are criminal acts. "Appreciation and value of the national asset that is built heritage, in all its forms, is in basically the cultural approach of any country, and that cultural approach needs to be led by example by the leaders of that country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Unfortunately the leadership over the decades in Northern Ireland hasn't been there, the sector is chronically underfunded, worse now than ever it was, and coming down to the graffiti level presumably that is mostly youngsters it's an easy target," Mr Anderson said. Geraldine Henderson and Patricia Mundy were visiting Derry earlier this week [BBC] Geraldine Henderson from Glasgow and Patricia Mundy from Leeds are among the thousands of tourists visiting Derry this week. Patricia told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme it was both "disgraceful and appalling" that the walls should be subject to repeated vandalism. "It is absolutely disgraceful after all that you have been through here," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "First of all it's a pride thing and because of the heritage of Derry. It's a place like people like to come." Geraldine said looking after the walls was looking after the city's heritage. "It's important to keep them for the history.... and I think we should all respect each other's history." Janice McNeilly says visitors enjoy seeing the walls [BBC] Janice McNeilly told BBC Radio Foyle there is a vibrancy to the walls as well as a sense of history. "People from all over the world appreciate them, we sort of get used to them, they are in the background," she said, adding it "would be a shame to see anything happen to them." 'A huge heritage site' SDLP councillor John Boyle said the figures "seem stark" but that it was important to acknowledge the scale of the walls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are a mile in length, he said, and in places reach around 40ft (12.2m) high and a similar distance in width. "It is a huge heritage site," Boyle said. "That aside, it is of significant disappointment when you hear there is such a degree of vandalism. "I think we have to put these things into perspective but certainly my appeal is to respect our heritage and treat it as you would your own property." Derry's walls Derry was the first planned city in Ireland. With four main roads leading off a central 'Diamond', passage into the city was originally made through four gates like this one at Ferryquay Gate. Later, three more gates were added [Getty Images] The walls are Northern Ireland's largest state monument and Londonderry was the last walled city to be built in Europe While the structure was commissioned in 1613, the build didn't begin until 1614 and ended in 1619 The Honourable Irish Society built the walls in the 17th Century as defences for settlers from Scotland and England - the society still own them to this day In 2013, thousands of people took part in a Mexican wave along the walls to mark 400 years since they were erected According figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, in 2022 Derry's Walls were among Northern Ireland's most visited attractions, with 577,000 taking to the mile-long walkway around the inner city Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The figures in relation to vandalism were revealed in response to an assembly question from SDLP MLA Justin McNulty. Stormont's Department for Communities has been asked for comment. DES MOINES, Iowa A Des Moines man was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a woman at a political protest earlier this month and destroying protesters signs. Bradley Nall, 68, is charged with assault and criminal mischief-5th degree, both simple misdemeanors, according to Sgt. Paul Parizek, Public Information Officer for the Des Moines Police Department. Polk County crash claims lives of two people, injures one Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges stem from an August 12 anti-Trump protest on the 56th Street bridge over I-235 in Des Moines. Sgt. Parizek said evidence, including video of the incident, led to Nalls arrest. Police said Nall stopped his vehicle on the bridge, climbed over the railing to access the sidewalk, and approached the protesters aggressively with the intent to tear down the signs displayed on the fencing. The video shows Nall ripping the signs off the fence and, in the process, striking two of the protesters. The signs spelled out TRUMP=HITLER. Sgt. Parizek said Nall was released on citations to appear in court. Metro news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. Southeast Asias superapp Grab has announced a strategic equity investment in autonomous driving technology firm WeRide to expedite the rollout of Level 4 robotaxis and shuttles across the Southeast Asian region. Grab's investment is slated for completion by the first half of 2026, contingent upon standard closing conditions and WeRide's scheduling preferences. This collaboration is set to support WeRide's strategy to expand its commercial autonomous vehicle (AV) fleet in Southeast Asia and to progress AI-driven mobility solutions. The alliance will create a framework for the deployment of autonomous solutions across the network of Grab, with the objective of improving operational efficiency and the scalability of services. WeRide plans to incorporate its autonomous driving technology into Grab's fleet management, routing ecosystem, and vehicle matching systems. Furthermore, WeRide noted that the partnership will focus on training, upskilling, and transitioning Grab driver-partners and local communities to high-value career pathways within the AV sector. Grab Group co-founder and CEO Anthony Tan said: We want everyone in Southeast Asia to have access to reliable transportation whenever they need it. However, manpower constraints remain a challenge. We believe AVs can complement our driver network and be deployed in cities with significant driver shortages. We look forward to working with WeRide to extensively test their vehicles across diverse Southeast Asian environments. Key areas of collaboration include optimising dispatch and routing for enhanced passenger experience, maximising vehicle uptime through efficient maintenance protocols, measuring safety performance to minimise human-error accidents, and establishing remote monitoring and teleoperations for safety assurance. Customer support and training initiatives will also be implemented to ensure a seamless transition to AV services. Building on a memorandum of understanding signed in March, this expanded collaboration aims to evaluate the technical and commercial viability of AVs in Southeast Asia, as well as their ability to generate employment opportunities. WeRide CEO and founder Tony Han said: WeRides vision for Southeast Asia is to deploy thousands of Robotaxis across the region, through a progressive rollout aligned with local regulations and societal readiness. Grab, our newest partner and investor, is a household name in Southeast Asia with unmatched regional expertise and scale in ride-hailing and digital services. In a recent development, WeRide has also been granted permission to conduct late-night testing of its robotaxi service within the Beijing High-Level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone. Governor Ron DeSantis addressed concerns over Floridas census count and redistricting during a press conference on Wednesday, claiming inaccuracies since 2020 have cost the state an extra congressional seat and electoral vote. Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted the impact of an incorrect census count on Floridas congressional representation. The attorney general has written a letter to the Census Bureau, Congress department, copying the White House, saying, Please fix this remuneration and award Florida what we are entitled to, an extra seat in Congress, said Governor Ron DeSantis, highlighting the steps being taken to address the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the census count were corrected, Florida would gain an additional congressional district, increasing from 28 to 29 districts. This change would also affect Floridas representation in the Electoral College. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. EXCLUSIVE: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent his deputy to California to pick up fugitive Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India who allegedly killed three motorists after making an illegal U-turn in his big rig on Florida's Turnpike near Port St. Lucie. "I have dispatched my new lieutenant governor, Jay Collins, to California to apprehend Harjinder Singh," DeSantis told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. "Fleeing to a sanctuary state will not prevent him from facing justice in Florida, and we will make sure of that. He will be held accountable for his criminal actions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illegal Immigrant Trucker Accused Of Killing Three People Failed English, Road Sign Tests: Dot Gov. Ron DeSantis Singh fled to the "sanctuary" Golden State, where he had also obtained his commercial driver's license (CDL), after he allegedly killed three people in a minivan who were traveling on Florida's Turnpike between the Yeehaw Junction and Fort Pierce exits. Singh allegedly utilized a narrow median crossover clearly marked for only emergency vehicles and blocked all northbound lanes in attempting the maneuver, which led to the van slamming into the trailer and being wedged beneath, killing its occupants. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collins, who was appointed lieutenant governor last week after the prior departure of Jeanette Nunez, is a former state senator and wounded veteran from Tampa. DeSantis notably nicknamed Collins "the Chuck Norris of Florida Politics" for his earnestness and eagerness to get involved in sensitive situations, including the return of Jewish Americans from Israel after the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Collins flew west on Wednesday afternoon to retrieve Singh. Desantis Picks The Chuck Norris Of Florida Politics As New Top Deputy Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, left, and Gov. Ron DeSantis "Florida lost three innocent lives at the hands of an illegal immigrant who never should have been in this country to begin with," he told Fox News Digital in further exclusive comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I believe in a government that doesnt look the other way but takes the time to enforce the law and hold criminals fully accountable: Thats why Im en route to California right now to ensure this individual is extradited back to Florida." Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., said on Wednesday that Singh appeared to believe he would be safer in California due to its sanctuary state status, which contrasts with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier enforcing state laws meant to keep illegal immigrants out of the Sunshine State. Those policies are under judicial scrutiny in Miami, where Obama-appointed federal Judge Kathleen Williams ordered the state to stop enforcing it. Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old illegal immigrant from India who was arrested on Aug. 16, 2025, allegedly attempted to make an unauthorized U-turn in Ft. Pierce, Florida, resulting in a crash that killed three people. After local authorities in some quarters were found to reportedly be continuing to utilize the law, Williams ordered Uthmeier in July to begin producing regular reports on cases being brought on illegal immigration-related grounds, according to the AP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeSantis is expected to comment further on Singh's return at an unrelated presser Wednesday afternoon. Singh attempted to obtain work authorization when he first entered illegally in 2020, but he was rebuffed by the first Trump administration. Mast said earlier Wednesday that the case shows the transportation sector and CDL training centers must be more vigilant in checking on who is driving commercial vehicles on America's highways and tollways. Original article source: DeSantis: State line won't protect criminal illegals; sends 'Chuck Norris' deputy to nab fugitive trucker Gov. Ron DeSantis launched a multi-pronged attack on the states congressional districts on Wednesday, offering justifications for a mid-decade redistricting that is all-but-guaranteed to send more Republicans to Congress from Florida. DeSantis also made clear the part of the state he wants to concentrate on is South Florida the region that is home to most of the remaining Democrats in the Florida congressional delegation. The Republican governors move comes amid unprecedented and spreading efforts to change congressional districts across the country. First, Texas began work to comply with a demand from President Donald Trump to draw congressional boundaries that would send five more Republicans and five fewer Democrats to Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then California moved to create five more Democratic and five fewer Republican districts. Now DeSantis wants in on the action. The governor repeatedly cited the Broward-Palm Beach County district represented by U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick as the one that he believes is unfairly drawn, and should be changed. He acknowledged that any changes to Cherfilus-McCormicks district would involve changes to neighboring congressional districts likely including the one represented by another Broward-Palm Beach county Democrat, U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz. DeSantis didnt cite Cherfilus-McCormick by name or district number. But he described the shape of the district in a way that left no doubt which one he was talking about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sean Foreman, a political scientist at Barry University, said the implications of DeSantis statements are clear. He is setting the stage for the upcoming mid-decade redistricting, which is coming to Florida. Hes laying out the conditions so Republicans can justify the need to do this in Florida, Foreman said. Theyre going to do it either way, with the justification or not. Were watching what is happening in Texas, California and elsewhere. It was just a matter of time before Florida would join the fray because we have a Republican majority Legislature, Foreman said. This is consistent with what weve seen in recent years. DeSantis criticisms of the states congressional districts are notable, among other reasons, because he was largely responsible for the districts three years ago. He vetoed the first congressional district map and ordered Republicans in the Legislature to approve one that his office developed. The Legislature complied. Under that map, the Florida delegation has 20 Republicans and eight Democrats. Five of the eight Democrats are from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. Related Articles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor came to Palm Beach State College just west of Lake Worth Beach on Wednesday to discuss the issue, including his claim that Florida was shortchanged after the 2000 Census and should have gotten one more congressional district. DeSantis brought with him, and called to the lectern to speak, Attorney General James Uthmeier who went farther than the governor in his arguments. Its clear that theres been for a long time now a deep state effort to manipulate the Census and shift electoral power to blue states to sanctuary states, Uthmeier said. He claimed that Democrats are upset by deportation of people in the U.S. illegally because they wanted those people to increase their population numbers and get them more congressional districts They are freaking out because they realized the jig is up, Uthmeier said. They had a deep-seated plan that is being thwarted by deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He offered no evidence to back up his statements. Uthmeier, appointed attorney general earlier this year by DeSantis, is the governors former chief of staff and was one of the managers of DeSantis unsuccessful candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Cherfilus-McCormicks district, included in the map DeSantis signed three years ago, was crafted the way it has been for decades with the specific intention of making it all-but-certain that voters would elect a Black representative. Under mid-1980s revisions to the federal Voting Rights Act, congressional boundaries have been drawn with a goal of increasing the chance that someone from a minority group can win an election and bring a voice that otherwise wouldnt be heard to the halls of Congress. Until those changes were implemented in the 1992 redistricting, Florida hadnt sent a Black representative to the U.S. House since 1877, when the post-Civil War era of Reconstruction ended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeSantis said that shouldnt be allowed, and he hopes that the U.S.Supreme Court invalidates such districts. He also cited a recent Florida Supreme Court opinion upholding the current map provision that eliminated a north Florida district that in the past had been crafted to increase the chances voters would elect a Black member of Congress. The state Supreme Court ruling was 5-1, with the five-member majority all DeSantis appointees. DeSantis said another reason Florida should change its congressional districts is because that states population has grown since the 2020 Census and shifted within the state. Since districts are drawn based on Census numbers, DeSantis didnt explain what basis would be used for crafting new districts based on population shifts since then. A major reason for the federal Census is to come up with population numbers for districts that are used for the subsequent 10 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Florida Democratic Party called it an unethical power grab and party Chair Nikk Fried said DeSantis move is speculative, corrupt, and a complete waste of taxpayer dollars. Floridians are facing increased costs of living, meanwhile, Rons trying to stir chaos to distract from his failures, all in pursuit of Gavin Newsom-style headlines. Floridians deserve leaders focused on lowering costs, strengthening schools, and protecting freedoms, not political theater, she said in a statement. Newsom is the California governor spearheading his states efforts to counter Texas redistricting. Cherfilus-McCormicks communications director declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff writer Abigail Hasebroock contributed to this report. Political writer Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon. NEED TO KNOW Martha Nolan-OSlatarra's loved ones gathered for her funeral at the Cathedral of the Assumption in her hometown of Carlow, Ireland, on Wednesday, Aug. 20 Her partner, Nick DiRubio, remembered her as someone who "had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into," while her sister Jacqui Nolan-OSlatarra said, "you will be in my heart forever, Martha" Martha was found dead on a boat at the Montauk Yacht Club in New York on Tuesday, Aug. 5, and the investigation into her death is ongoing The friends and family of Martha Nolan-OSlatarra who was found dead on a boat in New York in early August paid their respects to the designer as she was laid to rest. Nolan-OSlatarras loved ones gathered at the Cathedral of the Assumption in her hometown of Carlow, Ireland, on Wednesday, Aug. 20, for her funeral service, according to The Irish News, Irish Examiner and Irish broadcaster RTE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At her funeral, the East x East fashion founder was remembered by her family as loyal, supportive and full of life. Her partner, Nick DiRubio, echoed those words, describing how her positive presence left a lasting mark on everyone she met, per the outlets. I think Martha had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into, whether it was her signature hi or her famous hand gestures, DiRubio said per The Irish News. Martha Nolan/TikTok A photo of Martha Nolan and her boyfriend Nick DiRubio. A photo of Martha Nolan and her boyfriend Nick DiRubio. One couldnt help but feel her positive presence in every space she entered. Martha had a way of putting the people she loved first. She loved helping people he continued, per the outlet. Weve all been lucky to have known Martha, and we must live every day forward with her in our hearts. Facebook A photo of Martha Nolan-OSlatarra. A photo of Martha Nolan-OSlatarra. The designers sister, Jacqui Nolan-OSlatarra, also paid tribute to the 33-year-old during the ceremony, saying, per the outlet, that through thick and thin, a sisters love is consistent. She added, You will be in my heart forever, Martha. Heres to the sisters, the ones who make life brighter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the ceremony, loved ones carried a passport and a piece from her East x East brand to the altar, items the priest described as symbols of Marthas life a short life, but a packed one, according to the Irish Examiner. Martha was found dead at the Montauk Yacht Club on Tuesday, Aug. 5, according to a news release previously published by Suffolk County Police. Officers said they responded to a report of a woman who was found unconscious on a boat docked at the yacht club. First responders arrived on the scene and attempted to revive her, but were unsuccessful. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police previously said a preliminary investigation and exam that was conducted at the time were inconclusive regarding the cause of death for the designer. Facebook A photo of Martha Nolan-OSlatarra. A photo of Martha Nolan-OSlatarra. Police shared in an update later that week that an autopsy "did not show evidence of violence and her final cause of death is pending further examination." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marthas mother, Elma Nolan, told the Irish Independent that she last spoke with her daughter about a week before her death about her daughter's upcoming plans to travel back to Carlow. She said she was numb with shock after finding out the news of her death. I dont know what happened to my daughter, she told the outlet. Marthas death is still under investigation. PEOPLE has reached out to the Suffolk County Police for an update on the investigation. Read the original article on People In this photo illustration, a pharmacist holds a COVID-19 vaccine. States and clinicians are working on getting correct information on vaccines to vulnerable groups amid shifting federal guidance. (Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Heading into the respiratory illness season, states and clinicians are working to encourage pregnant patients to get COVID-19 vaccinations, even though the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services no longer recommends that they should. Along with being older and having an underlying health condition, pregnancy itself is a risk factor. Pregnant women are more vulnerable to developing severe illness from COVID-19. Theyre also at high risk for complications, including preterm labor and stillbirth. The vast majority of medical experts say getting the shot is safe and effective much safer than having the illness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in May that the agency would no longer recommend that pregnant women get the vaccine. Before testifying before Congress in June, Kennedy circulated a document on Capitol Hill claiming higher rates of fetal loss after vaccination. But the authors of those studies told Politico that their work had been misinterpreted. Experts say the federal shift puts the onus on state health agencies to ramp up vaccine guidance and outreach. Clinicians and public health organizations are trying to dispel misinformation and make sure information reaches low-income people and people of color, who had higher maternal death rates during the pandemic. During the first two years of the pandemic, the virus contributed to a quarter of maternal deaths, according to federal data. We are severely disappointed, said Dr. Neil Silverman, a professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine. He has studied vaccines and pregnancy for the past 15 years and specializes in high-risk pregnancies. Silverman called the federal shift a public health tragedy on a grand scale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vaccinations against COVID-19 help prevent severe illness in pregnant people as well as their newborns, who are too young to get vaccinated, Silverman said. In whats called passive immunity, vaccinated mothers pass on antibodies to their babies through the placenta and through breast milk. State public health agencies are probably going to have to implement vaccine guidance that differs from the federal recommendations. And thats going to be an interesting can of worms, said OB-GYN Dr. Mark Turrentine, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. Turrentine serves on a board of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that focuses on immunization and infectious diseases. He said his recent pregnant patients who had COVID-19 hadnt gotten the vaccine. The change in guidance on the federal level just really makes a lot of confusion, and it makes it very challenging to try to explain to individuals why all of a sudden the difference, Turrentine said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A slew of public health organizations have been making a concerted effort to dispel vaccine myths. They include the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization of maternal-fetal experts. At a news briefing the society held this month, clinicians stressed the safety and long-standing science behind COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the shots for RSV and the flu. Cases of RSV and the flu tend to peak in the winter months, while in recent years COVID-19 cases have spiked in the summer and the winter. Dr. Brenna Hughes, an OB-GYN who chairs the organizations infectious diseases and emerging threats committee, pointed to survey data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that less than a third of eligible pregnant patients received COVID-19 shots, and only 38% received RSV shots for the 2023 to 2024 season. Less than half 47% received flu shots, and 59% received TDAP (whooping cough) vaccines. CDC data shows that for last years and this years season, only between 12% and 14% of pregnant patients got the COVID-19 vaccine. The complications from the infection are so much greater than the complications and the very few and typically minor adverse events that might occur from the vaccine, said microbiologist Sabra Klein, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and 30 other professional health organizations signed a letter urging insurers to continue covering the COVID-19 shot for pregnant women, and have continued to urge coverage since then. CVS Caremark, one of the nations three major pharmacy benefit managers, told Stateline it will continue covering the vaccine for pregnant women. The Arizona, California and North Carolina state Medicaid agencies also told Stateline they are still currently covering COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women. Dr. Kimberly Fortner, president-elect of the Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, said during the maternal-fetal medicine briefing that she hopes medical groups joint messaging will bolster insurers. Hopefully by us linking arms, that can then help develop consistency so that insurers will continue to pay for the vaccine, she said. Exacerbating disparities Dr. Ayanna Bennett, director of the District of Columbia Department of Health, said the federal governments new stance has upended a system thats been stable for a very long time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bennett said her agency used federal pandemic aid to shore up vaccine outreach efforts to communities of color. Now that flow of money is ending. The changes in federal guidance and funding will almost certainly exacerbate maternal health disparities, said Marie Thoma, a perinatal epidemiologist and an associate professor in the University of Maryland Department of Family Science who researches pregnancy and COVID-19. Black and Indigenous women died at higher rates. The virus exacerbated existing racial disparities in maternal health and created new ones: Latina mothers, who generally see low rates of maternal mortality, saw deaths surge to 28 per 100,000 in 2021. Their rate was about 12 per 100,000 in 2018, according to federal data. We are going in with some exposure already that we didnt have during the start of the pandemic. So, there will be some protection, but now that will erode, said Thoma. If were not getting vaccines, or if people are hesitant to take them, we could see some increase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Silverman said the administrations efforts to strip mentions of race from government policies makes it difficult for institutions to reach populations at greatest risk. He called the dismissal of decades of data saddening and infuriating. The politicization of the vaccine process, or access to it, is what concerns me the most, said Dr. Yvette Martas, a Connecticut OB-GYN who chairs the board of directors of the Hispanic Health Council. Many women are trying to navigate an economic system thats not always in their favor in terms of also providing access to the kind of educational material that they need, she said. Not just COVID-19 In June, Kennedy ousted all 17 members of the CDCs vaccine advisory committee, replacing them with some members who are vaccine skeptics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The change is creating chaos. Some states have vaccine laws, such as mandates for kids and coverage statutes, that are specifically tied to the committees decisions. The Vaccine Integrity Project at the University of Minnesota called on frontline health workers, health officials and professional societies to counter the spread of inaccurate and confusing vaccine information. At a news briefing this month held by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, representatives from Alabama, Connecticut and Washington, D.C., said they will continue to recommend vaccines. Alabamas state health officer, Dr. Scott Harris, said clinicians will be instrumental in getting correct vaccination information to patients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont think that we necessarily have the same authoritative voice that we might have had a decade ago in trying to guide people in what to do, but we do believe that people trust their health care providers in most cases and are certainly willing to listen to them, he said at the briefing. Bennett said she is hopeful that strong, consistent messaging from respected medical organizations will help combat confusion. Having established groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology make very firm recommendations that keep us essentially not changed from where we have been, I think, should reassure families, she said. This story is republished from Stateline, a sister publication to the Kentucky Lantern and part of the nonprofit States Newsroom network. MAPLETON, Utah (ABC4) Early Wednesday morning, firefighters were called to investigate a structure fire fully engulfed in flames. Mapleton City Fire Department reported their response to a local garage fire. Dispatched to the area of 800 West and Park Meadows Drive, crews discovered a detached garage completely consumed by the fire. According to officials, the intense fire threatened multiple vehicles and a boat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire department explained twelve firefighters responded and their quick response made it possible to extinguish the flames in just under 30 minutes. The cause of the fire is still being investigated. Officials confirmed there were no injuries reported during the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Just two days after Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison stood at public safety headquarters on Monday, August 18 and vowed to hammer down on gangs and violent offenders with federal indictments, 11 search warrants were executed throughout Detroit, yielding more than 40 guns and several arrests. Guess what yall? Im a promise keeper. And I promise to get these offenders off the street," he said in an update to the media on Wednesday, August 20. I know who they are, and the feds know who they are. Madam Prosecutor (Kym) Worthy knows who they are. We all know who they are, and were definitely going to hold them accountable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detroit's top cop wouldn't say if any of the search warrants were related to recent high-profile killings of youth this summer, but said: You can speculate. Im going after 'em. More: How will Detroit's next mayor make the city safer for youth? The warrants were executed at homes throughout the city in the "wee hours" on Wednesday, Bettison said, and are a mix of federal and local law enforcement warrants. The guns confiscated were high-power weapons, Bettison said "Im talking ARs, the assault rifles, revolvers, shotguns, etc." Bullets from the weapons will be examined through a law enforcement ballistic system that traces them back to crime scenes, Bettison said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the arrests, Bettison also wouldn't disclose how many law enforcement made. He did say: "They are in a lot of trouble. Bettison credited the community with indentifying many of the suspects. Tips have been flowing, he said. Often times perpetrators incriminate themselves by posting pictures of themselves with guns on social media I love it, keep going. Keep doing it," Bettison said. Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at asahouri@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit police: Search warrants net more than 40 guns, several arrests The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expanding detention centers with a new facility in southwest Nebraska and nicknaming it the "Cornhusker Clink." As part of President Donald Trumps push to add thousands of new beds nationwide for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), just like "Alligator Alcatraz" and "Speedway Slammer," the facility increases ICE detention space for illegal aliens awaiting deportation or in deportation proceedings in the region. At the same time, Cornhusker Clinks name recognizes the regions heritage and is located around 200 miles from the state capital, Lincoln. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ice Deportation Efforts Could Be Derailed If Congress Doesn't Act Soon With ICE arrests down and data showing removals are up, the new venue combines 200 beds with the 280 already in place at the Work Ethic Camp in McCook, which opened in 2001 as a prison. Acknowledging the facility as part of an agreement between Nebraska and the federal government, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem warned that illegal aliens in the region could find themselves at Cornhusker Clink. Read On The Fox News App "To help remove the worst of the worst out of our country, if you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraskas Cornhusker Clink," she said. "Avoid arrest and self-deport now using the CBP Home App." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump Admin Slams Aclu For Comparing Ice Center To Japanese Internment Camp: 'Deranged And Lazy' Trumps "One Big Beautiful Bill" provided funding for 80,000 new beds for ICE to use, which has contributed to an increase in facilities across the country. "Alligator Alcatraz," one of the better-known facilities, was opened in the Florida Everglades and can house up to 3,000 migrants, while the East Montana Detention Center at Fort Bliss outside El Paso, which opened on Sunday, will be able to hold up to 5,000. Florida Building 'Alligator Alcatraz' Where Ice Detainees Face Nature's Own Security System An aerial view of a migrant detention center, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," is seen located at the site of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida on July 7, 2025. "Speedway Slammer" in Indiana will also hold up to 1,000 migrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in Nebraska, the National Guard is also helping ICE officials enforce immigration laws, involving 20 or so soldiers. In a statement supporting Trumps immigration crackdown, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said he was "pleased that our facility and team in McCook can be tasked with helping our federal partners protect our homeland by housing criminal illegal aliens roaming our countrys communities today." Original article source: DHS plans 'Cornhusker Clink' detention center as Trump expands immigration enforcement FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reviewing federal security grants for Muslim groups with "alleged terrorist ties" after a new report linked past funding to "extremist" organizations. According to a DHS document obtained by Fox News Digital, 49 projects "with alleged affiliations to terrorist activities" have already been canceled, a move the department estimates will save $8 million. The review primarily targets funding distributed through FEMAs Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which provides aid to churches, mosques, synagogues, and other faith-based institutions facing threats of hate-driven violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The probe follows a report by the Middle East Forum, a pro-Israel conservative think tank, which claimed that more than $25 million in DHS and FEMA grants went to "terror-linked groups" between 2013 and 2023. Cotton Calls On Irs To Pull Muslim Advocacy Group's Nonprofit Status The Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, is reviewing federal security grants for Muslim groups with "alleged terrorist ties" after a new report linked past funding to "extremist" organizations. A DHS official said the department is conducting its own independent review of funding but added, "We take the results of the MEF report very seriously and are thankful for the work of conservative watchdog groups." Read On The Fox News App The report flagged a $100,000 grant in 2019 to the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Virginia, which Customs and Border Protection once described as a "mosque operating as a front for Hamas operatives in the U.S.," according to records obtained by the Investigative Project through the Freedom of Information Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to the MEFs findings, DHS is reviewing all current and future contracts to ensure funds are not awarded to such organizations. Officials said the department is also examining ways to recover unspent funds. Funding for fiscal year 2024 has already been allocated. That includes $94 million for 500 Jewish organizations and another $110 million shared among 600 Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish institutions. The report flagged a $100,000 grant in 2019 to the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Virginia. For fiscal year 2025, DHS said applicants will face tougher requirements to ensure a "robust" vetting process. "We dont want to be empowering groups that could be causing a threat to our community here in the United States," a DHS official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Middle East Forums report also highlighted specific cases of funding that it claims went to groups with extremist ties. It said $10.3 million had gone to the Islamic Circle of North America, which the forum alleges is tied to the South Asian Islamist movement Jamaat-e-Islami. The report further cited $250,000 awarded to the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which DHS has accused of having "Hamas ties." Another $750,000, according to the report, went to mosques in Michigan and Texas that DHS described as "outposts for Irans revolutionary brand of Shia Islamism," including the Islamic Center of America and the Islamic House of Wisdom near Detroit, as well as the Islamic Ahlul Bayt Association in Austin. House Committee Alleges Biden Admin Used Funds To Back Anti-government Protests In Israel Nearly $100 million in FEMA security funding went to 500 synagogues this year amid an increase in anti-Semitic attacks. CAIR told Fox News Digital it has no active federal contracts with DHS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While our civil rights organization has no active federal grants that the Department could eliminate or cut, and while the government cannot ban American organizations from receiving federal grants based on their religious affiliation or their criticism of Israel's genocide in Gaza," a CAIR spokesperson said, "its important to note that Kristi Noems Department of Homeland Security is embarrassing President Trump by making decisions based on the ravings of the Middle East Forum, an Israel First hate website." FEMA has previously worked with CAIR, holding seminars to encourage participation in the NSGP program. But last week, CAIR urged organizations to withdraw from applying for DHS and FEMA grants including the NSGP unless DHS drops two new vetting rules. Those provisions require recipients to cooperate with immigration officials and prohibit them from running programs tied to diversity, equity, inclusion, or aid to undocumented immigrants, as well as from engaging in certain "discriminatory prohibited boycotts." Original article source: DHS pulls funding from groups with alleged terrorist ties after watchdog report The Food and Drug Administration is urging consumers to throw away certain bags of frozen raw shrimp sold at Walmart stores across the nation, including in Oklahoma, which could be contaminated with a radioactive element. There is no immediate risk to the public. Authorities are investigating reports of low-level Cesium-137 contamination in shipping containers and frozen shrimp products from BMS Foods of Indonesia. The recall applies to 2-pound bags of Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp with a "Best by Date" of March 15, 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Great Value is Walmart's own brand. While there is no evidence that contaminated shrimp actually made it to shelves, the FDA has told consumers to not eat affected products. Distributors and retailers were told to dispose of the product. What is Cesium-137? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cesium-137 (Cs-137) is produced for use in medical devices and gauges. It is also one of the byproducts of nuclear fission processes in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons testing. Cesium contamination is a problem despite its relatively short half-life of 30 years. Underwater nuclear testing in places like Bikini Atoll decades ago have led to a spike in radioactive measurements that persist to today. Even though the background level of radiation in these places is relatively low, radioactive particles can build up inside organisms that feed on each other, then make it into the human food cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The affected product from Indonesia appears to have been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions and may have become contaminated, the FDA said. The government did not elaborate on what might have caused the contamination or where the radioactive particles originated. At the level of contamination detected by authorities, radiation exposure would not pose an immediate hazard to consumers. As a precaution, FDA's recall is meant to reduce exposure to low-level radiation that could have health impacts over a long period of time. The biggest risk of radiation exposure is an elevated risk of cancer caused by damage to DNA within living cells of the body. States affected by the Walmart shrimp recall Walmart stores in the following states were affected by the shrimp recall: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are the product details for each variant of the frozen shrimp under recall: Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027. Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027. Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027. If you have recently purchased raw frozen shrimp from Walmart that matches this description, throw it away. Do not eat or serve this product. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Walmart frozen shrimp recalled over radioactive contamination concerns Hotel101Phnom Penh , is set to rise on a 2,033 square meters of prime commercial land, is located in the Tonle Bassac district of Phnom Penh, a vibrant riverfront economic and cultural hub. With a capacity of approx 700 rooms, this hotel is expected to be one of Cambodias largest hotels by number of rooms. Nearby is the popular upscale district of Boeung Keng Kang (BKK), a premier expatriate and business enclave. Hotel101Phnom Penh is expected to feature Hotel101s standardized 21-square-meter HappyRoom units, equipped with kitchenettes, alongside a range of Hotel101s signature amenities such as a swimming pool, fitness gym, all-day dining, a business center, function rooms, and commercial spaces. This prime location, close to landmarks such as Aeon Mall 1 and the Independence Monument, positions the hotel to capture Phnom Penhs growing demand for business and leisure accommodation. Cambodia reported to have received 6.7 million international visitors in 2024, and is expected to further grow with the upcoming Techo International Airport (KTI) slated to open on September 9, 2025. The project is expected to enhance the current hospitality offering that are already operating in Phnom Penh, Cambodia which include global brands such as Hyatt, Rosewood, Shangri-La and Raffles. These landmark developments, the first to be located in Phnom Penh, the capital and commercial hub of Cambodia, and the second to be located at Bay of Lights in Sihanoukville, a burgeoning financial and tourism beacon, mark a pivotal step in Hotel101 Globals long-term vision to operate 1 million hotel rooms across 100 countries. Canopy Sands Group, being one of the largest local developers in Cambodia, has enabled Hotel101 build on to their prime land in Cambodia. In addition, the arrangement with Canopy Sands Development will also enable Hotel101 to navigate well the local landscape and utilize their existing local sales network in Cambodia. SINGAPORE, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hotel101 Global Pte. Ltd. ("Hotel101 Global"), the Singapore-headquartered subsidiary of Hotel101 Global Holdings Corp. (ticker NASDAQ:HBNB), a leading asset-light, prop-tech hospitality platform listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange entered into definitive agreements with Canopy Sands Development Co., Ltd. (Canopy Sands Development), one of Cambodias leading real estate developers, to develop two Hotel101 projects in Cambodia, which are expected to be among the largest hotels in the country by number of rooms upon completion. Hotel101 in Cambodia is the 6 th country entered by Hotel101 after Philippines, Japan, Spain, United States and Saudi Arabia and will form part of the long term goal of Hotel101 Global to build a portfolio of 50,000 operating rooms in the Philippines, as part of the overall vision of 1 million operating Hotel101 rooms worldwide spread out across 100 countries globally Cambodia is seen as a lucrative market for Hotel101 as the country was reported to have received a total of over 6.7 Million international visitors in 2024, and is expected to further grow with the upcoming opening on September 9, 2025 of a brand new Techno International Airport (KTI) in Phnom Penh Cambodia Story Continues Hotel101Sihanoukville, is set to rise on a 4,623 square meters of prime commercial land within the Bay of Lights, a groundbreaking US$16 Billion, 934-hectare master-planned coastal development led by Canopy Sands Development in Sihanoukville, a key growing tourism hub with stunning beaches. Hotel101Sihanoukville, with approx 680 rooms, is expected to be the largest hotel in Sihanoukville in terms of number of rooms and is expected to feature the same standardized Hotel101 HappyRoom units and amenities as other Hotel101 properties globally. Hotel101Sihanoukville is strategically positioned right beside the proposed international convention and exhibition center in the Bay of Lights development. Hotel101Sihanoukville is further enhanced by its proximity, a mere 5 minute drive to the Sihanoukville airport, the third largest international airport in Cambodia, and is expected to complement Sihanoukvilles array of hotel offerings which include global brands such as Accors Novotel and Wyndham. In 2024, Canopy Sands Development signed a dual property agreement with Ascott Limited to operate two properties in Bay of Lights, Sihanoukville namely Oakwood Bay of Lights Sihanoukville and Summer Bay Beach Club. These two Hotel101 projects in Cambodia are expected to generate US$109.55 Million in sales revenue once fully sold, form part of Hotel101 Globals global expansion strategy, which includes its first three overseas projects under development in Niseko, Japan (482 rooms), Madrid, Spain (680 rooms), and Los Angeles, USA (approx 622 rooms) as well as affiliate Hotel101 hotels in the Philippines. The two Cambodian projects are targeted to be completed by 2028 and are expected to contribute to Cambodias economic growth through job creation, foreign investment, and increased tourism, while attracting both local and international buyers under Hotel101s hassle-free hotel unit ownership model. Perspective and site location of Hotel101-Phnom Penh, Cambodia set to have approx. 700 rooms and 30 floors (Perspective and site location of Hotel101-Phnom Penh, Cambodia set to have approx. 700 rooms and 30 floors) Perspective and site location of Hotel101-Sihanoukville, Bay of Lights, Cambodia set to have approx. 680 rooms (Perspective and site location of Hotel101-Sihanoukville, Bay of Lights, Cambodia set to have approx. 680 rooms) In photo during the signing of the binding definitive agreement today August 20, 2025 at Hotel101 Global Corporate Office in Singapore are; Carlos Agana Hotel101 Global Legal Services Director, Catherine Chan Hotel101 Global Chief Development Officer, Hannah Yulo-Luccini Hotel101 Global CEO, Jimmy He Canopy Sands Development Managing Director, David Dobson Canopy Sands Development Country Head UAE and Senior Investment Director, with other Canopy Sands Group Officers and Hotel101 Global Officers In photo during the signing of the binding definitive agreement today August 20, 2025 at Hotel101 Global Corporate Office in Singapore are; Carlos Agana Hotel101 Global Legal Services Director, Catherine Chan Hotel101 Global Chief Development Officer, Hannah Yulo-Luccini Hotel101 Global CEO, Jimmy He Canopy Sands Development Managing Director, David Dobson Canopy Sands Development Country Head UAE and Senior Investment Director, with other Canopy Sands Group Officers and Hotel101 Global Officers Forward Looking Statements This document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities laws of certain jurisdictions, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this document, including statements regarding the future financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations of Hotel101 Global Holdings Corp. (HBNB) and its subsidiaries (the HBNB Group), are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as believe, may, estimate, continue, anticipate, intend, should, plan, expect, predict, potential or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, HBNBs expectations concerning anticipated sales revenues, the location, expected number of rooms and expected project completion dates, the outlook for the HBNB Groups business, productivity, plans and goals for future operational improvements and capital investments, operational performance, future market conditions or economic performance and developments in the capital and credit markets and expected future financial performance, as well as any information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations of the HBNB Group. These forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of the management of HBNB. Although HBNB believes that such plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, HBNB cannot assure you that such plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved or realized. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions and actual results or events may differ materially from those projected or implied in those statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, the HBNB Groups ability to execute on its business model, potential business expansion opportunities in foreign countries and growth strategies, manage future growth, retain and expand customers use of its hotel services and attract new customers, and source and maintain talent; risks relating to joint venture partners, including owners of pre-sold condotel units in Hotel101 hospitality projects, who may have interests different from and may take actions that adversely affect the HBNB Group; risks relating to project cost and completion; risks relating to the HBNB Groups sources of cash and cash resources; risks relating to offering deferred payment schemes, including the risk of customer default; the HBNB Groups ability to effectively compete in the highly competitive hospitality industry; any declines or disruptions in the travel and hospitality industries or economic downturn; applicable laws and regulations to real estate development and marketing activities and hotel operation and management activities in the jurisdictions where the HBNB Group has operations or intends to expand into; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in HBNBs Shell Company Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on July 7, 2025 and under the heading Risk Factors in HBNBs registration statement on Form F-4 (File No.: 333-287130) and other documents to be filed by HBNB from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of HBNBs assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that are not presently known to HBNB or that HBNB currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. HBNB cautions you against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect current beliefs and are based on information currently available as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements set forth herein speak only as of the date of this document. HBNB does not undertake any obligation to revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances or changes in beliefs. In the event that any forward-looking statement is updated, no inference should be made that HBNB will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters or any other forward-looking statements. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/daed48d9-6ca3-4f47-82bc-62e7c42c2dc5 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/add042e3-89d3-475b-abcb-eece5037a862 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f94b0ae3-8e8c-4cf5-ba40-14595a31b037 CONTACT: Contact: ir@hotel101global.com India and China have agreed to step up trade flows and resume direct flights in a major diplomatic breakthrough, as the two most populous nations try to rebuild ties damaged by a 2020 deadly border clash and amid US President Donald Trumps unpredictable foreign policy. The two rivals also agreed to advance talks on their disputed border during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis two-day visit to India. The rebuilding of India-China ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington, following the recent imposition of steep tariffs on India by the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So why did India and China decide to mend their ties, and what steps were taken to address their border dispute? What specific points were agreed? Discussions covered a range of issues related to withdrawing tens of thousands of troops that both countries have amassed along their Himalayan border, boosting investment and trade flows, hosting more bilateral events, and enhancing travel access. The Asian neighbours agreed to reopen several trading routes namely the Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass. An expert group will also be established to explore early harvest steps (i.e. mini-agreements that can be implemented quickly before the conclusion of a more complex deal) to improve border management, a move India had previously opposed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past, India was keen to avoid a situation where China secured partial gains up front, but where its territorial integrity concerns remained unresolved. Indias opposition has accused the government of ceding territory to China. Elsewhere, China has reportedly agreed to address Indias concerns over its export curbs on fertilisers, rare earth minerals and tunnel-boring machines, according to Indian media reports. But Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning, when asked about Indian media reports on the lifting of export controls, said she was not familiar with the media reports. As a matter of principle, China is willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with relevant countries and regions to jointly maintain the stability of the global production and supply chain, she said in a media briefing on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Delhi and Beijing also agreed to resume direct flights between the two countries, enhance river-sharing data and drop certain visa restrictions for tourists, businesses and journalists. US President Donald Trump meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 13, 2025 [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters] Who said what? During his two-day trip, Wang Yi held meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indias National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, encounters that will pave the way for Modis first visit to China in seven years at the end of August. Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity, Modi posted on X after his meeting with Wang. Meanwhile, Doval said that China and India had achieved a new environment of peace and tranquillity. He added that the setbacks that we faced in the last few years were not in our interest, and delimitation and boundary affairs had been discussed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A readout from Chinas Foreign Ministry said Wang told Doval that the stable and healthy development of China-India relations is in the fundamental interests of the two countries people. The two sides should enhance mutual trust through dialogues and expand cooperation, Wang said, and should aim for consensus in areas such as border control and demarcation negotiations. Looking ahead, Modi is scheduled to travel to China at the end of this month to take part in the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation his first visit to the country since June 2018. Why did relations sour in the first place? Relations between the two countries plummeted in 2020 after security forces clashed along their Himalayan border. Four Chinese soldiers and 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the worst violence in decades, freezing high-level diplomatic relations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chill in relations after the deadly Ladakh clash the first fatal confrontation between India and China since 1975 also affected trade and air travel, as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas. Following the border tensions, India imposed curbs on Chinese investments in the country. Months later, New Delhi banned dozens of Chinese apps, including TikTok, owned by Chinas ByteDance, citing security concerns. But despite the soaring tensions, the bilateral trade between the two countries did not see a drastic drop, and in fact, New Delhis imports from Beijing have grown to more than $100bn from $65nb in the financial year 2020-2021 as the countrys electronics and pharma industries heavily rely on raw materials from China. On Monday, Wang said, The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored on the borders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For his part, Modi emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border and reiterated Indias commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question, his office said in a statement on Tuesday. Ties between India and China have improved since Indian Prime Minister Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia in October 2024 [File: China Daily via Reuters] Why did the two sides decide to mend ties? The geopolitical disruption caused by Donald Trumps trade wars has helped create an opening for Asias leading and third-largest economies to try to mend their diplomatic and economic relations. Indeed, the improvement in ties has accelerated since Trump increased tariffs on both countries earlier this year particularly India, which had been pursuing a closer relationship with the United States in a joint front against China. Moreover, India and the US have been haggling over free trade agreements for months, with Trump accusing India of denying access to American goods due to higher tariffs. China has also been locked in months-long trade negotiations with the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China and India increased official visits and discussed relaxing some trade restrictions and easing the movement of citizens since Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia last October. In June, Beijing even allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet while India issued tourist visas to Chinese nationals in a sign of improving ties. But Trumps decision to declare a 25 percent reciprocal tariff on India in June over the countrys imports of Russian oil and his move a week later to raise it again to 50 percent have hastened dramatic diplomatic realignment. The higher US tariff threatens to disrupt the US-India bilateral trade worth $200bn, risking jobs of thousands of people in the worlds most populous nation. Top Trump officials have accused India of funding Russias war in Ukraine, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday accusing India of profiteering. But Chinas imports of Russian oil are even larger than Indias. And on August 12, the US extended a tariff truce on Beijing for another 90 days staving off triple-digit tariffs. In turn, New Delhi has accused Washington of double standards over its tariff policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suhasini Haidar, an Indian journalist writing in the newspaper The Hindu, said that the rationale behind the US sanctions on India is dubious. The US has itself increased its trade with Russia since Trump came to power, she wrote. US Treasury Secretary Bessent, however, has defended Washingtons decision not to impose secondary sanctions against China, saying Beijing has a diversified input of their oil. Beijings import of Russian oil, he said, went from 13 percent to 16 percent while Indias went from less than one percent to over 40 percent. Trumps claim that he secured a ceasefire between India and Pakistan has further caused anger in India, which has refused to give credit to the US president for the May 10 ceasefire that stopped the five-day war between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Trumps hosting of the Pakistan Armys General Asim Munir has not helped the cause, either. US-India relations have frayed despite Modi cultivating personal ties with Trump, particularly during his first term. The Indian prime minister was Trumps first guest in his second term in February, when he coined the slogan Make India Great Again (MIGA), borrowing from Trumps Make America Great Again (MAGA) base. MAGA plus MIGA becomes a mega partnership for prosperity, Modi said. The US has slapped a 50 percent tariff on India over New Delhis purchase of Russian oil, but many are asking why China the biggest buyer of Moscows crude was spared [File: AFP] But Trumps repeated attacks on India have poured cold water on the partnership, with Indian foreign policy experts fearing the ties are headed towards uncharted territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At risk is three decades of Indias economic ascent, and its careful positioning as an emerging power, shaped in the shadow of US strategic backing, wrote Sushant Singh, a lecturer in South Asian studies at Yale University, in the Financial Times. Trump has shredded Indias road map; it could be replaced by strategic drift, realignment or eventual rapprochement. The turbulence in India-US ties has forced New Delhi to repair ties with its adversary China, which supplies military equipment to Pakistan and took the side of Islamabad during the recent war. The new developments may also boost relations between members of the BRICS bloc with India and China being the groups founding members, along with Brazil, Russia and South Africa. India and China will host the 2026 and 2027 BRICS summits, respectively. Trump has also railed against BRICS nations, warning the member nations against challenging the US dollar. CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand Once tempted to ditch its acquisition of a Chinese-built S26T diesel-electric submarine, Thailand has decided the project will now proceed. The cause of the indecision was Chinas failure to obtain German diesel engines for the submarine, and its proposal to substitute Chinese variants instead. However, the Thai Cabinet approved a contract amendment on Aug. 5, which permits this project to recommence after it had remained dormant since 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bangkok ordered this solitary S26T submarine on May 5, 2017, although it had originally wanted three submarines until fiscal constraints scuppered this plan. Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group subsequently laid the boats keel in Wuhan on Sept. 5, 2019. Replacement engines The Thai government had stipulated that the 2,600-ton boat must use German-manufactured MTU 396 diesel generator sets. When Germany refused to supply these engines, China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co (CSOC) then proposed to utilize equivalent Chinese-made CHD620 engines to resurrect the project. Bangkok was reluctant to do so, however, over concerns about the quality and longevity of Chinese engines. The Royal Thai Navy or RTN next conducted a series of studies and stipulated that China must certify these CHD620V16H6 engines to assure their reliability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After China bench-tested the engines for more than 6,000 hours, the RTN issued its conclusion. It demonstrates a quality comparable to the original engine, the RTN stated, in accordance with the performance limits specified in the agreement, and does not affect the submarines performance. Thailands S26T is based on the Type 039 Yuan class used by the Peoples Liberation Army Navy, one of which is seen here. (Chinese MND) Bangkok simultaneously requested compensation, with Beijing agreeing to assistance worth US$24.7 million. This includes China extending the warranty and maintenance support from two to eight years; providing future equipment and weapons; and giving support for submarine simulators. It is unclear what weapons the RTN will receive, but the package presumably includes heavy torpedoes, sea mines and perhaps anti-ship missiles like the CM-708UNB. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following Augusts approval, China now has until December 2028 to finish the submarine. Originally slated to enter service in 2023, the vessel is currently 64% complete. So far, Thailand has paid CSOC 7.7 billion baht, about US$237 million, across 10 instalments. Another 5.5 billion baht, or 37% of the submarines cost, remains outstanding. Lessons learned This saga raises several issues. First, there was contractual laxity on the part of both China and Thailand, which assumed there would be no issue obtaining MTU engines. This proved not to be the case. Secondly, why did Germany block the export of these engines? Ostensibly it was because of a EU embargo imposed in late June 1989 in the wake of the Tiananmen Square massacre, with the German government confirming to Defense News that this 1989 declaration listed an embargo on trade in arms with China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, countries like France and Germany have not rigorously applied the embargo. For example, China has manufactured hundreds of Z-9 helicopters based on the Airbus Dauphin. Similarly, Chinese warships and submarines are commonly powered by German-derived engines. The Chinese and the Thais were in agreement, and then suddenly the Germans threw a spanner in that wheel, which is somewhat surprising, said Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Wezeman noted the engines themselves are not supersensitive, and similar MTU engines have been actually sold by Germany to China. However, he suggested Germany may have reevaluated its policy, and that dual-use items destined for Chinas military are now being more strictly policed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wezeman even suggested the deeper problem Germany had might lie in the end user of the submarine being Thailand, rather than the builder being China. Thailand has been under military rule since a 2014 coup, and Germany previously blocked the sale of engines for Ukrainian-built BTR-3E 8x8 armored vehicles to Thailand. Thirdly, there is the important question of what engines Chinese submarines use. If China had to put the CHD620 through a qualification regime to satisfy Thailand, this indicates the Peoples Liberation Army Navy has not been using these engines on its own Type 039 submarines. Whose engines, then, has it been using? Defense News approached MTU numerous times for comment on the issue of selling engines to China for naval use, but the company failed to respond as of publication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wezeman said it becomes hazy to what extent China is producing or buying foreign engines. As far as we know, theres still production going on in China of engines of originally French and German design, he said. Very often this is under an agreement which is very old. The Pakistan Navy has eight similar Chinese-designed Hangor-class submarines under construction as well. These will use the same CHD620V16H6 engines. Thailands submarine purchase was emblematic of closer ties between its junta-led government and Beijing, as ties with the U.S. waned after the 2014 coup detat. In fact, Australian scholar Dr. Greg Raymond concluded that the preponderance of evidence suggests that Thailands submarine procurement was not solely about capability, but also intertwined with geopolitics and diplomacy. Raymond found evidence that the Thai government exerted pressure on the navy to select the Chinese submarines, even though European and South Korean alternatives offered better performance. Bryan Kohberger developed a reputation for being sexist and creepy while attending a criminal justice program in the months before he killed four University of Idaho students in 2022, fellow grad students told investigators. His behavior was so problematic that one Washington State University faculty member told co-workers that if he ever became a professor, he would likely stalk or sexually abuse his future students, according to the documents. She urged her co-workers to cut Kohbergers funding to remove him from the program. He is smart enough that in four years we will have to give him a Ph.D., the woman told her colleagues, according to the report from Idaho State Police Detective Ryan OHarra. She continued, Mark my word, I work with predators. If we give him a Ph.D., thats the guy that, in that many years when he is a professor, we will hear is harassing, stalking, and sexually abusing his students at wherever university. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Summaries of the interviews with students and instructors at Washington State University were included among more than 550 pages of investigation documents released by Idaho State Police last week in response to public record requests. Kohberger was sentenced to life in prison without parole last month for the stabbing murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin at a rental home near the Moscow, Idaho, campus early on Nov. 13, 2022. The WSU faculty member told investigators that Kohberger would sometimes go into an office where several female grad students worked, physically blocking the door. Sometimes, she would hear one of the women say, I really need to get out of here, so she would intercede by going into the office to allow the student to leave. The faculty member believed Kohberger was stalking people. She told police that someone had reportedly broken into a female graduate students apartment in September or October, stealing perfume and underwear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An unnamed Ph.D. student who was in the same program as Kohberger told police that he enjoyed conflict, was disparaging toward women and that he especially liked to talk about sexual burglary his field of study. Some people in the department thought he was a possible future rapist and speculated that he might be an incel, she told the officer. About three weeks after the murders, Kohberger told the Ph.D. student that whoever had committed the crimes must have been pretty good, Idaho State Police Detective Sgt. Michael Van Leuven wrote in a report. Kohberger also told the woman that the murders might have been a one and done type thing, Van Leuven wrote. The woman said she had never met anyone who acted in such a condescending manner and wondered why people in power in the department did not address his behavior, Van Leuven wrote. The way he spoke to females in the department was unsettling to them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One instructor told police that she was assigned to work with Kohberger on his doctoral program. In late August 2022, she said she began receiving complaints about him from students and staff in the criminal justice program. The instructor told police that she spent a lot of time speaking about Kohberger during disciplinary meetings. The meetings focused around Kohbergers interactions with fellow post-graduate students, in and out of the classroom, along with his behavior around some of the criminal justice professors, according to an investigators report. The school got nine separate complaints from faculty members, administration staffers and other students about his rude and belittling behavior toward women, Idaho State Police Detective Sean Prosser wrote in a report. In response, the school held a mandatory training class for all graduate students about behavior expectations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of Kohbergers fellow students and instructors at WSU did not suspect his involvement in the killings, according to the police reports. But at least one fellow student noticed his behavior changed after the murders. The student said Kohberger frequently used his phone before the killings, but stopped bringing his cellphone to class after the murders. He also appeared more disheveled in the weeks after the killings, the student told police, and she thought it was odd that he never participated in conversations about the Moscow deaths. She eventually called a police tip line to report that she had seen Kohberger with bloody knuckles just prior to the killings and his hand looked like he had been hitting something. Associated Press reporter Corey Williams contributed from Detroit Mothers who make sure to get enough vitamin D while pregnant are likely giving their children a better shot at healthy cognitive development later in life. That's according to researchers at the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO), who found that kids whose mothers had higher vitamin D levels while pregnant "tended to perform better on cognitive tests assessing skills like problem-solving and processing new information at ages 7 to 12." "Our study provides important new evidence that early pregnancy may be a critical period when vitamin D has the greatest potential to support cognitive development," says Melissa M. Melough of the University of Delaware, Newark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the findings "add to growing evidence on the role of vitamin D in pregnancy," according to the team, which was made up of researchers from institutions including the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School. The team called for more work to be done to figure out fine-tunings such as the optimal dose of the so-called sunshine vitamin and the "timing of supplementation." Vitamin D is generated by the human body in response to exposure to sunlight, but in countries where long winters or cloudy weather are prevalent, people typically have to take supplements or make sure to eat enough cheese, eggs and fish, which are sources of the vitamin. Research published earlier this year by The Lancet pointed to vitamin D deficiency in mothers as a potential cause of autism and ADHD in babies. "Vitamin D is important for a babys brain development, and low vitamin D levels are common in pregnant women across the globe," the Danish-Australian team said. PARIS (AP) When Olivier Baroin moved into an apartment in Montmartre about 15 years ago, it felt like he was living in a village in the heart of Paris. Not anymore. Stores for residents are disappearing, along with the friendly atmosphere, he says. In their place are hordes of people taking selfies, shops selling tourist trinkets, and cafes whose seating spills into the narrow, cobbled streets as overtourism takes its toll. Baroin has had enough. He put his apartment up for sale after local streets were designated pedestrian-only while accommodating the growing number of visitors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I told myself that I had no other choice but to leave since, as I have a disability, its even more complicated when you can no longer take your car, when you have to call a taxi from morning to night," he told The Associated Press. Overtourism in European cities From Venice to Barcelona to Amsterdam, European cities are struggling to absorb surging numbers of tourists. Some residents in one of Paris' most popular tourist neighborhoods are now pushing back. A black banner strung between two balconies in Montmartre reads, in English: Behind the postcard: locals mistreated by the Mayor. Another, in French, says: Montmartre residents resisting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Atop the hill where the Basilica of Sacre-Cur crowns the city's skyline, residents lament what they call the Disneyfication of the once-bohemian slice of Paris. The basilica says it now attracts up to 11 million people a year even more than the Eiffel Tower while daily life in the neighborhood has been overtaken by tuk-tuks, tour groups, photo queues and short-term rentals. Now, there are no more shops at all, there are no more food shops, so everything must be delivered, said 56-year-old Baroin, a member of a residents' protest group called Vivre a Montmartre, or Living in Montmartre. The unrest echoes tensions across town at the Louvre Museum, where staff in June staged a brief wildcat strike over chronic overcrowding, understaffing and deteriorating conditions. The Louvre logged 8.7 million visitors in 2024, more than double what its infrastructure was designed to handle. A postcard under pressure Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paris, a city of just over 2 million residents if you count its sprawling suburbs, welcomed 48.7 million tourists in 2024, a 2% increase from the previous year. Sacre-Cur, the most visited monument in France in 2024, and the surrounding Montmartre neighborhood have turned into what some locals call an open-air theme park. Local staples like butchers, bakeries and grocers are vanishing, replaced by ice-cream stalls, bubble-tea vendors and souvenir T-shirt stands. Paris authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Visitors seemed largely to be enjoying the packed streets on a sunny Tuesday this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the most part, all of Paris has been pretty busy, but full of life, for sure," said American tourist Adam Davidson. "Coming from Washington, D.C., which is a lively city as well, I would say this is definitely full of life to a different degree for sure. Europes breaking point In Barcelona, thousands have taken to the streets this year, some wielding water pistols, demanding limits on cruise ships and short-term tourist rentals. Venice now charges an entry fee for day-trippers and caps visitor numbers. And in Athens, authorities are imposing a daily limit on visitors to the Acropolis, to protect the ancient monument from record-breaking tourist crowds. Urban planners warn that historic neighborhoods risk becoming what some critics call zombie cities picturesque but lifeless, their residents displaced by short-term visitors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paris is trying to mitigate the problems by cracking down on short-term rentals and unlicensed properties. But tourism pressures are growing. By 2050, the worlds population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion, according to United Nations estimates. With the global middle class expanding, low-cost flights booming and digital platforms guiding travelers to the same viral landmarks, many more visitors are expected in iconic cities like Paris. The question now, residents say, is whether any space is left for those who call it home. Two pretty amazing things happened to a Florida German shepherd named Bella earlier this month. First, firefighters with the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department rescued Bella from a canal where she had been stranded on a ledge and partially submerged. Second, after the fire crew brought Bella back to their firehouse, where she was given food, water and rest, they scanned her for a microchip, which led to Bella being reunited with her family, from whom she had been missing for six years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the family, they had been forced to temporarily move into a hotel after their house caught fire in 2019. At that time, Bella was placed with a family friend, who ended up giving her away without the familys knowledge or permission. a rescued dog with firefighters Lisa and Jason Nicholson drove 200 miles from St. Cloud to Fort Lauderdale with their daughters Jaylianna, 11, and Liberty, 18, to be reunited with their long-lost pet. "Hugging Bella again felt like our family was made whole again like being reunited with a long-lost friend," Lisa Nicholson told People.com. "We had a welcome party with a bunch of doggie treats and new toys. We gave her a steak and she loved it! She also got a new doggie bed." The Nicholsons say they hope Bellas story will encourage other families to get their pets microchipped. A loyal service dog has been reunited with its owner nearly three months after being stolen from a backyard in Chicago, officials say. Bam Bam, the 14-year-old tan and white Dachshund, was stolen from the yard in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago on June 5, according to a GoFundMe created to help find him. His owner, Angel Santiago, who is legally blind due to glaucoma, spent days walking miles and handing out flyers with the hope of finding his beloved friend and aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santiago told police that two unknown people entered through his gate and took the canine. Although he heard the disturbance and even grabbed one of the suspects in an attempt to stop him, the men were able to get away with Bam Bam. He believes the suspect he grabbed sounded like a teenager. Santiago said that he could hear Bam Bam barking as the men ran away with him. Let your eyes be mine and look out for Bam Bam for me, please. I beg of you to help me, he wrote in a desperate plea on the fundraiser. The GoFundMe totalled almost $20,000 as concerned citizens looked to support the cause. Bam Bam the Daschund was stolen from a backyard in Chicago in early June (Amy Pasalich/Go Fund Me) A Facebook Page set up for the search effort led several flyer events, petitions, and meetups in the city to help find the dog. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On August 12, a post read: We are incredibly grateful to be working with an amazing group of volunteers who are organizing walking routes and flyering to reach local residents who may not have heard Angel and Bam Bams story.| Thankfully, after nearly three months of desperate searching, Bam Bam was found. On Tuesday evening, Chicago police said an unidentified man and woman dropped off a white-and-yellow dachshund mix at the 16th District police station. Police quickly confirmed the animal to be Bam Bam. Santiago, who is both blind and has Type 2 diabetes, rushed to the station to be reunited with Bam Bam, say police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dog was reportedly in good health when it was recovered, police said. As it stands, no arrests have been made. A team of detectives is continuing to investigate the circumstances of how the dog ended up at the station. The pair who dropped off Bam Bam refused to hand over any information to the police before leaving, according to authorities. The Justice Department has launched an investigation into Washington crime reporting data as President Trump clashes with city leaders over his takeover of local police. The investigation, led by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for D.C., comes from the same office that earlier this year publicized that violent crime in Washington had reached a 30-year low. Trump has claimed crime in the nations capital is worse than what the data shows, even as city officials release reams of data showing falling crime in a number of categories since a spike in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president has used claims of widespread and violent crime to justify the takeover as well as a National Guard presence in the capital, even as D.C. residents overwhelmingly oppose the move and fewer describe crime as a serious problem in the city. D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety, Trump wrote on social media earlier this week. The investigation comes after the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) suspended a former commander of one district after he was accused of shifting data on violent crime, NBC Washington reported last month. That district comprises three neighborhoods in the city. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the probe in a Monday night interview on Fox News but said he was unsure whether any shifts were broader than the one officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, no. I cant tell you for sure whether it goes further, but we are, as you just suggested, we are, of course, looking into this, he said. Because the reality is that we know that D.C. has been an incredibly unsafe place to live for a very long time. And so in some ways, its not surprising that we hear about reports of this type of conduct that suggests that D.C. is safer than everybody that lives here knows to be true, Blanche continued. So, were investigating it, and hopefully, well get to the bottom of it at some point soon. The D.C. police union, which supported Trumps takeover of the force, has said it doubts crime is as low as the city reported. Statistics released by the city show a 27 percent drop in violent crime and a 4 percent drop in property crime from 2024 to this year. The declines are even more significant for the full year comparisons of 2023 and 2024, with violent crime dropping 35 percent and property crime dropping 11 percent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MPD did not immediately respond to request for comment nor did the U.S. Attorneys Office. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowsers (D) office did not 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. A Dallas countertop supplier settled $12.4 million with the Department of Justice (DOJ), after claims it evaded duties on imported Chinese stone for years. Allied Stone Inc. and its President Jia Jerry Lim agreed to settle claims they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly and improperly evading, or conspiring to evade duties to the American government on quartz imported from China, the DOJ announced August 19. The violations allegedly took place from September 29, 2018, to February 7, 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Importers must declare the country of origin of goods entering the United States, the value of the goods, whether they are subject to duties, and the amount of duties owed. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects these duties, including those that cover antidumping and countervailing. Antidumping duties are meant to protect against foreign companies dumping goods on U.S. markets at prices below cost, while countervailing duties are intended to offset subsidies by foreign governments, such as those from China. The settlement states that Allied Stone and Lim knowingly misrepresented or conspired to misrepresent quartz imports as different goods, subject to lesser duties. The United States also alleged that Allied Stone and Mr. Lim failed to declare and pay, and failed to ensure that others (including manufacturers and third-party entities serving as the official importers of record) were declaring and paying, applicable antidumping and countervailing duties owed to the United States on entries of Chinese quartz surface products, the press release read. The settlement stems from a civil lawsuit United States ex rel. Melinda Hemphill v. Allied Stone Inc., et al. filed by realtor Melinda Hemphill under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. The law allows private parties to sue on behalf of the government and share part of the governments settlement. Hemphill will receive close to $2.17 million as a result. Providing false information to CBP violates the law, and it is imperative that violators face consequences, said Susan Thomas, acting executive assistant commissioner of CBPs Office of Trade, in the release. CBP will always work alongside the Department of Justice to ensure a level playing field for U.S. businesses. Similarly, two importers from Americas Northeast Global Plastics LLC and Marco Polo International LLC settled $6.8 million for False Claims Act violations, dodging duties on Chinese plastic, as The Dallas Express reported in July. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks at a news conference at the Drug Enforcement Administration on July 15. Separately, Bondi announced last month that the Justice Department had issued more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics that it said mutilated children in the service of a warped ideology. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson The Justice Department has demanded that a Philadelphia hospital hand over a broad swath of information related to gender-affirming care for minors, including individual patient names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, according to a copy of a subpoena that became public in a court filing Monday. The DOJ issued a subpoena to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia in June. It requested doctors emails, texts, social media and Zoom recordings dating to January 2020, long before any state legislature in the United States had passed a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, The Washington Post first reported. The subpoena was made public this week in a court filing by the Washington state attorney generals office. Washington State Attorney General Nicholas W. Brown sued the Trump administration in January to block two executive orders that tried to withhold federal funding from institutions that offered gender-affirming care. Hard-won queer rights are under attack. HuffPost remains committed to standing with the LGBTQ+ community. Support our work by joining our membership program today. Brown wrote in court documents that he included the subpoena to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia because President Donald Trump has only escalated his attacks since a federal judge initially blocked Trumps efforts to curb youth gender care in March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Justice Department had issued more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics that it said mutilated children in the service of a warped ideology. It was not clear at the time what information the government was seeking from these health care providers. Related: These Lawyers Are Trying To Claw Back Civil Rights With This New Resource DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The subpoenas were sent to health care institutions in both states where gender care has been banned and states that have shield laws protecting access to such care. The investigations, legal and health care experts told HuffPost, are part of the Trump administrations attempt to build a case to allege that medical providers may have violated criminal statutes and engaged in fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News of the subpoenas, along with the Supreme Courts decision to uphold Tennessees law banning gender-affirming care in June, sowed chaos and confusion in hospitals around the country. At least 25 hospitals and health care networks across the United States have ended or restricted gender-affirming care services for trans youth since July, HuffPost found in an independent count. None of these hospitals are in the 26 states that have bans on care. Jacob T. Elberg, a former federal prosecutor specializing in health care, told The Washington Post that the government was using its authority to target medical providers based on a disagreement about medical treatment rather than violations of the law. Elberg also noted that under federal privacy law, the DOJ must show that there is a legitimate law enforcement probe to account for information on patient identities. Alex Sheldon, the executive director of GLMA, an organization of LGBTQ+ health professionals, told HuffPost that the subpoenas are intended to send a chilling message to everyone, from patients to providers, that they are not safe, not even in the exam room. This is definitely not an element of law enforcement. Its a targeted political retaliation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While efforts to cull sensitive medical data are unprecedented by the federal government, they mirror the actions taken by Republican officials in Texas and Tennessee. In September 2022, Tennessees attorney general, Jonathan Skrmetti, opened an investigation into the states largest provider of pediatric gender care, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Skrmetti requested private medical records of more than 150 patients who used TennCare, the states Medicaid plan, as well as billing codes, queries into specific doctors and information about the hospitals volunteer program to pair trans youth with peer support from students and community members. Skrmettis investigation came one day after right-wing blogger Matt Walsh posted allegations on social media that Vanderbilt doctors castrate, sterilize, and mutilate minors. Tennessee state Republicans later passed a ban on gender-affirming care for youth, citing Walshs posts. Related: Gavin Newsom Shuts Down Kevin McCarthy Using 1 Brutal Blast From The Past The Supreme Court upheld Tennessees ban on gender-affirming care in a decision this June. Several families of transgender youth had sued Skrmetti, claiming that the state law violated the families constitutional protections. The conservative majority ruled that the law did not discriminate on the basis of transgender status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton initiated investigations into out-of-state gender care providers. He alleged that those hospitals were providing care to minors from Texas, where such care is prohibited. Earlier this month, a coalition of 16 states and Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit to try to block the federal governments investigations into hospitals across the U.S. The federal government is running a cruel and targeted harassment campaign against providers who offer lawful, lifesaving care to children, New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the states in the suit, said in a statement. This administration is ruthlessly targeting young people who already face immense barriers just to be seen and heard, and are putting countless lives at risk in the process. More on Politics Supreme Court Upholds Law Banning Gender-Affirming Care For Minors Keith Olbermann Goes Scorched Earth On 'Aggressively Stupid' Karoline Leavitt Nancy Mace Cancels Speech After Almost No One Shows Up Read the original on HuffPost The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has announced Elena Poeschl as a new member of its Global Preparers Forum (GPF) for an initial five-year term. Separate from the IASB and the IFRS Foundation, the GPF aims to provide regular input from the international community of financial statement preparers. It comprises members with extensive practical experience in financial reporting. These members are recognised commentators on accounting matters, either individually or through their work with representative bodies, the accounting body explained. They are selected based on professional competence and practical experience to contribute to the development of global accounting standards. Poeschl will contribute her expertise in accounting, financial reporting and regulatory frameworks, particularly within the insurance, banking and asset management sectors. She is currently the head of financial accounting and reporting at Zurich Insurance Company, where she oversees the preparation of group consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS Accounting Standards. IASB said that with more than 20 years of experience, Poeschl is recognised for her strategic leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and ability to drive complex initiatives such as IFRS implementation and regulatory transformation. She is a trusted adviser to senior executives and a strong advocate for clarity and impact in financial communication, it added. Poeschl holds a diploma with honours in International Economics from St Petersburg State University and is fluent in three languages. Last month, the IFRS Foundation published a set of near-final examples to guide companies in reporting financial uncertainties, particularly in climate-related situations. These examples aim to assist companies in applying existing IFRS Accounting Standards. They were developed collaboratively by the IASB and the International Sustainability Standards Board and are expected to be finalised by October 2025. "IASB adds new member to Global Preparers Forum " was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand. OUTER BANKS, N.C. (WAVY) Dominion Energy representatives said theyre determined to keep customers lights on ahead the impact Hurricane Erin may have. From southeast Virginia to coastal North Carolina, crews from across the Commonwealth are driving towards where power outages are anticipated. We actually are moving crews from our northern Virginia region and our central Virginia region, like in Richmond, down to the eastern region of Virginia, like Hampton Roads, as well as to the Outer Banks, even eastern Elizabeth City, explained Cherise Newsome with Dominion Energy. We want to make sure we have all hands on deck to prepare for whatever Hurricane Erin brings our way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those crews will be handling outages in cooperation with other power companies who operate in the Outer Banks. Newsome said incoming crews will temporarily be stationed outside harder hit zones for a strategic purpose. We do have to keep that equipment away from those areas that are likely to get flooded because it could damage that equipment, she said. Theyre just a stones throw away, but they are strategically kept at staging areas that are less susceptible to coastal flooding. According to Newsome, preparations for storms happen long before theyre even on the radar. Hardening the power grid and improving technology are just a couple of ways Dominion works to keep the lights on when storms hit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The operations crew works remotely to identify ports on power lines using power line sensors. They can detect faults, whether thats a tree branch or something else, thats causing an interrupted or an interruption in the flow of power, she explained. What they do is detect that fault, and they can section off the trouble spot and then reroute the flow of electricity. Its likely customers may see an impact to their power services due to the storm. If that does happen, Dominion Energy is asking that you stay patient with line workers who are working to help you along the way. Dominion also wants to remind customers that although they can better detect outages, contacting them and providing context to what youre seeing helps crews repair the issue faster. We do ask that you report your outage, using the app or by calling 866-DOM-HELP. Then, you will be able to track the status of your repair. Thatll help you know if itll be a few hours and you might want to stick it out, or if it could take longer, Newsome said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stay with WAVY.com for more local news, weather and traffic. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. NEED TO KNOW Donald Trump was overheard telling French President Emmanuel Macron the "crazy" reason why he thinks he can sway Russia to stop its invasion of Ukraine A hot mic picked up Trump's private comments during an Aug. 18 summit at the White House The recent summit saw seven European leaders gather at the White House to support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in working towards a peace deal Donald Trump was accidentally caught sharing his "crazy" logic for thinking that a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is possible. In a whispered conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron at a summit with other European leaders on Aug. 18, the U.S. president seemingly shared that he thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree to end the war in Ukraine in order to hand Trump a victory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comment was picked up via hot mic, Fox News reported. "I think he [Putin] wants to make a deal. I think he wants to make a deal for me, you understand that?" he said. "As crazy as it sounds." ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, and French President Emmanuel Macron on Aug. 18. Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, and French President Emmanuel Macron on Aug. 18. The exchange came during an unprecedented convergence of European leaders at the White House, who gathered on short notice to support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid negotiations to end the land war, which began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Leaders from NATO, EU, Finland, Germany, Italy and the U.K. were also present at the White House. The summit came three days after Trump's meeting with Putin in Alaska, which was also held to discuss peace efforts. Though the two presidents reportedly made progress, Trump said, no deal was reached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Aug. 18 summit marked Zelenskyy's first time back at the White House since Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated him on live TV in February. The Ukrainian president was repeatedly admonished by the American leaders for not wearing a suit and for allegedly not being grateful enough to the United States for its assistance. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In his recent visit, though, Zelenskyy seemingly kept the White House's previous sensitivities in mind, wearing a military-style suit and publicly thanking Trump more than 10 times throughout the summit. With the other European leaders present on Monday, Zelenskyy shared that his private meeting with Trump was productive. The U.S. president added that he'd work to set up a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders in the coming days. Read the original article on People The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning people to avoid eating certain raw frozen shrimp sold in Walmart stores as the agency investigates possible contamination by Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope. U.S. Customs and Border Protection alerted the FDA to the detection of Cesium-137 in a single shipment of imported frozen shrimp from the Indonesia-based company PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, which does business under the name BMS Foods. Officials have since detected the radioactive isotope at four ports across the nation: Los Angeles, Houston, Miami; and Savannah, Ga. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amount of Cesium-137 detected within the contaminated shipment would not pose an acute hazard to consumers. However, long-term consumption would pose an elevated risk of cancer. Read more: In three months, 26 foods have been recalled. Why you shouldn't worry Bags of the frozen food product are sold under the brand name Great Value at Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia. All containers and products that tested positive or alerted for Cesium-137 have been denied entry into the country, according to an FDA announcement on Tuesday. Federal officials are coordinating with Indonesian seafood regulatory authorities to investigate the root cause of the contamination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have not been any reports of contaminated shrimp in the freezer section or within the U.S. food supply chain, authorities said. Read more: A wave of major listeria recalls shows food safety will 'never be perfect' Cesium-137 can be found in soil, food and air, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It is produced by nuclear fission for use in medical gauges and devices, but can also be a byproduct of nuclear reactors and weapons testing, the agency said. Though bags of frozen shrimp haven't tested positive for Cesium-137, officials say the product may have been prepared, packed or held in unsanitary conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walmart has received shipments of the frozen food that were imported after the date of the first detection, but those specific shipments did not alert for contamination, officials said. Shoppers who purchased the following products should not consume eat or serve the frozen shrimp, but instead throw it away, authorities say: Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Read more: Amid listeria outbreak, Southland company pulls its food from shelves Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FDA is currently recommending that Walmart completely recall the item. BMS Foods is also no longer allowed to import the products into the U.S. until the company addresses any potential issues. 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. In a statement issued yesterday, the 150 academics condemned the claims made in that letter, including accusations that Israel is starving Gazas residents. Around 150 professors and senior faculty members at Bar-Ilan University criticized a letter from university leadership to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on him to "solve the hunger problem in Gaza," Channel 12 News reported on Tuesday morning. In a statement issued yesterday, the academics condemned the claims made in that letter, including accusations that Israel is starving Gazas residents, which they described as a "cynical campaign." They accused the other faculty members of "falling into Hamass propaganda trap." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While Hamas deliberately starves the hostages to exert pressure, it is exploiting the severe humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip a situation it itself caused and continues to cause to run a cynical campaign blaming the State of Israel and IDF soldiers for intentional starvation," the statement read. "We call on our colleagues and the public not to fall into Hamass propaganda trap, which is based on information proven to be biased and partially false," it added. "We also urge avoiding populist and irresponsible calls, which only harden Hamass positions and reduce the chances of returning the hostages safely." A copy of the Declaration of Independence hangs from the Brain Research Building on the Bar-Ilan University campus. (credit: Ari Zivotofsky) University presidents' letter to Netanyahu The situation began on July 28, when the presidents of five Israeli universities sent a letter to Netanyahu, calling for urgent action to resolve the "severe hunger crisis in Gaza." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crisis is "causing immense harm to non-combatants, including children and infants," the letter reads. In their letter, the university heads of Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University, the Open University, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and the Technion urged the IDF to intensify efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis. They emphasized the need to minimize harm to non-combatants, "regardless of the heavy responsibility of Hamas and other parties." "Along with a growing number of the countrys residents, we are shocked by the scenes coming from Gaza, particularly infants who are dying daily from hunger and illness," the letter states. Uri Sela contributed to this report. A traffic accident in western Afghanistan has killed 79 people, including 17 children, most of whom were on a bus carrying Afghan migrants deported from Iran, a Taliban interior ministry spokesperson confirmed to the BBC. The bus, en route to Kabul, caught fire on Tuesday night after colliding with a truck and motorcycle in Herat province. Everyone aboard the bus was killed, as well as two people from the other vehicles, Ahmadullah Mottaqi, the Taliban's director of information and culture in Herat, told BBC Pashto earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent months Iran has stepped up its deportations of undocumented Afghan migrants who have fled conflict in their homeland. "All the passengers were migrants who had boarded the vehicle in Islam Qala," provincial governor spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi told AFP, referring to a town near the AfghanistanIran border. Herat police said the accident happened because of the bus driver's "excessive speed and negligence", AFP reported. Traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan, where roads have been damaged by decades of conflict and driving regulations are not strongly enforced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the 1970s, millions of Afghans have fled to Iran and Pakistan, with major waves during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and following the Taliban's return to power in 2021. This has contributed to growing anti-Afghan sentiment in Iran, with refugees facing systemic discrimination. Iran had previously given a July deadline for undocumented Afghans to depart voluntarily. But since a brief war with Israel in June, Iranian authorities have forcibly returned hundreds of thousands of Afghans, alleging national security concerns - though critics say Tehran may simply be looking for scapegoats for its security failures against Israeli attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 1.5 million Afghans have left Iran since January, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Some had been in Iran for generations. Experts warn Afghanistan lacks the capacity to absorb the growing number of nationals forcibly returned to a country under Taliban government. The country is already struggling with a large influx of returnees from Pakistan, which is also forcing hundreds of thousands of Afghans to leave. "The return of so many people is creating an additional strain on already overstretched resources, and this new wave of refugees comes at a time when the Afghanistan is starting to feel the brutal impacts of aid cuts," said Arshad Malik, country director of Save the Children Afghanistan. NEED TO KNOW Authorities in North Carolina said about 60 rescues have been conducted off the state's coastline as Hurricane Erin passes by Another rescue took place off the coast of Hilton Head, S.C., according to the National Weather Service Hurricane Erin is expected to pass between the U.S. east coast and Bermuda from Aug. 20 through Aug. 22 Dozens of people have been rescued from rip currents as Hurricane Erin churns up the Eastern seaboard. Authorities said about 60 people have been rescued from rip currents at Wrightsville Beach, N.C., according to the Wilmington Star-News and NBC affiliate WRAL-TV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Town officials have since issued a no swimming order from Tuesday, Aug. 19, through Friday, Aug. 22, due to an increase in swell activity and the presence of strong rip currents. These swells are producing powerful rip currents that can create extremely hazardous swimming conditions, WB Ocean Rescue Director Sam Proffitt said in a statement included in the "no swimming" order. Proffitt added, The safety of our beachgoers is always our top priority, and we urge everyone to follow this advisory. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais Red flags, indicating swimming is prohibited, are raised at the beach in Duck, N.C., on Aug. 19, 2025. Red flags, indicating swimming is prohibited, are raised at the beach in Duck, N.C., on Aug. 19, 2025. Another person was rescued from a rip current in Hilton Head Island, S.C., on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Charleston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect from Beaufort Inlet, N.C. to the North Carolina-Virginia border, including the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, according to a public advisory shared by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami on Wednesday, Aug. 20. A Storm Surge Warning also remains in effect for Cape Lookout to Duck, N.C., with wave heights of two to four feet expected. Meanwhile, a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the areas north of the North Carolina-Virginia border to Chincoteague, Va., as well as Bermuda. National Hurricane Center Hurricane Erin's probable storm path as of Aug. 20, 2025 Hurricane Erin's probable storm path as of Aug. 20, 2025 Hurricane Erin is currently moving toward the north-northwest at about 13 mph, and is expected to turn toward the north and north-northeast later on Wednesday and into Thursday, Aug. 21, according to the NHC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storm will then move in a faster motion toward the northeast and east-northeast by Thursday and Friday, Aug. 22, with the center of the storm moving over the western Atlantic between the U.S. east coast and Bermuda from Wednesday through Friday. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Hurricane Erin is expected to weaken as it passes south of Atlantic Canada on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23, but is expected to remain a hurricane entering the weekend. Hurricane-force winds currently extend outward up to 90 miles from the center of the storm, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 265 miles, according to the NHC. Read the original article on People DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Dayton Public Schools Board of Education approved new safety policies for students riding RTA buses. This comes just days after the district was granted a temporary restraining order against a new Ohio law prohibiting the use of public transit through transfer stations for students. Why is DPS suing the State of Ohio over busing? DPS will now be able to offer RTA bus passes to its students while their lawsuit against the State of Ohio proceeds through court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a meeting Tuesday night, DPS board members voted 4-3 to pass a resolution with new requirements for students using RTA buses to get to school. The new policies require students to wear a visible student ID in order to ride. Students must also agree to comply with the RTA Code of Conduct. These rules apply to both DPS and charter school students. Board members say this is only a temporary solution to provide relief to students and families while they navigate next steps. I hope that our families understand that the actions are really to help them, said Karen Wick, DPS board member. We want everybody to have safe transportation, we want our kids to get to school safely, and this is a way we can do that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DPS currently has approximately 3,500 bus passes that were purchased before the law went into place in July. The district plans to distribute these passes to students to use over the next two months. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. GAINES COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) Two men from El Paso were killed Sunday evening after being ejected in a rollover crash in Gaines County. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the crash happened around 7:30 p.m. on West U.S. Highway 62 near County Road 316. Investigators said that a 2008 Ford F-350 pulling a trailer was headed east on US 62 when the driver failed to stay in a single lane and veered into the barrow ditch. The truck rolled over, ejecting both the driver and passenger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver, 24-year-old Jacinto Joel Ontiveros, and passenger, 19-year-old Alejandro Ontiveros, were pronounced dead at the scene. DPS reported neither man was wearing a seatbelt. This crash remains under investigation, according to 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 Yourbasin. The fraught bankruptcy proceedings for Dr. Phil McGraws anti-woke Merit Street Media have taken another dramatic turn as his broadcasting partner is suing the company and McGraw for fraud and breach of contract. The lawsuit filed by the Trinity Broadcasting comes just a month after Merit Street filed for bankruptcy and sued the Christian television network, accusing TBN of sabotage because it reneged on its obligations and abused its position as the controlling shareholder of Merit Street. Meanwhile, the countersuit by TBN which was filed in Texas court Tuesday comes as Dr. Phil and his production company Peteski attempted to halt the Chapter 11 proceedings for the year-old Merit Street, claiming the legal costs of going bankrupt were too expensive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The effort to halt the bankruptcy follows the Professional Bull Riders accusing Dr. Phil of engaging in a bad faith Chapter 11 filing as the bull-riding league tries to collect on the $181 million it claims is owed to them by Merit Street. The response to TBN legitimately and lawfully defending itself from Peteski and McGraws bad-faith attacks is to cry foul because they do not like the true facts that they themselves now regretfully put at issue before this Court, revealing McGraws true illicit intent and wrongful conduct which he self-described as a gangster move and as 11th-hour poker, TBN and its attorneys state in the complaint. Dr. Phil McGraw is now being sued by Trinity Broadcasting, which accuses the TV star of reprehensible conduct in negotiating a $500 million deal. (AFP/Getty) TBN now asserts its affirmative claims against Peteski and McGraw related to the years-long fraudulent scheme that they developed and executed to fleece TBN, a not-for-profit corporation, to enrich McGraw, his associates and affiliates, the lawsuit alleges. TBN is confident that the truth will set it free, and result in Peteski and McGraw being held accountable for their reprehensible conduct. Merit Street has accused TBN of failing to live up to the terms of their agreement, specifically citing the inability to secure national television distribution for the Dr. Phil-led channel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These failures by TBN were neither unintended nor inadvertent, Merit Street alleges in its complaint. They were a conscious, intentional pattern of choices made with full awareness that the consequence of which was to sabotage and seal the fate of a new but already nationally acclaimed network. However, TBN which at one point owned 70 percent of Merit Street counters that it was McGraw who created a false sense of urgency when he approached the broadcaster about cutting ties with CBS and starting up his own network. All the while, TBN alleges, the MAGA-boosting TV psychologist lied about viewership numbers, advertising revenues, back catalogs and production costs in order to quickly secure a highly lucrative $500 million, 10-year deal from the network. Among other things, McGraw falsely represented to TBN that CBS would pay him $75 million per year to renew his contract and TBN must (1) immediately sign some form of binding agreement with Peteski and (2) immediately pay him $20 million as a gesture of good faith to show TBNs ability to pay and commitment to the deal, the complaint states. Anything less, McGraw claimed, would be a deal killer. TBN relied on McGraws false assurances and proceeded with the requested urgency. Dr. Phil, who had hosted a syndicated television show for roughly 20 years at that point, also told Trinity that he wanted to change networks because of what he perceived to be CBSs censorship, explicitly saying: I dont want snot nose lawyers telling me what I can and cant say on TV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGraw also allegedly said that he was looking to move his show from California to Texas, where TBN is located, in order to lower production costs by avoiding California regulations and cutting payroll by ridding himself of union-based employees. At the same time, in order to further entice Trinity into a deal, Dr. Phil represented that he owned the entire 21-year media library for his syndicated show and that TBN would have access to it at no additional cost. However, according to the complaint, McGraw hired dozens of employees from his previous show despite the agreement to slash production costs. On top of that, TBN alleges, Peteski which owned the other 30 percent of Merit failed to make payments on its interest in the company. While the agreement called for Dr. Phil to produce 160 90-minute episodes of his new primetime show to be aired on Merit Street, TBN claims McGraw never made good on that promise, instead keeping the program in its current hour-long format. A spokesperson for McGraw, meanwhile, stated that the host recorded 214 new episodes of Dr. Phil Primetime, adding that to say otherwise is absolutely false. Dr. Phil McGraw, seen here with President Donald Trump, has been accused of conducting a years-long fraudulent scheme. (Getty) Elsewhere in the complaint, Trinity claims that McGraw demanded more money despite TBN already expending tens of millions of dollars establishing his show on the new network after the broadcaster asked to use the library content to fill out airtime on Merit Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This, among other things, prompted TBN to press McGraw to live up to his representation that he would contribute the Dr Phil Show library to Merit Street, the lawsuit states. Despite his previous representations, McGraw and his attorneys at Manatt informed TBN for the first time that McGraw would not contribute any old episodes of the Dr. Phil Show to Merit Street for Peteskis 30% or otherwise, the complaint continues. Instead, McGraw brazenly demanded that TBN pay him $100 million to obtain a 50% interest in the media library. As for Merit Streets bankruptcy, which was filed last month, TBN says the Chapter 11 proceedings werent approved by its board members while accusing McGraw of plotting to use the bankruptcy to start a new media venture and snag the license for his show. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy judge presiding over the case said on Tuesday that the Chapter 11 proceedings will continue for now, adding that the court will decide on September 2 whether to dismiss the filing or convert it to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge has initially sided with Trinity Broadcasting Network and Professional Bull Riders, stating that Merit Street is at fault for delaying the case by resisting discovery and it is therefore not going to fund what Trinity and PBR call a giant litigation war chest for the companys professionals, Sarah Foss, Head of Legal at Debtwire, explained to The Independent. The discovery resistance may be tied to reputational concerns from Dr. Phil, and what might be revealed in text messages or emails that come out in the discovery process, Foss continued, adding: Notably, the judge overseeing the bankruptcy denied a request from Merit Streets bankruptcy counsel, Sidley Austin, to withdraw from the case before that hearing, despite being owed $3.7m in unpaid legal fees and a lack of funds to pay the lawyers for their work representing the company at the hearing. Relentless rains across northern Pakistan have triggered deadly flooding and landslides, but footage of thick mud crashing onto buildings does not show the recent situation in the South Asian nation. The clip, featured in a compilation with thousands of views, was shot in the Japanese town of Atami in July 2021. "May Allah protect all of us from natural calamities. Amen," reads the Urdu-language caption of a Facebook video viewed more than 11,000 times since it was shared on August 16, 2025. The caption includes hashtags for areas in Pakistan's mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where torrential monsoon rains have triggered deadly flooding and landslides (archived link). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The video comprises several clips, with the first showing mud and debris crashing down a hillside. Screenshot of the false Facebook post captured on August 18, 2025, with a red X added by AFP Similar compilations were also shared on Instagram and X posts, as northern Pakistan was ravaged by an unusually intense monsoon season that has left more than 400 people dead (archived link). The monsoon season brings about three-quarters of South Asia's annual rainfall, which is vital for agriculture and food security but also causes widespread destruction. The rains that have battered Pakistan have caused flooding and landslides that have swept away entire villages, leaving many residents trapped in the rubble and hundreds missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the clip used at the beginning of the circulating compilation was not filmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the clip led to the same footage shared by Japanese outlet Sankei News on YouTube on July 3, 2021 (archived link). The longer footage in the old report is credited to wire agency EyePress. Its caption indicates it shows a mudslide sweeping through the Izusan neighbourhood of Atami, a town in Japan's Shizuoka prefecture, on July 3, 2021. Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (left) and the Sankei News video (right) The video corresponds to Google Street View imagery of the town, located around 90 kilometres (55 miles) southwest of Tokyo (archived link). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AFP reported that torrents of mud crashed through part of the town following days of heavy rain (archived link). The devastating landslide killed 27 people. The video has been misrepresented several times on social media as showing unrelated disasters. Other clips in the compilation depict raging floodwaters and buildings being toppled over. While AFP was unable to verify if they all show the impact of the monsoon rains on northern Pakistan in August 2025, at least one of the clips is several years old. The video of a muddy torrent furiously gushing across buildings has circulated on Facebook and YouTube since at least August 2022 (archived here and here). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latter post says it was taken in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Swat district. Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (left) and the video posted in 2022 (right) Monsoon rains in 2022 submerged a third of the country and resulted in approximately 1,700 deaths. AFP reported at the time that many rivers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had burst their banks, demolishing scores of buildings including a 150-room hotel that crumbled into a raging torrent (archived link). Officials said that year's monsoon flooding affected more than 33 million people -- one in seven Pakistanis -- destroying or badly damaging nearly a million homes. AFP earlier debunked another false claim about the recent monsoon flooding in Pakistan here. (Reuters) -Intel is in talks with other large investors to receive an equity infusion at a discounted price, CNBC reported on Wednesday, just days after the struggling chipmaker got a $2 billion capital injection from SoftBank Group. The new funding would be another financial lifeline for Intel, as billions of dollars in investment to expand its contract manufacturing business, which is struggling to compete with Taiwan's TSMC, has strained its balance sheet. The CNBC report, which cited people familiar with the matter, did not name the potential investors. Intel, whose shares fell 7%, did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. This could be the second capital injection at a discounted price after SoftBank's investment at $23 per Intel share for a stake of just under 2%. The company's shares had risen nearly 7% on Tuesday on SoftBank's investment plan and had last week gained more than 23% on reports of the U.S. government taking a stake. On Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the government wants an equity stake in Intel in exchange for CHIPS Act grants approved by former President Joe Biden's administration. Intel, which had secured about $8 billion in subsidies to build factories - the largest outlay under the 2022 CHIPS Act- has significantly pared back manufacturing ambitions under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Years of management missteps has left the company with virtually no foothold in the booming artificial intelligence chip industry dominated by Nvidia. Of late, Intel has been on shaky ground with Washington, with U.S. President Donald Trump meeting Tan last week, after seeking his resignation over "highly conflicted" ties to Chinese firms. Intel's last fiscal year of positive adjusted free cash flow was 2021 and it recorded an annual loss of $18.8 billion in 2024, its first such loss since 1986. (Reporting by Arsheeya Bajwa in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Arun Koyyur) SOUTHWICK Federal funding targeted for the design and engineering of a proposed dredging project for Great and Canal brooks, which was clawed back by the federal Department of Government Efficiency in February, have been restored. Everything was going along fine, said Richard Grannells, the chair of the towns Lake Management Committee. There was a contracted consultant in place and ready to sign the paperwork, but the money was taken away. However, Grannells learned last week the funding had been restored and a contract had been signed with the Holyoke-based Pare Corporation, whose engineers have already started surveying the areas involved to develop a plan to tackle what is sure to be an expensive project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Grannells was hesitant to offer an exact cost of dredging the two brooks, said it could be in excess of $10 million. He said the survey of Canal Brook will be much easier than Great Brook. Canal Brook was created in the 1830s as part of the New Haven and Northampton Canal project and Canal Brook, also known as the Farmington Canal, was where it connected to the South Pond of Congamond Lakes. Because the canal is easily accessible, Grannells said that survey work will be completed first. He also said one of the members of the LMC has a boat dock very near where the canal meets the pond where the survey team can start. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Great Brook, on the other hand, will be difficult to survey because over the last 20 years or so, it has been clogged with overwhelming amounts of debris from fallen trees, beaver huts, and thick underbrush. While it may appear that Canal and Great brook supply the water for the three Great Ponds which is how the state defines them they serve as outlets for the ponds water during heavy rains. Now, however, both brooks feed into the ponds, which in turn, washes decades of sediments, nutrients into them, which is one of the LMCs primary missions the keep the ponds healthy. In fact, the weir gate which adjusts the levels of the ponds under the bridge at 13 Berkshire Ave., has been permanently closed for years, Grannells said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you opened that weir gate, it would rush all that sediment laden with all kinds of nutrients and nasty stuff, Grannells said, adding that sediment from the swamps that surround portions of the South Pond do get around the gates. Grannells can remember when Great Brook had a running stream that stretched from the weir gate at Berkshire Avenue all the way to Westfield. However, because of the debris, and the hundreds of trees downed during the 2008 ice storm, the pond has literally disappeared. It went from a nice open pond into a defined stream and under Sheep Pasture Road, and then again until it connected to where Pearl Brook and eventually Johnson Brook all enter into Great Brook watershed, Grannells said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If funding for the dredging project is allocated, Grannells said it could extend all the way from Great Brook to the general area of Laro Road. He added that some of the dredging could be done on the shore along the path of the brook, but there would also be areas along the stream where heavy machinery would need to go because of the lack of access. On Sept. 12, Grannells and other town officials and those from Connecticut will meet remotely to discuss how the project will move forward. Grannells also said the LMC is continuing to explore options to have the small cove just in front of the Middle Pond boat ramp dredged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The LMC applied for a state grant pilot program last year to try and get it approved. As an incentive, the Community Preservation Committee approved an allocation of $100,000 of Community Preservation Act funds, which was approved the Town Meeting. The water there is so shallow, boaters often have to push or row their power boats to deeper water. There is also a remnant of a road in the cove that someone tried to install decades before. Read the original article on MassLive. Fewer showers and storms will pop up across New Mexico starting Wednesday as drier air moves into the state. Rain chances will increase though in northwest New Mexico and southwest Colorado. Showers and storms again brought heavy rain to parts of New Mexico Tuesday afternoon. The Albuquerque Metro briefly picked up heavy rainfall today. It was another hot day across the state before the storms and cloud cover moved in. What is left of the rain and storms in the state tonight will come to an end overnight. Drier air starts moving into New Mexico Wednesday, but we will still see isolated showers and storms in northern, western, and southern parts of the state. A couple of these storms in southeast New Mexico could turn strong. There will be a similar chance for rain Thursday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High pressure continues to draw in drier air into southern and eastern New Mexico by Friday. However, rain chances will return to southwest Colorado, western and northern New Mexico. The chance for rain will continue in western and northern New Mexico Saturday, before spreading to the entire northern half of New Mexico Sunday. Isolated to scattered showers and storms will stick around into early next week as cooler temperatures also move in. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Fewer showers and storms will pop up across New Mexico starting Wednesday as drier air moves into the state. Rain chances will increase though in northwest New Mexico and southwest Colorado. Showers and storms have again brought heavy rain to parts of New Mexico Tuesday afternoon. The Albuquerque Metro briefly picked up heavy rainfall today, but our chance for rain through this evening is much lower now. Storms will continue to move to the southwest through this evening before ending overnight. Drier air starts moving into New Mexico Wednesday, but we will still see isolated showers and storms in northern, western, and southern parts of the state. A couple of these storms in southeast New Mexico could turn strong. There will be a similar chance for rain Thursday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High pressure continues to draw in drier air into southern and eastern New Mexico by Friday. However, rain chances will return to southwest Colorado, western and northern New Mexico. The chance for rain will continue in western and northern New Mexico Saturday, before spreading to the entire northern half of New Mexico Sunday. Isolated to scattered showers and storms will stick around into early next week as cooler temperatures also move in. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. A hit-and-run driver crashed into a North Carolina veterinary clinic on Tuesday, causing a gas explosion that left three firefighters injured, authorities said. Jason Lee Beach, 46, was charged with felony DWI with serious injury, possession of drug paraphernalia, hit and run, reckless driving and failure to maintain lane, the Wilmington Police Department said in a press release. He is being held at the New Hanover County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond. Jordan Branyon/TMX via Reuters - PHOTO: Debris flies through the air as smoke rises following an explosion at a building in Wilmington, N.C., on Aug. 19, 2025, in this screen grab taken from a social media video. The incident began unfolding around 11 a.m. Tuesday when a vehicle struck the Eastern Carolina Veterinary Medical Center on New Centre Drive, rupturing a gas line, police said. The driver fled the scene before authorities arrived, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Wilmington firefighters were conducting a search of the building to ensure it was empty, a gas explosion occurred. Three firefighters were injured in the blast, with one sustaining severe burns to the hands and arms. MORE: Search on for suspect who stabbed ranger in state park near Denver: Police The other two firefighters suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. All three were taken to a local hospital, officials said. Jordan Branyon/TMX via Reuters - PHOTO: Debris flies through the air as smoke rises following an explosion at a building in Wilmington, N.C., on Aug. 19, 2025, in this screen grab taken from a social media video. No civilians were inside the building at the time of the explosion. Fire crews later secured the gas leak and brought the fire under control, according to authorities. Police located and arrested Beach, who had allegedly fled the scene after the initial crash. LUDLOW, Mass. (WWLP) A driver was rescued from a steep ravine after their vehicle rolled over multiple times and struck a utility pole in Ludlow. The Ludlow Police and Fire Departments state that on Wednesday at 4:17 a.m., Ludlow Central Dispatch received a call reporting that they had struck a utility pole, and that the vehicle had rolled over multiple times and had come to rest in the woods near East Street. West Street Bridge connecting Ludlow and Indian Orchard closed indefinitely for repairs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When fire and police crews arrived, they found the vehicle down a steep ravine, which is approximately 150 feet from the roadway. Crews used rescue ropes and a pulley system and safely rescued the driver from the steep terrain. Ludlow Police and Fire Departments The driver was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. A heavy-duty rotator tow truck was required to remove the vehicle from the ravine. The cause of the crash is being investigated at this time. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. NEED TO KNOW On August 17, the Canine Rescue of Central Pennsylvania learned of a distressed dog stuck in a plastic pretzel container The stray dog, later named Dallas, spent days with their head caught in the jar, unable to eat or drink Rescue workers, volunteers, and drone pilots banded together to find the canine and free her Dallas the dog is breathing freely again after having her head stuck in a large plastic pretzel container. On August 17, Canine Rescue of Central Pennsylvania (CRCPA) received word that several locals had seen Dallas the dog chaotically wandering around York County, Penn., with a plastic container stuck over her head, according to NBC affiliate WGAL. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The no-kill rescue responded quickly, worried that the canine didn't have long based on the size and placement of the pretzel container. "That plastic container is down to, I would say, about a quarter of the way down its neck, and it's been seen trying to get it off, and it can't get it off. So, it's not getting water. It's not getting food. We're worried about it getting proper oxygen," Beth Miller, a CRCPA volunteer, told the outlet about the dog's predicament. Canine Rescue of Central PA/Facebook Dallas the dog stuck in pretzel container Dallas the dog stuck in pretzel container Rescue workers and volunteers located Dallas several times over the next few days. Unfortunately, the frightened and confused canine wouldn't let anyone get close to her, dodging into a cornfield whenever anyone came near. On Tuesday, worried that the dog was running out of time, Canine Rescue of Central Pennsylvania posted a call for help on its Facebook page, asking followers to send in any sightings of the skittish, stuck pooch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a social media update the following day, the rescue shared details about their search efforts. "Dallas was first spotted early on Monday morning by a Canine Rescue of Central PA (CRCPA) volunteer. From that moment, our team and our incredible partners at FIND TOBY in PA sprang into action, determined to bring Dallas to safety," the organization wrote, adding that volunteers searched through Monday and into Tuesday. At 10 p.m. on Tuesday, as the current search group wrapped up, a new group of volunteer searchers stepped in, including drone pilot Dallas Fuhrman from Nighthawk Drone Services. Fuhrman used a drone to help the group search through the night, and eventually located Dallas the dog at 3 a.m. on Wednesday. Canine Rescue of Central PA/Facebook Dallas the dog Dallas the dog "At 3 a.m., Dallas (named in honor of drone pilot Dallas Fuhrman) was finally located deep in a cornfield, disoriented, exhausted, and still struggling with the jar," CRCPA wrote, alongside a photo of Dallas the dog with the jar removed from her head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Furman called the happy ending of the search a "great team effort" that saved the dog's life, according to WGAL. CRCPA shared on social media that after the distressed pup was found, she was freed from the jar and rushed to Shores Veterinary Emergency Center for treatment. Canine Rescue of Central PA/Facebook Dallas the dog after her rescue Dallas the dog after her rescue "Dallas is suffering from severe dehydration, is infested with ticks, and is clearly in distress. She is now receiving the urgent care she needs, and we are awaiting bloodwork to better understand her full condition," CRCPA added. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The no-kill rescue also promised to keep Dallas' growing fanbase updated on the dog's condition as she focuses on healing. Dallas is currently not available for adoption. Those looking to support the dog can donate to her medical care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CRCPA concluded their most recent post about Dallas with a thank you to the community: "The rescue of Dallas was only possible because of a compassionate community that refused to give up. From drone pilots to search teams to every person who kept sharing her story Thank you!!!" Read the original article on People LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A drunk driver who killed an airman on a Las Vegas-area freeway will serve nearly the maximum sentence allowed by Nevada law, a judge ruled Tuesday. On April 13, 2024, Hetsel Campos killed Airman Natalie Villegas, 23, as Villegas was driving to work at Creech Air Force Base on U.S. 95. Villegas joined the United States Air Force when she was 18, her family said during Campos sentencing Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, Campos took a plea deal, avoiding a trial and sending him to prison for at least two years. Nevada state law requires a judge to sentence drunk drivers who kill to 2-20 years. State law limits the maximum amount of time a defendant can serve in prison before becoming parole eligible to eight years, making 8-20 years the maximum sentence. Villegas joined the United States Air Force when she was 18, her family said during Campos sentencing Tuesday. (Villegas family) Campos blood-alcohol level was about twice the legal limit when police tested it in the hours after the crash, documents said. In court Tuesday, Clark County District Court Judge Tara Clark Newberry sentenced Campos to nearly the maximum penalty: 6-20 years. I should be the one thats gone and not her, Campos said before Clark Newberry sentenced him. I should be the one thats not here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campos attorney, Josh Tomsheck, argued his client had a clean record. Villegas family pressed the judge for the maximum possible sentence. On April 13, 2024, Hetsel Campos killed Airman Natalie Villegas, 23, as Villegas was driving on U.S. 95 to work at Creech Air Force Base. (KLAS) My daughter was taken from us all by an irresponsible decision, Carol Vanessa Serrano, Natalies mother, said. My daughter had no chance. She was simply on her way to do what she loved, and that was to serve this country. The crash happened around sunrise near mile marker 99. Villegas was driving northbound toward Creech when Campos rear-ended her at 117 miles per hour, police said after his arrest. In the hours before the crash, surveillance showed Campos drinking at Downtown Las Vegas casinos. For reasons unknown, Campos was driving north, miles away from the Las Vegas valley and his home, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While on her way to serve our country, you irresponsibly and selfishly came along and took all that away from my daughter, said Natalies father, Juan Villegas. On April 13, 2024, Hetsel Campos killed Airman Natalie Villegas, 23, as Villegas was driving on U.S. 95 to work at Creech Air Force Base. (Villegas family) My charge and my oath is to uphold justice and to hold people accountable for the choices that they make. And unfortunately, Mr. Campos, you made the worst possible choice you could have probably made in your life that night. Clark Newberrys sentence means Campos will be parole eligible in 2031. A proposal earlier this year from Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo to change the law to allow prosecutors to charge a DUI driver who kills with second-degree murder failed. The amended version would have carried a similar maximum sentence as the states second-degree murder statute. A second proposal focusing on Nevadas vehicular homicide law also failed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers will not reconvene, except for special circumstances at the request of the governor, until February 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Language-teaching app Duolingo has been accused of letting gender ideology infect its language classes after criticising JK Rowling in a German lesson. In a session for intermediate-level students, users had to select the correct response written in German to the question: Do you like books with Harry Potter as a character? The correct response was: Yes, but in my opinion the author is mean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The wrong alternative answer said: Yes, youre right. Im interested in sports. A spokesman for the app later said: We apologise for any offence caused and will remove this content from the app. Duolingo app says that JK Rowling is mean Gaby Koppel, a freelance TV producer, wrote on X: Shame on you @duolingo: learning German and I came across the sentence Yes I like Harry Potter but the author is mean. How woke do you have to be to let #trans ideology infect a language lesson? Duolingo is the most popular language app in the world, with 34.1 million daily active users, according to company figures. Ms Koppel, who said she started taking the German classes because her father had been born in the country, told The Telegraph: Its gratuitous how is Rowling relevant to learning German? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the Harry Potter author was the first and only real life person that had been picked out for criticism in the nearly five months of classes she had taken using the app, adding: Not Putin, not the Ayatollahs, but somebody who happens to take a gender-critical stance. It comes after Rowling wrote on X on Tuesday: Thinking of setting up an annual prize to celebrate the most craven, bootlicking capitulation to the Gender Taliban by a supposedly liberal organisation. She said that the Polari Prize was a strong contender for 2025 after bosses paused it following its boycotting over nominating a gender-critical author. The awards came under fire after its longlist included Earth, a novella by John Boyne, a self-described Terf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 800 writers and publishing workers have signed a statement objecting to Boynes nomination, while 10 nominees have withdrawn their names in protest. Boyne, the author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, is an outspoken critic of gender ideology and wrote an article defending Rowlings views on trans issues and womens rights. JK Rowling has been a prominent figure in the gender debate - Samir Hussein/WireImage On Wednesday, Nicola Sturgeon suggested Rowling should be subjected to more scrutiny on trans issues after a war of words between the pair resumed amid the publication of the former first ministers memoir. Rowling was a vocal critic of the gender self-ID reforms championed by Ms Sturgeon, famously donning a T-shirt which branded her a destroyer of womens rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Sturgeon said the post made her feel more at risk of possible physical harm in an interview with BBCs Newscast to promote the book. She told BBC Radio Ulster: JK Rowling is absolutely entitled to her view, maybe putting herself up for a bit more scrutiny about her view would be helpful, but I dont criticise her for expressing her view. Another free speech row erupted last week after an appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe by Kate Forbes, Scotlands Deputy First Minister and a devout Christian. Summerhall Arts, the venue that hosted the event, issued an apology to other performers and said the booking was an oversight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same day it emerged that the National Library of Scotland had removed a gender-critical book from an exhibition after staff complained. The library removed The Women Who Wouldnt Wheesht, a collection of essays by feminists, including Rowling, about their fight against Ms Sturgeons gender self-ID laws. The book had been selected to be included in a major exhibition celebrating the librarys centenary. Rowling declined to comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. GRAFTON, N.Y. A dust devil turned a nice, sunny day at the beach at Graton Lakes State Park in New York into a chaotic scene as kids ran screaming from the spinning dust cloud. The dust, caught on video, caused beach umbrellas and other equipment to get picked up and tossed around. In the video, children ran around the beach, trying to get out of the dust's way and seek cover, screaming as they ran away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What's The Difference Between A Tornado, Waterspout, Landspout And Dust Devil? A dust devil picks up sand on the beach. "It was a beautiful calm day," videographer Jonna Basle told Storyful. "All of a sudden, we heard kids screaming and running. I turned to see a huge pop-up tent blow over, almost landing on some of the kids." People run out of the lake away from the dust devil. The dust devil swirls around the beach as the video continues, and more children are seen running out of the lake and toward the shore. Strong winds were heard throughout the video whipping away. How To Watch Fox Weather The dust devil disappeared into the sky. After about 30 seconds of picking up sand on the beach, the dust devil dissipated into the sky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dust devils are caused by intense heating along the ground triggering a vast difference in temperature within a few hundred feet. The heated air, now quite buoyant, will shoot upward, with surface winds providing some spin. Dust devils usually only last a few minutes and have low enough wind speeds to rarely cause damage. Original article source: Dust devil wreaks havoc on New York beach as children run screaming for cover Volunteer Dutch divers are still fishing debris from the North Sea six years after a disastrous shipping accident. They are trying to clear the shallow Wadden Sea where the MSC Zoe -- one of the world's largest cargo ships -- lost hundreds of containers of car parts, televisions, light bulbs, furniture and toys in a 2019 storm. Despite clean-up efforts, debris still litters the seabed of the UNESCO-listed tidal wetland, which spans the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a grey summer day they "salvaged a set of nets and debris and also I think it was electrical cables, probably from the MSC Zoe," volunteer Harold Batteram, 67, told AFP, his diving suit covered with little wriggling crustaceans. The spill also released organic peroxide, a toxic and highly flammable chemical used in plastics manufacturing. "In a split second, the whole Wadden Sea beaches were like a heap of junk," said Ellen Kuipers, the director of the CleanUpXL project. - 800 tons of waste - Set up in 2021 by four Dutch environmental groups, CleanUpXL sends rescue boats and divers to clear the 800 tons of waste still on the seabed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kuipers said the Dutch government led much of the initial clean-up, but efforts have faded in recent years. "They did a lot of cleaning but it became more and more difficult at the end, because the things they cleaned up were only the things" traceable to the MSC Zoe, she said. In April 2024, the government published a previously confidential list revealing 6,000 locations where debris and waste might still be found. Kuipers said the focus should be not only on the MSC Zoe debris but on all waste on the seabed, since the sites are protected UNESCO World Heritage areas. "We do this to also pressure the government so that they move and clean up," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And it's also for a lot of people to be aware that everything we have in our house -- furniture and that kind of stuff -- has travelled by container ship. - 'Out of sight, out of mind' - Under a choppy sea, the divers recovered a pink child's down jacket, bringing with it dozens of baby crabs and starfish. "It's a noble goal, right?" said Batteram after spending nearly three quarters of an hour 22 metres below the surface. "There's a lot of trash at the sea bottom, not too many people are aware of that," said the retired data scientist. While part of what was lost on the MSC Zoe will float, "the majority will still be at the bottom". "It's out of sight, out of mind," he said. "So we try to bring that to (people's) attention." sh/srg/fg/lb The entrance to the Borsa Italiana, Italy's stock exchange in Milan. The once-yawning gap between Italian and French benchmark borrowing costs shrunk to below 10 basis points, reflecting a shift in how investors rank European government debt. Less than three years ago, Italian 10-year bond yields were nearly 200 basis points more than the equivalent French rate. That difference has since plunged to the narrowest since 2005. Yields on shorter-dated Italian bonds have already fallen below those on French peers. Most Read from Bloomberg Strategists at Commerzbank AG last month forecast that the 10-year gap will close completely. If that happens, it would be the first time since the two yields have traded in line since 1998, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The narrowing spread shows the long-standing demarcation between the risky periphery and safe core has become increasingly blurred. For years, Italian bonds offered a juicy pick-up to peers because investors demanded higher compensation for a tumultuous political backdrop and mountain of government debt. But Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has ushered in an era of stability in Rome and efforts to consolidate debt are underway. In contrast, French debt was swept up in a rout last year after President Emmanuel Macrons snap elections threw a spotlight on the countrys large fiscal deficit. While the bonds have since partly recovered, yields have settled at a higher level relative to peers than in the past. The move came as European bonds rose on Monday, paring a selloff from last week. Yields on 30-year German bonds fell as much as six basis points to 3.29%, while yields on the two-year tenor fell as much as two basis points to 1.96%. Italys spread to other European nations, notably Germany, has long been an obsession for Meloni, guiding her decision-making on a wide range of issues, including banking and defense. Her approach has been shaped by the experience of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in 2011, who was ousted after spreads spiraled during the European sovereign debt crisis. Meloni now guides Italys fourth-longest government since it became a republic, adding to a sense of stability that previous governments had difficulty projecting. Though growth remains sclerotic and is seen below 1% of output in 2025, investors have placed a big premium on her perceived ability to govern with a sizable and stable majority. Benefits claimants are being signed off work despite repeatedly failing tests designed to root out bogus applications, a civil servant responsible for vetting thousands of applications has claimed. It comes after one million more working-age Britons were parked on jobless benefits that do not require them to look for employment, official figures show. Britains welfare bill has continued to spiral out of control despite Labours vow to tackle the countrys worklessness crisis since it came into government last July. The ballooning bill is expected to hit 303bn this year equivalent to almost a quarter of the Governments total annual budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking anonymously, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) employee told The Telegraph that applicants who failed a tick-box process for incapacity benefit paid out when someones health problems prevent them from working were able to reapply even after being rejected several times. The benefit, they said, had become a pension for life because claimants on the support do not have to look for work. They keep going and going, the civil servant said. I see cases where people have failed checks nine or 10 times, but they stick at it and then theyre on the gravy train. Getting approved for the benefit typically requires a doctors note, interviews with medical professionals and National Insurance records which are together used to produce a score rating an applicants capability to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After several failed tries, they said determined applicants would eventually succeed in getting approved, despite a track record of rejections that would not count against them. People will try and try again to get limited capability to work because theyve got a bad back. Once theyve got it, they treat it as a pension for life. More people are falling into this category. The increase in the number of people claiming Universal Credit with no work requirements is up from 2.67 million in July 2024, following Labours landslide victory. Claimants for incapacity benefit, which falls under the health element of Universal Credit, could receive 2,500 more than the national living wage combined with housing benefits and personal independence payments, according to analysis by the Centre for Social Justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The civil servant said the majority of claimants, who DWP officials refer to as customers, were legitimate, but that loopholes in the system were open to abuse. People will see a weakness and use it. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the architect of the means-tested Universal Credit system, said there were no surprises here in response to the claims, which come after key checks were temporarily removed from the benefits system during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are now paying for a stupid policy during Covid that slackened off sanctions and slackened checks. We still dont have face-to-face interviews much. If people can find some way of getting money for nothing, theyll do it, he said. Calls from international numbers The line between those who take advantage of flaws in the benefits system to make claims that are on paper genuine and fraudsters can also be blurred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if claims assessors suspect fraud, they must approve benefits unless there is a clear reason why an applicant should not receive the funds, the civil servant said. You cant just refuse it just because you think it could be fraudulent. Unless you can pin them on it, you have to give them the money. One telltale sign a claim could be fraudulent is if it comes from an international dialling code. Once or twice a month, people will try to make a new claim from scratch and they are abroad. I say: Hang on, youre not even in Britain. They just hang up and try again. Last year, a ring of fraudsters were jailed after stealing more than 50m from British taxpayers through the benefits system by submitting thousands of false claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case was only uncovered after a lone policeman in Bulgaria told UK authorities that his city was suddenly awash with cash, with criminals living like barons, The Telegraph reported last year. When you get a call, every number should begin with four-four, which is the British international dialling code. But you will get calls from somewhere else [which is] a fraud. Theres absolutely no way they can take calls without definitely being in that country. Organised crime The civil servant also said they occasionally detected attempts to exploit the benefits system as part of collective efforts to defraud the taxpayer. You get the feeling that its organised [because] every claim is so similar. You see on the notes from previous agents that this person has tried to use a forged licence, or come into the job centre and not been who they say they are, or has children on the claim who dont exist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One strategy adopted by suspected fraudsters is to bombard government phone lines until they get what they want. They call 10 or 20 times in a day and hope someone will be half asleep and just give them the money. Any weakness in the system, they will try and exploit it to the maximum. Theres too many people willing to give the money away. This could be made worse because a lot of people worked from home and were therefore more difficult for managers to keep an eye on, the civil servant said. They also said some colleagues were able to do their jobs effectively from home. The main thing for me is how organised it comes across, [as though] there are people high up behind it. The amount of energy they put into these claims, youd think theyre paying people a percentage, they said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The civil servant added it was possible to raise red flags on benefits cases which are fraud reports but that claims assessors never hear the results. The reports of fraud might get binned or they might get acted on, we are never told. A DWP spokesman said: We have zero tolerance for benefit fraud. Last year we saved around 25bn through our robust preventative activity and upfront controls to stop fraudsters from stealing taxpayers money. Our Fraud, Error and Recovery Bill will allow us to go further, saving 1.5bn over the next five years. This forms part of wider government plans that the OBR estimated will save a total of 9.6bn by 2030. When we find evidence of fraud, we take immediate action by correcting benefit payments and prosecuting the most serious cases. 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. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) A Charleston firefighter is speaking out for the first time about his recent cancer diagnosis and how a partnership to screen firefighters helped catch it early. Firefighters are exposed to more cancer-causing chemicals while on the job than many other professions and 9% more likely to develop cancer, according to the Charleston Fire Association. Its not the same fires that were burning 30 years ago, said association President John Baker. All the synthetic materials we have now in these house fires those could be a cause for more cancer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The local group is calling for cancer screenings to be covered by health benefits to detect the disease early and help save a life. To find out I have cancer was kind of shocking, it shows it can affect any of us, said firefighter Rob Tackett, who has worked on and-off for the Charleston Fire Department for 12 years. Tackett, 42, was the epitome of health: he never smoked or drank alcohol and always had blood tests come back healthy. However, a recent diagnostic screening provided by a group dedicated to improving firefighter healthcare revealed a scary truth. My doctors called me the very next morning. They said during the screening we found something on your thyroid, call your primary care physician as soon as possible, said Tackett. I did and they got me in that day. We did more blood tests which still came back normal, but we scheduled a biopsy, and they did the biopsy a week later and it came back that it was cancer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Early detection screenings for firefighters can help save a life. Without this screening who knows how long it wouldve grown and spread somewhere else, so early detection is huge, said Tackett. The group is advocating for the City of Charleston to budget for cancer screening as part of a firefighters healthcare benefits package. The Charleston Fire Association says that Charleston Fire Department indicated they will submit the request for consideration in next years budget. Were still advocating for those cancer screenings to be done. Thats something thats going to be in this budget cycle for the fire department which were extremely grateful for so its an ongoing advocacy, said Baker. Were trying to educate all our policy makers in the city and state and some folks running for congress as well why these tests are so important and what were up against. Baker says its vital to protect those who are called to protect us every day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We get called at peoples worst day and theyre expecting our Charleston firefighters to fix the issue and were proud to do it and serve the citizens and visitors of Charleston and all were asking for is a little bit of help so we can enjoy that retirement, said Baker. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) After nearly a decade in business, an East Nashville art gallery is closing its doors. Raven & Whale, located on Woodland Street in the Five Points neighborhood, will shutter its brick-and-mortar operations later this month, according to co-owner Jason Brueck. Regrettably, my wife and I will be closing Raven & Whale Gallery in The Five Points Alley Shops at the end of the month, Brueck announced in an East Nashville neighborhood group online. Its been an honor and a privilege to be part of the East Nashville community these last 9+ years, so thank you to everyone thats supported us over the years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brueck and his wife Kate Harrold co-own Raven & Whale, opening up the gallery about nine-and-a-half years ago, after the couple moved to town from Philadelphia. Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More According to Brueck, the decision wasnt an easy one but one that was necessary as he and his wife continue their journey in Nashville. I said from Day One with my wife that wed keep it open as long as it turned a profit, Brueck told News 2. For eight-and-a-half years we were able to do that, which, with art galleries thats no small feat. So were very proud of that. This past year has been the first year where well lose money. With the current landscape and the way things have kind of gone for small businesses, it just didnt make sense [to stay open]. Kate Harrold, Raven & Whale (Courtesy: Jason Brueck) Jason Brueck, Raven & Whale (Courtesy: Jason Brueck) Raven & Whale (Courtesy: Jason Brueck) While the gallery itself is closing, Brueck said he and Harrold arent going anywhere. They still live in the neighborhood, and theyll still be selling art locally and nationally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve loved being part of the East Nashville community. Its a very vibrant, artistic , creative community, and weve been proud to be even just a small part of that, he told News 2. We still live here. We still have our online presence. Theres still a few places in town that sell our work. Were not going anywhere. Its just our gallery, for the time being, is going away. Brueck also didnt rule out the possibility of coming back in the future, if conditions improve, but for now the gallery will say goodbye. Nashville Pride launches fundraising campaign after $250K shortfall Its more of focusing our energy and efforts in other places, he told News 2. A lot of other things are on the horizon, potentially. Im hopeful that things will turn around. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To celebrate their time with the gallery and send things off with joy, Brueck said theyll be hosting a going away party next Friday, Aug. 29, at the gallery for friends and fans of the gallery and its art to say goodbye. I figured, lets just go out on a high note and have some laughs, have some drinks, sell some art, and then well have the weekend to clean up, Brueck said. Id rather go out with a smile on my face than sitting there sweeping up, pulling down the blinds and shuffling off. It should be a great night. Raven & Whale is located at 1108 Woodland St. The official goodbye sendoff is Friday, Aug. 29, from 5-8 p.m. Attendees can enjoy food, drinks, and 20% off everything in-store. Additionally, the gallery is offering 20% off all art starting Thursday, Aug. 21, until they close up at the end of the month. Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@wkrn.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Europe should strive to deepen trade ties with non-US partners, the head of the European Central Bank said Wednesday, as the blocs economy begins to feel the heat from Washingtons tariffs. ECB chief Christine Lagarde said that a recently outlined trade deal between the US and European Union had alleviated, but not eliminated global uncertainty: EU exports to the US in June hit their lowest level since the end of 2023. The bloc is one of a number of economies reshaping its trading relationships in the face of US tariffs. China has ramped up exports to Southeast Asia and other developing nations, while Japan is mulling entering trade talks with Latin Americas biggest economic alliance. ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) In todays ECISD August board meeting, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name their new middle school in West Odessa after Adela and Gilbert Vasquez. The board reviewed around 80 names but ultimately selected to name it after the two. Both Adela and Gilbert grew up in the ECISD system as well found careers with the school district. Adela, who passed away in early 2022, began her career with ECISD in 1981 as a counselor for the Region 18 Education Service Center . She would then become the districts public information officer in 1985 and later as the director of guidance, counseling, and testing. Vasquez is responsible for helping bring the Student Assistant Services program. She retired in 2009 before returning as a supervisor in the counseling department and, finally, as an SAS counselor at Permian High School. She served in public education for 44 years. Gilberts family moved to Odessa when he was five years old. He attended Austin Elementary and Lamar Elementary, Crockett Junior High, and graduated from Odessa High School in 1967. His career in education began in 1975 as a Spanish teacher, an In-School Suspension teacher, and a counselor at Odessa High. He held counseling roles for migrant children and in the Special Education Department, as well as assistant principal positions at Bonham Junior High, OHS, and Crockett JH. He served as the principal at the alternative center and Hood Junior High before moving downtown to become director of Human Resources, and eventually the assistant superintendent of HR, before retiring in 2009. Today, he is an Odessa City Councilman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the naming, the mascot of the school was also revealed, which will be the Diamondbacks. Adela and Gilbert Vasquez Middle School will open in August 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. A Belleville school administrator has filed a lawsuit accusing district officials of discrimination, harassment and retaliation tied to her gender and sexual orientation. Aida Cardona, assistant principal at Belleville Middle School, claims she has endured a hostile work environment created by Business Administrator Matthew Paladino, and a former state monitor. Cardona, who has worked in the district since 2011, was repeatedly denied promotions and professional opportunities despite positive evaluations, alleges the suit, filed July 15 in Superior Court of Essex County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She says she was demoted from principal to assistant principal in 2015 just one day before she would have earned tenure as a principal and has since been passed over for at least eight administrative positions. The complaint also accuses Paladino of making an obscene gesture about her sexual orientation during a 2023 staff orientation. Cardona says she filed two internal affirmative action complaints in 2024 and 2025, but the district failed to act or replace Paladino, who also serves as its affirmative action officer. Paladino was not in the office on Tuesday and unavailable to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Cardona also alleges she was denied compensation for work tied to the districts new Junior ROTC program at the Belleville Military Science Academy. She contends Paladino and the monitor blocked her appointment to lead the program, despite assurances from administrators at the time that she would be promoted. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages, including back pay, attorneys fees and other relief under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. A program to relocate vulnerable Afghans, including allies who helped the U.S. during the war and families of American service members, that was dismantled by the Trump administration would be reestablished under a bipartisan bill introduced Tuesday. The Enduring Welcome Act would revive the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, or CARE, which was established after the 2021 military withdrawal from Afghanistan to help resettle Afghans fleeing the Taliban and was shuttered by the State Department earlier this year. "Honoring our commitments to our Afghan allies should never be a partisan issue, but a matter of moral responsibility, national honor and global credibility," Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., said in a statement Tuesday about introducing the bill. "With this bipartisan bill, we are sending a clear and unified message: The United States keeps its promises." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: Air Force Chief's Sudden Retirement Raises Question of 'Who Is Next' in Leadership Shake-Up In addition to Kamlager-Dove, the bill is sponsored by Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas; Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.; and Dina Titus, D-Nev. All four are members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and McCaul is its former chairman. The bill is also co-sponsored by 12 other Democrats and three other Republicans. The bill's introduction comes during the four-year anniversary of the U.S. military evacuation of Afghanistan. After Kabul fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15, 2021, the military spent the next two weeks evacuating as many U.S. citizens and vulnerable Afghan civilians as possible before the last American troops departed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While thousands of Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort or whose lives were otherwise threatened by the Taliban were evacuated, thousands more were left behind. The Biden administration created CARE in 2022 to streamline continued relocation efforts. Last year, Congress passed a law mandating that the State Department appoint a coordinator for Afghan relocation efforts, though the law did not require the entire CARE office. Relocation efforts froze almost immediately after President Donald Trump took office in January as a result of several executive orders, including ones to halt refugee admissions and foreign aid programs. Then, as part of a broader reorganization, the State Department announced in May it was scrapping CARE, and in July, the office's leaders were part of the department's mass firings. Despite those moves, the State Department has maintained that ongoing relocations will be handled by the department's Afghan affairs office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Trump also twice promised to protect Afghans who helped U.S. troops during the war. "We're going to take care of those people, the ones that did a job, the ones that were told certain things," Trump told reporters last month. But flights of Afghans awaiting relocation to the United States have not resumed. Additionally, the Trump administration is seeking to deport at least two Afghans who worked with the American military and fled to the U.S. Bipartisan sponsorship of the bill introduced Tuesday represents one of the few times Republicans have gone on the record to oppose a Trump administration action and support a concrete effort to reverse that action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, it's unclear whether the bipartisan support will be enough to power the bill through Congress. A separate measure to strengthen legal protections for Afghans, known as the Afghan Adjustment Act, has stalled for years despite bipartisan support. In addition to restoring the CARE program, the bill introduced Tuesday would solidify the office's functions. That includes "addressing family reunification barriers, including cases involving United States active-duty service members and veterans," according to the bill text. #AfghanEvac, a coalition of organizations that help resettle Afghans, has estimated that more than 200 U.S. service members have family members stranded abroad awaiting relocation to the United States. The bill would also require the State Department to create a database of Afghans in the relocation pipeline "to inform operations and ensure transparency," the bill says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the bill, the CARE office would sunset in five years, while the database would be permanent. "Our Afghan allies fought and bled alongside U.S. troops, and in return they were promised our protection," McCaul, who led an investigation of the withdrawal, said in a statement. "Yet as my Afghanistan report revealed, tens of thousands were abandoned during the chaotic withdrawal, left to face horrific violence and reprisal killings at the hands of the Taliban -- all because they chose to help us. I'm proud to co-lead the Enduring Welcome Act to honor our promise, stand by those who stood by us, and telegraph a clear message of American strength and credibility throughout the world." Related: 'Friends Begging for Help': Afghan Allies Stranded After Trump Suspends Refugee Program Aug. 19The Trump administration is overturning the federal government's decadelong approach to addressing homelessness, and some local officials and activists are hoping it will provide the momentum needed to enact those same reforms in Spokane and across the county. In a July 24 executive order titled "Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets," President Donald Trump has reframed the federal government's approach to homelessness from a public health issue to one of public safety, arguing for the long-term institutionalization of the chronically homeless and the abolition of "Housing First" programs that have largely been the status quo since the first term of former President George W. Bush. "Endemic vagrancy, disorderly behavior, sudden confrontations, and violent attacks have made our cities unsafe," the order begins. "Shifting homeless individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment through the appropriate use of civil commitment will restore public order." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Surrendering our cities and citizens to disorder and fear is neither compassionate to the homeless nor other citizens," it continues. The Trump administration will seek to relax judicial precedent and other obstacles at the state, local and federal level that restrict the involuntary commitment of homeless people who pose a risk or who "cannot care for themselves," "in appropriate facilities for appropriate periods of time." Cities could also lose out on some federal funding if they are not sufficiently stringent in their enforcement of various laws associated with homelessness and quickly clear encampments. There's a lot at stake: Spokane's Community Housing and Health Services department alone receives upwards of $11 million annually in federal homelessness funds, according to Dawn Kinder, the head of the city division that oversees that department. Specifically, the order calls for federal homeless funds to be prioritized to cities that "to the maximum extent permitted by law" enforce laws against open drug use, squatting or camping on public property, enforce or adopt laws allowing for involuntary commitment, and strictly register and monitor homeless sex offenders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics argue the Trump administration is reducing the homeless to dangerous criminals to justify heavy-handed law enforcement and a resurgence of the kind of institutionalization left behind by President John F. Kennedy and then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan in the '60s. "This is a blunt and oversimplified strategy that is proven to fail at reducing homelessness," according to a recent blog post from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. "One might argue that it represents the total absence of any cohesive strategy on homelessness at all. And the only way to justify it is to cynically communicate to the world that homeless people are inherently dangerous." But local supporters of the reforms point to a post-pandemic surge in homelessness, which has only started to decrease in the last two years, and ballooning overdose deaths, which have increased nearly 300% since 2019 though most of these occurred among the housed, according to a February KXLY report as evidence that the status quo has failed both the community and the homeless. Former Mayor Nadine Woodward on Sunday, for instance, suggested that the scourge of overdose deaths could justify the deployment of the National Guard to Spokane, akin to the Trump administration's recent actions in D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spokane City Councilman Jonathan Bingle has taken up an effort to draft a letter of support for the reforms outlined in the July 24 executive order while also asking the White House to back up its initiative with serious funding. "We think we can find some common ground here," Bingle said in a Monday interview. "We do need to clean up our streets, we do need to clean up our city, and we're going to need some real federal funding for the facilities outlined in the executive order." The monumental increase in capacity in mental hospitals and other institutions recommended in the executive order is going to need commensurate funding, Bingle noted. "We need those long-term mental health facilities for those out of their mind and need much more specialized training to properly treat them," he added. "We don't have that infrastructure in the area. Same with long-term substance abuse treatment." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bingle is quick to acknowledge the stigma associated with "asylums," and argues significant citizen oversight would be necessary to humanely implement these systems. "But the asylum still exists," he added. "Except now it's the streets, or the jail, or the emergency room. We are still allowing these people to live in hellacious conditions is this really the best place for them?" Congressman Michael Baumgartner highlighted the effort to coalesce local buy-in at his Sunday fundraiser, honoring developer and activist Sheldon Jackson for, among other things, his efforts to get local governments on board with Trump's executive order on homelessness. "Sheldon is going to be working with as many local Eastern Washington elected officials that would like to write a letter of support for what President Trump is doing to make sure homeless folks are treated justly but also communities are treated justly," Baumgartner said Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sharp pivot The administration is also disavowing "harm reduction" and "Housing First" programs, arguing they "only facilitate illegal drug use and its attendant harm," pledging that federal grant funds will not fund either. Harm reduction programs, such as needle exchanges and safe injection sites are intended to reduce the imminent risk of transmissible diseases and overdose deaths. Spokane County does not have a publicly funded safe injection site, but the Spokane County Regional Health District does maintain a needle exchange program partially funded by the federal government. Residents have raised concerns about discarded needles near the exchange programs and more broadly criticized them for facilitating the use of narcotics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Mark Springer, communicable disease investigation and prevention program manager for the Spokane Regional Health District, points to research that exchange programs reduce the rate of diseases such as HIV or Hepatitis that can be transmitted via reusing needles and argues eliminating them will not lead to fewer people using drugs. "This is not an effort to be soft on people who are using drugs, it's really just a best practice," Springer said. "And if we make harm reduction less accessible and assume that it's going to decrease use, I think that's a flawed assumption," he added. "Oftentimes these people in the throes of a deep addiction, they lose their job, their housing, their family members addiction is such a strong driver where people are losing access to the things in their life that have value." Comparatively, access to a clean syringe is unlikely to factor as highly in the decision making of someone facing addiction, Springer argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is just a lot of shortsightedness with this approach," he added. Housing First programs, in which homeless people are given stable housing upfront to enable them to then address addiction, mental health and social reintegration, have been the national standard since 2013 and were initially adopted by the Bush administration in 2004 as part of its national policy to end homelessness. A 2020 review published in the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice found the Housing First approach decreased homelessness by 88% compared to Treatment First programs. Previously, most homeless programs were Treatment First, which required clients to prove they were already in treatment or sober before they were provided housing, and appears to be the approach the Trump administration wants to return to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the executive order, Housing First programs "deprioritize accountability and fail to promote treatment, recovery and self-sufficiency ..." It's a criticism familiar to at least one local organization, the Spokane Business Association, which released a report in July authored by Robert Marbut who served as Trump's "homeless czar" from 2019 to 2021 condemning Housing First as not only ineffectual but actively attracting homeless people to Spokane from out of state. The report's data significantly contradicts the annual, standardized point-in-time counts, which Marbut also called flawed. Bingle believes the status quo prioritizes housing those who are chronically homeless over those who could most easily get back on their feet. "If you look at the amount of money on homelessness spent since Housing First was first implemented, I don't think you're going to see any substantial movement towards the good," he argued. "You should be housing the people ready for housing first, because the folks with the most acute problems ... those are going to need to be properly treated first." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kinder, on the other hand, believes critics of Housing First programs misunderstands them. "People hear 'Housing First,' and think we're handing out housing to anyone we don't have the supply to do that, for one, and all of our services funded by (the federal government) are also funding employment services, behavioral and mental health and other services meant to stabilize people," Kinder said. She also doubts that a return to Treatment First will produce better results. "Most research indicates it's hard to stay sober or in recovery when you're on the street in constant survival mode," she added. "People need services and housing to go hand-in-hand." Rubber, meet road It's not immediately clear how the homelessness executive order will be put into practice. "For now it's just rhetoric," Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown noted in a Monday interview. The federal government is late in sending its contracts for the latest round of homelessness funding, she said, and while the city expects those contracts will reflect the intentions of the executive order, the details remain to be seen. "What the changes look like on the ground might not be as drastic as the executive order feels," Kinder added. The mayor's office agrees with Bingle on at least one aspect of the order: If it's going to mandate reforms, it needs to fund them. "I would hope that, if treatment is a mandatory step for housing, that there would be funding for that," Kinder said. "We don't have enough treatment services for the people who already want treatment." Despite the complex operational challenges, El Al announced its commitment to the national effort, recognizing that the Tel Aviv-Eilat route is essential. El Al will operate its Tel Aviv-Eilat route for the first time in a decade this winter, the company announced on Tuesday. The decision comes at the request of the Ministry of Transportation with the aim of increasing the frequency of flights from Eilat to central Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, only Israir and Arkia operate flights to Eilat. Initially, the route will operate only this winter. El Al will operate two daily flights on the Tel Aviv-Eilat route, one in the morning and one in the evening. I welcome El Al's decision to return and operate flights to Eilat for the first time in over a decade. This is an essential step for the proper functioning of the main transportation artery for the city's residents, said Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri. An Israeli flag is seen on the first of Israel's El Al Airlines order of 16 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets, as it lands at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv (credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN) How much will it cost to fly to Eilat? Tickets will be available starting at NIS 139 one-way for a LITE ticket, which includes a trolley and a backpack. Residents of Eilat and the Eilot region can get subsidized one-way tickets for NIS 99. El Al's return is part of a program we are advancing with government ministries to arrange regular, frequent flights at subsidized prices," Lankri added. "I thank the Minister of Transport and the El Al management for their partnership in strengthening connectivity and their commitment to the resilience of Eilat. An El Paso judge this week temporarily stopped Attorney General Ken Paxton from prosecuting former U.S. Rep. Beto ORourkes political group, Powered by People, after Paxton moved to block the organization from financially supporting Texas Democrats who left the state. Judge Annabell Perez of the 41st Judicial District Court issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday barring Paxton from prosecuting ORourkes nonprofit or otherwise initiating or filing legal proceedings aimed at revoking Powered by Peoples charter. The group has been fundraising for Texas Democrats who decamped to Illinois and other states in protest of a proposed GOP congressional map that would net Republicans up to five more seats in the U.S. House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Powered by People already donated $1 million to the Democrats, whose two-week absence denied the Texas House the minimum number of present members needed to conduct business. Many of those Democrats have since returned to the state, and Gov. Greg Abbott called a subsequent overtime legislative session after the first one ended last week. Paxton previously secured a temporary injunction blocking ORourke from fundraising for the Democrats or spending money to cover their expenses. He then sought to jail ORourke, arguing that the El Paso Democrat had violated the court order, which ORourkes attorneys have disputed. ORourke responded by filing his own lawsuit alleging that Paxton was engaging in a fishing expedition, constitutional rights be damned, by targeting Powered by People. The group was a top funder covering the costs of Democrats travel out of the state. The absconding members were on the hook for lodging, meals, travel and the $500-per-day fines accrued each day of the session they missed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lower chamber is scheduled to take up the proposed map, ordered by President Donald Trump, on Wednesday. Democrats who have protested the maps say they are an attack on the voters of color who live in those districts. Meanwhile, Republicans say they are entitled to redraw the maps whenever they choose for partisan gain. In her order, Perez said it was imperative to prevent imminent, irreparable injury but that it was not a ruling on the merits of the case. The order expires in two weeks. More all-star speakers confirmed for The Texas Tribune Festival, Nov. 1315! This years lineup just got even more exciting with the addition of State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo; former United States Attorney General Eric Holder; Abby Phillip, anchor of CNN NewsNight; Aaron Reitz, 2026 Republican candidate for Texas Attorney General; and State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin. Get your tickets today! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is one of the 9 Best NYSE Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. On July 30, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW) reiterated its Outperform rating on Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) with a $400 price target. The investment banking firm believes Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is showing solid trends even though there might be some near-term volatility because of comparisons. KBW Keeps Outperform rating on Visa Inc. (V) KBW highlighted that Visa Inc.s (NYSE:V) core business drivers remain largely intact, with normalizing foreign exchange volatility being an exception. KBW pointed out that pricing will continue to act as a tailwind for the company, potentially helping the company to surpass expectations. The firm sees Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) as one of the highest quality names with the strongest visibility on medium-term earnings power and identified it as a top pick for investing in the payments industry. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is an American multinational digital payments company that offers a range of payment products and processing services in over 200 countries and territories. While we acknowledge the potential of V as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 11 Best Revenue Growth Stocks to Buy Now and 14 Best Aggressive Growth Stocks to Buy According to Analysts. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. A New England electricity company has installed a revolutionary tool that will support customers during power outages, providing vital support through hurricane season. The Cape Cod Times reported that Eversource a power company based in Connecticut and Massachusetts invented the rapid pole, a backup system that can supply power to customers during major outages. Located in Provincetown, MA, the rapid pole will play a crucial role in supporting the surrounding community, as hurricanes in the area have become more powerful and frequent. What's worse, for 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts higher-than-usual activity during the Atlantic hurricane season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Storms have become more intense over the years," Eversource Director of Electric Operations Mike Pierce told the Cape Cod Times. "We are constantly doing things to improve power quality and quickly mobilize when a large-scale storm hits our region." As a result, power outages are a major threat to the area, which is why Eversource is being proactive with its backup approach. Since the rapid pole is versatile, it can be placed in "any area across Cape Cod" and serve as a temporary source of power. For the Cape Cod region, Eversource is the sole power provider. Thus, in the event of a major storm, the rapid pole will provide power to homeowners while Eversource employees work on repairs. Along with new developments, such as the rapid pole, Eversource has been safeguarding the area from power outages by pruning trees. Eversource Vegetation Management Manager Christopher Gonzalez explained to the Cape Cod Times that trees are the main cause of power outages in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With extreme weather events becoming more frequent and intense due to the human-induced climate crisis, it's imperative for power companies to take the necessary precautions to safeguard communities during storms. "Before the weather even strikes, we need to get our system ready to make sure we are in the best position possible to prevent power outages," Gonzalez told the Cape Cod Times. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Eleven people have been sentenced for their roles in an armed drug trafficking ring responsible for trafficking hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine into central Indiana, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday. Those people, their charges and sentences are: Christopher Miller, 29, Indianapolis; Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; Engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property; 26 years imprisonment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jamie Sullivan, 22, Indianapolis; Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; Distribution of controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; 24 years imprisonment. Tameico Johnson, 22, of Fishers; Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Distribution of controlled substance. 20 years, 10 months imprisonment; Jayden Bertram, 22, Carmel, Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; 20 years, 10 months imprisonment. Courtlin Moncrief, 29, Avon; Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances 20 years imprisonment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Camonte Miller, 21, Indianapolis; Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substance. 20 years imprisonment. Jordan Sumner, 22; Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; 16 years, 8 months imprisonment Afrika Railynne Williams, 29, Indianapolis; Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. 13 years, 4 months imprisonment. Monica Sumner, 20, Indianapolis; Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, 12.5 years imprisonment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dewell Simpson, 18, Indianapolis; Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession of a machine gun. 11 years, 8 months imprisonment. Regina Weatherford, 60, Indianapolis; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. 5 years imprisonment. Sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Prosecutors said the drug trafficking organization in central Indiana trafficked large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Arizona to the Indianapolis, Anderson and Muncie areas. Also, prosecutors said, multiple members of the organization possessed and used firearms, including weapons than had been converted into fully automatic firearms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further, the government said in a news release, Christopher Miller, Afrika Williams, and Jamie Sullivan also laundered the proceeds of the criminal organization. In total, the investigation resulted in recovery of contraband including 128 firearms, 61 machine gun conversion devices, $722,626 cash, 22 vehicles, 118 pounds of methamphetamine, 78 kilograms of fentanyl, 501 pounds of marijuana, 315 grams of cocaine and 216 grams of heroin. The case was investigated by more than a dozen federal, state and local agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle P. Brady and Kelsey L. Massa prosecuted. A Kane County jury has found an Elgin man guilty of kidnapping and violently beating and stabbing a woman. Darnell L. Rhodes, 34, of the 1200 block of Fleetwood Drive, was one of three men accused of using a knife to force the victim to come with them between March 13-14, 2023, according to a Kane County states attorneys office news release. They drove her to one of their homes, bound her with electrical cords, and stabbed and beat her, according to prosecutors. As a result of the attack, the woman had three stab wounds to her left leg, one to her right leg, fractures to her left rib and right pinky finger, bruises, trauma to her left forearm, and blunt force injuries to her head and face, leaving both eyes swollen shut, the release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said in the release that the attack was unprovoked. Rhodes, being held in the Kane County jail, was found guilty of aggravated kidnapping inflicting great bodily harm, a class X felony. He faces between six and 30 in prison when sentenced; his next scheduled court date is Sept. 25. Fellow defendant Roger A. Heaps pleaded guilty in January 2024 to one count of armed violence, a class X felony, and was sentenced to 20 years in state prison. The third man in the case, Lloyd D. Hayes Jr., is still awaiting trial. His next scheduled court date on 11 charges, including attempted murder, armed violence and aggravated kidnapping, is Sept. 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This case involved one of the ugliest unprovoked attacks I have seen in 25 years as a prosecutor, Kane County Assistant States Attorney Mark Stajdohar said in a statement. All three of these men deserve to be in prison because of their heinous actions, and our communities are safer with them off the streets. The victim, who is still recovering from the lasting impact of her injuries, has demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience each day as she works to rebuild her life. I hope that she and her family can find some measure of relief in this verdict. Elon Musk is already giving up on plans to launch his own political party to challenge the Republicans and Democrats and is instead considering backing Vice President JD Vance in 2028, according to a report. After the billionaire was ousted from the Trump administration at the end of May and a subsequent online feud blew up with President Donald Trump, Musk threatened to launch the new America Party. Now the plans have been shelved and the tech mogul has backed off because of his relationship with Vance, who is considered the frontrunner for the Republican Party in 2028, The Wall Street Journal reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk has stayed in touch with Vance in recent weeks, and he has acknowledged to associates that if he goes ahead with forming a political party, he would damage his relationship with the vice president, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with Musks plans. Elon Musk is reportedly already giving up on plans to launch his own political party and is instead considering backing Vice President JD Vance in 2028. (Getty) In late July, Musks associates canceled a call with a group that specializes in organizing third-party campaigns because the Tesla CEO wanted to focus on running his businesses, according to the Journal. Musk is now considering backing Vance financially if he runs for president in 2028, though his allies told the newspaper that he could change his mind as the midterm elections approach. It is unclear how recently the pair have been in touch. During an August 11 interview, Vance joked that he wasnt sure if Musk would even take his calls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A third party would only pull votes away from the two main political parties in next years elections - though how much from each side remains unknown. Vance said that he hoped Musk would come back into the fold and rejoin the MAGA movement by next year. Musk took a chainsaw to the federal government at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency and has seen his popularity plummet. Vance said that he hoped Musk would come back into the fold and rejoin the MAGA movement by next year. (Getty Images) Hes obviously got a complicated relationship right now with the Trump White House, Vance told right-wing publication The Gateway Pundit in a recent interview. My argument to Elon is like, youre not going to be on the left, right? Even if you wanted to be. And he doesnt, he said. Theyre not going to have you back. That ship has sailed. And so I really think its a mistake for him to try to break from the president. Vance added: So my hope is that by the time of the midterms, hes kind of come back into the fold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Independent has contacted Musks representatives for comment. The billionaire, who bankrolled a large portion of Trumps 2024 presidential campaign through his America PAC, announced in July that he was launching the America Party in response to the presidents sweeping tax and spending legislation, the Big, Beautiful Bill. Musk was widely ridiculed after he waded into the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, wearing a cheese hat, and put millions behind the conservative Brad Schimel who suffered a catastrophic defeat. (Getty) By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it, Musk wrote at the time. When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. The bill was at the center of Musks fallout with Trump, which escalated after the SpaceX CEO said that the president was in the Epstein files. He later deleted the post on X and admitted he had taken things too far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite Musks plummeting popularity after he took a chainsaw to the federal government at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency, a poll last month found that 40 percent of Americans said they would back Musk if he created a third political party. Musk was ridiculed after the outcome of the Wisconsin Supreme Court race in April, where he put millions behind the conservative Brad Schimel, who suffered a catastrophic defeat against the liberal candidate Judge Susan Crawford. Elon Musk is so desperate to be buddies with JD Vance that hes quietly abandoning his plans to launch a new political party, according to the Wall Street Journal. The billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO threatened to create what he called the America Party amid a bitter feud with President Donald Trump earlier this summer. Now hes having second thoughts as he doesnt want to scare off powerful Republicans, including Vice President Vance, who he sees as Trumps heir apparent to serve as the GOP presidential nominee in 2028, according to people with knowledge of Musks plans. Elon Musk (center) floated creating the America Party during a bitter feud with President Donald Trump (left), but appears to be abandoning those plans to make nice with Vice President Vance (right). / Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images It marks a sharp U-turn in Musks strategy since he expanded his political ambitions in early July. The worlds richest man has been in touch with the vice president and has acknowledged that creating a rival political party would ruin their relationship, according to the Journal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes also considering financially backing Vance should he run in 2028, after pouring in nearly $300 million to get Trump elected, the newspaper reported. When approached for comment by the Journal, a spokesman for Vance referenced the vice presidents sitdown with far-right The Gateway Pundit, in which he said, its a mistake for [Musk] to try to break from the president. President Donald Trump's epic falling out with Elon Musk, pictured, was sparked by a fiery clash over Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act. / The Washington Post / The Washington Post via Getty Im My hope is that by the time of the midterms, hes kind of come back into the fold, Vance said in the interview, which aired earlier this month. A Trump confidant in June revealed that the president was left emotional over the bitter online feud with his first buddy Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president was actually hurt, the source told Axios. Yes, he has feelings, and he was hurt the way anyone would be when a friend turns on them. The presidents epic falling out with Musk was sparked by a fiery clash over Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Musk blasted the proposed spending package as fiscally reckless and a disgusting abomination that would sabotage his work with the Department of Government Efficiency by adding trillions to the deficit. On the day Trump celebrated Congress passing the bill, Musk wrote on X, Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! Should we create the America Party? Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! Should we create the America Party? Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 4, 2025 He added in another post, One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people. The Daily Beast has contacted Musk and Vance for comment. Musks allies told the Journal he hasnt formally thrown his new rival party plans down the drain, and that he could change his mind later on. A political party proposed by tech billionaire Elon Musk is now being mothballed as he looks to preserve the GOP voter base and focus more on his companies, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. In late June, during a feud with President Donald Trump, Musk called for a new political party that cares about the people. In July, Musk then announced the America Party, which he hoped would appeal to voters disillusioned by Democrats and Republicans. But sources close to Musk now say he is quietly pumping the brakes on the new political party, per the WSJ. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the newspaper, Mark Cuban, a billionaire and a past supporter of the idea, hasnt spoken to Musk about the party in months. Furthermore, Musks own political advisors have not talked to him about the party, either Musk is reportedly reluctant to alienate powerful Republicans by starting his party, hoping to stay in the good graces of the Republican Party. In addition, Musk is not looking to siphon voters away from the GOP in the 2026 midterm elections. Since the summer feud between Musk and Trump, Vice President JD Vance has made overtures aimed at bringing the Tesla CEO back into the MAGA movement, despite a complicated relationship with the White House. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. I really think its a mistake for him to break from the president, Vance said in an interview with the far-right website Gateway Pundit. So my hope is that by the time of the midterms, hes kind of come back into the fold. But I dont know if he would take my call right now. Vance added that he hoped that Musks return would bring things back to normal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance acknowledged that Musk did help us a lot in getting Trump elected president in 2024. Indeed, Musk spent over $250 million on efforts to elect Trump, becoming an early heavy-hitter in the administration by heading the controversial Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, overseeing cuts in foreign aid that may have already resulted in thousands of deaths. The post Elon Musks new political party isnt happening appeared first on Salon.com. LONDON British clothing and accessories label Me+Em is preparing to open two stores in the U.S. as part of its retail expansion. The first will be in Greenwich, Conn., slated for September at Greenwich Avenue. The store will span 3,535 square feet. More from WWD Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Me+Ems second opening will be in Los Angeles and is set to open in the fall. This will mark the brands first entry into Los Angeles with a 5,000-square-foot boutique located on North Beverly Drive. Weve seen such an incredible response from customers since opening four U.S. stores last year, and Im excited to be adding two new boutiques to the portfolio. Staying true to our retail strategy of combining neighbourhood spots with a boutique experience, Greenwich is the ideal location to expand our East Coast portfolio, said Clare Hornby, Me+Ems founder and chief executive officer. Opening a store on the West Coast is a pivotal moment for Me+Em as we expand our footprint across the U.S. We can see from the data that we have a strong and engaged community in Los Angeles and Im looking forward to bringing our modern luxury proposition to a physical space in California, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both stores will follow the brands uniform of mixing classic British with contemporary design with pieces from carpet weaver Tim Page and fabrications sourced from London-based designer Rose Uniacke, who has worked with Victoria Beckham. Last year, Me+Em made its U.S. debut with the rapid-fire opening of three stores in New York followed by its first flagship in Marylebone in London. In June, the brand revealed that its next retail stop would be Manchester in the U.K. The brand has 12 stores in the U.K. and concessions at Harrods and Selfridges. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Originally appeared on E! Online Authorities are sharing updates on the search for Emmanuel Haro. Nearly one week after Rebecca Haro reported her 7-month-old son's kidnapping from a California parking lot, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department confirmed that they had seized a car from the family. The Sheriff's Department told E! News that detectives had collected husband Jake Haro's car on Aug. 19 as evidence amid the ongoing investigation, following "inconsistencies" in Rebecca's story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement E! News has reached out to Jake's attorney for comment and has not yet heard back. Rebecca alleged that she was attacked in a Big 5 Sporting Goods store parking lot in Yucaipa, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles, on Aug. 14, while changing Emmanuel's diaper. "I took him out of the car seat and laid him on the chair," she told NBC Los Angeles on Aug. 17. "I had his diapers here, and someone said, 'Hola.' I couldn't turn, and I don't remember nothing. I got up from the floor and didn't see my child. Someone took him from me." More from E! Online Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the search for her and Jake's infant began, authorities raised eyebrows at Rebecca's recollection of the alleged attack. "Investigators interviewed multiple individuals, including Emmanuel's parents Jake and Rebecca Haro," the Sheriff's Department shared in an Aug. 16 press release. "During those interviews, Rebecca was confronted with inconsistencies in her initial statement and declined to continue with the interview." Authorities noted that due to the information they'd received, "investigators are unable to rule out foul play in the disappearance of Emmanuel." KTLA A closer look at the Haro household uncovered Jake's June 2023 felony conviction for child cruelty from a 2018 arrest, according to Riverside County Superior Court records obtained by The Orange County Register. He was ultimately sentenced to 180 days in jail and 48 months of probation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite authorities sharing that Rebecca "declined to continue with the interview" in connection with Emmanuel's disappearance, per the county's press release, Jake's legal counsel Vincent Hughes asserted that his client is more than willing to work with officials. "I'm telling you right now, Ashleigh, on national news," he told Ashleigh Banfield on NewsNation's Banfield Aug. 19, "if the San Marino County Sheriff's Department would like to speak with Jake Haro, we can make that happen tonight. I'm telling you that." For more information on other disappearances, keep reading. JonBenet Ramsey The 6-year-old pageant star was brutally murdered at her Colorado home on Christmas 1996. Her parents, brother and more have all been suspects, but to this day no one really knows who killed JonBenet. Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron Goldman O.J. Simpson, who died in April 2024 after a battle with cancer, was found guilty in a civil trial of both 1994 murders, but in the criminal trial, the jury acquitted him. Technically, in the eyes of the law, the famous NFL player didn't do it, so their murderer remains unknown (and perhaps at large). Tupac Shakur Depending on whom you ask, someone might say Tupac is still alive. But the "Changes" rapper was murdered in 1996, and the investigation is still unsolved. Notorious B.I.G. About a year and a half after Tupac, Biggie Smalls was shot four times in a drive-by shooting. His killer still remains unknown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caylee Anthony Casey Anthony, Caylee's mother, went through a highly publicized trial only to be found not guilty of her daughter's murder. As a result, it's still unknown who murdered this little girl. Elizabeth Short a.k.a. The Black Dahlia Short, who was murdered in 1947, and the mystery surrounding her death became an instant media sensation. She received "The Black Dahlia" moniker posthumously, but to this day, her killer remains unknown. Andrew Borden & Abby Borden This couple was brutally murdered with an axe in 1892, but it was their daughter, Lizzie Borden, who was tried and acquitted for the crime. The deaths of Andrew Borden and Abby Borden were never solved. Jack the Ripper In 1888, an unknown serial killer hit the streets of London. More than 100 years later, the identity of Jack the Ripper remains unknown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chicago Tylenol Murders These murders were a series of poisoning deaths resulting from drug tampering in Chicago in 1982. The victims, who included children, had all taken Tylenol-branded acetaminophen capsules that had been laced with potassium cyanide. A total of seven people died in the original poisonings, with several more deaths in subsequent copycat crimes. The person responsible is still unknown. The Zodiac Killer He was a serial killer who acted in Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but his identity still remains unknown. The killer originated the name "Zodiac" in a series of taunting letters sent to the local Bay Area press. These letters included four cryptograms (or ciphers). Of the four cryptograms sent, only one has been definitively solved. For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App In 1980, when Corina Poore, 36 years old and pregnant, first opened the door to a derelict house in New Cross Gate, south-east London, the estate agent refused to step in with her. Inside were dead cats, dog excrement and filthy mattresses. Pigeons flew in through holes in the roof and there was no indoor toilet. The intense rotting smell was overwhelming. Still, Corina decided this was her dream home. It was spacious, the 24,000 price was affordable and she was sure that everything was fixable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After taking out a mortgage, she received a grant of 3,500 from Lewisham council, her local authority, which paid for fixing the ceiling. "At that point, 3,500 was quite a healthy amount, which I desperately needed," recalls Corina. Corina's Victorian four-storey home is now worth around 1m 45 years after she bought it [BBC] Some 45 years on, her Victorian four-storey house is worth roughly 1m - something Corina, a semi-retired film and TV critic, could never have afforded otherwise. However, times have changed. Lewisham Council has continued to offer grants to the owners of empty homes for improvements - some for as much as 20,000 - but the uptake is low. Just 22 grants were awarded in the borough in the last five years - despite it having 2,253 empty homes. A spokesperson for Lewisham Council said that, in addition to the grants, it is working "to make sure homes aren't allowed to remain empty or become derelict in our borough". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At present, however, 775 there have been empty for longer than six months. Meanwhile, there is a national housing shortage, with rising homelessness and long social housing waiting lists. Bringing empty properties back into use could make up a chunk of the 1.5m homes that Labour wants to add to the housing stock [Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images] As of October 2024, there were almost 720,000 empty homes in England, according to the government. On the face of it, bringing these empty properties back into use would make up a significant chunk of the 1.5m homes that the Labour government wants to add to the country's housing stock by the end of its term. But so far that isn't happening enough. The question is why, and given it could, in theory, be a sensible solution to two growing problems, is this a case of a missed opportunity - or is the issue more complex still? Rising long-term empty homes Not all empty homes are in the dire state of repair that Corina's once was. But roughly 265,000 of them in England have been vacant for longer than six months and are classified by the government as long-term empty (LTE). (Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different housing policies, as housing is a devolved matter in the UK.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fixing these would also have a significant effect on the communities around them, as long-term empty properties can attract anti-social behaviour and in some cases reduce an area's value. Ann Devereaux, of St Werburgh's in Bristol, says that after the property next to her home fell vacant, it became a "magnet" for crime. "It makes me feel scared when I leave my house or come in at night," she added. Ann Devereaux says a vacant property next door became a "magnet" for crime [BBC] The government [ITALS] has previously stepped in. The 2010-15 Coalition made funding available via two schemes: the Empty Homes Programme, which gave owners grants to fix their long-term empty homes; and the New Homes Bonus scheme, which rewarded councils that brought such properties back into use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They appeared to have made an impact. Between 2010 and 2016, the overall number of empty homes dropped by 20% to 590,000, and crucially, long-term empty homes dropped by 33% to 200,000. However, in 2016 the government then ended the Empty Homes Programme and lowered the rewards from the New Homes Bonus scheme - after which the issue became the sole responsibility of councils. By 2024, the number of empty homes had crept back up by 22% and the number of LTEs had risen 32%. A report by the charity Action on Empty Homes concluded it was "likely" that the end of the Coalition's scheme had been a factor behind this increase, alongside changing housing market conditions and economic uncertainty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And once it was left up to local authorities to decide what to do about empty homes, the approach varied widely from place to place. Councils got creative - but struggled to solve it Currently there is no centralised information about the actions individual English councils have taken since 2016, so we contacted each one to ask about their approach. In total, 77 of the 245 councils who responded to the BBC's freedom of information requests said they continued providing grants or loans. But in most cases, take-up was so low that it didn't prevent the number of long-term empty homes from rising. A few councils even ended their financial assistance schemes because of this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Corina Poore suggests that people may not realise such schemes even exist. But Benjamin Radstone, a property developer, says there is a range of reasons why owners don't take up offers and incentives around empty homes. "People don't want to be pressured," he says. "They'll do it when they're ready to do it." Other councils have had some success with schemes of their own. In Kent, a No Use Empty scheme offers interest-free loans for up to three years to owners who will let or sell the property afterwards. Though it was set up 20 years ago with a relatively modest pot of 5m, today it is self-sustaining. Nearly 200 of these loans have been issued over the past five years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now the council wants to see the scheme expanded nationally. Last year a group of MPs, peers and housing campaigners wrote to housing minister Matthew Pennycook urging him to implement it nationwide. Elsewhere in England, some councils have tried more creative solutions, such as connecting private investors with empty homeowners. Almost all councils charge premium council tax rates on long-term empty homes, which can be as much as 300% of standard council tax rates. But Mr Radstone, who refurbishes empty homes through his company You Spot Property, argues, that this can "push people away from wanting to engage with the council". MPs, peers and housing campaigners have urged Matthew Pennycook to roll out the No Use Empty scheme [BBC] Some also argue that this can disincentive councils from addressing the root problem, as empty homes bring them more income through the premium tax rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're now in a position where councils are actually saying, 'Well, we're being rewarded for homes being left empty longer,'" says Adam Cliff, policy lead at the Empty Homes Network. Councils do also have the power to take legal action against owners of empty homes, but this can be risky, time-consuming and costly. And while loans and grants can be used to target about 10-20% of long-term empty homes, Mr Cliff estimates, you would need to make use of other processes to get the majority of them back into use, he says. This was the experience of Kent County Council, which says only 18% of its LTEs that were brought back into use did so after interest-free loans were issued. In fact 61% did so after advice was offered to owners around the likes of tax and VAT, raising finance and planning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If a council has 2,000 empty homes," Mr Cliff says, "they need 2,000 different solutions." A baffling conundrum Part of the conundrum about there being a quarter of a million long-term empty homes is that this comes at a time when at least 354,000 people in England are believed to be homeless, and 1.33m households are on social housing waiting lists. This is also a time when renters and buyers alike talk about a housing crisis in which soaring costs leave properties out of reach. The Office for National Statistics' definition of affordability is homes selling for less than five times local earnings - which has not been the case on average nationally since 2002. More homes on the market would help tackle this, too. So why has more not been done to solve, or at least better address, this contradiction? An estimated 354,000 people are homeless in England [BBC] The challenge is that there is no single reason for homes being empty. One factor is the probate system, which can in some cases take several years, during which time the deceased person's house cannot be sold. Katie Watson from probate research fund Finders International, believes increasing staff numbers could help address a court backlog. Then there is the issue that sometimes, councils are unable to track down the owners of empty homes. Jasmine Basran, head of policy and campaigns at homeless charity Crisis, believes there is a "lack of coherent data". When the BBC approached English councils, the information we were provided about the condition and reason for homes being empty covered only around 13% of their LTE stock. This means councils are "blind to their potential", argues Ms Basran. 'Encouraged vigorously' The experts we spoke had their own view on the best solutions. For Mr Radstone, it is through offering tax relief to buyers, as well as ensuring that everyone who takes out a mortgage keeps an up-to-date will to prevent probate hold-ups. Mr Grimshaw, meanwhile, argues that the funds gathered from the premium tax rates could be used by councils to start their own loan schemes. But Mr Cliff argues councils without an empty homes strategy should not be allowed to charge premiums. More from InDepth One thing most of those I spoke to were unanimous on, however, was that the government should establish a statutory duty for councils to address long-term empty homes - and force them to investigate and act. The former Conservative government didn't introduce this - although in March 2024 it did allow councils to double council tax on empty properties after 12 months rather than two years. The Labour government is yet to say if it will introduce a statutory duty, though Angela Rayner has promised councils more power over landlords [House of Commons/Handout via REUTERS] This was part of a "long-term plan for housing" to "help give local people the homes they need", then local government minister Simon Hoare said at the time. We are yet to see if the new Labour government has taken the suggestion of a statutory duty on board in its housing strategy, although Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has said councils will be given more power to force landlords to rent out empty homes. Meanwhile a spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "We are determined to fix the housing crisis we have inherited, and we know that having too many empty homes in an area can have a significant impact on local communities. "That's why councils have strong powers to increase council tax on LTEs, and we will strengthen councils' powers to take over the management of empty homes, with further updates to be provided in due course." Should there be a statutory duty for councils to address long-term empty homes - and force them to investigate and act? [BBC] Back in south-east London, Corina Poore doesn't fully understand why the scheme that worked so well for her - and allowed her to become the homeowner of a 1m property - isn't doing the same today. She believes it could still be a way of getting young people to make empty homes habitable too. "When you're young you can do these things," she says. "[There are] people out there who would be prepared to do it. "There are lots of houses that are nowhere near as bad as mine that probably just need a kitchen and a bathroom, and I think it should still be encouraged very vigorously." BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below. Michigan's 800-megawatt Palisades Nuclear Plant may be coming out of retirement, according to Canary Media. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted a series of approvals that would give Holtec International the ability to reboot the Michigan power plant. Palisades has been closed for three years. It would be the first in America to reopen and only the second or third globally to return after closure. Once operational, Holtec expects Palisades to be able to power 800,000 households. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nuclear power is seeing a resurgence in America, with both Microsoft and Google spinning up fresh projects to power data centers. New York has plans to build a new plant at a scale it hasn't seen in 15 years. Despite high-profile historical meltdowns such as Fukushima and Chernobyl, nuclear power is quite safe. Some estimates say that nuclear power has caused fewer deaths than hydro and wind power. Nuclear waste management is also a concern, but much of it can be reused. In fact, France mandates it. Displacing coal and gas power to reduce their significant pollution and navigating steep political opposition to renewables while meeting rising energy demands is a challenge. Nuclear power is somewhat unique in being able to thread that needle. The biggest roadblock to nuclear power is the long construction timelines and associated costs. Using infrastructure that's already available helps to circumvent that bottleneck to provide large-scale zero-emission energy. Holtec hopes to have Palisades up and running again as soon as this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is a proud and historic moment for our team, for Michigan, and for the United States," Holtec International President Kelly Trice said. "The NRC's approval to transition Palisades back to an operating license represents an unprecedented milestone in U.S. nuclear energy. Our mission remains clear: to restart Palisades safely, securely, reliably, and in support of America's energy future while supporting local jobs and economic growth for decades to come." 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. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images La-Z-Boy CEO Melinda Whittington said the furniture retailer was "evaluating all alternatives" to deal with its non-core-business financial woes Key Takeaways La-Z-Boy earnings slumped on reduced foot traffic in its stores and weakness in its Joybird brand. Same-store sales fell 4% year-over-year, and Joybird sales sank 14%. La-Z-Boy CEO Melinda Whittington said the furniture retailer was "evaluating all alternatives" to deal with its non-core-business financial woes. La-Z-Boy (LZB) shares sank 13% Wednesday, a day after the furniture maker's profit declined as it dealt with fewer buyers in its stores and weak demand for its Joybird brand. The company known for its reclining chairs reported fiscal 2026 first-quarter adjusted earnings per share that slumped 24% year-over-year to $0.47, while analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were looking for $0.53. Revenue fell 1% to $492.2 million, but that was better than forecasts. Same-store sales slid 4%, which La-Z-Boy blamed on "an increasingly challenged consumer." Joybird sales tumbled 14%, although in-store sales exceeded those online. CEO Melinda Whittington noted that while the company remained positive about its strategy, "we are balancing our optimism in the long-term industry fundamentals and our competitive positioning with a pragmatic approach to current uneven consumer demand." Whittington added that La-Z-Boy was "evaluating all alternatives to address financial pressure from non-core parts of our enterprise." CFO Taylor Luebke said the company expects current-quarter revenue in the range of $510 million to $530 million. The Visible Alpha estimate was for $528 million. Luebke explained La-Z-Boy was "navigating a continued challenging consumer and macroeconomic environment." Shares of La-Z-Boy sank to their lowest level in more than a year. TradingView Read the original article on Investopedia Put down the book, pick up the phone. So it goes in the United States, where daily reading for pleasure has plummeted more than 40% among adults over the last two decades, according to a new study from the University of Florida and University College London. From 2003 to 2023, daily leisure reading declined at a steady rate of about 3% per year, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal iScience . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This decline is concerning given earlier evidence for downward trends in reading for pleasure from the 1940s through to the start of our study in 2003, suggesting at least 80 years of continued decline in reading for pleasure," the paper states. Jill Sonke, one of the study's authors, said in an interview Tuesday that the decline is concerning in part because "we know that reading for pleasure, among other forms of arts participation, is a health behavior. It is associated with relaxation, well-being, mental health, quality of life." "We're losing a low-hanging fruit in our health toolkit when we're reading or participating in the arts less," added Sonke, the director of research initiatives at the UF Center for Arts in Medicine and co-director of the university's EpiArts Lab. The reading decline comes as most Americans have more access to books than ever before. Because of Libby and other e-book apps, people do not need to travel to libraries or bookstores. They can check out books from multiple libraries and read them on their tablets or phones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But other forms of digital media are crowding out the free moments that people could devote to books. More time spent scrolling dank memes and reels on social media or bingeing the "King of the Hill" reboot on Hulu means less time for the latest pick from Oprah's Book Club. Read more: Aging up the characters in the 'King of the Hill' revival was not only easy, it was 'a relief' But researchers say there are factors besides digital distraction at play, including a national decline in leisure time overall and uneven access to books and libraries. The study analyzed data from 236,270 Americans age 15 and older who completed the American Time Use Survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics between 2003 and 2023. [The year 2020 was excluded because data collection was briefly paused amid the COVID-19 pandemic.] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Participants were asked to provide granular detail of their activities beginning at 4 a.m. on the day prior to the interview and ending at 4 a.m. the day of the interview. Researchers found that people who do read for pleasure are doing so for longer stretches of time from 1 hour 23 minutes per day in 2003 to 1 hour 37 minutes per day in 2023. But the percentage of Americans who leisure-read on a typical day has dropped from a high of 28% in 2004 to a low of 16% in 2023. Researchers said there was an especially concerning disparity between Black and white Americans. The percentage of Black adults who read for pleasure peaked at about 20% in 2004 and fell to about 9% in 2023. The percentage of white adults who picked up a book for fun peaked at about 29% in 2004 and dropped to roughly 18% in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study showed that women read for fun more than men. And that people who live in rural areas had a slightly steeper drop in pleasure reading than urban denizens over the last two decades. In rural places, people have less access not only to bookstores and libraries, but also reliable internet connections, which can contribute to different reading habits, Kate Laughlin, executive director of the Seattle-based Assn. for Rural and Small Libraries, said in an interview Tuesday. Although there have been concerted national efforts to focus on literacy in children, less attention is paid to adults, especially in small towns, Laughlin said. Read more: Parents, chill: Why you don't need to teach your 3-year-old to read Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When you say 'reading for pleasure,' you make the assumption that reading is pleasurable," Laughlin said. "If someone struggles with the act of actually reading and interpreting the words, that's not leisure; that feels like work." As rural America shifts away from the extraction-based industries that once defined it such as logging, coal mining and fishing adults struggling with basic literacy are trying to play catch-up with the digital literacy needed in the modern workforce, Laughlin said. Rural librarians, she said, often see adults in their late 20s and older coming in not to read but to learn how to use a keyboard and mouse and set up their first email address so they can apply for work online. According to the study, the percentage of adults reading to children has not declined over the last two decades. But "rates of engagement were surprisingly low, with only 2% of participants reading with children on the average day." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the participants whose data the researchers analyzed, 21% had a child under 9 at home. The low percentage of adults reading with kids "is concerning given that regular reading during childhood is a strong determinant of reading ability and engagement later in life," the study read. "The low rates of reading with children may thus contribute to future declines in reading among adults." Researchers noted some limitations in their ability to interpret the data from the American Time Use Survey. Some pleasure reading might have been categorized, mistakenly, as digital activity, they wrote. E-books were not included in the reading category until 2011, and audiobooks were not included until 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From 2003 to 2006, reading the Bible and other religious texts was included in reading in personal interest but was recategorized afterward and grouped with other participation in religious practice. Further, reading on tablets, computers and smartphones was not explicitly included in examples, making it unclear whether survey participants included it as leisure reading or technology use. This may mean that we underestimated rates of total engagement, although we expect any such misclassifications to have minimal effects on our findings, they wrote. 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. From left, Louisiana Public Service Commissioners Foster Campbell, Eric Skrmetta, Mike Francis, J. P. Coussan, and Davante Lewis hold a meeting in Plaquemine, La., on Aug. 22, 2025. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) PLAQUEMINE State utility regulators approved a plan Wednesday to install three natural-gas fueled power plants for the tech company Meta, which needs the electricity for a massive data center its building in Northeast Louisiana. The Louisiana Public Service Commission voted 4-1 to approve the unprecedented project from Entergy Louisiana to supply a massive amount of power for a single customer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission was originally expected to vote on Entergys plan in October, coinciding with a deadline it set for its administrative law judge to settle any disputes involving businesses and groups opposed to the power generation project. The judge would then issue a recommendation to the commissioners about whether Entergy could move forward. Instead, Entergy, Meta and parties previously against the project told regulators last month they had reached an agreement with Entergy ahead of the deadline, allowing a vote to take place on the power plant. Entergy then filed a request to immediately place the matter on this months Public Service Commission meeting, held at the Carl F. Grant Civic Center in Plaquemine, rather than wait on the judges recommendation. This shortcut around the normal project approval process drew concerns from the public and ratepayer advocacy groups, who spoke for hours in opposition to Entergys plan. Commissioner Davante Lewis, D-Baton Rouge, cast the lone dissenting vote, saying an agreement Meta and Entergy struck with other stakeholders before the vote felt rushed with too many questions still left unanswered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a lot of things I just cant verify at the moment, said Lewis, who has previously voiced support for the Meta data center. Testimony at Wednesdays meeting is what swayed his vote, he said. Proponents have said Metas data center will bring up to 500 permanent jobs to the rural, low-income communities of Northeast Louisiana. Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, D-Bossier, said the area needs economic investment more than any other part of the state. Theres nothing that is bulletproof, Campbell said. This is something Im willing to take a chance on. I think it will pay dividends. Meta has 20 other data centers around the world, and its Richland Parish location would be the largest. The new power plant complex is being built specifically for the data center, though it will be connected to the larger electric grid and could supply power to other customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three turbines dedicated to the Meta facility will have the capacity to generate 2,200 megawatts of electricity. They will increase Entergys statewide generation capacity roughly 20%, as the data centers power needs will be more than twice what the entire city of New Orleans uses on a hot summer day, according to the Alliance for Affordable Energy. The ratepayer advocacy group wanted the Public Service Commission to delay its vote until October. Several citizens who spoke at the meeting pointed out the lack of information surrounding the purported economic benefits and voiced skepticism that Meta will hire locals residents to fill the high-paying technical positions in artificial intelligence data mining . Miriam Abuzied of Lake Charles asked commissioners why they were pushing through a vote without assurances that the jobs will go to people living in and around Richland Parish. Neither Meta nor its data center affiliate, Laidley, have been directly involved in any of the proceedings before the Public Service Commission. Meta has not guaranteed whether any of the 500 jobs its pledged will be permanent, labeling them operational. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Christopher Brown, a biologist and retired environmental analyst for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said the use of three large, natural gas-powered turbines will exacerbate the effects of climate change. Putting more greenhouse gases in the air will worsen Louisianas coastal erosion, he said. I know some of you dont believe in climate change, but the good thing about science is its true whether you believe it or not, Brown said. Entergys proposal has the full support of the Public Service Commissions contracted consultants, who studied it for 10 months. One of them, Lane Sisung, said Meta is covering 100% of the cost of all three turbines. However, Logan Burke and Susan Miller, executive director and counsel for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, respectively, said the commission might not have authority to enforce the contract Entergy struck with Meta that details those costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to documents filed with state regulators, Entergy claimed it has the right to change its energy services contract with Meta at any time in the future without permission from the Public Service Commission. They are still required to notify the commission of any changes. So we are all expected to one, hope that mutual agreement stands up and doesnt change, and two, if it does that the commission is able and willing to force Entergy to eat the losses, Burke said later via text message to a reporter. Historically the commission has not done that. Another concern is that Entergys contract with Meta is for 15 years, which is roughly half the average lifespan of a natural gas turbine. Critics have argued that ratepayers could have to cover any remaining costs for the power plants if they are no longer efficient and Meta abandons the data center after the first 15 years. I do believe thats a possibility; I dont believe its a likelihood, Sisung said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Commissioner Jean Paul Coussan, R-Lafayette, asked if there was any benefit in delaying the vote another month, Sisung said he knew of none. Entergy Louisianas CEO Phillip May touted the commissions decision in a news release. These investments will help power one of the most advanced data centers in the world and will also reinforce our grid, create economic opportunity and support a more sustainable energy future across Louisiana, May said. Importantly, Meta is paying its share of the costs for the infrastructure needed to support its operations, ensuring that other customers are protected from those expenses. Entergy plans to build two of the turbines near the data center in Richland Parish. They are expected to come online in late 2028. The third power plant will be built at the utilitys existing Waterford nuclear power plant site in St. Charles Parish, with an expected operational date by the end of 2029, the news release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Entergy has already broken ground on a key substation to support the data center and has committed to working with Meta to build a solar power installation with 1,500 MW of capacity. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Jeffrey Epsteins grand jury transcripts will not be published after a judge shot down a request from the Trump administration. Handing down the ruling at a court in Manhattan on Wednesday, federal Judge Richard Berman said the information contained in the transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigative information and materials in the hands of the department of justice (DoJ). The judge presiding over the case against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend, also turned down a similar government request recently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DoJ had informed Judge Berman that the only witness to testify before the Epstein grand jury was an FBI agent who, the judge noted, had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay. The agent testified over two days, on June 18 2019, and July 2 2019. The entire transcript was 70 pages. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow shown during the June 18 session and a call log shown during the July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Both of those will also remain sealed, Judge Berman ruled. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction on sex trafficking charges for helping Epstein sexually abuse girls and young women. She was recently transferred from a prison in Florida to a prison camp in Texas. Epstein died in jail awaiting trial. Maxwells case has been the subject of heightened public scrutiny since the DoJ said that it would not be releasing any additional documents from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation. Ghislaine Maxwell was recently transferred from a prison in Florida to a prison camp in Texas The decision infuriated elements of Mr Trumps base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, administration officials have tried to cast themselves as promoting transparency in the case, including by requesting from courts the unsealing of grand jury transcripts. The government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein file, Judge Berman wrote in an apparent reference to the DoJs refusal to release additional records on its own while simultaneously moving to unseal grand jury transcripts. By comparison, he added, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a diversion from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the governments possession. The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epsteins alleged conduct. Maxwell was interviewed at a Florida courthouse in July by deputy attorney general Todd Blanche. 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. HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) The Hays County Commissioners Court once again delayed a vote to end a contract with Atlanta-based company Flock Safety, which is a manufacturer of license plate-reading cameras. RELATED: Austin license plate reader vote postponed amid community, council concerns While the devices, which law enforcement officials say are essential in stopping criminals, have consistently had critics, the debate surrounding them has only intensified since the Trump Administration took over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive never felt a more divided issue in my two and a half years of listening to all the issues. This one seems to be equally divided on both sides, said Hays County Commissioner Michelle Cohen, Precinct 2. The Hays County Commissioners Court voted as recently as February to add more Flock cameras around the county. Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said a great deal has changed since then. What has changed? The militarization of our federal government is what has changed since then, Becerra said on the dais Tuesday. Becerra added that hes concerned about possible federal access to the Flock camera database. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters believe the narrative surrounding the devices has gotten out of hand in recent months. Hays County felony prosecutor Allison Buess told the court before the discussion that she uses information gathered from the cameras every day. Im here today in part because Im extremely concerned by the misinformation thats being pushed about flock cameras, Buess said. License plate readers are just that they read license plates, she continued. Flock doesnt solve crimes, detectives and police work that relies, in part, on information provided by Flock is what solves crime. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. NEW YORK Mayor Eric Adams former top aide will be hit with more criminal charges from the Manhattan District Attorneys office on Thursday, Ingrid Lewis-Martins lawyer told POLITICO a new chapter in the legal issues that have dogged the mayor as he mounts a longshot reelection campaign on an independent line. The District Attorney has refused to provide any details about the charges, attorney Arthur Aidala said in a statement, confirming that Lewis-Martin will appear in court in Manhattan on Thursday. Despite a lifetime of service as a law-abiding public servant, Ingrid is being forced to enter court with little information. What she does know is this: she has always served the City with integrity, and she will firmly plead not guilty to every charge. While the specifics remain unclear, Ingrid is certain of one thing she has broken no laws, and she is not guilty, Aidala added. We will be requesting an expedited trial schedule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The New York Post first reported on the imminent charges. Lewis-Martin resigned from her role as chief adviser to the mayor in December, days before she was indicted on bribery charges. She's accused of helping a pair of real estate developers with bureaucratic issues in exchange for gifts to her son, including $100,000 he allegedly used to purchase a Porsche. She pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing. The new charges will be entirely separate from those allegations, Aidala said. He is expecting at least two new cases to be brought, likely with co-defendants. Mayor Adams was not involved in this matter and has not been accused of or implicated in any wrongdoing," City Hall spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus said in a statement. "He remains focused on what has always been his priority serving the 8.5 million New Yorkers who call this city home and making their city safer and more affordable every single day. Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis-Martin remains a volunteer adviser on Adams' reelection campaign. It would be just the latest legal issue to dog Adams and his inner circle. A federal judge dismissed his own corruption charges after the Trump administration moved to drop the case. But a donor and a staffer have both pleaded guilty to conspiring on straw donor schemes benefitting Adams campaign, and several other donors pleaded guilty to a separate scheme in state court. Top members of his administration, including his first deputy mayor, police commissioner and schools chancellor were also pushed out last year after coming under federal investigation. Hurricane Erin will miss South Florida, sparing the Sunshine State the worst of its bluster and bringing a rare gift to wave hungry surfers as its bloated wind field pushes a healthy pulse of energy to the coast. Already, an unpredictable slot swell funneled through the Providence Channel slipping under Grand Bahama to reach parts of Palm Beach County's summer-dulled coastline. And as the first hurricane of the 2025 season moves northeast of the limestone islands that otherwise block much of the Gold Coast from far off waves, more ideal surf conditions are forecast to filter in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This should be a proper swell, said Brandon Andrews, supervisor for Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue North. "All indicators are pointing toward ideal conditions." Hurricane Erin brings ideal swells for surfing in Florida Erin is far enough away from Florida that its wind energy is pumped into the ocean like a hand pressing into a waterbed sending uniform lines of salty blue corduroy to the coast. Storms whose wind fields are closer to the state, or strafing over the state, tend to make more sloppy waves, with choppy whitecapped peaks slapping into the beach in unruly spasms. A forecast for offshore winds on Thursday into Friday another function of Erins northerly path means a smoother oceans surface just off the beach, turning waves into glassy lumps until they break into a white froth. More: What to know about dangerous Florida rip currents, how to escape if you're caught in one Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location This is a great scenario for several days of a classic pumping hurricane swell all up and down the east coast, said James Wieland, a surfer and meteorologist for WPTV Channel 5, in his surf forecast. Expect lots of closeouts, but there will be some gems rolling through at the right break. A closeout is when a wave curls and crashes all at once sending a surfer tumbling or shooting straight into the beach instead of crumbling uniformly north or south like a coat being unzipped, keeping the face of the wave open and ridable. Wieland is predicting the swell will reach Martin County on Wednesday and push into northern Palm Beach County late Wednesday into Thursday. It should reach at least to central Palm Beach County late Thursday into Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It now looks like the swell will last through the weekend! Wieland wrote. Regular beachgoers in Florida need to realize the dangers in the water due to swells, rip currents caused by Hurricane Erin But an ideal set up for surfing isnt great for the safety of regular beachgoers who see calm blue skies and rolling waves not realizing the dangers in the water. It can be especially troublesome this time of year when tourists whose schools dont start until after Labor Day are having their last summer hurrah. Hurricane Erin is forecast to be about 1,400 miles northeast of South Florida on Saturday, closer to Nova Scotia than the Sunshine State, but Palm Beach County could still be feeling the effects. The National Weather Service in Miami issued a high surf advisory through noon Saturday and extended the high risk of rip currents through Saturday night for county beaches reflecting Erins far-reaching ripples that surfers crave but make lifeguards anxious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the biggest problems for us is trying to message a threat thats offshore and not readily seen, said Sammy Hadi, an NWS meteorologist based in Miami. Its a beautiful day, its hot, and it seems like its great for a swim but under the water can be very deadly. Already this week, about 60 people had to be rescued from rip currents at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina as Hurricane Erin-driven waves reach the shore, according to the Wilmington Star-News. More: 2025 Hurricane Season Guide: Storm preparedness tips, supply list, evacuation zones Another person was rescued from rip currents at a South Carolina beach, and a dozen rip currents were reported at South Carolina and Georgia beaches Aug. 18, the National Weather Service in Charleston, South Carolina, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, 61 people nationwide, including 13 in Florida, have died in rip currents or other ocean related incidents such as high surf, according to the National Weather Service. In April, two Palm Beach County teenagers drowned in different ocean incidents. Oliver Vasquez-Perez, 17, died in a rip current near the Lake Worth Beach pier. Jerry Hyppolite, 13, drowned in waters off Fort Lauderdale. Rip currents have become enough of a concern to the National Hurricane Center that it started producing its own rip current risk maps this year to highlight coastal risks produced by storms that can be hundreds of miles away. The National Hurricane Center's rip current map for Hurricane Erin issued Aug. 19, 2025. The NHC began issuing rip current maps this year. The closest the center of Hurricane Erin came to Palm Beach County was about 450 miles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Wednesday afternoon, Erin was 335 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras with 110 mph sustained winds, making it a Category 2 storm. Its hurricane-force winds extended outward 90 miles from its center with tropical storm-force winds extending a yawning 265 miles. Thats twice as large as it was earlier this week, said WPLG-TV hurricane expert Michael Lowry in his Tuesday morning forecast. "Erins powerful and exceptionally wide wind field will mean an historic hurricane event for the western Atlantic, with individual waves topping 100 feet offshore over the next few days," Lowry said on Wednesday. "Yesterday a buoy about 100 miles east of Erins track northeast of the Bahamas recorded wave heights reaching 40 feet." Hurrican Erin on Aug. 20, 2025 with 110 mph winds. If Erin regains Category 3 strength (111 - 129 mph), Lowry said it would be the largest major hurricane since Fiona in September 2022. Erin is not just the first hurricane of the 2025 hurricane season, which runs June 1 through Nov. 30, it also is notable for its extreme rapid intensification, gaining 85 mph in 24 hours to briefly become a Category 5 storm. It was preceded by tropical storms Andrea, Barry, Chantal and Dexter. Forecasts this season mostly call for above average activity with Colorado State University expecting 11 more named storms after Erin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Palm Beach County this week, breaking wave heights are forecast to reach up to eight feet with seas swelling to nine feet. In addition to the high surf advisory and rip current risk, there is also a small craft advisory in effect for Plam Bekach County through Thursday, but that could be extended. Swimming is not advised for the next couple of days, Andrews said, emphasizing that swimmers should heed lifeguard warnings and stay out of the water when red and double red flags are flying. We do get people from all over the world, and they run right in because they are just excited to be here. Behind Erin, the NHC is watching two tropical waves. One near the Leeward Islands has a 10% chance of formation over two days and a 60% chance over seven days. Another, which was designated Invest AL99, is about 100 miles south of the Cabo Verde Islands with a 40% chance of becoming something tropical over both two and seven days. Neither is a threat to the mainland U.S. at this point. The next names on the 2025 hurricane list are Fernand and Gabrielle. What is a rip current? Rip currents are powerful, concentrated channels of water flowing quickly away from shore, most often found at low spots or breaks in the sandbar and near structures such as jetties and piers. How do rip currents work? Rip currents form when incoming waves create an underwater sandbar. The waves push more water between the sandbar and the shore until it collapses and the water rushes back to the sea through a narrow gap, where it starts to spread out. How to spot rip currents? They can be difficult to see when you're in the water as the ocean over them can still be smooth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rip currents often form during or after stormy weather but can form on bright, sunny days just as easily since the weather isn't really what's causing them. Rip currents can be found at any beach with waves, at any time. What should you do if you're caught in a rip current? What to know about rip currents By far the most important thing to do is to stay calm and float. They can be scary, but rip currents will only pull you along, they won't pull you under the water. The biggest danger is tiring yourself out. Don't panic or thrash about. Don't bother trying to fight the current. You may be able to get out of the current by swimming with it parallel to the shore (or just floating or treading water) until it fades or circulates back to shore, and then you can swim to the beach. You also can try swimming with the current toward breaking waves, where you may be able to swim for shore. If you can't reach the shore or you're being pulled farther out to sea, or you're getting tired, draw attention to yourself by waving or shouting for help. Palm Beach Post digital strategy editor Laura Lordi contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism: Subscribe today. A surfer carves into a wave just north of the William O. Lockhart Pier in Lake Worth Beach. The midday surf session was made possible by swells driven by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Hurricane Erin tracker: Ideal weather for surfing in South Florida (The Center Square) Storm surge flooding and tropical storm conditions from Hurricane Erin are forecast for the Outer Banks of North Carolina starting Wednesday evening. At 5 p.m., Erin was packing maximum sustained wind of 105 mph. The Category 2 hurricane remains on a path to steer clear of the United States mainland, through it is already brushing in large waves and will bring beach erosion and overwash. The storm was 615 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras and 615 miles southwest of Bermuda, moving at 10 mph. Storm surge warnings were in effect from Cape Lookout to Duck; a tropical storm warning was in effect from Beaufort Inlet to Duck inclusive of the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds; and a tropical storm watch was in effect from north of Duck to Chincoteague, Va. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Intensity of the storm is forecast to fluctuate. Hurricane force winds, meaning 74 mph or greater, stayed extended 80 miles from its center throughout Tuesday; tropical storm force winds, meaning 39 mph or greater, grew to 230 miles from the center. Forecasters said 1-2 inches of rain are expected Wednesday night on the Outer Banks. Swells from the Atlantic Ocean, however, are life-threatening in the surf and rip currents. Storm surge from Cape Lookout to Duck is forecast at 2 to 4 feet. Mandatory evacuations have been issued for Ocracoke Island in Hyde County and Hatteras Island in Dare County. Each county has declared an emergency. Multiple published reports put the number of swimmers rescued between 60 and 70 at Wrightsville Beach near Wilmington on Monday. This was due to rip currents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement N.C. 12, the famed 148-mile roadway linking peninsulas and islands of the Outer Banks, is likely to go under water and parts could wash away as often happens with hurricanes. N.C. 12 begins at U.S. 70 at the community of Sea Level and runs to a point just north of Corolla and south of the Currituck Banks North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. Two ferries, Hatteras Island to Ocracoke Island and Cedar Island to Ocracoke Island, are part of the route. The storm's miss of the state is particularly welcome in light of Hurricane Helene. Recovery from that storm is in its 47th week. Helene killed 107 in the state, 236 across seven states in the South, and caused an estimated $60 billion in damage to North Carolina. At a meeting of the European Commission on Wednesday, all members were briefed on the most recent days of diplomatic talks concerning Ukraine. Source: Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms, on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: European leaders, together with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, met with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his statement, Fitto said that during the meeting of the College of Commissioners, they discussed the latest developments in the context of Russias war of aggression against Ukraine, taking into account the outcome of the Washington meeting. Fitto believes the meeting could be an important step towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. Quote: "The European Union must continue to act consistently and unitedly along this path, strengthening constructive dialogue with the United States and support for Ukraine. For peace and reconstruction, it is essential to continue with all instruments of support for Ukraine, to accelerate reconstruction processes and to quickly restore prospects of security and development." Background: On the morning of 20 August, the 32 NATO member states discussed the results of talks in Washington during an ambassador-level meeting at NATO Headquarters. On 19 August, the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing agreed to hold talks with the US on reliable security guarantees for Ukraine in the near future. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! General Alexus Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, addressing the chiefs of defence of the Alliances member states, has stressed NATOs continued support for Ukraine on its path to peace. Source: Grynkewichs spokesperson Colonel Martin ODonnell, as reported by European Pravda Details: ODonnell said the Supreme Allied Commander had been honoured to brief the military leaders in this format for the first time, noting that, as Grynkewich has said before, these are consequential times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ODonnell added that NATO has faced major challenges in the past, and it only made the Alliance stronger. He also pledged that as they work on these crucial issues, all NATO members will remain informed, engaged and united in defending the Euro-Atlantic region and providing ongoing support for Ukraine as progress towards peace continues. Background: On the morning of 20 August, the 32 NATO member states discussed the results of talks in Washington and the preparation of security guarantees for Ukraine during an ambassador-level meeting at NATO Headquarters. The meeting was part of preparations for a NATO military leadership summit, which took place later that same day. On 19 August, the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing agreed to hold talks with the US on reliable security guarantees for Ukraine in the near future. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) The grand opening of Evansvilles new Habitat for Humanitys volunteer center will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting. It will serve as a centralized point for engaging with the community as well as a coordination and training point for Habitat volunteers. Habitat officials say the new center will also help accelerate home building efforts in the area. The ribbon cutting is slated for 10 a.m. at 935 Maxwell Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). Pop Mart is cashing in on the viral success of its Labubu dolls. The Beijing-based toy company is on track to smash its revenue goal of $2.78 billion in 2025, and hitting $4.18 billion this year should also be quite easy, CEO Wang Ning told analysts on Tuesday. Wangs call followed Pop Mart announcing record results for the first half of the year. Net profit soared nearly 400% amid surging demand for the dolls, particularly in higher-margin markets like North America and Asia Pacific, regions where collective sales so far this year would together equal China in 2024. Shares in Pop Mart trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange closed 15% higher on Wednesday, rounding off gains of 655% over the past year. "I think for overseas markets we're still very positive, and we also believe there's still very broad space for growth," Wang said. The company will commence a phase of relatively rapid store openings over the next year or two, he adds, with 10 further U.S. stores set to open by the end of 2025, where the company already has 40 in operation. Executives also noted that expansion into emerging markets in Central and South America, the Middle East, and Central Europe was also being explored. The Labubu craze took off in April 2024, when K-pop star Lisa of Blackpink showcased a keychain on her bag . Adoption soared after a number of celebrity endorsements, driving fans to line up for surprise packaging, known as the blind-box format, and collect rare variants. Pop Mart has seen staggering growth Labubu revenue grew over 1,200% year-on-year in 2024, contributing roughly 22% of the companys total revenue last year. However, as with past toy fads, such as Beanie Babies, the consensus is that Labubus explosive rise likely wont be forever. Many industry voices expect the craze may start fading by the end of 2025, calling into question if revenue can sustain and thus whether expansion will offer a return-on-investment. Nobody is getting under MAGA skin like California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Democratic bully-for-good has been on a social media crusade this week, rising to the top of algorithmic feeds by parodying Donald Trumps posting style and his attention-grabbing stunts. Some of those low-brow trolling efforts include reposting a photoshopped image of Mount Rushmore with Newsoms face on it, a mock-up of Newsom as a king on the cover of Time magazine, as well as an AI-hatched depiction of Newsom surrounded by Tucker Carlson, the late Hulk Hogan, and Kid Rock (and then writing in all-caps that he hates Kid Rock.) The deja vu is intended to serve as a jarring mirror for Republicans still allied with the authoritarian president, and, incredibly, its working. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes trying to mimic President Trump, Trumps first term chief strategist Steve Bannon told Politico Playbook. Hes no Trump, but if you look at the Democratic Party, hes at least getting up there, and hes trying to imitate a Trumpian vision of fighting, right? He looks like the only person in the Democratic Party who is organizing a fight that they feel they can win. People in the MAGA movement and the America First movement should start paying attention to this, because its not going to go away, theyre only going to get more intense, Bannon added. The California governors social media strategy is a novel one for Democrats, fighting the rights AI-generated slop with even more AI-generated slop. In one particularly viral post, Newsom ragged on the presidents latest variant of covfefe, mocking Trump for posting bela to his most frequented communication platform, Truth Social. DONALD (TINY HANDS), HAS WRITTEN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY THIS MORNINGUNFORTUNATELY (LOW IQ) HE SPELLED IT WRONGBETA, Newsom wrote. SOON YOU WILL BE A FIRED BETA BECAUSE OF MY PERFECT, BEAUTIFUL MAPS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!GCN Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom, in his own words, has changed. The facts have changed; [Democrats] need to change, Newsom told Fox LAs Elex Michaelson Tuesday. Breaking character momentarily during a press conference last week, Newsom said that he hoped the dumbed-down antics would serve as a wake-up call for the president of the United States. Im sort of following his example. If youve got issues with what Im putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns about what hes putting out as president, Newsom continued. I think the deeper question is how have we allowed the normalization of his tweets, Truth Social posts over the course of the last many years, to go without similar scrutiny and notice? Newsoms nonsense has ruffled feathers all the way to the Oval Office. Asked for a request to comment to Politico, the White House issued what could be the first official statement in meme format. Donald Trump has raised the prospect of directs talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, in what would be the first such encounter in more than three years of war between the two countries. In a social media post on Aug. 18, 2025, the U.S. president announced that he had begun the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined. Whether the proposed meeting does go ahead given the animosity between the two men remains to be seen. Previous speculation earlier in 2025 that Putin and Zelenskyy might engage in face-to-face talks led nowhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But should Trump succeed in bringing Putin and Zelenkyy together, it would not be the first time they have met. In Paris in 2019, the two men sat down together as part of what was known as the Normandy Format talks. As a scholar of international relations, I have interviewed people involved in the talks. Some five years on, the way the talks floundered and then failed can offer lessons about the challenges todays would-be mediators now face. Initial hopes The Normandy Format talks started on the sidelines of events in June 2014 commemorating the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The aim was to try to resolve the ongoing conflict between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatist groups in the countrys Donbas region in the east. That conflict had recently escalated, with pro-Russian separatists seizing key towns in the Donetsk and Luhansk after Russia illegally annexed the peninsula of Crimea in February 2014. The talks continued periodically until 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Until that point, most of the discussion was framed by two deals, the Minsk accords of 2014 and 2015, which set out the terms for a ceasefire between Kyiv and the Moscow-armed rebel groups and the conditions for elections in Donetsk and Luhansk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the time of the sixth meeting in December 2019, the only time Zelenkyy and Putin have met in person, some still hoped that the Minsk accords could form a framework for peace. Under discussion Zelenskyy was only a few months into his presidency. He arrived in Paris with fresh energy and a desire to find peace. His electoral campaign had centered on the promise of putting an end to the unrest in Donbas, which had been rumbling on for years. The increasing role of Russia in the conflict, through supporting rebels financially and with volunteer Russian soldiers, had complicated and escalated fighting, and many Ukrainians were weary of the impact of internally displaced people that it caused. By all accounts, Zelenskyy went into Paris believing that he could make a deal with Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to return with concrete results, Zelenskyy said just days before meeting Putin. By then, the Ukrainian presidents only contact with Putin had been over the phone. I want to see the person and I want to bring from Normandy understanding and feeling that everybody really wants gradually to finish this tragic war, Zelenskyy said, adding, I can feel it for sure only at the table. One of Putins main concerns going into the talks was the lifting of Western sanctions imposed in response to the annexation of Crimea. But the Russian president also wanted to keep Russias smaller neighbor under its influence. Ukraine gained independence after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. But in the early years of the new century, Russia began to exert increasing influence over the politics of its neighbor. This ended in 2014, when a popular revolution ousted pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and ushered in a pro-Western government. More than anything, Russia wanted to arrest this shift and keep Ukraine out of the European Union and NATO. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those desires Ukraines to end the war in Donbas, and Russias to curb the Wests involvement in Ukraine formed the parameters for the Normandy talks. And for some time, there appeared to be momentum to find compromise. French President Emmanuel Macron said that the 2019 Paris talks had broken years of stalemate and relaunched the peace process. Putins assessment was that the peace process was developing in the right direction. Zelenskyys view was a little less enthusisastic: Lets say for now its a draw. Talking past each other Yet the Putin-Zelenskyy meeting in 2019 ultimately ended in failure. In retrospect, both sides were talking past each other and could not reach agreement on the sequencing of key parts of the peace plan. Zelenskyy wanted the security provisions of the Minsk accords, including a lasting ceasefire and the securing of Ukraines border with Russia, in place before proceeding with regional elections on devolving autonomy to the regions. Putin was adamant that the elections come first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The success of the Normandy talks were also hindered by Putins refusal to acknowledge that Russia was a party to the conflict. Rather, he framed the Donbas conflict as a civil war between the Ukrainian government and the rebels. Russias role was simply to push the rebels to the negotiating table in this take a view that was greeted with skepticism by Ukraine and the West. As a result, the Normandy talks stalled. And then in February 2022, Russian launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Way forward today? So what are the chances of success should Trump secure a second face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy? Many of the same challenges remain. The talks still revolve around the issues of security, the status of Donetsk and Luhansk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But there are major differences not least, 3 years of actual direct war. Russia can no longer deny that it is a party of the conflict, even if Moscow frames the war as a special military operation to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine. And three years of war have changed how the questions of Crimea and the Donbas are framed. In the Normandy talks, there was no talk of recognizing Russian control over any Ukrainian territory. But recent U.S. efforts to negotiate peace have included a de-jure U.S. recognition of Russian control in Crimea, plus de-facto recognition of Russias occupation of nearly all of Luhansk oblast and the occupied portions of Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Another major difference between the negotiation process then and now is who is mediating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Normandy negotiations were led by European leaders German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Macron of France. Throughout the whole Normandy talks process, only Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia were involved as active participants. Today, it is the United States taking the lead. And this suits Putin. A constant issue for Putin of the Normandy talks was that Germany and France were never neutral mediators. In President Donald Trump, Putin has found a U.S. leader who, at least at first, appeared eager to take on the mantle from Europe. But like the Europeans involved in the Normandy talks, Trump may also encounter similar barriers to any meaningful progress. Members of Ukrainian and Russian delegations attend peace talks on June 2, 2025, in Istanbul. Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs via Getty Images Despite his recent high-profile summit with Putin and follow-up meeting with Zelenksyy, Trump has made little progress toward ending the conflict in Ukraine. And neither Zelenskyy nor Putin has shown any inclination to compromise on their goals: Zelenskyy has ruled out land swaps, while Putin insists that any peace deal address root causes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Getting the leaders of Ukraine and Russia into the same room is already a massive challenge; getting them to agree to a lasting agreement may be as elusive now as it was when Putin and Zelenskyy met in 2019. This is an updated version of an article that was first published in The Conversation on June 2, 2025. 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: Anna Batta, Air University Read more: The views expressed in this article represent the personal views of the author and are not necessarily the views of the Department of Defense or of the Department of the Air Force. By Ariba Shahid ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Evicted from their homes and huddling under plastic sheets after heavy rains, Afghan refugees in a park near government offices in Islamabad said they had nowhere to go as Pakistan pressures landlords to expel documented families. Among them is Samia, 26, from Afghanistans Hazara minority, a Shiite community long persecuted at home, who gave birth just three weeks ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I came here when my baby was seven days old, and now it has been 22 days we have no food, and my baby was sick but there was no doctor," she said, wearing damp clothes and shoes caked in mud as she cuddled her son, Daniyal whose body bore a rash. The United Nations says Pakistan has begun deporting documented Afghans before a Sept. 1 deadline that could force more than a million to leave. The action comes despite about 1.3 million holding refugee registration documents, while 750,000 have Afghan identity cards issued in Pakistan. Samia now lives on the park's wet ground, among 200 families who cook, sleep and dry their belongings there after nights of rain. Plastic sheets serve as makeshift shelters, and children and parents spend their days battling mud, sun and hunger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Families pool the little money they have to buy potatoes or squash, cooking small portions over open fires to share with several people. The women use the washroom in a nearby mosque. Sahera Babur, 23, another member of the Hazara community, who is nine months pregnant, spoke with tears in her eyes. "If my baby is born in this situation, what will happen to me and my child?" she said, adding that police had told her landlord to evict her family because they were Afghan. Dozens of policemen stood at the edge of the park in Pakistan's capital when Reuters visited, watching the camp. Refugees said officers regularly told them to leave or risk being taken away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police denied harassment. Jawad Tariq, a deputy inspector general, said refugees were only asked to leave voluntarily or move to holding centres. Pakistans information ministry did not respond to a text message requesting comment. Refugees say they have been left in limbo for years. "UNHCR gave us promises but they have not visited us," said Dewa Hotak, 22, an Afghan and former television journalist. The agency's spokesperson in Pakistan, Qaiser Khan Afridi, called the situation "precarious", adding that Afghans unable to regularise their stay faced arrest, deportation and homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the agency was pressing Islamabad to create a registration mechanism and reiterated its call not to return people to a country where their lives may be in danger. Many at the camp say they cannot go back to Afghanistan because of the risks. Ahmad Zia Faiz, a former adviser in Afghanistans interior ministry, said he feared reprisals for serving in the previous government, adding, "If we return to Afghanistan, there is a risk of being killed." Pakistan, host to millions of Afghans since the 1979 Soviet invasion, has stepped up expulsions under a 2023 crackdown, blaming Afghans for crime and militancy, charges rejected by Kabul. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbouring Irans plan to deport more than a million more adds to a refugee return crisis aid groups call the biggest since the Taliban takeover in 2021. The green grass and serene vistas in Islamabads park stand in stark contrast to the lives of those camping there. "My message to the world is to see our situation," Samia said, clutching her newborn. (Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Islamabad; Additional reporting by Muhammmad Yunus Yawar; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) As authorities continue their search for Travis Decker, the Washington state man accused of suffocating his three daughters to death, investigators now believe he is the only suspect in the crime based on evidence found at the gruesome scene. The Chelan County Sheriffs Office revealed in a social media post Tuesday that each victim, 5-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Evelyn and 9-year-old Paityn, was found with multiple plastic bags over their heads. Two of them had two separate bags over their heads, while the third had three bags over her head, the post said. DNA samples obtained from the bags and cable ties found near their bodies matched the profile for Decker, the sheriffs office said. No other DNA was found on the bags or the cable ties, authorities added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The completion of this DNA analysis provides additional evidence that indicates Travis Decker is the only suspect involved in committing these homicides, the post read. The revelation comes nearly three months after the girls were found dead near a campsite in the Cascades, a remote and picturesque region known for backcountry hiking and camping. The siblings had been reported missing by their mother days earlier when Decker failed to bring them home after what was supposed to be a three-hour visit mandated by a custody agreement. In the weeks since, local, state and federal officials have searched for Decker an Army veteran skilled in wilderness survival without knowing whether he is still alive. At this time, we do not have any evidence to suggest Travis Decker is either alive or deceased, the sheriffs office reiterated Tuesday. An ongoing manhunt Decker was charged with murdering the three girls not long after he picked them up from their mother for the custody visit on May 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drones, a swift water team, cadaver dogs and even GoPros have been used as several agencies work to find him. The search has been complicated by treacherous terrain, and the fact that Decker had a three-day head start. Travis Deckers daughters, Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia. - Whitney Decker Deckers truck was found abandoned in the area of Rock Island Campground on June 2. His daughters bodies were nearly 100 yards away down a small embankment, along with zip ties and plastic bags found strewn throughout the area, according to a police affidavit. Authorities also found a bloody fingerprint on the trucks tailgate, as well as Deckers dog. Decker leaving behind his truck likely means he is on foot, which slows down his mobility, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison told CNN last month. He also left equipment behind, meaning he is unprepared unless he stashed supplies out in the woods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff hoped more people flocking to the area surrounding where the girls were found for the busy summer season might help in the search. It may work in our favor now that we have that many people out there just saturating that part of the county with camping, hiking and other recreating, Morrison said last month. The US Marshals Service is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to Deckers arrest. CNNs Alaa Elassar, Danya Gainor and Andy Rose contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Cops are asking the publics help tracking down a violent ex-con suspected of stabbing a Brooklyn bodega worker to death for refusing to sell him a few loose cigarettes, police said. Cops released a mugshot of suspect Oneil Millise Wednesday as they pressed their search for him. Millise, 42, allegedly stabbed 33-year-old Diego Rodrigo Sandoval Nava inside the deli on Hegeman Ave. at Van Siclen Ave. in East New York about 3 p.m. Aug. 1 after workers refused to sell him some loosies individual cigarettes illegally sold from an open pack, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (The stabber) asked the cashier for a cigarette, a witness told the Daily News. The cashier wasnt paying him any attention. So the customer got upset even more and the (stabber) told him pretty much he was gonna come back behind the register and take the cigarettes. And the cashier pretty much said, Well, do it, and that kind of provoked them even more. The killer was asked to leave the store but he returned a short time later, stormed the counter and stabbed Sandoval Nava several times in the torso. Geysi Giron, who works at the nearby East New York Family Academy and is a regular customer at the bodega said the victim was protecting and defending the 18-year-old cashier who didnt know how to protect himself from angry and intoxicated customers. The killer ran off, leaving Sandoval Nava on the floor holding his bloody side. Medics rushed him to Brookdale University Hospital, where he died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Millise has been arrested 24 times for several violent felonies including robbery and assault, a police source said. On Jan. 4, 2014, he was working as a dollar van driver when he attacked a 30-year-old man passenger who got in the van outside a store on Flatbush Ave. near Nostrand Ave. in Flatbush. After getting into a quarrel with the passenger, Millise stabbed him in the right torso and slashed the left side of his face with a knife. The victim was taken to Kings County Hospital in stable condition. Millise was arrested for assault and menacing. He ultimately pleaded guilty to attempted assault and received a conditional discharge, officials said. Millise lives with his mother in an apartment building around the corner from the bodega where Sandoval Nava was killed. Millise and his mom have not been seen since the stabbing, neighbors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One neighbor, who declined to give his name, said he bought Millise two loosies not long before the stabbing. He asked me to buy him some loosies a week before, so its kind of crazy, the neighbor said. He said Millise was not aggressive with him. No never, never, he said. But towards some people he had problems with yes. Neighbors are on edge with the suspect on the loose. I really hope they find him, said an elderly neighbor who declined to give her name. Watch your back. You had to watch your back around him. A funeral for the bodega worker was held on Aug. 7 in Sunset Park. His body was then flown to Mexico City before being transferred to his hometown of Morelos for burial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diego was fatally stabbed at the same place he loved working in, said Giron, who put together a GoFundMe post to raise money so Sandoval Navas remains could be returned home to Mexico. He loved his job and was so proud to man the kitchen area on his own (and would say) I know it doesnt seem like much for a lot of people, but for me, it is something to be proud of because I can provide for my family in Mexico.' Giron said that Sandoval Nava leaves behind two children, a boy and a girl, who are currently in Mexico. He made it a point to call his children every day and he would play Fortnite with his son every night, she said. A friend of Sandoval Nava said the victim would give away free sandwiches to people in need. He would help people outside, making sure theyre OK, feeding them, said the friend, who only wanted to be identified by his first name, Andy. Anyone with information about Millises whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. Former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley is suing the city and Mayor Karen Bass, she announced Wednesday. Crowley, who was fired in the wake of the January wildfires that devastated the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other areas of Southern California, claims shes been defamed and retaliated against. She also alleges negligence on the part of the city and Bass. The claim sets out a pattern of dishonesty, scapegoating, and unlawful retaliation that destroyed the career of a 25-year public servant not because of any failure in her duties, but because she told the truth, her legal team said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Job concerns, media spin among texts to LAFD chief during wildfires Specifically, the suit alleges that Crowley told City leadership and the public that Mayor Bass budget cuts and the Citys decades of neglect had left the LAFD underfunded, understaffed, and ill-equipped to handle the rising demands of a growing city, especially one at risk of dangerous wildfires. In response to the criticism, Bass fired Crowley and launched a smear campaign built on falsehoods, the suit adds. Integrity, truthfulness, and serving others before self have guided me throughout my career, Crowley said in the release. As the Fire Chief, for nearly three years, I advocated for the proper funding, staffing and infrastructure upgrades to better support and protect our Firefighters, and by extension, our communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lies, deceit, exaggerations, and misrepresentations need to be addressed with the only thing that can refute them the true facts. As Firefighters, we run towards uncertainty and are willing to risk it all. Doing the right thing even when it is hard, is always the right decision, and that is why I am continuing to fight for the resources our Firefighters need to keep us all safe. In response, David Michaelson, counsel to the mayor, declined to comment on an ongoing personnel claim. Mayor Bass is focused on the citys preparations for the hottest temperatures of the year and the potential for regional fire danger, he said. Nidia Becerra contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. The former Paramount chief reportedly saw a silver lining in President Donald Trump's prolonged legal battle with CBS News. Shari Redstone, who was the controlling shareholder of the media giant before recently selling it to Skydance Media as part of an $8 billion merger, was outspoken about her support for Paramount to settle Trump's lawsuit over allegations of "election interference" in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. Trump and Paramount reached a multimillion-dollar settlement last month. However, it wasn't CBS' political coverage that irked Redstone. It was the network's coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. According to The New York Times, "Maybe, she thought, Mr. Trumps criticism of the news division, and his lawsuit, could be helpful." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We needed more balance," Redstone said in an interview with The New York Times Tuesday, referring to CBS' war coverage. "Part of me thought, maybe Trump could accomplish what I never got done." Shari Redstone Breaks Silence On No-brainer 16M Trump Settlement That Preceded Paramount-skydance Merger Redstone, a staunch supporter of Israel, was vocal in her complaints about how slanted she perceived CBS' coverage was against Israel. Read On The Fox News App The Times reported that a major inflection point came when "60 Minutes" aired a segment featuring former State Department officials who resigned in protest over U.S. support for Israel. The segment was viewed as one-sided with an emphasis on allegations of atrocities committed by Israel, while barely mentioning the barbaric Oct. 7 terrorist attack committed by Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Internal objections to the episode led to the appointment of CBS veteran Susan Zirinsky as the network's newly created executive editor of standards, which, in turn, The Times reported, led to "60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens' abrupt exit in protest over the increased corporate oversight. Owens' resignation caused further consternation with "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley lamenting the drama on-air. Paramount, Skydance Complete $8 Billion Merger As Fcc Continues Cbs Probe Shari Redstone, Paramount's former controlling shareholder, had been critical of CBS' coverage of Israel. Redstone also spoke up in defense of "CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil, who was facing internal backlash for grilling liberal media darling and anti-Israel author Ta-Nehisi Coates in an October 2024 interview. Dokoupil was scolded by his bosses, who told him the interview didn't meet "editorial standards." Dokoupil also apologized to offended staffers. "I think Tony did a great job with that interview. I think he handled himself and showed the world and modeled what civil discourse is. He showed that there was accountability, that there is a system of checks and balances, and frankly, I was very proud of the work that he did," Redstone said at the time. "As hard as it was, frankly, for me to go against the company, because I love this company, and I believe in it, and I think we have a great, great executive team, I think they made a mistake here." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Click Here For The Latest Media And Culture News "CBS Mornings" co-anchor Tony Dokoupil irked liberal colleagues for grilling anti-Israel author Ta-Nehisi Coates. CBS staffers last year were also reportedly instructed not to refer to Jerusalem, Israel's capital, as being in Israel, saying in a memo its status is "disputed" and that it "goes to the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." Redstone, the daughter of the late billionaire mogul Sumner Redstone, was widely expected to receive a $2.4 billion buyout as a result of the Skydance merger. Paramount is now being run by David Ellison, son of billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Original article source: Ex-Paramount chief hoped Trump lawsuit would force CBS to be more balanced on Israel U.S. President Donald Trump often claimed in his second presidential term that he stopped six wars within six months. On Aug. 18, 2025, during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while calling for an end to the Ukraine-Russia war, Trump said he had "ended" six wars. He made a similar claim days before the meeting, saying in an interview with Fox News, "I've solved six wars in six months" and repeating the claim during remarks in the Oval Office. And in July 2025, Trump said, "I'm averaging about a war a month" referring to the apparent wars he had helped end. Our readers have asked Snopes to fact-check Trump's claim. Snopes listed all the conflicts Trump may have been referring to below and assessed his role in solving each of them. We found that while the United States did play a part in brokering a form of a temporary ceasefire in some cases, in most instances these issues were not permanently "solved" as Trump claimed. His part in brokering peace was also disputed by some of the countries involved. Furthermore, most of these ongoing conflicts were not formally declared as "wars" by the countries involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and his team at various times had referred to the following seven, not six, conflicts: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, India and Pakistan, Iran and Israel, Cambodia and Thailand, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Serbia and Kosovo, and even Egypt and Ethiopia. Some of the conflicts he was referring to also occurred during his first term. A White House spokesperson told us over email: President Trump is right he cemented his role as Peacemaker-in-Chief by resolving conflicts around the world. Now, he has brought President Putin to the table for a peace deal. European leaders recognize that after three years of killing and deadlock under weak Joe Biden, there has been more progress towards peace than ever before because of this President's leadership. As we have previously reported, on occasion, journalists and experts refer to a conflict as a war, even if the countries have not officially declared it as such. The Merriam-Webster definition of war includes any "open and declared armed hostile conflict between states and nations." The Associated Press (AP) style guideline, which is considered the standard for journalistic language, "considers the number of casualties, the intensity of fighting, the involvement of each party, and what each country was calling the conflict" to determine whether it describes a conflict as war. AP thus applied this standard to the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war. The White House also confirmed to us that Trump was referring to the subsequent list of countries. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda Since the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the DRC and Rwanda have been mired in a 30-year conflict involving numerous armed groups, including the M23 rebels who escalated fighting in early 2025. Rwanda is widely believed to be backing these rebels and experts have said Rwandan troops were fighting alongside them. We should note that while the DRC called some of the M23 rebels actions a "declaration of war" in January 2025, the country of Rwanda did not declare such a war itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On June 27, 2025, Rwanda and the DRC signed what Trump called a "peace deal," which he said came with mineral rights for the U.S. The deal was signed between the two countries but not with the M23 rebels. Trump called the deal "a glorious triumph for the cause of peace." However, despite Trump's claims, violence continued in the region. A Human Rights Watch report said M23 killed around 140 civilians in July alone. Both the DRC and M23 rebels accused each other of violating the U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement. The M23 walked away from peace talks with the DRC in mid-August, and even said its representatives were not present in Qatar for the resumption of negotiations and to sign a peace deal for a more permanent ceasefire. Trump's claim to broker peace in this case is widely off the mark. India and Pakistan The two South Asian countries have long fought over the territory of Kashmir and faced their latest conflict after an April 2025 attack by armed groups that killed 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir. India accused Pakistan of being behind the attack, which Pakistan denied. In May 2025, Indian jets bombed what the Indian government called "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan. Pakistan retaliated, leading to four days of back-and-forth strikes with fighter jets, missiles and drones. Neither country has officially declared war in many of their major conflicts including this one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump claimed the two countries agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire" after talks mediated by the U.S. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Trump "for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region." However, India's foreign ministry said Trump played no role in mediation: "Talks for ceasing military action happened directly between India and Pakistan through existing military channels, and on the insistence of Pakistan. Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi emphasised that India has not accepted mediation in the past and will never do." In June 2025, Trump hosted Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Gen. Asim Munir considered to be the most powerful figure in Pakistan at the White House, and Munir reportedly called for Trump to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. While Pakistan praised the U.S. for its mediation efforts, India denied U.S. involvement, leaving the full extent of Trump's role in question. Iran and Israel In mid-June 2025, Israel launched a surprise attack on a range of targets in Iran, sparking a barrage of missile attacks from Iran into Israel. The U.S. entered the conflict on June 21, with Trump authorizing airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran retaliated on June 23 by firing missiles at a U.S. airbase in Qatar. However, soon after, Trump announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel on his Truth Social account. Iran called Israel's attack a "declaration of war" and numerous experts referred to the conflict as a war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump can be credited with pressuring both Israel and Iran to stop hostilities, though the U.S. was an active combatant in the hostilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the country stopped further attacks on Iran after a call with Trump. However, in late June 2025, Israel said that despite a ceasefire it could still strike Iran to counter any new threats. Experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank said Trump's decision to carry out a focused attack on Iran was probably the "right call" because Iranian leadership was cautious and would focus on survival rather than all-out retaliation when faced with U.S. pressure. However, Iran and Israel's rhetoric suggests another war can break out again any day. While Trump did pressure the countries to stand down, the conflict itself is not over. Cambodia and Thailand In late July 2025, following several months of tension, border clashes broke out between Thailand and Cambodia. The Southeast Asian countries have made competing territorial claims for years. The latest skirmishes erupted months after a Cambodian soldier was killed, and just days after a landmine exploded and killed five Thai soldiers. We should note, neither Cambodia nor Thailand officially declared war against each other over the border conflict, as of this writing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Trump exerted pressure on both countries by threatening their trade deals, the two sides met in Malaysia and agreed to an unconditional ceasefire. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai held a meeting alongside Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and shook hands at the end. Soon after, Trump wrote on social media, "I am proud to be the president of PEACE." Even though Trump pressured the two countries to agree to a ceasefire, the underlying conflict is still ongoing, including their competing claims over centuries-old Hindu temples along their borders. Armenia and Azerbaijan The two countries have been fighting since the 1980s, in a number of cross-border conflicts that left tens of thousands of people displaced or dead. In 2020, the countries engaged in a six-week war in which Azerbaijan retook large parts of the Nagorno-Karabakh territory, which was controlled for decades by ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia, finally taking it completely in 2023. Around 100,000 ethnic Armenians fled to Armenia as a result. Russia considers the region to be within its sphere of influence, which is why an August 2025 Trump-brokered peace agreement was considered a victory for the U.S. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan both came to the White House to sign the treaty that would boost economic ties and begin normalization of relations. The treaty also included exclusive U.S. development rights to a transit corridor, dubbed the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" (TRIPP) through the South Caucasus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran has both welcomed the treaty and also criticized the transit corridor and threatened to block the project out of concern about a greater U.S. presence near Iranian borders. Russia cautiously welcomed the project but warned against more foreign interests in the region. Aliyev and Pashinyan both praised Trump, saying he helped end the conflict and said they would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Lasting peace in the region hinges on a range of factors including whether Russia continues to exert influence and over fears around Armenia and Azerbaijan's longer history of failed negotiations. Serbia and Kosovo The two countries have had territorial disputes since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a declaration Serbia still does not recognize. However, Trump's diplomatic efforts took place during a time when the countries were not fighting with each other. On June 27, 2025, Trump said Serbia and Kosovo were on the verge of war: Serbia was they were getting ready to go to war with a group. I won't even mention, because it didn't happen, we were able to stop it. But I have a friend in Serbia, and they said, 'we're going to go to war again.' And I won't mention that it's Kosovo, but it's Kosovo. But they were going to have a big time war, and we stopped it. We stopped it because of trade. They want to trade with the United States and I said we don't trade with people that go to war. It is not clear what conflict Trump resolved in his second term as president. Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani appeared to support Trump's statement that he averted a war, saying "we appreciate the role of President Trump as a peacemaker day and night for peace in the world." However Serbia denied any claims that they were planning military action against Kosovo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, during his first term, Trump brokered an economic normalization agreement between the two countries, dubbed The Washington Agreement. However, the two countries were not in active conflict at the time. Thus Trump's claim to have averted war in this case is dubious at best. Egypt and Ethiopia Like Serbia and Kosovo, there was no war between these two countries; rather, there were ongoing tensions over a dam in the Nile River. In July 2025, Ethiopia finished constructing the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Egypt has long opposed over concerns it would deplete its share of river water. Numerous negotiations between Egypt and Ethiopia over the years led to no agreement over the dam. In March 2020, Trump attempted and failed to broker an agreement between the two countries. Ethiopia did not join talks with Egypt in Washington. In September 2020 Trump temporarily suspended some aid to Ethiopia over the lack of progress. In October 2020, Ethiopia even accused Trump of inciting war after he said Egypt would "blow up" the dam. In July 2025, Ethiopia denied Trump's claim that the U.S. funded the construction of the dam. Trump has emphasized the importance of the Nile River to Egyptians, saying, "This dam represents life itself for the Egyptian people" and said he was trying to reach a deal. Egypt has largely welcomed Trump's comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though the White House confirmed to us that this was a war Trump helped resolve in his first term, neither country has reached a deal, nor is there an open war taking place, making this particular claim suspect. Conclusion Trump's record of preventing wars over the past six months is mixed. Numerous parties have disputed his role in the events, and most of the deals he has brokered appear to be temporary solutions to long-standing issues. Trump has also been unable to resolve current crises between Russia and Ukraine, as well as stop Israel's ongoing bombardment of Gaza. As such, Trump's claims are highly exaggerated. Sources: "Armenia Reassures Visiting Iran Leader It Will Control Azerbaijan Corridor." Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/19/armenia-reassures-visiting-iran-leader-it-will-control-azerbaijan-corridor. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Armenians and Azerbaijanis Greet US-Brokered Peace Deal with Hope but Also Caution." AP News, 9 Aug. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/armenia-azerbaijan-peace-deal-187833bead280ee0c9ace5ea1fa246a2. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Armenia and Azerbaijan Move Closer to Normalizing Ties as the First Border Marker Goes Up." AP News, 23 Apr. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/armenia-azerbaijan-border-peace-7795b3f718606a65f56c597f6a4c64e7. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Azerbaijan and Armenia Sign Peace Deal at White House That Creates a 'Trump Route' in Region." The Guardian, 9 Aug. 2025. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/09/azerbaijan-and-armenia-sign-peace-deal-at-white-house-that-creates-a-trump-route-in-region. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Azerbaijan, Armenia Sign US-Brokered Peace Accord at the White House." Al Jazeera, Aug. 8, 2025. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/8/azerbaijan-and-armenia-sign-accord-overseen-by-trump-at-the-white-house. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Christensen, Laerke. "What We Know about Claims 70 Christians Were Beheaded in Democratic Republic of Congo." Snopes, 24 Feb. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//news/2025/02/24/congo-70-christians-beheaded/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Deng , Rae. "Monks Thanked Trump for Role in Peace Talks between Cambodia and Thailand. Here's Context." Snopes, 20 Aug. 2025, https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/08/20/six-wars-trump-six-months/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "DR Congo's M23 Conflict: What Is the Fighting about and Is Rwanda Involved?" BBC, 1 Jul. 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgly1yrd9j3o. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Ethiopia Blasts Trump Remark That Egypt Will 'blow up' Dam." AP News, 24 Oct. 2020, https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ethiopia-egypt-abiy-ahmed-sudan-4a71496ab630c5cc6dbd242be894d24a. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Ethiopia Completes the Power-Generating Dam on the Nile That Caused a Dispute with Egypt." AP News, 3 Jul. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/ethiopia-nile-dam-complete-b567f19bcfeaca6315acf29d56944b9e. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Ethiopia Won't Be Forced by US on Dam, Foreign Minister Says." AP News, 13 Mar. 2020, https://apnews.com/article/39183ccfeed1c0796ad38796d459ff3b. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Ethiopian Official Denies Donald Trump's Claim That US Funded Gerd - the River Nile Dam." BBC, 23 Jul. 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89e41z388qo. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Harding, Emily. "Inside Trump's Strike on Iran's Nuclear Program." CSIS, Jun. 2025. https://www.csis.org/analysis/inside-trumps-strike-irans-nuclear-program. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. How Many Wars Has President Trump Ended? BBC, 20 Aug. 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y3599gx4qo. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Ibrahim, Nur. "Debunking Image Allegedly Showing Israeli F-35 Fighter Jet Shot down by Iran." Snopes, 23 Jun. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/iran-image-israeli-f-35-fighter-jet/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Iran's President Visits Armenia for Talks on US-Backed Azerbaijan Corridor." Al Jazeera, Aug. 18, 2025. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/18/irans-president-visits-armenia-for-talks-on-us-backed-azerbaijan-corridor. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "ISIL-Backed Rebels Killed at Least 52 People in Eastern DR Congo, UN Says." Al Jazeera, Aug. 18, 2025. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/18/isil-backed-rebels-killed-at-least-52-people-in-eastern-dr-congo-un-says. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Kelemen, Michele. "Rwanda and DRC Sign a U.S.-Brokered Peace Deal, but Questions Remain." NPR, 27 Jun. 2025. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2025/06/27/nx-s1-5448669/rwanda-and-drc-sign-a-u-s-brokered-peace-deal-but-questions-remain. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Khamenei Aide Warns Iran-Israel War Could Re-Erupt at Any Time." Https://Www.Newarab.Com/, 18 Aug. 2025, https://www.newarab.com/news/khamenei-aide-warns-iran-israel-war-could-re-erupt-any-time. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Leff, Alex. "After Lashing out at Israel and Iran, Trump Says the 'Ceasefire Is in Effect.'" NPR, 24 Jun. 2025. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2025/06/24/nx-s1-5443201/israel-iran-ceasefire-trump. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Mason, Jeff, et al. "Trump Hosts Pakistani Army Chief, Disagrees with India over India-Pakistan War Mediation." Reuters, 19 Jun. 2025. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/india-will-not-accept-third-party-mediation-relations-with-pakistan-modi-tells-2025-06-18/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "President Trump: 'I've Solved Six Wars in Six Months' ." YouTube, The White House, 15 Aug. 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ZisIw_QTc&t=26s. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "President Trump Participates in a Visit with the Foreign Ministers of the Congo and Rwanda." The White House, 27 Jun. 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/president-trump-participates-in-a-visit-with-the-foreign-ministers-of-the-congo-and-rwanda/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Ravid, Barak. "Trump Announces 'Full and Immediate' Ceasefire between India and Pakistan." Axios, 10 May 2025, https://www.axios.com/2025/05/10/trump-india-pakistan-ceasefire. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Roth, Andrew. "Trump Claims to Have Ended Six Wars Is That True?" The Guardian, 19 Aug. 2025. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/19/trump-claims-to-have-ended-six-wars-is-that-true. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Scribner, Herb. "What's Really Going on with the '6 Wars' Trump Says He Ended." Axios, 18 Aug. 2025, https://www.axios.com/2025/08/19/trump-ended-wars-stop-ukraine-israel-iran. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Shalal, Andrea. "Trump Announces Peace Agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia." Reuters, 9 Aug. 2025. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-announces-peace-agreement-between-azerbaijan-armenia-2025-08-08/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Solomon, Erika, et al. "Israel Suggests It Could Strike Iran Again to Counter New Threats." The New York Times, 27 Jun. 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/world/europe/israel-iran-enforcement-policy.html. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Suter, Tara. "Netanyahu Says Israel 'Refrained from Additional Attacks' against Iran after Trump Call ." The Hill, 24 Jun. 2025, https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5366254-israel-iran-ceasefire-netanyahu-trump/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "Thailand and Cambodia Agree to a Ceasefire in Their Deadly Border Clashes." AP News, 28 Jul. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/thailand-cambodia-armed-clash-border-ceasefire-talks-6d8cc517df1be1ad0bf911fe1c81c765. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "The Road to the Israel-Iran War." Brookings, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-road-to-the-israel-iran-war/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Trump Calls for Urgent Solution to Nile Dam Crisis: "The Dam Means Life for Egypt" - DNE Africa. 14 Jul. 2025, https://africa.dailynewsegypt.com/trump-calls-for-urgent-solution-to-nile-dam-crisis-the-dam-means-life-for-egypt/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "US Suspends Some Aid to Ethiopia over Dam Dispute with Egypt." AP News, 2 Sep. 2020, https://apnews.com/general-news-7ce2f23741eed4886a09e39c0064b894. Adrienne Vogt, Adrienne and Aditi Sangal, Rhea Mogul, Sophia Saifi, Esha Mitra, Alex Stambaugh, James Legge, Sophie Tanno, Christian Edwards. "India-Pakistan Truce Appears to Hold despite Accusations of Violations." CNN, 10 May 2025, https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/india-pakistan-operation-sindoor-05-10-25. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "'We Received the Information in May' - What Osmani Said Yesterday about Serbia's Actions on the Border with Kosovo." Gazeta Express, 18 Jul. 2025, https://www.gazetaexpress.com/en/I-received-the-information-in-May--what-Osman-said-yesterday-about-Serbia%27s-actions-on-the-border-with-Kosovo./. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Wee, Sui-Lee. "Thailand and Cambodia Stepped Back From War, but Their Temple Fight Remains." The New York Times, 30 Jul. 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/30/world/asia/thailand-cambodia-temples.html. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "What to Know about the Shaky Truce after 5 Days of Combat between Thailand and Cambodia." AP News, 24 Jul. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/thailand-cambodia-border-conflict-explainer-0eb99510a4ea16ee769a5934e0c07383. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Updates: Aug. 20, 2025: The article was update to capitalize the "Nile River." Aug. 21, 2025: The article was amended to fix a broken link. LANSING, (Mich.) WLNS Dorms are filling up in East Lansing as Michigan State University is officially welcoming new students from across America into university dorms Tuesday and Wednesday. Cars were lined up across campus today, as new students and their parents weathered the rain on move in day. Classes start in less than a week, and students are excited to begin their next chapter of life. Arielle Gluck, an incoming freshman business major from Chicago, was in the midst of move in day madness when 6 News found her. Arielle Gluck. (WLNS) Yea I think were gonna put our desks here, except we have that, I dont know exactly, well have to see once my roommate comes, said Gluck, surrounded by bags and boxes in her room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gluck and her family drove 5 hours from Chicago on Monday to help move her into Yakeley Hall. She says plans to major in business, but for now, the biggest worry is where to put her bed. But once all thats sorted out, she said she cant wait to get involved with the Michigan State University community. Being from Chicago, I dont know many people, but here Ill meet so many, Im excited to rush, excited to just hang out with my roommate who I love so much, Gluck said. Glucks father, Michael Gluck, knows move in day can be quite the rush, but hes proud of his daughter, and excited to see her next chapter at MSU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Move in day is hot and sweaty. Its very frantic, so you pull in and you have to unload your car quickly, cause theres other cars waiting for you, said Michael Gluck Excited for her to like spread her wings, to grow as an individual, I think shes done amazing up to this point of her life. Arielle said the day is dedicated to moving beds around, situating desks, and getting her belongings stored away. A courtesy photo of Arielles dorm. After that, she says shell be getting involved with campus clubs, making new friends, and is looking forward to attending her first college classes. I love my friends, so thats why Im so excited to meet new friends here said Gluck I like going to the gym, doing different stuff, and Im just excited to start a new life here at MSU Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz spoke earlier today, congratulating incoming freshmen on choosing the university. He encouraged students to get engaged as soon as they arrive on campus and says its all about staying curious and taking advantage of all the resources MSU. provides Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By David Jeans NEW YORK (Reuters) -During a U.S. naval test off the California coast last month, which was designed to showcase the Pentagons top autonomous drone boats, one vessel stalled unexpectedly. As officials scrambled to fix a software glitch, another drone vessel smashed into the idling boats starboard side, vaulted over the deck, and crashed back into the water an incident captured in videos obtained by Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The previously unreported episode, which involved two vessels built by U.S. defense tech rivals Saronic and BlackSea Technologies, is one of a series of recent setbacks in the Pentagons push to build a fleet of autonomous vessels, according to a dozen people familiar with the program. Weeks earlier, during a separate Navy test, the captain of a support boat was thrown into the water after another autonomous BlackSea vessel it was towing suddenly accelerated, capsizing the support boat, according to four people familiar with the matter. The captain was rescued and declined medical attention. The incident was first reported by Defense Scoop. Both incidents stemmed from a combination of software failures and human error, including breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information. The Navy, Saronic and BlackSea declined to comment on the incidents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The videos showing the drone crash were verified by two Reuters sources, the landscape matching terrain imagery, the GARC-096 name ID and structure of the boat matching file imagery of Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC). U.S. military leaders, seeing the outsized impact of maritime drones in the Ukraine war, have repeatedly said they need autonomous swarms of aerial and maritime drones to hinder a potential advance by China across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan itself has begun acquiring its own maritime drones. The drones being developed in Ukraine, which often look like speedboats without seats, and are capable of carrying weapons, explosives and surveillance equipment, are primarily remote-controlled and cost close to $250,000 making them optimal for kamikaze missions that have effectively neutralized Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The U.S., meanwhile, is aiming to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms and without human command a more ambitious task at a higher price point; as much as a few million dollars per speedboat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The recent test failures highlight the challenges facing the Navy's effort to deploy the nascent technologies, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. It will need to adapt its "tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they cant do." But the Navys problems go beyond getting the boats to work: its autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit has also been rocked by the firing of its top admiral, and a top Pentagon official voiced concerns about the program in a candid meeting with Navy brass last month, Reuters found. Since the most recent incident, the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which had acquired technology for the tests, has indefinitely paused a contract valued close to $20 million with L3Harris, one of the companies providing autonomous software used to control some of the vessels, according to two people familiar with the matter. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the cause of the accidents or the L3Harris contract being paused, which has not been previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Pentagon spokesperson said it conducted drone tests as part of a "competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry." L3Harris declined to comment on the contract and directed questions to the DIU. The DIU declined to comment. "L3Harris stands behind the safety, integrity and capability of our autonomy command-and-control product," said Toby Magsig, who oversees L3Harris autonomous software products. RISE OF SEA DRONES To accelerate its drone effort, the Pentagon in 2023 launched the $1 billion Replicator program, through which branches like the U.S. Navy and the DIU planned to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, along with the software to control them. The first systems from this program are due to be announced this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which is producing dozens of its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats a month, according to procurement records. Saronic, which was recently valued at $4 billion in a funding round backed by Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC, makes the competitive sea drone Corsair, but is yet to announce a major contract. Federal procurement records show the company has generated at least $20 million from prototype agreements. "These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness," acting chief of naval operations Jim Kilby said during a visit to BlackSeas facility in June. NAVY TURMOIL Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has made fielding swarms of drones a top military priority. Trumps Big Beautiful Bill passed last month included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. But, so far, the Navys approach has faced skepticism under the new administration. In April, the Navys key drone boat procurement unit known as Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) touted a successful demonstration of the software used to control BlackSeas vessels in a post on LinkedIn, hailing it as "a major step forward in advancing #maritime autonomy." In response, Colin Carroll, then-chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg, suggested the program was duplicating other efforts within the Pentagon. I have a feeling that there are changes in this programs future, he replied to the LinkedIn post. Carroll, who is no longer with the Pentagon, declined to comment further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The PEO USC was recently placed under review, according to four people familiar with the matter, due to a series of setbacks, and could be restructured or shut down. This comes two months after the Navy said it had sacked the units leader, Rear Admiral Kevin Smith, due to a loss of confidence in his leadership after the Naval Inspector General substantiated a complaint against him. Reuters was unable to contact Smith. During a meeting last month, Feinberg grilled Navy officials about their autonomous vessel capabilities, including those being fielded by the PEO USC, according to three people briefed on the meeting. Feinberg was unimpressed by some of the capabilities being acquired by the Navy and questioned whether they were cost-effective, the people said. A Pentagon spokesperson said, "were not going to comment on private internal meetings" and directed questions about PEO USC to the Navy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Navy declined to comment on the meeting or the acquisition unit being put under review. Spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said the PEO USC stands by its mission, including its role as acquisition authority for the maintenance and modernization of unmanned maritime systems. The turmoil comes as shipbuilders and software providers are angling to secure even larger autonomous maritime projects, such as unmanned submarines and cargo-carrying ships. Last week, the PEO USC started accepting proposals for the Modular Attack Surface Craft, to acquire medium and large vessels capable of carrying containers, surveillance equipment, and conducting strikes. T.X. Hammes, an autonomous weapons expert and Atlantic Council fellow, said the Navy is in uncharted waters, trying to overhaul decades of tradition at high speed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Youve got a system thats used to building big things, taking years to make a decision, and now suddenly youre asking them to move fast," he said. (Reporting by David Jeans; Additional reporting by George Sargent and Maria Paula Laguna; Editing by Joe Brock, Michael Learmonth and Anna Driver) This story was originally published on CFO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Lax review by the IRS opened the way for swindlers to file bogus Forms 941 and bag tax refund checks even after agency managers were informed of the risk from such business fraud, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said. TIGTA last year alerted the IRS that investigators found that the agency provided more than $93 million in fraudulent refund checks to 20 businesses, TIGTA said in a report. IRS staff failed to properly authenticate callers and enabled the wrongdoing by providing fraudsters with account, deposit and other tax information. IRS management was aware of the risk of erroneous refunds being issued, TIGTA said, adding that the agency did not take action to prevent the scheme. Dive Insight: The report, criticizing staff who handle queries from callers to Business Security Tax and Practitioner Priority Service telephone lines, identifies errors that preceded a historic agency shakeup this year under the Trump administration. The White House during the first half of 2025 slashed the IRS work force from 102,000 to less than 76,000, with Taxpayer Service staff shrunk by 22%, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins said in June. The tally includes employees who accepted an early resignation offer and will stay on payroll through Sept. 30. Roughly 26% of revenue agents and 27% of tax examiners have left the agency or intend to do so, TIGTA said in July. With the IRS workforce reduced by 26% and significant tax law changes on the horizon, there are risks to next years filing season, Collins said in a June report. The Trump administration, in its 2026 budget request, flagged the risks from mass cuts in taxpayer services and requested the hiring of 11,000 customer service employees. At current staff levels, most taxpayers would be unable to reach the IRS by phone or receive answers to questions related to tax compliance, the IRS said. Taxpayers that do get through will face long wait times. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has triggered unprecedented turnover in the agencys top spot. During the past eight months, the administration has cycled through seven commissioners, a position with a five-year tenure. Dozens of top career civil servants have left the IRS, with many resigning after the announcement of a memorandum of understanding on the use of tax data between the IRS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ralph Menzies appears during his commutation hearing before the parole board at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City as he petitions to stop his execution by firing squad on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (Pool photo by Bethany Baker/The Salt Lake Tribune) When campaigning for president in 1992, Bill Clinton raced back to Arkansas to oversee the execution of Billy Ray Rector. Clintons actions had nothing to do with addressing Arkansas record crime rates at the time. It was political theater. Mr. Rectors crime was atrocious. He also suffered from mental illness to such an extent that on his way to be executed, he deliberately left behind the dessert from his last meal. He said he was saving it for later. Yet Clinton believed it better politically to watch a mentally ill man put to death than to show mercy. Although sadly he may have been proven right, the execution is remembered as a disgrace to the state of Arkansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Utah may be poised to join Arkansas and other states as having executed a person with mental illness. After going over a decade without executing anyone, our state chose to execute Taberon Honie in 2024. Now the state seeks to execute Ralph Menzies. In 1986, Mr. Menzies committed a terrible crime, kidnapping and murdering Maurine Hunsaker. Today, he is 67 years old. He relies on a wheelchair. He breathes with aid of an oxygen tank. And like Mr. Rector, he suffers with mental illness, having been diagnosed with dementia. There is not an apparent reason why his crime compared to others requires the punishment of death. Combined with the 11 other people put to death or currently on death row, his crime represents less than one percent of the over 2250 murders in Utah between 1986 and 2024. By any definition, killing Ralph Menzies is an arbitrary infliction of extreme punishment for punishments sake only. When the United States Supreme Court briefly abolished the death penalty in 1973, it was the arbitrary nature of its use that led to it being declared cruel and unusual in violation of the constitution. Justice Potter Stewart described that death sentences are cruel and unusual in the same way that being struck by lightning is cruel and unusual. He explained that for all the people sentenced to death, their crimes did not stand out for any reason other than they were among a random handful upon whom the sentence of death has been imposed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for Mr. Menzies, his crime does not stand out for any reason from the other notable, and thousands of less notable, murders over the decades in Utah. Mark Hofmann avoided the death penalty. He used bombs to kill two people to cover up a scheme to defraud The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is the self-described white-power skinhead who murdered Corrections Officer Stephen Anderson in an escape attempt. He too avoided the death penalty. Of the four other people on Utahs death row, two sit there while their co-defendants do not. It may be said that even if the death penalty is arbitrarily imposed, it must exist as a deterrent. Not so. The death penalty is not a deterrent. It is a fact that overall states without it have lower murder rates than states with it and that states that have recently abolished the death penalty saw no increase in their murder rates. In contrast, six of the seven states with the highest murder rates all have the death penalty, with five having executed someone since the start of 2024. What about victims? Ms. Hunsakers daughter recently came out against the execution, writing that she does not believe that justice will be served by taking another life. Ms. Hunsakers son has publicly supported the execution, saying the family is ready for closure. No one can question his feelings or the reasonableness of wanting closure. But closure comes in many forms. What cannot be known is how anyone would feel about closure if the case had ended in any other fashion. As Mr. Menzies case typifies, waiting for imposition of the death penalty inhibits closure. Which comes back to Mr. Menzies. Whatever led him to commit the horrendous crime is long since gone. Whoever he was then is not the person we see today. That is true due to the passage of time. It is true because none of us should be defined by the worst thing we ever did. And it is true because he is an elderly, sick man. We can be better than this. Or Utah will go through with killing a man with dementia who needs an air tank to breathe. It will be our own unforgettable disgrace. Gov. Dan McKee signed legislation expanding Rhode Islands Temporary Caregiver Insurance program during a State House ceremony on Aug. 20, 2025. To the right of McKee are Senate President Valarie Lawson and Rep. Joshua Giraldo, who sponsored the legislation in their respective chambers. (Photo courtesy of Gov. Dan McKees office) Gov. Dan McKee took to the Rhode Island State House Wednesday afternoon for a ceremonial signing of two bills he approved nearly two months ago that will expand Rhode Islands Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI) the states form of paid family leave. McKee may have waited to celebrate the bills, but Rhode Islanders will also have to wait to enjoy the new laws benefits, as they dont kick in until Jan. 1, 2027. The perks include gradually raising TCIs weekly income replacement from 60% to 70% of a workers usual wages. The wage replacement will rise again to 75% of full weekly income on Jan. 1, 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation also increases the taxable wage base for Temporary Disability Insurance TCIs funding source from $38,000 to $100,000 to boost the programs solvency. The new law builds on legislation approved last year that lengthened paid family leave from six to seven weeks. That law went into effect on Jan. 1, and starting Jan. 1, 2026, qualifying workers will be eligible for a full eight weeks. By the time the 2025 legislation goes into effect, workers will be able to enjoy a full eight weeks of benefits, with the income replacement calculated by a formula based on a workers highest quarter of earnings. By expanding paid family leave, we are reinforcing the message that workers in Rhode Island should not have to choose between their paycheck and their family, McKee said in a statement. This expansion of the wage replacement rate helps us stay competitive and a national leader on this issue. McKee first OKd the legislation on June 26, shortly after the end of the 2025 legislative session, when the bills sponsored by Senate President Valarie Lawson, an East Providence Democrat, and Rep. Joshua Giraldo, a Central Falls Democrat, passed both chambers. Lawson and Giraldo joined McKee, advocates, and labor leaders Wednesday for the signing ceremony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2013, Rhode Island became the third state in the nation to offer paid parental leave an amenity thats common in other wealthy countries, but not in the United States. Neighboring states Connecticut and Massachusetts both provide benefits for longer than Rhode Island does up to 12 weeks but use more complex payment formulas. Connecticut benefits are tied to the state minimum wage and max out at $981 a week, replacing up to 95% of weekly pay for lower earners. Massachusetts calculates benefits based on the state average weekly wage for a maximum benefit around $1,170 a week. In Rhode Island, benefits are currently capped at $1,103 weekly. Lawson echoed McKee and said in a statement the legislation will help Rhode Island catch up in temporary leave benefits after having fallen behind other states. A society in which people have the time to bond with their babies and care for their loved ones is a healthier society, in every sense of the word, Lawson said. This proven program is funded not through employers but through a modest assessment on the workers themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giraldo said in his own statement that the gift of time that TCI provides is priceless, given his own experiences caring for his prematurely born daughter. Lawson and Giraldo also sponsored the bills approved last year that expanded the amount of time workers were eligible for paid leave. The successful versions of these bills followed an initial push for 12 weeks of benefits, which was eventually whittled down to the model now in effect. The newly approved legislation does, however, accomplish a goal left unfulfilled from last years efforts, by adding siblings to the roster of eligible family members for which workers can take paid leave. Rhode Islands paid family leave is funded entirely through payroll deductions and allows workers to take time to bond with a new child or care for an ill family member, such as a parent, spouse, domestic partner, grandparent, sibling, or in-law. Eligible workers include people who earn their income in Rhode Island, pay into the TDI fund, and make at least $18,000 annually, or meet an alternate threshold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a legislative press release when the bills passed in June, workers making up to $89,200 will see no increase in contributions. A person making a salary of $100,000 would see a weekly increase of about $2.70 a week. Full details about the program, including applications, are available on the Department of Labor and Trainings website. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Hurricane Erins impacts are already underway across the Southeast and throughout the Northeast, where many beaches are closed to all but the most experienced surfers. Heres a breakdown of when those on the East Coast, from the Carolinas to Maine, will see inclement coastal conditions as Hurricane Erin continues northeastward off the U.s. coastline this week. Erin passed offshore of North Carolina on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, bringing the biggest impacts to the Outer Banks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has declared a state of emergency to assist with the response to Hurricane Erin and to mobilize resources. Strong winds and big waves are ongoing along the Outer Banks throughout the day. Winds in Nags Head and Hatteras Island topped 50 mph on Thursday morning. Coastal flood alerts are in place for much of the Southeast, including a warning for the Outer Banks. Large waves are ongoing, and beaches across the coast are closed. Waves are forecast to reach up to 20 feet, with the swell lasting into Friday with 10-foot waves and dangerous rip currents. Peak impacts from Erin started late Wednesday and lasted into Thursday morning for coastal Virginia, where a Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Large waves, strong rip currents, coastal flooding and strong winds are all possible along the coast. Gusty winds of up to 40 mph are possible on Thursday. Erin will continue north on Thursday, making its closest approach to the Maryland coast but still remaining well offshore. Throughout Thursday, New Jersey and Delaware beaches are seeing the most significant coastal hazards with large breaking waves, gusty winds and life-threatening rip currents. "While the center of the storm will pass about 350-450 miles south and east of our area, it will be rapidly expanding in size with its tropical-storm-force wind field reaching just offshore of our coasts," the NWS in Mount Holly, New Jersey, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Wind Advisory is in place from Thursday morning through Thursday night from Ocean County southward, where sustained winds of up to 30 mph could last for more than two hours. On Friday, the weather will clear up, but the dangerous surf and rip currents will remain. From Thursday through Friday night, Erin will pass southeast of New York. Winds will peak between late Thursday and early Friday, with localized gusts of up to 40 mph across Long Island and the coast. Erin will pass well offshore of New England on Friday, where a High Surf Advisory is in place for coastal areas. Large, breaking waves began increasing on Wednesday and will peak on Friday, with waves up to 13 feet in the surf zone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High surf, dangerous rip currents and gale-force gusts, along with beach erosion, will be the primary threats through Friday. The primary threats from Erin in Maine will be offshore with waves up to 9 feet along the coast. Rip currents and coastal erosion are also possible through the weekend. Original article source: When to expect worst from Hurricane Erin on East Coast: A state-by-state breakdown Record-breaking humidity has exacerbated this summer's heat for almost half of the country. This has been the muggiest first two months of meteorological summer in 44 years. Several central and eastern U.S. states have seen their stickiest start to summer on record. Tampa, Florida, had something in common with Anchorage, Alaska; Buffalo, New York; and Honolulu until recently. In late July, Tampa was dropped from the list of cities with populations over 100,000 people that have never reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Tampa's airport reached the extreme heat benchmark this summer for the first time in 135 years of record for the city. The city soared to a scorching high of 100 for the first time on July 27. Just a couple of days later, Tampa set another record. The heat index at the Tampa airport climbed to 119 degrees Fahrenheit on July 29, the worst on record. That day started off sweltering with a heat index of 104 degrees Fahrenheit at 8 AM. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The heat index, or feels-like temperature, gives a fuller picture of just how awful it can feel. When high heat meets high humidity, numbers on a thermometer can fall short. The heat index merges both to give a more realistic measure of discomfort. A temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit paired with 15% relative humidity feels slightly cooler, around 91 degrees Fahrenheit. But at 45% relative humidity, that same heat can feel like an oppressive 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat index levels have been lifted higher amid a summer that has seen record-high mugginess. "Summertime heat that's being boosted by climate change is now also getting this extra piece," a meteorologist, Shel Winkley with Climate Central, told CNN. "It's like a one-two punch. A lot of us are very lucky that we get to go from our air-conditioned home, to our air-conditioned car, to our air-conditioned workplace, but that's not everybody." Meteorologists track atmospheric moisture using several measures, including dew point, humidity, and relative humidity. Many favor dew point, which is the temperature air must cool to, at constant pressure, to reach saturation, when relative humidity hits 100% and condensation can form. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A CNN analysis of dew point temperatures this summer found that through July 22, central and eastern U.S. states had their highest dewpoints for the first two months of summer since 1981. "It's been the second-most humid summer for the US as a whole in the same timeframe," reported CNN. Scientists with Climate Central have found the fingerprints of our overheating planet on the most important factor driving the higher humidity levels this summer. Unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic and Gulf were made up to 500 times more likely due to our warming world, according to researchers from Climate Central. How concerned are you about your energy bills increasing this summer? Very Somewhat Not much Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. As water temperatures rise, so does the amount of moisture evaporating into the atmosphere, driving up dew points. Summer weather patterns sweep warm, moist air off the surface of the water, around the backside of a ridge of high-pressure that normally sets up shop over the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda, into regions east of the Rocky Mountains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As dew points rise, so do the risks to health from extreme heat, which they can contribute to. Climate Research says that "human-caused climate change" fueled a dangerous heat wave that hit the U.S. from July 21 through July 25. The extreme heat that impacted nearly 160 million people was made at least three times more likely because of our warming world. "This is not your grandmother's heat wave," said Dr. Kristina Dahl, VP of science at Climate Central, referring to the July heat wave. "Yes, July is usually a hot month, but climate change is making this heat wave significantly hotter and therefore more dangerous than heat waves of the past." Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. In India, coconut production dropped by up to 40% over the last couple of years, according to farmers, and this has sent prices skyrocketing for everyday consumers. What's happening? Demand is up and supply is down for coconuts in India. And as a result, prices for coconut oil have sharply risen by about 300% over the last year, according to a report by The New Indian Express. A monthslong heat wave in mid-2024 and pest problems negatively impacted coconut trees in the country and slowed production, per the report. Coconuts are an essential crop in India for everything from food to beauty products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coconut oil is particularly important and sought after. The high prices and scarce availability are leading some makers to alter their oils with other ingredients, turning customers away and hurting the industry. Why is the rise in coconut prices concerning? The planet's overheating is impacting agriculture all over the world. Severe weather events such as heat waves, floods, and wildfires are happening more frequently and with greater intensity overall, often hurting crops in the process. This year alone, drought conditions in Iraq have impacted wheat production. Flooding in Kenya did so much damage that the government had to provide food relief programs. California's excessively dry and hot weather caused cherry harvests to drop by about half. This is playing a role in the increase in food prices, leading to more expensive groceries for locals. Despite these budget strains, you can still shop smartly at the grocery store with some planning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The impacts can be damaging for the environment as well, as these changes disrupt ecosystems and food chains in nature. What's being done about it? Organizations are calling on the government to allow coconut imports for an interim period of six to 12 months to manage the current demand, retain customers, and stabilize pricing. "We request the government to take urgent actions to address this situation by allowing imports of Copra and Coconut Oil Price for Interim Period," the president of the Solvent Extractors' Association of India, Sanjeev Asthana, said in a letter to the Government of India, per The New Indian Express. "The current situation is impacting all the stakeholders in this sector adversely." Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) Several structures at a shed business in Murfreesboro were destroyed in a large fire overnight. The Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department was called late Tuesday night to Backyard Buildings and More near Northwest Broad Street and Florence Road. When firefighters arrived, multiple wooden sheds and piles of material were ablaze. As the fire spread, several tow tractors became involved. Lightning strikes reportedly injure man, cause field fire in Lawrence County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters worked quickly to contain the flames and minimize damage, but those items were destroyed. Officials reported that several explosions occurred during the response. (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) (Source: Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department) (Source: Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department) (Source: Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department) (Source: Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department) MFRD credited the following for their response: Engine 5, Engine 7, Ladder 4, Ladder 11, Rescue 4, Battalion Chief 1, Battalion Chief 2, Safety 1, Safety 2, Chief Mark McCluskey, Assistant Chief Josh Oliver, the Fire Marshals Office and fire inspectors. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com As of publication, the cause of the blaze remained under investigation by the Fire Marshals Office. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) Texas-based Colossal Biosciences announced Wednesday, Aug. 20, that theyre officially expanding down under. The company is launching Colossal Australia, which will focus on reviving extinct species, like the thylacine, and restoring the ecosystem. Andrew Pask alongside Colossal Biosciences CEO Ben Lamm. (Credit: Colossal Biosciences) Australia actually has the highest rate of mammal extinctions of any country in the world, said Andrew Pask Ph.D. Pask, who has worked as an advisor to the company for years, will now serve as the companys chief biology officer and will oversee Colossal Australia. Texas company genetically engineers mice with thick hair like the extinct woolly mammoth Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its just an absolutely fascinating job that does everything from sort of real conservation in the field, to real conservation in the lab and everything in between, said Pask about the new role. Pask leads the Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research Lab (TIGGR) at the University of Melbourne. The TIGGR lab has partially been funded by Colossal for several years. As part of the expansion, the lab will become part of Colossal Australia. Saving Australia According to a press release, all Colossal-affiliated research conducted at the University of Melbourne will now fall under Colossal Australia. Colossal Biosciences valued at more than $10B after latest funding round Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve been working on the Tasmanian Tiger, you know, trying to bring this, this incredibly iconic marsupial species back. It was this really unusual marsupial apex predator, and we have no other species like it, so it played a very important role in the landscape, Pask said about their work. Northern quoll, Northern native cat or Satanellus (Dasyurus hallucatus), Dasyuridae. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images) Other efforts have focused on the Northern Quoll. [Its] this little marsupial species that is going to go extinct in the next 10 years, and thats because it eats an invasive pest species, Pask said. The company plans to use genetic engineering to alter the Quolls DNA to make it immune to the poison released by the invasive species, the cane toad. BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA 2021/09/19: Cane Toad (Rhinella marina) near wetland habitat in boondall wetlands. (Photo by Joshua Prieto/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Its just one single gene in their genome that we can edit, and that makes our cane toad completely resistant then to cane toe toxin, Pask said that then the Quoll can help stop the spread of the invasive species and the destruction it causes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to save so many different animals at the moment because of this huge loss of biodiversity were seeing globally, Pask said. The ethics of de-extinction The idea of altering the genetics of living species to re-create extinct ones has drawn criticisms in recent years. When you create something, like a dire wolf or wooly mammoth, what youre creating is something that looks like one, but isnt actually one, right? said Jay Odenbaugh, a professor and philosopher at Lewis and Clark College. Odenbaugh has studied the ethics of de-extinction technology, and has written papers on the subject. He worries that the lack of regulation on the science is concerning and that genetic engineering could cause animals to suffer during the development. Colossal Biosciences CEO Ben Lamm holds a dire wolf puppy (Credit: Colossal Biosciences) If you want to do animal research in the university, you have to go through a variety of protocols, Odenbaugh said. When youre doing in a private corporation context, you dont have those same hoops that you have to jump through to show that what youre doing is ethical. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Odenbaugh argues that altering genetics and creating species with similar traits to extinct ones is inauthentic. Bored people killed off the Dodo Bird; now a Texas company is hoping to bring it back Hes also concerned about using the tech in Australia. In the history of Australia, there have been a lot of attempts to control one species by introducing another, and often that leads to increasingly bad problems, right? Pask said to not use the technology could be worse. I think morally and ethically, were obliged that we just have to do this now. This is the only solution we have to building really resilient ecosystems that will be able to thrive again and hopefully stabilize our planet once more, Pask said. We have to embrace these genetic technologies to bring back the diversity that weve lost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Incarcerated people exercise in the maximum security yard of the Lansing Correctional Facility in April 2023 in Lansing, Kan. This year, several states have taken steps to install air conditioning and expand cooling measures to address sweltering heat inside prisons, but many across the country remain years away from significant upgrades. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) Summer heat is bearing down on U.S. prisons, where temperatures in uncooled cells can climb well into the triple digits. Facing growing pressure from advocacy groups, lawsuits and climate projections that show hotter days ahead, some state prison systems are moving to install air conditioning and expand cooling measures though many facilities remain years away from significant upgrades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in other states, such efforts have stalled or failed. That may lead to more lawsuits in the future, experts say, even as judges may raise the bar for such cases. An emphasis on being tough on crime and prioritizing other public safety measures may have contributed to less attention on prison conditions in some states. In others, slowing revenue growth and pressure to rein in corrections spending could be making new investments a harder sell. At least two states this year, Virginia and Texas, considered legislation addressing excessive heat in prisons but neither measure became law. The Texas bill would have required the state Department of Criminal Justice to purchase and install climate control systems in all of its facilities by the end of 2032. About two-thirds of the states correctional facilities have only partial or no air conditioning. The measure passed the House but did not advance in the Senate before the legislature adjourned in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Virginia, lawmakers approved a bill that would have required the state corrections department to install heat and air conditioning in its prisons and to ensure cell temperatures not exceed 80 degrees. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed it, citing the cost of installation and operational burdens. Youngkin also wrote that existing state corrections data does not substantiate the claims of extreme temperatures or health risks. But in Delaware, the fiscal year 2026 capital budget approved last month includes $2 million in funding to install air conditioning at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. These changes mark the latest actions in a long-running debate over how correctional systems respond to rising summer temperatures an issue that affects both incarcerated people and staff. Some of the policy debates and facility updates this year follow years of advocacy and litigation over the health, safety and operational challenges posed by heat in correctional settings. The problem of excessive heat in prisons has persisted for decades and has unfolded alongside other challenges, including chronic understaffing and overcrowding. In some cases, these problems have led to extended facility lockdowns, even during the summer months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are people working in prisons and they have the right to work in climates that are comfortable, said Nancy La Vigne, a criminal justice researcher and dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. When theyre not, theres retention issues, and its hard to replace staff. And when you dont replace staff, then you have challenges in maintaining the safety and security of the facility. In New York, for example, correctional officers staged a three-week strike earlier this year and many didnt return to work. Some facilities now are operating with 30%-60% fewer guards than needed, resulting in some incarcerated people getting only an hour or two outside of their cells each day. A 2023 study published in the peer-reviewed PLOS One journal found that mortality in state and private prisons rose during periods of extreme heat, with deaths increasing 3.5% on extreme heat days and up to 7.4% during three-day heat waves. Between 2001 and 2019, nearly 13,000 people died in prison during the summer months, almost half of them in the South, though the study did not determine how many of those deaths were directly attributable to heat. Climate change is fueling longer, more intense periods of extreme heat. Exposure to extreme heat can worsen conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and asthma, and has also been linked to worsening mental health and higher suicide rates among incarcerated people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Average temperatures are rising, and youre going to have more and more states around the country where incarcerated people are held in conditions that are not livable because theyre too hot, said Sharon Dolovich, a law professor and director of the Prison Law and Policy Program at the University of California, Los Angeles. Some upgrades At least 44 states lack universal air conditioning within their prison facilities, even in regions known for sweltering summer temperatures, according to a 2022 USA Today analysis. A recent Reuters investigation also found that nearly half of state prisons across 29 states have partial or no air conditioning in housing units. But some states are investing millions to update their prison facilities. In North Carolina, corrections officials are working toward their goal of installing air conditioning in all 54 state prisons by 2026. To date, 33 facilities are fully air-conditioned, 17 are partially air-conditioned, and four have no air conditioning, according to its dashboard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In California, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which operates 31 adult prisons, has spent $246 million in the past five years on cooling improvements at five prisons, according to a department spokesperson. Lawmakers this year also approved funding for the Air Cooling Pilot Program at three facilities, with $17.6 million allocated for fiscal years 2025-26 and $20 million for fiscal years 2026-27. It will evaluate the effectiveness of two alternatives prior to a statewide plan to address high indoor temperatures across the California prison system. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, as of Aug. 1, is building 12,827 cool beds, or prison cells in air-conditioned units, and is in the process of procuring an additional 7,162, according to its dashboard. Texas is one of the states most closely associated with heat-related deaths in prison. A 2022 study estimated that, on average, 14 deaths per year in Texas prisons are associated with heat. And a Texas Tribune analysis found that at least 41 incarcerated people died during a record-breaking heat wave in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In March, a federal judge ruled the extreme heat in Texas prisons is plainly unconstitutional, but declined to order immediate air conditioning, saying the work could not be completed within the court orders 90-day window and temporary systems might delay a permanent fix. More miserable Sweltering summer heat can turn prisons into pressure cookers. People inside already may have health conditions, limited access to cooling, or take medications that make it harder for their bodies to handle the heat. And research suggests that high temperatures can heighten irritability and aggression, sometimes fueling more conflicts between incarcerated people or with staff. It makes you more miserable. If you to the point of even thinking about suicide, thats just going to add to it, said Ronald McKeithen, who spent 37 years incarcerated in Alabama prisons and is now the director of second chances at the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. McKeithen recalls feeling on edge due to tension among other incarcerated people on hot days. At the Oshkosh Correctional Institution in Wisconsin, Devin Skrzypchak said the heat worsens his bladder condition, and he often cant get the incontinence briefs he needs. The heat forces him to drink more water, and on days when ice isnt available, hes left drenched in sweat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At times, its a living hell. It can be very excruciating, Skrzypchak wrote in a message to Stateline through the facilitys messaging platform. At times, its a living hell. It can be very excruciating. Devin Skrzypchak, who is incarcerated at Oshkosh Correctional Institution in Wisconsin DAngelo Lee Komanekin who has spent about 25 years in and out of different Wisconsin corrections facilities said prison architecture plays a major role in why temperatures inside climb so high. The planet is getting hotter and hotter, said Komanekin, who relies on a small plastic fan to stay cool. Komanekin also is incarcerated at the Oshkosh Correctional Institution. Theyre doing nothing about the architecture. Some institutions windows open, some dont, but most of the doors have steel doors with trap doors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Older prison designs that rely heavily on steel and concrete building materials often trap heat, making it difficult to keep temperatures down in the summer. Aging facilities also are less likely to be equipped for the installation of central air conditioning. Some state prison systems, including Alabamas and Wisconsins, are adding air-conditioning or air-tempering systems to new prison construction and major renovation projects. Future legal battles Legal experts say the issue of excessive heat in prisons is likely to become more pressing as climate change drives longer and hotter summers. Extreme heat in correctional facilities has already been the subject of litigation in dozens of states, with plaintiffs arguing that high temperatures constitute cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. Court rulings in these cases have varied, but some experts say even more lawsuits are likely if facilities do not adapt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conditions are going to worsen. [Incarcerated people are] going to be looking for every possible avenue for assistance they can, Dolovich, the UCLA law professor, told Stateline. One of the latest cases comes from Missouri, where the nonprofit law firm MacArthur Justice Center filed a class-action lawsuit in May on behalf of six incarcerated people at Algoa Correctional Center. The lawsuit alleges that the conditions violate their constitutional rights under the Eighth Amendment. It seeks to require the Missouri Department of Corrections to work with experts to develop a heat mitigation plan that keeps housing unit temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees. If the department cannot meet that standard, the plaintiffs are asking for the release of three of the incarcerated people who have less than a year remaining on their sentences. Lawsuits such as the Missouri case often focus on claims that extreme heat worsens existing medical problems. To proceed, they must meet two legal requirements: proving the heat poses a serious health or safety risk, and showing prison officials knew about the danger but failed to address it, according to Dolovich, whose work has focused on the Eighth Amendment and prison conditions. Courts may also raise the bar for proving such claims if judges echo decisions in cases with similar Eight Amendment arguments related to the death penalty and homelessness, Dolovich said. Judges have shifted, she said, toward a superadding terror, pain and disgrace standard under the Eighth Amendment a higher threshold requiring proof that conditions were created with the intent to cause unnecessary suffering. Dolovich added that some recent court decisions have provided only narrow remedies, such as ordering ice and fans instead of installing air conditioning. Prison officials have a moral and a constitutional responsibility to respond to changing conditions. In this case, it means air conditioning. Anything less than that, to me, is indefensible. she said. Stateline reporter Amanda Hernandez can be reached at ahernandez@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Aug. 20---- All eyes were on the skies Saturday as the outside of Granite Falls hosted a "Victory at Sea" air show to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan ending World War II. The event also celebrated the 250th birthday of the Navy and Marines. Originally scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday, wet and stormy weather forced a late start on Saturday and the cancellation of Sunday's show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, the museum hosted somewhere between 6,500 and 7,000 people who came to celebrate the event and watch the air show on Saturday featuring fighter planes, bombers and other aircraft from World War II and some from the post-war era. Yet as Jayson Mallari, a helicopter pilot and World War II re-enactor, pointed out in a presentation that day, the aircraft were only as good as their pilots. To that point, Saturday's events featured both a presentation and a memorial to two pilots who put their lives at risk in air combat service for their country. The museum hosted a memorial tribute to Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement who died at the age of 103 on Aug. 14, which is the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan. McPherson, a longtime friend of the had been slated to speak at the Victory at Sea event as one of the last surviving World War II aces. McPherson, of Adams, Nebraska, served aboard the USS Essex in the Pacific Theater of Operations. He downed five enemy aircraft as a F6F Hellcat pilot with the VF83 squadron, Wonder Five division. For the first time in 20 years, a Yellow Medicine County farmer from Clarkfield, spoke publicly about his experience as the pilot of an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet during the opening aerial strikes on Baghdad and other Iraqi targets at the start of Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement in 2003. He flew for 16 days in the opening attack when coalition aircraft were at their most vulnerable: Baghdad was defended by a large inventory of surface-to-air missiles that had remained in place since coalition forces refrained from entering the Iraqi capital during the first Gulf War. Flying from the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, Christopherson witnessed a scene he described as like that from the "Star Wars" movies. He watched hundreds of explosions below him as Tomahawk missiles struck targets as he guided his bomb-laden jet toward Baghdad. He also watched the sudden flares on the ground as the Republican Guard launched surface-to-air missiles at Christopherson and the other coalition aircraft. During those initial days, he said he observed 15 missiles stream toward his and other coalition aircraft. At least four or five of the missiles were guided directly at him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The larger of the missiles were streaking skyward at four times the speed of sound, or 4,000 feet per second. The smaller were zeroing in on their targets at 1.5 times the speed of sound, or 1,500 feet per second. "You realize you have 15 or 20 seconds left and you're going to either be alive or dead," Christopherson told the West Central Tribune of the adrenaline-filled moments. "It's just what happens." A two- to three-day sandstorm at the onset of the attack put the pilots at greater risk. Christopherson launched and returned to his carrier in near-zero visibility conditions. Overall, he described his combat experience at the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a "very intense experience. ... You can't really tell that story without it being an intense story," he told the West Central Tribune. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 16 days of sorties were marked by the boredom of routine operational activities aboard the Abraham Lincoln, and "mixed with moments of sheer terror." These moments were not mixed appropriately or evenly, just random with unbelievably intense periods, he explained. "(I'm) not saying it changes you, but it's difficult to bring it back up again," said Christopherson of speaking about those experiences. A 1989 graduate of Clarkfield High School, Christopherson graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1993. He was nearing the completion of his eight-year commitment following flight school when he was called to duty for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Christopherson's career in the Navy spanned 15 years, including five deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He flew F-16s after his 2003 deployment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, he operates the family's farm in Yellow Medicine County and continues his love for flying as a pilot. Christopherson spoke to a large crowd that filled the new Navy Hangar at the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum. Attendees at the air show filled the grounds outside to watch the aerial shows, while taking advantage of the time between flights to view the aircraft and exhibits in the museum's four large hangars. Opened in 2012, the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum features working aircraft and exhibits that tell the story of the U.S. during World War II. It continues to host ever larger numbers of visitors. In 2016, Explore Minnesota named it as one of Minnesota's top three attractions. BRADLEY, Ark. State police said a plane crash left one person dead on Monday in southwest Arkansas. Arkansas State Police officials said the Lafayette County Sheriffs Office received a report of a possible plane crash two miles south of Bradley at 9:30 p.m. on Monday. Several injured after Tennessee skydiving plane crashes near airport: authorities At 3:30 a.m., authorities said an ASP helicopter found the wreckage of the plane in a remote, wooded area before first responders arrived on the scene at around 5:15 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police confirmed that the plane, a 2021 Lancair Super Barracuda, left from Austin, Texas, and was traveling to Chattanooga, Tennessee. State police said the pilot, who was the only person on board, was identified as 54-year-old Barry Boes from Ooltewah, Tennessee. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Pilot dies in Independence County plane crash ASP officials said the investigation into the crash has been turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Levi Strauss & Co (LS&Co) has appointed Chris Callieri as its senior vice-president and chief supply chain officer, as the company aims to evolve into a direct-to-consumer (DTC)-first denim lifestyle company. The appointment will be effective from 15 September 2025. Callieri will report to president and CEO Michelle Gass. He will take charge of the global supply chain operations for the Levis brand, including product development, sourcing, sustainability and logistics. Gass stated: Were excited to welcome Chris to LS&Co at this pivotal moment in our evolution into a DTC-first denim lifestyle company. "With a proven track record of delivering results at scale, hes the right leader to strengthen our end-to-end supply chain agility, drive innovation and advance our sustainability goals all while delivering exceptional value to our fans worldwide." Callieri has more than two decades of international supply chain experience in the retail and consumer goods sectors. His previous position at Victorias Secret saw him lead global teams and manage a wide range of categories, from undergarments to beauty products. Before his tenure at Victorias Secret, Callieri made contributions to Tory Burch, where he was crucial in implementing key systems and establishing the companys sustainability strategy. His earlier roles at Adidas and in senior positions at HRC Advisory and AT Kearney involved transformational initiatives and developing strategies to enhance supply chain efficiency and product innovation. Callieri stated: Im thrilled to join LS&Co at such an exciting time for the iconic Levis brand, a true category leader that thrives at the centre of culture. "I look forward to working with the talented LS&Co team to deliver strong performance, serve our fans around the world, and strengthen Levis position as the worlds definitive denim lifestyle brand." Levi Strauss & Co owns the Levi's, Levi Strauss Signature and Beyond Yoga brands, operating in 120 countries. Its global presence includes chain retailers, department stores, online platforms and a network of 3,400 retail stores and shop-in-shops. In the first quarter of 2025, the company saw a 3% increase in net revenues to $1.53bn with net income from continuing operations of $140m. "LS&Co appoints Callieri to lead global supply chain operations for Levis" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. Mayor Eric Adams appears to be leaning toward selecting Safe&Affordable as his ballot line in Novembers election as opposed to EndAntiSemitism after New York Citys elections board told him late Tuesday he must soon pick one of them. Still, Adams who has made support for Israel and fighting antisemitism key focuses of his reelection bid vowed Wednesday to mount a legal challenge to be able to run on both lines. Its unclear if theres enough though time for him to mount such a court case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter sent to Adams late Tuesday, a copy of which was obtained by the Daily News, the BOE wrote he needs to inform this Board in writing within five business days of the date of this letter of your choice as to which row or column you wish to have. If Adams doesnt make a pick by that deadline, Vincent Ignizio, the boards deputy executive director, told The News the panel will select for him. In response, Adams campaign spokesman Todd Shapiro said in a statement Wednesday the mayor intends to pursue legal options to still try and appear on both lines. While he didnt say it outright, Shapiros statement also suggested Safe&Affordable is Adams likely selection if it turns out he has to select one. At the same time, voters can be confident that Mayor Adams will appear on the Safe and Affordable ballot line in all five boroughs ensuring millions of New Yorkers will have their voices heard at the polls, the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Board of Elections has for months told Adams to select a single ballot line, maintaining that state law holds independent candidates can only run on one. In response, Adams has for months said he would challenge that determination in court. He has yet to file any court case, though. Adams, whos facing an uphill climb in the mayoral election running as an independent candidate, collected enough petition signatures to qualify for both lines. Still reeling from political fallout over his federal corruption indictment, Adams reelection effort is seen as a long shot. Hes polling far behind Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, the favorite to win Novembers election. _____ Claim: Walgreens started selling Hallmark Mahogany cards, a brand of greeting cards exclusively for Black people, in or around August 2025. Rating: Rating: Mixture What's True: Walgreens stocked products from the Hallmark Mahogany brand on its website, with options to pick the products up in store, at the time of this writing. Hallmark said on its website that the Mahogany brand was "the most extensive offering of cards available for African American consumers." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What's False: Though Hallmark tailored its Mahogany brand cards toward African American consumers, we found no evidence that the company prevented any other consumers from buying them. A spokesperson for Walgreen told us the retailer had stocked the card since the 1980s when Hallmark launched the brand, meaning the cards were not a new development in August 2025. In August 2025, a claim (archived) circulated online that the retailer Walgreens started selling a line of greeting cards exclusively for Black people called Hallmark Mahogany. One popular X post claimed Walgreens faced "backlash" for the decision to stock Hallmark Mahogany cards. The user captioned their post, "Walgreens is under backlash after shoppers noticed that they have started selling cards exclusively for Black people." (X user @dom_lucre) The claim, accompanied by a video of a shopper allegedly discovering the cards inside a Walgreens store, circulated widely (archived) on X (archived) and Instagram (archived), gaining hundreds of thousands of views. The TikTok user who originally posted the video that circulated alongside the claim later removed it from the platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, though Walgreens did stock products from the Hallmark Mahogany brand on its online store at the time of this writing in August 2025, a spokesperson for the retailer told Snopes this was not a new development. According to the spokesperson, Walgreens believed it "would have had these cards in our stores since around the time Hallmark launched them, the late 80s." Hallmark introduced the Mahogany name in a 16-card promotion in 1987 and established it as a year-round brand in 1991. According to the card manufacturer's website, its Mahogany brand was "the most extensive offering of cards available for African American consumers." Though the cards were tailored toward Black or African American consumers, we found no evidence that Hallmark prevented other consumers from buying them. Given the above, we rate this claim a mixture of true and false elements. Hallmark wrote on its website: Mahogany is a personal expression brand that provides an authentic and engaging experience for African Americans and those inspired by African American culture. The card line exists to enhance emotional connections between family, friends and the community by capturing what's most beloved and valued about African American culture. The company said that its biggest markets for the Mahogany brand were Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This wasn't the first time Snopes looked into a claim about greeting cards. Previously, we investigated whether greeting card companies really invented Valentine's Day. Sources: "Hallmark Mahogany." Hallmark Corporate, https://corporate.hallmark.com/hallmark-news/greetings/mahogany/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Hallmark Personalized Cards - Mahogany | Walgreens Photo. https://photo.walgreens.com/store/hallmark-personalized-cards-mahogany#/bspview?ptype=cards&pcat=mahogany_93356_1616540192_walgreens_us&sku=CommerceProduct_351592&filters=skuList~CommerceProduct_351592&offset=0&view=BSP&defaultSkuSelection=true&bspOffset=0&isLoadMore=false&isAutoload=false&productCategory=Card%20%26%20Stationery. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Updates: Aug. 21, 2025: This post was updated to include a statement from a Walgreens spokesperson. Did Sen. Bernie Sanders get a $44 million USAID grant after he dropped out of the 2016 presidential race? No, that's not true: That story originated on a satirical Facebook page. The owner of the page is known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up content. The claim appeared in an August 18, 2025 Facebook post (archived here) on the "America's Last Line of Defense" page under the title "Bernie Sanders is a wolf in wolf's clothing. He's exactly as evil as he looks." It opened: Bernie Sanders is being dragged before the House Ethics Committee to explain why he was given a $44 million "grant" from USAID about 5 minutes after he dropped out in 2016. "Corruption is the only way to explain it." This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing: Source: Facebook screenshot taken on Tue Aug 19 16:29:54 2025 UTC The meme carries a clear "Satire" label: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The transparency tab of the Facebook page that published the meme says the page is run by "Busta Troll," which is the nickname of Christopher Blair. Christopher Blair is a self-professed liberal from Maine who, for years, has run networks of websites set up to troll conservatives with made-up news items in order to get them to share his posts. A 2018 BBC profile called Blair "the Godfather of fake news," describing him as "one of the world's most prolific writers of disinformation." Blair's stories have been widely copied by spammy, foreign website networks seeking to profit by spamming American conservatives with clickbait headlines. Blair also republishes his work in other formats, as he did in this case. The same Sanders story appeared here and on his "Dunning-Kruger Times" fake news website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blair's network published similar satire stories about USAID grants to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Other fact checks Here you can find some of the many, many stories from Blair's websites Lead Stories debunked over the years. Claim: In August 2025, Nebraska was on the verge of bankruptcy because of tariffs and labor shortages following immigration raids. Rating: Rating: False Context: Nebraska must balance its budget every year, as required by the state constitution. In other words, it cannot have a debt, which means it cannot go bankrupt. However, Nebraska farmers have experienced uncertainty because of new economic measures, which have put a strain on its grain sales to China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August 2025, a rumor circulated that the state of Nebraska was on the verge of bankruptcy $500 million short of its budget because of the economic damage tariffs and labor shortages inflicted on the state's farms. Labor shortages were due to immigration raids, the rumor claimed. For example, a video (archived) on Instagram said Nebraska farmers had seen $2 billion worth of contracts for exporting soybeans to China canceled following the imposition of tariffs: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNXvg2dtadH/ As of this writing, the video had more than 840,000 views and 49,000 likes. The same video appeared on Facebook. Further, Snopes readers emailed to inquire about the veracity of the claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The video came from TikTok user @joeclark207, who identified himself as an elected official from Georgia. We were able to verify that Clark had indeed been a council member for Fayetteville since 2020. We emailed Clark to ask how he concluded that Nebraska was in financial trouble and will updated this story should he reply. However, we could find no evidence that Nebraska was seeking help to avoid bankruptcy. In fact, the state is constitutionally mandated to balance its budget so as not to incur debt. Constitutional requirements Article IV-7 of the Nebraska State Constitution reads: No appropriations shall be made in excess of the recommendation contained in such budget including any amendment the Governor may make thereto unless by three-fifths vote of the Legislature, and such excess so approved shall be subject to veto by the Governor. Further, Article XIII-1 of the Constitution reads: The state may, to meet casual deficits, or failures in the revenue, contract debts never to exceed in the aggregate one hundred thousand dollars, and no greater indebtedness shall be incurred except for the purpose of repelling invasion, suppressing insurrection, or defending the state in war, and provision shall be made for the payment of the interest annually, as it shall accrue, by a tax levied for the purpose, or from other sources of revenue, which law providing for the payment of such interest by such tax shall be irrepealable until such debt is paid. In other words, Nebraska must not spend more money than it takes in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, it is true that in April 2025, the state's economic forecasting board announced a $190 million shortfall in revenue for the 2025 fiscal year. It also said it would collect $90 million less than projected in 2026 and $100 million less in 2027. The budget deficit for 2025 would be closed with state reserves, according to an April 26, 2025, report bytThe Nebraska Examiner. Following this forecast, in May 2025 the Nebraska Legislature passed a series of budget bills for 2025-27 that closed the projected deficit, leaving a surplus of $1.1 million. Economic uncertainty in Nebraska It was true that Nebraska announced in July 2025 that it had ended its fiscal year with $86 million less in tax revenue than it had projected. This was due in part to tax cuts. It also was true that farmers in Nebraska were facing uncertainty following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to implement tariffs on China. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported (archived) on June 27, 2025, that the state's gross domestic product had shrunk by 6.1% in the first quarter of 2025. "Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, which decreased in 39 states, was the leading contributor to the decreases in 11 states, including Nebraska, Iowa, Montana, and Kansas," the report read. KLKN, a television station based in Lincoln, Nebraska, reported that this was due to higher costs and lower corn and soybean prices: The report cited John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, as saying this was "the worst financial time for family farmers in decades." Meanwhile, in March 2025, WOWT, a news station in Omaha, Nebraska, cited the Nebraska Farm Bureau as saying that Nebraska farmers sell $2.1 billion in grains to China every year. The farmers were concerned then about a trade war between the U.S. and China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an emailed statement, Hansen told Snopes that the farm economy in Nebraska was indeed in financial trouble. "Farm input costs continue to rise to new record levels year after year, yet the prices for what farmers produce continues to sink for a variety of reasons, especially if you look at them in inflation adjusted terms," he said. "In addition, the costs of farm equipment has far outstripped inflation." Further, "Cuts to the USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] delivery system of the programs farmers and ranchers depend on has made a bad situation worse. Future plans to split USDA apart will make the DOGE [U.S. Department of Government Efficiency] impacts far worse," Hansen said, referring to cuts to USDA food deliveries to food banks following a DOGE effort to cut government spending and to a reorganization of the USDA announced in July 2025. Snopes contacted the Nebraska Farm Bureau asking for clarity on the current situation and we will update this report should they respond. Sources: Biennial Budget State of Nebraska as Enacted in the 109th Legislature First Session. May 2025, nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/reports/fiscal/2025budget.pdf. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement General Fund Financial Status. Nebraska Legislature, May 2025, nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Budget/status.pdf. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. General Fund Receipts June 2025. 15 July 2025, revenue.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/news-release/gen-fund/2025/General_Fund_Receipts_News_Release_June_2025_Final_Copy.pdf. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. LTC. "Nebraska Constitution." Nebraskalegislature.gov, 2025, nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=IV-7. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. ---. "Nebraska Legislature." Nebraskalegislature.gov, 2025, nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=XIII-1. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marin, Johan. "Nebraska Farmers in Limbo amid Chinese Tariffs against U.S. Farm Products." Https://Www.wowt.com, WOWT, 10 Mar. 2025, www.wowt.com/2025/03/10/nebraska-farmers-limbo-amid-chinese-tariffs-against-us-farm-products/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. "Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board April 2025 Meeting Report Open Sky." Openskypolicy.org, 25 Apr. 2025, www.openskypolicy.org/nebraska-economic-forecasting-advisory-board-april-2025-meeting-report/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. Phillips, Anna. "Nebraska's Surplus Turns to Shortfall after Tax Cuts and One-Time Windfall Fades | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities." Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 17 June 2025, www.cbpp.org/blog/nebraskas-surplus-turns-to-shortfall-after-tax-cuts-and-one-time-windfall-fades. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. Updates: Aug. 21, 2025: This report was updated to add comment from John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union. Claim: An image authentically shows European leaders left sitting in a White House corridor before meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in August 2025. Rating: Rating: Fake On Aug. 18, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted a meeting at the White House, bringing together Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders to explore possible paths toward peace between Ukraine and Russia. During this meeting an image began circulating online allegedly showing the European leaders waiting in a White House hallway before being received by Trump. One X user captioned (archived) the image: Trump has the Presidents of a Germany, France, the UK, Finland, the leader of NATO and the leader of the European Union waiting outside the Oval Office in chairs like they're at the dentist office. Meloni looks like she's been moved to a more comfortable waiting space. This is utter humiliation of these corrupt scumbags. Absolutely beautiful. He should've given them mops so they could clean up the place a bit while they were just sitting there! (X user @JoeyMannarinoUS) "Humiliated and insulted in the White House corridor. Waiting for the master," another X post (archived) read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The claim spread on multiple social media platforms, including Threads, LinkedIn, Reddit, 9GAG, X, Facebook, as well as Russian-language accounts on Telegram. In short, the photo was not real. It showed clear signs of being artificially generated, including distorted body parts, inconsistent floor patterns and figures that didn't resemble the leaders they were supposed to portray. Artificial intelligence detection tools and other fact-checking organizations also concluded the image was fake. How we know this image is fake A closer look at the image revealed multiple signs indicating it was not real. One of the most obvious giveaways was the presence of extra legs and shoes between the figure meant to resemble French President Emmanuel Macron and the woman beside him. The faces and body details also showed irregularities. Macron's face, when zoomed in, appeared unnaturally flat and overly-smooth, with distorted contours and an expression that lacked the depth of a real photograph. (X user @Greg4Patriot / Snopes Illustration) In addition, the floor pattern was inconsistent and the figures meant to depict European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni did not resemble them. (X user @Greg4Patriot / Snopes Illustration) Finally, the European leaders attended the Washington meeting in different attire than what was visible in the hallway image. For instance, von der Leyen wore an orange blazer with black trousers, while in the AI-generated image she was shown in a teal dress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Below is a photograph from the meeting, shared on X by Macron, showing the leaders in their actual outfits. (X user @EmmanuelMacron) AI-detection tools confirm the image is fake The Hive Moderation tool flagged the image as AI-generated with 99.8% probability. (Hive Moderation) Similarly, other tools such as Sightengine and DecopyAI also assessed the picture as AI-generated, each with probabilities close to 100%. Fake image debunked worldwide The Center for Counteracting Disinformation, a working body of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, also debunked the image. (X account @CforCD) Organizations including LeadStories, BBC and AFP also investigated the image, and Brazilian fact-checking organization Aos Fatos and Polish fact-checking organization Demagog both concluded that the image was fake. Meeting of Trump on Ukraine The Aug. 18 meeting of Trump with European leaders including France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Friedrich Merz, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, the U.K.'s Keir Starmer, Finland's Alexander Stubb, NATO's Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was aimed at exploring potential paths to end the war in Ukraine. The gathering followed a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska earlier in the month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 19, citing anonymous sources, Politico reported the U.S. was exploring Budapest, Hungary, as a potential venue for a future trilateral summit involving Trump, Zelenskyy and Putin. Sources: - YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpsG75j-0hY. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "AI Image Detector. Detect AI-Generated Media at Scale." Sightengine, https://sightengine.com/detect-ai-generated-images. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. AI Image Detector Identify Ai Generated Images. https://decopy.ai/ai-image-detector/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. "BBC Verify Live: How We Know This Image of 'leaders' Waiting for Trump Is AI." BBC News, https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cx29wjvjnp2t. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fact Check: AI Image Shows European Leaders Waiting On Chairs In White House Corridor -- Not Real Photograph | Lead Stories. 18 Aug. 2025, https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2025/08/fact-check-european-leaders-macron-von-der-leyen-white-house-corridor.html. Foto que mostra lideres europeus aguardando em corredor na Casa Branca foi gerada por IA. https://www.aosfatos.org/noticias/foto-que-mostra-lideres-europeus-aguardando-em-corredor-na-casa-branca-foi-gerada-por-ia/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Hive Moderation. https://hivemoderation.com/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. Trump and Putin Alaska Summit: Five Takeaways from the Meeting. 16 Aug. 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gj9er0x0zo. "U.S. President Donald Trump Hosts a Meeting with Ukrainian President..." Getty Images, 18 Aug. 2025, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/president-donald-trump-hosts-a-meeting-with-ukrainian-news-photo/2230840791. Claim: In August 2025, Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, slept overnight in the state House chamber because Republicans mandated that no Democratic lawmakers could not leave without a "permission slip" and a police escort, conditions she refused to accept. Rating: Rating: True Context: Under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, Texas Republicans announced they would redraw the state's U.S. congressional district maps mid-decade. The new maps projected that Republicans would gain five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democratic lawmakers protested the redistricting by leaving the state and preventing the quorum needed for a legislative vote on the redistricting. When the Democrats returned, Republicans mandated they not be allowed to leave the House chamber without a "permission slip" and a police escort, ostensibly to prevent them from leaving the state again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 18, 2025, posts appeared on social media platforms, including Facebook, Reddit and X, claiming that Texas Republicans in the state House of Representatives had locked state Rep. Nicole Collier, a Democrat from Fort Worth, in the House chamber overnight, refusing to allow her to leave until she signed a "permission slip" and agreed to a police escort. Texas Republicans have locked Democratic Rep. Nicole Collier inside the state house chamber and refuse to allow her to leave. They are requiring Democrats to sign permission slips and have a police escort in order to leave the chamber, and she refuses to sign it. pic.twitter.com/FCUlPeZRDM People For the American Way (@peoplefor) August 18, 2025 Snopes readers wrote in and searched the site for more information about the incident. The claim is true. It was reported in several reliable publications, including The Texas Tribune, CBS News and NBC News. Collier posted to her X account on Aug. 19 showing her sleeping in the House. Collier's decision to remain in the House chamber rather than accept the Republicans' conditions was the latest development in a long chain of events that began in June 2025 when The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump was pushing the state of Texas to redraw its federal congressional districts mid-decade in order to preserve the thin Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. District maps are generally drawn every decade following the census. Redrawing them mid-decade without being ordered to do so by a court is rare, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas is one of 26 states where the state legislators have the power to draw the maps. State Republicans, who control a majority in both legislative houses, agreed to redistrict, and submitted a congressional map that would likely turn five Democratic seats into Republican seats. State Democrats (and many Texans) protested the move. However, the Democratic Party hasn't held a majority in Texas since 2002, giving them very little power in the legislature to stop the redistricting proposal. According to The Texas Tribune, however, there is one option that both political parties in the state have used to delay legislation since as early as 1870 denying a quorum. In order for a legislature to vote on a measure, a certain number of representatives must be present. This number is called a quorum. Without the politicians, no votes. So, state Democrats left Texas to block the redistricting bill's passage. Republican officials retaliated by issuing civil arrest warrants for the missing Democrats, although the move was largely symbolic because the warrants applied only within state lines. They also "moved to extradite absent members from Illinois, launched investigations and sought to declare at least one Democrat's seat vacant," according to The Texas Tribune. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The missing Democrats returned to Texas following California Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement of a ballot initiative that would let that state redraw its own congressional districts to counteract the Texas redistricting. State House Speaker Dustin Burrows said Democrats would be given a permission slip that allowed them to leave the House on the condition that they were given an "around-the-clock escort" by Texas state troopers to ensure they did not attempt to break the legislative quorum again. Collier refused the police escort, meaning she would not be allowed to leave the state House until the next day when the body reconvened. "I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts," Collier said in a statement to The Texas Tribune. "When I press that button to vote, I know these maps will harm my constituents I won't just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination." Sources: Astudillo, By Carla. "Texas Republicans' Redistricting Map: How the GOP Could Increase Its Stronghold." The Texas Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-redistricting-maps-charts-analysis/. Betts, By Hayden. "Denying Quorum Has Been a Texas Political Strategy since 1870." The Texas Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/03/texas-quorum-breaks-history/. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davisson, Matthew, and Jack Fink. Texas Democrat Says She's Locked inside State Capitol after Refusing Mandatory DPS Escort - CBS Texas. 19 Aug. 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/texas-democrat-nicole-collier-locked-inside-house-chamber-returning-texas-capitol/. Eckman, Sarah J., and Whitaker L. Paige. Mid-Decade Congressional Redistricting: Key Issues. In Focus, IF13082, Congressional Research Service, https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13082. "Fort Worth Rep. Nicole Collier Refuses to Leave Texas House, Protesting State Trooper Escorts." KERA News, 19 Aug. 2025, https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2025-08-19/fort-worth-rep-nicole-collier-refuses-to-leave-texas-house-protesting-state-trooper-escorts. Goodman, J. David, and Shane Goldmacher. "White House Pushes Texas to Redistrict, Hoping to Blunt Democratic Gains." The New York Times, 9 Jun. 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/09/us/politics/trump-texas-redistricting.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Abbott Orders Texas Department Of Public Safety To Arrest Delinquent House Democrats. https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-orders-texas-department-of-public-safety-to-arrest-delinquent-house-democrats. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. Guo, By Kayla. "Rep. Nicole Collier Spends Night on Texas House Floor after Refusing Police Escort." The Texas Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/19/nicole-collier-texas-house-dps-escort-redistricting-quorum/. ---. "Texas House Democrats Return to Capitol, Ending Walkout over Redistricting Plan." The Texas Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-democrats-return-redistricting-map-illinois/. Izzo, Jack. "This Democratic US House District in Texas Is Real, but It Was Drawn by Republicans." Snopes, 8 Aug. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/texas-35-democrat-stolen-house-seat/. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Klibanoff, By Eleanor. "Texas House Issues Arrest Warrants for Democrats Who Left State to Block Congressional Redistricting." The Texas Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/04/texas-democrats-house-warrants-arrest-quorum-break/. Koseff, Alexei. "5 Things to Know about Gavin Newsom's Plan to Redraw California's Election Maps." CalMatters, 18 Aug. 2025. calmatters.org, https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-things-to-know/. Lewis, Daniel. 'We've Had Enough': Texas Democrat Who Slept on State House Floor Speaks out | CNN Politics. 2025. www.cnn.com, https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/19/politics/video/texas-democrat-nicole-collier-sleeps-texas-house-floor-redistricting-digvid. "National Overview." All About Redistricting, https://redistricting.lls.edu/national-overview/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Party Control of Texas State Government." Ballotpedia, https://ballotpedia.org/Party_control_of_Texas_state_government. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. "Texas Democratic Legislator Is Sleeping in the State Capitol after Refusing Security Escort to Leave." NBC News, 19 Aug. 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/texas-democratic-legislator-stay-state-capitol-refusing-law-enforcemen-rcna225730. Tracy, Matt. "Over 300 Protests Held Saturday against Trump Redistricting Push." Reuters, 17 Aug. 2025. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/over-300-protests-held-saturday-against-trump-redistricting-push-2025-08-17/. By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump has frequently invoked his success at resolving international conflicts, casting himself as a global peacemaker while his aides and some foreign leaders push for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He has found Russia's war in Ukraine to be far more vexing. Trump has put himself squarely in the middle of the diplomatic attempts to bring peace but has wavered on what he's willing to do to achieve it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are some of the foreign disputes Trump has intervened in since beginning his second term in January, using a mix of threats, inducements and the power of his office to shape the behaviors of allies and foes. ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN Trump brought together the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on August 8 to sign a joint declaration pledging to seek peaceful relations between nations that have been at odds since the late 1980s. "I got to know them through trade," Trump said later in a radio interview. "I was dealing with them a little bit and I said, 'Why you guys fighting?' Then I said, 'I'm not going to do a trade deal if you guys are going to fight. It's crazy.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two countries had committed to a ceasefire in 2023. In March they said they had agreed on the text of a draft peace agreement, but that deal has not been signed. The White House-brokered declaration falls short of a formal peace treaty that would place legally binding obligations on both sides. One snag is over whether an agreement requires Armenia to revise its constitution. The leaders also struck economic agreements with Washington that granted the U.S. development rights to a strategic transit corridor through southern Armenia. The Trump administration said this would allow for greater exports of energy. In documents released at the time, the corridor was named after Trump. CAMBODIA AND THAILAND Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump helped bring Thailand to the table for talks after long-simmering tensions with Cambodia spilled over in July into a five-day military conflict, the deadliest fighting there in over a decade. The U.S. president reached out to acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai two days after fighting erupted along a 200-km-long (125 mile) stretch of the border. Trump withheld deals on tariffs with both countries until the conflict ended. Up to that point, Bangkok had rejected third-party mediation and had not responded to offers of help from Malaysia and China, Reuters reporting showed. Trump's intervention helped get Thailand to the table, according to Lim Menghour, a Cambodian government official working on foreign policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subsequent talks yielded a fragile agreement to end hostilities, resume direct communications and create a mechanism to implement the ceasefire. Trump went on to impose a 19% tariff on both countries' U.S.-bound exports, lower than he had initially floated. ISRAEL, IRAN AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES Trump has maintained strong U.S. backing for Israel as it pummels Gaza and tries to uproot Hamas. He has also supported its efforts to disable other Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah and the Houthi movement, and Tehran itself. The U.S. president is working to expand the Abraham Accords, an initiative from his first term that aims to normalize diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a solution to Israeli-Palestinian and Iranian conflicts has eluded Trump, just as it has all U.S. presidents for decades. Washington provides weapons and diplomatic cover to Israel as its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed international condemnation of the humanitarian toll of his military campaign in Gaza. Israel and Hamas agreed to a deal to halt fighting in Gaza in January, after Trump's election but before his inauguration. The deal had been mediated by Egypt and Qatar and also involved personnel from the outgoing Biden and incoming Trump administrations. Israel abandoned the ceasefire in March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Talks toward a new ceasefire collapsed in July. Mediators are trying to revive a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan but Israel is also planning a new, expanded military operation in Gaza. Trump has blamed Hamas for not seeking a reasonable settlement of the conflict and pressured them to do so. Trump initially pursued talks with Tehran over its nuclear program. Israel launched an aerial war on Iran on June 13 and pressed Trump join in. He did on June 22, bombing Iranian nuclear sites. He then pressed Israel and Iran to join a ceasefire that Qatar mediated. The situation remains bitter and unstable. Iran continues to reject U.S. demands that it stop enriching uranium for its nuclear program. And Israel has said it will strike Iran again if it feels threatened. RWANDA AND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on June 27 under pressure from Trump, raising hopes for the end of fighting that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year. The fighting is the latest episode in a decades-old conflict with roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Rwanda sent thousands of soldiers over the border, according to analysts, to support M23 rebels who seized eastern Congo's two largest cities and lucrative mining areas earlier this year. Rwanda denies helping M23. In February, a Congolese senator contacted U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal. Then, in March, Qatar brokered a surprise sit-down between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda's Paul Kagame during which the two leaders called for a ceasefire. Qatar has also brokered talks between Congo and M23, but the two sides are yet to agree on a peace deal and violence continues. At the White House, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe told Trump that past deals had not been implemented and urged Trump to stay engaged. Trump warned of "very severe penalties, financial and otherwise" if the agreement is violated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement INDIA AND PAKISTAN U.S. officials worried conflict could spiral out of control when nuclear-armed India and Pakistan clashed in May following an attack in India that Delhi blamed on Islamabad. Consulting with Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance pushed Indian and Pakistani officials to de-escalate the situation. A ceasefire was announced on May 10 after four days of fighting. But it addresses few of the issues that have divided India and Pakistan, which have fought three major wars since their independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. Days after the ceasefire, Trump said he used the threat of cutting trade with the countries to secure the deal. India disputed that U.S. pressure led to the ceasefire and that trade was a factor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA Egypt and Ethiopia have a long dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Cairo regards as a national security issue and worries will threaten its Nile River water supplies. "We're working on that one problem, but it's going to get solved," Trump said in July. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt later included Egypt and Ethiopia in a list of conflicts that "the president has now ended." It's unclear what Trump is doing on the issue. In public statements, he has largely echoed Cairo's concerns, and some of his statements have been disputed by Ethiopia. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has vowed to open the dam in September over the objections of both Sudan and Egypt. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who welcomed Trump's comments on the issue, has vowed to protect his own country's interests. SERBIA AND KOSOVO Kosovo and Serbia still have tense relations nearly five years after agreements Trump brokered with both during his first term in office to work on their economic ties. Without providing evidence, Trump said in June he "stopped" war between the countries during his first term and that "I will fix it, again," in his second. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, almost a decade after NATO bombed Serb forces to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians from the region during a 1998-1999 counter-insurgency war. But Serbia still regards Kosovo as an integral part of its territory. The countries have signed no peace deal. Kosovo's prime minister Albin Kurti has sought to extend government control over the north, where about 50,000 ethnic Serbs live, many of whom refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence. Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani said in July that "the last few weeks" Trump had prevented further escalation in the region. She did not elaborate, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied that any escalation had been forthcoming. RUSSIA AND UKRAINE Trump, who said during the 2024 presidential campaign that he could solve the war in Ukraine in one day, has so far been unable to end the 3-1/2-year-old conflict that analysts say has left more than 1 million people dead or wounded. "I thought this was going to be one of the easier ones," Trump said on August 18. "It's actually one of the most difficult." Trump's views on how to best bring peace have swung from calling for a ceasefire to saying a deal could still be worked out while the fighting continued. He has threatened tariffs and sanctions against Putin, but then backed off them again after an Alaska summit where the two leaders appeared before backdrops that said "Pursuing Peace." Trump, who has sometimes criticized and sometimes supported Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, this week said the United States would help guarantee Ukraine's security in any deal. He subsequently said he had ruled out putting U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine, but the U.S. might provide air support to help end the hostilities. Europeans have worried that Trump might push Zelenskiy to accept a proposal from Putin that included significant territorial concessions by Kyiv and limited security guarantees from Washington. Despite talk of a possible meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy, there was no let-up in the fighting. Russia this week launched 270 drones and 10 missiles in an overnight attack on Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said, the largest this month. SOUTH KOREA AND NORTH KOREA Trump in June vowed to "get the conflict solved with North Korea." The U.S. president and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held three summits during Trump's 2017-2021 first term and exchanged a number of letters that Trump called "beautiful," before the unprecedented diplomatic effort broke down over U.S. demands that Kim give up his nuclear weapons. North Korea has surged ahead with more and bigger ballistic missiles, expanded its nuclear weapons facilities, and gained new support from its neighbors in the years since. In his second term Trump has acknowledged that North Korea is a "nuclear power." The White House said in June that Trump would welcome communications again with Kim. It has not responded to reports that Trump's initial efforts at communication with the North Korean leader have been ignored. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Fatos BytyciEditing by Colleen Jenkins and Alistair Bell) Failed Iraqi migrants are to be sent back to their home under a new returns deal. The new agreement signed by Dan Jarvis, the security minister, will establish formal processes to fast-track the return of Iraqis with no legal right to be in Britain. It will also apply to convicted Iraqi criminals. Attempts to return Iraqis have been hampered in the past by asylum seekers claiming to have lost their ID documents, which appeals tribunals have accepted makes their repatriation too dangerous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even when the substantive basis of their claim has been dismissed, they have been allowed to stay in the UK because of the risks to their lives if they tried to travel across Iraq without documents. The new deal follows an agreement negotiated in the autumn by Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, for British crime fighters to be stationed in Iraq to target the heart of the Channel people-smuggling gangs operations. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, struck an agreement with the Iraqis to tackle people-smuggling operations at source - Benjamin Cremel/PA Wire Iraqi-Kurdish gangs control most of the beaches and camps in northern France, meaning the National Crime Agency (NCA) wanted to ramp up its operations in the people smugglers home towns. The agreement committed the British, Iraqi and Kurdish regional governments to joint operations to arrest and prosecute the kingpins behind the smuggling gangs based in Baghdad, Erbil and other towns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gangs control the smuggling networks from Iraqi Kurdistan through Turkey, where the boats and engines are put together after being imported from China, to Germany, where the dinghies are stored, to the beaches in northern France from where they are launched. The Home Office said the number of Iraqi nationals arriving by small boat to the UK had fallen substantially to 1,900 in the year ending this March, down from 2,600 in the previous year, Officials said this demonstrated the effectiveness of upstream cooperation and efforts to tackle illegal migration at source through diplomatic engagement. Trust and cooperation with Iraq Mr Jarvis sealed the new deal during a two-day visit to the UK by Fuad Hussein, Iraqs deputy foreign minister. The British minister said: This visit reinforces the strength of the UK-Iraq partnership and demonstrates our governments commitment to serious diplomacy that delivers real results. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As someone who served in Iraq, I understand first-hand the importance of building enduring relationships in the region, and the new agreement we have signed is a testament to the trust and cooperation weve built with our Iraqi counterparts. By working together on security, development and migration challenges, we are building stronger relationships that benefit both our countries whilst tackling shared challenges like organised crime and irregular migration. The Home Office said the Iraqi ministers visit also highlighted opportunities for expanded economic cooperation, and the UKs continued support for Iraqs stability and development, reinforcing Britains commitment to constructive engagement in the region. The UK reiterated its support for infrastructure development projects in Iraq, building on a trade package worth up to 12.3bn for UK business announced during a visit by Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the Iraqi prime minister, to the UK in January. 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. Many people travel to the Wilson County Tennessee State Fair from the local area, and definitely from across the entire state; however, visitors come from even further away even the other side of the planet. Just inside of the Made in Tennessee Building is a board with a map of the state and of the entire United States where Fair staff ask passers-by Where are you from? before asking them to place a pin on the spot where they currently live or have their primary residence. As expected, the majority of the pins are on Wilson, Davidson and Sumner counties, but there are a few from other Middle Tennessee counties such as Putnam, Smith and Williamson. In fact, at least one pin is placed in each of Tennessees 95 counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond just Tennessee, at least one person from each of the 50 U.S. states visited the fair this year. Alaska and Hawaii also have representation despite the long distance needed to travel from them. Visitors from outside of the country are encouraged to list where theyre from on a piece of paper hanging from the side of the board. As of Monday, at least 16 countries were listed. Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, India, Italy, Japan, Lebanon (the country), Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Kingdom each had at least one visitor at the fair. Fair staff say they are happy that so many visitors from so many different places around the state, country and world chose to come to Wilson County, and that many of them said they specifically came to visit the fair. In my 23 years in Austin working at Interfaith Action of Central Texas, I met numerous wonderful people who are genuinely committed to interfaith connections, and exhibit curiosity and openness toward other beliefs, especially less-known faith groups. Our affable, first-world curiosity frequently does not extend to learning about the living conditions of interesting minority faith groups. In the areas of the world where minorities live, their surrounding majority usually consider their very existence a travesty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many may not be aware of recent attacks on the Druze community in southern Syria. It came to the worlds attention when Israel bombed in Syria stating that they are protecting their Druze allies. This in itself brought the Syrian Druze dangerous, unwanted attention. The Druze are a minority, esoteric religious group comprised of about 1 million people, who mostly live in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. They historically broke away from the Shiite Muslim sect in the 10th century and started their own faith based on Greek and Roman philosophy, eastern religions, as well as the regional Islam. They are monotheistic, but unlike other Abrahamic faiths, believe in reincarnation. This is based on the premise that the world is a learning experience not a test and you cannot possibly learn enough about yourself, God and the world through the course of one short lifetime. The Druze mostly keep to their own communities. There are no religious rituals, no requirements of prayer or fasting, no temples, no pressure to learn anything about the faith. The premise is that rituals are unnecessary. Once you are born a Druze, you are ready to recognize that God is within you and about you, and you need no guidance to reach him or know him. Lubna Zeidan is a Lebanese American Druze, who has helped refugees in Austin thorugh Interfaith Action of Central Texas. (Austin American-Statesman) I was born a Druze because my parents were also born into the faith. You cannot convert to the Druze faith, nor can a Druze really convert to another religion. You are Druze until you die in this lifetime and acquiring any other beliefs makes no difference. You are Druze because of who you are, not what you believe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Druze have survived this long in the middle of a highly sectarian region by staying in their own areas, successfully intimidating any attackers, and mainly not making waves. As a group, they dont really care to participate in the regional politics of their country of residence. The saying goes whoever marries my mother is my stepfather. So, if the motherland is ruled by Muslims, Jews or seculars, the Druze dont see that as any of their concern. Their allegiance is to their land and their community; when Israel was formed and other Palestinians took refuge in neighboring countries, the Druze stayed put. Throughout history when the Druze were provoked, they always responded with ultimate valor and severity with the aim of teaching the perpetrators not to mess with them again. Right now, though, the more numerous Bedouin tribes in Syria decided to provoke by accosting a Druze passerby. Of course, in long-standing Middle Eastern tradition, its an eye for an eye. So, retaliations were consequently committed on both sides. Incidents like this happen every few years and are usually resolved. The difference now is that the Bedouins have called on regional allies and the rhetoric has changed. The conflict is now described as a larger regional faith-based clash and there was a call to arms resulting in more than a thousand Druze losing their lives and thousands more displaced from their villages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The more worrisome issue is that the Syrian government has not been neutral, entering the area with the pretext of stopping the violence but instead executing more than 100 Druze civilians. It also allowed its ISIS-adjacent allies to enter the fray. These military-trained mercenaries had already massacred a large number of Alawite civilians in the northwestern regions and are always ready to battle infidels. Syria has been a tragic battleground for too many years and the fact that it has a new president allowed the world to sigh in relief, pat the new guy on the back and go back to other business. We cannot divert our gaze; we need to watch and make sure innocent civilians are not harmed. My hope is that this page will be turned soon, and peace can finally prevail in Syria. Its time. Lubna Zeidan, director of employee engagement and success at Interfaith Action of Central Texas, is a teacher and refugee advocate who grew up in a Druze village in Mount Lebanon. By Puyaan Singh and Kamal Choudhury (Reuters) -Medtronic said on Tuesday it would add two new directors to its board and set up committees to help boost its lagging shares after activist investor Elliott Investment Management emerged as one of its largest shareholders. The medical-device maker said veteran medtech executives John Groetelaars, once interim CEO for Dentsply Sirona, and Bill Jellison, formerly CFO at Stryker, would join its board as independent directors. Medtronic also raised its full-year profit forecast for fiscal 2026 and said it expected a smaller hit of about $185 million from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, compared to the $200 million to $350 million it had previously expected. The company did not raise the sales growth forecast for its fiscal 2026 despite strong quarterly results, sending its shares down 4% in morning trading. "Investors were hoping for more operating improvements and more sales growth than we got this quarter and in guidance," said Edward Jones analyst John Boylan. CEO Geoff Martha said Groetelaars and Jellison brought with them the necessary medtech experience the company's board had been missing. "There is a specific formula for M&A (in medtech), and having experienced medtech operators and with a lot of M&A background is helpful in being that voice on the board," Martha said in an interview. One of its new panels will seek investment opportunities, including tuck-in deals, while the other will focus on boosting earnings growth, Medtronic said. Both committees will be led by Martha and include the two new directors. "We view these changes as an incrementally positive development for Medtronic," Leerink Partners analyst Mike Kratky said, pointing to Elliott's track record of boosting share performance for companies such as Cardinal Health. Elliott, which has not disclosed the value of its stake in Medtronic, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for the details. (Reporting by Puyaan Singh and Kamal Choudhury in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Pooja Desai) Parents, MAGA-world and the Virginia Attorney General are fuming after two students were suspended after they said they were uncomfortable with a transgender student in the boys locker room. The boys were suspended for ten days from Stone Bridge High School after a student, who was born female but identifies as a boy, filmed the boys expressing discomfort when he entered the boys locker room, 7News first reported. The incident occurred in March, but the video was made public in May. The school district Loudoun County Public Schools launched a Title IX investigation, finding the boys responsible for sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination, a lawyer representing them told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a girl in here? one boy asks in the video, prompting another to chime in: Why is there a girl? Im so uncomfortable there is a girl. A boy then insists the student leave. Parents and state officials alike are outraged over the suspension and spoke to the press about their concerns. Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears attended the news conference and told the crowd: It is time for the insanity to stop. It is time for everyone to recognize what is settled truth: girls are girls and boys are boys. Stone Bridge High School is the school where two boys were suspended after a Title IX investigation revealed they harassed a transgender student who was in the boys' locker room. Some are now outraged over that move. (Google Maps) Parents of the suspended students have seethed at the investigation and subsequent suspensions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I would say the first reaction was some anger, because we're just really concerned with all this stuff," Seth Wolfe, one of the parents, told 7News this week. He added he was "saddened by the decision-making process and how that went." Renae Smith, another parent, similarly said she was "absolutely floored that they came back and branded my son responsible for sexual harassment and sex based discrimination with no solid evidence whatsoever." The parent told the outlet: "We're talking about scarring him for life by a biased process that's supposed to protect fairness, but it's shocking. It's wrong, and it should terrify every single parent." Both parents voiced their concerns about the school district's contentious Policy 8040: Rights of Transgender and Gender-Expansive Students, which the school board approved in 2021. The policy addresses locker rooms, stating: "Students should be allowed to use the facility that corresponds to their consistently asserted gender identity." A spokesperson for the school district told The Independent in a statement that it does not publicly discuss private student matters, but noted: "At no time would LCPS suspend a student simply because they expressed some kind of discomfort. A reading of our Title IX resources should make it clear that there is a high bar to launch a Title IX investigation and an even higher bar to determine a student is in violation of Title IX." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State and federal officials have joined Republican commentators in denouncing the school district's move. "This is very wrong and it WILL NOT STAND !" Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, wrote on her personal X account Monday. Attorney and conservative commentator Marina Medvin similarly bashed: "Virginia: Loudoun County Public School punished two boys for voicing their discomfort with having a girl use the boys locker room and video record them on her phone, suspending them at the start of the new school year." Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares told Fox5 in June that he referred the school district to federal authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What we have found is Loudoun County Public Schools have both bad policy and bad judgment," he said. Miyares said the school improperly targeted the boys not for misconduct, but for wanting the student to leave the locker room because they felt uncomfortable. The school districts Policy 8040, which allows students to use the locker room that corresponds to their gender identity, has been a point of controversy in the county for years (AFP via Getty Images) "This would have never been even debatable 15 years ago. If I had told you we'd be even having this discussion, you would have thought it was from another planet, he continued. Right now these three boys, just for voicing common sense, are now the victim of the full-weight, possible expulsion, just because they voiced their concerns." The majority of the two-minute video shows a black screen, as the phone is seemingly in the transgender students pocket. The student then points the camera at the boys, who are fully clothed, for the last 20 seconds after they express their discomfort. The Loudoun County Sheriffs Office was considering charges against the student who filmed the boys. Since the boys in the video were not in a state of undress or in any other situation that wouldve been an explicit violation of law, there was no potential charge, a sheriffs office spokesperson told The Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia state Delegate Terry Kilgore, a Republican, also bashed the school districts decision. "Calling a biological girl a girl isn't harassment. Neither is speaking up when a girl walks into the boys' locker room, he said in a statement Wednesday. "Yet the far-left leadership of Loudoun County Public Schools tried to brand these three young men as harassers and suspend them for 10 days - for doing exactly that. That's not just wrong, It's an injustice committed in the name of radical ideology. The family of a woman who was shot and killed by a security guard on the campus of Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Los Angeles in May is filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the school, the shooting suspect, and other parties. Police say Dr. Cameisha Clark, a graduate of Clark Atlanta University, who had recently been promoted to Interim Dean of Student Affairs at Spartan College, was attacked in the colleges administrative offices on May 2 by campus security guard Jesse Figueroa. Police say Figueroa shot Clark and a co-worker with a handgun. Figueroa ran after the shooting but was captured by police hours later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark was taken to a hospital, where she died from her injuries. Her co-worker survived the shooting. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Figueroa has been charged with murder, attempted murder, possession of a firearm with prior violent convictions, and possession of a firearm by a felon with prior convictions. The familys complaint alleges that neither Spartan College nor the security company they hired did a background check that would have revealed Figueroas criminal history. Clarks family says Figueroas security guard license had expired nearly 14 years earlier, and neither the school nor the security company checked his license. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Relatives of a young man who died in custody are suing the police and NHS, BBC Scotland News has learned. Warren Fenty, 20, died from a drugs overdose at Kittybrewster Police Station in Aberdeen in 2014. He had been arrested after discharging himself from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, against medical advice, and was being held in the station's custody suite. A sheriff later ruled his death might have been avoided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Fenty's mother, Sharon Fenty, and other relatives have launched a legal action against Police Scotland and NHS Grampian. Both organisations declined to comment. Mr Fenty had held at Kittybrewster Police Station in Aberdeen [BBC] The sheriff's fatal accident inquiry (FAI) ruling was in May last year. Derek Pyle, the sheriff principal of Grampian, Highlands and Islands, said that custody officers should have conducted cell checks of Mr Fenty in accordance with the then standard operating procedure. This was an opportunity which might have led to Mr Fentys readmission into hospital which "might have avoided his death", he said in a written ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: "I have concluded that no one individual can be held responsible. "Indeed, all those involved, whether medical practitioners or police officers, were doing their best in what proved to be quite exceptional circumstances. "Nevertheless, I do identify certain institutional failures by Police Scotland which, while not on the evidence being the cause of death or indeed materially contributing to it, resulted in missed opportunities to have Mr Fenty returned to hospital where it is likely, although by no means certain, that he would have survived." Warren Fenty's mother Sharon believes her son should still be alive [BBC] The legal action against Police Scotland and NHS Grampian seeking damages has been lodged at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Fenty's mother previously told BBC Scotland News: "It's been a nightmare. "I just had to keep on going for Warren's sake. I'm never going to be the Sharon I used to be. "I am angry. That was my son. I miss him so much, he should be here." More on this story JACKSON, Mich. (WLNS) The family of 18-year-old Mia Sims spoke out after police arrested the man accused of killing her. Jackson authorities report that police took 19-year-old Antonio Green into custody on Tuesday, weeks after prosecutors say he shot and killed Mia Sims on July 27th. Second-degree murder is one of three charges against him, and he faces up to life in prison. After Mias family found out Green was arrested, they gathered at United Peoples Community Church, including Jackson Mayor Daniel Mahoney, who is Mias Uncle. Her loved ones said she was shot and killed in her car right after leaving the church, and that Greens arrest is one step closer to justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mias mother, Gabrielle Sims, said its been quiet since her daughters death, as Mia was the light and love. Mia Sims. She was full of life, Gabrielle continued. She was so excited to do anything and everything. Now that she is gone I just feel empty, almost, Gabrielle said. Mias grandmother, Katrina Sims, said the 18-year-old had a bright future, having just graduated high school while working two jobs, she was becoming an esthetician, and wanted to pursue psychology so she could help children with trauma. Its been hard. I look in her room and I dont see her, Katrina continued. She was looking forward to going to college and pursuing her dreams, and eventually, in 2 years, she wanted to go to Atlanta to go to a university. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katrina said she is thankful for the communitys support, adding that the attention on Mias story helped in Greens arrest. Man accused of killing Jackson mayors niece Mia Sims arrested in California I know were not the first family, were not going to be the last family. But if you see something, say something. Mias other grandmother, Trisha Overall, said the two were travel buddies, taking all of their trips together. We went to Detroit over the weekend, and it was the first time I took a trip and she wasnt there, said Trisha. Trisha said that after Mias death, it was eye-opening to see just how many peoples lives she touched in her 18 years. Trisha hopes that her granddaughters story makes people want to do better and be better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its important to love those that you have that are here, said Trisha. Trisha shared her reaction to Greens arrest. Im hoping the people who couldnt sleep can sleep, Trisha continued. That it brings a little comfort as we start the justice process, and we will be there. The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster for City of Jackson Mayor Daniel Mahoney, as Mia was his niece. The emotions have been a range of terrible sadness, to terrible anger, to being confused and hurt, said Mahoney. The Mayor said that the entire community has a role to play in stopping gun violence. There is nobody who is exempt, Mahoney continued. The Mayor himself, my family is not exempt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Green will be prosecuted in Michigan, and officials say the process of getting him back in the State has begun. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. How many coffee shops in the United States grow their own beans? The list appears to be incredibly short, with less than a handful of spots around the country. Theres Talisman Coffee in Austin, Texas, whose owners have a coffee farm in Nicaragua. Big Island Coffee way out in Hilo, Hawaii, is another. (Hawaii is one of the only U.S. stateswith a climate that supports coffee farming.) Unsurprisingly, there arent any shops in Kansas City (or likely the entire Midwest) that grow their own beans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Janssen House Coffee is about to change that. The forthcoming Westport shop, 4041 Broadway Blvd., is owned by coffee farmers Brett and Genisis Janssen. The married couple have a coffee farm nestled in the Andes Mountains in Huila, Colombia. The Janssens farm is in the Andes Mountains in Colombia. Brett, a KC area native, and Genisis, who hails from Colombia, are seeking to improve the local coffee industry, which they see as lacking. Its a lot of the same stuff its just burnt, not roasted properly or even grown properly, for that matter, Brett said. They hope to open the spot in the next couple of months. Its taking over the old Buffalo Exchange thrift store space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To Brett, achieving the perfect cup of coffee is something of a science. He hires an outside Q grader (coffee professional) to determine the coffees flavor notes and whether the beans are up to snuff. Each bag has a cupping score out of 100. Over 80 is considered specialty-grade. He uses a pourover to brew the a cup, then pulls out a TDS meter to measure the total dissolved solids in the brew (aka whether its brewed correctly). To make an espresso drink, he pulls shots out of a Dalla Corte espresso machine, which is not sold in the U.S. Brett said its exclusively used for coffee competitions in Europe. Brett and Genisis Janssen own Janssens House Coffee. For us it was nice to open up an actual real coffee shop, as we see it, and for people to experience real coffee, he said Tuesday after demonstrating his process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spot will have a relatively simple menu, though it will carry a few syrups to meet cultural demands. The couple has been selling their coffee in the area since 2023, offering the beans they roasted and grew themselves via their website or at local events, like the Overland Park Farmers Market. When they first purchased their farm, they figured they would be able to sell to local coffee operators. But one door closed after another, and they decided to take up the project themselves. We decided screw it well just build our own business up here, he said. Brett is currently in the metro, building out the space and looking to hire and train staff. Once things have settled at the shop, hell travel back to Colombia, where Genesis is, making trips back and forth every so many months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes already announced his opening to his local customers, many of whom have tasted his cold brew on farmers markets mornings. Theyre waiting. I think theyre tired of waiting, he said. Were looking forward to hosting people in Kansas City. I love Kansas City why not build up Kansas City more? Janssens House Coffee is opening in Westport. He plans to offer coffee tastings to help Kansas City expand its coffee palette. He hopes customers will enjoy a variety of coffee that may be new to them: Castillo Washed City Roast, Yellow Honey and more. This is a coffee experience, he said. You think youve had coffee, but unless youve come here and tried honey coffee, you probably havent tried all the spectrums of coffee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the couple is serious about coffee, they hope the space will provide a space that the neighborhood finds comfortable and inviting. We just kind of wanted a nice, humble place where people would be able to come in, drink quality coffee, and relax, Brett said. FARMINGTON, N.M. (KRQE) Farmington Police arrested a repeat DWI offender following a report from a local business employee. Stanley Tallman, 41, was booked into the San Juan County Adult Detention Center on Tuesday, marking his seventh DWI arrest. Man arrested for placing camera inside shower provided to crew fighting New Mexico wildfire, court documents show Tallman was reported to the police after being refused alcohol at a local Dino Mart. Officers found Tallman and his vehicle a short time later at the Speedway on Apache and Main Street. Officers confronted Tallman as he was preparing to leave the parking lot and subsequently placed him under arrest for driving while intoxicated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of his arrest, his blood alcohol concentration was more than twice the legal limit, Farmington 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) On Aug. 16, 2006, 31-year-old Andre Mahan, a father of two and a custodian with the San Diego Unified School District, was fatally shot inside the familys apartment at Creekside Villas in Lincoln Park. Investigators have not identified a suspect or determined a motive in the case. It hurts like it happened today, said his widow, Essie Mae Horne, who was home with their 18-month-old son and 7-year-old daughter when the shooting happened around 2:30 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Horne recalled hearing a loud noise that she thought was a car backfiring. Moments later, she said she saw a teenage boy standing in her doorway with a gun. Police seek answers nearly 3 decades after womans body found in El Cajon There was a young light-skinned Black male, looked to be 13 or 14 years old, standing in my doorway facing me with his arm up and he fired, Horne said. The bullet missed her but struck Mahan, who collapsed in the kitchen. Horne said her husband tried to speak as blood came from his mouth and nose, but he died within minutes. Their daughter, Dominique, who was still a young child at the time, later wrote a poem about her grief. Horne said her son, who was too young to remember his father, still wonders who he was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the years since, Horne has launched a nonprofit called TWEEN-SWAG which stands for Together We Elevate Each Other in our Neighborhood Simply With A Lot of Grace to support families coping with gun violence. She continues to hope someone will come forward with information about the killer. If anybody who came here August 16, 2006, to kill my husband and try to kill me, please say something, she said. Authorities said anyone with information about the case can contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers. A $1,000 reward is being offered. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. EXCLUSIVE: The FBI captured and arrested an individual on the FBIs "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list, Cindy Rodriguez Singh, in India, for a warrant for the murder of her 6-year-old son, Fox News Digital has learned. Fox News Digital has learned that Rodriguez Singh had an active federal warrant for "unlawful flight to avoid prosecution," and an active Texas state warrant for "capital murder of a person under 10 years of age." Rodriguez Singh allegedly fled the United States to avoid prosecution on charges related to the murder of her child, Noel Rodriguez Alvarez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three Fbi Most Wanted Fugitive Arrests In Two Months Signal Return To 'Premier' Agency: Former Agent On Oct. 3, 2024, an INTERPOL Red Notice was published for Rodriguez Singh and submitted to all member countries, including India. At that time, an extradition packet for Singh was also submitted. The FBI, in coordination with Indian authorities and INTERPOL, arrested Rodriguez Singh in India. She has been transported to the United States and the FBI will turn her over to Texas authorities. Read On The Fox News App The FBI, in coordination with Indian authorities and INTERPOL, arrested Cindy Rodriguez Singh in India. "The FBIs Ten Most Wanted list exists for cases just like this where a dangerous fugitive thought she could run, hide overseas, and escape justice," FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital. "Thanks to relentless FBI work and our international partnerships, Cindy Rodriguez-Singh is back on American soil to face accountability for the horrific murder of her own child." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patel added: "Justice has no borders, and today the American people can see that we will never stop pursuing those who prey on the most innocent among us." Exclusive: Bondi, Patel Tap Missouri Ag As Additional Fbi Co-deputy Director Alongside Bongino On March 20, 2023, the Everman, Texas, Police Department was asked by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to conduct a welfare check on the 6-year-old son of Rodriguez Singh after the child had not been seen since October 2022, according to the FBI. Singhs son had numerous health and developmental issues, including a severe developmental disorder, social disorder, bone density issues, chronic lung disease, pulmonary edema and estropia, according to officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the welfare check, officials claim Rodriguez Singh lied to investigators and indicated that the child was in Mexico with his biological father and had been there since November 2022. The FBI, in coordination with Indian authorities and INTERPOL, arrested Cindy Rodriguez Singh in India. On March 22, 2023, Rodriguez Singh, her husband and six other juvenile children boarded an international flight to India, the FBI said, adding that investigators confirmed that the missing child was not present and never boarded that flight. On Oct. 31, 2023, Rodriguez Singh was charged with capital murder in the District Court of Tarrant County, Fort Worth, Texas. On Nov. 2, 2023, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Rodriguez Singh in the United States District Court, Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth, Texas, after she was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez Singh was added to the "most wanted" list in July. Rodriguez Singh is the fourth person arrested on the "most wanted" list under Patel's leadership. Original article source: FBI arrests woman on 'Ten Most Wanted Fugitives' hiding in India, transports to US for prosecution (TELLER COUNTY, Colo.) The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have been investigating credible leads related to the homicide of a woman in Colorado Springs in 2019, prompting a renewed search for human remains in Teller County. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, the FBI confirmed its presence in the area of Chapparral Trail and Chateau West Drive in Teller County at the request of CSPD. According to CSPD, the department has been investigating potential human remains in Teller County for the past couple of days as a follow-up on credible leads related to the Jepsy Kallungi Homicide investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jepsy Kallungi was reported missing from her home in Colorado Springs in April 2019, and her husband, Dane Kallungi, was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He was found guilty in 2023. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Affidavit: Recorded conversation reveals Dane Kallungis involvement in Jepsy Kallungis disappearance CSPD stated that at this time, no remains have been found, but the investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. The FBI is investigating the death of Donald Maier, a prisoner who died at Waupun Correctional Institution in early 2024, according to an attorney for Maier's family and documents received by prison employees. Maier, 62, died due to probable malnutrition and dehydration on Feb. 22, 2024, one week after prison staff began intermittently shutting off the water to prevent him from flooding his cell. His death was ruled a homicide. Civil rights attorney Jeff Scott Olson, who represents Maier's family, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Aug. 20 that the FBI has been looking into Maier's case for months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, federal agents have requested the internal investigations related to Maier's death from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, according to notices recently received by DOC employees and reviewed by the Journal Sentinel. The FBI's Milwaukee office said, per U.S. Department of Justice policy, the agency does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation. A representative for DOC did not respond to a request for comment. Assistant U.S. AttorneyKelly Brown Watzka, deputy chief of the criminal division in charge of financial, public corruption and other white-collar cases, declined to comment. Maier's death led to state criminal charges against prison staff last June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former warden Randall Hepp and eight other workers at Waupun were charged with misconduct in office and abuse of residents of a penal facility related to the deaths of Maier and another prisoner. Hepp later pleaded no contest to a low-level misdemeanor charge of violating the law of a state or county institution in the case. One staff member pleaded no contest to the same misdemeanor, while the case against another was dismissed. Six others have ongoing cases. Randall Hepp, former warden of Waupun Correctional Institution, charged with felony misconduct in public office, appears in a Dodge County Circuit Court for a plea and sentencing hearing in Juneau on Monday, April 28, 2025. - Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel In April, Maier's family filed a federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit against DOC leadership and prison staff. The lawsuit alleges that prison staff were "deliberately indifferent" to Maier's serious medical and mental health needs, violating his right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment when he was left in "inhumane conditions of confinement." The pending lawsuit is still in the discovery phase, Olson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that he is not confident the FBI probe will lead to any action. "The FBI looks at any number of things, and very rarely does it result in any formal action by the federal government," Olson said. This is a developing story. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: FBI investigates death of Waupun prisoner who died of dehydration The targeted murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December put the business world on alert. Companies beyond the insurance and healthcare industries began ramping up security for founders and CEOs, worried that Thompsons death (and some of the publics reaction to it), along with rising cyberattacks and death threats, could increase real-world risks for any business leader. Most Read from Fast Company That has led to a substantial increase in security spending, and a new study from the Financial Times finds that no company is spending more to protect its CEO than Meta. Security spending was up more than 10% last year at the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, with $27 million spent to protect Mark Zuckerberg$3 million more than in 2023. We believe that Mr. Zuckerbergs role puts him in a unique position: He is synonymous with Meta and, as a result, negative sentiment regarding our company is directly associated with, and often transferred to, Mr. Zuckerberg, the company says in its 2025 proxy statement. Google parent Alphabet and Amazon also saw increases of more than 10% in protection costs last year. Altogether, the 10 major tech firms spent more than $45 million to protect their leaders. Metas spending, however, greatly surpassed all others. The next highest was Alphabet, which allocated $6.8 million to protect CEO Sundar Pichai. Coinbase spent nearly as much, dedicating $6.2 million to guard CEO Brian Armstrong. The big question on many minds, though, is how much is being spent to protect Elon Musk, arguably the most polarizing of the tech CEOs. The answer isnt entirely clear. Only one of his companies, Tesla, is public, and it disclosed spending $500,000 to protect Musk last year (down from $2.4 million in 2023). SpaceX and xAI are private and did not disclose figures. Musk also owns his own security company, Foundation Securitydescribed as a mini Secret Service, run in part by a former Army Special Forces weapons sergeant. While some companies have boosted spending, others have scaled back, perhaps due to onetime expenses in previous years. Heres what other corporations reported. The FBI announced 11 undocumented immigrants were arrested in Seymour after a joint effort with ICE, the Seymour Police Department, and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. In a news release, the FBI said the arrests were targeting individuals who have already been charged or convicted with various crimes or who had unlawfully entered the U.S. Those crimes including narcotics trafficking, sexual battery, child molesting, domestic violence, strangulation and possession of numerous illegal weapons. This was not a sweep, nor did it involve schools or other sensitive locations," said Seymour Police Department Chief Greg OBrien. "The focus was solely on removing dangerous offenders to protect the safety of our residents." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One person had previously been deported five times, the release said. Individuals who are unlawfully in this country and who commit violent crimes pose a serious threat to our communities, said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. OMalley. Working with our federal and local partners and removing these individuals from our neighborhoods protects Hoosier families and reinforces our shared commitment to uphold the law. Seymour: How John Mellencamp's Indiana small town became a flashpoint in the immigration debate Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: FBI investigation in Seymour ends with 11 'unauthorized immigrants' arrested Frederick County Public Schools plans to better track the time students spend outside class, including for bathroom breaks. The district will focus more on how often students ask to leave class and when they should be allowed to leave. Tom Saunders, the director of middle schools for FCPS, said in an interview on Tuesday that clearer guidelines for when teachers should let students leave will help prevent accidents that sometimes happen when students are denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district for the 2025-26 school year has codified decisions in its Student Code of Conduct that previously were left to the judgment of teachers. Districtwide, schools are now expected to keep a record of students when they leave class, including to go to the bathroom, and when they come back. Saunders said some schools and classrooms were already doing this, but that adding it to the Code of Conduct standardizes the expectations districtwide and shares those same expectations with parents and families. He said the school district last year heard concerns from parents about appropriate bathroom use during school hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saunders said while the school district is always trying to make sure bathrooms are monitored, more data and information regarding who is out of class, at what time and for how long creates a better chance of being able to intervene if needed. The Code of Conduct now directs teachers to keep a log of students leaving and coming back to the classroom, which is used for accountability and provides a record in case any issues arise later. Saunders said that particular expectation isnt new weve just codified it. He said some teachers have been keeping track of students going in and out, but it is now formally in the Code of Conduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said about one or two times a year, and more often in middle schools, a student will have an accident while waiting for permission from their teachers to go use the bathroom. Saunders said it can be challenging for educators to interpret a student and their needs correctly, and it is typically more of a challenge at the beginning of the school year, when educators and students do not know each other well yet. He said that in the past, he received calls from parents about those kinds of situations, alleging the teacher was not responsive enough. Saunders said last school years version of the student Code of Conduct did not have any expectations or guidance around emergency bathroom use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2025-26 Student Code of Conduct states that educators can set their own guidelines for when a students request to go to the bathroom may be denied, such as during instruction or during the last couple of minutes of class. Additionally, the updated expectation states that students should be allowed to leave the classroom immediately if they express a genuine need to access the restroom and inform the teacher as they proceed directly to the nearest restroom. Saunders said students can feel humiliated for having an accident, and especially in middle school, thats a huge embarrassment. Weve decided to put it in there so that everybodys on the same page, and that people would know the expectations, he said. It doesnt mean it will eliminate all accidents, but it certainly hopes to put students in a place where they understand and teachers also have the understanding of what the expectations are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Digital hall pass system The Frederick County Board of Education in May awarded a contract to Houston-based Raptor Technologies for a digital hall pass system called Smartpass. Schools in FCPS could buy the system beginning in July, and the cost comes out of the individual schools budgets. The bid sheet showed a price of $3.15 per student. Saunders on Tuesday said that most, if not all, 10 high schools in FCPS, more than half of the 13 middle schools, and a mix of elementary schools will be using Smartpass during the 2025-26 school year. He said while some schools like Monocacy Middle School are in their second year with the program, other schools will begin implementing the system on Sept. 2, the day after Labor Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saunders said some schools are waiting a week to begin because managing the first day of school and a new hall pass system would likely be too much for educators to handle. He said FCPS annual deadline to print the Code of Conduct is around early May, and that in March and April, the school district seeks feedback from the previous year. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. An Indonesia-based company appears to have handled raw shrimp products in poor conditions that allowed radioactive contamination to occur. | Credit: Oleg Elkov via Getty Images Frozen shrimp imported to the U.S. from an Indonesia-based company may have been exposed to a radioactive substance, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned this week . And while the recall initially only affected products sold by Walmart, the agency has widened its recall to include products sold by another distributor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The products were processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, also referred to as BMS Foods. The FDA launched an investigation after U.S. Customs officials detected cesium-137 (Cs-137) a radioactive form of cesium in shipping containers carrying the shrimp that were delivered to Los Angeles; Houston; Savannah, Georgia; and Miami. Analyses of the containers' contents confirmed the presence of Cs-137 in one sample of breaded shrimp. The containers that tested positive were not allowed to enter the U.S., and no products that tested positive have entered the food supply. However, as a precaution, the FDA has looked into other shrimp products that were imported from the same company but prior to the detection of Cs-137. Despite those previously imported products not testing positive for radioactive material at the time, the FDA has recommended people not consume them and that retailers recall them. "To date, FDA has learned that Walmart has received implicated raw frozen shrimp, imported after the date of first detection of Cs-137 by CBP [Customs & Border Patrol], but from shipments that did not alert for Cs-137," the statement says. BMS Foods has clearly handled products under conditions that would open the door to Cs-137 contamination, the agency explained, so there's a possibility these other products could pose a safety concern, as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As such, the FDA recommended that Walmart recall the affected products, and it lists the specific lot numbers affected in its warning. Anyone who has recently bought frozen shrimp from Walmart that matches the descriptions released by the FDA should throw it away and not eat or serve it. On Thursday (Aug. 19), the FDA announced that more frozen shrimp are potentially affected by the issue. They've issued a recall of bagged, frozen shrimp distributed by Southwind Foods, LLC of Carson, California between July 17 and Aug. 8. The recalled products were distributed or sold in Alabama, Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Related: How radioactive is the human body? According to the FDA , the nonradioactive form of cesium, called stable cesium, naturally occurs in the environment and is found in rocks, soil and dust. The element can also travel long distances through the air, before settling on the ground or in water. Cesium can become radioactive when it's exposed to decaying uranium , nuclear explosions or nuclear reactor accidents. Cesium-137 has a half-life of about 30 years, meaning it takes three decades for the isotope's radioactivity to decrease by half. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Because it is widespread worldwide, trace amounts of Cs-137 can be found in the environment, including soil, food, and air," the FDA statement noted. The agency evaluates any detection of the isotope in food products to determine if follow-up action is warranted. The FDA found Cs-137 in only one of the BMS shrimp products tested, but that does not necessarily mean other products aren't also contaminated, the agency noted. The amount of the isotope found in the breaded shrimp sample was not high enough to cause immediate harm to a consumer in the short term, the tests suggested. However, the level detected could pose a risk if someone were to consume the product repeatedly over a longer period of time, especially when you combine that exposure with the baseline, low-level radiation that we're exposed to in the environment and through routine medical procedures, such as X-rays. Over the long term, repeated exposure to Cs-137 could raise the risk of cancer by damaging DNA. RELATED STORIES Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scientists finally figured out what's making German wild boars radioactive, and it's not just Chernobyl How do you decontaminate objects exposed to radioactivity? Secrets of radioactive 'promethium' a rare earth element with mysterious applications uncovered after 80-year search The FDA's investigation into the situation is ongoing, but the agency has already confirmed that products from BMS Foods have violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. That's because the products appear to have been "prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 and may pose a safety concern," the statement explains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company has been added to a new import alert for chemical contamination, which effectively stops any of its shrimp products from entering the U.S. until the company corrects those underlying violations. At this point, the root cause of the contamination is unknown, but the FDA is "working with Indonesian seafood regulatory authorities to investigate." "FDA will continue working with industry to trace all implicated products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati through the supply chain to gather as much information about them as possible and take action as appropriate," FDA officials said in the statement. Editor's Note: This story was updated on Friday, Aug. 22 at 4:45 p.m. EDT to note that the frozen shrimp recall has now been expanded to include products from an additional distributor. This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice. You might want to think twice about buying this brand of shrimp next time youre shopping at Walmart. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers about eating, selling or serving select brands of Great Value frozen raw shrimp due to contamination with a radioactive isotope. U.S. Customs and Border Protection alerted the FDA about the radioactive isotope, Cesium-137, after it was found in shipping containers at four U.S. seaports, according to the FDA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what you need to know about the products that are affected and whether a recall will be imminent. What contaminated shrimp is the FDA warning consumers about? The Frozen Raw Ez Peel Tail-On Farm-Raised White Vannamei Shrimp in 2-pound bags distributed by Indonesias BMS Foods tested positive for the contamination. The FDA is recommending a recall on certain BMS shrimp products even if they did not test positive. While a recall hasnt been conducted yet, the FDA is working with distributors and retailers to recommend a recall. The following products are affected: Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The products were sold in Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia, according to the FDA. What should people do if they have the contaminated raw shrimp? The FDA is advising people who might have raw, frozen shrimp in their freezers from Walmart that matches the descriptions to not cook or consume them. Instead, the agency is asking customers, distributors and retailers to throw the shrimp away. The FDA also says, If you suspect you have been exposed to elevated levels of cesium, talk to your healthcare provider. Consuming food or water contaminated with Cs-137 in low doses over an extended period of time can create an elevated risk of cancer due to a breakdown in DNA in the bodys living cells, according to the FDA. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. The US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday urged the public not to eat certain bags of frozen raw shrimp sold at Walmart, citing concerns about unsanitary conditions and radioactive contamination found in shipments from the same supplier. The FDA said that a radioactive isotope, cesium-137, was detected in a sample of breaded shrimp detained at US ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami from an Indonesian supplier named BMS Foods. Those contaminated shipments never reached the US market. However, because Walmarts raw frozen shrimp came from the same supplier and the agency said it appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 officials advised consumers to avoid eating them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The levels of cesium detected about 68 becquerels per kilogram were well below the FDAs intervention level of 1,200 Bq/kg. Still, regulators issued the advisory out of caution, citing the potential risks of cancer from long-term, low-dose exposure and problems at the suppliers facility. The advisory applies to 2-pound Great Value bags of white vannamei shrimp, all carrying a best-by date of March 15, 2027. They were distributed to Walmart stores in at least 13 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia. The agency is advising consumers who purchased the shrimp to throw it away or return it, and, said an investigation is ongoing in conjunction with Indonesian seafood regulatory authorities. Walmart confirmed to CNN that it immediately recalled the product from impacted stores. CNN has also reached out to the supplier for comment. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Some Washington, D.C., residents are adopting a new symbol of resistance against President Donald Trumps administration: the so-called sandwich guy. This month, Trump mobilized the National Guard in Washington, D.C., brought in federal agents and placed the local police force under federal control in an attempt to stop a crime emergency he described as out of control. This comes despite available data indicating violent crime in D.C. has been decreasing since 2023, and even hit a 30-year low last year. Many residents have protested against the heightened presence of federal agents and troops in the nations capital, but one individual has stood out amongst them: a man who was arrested earlier this month after police say he threw a sandwich at a group of federal law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video of the incident quickly went viral, bringing nationwide attention to the sandwich thrower, who police say is 37-year-old D.C. resident Sean Charles Dunn. Now, new posters have appeared throughout the nations capital honoring the sandwich thrower as an apparent symbol of resistance. Banksy-style portraits honoring the man who threw a sandwich at federal agents in Washington, D.C., have appeared throughout the nation's capital (Katie Hawkinson/The Independent) Banksy-style posters honor D.C.s sandwich guy The posters are recreations of the Flower Thrower, a 2003 mural by the iconic British street artist and political activist Banksy. The original image depicts a masked protester throwing a bouquet of flowers, and is widely seen as an image of resistance and hope. But in the recent D.C. renditions, the man is instead throwing a sub-style sandwich. These posters have been found primarily in Northwest D.C. near the downtown area. Social media images and local media reports shared over the weekend identified posters in the Dupont Circle and Logan Circle neighborhoods, as well as on K St., an area home to many lobbyists and law firms. While some posters remain plastered up, others have been ripped down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two of these posters can be seen near a liquor store in the Logan Circle neighborhood next to a bus stop. Theyre plastered less than a mile away from the intersection where Dunn is accused of throwing the sandwich. Two Banksy-style portraits honoring the D.C. sandwich thrower are seen at a bus stop near the Logan Circle neighborhood (Katie Hawkinson/The Independent) On Sunday, photographers also captured three of the posters plastered near the busy Dupont Metro Station, located just under two miles from the White House. The area is home to several embassies and think tanks. But when The Independent visited the station on Wednesday morning, the posters had been torn down. White residue from where they were once plastered is still visible. Banksy-style portraits honoring the D.C. sandwich thrower were hanging near the Dupont Circle metro station on Sunday (left). By Wednesday, those posters were gone (right) (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images (left) and Katie Hawkinson/The Independent (right)) One social media post also indicated there was a poster hanging in downtown D.C., at the intersection of M St. and New Hampshire Ave., as recently as two days ago. There were no signs of the poster as of Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents who staged a protest against Trumps decision to mobilize the National Guard in Washington, D.C., over the weekend also held signs and props referencing the sandwich thrower. Photographers captured one protester waving around a loaf of bread. Others held signs that read, One small sub for manOne giant gesture for democracy and Dont f*** with D.C. unless you want this footlong, according to the local outlet Washingtonian. A demonstrator holds a piece of bread as he protests against the increased federal law enforcement presence in Washington, D.C., on Saturday (Getty Images) Alleged sandwich thrower arrested by 20 officers, attorney says Dunn, the alleged sandwich thrower, is now facing a felony assault charge over the August 10 incident. Police claim Dunn approached a group of officers on 14th Street, an area known for its busy nightlife scene. Dunn is accused of then pointing his finger at a Customs and Border Patrol agent and shouting, F*** you! You f***ing fascists! Why are you here? I dont want you in my city! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police say Dunn then threw a sub-style sandwich at the group, hitting one of the officers in the chest. A viral video shows a man throwing a sandwich at federal officers. Police identified the man as Sean Dunn, 37 (U.S. District Court for D.C.) Dunn was initially apprehended after fleeing the scene. While he was being processed, police say Dunn told an officer, I did it, I threw a sandwich. Dunns attorney, Sabrina Shroff, said in court he was released the next day with no charges, according to CNN. However, Shroff then learned a warrant was out for Dunns arrest on August 13. Shroff said she called multiple government officials, but could not find a way for Dunn to surrender himself. That night, 20 officers showed up at Dunns front door and arrested him, Shroff said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dunn has since been released on personal recognizance and will appear in court again in September. Shroff declined to comment when contacted by The Independent. Federal agents arrest Sean Dunn. The 37-year-old was initially apprehended on August 10, but later arrested again on August 13, his attorney said (Getty Images) Dunn has been fired from his job at the Justice Department in the wake of his arrest, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced last week. If you touch any law enforcement officer, we will come after you, she wrote. I just learned that this defendant worked at the Department of Justice NO LONGER. Not only is he FIRED, he has been charged with a felony. U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro also shared a video on X touting Dunns arrest. Assault a law enforcement officer, and youll be prosecuted, Pirro said. This guy thought it was funnywell, he doesnt think its funny today, because we charged him with a felony. Aug. 20 (UPI) -- A federal judge in New York on Wednesday refused a Trump administration request to unseal particular grand jury documents related to the case of convicted sex-trafficking financier Jeffrey Epstein. The White House in recent weeks has made attempts to quell public pressure with its bid to make grand jury proceedings public and for greater transparency. "The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice," said U.S. District Judge Richard Berman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Manhattan's Berman, an appointee of former U.S. President Bill Clinton, wrote in his 14-page ruling there existed "clear precedent and sound purpose" in the decision to keep grand jury documents under wraps. He said the U.S. government failed to show how the requested Epstein records demonstrated any real "special circumstance" enough to release them. On Wednesday, Berman added that the federal government was the "logical party" that's responsibility was to "make comprehensive disclosure to the public" of the Epstein files. "By comparison, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a 'diversion' from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the government's possession," the judge wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee revealed that it would release some reduced files related to Epstein's case that has captured public fascination. It comes as the committee deposed nine other depositions for looming testimony in the case by ex-President Joe Biden's Attorney General Merrick Garland, President Donald Trump's first Attorney General Jeff Sessions, former Barack Obama Attorney Generals Loretta Lynch and Eric Holder, and George W. Bush's former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez. In addition, the panel's investigation will purportedly see testimony by former FBI Directors James Comey, Robert Mueller, former President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Nexstar) A federal district court judge issued a preliminary injunction against Senate Bill 10, which was set to take effect on September 1 and require all public school classrooms in Texas to post the Ten Commandments somewhere visible. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued the ruling Wednesday, siding with the group of families and faith leaders who brought the suit against multiple school districts. In his filing, Biery said SB 10 crosses the line from exposure to coercion. The injunction only applies to the 11 school districts that were named in the lawsuit. Ultimately, in matters of conscience, faith, beliefs and the soul, most people are Garbo-esque, Biery wrote. They just want to be left alone, neither proselytized nor ostracized, including what occurs to their children in government run schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, wrote the bill during the 89th regular legislative session. He argued the Ten Commandments would help students understand how the religious document shaped American history and culture. In a post on Facebook, King said he was not surprised by the ruling. I have the highest level of confidence that this injunction will be overturned on appeal, and in the next few days I will be meeting with the states litigation team to discuss our next steps., King said in the post. King had argued in his statement of intent that the law could survive a legal challenge under the US Supreme Courts (SCOTUS) 2022 ruling in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. Plaintiffs in the suit released a statement following the ruling. One of the plaintiffs, Rabbi Mara Nathan, said in the release, Childrens religious beliefs should be instilled by parents and faith communities, not politicians and public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. A Chinese citizen accused of bringing biological materials related to roundworms into the country for her work at a University of Michigan laboratory pleaded no contest in federal court. Chengxuan Han entered the plea during a plea hearing Aug. 19 in U.S. District Court in Detroit. She pleaded no contest to three counts of smuggling goods into the United States and one count of false statements, according to court records. Sentencing is set for Sept. 10. Han could be sentenced up to 20 years in prison on the smuggling charge and up to five years in prison for the making false statements offense, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This alien from Wuhan, China smuggled roundworms and other biomaterials into our country on three separate occasions to circumvent our border protections. One of those times, she wrote that she was sending 'a fun letter.' The University of Michigan invited this Chinese national into our state to be a visiting scholar where it was going to give her more than $41,000 in a year to do her worm research at the Life Sciences Institute. Something is wrong in Ann Arbor," U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon, Jr. stated in the release. An email was sent to the university seeking comment. Marty Raybon, director of field operations for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Detroit, stated in the release: "The guidelines for importing biological materials into the U.S. for research purposes arestringent, but clear, and actions like this undermine the legitimate work of other visiting scholars." One of Han's attorneys, Benton Martin, said Han maintains her innocence. He deferred additional comment to Han's other attorney, Sara Garber, who did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Han was charged in June, the third Chinese citizen in a week to face smuggling charges from the federal government. She is pursuing a doctoral degree from the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, according to a court filing. Han was accused of smuggling in filter paper containing plasmids on Sept. 23 and March 5 and petri dishes containg C. elegans with genetic modifications on Sept. 29, according to an information filed in court June 26. She also made false statements June 8, it indicated. More: In roundworms smuggling case, Chinese citizen to be held in detention for now More: Feds charge another Chinese citizen with smuggling biological materials for lab work Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An affidavit in court indicated that she was listed as the sender of packages of concealed or mis-manifested biological material addressed to two people associated with a lab at U-M. The packages did not contain the correct documentation and were not imported per U.S. Department of Agriculture or U.S. customs regulations, according to an affidavit. Han arrived at Detroit Metro Airport from Shanghai on a J-1 visa June 8 and customs officers conducted an inspection and interview. She denied sending the packages to members of the lab, according to the affidavit, but when pressed, admitted to shipping them, with the materials from her research lab at the Chinese university. Customs officials also found the content of her electronic device had been deleted three days prior to her arrival in the U.S., according to the affidavit. A motion to suppress statements by Han was entered Aug. 7, and a motion hearing was set for Nov. 7, according to court records. Other court dates also were set for later this year before the Aug. 19 plea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the separate smuggling case filed by the federal government in June, Yunqing Jian, 33, and her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, 34, were charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements and visa fraud. They are accused of smuggling a fungus that causes a disease in wheat, barley, maize and rice so that Liu could research the pathogen at a U-M lab where Jian works. Liu is accused of smuggling the fungus, identified as Fusarium graminearum, into the country at the airport in clear plastic baggies in his backpack July 27, 2024. Customs officers denied him entry and processed him for expedited removal back to China, according to an affidavit. Jian has a preliminary exam in federal court Sept. 18. In mid-July, the Free Press reported that the Trump administration was investigating potential foreign influence at U-M, claiming it indifferent to national security concerns raised by the FBI. In a letter sent July 15, the U.S. Department of Education gave the school 30 days to turn over more than five years' worth of records related to foreign donations, foreign research collaboration, international students and their visas, as well as the names and contact information of school personnel who supervise all those things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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: Feds: Chinese citizen pleads no contest in roundworms smuggling case Priscilla Luna holds her 3 year-old daughter Avery Dahl, while she gets the MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images) This week, the Trump administrations Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an effort to check the immigration status of people who get their health insurance through Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program. Medicaid is the public health insurance program for people with low incomes thats jointly funded by states and the federal government. For families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance, CHIP is a public program that provides low-cost health coverage for their children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The feds will begin sending Pennsylvania and other states monthly enrollment reports that identify people with Medicaid or CHIP whose immigration or citizenship status cant be confirmed through federal databases. States are then responsible for verifying the citizenship or immigration status of individuals in those reports. States are expected to take appropriate actions when necessary, including adjusting coverage or enforcing non-citizen eligibility rules, according to a CMS press release. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE We are tightening oversight of enrollment to safeguard taxpayer dollars and guarantee that these vital programs serve only those who are truly eligible under the law, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who oversees CMS as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in a press release announcing the new program. As of April, roughly 71 million adults and children nationwide have Medicaid coverage, while another 7 million children have insurance through CHIP. Immigrants under age 65 are less likely to be covered by Medicaid than U.S.-born citizens, according to an analysis from health research organization KFF. Immigrants who are in the country illegally arent eligible for federally funded Medicaid and CHIP. Only citizens and certain lawfully present immigrants green card holders and refugees, for example can qualify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But some states have chosen to expand Medicaid coverage for immigrants with their own funds. Pennsylvania and 22 other states offer pregnancy-related care regardless of citizenship or immigration status, according to KFF. Fourteen states provide coverage for children in low-income families regardless of immigration status, while seven states offer coverage to some adults regardless of status. The tax and spending package President Donald Trump last month cuts federal spending on Medicaid by more than $1 trillion, leaving states to either make up the difference with their own funds or reduce coverage. But the new law also includes restrictions on coverage for certain immigrants, including stripping eligibility from refugees and asylum-seekers. Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at avollers@stateline.org. Banque Misrs Misr Digital Innovation has received the green light from the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) to transition into onebank, marking the establishment of the countrys first fully digital bank. The launch of onebank's products and services is anticipated in 2026. The bank will deliver all services exclusively through digital channels, reported Daily News Egypt. Misr Digital Innovation managing director and CEO Sherif El-Behiry said: We are not just introducing a new digital bank; we are redefining the future of banking in Egypt. Our board brings a wealth of experience and strategic vision that empowers us to deliver innovative financial solutions aligned with the evolving aspirations of Egyptian consumers. Together, we are committed to positioning onebank at the forefront of the financial sector and raising the benchmark for banking excellence across the region. Founded in 2020 with full funding and backing from Banque Misr, Misr Digital Innovations transformation into onebank reflects a clear strategy to build a modern digital economy. The bank plans to provide secure, user-friendly, and technology-driven banking services that are accessible at any time and from any location, without the need for physical branches. To lead this transformation, Khaled El Attar has been appointed chairperson, supported by a board of directors comprising prominent figures in technology, law, investment, public policy, and innovation. El Attar described onebank as a new beginning in Egypts financial history and a pivotal step in embedding digital transformation into the national economy. Our mission is clear: to deliver smarter, more inclusive, and seamless banking services that are accessible to every Egyptian citizen. "Misr Digital Innovation secures approval for Egypts first fully digital bank" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. A mother holds her daughter while she gets a vaccine at a clinic in Texas in March. Children and adults who receive health insurance through Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program will now be subject to immigration or citizenship status checks, according to a new initiative announced this week by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who oversees Medicaid as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Photo by Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images) This week, the Trump administrations Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an effort to check the immigration status of people who get their health insurance through Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program. Medicaid is the public health insurance program for people with low incomes thats jointly funded by states and the federal government. For families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance, CHIP is a public program that provides low-cost health coverage for their children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The feds will begin sending states monthly enrollment reports that identify people with Medicaid or CHIP whose immigration or citizenship status cant be confirmed through federal databases. States are then responsible for verifying the citizenship or immigration status of individuals in those reports. States are expected to take appropriate actions when necessary, including adjusting coverage or enforcing non-citizen eligibility rules, according to a CMS press release. We are tightening oversight of enrollment to safeguard taxpayer dollars and guarantee that these vital programs serve only those who are truly eligible under the law, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who oversees CMS as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in a press release announcing the new program. As of April, roughly 71 million adults and children nationwide have Medicaid coverage, while another 7 million children have insurance through CHIP. Immigrants under age 65 are less likely to be covered by Medicaid than U.S.-born citizens, according to an analysis from health research organization KFF. Immigrants who are in the country illegally arent eligible for federally funded Medicaid and CHIP. Only citizens and certain lawfully present immigrants green card holders and refugees, for example can qualify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But some states have chosen to expand Medicaid coverage for immigrants with their own funds. Twenty-three states offer pregnancy-related care regardless of citizenship or immigration status, according to KFF. Fourteen states provide coverage for children in low-income families regardless of immigration status, while seven states offer coverage to some adults regardless of status. The tax and spending package President Donald Trump last month cuts federal spending on Medicaid by more than $1 trillion, leaving states to either make up the difference with their own funds or reduce coverage. But the new law also includes restrictions on coverage for certain immigrants, including stripping eligibility from refugees and asylum-seekers. Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at avollers@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE BOSTON (SHNS) Federal officials on Tuesday began contacting states to flag individuals who might not qualify for Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program due to their immigration status, part of what the Trump administration described as an oversight initiative. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, announced that it plans to provide states with monthly enrollment reports identifying people whose citizenship or immigration status could not be confirmed using federal databases. State governments will then be responsible for verifying eligibility and taking action, including by altering coverage, CMS said. The new effort could require state Medicaid agencies to take on additional strain at a time when many are preparing for major impacts from the federal reconciliation law, including new work requirements and limits on provider taxes. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the suite of changes could result in 10 million people losing coverage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. described the new monthly reporting as a way to prevent Medicaid abuse, saying the administration is tightening oversight of enrollment to safeguard taxpayer dollars and guarantee that these vital programs serve only those who are truly eligible under the law. Every dollar misspent is a dollar taken away from an eligible, vulnerable individual in need of Medicaid and CHIP, added CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz. This action underscores our unwavering commitment to program integrity, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and ensuring benefits are strictly reserved for those eligible under the law. In Massachusetts, Medicaid and CHIP are combined into MassHealth, which serves roughly 2 million people and is the single largest area of spending in the state budget. Officials in the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday afternoon about the impacts on Massachusetts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, according to nonprofit health policy organization KFF. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. When the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agencys urban search and rescue team resigned after the deadly July 4 Texas floods, he told colleagues he was frustrated with bureaucratic hurdles that had delayed the teams response to the disaster, according to media reports. The move highlighted an ongoing challenge at FEMA. Ever since the agency lost its independent status and became part of the Department of Homeland Security in the early 2000s, it has faced complaints about delays caused by layers of bureaucracy and red tape, leaders at the top with little experience in emergency response, and whiplash policy changes. Now, the Trump administration is cutting jobs at FEMA and talking about dismantling the agency, which would push more responsibility for disaster response to the states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, federal emergency management is crucial in America. I run the Hazards Vulnerability & Resilience Institute at the University of South Carolina and for years have worked with states and communities facing hazards and disasters. To better understand FEMAs value, lets take a look back at how the nation responded to disasters before the agency existed, and what history reveals about when FEMA was most effective. Early disaster response Before 1950, disaster relief and response were not considered a federal responsibility. When a hurricane, flood or tornado hit, community members and humanitarian groups, such as the American Red Cross or Salvation Army, brought in food, shelter and medical aid and solicited charitable donations to help people rebuild. State and local governments had primary responsibility for disaster response. But mostly people relied on family, neighbors and charity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal aid was approved on a case-by-case basis. War Department guidelines in 1917 stated that aid would be allowed only if a senior military officer certified that responding to the disaster would exceed local and state resources. Then the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and the 1930s Dust Bowl gave new meaning to the concept of disaster in America. In 1927, the Mississippi River broke through its levees, submerging more than 1 million acres of land across seven states. An estimated 700,000 people were displaced from their homes and workplaces. Herbert Hoover, then U.S. commerce secretary, was given full authority to create, coordinate and carry out the federal relief effort. The Red Cross set up camps using tents provided by the War Department. Coast Guard and Navy boats rescued people stranded by flooding. But the response drew criticism for the lack of direct federal money to help flood survivors and the treatment of Black sharecroppers and laborers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few years later, the droughts of the Dust Bowl era began destroying crops in the Great Plains, causing widespread damage. New era After the flood, the federal government began to formalize its role in disaster management. Flood control projects became a federal responsibility with the passage of the Flood Control Act of 1928. President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal provided emergency relief to farmers in the Great Plains and set up the Soil Conservation Service to help them reduce the effects of future droughts. These were among the first disaster mitigation policies at the federal level. There was little coordination among agencies, however. Various aspects of disaster relief and recovery were handled by the departments of Defense, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban Development and the Small Business Administration. Each had its own rules and requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1950, Congress passed the Federal Disaster Relief Act, establishing the first permanent authority for federal disaster relief. The act gave the president the responsibility to determine how aid would be distributed and which agencies would be involved. The legislation also broadened the federal mission to include disaster preparedness and mitigation and formalized the process for issuing presidential disaster declarations. Creation of FEMA By the 1970s, large-scale disasters such as hurricanes Betsy (1965) and Camille (1969), and the fragmented disaster response, led the National Governors Association to call for a single comprehensive emergency management agency. Its report provided the blueprint for President Jimmy Carters 1979 executive order that established the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. The new agency became the home for emergency management within the executive branch. It was intentionally designed as an independent federal administrative agency that could work across federal agencies to support state and local governments in times of crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FEMA wasnt created to lead the disaster response. Instead it helps state and local officials by mobilizing federal resources, such as search and rescue, debris removal and funding when a disaster overwhelms the states capacity. FEMA could do this quickly because of established federal contracts and its ability to move equipment and responders into the region before a disaster hits. Falling apart However, FEMAs ability to act fast changed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The agency was restructured as a unit in the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. But the Department of Homeland Securitys focus was on terrorism and law enforcement, not natural disasters. The loss of autonomy and direct reporting to Congress, unfunded mandates outside the scope of the 1988 Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and major increases in the number of large and complex disasters stretched FEMAs capabilities. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, FEMAs response drew widespread criticism. It was slow to deploy people and supplies and lacked enough experienced responders who knew what to do. Decision-makers were not familiar with new national response plans. Further breakdowns in communications and a lack of coordination among agencies led Congress to declare the Hurricane Katrina response a failure of initiative and agility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FEMAs reputation improved after the government brought in more experienced leadership and committed to preparedness planning and better response capabilities. However, the first Trump administration, from 2017 to 2021, reversed those gains. Three different heads of FEMA in four years led to understaffing and conflicting directions. As Trump took office for the second time in 2025, he and his administration talked about dismantling FEMA and pushing more disaster management to states. Job cuts and resignations at FEMA reduced the number of employees with training and experience vital in disasters. Political appointees to senior roles in the agency and in the Department of Homeland Security lacked emergency management training and experience. A new policy that all purchases over $100,000 be personally approved by Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem led to more resignations. For disaster response, a delay in waiting for a signature to work its way up the chain can cost lives. What now? Dismantling FEMA and leaving little or no federal coordination of disaster response puts states in a difficult position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement States must balance their budgets every year, and increasingly rainy day funds are insufficient to cover unexpected large disasters. As the federal government shifts other financial responsibilities to states, funds will diminish further. A single disaster can cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and require widespread disaster response and then relief efforts. Since 1980, the cumulative cost of weather-related disasters has exceeded $2.9 trillion. With a warming atmosphere producing more intense storms, increasing human and economic harm are likely. Members of Congress have proposed making FEMA an independent, Cabinet-level agency again. I see some distinct advantages in doing so: Fewer management layers would enable faster deployment of federal supplies and personnel to assist disaster response. A streamlined, more nimble agency could cut red tape for disaster survivors needing assistance, meaning delivering relief funding faster and more equitably. If an independent FEMA had responsibility for recovery beyond its current 180-day reimbursement limits, that could improve long-term recovery efforts, especially if Congress provided permanent funding streams and consistent rules and regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administrations efforts to dismantle FEMA are shortsighted in my view. Instead, I believe the best move is to restore FEMA as an independent executive agency as it was originally envisioned. Susan L. Cutter is a distinguished professor of geography and director of the Hazards Vulnerability and Resilience Institute at the University of South Carolina. This article is republished from the online news site The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. A first-person view (FPV) type quadcopter drone controlled via a fiber optic cable was among the participants in a U.S. Navy-led exercise earlier this year focused on exploring new distributed electronic warfare capabilities. Fiber optic kamikaze FPVs, which Russia first began using in Ukraine last year and have now become a fixture on both sides of that conflict, are notably immune to jamming and many other forms of electronic warfare. The Michigan National Guard released pictures yesterday of the fiber optic FPV and other uncrewed systems that took part in Exercise Silent Swarm 25. The event itself took place back in July at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) in Alpena, Michigan. The Navys Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) has been holding Silent Swarm events annually at the Alpena CRTC in cooperation with the Michigan National Guard and other elements of the U.S. military since 2022. The fiber optic-controlled first-person view (FPV) type drone seen being prepared for use during Silent Swarm 25. Michigan National Guard During the series of technology experiments, private companies, academic institutions, and military organizations used swarms of unmanned systems to attack and defend locations in Thunder Bay, off the coast of Alpena in Lake Huron, according to a press release on the exercise the Michigan National Guard put out today. As the two forces conducted their operations, all parties collected data on which technologies offered the greatest advantages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hypothesis for Silent Swarm is to identify those systems that can outmatch and have an impact in the most challenging environments, Rob Gamberg, project lead for Silent Swarm at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), also said in a statement. We are learning from each other with every iteration, which is exactly what we hope to see. A composite picture showing other uncrewed ground and maritime systems that took part in Silent Swarm 25. Michigan National Guard Silent Swarm is a series of events focused on experimentation with early development Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) capabilities that can be employed on attritable, multi-domain Unmanned Systems (UxS), NSWC Crane also said in call for participants in Silent Swarm 25 that it put out last year. The Silent Swarm series provides a challenging and flexible experimentation environment to enable rapid development of emerging technology. Selected participants will be able to further develop their technologies while operating in an operationally relevant sandbox environment alongside subject matter experts (SMEs) from joint operational and technical communities. How many total fiber optic FPVs took part in Silent Swarm 25, and whether they were used as attackers or defenders, or both, is unclear. However, their inclusion in the exercise at all makes good sense. As noted, Russia first began using FPVs with this kind of control method last year, primarily in response to growing electronic warfare threats. Fiber optic control offers additional benefits, including a more reliable, secure, and higher-speed link with lower latency (key for FPV operation) that is also immune to cyber intrusion. The hard link helps mitigate the effects of terrain that can interfere with radio control, something that is also a factor for operating drones inside buildings. Fiber optic drones also do not pump out radio frequency emissions that passive sensors can detect, making them harder to spot. The control scheme is not without its own disadvantages, including the potential for the cable to become tangled on or severed by various obstacles. The drones are also not invulnerable, including to laser and microwave directed energy weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Ukrainian forces followed suit in adopting fiber optic FPVs for the same general reasons. Fiber optic cables have also since emerged as a means to control small uncrewed ground vehicles. An example of a fiber optic FPV drone in use in Ukraine. Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images An uncrewed ground vehicle equipped with a fiber optic control system demonstrated in Ukraine. Brave1 The idea is great, because you are operating in total radio silence, so you cannot be detected by any radar system [passive sensors]. And any electronic warfare means that later on, they are just inefficient, the commander of the 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov of the Ukrainian National Guards Unmanned Systems Battalion, who uses the call sign Yas, told TWZ in an interview in May. At the same time, the use of fiber optic cables, as with any FPV drone, has its own peculiarities of operation, and if the pilot is not skilled enough, that is going to lead to significant losses in such equipment and systems. I would like to say that at the moment, Russian electronic warfare is undoubtedly one of the leading in the world, he added. So I do not want to underestimate the enemy. We need to accept, to acknowledge, the level of the enemy. The use of fiber optic FPV in Ukraine has become so commonplace that videos have begun to emerge showing dense, tangled webs of leftover cables littered on the ground. Fields in Ukraine covered with fiber optics, seen from a Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter cockpit. pic.twitter.com/lc2xnfWxdQ Clash Report (@clashreport) August 5, 2025 The ground on some parts of the front line is completely covered with fiber optics pic.twitter.com/Z0EA7sKUkh Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) May 27, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fields covered with fiber optics on the Pokrovsk front. pic.twitter.com/lXho5BehjU Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) August 10, 2025 There are also signs now that fiber optic FPVs may be starting to proliferate outside of Ukraine. Wow, for the first time, fiber-optic drones have been spotted in use by the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) in Mali, who are fighting against both the Malian Armed Forces and Russias Africa Corps/Wagner Group. The drones and training were likely provided by Ukraine, with previous pic.twitter.com/OxemaEbWwO OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 28, 2025 All of this makes them a threat that the U.S. military could be increasingly likely to encounter in various hot spots around the world. It is also a capability that Americas armed forces could itself be interested in employing. Seeing how they perform in an exercise like Silent Swarm could, in turn, be beneficial when it comes to exploring potential countermeasures, including different means of both detecting and defeating them, as well as gaining additional insights into the benefits they could offer in friendly hands. We are so far behind, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Joseph Ryan, the services deputy chief of staff for operations, plans, and training, said in March about the U.S. militarys response to the impact fiber optic drones are already having. Ryans comments came during a panel discussion at an Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) conference. Then-Maj. Gen. Joseph Ryan seen talking with a member of the German armed forces at Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia in 2023. US Army At the same time, any Soldier paying attention to technological advances in warfare in Ukraine over the past three years undoubtedly notices a cat and mouse game of drone versus counter-drone scenarios being played out on the battlefield, an unclassified paper on fiber optic drones that the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) published in July, which also highlights Ryans comments, notes. As one side develops a new drone capability giving it tactical advantage for a short period of time, inevitably the other side develops a counter technology to offset that advantage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of this underscores the value of including fiber optic drones in an exercise like Silent Swarm. To build an agile, lethal and ready warfighter, we must continuously experiment with and adapt the best technologies the market has to offer, Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, also said in a statement about Silent Swarm 25. Events like Silent Swarm are critical for accelerating innovation, allowing the Joint Force to test, train with, and rapidly integrate emerging capabilities to stay ahead of evolving threats and maintain our strategic edge. It is worth noting here that Ryans comment back in March reflects broader criticism of how the U.S. military had continued to lag behind in the actual fielding of new uncrewed capabilities, in general, especially to smaller units. When it comes to drones, as well as counter-drone systems, Americas armed forces have long seemed mired in endless experimentation and demonstrations. In July, the Pentagon moved to try to finally break those cycles for good with a swath of major policy changes as part of a Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance initiative, which you can read more about here. Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance @DOGE pic.twitter.com/esaQtswwDb Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) July 11, 2025 Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, accounting for most of this years casualties in Ukraine. Our adversaries collectively produce millions of cheap drones each year, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote in a memo kicking off the initiative. While global military drone production skyrocketed over the last three years, the previous administration deployed red tape. U.S. units are not outfitted with the lethal small drones the modern battlefield requires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drone technology is advancing so rapidly, our major risk is risk-avoidance, that memo added. The Departments bureaucratic gloves are coming off. Silent Swarm separately remains an important part of broader efforts to develop and field new heavily networked electronic warfare capabilities, an area where the U.S. Navy has been making significant investments for years now. Years ago, the Navy outlined a vision for an advanced, multi-faceted, cooperative, and distributed electronic warfare ecosystem as part of an effort once referred to as Netted Emulation of Multi-Element Signature against Integrated Sensors, or NEMSIS, which TWZ was the first to report on. Drones, as well as drone-like decoys, are still seen as key elements of that overarching plan. An unclassified 2014 briefing slide with details about NEMSIS. Note the various uncrewed platforms in the associated graphic. USN Overall, given their growing prominence, fiber optic drones are likely to become a feature in more U.S. military exercises going forward, both as threats and potential friendly assets. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The guns along the forested Thai-Cambodian border have been silent for three weeks now. But a fierce war of words is still being waged by both countries, as they seek to win international sympathy and shore up public support at home. And a commonly-held view in Thailand is that they are losing. "The perception is that Cambodia has appeared more agile, more assertive and more media savvy," said Clare Patchimanon, speaking on the Thai Public Broadcasting Service podcast Media Pulse. "Thailand has always been one step behind." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The century-old border dispute dramatically escalated with a Cambodian rocket barrage into Thailand on the morning of 24 July, followed by Thai air strikes. Since then an army of Cambodian social media warriors, backed by state-controlled English language media channels, have unleashed a flood of allegations and inflammatory reports, many of which turned out to be false. They reported that a Thai F16 fighter jet had been shot down, posting images of a plane on fire falling from the sky - it turned out to be from Ukraine. Another unfounded allegation, that Thailand had dropped poison gas, was accompanied by an image of a water bomber dropping pink fire retardant. This was really from a wildfire in California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thailand responded with official statements of its own, but often these were just dry presentations of statistics, and they came from multiple sources the military, local government, health ministry, foreign ministry - which did not always appear to be coordinating with each other. Bangkok failed to get across its argument that Cambodia, whose rockets marked the first use of artillery and had killed several Thai civilians, was responsible for the escalation. It is no secret that the elected Thai government, centred on the Pheu Thai party of controversial billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, has an uneasy relationship with the Thai military. That was made much worse in June when Hun Sen, the former Cambodian leader and an old friend of Thaksin's, decided to leak a private phone conversation he had with Thaksin's daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. She had appealed to him to help resolve their differences over the border, and complained that the Thai army general commanding forces there was opposing her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The leak caused a political uproar in Thailand, prompting the constitutional court to suspend her, and badly weakening the government just as the border crisis escalated. Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen has taken to Facebook regularly to accuse the Thais of violating the ceasefire [Hun Sen/ Facebook] Hun Sen has no such difficulties. Technically he has handed power to his son, Hun Manet, but after running the country for nearly 40 years it is clear he still holds the reins. The army, the ruling party and the media are firmly under his control. His motives for burning his friendship with the Shinawatras are unclear, but it seems he was preparing for a larger conflict over the border. From the start Hun Sen posted constantly, in Khmer and English, on his Facebook page, taunting the Thai government, along with photos that showed him in army uniform or poring over military maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By contrast the most visible figure on the Thai side has been the mercurial 2nd Army commander Lt. Gen Boonsin Padklang. He is the same officer Paetongtarn had complained about, and his bellicose nationalism has won him plenty of fans in Thailand but has also undermined the government's authority. "Hun Sen is very smart," says Sebastian Strangio, author of Hun Sen's Cambodia, a definitive account of the way his leadership has shaped the country. "He has used this asymmetrical tactic of widening the divisions that already exist in Thailand. And the fact that Cambodia is so good at playing the victim has given it another powerful weapon against Thailand in the international arena." Thai officials admit they are struggling to counter the tactics used by the Cambodian side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is totally different from how information wars have been waged before," Russ Jalichandra, vice-minister for foreign affairs, told the BBC. "What we are saying must be credible and able to be proved. That's the only weapon we can use to fight in this war. And we have to stick to that even though it seems sometimes we are not fast enough." A Thai explosives expert demonstrates how to detect mines close to where a Thai soldier was injured by a landmine on 9 August [BBC/ Jonathan Head] Thailand has always insisted its border dispute with Cambodia should be resolved bilaterally, without outside intervention, using a Joint Boundary Commission the two countries established 25 years ago. But Cambodia wants to internationalise the dispute. It was the first to refer the escalating conflict to the UN Security Council last month. It has also asked the International Court of Justice to rule on where the border should lie. This has presented Thailand with a dilemma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official reason Thailand gives for rejecting ICJ involvement is that like many other countries it does not recognise ICJ jurisdiction. But just as important is a Thai collective memory of loss and humiliation at the ICJ which cuts to the heart of the border dispute. Both Thailand and Cambodia have enshrined national stories of unjust territorial losses. In Cambodia's case it is the story of a once powerful empire reduced to poverty by war and revolution, and at the mercy of the territorial ambitions of its larger neighbours. Thailand's is a more recent story of being forced to sacrifice territories in the early 20th Century to stave off French or British colonial rule. When Thailand agreed to a new border with French-occupied Cambodia, it allowed French cartographers to draw the map. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when Cambodia became an independent state in 1953, Thai forces occupied a spectacular Khmer temple called Preah Vihear, or Khao Phra Viharn in Thai, perched on a cliff top which was supposed to mark the border. The Thais argued that the French cartographers had erred in moving the border away from the watershed, the agreed dividing line, putting the temple in Cambodia. Cambodia took the dispute to the ICJ, and won. The court ruled that, whatever the map's flaws, Thailand had failed to challenge them in the preceding half century. The then-Thai military ruler was shocked by the outcome, and wanted to attack Cambodia, but was persuaded by his diplomats to grudgingly accept the verdict. Cambodian officials point to what they allege is damage to the Preah Vihear temple from Thai shelling [Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC)] Thailand's sensitivity over its 1962 loss now makes it politically impossible for it to accept an ICJ role in resolving the remaining border disputes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That has allowed Hun Sen to portray Thailand as defying international law. Thailand is now countering the Cambodian narrative with a more effective one of its own: the use of landmines. Both countries are signatories to the Ottawa Convention banning the use of anti-personnel mines, and Cambodia has a traumatic legacy of being one of the most mined countries in the world, for which it has received a lot of overseas funding. So Thailand's accusation that Cambodian soldiers have been laying new anti-personnel mines along the border, causing multiple injuries to Thai soldiers, is an awkward one for the government in Phnom Penh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially Cambodia dismissed the allegation, saying these were old mines left from the civil war in the 1980s. The Thai government then took a group of diplomats and journalists to the border to show us what they have found. Laid out on a table in the jungle, just a few hundred metres from the border, was a collection of munitions that Thai demining teams say they recovered from areas formerly occupied by Cambodian troops. We were confined to a small clearing, marked off by red and white tape. Anywhere beyond that, they said, was unsafe. On the drive in along a muddy track we saw Thai soldiers in camouflaged bunkers hidden in the trees. Among the munitions were dozens of thick, green plastic discs about the diameter of a saucer. These were Russian-made PMN-2 mines which contain a large quantity of explosives - enough to cause severe limb damage - and are difficult to deactivate. Some appeared to be brand new, and had not been laid. Russian-made PMN-2 mines the Thai army says were laid recently by Cambodian soldiers [BBC/ Jonathan Head] The initial images of these prompted Cambodia to dismiss the Thai claims as unfounded because the arming pins had not been removed. However, we were shown other mines which had been armed and buried, but clearly recently not in the 1980s. Thailand is calling for action against Cambodia by other signatories to the Ottawa Convention, and is asking countries which support demining programmes in Cambodia to stop funding them. It argues that Cambodia's refusal to admit laying mines or to agree on a plan to remove them demonstrates a lack of good faith in resolving the border dispute. Cambodia has fired back by accusing Thailand of using cluster munitions and white phosphorus shells, which are not banned but can also pose a threat to non-combatants; the Thai military has acknowledged using them but only, it says, against military targets. Cambodia has also published pictures of what it says is damage to the Preah Vihear temple, a World Heritage Site, by Thai shelling, something that the Thai military has denied. The incessant volleys of accusations from both countries make any progress on their border dispute unlikely. Hun Sen and his son have benefited politically from being able to depict themselves as defenders of Cambodian soil, but the conflict has made the political challenges faced by the Thai government even worse. It has stirred intense animosity between Thai and Cambodian nationalists. Hundreds of thousands of Cambodian migrant workers have left Thailand, which will hit an already struggling Cambodian economy. "Both sides are describing the border as a sacred dividing line between their countries", says Mr Strangio. "The symbolism is hugely important. This cuts to very deep questions of national identity, and it's something that neither side can afford to take a step back from at the moment." Read more about the Thai-Cambodia dispute ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) The final person responsible for the killing of an Albuquerque Academy teen at a house party learned his punishment on Tuesday. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a deadly shooting that shocked the community and killed 18-year-old Jada Gonzales. In 2022, a group of teens shot at a house party, killing Gonzales. Now, 21-year-old Jesse Parra admitted to being the driver in the shooting, maneuvering the car so two people could open fire at the home or leave the scene. He pleaded guilty to Shooting at a Dwelling or Occupied Building (Resulting in Death), Conspiracy to Commit Shooting at a Dwelling or Occupied Building (Resulting in Death), and two counts of Tampering with Evidence. The judge read a letter from Jadas best friend to Parra. I feel some comfort in knowing that shes with our creator now, watching over me, and shell be able to see me accomplish those things from above, but I would much rather have her here. to see me receive my diploma, stand at the alter, to hold my future child, read Judge Courtney Weaks. That is an example of what happens when people have pro-social interactions in their lives and have important friendships and have healthy, meaningful friendships in their lives, said Judge Weaks. Parra was sentenced to 12 years in prison as laid out in the plea agreement. I hope that you understand that but for your involvement, Jada might be alive today, and that is what you have to realize, and that is what you are going to have to live with, said Judge Weaks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other teens responsible for Jadas death have already been sentenced. Cruz Medina, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, was sentenced to 24 years in prison. Then-16-year-old Isaiah Espinosa was sentenced to 29 years in prison. Jesse Barrios, who police said recorded the crime on his phone, was taken into custody by ICE. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. This story has been updated. U.S. and Japanese crews extinguished the fire aboard amphibious transport docking ship New Orleans off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, two defense officials told Military Times. U.S. Navy crews, along with the Japan Coast Guard and military, put out the fire by 4 a.m. Thursday, Japan Standard Time. They had been working to extinguish the blaze for about 11 hours, since 5 p.m. JST on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two sailors sustained minor injuries and were treated by medical personnel aboard the vessel, according to the U.S. Seventh Fleet. Another defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details about the ship, said the fire appeared to be contained to the middle decks near the ships bow. The official added that multiple decks had been affected, without specifying how many decks were burned. The New Orleans was anchored near White Beach Naval Facility during the time of the blaze, the Seventh Fleet said. The crew of the amphibious transport docking ship San Diego, moored at the facility, helped with the firefighting efforts. A U.S. Marine Corps official told Military Times that no Marines were aboard the ship when the fire broke out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of publishing, it was unclear how many sailors were aboard when the fire started, or what caused the blaze. The cause is under investigation, the Seventh Fleet said. The crew of the New Orleans was expected to remain aboard the ship. Sailors battle blaze aboard USS New Orleans off Japans coast The fire could further hinder the availability of amphibious warships at a time when the Navy is already struggling with readiness issues within the fleet. The readiness rate of amphibious ships critical to Marine missions has dropped to 41%, a defense official told Military Times earlier this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lack of available amphibious warfare ships, known as amphibs, resulted in a more than five-month gap in Marine Expeditionary Unit deployments this year. The 31st MEU completed its last patrol aboard the America Amphibious Ready Group in early March. The 22nd MEU deployed aboard the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group on Thursday. Officials say the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group has docked in Norfolk after sailing off the coast of the Carolinas to avoid Hurricane Erin. The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on the deployment, said the ships had planned to enter into Caribbean waters under the command of U.S. SOUTHCOM but had been delayed by the storm, which on Wednesday remained a Category 2 storm with winds of 100 miles per hour. An investigation by the Government Accountability Office in 2024 found that half of the U.S. Navys 32 amphibious warfare ships were in poor material condition. The Marine Corps has said it needs the amphib readiness rate at 80% or higher to complete its missions with the current number of ships in the fleet, and Marine Corps commandant Gen. Eric Smith has called the amphib readiness rate a crisis. I have the Marines, and I have the squadrons, and I have the battalions and the batteries I just dont have the amphibs, Smith told Voice of America late last year. Officials believe a fire that gutted a more than 175-year-old house and barn in Reading was intentionally set. Reading Fire Chief Richard Nelson says officials determined it was an act of arson after examining the scene, witness interviews, and other evidence. I want to be clear how serious this incident was. It went to three-plus alarms, two structures were completely destroyed, and several firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion after working for more than 12 hours to battle the flames, said Chief Nelson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 1:30 a.m. on July 9, a firefighter was returning from another call when he saw a fire on Summer Avenue and called for backup. Upon arrival, firefighters found a large detached barn engulfed in flames. The flames had also extended into the main home. Heavy flames shooting out of home on 194 Summer Street in Reading. Firefighters have ladder trucks working to extinguish the roof/cupola. We plan to have an update from the Reading Fire soon. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/e9CC84jV6G April Baker (@AprilBakertv) July 9, 2025 Nelson tells Boston 25 that the home was under construction and had been vacant for some time. Neighborhood resident Judy Richard told Boston 25 that the homeowners had been working to restore the property for nearly two years with plans to put it on the market. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW NORTH HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) With several recent house fires across the state, fire officials are reminding residents to always have an evacuation plan. The American Red Cross reported that only 26% of families have a home fire escape plan. Safety experts told News 8 that those evacuation plans can save lives. 2 adults, 2 children killed in Hartford house fire In some cases, residents could have up to three minutes to escape a fire, according to North Haven Fire Chief Paul Januszewski. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to an evacuation plan, knowing all the exits, mapping out the windows and doors, and finding the quickest way out could go a long way. Safety officials recommend that residents do the following: Practice the escape plan at different points in the day at least twice a year Find two exits in the room and make sure theyre not blocked Get escape ladders for higher floors Avoid re-entering a home during a fire Your pocketbook is not important, your cell phone is not, your kids favorite teddy bear is not important at that point in time, Sue Rochester-Bolen said, who is the community disaster program manager with American Red Cross in Connecticut. Its making sure you and your family are out of the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rochester-Bolen recommends that families also want to choose a safe place to meet outside of the home. Januszewski said that smoke detectors should be in every bedroom, outside of every bedroom and on every floor of the house. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. A fire was reported aboard the amphibious USS New Orleans (LPD-18) on Wednesday off the coast of Okinawa. Crews are responding to a fire aboard USS New Orleans this afternoon, Aug. 20, which is in the vicinity of Okinawa, Japan, a Navy statement to USNI read. We will provide more details as they become available. No initial reports of crew injuries were recorded, and while the fire has been contained it has not been extinguished, according to the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A video showcasing two water cannons dousing the assault ship were seen in footage from Japanese broadcaster NHK. The crew is currently engaged in firefighting efforts, but we have requested the Japan Coast Guard to provide firefighting assistance, an official from the Coast Guard told the foreign outlet. Officials did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment. The USS New Orleans is a transport dock with the ability to reel in CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, MV-22 Ospreys and Marine Corps assets. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Deborah Mary Sophia and Kritika Lamba (Reuters) -Nexstar Media has agreed to buy smaller rival Tegna for $3.54 billion, creating a local-TV powerhouse that seeks to compete better with Big Tech and national media for advertising dollars. Acquiring Tegna will expand Nexstar's presence in nine of the top 10 U.S. markets, covering 80% of TV households across key geographies, including Atlanta, Phoenix and Seattle. That could give Nexstar, the largest U.S. regional TV station operator, more leverage with advertisers and pay-TV distributors at a time when local media is grappling with falling revenue and subscriber loss because of the popularity of streaming services. The transaction is the latest in a wave of media M&A as firms once reliant on steady cable TV profits prepare for a streaming future. Earlier this year, Skydance merged with Paramount, while Comcast and Warner Bros Discovery have announced plans to split their businesses. Nexstar and Tegna are betting on looser antitrust policies under U.S. President Donald Trump to push their deal in a sector long wary of local news consolidation. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said in June it was seeking to refresh a rule that caps station ownership at a combined reach of 39% of U.S. television households. An appeals court also recently struck down the FCC's "Top Four" rule, which barred ownership of two top-rated stations in the same market. "The initiatives being pursued by the Trump administration offer local broadcasters the opportunity to expand reach, level the playing field, and compete more effectively with the Big Tech and legacy Big Media companies," Nexstar CEO Perry Sook said. Nexstar owns or partners with more than 200 stations and operates brands such as The CW and NewsNation, while Tegna runs 64 stations and networks, including True Crime Network and Quest. The companies expect annual cost savings of about $300 million from the deal. Nexstar has secured financing from BofA Securities, J.P. Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs to fund the transaction, expected to close by the second half of 2026. If Tegna terminates the merger to take a higher bid, it must pay Nexstar $120 million. If regulators block the deal, Nexstar will owe Tegna $125 million, according to an SEC filing. After a strong fiscal 2024 fueled by political ads, Tegna's revenue has fallen for two consecutive quarters, while profit has slipped. Nexstar has also reported similar declines. The deal gives Nexstar an edge over its broadcast peers, said Justin Nielson, head of Kagan Research at S&P Global Market Intelligence. Firefighters are responding after a dump truck crashed into an electrical pole, causing a nearby building to catch fire. The dump truck took down power lines in the area of 1147 Western Avenue, according to the Lynn Fire Department. The live electrical wires crashed down onto the vehicle. District Chief Joseph Zukas reports that the live wires have also caused a fire in the building that the lines are attached to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boston 25 News has a crew headed to the scene. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW WASHINGTON (AP) A fire broke out Wednesday on the USS New Orleans warship off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, leaving two sailors with minor injuries. The fire on the amphibious transport dock ship has been extinguished and its cause is under investigation, the U.S. Navys 7th Fleet said in a statement. The fire on the 684-foot-long vessel lasted almost 12 hours, igniting as the USS New Orleans was in water near White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sailors on the ship got help fighting the fire from the crew of the USS San Diego, another warships that transports troops and aircraft, as well as the Japanese coast guard and military. The Navy said its crew will stay aboard the ship. The USS New Orleans, which was commissioned in 2007, can hold up to 800 people. It comes after another fire that burned for five days on the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego in July 2020. A sailor was charged and later acquitted of starting it. A Navy report concluded that there were sweeping failures by commanders, crew members and others involved. The ship was left with extensive structural, electrical and mechanical damage and was later scrapped. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) A Youngstown firefighter accused of waving a rifle at two Warren Township firefighters was sentenced Tuesday. Read next: Police seek guardian of boy found wandering nude on West Side Adaris Bellamy, 34, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of menacing. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 28 suspended and credit for two days served. He will serve one year of probation and will have to forfeit the firearms that were seized by police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bellamy was charged after reports said he went to the station April 7 on West Market Street, waved a rifle at two firefighters and drove away. Later, he was pulled over by township police who found two rifles in his truck, reports said. As he was being questioned, another person said that Bellamy had pointed a rifle at him. Bellamy has been on leave from the Youngstown Fire Department while his court cases are pending. Joe Gorman contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. A Connecticut man has been saved from a slippery situation. An unidentified 40-year-old got himself stuck inside a tube slide at an elementary school playground in Vernon, Connecticut, on Aug. 16. Just after 4:30 p.m., the Town of Vernon Fire Department, Vernon EMS and Vernon Police Department responded and were dispatched to Northeast Elementary School, according to a Facebook post by the fire department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American Tourist Falls 30 Feet Off Cliffside Trail In Vacation Hot Spot The first units that arrived found the man wedged headfirst in the middle portion of the slide. Additional help was requested, including a fire truck, Rescue 141 and Tower 541. Read On The Fox News App Responders called in Rescue 141 and Tower 541 to assist with the rescue of a man stuck inside a tube slide in Vernon, Conn., Aug. 16, 2025. The man was provided ventilation and oxygen via EMS because he was reportedly in "extreme discomfort" in the hot summer temperatures. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "As Rescue 141 was deploying tools for the extrication, Tower 541 set up adjacent to the playground on the grass and used the aerial ladder as a high point to stabilize the section of slide the firefighters were removing to reach the patient," the fire department said on Facebook. A firefighter slices into the midsection of a slide at Northeast Elementary School in Vernon, Conn., Aug. 16, 2025. Within 30 minutes, the man was freed after the responders were able to remove the lower section of the slide, splitting it in two. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man reportedly refused treatment and transportation to an emergency room. "While this is a unique call for service for the fire department, the professionalism shown on scene was exemplary," the Vernon Fire Department reflected in the Facebook post, which has received viral attention from the public. Firefighters, EMS and police officers in Vernon, Conn., assist in the rescue of a man stuck in a playground slide Aug. 16, 2025. One Facebook user commented, "New fear unlocked. Kudos to that man for being active with his kids, and for teaching me a valuable lesson about tube slides." For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle "Imagine getting stuck [and] then they do a whole photo shoot of it for you," another commented. "Poor guy." Original article source: Firefighters cut open playground slide to rescue 40-year-old man stuck inside YONKERS, N.Y. (PIX11) A Yonkers man has been diagnosed with the first case of West Nile virus seen in a human this year in Westchester County, health officials said. Its not clear where the man was exposed to the virus. West Nile virus is spread through mosquito bites, with the insects attracted to places with standing water, according to health officials. More Local News The virus causes flu-like symptoms, but can be more serious for people age 65 and older or those with underlying health conditions. These are the symptoms to watch out for: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fever Headache Body aches Joint pain Health officials warn to avoid the outdoors during hours when mosquitoes are most active, use insect repellent with DEET in it, running a fan when outside, wearing long clothes and checking your property for standing water. Any Westchester resident who notices standing water on public property can call the County Health Department at 914-813-5000. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Sleepy young faces, some with eyes cast to the floor, filed into the halls of Ethel M. Taylor Academy, newly opened as a middle school, at 8 a.m. Wednesday. A handful of the seventh and eighth graders stood quietly against a wall across from metal detectors that blocked front doors on this first day of school, Aug. 20. Others appeared ecstatic as they reunited with friends. It was the first day of school for around 35,000 students in Ohio's second-largest school district, Cincinnati Public Schools. The biggest changes for students, though, may have been at the middle schools, which themselves are new this year. Students filed through metal detectors and dropped phones into Yondr pouches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were among students attending Cincinnati Public Schools' five newly opened middle schools this fall as part of the district's growth plan. Including Shroder Middle School, which opened in fall 2024, debuting the change, these are the first middle schools in Cincinnati Public Schools since the late 1990s. While most students made it to school on time and were in the right place, a dropoff and a miscommunication were among a few things that went awry on the first day at Ethel M. Taylor Academy. Before the district's new middle schools were opened, students in grades 6 to 8 were either in elementary schools, high school, or all-encompassing schools housing students in K-12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The newest middle schools, outside of Ethel M. Taylor, are Evanston Academy, for kids in grades 7 and 8, Pleasant Hill Middle School and South Avondale Middle School, for those in grades 6 to 8, and Hartwell Academy, teaching grades 4 to 8. A district official said the grades hosted at Hartwell Academy are subject to change. Shroder Middle School hosts students in seventh and eighth grades. Each has been placed in repurposed buildings, most of which were previously elementary schools, like Ethel M. Taylor. Ethel M. Taylor Academy in Millvale has become a middle school this year. It was previously a kindergarten through sixth grade school. All backpacks are searched as students enter the building through metal detectors. All phones get locked in Yondr pouches. Why did the switch to middle schools happen? A professor of psychology from the University of Cincinnati, Julie Morrison, was involved in primary research the district used to make its decision to close middle schools in the late 1990s, according to a December 2024 report from The Enquirer. Superintendent Shuana Murphy, who helped greet newcomers at Ethel M. Taylor on the first school day, said that CPS families had asked for the return of middle schools and that the district believes the middle-school aged student "really needs particular attention" in terms of academics and social and emotional well-being. Murphy also said that overcrowding was an issue in the district when elementary or high schools included middle school students. Plan to establish middle schools was controversial When the plan to open middle schools was first introduced, there was pushback. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parents and teachers attended board meetings to beg the district to reconsider the plan. Some school board members sided with the community. After the plan was passed, people in opposition to it were left feeling unheard. Students, parents, employees face a few first-day hiccups On Aug. 20, while most of the students at Ethel M. Taylor appeared to be in the right place, at least one landed there who should've been elsewhere. The second-grade girl was mistakenly dropped off at the middle school. She waited with Principal Dr. Nathaniel Snow for her guardian to pick her up and get her to the right school. Another girl waited with her mom anxiously outside the school. Deanna Franklin and her daughter, eighth-grader Shiki'lla Mack, talk about the problems they've faced as they've tried to get her enrolled at Ethel M. Taylor Academy in Millvale instead of Pleasant Hill on the first day of school, Aug. 20. Ultimately, the principal was able to get her into classes at Ethel M. Taylor. Deanna Franklin's daughter, Shiki'lla Mack, had gone to Ethel M. Taylor from kindergarten through the sixth grade. Last school year, she went to Aiken High School for seventh grade, now a school for grades 9-12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Franklin learned that her daughter was enrolled for Pleasant Hill Academy, about 18 minutes away from Ethel, the school they live closest to, she called the district. She said she was on the phone for five hours on a wait list with 482 people ahead of her. She was then assured that her daughter should attend Ethel M. Taylor. But when Franklin tried to drop Shiki'lla off for her first day, office staff told her that her daughter wasn't on their list. "My daughter is gonna miss her first couple days of school cause of this until she gets transferred," Franklin said. Shiki'lla sighed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By about 8:15 a.m., Shiki'lla was told she could attend Ethel on the first day and for the rest of the year. But that wasn't the end of it. After her mom left, a school counselor said there was no information or schedule for Shiki'lla and went back to the drawing board. After about an hour of behind-the-scenes work by the school counselor, the eighth-grader was told her schedule was ready. How is the middle school plan going so far? Superintendent Murphy said last year's execution of the Shroder Middle School plan was amazing and she is hopeful the same will occur for students at the five new middle schools this year. Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Shauna Murphy checks in with eighth graders at Ethel M. Taylor Academy in Millvale on the first day of school, Aug. 20, 2025. Ethel's school psychologist, Ryan Grace, was optimistic Wednesday morning about the students she saw in their new school. "I think they're excited to be here, excited to start junior high," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think it's better for the kids too, being with kids their age, not 18 year olds." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Public Schools opens 5 middle schools on first day AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The Texas House on Wednesday approved redrawn congressional maps that would give Republicans a bigger edge in 2026, muscling through a partisan gerrymander that launched weeks of protests by Democrats and a widening national battle over redistricting. The approval came at the urging of President Donald Trump, who pushed for the extraordinary mid-decade revision of congressional maps to give his party a better chance at holding onto the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections. The maps, which would give Republicans five more winnable seats, need to be approved by the GOP-controlled state Senate and signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott before they become official. But the Texas House vote had presented the best chance for Democrats to derail the redraw. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic legislators delayed the vote by two weeks by fleeing Texas earlier this month in protest, and they were assigned round-the-clock police monitoring upon their return to ensure they attended Wednesdays session. The approval of the Texas maps on an 88-52 party-line vote is likely to prompt Californias Democratic-controlled state Legislature this week to approve of a new House map creating five new Democratic-leaning districts. But the California map would require voter approval in November. Democrats have also vowed to challenge the new Texas map in court and complained that Republicans made the political power move before passing legislation responding to deadly floods that swept the state last month. Texas maps openly made to help GOP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas Republicans openly said they were acting in their partys interest. State Rep. Todd Hunter, who wrote the legislation formally creating the new map, noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed politicians to redraw districts for nakedly partisan purposes. The underlying goal of this plan is straight forward: improve Republican political performance, Hunter, a Republican, said on the floor. After nearly eight hours of debate, Hunter took the floor again to sum up the entire dispute as nothing more than a partisan fight. Whats the difference, to the whole world listening? Republicans like it, and Democrats do not. Democrats said the disagreement was about more than partisanship. In a democracy, people choose their representatives, State Rep. Chris Turner said. This bill flips that on its head and lets politicians in Washington, D.C., choose their voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Rep. John H. Bucy blamed the president. This is Donald Trumps map, Bucy said. It clearly and deliberately manufactures five more Republican seats in Congress because Trump himself knows that the voters are rejecting his agenda. Redistricting becomes tool nationwide in battle for US House The Republican power play has already triggered a national tit-for-tat battle as Democratic state lawmakers prepared to gather in California on Thursday to revise that states map to create five new Democratic seats. This is a new Democratic Party, this is a new day, this is new energy out there all across this country, Californias Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said on a call with reporters on Wednesday. And were going to fight fire with fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new California map would need to be approved by voters in a special election in November because that state normally operates with a nonpartisan commission drawing the map to avoid the very sort of political brawl that is playing out. Newsom himself backed the 2008 ballot measure to create that process, as did former President Barack Obama. But in a sign of Democrats stiffening resolve, Obama Tuesday night backed Newsoms bid to redraw the California map, saying it was a necessary step to stave off the GOPs Texas move. I think that approach is a smart, measured approach, Obama said during a fundraiser for the Democratic Partys main redistricting arm. The incumbent presidents party usually loses congressional seats in the midterm election. On a national level, the partisan makeup of existing districts puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. Trump is going beyond Texas in his push to remake the map. Hes pushed Republican leaders in conservative states like Indiana and Missouri to also try to create new Republican seats. Ohio Republicans were already revising their map before Texas moved. Democrats, meanwhile, are mulling reopening Marylands and New Yorks maps as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, more Democratic-run states have commission systems like California's or other redistricting limits than Republican ones do, leaving the GOP with a freer hand to swiftly redraw maps. New York, for example, cant draw new maps until 2028, and even then, only with voter approval. Texas Democrats decry the new maps In Texas, there was little that outnumbered Democrats could do other than fume and threaten a lawsuit to block the map. Because the Supreme Court has blessed purely partisan gerrymandering, the only way opponents can stop the new Texas map would be by arguing it violates the Voting Rights Act requirement to keep minority communities together so they can select representatives of their choice. Democrats noted that, in every decade since the 1970s, courts have found that Texas legislature did violate the Voting Rights Act in redistricting, and that civil rights groups had an active lawsuit making similar allegations against the 2021 map that Republicans drew up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans contend the new map creates more new majority-minority seats than the previous one. Democrats and some civil rights groups have countered that the GOP does that through mainly a numbers game that leads to halving the number of the states House seats that will be represented by a Black representative. State Rep. Ron Reynolds noted the country just marked the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Acts passage and warned GOP members about how theyd be remembered if they voted for what he called this racial gerrymander. Just like the people who were on the wrong side of history in 1965, history will be looking at the people who made the decisions in the body this day, Reynolds, a Democrat, said. Republicans hit back at criticism Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans spent far less time talking on Wednesday, content to let their numbers do the talking in the lopsided vote. As the day dragged on, a handful hit back against Democratic complaints. You call my voters racist, you call my party racist and yet were expected to follow the rules, said State Rep. Katrina Pierson, a former Trump spokesperson. There are Black and Hispanic and Asian Republicans in this chamber who were elected just like you. House Republicans frustration at the Democrats flight and ability to delay the vote was palpable. The GOP used a parliamentary maneuver to take a second and final vote on the map so it wouldn't have to reconvene for one more vote after Senate approval. House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced as debate started that doors to the chamber were locked and any member leaving was required to have a permission slip. The doors were only unlocked after final passage more than eight hours later. One Democrat who refused the 24-hour police monitoring, State Rep. Nicole Collier, had been confined to the House floor since Monday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Democratic state lawmakers joined Collier Tuesday night for what Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez dubbed a sleepover for democracy. Republicans issued civil arrest warrants to bring the Democrats back after they left the state Aug. 3, and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott asked the state Supreme Court to oust several Democrats from office. The lawmakers also face a fine of $500 for every day they were absent. ___ This story was first published on Aug. 20, 2025. It was updated on Aug. 21, 2025 to correct that the partisan makeup of existing districts puts Democrats within three seats of a majority, instead of that Republicans control the U.S. House by three votes. ___ Riccardi reported from Denver. John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report. HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) Holyoke Community College held its first-ever Campus Police promotion and pinning ceremony Monday, marking a new tradition of recognition for the department under recently sworn-in Police Chief Jacqueline Robles. Local womans effort donates $85,000 in goods to those in need Four officers were promoted and one was newly hired during Mondays ceremony, where they received badges and certificates after taking the police officers oath. Holyoke Police Chief Jacqueline Robles administers the police officers oath to five officers who were recognized at HCCs first police pinning event. (Photo courtesy of Holyoke Community College) Robles, who became chief in May after more than two decades at the college, said she wanted to bring a more formal and celebratory tone to promotions, contrasting with her experience years earlier when she was promoted to sergeant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had taken an exam, she said, went through the interview process, and then, after it was announced that I got the promotion, I came into work the next day, and the chief said, Ok, go get your uniforms, youre all set. I thought, Thank you? Promoted at the ceremony were Campus Police Officer Ruben Roberto of Springfield, now a sergeant; Officer Robert Clare of Holyoke, promoted to corporal; and Antonio Mazza of Chicopee, who advanced from institutional security officer to campus police officer trainee. Jiovanny Montanez-Moret, a Holyoke resident and 2023 graduate of HCCs criminal justice program, was also promoted to trainee. Recently hired Campus Police Officer Sarah Paley of South Hadley was officially recognized as well. When I started here at Holyoke Community College, 22 years ago, I never would have guessed that I would be standing here, nor did I imagine Id become chief, Robles said. But as time went by, I fell in love with my job. I fell in love with helping and understanding people, and I fell in love with the college community. It was the students, faculty, and staff who taught me to be the police officer and chief I am today, and I want my officers to experience that as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roberto said he hopes to deepen community relationships in his new role as sergeant. Looking ahead, my priority as sergeant is to fully immerse myself in our campus community and to ensure that everyone feels safe, respected, and heard, he said. Ill be actively seeking out opportunities to listen and learn. My goal is to foster genuine connections. Campus safety is a shared responsibility. The ceremony also marked a cultural shift for the department as it continues moving toward a community policing model. Robles pins a new badge on Campus Police Officer Trainee Anthony Mazza of Chicopee. (Photo courtesy of Holyoke Community College) This is truly a historic moment for us, said Marlowe Washington, vice president of People, Culture, and Equity, who oversees the campus police. I am proud of the work shes doing, the commitment, and the new kind of spirit shes bringing in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington said new initiatives include bike patrols and a comfort dog program, part of the departments effort to strengthen ties with students, faculty, and staff. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. NEED TO KNOW A fisherman tried to pose with a shark, only for the animal to bite him on the leg on an island in Florida on Aug. 16 The injured man had to be airlifted to a hospital due to his injury Its just a reminder to stay alert when youre out in nature, Boca Grande Fire Chief C.W. Blosser said A fisherman who was bitten while posing for a photo with a shark is reflecting on the scary moment. On the evening of Saturday, Aug. 16, Shawn Meuse was on a birthday fishing trip with his friends on Cayo Costa, an island near Boca Grande, Fla., when he decided to pose with a lemon shark, NBC affiliate WBBH reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a reel shared on his Facebook page, Meuse can be seen holding the top of the sharks mouth when it jerks out of the mans hold and bites him before swimming into the surf. "We just finished taking the hook out of his mouth. We were gonna go release him, and the shark just turned and bit me," Meuse told CBS affiliate WINK. In the audio recording of a 911 call placed after the incident, another man can be heard saying that Meuse was awake and had a tourniquet around his leg to stop the bleeding, according to the outlet. The Boca Grande Fire Department responded to the call about a shark bite at 10:55 p.m. local time and found the group of men at the south end of the island, Chief C.W. Blosser said in a public service announcement shared by Island TV for Boca Grande. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim and the group he was with had been shark fishing and were holding the shark on land when the incident occurred. The injuries were severe enough that it required air medical transport, Blosser continued in the announcement. Following the attack, Meuse was scheduled to have surgery on his injured leg on Tuesday, Aug. 19. "I'm unlucky or lucky at the same time, he told WBBH from his hospital bed. Because, you know, if it was a few inches one way, you know, I might not be here. PEOPLE has contacted both Meuse and the Boca Grande Fire Department for further comment. Two days after the dangerous incident, Meuse told WINK that hed go back to the beach that same day if he could leave the hospital. He also had a message for the shark that bit him: "See you next time." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials warn that there are many sharks in the surrounding waterways, and it is possible to come into contact with them. Its just a reminder to stay alert when youre out in nature, the fire chief said. Stay safe. Lemon sharks are a native species and are prohibited from being harvested from Florida state waters, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. While Meuse told WBBH that he doesnt have a permit for shark fishing, he said that he wasnt the one who caught the lemon shark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Permit or not, naturalist Rob Howell wasnt impressed with what he saw play out in the video. "That shark wanted to get back to the water as quick as possible," Howell told the outlet. "It was in pain and scared, and not a lot of people give these animals the respect that they deserve, and I didn't see any respect in that video." Read the original article on People The soldiers have transitioned to a unique phase of check-up days, specifically developed for captivity survivors, including long-term medical monitoring. Six months after returning to Israel, five female soldiers, Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Karina Ariev, and Agam Berger, who were released from Hamas captivity, completed their intensive rehabilitation phase at the Beilinson Hospital's returnees unit. This department, established to provide dedicated care for released hostages, has supported the soldiers since their return to the country, guiding them through a complex journey of medical, psychological, and functional treatments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, with the completion of the first stage, the soldiers have entered a new phase of rehabilitation: periodic check-up days. This is a new treatment model developed at Beilinson by Prof. Noa Alikim Raz, head of the returnees department, and Dr. Michael Bakher, head of the rehabilitation department. The idea is to provide continuous medical and psychological support even after the intensive rehabilitation ends, to prevent deterioration and identify new needs in time. Recovery process of the soldiers The soldiers underwent a series of medical tests, including blood tests, physician assessments, and evaluations in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nutrition, and medical imaging during the first check-up day this week. Based on the results, each soldier will have a personalized treatment plan that will continue to accompany them for the coming years. In addition to the medical tests, the day also included an experiential component: the soldiers met with dancer Julia Shahar, one of the winners from the Israeli Dancing with the Stars, and together they recreated the image of the reunion from the day Agam returned from captivity. According to the hospital, this meeting added a dimension of social strengthening and mutual support in the rehabilitation process. Five female observer soldiers complete rehabilitation at Beilinson Hospital. (credit: Via Maariv) "For the first time in six months, the five soldiers returned to the returnees department, which symbolizes for them, the transition from captivity to freedom," said Prof. Noa Alikim Raz, head of the returnees department at Beilinson. "Their rehabilitation, and ours as a nation, will not be complete until all 50 hostages return." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beilinson explains that the new model aims to create a connection between the hospital's medical system and community doctors, so that each patient can receive holistic, long-term treatment. According to the rehabilitation team, this is a multi-layered journey that includes treatment for physical damage, addressing psychological consequences, and functional rehabilitation. The rehabilitation process may take months or even years, with each soldier continuing to undergo periodic check-ups to assess both her physical and mental condition, and the treatment plans will be updated accordingly. The hospital hopes to create a unique continuity of care tailored to the complex experiences the soldiers endured during their captivity. Smart electric vehicle (EV) firm Nio has unveiled its expansion plans for the years 2025 and 2026, targeting the markets of Uzbekistan, Singapore, and Costa Rica. The company says the move will broaden Nio's international presence and cater to the growing demand for sustainable and premium EVs among local consumers. In Singapore, Nio is joining forces with the automotive retailer in the Asia-Pacific region, Wearnes Automotive. Wearnes, with a history dating back to 1906, is known for its retailing of luxury automotive brands. Nio says the collaboration is poised to debut Nio's first right-hand drive model, the small and smart high-end EV, firefly, starting in 2026. For its entry into the Americas, Nio has collaborated with Costa Rica's EV distributor Horizontes Cielo Azul Movilidad. This marks a milestone as Nio's inaugural venture into the Western Hemisphere. Meanwhile, in Central Asia, Nio is set to make inroads into the Uzbek market through a partnership with Abu Sahiy Motors, a local group with interests in automotive, real estate, and logistics. Nios initial offerings in these new markets will include a selection of models from its firefly, Nio, and ONVO ranges, tailored to meet the specific needs of each region. The model lineup includes the EL6, NIO EL8, ET5, ET5 Touring, ONVO L60, and the firefly, with Singapore exclusively receiving the right-hand drive version of the firefly. Nio Global Business Development head Chris Chen said: To accelerate our entry into diverse global markets, Nio is partnering with experienced players who have deep local expertise and extensive distributor networks. They will help us introduce our high-quality smart electric vehicles to new markets more efficiently. Nio's approach to international expansion is in line with its vision of becoming a user-centric enterprise. Nio is said to have amassed more than 9,900 patents by the end of June this year, and has developed the Nio Full Stack, encompassing 12 technology domains. The company has research and development centres as well as manufacturing facilities in more than 10 locations. By July 31, 2025, Nio had reached a significant milestone, delivering a total of 806,731 vehicles. The same month, location data and technology platform HERE Technologies partnered with Nio's firefly to supply high-quality map data and location services. "Nio expands to new markets with strategic partnerships" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. NEED TO KNOW Aidan Perry survived a bullet to the chest after it "ricocheted off the chain," medics believe The 20-year-old Florida resident's necklace had a cross pendant on it, which was split in two pieces by the bullet Perry was shot in his friend's home by a .40-caliber pistol in June in the reported accident Aidan Perry survived a near-death experience. The 20-year-old from Ocala, Fla., was accidentally shot in the chest by a .40-caliber pistol while at his friend's house in June, reported FOX 25. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perry, who was wearing his gold necklace with a cross pendant during the incident, was transported to the HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and taken to the operating room. Medics believe the necklace could have split the bullet, sparing his major organs from critical damage, per the news outlet. He survived the gunshot wound. WESH 2 News/YouTube Aidan Perry's cross necklace Aidan Perry's cross necklace Still, the bullet reportedly went through Perry's chest and exited near his armpit before reentering his body through his arm, resulting in a broken humerus. Perry told FOX 25 that he thought he wasn't going to make it after he looked down and saw "tons of blood" following the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its just kind of a reminder now to never stop believing," he told the outlet, adding, "Keep believing and Gods definitely real," he added. Perry also shared that his faith has grown stronger since the scary experience occurred. In a photo obtained by FOX 25, the cross that was attached to the chain necklace that Perry was wearing which was a gift from his father last Christmas appeared to be split in two pieces. Khafra Garcia Henry, a trauma surgeon who operated on Perry, told the outlet that the victim is "a very fortunate young individual because if his chain was not there, the outcome would have been completely different." WESH 2 News/YouTube Aidan Perry Aidan Perry "When we normally see these injuries, they're usually devastating injuries," she shared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Perry's case, Henry said that he was "fortunate" that the bullet "did not enter his chest wall." She added, "It ricocheted off the chain he was wearing." According to the outlet, the man who allegedly shot Perry unintentionally was arrested in Sumter County. He was charged with culpable negligence causing injury, per Village-News. Read the original article on People COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff on Wednesday in tribute to a state trooper who died days after being struck by a vehicle during a traffic stop near Orangeburg. Trooper First Class Dennis Ricks was conducting a traffic stop on I-26 at mile marker 166 when he was struck by a box truck around 2 a.m. on August 10. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to life-threatening injuries a few days later. Flags atop the State House, state buildings, and military installations will be lowered to half-staff from sunset to sunset on August 20 in honor of Ricks selfless service and supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, per the governors order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dennis wore the uniform because he believed in serving others, Ricks wife, Jade, said during an August 15 press conference. He loved his family with his whole heart. Everything he did was for us. Ricks had served in Troop 7 of the South Carolina Highway Patrol since 2023, and the law enforcement community responded with an outpouring of support in the wake of his death. He will be laid to rest at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia, following a funeral procession. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The Federal Aviation Administration proposed extending the current caps on hourly flight arrivals and departures at Newark Airport to October 2026. The proposal could affect passenger volume, travel, and business at the airport. The FAAs proposal has some good news for travelers, airlines, and the airport agency by slightly increasing the number of hourly departures and arrivals from 68 to 72. But it is below the highs of 80-plus flights per hour which could affect airport revenue, flight availability and ticket prices, a travel expert said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The extension is a direct result of the harrowing 90-second blackout on April 28 of air traffic controller radar systems serving Newark Airport and subsequent incidents in May, all of which led to daily delays and cancellations, frustrating passengers. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates Newark and other bi-state airports, is evaluating FAAs request for public comment about the proposed flight cap extensions, said CherylAnn Albiez, a spokesperson. We remain committed to continuing to work with the FAA to ensure that Newark can accommodate as many passengers and flights as safely and efficiently as possible, she said. That FAA comment period ended Friday. Why is the FAA extending the caps? Flight caps were imposed in May after a chaotic spring when a series of equipment failures led to the loss of radar and radio frequencies used by air traffic controllers to guide aircraft into and out of Newark Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incidents shed light on the need to replace antiquated equipment air traffic controllers use including telephone data lines between the Philadelphia Airport Traffic Control Center (TRACON) that controls Newark Airport air space. That, along with the need to train more air traffic controllers to alleviate staffing shortages and ongoing runway rehabilitation at Newark are the reasons the agency gave for extending the flight cap to October 2026. One of Newarks two main runways was taken out of service in April for a scheduled repaving and upgrade, leading to voluntary flight reductions before the air traffic control problems. Paving was completed early on June 2, two weeks ahead of schedule. Remaining work is being done on weekends and Port Authority officials expect the entire project to be fully completed by the end of 2025, said Albiez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While not ideal, the proposal is, unfortunately, necessary, said Eric Jones, co-Founder of the Vacationer travel website and a Rowan University Professor. There are still air traffic controller staffing shortages at Philadelphia TRACON, and it is going to take some time for things to improve. There are not enough resources to handle the previous daily volume of arrivals and departures at Newark over the coming holiday and summer 2026 travel seasons, he said. Prompted by the radar failures at Newark and a midair collision that killed 67 people in Washington D.C., U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced an unprecedented program on May 8 to rebuild the nations air traffic control system and recruit more air traffic controllers. Duffy set an ambitious goal to have the work done in 2028, which relies on Congress appropriating an estimated $31 billion. A hidden benefit for travelers. The positive result of extending flight caps for passengers should be less cancellations and maddening flight delays, Jones said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cap helps ensure United Airlines and other airlines flying out of Newark operate more efficiently, Jones said. Cancellations and delays are bad for travelers and airlines, so the cap ensures more reliable operations. Still more than two dozen flights are cancelled at Newark Airport daily and delays often number in the hundreds, according to Flight Aware. United is the airports largest airline and counts Newark among its major hubs. CEO Scott Kirby also endorsed the proposal in an Aug. 8 message to employees. The extension is vital to ensure that Newark remains a safe and reliable crown jewel for millions of domestic and international travelers he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement United accounted for 68% of the airports traffic this year, according to Port Authority data. Our operations at Newark are the best theyve ever been, and it is now regularly the most on time airport in the New York City area, Kirby said. Thats a direct result of the actions taken by Secretary Duffy and the FAA to ensure that the schedules out of Newark match the actual capacity of the airport. Fares and business. Jones said the extended flight cap should not mean flying will be more expensive out of Newark. He expects United Airlines and other carriers will keep things affordable through at least October 2026 to keep passengers using the airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Affordable fares with few delays and cancellations is a great way to win back confidence in the airport, Jones said. As a frequent Newark flyer, I will personally continue to regularly search for flight prices in and out of Newark. In May, Kirby announced discounts, saying flying from Newark is going to be the cheapest its probably ever going to be in history. Not all travelers are finding fares at those price points. Some fliers on Reddit complained that prices they found to fly out of Newark were twice that of using JFK. Fewer flights per hour could prompt travelers to shop for other airports with more travel options, Jones said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I expect some people will include Philadelphia International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in their flight searches, if they have not previously done that, he said. Bookings bouncing back? United CEO Kirby said bookings at at Newark have bounced back. Our bookings have returned to normal compared to a few months ago and we believe the capacity limits reflected in this extension are appropriate and consistent with the physical capacity of the airport and the current FAA staffing, he said. Businesses especially restaurants and bars on the airside or located after TSA security checkpoints will probably lose some revenue with fewer daily passengers, Jones said Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, restaurants, bars, and gift shops may be forced to slightly raise prices to account for the drop in sales, he said. Some may end up closing, but I do not see a mass exodus of businesses leaving. That doesnt mean the airport will be a gastronomic and gift shop ghost town. Despite the new proposed cap, I expect Newark to be very crowded on most days through October 2026, with many people spending money on food, drinks, and other merchandise, he said. Less passengers = less revenue? The first round of flight reductions implemented in May affected Port Authority aviation financial performance for the first half of 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the first six months of 2025, 28 million passengers used the airports run by bi-state authority, 3% less than 2024 passenger volume, said Elizabeth McCarthy, Port Authority CFO in a report to the commissioners last month. It is (6%) lower than (budget) plan due to flight reductions at Newark mandated by the FAA, she said. May was the worst month with a 20% drop in passenger volume That could mean the authority could miss a goal of 150 million passengers, which was projected in the 2025 budget approved last December. That would be a 2% increase over 2024, if realized. The 2025 budget projects gross revenue of $3.9 billion for aviation. Of that $1.74 billion or 45% comes from aviation fees paid by airlines and passengers. Airport property rentals is the second largest income source at $1.67 billion or 43% of the budget. How that plays out in the long term might affect Port Authority decisions and when it schedules major projects such as the future replacement of Terminal B, now the oldest terminal at Newark Airport. Jones said the proposed flight cap shouldnt have a major effect on revenue. 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 and on BlueSky@commutinglarry.bsky.social After recent flooding, officials are warning Wisconsin residents to be careful when hiring people to repair their homes, vehicles or other damaged property. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says it often receives reports after storms of out-of-state repair crews showing up in hard-hit neighborhoods. These crews go door-to-door, using pressure tactics to solicit business. Because they aren't from Wisconsin, it can be difficult for consumers to get their money back, according to the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is what consumer protection officials recommend so consumers can avoid scams and poor-quality work: How to make sure a repair service is trustworthy When looking for repair services, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says to start by asking for recommendations from trusted sources, like friends, neighbors, or your insurance agent. To confirm a repair crew is legitimate, the department says to check with local officials to make sure the crew has the proper permits to work in your area, including a license to solicit business door-to-door. What contractors must do, and what they cannot legally do in Wisconsin According to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin contractors cannot: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Promise to pay any portion of your property's insurance deductible Negotiate with an insurance company unless you give them permission to discuss damages and costs Contractors must: Ask if the work is tied to an insurance claim before signing a contract Tell you that you have three business days to cancel the contract if your insurer denies any part of the claim How vehicle owners can avoid auto body shop scams For flood-damaged vehicles, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection recommends: Asking trusted sources like friends or family for recommendations before choosing an auto body shop Searching for online reviews of the company Working with your insurance company to choose the repair shop if the work will be covered by insurance Contacting DATCP'S Bureau of Consumer Protection to check if a specific shop has a record of complaints What auto body shops can and cannot do, according to the law According to the DATCP, auto body shops cannot: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Complete any repairs without your permission Raise the price after giving you an estimate or quote Keep your car if you refuse to pay for unauthorized repairs After work is complete, the shop must provide a full invoice describing all repairs, replaced parts (with costs), and labor charges. Other tips to protect yourself from fraudulent contractors Before any work begins, the DATCP recommends that you: Get lien waivers (legal receipts showing the contractor has been paid) for every payment you make Sign a written contract that details the work, materials, start and end dates, and warranty details Check with your local building inspector to see if permits are required Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DATCP recommends that you always keep copies of all written materials, including: Receipts Contracts Written correspondence After the work is completed, ask your local building inspector inspect the finished work before making your final payment. Who to contact for more resources or to file a complaint You can access more consumer protection resources or file a complaint at consumerprotection.wi.gov. You can contact the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-422-7128 or DATCPhotline@wisconsin.gov. Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be emailed at QClark@gannett.com. Questions or tips? Contact Public Investigator Government corruption. Corporate wrongdoing. Consumer complaints. Medical scams. Public Investigator is a new initiative of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and its sister newsrooms across Wisconsin. Our team wants to hear your tips, chase the leads and uncover the truth. We'll investigate anywhere in Wisconsin. Send your tips to publicinvestigator@gannett.com or call 414-319-9061. You can also submit tips at jsonline.com/tips. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How Wisconsin residents can avoid home and car repair scams after floods FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) Florence police arrested a 24-year-old man overnight on seven counts of attempted murder in connection with an Aug. 1 shooting on W. Dixie Street. Kareem Vakim Jones allegedly got into an argument with another person and fired multiple shots that hit an apartment building in the 1300 block of W. Dixie Street. Police said seven people were inside at the time, including two juveniles. Jones is also charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime, breach of peace high and aggravated, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and shooting into a dwelling. He is in the Florence County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a warrant, Jones fled before officers arrived. During the investigation, officers found three bullet holes near the front window of the apartment and two projectiles inside. Authorities identified Jones using a photo provided by one of the victims and facial recognition tools from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the warrant said. * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. A substance once found next to vape pens and tobacco products on store shelves across Central Florida is now officially banned. The compound, called 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly referred to as 7-OH, is a synthetic and concentrated derivative of the kratom plant. Florida health officials say its dangerous and potentially deadly. For Heather Sprankle, the fight to ban the substance is personal. I started to recognize there was something altering with his mindset and his central nervous system something very off, she said. You wouldnt naturally blame that on organic tea, but thats when it all started to unravel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heathers younger brother began using kratom daily after trying to recover from an opioid addiction. Last year, she shared a video with Channel 9 of him pouring kratom powder, typically brewed into teA straight into his mouth. Her older brother died from an overdose, which she believes was linked to kratom use. Despite that tragedy, her younger brother continued using the drug. Sprankle says shes relieved the state is taking action. Im so thrilled. Thats an understatement, she said. I just hope it doesnt end there It shouldnt be something available to the average person without regulation. The ban was enforced by the Florida Department of Health earlier this month. Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo called the compound absolutely addictive and warned, It will kill people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But not everyone agrees. Advocates for kratom say theres no clear evidence linking 7-OH to fatalities. There have been over 100 million servings of 7-OH in Florida alone no deaths attributed to it, said Dr. Jeff Smith with the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust. While the ban on 7-OH is a major step, she believes the larger issue, the lack of regulation surrounding kratom, still needs urgent attention. My story could easily be someone elses tomorrow, she said. We need more oversight before its too late. Do you have a story for WFTVs 9 Investigators? Click the banner below to submit a tip. Tampa Bay Area U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, gubernatorial candidate David Jolly, La Gaceta editor and publisher Patrick Manteiga, A.G. candidate Jose Javier Rodriguez, attorney Danielle Hernandez and attorney Hernando Bernal at the Cuban Club in Ybor City in Tampa on August 20, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) TAMPA Polls from the 2024 election showed that Democrats were on the wrong side of public opinion when it came to their immigration policies. But could a perception that the GOP has overreached to achieve President Donald Trumps goal of mass deportations bring a correction next year? Thats apparently the philosophy several Florida Democrats are pushing, as demonstrated by their comments in Tampa on Tuesday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican leaders are fighting communities, not crime, said Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly, speaking during an immigration forum hosted by the Hillsborough County Democratic Hispanic at the Cuban Club in Ybor City. Jolly maintains that the GOP has gone down the wrong path by conflating undocumented immigration with crime. This is a contrast of values and, fundamentally, the American people understand, regardless of party registration, cruelty and broken promises, he said. And were living through an era of cruelty and broken promises. Its not new. Weve seen it in years past, and it has taken people to speak up and say, Enough. When speaking about immigrants lacking legal status, Gov. Ron DeSantis often focuses on those who have committed criminal acts, such as the immigrant accused of killing three people while trying to make an illegal U-turn in a tractor-trailer on the Florida Turnpike in Fort Pierce last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press reported last month that ICE statistics showed that, as of June 29, 57,861 people had been detained by ICE, of whom 41,495 71.7% had no criminal convictions. That included 14,318 people with pending criminal charges and 27,177 who are subject to immigration enforcement but have no known criminal convictions or pending charges. The governor also boasts about how no state has done more to fulfill the presidents agenda. Those actions include legislation requiring many local and state law enforcement agencies to collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in detaining and potentially deporting individuals. It also includes building the states own immigration camp to hold detainees (Alligator Alcatraz), and the governor announced last week that a second facility will soon open in North Florida. Political theatre Former Miami-Dade County state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, a candidate for attorney general next year, denounced the Everglades detention center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If I was attorney general, what I would be focused on is going after the insurance companies, he said. Going after the utilities that are screwing people and taking advantage of us and getting away with anything with whatever they want in Tallahassee, right? Instead, we have this political theater where the only purpose is for the current attorney general and the governor to get a pat on the head by the president, and thats what they got, right? But meanwhile, we are the ones who are left with the costs of this thing. Tampa Bay area Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said U.S. immigration laws are broken and repeated a talking point made by Democrats last year blaming Trump for killing a proposed bipartisan bill dealing with immigration. That proposal would have raised the bar for migrants to claim asylum, created a temporary procedure to shut down the border at particularly active times, and ended the practice of allowing migrants to live in the United States while waiting for their cases to be heard by an immigration judge, among other policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was the one who blocked a bipartisan immigration reform effort where we would ensure those pathways to work in citizenship exist while strengthening border security and investing in the immigration courts, to make sure things moved smoothly, Castor said. So instead, right now, playing on the fears and prejudices and abusing his powers, because I think that everyone agrees that If you are not here legally and you violate the law, youre subject to deportation. But what theyre doing now goes far beyond that. She added that the bulk of her work in her congressional office is dealing with egregious case after egregious case of people who she said were following the law but have now been detained and subject to deportation. Joining the professional politicians on the stage were two Tampa immigration lawyers who, along with Javier Rodriguez, occasionally responded in both Spanish and English to the audience. Expedited removal Attorney Danielle Hernandez previously served as assistant chief counsel for the Department of Homeland Security in both the Obama and (the first) Trump administrations. She said that among the changes that the current Trump regime has enacted is expanding what is known as expedited removal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previously, ICE and Customs Border Patrol only used expedited removal against people within 100 miles of the border and within two weeks of their arrival in the U.S., Hernandez said. However, an executive order signed by the president in January changed that. They expanded that criminality and said, Hey, if you came in illegally, youre a criminal. Which is not true, she said. Coming in through the border is a civil infraction, its not actually a criminal action unless you re-enter through the border, then it becomes a federal crime, right? So thats one thing that people dont know. Hernandez explained that now anyone who entered the country after April 2023 is fair game to absolutely any arrest. They can go into any court, terminate your asylum proceedings, and arrest you outside. So thats what you see on the news, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Combined with the discussion of illegal immigration on Tuesday night was talk about how Democrats have lost their share of the Latino vote in recent elections a trend that started in Florida years ago. We definitely have a war against Hispanics going on in the country, said La Gaceta editor and publisher Patrick Manteiga. The real problem is many of them agree with the Trump administration and helped put them into place today. I think they thought that it was some other Hispanic that was going to get picked up rather than themselves, and they were happy to close the door right behind them, and thats a real shameful part of this whole thing. Jolly said that Democrats need to talk to Latino voters about something other than immigration all the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The way we get them back is we speak to their true concerns that will inform their votes, he said. What the other side got right in the last few cycles was they understood the anger and anxiety and they spoke to that. And it wasnt necessarily around immigration, and we make a mistake by thinking that if I walk into a room of Black pastors, that somehow I have to speak about Black pastor issues, when their issue of getting their kid to school on time that was the same as mine. Thats where I think we have an opportunity to make up ground. Changing sentiments? Polls show political sentiment may be changing, however. A Suffolk University/WSVN-TV 7 News survey of 500 residents of Miami taken last month 52% of whom identified as Hispanic or Latino showed that 61% said recent ICE enforcement raids had gone too far, and 52% of respondents said recent deportations of Venezuelans, Cubans, and Argentinians living in Miami made them less likely to support President Trump going forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And a YouGov survey of 2,156 U.S. adult citizens published Wednesday found that 53% of Americans (and 56% of independent voters) say Trumps approach on immigration is too harsh, with 36% saying it is just right. Two-thirds of those polled believe the Trump administration has wrongfully detained U.S. citizens in immigration detention centers. Towards the end of the two-hour forum, a group of people began shouting suggestions to the panel about what do to reverse the situation. Nearly all of the speakers on stage said, vote. What about now? came one response. The lack of an immediate call to action frustrated another member of the public, who said later that we feed those communities. What do you do? We cannot wait until November of next year, cried another voice. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A man convicted of abducting a woman from a Florida Panhandle insurance office and killing her was executed Tuesday evening. Kayle Bates, 67, was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke under a death warrant signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. It was the 10th death sentence carried out by the state of Florida in 2025, extending the state record for executions in a single year. Two more executions are planned within the next month. Alex Lanfranconi, a spokesman for DeSantis, said Bates said "no" when asked if he had any final words just before the drugs began flowing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida's executions are carried out using a three-drug lethal injection: a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the state Department of Corrections. The Department of Corrections said Bates awoke at 5:15 a.m. Tuesday and had three visitors, his daughter, his sister and his brother-in-law. He declined a last meal and did not meet with a spiritual adviser, department spokesman Ted Veerman said. Since the U.S. Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976, the highest previous annual total of Florida executions was eight in 2014. Florida has executed more people than any other state this year, while Texas and South Carolina have each executed four people so far in 2025. Alabama has executed three people, Oklahoma two and Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee have carried out one each, according to the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center, which tracks executions nationwide. DeSantis has signed at least 20 execution warrants since taking office in 2019, and he has never held a clemency hearing for a prisoner on death row, according to the DPIC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bates was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted sexual battery in the June 14, 1982, killing of Janet White in Bay County in the Florida Panhandle. Bates abducted White from the insurance office where she worked, took her into some woods behind the building, attempted to rape her, stabbed her to death and tore a diamond ring from one of her fingers, according to court documents. Attorneys for Bates filed appeals with the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as a federal lawsuit claiming DeSantis' process for signing death warrants was discriminatory. The lawsuit was recently dismissed by a judge who found problems with the lawsuit's statistical analysis. The Florida Supreme Court recently denied Bates' pending claims, including arguments that evidence of organic brain damage had been inadequately considered during his second penalty phase. The court ruled Bates has had three decades to raise these claims. On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Bates' last appeals to block the execution. Curtis Windom, 59, is set to become the 11th person executed in Florida on Aug. 28. He was convicted of killing three people in the Orlando area in 1992. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With Tuesday's execution, a total of 29 men have died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the U.S., and at least nine other people were scheduled to be put to death in seven states during the remainder of 2025. In 2024, there were 25 executions across the U.S., according to the DPIC. The last time a Florida prisoner on death row was granted clemency was in 1983, according to the DPIC. It was over then-Gov. Bob Graham's concerns about the inmate's possible innocence. Since 1973, an average of four wrongly convicted death-row prisoners have been exonerated each year nationwide, DPIC's data show. Florida has had 30 exonerations from death row in its history, according to the DPIC, the highest of any state. David Pittman, 63, would be the 12th person executed in Florida if his death sentence is carried out as scheduled on Sept. 17. He was found guilty of fatally stabbing his estranged wife's sister and parents at their Polk County home before setting it on fire in 1990. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of April 1, Florida has the second-largest number of death-row inmates with 278, according to the DPIC. California is first with 585 death-row inmates. Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine London Zoo has its annual weigh-in for about 10,000 animals Reporter's Notebook: The death of "skibidi"? Florida on Tuesday put to death a man convicted of abducting a woman from an insurance office and fatally stabbing her. Kayle Bates, 67, was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m. after a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. His death sentence was handed down after his conviction on first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted sexual battery charges in the June 14, 1982, killing of Janet White in Florida's Panhandle. White's husband, Randy White, witnessed Tuesday's execution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida Schedules Execution For Man Who Killed Estranged Wife's Family, Set House On Fire Kayle Bates, 67, was put to death Tuesday evening at a Florida State Prison near Starke for the 1982 killing of Janet White. As Bates was strapped to a gurney, he replied "no" when asked if he had any last words. At a news briefing following the execution, Randy White thanked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for signing off on the execution. Read On The Fox News App I am truly humbled by the outpouring of love and support from so many who didnt know either one of us. I thank you from my heart. It means more than you will ever know," he said. Bates abducted Janet White from the insurance office where she worked and took her into a wooded area behind the building, where prosecutors said he attempted to rape her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He fatally stabbed her and tore a diamond ring from one of her fingers, authorities said. Florida Breaks 50-Year Execution Record With Ninth Death Sentence Carried Out This Year Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed off on the death warrant for Kayle Bates. Bates' lawyers appealed his conviction and filed a lawsuit claiming DeSantis process for signing death warrants was discriminatory. The lawsuit was recently dismissed by a judge. Bates' claim that organic brain damage had not been properly considered during his second penalty phase was also denied by the Florida Supreme Court. Tuesday's execution was the state's 10th this year, a record. Across the United States, 29 men have died by court-ordered execution as of Tuesday. The gurney in the execution chamber at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Okla. At least nine other people were scheduled to be put to death in seven states for the remainder of 2025. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Florida executes man for 1982 murder of insurance office worker abducted from office Gov. Ron DeSantis and Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared with Attorney General James Uthmeier to lay out reasons for the state to conduct a mid-decade redistricting. Florida is calling on federal authorities to remedy alleged errors in the U.S. Census and want the state awarded an additional seat in Congress or at the very least updated population data so that the state is in line for increased federal funding. Attorney General James Uthmeier earlier this month sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that outlined the states concerns that Florida was egregiously undercounted during the last Census, conducted under the first term of President Donald Trump but certified by the administration of President Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Ron DeSantis and Uthmeier appeared together in Palm Beach County on Wednesday, where the governor cited the letter and laid out other reasons that he contended could require the state to do a mid-decade redistricting. Something were going to have to address Weve had really significant growth and migration, and our congressional map should reflect that, DeSantis said. So, this is something that we are going to have to address as a state. The Republican governor said he had spoken with some folks in the Florida Legislature and I think that theres broad acknowledgement that this is something you know that is going to have to happen. DeSantis asserted that the U.S. Supreme Court could in the next few months issue a ruling in a closely watched case over redistricting that questions whether the deliberate creation of majority-minority districts is constitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor suggested that at least one seat in South Florida if not a second would need to be redrawn if that occurred. The seat DeSantis appeared to be referencing is held by Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat whose district includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. A tussle over redistricting has broken out among red states and blue states since Trump pushed Texas to redraw its congressional districts so that Republicans could pick up extra seats during the 2026 midterm elections. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has responded, pushing ahead with his own map that could bolster the number of Democrats elected there. While this has been unfolding, DeSantis has been calling for state legislators to draw a new congressional map. He has said several times that the decennial Census should be redone so that Florida could gain additional seats. But DeSantis has also cited a state Supreme Court decision that upheld Floridas existing map, which eliminated the North Florida district that had been held by Rep. Al Lawson, a Black Democrat. Following the 2020 Census, Florida was awarded one new congressional seat, for 28 total, and it was included in a new map pushed into law by DeSantis that resulted in Republicans gaining four seats in Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeSantis said he had been told by the Trump administration that it was likely the state would get two additional seats. He said the Commerce Department itself had acknowledged problems with the survey after it occurred. Florida TaxWatch, an organization that monitors tax and spending policy, has estimated the Census missed 750,000 people in Florida. The average number of people in a congressional district is 769,221, according to the state Senate. Send a letter In his letter, Uthmeier contends that nothing precludes the Commerce Department from conducting a streamlined recount that corrects now discovered errors. During the press event, both Uthmeier and DeSantis speculated that Florida and other Republican-controlled states had been purposely harmed. Uthmeier called it a deep state effort to manipulate the Census. Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, blasted the latest efforts by DeSantis to push for a mid-decade redistricting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is yet another manufactured crisis from Ron DeSantis speculative, corrupt, and a complete waste of taxpayer dollars, said Fried. Floridians are facing increased costs of living, meanwhile, Rons trying to stir chaos to distract from his failures, all in pursuit of Gavin Newsom-style headlines. Note: This story has been updated to include the number of people who might have been undercounted in ther 2020 Census and the average population per congressional district. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Nvidia earnings face high bar on data-center demand, China deal originally appeared on TheStreet. Jensen Huang wants you to work hard even if youre family. Huang may be co-founder and CEO of AI-chip colossus Nvidia (NVDA) , but his children still had to start off as interns. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Bear in mind that the elder Huang is a strong believer in resilience. "You have to suffer," he said in an interview. "You have to struggle, you have to endeavor, you have to do those hard things and work through it in order to really appreciate what you've done. "Therefore, I wish upon you greatness, which by my way of saying, wish upon you plenty of pain and suffering." If that's the case, then siblings Madison and Spencer Huang must have had several serious helpings of pain and suffering in their time at the world's most valuable company. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says you have to suffer to succeed.Image source: Berry/AFP via Getty Images Nvidia preps to report for fiscal Q2 Madison operates the Omniverse divisions 3D simulation software operations, and her brother Spencer oversees AI-model development and robotics-perception systems, according to The Information. And if they stick around, the two siblings could make a lot of dough. More Nvidia: Ive created more billionaires on my management team than any CEO in the world, Jensen Huang said during a panel hosted by venture capitalists running the All-In podcast. Theyre doing just fine. And if you don't measure up, Huang probably won't show you the door although you might wish he had. I very seldom fire people," he said. "Id rather torture them to greatness. Nvidia will be center stage on Aug. 27 when the Santa Clara, Calif., company is scheduled to report fiscal-second-quarter earnings. The chipmaking giant had been hit hard by President Donald Trump's trade war with China, after the White House blocked the export of certain AI chips to China, including Nvidias H20 chips and AMDs MI308 chips. China is an important market for Nvidia, generating $17.1 billion in fiscal 2025 revenue, or 13.1% of total revenue. However, Nvidia and AMD (AMD) recently agreed to pay the U.S. government 15% of Chinese revenue as part of a deal to secure export licenses to China. And analysts expect revenue from the country to begin showing up in Nvidia's reports soon. Nvidia's shares are up 35% this year and have climbed 45% from this time in 2024. Firm cites insatiable AI chip demand Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Nvidia to $206 from $200 and affirmed an overweight rating on the shares, according to The Fly. Expectations have risen ahead of Nvidia's earnings, and "rightfully so," said Morgan Stanley, which expects a strong quarter and outlook. The investment firm, which said its "optimism centers on what lies ahead," said supply is what matters on the night of the earnings call but demand is what sets the path into 2026. Morgan Stanley modeled $46.6 billion in revenue for the July quarter, up from its prior forecast of $45.2 billion, and $52.5 billion in revenue for the October quarter, up from a prior view of $51.3 billion. Related: Nvidia quietly buys more stock in AI infrastructure favorite Cantor Fitzgerald boosted its price target on Nvidia to $240 from $200 and maintained an overweight rating. With Nvidia ramping up Blackwell chip production amid seemingly insatiable demand for artificial-intelligence computing, estimates appear poised to reaccelerate in the July quarter and move significantly higher into the October quarter and beyond, the firm said. Cantor Fitzgerald's confidence in a path to $200 billion-$300 billion in data-center revenue in 2025-2026 has grown over the past three months, supporting a clear path to $8 in earnings power in calendar 2026. Computing power is emerging as one of this decades most critical resources amid the AI boom, according to consulting firm McKinsey. By 2030, data centers are projected to require $6.7 trillion worldwide to keep pace with the demand for computing power, McKinsey said. Piper Sandler analyst Harsh Kumar raised the firm's price target on Nvidia to $225 from $180 and kept an overweight rating on the shares. The analyst is expecting another positive quarter from Nvidia and sees upside to numbers for both the July and October quarters. While Kumar is modeling largely in line with the analyst consensus for the July quarter and slightly below Wall Street for October, he is calling for upside given the recent positive commentary from U.S. hyperscalers as well as the inclusion of revenue from China. (The hyperscalers, like Amazon, Alphabet's Google and other tech giants, are the major providers of cloud-computing services and infrastructure.) The analyst noted that its estimates and Wall Street estimates do not reflect the inclusion of China business. Piper is expecting revenue from the country to start coming in toward the end of this month. Related: The stock market is being led by a new group of winners Nvidia earnings face high bar on data-center demand, China deal first appeared on TheStreet on Aug 18, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Aug 18, 2025, where it first appeared. STARKE A man convicted of abducting a woman from a Florida Panhandle insurance office and killing her received a lethal injection Tuesday evening in the states record 10th execution this year. Kayle Bates, 67, was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke under a death warrant signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. The execution extended Floridas record for total executions in a single year, and two more are planned within the next month. Bates was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted sexual battery in the June 14, 1982, killing of Janet Renee White in Bay County. The womans husband, Randy White, was one of the witnesses to Tuesdays execution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the scheduled 6 p.m. execution time, the curtain to the death chamber promptly went up. Bates was already strapped to a gurney with his left arm extended and the IV line for the drugs already in place. When asked if he wished to make a last statement, Bates replied, No. The execution began at 6:01 pm. Bates began breathing more rapidly about a minute after the drugs began flowing, and then he stopped after about another minute. At 6:05 p.m., the warden touched Bates face, shook his shoulders and shouted his name with no response. Several minutes later, he was declared dead. At a briefing following the execution, Randy White thanked DeSantis for signing the death warrant and also thanked members of law enforcement and prosecutors for working on his wifes case. I am truly humbled by the outpouring of love and support from so many who didnt know either one of us. I thank you from my heart. It means more than you will ever know," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the U.S. Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976, the highest previous annual total of Florida executions was eight in 2014. Florida has executed more people than any other state this year, while Texas and South Carolina are tied for second place with four each. With Tuesdays execution, a total of 29 men had died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the U.S., and at least nine other people were scheduled to be put to death in seven states during the remainder of 2025. According to court documents, Bates abducted White from the insurance office where she worked, took her into some woods behind the building, attempted to rape her, fatally stabbed her and tore a diamond ring from one of her fingers. Attorneys for Bates had filed appeals with the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as a federal lawsuit claiming DeSantis process for signing death warrants was discriminatory. The lawsuit was recently dismissed by a judge, who found problems with its statistical analysis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Florida Supreme Court recently denied Bates pending claims, including arguments that evidence of organic brain damage had been inadequately considered during his second penalty phase. The court ruled Bates has had three decades to raise these claims. And the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Bates last appeal Tuesday. The Florida Department of Corrections said Bates awoke at 5:15 a.m. Tuesday and had three visitors: his daughter, his sister and his brother-in-law. He declined a last meal and did not meet with a spiritual adviser, department spokesperson Ted Veerman said. Two more executions are planned in Florida in the coming weeks. Curtis Windom, 59, is set to become the 11th person executed in Florida on Aug. 28. He was convicted of killing three people in the Orlando area in 1992. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Pittman, 63, would be the 12th person executed in Florida if his death sentence is carried out as scheduled Sept. 17. He was found guilty of fatally stabbing his estranged wifes sister and parents at their Polk County home before setting it on fire in 1990. Florida executions are carried out using a three-drug lethal injection: a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections. By DAVID FISCHER, Associated Press In Florida, there are rules and regulations, which allow fisherman to catch and release sharks. However, universally, there is the rule: f*ck around and find out. A Florida angler learned that second law recently when he caught a lemon shark from shore, pulled the jaws open, and posed for a photo with the beastthen got bitten. It happened at Cayo Costa State Park, a popular fishing zone on the gulf coast. And it was all caught on camera: After viewing the footage, one charter boat captain told local news: I saw that video, and Im like, what are you guys doing? As soon as you lose respect for em, theyre gonna get ya. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres also danger to the shark when doing something like this. The rules may allow for catch-and-release, but meanwhile, the shark is suffering out of its natural habitat. That same concerned charter boat captain added: Ive seen pictures where customers will hold the shark, three or four peoplethat shark isnt breathing anymore. You might let it go, and itll swim away, but it could have brain damage or something because it hasnt breathed in a while. Related: Flying Shark Headbutts Florida Man While Surfing (Video) According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, regarding shark fishing, Sharks are apex predators that play an important role in marine ecosystems. Releasing sharks in a way that increases their chance of survival is an important step toward achieving and maintaining healthy, sustainable shark populations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the angler who caught the lemon, then got bit, hes recovering in the hospital. He spoke with local news about the protocol requiring the practice: You have to take a class, to make sure you can fish from land for sharks. But thats whatever. Its a 30-minute class, and its free. Had he taken the class? No, he replied. Related: Surfer Catapulted by Great White Shark, Board Exploded (Video) This story was originally reported by Surfer on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Surfer as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The big story: Floridas return to school came with its share of student transportation woes. In Palm Beach County, a persistent bus driver shortage has led to overcrowded buses, with some students left waiting without space to get to school, the Palm Beach Post reports. District officials there have tried to explain the situation to parents, noting that the first week of classes also is the first week of real-time bus runs, with adjustments coming as everyone sees what the routes really look like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That hasnt stopped parents from making angry calls and social media posts. Parents in one Lee County community are calling for changes to their childrens bus stop, saying its current location is unsafe, WINK reports. Anger is spilling over in some school car drop off and pickup lines. Pasco County superintendent John Legg told his board on Tuesday that the overwhelming majority of parents have been polite and understanding as schools work out the kinks of getting children in and out of their cars safely. But there have been some who have ignored the rules and staff requests, driving unsafely around students and treating employees rudely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legg said hes given school leaders the authority to revoke any parents car line privilege if they keep up such behavior. We do not want to put our students at risk, nor should our staff be subject to abuse, Legg said, advising school board members they might get some complaint emails in the coming days. Students walking to school, meanwhile, have had to deal with drivers who arent following school zone rules. The Orange County Sheriffs Office reported nearly 700 traffic stops in the zones during the first week of classes, issuing about 250 speeding citations, Spectrum 13 reports. In other transportation news, a Martin County school bus driver was named Floridas School Bus Operator of the Year, TC Palm reports. Hot topics Second chances: Tampa Bay teens recovering from alcohol or drug addiction are getting a chance to complete high school at Victory High, which has three campuses in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School books: Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a lawsuit against two textbook publishers, contending they overcharged school districts. DeSantis also said the state would appeal a federal courts decision that found unconstitutional parts of Floridas law restricting school library book content, Florida Politics reports. School board members: Alachua County Democrats defended school board chairperson Sarah Rockwell, who is under fire from the State Board of Education, WCJB reports. Immigration enforcement: Florida State College at Jacksonville is the latest state college to enter an agreement to help enforce federal immigration laws, Inside Higher Ed reports. Discipline: The Pinellas County school board reviewed some of its changes to handling student discipline amid concerns that referrals and suspensions have risen, with the majority imposed on Black students, Bay News 9 reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Classroom vacancies: More than 200 graduates of Achieve Miamis Teacher Accelerator Program have taken jobs teaching in Miami-Dade County schools, Miami Today reports. The program is now the second-largest teacher provider in the district. Cellphones: New restrictive cellphone use policies have sparked pushback among some Brevard County students, parents and teachers, Florida Today reports. From the court docket ... The Martin County school board agreed to join a national class action lawsuit against social media companies, claiming they use algorithms designed to addict children, TC Palm reports. Dont miss a story. Heres a link to yesterdays roundup. Before you go ... Ever wanted to see African wildlife but havent had the opportunity to go there? Heres a live feed from a watering hole in Namibia. Florida School Board disciplined after chairs controversial social media post on Hulk Hogans death A controversial social media post made by a Florida school board chair has the Florida Board of Education declaring the Alachua County School Board violated parents free speech rights. Alachua County School Board Chair Sarah Rockwell was in the hot seat during the Florida Board of Educations meeting in St. Johns County on Wednesday. Rockwell came under fire for a social media post after the death of Hulk Hogan in which she wrote, Good. One Less MAGA in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Celebrating the death of an individual because of their political beliefs is conduct unbecoming of the education profession, said Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Rockwell apologized for the post, but claimed it was protected free speech. That comment was made on my personal page, not in my professional capacity, said Rockwell to the Board of Education. Here in Duval County, Action News Jax reported last year on social media posts made by then-school board candidate Tony Ricardo, who ultimately won his election. Among those posts was a photo of a demon sewing a Pride Flag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the posts drew criticism from LGBTQ groups at the time, they were never scrutinized by the Board of Education. When asked about the appearance of a double standard, Ricardo told Action News Jax he believes the situation in Alachua differs from his own. Because we dont all believe exactly the same things, voicing an opinion and personally held beliefs carries the risk of offending others- sincerely held beliefs can do that, no matter which side of an issue you fall on, said Ricardo. The difference I see in the two situations is the voicing of the opinions from the Dias, sitting in the position of authority, which I have not done. Along with Rockwells post, three instances where conservative speakers had either been cut off during public comment or removed from board meetings in Alachua were also scrutinized by the Board of Education. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] In the most recent instance from July, law enforcement was summoned, and a man was ordered to leave after criticizing Rockwell for her post about Hogan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Alachua County School Boards Vice Chair argued the man disrupted the meeting by continuing to speak after his allotted time, but ultimately was not forced to leave after the boards attorney recommended against it. Still, the Board of Education found probable cause that the Alachua School Board had violated parents First Amendment rights, given the totality of the various instances in question. The Board of Education ordered Alachua board members to undergo training and be monitored for compliance for the rest of the school year. And that includes withholding an amount equal to their salaries should any of those provisions be violated, said Commissioner Kamoutsas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Action News Jax asked the Department of Education why Ricardos posts never elicited the same level of response as the Alachua case. The department issued a statement that did not address the specifics of our question. Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas made clear that the Alachua County School Boards repeated attempts to silence parents are intolerable and must end immediately, said a DOE spokesperson. Today, the State Board of Education determined the Alachua County School Board violated the First Amendment as well as Florida law. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Sydney McKenzie (right) stands beside her husband, Rep. Brit McKenzie (center), R-Rogers, as he's sworn into his second term in the Arkansas House of Representatives on Jan. 13, 2025. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate) Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders named six new members to the State Library Board on Wednesday, in compliance with a law mandating an overhaul of the board. In April, Sanders signed Act 903 of 2025, the culmination of Republican lawmakers attempts to exert control over the Arkansas State Library. The agency is under the umbrella of the state Department of Education but operates independently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Act 903 gave Sanders up to 30 days after Aug. 5 to replace the entire seven-member board. Since taking office in 2023, Sanders had appointed three new board members as previous members staggered terms expired. Sydney McKenzie of Rogers, wife of Republican Rep. Brit McKenzie, became the library boards newest member earlier this year and was the only member Sanders reappointed Wednesday. The other five appointees are Annette Bailey of Mountain Home, Clay Goff of Beebe, Jack Fortner of Yellville, Lynlee McMillan of Benton and Emmaline Pilkington of Knoxville. A spokesperson for Sanders office said they would provide the Advocate a response when asked how soon a seventh appointment is expected. The response was not yet available by publication time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The overhaul is part of the Republican legislative supermajoritys ongoing efforts to regulate public library leadership, funding and content. There have been similar conservative-led local efforts throughout the state in the past few years, including in Yellville and Benton. McMillan is Sanders director of constituent services. Fortner is a former Republican state representative who served four terms before declining to run for reelection in 2024. Like McKenzie, Pilkington is married to a sitting lawmaker, Knoxville GOP Rep. Aaron Pilkington. Bailey and her husband are the co-founders of Mountain Homes Twin Lakes Baptist Church. Goff is president of the Beebe School Board and a former chairman of the White County Regional Library Systems governing board. Beebes Goff Public Library is named after his father, Leroy Goff, a real estate agent who provided the labor to build the library, which opened in 2014 during his sons tenure as library board chairman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate is required to confirm gubernatorial appointments. The new board is required by law to be in place by Sept. 3 and is expected to meet between then and Nov. 14, its next scheduled quarterly meeting. Act 903 requires the seven new board members to draw lots determining how their terms will be staggered, ending between one and seven years from now. Subsequent appointees would serve seven-year terms, the usual length of time library board members serve. The previous board members terms ended Oct. 18 each year. Now-former member Jo Ann Campbell of Fort Smith would have reached the end of her term two months from now and cleared the way for a 4-3 majority of Sanders appointees. The other board members replaced by Act 903 were Pam Meridith of Cherokee Village, Lupe Pena de Martinez of Mabelvale and Board Chairwoman Deborah Knox of Mountain Home. The buildup to Act 903 Shari Bales of Hot Springs, one of Sanders other two appointees on the previous board, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette earlier this month that she hoped to be reappointed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bales was among the previous boards majority that consistently voted down efforts from Sanders third appointee, former Republican state Sen. Jason Rapert, to withhold state funds from libraries where children can access certain content. The boards primary responsibility is to disburse state funds to local public libraries. Rapert repeatedly called for the abolition of the board for rejecting his efforts to protect children. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, sponsored a bill with this purpose during the 2025 legislative session. In March, Sullivan asked the board to pass two motions to ensure its survival: to create nonbinding policies to protect children from sexually explicit content in libraries and to separate the State Library from the American Library Association. Conservatives frequently mention LGBTQ+ topics and sex education when decrying sexually explicit material, and they also claim the American Library Association has a left-wing agenda. All three Sanders appointees supported the motions, but the other four members voted them down. By the same split vote, the board passed a separate motion aimed at protecting children in libraries while honoring the First Amendment and library material selection standards. Sullivan responded by filing a bill that would have abolished the State Library as a whole and directed its responsibilities to the Department of Education. The bill passed the Senate but failed in a House committee. Act 903 was filed hours later and hit no roadblocks during the legislative process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, Sullivan sponsored a law that would have given local elected officials the final say over whether to relocate challenged library materials some consider obscene and made librarians legally liable for disseminating such materials. A federal judge blocked portions of the law on First Amendment grounds, and the state is appealing the ruling. Rapert asked his fellow State Library Board members this year and last year to withhold funding from the libraries that are plaintiffs in the ongoing litigation; the rest of the board repeatedly declined. Rapert did not attend the previous boards final meeting after Act 903 became law. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE KEENE, N.Y. (ABC22/FOX44) Forest rangers in New York had to rescue hikers in the Town of Keene on two separate occasions August 13. The first alert came from a 41-year-old hiker that called for help at 3:15 p.m. The person had reportedly taken an unexpected route from Cascade trailhead to Marcy Field over Blueberry Mountain, was cramping and out of water. A forest ranger later found the person at 4:55 p.m. and helped them back to their vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two hikers rescued from steep terrain on Mt. Washington Emergency services received another call at 10:50 p.m., this time from a friend of a hiker claiming they were frantic and in need of assistance. The 36-year-old hikers phone was dying, and they were out of water. Additionally, while their car was at Round Pond trailhead, their phone coordinates placed them as coming down the Bouquet Forks trail. They were eventually reached by a Forest Ranger at 12:20 a.m., and reunited with the caller. New Yorks Department of Environmental Conservation reminds all hikers to bring plenty of food and water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. The threat of high-severity wildfires in forests controlled by private timber companies may be much greater than in those managed by public lands agencies, a new study has found. That risk was nearly 1 1/2 times higher in surveys conducted across Californias northern Sierra Nevada, scientists determined in the study, published on Wednesday in Global Change Biology. Forests managed by timber companies, the authors observed, were more likely to exhibit ideal ignition conditions for megafires: dense communities of uniformly spaced trees, with continuous vegetation that connects the understory to the canopy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can think about stacking a bunch of matches together in a grid thats going to burn a lot better than if you have those matches dispersed as smaller clumps, said lead author Jacob Levine, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Utah, in a statement. Levine and his colleagues leveraged a unique dataset available via a multiagency federal effort to deploy airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensing systems. Specifically, in 2018, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Service and NASA decided to begin surveying Californias Plumas National Forest and surrounding private lands using this LiDAR flight technology. The technology works by emitting billions of laser pulses which then bounce off the grass, shrubs, saplings, tree canopies and other forest structures and then measuring with high-precision how much time the light takes to return. These measurements can then provide accurate assessments of distances, terrain elevation and other relevant information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plumas National Forest, the authors explained, is emblematic of a broader trend of wildfire occurrence and intensity and a mosaic of private industrial and public ownership. The regions mixed conifers have adapted to periodic low- to medium-severity blazes that scorch vegetation and leave behind clumps of trees, the researchers noted. But efforts since the 1800s to boost U.S. timber production and suppress fires, they explained, have disrupted natural fire cycles and increased fodder for future blazes. About 70 percent of the study area was burned in five massive blazes between 2019 and 2021, including the 2021 Dixie Fire the single biggest fire in Californias recorded history, according to the study. And it just so happens in a manner that the authors described as serendipitous that the multiagency LiDAR dataset was collected the year before these blazes began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have a really detailed picture of what the forest looked like immediately before these massive fires, Levine said. Levine and his team analyzed the patterns of burn severity in the five fires, which collectively burned about 1.1 million acres within Plumas National Forest. The fires all began on public land, but their effects were far more severe in the privately owned areas. About 81.6 percent of the study area was managed by public land agencies, while just 11.7 percent was owned by private industrial timber companies and 6.6 percent by non-industrial private entities, according to the study. Private industrial ownership, the authors found, was associated with a 1.45-times surge in the odds of high-severity fire in comparison to publicly owned land and a 2.1-times increase relative to the non-industrial private zones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also discovered that the heightened risks applied to areas near, but not owned by, the private industrial companies posing a threat to the wilderness, to small landowners and to adjacent urban communities. A bigger fire can easily reach the canopy in dense forests, Levine said. Then its ripping through one tree after another, tossing out chunks of burning material miles in advance. Different from the grid-like forests controlled by the timber industry, public lands tend to be used for a wider range of purposes, including grazing, recreation, restoration and wildlife corridors, the authors noted. These lands, they explained, are also beholden to the public and environmental lawsuits, which often sue to stop tree removals. The researchers expressed hope that their findings could help adjust policies governing landscape management and thereby steer the way blazes burn through such woodlands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks to their access to the forest data from before and after the blazes, Levine said that the researchers were able to understand the types of forest structures that lead to high-severity blazes. That knowledge, in turn, enables stakeholders to target mitigation strategies to get ahead of this massive fire problem while still producing enough timber to meet market demand, Levine added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Police are currently searching for potential victims of a former educator and camp counselor in Abilene accused of child sex crimes. Robert Jerome Custer, of Abilene, was taken into custody for Accessing Child Pornography last week, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. A press release from DPS states Custer previously worked as a counselor Abilene, as well as Palestine, Barksdale, and Kingsville. He also worked as a camp counselor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DPS says Custer was not employed as a teacher or counselor at the time of his arrest. Investigators are now asking anyone with information on potential victims of sex crimes committed by Custer while he served in these positions to contact DPS Abilenes Criminal Investigation Division Office at (325)795-4070. Custer currently remains held in the Taylor County Jail without bond. No further information, including what school districts or camps employed Custer, is available at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) A former Army soldier was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday after sexually abusing a child 12 years ago. In December of 2013, Mississippi native, Cedrick Demon Robinson, 42, sexually abused a then 9-year-old child by fondling with the childs genitals. Four years later, Robinson requested a 15-year-old juvenile to text him a sexually explicit photograph. Following a jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, Robinson was convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and attempted production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robinson was sentenced to life in prison, the maximum for each charge. The case was investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Stewart and prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Z. Spitulnik and Darron J. Hubbard. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a former top advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, is expected to face new charges tomorrow, according to her lawyer. The long-term advisor to the mayor was previously charged by the Manhattan District Attorneys office in December. She stepped down from her position on the mayors team shortly after. More News: Politics Lewis-Martins lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said the district attorney refused to share details about the new charges. Lewis-Martin will turn herself in on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the specifics remain unclear, Ingrid is certain of one thingshe has broken no laws, and she is not guilty. We will be requesting an expedited trial schedule, Aidala said. The Manhattan District Attorney refused to comment on the new charges. Lewis-Martins resignation in December came at a time of turmoil in Adams administration. Multiple other top officials, including then-Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III, also left their posts. Adams was indicted just a few months before on federal bribery charges. His charges were later dropped. A spokesperson for Adams campaign said he had not been made aware of Lewis-Martins new charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Adams stands by her decades of public service and remains confident that the truth will prevail. Ingrid has dedicated her life to the people of New York City, and she deserves the presumption of innocence, the spokesperson said. Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- OMOWAY, an innovative electric motorcycle technology startup, was recently featured on CNBC Indonesia's popular program, "Autobizz". During the segment, founder Todd He shared his vision and insights into the smart electric motorcycle industry. Following the interview, OMOWAY extended an invitation to prospective dealers, signaling a new phase of collaboration to pioneer Indonesia's smart e-mobility future. Todd He, also an original co-founder of the celebrated EV brand XPeng, highlighted that Indonesia's market is in a "golden phase" for electric mobility much like China's early EV growth. He explained that this imminent trend is fueled by falling battery costs, innovative players with superior products and a clear strategy, as well as strong momentum from both government support and a tech-savvy youth population. "OMOWAY's entry is perfectly timed," stated Todd He. "We are bringing not only E-Motorcycle, but also a decade of successful experience and technological expertise from the smart EV market. We sincerely welcome local partners to join us in riding this historic wave." Demonstrating its commitment to local growth, OMOWAY expects to achieve a 50% local content rate (TKDN), with its production line and office block set to be operational by year-end. A strong partnership with local auto-grade suppliers will also guarantee the electric motorcycles deliver outstanding quality, reliability, and safety. The Dealer Partnership Program is designed to build a robust distribution network and offers a comprehensive support system for partners to achieve their final goals - sales driving. It includes: Exclusive product advantages: Adhering to higher auto-grade standards, OMOWAY's smart E-Motorcycle adapts auto-grade components and a self-developed algorithm optimized for road conditions in Indonesia. The operational savings over five years can even offset the cost of a new traditional motorcycle. With a nearly 200 km range, a comprehensive charging network at dealerships and a dedicated app, OMOWAY provides a complete solution to address customer needs. Complete Brand & Marketing Support: Top-tier localization team fully provides region-specific marketing strategies and support, as well as assistance in brand events. Professional Training: Comprehensive training for sales, service, and technical maintenance to ensure your team is equipped for success. Cutting-Edge Technology Empowerment: Integration with advanced dealer management systems to boost operational efficiency and customer service. A former choir teacher at Choctaw High School has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for having a sexual relationship with a student that lasted more than a year. Samuel Taylor Melton, 30, of Moore, will be on probation for 25 more years after his release from prison. He must register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Aug. 19, in Oklahoma County District Court to 15 sex crimes. At times, he wiped away tears with a tissue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He's incredibly remorseful," his attorney, Chris Box, told reporters afterward. "He wanted closure, not only for himself, but for the victim." Melton's wife, father and mother were present in the crowded courtroom for the sentencing, the defense attorney confirmed. The guilty plea was to four counts of rape by instrumentation, three counts of second-degree rape, four counts of forcible oral sodomy and four counts of sexual battery. Former high school choir teacher Samuel Taylor Melton, in orange, is escorted to court on Tuesday, Aug. 19, for sentencing in a rape case. Next to him is his defense attorney, Chris Box. He admitted in his guilty plea that the offenses began in 2023 when the victim was 16 and one of his students. He did not apologize. His punishment was the result of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Special Judge Jason Glidewell imposed the sentence after the victim told her former teacher she came forward to protect other students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You were the darkness that crept into the place that was meant to be safe for me," Avery Smith, now 19, told him in a 10-minute statement. "You are a predator, and I was just one of your prey." The Oklahoman typically does not name victims of sexual assault, but Avery wanted her name known. She came forward in April, almost a year after graduating. She at first told her parents. "So many parts of me screamed not to say a word," she said in court Tuesday, looking directly at Melton. "But the parts of me that longed for my own justice and the protection of the girls you would've hurt in the future ... screamed louder." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melton kept his head down as she spoke. He tightly gripped a tissue in his hand as she said he had stolen her love of music and poisoned her dream of being a music teacher herself by holding her captive to his "sick sexual fantasies." "You took that from me," she said. After the sentencing, she told reporters it was important to her to be an example for other victims of sex crimes. "I absolutely think that there are people out there that haven't spoke out and I hope they come forward," she said. "You matter. Your story deserves to be heard." Melton confessed and resigned when school administrators confronted him in April about the accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was charged April 28. Attorney General Gentner Drummond took over the case in July at the request of the victim. The AG told Avery in court after the sentencing that he was proud of her. In a news release, Drummond called the sentence "the longest ever for a sexual predator in our schools." Anyone who preys on children should be punished as harshly as possible especially those who have been entrusted with the education and care of our children," said Drummond, who is running for governor. Avery told police the sexual encounters began the second semester of her junior year, two months after he was reprimanded for unprofessional and inappropriate interactions with her. Samuel Melton "Do not place yourself in the position of having your statements or actions be misinterpreted as having inappropriate feelings towards students," he was told in the reprimand signed by Principal Jackie Harris. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She told police the sexual encounters continued into her senior year even after his wife found out. She told police some sexual encounters took place in a practice room while class was still in session and students were practicing just outside the door. She graduated in May 2024. Lawsuit is pending in Oklahoma City federal court Avery is suing the Choctaw-Nicoma Park School District, school officials and Melton in Oklahoma City federal court. In the lawsuit, she alleges she suffered the sexual abuse because of a series of gross failures and indifference at the district. Rape victim Avery Smith speaks to reporters on Tuesday, Aug. 19, after her former teacher was sentenced. Her lawsuit lists seven other incidents of sexual misconduct by teachers in the district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her attorney, Cameron Spradling of Oklahoma City, has demanded $25 million. "We have to recognize Oklahoma has a serious problem," said Spradling, who has successfully sued other school districts. "Do we not recognize that, everybody?" he asked reporters Tuesday after the sentencing. "That we've got a big problem here." The school district has not filed an answer to the lawsuit yet. In a media statement in May, the school district said, "Mr. Meltons actions were reprehensible and antithetic to the high standards of professionalism, trust and care demonstrated every day by CNP teachers, administrators, and staff."The age of consent for sex had been 16 at the time of their relationship but that did not apply to teachers. A new law will raise the age to 18 when it goes in effect later this year. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Former Choctaw choir teacher Sam Melton sentenced for sex crimes CHOCTAW, Okla. (KFOR) A former Choctaw-Nicoma Park High School teacher accused of raping a student was sentenced to 42 years, with 17 of those years in prison, after pleading guilty on Tuesday to multiple counts of sex crimes. Samuel Melton. Image courtesy, the Oklahoma County Detention Center. Samuel Melton, a former choir teacher at Choctaw High School, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of sex crimes: four counts of first-degree rape by instrumentation, three counts of second-degree rape, four counts of sexual battery, and four counts of forcible oral sodomy. Meltons relationship with the victim started when she was 16-years-old. She has since graduated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case was originally being handled by the District Attorneys Office; however, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond took over after the family reached out for his involvement. Former OK pastor accused of child sex crimes violated bond, arrested again until trial, DA says I will not tolerate predators in our schools, Drummond said. Anyone who preys on children should be punished as harshly as possible especially those who have been entrusted with the education and care of our children. This teachers betrayal of that trust, and the abuse he inflicted on young Avery, is unconscionable. The sentence handed down today is the longest ever for a sexual predator in our schools, and I am proud to deliver this strong measure of justice on behalf of Avery and her family. As a father and a grandfather, I cannot imagine the suffering she and her family have endured. I commend her courage, and I pray for her healing. Melton entered a plea deal on Tuesday and will serve 17 years at the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and 25 years on probation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -William Burns, former CIA director and veteran U.S. diplomat, on Wednesday issued a scathing rebuke of the Trump administration's mass firings of federal workers, saying they are aimed at stifling dissenting views and will harm U.S. security. "Under the guise of reform, you all got caught in the crossfire of a retribution campaign - of a war on public service and expertise," Burns wrote in a "Letter to America's Discarded Public Servants" published in The Atlantic magazine. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burns was CIA director under Democratic former President Joe Biden, and a foreign service officer. He served three Democratic and three Republican presidents. His career included stints as U.S. ambassador to Russia and deputy secretary of State. Taking aim at U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping purge of federal workers, including State Department staff and U.S. intelligence officers, Burns said that civil servants recognize the need for serious government reforms. "But there is a smart way and a dumb way to tackle reform, a humane way and an intentionally traumatizing way," he said. "This is not about reform. It's about retribution. It's about breaking people and breaking institutions by sowing fear and mistrust throughout our government." "That's what autocrats do," Burns said. "They cow public servants into submission, and in doing so, they create a closed system that is free of opposing views and inconvenient concerns." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burns cited Russian President Vladimir Putin's "foolish decision" to launch his February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine as an example of how an absence of dissenting policy views led to "catastrophic" results for the Kremlin. The threat to the U.S. "is not from an imaginary 'deep state' bent on" undermining Trump, he wrote, but "a weak state...no longer able to uphold the guardrails of our democracy or help the United States compete in an unforgiving world." (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by David Gregorio) A former prison guard has been convicted of raping an incarcerated woman while working at the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. Uzochukwu Chinweze, 45, was found guilty of rape and two counts of sexual misconduct after a one-day trial. The charges stemmed from two assaults against one inmate. At some point in late June or early July 2023, Chinweze groped the inmate in the kitchen area of her housing unit, which was reserved for inmates with mental illnesses and suicidal ideation. Later that week, she said Chinweze told her to go to a mop closet on the same unit where he then raped her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the rape, the woman told Chinweze that she'd missed her menstrual cycle, and he put in his two weeks' notice. His last day of work at the prison was July 20, 2023. The woman reported the assaults in November 2023. When asked why she didn't come forward earlier, she said she'd been scared that she'd be moved to another prison. Investigators examined surveillance video and found that on July 5, 2023, Chinweze unlocked the door of the mop closet at 9:52 p.m. The woman entered the closet at 11:22 p.m. and Chinweze followed behind her three minutes later. Both were in the closet together for about three minutes. The woman told investigators that while she was housed on the unit for women with mental illness, Chinweze would follow her around, comment on her apperance, and ask her to walk around without a bra. She said he would take her to a "blind spot" a place out of view of surveillance cameras for some encounters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The abuse persisted even though she would loudly tell him to stop, she said. At one point, Chinweze showed her that a picture of her was his cellphone's background. On Jan. 10, 2024, police spoke with Chinweze. He said he couldn't remember the woman who made the allegations, but had a good relationship with inmates generally. When told that there was video footage of the two entering the closet at the same time, Chinweze stated "maybe she just had a dream." He said he found people in closets often but didn't enter them with anybody else. Chinweze is the second former correctional officer to be found guilty of raping women inside the Indiana Women's Prison in the past year. On Oct. 31, 2024, Gbenga Afolabi was found guilty of rape, intimidation, sexual misconduct and official misconduct after forcing four women to have sex with him. Afolabi was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinweze's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15. Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Former correctional officer convicted for raping inmate As an avid Criminal Minds-watcher, I've always wondered what it was actually like to work as an FBI agent. CBS A while back, Reddit user mr_squirell asked, "FBI/CIA agents of Reddit, whats something that you can tell us without killing us?" Here's what they said: Note: Obviously we cant confirm all of these stories, but these people are supposedly speaking from their own experiences as alleged government employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1."I worked with a woman who was a former NSA. We would always beg her to tell us stuff, but she never did. The one thing she did say, though, was that during training, they show them a video of a bunch of things they've found out about and stopped. She said she hardly slept for two weeks after watching that." jseego 2."My dad worked for GCHQ in the '80s doing voice recognition, and he can't say anything more for another decade. The technology used that lets Siri and Alexa recognize you today was also being used in the '80s... Just a bit slower..." arabidopsis Related: 20 Of The Greatest, Most Wholesome Posts From The Internet This Week That You've Gotta Read Right Now If You're In Need Of A Mood-Booster Domoyega / Getty Images 3."I was an analyst, not an agent/officer. 85% of all classified material is classified because of how it was collected, not because it is juicy/useful. Yes, your boss and co-workers said that stuff about you." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ben70 4."We are all told never to use sites like Reddit. Social media in general is pretty much a no-go." Throwaway93ee90299 Michelle Brittain / Getty Images 5."An ex-Company man once told me that the movie Get Smart was more accurate than James Bond." spiff2268 6."I talked with some CIA recruiters towards the end of college and almost applied earnestly after a large group Q&A and then a much smaller one. The thing that stuck out to me was that the guys said most CIA agents are out of shape and have limited combat training with guns or hand-to-hand. They made it clear that its the military that uses force. If confronted, they were trained to immediately surrender or to drop their bags and run if possible." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement dring157 Andrii Lysenko / Getty Images Related: "My Alarm Bells Were Going Off": People Are Sharing Their Wildest "I Fing Knew It" Moments That Prove You Should ALWAYS Trust Your Gut 7."If you go through the FBI interview process, it takes a while. Chances are, you're going to have to spend some time working on crimes against children, which is really tough, and most people don't want to do it." thermobollocks 8."My dad worked for the government, and he told me that any time he had a meaningful interaction with someone who wasn't American (i.e. going over to my friend's house for Lunar New Year or going on vacation to Canada), he had to report it all, and if he saw anything suspicious." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AudiKitty "Yep. I went through a clearance upgrade and got asked about a couple of people that I know through friends who I didnt include on my paperwork and if I knew their background." derpyfox Ablokhin / Getty Images 9."I worked with the Australian Federal police with the spider squad doing 'computer stuff' for them in regards to pedophiles and finding trafficking victims. It was the most heartbreaking work, but when you got the pedophiles, the office looked like NASA after a Mars landing." dr_m_a_dman "I don't know if I'm allowed to say, but a mentor who definitely wasn't supposed to tell me used to be a white hat for the FBI. Apparently, all he did was search for pedophiles by tracking child sexual abuse images. He said he didn't stay for very long because it was messing with his mental health." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement mastershow05 10."My spouse is an FBI agent. One of the things they had to do at the FBI Academy was go to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC. The lesson was what can happen if you blindly follow orders without ever questioning the morality/intent behind them. I found that pretty compelling, and I was glad to hear that it's part of their training." bukunothing Related: 24 "I'm So Self-Centered And Oblivious" Screenshots That Are Pure Entitlement Domoyega / Getty Images/iStockphoto 11."Not an FBI or CIA officer, but my sister is a district attorney, and over the years, she has prosecuted a number of animal-cruelty cases. This led to her having an ongoing partnership with the FBI for the last several years. It turns out the FBI started tracking animal abuse cases about 10-15 years ago due to the incredibly high correlation between abusing animals when you're young and becoming a serial violent offender as an adult." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TheDongerNeedsFood 12."I have a relative who retired from the NSA a few years ago. She has talked about a few things in generalities, nothing specific. Among them: Alcoholism in general is rife in the agency. When you cannot speak to anyone outside the agency about your work, it becomes nearly impossible to confide in anyone close to you. Even if you have close work friends or family, you have to be careful what you say because not everyone is read into every program. Two people can sit next to each other in the same office, working on the same subject for months, and never talk about it with each other, even though theyre close friends outside the agency. So people turn to the bottle. Her husband worked for a different government agency and also had a Top Secret-SCI clearance, but she couldnt talk about her work with him (nor could he with her, but his didnt involve the intelligence community)." NetworkLlama Anna Clopet / Getty Images 13."Want to work for them? Prepare to do a fair amount of paper work. The form will ask for each of your employer's contact information, contact information of friends, your history of addresses, etc. They will then send an agent to interview a number of these people. Next, you have to take a psychological exam and be interviewed by a psychologist. Finally, you'll have one last interview with a polygraph and a professional lie detector." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sw0rDz 14."The agency employs psychiatrists who are cleared to be read into almost any program. Going to them, though, is often seen as a mark of shame among other agency employees, so they are not used nearly as often as they should be." NetworkLlama Ignatiev / Getty Images Related: 33 "Brutal Truths" Men Say They Could NEVER Reveal To Women's Faces 15."Properly secret programs and operations are never named in any way that indicates what they are actually about. They're generally just two words chosen at random and that would rarely come up in normal conversation, stuff like 'Cracked Gorilla' (which I just made up off the top of my head)." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement xxkoloblicinxx 16."I applied to be an accountant at the FBI out of college. On the first or second page of the application, it asks if you have ever done any illegal drug. Not wanting to lie, I said yes, and it immediately ended the application process. It's shocking to me that there are so many FBI agents, and absolutely none of them have ever smoked weed." scotchglass22 OneMoreImage / Getty Images 17.And finally, "Anyone who is a US citizen can apply to join the CIA. It isn't that hard. If you have any kind of degree in computer science, statistics, engineering, or accounting, and don't have anything that would mess up your getting a clearance, getting a job would be relatively easy there. Working at the CIA is far more boring than you would think." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Intrepid-Client9449 Responses have been edited for length/clarity. So, to all the former FBI and CIA workers out there. What are some other secrets you can share about the job? Let us know in the comments below. Or, if you prefer to remain anonymous, share your submission in the form below. Also in Internet Finds: These 15 Hilarious Internet Fails From Last Week Made Me Laugh So Hard I Shed A Single Tear Also in Internet Finds: "He Would Squeeze People's Hands When He Shook Them": 26 Incredibly Chilling Stories From People Who Knew Murderers Also in Internet Finds: "My Alarm Bells Were Going Off": People Are Sharing Their Wildest "I Fing Knew It" Moments That Prove You Should ALWAYS Trust Your Gut Read it on BuzzFeed.com A former London Police officer has filed a civil lawsuit alleging that London city leadership ignored harassment within the police department and later damaged his reputation through the release of an audio recording and related actions. The complaint was filed by attorney Brandon Voelker on behalf of Jared Hale against Mayor Randall Weddle, in his official capacity, and the City of London on August 14 in Laurel Circuit Court. The case has been assigned to Laurel Circuit Judge Michael Caperton. The complaint sets out five claims: defamation (including per se), false light, sexual and religious harassment under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, violations of free speech and association rights, and retaliation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the complaint, Hale a lifelong Laurel County resident hired as an officer in December 2021 alleges repeated sexual and religious harassment in 20232024 by then-Captain Travis Couch, including graphic remarks about Hales fiancee, now his wife, and a demonstration using child sex-crime victim dolls. The complaint states that other command staff were present, including Lieutenant Drew Jackson and Chief Chuck Johnson, and that Hale believes then-Major and current Acting Chief Bobby Day was also in attendance. It continues: None of the Command Staff reported the harassment as required by policy, even though many are still employees of the City of London. The filing also alleges that the city clerk at the time advised both Weddle and City Attorney Larry Bryson of Couchs conduct shortly after Weddle took office in January 2023. Hale claims neither official acted to address the problem, and harassment continued. The lawsuit further claims that Weddle unlawfully released an unredacted audio recording between Hale and Judge-Executive David Westerfield, leading to threats against Hale and his family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suit includes exhibits of comments under social media posts, with Hale also saying he received direct messages. Hale was later placed on administrative leave on January 9 as a result of the call, and returned to duty on January 21. The memo regarding Hales leave states that he was placed on leave pending the outcome of an administrative inquiry regarding a phone call with County Judge-Executive David Westerfield on Dec. 24, 2024. This call came the day after the fatal officer-involved shooting of Doug Harless in his home on Dec. 23, 2024. While officials told him the leave was for his protection due to threats, the complaint alleges the threats existed only because Weddle had allegedly released the audio. The complaint also highlights a June 9 open records request by The Sentinel-Echo seeking to identify London officers placed on leave since December 2024. While the city denied the request at the time, citing officer safety and privacy, Hale notes that Bryson later confirmed to the newspaper that Hale had been placed on leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filing notes that the Kentucky Attorney General upheld the citys denial in decision 25-ORD-185, stating that releasing the officers name could prompt public scrutiny and threats and emphasizing that Hale had not been charged with wrongdoing. Hale alleges he was not afforded those protections and was instead used as a pawn to deflect attention from the officer-involved shooting. The complaint seeks substantial compensatory and punitive damages, recovery of litigation costs and attorneys fees, pre- and post-judgment interest, and other equitable relief, and demands a jury trial. When reached for comment, Weddle stated, Same lawyer filing another lawsuit, I think anyone with a brain can see whats going on. Efforts to contact Bryson, Couch, and Johnson were unsuccessful as of press time Tuesday. Chief Day directed The Sentinel-Echo to Attorney Jeff Mando, who represents London through the Kentucky League of Cities, for comment, however Mando had also not responded as of press time. Jackson later confirmed he would have said the same as Day. CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) Former Oklahoma Pastor James McMillan was arrested for a fourth time after the Cleveland County District Attorney says he violated his bond. According to an inmate list provided by the Cleveland County Detention Center, McMillan was arrested a fourth time, last Thursday, August 14. Oklahoma man sentenced to life for 2024 kidnapping, raping of Lyft driver Charges against McMillan. Image Cleveland County Detention Center James McMillan violated the conditions of his bond. After a brief hearing to determine if he violated the conditions of the bond, McMillan was taken back into custody and denied bond while he awaits trial. We are unaware of any additional violations of law that would result in additional charges. Cleveland County District Attorneys Office News 4 has been following allegations made against McMillan since he was first arrested last November for alleged sex crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents filed last week, his bond was revoked based on evidence and testimony, but whats not clear is whether the evidence is new or not. McMillan was arrested in November 2024 for three counts of Lewd Acts with a Child and one count of Conspiracy. He then bonded out of the Cleveland County Jail. Court documents detail complaints of sexual abuse. Investigators say he allegedly exposed himself to the victim and made inappropriate gestures while in the car together. He was taken into custody the next month, in December, for sending obscene pictures to a minor and was released because no charges had been filed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A man from Kansas came forward, saying his 14-year-old daughter told him McMillan sent her nude photo back in March 2023 via Snapchat. That father didnt want to be named, but told News 4 back in December, It was shocking. I mean, that would be the best way to put it. That claim was later proven to be true after agents with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics found the picture in his phone in December 2024. In January 2025, McMillan was then taken back to jail after the District Attorney decided to file charges. He was released again for posting bond. News 4 is not naming a specific church, but sources confirm McMillan preached in Slaughterville and Konowa. They say he left years ago and hasnt been back since. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We reached out to McMillans attorney and did not hear back. McMillan has an arraignment on October 8th, where he will plead guilty or not guilty. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a longtime confidante to Mayor Adams whos already under indictment on bribery accusations, is among a number of players from both inside and outside the administration expected to be hit with new corruption charges this week, according to sources familiar with the matter. Lewis-Martin, who remains close to Adams and served as his chief adviser at City Hall until she resigned in late 2024 ahead of her first indictment, has been summoned to appear in court Thursday to be arraigned on the new charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, her attorney, Arthur Aidala, confirmed. The district attorney has refused to provide any details about the charges, Aidala said. Despite a lifetime of service as a law-abiding public servant, Ingrid is being forced to enter court with little information. What she does know is this: she has always served the City with integrity, and she will firmly plead not guilty to every charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source familiar with the matter told the Daily News the new charges are expected to relate to freebies, like high-end dinners, that Lewis-Martin allegedly took from individuals in exchange for political favors. The source said the new charges are likely going to be separate from her existing bribery case, brought by Bragg in December, which alleged two real estate investors bribed her and her son, Glenn Martin II, in exchange for the City Hall adviser using her municipal powers to help them with Buildings Department permits and other issues. Another source said Lewis-Martin is expected to be indicted Thursday alongside her adult son and Jesse Hamilton, another longtime Adams ally who still serves as a deputy commissioner at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. Im assuming this has been in the works for darn near a year, that its bribery charges, Mark Pollard, Hamiltons lawyer, told The News, confirming he expects his client to be indicted Thursday. Martin II hung up the phone on a News reporter after being asked about potential new charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, Gina and Tony Argento, siblings who run television production company Broadway Stages and lobbied against the McGuiness Boulevard redesign project in Brooklyn, are expected to be indicted Thursday alongside Lewis-Martin, sources said. Gina Argentos attorney said hes convinced the new charges relate to his client and Lewis-Martins opposition to the McGuiness Boulevard project. The new charges come as Lewis-Martin has reemerged in Adams inner circle, playing an active role in his reelection effort, as first reported by The News in June. Running as an independent in Novembers mayoral election, Adams already faces long odds as he faces continued political fallout from his own federal corruption indictment, which was dismissed by President Trumps Justice Department as part of a controversial arrangement. Mayor Adams stands by [Lewis-Martins] decades of public service and remains confident that the truth will prevail, Adams campaign spokesman Todd Shapiro said in response to the forthcoming new charges. Ingrid has dedicated her life to the people of New York City, and she deserves the presumption of innocence and the support of those who know her best. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis-Martin resigned from her powerful post at City Hall just days before she was indicted the first time in December. She has pleaded not guilty in that bribery scheme, as have her son and the two businessmen, Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi. Lewis-Martin, a longtime close friend of the mayor who started working for him in the mid-2000s when he was a state senator, was indicted in December for allegedly using her influence to expedite construction projects on behalf of Vaid and Dwivedi, who in turn gave her professional DJ son $100,000 for a Porsche and pledged to invest in his business ventures. The Lewis-Martin investigation burst into the public spotlight in September 2024 when she had her electronic devices seized by investigators with the DAs office after landing at JFK Airport from a trip to Japan. Also on that trip was Hamilton, who helps oversee the city governments vast real estate portfolio, and Diana Boutross, a friend to Lewis-Martin who leads much of the citys commercial leasing as an executive at Cushman & Wakefield, a firm contracted by the city to spearhead the program. Both of their phones were seized by investigators, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators from Braggs office have for months been looking into Lewis-Martin, Boutross and Hamilton in connection with the city governments commercial leasing programs. The charges set to be unveiled Thursday do not appear related to that probe. Hamilton, who oversees the commercial leasing program in his role at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, has faced scrutiny for his work at the agency, including for pushing for Boutross to be the lead executive on Cushman & Wakefields contract with his agency. In October, the City Council convened a hearing to examine Hamiltons move to go back on a lease for the citys Department of Aging and instead give it to 14 Wall Street, a property owned by Alexander Rovt, a billionaire who has donated heavily to Adams. Hamilton skipped the hearing. The New York Times first reported Hamilton, the Argentos and Lewis-Martins adult son are also expected to indicted Thursday. It wasnt immediately clear what roles they played in the scheme expected to be alleged in the new charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Ciafone, Gina Argentos lawyer, wouldnt say Wednesday whether his client expects to face charges, but told The News that if there is an indictment it stems from her and her brothers stance against the McGuinness Boulevard redesign project in Brooklyn. Thats all I could tell you, this is pretty much based on their opposition to the road diet, thats what I could tell you, deciding to exercise their First Amendment rights, Ciafone said. The project pursued by the city Department of Transportation involved eliminating a car lane on McGuiness Boulevard in northern Brooklyn in order to turn it into a bike path. The Argentos, whose Broadway Stages company is headquartered on the boulevard, strenuously opposed the redesign, as did Lewis-Martin, who advocated inside the Adams administration for the project to be rolled back, eventually resulting in the DOT modifying the plan. Ciafone confirmed Gina Argentos phone was seized by DA investigators on the same day in September 2024 Lewis-Martins devices were confiscated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, George Stamboulidis and Artie McConnell, lawyers for Broadway Stages, attacked Bragg and called the charges against the Argentos, which were not public as of Wednesday evening, baseless. We are disappointed that the District Attorney has chosen to pursue this matter, ignoring the facts and the law and setting a dangerous precedent where legitimate business decisions and the exercise of First Amendment rights are being mischaracterized as criminal conduct, the lawyers said. NEW YORK Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the former chief adviser to Mayor Eric Adams whos under indictment on bribery accusations, is expected to be hit with more criminal charges Thursday, the Daily News has learned. Arthur Aidala, Lewis-Martins attorney, confirmed she will appear in court Thursday to be arraigned on the additional charges. The District Attorney has refused to provide any details about the charges, Aidala said. Despite a lifetime of service as a law-abiding public servant, Ingrid is being forced to enter court with little information. What she does know is this: she has always served the City with integrity, and she will firmly plead not guilty to every charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source told The News the new charges against Lewis-Martin may be unrelated to her already existing bribery case, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Braggs office declined to comment Wednesday. The new charges come months after Lewis-Martin was first charged in a bribery scheme involving two real estate investors accused of bribing her and her son in exchange for the top City Hall adviser securing official favors for them with the Department of Buildings. The new charges also come as Lewis-Martin, who resigned from City Hall late last year, is playing an active role in his reelection effort, as first reported by The News in June. Running as an independent in Novembers mayoral election, Adams already faces long odds as he faces continued political fallout from his own federal corruption indictment, which was dismissed by President Donald Trumps Justice Department as part of a controversial arrangement. Mayor Adams was not involved in this matter and has not been accused of or implicated in any wrongdoing, Kayla Mamelak, a spoksewoman for the mayor, said in response to word of Lewis-Martins forthcoming additional charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis-Martin resigned from her powerful post at City Hall just days before she was indicted. She has pleaded not guilty in the bribery scheme, as have her son and the two businessmen. Lewis-Martin, a longtime close friend of the mayor who started worked for him in the mid-2000s when he was a state senator, was indicted in December for allegedly using her influence to expedite construction projects on behalf of two business associates, who in turn gave her professional DJ son, Glen Martin II, $100,000 for a Porsche and pledged to invest in his business ventures. At a hearing in Lewis-Martins bribery case in March, Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Moore said a new grand jury had been convened to look at related matters. But Moore said he didnt expect the grand jury would be finished with anything in potential related matters involving Lewis-Martin and her co-defendants for at least two months. Lewis-Martin resigned from her powerful post at City Hall just days before she was indicted. She has pleaded not guilty in the bribery scheme, as have her son and the two businessmen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, Lewis-Martin had her electronic devices seized by investigators with the DAs office after landing at JFK Airport from a trip to Japan. Also on the trip were Department of Citywide Administrative Services Deputy Commissioner Jesse Hamilton, a top real estate official for the city, and Diana Boutross, a friend to Lewis-Martin who leads much of the citys commercial leasing as an executive at Cushman & Wakefield, a firm contracted by the city to spearhead the program. Both of their phones were seized by investigators, too. Separate from the bribery scheme ensnaring Lewis-Martins son, investigators from Braggs office have also for months been looking into her and other top Adams aides, including Hamilton, in connection with the city governments commercial leasing programs. Hamilton, who oversees the commercial leasing program in his role at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, has faced scrutiny for his work at the agency, including for pushing for Boutross to be the lead executive on Cushman & Wakefields contract with his agency. In October, the City Council convened a hearing to examine Hamiltons move to go back on a lease for the citys Department of Aging and instead give it to 14 Wall Street, a property owned by Alexander Rovt, a billionaire who has donated heavily to Adams. Hamilton skipped the hearing. October NY world sugar #11 (SBV25) today is down -0.13 (-0.79%), and October London ICE white sugar #5 (SWV25) is down -2.00 (-0.42%). Sugar prices today are weaker and fell to 1-week lows. The outlook for Brazil's sugar mills to boost sugar production at the expense of ethanol output is weighing on sugar prices. Covrig Analytics said today that Brazil's sugar mills are favoring sugar production over ethanol and have been crushing more cane for sugar, and that will likely continue as harvesting approaches its peak due to drier cane crops, which prompt the mills to make more sugar. More News from Barchart NY sugar rallied to a 2-month high last Tuesday on concerns over weaker cane yields in Brazil. Last Friday, Unica reported that Brazil's Center-South sugar output in the second half of July fell by -0.8% y/y to 3,614 MT, and the 2025-26 Center-South sugar output through July fell -7.8% y/y to 19,268 MT. The percentage of sugarcane crushed for sugar by Brazil's sugar mills in the second half of July increased to 54.10% from 50.32% the same time last year. Also, Conab, Brazil's government crop forecasting agency, said last month that 2024/25 Brazil sugar production fell by -3.4% y/y to 44.118 MMT, citing lower sugarcane yields due to drought and excessive heat. The outlook for higher sugar exports from India is negative for sugar prices after Bloomberg reported that India may permit local sugar mills to export sugar in the next season, which starts in October, as abundant monsoon rains may produce a bumper sugar crop. India's Meteorological Department reported today that cumulative monsoon rain in India was 611.2 mm as of August 18, or 1% above normal. Also, the Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association recently said that it will seek permission to export 2 MMT of sugar in 2025/26. The outlook for higher sugar production in India, the world's second-largest producer, is bearish for prices. On June 2, India's National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories projected that India's 2025/26 sugar production would climb +19% y/y to 35 MMT, citing larger planted cane acreage. That would follow a -17.5% y/y decline in India's sugar production in 2024/25 to a 5-year low of 26.2 MMT, according to the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA). A former Conservative MP has quit the party, branding it "impotent", and wants to stand in next May's Senedd election. Sarah Atherton, who lost her Wrexham seat at last July's general election, has said the Conservatives "no longer align with her values or ideology". She has not confirmed which party she would stand for but Atherton said she had "a lot still left to give" and hoped to continue her political career in Cardiff Bay, drawing on her experience in social work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Conservatives spokesperson said the party did not wish to comment on the matter. Having served as Wrexham MP from 2019 until she lost her seat in 2024, Atherton was parliamentary under-secretary of state for defence people, veterans and service families for a brief period in 2022. She was the first Conservative politician to represent the Wrexham constituency since its creation in 1918. Last year, Atherton said the Conservatives should "embrace" Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time her comments drew criticism from then-Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, who said the party's future "will not be found through the empty lens of Nigel Farage's pint glass". When asked by Newyddion S4C, Atherton said she had not joined Reform UK. The former Wrexham MP said she cannot stand for the Conservatives, citing the party's "configured selection process" which gives priority to sitting Members of the Senedd. Under Wales' new election map, 16 seats will each elect six members, chosen from party lists. Last month, former Conservative MS Laura Anne Jones defected to Reform UK, becoming its first member in the Senedd, following in the footsteps of former Welsh Secretary David Jones. FORT PAYNE, Ala. (WHNT) Fort Payne City Schools took to social media to address a possible threat made by a middle school student. Fort Payne City Schools Superintendent Brian Jett wrote that he wanted to make everyone aware of an incident that happened around 9 p.m. Tuesday. FPCS said the police and administration were made aware of an inappropriate and concerning social media post made by a student who attends Fort Payne Middle School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jett said the post contained what were first seen to be real handguns and a shotgun, but after an extensive investigation by FPCS administration and the Fort Payne Police Department, it was found out that the items were airsoft toys and not real weapons. However, there was also a threat made in the post. The student and parents were interviewed to help identify the origin of the post and the credibility of the threat. At this time there is no credible threats involving the Fort Payne City School System. We will follow board police and our code of conduct handbook when dealing with this type of situation, Jett wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. For the last decade, southeast Fort Worth has been represented in Congress by U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, a Democrat. Veasey has championed efforts to promote economic development there, a historically Black part of town that leaders have sought to revitalize after decades of economic disinvestment. Veasey has secured millions of federal dollars to aid those revitalization efforts, including dollars to build affordable housing and reinvigorate commercial corridors that have seen better days. Under a plan by Texas GOP lawmakers, Veaseys seat would be obliterated from Fort Worth. Black and Hispanic voters in the heart of Veaseys district in Fort Worth would be split between two districts that stretch away from the regions denser urban areas into neighboring rural counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ty Stimpson, a lawyer who chairs the Fort Worth Metro Black Chamber of Commerce, said he views the growth and success of minority-owned businesses and Black businesses as nonpartisan. But hes skeptical that a new representative could immediately have the know-how to continue Veaseys efforts. Whatever our politicians throw our small business owners and our Black business owners way, they will find a way to prevail and continue to excel and reach new heights, Stimpson said. But it is disheartening to see the work that so many people in the Black and Brown community have fought and advocated for be taken away. The proposed change in Fort Worth, the states newest city with more than 1 million people, is just one example of how the Republican push to redraw the states congressional maps isnt just a partisan move but one that deeply affects how Texans are represented in Congress. [How Texas mid-decade redistricting could affect voters in one Houston community] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the behest of President Donald Trump, Texas Republican lawmakers have sought to redraw the states congressional map to gin up the number of U.S. House seats held by Republicans. Under the proposed maps, districts that once primarily represented cities and suburbs that often swing Democratic would be broken up. These communities, made up of large populations of Black and Hispanic voters, would then be stitched to wide swaths of rural areas, effectively handing rural GOP primary voters greater control over who represents some of the states biggest cities in Congress. They're diluting the political influence of the disfavored Texans, the Texans they don't like, said Andrea Barreiro, associate professor of mathematics at Southern Methodist who studies redistricting. Those Texans tend to vote Democratic, they tend to be urban and they tend to belong to racial minorities. Gov. Greg Abbott called on Texas lawmakers to redraw the states congressional maps after the Department of Justice warned the state that four majority-minority districts in the Houston and Fort Worth areas were unconstitutionally racially gerrymandered. That warning came after Trump began pushing state legislators to redraw the voting maps and after the states lawyers argued in court that those maps are race blind. Critics have blasted that reasoning as nothing more than political and legal cover to justify redrawing the maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In redrawing the maps, Texas Republicans are effectively robbing constituents of representatives who have worked to improve their parts of the state, in some cases for more than two decades, Democrats, political observers and community groups argue. Navigating Congress and the federal government along with knowing the needs of localities, business leaders, neighborhoods and nonprofits in a district, isnt something that can be mastered in two years. Resetting the lines means huge swaths of Texans will lose clout in Washington, D.C. and may spur further discontentment with government. Regardless of whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, if you have that disconnect, what you end up with is a lot of people who do not feel well represented in Congress, said Jim Riddlesperger, a former political science professor at TCU. Lines can be shifted with remarkable precision, moving single neighborhoods between congressional districts. That was the case for a McAllen neighborhood, where U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democratic lawmaker, currently resides. The La Mansion neighborhood, located on the citys northeast side, sat in Texas 15th Congressional District until it was drawn into the 34th Congressional District in 2021, which Gonzalez now represents. The proposed changes would move that neighborhood back into the 15th. "It's like you're putting Hidalgo County under a scalpel and you're carving out all these little neighborhoods here and there," said Michael Mireles, director of community engagement for La Union Del Pueblo Entero, a nonprofit group that provides services and advocates for immigrants and low-income communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 15th Congressional District, which runs from Hidalgo County to south of Bexar, is represented by U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, an Edinburg Republican. It was a historically Democratic district until 2021 when it was redrawn to become more favorable for Republicans. The 34th Congressional District, held by Gonzalez, is attached to Cameron County and runs north to Nueces County. The new maps are intended to make the 34th a Republican-friendly district, too. It makes a dramatic difference whether one area falls within one district or the other, Mireles said. Groups like LUPE train voters and residents to engage with lawmakers. As a progressive organization, they have to employ different tactics to engage with Democrats and Republicans. For example, the organization has to spend more energy trying to convince De La Cruz to vote against measures like the One Big Beautiful Bill, the GOPs landmark tax and spending bill. The bill contained cuts to benefits like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program which residents in these two districts heavily rely on. Mirels said he wouldn't have to expend that effort with Gonzalez or whichever Democrat represented the 34th district, knowing they wouldn't vote for the bill. "Because I know that, I can reach out to my representative about other things that would have either changed the course of the bill or even just work on other priorities," Mireles said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a line on a congressional map shifts, it shakes up institutional knowledge and resets relationships between representatives and community leaders who advocate for local interests, observers said. Cities, business leaders, neighborhood associations and community groups have to rebuild relationships with a new representative to get their needs heard. Over time, representatives build up knowledge about the particular needs of their districts based on their socioeconomic makeup and the mix of industries within the district, among several other factors. If a rural lawmakers district now includes urban areas, they theoretically have to learn about those places and how best to represent them, said Mark Jones, a political scientist at Rice University. You're in a better shape when that representative has experience and where, for them, it's a priority, because that's a core part of their district, Jones said. The seat held by U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch, is completely contained within urban and suburban parts of Dallas and Collin counties. Under the proposed map, the urban-suburban portion of the district would be significantly condensed so it could contain wide swaths of rural East Texas. Johnson herself would no longer live in the district as drawn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That presents a few problems, Johnson said in an interview. For one, urban and rural areas have different and sometimes competing needs across a whole host of issues like housing costs, transportation infrastructure, workforce needs and healthcare access that would be difficult to balance. Now, Johnsons district is relatively compact. Its easier for her to make her away across the district, and for constituents to find her or her staff, she said. Under the new map, constituents on either side of the urban-rural divide would find it more difficult to access their representative, depending on who ultimately wins the seat. Obviously, members of Congress learn how to represent their districts in full, Johnson said. But it's just much more challenging for the member, and it's much more challenging for the constituents when the districts are spread out over hundreds of miles like this would be. Urban voters are particularly primed to lose out under the proposed maps. Texas major urban areas Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio-New Braunfels account for roughly 72% of the states economic output and fueled the states economic and population growth. But in keeping with a yearslong assault on the states bluer urban areas by state GOP lawmakers, those areas would see their influence diluted under the proposed maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The influence of the states urban areas in Congress is already watered down, but the proposed maps would further reduce that influence. If lawmakers only considered population when drawing congressional maps, urban areas representation in Congress would be much more concentrated, according to an analysis by Barreiro, the SMU professor. Dallas and Tarrant counties would have six districts contained entirely within their borders, her analysis shows. Instead, they have four and stand to lose one under the proposed maps. The proposed map would leave Fort Worth, which surpassed 1 million residents last year, with only one congressman based in the city as it booms, Stimpson noted. I think it's of greater concern to Fort Worth as a whole that we don't have, as a city, the representatives that call Fort Worth home, Stimpson, the chair of Fort Worths Black chamber, said. Harris County, the states most populous urban county, should also have six seats that sit entirely within the county, her analysis shows. It has three, a number Republicans want to take down to two. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have to have healthy cities to have a healthy economy, said Annise Parker, a former Houston Mayor running for Harris County judge. But if you create districts where, in order to get reelected, the elected officials are beholden to rural and suburban voters, and they begin to neglect the needs of those urban areas, that economic engine begins to stutter and the things that those urban areas need to draw prosper don't get funded. More all-star speakers confirmed for The Texas Tribune Festival, Nov. 1315! This years lineup just got even more exciting with the addition of State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo; former United States Attorney General Eric Holder; Abby Phillip, anchor of CNN NewsNight; Aaron Reitz, 2026 Republican candidate for Texas Attorney General; and State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin. Get your tickets today! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. (WETM) Four people, including one woman from Elmira, were seen by a federal judge in August after being arrested on several felony charges relating to a child exploitation case, according to information from the US Attorneys Office. Grace Balthazor, 33, of Elmira, Devin LaValley, 27, of Burlington, New York, Melissa McDougal, 29, of Altmar, New York, and Roxanne Clark, 43, of Bristol, Vermont, were seen in federal court on the following charges: LaVelley: Conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child sex abuse material, and distribution of child sex abuse material McDougal: Conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and distribution of child sex abuse material. Balthazor: Conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, and sexual exploitation of a child. Clark: Receipt of child sex abuse material. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NYSP: Two arrested on child sex assault charges involving 1-year-old girl in Elmira The charges stem from three criminal complaints that alleged that LaVelley worked with McDougal and separately with Balthazor to video the sexual abuse of two minor children. Following the recording, the defendants exchanged videos of the abuse over the internet, the US Attorneys Office said. The criminal complaints said that LaValley later sent some of the material to Clark through a social networking application. The charges carry an array of time in federal prison, with the conspiracy and sexual exploitation charges carrying a term between 15 and 30 years. The charges of receipt and distribution of child sex abuse material each carry a term between five and 20 years in federal prison. Along with prison time, each charge carries a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of parole of a least five years to life. All defendants will be required to register as sex offenders upon their release from prison if sentenced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.(WAVY) Two adults and two children are displaced following a fire Tuesday afternoon. According to officials, crews were called to the 3600 block of Campion Ave just after 1 p.m. for the report of a residential structure fire. When crews arrived, they found light smoke coming from the roof of the two-story structure. Courtesy-VBFD Courtesy-VBFD Courtesy-VBFD Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crews quickly put water on the fire and marked it out at 1:26 p.m. The Red Cross is assisting those displaced with temporary housing. No one was injured. The cause and origin of the fire is 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 WAVY.com. The IDF has launched an investigation to understand why the soldiers collected the grenade instead of detonating it on-site. Four IDF soldiers were lightly injured in an explosion in southern Syria, the IDF confirmed on Wednesday. The IDF unit, which was carrying out operational activities in the Syrian Golan area, identified a hand grenade lying in the area it was scanning. The soldiers collected the grenade, which exploded while in their possession, injuring four members of the force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Israeli Air Force helicopter evacuated the injured to Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, and they were released later in the afternoon. The IDF has launched an investigation to understand why the soldiers collected the grenade instead of detonating it on-site. Israel and Syria continue to work toward de-escalation Israel and Syrian representatives reportedly met in Paris on Tuesday to discuss bolstering stability and de-escalating the ongoing conflict in southern Syria. According to Syria's state news agency SANA, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met an Israeli delegation and discussed the possible reactivation of the 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria that created a United Nations buffer zone in the Golan Heights. It was the second meeting between the two sides in the French capital in less than a month after they agreed in July to continue talks after no final accord was reached on de-escalating tensions in southern Syria. Reuters contributed to this report. This is a developing story. (PUEBLO, Colo.) Four out of five food trucks selected to take part in the 2025 Governors Plate competition at the Colorado State Fair are from Pueblo. According to the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), this year, chefs have been asked to feature Colorado-grown sweet corn or honey produced in the Centennial State. While Governor Jared Polis wont be able to attend this years competition, a guest judge and popular chef from Colorado Springs will take his seat. While I would have loved to judge this years competition, my fifth in a row, the competition is in good hands thanks to Chef Brother Luck, who will be stepping in as guest judge for this years event, said Gov. Polis. Brother Luck has helped to shape Colorados food scene and champion Colorado cuisine on the national and international stage. CDA: The following food trucks will take part in the competition Mother Smothers (Pueblo) is serving a Pueblo green chile cheesy and creamy corn dip served with corn chips. Stoke Pizza (Pueblo) is creating a wood-fired pizza made with ingredients from local Colorado farmers, including Colorado Proud honey. MunchKings (Pueblo) will be making an enchilada featuring corn tortillas topped with an award-winning green chile. Mollie & Co (Pueblo) will enter the competition with a honey-sweetened green chile and peach ice cream served with dark chocolate. MC2 Ice Cream Truck (Arvada) is making a honey-goat cheese cheesecake ice cream swirled with freeze-dried corn streusel, served in a honey cornbread cone and finished with shattered Pine Nut brittle and Bing cherry pearls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chef Brother Luck will award the Governors Plate to the winner, while the crowd will crown the Peoples Choice Award. Tickets to the event, which will take place at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at the State Fairs PB&T Bank Pavilion, can be purchased by clicking here. According to CDA, competing food trucks must be registered members of Colorado Proud, which focuses on locally grown, raised and processed food and agricultural products. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. Four young girls aged 8 to 14 were rescued from a rock in Lake Superior after a paddleboarding incident. On the morning of Sunday, 17 August, around 8 am, Minnesota authorities received a call from two concerned parents saying that their four daughters were missing. The four girls had set out from the city of Black Beach in Silver Bay and had gotten stranded on a small island when they lost their paddles. Once they were found by the Coast Guard, they were airlifted from the rock and transferred to Emergency Medical Services nearby. The four sisters are now recovering. NEED TO KNOW Fox News' Bret Baier was seen getting ticketed for distracted driving in D.C. in footage shared a week after the Trump administration took over the city's law enforcement Baier claimed he picked up his phone while driving past an officer, resulting in the ticket Trump federalized the D.C. police and brought in the National Guard in response to an alleged "public safety emergency," though local crime data contradicts his statement Fox News anchor Bret Baier was ticketed in Washington, D.C., amid President Donald Trump's overhaul of the city's police. One week after the president seized control of the Metropolitan Police Department a move he claimed would help to fight crime and target the city's homeless population Baier, 55, was seen getting a ticket for distracted driving by an MPD officer. Roy Rochlin/Getty; Mollaan Babbington Group of COMPASS via Storyful Fox News' Bret Baier gets a ticket in Washington, D.C. Fox News' Bret Baier gets a ticket in Washington, D.C. The Special Report host explained in a post on X that he picked up his phone as he drove past an officer in Georgetown, resulting in the ticket. As in much of the rest of the United States, it is illegal to use a cellphone while simultaneously driving in Washington, unless hands-free technology is being used. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I didn't know there was paparazzi," Baier added at the end of his message. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Members of the National Guard patrol at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 14, 2025 Members of the National Guard patrol at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 14, 2025 After the president announced his administration's takeover of Washington, D.C., law enforcement on Aug. 11, the Metropolitan Police Department fell under federal control. Attorney General Pam Bondi was put in charge of the D.C. police, and Trump warned he was ready to deploy other military forces "if needed." The capital takeover prompted widespread protests, confrontations at ICE checkpoints and further curfews. Although the citizen response is largely negative, the Trump administration has expressed satisfaction with how the takeover is unfolding. Trump claimed the move was in response to a "public safety emergency," despite local crime data showing otherwise. The president has accused city officials of falsifying data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Washington, D.C., takeover was initially planned to be 30 days long, though Trump has expressed desire to extend the period and apply the same methods in other U.S. cities. "Our whole country is going to be so different and so great," Trump said on Aug. 13. "It's going to be clean and safe and beautiful, and people are going to love our flag more than they've ever loved it. And we're going to do a great job." Read the original article on People Fox News personality Dana Perino was adamant on Tuesdays episode of The Five that she gets what the joke is with Gavin Newsoms parodies of Donald Trump social media posts. She thinks its just not funny. Newsom has recently started doing ALL CAPS parodies of Donald Trumps social media posts, only from his own POV, which has drawn a lot of attention to the California governor. On Monday, Perino dismissed Newsoms efforts to mock the president and promote his own agenda in this way, saying in part that he is making a fool of yourself, stop it, and that he has to be a little bit more serious if he wants to be President of the United States. More from TheWrap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Setting aside the fact that the current president didnt have to be a little bit more serious to get his job, people mocked Perino for those comments, accusing her among other things of not getting the joke. And so it is on Tuesdays The Five she waded into it again. Californias got a huge amount of problems. And if you think about Mamdani, his authenticity is what rocketed him to the top. And now you have Cuomo trying to copy him, and its just cringe. And that was my point. Is that if youre doing this and its not authentic and youre trying to do somebody else who you say is Hitler and you think that we dont get the joke, oh no, we get the joke, its just not funny, Perino said in part. Watch part of that below: Perino: You think we don't get the joke we get the joke. It's just not funny. pic.twitter.com/7eRGfpmG0Z Acyn (@Acyn) August 19, 2025 Shortly after the episode aired, Newsom clapped back with another Trump parody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DANA DING DONG PERINO (NEVER HEARD OF HER UNTIL TODAY!) IS MELTING DOWN BECAUSE OF ME, GAVIN C. NEWSOM! FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICAS MOST FAVORITE GOVERNOR (RATINGS KING) SAVING AMERICA WHILE TRUMP CANT EVEN CONQUER THE BIG STAIRS ON AIR FORCE ONE ANYMORE!!! TRUMP HAS LOST HIS STEP AND FOX IS LOSING IT BECAUSE WHEN I TYPE, AMERICA NOW WINS!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. GCN, Newsom said. Well keep you updated if this disagreement goes into day three. Meanwhile, Newsom explained last week in a press conference what his strategy is. I hope its a wakeup call. The President of the United States Im sort of following his example. And if youve got issues with what Im putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns about what hes putting out as president, he said in part. He continued: So to the extent its gotten some attention, Im pleased. But I think the deeper question is: How have we allowed the normalization of his tweets, Truth Social posts over the course of the last many years to go without similar scrutiny and notice? The post Fox News Dana Perino Insists Newsoms Trump Trolling Is Cringe and Just Not Funny | Video appeared first on TheWrap. By Marco Aquino LIMA (Reuters) -Peru hopes to increase agricultural investment with a significant reduction in income tax for large export companies, the sector's minister told Reuters on Monday. The Peruvian Congress last week passed a law that reduces income tax to 15% from the current 29.5% for large agricultural exporters over the next 10 years. Medium-sized businesses would pay 1.5% income tax, while small businesses would be exempt from the tax. Peru expects agricultural sales to surpass mining, considered the country's economic engine, by 2050. Peru is the world's third-largest copper producer. "This will allow us to attract investment," said Agriculture Minister Angel Manero in a telephone interview, of the new law. The country recorded $12.8 billion in agricultural exports last year, and Manero expects increased fruit shipments to drive sales to about $15 billion by 2025. The star product of Peruvian agricultural exports is blueberries, which are exported primarily to the United States and Europe. Minister Manero also highlighted the sharp increase in sales of table grapes, avocados, cocoa, and mangos. Peru has a portfolio of approximately $24 billion in largely public-private irrigation projects to expand its agricultural area, primarily on the country's coast, to more than 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres). Manero said that eight projects worth $11 billion have been launched from that portfolio. Manero noted that the next market to conquer is India, with which a free trade agreement is expected to be signed this year. Peru last week announced a new trade deal with Indonesia. (Marco Aquino ReportEditing by Marguerita Choy) Fox Newshost Dana Perino attempted to defend her pearl-clutching towardCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsoms trend oftrolling tweets on Tuesdays episode ofThe Five. But doing so required her to ignore the reason for the governors recent mockery of Donald Trumps social media style and insist Newsom is just being a copycat. Newsom has recently been mocking MAGA by mimicking the presidents all-caps online posts, complete with insults and ludicrously narcissistic praise of himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the process, Trump lovers like Kid Rock have gotten themselves in a MAGA tizzy over the posts. On Monday, Perino suggested with a straight face that Newsom has to stop it with the Twitter thing, claiming he was making a fool of himself in the process. Many people on social media mocked Perinos complaints about Newsoms posts because many of them are direct copies of previous Trump posts. As a result, she faced accusations of hypocrisy and having a partisan double standard where mean tweets are concerned. Related: FDA Warns Against Eating Possible Radioactive Shrimp Sold At Walmart Newsoms Press Office responded with an all-caps post that began, DANA DING DONG PERINO (NEVER HEARD OF HER UNTIL TODAY!) IS MELTING DOWN BECAUSE OF ME, GAVIN C. NEWSOM! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perino attempted to defend her pearl-clutching by saying, We get the joke, though her excuse required her to be humorless. Related: Condescending P***k: JD Vances Zelenskyy-Oval Office Anecdote Backfires Online He was reading tweets that were written for him by people that he is heavily investing in to try to help him look more like Trump, I guess, she said. I mean, I thought they hated Trump, but theyre trying to be more like him and they have to pay people to do it. She also insisted that the problem she had with Newsoms posts is that they werent authentic. She added: Youre trying to do somebody else who you say is Hitler, and you think that we dont get the joke. Oh, no, we get the joke. Its just not funny. Perino: You think we don't get the joke -- we get the joke. It's just not funny. pic.twitter.com/7eRGfpmG0Z Acyn (@Acyn) August 19, 2025 Perinos co-host, Jesse Watters, also seemed a bit miffed at Newsom for following the lead of the GOPs fearless leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They claim conservatives dont get the joke, we do we just think you look like a tool, he said without irony. Watters: They claim conservatives don't get the joke, we dowe just think you look like a tool. pic.twitter.com/xmQWZDkO97 Acyn (@Acyn) August 19, 2025 Both Perino and Watters lame defenses of their partisan double standards were mocked by others on social media. They are not getting the joke. They are still not discussing the fact that it's completely inappropriate in the first place for Trump to be posting like this. Which was the entire point of the exercise. Matthew Spira (@MatthewSpira) August 20, 2025 LOL they don't know how to respond to it all they are IN DISARRAY Scott Dworkin (@funder) August 19, 2025 Grown ass people boot licking an obese orange messiah is the joke and its funny af. Warren (@swd2) August 19, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not a joke! Its a reflection. And no, its not funny. Thats the point. The Dr. - s Educated Women (@gatesisthedevil) August 19, 2025 To MAGA in simple English: Newsoms tweets are funny and witty, because they show how Trumps tweets look and sound stupid in the eye of people smarter than you. pic.twitter.com/t3UdMbGS34 Mao Tse Trump (@JeanPascalMorin) August 19, 2025 So Trump is a tool then @JesseBWatters? These people cant help but dunk on themselves Lib Dunk (@libdunkmedia) August 19, 2025 So to be clear. Watters thinks democrats look like a tool for doing exactly what Trump does Michael Jones (@BahlestKimmie) August 19, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact that theyve spent so much airtime on this and defending themselvez against the efforts claims they care a lot more about it than they lead on. Do you even ack the fly when you flick it from your shoulder? Brian Reynolds (@breynoldz) August 19, 2025 Commentator discovers that whether something is funny is often based on whether its pointed at you or at someone else. Jason C (@jasonc_nc) August 19, 2025 Related... Read the original on HuffPost Shortly after Donald Trump brazenly declared himself a war hero on Tuesday despite famously never serving in the military former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger derided the presidents remarks before noting that his people are going to find a way to justify this. It didnt take long for Mark Levin to answer that challenge. YES, TRUMP IS A WAR HERO, the Fox News host who also serves on the presidents Homeland Security Advisory Council tweeted on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was on Levins radio show where the president delivered his self-declaration of heroism in battle, which was in the context of Trump and Levin an outspoken supporter of Israel lauding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Describing the Israeli leader as a good man who is in there fighting, Trump went on to praise Netanyahu as a war hero before bestowing that title upon himself. Fox News host Mark Levin says the president is right to call himself a war hero despite never serving in uniform. (AFP via Getty Images) Hes a war hero, cause we worked together, hes a war hero, Trump said while chuckling. I guess I am, too. Nobody cares, but I am, too. You know, I sent those planes. The president was referring to the United States joining Israel in its military air campaign against Iran in June, which resulted in American bombers striking three critical nuclear enrichment facilities. Throughout the interview, the president grumbled that he hadnt been given enough credit for the airstrikes which hes repeatedly claimed obliterated Irans nuclear capabilities or other foreign policy accomplishments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Let me educate the truly stupid in the grotesquely moronic media and their crackpot surrogates, since President Trump made the war hero comments on my radio show last evening, Levin posted on X amid criticism of Trumps claiming to be a war hero. Levin, who privately advised Trump to take military action against Iran and raged against MAGA critics of the airstrikes, went on to justify his position by citing past presidents and their achievements as commander-in-chief. There are lots of presidents who are war heroes who did not actually fight in a war. Reagan defeated the Soviet Union, the conservative pundit continued. War hero. FDR defeated the Axis powers. War hero. Lincoln won the Civil War. War hero. Trump destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities and everything with them -- which Bush 41 and 43, Clinton, Obama, and Biden said they would prevent, but failed to do. Trump stopped Iran's nuclear threat to the United States in its tracks. He gave the order. He is the commander-in-chief. War hero. Additionally, Levin also defended the presidents description of Netanyahu as a war hero. Unlike Trump, who never served in uniform, Netanyahu was a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces who fought in both the Yom Kippur War and the 1967-1970 War of Attrition, and was injured several times in combat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AND congratulations to President Trump for also recognizing Prime Minister Netanyahu as a war hero. He most certainly is, Levin blared on X. Now, back to the quislings and Hamas/Iran mouthpieces in the media and their crackpot surrogates. President Donald Trump referred to both himself and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as war heroes during a recent interview and sparked immediate backlash. (AFP via Getty Images) The International Criminal Court, meanwhile, has accused Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, issuing an arrest warrant for him and Israels former defense minister Yoav Gallant last November. Israel has slammed those allegations, and the United States has backed Netanyahu by imposing sanctions on several of the courts judges in retaliation. As for Trumps self-annointing himself as a war hero, Kinzinger who served in the Air National Guard and flew missions in Iraq and Afghanistan pointed out that the president declined the opportunity to don the uniform when he had the chance. You can like what hes done. Thats fine. I hope he gets a resolution in Ukraine, Kinzinger said Tuesday night during a CNN interview. But to put himself on the same level of people that have actually gone out and served this country, not claimed bone spurs, is an offense to anybody who served. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kinzinger was referencing the multiple deferments that Trump received during the Vietnam War, one of which was for having bone spurs while the others were for attending college. And frankly, you just take somebody that served, calling themselves a war hero, even that would be inappropriate. For a guy that never served to say it, its nuts, he added. But somebody, theyll defend it, theyll find a way. Beyond that, early in Trumps first campaign for president, he infamously mocked the late Sen. John McCains service during the Vietnam War, which saw the former Navy pilot held captive and tortured for nearly six years in the notorious prison camp known as the Hanoi Hilton. He's not a hero, Trump exclaimed in 2015, sparking intense backlash at the time. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people that werent captured, OK? I hate to tell you that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his first term, Trump also came under fire after The Atlantic reported that during a 2018 trip to France, he scrapped plans to attend the commemoration for the 100th anniversary of World War I at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, fearing his hair would be mussed because of expected rain. Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers, Trump reportedly said, adding later that Marines who died in battle were suckers. While the president has repeatedly denied he said that, calling it disinformation and fake news, his then-chief of staff John Kelly a former commander of U.S. Southern Command who lost his son in Afghanistan insisted Trump did make those remarks. Florida Power & Light announced a proposed settlement in its rate case Wednesday evening, putting forth a deal that it hopes will decide the future of roughly 12 million Floridians electricity bills. The companys initial base rate hike request was nearly $10 billion over four years, the highest in American history, with a rate of shareholder profit at 11.9% that would have been the highest in the nation. The proposed new figures: almost $7 billion, with a rate of shareholder profit at 10.95% still among the highest nationwide. Base rates are a major component of electric bills, which also include other charges for things like fuel and storm recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The settlement is a proposed agreement between Florida Power & Light and some of the groups that intervened in the rate case, including a federation of retail companies, industrial corporations and Walmart. Settlements are negotiated behind closed doors and then presented to utility regulators for approval. The Legislature-appointed consumer advocate is not supporting the settlement. Regulators can still approve it without his buy-in. In a statement, Florida Power & Light CEO Armando Pimentel called the settlement a win for all FPL customers and a win for Florida. Residential customers would see the lowest increase of all customer types, the company said. The settlement still includes a version of a tax mechanism that the public counsel previously argued amounts to double-charging customers in order to pad profits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Large companies would also get credits on their monthly bills according to their energy usage during peak times, paid for by all customers. In a filing in opposition to the settlement Wednesday, pro-resident groups said the proposal grants breaks to big businesses, while residents and small businesses foot higher costs. Once again, Florida Power & Light Company has made a golden deal for itself and used levers of settlement to grant unjustified concessions to its largest customers, like Walmart, in the form of gratuitous bill credits and unjustified cost shifting, paid for by the residential and small business customers of the State of Florida, read the filing, submitted by businesses. In a settlement, there is normally give and take. In this case, there is no give just take. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FPL consultant says a rolling blackout likely next year without rate hike According to technical paperwork filed alongside the settlement, both big businesses and residents would see smaller increases on their 2026 bills under this agreement compared to what the company first proposed, although the percentage reductions for large corporations are greater. But hikes for small businesses went in the opposite direction. Their base rate increase for next year more than tripled Florida Power & Lights original ask. Walt Trierweiler, the public counsel, said in an emailed statement that he still wants regulators to allow for extensive public hearings where opponents to the settlement can grill witnesses and dissect the utilitys argument. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida Power & Light announced it had reached a proposed settlement less than one business day before two weeks of continuous public hearings were about to begin. The Public Service Commission agreed to pause the proceedings. On behalf of the customers who will end up paying these bills, we continue to insist on our rights to a full hearing on the rate case and on the settlement, Trierweiler said. We intend to exercise those rights to conduct 2-3 weeks of open hearings to challenge these proposed increases in the months to come. The Tampa Bay Times launched the Environment Hub in 2025 to focus on some of Floridas most urgent and enduring challenges. You can contribute through our journalism fund by clicking here. After reaching an agreement with 10 key stakeholders, Florida Power & Light filed on Wednesday a comprehensive four-year settlement agreement with state regulators. The compromise "significantly reduces FPL's original revenue request while keeping residential customer bills well below the projected national average through the end of the decade," the company said in a news release. Under the agreement FPL has reduced its 2026 base rate revenue request from the $1.545 billion it had presented in February by 39%, to $945 million, the company said. The base rate revenue request for 2027 was reduced by 17%, from $927 million to $766 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The base rate revenues were estimated to be about $2.9 billion less than the $8.9 billion originally requested over the four-year period, FPL said. The agreement is subject to Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) approval. What this means for Northwest Florida consumers is that monthly rates would drop by about a dollar from an estimated $143.60 this year to $142.66 in 2026. It would increase incrementally from that level for each year over the course of the four year contract to eventually reach an estimated $148.15 in 2029. Initial estimates in February had monthly rates rising to $151.99 by 2029. The new rate schedule has the rates increasing by a total of $4.55 at the end of four years rather than $8.39. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Florida Peninsula, rates will climb next year by $3.79 to $137.93. Those rates would see increases each year culminating with the same $148.15 monthly rate in 2029 to bring the rest of the state in line with what Northwest Florida customers are paying. That's an increase of $14.01 monthly at the end of four years rather than the original request of $17.99. Under the deal, FPL's four-year revenue request would be cut by approximately 30% and shave hundreds of millions of dollars from its initial proposal while, the company said, still supporting continued investments in grid infrastructure and new generation to reliably serve Florida's growth. "This settlement agreement is a win for all FPL customers and a win for Florida. It supports our ongoing commitment to meet the resiliency and reliability needs of our fast-growing state, while keeping customer bills well below the national average," FPL President and CEO Armando Pimentel was quoted as saying in the release. Florida Power & Light had petitioned in February to be granted an $8.9 billion rate hike spread out from 2026 to 2029. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: FPL wants to raise your power bill. You can weigh in on the proposal Thursday. The petition included rate increases of $1.545 billion in 2026 and $927 million in 2027. FPL would also have passed costs to customers in 2028 and 2029 for solar-energy and battery-storage projects. The proposed rate increase drew almost universal opposition from groups that included business friendly entities like the Florida Retail Federation, and consumer advocate groups such as the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. The Office of Public Counsel, representing an estimated 12 million FPL rate payers, also announced its opposition to the proposed rate hike, which many called the largest in U.S. history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walt Trierweiler, the president of the OPC, stated in an memo that the Office of Public Counsel recommends, based on "appropriate adjustments," an allowable increase of "no more than" $35,196,000 for FPL in 2027. "Our part is not only trying to bring the bill down from $8.9 billion but also protecting customers from future changes, risks and unintentional consequences," Trierweiler told the Pensacola News Journal in early August. Analysis conducted by Floridians Against Increased Rates found the additional revenue of $8.9 billion would likely rise if the company received, as also requested, authority to further increase customer costs when it brings new solar and battery projects online in 2028-29. Estimates with that addition would have brought the total cost of the rate increase to about $10 billion. A televised hearing was scheduled for Aug. 11 before the Public Service Commission board, but late in the day on Aug. 8 it was announced that FPL had reached agreement in principle with "key stakeholders." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The scheduled Aug. 11 PSC hearing was postponed until details of the settlement arrangement could be ironed out, which FPL said it could do by Aug. 20. The Office of Public Counsel has remained steadfast in its opposition and is joined in disputing the hike by Florida Rising, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida, the League of United Latin American Citizens and Floridians Against Increased Rates. Florida Rising, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida, the League of United Latin American Citizens and Floridians Against Increased Rates issued a joint comment following the release of the settlement agreement. Once again, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has made a golden deal for itself and used levers of settlement to grant unjustified concessions to its largest customers, like Walmart, in the form of gratuitous bill credits and unjustified cost shifting, paid for by the residential and small business customers of the state of Florida," it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It said FPL had entered a supposedly give and take negotiation, but provided "no give-just take." "FPL takes all that they want, almost $7 billion in this case over the four-year term, and the other intervenors joining the settlement take approximately $1 billion in subsidies paid for by the residents and small businesses of Florida," the statement said. Among those joining Walmart in the settlement agreement were the Florida Industrial Power Users Group; the Florida Energy for Innovation Association; Walmart, Inc.; EVgo Services LLC; Americans for Affordable Clean Energy; Circle K Stores, Inc., RaceTrac, Inc.; Wawa, Inc. Electrify America LLC; federal government agencies; Armstrong World Industries, Inc. The FPL settlement recommendation will kick off an extensive public review process. The PSC will set hearings and continue to receive input from stakeholders and rate payers. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: FPL settlement proposal to end $8.9 billion rate hike controversy (This Aug. 20 story has been refiled to remove an image) By Geert De Clercq PARIS (Reuters) -French authorities are investigating the death of a man during a live video stream on the Kick live streaming platform, where he had regularly been shown enduring violence and humiliations. Prosecutors ordered an autopsy and opened an investigation into the death of the 46-year-old man in the village of Contes, north of Nice, on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clara Chappaz, junior minister for AI and digital technology, said Raphael Graven, known online as Jean Pormanove, had regularly featured in videos on Kick, where he was physically assaulted or humiliated by co-streamers as viewers watched live. "The death of Jean Pormanove and the violence he suffered are absolutely horrific," she said on X. Kick Francais said on X it would cooperate with authorities and was undertaking a review of its French content. "Our priority is to protect creators and ensure a safer environment on Kick," it said, adding that "all co-streamers who participated in this live broadcast have been banned pending the ongoing investigation". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kick is an Australia-registered live streaming platform that shares revenue with its content creators. Chappaz said a judicial investigation is underway, that she had referred the matter to digital and audiovisual communication regulator Arcom and that she had filed a report to Pharos, France's internet portal for reporting illicit internet content. She said she asked Kick for explanations, adding: "the responsibility of online platforms for dissemination of illegal content is not optional: it is the law". Yassin Sadouni, a lawyer for one of two co-streamers seen abusing Pormanove, said on BFM television that Pormanove had cardiovascular problems and that the violence in the videos was not real but acted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All those scenes are just staged, they follow a script," he said. French media have shown excerpts of hours-long videos during which Pormanove is seen suffering blows, insults, strangulation, dousing with paint and oil and being shot at with a paintball gun. It was not clear from the video excerpts if Pormanove voluntarily subjected himself to the violence or was forced to endure it, nor whether the action was real or staged. (Reporting by Geert De ClercqEditing by Frances Kerry) France has defended its record on combating antisemitism after Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu accused Emmanuel Macron of emboldening hate attacks against Jews by pledging to recognise a Palestinian state. France has hit back with unusual force after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused President Emmanuel Macron of stoking antisemitism, as Paris prepares to recognise a Palestinian state next month. The row already simmering since Macrons announcement in July burst into open confrontation on Tuesday when Netanyahu wrote to the French leader warning that antisemitism had surged in France since his decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He claimed that recognition of Palestinian statehood would pour fuel on this antisemitic fire and reward Hamas, while endangering Frances own Jewish community. France to recognise Palestinian statehood, defying US-Israel backlash Netanyahu's accusations 'erroneous' The Elysees response was swift and sharp. Netanyahus charge, officials said, was abject and erroneous. In a statement, the presidency insisted: This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation. Far from tolerating antisemitism, Paris underlined, France protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens. Macrons office pointed out that since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, his government has ordered the strongest action against antisemitic crimes. Violence against French Jews, it added, is intolerable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Macrons minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, was equally forthright. France has no lessons to learn in the fight against antisemitism, he declared, warning against exploiting an issue which is poisoning our European societies. Spike in antisemitic acts France is home to Europes largest Jewish community, and the government has faced rising numbers of reported antisemitic acts in recent years jumping from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023, before dipping slightly last year. Paris argues this makes its vigilance and record of action beyond question. The latest diplomatic spat stems from Macrons decision to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN in September. France a longstanding supporter of the two-state solution says the step is meant to push back against Hamas and revive the prospects of peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 145 UN members have already recognised Palestinian statehood or plan to do so. Why is France recognising Palestinian statehood and will it change anything? Reaction from Ramallah In Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority welcomed Frances stance and strongly condemned Netanyahus claims. Its foreign ministry said his accusations were unjustified and hostile to peace, dismissing what it called the old record of conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. No one is fooled, the ministry added. The row has unfolded against a wider backdrop of diplomatic tension. Netanyahu on Tuesday also turned his ire on Australia, branding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews after Canberra announced it too would recognise a Palestinian state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That dispute has already seen tit-for-tat visa cancellations between the two countries. For France, however, the priority is to ensure that its recognition of Palestinian statehood is not misconstrued as hostility towards Jews at home or abroad. Officials insist the move is in line with decades of French diplomacy, not a departure from it. Photo by Jim Small | Arizona Mirror The Arizona Free Enterprise Club tried to convince a panel of appellate judges on Tuesday that the way the state has been verifying voter signatures for the past four years violates state law. In a legal challenge that has dragged on for years, the Free Enterprise Club, along with other plaintiffs including the Arizona Republican Party, have argued that state law allows only the signatures from voter registration forms to be used for comparison to verify voter signatures on vote-by-mail envelopes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney for the plaintiffs Kory Langhofer told the three judges on the Arizona Division Two Court of Appeals that the state had been improperly using signatures from other sources like ballot envelopes and poll books that voters had signed in previous elections. County elections workers were instructed to use those sources for comparison by the secretary of state, to increase the number of signatures available for reference. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Yavapai County Superior Court Judge John Napper initially agreed that the 2019 Election Procedures Manual the states elections rulebook did not include instructions to use prior ballot affidavits or poll book signatures for comparison. The EPM is written by the secretary of state, based on state statutes, and is typically updated every two years. Prior to a law change in 2019, state statute only allowed comparison of a signature from a voters registration record. But the judge later reversed his opinion after the 2023 EPM, which advised the use of ballot affidavit and poll book signatures, was adopted and the Arizona Legislature codified portions of it regarding signature verification into law in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amendments (to Arizona law) rely heavily on the text from the 2023 EPM, Napper wrote in an April 2024 ruling. In some places the statutes outright adopt language directly from the 2023 EPM. The new statutes also use the phrase registration record multiple times. The Legislature had every opportunity to eliminate prior early ballot affidavits as a comparison tool but chose not to do so. Nothing in these amendments suggests the Legislature found the EPMs working definition of registration record was improper. The appellate judges pushed Langhofer on whether the plaintiffs even had standing to bring the lawsuit, asking him numerous times to explain specifically how the Republican Party of Arizona would be harmed by the existing signature verification processes. You will not find an institution that has a stronger or longstanding interest in election integrity, Langhofer said. Kara Karlson, arguing on behalf of Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, said that Langhofer had failed to prove that the Republican Partys efforts to ensure Republican votes were counted would be harmed by the existing verification practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Langhofer also told the judges that the trial court judge had improperly intuited the legislators intent when they used the term registration record instead of registration form in updates to the law in 2019 and 2024. The Free Enterprise Club has claimed since it first filed the lawsuit in 2023 that using signatures from a voters ballot affidavit or poll books in a previous election would open up the possibility of increased voter fraud. Langhofer said that for example, a mother might fill out and sign her sons mail-in ballot while hes away at college and then her signature would be on file as an example of her sons signature for comparison. But he didnt provide any examples of something of that nature actually happening and Karlson pointed out that the mothers signature would first have to be verified as matching a previous signature from the son for that to happen. Multiple former Arizona election officials signed onto a brief in the case attesting that having more signatures for comparison was a best practice, and would actually result in better election integrity than using only one signature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Austin Marshall, an attorney representing Mi Familia Vota, a voting rights organization that joined with Fontes in the suit, argued that because failing to vote by mail for two cycles in a row can kick a voter off the active early voting list, simply casting a ballot is an update to a voters registration. That means, Marshall said, that even under Langhofers narrow definition of voter registration records, a vote-by-mail ballot counts as one of those records. Langhofer responded that he had to agree that (Marshalls argument was) technically correct but that the average person would not consider casting a ballot to be updating their voter registration. Therefore, Langhofer said, because legal definitions are supposed to be based on the common understanding of a word, a ballot affidavit or poll book signature couldnt be considered part of the voter registration record. In my entire life, I have never heard someone say, I went to vote, and I extended my voter registration, Langhofer said. Ive never said it to anyone and Ive never heard anyone else say it to me. Fontes on Aug. 1 released a new draft version of the EPM for review, which included some changes in response to Republicans successful legal challenges to the 2023 version. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In those cases, the courts found that Fontes description of voter intimidation went beyond what was outlined in the law and that he didnt give the public enough time to weigh in on the 2023 version of the elections rulebook. Arguments in this case came just as President Donald Trump promised to abolish vote-by-mail entirely, something that far-right Republicans have demanded for several years both in Arizona and nationally backed by unproven claims of widespread fraud. Judge Pete Eckerstrom said that the court would take the matter under advisement but didnt provide a timeline for when it will issue its opinion. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE (The Center Square) White Hawk Carriers, an interstate freight carrier in Ceres, Calif., is under investigation along with one of its drivers facing three charges of vehicular homicide in Florida. Additionally, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules were violated by the states of Washington and New Mexico. California's issuance of a license is also under investigation. If states had followed the rules, this driver would have never been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us, Duffy said. This crash was a preventable tragedy directly caused by reckless decisions and compounded by despicable failures. Nonenforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier, resulting in unqualified foreign drivers improperly acquiring licenses to operate 40-ton vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harjinder Singh, the accused seen on video from inside his truck making a U-turn in a 70 mph zone of the Florida Turnpike, had correct responses to two of 12 verbal questions on an English language proficiency assessment and correctly identified only one of four highway traffic signs during an interview with the Motor Carrier Administration. This comes after Washington issued him a full-term commercial drivers license on July 15, 2023, despite asylum seekers or individuals without legal status not being eligible, the Transportation Department said. On July 23, 2024, he was issued a limited-term/nondomiciled CDL by California, a license now under federal probe. On July 3 of this year, Singh was given a speeding ticket and administered a roadside inspection by the New Mexico State Police. The Transportation Department said the English language proficiency assessment was started June 25 and theres no indication the trooper enforced it. Singh is from India and sought asylum in America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In some of these states, you have liberal governors who dont want to comply with the law, Duffy said in a television interview. They think that they know best and that were just trying to be mean to illegals. But whether youre going to fly on an airplane, youre going to be a train, or youre going to be on the American roadway, you deserve to be safe and you expect that your federal government is going to have smart policies in place that do keep you safe. They just blatantly in New Mexico said, Were not going to comply with federal regulation and give him that road test.' On social media, Duffy wrote, If you cant speak our national language or read our road signs, you are not qualified to drive a truck. Singh attempted the U-turn on the Florida Turnpike through a point in the divided highway marked official use only. Homeland Securitys link to video from Breaking911, shot from inside the truck, shows the graphic collision that followed. A Chrysler Town & Country minivan slams into the trailer that suddenly blocked its lanes. All three inside the minivan were killed a 30-year-old man from Florida City driving, and a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach and a 54-year-old man from Miami. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Singh was not injured. Singh has appeared in a Stockton, Calif., court and signed papers allowing his extradition to Florida to face charges. Duffy said his departments investigation will support the ongoing criminal probe in Florida. HILLSBORO, Mo. Nightlight Christian Adoptions is the agency that helped connect Ohio parents Lindsey and Tim Pierce with a frozen embryo donor. The embryo was frozen in 1994. The birth of Thaddeus Pierce in July has some calling his birth the oldest on record. People are saying hes 30 years old, said Lara Kelso, executive director of the Nightlight Christian Adoptions office in Hillsboro, Missouri. Hes really just a newborn baby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News The story has made international headlines and generated curiosity. Its brought a lot of awareness to embryos and embryo adoption, Kelso said. Family demands answers after fatal police shooting in Bel-Ridge The agency has locations in various parts of the country. It helps parents adopt in several ways, including domestic adoption, international programs, and adoption from foster care. The agencys program for embryo adoption is Snowflakes. Kelso encourages anyone with questions about the process to reach out. We handle it from beginning to end much like a traditional domestic adoption, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelso said many families are surprised to learn frozen embryos are an option. Anytime we have an inquiry call, we do like to explain to them that we do have a program that can allow you to be pregnant with your adopted child and start bonding early on in the pregnancy, she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. NEED TO KNOW Tom Phillips vanished into the New Zealand wilderness with his three children in 2021 Police said he fled with the children after a dispute with his ex-partner, the children's mother His family is now asking Phillips to return home with the children A New Zealand family is urging a fugitive father who disappeared with his three children nearly four years ago to return home. In 2021, Tom Phillips disappeared with his children Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, 9, after a dispute with their mother, according to the New Zealand Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phillips was last spotted with his children by pig hunters who filmed them on remote North Island on Oct. 7, 2024, the New Zealand Police said. New Zealand Police Tom Phillips Tom Phillips Despite massive searches, reported sightings of Phillips and the children and even a reward of 80,000 New Zealand dollars ($52,000) for information about their whereabouts, they remain missing. New Zealand Police (3) Jayda Jorga Jin Phillips; Maverick Rusty Callam Phillips; Ember Nirvana Essence Phillips Jayda Jorga Jin Phillips; Maverick Rusty Callam Phillips; Ember Nirvana Essence Phillips Now Phillips' family is making a renewed appeal for him to come back. I miss you, and I miss being part of your life, Rozzi Phillips told New Zealand journalist Paddy Gower on this week's episode of his show, Paddy Gower Has Issues, which was shown on the New Zealand news site Stuff. Youre very special to me I really want to see you again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With tears in her eyes, Rozzi told Gower that she is making the appeal now in the hope that just maybe, maybe hes going to see this, and maybe hes going to get to see that he can come home, and that we are here for him, and it might just be okay. New Zealand Police A possible sighting of Tom Phillips and one of his children A possible sighting of Tom Phillips and one of his children Rozzi read aloud from a letter their mother had written, which said, "It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you, and see some of your things that are still here, thinking what could have been if you had not gone away." Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Jayda, Maverick, Ember, I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives every day I wake up, and hope that today will be the day that you will come, the letter continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities believe Phillips and the children have been living off the grid, with Phillips using survival skills to feed and clothe the children, CNN reports. In October 2022, the childrens mother, Cat, spoke to the New Zealand Herald, saying she was relieved to hear that her children were alive, but accusing her ex-partner of using them as "pawns in his game. The children, she told the outlet, shouldnt have to be worrying about where theyre going to sleep that night or whether theyre going to be warm. During his time on the run, Phillips is alleged to have committed a series of crimes, including a robbery in the Waikato region, according to New Zealand police. New Zealand Police Police investigating an aggravated robbery in Te Kuiti from May 2023 obtained a warrant to arrest Tom Phillips. Police investigating an aggravated robbery in Te Kuiti from May 2023 obtained a warrant to arrest Tom Phillips. In September 2023, an arrest warrant was issued over the alleged armed robbery at a bank in the remote village of Te Kuiti in May of that year. Police allege that Phillips made his getaway on a black farm-style motorbike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Zealand Police are urging the public to continue to pass on any information they know regarding the whereabouts of Phillips and his children as the hunt for them continues. Read the original article on People If you dont succeed at first, try again in separate regions. Thats the motto Enanta Pharmaceuticals is following, at least, after disclosing it has sued Pfizer in Europe over a patent infringement relating to Covid-19 treatment pill Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir). In June 2022, Enanta filed a lawsuit against Pfizer in a US district court in Massachusetts, claiming that the big pharma company infringed on a patent describing protease inhibitors invented by its scientists. Enanta has now followed that up with another filing in Europe, making the same accusation. Since being emergency authorised in 2021, anti-viral Paxlovid has generated Pfizer more than $26bn in global revenue. This includes a staggering $18.9bn in 2022 when Covid-19 cases were still prevalent. Despite waning demand for Covid-19 treatments, the pill still brought in $1.2bn in 2024, buoyed by government orders. However, Enanta known for co-developing hepatitis C virus treatment glecaprevir/pibrentasvir with AbbVie believes Pfizer designed Paxlovid via unlawful means. The US biotech stated it is seeking a determination of liability for use and infringement of European Patent No. EP 4 051 265 (the 265 Patent) in the manufacture, use and sale of Pfizers Covid-19 antiviral, Paxlovid. In an emailed statement to Pharmaceutical Technology, a Pfizer spokesperson said: We are confident in our intellectual property (IP) surrounding Paxlovid and will respond in due course in court. The lawsuit, filed in the European Unions (EU) Unified Patent Court (UPC), targets Pfizers commercial activity in the 18 countries of the EU. The company confirmed the 265 patent in question is the European counterpart of US patent number 11,358,953 (the 953 Patent) that is the centre of the US lawsuit. Although it is technically ongoing, Enantas US lawsuit hit a major roadblock. In December 2024, a federal judge in Massachusetts sided with Pfizer, granting that the 953 patent is invalid. Enanta confirmed at the time it would appeal the decision, adding it believes strongly in the merits of our case. Pfizer reported strong Q2 2025 results this month, bucking a tepid earnings window that gripped the wider pharma industry. Sales for the Paxlovid grew 71% while the Covid-19 vaccine Comirnaty revenue surged 95%. However, the legal challenge posed by Enanta marks the second issue Pfizer has had to firefight this week. The big pharma company reported a Phase III trial failure for a sickle cell disease candidate purchased as part of a $5.4bn takeover of Global Blood Therapeutics in 2022. A House GOP lawmaker from New York is accusing Democratic leaders in his state of having a hypocritical response to redistricting efforts in Texas and other red states. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., one of three House Republicans nationwide who won a district that President Donald Trump lost in 2024, has been vocal about his opposition to the growing redistricting war across the U.S. "I think obviously across the board, you know, I don't agree with this effort," Lawler told Fox News Digital of the push in both red and blue states. "But I think we also have to look at this holistically New York did mid-decade redistricting last year." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So, for [Gov.] Kathy Hochul and Democrats like [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries and [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer to decry what's happening in Texas, they're full of s---. They literally did it last year." Gop Lawmakers Clash Over Strategy To Avert Government Shutdown Crisis Rep. Mike Lawler, center, is criticizing leading New York Democrats like Gov. Kathy Hochul, left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, right, for their comments on mid-decade redistricting. The method for drawing congressional maps does vary between states, with some relying more on their state legislatures, while others like New York rely on advice from independent bodies known as redistricting commissions. Read On The Fox News App The Empire States bipartisan redistricting commission approved a new map in early 2024 that largely affected three congressional seats in upstate and central New York two of which flipped from red to blue in last years elections, while the third remained in Democratic hands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It came after New York States highest court ordered new congressional maps to be drawn for the 2024 election, in what was regarded as a major victory for Democrats after they lost a number of suburban seats in the 2022 midterms. Two of those seats have since flipped back to blue in last years races, though they saw no significant changes in the latest re-draw. "New York redrew its maps, getting a bogus court order to do so after stacking the Court of Appealsin an effort to pick up five seats. They picked up four," Lawler said, referencing the four total seats Democrats won in 2024 that they lost in 2022. "So for them to act as though they are holier than thou and that they didn't actually do this first is laughable. And when you look at Texas, you know they legally can do it. New York legally cannot. And that's the difference." Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a bill signing in the State Capitol on April 23, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Lawler warned, however, that the growing redistricting fight could have negative implications for representation across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When you look at these congressional seats, I mean, they've become so hyperpartisan that there's very few districts that are actually competitive," he said. "I think the larger point is that the American people should want more competitive races, because it forces members of Congress to make sure that they are appealing to a broader swath of voters in their districts. If they only have to worry about a primary to get elected, then they're only playing to the base instead of the broader middle." Lawler said he would soon be introducing a bill to ban partisan gerrymandering nationwide, as part of a larger package aimed at fixing what he saw as longstanding issues with Congress. Gop Governor Nominee Pushes Redistricting To Oust State's Lone House Dem A proposed California map revealed by the DCCC shows new districts that would, if passed, likely eliminate five Republican congressional seats in the state, counteracting the five potentially gained by Texas' redistricting map. "Theres also other reforms as part of it that I think are essential, including term limits for members of Congress. And, you know, when you're talking about the census, you know, illegal immigrants should not be counted as part of the census lawful permanent residents and legal, you know, visa holders, among others, should be but illegals should not be," Lawler said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think most Americans agree with that. So there's a number of provisions that will be part of the legislation that I'm putting together." When reached for comment on Lawler's criticism, Viet Shelton, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), told Fox News Digital, "We know Lawler never minds bending the knee to Donald Trump, but did he forget that Trump demanded Texas Republicans redraw their congressional map to steal seats because they know their party cant win on the merits? Stop whining." The interview comes as Texas is readying to adopt a new congressional map that could give Republicans as many as five new seats in the 2026 midterms. California leaders have pledged to press for new maps to give Democrats a corresponding advantage, while a host of states on both sides, including New York, are signaling that theyre also not ruling out similar moves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fox News Digital reached out to spokespeople for Jeffries, Schumer, and Hochul for comment but did not hear back. Original article source: 'Full of s---': New York Republican accuses state Dems of hypocrisy in redistricting push Aug. 19Fourth Street in downtown Fulton is in the middle of a transformation that is reshaping both the street's infrastructure and the way local businesses operate. A major overhaul that began in July is expected to wrap up by Nov. 1, about a month later than planned after the project was extended by one block. Work now runs from 10th Avenue to 13th Avenue and includes replacing water service lines with copper, installing new electrical systems and streetlights, replacing curbs and gutters, and pouring new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks. "All the water services have been upgraded. They just finished that up yesterday," City Administrator Eric Sikkema said, adding that crews would soon start forming the new sidewalks and work half a block at a time, with each section reopening a few days later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City officials are also weighing whether Fourth Street should remain a two-way or revert to a one-way configuration, a change that would add 16 parking spaces, improve intersection visibility and make it easier for drivers to back out of angled spots. Video models of both traffic patterns were presented in March. "As it's planned right now, Fourth Street will go to a one-way heading north, but that can always change," Sikkema said. Funding for the $1.8 million project includes a $107,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant for sidewalks and lighting, about $550,000 from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, and the remainder from city reserves. Planning began in 2021 after failed attempts to secure other grants. "The road itself is only two inches of asphalt, and then it's brick underneath... that brick had started to fail, and that was starting to cause a lot of potholes through our downtown," Sikkema said. "None of our downtown met any ADA compliance... our street lighting was starting to fail. Seemed like every other bulb was starting to have issues, and it was time." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The construction, combined with the Iowa Department of Transportation's ongoing resurfacing of the North Bridge just a few blocks south, has posed challenges for downtown businesses. Lori Shear, owner of Country Orchids, said street work has slowed walk-in customers, though most of her business comes through phone orders. Jackie Wilkin, owner of Rooted Boutique and a member of the Fulton City Council, said the upgrades are overdue. "I've owned this business for five years... and in my five years, I've seen three people fall on the streets and sidewalks because they're in such bad shape. So it is a necessary evil," Wilkin said. "There's never going to be a good time to do this work, but I commend our city for investing the 2 to $3 million that it's going to take to do it and make it better." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Krumpets, a bakery and cafe on Fourth Street, told customers in a Facebook post that the overlapping bridge and street work has cut their daily revenue nearly in half. To adapt, the business is temporarily focusing on best-selling menu items, shortening hours and shifting mostly to take-out service while using the slowdown to renovate its dining area. "Even with all of your loving support, the unfortunate circumstance of both of these projects coinciding has left us with a 45% drop in daily revenue. That's unsustainable in our current format," the post read. A second phase of the Fourth Street work is planned for spring 2026, pending the outcome of a $3.1 million Illinois Department of Transportation Local Roads grant application. That phase would include downtown water main upgrades, repainting the city's water tower and rebuilding the road from Ninth Avenue to 13th Avenue. Work on the North Bridge, which carries motorists traveling Iowa 136 into Fulton, was originally expected to finish in early October. It has been delayed by material shortages and is now slated for completion in November. "We're just excited that we can finally move forward on this project and start making some necessary upgrades around town," Sikkema said. Funeral services were held Wednesday for the Irish-born fashion designer Martha Nolan OSlatarra, who died earlier this month on a boat that was docked at the Montauk Yacht Club. Dozens of OSlatarras family and friends gathered at the Cathedral of the Assumption in her hometown in Ireland for a 95-minute mass, based on an online recording. More from WWD Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the service, which was led by Father Thomas OByrne, some of the designers loved ones carried symbols of her life her passport as a symbol of her love and adventure, a photo of her as a reflection of her inner and outer beauty, her makeup bag and brushes as a sign of her love of fashion and beauty, the Irish and American flags to indicate the two opposite sides of the world that she lived in, her tin whistle to show her love of music, and a copy of St. Marthas Prayer, which her mother recites every Tuesday the weekday that OSlatarra was born on and died on. The 33-year-old had lived in the U.S. for the past 10 years and she started the swimwear and lifestyle brand East x East a few years ago in New York City. Her death remains under investigation, and the results of an autopsy have not been shared publicly. Officials at the Suffolk County Police Department and the Suffolk County medical examiners office had not acknowledged a media request Wednesday. A 911 call was placed by a man who reported an unconscious woman at the Montauk Yacht Club, shortly after midnight on Aug. 5. OSlatarra reportedly went to the Montauk Yacht Club on Aug. 4 to meet with independent insurance agent Christopher Durnan, who is said to have invested $200,000 in her company. She was pronounced dead on the scene on a vessel called Ripple by first responders. During his eulogy, OByrne described those items as symbols of OSlatarras short life, but a packed life. He encouraged attendees not be dismayed or to lose hope. There are so many asking, How will we get through this? Each grieving. Each broken. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and close to you. Each one of you is precious. Martha is precious to you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OByrne continued, She reaches out to you with love and this community goes on in a new way. OSlatarras boyfriend Nicholas DiRubio and her sister Jacqui offered brief remarks. DiRubio said the late fashion designer had a special way of lighting up every room that she walked into whether it was with her Hi, or her famous hand gestures. One couldnt help but feel her positive presence in every space she entered. Martha had a way of putting people that she loved first. She loved helping people. And many of you in this room have been lucky enough to experience that love. He continued, Whether it was just telling you to, Hop on and focus on the good in this life. Or just being a shoulder to lean on. The shining light that Martha brought to this life is a reflection of everybody in this room. Jacqui OSlatarra said, Martha, my beautiful sister, you taught me everything that I needed to know in life. Growing up with you was like having a built-in best frienda sisters love is consistent. We know each others quirks, hopes and fears. The bond between us sisters is unique and unbreakable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the processional music played, DiRubio was among the pallbearers, who lifted OSlatarras casket onto a shoulder, to carry it out of the cathedral before her internment at St. Marys Cemetery. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. VIROQUA, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) A man who led officers on a chase through Vernon County last week is in custody in Minnesota. Nathan Gossman was arrested Monday night (8/18/25) after fleeing from Viroqua Police on Friday evening (8/15/25). He was wanted on a warrant. Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson says Gossman crashed his vehicle and escaped on foot before stealing an ATV and eventually stealing a town of Wheatland dump truck. Torgerson says Gossman was taken into custody without incident and is being held at the Olmsted County Detention Center in Rochester. Things like this have the potential for people to get hurt, including innocent people. So, were very thankful that he is in custody and that no one was hurt as the result. Sheriff Torgerson says Vernon County District Attorney will be looking to charge Gossman with at least two counts of burglary. One count of auto theft. In addition to multiple felonies concerning the pursuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX2548 & WIProud. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday announced plans to overhaul her office, cutting hundreds of staff and consolidating teams focused on countering malign influence and cyber threats. The move, dubbed ODNI 2.0, is the latest effort by the Trump administration to slim down the federal government, and comes after a wave of top-level departures at the ODNIs Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center earlier this year. According to a fact sheet released by ODNI, Gabbard has already eliminated 500 staff and reduced the offices size by 30 percent since she was sworn in to the role in February. The new plan would boost that number to over 40 percent and save more than $700 million annually. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the changes, the agency will trim down the Foreign Malign Influence Center, which collects and analyzes data on foreign influence operations seeking to undermine U.S. democracy. ODNI says that the National Intelligence Council and National Counterintelligence and Security Center already carry out this work, and describes the FMIC as having been used by the previous administration to justify the suppression of free speech and to censor political opposition. The FMIC has historically worked closely with the State Departments Global Engagement Center, which was shuttered earlier this year over accusations of censorship. ODNI said the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center was also deemed redundant because other offices in both the White House and the intelligence community also monitor cyber threat intelligence. And the National Intelligence University which offers degrees to intelligence officials will be integrated into the National Defense University. Other offices within ODNI, including the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center, the External Research Council and the Strategic Futures Group, will also see a reduction in their workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard in a statement justified the changes as the start of a new era for the nations intelligence community. Gabbard is pushing to ultimately scale down personnel and costs across all 18 intelligence community agencies by $1.3 billion annually. Over the last 20 years, ODNI has become bloated and inefficient, and the intelligence community is rife with abuse of power, unauthorized leaks of classified intelligence, and politicized weaponization of intelligence, Gabbard said, adding that she would ensure the IC and ODNI returned to its core mission to find the truth and provide objective, unbiased, timely intelligence to the President and policymakers. The announcement has divided intelligence leadership in Congress. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, praised Gabbard for the cuts. Congress created the ODNI to be a lean organization that used small staffs to coordinate across the Intelligence Community and execute specific, important tasks, he said in a statement. Todays announcement is an important step towards returning ODNI to that original size, scope, and mission. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the panel, agreed that ODNI is in need of thoughtful reform but expressed concern over Gabbard at the helm of these changes. In a statement to POLITICO, Warner said that given Director Gabbards track record of politicizing intelligence including her decision just yesterday to revoke security clearances from career national security officials I have no confidence that she is the right person to carry out this weighty responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Intelligence Committee Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) praised Gabbard for her unprecedented action to get at the redundancies, inefficiencies, politicization, and weaponization of the Intelligence Community. Other members of the intelligence community were quick to criticize the announcement. A former senior Central Intelligence Agency intelligence executive and a former analyst at the National Security Agency both of whom were granted anonymity for fear of retribution told POLITICO that the cuts could hurt coordination between U.S. intelligence agencies. The ODNI was created to address obvious failures in coordination between intelligence agencies. Its incomprehensible to think they can continue that work with half the staff, said the former NSA analyst. There doesnt seem to be a strategy, said the former senior CIA intelligence executive. To me, this seems to be just more of a constant reaction. Which is ironic, since thats not intelligence analysis. CLARIFICATION: A previous version of this story included a quote that did not directly address the latest cuts by ODNI. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former intelligence officials, sharing the list in a move that prompted swift criticism that the Trump administration was politicizing clearances. Among those on the list are several Biden administration officials, including Maher Bitar, who joined the National Security Council (NSC) after previously working for then-House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) amid the first Trump impeachment. Bitar has since returned to Schiffs office, but he has captured the attention of right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who has complained on the social platform X about his retention of a clearance. Emily Horne, an NSC spokesperson under Biden, also had her clearance revoked, as did Brett Holmgren, who most recently served as assistant secretary of State for intelligence and research and is married to former Biden White House counsel Dana Remus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard, without evidence, accused those listed of politicizing or leaking intelligence or committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards. She said the move came at the direction of President Trump. Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right. Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold. In doing so, they undermine our national security, the safety and security of the American people and the foundational principles of our democratic republic, Gabbard wrote on X. The announcement was quickly condemned by national security professionals, including others who have had their clearances revoked by Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Can you say Privacy Act violation? I certainly can. Further proof of weaponization and politicization. The vast majority of these individuals are not household names & are dedicated public servants who have worked across multiple presidential administrations, said Mark Zaid, a national security attorney who has represented clients who have had clearance revoked and also had his own clearance stripped under Trump. Zaid noted that the move was first published by the New York Post ahead of the public announcement by Gabbard. Pure politicization of security clearance process. These are unlawful decisions that deviate from decades of precedent. Completely unprofessional that individuals are targeted in [a] way that impacts their careers, yet they are not notified before leaking memo to friendly media, he wrote on X. Larry Pfeiffer, who served as senior director of the White House Situation Room and chief of staff at the CIA, said the decision would only undercut U.S. intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The skill and talent that Trump and Gabbard deprive the US national security and intelligence communities, govt & private sector, is huge. Makes one wonder who they are really working for, directly, indirectly, or as useful idiots, he wrote on X, ending the post with a Russian flag. The list also cuts clearances for those who have spoken in the media about various Trump administration decisions. Beth Sanner, a longtime national security official who also served during the first Trump administration, has commented on Trumps policies through her role as a national security analyst at CNN. Charles Kupchan, who worked at NSC under the Clinton and Obama administrations, and Sarah Vinograd, who was at NSC under former President Obama and at the Department of Homeland Security under former President Biden, have also recently commented on Trumps foreign policy moves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has revoked security clearances for a number of officials, including those who signed on to a letter saying the Hunter Biden laptop had the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation campaign, as well as the clearances of attorneys working at major law firms. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Garland City Council has voted to approve a telehealth program, clearing the way for thousands of residents to gain access to on-demand healthcare in a city that lacks a full-service hospital. The measure passed 72 after months of public discussion, making Garland the largest city yet to adopt the program. Tap Telehealth, developed by Texas-based MD Health Pathways, is designed to give residents faster, more convenient access to medical professionals without the traditional barriers of transportation, long wait times, or limited local infrastructure. The programs origins are tied to Garland. As previously reported on by The Dallas Express, MD Health Pathways CEO and founder Dirk Perritt, an emergency medicine physician who practiced at a Garland hospital, drew on his experience treating patients who struggled to access timely care when shaping the vision for the telehealth platform. This is a landmark moment for MD Health Pathways and for Garland, said Perritt in a press release provided to DX. Garland is the largest city in America without a hospital, and with this approval, it is setting a powerful example for how communities can leverage innovation to deliver more accessible and responsive healthcare. We are proud to partner with Garland in leading the way. Garlands adoption of Tap Telehealth highlights how cities are exploring innovative tools to expand healthcare options. For communities managing rapid growth and evolving healthcare needs, technology-driven solutions like telehealth can serve as a complement to traditional care models while broadening access for residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Participation is voluntary, and anyone who does not wish to use the service will have the option to opt out. MD Health Pathways says it will work with city officials and community partners to launch a campaign to educate residents and encourage adoption ahead of the platforms formal launch at its own expense. Officers with the Garland Police Department have announced that they found a dead body at a DART Rail Station. Charles Glen Marical, a 46-year-old resident of Heartland, was found dead at a DART Rail Station in Garland, according to a statement from Garland Police. Investigators are still determining the cause of death, but did not initially suspect foul play. Marical died at the DART station 430 W. Walnut St. in Garland around 6:20 a.m. on August 12, according to records from the Dallas County Medical Examiner. At the time of publication, his manner of death was still pending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our thoughts are with Mr. Maricals family during this difficult time, the Garland Police Department posted. Marical was born in Terrell and often went by the nickname Bubba, according to his obituary. Marical was a passionate fisherman who also loved music. He is survived by his wife and children, and was a proud grandfather. Charles was a vibrant spirit who brought joy to everyone he encountered, the obituary reads. DART has faced recent criticism for a lack of safety measures, as The Dallas Express has extensively reported. Recently, a suspect stabbed and killed a man on July 30, then escaped on DART before police found him 12 miles away. The same day, a DART train caught fire, sending six passengers to the hospital. DART Representative Jeamy Molina previously told The Dallas Express the agency works to ensure our system is safe, emphasizing the agencys number of police, security, and fare enforcement officers. However, City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn said DART is withholding National Incident-Based Reporting System crime and safety data. Nuns hosted a gathering at the Diocese of Covington Curia Monday evening that included presentations by an academic and an immigration attorney, Aug 18, 2025. (Photo by Nathan Granger/LINK nky) What do Catholic social teachings say about immigration, especially in the face of increased federal emphasis on immigration enforcement? That was the subject of a special meeting at the Diocese of Covington Curia on Monday night. Hosted by the Sisters of the Inter-Community Justice and Peace Committee, which is made up of members of the Sisters of Notre Dame, the Benedictine Sisters and the Sisters of Divine Providence, the meeting was the second in a series of meetings for local congregants on the issue of immigration. Diocese of Covington Curia. (Photo by Nathan Granger/LINK nky) This meeting focused on what Catholic social teachings had to say about the issue and gave advice on how local Catholics could get involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bishop John Iffert led an opening prayer, which expressed the central quandary the speakers at the meeting hoped to unpack, namely that Catholic teachings emphasize the dignity of human beings, regardless of their origins, while also granting nations the right to protect their own borders. We live in a time where we are caught between high values, Iffert prayed. We recognize that God calls us to hospitality, to respect human dignity, to love our neighbor and to welcome even the foreigner as our neighbor. And we gather in the bosom of the Church that recognizes that nations have a right to control their borders, and sometimes we struggle to know how to balance these great values. The meeting was well-attended and featured several speakers, as well as some local nonprofits that provide services to immigrants. Sister Kay Kramer spoke about the history of anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States and pointed out that many in the room were likely descended from immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of whats happening across the country now is demonizing and degrading human beings who are made in Gods image and likeness, just as we are, Kramer said. Sister Kay Kramer gives a presentation on Aug. 18, 2025. Kramer points out that even the current pope, Chicago-born Leo XIV, is descended from immigrants to the United States. (Photo by Nathan Granger/LINK nky) Hannah Keegan, the director of the Center for Faith, Mission & Catholic Education at Thomas More University, pulled from both modern and classical Catholic writings to describe what is expected of practicing Catholics as it relates to immigrants. Keegan emphasized that treatment of immigrants in the community was not primarily a political question, but a question of justice and mercy. Its a question of love, ultimately a question of relationship. Jessica Ramos, an attorney and the manager of the immigration team at the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, discussed the complexities of immigration law, which she characterized as Byzantine and overly punitive. She projected a flow chart up at the front to show how complex immigration processing in the United States could be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just like to use this graphic to show you that immigration law is extremely complicated, Ramos said. I have cases where we have been battling over whether someone is a U.S. citizen for over a decade, right? Just to prove that someones a U.S. citizen. I have other cases that it takes two decades to wind through the system. Jessica Ramos used this flow chart to show how complex immigration law can be in the United States. (Photo by Nathan Granger/LINK nky) The law in place today is very harsh and punitive compared to centuries past, Ramos said, and, honestly, if most of our ancestors tried to come today, they would be denied entry. Organizers distributed literature summarizing Catholic social teachings and providing citations, along with information about local organizations that support immigrants. Sister Alice Gerdeman asked the attendees to reflect on the session and consider how they could contribute to the issue, whether through volunteering, donations, or any other way. We cannot all do something about everything, but if we want to be hopeful people, we have to find something we can do about some issue because otherwise we get depressed and we lose our energies, Gerdeman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People interested in learning more about the committees work on immigration can contact Sister Kay Kramer at kkramer@cpdkentucky.org. The organizations cited at Mondays presentation are listed below: The story is republished from LINK nky. Over the past week, Gavin Newsoms press office has been deliberately aping Donald Trumps over-the-top social media posting style in an obvious attempt to not only troll the presidents most ardent defenders but also force them to come to grips with Trumps bullying and bombastic tone. The pitch-perfect parody, which comes as the California governor goes on the attack against Trump while clearly eying a run for president, has also resulted in a number of Fox News stars taking the bait and seemingly making Newsoms point for him. DANA DING DONG PERINO (NEVER HEARD OF HER UNTIL TODAY!) IS MELTING DOWN BECAUSE OF ME, GAVIN C. NEWSOM! the governors press office account tweeted on Tuesday. FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICAS MOST FAVORITE GOVERNOR ("RATINGS KING") SAVING AMERICA WHILE TRUMP CANT EVEN CONQUER THE BIG STAIRS ON AIR FORCE ONE ANYMORE!!! TRUMP HAS LOST HIS STEP AND FOX IS LOSING IT BECAUSE WHEN I TYPE, AMERICA NOW WINS!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The all-caps screed, complete with a juvenile nickname and satirically signed GCN to mimic Trump adding DJT to his Truth Social posts, came after Fox News host Dana Perino groused Monday afternoon about Newsoms tweets while urging him to cut it out if he wanted to be taken seriously. You have to stop it with the Twitter thing, Perino complained on The Five. I dont know where his wife is? If I were his wife I would say, You are making a fool of yourself, stop it! Several Fox News hosts have taken the bait and raged about Gavin Newsoms mimicry of Trumps social media posts, making the governors point for him. (AP) Noting that Newsom has presidential ambitions, she added: Do not let your staff tweetand if you are doing it yourself, put the phone away and start over. Hes got a big job as governor of California, but if he wants an even bigger job he has to be a little more serious. Perino, however, wasnt the only one to fall into the trap set by Newsom and his social media team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, Tomi Lahren a Fox News contributor who first shot to fame for her take-no-prisoners liberal-bashing monologues objected to Newsoms press office mockingly referring to MAGA activist Scott Presler who is openly gay as GOP Rep. Nancy Mace. New lows unlocked by @GavinNewsom and his team of losers, Lahren fumed on X, only for the governors social team to throw back MAGAs favorite attack line back in her face. You sound woke, the press office fired back. The governors office used a similar tactic last week when Fox News host Raymond Arroyo expressed indignation that Newsom said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott who is confined to a wheelchair had rolled over after Trump called for Texas to redraw its congressional maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We asked for a statement, and Newsom's office gave us something flippant like, You're so woke, he'll get over it, Arroyo grumbled before airing the press offices comment, which read: No. But how woke of you to ask! I'm sorry Greg's feelings were hurt. Poor guy we hope he recovers. Meanwhile, Fox News anchor Trace Gallagher was also apoplectic about Newsoms new approach, which has ramped up as hes taken the fight to Trump and Republicans over their mid-decade redistricting efforts ahead of next years midterm elections. I don't know what he's trying to do, but it comes across as childish and you are the governor of the biggest state in the union what are you doing?! Gallagher complained on Friday night. BIRD-BRAIN TREY GALLAGHER (A SO-CALLED FOX NEWS HOST THAT NOBODY HAS EVER HEARD OF) SAYS MY POSTS ARE CHILDISH AND UNBECOMING OF A LEADER CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? MANY ARE SAYING FOX ("EDIT THE TAPES") NEWS SHOULD CANCEL HIS PATHETIC LITTLE BEDTIME SHOW IMMEDIATELY, Newsoms team tweeted in response the following day. THEY ARE CALLING IT THE MOST BORING PROGRAM IN CABLE HISTORY. TOTAL SNOOZE FEST! SAD!!! GCN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gallgher followed suit on Monday night by criticizing Newsoms new Trumpian style of posting, claiming his tweet mocking the Fox News host was an attempt to be clever before calling for the governor to stop obsessing about Trump. He then went on to name-check The Mamas and the Papas and The Beverly Hillbillies while urging Newsom to pay more attention to his state than his social media activity. Perino also couldnt help herself, jumping online to double and triple down on her on-air commentary about the governors Trump mimicry all while seeming blissfully unaware of the point of Newsoms parody of the president. Fox News anchor Dana Perino fumed on Monday Gavin Newsom's Trump-style tweets, prompting his press office to respond by calling her 'DANA DING DONG PERINO.' (Fox News) Responding to Pod Save America co-host Jon Favreau sarcastically stating that Newsom should take a lesson from Donald Trump on this before asking her what she thought about the presidents social media habits, Perino tweeted that copying isnt a good look and it isnt working while suggesting the governor come up with original content. I mean, it's pretty clearly a parody of Trump's absolutely insane all caps, often non-sensical posts. Probably why all the people in my life who aren't political junkies keep reaching out to say they don't know much about Newsom but think the tweets are hilarious, Favreau replied. Humor and mockery can be quite effective! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cool if it works and hes your 2028 nom, I will buy you dinner, Perino reacted. As if to hammer home the point to Perino, Newsoms office responded to Perinos comments by gleefully posting: ALMOST A WEEK IN AND THEY STILL DON'T GET IT. Indeed, the governor himself hasnt exactly been coy about what his intentions are in adopting the online persona of a full-time Trumpian troll. While the social media operation which is operated by a multi-aide staff has generated over a billion impressions across a variety of platforms, Newsom has said outright that anyone upset with his accounts online insults and trollish behavior should turn their attention towards the White House. I'm just following his example, Newsom said last week. If you have issues with what I'm putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns with what he's putting out as president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He continued: To the extent it's gotten some attention, I'm pleased, but I think the deeper question is how have we allowed the normalization of his tweets, Truth Social posts over the course of the last many years, to go without similar scrutiny and notice? As CNNs Andrew Kirell noted in Tuesdays edition of the Reliable Sources newsletter, Newsom is essentially punking the right-wing media ecosystem right now with this tactic. The effort, clearly designed to hold a mirror up to MAGA and bully the bullies, so to speak, has evidently gone over the heads of many conservative media personalities, baiting them into making Newsom's point about Trumps behavior on their own, he wrote. Meanwhile, Perino once again revisited the subject during Tuesdays broadcast of The Five by insisting that we get the joke but that its just not funny, adding: Its just cringe. And that was my point. Is that if youre doing this and its not authentic and youre trying to do somebody else who you say is Hitler, and you think that we dont get the joke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kirell reacted on Tuesday night by asserting that this was precisely what the governors social media operation was meant to expose. Im fascinated by how they dont seem to understand that saying its just not funny is exactly the reaction his team is aiming for, he posted on X. Its the whole point. Pointing out that Gallagher and Perino seemed oblivious they were criticizing a parody of Trump himself, Mediaites Colby Hall explained that Newsom was shooting fish in a barrel at this point. Newsoms feed isnt Trumpianits an X-ray of Trumpian excess, but as if it were delivered by the king of ironically detached comedy himself, Steve Martin, Hall stated. Newsom didnt just enter the arena of schoolyard retorts; he grabbed the microphone, turned it upside down, and made the absurd impossible to ignore. While others, such as The Bulwarks Sarah Longwell, have spelled out that Newsom is making MAGA uncomfortable because hes holding up a mirror to what you tolerate on behalf of partisanship, Democrats are increasingly embracing the governors approach because it shows his willingness to fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That allows Newsom to step out in front and say he is the first one to stand against Texass actions, The Independents Eric Garcia wrote last week, referencing the Texas redistricting battle. Specifically, the Texas Democrats who decamped to blue states said they would return to Texas because California would respond in kind if Texas passed their new maps. He concluded: 2028 is a long way off and plenty could change. Other candidates might be able to prove Newsom is a paper tiger. But then again, plenty of Republicans waited for Trump to implode and he laid waste to them. Last week was a very important trading week in the grain futures markets. The keynote was a USDA report that contained both bullish and bearish surprises and produced higher price volatility. Trading in the grains this week will be extra important, too, as last week there were important early clues emerging on new price trends. Lets break each market down. More News from Barchart Corn Flattened, But Then Posts Solid Recovery The corn (ZCZ25) market bulls were already on the ropes but then suffered a knock-down last Tuesday following a surprisingly bearish USDA report that forecast record U.S. corn production when the combines start rolling this fall. However, the bulls got back up Wednesday and then ended the week by scoring some strong counter punches that began to suggest a seasonal price bottom may have been put in place. December corn futures prices last week lost only 1/4 cent from the week prior. Bulls will have to show some important follow-through buying strength this week to better suggest a near-term price bottom is indeed in place. www.barchart.com Traders in the corn and soybean markets this week will be focusing on the annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour that starts Monday and concludes with its final crop yield estimates released Friday at 1:30 p.m. CDT. Weather in the Corn Belt will see another two weeks of favorable growing conditions for corn and soybean crops, suggesting high production potential. Drier weather beginning late next week will be beneficial for early maturing corn. A bullish element for corn going forward is export demand for U.S. corn that has been strong due to current lower prices and a subdued U.S. dollar. Thats continuing to better drive exports and domestic demand. Soybean Bulls Come Back to Life The soybean (ZSX25) market bulls had a very good week last week, to suggest some more follow-through buying interest from the speculators this week. The USDA released a bullish monthly supply and demand report early last week that showed lower-than-expected U.S. soybean production and lower ending stocks forecasts. November soybeans last week hit a six-week high and closed at a technically bullish weekly high on Friday, suggesting some follow-through, chart-based buying from the speculators early this week. Those enthralled by California governor Gavin Newsoms latest PR stunt would do well to remember the name Michael Avenatti. Circa 2018, Avenatti was the living embodiment of The Resistance the collection of Russia-gate obsessives, media lawyers and Twitter activists who turned their opposition to Donald Trump into a way of life and business model during his first term. In exchange for his representation of former porn star Stormy Daniels during her legal battles with Trump, as well as for his abrasive, tough guy act, Avenatti earned plaudits from Democrats in the media, who heralded him as a hero and potential presidential candidate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Looking ahead to 2020, one reason why Im taking you seriously as a contender is because of your presence on cable news, CNNs Brian Stelter told Avenatti at the time. Stephen Colbert considered him an existential threat to the Trump presidency. And The Views dimmest bulb, Joy Behar, told Avenatti that she believed he was saving the country and had a bigger calling than practising law. Its second dullest knife, Ana Navarro, compared him to the Holy Spirit. Perhaps you know how Avenattis story ended: with the persona he played on television imploding in on itself like a dying star, and the man himself in jail after he was convicted of crimes including extortion. In other words, many Democrats fell for a ridiculous delusion about how they could take on Trump in his first term. In his second, however, it appears theyve learnt no lessons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gavin Newsom is, in many ways, an upgrade the governor of one of Americas most important states, rather than a dodgy lawyer. But he is sure to be remembered by history in much the same way: as a passing fad, a flavour of the month that no one can believe they ever pretended to enjoy. To his credit, quite a few people are pretending to enjoy his latest act and at least a few are actually enjoying it. Recent days have seen Newsom launch a digital offensive aimed at adopting Trumps own aggressive style and parodying his social media presence (poorly) with a flurry of wild, all-caps, tweets. NOT EVEN JD JUST DANCE VANCE CAN SAVE TRUMP FROM THE DISASTROUS MAPS WAR HE HAS STARTED. NOT EVEN HIS EYELINER LINES LOOK AS PRETTY AS CALIFORNIA MAP LINES. HE WILL FAIL, AS HE ALWAYS DOES (SAD!) AND I, THE PEACETIME GOVERNOR OUR NATIONS FAVOURITE WILL SAVE AMERICA ONCE AGAIN, proclaimed Newsom in one post, which then went on to compare the governor to Christopher Columbus because of his efforts to redraw Californias electoral maps. Then, in another, quoting a cryptic one-word post from Trump that simply read: Bela, Newsom wrote: DONALD (TINY HANDS), HAS WRITTEN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY THIS MORNING UNFORTUNATELY (LOW IQ) HE SPELLED IT WRONG "BETA." SOON YOU WILL BE A "FIRED" BETA BECAUSE OF MY PERFECT, "BEAUTIFUL MAPS." THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! GCN pic.twitter.com/KF44tc4ra2 Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 17, 2025 WOW! WHAT AN HONOUR! ON MOUNT RUSHMORE, THANK YOU!! GCN, he joked after one user mocked up an image of Newsoms face on the iconic mountain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of Newsoms attempts at capturing Trumps tone are better than others, but that hasnt stopped parts of the media from swooning over all of them. According to the Politico Playbook newsletter, Newsom is holding a mirror up to Maga and Maga doesnt like what it sees. It jolts people out of their passive acceptance of how insane Trump sounds, insisted Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark. Gavin Newsom is owning the Magas, declared CNNs Aaron Blake. But what Newsom, his admirers, and those on the Right most bothered by the California governors latest trick miss is that, if Trumps social media feed is a joke, the president is in on it. His Truth Social posts work because they come across almost as self-parodies expressions of self-confidence and enmity so hyperbolic that its hard to imagine even the president takes them seriously. Thats not a defence, just an observation to explain why Newsoms ham-fisted attempts at exposing Trump fall far short of achieving what the liberal media think they do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moreover, although Newsom has doubtlessly raised his profile and scored points with the second terms incarnation of The Resistance, this stunt is likely to be remembered as an example of what prevented him from ever winning the White House, rather than one of the first signs he was destined for it. Remember that this confrontational, caustic new approach is actually the second time Newsom has made headlines for his PR strategy since Trump moved back into the Oval Office. Just a few months ago, Newsom was busy rebranding himself as an open-minded moderate happy to host the likes of Steve Bannon and the conservative activist Charlie Kirk for genial chats on his podcast, during which he rejected his own partys stance on transgender athletes and seemed to praise Bannon a man almost as reviled by the American Left as Trump himself. The speed with which Newsom transitioned from amiable bridge-builder to hero of The Resistance underscores his core weakness as a candidate that he stands for nothing except for what he thinks might help him gain an edge politically at any given moment. And so while progressive political addicts might take heart from his attempts at needling Trump, Newsom remains deeply unpopular. One recent poll found that his net favourability rating stood at a dismal -11 points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats attributable to not just his pitiful record in California, but the neon tattoo on his forehead that reads PHONY that his newfound fondness for the caps lock key only accentuates. Isaac Schorr is an editor at Mediaite 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. With an inescapable, smashmouth, all-caps-laden and meme-filled X account, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is holding a mirror up to MAGA and MAGA doesnt like what it sees. Theres Newsom on Mount Rushmore . Theres Newsom getting prayed over by Tucker Carlson, Kid Rock and an angelic, winged Hulk Hogan. Theres Newsom posting in all caps , saying his mid-cycle redistricting proposal has led MANY people to call him GAVIN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS NEWSOM (BECAUSE OF THE MAPS!). THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. If this genre of social media post provokes deja vu, there's a good reason for that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes trying to mimic President Trump, MAGA vanguard Steve Bannon tells POLITICO. Hes no Trump, but if you look at the Democratic Party, he's at least getting up there, and he's trying to imitate a Trumpian vision of fighting, right? He looks like the only person in the Democratic Party who is organizing a fight that they feel they can win. For a decade, President Donald Trump has blazed trails online. And now, Newsom has found that by replicating Trumps posts to the point of outright parody and trolling, hes effectively gamed social media algorithms and colonized Xs typically right-coded for you tab. In doing so, Newsom is not only getting on Republicans nerves, but also potentially redefining how Democrats function as the opposition party in the age of Trump. Michelle Obama famously advised Democrats to live by a dictum: When they go low, we go high. Newsom has approached it a bit differently: When they go low, we go low, and backed by lots of AI-generated slop end up high in the algorithm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ive changed, Newsom told Fox LA when asked about his new media approach in an interview that posted overnight . The facts have changed; we [Democrats] need to change. Newsoms MAGA-flavored posts have birthed an organic outburst of user-generated memes not dissimilar to the dynamic Trump has inspired (and from which he has drawn over the years in posts on his @realDonaldTrump accounts). Theres Newsom riding a raptor into battle , a tattered Old Glory rippling in the wind behind him. Theres Newsom riding a different dinosaur while shirtless and sporting an eight-pack of abs , raising pistols in the air. (Newsoms office tells POLITICO they dont use AI to generate written content, though lean on it to create visuals.) Newsom isnt just trolling MAGA; hes proving to Democrats that stepping off your digital high horse and entering the fray is both messy and worth it, says Stefan Smith, a digital strategist who was online engagement director on Pete Buttigiegs 2020 campaign. The man was political roadkill a few months ago but, with a shift in strategy, hes become a cause celebre of the Resistance 2.0. No doubt the rest of the 2028 shadow primary entrants are taking notes. In some ways, its like peering into the near future of what a post-literate presidential campaign might look like. (In case you have trouble imagining who might occupy such a race, look no further than the side-by-side post of Newsom and fellow meme lord Vice President JD Vance, which has been seen on X at least 54 million times.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom has entered the digital dojo, and hes performing the sort of memetic jujitsu thats scaring Republican white belts unused to actual competition, Smith tells POLITICO. For too long, Democrats have been posted up in the parking lot, too afraid of getting it wrong to throw a jab. This should energize folks to get into the octagon. Voices on the right are noticing, too. If I were his wife, I would say you are making a fool of yourself, Fox News Dana Perino said, speaking of Newsoms antics on X. He's got a big job as governor of California, but if he wants an even bigger job, he has to be a little more serious. In private, staffers in Newsoms press office smiled. Perino said nothing about the leader of the free worlds own social posting the very thing Newsom is emulating. ALMOST A WEEK IN AND THEY STILL DON'T GET IT, the account responded . The next morning, Governor Newsom Press Office again flickered to life . FOX IS LOSING IT BECAUSE WHEN I TYPE, AMERICA NOW WINS!!! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perino responded to Newsoms post during Tuesdays episode of The Five on Fox News. I thought they hated Trump, but theyre trying to be more like him and they have to pay people to do it. The thing is, what I was saying yesterday is that I believe that everybody needs to find their own way, Perino said. She continued, drawing a parallel to New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. If you think about Mamdani, his authenticity is what rocketed him to the top. And now you have Cuomo trying to copy him, and its just cringe. And that was my point. Is that if youre doing this and its not authentic and youre trying to do somebody else who you say is Hitler and you think that we dont get the joke, oh no, we get the joke, its just not funny. Newsoms press office says that Trump has used all-caps less in his own posts of late. White House communications director Steven Cheung is posting about the account, and recently said that Newsom is a coward and Beta Cuck for not fielding questions at a press conference. (He was, in fact, as a livestreamed video showed.) Newsoms press office shot back : Steven Cheung (incompetent Trump staffer) doesnt know how to use his computer. SAD! White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson called Newsoms posts weird and not at all funny . Newsoms staff count these critiques as wins. In their minds, the Trump aides are, in an indirect way, critiquing their own boss when attacking Newsoms tactics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I hope its a wake-up call for the president of the United States, the California governor said recently , breaking character when asked about his X posts. Im sort of following his example. If youve got issues with what Im putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns about what hes putting out as president. I think the deeper question is how have we allowed the normalization of his tweets, Truth Social posts over the course of the last many years, to go without similar scrutiny and notice? Asked for a comment, the White House sent POLITICO an original meme, referencing a famous scene from the show Mad Men. (It is, to our knowledge, the first official White House press statement delivered exclusively in meme form.) Added Abigail Jackson: Thank you for your attention to this matter! The Governor Newsom Press Office account has humble origins. The handle, @GovPressOffice, was created by aides to Jerry Brown a man more given to Zen Buddhism than the fever swamps of the internet and belongs to the California governors office. Because of that, just as Browns aides passed it off to Newsom in January 2019, Newsom will hand it off to his successor in January 2027; he wont be able to take what he built with him when his term ends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And what his team has built is substantial. As of this writing, the Governor Newsom Press Office account has 408,000 followers on X. Since the beginning of August, it has gained more than 250,000 followers and earned more than 225 million impressions, according to Newsoms office. Though some online observers speculated that Newsom digital director Camille Zapata primarily steers the effort, POLITICO has learned that the account is helmed by a team of four or five people a sort of "brain rot" trust that includes Newsom communications director Izzy Gardon and rapid response director Brandon Richards. Newsoms office declined to describe the governors level of involvement, but told POLITICO that he leads the effort. No other prospective 2028 candidate Democrat or Republican is breaking through in the online attention economy like Newsom. And its not just his press offices account: His campaign X account tops 2.4 million followers. On his campaign accounts alone, since 2025 began, Newsom has gained 2.96 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, X and Substack. All of that has earned him a billion-plus views and impressions, his team tells POLITICO. Still, AI slop and dinosaur memes dont vote in Democratic primaries. But Democrats who are way more offline and who hail from far beyond the Golden State are also noticing Newsom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive heard a lot of people say how happy they are to see a Democrat fighting back, says Jim Demers, a former New Hampshire state representative and member of Stand Up New Hampshire, a group organizing town halls in the early primary state. Theres this feeling that Democrats are not fighting hard enough, and he's showing the fight people are looking for." People in the MAGA movement and the America First movement should start paying attention to this, because its not going to go away, Bannon tells POLITICO. Theyre only going to get more intense. Like this content? Consider signing up for POLITICO's Playbook newsletter. Since the breakdown of the most recent ceasefire in Gaza in March, the humanitarian situation there has deteriorated dramatically. As part of its stated war objectives since resuming military operations, Israel blocked almost all aid from entering the territory. What small amounts have been allowed in were mostly looted by hungry crowds or armed actors. Nevertheless, the resulting chaos has made aid delivery increasingly dangerous, both for the recipients as well as for those delivering the aid. In addition, Israel turned to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)a newly formed entity supported by both the U.S. government and the private sectorto serve as an alternative to the United Nations and its humanitarian partners for delivering aid. The intention was to deprive Hamas of the ability to benefit by delivering individual food parcels directly to Palestinians in designated sites near Israeli military positions and controlled by armed personnel. To date, however, the arrangement has been a source of massive controversy, attracting vitriolic condemnation from some of the largest humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza. This is mainly due to reports that hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, mostly by Israeli forces, as they sought food from these facilities. The alarm and outrage over the humanitarian situation in Gaza reached a crescendo on July 29, when the Integrated Food Security Phase Classificationa U.N.-backed global warning system related to food securitydeclared that the worst case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip. Since then, Israel has begun to allow more aid in to alleviate conditions, but the situation remains catastrophic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, Gaza is not the only place currently in the throes of war and a humanitarian nightmare. Ongoing and recent conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine and Ethiopia, to name just a few, represent some of the most horrific wars in recent memory, each of which on their own would be enough to test even the most well-funded and efficient multilateral response mechanisms. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. But the challenges facing the delivery of humanitarian aid in conflict zones are now being exacerbated by the withdrawal of significant amounts of U.S. funding, which has spiraled into an unprecedented financial shortfall for the United Nations and the international aid sector more broadly. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)the largest funding mechanism for U.S. assistance worldwidehas been effectively dismantled. At the same time, we are seeing a steady proliferation of private-sector driven alternatives for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, of which the GHF is just one example. And all of this is occurring at a time when the scale of conflict and its impact on civilians seems to have surpassed even worst-case scenario predictions. Regardless of how humanitarian actors might view themselves, they are sometimes seen by their beneficiaries, local partners and host governments in a far more political lightand even, in certain cases, as adversaries. With the U.N. set to mark its 80th anniversary at the upcoming General Assembly meeting in September, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has initiated a system-wide reform process. Among other measures, it calls for an across-the-board headcount reduction of 20 percent or more, including in its humanitarian sectors. Simultaneously, Tom Fletcher, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and the organizations emergency relief coordinator, is leading a Humanitarian Reset, the latest iteration of a longstanding effort to reform or overhaul the existing humanitarian system. Although that system is currently under unimaginable strain, it remains the primary entity in charge of responding to humanitarian crises across the globe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But as the current crisis in Gaza underscores, there are growing questions as to whether the reforms will be far-reaching enough to allow the U.N. and its corresponding aid mechanisms to stay relevant in what is already a vastly changed political environment. Humanitarian Aid in Context Although humanitarian response long predates the U.N.s founding in 1945, the current framework is mostly a product of the post-Cold War era. Most of what we see today stems from General Assembly resolution 46/182, adopted in 1991, which along with a series of subsequent resolutions set forth the idea of a structured and coordinated approach to humanitarian assistance on the part of U.N. agencies and a wide range of other non-U.N. humanitarian actors. The intention was to integrate traditional methods of aid, like the distribution of food and medicine, into a systems-based approach. This largely means prioritizing the building of local capacities to bolster preparedness and, to the extent possible, prevent disasters like famine or the spread of disease. The resolutions require that the U.N. and its partners provide this assistance according to the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. While these are generally aspirational, humanitarian practitioners view them as critical to their identity. The principles also underscore that aid should be needs-based, rather than to serve a political or military purpose. At the same time, however, the resolutions clearly linked humanitarian action with the position of the secretary-general. This goes beyond the secretary-generals role in leading the system to include powers and responsibilities concerning conflict resolution, such as briefing the Security Council or offering his or her good offices to help broker ceasefires and other agreements. In theory, this allows the U.N. to stay away from interfering in local politics as it relates to the distribution of aid, without ignoring the root causes of crises. In practice, it is a delicate balance at the best of times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite these laudable principles and intentions, a quick glance at the major crises of the past decade or so shows that the results have been mixed. And one doesnt have to be a cynic to realize that all aid is, in some form, political. This is especially clear when it comes to working with governments or local authorities to strengthen their ability to respond to a crisis, and even more so when it comes to the systems advocacy on behalf of specific populations. Regardless of how humanitarian actors might view themselves, they are sometimes seen by their beneficiaries, local partners and host governments in a far more political lightand even, in certain cases, as adversaries. The Gaza Scenario Operationally, humanitarian actors have always been vulnerable to malign actors seeking to block, divert or weaponize aid. A case in point is the crisis in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization by many U.N. member states. The militant group is known to brutally repress dissent and exploit aid supplies for its own purposes. While the U.N. and other humanitarian actors have been justifiably vocal about Israels blocking of aid and wonton destruction of Gaza, they have been decidedly quieter regarding Hamas own exploitation of Palestinians. Boxes of humanitarian aid packages from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation wait to be picked up on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing, in Gaza, July 24, 2025 (AP photo by Ohad Zwigenberg). Moreover, since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, any efforts to strengthen the health system there, for example, or support improvements in the humanitarian situation have almost certainlyeven if inadvertently by most actorsbeen beneficial to the groups administration of the territory. Prior to Oct. 7, 2023, Israel had far fewer concerns about this reality. But the horrific attack by Hamas that day, along with Israels war aims in responding to it, changed the aid landscape significantly, exacerbating an already tense political and operational relationship between the U.N. and Israel. This erosion of trust is inextricably related to the U.N.s work in Gaza as well as other factors, such as the U.N.s longstanding advocacy for Palestinian rights. But it is also fueled by the unique andfor Israel and the U.S.controversial aspects of its work in Palestine, particularly the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA), which provides aid and basic services to Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war as well as their descendants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In light of all these factors, since the most recent war began, multiple senior humanitarian envoys from the U.S., the European Union and the U.N. have all been tasked with finding ways to facilitate aid delivery in Gaza, while navigating Israels restrictions and avoiding strengthening Hamas. The fighting has also proven to be extremely dangerous for both local and international aid providers. According to the U.N., hundreds of aid workers have been killed since October 2023. Following the IPCs famine declaration in late July and under growing political pressure, Israel lifted some restrictions it imposed on the entry of U.N. and other assistance, while agreeing to tactical military pauses in certain areas of Gaza. Meanwhile, the U.S. has announced it will increase its support for the GHF, potentially opening more distribution sites. Although aid is currently entering in larger quantities, agencies say it is less than what entered during the ceasefire and not nearly enough to stave off the levels of malnutrition that persist in many areas. Israels recent decision to expand the war even further adds a worrying layer of uncertainty regarding the entry and distribution of aid. Under these circumstances, Israel faces calls to abandon its aid restrictions and allow the U.N. to operate freely. But whether this happens or not, the U.N. will likely be forced to make difficult decisions about the continuation of its operations in Gaza. The Future of the U.N. System? Those difficult decisions are not limited to Gaza. The U.N. is still by far the largest and most capable entity for responding to a humanitarian crisis anywhere in the world. While not perfect, its transparency and accountability are far greater than other actors, including some operating in places like Gaza and Sudan. But in the absence of ceasefires and active political processes, the system is no longer able to operate as it has over the past few decades. Much of this has to do with a lack of funding, but there are other factors to consider as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of these is the proliferation of private-sector actors like the GHF, which are already becoming a permanent part of the aid scene. While these entities market their logistics capacity, they appear to be more an outgrowth of the private security industry than anything else. Some, like the GHF, are overtly backed by the U.S. government. But while the GHFs debut has been disturbing, there are no signs of it standing down. To the contrary, it is being scaled up. Still, the acrimony between the U.N. and its partner organizations on one hand, and the GHF on the other, runs deep, with mutual attacks being issued almost daily. A recent U.S.-brokered meeting between the U.N. and the GHF will likely not result in any immediate cooperation, but could help to reduce tensions. Nevertheless, the war of words is a distraction, both from the actual emergency on the ground and the overall issues facing the aid sector. With conflicts like Gaza seemingly becoming the new normal, the U.N. humanitarian system will be put in evermore complicated positions where it may have to choose between rigidly holding to its principled approach and saving lives. It is also safe to assume that the consulting industry, which has reportedly played a role in forming some of these companies, has already digested the missteps made by the GHF and other actors in Gaza and is working to improve its models for future clients. For example, Fogbowanother company operating in Gaza, as well as in Sudan and South Sudan, that is partly staffed by former U.N. officialshas taken a far more conciliatory position toward the U.N. than the GHF, seeking engagement where and if possible. Some private aid companies even say they could help the U.N. and other humanitarian actors with chronic issues like access constraints or in providing armed security. Many humanitarian actors will reject cooperation with the private sector as a clear violation of humanitarian principles. But given the growth of these entities and the U.N. systems massive funding deficit, the options are largely limited to engagement or operating in parallel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is easy to see why the private-sector model could be attractive for countries that are reluctant to invest in the U.N. or sustain large and bureaucratic overseas development agencies. USAID was not the first national development agency to be broken apart, nor in all likelihood will it be the last. Additionally, there are other market forces at play, and all of the cuts to staffing in the U.N. and NGO sector are creating an almost built-in workforce of expertise waiting to be engaged and employed by the private sector. But there are also many obvious and significant dangers. After all, the private sector is not a solution or replacement for the multifaceted and complex work of an organization like the U.N. or an agency like USAID. While it might be able to distribute life-saving aid faster and more efficiently, the for-profit and client-driven model is fundamentally at odds with the traditionaland, some may argue, the legaldefinition of what humanitarian aid should be. Prioritizing bottom lines and clients interests over the needs of civilians in conflict zones raises serious moral questions. The Primacy of the Political Perhaps most importantly, provision of humanitarian aid in a state of never-ending war is not what the humanitarian system was intended for. In Gaza, as elsewhere, the conflict is fundamentally political. More than a ceasefire, there needs to be a political resolution to the broader Israel-Palestine conflict along the lines of the two-state solution. Everything else is just a stopgap. Looking ahead, with conflicts like Gaza seemingly becoming the new normal, the U.N. humanitarian system will be put in evermore complicated positions where it may have to choose between rigidly holding to its principled approach and saving lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, the challenges facing the humanitarian system are fundamentally a byproduct of an overarching challenge facing the United Nations. At its core is the U.N.s inability to carve out a clear political role commensurate with the shifts in the current geopolitical landscape. How the U.N. meets this challenge, more than any individual reform process, will determine the organizations ability to coordinate humanitarian action, as well as its broader efficacy, for some time to come. As Tom Fletcher, the U.N. undersecretary-general leading the Humanitarian Reset, noted, the humanitarian system is experiencing a profound crisis of legitimacy, morale and funding. He himself seems determined to lead a robust overhaul of it. The question is whether member states can be convinced to go along. Most likely they are more interested in the broader reform efforts that Guterres is leading, and specifically how the U.N., its agencies and member state bodies can help end wars and crises, not merely mitigate their fallout. The upcoming General Assembly in September will be an opportunity for the U.N. to persuade them. But the first step in doing so would be to recognize that the organization has so far failed to adapt itself to an already changed era of multilateral politics. Jonathan Lincoln is director of the Center for Jewish Civilization at Georgetown Universitys School of Foreign Service. From 2017 to 2021, he served as senior coordination officer at the office of the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. The post Gaza, the U.N. and the Future of Humanitarian Aid appeared first on World Politics Review. GCSE students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their results on Thursday 21 August. In England, GCSEs are graded using a numerical system from 9 to 1. They were previously used an A-to-U letter system. Exams are graded differently in Wales and Northern Ireland. How do the 9-1 GCSE grades work? The 9-1 grading scheme was brought in alongside an overhaul of the curriculum in England in 2014. The rollout began in 2017 with three subjects - English language, English literature and maths - being the first to be graded in numbers. By 2020, all subjects were using the new grading system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The highest grade is 9, while 1 is the lowest, and U means "ungraded". [BBC] The number scale is not directly equivalent to the old letter one. However, the two scales do meet in certain places: the bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A the bottom of grade 4 is aligned with the bottom of grade C the bottom of grade 1 is aligned with the bottom of grade G three number grades - 9, 8 and 7 - correspond to the two previous top grades of A* and A That means that a 9 is a high A*, an 8 is a low A* or high A, and a 7 is a low A. A 6 is a high B, a 5 is a low B or high C, and a 4 is a low C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 3 is a D or high E, a 2 is a low E or high F, and a 1 is a low F or G. And a U is still a U. How are grade boundaries decided? Grade boundaries dictate what the lowest mark is you can get to achieve a grade. They are decided by examiners each year. Exam boards publish grade boundaries on results day. What grade do pupils need to pass their GCSEs? Pupils need a 4 for a "standard pass" and 5 for a "strong pass". While grades 1-3 technically count as a pass, many sixth forms insist on a minimum number of 5s or 6s as a condition of entry for further study. The government's school league tables are based on the percentage of pupils who achieve a 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you get a grade 3 or below in maths or English language, you will have to resit next year. [Getty Images] Why were GCSE grades changed in England? The numerical grading scheme was introduced as part of a 2014 curriculum overhaul by then-Conservative Education Secretary, Michael Gove. It put less emphasis on GCSE coursework than before, with grades in almost all subjects decided in final exams. The qualifications were designed to be more challenging, with exams taken after two years of study. Previously pupils covered the syllabus through a series of modules with regular assessments throughout the course. At the time of the changes, the government argued that the new scale "recognises more clearly the achievements of high-attaining students, as the additional grades allow for greater differentiation". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also said that the move from letters to numbers would make it clear - for example to an employer - "whether a student has taken a new, more challenging GCSE, or an old reformed GCSE". How are GCSEs graded in Northern Ireland? Grades have changed in Northern Ireland too. In summer 2019, the CCEA introduced a new nine-category grade scale - A* to G, including a C*. Students may also get results with grades 9-1 if they take exams set by English boards. How are GCSEs graded in Wales? The Welsh government introduced new and revised GCSE courses in September 2015. The most significant changes were in English language, Welsh language and mathematics. Wales retained the letter-based grading structure A*- G. JUNCTION CITY (KSNT) Geary County USD 475 Superintendent Reginald Eggleston is continuing to build on the successes of the past. Geary County schools started on Aug. 11 and Eggleston reports a great turnout with students. The districts goals for this year include making academics a priority, continuing to make parent engagement a priority and encouraging students to take ownership of their education. As we move forward with greater requirements and expectations for students and school districts, we want to meet these expectations, Eggleston said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eggleston said the school district is also continuing the work on the Early Childhood Facility, which they hope to be completed in April 2026. This building will have 32 classrooms, allowing the district to meet some of their growing needs and expands the program tremendously. TFD wants to relocate three stations to help response time A facility like this is important because it gives us an opportunity to have early intervention with three and four-year-old students, Eggleston said. Were really excited to work with the parents and the students to expose young people to school very early. Parents with kids in the district can also use Parent Square, which will be the way families can get in-contact with teachers and be involved in their students education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. More than two weeks after the Georgia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs call center went down after a cyberattack, the call center has opened and closed again. In the latest update from officials shared with Channel 2 Action News, the timeline for the call center to remain down is unknown. The Georgia Department of Human Services, which administers the SNAP program and Electronic Benefits Transfers in Georgia, said it is still working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to work on the issue. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As previously reported, the call center was subject to a cyber attack on July 28, with the contracted company running the center, Conduent, reporting theyd been disrupted in a bot attack trying to access clients private information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 2, the SNAP call center came back on briefly, but was shut down again hours later and has not returned to service yet. RELATED STORIES: Speaking on the operational status, DHS told Channel 2 Action News that the center remained down because "We cannot risk the IVR reboot without a root cause analysis, independent verification, and more robust security measures to prevent additional victimization. We continue to work with and keep our partners at USDA FNS updated on the situation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For SNAP beneficiaries who may have been impacted by the cyberattack, DHS said it has issued replacement EBT cards already, and the ones that were held during the attack have been deactivated. Additionally, DHS said in order access their benefits and create an account to use them, the clients will need the replacement cards that were issued. Officials said all EBT cardholders are encouraged to download the ConnectEBT app on their phone and use it to lock their EBT cards between purchases. For those having trouble accessing the platform, access on a web browser is available here. For anyone needing troubleshooting help with their EBT cards, DHS Customer Contact can be reached at 1-877-423-4746 or by email here. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Marla-Svenja Liebich said her sentence at Chemnitz women's prison was due to start on 29 August [Saxony justice ministry] A controversy has broken out in Germany about whether a trans right-wing extremist should serve a prison sentence in a women's or a men's facility. In July 2023, Marla-Svenja Liebich was sentenced by the Halle District Court in Saxon-Anhalt to a total of one year and six months in prison without parole for extreme right incitement to hatred, defamation, and insult. Liebich appealed against her sentence and lost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time she was known as Sven Liebich. German media reports say Liebich used to be a member of a neo-Nazi group called Blood and Honour. At the end of 2024, Liebich had her gender entry in official records changed from male to female. She also changed her first name. The basis for this was Germany's Self-Determination Act, which had just come into force and strengthened the rights of transgender people. The Act allows people to change their gender marker and first name through a simple declaration at a registry office, instead of a judicial ruling. German media have questioned whether Liebich's change was serious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Whether the change is serious is doubtful," wrote Der Spiegel. "Liebich has been known for years for her right-wing extremist views and has also made queerphobic statements in the past." Liebich has taken legal action against media outlets for what she considers to be false representations of her gender identity. A complaint against Spiegel to the Press Council was unanimously rejected by the Council as unfounded. Spiegel said the letter said it was likely that Liebich "made the change of civil status in an abusive manner in order to provoke and embarrass the state". Liebich will shortly begin her prison term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chief Public Prosecutor in Halle, Dennis Cernota told German public broadcaster MDR in Saxony-Anhalt that Liebich would serve her prison sentence at the Chemnitz women's prison. Liebich confirmed this in a post on X. "I will begin my prison sentence as scheduled," she said. "On August 29, 2025, at 10pm, I will arrive at the Chemnitz correctional facility with my suitcases." A decision on where to place Liebich will then be made at the start of incarceration. The chief public prosecutor said the prison administration would decide whether Liebich could pose a threat to security and order, which could lead to her transfer to another jail. Meanwhile German media report that Liebich has recently lost another case, against journalist Julian Reichelt at Berlin Regional Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reichelt, editor-in-chief of Nius, posted on X in July: "Anyone who follows the reporting on neo-Nazi Sven Liebich can only come to one conclusion: The traffic-light coalition government has managed, by law, to force almost the entire German media landscape to tell untruths and make grotesquely false claims. Sven Liebich is not a woman." Die Welt said the court's Second Civil Chamber decided to reject Liebich's application for a preliminary injunction, saying it was unfounded. JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) The foreign minister of Germany called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas after a meeting Wednesday with his counterpart in Indonesia. Johann Wadephul and Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono said the humanitarian catastrophe resulting from the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is unbearable and a two-state solution is the sole means of ending the conflict. The goal for all of us is clear: a two-state solution, which must be negotiated, Wadephul said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sugiono, who like many Indonesians uses a single name, told a joint news conference with Wadephul in the capital Jakarta that they also discussed how to overcome geopolitical challenges and rising trade barriers during the productive and contructive meeting. Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country, is a longtime supporter of Palestine and does not recognize Israel. Germany, as a special friend and partner of Israel, also has a responsibility, and I believe we will have responsible discussions about this in the future, Wadephul said. Germany supports Israels fight against Hamas while calling on Israel to take further measures to alleviate suffering in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is now a very acute opportunity for a conflict resolution in which many neighboring countries have contributed to this, Wadephul said. It would be in all of our interests if this political conflict could be resolved through a peaceful process. The meeting took place on the second leg of Wadephul's five-day trip to Indonesia and Japan, which he called key partners for economic relations to build free trade, competition and fairness. It is crucial for us that, in a world of crises and conflicts, of trade restrictions and trade barriers, we build a network of strong, global partnerships with whom we connect politically and economically, Wadephul said. The talks came as the Trump administration enacted new tariffs on dozens of countries, including a 19% rate on Indonesia and 10% on the European Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany is Indonesias main trading partner and investor in Europe, with trade volume last year reaching $6.15 billion, while Europes largest economy invested more than $343 million in Indonesia in 2024, Sugiono said. Negotiations between Indonesia and Germany on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement likely can be concluded in 2026, he said. The CEPA will further expand opportunities for cooperation, particularly in the economic sector, between the two countries to increase trade and investment, Sugiono said, adding that Germany has made a 1.6 billion euro ($1.8 billion) commitment to Indonesia's clean energy future through the Just Energy Transition Partnership. Wadephul also praised Indonesias role during the mediation of the July conflict between Thailand and Cambodia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for serving as an anchor of stability in Southeast Asia. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is urgently calling on the Israeli government and the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas to agree to a ceasefire so as to release the remaining hostages. "There is now a very real opportunity to resolve the conflict," Wadephul said on Wednesday at a meeting in Jakarta with his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono. Many neighbouring countries had contributed to this, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conservative politician said it would be "in all our interests if this terrible conflict could be resolved through a peaceful process." The goal for everyone was a negotiated two-state solution, he added, in reference to an independent Palestinian state that exists peacefully alongside Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects a two-state solution, as does Hamas. Germany knew that Indonesia, the country with world's largest Muslim population, had a particular interest in the fate of the suffering Palestinians, Wadephul noted. Germany, as a special friend and partner, also has a special responsibility for Israel and supports its fight against Hamas, the minister added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the government considers the suffering of the population in the Gaza Strip to be intolerable and is urgently calling on Israel to design its further measures so as to alleviate the suffering. According to the Times of Israel newspaper, the Israeli government is examining a new ceasefire proposal that Hamas claims to have already agreed to. China's assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea and tensions in the Taiwan Strait threaten international security and European interests, Germany's foreign minister said on Wednesday. "What happens here in the Indo-Pacific has a direct impact on European security and vice versa," Johann Wadephul said in a speech in Jakarta, using an alternative description for the Asia-Pacific region. "China's growing military assertiveness in the South China Sea not only threatens Asia's security but also undermines the international rules-based order," Wadephul said after talks with his Indonesian counterpart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "With essential trade routes running right through this area, it also constitutes an economic risk." He said the same applied to frictions in the Taiwan Strait, where China has deployed fighter jets, warships and coast guard ships near Taiwan and has held several major military exercises around the island in recent years. Communist China has never ruled Taiwan but Beijing insists it is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control. "Any escalation would have serious consequences for global security and prosperity, and directly affect German and European interests, too," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His comments are likely to cause more friction with Beijing after it lashed out at Berlin this week over his remarks in Japan, where he accused China of being "increasingly aggressive" and trying to "unilaterally change" regional borders. China warned Germany on Monday against "inciting confrontation and hyping up tensions" in the region. Wadephul said in a statement on Sunday before leaving for Asia that China was "increasingly asserting its regional supremacy" and questioning principles of international law. He also said on Wednesday Russia's war in Ukraine had an impact on regional security in Asia because of Chinese and North Korean support for Moscow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is not only an attack on the European peace order, it also affects Indo-Pacific security," he said. "The Russian war machine runs in part on North Korean troops and ammunition, as well as China's decisive economic support." China insists it is a neutral party in the conflict but many of Ukraine's allies believe that Beijing has provided support to Moscow. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attended talks between US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders on Monday. He said Ukraine should not be forced to surrender its Donbas region to Russia in negotiations, likening it to the United States giving up Florida. Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin for a summit in Alaska days before those talks. jfx/pbt Americas trillion-dollar auto sector may be past its prime. Thats according to New York University Stern School of Business professor and media entrepreneur Scott Galloway, who claimed in a recent YouTube video that 2025 marks the beginning of the end of the U.S. automobile industry. Galloway argues that U.S. automakers are struggling to compete with rising Chinese manufacturers and that President Donald Trumps ongoing trade war and tariff nonsense are having a counterproductive effect, further undermining the industrys global competitiveness. He is not alone in sounding the alarm. A growing number of experts including some U.S. auto executives have raised concerns about the Trump administrations unpredictable trade policies and their long-term impact on the sector. Don't miss Ceding advantage to Japan Although the Trump administrations tariff policy remains fluid, as of August it appears to favor some foreign automakers over domestic ones. For example, Japan currently faces a flat 15% tariff on all exports to the U.S., including vehicles from its globally dominant brands. Meanwhile, most other countries face a 25% tariff on auto imports. As a result, an American carmaker that manufactures domestically but imports car parts from Mexico or Canada may incur higher production costs than Japanese rivals. According to the American Automotive Policy Council a group representing G.M., Ford, and Stellantis this creates a significant advantage for brands like Toyota or Honda at the expense of U.S.-based manufacturers. We just struck a deal with Japan that made it easier for Americans to buy, quite frankly, their superior cars, Galloway explains in the recent YouTube video. The global auto supply chain is so complex that even the most American vehicles rely on imported components. Teslas Model 3 Long Range, for example, contains 40% Chinese content, according to Frank DuBois, associate professor at American Universitys Kogod School of Business. As domestic automakers struggle, emerging challengers are rapidly gaining global market share in the industrys fastest-growing segment: electric vehicles (EVs). BERLIN (Reuters) -German prosecutors have charged a Russian national they suspect of planning an attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin and of trying to join militant organisation Islamic State, they said on Wednesday. Prosecutors believe the accused, identified only as Akhmad E. in line with German privacy rules, obtained instructions from the Internet on how to make explosives but the plan failed as he could not get the components he needed. "From the beginning of February, he planned to carry out an attack in Germany, for example on the Israeli embassy in Berlin," said federal prosecutors in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has been detained since his arrest at Berlin airport in February. Prosecutors suspect he was on the way to Pakistan for military training with IS and that he funded the trip by selling expensive smartphones that he obtained via signing up for mobile phone plans. He is also accused of translating propaganda into Russian and Chechen for IS, said the statement. Prosecutors charged him on August 7 with preparing and incitement to commit a serious act of violence endangering the state and, as a minor, of trying to join a terrorist group abroad. (Reporting by Madeline ChambersEditing by Ludwig Burger) German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is set to begin a visit to Indonesia on Wednesday, as he continues his inaugural Asia trip amid the threat of rising Chinese expansionist aspirations. Wadephul plans to meet his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono for talks in Jakarta, while also looking to give a foreign policy speech at a think tank. The third biggest democracy in the world and home to the world's largest Muslim population, Indonesia has emerged as an increasingly important global player in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Germany, the South-East Asian nation is a member of the G20 group of leading economies. Indonesia is also a part of the BRICS alliance that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The country's most important trading partners include China, Japan, India, the United States and the European Union, as well as the South-East Asian market. During a prior two-day visit to Japan, Wadephul highlighted repeated Chinese and North Korean efforts to threaten stability in the Indo-Pacific. Speaking during a visit to the 7th US Fleet and a Japanese naval base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, the German minister warned that China's military build-up and push to become the world's technological leader through big data and artificial intelligence pose a challenge in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He urged Beijing not to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, stressing that the United Nations Charter's prohibition on the use of force applies in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea and the East China Sea. "Any escalation would have serious consequences for global security and the world economy in this sensitive hub of international trade," Wadephul warned. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Wednesday it was up to Moscow and Kiev to decide where Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky might meet as speculation swirled that Budapest will be the venue. "The discussions, including the procedure, are being shaped by Russia and Ukraine, not by the German foreign minister from Jakarta," he told journalists while in the Indonesian capital. US President Donald Trump, who last week met Putin in Alaska and then hosted Zelensky and European leaders in Washington on Monday, is also expected to attend any summit between the pair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US Secret Service, responsible for Trump's security, is already making preparations for a trip to Budapest, according to the website Politico. Switzerland had previously said it was prepared to host the possible talks on ending the war in Ukraine despite the arrest warrant issued against Putin by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban would also allow Putin free passage. But Zelensky has described the anti-Ukraine policies and messaging of the right-wing Hungarian populist as an "historic mistake." Wadephul also declined to comment on the possible involvement of German soldiers in providing security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any peace deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We really need to first know whether this meeting between Putin and Zelensky will take place," he said. The German foreign minister said he had spoken with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha earlier in the day and that so far, no one has received confirmation that "Putin is genuinely ready to engage in these talks that the American president has now initiated." German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul voiced strong criticism on Wednesday of Israel's go-ahead for a highly contested settlement project in the occupied West Bank. "Such plans, if implemented, would be contrary to international law and would make a two-state solution impossible," Wadephul told journalists on the sidelines of a visit to Jakarta. A two-state solution refers to an independent Palestinian state that exists peacefully alongside Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects a two-state solution - as does the Palestinian Islamist Hamas organization in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany favours a two-state solution, Wadephul said. "That is why we strongly advise against continuing down this path." Earlier on Wednesday, an Israeli planning committee approved a plan to build about 3,400 housing units in the so-called E1 area, a critical stretch of land between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim. A spokesman for the German Foreign Office said that the plan would "de facto separate the northern part of the West Bank from the southern part." The mobility of Palestinians in the West Bank and Palestinians in East Jerusalem would be considerably restricted as a result. Critics have long warned against the contested move, saying it could severely undermine prospects for a future Palestinian state. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul touted the EU's free trade agreement with Indonesia on Wednesday as he continued his inaugural trip to Asia with a visit to Jakarta. At a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono, Wadephul emphasized that "in a world of crises and conflict, of trade restrictions and barriers," it is vital "to set up a network of strong global partnerships." The EU's Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Indonesia, reached in July, is due to be finalized in September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal can serve as a model for European trade with other regions, Wadephul said. "For German and Indonesian companies, it offers a big opportunity for cooperation, for example in renewable energies," he added. The third-biggest democracy in the world and home to the world's largest Muslim population, Indonesia has emerged as an increasingly important global player in recent years. Like Germany, the South-East Asian nation is a member of the G20 group of leading economies. Indonesia is also a part of the BRICS alliance that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The country's most important trading partners include China, Japan, India, the United States and the European Union, as well as the South-East Asian market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sugion said Indonesia and Germany are strategic partners and said he was confident "that this partnership will become stronger in the coming years." Indonesia eyes German investment The country is "open and ready" for more German investment in key areas such as renewable energy, artificial intelligence, infrastructure and food security," the Indonesian foreign minister said. In view of the shortage of skilled workers in Germany, both ministers highlighted the potential for cooperation in the labour market. Sugiono said that 329 Indonesian nurses have travelled to Germany so far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jakarta hopes to expand this programme to the hospitality sector, supported by language courses financed by Germany. On Thursday, Wadephul plans to visit a medical university in Jakarta, where language courses will be offered in parallel. "The fact that nursing and language training go hand in hand at the school can certainly also serve as a model for other areas of skilled labour recruitment," said the minister. Sugiono described the upcoming state visit to Germany by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto - at the invitation of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier - as a "special form of recognition that reflects the importance of our partnership." Wadephul repeats China criticism The German foreign minister also repeated his criticism of China's aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region and its threats against Taiwan again on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Every escalation in this region would have unforeseeable consequences for global prosperity and security," warned Wadephul at a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart in Jakarta. "Therefore, I can only implore all sides to avoid violence and respect international law," he added. In a major foreign policy speech to a think tank in Jakarta, Wadephul said "China's increasing military capabilities in the South China Sea threatens not only the security of Asia, but it also undermines the entire international rules-based order." Beijing has in recent years stepped up its military activities in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, conducting major manoevures around Taiwan in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In these times of crises and conflicts, we need more understanding for each other and a willingness to resolve conflicts," Wadephul asserted, linking tensions in the Indo-Pacific to the war in Ukraine. "Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is not only an attack on the European peace order," said the German diplomat. "It also affects the security of the Indo-Pacific." The Russian war machine is partly fuelled by North Korean troops and ammunition as well as "China's crucial economic support," he asserted. The warnings to Beijing came after Wadephul highlighted repeated Chinese and North Korean efforts to threaten stability in the Indo-Pacific during a prior two-day visit to Japan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking during a visit to the 7th US Fleet and a Japanese naval base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, the German minister warned that China's military build-up and push to become the world's technological leader through big data and artificial intelligence pose a challenge in the region. He urged Beijing not to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, stressing that the United Nations Charter's prohibition on the use of force applies in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea and the East China Sea. "Any escalation would have serious consequences for global security and the world economy in this sensitive hub of international trade," Wadephul warned. A ghost story play is aiming to shine a light on a 250-year-old tragedy at a series of Devon caves. The play, 47 - A Ghost Story, was inspired by a 1758 disaster at Beer Quarry Caves, near Seaton, where a roof collapse killed quarry workers, including an eight-year-old boy. The audience will be led through Beer's winding modern-day tunnels while actors treat them to a "chillingly real" journey through 2,000 years of mining history - on the site of the real-life disaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Playwright Richard Crowe said theatre-goers could expect "ghosts, bats and a mysterious tour guide" - as well as a chocolate coin. It was an "age old story of negligence in the pursuit of profit", he said. Mr Crowe said there were "parallels" with modern-day workers on zero-hours contracts who could be "exploited, just as the quarrymen were in the 1700s". The three-hander play follows a confused couple on a guided tour around the caves. But, as with any good suspense, all is not as it seems. Actor Mimi Cassidy said the play was a "fascinating journey" and it was exciting to portray "interesting characters only to witness their mental and spiritual destruction". Playwright Richard Crowe said theatre-goers could expect "ghosts, bats and a mysterious tour guide" [BBC] While the promenade play is a ghost story, the true tale of the Beer Quarry disaster is arguably just as terrifying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An eight-year-old boy was sent into the caves to warn the workers of an impending blast, so they could be evacuated from the site. But the roof collapsed, killing them. Stephen Rodgers, managing director of the caves, said: "It was unnecessary. It wasn't a natural collapse, it happened from human error." He said Jed Stevenson, the play's director and a tour guide at the caves, had been inspired by repeated questions from modern-day visitors. Visitors reported "over and over" seeing "a young lad down here around eight or nine years of age with ripped trousers and a flat cap", he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Mr Rodgers had personally "not had any experiences or seen anything like that". Limestone from the caves had to be carved underground as it dried out and hardened once it left the cool, damp conditions [BBC] Mr Rodgers said the area had been mined since Roman times for its soft, late Cretaceous limestone, which was "famous for its carve-ability". Stone from the quarry had been using in iconic buildings such as Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and the Houses of Parliament, he said. He said the limestone had to be carved underground due to its unique properties, using light from tallow candles. "This place would have been a hive of activity. There would have been 40, 50 men working down here, extracting stone, masons carving stone." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Rodgers said the stone was easy to work in the "damp, cold conditions" underground, but it "hardened tenfold" in the open air because of a process of curing and drying. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. More on this story Related internet links The plan was presented to him by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the military's senior command team. Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the IDF takeover of Gaza City plan on Wednesday, naming the operation "Gideon's Chariots II." The plan was presented to him by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir and the military's senior command. Present at the meeting were Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Tamir Yadai, Intelligence Directorate head Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder, Operations Directorate head Itzik Cohen, the head of Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the military unit responsible for civilian affairs in Gaza and the West Bank, including humanitarian aid - Maj.-Gen. Ghassan Alian, representatives from the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and other senior officials in the security establishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The takeover is planned as a continuation of the first Operation Gideon's Chariots, which was approved on May 4 and launched on May 16-17. To meet operational demands, the IDF decided to send about 50,000 call-up orders to reservists - in addition to those already serving. Aid packages are airdropped over Gaza, as seen from Gaza City, August 5, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa) Preparations to evacuate civilians from Gaza City to the south of the Strip have also been approved, in order to isolate Hamas terrorists. A senior official told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday, Operational planning is continuing as usual. We are determined to implement the cabinets decision to capture Gaza City, unless a framework is presented that includes the release of all hostages and an end to the war under the terms outlined by the prime minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hostages and Missing Families Forum demanded an urgent meeting with Katz and Zamir in response to the approval of the plan, demanding they explain how the upcoming operation will not lead to the deaths of more hostages. Hostage deal negotiations The approval of the plans comes against an Egyptian-led proposal, backed by Hamas, that would involve the release of 10 hostages in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire. While Israel continues to review the proposal, officials signaled that since it does not include the release of all the hostages, Israel is unlikely to respond positively or enter negotiations on it. Israels policy is consistent and has not changed: It demands the release of all 50 hostages in accordance with the principles set by the cabinet for ending the war, said a senior political source. We are at the decisive stage against Hamas, and we will not leave a single hostage behind. Amichai Stein contributed to this report. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A Girard man received his sentence last week for a police chase earlier this year. Henry Wright, 19, was sentenced to two years of supervised probation on Aug. 12, according to a judgment entry filed Wednesday. He was also ordered to make restitution in the case. Wright had pleaded guilty in June to failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a fourth-degree felony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case was related to a police pursuit that led to a crash and subsequent search of a Poland Village neighborhood. Boardman police attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a car operating without headlights on Feb. 26, but said the car refused to stop and led to a chase that ended in a crash in Poland Village. After the crash, the driver, later identified as Wright, got out of the car and ran away. Police arrested Wright on March 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. NEED TO KNOW Jade Metivier was 14 when she underwent three complex facial reconstructive surgeries beginning in May 2023 She had a condition that impacted her ability to breathe, speak and eat Following the first surgery, Jade started dancing to a Taylor Swift song while intubated and sedated Jade Metivier was 14 years old when she had her first facial reconstructive surgery to help her eat, speak and breathe more easily. Following the procedure in May 2023, her eyes were sewn shut and she was intubated. The teen was also sedated, but that didnt stop her from dancing to a Taylor Swift song. A video of the sweet moment shows Jade in a hospital bed at New York-Presbyterian, in New York City, as she flutters her hands and bobs her head in time to the hit Cruel Summer moves that prompted nearby nurses to come running. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the first time Ive seen an intubated patient dance, a nurse can be heard saying in the background. Youre a rock star. The joyful dance was a moment of reprieve for Jade and her parents, Christi and Mark Metivier, before she began to heal from the craniofacial disjunction surgery, in which her midfacial bones were separated from her skull so they could be moved forward. It was the first procedure to correct her midface hypoplasia a condition that caused her eyes, jaw and cheekbones to grow at a different rate than her face which was followed by two more complex facial surgeries. Almost a year later, Jade was finally back in dance class, performing the aerials and twirls she loves so much. It changed my life, Jade, now 16 and about to enter her sophomore year in high school in her hometown in Kansas, tells PEOPLE in a joint interview with her parents. Not only is she able to eat the pizza and sandwiches she couldnt bite into before, shes gained more confidence to smile and be herself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was the role model for us, keeping us going, says Christi, a 56-year-old stay-at-home mom. Mark, also 56, is a sales director at an agricultural supply chain manager and processor. Courtesy of NewYork-Presbyterian Jade Metivier after her first surgery in 2023. Jade Metivier after her first surgery in 2023. Every aspect of her daily function has been improved. She is able to eat, speak and breathe in a way that she never could prior to the procedure, Dr. Thomas Imahiyerobo, the director of cleft and craniofacial surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, tells PEOPLE in a statement about Jades recovery. Beyond this, the impact on her physical appearance has helped her community see her for the confident and exceptional person that she truly is. Her proud mom adds, We all look back and say, It was completely worth it. Jade was 2 years old when her parents, who were already raising four sons, adopted her from China in 2011. She was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate, which were corrected when she was a toddler. Jade went on to have multiple surgeries over the years, but the Metiviers werent expecting the diagnosis of midface hypoplasia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As she started going through puberty, her face became concave, and it became increasingly harder for her to talk, to eat and even to breathe, Christi recalls. You could hear her breathe because she couldn't get her lips closed. Courtesy of NewYork-Presbyterian Jade Metivier in her ballet studio. Jade Metivier in her ballet studio. When Christi learned about the extensive surgeries her daughter needed to correct the alignment of her facial bones, she says she felt like shed been kicked in the stomach. She cried the whole drive back, Christi says. How can I put my daughter in a situation where someone takes her face off twice and cuts her skull in half and then puts her on a ventilator? she remembers thinking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Christi and Marks fears were eased by Dr. Imahiyerobo, who performed the rare series of procedures. The couple says they shared the information about upcoming surgeries one at a time, so Jade wouldnt be overwhelmed. Following the first surgery, Jade had small metal devices called distractors placed on either side of her skull. They were attached to gears, cranks and a rod on the outside of her head, so her parents could turn the distractors one millimeter a day for three weeks, slowly moving her bones forward. After the devices were removed, she had reconstructive surgery. We would have to leave the room and go cry, because we couldn't cry in front of her, Christi says of that difficult time, adding that Jade only had a couple moments where she actually just lost it. With the support of her parents and older brothers, Jade slowly recovered, even attending dance class with her friends, though she couldnt actively participate when she had the distractors installed. Jade says her friends also rallied around her and texted her often to see if she was okay. Courtesy of NewYork-Presbyterian Jade Metivier. Jade Metivier. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Following the procedures, Jade had to undergo speech therapy for the second time. Now, she says her friends have a much easier time understanding her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her parents are grateful for Dr. Imahiyerobo and the many others who made the life-changing surgery possible. Now, we get to see her grow and thrive, says Christi, who has seen her daughters confidence grow. She's blessed our life. Read the original article on People Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly rejected proposals to concede land to Russian President Vladimir Putin, particularly the hotly-contested Donbas region. The Donbas, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, is Ukraine's industrial heartland where coal mining and steel production are the main drivers of economic growth. Ultimately, control of the region's mines and factories would hand Moscow powerful leverage over Kyivs post-war economic survival. 'Our Position Is Clear:' Zelenskyy And Eu Dismiss Ceding Ukrainian Land To Russia A Ukrainian serviceman walks in a destroyed coal mine of Butovka at the front line with Russia-backed separatists not far from the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region. "Donbas offers both a military advantage and significant economic resources, making it a high-value target for the Kremlin," explained Elina Beketova, a fellow with the Democratic Resilience Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Donbas alone holds vast reserves of coal especially anthracite, crucial for energy and metallurgy," Beketova said. "Of 114 mines in Donetsk region, only 15 remain functional," she pointed out, as many have been flooded, destroyed, or left inoperable by the war. Coal tells only half the story. Read On The Fox News App Perhaps the crown jewel is salt: the Soledar salt mines, with an estimated 4.5 billion tons of rock salt making it the largest reserve in Europe. These mines and the Artyomsol plant, Europe's largest salt producer, fell to Russian forces in 2022. A soldier walks in front of the broken power lines and the Artyomsol salt mine infrastructure damaged due to hostilities on Dec. 20, 2022 in the Donetsk Oblast, in Ukraine. Beketova underscored that, in the long term, natural gas could be the most strategically important resource in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The region includes the Yuzivka gas field in Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts, with potential reserves of up to 4 trillion cubic meters a direct challenge to Russian energy dominance, and likely another reason why Moscow wants full control of the area." Russia May Gain Ukraines Fertile, Resource-rich Territory As Trump Proposes Land Swap "Beyond coal, salt, and gas, the occupied territories of Donbas as well as neighboring Zaporizhzhia and Kherson are also rich in gypsum, chalk, marble, granite, sand and clay," Beketova said. Russian forces currently occupy approximately one-fifth of Ukraines territory, primarily in the eastern and southeastern regions, including large swaths of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. These areas have been under partial or full Russian control at various points over the course of the Kremlins war. A map from the Institute for the Study of War and AEI's Critical Threats Project that shows Russia's territorial control of Ukraine as of Aug. 11, 2025. For Kyiv, the Donbas is more than contested ground it is an economic lifeline, whose coal, salt and gas reserves could help bankroll recovery in a country already burdened with enormous post-war debts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most recent joint assessment by the United Nations, World Bank, European Commission, and Ukrainian government estimates that Kyiv faces $524 billion in postwar reconstruction over the next decade. Of the total long-term reconstruction and recovery needs, housing accounts for the largest share at nearly $84 billion, followed by $78 billion needed for the transportation industry and $68 billion for the energy sector. A view of the ruined and abandoned town of Maryinka in the Donetsk region on April 1, 2025. Zelenskyy told reporters at the European Commission on Sunday that Putin has repeatedly tried and failed to seize the entirety of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine for a period of 12 years. Grace Mappes, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, noted that conceding the region would also mean relinquishing Ukraines "fortress belt," the fortified defensive line in Donetsk Oblast since 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "After trying and failing to occupy this strategically vital terrain for over a decade, Putin is now demanding that Ukraine concede this critical defensive position, which Russian forces currently have no means of rapidly enveloping or penetrating, apparently in exchange for nothing and with no guarantee that fighting will not resume." Ukrainian soldiers participate in a military training drill at an undisclosed location as the war between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for the last 2 years, in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 06, 2024. Mappes added that Ukraine's substantial investment in reinforcing its "fortress belt" with defensive structures, logistics hubs, and defense industrial facilities, underscores its central role in the countrys military resilience. "Putin's proposal is not a compromise, rather a ploy to avoid the years-long, bloody campaign that would be necessary to seize the fortress belt and the rest of Donetsk militarily," she added. Original article source: Giving Putin the Donbas would hand Moscow powerful leverage over Kyivs financial survival Reliance Consumer Products, the consumer brands division of India's Reliance Industries has acquired a majority stake in a joint venture with functional drinks maker Naturedge Beverages. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. In a statement, Reliance's consumer arm said the joint venture will look to offer consumers a selection of "herbal-natural beverages", bolstering its presence as a total beverage company. The group added that the healthy functional beverage sector offers a large and rapidly expanding opportunity fuelled by "strong" consumer movement towards "healthier, natural alternatives". In the same statement, Ketan Mody, executive director of Reliance Consumer Products, said the venture strengthens our beverage portfolio with the addition of health-focused functional drinks, inspired by Ayurveda." Naturedge Beverages, founded in 2018 by Siddhesh Sharma of the Baidyanath Group, specialises in better-for-you drinks inspired by the holisitic medicine system Ayuverda. Mody added: Within a very short span of time, Shunya has gained wide popularity among health-conscious consumers and also fits perfectly with the companys vision. Naturedge's flagship product, Shunya, is a zero-sugar, zero-calorie beverage infused with Indian herbs such as Ashwagandha and Brahmi. The business also makes ready-to-drink functional shots under the Armr brand. Commenting on the deal, co-founder Sharma said: The partnership with RCPL is a testament of Shunyas rapidly growing acceptability among consumers. With our visions aligned on turning Shunya into a pan-India brand that caters to consumers love for herbal-natural functional beverages that are refreshing and fun-filled at the same time, this is a win-win for us." The joint venture will enable the Shunya brand to be available to consumers across the country using Reliance's "wide network of distribution and supply chain", Sharma added. In July, Reliance Industries reportedly announced plans to set up a new subsidiary for its consumer-facing brands. According to a report from India's Economic Times at the time, Reliance Industries aimed to draw a new pool of investors to its FMCG portfolio by presenting the business as a standalone entity, instead of keeping it embedded within its broader retail operations. At the time Reuters said Indias National Company Law Tribunal had approved the restructuring exercise, according to a document cited by the news agency and dated 25 June. This is a large business by itself requiring specialised and focused attention, expertise and different skill sets as compared to retail business, Reliance Industries said in its request for approval to the Tribunal, the document quoted by Reuters said. Police arrested a man they said admitted to wanting to damage a north Phoenix synagogue whose rabbi told The Arizona Republic that an antisemitic threat was recently posted on the congregation's door. Kevin Charles Pyles, 32, of Glendale, was charged with making a terrorist threat and computer tampering to threaten, both felonies, according to court documents. Pyles admitted to wanting to attack a synagogue to cause damage and expressed antisemitism on social media and filmed himself outside a Jewish congregation, according to a probable cause statement by Phoenix police. Between April 21 and Aug. 10, Pyles posted multiple threats against Jews on his X account and targeted the Sha'arei Shalom Congregation near 13th and Grovers avenues, according to charging documents. Pyles said he would shoot into propane tanks near synagogues, among other threatening statements, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Aug. 10 post on an X account that charging documents said belonged to Pyle includes a video where a person is heard making antisemitic statements and using an antigay slur before throwing a glass toward Sha'arei Shalom. The glass resembled a kiddush cup, used for blessings and other rituals, and had "Passover" written on it. "(Expletive) the Jews. Kill yourselves, you little (expletive). Get the (expletive) out of here," the person says on the video. The post includes the written text, "(Expletive) Israel. (Expletive) anything Jewish. I'm buying Jewish stuff and smashing it up as a hobby now." Man blamed minorities for inability to keep a job, court documents say Police were informed about statements on the X account by Secure Community Network, which monitors threats against the Jewish community, according to court documents. The company also pointed to Pyles as the account's user, which police confirmed through subscriber records provided by X, witness statements and surveillance, charging documents said. The X user also posted "no Jews" and "heil Hitler" and indicated access to firearms, with images captioned "sucker slayer," according to charging documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These statements constitute incitement to imminent lawless action, encouraging immediate violence against synagogues and persons of Jewish descent," court documents read. Pyles was taken into custody Aug. 15 at his home, according to court documents. Police learned Pyles owns a handgun and a submachine gun, according to charging documents. Pyles told police he blamed minorities for his inability to keep a job, according to court documents. He told police he wanted to draw in others to join him, documents said. "Find jew/gay/trans stuff and destroy it like the 3rd reich did. Be like me, frens!" said an Aug. 13 post on the X account that law enforcement attributes to Pyles. The post includes a photo of the "Passover" glass and the video where it is tossed toward the synagogue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Aug. 18, Pyles was being held on a $250,000 bond, according to jail records. He had a preliminary hearing set for Aug. 25. Antisemitic flyer posted on synagogue door, rabbi says Sha'arei Shalom's rabbi, Pinhas Nisanov, told The Republic on Aug. 18 that a flyer claiming Jews "suck blood" was posted July 11 on the door of the synagogue. The flyer found at the synagogue, Nisanov said, referred to bris, the Jewish rite of circumcision. Multiple posts on the X account identified in charging documents as belonging to Pyles featured a flyer using the terms "Jewish" and "vampires." Nisanov said he did not report the incident to police because video surveillance only captured the suspected perpetrator with their face concealed. Nisanov provided The Republic with images showing a person with a covered face standing near a convertible. The rabbi said it was not until Aug. 18 that he learned police were investigating Pyles on suspicion of threatening the synagogue, which has about 70 congregants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Anti-Defamation League's most recent Audit of Antisemitic Incidents found Arizona had 122 antisemitic incidents harassment, vandalism and assaults in 2024. There were 163 in 2023 and 53 in 2022. Sarah Kader, deputy director for ADL Desert, which covers Arizona and Nevada, told The Republic on Aug. 18 that many people don't report instances of antisemitism for a variety of reasons, including considering something inconsequential. "The problem is you don't know the context of that situation, necessarily," Kader said. "There may be more there that ADL is aware of or that law enforcement is aware of. So, by reporting what you saw, you may be giving that last puzzle piece that was needed to complete the story." This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kevin Charles Pyles charged in threats against Phoenix synagogue BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) An employee at a Gonzales rehabilitation hospital was arrested after police said she stole an elderly patients wallet and used his debit card at local businesses. On Aug. 16, Gonzales Police Department officers went to Sage Rehabilitation Hospital on East Worthey Road after an 86-year-old patient reported his wallet was missing. The victim later discovered fraudulent charges on his account in Gonzales and Baton Rouge. GPD said surveillance video showed Tanisha N. Jackson, of Baton Rouge, using the victims debit card at Off The Hook in Gonzales. A search warrant on Jacksons vehicle found the victims wallet and receipts for $125.85 in purchases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baton Rouge woman accused of stealing over $40K from youth football group Jackson, identified as a housekeeping employee at the hospital, was arrested and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail on charges of exploitation of the infirmed, felony identity theft, and theft. 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) In 2023, approximately 18 million households in the U.S. were food insecure at some point, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This means millions of Americans did not have access to sufficient food of adequate quality to meet basic needs. However, a group of law enforcement officers from Middle Tennessee recently returned from a boar hunting trip in Texas to help remedy this problem. Rogue elk spotted in Ashland City Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group, which includes active and retired officers, reportedly killed almost two dozen hogs. Then, the officers paid to process 1,500 pounds of hog meat that was delivered to local butchers and finally distributed to families in need. Jack Byrd, CEO of a Tennessee-based security company, went on the trip with seven other men who represent the Metro Nashville Police Department, Sumner County Police Department and Monterey Police Department. The men went to a remote location near San Antonio, where the landscape is reportedly run by hundreds of boars, some of which, Byrd says, are 400 pounds. They can get up to 400 pounds, they have long tusks, they are known to carry rabies and other bacteria, Byrd told News 2. Theyll charge; they can bite; they root; theyll hit you with their tusks. They pose a pretty significant risk to livestock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Byrd, the trip was a chance for the officers to unwind, but also a chance to give back. Its something we do every year, he added. Its a good cause, good training, good time, good fellowship for the guys to go down and take a break, but its also a chance to give back as part of the Hunters for the Hungry program, where we pay a processing fee for everything we harvest and they donate all that to needy families. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The hogs are reportedly excellent sources of meat for the families who receive it. Its bacon. Its ham. Its pork products, said Byrd. So, we ended up getting 1,500 pounds of harvestable meat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fifteen families, who were chosen from the program, each received approximately 100 pounds of meat from the groups hunting efforts, according to Byrd. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Welcome to 5 Things PM! When kids head back to school, theres a good chance they will use AI to help with their homework. Its important for parents to talk to them about when they should and shouldnt do so. An expert offered some tips. Heres what else you might have missed during your busy day. 5 things Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg/Getty Images/File 1 Shift in policy The Trump administration is expanding the requirement for immigrants who are hoping to become US citizens to display good moral character. Some immigration lawyers called it a troubling change that adds uncertainty to the naturalization process. 2 Out of control This has been Europes summer of discontent, with locals protesting overtourism everywhere from Tenerife to the Louvre. As destinations take action to stem the not-so-subtle anger, what does the future hold for mass tourism? 3 Cheap flights The end could be near for Spirit Airlines, which recently said there was substantial doubt it could stay in business for more than a year. That would be bad news not just for employees and customers but for everyone seeking bargain airfares. 4 Dont be a victim Financial scams are nothing new, but the internet, social media, AI and crypto make it so much easier for the bad guys these days. There are telltale signs that something is fishy and ways to reduce your chances of being swindled. 5 K-pop culture Netflix has a hit on its hands with KPop Demon Hunters, which debuted in June and is on track to become the platforms most-watched original film. Heres why the animated flick is slaying summer. Watch this Church on wheels: The Kiruna Church was previously named Swedens most beautiful building. Its now part of a project that will relocate nearly 6,000 residents and some of Kirunas buildings. See how they tackled this massive move. Top headlines Check this out courtesy Doran Binder H2-whoa: Ever feel like the boring one at the table when you dont order alcohol? Well, fear not this British restaurant has your back after launching the UKs first water menu. Quiz time Andrew Harnik/Getty Images What gift did the Russian government give an Alaska man after last weeks high-stakes summit between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A. A stuffed brown bear B. A motorcycle C. A pair of binoculars D. $10,000 Scroll down for the answer. Thanks for reading Well see you tomorrow. Quiz answer: B. Mark Warren, a retired fire inspector from Anchorage, received a motorcycle after his interview went viral in Russia. Check out all of CNNs newsletters. Todays edition of 5 Things PM was edited and produced by CNNs Kimberly Richardson and Meghan Pryce. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa) is defending herself amid social media backlash, as the Republican lawmaker left what some users are calling a ridiculous tip at a restaurant in an attempt to celebrate the GOPs no tax on tips deduction passed earlier this year. Made a pit stop in Iowa County for lunch at Sun Down Bar and Grill, Miller-Meeks wrote Monday on X, formerly Twitter. I got to celebrate No Tax on Tips with our wonderful server, shes thrilled about this provision and excited to keep more of what she earns! Related: GOP Senators Had No Idea They Voted For Controversial Gambling Tax An accompanying image of her receipt showed Miller-Meeks had a $7 order of corn nuggets and a $10 Philly cheesesteak sandwich, which came to a total of $18.19, after adding local sales tax. The photo showed Miller-Meeks left $21 and small change on her table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pictured receipt notably confirmed that a 20% tip on the total bill would amount to $3.40. Related: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Draws On Bartending Experience To Slam Trump's Bill Youd think the server would at least get $5 since youre using her as a political prop on a cash tip she wouldnt have reported, one user replied on X, with another person commenting: Ive never seen someone brag so hard about being such a cheap asshole. The congresswoman, whose post received nearly 10 million views and landed more than 2,000 comments, has since responded to the reactions with a statement from a spokesperson which slammed Democrats and noted that she paid acceptable gratuity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Congresswoman left a 20% tip, and unlike Democrats, she did not vote to increase taxes on hardworking Iowans, Anthony Fakhoury told CBS 2 Iowa in a statement Tuesday. No Tax on Tips means more money in the pockets of servers, not the IRS. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks slammed Democrats in her statement after defending her tip. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images While the backlash exclusively centered on what critics called the stingy gratuity Miller-Meeks paid, the no tax on tips deduction itself has been criticized for its limitations ever since President Donald Trump signed it into law as part of the GOPs big, beautiful bill earlier this year. Trump hailed the measure as a triumph fulfilling his campaign vow of ending taxes on tips. In reality, it merely provides a tax deduction on up to $25,000 of tip income and only applies to federal income tax meaning workers still have to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on tips. Related: How A Proposal To End Taxes On Tips Upended The Presidential Election In Nevada Social media users ultimately werent concerned with those details Monday, with many aghast that Miller-Meeks tried to champion her party by tipping only $3 on her lunch. Well you paid with cash there already isnt a tax for that but go off. Also make sure that 10% tip doesnt kill ya. Taylor (@tmac04_) August 19, 2025 All $3 that you're giving her. Jonathan Cage (@Jonathan_Cage10) August 19, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She took no tax on tips to just no tips. Sophie (@PepperGii) August 19, 2025 You made a tweet and couldnt have tipped well? Like you pulled out change from your coin purse for this. Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) August 19, 2025 Anouncing you're a #CheapSkate isn't the flex you think it is. 13Wizards (@LawsfortheRich) August 19, 2025 Related... Read the original on HuffPost EXCLUSIVE: The GOP Doctors Caucus is backing a possible effort to overhaul the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, or USPSTF, an independent task force thats used to determine recommendations on what services health insurance companies in the United States have to cover free of charge. A letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., led by Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., and Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., and other members of the caucus expressed concerns that the group may be prioritizing social justice issues over other issues. "Preventive care should be about keeping Americans healthy, not about checking political boxes," Harshbarger said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The American people deserve a task force that follows the science, acts with urgency and relies on the expertise of front-line doctors. The USPSTF should be leading the charge in President Trumps Make America Healthy Again agenda, not wasting time on woke distractions while chronic disease rates keep climbing." Republican Senator Claims Rfk Jr. Mrna Vaccine Decision Undermines Trump Agenda HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., makes his way to the inaugural Great American Farmers Market on the National Mall Aug. 4, 2025. Specifically, the letter asks for "relevant specialists" to be part of the process when making certain recommendations, greater transparency in decision-making and more of a focus on outcomes as opposed to "substantial attention to divisive social issues," citing "race and gender identity considerations that extend beyond traditional clinical parameters," according to a news release. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In 2010, the Affordable Care Act expanded the authority of the USPSTF and tied coverage recommendations to Task Force determinations. However, since the USPSTFs authority was expanded, the rate of incidence of preventable chronic disease in the United States has only climbed," the letter states. The letter was also signed by other members of the caucus, including Reps. Andy Harris, Ronny Jackson, Mike Kennedy, Brian Babin, Sheri Biggs and Bob Onder. Gop Senators Rally Around Effort To End 'Radical Wokeness' In Hhs Task Force Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., speaks during the Republican Study Committee news conference to introduce a "Women's Bill of Rights" outside the Capitol May 19, 2022. Earlier this month, three Republican senators wrote a similar letter raising ideological concerns about the current task force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In particular, the USPSTF departed from its proper activities in its December 2023 Health Equity Framework. The framework criticizes equal access to quality health care for all as an inadequate goal of public health and announces that the Task Force will instead use equity as a criterion of the public health importance of a topic for consideration," that letter stated. The Wall Street Journal reported that, in July, Kennedy was considering removing members of the board. Dems 'Deliberately Obfuscating' Truth About 'Big, Beautiful Bill' With This Claim: Watchdog A sign stands at an entrance to the main campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta Feb. 14, 2025. "No final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS mandate to Make America Healthy Again," an HHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement when asked about the WSJ report at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American Medical Association has opposed an overhaul of the task force. "USPSTF plays a critical, nonpartisan role in guiding physicians efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients by helping to ensure access to evidence-based clinical preventive services. As such, we urge you to retain the previously appointed members of the USPSTF and commit to the long-standing process of regular meetings to ensure their important work can continue without interruption," the AMA wrote. Meanwhile, a group of physicians, including those from the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Americas Frontline Doctors and the Pennsylvania Direct Primary Care Association, signed another letter in support of possible changes. The signers wrote that new members should have an "ideological balance to develop recommendations based on facts and science." Fox News Digital reached out to HHS for an updated comment. Original article source: GOP doctors call out health task force for 'woke distractions' amid major reform push COLUMBUS (WBOY) Recently-retired West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee will spend his sabbatical from WVU as a consultant for The Ohio State University, where he previously served twice as president. Ohio State announced Tuesday that Gee would take on a one-year engagement. Gordon Gee (The Ohio State University) In his consulting role, Gee will serve as a resource for university leaders as they advance their strategic priorities, the release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gee will also hold residencies with the College of Public Affairs, College of Law and Center for Civics, Culture and Society. WVU students explore campus life at student organization fair I am honored that President Carter asked me to return to Ohio State during my sabbatical leave from West Virginia University, said Gee. Ohio State has played an extraordinary role in my life as have the people of Ohio, and to be able to serve the university in an advisory capacity is a great privilege. Gee served as Ohio States 11th president from 1990-1998 and its 14th president from 2007-2013. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Gov. Jeff Landry said a Baton Rouge operation targeting violent crime has resulted in over 100 arrests and the seizure of guns, machine gun conversion devices and drugs. Landry said Operation Violent Crime Takedown, which is part of a nationwide initiative, targeted gang-related crime and the distribution of deadly drugs in local neighborhoods. He said Wednesdays announcement marks the start of a constant operation until crime rates are lower. We bury far too many young people as a result of these drugs, and the pushing of those drugs, we bury far too many people because of the violence of those drugs lead to, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor pointed to the death of Baton Rouge Police Department Sgt. Caleb Eisworth as an example of the level of violent crime in the city. Eisworth died in the hospital after he was seriously injured in a targeted hit-and-run crash. Violent crime in the US dropped 4.5% last year, FBI data shows One of Landrys promises as governor has been to reduce Louisianas crime rates. He called a special session in 2024, where he pushed for the passage of tough-on-crime bills. The creation of Troop NOLA was another move under Landry to reduce crime and improve public safety in the Crescent City for residents and tourists. Our hope was always that the city of New Orleans operations and way we did it gave us a model that we can then replicate around the state of Louisiana, Landry said Wednesday. More about Baton Rouge operations conducted FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp said over 30 operations were conducted by agents in partnership with local law enforcement agencies. He said the crime crackdown investigated local gangs responsible for murders, drug trafficking and robberies, naming Bleedas, Vultures, 60 Gang and BBG Gang. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A strategy was created using methods and programs that were successful in New Orleans to conduct undercover operations in Baton Rouge. According to the Department of Justice, coordinated operations resulted in 52 federal indictments charging 68 defendants. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson said one agent was injured after being shot, and others were robbed during risky and dangerous operations. Have a crime tip? Heres who to contact: Residents can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. East Baton Rouge Parish DA sought help District Attorney Hillar Moore went to Landry last year to seek federal help to address Baton Rouge crime, telling him, Im drowning. He said he has talked to the governor about getting additional help at the DAs office amid staffing issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An overwhelming number of the cases that are being made throughout this summertime will come to the DAs office. Weve already charged many of them already but the work just begins, Moore said. Landry said district attorneys statewide have problems retaining lawyers due to pay scale issues, and he is looking to reward district attorneys who are serious about crime prosecution. He said it would be a topic to bring to the legislature. Voters in East Baton Rouge rejected a 20-year property tax to fund the district attorneys office amid mounting case backlogs and staffing challenges in a spring election. The proposal aimed to generate an estimated $24.4 million per year for 20 years. Read statements from law enforcement Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Robert P. Hodges said troopers are committed to keeping Baton Rouge communities safe. The Louisiana State Police is proud to have played a key role in this summers crime reduction operations, working closely with our local, state, and federal partners to target gangs and violent offenders in Baton Rouge. Our collaborative efforts have contributed to a measurable reduction in violent crime in targeted areas, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to keeping our communities safe and holding offenders accountable. LSP Superintendent Col. Robert P. Hodges East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux celebrates deputies hard work in the operation to make Baton Rouge safer. The East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office is proud to continue working hand-in-hand with our local, state, and federal partners in the fight against violent crime. This summer, our deputies worked tirelessly to make our community safer, focusing our efforts on taking high-level violent offenders and drug traffickers off our streets. We are especially grateful for the federal support that provided the financial resources necessary to sustain these operations and maximize our impact. Collaboration and shared commitment are key to protecting our citizens, and we remain steadfast in doing our part to ensure the people of East Baton Rouge Parish can live in a safer, stronger community. East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux Sheriffs office names of suspects from Baton Rouge gang, drug-related investigations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse said officers committed hours to the local public safety operation. The Baton Rouge Police Department is grateful for the federal, state, and local partners that all came together to combat violent crime through shared resources, technology, and targeting of serious felon offenders over the last several months. Our department committed countless hours of manpower and professional work to this initiative in the efforts of public safety and strive to make the city of Baton Rouge a safer community. With more than a dozen officers assigned to federal task forces, we look forward to the ongoing partnerships and cooperation in future operations. Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse Louisiana National Guard deployed to Washington D.C. for law enforcement support 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. PROVIDENCE Gov. Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management are warning Rhode Islanders to be careful along the shoreline this week, as Hurricane Erin will generate dangerous surf and life threatening rip currents. Hurricane Erin will pass "well southeast" of Nantucket on Friday but close enough to generate large breaking waves along the Rhode Island shoreline that will increase each day of the week and peak Friday at 6 to 10 feet in the surf zone, the National Weather Service says in its forecast discussion. The weather service has issued a high surf advisory through 8 a.m. Saturday. Gale warning for boaters Off shore, a gale warning will go into effect from Thursday morning through Friday afternoon for Rhode Island and Block Island sounds, as well as Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay off Massachusetts. Satellite view of Hurricane Erin 6 a.m. Aug. 20, 2025. More: RI beaches under high surf advisory as 'life threatening' surf from Hurricane Erin moves in Seas of 8 to 13 feet On the water, northeast winds of 20 to 30 knots, with gusts up to 40 knots are expected. Seas of 8 to 13 feet are possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Strong winds can cause hazardous seas which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility," the weather service says. "Mariners should consider altering plans to avoid possible hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe wind and seas." On the shore, it could be dangerous to even watch the breakers, according to McKee and the DEM. "The storm will produce powerful waves that will break larger and farther onshore, creating hazards for boaters, beachgoers, anglers, and onlookers," McKee and the DEM said in a press release Tuesday. "Do not stand on rocky coastal areas and stay far away from areas where waves might splash over. These waves can easily sweep a person into the water from what seems like a safe viewing area." The DEM says it will closely monitor beach conditions this week and implement swimming restrictions as needed. Beachgoers should stay close to lifeguards, listen to public safety announcements and check beach warning flags, the DEM says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McKee and the DEM encourage Rhode Islanders to monitor NWS Boston for updates on the forecast. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI weather: McKee, DEM warn about impact from Hurricane Erin Gov. McKee has 'parted ways' with his campaign manager, Rob Silverstein, less than three months after Silverstein was hired, McKee's campaign announced Tuesday. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Gov. Dan McKees campaign manager has left the job less than three months after he was hired. The McKee campaign and Rob Silverstein have mutually agreed to part ways, Mike Trainor, a spokesperson for the campaign, said in a statement shared via text message Tuesday. Both sides wish each other well. The governor remains focused on serving the people of Rhode Island and continuing to run a strong reelection campaign to keep delivering results for working families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trainor did not provide additional details on the reason for the split. Silverstein also declined to comment when reached by phone Wednesday except to confirm that he was no longer working for McKee. Silverstein was unveiled as McKees new campaign manager in early June alongside a campaign finance director, both of whom McKee lauded for their experience. A New York native, Silverstein came to Rhode Island from a policy director post with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, whose 2022 campaign also featured Silverstein. At the time of Silversteins hiring for McKees campaign, Hochul called Silverstein a key and trusted member of her team and critical to helping the Democratic Party in New York. McKee was already grappling with poor polling numbers when Silverstein was hired. Criticism was further cemented by a pair of new polls in July which put the governors approval rating at 25%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McKee remains the only declared candidate for the 2026 gubernatorial race, though his 2022 primary rival, Helena Buonanno Foulkes, is widely expected to mount a comeback challenge next year. Other names floated, but unconfirmed, for the race include House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and 2022 Republican candidate Ashley Kalus. Both Foulkes and Shekarchi continue to trounce McKee in fundraising, based on second-quarter campaign finance reports submitted to the Board of Elections on July 31. Shekarchi ended the quarter with $3.8 million cash on hand the largest balance of any state elected official while Foulkes finished with a $2.1 million balance. McKee ended the same quarter with $879,000 cash on hand. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Richard Smith, an executive at FedEx and son of the companys late founder, Fred Smith, has been nominated for the companys board of directors, setting the stage for Richard to follow in his fathers footsteps as CEO. FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) Chairman Brad Martin announced Richard Smiths nomination in a letter to stockholders. The company will hold its annual shareholders meeting on Sept. 29. Richard Smith, 47, is currently chief operating officer for FedEx Express International and airline operations. He began his career at FedEx 20 years ago. He has held several high-level executive positions, including president and chief executive officer of Federal Express, regional president The Americas, and head of FedEx Logistics. Satish Jindel, a parcel industry veteran and president of ShipMatrix, said he believes the nomination is the first domino in a succession plan for Richard Smith to become CEO. Under his scenario, when Martin leaves FedEx Express in June 2026, as previously announced, to be chairman of a new publicly traded company created by the planned spin-off of FedEx Freight, current CEO Raj Subramaniam will also become chairman. At the same time, Richard Smith will become president and chief operating officer of FedEx Express for the U.S. and Canada, replacing John Smith (unrelated), who has been named to be CEO of FedEx Freight, the nations largest less-than-truckload carrier. With freight gone and Richard having operating experience, he is being groomed to eventually lead the company, Jindel told FreightWaves. Hes got eight or nine months to produce some results in his current position, and once hes head of FedEx Express in two, three, or four years, he can become CEO like his father was. Subramaniam, 59, has been CEO of FedEx Corp. since June 2022. He took over from Fred Smith, who stayed on as executive chairman until his death in June. Jindel has a track record of making correct predictions about FedEx. After John Smith was installed as head of FedEx Ground in early 2021, Jindel predicted that Richard Smith would be named CEO of FedEx Express. When Richard Smith took the job in March 2022, Jindel posted online that Subramaniam would become CEO and that Fred Smith would become executive chairman. Theres a 12-year gap between Richard Smith and Subramaniam. So theres plenty of time for Raj to stay as CEO and for Richard to become the chief operating officer and president, produce good results, and then move into that position, said Jindel. This allows for Freds legacy to continue, which was the stated intention of many speakers at his ceremony celebrating his life on Aug. 11 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee, said Jindel. An rsted wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island. (Photo courtesy of rsted) When the federal government earlier this month tried to stall Marylands progress on offshore wind, the Moore administration refused to back down. Instead, they stood firm, defending the states permit for US Winds clean energy project and refusing to let bureaucratic interference derail one of Marylands most promising tools to address surging energy demand and rising energy costs while driving economic growth. By rejecting pressure from the Environmental Protection Agency, Moores team made clear that Marylanders will not let Washington dictate our path to a clean energy future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Maryland families and businesses face higher electricity bills driven by increasing demand and limited supply, developing reliable offshore wind with stable, long-term pricing is more important than ever. US Winds project will provide a significant influx of homegrown energy to meet the rising demand while acting as a key driver for a rapidly expanding local supply chain and workforce, including their plans to invest more than $300 million to establish Marylands first permanent offshore wind manufacturing facility in Baltimore County Sparrows Point Steel. Already, Maryland is seeing significant economic benefits from our offshore wind leadership. To date, the offshore wind supply chain has brought over $815 million in investments to the state, which includes millions of dollars to redevelop Baltimore Countys industrial waterfront for offshore wind steel manufacturing and component staging, a high-voltage cable manufacturing facility in Baltimore City, an additional $25 million in public funding to strengthen the states union workforce, and $11 million toward environmental research through the University of Maryland. Your opinion matters Maryland Matters welcomes guest commentary submissions at editor@marylandmatters.org. We suggest a 750-word limit and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions. We do not accept columns that are endorsements of candidates, and no longer accept submissions from elected officials or political candidates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion pieces must be signed by at least one individual using their real name. We do not accept columns signed by an organization. Commentary writers must include a short bio and a photo for their bylines. Views of writers are their own. These investments are more than just numbers. They mean thousands of jobs and long-term economic resilience across the state. Baltimore is becoming a hub for heavy industry again, with manufacturing sites producing cables, foundations and other steel components for the offshore energy industry. Ocean City is the natural home to operations and maintenance facilities that will support the industry for decades to come. Tradepoint Atlantic is growing into a key asset in the development and deployment of offshore wind projects across the East Coast. Crystal Steel Fabricators invested in upgrades at their facility and employs skilled machine tool operators, pipe fitters, 6G pipe welders and coating craftsmen to build boat landings and other secondary steel components at its Federalsburg facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 70 companies with offices, factories, or warehouses in the Old Line State already have contracts in the offshore wind industry, including those supplying fabricated steel, personal protective equipment, customs logistics and consulting services. These companies represent just a fraction of the 543 businesses with Maryland locations, employing hardworking Marylanders, and paying Maryland taxes registered in Oceantic Networks Supply Chain Connect database that have expressed interest in joining the growing offshore wind supply chain a supply chain that spans 40 states and supports $25.5 billion in domestic investments. This pipeline of businesses will only continue to grow as more components of the offshore wind economy take root in Maryland, creating thousands of well-paying, family-supporting jobs in communities across our state. Moores commitment comes at a critical moment. With global supply chains under pressure and clean energy goals looming, states that move decisively will become national leaders. Maryland is already ahead of the curve, building one of the strongest offshore wind supply chains anywhere in the United States. By holding the line and ensuring progress on offshore wind, Moore is not only fighting for Marylands clean-energy future, but also protecting a critical economic engine for our state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Press headlines have declared offshore wind officially dead, but it is not 6 feet under. The bureaucracy is maddening, but it isnt fatal. Were simply stuck in a loop of recycled roadblocks dressed up as breaking news. Yet, while the paperwork shuffles and the fingers steeple, steel keeps hitting the water. Five utility-scale projects nearly 6 gigawatts are under construction right now from Virginia to Massachusetts, a build pace that rivals other global markets. And here in Maryland, offshore wind is on track to supply thousands of jobs, hundreds of millions in investments, and enough clean, homegrown energy to power millions of homes and businesses for decades to come. MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) Extreme rip currents, high waves, and winds are stronger on Wednesday than they were Tuesday as Hurricane Erin gets closer to the Grand Strand, the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center said. Surf instructor Sam Racca says she will not go past the breaking point in the water, but she still feels safe surfing in the larger-than-normal waves. I just know my limits, she said. I know how to read the ocean. I know when its time to go. I think the good majority of people out here right now should be out here. Theyre on the right boards. Theyre doing the right things. No ones getting hurt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Racca and fellow surfer Micah Westpy agree the ocean is not currently safe for inexperienced surfers or for swimmers. Our StormTracker13 team says waves are 4-7 feet high on Wednesday, with wind gusts around 20 mph, and a high risk for rip currents. They are also reporting Wednesday night into Thursday morning is when we will see the worst ocean conditions. Racca said surfers will still come to the beach. Absolutely, people will be out here, she said. I know a good amount of people who surf called out of work immediately, once they saw the conditions. Yeah, its going to be dangerous. But its going to be so cool. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arthur Carr, a Springmaid Pier employee, said he has seen dozens of surfers since Tuesday morning. He hopes they are putting their safety before a big wave. Im sure the current underneath is really, really strong today, Carr said. The waves are definitely higher. I just hope that they stay safe because it is going to be dangerous out there today. If you have an emergency, lifeguards are on-duty during the day, and the Myrtle Beach Fire Department responds to ocean rescue calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. * * * 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) An orthodontist who formerly practiced in Grandville is now facing federal child exploitation charges. Thomas Shannon, 43, was arrested in Frankfort, Michigan, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Michigan announced Wednesday. He is charged by criminal complaint with sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and attempted receipt of child pornography, according to the attorneys office. According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Monday, a therapist reported in 2021 that a teenager had been sexually exploited. The victim told police that she had received money in exchange for sending illicit images, the complaint continues, and investigators traced the Snapchat and CashApp accounts to Shannon, who lived in Byron Township. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sex offender, busted in sting but not arrested, snagged again In 2022, amid a Kent County investigation, the complaint says Shannon hired a private forensic investigator, Complete Investigations LLC, to search his phone in an attempt to prove that he did not possess any child pornography. The examiner, however, found child pornography and turned it over to police, the U.S. Attorneys Office wrote in a release. Authorities found evidence that Shannon possessed and received child pornography, according to the complaint. Investigators found that Shannon had communicated with multiple minor victims whom he met online, the complaint alleges. One was just 12 years old. The complaint placed most of the victims out of state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shannon was charged at the state level in January 2023. But according to the federal complaint, he was released on bond. Investigators found that he was on bond for those charges while communicating with one victim a 13-year-old in 2024, the complaint alleges. The state case against Shannon is pending. A status conference in that case has been set for early October. In the federal case, a detention hearing is scheduled for Friday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) The Greenville Housing Fund has joined the NeighborWorks America network, becoming the second affiliate in South Carolina, to boost affordable housing options locally. Representatives said this partnership aims to drive change at the local level by providing the Greenville Housing Fund with access to technical assistance, training, peer support and flexible federal funding for the first time. Officials from the NeighborWorks America network announced the partnership at Unity Park on Tuesday, emphasizing their goal to increase affordable housing options in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenville Housing Fund President & CEO Bryan Brown said there will be many benefits that GHF and the community will receive. He said the organization will benefit from the networks resources, which include identifying and implementing best practices from other affiliates. The access to flexible federal funding is a significant advantage, representatives said, allowing the Greenville Housing Fund to tailor its efforts to the specific needs of the community. GHF said it has created or preserved over 1800 housing units in Greenville County since beginning nearly seven years ago. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. A vendor's display at the Fort Thomas Farmers Market. (Courtesy Fort Thomas Farmers Market) When it comes to food, everyone craves great quality especially when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables. Theres something universal about scanning a table for the freshest apple, the juiciest peach or the ripest ear of corn. Each week in Kentucky, more than 700 customers share in that ritual at our Fort Thomas Farmers Market in Tower Park. But while food matters, Ive come to find that its the human connection that lives at the heart of it all. Anna Raines from Rains & Sun Farm. (Fort Thomas Farmers Market) September is National Harvest Month, and this year Im reflecting not only on my own journey, but on the farmers, volunteers, and makers who, each week, open their booths and hearts to define what farm fresh means. And how tapping into the support of the community is the essential piece to keep this tradition alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the market manager for our farmers market, my mission is simple: Connect local farmers to our community. Since 2009, our award-winning market has become a midweek destination for fresh, locally sourced goods from across the region. While our location is adjacent to a large metro area, weve been proud to maintain a rich, small-town feel. When youre passionate about something, its only natural to want to share it. For me, Ill never stop inviting people to experience all the Fort Thomas Farmers Market has to offer. We live in a time where we can no longer depend on just signs across town to promote our space. We have to meet people where they are, which is online. Today, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become essential tools for communicating whats in season, sharing upcoming events, and educating our community about why investing in local matters. Thanks to our digital following, we have a great community that supports us as we open our booths every Wednesday. Our social media posts span beyond picturesque produce and share the real stories of the makers. Brenden Neltner from Neltners Farm. (Fort Thomas Farmers Market) With a heartbeat behind every booth, its been amazing to see how a Facebook reel of a farmer harvesting sunflowers can brighten the day for our 7,000 followers, or how tagging a friend in a comment has led to a fun-filled Wednesday afternoon for the duo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We can now share our 30 diverse vendors in real time with customers through Facebook posts to create a bridge of connection with the very makers who dug the dirt, planted the seeds, and baked the goods theyre taking home. While each farmers story differs, their dependence on their community remains the same. And were committed to keeping our farmers market tradition alive through the online tools at our disposal. We have found that even in a digital age, people crave real connection and fresh food happens to be the perfect place to start. As we approach harvest, I encourage our fellow neighboring farmers markets to get their faces out there on digital platforms to get even more Kentuckians involved in the great community our markets create. Its easy to create a Facebook or Instagram profile, and that might be the missing link to connecting with your local community. To me, its not just about food labels; its about faces. Its about relationships. And its about celebrating the people who make our community stronger, one market day at a time. This harvest season, my message is simple: Support local, connect deeply and celebrate the story behind your food. Fort Thomas Farmers Market in April. (Fort Thomas Farmers Market) SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (This article has been updated to correct the author's byline and photo.) Whenever unrest sparks in Iran, I suffer for my friends and family still living under the mullahs, yet I am also hopeful that the Iranian people will finally achieve victory over their oppressors. This has perhaps never been truer than in these last few weeks, as protests over the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police keep escalating. The protests began after her funeral in Kurdistan but have since spread to over 150 cities. As with previous uprisings, the spread has been fueled in part by a broad political message showing the vast demand for a regime change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of the violence that Mahsa endured due to her resistance, the initial focus was womens rights, but the relevant issues proved to be inseparable from the general ideological divide between the mullahs and the Iranian people. Women have been chanting slogans such as Down with Khamenei (the regimes Supreme Leader) and Death to the Dictator. The use of these slogans across the protests shows the organized nature of the uprising, more than its predecessors in the last five years. In early 2018, even Supreme Leader Khamenei admitted that the leading opposition group, the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK/PMOI), played a role in promoting unrest. The MEK has continuously pushed the Iranian people toward uprisings, with regime change as its ultimate goal. Its resistance units inside Iran keep information about the domestic situation flowing out, even when the regime has tightened its control over the internet in efforts to crackdown on anti-government sentiment. I am thankful for the MEK as they provide information far more complete than what reaches mainstream media. Of course, this adds to anxious thoughts, as they provide accurate numbers on death tolls and arrests, which are far more than the regime claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the MEK underscores the sheer intensity of the ongoing uprisings. My acquaintances in Iran also underscore the same, sharing my hope that this uprising is the one that leads to the overthrow of the mullahs. On Sept. 28, Sens. James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning Mahsa Aminis death and calling for an end to the systemic persecution of women in Iran. I hope that this view is widely shared by Western politicians and their constituents, who should recognize that the overthrow of the mullahs benefits global security. Unfortunately, the international community does not seem to fully recognize the potential of the uprisings. Moreso, this creates a space for the regime to step up its crackdowns before the movement can achieve its aims. Public statements by Western governments must become louder and more frequent if they are truly committed to preventing further oppression. It must be made absolutely clear that the Iranian people have an inherent right to defend themselves by any available means, and that regime change from within is a well-justified and appropriate aim for their movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal is achievable, but the international community has a role in determining the price Iranians will pay for it. Behnam Janloo. Photo provided by Behnam Janloo Behnam Janloo is a business owner living in Oklahoma City and president of the Iranian-American Community of Oklahoma. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Irans current uprising places regime change well within reach President Donald Trump surprised his critics on Tuesday by revealing that hes worried about what will happen to him after he dies. I want to try and get to heaven if possible, Trump confessed during a Fox News interview. Im hearing Im not doing well. I hear Im really at the bottom of the totem pole. Trump made the unexpected comments while he spoke about efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Doing so, he said, would save lives and give him a better chance of passing through the Pearly Gates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons, he said. Trump met last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and this week met with European leaders as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss ending a conflict he once said he could solve in 24 hours. However, he has so far received no commitments from Putin, who launched the war by invading Ukraine in early 2022. But for Trumps critics, it was his sudden concern about a potential afterlife and how hell spend it that caught their attention. WTF: In a bizarre rant, Trump suggests hes worried he hell spend eternity in HELL when he dies. TRUMP: "I want to try and get to heaven if possible. I hear I'm not doing well. I hear I'm really at the bottom of the totem pole." Guilty conscience? pic.twitter.com/dPgIL50Uaf CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) August 19, 2025 Honestly calling into Fox News and having an existential crisis about if youre going to hell is incredible https://t.co/rtEuVnKC3V Sky Marchini (@rhcm123) August 20, 2025 Do you believe in miracles? https://t.co/cbNqiXFLN5 George Conway (@gtconway3d) August 19, 2025 Yeah no chance. Those gates are closed. Akash Maniam (@ManiamAkash) August 19, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lots to unpack here... but mostly, his health can't be right if this is top of mind for him. https://t.co/Ie6LgmCkEE The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) August 19, 2025 Most DEFINITELY a guilty conscience... https://t.co/aADE8oB4np SugeWhite (@SugeW) August 19, 2025 Brother if heaven is real, youre not even going to be able to make it to the gates Sycamores Source (@sycamoressource) August 19, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BREAKING: Felon Trump's poll numbers in Heaven are even LOWER than here on Earth! MemberBlasts (they/them) (@MemberBlasts) August 19, 2025 If I was on the #Epstein list, I would be contemplating my eternal fate as well. Matthew VanDyke (@Matt_VanDyke) August 19, 2025 Trump will never make it through the gates of heaven. pic.twitter.com/3073kVij94 Dede Watson (@Dede_Watson) August 19, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related... Read the original on HuffPost GULFPORT, Miss. (WJTV) A Gulfport man has been sentenced in connection to the death of his girlfriends five-year-old son. WXXV reported Denzel Jamal Blakely pled guilty on August 19, 2025, to second-degree murder and felony child abuse. He was sentenced 55 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) with 15 years suspended. Teen killed, 4 injured in Jefferson Davis County shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation began when Gulfport police responded to the 3300 block of 39th Avenue on April 14, 2023, in reference to a medical emergency involving the five-year-old boy. The child was taken to Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. According to officers, an investigation revealed that the boy suffered from blunt force trauma, and his death was ruled a homicide. Denzel Jamal Blakely (Courtesy: Harrison County Jail) Police said Blakely and the childs mother, Lachelle R. Washington, were interviewed and both admitted culpability. Washington was also charged in this case. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. Gunmen in north-west Nigeria have stormed a mosque, killing Muslim worshippers in what the local government has called a "reprisal attack". Police in Katsina state said 17 worshippers were shot dead by the assailants - known locally as bandits - but other reports from the region say the death toll is higher. The mosque, located in the village of Unguwan Mantau, was attacked on Tuesday because local residents had ambushed and killed a number of "bandits" two days earlier, Katsina state official Nasir Muazu said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Banditry is rife in north-western Nigeria, where armed gangs target locals, often for financial gain. Muazu, Katsina state's commissioner for internal security, said the attack occurred during morning prayers and that the gunmen shot "sporadically". As of Wednesday afternoon, the attackers remained at large. Muazu said the police and military personnel had been deployed to find them. Despite the reprisal, Muazu said the local government "reaffirms its unwavering support for community-based security initiatives". Residents of Unguwan Mantau, meanwhile, have been mourning and tending to the wounded. As per tradition, grieving families have been sitting outside their homes, accepting condolences from visitors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ali Isa Pantami, a popular Islamic cleric and Nigeria's former communications minister, hit out at the killers, saying they "betray the sense of humanity on earth". "We urge the relevant security agencies to ensure the arrest of the criminals and bring an end to this inhumanity and criminality of the highest order," he wrote in a statement posted to social media. "The killers of defenceless people are heartless, malevolent, and worse than animals." Nigeria's vast north-west region borders Niger and criminal gangs criss-cross between the two countries, evading capture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katsina and neighbouring state Zamfara have been hit the hardest by banditry in the region, losing the most lives and experiencing the most displacement as a result of the problem. Just days ago, kidnappers in Zamfara abducted and killed at least 35 people, despite ransoms being paid for their release, a local official told the BBC. More BBC stories on Nigeria: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) A special event was hosted in Hagerstown on Wednesday to build trusting relationships between people with disabilities and local law enforcement and first responders. The midweek gathering grew out of a tragic interaction in western Maryland 12 years ago involving a young man whose disability was wrongly interpreted as a defiance of authority. Ethan Saylor lost his life to excessive force while leaving a Frederick movie theatre in 2013. He had Down syndrome, a developmental disability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hagerstown Field House open to exercise, fitness as back-to-school routines set in Weve learned that people with disabilities want to feel safe, included and understood in their communities, said Jennifer Eastman with the Maryland Department of Disabilities. In situations of crisis, explained Eastman, people with disabilities arent noncompliant and defiant. They are shut down and scared. Which is what brought Hagerstown firefighter John Murray to the Arc of Washington County, a nonprofit serving those with disabilities in the region. Were learning, for example, when someone is nonverbal, they are able to point to answers on a sheet for us. Its just one example of what were doing here today, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though education was a goal of the gathering, so, too, was bonding between community members and officers with the Hagerstown Police Department. We see a lot of these individuals out on the street during our daily work, said Officer Amanda Boyle with the Hagerstown Police Department. And it is just great to cultivate this relationship with them. The Arc of Washington County said the event goes a long way to open the lines of communication between those with disabilities and local officials. It takes a certain kind of approach and it takes a certain kind of officer in that moment to diffuse the situation, Eastman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. Boutique investment company Rising Phoenix Capital has completed the sale of a significant mineral package in the Barnett Shale, Denton County, Texas, US. The 661.88-net-royalty-acre asset, operated by BKV Barnett, was a component of the Rising Phoenix Royalty Fund III and is known for its high cash flow and development potential. While the industry's attention has largely turned to the Permian Basin, Rising Phoenix Capital has strategically capitalised on assets in less targeted areas like the Barnett Shale. Rising Phoenix Capital CEO and founder Jace Graham said: We are active in the Permian, but we also look for opportunities in areas like the Barnett Shale, where competition is lower, pricing can be more favourable, and the right deals can deliver strong, stable returns. The company acquired the Denton County asset from a commercial land development company, recognising early signs of renewed drilling interest. BKV Barnett's development activities have since confirmed, with two wells completed in June 2023, two last December and three more spudded in March of this year. Jace Graham said: This was a classic example of what we look for: strong current cash flow with identifiable upside. BKVs activity added value for our fund, and we were able to complete a sale that generated excellent returns for our investors while still leaving some meat on the bone for the buyer to monetise. The details of the buyer and the sales price remain confidential; however, the transaction is expected to elevate the performance of Rising Phoenix Royalty Fund III towards the higher end of its expected returns. Rising Phoenix Capital's strategy concentrates on acquiring cash-flowing, yield-generating oil and gas mineral assets with stable production and development potential. Graham, who manages a portfolio for Rising Phoenix Capital, oversees around 16,000 net royalty acres in the Barnett Shale. This is part of a broader portfolio that spans various US basins. For investors looking for managed opportunities in the energy sector, Rising Phoenix Capital's La Plata Peak Fund is designed to provide monthly income and capital appreciation by targeting producing mineral assets with development upside across multiple basins. Currently, Rising Phoenix Capital is accepting subscriptions for this fund, offering diversified mineral portfolios with immediate cash flow and long-term growth potential. In a recent expansion of its portfolio, the company purchased mineral interests in the Midland Basin managed by ConocoPhillips. "Rising Phoenix Capital sells mineral package in Barnett Shale, US" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. An aerial hunt is underway for the remaining terrorists while attacking targets with the help of fighter jets, with the incident still ongoing. IDF soldiers thwarted an attempt by over 15 terrorists to raid an IDF post in the southern city of Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip, the military confirmed Wednesday. Three soldiers were wounded in the incident, with one from the military's 90th Battalion in the Kfir Brigade in serious condition. He was evacuated to a hospital, and his family was notified of the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two other soldiers were lightly wounded, the IDF said. The entire incident lasted for several minutes, according to Walla. A Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist during a hostage release ceremony in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, January 30, 2025; illustrative. (credit: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed) 15 terrorists were killed by the Kfir Brigade, the IDF confirmed, supported by Air Force strikes. Terrorists tried to kidnap soldiers Attempts were also reportedly made by the terrorists to kidnap soldiers. The terrorists emerged from several tunnel shafts and advanced toward the outpost, firing a large number of anti-tank missiles and machine guns. Other terrorists who fled the scene were likely wounded. An aerial hunt is underway for the remaining terrorists while attacking targets with the help of fighter jets, with the incident still ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A similar event occured earlier this week in Beit Hanun under Division 99, when eight terrorists were killed in an attempt to attack Northern Brigade forces. The IAF strikes on the terrorists that fired at the Kfir Brigade post in Khan Yunis on August 20, 2025 (credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) In addition, an officer familiar with the sector told Walla, "A tank is not supposed to run over terrorists like in this case. A tank is not supposed to meet a terrorist at point-blank range, and if that happened, like today, it means the relevant systems for the task have collapsed. The last time a tank ran over terrorists was on October 7. That means a lot. The IDF cannot claim that it is maneuvering when, in reality, the forces are waiting for orders and maneuvering missions to capture Gaza City. Until then, Hamas will try to exploit vulnerabilities in the IDFs field operations." Avi Ashkenazi, Amir Bohbot, and Amichai Stein contributed to this report. BYNG, Okla. Hannah Wolfe, 13, won the 2025 Red Earth Youth Art contest, making this her second consecutive year bringing home the gold in the art competition. I was so excited, Wolfe said. I dont even know how to describe it. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Wolfe, a Chickasaw citizen and eighth grade student at Byng Public Schools, has been fascinated by art since she was old enough to hold a crayon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know when youre 6 years old, and you have nothing to do so you take up coloring? My passion started with that, but I got bored of coloring, so I explored other forms of art, Wolfe said. Wolfe is most drawn to artistic mediums like watercolor, acrylics and sketching. Wolfes colored pencil and marker art piece, titled This Land is Our Land, was her winning piece in the 2025 Red Earth Youth Art contest. The painting depicts a scissor-tailed flycatcher flying above a bison with native wild flowers in the foreground and mountains in the background, an homage to Oklahomas wildlife and landscape. My family and I travel a lot, she said. Thats usually what we see mountains and wildflowers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wolfe said the landscape portrait represents her love for outdoor exploration. In nature is my favorite place to be, she said. The painting includes a wide range of colors, a specialty of the artist. I like my art colorful, Wolfe said. When I want color, I want it everywhere. I dont go halfway. Wolfe also works with pencil and paper, often creating up to five illustrations a day in her sketchbook. When color is absent, complex designs take over. I like extravagance in all my art, Wolfe said. If it doesnt have color in it, I usually go a little overboard with the pencil work. This is true for her 2024 Red Earth Youth Art contest winning art piece, titled Sequoyah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The art piece was an illustration of Sequoyah, a Cherokee man best known for inventing the Cherokee syllabary. The drawing included letters of the Cherokee language in its background. Outside of art, Wolfe loves to read and write as well as play her guitar. She also excels academically. She represented Oklahoma in 2024 and 2025 at the International Academic Competitions in Orlando, Florida, where she competed in the individual National History Bee, the National Science Bee and the U.S. History Bee competitions. Although she is still young, Wolfe is already thinking of her future. When I grow up, I want to be an illustrator or a writer, Wolfe said. The annual Red Earth Youth Art competition showcases exceptional talents of First American students aged 9 through 18 in eight different categories, including basketry, beadwork, cultural items, jewelry, photography, pottery, sculpture and painting, drawing, and graphics. Red Earth Youth Art competitors must be enrolled in a federally or state-recognized tribal entity or have proof of certification as an Indigenous artisan of an Indigenous tribe. Ukraines leader Volodymyr Zelensky may soon meet Russian president Vladimir Putin again, for the first time since 2019. A summit in Paris six years ago was the first and only time the two presidents ever met, flanked by French president Emmanuel Macron and Germanys then-chancellor Angela Merkel. At the time, Putin and Zelensky were looking to hash out a ceasefire deal for war in Donbas in Ukraines east, where Russia-backed forces were fighting Ukrainian troops. The two world leaders are now potentially set for another meeting as part of US president Donald Trumps bid to end the devastating Ukraine war. However, this is far from set in stone with Putins initial suggestion that it could take place in Moscow quickly rejected by the Ukrainian president. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) arrive to attend a meeting on Ukraine at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on December 9, 2019 (AFP/Getty) What happened in 2019? Ukrainian forces and Russian separatists had been embroiled in conflict in Donbas, in Ukraines east, since 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky and Putin travelled to Paris in December 2019 for the Normandy Format Summit, a diplomatic forum designed by French, German, Russian and Ukrainian diplomats after the outbreak of conflict. The Ukrainian president had been elected just months earlier in spring that year - his first role in political office - beating former foreign minister Petro Poroshenko to the presidency. The summit in Paris led to progress, but was not groundbreaking. The two sides agreed to implement all necessary ceasefire support measures before the end of 2019 and to release all the prisoners of war. Both sides also expressed their desire to implement the Minsk agreements signed in 2014 and 2015, the first attempt to achieve a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia after Putins forces rolled into and took over the Crimean peninsula. Russian-backed forces had been fighting Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine for more than five years at the time (AFP/Getty) What did the leaders say about each other? The mood between the pair was chilly at first. There was no public handshake and they are said to have largely avoided eye contact during the meeting. Clean shaven and sporting a suit, 2019 Zelensky cut a strikingly different figure compared to his more familiar appearance now as a war-time leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the summit, Putin hailed the talks as an important step towards de-escalation. He expressed what at the time appeared to be cautious hope: "All this gives us the grounds to suppose that the process is developing in the right direction. Zelensky also hailed the meeting as a big step towards peace. When he was asked by reporters who he believed had emerged victorious from the exchanges with his Russian counterpart, he said: "I don't know who (beat) who. I think it would be appropriate to be diplomatic as we've just started talking. Let's say for now it's a draw." The summit was followed by another Paris summit in January 2022, but with officials rather than leaders (AFP/Getty) What happened afterwards? Despite a number of prisoner exchanges, the 2019 meeting was not a catalyst for any major long-term change in Russo-Ukrainian relations - and little over two years later Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several key sticking points remained after the 2019 negotiations. Kyiv continued to demand the withdrawal of Russian-backed troops and a complete ceasefire, with a return of border control to Ukraine. Putin and Zelensky were unable to agree on a number of key aspects (Sputnik) Russia insisted that before Ukraine regained control of its eastern border, local elections should be held in the occupied territories. Putin also demanded that Donbas have a special constitutional status in Ukraine, to give it a degree of autonomy. In January 2022, just weeks before the full-scale Russian invasion, the summit in Paris took place again, but was attended by officials from the same four countries, rather than their leaders. Senior diplomats met in February 2022 in an attempt to prevent a conflict. After the Russian invasion on 24 February, Zelensky said the invasion had ruined the progress made by the Normandy Format. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) A new leader is at the helm of the Hartford Public Schools. Dr. Andrae Townsel addressed the Hartford community for the first time as superintendent during a school board meeting Tuesday. Ladies and gentlemen, Ive hit the ground running, he said at the board meeting. Its been an eventful start so far for Dr. Townsel, who has spent the last three weeks exploring Hartford and learning about the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im learning as much as I possibly can, because the reality is young people do not get their time back, Dr. Townsel said. So, I have to learn as quickly as possible Dr. Townsel said he will soon release a 100-day plan as he gets ready to take over a school district that has recently dealt with budget issues and low staffing. RELATED: Community describes qualities wanted for new Hartford superintendent You know what? We do have some vacancies, but were working every single day to fill that, Dr. Townsel said. We are going to be fine once school starts, we have our people locked and loaded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Townsel said he plans to visit all 39 of Hartfords public schools during the first few weeks of the school year. Some community members say there will be a lot for him to investigate. We need a superintendent that is going to fight for our kids, not just give in to the powers that are out there, Carol Gale, president of the Hartford Federation of Teachers said. Gale spoke about areas in need of attention to the school board during the Tuesday meeting, including special education, opportunity gaps and the districts relationship with labor unions. She said the root of many of the school districts problems is lack of staff retention. It has to do with raising the culture and climate in this district, Gale said. It comes from treating people professionally, respecting people, valuing staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One displaced teacher is Mike Soucy, who said that a lack of money has forced him to teach at different schools within the district. He believes Dr. Townsel might be the perfect man for the job, but he must see action in his plan. I just want to know that he is committed to the city, Soucy said. If hes committed to the city, then Ill be 100%. Ill be extremely hopeful and that little doubt thats in me can go away. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Townsel was previously the school superintendent in Calvert County, Maryland, where he helped to improve the school districts ranking for fourth-best in the state. He was approved unanimously by the Hartford Board of Education after a nationwide search that began in the spring. RELATED: Hartford Public Schools announces new superintendent Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Townsels first school year as superintendent will officially kick off on Tuesday, Aug. 26, when all Hartford students are back in session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. HONOLULU (KHON2) The Department of Attorney General is warning Hawaii nonprofits about scams involving fake donation checks. Receive a check in the mail? Beware of fake check scams City officials state that fraudulent donors send checks with large amounts and request a portion of the check be refunded, before the nonprofit discovers the check is fake. Alias names like Leonardo Kotlar and Give To Help Foundation have been previously used by fraudulent donors, so pay close attention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eunice Park, Charities Program Administrator with the Departments Tax and Charities Division, said that these scams are designed to take advantage of the kindness of charities and the people they help. Park urges charities to be careful from this point on, to double-check donations before using them, and to report anything that seems suspicious. It is highly encouraged that Hawaii nonprofit leaders check their current financial controls and policies and follow these steps to stay safe from scams: Verify donors: If someone unknown donates money, verify their identity and the legitimacy of the donation. Check the check: Make sure the bank is legit. Fake checks can include real bank names. Wait for clearance: Dont send money back or spend it until the check fully clears. Do not rely on money from a check unless you know and trust the donor with whom you are dealing. Set rules: Have policies so that more than one person has to approve refunds or wire transfers. Always wait for a check to clear before giving any refunds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Attorney General is encouraging the public to be cautious, especially with the way scams are happening nowadays. Check out more news from around Hawaii If you have any questions or complaints about a scam or suspicious donations, you can reach out to the Department of the Attorney Generals Tax & Charities Division at 808-586-1480, or you can send an email to ATG.Charities@hawaii.gov. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. Search and rescue efforts continue for Richard Rick Powers after he disappeared while paddleboarding on Saguaro Lake. Powers, 65, was last seen around 5:45 a.m. on Aug. 17 near Boat Ramp 1 in the Tonto National Forest. Deputies later found his paddleboard and belongings on the south side of the lake near Captains Nook. While the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office continues its search, family and friends are remembering him as a devoted athlete, loyal friend and longtime fixture in the Valleys paddleboarding community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you don't know him, he seems kind of gruff, but he's one of the most giving people you'd ever meet," said his brother, John Powers. "His friends are everything. He'd give you the shirt off his back." Rick Powers' early paddleboarding outing was nothing unusual. He was routinely the first one out on the water before sunrise, training for his paddleboarding team's fall race in Parker. John Powers said his brother was a creature of habit when it came to paddling. "He has a procedure," he said. "He times every one of his paddles. I know there's no human error there, and I know he wouldn't get off the board and go hiking. When I heard about this, my heart burst." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rick Powers grew up outside Chicago in Addison, Illinois, in a family of athletes. He moved to Arizona on a wrestling scholarship at Arizona State University, and has lived here since, immersing himself in the paddleboarding community. "The best way to describe him is he knew exactly who he was and he was happy with who he was," John Powers said. "It's a super power to not care what other people think about you." Friends in the Valley echoed his brother's sentiments. He was a close friend, said Court Fetter, who runs No Snow Paddleboard Shop in Mesa. He helped us out whenever we needed help as a volunteer at the shop. He was on our paddleboard race team. In the last year or two, he had been one of the leaders for the team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fetter believes he was near the turnaround point of his usual course when something went wrong. Our belief is maybe he had a heart attack or a stroke or something that caused him to fall and not be able to pull his life vest, Fetter said. Sheriff's deputies have used helicopters, boats and GPS data to track Powers' last known location, and they will continue to search every morning until they find him. His disappearance has rippled through the paddleboarding community, where friends and customers have been stopping by the shop to share memories. For now, friends and family wait for news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There aren't enough people like him on this planet," John Powers said. "I keep my hope up, but at the same time, every day it just breaks my heart more. I want to know something." The Sheriffs Office asks anyone with information about Powers whereabouts to call 602-876-1011. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Family, friends remember missing Arizona paddleboarder Rick Powers Witnesses took the stand in a hearing Wednesday afternoon at Merrimack County Superior Court on a lawsuit filed against changes made to how settlement money is distributed to alleged victims of physical and sexual abuse at New Hampshire youth detention centers. The largest change switches the administrator from a judicial employee to a political appointee and gives the attorney general veto power over any settlement decision the administrator makes. The witnesses included alleged victim Chuck Miles and retired state Supreme Court justice John Broderick, who served as the former administrator of the Youth Development Settlement Fund. Broderick resigned from the position in protest last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miles, 57, who now lives in Florida, said he was blindsided by the change after expecting to meet with Broderick in determining how he would be compensated for past abuse, which he alleges included being raped dozens of times at now-closed Anna Philbrook Center in Concord. He looked up John Broderick online and decided to pursue a settlement instead of going to trial. The decision was made more than a year ago, but his case has yet to be resolved. I feel like whoever (Gov. Kelly Ayotte) delegates to do that would be like judge and jury when they are the defendant, Miles said. Their work and their actions show that. He mentioned a comment by Republican Rep. Ken Weyler calling some of the victims settlements misspent, which prompted Miles to show a photo from his youth from the stand, which was quickly admonished. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It makes me feel like I did when I was a kid: swept under the carpet like I dont have a voice, Miles said. It has created huge anxiety. The lawsuit seeks to block the changes made, including the administrator being a political position and the AGs veto power over settlement decisions. Before witnesses took the stand, Judge Daniel St. Hilaire, barred Deborah Greenspan, a partner in a Washington law firm, who helped adjudicate claims for Sept. 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001, from testifying. The two sides also argued during the hearing what exhibits will be allowed to be entered into evidence. The hearing is set to continue next Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney David Vicinanzo, who filed the lawsuit, has said many of his clients will abandon plans to seek a settlement and instead go to trial seeking damages. He called the changes by the Republican-led Legislature unlawful and could lead to further harm to the victims who have come forward. Broderick testified he would determine the facts of the allegations, and the award was based on guidelines developed by the Attorney Generals Office and adopted by the Legislature. Multiple times during the hearing he said he was a neutral and independent person during the settlement negotiations. The hearings were often difficult and emotional, the former justice said, and he aimed to conduct them in a trauma-informed way. He said the judicial system would have nothing to gain or lose by the outcomes of Brodericks settlement agreements. It is fundamentally important to keep the promise the Legislature made to these people, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He suggested being an at-will employee would undermine the administrators role. More than 1,300 lawsuits have been filed alleging abuse at the states Youth Development Center, now Sununu Youth Services Center, and other youth detention centers in the state. At least one victim, David Meehan, has gone to trial. Another witness, who went by Jane Doe No. 231 to protect her identity, expressed the same sentiments as Miles. I was promised that I could tell my story, she said, crying. By me trusting the system, that I felt betrayed me before and didnt have a voice, was going to stand behind me this time. And I dont feel that way now. I feel like they pulled the rug from under me again. jphelps@unionleader.com Heavy rainfall in India's financial capital Mumbai has disrupted the lives of millions of people, submerging roads and leading to flight and train cancellations. Many parts of the city remain inundated in waist-deep water, with videos showing residents swimming through waterlogged roads as garbage gushed out from clogged sewers. Authorities on Tuesday rescued 600 people who got stuck on an overcrowded monorail system that stopped mid-journey. At least 23 had to be treated for suffocation, officials have said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monsoon rains are common in Maharashtra state - where Mumbai is located - around this time of the year. But the region is experiencing particularly heavy rainfall this time. At least 21 people have died in rain-related accidents across the state this week. In just four days, Mumbai has seen 800mm of rainfall, according to the India Meteorological Department, which is well above the average rain recorded in August. India's weather department has issued a red alert for the city and its neighbouring districts, predicting very heavy rains to continue on Wednesday, but has said the situation would improve later in the week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most schools and colleges are shut and some 350 people have been shifted from the city's low-lying areas to temporary shelters. People being evacuated from low-lying areas after severe water logging [Hindustan Times via Getty Images] Rescued residents wait at temporary shelters as heavy rains continue in Mumbai [Hindustan Times via Getty Images] Mumbai's local trains - a lifeline for millions of commuters - have seen heavy disruptions with thousands of people waiting on platforms on Tuesday as services were delayed for hours. "Trains scheduled for last night have left this morning and those supposed to leave this morning have been delayed to later," a passenger told news agency ANI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flight operations to and from the city's international airport have also taken a hit, with 50 flights reportedly cancelled over the past few days. "While we want your journey to be as hassle-free as possible, Mother nature has her own plans. With heavy rains expected again in Mumbai, there's a chance this could lead to air traffic congestion and impact flight operations," budget carrier IndiGo said on X. Meanwhile, chaos erupted on Tuesday after a monorail system, which was reportedly full far beyond its capacity, halted mid-track. A passenger who was on the train told BBC Marathi that with the air-conditioning switched off, passengers tried to open the doors to call for help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire department and police teams had to use cranes to bring stranded passengers down from the elevated tracks. A preliminary investigation suggested the incident took place due to "overcrowding in the train", according to reports. The rains caused severe traffic congestion, disrupting train and flight schedules [EPA/Shutterstock] Opposition lawmakers have blamed the government for being ill-prepared to handle the situation. Aaditya Thackeray of the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) party said several areas, including Mumbai, were witnessing an "absolute collapse of governance". He alleged that the government had done "zero planning" despite red alerts being issued, pointing out that the city's airport was flooded on Tuesday and new water-logging spots had emerged - particularly around recently built infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several citizens also took to social media, criticising the city's collapsing infrastructure and poor planning. Mumbai is one of India's richest cities, significantly contributing to the country's GDP, industrial output and trade. Home to more than 12 million people, it has long attracted migrants from across the country who come in search of better opportunities. While the city has seen a bevy of infrastructure upgrades in recent years - including coastal roads, sea bridges and a new metro system - experts say investments to improve ageing drainage systems and climate-resilient infrastructure have not kept pace with the growing population. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. Aug. 20A bridge across Jonathan Creek that was destroyed by Helene has still not been repaired, leaving residents in the area frustrated and confused about the delay. Haywood County Bridge 46 connects Coleman Mountain Road to Jonathan Creek Road near the Interstate 40 exit 20 entrance ramp. Or at least it did before late September of last year. Since Helene, residents of the neighborhoods along a portion of Coleman Mountain Road have been limited to one road in and out of the area, having to go the long way around on the gravel Qualla Road if they want to access Jonathan Creek Road or travel over Coleman Mountain to Iron Duff. It's a hassle that they understood at first. But many have become increasingly frustrated as the one-year anniversary of the storm approaches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Several people have called the road and bridges department and everybody's being told different stories," said Bob LaBracio, a resident of the area affected by the ongoing bridge outage. "So we don't know what to believe. We don't know what to think. And we don't know why our bridge has not been fixed yet." Lynn Jefferys, who also lives in the area, said she understands why the bridge wasn't fixed in the initial months after Helene. "It made total sense to me that people who had no other way to get out, those bridges had to be done first," she said. "We have another way out. So I was just sort of biding my time, those people have had priority. I'm trying to be understanding, but that doesn't mean that I'm not frustrated." According to North Carolina Department of Transportation Communication Officer David Uchiyama, bids for the repair opened on Aug. 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "NCDOT is currently working on awarding that contract to a contractor, the contract has a start date of September for work to be able to begin," he said. The project is scheduled for completion in September of 2026. That's going to leave people like Marge Riddell continuing to drive roads they'd rather not be driving. "I'm going to be 80 years old in a couple of months or so. It's not easy driving down Coleman Mountain with all the bends, the winds of the road," Riddell said, explaining that many drivers along the road routinely cross the center line, creating an unnerving driving experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the project's proposed timeline, well, Riddell has some thoughts on that as well. "Oh, my goodness. For such a small bridge to take a year? They got (Interstate) 40 going in what, less than eight months?" she said. "While construction hasn't started yet, many behind-the-scenes tasks have been completed: Surveying, design of a new bridge, right-of-way (land) acquisition, utility relocation, environmental permitting, and other necessary tasks," Uchiyama said. These things all take time and coordination between local, state, and federal partners, he said. "The bridge on Coleman Mountain Road is one of the first permanent Helene-related bridge replacement projects to be going under construction in Division 14," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A quick response LaBracio's concern is that if a tree fell across some sections of Coleman Mountain Road, the elderly residents of the neighborhoods on the other side of the blockage would be impossible to reach by first responders, should the need arise. This fear was re-enforced a few weeks ago when LaBracio and his wife sat in their car on Coleman Mountain Road for more than two hours, waiting for a downed tree and power line to be cleared. In the meantime, they said, all they could think about was what would happen if one of their neighbors needed to call 911 during that time. Due to the nature of the terrain they operate in, Haywood County first responders are well-versed in accessing remote areas. Many places in Haywood have limited ingress and egress options, so first responders have multiple options should an emergency crop up, said Haywood County Emergency Services Public Information Officer Allison Richmond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When long-term bridge or road closures impact an area, the fire departments that cover those areas make alternate response plans to gain quick access when needed. In the case of a downed tree blocking the only road into an area, that could involve asking for/dispatching additional crews to help with clearing the road, utilizing utility terrain vehicles with four-wheel drive, or even calling in Mission Hospital's Mountain Area Medical Airlift helicopter. Chainsaws are standard equipment on rescue vehicles, said Chad Moody, chief of the Crabtree-Iron Duff Volunteer Fire Department, so first responders would not be easily stopped by a downed tree if someone needed help. President Donald Trumps budget director has talked about attempting the ultimate override of Congress funding prerogatives during the final 45 days of the fiscal year and that time is now. With six weeks left until Oct. 1, lawmakers are staring down a government shutdown deadline alongside the threat of a pocket rescission, a controversial White House tactic to cancel federal cash without the consent of Congress. Its also a ploy that the governments top watchdog, along with key lawmakers from both parties, say is illegal. The money evaporates at the end of the fiscal year, White House budget chief Russ Vought said last month in defense of the gambit, adding it has been used before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers anticipate Trump will send Congress a formal rescissions request to claw back billions of dollars in federal funding as soon as lawmakers return from recess in September. Already, the threat of the White House then unilaterally canceling the funding in October regardless of Congress response to the request is straining negotiations between Democrats and Republicans desperately trying to head off a shutdown with bipartisan negotiations, which Vought is also actively seeking to undermine. He is trying to throw a wrench in this by introducing or sending to us a second rescission bill by trying to do pocket rescissions, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, the top Democrat on the appropriations panel that funds the military, said of Vought in an interview. It also would undoubtedly throw Republicans into another politically dicey balancing act of trying not to buck their president while answering to constituents who are feeling the effects of the administrations mass gutting of widely used government programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress cleared an initial rescissions package of $9 billion in cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid in July. The White House has stayed publicly mum on what sort of programming it would seek to slash next, but officials have previously signaled the Department of Education will be the target of a second package, which could align with Trumps controversial goal of eventually eliminating the agency altogether. As for the size of this upcoming clawbacks request, Republicans have mixed predictions. Last month, Speaker Mike Johnson told members that a second package would be less than the $9 billion, but other GOP lawmakers said they expect to be asked to revoke much more money than that. Under decades-old budget law, the White House is allowed to send Congress a rescissions request and then withhold the cash for 45 days while lawmakers consider whether to approve, reject or ignore the proposal. If lawmakers dont pass the rescissions bill, the administration must spend the money as Congress intended. These were the conditions under which the administration transmitted its most recent plan. Now, with less than 45 days before the current fiscal year comes to a close, top Trump administration officials argue the White House can send another rescissions package and then treat the funding as expired come midnight on Sept. 30 regardless of congressional action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And if the White House moves forward with the plan, it could do more than just cause political headaches. It very likely would kick off a high-stakes legal battle over Congress funding power and whether a presidential administration must spend all of the money prescribed by law or whether the spending levels are simply a ceiling, as Vought has contended. The Government Accountability Office has said repeatedly that pocket rescissions are against the law and would cede Congresss power of the purse by allowing a president to, in effect, change the law by shortening the period of availability for fixed-period funds. Vought has taken aim at the watchdog, and Mark Paoletta, the Office of Management and Budget general counsel, piled on this month. Trump Derangement Syndrome is on full display at GAO, Paoletta said on social media, and wrong on pocket rescissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress is well aware that the law allows the maneuver, he added, pointing out that lawmakers did not bother heeding GAOs urging 50 years ago to fix a loophole leaving the legality question open to interpretation. Yet even some of the Republican lawmakers who are hungry for more chances to kill funding are wary of the Trump administration using the rescissions process to undermine Congress funding power under Article I of the Constitution. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who reluctantly voted in support of the rescissions request last month, said he wont support more clawback packages if the White House doesnt provide account-by-account details of how the funding would be cut. I'm just not going to aid and abet moving appropriations decisions over to the Article II branch, Tillis said in an interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump just happens to be a Republican, Tillis continued, but we could regret this, just as Democrats would, if they are tempted to do the same thing. That's why youve got to draw lines here institutionally. Concerns about precedent, legality and political appetite are converging on the reality for members of both parties that Republicans cant afford to alienate Democrats, whose votes they likely need to pass any government funding bill to avoid a shutdown next month. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, when asked about a second rescissions package, stressed he would prefer to handle any more cuts through the regular appropriations process. My hope would be that thats the way we deal with a lot of these issues, he said. Democrats hope so too, and they have warned that any Trump administration effort to claw back money already approved by Congress pocket or otherwise would undermine lawmakers ability to work across party lines to avoid a shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In remarks late last month alongside House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his partys senior appropriators, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would try to reach a compromise with Republicans despite GOP lawmakers approval of the latest $9 billion rescissions package. But, he added, Republicans are making it extremely difficult to do that by talking about rescissions, pocket rescissions, impoundment which would undo anything that we did in the budgets. Exports also crashed. Annual shipments of Sakhalin-1 crude fell from 229,000 b/d before the war to 98,000 b/d in 2022, according to Kpler data. For four straight months June through September no exports left the terminal. Flows later recovered to 198,000 b/d but still have not reached the pre-war volumes, as sanctions complicated logistics and buyers grew more cautious. Before 2022, the crude had a diverse customer base, including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, China, and even the United States. By 2023, only India and China remained, with a small volume reaching Pakistan in 2024. Today, China has emerged as the largest buyer, taking in 118,000 b/d in 2025 to date. For nearly two decades, this carefully balanced partnership not only demonstrated the viability of large-scale foreign involvement in Russias upstream sector but also withstood considerable geopolitical turbulence. Even the 2014 Crimea crisis, which unleashed the first wave of Western sanctions against Moscow, failed to derail Sakhalin-1, despite widespread speculation that the projects multinational framework would become unfeasible. Yet what it survived in 2014, it could not withstand in 2022. With the outbreak of war in Ukraine and the far more sweeping sanctions that followed, ExxonMobil announced its withdrawal in March, just weeks after hostilities began, triggering a collapse in production from 220,000 b/d to just 10,000 b/d, grinding to a near halt within months. By April, Exxon booked a $4.6 billion impairment charge tied to Sakhalin-1, underscoring the scale of its retreat. Sakhalin-1 is no ordinary asset. Located on the northeast shelf of Sakhalin Island, it consists of the Chayvo, Odoptu and Arkutun-Dagi fields, with recoverable reserves estimated at 2.3 billion barrels of oil and 17.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. ExxonMobil entered the project under a production-sharing agreement in the 1990s, after the fields first discovered in the 1970s had been left undeveloped for decades. Commercial production began in 2005, with ExxonMobil as operator. At its launch, the project set a world record in extended-reach drilling, reaching 11,282 meters (37,320 feet) with its Z-11 well back in 2007. The equity structure allocated 30% each to ExxonMobil and Russias Rosneft, with Indias ONGC Videsh and Japans SODECO each holding 20%. On August 15, just as the much-anticipated meeting between President Trump and President Putin was taking place, a development of potentially far-reaching consequences but little immediate attention surfaced in Moscow. President Putin signed an alteration to his 2022 decree that had transferred the Sakhalin-1 project fully under Russian jurisdiction, this time supplementing it with conditions for the possible return of foreign companies to the venture. The change carries more weight than the quiet timing suggested. At its core lies Russias willingness to signal that U.S. companies and ExxonMobil in particular could once again have a place in one of Russias most strategic energy projects. Story Continues This reshaping of trade flows coincided with a fundamental shift in the projects ownership structure. Putins first decree on 7 October 2022 formally transferred Exxons stake into Russian hands, ending its tenure as the projects lead. Exxon had explored the option of selling its 30% stake to Indian partners, but Moscow intervened, seizing the equity and placing it in a new state-backed entity, Sakhalinmorneftegaz-Shelf. Indias ONGC and Japans SODECO opted to remain. Exxon, for its part, viewed the forced transfer as hostile and unfair, but had little recourse. Three years later, Moscow decided to soften its uncompromising stance. The amendment issued on 15 August 2025, reopened the door to foreign participation but only under strict conditions. Partners may reclaim their shares if they succeed in lifting or mitigating sanctions that constrain the project, securing agreements for the supply of foreign-made equipment and spare parts, establishing new technical cooperation deals, and transferring previously accumulated funds from liquidation accounts into the new operator. In practical terms, Russia is signaling a willingness to reengage with foreign stakeholders, but only on terms that advance its own strategic and operational needs. The timing of the decree, however, suggests that more is at play. Signed on the very day of the TrumpPutin meeting, the amendment reads less like a technical adjustment and more like a political gesture an overt signal to Washington that Russia is prepared to welcome US partners back into Arctic oil development if the broader climate allows. For President Putin, it amounts to a calculated offering, a card placed on the table to prepare the ground for future negotiations and potential concessions. Yet even if the American side were to reconsider its involvement in Russian Arctic projects, the playing field would look very different from when they first entered. ExxonMobils original involvement rested on a production-sharing agreement a ownership regime that raised controversies when first introduced under President Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s. These agreements were widely criticized in Russia for granting overly generous terms to foreign investors, depriving the state of substantial revenue and limiting transparency in how contracts were awarded and implemented. By the mid-2000s, only two PSAs remained: Sakhalin-1 and Sakhalin-2. The latter became a case study in Moscows assertiveness when in 2006, Putin pressured foreign investors to sell a controlling stake to Gazprom. A revived Exxon role today would come under a new legal and commercial regime, one far more tilted in Russias favor. That said, the significance of such a return could extend well beyond Sakhalin itself. If ExxonMobil were to re-enter this project, it could also signal a pathway back into Russias broader Arctic ambitions. In 2014, the US sanctions forced Exxon to abandon its joint Arctic exploration with Rosneft after the discovery of the giant Pobeda field in the Kara Sea. With proven reserves of 130 million tonnes of oil and 422 billion cubic meters of gas (and potentially much more), the find rivaled or exceeded resource bases in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazils and Alaskas continental shelves. At the time, the projects potential was labelled as transformational. A thaw in US-Russia relations that could enable Exxons possible return to Sakhalin could open the door to reviving such ventures, which remain some of the most promising untapped hydrocarbon prospects in the world. For now, Putins August decree is a signal, not a deal. But it underscores how tightly the fate of strategic energy projects like Sakhalin-1 is bound to the arc of geopolitics. The legal structures, the buyers, the flows all have shifted under sanctions and war. What Putin offered on August 15 was not simply a regulatory amendment. It was an invitation, timed to a pivotal political moment, hinting at how energy remains a currency of diplomacy as much as commerce. By Natalia Katona for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Read this article on OilPrice.com Nearly 1,000 Health and Human Services staffers on Wednesday signed an open letter accusing the agencys secretary of endangering the nations health and the agency itself by spreading misinformation that led a violent gunman to attack the CDCs headquarters earlier this month. The violent August 8th attack on CDCs headquarters in Atlanta was not random, the letter, which is addressed to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Members of the U.S. Congress, reads. Related: Keith Olbermann Goes Scorched Earth On 'Aggressively Stupid' Karoline Leavitt The attack came amid growing mistrust in public institutions, driven by politicized rhetoric that has turned public health professionals from trusted experts into targets of villainization and now, violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of that rhetoric has come from RFK Jr. himself, they argue, saying hes complicit in dismantling Americas public health infrastructure and has for years spread inaccurate health information that undermines the work of the very agency he leads. The gunman who fired 500 bullets at the CDC, killing a police officer and shattering hundreds of windows, blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal, law enforcement officials said. Yet RFK Jr. has refused to acknowledge that misinformation played a role in the violence or take ownership for his role in spreading it. Related: New York Times Report Is Horrifying News For Democratic Party We dont know enough about what the motive was of this individual, he said after the shooting, but people can ask questions without being penalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy has previously called the CDC a cesspool of corruption, and lied about the efficacy of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic and their promise for future treatments, for which hes canceled research funding. The letter closes with three asks of Secretary Kennedy: Stop spreading inaccurate health information: Cease and publicly disavow the ongoing dissemination of false and misleading claims about vaccines, infectious disease transmission, and Americas public health institutions. Related: Trump Taps Anti-Vaxxer RFK Jr. To Lead Health And Human Services Affirm CDCs scientific integrity: Acknowledge and affirm that CDCs work is rooted in scientific, non-partisan evidence focused on improving the health of every American. Guarantee the safety of the HHS workforce: Ensure that the HHS workforce can carry out its duties in an environment free from imminent threats of harm. This should include emergency procedures and alerts that are fully functional for all workers and taking vigorous action to remove high-profile online material targeting the federal workforce such as the widely seen DEI watchlists. In an emailed statement to HuffPost, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services accused its employees of politicizing a tragedy, yet failed to address the core points of their open letter. Secretary Kennedy is standing firmly with CDC employeesboth on the ground and across every centerensuring their safety and well-being remain a top priority, the statement read. In the wake of this heartbreaking shooting, he traveled to Atlanta to offer his support and reaffirm his deep respect, calling the CDC a shining star among global health agencies. Related: Texas Democrats Have A Plan To Disrupt The Trump-Approved Congressional Map The statement continued, Any attempt to conflate widely supported public health reforms with the violence of a suicidal mass shooter is an attempt to politicize a tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jerome Adams, who served as U.S. surgeon general in President Donald Trumps first administration, has also been sharply critical of RFK Jrs handling of the shooting. Adams told CBS Face the Nation theres no question Kennedys past comments could lead to violence. While I dont know Secretary Kennedy personally, and I dont want to make assertions about his character, I will say, based on his actions and his rhetoric, hes fanning the flames that lead to situations like we saw at the CDC, he said. Related... Read the original on HuffPost HONOLULU (KHON2) The Las Vegas community is getting ready to welcome Zippys third location. Las Vegas cant get enough of Zippys, third location set to open On Sept. 9, at 10 a.m. local time, Zippys will open a new location on 9570 S. Eastern Ave. in Henderson, set to attract thousands of locals. As the grand opening takes place, Zippys will offer a limited-time special at all locations in Hawaii and Nevada. From Sept. 8 to 21, the most popular Korean Fried Chicken plate will cost $9.99, compared to its normal $15.45. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Korean Fried Chicken plate comes with crispy golden fried chunks of tender chicken drizzled with sweet, salty, garlic Korean-style sauce; served with mac salad and two scoops of rice. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news In the meantime, Zippys will continue to hire and is actively seeking dynamic individuals to fill positions like: Back-of-house: Cooks and utility Front-of-house: Servers, expeditors, hosts/hostesses, bussers, and cashiers Management: Store managers and assistant managers To learn more about available positions in your area, visit zippys.com/careers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zippys is proud to share Hawaiis island aloha through Nevada roots with flavors of Hawaii and its family-oriented service. So if you or any of your family love Zippys, be sure to get that discounted Korean Fried Chicken plate at the grand opening celebration! Check out more news from around Hawaii To stay up to date on the latest news and details about Zippys events and the grand opening celebration, visit 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 KHON2. A hiker in a Tennessee state park died recently after picking up a rattlesnake that bit him on the hand. The hiker, a man whose name was not released, was in Savage Gulf State Park in Gruetli-Laager, Tennessee, around 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 8, Matthew Griffith, director for the Grundy County Emergency Association, said in an email to The New York Times. A witness told officials that the hiker had picked up a snake, which was believed to be a timber rattlesnake, and was bitten on a hand, Griffith said. It was not clear why the hiker picked up the snake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency medical workers arrived and performed CPR but the man died at the hospital. How common are rattlesnake bites? Rattlesnake bites in the U.S. range from 7,000 to 8,000 annually, with most bites occurring in the South, according to WorldAnimalFoundation.org. According to the foundation, states with the highest incidence of snake bites per million population per year are: North Carolina at 157.8 West Virginia at 105.3 Arkansas at 92.9 Oklahoma at 61, Virginia a48.7 Texas at 44.2. Rattlesnakes are active from April to October depending on the region of the country in which they live. Theyre found across much of the United States but are especially common in the Southwest. Arizona has more types of rattlesnakes than any other state, followed by California, Texas, New Mexico and Utah, according to SnakeProtection.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rattlesnakes are not found in Alaska, Hawaii, Maine and Rhode Island. Like most snakes, rattlers prefer warm, sunny weather and dense vegetation. They live in deserts, mountainous regions, forests and prairies. Rattlesnakes are carnivores that eat mice, voles, chipmunks and other small mammals. A rattlesnake warning Officials in Draper, Utah, recently posted a rattlesnake warning on Facebook. Sightings were reported near the Coyote Hollow Trailhead and the Mercer Hollow area of SunCrest. Snakes may be coming into more populated areas due to dry conditions. Be especially careful around ponds and air conditioning units, according to the post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are five rattlesnake species in Utah, and the most common is the Great Basin rattlesnake, which is a subspecies of the Western rattlesnake, according to the state Division of Wildlife Resources. Rocky benches, high-elevation slopes and dry canyons are the most common places in Utah to encounter rattlesnakes, often while people are out hiking, rock climbing or biking, per Wildlife Resources. However, you might also come across rattlers at lower elevations and in open areas. Individual rattlesnakes move around a large area known as their home range and will usually move on from a specific location within a short period of time, according to Wildlife Resources. Rattlesnakes are protected under Utah law, making it illegal to harass or kill one. They use their venom to subdue prey so they can eat it, and a snake will only bite defensively if it feels threatened. Like most wild animals, rattlesnakes fear humans and will do anything they can to avoid us, according to Wildlife Resources native herpetology coordinator Alyssa Hoekstra. If a snake is feeling threatened, it may act in defense. The best course of action is to maintain a safe distance from rattlesnakes and other native snake species. What to do if you encounter a rattlesnake Utah Wildlife Resources offers these tips to stay safe: Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said the city will only revise its 2018 sanctuary city order to strengthen protections for immigrants. (Danielle Richards for New Jersey Monitor) Hoboken is rejecting a call by the Trump administration to rescind its sanctuary policy for undocumented immigrants, saying the White Houses position on this is egregious and distressing. The move comes a week after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told states, counties, and towns nationwide that their sanctuary policies thwart federal immigration enforcement and threatened officials with criminal charges if they obstruct those efforts. The letter came amid a push by President Donald Trump to detain and deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the nation witnesses the tearing apart of families, inhumane treatment of human beings, and unlawful detention of children, Hoboken will not bend its knee in response to the lawlessness of federal immigration authorities, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla wrote Tuesday in response to the Aug. 13 letter from Bondi. The Department of Justice published a list two weeks ago of jurisdictions nationwide that have passed sanctuary laws and threatened to bring litigation against them. Hoboken, Jersey City, Newark, and Paterson are on the list (all four were already being sued in federal court by the Trump administration over these policies). The four citys mayors received Bondis Aug. 13 letter, which ordered them to end their sanctuary policies and gave them until Tuesday to confirm in writing their commitment to complying with federal law and identify any initiatives they are undertaking to eliminate laws and policies that impede immigration enforcement. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi last week threatened criminal charges against local officials who back sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) For too long, so-called sanctuary jurisdiction policies have undermined this necessary cooperation and obstructed federal immigration enforcement, giving aliens cover to perpetrate crimes in our communities and evade the immigration consequences that federal law requires, Bondi wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has moved to slash federal funds and grants to jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate. On Monday, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin joined a lawsuit filed by states alleging the administration is improperly blocking federal grants intended for victims and witnesses of crime because of the states sanctuary policies. Since Trump took office in January for his second term and promised to crack down on illegal immigration, immigration arrests have doubled, and the number of people in detention has skyrocketed. Bhalla, a Democrat who became Hobokens mayor in 2018, issued an executive order then that restricts when city officials and police can cooperate with federal immigration agents, an order known as the fair and welcoming city designation. Bhalla said the Trump administrations claims about it are completely false and without merit. We will not capitulate to your demand that we rescind our policies, and in this case our morals and values, wrote Bhalla, who is seeking a state Assembly seat in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city will revise the policies if needed, he added, but only to ensure Hoboken residents are not subjected to unlawful immigration enforcement. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka echoed the same concerns. He noted that the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the states Immigrant Trust Directive and found that it does not interfere with federal immigration enforcement. As a result, we are not in violation of any constitutional laws, and your assertion that our policy is criminal in nature is flat out wrong, Baraka wrote. I completely disagree with your assertion that our policy is breaking federal laws. Paterson officials declined to comment. Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said this matter will be addressed when the city seeks dismissal of the Trump administrations complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other cities around the country had a similar message for Bondi as Bhalla. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said his state will not be bullied and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the city would never back down. The debate over illegal immigration has roiled New Jersey. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-10) is facing criminal charges over accusations that she assaulted officers while they were arresting Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in May. Detainees rioted over poor conditions at Newarks Delaney Hall, the first immigration detention center to open during Trumps second term. Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba has said she is investigating Gov. Phil Murphy and Platkin over the states sanctuary order, called the Immigrant Trust Directive. And the White House has placed the blame for a fatal drunken driving crash in Lakewood last month authorities say an undocumented immigrant is responsible on Murphy, who supports the state directive. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DES MOINES, Iowa A Des Moines man will spend the rest of his life in prison for beating his girlfriend to death. Derrick Earnest Derrick Earnest, 61, was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Holly Snowgren in May. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Des Moines man arrested for alleged assault at anti-Trump protest Police said Earnest beat Snowgren with a two-by-ten board in an alley east of Good Park, between 14th Street and 14th Place, in the early morning hours of April 19, 2024. Surveillance cameras in the area also caught Earnest punching and kicking her, while he threatened to kill her, and she begged him to stop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 40 minutes after the assault, Earnest brought Snowgren to Methodist Medical Centers emergency room. She suffered broken ribs, lacerations, a stab wound, and other injuries in the assault. She died later that morning. At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Snowgrens family called her a beautiful soul who saw the good in people, including Earnest. Her sister, Monica McClaskey, addressed Earnest, saying, You betrayed it in the worse possible way. Metro news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) A Hollywood man will spend more than 30 years in prison for the murder of his cousin, according to the Ninth Circuit Solicitors Office. The investigation began in October 2021 when detectives from the Charleston Police Department responded to the Pinecrest Greene apartments in West Ashley, where they found a victim, Travis Green Jr., shot in the drivers seat of his vehicle. Surveillance video from the area helped law enforcement identify the suspect as Antonio Jerome Green Jr., who officials said confessed to being at the scene and identified two other co-defendants seen with him in the video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crime scene technicians located evidence of two firearms being used to inflict the three gunshot wounds that caused Travis Greens death. One firearm was located in the vehicle, and the Charleston County Sheriffs Office later located the other in a traffic stop, the solicitors office wrote in a news release Wednesday morning. A firearms expert with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division testified during the trial that the two guns recovered did match cartridge casings found at the scene and in the victims vehicle. The solicitors office further stated that a search of Greens phone and Facebook accounts resulted in incriminating messages between him and a co-defendant, where both planned to do a lick, or armed robbery, of the victim. This evidence also revealed the Defendants attempts to frame his co-defendants as well as photos of the firearms used to kill the victim that were saved and stored on the Defendants phone and Facebook accounts, the solicitors office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Green was sentenced to 33 years for his cousins murder and armed robbery. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem paints a section of the border barrier in Santa Teresa on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. Noem announced the administration would paint barriers between the U.S. and Mexico black in order to prevent rust and make them hotter to prevent climbing. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) SANTA TERESA U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday that President Donald Trump wants all 600-plus miles of the border barrier with Mexico painted black. The reasons, Noem said, are twofold. First, it will prevent rust. Second, she said, it will burn the skin of anyone trying to climb over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black, it gets even warmer, and it will make it even harder for people to climb, Noem said during an afternoon news conference in which temperatures rose to 92 degrees. Noem did not answer questions from reporters about the cost or time frame for painting the wall, other than to say not all the work has been contracted yet. She delivered Tuesdays announcement from behind a podium posed in front of a solitary painted section of the steel barrier. She was flanked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on a strip of land sandwiched between rows of empty cattle corrals a result of the parasitic fly closing cattle trade. Noem, center was joined by top officials from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency during the Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025 appearance in Santa Teresa. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) The announcement prompted a rebuke from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams office. Painting a border wall black to injure people who are seeking a better life is, sadly, emblematic of the Trump administrations cruel approach to immigration enforcement. A more sensible, humane, and economically advantageous solution is to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would benefit both sides of the border, Communications Director Michael Coleman said in a statement provided to Source NM. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coleman noted that the governor for years has requested additional federal assistance to combat drug trafficking and other nefarious criminal activity in the border region, but she strongly opposes the Trump administrations mass deportation efforts that would break up families and harm New Mexicos economy and communities. Earlier Tuesday, Noem toured with state and local officials areas of Ruidoso damaged by repeated monsoon floods, which Coleman praised, saying Lujan Grisham appreciates Sec. Noems visit to Ruidoso, which allowed her to see firsthand the devastation wrought by recent flooding. Federal assistance after disasters like this is crucial to helping communities rebuild. Noem announced $11.4 million in disaster funds for Ruidoso Tuesday evening. Thats on top of U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency allocation of $2.7 million for damages related to flooding in New Mexico. Noem then traveled from Ruidoso to New Mexicos border, where she delivered her announcement about painting the border barrier along its deadliest stretch. The area saw 176 deaths last year, according to border patrol, mostly due to heat, but the figure also includes falls from climbing over the barriers. Border crossings and deaths are down in the area, Walter Slosar, the interim chief for the El Paso Sector of border patrol, said during the news conference. Slosar attributed the decline to the Trump administrations hard line. Apprehensions are down to 39 people per day across 268 miles of international border in the sector, down from more than 2,400 people in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Words and messages matter, Slosar said. It is not OK to enter the country illegally, and somebodys finally saying it, our leadership here in the U.S. government. Noem had little to say about the recent expansion of efforts to detain immigrants in military bases, including plans to hold 1,000 people at Fort Bliss, in El Paso abutting the New Mexico state line. My goal is not to build hundreds of thousands of beds, my goal is to get people out of this country that are here illegally, she said. Thats where our focus is, and so well build as many detention beds as we need to get the job done. When asked by Source NM if the Trump administration has any specific plans for detention in New Mexico, Noem was noncommittal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There could be, I know New Mexico is having debates going on with their detention centers. Were planning on keeping our presence there and expanding if possible, she said. The governors chief counsel recently told state lawmakers Lujan Grisham may consider legislation to ban the presence of federal immigration detention centers in the state in an upcoming, though as yet unscheduled, special session. Tuesdays news conference was festooned on either side with cherry-picker sniper posts looking over an 18-foot older steel mesh barrier. On the Mexico side, federal law enforcement, Guardia Nacional patrolled in trucks outfitted in black and white uniforms and armed with long guns. A member of the U.S. Army in a perch overlooking the border wall in Santa Teresa on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. The Trump administration deployed hundreds of troops in April to the border. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) In response to media questions, Noem said the federal government has no timeline for removing troops from the border. Thatll be the presidents decision, Noem said. SANTA TERESA, N.M. (NewsNation) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday that the U.S.-Mexico border wall will be painted black at President Donald Trumps specific request, saying the darker color will make the barrier even more difficult to climb in hot weather. There will be more added to it as far as technology, cameras, sensors were also going to be painting it black, Noem said. That is specifically at the request of the president. When something is painted black, it gets even warmer, making it even harder for people to climb. Noem said the black paint serves dual purposes: protecting the steel structure from rust and making it hot to touch during the regions high temperatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Up to $350M in unused border wall materials set to be returned The painting project marks a return to Trumps original border wall prototype design. During his first presidency, officials began painting sections black in Calexico, California, before abandoning the practice to speed construction. Sources say the administration is reviving the black paint plan as border crossings have slowed significantly. A total of $46.5 billion is allocated in Trumps funding bill to complete construction of the border wall. Noem said the U.S. now has the most secure border that weve ever had in the history of this nation, citing zero illegal border crossings recorded for May, June and July. Border Patrol agents in the El Paso sector are now apprehending an average of 41 people per day, down from peaks of 2,300 daily apprehensions in 2023, according to interim Chief Patrol Agent Walter Slosar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 alleged Tren de Aragua members in custody after fleeing to Colombia: DOJ The majority of those apprehended are single adults from Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador, officials said. Trump posted on Truth Social, congratulating Texas on the LOWEST RECORDED NUMBERS IN UNITED STATES HISTORY for July border statistics. In the Lone Star State, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, told NewsNation that the wall is needed to help secure the border. NewsNation reported exclusively that five new high-tech surveillance towers that will help U.S. Border Patrol agents monitor migrant gotaways in the Del Rio Sector are being installed as part of a continued effort to conduct immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NewsNations Ali Bradley 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. (Main photo courtesy of the University of Iowa; form courtesy of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by University of Iowa students who fear theyve been targeted for deportation. The federal agency argues that it has complied with court orders in the case by reversing a decision in April to alter the students status within the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System a move that could have paved the way for deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By reversing course, the agencys lawyers argue, Homeland Security has rendered the lawsuit moot. The plaintiffs, they argue in their motion to dismiss the case, have obtained the relief they originally sought. There is nothing more for the court to do. In their motion, lawyers for Homeland Security acknowledge the judge in the case, when responding to a different motion, had previously ruled that actions compelled by court order are not actions that moot a case. Attorneys for the students have yet to respond to the motion to dismiss. The students attorney, Katherine Melloy Goettel, declined to comment on the matter. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 27. Judge has rejected prior requests from DHS In April 2025, the three UI international students and one international-student graduate sued DHS for wrongful termination of their student status, which they alleged caused irreparable stress and anxiety due to fear of imminent seizure and deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On May 15, 2025, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring DHS to maintain the plaintiffs status as students in its Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records. The judge also ordered DHS to add to the records a notation of active student status that would be backdated to the date the agency had terminated that status ensuring that other entities wouldnt act on the termination and attempt to deport the students on that basis. On June 12, 2025, DHS filed a motion seeking to revise the injunction. The department argued that due to technological limitations with SEVIS records, the system did not allow the creation of written notations that would be visible to other users of the system, such as schools and employers, outside of DHS. DHS asked that the court issue a ruling indicating it had fulfilled the requirements of the injunction, while also arguing the injunction was overbroad and amounted to a prohibition against any sort of prosecution for crimes the students might commit. Noting that DHS had made no assertions as to what, if any, efforts had been made to remedy the claimed technological limitations within SEVIS, U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger denied DHS motion to revise her order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With regard to DHS claim that the injunction bars future criminal prosecutions, Ebinger noted that her order does not apply to state, county, or local law enforcement acting separately from DHS and not at DHS instruction. Also, she ruled, the injunction prevents neither arrests nor the commencement of prosecutions. Rather, as to the plaintiffs four individual people whom the court previously found to be likely to succeed on their claims of unfounded and harmful status record interference the courts order requires advance notice to the court as part of defendants due process efforts. The order does not prohibit law enforcement actions. DHS officials describe Student Criminal Alien Initiative As part of their recent request for a dismissal of the lawsuit, attorneys for Homeland Security provided the court with a sworn statement from Akil Baldwin, the acting assistant director of the National Security Division of Homeland Security Investigations within the department. In his statement, Baldwin said he oversees the Student Exchange Visitor Program in support of ICE efforts to identify, disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal enterprises and terrorist organizations. He said the four UI students criminal histories which, according to the students attorney, are limited to misdemeanor-level offenses such as drunken driving led to the revocation of their student visas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The process, he said in his statement, began when Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, launched what he called the Student Criminal Alien Initiative. As part of that initiative, he said, HSI obtained access to the federal criminal database maintained by the National Crime Information Center to determine whether any nonimmigrant students had criminal records. HSI then sent its findings to the U.S. Department of State to take action as it deemed appropriate, Baldwin said. The Department of State then revoked some nonimmigrant student visas with an NCIC record, Baldwin stated. Then, at the Department of States request, HSI terminated the SERVIS records of those students who now had no valid student visa. In April, amid a flurry of litigation related to its actions, Homeland Security reversed course and began restoring the students SEVIS records to active status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a District of Columbia court hearing in April, Homeland Securitys assistant director for national security, Andre Watson, discussed the agencys Student Criminal Alien Initiative. Watson testified as to how 10 to 20 ICE employees spent several weeks combing through the records of 1.3 million holders of student visas to determine whether any of them might have had some form of interaction with law enforcement, such as a traffic violation that was later dismissed. An exasperated D.C. District Court Judge Ana C. Reyes asked Watson, Are you telling me that with all of the cost cutting that we have going on right now because apparently were spending too much money in the federal government doing things like, oh, I dont know, funding cancer research, cant afford to do that that we had, not we, but someone, had 10 to 20 federal employees spend their time going name by name in a database to see what hits they got for 1.3 million people? Is that what happened? Yes or no. Yes, Watson replied. He explained that of the 1.3 million student names, less than half of 1%, or roughly 6,400 student names, were passed on to the State Department. The State Department then revoked visas to travel into the United States for 3,000 of those students, and then told Homeland Security to terminate those students status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After hearing from Watson, Judge Reyes cited what she called the federal governments utter lack of concern for human individuals who we have invited into our country and who have (made) communities richer by being students who have contributed to our colleges and who have paid our colleges. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE MEMPHIS, Tenn. Homeowners in the New Chicago area gave Shelby County Commissioners an earful Wednesday about a proposed new jail in their community. Plans are to move the jail out of downtown. One site being considered is a 71-acre plot at the old Firestone plant location in the New Chicago community in North Memphis, but neighbors say put it somewhere else. Sheriff Floyd Bonner says a proposal to build a new billion-dollar criminal justice complex and where it should be located has set off a firestorm. Plans for new jail Courtesy of SMPO Properties One of the things youve never heard the sheriff say is where the jail should be built. Okay, Ive never said that, said Sheriff Bonner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jail, courts could move to North Memphis in proposal under consideration by county At a Shelby County Commission Law Enforcement committee meeting, developers pushed for $350,000 to be approved for a master plan that would People dying and this being in the news, were trying to bring a solution to this, said developer Kemp Conrad. SMPO-SCJC-Planning-Dwgs-081825-1Download That is exactly what this $350,000 allows the county to move forward. Youre not picking a site today. Youre not coordinating a site today. We think the site we have will be the best site, said Conrad. But dozens who live in the New Chicago community say leaders should put the jail near Shelby Farms, not in their backyard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Group demands immediate changes at 201 Poplar Were asking the commission to take New Chicago off the study. Take it off, we are a historic community and youre adding to the criminalization of the community, said Deborah Kofi, New Chicago homeowner. We want to spend billions of dollars to build a jail and not a school, and not a resource. That is anti-community, said Kathy Temple, Douglass Community homeowner. Youre asking us in New Chicago to allow that to place in our community, and we say, Hell to the No,' said William Edwards, another New Chicago homeowner. Some commissioners say right now, more transparency is needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slow this thing down. Why are you in such a rush with this? Whats the rush? said Shelby County Commissioner Henri Brooks. Commissioners delayed action on Wednesday and will discuss it again during their upcoming meetings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Scottish company SBP Accountants & Business Advisers (SBP) has described 2025 as a notable year for the company thanks to an increase in clients, investments in talent and the expansion of its regional offices. The company, which operates in the Aberdeen, Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Banff areas in Scotland, anticipates a 20% increase in its client base by the end of the year. SBP noted in a press statement that its choice to remain independently owned is proving to be a key differentiator. A key development this year was the relocation of SBPs Fraserburgh office to larger premises. The move improved accessibility and enhanced its regional presence, attracting skilled professionals and notable clients, the company added. In response to increasing demand, the practice has expanded its workforce by 11% over the past six months, which has supported growth in various service areas including audit, tax planning, research and development claims, and consultancy. Recent company initiatives include the introduction of a salary sacrifice pension scheme, enhanced professional development opportunities and flexible working arrangements. SBP added that it continues to prioritise innovation, with its in-house technology group working to improve both internal processes and client services, particularly in the area of cloud-based accounting. The company noted that there is growing demand for advisory services in lending support, tax planning and software integration as small and medium-sized enterprises look for adaptable, technology-driven partners. The company also revealed that it is actively exploring new locations for expansion. SBP managing partner John Hannah said: Our success is rooted in relationships with our clients, our staff and our communities. While the accountancy sector undergoes significant change, we remain focused on what matters most delivering tailored, high-quality advice, investing in our team and maintaining our independence. That commitment continues to drive our growth and position us strongly for the future. "SBP reports growth driven by new clients and team investments" was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A case where a Poplar Grove, Arkansas, man was charged for allegedly shooting, killing a man, and injuring another has been ruled as self-defense, said Arkansas State Police Tuesday evening. Last month, special agents arrested Decorick Farr, 41, and charged him with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting that occurred on August 5. One killed, another injured during Arkansas shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Phillips County Sheriffs Office requested assistance from the Arkansas State Police with a shooting that occurred in the 300 block of Phillips County Road at around 2:15 a.m. 38-year-old William Henderson was pronounced dead after being taken to the Helena Regional Medical Center. The second victim, a 47-year-old man, was taken to an area hospital in stable condition. He was booked into the Phillips County Detention Center. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Helicopter blades whirred overhead as police SUVs fanned out through the neighborhood, spotlights cutting across dark yards in search of their suspect, who abandoned a silver sedan in front of a house, next to a "Smile! Youre on camera" poster. The trees had given the suspect cover when he took off on foot, but the Tennessee Highway Patrols aviation unit said he hadnt left the neighborhood, located near the Memphis airport. Curtains shifted. Blinds raised. A man, woman and three children, all in their pajamas, watched from a sidewalk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They see us running into the yard, see flashlights, they kind of start to get worried," one trooper told Fox News Digital, adding that people "can be nervous and frightened, but I appreciate the cooperation." Alleged Tren De Aragua Gang Member Nabbed By Tennessee Highway Patrol In Coordinated Ice Effort Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers arrested a man accused of leading law enforcement on a long car chase before taking off on foot in a neighborhood on Aug. 7, 2025, in Memphis. Several people allowed troopers to check their yards and even offered to unlock sheds, he added. Read On The Fox News App Suddenly, three troopers frog-marched the suspect through the front yard of one of the homes. After so much drama, he went quietly into the back seat of one of the SUVs. It wasnt clear at the time what had prompted him to flee when troopers tried to pull him over for having false temporary tags, leading them on a long, circular chase and at one point crossing into Mississippi before looping back into Memphis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for the members of THPs Bluff City Task Force, the arrest exemplified what increased police resources can accomplish in a city thats long had a reputation for rampant crime. In May, FBI Director Kash Patel dubbed Tennessee's second most populous city the "homicide capital of America," and said the bureau would send a task force to the Volunteer State. The FBI highlighted to Fox News Digital Operation Viper, which brings federal and state law enforcement together to combat violent crime with a strategic response. The FBI sent 15 additional special agents and two intelligence personnel to Memphis in late July to help with Operation Viper. As of August 8, Operation Viper has made 157 arrests and seized over 50 firearms. "The FBI has worked aggressively with our partners in Tennessee to establish a dedicated task force and deploy resources to tackle crime in Memphis. While this operation remains ongoing, we are committed to delivering results and look forward to sharing them with the American people," Patel told Fox News Digital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly 50 troopers are now permanently stationed in Shelby County, according to THP Lt. Col. Jimmie Johnson, a stark increase from just six troopers around a decade ago. On a Thursday evening in August, around half of that contingent prepared to hit the roads and the skies around Memphis. "If you're going to work some of the hot spots, make sure that you're working in groups," Johnson advised the group. "Stay focused, stay safe, and let's make a difference." Us Crime Dropped Widely In 2024, Fbi Says With Some Notable Caveats Troopers made several arrests for drug possession and possession with intent to distribute. THP's Bluff City Task Force aims to alleviate the workload of local police through increased traffic enforcement, while also being on the lookout for narcotics, illegal weapons and potentially violent offenders in the Memphis area. Troopers donned their hats and set out in their SUVs. The patrols aviation unit kicked up a blinding cloud of debris as it lifted off from the parking lot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within minutes, troopers were making their first arrest, after a stop for fake tags rampant in Memphis turned up suspected fentanyl and LSD. While traffic enforcement on the I-240 loop and surrounding highways is the primary objective, Johnson said flooding high-crime areas with officers can help root out more violent crimes. Troopers regularly seize drugs and weapons. Some of the guns theyve confiscated have been tied to murders and other shootings, according to highway patrol officials. Road-rage shootouts, drag racing, and other interstate takeovers are also down, said Johnson, who was born in Memphis and spent most of his career policing the highways around the Bluff City. "We know that if we look beyond the stop, that can prevent something more violent from happening," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Troopers made several other arrests over the next few hours, primarily for drug possession, but also for outstanding warrants. And they did plenty of traffic enforcement, like ticketing a driver for allegedly going 90 mph in a 55 zone, with two unbuckled children in the back seat. The increased presence is being felt far beyond the interstate. Pastor Keith Norman of First Baptist Church Broad told Fox News Digital that Memphis residents arent just noticing fewer drag races and reckless drivers theyre noticing the officers themselves. "Visibility and consistency are the two most positive things," Norman explained. "Weve seen troopers not only on the highways but stopping by community spaces to introduce themselves. That helps take away the stigma that law enforcement is here to harm, and shows theyre here to protect." Sgt. Anthony Johnson searches a pickup truck belonging to a suspect arrested on an outstanding warrant. Violent crime does appear to be declining in Memphis and other cities, according to newly released FBI data. And homicides in the Bluff City are down about 11% compared to this time last year, Memphis Police Department data show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With an increased presence on the highways, law enforcement hopes trends will continue in a positive direction. "When we all work together the good guys win," Sgt. Anthony Johnson said. The article was updated to include a response from the FBI. Original article source: From homicide capital to safer streets? Memphis area sees policing push CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) Its National Bacon Lovers Day, where we can pay tribute to the crispy, chewy, and mouthwatering food that we call bacon. UNO Pizzeria & Grill on Boston Road in Springfield closes permanently The U.S. and Canada make bacon from the pork belly, whereas other countries around the world use the side and back cuts of pork, according to the National Day Calendar. The meat is cured in either a salt brine or a salt pack and then is either dried, boiled, or smoked. Bacon is a very popular food in the U.S., and in just 2020, over half of the U.S. population said they used a pound or more bacon that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bacon dates back as far as 1500 B.C. Records show that the Ancient Chinese enjoyed cured pork belly, and other records indicate the Romans used it in religious rituals to pay respect to the agricultural gods. It wasnt until the 16th century that the term bacon first popped up as any cut of pork. Bacon Facts Scientists consider bacon as one of the most pleasing food scents. The U.S. and Canada saw a surge in bacon consumption in the 2000s, prompting bacon to be included in recipes outside of breakfast. Bacon is a versatile ingredient found in many dishes, often taking on a different flavor for both savory and sweet depending on the dish. Civilians were encouraged to save their bacon grease and donate it to the military during WWII. The fat was rendered and used as a key component to produce bombs and gunpowder. Bacon has many alternatives, including turkey bacon and plant-based bacon, that are processed to resemble the taste and texture of traditional pork bacon. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Nevada Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford toured the ICE detention center on Tuesday in Pahrump, where illegal immigrants are kept while they await hearings or deportation. Horsford said he spoke with nine detainees at the Nevada Southern Detention Center (NSDC), a privately-owned facility managed by CoreCivic under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). What he learned was was deeply concerning, Horsford said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical treatment can take weeks; detainees do not have reliable access to immigration attorneys or resources; and many have been moved across state lines in the dead of night without advanced notice or understanding of where they were going, according to the congressman. Horsfords inspection came three weeks after he was denied entry to the same facility. CoreCivic said they are subject to routine government audits. They added they are closely monitored to ensure safety standards are met. What I saw today underscores the importance of Congressional oversight, Horsford said. It speaks to why administration officials must honor our Constitution, and why Members of Congress must fight to protect our authority. That is why I requested an investigation from the House Appropriations Committee today, and I look forward to working with the Committee to uphold our laws and our Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. A hospital trust has paid a "six-figure settlement package" in the case of nine patients following an outbreak of a bacterial infection linked to its water supply. Three patients died and two of these cases were as a result of complications connected to the outbreak at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, according to lawyers. Lung transplant patients Karen Starling, 54, of Ipswich, Suffolk, died in February 2020, and Anne Martinez, of Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, died in December 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eilish Midlane, the hospital's chief executive, said: "Lessons have been learnt [and] regulations revised to seek to avoid a similar occurrence in the UK." The trust denied liability but resolved each of the claims in out-of-court settlements, which were secured following a civil claim pursued as a group action. Mrs Martinez was a teacher and she died in December 2020, nearly 18 months after her transplant [Family handout] Six further patients suffered serious complications that continue to affect them following the outbreak of Mycobacterium abscessus (M.abscessus), according to legal firm Irwin Mitchell. Lawyers said the "six-figure settlement package" was agreed in connection with the nine cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement M.abscessus is a bacterial infection which is a particular risk to people who are vulnerable and immunosuppressed, such as lung transplant patients. Solicitor Jatinder Paul said patients were admitted to "this world-renowned hospital... in the hope of a better life". "While the surgical care itself hasn't been an issue, the events that unfolded have been devastating for them and their families," he said. He added large public buildings with complex water systems, such as hospitals, can be at an increased risk of waterborne contamination. Inquests were held in 2022 into the deaths of Mrs Starling and Mrs Martinez, who both underwent double-lung transplants in 2019 and died the following year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keith Morton, the assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, found that their M. abscessus was a hospital-acquired infection. In a joint statement, Mrs Martinez's sons Tony, 43, and Andrew 38, said: "We hoped that when mum underwent her transplant it would be the start of a brighter future. "Even six years on from mum's transplant, it's difficult to comprehend the events that unfolded." Mrs Starling's husband Derek, said: "Losing Karen in such circumstances is something our family will never truly come to terms with." The hospital's chief executive said lessons had been learned at a local and national level [PA Media] Ms Midlane said her "thoughts go out to the patients and families involved". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We recognise this [settlement] has been possible due to the cooperative approach adopted by all parties, for which we are very grateful. "Providing safe and compassionate patient care is our top priority and as part of our investigation in 2019, we worked tirelessly to investigate, understand, manage and control the outbreak. "As acknowledged by Irwin Mitchell, we acted appropriately and complied with all the relevant regulations. She said lessons had been learned at a local and national level. "Clinicians at Royal Papworth Hospital are now at the forefront of research into the disease," she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Related internet links Aug. 19A house was reported burglarized at 9:22 a.m. Friday at 1333 Abbott St. A safe was taken. Assault reported Police received a report of a male who assaulted a female at 9:41 a.m. Friday at 820 Happy Trails Lane. The individuals left northbound on Interstate 35. Dog bites reported Deputies received a report of an Amazon driver who was reportedly bitten by a dog and was in the emergency room at 8:20 p.m. Sunday. The dog bite occurred on the 15400 block of 760th Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies received a report at 4:46 p.m. Monday of someone who was being treated for a dog bit in Decorah, Iowa, who had been bitten at 90498 170th St. in Austin. A potentially dangerous dog notice was given to the owner. ATV stolen Deputies received a report at 5:37 a.m. Tuesday of an ATV that was stolen off of a trailer while at 104 North Star Road in Alden. Assault reported Police received a report at 3:21 a.m. Friday of a man who was assaulted at 1513 Edina Ave. Electric scooter stolen Police received a report at 5:29 p.m. Friday of an electric scooter that was stolen at 2019 E. Main St. The scooter had been chained under the stairs at the address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Groceries stolen Police received a report at 10:12 p.m. Friday of a grocery delivery order that was stolen from outside of a door at 2019 E. Main St. 1 arrested after man pulls out, waves hatchet Police arrested Bobby Jo Rhodes, 34, for second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and terroristic threats after receiving a report of a man who pulled a hatchet out of a backpack and waved it at an individual at 7:50 p.m. Saturday at 420 Court St. House broken into A house was reported broken into at 5:18 p.m. Saturday at 717 Minnesota Ave. House reported damaged Damage was reported at a house at 6:04 p.m. Saturday at 625 W. Main St. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1 arrested for criminal damage Police arrested Jonathan Dean Slegh, 38, for gross misdemeanor criminal damage at 11:24 p.m. Saturday at 811 Plaza St. 3 arrested on warrants Police arrested Zachary John Umland, 32, on a local warrant at 8:22 p.m. Sunday at 906 W. Front St. Police arrested Darren Dewayne Sandberg Karnes, 39, on a Mower County warrant at 10:35 a.m. Monday at 2014 E. Main St. A juvenile was arrested on a local felony warrant at 9:54 p.m. Monday at 805 19th St. Vehicle damaged Damage was reported to a vehicle at 1:43 p.m. Monday at 2215 E. Main St. Truck stolen A truck was reported stolen at 5:26 p.m. Monday at 910 S. Broadway. A bipartisan congressional committee is investigating whether Californias High-Speed Rail Authority knowingly misrepresented ridership projections and financial outlooks, as alleged by the Trump administration, to secure federal funding. In a letter sent to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform chair James Comer (R-Ky.) requested a staff briefing and all communications and records about federal funding for the high-speed rail project and any analysis over the trains viability. The Authoritys apparent repeated use of misleading ridership projections, despite longstanding warnings from experts, raises serious questions about whether funds were allocated under false pretenses, Comer wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Comers letter copied Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee who has also voiced skepticism about the project. Garcia, who represents communities in Southern California, was not immediately available for comment. An authority spokesperson called the House committees investigation another baseless attempt to manufacture controversy around Americas largest and most complex infrastructure project, and added that the project's chief executive, Ian Choudri, previously addressed the claims and called them cherry-picked and out-of-date, and therefore misleading. Last month, the Trump administration pulled $4 billion in federal funding from the project meant for construction in the Central Valley. After a months-long review, prompted by calls from Republican lawmakers, the administration found no viable path forward for the fast train, which is billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule. The administration also questioned whether the authoritys projected ridership counts were intentionally misrepresented. California leaders called the move illegal and sued the Trump administration for declaratory and injunctive relief. Gov. Gavin Newsom said it was a political stunt and a heartless attack on the Central Valley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bullet train was proposed decades ago as a way to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco in less than three hours by 2020. While the entire line has cleared environmental reviews, no stretch of the route has been completed. Construction has been limited to the Central Valley, where authority leaders have said a segment between Merced and Bakersfield will open by 2033. The project is also about $100 billion over its original budget of $33 billion. Even before the White House pulled federal funding, authority leaders and advisors repeatedly raised concerns over the project's long-term financial sustainability. Roughly $13 billion has been spent so far the bulk of which was supplied by the state, which has proposed $1 billion per year toward the project. But Choudri, who started at the authority last year, has said the project needs to find new sources of funding and has turned his focus toward establishing public-private partnerships to supplement costs. 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. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) New files related to Jeffrey Epstein will soon be turned over to Congress. It comes after a House Committee subpoenaed the DOJ for documents and now begins questioning witnesses about the case. The Justice Department will start giving documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case to lawmakers Friday. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer says the goal is transparency for the American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the administration knows this is what Congress wants Republicans and Democrats. And President Trump has said clearly, he wants to release all the documents. So, were going to get the documents, Rep. Comer (R-Ky.) said. But Democrats on the committee like Virginia Congressman Suhas Subramanyam are skeptical theyll get the full picture from the Trump administration. Why are they having to release them in a slow drip and selectively? And so, I have a lot of concerns about their plan right now, Rep. Subramanyam (D-Va.) said. In addition to seeking documents, the committee is also conducting closed-door depositions. This week, they questioned former US Attorney General Bill Barr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Comer, Barr said he had no information to implicate President Trump. He was pretty confident that there was nothing in there pertaining to President Trump that would be anything negative. The committee also issued subpoenas for former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But theyre not bringing in Alex Acosta because he was a Trump appointee. And theyre certainly not bringing in the most important person in all of this, which is AG Pam Bondi who promised all of this in the first place, Subramanyam said. Acosta is the former federal prosecutor who negotiated a controversial plea deal with Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Comer says hes open to interviewing whomever. Well bring in everyone we think can add information to the investigation, Comer said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. A moderate House Democrats town hall devolved into chaos minutes after it began on Tuesday night, with pro-Palestinian activists clashing with both the congressman and fellow attendees in what became a near-constant torrent of interruptions and protests. Rep. Wesley Bell, D-Mo., who defeated far-left "Squad" member Cori Bush in the Democratic primary last year, repeatedly pleaded with protesters to allow him to speak while defending his position on Israel and Hamas. "Stop talking. This is not your town hall. You can leave," Bell told protesters roughly 20 minutes after he began speaking. He said soon after, "While we're sitting here being divided and fighting one another, we've got other folks out there who are taking our democracy from us." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At another point, his assertions that Hamas' initial attack on Israel "was not just a terror attack, October 7 was an invasion" was met with boos and jeers from the crowd. Far-left Firebrand Says She 'Never Had A Concern' About Biden's Mental State As House Probe Heats Up Democrat Rep. Wesley Bell, right, and an unrelated pro-Gaza protest, left. Even calls to "surge aid" to Gaza were drowned out by demonstrators, prompting Bell to respond, "You disagree with that?" Read On The Fox News App Despite repeated pleas for calm from both Bell and his moderator, protesters continued to call him a "war criminal" and accuse him of supporting genocide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event grew more heated as the hour went on, reaching a fever pitch toward the end when Bell disputed a questioner labeling Israels invasion of Gaza a "genocide." "You dont get to set the genocide definition," an activist yelled. Bell responded, "No, I dont and heres the thing, people can disagree, thats what makes our country great." "When it comes to the word genocide, I kind of disagree with you... because Israel was attacked by an openly genocidal terrorist group," he said while protesters attempted to drown him out. "Hamas said openly that they want to destroy Israel... and so youre accusing somebody of genocide, youre standing with an organization that says they want to commit genocide. You dont see that?" Bell defeated former "Squad" Rep. Cori Bush in the Democratic primary last year. He continued over boos, "We need to see a surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza, we need to see an end to the war. We need to see every single hostage returned, and we need to see a viable future for Gaza without Hamas." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And while pro-Palestinian protesters took up a majority of the attention, there did appear to be a significant number of attendees who were supportive of Bell, particularly when he attempted to bring the conversation back to local issues. "The number one killer of kids in St. Louis between [ages] 1 and 17 is gun violence, and theres people who want to talk about that too," he said, earning applause. Longtime Biden Aide Says He Stood To Earn Up To $8M Had President Won Re-election At one point, a woman attempted to confront the demonstrators directly. "Shut up with your White privilege," the woman could be heard yelling. "Youve never been hungry, youve never had a child be hungry, and yet you want to stand here and diminish the work he's doing?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear how or if the activists responded. The town halls moderator tried to deescalate the situation early on, calling security to escort an unruly demonstrator out minutes after it began. Anti-Israel demonstrators burn a U.S. flag on the day of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 24, 2024. "Let's do this the Democratic way, the democracy way. You cant hear anyone yelling. I hear you. As a mixed-race person, I hear you," she told activists. "We cant get through this if you are yelling and barking and acting like you want to get physical." At the end of the night, however, Bell released a statement thanking all attendees for coming. "I want to thank everyone that came out to our town hall this evening yes the conversations were passionate at times, but Democracy is messy and we have to passionately defend it," Bell wrote on X. "At the end of the day we're going to continue to fight for the ST. LOUIS region and for our country." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fox News Digital reached out to Bells office for further comment. Original article source: House Democrat clashes with activists over Israel 'genocide' as pro-Palestinian protests derail town hall First-term Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) faced backlash over his support for Israel during a rowdy town hall event Tuesday night in downtown St. Louis. Videos from the event show Bell repeatedly interjecting Can we talk? and Lets talk about it as attendees shouted at him about the ongoing Middle East conflict and war in Gaza. When it comes to the word genocide, I kind of disagree with it, because the bottom line is Israel was attacked by an openly genocidal terrorist group, he said at one point, referencing the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. How do you get around that? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to end the war, we need to return every single hostage and Hamas has to go, he continued. Bell joined the House in January, unseating former Rep. Cori Bush (D), who has blamed pro-Israel groups for her defeat. Bell, whose office didnt immediately respond to The Hills request for comment on Wednesday, thanked attendees with a post on the social platform X acknowledging the rancor. Yes the conversations were passionate at times, but Democracy is messy & we have to passionately defend it, he wrote. At the end of the day were going to continue to fight for the ST LOUIS region & for our country! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former St. Louis County prosecutor told local media after the event he wasnt surprised by the disruptions. I thought it would be a little even more contentious to be perfectly honest, because theres a lot of people that are passionate about the issues, and were seeing this around the country, Bell said. He noted that lawmakers from both parties have faced similar disruptions across the country this year. People are scared; theyre concerned, Bell said. Theres issues that theyre passionate about, so lets have those conversations. Its important. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) was jeered during a nonpartisan event in her district earlier this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Stop & Shop intends to close seven e-commerce fulfillment facilities in four states during the coming weeks as the Northeastern grocery chain moves ahead with a multiyear effort to boost its performance, a spokesperson confirmed. The warerooms, in Norwalk and Windsor, Connecticut; East Northport and Riverhead, New York; Revere and Whitman, Massachusetts; and North Providence, Rhode Island, will cease operations at unspecified times this fall. The announcement follows Stop & Shop parent Ahold Delhaizes announcement earlier this month that its e-commerce operations have become profitable on a fully allocated basis. Dive Insight: The spokesperson said the difficult decision Stop & Shop made to shutter the facilities would not adversely impact its ability to provide grocery pickup and delivery to shoppers, adding that the retailer believes it will be able to offer improved e-commerce service after the warerooms go dark. [W]e look forward to delivering an even better omnichannel customer experience with more options for same-day pickup and delivery, plus an even broader assortment of products, the spokesperson said in an emailed statement, without providing specifics. The spokesperson said that the vast majority of the workers at the facilities will be offered other jobs at Stop & Shop, noting that the company is working with union officials to determine options for the remaining employees currently assigned to the warerooms. The closures reflect a broader effort by Ahold Delhaize to boost e-commerce efficiency at its U.S. banners by depending on associates at individual stores to fulfill online orders instead of relying on dedicated fulfillment centers. Last fall, The Giant Company said it would shift away from using a wareroom in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, to fulfill delivery orders and would instead rely on store-level employees to assemble them. That change followed a decision in 2023 by Giant Food to close three regional e-commerce distribution centers as it shifted to what a spokesperson called a localized fulfillment model. Ahold Delhaize has also tapped what CEO Frans Muller described during the companys second-quarter earnings call as very strong relationships with third parties like DoorDash and Instacart. Those companies now handle about 40% of the Dutch grocery companys online business in the U.S., and their share is growing fast, Muller said. The Texas House of Representatives is making groundwater law a priority, despite not yet being one of Gov. Greg Abbotts agenda items for his second called special session. State Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine) filed House Bill 24 last week. According to a press release from Harris, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, Rep. Dustin Burrows, told the chamber on Aug. 15 he had reserved the top 25 bill numbers for priorities in this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris legislation would prevent a groundwater conservation district from issuing a permit to an applicant for production and transfer of groundwater out of the district if the amount would exceed 5% of the total modeled available groundwater. This includes the aggregate amount if the applicant had multiple permit applications within the district. This bill is based on the information Harris obtained through an investigative hearing by the House's Natural Resources Committee, of which he is chair. The July 15 hearing addressed a proposal for 43 high-capacity and large-volume groundwater test wells in the Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District that could drain billions of gallons from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer by Kyle Bass company, Conservation Equity Management. Harris said he worked with GCDs, local judges, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Trinity River Authority, Texas Forestry Association, county farm bureaus and others to find legislative solutions to the potentially devastating water project being proposed by CEM in Anderson, Henderson and Houston counties. Harris said the complexity of groundwater law makes navigating the issue a huge undertaking, but he is committed to protecting private property rights while also ensuring that supplies in HD8 are preserved as they should be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HB 24 will help us move to permanent solutions for this kind of threat to our water supply in East Texas, Harris said in a statement. Now that we can get to work in the second special session, I am eager to continue raising my voice on behalf of House District 8, and ultimately, all Texans as we find solutions to our ongoing water issues. Harris said time is a critical factor in getting this bill passed. Speaker Burrows said he hopes to wrap up this second special session by Labor Day. While the item is not yet on the governors agenda, it could be added, especially based on voter interest. Harris said he is again asking constituents across Texas, along with their friends and families, to reach out to their state representatives and senators to sign on as co-authors of HB24. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am again asking for the publics help to engage other lawmakers around the state, Harris said. State representatives and state senators need to know that this legislation is important to their constituents. For constituents not in HD8, please go online to: house.texas.gov/help and click on Who Represents Me? to find the appropriate state representative or state senator to contact. A House Oversight Oversight and Government Reform Committee panel is seeking information from a major car rental company about its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to inspect cars for damage. The subcommittee on cybersecurity, information technology, and government innovation recently requested a meeting with officials from Hertz to discuss the technologys use. Some other car rental companies reportedly use AI as a tool but require human staff to review any damage flagged by the scanning system before billing customers; however, Hertz is apparently the only car rental company in the U.S. that issues damage assessments to customers without human review, subcommittee Chair Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) wrote in a letter to Hertz CEO Gil West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hertzs AI scanners, which the company has been rolling out in airports this year, assess automobiles as they exit and enter the location, then quickly charge the user based on AI-documented damage without an independent review from a human. Reports have spread since the scanning system began about questionable charges over damages detected by AI. MotorTrend reported in April that the scanners measure treadwear and can analyze a cars undercarriage, body and glass. The system is powered by Israeli tech company UVeye. Hertz didnt immediately respond to The Hills request for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Aug. 19GRAND FORKS Nearly half of the region's rural towns saw population growth in the past decade, reversing a nearly 70-year trend of decline, a housing study by the Red River Regional Council found. However, as the need for housing in the region accelerates, there is a need for public bodies to help close gaps, RRRC Executive Director Dawn Mandt told the Grand Forks County Commission at its meeting Tuesday night. The study, focused on Grand Forks, Walsh, Nelson and Pembina counties, identified a need for 4,800 additional housing units in the region, not including within Grand Forks proper, by 2030. In just Grand Forks County, that number is 2,314, or an average of 483 additional homes per year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past 20 years, the county has issued an average of 24 building permits per year. "So it's a lot," Lisa Rotvold, executive director of Red River Community Housing Development Organization, told commissioners. "There's a gap. We call that opportunity." Top needs identified by the survey are entry level homeownership opportunities, low-interest loans for single family rehabilitation, and both market rate and affordable rental housing. There are a number of roles the county can play, Mandt said. One thing commissioners can do is establish parameters for the type of housing they are willing to help financially. They also can help to remove dilapidated properties, inventory available residential lots and farmsteads, negotiate Payment in Lieu of Taxes for interested developers, tax unoccupied properties at a higher rate or support the creation of a regional housing fund, to name a few options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Mark Rustad noted that he wouldn't support higher taxes on unoccupied properties, but added that was his only sticking point in the presentation. In other news, the commission: * Heard from Todd Leake, of Emerado, who says he has been in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration regarding proposed updates to the UND Aerospace Foundation's Gorman Field. Earlier this month, the foundation received approval from the commission to move forward on a project to pave an existing runway for unmanned aircraft at Gorman Field. Leake claims that the FAA has confirmed to him that by paving the runway, Gorman Field would no longer be considered an educational training area and would instead be classified as an airport, triggering a separate approval process through the FAA. Leake told commissioners that the FAA has been in contact with UND. He agreed to provide commissioners with additional information about the process and the information he has gathered. * Approved a professional services agreement between Altru Health System and the Regional Youth Assessment Center. Under the agreement, an Altru physician will contract with the RYAC to provide needed medical services. According to Robin Spain, administrator for the center, this will help cut down on transportation costs to Altru. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Approved $2.825 million in funding to help fund two existing projects at GrandSky. The projects are a taxiway and utility extension project and a taxiway shoulder and apron repair project. * Tabled a petition by a Walle Township homeowner to vacate a roadway easement and close a section line that runs through his property. Homeowner Steve Staveteig says the "66-foot-wide Township and Roadway Easement" that runs through his property is unused, untraveled, not maintained and is keeping him from fully using the lots he owns. The commission agreed to revisit the petition at its next meeting in order to notify the owner of a neighboring parcel about the request. * Unanimously passed an amendment to the county's travel expense policy. The policy previously allowed county employees to submit one voucher per month. The new policy allows for employees to submit one voucher per travel occurrence. * Also unanimously updated the existing county hiring freeze to apply to additional headcount only. In order to increase headcount, department heads will still need to come before the commission for approval, but under the updated policy they will no longer be required to do so to fill a vacant position. They will instead submit those hiring requests to County Administrator Tom Ford and Human Resources Director Michele Thiel for review. (The Center Square ) A Houston attorney has filed an ethics complaint against House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu, D-Houston, after the caucus livestreamed Texas House proceedings on social media platforms including a Democratic fundraising link to ActBlue. The livestream encouraged support for state Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, who refused to leave the House chamber in accordance with a directive issued by House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock. After more than 50 House Democrats absconded during the first special session to prevent a vote on new Congressional districts, Burrows signed civil warrants for their arrest. Gov. Greg Abbott also directed Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to find missing Democrats in Texas, arrest them, and bring them back to the capitol, The Center Square reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After two weeks, roughly half of the Democrats returned on Monday allowing for the House to reach a quorum. Those who returned who previously had arrest warrants issued would be granted written permission to leave only after agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated DPS officer, Burrows said on Monday. DPS officers would also ensure their return at 10 a.m. Wednesday when the House reconvened, The Center Square reported. Collier refused to go into DPS custody on Monday, posting videos on social media. In one video, she is seen speaking to former Vice President Kamala Harris who encouraged her to keep doing what you are doing. The Texas Democrat Caucus, chaired by Wu, livestreamed her refusal to comply, requesting viewers to show support by going to websites linking to an ActBlue fundraising page. In response, Houston-based attorney, Mark McCaig, chairman of the Texas Republican Initiative, filed a Texas Ethics Commission complaint against Wu alleging possible violations of Texas Election Code. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint states the caucus operates under Wu's control and direction as Chairman. Beginning on approximately August 18, 2025, Wu and/or Wu's agent(s) were responsible for erecting a video camera on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives to broadcast a live video stream on the caucuses social media X and Facebook pages. The floor of the Texas House of Representatives is not accessible to members of the general public, but only to State Representatives and authorized personnel, the complaint states. Wu has access to the House floor as a State Representative. The video stream directs users to riggedredistricting.com, a fundraising website for the Texas House Democratic Caucus. The video stream also includes text encouraging viewers to Support Rep. Collier: Visit NicoleCollier.com, which redirects to an ActBlue fundraising website. A ticker also ran across the livestream video, stating, Join the fight against redistricting! Fight back against Texas redistricting from anywhere! Go to RiggedRedistricting.com. The livestream video broadcast on the Texas House Democratic Caucus social media accounts constitutes political advertising, the complaint states. It also includes links of the fundraising appeal on Facebook and on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After McCaig filed the ethics complaint, the caucus added a line to the ticker stating the fundraising appeal was not intended for political advertising and removed links to fundraising websites from the livestream. What happened, McCaig told The Center Square, shows the Democrats political theater is about fundraising and not policy. Since then, several House Democrats have ripped up their permission slips to leave the chamber, in accordance with the House rules they voted for. House Democrats again opposed redistricting efforts on Wednesday, claiming the primary focus of the legislature should be Hill Country relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the first special session, a flood relief package was the first item brought to the House floor for a vote. House Democrats didn't show up for it. The only thing standing in the way of disaster relief was the missing Democrats, Burrows said, The Center Square reported. Flood relief would have already passed in the first special session if House Democrats had been there to vote for it. The Texas Senate has now twice passed its relief package with bipartisan support. Unlike the House, it has already passed all bills on the second special session agenda except for four that must first come from the House, The Center Square reported. One of those bills is on redistricting. The Brief The Houston Wedding Scammer is facing fraud charges in Austin. He's accused of defrauding Axois Media Inc. out of nearly $80,000. Carl Butcho has allegedly used the alias Lance Miller during his schemes. HOUSTON - A man already accused of swindling couples out of hundreds of thousands of dollars at a Montgomery County wedding venue is now facing new allegations in Austin. Austin Case: Axios SXSW Deal What we know Court documents allege Carl John Butcho II, who uses the alias Lance Miller, rented a downtown Austin property in October 2024 from Ironwood Real Estate using a fake bank statement claiming $4.7 million in funds. Investigators say he then wrote rent checks on closed accounts that later bounced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He present[ed] false information to secure the lease, so that's the key piece of it," said Austin Police detective Joshua Metteauer. Before Ironwood discovered the fraud, Butcho allegedly secured a deal with Axios Media to host events during the South by Southwest conference, according to documents. They say Axios wired Butcho nearly $80,000 in November 2024 for the venue. "It's my belief that he had no intent of paying Ironwood Real Estate, so he could secure the venue with Axios and just get Axios' money," said Metteauer. Austin police arrested Butcho earlier this month on a warrant out of Montgomery County and filed their own charges related to the fraudulent lease and the Axios payments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents say the signatory on the closed account Butcho used to write bounced checks from was Barrett P. Walters. Records say Butcho used 9116 SGLNTPL, LLC at his entity name when signing the rental agreement with Ironwood and that Walters is registered as an agent for the LLC. The documents say investigators believe Walters and Butcho may be married, but there is no record of an official marriage. Detectives say as of now, Walters is not being charged with any crimes. New details in the Charleston Lane Wedding Venue case Dig deeper The Austin allegations come on top of an ongoing criminal case in Montgomery County, where investigators say Butcho ran a long-running scam through the Charleston Lane Wedding Venue in Willis, Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents say in November 2021, Butcho, using the alias Lance Miller, leased the Charleston Lane venue from the owner. The documents say in March 2025 the property owner terminated that lease due to Butcho not paying rent. The documents say though the lease was terminated, the owner agreed to allow Butcho honor a list of pre-booked weddings through August 2025. The weddings were scheduled for the following dates: May 02, 2025, May 09, 2025, May 17, 2025, May 25, 2025, June 05, 2025, June 20, 2025, June 28, 2025, July 19, 2025, August 30, 2025. Documents say none of those weddings happened despite Butcho being allowed to host them. The documents also allege that Butcho continued to accept payments from couples after March 2025 despite losing access to do so. Many brides and grooms arrived to find the venue locked, or never received promised refunds. Detectives with the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office say at least 12 victims have come forward, reporting losses totaling more than $200,000 for weddings that never took place. The documents say another five couples held weddings at Charleston Lane, but were still owed money for missing services like fireworks, tables, or security deposits - adding about $11,000 more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The alleged scheme stretched from May 2023 through August 2025, according to court records. FOX 26 Investigation The backstory Montgomery County authorities say FOX 26 reports helped launch their official investigation. In May, FOX 26 broke the story of a Houston bride who lost more than $50,000 after showing up to the venue the day before her wedding to locked doors. After the first two stories aired, the Montgomery County District Attorney confirmed that the sheriff's office launched an investigation into the matter. FOX 26 continued to report and compiled a list of victims and began tracking total losses of those affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after, the man in question was identified by his alias "Lance Miller" and details of the investigation were made public. Years-long investigative podcast Big picture view FOX26 reached out to journalist Justin Sayles, the host of The Wedding Scammer podcast, before airing the first Charleston Lane story. Sayles had known Butcho's real name from the beginning of FOX 26's investigation, because he began his several years earlier. "For five years roughly I have been tracking down every lead," he said. "It has gone through California, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston - all over the place." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through his investigation, he says many people have filed civil suits against Butcho - but this is the first time in decades that he has been criminally charged for his alleged fraudulent activity. "You had a multi-year investigative podcast that established a pattern of behavior. You also had victims who were very resolute to do something," he said. "Rather than rolling over, they really stepped up and organized, and they went to you, they went to the media, went to the police, they stayed very on top of it." Looking for more victims What you can do: The sheriffs office urges any potential victims to come forward by contacting detectives at (936) 538-8393 and reference case number 25A151828. The Source Travis County court documents, Austin Police, Montgomery County court documents, Journalist Justin Sayles, previous FOX26 reporting JERUSALEM (AP) U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sought Wednesday to blame a recent breakdown in Gaza ceasefire talks on the decision by some European leaders to recognize Palestinian statehood. Talks over a lasting ceasefire have repeatedly stalled since the early months of the war sparked by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack and long before there was any talk of major European states recognizing Palestinian statehood. The decisions were announced by France, Britain and other countries after the Trump administrations Mideast envoy had already walked away in frustration from the negotiations, which happened behind closed doors. It's unclear how and when they began to break down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Huckabee's remarks in an interview with The Associated Press point to a sharp divide among Western nations about how to approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the rift has only deepened since President Donald Trump took office. Many European countries have sought to pressure Israel the stronger party and frame the pursuit of a two-state solution as a way to address the root causes of a conflict that long predates the war in Gaza. But the Trump administration has given Israel wide latitude to end the war on its terms. A dispute over which side should be pressured The White House fully supported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus decision to end an earlier ceasefire that Trump had helped broker and resume wide-ranging military operations, during which Israel prevented food, medicine and other goods from entering Gaza for more than two months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump appears to have adopted Israels position that further military pressure including a planned offensive into some of the most densely populated areas of Gaza will force Hamas to surrender. We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! Trump posted this week on his Truth Social site. Meanwhile, France, Britain and more than two dozen other Western-aligned nations have expressed mounting outrage at Israels actions, demanding that it halt the fighting and do more to facilitate humanitarian aid. The moves to recognize Palestinians statehood which were largely symbolic were in part aimed at pressuring Israel to halt its offensive. Britain explicitly linked the two, saying it would hold off on recognizing a Palestinian state if Israel agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza, stopped building settlements in the West Bank and committed to a two-state solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel's current government and most of its political class were opposed to Palestinian statehood even before the war, and they now say it would reward Hamas and allow the militants to eventually carry out more Oct. 7-style attacks. A counterproductive effect Huckabee, who is himself a longtime opponent of Palestinian statehood, said the noise that has been made by European leaders recently ... is having the counterproductive effect that they probably think that they want." If they believe that unilaterally calling for a two-state, a Palestinian state recognition, immediately brings them closer, the sad truth is its taking them further away, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AP sought comment from the foreign ministries of France and Britain, which did not immediately respond. Most Palestinians believe the decades-old conflict is rooted in Israels military occupation of lands they want for an independent state and its continuous expansion of Jewish settlements. Attempts to negotiate a two-state solution going back to the early 1990s repeatedly broke down as violence flared, and no serious or substantive talks have been held since Netanyahu returned to office in 2009. On Wednesday, Israel approved plans for settlements in an area known as E1 outside Jerusalem, which the Palestinians and others say will cut the West Bank in half and make the establishment of a viable and contiguous state virtually impossible. Past U.S. administrations joined their Western allies in vehemently opposing such plans. Trump and Huckabee a strong supporter of Israeli settlements did not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ceasefire talks have shown signs of progress The ceasefire talks have continued, with Hamas saying this week that it accepted a proposal from Arab mediators that is similar to an earlier one advanced by the U.S. and accepted by Israel. Israel and the U.S. have not yet responded to the offer. Huckabee said he could not elaborate on the talks beyond saying he would not trust that Hamas is serious until they put their signatures on it and that the group could be stringing this along, as the U.S. and Israel have alleged in the past. The main disagreement has been over the conditions in which the war would end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel says it is committed to returning all the hostages, defeating and disarming Hamas, and maintaining lasting security control over the territory. In Israel, many blame Netanyahu for the failure of the talks, accusing him of seeking to prolong the war in order to keep his far-right governing coalition intact. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets over the weekend to protest his planned offensive and call for a deal to return the captives. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Hundreds of employees at a Target distribution hub in Chicago have been fired, news outlets report, after allegedly exploiting a glitch in the companys health care loan program costing the retailer more than $1 million. According to Block Club Chicago, the flaw allowed workers to borrow $3,000 and erase the balance after repaying just $50. Word of the loophole spread quickly through the Target Flow Center, and employees started joining in on the scheme. Don't miss Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles Thrush, who first reported the story, says one person found a glitch in the system and encouraged others to cash in, turning the scheme into a personal payday. He would charge $200 to $300, basically, for all these people to get their loans, Thrush told WGN News in a story published Aug. 19. How widespread was it? Thrush estimates that between 400 and 700 workers were fired over a two-week period from the end of July into August. Target has not confirmed the exact number of terminations but said in a statement to both news outlets: Following an internal investigation, we have terminated team members found to be in violation of our companys code of ethics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the Target employees involved, its unclear whether criminal charges will follow. Block Club Chicago reports the scheme may have cost the company over $1 million. Read more: Nervous about the stock market? Gain potential quarterly income through this $1B private real estate fund even if youre not a millionaire. Heres how to get started with as little as $10 In Illinois, health care fraud is typically prosecuted as a Class 4 felony carrying penalties of up to three years in prison and fines of as much as $25,000 for individuals, according to law firm Dolci & Weiland. Health care fraud isnt limited to corporate benefits programs. The FBI estimates it costs the U.S. tens of billions of dollars each year, with schemes ranging from double billing submitting multiple claims for the same service to phantom billing for services never provided, or upcoding, where providers bill for more expensive procedures than those actually performed. These practices can drive up costs for businesses, insurers and consumers. The real price of easy money Some former workers told WGN News they were blindsided by the terminations, insisting they thought they were taking advantage of a benefit that offered fast cash, which they would repay over time. Others said they were shocked to learn a fraud scheme was happening at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know theyre hiring extremely mad right now. Every Tuesday and Friday you see new classes and new faces, like, every single day, Target employee Matthew Clarke told WGN News. Theyre definitely paying enough to where you shouldnt even have to worry about trying to steal. Target told the local broadcaster it has introduced new safeguards to prevent similar abuse and that the firings wont affect day-to-day operations. Employee loan programs and workplace perks can be a valuable resource, but theyre not free money. Read the terms closely, track your repayments and ask HR to clarify anything that seems vague. If you notice a loophole that looks too good to be true, resist the urge to test it out exploiting it could cost you your job, your reputation or even your freedom. And if you suspect a program or offer might be a scam, report it right away to your employer or the appropriate authority. What to read next Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. More than 750 current and former employees of the US health department have published a letter rebuking Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, saying his "dangerous and deceitful statements" contributed to recent violence at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters. Officials say the man who fired hundreds of rounds at the CDC this month, killing a police officer, had expressed distrust in the Covid-19 vaccine. In their letter, the staff said the attack came as "politicized rhetoric" drives mistrust in institutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also said Kennedy had put Americans' health in danger and hurt the country's ability to respond to public health emergencies. "Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is complicit in dismantling America's public health infrastructure and endangering the nation's health by repeatedly spreading inaccurate health information," they wrote in a letter addressed to both Congress and Kennedy and published on a site called Save HHS. The signatories were affiliated with the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, and Health and Human Services. In a statement, a spokesperson for HHS said Kennedy was "standing firmly with CDC employees" to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In the wake of this heartbreaking shooting, he traveled to Atlanta to offer his support and reaffirm his deep respect," the agency said. "Any attempt to conflate widely supported public health reforms with the violence of a suicidal mass shooter is an attempt to politicize a tragedy." Kennedy has touted transparency for regaining public trust, saying in a recent interview with Scripps News that "the way we make the public believe in us is by telling the truth - what we know and what we don't know". It is rare for government employees to publicly chastise a cabinet secretary in a letter to Congress, even in smaller numbers. Since Kennedy was confirmed for the post, figures and groups outside the government, such as the head of the American Public Health Association, have criticised his staff reductions and his moves to limit vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In their letter, the staffers said Kennedy had spread misinformation on several occasions, including when he called the CDC a "cesspool of corruption". They also accused him of sowing mistrust when he cast doubt on the safety and efficacy of the measles vaccine during a growing outbreak, and said his ousting of all the members of an independent vaccine advisory committee, as well as his mass firings, had created risks for the public. "These dangerous and deceitful statements and actions have contributed to the harassment and violence experienced by CDC staff," they also said. The letter ended with a list of three demands for Kennedy to address by 2 September. They wanted him to "stop spreading inaccurate health information", "affirm CDC's scientific integrity", and "guarantee the safety of the HHS workforce". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear what will happen if the secretary does not respond. Investigators said 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White fired 500 rounds at the CDC complex on 8 August, and that he blamed the Covid shot for making him depressed and suicidal. Officer David Rose - a former Marine - was killed as he responded to the scene. Kennedy reached out to staff after the shooting, saying "no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others". Before becoming health secretary, Kennedy spread a number of false claims about vaccines, including debunked theories that the shots are linked with autism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since taking office he has continued to make inaccurate statements and has sought to remake how the government regulates and recommends immunizations to the American public. More than 750 current and former staff members of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are calling on Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop spreading inaccurate health information and do more to protect public health professionals in the wake of a shooting at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier this month. The letter, sent Wednesday to Kennedy and members of Congress, accused the secretary of endangering the nations health and the lives of his employees with his rhetoric. The staff members noted the Aug. 8 attack was not random. The attack came amid growing mistrust in public institutions, driven by politicized rhetoric that has turned public health professionals from trusted experts into targets of villainizationand now, violence, the letter noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement officials said the alleged shooter was distrustful of the COVID-19 vaccine and thought he had been harmed by it. The shooter allegedly fired 500 rounds, and about 200 struck six different CDC buildings, pockmarking windows across the main Atlanta campus. DeKalb County, Ga., police officer David Rose was fatally shot, and the letter writers said they wanted to honor him. CDC is a public health leader in Americas defense against health threats at home and abroad. When a federal health agency is under attack, Americas health is under attack. When the federal workforce is not safe, America is not safe, the letter stated. The staffers emphasized they signed the letter in their personal capacities, and some remained anonymous out of fear of retaliation and personal safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The signatories said Kennedy is complicit in dismantling Americas public health infrastructure and endangering the nations health. They cited his rhetoric questioning the integrity of the CDCs workforce, disbanding of an expert vaccine advisory panel, false and misleading claims about the measles vaccine and mRNA vaccines, and the agencys firing of thousands of employees in a destroy-first-and-ask-questions-later manner. In a statement, HHS cited Kennedys visit to CDC and said he is standing firmly with CDC employeesboth on the ground and across every centerensuring their safety and well-being remain a top priority. Any attempt to conflate widely supported public health reforms with the violence of a suicidal mass shooter is an attempt to politicize a tragedy, HHS added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy posted a message to social media the day after the shooting expressing support for public health workers. No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others, he wrote. We are actively supporting CDC staff on the ground and across the agency. Public health workers show up every day with purpose even in moments of grief and uncertainty. Kennedy visited the CDC headquarters and met with the agencys new director, Susan Monarez, two days after the shooting, a time when most employees were told to stay home and telework. Kennedy has yet to address misinformation about COVID vaccines. When asked directly about a plan to quell misinformation and prevent something like the CDC shooting from happening again during a Scripps News interview, Kennedy deflected any direct link. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter asked Kennedy to cease and publicly disavow the ongoing dissemination of false and misleading claims about vaccines, infectious disease transmission, and Americas public health institutions; affirm the CDCs scientific integrity; and guarantee the safety of the HHS workforce. The deliberate destruction of trust in Americas public health workforce puts lives at risk. We urge you to act in the best interest of the American peopleyour friends, your families, and yourselves, the letter stated. Updated at 4:01 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Times, they are a-changin their mind. "Channel 5" host Andrew Callaghan is opening up about The New York Times last-minute decision to pull his op-ed, giving Fox News Digital exclusive details on how it all unfolded. Callaghan revealed he had written a planned opinion piece for the Times that was set to be published the same day he posted Hunter Bidens defiant response to Melania Trumps lawsuit threat. However, plans unraveled when the paper abruptly pulled the plug. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It really wasn't much of a critical piece. It just addressed the lawsuit. I've been working with [The New York Times] for like three weeks. We had near-daily meetings. I was just really excited. And then 24 hours before it was supposed to come out and it was supposed to be timed exactly with the release of the Hunter Biden lawsuit response they just said, Hey, sorry, we have to pick our battles here, we cant put this out," Callaghan told Fox News Digital. First Lady Melania Trump Puts Hunter Biden On $1B Notice Over 'False, Defamatory' Epstein Comments Melania Trump, Andrew Callaghan, Hunter Biden The independent journalist, whose YouTube channel has over 3 million subscribers, told Fox News Digital that a member of The New York Times' editorial staff informed him that his op-ed was cut. Callaghan believes the decision to kill his piece was made by someone higher up, and not by anyone he was working with. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The op-ed was set to focus on "the pitfalls of new media," and was meant to be a "survival guide" for new journalists navigating the treacherous waters of social media algorithms that, Callaghan noted, all too often reward "salacious clickbait" and "reactionary, fear-mongering" content. Yet, after multiple rounds of edits, the Times informed Callaghan that they were pulling his article. "It was very disappointing, not only for me, but my mom subscribes to it and so does my grandma. I told them, Like, yo, this s--- is going to come out. And then they were just like, I don't know, just this feeling of like, What?" he said. Hunter Biden Delivers Profanity-laced Response To Melania Trump's $1B Notice For 'Defamatory' Epstein Remarks Hunter Biden claimed that Jeffrey Epstein introduced the Trumps on an episode of Callaghan's "Channel 5" program. Callaghan attributes the Times decision to the "climate of fear" created by the Trump family, which has aggressively pursued litigation against media outlets in recent months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump reached a $16 million settlement with Paramount after he sued, alleging that an episode of "60 Minutes" committed election interference by deceptively editing former Vice President Kamala Harris to make her sound more coherent in an interview which aired prior to the 2024 election. The Daily Beast also recently withdrew an article that alleged that Melania and Trump met through Epstein, which relied on comments from author Michael Wolff made on a podcast. Though Callaghan is an independent journalist who earns his living primarily through Patreon, he hasnt been immune from the Trumps' ire. Melania threatened Hunter Biden with a $1 billion lawsuit over the controversial claims he made on Callaghans program last month. The former "All Gas No Brakes" host called the amount "preposterous." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daily Beast Pulls Story Alleging Melania-epstein Connection After Lawyers Dispute Framing First lady Melania Trump threatened Hunter Biden with a $1 billion lawsuit over his allegations. "The Trump administration has had tension and has received some pretty rough treatment from a lot of these mainstream outlets throughout the past eight years. So, it kind of made sense why Trump would want to settle the scores with his historic fake news enemies. But I didn't expect new media to be a part of this purge," Callaghan told Fox News Digital. Hunter, who was issued a wide-ranging pardon by his father after he was found guilty on federal gun and tax charges, alleged that Donald Trump and the first lady were introduced to each other by disgraced New York financier Jeffrey Epstein on an Aug. 5 "Channel 5" episode. This accusation prompted Melania to threaten legal action against Hunter, calling on him to recant his claims and get Callaghan to pull the episode off the internet. Callaghan said he felt that Trump was trying to "leverage pressure on me through Hunter" via the lawsuit threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Epstein introduced Melania to Trump. The connections are like so wide and deep," Hunter told Callaghan. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture The New York Times said they don't have a comment on why Andrew Callaghan's submission was pulled. Melanias attorney, Alejandro Brito, wrote that he would sue Hunter for $1 billion unless he retracted his "false, disparaging, defamatory, and inflammatory statements." Hunter refused to acquiesce to the first ladys demands in a subsequent interview on the program, and cited Wolff as the source of his claims. "F--- that. That's not gonna happen," Hunter told Callaghan in an Aug. 14 interview. "I have this to say to them: if they want to sit down for a deposition and clarify the nature of the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein if the president, the first lady, want to do that, and all of the known associates around them at the time of whatever time that they met I'm more than happy to provide them the platform to be able to do it," Hunter told Callaghan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Callaghan told Fox News Digital he had pushed Hunters response forward two days to coincide with the publication of his op-ed and even declined to give a comment to any other publications in order to be a good "team player" with the Times. He also said hes disappointed by what he perceives to be legacy media cowardice in the face of political attacks against the fourth estate a phrase often used to describe the press. How Trump Sued Cbs And Won: The '60 Minutes' Settlement That Rocked The Media World, Explained "The press is afraid of the president? The whole purpose of the fourth estate in the first place was to hold the other three branches of government accountable. That was the only point of it. It was supposed to be that safeguard against government overreach and press suppression," Callaghan told Fox News Digital. Despite the setback, Callaghan said he enjoyed the experience of working with the Times, and empathized with their predicament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's not as if The New York Times has an infinite war chest of money to go to war with the president's team, because the president and those people, they have unlimited resources. But overall, it was a good experience working with the New York Times, like to kind of be able to pull back the curtain and see what it's like. They were actually really courteous and nice to me," Callaghan said. "Editors in Times Opinion are in conversation with a large number of writers all the time on potential guest essays, but these discussions don't always result in publication for a number of reasons including scheduling, news relevance or when the submissions don't meet The Times's standards. We don't have a comment on why any one submission was or wasn't selected for publication, but any fair reading of our report will show we haven't shied away from guest essays that challenge the Trump administration," a representative for the New York Times said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Original article source: Hunter Biden's interviewer reveals details about NY Times killing his op-ed amid Melania Trump suit Target (TGT) is tapping a homegrown talent as its next CEO at one of the most pivotal moments in its 63-year history. The discounter announced that longtime CEO Brian Cornell's heavily groomed No. 2, Michael Fiddelke, will take over as CEO on Feb. 1, 2026. Cornell, who has been CEO of Target since August 2014, will slide into the executive chair position for an undetermined period of time. Fiddelke joined Target in 2003 as an intern and rose through the ranks to CFO and then COO. "I've had this conversation with the board for a number of years, and I've been in the role for 11 years. I'm going into my 12th now. I will actually turn 67 early next year, and I think it's time for me to step back, recharge, spend a lot more time with my family, a lot fewer nights in hotels, and be a great supporter of Michael and the team for the rest of my life," Cornell told me by video call while sitting next to Fiddelke at the company's Minneapolis headquarters. Fiddelke added, "I bleed Target red after 20 years here, and there's nothing more important to me than working with the incredible team that we have to chart the next chapter for Target. I mean, I've seen us in that 20 years at our best. I've seen us not at our best. When we're at our best, we are pretty darn tough to beat." Shares fell 9% in premarket trading after second quarter earnings on Wednesday, which beat estimates but plunged 20.2% from the prior year. Comparable sales fell 1.9%. "The market had anticipated a CEO change, though we believe was hoping for an external CEO given the troubles Target has had driving sales and profits in recent yrs," Citi analyst Paul Lejuez said. The Target backstory Somewhat lost in the retailer's brutal first quarter results in May was the announcement of a new "multi-year Enterprise Acceleration Office" led by Fiddelke. Fiddelke, who displays the same calm demeanor as Cornell, was tasked with improving operating efficiencies throughout the company, saving billions of dollars and driving faster decision making at the top. His appointment to this key position put him in the lead to succeed Cornell. Speed is of the essence. Target has struggled post-pandemic as shoppers lean into everyday value at Walmart (WMT), especially in food. The company has also dealt with shopper backlash to its Pride Month assortments and then revisions to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Target has frequently been forced to adjust its guidance lower amid challenging quarterly sales and profits. The retailer badly missed Wall Street estimates for first quarter earnings and slashed its full-year outlook. HATTERAS, N.C. Hurricane Erin made its closest approach to the U.S. overnight, sending powerful waves toward the coast and causing a nearly 50-mile stretch of a coastal highway to shut down due to overwash. The hurricane never made landfall in the U.S. but plenty of advisories and alerts were issued due to the threats from fringe impacts. Officials in three coastal counties in North Carolina issued mandatory evacuation orders and the state's governor issued a state of emergency, over worries that some infrastructure could be compromised. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photos and videos along N.C. Highway 12 showed the thoroughfare covered by water on Wednesday evening, with officials concerned that days of significant tides could lead to erosion. How To Watch Fox Weather A Tropical Storm Warning was issued for Cape Lookout, North Carolina to the Delmarva Peninsula, but it was the water, not the wind, that was expected to be the big problem. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, held a news conference on Wednesday to provide an update on preparations ahead of the life-threatening impacts from Hurricane Erin. "Yesterday, I declared a state of emergency across North Carolina to facilitate our emergency response and to keep you safe," Stein said. "The statewide state of emergency enables us to send critical resources across the state and around the country to respond." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stein said a cross-agency response has been implemented, including the Department of Public Safety and Department of Transportation, as well as the North Carolina National Guard, the state Highway Patrol and other local partners. "We have already pre-positioned three swift-water rescue teams and 200 National Guard troops to various locations on the coast, along with boats, high-clearance vehicles and aircraft," Stein continued. Download The Free Fox Weather App Stein said that anyone who defies an evacuation order and remains in areas vulnerable to coastal flooding and storm-surge flooding is putting their lives at risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When there is a major storm, when there is flooding, there is a great risk of death," he warned. "And what we dont want is for people to die." He went on to say that officials are doing what they can to keep people safe. "Were going to do everything in our power to keep people safe. If youre on one of the two islands, Hatteras or Ocracoke, and can get off still, we urge you to do that. And if you have not evacuated, make sure to batten down the hatches." North Carolina Emergency Management officials opened a State Operated Shelter (SOS) in conjunction with Warren County Emergency Management for those who needed to evacuate due to Hurricane Erin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to the threats of a storm surge and large waves of up to 12 feet in some spots, local officials and forecasters have been warning people to stay out of the water for safety. A spokesperson for Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, told FOX Weather their rescue crews conducted nearly 60 water rescues on Monday and another 20 on Tuesday due to strong rip currents. The town has now told all beachgoers to stay out of the water through Friday as Erin gets even closer. "These swells are producing powerful rip currents that can create extremely hazardous swimming conditions," said Sam Proffitt, director of Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue. "The safety of our beachgoers is always our top priority, and we urge everyone to follow this advisory." As of the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Erin had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, which is significantly down from its peak while being a Category 5 hurricane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hurricane is expected to rapidly pull away from the East Coast and become post-tropical over the weekend. The closest the cyclone got to the U.S. is about 200 miles, but because of its size, barrier islands along North Carolina experienced some of the roughest weather. On the forecast track, the center of Hurricane Erin will move over the western Atlantic between the East Coast and Bermuda through early Friday, and then pass south of Atlantic Canada on Friday and Saturday. Original article source: Hurricane Erin makes closest approach to US with coastal flooding, dangerous rip currents UPDATE: Hurricane Erins worst impacts expected Thursday night as pounding surf, high tides spark flooding threat The already massive Hurricane Erin grew even bigger and stronger Wednesday afternoon, and the storm may strengthen into a major Category 3 hurricane by Wednesday night. Thats the latest word from the National Hurricane Center, which continues to warn beach-goers up and down the East Coast including the entire Jersey Shore to stay out of the Atlantic Ocean during the next two days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Hurricane Erin brings waves crashing onto these Jersey Shore boardwalks Turbulent seas, huge breaking waves and powerful rip currents will all create life-threatening conditions for boaters and swimmers both Wednesday and Thursday, according to weather forecasters and public officials. Erins top sustained winds are blowing at 110 mph, making it a high-level Category 2 hurricane just short of returning to major hurricane status. In addition to its growing strength, Erins size is massive. The storm is now more than 800 miles wide as it continues to churn northward off the eastern Atlantic coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters say hurricane-force winds are now stretching out as far as 105 miles from Erins center, and tropical storm-force winds extend outward to 265 miles. As of Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Erins center was about 530 miles west of Bermuda, 335 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and about 635 miles south of Cape May, New Jersey. Hurricane Erin grew even bigger and stronger Wednesday afternoon, and the storm may strengthen into a major Category 3 hurricane by Wednesday night. Here's the latest forecast track. At its closest pass, Erins center is expected to be spinning about 350 to 400 miles southeast of Cape May on Thursday. That is close enough for the storm to bring 40 to 50 mph wind gusts, huge waves and dangerous rip currents to beaches in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties, forecasters say. Minor to moderate coastal flooding is expected along the Jersey Shore, with some areas at risk of major flooding particularly during high tide cycles Thursday evening through Friday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Even though Hurricane Erin is spinning far offshore, it could be powerful enough to cause a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet high along the Jersey Shore, forecasters say. Significant coastal flooding and tidal flooding is possible in Cape May County, the agency noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency management officials in Cape May County noted that forecasts indicate a peak (tidal) surge of 1 to 3 feet in the Delaware Bay, which may impact low-lying areas of bayside communities in Middle Township, Dennis Township, and surrounding areas. Weather forecasters and safety officials are warning beach-goers to stay out of the ocean, because Hurricane Erin will be generating huge waves and powerful rip currents that could be deadly. Latest weather alerts in N.J. Wind advisory: Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean counties from 10 a.m. Thursday to midnight Thursday. Steady northeast winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph expected. Coastal flood warning: Atlantic and Cape May counties from 5 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Saturday. The greatest impacts from coastal flooding are expected with the Thursday evening high tide. Locally major flooding impacts are possible. Coastal flood warning: Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and southeastern Burlington counties until 2 a.m. Saturday. One to two feet of inundation above ground level possible in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways. High surf advisory: Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties now until Friday at 6 p.m. Large breaking waves of 5 to 8 feet are expected in the surf zone on Wednesday, and breaking waves as high as 7 to 12 feet are expected on Thursday. Rip current alert: Forecasters are warning beach-goers about a high risk of life-threatening rip currents at all ocean beaches in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties on Wednesday and Thursday, possibly extending into Friday. Red warning flags are displayed in Seaside Heights banning swimming due to rough surf and dangerous rip currents generated by Hurricane Erin. Areas shaded in red have the highest risk of coastal flooding from Hurricane Erin's strong winds pushing water onto land, especially during high tide cycles on Thursday. Current weather radar Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thank you for relying on us to provide the local weather news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality. CHARLOTTE (PINPOINT WEATHER) After a cloudy Tuesday, skies will clear on Wednesday, bringing more sunshine throughout the day. With the increased sun, temperatures are expected to rise, reaching the mid to upper 80s by the afternoon. We will see isolated showers and storms develop across the mountains and foothills Wednesday afternoon. A rogue cell or two may make a run towards Charlotte, but most of the metro will be dry. Tracking a mix of sun and clouds for Thursday, with more isolated storm chances. MORE: Gov. Stein, emergency officials brief public on Hurricane Erin as Cat 2 storm nears Outer Banks Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thursdays storms will have a better chance of making it to Charlotte. Cant rule out a storm or two for the Panthers Preseason game Thursday night. Heading into the weekend, we will see a higher chance for scattered showers and storms. Not tracking any washouts, but there will be more storms around. Tracking Hurricane Erin Hurricane Erin became massive in size on Wednesday. It is way bigger in size than it was on Tuesday. The storm is roughly 600 miles wide. That is how many miles it takes to drive from Charlotte to New York. This means the wind field will be spread out further from the center of the storm. Although it is bigger, the storm is still a Category 2 storm, with 110 mph sustained winds as of the 11 a.m. advisory. It is slightly stronger than Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Warm Wednesday with pop-up showers as Hurricane Erin impacts Outer Banks The impacts for the East Coast remain the same. The biggest impacts of storm surge, tropical storm force winds, coastal flooding, and beach erosion will arrive tonight and early Thursday for eastern North Carolina and eastern Virginia. The Outer Banks will take the brunt of the action from Erin. The storm is still not going to make landfall and will remain offshore. There are two other tropical waves east of Hurricane Erin, but neither is expected to be a threat to the U.S. at this time. The tropics will stay hot like this through at least September and early October. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM Severe Weather Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Beaches from the Carolinas all the way to Cape Cod closed as the rapidly strengthening Hurricane Erin threatens to unleash treacherous 15-foot-tall waves, rip currents and storm surges on the East Coast. On Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center warned beachgoers against swimming at most East Coast beaches due to life-threatening surf and rip currents brought on by the powerful Category 2 storm and set to last until at least Friday. Hurricane Erin, which formed on August 11 and quickly intensified, is expected to largely impact the Outer Banks region of North Carolina and portions of coastal Virginia though forecasters warn the storms impacts will also be felt in the northeast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the worst of the beach conditions, including three to six foot storm surge, will hit the Outer Banks, beaches along the East Coast could see up to three feet of surge, AccuWeathers Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva told The Independent. Storm surge is the rise of sea level that can lead to flooding brought on by events such as hurricanes. Up the Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey coastline, all the way up towards near New York City, there could be a one to three foot storm surge from this storm, even though the storm is going to be hundreds of miles offshore, DaSilva said. Hurricane Erin has shuttered beaches from the Carolinas all the way to Cape Cod, as the storm threatens to unleash powerful rip currents and bring on 15-foot-tall waves. (AP) Many beaches along the East Coast shut down Wednesday with plans to stay closed the rest of the week to protect swimmers from the storms impact. New York City closed its beaches to swimming for both Wednesday and Thursday, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered three state beaches on Long Island to prohibit swimming through Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several beaches along the New Jersey and Delaware coasts were also temporarily shut down, with some set to be closed until Friday or the weekend. The impacted beaches include Asbury Park, Avon-by-the-Sea, Bay Head, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Margate and Wildwood for New Jersey. Beaches affected in Delaware include Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach, among others. DaSilva warned that even if the beaches open back up and the weather looks promising the risk of dangerous rip currents will last at least through Saturday. The storms moving away on Friday, but theres so much energy from the storm that I think the rip current risk along the entirety of the East Coast continues through Saturday, DaSilva said. I dont want people to get a false sense of security on Friday or Saturday when the storm is moving away and they think, Oh, the suns out, we can go back to the beach. Its still going to be very, very dangerous, DaSilva added. Hurricane Erin is expected to last through Friday at least, though forecasters warned that rip currents may still be present into the weekend. (AP) Along with rip currents comes the risk of high waves. Beaches in New York, including on Long Island and in Brooklyn and Queens, could see waves as high as 11 to 15 feet on Thursday, the National Weather Service said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Weather Service also issued a coastal flood watch for Brooklyn and Queens, meaning areas along the water may be susceptible to flooding. The threat of beach flooding and beach erosion along the East Coast will increase with high tides forecasted through at least Friday morning. The service warned of "one to two feet of inundation above ground level possible in vulnerable areas near the waterfront and shoreline." While the hurricane isnt expected to bring a lot of rain to the Northeast, DaSilva said the weather may feel breezier thanks to the storm. Itll be the windiest inland in North Carolina, but tomorrow can still be breezy in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and even Hartford, Connecticut, areas that are well away from the ocean, DaSilva said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not going to be really strong, winds will be 20 to maybe 30 mph, but it still can be breezy in some of these cities along the I-95 corridor. The forecast indicates improving conditions by Saturday, after Hurricane Erins departure, as a cold front is expected to enter from the west on Sunday, potentially bringing in even more storms. Hurricane Erin moved away from the U.S. on Friday after battering North Carolinas Outer Banks and deluging other areas of the East Coast. The storm has weakened to a Category 1 as it continues to move towards Nova Scotia in Canada, having failed to make landfall in the U.S, according to The National Hurricane Center in Miami. Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 season, is expected to become a post-tropical storm later on Friday or Saturday morning as it continues to advance out to sea. Forecasters say that the strong waves and swells created by the storm could last for several more days. A National Hurricane Center map of Hurricane Erin's probable path (National Hurricane Center) Officials in Virginia moved resources to Virginia Beach and other coastal areas to prepare for any potential flooding or damage from the outer bands of the hurricane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erin produced swells that impacted Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast, Atlantic Canada, and the Bahamas during its journey up the edge of North America. Rough ocean conditions and dangerous rip currents were seen along virtually all of the North American East Coast from Florida northward. The National Weather Service issued tropical storm warnings for eastern North Carolina from Beaufort Inlet to Chincoteague, Virginia. The warnings included Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds in North Carolina. Surfers ride the waves amid Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, in the Atlantic Ocean at Lido Beach, New York (Reuters) Local officials in the Outer Banks reported that sections of Highway 12 the only road connecting the Outer Banks to mainland North Carolina were flooded and closed off, preventing travel off the island until the swells receded. Some residents and vacationers evacuated from the Outer Banks ahead of the storms approach, according to USA TODAY. Dare County officials who represent part of the Outer Banks ordered evacuations on Monday. As the hurricane passes by Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the NWS predicts it could generate waves between 8 and 20 feet. Those waves could contribute to coastal flooding and erosion in the region. has weakened to a Category 1 as it continues to move towards Nova Scotia in Canada (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Residents in parts of Florida like Ponce Inlet were subjected to large waves generated by Hurricane Erin early on Wednesday morning. On Monday, thousands in Puerto Rico were left without power due to the storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erin began as a cluster of storms off the northwest coast of Africa before it spun into a tropical storm and then a hurricane. The storm is notable for reaching major hurricane status given to any storms that reach Category 3 or higher this early in hurricane season. According to the NHC, major hurricanes tend to form in the middle of hurricane season, usually in September through mid-October. Hurricane Erin has grown bigger and stronger Wednesday afternoon, with its top sustained winds blowing at 110 mph, just short of returning to major hurricane status. Even more significant is Erins massive size. Forecasters say hurricane-force winds are now stretching out as far as 105 miles from Erins center, and tropical storm-force winds extend outward to 265 miles. Thats why many areas of the eastern U.S. including New Jersey are getting rough surf conditions, with big breaking waves and dangerous rip currents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though the hurricane wont be making landfall anywhere in the U.S., its powerful winds are churning up the Atlantic Ocean, causing huge swells and rough surf, forecasters warn. At its closest pass, Erins center will be spinning about 350 to 450 miles south and east of New Jersey. That is close enough for the storms fierce winds to wreak havoc along the Jersey Shore. Forecasters are calling for breaking waves of 5 to 8 feet on Wednesday and as high as 7 to 12 feet on Thursday at ocean beaches in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties. Boaters are being warned that waves in the Atlantic coastal waters adjacent to the Jersey Shore and Delaware are expected to rise up to 9 feet on Wednesday and as huge as 10 to 17 feet on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In waters off the coast of New York City and Long Island, forecasters are expecting waves as high as 16 to 18 feet, with occasional waves of 20 feet during the peak on Thursday afternoon. The National Hurricane Center says Erin might get even stronger by Wednesday night and return to major hurricane status, with top sustained winds blowing at 111 mph or higher. Current weather radar Thank you for relying on us to provide the local weather news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality. The effects of Hurricane Erin sent seawater spilling over dunes and onto parts of North Carolinas Outer Banks Wednesday, swamping a highway on Hatteras Island where residents had been ordered to leave. I want to emphasize the importance of taking this storm seriously, because its a serious storm and conditions can deteriorate quickly, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said at a news conference Wednesday. At 11 p.m. the outer bands of the hurricane, a strong Category 2 storm with 110 mph winds, were bringing tropical storm conditions to or very near the North Carolina coast, the National Hurricane Center said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials in North Carolina warned of waves of 15 to 20 feet, and the hurricane made swimming hazardous all along the East Coast, even though the center of the large storm will remain offshore. A tropical storm warning was in place from Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, to Chincoteague, Virginia. Highway 12 on Hatteras Island was "completely submerged," the weather service said. For Bermuda, the storm was traveling farther away than expected, lessening the impacts, the government said. But wind gusts could approach 60 mph Thursday into Friday, it said. Stein declared a state of emergency to free up state resources, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said that emergency officials were prepared. Hurricane Erin will make its closest pass offshore Virginia early Thursday morning, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erin is a large hurricane and was projecting hurricane-force winds up to 105 miles from its center, and tropical storm-force winds up to 265 miles, the hurricane center said. The storm is forecast to take a turn north-northeast Wednesday and move over the western Atlantic Ocean between the East Coast of the United States and Bermuda through Friday, before it passes south of Atlantic Canada into the weekend, the hurricane center said. Erin will make its closest pass to the United States on Thursday, when the onshore winds will be strongest, leading to coastal flood concerns and dangerous rip currents. The heavy rain will remain offshore, so the strong winds will be the most noticeable impact. North Carolina expects coastal flooding from massive waves, tropical-storm-force winds and tidal and storm surges for much of the state shoreline, especially the Outer Banks, as well as life-threatening rip currents for most of the week, Stein said, adding, "No one should be in the ocean." Red flags, indicating swimming is prohibited, are raised Tuesday at the beach in Duck, N.C. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP) Erin could strengthen Wednesday and Thursday, but it is expected to begin weakening by Friday, the hurricane center said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Regardless of the track of the center of the storm, dangerous conditions can be felt far from the eye, especially with the system as large as Erin, regardless of her track," North Carolina Emergency Management Director Will Ray said Wednesday. A storm surge warning is in effect from Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina, where 2 to 4 feet of storm surge flooding is possible along the coast, according to the hurricane center. In addition, 1 to 2 inches of rain could hit the Outer Banks on Wednesday and Thursday. Video from North Carolina shows major waves rolling onto land, flooding roads and beachfront homes. Two houses sit out in the heavy surf Tuesday as Hurricane Erin passes offshore of Rodanthe, N.C. (Allen G. Breed / AP) There were 4 to 5 inches of standing water north of Hatteras Village at 9 a.m. Wednesday, the Dare County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. Crews were working to build dunes in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hurricane's effects were being felt all along the East Coast, creating dangerous swells and rip currents, officials said. New York City and Long Island area beaches were closed to swimming, and New Jersey residents were told to stay out of the water. "We've seen a high number of rescues along the coast, and you should avoid swimming anywhere on the North Carolina coast right now," Ray, the state's emergency management director, said. Evacuation orders have been implemented for Dare and Hyde counties in North Carolina, with shelters and recovery centers open across the state, Ray said. North Carolina has requested a major disaster declaration for public assistance from the federal government, which would provide additional recovery resources to those affected, he added. Stein said Thursday, "If you have not evacuated, make sure you batten down the hatches." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Weather Service in Jacksonville, Florida, also warned of dangerous surf conditions and rip tides Wednesday. In New York City, the hurricane was forecast to cause coastal flooding of 1 to 2 feet in vulnerable areas of Brooklyn and Manhattan, and Queens could see 2 1/2 feet, the emergency management department there said. The Bronx could also see 1 to 2 feet of coastal inundation, and basements could flood. Stein on Wednesday warned against getting news about Hurricane Erin from social media as artificial intelligence misinformation floods channels. "It is just too easy for salacious, really dramatic stories to take root and then and spread like wildfire, even in a hurricane, because that's what people click on," Stein said. "If you see something on social media that sparks your interest, just go to a traditional website or news source and find out whether it's true." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Early on Aug. 17, Hurricane Erin's outer rainbands were "producing gusty winds and heavy rains across the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico," according to the National Hurricane Center. Where will the hurricane hit? Will it hit the U.S.? Spaghetti models and other trackers and forecasts give a sense of the hurricane's predicted path. According to Newsweek, recent spaghetti models show that the storm is "unlikely" to directly strike the East Coast of the U.S. That's a change from earlier models that showed it might hit Florida, Newsweek noted. ABC News concurred, writing, "The majority of meteorological modeling continues to keep Erin well off the East Coast of the U.S. by hundreds of miles." However, hurricanes can shift, so nothing is certain. ABC published a spaghetti model showing the near miss, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cyclocane also has a page of spaghetti models that show Erin tracking just off of the coast. See a live tracker for Hurricane Erin here. Dangerous Riptides From Hurricane Erin Are Expected to Hit the U.S. East Coast The National Hurricane Center is warning of dangerous rip tides on the U.S. eastern seaboard. ABC News says that could hit between Aug. 20 and 27. The Outer Banks and "other parts of North Carolina could see waves of 8 to 12 feet," ABC News reported, with parts of South Carolina and Virginia possibly "seeing waves reaching 6 feet next week." Latest early morning spaghetti models on Hurricane Erin. pic.twitter.com/oRcaNlnlTk PC Weather Boy (@PC_WeatherBoy) August 16, 2025 A tropical storm watch was in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands at 2 a.m. on Aug. 17. You can see updated forecast information for Hurricane Erin on the National Hurricane Center's page for the storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A map shows the areas of the United States' East Coast in peril for rip tides. Other maps show the arrival time of tropical-storm-force winds. Other maps show wind-speed probabilities. A cone map shows the storm's path. The site Spaghetti Models.com also has a page with spaghetti models showing Hurricane Erin's path. National Hurricane Center At 2 a.m., the storm was moving west-northwest near 14 miles per hour. The motion with a "decrease in forward speed" was expected to continue throughout the day, with the hurricane turning "to the north" on Monday Aug. 18 and Tuesday Aug. 19. That's according to the National Hurricane Center. The core of Erin "is expected to pass to the east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas" on the evening of Aug. 17 and into Aug. 18, the center wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hurricane was listed as a Category 3 but was expected to fluctuate in intensity, the National Hurricane Center wrote. Fresh Saturday 12z spaghetti models on Major Hurricane Erin on https://t.co/3cvwpvVJ22. Still confidence on that curve back N/NE, splitting the eastern US and Bermuda gap. Recent satellite showing some SW bumps but overall steering currents ahead favor these tracks. New NHC track pic.twitter.com/aAMvmJccyz Mike's Weather Page (@tropicalupdate) August 16, 2025 Swells from the hurricane are expected to spread to the East Coast of the U.S. and "Atlantic Canada" by the "early and middle portions of the week." The swells "will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip currents," the site noted. "Despite being hundreds of miles offshore, Erin will likely bring dangerous rough surf, deadly rip currents, and possible erosion issues to beaches along the East Coast. The Outer Banks and Atlantic Canada could see some of the roughest beach conditions next week," AccuWeather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said in an advisory obtained by Newsweek. Related: Milwaukee Flooding & Weather: Aug. 10 Forecast Shows 'Dangerous' Torrential Downpours Hurricane Erin Spaghetti Models & Live Tracker: Where Will the Storm Hit? first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 17, 2025 As the apex of Hurricane Erin hangs a couple hundred miles off the United States eastern seaboard, the early impacts of the storm are starting to materialize. The storm is not expected to make landfall, but waves and wind and flooding are forecasted particularly for the Outer Banks in North Carolina, which on Tuesday, saw the first inklings of action from Erin with coastal flooding among seaside homes. Footage, seen below, showed the overflow from OBX. This is nothing new for the region, as the seaside homes are built on stilts for this very reason. Still, Erin continues to pose potential threats of damage, destruction, and possibly large, epic surf for regions of the East Coast. And specifically, OBX. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result of the storm surge, Dare County has issued a swimming prohibition, punishable with a Class 2 misdemeanor: Due to life-threatening ocean conditionsincluding rip currents and extremely hazardous surf and large breaking wavesdouble red flags have been posted throughout all Dare County beaches by local ocean rescue agencies, indicating that no one may enter the waters of the Atlantic Ocean anywhere in Dare County. Related: Potential 100 Foot Waves Headed for U.S. East Coast However, good news, there is a Surfing Exception: Entry with a surfboard is permitted. A surfboard is defined as a fiberglass and foam combination at least five feet in length, having a minimum of one fin, and used in conjunction with a leash. Whats next? Well, more storm surges, more flooding, and more swell. According to AccuWeather: The North Carolina Outer Banks will experience a storm surge of several feet with wave action on top of that, likely between 10 and 15 feet, but locally higher to near 20 feet, depending on Erin's eye proximity to the coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more detailed swell forecasting, stay tuned to Surfline, where the latest update states: Erin has weakened significantly from yesterday, but were still on track for plenty of swell and surf through the week. Related: 106,700 kJ of Wave Energy Produced by Hurricane Erin This story was originally reported by Surfer on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Surfer as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Missing mom of 5 found alive, Jacksonville police say LATEST STORY: Jacksonville mother of 5 missing for 2 days found alive in woods UPDATE: The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said Kayla Bailey has been found alive. JSO announced Wednesday afternoon at the Maxville Community Center that Bailey was found safe thanks to coordinated efforts with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. More than 50 officers and firefighters deployed to search for Bailey. They used MEPSAR to map the search area where they would look for Bailey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was found laying down in a wooded area, authorities said. JSO and JFRD believe Bailey was there on her own accord, and the reason she left is under investigation. Police reiterated at the briefing that the arrest of Baileys husband, Joshua Bailey, is unrelated to his wife being reported missing. Reporters asked if Bailey had been Baker Acted. The Florida Baker Act law allows doctors, mental health professionals, judges, and law enforcement to commit a person to a mental health treatment center for up to 72 hours if they display certain violent or suicidal signs of mental illness. Authorities said Bailey is receiving the medical attention she needs at this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agencies announced that Bailey had been found in a live briefing on Wednesday afternoon. You can watch it as it aired on our YouTube channel (video below). ORIGINAL STORY BELOW: The husband of a missing Jacksonville woman is in the Duval County jail Wednesday morning. Joshua Bailey, 40, was booked into the jail at about 10:22 p.m. Tuesday on charges of violation of injunction for protection against domestic violence and violation of probation/community control, according to jail records. Bailey is the husband of 34-year-old Kayla Bailey, a Jacksonville mother of five and a photographer who was last seen Monday at her home on Maxville Boulevard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacksonville Sheriffs Office told Action News Jax on Wednesday morning that Joshua Baileys arrest is unrelated to his wife being reported missing. READ: Jacksonville police looking for missing mother of five, family fears shes in danger JSO posted on social media Tuesday that theyre looking for Kayla Bailey. Missing Woman: Have you seen Kayla Bailey, the JSO post states. At this time we believe Kayla Bailey may be in danger, and we are asking for your help to determine if she is safe, a portion of the post states. Joshua Bailey was arrested Tuesday. Police said his arrest has nothing to do with his wife who's missing. Police said they're continuing their search for Kayla, and they believe she may be in danger. Couple had recent domestic issues A recent Jacksonville Sheriffs Office incident report states that Kayla Bailey and her husband were having issues. Their daughter told officers that Bailey left the home and took her children to her mothers place for several weeks but returned home last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the family reported her missing this week, the officer noted in the report that he believes she left on her own free will. Baileys family said they believe Kayla Bailey is in danger. She has never run off alone and for this long, Jola Bailey, Kaylas daughter, told Action News Jax. She is really weak, and she is not really doing that well. Joshua Bailey is scheduled to make his first appearance in Duval County Circuit Court at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The search for Kayla is ever evolving and we continue to learn more as investigators delve into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, a JSO news release stated Wednesday morning. As new information becomes available, we will disseminate it to the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who knows Baileys whereabouts is urged to call JSO at 904-630-0500. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is searching for 34-year-old Kayla Bailey. She was last seen at her home on Maxville Boulevard in the Maxville area. Joshua Bailey [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. NEW YORK (AP) Target named an insider as its next chief executive officer Wednesday, a decision that comes as the discount retailer tries to reverse a persistent sales malaise and to revive its reputation as the place to go for affordable but stylish products. Minneapolis-based Target said CEO Brian Cornell, who has led the company for 11 years, would step down on Feb. 1. The board of directors chose Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke, a 20-year Target veteran, to succeed him. Target, which has about 1,980 U.S. stores, has struggled to find its footing since inflation caused pinched shoppers to curtail their discretionary spending. Customers have complained of messy stores with merchandise that did not reflect the expensive-looking but budget-priced niche that long ago earned the retailer the jokingly posh nickname Tarzhay. Consumer boycotts since late January, when Target joined rival Walmart and a number of other prominent American brands in scaling back corporate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, have compounded its predicament. Some retail analysts were surprised the board did not pick a candidate from outside the company to turn things around. Target's stock price was down more than 8% in early morning trading after the company announced both Fiddelke's appointment and another quarter of disappointing sales. The Street was looking for a fresh pair of eyes that might bring a solution to two years of stumbles, Stacey Widlitz, president of investment research firm SW Retail Advisors, said while noting that she thinks investors should give Fiddelke a chance. During a call with reporters on Tuesday, Fiddelke acknowledged many of Target's problems. For example, he said he thought the company became too focused on basic home goods during the coronavirus pandemic, when demand for cozy furnishings and kitchen tools exploded. Fiddelke said he would step in as CEO with three urgent priorities: reclaiming the companys position as a leader in selecting and displaying merchandise; improving the customer experience by making sure shelves are consistently stocked and stores are clean; and investing in technology. When were leading with swagger in our merchandising authority, when we have swagger in our marketing and were setting the trend for retail, those are some of the moments I think that Target has been at its highest in my 20 years, Fiddelke said. Target has reported flat or declining comparable sales those from established physical stores and online channels in nine out of the past 11 quarters. On Wednesday, the company said comparable sales dipped 1.9% dip in its latest three-month period, when its net income also dropped 21%. The husband of a missing California woman who was found dead in the Angeles National Forest has fled to Peru, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Sheylla Cabrera, 33, was reported missing on Aug. 12, according to police. During the subsequent investigation, investigators say they discovered video surveillance appearing to show her husband, 36-year-old Jossimar Cabrera, dragging something in a large piece of material from the apartment complex where the two lived with their three sons. Authorities say they're obtaining the "necessary documents to secure" the husband's return. The case will be referred to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office for criminal charges against Jossimar Cabrera. KABC - PHOTO: The person of interest in this case is 36-year-old Jossimar Cabrera. Investigators believed foul play may have been involved in Sheylla Cabrera's disappearance and they had been searching large areas of the Angeles National Forest, according to the sheriff's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Foot remains found on Utah lake belong to man missing since 1997 Investigators also worked with the Mexican and Peruvian general consulates with alerts for the husband. They were informed he had already fled the United States. KABC - PHOTO: Sheylla Cabrera, 33, was reported missing on Aug. 12. The Montrose Mountain Search and Rescue Team reported finding an object similar to the material that was "seen being taken away by the person of interest over the side of an embankment" in the Angeles National Forest on Saturday, according to the sheriff's department. Investigators responded to the scene and Sheylla Cabrera's body was discovered. MORE: Search underway for man dropped off by ride share in Rocky Mountain National Park Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official cause of her death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiners Office. The couple's three children, who were initially believed to be also missing, were found safe and taken into protective custody in Peru on Saturday, according to the sheriff's department. News media shape public understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) and influence how society interacts with these technologies. For many people, especially those who have not sought more knowledge about AI elsewhere, media platforms are a primary source of information. This is particularly significant in Africa, where historical and socioeconomic contexts like colonial legacies and uneven technology transfer shape how AI is understood and adopted. Consequently, the way African news media represent and frame AI carries weight in shaping broader public discourse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To explore how African media report on AI, we, as media researchers, analysed 724 news articles about AI from 26 English-speaking African countries. These were published between 1 June 2022 and 31 December 2023. We looked at how these publications contributed to the hype about AI exaggerated excitement, inflated expectations, and often sensationalised claims about what artificial intelligence can do. Hype is often contrasted with the notion of something called an AI winter. This is a period of diminished interest and investment in AI technologies. Its a cyclical trend that has been seen since AIs inception in the 1950s. It manifests in exaggerated language, overly optimistic or pessimistic views and significant investments in AI. Our study examined how AI was portrayed in African news media whether it was exaggerated or overly optimistic. Media portrayal can influence policy, investment and public acceptance of new technologies. For example, in Germany it was found that positive media coverage of different fuels changed public perception in a positive way. Our findings show a clear pattern in placement and authorship of articles. The most common placement of AI articles (36%) was in the technology section of publications, followed by general news (24%) and then the business section (19%). This shows that these publications mostly talk about AI as a practical tool that can solve problems and create economic opportunities. They highlight its usefulness and potential benefits, rather than exploring its social or ethical implications. Discussion of issues like employment, inequality and cultural values was largely missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement African journalists, news entities and content creators contributed some 29% of the articles. But western-based news entities (21%) and journalists (5%) had a considerable influence. Global news agencies like AFP (15%) and Reuters (6%), along with tech news providers like Research Snipers (13%), frequently wrote these pieces. Only a small proportion of articles (4%) were written by researchers. This suggests that the voices of those directly engaged in AI research and development in Africa were muted. But they are crucial for a locally informed understanding. To sum up the patterns: practical benefits of AI are emphasised at the expense of social and ethical conversations African perspectives on how AI should be developed and used are often overlooked in favour of a western, business-focused viewpoint. What words are used to describe AI? We also analysed the words used most frequently. The frequent mention of Google, Microsoft and ChatGPT reflects the dominance of western tech giants in the AI landscape. Words like he and his appeared disturbingly frequently, while feminine pronouns werent among the top words. This indicates a bias towards male perspectives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The scarcity of terms like Africa, African and African countries suggests that the coverage seldom regards specific African needs and challenges. This overlooks Africas growing AI ecosystem. We found three main themes around AI in African news: AIs transformative potential, for example for agriculture, administration, healthcare and economic growth concerns about AIs potential negative effects, the unknown and disruptive nature of AI articles that offered a more balanced view and useful information, aiming to demystify AI tools and explain developments. What this means for Africa The dominance of technical and economic framing, often by western voices, might steer policy decisions towards uptake without adequate local consultation or ethical oversight. This might lead to policies that mirror global hype rather than community-specific needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The overemphasis on tools and solutions risks overlooking the broader effects of AI on employment, inequality and cultural values. The lack of Afrocentric terms in the reporting contributes to a symbolic exclusion, where Africas specific needs and opportunities are marginalised. Towards a more inclusive AI narrative To encourage a more responsible and locally relevant AI journalism in Africa, African journalists and researchers should be empowered to report on and analyse this technology. The range of voices should expand to include local researchers, policymakers and communities experiencing AIs effects firsthand. This means balancing coverage of AIs economic potential with sustained attention to its social, cultural and ethical implications. African media can resist one-dimensional hype and create a more inclusive and socially responsible conversation around AI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Sisanda Nkoala, University of the Western Cape; Musawenkosi Ndlovu, University of Cape Town; Tanja Bosch, University of Cape Town, and Trust Matsilele, Birmingham City University Read more: Sisanda Nkoala receives funding from the National Research Foundation and from the University of the Western Cape. She is a public representative on the South African Press Council and the Western Cape convenor of the South African National Editors Forum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musawenkosi Ndlovu receives funding from National Research Foundation of South Africa. Tanja Bosch receives funding from the National Research Foundation as a SARChI Chair. She is a board member of Media Monitoring Africa. Trust Matsilele does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) is proud to share that the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts (Coe Center) will transfer ownership of its physical campus buildinglocated at 1590 Pacheco Street B in Santa Fe, New Mexicoto IAIA during the week of December 15, 2025. This significant and forward-looking gift is part of the Coe Centers Rehoming Program, a visionary initiative designed to ensure the long-term care and intentional use of its facilities and programming. Along with the campus, IAIA will receive a substantial grant to support building upgrades, ongoing maintenance, and property care. The grant amount will be announced in Fall 2025 and is part of a wider funding strategy for Rehoming Program participants. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IAIA President Dr. Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo) said, We are extremely grateful for this generous gift from the Coe Center which will impact our students, faculty, and staff in positive and supportive ways for years to come. This historic gift will deepen IAIAs roots within the Santa Fe community while expanding our reach and impact globally. It ensures that the Coe Centers legacy will continue to thrive in service to future generations of Indigenous artists, scholars, and cultural leaders. The Coe Campus will primarily serve as the new home for IAIAs Master of Fine Arts programs, providing dedicated spaces for classrooms, offices, and exhibitions. The gift will also support IAIAs Cinematic Arts and Technology program, expand Artist-in-Residence offerings, and enhance a teaching collection aimed at preparing Indigenous students to sustain, safeguard, and celebrate their cultural and artistic legacies. A portion of the Coe Centers art collection will be accessioned into the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA). Once all other rehoming efforts are complete, the remaining artworks will be transferred to IAIAs Academic division and incorporated into the teaching collections at both the Coe Campus and the main campus. We are honored to steward the Coe Campus and carry forward its legacy of celebrating Indigenous arts and cultures. This gift is a living testament to the Coe Centers vision, and we look forward to shaping it into a vibrant space for creativity, learning, and connection for generations to come, said Felipe J. Estudillo Colon (Laguna Pueblo), IAIA Provost and Chair of the Native American Art History program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Coe Centers decision to rehome its facilities and resources with IAIA reflects a shared mission rooted in Indigenous education, artistic excellence, and community involvement. Established in honor of renowned curator and collector Ralph T. Coe (19292010), the Center has long served as a space for Indigenous artistic expression and intercultural collaboration. From its inception, the Coe Center has emphasized meaningful relationships, working closely with Indigenous artists and cultural practitioners to present exhibitions, host residencies, support internships, and facilitate community-based programs. Its collection of more than 2,500 Indigenous artworks from around the world has served as a vital educational resource, inspiring dialogue and connection across generations. About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. " Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net During a four-day enforcement operation, federal immigration agents arrested 65 people in Connecticut from Aug. 12-15, according to a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tuesday. ICE Boston, working with federal law enforcement partners, arrested dozens of undocumented people, including 29 who had been convicted or charged with serious crimes, including kidnapping, assault, drug offenses, weapons, and sex crimes. Others were identified as members of transnational gangs or had criminal histories in their native countries, ICE said. ICE agents out of Bostons Hartford field office worked with the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on the operation, called Operation Broken Trust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though ICE didnt specify how many had of those arrested had been convicted of a crime, Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde said that all were criminals and that the operation targeted egregious offenders. Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested are criminals and breaking federal law, but many of these individuals also victimized innocent people and traumatized communities rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators and members of violent transnational criminal gangs, Hyde said. They all made the mistake of attempting to subvert justice by hiding out in Connecticut. She blamed Connecticuts Trust Act, which limits cooperation between ICE and local law enforcement to preserve trust between Connecticuts immigrant community and law enforcement. The Trust Act, initially enacted in 2013 and updated in 2019 and again this year, prevents Connecticut police from communicating with or holding people for ICE. Sanctuary legislation like Connecticuts Trust Act only endangers the communities it claims to protect. Such laws only force law enforcement professionals to release criminal alien offenders back into the very communities they have already victimized, Hyde said. The state of Connecticut is a safer place thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners. Working together, we were able to arrest 65 illegal aliens in just four days throughout Connecticut, many of whom had significant criminality in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats and activist groups have decried and protested ICE enforcement activities in Connecticut that have included seizing a mother taking her children to school in New Haven, an 18-year-old high school student working at his job in Southington and an Afghan interpreter here on a special visa awarded for his work in aiding U.S. military during the war. But Republicans cheered the enforcement action Tuesday. Good. This is excellent news, Sen. Stephen Harding and Sen. Rob Sampson said in a release. Connecticuts streets are now safer. Violent offenders are now in custody. So we thank ICE and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi for their focus on Connecticut and their diligence in making Connecticuts streets safer. The Republican senators also referred to the continuing disagreement between the Trump administration and Connecticut officials over whether the state constitutes a sanctuary jurisdiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state was recently put on a federal list of so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that includes 13 states and a number of cities and counties that the Department of Justice has determined materially impede enforcement of federal immigration statutes and regulations. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has disputed the designation, saying that Connecticut complies with all federal laws, and noted that sanctuary jurisdiction is not a legal term. There is nothing in our laws or statutes that says Connecticut is a sanctuary state, said Tong. We are not. That is a term with no legal meaning, and the characteristics listed here are a concocted fiction of the Trump Administration. This was true back in May when Trump first issued and retracted this erroneous list, and it remains true today. It is the policy of the State of Connecticut to respect, honor and protect immigrants and immigrant families in compliance with the law. Trumps own administration certified Connecticuts compliance with 8 U.S.C. 1373 in 2017, he said. Nothing has changed to alter that certification, other than Trumps unhinged fixation on defunding and commandeering our police. We sued the last time Trump attempted to defund our law enforcement, and we are prepared to defend Connecticut funding and public safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, said Wednesday, since taking office, Donald Trump has launched a disgusting attack against immigrants in this country. Entirely contemptuous of legal precedent, his administration is more focused on instilling fear than on effectively decreasing crime. Masked ICE agents are targeting schools and churches, dragging people, including legal residents, off the street, and throwing them into inhumane detention centers without recourse. This is the behavior of an authoritarian, not a democratically elected leader. Himes also said, in a statement, We will not allow MAGA to dehumanize members of our community based on their skin color or ethnicity. A persons legal status does not negate their right to due process in the United States, and I will keep fighting alongside state local leaders to uphold the rights and civil liberties of all of Connecticuts residents. Those arrested included: FIRST ON FOX: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Boston said it arrested 65 illegal aliens during a four-day operation in Connecticut dubbed "Operation Broken Trust," part of the agencys ongoing crackdown on states with sanctuary policies. The operation was launched as Connecticut in May expanded its sanctuary state law known as the "Trust Act," which bans local law enforcement from sharing information with ICE unless required by law or in cases involving serious crimes. The agency said that the sting targeted transnational organized crime, gangs and egregious offenders. Among the 65 arrested, 29 had been convicted or charged in the U.S. with serious crimes, including kidnapping, assault, drug offenses, weapons violations and sex crimes. Others were identified as members of transnational gangs or had criminal histories in their home countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Sanctuary legislation like Connecticuts Trust Act only endangers the communities it claims to protect. Such laws only force law enforcement professionals to release criminal alien offenders back into the very communities they have already victimized," said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. "The state of Connecticut is a safer place thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners. Working together, we were able to arrest 65 illegal aliens in just four days throughout Connecticut, many of whom had significant criminality in the United States." Migrant Crimes Against Children Pile Up In Boston Area As Mayor Slams Bondi Over Sanctuary Warning Throughout the duration of Operation Broken Trust, ICE and its federal law enforcement partners targeted egregious criminal alien offenders, operating in the state of Connecticut. ICE said that under the state's Trust Act, state and local law enforcement will refuse to "honor ICE detainers with a few rare exceptions." Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested are criminals and breaking federal law, but many of these individuals also victimized innocent people and traumatized communities rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators and members of violent transnational criminal gangs," Hyde said. "They all made the mistake of attempting to subvert justice by hiding out in Connecticut." Ice Arrests 'Worst Of The Worst' Illegal Aliens In Los Angeles While Protesters Advocate For Criminals: Dhs ICE noted that the sanctuary state's refusal to honor immigration detainer requests to turn over criminal migrants forced officers and agents to make "at-large arrests in Connecticut communities." Operation Broken Trust saw officers from ICE Bostons Hartford field office collaborate with the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to apprehend illegal alien offenders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ice Agents In Boston Arrest Migrant Murderer, Child Rapists As Fox News Rides Along Efren Mauricio Guallpa-Shurshanay, an illegal 43- year-old alien from Ecuador, in Danbury, Connecticut. Guallpa-Shurshanays criminal history includes a conviction for sex assault in 2008. Ruben Antonio Fuentes, an illegal 35-year-old alien from El Salvador, in Danbury, Connecticut. Fuentes criminal history includes convictions for drugs and cocaine, harassment, carrying a prohibited weapon, cruelty toward a child and obscene communication. Alexander Alberto Guerra-Avila, an illegal 24-year-old alien from Venezuela, in Danbury, Connecticut. Guerra-Avilas criminal history includes arrests for stalking, assault, disorderly conduct, and injury to a child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Largest Ever Ice Operation Results In Nearly 1,500 Illegals Arrested In Blue State Jaime Timoteo Gonzalez-Moran, an illegal 37-year-old alien from Guatemala in Norwalk, Connecticut. Gonzalez criminal history includes convictions for sexual assault, threatening and three counts of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Jeremiah Garrido-Morales, an illegal 35-year-old alien from El Salvador in Stamford, Connecticut. Garrido-Morales criminal history includes arrests for robbery, assault and breach of peace. Edwin Andres Calva-Guaman, an illegal 27-year-old alien from Ecuador, in Danbury, Connecticut. Calva-Guamans criminal history includes a conviction for larceny and arrest for domestic violence, assault 3rd degree and breach of peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nileshkumar Pravinbhai Patel, an illegal 38-year-old alien from India in Norwalk, Connecticut. Patels criminal history includes charges of the sale of 1KG or more of cannabis and possession with intent to distribute 1KG or more of cannabis. Henry Morales-Cante, an illegal 21-year-old alien from Guatemala in Stamford, Connecticut. Morales-Cantes criminal history includes charges of assault, illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, carrying a dangerous weapon, reckless endangerment and illegal use of a facsimile firearm. Marlon Morales-Cante, an illegal 19-year-old alien from Guatemala in Stamford, Connecticut. Morales-Cantes criminal history includes charges of assault, carrying a dangerous weapon, reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit assault. Jonathan Alessandro Cordero-Morales, an illegal 21-year-old alien from Ecuador in Danbury, Connecticut. Cordero-Morales criminal history includes charges of assault, breach of peace, violation of protection order, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carlos Ernesto Silvestre-Sanchez, an illegal 50-year-old alien from Guatemala in Danbury, Connecticut. Silvestre-Sanchezs criminal history includes charges of sexual assault and breach of peace. Jonatan Cruz-Najera, an illegal 27-year-old alien from Guatemala in Stamford, Connecticut. Cruz-Najeras criminal history includes arrests for assault and disorderly conduct. Miguel Coello-Farfan, an illegal 51-year-old alien from Peru in Stamford, Connecticut. Coello-Farfans criminal history includes a charge of sex assault of a minor that was overturned on appeal and he pleaded to lesser charges of a similar nature. Charges were then pardoned by the State of Connecticut. All the migrants detained during Operation Broken Trust are expected to remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of their removal proceedings or their deportation from the United States. Original article source: ICE arrests 65 illegal aliens in sanctuary state operation targeting gangs, transnational organized crime A six-year-old girl and her mother, who were seeking asylum in the United States, have been deported to Ecuador after being arrested in New York City and held in immigration detention for a week. The second-grade student went to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-in appointment with her mother and older brother in lower Manhattan on August 12 when they were detained by federal agents. New York officials confirmed that the young girl and her mother, who had been living in Queens, were deported on Tuesday morning. The girls 19-year-old brother is still locked up in an immigration detention center in New Jersey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case of another New York City public school student being targeted has drawn renewed scrutiny and outrage over the practice of arresting immigrants at routine check-in appointments and court hearings. The childs arrest appears to be the first known ICE arrest of a New Yorker under the age of 18 during Donald Trumps administration. A family from Ecuador, including a 6-year-old New York City public school student, were arrested and detained by ICE during a routine check-in at the agencys office in downtown Manhattan. The girl and her mother were deported on August 19 (Getty Images) This is cruel. And I say to those who did this: where is your humanity? NY Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement after the family was deported. President Trump, you said you were going after the worst of the worst. You think shes really the worst of the worst? she said. I want to demand how you can possibly say yes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Independent has requested comment from the Department of Homeland Security. In a previous statement, assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the family had final orders for their removal and encouraged undocumented immigrants to self-deport. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return, she said. The Ecuadorian family sought asylum without legal permission after arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in December 2022. The woman, identified as Martha, had her asylum claims denied last year, but continued to attend ICE check-ins without issue. Her child had attended P.S. 89 elementary school in Queens. In a letter to ICE pleading for the girls release, the schools principal called her a kind, respectful, and dedicated young lady whose unexpected removal will cause significant disruption to her learning and will likely have a deep emotional impact on her classmates and our entire school community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, the family was arrested during a check-in appointment at 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan, home to ICE officers, immigration courts and a makeshift detention facility at the center of a federal lawsuit over its conditions. Marthas 19-year-old son was sent to that holding center, and then moved to Delaney Hall in Newark. ICEs online detainee locator system had previously shown that Martha was being held inside one of the countrys few family detention centers in Texas. The system then noted she was in Washington, D.C., on Monday. The system no longer has a record of her whereabouts. There is no greater depravity than separating a family and deporting a 6 year-old child two weeks before she is supposed to start school, read a joint statement from NY state Assemblymember Catalina Cruz and New York City Council Member Shekar Krishnan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a shameful stain on our country's history and conscience, they added. Civil rights groups and New York officials have criticized ICEs practice of arresting immigrants in court and at regularly scheduled check-ins with officers, with several public school students facing deportation after their abrupt arrest at routine appointments and hearings (Getty Images) Protesters have railed against the targeting of New York City students in recent weeks, following a wave of arrests at courthouses and ICE check-ins, with Manhattan fast becoming the nations capital for such arrests. In June and July, agents with ICEs New York City field office arrested 48 children, according to data shared with news organization The City, compiled by the Deportation Data Project. Dylan Lopez Contreras, a 20-year-old student from Venezuela, was enrolled at Ellis Prep. Academy in the Bronx, part of the public school systems programs serving older immigrants learning English. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was arrested in May immediately after his appearance in immigration court on his asylum claims. Earlier this month, advocates rallied for the release of Mamadou Mouctar Diallo, who was enrolled at Brooklyn Frontiers High School, a transfer school that serves many older immigrant students. Diallo, who is originally from Guinea, was at least the third public school student arrested by ICE agents this year, according to city officials and attorneys for their families. He is currently detained at Pike County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania, according to ICE records. As schools prepare for the upcoming year, communities across the U.S. are reeling as families are ripped apart by ICE arrests, and sent to countries their young children dont know. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Los Angeles, the countys school districts are putting new protective measures in place to brace for ICE raids, while New York officials are suing ICE to prevent courthouse arrests that have turned routine, legal appearances into what one judge has called deportation roulette. An ICE policy abandoned by the Trump administration sought to prevent courthouse arrests from creating a palpable fear that disincentivizes people from appearing for their hearings, according to a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups against the practice. But in the first few days of the Trump administration, defendants repealed those policies, exposing individuals who properly appear for their hearings, including to seek asylum and other relief, to the imminent threat of arrest and indefinite detention, the lawsuit stated. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The Kern County Sheriffs Office turned just two criminals over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2024. Even that level of cooperation came under scrutiny in Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting. A tense board of supervisors meeting navigated the annual TRUTH Act forum, where a senior sheriffs administrator reviewed statistics and advocates condemned ICE. Short for the California Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds Act, the TRUTH Act requires Kern County to hold a community forum if local law enforcement has given Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to an individual in custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are not involved in the enforcement of immigration law, deportations, or immigration sweeps, said Deputy Swanson. Sheriffs deputy Joel Swanson said, the Kern jail did notify ICE of 18 pending releases of undocumented immigrants who had been accused or were convicted of serious crimes. Thats 18 of the 28,361 inmates booked in 2024. It turned two violent criminals over to ICE. Swanson emphasized the jail does not notify ICE who is in custody and does not hold anyone for ICE or arrest anyone on immigration charges. Several people spoke in support of the sheriffs office. Were running a country here. Were not running a United Nations or any free deal, said local resident Charlie Shin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The majority of speakers came to the podium to criticize ICE, not the sheriffs department. That wasnt the stated purpose of the hearing, but it was an open forum. When the media showed up in January as a pilot project, even still when Biden was president, they couldnt wait for Trump and they came here on purpose all the way from Florida to raid our farm working communities that the Sheriffs Office did not participate. What a contrast. Im here today to pay my respects to them, said Gonzalo Santos, a local retired CSUB Professor. The issues we are seeing, sadly do spill over from the terror all immigrants, all Latinos are facing because of the unlawful acts of this administration, said Sofia Corona, another local. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This comes just seven months after major ICE raids in Kern County. However, the 2014 TRUST Act prohibits the Kern Sheriff from holding incarcerated persons on behalf of ICE. The Sheriffs Office ended the use of ICE holds that same year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News. A Louisiana hotel owned by a major chain has been used to hold immigrants awaiting deportation despite the companys pledge not to do so, according to new reports. The Intercept first reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement allegedly used a Sheraton hotel on MacArthur Drive in Alexandria earlier this month, located near a central ICE holding facility. Edison Iza and his 15-year-old son were arrested on August 9 before reportedly being sent to the Louisiana Sheraton, along with other venues in the state and in Texas, before being deported to Ecuador five days later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iza shared phone-tracking information with the publication as evidence, which The Guardian later reviewed. The Louisiana Sheraton, which is not pictured, has allegedly been used to hold migrants since 2023 (AFP via Getty Images) A person with knowledge of the Louisiana Shertons operations told the British newspaper they believed the venue had been used to detain immigrant families and unaccompanied children since it was renovated in late 2023. ICE contractors known to assist with transferring unaccompanied minors had been observed operating at the Sheraton since June, the source said. They added that other hotels in the area have also been used to hold immigrant families. The reports appear to contradict a Marriott pledge, made during Donald Trumps first term, that ICE would not use its hotels and properties to detain immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It came after sources told ABC News in July 2019 that the Trump administration had internally discussed the possibility of using hotel rooms due to limited capacity in detention centers. Our hotels are not configured to be detention facilities, but to be open to guests and community members as well, a company spokesperson told the news station at the time. While we have no particular insights into whether the U.S. government is considering the use of hotels to aid in the situation at the border, Marriott has made the decision to decline any requests to use our hotels as detention facilities. ICE officials used the popular hotel chains Louisiana premises to detain immigrants, according to two reports (Getty) The American Historical Association, a network of professional historians, released a statement of its appreciation for Marriotts principled stand and noted the importance of immigrants to the hotel and related industries. The hospitality industry is especially susceptible to ICE raids and the Trump administrations immigration crackdown, with a high percentage of undocumented workers in the industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About a third of housekeepers, a quarter of cooks, and one fifth of waitstaff employed by the U.S. hotel industry are undocumented, according to the 2023 census. The Department of Homeland Security issued guidance earlier this year that ICE agents were not to conduct raids at hotels, restaurants, and farms, which was swiftly reversed, The Washington Post reported in June. The Independent has contacted the Department of Homeland Security and Marriott for more information. If you are unvaccinated and exposed to the measles, there is a 90% chance you will become infected. Symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and can include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, white spots inside the mouth, and a distinctive rash. (Getty Images) Idaho reported the states third measles case in the last two weeks, after not reporting any infections this year during a national surge. Health officials say they dont know of a link between the new measles case in Bonner County reported Wednesday and a separate case reported last week in Kootenai County, which are both in North Idaho. That means measles is likely spreading more, said Dr. Christine Hahn, Idahos state epidemiologist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without any link between these two confirmed cases in north Idaho or travel outside of their communities, its reasonable to suspect that there is more measles circulating, Hahn said in a statement. As weve seen with other states around the nation, cases can begin to multiply quickly. Idahos three measles cases are all in unvaccinated children. Vaccination is the best way to prevent measles, which is highly contagious and usually leads to hospitalization for one in five children younger than 5 years old who are infected. Last week, eastern Idaho health officials confirmed a measles case in Bonneville County. But officials said they didnt think the public was exposed. In both regions of Idaho that have seen measles cases this year, the infections are the first reported in more than three decades and came shortly after early signs of the virus locally. Idaho hasnt reported local measles cases since 2023, when an outbreak in southwest Idaho led to 10 infections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. is experiencing the worst outbreak of measles in decades. This year, health officials have confirmed 1,375 measles cases across 41 states by Tuesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC. About 13% of measles cases in the U.S. this year led to hospitalizations, the CDC reports. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Officials encourage people to verify vaccination records Measles is highly contagious but rare. Up to 90% of non-immune people in contact with an infected person can become infected. The virus can live in the air up to two hours after someone infected leaves. Symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a distinctive rash, the CDC says. While many recover without problems, measles can lead to serious complications, especially in very young children and people with weakened immune systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Health officials encourage people to verify their familys vaccination records with their primary care provider or through the Docket App. A person is considered immune if they were born before Jan. 1, 1957, have a documented history of laboratory-confirmed measles or have documentation that they received both doses of the MMR vaccine. Idaho has a spotty record for measles vaccinations, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. The viruss serious complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) and, in rare cases, death. People with measles symptoms should not enter health care settings without calling ahead, and they should contact their health care providers. People exposed to measles should monitor for symptoms for 21 days after exposure. There is no antiviral treatment for measles, according to the CDC. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Defrin: "Our forces already control the outskirts of the city" Netanyahu orders to accelerate operations to seize Hamas's final strongholds in Gaza The IDF has begun the first steps of itsinvasion of Gaza City, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed on Wednesday. Our forces already control the outskirts of the city, he said. Additionally, he confirmed that some 60,000 conscription letters will be sent out this week, with an additional 20,000 to be sent later this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his statement, Defrin confirmed that the IDF is working to provide sufficient spaces for Gazan civilians to safely evacuate, as well as to receive aid and medical care. IDF soldiers ambushed in Khan Yunis Defrin addressed an incident in which IDF soldiers thwarted an attempt by over 15 terrorists to raid an IDF post in Khan Yunis, adding that the military is currently investigating how the incident occurred. Three soldiers were wounded in the incident, with one from the Kfir Brigades 90th Battalion in serious condition. He was evacuated to a hospital, and his family was notified of the incident. Two other soldiers were lightly wounded, the IDF said. Netanyahu, Katz expected to approve plans for Gaza City conquest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz are expected on Thursday to approve the plans for the conquest of Gaza City. The discussion will take place against the backdrop of a Hamas proposal, backed by mediators Egypt and Qatar, for a partial deal that would include the release of 10 living hostages and a 60-day ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of the approval, Netanyahu ordered to shorten the timeline for taking control of the last terrorist strongholds and defeating Hamas. Officials from the mediating countries told The Jerusalem Post that the outline presented is very close to the framework Israel had agreed to a few weeks ago. Yes, there are gaps, but they can be bridged within days, one official said. Israel has maintained ambiguity regarding the proposal. On the one hand, officials stressed again on Wednesday that the goal remains a deal for the release of all the hostages. On the other hand, Israel has not explicitly rejected the proposal submitted. The assessment is that Israel is waiting to see whether the launch of a Gaza City offensive will prompt Hamas to shift toward a comprehensive deal. US Special Envoy to the Middle EastSteve Witkoff told Fox News that three weeks ago, this proposal was on the table, and Hamas dragged us along in negotiations. President Trump declared he was not going to tolerate that any longer, and guess what happened? There was a significant breakthrough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Witkoff added that the president had been very firm and direct in his post, and he wants all the hostages back. That is our position. This conflict must end immediately. Twenty hostages need to be returned to their families. Lets just end this bring peace and tranquility to the people of Gaza and rebuild Gaza the way it should be rebuilt, as the president has outlined, Trumps envoy said. The IAF strikes on the terrorists that fired at the Kfir Brigade post in Khan Yunis on August 20, 2025 (credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) In addition, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with senior Qatari officials in France, a source familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post. The meeting was thought to be the first meeting between a senior Israeli official and Qatari officials since Hamas's response. Boise, Idaho-based freight technology company truckstop.com announced Tuesday that it has acquired Denim, a transportation-focused financial tech business and factoring service that automates invoicing. The strategic acquisition will help both carriers and brokers better manage and increase security for their businesses while also reducing time-to-cash and optimizing back-office processes, according to a truckstop.com news release. Denims significant investments in AI and automation technology can help carriers and brokers process 75% of payments in under one minute. This combined with truckstop.coms expansive freight matching and carrier identity solutions aims to enhance operational stability for businesses. With both Truckstops non-recourse factoring and Denims recourse factoring product, customers will have access to faster payment options along with modernized service and more flexible pricing. We are incredibly excited to welcome Denim to the truckstop.com family, said Scott Moscrip, CEO of truckstop.com, in the release. Carriers and brokers today are demanding tools to help them work more profitably, more efficiently, and more securely. With Denim, we can better deliver across all three of these priorities. Were excited for our carriers and brokers who will experience improved cash flow, lower operating costs, and reduced risk. Joining forces with truckstop.com is a huge win for carriers and brokers, added Denim CEO Bharath Krishnamoorthy. We innovated a best-in-class tool for enabling faster payments and automating complex financial processes, and were excited to be able to bring this value to the industry at scale. The post Truckstop.com acquires Denim for AI-driven invoice solutions appeared first on FreightWaves. Israel has always wrestled with questions of motivation, service, and sacrifice. Yet when tested, the country has rediscovered its resolve. The IDF on Wednesday announced plans to call up some 60,000 reservists over the next two weeks in preparation for a large-scale assault on Gaza City. News of the call-ups will spark speculation about battle fatigue among reservists and their families, how many will report, and how strong their motivation will be. Inevitably, there will be comparisons to the immediate aftermath of October 7, 2023, when some 360,000 reservists were called up in the largest mobilization since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, the response was overwhelming. Israelis cut short trips abroad, postponed studies, left new jobs, and rushed to their units. The figure most often cited was 130% turnout, meaning scores of men and women not even called up reported for duty. Some reservists told of a lack of weapons to hand out to all who showed up. Fast forward nearly two years. The enthusiasm has faded. The war drags on, 50 hostages remain in Gaza, and questions about leadership and strategy weigh heavily. Reservists, who have already put their civilian lives on hold multiple times since October 7, are being asked to do so again. Some openly ask whether their sacrifice was squandered as the IDF returns to areas they have already fought in. Others complain that the war lacks a clear endgame, is being waged for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus political survival, or that it is unconscionable to be called up again while the government seeks to exempt tens of thousands of yeshiva students from service. Yet alongside this disenchantment runs another current: among regular soldiers, the 18- and 19-year-olds who make up the backbone of the IDF, motivation is surging. Surveys show 95% of draft-age youth who are going into the IDF actually do want to serve, with nearly three-quarters of eligible young men volunteering for combat units. Among women, too, more than half of those qualified now express a desire to serve in fighting units, a record high. Israel in 2025: A country weary yet determined This contrast between exhausted reservists and energized conscripts says much about Israel in August 2025. It is a country weary, yet determined; cynical about politics, yet convinced the war against Hamas is existential; fatigued, but far from broken. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaints of reservists and their families are as understandable as they are familiar. After the Second Lebanon War in 2006, after Operation Protective Edge in 2014, and after shorter Gaza campaigns, complaints about low reservist motivation abounded. Numbers were cited illustrating declining turnout, commanders fretted about morale, and commentators wondered whether Israeli society was tiring of seemingly endless wars. But time and again, those predictions have proven exaggerated. When the orders are issued, the reservists perhaps not at 130% but at solid levels report for duty. They may curse the government, complain about the lack of vision, demand an exit strategy, or gripe about a system that exempts large parts of the population, but when the call comes, they lace up their boots. Before Operation Gideons Chariots in May, there was concern that turnout would be no more than 60%. While the IDF does not publicize these figures, the actual percentage far exceeded that, though it was short of the 130% of October 2023. In a Knesset committee meeting in May, Brig.-Gen. Rami Abudraham, then chief of staff of the Ground Forces, put the figure at over 75%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Considering the number of days many reservists have served since October 7, often more than 300, that is impressive. Here lies the paradox: The frustration is real, but so is the commitment. Israelis argue, protest, and grumble and then, for the most part, show up. If the reservists represent the weariness of a society carrying the same burden repeatedly, the regular soldiers represent its renewal. For years, the IDF worried about declining motivation. An IDF survey in 2019 showed only 64% of inductees were interested in combat units, down from 80% in 2010. The trend seemed clear: Individualism, hi-tech aspirations, and a culture that glorified private success over collective sacrifice were eroding the combat ethos. Then came October 7. The Hamas massacre jolted the country and upended assumptions. Suddenly, teenagers who once sought hi-tech tracks like cyber or intelligence saw combat service as the most meaningful contribution they could make. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The numbers are dramatic. According to an IDF survey on motivation from January, reported in Israel Hayom in May, nearly three-quarters of men and more than half of women going into the army said they wanted to serve in combat. This year, 80% of those invited to often-grueling tryouts for elite units showed up, compared to just 55% before the war. This is a strategic asset. While much of the West struggles to fill its military ranks, in Israel now in its longest war since 1948 young people are stepping forward in the greatest numbers in decades, with the glaring exception of most haredi (ultra-Orthodox) and Arab youth. That willingness speaks to a national spirit that, even battered and divided, remains strong. It would be easy to read these stories as contradictory: a tired generation of reservists vs a motivated crop of teenagers. But they are better seen as two sides of the same coin. Reservists fatigue reflects the price of endurance: careers disrupted, businesses shuttered, families strained. Their questions Where is this going? are not the complaints of whiners or shirkers but of citizens who have already given more than most democracies ever ask. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conscripts enthusiasm reflects the renewal of purpose. For them, the current war is not an endless cycle but the defining national challenge of their generation, a moment to prove themselves and their turn to safeguard the country. Together, these realities reveal a society waging war with fatigue and resolve. Israels wars have always been fought by both its fathers and its sons, sometimes literally together. Today, the fathers are growing weary, even as the sons remain eager. And both understand their service is essential. What does this divergence reveal about how Israel views this war? First, despite fatigue, most Israelis still see the war as unavoidable. The reservists may protest, but few refuse outright. Numbers called up are still met, even if the percentages no longer dazzle. Israelis may despair of their leaders, but they do not despair of their country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second, October 7 reminded Israel of its vulnerability. That day shattered the illusion that missile defenses and technological superiority meant security or that the countrys enemies had given up on the dream of trying to destroy the Jewish state. The current generation of conscripts has internalized those lessons and shown that it understands that the states survival depends on them. Finally, for all its divisions, Israeli society still understands the need to fight to survive. Protests continue, politics roil, families of hostages rage at the government. Yet beneath it all lies a common understanding: If Israel does not fight, it does not exist. Israel has always wrestled with questions of motivation, service, and sacrifice. From the earliest days, critics warned that prosperity and modernity would sap the pioneering spirit. Yet, when tested, the country has rediscovered its resolve. The current call-up reflects that pattern. Yes, reservists are weary, and many are angry at the government. But the younger generations determination shows that the national spirit has not been extinguished. It has been passed down, renewed, and even strengthened. That is perhaps the ultimate takeaway: Israel remains a society where the collective still matters. The reservists grumble; the new conscripts burn with youthful zeal. Together, they form an army fighting a war barbarically thrust upon the country unwanted, seemingly endless but one it cannot yet set aside and one both those called back and those just called up know it cannot afford to lose. (Photo by Getty Images) With online gaming expanding across the country, Virginia lawmakers are wrestling with whether to legalize iGaming a move that could bring new revenue but also new challenges. As iGaming makes it possible for users to gamble with a tap on their phone, the tool offers both benefits and hurdles for policymakers considering how to build Virginias gambling market. States like New Jersey have already reaped financial rewards, with that state becoming the nations largest regulated online gaming market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dave Rebuck, a former director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, told the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Feasibility of Establishing the Virginia Gaming Commission at its meeting in Richmond about how his home state authorized and launched the nations first competitive internet gaming market. One key factor Virginia policymakers will need to weigh, Rebuck said, is how to foster cooperation among state and federal leaders, backed by a clear plan. Based on my experience, theres proof in concept to taking a multi-pronged approach to cracking down on the illegal market, with legalization being a critical component to every approach, Rebuck said. But lets not fool ourselves, he added. Unless we have tremendous support and collaboration between government agencies, including the federal government, the status quo of the illegal market and the offshore sites that are engaged in businesses, in every state, are not going to go away. Tuesdays committee meeting zeroed in on iGaming online casino games such as Blackjack, Craps, Poker, Roulette, and Slots that can be played on smartphones, tablets, or computers. Lawmakers heard multiple presentations weighing internet gamblings advantages, drawbacks, and challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters argue internet gaming offers convenience by eliminating the need to travel. But critics note that it presents risks for both consumers and policymakers. Illegal operators, for example, provide no consumer protections and contribute nothing to Virginias Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund. They often target minors and self-excluded individuals, according to Keith Whyte, founder and president of Safer Gambling Strategies, LLC. Whyte added that research consistently shows iGaming is tied to elevated risks of gambling addiction, with the highest rates among men between 18 and 35. Experts further briefed lawmakers on the negative impacts online gaming could have on revenue and jobs at casinos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brianne Doura-Schawohl, founder and CEO of Doura-Schawohl Consulting, also outlined some of the public health and economic concerns tied to online gambling, including higher rates of suicides, substance abuse, and drops in average credit scores, and rising credit card delinquency. According to her presentation, individuals with a gambling disorder are 15 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. Studies have also found that more teenagers are gambling online through the use of loot boxes in video games. I think that the federal government may never come to the table when it comes to addressing the public health issue of problem gambling, Doura-Schawohl said, urging Virginia lawmakers to take action before considering an expansion of the gambling market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres too many things that need to be resolved before if I were in your shoes I would consider doing this, she said. During the last General Assembly Session, lawmakers considered legislation to legalize internet gaming in Virginia. Those proposals ultimately failed to advance out of either chamber, and legislators opted instead to send the issue for further study. iGaming is currently legal in eight states and available to roughly 14% of the U.S. population, Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, said Tuesday. He added that the industry could generate an estimated $5.3 billion in new taxable revenue during its first five years. Senate Bill 827, introduced by Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, would have authorized the Virginia Lottery Board to issue licenses to casino operators for online gaming. Like other proposals, the measure was left in committee to allow for additional study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The subcommittee plans to hold two more meetings before the next General Assembly session begins in January. The next meeting, tentatively scheduled for September, will focus on existing and planned casinos. The final meeting will address broader gaming issues, such as skill games and charitable gaming, all ahead of the 2026 session. Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Spotsylvania, committee chair, said gambling enforcement remains one of his top priorities. That effort, he stressed, begins with creating the Virginia Gaming Control Agency to regulate the industry. We need to get the VGC set up like yesterday and start enforcing the law so we can get a handle on some of these things, Reeves said. Personally, Im not passing any other bills until you all help us get the VGC done, because were just creating more mess and every year that we dont get it passed, creates more and more chaos. Del. Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax, the committees vice chair, echoed Reeves concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaming can continue to be a powerful engine for jobs, revenue and community investment, but its got to be managed responsibly without streamlined oversight, Krizek said. The risks multiply predatory practices, inconsistent rules, heightened risk for problem gambling and loss of public trust. The Virginia Gaming Commission is a step we need to preserve the good, address those challenges, and build a fair, accountable and prosperous gaming industry for everyone in the commonwealth. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The illegal immigrant truck driver who is accused of causing a crash in Fort Pierce, Florida, that killed three people failed English and road sign tests, officials investigating the wreck said. Harjinder Singh, who crossed into the United States illegally in 2018 via the southern border, obtained a commercial driver's license in California. He attempted to obtain work authorization, but it was rejected by the first Trump administration on Sept. 14, 2020, according to Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs. "During [Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's] interview with the driver, investigators administered an English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment in accordance with FMCSA guidance," the Department of Transportation said in a statement. "The driver failed the assessment, providing correct responses to just 2 of 12 verbal questions and only accurately identifying 1 of 4 highway traffic signs." Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old illegal alien from India who was arrested on Aug. 16, 2025. Florida tragedy shows why trumps trucking License crackdown is needed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DOT indicated that the investigation began on Aug. 14, two days after the crash. Singh has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide. He was arrested in Stockton, California, on Saturday. Read On The Fox News App According to the DOT, Singh was issued a regular full-term commercial drivers license in the state of Washington in July 2023, but illegal immigrants are not allowed to obtain this type of license. A year later, Singh was issued a limited-term/non-domiciled commercial driver's license in California. The DOT is investigating further whether the issuance of that license followed federal regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On July 3, the New Mexico State Police pulled Singh over and conducted a roadside inspection of him. He was given a speeding ticket, but not subjected to an English language proficiency test, which was required by law beginning on June 25. Singh allegedly made a U-turn in an unauthorized area on the Florida Turnpike, causing his truck to jackknife and collide with a minivan. The three occupants of the minivan died in the crash. The crash sparked a bitter spat between the office of California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and McLaughlin, as Newsom's office tried to wriggle its way out of responsibility for Singh's work permit. Harjinder Singh, 28, was arrested after allegedly making an unauthorized U-turn in Florida last week that resulted in a crash that left three people dead, officials said. Illegal Immigrant Truck Driver Accused In Deadly Florida Crash Got Biden Work Permit After Trump Denial: Dhs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Hey, genius: the federal government (TRUMP ADMIN) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements YOU issued him a work permit (EAD). As usual, the Trump Administration is either lying or clueless," Newsom's office said in a post on X when criticized by McLaughlin. "False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on September 14, 2020," McLaughlin replied. "It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021. The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses. There is no national CDL." A spokesperson for Newsom told Fox News Digital that Singh was reissued a work permit on April 9, and once again blamed Trump. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and, right, ICE agents Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Killing 3 In Florida Highway Crash Crossed Border Into California In 2018: Dhs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Why dont you ask Trump about the drivers federally issued work permit and when he entered this country?" the spokesperson said in a statement. "Spoiler alert: it was in 2018 under Trump whoops. He would have been eligible in any state. California followed federal law, something the President knows nothing about." "In fact, the driver in this case was reissued an Employment Authorization (work permit) on 4/9/2025 and, if my math is correct, that falls within the current presidential term," the statement continued. Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report. Original article source: Illegal immigrant trucker accused of killing three people failed English, road sign tests: DOT FIRST ON FOX: Two illegal migrants from Guatemala currently living in the U.S. were charged with rape, aggravated sodomy, and the kidnapping of a woman from an Oklahoma casino earlier this week. The victim told police that she was taken by the two illegal migrants against her will from the First Council Casino & Resort in Newkirk, Oklahoma, and was raped and assaulted repeatedly while traveling from Oklahoma to Arkansas City, Kansas. Luis Miguel Dominguez-Barrios, an illegal migrant from Guatemala, crossed the southern border illegally on Aug. 31, 2013, and was subsequently released by the Obama administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dominguez-Barrios had previously been arrested for disorderly conduct, domestic violence, and threatening a law enforcement officer. Two illegal migrants, Luis Miguel Dominguez-Barrios and Jose Fernando-Lux Morales, were charged in Kansas after allegedly kidnapping, raping and assaulting a woman in Kansas. Kristi Noem Reveals Striking New Layer In Trumps Border Wall Strategy Jose Fernando-Lux Morales, who is also an illegal migrant from Guatemala, crossed the southern border illegally as an unaccompanied minor in 2018. Read On The Fox News App Dominguez-Barrios, currently being held on a $1 million bond after being charged with rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated kidnapping, and his alleged accomplice Fernando-Lux Morales is being held on a $500,000 bond for aggravated kidnapping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has also tacked on arrest detainers, which request local law enforcement to notify ICE before potentially releasing criminals from custody, as well as holding individuals for up to 48 hours before their scheduled release time to allow the immigration agency to assume custody. ICE agent on duty. Ice Arrests 65 Illegal Aliens In Sanctuary State Operation Targeting Gangs, Transnational Organized Crime "Depraved, violent predators like Luis Miguel Dominguez-Barrios and Jose Fernando-Lux Morales have no place in our country," Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. "Under President Trump and Secretary Noems leadership, vicious criminals who kidnap and sexually assault women will face the consequences for their heinous crimes and will never be allowed to prey on innocent Americans again." "ICEs arrest detainers ensure these criminal illegal aliens never walk free on U.S. streets again," McLaughlin added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to McLaughlin, DHS has arrested more than 359,000 illegal aliens and removed more than 332,000 as of Monday. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem watches during a vehicle scan during a tour of the San Ysidro Port of Entry, in San Diego, on March 16, 2025. Defend The Homeland: Dhs Unveils Striking New Ice Fleet To Boost Recruitment, Visibility The Department of Homeland Security recently implemented a hiring campaign to recruit additional ICE agents as deportations and arrests ramped up under Secretary Kristi Noem and the Trump administration. Fox News Digital reported last week that more than 100,000 Americans have applied for the role. The Arkansas City, Kansas police department told Fox News Digital they could not comment on an ongoing matter and First Council Casino & Resort in Oklahoma could not be reached for comment. Original article source: Illegal migrants charged with rape, aggravated sodomy and kidnapping of woman in Kansas: ICE URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) In emergency situations, a few moments can be the difference between life and death. And beginning in the new year, 911 dispatchers in Illinois will be even more equipped to help save lives. A new law requires dispatchers across Illinois to be trained in TCPR. Having telecommunicators be able to walk the individual through how to give CPR in a really calm, direct manner can really increase survival rates, Government Relations Director at Illinois American Heart Association, Sarah Lackore, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U of I professor studies disasters, shares Hurricane Katrina findings The law requires telecommunicators to be skilled in two things: recognizing when cardiac arrest has occurred, and knowing how to walk the caller through performing CPR. 350,000 people suffer from a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital each year, but only 10% survive. That time in between when an individual collapses and when EMS arrives is incredibly important. For every minute that CPR is delayed, chance of survival decreases by 10%. So, getting CPR started as soon as possible is incredibly important and really increases chances of survival, Lackore said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though this law is new at the state level, it isnt new in Champaign County. Metcad in Urbana already had required training prior to the state law passing. Employees there train on CPR and AEDs. Not everybody in our surrounding communities or counties provides the same level of care that we can right now, Metcad telecommunicator supervisor, Brent Daugherty, said. Thats paying it forward; Neighbors work together, pull young boy out of Champaign pond Lackore added that she belives the training is important in rural counties, because the longer EMS takes, the lower the chance of survival is. And, this legislation is personal for her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have several family members who have heart conditions. So, knowing that if my beloved ones or anyones loved ones were to suffer a cardiac arrest, that the information is there to help them survive at least until the EMS arrives, Lackore said. The law gives every dispatcher in the state a chance to be an everyday hero. So, to ensure that somebody has the ability to make the 911 call and be given instructions, it really turns everyone into a lifesaver, Lackore said. The law goes into effect on January 1st, 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. (The Center Square) The Illinois Governor has signed House Bill 2589, which requires pharmacists to sell sterile hypodermic needles to patients who need them for medication. Essentially, the law shifts the sale from a discretionary choice to a required, health-guided practice. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2026. Supporters say the law ensures safe access and reduces disease risks, while critics warn it could make needles easier to obtain for illegal drug use and create public safety concerns. State Rep. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, and a handful of Republicans in the House never voted on the measure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It shouldnt just be where you can walk into a pharmacy and get up to 100 needles, Cabello said. There should be some proof that its for legitimate medical use. A handful of Republicans in the Senate voted no. Former Democrat candidate for the 40th Senate District, Kimberly Earling, whose family has been personally affected by drug addiction, said the law could have prevented her daughter from contracting hepatitis C, emphasizing that safe access to clean needles can lower mortality rates and disease risks for intravenous drug users. An addict is going to use whether the needles are available or not, Earling said. Yes, it enables them, but it also prevents a lower mortality rate because they're in a safe environment. No matter where she [her daughter Samantha] went to use, I was able to provide Narcan and clean needles to ensure she was in the safest environment possible." Pharmacists can still exercise professional judgment, providing counseling or referrals instead of relying on discretionary judgment. The law replaces the previous may with shall, making the sale mandatory for anyone 18 or older. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cabello, a law enforcement officer, never voted on the measure, but stressed that additional safeguards, such as requiring a prescription for larger quantities, could help prevent potential abuse. "My fear is that the needles could fall into the wrong hands and be used to shoot up illicit drugs, said Cabello. Earling, challenged incumbent state Sen. Patrick Joyce in part due to the districts growing drug problem. "Samantha actually contracted hepatitis C from sharing needles because, when she first started using, clean needles werent accessible. In the early 2000s, the law changed so people could walk into a pharmacy to obtain sterile needles," said Earling. "I think more could be done at the state level if they required an in-hospital inpatient stay or a one-week detox, something along those lines, rather than just monitoring vitals and giving a brochure." In Illinois, the prescription requirement for purchasing hypodermic needles was removed on July 25, 2003, when Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed Senate Bill 880 into law. Governor bans school fines Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation that bans schools from issuing fines or citations to students for breaking school rules or committing municipal code violations on school grounds during school hours. Senate Bill 1519 also requires school districts to report the number of students who were referred to a law enforcement agency or official and the number of referrals to law enforcement that students received. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tax incentives used for battery storage expansion A green energy company is taking advantage of state tax incentives to expand its manufacturing headquarters in Kane County. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Richardson Electronics would invest $8.5 million over the next four years with support from the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) program. The project to develop next-generation battery energy storage system (BESS) technologies is expected to create 54 new jobs. Target fires hundreds over fraud scheme A Target spokesperson says the company has terminated Chicago team members found in violation of the companys code of ethics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement came after Block Club Chicago reported that Target fired hundreds of workers at a distribution facility after they allegedly defrauded the companys medical benefits program. Target said it has put measures in place to prevent such activity. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) A massive sporting goods store, Scheels, is making its way to the Oklahoma City metro. The over 300,000 square foot store will be located west of Lake Hefner Parkway, just north of Memorial Road. Inside, youll find not only sporting goods, but also a Ferris wheel, an aquarium, and many other attractions. While the excitement grows, some small businesses worry what it could mean for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, when those box stores come in, stores like this, were impacted and in some cases even have to close, said Michael Stranz, owner, Lucky Lure Tackle. Lucky Lure Tackle has been around since 2008. Theyve weathered the arrival of other big box stores like Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops, but now with another coming to town, their future is uncertain. Youre going to want to go see it, that can have a big impact on a store, even if its only for a week, a month. You know, when its a small store that can really impact your revenue, said Stranz. LOCAL: Congresswoman Bice talks potential research budget cuts at biotech traveling series Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stranz says everyone on his team fishes, and that they focus on the customer service, something he believes big box stores cant match. Were the ones that provide the local knowledge, the local support, and get them the things they need so they can grow in angling and things of that nature, said Stranz. Being a local business, Lucky Lure Tackle also likes to give back to the community. I think people might be surprised to know that, you know, just last year alone, we had 217 requests for support, you know, fire departments, police departments, schools, theres a lot of younger juvenile type events going on for fishing, said Stranz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the volume of customers dictates how much they can give back. While Stranz understands that competition is part of the American way, he hopes Oklahomans dont forget about the small businesses like his. On the other hand, Oklahoma City leaders say Scheels is worth the investment. City council approved an $8 million pay-for-performance package to bring Scheels to town, meaning a portion of the sales tax you pay will go back to the store. Scheels is set to open in 2028. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Indias leader hailed stable ties with Beijing after meeting Chinas foreign minister on Tuesday, as the Asian neighbors both under pressure from Washington look to rebuild relations. In what an Indian official called an upward trend in ties after a 2020 border clash, Beijing vowed to address New Delhis need for rare earths, and Indias prime minister confirmed he would soon make his first visit to China in seven years. Analysts say the easing of tensions could gain momentum from US President Donald Trumps tariff threats on both. Renowned for his claims of mediating peace between rival nations, Trump may have inadvertently set the stage for an unexpected thaw in India-China ties, The Times of India wrote. Russia said it expects India to keep buying its oil despite US tariff threats, which have propelled New Delhi to strengthen relations with Moscow and Beijing. A Russian envoy proposed a special mechanism to continue supplying crude to India, which has resisted Washingtons demands that it halt purchases. The remarks came during a week in which Indias prime minister hosted Chinas foreign minister, and spoke by phone with his friend, Russian President Vladimir Putin for the second time this month; Putin is also expected to visit India this year. With New Delhi facing hefty US tariffs if it keeps buying Russian oil, Beijing and Moscow are presenting themselves as more reliable partners. Trumps bill faced significant opposition before it eventually passed through Congress - Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg Donald Trumps tariffs could generate enough revenues to cover the costs of his sweeping tax cuts, according to one of the worlds biggest credit rating agencies. S&P Global said the economic impact of the US presidents one big beautiful bill act which was signed into law in July and includes $3.7 trillion (2.7 trillion) of tax cuts over the next 10 years could be offset by his aggressive trade war. The agencys optimistic outlook for the Act led to it holding firm on its AA+ long-term rating for the US. That is in contrast to fellow credit ratings agency Moodys, which downgraded the US from the gold standard AAA sovereign debt rating in May amid concerns about ballooning debt. S&P Global suggested tariffs could soften the blow to the US public finances. Lisa Schineller, an analyst at S&P, said: Amid the rise in effective tariff rates, we expect meaningful tariff revenue to generally offset weaker fiscal outcomes that might otherwise be associated with the recent fiscal legislation, which contains both cuts and increases in tax and spending. At this time, it appears that meaningful tariff revenue has the potential to offset the deficit-raising aspects of the recent budget legislation. This will serve to strengthen Mr Trumps controversial tax-cutting bill, which was branded a disgusting abomination by billionaire Elon Musk earlier this year. The bill faced significant opposition before it eventually passed through Congress, with many critics warning it would increase Americas vast debt pile. It comes after Mr Trump was recently embroiled in a row with Goldman Sachs about the impact of his tariffs on the US economy. The president criticised David Solomon, the Goldman boss, by claiming that he should not bother running a major financial institution after the bank said American companies would start passing on the costs from tariffs to consumers. He urged Mr Solomon to focus on being a DJ, in reference to the Goldman bosss previous hobby moonlighting as a disc jockey under the moniker DJ D-Sol. The US reported a $21bn jump in customs duty collections from Mr Trumps tariffs in July. However, in the same month, the government budget deficit grew by nearly 20pc to $291bn. Concerns about the US debt pile have sent the cost of government borrowing higher, with the US 30-year Treasury bond yield peaking at 5.09pc in May although it has since fallen back to 4.94pc. Since returning to the White House in January, Mr Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs on global trading partners. The president set a baseline 10pc tariff on all imports to the US, with various additional duties imposed on different countries and products. India said Wednesday it had successfully test-fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile which, when operational, should be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to any part of China. The Agni-5 missile was successfully launched in India's eastern Odisha state, with authorities saying it "validated all operational and technical parameters." India and China, the world's two most populous nations, are intense rivals competing for influence across South Asia and relations plummeted in 2020 after a deadly border clash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement India is also part of the Quad security alliance with the United States, Australia and Japan, which is seen as a counter to China. India's bitter rival Pakistan has nuclear weapons as well and the two countries came to close to war in May after militants killed 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir, an attack New Delhi blamed on Islamabad. But Pakistan denied any involvement. Caught in global trade and geopolitical turbulence triggered by US President Donald Trump's tariff war, Delhi and Beijing have moved to mend ties. Last October, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the first time in five years at a summit in Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Modi is expected to make his first visit to China since 2018 later this month to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) -- a regional security bloc. Ties between New Delhi and Washington, meanwhile, have been strained by Trump's ultimatum that India end its purchases of Russian oil, a key source of revenue for Moscow as it wages its military offensive in Ukraine. The United States says it will double new import tariffs on India from 25 percent to 50 percent by August 27 if New Delhi does not switch crude suppliers. The Agni-5 is one of a number of indigenously produced short- and medium-range Indian ballistic missiles aimed at boosting its defence posture against Pakistan, as well as China. pzb/bjt/dw The Indiana Commission for Higher Education is set to vote for its new leader on Aug. 22, and its top pick is Indianas Secretary of Education, Katie Jenner. If the vote is approved, Jenner would keep her position as the state-appointed official overseeing Indianas entire K-12 education system, while simultaneously heading up the higher education commission. In a news release from the higher education commission, Gov. Mike Braun said the move aligns with his new vertical structure across state government to streamline operations, increase accountability and transparency, and improve customer service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also said having all education under one leader is the "logical next step" that will keep students "top of mind every step of their educational journey." The former higher education commissioner, Chris Lowery, announced in July that he would be stepping down from the role and his official departure will take effect on Oct. 10. He was appointed to the position in 2022 and said during his announcement to step down that a recent health scare is what prompted his decision, according to Indiana Capital Chronicle. Lowery will work with Jenner and other commission members to transition her into the role over the next few weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 14-member board for the commission is all appointed by the governor. Jenner was appointed Indianas first secretary of education in 2021, after the General Assembly passed a law to change the position from being an elected one to an appointed one. More Higher Ed news: Indiana public colleges cut or merge a fifth of degree programs, more could come She holds a doctorate degree in education from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from Indiana State University. She has also served as Governor Eric Holcombs Senior Education Advisor, vice president of K-12 initiatives and statewide partnerships for Ivy Tech Community College and was a teacher in Madison Consolidated Schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission said that some of Jenners key areas of focus moving forward will be: Making higher education more affordable and accessible Increasing educational attainment for all Hoosiers Helping more students earn college credits or credentials of value before graduating Support the implementation of the states new high school diploma requirements. Ensuring higher education preparation programs are preparing future teachers with evidence-based instructional tools in reading and math. Streamlining higher education degree programs to align with student and industry demand and maximize student outcomes. Jenners work on streamlining degrees would follow the move of public state colleges and universities already cutting roughly 400 degree programs ahead of a new state law that is meant to consolidate under-enrolled degree programs. Contact IndyStar K-12 education reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or CBeck@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter (X): @CarolineB_Indy. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Braun chooses Katie Jenner to lead Indiana's Higher Education commission Secretary of Education Katie Jenner addresses lawmakers during a budget committee hearing on Dec. 16, 2024. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The Indiana Commission for Higher Education will hold a special meeting Friday to approve Secretary of Education Katie Jenner as the states next commissioner for higher education. If successful, she would begin the role Oct. 11 leading both the Indiana Department of Education and the higher education commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jenner has served as Indianas top K-12 education official since 2021. She was tapped by former Gov. Eric Holcomb and remained in the role after Gov. Mike Brauns inauguration earlier this year. Immediately upon taking office, my administration launched a new vertical structure across state government to streamline operations, increase accountability and transparency, and improve customer service, Braun said in a news release. As we continue to identify ways to better serve Hoosier taxpayers, having a proven, consistent leader directly overseeing both K-12 and higher education is the logical next step and will ensure that the best interest of our students remains top of mind every step of their educational journey. Chris Lowery, who has led the commission since 2022, announced in July he would step down in October. Its not clear if or how much Jenners pay could increase if confirmed by the 14-member CHE board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She currently earns $275,00 per year as education secretary, according to the Indiana Transparency Portal. Lowery earns just shy of $238,000 per year. The education secretarys salary is determined by the governor, per state law. The General Assembly approved a specific appropriation for CHE in each state budget. The agency received $7.3 million per year in the biennial budget that took effect in July. Jenners new duties In the new dual role, Jenners priorities would include affordability, educational attainment, aligning degrees with industry needs, and supporting the states new high school diploma requirements, according to the commission. Indiana Education Secretary Katie Jenner chats with a student as part of tour to rethink Hoosier high schools.(Photo from Sec. Katie Jenners Twitter) Lowery said he plans to work with Jenner and commission leadership in the coming weeks to transition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Secretary Jenner is a strong advocate for increasing educational attainment for all Hoosier students from kindergarten through college, Lowery said in a statement. The logical next step of Secretary Jenner assuming the role of Commissioner will offer clarity and consistency for the Commission, while continuing to drive our mission and deliver better results for Indiana students, employers, and our state. Jenner holds a doctorate in education from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from Indiana State University. She previously served as Holcombs senior education adviser, vice president of K-12 initiatives for Ivy Tech Community College, and a school administrator and teacher in Madison. Fridays vote is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Indianapolis. The commissions next regularly scheduled meeting is Sept. 18 at Vincennes University in Jasper. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Indiana U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, a Republican representing Northeast Indiana, has joined several world leaders and other federal lawmakers in calling for President Donald Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Stutzman, who represents the 3rd Congressional District, on Aug. 19 penned a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee with U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The congressmen in the letter highlight what they cite as accomplishments from Trump's first term and the initial months of his second term this year, including the Aug. 15 summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Aug. 18 meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders. "His decisive leadership in securing landmark diplomatic agreements, deescalating global conflicts, and actively pursuing peaceful resolutions to some of the worlds most entrenched disputes has led and continues to lead to a more peaceful world," Ogles and Stutzman write in the letter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Nobel Peace Prize is expected to be announced in October, but world leaders have lined up this summer to recommend Trump for the award. The Pakistan government in June announced it would formally nominate Trump following a four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in May. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in July shared a letter with Trump, which he said he used to nominate the president for the award. In August, Cambodian Prime Minister said he nominated Trump for advocating for a ceasefire between the Cambodian and Thai armies. So did the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan after a "peace summit" with Trump on Aug. 8. Stutzman, in a statement to IndyStar called Trump the "president of peace." "There is no one on the planet more deserving of this year's Nobel Prize and multiple world leaders have recognized that," Stutzman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USA TODAY contributed to this story. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com. Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, curated by IndyStar politics and government reporters. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize (COLORADO SPRINGS) A missing indigenous alert has been issued by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a missing indigenous woman who was last seen in the Downtown area. According to the CBI, 31-year-old Mary Margaret Checketts was last seen in the 70 block of South Sierra Madre Street, just south of Antlers Park. She was last seen walking in the area and was wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and white yoga pants with flowers on them. Mary Margaret Checketts missing indigenous Mary Margaret Checketts missing indigenous Checketts is described as Chippewa indigenous, with brown hair and green eyes. She is 53 tall and weighs approximately 115 pounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If anyone has seen Checketts or knows where she is, you are asked to contact the El Paso County Sheriffs Office at (719) 390-5555. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BERLIN (Reuters) -China's assertiveness in the South China Sea and tensions in the Taiwan Strait pose threats to international security that also impact Europe, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said during a visit to Indonesia on Wednesday. "China's growing military assertiveness in the South China Sea not only threatens Asia's security, but also undermines the international rules-based order as a whole," Wadephul said in a speech at a foreign policy event, adding that essential trade routes were also at risk as a result. On the Taiwan Strait, the minister said: "Any escalation would have serious consequences for global security and prosperity and directly affect German and European interests, too." (Reporting by Rachel MoreEditing by Ludwig Burger) An inmate who was mistakenly released from a New Orleans jail has been captured following a nearly monthlong manhunt, authorities announced Wednesday. Khalil Bryan, 30, was released from the Orleans Justice Center on July 25 due to a "human failure" that led to two deputies being fired, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office. He was "safely apprehended" in Texas after an anonymous tip led to "critical information on his whereabouts," the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: 2 deputies fired after inmate mistakenly released from jail: Sheriff's office "We are grateful to the community member who stepped forward through Crimestoppers to provide the information that ultimately led to Mr. Bryan's arrest," Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said in a statement. "This shows the power of community partnership in keeping our city safe." Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans said the tip was "immediately processed by our liaisons with the US Marshals Gulf State Violent Offender Task Force and through their network with partnering agencies" and Bryan was arrested Wednesday morning. Crimestoppers had been offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to his capture. Google Maps Street View - PHOTO: Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans. Bryan will be transported back to New Orleans to face pending charges, the sheriff's office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of his mistaken release, Bryan was being held on charges including possession of stolen property, drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer, according to the New Orleans Police Department. He also has an active warrant for aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse, child endangerment and home invasion, it said. MORE: 1 of final 2 New Orleans jail escapees found after sheriff received tip: Police Bryan was erroneously released when he was confused with another inmate with the same last name during the jail's overnight release process and his identity was not properly verified, according to the sheriff's office. The human error was "compounded by inadequate protocol adherence," it said. Two deputies were subsequently terminated for a "severe breach of duty and process," the sheriff's office said. Five staff members were also suspended "due to procedural failures and negligence" during the identity verification process, it said. Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office - PHOTO: A photo of Khalil Bryan released by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office said it is further implementing changes, including additional training on the release process and a mandatory review of all inmate releases by a supervisor, in response to the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The people of New Orleans deserve a secure and accountable jail system," Hutson said Wednesday. "While this erroneous release happened due to human failure, we have held those responsible accountable and we have taken responsibility and put safeguards in place." The Orleans Justice Center is the same jail where 10 inmates escaped in May. One remains on the lam. During this story, WTAJ spoke with inmates at SCI Somerset. Per the Department of Corrections policy, their faces were not filmed, and their names are not being used. SOMERSET, Pa. (WTAJ) Some four-legged friends at SCI Somerset are getting ready for their next adventure. A dozen puppies and a few adult dogs are being trained inside the prison by inmates. Dogs are no strangers to correctional facilities in the Commonwealth. According to the state, training programs began in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections in 2001 when Canine Partners for Life partnered with SCI Cambridge Springs. Since then, puppy programs have expanded to nearly every state prison in Pennsylvania, including SCI Somerset, whose program started in 2015. Its called K-9 Connection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4-day blitz build begins in Johnstown for veteran receiving free home The prison works with Canine Partners for Life(CPL) and got the nine-week-old puppies, who are learning basic and behavioral commands. We are the only state institution that takes puppies and whelps for CPL. CPL works with six institutions, five of them in the state of Pennsylvania. But were the only one who gets puppies, Billie Heide, Program Manager for K-9 Connection at SCI Somerset. Heide said the puppies are weaned from the mom and start service training shortly after. WTAJ spoke with an inmate who has been a handler with the program since it started. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being in a prison environment and having a dog is a blessing. And you dont take it for granted. And, to train a service dog here as an inmate thats going to go out in the community and change someones life, its [a] pretty good privilege to be able to do that. You know, give back to society and be part of something thats outside of the institution, an inmate said. K-9 Connection is also supported solely by the inmates. They have the opportunity to buy commissary items, and the funds go to support the program, the dog food, the toys, everything that wraps around it, Heide said. The puppies are taught almost everything at the prison, including how to behave and stay calm, to close a drawer, push a button, carry an object, and turn on a light switch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Training happens practically 24/7, because the puppies are always learning new behaviors. Weve had three other dogs, two of which went off to become bomb sniffing dogs. They worked, Giant Stadium during the Super Bowl. Theyve gotten multiple awards for some of their work, and then we just recently had a dog, Simon, who went off to San Francisco, California, to become an accelerant detection dog for a firehouse out there, another inmate said. The puppies are leaving the prison on Wednesday. Canine Partners for Life will pick up the dogs and officially name them before placing them with community volunteers. The dogs will learn other skills that theyre unable to learn inside the prison. We have recipients who come back and talk about how their lives changed. You just understand its part of the process. These guys are going out, and theyre going to do great things for people who desperately need them. The waiting list for individuals with disabilities is extensive. So the more that we can do to help with that, the better it is, Heide said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heide said its not a goodbye forever, but more of a see you later. At six months old, the puppies will return to any of the state prisons that Canine Partners for Life works with, and refine their skills until they reach one or one and a half years old. Heide is working with CPL to ensure inmates will leave with a certification to use as a reentry tool. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. Community volunteers are always needed. To become a volunteer, visit the CPL 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 WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. Pole Bicycles, a recognizable Finnish bike brand that made waves with its beautiful CNC-machined and bonded alloy frames, filed for bankruptcy in 2024. Just over a year later, they have some exciting news, and they are selling HEAVILY discounted prototype and one-off frames to resurrect the brand. Pole is known for its unique CNC manufacturing process, which has been recognized globally and makes its bikes quite recognizable. Many of us have lusted after Pole frames, and they saw booming success in 2020 and 2021, but the COVID boom and bust hit the Finnish brand hard. In April of 2024, the brand was unable to recover from the COVID-induced downturn and was forced to file for bankruptcy. But today, Leo Kokkonen, the CEO of Pole, has posted a video on Instagram announcing that the brand is working on liquidating old frames, some of which are 1-of-a-kind prototype models, to amass funds to bring the brand back to life. Machine Frameset from Pole Bicycles Photo: Pole Bicycles Photo: Pole Bicycles View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article A brief explanation of the situation is available on the Pole Bicycles website, which sheds some light on the situation. Were excited to announce that we have acquired certain assets of Pole Bicycle Company Oy, including intellectual property rights and specific product lines, the statement reads, likely alluding to the acquisition of more prototype frames, parts, and manufacturing tools to resurrect the brand. Heavy discounts, and many have already sold! Our goal is to relaunch the brand fully, step by step. We are set up to make spare parts, and later we start making frames. While we embark on this new chapter, its important to acknowledge that Pole Bicycle Company Oy has filed for bankruptcy and is currently under receivership, continued the statement on the website. For inquiries regarding debts owed to Pole Bicycle Company Oy or unreceived products, please contact the appointed receiver. Stay tuned for more updates on the future of Pole Bicycles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While this is exciting for the brand and anyone who has always wanted to ride a Pole, it will be interesting to see how it can recover. This story was originally reported by BikeMag on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add BikeMag as a Preferred Source by clicking here. BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Randy Whites horror began on the afternoon of June 14, 1982. A man named Kayle Barrington Bates was hiding inside an insurance office off of Highway 77 in Lynn Haven, waiting for Whites wife, Renee, to return from lunch. Bates dragged Renee White into the woods behind the office, attempted to rape her, then beat and stabbed her to death. He was convicted and sentenced to death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then on Tuesday, 43 years later, the state of Florida carried out Kayle Batess sentence. Florida carries out death sentence for Kayle Barrington Bates Bates refused a last meal and declined to speak any last words. The lethal injection was administered at 6:01 p.m. ET, and by 6:17 p.m., Bates was pronounced dead. At long last, Randy White got the justice for Renee that he waited 43 years to witness. On behalf of myself and everyone who knew and loved Renee, I want to thank our Governor, Ron DeSantis, for finally carrying out this final phase so we can close this chapter once and for all, Randy White said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Bates declined to give any last words, he deprived Randy White of an apology. He never confessed to Renee Whites murder. Randy White said he forgave Kayle Bates years ago, but will never forget what he did. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) President Donald Trump wants the U.S. government to own a piece of Intel, less than two weeks after demanding the Silicon Valley pioneer dump the CEO that was hired to turn around the slumping chipmaker. If the goal is realized, the investment would deepen the Trump administration's involvement in the computer industry as the president ramps up the pressure for more U.S. companies to manufacture products domestically instead of relying on overseas suppliers. Whats happening? The Trump administration is in talks to secure a 10% stake in Intel in exchange for converting government grants that were pledged to Intel under President Joe Biden. If the deal is completed, the U.S. government would become one of Intel's largest shareholders and blur the traditional lines separating the public sector and private sector in a country that remains the world's largest economy. Why would Trump do this? In his second term, Trump has been leveraging his power to reprogram the operations of major computer chip companies. The administration is requiring Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, two companies whose chips are helping to power the craze around artificial intelligence, to pay a 15% commission on their sales of chips in China in exchange for export licenses. Trumps interest in Intel is also being driven by his desire to boost chip production in the U.S., which has been a focal point of the trade war that he has been waging throughout the world. By lessening the country's dependence on chips manufactured overseas, the president believes the U.S. will be better positioned to maintain its technological lead on China in the race to create artificial intelligence. Didnt Trump want Intels CEO to quit? That's what the president said August 7 in an unequivocal post calling for Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan to resign less than five months after the Santa Clara, California, company hired him. The demand was triggered by reports raising national security concerns about Tan's past investments in Chinese tech companies while he was a venture capitalist. But Trump backed off after Tan professed his allegiance to the U.S. in a public letter to Intel employees and went to the White House to meet with the president, who applauded the Intel CEO for having an amazing story. Why would Intel do a deal? The company isn't commenting about the possibility of the U.S. government becoming a major shareholder, but Intel may have little choice because it is currently dealing from a position of weakness. After enjoying decades of growth while its processors powered the personal computer boom, the company fell into a slump after missing the shift to the mobile computing era unleashed by the iPhones 2007 debut. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Along the quiet banks of the Rio Grande, an ecological battle rages just beneath the surfaceone with growing urgency as drought and wildfire risks intensify across New Mexico. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The enemy is a familiar one: salt cedar, also known as tamarisk. Introduced in the early 1900s to help with riverbank erosion, the invasive shrub has since entrenched itself in the rivers ecosystem for decades, outcompeting native species, depleting water sources with its deep roots, and fueling fires with its flammable leaves, stems, and oils. Our bosque plants are suffering right now with the drought and the lack of water in the river, said Sarah Hurteau, Resilient Cities Program Director for the nonprofit Sig-Nal. That really becomes a problem when you have invasive species like this salt cedar that are taking up all of the available water and not leaving much for the native vegetation. Salt cedar is uniquely resilient. It can survive fire, regenerate after cutting, and even sprout from fragments carried by floodwaters. Mechanical mastication may clear the plant temporarily, but it often stimulates the root systemleading to even more vigorous regrowth over time. These traits make salt cedar exceptionally difficult to eradicate. It takes many, many years of active management and retreatment to remove this plant, Hurteau said. In 2023, Albuquerque Open Space and the Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District cleared 192 acres of salt cedar, dry brush, and other invasive species near Tingley Beach. The effort, funded by FEMA, was aimed at reducing wildfire risk and helping native plants recover. While this project to reduce the fuel hazards cost around a million dollars, it was money well spent, said Hurteau. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crews primarily rely on hand-thinning and targeted herbicide applications to control the plant, which must be re-treated for multiple seasons. But experts say success will depend on collaboration and strategy across all levels of government and conservation groups. We have to have a targeted approach and see the areas where we can take advantage of opportunities, where we can work with partners and collaborators to maximize our management and funding availability, said Lindsey Quam, Deputy State Forester and Tribal Liaison for the NM Forest Division. It almost forces us to be good partners with one another that all care about the bosque and helps us be strategic. The states 2020 Forest Action Plan identifies northern stretches of the Rio Grande as a priority for removal efforts, noting that infestations upstream can quickly undo progress made downstream. Quam said several factors are contributing to the Rio Grande running dry this year. But when asked why people should be concerned about the presence of salt cedar, he pointed to the broader implications. Without water, none of us are going to be here. None of our cities can grow, Quam said. It can impact our economies as well. Yes, its one little tree in an entire system, but it can have significant impacts that people dont think about. Additional efforts are planned this fall. The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is scheduled to begin another round of salt cedar removal after September. 15, once migratory bird species have left the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has started an enforcement investigation into the legal planning status of a County Antrim hotel being used to house asylum seekers. It comes after unionist politicians raised questions following a court ruling in England, which granted a district council a temporary injunction to block asylum seekers from lodging at a hotel in Essex. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA Trevor Clarke had asked Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council whether any change of use had been sought for the Chimney Corner Hotel to house asylum seekers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hotel has been the subject of some anti-immigration protests over the past 12 months. Clarke, a South Antrim MLA, and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MP for the area, Robin Swann said the council had opened a planning enforcement investigation into the status of the hotel. Clarke said: "The High Court decision makes it clear that housing asylum seekers in hotels without first securing a "change of use" through the proper planning process (from hotel to hostel or immigration centre accommodation) constitutes a breach of planning regulations. "No one is above the law, not even government departments. If the Home Office or its contractors wish to place large numbers of illegal immigrants into our communities, they must follow the same planning rules as everyone else." Trevor Clarke says some other hotels in Northern Ireland are being used to house asylum seekers [PA Media] Clarke claimed that some other hotels in Northern Ireland are also being used to house asylum seekers and that he was not aware of any of them having secured a change of use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: "This issue isn't just about the specifics of the need for proper planning approval. It highlights the lack of proper oversight and control in terms of the entire UK immigration system. "The fact these hotels do not have the proper planning approval to house asylum seekers is merely a symptom of the overall problem." Speaking to BBC News NI on Wednesday, Clarke said he did not think "the public purse paying for hotels is appropriate". "So if these people are genuinely running from war-torn countries then disused army barracks sounds like a good option," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council said it had "no further comment to make at this time". The Home Office, which operates the housing of asylum seekers at hotels in the UK, has also been asked for comment. The company that represents the Chimney Corner Hotel has also been approached by BBC News NI. On Wednesday afternoon, DUP MLA Stephen Dunne said that he has written to Ards and North Down Borough Council's planning office "regarding the ongoing use of the Marine Court Hotel in Bangor to house asylum seekers". He said the High Court ruling in England "makes clear that such use without a formal change of use planning application is a breach of planning law". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No one is above the law, including the Home Office, or any other government department, and it's important that everyone is treated equally under the law," he said. "The fact these hotels may not have the proper planning approval to house asylum seekers is merely a symptom of a wider issue." Meanwhile, Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister said he has written to local councils to ask if there are any properties in their district "whose planning permission is for hotel use, but which are being used to house migrants". "If so, will the council, in light of the finding in the Epping case that such use is not compatible with planning permission for hotel use, be taking action to ensure such non-compliant use is terminated?," he has asked. 'Political bandwagon' Speaking to BBC News NI, Patrick Corrigan from Amnesty International said there is a "political bandwagon rolling, so it's no surprise that some people in Northern Ireland, some politicians here, have decided to jump onto it". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Amnesty International, to be clear, we have long raised concerns that hotels are wholly unsuitable for housing people, particularly families, who are seeking asylum," Mr Corrigan said. "But simply moving people on or pushing people out of hotels without a clear, safe and sustainable alternative, it really risks deepening the problem for them." Mr Corrigan said there is need for urgent investment and appropriate accommodation for asylum seekers "rather than these sorts of challenges which ultimately will leave very vulnerable people with nowhere left to live". More on this story Authorities are asking for the publics help to locate a person of interest in a gruesome triple homicide in the Antelope Valley. The victims, two men and a woman, were found around 4:45 p.m. Sunday in a remote stretch of road in the desert near Lancaster. A Google Maps satellite image of the remote northeastern area of Antelope Valley where two men and a woman were found shot to death on Aug. 17, 2025. The two male victims were fatally shot in a truck which was attached to a camper trailer, while the woman was gunned down in a nearby car. All three were pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Very little information has been released about the killings, with the identities of the victims still yet to be released. But on Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department issued a call for public assistance in locating a man who has been identified as a person of interest in the case. Axel Trevino, 32, is shown in this undated mugshot provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. LASD officials say Axel Abel Trevino, 32, is wanted in connection with the killing. Trevino is described as 5 feet 9 inches and weighing around 180 pounds. Officials said he was last seen driving a silver 2021 Nissan Altima near the scene of the shooting at the intersection of 215th Street E and Avenue Q. A vehicle associated with Axel Trevino, the person of interest in a triple homicide in the Antelope Valley on Aug. 17, 2025. (Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department) A photo of Trevinos vehicle was shared Tuesday, showing visible damage on the passenger-side front quarter panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone whos seen either Trevino or the vehicle is urged to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be provided online or by calling 800-222-8477. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Local law enforcement officials said they have looked into the reported sighting of a missing 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro in Central California on Wednesday. Our investigators have followed up on the reported sightings of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro, but he has not yet been located, the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department stated in an update on the investigation on Wednesday. Earlier in the morning, the Sheriffs Department confirmed with KTLA 5 that they had been made aware of the reported sighting in Kern County, but were unaware of the exact location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know the community is deeply concerned about this case, and we will continue to provide information, to the extent it does not jeopardize the investigation, the latest update stated. Haro was reported missing on Aug. 14 after his mother said he was taken from the parking lot of a Big 5 Sporting Goods Store in Yucaipa when a stranger allegedly knocked his mother unconscious as she was changing his diaper. Emmanuel Haro was last seen on the 34000 block of Yucaipa Boulevard in Yucaipa before he went missing in a suspected kidnapping on Aug. 14, 2025. (KTLA) Rebecca and Jake Haro are pleading for the publics help as they search for their missing 7-month-old baby in Yucaipa. (KTLA) Emmanuel Haro, a missing 7-month-old baby from Yucaipa, is seen in an image provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. Jake and Rebecca Haro at press availability where they pleaded for the sons safe return. (KTLA) San Bernardino County Sheriffs investigators seen on the Haros Cabazon property on Aug. 18, 2025. (KTLA) San Bernardino County Sheriffs investigators seen on the Haros Cabazon property on Aug. 18, 2025. (KTLA) A small alter outside the Big 5 Sporting Goods store where Emmanuel was allegedly kidnapped on Aug. 14, 2025. (RMB News) To this point, the focus of the investigation into the babys disappearance has focused on his parents, Jake and Rebecca Haro. Authorities, noting inconsistencies in his mothers accounts, began to suspect the story was fabricated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sheriffs Department said it had confronted Rebecca Haro about the inconsistencies and decided it was not able to rule out foul play in the boys disappearance. Jake Haro has since obtained an attorney. While Emmanuels father has retained an attorney, if the parents choose to work with detectives, we welcome their cooperation as we continue efforts to locate Emmanuel, the Sheriffs Department said. A fire was also reported on Wednesday morning on the property next door to the Haro residence in Cabazon. At this time, we have no information indicating the fire is related, the Sheriffs Department 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. The Iowa State University BioCentury Research Farm will house a new multi-use fermentation facility in partnership with BioMADE. (Photo courtesy of Iowa State University) Iowa State University is working with a U.S. Defense Department-backed organization to develop facilities that could make the university and its community a national destination for biobased product testing. BioMADE, a Manufacturing Innovation Institute focused on bioindustrial manufacturing and supported by the U.S. Department of Defense, announced it has partnered with ISU and the ISU Research Park to create and operate a multiuse fermentation facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $40 million project, funded with contributions from the Iowa Economic Development and Finance Authority, BioMADE and Iowa State, will be housed at the universitys BioCentury Research Farm outside of Ames. Kevin Moore, chief technology officer of the Biobased Products team in the office of the vice president for research, said the announcement brings to fruition work that was started by the state to strengthen biosciences industries in Iowa. He expects the program to be up and running in early 2028, and the new facility will utilize existing infrastructure to operate. This is why the state has invested money in this kind of effort, is that so we would have resources that could go after this opportunity, Moore said. And thats what we did, and were going forward. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biobased Products team at ISU was created as part of a statewide biosciences initiative, Moore said, with the goal of promoting economic development in related industries. Much of Moores job is working with ISU faculty to commercialize ideas or products theyve developed through startup companies, he said. Fermentation is best known for its role in the beer-making process, Moore said, but it also has a hand in making enzymes that can be found in detergents and other items, natural products like vitamin C, bioplastics and more. The university already has fermentation abilities, Moore said, but on a much smaller scale. The ISU Center for Crops Utilization Research houses a fermentation facility with equipment that goes up to 1,000 liters, where companies can test products on a small scale and complete proof of concept work, but the new space will scale capabilities up to 10,000 liters. Moore said the goal behind the new facility is to bring in companies to test their products before they have to decide whether to invest in customized, full-scale facilities of their own to mass-produce it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The key purpose of the announced facility is to de-risk investment decisions so that we can diversify the products that are made from corn, and also enable all of the various technologies that are being developed via fermentation, allowing them to come to reality, Moore said. As Iowa has plenty of feedstock and the need to diversify how corn is used, Moore said, and this new partnership provides opportunities to address both of these facts. As the facilities will be managed by BioMADE and aimed at industry development, Moore said it is unlikely much research coming from ISU will be conducted there. Companies based in Iowa like Cargill and Kent Worldwide are expected to make use of the facilities, Moore said, as well as national and international partners of BioMADE. We do envision that some faculty members and their startup companies could be users of the facility, but really we view this as a national resource, Moore said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE If the Zionist regime attempts another act of aggression, we will certainly employ these improved missiles, Defense Minister, Brig.-Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh stated. Iranian Defense Minister Brig.-Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh announced on Wednesday that the country has produced a new generation of missiles with significantly enhanced capabilities, warning that they would be deployed in any future confrontation with Israel. Speaking to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency, Nasirzadeh said the 12-day conflict in June was not only against Israel but also involved the full intelligence, logistical, and operational support of the United States. He emphasized that the missiles used during that war had been developed years earlier, but that newer, more advanced weapons have since been manufactured and deployed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Zionist regime attempts another act of aggression, we will certainly employ these improved missiles, he said. Nasirzadeh also said that the Iran Armed Forces relied entirely on domestically produced systems during the conflict, claiming that Iranian missiles precisely struck their intended targets and caused heavy damage. He argued that Israeli censorship prevented the full extent of these strikes from being publicized, though he said reports eventually confirmed their impact. According to the minister, Israel used its most sophisticated defense systems including Iron Dome, Arrow, Patriot, and THAAD but was still unable to stop most of Irans firepower. He asserted that only around 40% of Iranian missiles were intercepted in the early days of the war, and by the final days, 90% were reaching their targets. Notably, data after the 12-day war between the two countries suggest the opposite of Nasirzadehs claims, pointing out that Israel and its allies successfully intercepted around 95% of all aerial threats launched by Iran. Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh seen in Caracas, Venezuela, November 21, 2024 (credit: MIRAFLORES PALACE/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS) Nasirzadeh added that if hostilities had continued beyond June 24, the upper hand would have certainly belonged to the armed forces of the Islamic Republic. Iran claims ability to target US cities if provoked The defense ministers comments come amid rising rhetoric from Tehran over resuming hostilities with Israel, the US, and Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, Amir Hayat-Moqaddam, an Iranian lawmaker in the Iranian parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said that Tehran can target US cities from offshore positions, and every European country is already within range of Iranian missiles. Hayat-Moqaddam, who made the remarks on Sunday as the UK, France, and Germany have signaled that they are ready to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran, told the Iranian outlet Didban Iran that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force has worked for 20 years to enable strikes using Iranian warships and vessels. We can move our ships to within 2,000 km. of the US and from there target Washington, New York, and other cities, he said. Right now, all European countries are within our range. Hashemi said in a televised statement that "These outages affected the quality of communications and business." Iran's GPS system was shut down on Wednesday due to concerns of drone activity in the region, Al-Arabiya reported, citing the country's communications minister, Sattar Hashemi, as saying. Hashemi said in a televised statement that "These outages affected the quality of communications and business" in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, Islamic Republic authorities have resorted to jamming navigation, which the country's Communications Ministry has said was done for "security and military considerations." The Islamic Republic confirmed that services are gradually being restored after the war, with the exception of GPS systems, according to the report. Al-Arabiya cited local reports saying that "these measures could harm the digital economy and public safety, including emergency services." GPS jammers and shutting down navigation applications Earlier this month, it was reported that the IDF had been increasing the use of GPS jammers in Eilat, on the Jordanian border, and near the northern Lebanese border, amid the possibility that Hezbollah and Iran would launch precision missiles and unmanned aircraft toward Israel. The flags of Israel and Iran (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK) During the 12-day war with Iran, Israel had shut down all its navigation applications as a result of Iranian strikes on residential centers throughout the country. Amir Bohbot and Avi Ashkenazi contributed to this report. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations with the US must be held "at their own time" and explained that there still isn't "negotiation maturity." Iran and the United States have not reached the point where "effective" nuclear talks can take place, Iran's top diplomat said in remarks carried by state media on Wednesday. "Negotiations with the US must be held at their own time. Every negotiation has a specific time called 'negotiation maturity' and it must reach that maturity in order to be held," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. "In my opinion, we have not yet reached the point of maturity where effective negotiations with the U.S. can take place," he added. This is a developing story. Graham Platner, a 40-year-old Army and Marine veteran who served four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, launched his campaign for the Senate in Maine on Tuesday, joining a growing Democratic primary field seeking to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Platner, an oyster farmer who was born and raised in Sullivan, Maine, will run on a platform of universal health care, housing affordability and ending U.S. involvement in foreign wars. I feel an obligation to protect this place and protect the people in it, Platner said in an interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Platner joins a growing Democratic primary field that features Jordan Wood, a former chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., and David Costello, who challenged independent Sen. Angus King last year. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has said she is considering getting into the contest, while Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, has opted against joining the budding primary in what, on paper, might look like Democrats best opportunity to flip a Senate seat in 2026. Collins is the only Republican senator who represents a state Kamala Harris carried in the last presidential election. But she has proven a tough opponent in blue Maine. In her last campaign, in 2020, she beat Democratic opponent Sarah Gideon by more than 8 percentage points, even as Donald Trump lost Maine by more than 9 points. Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning Democrats would need to flip four seats in the 2026 midterms to take the majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Platner said his experience in the military helped shape his political perspective as he prepared his campaign. When I joined the Marine Corps, I joined up because I really, truly believed in the American project, he said. I wanted to fight for something I loved and that I thought was good in Iraq and Afghanistan. I watched both failed policies, failed strategies, failed tactics being used over and over and over again. Theres a point where you have to start asking yourself what is the point of this, he added. Why are you doing this? And when I went back as a security contractor in 2018, what I began to realize is that I was just watching vast amounts of taxpayer money getting put into the pockets of defense contractors, of security contractors, of this whole apparatus that almost seemed to exist merely to take taxpayer money and put it into somebodys private bank account. And in seeing that up close for a while, it turned me into a deeply, deeply cynical and angry guy. From that I began to kind of look at our larger political system, our larger economic system, and you just begin to see the same exact thing. Platner is seeking to connect with working-class voters whove migrated toward the GOP in recent cycles. He pointed to Golden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., as figures offering hope for the Democratic Party nationally and in his state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we focus primarily on fighting for working-class values, fighting for policies that help working-class people, clawing back a lot of the power that has been consolidated in the kind of higher establishment-class politics, I think if you stick to that stuff, you can win, Platner said. And getting dragged into many of these minor culture war fights is not remotely the answer. I dont just identify with the more of the left parts of the party. People like Jared Golden are doing an excellent job. Thats why hes been able to hold on to a Democratic seat in a Trump district, Platner said. In a statement responding to Platner's launch, Jason Savage, executive director of the Maine GOP, excoriated Platner for appealing to Democrats' left flank. Being a Bernie Bro and Kamala Harris donor is a profile to appeal to Portland progressives, not centrist and conservative voters in rural Maine," Savage said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Republican Senatorial Committee said in its own statement that Collins was unfazed by Platner's campaign. "While Maine Democrats have to duke it out in an increasingly crowded and messy primary, Susan Collins is singularly focused on delivering for Mainers and fighting for common-sense policies that improve the lives of workers and families," said Joanna Rodriguez, an NRSC spokesperson. In his launch video, Platner excoriated billionaires and corrupt politicians profiting off and destroying our environment, driving our families into poverty and crushing the middle class, saying his military experience made him unafraid to name an enemy, and the enemy is the oligarchy. Im not fooled by this fake charade of Collins deliberations and moderation, he said. The difference between Susan Collins and Ted Cruz is at least Ted Cruz is honest about selling us out and not giving a damn." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Martha Nolan, the 33-year-old expat Irish fashion designer found dead on a 54-foot Sea Ray at the Montauk Yacht Club earlier this month, has been laid to rest in her home country. Her boyfriend, Nicholas DiRubio, delivered a eulogy at the funeral in Carlow, Ireland, Wednesday morning, about 55 miles from Dublin. "Martha had a way of putting people first. She loved helping people and many of you in this room have been lucky enough to experience that love, whether it was telling you to cop on or focus on the good in this life, or just being a shoulder to lean on," he said, according to the Irish Mirror. "The shining light that Martha brought into this world is a reflection of everybody in this room. For friends, family, loved ones, both past and present, weve all been lucky to have known Martha and we must live every day forward with her in our hearts. May she rest in peace." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Homicide Investigator Warns Against Rushing Bikini Designer's Yacht Death Probe As Lawyer Reveals New Details In New York, Suffolk County detectives are still investigating her cause of death. A preliminary scene investigation and her initial autopsy both came back inconclusive, according to county police. The toxicology report is expected to reveal whether she had any drugs in her system and if they contributed to her death. "In our society right now, the way weve evolved with these designer drugs, all these substances that are created in a lab, you want to be extra careful that whatever testing youve done is comprehensive and complete before you make any findings in the case," Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told the New York Post. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What you do is you test for heroin, cocaine and fentanyl, right? Now you want to test for xylazine...," he told the paper, referring to a powerful animal tranquilizer. "You want to test for some obvious other substances." Mystery Still Surrounds Death Of Irish Fashion Designer At Exclusive Montauk Yacht Club Nicholas DiRubio (left) carries the coffin of partner Martha Nolan as her body is carried out of the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, following her funeral service. Nolan, 33, was discovered unconscious on the boat at Montauk Yacht Club, New York, in the early hours of Aug. 5. Picture date: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Xylazine, according to the National Institutes of Health, is commonly known as "tranq" and is not approved for human use by the FDA. However, it is often mixed with other drugs without consumers' knowledge. Heroin overdose antidotes like Narcan do not help someone overdosing on xylazine. "The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office is committed to conducting a thorough, professional investigation into the death of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra," Tania Lopez, a spokesperson for Tierney's office, told Fox News Digital. "Out of respect for the victim, her family, and the integrity of our ongoing investigation, we will not be commenting on specific details, evidence or investigative theories until our review is complete." The hearse carrying the coffin of Martha Nolan leaves the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, following her funeral service. Nolan, 33, was discovered unconscious on the boat at Montauk Yacht Club, New York, in the early hours of Aug. 5. Picture date: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. She said updates are expected later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We ask for patience and understanding during this process, and our thoughts remain with Ms. Nolan-O'Slatarra's family and loved ones during this difficult time," she added. Montauk Yacht Death: Timeline Reveals Bikini Moguls Final Days In Hamptons Before Mysterious Demise Arthur Aidala, a high-profile New York attorney hired by her family, said relatives met with homicide detectives and that a "deep, deep" investigation was underway to determine what happened to her before she died and called early reports of a potential overdose premature and speculative. Town of East Hampton police arrived at the Montauk Yacht Club around midnight on Aug. 5 in response to a report of an unconscious woman on a Sea Ray Sundancer 540 docked there, named the Ripple. When officers arrived, good Samaritans were attempting CPR, according to authorities. But first responders pronounced Nolan dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County homicide detectives took over the investigation later that morning. Nolan was the founder of East x East, a boutique fashion company focused on summerwear and sunglasses for men and women. Original article source: Irish bikini designer Martha Nolan laid to rest in Ireland as cause of death remains unknown Stock Photo: Getty Images The UK government on Wednesday added to its sanctions list a financial network in Kyrgyzstan used by Russia to evade previous economic restrictions. Source: a UK government statement, as reported by European Pravda Details: London explained that as sanctions on Russia were tightened, Moscow began to use Kyrgyzstans financial sector to transfer funds through opaque financial networks, including via cryptocurrency. The UK has therefore imposed sanctions on Kyrgyz bank Capital Bank and its director, Kantemir Chalbayev, as well as on the cryptocurrency exchanges Grinex and Meer, which transferred US$9.3 billion over a four-month period. "Keeping up the pressure on Russias war machine is vital to reinforcing President Trumps efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine and force Putin to engage in meaningful talks," the UK government said. The UK has already imposed sanctions on more than 2,700 individuals and legal entities involved in or supporting Russias full-scale aggression against Ukraine. Background: The United Kingdom and the European Union are preparing to impose sanctions against Russia if Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin refuses to take part in trilateral talks with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Earlier, European Council President Antonio Costa said a Russian ceasefire is the EUs top priority in Ukraine peace talks, otherwise the EU will ratchet up sanctions pressure. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! WATSEKA, Ill. (WCIA) A Milford man accused of murder has been found, at least for now, to be mentally unfit to stand trial. Nicholas Gregory, 38, is charged with two counts of murder in connection with a deadly shooting near the Village of Iroquois three months ago. During his first appearance in court, the appointed public defender asked for a fitness exam to be performed, which the prosecutor did not object to. Public court records show that on Wednesday, Gregory appeared in court via Zoom while his counsel appeared in person. From the completed evaluation, a judge found that Gregory was unfit to stand trial, but the record was worded to indicate that this may be temporary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another review of Gregorys fitness was scheduled for November. Gregory is accused of shooting 57-year-old Angela Taylor dead the night of May 13 west of Iroquois. The Iroquois County Sheriffs Office said Gregory parked his truck across the train tracks crossing County Road 2150N, entered a nearby home and stole the homeowners car. It could have been me; Iroquois Co. woman details near miss with man charged with murder Deputies said he returned to the railroad crossing as Taylor was stopped there, unable to proceed because of the truck on the tracks. Gregory exited the stolen vehicle and approached Angelas vehicle. As Angela exited her vehicle to see what Gregory was doing, he fired one round from his pistol, striking her, the Sheriffs Office said at the time. Gregory fled the scene in the truck he parked on the railroad tracks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taylor was taken to a hospital in Kankakee, where she was pronounced dead. Gregory was later located in Jasper County, Indiana, and Iroquois County deputies said he led law enforcement there on a chase that ended in neighboring Newton County. Gregory was arrested and promptly extradited to Illinois. Court records indicate that Gregory has been in the Iroquois County Jail since his extradition, and while his mental fitness evaluation was being performed. Now that he has been found unfit for trial, he will be transferred to a facility run by the Illinois Department of Human Services. Another review of Gregorys fitness is scheduled for Nov. 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. UNITED NATIONS (AP) Islamic State extremists are exploiting instability in Africa and Syria and remain a significant threat in Afghanistan, Central Asia and Europe, U.N. counterterrorism experts said Wednesday. The militant group is now using advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, and social media, which poses a new challenge, the experts told a U.N. Security Council meeting. The Islamic State group declared a self-styled caliphate in a large swath of Syria and Iraq that it seized in 2014. It was declared defeated in Iraq in 2017 following a three-year battle that left tens of thousands of people dead and cities in ruins, but its sleeper cells remain in both countries and it has affiliates and supporters in many other countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.N. has seen a resurgence of activity by the Islamic State in the Sahel in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger and in West Africa the group has emerged as a prolific producer of terrorist propaganda and attracted foreign terrorist fighters, primarily from within the region, said Vladimir Voronkov, who heads the U.N. Office of Counter-Terrorism. He said arrests in Libya have revealed logistics and financing networks with connections to IS in the Sahel. In Somalia, Voronkov said, a large-scale IS attack was countered by Somali security forces and some 200 IS fighters were killed and over 150 arrested. But he said despite the losses IS still benefits from regional support networks and remains a threat. In northcentral Africas Lake Chad Basin region, the Islamic State is "increasingly receiving foreign material and human support to conduct its operations, including money, drones and expertise on improvised explosive devices, said Natalia Gherman, who heads the executive directorate of the U.N. Counter-Terrorism Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its ability to adapt and exploit instability continues to pose significant challenges, particularly in parts of Africa, she said. The continent bears over half the worlds fatalities from terrorist attacks. In the Middle East, Voronkov said IS is active in Iraq and Syria, where it is trying to restore its operations in the northwest Badia desert region and renew effort to destabilize local authorities. He said the militants are exploiting security gaps, conducting covert operations and inciting sectarian tensions in Syria. In Afghanistan, the Islamic State groups Khorasan affiliate continues to represent one of the most serious threats to Central Asia and beyond, Voronkov said, citing its targeting of civilians, minority groups and foreign nationals. Gherman added that IS-Khorasan is using propaganda tactics and online campaigns to try to recruit and fundraise in Central Asia and Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She called for innovative responses to the Islamic State group's use of artificial intelligence and social media for recruitment, fundraising and propaganda. Although AI is being harnessed to amplify the groups reach and impact, it also holds significant potential for states to enhance the detection, prevention and disruption of terrorist activities, Gherman said. Elisa De Anda Madrazo, president of the Financial Action Task Force, which researches how terrorism is financed, said a major change is that Digital platforms such as social media, messaging apps and crowdfunding systems are increasingly being abused for terrorist financing. Israel has given final approval for a controversial settlement project that would effectively cut off the occupied West Bank from East Jerusalem and divide the territory in two. Construction in the E1 area has been frozen for two decades amid fierce international opposition. Critics warn it would put an end to hopes for a viable, contiguous Palestinian state. On Wednesday, a defence ministry committee approved plans for 3,400 homes in E1. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who unveiled them last week, said the idea of a Palestinian state was "being erased". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Palestinian Authority condemned the move, saying it was illegal and would "destroy" the prospects for a two-state solution. It follows declarations by a growing number of countries of their intention to recognise a Palestinian state, which Israel has denounced. Israel has built about 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jews since it occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem - land Palestinians want, along with Gaza, for a hoped-for future state - during the 1967 Middle East war. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside them. The settlements are considered illegal under international law - a position supported by an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice last year - although Israel disputes this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Successive Israeli governments have allowed settlements to grow. However, expansion has risen sharply since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in late 2022 at the head of a right-wing, pro-settler coalition, as well as the start of the Gaza war, triggered by Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel. The plans for 3,401 housing units in E1 - which covers about 12 sq km (4.6 sq miles) between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim - were approved by the Civil Administration's Higher Planning Council. The defence ministry body also approved 342 units in the new settlement of Asael, a former outpost in the southern West Bank that was built without government authorisation but was made legal under Israeli law in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smotrich, an ultranationalist leader and settler who oversees the Civil Administration, said: "The Palestinian state is being erased from the table, not with slogans but with actions." "Every settlement, every neighbourhood, every housing unit is another nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea." He also urged Netanyahu to "complete the move" and formally annex the West Bank. Israel effectively annexed East Jerusalem in 1980, in a move not recognised by the vast majority of the international community. Opponents of the E1 project have warned that it would effectively block the establishment of a Palestinian state because it would cut off the north of the West Bank from the south, and prevent the development in the centre of a contiguous Palestinian urban area connecting Ramallah, East Jerusalem and Bethlehem. [BBC] The Israeli anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now warned: "Under the cover of war, Smotrich and his messianic minority are building a settlement doomed for evacuation in any agreement. E1's sole aim is to sabotage a political solution and rush toward a binational apartheid state." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank not under full Israeli control, also condemned the approval of the E1 plans. "This plan will isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings, submerge it in massive settlement blocs" and fragment the West Bank "into disconnected enclaves resembling open-air prisons", the PA's foreign ministry said. It also alleged that the approval constituted "official Israeli involvement in the crimes of settlement, annexation, genocide, and forcible displacement" accusations that Israel has long rejected. The PA's foreign ministry appealed for "genuine international action, including sanctions, to compel Israel to halt its colonial schemes (...) and respect the international consensus on resolving the Palestinian question". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the E1 plans would, if implemented, "would divide a Palestinian state in two, mark a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution". "The Israeli government must reverse this decision," he added. King Abdullah II of Jordan also rejected the E1 plans, saying: "The two-state solution is the only way to achieve a just and comprehensive peace." A German government spokesman said settlement construction violated international law and "hinders a negotiated two-state solution and an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was no immediate comment from the US. However, when asked by Israel's Army Radio on Monday about the Trump administration's stance on E1, ambassador Mike Huckabee said: "Whether or not there should be massive development in E1 is a decision for the government of Israel to make. So we would not try to evaluate the good or the bad of that." "As a general rule, it is not a violation of international law. And it is also incumbent on all of us to recognise that Israelis have a right to live in Israel." The July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice said Israel's "continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful" and that the country was "under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence... as rapidly as possible". Israel's prime minister said at the time that the court had made a "decision of lies" and insisted that "the Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land". Israel has given final approval for a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank that experts say would damage plans for any future territorially contiguous Palestinian state in the territory. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who announced the plan on August 14, hailed the decision as historic and framed the approval as a rebuke to Western countries that announced their plans to recognise a Palestinian state in recent weeks. The Palestinian state is being erased from the table not with slogans but with actions, Smotrich, a settler himself, said on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every settlement, every neighbourhood, every housing unit is another nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea. Settlement development in E1, an open tract of Palestinian land east of Jerusalem, has been under consideration for more than two decades, but was frozen due to United States pressure during previous administrations. Israels settlement-building in occupied territory is considered illegal under international law. Infrastructure work in E1 could begin in the next few months and construction of homes could start in about a year. The plan includes about 3,500 apartments that would be situated next to the existing settlement of Maale Adumim. I am pleased to announce that just a short while ago, the civil administration approved the planning for the construction of the E1 neighbourhood, the mayor of Maale Adumim, Guy Yifrach, said in a statement on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The location of E1 is significant because it is one of the last geographical links between the major West Bank cities of Ramallah, in the north, and Bethlehem, in the south. The two cities are 22 kilometres (14 miles) apart, but Palestinians travelling between them must take a wide detour and pass through multiple Israeli checkpoints. The hope among advocates for a Palestinian state was that the region would serve as a direct link between the cities. The settlement in E1 has no purpose other than to sabotage a political solution, said Peace Now, an organisation that tracks settlement expansion in the West Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the consensus among our friends in the world is to strive for peace and a two-state solution, a government that long ago lost the peoples trust is undermining the national interest, and we are all paying the price. Last week, the United Nations urged Israel to reverse its decision to start work on the settlement. It would put an end to prospects of a two-state solution, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Settlements go against international law [and] further entrench the occupation. Breaking the Silence, an Israeli rights group established by former Israeli soldiers, had also last week called the plan a land grab which will not only further fragment the Palestinian territory, but will further entrench apartheid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the idea of a Palestinian state alongside Israel and has promised to maintain open-ended control over the occupied West Bank, annexed East Jerusalem, and war-ravaged Gaza territories Israel seized in 1967. Israels expansion of settlements has occurred alongside marked increases in attacks by settlers on Palestinians, evictions from Palestinian towns, Israeli military operations and checkpoints that choke freedom of movement. More than 700,000 Israeli settlers now live on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel approved a major settlement project on Wednesday in an area of the occupied West Bank that the international community has warned threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state. Israel has long had ambitions to build on the roughly 12-square-kilometre (five-square-mile) parcel known as E1 just east of Jerusalem, but the plan had been stalled for years amid international opposition. The latest announcement also drew condemnation, with UN chief Antonio Guterres saying the settlement would effectively cleave the West Bank in two and pose an "existential threat" to a contiguous Palestinian state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich backed plans to build around 3,400 homes on the ultra-sensitive tract of land, which lies between Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim. "I am pleased to announce that just a short while ago, the civil administration approved the planning for the construction of the E1 neighbourhood," the mayor of Maale Adumim, Guy Yifrach, said in a statement on Wednesday. All of Israel's settlements in the West Bank, occupied since 1967, are considered illegal under international law, regardless of whether they have Israeli planning permission. The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) slammed the latest move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This undermines the chances of implementing the two-state solution, establishing a Palestinian state on the ground, and fragments its geographic and demographic unity," the PA's foreign ministry said in a statement. It added the move would entrench "division of the occupied West Bank into isolated areas and cantons that are disconnected from one another, turning them into something akin to real prisons, where movement is only possible through Israeli checkpoints and under the terror of armed settler militias". Israel heavily restricts the movement of West Bank Palestinians, who must obtain permits from authorities to travel through checkpoints to cross into east Jerusalem or Israel. Guterres repeated a call for Israel to "immediately halt all settlement activity", warning that the E1 project would be "an existential threat to the two-State solution", his spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also rejected the plans, saying it would "divide a Palestinian state in two (and) mark a flagrant breach of international law". Jordan's King Abdullah II denounced the project as well, adding that "the two-state solution is the only way to achieve a just and comprehensive peace". - 'Bury' Palestinian statehood - Violence in the West Bank has soared since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war. Since then, Israeli troops and settlers have killed at least 971 Palestinians in the West Bank, including many militants, according to health ministry figures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the same period, at least 36 Israelis, including security forces, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to official figures. Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at Ir Amim, an Israeli NGO focusing on Jerusalem within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, condemned the greenlighting of the E1 project. "Today's approval demonstrates how determined Israel is in pursuing what Minister Smotrich has described as a strategic programme to bury the possibility of a Palestinian state and to effectively annex the West Bank," he said. "This is a conscious Israeli choice to implement an apartheid regime," he added, calling on the international community to take urgent and effective measures against the move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Far-right Israeli ministers have in recent months openly called for Israel's annexation of the territory. Israeli NGO Peace Now, which monitors settlement activity in the West Bank, said last week that infrastructure work in E1 could begin within a few months, and housing construction within about a year. Excluding east Jerusalem, the West Bank is home to around three million Palestinians, as well as about 500,000 Israeli settlers. acc/smw/mjw/rsc JERUSALEM (Reuters) -A widely condemned Israeli settlement plan that would cut across land that the Palestinians seek for a state received final approval on Wednesday, according to a statement from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The approval of the E1 project, which would bisect the occupied West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, was announced last week by Smotrich and received the final go-ahead from a Defence Ministry planning commission on Wednesday, he said. "With E1, we are delivering finally on what has been promised for years," Smotrich, an ultra-nationalist in the ruling right-wing coalition, said in a statement. "The Palestinian state is being erased from the table, not with slogans but with actions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Restarting the project could further isolate Israel, which has watched some Western allies frustrated by its continuation and planned escalation of the Gaza war announce they may recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. "We condemn the decision taken today on expanding this particular settlement, which ... will drive a stake through the heart of the two-state solution," said U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. "We call on the government of Israel to halt all settlement activity." The Palestinian Foreign Ministry also condemned the announcement, saying the E1 settlement would isolate Palestinian communities living in the area and undermine the possibility of a two-state solution. British Foreign Minister David Lammy said on X: "If implemented, it would divide a Palestinian state in two, mark a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A German government spokesperson commenting on the announcement told reporters that settlement construction violates international law and "hinders a negotiated two-state solution and an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not commented on the E1 announcement. However on Sunday, during a visit to Ofra, another West Bank settlement established a quarter of a century ago, he made broader comments, saying: "I said 25 years ago that we will do everything to secure our grip on the Land of Israel, to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, to prevent the attempts to uproot us from here. Thank God, what I promised, we have delivered." The two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict envisages a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, existing side by side with Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Western capitals and campaign groups have opposed the settlement project due to concerns that it could undermine a future peace deal with the Palestinians. The plan for E1, located adjacent to Maale Adumim and frozen in 2012 and 2020 amid objections from the U.S. and European governments, involves the construction of about 3,400 new housing units. Infrastructure work could begin within a few months, and house building in about a year, according to Israeli advocacy group Peace Now, which tracks settlement activity in the West Bank. Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the area and saying the settlements provide strategic depth and security. (Reporting by Lili Bayer and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Rachel More in Berlin and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Aidan Lewis, Rod Nickel) Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has authorized the call-up of around 60,000 more reservists for the capture of the city of Gaza, his office announced on Wednesday. The reserve service of around 20,000 other soldiers is also to be extended. The capture of Gaza City should primarily involve active soldiers, a military representative said. Israeli troops were already present in the suburbs of Gaza City, he added, naming the neighbourhoods of al-Zeitoun and Jabalia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the new deployments, the total number of reservists in the Gaza Strip will reach up to 130,000, according to Israeli media reports. Civilian population to flee offensive Observers fear that the offensive will exacerbate the already catastrophic conditions for the civilian population in the sealed-off Gaza Strip, where around 2 million Palestinians live. According to the Israeli military plan, the civilians in the city of Gaza - estimated at around 1 million people - are to move to tent quarters further south in the coastal strip. A military representative said that medical aid and food supplies would be provided there. The military firmly rejects repeated accusations by international aid organizations that Israel is systematically blocking supplies to the civilian population. No Israeli response yet on ceasefire Katz had approved the operational plan to capture Gaza City late on Tuesday, according to media reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was despite the fact the Islamist militant Hamas organization claimed it had given international mediators a "positive response" to a new ceasefire proposal for the Gaza Strip on Monday. An official Israeli response to the proposal is expected by the end of the week, with the Security Cabinet reported to be meeting on Thursday. The latest proposal for a ceasefire is an updated version of the previously negotiated proposal by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to media reports. This envisages a 60-day ceasefire during which 10 living hostages would be released in return for Palestinian prisoners. There are still a total of 50 hostages in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been speculation that the Security Cabinet's decision to extend the war could be a negotiating tactic to put pressure on Hamas to return to the negotiating table and show more flexibility. Gaza City remains Hamas' most important stronghold, the Israeli military representative said, noting that the Islamist group still possessed "operational capabilities" and was capable of engaging in "guerrilla warfare." The operation also aimed to destroy Hamas's underground tunnel system, he said. Palestinian militants attack Israeli soldiers More than 15 armed Palestinians emerged from tunnel shafts to attack a military position in the south of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the Israeli military reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attackers fired on Israeli soldiers and used anti-tank missiles in the area of Khan Younis, a military official said. Several of them infiltrated the military post. The troops returned fire, backed by airstrikes, and killed 10 of the attackers. Israeli media reported that they had intended to abduct soldiers. Three soldiers were injured, one of them seriously, the military said. The incident was still ongoing, with the army stating that "the troops are operating to locate and eliminate the terrorists." The military wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. "The al-Qassam Brigades affirm that such operations will continue until the occupation ends and our people gain freedom," Hamas added in a further statement. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has authorized the call-up of around 60,000 more reservists for the capture of the city of Gaza, his office announced on Wednesday. The reserve service of around 20,000 other soldiers is also to be extended. The news came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered that Gaza City be captured more quickly than previously planned. The "timeline for conquering the last terrorist strongholds and defeating Hamas" should be shortened, his office said, without giving details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Army spokesman Effie Defrin said it has started "preliminary actions" to take control of Gaza City, with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops already occupying the outskirts. "The IDF has begun the next phase of the war," Defrin said. The capture of Gaza City should primarily involve active soldiers, another military representative said. With the new deployments, the total number of reservists in the Gaza Strip will reach up to 130,000, according to Israeli media reports. Civilian population to flee offensive Observers fear that the offensive will exacerbate the already catastrophic conditions for the civilian population in the sealed-off Gaza Strip, where around 2 million Palestinians live. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Israeli military plan, the civilians in the city of Gaza - estimated at around 1 million people - are to move to tent quarters further south in the coastal strip. A military representative said that medical aid and food supplies would be provided there. The military firmly rejects repeated accusations by international aid organizations that Israel is systematically blocking supplies to the civilian population. No Israeli response yet on ceasefire Katz had approved the operational plan to capture Gaza City late on Tuesday, according to media reports. This was despite the fact the Palestinian Islamist Hamas organization claimed it had given international mediators a "positive response" to a new ceasefire proposal for the Gaza Strip on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An official Israeli response to the proposal is expected by the end of the week, with the Security Cabinet reported to be meeting on Thursday. The latest proposal for a ceasefire is an updated version of the previously negotiated proposal by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to media reports. This envisages a 60-day ceasefire during which 10 living hostages would be released in return for Palestinian prisoners. There are still a total of 50 hostages in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. There has been speculation that the Security Cabinet's decision to extend the war could be a negotiating tactic to put pressure on Hamas to return to the negotiating table and show more flexibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaza City remains Hamas' most important stronghold, the Israeli military representative said, noting that the Islamist group still possessed "operational capabilities" and was capable of engaging in "guerrilla warfare." The operation also aimed to destroy Hamas' underground tunnel system, he said. Palestinian militants attack Israeli soldiers More than 15 armed Palestinians emerged from tunnel shafts to attack a military position in the south of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the Israeli military reported. The attackers fired on Israeli soldiers and used anti-tank missiles in the area of Khan Younis, a military official said. Several of them infiltrated the military post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The troops returned fire, backed by airstrikes, and killed 10 of the attackers. Israeli media reported that they had intended to abduct soldiers. Three soldiers were injured, one of them seriously, the military said. The incident was still ongoing, with the army stating that "the troops are operating to locate and eliminate the terrorists." The military wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. "The al-Qassam Brigades affirm that such operations will continue until the occupation ends and our people gain freedom," Hamas added in a further statement. By Alexander Cornwell, Maayan Lubell and Nidal al-Mughrabi TEL AVIV/JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Israels military announced the first steps of an operation to take over Gaza City on Wednesday and called up tens of thousands of reservists while the government considered a new ceasefire proposal to pause nearly two years of war. "We have begun the preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack on Gaza City, and already now IDF forces are holding the outskirts of Gaza City," Brigadier General Effie Defrin, Israel's military spokesperson, told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A military official briefing reporters earlier on Wednesday said reserve soldiers would not report for duty until September, an interval that gives mediators some time to bridge gaps between Hamas and Israel over truce terms. But after Israeli troops clashed with Hamas fighters in the Palestinian enclave on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the Israeli leader sped up the timeline for taking control of Hamas strongholds and defeating the militant group that triggered the conflict with an attack on Israel in October 2023. The Israeli statements signaled Israel was pressing ahead with its plan to seize Gaza's biggest urban centre despite international criticism of an operation likely to force the displacement of many more Palestinians. Defrin said troops were already operating on the outskirts of Gaza City, and Hamas was now a "battered and bruised" guerrilla force. "We will deepen the attack on Hamas in Gaza City, a stronghold of governmental and military terror for the terrorist organization," the spokesman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel's military called up tens of thousands of reservists on Wednesday in preparation for the expected assault on Gaza City, as the Israeli government considered a new truce proposal. Hamas, in a statement on Telegram, accused Netanyahu of obstructing the ceasefire deal in favour of continuing a "brutal war against innocent civilians in Gaza City." "Netanyahu's disregard for the mediators' proposal ... proves that he is the real obstructionist of any agreement." Israels security cabinet, chaired by Netanyahu, approved a plan this month to expand the campaign in Gaza with the aim of taking Gaza City, where Israeli forces waged fierce urban warfare with Hamas in the early stages of the war. Israel currently holds about 75% of the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of Israels closest allies have urged the government to reconsider, but Netanyahu is under pressure from some far-right members of his coalition to reject a temporary ceasefire, continue the war and pursue the annexation of the territory. One far-right member, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, announced final approval on Wednesday of a widely condemned Israeli plan for a settlement project in the occupied West Bank that he said would erase any prospect of a Palestinian state. The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when gunmen led by Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities near the border, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages including children into Gaza, according to Israeli figures. Over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's air and ground war in Gaza since then, according to Gaza health officials, who do not say how many were militants but have said most of those killed have been women and children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas has accepted a proposal put forward by Arab mediators for a 60-day ceasefire that would involve releasing some of the remaining hostages and freeing Palestinian prisoners in Israel. The Israeli government, which has said all the 50 remaining hostages must be released at once, is studying the proposal. Israeli authorities believe that 20 hostages are still alive. Many Gazans and foreign leaders fear a storming of Gaza City would cause significant casualties. Israel says it will help civilians leave battle zones before any assault begins. ISRAELI TROOPS, HAMAS FIGHTERS CLASH Israeli troops clashed on Wednesday with more than 15 Hamas militants who emerged from tunnel shafts and attacked with gunfire and anti-tank missiles near Khan Younis, south of Gaza City, severely wounding one soldier and lightly wounding two others, an Israeli military official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed carrying out a raid on Israeli troops southeast of Khan Younis and engaging Israeli troops at point-blank range. It said one fighter blew himself up among the soldiers, causing casualties, during an attack that lasted several hours. Israel's military campaign has caused widespread devastation across the Gaza Strip, which before the war was home to about 2.3 million Palestinians. Many buildings including homes, schools and mosques have been destroyed, while the military has accused Hamas of operating from within civilian infrastructure, which Hamas denies. Israeli officials have said evacuation orders would be issued to Gaza City residents before any force moves in. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which oversees Gaza's only Catholic Church, located in Gaza City, said it received reports that neighbourhoods near the small parish had started to receive evacuation notices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas, an Islamist movement that has ruled Gaza for almost two decades, has been severely weakened by the war. Hamas has said it would release all remaining hostages in exchange for an end to war. Israel says it will not end the war before Hamas disarms. Opinion polls show strong Israeli public support for ending the war if it ensures the release of the hostages, and a rally in Tel Aviv urging the government to pursue such a deal drew a huge crowd on Saturday. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll of Americans showed a 58% majority believe that every country in the United Nations should recognise Palestine as a nation. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Tel Aviv, Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Nidal Al Mughrabi in Cairo; writing by Alexander Cornwell and Howard Goller; editing by Alison Williams, Timothy Heritage and Mark Heinrich) The Israeli military says it is calling up about 60,000 reservists ahead of a planned ground offensive to capture and occupy all of Gaza City. A military official said the reservists would report for duty in September and that most of the troops mobilised for the offensive would be active-duty personnel. They added that troops were already operating in the Zeitoun and Jabalia areas as part of the preparations for the plan, which Defence Minister Israel Katz approved on Tuesday and will be put to the security cabinet later this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City are expected to be ordered to evacuate and head to shelters in southern Gaza. Many of Israel's allies have condemned the plan, with French President Emmanuel Macron warning on Wednesday that it "can only lead to disaster for both peoples and risks plunging the entire region into a cycle of permanent war". The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) meanwhile said further displacement and an intensification of hostilities "risk worsening an already catastrophic situation" for Gaza's 2.1 million population. Israel's government announced its intention to conquer the entire Gaza Strip after indirect talks with Hamas on a ceasefire and hostage release deal broke down last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mediators Qatar and Egypt are trying to secure an agreement before the offensive begins and have presented a new proposal for a 60-day truce and the release of around half of the 50 hostages held in Gaza, which Hamas said it had accepted on Monday. Israel has not yet submitted a formal response, but Israeli officials insisted on Tuesday that they would no longer accept a partial deal and demanded a comprehensive one that would see all the hostages released. Only 20 of them are believed to be still alive. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that orders calling up 60,000 reservists were issued on Wednesday as part of the preparations for "the next phase of Operation Gideon's Chariots" - the ground offensive that it launched in May and has seen it take control of at least 75% of Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, 20,000 reservists who had already been called up would receive a notice extending their current orders, it added. The military official said senior commanders had approved the plan for what they described as a "gradual, precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City", with troops entering some areas where they had not gone previously. Five divisions were expected to take part in the offensive, the official added. The Haaretz newspaper quoted Defence Minister Katz as saying on Tuesday: "Once the operation is completed, Gaza will change its face and will no longer look as it did in the past." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also reportedly approved a plan to "accommodate" Gaza City residents in the south of the territory, including the coastal al-Mawasi area, where the military official said field hospitals would be established. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the military's objectives are to secure the release of all the hostages held by Hamas and "complete the defeat" of the Palestinian armed group. [BBC] The IDF also announced on Wednesday that the Givati Brigade had resumed operations in the northern town of Jabalia and on the outskirts of Gaza City, where it said they were "dismantling military infrastructures above and below ground, eliminating terrorists, and consolidating operational control". It said civilians were being told to move south for their safety "to mitigate the risk of harm". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman for Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence agency, Mahmoud Bassal, told AFP news agency on Tuesday that the situation was "very dangerous and unbearable" in the city's Zeitoun and Sabra neighbourhoods, where he said "shelling continues intermittently". The agency reported that Israeli strikes and fire had killed 21 people across the territory on Wednesday. They included three children and their parents whose home in the Badr area of Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, was bombed, it said. The IDF meanwhile said 15 Palestinian fighters had attempted to infiltrate one of its positions in the southern city of Khan Younis on Wednesday. The IDF said one Israeli soldier was severely injured and 10 of the attackers were killed during the incident. Hamas's military wing said it had attacked the position and that at least one fighter carried out a suicide bombing. The UN human rights office said it had recorded 54 Israeli attacks on residential buildings in Gaza City since 8 August [Reuters] The UN and non-governmental organisations operating in Gaza have warned of the humanitarian impact of a new Israeli offensive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Israeli plan to intensify military operations in Gaza City will have a horrific humanitarian impact on people already exhausted, malnourished, bereaved, displaced, and deprived of basics needed for survival," they said in a joint statement on Monday. "Forcing hundreds of thousands to move south is a recipe for further disaster and could amount to forcible transfer," they added. Forcible transfer of a civilian population is a serious violation of international humanitarian law. They also said the areas of the south where displaced residents were expected to move were "overcrowded and ill-equipped to sustain human survival at scale". The ICRC said on Wednesday that a further intensification of military operations threatened "an irreversible humanitarian crisis" and that the lives of the hostages might also be put at risk. Some of them are believed to be held in Gaza City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UN human rights office said hundreds of families had already been forced to flee eastern and southern Gaza City over the past few days, while others reportedly remained trapped, completely cut off from food, water and medical supplies. It also noted that Israel was telling displaced Palestinians to move to al-Mawasi even though it continued to carry out deadly strikes there. The World Food Programme meanwhile warned that malnutrition in Gaza had crossed emergency levels and was "rising fast", with more children and mothers showing severe symptoms. The UN agency said it was scaling up treatment but that "needs outpace the response". Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry also reported that another three people had died as a result of malnutrition over the previous 24 hours, raising the total number of such deaths since the start of the war to 269, including 112 children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UN has said it needs unimpeded humanitarian access across all of Gaza, with aid entering at scale through all possible crossings. It has said incoming supplies remain far from sufficient because of Israeli restrictions. Israeli military body Cogat, which controls the entry of aid into Gaza, said in response to the WFP's statement that hundreds of lorry loads of supplies were being delivered daily and that food prices were "plummeting". It has also previously accused the health ministry of misrepresenting deaths from pre-existing medical conditions as malnutrition. The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 62,122 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's health ministry. The ministry's figures are quoted by the UN and others as the most reliable source of statistics available on casualties. European defense stocks experienced a sharp sell-off this week, reminding investors just how news-oriented the sector can be. A call for peace negotiations in Ukraine and a ceasefire in Gaza took almost 6% out of Goldman Sachss portfolio of European defense stocks, per Bloomberg, with Rheinmetall, Renk, Leonardo and Saab posting the biggest losses. ITA ETF is up more than 33% this year. Track its prices live, here. The decline occurred as the war premium that pushed European shares this year started to unwind. Investors are less keen to pay a premium for defense stocks when the risks of conflict seem to be declining, even if Europes long-term rearmament program holds. That volatility, though, is precisely why most investors prefer U.S.-listed defense ETFs as a more stable way to tap the theme. Also Read: AeroVironment Set For Growth As Drones Take Center Stage In Defense U.S. Defense ETFs Hold The Edge Funds such as the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (BATS:ITA), SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE:XAR), and Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE:PPA) provide exposure to U.S. contractors including Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:LMT), Northrop Grumman Corp (NYSE:NOC), and Rtx Corp (NYSE:RTX). Such companies are insulated by the Pentagons persistently high budgets, multi-year contracts for procurement and strong export pipelines, all of which insulate them from the political whirlwind of peace talks (and failures) overseas. While European stocks had a good run earlier this year, U.S. defense ETFs have been steadier performers. ITA, for instance, has climbed more than 33%, while XAR and PPA are also higher by 28% and 26%, respectively, showing resilient defense spending and increased aerospace technology demand. A Long-Term Spending Tailwind Experts point out that international defense budgets will not meaningfully contract even if fighting in Ukraine or Gaza dries up. NATO partners remain pressured to hit or surpass spending levels, and American defense companies can gain from both domestic budgets and foreign military sales. European defense is more likely to be vulnerable to political news, but the U.S. defense sector is supported by multi-decade procurement cycles. That provides U.S. ETFs with a degree of robustness that investors prefer. This weeks slip in European defense stocks highlights the dangers of wagering too much on short-term conflict dynamics. For those looking for steady exposure to the industry, U.S.-listed defense ETFs continue to offer an attractive alternative less volatile, better diversified, and securely tied to Washingtons defense spending commitments. Israel entered the first stages of its invasion of Gaza City on Wednesday, the Israeli military spokesman said. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers have taken control of the outskirts of the city, one of Hamass last strongholds, spokesman Brig Gen Effie Defrin said. Following a clash with Hamas south of Khan Younis in Gaza on Wednesday, he said: We will deepen the blows to Hamas in Gaza City, a terror stronghold We will deepen the blows to the terror infrastructure above and below ground, and disconnect the reliance of the population on Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the IDF is not waiting and preliminary operations are under way in the area, with Hamas now battered and bruised. We have begun the preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack on Gaza City, and already now IDF forces are holding the outskirts of Gaza City, he said. Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the army to shorten the timelines for seizing the last terror strongholds and for the defeat of Hamas, he said in a statement. It did not specify the new timelines. Benjamin Netanyahu said his plan to expand military action in the war-torn enclave was the best way to end the war - Telegram/IDF Last week, the Israeli prime minister said his plan to expand military action in the wartorn enclave was the best way to end the war. He insisted Israel had no choice but to finish the job and defeat Hamas in its last two strongholds: Gaza City and the camps in the al-Mawasi area along the coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He compared invading Gaza City to Israels military operations in Rafah last year, when more than a million civilians were evacuated from the border town. The army has called up 60,000 reservists as the Gaza war looks set to continue amid flailing ceasefire talks. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, warning of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of Israels newly launched military operation in Gaza City. A Palestinian woman was trapped under the rubble of a house, which was hit in an Israeli strike. She was rescued after this picture was taken - Stringer/Reuters Speaking at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Japan, Guterres said: It is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza... [this is] necessary to avoid the death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Secretary-General also urged Israel to reverse its decision to expand settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, a move long condemned by the UN. He reiterated his call for the release of all hostages still held by Hamas. World leaders have strongly condemned the Israeli security cabinets decision to send forces into the city because of the potential to worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation for the Gazan people. But Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, rejected the criticism and said on Wednesday that plans had been approved to push into the city, which would include extending the service of an additional 20,000 reservists currently serving. We now call on our heroic soldiers in the reserves, permanent and regular ranks, to stand up in order to bring about the release of the hostages, the subjugation of Hamas, and the end of the war on the terms set by Israel, said Mr Katz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I instruct you to use all tools and all power to strike the enemy until it is subdued, and to protect IDF soldiers. This is the supreme consideration, and anyone who has any complaints should contact me. Palestinians run for cover during an Israeli strike on Wednesday - Bashar Taleb/AFP Israeli troops clashed on Wednesday with more than 15 Hamas terrorists who emerged from tunnel shafts and attacked with gunfire and anti-tank missiles near Khan Younis, south of Gaza City, severely wounding one soldier and lightly wounding two others, an Israeli military official said. Hamass Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed carrying out a raid on Israeli troops south-east of Khan Younis and engaging Israeli troops at point-blank range. It said one fighter blew himself up among the soldiers, causing casualties, during an attack that lasted several hours. Hamas agreed on Monday to a 60-day ceasefire in return for releasing around half of the hostages it took in its raid on Israel on Oct 7. Israels government spokesman hinted that it would reject the proposal, saying it was not interested in partial deals. The new plan to invade Gaza City will look to further pile pressure on Hamas to bend towards Israels demands, but recruiting so many reservists after nearly two years of war could be difficult. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One mental health counsellor for the soldiers told The Telegraph: These guys are exhausted they cant fight any more. Theyre broken. Many of those extending their service are already suffering from PTSD with little time to recover, said the counsellor. Some have been sent to military prisons for refusing to return to the fighting. We are literally running out of soldiers and the physical and mental toll is enormous, the counsellor added, saying that at least 16 soldiers had committed suicide this year, unable to deal with the trauma. According to Israeli army radio, the military is preparing for a prolonged operation of several months that will run into 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, many in Israel have had enough of the conflict and have increased pressure on the government to end the war and bring home the hostages. Thousands of people carried out a nationwide strike earlier this week, blocking major roads and refusing to work. The call-up came as the country approved a controversial settlement project on Wednesday that would effectively divide the occupied West Bank, a move that Palestinians and human rights groups said could destroy plans for a future Palestinian state. Settlement development in E1, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, has been under consideration for more than two decades, but was frozen as a result of US pressure during previous administrations. Petitions against the development were rejected on Aug 6. Construction of homes could begin in around a year, with 3,500 apartments planned to expand the settlement of Maale Adumim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bezalel Smotrich, Israels far-Right finance minister, said: This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognise and no one to recognise. Anyone in the world who tries today to recognise a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground. His comments followed announcements by Britain, France, Germany, Australia and Canada that they would recognise a Palestinian state. Israel has stepped up air strikes this week despite the mounting pressure that it end the war and alleviate the suffering of the Gaza Strips remaining inhabitants. Already at least 62,064 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in the fighting, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the United Nations considers reliable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Israel said it had killed the terrorist who kidnapped former hostage Yarden Bibas, the father of Kfir and Ariel and husband of Shiri, who were killed in Hamas captivity. The IDF said on Tuesday that Jihad Kamal Salem Najjar died in an air strike on Aug 10. The terrorist kidnapped Mr Bibas, who was released in part of a temporary ceasefire deal in February, from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. A small part of my closure happened today, he said in a statement, telling security forces: Thanks to you, he will be unable to hurt anyone else. 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. IDF soldiers prepare tanks near the Gaza Strip's northern borders in Israel, on Aug 18, 2025. Credit - Elke ScholiersGetty Images Israel has called up 60,000 reservists to report for duty, the military said Wednesday. Another 20,000 reservists will have their service extended under what officials call the next phase of Operation Gideons Chariots, the codename given to Israels plan to expand its military offensive in the Gaza Strip. World leaders have sharply criticized the new war plan, with Germany halting all of its arms sales to Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Large-scale protests have taken place in Israel, calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war and a deal to facilitate the release of the remaining hostages held in the territory. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which organized the "Israel on Hold protests, said that over a million people took part in the demonstrations across the country on Sunday. Per the organization, almost 500,000 protesters gathered in Tel Avivs Hostage Square. Read More: Germany Suspends Gaza-Linked Arms Sales to Israel Over Netanyahus Plan to Occupy the Strip The Israel-Hamas war started after Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Of the estimated 250 hostages, 140 have been released during negotiations, eight have been rescued, and the bodies of 57 who died in captivity or during rescue attempts have been recovered. Its thought that 20 living hostages are still being held by Hamas and other militants. Over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the absence of independent monitoring on the ground, the ministry is the primary source for casualty data relied upon by humanitarian groups, journalists, and international bodies. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified by TIME. In a military briefing shared with TIME on Wednesday, an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) official said the newly-called reserves are set to be drafted in September and the next phase of the operation into Gaza City will be presented to the political echelon for approval. In the coming weeks, we'll see the IDF begin a gradual operation in and around Gaza City, said a military official. Israels security cabinet approved new plans, put forward by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to expand military operations in Gaza on Aug. 8. The expansion of Operation Gideon's Chariots, the renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza which began in May, could come to fruition with the occupation of the entire territory. The IDF has already advanced some military operations surrounding Gaza City. The civilian population in the combat zone has been warned and requested to move south for their safety and to minimize the likelihood of harm to uninvolved individuals, said IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read More: Mother of Israeli Hostage Says Occupation of Gaza Would be Death Sentence for Her Son and Others Israels action regarding the calling of reserves comes as international groups voice concerns over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions and malnutrition crisis in Gaza. The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that an expansion in military operations could risk an already catastrophic situation. With more than 80% of Gaza already impacted by evacuation orders, it is unimaginable that civilians could be compelled to move to an even smaller area After months of relentless hostilities and repeated displacement, the people in Gaza are utterly exhausted, said the ICRC in a statement on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United Nations maintains that any plans to expand operations in Gaza will have a horrific humanitarian impact on people already exhausted, malnourished, bereaved, displaced, and deprived of basics needed for survival. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which oversees the Holy Family parish in Gaza, said it is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation in Gaza City, particularly in light of recent decisions and the ongoing mobilization towards an imminent invasion. In a statement shared with TIME, a spokesperson for the patriarchate said members of the Gaza church have reported that the sound and impact of bombardments are drawing dangerously close to the parish compound itself. Read More: Israel Approves West Bank Settlement Project That Advocacy Groups Say Guarantees More Bloodshed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, advocacy groups have also spoken out to condemn Israels new West Bank settlement plans, which received final approval on Wednesday. Pushed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the project, which had been on hold for decades due to global concerns, would isolate the territory by cutting off the West Bank from East Jerusalem. Israeli advocacy group Peace Now has warned that the governments annexation moves are guaranteeing many more years of bloodshed. Smotrich, alongside fellow far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, was sanctioned by the U.K. and allies in May. He was accused of inciting extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Contact us at letters@time.com. Israel's defence minister approved a plan on Wednesday for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60,000 reservists, piling pressure on Hamas as mediators push for a ceasefire. Defence Minister Israel Katz's move, confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson, came as mediators awaited an official Israeli response to their latest proposal in ceasefire talks. While mediator Qatar had expressed guarded optimism over the latest proposal, a senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The framework that Hamas had approved proposes an initial 60-day truce, a staggered hostage release, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners and provisions allowing for the entry of aid into Gaza. On the ground in Gaza City on Wednesday, Mustafa Qazzaat, head of the emergency committee in the Gaza municipality, described the situation as "catastrophic", with "large numbers" fleeing eastern neighbourhoods. One resident, Anis Daloul, 64, said the Israeli military had "destroyed most of the buildings in Zeitoun and displaced thousands of people". Israel's security cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the plan to conquer Gaza City in early August, sparking fears it would worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu has not yet called a security cabinet meeting to discuss any response to the latest truce proposal. His office said in a statement Wednesday that the premier "has directed that the timetables for seizing control of the last terrorist strongholds and the defeat of Hamas be shortened", without indicating a specific timeframe. - 'Permanent war' - Netanyahu has come under growing pressure at home and abroad to end the war, with the German government saying on Wednesday that it "rejects the escalation" of Israel's campaign. French President Emmanuel Macron said the offensive "can only lead to a complete disaster for both peoples", warning it would "drag the region into a permanent war". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katz's approval of plans to conquer Gaza City came days after Hamas said it had accepted the latest proposal from mediators for a ceasefire to halt almost two years of devastating war. Sources from Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad told AFP on Wednesday that the proposal envisages the release of 10 hostages and 18 bodies from Gaza. The remaining captives would be released in a second exchange within the 60-day period, during which negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would take place, the sources said. Israel and Hamas have held on-off indirect negotiations throughout the war, resulting in two short truces during which Israeli hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 2023 attack that triggered the war, 49 are still in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Qatar, one of the mediators in the talks, said the latest proposal was "almost identical" to an earlier version agreed by Israel. Netanyahu has yet to publicly comment on the truce plan but said last week that his country would accept "an agreement in which all the hostages are released at once and according to our conditions for ending the war". - 'Gradual operation' - An Israeli military official told journalists on Wednesday that the new phase of combat would involve "a gradual precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City", including some areas where forces had not previously operated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli strikes and fire killed at least 25 people across the territory on Wednesday. When contacted by AFP, the Israeli military asked for coordinates and specific timeframes to comment on the reports but said it would look into reports of eight people killed by Israeli fire near an aid site in the centre of Gaza. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing swathes of the Palestinian territory mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military. The Israeli military said it killed 10 Hamas militants in southern Gaza on Wednesday while repelling an attack by the armed wing of the Islamist group, which claimed it killed several Israeli soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's offensive has killed at least 62,122 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the United Nations considers reliable. In the West Bank, Israel on Wednesday approved a major settlement project in an area that the international community has warned threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state. The Palestinian Authority swiftly condemned the approval "in the strongest terms", saying it entrenched division in the territory. bur-acc/jsa/phz A row between Israel and France over Paris's plan to recognise a Palestinian state next month escalated to crisis level on Tuesday when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused President Emmanuel Macron of fomenting "antisemitism". The Elysee hit back, calling Netanyahu's allegation "abject" and "erroneous". "This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation," the French presidency added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu's accusation was sent in a letter addressed to Macron, seen by AFP, which said that antisemitism had "surged" in France following the French president's announcement last month that he will recognise Palestinian statehood. Macron said France would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September -- a move that at the time drew a swift rebuke from Israel. In his letter, Netanyahu said to Macron: "Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas's refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets." By announcing the move to recognise statehood for Palestinians, France is set to join a list of nations that has grown since the start of the Gaza war nearly two years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France is among at least 145 of the 193 UN members that now recognise or plan to recognise a Palestinian state, according to an AFP tally. France has long advocated for the so-called "two-state solution". It has said its move to recognise a Palestinian state goes against Hamas, which rules Gaza and has excluded a two-state solution. In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry condemned Netanyahu's remarks, calling them "unjustified and hostile to peace". "The old record of confusing criticism of the Israeli occupation and its crimes or support for the Palestinian people's rights to freedom and independence with antisemitism... has become cracked and exposed, and no one is fooled," the ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - Anti-Jewish violence 'intolerable' - In its response to Netanyahu's antisemitism allegation, the French presidency said that France "protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens". "Violence against the (French) Jewish community is intolerable," it added. "That is why, beyond criminal convictions, the president has systematically required all his governments since 2017 -- and even more so since the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023 -- to show the strongest action against perpetrators of antisemitic acts," it said. Macron's office added that the allegation in Netanyahu's letter "will not go unanswered". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Macron's minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, separately said that France has "no lessons to learn in the fight against antisemitism". The issue "which is poisoning our European societies" must not be "exploited", Haddad added. France is home to Europe's biggest Jewish community. Reported antisemitic acts in France surged from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023, before dipping to 1,570 last year, according to the interior ministry. Netanyahu on Tuesday also criticised Australia, which has similarly said it plans to recognise Palestinian statehood next month. The Israeli leader, on his office's official X account, called his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, a "weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The personal attack came amid a diplomatic spat between the two countries after the Australian government on Monday cancelled the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman. Hours later, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he had revoked the visas of Australia's representatives to the Palestinian Authority. bur-hr/mjw/lb In an escalating international dispute, Israel launched a series of diplomatic attacks against several of its Western allies as they prepare to recognize a Palestinian state next month. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent two strongly worded letters to the leaders of France and Australia, accusing both men of fueling antisemitism with their decision to recognize a state of Palestine. In both letters, Netanyahu cited antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents that occurred in recent months, linking them to the governments positions on the Gaza war and Palestinian statehood. Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire, Netanyahu wrote in a letter obtained by CNN to French President Emanuel Macron on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamass refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets. The acrimonious letter drew a sharp rebuke from the Elysee Palace, which noted that Macron first learned of the Israeli letter through the press before receiving it through diplomatic channels. France protects and will always protect its compatriots of the Jewish faith, the Elysee Palace said in a statement. These times demand seriousness and responsibility, not confusion and manipulation. Netanyahu has lost the plot The tensions are a sign of the growing gulf between Netanyahu and his Western allies many of whom have become increasingly critical of Israels war in Gaza, which has destroyed vast swathes of the territory and led to a worsening humanitarian crisis there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon last week said Netanyahu had lost the plot while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the Jyllands-Posten newspaper that Netanyahu is now a problem in himself. Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli prime minister also castigated Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, calling him a weak politician, after his government cancelled the visa of a far-right lawmaker from Netanyahus governing coalition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured on April 4, sent two strongly worded letters to the leaders of France and Australia as they prepare to recognize Palestinian statehood. - Marton Monus/Reuters Australia and France are two of the latest Western nations to announce plans to recognize a State of Palestine. Canada and Portugal have also announced similar intentions. Next month, they will join more than 140 other countries that already recognize Palestinian statehood. The United Kingdom has conditionally said it will recognize a Palestinian state if Israel does not meet criteria that includes agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu set a deadline for the leaders of Australia and France to take action against the cancer of antisemitism, calling on them to act before the Jewish New Year on September 23. The date coincides with the opening of the United Nations General Assemblys high-level debate where the countries are expected to recognize a Palestinian state. France says the move is intended to revive the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and bring peace to the region, but Israel and the US have slammed the initiative, calling it a reward for Hamas terror that will only set back efforts for peace. French President Emmanuel Macron, shown on July 10, says his government's recognition of the State of Palestine is intended to revive the two-state solution and bring peace to the Middle East. - Leon Neal/Getty Images Israels tensions with Australia have likewise worsened since Canberra announced its intention to recognize a Palestinian state, following its imposition of sanctions on Israeli far right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir in June. The crisis deepened this week after Australian Home affairs Minister Tony Burke denied an entry visa to another far-right Israeli politician, Simcha Rothman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar revoked the residence visas of Australian representatives in the Palestinian Authority and instructed Israels embassy in Canberra to scrutinize every official Australian request for a visa to Israel. Netanyahu later attacked Australian Prime Minister Albanese on social media, saying, History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews. Albanese, speaking to local reporters on Wednesday, said he did not take it personally. He said, I treat leaders of other countries with respect, and I engage with them in a diplomatic way. Burke rebutted Netanyahus weak accusation, telling public broadcaster the ABC that strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A diplomatic row between Israel and Paris has broken out after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused French President Emmanuel Macron of fuelling the anti-Semitic fire in France by planning to recognise Palestinian statehood. Netanyahus accusation against the French leader was contained in a letter, seen by the AFP news agency on Tuesday, which claimed that anti-Semitism had surged in France since President Macrons recent announcement that he will recognise Palestine as a state at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly next month. The French presidents office hit back swiftly at Netanyahu on Tuesday, calling his allegations abject and erroneous, and promising that they will not go unanswered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation, the French presidency said, adding that France protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens. Violence against the [French] Jewish community is intolerable, it said. Reacting to Netanyahus letter, Benjamin Haddad, the French deputy minister for European affairs, said that France had no lessons to learn in the fight against anti-Semitism. The issue, which is poisoning our European societies, must not be exploited, Haddad said. France, which is home to Europes biggest Jewish community, has joined an estimated 145 of the 193 UN members that now recognise or plan to recognise a Palestinian state, according to reports. Encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets In his letter, Netanyahu said to Macron: Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamass refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahus diplomatic dust-up with Macron comes as the Israeli leader accused Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of being a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews. Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 19, 2025 The Albanese government plans to recognise Palestinian statehood and on Monday cancelled the visa of Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, whose ultranationalist party is in Netanyahus governing coalition. Rothman had been scheduled to speak at events organised by the Australian Jewish Association. Hours later, Israels foreign minister, Gideon Saar, said he had revoked the visas of Australias representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I also instructed the Israeli Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel, Saar said. This follows Australias decisions to recognise a Palestinian state and against the backdrop of Australias unjustified refusal to grant visas to a number of Israeli figures, he said. Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong called Israels revocation of visas for its diplomats an unjustified reaction, and said that Netanyahus government was increasing Israels diplomatic isolation on the world stage. At a time when dialogue and diplomacy are needed more than ever, the Netanyahu government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution, Wong said in a statement. Last week, Albanese said that Netanyahu was in denial about the humanitarian crisis being caused by Israels punishing war on Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Jens Laerke, the spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said that Israeli authorities had banned shelter items, such as tents, from entering Gaza for about five months, a period in which more than 700,000 people in the war-ravaged territory have been forcibly displaced and re-displaced by Israeli forces. Laerke said Israel has classified tents as dual use because it considers that tent poles could be used for a military purpose. UN Human Rights Office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan warned that Israels military takeover of Gaza City threatened a further humanitarian catastrophe. There are risks of mass displacement and more and more killings and more misery, he said, adding that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City were being ordered to move south to the al-Mawasi area, which Israel previously designated a safe zone but continues to bomb. The Israeli military plans to mobilize around 50,000 reservists ahead of the planned capture of Gaza City, with draft notices due to be sent out in the coming days, according to a military representative. The reservists are set to begin their service in September, the representative said on Wednesday. This would bring the total number of deployed reservists to around 120,000. He said the capture of Gaza City would primarily involve active soldiers. Israeli troops already present in the suburbs of Gaza City, the official said, naming the neighbourhoods of al-Zeitoun and Jabalia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli media reported on Wednesday that Defence Minister Israel Katz had approved the operational plan to capture Gaza City late on Tuesday This was despite the fact the Islamist militant Hamas organization claimed it had given international mediators a "positive response" to a new proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip the previous day. Gaza City remains Hamas' most important stronghold, the representative said, noting that the Islamist group still possessed "operational capabilities" and was capable of engaging in "guerrilla warfare." The operation also aimed to destroy Hamas's underground tunnel system, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human rights organizations regularly highlight the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. According to the Israeli military's plan, civilians in Gaza City estimated at around 1 million people are to move to tent camps further south. Their supply of medical aid and food is to be ensured there, the military representative said, adding that they are working with international aid organizations. The Israeli military said Wednesday that it is calling up tens of thousands of reservists before the expanded military incursion into Gaza City, even as the countrys government is considering a proposal for a ceasefire with Palestinian militant group Hamas. As part of the next phase of Operation Gideons Chariots, ~60,000 reserve orders were issued this morning, and 20,000 reservists had their service extended. The IDF values its reservists and their vital role in Israels security, the military wrote Wednesday morning in a post on social platform X. The military will be conducting a gradual, precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City, which currently serves as Hamass main military and governing stronghold, said an Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, who briefed the press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The military official said soldiers will operate in the areas of Gaza City where they have not previously gone. Most of the reservists are not expected to operate in Gaza City. All that said, in Gaza, the main forces operating on the next stage of the operation will be our active duty forces. We will have five divisions operating in Gaza in different operations focusing on Gaza City. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greenlighted the plan to escalate the offensive in Gaza, arguing earlier this month that his country has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas. Israel has faced pushback from allies in Europe over the planned offensive, while the prime minister has been under pressure from members of his coalition to keep the war going and nix the temporary ceasefire proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have protested Israels military operation in the war-torn enclave while calling for the safe return of hostages. The only way to bring [hostages] back is through a deal, all at once, without games, said former hostage Arbel Yehoud, whose boyfriend, Ariel Cunio, is still in Hamas captivity. The operation in and around Gaza City will be gradual, precise and planned out, encompassing a very large-scale humanitarian plan going by at the same time, simultaneously providing everything needed: food, shelter in areas, working on providing new field hospitals, according to the military official. The recent 60-day ceasefire proposal brought by Arab intermediaries was accepted by Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. The Israeli government is reviewing the proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has said about 50 hostages remain in Gaza, all of whom the government hopes to free. The Israeli government has said that about 20 hostages are still alive. The latest proposal is similar to the one brought by President Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. The ball is now in Israels court. We would like a positive response from them as soon as possible in order to deal with the disastrous situation in Gaza, especially the starvation and the killing of civilians, Egypts foreign minister told NBC News on Tuesday. The war started Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 people hostage. Since then, the Israeli military offensive has killed more than 62,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu has previously said he is against any deal that would leave Hamas as the ruling faction in Gaza, although many Israelis worry the new offensive in the enclave could put the rest of the remaining hostages in danger. Ahead of approval of the plans for the operation in Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the timetables for seizing control of the last terrorist strongholds and the defeat of Hamas be shortened, Netanyahus office said in a statement Thursday. The Prime Minister expresses his great appreciation for the reservist fighters who have been mobilized and their families, and all IDF soldiers, his office added. Together we will win. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Construction in E1 is expected to begin immediately, while Ashahels plan reaches the deposit stage, a key step toward final approval. Israels Civil Administration approved major construction projects in West Bank, marking a significant expansion in Maaleh Adumim in an area known as E1 and the recognition of a new community in Asahel south of Hebron. The E1 plan, long delayed, will add approximately 3,400 housing units, while Ashahels project includes 342 units along with public buildings and infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finance and Defense Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who led both initiatives, described the approvals as historical facts on the ground, calling them a defining moment for settlement, security, and the State of Israel. Today we are finally realizing what has been promised for years in E1, Smotrich said, adding that the developments represent concrete steps toward full Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank. Smotrich also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry with oversight of civilian affairs in the West Bank. Construction in E1 is expected to begin immediately, while Ashahels plan reaches the deposit stage, a key step toward final approval. View of Route 1, the Maaleh Adumim-Jerusalem road, from the West Bank area known as E1, with Jerusalem's Mount Scopus seen on the horizon, on December 10, 2019. (credit: HADAS PARUSH/FLASH90) The 11.6-square-kilometer E1 zone lies within the municipal boundaries of Maaleh Adumim and is classified as Area C, under full Israeli administrative and security control. The project has been frozen for decades due to intense international opposition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Maaleh Adumims Tzippor Midbar neighborhood will add another 3,515 housing units. The combined 6,916 new housing units will double the citys population and bring in about 35,000 new residents in the coming years, Smotrich said. Over 36,000 people currently live in the city, just northwest of Jerusalem. Asahel, which was founded in 2001, currently has around 100 families. The E1 area is located within Area C Alan Baker, Israels former Ambassador to Canada and now head of the Global Law Forum at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, told TPS-IL in mid-August that both Israel and the Palestinians have competing aspirations for the land, but because E1 is located in Area C, Israel is within its rights. Baker was involved with the drafting of the Oslo Accords, which were signed in 1993. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I mean, according to the Oslo Accords, that area is part of Area C, which is under Israeli jurisdiction. So Israel has the right, both legally and according to the agreements with the Palestinians, which were also approved internationally, of course, as long as the construction plan is in accordance with the law. This is not about building on privately owned land, but rather on public land, Baker explained. The Oslo Accords divided the West Bank into three administrative areas. Area A, mostly Palestinian cities, is fully governed by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in both administration and security. In Area B, which includes smaller Palestinian towns, the PA handles civil administration while Israel controls security. Area C, encompassing Israeli communities, military sites, and nature reserves, is under full Israeli administrative and security control. Community leaders have expressed hope that US President Donald Trump will revisit the issue of sovereignty, aligning his previous peace plans with provisions for applying Israeli law to Area C. An Israeli planning committee approved a highly contested settlement project in the occupied West Bank on Wedneday, according to the Israeli organization Peace Now, which had a representative at the meeting. Critics say the move could severely undermine prospects for a future Palestinian state. The plan foresees the construction of about 3,400 housing units in the so-called E1 area, a stretch of land between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The area, about 12 square kilometres in size, is considered one of the most sensitive in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Construction there would effectively divide the West Bank into northern and southern sections, making it much harder, if not impossible, to form a connected Palestinian state - which has always been envisaged to include the geographically distinct Gaza Strip. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the proposal last week, saying the step "buries the idea of a Palestinian state once and for all." The move comes as several countries, including France, Canada, and Australia, have pledged to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has rejected such recognition, calling it a "reward for Hamas" following the October 7, 2023, attack. Israel has repeatedly postponed construction plans for E1 in the past, due to international pressure. A spokeswoman for Peace Now said Wednesday's authorization was the "final approval." However, the government could stop the plan at any time in the future if it wanted to. In the past, projects had been stopped even after construction had already begun, the advocacy group noted. West Bank turning into 'patchwork quilt' In 1967, Israel seized the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where more than 700,000 settlers now live among some 3 million Palestinians. Under international law, the settlements are illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Palestinians claim the territories for their own state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Even under the status quo, however, the systematic settlement of the West Bank would leave the Palestinians with a patchwork of land to form their own state. The Israeli government rejects the two-state solution on the grounds that it would endanger Israel's existence. Right-wing government ministers are very pro-settler and are pushing for Israel to annex the West Bank. According to Peace Now, efforts to develop the E1 area date back to the 1990s. After Palestine was recognized as a UN observer state in 2012, there was an upswing in the project at the urging of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, the initiative was subsequently slowed down. How does Israel justify the construction plans? The Israeli leadership justifies the construction plans in E1 with security interests, arguing that creating territorial continuity between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim is important from this perspective. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich openly says that the aim is to prevent the establishment of a future Palestinian state, which he sees as an existential threat to Israel. He says the construction plans are "Zionism at its best" and strengthen Israel's sovereignty. Smotrich is also a minister in the Defence Ministry with responsibility for civilian affairs in the West Bank. He has threatened to annex the West Bank if Western countries go ahead with their plan to recognize a Palestinian state next month. Nearly 150 of the 193 member states of the United Nations have already done so. The goal is to push forward a two-state solution. This means that Israel and an independent Palestinian state would exist peacefully side by side. Technology manufacturing giant Foxconn plans to develop technology parks in the U.S. and Mexico, aiming to help Taiwanese companies circumvent a newly imposed 20% tariff on imports from Taiwan, Chairman Liu Young-way announced Monday. If customers are truly facing significant tariff pressure, we could offer a solution: using our own U.S. factories to supply them, Liu said according to FTV News. The statement follows the Trump administrations July 31 announcement that goods imported from Taiwan would be subject to a 20% tariff, effective Aug. 7. The policy is part of a broader trade strategy targeting more than 90 U.S. trading partners. The White House has stated that the latest round of tariffs is intended, in part, to encourage domestic manufacturing and job creation. Foxconns expansion strategy is intended to give Taiwanese manufacturers an alternative to shipping goods directly to the U.S., reducing exposure to tariff-related costs. The companys proposed technology parks will prioritize development in Texas, with future projects under consideration in Mexico and other developing nations. Industry experts say the tariff developments are prompting many global firms to reassess their supply chain strategies. Michelle Comerford, industrial and supply chain practice leader at Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co., said the tariffs have intensified existing uncertainty in international manufacturing. The tariff topic has already created a lot of uncertainty for companies with global supply chains for the past seven months, and will continue to do so as not all countries have reached new agreements with the U.S., Comerford said in a statement. For U.S. manufacturers with domestic supply chains, this could create a competitive advantage but for those reliant on imports, it adds cost pressures and more risks of disruption. We expect many firms will revisit sourcing strategies and accelerate plans for regionalized manufacturing footprints as a result. Based in Princeton, New Jersey, Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co. is one of the nations largest independent site selection and economic development consulting firms. Comerford noted that while tariffs may incentivize domestic manufacturing, companies must first undertake comprehensive planning. The very first, and arguably most important step when a company decides to consider a U.S. manufacturing facility is to spend time defining the operational requirements of the proposed new facility, Comerford told FreightWaves in an interview. Its really important to understand what you want this facility to do in order to evaluate locations appropriately. An Israeli planning committee approved on Wednesday a highly contested settlement project in the occupied West Bank, Israeli organization Peace Now, which had a representative on site, has confirmed. Critics say the move could severely undermine prospects for a future Palestinian state. The plan calls for about 3,400 housing units in the so-called E1 area, a stretch of land between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The area, about 12 square kilometres in size, is considered one of the most sensitive in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Construction there would effectively divide the West Bank into northern and southern sections, making it much harder, if not impossible, to form a connected Palestinian state. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the proposal last week, saying the step "buries the idea of a Palestinian state once and for all." The move comes as several countries, including France, Canada, and Australia, have pledged to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Israel has rejected such recognition, calling it a "reward for Hamas" following the October 7, 2023, attack. The Israeli military said it had called up an additional 60,000 reservists and extended the service of 20,000 "as part of the next phase of 'Operation Gideon's Chariot'" - the name of Israel's military operation in Gaza. Israel is preparing to launch an expanded military operation in Gaza City, possibly in the coming days, even as negotiators scramble to bring Israel and Hamas to a ceasefire after 22 months of fighting. It comes as human rights groups warn that a humanitarian crisis could worsen in Gaza, where most residents have been displaced, vast neighborhoods lie in ruins and communities are facing the threat of famine. Palestinians inspect the site of an overnight Israeli strike on a house in Gaza City on August 20, 2025. / Credit: DAWOUD ABU ALKAS / REUTERS An Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said the Israel Defense Forces will be operating in parts of Gaza City where they have not yet operated and where they believe Hamas is still active. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official said Israeli troops are already operating in the Zeitoun and Jabaliya neighborhoods of Gaza City to prepare the groundwork for the expanded operation, which is expected to receive approval from the chief of staff in the coming days. The IDF regards Gaza City as Hamas' main military and governing stronghold and Israeli troops will again be targeting Hamas' vast underground tunnel network, the official added. Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamas' senior leadership, parts of the militant group are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets toward Israel, the official said. It remains unclear when the operation will begin, but it could be a matter of days. The official said the operation was expected to last between four to six months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently said the objective of the war is to secure the release of the remaining hostages and ensure Hamas and other militants can never again threaten Israel. The planned offensive, first announced earlier this month, has heightened international condemnation of Israel and fueled fears that it will lead to another mass displacement of Palestinians. Netanyahu said on Aug. 9 that it would span parts of Gaza City and the central camps [or for newly displaced people. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering in the city and it holds some of the last remnants of critical infrastructure. AP journalists saw small groups heading south from the city this week, but how many will voluntarily flee remains unclear. Some said they were waiting to see how events unfold before moving yet again, and many insist nowhere is safe from airstrikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli call-up comes as a growing campaign of exhausted reservists is accusing the government of perpetuating the war for political reasons and failing to bring home the remaining hostages. The families of the hostages and former army and intelligence chiefs have also expressed opposition to the expanded operation in Gaza City. Most of the families of the hostages want an immediate ceasefire and worry an expanded assault could imperil the return home of the 50 hostages still in Gaza. Israel believes 20 are still alive. The former chiefs are skeptical the goal of completely destroying Hamas is attainable. The former head of Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, Yoram Cohen called it a "fantasy," saying that "if anyone imagines that we can reach every terrorist and every pit and every weapon, and in parallel bring our hostages home - I think it is impossible." The war began when Hamas carried out a terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mediators and Hamas both said this week that Hamas leaders had agreed to cease-fire terms, though similar announcements have been made in the past that did not lead to ceasefires. An Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media said Israel is in constant contact with the mediators in an effort to secure the release of the hostages. Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will oppose a deal that doesn't include the "complete defeat of Hamas." More than 62,000 people have been killed during Israel's 22-month offensive, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Monday. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine IDF calls 60,000 military reservists for Gaza expansion, Palestinians say they have nowhere to move Latest news on the Texas, California redistricting fights ROME (Reuters) -Valentino has appointed industry veteran Riccardo Bellini as new chief executive, it said on Wednesday, hiring him from the Qatari fund Mayhoola which is the Italian fashion house's parent company. Bellini, who will take up the role at the start of September, replaces Jacopo Venturini whose departure was announced last week. The appointment is part of the large-scale change in management and artistic direction sweeping across the fashion industry as it grapples with a deep slump in key U.S. and Chinese markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New designers will debut at labels including Chanel, Balenciaga, Loewe, Maison Margiela and Versace in upcoming fashion weeks in September and October. "I am honored to join Valentino, an iconic maison that blends extraordinary heritage and craftsmanship with a unique creative voice," Bellini said in a statement. Bellini had been managing director at Mayhoola, a role he took up only in January, according to his LinkedIn profile. He will work alongside creative director Alessandro Michele as part of a new top team at Valentino. Michele joined Valentino last year. Bellini previously served as CEO of luxury brands Maison Margiela and Chloe, and held leadership roles at Diesel and Procter & Gamble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His appointment comes at a time of uncertainty for Valentino, founded in Rome in 1960 by Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti. The label is now part-owned by French luxury conglomerate Kering, which bought a 30% stake from Mayhoola for 1.7 billion euros ($2 billion) in 2023, with a commitment to buy the rest by 2028. Last month, Mayhoola denied a newspaper report that the two shareholders were considering selling Valentino. Kering, which will have former Renault boss Luca de Meo as its new CEO from next month, declined to comment at the time. ($1 = 0.8572 euros) (Writing by Keith WeirAdditional reporting by Mimosa Spencer in ParisEditing by Gavin Jones) PONTASSERCHIO, Italy (AP) Funeral services were held Wednesday for a young Palestinian woman who died in Italy shortly after being evacuated from Gaza last week, exposing Italians to the desperate plight of Palestinians in the besieged territory. The funeral of Marah Abu Zuhri, attended by several hundred people, was interrupted repeatedly by chants of Free Palestine and featured speeches by local Italian authorities denouncing Israels policy in Gaza and expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. As Palestinian flags fluttered, mourners stood in prayer before Zuhris coffin, which was draped in a Palestinian flag and a keffiyeh scarf in a park in the town of Pontasserchio, near Pisa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zuhri, 19, had been evacuated to Italy with what Israel had called leukemia, but Italian doctors said they found no initial evidence of that and instead found profound wasting" and an undiagnosed or misdiagnosed condition. The United Nations and partners have said 22 months of war have devastated Gaza's health system, and food security experts have said the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out. Israel is moving ahead with a new military offensive on some of the territory's most populated areas, Mayor Matteo Cecchelli said he wanted to honor Zuhri's life with a public service in the town's Park of Peace, to make noise about what he called a political and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The reality is that every day in the Gaza Strip, people are dying in the deafening silence of world governments," he said to applause. "We cannot remain silent today in this field of peace. There are those who have decided to make noise and have decided to be here to express their dissent towards this genocide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel asserts that it abides by international law and is fighting an existential war in Gaza after Hamas deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed some 1,200 people and took more than 250 others hostage. Israel has rejected genocide allegations related to its war in Gaza and called them antisemitic. Zuhri arrived in Italy overnight on Aug. 13-14 as one of 31 sick or injured Palestinians evacuated on an Italian humanitarian airlift that has brought nearly 1,000 ill Palestinians and their families to the country since the war began. Israel said she had leukemia and had been offered an evacuation earlier but claimed that Hamas had exploited her case, without offering evidence. The U.N. World Health Organization, which coordinates patients evacuations, didnt respond to a request for comment. Gazas Health Ministry has asserted that evacuations are often delayed or canceled by Israeli authorities. It says over 18,000 patients and wounded require treatment outside Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zuhri was admitted to the hematology ward of Pisa Universitys Santa Chiara Hospital, a known oncological hospital in Tuscany, but died there on Aug. 15. The hospital said she arrived with a very complex/compromised clinical picture and in a state of profound wasting. She suffered a sudden respiratory crisis and subsequent cardiac arrest, which killed her, it said. The head of the hematology department at the Pisa hospital, Dr. Sara Galimberti, said Zuhri arrived with a diagnosis of suspected acute leukemia, but tests the hospital conducted came back negative, with no signs of the bad cells that would indicate leukemia. Galimberti told reporters that Zuhri likely had been misdiagnosed, and that her condition was nevertheless seriously compromised and had been for a while. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The patient was in a complete condition of wasting, and completely bedridden despite being 19 years old, she said. The hospital conducted a nutritional consultation and began a hypercaloric therapy and transfusional support, but Zuhri died before a full diagnosis was possible, Galimberti said. The doctor said the womans mother, Nabeela Abu Zuhri, declined an autopsy on religious and personal grounds. The mother, who accompanied her daughter on the flight, spoke briefly at the funeral, thanking Italy for trying to save her daughter and asking for prayers for Palestinians. She said she was leaving a part of my heart, a part of me, with you before returning to Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The imam of Pisa, Mohammad Khalil, who translated for her, tried to calm the crowd and focus on Zuhri, but he also spoke of food shortages and hunger in Gaza. He presided over the service and burial in a newly designated area of the cemetery for Muslims. It will remain a memorial in our territory for future generations as a symbol of the genocide of the Palestinian people, the mayor, Cecchelli, said. The United Nations has said starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at their highest levels since the war began. The U.N. says nearly 12,000 children under 5 were found with acute malnutrition in July including more than 2,500 with severe malnutrition, the most dangerous level. The World Health Organization says the numbers are likely an undercount. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly asserted that no one in Gaza is starving, with no policy of starvation in Gaza. AP reporting has found that malnourished children were arriving daily at a Gaza hospital, with some dying from hunger, including ones with no preexisting conditions. ___ Winfield reported from Rome. A tour guide has died after collapsing while leading guests around Rome's iconic Colosseum amid high temperatures. The AGTA association of tour guides said on Wednesday the 60-year-old could not be reanimated despite attempts by several visitors to save her. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon, as the Italian led a group of around 25 tourists on the first floor of the ancient Roman amphitheatre. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The guide, who had been leading tours in the Colosseum since 2017, was already dead by the time she was transported to an ambulance. The Colosseum is one of Italy's most famous tourist attractions, drawing an estimated 14.7 million visitors last year. Built in the first century AD, it was famous as a venue for gladiator fights and other spectacles. At the time of the accident, temperatures in Rome were still over 30 degrees. Several other guides have blamed the working conditions for the death of their colleague. Guide Paola Salvatori said in the La Repubblica newspaper that it is "impossible to work" in the heat. "The overtourism is killing us." Other Italian media quoted colleagues as saying: "She had to work in high temperatures. She died from the heat." KANSAS CITY, Mo. Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. said he does not plan to run for reelection but said he could change his mind. White made the announcement in a letter that was sent to county associates. After much prayer, reflection, and discussion with my family, I have decided that I do not plan to seek reelection as Jackson County Executive when my term ends next year, he wrote. This was not an easy decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frank White recall election: Heres when you can start voting This comes a month before an election that will determine whether White is recalled from office. I know this announcement comes during an active recall effort, the letter reads. I am fighting that effort in court and, if necessary, will fight it at the ballot box. White said that although he does not plan to run again, he could change his mind. I must be candidthere is a part of me that could reconsider, he wrote in the letter. Whites counterpart, First District Legislator Manuel Abarca IV, on the other hand, said White not running will help the county save money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If hes truly done, now is a good time to make that next announcement, Abarca said. It makes it easier, helps us save on elections, it helps with all the court costs were expending and wasting from his office to pay for these third-party consultants. For Jackson County voters, make sure you understand if you want things to be different, if you want your property tax to change, youve got to get rid of Frank White. It really struck me that hes telling us hes actually planning to run again if he can avoid this recall, Jackson County Legislator Sean Smith said. The fact that hes actively recruiting people, using county, clearly using county resources for political purposes just seems wrong to me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith said he still fully expect theyre going to have a vote on September 30. The fact that people have already started casting votes would make it really hard for a judge to now say, oh, no, we were not having an election, he added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Since taking ownership of the former Dozier School for Boys campus, Jackson County has been looking for ways to redevelop the space. A number of projects have since taken shape on what is now known as Endeavor Park. One of the projects currently in the works is the Jackson County Heritage Museum. The Jackson County Museum will feature 5 main sections: Agricultural history, ecological history, important people and places, military history and Dozier School history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizers feel that it is important to establish reminders of what the area originally was. History is not always pretty, and with a museum, youre going to have the good, the bad, and the ugly in it. And that includes part of Doziers history as well, Executive Director of Tourist Development Council Kelsi Jackson said. There are actually going to be two museums located at Endeavor Park. The second museum will be the Emancipation History Museum. Jackson County has a very important piece, especially when it comes to Florida and Floridas emancipation and so were able to tell this story through the battle of Marianna, through the Jackson County wars and everything to tie it into where weve become today, Executive Director of Freedom Roots Foundation Byron Dickens said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizers of both museums hope that touring one will lead to visitors touring the other. The plan is to have exhibits and things in the Jackson museum that will kind of guide you to and push you towards Emancipation History Museum and vice versa, said Dickens. Jackson County residents will soon be asked for their input on the future of both museums. Workshops will be held throughout the county to help both museums collect stories to be used for future exhibits. These will take place from September to March. The main goal of the museums is to help promote tourism in Jackson County. To find out more about the community workshops, click here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) The City of Jackson has partnered with the Mississippi Housing Partnership and the Mississippi Center for Justice to host a Housing Educational Clinic. This is in response to concerns between landlords and tenants in the capital city. The clinic will provide resources for residents, according to city leaders. Jackson mayor wont seek water extension for Blossom Apartments The clinic will beheld on August 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Smith Robertson Museum in Jackson. Volunteer attorneys will be onsite to help review leases and advise tenants of their rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This event is free and open to the public. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. Jacksonville mother of 5 missing for 2 days found alive in woods A Jacksonville woman who disappeared Monday was found alive in the woods Wednesday after a massive rescue effort by police and firefighters. Kayla Bailey was last seen early Monday morning by one of her daughters as she left her home on Maxville Boulevard, her family told Action News Jax. Authorities said she could be in danger, sparking a search that covered the community and nearby wooded areas. The Sky Action News Jax drone took video of the dense forest where Bailey was found. First responders described the discovery as a relief after she had gone two days without food, water, or shelter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was found in a wooded area just off a trail, Jacksonville Sheriffs Office Sgt. Michael Monts said. She was laying on the ground. She was alive and well when rescuers walked up on her. RELATED: Missing mom of 5 found alive, Jacksonville police say Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department search teams spotted Baileys feet from UTVs before reaching her. Search teams went out on UTVs They were able to see her feet in the woods and went and found her, JFRD Chief Gary Kuehner said. Authorities mapped out the extensive search, which included officers on horseback, on foot, and by boat. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] She was within three-quarters of a mile, Kuehner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hours after Action News Jax interviewed him, Baileys husband, Joshua Bailey, was booked into jail on charges of violating probation and a domestic violence-related restraining order. Authorities said the arrest was not connected to the investigation of his wifes disappearance. The charges that he was arrested for are totally unrelated to the missing persons investigation, Monts said. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Bailey spoke briefly with her rescuers, though officials have not shared details. The fact that she is safe brought relief to the search team. Our victim was recovered alive and well. Which is great news to us, Monts said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Baileys disappearance. Watch the briefing from JSO and JFRD below: Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. (Reuters) -French researcher Laurent Vinatier, already jailed in Russia on charges of violating the country's "foreign agent" laws, now faces a new espionage charge, according to court documents cited by Russian news agencies. Vinatier was jailed for three years last October for failing to comply with laws requiring individuals deemed "foreign agents" to register and meet a number of stipulations. His appeal against the sentence was thrown out in February. The FSB security service had accused Vinatier of failing to register as a foreign agent in Russia while collecting military information of value to foreign intelligence services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian news agencies quoted documents from Moscow's Lefortovo Court as saying he would now be charged under espionage laws, without providing further details. A hearing was set for next Monday. Vinatier, 49, is one of several Westerners to have been charged under Russian security laws at a time of tense confrontation between Moscow and the West over the war in Ukraine. He told the court at his trial that he loved Russia and apologised for breaking the law. France said Vinatier had been arbitrarily detained and called for his release. President Emmanuel Macron denied that Vinatier worked for the French state and has described his arrest as part of a misinformation campaign by Moscow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vinatier is an employee of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), a Swiss-based conflict mediation organisation. Fellow academics who know him told Reuters he was a respected scholar involved in legitimate research. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Sonali Paul) As US auto tariffs bite and global competition intensifies, the finance arms of Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, and Kia must pivot fast. When Toyotas chief financial officer addressed investors in early August, his message was anything but reassuring. He revealed that US tariffs had carved a staggering 1.4 trillion nearly US$9.5 billion off the companys full-year operating profit. That figure, part of a 16% downward revision to 3.2 trillion, marked the sharpest tariff-related impact estimate yet from any global automaker, according to Reuters. The announcement followed a July 22 decision by US President Donald Trump to lower tariffs on Japan-made vehicle imports from 25% to 15%, with a similar rollback for South Korean-made vehicles announced just before the August 1 deadline. Industry observers welcomed the move as a reprieve from potentially harsher trade penalties. But relief was tempered by realism. Id hesitate to call it good news. A 15% US import tariff is still significantly higher than where Japan started and higher than most had expected, said Stefan Angrick, head of Japan and Frontier Market Economics at Moodys Analytics, according to CNBC.com. Asian automakers, including Hyundai, are experiencing unprecedented profit erosion in Q2 2025, even as US sales show modest gains. Hyundai reported a 22% drop in net profit, absorbing a 828 billion (US$604 million) tariff hit, according to the Financial Times. Mitsubishi Motors saw its net profit nearly wiped out, falling from 29.5 billion ($201 million) a year earlier to just 14.4 billion, largely due to tariffs and increased incentive costs. Sales also dipped 3% to 609 billion, the FT reported. Fitch Ratings warned on August 15 that US auto tariffs continue to weigh heavily on the financial health of Japanese and Korean automakers. While Japans direct exports to the US are relatively limited, Korean manufacturers are more exposed to the new 15% tariff rate. Both countries, however, remain vulnerable to tariff risks tied to other export hubs particularly Mexico and Canada where trade terms are still unsettled. Fitch also noted that the long-term impact on component and raw material costs remains unclear. So far, Japanese and Korean carmakers have been reluctant to pass tariff-related costs directly to US consumers. Fitch expects them to prioritise internal cost-cutting measures, though gradual price increases are likely, especially if competitors follow suit. The extent to which these companies can shift costs to buyers will play a key role in determining how much financial strain they face. (WJET/WFXP) A Jamestown man will serve a two-decade prison sentence after attempting to murder a librarian in 2022. On Tuesday, August 19, the Chautauqua County District Attorneys Office released a statement stating that 23-year-old Xavier Guadarrama was sentenced to serve a term of 20 years in state prison for an incident that occurred in August of 2022, along with an additional seven years for an incident that occurred in September of 2023. On August 23, 2022, Guadarrama stayed at a Mayville, New York, library until it closed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, when a librarian informed Guadarrama that the library was closed, he stabbed her before fleeing the scene. Guadarrama was originally going to be charged with assault, but the charge was later escalated to attempted murder after Guadarrama admitted to police that he tried to kill the librarian. A little over a year later, in September of 2023, Guadarrama was accused of stabbing two Chautauqua County Jail employees with a pencil. Guadarrama was convicted of attempted murder, assault and two counts of attempted assault back in May of 2025 for the two incidents mentioned above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. Japan hosted African leaders on Wednesday for a three-day development conference, offering itself as an alternative to China as the continent reels from a debt crisis exacerbated by Western aid cuts, conflict and climate change. Attendees at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) included Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa, William Ruto of Kenya and UN head Antonio Guterres. "The debt and liquidity crisis on the African continent is worsening the challenging socio-economic environment and constraining the fiscal space for governments to cast a safety net over its citizens," Ramaphosa's office said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China has invested heavily in Africa over the past decade, with its companies there signing deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars to finance shipping ports, railways, roads and other projects under Beijing's Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative. But new lending is drying up, and developing countries are now grappling with a "tidal wave" of debt to both Beijing and international private creditors, the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, said in May. African countries have also seen Western aid slashed, in particular through President Donald Trump's dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). TICAD was expected to touch on possible future free-trade deals between Japan and African nations, loan guarantees and investment incentives for Japanese firms, local media reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Japan's biggest business lobby, Keidanren, warned that Tokyo must work to win the trust of developing nations. "By actively contributing to solving the social issues faced by countries in the Global South, Japan must be chosen as a trustworthy partner," Keidanren said in a policy recommendation in June. Africa presents opportunities with its young population and natural resources, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters on Tuesday. "We will be discussing how we may leverage these human and material resources as a source of vitality and connect them to Japan's growth and the prosperity of the world," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Rather than focusing on our own needs, we want to carefully identify the needs of our partners and earn their trust, thereby fulfilling our role as a nation," Ishiba said. Ishiba was set to propose at the conference -- the ninth since 1993 -- an "economic zone" encompassing the Indian Ocean region and Africa, Kyodo News reported. Japan will pledge to cultivate 30,000 artificial intelligence experts over the next three years to promote industrial digitalisation and job creation, Kyodo said. hih/stu/mjw/mtp Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include additional information. Japan, Sweden, and other countries signaled on Aug. 19 they are prepared to contribute to a multinational package of security guarantees for Ukraine, joining a coalition of more than 30 countries working to prevent Russia from launching a future invasion under any potential ceasefire deal. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tokyo is weighing its role in the "coalition of the willing," a group that includes some NATO states and Ukraine's key allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The coalition led by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron aims to create a multinational force to monitor a future peace agreement in Ukraine. "We'll watch the ongoing discussions closely, and while carefully considering what Japan can and should do including various legal and capability aspects we'll play an appropriate role," Ishiba told reporters, according to the Japan Times. In Stockholm, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also emphasized that his country was ready to play a role in the security guarantees. Kristersson told public broadcaster Sveriges Radio that the situation is "critical," adding that Sweden could contribute with air surveillance and naval resources to enhance Ukraine's defenses. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda also said his country was ready to put troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of a deterrence force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are ready to contribute as many troops as the parliament allows for peacekeeping, and also military equipment," he said during a television broadcast. Poland, however, said it would not be sending troops as a future security guarantee for Kyiv. Polish troops will instead play a role in the "coalition of the willing" by assisting with logistics and infrastructure, monitoring the Poland-Belarus border, and protecting NATO's eastern flank. "In this process, dozens, hundreds, even thousands of Polish soldiers will be deployed on Polish territory to protect allied troops stationed in Poland or, alternatively, to protect allied troops stationed in Ukraine," Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said. European leaders have accelerated negotiations on security guarantees for Ukraine in recent weeks, responding to Zelensky's request for binding assurances that Russia will not attack again if a ceasefire is reached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Macron said Aug. 18 that the guarantees would not include NATO membership but would rely on a strong Ukrainian military backed by allied commitments. Officials told the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 19 that participating nations could hold a series of meetings in the coming days to finalize details. Bloomberg reported the same day that a package might be agreed this week, with discussions reportedly including potential deployments of British and French troops, alongside smaller contingents from other European states. U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested the U.S. could provide air support as part of the guarantees, but ruled out sending American ground forces. Read also: Zelensky wants a meeting. Putin wants to win Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Gov. Ron DeSantis speaking at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department on Aug. 13, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) Floridas new second-in-command is headed to California to extradite a man who was driving a semi-truck in Florida and allegedly caused an accident that resulted in three people dead. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that Collins will to to California to ensure Harjinder Singh, an immigrant from India without permanent legal status is extradited back to Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garnering national headlines over the weekend, including a dashcam video the White House responded to on social media. Singh is seen attempting a U-Turn on the Florida Turnpike in St. Lucie County in an official use only turning lane, blocking traffic. The video shows a minivan with three people inside crashing into the truck. Today Im sending Floridas new Lt. Gov. Jay Collins to California and tomorrow morning he is going to take possession of this illegal alien, extradite him back to the state of Florida, and were going to throw the book at him when he gets back here for what he did, so you can count on that, DeSantis said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. According to DeSantis, once it was determined that Singh couldve committed a crime, federal authorities were able to provide pretty much the whole dossier on this guy. The information included, DeSantis said, that Singh entered the country in 2018 through the U.S.-Mexico border and applied for work authorization in 2020, was rejected, then accepted in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Day in court The Modesto Bee reported Wednesday that Singh signed extradition papers Tuesday, giving Florida 30 days to take him into custody. Singh had a fugitive warrant and appeared in San Joaquin Superior Court in Stockton, the Bee reported. Dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit Tuesday, Singh stood before Judge John Soldati and was assisted by an interpreter. He confirmed he understood his rights, and the judge appointed a public defender to represent him. Singh then signed extradition forms, which Soldati also signed, starting the process for Florida authorities to take custody, the Bee reported. According to DeSantis, Singh obtained a commercial drivers license from the state of Washington, then used that license to obtain a commercial license in California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Singh abysmally failed an English test conducted in the past few days, DeSantis said. Not even close, not even broken English, like this guy did not know English and yet somehow he was given a CDL by Washington and a CDL by the state of California, and that should not have happened, DeSantis said. The company Singh worked for, White Hawk Carriers, is no longer permitted to operate outside of California after losing its insurance, the Bee reported. The company put him in there. Did the company not look to see whether he could speak English? DeSantis said. Thats a huge problem with the company, so were looking through that, DeSantis said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeSantis criticized the GOP-majority Congress for not taking action against states with more welcoming immigration policies. Why doesnt Congress use the power of the purse and say, Your funding is contingent upon following federal law with respect to immigration, you cant be a sanctuary jurisdiction, DeSantis said. Collins is a former Green Beret who suffered a leg amputation in the line of duty and left his spot in the Florida Senate this month to become lieutenant governor. Attorney General James Uthmeier said Singh will face immigration charges at the conclusion of the vehicular manslaughter charges. State Rep. Alex Andrade, a Republican who has traded jabs with the DeSantis administration over Hope Florida, criticized the political stunt on social media. .@JayCollinsFL is not a cop, hes not a lawyer, and Singh has already signed his extradition papers. This has to be the most expensive police ride along a politician has ever done. https://t.co/QFT8xNxL54 pic.twitter.com/lYnlIMiIK1 Alex Andrade (@RAlexAndradeFL) August 20, 2025 Why are we wasting taxpayer resources on political stunts? Why was this guy allowed to leave Florida in the first place? Why is a politician acting like a keystone cop after Singh and a California judge already agreed for him to be extradited? https://t.co/PVjH7twO1r https://t.co/c1JpQAQcL5 Alex Andrade (@RAlexAndradeFL) August 20, 2025 SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) An investigation by the Johnson City Police Departments Special Victims Unit led a federal grand jury to indict a man on a child pornography charge. According to the police department, officers arrested Ronnie Miller, 52, of Johnson City on April 15 and charged him with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest was the result of a Special Victims Unit investigation into a tip received from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Sex Offender Registry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson City involves advocate in work to craft Bitcoin mine regulations Investigators discovered two cell phones, three memory cards, and three USB drives in Millers possession that contained images and videos of child sexual assault material, according to the police department. Further investigation allegedly revealed that Miller had more than 1,000 images of child sexual assault material. A federal grand jury indicted Miller on Aug. on possession of child pornography involving a pre-pubescent minor or a minor under the age of 12 years old, according to police. Miller remains jailed at the Washington County Detention Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Vice President JD Vance faced boos and derisive chants from protesters as he greeted National Guard troops at Union Station in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Meeting with the troops at Shake Shack, Vance thanked them, saying, You guys bust your ass all day and we give you hamburgers not a fair trade, but were grateful for everything you do. Hey, guys, at ease, Vance said as he arrived at the train station fast food restaurant, where the Guard members were already not standing at attention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, we decided to bring the Secretary of Defense and Stephen Miller, said Vance to a seemingly unfazed group of National Guard troops as protesters booed the vice president. Speaking to the press, Miller said the White House would add thousands more resources to the effort of cracking down on crime in the nations capital, calling the protesters stupid white hippies and communists. Stephen Miller, Pete Hegseth and JD Vance visited National Guard troops at a Shake Shack burger joint at Union Station in Washington, D.C. (AP) Vance was asked if the White House was set to extend federal control of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department, to which the vice president said that if the president of the United States thinks that he has to extend this order to ensure that people have access to public safety, thats exactly what hell do. He went on to claim that crime statistics all over the country have been massively underreported. When Vance was asked what proof he had that MPD data was inaccurate, he said that the statistics from the Department of Justice and the FBI back it up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its kind of bizarre that we have a bunch of old, primarily white people who are out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when theyve never felt danger in their entire lives, Vance insisted. The vice president also said he was highly skeptical of polling showing that a majority of D.C. residents dont support the presence of the National Guard or the federal takeover of the citys police department, adding that maybe they were the same polls that said Kamala Harris would win the popular vote by 10 points. Protesters frequently drowned out Vance as he spoke, as they chanted shame, this is our city, and we want the military out of our streets, CNN noted. You hear these guys outside. They appear to hate the idea that Americans can enjoy their communities, said Vance, referring to them as crazy protesters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without evidence, Miller suggested that the protesters were not part of the city. Vance claimed on several occasions that Union Station had been taken over by drug addicts, vagrants, as well as the chronically homeless. Vance claimed on Wednesday that Union Station had been taken over by drug addicts, vagrants, and the chronically homeless (AP) We have changed so much in nine days, and I thought it important to highlight how great of a space this could be, how easy it could be to actually enjoy something like Union Station if you just had politicians who stopped prioritizing violent criminals over the public citizens who deserve public safety in their own communities, said Vance. Vances interaction with the troops in Union Station initially evoked memories of his campaign stop to a southern doughnut shop last summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The then-senator went viral during the 2024 presidential campaign when he seemed to have a hard time interacting with workers at Holt's Sweet Shop in Georgia last August. As Vance thanked a woman behind the counter for allowing them to pop in, she told him, I don't want to be on film. She doesn't wanna be on film, guys, so just cut her out of anything, Vance told his entourage. Vance then looked at the doughnut display before saying, "I'm JD Vance, I'm running for vice president, good to see you." Okay, the woman said, seemingly unimpressed. Then he seemed to be unable to pick out a variety of pastries for his entourage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were gonna do two dozen. Just a random assortment of stuff here, he continues while browsing the donuts in the display cases. Everything. A lot of glazed here. Sprinkle stuff. A lot of cinnamon rolls. Just whatever makes sense, Vance said. As the worker fills up his box of donuts, Vance struggled to make small talk by asking workers behind the counter how long they had been working there. He asked one worker how long the place had been around, and was told it had been in business for four years. About four years? OK, Vance said. Well, we selected this place. I didnt know if it had been here for 20 years or four years. You never know. Vice President JD Vance who eviscerated European leaders earlier this year for allegedly retreating on free speech, essentially threatening fundamental democratic values recently played a commanding role in convincing the United Kingdom to drop its demands that Apple provide the British government a "backdoor" to personal user data, Fox News Digital has learned. A U.S. official told Fox News Digital that Vance "was in charge and was personally involved in negotiating a deal, including having direct conversations with the British government." Working with U.K. partners, the vice president "negotiated a mutually beneficial understanding" that the British government "will withdraw the current backdoor order to Apple," the U.S. official said, adding that the "agreement between our two governments maintains each countrys sovereignty while ensuring close cooperation on data sharing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bipartisan Letter Warns Gabbard New Uk Order For Backdoor Apple Data Could Jeopardize Americans Vice President JD Vance, center, behind French President Emmanuel Macron and President Donald Trump during a multilateral meeting with European leaders in the East Room of the White House on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. The U.S. official further told Fox News Digital that the vice president "took a strong interest in this issue because of his background in technology, his concern for privacy, and his [sincere] commitment to maintain a strong U.S.-U.K. relationship." Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard said in an X post on Monday that she, alongside President Donald Trump and Vance, had been working "closely with our partners in the U.K." over the past several months "to ensure Americans' private data remains private and our Constitutional rights and civil liberties are protected." Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As a result, the UK has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a back door that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties," Gabbard wrote. Fox News Digital reached out to Apple and the British Home Office for comment but did not immediately hear back. In February, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., penned a letter to the then-newly confirmed DNI, informing Gabbard of recent press reports that the U.K.s home secretary "served Apple with a secret order" at the start of the year, "directing the company to weaken the security of its iCloud backup service to facilitate government spying." The directive reportedly required Apple to weaken the encryption of its iCloud backup service, giving the British government "blanket capability" to access customers encrypted files. Reports further stated that the order was issued under the U.K.s Investigatory Powers Act 2016, commonly known as the "Snoopers Charter," which does not require a judges approval, according to the letter previously obtained by Fox News Digital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wyden, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Biggs, who chairs a House Judiciary subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, informed Gabbard that Apple "is reportedly gagged from acknowledging that it received such an order, and the company faces criminal penalties that prevent it from even confirming to the U.S. Congress the accuracy of these press reports." The letter focused on the threat of China, Russia and other adversaries spying on Americans. At the Munich Security Conference in February, Vance, meanwhile, said that the threat he worried about the most when it comes to Europe was not China, Russia or "any other external actor," but rather "the threat from within the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America." Vance specifically cited the case of Adam Smith-Connor, a British Army veteran and physiotherapist, who was prosecuted under the U.K.s "buffer zone" or "safe access zone" laws around abortion clinics. British police confronted him for silently praying outside the clinic. The vice president also called out Europe more broadly for stifling opposition speech. US Vice President JD Vance during a visit to RAF Fairford, which hosts U.S. Air Force units, in Fairford, UK, on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. Dnc Rips Jd Vance For Fishing With British Foreign Secretary In Latest Bizarre Attack; Republicans Hit Back Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To many of us on the other side of the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old, entrenched interests hiding behind ugly Soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation, who simply don't like the idea that somebody with an alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion or, God forbid, vote a different way, or even worse, win an election," Vance said at the time. More recently, Vance made a diplomatic visit to the U.K. earlier this month, meeting with the British foreign secretary for talks centered on the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas wars. Last week, the State Department, meanwhile, released its 2024 annual country report on "human rights practices." In the report on the United Kingdom, the Trump administration cited "credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression," including "enforcement of or threat of criminal or civil laws in order to limit expression; and crimes, violence, or threats of violence motivated by antisemitism." The State Department asserted that the British government "sometimes took credible steps to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses, but prosecution and punishment for such abuses was inconsistent." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report said British authorities, including the U.K. Office of Communications (Ofcom), are legally authorized to monitor all forms of communication for speech they deemed "illegal." The U.K. Online Safety Act of 2023, which came into force in 2024, "defined the category of online harm and expressly expanded Ofcoms authority to include American media and technology firms with a substantial number of British users, regardless of whether they had a corporate presence in the UK," according to the State Department. Under the law, the report said, companies were required to engage in proactive "illegal content risk assessment" to mitigate the risk of users encountering speech deemed illegal by Ofcom. "Experts warned that one effect of the bill could be government regulation to reduce or eliminate effective encryption (and therefore user privacy) on platforms," the report said. Protesters are detained in Nottingham, central England, on Aug. 3, 2024 during the "Enough is Enough" protest held in reaction to the fatal stabbings of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport on July 29. The U.K. has been increasingly cracking down on British citizens for opposition commentary, especially online posts and memes opposing mass migration. In August 2024, as riots broke out in the U.K. after a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event left three girls dead and others wounded, London's Metropolitan Police chief warned that officials could also extradite and jail U.S. citizens for online posts about the unrest. In its report, the State Department noted that the local and national government officials in the wake of the Southport attack "repeatedly intervened to chill speech as to the identity and motives of the attacker," who was later identified as Axel Rudakubana, a British citizen of Rwandan origins. The British government "called on companies, including U.S. firms, to censor speech deemed misinformation or hate speech," according to the State Department, which also noted that Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson threatened to prosecute and seek the extradition of those who "repost, repeat, or amplify a message which is false, threatening, or stirs up racial/religious hatred." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report noted that numerous individuals were arrested for online speech about the attack and its motivations, though in some cases charges were later dropped. "Numerous nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and media outlets criticized the governments approach to censoring speech, both in principle and in the perceived weaponization of law enforcement against political views disfavored by authorities." Original article source: JD Vance 'directly' convinced UK to drop Apple backdoor data demand, protecting Americans' rights: US official WASHINGTON Vice President JD Vance thanked National Guard troops for making D.C.s Union Station safe from vagrants on Wednesday in an event highlighting President Donald Trumps militarized takeover of the citys police. Vance was accompanied by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and an overwhelming show of force that included dozens of federal agents, National Guard troops and armored military vehicles as well as protesters opposed to the Trump administrations crackdown. Related: Condescending P***k: JD Vances Zelenskyy-Oval Office Anecdote Backfires Online Free D.C. and pro-Palestinian activists heckled Vance loudly and in vulgar termsas he entered the restaurant, where he thanked the National Guard soldiers for their work and handed out coffee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We appreciate everything that youre doing, Vance said. You guys bust your ass all day, we give you a hamburger. Not a fair trade, but were grateful for everything you guys do. Trump took over the local police and deployed troops in Washington in response to a supposed crime emergency after local teenagers attacked an administration staffer last month. Data from D.C. police suggest crime, while higher than in other cities, has actually fallen significantly in recent years. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, joined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (2nd L) and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller (L) speaks with members of the National Guard during a visit to Union Station on August 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Pool via Getty Images Republicans have routinely complained about homeless people and aggressive panhandlers at Union Station, where many visitors first enter the district, and Wednesdays photo op seemed designed as some sort of declaration of victory. A couple of years ago, when I brought my kids here, they were being screamed at by violent vagrants, and it was scaring the hell out of my kids, Vance told reporters during an interview inside the restaurant, according to a video feed from the Defense Department. Related: Vice President Heckled! Vance had to talk over the protesters, however, who chanted continuously while he, Miller and Hegseth talked to reporters. Before he entered the restaurant, one protester repeatedly yelled that he was a couch fucker, a reference to a made-up internet meme that went viral last year. Related: JD Vance Opens Up About His Very Close DC Friendships I know that weve traded now some violent, crazy people who are screaming at kids with a few crazy liberals who are screaming at the vice president, Vance said. But I think thats a very worthwhile trade to make, because we want our people to be able to enjoy our beautiful cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller said the protesters were not actual D.C. residents, contrary to their repeated statements that they lived here. Members of the District of Columbia National Guard patrol outside Union Station, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) via Associated Press All these demonstrators that youve seen out here in recent days, all of these elderly white hippies, theyre not part of the city, and never have been, Miller said. A survey released Wednesday found the vast majority of D.C. residents rate their neighborhoods good or excellent, and that most disapprove of the Trump administrations takeover. Outside the building, law enforcement mounted an overwhelming presence. National Guard troops and enormous armored vehicles, Drug Enforcement Administration agents, U.S. marshals, Capitol Police officers, D.C.s Metropolitan Police, Amtrak police and Secret Service agents stood guard as gawking visitors got in and out of Uber cars, and tourists boarded double-decker sightseeing buses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nan Raphael, a D.C. resident and veteran who showed up to protest Trumps takeover of the district, said she feared other states were next. If the capital goes down, so does the rest of the country. Thats how authoritarian regimes work. So we have to keep our city free, she told HuffPost. This, I think, is a waste of our taxpayer money. Theyre just here for a show of force, to harass, and they cant really do anything, she added. Vance and Hegseth left Wednesdays event as loud boos and chants from protesters echoed in the cavernous train station. Vance and Hegseth leaving Union Station, lots of boos pic.twitter.com/oRT9wOca8c Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) August 20, 2025 More on Politics Paul Krugman Warns This Trump Policy Will Hurt More Than People Realize This Is Socialism: Right-Wing Host Short-Circuits Over Trumps Terrible New Move DOJ Tried To Get Names And Social Security Numbers Of Trans Kids Read the original on HuffPost YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) Jean Anne Korhely, 79, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Jean was born October 1, 1945, in Youngstown, the daughter of Michael and Maria Vincenza Pangio. Find obituaries from your high school Jean worked as a pharmacy technician for Village Pharmacy in New Middletown and Wilkinson Pharmacy. She was an active member of S.S. Cyril and Methodius Church. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jean was passionate about reading, going to the YMCA, watching old movies and taking long walks in the park but her greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren, whom she adored. Jean was caring, selfless and her love of life and sense of humor were immeasurable. Jeans warm and vibrant personality affected everyone she ever met. It was impossible to have known her and not love her. Jean will always be remembered lovingly by her husband, Robert J. Korhely, Sr., whom she married on May 11, 1968; two sons, Robert Joseph, Jr., (Christina) Korhely and John Angelo (Summer) Korhely; two grandchildren, Hunter and Peyton and sister, Anita Palocyi. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Louise Ward and Theresa Aaron and three brothers, Dan, Angelo and Jay Pangio Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family will receive relatives and friends on Monday, August 25, 2025, from 8:30 9:15 a.m., at the Rossi Brothers and Lellio Funeral Home, 4442 South Avenue in Boardman, followed by funeral services at 9:15 a.m., at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial will he held at 10:00 a.m., on Monday, August 25, 2025, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Basilica in Youngstown, with the Very Rev. Msgr. John Zuraw J.C.L, VG presiding. Family and friends are encouraged to offer prayers for the family and support by visiting the Book of Memories at www.rossifunerals.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jean Anne Korhely, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for D.C., said the quiet part out loud and admitted to helping President Donald Trump and the Republican Party while she was a Fox News weekend host, according to a new report. Newly unredacted court documents from the voting machine company Smartmatic, which The Washington Post has reported on, have revealed alarming texts from Pirro around the time of the 2020 election. Smartmatic is suing Fox News for $2.7 billion, arguing the network aired claims that it rigged former President Joe Bidens victory over Trump, despite knowing those allegations were false. Fox News has denied Smartmatics allegations, arguing it was partaking in journalism, rather than defamation. In one text Pirro sent to then-Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel in September 2020, she reportedly said, I work so hard for the party across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im the No. 1 watched show on all news cable all weekend. I work so hard for the President and party, Pirro, who hosted Justice with Judge Jeanine, said, according to the outlet. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for D.C., has been accused of helping President Donald Trump and the Republican Party while she was a Fox News weekend host, according to a new report (Getty) I work so hard for the party across the country, Pirro reportedly told then-Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel in September 2020 (Getty) Fox News once operated under the slogan Fair and Balanced and now uses Most Watched, Most Trusted to describe itself. However, its view and its relationship with the Republican Party have long been in question. The network has also lost several of its hosts to the current Trump administration including Pirro and Pete Hegseth. Pirro also reportedly told lawyer Sidney Powell, who later pleaded guilty in a scheme to overturn Trumps 2020 election loss in Georgia, to Keep fighting in a November 2020 text message shortly after Election Day. Smartmatic argues Pirro agreed the 2020 election was fair and free in a deposition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe that theres been no showing that Smartmatic engaged in any problems, she said, according to court documents. Fox News told The Independent Tuesday, The evidence shows that Smartmatics business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trumps lawyers on Fox News and that Smartmatic grossly inflated its damage claims to generate headlines and chill free speech. Now, in the aftermath of Smartmatics executives getting indicted for bribery charges, we are eager and ready to continue defending our press freedoms. The Independent has also reached out to Pirros D.C. office and the White House for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fox News has already agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787.5 million in a defamation lawsuit over its post-2020 election coverage. Dominion also sued another right-leaning network, Newsmax, for false claims it had rigged the election, leading to a $67 million settlement. Newsmax agreed to pay Smartmatic $40 million in a similar defamation suit. By Stephen Blank In Washington on August 8, 2025, the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan signed what amounts to a framework for a peace treaty. The agreement ratified both sides support for creating the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) in the area formally known as the Zangezur corridor, in Armenias Syunik province, and entrusts management of the corridor to a U.S. private company on a 99-year lease. It is also likely that U.S. security personnel will supervise the corridors planned intermodal rail and highway transportation. As a result, Azerbaijan will have direct overland contact with its Nakhchivan province while a direct land route will be established from the Caspian Sea straight through to Turkey, allowing a substantial growth of Central Asian trade with Europe. The agreement represents the first and considerable sign of a tangible U.S. presence in the Caucasus and comes at the expense of Russian and Iranian interests. U.S. President Donald Trump, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian President Nikolas Pashinyan sign the new Azerbaijan-Armenia peace accord in the White House (Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) BACKGROUND: After many years of unclear U.S. policies towards Central Asia and the Caucasus, the Trump Administration has made a major move to upgrade U.S. presence in the Caucasus and provide a decisive impetus towards the conclusion of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as a strong impetus for the so-called Middle Corridor between Asia and Europe. The Zangezur corridor has been a bone of contention in the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks to terminate the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, since the corridor passes through Armenia. This sliver of territory has been at the heart of disputes dating back to the Soviet conquest of Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1920-21, when the Soviet leadership deliberately separated Nakhchivan from Azerbaijan to prevent its proximity to Kemalist Turkiye. Armenias conquest of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1993-94 led to widespread ethnic cleansing and thousands of Azeri refugees as well as a strong Azeri irredentist movement that has now triumphed over Armenia and led Pashinyans government to sue for peace. Domestic nationalist opposition in Armenia has vigorously protested Azerbaijans demand for the corridor, which would connect it to both Nakhichevan and Turkiye with potentially huge economics payoffs for both states. The issue has generated an impasse in the bilateral negotiations, often directly conducted by Presidents Pashinyan and Aliyev. The domestic pressure in Armenia and from the Armenian diaspora to refuse concessions to Azerbaijan has triggered a serious domestic crisis leading Pashinyan to arrest high-ranking members of the church on the grounds that they were plotting a coup. There is some evidence of Russian support for the coup plotters. Pashinyans reform agenda is anathema to Armenian reactionaries and nationalists are resisting what they call a surrender to Azerbaijan. Moscow evidently has its own interests in backing these disaffected elites to reverse Pashinyans reforms to prevent their emulation elsewhere. Moreover, strife between Yerevan and Baku benefits Moscow, allowing it to play the states off against each other and regain its influence in Armenia. Indeed, it has reinforced its military presence in Armenia despite the war in Ukraine. IMPLICATIONS: In this context, Trumps offer could present a way out of the current impasse. Washington will pay Armenia for a 99-year lease of the corridor, which would formally respect Armenias sovereignty but give the U.S. operating control over the area and allow it to place forces there to maintain the corridor and provide security. Armenia has previously hinted that it might be open to a proposal that preserves its sovereignty but allows for third party management of the corridor. The U.S. proposal allows Baku and Yerevan to sidestep the vexed question of sovereignty over the corridor until passions have subsided. Azerbaijan, meanwhile, gets de facto ability to link with Nakhchivan and to operationalize the routes traversing this territory. A working and well-maintained overland trade route to Turkiye, Europe, and the Levant constitutes a giant step towards consummating the Middle Corridor from China to Europe, allowing Azerbaijan to benefit as a key middleman on this route. At the same time, Armenia needs peace to deal with its domestic opposition, institute Pashinyans democratic agenda, and terminate the state of war so that Armenia can restore relations with Turkiye and profit from the expansion of international trade corridors into the Caucasus. The agreement also incentivizes both sides to move quickly towards a peace treaty where they and neighboring states, including in Central Asia, stand to gain economically and politically. Trumps proposal also works to stabilize the Caucasus by minimizing Russian opportunities for interference. For over a century, Russia has endeavored to manipulate the tensions between Armenians and Azeris to enhance its imperial reach and standing in the Caucasus. Azerbaijans victories of 2020 and 2023, plus the pressure of the war in Ukraine have forced Russia to retreat in the Caucasus and elsewhere. The agreement will likely strengthen Pashinyans government at home against his pro-Russian and Russian-backed enemies. Moreover, Trumps proposal, by creating a basis for completing the Middle Corridor, undermines Russias increasing efforts to create an International North-South Trade Corridor (INSTC) from India to Iran, Central Asia and Russia. Despite much recent Russian diplomatic effort, this proposed route is nowhere near as complete as Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, which relies on the Middle Corridor that bypasses Russia. Turkiye stands to make major gains through this proposal and clearly supported it as part of its improving ties with Washington. While Russia sought to exploit Armeno-Azeri tensions; Turkiyes massive aid to Azerbaijans military and alliance agreement with it gave it a lasting presence in the Caucasus. Washington seems to be at peace with this outcome, and the proposal could only have come about with Turkish support behind the scenes. This U.S.-proposed solution therefore enhances Turkiyes reach and power projection through the Caucasus, which is increasingly important to Ankara given its rising multi-dimensional profile in both the Caucasus and Central Asia. Beyond the serious implications for local actors, the proposal entails equally meaningful consequences for actors beyond the Caucasus. Iran, for example, is a major loser and has already declared its opposition. After its defeat by Israel and the U.S. it has no choice but to make a rapprochement of some sort with Azerbaijan. Simultaneously, Irans connection to Armenia will be seriously impaired and it will no longer be able to resupply Armenia with weapons or incite resistance against Baku over Zangezur. Furthermore, the real possibility of completing the Middle Corridor with U.S. help would imply a lasting U.S. presence on Irans northern border. This will seriously complicate Irans ability to rebuild either its network of terrorist proxies or its nuclear program. Conversely, China gains from this proposal. If it materializes, it will give a major impetus to the realization of Chinas BRI and the accompanying Middle Corridor. It also buttresses Chinas growing economic position in the Caucasus most prominently embodied in its development of the Anaklia port in Georgia. China has invested considerable economic and political capital in the combination of major land and maritime trade and transport routes. If implemented, the proposal will represent another instance whereby China has gained influence and position in Eurasia at Russias expense. The proposal also permits the EU an opportunity to expand its presence in Armenia and the Caucasus. A democratizing Armenia, freed of the Nagorno-Karabakh incubus, is already seeking EU membership. The EU also buys large amounts of Azerbaijans oil and gas and the prospect of real peace in the Caucasus can only redound to its benefit. The EU also stands to gain from the completion of the Middle Corridor, which provides it with a secure land route for trade to and from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and China. CONCLUSONS: Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the proposal constitutes the first major U.S. initiative in the Caucasus and Central Asia since the Clinton Administration helped develop the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline to connect Transcaucasian oil to European markets. While consonant with the Administrations overall perspective of using large-scale economic projects and/or trade opportunities as instruments to facilitate peaceful solutions to long-lasting wars, the proposal also marks the first sign that Washington realizes the importance and opportunity presented by the independence of South Caucasian states. If this project is implemented, awareness will likely grow that the Caucasus and Central Asia offer Washington many genuine and plentiful opportunities for increasing its economic and political influence. This project may also reflect a growing U.S. awareness that the Caucasus and Central Asia are areas of strategic significance that both want a consistent engagement with Washington and offer new and exciting vistas regarding energy, rare earths, trade, investment, large-scale environmental cooperation, and security cooperation. That awareness has hitherto been missing in U.S. policy. Indeed, Trumps policies regarding these regions has been quite inconsistent given Trumps imposition of tariffs exactly the wrong move on Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and their neighbors. Policymakers need to understand the necessity and benefits of long-lasting partnerships for all parties since this project, if it comes to pass, creates opportunities for peace, cooperation among many international actors, enhanced trade, and greater independence for the South Caucasian states. These outcomes are not only in the interests of Azerbaijan and Armenia; they could also become the basis for very different development in the Caucasus than has been the case in the past. AUTHORS BIO: Stephen Blank is a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Vantage Data Centers has revealed plans for an investment exceeding $25bn to establish a mega-scale data centre campus, named Frontier, in Shackelford County, Texas. Covering around 1,200 acres, the Frontier campus will feature ten data centres with a combined area of 3.7 million ft, designed to support ultra high-density racks exceeding 250kW. To cater to the specific requirements of AI technologies, the campus will implement liquid cooling systems to manage next-generation GPU workloads. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said: Vantage Data Centers $25bn investment to build a new data centre campus will help create thousands of good-paying jobs for Texans and bring revenue to the local and state economies. Partnering with job-creating and innovative businesses like Vantage, Texas will continue to be a national and global leader in this emerging frontier. Vantage stated that the Frontier campus will follow a 'sustainable by design' framework, in line with its commitment to sustainability. The campus will incorporate closed-loop chiller system that minimises water usage for cooling. Furthermore, Vantage is actively seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for the campus. Vantage Data Centers North America president Dana Adams said: Texas has become a critical and strategic market for AI providers. In particular, the launch of our Frontier campus with 1.4GW of GPU compute capacity marks a watershed moment for Vantage as we deliver on our promise to meet the unprecedented requirements of our customers. "Vantage Data Centers announces $25bn investment" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -A U.S. judge said on Wednesday that the Trump administration is in a better position than federal courts to release materials that would satisfy public curiosity about the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking case. In rejecting the Justice Department's bid to unseal records from the grand jury that indicted Epstein in 2019, Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Richard Berman wrote that the 70-odd pages of materials the grand jury saw paled in comparison to the 100,000 pages the government has from its Epstein investigation but is not releasing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge said the bid to persuade him to unseal the records was an apparent distraction from the Justice Department's decision in July not to release its files and directly cited another judge's decision earlier this month not to release similar materials from the grand jury that indicted Epstein's longtime girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. "The instant grand jury motion appears to be a 'diversion' from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Government's possession," Berman wrote. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Berman's decision came as President Donald Trump has faced criticism from his conservative base of supporters and congressional Democrats over the Justice Department's decision not to release the files from its Epstein investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. He had pleaded not guilty. His death in jail and his friendships with the wealthy and powerful sparked conspiracy theories that other prominent people were involved in his alleged crimes and that he was murdered. Trump, a Republican, had campaigned for a second term in 2024 with promises to make public Epstein-related files, and accused Democrats of covering up the truth. But in July, the Justice Department declined to release any more material from its investigation of the case and said a previously touted Epstein client list did not exist, angering Trump's supporters. 'DIVERSION' To try to quell the discontent, Trump in July instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek court approval for the release of grand jury material from Epstein's case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evidence seen and heard by grand juries, which operate behind closed doors to prevent interference in criminal investigations, cannot be released without a judge's approval. Justice Department investigations typically collect more material than prosecutors ultimately present to grand juries. Some of that evidence is sometimes eventually disclosed to the public during criminal trials. The Justice Department does not routinely disclose its evidence in cases where a defendant pleads guilty or, like Epstein, never faces trial, but it would not require judicial approval to release such materials. The grand jury that indicted Epstein heard from just one witness, an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and saw a PowerPoint presentation and call logs, Berman wrote. On Aug. 11, a different Manhattan-based judge, Paul Engelmayer, denied the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury testimony and exhibits from Maxwell's case, writing that the material was duplicative of public testimony at her 2021 trial. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence following her conviction for recruiting underage girls for Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A member of the public, appreciating that the Maxwell grand jury materials do not contribute anything to public knowledge, might conclude that the Government's motion for their unsealing was aimed not at 'transparency' but at diversion - aimed not at full disclosure but at the illusion of such," Engelmayer wrote. Maxwell had pleaded not guilty. After losing an appeal, she asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review her case. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Daniel Wallis and David Gregorio) A federal judge on Aug. 20 bounced the Jeffrey Epstein transparency ball right back into the Department of Justice's court, ruling that he would not be making public grand jury material from the sexual predator's 2019 New York criminal case. Other district court judges in New York and West Palm Beach also have denied the attempts for grand jury transcripts by DOJ in the Ghislaine Maxwell criminal case and in the FBI's Palm Beach County criminal investigation in 2005-08. Judge Richard Berman said in his order that the disclosure of 70 pages of grand jury material is dwarfed by the 100,000 pages the Justice Department says it has and called the motion to release it a "diversion." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Is Trump in the Epstein files? Before Bondi's reported alert, here is where he appeared President Donald Trump continues to deal with controversy after promising to make the files public while he was on the campaign trail in 2024 and then backpedaling when DOJ announced on July 7 that it would not be releasing any more of its 300 gigabytes of evidence. DOJ delivering Epstein files to House committee, which plans to make them public But another possibility for transparency is evolving. As DOJ delivers evidence subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee starting on Aug. 22, the panel has promised to make the material available to the public, but it's not clear when. Jeffrey Epstein's victims still getting short shrift In the meantime, Judge Bergman said a second reason for not releasing the grand jury material was the victims' safety and privacy. It took 10 days in some instances to alert them that DOJ was seeking materials that might contain their names and stories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Longtime victims attorney Brad Edwards of Fort Lauderdale pointed out in a letter to Berman that the lateness of notice could have violated the federal Crime Victims Rights Act a law that federal Judge Kenneth Marra of West Palm Beach said had been violated in 2007-08. Though Berman had to drop the case against Epstein in August 2019 after Epstein's death inside his Manhattan jail cell, Berman gave survivors a chance to have their voices heard during a special hearing. At least 23 made impact statements. Congressional news conference after Labor Day Upon their return from summer break, a bipartisan group of congressmen and women plan a news conference to push for more transparency. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky will be hosting survivors who have never before spoken publicly about their abuse. Also expected to be on hand are Edwards and Brittany Henderson, law partners who have represented victims since the first criminal prosecution of Epstein in the mid-2000s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, the House Oversight Committee on Aug. 18 began hosting private depositions of several former attorneys general and two former FBI directors as well as former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Those are scheduled to last into October but are taking place behind closed doors. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Epstein files: Judge Berman denies New York grand jury transcripts BELMAR, New Jersey During what he called one of the biggest weeks on the Jersey Shore, Gov. Phil Murphy and some of his emergency managers led a group of mayors and county executives of Jersey Shore communities on Tuesday to tell people to stay out of the ocean this week. Its happening as Hurricane Erin, hundreds of miles out at sea, churns up the surf all along the Atlantic Ocean coast. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The no-swim order also comes a week after the Jersey Shore had two separate drownings and dozens of beach rescues due to strong rip currents. Those conditions have only become more severe with Erins offshore activity. The inside of the jetty is like a washing machine, said Harry Harsin, the chief lifeguard of Belmar, and its certainly not conducive for swimming. The rip currents are horrendous. Harsin reiterated something that Gov. Murphy had said in his news conference on Tuesday: that the strength of the surf was only expected to increase for the next few days. I think its Thursday night, the governor said, when the high tide will coincide with the high waves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That, said Murphy, could make for some of the most hazardous wave activity the Shore has seen outside of hurricanes making landfall. He also warned that it could leave some coastal communities dealing with flooding that he called significant. Thats a particular concern Thursday night into Friday, the governor said. Some NY beaches to shut down as Hurricane Erin approaches East Coast In Belmar, the sensitivity to the effects of intense surf is particularly high after rescue and recovery crews pulled a 13-year-old girl out of the surf last Friday. According to town authorities, she had been swimming without a lifeguard on duty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its resulted in the no-swim orders that people were almost uniformly obeying in Belmar on Tuesday. Blossom Kersaint was building a sandcastle with her cousins instead of doing what theyd come to the beach to do. I feel a little sad, she said, because I was like waiting to go in the ocean. Shortly after she spoke, the surf demonstrated its strength and unpredictability. It suddenly washed over Kersaint and her two cousins, wiping out the sandcastle. Dave Haessig, another beachgoer, said that despite the ban on ocean swimming and wading, Were still enjoying it. Its great weather. Not raining, good food, good places to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State Carol Kendzierski was also walking on the beach, avoiding the water. She said that she missed the surf, but was fine doing other activities during her week down the Shore. I ride the bike up and down [the boardwalk], go to restaurants, she said. I have a hotel with a pool love it. Those kinds of activities are what Gov. Murphy encouraged, in an effort to help ensure that the Shore economy doesnt suffer too much from the effect of the swimming and wading ban. You can be on the beach sunbathing, playing ball, the governor said, and added one other exceptional note: Well look the other way, if you want to have a beer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Hundreds of thousands of GCSE students are opening their results on Thursday - and for some, a shiny, often expensive reward might be at stake. Ahead of results day, BBC News spoke to students and parents about whether the promise of jewellery, gifts or cash for grades can actually motivate teens to do better in their exams. Imogen Farmer, from Essex, was taken with her twin sister to London by their parents after they got their A-level results last year and given some money to spend as a reward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I bought Vivienne Westwood jewellery and then they took us to quite a fancy restaurant that we'd always wanted to go to," Imogen says. "But I think I knew in the back of my head if I did well or even if I didn't do well, I'm sure our parents would have taken us out anyway for working hard." Imogen doesn't think the reward would have made a difference to the amount she studied as she was always "quite ambitious" - and her parents didn't mention it until after her exams were over. Jess Cooper, from Birmingham, jokes that her reward was "not getting kicked out of the house". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Good grades were a reflection of how hard you tried at school," she says. "My parents are very proud of me and tell me all the time. I'm very working class, we have the grit and we try our hardest." Both Imogen and Jess both say some students in their classes were offered money for each top grade they achieved - while others were even promised "first cars" if they got the results they needed. Student Jess Cooper believes for those that don't like school, rewards could make them more motivated [Jess Cooper] Some parents believe the offer of a reward or financial incentive can help with motivation. Leon Smith, from Surrey, has given his children a 50 reward for passing their exams, saying it helps them get into the right mindset beforehand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It means that, when they revise, they have the motivation and they will spend an extra hour looking at their books rather than playing video games", the father-of-six explains. He says his son Isiah, who has just finished Year 6 and took his Sats earlier this year, was particularly motivated to do well after watching his older sister Reah receive the 50 prize the year before. "It gives them some form of incentive and the ability to work towards something," Leon says. He now plans to offer rewards for his children at GCSE and A-levels too. Leon Smith plans to offer a financial reward to his children at GCSE and A-levels to help their motivation [Leon Smith] Mum-of-two Elaine Dean, from Manchester, says the promise she made of cash-for-grades ended up costing her "more than anticipated". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former primary school teacher decided to give her son Zach between 5 and 15 based on each grade for his GCSE exams two years ago, but she says she was really rewarding his effort. "You don't want to build up too much pressure on them, praise and parental involvement throughout their school years is far more important," she says. Zach received his A-level exam results on Thursday. "I think his reward is going to be a city break with his brother but he hasn't decided yet." Do rewards for good grades work? Experts say the effectiveness of rewards very much depends on the student and their relationship with learning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rewarding effort rather than grades can be a far more long-term and sustainable strategy for parents, according to psychologist Natasha Tiwari. "Cash or big-ticket treats can work in the short term," she says, but they also risk making students think of achievements as "transactional". She believes a special day out, or being allowed to redecorate their bedroom or host some family or friends can be a far more powerful reward than "cash in an envelope". Different rewards - or none at all - can create tension within friendship groups too, she says. "There is a distinction to be made between a reward for good grades and a treat to acknowledge their effort," says Manny Botwe, president of the Association of School and College Leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Secondary school head Manny says he is sceptical of the long-term benefits of trying to reward performance. "I worry about the youngsters who don't get good results, it's 'deal or no deal'," he says. "My advice for parents would be not to make their children feel their value is directly related to the grades they get. From very early on, I like to emphasis the intrinsic value of education. "That will yield the best outcomes." Additional reporting by Emily Doughty More on exam results Joe Rogan threw cold water on President Donald Trumps repeated claims that the Jeffrey Epstein controversy is a hoax orchestrated by Democrats. Well, its certainly not a hoax if you go to jail, the podcaster said during Tuesdays episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, referencing the two occasions disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Epstein spent time in behind bars. Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in jail in 2018 after pleading guilty in Florida to charges of soliciting prostitution and soliciting prostitution from a minor. The sentence was part of a controversial plea deal that spared him at the time from federal charges, in spite of evidence of his abuse of multiple girls. Related: Kid Rock Goes Into Meltdown Mode After Getting Punked By Gavin Newsoms X Account After the Miami Herald reexamined that deal and highlighted the stories of survivors of his abuse, Epstein was arrested again in July 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. While being held without bail in a federal detention facility in New York City as he awaited trial, Epstein was found dead in his cell on August 10, 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple authorities concluded that Epstein died by suicide. Related: Trump's Shifting Explanations Are Prolonging The Epstein Scandal He Wants To End Since then, the case has been seized on by right-wing conspiracy theorists. Yet last month, Trumps Justice Department and the FBI released a two-page memo, claiming there was no evidence that Epstein was murdered or had a client list of powerful figures he could potentially blackmail as conspiracy theorists had insisted. Related: 'Daily Show' Roasts Trump Over This 'Inconceivably Bad' Answer On The Epstein Files The DOJs memo release sparked widespread criticism, including from Trump supporters, considering it contradicted past claims from the agencys own leadership about the alleged list. Democrats and Epstein survivors and their families have since joined in on calls for the administration to release more information about Epstein, the evidence against him and any references in the files to his one-time friend, Trump leading the president to declare the whole thing is a hoax. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Certainly not a hoax if Ghislaine Maxwells in jail, too Shes in jail for sex trafficking, Rogan told guest Jesse Welles, who said he heard the Epstein controversy was a Democratic hoax. Maxwell, Epsteins longtime associate, is currently imprisoned after being sentenced to 20 years in federal court in New York City in 2022 for her role in the sex trafficking of minors with Epstein. But the question is: to who? You have to be sex trafficking to someone in order to go to jail, right? So hows that work? Shes been in jail for years. So hows that work? Rogan continued. Rogan has slammed many of the Trump administrations actions in recent weeks, including its detainment of pro-Palestine students and the lack of transparency it had promised with the Epstein files. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in the episode, Welles questioned why the Justice Department moved Maxwell to a minimum-security prison in Bryan, Texas, earlier this month, which happened not long after she met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. They move her to kill her? Welles asked after Rogan mentioned the recent transfer. Could be, Rogan replied. But why would you waste the money to move someone if you wanted to kill them? Im sure they could kill her pretty easy. No one in the Trump administration has yet explained why Maxwell was transferred, but her new facility is less restrictive and known for housing white-collar criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I didnt know about it at all, nope, Trump claimed on Aug. 5 when asked by a reporter if he approved the transfer. I read about it just like you did. The president later added that the transfer was not a very uncommon thing which former federal prison officials have said is untrue. Listen to the Joe Rogan Experience below. Related... Read the original on HuffPost The University of Texas System Board of Regents voted Wednesday to name former Texas Republican lawmaker John Zerwas the system's next chancellor. They also named Jim Davis, who has served as interim president of the University of Texas at Austin since February, as the flagship's next permanent president. The board named both men sole finalists for their respective positions last month. Rather than do a national search for candidates for UT-Austin president, Board Chair Kevin Eltife appointed members to a committee to evaluate Davis and provide feedback to Eltife. While Eltife appointed faculty, staff and students to the committee, the committee's most prominent members were influential alumni and donors like Bob Rowling, Pam Willeford and Kenny Jastrow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rowling, Willeford and Jastrow all graduated from UT-Austin between the late 1960s and early 1970s. Rowling, a billionaire businessman, major GOP donor and former UT regent, chaired the committee. Willeford, a Bush-era U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, is a philanthropist. Jastrow, a former Fortune 500 CEO, has led UT's fundraising campaigns. Eltife said on Wednesday that the committee unanimously recommended Davis' hiring. The UT System is undergoing a major leadership shake-up at a time of heightened political scrutiny of higher education. This years legislative session saw the passage of laws limiting facultys influence over curricula and hiring as well as restricting on-campus free speech. Jim Davis at an event at the University of Texas Law School in Austin on April 3, 2025. Davis has been serving as interim president of UT-Austin since February. He was named the university's permanent president Wednesday. Credit: Kaylee Greenlee for The Texas Tribune Chancellor JB Milliken announced in May he was leaving to become president of the University of California. His departure prompted the appointment of Zerwas, then the systems executive vice chancellor for health affairs, to take over the role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zerwas, who is a doctor, represented Fort Bend County in the Texas House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019. He spent part of that time as chair of the House Higher Education Committee. Zerwas thanked the board for the opportunity and its confidence in him on Wednesday. "It is certainly something I never saw in my career happening, but I couldn't be happier to be part of this organization and the future that we all see," Zerwas said. "This is the premier public university in the state of Texas, and it will define what the future of higher ed looks like." The University of Texas System enrolls more than 256,000 students at its academic and health institutions across the state and has an annual operating budget of $30.9 billion, making it one of the largest public university systems in the U.S. In January, UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell announced he was leaving to become the president of Southern Methodist University, a smaller, private university in Dallas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hartzell started his presidency helping the flagship navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and ended it struggling to appease both conservative critics and the university community. Specifically, students and staff criticized the university for overcomplying with the states diversity, equity and inclusion ban. Meanwhile, his 2024 request for armed state troopers to respond to peaceful pro-Palestinian demonstrations, labeled antisemitic by Gov. Greg Abbott, further divided the campus. Although Hartzell had offered to remain in the role during the transition, UT System leaders opted not to retain him, instead appointing Davis, the universitys chief operating officer, as interim president, at a salary of $977,500 a year. Davis, who previously worked for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and has no prior teaching experience, has been an active interim president, consulting with the UT Systems board of regents on the recent hiring of a provost. He selected William Inboden for the role, who is the director of the GOP-backed civics center at the University of Florida. In a statement provided to The Texas Tribune after the vote, Rowling, who chaired the committee to evaluated Davis' candidacy, called him "a steady, principled leader." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Higher education is at a crossroads in our country, and President Davis has the institutional knowledge, business acumen and deep care for the students, faculty, staff and alumni to continue our growth. He also has the courage to make changes where change is needed," Rowling wrote. On Wednesday, the UT System's board also made Taylor Eighmy the permanent president of UT San Antonio and UT Health San Antonio, which are set to merge on Sept. 1. Eighmy, who has served as UTSA's president since 2017 and was appointed acting president of UT Health San Antonio in January, has overseen growth at UTSA, including in its research portfolio and status. UTSA obtained Carnegie R1 research status in 2022. Other public university systems in Texas have also undergone leadership changes in recent months. After longtime Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp stepped down, former State Comptroller Glenn Hegar assumed the role on July 1. Texas Tech University System Chancellor Tedd Mitchell also announced his retirement this month. The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Disclosure: Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University System, Texas A&M University System, University of Texas at Austin and University of Texas System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. The lineup for The Texas Tribune Festival continues to grow! Be there when all-star leaders, innovators and newsmakers take the stage in downtown Austin, Nov. 1315. The newest additions include comedian, actor and writer John Mulaney; Dallas mayor Eric Johnson; U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; New York Media Editor-at-Large Kara Swisher; and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso. Get your tickets today! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) The Rotary Club in Johnson City held one of its largest fundraisers at the Appalachian Fair on Tuesday. All proceeds from the funnel cakes sold at the fair will go towards the clubs projects, including a bicycle playground and giving out books to children. Were working right now on a bicycle playground in Johnson City, Rotary Club President Cyrus Fees said. A massive, massive endeavor. A lot of that money will come from this. Were constantly giving back into the Tri-Cities and just making Johnson City even more desirable at these. We just love being out here. We love serving the community because we know what its going to go towards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesdays event marked 60 years of the clubs involvement with the Appalachian Fair. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine is hosting his military counterparts from Germany, the U.K., France, Finland and Italy in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday evening, to discuss potential security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent Russian aggression, U.S. officials confirm to Fox News. The high-level talks come on the eve of a NATO Chiefs of Defense meeting, where all 32 allied military leaders are invited to convene virtually on Wednesday to coordinate next steps. The session will be hosted in Brussels by the chair of NATOs Military Committee, officials said. The urgent discussions follow President Donald Trumps comments on "Fox & Friends" earlier Tuesday, in which he suggested the U.S. could provide air support to Ukraine as part of a security guarantee, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders visited the White House to push for peace talks to end the Russian war in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a U.S. defense official, Caine is leading Tuesday nights session in Washington with senior defense leaders from those five key NATO allies. European Leaders Will Join Trump-zelenskyy Meeting, Signaling Solidarity With Ukraine President Donald Trump, center; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center-left; and other European leaders at the White House on Monday for negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), will also attend virtually from Washington, a U.S. military official said. Read On The Fox News App The defense official added that the current agenda is limited to Tuesday nights talks and the NATO Chiefs of Defense meeting on Wednesday but stressed the situation is "rapidly evolving," leaving open the possibility of additional sessions if conditions change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesdays NATO meeting will include U.S. participation virtually, with Caine joining alongside his counterparts, while the Military Committee chair leads from Brussels. The broader alliance discussions are expected to build on Tuesdays smaller Washington gathering among core European allies. Trump Whispers Crazy Putin Deal Theory To Macron In Hot Mic Moment Wednesdays NATO session will be chaired from Brussels by the head of NATOs Military Committee, who will lead discussions on collective security commitments for Ukraine. The back-to-back meetings mark a critical moment for the alliance as NATO weighs how far to go in offering Kyiv credible security guarantees while seeking to avoid direct escalation with Russia. The Chiefs of Defense meeting is expected to help shape how NATO responds both to developments on the battlefield and to Trumps public statements on future U.S. support. White House Announces Putin Agreed To Bilateral Meeting With Zelenskyy A NATO military soldier stands guard ahead of the two-day NATO summit at the World Forum in The Hague, June 22, 2025. On Tuesday, U.S. and European military counterparts will discuss Ukrainian security guarantees. Allies are expected to consider both battlefield realities and the impact of Trumps remarks as they debate how best to demonstrate unity on Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Original article source: Joint Chiefs, NATO counterparts to discuss Ukraine security guarantees after Trump suggests US air support Alec Luhn, a 38-year-old journalist who has worked for The Guardian, The New York Times and The Atlantic, is speaking out for the first time since his dramatic rescue in Norway. "I was grateful to be alive, grateful that I was, you know, still in one piece," Luhn told "Good Morning America" from his hospital bed. Luhn was badly injured in a fall and had to survive six days on a remote mountain. He said he was unable to move and had little food and no water while he waited for help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wisconsin native, who lives in the U.K., was reported missing on Aug. 4 after failing to board a scheduled flight from Bergen, Norway, to England. He had set out alone on a four-day hike on July 31 from Odda, a gateway to Folgefonna National Park, home to Norways third-largest glacier. Alec Luhn - PHOTO: Alec Luhn, 38, a prominent climate journalist, sent a photo to his wife during a hike in Norway on July 31. His wife, Emmy-winning journalist Veronika Silchenko, first alerted authorities about his disappearance. American journalist missing in Norway has been found alive On the first day of his hike, Luhn said disaster struck when his boot broke and he started plunging down an icy mountain. "[I just started] sliding down this kind of really steep slope," Luhn recalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luhn said he was only able to stop after slamming into a rock, a force so strong it broke his left femur, fractured his pelvis and a number of spinal vertebrae. "I knew I wasn't going to be able to move and get out of there and so I thought, 'OK, well, I got to essentially make it for at least four days on this mountain, so that people will realize that I'm missing,'" said Luhn. Luhn said the backpack he had been carrying, which contained a tent and sleeping bag, survived the fall but he lost his water bottle, most of his food and his cellphone. Unable to move and with no water, Luhn said he began to fear he might die of thirst. Desperate, he resorted to drinking his own urine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, on the third day, Luhn said it began to rain. "It started to rain. I really was desperate for water," Luhn said. "I remember, just like, literally licking up every drop of water I could get." But the rain soon turned into a powerful storm. Gale force winds and torrential rain hammered the mountain, sending streams down its slopes where Luhn was lying. Temperatures fell to near freezing, as Luhn became soaked, trying to shelter under a tent that he had managed to get over him. Luhn said he tried to hang on to hope that he would be rescued. "The one thing that gave me the hope and will to survive was my family -- just thinking about my wife, wanting to see her again, thinking about my parents and my brothers and sisters," Luhn said. "Thats when I called on God and called on the universe to bring me back. I would do anything to be able to see my family again. And I just love them so much that, yeah, I want to make it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Days of bad weather forced rescuers to suspend search efforts. On Aug. 6, Norwegian police confirmed Luhn was found alive by a rescue helicopter team. The helicopter first passed nearby without seeing him, Luhn said, leaving him fearing he may have missed his only chance of rescue. When it returned again, Luhn had tied a red piece of cloth to a walking pole, which he began waving. "I was just yelling and waving. And finally, the door of [the helicopter] opens and somebody waves back at me and that was the moment I knew it was finally, finally over," Luhn said of the moment he was found. He was airlifted to Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen. There, he was reunited with his parents and his wife that night. ABC News - PHOTO: Alex Luhn speaks with ABC News, Aug. 20, 2025. "I remember my wife said, 'I'm going to tear you a new one later but for now, I really love you,'" Luhn said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Besides his broken femur and fractures in his pelvis and back, Luhn suffered severe frostbite on both feet. He remains in Bergen for treatment for now and expects to continue recovery in Britain in the coming weeks. 2-year-old boy found alive in Florida woods about 24 hours after he went missing Raised in the Midwest and a graduate of the University of WisconsinMadison, Luhn spent a decade in Moscow as a foreign correspondent before shifting his focus to climate change reporting. A Pulitzer Center fellow and Emmy nominee, he has worked in conflict zones and remote environments around the world, from Ukraine and Somalia to the Arctic and Alaska. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luhn is also an avid and experienced hiker, who often seeks out the wilderness both professionally and personally, according to his friends and family. He joked that his wife has banned him from hiking but he intends to hike again in the future. Luhn also expressed deep gratitude for the Norwegian rescue teams and hospital staff and stressed the importance of being safe and making good decisions while hiking, saying he should have picked up new boots beforehand and brought a satellite phone with a tracking device for his trip. "It's cool to go into the mountains and there's always cool new routes to be done. But all of that just pales in comparison to the love of your family. And that's something I felt I had lost sight of a little bit and getting a second chance to go and put my family first, that was huge for me," he said. A US federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Texas law that would require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. District Judge Fred Biery issued a preliminary injunction barring implementation of the law, which was to take effect on September 1 and was challenged by families of diverse faiths with children in public schools. The Texas state law, known as Senate Bill 10, is unconstitutional and "impermissibly takes sides on theological questions and officially favors Christian denominations over others," Biery wrote in his 55-page ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The displays are likely to send an exclusionary and spiritually burdensome message to the child-Plaintiffs -- who do not subscribe to the approved version of the Ten Commandments --that they 'are outsiders who do not belong in their own school community,'" he said. Rabbi Mara Nathan, one of the plaintiffs in the case, welcomed the ruling. "Children's religious beliefs should be instilled by parents and faith communities, not politicians and public schools," Nathan said in a statement. Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, also welcomed the decision, saying it sends a "strong and resounding message across the country that the government respects the religious freedom of every student in our public schools." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another federal judge blocked a Louisiana law in November that would require the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom in the conservative southern state. District Judge John deGravelles said the law is unconstitutional and a violation of the First Amendment of the US Constitution. The separation of church and state is a founding US principle and the First Amendment forbids the establishment of a national religion or the preference of one religion over another. In a similar case in 1980, the US Supreme Court ruled that the display of the Ten Commandments in schools in Kentucky was unconstitutional. In Oklahoma, the highest education official in the conservative state recently ordered public schools to teach the Bible, a move that is also facing legal challenges. cl/dw Lovable CEO Anton Osika said Mark Zuckerberg's recent hires at Meta "wouldn't perform as well as" his engineers because they are looking for a "very different type of talent." Alex Wong via Getty Images Anton Osika is the cofounder and CEO of Lovable, a Swedish vibe coding startup. Osika said he wasn't bothered by Mark Zuckerberg's aggressive AI hiring spree at Meta. Lovable is looking for a "very different type of talent" than Meta, Osika said. Lovable CEO Anton Osika says he isn't bothered by Mark Zuckerberg's aggressive AI hiring spree at Meta. In an interview that aired Monday, Osika told podcaster Harry Stebbings that his vibe-coding startup was looking for a "very different type of talent" than Meta. "For Zuck, it's like there's these 10 people that know everything about how to train foundation models and he's paying more for that knowledge than for these people," Osika told Stebbings. But that sort of talent isn't what Lovable is looking for, Osika said. "They wouldn't perform as well as the engineers in my team, doing what we are doing. So it's a very different type of talent," he added. Meta did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Osika said hiring at Lovable doesn't involve dangling hefty bonuses to make it easier for him to find good candidates. "If I knew who was the perfect engineer to hire, I could maybe step up our compensation bands to get exactly those. But I don't know who are the best people," Osika said. "So I need to just figure out are these really, really good people to work with? Are they moldable? Are they going to work well together in this team?" he continued. Osika did not elaborate further on the traits he looks for in candidates, though he did say that he is drawn to those who can adapt quickly to their environment. "If I talk to someone and I learn a lot of things from them, and I notice that my conversation is very dynamic and exciting, that is usually a very good indicator," he said. The cutthroat competition for AI talent has seen tech giants like Meta shelling out $100 million signing bonuses to lock down hires. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a June podcast that he found it "crazy" that Meta was willing to spend so much to acquire talent. Altman added that he was "really happy that, at least so far, none of our best people have decided to take them up on that." "The strategy of a ton of upfront guaranteed comp and that being the reason you tell someone to join, like really the degree to which they're focusing on that and not the work and not the mission, I don't think that's going to set up a great culture," Altman said on the podcast. A federal judge in New York on Wednesday denied the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury transcripts and exhibits in the Jeffrey Epstein case. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman found the government had not reached the high bar necessary to unseal the transcripts and suggested there was not much there anyway. "A significant and compelling reason to reject the Government's position in this litigation is that the Government has already undertaken a comprehensive investigation into the Epstein case and, not surprisingly, has assembled a 'trove' of Epstein documents, interviews and exhibits," Berman wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The government's 100,000 pages of Epstein files and materials dwarf the 70 odd pages of Epstein grand jury materials," the ruling said, adding the government's motion appears to be a 'diversion' from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Governments possession. The grand jury testimony, Berman said, is a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epsteins conduct" delivered by an "FBI agent who had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case." He said another factor in his decision was possible threats to victims safety and privacy. "According to the government, there are over a thousand victims of Jeffrey Epstein," Berman wrote, and it is "difficult to know exactly how many victims favor unsealing," in part because the Justice Department did not give them adequate notice of its request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department declined to comment on the ruling by Berman, whom President Bill Clinton nominated to the bench in 1998. Two other judges have also denied the Justice Department's bid to unseal grand jury records one involving an earlier case in Florida and the other in the case involving Epstein's accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed the Justice Department for the investigative file, and the department has said it will begin turning documents over to the committee Friday. In his ruling, Berman noted that Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a news release in February that the department was "committed to transparency" and "intends to release the remaining [Epstein] documents to the public." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That position changed on July 6, when the Justice Department and the FBI issued a joint unsigned memo saying no other people were expected to be charged in the probe and "no further disclosure" of the files would be appropriate. The memo led to furious backlash from President Donald Trump's MAGA base, because the politically connected Epsteins criminal case and 2019 death have long been the subjects of conspiracy theories that have been stoked by Trump and his supporters. Those who were in Epstein's social circle included Trump and Clinton. Trump directed Bondi to seek to unseal the grand jury transcripts last month, just hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had sent a bawdy 50th birthday letter to Epstein in 2003. NBC News has not independently verified the documents, and Trump denied sending such a letter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has sued the newspapers publisher, two of its reporters and News Corp. founder Rupert Murdoch over the story. The paper has said it stands by its reporting. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence, also sat for an unusual interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche late last month. A source familiar with the matter told NBC News this month that the Justice Department was considering releasing a transcript of the interview. After her meeting with Blanche, Maxwell was transferred from a Florida prison to a minimum-security prison in Texas where the majority of inmates are serving time for nonviolent offenses and white-collar crimes. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A federal judge in New York has denied the Department of Justice's request to unseal grand jury material from Jeffrey Epstein's criminal case. The decision on Wednesday marks the third and final time a federal judge has denied the Trump administration's request to unseal grand jury materials related to Epstein, the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who died by suicide in jail in 2019. The court's decision effectively ends the DOJ's attempt to release grand jury materials in the case, through the department plans to start sharing other Epstein files with Congress later this week. The Trump administration has been dealing with the fallout from its decision not to release materials related to the investigation into Epstein following the blowback it received from some MAGA supporters after it announced that no additional files would be released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Judge rejects Trump administration's request to unseal grand jury testimony in Ghislaine Maxwell case U.S. District Judge Richard Berman sharply criticized the Trump administration for seeking to unseal the grand jury records when the DOJ already has hundreds of thousands of pages of files related to Epstein in its possession. "The instant grand jury motion appears to be a 'diversion' from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Government's possession. The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged conduct," he wrote. Kypros/Getty Images - PHOTO: Jeffrey Epstein Mug Shot "The Government's complete information trove would better inform the public about the Epstein case," Berman added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Berman, the grand jury materials are about 70 pages of transcripts -- primarily comprised of the testimony of an FBI agent who lacked direct knowledge of the case a PowerPoint slideshow of exhibits, and a call log shown to the grand jury. "The Government's 100,000 pages of Epstein files and materials dwarf the 70 odd pages of Epstein grand jury materials," he wrote. Judge Berman also noted that the Trump administration failed to give sufficient notice to victims and that the release of the records could result in "possible threats to victims' safety and privacy." Berman presided over Epstein's criminal case in 2019 on child sex trafficking charges and rejected Epstein's motion to be released on bail while awaiting trial just weeks before his death. Judge Frank Caprio has taken his final breathe, as confirmed by his son, Frank T. Caprio. The beloved viral judge passed away today after a long battle with cancer and a fine career that left loads of supporters and admirers in his trail. Judge Frank Caprio reportedly served as a judge for the Providence Municipal Court for four decades, bagging a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 2021 for his famous TV series. Inside Judge Frank Caprio's Death Announcement Tammie Arroyo / AFF-USA.com / MEGA The official account of Caprio bore the sorrowful news of his death after a lengthy period of putting up a courageous fight against pancreatic cancer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The post on his official Instagram account featured images of him with his loved ones, family, and friends, including a picture of him and his family on the Emmys red carpet. Caprio was a true family man, as seen in one of the slides where his wife and children surrounded him. An old picture of a young Caprio posing with his mom and siblings also featured in the slide. According to the accompanying caption, Caprio was beloved for his "humility and unwavering belief in the goodness of people." The caption continued that Judge Caprio positively influenced the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond. They emphasized that his warmth, humor, and kindness left a lasting impact on everyone who encountered him. The caption noted that the TV star will be "remembered not only as a respected judge, but as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend with a legacy of 'countless acts of kindness he inspired." The caption ended with inspiring words that read: "In his honor, may we each strive to bring a little more compassion into the world - just as he did every day." Fans And Admirers Mourn The Viral Judge The post has gathered over 200k likes and nearly 60k comments from everyone who had experienced Caprio's wit both on and off screen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Best Judge of all time! Your legacy lives on forever. Good night, my Hero. Heaven gained another Angel," this fan commented. Another Instagram user declared that they put the lawyer in the prayers last night, expressing their condolences to his friends and loved ones. "That 'Please Remember Me' will [definitely] be honored. Thank u for making the world a better place and being so compassionate and awesome," a third fan expressed. So many commenters noted that angels like Caprio should be granted immortality due to his kindness and willingness to ensure justice is served with the right amount of compassion. "Go, Mr. Frank and claim the treasure i know you earned up there," an admirer penned, evoking several emotional replies from fans. The Judge Found Out About His Diagnosis After His 86th Birthday The Rhode Island icon opened up about his ailment after he celebrated his birthday and decided to go in for a medical checkup to address a health concern. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As reported by The Blast, he shared that the visit eventually revealed that he has pancreatic cancer, and treatment commenced almost immediately. He revealed that he was receiving treatments from medics in Boston and Rhode Island at the time, amid immense gratitude to everyone who had offered to help one way or the other. Caprio urged the fans to keep him in their prayers alongside the medical treatments he was receiving then, affirming that it would help him get over the illness as quickly as possible. Who Is The Emmy-Nominated Judge's Wife? Tammie Arroyo / AFF-USA.com / MEGA Caprio and his wife, Joyce, shared an incredible bond as seen from several pictures of them together splattered on his face alongside their kids. In May, he celebrated his partner on social media on Mother's Day, and shone the light on her amazing qualities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Happy Mother's Day to my wife Joyce- the incredible woman who gave me the greatest gift of all: our five amazing children!" Caprio wrote. He stressed that Joyce's "strength, love, and endless devotion" served as a backdrop for the family's progress. Caprio and his sweetheart tied the knot in 1965 and have stayed together for over five decades. Among Caprio and Joyce's five children, two have served in the parliament of Rhode Island as state senators and state representatives. The Life And Times Of Judge Frank Caprio Caprio began his journey towards law by attending night school at the Suffolk University School of Law in Boston while he taught American Government at Hope High School. At the Suffolk University School of Law, the late judge established the Antonio "Tup" Caprio Scholarship Fund, named after his father. The initiative was set up to compensate Rhode Island students who are focused on enhancing access to legal services for the underserved population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initiative extended to his high school and Providence College, where he gained his first Bachelor's degree. It was important to ensure this for the town he grew up in alongside his two brothers. Caprio worked several jobs growing up, including shining shoes, newspaper delivery, and working on milk trucks. He announced his retirement from law two years ago, and Providence renamed its municipal courtroom after the judge in October 2023. The judge is survived by his wife, five children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He announced his pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2023 and completed his last radiation treatment last May. RIP, Judge Frank Caprio. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Frank Caprio, who served as a judge for the Providence Municipal Court for almost 40 years, has died. He was 88. Caprios death was confirmed on Wednesday by his son. Beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people, Judge Caprio touched the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond. His warmth, humor, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him, a statement posted on his official Facebook page said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He will be remembered not only as a respected judge, but as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, the statement continued. His legacy lives on in the countless acts of kindness he inspired. A Rhode Island treasure: Local leaders saddened by death of Judge Caprio Caprio grew up on Federal Hill in Providence and is the second of three sons. While he was younger, he shined shoes, delivered newspapers, and worked on a milk truck, following his parents example of working hard to better the lives of those around him, his website reads. He graduated from Central High School and earned a bachelors degree from Providence College. After graduating, he stayed in the capital city and began teaching American Government at Hope High School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While teaching, he attended night school at the Suffolk University School of Law in Boston, which led to his joining the legal profession. He was elected judge in 1985 and became famous for his television series Caught in Providence, which was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 2021. Caprio often went viral on social media for dismissing tickets from residents who appeared on the show and shared their personal stories. He also served 10 years as chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education, which is the governing body for the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and Community College of Rhode Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Suffolk University School of Law, Caprio founded the Antonio Tup Caprio Scholarship Fund. Its named after his father and is awarded to Rhode Island students committed to improving access to legal services in underserved neighborhoods. He has also established scholarships in his fathers name at Providence College and Central High School. Caprio announced his retirement from the Providence Municipal Court in January 2023 after nearly 40 years on the bench. Following his retirement, Providence renamed its municipal courtroom after Caprio in October 2023. Shortly after his 87th birthday, he announced he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2023. He completed his last radiation treatment the following May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Caprio posted a video on Facebook saying he was back in the hospital and asking for prayers. On behalf of my entire family, I want to thank each and every one of you for your prayer, your thoughts, and your unwavering support for him throughout his journey, his son said in a video. Your love lifted him in ways that words cannot describe. In his memory, please spread a little kindness today. I know he would love that, he continued. He leaves behind his wife, Joyce, as well as five children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have not been announced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To honor Caprio, flags will be flown at half-staff at all state agencies and buildings until the day of internment, and Gov. Dan McKee asked Rhode Islanders to lower their flags out of respect as well. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. B.J. Penn cannot contact his mother until May 2026. Tuesday, Hilo Family Court (Hi.) judge Jeffery Ng granted Penn's mother, Lorraine Shin, a one-year, no-contact protection order from the UFC Hall of Famer. The order is backdated to May 26 when Shin first sought the protective order. Shin wanted two years, but Ng granted one as a part of an evidentiary hearing in a TRO case. The Hawaii Tribune-Herald first reported the news. Penn, 46, is restricted from contacting Shin, 79, including by phone call or text message. Ng said Shin was able to prove "domestic abuse and/or extreme psychological abuse" by a preponderance of evidence presented. According to the report, Penn walked out of the courtroom while Ng was reading terms of the protective order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court documents obtained by MMA Junkie show Penn must abide by the following terms: Respondent shall not threaten, physically abuse or psychologically abuse the other party, or anyone living with the other party. This includes, but is not limted to, the use or attempted use of any physical force against, or any harassment of, the other party, or any person who resides with the other party. Respondent shall not maliciously damage or otherwise disturb the propert of the other party, or the property of anyone living with the other party. Respondent is prohibited from personally contacting the other party. No contact also inlcudes, but is not limited to, no telephoning, writing, electronically communicating (for example: no recorded message, pager, email, text message, instant message, etc.), or communicating through third parties. Respondent is prohibited from coming or passing within 100 yards of any residence, place of employment, or school of the other party. Do not violate this Order for Protection even if the other party invites you over Respondent is prohibited from coming or passing within 100 feet of the other party at all other neutral locations. If the parties run into each other, the prohibited party must leave immediately. Respondent and/or anyone acting on his/her behalf, are prohibited from possessing, controlling, or transferring ownership of any firearm, ammunition, and electric gun, or firearm permit or license for the duration of this Order for pretection or extenion therof. All firearm permits or licenses are hereby revoked. Shin cross-examined Penn during the hearing, asking if he believed she had been replaced by impostors and verified that he had made public statements that she and Penn's brothers had been murdered. Penn confirmed both questions. When asked if he had any evidence of Shin's murder, Penn replied, "I guess it depends on how you define proof." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Penn was arrested in May for abuse of a family or household member. He violated a 48-hour order to stay away from Shin's home and was arrested again. A third arrest came in June for violating a TRO (temporary restraining order). In July, Penn made a public plea to current UFC CEO Dana White and former CEO Lorenzo Fertitta for assistance as he navigates the ongoing legal issues. Penn recorded the video outside a three-bedroom home provided by Shin, which is near the family home from which he is restricted. Penn currently has trials scheduled for Oct. 20 and Nov. 3, and is currently free on a $2,000 bail. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Judge grants B.J. Penn's mother no-contact protection order A Florida Judge has ordered that the GPS monitoring device on Robin Severance-Lopez be removed. Severance-Lopez currently faces accusations that her and estranged husband Marcos Lopez profited nearly a million dollars from the illegal gambling operation and allegedly helped to move $600,000 to $700,000. Robin Severance-Lopez submitted a request to remove her GPS ankle monitor while she awaits trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filing argued that the monitoring system imposed a financial burden on her, but also asserted she was not a flight risk. This is a developing story, and we will continue to update it as new information becomes available. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A federal judge in Manhattan has ordered the immediate release of a gay asylum seeker from Jamaica, finding that ICE violated his right to due process. U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres ordered the agency to release Rickardo Anthony Kelly, 40, more than two weeks after he was detained while waiting for his asylum hearing at a courthouse accompanied by his attorney. Agents reportedly offered him $1,000 to self-deport, and apprehended him when he refused. "In light of the undisputed facts, there is no doubt that [ICE's] ongoing detention of [Kelly] with no process at all, much less prior notice, no showing of changed circumstances, or an opportunity to respond, violates his due process rights," Torres wrote in her ruling, issued Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelly said in his initial writ of habeas corpus petition that he came to the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2021 shortly after he was the victim of a violent attack motivated by his sexual orientation, during which he was shot ten times. He warned that deporting him to Jamaica would put him at risk, and that keeping him in custody could cause him to experience severe and quite possibly fatal medical complications as a diabetic. Kelly described the conditions of the ICE facility he was detained at as unconscionable, inhumane, and horrific. He claimed he was kept in a room with nearly 100 other detainees that had only three toilets, no doors, and no showers, and that he was not provided with clean clothes, toiletries, or any other way to maintain basic hygiene. Kelly said he was forced to sleep on the floor without a blanket, and was only provided with food twice per day freeze-dried rice and beans, often cold. He also claimed that he was denied access to his diabetes medication, and instead given a substitute that had previously caused him adverse effects. Kelly currently works as a security guard in New York City. He was arrested under the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detention without bond for non-citizens charged with or convicted of theft, assault, or other violent crimes. Kelly has a pending third-degree assault charge that he said stems from a domestic dispute which prosecutors have not moved forward with. The case is expected to expire this month under the Speedy Trial Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suggestion that government agents may sweep up any person they wish and hold that person in the conditions in which Kelly was held without consideration of dangerousness or flight risk so long as the person will, at some unknown point in time, be allowed to ask some other official for his or her release offends the ordered system of liberty that is the pillar of the Fifth Amendment, Torres concluded. This article originally appeared on Advocate: Judge orders immediate release of gay Jamaican asylum seeker detained by ICE RELATED A federal judge said he would not unseal grand jury transcripts and exhibits from the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein rejecting the Justice Departments request to make them public. Judge Richard Berman said the Justice Department did not overcome long-standing precedent to keep grand jury materials sealed and noted that the information contained in the sealed materials is small relative to the entire investigation file already in DOJs hands. The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hand of the Department of Justice, the judge wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department declined to comment on Bermans ruling. This is the third federal judge to decline to release Epstein-related transcripts and evidence from a grand jury. The ruling comes as the Trump administration has faced mounting pressure to release more information around the Epstein files, especially after senior officials promised to do so. The Government is a logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein files. By comparison, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a diversion from the breath and scope of the Epstein files in the Governments possession, Berman wrote Wednesday. The judge added another compelling reason to keep the records sealed are possible threats to victims safety and privacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney General Pam Bondi released binders to right-wing social media influencers at the White House in February, but many of the influencers shared that the binders did not reveal any new information regarding the Epstein files. The Justice Department started revoking their promises to release more information in Epsteins case in May and downplaying the situation. Bondi alerted Trump in May that his name appeared in the files. On July 7, the DOJ released an unsigned memo saying they would not be releasing any more documents regarding the Epstein files. The lack of transparency in the memo only angered Democrats, the public and even members of Trumps political base. Third judge to rule against DOJ The Justice Department has explored several avenues to have more information released, including by asking two federal judges in New York to unseal grand jury materials in Epsteins case and Ghislaine Maxwells case. Maxwell is Epsteins long-time partner who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for carrying out a years-long scheme with Epstein to groom and sexually abuse underage girls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York federal Judge Paul Engelmayer denied the Justice Departments request for grand jury materials in Maxwells case on August 11 in a scathing opinion, saying that the premise of DOJs argument was false and that the request was not a matter of public interest. The Justice Department also requested the unsealing of grand jury materials from a federal court in Florida, and a judge swiftly denied the request. Additionally, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducted a two-day interview with Maxwell on July 24 and 25 at the US Attorneys Office in Tallahassee, Florida. The Justice Department is working on transcribing a 10-hour audio tape from the interview. This story has been updated with additional information. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A federal judge on Wednesday tossed a defamation lawsuit against Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) filed after she took to the House floor to accuse a man of being a predator. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel ruled that, federal law entitles the Justice Department to step in and largely make Mace immune from damages and proceeded to dismiss the case in its entirety. Gergel did not address whether Mace actually defamed the man, Brian Musgrave, and acknowledged the ruling means he may have no ability to recover damages even if she falsely destroyed his reputation, as Musgrave claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress has weighed the risks and benefits . and concluded that libel and related claims against federal officials acting within the scope of their employment are barred under federal law. It is this Courts duty to uphold the rule of law, the judge wrote. Gergel was nominated to the bench by former President Obama. Musgrave sued Mace in March after she gave a stunning speech on the House floor that included a series of allegations of sexual abuse and voyeurism. Mace, who is now running for governor of South Carolina, celebrated the ruling. Today the court proved the US Constitution is the LAW OF THE LAND, Mace said in a statement. They came after me because I stood up for victims and demanded crime be prosecuted. Todays court decision proves their lies and attacks wont break me. Ive put my career on the line to fight crime and drafted legislation to strengthen our laws. And Ill never stop fighting for law and order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musgrave was one of four men whom Mace singled out in a stunning speech on the House floor in February, in which she lobbed accusations of sexual abuse and voyeurism. In addition to Musgrave, Mace accused her ex-fiance and two other men of wrongdoing. Eric Bland, Musgraves attorney, said the decision allows politicians to say and do anything they want but vowed to keep fighting to clear his clients name. It seems patently unfair that a United States citizen who lives a law-abiding life can be grouped and called a rapist and a predator without any proof, and it can be done over and over again with immunity (and impunity), Bland said in a statement. Mace in the speech claimed to have found a hidden camera on a property Musgrave owns with Maces ex-fiance that had intimate photos of women taken without their knowledge or consent. Musgraves suit said he didnt place the camera and never had knowledge of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While he was not the subject of Maces more serious allegations in the speech, such as her belief she was raped after being purposefully incapacitated, Mace labeled Musgrave along with the three other men as a predator. The lawsuit took aim at the speech, Maces social media posts and a poster displayed outside her congressional office titled PREDATORS with images of the four men. The case also included claims against some of Maces congressional staff. Last month, the Justice Department sought to step in and largely replace Mace and the staffers as the defendant by certifying they were acting in the scope of their jobs, making them immune and leaving taxpayers on the hook for damages. Gergel, the judge, agreed that the government could do so on all but one claim: that Mace owes Musgrave damages for violating his constitutional rights, known as a Bivens action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the judge went on to dismiss that claim, too, finding it isnt permitted in defamation cases and that Mace was protected anyway by the U.S. Constitutions Speech or Debate Clause. Mace has made her accusations against the men a central part of her political identity in recent months. In a May subcommittee hearing she led on private spaces, she showed a blurry screenshot of her naked silhouette that she said was recorded on a hidden camera on the property that was mentioned in her speech. She launched a bid for governor of South Carolina this month. Among her primary opponents is South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson (R), who she accused of not adequately investigating her allegations. Wilsons office at the time said that Mace either does not understand or is purposefully mischaracterizing Wilsons role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. JUPITER Police Chief Michael Barbera is retiring on Oct. 3 after serving 29 years with the town and hitting a mandatory retirement stipulation. Barbera announced his retirement on Aug. 14. Jupiter will detail plans for its new police chief closer to the time of Barberas retirement, according to a statement released by the town. The town's charter gives its town manager the authority to choose the police department's leader, as opposed to the Town Council. I am extremely grateful for all of the opportunities the Town of Jupiter has provided me and my family since I joined the Jupiter Police Department in 1996, wrote Barbera in a prepared statement. It has been an honor to serve Jupiter's residents and represent one of the most prestigious law enforcement agencies in Florida. Jupiter's Police Chief Michael Barbera is set to retire on Oct. 3, 2025. He has worked for the department for 29 years. Barbera has been the towns police chief since October 2024, when he stepped into the role after serving as deputy chief for three years before that. Why is it mandatory that Jupiter's police chief retires? Barbera had to retire because he enrolled in the Florida Retirement Systems Deferred Retirement Option Program known as DROP before he became chief, according to a town spokesperson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program requires participants to retire after a certain number of years pass from when they enroll. Barbera hit the threshold for retirement this year. All town employees have the option to enter into the program, which has financial benefits for participants. Employees are eligible for it based on their years of service or age. In this case, Barbera was eligible based on his years of service. Jupiter's police chief to retire after almost three decades of work in the field Barbera started work at the Jupiter police department as a police officer in 1996. Before joining the police department, he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He spent three years as a major and was the operations support commander, where he led the criminal investigations and special operations divisions, before becoming deputy chief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barbera has been a patrol officer, a field training officer, an honor guard commander, supervisor of the K-9 unit and special response team and a district commander. He also has been a member of the department's hostage negotiation team. He spent six years as a detective in the criminal investigations division and two years working with the street crimes unit. Barbera made the rank of sergeant in 2009. Six years later, he became a captain and then major in 2018. Barbera graduated from the FBIs National Academy, the FBIs Florida Executive Development Seminar and the Florida Department of Law Enforcements Leadership Academy. He holds a bachelors degree in public administration from Barry University and a masters degree in criminology from Florida State University. Barbera is the towns fourth police chief since 2005. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frank Kitzerow, the towns former chief who stepped down in 2018 and is now its town manager, said Barbera has been a dynamic leader throughout his career. He dedicated much of his life to serving our Town and has excelled in every step of his career, wrote Kitzerow in a prepared statement. Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jupiter police chief to retire because of Florida DROP retirement plan With a market cap of $133 billion, Deere & Company (DE) is the worlds largest producer of agricultural equipment, best known for its iconic John Deere brand with the signature green and yellow design. The company operates globally across four segments: Production and Precision Agriculture; Small Agriculture and Turf; Construction and Forestry; and Financial Services. Shares of the Moline, Illinois-based company have outperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks. DE stock has climbed 31.9% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has returned 16.1%. Moreover, shares of the company are up 16.1% on a YTD basis, compared to SPXs 9.7% gain. More News from Barchart Focusing more closely, the agricultural equipment manufacturer stock has also outpaced the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Funds (XLI) 18.4% increase over the past 52 weeks. www.barchart.com Despite reporting better-than-expected Q3 2025 net income of $4.75 and adjusted revenue of $10.4 billion, Deeres shares tumbled 6.8% on Aug. 14 as profits dropped sharply from $6.29 per share a year earlier. The company warned its tariff impact would reach nearly $600 million for the year, with Q3 tariffs alone costing about $200 million. Deere also cut the high end of its annual profit forecast to $5.25 billion and reported operating profits in its core tractor and construction units had roughly halved, highlighting margin pressure and weak demand. For the fiscal year ending in October 2025, analysts expect Deere & Companys EPS to decline 26.9% year-over-year to $18.72. However, the company's earnings surprise history is promising. It topped the consensus estimates in the last four quarters. Among the 22 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a Moderate Buy. Thats based on 11 Strong Buy ratings, one Moderate Buy, and 10 Holds. www.barchart.com On Aug, 19, Evercore ISI analyst David Raso lowered Deeres price target to $491 while maintaining an In Line" rating. As of writing, the stock is trading below the mean price target of $543.31. The Street-high price target of $750 implies a potential upside of 51.2% from the current price levels. On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) A jury convicted a man who shot blank rounds inside a San Francisco synagogue where several people were attending a religious class in 2023, prosecutors announced Wednesday. Jurors found Dmitri Mishin, 53, guilty of committing a hate crime, interfering with religious worship, and brandishing an imitation firearm. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said, There is no place for antisemitism. Hate crimes deeply impact victims and whole communities. Getting justice in the courtroom rights these grave wrongs, and restores some of the unity, dignity and humanity that is lost when these crimes are committed. A man fires blanks inside Schneerson Center in San Francisco. (Surveillance image) The hate crime happened on February 1, 2023 in the citys Richmond District. Investigators said Mishin walked into Schneerson Center, a synagogue on Balboa Street, and began speaking Russian to a group that was attending a Jewish religion class and sitting around a large table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Mishin then removed a replica firearm from the inside of his jacket and started shooting blank rounds. Witnesses observed Mr. Mishin shoot the gun seven to eight times before speaking a few final words including words to the effect of say hello to the Mossad and leaving the synagogue, the district attorneys office wrote. Surveillance video obtained by KRON4 recorded the incident. (Watch in the video player above). The vice president of Schneerson Center previously told KRON4 that the center is mainly used by Russian-speaking Jewish people. Surveillance video shows that almost nobody ran for cover when the shots were fired. I dont think people knew what was happening. We are talking about elderly people. They dont get up easily and the chairs are very comfortable, he said. No one was injured, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police officers later searched Mishins residence and found a jacket with the firearm used in the shooting. It was loaded with non-projectile firing rounds, also known as blanks. Investigators also discovered a selfie video, dated January 14, 2023, showing the man burning an object in front of the same synagogue. Security guard who threatened to call ICE arrested for sexual assault Mishins social media accounts contained a photo showing him wearing a military-style uniform with a bird symbol and swastika, prosecutors said. Everyone should feel safe and secure in their place of worship, but as this case demonstrates, unfortunately that feeling can be taken away in a matter of seconds, said Assistant District Attorney Abigail Adams. I commend the victims for overcoming their continued fear and testifying at trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mishin is currently in jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. At just 9 years old, Trey Willis Jr. is faced with the loss of his big sister. Im happy she got justice, and I love Treonna, Willis Jr. said. Full of emotion, he stands with his family uniting in the love they all had for Treonna Washington, 20. Her little siblings would oftentimes look at her as the big brother. She was tough on them, she led the way and showed them how to be yourself and unapologetic, said Trey Willis Sr., Treonnas father. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday morning, they were feeling a sense of justice as they watched a jury in Beaver County convict Jason Banks Jr., just one year after Treonnas murder and more than a week inside that courtroom. >>> She didnt deserve that: Family of woman found shot, killed in Aliquippa alley speaks out <<< Just occupying the same space as her killer was difficult, having to look at him every day as someone my daughter gave her heart to, someone that slept on my couch when they came over. I trusted him with something so dear to me, said Willis Sr. Banks, Treonnas boyfriend, wasnt just convicted of her murder, but two separate assaults that occurred hours before her death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement >>> Arrest made in deadly shooting of Aliquippa woman, 20, found in alley <<< Now her family plans to continue bringing awareness to domestic violence as they thank the prosecutors for helping to bring them peace. I never felt like my daughter was a docket number. I never felt like she was just another case. Every time I walked in, I felt we were talking about Treonna, not just the victim, Willis Sr. said. >>> Man accused of killing his girlfriend in Aliquippa says his roommate is the real shooter <<< Banks will be formally sentenced at a later date but will spend life in prison without parole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Banks was represented by the Beaver County Public Defenders Office. They said they respect the judicial process and the jurys decision, but have no further comment. >>> Jury deliberations underway for man accused of shooting, killing girlfriend in Aliquippa <<< Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW What was supposed to be a last-minute beach getaway turned into an emotional scramble for safety when a Virginia family was forced to abandon their vacation rental as Hurricane Erin triggered mandatory evacuations along parts of North Carolinas Outer Banks. Victoria Murray, who traveled from Edinburg, Virginia, with her husband and two young children, said they had only just unloaded their car when the alert came through. We had just walked in and my husband unloaded everything, brought it all up the stairs to the top level, and then our phones that alarm sound comes off, Murray said. I just look at the phone and my heart sinks. I broke down crying a little bit because it was so emotional. You plan this trip, you buy the groceries, you do all of it, just to come in and its pulled out from under you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Murrays had booked their trip to the Outer Banks just days earlier. It was actually very last minute, Murray explained. We thought it would be good and safe to book. (MORE: Hurricane Hunters Fly Into Erins Eye) But once they arrived, the reality hit hard. Their 3-year-old daughter Ruth, who turns 4 in two weeks, was especially heartbroken. Shes crying, screaming, she doesnt want to go home. We just got here, she doesnt want to get back in the car, Murray recalled. Meanwhile, 6-month-old Joshua was blissfully unaware of the chaos. He doesnt know whats happening. Hes just along for the ride at this point. (MORE: Dozens Rescued From Hurricane Erin Rip Currents) The family faced a tough decision: drive all the way home or try to find another safe spot nearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We knew we did not want to stay and risk it, especially having little ones, Murray said. Instead of cutting the trip short, they found a new rental in Kill Devil Hills, about an hour and a half north. We talked to several of the locals, and they all said they didnt think they would evacuate here. So were prepared for wind, were prepared for rain, we know were probably gonna lose some beach days." (MORE: Do You Have These Storm Prep Essentials?) That determination, Murray said, comes from wanting to give their children the memories they had been looking forward to. Vacation is really important to us. Were never going to get our kids back at these ages again. she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family also felt the sting of online criticism after sharing their story. Theres been a lot of people who are like, Well, why would you come when theres been a hurricane? Have you watched the weather? Murray said. And I think thats valid, but I also think people need to remember, we saved for this vacation. This is our only vacation time and if its gone, its gone," she added, "Not everybody gets their money back. For now, the Murrays are riding out the storm in Kill Devil Hills, with groceries in hand and hopes of salvaging a few beach days before heading back home. Were happy with our decision, Murray said. I think were gonna be OK. Were just prepared for whatever this storm may bring. Weather.com lead editor Jenn Jordan explores how weather and climate weave through our daily lives, shape our routines and leave lasting impacts on our communities. Aug. 20Kalispell Public Schools will have $90.7 million for operations during the 2025-26 school year, which administrators say will leave them with a stable high school budget, but a tight elementary district budget. State funding and taxpayer money are the primary sources of revenue for the district's budgeted funds, the largest being the general fund. Property taxes accounted for about 33% of funding for the elementary district budget and 32.9% of the high school budget. The elementary district will operate on a $43.96 million budget, a percentage increase of 6.2% from the 2024-25 budget. Despite the bump, Kalispell Public Schools Finance Director Chris Campbell said the budget may face a deficit, even after the elimination of about 15 full-time-equivalent positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We'll probably face an ongoing challenge on the elementary side indefinitely, until we see some kind of structural, legislative changes. But for this year, they'll be very, very tight," he said during a presentation at an Aug. 12 board meeting before the budget adoption. The high school district budget totals $46.74 million, a percentage increase of 9.5% over the last school year's budget. The budget is stable, Campbell said, thanks in part to the passage of the $2.97 million general fund levy in May, which helped prevent the elimination of about 20 full-time-equivalent positions. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING agreements continue through the 2025-26 school year, with certified staff receiving a 10% increase to the base salary and a 2% increase at the top. A first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree will earn a $47,713 salary, for example. Non-union employees will receive a 3% increase for 2025-26. Kalispell Public Schools ratified the certified staff contract, anticipating that the Student and Teacher Advancement for Results and Success Act, also known as the STARS Act, would earn the Legislature's approval. The act incentivizes Montana school districts to raise teachers' starting salaries in addition to fully funding the Advanced Opportunities Act, which affects dual credit and work-based learning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The act was signed into law in May and will provide financial relief to the tune of about $900,000 for the elementary district and about $800,000 for the high school district, Campbell said. "... It was a bet and a risk and one that paid off," he said. Campbell reiterated the disparity of the state funding formula between elementary and high schools, noting that the district receives $1,450 less per pupil in elementary school compared to the high school level. He said this is compounded by accreditation standards that require smaller class sizes in the elementary grades, necessitating more staff. Campbell and Superintendent Mark Jensen said they have not been provided with a rationale as to why less funding is given to educate elementary students. At the state level, a decennial school funding interim study is underway. State law requires a school funding interim commission, made up of legislators and members of the public, be formed every 10 years to "to reassess the educational needs and costs related to the basic system of free quality public elementary and secondary schools; and if necessary, recommend to the following Legislature changes to the state's funding formula." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to budgeted funds, the elementary and high school districts hold cash funds. Cash funds fluctuate and cover food service, student activities, traffic education and health insurance, for example. An interlocal fund is also under cash funds. The interlocal fund contains year-end money from the elementary and high school districts and may be spent on various projects with board approval. The current balance of the interlocal fund is $2.7 million. Since the interlocal fund was put into place in 2011, the district has used it like a savings account of sorts to accumulate money over time to fund large projects, purchases and other expenses. It has also been used to cover shortfalls and float a loan to the district's self-funded insurance program. TO ADDRESS budget sustainability, Kalispell Public Schools is proposing changes to how it handles staffing levels and maintenance and building expenses, which Campbell outlined at the August board meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regarding staffing the district's biggest expense administrators are working on creating staffing metrics. The goal of the metrics is to "allow for incremental adjustments, not crisis corrections; provide an objective framework to evaluate future staffing decisions that are transparent, and fiscally responsible; provide consistency and equity in line with enrollment at each building." The district anticipates completing middle and high school instructional metrics in September. Once completed, the creation of custodial, maintenance, clerical and other support staff metrics will get underway. The district proposes reviewing staff levels in February, after the second statewide official enrollment count is completed (the first is taken in October). State funding is tied directly to enrollment. "Once that second count is done, we really have a very, very, good idea of what our budget will be for the coming year and we can kind of evaluate our staffing ratios based on current enrollment," Campbell said. "Whether it's adding or reducing, really, in an effort to avoid any significant types of corrections like we had to do this past year," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kalispell Public Schools also plans to bring district-level oversight to capital expenditures over $25,000, along with asking school sites to submit needs and wants to further improve financial stability as one of Flathead County's largest employers. The requests and projects would then be prioritized district-wide to ensure critical needs are addressed over lower-priority projects, which has been an issue in the past, allowing for multi-year planning. Requests would be collected through a standardized form posted in September, with submissions closed in October of a given school year. In November, the district would review and prioritize requests and conduct the bidding process from January through April. The suggested timeline would allow the district to earmark money 14 months in advance to better inform the district of fixed costs and operational budgets. In his budget summary, Campbell said the district will need to use general funds, building reserve funds and technology funds to address significant deferred maintenance and safety issues. Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com. SAN FRANCISCO California Democrats would take Gavin Newsom over Kamala Harris in a 2028 presidential primary, according to a new poll from POLITICO and its partners. Between the two high-profile Californians, the governor leads the former vice president 25 percent to 19 percent among the states registered Democratic voters and Democratic-leaning independents, the latest POLITICO-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab survey found. The finding reflects, in part, success Newsom has had asserting himself as a leader of Democrats resistance to President Donald Trumps agenda from the governors plan to counter gerrymandering in Texas to his opposition to immigration raids and lawsuits challenging Trumps tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris, by contrast, may be older news. Largely avoiding the spotlight since losing the White House to Trump last year, she recently passed on running for California governor. Harris said she doesnt want to go back in the system for now. Theres affection for her, but maybe less confidence that she would be a strong candidate, said Jack Citrin, a veteran political science professor at UC Berkeley and partner on the poll. (Newsom is) in the news everyday. If you think someone is running, youre more likely to support them. The survey found that 75 percent of registered Democratic voters said they are excited about the prospect of Newsom running, compared with 67 percent who are enthusiastic about Harris. Both Newsom, who is likely to run, and Harris, who is weighing a campaign, would be leading contenders in the California primary, according to the survey. But the more lukewarm Democratic support for Harris in her home state suggests the uphill battle she could face tapping into her partys base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Behind Newsom and Harris, the survey had former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg polling in third place, with the support of 13 percent of Democrats, followed by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 10 percent. Other potential Democratic contenders including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were all trailing in the single digits. The survey also looked at the opinion of policy influencers, including a group of roughly 400 Democratic POLITICO Pro subscribers who are deeply versed in the states political landscape. They were less enthusiastic about both Harris and Newsom at the top of the ballot than Democratic voters at large. Among those influencers, only 2 percent said they would support Harris, and 14 percent support said they would back Newsom. Buttigieg led in that survey, with 19 percent support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Citrin said the gap between the public survey and poll of policy influencers suggests that party insiders are evaluating which Democrat is best positioned to defeat Vice President JD Vance or another Republican in the November 2028 election. The pollster said Newsom and Harris are often seen as more liberal than the rest of the Democratic bench, a problem that has already cropped up for Newsom outside of the confines of his coastal state. He added, Getting the nomination is one thing and then winning is a second. The survey consists of two separate opinion studies of the California electorate and policy influencers in the state, fielded by TrueDot, the artificial intelligence-accelerated research platform, in collaboration with the Citrin Center and Possibility Lab at UC Berkeley and POLITICO. The public opinion study, made possible in part with support from the California Constitution Center, was conducted in the field between July 28 and Aug. 12. The sample of 1,445 total registered voters, including 807 registered Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, was selected at random by Verasight, with interviews conducted in English and Spanish, and includes an oversample of Hispanic voters. The modeled error estimate for the full sample is plus/minus 2.6 percent. The policy influencer study was conducted from July 30 to Aug. 11, among 512 subscribers to POLITICO Pro, and the modeled error estimate is plus/minus 3.7 percent. Former Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday said Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier, who has spent the past two nights inside the Texas Capitol after she was barred from leaving the building over her refusal to agree to 24-hour police surveillance, is among those who history will reveal to have been heroes of this moment. In a video posted on social media by the Texas House Democrats, Harris can be heard praising Collier for taking a stand against the GOP, calling her actions inspiring. I just want you to know that you are among those who history will reveal to have been heroes of this moment, so you just stay strong and do what you are doing, Harris said. You have the right instinct. You are talented and you are principled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collier said she was overwhelmed by Harris outreach. The fact that she is watching what were doing right now in this moment means that we are making a difference, Collier said after wrapping up her call with Harris. What we do matters. People are watching and they are ready to hold this government accountable. Get fired up, get ready, and vote. Related: Trump Makes Awkward U-Turn After Failed Ceasefire Talks With Zelenskyy And Putin Collier was among the 50 Democrats who fled Texas on Aug. 3 to block Republicans from passing a new congressional map sought by President Donald Trump to give the GOP five additional Republican-friendly seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Related: JD Vance Heckled At Photo Op With National Guard In DC The majority of the Democrats who left Texas returned to the state Monday and faced prompt retaliation from the GOP. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican, said each Democratic legislator would be required to sign a permission slip agreeing to have an around-the-clock police escort to ensure they attended votes to pass the new map. Related: Kid Rock Goes Into Meltdown Mode After Getting Punked By Gavin Newsoms X Account Collier refused to follow the order and was, as a result, locked on the House floor with armed guards keeping her there. She was told she is also allowed in her office in the building. The legislator has filed a writ of habeas corpus, saying the situation she faces amounts to illegal confinement. Related: Paul Krugman Warns This Trump Policy Will Hurt More Than People Realize Collier was accompanied by House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu and Rep. Vince Perez on Monday evening with more Democrats including Reps. Penny Morales Shaw and Mihaela Plesa, who tore up her permission slip before the cameras joining her the next night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morales Shaw told NBC News that she regretted initially following Republicans orders. Nicole was right. We should not have submitted to this, she said. I cannot support this very low and bad precedent for all future legislators. A vote on the redistricting plan is now expected to take place Wednesday with Trump being widely expected to get his wish. Texas Republicans ploy prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to announce a ballot initiative, asking California voters to approve early congressional redistricting if the Lone Star State goes forward with its own redistricting plan. Related... Read the original on HuffPost Immigrant rights advocates are advising allies to adopt nonviolent resistance in the face of the Trump administration's escalating mass deportation campaign (Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon). Black SUVs whizzing by were the first hint an immigration raid might be imminent. A Kansas City man riding his bike along the Trolley Track Trail felt his initial fear confirmed when a Waldo area construction site came into view. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He saw handcuffed laborers, men he assumed to be Latino, being questioned by other men in tactical gear. My full intent was to stop and let them know that someone was watching, said the man, who didnt want to be publicly identified. He wasnt the only one who saw what many assumed was an immigration raid in the heart of Waldo in mid-July. Others shared their outrage on social media. And the man riding his bike took photos and a video that showed some of the men wore tactical gear marked U.S. Marshals Service. But was it an immigration raid? Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US The construction workers were released when a small crowd of bystanders gathered, some drawn from businesses along Wornall Road. Tensions quickly escalated as bystanders began yelling and cursing. At least one agent who identified himself as a U.S. marshal cursed back, said the man who took photos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident is now part of a growing list being documented by local advocates for immigrant rights. Theyre tracking dozens of possible immigration actions, watching for patterns and trying to tamp down unsubstantiated rumors before they spread. The Waldo incident has not been confirmed as an immigration raid. So far, only about a dozen incidents in the Kansas City area have been verified as immigration enforcement actions since President Donald Trump took office in late January, according to Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, or AIRR. Many more reported incidents could not be verified, or simply turned out to be someone receiving a ticket for a traffic violation, with no issues involving immigration. The value of the silent observer Amid the Trump administrations mass deportation campaign, civil rights advocates nationally and locally are emphasizing training for bystanders and a heightened attention to nonviolent protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Janet Murguia understands that Latinos and other allies are angry about reports of federal officials arresting people at workplaces, in their homes and even when they go, as directed, to immigration court. But that outrage needs to be targeted in the right ways, said Murguia, the president and CEO of UnidosUS. It cannot give more fuel to this administration to bring in more law enforcement. UnidosUS is the nations largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization. The group held its annual convention in Kansas City Aug. 4-7. Training in nonviolence while advocating for immigrant rights was a recurring theme during the conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The actions of even one rambunctious protester can quickly escalate and incite others. Often unsubstantiated rumors spread quickly via social media. The Department of Homeland Security reports escalating numbers of attacks on federal immigration agents and other federal partners, which can include the U.S. Marshals Service. A June DHS release following the outbreak of protests in Los Angeles said there had been a 413% increase in assaults against federal agents from the same time last year. It also said that agents and their families had been doxed, which has been a reason that the government has given to defend the use of face masks. The fact that a bystander had a child present during the July arrests of 11 workers at two area El Toro Loco restaurants was also called out in a Homeland Security statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE was carrying out a criminal federal search warrant to rescue victims of human trafficking. Extremists and activists, one with their child in tow, tried to interfere with law enforcement by storming the restaurant, calling law enforcement Nazis, and attempting to keep officers from leaving the scene, said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. Unfortunately, these types of smears and obstruction to law enforcement operations are becoming more and more common. Our brave ICE law enforcement are facing an 830% increase in assaults against them as they carry out operations. Statements by Homeland Security consistently highlight the administrations goal of targeting violent criminals. But the governments own data shows that less than half of people arrested from late January through late June had been convicted of a crime, according to information gathered by the Deportation Data Project through Freedom of Information Act requests and analysis by news organizations like Stateline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And among those who do have criminal convictions, for many it was for a less serious issue, like a traffic conviction. Only 7% had been convicted of a violent crime, according to Stateline. A persons immigration status is a civil matter. In training sessions, Kansas City area organizers seek to redirect those who might become agitated when interacting with federal immigration agents or other law enforcement. If a volunteer demonstrates a fervent desire to fight fascism, or to accuse people of being Nazis, they probably need to reassess before becoming involved. Theres more at stake with local organizing than what some people who want to lend support as an ally might realize, said immigrant rights advocates and immigration attorneys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, videos taken by bystanders could be useful in legal cases challenging the constitutionality of the tactics being used by federal agents during arrests. But videos with people screaming slurs at federal agents can be less useful. Such actions can also undercut the philosophy of nonviolence. Civil rights struggles require a consistent, long-term strategy to succeed, said Trinidad Raj Molina, an organizer with Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation. Dramatic actions might feel good in the moment, Molina said, but arent a part of strategies designed to bring significant social change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being a silent observer is important, said Molina. Lessons on nonviolence Murguia is leaning into her friendship with the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis for guidance. Through the years, she heard the Georgia congressman speak about nonviolence to groups large and small, often emphasizing lessons he learned over a lifetime fighting for voting rights, desegregation and so much more. I remember repeatedly hearing him say that civil disobedience requires courage, she said. And that the part of courage that people dont understand is being brave enough not to respond with violence, and how critically important it is to understand the role of nonviolent civil disobedience and peaceful protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UnidosUS is partnering with other national organizations like the National Urban League to call for more immigrant rights training sessions around such disciplines and to learn from the civil rights legacy of the African American community. Martin Luther King Jr. taught that nonviolence is not passive. It focuses on injustice, rather than individuals. Its a way of life, not a tactic. People today might not realize how much training was involved in some of the most famous civil rights actions of the 1950s, Murguia said. Murguia is especially aware that protesters today might be goaded to react, which can then be used as a pretext for a more militarized response by government officials. Congress recently authorized more than $170 billion for increased immigration enforcement, which is more than the combined budgets of all other federal law enforcement agencies, Murguia said. That point was also underscored by labor rights leader David Huerta, who said it is imperative that people who protest are disciplined and committed to nonviolence and understand how to deescalate situations. Huerta spoke on a panel during the UnidosUS conference in Kansas City. When you do see violence, you have to deescalate it, he said. Because it can escalate so quickly. Huerta is president of the Service Employees International Union of California and first came to prominence through the Justice for Janitors campaign. Huerta was recently arrested during immigrant rights protests in Los Angeles, spending three days in jail before being released on bond and charged with conspiracy to impede an officer. He said it is too easy for government officials to flip the narrative on people who protest immigration arrests. We cant let this sense of intimidation keep us from doing what we have to do, Huerta said. But we definitely have to be intelligent and smart about it, and we have to be really disciplined and always engaged in nonviolence. AIRR doesnt want to dissuade people from getting involved as allies. It strives to empower immigrants, in particular. All reported information is helpful, advocates said. For instance, AIRR has noted that more foreign cars are now being used in enforcement actions. There are also instances of federal agents being seen driving around apartment complexes in Olathe in the early morning hours, and in neighborhoods in the Northeast section of Kansas City. The assumption is that they might be searching for people to arrest on their way to work. More than 2,400 people have been trained regionally in know-your-rights sessions. There are also guidelines on what to do if you believe you are witnessing a raid, including how to document it, while staying safe. Local training sessions are similar to those made available by UnidosUS and other national organizations. In the case of the Waldo worksite, a wrought iron fence separated the half-dozen people who tried to confront the U.S. Marshals Service. One woman, who had come from a nearby gym, was very angry, said the man who photographed the incident. He doesnt regret his role. But he did worry that he might end up getting arrested as the tensions escalated. Still, he felt an obligation to speak up as an African American, knowing that his community also had to fight for basic civil rights. I just felt like its happening right in front of my face now, he said. We might have kept those people from getting kidnapped. This article first appeared on Beacon: Kansas City and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. TOPEKA (KSNT) Kansans far and wide are being invited to participate in an upcoming cook-off featuring their choice of ingredients sourced straight from the Sunflower State. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is getting ready to host another round of its new annual tradition later this fall: Wild Foods Cook-Off. The event allows Kansans to throw down with foods they gathered using locally sourced resources with winners getting recognition, and bragging rights, for their ingenuity. Amy Bousman, KDWP engagement coordinator, is organizing this years competition. She said this will be the second year for the Wild Foods Cook-Off after it launched in 2024. The inaugural event received a lot of attention with more than 300 participants and many more guests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well two years ago was the kickoff event, the first of its kind for the state, Bousman said. There were 300 people who showed up. We ran out of table space to put all the dishes on. Weird animal spotted near Lake Shawnee in Topeka, what is it? Bousman said this years event is gathering steam as well with many people showing their interest in it through social media. She said it is great to see so such a high amount of attention being given to the event so far out from its November date. Weve had a Facebook page up for just five days now, Bousman said. I wanted to start promoting now so we could start getting hunters and foragers to start preserving their food. There are already 184 people that have shown interest five days after it was posted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Participants in the cook-off are encouraged to create their own dish that primarily features ingredients that come from Kansas. This ranges from mushrooms, fish, deer, turkey, dandelions and even invasive species. People competing in the cook-off can submit dishes for the following categories: Wild game deer, rabbit, squirrel, upland game birds, migratory birds, etc. Wild fish walleye, bass, crappie, wipers, etc. Wild plants purslane, chickweed, wild chives, nettles, etc. Wild mushrooms morels, chicken of the woods, oysters, hen of the woods, etc. Wild sweets fruits, berries, desserts, etc. Wild invasive/nuisance species garlic mustard, Asian carp, autumn olive, white perch, etc. Judges in the competition will consist of expert forages who will award prizes for the winners in each category along with one special community favorite prize. Participants must create dishes that are big enough for all the judges to taste-test them along with other community attendees. Flint Hills Trail State Park added to national hall of fame Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bousman said the dishes entered into the cook-off can come in any form the contestant chooses with those that show off the wild ingredient being given greater emphasis by the judges. She said that past standout dishes she enjoyed seeing included a venison pastrami, squirrel New Brunswick stew and recipes featuring indigenous milkweed recipes. So long as they really emphasize the main ingredient being that wild component, Bousman said. We do ask that contestants provide an ingredient list for those who have food limitations or allergies can enjoy it without risking a reaction. Bousman encourages everyone who wants to participate to sign up now and start thinking about what dishes they want to present ahead of time. People can use freezing, canning and dehydrating methods to preserve wild ingredients for use in the contest. Go with what you know, Bousman said. Use this as an opportunity to do a test kitchen run with an innovative new idea with a wild ingredient or go with what you know, go with what is proven. You can go with a fan favorite or try something brand new. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bousman said that those who want to observe and try some of the wild foods can swing by as well but should try to get in early if possible or else risk missing out on some unique dishes. Im a sucker for anything that utilizes an invasive species and we do actually give extra points to those that use an invasive species, Bousman said. What are the best places to look for fossils in Kansas? The KDWP will be accepting participants until Oct. 25, 2025 with the competition being held on Nov. 2, 2025 at the Baker University Wetlands Discovery Center at 1365 North 1250 Road in Lawrence. You can learn more about the event or sign up by using this link. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President Donald Trump holds up the "big, beautiful bill" that was signed into law as during a Fourth of July military family picnic on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Brandon - Pool/Getty Images) Within a year, Kansans will be voting to elect a new governor and fill a U.S. Senate seat, plus four congressional seats, among elections for other offices. Candidates are already announcing for office, and campaigns are getting underway. Most Republican candidates are fawning at the feet of President Donald Trump. The groveling of these sycophants may be misplaced as Kansas voters recall the toxic remains of Gov. Sam Brownbacks infamous tax experiment, initiated in 2012 and abandoned in 2017 after five years of unfair taxes, deficit spending, and record debt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps one big, beautiful bill has followed a path that parallels Brownbacks tax experiment and may experience the same result. After six months in office, available evidence suggests that Trump and the bill may become political liabilities for the grovelers. Take a look at the parallels. Both Brownback and Trump chose partisanship rather than seeking common ground, and as a result, political liability falls entirely on Republicans. Democrats were shut out of decisions. Both partisan plans had to be forced through with brazen arm-twisting. When Brownbacks tax bill stalled over disagreements between the legislative chambers, the governor double-crossed state Senate leadership and signed a flawed bill intended for negotiation. Brownback later stood aside as the Kansas Chamber of Commerce PAC effectively purged state senators of the governors party who opposed the policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump issued multiple threats of primary challenges targeted at resistant Republicans to bring them into line on the big, beautiful bill. One senator who balked fell victim to the pressure and announced he would not seek reelection. Both Brownbacks tax experiment and Trumps bill were Koch inspired. Brownback sought the advice of Arthur Laffer, a Koch-sponsored tax-cut guru, and shortly thereafter embraced a real live experiment to eliminate state income taxes. Koch and a handful of well-heeled donors underwrote a million-dollar campaign through the Chamber PAC to elect legislators willing to do their bidding. Their campaign succeeded. Americans for Prosperity, a Koch political network, called early for Trump to renew and deepen tax cuts and launched a multimillion-dollar campaign to turn up the heat on Congress for quick passage. Both Brownbacks tax experiment and Trumps big, beautiful bill had common intent: Benefiting the wealthy while costing everyone else. Brownbacks experiment tilted the tax burden from rich to poor; it further exempted 330,000 businesses from the income tax and promised the eventual elimination of the tax. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps law gives households with incomes in the top 10% a break of $12,000 per year while those in the bottom 10% pay an additional $1,600, according to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office. The top 1% are the prime beneficiaries. Additionally, both Brownback and Trump coupled tax cuts for the rich with measures undermining aid to the needy. Brownback restricted eligibility for income support and food assistance and blocked the expansion of Medicaid. The budget office estimates the big, beautiful bill will slash more than $1 trillion in spending from Medicaid and food assistance for the next 10 years, primarily by restricting eligibility for aid. Ten to 12 million will be cut from Medicaid, and those qualified for food assistance will fall as well. Brownbacks experiment created red ink as far as the eye could see, and Trumps plan will do the same. The Kansas Legislative Research Department projected soaring deficits from Brownbacks tax experiment, amounting to $2.5 billion in the first five years. Even after a sales tax increase, the depletion of state balances and the diversion of highway funds, the state faced a mid-year deficit of $300 million in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Congressional Budget Office estimates Trumps law will increase the deficit to $3.4 trillion over the next 10 years and add $4 trillion to the national debt when interest payments are taken into account. Even so, the rhetoric of both Brownback and Trump soared: Brownback claimed his experiment would provide a glide path to zero for state income taxes. And further: Look out Texas, here comes Kansas! Trump declares the big, beautiful bill would make this country into a rocket ship. Its going to be really great. Well have growth in record numbers. After five years of unbalanced budgeting, one-sided taxing, and unprecedented borrowing, Kansas voters had seen enough of Brownbacks experiment. The governors approval ratings steadily sank to the lowest in the nation among governors. In 2016, voters ousted Brownbacks legislative allies and elected a bipartisan legislative coalition that expeditiously abandoned the experiment and restored sanity to state finances. In Trumps first six months, his disapproval ratings have bumped up by 10 percentage points, well above comparable figures for Biden, Obama, and George W. Bush. Recent polling indicates 55% disapproval of the big, beautiful bill, compared with 29% approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the upcoming election contests, Kansans will have the opportunity to query incumbents about their choices: shoddy partisan tactics over bipartisanship. Sponsorship by Koch. Support for taxes that benefit the rich and ditch the poor. Votes that swamped the state and nation in a sea of red ink. We know what they did back in 2016. Well see what they decide in 2026. H. Edward Flentje is a professor emeritus at Wichita State University and formerly was director and professor in the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs at the university. He has written and edited numerous publications, including most recently co-writing and co-editing Reform and Reaction: The Arc of Kansas Politics. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here. Rep. Will Carpenter, R-El Dorado, says he doubts the state can ever build the nursing staff needed to operate state psychiatric hospitals in Larned and Osawatomie. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA The state of Kansas invests more than $60 million annually to hire contract nursing staff to work at state psychiatric hospitals in Larned and Osawatomie, but the financial boost hasnt closed job vacancy gaps exceeding 33% at both facilities. On Tuesday, Kansas legislators on a special committee exploring contract nursing shared disappointment with results of years of stopgap appropriations to hire temporary nurses provided by private companies. The state also has devoted resources to raising salaries and providing bonuses to encourage state-employed nurses to remain at the hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers expressed skepticism Kansas would ever have enough people to fill vacancies at state hospitals serving involuntarily committed or criminally charged individuals with mental health issues, as well as sexually violent offenders detained at Larned after serving prison sentences. In my experience, were not going to build this staff to take care of the number of people that are out there right now, said Rep. Will Carpenter, an El Dorado Republican who chairs the Legislatures interim health committee. Prove me wrong, because I want to be wrong. Carpenter suggested consideration be given to transferring about 100 patients from Larned to other locations so staffing levels could be sustained without contract nurses. In 2027, Kansas is scheduled to open a new 104-bed state psychiatric hospital in Sedgwick County. Expenditures at Larned State Hospital for nursing contract labor increased from $5.9 million in 2019 to $8.6 million in 2021, $43.1 million in 2023 and $46 million in 2025. At Osawatomie State Hospital, contract costs surged from $233,000 in 2019 to $3.2 million in 2021, $16 million in 2023 and $15.4 million in 2025. The job vacancy rate at Osawatomie stood at 35.5%, while the rate at Larned was 33.5%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been incredibly disappointed on how thats worked, Carpenter said. Contract labor not answer Scott Brunner, deputy secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, said the agency used state tax dollars to bring in dozens of registered nurses and licensed practice nurses to care for patients who generally had complex medical needs. Some require one-on-one care. To keep our bed count open at the levels that they are, he said, we have to have enough staff to make sure patients are safe. He said the starting salary for a registered nurse at the state hospitals was about $40 per hour. The state paid companies providing contract registered nurses $90 to $100 per hour to take on the same responsibilities, with the nurse receiving approximately two-thirds of the total. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We certainly dont think contract labor is a solution, Brunner said. Its a way of addressing the need to keep beds open and keep patients moving through the system. He recommended the Legislature pass House Bill 2237, which is hung up in the Senate, to place in state law the ability of state agencies to award employee bonuses in amounts up to $10,000 per year. He urged lawmakers to keep funding cost-of-living and market-rate adjustments to salaries so state hospitals could compete with the private sector for labor. The existing budget for contract nurses needs to be sustained, he said. In addition, Brunner suggested the state expand college scholarships for nurses, consider providing nursing students with financial support in exchange for post-graduation employment agreements and provide training opportunities for experienced nurses to advance their careers. Increase the salaries Ashley Byram, superintendent of the Osawatomie hospital, said only half of the facilitys RNs, LPNs and mental health technicians were state employees. Heres the split between state employee and agency contract workers at Osawatomie: RNs, 16 state and 16 private; LPNs, three state and 13 private; and mental health techs, 39 state and 33 private. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said Osawatomie contract nurses were asked what it would take for them to accept state employment. The nurses werent interested in signing bonuses or housing allowances, she said, but were keen to earn salaries of at least $50 per hour. The average RN at Osawatomie has been paid $44 per hour, or $59 per hour when benefits were included. I would increase the salaries, Byram said. Its the current wage gap between agency and state positions that is our primary obstacle. If the Legislature prohibited payment of contract nurses to staff the Osawatomie hospital, she said, the facility had enough nurses to make use of 43 beds. She said 116 beds at Osawatomie would be closed if contract nurses were removed and replacements werent hired. Lindsey Topps, superintendent at Larned, said the hospital averaged 400 patients with more than half the total in a sexual predator treatment program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have, I say, no fat on campus, Topps said. Weve maximized the amount of residents or patients to the RNs and LPNs in order to provide safe and good patient care as well as follow the regulations. Here is the breakdown between state employees and contract laborers at Larned: Registered nurses, 17 state and 38 private; LPNs, nine state and 27 private; mental health workers or CNAs, 194 state and 179 private. Topps said debate by the Legislature about reducing contract nursing labor should take into consideration the aggressive, disruptive, suicidal and homicidal conduct of people at Larned. She said most community-based health facilities didnt have the staff or facilities to deal with individuals who ended up at the state hospital. We have some of the most severe mentally ill individuals in the state of Kansas, Topps said. Its not translating During the 2025 legislative session, the House and Senate didnt approve financing for new spending on contract nursing at the two state hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sometimes we set aside money because that feels good and we think thats going to to do something, said Sen. Beverly Gossage, a Republican from Eudora. Sen. Renee Erickson, R-Wichita, said the state had a handful of initiatives designed to develop a Kansas pipeline of nurses who could fill jobs at state hospitals. She said the state spent millions of dollars so 2,700 high school students could take courses required to become a certified nursing assistant. She said only one-third of those students became CNAs. Were paying to fill that pipeline, but its not translating, she said. It doesnt appear like (its) actually reducing the demand and getting to the root of the problem. It doesnt seem to be making the impact it should or we would hope it should. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Complacent investors have been hit with a reality check on tech stocks this week. Momentum favorite Palantir (PLTR) getting drilled again today. Nvidia (NVDA) is seeing mixed action. Queue the tech stock correction chatter! "Investors worry the tech rally is due for a pullback/correction with the constant valuation arguments front and center," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives explained. "Adding to the agitation on the Street around the tech trade is a lot of moving parts around tariffs, chips into China, Intel/US Government stake, and what this all means for tech stocks looking ahead." Ives added, "We view tech sell-offs like yesterday as opportunities to own the core winners." That bullish thesis may be put further to the test in the coming sessions. Stock analysis: Tesla The Wall Street Journal reported today that billionaire Elon Musk is pulling back on his desire to create the America Party as he focuses on his many companies. That sent me snooping for some fresh analyst coverage on Tesla (TSLA). William Blair analyst Jed Dorsheimer apparently spent last week in Austin, Texas, riding around in Tesla's new robotaxis. He said the robotaxi offers "a glimpse into the future." He values the robotaxi business at $298 per share, based on its operating profit potential, and has a price target of $357 on the stock. Here is how Dorsheimer thinks through the valuation: "Our robotaxi model through 2040 assumes total rideshare miles of 1.1 trillion per year (one-third of total miles driven in the U.S. per year), with average price per mile reducing from $2.50 to $1.25, estimating a total addressable market (TAM) of $1.4 trillion. Tesla has the ability to leverage its lower cost structure and weaponize pricing charging 50% less per mile, it can still achieve near 60% EBITDA margins. We expect Tesla to win 35% market share versus competitors Waymo at 15%, Uber (UBER) at 38%, and Lyft (LYFT) at 13%, generating almost $250 billion in revenue in 2040. After discounting the robotaxi EBITDA of $145 billion at 8.5% discount rate, we estimate an implied value of Teslas robotaxi business at $298.61 per share, energy business at $30.73 per share, and auto business at $28.09 per share, totaling an implied fair value of $357.43 per share." Deep dive: Target Target (TGT) is tapping homegrown talent as its next CEO at one of the most pivotal moments in its 63-year history. The discounter announced that longtime CEO Brian Cornell's heavily groomed No. 2, Michael Fiddelke, will take over as CEO on Feb. 1, 2026. Cornell, who has been CEO of Target since August 2014, will slide into the executive chair position for an undetermined period of time. Fiddelke joined Target in 2003 as an intern and rose through the ranks to CFO and then COO. The 2022 gubernatorial debate went from a discussion to a debacle. Then-candidate Katie Hobbs refused to participate in a televised debate on Arizona PBS with her Republican opponent Kari Lake. That didn't mean that Lake wouldn't be allowed to appear just because her challenger declined. Because Gov. Hobbs wouldnt debate, the rules allowed Lake to have a one-on-one interview. But things blew up when Hobbs revealed in a national TV interview that she, too, had her own one-on-one interview planned with Arizona PBS. And that it had the blessings from the top of Arizona State University, which houses Arizona PBS. Advertisement Advertisement It's been three years since the debate and Arizona Republic reporter Stacey Barchenger just received her public records request. After 743 days, she got reports on the behind-the-scenes deliberations involving ASU President Michael Crow and some of his top aides, including The Republics former publisher, Mi-Ai Parrish, over how to handle known election denier Lake. What happens in next year's debates? A key difference for next year's gubernatorial debate is that since 2022, the Clean Elections Commission has partnered with the Arizona Media Association for debates, which means more TV stations and newspapers have access to these debates. The Clean Elections Commission's mission is public education about candidates and they've maintained that they invite all qualified candidates, leaving it to the journalists who are moderating to question the candidates on their views. Advertisement Advertisement Since reporting has come out by The Arizona Republic, ASU, Kari Lake and even Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, have commented on the complicated situation and on what comes next. And it raises complex journalistic questions, too. How do reporters cover races prominently built on election denialism? Are major-party candidates allowed the latitude to mislead the public in the name of free speech or floating ideas in the political square? This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl are joined by Republic reporter Stacey Barchenger to discuss her story about the 2022 debate and what happens now that it's been exposed. After that, Bob Corn-Revere, an attorney who advocates for free expression on college campuses, talks about whether ethical and even legal lines were crossed, and where journalists, politicos and the public all go from here. Listen to the episode The best way to listen is to subscribe to The Gaggle on your favorite podcast app, but you can also stream the full episode below. Advertisement Advertisement Note: The Gaggle is intended to be heard. But we also offer an AI transcript of the episode script. There may be slight deviations from the podcast audio. Listen to The Gaggle : Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher Have a question or comment about Arizona politics? You can share your thoughts with us at 602-444-0804 or via email here. Reach the producer Amanda Luberto at aluberto@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter @amandaluberto and on Bluesky @amandaluberto. Catch up on previous Gaggle episodes here: This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake was right about ASU debacle. What that means for 2026 There's nothing like the potential plight of a good doner kebab shop to rally a community into action, it seems. Hundreds of happy customers of Yilmaz Kebabs in Chippenham have written to Wiltshire Council to persuade it to let the shop keep operating at a pub raving about the "best takeaway in town" and even its "distinctive aroma". The vendor recently moved to the pub after major roadworks forced it to leave its spot on Bumpers Farm A350 roundabout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Yilmaz Kebabs now needs retroactive planning permission to stay at The Pack Horse Inn. If the pleas made by customers to the council consultation are anything to go by, it has a good shot at approval. Vendor Turan Yilmaz (centre) with the owners of The Pack Horse pub [BBC] The consultation, open until 27 August, has so far attracted more than 600 comments, seemingly entirely in support. Many say the arrangement will help both the kebab shop and the pub boost each other's business. One commenter wrote a particularly expressive appraisal, saying: "For over two decades, Yilmaz has been a beacon of gastronomic consistency and quality, serving what many including myself regard without hyperbole as the finest doner kebab in the county, if not the nation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others praised the owner's "friendly smile" and "genuine commitment to our town" while one simply wrote: "Very nice food." The kebab shop owner, Turan Yilmaz, had made an appeal to the community when news of the roadworks emerged. The Pack Horse Inn landlady Jo Cavaciuti welcomed him and his container business, calling it a "win-win situation". Ms Cavaciuti said the pub has had food vans before but objections were raised to the council, hence the need for the current planning application. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Yilmaz said: "We are good partners now. We have supported each other. Customers go in the pub, they're drinking at the pub, eating at the pub. They're happy." One customer Matt Proud, who works at Bumpers Farm, near the kebab shop's previous location, said he sometimes stops on the way home from work, adding: "Now I get a beer as well." Pub customers Chris and Paula Mills, while enjoying a cider and kebab, said: "While [Yilmaz Kebabs is] here, we're trying to support them where we can. "The queues earlier were quite big. It's a local business supporting a local business." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A decision is expected by Wiltshire Council on 17 September. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. More on this story By Marie Moyer JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) With Attorney General Andrew Bailey set to head to Washington, D.C., this September to work for the FBI after being tapped by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, Gov. Mike Kehoe has appointed a new attorney general. Kehoe said Tuesday that Catherine Hanaway will take over Sept. 8. She will be the first female attorney general. Hanaway was a Republican House Speaker from 2003-2005, the first and only woman to hold the post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bailey, a Republican, previously challenged COVID-19 masking in schools as well as gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers. Bailey also created the anti-human trafficking task force and was a strong supporter of pro-law enforcement legislation. Bailey also has a record as a state official loyal to President Donald Trump, supporting administration policies with dozens of legal filings since he took office in January 2023. Former Gov. Mike Parson appointed Bailey in 2022, and he was elected to AG in 2024. Democratic House Minority Leader Rep. Ashley Aune said in a statement Monday that the House Minority Caucus hopes Kehoe will appoint a competent attorney general." "Baileys departure gives the governor an opportunity to appoint a competent and Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement professional attorney general who will defend the rights of all Missourians instead of wasting taxpayer money on frivolous culture war lawsuits that regularly get laughed out of court, Aune said. Hanaway works for the law firm Husch Blackwell, representing white collar clients in areas such as lobbying law, fraud and money laundering. One of her clients is the Grain Belt Express, a renewable energy project that Bailey staunchly opposed. Kehoe, in making the announcement, said Hanaway was a champion for conservative Missouri values. The City of Kents Mayor is sounding off after learning that Kroger plans to shut down their Fred Meyer and citing crime as the reason. The decision to close this location, as well as others, is based on historical crime data. Not current trends, Mayor Dana Ralph said. She went on to explain that her city has been loud and forceful, and shifting our state legislature to a public safety first agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kroger, the company that owns Fred Meyer, released a plan to close 60 stores nationwide over 18 months. So far, at least four locations in Washington will be closing in October: Everett, Kent, Lake City, and Redmond. United Food & Commercial Workers Local 3000 (UFCW 3000), a union that represents grocery and retail workers, says the703 workers. The company says theyll be offered jobs at different locations. Fred Meyers statement Fred Meyer released the following statement about why theyve chosen to close the stores: Fred Meyer is proud to serve communities across Washington. Unfortunately, due to a steady rise in theft and a challenging regulatory environment that adds significant costs, we can no longer make these stores financially viable. Despite doubling our safety and security investment over the past years, these challenges remain. Mayor Dana Ralphs response: Here is the Kent mayors full response: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would like to address the news we received yesterday about the East Hill Fred Meyer closing in October. The restructuring of Kroger is at the heart of this closure along with 60 other locations across the country. Like any for-profit company, profit, and efficiency drives their decisions. The interim CEO said: We are making meaningful changes to the business to create a culture, that benefits our customers and our associates, while improving the long-term shareholder value. This is a business decision being made in the interest of profitability and shareholders. That is not something any city can change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the individual level, this impact goes beyond efficiencies its about the local store where we buy our groceries, school supplies for our kids, diapers and baby food, and where we fill up our tanks and get our prescriptions filled. Its about the local store thats within walking distance of thousands of homes and on major bus lines. This place, many of us grew up shopping. In the press release, Kroger cited operational reasons and crime as major factors in this decision. The latter is something I and our entire city council take very seriously. Over the last four years, I have been standing up very publicly and speaking out about the impact of crime on our city, our neighborhoods. Whether it be relating to police pursuits, drug laws, or accountability for offenders. I have been consistent in calling out the impacts of the decisions being made at the county and state level and the significant impacts on our residents. Kent has been loud and forceful, and shifting our state legislature to a public safety first agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kent has been showing up, sounding alarm bells and advocating for our residents. Over the past few legislative sessions, Fred Meyer has come to testify on our behalf about the need for additional resources for public safety. They called out the unique situation Kent is in as a result of prior legislative action which has shifted sales tax from Kent to wealthier cities. We have highlighted that without state support, we are unable to provide the level of public safety. Our community deserves and that we would be susceptible to decisions like the closing of the East Hill store. While recent action by the legislature provides some assistance, it is proving to be too little, too late. Organizations like Kroger, are not fortunetellers, they are historians. The decision to close this location, as well as others, is based on historical crime data. Not current trends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frustrating as that is because we are seeing improvement in crime trends. Calls for service at the Fred Meyer location have declined. In the absence of statewide support, Kent took proactive steps, within our authority and resources, to address crime issues. The good news is it has been working, and we are seeing a decrease in crime across our city. Here are a few highlights Kent was at the forefront of reestablishing drug laws we know drug activity is often a primary factor in retail theft. In fact, the legislature patterned current laws after the one our city council passed. We advocated for change in pursuit laws as we saw an increase in retail theft when officers were no longer able to pursue suspects. We established a SODA ordinance which allows convicted or crime-related drug activity to be trespassed from specific areas the area around Fred Meyer is a part of that ordinance. We were one of the first cities in the State to fully staff our police department to budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue still exists that we need 3540 additional officers, but we did what we could within our available resources. As a city, we understand the impact of closures like the Fred Meyer on our city, our families. To be honest, I am angry, frustrated and sad. All of that only reinforces my commitment to advocating for Kent, keeping public safety is our number one priority and continued request for strategic and impactful investment from both King County and Washington state. Looking forward, we will continue to ensure that Kent is positioned to attract investment that will benefit all of us. You can watch the full statement on the City of Kent Facebook page here. PARIS, Ky. (FOX 56) A Kentucky family is suing Bourbon County school leaders after they say their daughter was discriminated against for her ADHD. This is the second lawsuit of its kind this month against a Kentucky school district. The other lawsuit lists allegations against St. Thomas School in Fort Thomas. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parents of an 8-year-old girl, who had been a student at Bourbon County Schools since 2019, according to the lawsuit, said their daughter was not allowed to return to school this year, claiming the district violated her state and federal constitutional rights by denying her re-enrollment. The parentswho were not named directlyfiled a 15-page civil lawsuit earlier this month, suing both the Bourbon County Board of Education and Superintendent Larry Begley. They claim their daughter was subject to emotional distress because she was isolated from learning with her peers due to behavior caused by her ADHD and other disabilities listed in the lawsuit. They say their daughter was eventually forced into virtual learning, removed from in-person classes completely. So, in November 2024, the parents filed a Complaint of Due Process. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 8-year-old was eventually allowed back in the classroom, only to be separated from her classmates again one week later, according to the lawsuit. Following another round of virtual learning, her parents say they withdrew her from public school altogether with hopes of trying again next school year. But over the summer, the lawsuit claims Superintendent Begley would not allow the student to return, citing her out-of-district address in Carlisle. However, the lawsuit shows the plaintiffs mother has been employed with the school district for years, which she claimed should validate her daughters enrollment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parents stated in the lawsuit that they believe the superintendents decision was based solely on their daughters disability and in retaliation for the due process complaint. They claim Begley and the district are violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, denying her basic civil rights, and they hope to receive compensation for lost educational opportunity FOX 56 reached out to the school district, and the superintendent said he did not have a comment regarding the lawsuit at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Kid Rock and Gavin Newsom - Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Mario Tama/Getty Images In recent weeks, California Governor Gavin Newsom has given his press office free rein to go full all-caps troll mode on X. Almost all of the accounts posts right now are mimicking Donald Trumps distinct tweeting style, replete with condescending nicknames, weirdly formal phrasing, and multiple-exclamation-point bluster. On Monday, the account even went so far as to gin up a phony picture of avowed Trump supporter Kid Rock dressed as Uncle Sam with the slogan, Kid Rock wants you to support Gavin Newsom. Accompanying the post was a mocking message from the governor: I ACCEPT! GCN. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like many in the MAGA world whove been completely befuddled by the Newsom press offices tweeting, Kid Rock took the bait and fired back: The only support Gavin Newscum will ever get out of me is from DEEZ NUTZ. The only support Gavin Newscum will ever get out of me is from DEEZ NUTZ https://t.co/H67yDceIpf KidRock (@KidRock) August 19, 2025 Its a response that, to say the least, absolutely reeks of and another thing: im not mad. please dont put in the newspaper that i got mad. And Newsoms press office was happy to run with the engagement. A follow-up post yesterday read: I HATE KID ROCK !!! GCN. And after that came another distinctly Trump-ian post, HAS ANYONE NOTICED THAT SINCE I SAID I HATE KID ROCK HES NO LONGER HOT? GCN. If, by chance, this whole absurd exchange is giving you a deranged sense of deja vu, dont worry: Youre not going insane (at least no more than we all are, in general). The fake Kid Rock/Uncle Sam endorsement is almost certainly a callback to when Trump shared a collage of likely AI-generated images on Truth Social touting the support of Swifties for Trump. Among the images was an obviously fake pic of Taylor Swift, dressed as Uncle Sam, with the slogan, Taylor Wants You to Vote for Donald Trump. Trump captioned his whole post, I accept! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But if you want real proof of just how steeped in it the folks running the Newsom press office account are, look no further than the timing of their Kid Rock/Uncle Sam tweet. It was posted Aug. 18, 2025, exactly one year after Trumps Swifties for Trump post on Aug. 18, 2024. Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Sending kids back to school might be a little easier for some families after an event Tuesday afternoon. 10-year-old Lillie Kuechenmeister heads back to school in Sioux Falls on Thursday. As she kicks off a new year, she has a fresh haircut and a new backpack full of school supplies. Police remind drivers to slow down in school zones I really like it because when I usually get backpacks, they dont have lunchboxes, Lillie Kuechenmeister said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her mom didnt have to pay for any of it thanks to the Back to School Bash and its community partners. It kind of helps me out with supplying her with what she needs to go back to school, Tiphani Kuechenmeister said. The free event also included pizza, hygiene kits, inflatables, and more. Anything that the community and local businesses can help support others around us just shows that we care for everybody and that no ones left behind. Even though it might be some for some people just to survive right now, we come alongside of them and make sure they do, Co-organizer Lance Ubben said. I think its really important because what if the kids dont have supplies and you cant afford to get it, Tiphani Kuechenmeister said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But thanks to the back-to-school bash, families may feel more prepared for the new school year ahead. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. KILLEEN, Texas (FOX 44) The Killeen Fire Department was dispatched to the area of Fourth Street and Avenue B on Wednesday morning in response to a gas leak. The City of Killeen says the Fire Department was dispatched at 9:22 a.m., and the first Fire Department crew arrived on scene within three minutes, at 9:25 a.m. It was determined a large gas service line was leaking. (Courtesy: City of Killeen) (Courtesy: City of Killeen) Crews quickly determined that an apartment building and four businesses would need to be evacuated due to the leak. Approximately 100 people were evacuated from the scene and moved to the auditorium at the Killeen Arts and Activities Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the city, the Fire Department was assisted on the scene by the Killeen Police Department, Killeen Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (OHSEM), Temple Police, and Atmos Energy. The Temple Police Department provided a mobile incident command post during the incident. Atmos Energy advised they were able to stop the leak at 11:30 a.m. and advised residents to move back into their facilities after Fire Department crews ensured there was no residual gas in the building. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Kilmar Abrego, the accused gang member whose wrongful deportation to El Salvador made him a symbol of President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration policies, on Tuesday said criminal charges against him should be dismissed because he had been "vindictively and selectively" prosecuted. In a 35-page motion, Abrego's lawyers asked a judge in Tennessee to dismiss federal charges accusing him of unlawfully transporting migrants living illegally in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal law allows for the dismissal of criminal charges if a judge determines they were brought to punish someone for exercising their due process rights. Such requests rarely succeed. "Even as government officials recognized both publicly and privately that Mr. Abrego's removal to El Salvador had been a serious mistake, the government responded not with contrition, or with any effort to fix its mistake, but with defiance," the motion stated. "A group of the most senior officials in the United States sought vengeance; they began a public campaign to punish Mr. Abrego for daring to fight back, culminating in the criminal investigation that led to the charges in this case." Justice Department representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abrego, a native of El Salvador who had been living in Maryland, was deported and imprisoned in El Salvador in March despite a 2019 judicial ruling that he could not be sent there because of a risk of gang persecution. Abrego then challenged that deportation in a civil lawsuit before a federal judge in Maryland. The U.S. Supreme Court in April upheld an order from the Maryland judge that the Trump administration facilitate Abrego's return. In June, U.S. officials brought Abrego back to the U.S. after securing an indictment accusing him of transporting migrants in the U.S. illegally as part of a smuggling ring. Abrego has pleaded not guilty and has disputed that he was a gang member. Abrego is currently being detained in a Tennessee jail. He won a ruling last month that he could be freed from custody while awaiting trial, but his lawyers asked the judge to delay his release because of concerns that the Trump administration might deport him to a third country. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Stephen Coates) Jennifer Vasquez Sura, wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, speaks at a press conference July 16 before the Fred D. Thompson Federal Courthouse in Nashville. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) NASHVILLE Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia are asking a federal judge in Tennessee to dismiss human smuggling charges against him, calling the case a clear example of selective and vindictive prosecution by the Trump administration. In a motion filed late Tuesday, just days ahead of Abregos expected pretrial release, the attorneys conceded their argument to dismiss the case is infrequently made and rarely succeeds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But if there has ever been a case for dismissal on those grounds, this is that case, they wrote. The government is attempting to use this case and this Court to punish Mr. Abrego for successfully fighting his unlawful removal. That is a constitutional violation of the most basic sort. The government has not yet filed a legal response. The United States position is set forth in Mr. McGuires statements in court and our pleadings, a spokesperson for Acting U.S. Attorney Robert McGuire said in an email Wednesday. The 35-page petition seeking to dismiss all charges narrates a chain of events that began with Abregos detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in March, while driving with his son in Maryland, through his deportation days later to a Salvadoran prison. Abrego remained for months in the notorious maximum security CECOT prison, despite the admission by a government attorney he had been sent there in error. Abrego subsequently said he was tortured while in CECOT. A wide-ranging and unprecedented retribution campaign Attorneys for Abrego challenged his removal to El Salvador for lack of due process in a separate lawsuit filed in federal court in Maryland, where the 29-year-old sheet metal apprentice had been living with his wife and children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government did not take steps to fix its mistake, his Tennessee lawyers wrote Tuesday. Instead, in response to his lawsuit and to the substantial publicity it received the government undertook a wide-ranging and unprecedented retribution campaign against Mr. Abrego. The human smuggling charges brought against Abrego in Tennessee are part of that campaign, his lawyers argued. A Tennessee grand jury in June returned the indictments for conspiracy to unlawfully transport illegal aliens for financial gain and unlawful transportation of illegal aliens for financial gain. Prosecutors contend Abrego participated in a national scheme to move immigrants who entered the United States illegally to points around the country. Abrego, as his attorneys refer to him in legal filings, has pleaded not guilty. The charges are tied to a 2022 traffic stop in Putnam County, Tenn., where Abrego was pulled over for speeding with nine passengers in the back of his vehicle. Abrego was neither ticketed nor arrested in the stop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Department of Homeland Security special agent later testified he was not tasked with investigating the Tennessee traffic stop until April 28 of this year. By then, a Maryland federal judge had ordered the government to facilitate Abregos return to the U.S. and the Supreme Court had upheld the decision. The government returned Abrego to Tennessee to face charges on June 6. Case draws national scrutiny The case generated widespread public scrutiny of the Trump administrations immigration crackdown tactics during his initial months in office, which were criticized for undermining due process rights guaranteed to both citizens and noncitizens. Abrego, a Salvadoran national who entered the United States illegally as a teenager, is subject to a 2019 immigration court order that prohibits the government from deporting him to El Salvador, where he says he faces threats of gang violence. After his wrongful deportation, administration officials, including President Donald Trump, singled out Abrego in their public comments, calling him a gangbanger, monster, illegal predator, illegal alien terrorist, wife beater, and human trafficker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abregos attorneys accused the administration of a public smear campaign intended to paper over its embarrassment over his wrongful deportation and retaliate against his legal efforts to assert his due process rights. Abrego has denied gang affiliation. The administrations public statements, Abregos attorneys argued, bolster their claims that the prosecution against him is retaliatory. The unprecedented public pronouncements attacking Mr. Abrego for his successful exercise of constitutional rights by senior cabinet members, leaders of the DOJ, and even the President of the United States, make this the rare case where actual vindictiveness is clear from the record, they wrote. Lawyers seek to curb Trump administration comments about the case Earlier this month, Abregos attorneys sought, for a second time, a court order restricting government officials remarks about the case as prejudicial and contrary to standard court rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw, who presides over the Tennessee criminal case, directed all counsel and those working with counsel to note in their public communications that Abrego is presumed innocent. Our Constitution requires that Abrego is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury, Crenshaw wrote in his July 31 order. Separately, in response to Abregos attorneys waiver of the right to a speedy trial, the court set a trial date of Jan. 27. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaking at a July press conference at the Homeland Security facility in Nashville, called Kilmar Abrego Garcia a monster and said she hopes a federal judge in the case will do the right thing in convicting him. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) Abrego remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals, who have jurisdiction over pre-trial detainees in federal cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abrego has already been cleared for release pending trial by a Tennessee magistrate, an order placed on hold at the request of his attorneys amid uncertainty over whether federal immigration officials intend to detain or deport him to a third country. Abregos attorneys on Tuesday requested the magistrate move forward with releasing him Friday, the day the hold expires. The attorneys noted a Maryland federal judge has barred the government from taking Abrego into immigration custody and required immigration officials to provide 72-hours written notice before removing him to a third country. His Tennessee lawyers, Sean Hecker and Rascoe Dean, also wrote they are retaining a private security firm that has experience providing court-approved pre-trial transportation and security services in criminal cases to transport Mr. Abrego from Tennessee to Maryland upon release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawyers requested details about the security arrangements be kept under seal in order to protect Mr. Abregos safety. A federal magistrate on Wednesday set a tentative hearing for Monday if prosecutors oppose any of the conditions of Abregos release sought by his attorneys. Kilmar Abrego Garcia motion to dismiss Tennessee criminal charges SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Key Points An analyst raised his price target on the stock by 12%. He's not recommending it as a buy, however. 10 stocks we like better than UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), by far the health insurance stock that's gotten most of the market's attention over the past few trading sessions, had a good Monday on the exchange. Its shares added nearly 2% in value that trading session on news of an analyst's price target raise. That bump was high enough to top the S&P 500's (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) flatline performance. The Berkshire bump UnitedHealth was a star stock late last week, when it was revealed that Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway had taken a $1.6 billion stake in the company's equity. On Monday, lingering positive sentiment on UnitedHealth was boosted by that price target bump. Image source: Getty Images. It came from Bank of America Securities' Kevin Fischbeck, who made a fairly generous lift in his fair value assessment to $325 from his preceding level of $290. This didn't make him a bull on the stock, however, as he held fast to his existing neutral recommendation. Interestingly, according to reports, Fischbeck's move wasn't necessarily based on the Buffett team's entrance into the stock. The Berkshire buy, according to the analyst, is merely confirmation that the company is undervalued. In his view, UnitedHealth and other big companies that run managed care organizations (MCOs) have seen only temporary slumps in profitability lately. Not a great pick for the short term Given that, wrote Fischbeck, investors patient enough to hold UnitedHealth for five years or so could see meaningful share price gains. The pundit feels that the company doesn't have good prospects for achieving this within a shorter time frame -- a key reason for maintaining his neutral stance. Should you buy stock in UnitedHealth Group right now? Before you buy stock in UnitedHealth Group, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and UnitedHealth Group wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $668,155!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,106,071!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 1,070% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 184% for the S&P 500. Dont miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. Attorneys for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was wrongfully deported to a brutal El Salvador prison, asked Tuesday that the courts dismiss the Justice Departments criminal case against him, accusing President Donald Trumps administration of trying to punish him because he had the audacity to fight back. Abrego Garcias new motion, filed in a federal U.S. District Court in Nashville, argues that the human smuggling charges that the DOJ brought against him are retaliation for a lawsuit he filed over his highly publicized deportation and constitute vindictive prosecution. Related: Gavin Newsom Is Talking Like Trump And It's Infuriating The Right It is obvious why the charges were brought against him, the motion argues. And it is not because of the seriousness of his alleged conduct. Nor is it because he poses some unique threat to this country. Instead, Mr. Abrego was charged because he refused to acquiesce in the governments violation of his due process rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case, the request continued, results from the governments concerted effort to punish him for having the audacity to fight back, rather than accept a brutal injustice. Jennifer Vasquez Sura (second from the right), the wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, is joined by supporters as they rally in front of the U.S. District Court for Maryland. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images Despite a court order barring his deportation to El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was arrested in March and sent to CECOT, El Salvadors notorious prison for terrorists and gang members. Trumps administration refused to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court order that he be returned immediately, repeatedly claiming without evidence that he was a member of the MS-13 gang. At the time of his deportation, Abrego Garcia had no criminal record. When the government finally returned him to the U.S. in June, the DOJ unsealed a May indictment against him stemming from a 2022 traffic stop, charging him with one count of conspiracy to transport aliens and one other count of unlawful transportation of undocumented aliens. Related: Guilty Conscience: Trumps Raw Confession About Heaven Has People Wondering Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty to the charges and also denies any MS-13 affiliation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Motions citing vindictive prosecution are infrequently made and rarely succeed, Abrego Garcias lawyers admitted. But if there has ever been a case for dismissal on those grounds, this is that case. Related: Trump Moves To Use The Levers Of Presidential Power To Help His Party In The 2026 Midterms Abrego Garcia is currently in custody at a Tennessee jail. Although a judge ruled last month that he could go free while awaiting trial, he was granted a 30-day stay of his release at the request of his lawyers, who cited the Trump administrations threats to deport him again. His lawyers filed a separate motion Tuesday seeking his release at the end of that stay, saying theyre working with a private security firm to transport him back to Maryland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neither the DOJ nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately returned requests for comment, but DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told HuffPost of Abrego Garcia: As we have said since Day 1, this M13-gang member and human trafficker wont be on American streets again. Related... Read the original on HuffPost Kilmar Abrego Garcia became the face of the Trump administrations cruelly incompetent immigration agenda, when the government illegally sent him to El Salvador and resisted remedying its unlawful action until it finally relented and returned him to the U.S., where it had criminal charges waiting for him. In a new motion, his lawyers say that those criminal charges must be dismissed on the grounds of selective and vindictive prosecution. Writing that Abrego was charged because he refused to acquiesce in the governments violation of his due process rights, his lawyers argued that his criminal case results from the governments concerted effort to punish him for having the audacity to fight back, rather than accept a brutal injustice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noting that he brought a civil lawsuit for his return while he was being tortured in El Salvador earlier this year, they alleged that senior government officials responded by seeking vengeance and beginning a public campaign to punish Mr. Abrego for daring to fight back, culminating in the criminal investigation that led to the charges in this case. The motion argues that the campaign kicked off with Vice President J.D. Vance falsely calling Abrego a convicted MS-13 gang member with no legal right to be here, with other executive branch officials joining the effort to publicly criticize him, including by calling him a terrorist. Abrego pleaded not guilty to the charges of illegally transporting undocumented immigrants. But regardless of whether the government can prove his guilt on those charges beyond a reasonable doubt if the case goes to trial, any reasonable observer can see the vengeful political motivation behind him facing those charges in the first place. Yet, can that reality lead to dismissal of criminal charges? As I noted when Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., recently filed her own such motion to dismiss charges that she assaulted federal officers at an immigration facility, selective and vindictive prosecution is a high legal bar to clear. Abregos lawyers acknowledge this, writing that these motions are infrequently made and rarely succeed. But they insist that if there has ever been a case for dismissal on those grounds, this is that case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They recalled that the criminal case centers on a 2022 car stop from which Abrego was released without charge. The only thing that changed in the intervening years, they wrote, was that the government unlawfully renditioned Mr. Abrego to El Salvador, and he challenged that illegal conduct. As a matter of timing, it is clear that it was that lawsuit and its effects on the government that prompted the government to reevaluate the 2022 traffic stop and bring this case. The government will have a chance to respond before the judge overseeing the case in Tennessee weighs in. Before deciding on such motions, judges can order discovery and an evidentiary hearing to assist in their decision. Presumably, the administration doesnt want a formal public airing focused on its motivations, so expect the Justice Department to argue in its forthcoming response that Abregos motion should be denied without a hearing or discovery. The motion comes ahead of Abregos potential release from criminal custody on Friday, though the government has signaled its intent to put him back into immigration proceedings, which would move forward in Maryland (where he had been living), separately from the Tennessee criminal case. As for the criminal case, it would be a fitting end for a court to dismiss it based on recognizing the vengeance thats plain for all to see. And though, as Abregos lawyers noted, such motions are rare, there have been at least two recently, the other coming from McIver, whose charges also came in response to scrutiny of the administrations immigration actions. While we dont yet know whether these latest motions will succeed, if this vengeful administration continues along a similar trajectory in President Donald Trumps second term, such motions may no longer be rare. Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administrations legal cases. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Kilmar Abrego Garcia could be let out of jail this week. Attorneys for Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man the U.S. illegally deported to El Salvador in March, on Aug. 19 asked a federal judge to issue an order releasing Abrego Garcia from custody once a different order delaying his release expires Aug. 22. Abrego Garcia is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals in an undisclosed facility. He is facing charges of human smuggling in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw and Magistrate Barbara Holmes made findings that Abrego Garcia was entitled to release ahead of his trial. But because his attorneys feared he would be placed in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and summarily deported, judges agreed to postpone letting him out of U.S. Marshals custody. So why do Abrego Garcia's attorneys now want him out? A court order in a different case ensures he will not be immediately picked up by ICE in Tennessee. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, of Maryland, ruled on July 23 that the federal government must restore Abrego Garcia to his ICE order of supervision in Baltimore and give his attorneys at least 72 hours notice of plans to deport him. His attorneys in Tennessee say they've retained a private security firm to take him to Maryland once he is released from custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE could still take him into custody once he makes it to Maryland. His attorneys are a team of New York lawyers led by Sean Hecker and Nashville's Rascoe Dean, son of former Nashville mayor Karl Dean. The same day they filed the motion requesting Abrego Garcia's release, they filed a motion to dismiss his criminal charges because of "vindictive and selective prosecution." Abrego Garcia entered the country illegally around 2011, court records state. When he was deported earlier this year, he was under a court order prohibiting his deportation to his home country El Salvador. The federal government returned him. Officials have publicly said they may deport Abrego Garcia to a different country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Have questions about the justice system? Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him with questions, tips or story ideas at emealins@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Kilmar Abrego Garcia could be released from Tennessee jail this week Kilmar Abrego Garcia's attorneys accused federal prosecutors on Tuesday of "vindictive and selective prosecution" in a motion seeking to dismiss the criminal charges against him. Abrego Garcia could be released from Tennessee criminal custody on Friday, when U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes's temporary stay is set to expire. This comes after a separate judge ruled last month that Abrego Garcia must be returned to Maryland if he is released. In the 25-page filing, Abrego Garcia's attorneys argued that the government charged him "because he refused to acquiesce in the government's violation of his due process rights." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Justice Department investigating 2022 Abrego Garcia traffic stop: Sources "Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been singled out by the United States government," his attorneys said. The Salvadoran native was deported in March to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison -- despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation due to fear of persecution -- after the Trump administration claimed he was a member of the criminal gang MS-13, which he denies. He was brought back to the U.S. in May to face charges in Tennessee of allegedly transporting undocumented migrants. In the filing on Tuesday, the attorneys said that Abrego Garcia was "sent on his way without so much as a traffic ticket" after the Tennessee Highway Patrol stopped their client in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Yet three years later, unrelatedly, the government picked Mr. Abrego up off the streetalong with others with similar immigration statusas part of a shock-and-awe immigration enforcement push," they said. MORE: Timeline: Wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador After Abrego Garcia's wrongful removal, the attorneys said the government "responded not with contrition, or with any effort to fix its mistake, but with defiance." "A group of the most senior officials in the United States sought vengeance: they began a public campaign to punish Mr. Abrego for daring to fight back, culminating in the criminal investigation that led to the charges in this case," they said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abrego Garcia's attorneys said in their filing the government is using the criminal case to punish their client for "successfully fighting his unlawful removal." "That is a constitutional violation of the most basic sort," they said. "The indictment must be dismissed." Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador only to be brought back to the U.S. to face smuggling charges, asked a federal judge in Nashville on Tuesday to dismiss his indictment, calling it a "vindictive and selective prosecution" by the Trump administration. The attorneys claimed the Trump administration is only prosecuting Abrego Garcia for alleged human smuggling crimes because he challenged his deportation to El Salvador, where he was initially held at the notorious mega-prison known as CECOT. His lawyers have said their client was beaten at that prison before being transferred to a lower-level security facility. Abrego Garcia entered the U.S. illegally in 2011 at age 16 and was granted legal protection from being deported to his home country of El Salvador in 2019. But he was still arrested by immigration officials and deported there earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Trump administration initially conceded in federal court that his deportation to El Salvador had been a mistake, it has since sought to undermine Abrego Garcia's case in the court of public opinion, accusing him of being a gang member, highlighting domestic violence allegations and charging him with smuggling. Abrego Garcia has remained in pre-trial detention since he was flown back to the U.S. in early June. The Justice Department has alleged in its criminal indictment that before his deportation to El Salvador, Abrego Garcia transported immigrants, including minors, who had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally as part of a smuggling conspiracy. One of the main pieces of evidence cited by prosecutors is a 2022 traffic stop during which Tennessee troopers stopped Abrego Garcia as he was driving eight people without any luggage across state lines. Abrego Garcia's lawyers said it was telling that the federal government did not prosecute him until after his deportation, which gained widespread national attention. "Indeed, the only possible explanation for the timing of the charges here is that the government chose to use this prosecution to punish Mr. Abrego for exercising his right to challenge the violations of due process that led to his unconstitutional deportation, incarceration, and torture in El Salvador," the lawyers said in a legal filing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This, coupled with the government's statements clearly showing the intent to retaliate against Mr. Abrego for pursuing civil remedies for his illegal deportation, unquestionably establishes discriminatory intent," the filing continued. Abrego Garcia's lawyers said the Trump administration had "gone to extreme lengths to make a criminal case," including by using a convicted smuggler who has been deported five times as its "star cooperator." They said the witness was getting lenient treatment from the government in exchange for his cooperation, even though he was purportedly the head of a smuggling business and Abrego Garcia was "allegedly a mere driver." Abrego Garcia's lawyers are also asking the federal court in Nashville to order their client's release from pre-trial detention once a stay on that order lapses on Friday, Aug. 22. While the court ordered Abrego Garcia's pre-trial release earlier this summer, it paused that order after his lawyers expressed concerns that their client would be immediately detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and processed for deportation. If he's released, the lawyers asked the court to give Abrego Garcia 48 hours to report to pre-trial supervision in Maryland. If there's a release hearing, the lawyers asked the court to order the U.S. Marshals Service to transport Abrego Garcia from the court back to the detention facility where he's being held, so he can be released from there. The attorneys said they've hired a private security group to take Abrego Garcia from Tennessee to Maryland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, a federal judge in Maryland ordered the Trump administration to return Abrego Garcia to Maryland, where he lived with his U.S. citizen wife and child, so he can be supervised by ICE there. She also blocked ICE from immediately re-detaining him in Tennessee and from deporting him without some degree of notice, but did not forbid the possibility of the agency re-arresting him in Maryland. CBS News reached out to representatives for the Department of Justice asking for comment on Tuesday's legal filings. In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said Abrego Garcia "will never walk America's streets again," calling him a "gang member and human trafficker." Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine Back-to-school: A parent's guide to AI Actor Aubrey Plaza opens up about grief following death of her husband Former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) criticized President Trump for claiming to be a war hero in the wake of the Iran strikes, arguing it is offensive to those who have served in combat. Yeah. I mean, look, this is just nuts. This is nuts. And theyre going to find his people are going to find a way to justify this, Kinzinger, a frequent Trump critic, told CNNs Erin Burnett on Tuesday. Listen, when they were putting out something honoring the Armys 250th anniversary, they put out a picture of Donald Trump in his military academy uniform, which has nothing to do with the military except they drill you. Kinzinger, who retired from Congress in 2021 and is now a senior contributor on CNN, was asked to weigh in on Trumps recent remarks on The Mark Levin Show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes a war hero because we work together. Hes a war hero, Trump told conservative radio host Mark Levin, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I guess I am too. Nobody cares, but I am too. I mean, I sent those planes, he added, just months after the U.S. bombed three nuclear facilities near Tehran in defense of Israel. Kinzinger, who served in the Air Force and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, pressed back against the rhetoric but added that he hopes the president is able to facilitate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. You can like what hes done. Thats fine. I hope he gets a resolution in Ukraine, he said. But to put himself on the same level of people that have actually gone out and served this country, not claimed bone spurs, is an offense to anybody who served. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And frankly, you just take somebody that served, calling themselves a war hero, even that would be inappropriate, the former GOP lawmaker, who said recently that he feels closer to a Democrat nowadays, told CNN. For a guy that never served to say it, its nuts. Kinzinger added, But somebody, theyll defend it, theyll find a way. The comments come as Trump is looking to facilitate a Russia-Ukraine peace deal after meeting with both leaders and seeking another ceasefire in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Kneecaps Mo Chara arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court - Credit: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images A ruling in Kneecap member Mo Charas terror case in the U.K. will be issued next month, a judge said, after lawyers for both sides argued over whether the case against the rapper was brought within the proper six-month time frame. Mo Chara, real name Liam Og O hAnnaidh, made his second appearance at the Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Wednesday, Aug. 20. The Belfast rappers terror charge is tied to a November 2024 Kneecap concert in London, where O hAnnaidh allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag on stage. But the London Metropolitan Police werent made aware of the alleged incident until April 2025, with charges being brought the following month. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As The Belfast Telegraph reports, O hAnnaidhs defense team is currently trying to have the case dismissed on technical grounds, saying the charge was brought one day after the six-month limit for such charges expired. Prosecutors countered that the charge was brought within the proper time frame. This debate hinges further on legal particulars related to how and when a charge is brought under the U.K.s Terrorism Act. O hAnnaidhs lawyers said their client first received notice of the charge on May 21, which didnt count as an official charge because the Attorney General hadnt given prosecutors permission to bring the case yet. They argued that the charge was officially brought on May 22, one day after the six-month limit expired. The Crown Prosecution Service, however, said the May 21 charge was valid because they did not need the AGs permission to at that time. At the end of the hearing, Judge Paul Goldspring acknowledged the importance of a speedy resolution in the case, but said, I will reserve my judgment for a couple of weeks. He scheduled the next hearing for Sept. 26. O hAnnaidh arrived at the courthouse on the morning alongside his bandmates Moglai Bap (Naoise O Caireallain) and DJ Provai (JJ ODochartaigh). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of todays hearing, the Metropolitan Police established a restriction zone for protesters ahead of the court appearance, implementing Public Order Act conditions to prevent serious disruption being caused by a protest outside Westminster Magistrates Court tomorrow. Kneecap responded to the restrictions last night on social media, writing, We massively appreciate the support of what we know are the majority of the public, who can see this farce for what it is. It is distraction from war crimes that the British state support. They continued, In our view this police action is designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome. It is a calculated political decision the night before Mo Charas court appearance. There is no basis for this, our last hearing was entirely peaceful and a loving show of solidarity with the most disruptive attendees the right wing media. We know all of our supporters will be, but please go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful. Despite the restrictions, hundreds of supporters showed up outside the court, many carrying signings that read Free Mo Chara. Others waved Irish and Palestinian flags. Kneecap's Liam Og O hAnnaidh, known as Mo Chara, has arrived at court. Hundreds of protestors have turned up to show their support. pic.twitter.com/anqMudNnPt Narinder Kaur (@narindertweets) August 20, 2025 O hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail in June after initially appearing in court. The preliminary hearing at the Westminster Magistrates Court on June 18 was largely procedural. During that hearing, O hAnnaidh spoke only to confirm his name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both O hAnnaidh and Kneecap have repeatedly denied the allegations, stating previously that they do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. Theyve claimed footage of the November 2024 concert was deliberately taken out of all context, and suggested the terror charge is a reprisal for their outspoken support for Palestine, their calls for an end to the war in Gaza, and their criticism of the U.K. and U.S. governments for continuing to fund and supply arms to Israel. On Tuesday, Kneecap posted on social media in support of Palestine. Tomorrow Mo Chara is back in Westminster Magistrates Court as the British governments carnival of distraction continues, the band wrote. Since his last court appearance Israel has murdered another 9,000 Palestinians, mainly children and women. Over 1,000 murdered whilst queuing for aid, starved due to their siege, whilst pitiful amounts of aid delivered by a sham agency controlled by Israel. Young children gunned down by snipers as they scramble for a bag of flour. Whole families, from babies to grandparents, murdered as they huddled in makeshift tents. They added, British courts have long charged people from the North of Ireland with terrorism for crimes never committed. We will fight them. We will win. Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A member of Irish rap band Kneecap was due to appear in court on Wednesday charged with a terror offence for allegedly supporting Hezbollah. Liam O'Hanna, 27, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert in November. The hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London is expected to hear legal arguments on whether the charge falls outside a six-month time limit, a court official confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Hezbollah was banned in the UK in 2019, it has been an offence to show support for the Iran-backed Lebanese force. Kneecap has grabbed headlines for statements denouncing the war in Gaza and against Israel. The hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London comes amid a growing controversy surrounding support for banned organisations. More than 700 people have been arrested, mostly at demonstrations, since the Palestine Action group was also outlawed in early July under the Terrorism Act 2000. The government ban on Palestine Action came into force days after it took responsibility for a break-in at an air force base in southern England that caused an estimated 7.0 million ($9.3 million) of damage to two aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group said its activists were responding to Britain's indirect military support for Israel during the war in Gaza. Supporting a proscribed group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. - Provocative - Hundreds of fans cheered outside the central London court in June when O'Hanna, Liam Og O hAnnaidh in Gaelic, made his first appearance in June. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove told the previous hearing the case was "not about Mr O'Hanna's support for the people of Palestine or his criticism of Israel". "He is well within his rights to voice his opinions and his solidarity," Bisgrove said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, the prosecutor said, the case was about O'Hanna wearing and displaying "the flag of Hezbollah, a proscribed terrorist organisation, while allegedly saying 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah'". The raucous punk-rap group has said the video that led to the charge was taken out of context. Daring provocateurs to their fans, dangerous extremists to their detractors, the group's members rap in the Irish language as well as English. Formed in 2017, the group is no stranger to controversy. Their lyrics are filled with references to drugs, they have repeatedly clashed with the UK's previous Conservative government and have vocally opposed British rule in Northern Ireland. Last year, the group was catapulted to international fame by a semi-fictional film based on them that scooped multiple awards including at the Sundance festival. har/jkb/gv/lb Kneecap member Mo Chara real name Liam Og O hAnnaidh is scheduled to appear at the Westminster Magistrates Court today over allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag onstage at a show last November. This will be his second appearance at the Westminster Magistrates Court for the Irish rapper, following an appearance on 18 June, after which he was released on unconditional bail. Todays court proceedings will see fellow artists appear in support of Kneecap, reportedly including Nadine Shah and Maverick Sabre. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kneecap have been vocal supporters of Palestine in the Israel-Gaza conflict and sparked controversy for their repeated and defiant pro-Palestinian support during concerts and festivals. They have consistently denied supporting either Hamas or Hezbollah. Related Fans and supporters outside Westminster Magistrates Court in June - AP Photo Many supporters and fans for both Kneecap and Palestine appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court in June, and this has prompted the Metropolitan Police to issue Public Order Act conditions for todays court date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conditions are being enacted to prevent serious disruption being caused by a protest outside the court, stated the Metropolitan Police. Kneecap reacted to these Public Order Act conditions, writing on X: We massively appreciate the support of what we know are the majority of the public, who can see this farce for what it is. It is a distraction from war crimes that the British State support. In our view this police action is designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome. Their post continued: It is a calculated political decision the night before Mo Charas court appearance. There is no basis for this, our last hearing was entirely peaceful and a loving show of solidarity with the most disruptive attendees the right wing media. We know all of our supporters will be, but please go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful. Free Palestine. Mo Chara after June's court appearance - AP Photo Prior to the Metropolitan Police issuing the Public Order Act conditions, Kneecap shared another statement regarding Mo Charas last court appearance in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since his last court appearance Israel has murdered another 9,000 Palestinians, mainly children and women, Kneecap wrote. Over 1,000 murdered whilst queuing for aid, starved due to their siege, whilst pitiful amounts of aid delivered by a sham agency controlled by Israel. Young children gunned down by snipers as they scramble for a bag of flour. Whole families, from babies to grandparents, murdered as they huddled in makeshift tents. The band described the situation as evil beyond any f*cking words and urged people to come down and show your support / solidarity outside the court today. They ended their statement with: British courts have long charged people from the North of Ireland with terrorism for crimes never committed. We will fight them. We will win. "Free Palestine" is displayed on screen prior to Kneecap performing in Finsbury Park on Saturday 5 July 2025, in London - AP Photo Related Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kneecap were supposed to be headlining the last night of this years Sziget music festival but ended up being banned not just from the event but from Hungary for three years. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced last month that the trio were deemed a national security threat and officially banned from entering Hungary for anti-Semitism and glorifying terror. Still, that didnt stop the band from getting their voices heard loud and clear. Read more about it here. Stay tuned to Euronews Culture for more updates from todays court appearance. Knox College student Zoe Pav 26 has been named the Knox College 2025-26 Student Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. This honor recognizes outstanding collegiate seniors in the state. Zoe Pav (Knox College) The award acknowledges achievements in both curricular and extracurricular activities, as well as contributions to the betterment of society. Every year, one senior from each of Illinois four-year colleges and universities, along with one student from all of Illinois community colleges, is selected for the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award, recognizing them as Student Laureates of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. According to the Academys website, In the spirit of Lincoln, Student Laureates are honored for their leadership and service in the pursuit of the betterment of humanity and for overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities. I learned (the award) was for civic engagement, and itmade me reflect on how much I have been engaged inmy community at Knox and Galesburg in general, so it is truly a big honor to be recognized, Pav said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pav hails from Washington, D.C. She is majoring in biochemistry and minoring in political science and chemistry. In addition to her academic pursuits, Pav plays on the Knox College womens volleyball team, serves as an EMT, and tutors in the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center Red Room. She was also one of six Knox College students to participate in the JUMP Medical Immersion Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peorias (UICOMP) JUMP Trading and Simulation Center this summer. Among her achievements, Pav received the Russell P. Sutton Organic Chemistry Award. She was named to the All-Academic Midwest College Conference for her outstanding academic performance during the 2024-25 academic year. Pav was also named to the Knox College Deans List every term since arriving on campus in fall 2022 (nine times). She is a member of the Presidents Student Advisory Council, a Vovis Center student employee, organic chemistry teacher assistant and tutor, and a member of Chi Alpha Sigma. Zoe embodies the qualities of a student laureate: academic excellence, leadership, and a commitment to serving others, Knox College President C. Andrew McGadney said. She is a remarkable individual who has made significant contributions to our school and community. With her final year at Knox ahead of her, Pav does not plan on suffering from senioritis. A busy schedule with plenty of goals highlights the rest of her undergrad experience at Knox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was really difficult picking classes this year because there are so many things I want to do, she said. I want to feel like I wrapped things up here, that I put a nice bow on things. Getting to a comfortable place and knowing what my next goal is, thats what I want to do. Pav is the daughter of Anton Pav 89 and Susanna Fajardo 91, both of whom graduated from Knox. Her family legacy at the college also includes her grandfather, Peter Pav 60, and her uncle, Michael Pav 87. I came here on a visit before committing and discovered that this is somewhere I wanted to be, Pav said. I also like the idea of a small town, something that is a bit smaller than the places I grew up, something more charming. The 2025 award includes a $1,000 stipend, a certificate signed by the President of the Lincoln Academy, Governor JB Pritzker, and the Chancellor of the Lincoln Academy Todd Shapiro. Pav will receive the Lincoln Medallion, which she can wear at Commencement to signify her status as a Student Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. An honorary ceremony for all Student Laureates will take place in Chicago on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the David Rubenstein Forum on the campus of the University of Chicago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. US hot dog franchise Wienerschnitzel has signed two development agreements that will introduce eight new outlets across Spokane, Washington State and Fort Worth, Texas. The deals are part of the brand's strategic move into high-growth markets and will be led by multi-unit operators Evan Carbonell and Paul Del Bufalo, both current Wienerschnitzel franchisees. Paul Del Bufalo, who has been with the franchise for less than five years, recently inaugurated his second store in Nampa. He now plans to extend his operations into the Spokane and Post FallsCoeur d'Alene, Idaho areas with four new establishments. Evan Carbonell, who currently owns four Wienerschnitzel outlets in El Paso, Texas, is set to contribute to the brand's growth in the state with the addition of four new locations in Fort Worth under the Met1Franks group. Carbonell's team is engaged in securing real estate for their inaugural Dallas-Fort Worth location and is also in the process of a new store development in Phoenix, Arizona. Wienerschnitzel franchise development director Ted Milburn stated: "Paul and Evan are prime examples of the type of franchise partners who excel in our system. "Neither came from restaurant development or operations, yet both brought the skills, ambition and entrepreneurial drive needed to build thriving businesses from the ground up. They're brand ambassadors, hands-on operators and deeply committed to their employees and guests. Their success stories are a key profile we're looking to replicate in many markets across the US. The expansion momentum is in line with Wienerschnitzel's recent seven-unit deal that marked the brand's entry into the East Coast with its first Virginia locations. Wienerschnitzel is also exploring non-traditional growth avenues, with six upcoming locations within Walmart stores and a new three-store deal in southwest Washington, which includes a non-traditional outlet. There are 340 current franchised locations of Wienerschnitzel operating across 13 US states, with more than 50 units in various stages of development nationwide. "Wienerschnitzel signs two four-unit development deals in US" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. Failure wasnt an option. With the entire case against Bryan Kohberger on the line, an Idaho prosecutor held steady and helped convince a judge to allow controversial DNA evidence to stand despite the FBI violating its own policy to obtain it. Jeff Nye, chief of the criminal division at the Idaho Attorney Generals Office, was the legal big gun brought in to back up Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson as Kohbergers defense threw a "kitchen sink" strategy at the court challenging everything and hoping something would stick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Just pure evil is the way that I would describe him," Nye said of Kohberger. "I think it was surreal, especially going up to Latah County, you know, small courtroom, small town. When I kind of get into my groove, everything else kind of melts away. I forget kind of the external details, but then I go to sit down for my argument and I see him sitting there, and I immediately think about what he did that night and the horrible, horrible acts that he committed against these totally innocent people." Bryan Kohberger Flexed Like American Psycho And Sent Christmas Night Reading About Serial Killers Bryan Kohberger arrives at Monroe County Courthouse in Pennsylvania in advance of highly anticipated extradition hearing. He later pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students. One of Nye's key contributions was overcoming the defense's challenges to investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) evidence which the FBI used to tip investigators off to Kohberger for the first time in what was revealed to be a controversial move that the defense tried to have precluded from trial. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was critical," Nye told Fox News Digital. "I mean, the stakes could not have been higher in this case on that issue." State police and the independent lab Othram had been working on IGG leads until Dec. 10, 2022, when the FBI stepped in and submitted the crime scene DNA sample to a commercial genetics database designed to help people track their family history. While technically a violation of the bureau's own internal policies and the service's terms of use, the court said the evidence could stand and knocked down Kohberger's arguments that the IGG technique had violated his Fourth Amendment rights. Nye had argued that the policy in question "does not impose any legal limitations on otherwise lawful investigative or prosecutorial activities." The judge on the case ultimately agreed that it had been a valid investigatory tactic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho Murder Documents Reveal Victim's Stalking Fears And Kohberger's Inappropriate Behavior At School Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend, Kaylee Goncalves, as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and two other housemates in Goncalves' final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death. "I struggle with the idea that DNA left at a crime scene, that there's any expectation of privacy," Idaho Judge Steven Hippler told Kohberger's lawyers in January. The FBI previously declined to comment on the issue and instead pointed Fox News Digital to Hippler's Feb. 17 order, which found investigators had not violated Kohberger's constitutional rights and allowed the IGG evidence to remain in play. Nye, who argued in favor of the evidence for the prosecution, revealed to Fox News Digital that it would have been "devastating" if Hippler ruled in favor of the defense. Judge Steven Hippler of Idaho's 4th Judicial District in Ada County speaks in court at one of Kohberger's hearings. Bryan Kohberger Called His Mom While Returning To Idaho Murder Scene The Next Day, Expert Reveals Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It would be devastating, because it wouldn't just be the DNA that goes out, the match at least, to Mr. Kohberger. It would be all of the fruit that came from that match. And that's a lot of things," he told Fox News Digital. "That's all the Cellebrite stuff, because they don't have his devices to review if they never made the identification. That's all of his cellphone records, you know, those warrants were issued based on the identification that was made from the DNA. So all of that's gone. It would have put the state in a very bad position to move forward in this case." The IGG argument ended up being the biggest of his career, he said and that's coming from a Georgetown-educated prosecutor who has argued homicide cases in front of the Idaho Supreme Court. Jeff Nye speaks to Bill Thompson during Bryan Kohbergers hearing on Aug. 18, 2023, at the Latah County Courthouse in Moscow. "The other thing that made me a little bit nervous is when you're arguing Fourth Amendment issues, even if the state loses and the court finds that there was a violation of the Fourth Amendment, there are some exceptions to the exclusionary rule that the state can sometimes argue..." he said. "In my brief and an oral argument, we didn't even assert an exception to the exclusionary rule, because there just wasn't one that could apply, and so everything hinged on that argument that this did not violate the Fourth Amendment." Bryan Kohberger Pleaded Guilty To Idaho Student Murders, But These Key Questions Remain Unanswered Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If he failed, prosecutors could have lost access to the IGG and any evidence derived from it or from search warrants based on it, he said. He also had out-of-state decisions that went in the prosecution's favor, but it was the first time the controversy had come up in Idaho. He was nervous at least before he stepped in front of the judge. Bryan Kohberger appears at the Ada County Courthouse for his sentencing hearing, July 23, 2025, in Boise, Idaho, for brutally stabbing four University of Idaho students to death nearly three years ago. "Once you get into a back and forth with the court, or at least once I do, that kind of melts away, and I can focus on the argument," he told Fox News Digital. Kohberger Practiced Home Invasions And Burglary Techniques Years Before Murdering Idaho Students: New Book Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives said during a news briefing after Kohberger's sentencing that they believed they would still have identified the suspect if he hadn't left DNA at the scene. They had his car, and they said they would have found him eventually. On Nov. 13, 2022, Kohberger entered an off-campus house at the University of Idaho and killed Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. He dropped a Ka-Bar knife sheath at the crime scene, near Mogen's hip. And his DNA on the snap generated the lead that brought police to the killer in December 2022. Officially called a "tip" in IGG terms, the DNA match was confirmed when police swabbed Kohberger's cheek upon his arrest at his parents' house in Pennsylvania. The victims of Nov. 13, 2022 University of Idaho massacre, from left to right: Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen. After years of denying the allegations, Kohberger's defense took a major turn in July. Having failed to have the IGG thrown out or to have the potential death penalty removed ahead of trial, in large part to Nye's work on the case, Kohberger pleaded guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryan Kohberger Traded Death Penalty For Life Sentence That Could Still End Violently Behind Bars "I wanted to hear him say that, and he finally did," Nye said. "By the time of the sentencing, I had decided myself, I'm done with him. I want nothing else to do with him. I don't care what he's thinking, I do not care what he's doing, and so I made a very conscious effort at the sentencing to not ever look at him, to not pay him any attention, and instead to focus on the victims as they gave their impact statements." The now-convicted murderer received four consecutive sentences of life in prison with no parole one for each of the first-degree murder charges he faced plus another 10 years for burglary. As part of the plea deal, he waived his rights to appeal and to seek a sentence reduction. Bryan Kohberger is seen in the Ada County Courthouse after his sentencing hearing, July 23, 2025, in Boise, Idaho. After Idaho AG Raul Labrador took office in 2023, he promoted Nye to run the criminal division in part because of his plan to revamp how the department works with county prosecutors, offering them assistance on major cases in an about-face from policy under the prior administration, which would either take full control over cases or avoid getting involved at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryan Kohberger Told Class 'Victims Family Should Have A Say' On Death Penalty: Docs Before the promotion, he said he led the special prosecutions unit and had a ground-level view of what smaller jurisdictions were asking for when they came to the state for help. It made sense, he said, to want to have control over a case, but he also believes that a community's ability to bring killers to justice should not be based on its population and budget. "I personally feel pretty strongly that the state should step in in these bigger cases and offer to assist," he said. "And so that's what happened in this case." A Latah County deputy watches over the crime scene on Thanksgiving morning in November 2022. Nye, deputy AG Madison Gourley and former deputy AG Ingrid Batey, who is now a member of the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, all assisted on behalf of the attorney general's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thompson, the Latah County prosecuting attorney, led the case. His senior deputy, Ashley Jennings, also played a major role, handling a massive discovery process and battling more of Kohberger's pretrial motions. And former U.S. Attorney Joshua D. Hurwit was commissioned as a special deputy prosecutor to assist if the case had gone to trial. Original article source: Kohberger prosecutor reveals crucial moment: Everything hinged on that argument Question : I forgot a portion of Puuloa Road was going to be closed starting Monday night. When I came up to the Road Closed sign I didnt know what to do. There was nowhere to detour to, no area to turn around. There were no signs of contraflow of the lanes (because I was now in the mauka direction lanes ) or cones designating lanes. I wanted to turn left on to Nimitz Highway but didnt know if I was in the correct lane. Can there be better directions in place or could they close off Puuloa further up ? Answer : We relayed your concerns and questions to the state Department of Transportation on Tuesday morning, and also asked whether special duty police officers were on-site assisting with safety procedures, as the DOTs announcement last week said they would be. We didnt receive a response by deadline late Tuesday afternoon. Nighttime closures of Puuloa Road in the vicinity of Kilihau Street and Nimitz Highway will continue until Friday morning, according to the announcement, which said the road or lane closures would occur from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night for repaving work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Full closures of the southbound lanes were Monday and Tuesday evening, while the northbound lanes are to be closed tonight and Thursday evening. Kilihau Street will also be closed in both directions each night between Pu uloa Road and Mapunapuna Street for repaving through the intersection, as well as along Kilihau Street itself, the news release said. It said motorists would be contra-flowed through the remaining open lanes on Puuloa Road and recommended that motorists use alternate routes through the industrial complex near the airport. Message boards were up in the area last week warning of this weeks nighttime closures. The news release also said that special-duty officers would be on hand to assist, but you said you didnt see any where you were at 7 :45 p.m. We heard complaints about this roadwork from multiple readers, some of whom were trying to get to the airport. There are multiple ongoing road, lane or highway entrance or exit closures in the airports vicinity. We encourage all drivers to check the DOTs road closures list well in advance of leaving for the airport. One source of information about Oahu road closures is the list on the DOT website, , which is updated weekly. Q : Regarding the first-time homebuyer grants on Maui, do you have to wait to apply until after your mortgage is secured ? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A : No. You can apply if you have not pre-qualified for a mortgage, according to the program website. You are encouraged to submit an application if you are interested in purchasing a home. Your case manager will work with you to identify a lender, and obtain housing counseling if you need help qualifying for a mortgage, it says. Apply online at. Auwe I also enjoyed the Made In Hawaii festival, but the $1.17 service fee added to the price of an $8 admission ticket was an unpleasant surprise. This nearly 15 % service fee was mandatory when paying for admission using a credit or debit card, which was the only option I could findI did not see any place to pay cash for entry. Knowing that we went there to spend money on local merchants I was surprised by the service fee on top of the admission fee.A reader Mahalo Many thanks to another shopper at the convention center on Saturday who ran after me to return the tote bag I had dropped while browsing. I had brought several tote bags to hold the local goodies I planned on buying and luckily that one was empty (which is why I didnt notice it slip off my shoulder, I guess ) but I did need it by the time I finished my shopping that afternoon.A reader------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------ [Source] South Korean TikTok creator Seo Won Jeong was convicted of quasi-rape (jun ganggan) by the Supreme Court on March 13, for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in July 2023, yet he has resumed posting videos to his more than 55 million followers despite the ruling. Under South Korean law, quasi-rape refers to engaging in sexual activity with someone who is unconscious or unable to resist, often due to intoxication or other incapacitation and it is treated as a form of rape. Conviction and suspended sentence The case centered on an incident in which Seo and an accomplice brought an intoxicated woman to a friends home, where the assault took place while she was unconscious. Emergency responders forced entry after Seo failed to answer the door, leading to a police investigation and criminal charges. Trending on NextShark: 1 in 4 Gen Z workers regret college, survey finds While a lower court initially sentenced Seo to three and a half years in prison, the appeals court reduced the sentence following a settlement with the victim. The court upheld an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, meaning he avoided jail time but remained legally guilty of the charge. Viral video sparks confusion Public confusion around the case has been fueled by a viral, unrelated video that circulated during the early stages of the investigation. The clip showed a tattooed man allegedly kicking a woman near an elevator, and supporters falsely identified him as Won Jeong. He denied involvement and pointed out that he does not have tattoos, leading many fans to conclude he was being falsely accused. Trending on NextShark: Trio targeted South Asian homes in $4 million Massachusetts burglary ring Although the video was never part of the legal case and unrelated to the assault, it has since been widely cited in comments as proof of his innocence. You were proven innocent and not guilty... you didnt have a tattoo, one fan wrote under his latest video. Another insisted, The man who kicked the girl had a tattoo on his arm but Won Jeong didnt... Plus, Won Jeong is sorry for scaring people even if he didnt do anything. Critics warn against misdirection In response to the online support, some creators criticized the publics misunderstanding of the case. TikTok creator @ellenacuario has pushed back against what she described as deliberate misdirection. She noted that fans often confuse the unrelated video of the tattooed man with the actual assault case, which had absolutely nothing to do with the rape. She also pointed out that Seos vague denial of filming the victim has been used to downplay his conviction. Trending on NextShark: Korean TikTok star convicted of sexual assault resumes posting to millions of followers Emphasizing the legal outcome, she said: This man is guilty of raping an unconscious woman... he doesnt deny raping her, which is the true heart of this case. Hes trying to redirect people from grasping the truth so he can get back to making his TikToks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Seattle engineer freed after month in jail over 'racist misidentification' Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Over 100 Southeast Asian immigrants deported in recent operations Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Tuesday that the entire southern border wall will be painted black as part of the Trump administrations efforts to increase the effectiveness of the wall as a deterrent. Speaking in front of a portion of the southern border wall in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, Noem explained that the wall would be painted entirely black for the dual purposes of making it heat up more and thus harder to climb, as well as increasing the lifespan of the metal. Noem said the new paintwork comes at the request of President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you look at the structure that's behind me, it's tall, which makes it very, very difficult to climb, almost impossible. It also goes deep into the ground, which would make it very difficult, if not impossible, to dig under. And today we are also going to be painting it black," said Noem. First On Fox: Border Patrol Union Endorses Ex-trump Doj Official For State Ag "That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black, it gets even warmer, and it will make it even harder for people to climb," she added. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So, we are going to be painting the entire southern border wall black to make sure that we encourage individuals to not come into our country illegally, to not break our federal laws, but that they will abide and come to our country the right way so that they can stay and have the opportunity to become United States citizens and pursue the American dream." Noem credited the one big, beautiful bill that was passed by Congress in July for allocating "an incredible amount of resources" that she said is "going to allow us to continue construction" of the wall. The secretary said that construction on the wall is advancing at a pace of close to half a mile per day. Besides additional wall and the new paint job, Noem said the administration is also investing in technology, cameras, sensors and waterborne infrastructure that she said will ensure the border "will be secure far into the future and that will be efficient as well." Border Official Fires Back At Gavin Newsom's Political Tantrum' Over Immigration Raids In Los Angeles A Border Patrol agent walks between a gap along the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico in Yuma, Arizona on June 1, 2022. She also mentioned that the administration is not just focused on the southern border but also the northern as well, saying, "We're doing due diligence in securing every single inch of our border." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Remember that a nation without borders is no nation at all," she said. "We're so thankful that we have a president that understands that and understands that a secure border is important to our country's future." Noem was joined by several Border Patrol agents and officials, including Interim Chief Patrol Agent for the El Paso Sector Walter Slosar. He shared that agents in the sector are now apprehending an average of 41 people per day, compared to 2,300 a day under the Biden administration in 2023. Slosar said the seven-day average for gotaways in the sector is currently nine. He said the majority of those apprehended are single adults from Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador. While agents were left simply "observing" migrants passing through under Biden, Slosar said illegals are now "running from us." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden Team Left Thousands Of Migrant Kids With Largely Unvetted Sponsors, Records Reveal The United States border, El Paso, Texas. "We're apprehending those individuals. Our gotaways are the lowest they've ever been. And we're putting we're working with the Department of Justice we're putting criminal charges on those individuals applying consequences and our partners in ICE ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] are removing those individuals from the United States." Slosar said that the morale among Border Patrol agents in the El Paso sector "is better than it's ever been because we are doing our national security job, and we are keeping this area safe." "Words and messages matter. It is not okay to enter the country illegally, and somebody is finally saying that, that's our leadership here in the U.S government," he said. Original article source: Kristi Noem reveals striking new layer in Trumps border wall strategy Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced the U.S.-Mexico border wall will be painted black at President Donald Trumps request to make the metal hotter and deter migrants. Trump boasted about the historically low border crossings in July on Truth Social account late Tuesday afternoon. CONGRATULATIONS TEXAS! The July Border Statistics are in and, once again, they are the LOWEST RECORDED NUMBERS IN UNITED STATES HISTORY. The U.S. Border Patrol reported ZERO releases of Illegal Aliens into the Country, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were fewer than 25,000 reported nationwide Customs and Border Protection encounters in July, down almost 90 percent from the monthly average under the Biden administration, the Homeland Security Department announced earlier this month. Despite the record-low number of border crossings, the Trump administration has continued its immigration crackdown, which has included Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the country, and an ad campaign with Noem warning the world, If you come to our country and you break our laws, we will hunt you down. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced the U.S.-Mexico border wall will be painted black at President Donald Trumps request to make the metal hotter and deter migrants (Homeland Security Department) During a Tuesday press conference at the southern border in New Mexico, Noem announced the latest tactic the Trump administration is using to prevent migrants from entering the U.S. She touted the height of the wall as well as the depth as ways to deter people seeking to go over or under the walls. And then Noem said Homeland Security was going to be trying black paint to make the metal hotter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here when something is painted black it gets even warmer and it will make it even harder for people to climb, Noem said. So we are going to be painting the entire southern border wall black to make sure that we encourage individuals to not come into our country illegally, she continued. Noem even picked up a roller brush to help out with the painting during her press conference. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks, who attended the event with Noem, said the paint would also help deter rust. The secretary also said more will be added to the wall, as far as technology, cameras, sensors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Homeland Security Department spokesperson would not confirm how much the paint job would cost, telling The Independent: With the OBBB [One Big Beautiful Bill] we will be able to finish the border wall system started under President Trumps first term. Due to an active procurement process to finish the wall it would be irresponsible to the American taxpayer to release the numbers as it may impact future bids. The Independent has also reached out to the White House for comment. Noem's announcement came as Trump boasted about the historically low border crossings from July (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) During Trump's first term, building the wall was a central focus of his hardline immigration policy. In his second term, his mass deportation agenda with arrests in the interior of the country has been the main focus, but Homeland Security will be getting about $46 billion to complete the wall as part of the Big, Beautiful bill Trump signed in July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem said the administration has been building about a half mile of barrier every day. The border wall will look very different based on the topography and the geography of where it is built, she said. During Trump's first term, building the wall was a central focus of his hardline immigration policy (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) The secretary said in addition to barriers like the one she visited Tuesday the department is also working on water-borne infrastructure. Long sections of the roughly 2,000-mile border between the U.S. and Mexico sit along the Rio Grande River in Texas. A nation without borders is no nation at all. Were so thankful we have a president that understands that and understands that a secure border is important to our countrys future, Noem said. Early Tuesday, the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has sparred with Trump over his immigration crackdown, mocked the president on X, writing: Forget the southern border, the strongest wall Trumps ever built is his bronzer line. TOPEKA (KSNT) A lifelong Kansan is joining a heated race for Kansas governor. On this episode of Inside Kansas Politics, co-host Rob Hughes sat down for a one-on-one with Kansas State Senator Ethan Corson. He shares his thoughts on his top priorities and why he is running on kitchen table issues he believes Kansans are talking about. Inside Kansas Politics has also interviewed the following gubernatorial candidates for the 2026 race: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Personal information of 730,000 Kansans at risk of USDA data request: DCF Also in the show, Michael Smith with Emporia State University sat down with Rebekah Chung and Hughes. He shares his thoughts on the Texas redistricting map and whether we could see something similar play out here in Kansas. Smith also talked about the role taxes, Medicaid, marijuana and the Department of Governmental Efficiency will play in the upcoming election. Kansas mother who lost daughter to fentanyl now helps other grieving families Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can watch Inside Kansas Politics at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings only on KSNT (check your local listings). To get the latest news on Inside Kansas Politics, check out our X account, or follow us on Facebook. If you have a story you think we should cover, email us at ikp@ksnt.com. For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Get the latest in weather alerts by downloading our Storm Track Weather App. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. NEED TO KNOW Kyle Chrisley and his wife, Ashleigh, filed a lawsuit against Rutherford County and two sheriff deputies for $1.7 million over his aggravated assault arrest in September 2024 Our hopes for this lawsuit are accountability and change because no family should have to endure what the Chrisley family endured in this terrifying scenario, his attorney said in a statement to PEOPLE The arrest comes nearly three months after Kyles parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, were pardoned by President Donald Trump Kyle Chrisley and his wife, Ashleigh, are suing Rutherford County and two sheriff deputies for nearly $2 million over his September 2024 aggravated assault arrest. In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the attorneys for the Chrisley Knows Best star, 33, and his wife claim he was unfairly arrested and punished for calling for help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our hopes for this lawsuit are accountability and change because no family should have to endure what the Chrisley family endured in this terrifying scenario, Kyles lawyer, Wesley Clark of Brazil Clark, PLLC, said in a statement to PEOPLE. Rutherford County Sheriffs Department Kyle Chrisley's mugshot Kyle Chrisley's mugshot The lawsuit alleges on Sept. 9, 2024, that a disgruntled mechanic, angry over a payment dispute, showed up uninvited, kicked at their doors, threatened violence, and used his car as a weapon by ramming their SUV and nearly running Kyle over in front of multiple neighbors. Deputies from the Rutherford County Sheriff didnt arrest the man who caused the chaos, the lawsuit claims. Instead, they arrested Kyle Chrisley, and ignored clear evidence that he was the victim, not the aggressor. Authorities allegedly disregarded eyewitnesses, overlooked available video footage, and ignored Tennessees self-defense law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filing claims that Kyle and Ashleigh bring this lawsuit because no family should face criminal charges or threats of arrest for defending themselves at home or for exercising their constitutional rights. This is a case about false arrest, excessive force, and retaliation for trying to hold police officers accountable. Amid a physical altercation with the mechanic, Kyle allegedly shoved back in self-defense and the two men pushed each other out of the garage and down the driveway, the lawsuit states. The filing indicates that Kyle did not brandish or use a knife at any point amid the disagreement. Ashleigh called 911 after the mechanic allegedly intentionally reversed into [her] parked SUV, smashing and damaging her vehicle and performed two 360-degree spins while flinging topsoil into the air, and sped away toward the neighborhood exit, the lawsuit states. When authorities arrived at the familys home, they allegedly informed Kyle that the mechanic claimed he stabbed him with a knife, which Kyle denied. A neighbor claimed they didnt see a knife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite alleged evidence against the mechanic, Kyle was arrested for aggravated assault, the lawsuit claims. The sheriffs threw Chrisley to the ground, placed knees on his back, and handcuffed him despite the fact that Chrisley used no force against the officers and did not otherwise resist. The lawsuit alleges the sheriffs recognized Kyle as a member of the Chrisley family, who are widely known from the reality television series Chrisley Knows Best and associated public controversies. The filing claims that the sheriffs appeared eager to arrest Chrisley, treating the encounter as an opportunity to make headlines by arresting a well-known figure. Kyles arrest was allegedly motivated in part by animus toward [Kyle] based on his notoriety, past public controversies, or perceived privilege, rather than on the facts or law surrounding the incident. The false arrest and excessive force violated Chrisley's Fourth Amendment rights, causing physical injury, emotional distress, and deprivation of liberty, the lawsuit claims. The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office does not comment on lawsuits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit states that Kyle suffered humiliation and damage to public reputation, pain and suffering, mental suffering and emotional distress, and economic losses due to the arrest. Attorneys are requesting a jury trial and $1.7 million in damages in addition to attorney fees. The criminal case against Kyle is still pending. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Kyle was previously arrested for alleged felony aggravated assault in March 2023 following a physical altercation with a supervisor while working a truck rental company in Smyrna, Tennessee. Tommy Garcia/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Savannah Chrisley, Todd Chrisley, Chase Chrisley, Grayson Chrisley, Julie Chrisley, Kyle Chrisley and Lindsie Chrisley Savannah Chrisley, Todd Chrisley, Chase Chrisley, Grayson Chrisley, Julie Chrisley, Kyle Chrisley and Lindsie Chrisley The lawsuit comes nearly three months after Kyles parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, were pardoned by President Donald Trump. The pardons put an end to a legal saga, which led to the pair being indicted on 12 counts of bank and wired fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy and later convicted and sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison in November 2022 (though that number was reduced by around two years each in September 2023). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They immediately began appealing their case, and while Todds appeal was upheld, Julie's was initially granted due to insufficient evidence. However, a judge later ruled that her original punishment was sufficient. Read the original article on People The Los Angeles man who is facing murder and burglary charges in the killing of a longtime American Idol music supervisor and her husband in July has had his case transferred to a local mental health court after a judge suspended his arraignment on Wednesday when he was unresponsive when addressed from the bench. Raymond Boodarian has severe mental health issues, his public defender told the court after he stared off into space while in a caged-off area, according to Judge Martin L. Herscovitz, as he was being questioned at his second appearance before the bench. The 22-year-old did not enter a plea on Wednesday during his appearance at the Van Nuys, California, courthouse, after the judge repeatedly tried to gain his attention. At the hearing, Boodarian was wearing a suicide gown, which is designed to prevent self-harm. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One more time. Mr. Boodarian? Mr. Boodarian, can you hear me? Judge Herscovitz asked the accused killer. Let the record reflect that hes still staring out into space and not responding to the courts questions. Boodarian was arrested in mid-July after Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca, both 70, were found shot to death this week when police conducted a welfare check at the couples Encino property on Monday. Kaye is best known as the music supervisor on the long-running hit Idol, where she was responsible for clearing all songs used or performed on the show for the past 16 years. Kaye and Deluca were returning home when they encountered Boodarian inside their property. LAPD Lt. Guy Golan told reporters in July that the young man is accused of hopping the fence surrounding the Encino property and then shooting and killing the couple during the struggle that ensued when they confronted him. The LAPD said in the week after their deaths that it had received two calls about a possible robbery when a man was spotted scaling the 8-foot-tall spike fence of the couples tightly secured property. This high wall prohibited officers from entering the home on White Oak Avenue when first seeking to check on the couple. The two bodies were discovered during a second welfare check four days after their deaths. A press release following the killings said that the home showed no signs of forced entry. Authorities said in the shared statement from July that after scaling the fence, Boodarian entered the property through an unlocked door. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victims returned home while the suspect was inside their residence, and a confrontation ensued, which resulted in the suspect taking their lives, the release states. The victims succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds, and the suspect fled from the residence on foot. Boodarian, whose father was reportedly in court to support him, according to Rolling Stone, was sent back into custody with no bail set and was given a forthcoming date to appear in a mental health court on Sept. 3. Judge Herscovitz said that any arraignment on Boodarians murder charges would occur after hes deemed mentally competent. Kayes death saw an outpouring of love and support from the Idol team. Her other music supervision credits included work on Lip Sync Battle, After the Sunset and QViva! The Chosen, among other projects. After starting out in the artist management side of the music industry, Kaye eventually joined the film and TV licensing department at MCA-Universal Records, and then ran the music licensing division at PolyGram Records. In 2000, Kaye launched her own company, SyncroniCity, and represented artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Kenny Loggins, Lang Lang, Donny Osmond and Steven Bishop. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. NEED TO KNOW Thomas Allen McCartney was arrested in 2023 for attempted rape of a child The 37-year-old pleaded guilty in the crime He has agreed to spend four decades in prison following his conviction A Louisiana man who admitted to trying to rape a 7-year-old in 2023 has agreed to be physically and chemically castrated, per authorities. Thomas Allen McCartney, 37, pleaded guilty on Monday, Aug. 18, in Vernon Parish, La., to the first-degree attempted rape of a child under the age of 13, Vernon Parish District Attorney Terry Lambright confirms to PEOPLE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the plea agreement, McCartney agreed to submit to castration, per the DA's office. He will also serve 40 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections. His conviction and sentencing pertains to the attempted rape of the 7-year-old in 2023 when a woman walked in on him "engaging in sexual contact with her child, KPCL TV reported at the time. He was already a known sex offender at the time, having been convicted in 2011 of attempted aggravated sexual assault, the outlet reported. This is a horrific crime that never should have happened," Lambright said in the statement to PEOPLE. "Thomas McCartney is a predator that needs to be locked away from others in our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People Chinas Xiaomi Corporation has revealed ambitions to break into the European electric vehicle (EV) market by 2027. This announcement comes on the heels of the company's foray into the EV sector within China, which has seen significant growth over the past year. Xiaomi provided insights into the company's expansion strategy following a notable 30.5% increase in overall quarterly revenue during the June quarter, reaching 116bn yuan ($16.2bn). Its financial report indicated that the companys smart EV, AI, and other initiatives produced 21.3bn yuan in revenue in the second quarter (Q2) 2025. Xiaomi's vehicle deliveries for Q2 2025 stood at 81,302 units, representing a 197.7% year-on-year (YoY) growth compared to the same period in the previous year. The company's network of EV sales centres has also expanded, with 335 locations now spread across 92 cities, and a net addition of 100 sales centres quarter over quarter. The EV division's losses have narrowed to approximately 300m yuan during the quarter. Additionally, the gross margin for Xiaomi's businesses, which includes smart EVs and AI, improved to 26.4% in Q2, up from 15.4% in the previous year period. According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), sales of Chinese-made vehicles, including exports, experienced a near 15% YoY increase to 2.593 million units in July 2025. This comes after a 5% decline to 2.262 million units the year before. Domestic sales saw a 13% rise to 2.018 million units, while exports surged by 23% to 575,000 units. In June, Xiaomi launched the YU7, its first battery-powered SUV model. The launch was a significant event for Xiaomi's automotive business, with local reports indicating that the automaker received over 200,000 confirmed orders for the new model within an hour of its unveiling. Furthermore, in the same month, Xiaomi secured a 50-year lease for a 485,134m2 plot of land in Beijing, China, for smart connected car and components projects. The Beijing municipal planning and natural resources commission announced the deal, valued at 635m yuan ($88m). In March, Xiaomi agreed to raise $5.5bn through a placement and subscription agreement involving the sale and issuance of 800 million shares. "Xiaomi targets entry into European EV market in 2027" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. For the last four decades, La Plaza has hosted its annual FIESTA each September to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. However, this year organizers announced on Aug. 20, the festival will be canceled out of concern for community safety. The state's largest Hispanic cultural celebration, FIESTA brings thousands of Hispanic and Latino families to Indianapolis to celebrate their cultural roots. La Plaza, the oldest and largest Latino nonprofit in Indiana, had planned to celebrate its 44th FIESTA on Sept. 20, but organizers believed it would be in the community's best interest to re-evaluate this year's event in light of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This difficult decision was made after thoughtful consideration of several factors beyond our control and, most importantly, out of deep concern for the safety and well-being of the Hispanic community," said Miriam Acevedo Davis, president of La Plaza, in a news release. Chinelos, a traditional costumed dancer popular in the Mexican state of Morelos performs on a sidewalk. La Plazaas 35th annual FIESTA Indianapolis, the premier Latino cultural celebration in Indiana since 1980, was held at the American Legion Mall in downtown Indianapolis Saturday, September 19, 2015. "While FIESTA has been a beloved tradition for more than four decades, bringing together thousands of people to celebrate Hispanic American culture, music, and community, circumstances this year have made it impossible to host the event in the way our community deserves." Although Indiana has not experienced any major raids, some events have raised fear in the Latino community, such as the ICE arrests in Indianapolis and the Avon traffic blitz, in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested about 20 people. Instead of hosting a large celebration outside, La Plaza will partner with Univision to spotlight the stories of people and places that make Central Indianas Latino community "so rich and resilient." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We believe reshaping the event is the most responsible course of action to ensure the health and safety of our families, vendors, and supporters," Acevedo Davis said in the press release. "We remain committed to celebrating Hispanic Heritage in Central Indiana. Although this years format looks different, the spirit of FIESTA lives on stronger than ever." La Plaza provided no additional details about the future showcases it plans to host on Univision. Noe Padilla is a Public Safety reporter for IndyStar. Contact him at npadilla@indystar.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: La Plaza cancels 44th annual FIESTA, opting to reimagine celebration Labour is bracing for a wave of legal action that could displace thousands of asylum seekers after councils across England signalled they could seek to ban hotels for migrants. Home Office minister Dan Jarvis has said that the government is working on contingency plans for housing asylum seekers after Epping Forest District Council was granted a temporary High Court injunction, forcing the removal of the 136 migrants who live there, in a landmark ruling on Tuesday. The order blocks asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, which has been the site of a series of violent protests that have seen police officers injured and multiple people arrested for disorder in recent weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick called for all patriotic councils to follow Eppings lead and pursue injunctions, and deputy leader of Reform, Richard Tice, urged residents to protest at hotels housing migrants to force their removal. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has demanded Labour hold an emergency cabinet meeting to address the migrant crisis, and called on home secretary Yvette Cooper to commit that none of the asylum seekers in the Bell would be moved into hotels, houses, apartments or social housing. He cited Tory plans to use larger sites to house asylum seekers, despite the National Audit Office finding use of former military bases to be significantly more expensive than paying for hotel accommodation. Analysis of Home Office figures by The Independent shows that the government has already made progress on cutting the asylum backlog, with the number of people waiting for initial decisions on their applications dropping to 78,000 from its peak of 133,000 in 2023 under the Tory government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While over 100,000 asylum seekers are being housed by the government as they wait for their claims, just a third 32,345 people are in hotels. In London, as many as 65 per cent of asylum seekers are housed in hotels as the government scrambles for limited accommodation. Hotels cost the government up to 170 a night per asylum seeker around six times higher than other forms of accommodation, according to the Migration Observatory. Epping Forest District Council sought an injunction against the use of the Bell Hotel for asylum seekers at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Tuesday (Reuters) At least eleven district or borough councils including some Labour-led ones have now said that they will assess their legal options after the Epping ruling, two more are in conversation with the Home Office about changes to hotels in their area, and a further four said they would monitor developments in the legal bid. Reform-run county councils have also said they will push for legal action against any asylum hotels in their areas; however, decisions to bring a legal challenge over planning restrictions will be down to individual districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charity Refugee Council said that everyone agrees that hotels are the wrong answer and called on the Home Office to resolve asylum applications quickly, so people can either rebuild their lives here or return home with dignity. Protesters outside the Bell Hotel in Epping earlier this month (PA) Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais, said that government had failed in its first duty to protect the residents of the Bell Hotel and exposed them to weeks of hate. He added: Its the governments failure to protect the residents that opened the space for a challenge on planning grounds, which has handed the far-right something to claim victory on. Mr Jarvis, the security minister, said that asylum seekers in Epping would be appropriately accommodated at other sites but failed to rule out their being moved to other hotels. He added that well see over the next few days and weeks whether more legal cases will follow. Spelthorne Borough Council said it was working closely with legal counsel in light of the recent High Court ruling, which it said may have significant implications for a hotel in the village of Stanwell. Chris Whitbread, leader of Epping Forest District Council, outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Tuesday (PA) A Labour council leader in Tamworth, Staffordshire, where violence broke out against asylum seekers in hotels during the riots last year, said that they were reviewing legal options in light of the Epping judgment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carol Dean said the council hadnt sought an injunction against the hotel in its area when it was first used in 2022 because other legal challenges had been unsuccessful, but that they would be reviewing our legal position in light of this significant ruling. Labour-led Wirral council also said it was considering its options after being told by the Home Office at the end of June that a former hotel in the area will soon be used to house single male asylum seekers. The former hotel is currently being used to house asylum-seeking families, and no planning application has been made to change the use of the hotel, the council said. In South Ribble, Lancashire, the council said that use of asylum hotels in its area had been imposed on us by government, and it would explore all of our options. Simon Tagg, leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said that while there are no asylum hotels in their area, they had continuing concerns about the use of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) and short-term lets for migrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leader of Newcastle City Council, Karen Kilgour, said that the use of hotels for asylum seekers was not appropriate or sustainable and added that the council were in active discussions with the Home Office about getting more control over the placement of migrants in the city. In South Norfolk, the council said it had already issued an enforcement notice on the owners of an asylum hotel in early August, requiring them to submit a planning application for a change of use. Somani Hotels Ltd, the company that owns the Bell Hotel in Epping, failed to apply for a change of use after receiving advice that it would not be necessary. Mr Justice Eyre ruled against them on Tuesday, saying that there was an arguable case that the Bell was no longer a hotel. Several councils contacted by The Independent said that while they had asylum hotels in their area, they had no intention of seeking legal action to move refugees out. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Our Lady of the Lake Health (OLOL) announced a $55 million renovation project for its Emergency Department, aiming to improve the experience for patients and caregivers. This project is a pivotal step in our health systems strategic plan to modernize facilities, expand capabilities, and elevate emergency care across our region, said E.J. Kuiper, President and CEO of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health. Designed by Perkins&Will and interior design students from LSU, the project will add 20 expanded treatment spaces to improve patient flow and reduce waiting times. The updated space will also feature state-of-the-art diagnostic tech for patient comfort and privacy. Chuck Spicer, President of Our Lady of the Lake Health, said, This renovation project builds on that promise and begins to elevate and enhance our physical facility to the level of clinical excellence our team members and physicians provide in the delivery of emergency care every day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Serving as the regions only Level One Trauma Center, the renovated department will provide an academic space for future physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals. This renovation is designed to give our physicians, nurses, and care teams the environment and tools they need to deliver rapid, highly coordinated care, while ensuring patients and families feel supported every step of the way, said Mark Laperouse, MD, Medical Director of Emergency Services at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. Renovations are scheduled to begin in the fall of 2025 in three strategic phases, and OLOL will continue to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. The Lake Mariner Data Center is going through another round of site expansion, this time to add another artificial intelligence data center building. Operator Terawulf is eying 30 acres directly south of four buildings housing the first phase of the AI data centers. The new addition, the fifth different site on the former coal-fired power plant, would add 120,000 square feet of space across two buildings. The buildings are described as a 700-foot by 240-foot structure housing the AI servers and a 600-foot by 120-foot dry cooler yard. The new servers will add 50 MW to the sites power load. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Project documents submitted to the Somerset Planning Board state that while the electrical feed will come from existing transformers on the site, new transformers, electrical switchgear, an electrical bus duct, and power cable will be installed. Senior Construction Manager John Marabella said the only difference between the new data centers and the previous ones on the site is that the uninterruptible power supply system batteries used for electrical load stability will be inside the building. Whereas the batteries for the past phase are outside. Were looking to get this operational prior to the end of the year, Marabella said. The cooling systems use fans, chilled water pumps, heat exchangers, and refrigerating gas, the same already being used in the other AI data centers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marabella said this new expansion would also double the number of jobs at the site, with 32 people currently employed there. Of the 750 MW of power capacity Lake Mariner has at the site, through 90% hydropower from the New York Power Authority and NYSEG, it will have allocated 230 MW when the phase is complete. Town Supervisor Jeff Dewart said residents have raised concerns about fire and smoke from the batteries. Marabella said each battery is self-contained and shuts down if it reaches 480 degrees. A noise study submitted to the town by consulting company Acentech stated that sounds coming from Lake Mariner were below Somersets 50 dB nighttime sound limit at nearby residences, with measurements taking place in July 2024. Noise concerns from residents have been a common complaint since Terawulf began gathering approvals in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This past January, a 613-foot smokestack from the former coal-fired plant was demolished to make room for more data center buildings. The Niagara County Planning Board gave its support to the expansion plans at its monthly meeting on Monday. The Somerset Town Board had earlier this year approved two new local laws that would accommodate battery storage units at the Lake Mariner site, which Dewart said was to accommodate this. One was a zoning map amendment for the PUD, including battery energy storage systems as an allowed use and providing a process for obtaining a special use permit to operate a UPS system under certain conditions. The town board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. today for a public hearing, with a vote on a proposed local law amending the PUD to allow the expansion set for Sept. 10. The Somerset planning board will have its own public hearing and vote approving a site plan and special use permit for the UPS system at its Sept. 4 meeting. The Brevard County Sheriffs Office has arrested a woman after a months-long investigation into drug-dealing activities at her residence in Cocoa. The BCSO Special Investigations Unit, alongside SWAT, raided the house on A Lane. They found four firearms in the residence, including several handguns and an AR-15. Officers also seized a large amount of drugs, including approximately 162 grams of cocaine, 20 grams of meth, 80 grams of Alprazolam pills, 14 grams of Oxycodone pills, 16 grams of Hydrocodone pills, and 418 grams of cannabis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Victoria Sinclair was taken into the Brevard County jail on four counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and multiple charges of trafficking and possession of illegal drugs. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Emotions were high in a Las Vegas courtroom on Wednesday as the two tearful daughters of a woman murdered in 2003 spoke at the sentencing of a man who recently pleaded guilty to that murder. Convicted murderer Ricky Trader, 48, was on parole for another 2003 murder when he was arrested and charged in July 2024 with the murder of Theresa Romano after his DNA connected him to Romanos case. Ricky Trader is guilty of killing Theresa Romano with a pair of scissors in 2003. DNA found at the crime scene was linked to Trader during a review of her case in 2024. (Photo credit: Patricia Hinger) Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt sentenced Trader from 10 to 25 years for Romanos murder. Due to a plea deal, which reduced his charge to second-degree murder, Trader will serve that sentence at the same time he serves the remainder of his previous murder sentence, where he violated parole. He had served 18 years of the 10-to-25-year sentence for that murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He will be in prison for at least 10 years. Man in 2003 Henderson cold case murder may serve no additional prison time Mr. Trader pleaded guilty. He did not seek an Alford plea, court records said. He is truly sorry for the loss of Ms. Theresa Romanos life. I hope you guys will be able to move forward, Trader said to the victims daughters. I cannot express to you how deeply sorry I am. Romanos daughters, Courtney Foster and Patricia Hinger, were 7 and 5 years old when their mother was killed. I never thought Id get an apology from the person who took my mom, Foster said. It sounded genuine. Its been hard on both of us, but especially my sister, said Hinger, now the mother of a daughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shell never know my mom. And like me, I dont really know my mom. So, it kinda hurts for both of us. While both girls believe Trader should spend the rest of his life in prison, they do feel as if they got closure. Trader is currently being held in the Clark County Detention Center, according to documents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has urged a quicker build-up of defences along the country's borders with Russia and Belarus, citing security risks from Moscow's war in Ukraine. Visiting the frontier near Zaborje in military uniform, Rinkevics was briefed on plans for fences, concrete barriers, and anti-tank obstacles together with Latvia's military chief Kaspars Pudans and border guard head Guntis Pujats. The president said that, given events in Ukraine, Latvia had to be prepared for all scenarios in the coming years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He noted that the border looked fundamentally different from two years ago but argued that more remained to be done, applying to both completing the fence with sensors and surveillance cameras, and to installing concrete and anti-tank barriers. He also backed plans to widen the border strip from 12 to 42 metres. The barriers are part of a joint Baltic defence line with Estonia and Lithuania designed to deter potential Russian aggression and aligned with NATO defence plans for the region. Latvia plans to invest about 300 million ($349 million) between 2024 and 2028 to reinforce the 400-kilometre border. Work on the most vulnerable sections is progressing according to plan, Rinkevics said, but property expropriation and compensation for landowners still need to be resolved. He also described border security as a permanent task requiring continuous work and attention from both the military and border guards. He expressed hope that the preparations, combined with NATO's presence, would deter any potential aggressor. CNNs Laura Coates took issue Tuesday night with President Donald Trumps repeated claims that the Smithsonian Institute has gone out of control with woke content and used some of his own words from 2017 to prove him wrong. Trump took to Truth Social Tuesday to announce that he has instructed his attorneys to review the Smithsonians museums. More from TheWrap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been, Trump wrote. This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE. Among the museums that Trump has targeted is the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture, which Coates was quick to point out Tuesday. The CNN anchor was also quick to note that, contrary to his recent claims, Trump had nothing but good things to say about the museum in question after he toured it in 2017. To prove her point, Coates played a clip of the speech Trump gave following his visit. This museum is a beautiful tribute to so many American heroes. Its amazing to see, Trump said at the time. We did a pretty comprehensive tour, but not comprehensive enough. So, [Smithsonian Secretary] Lonnie [Bunch III] Ill be back. I told you that. Because I could stay here for a lot longer, believe me. Its really incredible. This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance, and hatred in all of its very ugly forms. You can watch the clip yourself in the video below. Trump 2017: This museum is a beautiful tribute to so many American heroes. It's amazing to see This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms. pic.twitter.com/7SJJzFVmUP Acyn (@Acyn) August 20, 2025 For her part, Coates took particular issue with Trumps insistence that the museums his administration is reviewing focus only on suffering and oppression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yes, it goes into the unvarnished truth of slavery in America, the brutal reality that millions endured and the impact thats still felt today, Coates acknowledge about the National Museum of African American History and Culture. But the museum, if you actually go to it rather than just talk about it and see it on paper from a Truth Social post, it doesnt only focus on suffering. It is about resilience and achievement and celebration. Umbrella? History. The CNN anchor noted that the museum highlights the achievements of Black icons like Muhammad Ali, Louis Armstrong, Jim Brown, Gabby Douglas and Carl Lewis. If thats woke, then maybe woke just means telling the whole story because every exhibition that Ive just mentioned showcases exactly what Trump says that he wants: success, brightness, a look toward the future, Coates argued. Responding to Trumps 2017 remark that the museum is a reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance, and hatred in all of its very ugly forms, Coates concluded, [I] couldnt have said it better myself, Mr. President. The post Laura Coates Uses Trumps Own Words to Shatter Woke Smithsonian Claims: Couldnt Have Said It Better Myself, Mr. President | Video appeared first on TheWrap. The exterior of the Texas State Capitol building in Austin, Texas, is pictured. (Photo by EJ Rodriquez/Getty Images) A Texas House Democrat was confined in the Capitol overnight after she refused a police escort that Republican leaders imposed on lawmakers who participated in a two-week walkout over a GOP mid-decade redistricting plan. Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, declined on Monday afternoon to sign a slip giving her permission from Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, to leave the House floor with a state law enforcement officer shadowing her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts, Collier said in a statement Monday. When I press that button to vote, I know these maps will harm my constituents I wont just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination. At least four more Democratic lawmakers Reps. Rhetta Bowers, Cassandra Garcia Hernandez, Penny Morales Shaw and Mihaela Plesa joined the protest Tuesday, tearing up their permission slips in front of a crowd of supporters chanting, Dont mess with Texas women, and, Let them out, as the lawmakers prepared to spend the night on the House floor with Collier. Rep. Senfronia Thompson of Houston joined the demonstration but did not appear to rip up her permission slip. Why would we be considered a flight risk if we walked in of our own volition? Bowers said. This is a blatant violation of our freedoms as Texans, as Americans and as duly elected officials. At around 6:30 p.m. Tueday while Collier and others were on the House floor, the Texas Department of Public Safety evacuated the public from the Capitol after an unidentified individual posted a threat on social media, according to a DPS spokesperson. DPS said the message called on people to go to the Capitol and shoot those who will not allow lawmakers to leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Capitol was closed to the public for the rest of the evening, according to DPS. Authorities have not yet identified the individual who posted the threat. Collier and Rep. Gene Wu of Houston, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, later issued a statement on the situation and thanked DPS troopers for their swift and professional response to todays security threat. Violence and threats have no place in our democratic process, and we unequivocally condemn any threats against public servants or law enforcement, regardless of political differences, the statement read. Just over two dozen Democratic lawmakers, including Collier, on Monday ended their walkout over a congressional redistricting plan demanded by President Donald Trump just four years after Republicans last redrew Texas map that is designed to pad the GOPs slim U.S. House majority in next years midterm election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the lawmakers returned to the Texas House, Burrows announced they would each be subject to an around-the-clock police escort to ensure their attendance when the chamber reconvenes on Wednesday morning to vote out the map. He added that Democratic lawmakers would be responsible for any state costs incurred in ensuring their attendance. Most Democrats signed the permission slip required to leave the Capitol with a police officer in tow, even while objecting to the mandatory surveillance and emphasizing that they would not have returned to Austin on Monday if they planned to skip the vote on Wednesday. Collier filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the chambers authority to put members under police surveillance. They exercised control, and they tell us we cant leave unless we do exactly what they say, she said in a video Monday. Weve had enough. Weve had enough of them taking all of our rights away, and so Ive taken a stand. Im pushing back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collier slept at her desk on the House floor Monday night and remained there Tuesday, over 24 hours and counting after first arriving, though she said shed received permission to go to her office in the Capitol. Wu and Rep. Vince Perez, D-El Paso, stayed with her overnight, with other Democratic lawmakers and staffers coming by to provide moral support, food, clothes, pillows and other necessities. All of it was captured on a livestream the House Democratic Caucus set up on the House floor, with up to 50,000 viewers tuning in at one point. On Tuesday, Plesa said that former Vice President Kamala Harris was among those who called Collier to express support for her protest. Rep. Colliers choice to stay and not sign the permission slip is well within her rights under the House Rules, Burrows said in a statement. I am choosing to spend my time focused on moving the important legislation on the [governors special session] call to overhaul camp safety, provide property tax reform and eliminate the STAAR test the results Texans care about. A handful of supporters outside the House chamber were arrested Monday night for trespassing when the Capitol is closed. They each received a criminal trespass warning barring them from returning to the building for a year, according to a video of the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order requiring Democratic lawmakers to keep a police escort is set to expire when the House grants final passage to the congressional map, House Bill 4, later this week. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. Key Points A string of events has caused UnitedHealth Group's stock to plunge in 2025. UnitedHealth Group is on its third CEO in the past year. Berkshire Hathaway added over 5 million UnitedHealth Group shares to its portfolio in the second quarter. 10 stocks we like better than UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) has been a staple in the healthcare world for decades and is one of the largest companies in the world, with a market cap of around $280 billion as of Aug. 18. Unfortunately, the company was much more valuable before a recent string of events sent the stock plummeting. Had you invested $1,000 into UnitedHealth Group stock three years ago (using Aug. 18, 2022, as the starting point), your investment would only be worth just over $572 today, or $585 when including dividends. UNH data by YCharts UnitedHealth Group has been in the news for all the wrong reasons UnitedHealth Group's stock is down around 42% over the past three years, but much of that fall has come this year, with the stock down over 38% year to date. There hasn't been a single event that caused this drop, but rather a few problems that have seemed to compound. To begin, the company's then-CEO, Brian Thompson, was killed in December 2024, and the alleged shooter's manifesto brought scrutiny to some of the company's business practices. Then, in May of this year, then-CEO Andrew Witty resigned, citing personal reasons. This latter departure came as UnitedHealth Group suspended its forecast for the year, and the stock dropped 18% in a single day, hitting a four-year low. Image source: Getty Images. The recent slump is far from ideal for investors who've held the stock over that span. But there might be light at the end of the tunnel. In the most recent 13F filing from Warren Buffett-led Berkshire Hathaway, Berkshire disclosed that it added over 5 million shares of UnitedHealth Group. The news led to UnitedHealth Group's stock price having its best single-day gain since March 2020, and it rose over 23% from Aug. 12 to Aug. 18. Whether that leads to a longer-term turnaround remains to be seen. But it has undoubtedly brought more optimism into the picture for UnitedHealth. Should you invest $1,000 in UnitedHealth Group right now? Before you buy stock in UnitedHealth Group, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and UnitedHealth Group wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $668,155!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,106,071!* CHEYENNE The ongoing conversations concerning corner crossing in Wyoming continued Tuesday as a state legislative committee narrowly voted to continue pursuing a bill to decriminalize it. The corners in question refer to the intersection of publicly and privately owned lands, and whether members of the public, often hunters, fishers and hikers, are allowed to cross diagonally between public lands at their intersection with private property. Discussions around this topic heated up in 2021 when a group of four Missouri hunters were sued by a ranch owner in Carbon County for corner crossing between public lands that intersected with his property. He alleged more than $7 million in damages and appealed the initial court decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some members of the Wyoming Legislature's Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee wanted to wait until a decision comes from the U.S. Supreme Court in reconsideration of the lower federal court's ruling that found their actions to not be trespassing. The nation's high court hasn't announced whether it will hear this appeal, however. Corner crossing graphic The appeals court used this graphic to depict corner crossing. Other committee members, however, thought it would be prudent to at least continue advancing the bill draft for further consideration to be proactive in identifying a solution to the problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is exactly why we have interims. This is why this committee exists. This is our job. We're taking up an issue that is going to be here for quite some time to come, said Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper. But Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, he said he felt there are too many unresolved details that could cause issues further down the line, including additional litigation. He said the current bill draft doesn't properly address things like what is legally considered a cornerstone that marks the intersection of properties, and the use of the word authorizes in the draft, asking whether that meant individuals are authorized by law or must seek authorization to cross corners from a separate entity. Ryan Semerad, the attorney representing the Missouri hunters, said the primary benefit of this bill is not that it answers every single question, but that it transfers violations from criminal to civil court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I don't think there is a person who believes that someone should be taken off the public lands in handcuffs because they stepped on the wrong blade of grass, he said. He added that current enforcement of this issue further burdens law enforcement and the judicial system. I think this bill is appropriate, because it takes the conversation into the appropriate arena and outside of that (criminal) arena, where the stakes are much higher, where if a landowner thinks corner crossing is a crime, they might bring force to bear, they might respond in a much more aggressive fashion, he said. Hicks asked how long it could take for the judicial appeal process to play out for the existing case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Semerad said the Supreme Court could receive the case as early as Sept. 17 and the file could be distributed to justices on Oct. 1. After that, he said the court could decide in the coming weeks whether to hear the appeal. If they decide to hear the case, Semerad estimated a decision could come by next June. Representatives from associations representing private property owners opposed consideration of the bill, calling it both incomplete and unnecessary to consider before a decision from the Supreme Court. Brett Moline, policy advocacy director for the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation, said his main problem with the bill is that it still allows for property damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As not all intersections have visible cornerstones, and some GPS systems may be inaccurate, even by a few meters, this could cause someone to walk through private property, even unintentionally. Though Semerad said it is just a matter of someone stepping on the wrong blade of grass, Moline argued this could cause serious damage if hundreds of hunters are doing this, potentially forming a trail through someones private property. Wyoming Stock Growers Association Executive Vice President Jim Magagna echoed these concerns, urging lawmakers to be advocates of private property rights and hash out decisions once a final judicial ruling comes. Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, said her reasoning for support of this draft legislation is to represent the people of Wyoming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I don't know if anybody was awake in June or July, but the amount of people that showed up (in support) for public lands was astronomical, she said, referencing an event she hosted on the steps of the Wyoming Capitol where around 500 residents showed up to protest potential loss of public lands. Committee, I'm going to ask you not to get bogged down in the details. Don't get sold on what needs to be a perfect bill. The goal here today is to represent Wyoming. And if there's one thing that is broadly supported here, it's that I want to go and step foot on my public land. With a 7-6 vote in favor, the committee will continue the discussion of the bill draft at its next meeting in Casper in November. No formal amendments were proposed during Tuesday's meeting, but several were discussed that may intend to clear up some of the details that several members thought were left unclear. Lawmakers introduced new legislation Tuesday that would reinstate a previously dissolved U.S. government office that led relocation efforts for Afghan allies and refugees. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif. along with several other lawmakers announced the Enduring Welcome Act, which would legally codify the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, or CARE. The Trump administration closed the office just last month. We will not turn our backs on the brave Afghans who risked everything to protect our service members, said Kamlager-Dove in a press release. Their courage helped save American lives, and now it is our duty to protect theirs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., Dina Titus, D-Nev. and Michael McCaul, R-Texas, assisted with the bill. CARE handled planning and logistics for the relocation of Afghans who qualified for Special Immigrant Visas, Immigrant Visas and the United States Refugee Assistant Program, or USRAP. Special Immigrant Visas are granted to Afghans who were employed by the U.S. government, often assisting the U.S. during the war in Afghanistan. Operation Enduring Welcome, a program instituted by the Biden administration and implemented by CARE, helps to relocate Afghan nationals who are endangered because of their affiliation with the U.S. government. The program is set to end Sept. 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new legislation reinstitutes the CARE office within the U.S. State Department for five years and awards it the authority to assist with voluntary departure requests from Afghans; help coordinating with other agencies on security vetting, facilitating relocation and helping reunite families including those of U.S. service members; and assisting with medical care. It also tasks CARE with keeping a database that tracks all Afghan relocation cases. Texas man indicted in killing of Afghan refugee who helped US troops Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac an organization that works with government agencies and volunteer groups to help relocate Afghans said that the inclusion of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle spoke volumes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A bipartisan introduction here demonstrates that Congress and the administration dont agree on this, VanDiver told Military Times. The administration is actually still working through what their policy is gonna be It seems like they should have figured that out before they stopped a bunch of things, but they didnt. Thats why the legislation is important, he said. The Enduring Welcome Act isnt the only current legislation aimed at honoring the United States commitment to its Afghan allies. Congressman Jason Crow, D-Colo., a former Army Ranger who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, introduced the Afghan Adjustment Act on Aug. 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation would create a pathway for Afghans in the United States to obtain lawful permanent residence status. Both proposed laws likely face a long path toward approval, but VanDiver said he expects a Senate introduction for the Enduring Welcome Act soon. In May, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced the end of temporary protected status, or TPS, for Afghanistan, stating that the regions improved security meant individuals could move back without fear for their safety. TPS, which was instituted during the Biden administration to protect Afghans from being deported back to their home nation after the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, ended July 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The end of TPS affects 9,000 people, including their authorization to work, according to the International Rescue Committee, an organization that helps provide humanitarian relief. Advocates and U.S. service members openly disagreed with Noem and DHSs evaluation of safety in the region when the announcement was made. Afghanistan remains under the control of the Taliban, VanDiver said in a statement at the time. There are still assassinations, arbitrary arrests and ongoing human rights abuses, especially against women and ethnic minorities. Afghan relocation efforts stopped completely when President Trump suspended USRAP on Jan. 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same day, Trump issued an executive order that halted travel for individuals with Special Immigrant Visas. There has not been a single relocation flight for Afghans since Jan. 20, 2025, VanDiver said. AfghanEvac estimates that 150,000 to 250,000 Afghans are currently attempting to immigrate to the U.S. The ban also affects U.S. service members. Military personnel with family members currently in Afghanistan told Military Times in February that they feared for their kin, who were actively being hunted by the Taliban because of their affiliation with the U.S. government. Roughly 200 family members of U.S. troops are caught in resettlement purgatory, AfghanEvac stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump promised at a White House event on July 30 that U.S. officials would help Afghan allies relocate to the U.S., while casting doubt on the motives of some in the immigration pipeline. We know the good ones, and we know the ones that maybe arent so good, Trump said in response to a question about Afghan refugees. Were going to take care of those people, the ones that did a job [for us], the ones that were told certain things. (The Center Square) Bill sponsors and public interest groups have been quick to respond to a lawsuit filed last week against Colorado, challenging a new law that would require social media platforms to regularly send pop-up notifications to minors using their sites. The lawsuit, which was filed by internet trade group NetChoice, was exclusively reported on by The Center Square. NetChoice, which represents some of the major social media companies such as X, YouTube and Meta, argued the bill is a government attack on free speech and is asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado to declare the bill unlawful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill in question, House Bill 24-1136, was first passed in 2024 and is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2026. Designed to encourage healthier social media use in Colorados youth, the bill received bipartisan support in the legislature. Parents cannot tackle these challenges on our own, and thats why this law is so important, said bill sponsor and state House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs. This is a common-sense, family-focused law that provides young people and their parents with the knowledge and support they need to make informed decisions about safe social media usage. In addition to requiring the Colorado Department of Education to maintain educational materials on the health effects of social media, it would also require social media platforms to display a pop-up notification every 30 minutes to any user: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Who is under 18. Has been on the platform for one cumulative hour during a 24-hour period. Is on the platform between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. NetChoice does not believe the government should have the ability to force private businesses to speak and is confident the bill will be struck down in court. Healthier Colorado was a lead champion for this bill during its passage. The Center Square spoke with its CEO, Jake Williams, to get his reaction to the lawsuit. What is clear is that these social media companies want unfettered access to our kids brains, Williams said. The reality is that the harms and risks associated with social media are now well documented ... and just as we wouldn't leave it to the tobacco industry to look out for the well being of our kids ... we also cannot simply rely on the social media companies by themselves to protect our kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said advocates for the bill are hopeful the lawsuit will be thrown out. There are all sorts of risks associated with social media use by use, Williams said. When an adolescent uses social media more than three hours per day, their risk of poor mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety is doubled. So the jury is very much in, and we as a society need to do something about it. On the other hand, NetChoice argued parents should be the ones receiving controlling social media usage, not the government mandating private companies do so. Rather than compelling covered websites to display warning notifications, the Colorado government could have provided more information and education to parents about the same information, the lawsuit stated. Parents have a wealth of choices to help oversee their minor children online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet public opinion is very consistent on social media for minors. In a recent poll commissioned by Healthier Colorado, 90% of Colorado voters said social media had a negative impact on the mental health of youth in Colorado. When provided with a description of HB24-1136, 69% of Colorado voters indicated they supported this new law. Everybody recognizes that social media is a problem for kids, Williams said. Ninety percent agreement on a poll is remarkable. Supporters of the bill have labeled social media a public health crisis for Americas youth. Coloradans recognize that social media presents a growing public health problem for our youth, and they want their leaders to take action, said state Sen. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. Similar to the warnings we already place on many other consumer products, its time we help teens make informed choices by providing them with the evidence-based information as well as the support and guidance they deserve to use social media safely. President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week to discuss a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, but came away thinking it wasnt necessary while once again praising Putin. But there was at least one thing Trump said that wasnt crazy, according to Lawrence ODonnell. On Tuesday nights episode of The Last Word, the MSNBC host tore the president to shreds, first making fun of the man for using his Oval Office desk to hide his swollen ankles before torching his comments on Putin. And though ODonnell was able to pick out one sane thing Trump said, he certainly didnt give the man any credit for it, considering how obvious it was. More from TheWrap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is something that everyone else has already been saying about Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump today became the last one to realize this, ODonnell marveled. When Donald Trump told his Fox morning friends. Its possible that he doesnt want to make a deal.' Thats right, Donald, thats possible, ODonnell sniped. Thats why everyone thought you were crazy yesterday, when you were overheard on a hot mic telling the President of France that Vladimir Putin would make a deal for you, just to do you a favor. Elsewhere in the segment, the MSNBC host zeroed in on Trump saying its not a terrible thing for him to feel a warmth when seeing Putin. When your Treasury Secretary gets off his plane, and he sees his husband, he surely has feelings like the warmth that you described. But your treasury secretary Scott Bessents husband is not a murderous dictator, ODonnell said. Scott Bessents husband has never murdered anyone, and has never murdered children. Vladimir Putin has done that. And that, Donald, is why people say its such a terrible thing that you feel warmth for that murderous dictator when you see him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Last Word host then took it one step further, wondering if Trump also felt a warmth when seeing another male friend of his in the past. Is that what you felt when you saw Jeffrey Epstein getting off his plane in Palm Beach? ODonnell wondered. You can watch the full segment from The Last Word in the video above. The post Lawrence ODonnell Pinpoints the One Thing Trump Said About Putin After Meeting That Wasnt Crazy | Video appeared first on TheWrap. Former Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz speaks to reporters at the Department of Natural Resources hanger at the Olympia Regional Airport in October 2023. (Laurel Demkovich/Washington State Standard) A woman who worked previously for Washingtons Department of Natural Resources is suing the agency and former state lands commissioner Hilary Franz, accusing them of allowing a top attorney at the department to carry out a campaign of harassment, intimidation and abuse against her. Franz is accused of protecting former Department of Natural Resources General Counsel Daniel Teimouri by failing to intervene after Bailey Boyd, then-deputy director of external affairs, reported that Teimouri was abusing her. Teimouri and Boyd were dating at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Franz is also accused of retaliating against Boyd by drastically reducing her job responsibilities after she reported the abuse. Boyd, represented by HKM Employment Attorneys LLP, filed suit against Franz and the Department of Natural Resources in King County Superior Court on July 24. Boyd is seeking unspecified compensation for economic damages and for pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, and humiliation as well as reasonable attorneys fees and costs. A trial is scheduled for July 27, 2026. The Department of Natural Resources declined to comment on ongoing litigation. Franz denied the allegations in an emailed statement last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who knows me and my work representing survivors of domestic violence knows these claims are untrue. I am confident that the truth will prevail, Franz said. Franz served as Washingtons commissioner of public lands from January 2017 to January 2025. In 2023, she began to run for governor, then dropped out of that race and vied unsuccessfully last year for an open U.S. House seat in the 6th Congressional District. Teimouri served as general counsel for the Department of Natural Resources from October 2022 to May 2024, when he voluntarily resigned to accept another job, according to the lawsuit. Teimouri could not be reached through his attorney for comment, but his attorney has previously stated that the lawsuit contains a multitude of false allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boyd was in a romantic relationship with Teimouri between September 2023 and July 2024, according to the lawsuit. Boyd described her relationship with Teimouri as physically, sexually and emotionally abusive, with Teimouri frequently threatening to get Boyd fired from her job if she did not comply with his demands. The complaint says Boyd reported the abuse to Franz during a dinner event on Feb. 2, 2024 and showed Franz some of the threatening text messages she had received from Teimouri. Franz allegedly responded by telling Boyd that Teimouri engaged in similar behavior with his previous girlfriend, who also worked under Franz at the Department of Natural Resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boyd said she again reported the ongoing abuse to Franz on March 9, 2024, after Teimouri allegedly hit her multiple times. Boyd called Franz instead of the police immediately after the incident out of fear of losing her job, according to the lawsuit. Teimouri allegedly took the phone from Boyd while she was on the phone with Franz and threw Boyd down the stairs in retaliation. In addition to taking no steps to intervene, Boyd alleges that Franz reduced her responsibilities at the department. Teimouris job duties, however, were not changed after Boyd reported the abuse, the lawsuit alleges. Even after Teimouri left the Department of Natural Resources, he continued threatening to get Boyd fired through his relationship with Franzs chief of staff, Boyds lawsuit claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Franz denied that Boyd ever reported the abuse to her, calling the allegations false and completely unsubstantiated. Teimouri was arrested for attempting to suffocate Boyd on July 13, 2024, at which point Boyd said she was able to escape the relationship. At the time of Teimouris arrest, officers documented a black eye Boyd received when Teimouri allegedly assaulted her on July 3. Police records indicate that Boyd told officers she didnt report the July 3 assault to police because she was afraid it would ruin Teimouris career. Boyd reportedly told officers that Teimouri had a history of aggression and violence towards her, saying his abuse increased around December of 2023, when he reportedly stopped using marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teimouri was reportedly drunk at the time of the July 13 incident, which officers noted may have been a contributing factor to his behavior. When interviewed by officers, Teimouri reportedly described his relationship with Boyd as good at times and tumultuous at times. Boyd reported that most executive management employees at the Department of Natural Resources expressed sympathy to her about Teimouris abuse following his arrest. But Boyd said Franz never spoke to her about Teimouri after his arrest and continued to retaliate against her by not allowing her to travel or join meetings. Franzs retaliatory behavior continued until her time as lands commissioner ended in January, Boyd claims in the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boyd left her position with the Department of Natural Resources around the same time. She could not be reached through her attorney for comment on this case. Teimouri pleaded guilty on April 14, in Olympia Municipal Court to one count of fourth-degree assault, domestic violence. He was sentenced to 60 days on electronic home monitoring, with an additional 302 days of jail time suspended for five years. He was also ordered to pay a $1,358 fine and complete a domestic violence treatment program. A no-contact order preventing Teimouri from having any contact with Boyd for the next five years is in effect. Aug. 20A federal lawsuit has been threatened by a truck driver alleging intimidation and assault by a band of landfill workers at a flood debris collection site in Canton. The incident went viral on social media in late July, with videos depicting multiple landfill workers yelling savagely at a Black truck driver and aggressively threatening him with jail. The context of the videos was unclear, however, leaving viewers to fill in the gaps and concoct their own narrative namely that the white landfill workers went ballistic on the truck driver due his race. However, the footage itself left the door open for interpretation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Was race the motive? What sparked the vehement behavior by the landfill workers? Was the truck driver actually in danger beyond the aggressive posturing and screaming by landfill employees? Or had the truck driver endangered the landfill workers like they claimed? Now, a series of newly released videos reveals a more troubling series of events that unfolded in turn sparking the threat of a federal civil rights lawsuit. "These individuals are alleged to have acted outside the bounds of any legal authority, using physical force and outrageous intimidation tactics to target and harm these victims without justification or cause," said Mosley Matheson, managing partner for the law firm. Two truck drivers Joseph Joines and Angelica Hendon held a press conference in Raleigh last week alongside attorneys with Matheson & Associates. They announced their intent to sue and walked through their version of events that unfolded on that now-infamous morning in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They are victims of a failed system where private violence was followed by official indifference, where power was abused, and where the basic principles of due process and civil rights were trampled," Matheson said. Matheson also called out the Haywood County Sheriff's Office for not pressing charges agains the landfill workers. However, deputies who arrived at the scene faced a mountain of heresy and conflicting allegations between the truck drivers and landfill workers. Multiple 911 calls came in from both parties involved each alleging wrong doing by the other. TBD landfill has disputed the allegations. Formerly a private landfill for the paper mill, it has recently become a repository for woody flood debris being hauled in from across the region to the tune of nearly 200 truck loads a day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "TBD Landfill disputes any claim that Joseph Joines was a victim of any misconduct or prejudice on the landfill property. In fact, Joines engaged in aggressive and threatening behavior and broke the facility's rules, as well as state and federal law," according to a statement by TBD landfill. The statement claims that selected video clips tell "an untrue story." "Prior to the scene depicted in a misleading video clip, there were many attempts by landfill employees to de-escalate the situation caused by his actions. A timeline of multiple outgoing calls for help, and ultimately to 911, demonstrates the significant efforts made by the landfill employees to resolve the situation quickly and safely," according to TBD landfill. Landfill worker with a gun Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joines, a 27-year-old Black truck driver from Maryland, claims he feared for his life that day. That claim is backed by new footage depicting a wild scene: enraged landfill workers, one erratically waving a gun, shouting threats and vitriol while surrounding Joines' truck cab. At one point, two landfill workers jumped on the running board of Joines' truck and a struggle ensued as they tried to pry the door open, while Joines inside the cab struggled to hold it closed, according to the footage. One of the landfill workers wielding a gun banged aggressively on Joines' truck window and pounded on the driver's side headlight, smashing the glass. The landfill worker was later identified as Andrew Ferguson. The video doesn't clearly show what is in Ferguson's hand as he bangs on the truck window and repeatedly rears back his arm slamming something into the headlight. However, it is a heavy object that makes a loud bang when striking the window and is solid enough to break the headlight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In later videos, Ferguson is seen walking around with a gun in the same hand until one of the other landfill workers finally takes it from him. Adding to Joines' terror, he said, the landfill workers used machinery to tip his truck over on its side. At one point, Joines tries to seek safety in the cab of another truck driver in line waiting to dump her load one he knows and who works for the same truck company. The landfill workers follow after him, including Ferguson who is seen pulling a gun from his holster and pointing it into the driver's side of the cab where Joines tried to take refuge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the workers claimed they thought Joines was trying to hijack the other truck and considered him a danger. The landfill workers are also heard on video saying that Joines had a gun in his pocket, and a 911 call by a landfill worker also reported that Joines had a gun in his pocket. It cannot be independently corroborated based on videos whether Joines indeed had a gun, or whether landfill workers merely thought he did. Joines then scrambled out of that truck and ran to the next truck in line, again trying to seek safety, he said, as the melee of landfill workers one still wielding a gun trailed after him. "Please don't shoot me, please don't shoot me," Joines says to Ferguson, who has a gun hanging from his hand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're not going to. You're going to jail. I'd rather your ass rot in jail," Ferguson replied. The eerie setting of the landfill likely added to the truck driver's sense of terror. To an outsider, the landfill appears to be in the middle of nowhere. It's a barren moonscape: woodchips as far as the eye can see, shrouded in thick morning fog and no other sign of civilization on the horizon. "This incident has changed my life. I can't drive for the company anymore. The truck was heavily damaged from the TBD people. I had a gun pointed at me. People screamed at me and told me I was going to jail. They almost pushed me and my truck down an embankment, which I'm sure would have killed me," Joines recounted at the press conference. "I did not deserve to be treated like this. Nobody should be treated like this. I need justice." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What sparked the aggression One confusing element of the encounter is what touched off the aggressive and hostile behavior by the landfill workers. Joines claims that Ferguson accused him of stealing his cell phone. Joines denied steeling the phone, even allowing Ferguson to search his truck, he said, a search that came up empty. But the landfill workers continued to assert that Joines had stolen Ferguson's phone. Ferguson later found his phone, according to multiple sources. There is no video footage of the accusations of cell phone theft, but 911 calls placed by both landfill workers and bystanders document the accusation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He was saying his phone was missing out of his truck," another truck driver observing the scene tells a 911 dispatcher regarding Ferguson. "I seen five people running toward the guy's truck who he says took his phone. The white guy who said his phone was missing has a gun. I'm scared he's going to try to shoot him because he's Black for one, and the guy running the dump is an angry white man." It's worth noting that Joines wasn't a lone Black man on the landfill hill that day. A line of nearly three dozen truckers were waiting to dump their loads as the incident unfolded, and over half of the truck drivers were either Black or Latino. While it's unclear why Ferguson thought Joines had stolen his phone, it appears to be part of the catalyst behind the angry tirade that ensued. Joines said as he was waiting in line to unload, five landfill workers rushed his truck, screaming at him that he'd stolen Ferguson's cell phone. "I was scared. So, I put my truck in gear to leave the area. At that point, the men were banging on my truck. Andrew slammed his gun on my door, and I was terrified," Joines said. Tipped truck At one point, two bulldozers operated by landfill workers closed in on Joines' truck. "A bulldozer ran right into my truck head on, throwing me across my cab of the truck. I was right on the edge of a steep embankment and I thought that they were going to kill me," Joines said. "I got out and grabbed my dog and ran across the field to where they staged other trucks at to try to get away from them." Video footage does show the truck tipped up with machinery against it. However, there is no video footage of the machinery actually striking the truck. A previous statement by TBD said the landfill workers attempted to block in Joines' truck with machinery after he nearly ran them over. Based on videos, it cannot be independently corroborated whether Joines hit the machinery while trying to get around the blockade thus jarring his own truck or if the machinery hit Joines' truck. A truck driver observing the situation said on a 911 call that the landfill workers hit the truck. "I seen the damn tractor out here that pushes the mulch, he runs directly into the front of the truck so the guy can't leave out. And then they just flip the trailer on the side, to keep him from leaving," the caller tells 911. Did trucker try to run over workers? Meanwhile, Joines was accused of trying to run over landfill workers with his truck. A landfill worker came up to the passenger side of Joines' truck and opened the door, and a verbal altercation ensued that was caught on video. "Come on out. You can't do this shit," the worker said. "I'm telling you now there will be a lawyer that will pursue this," Joines replied. "We don't give a f. We own this place. You got caught," the landfill worker said. "Quit trying to run. The sheriff's here. You are going to jail." "I'm going to jail for what?" Joines asked. "GD attempted manslaughter. You can't try to run over fing people. We got fing cameras here, too, dumbass," the landfill worker yelled. A 911 call from a landfill worker also described Joines as endangering the landfill workers. "We've had a guy go completely ballistic. Try to run over people. So we've got a pretty heavy situation. Nobody's hurt, but it's a pretty ugly situation," the landfill worker tells dispatch. Another 911 call from a landfill worker also alleged Joines nearly hit landfill workers. "When the guy tried to run over us, my guys took a bulldozer and tipped him. We got him set back up pretty quick. It was a self-defense posture," the landfill worker said on the 911 call. Into another truck Joines, being followed by a band of landfill workers, climbed into the cab of Angelica Hendon, a coworker who drove for the same truck company. The landfill workers surrounded the truck and Ferguson pulled the gun from his holster and pointed it through the window. "I was in fear for my life," Hendon said. "I showed up that morning to do my job, to make a living so I can support myself. Nobody should have to fear for their safety at work." In a video of the incident, a landfill worker can be heard shouting to Ferguson "Put that damn gun down!" Hendon can also be heard screaming at Joines to get out of her truck. "Get the f- out of my truck bro! I don't have nothing to do with this," she screamed. At the press conference, Hendon clarified she wasn't frightened of Joines but of the landfill workers that had followed him, surrounded her truck and pointed a gun at her. "I am hearing that TBD is accusing Joseph of hijacking my truck. This never happened," said Hendon, 29, who's been driving a truck for eight years. "I ordered Joseph out of my truck so that the TBD employees would leave me alone." At the time, however, landfill workers may not have known why Joines climbed into Hendon's cab. Moments before, landfill workers are heard on video saying Joines had a gun in his pocket. As he got into Hendon's truck, landfill workers can be heard on video telling him to stop, not to get in her truck, and then calling for a dozer presumably to block Hendon's truck should Joines attempt to go anywhere in it. Meanwhile, a landfill worker climbed on the running board of Hendon's truck, reached into the driver's window and pulled the keys. Hendon was familiar to landfill workers, as she had dumped loads there many times before. It was Joines first time at the site. Joines then left Hendon's truck to seek safe haven in another truck, but to no avail. He found himself on foot, face to face with Ferguson holding a gun. Another truck driver with the same company then approached on foot as well, filming the incident as a bystander. "Y'all need to calm down," the bystander says on the video. He then tries to extract Joines from the group of angry workers. "Can we get him out of here?" the bystander asks. "No, he's not leaving. He's going to jail," a landfill worker replies. "OK, I understand that, but can he just stay over here in my truck until the cops come?" the bystander asks, and can then be heard addressing Joines, saying "Come on Joe. Come on Joe. Let it go." Sheriff's office targeted Attorneys representing the truck drivers have laid blame on the Haywood County Sheriff's Office for refusing to press charges against the landfill workers. "Rather than upholding the law and ensuring the safety of these two individuals, the Haywood County Sheriff's Department chose to ignore their rights, deny them equal protection, and subject them to further abuse under color of law," Matheson said. One of the landfill workers was a part-time deputy with the sheriff's office. As a contracted landfill worker, he was not at the site in his official law enforcement capacity. Yet, he represented himself as such in multiple videos. "We allege that this deputy used his position as a sworn officer of the law to intimidate, threaten, and ultimately detain Mr. Joines without reasonable suspicion in violation of his civil rights," Matheson said. More than once, landfill workers screamed at Joines that he was going to jail. "The cops are on the way. You're going to jail, b. F you," Ferguson shouts at one point. Joines is then heard on a video asking a fellow truck driver to take his dog. "Hey Tony, when the police come they are going to try to take me to jail. Take my dog with you until I get back out. Have somebody watch him," Joines says. A part-time, off-duty deputy since identified as Michael Buckner also threatened Joines with jail, according to a video. Karl Roth, an attorney with Matheson & Associates, said rather than diffuse the situation, Buckner engaged in aggression and used his position to threaten Joines, regardless of the fact he was technically not on duty. "Once that individual identified himself as a Haywood County Sheriff's deputy, we believe that he had an obligation to put an end to this situation before it escalated out of control," Roth said. "And it was out of control to the point where it's amazing that Mr. Joines is standing here with us today because, I believe, as you can see the rage in the eyes of the people on that video, that he was seconds away from being shot." The 911 calls Multiple 911 calls were received from the landfill during the incident some from landfill workers and some from truck drivers. One from a landfill worker begins by alleging Joines stole a cell phone from Ferguson. "We've got a situation with a truck driver who 1) broke in and stole personal property out of one of my supervisor's vehicle and 2) when we confronted him up here at the landfill he tried to run over three of us. We have since taken actions to stop him from going anywhere but we'd like to press charges," the landfill worker tells the 911 dispatcher. Both sides accuse the other of having a gun. While Ferguson is clearly seen in multiple videos brandishing a gun, no video captured Joines with a gun, but workers allege he had one in his pocket. "The driver's got a gun in his pocket," a landfill worker tells 911. "It's just escalating so if you guys could put a little heat on getting here, I'd appreciate it." Another truck driver observing the scene also conveyed a sense of urgency in a 911 call. "It's just escalating to a point to where people about to get shot. This is just crazy here. Please get them here," a truck driver says in a 911 call asking for police. Eventually, four deputies came to the scene, along with Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke. A video shows the four deputies, the sheriff and a landfill worker standing in a circle talking. By the time the group of deputies and Wilke arrived, Joines was waiting in the cab of Hendon's truck, filming the group of law enforcement officers circled up in a discussion. Joines, who says he was injured when the bulldozers pushed into his truck, addresses the officers. "Excuse me sir, I'm just trying to ask for an ambulance. I want to go to a hospital," Joines said. "I've asked for an ambulance. The ambulance hasn't come. I haven't got one yet." According to Roth, Wilke left the scene, leaving deputies to take statements and sort out the he-said-she-said incident. An incident report by the sheriff's office cited allegations by the truck driver against the landfill workers including simple assault, injury to personal property and assault by pointing a gun. Meanwhile, Ferguson accused Joines of breaking and entering into his vehicle, according to the incident report. However, there is no record in the report of any claims by Ferguson regarding a stolen phone. No charges have been filed against either party. Lawsuit threatened When the landfill encounter went viral on social media, the narrative quickly seized on race. Social media influencers and commenters alleged the white men yelling at the Black truck driver were racially charged and the hostility was due to the driver's race. Attorneys for the case did not expressly make that claim at the press conference, however. "While race has been discussed at length regarding this incident, will not be addressing that beyond simply saying the videos speak for themselves," Matheson said. Lawyer speaks up for Haywood Unlike the viral social media posts that put a target on all of Haywood County as a hotbed of racism, Matheson made a point of not condemning the entire community for the actions of a few landfill workers. "The citizens of Haywood County have suffered greatly as a result of that storm ... and its residents have played no role in this incident. We expect that they will be treated accordingly and not harassed or threatened by anyone reporting to support our clients," Matheson said. The law firm says it intended to file a civil rights suit in federal court against TBD landfill, the Haywood County Sheriff's Office and potentially individual landfill workers. "We allege that acts and actions committed and witnessed in those videos rise to the level of assault, false imprisonment and other claims," said Roth. Two construction workers who were infected with Legionnaires disease after a completely preventable outbreak occurred in New York City are launching lawsuits against two companies for alleged negligence that led to the outbreak. Duane Headley and Nunzio Quinto, two men from Nassau County in Long Island, said in separate complaints on Wednesday that they were infected with the potentially deadly disease while working on construction sites at or near Harlem Hospital Center the epicenter of the outbreak. More than 100 people have been infected with the respiratory infection, and at least five have died after contracting it from a dozen cooling towers on top of Harlem Hospital Center that contained the Legionella bacteria and then spread through the air nearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Headley, who filed the complaint against Rising Sun Construction LLC, and Quinto, who filed a complaint against Skanska USA Building, Inc., say the companies failed to maintain the properties or test the cooling towers for bacteria, resulting in the citys worst Legionnaires disease outbreak in a decade. "This medical tragedy that led to the deaths of five citizens from Harlem, that we know about, was a completely preventable outbreak," Ben Crump, the well-known civil rights attorney representing the men, said in a press conference on Wednesday. New Yorkers infected with Legionnaires disease due to an outbreak in Harlem are gearing up to sue for the preventable situation (CDC) "It was completely preventable. And so when corporations cut corners, tragedies like this happen, preventable tragedies, unnecessary tragedies, people being hospitalized for days and weeks, having issues that cause them permanent damage, Crump said. A spokesperson for Skanska told The Independent that they cannot comment on pending litigation, but that the company has fully cooperated with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to facilitate the inspection and disinfection of the cooling tower at the building currently under construction at 40 West 137th Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will continue to implement all necessary mitigation and communication procedures to ensure the safety of our workers and the surrounding public, the spokesperson for Skanska said. The Independent has asked Rising Sun Construction LLC for comment. New York City Health and Hospitals reportedly sent out a bulletin in early July warning construction companies of legionella developing, Jared Scotto, an attorney also representing the workers, said. However, upon a series of cases developing in Central Harlem, the city discovered that several cooling towers atop the buildings tested positive for the bacteria. Fans from the cooling towers had been spreading the droplets in the air, causing people nearby to inhale the droplets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The towers had been remediated as of Friday, city officials said on Monday. Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday that the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene was going to evaluate to determine if more inspections could prevent future outbreaks from occurring. Reverend Al Sharpton, who joined Wednesdays press conference at his National Action Networks headquarters, said it was frightening to see a lack of accountability. The construction workers are seeking compensation for the physical and emotional pain, as well as lost income as a result of being sick. But in addition to the two complaints filed on Wednesday, a group of New Yorkers infected with the disease is also gearing up to launch lawsuits, two attorneys told Pix11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of those attorneys, Jory Lange, is representing at least 40 people who have become ill from the outbreak. Its disturbing to see these outbreaks happening again and again in New York City when we know its completely preventable, Lange said. A Minnesota police department is mourning the death of one of its officers. Le Sueur PD announced "with heavy hearts" Tuesday morning that long-time officer Karl Haugen "passed unexpectedly while off duty." "Officer Haugen has faithfully served the Le Sueur-Henderson community since 2008, contributing in both part-time and full-time capacities with the Le Sueur Police Department over the years. He was an important part of the departments dynamics and will be sincerely missed," the department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As well as serving in Le Sueur, Haugen was also the chief of Henderson Police Department between January 2017 and August 2019, according to the Henderson Independent. Funeral arrangements are currently pending, Le Sueur PD said, and will be shared at a later date. No details have been provided regarding Haugen's cause of death. "We extend our deepest condolences to Officer Haugens family and friends during this difficult time," Le Sueur PD said. It is the second unexpected death of a Minnesota police officer in recent weeks, following the death of 41-year-old Forest Lake detective Joshua Brown following a "medical event" last Monday, Aug. 11. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The leader of Kent County Council says she is writing to every district and borough council in the county to ask them for a list of hotels housing asylum seekers. The county council's Reform UK leader Linden Kemkaran told BBC Radio Kent she was also going to ask which hotels were planned to be used in the future. Kemkaran said she had written to the Home Office as well to encourage them to be "more transparent" with the information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle said: "We will continue working with local authorities and communities to address legitimate concerns. Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament." Kemkaran has also asked Kent councils to consider taking legal action "in the same way that Epping did". Asylum seekers are due to be removed from a hotel in Essex after Epping Forest District Council was granted a temporary High Court injunction blocking them from being housed there. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said all councils controlled by the party would "do everything in their power to follow Epping's lead". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Kemkaran highlighted the Epping ruling was an interim judgement that would go to appeal. She acknowledged planning and housing decisions were not county council matters, but wanted to "support" the district and borough councils in Kent. "For nearly a decade now, Kent has been on the frontline of the migrant crisis," she told PA Media. "The government's lack of a plan to deal with it successfully is putting an unreasonable and unsustainable strain on our already vastly overstretched public services." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The KCC leader has encouraged the government to "start deporting people who come here illegally". The Home Office said since taking office, the government had returned more than 35,000 people with no right to be in the country. Kay Marsh, from migrant charity Samphire, said: "I think before you even consider bringing legal action on such a thing you need to have a solid legal plan of where you're going to house these people, otherwise we're just going to see a boom in homelessness." She told BBC Radio Kent a "solid back-up plan" was needed. "The majority of these people are innocent and they just want a quiet life, and it's not fair to tar them all with the same brush," she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. More on this story Related internet links A leading conservationist in South Africa, charged with smuggling rhino horns worth $14m (10m), has insisted he has "nothing to hide". In a statement, John Hume, the former owner of what is thought to be the world's largest rhino farm, denied allegations that he trafficked the horns from South Africa to South East Asia. The 83-year-old Mr Hume and five others, including a lawyer and a game reserve manager, have appeared in court on 55 charges, including theft, money laundering and fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group was allegedly part of an international rhino horn trafficking syndicate between 2017 and 2024, prosecutors said. Mr Hume and his co-defendants are accused of smuggling more than 960 horns, obtaining permits to sell them locally, when the true intention was to export the horns to South East Asia, where they are used in traditional medicine. The sale of rhino horns is legal between citizens in South Africa, but exporting them is not allowed. The accused appeared in a magistrate's court in the capital city Pretoria on Tuesday and were granted bail. They did not enter a plea - this is not required in South Africa during an initial court appearance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Hume, however, proclaimed his innocence in a statement. "I have nothing to hide and have fully cooperated with investigators for years," he said. "I categorically reject the allegations against me and maintain that I have never acted unlawfully. I am confident that, once the facts are tested in court, I will be vindicated and my innocence confirmed." Mr Hume's former farm, Platinum Rhino, was home to approximately 2,000 southern white rhinos. He sold the farm in 2023, saying he could no longer continue to support the rhinos, which he had been breeding for over two decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Hume was born in Zimbabwe and raised on a sheep farm. He made a living developing holiday resorts, before turning his hand to conservation in the 1990s. You may also be interested in: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts According to the City of Bettendorf, 95% of Bettendorf residents say they are satisfied with their sense of overall safety. With public safety being one of the City of Bettendorfs highest priorities, especially as its population and geography grow, the city asks residents to vote on whether the city should build a new police station. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, the Bettendorf City Council approved a resolution calling for a Special City Election on Nov. 4 to ask voters if the city may spend up to $27 million to construct, equip, and furnish a new facility for its police officers. The council discussed the project and ballot measure during its Committee of the Whole Meeting on Monday, Aug. 18. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his letter to the council, Bettendorf Police Chief Doug Scott says that the current police station is simply too small, too old, and was never built to be a police department: The police department utilizes the citys old maintenance garage, built in 1959, to office staff, store evidence, and to house numerous other functions of the department, he wrote. The current building provides neither patrol officers nor detectives enough desk space to complete their reports and other tasks. The current building does not meet the training demands of a modern-day police department. It does not have a training classroom or a mat room to train physical skills and the firing range semitrailer is at the end of its service life. These are all essential spaces a police department needs to provide the community with the services it deserves and expects. (City of Bettendorf) The City of Bettendorfs population grew by 18% between 2010 and 2020, which requires more staff to serve its residents. In 2023, the city began researching workspace needs with Bray Architects. After evaluating several different solutions, it was decided that the city should explore constructing a purpose-built police station, centrally located on three acres of city-owned property located off Devils Glen Road and Crow Creek Road near its Public Works Annex. The current police department, at 15,000 square feet and approximately one-third the size of other area police departments serving similarly sized populations, cannot reasonably expand upward or outward, partly by roof design because it is located between the shared walls of City Hall and the Bettendorf Fire Department, said Scott. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After proposing a new police station in a new location, the city hired Estes Construction in December 2024 to estimate the cost of the building, then sent out a survey in April 2025 to ask residents for their input. Of the 2,497 who took the survey, 34% of respondents said they would definitely support paying for a new police station and 25% of respondents said they would probably support paying for a new police station. Why is a bond referendum the only way to pay for this project? Just like a person may ask for a loan to pay for their house or their car, the city can ask for bonds to pay for projects. The type of project determines if its considered a general corporate purpose or an essential corporate purpose by the State of Iowa. The State of Iowa defines essential corporate purpose projects as street improvements, bridges, fire trucks, and police squad cars, among others. The city can issue bonds for those projects without having to wait for an election, allowing those projects to progress quickly. Projects outside that category, such as a police station, are defined as general corporate purpose, and therefore, require 60% of voters to support it. (City of Bettendorf) The City of Bettendorf is very fiscally responsible and doesnt ask its residents to vote on bond referendums unless we feel its absolutely necessary, said Decker Ploehn, city administrator. The last time we put a bond referendum on the ballot was 30 years ago and it passed. Those bonds paid for the expansion of the Bettendorf Public Library and the Family Museum, both of which are shining examples of what makes Bettendorf a premier city. Our residents helped us create that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How much will a new police station cost a property owner? To help property owners understand the tax impact on them, the city has created an estimation calculator for every address. Visit the calculator here. For example, the average home value in Bettendorf of $321,952 equates to an increase of $8.42 per month to pay for a new police station. How to stay current on the project For current information, visit here. For those who want to see the state of the current station, the Bettendorf Police Department is offering in-person tours to Bettendorf residents and property owners. Registration is required here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thursday, Sept. 4 at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24 at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 27 at 4 p.m. The will hold informational meetings for the public to learn more about this project and have an opportunity to ask any questions. No registration is required. Tours of the police station will also be available after the meetings. Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 5 p.m. Waterfront Convention Center, 2021 State St. Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. Waterfront Convention Center, 2021 State St. Thursday, Oct. 2 at 9 a.m. Lensmeyer Learning Center at Ascentra Credit Union, 2019 Grant St. The public will be able to tour the current station during the Citys Public Safety Day on Saturday, Oct. 4. More details will be announced in the coming weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is immensely important to us to give as much information as possible about this project to our residents and property owners, said Jeff Reiter, assistant city administrator. Our city prides itself on being transparent and we are committed to doing that throughout this entire process. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. At least 21 people have died in monsoon rain-related incidents in Pakistan, authorities said, pushing the nationwide death toll over the last week above 400 as floods and landslides continue to devastate large parts of the country. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Wednesday that 11 people were killed in Gilgit-Baltistan in the north and 10 others died in Karachi, Pakistans financial hub, where heavy rain triggered electrocutions and house collapses. Schools in Karachi, a city of more than 20 million, remained closed as forecasters warned of further downpours until Saturday. Sindhs chief meteorologist, Amir Hyder Laghari, blamed weak infrastructure for the severe flooding in urban areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The citys ageing pipes and drains struggled to handle the deluge, leaving entire neighbourhoods submerged. Residents were seen scooping murky water from their homes as power and phone outages added to the disruption. People wade through a flooded road after the monsoon rain in Karachi, Pakistan, on August 19, 2025 [File: Imran Ali/Reuters] Provincial officials reported 40 to 50 houses damaged in two districts. Another (rain) spell is to start by the end of the month, NDMA chairman Inam Haider Malik said. The northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been hardest hit, with more than 350 people killed since last Thursday. Authorities and army units are searching for dozens of missing villagers in areas struck by flash floods and landslides. Excavators have been deployed to clear debris clogging rivers and drainage systems. We have established relief camps where we are providing medical assistance. We are also giving dry rations and tents to all the people, army Colonel Irfan Afridi told the AFP news agency in Buner district, where more than 220 people have died in recent days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The children are scared. They say we cannot sleep at night due to fear, said Anjum Anwar, a medical worker at a relief camp. The flood has destroyed our entire settlements. The monsoon season, which runs from June to September, often brings destruction to Pakistans mountainous north and flood-prone south. Authorities warn the current rains may last until mid-September. Nearly 750 people have died since this years monsoon began, officials said. Pakistan, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, has faced increasingly extreme weather in recent years. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country, killing about 1,700 people. Rep. Brianna Titone, an Arvada Democrat, speaks in front of the Colorado House Education Committee on Feb. 29, 2024, at the Colorado Capitol. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) Colorado state lawmakers will convene for a special session Thursday to offset a $1.2 billion revenue shortfall caused by changes in the federal tax code, but they will also consider tweaks to the states artificial intelligence law, which is supposed to go into effect in February. Gov. Jared Polis included the AI issue in his call for the special session earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to make sure that this is settled sooner rather than later, and give this Legislature a chance to figure that out. What adjustments need to be made or changes need to be made are up to them, he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Colorado passed a first-in-the-nation sweeping AI regulation in 2024 to set anti-discrimination guardrails for businesses that use the technology in decisions on consequential matters such as loans, employment, insurance policies and school admissions. When Polis signed the law, however, he was clear in his desire for lawmakers to fine tune the policy to ensure it does not hinder technological innovation and development. An issue task force was supposed to create legislative recommendations for reform that lawmakers could consider during this years regular session, but bill backers did not reach a compromise in time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, the Legislature has an opportunity to tweak the AI law with at least four bills on the issue. Focus on developers A bill from the Democratic lawmakers who ran the 2024 bill would narrow the law. It would focus on required disclosures for developers of AI systems the companies that actually create the technology, versus the deployers who use it. Those developers would need to inform deployers about potential misuses of the technology and steps theyve taken to mitigate those risks. Deployers would need to let someone know they are using AI to make a decision about them if it is related to educational enrollment, employment, financial loans, health care, housing, insurance, legal services or a government service. In practice, that could look like a bank notifying a loan applicant of the use of AI in its decision making; when in the process it plans to use AI; and the developer, contact information and system name of the AI. The bill, Senate Bill 25B-17, would assign developers and deployers joint liability if an AI system violates state law, unless the developer can prove that a deployer misused the technology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were going to address some of the issues that were brought up during the process of the task force why are we putting the burden on the deployers, and should it be more on the developers? They are the ones that really have the ultimate responsibility for what their AI does, said Rep. Brianna Titone, an Arvada Democrat. Titone is sponsoring the bill alongside Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez and House Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, both Denver Democrats. We want to make sure that the foundation is good and solid, and we think that the proposal were putting out there is going to accomplish that and address the concerns that a lot of people have, Titone said. Consumer protection A bipartisan group of lawmakers will run a bill to clarify that existing state statute around civil rights laws and consumer protections would also apply to AI. That bill, House Bill 25B-13, would empower the attorney general to sue a developer or deployer that uses AI in a way that violates the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. It would also allow an individual to file a complaint against an AI developer if the system violates the states anti-discrimination law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, that bill would require developers and deployers to disclose to consumers when they are interacting with AI versus a human. The bill will be sponsored by Rep. William Lindstedt, a Broomfield Democrat, Rep. Michael Carter, an Aurora Democrat, Sen. Judy Amabile, a Boulder Democrat, and Sen. Lisa Frizell, a Castle Rock Republican. Redefine consequential decision Another bill from Rep. Ron Weinberg, a Loveland Republican, would narrow the definition of consequential decision in the states AI law to include only decisions related to employment or public safety. That would get rid of decisions about school enrollment, finances, government services, housing, insurance, health care services and legal services. That bill, House Bill 25B-4, would also push the effective date of the law to August 2027, exempt businesses with fewer than 250 employees or less than $5 million in annual revenue, and exempt local governments in towns with fewer than 100,000 residents. It doesnt have a Senate sponsor. Repeal Finally, a bill from Republican Sen. Mark Baisley of Woodland Park would completely repeal the 2024 AI law and update the states anti-discrimination laws to prohibit discrimination using any technology. There was no House sponsor for the measure, Senate Bill 25B-12, when it was pre-released on the Legislatures website. The special session will likely run into early next week. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE NEED TO KNOW At least six people have died as wildfires burn across Spain and Portugal amid a summertime heatwave Among the dead are two firefighters who reportedly were involved in vehicle-related incidents Temperatures in the region have reached as high as 45.8 degrees Celsius, or 114 degrees Fahrenheit At least six people have died as wildfires tear across both Spain and Portugal. Multiple wildfires are burning in the neighboring countries as high temperatures continue to blanket the region, according to The Guardian and the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia Barcones, the head of Spain's Civil Protection and Emergencies, has told broadcaster TVE there are 23 "active fires" being fought, Agence France-Presse reported. The Castile and Leon regional government in Spain said one firefighter died when a truck fell down a steep slope on Sunday, Aug. 17, per the BBC. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal said another firefighter died on Sunday in what he described as a "tragic" traffic accident. The death toll is now at two in Portugal and four in Spain as the fires burn for a second week, according to AFP. The fires are largely located in the northwest regions of Galicia, Castile and Leon, and Extremadura. Pedro Pascual/Anadolu via Getty Portuguese firefighters and Spanish military personnel work to battle a forest fire in Bouses, Oimbra, Ourense, Galicia, Spain on Aug. 18, 2025. Portuguese firefighters and Spanish military personnel work to battle a forest fire in Bouses, Oimbra, Ourense, Galicia, Spain on Aug. 18, 2025. More than 31,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes in Spain due to the fires, according to The Guardian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Spanish government has announced that an extra 500 soldiers have been deployed to help more than 1,400 other troops fight the flames. Hundreds of thousands of acres have burned in both Spain and Portugal as firefighters attempt to get the fires under control. The blazes have sparked amid an ongoing heat wave that has blanketed Europe, where temperatures reached as high as 45.8 degrees Celsius (114 degrees Fahrenheit), according to The Guardian. Pedro Pascual/Anadolu via Getty A firefighter in Ourense, Galicia, Spain on Aug. 18, 2025. A firefighter in Ourense, Galicia, Spain on Aug. 18, 2025. We need a strategy that anticipates a better, more secure and more equitable response for our fellow citizens in the face of the worsening and accelerating effects of the climate emergency in our country, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. He added, And that requires a great state pact that leaves the climate emergency outside of partisan struggles and ideological issues, where we focus on scientific evidence and act accordingly." Read the original article on People NEW YORK (AP) At least 600 employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are receiving permanent termination notices in the wake of a recent court decision that protected some CDC employees from layoffs but not others. The notices went out this week and many people have not yet received them, according to the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 2,000 dues-paying members at CDC. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday did not offer details on the layoffs and referred an AP reporter to a March statement that said restructuring and downsizing were intended to make health agencies more responsive and efficient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AFGE officials said they are aware of at least 600 CDC employees being cut. But due to a staggering lack of transparency from HHS," the union hasn't received formal notices of who is being laid off, the federation said in a statement on Wednesday. The permanent cuts include about 100 people who worked in violence prevention. Some employees noted those cuts come less than two weeks after a man fired at least 180 bullets into the CDC's campus and killed a police officer. The irony is devastating: The very experts trained to understand, interrupt and prevent this kind of violence were among those whose jobs were eliminated, some of the affected employees wrote in a blog post last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On April 1, the HHS officials sent layoff notices to thousands of employees at the CDC and other federal health agencies, part of a sweeping overhaul designed to vastly shrink the agencies responsible for protecting and promoting Americans health. Many have been on administrative leave since then paid but not allowed to work as lawsuits played out. A federal judge in Rhode Island last week issued a preliminary ruling that protected employees in several parts of the CDC, including groups dealing with smoking, reproductive health, environmental health, workplace safety, birth defects and sexually transmitted diseases. But the ruling did not protect other CDC employees, and layoffs are being finalized across other parts of the agency, including in the freedom of information office. The terminations were effective as of Monday, employees were told. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Affected projects included work to prevent rape, child abuse and teen dating violence. The laid-off staff included people who have helped other countries to track violence against children an effort that helped give rise to an international conference in November at which countries talked about setting violence-reduction goals. There are nationally and internationally recognized experts that will be impossible to replace, said Tom Simon, the retired senior director for scientific programs at the CDCs Division of Violence Prevention. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. A Lebanon man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for secretly videoing a young girl and sharing the video with others. Douglas Gibson, 40, was already a registered sex offender when he was arrested in September 2022 after the Boone County Sheriffs Department received a tip that he shared numerous child sexual abuse electronic files online. Further investigation found that Gibson secretly recorded a prepubescent child by hiding video cameras in the air vent of a bathroom and other places in the childs residence. Gibson then distributed images and files of the victim in various states of undress to other individuals, according to a statement from federal court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boone County investigators worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and the local case was transferred to federal court. In 2010, Gibson was convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor in Hendricks County, according to court records. In the Boone County case, Gibson pleaded guilty in federal court in Indianapolis this month to sexual exploitation of a child/attempted sexual exploitation of a child and committing a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Judge James Hanlon also ordered Gibson to pay his victim $10,000 in restitution and to attend participate in mental health treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gibson filed a civil case against Boone County Sheriff Tony Harris in 2023, claiming that he was denied prescribed medication and suffered severe withdraw that could have been prevented. He seeks $265,130.67 in damages for a violation of rights to medical treatment, in the pending case. Harris had been sheriff for only one month at that time. He was also found guilty of domestic battery in March 2023 in Boone County. If you see something, make the call Anyone who suspects a child is being abused should call Indianas child abuse hotline at 1-800-800-5556. The hotline is the clearinghouse for child abuse reports but sends information directly and quickly to the appropriate Boone County law enforcement agency for investigation. CHICAGO (WGN) After more than two months of searching, a legally blind Chicago man was finally reunited with his emotional support dog on Tuesday night. Angel Santiago says his 14-year-old tan and white dachshund, Bam Bam, was stolen from his backyard near Monticello and Fullerton Avenues in Logan Square on June 5. Santiago, who is legally blind due to glaucoma, told police two unknown people entered through his gate and took the dog. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Support dog stolen from blind mans yard in Logan Square In the weeks that followed, Santiago says he walked as many as seven miles a day, handing out flyers and calling out for Bam Bam in hopes of finding him. My Bam Bam is my world. I dont care how far I had to walk, day and night. I dont care how many times I fell down, Santiago said. A GoFundMe was even started and nearly $20,000 was raised to go towards search efforts, including reward money, pet detective services, making flyers and organizing volunteer groups to canvas the area. People started showing their kindness and caring for me and Bam Bam, things I could never do because of my blindness, but they all pulled through for me, Santiago said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, Santiagos persistence is paying off. The pair have been reunited at last. We got a call last night at about 9 p.m. We thought it was a prank or a scam but it turned out to be the 16th District Police Department calling and saying they have my dog, he said. Bam Bam was dropped off by a man and a woman at the 16th District police station on Tuesday. According to the Garrido Stray Rescue Foundation, the pair left in a hurry and refused to leave contact information. We waited for a few minutes, they brought him out. I held him in my hands, I checked his ears to just make sure it truly was him, and it really was Bam Bam. I couldnt believe it, Santiago said. Everyone who called in, wishing their support for me, thank you. I will never forget this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stolen puppy returned: Peter back safe at Anti-Cruelty Society Police have not released additional details or whether anyone has been arrested in connection with the theft. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Center Square) Legislators, taxpayers and others debated passionately Tuesday for several hours as Democratic-led election committees in the California Assembly and Senate advanced congressional redistricting legislation. The bills making up the Election Rigging Response Act received support from the Democratic majorities in the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee and the Assembly Elections Committee. Ultimately they're expected to land on the floors of the Assembly and Senate on Thursday. They're backed by the Democratic supermajorities in both houses, as well as by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. With their passage certain, the legislation will mean voters on a Nov. 4 special election will decide whether to revise boundaries for congressional districts in response to redistricting in Republican-led states such as Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the Republican minority in the Legislature scored what they called an early victory Monday night by delaying Thursdays floor votes. "The bill was stalled until after 7 p.m., meaning the earliest it can be legally voted on is Thursday evening. That leaves only hours before the special election deadline for passage and Newsoms signature," Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego, posted on X. Democrats and Republicans agree democracy is at stake and that California has a gold standard with its independent, nonpartisan Citizens Redistricting Commission. Republican lawmakers argued the will of voters, who approved a constitutional amendment creating the commission, was being disregarded. But Democratic legislators stressed voters can see the proposed map, which is posted at aelc.assembly.ca.gov/proposed-congressional-map. They also noted that unlike people in Texas, Californian voters will have the final say on whether congressional districts are changed and that the independent commission can resume its work after the 2030 census. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are not asking California to rubber stamp maps behind closed doors," Assembly Elections Committee Chair Gail Pellerin, a Democrat, told the committee. "As a former election official, I would never stand for that. This is about defending democracy itself, making sure checks and balances our kids learned in government class are alive and well after the 2026 election." Other Democrats on the committee voiced their support. Who should have the control of the vast power of the federal government? asked Assemblymember Steve Bennett, D-Ventura. Our founding fathers agreed hundreds of years ago on a special form of democracy, designed to protect our democracy from power grabs. If people in power try to change the rules to seize power undemocratically, then democracy advocates must also change their rules in response, Bennett argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Assemblymember David J. Tangipa, R-Clovis, who sits on the committee with Bennett, told the committee that Republicans werent given enough time to review the legislation in advance of Tuesdays hearing. He also noted the proposed congressional map changed at 8 p.m. Monday. Pellerin countered that she understood the map was posted at 8 a.m. Monday. Pellerin and Tangipa clashed during the hearing as the latter asked extensive questions of Assemblymember Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, who spoke on behalf of one of the three bills making up the Election Rigging Response Act. Pellerin said she was trying to keep the meeting moving, and Tangipa stressed the importance of his questions on topics such as funding. A large number of residents throughout California, union representatives and representatives of organizations such as Planned Parenthood and the California Teachers Association, spoke in favor of redistricting at the Assembly committee meeting. But what appeared to be an even bigger number of taxpayers from throughout the state, as well as representatives of Republican organizations, spoke against the legislation. Comments on the two sides echoed those made by the Democratic and Republican legislators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Assembly committee rejected a motion by its ranking Republican, Vice Chair Alexandra Macedo of Tulare, that the committee recess until its members could read all 16,000 comments that voters have made in a portal on the Assembly website. "Democratic power bosses want to take the power away from the people," Macedo said. She called the Election Rigging Response Act a coordinated effort to tear down the independent commission and gerrymander districts for political gain at a time California faces severe budget shortfalls. The Assembly Republican Caucus has said the Nov. 4 election will cost voters more than $235 million. Democrats have countered the Trump administration has cost the state much more than that by cutting or withholding funding. The North Carolina legislature overrode the governor's veto in order to approve a bill that could slow future environmental regulations. What's happening? Having already passed through the State House and Senate this past spring, House Bill 402 was vetoed by Democratic Governor Josh Stein in June. Republican lawmakers found enough votes to override the veto in late July, making it law, along with another seven previously vetoed bills. Also known as the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny or REINS Act, HB 402 aims to place additional restrictions on the passage of any new environmental regulation in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to North Carolina Health News, the new law will require any environmental regulation "with a projected financial impact" of $1 million over five years to be approved by a two-thirds majority of the body making the rule. For anything over $10 million, it requires unanimous approval. And for any regulation projected to cost $20 million or more, it requires formal approval from the state's General Assembly. Why is this concerning? This law could make it virtually impossible for any kind of real, substantive regulation to be implemented, environmental advocates say. "Lawmakers who passed this bill did not have the best interests of North Carolinians at heart," said Mary Maclean Asbill, director of the state's Southern Environmental Law Center's office. "This new law marks an awful turning point for families and communities across North Carolina when elected officials in the state legislature ignore serious illnesses and deaths in favor of polluters' profits," she continued in a release, per NCHN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The outlet noted that House Speaker Destin Hall, a Republican, said, "What we had in the REINS Act was a situation where if you have a regulation that is extremely expensive, our position is that it's something that [the legislature] needs to take a look at." Meanwhile, environmental advocates say that viewing each new regulation through a strictly financial lens rather than through a lens that weighs the cost against the potential benefits for public health and essential ecosystems will make passage of new legislation practically unobtainable. What's being done in North Carolina? While this legislation's finalization is certainly a blow to many environmentalists and public health advocates, their hopes are not completely lost in North Carolina. A pair of bills, HB 569 and Senate Bill 666, could still have major impacts on the state's environmental regulations, according to NCHN. HB 569 would require polluters to reimburse public water systems for clean-ups of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. SB 666 would charge the Environmental Management Commission with setting regulatory limits on PFAS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's unclear how either bill could be impacted by HB 402 becoming law, though, and the status of both bills remains uncertain at this stage. 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. A lawyer for New York Attorney General Letitia James wrote a scathing letter this week to Department of Justice official Ed Martin, excoriating him for visiting James' house and for suggesting she resign from her position. Abbe Lowell, a prominent white-collar lawyer representing James, told Martin in a letter obtained by Fox News that Martin's stop by the attorney general's residence in Brooklyn last week was a "truly bizarre, made-for-media stunt." "This orchestrated photo opportunity for your go-to media outlet, during an investigation, with the intent and/or result to prejudice Ms. James is outside the bounds of DOJ and ethics rules," Lowell wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martins visit was documented by the New York Post on Friday. He later told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo he wanted to "lay eyes on it" and "see the property." Martin shared a photo on Wednesday on X of the visit. How Trump's 'No Shrinking Violets' Doj Is Digging In On Schiff's Mortgage Dealings As Legal Peril Looms Lowell's letter comes after the DOJ initiated two grand jury investigations into James, one in the Northern District of New York related to her civil fraud lawsuit against President Donald Trump and one related to mortgage fraud allegations in Virginia, where James helped her niece purchase a home in 2023. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin, who is serving as Pardon Attorney for the DOJ and leading a "weaponization" task force, was given special prosecutorial privileges to carry out the mortgage fraud probe into James as well as one into Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., in Maryland. Both James and Schiff have denied wrongdoing and blasted the investigations as political retribution. Lowell echoed that sentiment in his letter this week and noted that Martin made the unusual move of calling for James to resign amid his federal investigation into her. Doj Opens Grand Jury Investigation Into Letitia James Tied To Trump Civil Case "Just four days into your role, no search for facts or questions of law; instead, you twice called for Ms. James to resign," Lowell wrote. "DOJ has firm policies against using investigations and against using prosecutorial power for achieving political ends. This is ever more the case when that demand is made to seek political revenge against a public official in the opposite party of the Administration. Let me be clear: that will not happen here." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin called for James to step down in a letter to Lowell earlier this month, which Lowell said violated codes of conduct and court precedents. "At this time, Letitia James would best serve the good of the state and nation by resigning from office to address the issues in the referral. I would take that as an act of good faith," Martin wrote. Martin described his letter as "confidential" and shared a social media post featuring it on his X account. New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference, Sept. 21, 2022, in New York. Martin said a media leak of a letter Lowell wrote in April was "professionally unacceptable and personally insulting." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To that end, I specifically ask that you redouble your efforts to not leak this confidential letter," Martin said. "I prefer not to have to move in court to stop you or your client from leaking." A DOJ spokesperson and a representative for Lowell did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Original article source: Letitia James' lawyer blasts DOJ official's 'bizarre' 'stunt' at New York AG's house To the editor: Contributing writer Josh Hammers recent column repeats bigoted, discredited conspiracy theories about American Muslims ( Label the Muslim Brotherhoods branches as terrorist organizations, Aug. 15). Just as extremists once smeared Catholic and Jewish Americans as disloyal and accused Black civil rights leaders and Vietnam War protesters of being communist agents, Islamophobes today falsely claim that American Muslim institutions are part of a global terrorist conspiracy. The main target of Hammer's article was my civil rights group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations. For more than 30 years, CAIR has defended free speech, racial equality and religious liberty while consistently condemning all forms of bigotry including antisemitism and Islamophobia and unjust violence. We have spoken out against terrorism so often that ISIS once put a target on our executive director. Like other American Muslim institutions, CAIR is an independent nonprofit, not an agent of any foreign group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Hammers real grievance with CAIR is our advocacy for Palestinian human rights, polls show that most Americans oppose U.S. support for Israels devastating war in Gaza. Does Hammer smear American Muslim groups because he fears our growing civic engagement will continue to reorient U.S. policy on Israel and Gaza in a more just, humane direction? Anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian activists are entitled to lash out, but the rest of us should not take their bigoted conspiracy theories seriously. Edward Ahmed Mitchell, Washington, D.C. This writer is a civil rights attorney and the national deputy director of CAIR. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. To the editor: This front-page article says Russian President Vladimir Putin told President Trump that the 2020 election (that Trump lost to Joe Biden) was fraudulent because of mail-in ballots ( On Putins advice, Trump launches assault on mail-in ballots and voting machines, Aug. 18). Trump also was quoted in the article as stating that voting machines ARE A COMPLETE AND TOTAL DISASTER. The same processes and equipment were used in the 2024 election. Doesn't that mean that Trump's election as president in 2024 could have also been fraudulent? On page 10 of the same paper, the reader learns that Newsmax, which published false reports about voter fraud with Dominion voting machines, will pay $67 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle its defamation lawsuit ( Newsmax to pay $67 million to settle Dominion suit over 2020 election fraud claims, Aug. 18). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jim Gates, Redondo Beach .. To the editor: I am trying very hard to wrap my head around this latest statement by Trump about our voting processes. He is taking advice on how to run a free, fair and democratic election from a Russian dictator whose critics are frequently jailed and mysteriously killed and whose own elections have been subject to a series of credible fraud claims ? Next, Trump will be soliciting Putin's advice on military matters. Oh wait, he just did that in Alaska! Michael E. Mahler, Los Angeles .. To the editor: Trump's lack of self-awareness concerning his advocacy role against mail-in ballots, based on Putin's recommendation, only points to Putin's influence on the president and Trump's shameless respect for him and continued disregard for our democracy and the voting rights of our citizenry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We should all be frightened by the abuse of power that Trump has commanded and the lack of elected Republicans and the Justice Department under Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi to effectively and responsibly uphold the law and the Constitution. Larry Naritomi, Monterey Park .. To the editor: Why is Trump attacking mail-in ballots? This is what I imagine Putin said to him during their meeting in Alaska: "Hey, I can help you win elections just like I did in 2016. But I can be much more effective if you can end mail-in ballots. The problem with mail-in voting is that people take their time by poring over the issues and candidates to make informed decisions and then return the ballot way before the election date. If there is only day-of voting, then we can blast lies, conspiracies and all kinds of nonsense via social media, just like we did with Hillary Clinton's campaign. So when the uninformed swing voter stumbles into the polling booth with a last-minute decision-making mentality, he or she will recall the most recent trending post and vote accordingly, albeit woefully misinformed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Philip Ginter, Sunland .. To the editor: Exactly how does Trump expect certain handicapped and people confined to their homes to vote? I wish Trump would run the country instead of focusing on whatever he thinks makes him look better. Beth Gothrick, Tarzana This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. State Rep. Ismail Mohamed, a Democrat from Columbus' Northeast Side, was recently targeted by far-right social media accounts after posting a video in which he speaks in Somali to his constituents. End Wokeness, a far-right social media account on X with 3.8 million followers, posted a video of Mohamed speaking about his efforts to lobby for Somalia on Aug. 14. Mohamed a refugee from Somalia, came to central Ohio when he was young, according to his Ohio Statehouse biography. Rachel Coyle, a Democratic political operative who operates a Substack, first reported on Mohamed's targeting on Aug. 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More on State Rep. Ismail Mohamed,: Refugee passes bar, to try politics In the video, Mohamed described his efforts to temporarily rename a Columbus street after Mohamed Abdulla Hassan, a prominent Somali historical figure, and his work with other Somali representatives in the U.S. government to lobby for the country. The Dispatch independently verified the translation of the video. Mohamed said the video was filmed as an update for his constituents, some of whom only speak Somali. He also noted that he gives most of his speeches in English. "I think it's interesting that I'm being attacked when Secretary of State Marco Rubio is well known for someone who often would give a speech at the very end in Spanish, in respect of his constituents back in Florida who may feel more comfortable in Spanish," Mohamed said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Less than three hours after its initial posting, Libs of TikTok, another X account founded by far-right provocateur Chaya Raichik, posted the same video. Far-right media organization Breitbart News shared the video and posted an article about it on Aug. 15. Libs of TikTok and End Wokeness have over a combined 7 million social media followers and are responsible for drawing nationwide attention to a recent fight in Cincinnati that resulted in rebukes from Ohio-native and Vice President JD Vance. Rep. Jennifer Gross, a Republican from southwest Ohio, shared the video to her X page on Aug. 16, asking her followers for their thoughts on it. The Ohio House Democrats on Aug. 19 called for Gross to issue a public apology for sharing the video. Gross could not be reached for comment at the time of publication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Replies to the social media posts called for Mohamed's deportation, referred to Somalia as a "cesspool" and called for a ban of foreign-born people in political office. That heated rhetoric has a negative impact on Columbus' Somali American community, Mohamed said. "There are people right now who they say they don't feel welcome, they don't feel that they're even safe to walk outside and go grocery shopping or interact with people because they're scared that, God forbid someone would look at them, especially women who are, you know, visibly Muslim, it's visible that they are Muslim, they're an easier target than a male like myself," he said. Somalis are Columbus' largest immigrant population, with an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 people living in central Ohio. Columbus has the second-largest population of Somali people in the country, behind only Minneapolis, The Dispatch previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Breaking and trending news reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@dispatch.com and at @NathanRHart on X and at nathanhart.dispatch.com on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: End Wokeness, Libs of TikTok targets Ohio lawmaker born in Somalia If you say the word "rat" aloud, does it sound like you're talking about the rodent or the opposite of left? If you say "far," are you talking about a blaze or a distance? Your answer might be the tell for whether you've got a true Southern accent. Add the trademark drawl and frequent usage of the word "y'all" to the list, too, and you've got the recipe for what many may expect to hear when they're talking to a native Nashvillian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But is that even the dominant Nashville accent anymore? As it turns out, the answers tricky and it may largely depend on whether or not you're from out of town. Nashville has a bit of a cachet related to, I think, the tourism and hospitality industry, Professor Richard E. Morris, a member of the linguistics faculty at Middle Tennessee State University, told The Tennessean. People come here for the music, they come here for the culture, the nightlife. And its been ranked more than once in various travel magazines as having the most charming accent in the United States. But while Morris said its true that a Southern twang is common in Nashville and its region, that charming accent could also be the result of catering to visitors who have a certain expectation for their trip to Broadway in other words, folks lay it on heavy," Morris said. Its played up a little bit because theres a positive response to it, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what to know about the roots of the Nashville accent and how it may be changing. What makes a Nashville accent? Morris said the U.S. is broken up into three broad dialect groups, which are based on the westward migration patterns that played out after the country was founded. As people move, guess what? Morris said. They move the language with them. They bring the flavor of the language with them. The story of dialects in the United States is the story of movement. Nashville is part of whats known as the southern dialect zone, which naturally includes a string of Southern states between the East Coast and Texas. Thats where the classic indicators of sounding Southern come in, Morris said. That, of course, includes heavy usage of yall and a tendency to pronounce words with just one vowel sound think of how the words light or try sound different in Northern and Southern accents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But beyond that, Morris said, theres actually not much else to point to thats truly exclusive to Nashvillians accents. When you get into the weeds with this, its very hard to say what is unique to a specific area because the southern dialect zone is so porous, theres so much moving around, Morris said. What does it take to change an accent? Nashvilles recent rapid growth has been boosted by high numbers of people moving to Tennessee from states like California, New York and Illinois. But that alone isnt what causes an areas accent to change. Morris said its actually a more psychological phenomenon, community perception, that causes a community to think of a certain accent as normative. And instead of a complete shift away from a regional accent, Morris said, its more likely that people will make subtle and even unconscious changes to their individual accents over time so theyll fit in better with the people around them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a novelty that manifests even in particular settings, Morris said. Men at sporting events tend to drop into a Southern dialect, for example, and he said politicians like former U.S. vice presidents Al Gore and Kamala Harris have shown a propensity to swap between accents depending on the groups theyre speaking to. I think it all happens sort of under the radar nobodys like Im going to go into this speech sounding like Im from Texas, Morris said. Eventually, it moves the needle in the community, and the linguistic background noise of the area starts to shift. How could the Nashville accent change? Morris has some predictions, both for the fate of the Nashville accent and the southern dialect zone as a whole. He said that regionally, young speakers predominantly those of Generation Z arent embracing Southern English. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In other words, as a child, say, from McMinnville, Tennessee, goes through the school system, develops a social network and goes out into the job market, theyre becoming less Southern sounding, Morris said. This is called young retreat. Its generally found in dialects that are losing their coolness, for lack of a better word. Morris said thats likely happening because a lot of interactions for this generation are happening through social media where theyre getting linguistic input from people who speak in dialects from outside their region. That can lead to certain associations, Morris said, like northern dialect coming across as more clever or progressive. It can lead kids to an opposite perception of the southern sound and cause them to shift away from it as a result. Thats happening less in rural areas, where it may be more common to find residents who havent moved very far in their lifetimes and are less influenced by other dialects as a result. But that means the speakers using the southern dialect are most often older and Morris said that means theres risk of an areas accent literally dying out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats not a recipe for success, Morris said. Wed like to see the young speakers actually embracing it. As for Nashville, Morris said hes predicting the accent will stick, but perhaps only in the core of Davidson County where foot traffic from tourists is the highest. That leaves the outer areas of the region that have been magnets for growth like Madison and Spring Hill as the likeliest to lose the dominant Southern accent. Where the tourists dont go, I would think its going to be in retreat, Morris said. Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@tennessean.com. Get Davidson County news delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What is the Nashville accent? Tourism, Gen Z, history impact sound Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier quickly exited a video call hosted by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) when she was told that she wasnt allowed to participate from the statehouse bathroom. The Texas Assembly Speaker has told statehouse Democrats they must stay on the floor, unless they need to use the washroom. Otherwise, they need an escort to move around. Collier has protested this policy. The DNC call brought together Chair Ken Martin, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker (D). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Redistricting was center stage Wednesday, with Texas House members debating a bill that would gerrymander congressional districts to benefit Republicans in the Lone Star State. California lawmakers are holding sessions to discuss new maps that would benefit Democrats. California Republicans have sued the state to stop the effort. High-level and behind-the-scenes discussions are aiming to find a peace deal for Ukraine and Russia, in the days after Trumps meetings with presidents of both nations and European allies. In D.C., Trump has only one event on his public schedule, a swearing-in ceremony at 4 p.m. EDT. Catch up: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow along here for updates all day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Some of the worst impacts of Hurricane Erin could be seen on August 20 as it churned parallel to the U.S. East Coast. North Carolina's barrier islands saw significant waves crashing into shoreline homes and hotels. As always we have a complete forecast that you can constantly check out for updates, and below we've tracked the latest on Erin's impacts, preparations and closures, as well as other major weather headlines across the U.S. and beyond on Wednesday, August 20. (02:50 p.m. EDT) Japan Stunned By Bright Fireball From lead editor Jenn Jordan: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A massive fireball ripped through the skies of western Japan, glowing in shades of green and blue and very much giving off alien invasion vibes. The brightness of the meteor turned the night sky into daylight in a matter of seconds. This meteor was so powerful it reportedly sent vibrations through the air and was visible for miles. Experts say it likely plunged into the Pacific Ocean, leaving residents scratching their heads and picking up their jaws. (02:29 p.m. EDT) Deadly Floods Hit Pakistans Financial Center After last weeks devastating cloud bursts and mudslides, Pakistan continues to be hit with devastating flooding. This mornings photo comes from Karachi, Pakistan, showing how roadways and other urban areas in the countrys financial capital have been inundated with high water. AP News reports that at least 746 people have died from the heavy rains since June 26. (02:11 p.m. EDT) Four Corners High In Place: Monsoons Soon? From senior writer Chris DeWeese: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As our meteorologists told you a few days ago, the Desert Southwest has had an extremely lackluster monsoon season so far, with the majority of the Four Corners region receiving less than 50% of their normal precipitation for the 60 day period ending on August 11, 2025. The region could see more monsoons soon, however, as a Four Corners High pattern is now in place. Heres more from NWS Flagstaff: (01:45 p.m. EDT) Heading Into Hurricane Seasons Busiest Time From digital meteorologist Caitlin Kaiser: If Hurricane Erin and the two areas to watch in the Atlantic have you feeling tropics fatigue, youll want to buckle up because we are heading into hurricane seasons busiest time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Typically we see two-thirds of Atlantic hurricane season activity between August 20th and October 10th. The peak day of the season climatologically is September 10th. Learn more about hurricane seasons peak months here. (01:28 p.m. EDT) Kilauea Expected To Erupt Again Soon From senior writer Chris DeWeese: Far away from Hurricane Erin, people are watching another example of natures power. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiis Kilauea volcano, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, is likely to erupt between today and August 23rd. The prolifically-erupting volcano has already had 30 eruptions since last December, many of them quite spectacular. This morning, hundreds of volcano enthusiasts are already streaming the USGS live cams of Kilauea, waiting for the big moment. (01:07 p.m. EDT) Extreme Heat Continues In Southwest As a heat wave passes through, the National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning in a large area of the Southwest for the rest of this week. The affected areas include Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, where extreme heat has been record-breaking this year. With temperatures expected to peak above 110 in some areas, cooling stations have been opened throughout the Las Vegas Valley and other parts of the southwest. (12:47 p.m. EDT) Erin Is The Enemy Of Vacationers From lead editor Jenn Jordan: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A family from Virginia thought they were settling into a relaxing Outer Banks vacation when Hurricane Erin threw their plans into chaos. Minutes after unloading their car following a full day's drive, a mandatory evacuation alert forced the Murrays to pack up and break the news to their young kids. Instead of heading home, the family moved north to Kill Devil Hills, determined to ride out the storm and salvage what they could of their beach trip. Even though they're farther away from the storm's path, they say they're still feeling some of Erin's wrath out in the Atlantic. Get the full details of the ordeal here. (12:28 p.m. EDT) Surf Competition Is On Today, On Hold Tomorrow From producer Carmen Molina: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 63rd Annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC), considered the longest, continuously running surf contest, is making adjustments to the schedule. The event hosts more than 850 surfers from dozens of countries and it kicked off today in Virginia Beach, Virginia. On Thursday, the competition will be on hold, but other activities are still happening that evening. (12:07 p.m. EDT) Check Out This Strong Rip Current This video from Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, shows you why many beaches along the East Coast have banned swimming this week. You can clearly see a strong rip current, creating that frothy, white channel in the ocean. Rip currents will remain one of the big dangers of Hurricane Erin in the coming days, learn more about how to spot and survive them. (11:48 a.m. EDT) Egrets And Lotus Flowers In China From senior writer Chris DeWeese: eagrets next to lotus flowers Birds and blooms: Two signatures of summer that will be sorely missed by the time winter comes. This photo, taken today in Chinas Jiangsu Province, captures a congregation of egrets (yes, thats what you call a group of egrets) playing among blooming lotus flowers in Hongze Lake Wetland. Looking at it is kind of like taking a deep breath. Enjoy. (11:33 a.m. EDT) Erins Impact on Sea Surface Temperatures Beginning To Surface From meteorologist Jonathan Belles: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can start to see the influence of Erin on ocean temperatures north of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. There is a notable several-degree drop in water temperatures where Erin hit its stride over the weekend and became the seasons first major hurricane. Hurricanes utilize the difference in temperature between the steamy ocean and the chilly air at the top of the atmosphere to grow. A major function of hurricanes is to remove the heat from the tropics and displace it toward the poles in the perpetual act of balancing the Earths temperatures. (11:19 a.m. EDT) Infrared View Of Hurricane Erin Via Satellite From producer Carmen Molina: This is an infrared view of Hurricane Erin via NOAA's GOES-East, showing the storm spinning off the East Coast this morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can follow Erin's path here. (10:57 a.m. EDT) Wildfire Smoke Cuts Visibility In Broward From senior engagement editor Ron Brackett: Drivers are being warned that visibility could be cut to 3 miles or less as smoke from fires in the Everglades blows into Broward County, Florida. The Mile Marker 39 Fire has burned through 1,600 acres, and the Sawgrass Fire has burned 250 acres, according to the Florida Fire Service. The National Weather Service warned that people unusually sensitive to particle pollution should consider reducing the time they spend outdoors and cutting their activity level. (10:33 a.m. EDT) Traveling Today? Make Sure To Check Your Flights Status From producer Carmen Molina: Hurricane Erin may lead to oceanic route closures, informs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on its Daily Air Traffic Report. Also, low clouds may slow flights in Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, New York (Newark, JFK, LaGuardia) and Washington, D.C. (10:23 a.m. EDT) Head To The Swimming Pool, East Coast From senior writer Chris DeWeese: map of rip current risk Theres a very good reason why we keep seeing states along the East Coast banning ocean swimming today. As the latest Rip Current Risk map from the National Hurricane Center shows, the danger is high almost all the way up the coast, and, honestly, anyone who wants to take a dip should just find a swimming pool instead. (10:08 a.m. EDT) Hurricane Hunters Find Stronger Erin From senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter mission just measured a peak wind of 114 mph a whopping 92 miles northeast of the center of Hurricane Erin. That measurement was taken at the level the plane was flying, not at the surface. But that measurement in addition to a surface pressure 6 millibars lower than the 5 a.m. ET NHC advisory indicates Erin is strengthening. But since Erins center and eyewall is forecast to remain offshore, the most significant aspect of the hurricane for U.S. impacts is the growing area its winds are covering, as we explain here. (10:00 a.m. EDT) Jenkinsons Boardwalk Closed From producer Carmen Molina: Jenkinsons Boardwalk at Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, closed its access to the ocean until further notice. As the conditions worsen due to the dangerous water conditions and rip tides from Hurricane Erin, the beaches could be fully closed as well, per their announcement posted on Facebook. Some of their events for this upcoming weekend have already been canceled for this week. (09:51 a.m. EDT) Outer Banks Warning: Your Window For Evacuating Is Closing A dire warning this morning from the National Weather Service for people still in areas like Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. Weve told you how we could see some of the worst coastal surges and flooding as the day progresses, so the window to evacuate is closing. (09:37 a.m. EDT) Ash Devil In Wyoming As Red Canyon Fire Rages From senior writer Chris DeWeese: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wyomings Red Canyon Fire has ballooned to over 177 square miles in size, with 28% containment. As temperatures hit triple digits yesterday, a firefighter captured an incredible scene as an ash devil (a dust devil dark with ashes from the fire) came into view. Watch it here: (09:25 a.m. EDT) Two Other Areas To Watch In The Atlantic Besides Erin From meteorologist Jennifer Gray: Hurricane Erin is definitely the main feature to watch right now in the Atlantic, but dont lose sight on two more areas of interest that are right on Erins heels. The National Hurricane Center is watching one area in the central Atlantic that is showing signs of potential development. This cluster of thunderstorms could become our next tropical depression as early as later this week or this weekend. Regardless of development, it will create unsettled weather in and around the northern Leeward Islands by Friday. The second area is just south of the Cabo Verde Islands and has a small window of opportunity to develop into a tropical system before conditions become more unfavorable in the next few days. The next name on the hurricane list is Fernand. (09:20 a.m. EDT) New Jersey Beaches Ban Swimming From senior engagement editor Ron Brackett: With Hurricane Erin creating high surf and dangerous rip currents, New Jersey has closed at least 16 beaches to swimming. "We don't want anyone in the ocean," Seaside Heights Mayor Anthony Vaz told the Asbury Park Press. The National Weather Service warned that large, breaking waves of 5 to 8 feet are expected in the surf zone on Wednesday and 7 to 12 feet on Thursday. "Conditions at all beaches will be very dangerous. Extreme caution is advised for any beachgoers," the Weather Service said in a tweet. (09:00 a.m. EDT) No Swimming At New Yorks Southern Ocean Beaches; NYC Beaches Closed From producer Carmen Molina: Gov. Kathy Hochul directed the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to suspend swimming at Long Island ocean beaches due to flooding and rough surf conditions and potential rip tides resulting from Hurricane Erin. Swimming has been restricted at Jones Beach, Robert Moses and Hither Hills State Parks through Thursday. The peak hurricane season is approaching, and we have strong preparations in place to keep people safe, Hochul said. In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams and Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, the parks commissioner, said Tuesday that city beaches would be closed for several days. (08:29 a.m. EDT) Erins Waves Crash Into The Outer Banks While hundreds of residents and tourists evacuated North Carolinas Outerbanks on Tuesday, others got caught in some of the earliest flooding from Hurricane Erin. The combination of the storm and high tide sent waves surging into homes, hotels and Highway 12 - the only way in and out of those islands. See it all in this video. (08:15 a.m. EDT) Hurricane Erin Will Bring Impacts To Northeast, New England From meteorologist Jennifer Gray: While Hurricane Erin will stay well offshore, parts of southern New England and the Northeast will still feel impacts. Winds could gust as high as 30-50 mph at times along the southern parts of New England and the Northeast coast. High surf and coastal flooding will also be a concern as Erins steady onshore winds will push water toward the coast. High surf advisories are in place along the northern New Jersey coast, extending northeastward to Cape Cod. Waves higher than 10 feet are possible just offshore. Aug. 19MITCHELL Dakota Wesleyan University and Mitchell Public Schools will host a press conference on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at 11 a.m. in the commons of the new Mitchell High School located at 821 N. Capital Street in Mitchell. This press conference will unveil an unprecedented partnership that will permanently change the face of pre-K through university education in Mitchell. DWU President Dan Kittle and Mitchell School District Superintendent Joe Childs will provide details at the event. The event will be livestreamed on the Mitchell Republic website at the link below. Ever since Republicans released their new congressional redistricting plan that pits Lloyd Doggett against Greg Casar, the two Austin Democrats have said they're focused on a common enemy: defeating President Donald Trump's push for five more GOP seats in next year's midterms. This isn't about my seat. This isn't about Congressman Doggetts seat," Casar said at a rally outside the Governor's Mansion early this month where he and Doggett marched side by side with about 100 demonstrators. "This isn't about any member of Congress. This is about the people of the United States being able to have their voices heard in order to form a more perfect union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Committee advances new congressional map hours after Democrats' return But just days later, that vow of solidarity began to splinter. Doggett, in an email to supporters, suggested that even though the Democrats' fight to kill redistricting was ongoing, perhaps it was time to prepare for a Republican victory. To that effect, Doggett said, he was best suited to run in the new, safely-Democratic Austin district and Casar should shift his sights to a neighboring seat that will favor Republicans and does not include the state's capital city. Casar, who represents District 35, has said he has no plans to run for a seat that will no longer include at least part of Austin. In an email to his supporters, Casar's aide Stephanie Trinh bristled at Doggett's suggestion. "Without discussing it with Greg or his team, Congressman Doggett sent an email to supporters saying that if the maps pass Greg should leave Austin to run in a south-Texas district that Trump won by nearly 10 points," Trinh said in the email. "Other than the fact that Republicans arbitrarily assigned this seat the same number as Gregs current one, theres no reason it would make sense for Greg to run in that district fewer than 10% of Gregs constituents would be in it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With 30 years of service in the U.S. House under his belt, the 78-year-old Doggett stands to be among the top leaders in Congress if Democrats wrest control of the chamber next year. READ MORE: Interactive maps show how Texas GOP redistricting plans hinge on noncitizens Casar is in only his second term in Washington. But at 36, he appears to be on the fast track for leadership. Heading into the 2025 congressional session, he was elected to chair the House's Progressive Caucus, and he used that platform to make appearances both in Texas and in other states to highlight the organization's agenda. From a political standpoint, it makes perfect sense for Republicans to force Casar and Doggett into a cage match that only one can survive, said James Henson, who heads the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For all the unpredictability that we've seen in this (redistricting) process, this is one of the more predictable things," Henson said. "It's the core of their strategy, to put two Austin area Democrats together in the same district." A generational divide With the new maps appearing more and more certain, some Austin Democrats are reluctantly beginning to choose sides. For Mike Siegel, a member of the Austin city council who made failed bids for a congressional seat in 2018 and 2020, a Doggett-Casar race would be about the future versus the past. "Even though Congressman Doggett has the seniority and all this expertise, we really need to have a leader for many years to come," Siegel said. And (we need) someone who's really going build a movement not just represent a district, but build a movement for political change. And I think that's what Congressman Casar offers." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alfred Stanley, an Austin Democratic operative whose career in the Austin political trenches is nearly as long as Doggett's, said the veteran congressman's long tenure would be hard to replace, especially if Democrats retake the majority in the U.S. House. He rejected any suggestion that time has passed Doggett by. "In Congress, what matters is seniority in terms of being able to address the crucial problems," Stanley said. "If we lose Doggett, we're going to lose a crucial voice on that health subcommittee. It's irreplaceable. There's no question in my mind." Since winning his first race for Congress in 1994, Doggett has built and maintained a grassroots network that propelled him to victory in 15 consecutive reelection campaigns. And he survived no fewer than three past Republican redistricting efforts that sought to end his career. Casar, too, is a product of the Democratic grassroots in Texas' most reliably Democratic large city. He was a workers rights organizer before winning a seat in the Austin city council in 2015, and won election to Congress in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Saturday's rally on the steps of the Texas Capitol, the two appeared worlds apart. There was no joint photo opportunity, and their speeches were about an hour apart from one another. Without mentioning Casar's name, Doggett made a back-handed case that his fellow Democrat is best positioned to deny Republicans at least one of the five new seats they are seeking. "In the redrawn district that is nearest the one where we're standing right now, Hispanics have a strong majority, and Biden got 49% against Trump," Doggett said of the proposed district that would meander south toward San Antonio. "Is there anyone here who believes that we ought to abandon that or any of these other redrawn districts and surrender them to Trump? Do you think that a dynamic nominee and a united effort by all of us can beat Trump at his own game?" Doggett, who was the first prominent Democrat to call for then-President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign last year, has since disputed that he was picking a fight with his fellow Democrat, saying his "only war is against Trump." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For his part, Casar is using public appearances to highlight his commitment to representing Austin as a way to push back on any notion that he'd run for office outside of the city. "When I feel lost or down, when I feel horrible, I think about all of you," Casar said at the Capitol rally. "I think about all of us. You all make me so proud of Austin, Texas. I'm proud that our city is fighting. I'm proud of the grit that we have, even when the odds are stacked against us. And we need that fight and that grit now more than ever." Jen Ramos, a Democratic activist and a member of the state party's executive committee, said she's not ready to take sides, assuming the proposed map is enacted. But she added, the political landscape in Austin has shifted significantly during the half-century Doggett has been in public life. "The political climate has changed. It's more diverse," Ramos said. "It could be anybody's game. Staff writer Bayliss Wagner contributed to this report. TREMONTON, Utah (ABC4) After two police officers tragically lost their lives in Tremonton, local businesses are joining the communitys outpouring of support for local law enforcement and the families of the fallen officers. Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada were shot and killed after they responded to a domestic violence call late Sunday night. Box Elder County Sherriffs Deputy Mike Allred and his K9 Azula were also injured in the shooting after he responded to a call for backup, though they are recovering and have since returned home. READ NEXT: Tremonton officials speak on loss of two officers, address community impact Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson acting on behalf of Sgt. Sorensens family expressed the familys gratitude for the community at a press conference earlier today, and said, We love Lee, well miss him, and we are grateful for everyone in this community. Brittany, the wife of Officer Eric Estrada, also spoke out for the first time, releasing a statement to the public while also asking for privacy so that the family has time to grieve. She also thanked Chief Cordova of Tremonton Garland Police Department for his support, as well as Detectives Cluff, Bourne, and Martinez with Box Elder County Sheriffs Office. We want to say thank you to our wonderful community and the union, love, and support we have received during this difficult time. Everything feels surreal at the moment, but we are so proud of Eric and Lee for their sacrifice. They had hundreds of officers show up to share their love and support and thousands of people all along the freeways, bridges, towns, and highways proudly waved their flags saying their goodbyes. He is the best father and husband. We are so thankful for the time we had with Eric. I know he is in heaven smiling down. Brittany, Officer Estradas wife After this tragic incident, ABC4.com is highlighting a few of those businesses and what they are doing to support local law enforcement. Cache Coffee remembers Officer Estrada Mindie Buttars, owner of Cache Coffee, posted on social media to get the word out to more people about setting up flags along the side of the road for the procession yesterday. They are also providing coffee for the Tremonton Garland Police Department for the rest of this week at the request of Fallen Heroes Network, alongside Schaefers Bakery, who is providing donuts. Cache Coffee And More works to spread mental health awareness and offers a safe for individuals to store their firearms while facing a mental health crisis. (KTVX/Nicholas Rewey) Cache Coffee And More works to spread mental health awareness and offers a safe for individuals to store their firearms while facing a mental health crisis. (KTVX/Nicholas Rewey) Weve always been really supportive of law enforcement, so we were more than happy to join in and help, Buttars said. Its heartbreaking any time the community, you know, loses law enforcement like that. I dont remember a time its ever hit so close to home for us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He would show up time and time again: Family remembers Sgt Sorensen killed in line of duty in Tremonton Buttars said that everyone at Cache Coffee knew Estrada. He came in all the time with another law enforcement friend of theirs who worked with Estrada at several different police departments. We have Malinois here in the coffee shop, and [Estrada] would love on the Malinois every time he was here, Buttars said. He wanted to have his own one day, but he had small kids, so he had to wait, and in the meantime, he would come in here and love on the ones we have here. Theyve known him for at least six years, Buttars said. They met not long after he started working in law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said that the best thing the community can do for Estradas family is to give them the space and time to heal. At the same time, show support in the community. I said today that when the flags come down, and the ribbons come off the street, and days and weeks have gone by, its not a time to forget just how important law enforcement is to our community, that they should be supported always, all the time. While Cache Coffee is planning to provide the Tremonton Garland Police Department with coffee for the rest of the week, Buttars said, honestly, well take coffee out to them as long as they need it. Bears Cafe in Garland offers dining room as safe space Michael Duncan, owner and operator of Bears Cafe in Garland is opening early to provide their dining room as a safe space for first responders and anyone else who was directly affected by the loss of Sgt. Sorensen and Officer Estrada. Duncan just bought Bears Cafe, and theyre not opening to the public until September 1, but the dining room is now open for those who need it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to make sure that everybody that was involved Sunday night and Monday morning has a safe space that they can go and decompress, Duncan said. Duncan is a veteran; he served 12 years in the Army, and so he feels connected to law enforcement officers and first responders. I consider every one of them a brother or sister, and their families serve as well. When I came back from Iraq, having a safe space wasnt really there for me, at least, not that I readily saw, so it wasnt until I had a really good commander that pulled me aside and said, you need to fix yourself, you need to decompress. Youre not helping anybody if youre not helping yourself. He said that hed be happy to drive down and open the doors at any time of night, whenever anyone needs it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duncan didnt know Sgt. Sorenson or Officer Estrada personally, but he had met them in the course of his previous business dealings. To their families, he said, We desperately feel the pain. Its not going to fix it, its not going to bring them back, but one thing we would like to do, if we have your permission, is to put their pictures on our wall, and remember them forever. Rogers HVAC waives labor costs for law enforcement Ben Rogers, owner of Rogers HVAC, posted on Facebook Monday night expressing gratitude for local law enforcement, but he wanted to do more to truly show his appreciation. I decided to make it well known that if there were local law enforcement, either active or retired, that were having air conditioning issues in these hot weathers, that we would waive any sort of labor charges associated with repairing their systems. The initial post was a bit of an impulsive decision, but it was an easy answer, Rogers said. Service to our community and to our nation has always been something thats very close and dear to me. Like Duncan, Rogers is also an Army veteran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have spent many days away from my own family, sacrificing my time in giving service, he said, adding that he knows many people who have served in the military or as law enforcement. Oftentimes, it can be a really thankless profession, and its something that I dont ever take lightly when folks put their life on the line to keep me safe. Rogers HVAC will be waiving labor costs for active or retired law enforcement until the end of August. Rogers said that he figured that was the amount of time that he can waive those costs without causing a burden on his company, and it will get everyone through one of the hottest months of the year, when the majority of air conditioning failures happen. Firehouse Pizzeria offers free meal to law enforcement and firefighters Following the Tremonton incident, Firehouse Pizzeria in both Logan and Brigham City offering a free meal to law enforcement and firefighters. We just want to take care of them like they take care of us, shared Greg Chambers, co-owner of Firehouse pizzeria in Logan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All those who serve are able to go get a free lunch special, or a free entree at dinner from now through Saturday the 23. They never get enough credit for all that they do, shared Chambers. Chambers shared that so far, the turnout has been good. He is happy to give back to the community. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) Tuesday, August 26, is International Dog Day and A Time for Science is celebrating early on Saturday, August 23. The museum is inviting children and adults to stop by at 12:30pm and learn about dogs with jobs. Theyll be covering the history of working dogs and their careers right up to todays dogs with jobs. The Kinston Police Department is set to attend with their retired K9 Brix, and 11 year old German Sheppard who worked for the department for eight years. A Time for Science is located at 226 West 8th Street in Greenville. The event will happen on Saturday, August 23, at 12:30pm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT. Ariana DeBose's mother has died. Ariana DeBose's mom has died The West Side Story actress has paid a touching tribute to her "favourite person, biggest fan and toughest critic" after Gina DeBose passed away on Sunday (17.08.25) at the age of 57 following a three-year battle with cancer. Ariana wrote on Instagram: "At 10:28 am on August 17th my gorgeous, hilarious, outspoken, warrior queen Mother - Gina Michelle DeBose - passed away due to complications with stage 3 ovarian cancer. I couldnt be more proud of her and how she fought this insidious disease over the past 3 years. She was 57 years young. "She was my favorite person, my biggest fan and toughest critic. My best friend. She was my date to every important moment in my professional and personal life - and I wouldnt have it any other way. It had always been the two of us for as long as I can remember. "Through lean times, and there were many of those + green times. She fought like hell to give me a good life, a good education and every opportunity in the world. I wouldnt be where I am without her. I meant it when I said my Oscar is just as much hers as it is mine.(sic)" The 34-year-old actress praised her mom for her years of being a dedicated teacher and reflected on how many lives she had touched outside of her own family. She continued: "My mom loved to paint, play cards, listen to good music + snuggle with her cats; but her lifes purpose, aside from being my mom, was educating young people. "She passed just shy of delivering 30 years of service as a public school teacher (most currently 8th grade social studies). And, my god, did she thrive in a classroom. Her creativity knew no bounds. She was beloved and incredibly respected by her colleagues and students alike. "The greatest advocate for the underdog, a believer in arts education and the smartest person I know - with a willingness to speak her mind regardless of the consequences. But she was also a heart forward individual who believed in hard work, compassion and empathy in the same breath. "I know that many people in her community will feel the loss of her deeply for she was her own brand of local celebrity. She was a force of epic proportion. "For the record: my greatest and most proud achievement will always be to have made her proud. "I love you mommy. Now travel amongst the seas, the winds and the angels as I know you always loved to do." Amidst a selection of photos of her mother, Ariana also shared details of various charities for people to donate to in lieu of sending flowers. Editors note: The video aired on July 31. QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) Local officials are speaking out after a 6-year-old student in Queens and her mother were detained by ICE and deported to Ecuador. A joint statement was released by Assembly Member Catalina Cruz and Council Member Shekar Krishnan that reads in part, We are heartbroken to hear the news that early this morning, the Trump administration deported a 6-year-old student from PS 89 in Elmhurst, Queens, as well as her mother, to Ecuador. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More Local News The statement continues, There is no greater depravity than separating a family and deporting a 6-year-old child two weeks before she is supposed to start school. It is a shameful stain on our countrys history and conscience. The Trump administration and its mass deportation agenda, carried out by ICE, is utilizing our courts as a means to detain, bully, and terrorize people who lawfully appear for their required check-ins and hearings. It has now torn a family apart, separating children from parents and ripping a young child from her community. Separating families doesnt make anyone safer. It only generates fear and tears apart our neighborhoods. It is an abhorrent practice, and it must end now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement assures that local officials are working with legal counsel, the Department of Education, and government agencies to have the mother and daughter returned. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State The detention, first reported by the nonprofit news outlet The City, isnt the first time ICE has detained a New York City public school student after they had been in the vicinity of the federal building. Mamadou Diallo, another New York City student, was detained by ICE during a routine hearing, City Council Member Lincoln Restler said. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. A local woman is upset with the criminal justice system after her son was assaulted by Markeith Loyd in a state hospital, and Loyd was subsequently released to Orange County. Markeith Loyd, who was deemed incompetent to stand trial for robbery and other charges, was committed to a state mental health hospital in 2019. He was later released into his mothers custody in Orange County, but his release was revoked following an alleged violation of conditions. I feel that if you are still a part of the criminal justice system as far as being in quasi-inmate that you have no business getting a free pass to come home, said the mother, whose son was attacked by Loyd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ryan Andrews, an attorney, voiced his concerns about the release process stating, On the one hand hes found not competent to stand trial but on the other hes granted these furloughs where hes allowed to go untethered. Court records show that a judge questioned Loyds release to his mother in July, citing jurisdictional issues with Baker County. Six days later, Loyds conditional release was revoked because the judge cited alleged violations of the release terms. The son of the Oviedo woman was also among those who voluntarily sought mental health treatment at the same facility where Loyd was admitted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Loyd has a hearing set for Thursday to decide if he will go back to the hospital or stay in Orange County. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Aug. 19MORGANTOWN A longtime employee with the city of Morgantown has filed a lawsuit against the city claiming, among other things, the city has failed to honor a previous settlement agreement and continues to foster a "systematic culture of racism." Lamar Johnson, a 24-year employee of the city, filed suit in Monongalia County Circuit Court on Aug. 6 naming the city as the lone defendant. According to South Charleston attorney Sean Cook, Johnson is suing because the city has failed to honor a 2020 settlement agreement that resulted from mediation after the city was notified of a potential civil claim over race-based violations of the West Virginia Human Rights Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cook claims those violations resulted in disparate impact, disparate treatment, hostile work environment, retaliation and failure to promote. The 2020 mediation statement, included as background in the lawsuit, claims multiple examples of racial slurs and racial intimidation within the public works garage as well as a lack of promotion of Johnson and another African American who was a 25-plus year employee of the city garage. It claims neither man had received a single promotion in their time with the city. The statement includes an affidavit from the former director of public works laying out a number of concerns, including the termination of the FPC Morgantown (Kennedy Center) inmate work program with the city due to repeated racially discriminatory speech and behavior from the city employee overseeing the inmates. Ultimately, in lieu of litigation, the city and Johnson reached a settlement agreement that mandated, among other things, Johnson receive the systems training afforded to other employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the lawsuit, that training was never sufficiently provided and Johnson was recently passed over for promotion in lieu of an external candidate who is Caucasian. "Lamar has been intentionally excluded from numerous other training and educational programs since 2020 ..., " the lawsuit states. "Lamar has now worked for the city for approximately 24 years and has been denied upward mobility and promotions despite his service and experience." Cook says any claims from the city that Johnson has not been promoted due to substandard job performance is "inherently flawed " because he would have been fired by now if that were the case. Further, "the same decision-makers who made such a determination are part of the implicit and explicit prejudicial system at the City." According to the suit, the city has breached its 2020 "contract " with Johnson, engaged in racial discrimination resulting in disparate impact, retained employees negligently resulting in harm, been negligent in employee training, has not dealt fairly and in good faith and is guilty of prima facie negligence for failing to follow its own policies. "The City of Morgantown is aware of the complaint filed by Mr. Johnson, and it is currently under review through the appropriate legal processes, " Morgantown Communications Director Brad Riffee said. "We want to make it unequivocally clear that the City of Morgantown does not tolerate racism or any form of discrimination. We remain committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and equitable community for all." Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Florida were dispatched on a report of a puppy trapped in a drain pipe in Flagler Beach and wound up rescuing the animal, which turned out to be a fox kit. The Flagler Beach Fire Department said on social media that crews responded alongside Flagler County Fire Rescue when a dog was reported to be trapped in a drain pipe along Lambert Avenue. "Upon arrival, crews from Engine 11 confirmed the presence of an animal lodged approximately 30 feet inside the drain pipe," the post said. "Due to the complexity of the incident, Flagler County Fire Rescue's Technical Rescue Team was requested to assist." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The animal was removed from the drain pipe and crews initially thought they had rescued a coyote pup, but the post was later updated to report the canine was actually a fox. The fox was turned over to Flagler County Animal Control for veterinary care and rehabilitation. A lost pooch was found outside a St. Louis auto repair shop, and it turns out the friendly little gal had been missing for more than a year! Workers were concerned after spotting the canine and took it to Stray Rescue of St. Louis, where staffers scanned it and found what they were praying for a microchip. The staff called the number on the chip and were stunned by the man who answered the phone. He said his little dog had been missing for ONE YEAR and ONE MONTH!! Stray Rescue workers reveal on their Facebook page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emotional dog owner hightailed it over to the shelter. This guy walks in, crying (now were all crying, too), and we bring the dog out whose tail is going 1,000,000 miles per minute, shares Stray Rescue. They are reunited, and we guarantee shes never going to go missing again! These two were so happy to be reunited! Stray Rescue of St. Louis also has words of advice for pet owners everywhere: Whats the message here? Make sure your pets are microchipped, and your info is up to date!! Miracles happen! A university student said he "couldn't sleep" trying to get his student loan application approved before he started his second year. Sameer Ahmed Khan, who left Turkey and settled in Spalding after moving to the UK in 2019, was granted settlement status in July but said he spent weeks "going back and forth" with the Student Loans Company (SLC). He feared he would not be able to progress with his business and management degree at ARU Peterborough in September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SLC said Mr Khan's application would "now be processed" following his settlement status "being updated by the Home Office". The Home Office has been approached for comment by the BBC. Mr Khan, who was born in Dubai and is half Iranian-half Pakistani, received his first year loan with a biometric residence permit as he was on a five-year route-to-settlement visa. The 19-year-old then applied for, and was granted, indefinite leave to remain in July by the Home Office which meant he was given settlement status to work, live and study in the UK without any time restrictions. Sameer Ahmed Khan is studying business and management at ARU Peterborough [Family handout] However, he was given a share code for SLC to view his settlement status, which came back as invalid three times, according to Mr Khan's mother, Sana Alvandi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, her son's application for a student loan was "repeatedly denied" by SLC, she said. Mr Khan said the situation left him stressed and he was disappointed by how it had been handled. "I just want my voice to be heard essentially," he said. "There were days I couldn't cope, sometimes I couldn't sleep. If this was going to happen... I could end up losing my academic career over stupid things." 'Lose his future' Ms Alvandi said it had felt like "knocking on a door and it not opening even though I had a key in my hand". "My son was feeling like he was going to lose his future," she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SLC said it received status information regularly from the Home Office but had to wait for those details to be received before applications were processed. A spokesperson said: "Following Mr Khan's status being updated by the Home Office, his student finance application will now be processed as per our regulations." Professor Ross Renton, Principal of ARU Peterborough, said: "We are proud to welcome students from across the world, from every corner of the UK, as well as from right here in our local community. "Each student brings a unique perspective and energy that enriches both our university and the city of Peterborough, and we're delighted to support them in fulfilling their ambitions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices Related internet stories Related internet links BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Louisiana car insurance policyholders could get relief after more than 20 car insurance companies filed rate reductions. Gov. Jeff Landry and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple report rate decreases since the beginning of 2025. According to Temple, insurers cited reductions in the frequency of car accidents as the main reason for decreases. As cost drivers in the market go down, losses go down with them, and businesses are incentivized to compete for customers through lower pricing, Temple said. While it will take time for this years legal reforms to take effect and begin making a difference, it is a positive sign that insurers saw fewer accidents in 2024 and early 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landry and Temple each pushed a package of bills to address the states insurance crisis for lawmakers to debate in the regular legislative session. The governor criticized insurance companies and trial lawyers, saying they aided the rise in car and homeowners insurance rates while insurers profited. In an Aug. 19 video message, Landry thanked the legislature after several car insurance bills passed, saying the tide is turning as rates go down. This proves that our plan is working. While some claimed I was protecting trial lawyers and others complained I was too soft on insurance companies, I never wavered. We kept our focus on the data because the only side Im on is your side, Landry said. Temple said it could take one to two years of consistent reform to bring down rates for Louisiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our focus on improving our regulatory and legal environments while ensuring rates are actuarially justified will promote competition and ultimately stabilize auto insurance premiums for Louisiana drivers, Temple said. Car insurance costs could rise 7% by years end amid tariffs: Analysis The table below shows 14 rate decreases of more than 1%: Company Written Premium % Change Imperial Fire and Casualty (AllState) $56,073,443 -7.9% Imperial Fire and Casualty (AllState) $99,838,669 -8.1% Geico [commercial auto] $913,093 -7.3% State Farm $1,803,928,170 -3.915% GoAuto $172,370,379 -8.06% Hugo $96,103 -13.6% LM General (Liberty Mutual) $25,511,750 -5.1% Peerless Indemnity (Liberty Mutual) $22,321,483 -5% Liberty (Liberty Mutual) $3,700,848 -5% Encompass (AllState) $5,181,903 -1.3% GoAuto $157,798,164 -9.92% Progressive Security $681,691,232 -3.2% Imperial Fire and Casualty (AllState) $96,846,628 -5% GM National $3,679 -6.9% Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. BATON ROUGE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The State Library of Louisiana has officially opened a new Literacy and Learning Lab. Texarkana Literacy Council coordinator shares inspiring story at conference The lab offers hands-on and technology-based learning that aims to start a lifelong love of reading. The project is a joint initiative of the State Library, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and the Family Resource Group Foundation (FRGF). The foundations goal is to expand access to educational materials, facilitate community outreach initiatives, and donate resources to promote literacy. (Image courtesy of the State Library of Louisiana) Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser was in attendance and said, Finding creative ways to engage our youngest learners is important to building literacy and critical thinking skills. The Literacy and Learning Lab supports this concept by providing a dynamic environment where young students and school groups can enjoy new reading experiences through interactive tools and activities built into the space. Its learning that feels like play. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lab features literacy activities, educational games, puzzles, word search activities displayed on the walls of the rooms, Talking Books, Braille demonstration technology, highlighted local landmarks, fun library facts, and take-home resources and publications. (Image courtesy of The State Library of Louisiana) State Librarian Meg Placke said, The Literacy and Learning Lab reinforces the role of public libraries as community learning hubs. Public library services complement classroom instruction, and we are excited to leverage this new resource to expand our work with schools to support early literacy development. Representatives of the public library systems and FRGF leadership attended the grand opening, which the Baton Rouge Area Chamber conducted. NSUs literacy program awarded grant by International Paper Foundation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Literacy and Learning Lab is located on the first floor of the State Library and is available to the public during all operating hours. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Rockford Police arrested Jordan Rothenbach, 34, for allegedly sexually abusing a child. Officers received reports of sexual misconduct toward a minor from DCFS on June 24. During an interview with the 9-year-old victim, she reported the suspect had touched her inappropriately in 2018. Rothenbach was later taken into custody and booked into the Winnebago County Jail, but was granted pretrial release on August 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child. The suspects mugshot was not readily available. If you are a survivor of domestic or sexual violence, visit our Stateline Strong page for resources. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Louisiana State University has officially launched its search for the next president, with students, staff, and community members gathering on Tuesday, alongside the LSU Board of Supervisors, to begin the process. The university enlisted consultant Christel Slaughter and her team to lead the national search. Board members said Slaughters long ties to LSU and her track record in executive searches will help ensure a strong candidate pool. We love to use local, LSU-centric people as long as theyre available, said Scott Ballard, chairman of the LSU Board of Supervisors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slaughter said the job posting will be live soon, with recruiting calls and promotions beginning shortly after. The firm expects to review about 75 applicants in the coming months before narrowing the list to three to five finalists. Those finalists will be presented to the Board of Supervisors during public meetings scheduled to resume on Oct. 1. Ballard said he hopes a final decision could come before Thanksgiving, though the timeline calls for a selection by the spring semester. Student voices also played a role in the kickoff. Some students and alumni staged a small protest outside the meeting, calling for transparency and greater input in the process. I think this is a very good committee, said LSU Student Body President Lavar Henderson. And I think the chairman is going to really make sure that we get a good candidate to be our next president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others were more critical, saying students must remain engaged at every step. I can tell that they werent expecting the students to show up and be militant, said Ryan Spalt, a former LSU student. Were ready to be here for every meeting making sure they know what we want and making sure that they hear us. 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. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Superstar women in law enforcement were celebrated for their bravery Tuesday at the 8th annual Wonder Women of Metro event hosted by the LVMPD Foundation. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation gave out four awards to standout officers within the Metro Police Department. The three recognized as rising stars were Officer Ann Hardman, Corrections Officer Angelina Cayuga and Civilian Staff member Mackenzie Nogues. There was also a fourth award dedicated to the late officer Cristal Simms, a veteran turned metro officer, who passed away due to cancer. That award went to Officer Alexis Turner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in December, Id actually had brain surgery. Thats why this is even more meaningful to me. Because it shows you can go through something so tough, and in your personal life, and still do what youre meant to do professionally, Turner said. The foundation said they chose Turner for the Cristal Simms award due to her quick response to a shooting last year. Turner helped a woman who had ten gunshot wounds and ultimately saved her life. The LVMPD foundation hopes to support female officers throughout their careers. We have often struggled to get females to join law enforcement, so when this was started over eight years ago, it really was part and parcel to get more females introduced into a law enforcement career, Executive Director Karen Marben said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sergeant Stephanie Ward helps with officer recruitment and has been with Metro police for nearly two decades. She said that during her time, she has seen an increase in female officers. Right now our numbers are looking fabulous, the Sergeant said. We know law enforcement is male-dominating, and as the women come through, sometimes you get a different perspective on things. Mayors Michelle Romero and Shelley Berkley were among the dignitaries in the over 200-person crowd during the fundraising event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Box Elder County sheriffs deputy Mike Allred said he is doing well with his recovery, but his heart breaks for the loss of his two law enforcement brothers. We are all hurting. Right now Im broken, pissed, sad and confused, Allred posted on his Facebook page. He and his police K-9, Azula, a 3-year-old female Belgian Malinois, were injured in the ambush attack on Sunday night in Tremonton that claimed the lives of Tremonton-Garland Police Sgt. Lee Sorensen and officer Eric Estrada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the two officers were shot, Allred arrived at the scene as backup. He was still inside his vehicle when he was shot. The deputy sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Bullets penetrating the vehicle struck the deputys police service K-9 in the rear compartment, causing serious injuries; the K-9 is expected to survive, a police booking affidavit for Ryan Michael Bate, 32, states. The affidavit says Bate was armed with a high-powered rifle. As of Wednesday, formal charges were pending against Bate. In his social media post on Wednesday, Allred said that he wants to let everyone know that I feel the love and support that has been sent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have received so many messages and phone calls. I have tried to answer all of them, but I cannot keep up. Allred also says his heart breaks for the loss of my two brothers my friends. There is no doubt in my mind that they would do the same for me!! My heart aches for their families, all of my brothers and sisters who do this job. We may have different colors of uniforms, but we all work together and are one big team, he continued. Allred also offered an update on Azula, saying the police dog will be fine. He also praised his family for holding me together. If I could ask one thing to come from this senseless tragedy, dont forget how much love and support is being handed out right now. Communities are coming together, people are coming together. Kindness and love is being shared. Keep this moving forward and dont stop ever, Allred said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a news conference Tuesday, Box Elder County Sheriff Kevin Potter called Allreds actions heroic for trying to protect other responding officers even after he was hit. He was ambushed, Potter said. He was putting the car in park and picking up the radio to call for help and calling that he had seen officers down, added Box Elder County Chief Sheriffs Deputy Cade Palmer. He immediately took a round into his vehicle, which injured him and his K-9. In audio from police scanners Sunday evening, Allred can be heard saying, Shots fired. Ive been hit. The sound of shooting continued as Allred took cover behind his patrol vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im hit, Allred said again, breathing heavily. I dont know if its in my head or my shoulder. Even after getting shot, Allred proceeded to give directions to other officers responding to the scene and telling them where not to go so they didnt end up in the line of fire. Hes a hero because he was telling all of the other officers who were coming, Potter said. Funeral arrangements for Estrada and Sorensen have not been announced as of Wednesday. Contributing: Daniel Woodruff Former tenants and members of the Triangle Tenant Union gathered outside of the Comfort Inn for a press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 20. (Photo by Greg Childress/NC Newsline) Entrance to Camelot Village in Chapel Hill. (Photo by Greg Childress/NC Newsline) Displaced residents of Camelot Village in Chapel Hill are growing anxious as time runs out on their stay at the Comfort Inn in Durham. The residents were forced to leave their rental homes in early July after rain from Tropical Storm Chantal sent Bolin Creek overflowing its banks and spilling into the nearly 60-year-old townhome community. At a press conference Wednesday, the residents told reporters that they must leave the hotel Aug. 29 after disaster assistance from Orange County, Triangle Mutual Aid and private citizens runs out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im gonna be homeless, pretty much because I havent found a place to go that I can afford, said Jessica Tickles. I had to take out of work to find housing, so Im like restarting back to work and its like starting from zero. Their rent and those deposits are their money and thats not being returned so that they can move forward with their lives, get housing, return to their dignity. C.R. Clark, Triangle Tenant Union Residents complained that landlords and town and county officials have been slow to respond to concerns and have not done enough to help as they struggle to find housing in the aftermath of the storm, which they say left them financially strapped and stressed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the help of the Triangle Tenant Union, the residents issued these demands: Return of July rents due to the uninhabitability of the units after the storm. Return of security deposits to assist tenants in securing new housing. Cancellation of leases and August rent for tenants who want to move. Relocation assistance in securing permanent housing that meets their needs. Temporary accommodations for tenants who want to return after building repair and remediation. Its unlawful to charge rent for an uninhabitable apartment in North Carolina, said C.R. Clark with Triangle Tenant Union. This is a legal violation, but were trying to ensure that people can make demands of this landlord and move that forward rather than trying to go through court. Clark said the former tenants have only one week to secure housing and the county is telling them to just figure it out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of these people have been through so much trauma that figuring it out is really hard Clark said. Their rent and those deposits are their money and thats not being returned so that they can move forward with their lives, get housing, return to their dignity. He said people are gonna be on the street if Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson doesnt step up and provide staffing to get some of these things done, to get some relocation assistance, to pay for some of these application fees so that folks can get relocated and begin to rebuild their lives. Many residents lost everything in the flood and as many as three-fourths of them were unhoused before moving into Camelot Village, Clark said. The townhome rentals provided low-income residents with rare affordable housing in affluent Chapel Hill, he said. Some residents had federal Section 8 vouchers which means their rent was based on income. Others without vouchers pay as much as $950 a month to live there. Heather Gibbs (Photo by Greg Childress/NC Newsline) Camelot was the only affordable housing that I was able to be placed in, and I was not made aware of a flooding situation until the time of signing my lease, and at that point, I could not back out because of how the system works with people that are on county funding and things like that, said Heather Gibbs. If you say no to something in the process, then you are put out on the street and left to find housing somewhere else on your own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gibbs said she has applied to three or four places for housing and paid more than $300 in non-refundable application fees. The fees arent refunded even if the unit doesnt pass required inspections for Section 8 vouchers, she said. Its been really complicated for us to get in somewhere else that is safe, Gibbs said. I definitely would not return there [Camelot Village]. Dale Weldele (Photo by Greg Childress/NC Newsline) Dale Weldele, a recent amputee who now walks with the aid of a prosthetic leg, said he barely survived the flooding at Camelot Village. The neighbors saved my life, they got me to safety, Weldele said. My prosthetic came off in the current. I couldnt stand against it, so Im on one leg with crutches, trying to make it to the stairs Trash and household goods are stacked up outside apartment units. (Photo by Greg Childress/NC Newsline) The prospect of starting over is daunting, Weldele said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everything got destroyed. Its starting all over at an old age, and the whole thing, so its really hard, he said. Putting someone who is not stable on their feet in a ground level unit that you know floods and to leave them there and walk away, that should be illegal. Devin Gilgor, volunteer Triangle Mutual Aid Devin Gilgor, a volunteer with Triangle Mutual Aid, said many Camelot Village tenants have medical conditions and cannot afford to be unhoused. Gilgor noted that one of the former tenants is a paraplegic and that Weldele is still learning to navigate the world with his prosthetic. He said neither is capable of living in a tent in the woods if theyre unable to find safe, affordable housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre not capable of being unhoused, Gilgor said. They have medical conditions, they have special equipment for mobility purposes and some of them have intellectual disabilities that are creating massive hurdles for us in terms of getting through the application process for apartments. Long history of flooding Camelot Village has a long history flooding, Gilgor said. Ive lived down the street from Camelot my whole life, but my first memorable flood in Camelot was in 1972, he said. Ive been over there and mucked out apartments eight times now. Apartments are currently being refurbished, he said, with plans to put new residents in them, despite flooding and safety concerns. Some units are privately owned and others are corporate owned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre rebuilding to put more people in who are going to be low income, who are going to be on vouchers, who are going to have a special needs, and someones going to drown, Gilgor said. Putting someone who is not stable on their feet in a ground level unit that you know floods and to leave them there and walk away, that should be illegal. Gilgor lamented the fact that few elected officials attended the press conference despite being invited. I think the citizens need to take a good, hard look at town council, Gilgor said. Being that this is an election year, I would venture to say youd think more people would have showed up today because I personally invited everybody from town council and the mayor of Chapel Hill. Jamezetta Bedford, chairwoman of the Orange County Board of County Commissioners did attend the press conference. AUSTIN (KXAN) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said he has heard of people speculating that he would not run for reelection. On Tuesday afternoon, he made it clear that he will run again, making an official announcement to launch his 2026 campaign. Im all in. Ive always been all in, Patrick said. He made the announcement surrounded by several Republican state senators. In a news release sent shortly after the announcement, Patrick said, Im ready to hit the ground running for my re-election. With the help of my Texas Senate, weve accomplished so much, but there is more work to be done. Texas Lt. Gov Dan Patrick announced his 2026 reelection campaign on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (KXAN Photo: Chris Nelson) Texas Lt. Gov Dan Patrick announced his 2026 reelection campaign on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (KXAN Photo: Chris Nelson) This Session, we have virtually eliminated school property taxes for the average senior for the rest of their life and cut school property taxes nearly in half for those under 65. Im committed to continuing to lower property taxes in the Sessions ahead. We must continue to build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Texas for generations to come, Patrick said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before Tuesday, it was not immediately clear if Patrick would seek reelection, after he was tapped to chair President Donald Trumps new commission on religious liberty back in May, according to The Texas Tribune. This was part of the Trump administrations push to bring back religion, to the U.S. It was also Patrick who approached Trump with the idea for the commission, which President Trump noted during his speech in May. Patrick also touted a major media buy covering all 20 media markets across Texas through broadcast, cable, and streaming services as part of his campaign kick-off, the release said. During the news conference, Patrick said his campaign bank account will have $40 to $45 million available. Ive never seen a more ambitious campaign kickoff in Texas, Allen Blakemore, Texans for Dan Patrick senior strategist, said in the release. Launching a statewide media buy in all 20 markets, with broadcast, cable, and streaming media, certainly is laying a marker down. Lt. Governor Patrick and the Senate candidates are running to continue to deliver a bold conservative vision for Texas. Its an exciting milestone that shows the strength and momentum behind our campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. M23 rebels killed at least 140 people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last month in one of the worst atrocities by the armed group since its resurgence in late 2021, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said in a report. This is despite a peace process, brokered by the US and Qatar, to end the conflict in the region. Witnesses told the advocacy group that the Rwanda-backed rebels "summarily executed" local residents, including women and children, largely from the Hutu ethnic group in the Rutshuru area, near the Virunga National Park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rebels denied the allegations, accusing HRW of "falsifying" its report and being an "instrument of propaganda" for the government. The alleged massacre appears to have taken place during an M23 campaign against an armed Hutu group, the FDLR, formed by perpetrators of the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda. HRW said the total killings in July may exceed 300, corroborating similar findings by the UN earlier this month. Fighting between government troops and the M23 escalated in January, when the rebels captured large parts of the mineral-rich east, including the regional capital, Goma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands of civilians forced from their homes in the ongoing conflict, the UN says. In the report released on Wednesday, HRW said the M23 used machetes and gunfire to attack people in at least 14 villages and farming areas near the Virunga National Park between 10 and 30 July. The M23 fighters surrounded and blocked off all roads into the area to prevent people from leaving, witnesses said. "We woke up on 11 July and [the M23] were there in large numbers. [T]hey were already on our doorstep. [T]hey killed people with guns and machetes," a man said, adding that five members of his family were killed in Katanga area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A woman who saw M23 fighters kill her husband with a machete on 11 July said that M23 fighters that day rounded up about 70 women and children. "They told us to sit on the edge of the riverbank, and then they started shooting at us," the woman was quoted as saying, adding that she survived after falling into the river without being shot. Another man said that he watched as the rebels killed his wife and four children aged nine months to 10 years from afar, according to the report. Locals said that M23 fighters told them to immediately bury the bodies in the fields or leave them unburied, preventing families from organising funerals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "M23 fighters also threw bodies, including of women and children, into the Rutshuru River," the report added. The AFC opposition alliance, which includes the M23, accused HRW of failing to explore the possible involvement of other groups in a region that is a "theatre of complex operations". It rejected the report as "based on no tangible evidence, only on hearsay, deceptively interpreted imagery, and complicit silence regarding the crimes of the coalition forces". HRW said it analysed relevant videos and photographs, consulted with forensic pathologists and corroborated accounts using maps and satellite imagery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report identified by name the M23 battalion and military commanders allegedly involved. Citing telephone interviews with 25 witnesses plus medical workers, military and UN personnel, the report said that members of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), were backing the M23 operation. Earlier this month, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights also reported that the RDF had supported the M23 killings of "at least 319 between 9 and 21 July in four villages in Rutshuru". Rwanda angrily denied the UN accusations, calling them "gratuitous" and "sensational allegations," saying they risked undermining the peace process, and claiming that an armed group opposed to the M23 carried out the killings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement sent to the BBC following the HRW report, Rwanda said it had "nothing to do with these alleged findings". "The M23 is not Rwanda-controlled, and these questions should be raised with them," it added. Rwanda denies persistent and widespread allegations that it provides military support to the M23, which is largely made up of the Tutsi ethnic group that was targeted by Hutu militias in the genocide. But Kigali does see eastern DR Congo as a security threat, primarily because of the continued existence of the armed Hutu group, the FDLR, which fights alongside the army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The killings occur amid stalled regional and international peace efforts to end the prolonged deadly conflict, including an agreement between Rwanda and the DR Congo government with provisions for Kinshasa to "neutralise" the FDLR. Separately in Qatar last month, the M23 and the DR Congo government also signed a ceasefire deal, intended as a step towards a permanent peace. But last week, as negotiations were set to resume, the M23 walked away from the peace talks. It said Kinshasa had failed to meet commitments outlined in the deal, although it has since announced it will send a "technical team" to Doha to discuss the practical arrangements for the truce. The Congolese army has also accused the M23 of violating the ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HRW has urged the UN Security Council, the European Union, and governments to condemn grave abuses witnessed in east DR Congo, impose further sanctions on those responsible and press for the arrest and appropriate prosecution of commanders implicated in the conflict. More stories from DR Congo: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) A man is facing charges in Macon County for his role in the attack of a dirt bike rider who was shot and hospitalized in serious condition. WCIA reported that a 25-year-old man was shot in the chest while riding a dirt bike in the 900 block of W. Decatur St. on Aug. 5. A Decatur Police sworn statement revealed that a 17-year-old is accused of shooting the victim. Another man, later identified as 36-year-old Drew Ford, is accused of stomping on the victims head after the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident stemmed from allegations that the 25-year-old had stolen a motorbike. Decatur man facing child porn charges now charged with sexual abuse Officers spoke with a witness on the scene who observed a truck attempt to run over the 25-year-old while he was riding a green colored motorbike. Then, the witness said she saw two males exit the truck and begin to kick and punch the 25-year-old while he laid on the ground. Another witness told police that a third man, riding a black motorbike, was also involved. He was seen riding alongside the victim through Decatur. The second witness said the male on the black motorbike pointed a gun at the man on the green motorbike and fired, causing him to crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police later spoke with the victim in the hospital. He identified a 17-year-old as the person who shot him. According to the victim, the 17-year-old on the black motorbike pulled around the truck and pointed a gun at him. The victim put his hands up, but the 17-year-old shot him anyways. Then, the 17-year-old shot at him again, causing him to crash the motorbike. After that, the 17-year-old walked over, stood over him, and the victim begged for his life and pled for [the 17-year-old] not to kill him, the police sworn statement reads. I miss him, I miss him: Danville mother advocating, pleading for answers 4 years after son disappears Thats when Ford walked over from the truck, made contact with him and stomped on his head. The victim said he then acted like he was unconscious, and the others left him alone and began to load the bikes back in the truck. The victim is now in stable condition, according to the police sworn statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ford is facing multiple charges including aggravated battery, mob action, unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon. On Monday, Ford was denied pretrial release because the court found that he poses a real and present threat to the safety of the community. He will appear again in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 3. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. PARIS (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron denounced Netanyahus remarks as abject and erroneous in response to Israel Prime Ministers accusations that his intention to recognize a Palestinian state is fueling antisemitism. Tensions between Israel and traditional allies escalated in recent weeks following Macrons pledge last month a move followed by Britain, Canada and Australia but strongly opposed by Israel. Macron's strong comments come as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday brushed off Netanyahu's accusations that the Australian leader is a weak politician who had betrayed Israel by recognizing a Palestinian state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The analysis that Frances decision to recognize the state of Palestine in September explains the rise in antisemitic violence in France is erroneous, abject, and will not go unanswered, Macrons office said in a statement released on Tuesday evening. The current period calls for seriousness and responsibility, not generalization and manipulation. Netanyahu wrote to Macron that antisemitism has surged in France since Macrons announcement that he will recognize a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly next month, in a letter dated Monday seen by the Associated Press. Your call for a Palestinian state pour fuels on this antisemitism fire, Netanyahu said. France is home to Western Europes largest Jewish population, with an estimated 500,000 Jews approximately 1% of the national population. In recent years, antisemitic incidents have surged in France, with a sharp increase reported in 2023 after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. These include physical assaults, threats, vandalism, and harassment, prompting alarm among Jewish communities and leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Violence against the Jewish community is unacceptable, the statement by Macron's office said, noting that the French president has systematically asked all his governments since 2017, and even more so since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, to "take the strongest possible action against the perpetrators of antisemitic acts. Last week, Israeli airline El Al said its Paris office was vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti, calling the act deeply disturbing." In a separate incident, Macron pledged that no effort will be spared to track down and prosecute unknown attackers who chopped down an olive tree planted in homage to a French Jew murdered in 2006. ___ AP writer Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday warned of a "permanent war" amid Israel's planned military operation in Gaza City. "The military offensive in Gaza that Israel is preparing can only lead to disaster for both peoples and risks plunging the entire region into a cycle of permanent war," Macron wrote on X after talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi. Macron reiterated his call for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also named the release of all hostages, a large-scale provision of humanitarian aid for the people in Gaza as well as the disarmament of the Palestinian militant Hamas organization and the strengthening of the Palestinian Authority as prerequisites for an end to the war. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has approved a military deployment plan to capture Gaza City, according to media reports. The authorization came despite the Palestinian militant group Hamas saying it had presented a "positive response" to a fresh proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to international mediators. Macron has stepped up his critique of Israel in recent months over its conduct in Gaza. He has also pledged to recognize a Palestinian state, a move lambasted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Emmanuel Macron took a swipe at Donald Trump as the French president defended suing the American podcaster Candace Owens for falsely claiming his wife was born a man. Mr Macron, the 47-year-old French president, told Paris Match magazine that he felt he had no choice but to file a lawsuit in order to defend his honour over the unfounded gender conspiracy theory regarding his 72-year-old spouse. Since last year, Ms Owens, 36, whose YouTube channel has four million subscribers, has been promoting a five-year-old French conspiracy theory that Brigitte Macron was born as a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux and changed gender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Owens serialised the subject in an eight-part podcast she released this year, called Becoming Brigitte. That prompted the Macrons to file a lawsuit in July, arguing that they had suffered substantial reputational damage and spent considerable sums of money to correct the public record. Candace Owens promoted the unfounded conspiracy theory in an eight-part podcast - David Levenson Since then, Ms Owens has intensified her claims, slamming the libel action as both goofy and a vicious public relations move aimed at silencing the truth. In his Paris Match interview, Mr Macron took a thinly veiled swipe at the Trump administration, dismissing claims that lawsuits such as this flouted free speech, saying: It is not freedom of speech to want to prevent the truth from being restored. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who talk about this supposed freedom of speech are the people who ban journalists from the Oval Office. I dont accept that. President Trumps staff have barred various mainstream media organisations, including Associated Press, Reuters and Bloomberg, from certain White House events, while granting access to Right-wing influencers. One recently attacked Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, for not wearing a suit. JD Vance, the vice-president, has repeatedly accused European governments of over-regulation to curb free speech. Using false news to cause damage Responding to the lawsuit in July, a spokesman for Ms Owens said: Candace Owens is not shutting up. This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Mr Macron said she knew very well that she was using false news to cause damage, in the service of an ideology and with established connections with the far Right. He added that lawyers in France had initially advised us not to sue, telling the glossy weekly magazine: There was a tradition of saying: let it go. Thats what we did at first. He added that he was warned legal action could backfire via the Streisand effect, drawing even more attention to these lies, adding: But it grew so big in the United States that we had to respond. It is a matter of upholding the truth. Its about defending my honour. Because this is nonsense. Emmanuel Macron took a swipe at Donald Trumps administration while defending his legal case against Owens - Alexander Drago In the 22-count suit lodged in Delaware, the Macrons US lawyers have sought a jury trial, seeking compensation and punitive damages for spreading verifiably false and devastating lies about Mrs Macrons gender to promote her independent platform, gain notoriety and make money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They added Owens had created a grotesque narrative designed to inflame and degrade. The result is relentless bullying on a worldwide scale, they said. She has built a brand on provocation, not truth, the complaint alleges. It also says she ignored multiple attempts by the Macrons to engage. Ms Owens said that she reached out to Mrs Macron for an interview. Mrs Macron has been the subject of several conspiracy theory-driven transvestigations, where social media conspiracists baselessly allege she is a trans woman. The theory emerged in France in 2021, but later spread to the US and was fanned by high-profile Maga figures, including Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan. 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. For Republican officials eager to impose the Ten Commandments on public school students, its been a difficult summer. In June, for example, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a Louisiana law from taking effect, unanimously ruling that the state-sponsored-religion law was facially unconstitutional. In early August, a federal judge similarly issued a preliminary injunction against an Arkansas law on Ten Commandments displays in schools. Now, Texas has joined the club. The Associated Press reported: Texas cannot require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the states new requirement, making it the third such state law to be blocked by a court. A group of Dallas-area families and faith leaders sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect on Sept. 1. The ruling was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Fred Biery, who wrote: Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His 55-page ruling began with quoting the First Amendment and ended with Amen. Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which helped bring the case, said in a statement: Todays decision will ensure that Texas families not politicians or public-school officials get to decide how and when their children engage with religion. It sends a third strong and resounding message across the country that the government respects the religious freedom of every student in our public schools. For those just joining us, its worth appreciating why policies like these are legal, political and theological messes. For example, Protestants, Jews and Catholics each honor the Commandments, but the different faith traditions number and word the Decalogue in different ways. Its not the job of politicians in state government to choose which version, if any, deserves an official endorsement to be imposed on public school children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legal dimension to this is every bit as jarring. Indeed, as regular readers might recall, when officials in Kentucky approved a very similar law nearly a half-century ago, the Supreme Court ruled in 1980 that Ten Commandments displays in public schools were unconstitutional. The Decalogue, the justices ruled in Stone v. Graham, is undeniably a sacred text in the Jewish and Christian faiths and displaying them serves no ... educational function. So why would Republicans in several states take a step that the Supreme Court has already rejected? Its probably because theyre confident that the newly politicized high court and its dominant far-right majority will simply overturn the Stone precedent, doing fresh harm to the wall thats supposed to separate church and state in this country. These GOP officials are almost certainly aware of the First Amendment, just as theyre almost certainly aware of the Supreme Court precedent that says they cannot legally do what theyre trying to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But since the high court has moved sharply to the right over the course of the last 45 years, GOP officials in Texas and others are counting on Republican-appointed justices to clear the way for more government-imposed religion in public schools. Watch this space. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Among the more than two dozen bills contemplated for Thursday's special session of the Colorado General Assembly is a proposal to pause funding for the wolf reintroduction program run by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Theres no shortage of problems with Donald Trumps move to militarize the nations capital, but at the heart of the issue is the underlying premise: The president is responding to a public safety crisis that doesnt appear to exist. In fact, crime rates are down across the board in Washington, D.C., and violent crime rates have reached a 30-year low. We can say this with some confidence because U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirros office is still promoting a press statement from earlier this year that boasts about violent crime in the city dropping to a 30-year low. Trump is aware of the statistics, and he has repeatedly told the public to believe his claims over the official data, but thats not all he has said. The president has also repeatedly insisted that officials in D.C. secretly manipulated the data, releasing fake crime numbers in an alleged effort to discredit the apparent trend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As is often the case, the presidents rhetoric has generated action from his administration. NBC News reported: The Justice Department is investigating whether Washington, D.C., police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower, two senior law enforcement officials confirmed to NBC News. The investigation is being run out of the office of the U.S. attorney for D.C., Jeanine Pirro, the officials said. In fairness, its worth emphasizing the fact that the local NBC affiliate reported last month that a Metropolitan Police Department commander, Michael Pulliam, was suspended and put on leave in May after the department began investigating allegations he altered some crime data. Pulliam has denied the allegations. That said, the details matter. As a Vox report explained, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has since stated that we dont believe [the investigation] implicates many cases, and the decline in violent crime in DC tracks with a national trend. Whats more, as the NBC News report noted, the new Justice Department investigation is expected to go much further than simply reviewing the allegations surrounding Pulliam. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, theres the bigger picture, and the apparent fact that the DOJ has launched an unnecessary investigation in response to the presidents conspiracy theory. As The New York Times reported, the investigation is likely to prompt new criticism that the administration is using the levers of the criminal justice system to pursue the presidents political opponents. That seems like a safe bet. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com It wasnt long after Donald Trump returned to the White House when he and his team started focusing on security details or more to the point, ending protections for those he didnt like. But in the weeks and months that followed, protective details also came to the fore for the opposite reason: Some people that the Republican president does like started receiving enormous security contingents. At the FBI, for example, the bureaus deputy director has traditionally maintained a relatively low public profile and has never needed a security team. NBC News reported in April, however, that former conservative media personality Dan Bongino has received 24-hour security from a sizable contingent of agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A month later, CBS News ran a related report about White House border czar Tom Homan receiving a security detail that one administration official described as extravagant, costing roughly $1 million per month in taxpayer money. The report added, The border czar at times travels in a four-vehicle motorcade more cars than the two-car package cabinet members typically use. Its against this backdrop that The Washington Post reported on the most egregious example to date. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths unusually large personal security requirements are straining the Army agency tasked with protecting him as it pulls agents from criminal investigations to safeguard family residences in Minnesota, Tennessee and D.C., according to numerous officials familiar with the operation. The Posts report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, added that this multimillion-dollar initiative has forced the Armys Criminal Investigation Division to even monitor residences belonging to the Hegseths former spouses. Naturally, this is applying new strains on the Army agency and its budget. The Post spoke to one insider who said, We have complete inability to achieve our most basic missions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The secretary and the Pentagon declined to comment. The reporting, if accurate, is itself striking, but I continue to believe theres a related story behind the story: On a very regular basis, Defense Department insiders have appeared quite eager to let the public know about Hegseth-related controversies, suggesting the former Fox News host still has more than his share of critics within the building. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Donald Trumps relationship with the U.S. armed forces has long been strained, in ways that are unusual for modern American presidents. We are, after all, talking about a Republican who, about a month before Election Day 2024, told the public: The military is bad. After the election, Trump purged U.S. military leaders, started personally screening nominees for four-star-general positions and, as of last week, even took steps to militarize the nations capital without cause. All of this is part of a larger, ugly mosaic: The incumbent American president seems all too eager to politicize an apolitical military in fundamentally dangerous ways. Its against this backdrop that Trump came up with a new label for himself. Politico reported: U.S. President Donald Trump called himself a war hero on Tuesday for approving airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Calling into conservative host Mark Levins radio show, Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a war hero cause we worked together. Hes a war hero. I guess I am, too, Trump said. Nobody cares. But I am, too. I mean, I sent those planes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In context, he was apparently referring to his decision to launch a pre-emptive military strike on Iranian nuclear targets. Lets unpack this one because I think the larger issue is important. First, while its true that Trump ordered a military strike, under any sensible definition of the phrase, a war hero refers to someone who acted heroically during a war. Giving the Pentagon a green light for a mission is important, but it does not a hero make. Second, if Trump is looking for actual war heroes, I might refer him to some of the people whose service he denigrated both before and after taking office. (Although he repeatedly denied ever calling fallen American soldiers losers and suckers, his own onetime White House chief of staff, retired Gen. John Kelly, said he heard the president make the comments.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, if Trump wanted to be a war hero, he had an opportunity to serve during the war in Vietnam, but he instead sought and received five deferments claiming he had bone spurs. He nevertheless boasted to voters that he felt like hed served in the military because his parents sent him to a military-themed boarding school as a teenager. He later claimed, in apparent seriousness, that his expensive prep school gave him more training militarily than a lot of the guys that go into the military. In 2019, Trump declared at a White House Cabinet meeting: I think I would have been a good general, but who knows. As it happens, I think we do know. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The week after Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops to the streets of Washington, D.C., and placed local police officers under federal control, the president has expressed delight over the effects of his controversial power-grab. In fact, the Republican has already convinced himself that the militarization of the nations capital has been a great success. Ive made Washington, D.C., just an incredible place in literally four days, he boasted during his latest Fox News appearance. The comments came the day after the president wrote on his social media platform, People are flocking to D.C. again, pointing to a trend he appears to have made up. Trump has even presented proof or at least, something he perceives as proof of his triumph. During an Oval Office event on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Republican told reporters, The restaurants [in D.C.] the last two days were busier than theyve been in a long time. A day later, he repeated the claim on Fox News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Did you see whats happening with the restaurants? he asked rhetorically. Theyre bursting. Its worth emphasizing that some might see room for a debate about the tradeoffs. Perhaps, some might argue, its worth tolerating authoritarian tactics and the militarization of the nations capital if it creates conditions for a more robust local economy. But before that debate happens, its important to grapple with the fact that Trumps boast is ridiculously untrue. The Washington Post reported: Since President Donald Trump announced his takeover of the D.C. police force last week, restaurant reservations have dropped in the city by as much as 31 percent year over year for a single day, according to restaurant booking data. Business owners are concerned that the continued surge in law enforcement could impact their revenue during a vital period of the summer. The Post spoke to Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld, co-owner of El Secreto de Rosita, which is about a mile and a half north of the White House, and across the street from a police station where he said federal troops have often assembled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reservations are low, low, low compared to last year, Fraga-Rosenfeld said, adding, The city is dead. ... People are scared. WUSA, the local CBS affiliate, ran a related report, noting data that showed reservations at restaurants in the district dropped by more than 30% just two days after Trump announced he would take emergency control of police. WTOP, a local radio station, highlighted similar statistical evidence. So why did the president claim the opposite? It likely has something to do with the fact that he routinely struggles to the tell the difference between whats real and what he thinks ought to be real. But, some might say, maybe its all worth it if the streets of D.C. really are significantly safer. Sure, the president is engaging in authoritarian tactics, and sure, local businesses are struggling, but if crime rates have shown a sharp improvement, maybe its worth paying the cost? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a tough argument to take seriously for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that recent crime data for D.C. found only marginal differences from before and after the federal takeover. So lets take stock. Despite the fact that Trump has peddled some absurd claims, were left with a legally dubious deployment that (a) is hurting the local communitys economy; (b) isnt making much of a difference on crime rates; and (c) is wildly unpopular with local residents. This isnt a triumph; its the latest in a series of fiascos. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Todays edition of quick hits. * In Gaza: Israel on Wednesday entered the first stages of a planned assault on Gaza City after approving a plan to take it over that includes calling up 60,000 reservists for an expanded military operation in the besieged Palestinian enclave. * The more Trump claims that Putin wants peace, the more Putin attacks: Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with 270 drones, as well as missiles, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday, hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders held talks with President Trump aimed at finding a path toward a peace deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * The latest on the Epstein case: A federal judge on Wednesday denied the Trump Justice Departments motion to unseal grand jury transcripts in Jeffrey Epsteins New York sex trafficking case, dealing the DOJ its latest loss on the subject, in a ruling that spotlights the governments bumbling legal effort and lack of transparency in the Epstein scandal. * A gut-wrenching report: A United States Senate investigation has identified more than 500 credible reports of human rights abuses in US immigration detention since January, including alarming allegations of mistreatment of pregnant women and children. As of late last month, the investigationled by US senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat of Georgiahad unearthed 41 cases of physical and sexual abuse; 14 involving pregnant detainees and 18 involving children. * This pediatricians group has a lot of nerve providing Americans with accurate information that RFK Jr. chooses not to believe: The gloves are off in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s feud with American doctors. Hours after the American Academy of Pediatrics, the professional society for doctors who care for children, issued Covid-19 vaccine guidance contradicting that of the health secretary, Kennedy accused the group of engaging in a pay-to-play scheme to promote commercial ambitions of AAPs Big Pharma benefactors in a post on social media platform X. * Student visas: The administration of President Donald Trump has revoked more than 6,000 student visas for overstays and breaking the law, including a small minority for support for terrorism, a State Department official said Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Presidential finances: President Donald Trump has purchased at least $103 million worth of corporate and municipal bonds since taking office in January, according to new filings from the Office of Government Ethics. The documents, released late Tuesday night, show that Trump began the bond-buying spree one day after being sworn in on Jan. 20 and include debt sold by companies, local governments and entities that could be directly impacted by his sweeping agenda. All said, Trump made about 690 purchases from Jan. 21 through Aug. 1. * The underlying policy is obviously what matters, but the juvenile names arent helping: Nebraska announced plans Tuesday for an immigration detention center in the remote southwest corner of the state as President Donald Trumps administration races to expand the infrastructure necessary for increasing deportations. The facility will be dubbed the Cornhusker Clink, a play on Nebraskas nickname of the Cornhusker State and an old slang term for jail. * The first, but not the last: A senior White House official is decamping for K Street the first instance this year of a prominent aide to President Donald Trump leaving for a lobbying gig. Trent Morse has been serving since January as deputy assistant to the president and deputy director of the Office of Personnel, which vets candidates for thousands of roles across the federal government. See you tomorrow. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Republican lawmakers are apparently consorting with the dead in their search for a justifiable reason to nix mail-in ballots. Speaking with Fox Business Tuesday, Representative Jeff Van Drew claimed that he had spoken with large numbers of deceased people who had received the voter ballots. There were multiple mail-in ballots sent to the same person. Sometimes people would have multiple ballots sent to different addresses, Van Drew said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other times, people who are passed awaythese are real people I spoke to, large numbers of them, and its indicative of what happened around the country, the New Jersey lawmaker claimed. Rep. Jeff Van Drew claims hes spoken to large numbers of dead people who had mail ballots sent to them pic.twitter.com/NWl5deC0QF Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 19, 2025 Since he lost the 2020 election, Donald Trump and his allies have obsessed over contrived claims of voter frauda statistical nonissue in U.S. elections. For instance, a statewide audit out of Georgia, the epicenter of Trumps baseless theory, revealed in September that just 20 noncitizens out of 8.2 million residents existed on the states voter roll, just 0.00024 percent of the states voting population. Out of those 20, only nine participated in elections years ago, before ID was required as a part of the voter verification process. The other 11 individuals were registered but never actually voted, according to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Critics argue that restrictions on the front end of the electoral processsuch as one-day voting and requiring day-of voter ID, which Trump has tried but failed to implementwould minimize voter turnout and limit American democracys ability to represent its constituents. This would especially be true in high-density areas like the nations biggest cities, where those stipulations would significantly drain resources (i.e., the number of volunteers required) and require more time to process, potentially leading to more delays, which Republicans could weaponize to further restrict voter access. The MAGA partys continued focus on the nativist nonissue belies the fact that it is, of course, already illegal and impossible for noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections. Attacking mail-in voting has not proved popular for Republican lawmakers, however. A heated exchange over the tool at a Casper, Wyoming, town hall Monday resulted in an irate crowd practically screaming at Representative Harriet Hageman, who claimed that mail-in ballots are not foundational tools of democratic elections. CORBIN The Corbin Rotary Club welcomed guest speaker Coby Cima at its regular meeting this past Thursday, where he shared the story behind Main Street Mingle a networking group he founded to help business owners and young professionals connect with the community while fostering both personal and professional growth. Corbin native Cima said the concept for the group came after he and his wife spent eight months living in Texas for her job. While we were in Texas, we realized a lot of the networking opportunities they had, Cima said. They had a networking event probably 3-4 times a day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon returning to Corbin, the couple noticed a lack of similar opportunities for entrepreneurs, small business owners and working professionals in the Corbin area. I just wanted to make something where people can get together, connect, build relationships and help each other grow, he said. To fill that gap, Cima began planning Main Street Mingle with the help of some friends as a way to speed up the process of building meaningful business connections locally. After several months of preparation, the first event was held at Harveys on Main in downtown Corbin. The only reason we are doing this is so we can get everybody together to build those relationships, Cima said. I think the more people we can get downtown, the better that everybodys business gets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He noted that the groups mission is to give back to the community, with potential future plans that could include race events and other activities to support both local businesses and the city as a whole. As an example of the benefits, Cima recalled how a person struggling with navigating Facebook ads was able to connect with a Facebook ad specialist at the last event. Thats basically why we are doing it, he said. He emphasized that Main Street Mingle is open to anyone not just business owners or those of a certain age. Anybody that wants to get out and just grow, Cima said. They may not even be professional business owners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group meets once a month, with each event featuring a catered meal and time to network with others in the Corbin area. The next Main Street Mingle is set for Thursday, Aug. 21, from 69 p.m. at Harveys on Main, sponsored by Downtown Corbin. Guests are encouraged to bring a friend, bring business cards and leave with new connections. More information is available on Coby Cimas Facebook page. Graham Platner, a Marine and Army veteran, said hes angered by how unlivable the northeasternmost US state has become for working-class people. A US military veteran and oyster farmer on Tuesday launched a bid to unseat Republican US Senator Susan Collins in Maine, as his party fights an uphill battle to try to recapture control of the chamber in next year's midterm elections. Democrat Graham Platner, a Marine and Army veteran, said hes angered by how unlivable the northeasternmost US state has become for working-class people, blaming billionaires and corrupt politicians for hurting middle-class families and pushing others into poverty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not afraid to name an enemy, Platner said in a two-minute, 20-second launch video posted to X. And yeah, that means politicians like Susan Collins. Im not fooled by this fake charade of Collins deliberation and moderation. Platners campaign pits him against Jordan Wood, former chief of staff to former US Representative Katie Porter of California, and comes as Democrats hope to recruit Maine Governor Janet Mills to challenge Collins. Two other high-profile Democrats, former Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper recently launched Senate bids in their states. U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives members attend a joint session of Congress to certify Donald Trump's election, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. January 6, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/ELIZABETH FRANTZ) Who is Susan Collins? Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate majority, and are defending only two seats widely viewed as competitive by nonpartisan election analysts - Maine and North Carolina. That means that Democrats would have to defend all their seats and also secure wins in more deeply Republican states, such as Ohio or Iowa, to secure a majority. Collins has a reputation as a centrist who occasionally bucks her party on key votes, including voting no on President Donald Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending package nicknamed the One Big Beautiful Bill. She raised more than $2.4 million for her reelection in the most recent fundraising quarter and entered July with $3.2 million in her campaign account, according to federal campaign finance records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First elected to the Senate in 1996, Collins has won reelection four times, including her 8-point victory over former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon in 2020. Collins chairs the Appropriations Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal discretionary spending. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won Maine in last Novembers presidential election by nearly 7 percentage points. FALL RIVER, Mass. (WWLP) Hundreds of Massachusetts law enforcement officials conducted a narcotics investigation that resulted in the arrest of 19 people, the seizure of cocaine, fentanyl, and over 30 firearms. In a news release by the Massachusetts State Police, the investigation began in March involving a drug trafficking organization distributing fentanyl and cocaine in the Taunton and Fall River areas. The suspects were identified as Ramon Nieves and his wife, Esther Nieves, as suspected drug suppliers. Enfield smoke shops shut down following multi-agency inspection Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, a controlled purchase of fentanyl was made, and officers conducted a motor vehicle stop of a customer, which resulted in the seizure of trafficking amounts of fentanyl and cocaine. On April 15, search warrants were conducted by hundreds of law enforcement officials for twenty locations, fourteen cell phones, and ten vehicles. This led to the arrest of 18 individuals, the seizure of over 2,360 grams of cocaine, 1,365 grams of fentanyl, 33 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and $109,355. On August 1, search warrants were conducted for three apartments in Fall River and a Chevrolet Silverado believed to be used for drug trafficking by the Nieves. More than 3,915 grams of fentanyl, $8,000, and other evidence of drug trafficking were recovered. Ramon Nieves was arrested and charged with trafficking fentanyl. (Massachusetts State Police) Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. American Airlines has reportedly dismissed a number of flight attendants in a crackdown against rewarding junior coworkers with coveted routes in exchange for money. According to Paddle Your Own Kanoo, American sent out a warning against the practice of flight crew selling trips earlier this year. The warning came with the promise of discipline in the future. That discipline has arrived, per multiple reports. with at least one crew member being fired and the flight attendant's union promising to fight back. How the trip bidding scheme unfolded American Airlines' flight attendant assignment bidding system is seniority-based. Every month, crew members submit requests for the flights they want to work and their days off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These bids are fed into a preferential bidding system which then assigns trips based on the needs of the airline and the availability of flight attendants," writes Paddle Your Own Kanoo. Because seniority is factored into the bidding system, flight attendants who have accrued more time served are first in line for the more desirable trips, which include overseas routes to Paris, London, Rome and other major cities. This process led to some senior flight attendants bidding on and receiving trips they did not want to work, and instead turned around and "sold" to less tenured colleagues. American Airlines personnel have an internal swap system set up for crew members to drop or switch assignments, but airline higher-ups got wind of the setup being manipulated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the trade board, flight attendants were reportedly using code such as cookies or kisses emojis to indicate they would only drop their trip in exchange for cash. American issued a warning back in May Flight attendants were sent a memo three months ago telling them explicitly that trips can not be "bought, sold or brokered." "When someone tries to inappropriately profit by picking up a trip or through selling or trading, it violates the intent and integrity of our bidding systems and our standards of business conduct," the memo read. What the flight attendants union is saying On Friday, the union sent out a memo, per View From The Wing's Gary Leff, telling workers that "posting a trip with an incentive to drop" had led to "the absolute worst outcome available." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our Attendance and Performance Policy is clear," the messages says. "Discipline is meant to be progressive, giving Flight Attendants a chance to correct behavior. Skipping those steps, especially on a rule they just decided to enforce, is a direct violation of just cause and due process." The union has also reportedly asked for American to stop applying blanket discipline and judge any cases on individual merit. Major U.S. Airline Reportedly Firing Flight Attendants for Controversial Move first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 17, 2025 Choguel Maiga, the former prime minister of Mali, was taken into custody on Wednesday after he was charged with embezzlement. Maiga, 67, took office after a second coup in Mali in 2021 and led the civilian wing of the country's military junta until he was dismissed in November 2024. The removal came days after he criticised the junta for postponing elections. The charges follow a report from Mali's auditor general on the management of public funds while Maiga was prime minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A statement from the public prosecutor's office said the charges against Maiga involved money laundering equal to many billions of CFA francs, or several million euros. No trial date has been set. Maigas lawyer, Cheick Oumar Konare, told AFP news agency: We believe in justice. We are calm while awaiting the trial." Earlier this month, another former prime minister, Moussa Mara, was jailed after writing on social media that he supported jailed critics of the junta. Last week, authorities in Mali said that a French national had been arrested on suspicion of working for the French intelligence services. Authorities also accused foreign states of trying to destabilise the country as they announced that dozens of soldiers had been detained for allegedly seeking to overthrow the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five years after the 2020 coup, where is Mali today? 'Covered by diplomatic conventions' France's foreign ministry said the arrested employee was covered by the Vienna convention on consular relations, meaning he should be released. The junta, led by President Assimi Goita, has turned away from Western partners, notably former colonial power France and other former allies and pivoted toward Russia. In July, the country's military-appointed legislative body granted Goita a five-year presidential mandate, renewable as many times as necessary and without election. Under the 41-year-old, Mali has slid into a security quagmire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How Moscow is reinventing its influence machine across Africa The Malian army and its Russian allies have been tasked with fighting groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, along with local criminal gangs. However, official forces are regularly accused of abuses against civilians. Alongside Burkina Faso and Niger, which are also led by military juntas, Mali quit the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) earlier this year, accusing the regional bloc of being subservient to colonial ruler France. The trio set up their own confederation called the Alliance of Sahel States. (With newswires) New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani dodged a question about President Donald Trump labeling him a "communist" when pressed by Fox News' Nate Foy on Wednesday. Referencing a Fox News Digital report, in which his supporters dismissed Mamdani's "communist" label, Foy asked the self-described democratic socialist if the distinction between communism and socialism matters. "Are there elements of communism in your platform?" Foy asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The elements of my platform are all about affordability, and I am a democratic socialist," Mamdani said. "When New Yorkers ask me what it means, I take them to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who said, 'Call it democracy or call it democratic socialism, there must be a better distribution of wealth for all of God's children in this country.'" Zohran Mamdani Supporters Unfazed By Trump's 'Communist' Label, Defend The Candidate's Affordability Fight New York City Democratic mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, spoke to supporters at a canvass launch event in Prospect Park on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. Since Mamdani's primary upset earlier this summer, the Democratic mayoral nominee has been branded a "communist" by Trump. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zohran Mamdani Launches Anti-trump Tour Across Five Boroughs In New York City Mamdani supporters who spoke to Fox News Digital at a canvass launch in Prospect Park on Sunday dismissed the term, arguing that his primary win represented more than arbitrary labels. "It's not necessarily communism that won the New York City primary, but the vision that he's delivering for a more affordable New York," said Nina, a door-knocker who wore an "Educators for Zohran" T-shirt on Sunday. "That's what people voted for, and that's what he won on, and that's what he's going to win on." Supporters gathered in Prospect Park on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, to relaunch city-wide canvassing efforts ahead of the Nov. 4 mayoral election in New York City. Mamdani has been endorsed by progressive leaders , including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Trump was quick to label him a "100% Communist Lunatic" after Mamdani declared victory in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perry, another Brooklyn canvasser, flipped the script on Trump's nickname for Mamdani, telling Fox News Digital to "look at the people who are saying he can't do it or who are calling him a socialist or communist." Bridget, a New York City teacher, and Perry both shook their heads in disagreement when asked if those labels worry them. Zohran Mamdani responded to reporters' questions about the protesters outside his anti-Trump event on Staten Island. "It's not about ideology," said Nicholas, a Mamdani supporter who volunteered in Prospect Park on Sunday for the campaign's canvass launch. "It's not trying to demonize these terms, communism and socialism , which, quite frankly, I think the American public does not have a very good idea of what those terms exactly mean." Fox News Digital posed the same question to everyday New Yorkers in Manhattan's Union Square on Tuesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One voter, Ritvik, who said he was voting for Mamdani in the upcoming November election, despite usually leaning to the right, said the "communist" label didn't phase him. "That kind of rhetoric has always come from the Trump administration, so not particularly surprising to me," Ritvik said. Another Mamdani voter, Ian, told Fox News Digital that it's "hard not to ignore the connection between the biggest city in America and the president." But despite Trump's eagerness to criticize Mamdani, Ian said he appreciates that Mamdani is more focused on delivering for New Yorkers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mamdani hosted a weeklong "Five Boroughs Against Trump" tour across New York City last week. The mayoral hopeful spoke to reporters on Wednesday after joining the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council (HTC) union for a rally outside the Surrey Hotel. The protesters criticized the hotel for allegedly not rehiring over 100 union workers who were laid off during the pandemic. Original article source: Mamdani sidesteps 'communism' question, says his campaign is about 'distribution of wealth' MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) A man accused of helping his roommate dispose of his mothers body was in court Tuesday afternoon. Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) said Dwayne Embrey helped get rid of 81-year-old Victoria Shays body after her son, Daniel Shay, killed her inside their home. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Son, roommate face charges in 81-year-old mothers death in Montgomery County: Police Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A judge said Dwayne Embrey will stay in jail for a couple of reasons: the violent nature of this crime and his criminal history. Court documents show that police went to the home of Daniel and Victoria Shay on Muncaster Road in Derwood on Friday. A woman who used to be in a relationship with Daniel Shay claimed that Victoria was missing. When officers got to the house, they searched for Victoria Shay but didnt find her. What they did find was extensive blood spatter on the walls and a puddle of blood in her room. Police said they asked Daniel Shay where his mother was, and that he told them he hadnt seen her in four days. Officers noted that he never filed a missing person report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators interviewed Embrey, who was living with Daniel Shay and his mother. During that interview, he said that Daniel Shay killed his mother and that he helped him to get rid of her body. MS-13 gang member to spend life in prison for execution-style shooting in Montgomery County woods Embrey took detectives to the intersection of Woodfield and Brink Roads, where Victoria Shays body was. Police arrested him on Sunday. He was an accessory after the fact to the murder, Montgomery County States Attorney John McCarthy said. There were certain statements made by Daniel to this individual and he helped bury the body of Ms. Shay. She held the defendant, Mr. Embrey, without bond today, citing that there was no less-restrictive condition that she could set in this matter that would keep the community safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Embrey is scheduled to be back in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) An investigation into a shooting that left one person hurt ended with the arrest of a Baton Rouge man. Hitesh Mistry, 23, was charged with one count of attempted second-degree murder. Mistry was charged with one count of attempted second-degree murder. (East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office) The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office (EBRSO) was called to an apartment in the 1600 block of Jade Avenue at 2:15 a.m. on June 24, 2025, to investigate a shooting. Deputies found one person who was shot and later taken to the hospital. The victim was expected to survive their injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement searched the apartment and located blood on the floor. A witness who was there during the shooting spoke with EBRSO. The deputy found out that the shooting victim was staying overnight at the apartment. At some point, Mistry arrived at the apartment and got into a fight with the victim, who was shot during the argument in the kitchen, EBRSO said. Gov. Landry: Over 100 arrested in Baton Rouge operation targeting violent crime According to an affidavit, Mistry left the scene in a vehicle. A witness was shown a photo and was able to identify Mistry. The Baton Rouge man was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Tuesday, Aug. 19. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. **Note: The rank of the law enforcement member of the arresting agency was not made clear in the documents obtained by KRQE News 13. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) A 34-year-old man is facing charges for allegedly placing a camera inside a mobile shower trailer that was provided to first responders fighting the Middle Mesa Fire, which is burning in the Carson National Foresta 1.5 million-acre forest managed by the US Forest Service in northern New Mexico, near the Colorado state line. According to Colorado court documents obtained by KRQE News 13, the incident involved a minor who used one of the showers. Officials accused Jason Gilbertson, who worked as a shower attendant at the camp where 400 responders stayed, of placing the camera inside a vent in the shower trailer, which had approximately 15 stalls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gilbertson was arrested by the Colorado-based Archuleta County Sheriffs Office and booked on Aug. 10 on the charges of criminal attempt, sexual exploitation of a child, criminal invasion of privacy, and invasion of privacy for sexual gratification. Story continues below The arrest narrative written by a member of the Archuleta County Sheriffs Office stated that the law enforcement member responded to the camp on Aug. 9 after receiving a report about the camera in a shower. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There, the law enforcement member was told that the female victim, whose age was not disclosed in the documents, used the shower around 4 p.m. that day and was told by Gilbertson to use the shower at the very back of the trailer, the arrest narrative stated. While in the shower and undressed, the victim noticed a pen sitting across a vent in the shower trailer ceiling and took it out, realizing it had a camera on it and a micro SD card. The victim left the shower with the camera. The incident was then reported to supervisors and law enforcement. The age of the victim and their affiliation with the camp were not disclosed in documents obtained by KRQE News 13. During an interview with the Archuleta County Sheriffs Office, Gilbertson initially said that he did not put the pen in the shower stall and did not know how it got there, according to the arrest narrative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Archuleta County Sheriffs Office reviewed the files from the cameras SD card and reportedly found videos showing Gilbertsons face as he placed the pen camera into the vent in the shower stall at that same location. The law enforcement member who compiled the arrest narrative wrote that in one of the videos, Gilbertson was seen adjusting the camera to have a better view of inside the shower stall. On the SD card, I did not observe any videos of anyone else in the shower, the Archuleta County Sheriffs Office law enforcement member wrote. Court records obtained by KRQE News 13 showed that Gilbertson is from Billings, Montana, and that he posted a $20,000 bond. on Aug. 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US Forest Service, which manages the Carson National Forest and has allocated resources to the firefighting effort, provided the following comment via email: Forest Service incident leadership was notified of allegations made by fire personnel regarding conduct within the fire camp involving a contract vendor. The case is being investigated by the Archuleta County Sheriffs Office, and further inquiries should be directed to that agency. The safety and well-being of our firefighters and fire support personnel remain our highest priority. Impacted individuals have been notified, and the Forest Service is offering support resources while working to identify any others who may have been affected. According to the Montana Army National Guard, Gilbertson currently serves in Detachment 1, 484th Military Police Company in Billings, and leadership is aware of his arrest. Montana National Guard leadership was informed of the arrest on August 11th and is closely monitoring the ongoing investigation and civilian legal process. We take these allegations extremely seriously, and action will take place should the allegations be determined to be true. The alleged behavior in no way aligns with the values of the Montana National Guard, including trust and mutual respect, an email from Montana National Guard State Public Affairs Officer Major Ryan Finnegan read in part. KRQE News 13 also reached out to the Archuleta County Sheriffs Office for comment and details about the arrest, but has not heard back. At the time of this publication, the fire, which began on Aug. 1 due to lightning, is 92% contained and has burned 5,031 acres. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. CHICAGO A man was attacked and stabbed early Wednesday morning in River North. CPD responded to a walk-in at Northwestern Hospital after 3:05 a.m. after the man was stabbed. Police believe the man, 32, was in a verbal altercation with another man in the 500 block of North State. At some point, the 32-year-old was stabbed multiple times. He self-transported to Northwestern in critical condition. No one is in custody. Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. An Australian man is facing fines for trying to harvest wood from a protected forest, according to the Government of Victoria. The perpetrator was caught cutting a river red gum tree in Reedy Lake Wildlife Reserve. He was issued warnings but simply went back the same night to continue his work. Authorities caught him again and confiscated his trailer, the timber, and a chainsaw. The man had felled a tree that was already dead, but leaving trees to decompose is a key part of supporting the local ecosystem. Many campgrounds that allow bonfires still direct visitors to leave local brush where it is and to bring their own firewood for this exact reason. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sadly, this incident is not isolated. Other Australians have engaged in similar illegal firewood collection in Lower Goulburn National Park and South Australia. River red gum trees are part of the eucalyptus family. They are listed as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature thanks largely to the species being cleared for farmland. Victoria authorities pointed out how dead river red gum trees are frequent nesting habitats for the White-bellied sea eagle, while they also become vital breeding grounds for many local fish species, such as Murray cod, golden perch, and river blackfish when they fall in the water, according to Parks Victoria. It's possible to take local action by reporting illegal wood harvesting when you see it. Victoria has guidelines on gathering firewood, and a hotline to call to make anonymous reports. Find the information and enforcement resources in your area to stay involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This was a blatant and repeated breach of environmental laws, and our officers acted swiftly to prevent further damage to this ecologically and culturally significant area," said Conservation Regulator Greg Chant, per the Government of Victoria. "Let this be a clear warning to black market firewood operators if you're caught illegally harvesting timber from public land for commercial sale, you will be held accountable for the environmental damage, and risk facing prosecution and losing your vehicles and equipment." Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. 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. BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) A Boardman man was sentenced in connection with a June disturbance that brought a large police presence to an area of Southern Boulevard and Clifton Drive. Alan Direnzo pleaded guilty Tuesday to a reduced charge of obstructing official business. Domestic violence and endangering children charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 83 days suspended and credit for two days served. He will also have to serve one year of probation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Direnzo will serve his sentence in a community service program through the Mahoning County Sheriffs Office, and he will have to complete a drug, alcohol and mental health assessment and participate in any follow-up treatment deemed necessary. Read next: YPD: 6 men dressed in black seen firing 30 shots at South Side house Direnzo was arrested following reports that he assaulted a family member and left the scene by the time police arrived. Police returned to the residence later that day to continue the investigation; however, reports state Direnzo refused to come to the door. This is what led to the large police presence in the area of Southern Boulevard and Clifton Drive, involving numerous police cruisers and the armored SWAT van. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities established a perimeter around the home and stated Direnzo eventually exited. Direnzo was arrested and authorities cleared the scene. Laurel Stone contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. [Watch previous FOX 8 News coverage in the player above.] ELYRIA, Ohio (WJW) A man charged in connection with the disappearance of an Elyria teen in the Black River earlier this month is now facing a new felony charge. Jacob W. Rosado, 24, of Elyria, was previously charged with a felony count of tampering with evidence amid the search for 16-year-old Vincent Pabon, who reportedly fell into the water while accompanied by Rosado on Aug. 7 and never resurfaced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Search for missing man underway after multiple houses catch fire Jacob W. Rosado (Elyria Police Department) Amid the investigation into Pabons death, a review of Rosados electronic devices uncovered evidence of child sexual exploitation material, according to a Wednesday news release from Elyria police. Hes now charged with a felony count of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. This type of material represents one of the most serious and harmful forms of exploitation, and our detectives will continue to pursue these cases aggressively, Elyria police Capt. Bill Lantz is quoted in the release. We remain committed to holding offenders accountable and to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community. Pabon was last seen near East Falls Riverwalk on the Black River, accompanied by a 24-year-old man, later identified as Rosado, authorities previously said. The pair had spent the night in the area, drinking and talking, police said. Police were told that Pabon fell into the water at some point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosado reportedly told investigators he tried to help Pabon, but that he also fell into the water. Rosado made it out of the water, but said he could no longer hear or see Pabon. Pabon was reported missing to police just before 8 a.m. Elyria firefighters and a Lorain County dive team searched for hours near the falls behind the city police department. The search continued another two days, and authorities found Pabons body on Aug. 9. (Credit: Elyria Firefighters Local 474) (Credit: Elyria Firefighters Local 474) (Credit: Elyria Firefighters Local 474) (Credit: Elyria Firefighters Local 474) (Credit: Elyria Firefighters Local 474) Norton cancels football game due to illness Rosado was already in the Lorain County jail on a $100,000 bond and due for a preliminary hearing Sept. 4 in the city court on the tampering charge, court records show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He faced a judge again Wednesday morning on the child sexual exploitation material and was handed a $50,000 bond, court records show. A preliminary hearing in the new case is set for Aug. 27. Anyone with information regarding Rosado is urged to contact Detective Tyler Loesch at tloesch@cityofelyria.org or 440-326-1205. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. FAIRFIELD, Iowa A man has been charged after allegedly picking up an Iowa teen who was later reported missing and taking her to a North Carolina home. Over the weekend the Fairfield Police Department announced that a teenage girl was reported missing. According to a post shared on the police departments Facebook page, the 15-year-old was later found over 15 hours away in Rockingham County, North Carolina. Road rage led to shooting in West Des Moines, court documents say Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Rockingham County Sheriffs Office said they had been contacted by the Fairfield Police Department about the missing teen possibly being in Rockingham County. According to law enforcement, an investigation discovered the teen, and a North Carolina man had been communicating through online texting apps, and that the man had picked up the teen in Fairfield and took her to a North Carolina residence. Deputies arrived at the residence, located in Reidsville, and found the teen. The sheriffs office said the teens parents are traveling to North Carolina to be reunited. The man who law enforcement say took the teen was also found at the residence and taken into custody. He has been identified as 25-year-old John Michael Johnson and has been charged with felony second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and felony solicitation by computer. The sheriffs office, the Fairfield Police Department along with several other agencies continue to investigate the incident. Iowa news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. Election officials in El Paso County were skeptical that attempts by President Donald Trump to eliminate mail-in voting would come through or benefit the county's voters. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Monday that he wanted to sign an executive order to "help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections" by eliminating both mail-in voting and voting machines in the near future. In the post, Trump repeated his previous unverified claims that the mail system allows for massive voter fraud that benefitted Democrats and incorrectly stated that the United States was the only country that allows voting by mail. El Paso County Clerk Steve Schleiker said the separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution means that Trump cannot change elections with an executive order. "We can have debates all day long about those in the state of Colorado, but the question is who has the authority to make those changes? Per the Constitution, it's states' rights and then Congress with the power to make changes," Schleiker said. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said on CNN on Tuesday that she would fight against any effort by the Trump administration to change mail-in voting. Griswold pointed out that the proposal came days after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also opposes voting by mail. "Mail ballots are secure. They cannot be hacked because they're a piece of paper. That is increasingly more important, as Trump has made our elections less secure since taking office again," Griswold said. Other federal laws would make it difficult to completely remove the options even if Congress and the president attempted to. Schleiker said that military and overseas voters relied on mail-in ballots to participate in elections and must be allowed to participate. Featured Local Savings A section of the Help America Vote Act, passed by Congress in response to the challenges in the 2000 presidential election, requires that all polling places have at least one voting machine to allow voters with disabilities. The League of Women Voters of the Pikes Peak Region works to expand voter turnout and access to elections. Spokesperson Shelly Roehrs said that mail-in voting and drop boxes made elections in Colorado easier than they were in South Carolina, where she previously lived, and the default was in-person polling stations. "That's not convenient for me. That's convenient for an elected official who only wants the people who can stand in line for 10 hours. A mom with four children cannot take all those kids to the poll in an election year and wait," Roehrs said. The El Paso County Elections Office has experience counting votes by hand at smaller scales. Schleiker said that hand counts are part of the tests to make sure the tabulation machines are working before elections and are done for logic and accuracy tests during the election. The number of ballots cast in a major election makes it difficult for a hand count to match the speed of a tabulation machine. There were more than 509,000 registered voters in El Paso County as of Monday, the most of any county in Colorado. "When you talk about hand counting all of those ballots and hiring individuals to do that, it would not double but quadruple the cost of the election," Schleiker said. Schleiker also said the results would be slowed down by the number of issues that appear on the ballot along with the federal races. In the 2024 election, voters in El Paso County could have also cast ballots in nine separate elections for state House, three county commissioner races, and ballot issues that were tied to specific school districts and fire protection districts. Since being elected in 2022, Schleiker said he has taken other steps to increase voters' faith in the election process. The county elections office provides video recordings of ballots being issued. A portal on the El Paso County website allows voters to track their returned ballot to see if it is counted correctly. ELIZABETHTOWN The Canadian man accused of murdering his 9-year-old daughter near Ticonderoga made a brief appearance in Essex County Court Tuesday to ask for a bail hearing. Luciano Frattolin, 45, of Montreal was brought to court by Essex County Sheriffs deputies from the county jail where hes been held since his July 21 arrest. His court appearance Tuesday afternoon was a status conference intended to set dates for legal filings before his trial, which was set for Jan. 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Essex County Assistant Public Defender Eric Weyand told Hamilton County Judge Tatiana Coffinger, specially presiding, that he intends to file a written bail application on Frattolins behalf. Frattolin also asked for bail in July but was denied by the court. Wearing a gray suit and tie, Frattolin answered brief questions from the judge about his identity and representation by Weyand. Frattolin has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and the concealment of a human corpse in the death of his daughter Melina, whose body was found in a shallow pond July 20 in the town of Ticonderoga. An autopsy showed she had been drowned. Frattolin originally reported his daughter missing and abducted by two men in a white van near Lake George, but New York State Police concluded the story was false and arrested him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Essex County DA Michael Langey is prosecuting the case against Frattolin. Court records reveal Frattolin is a defendant in five civil legal proceedings in Canada and had been sued for $150,000 in unpaid bills related to his business, Gambella Coffee. He also owed back child support to his wife, who had custody of Melina following their 2019 separation. Frattolin and Melina were on vacation in the United States when she was killed. A Vermont man has been charged with murder in connection with the killing of Tina Daigle, who was found dead by the side of a highway in June, state police said. Michael A. Williams, 60, of Morrisville, was arrested Tuesday, state police said. Investigators determined that Daigle, 38, of Hardwick, was killed in Caledonia County early June 19, and her body was then found at a roadside pull-off along Route 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams is facing charges of second-degree murder and first-degree aggravated domestic assault. He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in St. Johnsbury. He was ordered jailed without bail pending his initial court appearance. An autopsy determined the cause of Daigles death was asphyxiation or compression of the neck, and the manner of death is homicide or assault by another. The state police continues to ask that anyone with information that could assist in this case call the Berlin Barracks at 802-229-9191 or provide an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A man convicted of a terror offence hid secret bank accounts and contact details from police for more than two years, a court has heard. Muhammed Saeed Ahmed, 33, from Bradford, pleaded guilty in 2013 to possessing terrorist material and was handed a suspended sentence of 22 months, the Old Bailey was told. Under the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008, he had to notify police of any changes to his personal or financial details, prosecutor Lyndon Harris said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, between 2019 and 2021, Mr Ahmed is accused of breaching his notification requirements 19 times. Mr Ahmed denies all 19 counts. He allegedly failed to tell authorities about a cryptocurrency account, a PayPal account, four different bank accounts, two mobile phone numbers, nine email addresses and that he was insured to drive a car and a motorbike. Opening his trial on Tuesday, Mr Harris said: "As you will see, the police officers monitoring the notification regime tried to help Mr Ahmed and make sure he is complying. "But the reality is, there comes a point when enough is enough." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Ahmed was subject to notification requirements for 10 years and did comply at first, prosecution said. In 2019, however, the notifications scheme was expanded to include details such as the opening or closing of bank accounts, using another person's bank account, and the details of any vehicle an offender has the right to use, the trial was told. From that point, Mr Ahmed consistently failed to provide all the information required, jurors were told. "He failed to do so when he knew he had to and when he had been repeatedly reminded about the need to do so," Mr Harris said. "Having been convicted of a terrorism offence, you don't get to choose what you do and don't tell the authorities about." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In prepared statements to police, Mr Ahmed said he had set up various email addresses in connection with a website development company and that he did not use the email addresses himself. In relation to the bank accounts, the defendant asserted he did not realise he had to notify police that he had a PayPal account, the trial was told. The trial continues. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Related internet links ST. LOUIS A man was left injured Wednesday morning after an overnight shooting in St. Louis Midtown neighborhood. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD), the shooting occurred around 3 a.m. on the 300 block of South Grand. Two charged with abandoning corpse at SLU Hospital, stealing victims car and phone The injured man was left in critical condition after the shooting, SLMPD said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. NEED TO KNOW A missing 35-year-old man was found dead in a New York State lake on Aug. 18 In the early morning hours the day before, he and a friend were kayaking when their vessel capsized Neither man was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident After two days of searching, authorities located the body of a missing 35-year-old man 70 feet below the surface of a lake in New York State after his kayak capsized. In the early morning hours of Sunday, Aug. 17, around 1:30 a.m. local time, Bo Soo Choi, who also goes by John Choi, and an unnamed friend went out on Cayuga Lake in upstate New York on their kayak, the Seneca County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators later determined that the men were attempting to make a turn in the kayak when the vessel capsized. Neither man was wearing a life jacket. One male was able to be rescued by bystanders, officials continued. Choi was unsuccessful in his attempt to get to shore. By approximately 1:45 a.m., several 911 calls came in to report people in distress in the water. After deputies and first responders arrived at the area south of Sheldrake Point in Ovid, a small town in the Finger Lakes region, multiple people were assisted out of the lake, the sheriffs office said. But officials realized that one male was unaccounted for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A multi-agency search immediately commenced for the missing man, Choi, who hails from Flushing, Queens. Drones, boats and firefighters participated in the search-and-rescue operation throughout the day, until they were stopped by nightfall. On Monday, Aug. 18, at 6:30 a.m., crews restarted the search, eventually locating Chois body at 11:15 a.m. His body was recovered from a depth of approximately 70 [feet] of water, authorities said. Getty Sailboats on Cayuga Lake. Sailboats on Cayuga Lake. His death has been classified as an "accidental drowning." The Seneca County Sheriffs Office and Seneca County Coroners Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs requests for further information. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In the press release, Seneca County Sheriff Timothy Thompson thanked the 17 other agencies that helped in the search efforts. He also reminded people of the importance of life preservers and having a safety plan in place when out on the water. Read the original article on People ST. LOUIS The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) is investigating a fatal shooting that happened in the Walnut Park East neighborhood Tuesday afternoon. According to SLMPD, officers were alerted to reports of gunfire in the intersection of West Florissant and Thrush shortly after 5 p.m. Police say that when they arrived at the scene, they located a man who was shot. SLMPD says the victimwhose identity has yet to be releaseddied from his injuries. FOX 2 has yet to learn what led to the deadly shooting, as information is currently limited at this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, SLMPD announced that it has asked its homicide detectives to look into the shooting, and it has temporarily closed off West Florissant. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KANSAS CITY, Mo. One man is fighting for his life after a shooting Tuesday night on Kansas Citys northeast side. Kansas City police said around 11:15 p.m., officers were sent to the area of Independence and Askew avenues for a reported shooting. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV When they arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. Police said he was taken to a hospital, where he is in serious condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police did not name the man who was shot and did not release any information about a suspect. The investigation is ongoing. This is a developing story. FOX4 will update this story when new details are available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Sentencing will be Sept. 10 for a city man accused of firing into a car with two people inside. Isaac Bethel, 22, entered guilty pleas before Judge Anthony DApolito on Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to two counts of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and improper discharge of a firearm at or into a habitation, also a second-degree felony. He is accused of shooting at a car Feb. 26 that was in a driveway in the 3300 block of Hudson Avenue. A 40-year-old man and his 18-year-old daughter were inside the car when it was fired upon. The man was cut by flying glass, but there were no other injuries. Witnesses spotted Bethel running away, and he was later found by police at Mistletoe and Glenwood avenues, where he was taken into custody without incident. He has been in the Mahoning County jail on $100,000 bond since his arraignment in municipal court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Reiner contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Simon Beston died three weeks after being punched and knocked to the ground in Newcastle [Family handout] A man who died three weeks after being punched in the street has been described as a "devoted father" who was "warm and full of life". Simon Beston, 55, was injured on Saint Andrew's Street in the China Town area of Newcastle on 26 July at about 22:30 BST. He died in hospital on Saturday due to serious injuries sustained when he was punched in the head and fell to the ground, Northumbria Police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five teenagers were arrested and released on bail. In a statement, Mr Beston's family said he was also "a loving son and a proud grandad". "His legacy lives on in the love he gave so freely and in the hearts of all who were blessed to know him," they added. Mr Beston's partner said he was "warm, kind and full of life". "Even in the simplest moments, his kindness and caring heart lit up my world," she said. Appeal for witnesses Police said it was reported that Mr Beston and a woman had been in an altercation with a small group of people when he was then hit. Det Insp Ashley Loader said it was believed the group had attended Ladies Day at Newcastle Racecourse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are still keen to hear from any witnesses who were in the area at the time who may have information which could assist us with our enquiries." The force said a 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Two other 19-year-old men, a 19-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl were arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Anyone with information should contact police. Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Related internet links Aug. 19ROCHESTER A man who falsely told police he fired the gun at the scene of a fatal shooting was given six months in jail for giving a false statement to investigators. Jose Abraham Gutierrez Ojeda, 28, was sentenced in Olmsted County District Court Tuesday, Aug. 19, on a felony charge of aiding an offender. He admitted to telling police it was he, and not his brother, who shot and killed a man in a Chick-fil-A parking lot in Rochester in February 2024. Video and witness accounts confirm it was Isaac Gutierrez, Jose's brother, who fired the shot that killed Osbel Ornelas, 24, during a fight in the Chick-fil-A parking lot on South Broadway in Rochester on Feb. 3, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video shows Jose was the first to exit the car after the car he was in nearly struck the car Ornelas was driving. Jose displayed a pistol and later put the weapon back into the car and scuffled with Ornelas. Isaac then retrieved the firearm and shot Ornelas in the head. Jose pleaded guilty in February this year to the charge. Jose apologized to members of Ornelas' family, at least one of whom was in the courtroom Tuesday. "I can't imagine their loss," he said. "I want them to know I'm truly sorry." Jose said he didn't intend to hinder the police investigation of the shooting but was only trying to protect his brother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I felt responsible for my little brother and what happened that day," he said. On that point, Judge Kathy M. Wallace, who presided over the proceeding Tuesday, agreed. "I think you truly realize that this wouldn't have occurred but for your actions," Wallace said to Jose. However, Wallace disagreed with Jose and his attorney's attorney, Eric Olson, who both said Jose's statement to police was made out of regret, remorse and sense of protectiveness for his younger brother who did pull the trigger. Olson also said the statements didn't hinder the investigation into the incident thanks to witness statements and video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't find it to be an impulsive decision," Wallace said, noting that after the shooting Jose took the gun from Isaac and switched seats in the car with his brother before giving his false statement. "The fact that law enforcement figured it out is not attributable to the defendant," Wallace said. "It was because of the police work." Olson asked Wallace to lower the offense to a gross misdemeanor and not impose a prison sentence. Instead, Wallace imposed a 75-month sentence that will be stayed as long as Jose complies with terms of his probation. She ordered Jose to serve 90 days in jail beginning immediately with the possibility of work release and to serve another 90-day sentence beginning on the anniversary of the 2024 murder. Isaac was convicted by a jury of the murder and sentenced to five years in prison. The state is appealing the sentence arguing it's too lenient. A Colorado Springs sanitation worker was hospitalized with severe chemical burns Wednesday after being exposed to a sulfuric acid explosion when dumping out a trash bin, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department. The 2400 block of North Chelton Road was completely closed for more than three hours as the Fire Department and hazmat crews investigated a liquid-caused explosion that left the sanitation worker at Infinite Disposal in critical condition, officials said. The department confirmed that sulfuric acid was the cause of the worker's severe chemical burns after a hazmat crew investigated for over 30 minutes. Sulfuric acid, when combined with liquids like water, can react by causing explosions and fires, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Sulfuric acid is considered hazardous waste and is not permitted to be disposed of in residential trash routes through most local services, including Infinite Waste. Featured Local Savings Ashley Franco, a fire department spokesperson, said the worker was dumping out a trash bin when a sulfuric acid explosion was triggered, leaving him with severe chemical burns. The sanitation worker was airlifted to a burn unit at a hospital in Denver after being examined at a local emergency room. The examination concluded the worker had burns covering 60% of his body, Franco said. Franco reminded the community to be mindful of what they dispose of and who it could hurt. "Throwing (chemicals) away in your trash can can be harmful to you, your family, sanitation workers, first responders and the community," Franco wrote on X. CHICAGO (WGN) Authorities in Chicago are asking for help from the public in the search for a man who officers say has been missing for nearly seven months. Chicago police say 21-year-old Jaden Kinnett has been missing since Jan. 31, 2025. Officers said Kinnett was last contacted on Jan. 21, and was spotted by family members 10 days later on Jan. 31. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Kinnetts whereabouts remained unknown until he was once again spotted on April 21, 2025, in the 1800 block of South Komensky Avenue, in North Lawndale on the West Side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kinnett was officially reported missing on Aug. 15, 2025. Authorities say Kinnett, who has brown hair as well as brown and light green hair, stands 5-foot-9 and weighs around 130 pounds. A photo provided by Chicago police shows Kinnett with shoulder-length hair, though it is unclear if that is the style currently worn. Photo provided by Chicago police shows 21-year-old Jaden Kinnett, who officers say has been missing since Jan. 31, 2025. Officers say the missing man is known to have a nose piercing and a skeleton tattoo on his left forearm. Authorities shared details about the missing mans disappearance in a news release sent out on Monday afternoon, but did not say what he was last spotted wearing. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information on the whereabouts of 21-year-old Jaden Kinnett is asked to contact the CPD Area One SVU at 312-747-8380 or dial 911. Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) Police are searching for two men wanted in connection with an attempted robbery in the Bronx on Friday. Around 1:15 p.m., the two men allegedly broke into a 44-year-old mans apartment near Grand Concourse and Elliot Place using a crowbar to pry the door open, police said. More Local News Once inside, the duo repeatedly punched the man, demanding money, then pinned him to a chair and covered his face and mouth with a towel while they tore through his apartment, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two then ran off to an unknown location. Police said no property was taken from the apartment, and the man sustained minor injuries. Police said both men are in the range of 30-35 years old. One of them was last seen wearing a gray T-shirt, dark pants and a dark hat. The other was wearing all black and a blue hat with the letter C on the front. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Spencer Gustafson is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered New York state and city news since 2023. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A man who pleaded guilty Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to firing several shots at his brother earlier this year was sentenced to five to six years in prison. Derrick Jackson, 33, received the sentence from Judge Anthony DApolito after pleading guilty to felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and a firearm specification. Jackson was arrested March 16 on a warrant for firing shots from a handgun on March 5 at his brother during an argument at a home on East Midlothian Boulevard. No one was injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police were called about 11:40 p.m. to a gas station at East Midlothian Boulevard and South Avenue, where they met a man who told them he was arguing with his brother at a nearby home when his brother pulled a revolver and fired a shot. The shot missed, and the man ran into another room, reports said. Two other shots were fired, but both missed. The man then got in his car and drove away. Reports said police went to the mans home and found bullet holes, but the suspect was gone. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now) A 56-year-old man pleaded guilty after nonconsensual sexual touching of another passenger while flying to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), according to the Eastern District of Virginia U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO). MPD chief announces new Juvenile Curfew Zone along U Street corridor Darrell Seale is an American who resided in the United Arab Emirates, a country in the Middle East. While on a flight from Boston Logan International to DCA, Seale began touching himself sexually shortly after the ascent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then began to touch another passenger sexually without consent. The victim motioned for him to stop, which only temporarily halted his actions before he continued. After notifying the flight attendant, the victim was moved to a different seat. A third passenger witnessed the incident. Seale pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact on Friday. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5 and faces up to two years in prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. The man who was seized from a vehicle in a Minneapolis street by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol officers last Friday remains in federal custody pending deportation. Javier Yanez-Morales, 47, was arrested just after 8 a.m. on Aug. 15 near the corner of Douglas and Hennepin avenues, behind the Walker Art Center. Federal officials say he is an undocumented immigrant, and he's expected to remain in ICE custody at the Sherburne County Jail until his deportation to Mexico. Video obtained by Bring Me The News shows Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Border Patrol agents remove Yanez-Morales from a vehicle, place him in handcuffs, and move him to a black SUV with flashing police lights. Witnesses can be heard demanding to see a warrant, with officers saying little in response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yanez-Morales was with his daughter, who told Bring Me The News that agents stuck their hands in her rolled-down window to unlock the doors to the vehicle and arrest her father. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Tuesday that Border Patrol agents from the Grand Forks, N.D. sector supported ICE and ERO, a division of ICE, on Aug. 15 during a "targeted operation" to arrest Yanez-Morales. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Yanez-Morales has "a history of assault and multiple DWIs." Minnesota court records reveal a 2022 DWI conviction for Yanez-Morales, but no assault charges or convictions, though he has been been cited for driving without a license and driving on a suspended license. WCCO is reporting that Yanez-Morales has also been charged with a DWI following an alleged incident this July when he gave a blood-alcohol reading of 0.08, which is the same as Minnesota's legal limit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security spokesperson didn't respond when asked for more information on Yanez-Morales' alleged criminal history, including whether any of the alleged offenses occurred in other states. After multiple attempts, a spokesperson for ICE told Bring Me The News on Tuesday that Yanez-Morales "has put the public at risk for repeatedly and selfishly choosing to drink and drive" for more than two decades and had committed other crimes, including domestic assault and false reporting. Again, it's not clear where the alleged domestic assault and false reporting offenses occurred, and more details have not been provided despite further requests. The spokesperson said Yanez-Morales "has been illegally entering the United States as far back as 1998" and has previously been deported to Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While authorities say he is in the country illegally, there is a question over whether Yanez-Morales' criminal history fits the profile of the Trump Administration's focus on targeting undocumented immigrants with violent criminal histories for deportation. His daughter told BMTN that the arresting agents "were very violent" and claims they assaulted Yanez-Morales when he was in custody. She said one of his molars was broken and his request to go to a hospital was denied. Video, witnesses capture arrest unfolding One of several witnesses reached out to Bring Me The News following our initial story on Yanez-Morales' arrest, before we knew his name. Pangea Carpio-Evans and her partner saw the incident unfold. She can be heard in the video, captured by Cynthia Daggett, crying out: "This is what it looks like when our human rights are taken away." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carpio-Evans observed that one of the agents was wearing a vest with "police" across the chest and ERO on the back, though he's not a police officer, and his badge was hiding behind a walkie-talkie. She also pointed out that the vehicles used by ICE look like undercover police vehicles. Carpio-Evans told Bring Me The News that the she believes the arrest was "unconstitutional, illegal and inhumane." In the video, the bespectacled agent in the police and ERO vest can be seen wrestling with Yanez-Morales from the back of the vehicle, as two other agents outside the vehicle try to pull him from the passenger seat. During the struggle, it sounds like Yanez-Morales says to them: "What do you think you're doing? You're hurting my back." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His daughter screams at the agents, repeatedly asks to see a warrant and accuses them of racial profiling as her father is arrested. The ICE spokesperson alleges that Yanez-Morales resisted arrest. They did not respond to questions regarding the warrant, the agent in the police and ERO vest, and the unmarked vehicles used by the agents. "A passenger who interfered only escalated the situation, creating unnecessary danger for themselves, bystanders, and the officers," the ICE spokesperson said in a statement. The Minneapolis Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office weren't involved in the arrest. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A man accused of crashing into a city police cruiser during a chase was sentenced Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to two years in prison. Read next: Police seek guardian of boy found wandering nude on West Side Edgardo Esteras, 33, received the sentence from Judge Maureen Sweeney after pleading guilty to failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm, third-degree felonies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Esteras was charged after reports said a car he was driving hit a cruiser about 3 a.m. May 18 at Loveless and Himrod avenues. Reports said he ran from the car after the crash and was caught after a brief foot chase. Police found a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun inside the car, reports said. Esteras is not allowed to have a gun because of previous drug convictions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. A man was killed by his bulldozer while helping to fight wildfires in Portugal, officials said on Wednesday. The 65-year-old was trying to escape the flames in the northern municipality of Mirandela when he fell from the vehicle and was run over, according to Commander Paulo Santos of the National Civil Protection Authority. He is the third person to have died in the Portugal wildfires since they broke out in late July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug 15, it was reported the wildfires claimed the life of Carlos Damaso, a former mayor of the town of Vila Franca do Deao. He died while helping to fight a blaze, officials said. A helicopter dropped water on the fire in Castelo Branco, in Portugal - PAULO NOVAIS Firefighters battle a forest fire in Adurao, Pampilhosa da Serra, Portugal - Paulo Novais/EPA/Shutterstock Firefighters in Spain are also struggling to contain dozens of fires that have killed four people. Hundreds of firefighters were still battling four large fires in Portugal on Wednesday, the most complex of which were still spreading in the north and centre of the country. More than 2,600 firefighters have been deployed, supported by about 20 aircraft including two water-bombing planes sent by Sweden through the European Unions civil protection agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major fires have swept across Europe this summer, fanned by extreme heat in Greece, France, Turkey and the Balkans and the Iberian Peninsula spanning Spain and Portugal. In Spain, a record area of land around 373,000 hectares (848,000 acres) has been destroyed this year. The previous record of 306,000 hectares was recorded in the same period three years ago. While Spanish officials said many of this years fires had been sparked by lightning, police have arrested 32 people for suspected arson since June and others are under investigation, according to media reports citing the interior ministry. Pedro Sanchez, Spains prime minister, visited a wildfire command centre in Caceres, in the western Extremadura region, on Tuesday as dozens of fires continued to sweep through the north and west of the country despite a fall in daily temperatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to local media, 38,000 hectares of land were destroyed in just 24 hours, and 40 fires are still burning out of control. Jose Antonios car business was destroyed - PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA Desperate scenes as residents fight to prevent a wildfire from reaching houses in Vilela Seca, Portugal - Pascual Garcia/Anadolu via Getty The fires have been fuelled by heatwaves and extreme drought conditions blamed by many on climate change. Mr Sanchez warned that the climate emergency was worsening every year due to surging temperatures and strong winds. Spain and Portugal have activated the European civil protection mechanism, through which countries can request emergency assistance. Since the start of the year, more than 261,000 hectares have been destroyed by fires in Portugal, according to the European Forest Fire Information System, compared to 143,000 hectares last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2017, Portugal experienced a devastating fire season, with 563,000 hectares scorched and 119 people killed. 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. If you use TikTok or any other app designed to rot your brain, chances are you've encountered AI-generated ads for somehow even faker-seeming products. But the popular short-form video platform in particular is pushing a specific style of these ads that aim to be nefariously familiar: a person looking into the camera and making a direct pitch for some type of scammy-feeling product. Of course, this "person" is actually one of over a dozen AI "digital avatars" that TikTok offers to advertisers, which can be made to say whatever a client wants, so long as it adheres to the platform's questionably enforced guidelines. 52-year-old Scott Jacqmein is one of the actors behind these AI digital avatars. And though his AI-puppetted mug appears in ads all over the platform, it turns out that selling your soul to a generative model used by a company that makes $10 billion in US ad revenue per year doesn't really pay. Jacqmein's total compensation for completely surrendering his likeness to the whims of advertisers he'll never even meet, shilling products he's never actually tried? $750 and zero royalties, he revealed in a new interview with the New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One ad is for a horoscope app, with his avatar standing in front of a background showing the "birthdays of witches" (which also appears to be AI-generated.) Another ad recommends cancelling your home insurance and switching to a product called "Safeu." And another ad is in Spanish, which Jacqmein does not speak. Jacqmein, who was not represented by an agent at the time when he worked with TikTok, regrets the decision, and said he would've negotiated for higher pay and stricter limits on what his likeness could be used for. "The technology is evolving faster than the contracts, and they are poaching eager new actors who don't have representation into their web of avatars," Jacqmein told the NYT. He explained that he had recently pivoted to acting and believed that working with a big company like TikTok would be a good start. "I'm definitely not anti-AI, and I'm not anti-TikTok," he added. But "you really don't know the ramifications of this." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AI has made rapid inroads into the acting industry over the past few years, preying on non-union actors who don't have the protections won by Hollywood actors in a 2023 strike. Tech companies offer easy money to these actors desperate for work. Generally, the actors are simply asked to read lines in front of a greenscreen. It's an exploitative approach that makes a potent combination with the already sleazy world of online ads. One actor who licensed their likeness to an AI company called Synthesia was shocked to discover their face being used to back a foreign coup. Based on other actors the NYT spoke to, Jacqmein is not alone in feeling robbed, considering the wide spread of what their faces and voices are being put to: two who also joined TikTok's program were paid just $500 to $1,000 for their work. That's far below the typical rate for commercial actors. Rafal Villegas at the Dallas-based talent agency told the NYT that non-represented actors can make between $300 to $1,000 per commercial, and even $2,500 for represented actors on nonunion jobs. Note that's per commercial; the AI actors only received a small one-time payment for a potentially limitless number of ads. And it's even dwarfed by what actors have received working with other AI companies: the actor who said his face was used in an ad backing a foreign coup said he was paid $5,240, for example. TikTok is being particularly miserly. That kind of savings for advertisers, though, has investors chomping at the bit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Every advertiser would like to save money if they can save money," venture capitalist and former TV network executive Joe Marchese told the NYT, predicting that digital avatars could be "seismic for advertising." More on AI: Subscribers to Fashion Magazine Vogue Disgusted When They Realize Where Its New Two-Page "Photos" Really Came From GREENBELT, Md. (DC News Now) A 47-year-old man was sentenced to nine years after pleading guilty in a drug trafficking operation. Bengi Knox pleaded guilty on Feb. 20 to conspiring with his co-defendants, Kevin Lee Simon, Jr. and Malik Marvin Lloyd, to distribute phencyclidine (PCP). The scheme spanned from at least December 2022 through March 2023 throughout Maryland. On Jan. 5, 2023, Knox and Lloyd arranged to meet in Washington, D.C., and exchanged PCP before meeting up the next day to exchange payment, the U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) detailed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man who threw Subway sandwich at law enforcement in DC becomes symbol of resistance On Feb. 7, 2023, Simon told Knox about a new source for the drug. During a phone call, Simon said to Knox that the new source of supply was super crunch. Simon said he would sell the drug unaltered for $13,500 about $1,000 more than the sale for the drug with some cutting agent. On March 29, 2023, law enforcement searched Knoxs residence and vehicle in White Plains, recovering 60.992 grams of PCP, 23.68 grams of cocaine and 0.95 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. A Glock Model 43 9mm pistol, ammunition and more than $2,250 were also recovered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On May 29, Simon was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and Lloyd was sentenced to eight years on June 5. Knox was the last to be sentenced, handed down nine years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. A man who shook a newborn baby boy and caused serious injuries has been jailed for seven years for attempted murder. Stuart Flood, 28, from Elgin in Moray, was found guilty of the assaulting the infant over a three-month period in Aberdeen in 2021. The boy was taken to hospital in the city before being airlifted to Glasgow for emergency surgery. Judge Paul Brown, jailing Flood at the High Court in Dundee, said the child's injuries were "very serious indeed". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court heard that Flood attacked the baby beginning when he was just 14 days old. But he denied attempted murder and claimed that the boy was hurt in two accidental incidents, for which he accepted responsibility. However, the jury found him guilty of the full charge, including shaking the baby and inflicting trauma to the danger of his life. Judge Brown said: "Thankfully there has been a good recovery but there will be a lasting impact from your actions. "I take into account your age, your lack of previous convictions and your previous good character. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "However, there is no appropriate alternative to a substantial custodial sentence, given the grave nature of this crime." Speaking to BBC Scotland News, the mother of the baby said: "I'm glad he got seven years, but it's not about the amount of time, it's about how we have finally got justice for my little boy." MONROE COUNTY, Ky. (WKRN) A man was shot and killed earlier this week after he made his way inside a Tompkinsville home, officials said. According to Kentucky State Police, the Monroe County Sheriffs Office requested investigative assistance from KSP Post 15 at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 18, following a shooting that had occurred at a residence on Sugar Creek Road. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Authorities said a preliminary investigation indicates that 50-year-old Scott Eudy, of Cave City, had entered the home and was confronted by an occupant inside, who was armed with a gun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At some point during their interaction, the person inside the residence discharged his firearm, striking Eudy, KSP said. The 50-year-old was then taken to the Monroe County Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The Monroe County Sheriffs Office, Monroe County EMS and Monroe County Coroners Office, all reportedly assisted at the scene. An investigation into the deadly incident remains ongoing. No additional details were immediately released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Metro Police responded to a gas station in Crieve Hall overnight after a man was shot twice, according to authorities. Officers were called just before midnight Tuesday to Circle K at Trousdale Drive and Harding Place. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee (WKRN) (WKRN) (WKRN) Investigators told News 2 the 55-year-old victim was shot once in the lower back and once in the backside. He was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with critical injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Non-Lethal Shooting Unit detectives are leading the investigation. Officials said they are in the process of reviewing surveillance footage to identify a suspect, and no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. 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. A man who shot a policeman in the leg with a crossbow after officers were called to a neighbour dispute has been jailed for nine years. Jason King, 55, stabbed a neighbour's partner in the stomach near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and then fired at PC Curtis Foster on 10 May 2024. The officer, who was hit by a bolt in the leg, made a full recovery and returned to duty. The stab victim also recovered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement King admitted unlawful wounding and at a Crown Court hearing in Amersham, Judge Jonathan Cooper said King posed a "significant" risk. He also pleaded guilty to having an article with a blade or point, having an offensive weapon, wounding with intent and affray. Jason King had a history of mental health difficulties, the court was told [Thames Valley Police] King, a former computer worker of School Close in Downley, near High Wycombe, repeatedly shot at officers with the crossbow out of his upstairs window. Footage released by Thames Valley Police showed King, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, running across a road, pursuing the officers while pointing a crossbow. An armed officer can be heard shouting a warning before shooting King in the stomach - who had been hiding near trees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was taken to hospital under police supervision with potentially life-changing injuries, but was discharged 10 days later and arrested, before being charged. The judge said King's actions were evidence he had attempted "to settle a score with police". "It was as if you were trying to hunt down the officer, chasing him, aiming at his body," he added. Judge Cooper was told that he had bought the crossbow online for less than 20. He told King he was "clearly beside yourself" with anger during the incident. Judge Cooper said PC Foster - who suffered a 2-3cm (1in) wound near an artery - and two other officers should be commended for bravery. Police were called to the neighbour dispute in School Close on 10 May 2024 [BBC] In an interview following the sentencing, PC Foster described how he lost so much blood that his colleagues were "covered" in it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he saw King take "the whole window out of its frame" before pointing something at him. The officer knew he had been "impacted", but his adrenaline levels were "so high" that he could not feel much pain. 'Grinning' Barrister Graham Smith, prosecuting, said King had previous convictions, including possessing a bladed article in a public place and for punching and threatening a neighbour. Mr Smith said PC Foster saw King "grinning" as he exited his address before shooting him in the leg. PC Foster told the judge, in a written victim impact statement, that the attack had affected him in "so many ways". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Previously, I guess I was quite blase about work," he said. "I kind of thought risk is risk and that is what you deal with. Now I feel more cautious." PC Foster said he had suffered anxiety and had thought about how he might never have seen his "parents or anyone else" again. He said his wound had physically healed but left a scar. Mark Kimsey, for King, said his client had a history of anxiety and depression, and cannabis use may have been an "aggravating factor". The barrister said King wanted to apologise, felt "embarrassed and ashamed", and "didn't understand why he lost the plot". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said what King did was "totally out of character". His client had been on remand in custody since May 2024 and "doing extremely well", Mr Kimsey added. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Related internet links A Chinese national has been sentenced to eight years in prison for smuggling firearms and other military items to North Korea, the US justice department has said. Shenghua Wen, 42, received around $2m (1.5m) from North Korean officials to ship the items from California, according to a statement from the agency on Monday. A resident of Ontario, California, Wen has been detained since December 2024. He pleaded guilty in June to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and being an illegal agent of a foreign government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wen's case shines a light on the various ways in which North Korea circumvents international sanctions on its arms trade. Describing Wen as an "illegal alien", the justice department said he entered the US on a student visa in 2012 and remained in the country after his visa expired in December 2013. "Prior to entering the United States, Wen met with officials from North Korea's government at a North Korean embassy in China," the agency said. "These government officials directed Wen to procure goods on behalf of North Korea." Two North Korean officials reached Wen via an online messaging platform in 2022 and told him to smuggle firearms and other goods from the US to North Korea, according to the justice department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, he shipped at least three containers of firearms from the Port of Long Beach to China, with their final destination being North Korea. He filed false export information about the container's contents. One such container, which he had reported as carrying a refrigerator, arrived in Hong Kong in January 2024 before being sent to Nampo, North Korea. He also purchased a firearms business in Houston with money from a North Korean contact, and drove the weapons from Texas to California, where they were arranged to be shipped. Last September, Wen bought around 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition with plans to ship them to North Korea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US authorities also said that Wen obtained "sensitive technology" which he had meant to send to North Korea, such as a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver. "Wen admitted in his plea agreement that at all relevant times he knew that it was illegal to ship firearms, ammunition, and sensitive technology to North Korea," the justice department said. Under sanctions by the UN Security Council, North Korea is banned from trading arms and military equipment. The US has also imposed its own sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile activities. But North Korea has developed ways to get around the sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2015, the US blacklisted a Singapore-based shipping firm for allegedly supporting illicit arms shipments to North Korea. In 2016, Egyptian authorities intercepted a North Korean ship containing more than 30,000 grenades bound for Egypt. And in 2023, British American Tobacco had to pay more than $600m (445m) for selling cigarettes to North Korea in violation of the sanctions. The victim was named as 41-year-old man named by police as Shazad Khan [Met Police] An "ice cream man" who was fatally stabbed in north-West London has been named as Shazad Khan. The Metropolitan Police was called to Monks Park, Wembley, at about 18:10 BST on Tuesday, where the 41-year-old was treated for stab wounds but died at the scene. Officers arrested a woman, 31, at the scene on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, then arrested a man, 26, in the early hours of Wednesday morning and both remain in custody, the Met said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asim Mahmood Butt, 39, a resident living in nearby Tokyngton Avenue, said Mr Khan was known for selling ice cream in the area. A 41-year-old man was found with stab wounds on Monks Park Road, Wembley [BBC] Mr Butt added he was childhood friends with the victim. Speaking at the scene, he said: "This guy, we know him - he's a famous ice cream guy. He got stabbed yesterday. "I know his brothers as well - they're all local. We all used to play cricket and football here in Monks Park. "He started (selling) ice cream about a year ago." Mr Butt said the victim's ice cream van, which had been parked on the road at the time of the incident, was well known locally for having a large teddy bear. One resident said the victim, who was a childhood friend of his, was an ice cream seller [BBC] A second witness, who did not want to be named, said the ice cream van was towed away from the scene in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A blue forensics tent and a number of Met officers were seen inside a police cordon in Monks Park on Wednesday afternoon. Removal vehicles also took away a separate white van and blue car. Det Ch Sup Luke Williams said: "Our thoughts remain with Shazad's family and friends at this unimaginably difficult time. "This incident will rightly cause concern across the community, but intelligence at this stage leads us to believe there is no wider threat to the public." He appealed for anyone with information to contact police, adding there would be an increased presence in the area while investigations continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Metropolitan Police previously reported the victim's age was 38. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk Related internet links A Vermont man accused of leading Massachusetts police on a high-speed chase, dragging a state trooper and then fleeing into Connecticut was taken into custody Wednesday evening, police said. Mason Payne, 23, was taken into custody at about 5 p.m. Wednesday at a Stamford, Connecticut, motel following a multistate manhunt, Stamford police said. Police said they found two firearms after searching his room and vehicle. On Tuesday afternoon, police in Dover, Vermont, said Payne was involved in an armed domestic assault. Later that night, at approximately 10 p.m., he was stopped in Holyoke, Massachusetts, by a state police trooper, officials said in a statement on Wednesday. Shelton CT Police Department - PHOTO: Officials in three New England states are searching for Mason Payne, a 23-year-old who led Massachusetts police on a high-speed chase, dragged a state trooper and then fled into Connecticut, according to the Shelton, Connecticut, Police Department. MORE: Gunman kills neighbor then injures 2 responding troopers in 'ambush' in rural Pennsylvania: Police Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the stop, Payne dragged the trooper several feet with his vehicle before fleeing, according to police. The pursuit ended for safety reasons, police said. Payne, of Weathersfield, Vermont, was last seen driving an older model black Audi sedan, police said. Shelton CT Police Department - PHOTO: Officials in three New England states are searching for Mason Payne, a 23-year-old who led Massachusetts police on a high-speed chase, dragged a state trooper and then fled into Connecticut, according to the Shelton, Connecticut, Police Department. During the search, police said Payne should be considered armed and dangerous and said he had made threats to harm law enforcement officers. The Indiana Statehouse is reflected in the ISTA building in downtown Indianapolis on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) An interim legislative task force wrestled with the states hundreds of boards and commissions Tuesday, struggling to learn more about their finances and meeting schedules. Such groups can include powerful boards who can grant professional licenses, review an inmates parole application and approve utility price increases while others were designed to be one-off planning committees or exist in name only. I dont think its a controversial statement to say we have too many, said Adam Battalio, a senior policy advisor for Gov. Mike Braun. Battalio, whose Tuesday presentation was limited to just boards and commissions, counted at least 224 such bodies with a gubernatorial appointment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read the prepared report on all 267 selected boards, commissions and advisory councils here. For years, leaders have sought to tamp down on the states various councils and task forces, most recently in a House bill that ultimately didnt advance in the 2025 legislative session. Last year, a similar committee scrutinized various groups, which itself came from 2023 legislation. But determining which groups merit keeping and which to phase out or combine with others has been more difficult. Such bodies have roughly doubled in the last 25 years, Battalio said, across Republican and Democrat administrations and legislatures. Its not bad intentions that are behind this growth. In fact, its probably important for us to recognize good intentions, over time, grow government, Battalio said. Those same good intentions can help address this problem (and) reshape government to be more responsive, more efficient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But some lawmakers were perturbed to learn that the states Legislative Services Agency has trouble tracking spending and other activities for some boards and commissions. One of the first things that came out is they have almost no visibility on some of these boards and commissions. Cant track them; cant see them, said Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown. Which is a problem. A low-ball estimate pinned those cumulative costs at $700,000, but that doesnt include per diem or travel costs for legislators, coffee or lunch for members or program funding, Battalio said. you will notice on those (legislative services agency) fiscal numbers There are no aggregated totals. Part of that is because theyre concerned they cant see everything, so theyre worried about the accuracies or inaccuracies, Garten added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A better-informed total would be forthcoming, he said. Measuring boards and commissions Measuring meeting frequency and outcomes proved more difficult, as 56 boards didnt have any online information at all. While that category would need further scrutiny, Battalio said, the average for other groups was 12 meetings per year in 2024. Outliers with dozens or even hundreds of meetings included the parole board, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, and Nursing Board. However, Battalio cautioned against using the data without the full context. Meeting frequently does not make you important; meeting infrequently does not make you unimportant, Battalio said. Battalio also noted that as states reviewed their own groups, including Iowa and Arkansas, some were necessary to draw down federal funds. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A train derails and spills at least 1,000 gallons of hazardous materials in the U.S. about once every two months. Nearly half of those derailments resulted in evacuations; more than a quarter resulted in a fire or explosion since 2015, an analysis of federal derailment data showed. And many communities along the rail lines arent prepared to keep people safe when it happens. Thats the finding of an investigation by the University of Marylands Howard Center for Investigative Journalism that reviewed hundreds of rail safety documents and reports and interviewed dozens of industry professionals and first responders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Howard Center also obtained unprecedented access to rail data collected by a network of AI-enhanced camera sensors, which allowed reporters to track shipments of hazardous materials along 2,200 miles of rail lines between the U.S.-Canadian border and West Texas. That data, provided by a private company called RailState LLC, showed that over the last six months at least 130,000 rail cars displaying placards for hazardous materials moved along sections of rail lines stretching from Blaine, Washington, to Amarillo, Texas. Those cars passed the homes of at least 2.5 million people living within a mile of the tracks, along with more than 1,000 schools and 80 hospitals, the analysis found. I think its fair to say that most communities are probably not aware of what chemicals are going up and down the railroads in their backyard, day in and day out, said Jamie Burgess, a hazmat training director at the International Association of Firefighters. First responders often lack the information, training, equipment and detailed planning needed to safely respond in the immediate aftermath of a hazmat derailment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fewer than one in five fire departments nationwide have their own team of hazmat specialists, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Confronted with a catastrophic hazmat derailment, local firefighters rely on a web of mutual support from nearby departments, regional hazmat teams, state and federal officials, and railroad contractors for the expertise and equipment they may lack. Yet those teams might be hours away, leaving firefighters to handle the unfolding crisis on their own. After a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, in 2023, it took more than an hour for firefighters with specialized hazmat training to arrive at the scene. Its usually the first time that theyve ever dealt with something like this, and theyre overwhelmed in the beginning, said Paul Stancil, who recently left his job as a senior hazardous materials accident investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. That was a problem in East Palestine. Its a problem in almost every site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, railroad industry-funded hazmat training initiatives reached at least 80,000 first responders, according to industry estimates. But this represents just a fraction of the estimated 1 million career and volunteer firefighters in the U.S, according to U.S. Fire Administration numbers. Jessica Kahanek, a spokesperson for the Association of American Railroads, said rail is the safest way to transport hazardous materials over land, adding that U.S. railroads safely carried more than 2 million hazardous material shipments in 2024. The Howard Center analysis of federal data found 57 derailments in the last decade that resulted in the release of at least 1,000 gallons (3,800 liters) of hazardous material. Twenty-six of those derailments resulted in evacuations; 16 caused fires or an explosion. When such derailments occur, firefighters called to the scene often face a critical problem: Many dont know what chemicals are on board the train and what the exposure risks might be. And federal regulators have delayed the requirement to immediately supply that information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter to federal regulators this month, East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick criticized the delay and urged regulators to enforce a stricter timeline on railroads. The 2023 East Palestine derailment in my village highlighted a critical lack of timely communication with public safety about hazardous materials information involved in rail emergencies, Drabick wrote. Without strict enforcement by regulators, he added, I am concerned that the derailment in my community could be repeated. We were untrained ... we were ill prepared When communities are unprepared for a hazmat spill, the consequences can be dire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2012, a derailment in Paulsboro, New Jersey, sent several tank cars carrying vinyl chloride a highly toxic and flammable chemical plunging into a creek. One of the tank cars broke open, spewing a cloud of toxic gas that engulfed the surrounding area. Local police and volunteer firefighters, initially confused about the chemical released, approached the wreck without breathing protection even standing in the cloud. The initial evacuation area was too small, investigators later found, and many nearby residents spent hours in the exposure zone. More than 700 residents and responders reported symptoms of chemical exposure. A subsequent NTSB report found the poor emergency response contributed to the severity of the accident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve never experienced anything of this magnitude in my entire career, said Chris Wachter, Paulsboros police chief at the time of the derailment. We were untrained for it. We were ill-prepared for it. Paulsboro fire officials declined to be interviewed for this story. Emergency officials for Gloucester County which includes Paulsboro also declined an interview but said in an emailed statement there has been significant improvement in the capabilities of the countys Hazardous Materials Team and relationships with municipal first responder organizations. Vinyl chloride represents just a fraction of the hazardous chemicals that move regularly on the rails. A Howard Center analysis of RailStates data found that, excluding petroleum and alcohol, the top hazardous chemicals moved by train include sulfuric acid, chlorine, hydrochloric acid and ammonia all highly toxic, and potentially lethal in high concentrations. Vinyl chloride is a key ingredient in PVC plastic, used in construction and packaging materials. Chlorine is a widely used disinfectant and is used in water treatment plants across the U.S. Sulfuric acid and ammonia make fertilizer used on farms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many hazardous chemicals can move more than a thousand miles by train from manufacturer to end user, the Howard Center analysis found. Federal dollars for preparedness getting tighter Though the disasters in Paulsboro and East Palestine prompted calls for improved hazmat preparedness for firefighters, many departments dont have the resources. Federal funding is a major source of training and equipment for fire departments, but it increasingly falls short of the demand. Money given out by grant programs has dramatically declined in recent years, even as costs have gone up for fire departments, said Sarah Wilson Handler, vice president for grants at Lexipol, a firm that provides consulting services to police and fire departments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fiscal year 2024, fire departments across the country requested nearly $4 billion in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agencys Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, but the agency only made $291 million available. Port Huron, Michigan, cant afford to skimp on emergency preparedness for toxic chemical spills. Located on the Canadian border, the city of 30,000 sits across the St. Clair River from what locals call Chemical Valley, where dozens of chemical plants and oil refineries are clustered in Sarnia, Ontario. Many of these chemicals are exported to the U.S. According to the St. Clair County emergency operations plan, its the second-most highly trafficked border crossing in the country for toxic chemicals. Over the last six months, RailState data showed an average of 450 train cars with hazardous material placards passed through a mile-long tunnel that runs under the St. Clair River between the U.S. and Canada. A placard indicates the car is loaded with hazardous material or contains hazmat residue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, a Canadian National train derailed inside that tunnel, spilling over 12,000 gallons (45,400 liters) of sulfuric acid. The response counted on a web of support from local and state agencies, railroad hazmat specialists and Canadian authorities, all under the direction of the Environmental Protection Agency. But the future of federal support including the grant money the county hazmat team covering Port Huron relies on is uncertain. President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the future of FEMA, and the federal disaster agency has seen severe cuts and staff departures in recent weeks. Port Huron Fire Chief Corey Nicholson said federal dollars ebb and flow, but hes worried about the potential for funding cuts. When grants dry up, spending on hazmat gear and training gets harder. Do I spend my money on the single-family dwelling fires that I know are going to happen that are high risk, high frequency? Or do I spend money on a bunch of equipment that Ill probably never use? Nicholson asked. Theres so many mouths to feed and theres only so much money to do it with. ___ Aline Behar Kado, Paul Kiefer, Alaysia Ezzard, Ijeoma Opara, Menna Ibrahim, Molecule Jongwilai, Marijke Friedman, Josephine Johnson, April Quevedo, Tiasia Saunders and Declan Bradley of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism contributed reporting and data analysis for this story. ___ The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland is funded by a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation in honor of newspaper pioneer Roy W. Howard. As President Donald Trump tries to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, he has been highlighting his track record in peace negotiations since starting his second term in office. Speaking at the White House on 18 August, where he was pressed by European leaders to push for a ceasefire, he claimed: "I've ended six wars all of these deals I made without even the mention of the word 'ceasefire'." The following day the number he cited had risen to "seven wars". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration says a Nobel Peace Prize is "well past time" for the "peacemaker-in-chief", and has listed the "wars" he has supposedly ended. Some lasted just days - although they were the result of long-standing tensions - and it is unclear whether some of the peace deals will last. Trump also used the word "ceasefire" a number of times when talking about them on his Truth Social platform. BBC Verify has taken a closer look at these conflicts and how much credit the president can take for ending them. Israel and Iran The 12-day conflict began when Israel hit targets in Iran on 13 June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump confirmed that he had been informed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the strikes. The US carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites - a move widely seen as bringing the conflict towards a swift close. On 23 June, Trump posted: "Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World." After the hostilities ended, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted his country had secured a "decisive victory" and did not mention a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has since suggested it could strike Iran again to counter new threats. "There is no agreement on a permanent peace or on how to monitor Iran's nuclear programme going forward," argues Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank. "So what we have is more of a de facto ceasefire than an end to war, but I'd give him some credit, as the weakening of Iran by Israel - with US help - has been strategically significant." Targets in Iran and Israel were hit during 12 days of conflict [AFP via Getty Images] Pakistan and India Tensions between these two nuclear-armed countries have existed for years, but in May hostilities broke out following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After four days of strikes, Trump posted that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE". He said this was the result of "a long night of talks mediated by the United States". Pakistan thanked Trump and later recommended him for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his "decisive diplomatic intervention". India, however, played down talk of US involvement: "The talks regarding cessation of military action were held directly between India and Pakistan under the existing channels established between both militaries," Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo Long-standing hostilities between these two countries flared up after the M23 rebel group seized mineral-rich territory in eastern DR Congo earlier in the year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, the two countries signed a peace agreement in Washington aimed at ending decades of conflict. Trump said it would help increase trade between them and the US. The text called for "respect for the ceasefire" agreed between Rwanda and DRC in August 2024. Since the latest deal, both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire and the M23 rebels - which the UK and US have linked to Rwanda - have threatened to walk away from peace talks. "There's still fighting between Congo and Rwanda - so that ceasefire has never really held," says Margaret MacMillan, a professor of history who taught at the University of Oxford. Thailand and Cambodia On 26 July, Trump posted on Truth Social saying: "I am calling the Acting Prime Minister of Thailand, right now, to likewise request a Ceasefire, and END to the War, which is currently raging." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A couple of days later, the two countries agreed to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" after less than a week of fighting at the border. Malaysia held the peace talks, but President Trump threatened to stop separate negotiations on reducing US tariffs (taxes on imports) unless Thailand and Cambodia stopped fighting. Both are heavily dependent on exports to the US. On 7 August, Thailand and Cambodia reached an agreement aimed at reducing tensions along their shared border. Armenia and Azerbaijan The leaders of both countries said Trump should receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in securing a peace deal, which was announced at the White House on 8 August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think he gets good credit here - the Oval Office signing ceremony may have pushed the parties to peace," says Mr O'Hanlon. In March, the two governments had said they were ready to end their nearly 40-year conflict centred on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. The most recent, serious outbreak of fighting was in September 2023 when Azerbaijan seized the enclave (where many ethnic Armenians lived). Egypt and Ethiopia There was no "war" here for the president to end, but there have long been tensions over a dam on the River Nile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was completed this summer with Egypt arguing that the water it gets from the Nile could be affected. After 12 years of disagreement, Egypt's foreign minister said on 29 June that talks with Ethiopia had ground to a halt. Trump said: "If I were Egypt, I'd want the water in the Nile." He promised that the US was going to resolve the issue very quickly. Egypt welcomed Trump's words, but Ethiopian officials said they risked inflaming tensions. No formal deal has been reached between Egypt and Ethiopia to resolve their differences. Serbia and Kosovo On 27 June, Trump claimed to have prevented an outbreak of hostilities between them, saying: "Serbia, Kosovo was going to go at it, going to be a big war. I said you go at it, there's no trade with the United States. They said, well, maybe we won't go at it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two countries have long been in dispute - a legacy of the Balkan wars of the 1990s with tensions rising in recent years. "Serbia and Kosovo haven't been fighting or firing at each other, so it's not a war to end," Prof MacMillan told us. The White House pointed us towards Trump's diplomatic efforts in his first term. The two countries signed economic normalisation agreements in the Oval Office with the president in 2020, but they were not at war at the time. Additional reporting by Peter Mwai, Shruti Menon and Eve Webster. [BBC] What do you want BBC Verify to investigate? A baby dolphin caught in a web of discarded fishing gear has died, despite weeks of rescue attempts along the Texas coast, reported The Tribune. What happened? The dolphin calf was first spotted near Port Aransas, swimming alongside its mother while dragging yards of tangled fishing line. Over the following weeks, the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network and partner groups made several attempts to free it. "We've removed over 15 feet of line, including several hog-ties (line binding the dorsal fin to the tail), and fishing leaders, from the calf," the group reported in a social media update. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the gear had already cut deep into the dolphin's body, and the calf kept getting caught in more debris. As time went on, rescuers observed the calf becoming weaker and more heavily entangled. A day after one final attempt to help, the mother dolphin was seen swimming alone and the calf was presumed dead after a body was spotted nearby. "Given that this calf and mother had been observed almost daily for weeks, we believe the calf has not survived," the team told The Tribune. "This outcome is heartbreaking for all of us." Why is fishing gear pollution so concerning? The dolphin's death underscores the growing danger plastic pollution poses to marine animals in heavily trafficked waters. Plastic pollution especially abandoned fishing line and gear poses a serious threat to marine life. Known as "ghost gear," dolphins, sea turtles, and even seabirds can become entangled in this waste, leading to deep injuries, starvation, and death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young animals are particularly susceptible because they lack the strength and experience to free themselves, the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network said. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Port Aransas, where this entanglement occurred, is both a feeding area for dolphins and a hotspot for fishing activity, which is a dangerous combination. Ghost gear makes up at least 10% of marine litter, according to the World Wildlife Fund, with an estimated 500,000 to 1 million tons of fishing equipment abandoned in the ocean every year. Over time, this waste breaks down into microplastics that pollute the water and enter the food chain, ultimately impacting entire ecosystems and human health. What's being done to reduce ocean waste? The most effective way to reduce harm is to prevent plastic pollution in the first place. That includes using less plastic, especially single-use items, and safely disposing of fishing gear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beachgoers and fishers should pack all trash, avoid leaving lines or hooks behind, and report entangled animals to local rescue groups. On a broader level, participating in coastal cleanups and supporting legislation that targets plastic waste can also help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in waterways. 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. Tanya Burnside had just gotten back from a camping trip with her significant other only a week before she died. Now her death is being investigated as a murder-suicide. Burnside worked as the chief deputy treasurer for Douglas County. Her death shocked the office, especially Treasurer David Gill, who told The Gazette it "came out of nowhere." "When she was back (from the camping trip,) she was saying how much they'd enjoyed it, what a great time they'd had, and that was just about a week before her death," Gill said. "So it's one of those things that's difficult to comprehend." The bodies of Burnside, 45, and Bryce Tallent, 42, were discovered by Colorado Springs police on Aug. 10 in the 4100 block of Sod House Trail on the city's east side while officers were responding to a shots-fired call. Detectives say they are investigating Burnside's death as a homicide and Tallent's death as a suicide. According to spokesperson Ira Cronin with the Colorado Springs Police Department, it appears that Burnside and Tallent were "known to each other and were in a relationship." However, the exact nature of the relationship remains under investigation. Burnside's death left behind countless grieving coworkers and friends. "Tanya and I worked closely in the (El Paso County) Treasurers Office for years, and in an office our size, you quickly become family," said Christine Pasonelli, a former coworker and current chief deputy treasurer in El Paso County. "One day youre chatting about work processes, and the next youre celebrating weddings, graduations and holidays together." Pasonelli said Burnside and she bonded "instantly" over their love for dogs and running. Pasonelli's husky and Burnside's golden retriever had the same "boundless energy," becoming best friends as well. "Tanya had a huge heart and often talked about starting a dog rescue," Pasonelli said. "She loved her family, friends, and every one of her animals with fierce devotion. She had a gift for making people feel instantly welcome, and if her vibrant personality didnt win you over right away, her food and snacks always did." Featured Local Savings According to Gill, Burnside spent many years in El Paso County working in various roles before making the job leap to the county north. Her three-year anniversary in Douglas County was less than a week before she was killed. Burnside had degrees from Pikes Peak State College and Regis University, according to LinkedIn. "She was a terrific person and a superb county employee," Gill said. "She kept looking for more things that she could do for the county and was a part of several different modernization efforts that were going on simultaneously." Gill said Burnside was a quick and easy hire, needing only one interview before an offer was extended. Her personality in addition to her skills won everyone over. "She had a sharp mind for numbers, especially in managing the countys investment portfolio, and was admired for her vast knowledge, quick thinking and steady leadership," Pasonelli said. Burnside's death devastated Pasonelli, who called the Douglas County office the Monday after her death, thinking it was odd no one had heard from her. "Our core group of friends that originated within the Treasurers Office has a running group chat and we all knew her silence was unusual," Pasonelli said. Gill also said it was unusual his office had not heard from her. Since she was commuting from El Paso County to Castle Rock, traffic crashes on Interstate 25 would slow her down occasionally, but she always called to let the office know. "Our folks, when she wasn't here and hadn't called, were concerned and we're starting to check to see if they could find where she was or what was going on, because she was not answering her phone calls or texts," Gill said. "It was at about 9:30 that morning that we had a call saying that she was dead." After finding out about Burnside's passing, friends and family quickly organized a GoFundMe for Melina Burnside, her daughter, to help her navigate life without her mother. "Tanya Burnside was a devoted mother, loving daughter and sister, brilliant coworker, and cherished friend," organizers of the fundraiser wrote on the page. "Her bubbly spirit, quick wit, and playful personality brought light and laughter to everyone she met." "She was just a delight to work with, and frankly, we're struggling, not only at the loss of this person who was such an integral part of our office, but just the personality and the presence," Gill said. "She brought people together." Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene doesnt think much of Texas Democrat Jasmine Crockett, and during a recent appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show she complained about her congressional colleague at length. According to Greene, who is white, Crockett is a massive fraud who treats her staff like they are beneath her and is only pretending to understand the Black American struggle. More from TheWrap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shes not a real person, Greene said. Some interesting things Ive always observed about her is how she treats her staff. She treats her staff like they are just beneath her. She always has one of her young male staffers carry her big, heavy handbag for her. She just hands it off. Its like, who does that? I remember one time on oversight, she called one of her staff over and whispered something in their ear and they ran off and then they came back with this big white fluffy pillow that they put behind her back and Im going what is this?' Kelly, who was fired from NBC in 2018 just four days after igniting a national controversy by defending blackface, added, Who are you, Beyonce? Greene continued saying that because of this treatment, it shows Crockett does not understand the Black American struggle. She claims to be from her people, Greene finished. She puts on this image that she understands the Black American struggle, but lets face it, the girl went to private school. She went on to I dont know what college and law school. Shes a complete fake. Shes as fake as her eyelashes. Shes as fake as her hair. Shes as fake as her fingernails. And she is such a massive fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch the full conversation between Greene and Kelly above. The post Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls Jasmine Crockett a Fraud Who Mistreats Staff and Fakes Knowing The Black American Struggle | Video appeared first on TheWrap. A Marlborough dentist was arraigned Wednesday afternoon on disturbing charges. Dr. Patrick Tu Huynh, 35, of Marlborough, was charged with seven counts of photographing a nude person without consent, two counts of unlawful wiretap and destruction of property. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan says Huynh placed a secret recording device inside the staff bathroom at New England Dental Group in Marlborough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to prosecutors, a dental assistant found a camera taped to one of the staff toilet seats in May 2025. The incident was reported to Huynh, who removed the camera and told the assistant he would try finding the person responsible, according to investigators. On August 14, 2025, Marlborough Police were alerted by the same dental assistant about an identical camera found inside the same toilet. The camera was attached using dental wax and medical tape. The DAs office says footage on the camera included multiple videos of victims, as well as Huynh appearing to adjust and clean the camera lens while it was in the bathroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boston 25 News has reached out to New England Dental Group for comment about the allegations. A judge set Hunyhs bail at $10,000 and ordered he stay away from the dental practice and the victims, He was also ordered to surrender his passport. Hunyh will be back in court on September 25. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Aug. 20A Morgan County judge on Monday delayed the murder trial of former Decatur police officer Mac Marquette while the defense pursues a "stand your ground" appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court. Circuit Judge Charles B. Elliott granted an unopposed defense motion Monday and reset the case for Nov. 17 at 9 a.m., according to the court's order. A gag order in the case prevents prosecutors, defense lawyers, Decatur Police Department employees and prospective witnesses from commenting. The defense asked to postpone the Sept. 15 trial date, telling the court Marquette would be prejudiced if the case proceeded while his immunity fight continues. Prosecutors did not oppose the request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marquette's attorneys summarized the procedural path in their filing: Elliott held a two-day "stand your ground" hearing March 25 26, and denied immunity March 31. The defense sought a writ of mandamus on May 8; the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals denied the petition Friday. Counsel wrote they intend to seek Alabama Supreme Court review within two weeks. The criminal case stems from the Sept. 29, 2023, shooting death of Steve Perkins, 39, outside his Southwest Decatur home during an attempted repossession of his pickup. Body-camera video released months later shows Marquette and other officers concealing themselves as the tow truck pulls up. Perkins, armed with a handgun, was confronted by officers near his driveway just before 2 a.m. In the seconds that followed, Marquette fired 17 rounds, killing Perkins. The shooting and questions about whether officers identified themselves and had lawful grounds to be on the property triggered months of protest. A Morgan County grand jury indicted Marquette on a murder charge in early January 2024, and he later pleaded not guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In March, the defense argued that Alabama's self-defense law shields Marquette from prosecution; the trial judge rejected that argument, and the legal fight has since focused on whether the officer was lawfully present on Perkins' property during a private repossession a prerequisite for immunity under Alabama law. After the state Attorney General's Office urged the appellate court to deny immunity and let a jury resolve factual disputes, the Court of Criminal Appeals declined to intervene in an order issued Friday. Elliott's continuance order moves the case from the September docket to November, keeping it before the same judge and in the same venue. The Perkins shooting drew sustained demonstrations and an outside review of the Decatur Police Department's practices. A third-party assessment released in January 2025 found deficiencies in transparency and complaint handling and recommended policy changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the immediate aftermath of the 2023 killing, state investigators turned their findings over to the Morgan County district attorney, and the city dismissed several officers; appeals are pending on those personnel decisions. The immunity dispute has turned on two main questions: Were officers acting within their lawful authority when they accompanied a tow operator for a late-night repossession without a court order? Did Perkins' actions, as seen on body-camera video, justify deadly force if officers were not lawfully on the property? Elliott's March ruling signaled skepticism on the lawful-presence issue, and the appeals court's refusal to dismiss the case leaves those questions for a jury, unless the Alabama Supreme Court agrees to hear the defense petition and rules otherwise. The defense asked for more time, arguing that the state's high court is unlikely to rule before the September trial date, which could prejudice Marquette. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Alabama Supreme Court declines review, jury selection would proceed Nov. 17. If the justices take the case, they could affirm the lower courts or reverse the denial of immunity, which would end the prosecution. It's also possible that the Supreme Court will not act on the appeal before the rescheduled trial date, potentially causing more delay. The Attorney General's Office argued in July that Marquette had not shown a "clear legal right to immunity" and that a jury should decide disputed facts a position the appeals court effectively adopted by denying mandamus. Marquette's lawyers have maintained the officer fired in self-defense after Perkins pointed a handgun and that Alabama's law protects the use of deadly force by someone acting lawfully. Timeline Sept. 29, 2023 Steve Perkins is fatally shot by Marquette outside his home during an attempted repossession; protests follow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jan. 5, 2024 Marquette is indicted on a murder charge and later pleads not guilty. March 22 Elliott issues a temporary gag order at the request of Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson. May 24 Elliott makes gag order permanent, binding attorneys, DPD employees and potential witnesses. March 25 26, 2025 Trial court holds immunity hearing; March 31 ruling denies immunity. May 8, 2025 Defense files mandamus petition; Aug. 15 appeals court denies relief. Aug. 18, 2025 Judge continues case to Nov. 17. eric@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2435 MARSHALL, Texas (KETK) Marshall ISD is mourning the death of a beloved high schooler who died Tuesday after experiencing a medical emergency. Estefani Cabrera, courtesy of Marshal ISD School officials said they are asking the community to keep Estefani Cabreras family in their thoughts and prayers during this unimaginably difficult time. Theyre very vulnerable: Officials warn drivers about school zone safety as classes start According to the district, counselors will be available on Thursday at Marshall High School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We encourage anyone needing comfort and support to utilize these resources, the district said. Above all, please keep the students family in your hearts. If the community would like to donate for the funeral expenses, they can leave cash or checks at the MISD Administration Building, 1305 E Pinecrest Drive in Marshall. Checks can be made payable to Erika Vargas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. A student at the University of Massachusetts Boston pushed tears away from her eyes on a recent morning, thinking about her younger siblings who will be able to attend college for free. A rising senior, who asked that her name not be used due to her undocumented status, has fought hard for her college degree. She worked over 30 hours a week for three years in a restaurant on top of other jobs and earned scholarships to pay the $8,000 tuition per semester. The states 2023 tuition equity law, designed to help all students access in-state tuition and financial aid at public universities, is leaving undocumented and immigrant students like her behind because of one qualification, according to high school teachers and counselors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Embedded in the law is a requirement that students have completed three years of high school in Massachusetts to be eligible. The UMass Boston student moved to Massachusetts from Venezuela with her family around four years ago for a better future. She had completed high school in Venezuela, but enrolled at a Massachusetts high school for a year to learn how to apply to colleges and brush up on her English skills. She has authorization to work in Massachusetts and is in the process of applying to become a legal permanent resident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For undocumented and immigrant students who come to the country partway through high school, the three-year requirement excludes them from being able to significantly reduce the cost of attending a public university. Sometimes the reduction could mean lowering the cost of attendance by as much as half if they dont otherwise qualify for in-state tuition. That means that her siblings, who meet the three-year qualification, will have a dramatically different college experience. Sometimes I feel like its really unfair. Because Im the older sister, and Ive just been dedicating my life to study and to work. But Im happy for my siblings, she said, spinning a ring around her finger as her bracelets chimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to her undocumented status, she also doesnt qualify for federal financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA. Its been really hard for me, and sometimes I feel like I dont take time for me, she said. I dont have time for anything, just school and work and not even school. She has gone through extraordinary circumstances to remain enrolled. Many dont get as far as her. 2023 tuition equity law requirement is inequitable Oftentimes, the three-year qualification blocks many students from being able to afford college, forcing them to go into the workforce, become a part-time student or only be able to complete a two-year degree, according to Frances Melchor, a former Boston high school counselor who has worked for years solely with undocumented and immigrant students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This often affects the around 3,000 undocumented students in Massachusetts graduating from high school every year, according to Higher Ed Immigration Portal data. Most students who are undocumented dream of going to a selective four-year school, Melchor said. A lot of them come here for a better life and to go to college, and when its time to apply, first of all, there are not a lot of resources available, and second of all, the money is not there. So a lot of times they end up just working or some of them have even enrolled in like [the] Marines or Army [for students with green cards] to cover the expenses instead of going to college, Melchor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the 24 students she worked with this past year, only four qualified for in-state tuition and aid through the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid, also known as MASFA, Melchor said. Its inequitable to put a three-year requirement because its almost like a band-aid. Theyre claiming to support undocumented students who dont qualify for FAFSA, but theyre putting a limit on it, Melchor said. Massachusetts is trying to seem more liberal and supportive and thats not the case," she said. MassLive reached out to several legislators and politicians to ask why the three-year requirement was created all declined to comment or didnt respond. Challenges within a federal landscape The pushback from high school guidance counselors and advocates on the three-year requirement in Massachusetts comes at a time when the federal government is trying to eliminate such laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is suing Minnesota, Texas, Kentucky and Oklahoma over their tuition equity laws. Since being challenged, Oklahoma and Texas have agreed to end in-state tuition for noncitizens. The U.S. Department of Justice claims that the states discriminate against U.S. citizens who dont otherwise qualify. Around two dozen states offer similar opportunities for undocumented students to access in-state tuition and/or financial aid, according to Higher Ed Immigration Portal data. The lawsuits have similar tenets to what is laid out in Project 2025, a conservative master plan that reenvisions a federal government with expanded presidential power, including over private and public universities and colleges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump also signed an executive order in April calling for the Attorney General to identify and stop in-state higher education tuition to aliens but not to out-of-state American citizens. You can lose everything tomorrow Although the UMass Boston student has been working to obtain permanent residency since moving to the U.S. four years ago, she and her family are still undocumented something that she said remains on her mind under this current presidential administration. You can lose everything tomorrow. You have to live day by day, she said. Since taking office, Trump has laid out a plan to deport one million immigrants this year, according to the Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her family tries not to read or watch the news with the flurry of actions against undocumented and immigrant students and families, she said. Immigrants without legal status in Massachusetts contributed nearly $650 million in taxes in 2022 a number that would have increased by $200 million if all immigrants had been given work authorizations, according to a study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Mass. officials defend tuition equity laws While Massachusetts officials arent aware of any legal challenges to its tuition equity law, they said they will defend the law should it be challenged, according to Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbells office. The executive order signed by Trump doesnt apply to the in-state tuition law, according to Campbells office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states tuition equity complies with federal law because it isnt based on residency and doesnt treat people differently based on their immigration status, they said. In Sen. Joanne M. Comerfords mind, the Trump administrations argument that non-U.S. citizens are taking seats from U.S. citizens is part of a larger xenophobic, outright racist and sometimes dog whistle-y rhetoric. Our institutions are competing for students because there are fewer numbers of students accessing it, Comerford, chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, said. Opening the doors wider means we get to have more students who would have perhaps self-selected out for any number of reasons, mostly having to do with cost, she said. Should the three-year requirement be changed? While Massachusetts tuition equity law was a great first step in helping more people enter higher education, it isnt doing enough, according to educators. Adriana Costache is the cochair of Unafraid Educators, an organizing committee of the Boston Teachers Union working to support undocumented and immigrant students and families. She runs the Unafraid Scholarship, which offers undocumented and immigrant students between $500 and $4,500 to attend college. The scholarship is supported by individual donors and by the Mass Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. It is one primary way for undocumented and immigrant students to afford college without qualifying for MASFA. Of the 43 scholarship applicants this year, only nine qualified for MASFA, she said. I can tell you ... a lot of the students who are going to Bunker Hill [Community College] overwhelmingly say that they want to go full-time and rarely do, Costache said. Theyre going to the school based on the money theyre not like, oh I want this many classes," she said. The three-year requirement feels arbitrary to Costache, who said she provides more scholarship money to those who dont qualify for MASFA. At some high schools in Boston, if the three-year qualification doesnt change, the school officials are looking into holding students back to allow them to meet the requirement, according to one Boston public school counselor, who asked that their name be withheld to protect the privacy and safety of the undocumented students at their school. If my student ... had one more year in Massachusetts schools, she wouldnt be stressed. She would have full tuition covered because of her economic status. She would be able to go to a four-year school debt-free, she said. The counselor said that over 50% of the students they work with arent eligible for MASFA. She said the removal of the three-year qualification would really open up a lot of higher ed opportunity for many undocumented and immigrant students who yearn to go to college. In some ways, I see even more of a drive than some of my students who have been here, and more of a familial drive. Its really important not only to the student, but Ive seen it to be very important to the family as well and a lot of family support behind the student, she said. While Comerford said she has heard the concern with the states three-year qualification for in-state tuition and aid, she said she would want to learn more from students and educators to understand whether the law should be changed. I want to do the most good for the most students and families. Thats my interest. And I want to do it in a way that is sustainable in Massachusetts; And thats the balance, Comerford said. More Higher Ed Read the original article on MassLive. After 30 years, a Massachusetts man maintains his innocence and refuses to talk about the crime that killed a teenager after a 1991 party. Charles Dyous went in front of the Massachusetts Parole Board on March 19. During parole board hearings, its common to start with an apology from the person charged, talk about the crime, including answering questions from each of the seven parole board members, and hear from people who both support and are against parole. However, Dyous, now 52, refuses to talk about the crime he was charged with as a teenager. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Mr. Dyous maintains his innocence and requested that the Board not ask any questions relating to the underlying crime," the parole board wrote in its August decision. In November 1991, officials say 18-year-old Dyous helped kill 18-year-old Christopher Bender in Brockton. Dyous and seven others, who were also convicted of Benders murder, had attended a party in Brockton. At the party, the group made a plan to kill Bender and went to Benders apartment complex at about 2:00 a.m. Before getting out of the car, one of the men cautioned the others to avoid leaving fingerprints on the bullets, the parole board wrote. Five of the eight men involved were carrying guns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bender and his cousin were sitting in Benders parked car when the men fired at least 21 shots at the drivers side of the car. Bender was shot four times and died. Benders cousin, who was seated in the passengers seat, was not hit by the gunfire. Police later bullets that had been fired from a revolver, which Dyous had, according to a witnesss. The witness also said Dyous instructed the other participants not to snitch. Dyous was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, Dyous became parole eligible following the Supreme Judicial Courts decision in Commonwealth v. Mattis, where the court held that sentencing people ages 18 through 20 at the time of the offense to life without the possibility of parole is unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement March was Dyous first parole board hearing. Dyous asked the parole board to review the written materials he had given them, but refused to answer any questions about the shooting. ... evaluating Mr. Dyous empathy and insight is significantly hampered by his refusal to answer questions surrounding the circumstances which led to Mr. Dyous conviction, the board wrote. Four people spoke in support of granting Dyous parole. However, two of Benders family members and Plymouth County ADA Arne Hanston spoke against him getting parole. One board member voted to grant parole to a Long Term Residential Program. However, other board members voted against parole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On August 14, he was denied parole with a review in 2 years. More on the Massachusetts Parole Board Read the original article on MassLive. A Massachusetts State Police trooper was dragged after they stopped a driver near an exit on Interstate 91 in Holyoke on Tuesday, according to a statement. After 10 p.m. on Tuesday, a trooper stopped a Black Audi with a temporary Vermont registration in its window near Exit 15 on I-91, the statement read. The driver was the subject of a BOLO, or be on the lookout, because they were believed to be armed with a rifle and have body armor, Vermont officials told Massachusetts State Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the driver accelerated to leave, the trooper was dragged several feet, State Police said. Thankfully, the trooper was not seriously injured, State Police said. State Police deployed a K-9 unit and an Air Wing as the Audi continued through Holyoke, driving at speeds above 100 mph, the statement read. One trooper carrying a Star Chase tracker, designed for vehicle pursuit, was allowed to tag the car as it drove down the southbound side of I-91. Unfortunately, those efforts proved unsuccessful, State Police said. State Police also tried to use speed sticks near Exits 9 and 8, but the pursuit was terminated due to the safety of highway workers, State Police continued. The driver kept going and is believed to have headed into Connecticut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While State Police will conduct a follow-up investigation, they ask that any information about the driver be sent to public safety officials at the Dover, Vermont, Police Department. The Audi continued past the detail setup and State Police believe it traveled into Connecticut. State Police will conduct a follow-up investigation in support of the Vermont case. More Holyoke stories Read the original article on MassLive. Mass. state trooper seriously hurt in Revere Beach hit-and-run crash transferred to rehab The Massachusetts State Police trooper who spent the last two months in the hospital is taking a major step forward in his recovery. Lt. Donald Bossi was responding to a large crowd setting off fireworks in the middle of the street in Revere back in June when investigators say he was hit by a man on a stolen motorcycle. The impact sent Lieutenant Bossi flying 45 feet and he was left with severe injuries. Bossi suffered a broken and separated pelvis, a broken nose, and lacerations on his head, face, and arm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the 34-year police veteran was moved from Mass General Hospital to Spaulding Rehabs Cambridge facility, where he will continue his recovery. Bossi said he felt grateful to be alive and is heading into rehab with one goal in mind. Im just lucky to be alive, he said as he was wheeled into Spaulding. And my goal is to get back to work by next summer, maybe sooner. Akram el Moukhtari, 18, of Revere, faces several charges, including assault and battery with a motorcycle, receiving stolen property, and leaving the scene of a crash with injury. Moukhtaris father said his son has ADHD and struggles with his mental health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While at Spaulding, Bossi will undergo a specific thearpy plan to get to a full recovery. El Moukhtari is being held without bail. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Editors note: The article was updated at 6:10 p.m. on Aug. 20, 2025 to correct the spelling of the victims first name. A teenage boy was charged in connection with a crash that killed 13-year-old Savanah Gatchell in Marblehead on Tuesday, Essex County District Attorney Paul Tuckers office said. The teenager, 16, appeared in Lynn Juvenile Court on Wednesday, Tuckers office said in a statement. He was charged with motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, and operating under the influence of liquor, as well as two civil motor vehicle infractions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to state law, his name and other identifying information have not been released. At around 2:51 a.m., a car crashed in the area of 353 Atlantic Ave., Tuckers office said. Gatchell had life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The men and women of the Marblehead Police Department are extremely saddened by the loss of a young member of our community, Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King said in a statement on Tuesday. We share our deepest condolences with the victims family, loved ones, and anyone who is touched by this great loss. Our thoughts are with you. Our priority in the coming days will be to support our community, and most importantly the victims family, as they navigate the loss of a daughter, family member, and friend, King said. We respectfully ask the media and community to allow the family the space it needs to properly mourn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crash remains under investigation by the Marblehead Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section (CARS), and State Police Crime Scene Services. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Marblehead Police Detective Sergeant Sean Brady at 781-631-1212. More local crime stories Read the original article on MassLive. While the Great Lakes may seem to offer an endless supply of water, the balance is actually quite delicate. Each year, only 1% of the water in the Great Lakes is replenished by rain, snow and groundwater. Now, a new report from the Alliance for the Great Lakes shows that this delicate balance may be at risk because of rising demand from industries that use tremendous amounts of water, like data centers, mineral mining, and agriculture, all of which put pressure on groundwater resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further, the increased water demand is happening just as climate change is making it more difficult to manage and plan water use, because precipitation no longer follows historical trends. That's something Milwaukeeans saw firsthand earlier this month during the 1,000-year flood event. Tax incentives from many of the eight Great Lakes states have lured industries that need water, like data centers, to the region. Further, any industry that needs access to that much water has to come, because the Great Lakes Compact ensures that large-scale, long-range diversions of water outside the basin won't happen. But, the report warns that the region is ill-prepared for the overwhelming needs on the horizon. No one has prepared, for example, for summer days when parched fields need to be irrigated and sprawling data centers need to be cooled. According to Helena Volzer, senior source water policy manager and author of the report, the eight states already have a foundation in place to work together and need to be actively preparing for emerging water risks, Volzer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are six takeaways from the report. Great Lakes Compact protects water access. But that doesn't mean thirsty neighbors won't challenge it. Groundwater overuse can cause cities to sink Between 20% to 40% of the Great Lakes' water budget the total groundwater flowing in and out of the system starts as groundwater, and between 40% and 75% of residents of the eight states use it as drinking water. Pumping too much water out for residential and business use can lead to aquifers not being able to replenish. This can lower water tables, leading to deeper drilling to get even more water, which in turn results in higher costs. It also risks drawing contaminants into aquifers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unsustainable use can cause cities to sink because the ground becomes more compact. The report notes Chicago, Columbus, Indianapolis and Detroit sink more each year. Over time, this threatens drinking water supplies and infrastructure. Increased water demand on the Great Lakes is happening just as climate change is making it more difficult to manage and plan water use, because precipitation no longer follows historical trends. Consumptive water use has declined, for now Some lake water never returns; it can evaporate or be used in a product that leaves. This is known as consumptive use. Consumptive water use has declined since 2015, thanks largely to increased efficiency and conservation efforts, including the shutdown of coal-fired power plants that once consumed vast amounts of water for cooling. According to the report, much of this progress could get erased due to the Trump administration's efforts to revitalize coal plants. Data centers use water, most of which isn't tracked Massive data centers, like the ones that power generative AI, can use more than 365 million gallons of water each year, about as much as 12,000 Americans in that time. Over the next five years, these data centers are expected to withdraw up to 150 billion gallons of water the same amount used by around 4.6 million U.S. households. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Great Lakes states lead the nation in number of data centers. Here are their numbers of July 2025, according to the report: Minnesota: 60 Wisconsin: 43 Michigan: 53 Illinois: 224 Indiana: 70 Ohio: 185 Pennsylvania: 88 New York: 143 The report contends that data center owners are not transparent about their water footprint, and there is no requirement to make them. According to the report, fewer than one-third track water usage. At the same time, states and local governments are offering tax breaks and incentives to attract data centers. All eight Great Lakes states have passed measures in the last 20 years to support the push for these businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, in Port Washington, Wisconsin, officials are advancing with plans for a proposed 3.5-gigawatt, 1,900-acre data center campus that could be one of the largest in the country. More: Microsoft data center will be the state's largest electricity user. Power needs equal 300,000 homes More: Port Washington residents near proposed data center warn of climate, environmental and technology risks Mineral mining risks contaminating groundwater The demand for critical minerals, like lithium, cobalt, copper and nickel is growing due to the transition toward cleaner technologies, which use them. The Great Lakes region is known to have reserves of critical minerals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recently, mines have been proposed near Lake Superior, an area known to contain reserves of nickel, copper and cobalt. However, such mining requires large volumes of water to separate minerals, cool machinery and control dust. It also risks contaminating surface and drinking water, even after mines close. More: Final permits aren't yet issued for Lake Superior copper mine. But opponents fear it's all but locked in. More: Water quality issues challenge what it means to 'leave no trace' in beloved Boundary Waters Dry, hot summers changing irrigation needs Due to increasingly hot and dry summers, irrigation is now being adopted in agricultural areas where it was previously uncommon, such as northwest Ohio and parts of Wisconsin, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With peak demand in summer months when data centers also require the most cooling demands for tremendous water volumes may converge, Volzer explained. A need for transparency, regional planning Increased demand for water, regardless of who is using it, underscores the need for policy changes that prioritize transparency, regional planning and investment in groundwater mapping, Volzer said. According to the report, transparency around water usage can help stakeholders make informed decision and avoid mismanagement. Regional planning can make sure resources are managed sustainably across industries. Funding groundwater mapping will help stakeholders understand how much groundwater there is and plan for future use. Volzer emphasized the need for creative strategies, such as thinking about ways non-potable water can be reused, to ease pressure on limited supplies from the Great Lakes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How could Chicago sell Lake Michigan water to Joliet, 35 miles away? Five questions answered. After decades-long journey, Waukesha hits one-year anniversary tapping into Lake Michigan Caitlin Looby covers the Great Lakes and the environment for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Reach her at clooby@gannett.com , and follow her on X @caitlooby. Caitlin's work is supported by the Brico Fund, Fund for Lake Michigan, Barbara K. Frank, and individual contributions. Grants and donations help make this reporting possible. The Journal Sentinel maintains full editorial control. To learn more about our community-funded journalism initiatives, or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit https://givebutter.com/milwaukee-journal-sentinel . Checks can be addressed to Local Media Foundation with JS Environment in the memo, then mailed to: Local Media Foundation, P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689. (This story was updated to fix a typo.) This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Data centers, irrigation, mining imperil Great Lakes, report says A Westminster man accused of sexually assaulting a child after being hired as a babysitter in Colorado Springs is still awaiting an evaluation after his defense counsel raised the issue of competency in July. Vincent Smith, 28, faces a felony charge of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust. His arrest in May came after detectives learned Smith allegedly took a 12-year-old child he was babysitting to a hotel in October 2023 and touched him inappropriately by tickling the boy over his underwear before taking him home. Smith, who has not yet pleaded guilty or not guilty, waived his right to a preliminary hearing in June. During his most recent hearing in July, Judge Chad Miller granted a request ordering Smith to undergo evaluations to determine if he is fit to stand trial. At Wednesday's hearing, Miller informed the courtroom Smith has not yet seen an evaluator due to a backlog of cases, but should "on or before" Oct. 20. According to previous Gazette coverage, this is not the first time Smith has faced sexual abuse charges. Smith formerly worked in Maryland, court records show. He was charged with sexual abuse on a minor in Baltimore County in 2013, Frederick County in 2019 and Montgomery County in 2019. Smith appeared out of custody Wednesday after posting his $150,000 bond in late May. He will appear next in a 4th Judicial District courtroom Oct. 22 for a review hearing. CUMBERLAND Mayor Ray Morriss, backed by city councilmen Brian Lepley and Jimmy Furstenberg, passed a law on Tuesday that many folks, including Councilman Eugene Frazier, said threatens free speech. By a 3-1 vote, an ordinance that deals with parades and events, including marches hosted by community groups, was passed before a large crowd at a mayor and City Council meeting. Councilman Rock Cioni was absent from the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to the vote, several folks outside City Hall protested the proposed law, and spoke against it before the vote at the subsequent meeting. The most ridiculous thing about this ordinance is ... free speech isnt free if you have to pay for it, said Cumberland resident Alan Septoff. He was referring to non-refundable permit fees of $25 for a small event and $150 for a parade or special event outlined in the ordinance. Under the ordinance, a small event included that it would be hosted by a nonprofit or community group, not involve any sales, and not use sound amplification through a loudspeaker, microphone or any other device. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A special event is described as having expectations of more than 50 people, sales, a temporary structure or sound amplification. Septoff said the ordinance gives the city administrator power over our rights to free speech and asked what is the governments interest here? Ellen McDaniel-Weissler said the ordinance is a direct restriction of First Amendment rights. She said the laws requirement, that an applicant for a city-issued permit must get general public liability insurance between $1 million and $2 million, was impossible to fulfill. McDaniel-Weissler said in the past, she asked more than 25 companies to insure protests but was denied over the possibility that the marches could be considered controversial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They will not cover it, she said. McDaniel-Weissler spoke of fines for violation of any provision of the ordinance, which include up to $500 for a first and $1,000 for a repeat offense. Americans do not pay money for the right to speak freely, she said. Kit Pepper said language in the ordinance is vague and does not include terms for political protests. What you have right now is a mess, she said and added the law will guarantee court challenges, bad press, and legal fees. Morriss argued that the ordinance is almost identical to law the city has followed for years and said people will be safe to hold peaceful protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres not a problem, he said. But Cumberland resident and Allegany County Public Schools Board of Education member Max Green pointed out multiple differences in the new law including the fines. There are concrete concerns, he said and urged the council to reject the ordinance. Theres a more reasonable way, Green said. After the vote, Frazier said, I disagree with this 100%. He told the audience that seats, including the mayors, are up for reelection next year. Keep that in mind, Frazier said and turned to his fellow board members. I will be campaigning against you. YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) These are good times for one Midstate company. A delegation of lawmakers, led by U.S. Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania (R), toured the BAE Systems plant in York on Tuesday afternoon. The company said the plant is worth one billion dollars to the local economy. A lot of people go into that. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now abc27 Evening Newsletter 1,800 employees here in Pennsylvania, McCormick said. 750 United Steelworkers doing all these incredible jobs, very sophisticated skills, particularly sophisticated to be able to work in this industry, and the has been a great source of growth and opportunity for this community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The York plant makes parts for the armored multi-purpose vehicle and the amphibious combat vehicle. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. A Colorado man has reportedly settled a lawsuit claiming he got E. coli after eating at McDonalds during a multi-state outbreak of the bacteria linked to the chain. Eric Stelly sued the fast food chain in October, shortly after federal health officials disclosed an E. coli outbreak across multiple states linked to McDonalds Quarter Pounder burgers and other items that contained contaminated onions. The suit claimed Stelly suffered from symptoms of E. coli poisoning, including nausea, cramps, and bloody stool,s after eating at a McDonalds in Greeley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Never did I expect to suffer like this from eating a burger," Stelly told USA Today when he filed his suit. "I hope my lawsuit can shed light on how this happened so that McDonalds can fix the problems and prevent them from happening again." The terms of the reported settlement over the claims could not be disclosed, Stellys lawyer told The Denver Post. Lawsuit claimed Colorado man got E. coli as part of multi-state outbreak linked to onions on McDonalds burgers (AP) The Independent has contacted McDonalds for comment and confirmation on the outcome of the suit. Colorado was especially hard hit by the outbreak, which ended in late 2024. There were 30 Colorado residents, one of whom died from complications, among the 104 people across 14 states who got documented infections from the outbreak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Health officials concluded that fresh, slivered onions being served at McDonalds restaurants were the likely source of the outbreak. Among 81 people interviewed as part of disease surveillance, 99 percent said they had eaten at McDonalds, with 84 percent recalling a dish with slivered onions, according to the CDC. Stelly wasnt the only Colorado resident who said they got sick from McDonalds as part of the outbreak. Kamberlyn Bowler, 15, was among the Colorado residents who suspect they got sick in 2024 from eating at a McDonald (Brittany Randall) Kamberlyn Bowler, a 15-year-old high school freshman at the time, was flown to a hospital and given emergency dialysis after eating McDonalds Quarter Pounders three times in the weeks before the outbreak was detected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its pretty scary to know that we put so much faith and trust that were going to be eating something thats healthy and for it to be broken, her mother, Brittany Randall, said at the time. Federal health officials cleared McDonalds in December. There were no new illnesses associated with consumers eating at McDonalds following our swift and decisive action on October 22, 2024, McDonalds executives said in a statement at the time. This reinforces the importance of our values, particularly in moving quickly to do the right thing and to always put people first. Most forms of E. coli bacteria are harmless to humans, but certain strains can make people sick with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, sepsis, and other illnesses, according to the CDC. People get infected with the bacteria after swallowing them, often through coming into contact with contaminated food or water. (WJET/WFXP) Last week, we reported that a man was facing assault charges following the death of an infant. Now, officials are asking the public for information regarding the incident. On Wednesday, August 20, the McKean County District Attorneys Office released a report asking the public for information regarding the death of a 2-year-old in Bradford, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, August 14. City of Bradford Police, PSP investigate infant death Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information about the child, including his care, the circumstances surrounding his death or injuries, or anything else related to the welfare of the child, is asked to call the City of Bradford Police at (814) 887-4911. Chief Michael Ward and Detective Mark Deluca are the primary investigators on the case. The DAs Office stated that the Bradford City Police, the DAs Office and county detectives have already received tips that are being pursued. Father faces assault charges after death of infant, bail set at $1 million Tyler Prescott, the father of the child, was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child for injuries inflicted on the 2-year-old between July 17 and August 14. His bail was set at $1 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prescotts initial preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, August 21, while his full preliminary hearing will be on Friday, September 12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Mecklenburg County Public Health is issuing an urgent public health advisory to all pregnant women and healthcare providers regarding the increased risk of congenital syphilis due to a nationwide shortage of Bicillin L-A (penicillin G benzathine). Bicillin L-A is the only recommended and effective treatment for syphilis during pregnancy. Every case of congenital syphilis is preventable, but timely testing and receiving adequate treatment are critical. The national shortage of Bicillin L-A is a serious threat to ensuring all pregnant patients receive timely syphilis treatment. We are urging all pregnant women to make sure they get tested for syphilis and take steps to reduce their risk of exposure. It is equally imperative that all healthcare providers reserve available Bicillin L-A for pregnant patients only. Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington Mecklenburg County, like much of North Carolina and the nation, has seen a rise in syphilis infections, particularly among women of childbearing age. Most recent case reporting shows improvement towards reducing infections. However, the treatment shortage could impact forward progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When left untreated, syphilis can pass from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, leading to blindness, miscarriage, premature birth, and other serious health complications for the infant, including stillbirth. Public Health urges all pregnant women to be tested for syphilis at their first prenatal visit, during the third trimester, and again at delivery as required by law. Pregnant women or healthcare providers can call Mecklenburg County Public Health if they need assistance with low-cost or free syphilis testing for pregnant patients and their partners or help locating Bicillin treatment in this area. Call 704-336-6500 or visit the website for more information or to schedule an appointment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. With federal cuts to Medicaid on the horizon, Delaware health care providers and lawmakers are beginning conversations about how the state's health care industry and patients could be affected. Sen. Marie Pinkney, who chairs the state Senate health and social services committee, will host a roundtable talk on Aug. 20 at the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center near New Castle. The event will bring together doctors, hospital leaders, state officials and community health care organizations to discuss how the state can respond if federal funding is reduced as projected. Delaware State Senator Marie Pinkney, and Member of Delaware's Senate Judiciary Committee, speaks during the committee's meeting, where lawmakers debated changes to Delaware's corporate law at Legislative Hall in Dover, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. The Delaware's corporate law is the code that sets corporate governance for many of the nation's largest companies. U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride is slated to open the discussion, followed by a panel that includes representatives from ChristianaCare, Beebe Healthcare, Nemours Childrens Hospital, Planned Parenthood of Delaware, Westside Family Healthcare and other organizations across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pinkney has warned that a bill passed by Congress in July could leave thousands of Delaware residents without coverage. The legislation, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is projected by the Congressional Budget Office to reduce federal spending on Medicaid and Affordable Care Act marketplaces by about $1 trillion over the next decade. While the cuts are not yet in place, Pinkney stressed that the state needs to prepare now. The goal of Wednesdays discussion, she said, is to focus first on how hospitals, clinics and doctors offices may be impacted, with future conversations centered on patients access to care, health outcomes and ways to soften the impact for families. PROJECTED IMPACTS TO DELAWARE: What Medicaid, Medicare cuts could mean for Delawares hospitals, especially in rural areas The roundtable will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in multipurpose rooms A and B of the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center near New Castle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware lawmakers, healthcare providers meeting to talk Medicaid cuts Even by the low standards of Donald Trumps White House, having Melania Trump write a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin was weird. Reportedly hand-delivered to Putin before his meeting with Trump in Alaska over the weekend, the letter manages to be both frustratingly vague and dripping in saccharine, and is uncanny enough that it could have very well been written by a generative AI program and not a person. This White House is notorious for using AI to generate propagandistic documents, no doubt aware that the only people who bother to read them are a handful of journalists they can summarily dismiss as fake news. In the letter, the apparent chatbot pretending to be the first lady writes, Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nations rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. It gets worse from there, as Melania Trump pleads with the Russian dictator to care about an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology, all while carefully avoiding mentioning the real world children who have been killed, injured or kidnapped due to Russians unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Its just, you know, children. Theyre innocent. Have mercy. Big doe eyes and perhaps a little cleavage to sell this heartfelt or shall we say silicon chip-felt message about kids who are forced to carry a quiet laughter. What does it mean? Well, almost certainly nothing to Putin, who likely grasped immediately he is not the intended audience for this missive. After all, it was generated in English, not Russian. Even the imbeciles at the White House know that if you are trying to communicate with the president of Russia, you ask ChatGPT to write your sub-Hallmark prose in Russian. Instead, it appears this letter was whipped up to appeal to a much different audience: Trumps MAGA base, especially those needing reassurance that he cares about the children after weeks of painful reminders he had a decade-plus close friendship with a man who was reportedly the worlds most infamous pedophile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A great deal of effort was put into making sure MAGA audiences heard about this treacly letter. It was leaked to Fox News and posted by Trump on Truth Social. It was hyped by the White House X account as evidence Melania Trump loves children, and was apparently not seen to be in conflict with the steady drumbeat of sadistic memes celebrating how the presidents deportation efforts are tearing families apart. The letter worked as intended, causing a gushing response from Trump supporters, as they congratulated themselves for being good Christians and swooned at how compassionate the first lady is. Its unsettling to people outside the MAGA cult, because the real world evidence negates this phony image of Melania Trump as a loving figure. For one thing, she was right by Donald Trumps side as he partied for years with Epstein, all while the financier was allegedly trafficking and abusing underage girls. She was the one who wore the infamous I dont really care, do U? jacket during Trumps first term in response to outrage about the administration kidnapping children from immigrant parents. Her charity efforts for children have been anemic, or perhaps even fake altogether, mostly composed of a few press releases about how bullying is bad and backed up with no effort or resources directed towards helping anyone. None of that matters to Trump voters, though, because all this isnt actually about protecting children or promoting world peace. Its about gender. MAGA has a bottomless appetite for stories reinforcing their comically ham-fisted ideas of the roles of men and women. It doesnt matter if those narratives are obviously fake. The evidence suggests the real-life Melania Trump is a small-minded person who hates Christmas, despises flowers and has no interest in anyones family but her own. But she is female, so Trumps followers are eager to project their tradwife fantasies onto her, remaking her into Mother Teresa with a push-up bra and a Botox administrator on standby. Truly, it was nauseating seeing the responses to her letter on Truth Social, which veered between portraying her as the sexiest woman alive and gushing about her imaginary kindness, love and compassion. As I wrote on Monday, Donald Trump has glommed onto this Daddy nickname, which was first given to him by Tucker Carlson, because it so perfectly captures the fascist power fantasy that drives MAGA. Daddy is an aspirational figure to them. But hes not a loving figure. On the contrary, the MAGA Daddy is unapologetically abusive, devoid of empathy and always eager to find someone smaller and weaker to dominate, often through sexual violence. But even most right-wingers dont want to think of themselves as total monsters. So they also cling to the image of the Mommy, the woman who is there to provide all the comfort and care that Daddy is too manly to offer. Want more Amanda Marcotte on politics? Sign up for her free newsletter, Standing Room Only, now also on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Mommy will wipe up your tears and bandage your cuts after Daddy beats you. But she will never, ever turn her back on Daddy, because another of Mommys feminine virtues is her submission and loyalty. She is there to be the spinmeister for Daddy, reassuring everyone theres a good heart underneath all that violence. Its not true but it doesnt have to be. Daddy doesnt need to have a heart, because Mommys endless reservoir of love and compassion is more than enough to compensate for what Daddy lacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If this sounds like an exaggerated version of this worldview, look no further than The War on Warriors, the book written by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that launched his bid to become a MAGA leader. In it, he defends his view that women have no place fighting in the military because Dads push us to take risks. Moms put the training wheels on our bikes. We need moms. But not in the military, especially in combat units. Hegseths reductive view of gender is so over-the-top its hard to believe an adult human being wrote it and its not just the literal fact that not all women are mothers. The gender essentialism is beyond parody, where all women exist only inside the narrow parameters of a toddlers view of Mommy. This attitude was echoed by Hegseth when he recently posted a CNN report on the leader of his church. Women are the kind of people that people come out of, the pastor told the reporter, noting that women have no role outside of nurturing children and tending to husbands. In other words: Mommy isnt a person, which would suggest she might have ambitions and desires outside of suckling babies. Melania Trumps Dear President Putin letter wasnt about persuading the Russian president to make peace. It was about using these retrograde gender stereotypes to get the MAGA base invested in her husbands flailing attempts to make a deal with Putin. By casting Melania Trump in the role of the submissive angel of the administration who is begging Putin for mercy, the White House can look like theyre doing something and framing it in terms their many sexism-addled supporters can understand. The letter also perversely works as pro-Putin propaganda. It reads very much like every excuse conservative women make for abusive men: He means well, its not his fault, he just needs the kindness of a womans touch to convince him to be gentle. Helpfully for both Donald Trump and Putin, this could also help shield them from blame, diverting it to Melania Trump, if a peace deal were to fall apart. They are men, after all, and MAGA knows men cant be expected to generate compassion and mercy on their own. Thats the job of women to persuade them through hair-stroking, batting eyes and flattery. Its a narrative that men in patriarchal societies have leaned on for eons to justify holding all the power while accepting none of its responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not that anyone should feel sorry for Melania Trump. The first lady appears only too happy to fake compassion with the likely help of AI in exchange for living the coddled life of a trophy wife. She probably likes all these MAGA people flattering her by talking about the grace and decency she likely does not, in fact, possess. Plus, she gets to have it all without having to do even the basic work of writing her own bizarre letters. Playing Submissive Mommy to please the MAGA audiences is work best left to ChatGPT. The post Melanias Dear Putin letter is about MAGA sexism, not peace appeared first on Salon.com. All-caps hyperbole, wild accusations and idiosyncratic spelling: not just an average Wednesday on Donald Trump's Truth Social feed, but a new digital media strategy for California Governor Gavin Newsom that is delighting Democrats -- and riling Republicans. Newsom -- hotly-tipped for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination -- has been parodying Trump with a series of posts written in the Republican leader's distinct style that he hopes will show his party how to beat the social media master at his own game. In recent weeks the governor has posted all manner of manipulated images depicting him in the kind of over-the-top vignettes popular among Trump's "MAGA" movement -- superimposing his face on Mount Rushmore and appearing to pray with MAGA favorites Tucker Carlson, Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump's one-word weekend post -- saying simply "Bela" -- left the president's supporters scratching their heads, Newsom posted a screenshot alongside his own caption: "DONALD (TINY HANDS), HAS WRITTEN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY THIS MORNING UNFORTUNATELY (LOW IQ) HE SPELLED IT WRONG 'BETA.'" The 57-year-old Democrat mocked Trump's salesman-like rhetorical style in a post about redistricting plans that he said had led "MANY" people to call him "GAVIN CHRISTOPHER 'COLUMBUS' NEWSOM (BECAUSE OF THE MAPS!)." And he has taken to ending his posts with the much-mocked sign-off that Trump, 79, made famous: "THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!" The tweets have quickly gained currency among Newsom's supporters, who have shared their own "Trumpian" memes of a shirtless Newsom with bulging muscles, brandishing pistols or riding into battle on a velociraptor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - 'Newsom Derangement Syndrome' - The governor called Trump's late-night social media tirades "pathetic," telling historian and podcast host Heather Cox Richardson that people who normally "can't stand" politicians had been reaching out to compliment his new approach. "And they're maybe paying attention to the childishness that is Donald Trump, that we've allowed him to normalize -- the way he communicates, talking down to us, looking past us," Newsom said. "I've got kids, and I've got a whole generation of people who thinks this is normal. It is not, and it can't be normalized, and that's big part of what we're also pushing back against." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The posts are garnering the attention of X's algorithm while sparking the ire of Republicans, conservative-leaning political commentators and the right-wing media. Dana Perino, an anchor on Fox News, slammed Newsom's new strategy, telling viewers: "If I were his wife, I would say you are making a fool of yourself, stop it." "NDS - Newsom Derangement Syndrome is a real thing," Republican political consultant Mike Madrid posted on X, retooling the Republican accusation of "Trump Derangement Syndrome" levied to dismiss criticism of the president. - 'Inside joke' - Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The snark appears to be working. The number of followers of Newsom's official press office account on X -- where the cheeky announcement are being posted -- has soared by 450 percent since mid-June, according to CNN, with huge strides also seen on Instagram and TikTok. Daily Google searches for Newsom are up 500 percent since August 1, the network reported. Newsom says the MAGA-coded posts are not only annoying Republicans, but redefining how Democrats can provide an effective opposition to one of the most media-savvy leaders ever to occupy the White House. Asked for comment, the White House shared with AFP an image it had initially sent US publication Politico repurposing a scene from the show "Mad Men" to demonstrate that Trump is not just unfazed, but doesn't think about Newsom at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Politico had called it the first official White House press statement delivered exclusively in meme form. Jeff Le, a deputy cabinet secretary for previous California governor Jerry Brown, said Newsom was responding to widespread discontent at the Democratic Party's perceived lack of fight when it comes to Trump -- and the yawning leadership vacuum. "His messaging has helped introduce him in a tongue-and-cheek manner that reflects the inside joke that many digital native Democrats understand," Le told AFP. But he added that the strategy was "not without risk." "If there is a terrible natural disaster -- a catastrophic fire or mudslide -- it's fair to say that the White House keeps score," he said, "and the president may be less inclined to provide timely federal government support and funding for the response." ft/dl MEMPHIS, Tenn. Public safety leaders addressed crime in Memphis at a forum Tuesday night at the Hickory Hill Community Center. The forum was hosted by tri-state defenders in hopes to inform the community and allow questions to be asked to public safety leaders. Public Safety Meeting at Hickory Hill Community Center Photo by WREG Public Safety Meeting at Hickory Hill Community Center Photo by WREG Public Safety Meeting at Hickory Hill Community Center Photo by WREG According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, between 2023 to 2024, crime was down in Tennessee by 19% despite 250 murders in Memphis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the Memphis Shelby County Crime Commission said the city is still making progress. TBI says TN crime down by 19% in 2023-2024, despite 250 murders in Memphis What it shows is that for the first half of this year crime had gone down pretty significantly in every major category, said President and Public Safety Institute Executive Director Bill Gibbons of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission. For Memphis 22% of overall crimes means about 8,000 less victims than last year, said Chief CJ Davis of the Memphis Police Department. Police Chief Davis said major crime comes from domestic violence and gang-related activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chief said in most crimes its between people who know each other. Memphis police issue 18,500 e-tickets for fake tags in 6 months Its important to get to our young people when they are at that age of 10, 11, and 12 years age, so that you can get it in their heads the dangers and the risks when theyre exposed to different types of nefarious activity and give them that power and that strength to say no, said Chief CJ Davis. The crime updates came up during a community forum Tuesday night. Our backup in intake, right now, of this morning, we had 165 intake, said Sheriff Floyd Bonner of the Shelby County Sheriffs Office when asked how are they taking accountability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff Bonner said his office is stretched thin because they are taking in about 60 to 70 inmates a day. At 201 Poplar there are nearly 2,800 men which is overcapacity. The Jail East has 335 women and 84 people in juvenile detention. We try to help them get their GED, we partner with non-profits like The Final Escape, who also helps people with GEDs, said Sheriff Bonner. In other words, ladies and gentlemen, were trying to make a better person. That means being willing to cooperate with law enforcement in a robust way, that means providing tips, it means reporting crimes, it means being able to serve as witnesses, said Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. The Cripple Creek Police Department has arrested a suspect in connection with the theft of $76,800 from J.P. McGill's Casino in Cripple Creek Monday morning, according to a release from the department. Andrew Joel Irvine, 26, of Colorado Springs, was arrested and is being held at the Teller County Jail. The release stated the investigation is active and ongoing and formal charges are pending. The Colorado Springs Police Department and Colorado Division of Gaming were involved in the investigation, according to the release. Court records show Irvine was also arrested on Thursday for robbery in Teller County. More than 35 years after murdering their parents in a volley of shotgun blasts, brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez are the closest to freedom since they were arrested and sentenced to life in prison. The siblings who infamously gunned down their mother and father in 1989 at the family's Beverly Hills home will go before a California parole board separately Thursday and Friday, respectively. Erik Menendez's hearing starts Thursday morning. In recent years, the brothers have become a cause celebre amid mounting evidence that the slayings followed years of sexual abuse by their father. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Los Angeles County judge agreed to resentence them earlier this year over the objections of L.A.'s top prosecutor. Read more: Menendez brothers move closer to freedom as Newsom drops clemency investigations, sets parole hearing Now, if the parole board finds they have been rehabilitated, the brothers could soon be sent home to reunite with the family members who have spent years fighting for their release. But just because the brothers were resentenced doesn't mean the parole process will be smooth sailing. When are the hearings? Can I watch? The brothers will each have individual hearings. Erik, 54, will go before the board at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. The hearing for Lyle, 57, will take place at approximately the same time on Friday. Each hearing is expected to last between two and three hours, and the board will likely make a decision immediately, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parole board hearings take place over video conference. The brothers will appear from a room in the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office and the brothers' parole attorney, Heidi Rummel, will also appear remotely. While parole hearings are a matter of public record, CDCR does not live stream the events. A Times reporter will watch the hearing live in Sacramento and publish the results immediately after. How does a parole board hearing work? Who gets to speak? The bulk of a parole board hearing involves the commissioners questioning the person who is seeking release from prison. But other parties play a role as well. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman, or a prosecutor from his office, will be able to argue against release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district attorney's office filed a 75-page "statement of view" with the parole board which details what prosecutors describe as the brothers' "shifting stories" about the night of the murders. Such details include their attempts to arrange for an alibi and the fact that they "convincingly and repeatedly" lied to investigators and relatives that the killings must have been a mafia hit. Read more: What happens next for the Menendez brothers? Multiple paths to release now open Hochman and his prosecutors have also attacked the idea that the brothers killed in self-defense. Despite the abuse allegations against their father, prosecutors say there is no evidence that Jose or Kitty planned to kill the brothers on the night of the murders. Normally, the family of the victim in a case would also be able to speak against release if they so chose. However, the vast majority of Kitty and Jose Menendez's living relatives want the brothers set free and formed a coalition to advocate for Erik and Lyle years ago. Several of them intend to speak and others have submitted letters in support of the brothers, according to Laziza Lambert, a family spokeswoman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Milton Anderson, Kitty Menendezs brother, was opposed to Erik and Lyle's release but he died earlier this year. His attorney, R.J. Dreiling, said he does not have standing to take part in the hearings and it was unclear what, if any, record will be made of Anderson's objections. Why are the brothers eligible for parole? What factors will the parole board consider? The brothers won their resentencing hearing in May. Former Dist. Atty. George Gascon sought to have the brothers resentenced to 50-years-to-life in prison last year, and L.A. County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic agreed because Hochman's prosecutors could not prove that Erik and Lyle posed an unreasonable risk to the public. Since the brothers were under the age of 26 at the time of the murders, the reduced sentence made them eligible for parole under California's youthful offender law. The parole board must consider a wide array of factors, according to CDCR, including an applicant's criminal history, level of self-control at the time of crime, their behavior while in prison and personal growth over that time, their post-release plans and the facts of the crime itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The parole board must give great weight to the youth of the brothers at the time of the crime, and ultimately decide if they pose an unreasonable risk to public safety," said Dmitry Gorin, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor. While Gorin said there is a "strong case" for the brothers to receive parole, he also noted it is rare for the board to grant freedom to convicted killers, especially in a case with the level of brutality seen in the Menendez slayings. The fact that the brothers admitted to wrongdoing in the killings in open court earlier this year might aid them, according to Gorin. The brothers could face blistering opposition from Hochman and his prosecutors, who sought to revisit the bloody crime scene time and time again during Erik and Lyle's resentencing hearing. "We have consistently opposed their release because they have not demonstrated full insight into their crimes or shown that they have been fully rehabilitated, and therefore continue to pose a risk to society," the district attorney's office said in a statement. "We will evaluate our final position based on the evidence presented at the hearing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parole board can also consider any violations of CDCR rules in the brothers' files, and some recent alleged slip-ups by Erik and Lyle have raised the eyebrows of legal experts. "They have serious rule violations, including fights, including not coming in from the yards when they were told to. That doesn't sound that bad, but it can be, depends on what they were doing in the yard," said Nancy Tetrault, who successfully represented Leslie Van Houten, a devout follower of Charles Manson, before the parole board in 2023. Tetrault also noted that the brothers have been caught with cell phones behind bars, a violation of prison rules that could be problematic for the parole board. "It's a very serious rule violation," she said. "Why? Because that is the connection to criminality outside of prison." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Gorin and Terault said it is unlikely that the board would render different decisions each day. Given they are accused of the same crime, the results of Erik's hearing on Thursday will likely forecast what happens to Lyle 24 hours later. What happens after the decision? If the parole board grants release for one or both brothers, Gov. Gavin Newsom will have the right to review or reject the decision within 120 days. While Newsom hasn't publicly commented on the case and has separately considered granting the brothers' clemency his track record on high-profile parole cases doesn't bode well for the brothers. When the parole board granted release for Sirhan Sirhan the man convicted of assassinating Robert F. Kennedy in downtown Los Angeles Newsom overruled them. The governor also overruled the parole board multiple times when they sought to release Van Houten, though his decision was eventually thrown out by a California appeals court. Newsom declined through a spokeswoman to comment before the hearing on whether he believed the brothers should be released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the board denies the brothers, a new hearing can be set anytime within the next three to 15 years. Applicants can petition for a new hearing earlier than that if they argue the circumstances of their case have changed. "For example, if they completed, you know, an intense class on inside or something like that, and they think that they deserve to be heard within a year," Tetrault said. Newsom could also refer the decision to the entire state parole board for a second opinion, as he did in the case of convicted killer Stephanie Lazarus, a former LAPD detective. The brothers would still have other paths to freedom even without parole. Newsom could still grant them clemency, and a motion for a new trial is still working its way through the legal system. 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. (NewsNation) In a matter of days, the Menendez brothers are set to make their case for parole. The parole board meetings are the closest Erik and Lyle Menendez have been to winning their freedom from prison since their convictions almost 30 years ago for murdering their parents. The brothers became eligible for parole a few months ago after a judge reduced their sentences from life in prison without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erik Menendez hospitalized with serious medical issue Mark Geragos, the brothers attorney, joined CUOMO on Tuesday and says that both brothers are expected to answer a lot of questions. I think on Thursday, what you will see with Erik is a lot of discussion about the programs that hes instituted. Not the least of which is the hospice program, which he pioneered in California, he said. I think when you get to Lyle on Friday, youre going to hear about the green space program. This is a back-and-forth. Menendez ruling a huge win in freedom bid: Brothers attorney Geragos added that since there will be a pool reporter at the hearings, people will be able to follow along with the brothers answers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will also be the presence of a different district attorney each day. Geragos notes the DAs wont directly ask questions, but can funnel them through to the parole board if they want. Its a very interactive experience, he says. Its very robust. And something people dont realize, the parole board members that day will retire, deliberate and make a decision each day. Menendez brothers public opinion shifted, its not the first time Asked if theres a chance only one brother could be released, Geragos acknowledged its theoretically possible. However, practically and on the merits, it shouldnt happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are being judged separately. They each are fascinating, intriguing and deserving of getting parole. They both should be out, 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 NewsNation. Lyle and Erik Menendez are heading to their long-awaited parole hearing, marking a huge step forward in their push to be released after 35 years behind bars. Here's what you need to know: The parole process Erik Menendez's parole hearing is set for Thursday and Lyle Menendez's hearing will be on Friday. After the hearings conclude, the parole board will determine whether the brothers are suitable for parole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brothers' relatives said they know the parole process is "rigorous," but that they're "cautiously optimistic." Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Erik Menendez and his brother Lyle (R) listen during a pre-trial hearing, Dec. 29, 1992, in Los Angeles after the two pleaded innocent in the August 1989 shotgun deaths of their parents, Jose and Mary Louise Menendez. "For more than 35 years, they have shown sustained growth. Theyve taken full accountability," the Menendez brothers' family said in a statement on Wednesday. "They express sincere remorse to our family to this day and have built a meaningful life defined by purpose and service." But LA County DA Nathan Hochman, who's fought against their release, calling the brothers' claims of self-defense part of a litany of "lies," in a new statement on Wednesday said the brothers "continue to pose a risk to society." "Failure to exhibit full insight and responsibility is a critical factor in determining parole eligibility," Hochman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Menendez brothers timeline: From the 1989 murders to their new fight for freedom "We have consistently opposed their release because they have not demonstrated full insight into their crimes or shown that they have been fully rehabilitated, and therefore continue to pose a risk to society," Hochman said. "We will evaluate our final position based on the evidence presented at the hearing." After the parole board's rulings, the final decisions on parole will then go to California Gov. Gavin Newsom to approve, deny or modify the decision, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. If granted parole, they'd be eligible for release immediately after the decision is finalized, which takes about five months, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. If parole is denied, the denial could be for either three, five, seven, 10 or 15 years, according to the department. "Newsom can also exercise his clemency power to pardon or release the Menendez brothers at any time," the DA's office said. The crime Lyle Menendez, now 57, and Erik Menendez, now 54, were initially sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lyle Menendez was 21 and Erik Menendez was 18 at the time of the crime. They said they committed the murders in self-defense after years of abuse by their father. Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images - PHOTO: Erik Menendez with his attorney Leslie Abramson and his brother Lyle Menendez in Los Angeles, March 9, 1994. A new sentence This May, Judge Michael Jesic resentenced Erik and Lyle Menendez to 50 years to life in prison, which follows the recommendation made in October by then-LA County DA George Gascon. This new sentence makes them immediately eligible for parole. The judge noted he was moved by the supportive letters from prison guards and was amazed by the work the brothers had accomplished to better the lives of their fellow inmates. CDCR - PHOTO: This combination of two booking photos provided by the California Department of Corrections shows Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle Menendez. MORE: Erik Menendez back in prison after hospitalization: Sources Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brothers, who watched the resentencing hearing from prison, gave their own statements to the judge, admitting their guilt. "I killed my mom and dad," Lyle Menendez told Jesic. "I give no excuses." Lyle Menendez admitted to committing perjury by lying in court in the '90s and he apologized to his family for years of lies and the shock and grief of the crimes. CDCR - PHOTO: Lyle Menendez, Oct. 10, 2024. MORE: Menendez brothers resentenced to 50 years to life, eligible for parole Erik Menendez also admitted to lying for years and apologized. "I committed an atrocious act," he told the judge. "... No justification for what I did." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erik Menendez added that he's "come a long way on this path" of redemption and said, "I will not stop trying to make a difference." CDCR - PHOTO: Erik Menendez, Oct. 10, 2024. Bid for a new trial Meanwhile, the brothers are pursing another path separate from the parole process. In 2023, they submitted a habeas corpus petition to try to get another trial based on new evidence not originally presented in court. The petition presents two pieces of new evidence. One is allegations from a former member of the boy band Menudo, who revealed in the 2023 docuseries "Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed" that he was raped by Jose Menendez. The second is a letter Erik Menendez wrote to his cousin eight months before the murders detailing his alleged abuse; the cousin testified about the alleged abuse at trial, but the letter -- which would have corroborated the cousin's testimony -- wasn't unearthed until several years ago, according to the brothers' attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This month, Hochman filed a response to the habeas corpus petition, stating that he "concluded that this petition does not come close to meeting the factual or legal standard to warrant a new trial." "The central defense of the Menendez brothers at trial has always been self-defense, not sexual abuse. The jury rejected this self-defense defense in finding them guilty of the horrific murders they perpetrated; five different appellate state and federal courts have affirmed those convictions, and nothing in the so-called 'new' evidence challenges any of those determinations," Hochman said in a statement. "Our opposition to this 'Hail Mary' effort to obtain a new trial over 30 years later makes clear that justice, the facts, and the law demand the convictions stand." Timing is everything in politics and the law, and Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman certainly is using it to his presumed advantage today when it comes to the Menendez brothers and their potential parole. The Menendez brothers have never fully accepted responsibility for the horrific murders of their parents, instead continuing to promote a false narrative of self-defense that was rejected by the jury decades ago, Hochman said today, less than 24 hours before Erik Menendezs parole hearing is scheduled to start and around 48 hours ahead of Lyle Menendezs hearing. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To that end, Erik Menendezs virtual parole hearing will kick off around 8:30 am PT on August 21 and is anticipated to last anywhere up to three hours. His brother will follow a similar schedule on Friday. While it might take days or weeks, a written decision from the parole board could come as early as the conclusion of the individual hearings. While recent documentaries and films have drawn renewed attention to this case, parole decisions must be based solely on the facts and the law, Hochman declared today. RELATED: Chloe Sevigny On A Wild Hollywood Ride From Boys Dont Cry To Big Love To Kitty Menendez And The Emmys The Actors Side With that additional swipe at Netflix and Ryan Murphys admittedly influential and much watched series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and Peacock docs on the brothers, their crime and time, the tone and content of the DAs words Wednesday pretty much echo what Hochman who was elected in a tough-on-crime landslide last year over one-term incumbent George Gascon has been saying for months about the high-profile siblings. Now in their mid-50s, the brothers, who brutally shotgunned their allegedly abusive father Jose and their mother Kitty to death in the familys Beverly Hills home in 1989, have been in custody in one form or another for going on 40 years. Whatever the outcome of this weeks hearings, due to the parole review process, the Menendez brothers wont be getting out of the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility near San Diego ASAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Hochman, on the 36th anniversary to the day of killing of the record company exec Jose and spouse Kitty, did toss a slight wild card into the works Wednesday depending on what occurs before the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations Board of Parole Hearing starting Thursday. RELATED: Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story Star Cooper Koch On First Emmy Nom & Having An Effect On Events In Real-Time Before Our Eyes We have consistently opposed their release because they have not demonstrated full insight into their crimes or shown that they have been fully rehabilitated, and therefore continue to pose a risk to society, the one-time GOP DA noted, before offering a (un)likely change of heart: We will evaluate our final position based on the evidence presented at the hearing. Along with members of his prosecution team, Hochman is expected to be attending at least a portion of the virtual hearings this week. His appearance is nothing new. In front of the camera like the Menendez lawyers Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos, Hochman has been at almost every Menendez hearing since the beginning of the year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After those often-delayed hearings, a series of interventions by media-sensitive Gov. Gavin Newsom, endorsements from celebs like Kim Kardashian and a quite often circus-like atmosphere around the matter altogether, the Menendez brothers were resentenced on May 13 to 50 years to life, which made them suddenly eligible for parole. At that dramatic May hearing, which was bit of a public flogging of the DAs office, L.A. Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic ruled that Lyle, 57, and Erik, 54, did not pose an unreasonable risk if they were released. The brothers have been behind bars since being sentenced to life without parole following a second trial in 1996. RELATED: 5 Songs With Monsters: The Lyle & Erik Menendez Story Music Supervisors Amanda Krieg Thomas & Anna Romanoff Originally supposed to occur on June 13, as dictated by Gov. Newsom in February as part of a potential clemency process, the respective individual Menendez hearings were shifted to the more infamous dates in late May because, as Lyle Menendez said on social media, the siblings and their lawyers required more time to prepare. The first of many steps in the Menendez brothers walking out of prison after decades, this weeks parole hearings are far out of public view with limited attendance and information available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Family members and victims next of kin who in this case are one and the same can join in remotely too. With most of the living Menendez family advocating for their relatives release, the family put out a statement late on August 19 saying they were cautiously optimistic about the hearings. Each brother will be before what is expected to be one Board of Parole commissioner and one deputy commissioner. The brothers lawyers more than likely will be with them in person at the location they are signing in from. A pool report is allowed to observe the proceedings but only can transmit information to other approved media at specific junctions, and there are restrictions on when stories on the hearing(s) can be published or broadcast. RELATED: Javier Bardem On His TV Turns As Jose Menendez And Following Mitchum & De Niro To Cape Fear, Plus His F1 Pit Stop & News On Dune 3 The Actors Side In the event the board decides the Menendezes should get parole, the Board of Parole chief counsel has a maximum of 120 days to go over the grant to make sure all the ts are crossed and is are dotted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then it goes to Gov. Newsoms desk, where he has 30 days to accept the boards decision, reject it or ask for it to be modified or reconsidered. It should be noted, as out front as Newsom has been on the Menendez case, last year he reversed the Board of Paroles finding to let Sen. Bobby Kennedys 1968 assassin Sirhan Sirhan out of prison. Lets say Gov, Newsom does go along with the Board of Paroles hypothetical parole approval for the Menendez brothers then they could be out by the New Year. RELATED: Director Carl Franklin & Editor Peggy Tachdjian On Establishing Tone For Netflixs Monsters With Milli Vanilli Memorial Scene The Process If the parole board decides one or both of the brothers doesnt deserve parole, parties such as their family or lawyers immediately could ask for a review based on potential factual inaccuracies and seek a new ruling. If that falls short, it could be anywhere from three to 15 years for they get another kick at the get-out-of-jail can. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Another steel mill is bringing jobs to Mississippi County, Arkansas, state economic development officials announced Wednesday. Merrill Steel will build its fourth manufacturing facility in Osceola, Arkansas, investing more than $32 million and creating 108 new jobs over three years. The companys new facility will be at the former Denso Manufacturing Arkansas site in Osceola. Hiring is expected to begin in spring of 2026. To learn more about the company and apply for roles, visit www.merrillsteel.com/employment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arkansas county offering major money to work, live there Merrill Steel, founded in 1962, chose chose Mississippi County for its next location due to state and local partnerships and access to raw steel. It has other facilities in Wisconsin, Missouri and Iowa. Arkansas Gov. Sara Huckabee Sanders said in a news release that Mississippi County is the top steel producing county in America. The area is home Big River Steel, U.S. Steel, Nucor Steel, Nucor-Yamato and other related industries. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Metas newest billion-dollar data center in the Northland is now up and running. Leaders say the data stored at the facility, located off Interstate 435 and U.S. 169 highway, will help connect billions of people around the world. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri Meta broke ground on the facility back in 2022, and as of Wednesday, the servers in Kansas City are now online and connected to its global network. The property includes three data center buildings and one warehouse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The centers community and economic development director, Bradley Davis, says this is one of 28 of Metas data centers across the world. They say they are necessary to power things like Facebook and Instagram and are also critical in allowing AI to run. Meta celebrated the opening of its new data center in Kansas Citys Northland Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 off Interstate 435 and U.S. 169 highway. Officials addressed concerns about sustainability and AIs environmental impacts. Davis says the facility uses a cooling technology that is significantly more water efficient than the industry standard. Like all of our data centers, the Kansas City data centers electricity use will be matched with 100 percent clean and renewable energy. Meta also prioritizes water stewardship, and we have a goal to be water positive in 2030. That means we will restore more water than we actually consume, Davis said during the event Wednesday morning. Meta announced that since breaking ground in 2022, theyve provided more than a million dollars to schools and nonprofits across the metro and plan to make annual contributions as they settle into the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Retail giant Target is getting a new CEO. On Wednesday, the big box chain announced a company veteran will take the lead in the wake of a months-long boycott. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] In a move that surprised many in the business world, Target announced its current CEO, Brian Cornell, will step down, and company veteran Michael Fiddelke will assume the role. In a statement, Fiddelke wrote in part: Nows the time to take full advantage of our strengths, embrace change with pace and purpose, and regain our momentum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent months, the company has battled some sluggish numbers. It reported slow sales over three months ending in August. Back in March, activists, including New Birth Cathedral Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant, announced a boycott of the retail giant over Targets rollback of its DEI initiatives. On Wednesday, he reacted to the news. I think this shift is evidence of the power of boycotting and protest, Bryant told Channel 2s Audrey Washington. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, some economists have pointed to other factors, including the economy and tariffs, as a reason behind a dip in target numbers. Bryant tells Washington, hes not buying that. Sales have not gone down for Costco. They have not gone down for Walmart, Bryant said. In an email, sent to Washington, a Target spokesperson pushed back and wrote in part: Our sales improved by nearly two percentage points versus the first quarter of the year... In Targets New Belonging at the Bullseye Strategy, it states in part that Target will create a sense of belonging for our team, guests and communities through a commitment to inclusion, and We recruit and retain a talented team that reflects the communities we serve." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for whats next, Bryant says when the demands, which he tells Washington include reinstating Targets DEI initiatives, are met, the boycott will end. Id like to bring it to closure, all thats needed is a reimaging of DEI investment and investment back in our communities, Bryant said. Bryant also said he and the Rev. Al Sharpton will most likely request a meeting with the new CEO. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Mexican Caribbeanthe strip of the Yucatan Peninsula that borders the Caribbean Sea and includes resort towns like Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmenhas seen a tourism boom in recent decades, welcoming some 20 million visitors annually. Meanwhile, a little over 100 miles south of Tulum, Bacalar offers an experience like that of the Mexican Caribbean during its early days. The laid-back, waterfront town founded in the 5th century features wellness experiences, historical sites, boutique hotels, and outdoor recreation, with its local flair still intact. Traveling to Bacalar, Mexico? Add a trip to the Kohunlich Ruins, a large archaeological site of the pre-Colombian Maya civilization, to your itinerary. Photograph by vale_t, Getty Images Top 5 attractions in Bacalar 1. The Ichkabal Ruins This ancient Mayan site, comprised of grand plazas and pyramids hidden in the jungle, opened to the public at the end of 2024. Since the ruins are about an hour away from Bacalar, the best way to get there is to book a tour from Bacalar or the nearby city of Chetumal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2. The Kohunlich Ruins Within this 20-acre Mayan city outside Bacalar, howler monkey calls ring through the air. Its grand Temple of Masks is the most significant structure in the complex, thought to have been built in 500 C.E. Plan to spend about half a day in the area and book a tour from Bacalar or Chetumal. 3. Fuerte de San Felipe de Bacalar Italian architect Juan Podio designed this lagoon-front fort in 1733 to protect Bacalar from pirates. The structure was designated a National Historic Monument in 1975 and has been a museum since the 1980s. 4. Wellness experiences Bacalar is earning a reputation as a wellness destination, thanks to places like Our Habitas Bacalar, Kapok Bacalar, Mia Bacalar, and eco-resort Rancho Encantado. In these retreat centers rooted in Mayan tradition, you can try treatments that range from massages and ancient Mayan skin therapies to aromatherapy, cupping, and a traditional temazcal sweat lodge. 5. Wander the downtown Bacalars downtown has a relaxed hippy vibe, much like that of Tulum a few decades ago. Wander its colorful streets lined with murals, sit in quaint cafes, visit local artisans shops, and stop by the fort. The 30-room Hotel Quinta Las Flores is just one of many hotels where travelers can stay when visiting Bacalar. Photograph by Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Brightly painted indigenous and Mayan themed graffiti art depicts a turtle with ruins rising on its back on a cinderblock wall in Bacalar, Mexico. Photograph by Chuck David, VWPics/Redux Downtown Bacalar has a relaxed, hippy vibe with colorful streets lined with murals. Photograph by Chuck David, VWPics/Redux This Indigenous and Mayan-themed street art depicts a turtle with ruins rising on its back, located on a cinderblock wall in Bacalar, Mexico. Photograph by Chuck David, VWPics/Redux Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (7 of the best Maya ruins to visit in Mexico) Consider Bacalar as an alternative to Tulum and Cancun Bacalar is not located directly on the Caribbean but is home to a freshwater lake called the Bacalar Lagoon, or Lagoon of Seven Colors. Below the dazzling array of blues and greens at the lagoons surface lie cauliflower-shaped stromatolites, three-billion-year-old microorganisms that store CO2. Unlike in overrun Mexican Caribbean towns that have been damaged by unfettered development, in Bacalar, the community has come together to protect its fragile resource that doubles as its greatest tourism attraction. Even so, development looms ever-closer, like the controversial Tren Maya that opened a station in Bacalar last year and has already dramatically altered the natural environment. Marco Jerico is a Cancun native who has been working with environmental organizations in Bacalar for the last decade. He founded Agua Clara Bacalar in 2016, an NGO dedicated to protecting the Bacalar Lagoon and sustainably managing tourism in the area, and currently serves as president of the Emerge Bakhalal Foundation, a social development and environmental organization in Bacalar. Jerico lists the decision to close the lagoon to recreation each Wednesday as one of the most important actions the community has taken, a day of respite for the water and its fragile ecosystem. He also emphasizes the importance of focusing on tourism initiatives led by locals. Adrian Blanco is one of the cofounders of The Bacalar Collection, a group of local companies that have come together to sustainably manage tourism offerings in Bacalarwhat Blanco calls a kind of neighborhood watch that creates social pressure to halt large-scale developments. As a group and as a community, we will do as much as it takes to make sure that we have the lagoon preserved for future generations, Blanco says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those seeking a wild spring break atmosphere may be disappointed by Bacalar. Jerico says, There are no parties or nightclubs here. In Bacalar, we have nature, culture, and a colony of the first living organisms that appeared on Earth. Blanco has a similar take on how Bacalar stands apart from the rest of the Mexican Caribbean. Bacalar is focused on tourism with a lower impact, he says. Cocalitos, also known as El Santuario de los Estromatolitos (The Sanctuary of the Stromatolites), is a natural spa in Bacalar. You can swim, relax on swings and hammocks in the water, and explore the cenote. Photograph by Gerard Puigmal, Getty Images Enjoying the Bacalar Lagoon as a responsible traveler The highlight of any stay in Bacalar is time on the lagoon. With calm, clear waters, it offers some of the safest and most ideal conditions for stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, and more. To protect the natural marvel, Jerico implores visitors to seek out experiences with a low environmental impact. That means skipping tours that use motorized boats. Sailing tours have a low impact and are the most beautiful way to explore the lagoon, he says. Most tour companies also ask guests to follow guidelines for responsible recreation closely. Opt for a sun shirt and hat over sunscreen to avoid introducing harmful chemicals into the water. Be mindful of waste, respect buoys that designate protected areas, avoid loud music that may scare off birds, and exercise caution when paddling or stepping so as not to avoid disturbing fragile underwater formations. Zanny Merullo Steffgen is a Colorado-based freelance travel journalist whose work has appeared in Fodor's, Adventure.com, Lonely Planet, OutThere, and other publications. Learn more and follow her work at zannymerullosteffgen.com. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday denied that her government has any agreement with Washington on a bilateral project to dismantle drug cartels. On Monday, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced a "bold bilateral initiative" with Mexico to fight drug cartels, an operation initiative named "Project Portero." However, Sheinbaum said that Mexico had not been consulted on the matter. "The DEA issued this statement, we don't know on what basis," Sheinbaum said during her daily press briefing. "We have not reached any agreement, there is no deal between our security institutions and the DEA." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheinbaum added that Mexico's Foreign Ministry and the US State Department had been working for months on a security agreement that is "about to be signed." "This deal is fundamentally based on sovereignty, mutual trust, and territorial respect ... and coordination without subordination," she said, adding that the only other ongoing bilateral security activity was a group of Mexican police officers attending a workshop in Texas. "That is all there is. There is nothing else," the president continued, adding: "We do not know why they issued this statement." "The only thing we will always ask for is respect. Always. If you are going to report something related to Mexico that is part of the security issue, we ask that it be done within the framework of the collaboration we have." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its statement, the DEA said Project Portero would target drug cartel operatives who control the smuggling corridors along the US south-western border by bringing together Mexican investigators and US authorities. "Project Portero and this new training program show how we will fight - by planning and operating side by side with our Mexican partners, and by bringing the full strength of the U.S. government to bear," said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole in the statement, calling the project "a bold first step in a new era of cross-border enforcement." Sheinbaum's rebuttal comes after a positive exchange in late July, when US President Donald Trump delayed higher tariffs on Mexican goods. In addition to tariffs, Trump and Sheinbaum have been clashing on cross-border migration from Mexico into the United States and Trump's attempts to stop the flow of the opioid fentanyl into the US. Sheinbaum in recent months has agreed to extradite dozens of high-profile drug-trafficking suspects to the US. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday denied that her government has any agreement with Washington on a bilateral project to dismantle drug cartels. On Monday, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced a "bold bilateral initiative" with Mexico to fight drug cartels, an operation initiative named "Project Portero." However, Sheinbaum said that Mexico had not been consulted on the matter. "The DEA issued this statement, we don't know on what basis," Sheinbaum said during her daily press briefing. "We have not reached any agreement, there is no deal between our security institutions and the DEA." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheinbaum added that Mexico's Foreign Ministry and the US State Department had been working for months on a security agreement that is "about to be signed." "This deal is fundamentally based on sovereignty, mutual trust, and territorial respect ... and coordination without subordination," she said, adding that the only other ongoing bilateral security activity was a group of Mexican police officers attending a workshop in Texas. "That is all there is. There is nothing else," the president continued, adding: "We do not know why they issued this statement." "The only thing we will always ask for is respect. Always. If you are going to report something related to Mexico that is part of the security issue, we ask that it be done within the framework of the collaboration we have." David H.K. Bell suffered with four "pathological diagnoses" at the time of his death, according to his autopsy report. Lilo and Stitch star David H.K. Bell died aged 46 on June 12 The Lilo and Stitch actor - who was credited as Big Hawaiian Dude in the 2025 live-action remake of the 2002 Disney movie - died on June 12 in Hawaii aged 46, and now new details around the late star's tragic passing. As reported by PEOPLE magazine, Bell's autopsy report listed acute respiratory failure, sepsis, hypertensive/atherosclerotic heart disease, and morbid obesity, among its findings. Atherosclerosis is caused by fats, cholesterol and other substances building up in or on the artery walls, and it leads to the narrowing of the arteries, which blocks blood flow or burst, causing a blood clot. Elsewhere in the autopsy - carried out at Kona Community Hospital in Kealakekua, Hawaii, on June 19 and completed on July 10 - the report found Bell also suffered from stasis dermatitis and edema. Stasis dermatitis is a skin condition that causes an individual's lower legs to become swollen or inflamed due to poor blood circulation in the legs. Edema is a condition that causes swelling in a person's body because fluid is trapped in tissues, often in someone's feet, ankles and legs. The autopsy report revealed Bell "complained of difficulty breathing" before his death. Medical intervention efforts, as well as resuscitation attempts, took place. And the exam also discovered Bell had defibrillator (AED) pads on his chest, an airway in his mouth, a blood pressure cuff on his right upper arm, and IV line in his left arm. Bell also had an intraosseous needle in his lower left leg. The outlet noted that the exam is a "coroner's case" and that it does not give a cause or manner of death. The actor's sister, Jalene Kanani Bell, confirmed his death in a Facebook post on June 15. She wrote: "It is with a heavy heart I share that my sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant and handsome little brother David H. K. Bell will spend today in the company of our Heavenly Father. "Ive been waiting for the words and mindset to properly express the joy of a human, and Prince of a Man he was, but fate pushed my hand this morning by a pre-scheduled Fathers Day newsletter honoring the men in our lives. "I met my little brother at the age of 18, on my high school graduation day, it was the most amazing surprise which I had been asking for for years, that our moms made happen for us, and that gift has lasted a lifetime. "While I didnt grow up with a Father, David gave me all the unconditional love I could possibly ask for and I believe that all his family and friends received the same from him. "He was always so proud of me, his nieces and his grandnephew, constantly engaged and always coming up with fun activities to get-together. We looked forward to going to Tatihi and the Lindsey reunion together to create more family connections. (sic)" The lawsuit stemming from intergovernmental strife in Woodland Park has been ruled in favor of its city council. A Teller County District judge issued a ruling Monday to dismiss the case against the city of Woodland Park by its local school district. The complaint alleged that the city council had violated its intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Woodland Park RE-2, the citys home rule charter and procedural requirements when it repealed the sales tax contributing to local school funding during an emergency meeting in March. The school district specifically alleged that council members went into an executive session without following the proper procedure at the meeting and that their decision to repeal the tax was rooted in political reasons rather than legislative. The decision to repeal the sales tax that contributed more than $3 million annually to the school district came as a swift response to its board of educations attempt to sell one of its buildings to local charter school Merit Academy. One condition of the IGA also was for the district to submit detailed reports to the council about how exactly the tax dollars were being used. That became a point of contention when submissions were deemed inadequate. When councilmembers learned about the agenda item one day after they had voted to indefinitely suspend an ordinance to repeal the tax, they then called the emergency meeting to repeal it because they believed it was the latest act in bad faith by the board of education. In its complaint, the school district requested a temporary restraining order for the repeal, damages related to the alleged breach and awards for costs and attorneys fees. In the motion to dismiss, District Court Judge William Moeller noted that both parties acknowledge the city councils authority to enact, amend and repeal local ordinances and that their legislative decision to repeal the tax was not subject to judicial review. I note that Plaintiff alleges fraud but offers no specificity as to what the fraud entailed other than making a claim that no emergency existed, Moeller wrote. (The) Plaintiff does not make a specific claim as to how the Council failed to comply with the City Charter or how the City Councils acts constituted a quasi-legal action. He went on to note that, while Colorado law requires voter approval for the imposition of local taxes, it does not require voter approval for their repeal. Regarding the school districts allegation that the city council violated their IGA, Moeller ruled that the councils legislative authority usurped the interpretation of these agreements as perpetually binding and that there was no promise to maintain the sales tax in this case. Featured Local Savings As for the alleged motivations behind the councils decision, Moeller said this claim is not supported by law. The underlying issue here is a political dispute between two government bodies that must be resolved by the voters, Moeller said. When reached for comment, Woodland Park Mayor Kellie Case said that she was pleased with the result for local taxpayers and appreciated the court's decision. The 1.09% sales tax earmarked for schools was originally approved in 2016 to supplement the RE-2's annual budget. Now that the IGA has been repealed, it could only return through a new ballot measure either initiated by citizens or legislatively referred by the city council. Case said that she wouldn't advise the city to go this route again, calling the revenue source "atypical" and "not appropriate" for a school district. "The city has its own priorities with its funding," she said. "And the school district should be in charge of its own funding, not the city." Woodland Park RE-2's board of education approved the general budget for the 2025-26 school year during its regular board meeting June 11, which did not factor in the tax revenue like previous years. The sales tax most recently accounted for more than $3 million of the districts $30.8 million budget for the 2024-25 school year. During the board's regular meeting on May 7, it was suggested that the lost revenue from the sales tax contributed to a 10% reduction of the district's workforce and eliminated any salary raises for the remaining workforce this fiscal year. Woodland Park RE-2 Board President Mick Bates added that the forensic audit currently being conducted for the district's finances also accounts for one-time expenditures in their current budget. He said that he was "obviously disappointed" with the court's ruling, but noted that no programs in the district, to date, have been cut because of the lost revenue. Bates added that possible new revenues discussed since the lost sales tax included a county-wide sales tax that would benefit their district along with the neighboring Cripple Creek-Victor RE-1, since initiatives to increase property taxes through mil levy overrides and new bonds don't have a great history of success. Bates said the recent actions of the city council members were "beyond anything I could have imagined." I dont think those decisions on city council were for the kids of Teller County," he said. "And if they want to do this to punish the school board, then so be it. But they need to realize that this ultimately hurts the kids. The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, and the state Health Care Authority, have "not made significant progress" in their efforts over the previous six months to comply with a settlement agreement over the safety of children in state custody, a court-appointed arbitrator found on Aug. 18, 2025. (Photo by Kaveh Mowahed / KUNM News) New Mexicos foster care, juvenile justice and child welfare programs have not made significant progress in the last six months toward complying with a landmark settlement agreement, a court-appointed arbitrator found this week. The 2020 Kevin S settlement stems from a lawsuit filed two years prior against the Children, Youth and Families Department, along with the agency now called the Health Care Authority, which alleged state officials had failed to uphold their legal obligations to keep children in their custody safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles Peifer, the Albuquerque attorney appointed as the arbiter in the case, found in January that New Mexico failed to meet the settlements requirements. Then after hearing from both sides in July, Peifer on Monday issued a second order finding that the state still has not made significant progress in its efforts to come into compliance with the settlements terms. Those terms include: hiring and properly training caseworkers to determine a childs needs; finding foster families to care for them; and connecting children to services. The evidence and submissions provided to me establish that the State is preparing to make progress and has indeed obtained additional funding that will assist in future progress, but that, measured by outcomes for children, measurable and verifiable progress is lacking, Peifer wrote. Children and youth remain at imminent risk of harm and time is of the essence. The state Legislature in its most recent session created a new Office of the Child Advocate, attached administratively to the state Department of Justice, to provide more oversight of CYFD. In a meeting on Tuesday with state lawmakers on the interim Legislative Health and Human Services Committee, Native American Disability Law Center Executive Director Therese Yanan, who represents one of the children in the initial lawsuit, said Mondays order represents a measure of accountability for the states failures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This system is not working for our kids, Yanan said. We are also hoping that this committee and other committees can hold the state to account as well, because there needs to be some accountability. Dr. George Davis, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and former CYFD psychiatry director, said its impossible for the state to comply with the settlement so long as caseworkers are overworked, foster families turn over and children dont receive the services they need. Davis said many foster families withdrew from the system during the COVID-19 pandemic and they have never, ever recuperated. Even though the state brought on 134 new foster families in 2024, he said, approximately the same number left in the same period. Without foster families to care for children, Davis said, authorities place them into either residential treatment centers or congregate facilities, which are not a place to raise a child and not a substitute for foster care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beds are not what we need, he said. Families are what we need. Jesse Clifton, an attorney with Disability Rights New Mexico, which represented another plaintiff in the case, told the committee one of the main reasons his organization joined the lawsuit was New Mexicos placement of children into residential and congregate settings, which he called needless institutionalization of youth. He said state officials continue to propose expanding congregate care in New Mexico, but doing so wont solve the problem. It does stand to reason to expand that network of providers especially if were not also making the same efforts and investments in community-based mental health services that were going to see a return to that practice, Clifton said. Under Peifers order, CYFD and the HCA must make continual and continuous progress to comply with the settlement between now and Dec. 31. He will hold hearings in October and November to check their progress and will again determine whether they have complied in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for CYFD told Source NM on Wednesday that the agency is reviewing Peifers findings, compiling the requested data and will respond by the deadline imposed in the order. We are disappointed by these findings, some of which are troubling, but we intend to address them as best we can and continue improving the way in which we protect New Mexico children in vulnerable circumstances, CYFD Deputy Director of Communications Jessica Preston said in a statement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX MEXICO CITY (AP) At least 13 people allegedly involved in the killing of two members of Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada's staff in May were arrested Wednesday for their alleged roles in what authorities described as a meticulously planned hit on two people close to the capital's leader. Three of those arrested allegedly were directly involved in the killings and the others had roles in the logistics. Brugadas personal secretary, Ximena Guzman, and an adviser, Jose Munoz, were shot dead in Guzmans car on a Mexico City street in broad daylight on May 20. Guzman, as she did regularly, was picking up Munoz at a subway station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These results represent the first advances of an ongoing investigation, Brugada said. Bertha Maria Alcalde Lujan, Mexico City's chief prosecutor, said later during a news conference that five vehicles, including the motorcycle the shooter fled on, were part of the operation. Two of the other vehicles were identified as having surveilled the victims in the weeks before their killings. Alcalde Lujan even said investigators believe the hit had originally been planned for May 14, but Guzman didn't pick up Munoz that day, so they believe it was called off. Mexico's federal security chief, Omar Garcia Harfuch, said investigators confirmed that those involved in the shootings initially fled to a neighborhood in the borough of Iztacalco, not far from the capital's international airport. There they changed vehicles and escaped the city to neighboring Mexico state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Early Wednesday, law enforcement carried out 11 raids, arresting the 13 suspects. Mexico City Police Chief Pablo Vazquez Camacho said there were various lines of investigation, but authorities would not speak of a possible motive while the investigation remained open. ____ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america NEW MEXICO (KRQE) Years after a lawsuit alleged that New Mexico wasnt doing enough for children in foster care, the state is still failing to meet a number of agreements in the Kevin S. Settlement. On Tuesday, the lawyers in charge of monitoring the implementation of the settlement told lawmakers the state is not holding up its end of the bargain giving examples like, the state not performing all the mandatory screenings for children in custody and moving kids in custody an average of six times, instead of three, as agreed upon in the settlement. KRQE Investigates: Can CYFD finally end kids sleeping in offices? In July, it became very apparent, and Secretary Casados acknowledged that nothing had changed. So in that six-month period, there had been no progress and no improvement. Nobody is more frustrated this than we are, said Therese Yana, Executive Director of the Native American Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Panelists also told lawmakers to expect federal funding cuts to Medicaid and to prepare for those now so that it does not impact the implementation of the Kevin S. Settlement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. (The Center Square) Despite many arguing the border crisis is over because illegal entries at the southwest border have dropped to their lowest level in recorded history, border-related and cartel crime is flourishing throughout the U.S. Federal, state and local law enforcement task forces are actively working to target and remove criminal actors continuing to profit off of human, drug and weapons trafficking and smuggling, as well as other violent crimes. In a landmark operation targeting one of the worlds most dangerous cartels, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies helped bring criminal charges against five high-ranking leaders of the Mexico-based Carteles Unidos (United Cartels). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United Cartels has flooded every corner of our country with deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Francis Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee said. What started out as an ordinary drug case in the Eastern District of Tennessee grew into a sprawling multinational investigation that will take down a transnational criminal organization precisely because law enforcement at all levels partnered together enthusiastically with mission-first single-mindedness. This investigation began in a small town in Middle America and led to clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in Michoacan, Mexico, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti with the Department of Justices Criminal Division said. It involved extraordinary policework by our partners, some of whom came under fire in a brazen shootout underscoring the dangers law enforcement faces every day. The United Cartels, a transnational criminal and drug trafficking organization, controls large areas of Michoacan, Mexico, law enforcement investigators have found. Acting as an umbrella organization, United Cartels unites several Michoacan-based cartels to acquire, manufacture, and distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine for smuggling into the United States, the DOJ said. Profits are used to acquire heavy weaponry, hire mercenaries, bribe local officials, and fund lavish lifestyles for cartel leaders. The cartel, one of the most prolific methamphetamine producers in the world, is capable of manufacturing multiple tons every month, investigators found. Its distribution network extends nationwide, with hubs in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Kansas City (Mo.), Sacramento, California, Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago, extending to Europe, Australia, and other regions, the DOJ says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February, the Department of State designated United Cartels as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorists, The Center Square reported. Five United Cartel leaders have been charged: Juan Jose Farias Alvarez (El Abuelo); Alfonso Fernandez Magallon (Poncho); Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez (Wicho/R5); Edgar Orozco Cabadas (El Kamoni); and Nicolas Sierra Santana (El Gordo), the DOJ announced. Court filings say that El Abuelo is the top leader of the cartel, personally overseeing and directing large cocaine shipments into the U.S. from Colombia through air and maritime routes. He also imposes a tax on methamphetamine and fentanyl producers operating in his territory, according to the charges. Under him, other Michoacan, Mexican-based cartels operate, including the Los Reyes Cartel, allegedly led by Poncho, and the Los Viagras Cartel, allegedly led by El Gordo, according to the charges. El Kamoni and Wicho also each lead armed factions of the United Cartels, asserting control using assault weapons, improvised explosive devices, armed drones, armored vehicles, and foreign mercenaries, the charges say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For decades, the five men oversaw the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, and the smuggling into and trafficking of the drugs throughout the U.S., according to the charges. El Abuelo, Poncho and Wicho also committed firearms offenses, including carrying, brandishing and discharging semi-automatic weapons, machine guns, and destructive devices, according to the charges. If convicted, they face life in prison. All five men remain at large as fugitives. The State Department has issued a total of $26 million in award money for any information leading to their arrest and/or conviction. Up to $10 million has been offered for El Abuelo; up to $5 million each for Poncho and El Gordo; and up to $3 million each for Wicho and El Kamoni. The Treasury Department also imposed economic sanctions against each of the five men, the United Cartels and their associated entities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation was led by HSI-Knoxville and a Homeland Security Task Force in the area. HSI agents in Mexico and Denver, the DEA, Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, Tennessee 9th Judicial Drug Task Force and HSI agents in Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, California, Missouri and Nevada played key roles in the investigation. DEA and HSI agents working in Bogota, Colombia, and The Hague, were also involved. FBI agents in Missouri and California, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and U. S. Attorneys Offices for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Missouri, District of Colorado, Eastern District of California, and Northern District of Georgia were also involved. The case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Tennessee. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) A major ruling by a federal appeals court has blocked New Mexicos seven-day waiting period on gun purchases, and while some officials are disappointed, others are cheering the decision. In a 2-1 ruling, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the law likely infringes on the Second Amendment and sent the case back down to a lower court. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The seven-day waiting period narrowly passed in the 2024 legislative session, and state Senator Crystal Brantley (R-Truth or Consequences) said Tuesdays decision comes as no surprise. The Second Amendment clearly says shall not be infringed. It was an overreach that targeted law-abiding citizens. It did nothing to push back on the crime in New Mexico, said Sen. Brantley. That sentiment was shared by fellow state Senator Bill Sharer (R-Farmington), in a statement, Sharer said, Criminals certainly dont wait seven days before breaking into our homes and threatening our families and properties. What sense does it make to require law-abiding citizens to wait seven days before being able to defend themselves? Senator Brantley did say she hopes both sides of the aisle can come together to tackle New Mexicos crime problem. As we move forward, thats what were looking forward to doing, is actually reducing the number of repeat criminals that are plaguing the state of New Mexico, said Brantley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham also released a statement on the ruling: Todays decision by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals is deeply disappointing, plainly wrong and likely to cost lives in New Mexico. New Mexicos waiting period law was carefully crafted to minimize gun violence while respecting Second Amendment rights. The dissenting opinion in todays ruling even notes that New Mexicos law is likely to save approximately thirty-seven lives per year. This ruling ignores a recent binding Tenth Circuit precedent that upheld Colorados law barring gun purchases by anyone under the age of 21a law that requires 18-year-olds to wait three years to purchase a weapon. The ruling also mischaracterizes New Mexicos gun purchase waiting period, saying it applies to everyone when, in fact, it doesnt apply to those who sell guns to immediate family members, those with a concealed carry permit, and law enforcement officers. The evidence is clearwaiting periods prevent impulsive acts of violence and suicide, giving people time to step back and reassess their emotions during moments of crisis. Im disappointed that todays ruling doesnt take this into account. We are reviewing our legal options in reaction to todays misguided ruling by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) A Tohatchi, New Mexico, man pleaded guilty to charges for attacking and seriously injuring a female. According to court records, the attacks on the female happened on March 5 and 6, 2024. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court records show Victor Badonie, 33, was with the victim at her home in Zuni, New Mexico. An argument broke out and Badonie assaulted and strangled the victim. The victims injuries required her to be hospitalized. Badonie pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) President Wallis has been released from the hospital in Mexico City and is continuing to recover after an attempted home robbery and shooting. According to officials, President R. Tyler Wallis was shot once in their home in Mexico City at approximately 2 a.m. The intruder was attempting a robbery when the attack took place. His wife, Sister Wallis, was not harmed during the incident. President Wallis and his wife, Sister Wallis. (Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) LDS mission president injured in Mexico shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Wallis has been receiving medical care in an intermediate care unit in Mexico City and was in stable condition and responded well to treatment. He is recuperating after his hospital release. President and Sister Wallis have expressed gratitude for prayers offered in their behalf. Church officials confirmed the Wallis are enthusiastic about returning to serve as mission leaders in the Mexico Mexico City West Mission. Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. The State of New Mexico just installed a new pre-treatment system at the City of Las Vegas water treatment facility, which officials say they can turn on to prevent water shutoffs or shortages the next time significant post-fire debris flow occurs in the nearby Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burn scar. (Photo courtesy NMED) The New Mexico Environment Departments installation of new pre-treatment equipment for the City of Las Vegas drinking water supply should offer at least some reassurance to residents the next time they see storm clouds gather on the horizon, a department official told Source New Mexico this week. The Environment Department recently took over almost all the Northern New Mexico towns work to replace its water treatment facility, a necessity after the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire in summer 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the fire, sediment turned the Gallinas River black as it flowed through town, and the city and other areas in and around the burn scar have seen repeated floods ever since the fire. Because the United States Forest Service started the blaze, Congress approved more than $5 billion to compensate fire victims, and specifically included $140 million to the city for a brand new water treatment system. A year ago, the city received $98 million of that. But repeated flood events last summer and earlier this year, as well as a complete water shutoff in the city this winter, prompted the city to enter into a joint governmental agreement with three state agencies in hopes of fast-tracking the new system. The agreement, which all the parties signed off on early last month, empowers the states finance, disaster response and environmental departments to plan, design, procure, construct, test, deliver, and close out a temporary water treatment facility and a permanent water treatment facility in the city, according to a copy of the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city keeps control of the $98 million it received, along with other federal and state grants and loans it has received as part of the replacement project. Its main job is to pay for all the work the state does, according to the agreement. On Tuesday, state environment officials announced that theyd successfully completed a half-dozen projects that aim to improve the citys water filtration system and ensure the public is kept in the loop on what theyre drinking. One of the most important improvements is the installation of temporary pre-treatment equipment at the citys water treatment plant, said Jonas Armstrong, director of NMEDs Water Protection Division, in an interview Tuesday afternoon with Source. The city procured the equipment, which removes extra sediment and debris in high-turbidity or runoff events, last year. [The city was] having some issues earlier this year with getting it connected and making sure it was operating correctly, Armstrong said. Weve worked through that with them in the last couple months, and its connected now and ready to go. So thats a big improvement. The state has also begun upgrades to filters at the existing facility; replaced a vacuum system that removes scum and floating debris from the Gallinas River; and built a sediment pond near a reservoir to reduce flooding and contamination risks, according to a news release Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Armstrong deferred questions about the costs of the improvements to the city, including how much of the $98 million the city received last year has been spent. A spokesperson for the city*, in an email to Source on Wednesday, did not answer the question about the funds but noted that the citys new manager, Robert Anaya, would be updating the City Council on numerous water-related matters at a meeting today at 5:30 p.m., including an extensive discussion on current initiatives and updates related to the water treatment plant, water distribution and storage, and various concepts and recommendations under consideration. While the state does not expect to begin construction on the new facility until next year at the earliest, Armstrong said the changes should offer a measure of comfort to Las Vegas residents whove seen their drinking water supply repeatedly compromised due to floods and equipment failures. I think the pre-treatment system being brought online and ready to go at the flip of a switch is a big advancement, and an assurance that the shutdowns and the restrictions that have happened in the last couple of years should not happen again, Armstrong said. Armstrong said the joint agreement has been really collaborative so far, with the state drawing on local knowledge about how best to tailor the project to the citys needs. When its finally built, the new water treatment system will be a generational asset, given the adequate funding and the states technical expertise, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This existing facility is 50-plus years old and needs to be replaced, and having the federal funds and the state funds to do it is a huge opportunity for the city and the people of Las Vegas, he said. Update Aug. 20 at 12:05 p.m.:This story has been updated with comment from the City of Las Vegas. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) The New Mexico State Fair is teaming up with Ex Novo Brewing to release a new beer for the 2025 fair. The newest addition is called Midway Marzen Oktoberfest. What to know about the 2025 New Mexico State Fair Its meant to be a seasonal beer, to celebrate the fair and what it means to New Mexicans, Expo New Mexico General Manager Dan Mourning said. In addition to the new Midway Marzen Oktoberfest, the fair and Ex Novo is bringing back the crowd favorite Dusty Spur. The specialty beers will be available only at the New Mexico State Fair. The fair runs September 4 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Trump floods D.C. with Guard troops in a political stunt that critics say does nothing to fight crime. Joining The Weeknight: Brendan Ballou, former federal prosecutor with the Justice Departments National Security Division, and Sarah Matthews, former Trump White House deputy press secretary who now serves as spokesperson for Home of the Brave, an organization pushing back against Trumps attacks on democracy. Over the past couple of days, Colorado Springs police and the FBI have been combing through the landscape of Teller County for the remains of a local woman murdered by her husband in 2019. Dane Kallungi was found guilty by a jury in 2023 for killing his wife, Jepsy Kallungi. Her body was never found. The prosecution alleged throughout the trial that Dane Kallungi strangled her, then hid her body in Teller County, based on a conversation he had with the lead investigator of the case, in which Dane Kallungi said Jepsy Kallungi's remains were somewhere in Teller County. Two years after the trial, law enforcement is back searching for her body after receiving "credible leads" related to the investigation, according to Caitlin Ford, a spokesperson from the Colorado Springs Police Department. According to Dane Kallungi's arrest affidavit from 2021, Dane Kallungi killed Jepsy Kallungi in a fit of rage on the night of March 20, 2019, after she came home from visiting a Fort Carson soldier with whom she had an ongoing sexual relationship. Call records referenced in the affidavit show that someone made a 911 call from Jepsy Kallungi's phone at 10:30 p.m. that night before immediately hanging up. Officers did not respond to the call because dispatchers could not determine the location from which it was made. The call was the last one documented from her phone. Two years after Jepsy Kallungi's murder, Dane Kallungi reached out to his ex-wife, Alaine Kallungi, and told her that he killed Jepsy Kallungi, Alaine Kallungi told police, according to the affidavit. After Alaine Kallungi came forward, detectives recorded a phone call with her and Dane Kallungi, during which he told her that he put Jepsy Kallungi's "body into the trunk of his vehicle, took his son to school the following morning, then went to work," as stated in the affidavit. "After work, Dane took Jepsy's body to a remote area in Teller County where he buried her in a clandestine grave." Small business, education and economic leaders discuss high health care costs, especially the impact of rising hospital charges amid hospital consolidations and mergers, on Wednesday, Aug. 20. From left: Dianne Byrum, partner at Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, moderates the panel conversation with Bret Jackson, president and CEO of the Economic Alliance for Michigan; Chandra Madafferi, president and CEO of the Michigan Education Association; Kelli Saunders, vice president of policy and engagement at the Small Business Association of Michigan; and Carrin Harris, CEO of Blitz Proto, a small business in Oakland County. | Photo courtesy of Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications During a national symposium on womens health in the workplace Wednesday, leading advocates for Michigan educators and business spoke out against rising hospital costs, breaking down how inflated bills for the same procedures are harming employers, employees and the economy at large. The panel, hosted by Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications partner Dianne Byrum, a former Democratic lawmaker, featured members of the Economic Alliance of Michigan, the Michigan Education Association and the Small Business Association of Michigan, alongside perspective from small business CEO Carrin Harris. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bret Jackson, Economic Alliance of Michigan president and CEO, told attendees that health care costs for his employees had increased 41% over the past three years. As a result of these increasing costs, Jackson said he was not able to offer his employees an increase in wages this year, and with an expected rate increase of 11% for next year, Jackson said he was doubtful hed be able to increase wages next year. According to KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research, polling, and news organization, health care premiums for a family of four cost $5,791 in 1999, whereas in 2024, worker contributions alone had risen to $6,296. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Jackson also noted that the costs of health insurance have outpaced what a family of four will pay in state and federal taxes combined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When looking to address this issue, Jackson noted two thirds of Michigan hospitals have double digit operating profit margins. While some rural hospitals are struggling to stay afloat, those double digit operating profits showcase where the money is going, Jackson said. Economic Alliance for Michigan President and CEO Bret Jackson speaking at a panel on the rising cost of hospital services. Aug. 20, 2025. | Screenshot Jackson also pointed to data from the Michigan Health Purchasers Coalition showcasing differing costs of procedures between hospitals. For childbirth, vaginal delivery of a baby carried a median cost of $5,810 at Trinity Health Oakland, the least expensive facility in Metro Detroit, compared to $14,671 at the Detroit Medical Centers Harper Hutzel hospital. For cesarean births, Trinity Health in Oakland was again the least expensive facility, with the median cost of care coming in at $7,590 compared to $14,712 at the Detroit Medical Centers Receiving Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Again, same patient, right? Could be. Different facility, substantially different cost. Bottom line is health care costs are going up at an incredibly unsustainable rate, and its impacting employers ability to pay their employees more, to hire more workers, to invest in their companies, Jackson said. These rising costs also carry a higher impact on women who overwhelmingly make the health care decisions for their families, Jackson said. Not only are they making health care decisions based on what information they know, theyre also seeing the bills as they come in, and perhaps not focusing on themselves, because they see how much it costs to take care of their families, and they want to make sure that their families are being taken care of, Jackson said. Kelli Saunders, the vice president for policy and engagement at the Small Business Association of Michigan said that for the past 10 years small business owners have had to grin and bear increasing health care costs, though the strains of recent years have raised questions on whether they can continue to offer these benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a survey of 300 small business association members earlier this year, 76% said the cost of health care was impacting their ability to hire employees while 51% said they had to reduce or eliminate benefits due to costs. This is a red flag moment where our small business owners who make up over half of the jobs in our state are saying, I dont know what to do, and its either shut my doors or reduce benefits. And thats not the right answer, so lets get around the table and try and solve it, Saunders said. Kelli Saunders, vice president for policy and engagement at the Small Business Association of Michigan details the impact of rising hospital service costs on small businesses. Aug. 20, 2025 | Screenshot School districts face a dilemma Chandra Madafferi, president and CEO of the Michigan Education Association shared how rising health care costs had placed a similar strain on budgets for schools, stretching beyond personnel like teachers and school counselors. In Michigan, the cost of health care seems to have exploded in recent years, placing it out of reach for many, Madafferi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While some educators have received great raises in recent years, those earnings have largely been wiped out by the increased cost of health care, Madafferi said. It has also raised questions among young educators on whether they will be able to afford to have more than one child, she said. When looking at the cost of education, one question that gets asked is how a district can provide an excellent workforce, Madafferi said. We have got to still attract the best and the brightest, and that means providing a competitive salary, Madafferi explained. Michigan Education Association President and CEO Chandra Madafferi speaking at a panel on the rising cost of hospital services. Aug. 20, 2025. | Screenshot However, increased health care costs have impacted districtsabilities to offer competitive salaries and benefits, Madafferi said, pointing to hospital consolidation as another piece of the problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a report published by global policy thinktank RAND, hospital consolidation is tied to an increase in price, with quality of care either remaining the same, or worsening. A report from the Detroit Free Press in 2023 ahead of the Henry Ford and Ascension Michigan merger noted the effort would place 59% of Michigan hospitals under three health systems. A years-long battle between a cannabis testing company and the Michigan marijuana regulator has ended, with the state revoking the licenses held by the lab and permanently banning its owners from participating in the industry, the state cannabis regulator announced Aug. 20. The settlement results in the immediate revocation of Viridis Lansing licenses and the cannabis testing lab's three majority owners will be permanently excluded from participating in Michigans marijuana industry, the consent order said. Minority investors in Viridis are reorganizing and forming a separate entity to run the lab in Bay City, according to an attorney for the minority investors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is justice, plain and simple," Brian Hanna, the executive director of Michigan's CRA, said in a press release announcing the settlement. "Viridis failed to uphold the standards required of marijuana safety compliance facilities in Michigan. Viridis circumvented the rules. Their majority owners will never operate in this space again, and the Michigan cannabis industry will be stronger for it." The saga with Viridis started with a massive recall in November 2021 of marijuana products tested by Viridis because the agency found inaccurate and/or unreliable results of many of the marijuana products tested by the labs. Viridis was testing as much as 70% of all of the cannabis product on the market at the time.The recall, which resulted in the labs suing the state and a judge deciding to limit the recall, threw the young industry into a state of turmoil as hundreds of products that had failed microbial retesting were returned to store shelves. The recall raised questions about the accuracy of marijuana product labels, with the CRA also arguing that Viridis was inflating THC (the psychoactive component of the marijuana plant) levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hanna described Viridis' actions as a "sustained, deliberate pattern of noncompliance that shook confidence in the entire regulated cannabis system." More on the recall's impact: Michigans cannabis testing industry like Wild Wild West: What it means for consumers Viridis' attorney didn't immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. As part of the agreement, Viridis three majority owners Todd Welch, Gregoire Michaud and Michele Glinn will be permanently excluded from participating in Michigans marijuana industry. Viridis also agreed to dismiss its administrative complaint arguing the CRA unnecessarily disrupted its business and its two appeals pending in the Michigan Court of Appeals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More marijuana recall news: Motor City Cannacarts and RIPZ-branded marijuana vape cartridges recalled for MCT oil Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Cannabis testing lab owners banned from industry, ending long dispute Michigan City Area Schools had to scramble to keep kids learning on Tuesday and Wednesday after thieves swiped more than 20 catalytic converters from the districts bus yard. That forced them to have eLearning for all students on Tuesday and for middle, high schoolers and career and technical education classes on Wednesday. The caper made the rounds on social media. Fortunately, several other nearby school districts came to the rescue, loaning buses to allow the older students to resume school for the rest of the week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are grateful for the support of our neighboring districts during this challenging time, according to the MCAS Facebook page. Our sincere thanks go to Elkhart Community Schools, La Porte Community School Corporation, Merrillville Community School Corporation, New Prairie United School Corporation, South Central Community School Corporation, and Warsaw Community Schools for generously providing additional buses to support our students. Merrillville loaned three buses. We put ALL children first, regardless of their location, Superintendent Dexter Suggs said through a spokeswoman. A Michigan City school spokeswoman was not immediately available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers responded at 5:25 a.m. Tuesday to the schools transportation department, 1100 S. Woodland Ave. Thieves stole an estimated 20-25 catalytic converters overnight. Anyone with information can contact Cpl. Adam Brinkman at 219-874-3221 ext. 1088 or abrinkman@emichigancity.com. A Michigan couple held in a Mexican jail for a month over a timeshare dispute at a Cancun resort claim the judicial system was weaponized against them. Paul, a Navy veteran, and Christy Akeo were released in early April after being arrested soon after their plane touched down in Cancun in early March. They allege Palace Resorts LLC began a secret lawfare campaign against them after they disputed more than $100,000 in credit card charges, according to a lawsuit filed by the couple in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New York Post, which first reported on the lawsuit, said the couple had bought timeshares for the resorts' Cancun location starting in 2016. The couple were wholesale customers and would resell the resort bookings to others, according to the lawsuit. The terms of the Akeos agreement with Palace Resorts changed in November 2021, and after, the resort claimed the couple breached their membership, the suit says. Paul and Christy Akeo of Michigan, who were held in a Mexican jail for a month over a timeshare dispute at a Cancun resort, claim the judicial system was weaponized against them (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division) The resort later went back on bookings the Akeos had set up for others, so the couple successfully disputed the credit card charges since the product or services had not been received, according to the suit. Everything came to a head this past March when the couple was arrested by Mexican authorities at the Cancun International Airport after the resort accused them of fraudulently disputing the credit card charges, court documents obtained by The Independent show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple spent a month in a maximum security prison in Quintana Roo, separate from each other, where they slept alongside drug dealers and violent criminals, according to the documents. The conditions in the prison were deplorable, with no working shower and no flushable toilet, the Akeos alleged. Lindsay Hull, Christys daughter and Pauls stepdaughter, told the New York Post her mom lost 25 pounds in her first two weeks in prison because the food she was given had fish in it, even though she told the prison she was allergic. The couple was eventually taken to court and told by their lawyer and Michigan Congressman Tom Barrett, who went to Mexico to help get them home, they needed to sign a settlement that included a non-disclosure agreement to get out of prison, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palace Resorts coerced the Akeos under duress to affix their signatures on the agreement, while next to men carrying machine guns, the Akeos claim. Its not fair that my parents are not able to speak about their story, Hull told the New York Post. They deserve to advocate for themselves. President Donald Trump sent Michigan Congressman Tom Barrett to Mexico to help get the Akeos home (Tom Barrett/X) The resort has rejected the Akeos claims through attorney David Orta, who said, per the New York Post, that his client will defend against them and otherwise take appropriate legal action to enforce the Palace Companys rights. Mr. and Mrs. Akeo have unfortunately proceeded with additional litigation against the Palace Company and affiliated entities and individuals in violation of the parties resolution of their disputes, Orta said. The Independent has reached out to the resort for comment. Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) speaks to members of the Capitol press corps following the removal of state Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn). July 24, 2025 | Ben Solis/Michigan Advance A key Republican legislator announced Tuesday that the Michigan House of Representatives full budget plan could land as soon as next week, but hours later, Republican House Speaker Matt Hall gave that pronouncement a swift kick to the knees, publicly contradicting his own appropriations chair. In a news conference hosted Wednesday by Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids), the leader and her Democratic colleagues called Halls continued antics on the budget unprecedented chaos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The already tense and befuddling budget fight hit a new point of confusion when Republican House Appropriations Chair Rep. Ann Bollin of Brighton announced Tuesday morning that the chamber was nearing atmospheric reentry on its long-awaited budget proposal to fund the whole of state government. Bollin estimated that the plan could land soon, possibly next week, giving the politically fractured Michigan Legislature a chance to get schools the money they need by Labor Day and to possibly avoid a government shutdown. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Bollins apparent optimism was dashed just hours later when Hall, on the House floor, told reporters that he too thought Bollin was optimistic, at best. Gongwer News Service, a Lansing-based legislative intelligence service and newsletter, reported that Hall was eyeing a Sept. 30 delivery date, which is the constitutional deadline to have a budget passed. The speaker told reporters that the longer time table was necessary because archconservative state Rep. Matt Maddock of Milford, who is the vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee, supposedly identified additional waste, fraud and abuse that needed to be addressed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A message seeking comment from Bollins office was not returned at the time of publication. In a regularly scheduled news conference held Wednesday by Brinks, which was planned to discuss the budget holdup, the Senates leader said Halls back and forth with his own appropriations chair was truly unbelievable. Imagine my incredulity when I read a press release from the House appropriations chair saying they are preparing to announce a budget plan and then her own speaker undercut her shortly thereafter and said hell need even more time, Brinks said. I will reiterate that the stakes could not be higher. While the new school year is already underway for many districts all over the state, schools still do not have the security of state funding to responsibly determine their own budgets. If uncertainty was the goal, Brinks said House Republicans were working to make that a reality for every school in Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joining Brinks were other Senate Democrats including Sen. Jeremy Moss of Southfield, Sen. Sam Singh of East Lansing and Sen. Kevin Hertel of St. Clair Shores. In a quip most timely, Moss said that even fans of Taylor Swift had more clarity on her latest release than those watching the budget process in Michigan. Its been three or four months of them telling all of you that theyre dropping their budget next week, Moss said. Even Taylor Swift, when she says the album is dropping at 12:12 a.m., the album drops at 12:12 a.m. House Republicans dont believe in the same philosophy. Moss went on to detail the various Senate bills the chamber has sent over to the House this session, aside from the pending budget. Hall has refused to act on many of them, saying the bills were either unready or needed more work. Moss bristled at that assertion, and used his long-sought Freedom of Information Act reform legislation as an example. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Legislature and the governors office are currently shielded from Michigans FOIA, and Moss and colleagues from across the aisle have endeavored to change that, multiple times. The legislation has yet to cross the finish line despite those attempts. The recurring work on the bills shows Moss that the FOIA legislation, in particular, was not unripe for the picking. I can tell you who benefits without this being in the law, officials who have something to hide, Moss said. These are perfectly written bills. They dont even need to be fixed. Moss then read the names of all the Republicans who previously voted for FOIA reform, including Hall. The bills were reintroduced this session and passed out of the Senate earlier this year nearly unanimously. They are now collecting dust in the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where the hell are these people? Moss said. So, you want bills passed? You want budgets passed? Half of this building is doing its damn job. Its time for the House to come to the table and join us to work on behalf of the people of Michigan. Brinks solution to breaking the impasse was to remain engaged in the whole budget process and to continue putting the onus on Halls caucus to do their jobs. Our plan is to bring the best resources of our caucus and of the Senate as a whole to the table and to expect that, at some point, he has to reciprocate and join us there, Brinks said. We will continue to raise the pressure on him to do that, because the stakes are so high, particularly with this budget. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Microsoft said on Wednesday it has scaled back some Chinese companies' access to its early warning system for cybersecurity vulnerabilities following speculation that Beijing was involved in a hacking campaign against the company's widely used SharePoint servers. The new restrictions come in the wake of last month's sweeping hacking attempts against Microsoft SharePoint servers, at least some of which Microsoft and others have blamed on Beijing. That raised suspicions among several cybersecurity experts that there was a leak in the Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP), which Microsoft uses to help security vendors worldwide, including in China, to learn about cyber threats before the general public so they can better defend against hackers. Beijing has denied involvement in any SharePoint hacking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Microsoft notified members of the MAPP program of the SharePoint vulnerabilities on June 24, July 3 and July 7, Reuters has previously reported. Because Microsoft said it first observed exploitation attempts on July 7, the timing led some experts to allege that the likeliest scenario for the sudden explosion in hacking attempts was because a rogue member of the MAPP program misused the information. In a statement, Microsoft said several Chinese firms would no longer receive "proof of concept code," which mimics the operation of genuine malicious software. Proof of concept code can help cybersecurity professionals seeking to harden their systems in a hurry, but it can also be repurposed by hackers to get a jump start on the defenders. Microsoft said it was aware that the information it provided its partners could be exploited, "which is why we take steps both known and confidential to prevent misuse. We continuously review participants and suspend or remove them if we find they violated their contract with us which includes a prohibition on participating in offensive attacks." Microsoft declined to disclose the status of its investigation of the hacking or go into specifics about which companies had been restricted. (Reporting by Raphael Satter in Washington;Editing by Matthew Lewis) A Massachusetts middle school librarian was arrested on federal charges of distributing child pornography after an FBI investigation linked him to an encrypted online group, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Scott McGinley, 55, who worked at Williams and Glenbrook Middle Schools in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, turned himself in to authorities. A Department of Justice complaint alleged he admitted a sexual preference for young boys while communicating with undercover agents posing as group members. During a search of his home on August 8, investigators seized multiple electronic devices and over 100 files depicting child sexual abuse material, along with a locked Pelican case in the basement. Prosecutors said the case contained childrens clothing, boys underwear, diapers, bedding, a Santa costume, diaper cream, and applesauce packets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGinley is charged with one count of distributing child pornography, a federal offense punishable by a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years to life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson. The arrest has raised concerns in the Western Massachusetts community about student safety and staff screening procedures. Federal authorities said the investigation is ongoing as they work to identify other potential victims and participants in the online group. Federal officials reminded the public that McGinley is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) A Midland woman was killed and another seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash Tuesday morning on Business 20 in Midland County. According to reports from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the crash happened around 7 a.m. at Business 20 and South County Road 1247. Investigators said a 2005 Chevrolet Suburban, driven by 44-year-old Ka Sin Leung of Midland, was attempting to turn left onto the westbound lanes from the south service road when it was struck by a westbound 2018 Ford F-250. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leung was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the F-250, 36-year-old Tania Avisue Villa Caballero, who is also from Midland, was transported to Midland Memorial Hospital with serious injuries. DPS said the crash 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 Yourbasin. WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) Midwestern State University students are moving into their new dorms as they prepare to begin a new school year. Several students and their families were busy all over campus on Tuesday, August 19. Director of Residence, Life and Housing Kristi Schulte said that with an increased number of freshmen enrolled this year, theyve decided to reopen Pierce Hall, which has been closed since the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the biggest thing is finding a place to connect, to find a place where they belong, Schulte said. They have the opportunity just to try out things they would never imagine doing, whether thats socially or in the classroom. Research opportunities and having that opportunity on campus grounds them to that support network so they can be successful. We here at KFDX/Texomas FOX want to wish all the students the best as they begin the new school year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. Failed Iraqi asylum seekers in the UK are set to be sent back to their home country under a new migrants return deal. In the latest bid to deter small boats crossing the Channel, the Government said it will agree a formal processes to fast-track the return of people from Iraq who have no legal right to be in Britain. Previously attempts to deport Iraqis have been hampered by asylum seekers claiming to have lost their ID documents, which tribunal judges have accepted makes repatriation dangerous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new agreement, signed by Security Minister Dan Jarvis during a visit to the UK by Iraqs deputy prime minister, will allow for the swift return of illegal migrants, the Home Office said. It comes after an 800,000 deal with Baghdad to help the country crack down on people smuggling networks and organised crime was made in 2024. Earlier this year Sir Keir Starmer and Iraqs prime minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani made plans to strengthen co-operation on migration. Since that agreement was signed, the number of Iraqis arriving in Britain by small boat has fallen to 1,900 in the year to March 2025, down from 2,600 in the previous year, Home Office data show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Jarvis said: By working together on security, development and migration challenges, we are building stronger relationships that benefit both our countries whilst tackling shared challenges like organised crime and irregular migration. He added: As someone who served in Iraq, I understand first-hand the importance of building enduring relationships in the region, and the new agreement we have signed is a testament to the trust and co-operation weve built with our Iraqi counterparts. The returns deal is the latest as part of the Home Offices policies to stop small boats crossing the channel. Similar agreements have already been made with Albania and Vietnam since Labour came into power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another one in one out accord with France recently came into force, where small boat migrants who have arrived over the English Channel from the can be returned to the country. The small boats migrant will then be exchanged for a legitimate asylum seeker in France who can demonstrate a genuine family link to the UK. The number has been capped, but it is hoped it will act as a deterrent to those crossing the Channel. More than 50,000 people have made the dangerous journey across the water from France since Labour came to power. In the last seven days alone, 968 migrants made the crossing, the latest figures from the Home Office show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new Iraqi returns announcement was criticised by Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp. He said: Over 50,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel in Labours short time in power, the worst illegal immigration crisis in our history. Labour has surrendered our borders, and the consequences are being felt in our communities, from rising crime to shocking cases of rape and sexual assault by recent arrivals. Now they boast about a measly returns deal with Iraq, but barely any small boat arrivals are Iraqi, and most would qualify for asylum anyway. Its a sham designed to look tough while crossings keep soaring. Labour has scrapped Conservative deterrents and created the conditions for chaos, leaving the British people to foot the bill. Only the Conservatives will stop the crossings and restore control of Britains borders. Pikes Peak United Way is opening another free mobile food pantry starting Thursday at a northern Colorado Springs location. Springs Church, 1515 Auto Mall Loop, will host the food distribution in its parking lot from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. every third Thursday of each month starting this week. This additional location demonstrates that hunger and food instability is not isolated to just one area of our community, Cami Bremer, president and CEO of Pikes Peak United Way, said in announcing the additional opportunity. The need is just as present as ever, and adding this location allows us to reach as many residents in need as possible. The giveaway is open to all, and no pre-registration is necessary. The local United Way also will continue its mobile food pantry in the parking lot of Mitchell High School from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside by the flagpole on the first Thursday of the month beginning Oct. 2. The program at that site has been offered for 11 years, serving 250 to 300 families with some 20,000 pounds of food. Pikes Peak United Ways Family Success Center, 1520 Verde Drive, in southeast Colorado Springs also has a Sunny Side Market with free groceries and household essentials. Another Sunny Side Market at 501 E. Iowa Ave. in Fountain is run by Connections 4 Life Center in the same building. For more information on food assistance programs in the region, dial United Ways 211 resource line. Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado, which provides a majority of the food Pikes Peak United Way hands out, also has an online map of free food pantries and pickups in the region at https://careandshare.org/findfood/. Detroit mayoral candidate Mary Sheffield secured a major campaign endorsement Aug. 20 from the citys current top leader Mayor Mike Duggan. The Detroit City Council president accepted the third-term mayor's endorsement outside of a home on Detroit's northwest side in what she described as a pivotal moment in the mayoral race. Sheffield has led the mayoral race from a fundraising standpoint, securing big donations from corporate leaders and political action committees. She will face off against Triumph Church Pastor Solomon Kinloch for the mayoral seat in the Nov. 4 general election. "I am humbled to receive the support of our current mayor," Sheffield said. "His belief and his confidence in me to continue the progress and the momentum of our city ... that we all have worked so hard for is not only protected, but is accelerated and reaches more people and reaches more neighborhoods. Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield, left, gets a big endorsement from current Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan in Detroit on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2025 during her journey to become the next mayor of Detroit. "Mike Duggan and myself have not always agreed on everything...but what I think is most important is that when we disagree, we always came back to what mattered most, and that is our shared vision for the betterment of our residents in the city of Detroit." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Managing the city was far different when the two stepped into office in 2014. "From the challenges of bankruptcy, to the hard work of rebuilding city services, restoring our neighborhoods and attracting new investment, we have worked collaboratively through some of Detroit's toughest and most defining moments. It was through the hard work, tough decisions and shared commitment to the people of this city that we've been able to restore stability and begin writing a new chapter for the history of our city," Sheffield said. Duggan is leaving office after 12 years to run for Michigan governor as an independent. His endorsement comes at a crucial moment for the mayor, who is leaning on support across the state while confronting the Democratic party which he identified with and supported for years by jumping ship in a self-proclaimed attempt to bridge the partisan divide. However, Duggan has been met with opposition groups attempting to smear him by searching for emailed records, including vulgarities, along with personal expenses on the city's dime. Despite the switch-up, he has amassed more than $3 million in his latest campaign finance report. "Here's what I knew from the beginning, the most qualified person, the best prepared to be the next mayor, was Mary Sheffield," Duggan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duggan said that from the time Sheffield came on the city council, her first thing was to push for more home repairs, a program which was slated to be cut. However, the two of them met to find ways to keep the program running. He made the statement as he, Sheffield and others stood outside a home that received a home repair grant, on the city's west side. "We've now done more than 2,000 roofs," Duggan said. Geraldine Noble, the owner of the home where the endorsement was announced and that received the home repair grant, said that as a senior citizen living on a fixed income, she would not have been able to fix her roof without the program, which she learned about through Sheffield. Here we are again. She came down the block, she introduced herself again were going to support her with everything we know to do, Noble said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duggan said the city has come a long way since he took office. He said he worked with 600 block club presidents and 9,000 city employees, including the City Council. I left a job I loved at the Detroit Medical Center and I spent the last 12 years believing this city could be rebuilt," Duggan said. From the time I announced I wasnt running, people kept saying, Who are you supporting? Duggan told reporters after the announcement that he supported Sheffield since the day she launched her campaign. He described her campaign as one that runs on unity, a platform hes also taken up on his gubernatorial bid. He pointed out that shes attended dozens of forums, but also looked back on her career. In 2016, I wanted to bring the (Detroit) Pistons back down here from Auburn Hills to Detroit, where they belong, Duggan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The us versus them politics plagued the city, he said, sparking residents to urge leaders against lending opportunities to wealthy business executives who may not share similar interests. However, bringing the team to downtown fueled more events and jobs, he added. It was a little controversial, and a relatively new councilmember, Mary Sheffield, came to my office and said, I like this business deal, but we need to have a benefit to the neighborhoods if Im going to support this. And I said to her, Well, were in the Downtown Development Authority, and under the state act, you cant take the property taxes out of downtown. She says, No, but you can take the income taxesdo you know that when visiting NBA players come to play in Detroit, they have to pay income tax on their salary? Duggan said. The mayor was aware, but when Sheffield highlighted it would be more than $1 million annually, she and Duggan worked on a different proposal to take the new income taxes to create a neighborhood beautification fund to restore the communities. Sheffield said it brought millions of dollars in grants back into neighborhoods. I said, Thats a brilliant idea. We changed the proposal because of Mary Sheffield, Duggan said, adding that she took a lot of grief after stories circulated that it would pull money from schools, which Sheffield clarified and changed the minds of residents in a big community meeting that it would not be the case, and those income taxes would fund neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duggan went on to highlight even more of Sheffields previous moves, such as sponsoring an ordinance that requires housing developers seeking city aid to put aside 20% as affordable housing units. Mary Sheffields affordable housing ordinance set the groundwork for the last six years. The city of Detroit built $1.5 billion, 6,000 units of affordable housingbecause of the leadership of the council president, Duggan said. He also credited Sheffield and former City Council President Brenda Jones for professionally run council meetings after years of meetings that often drew a ruckus. Duggan also raised something new for the city. The last time a sitting council member was elected mayor of the city of Detroit was 1947. Eugene Van Antwerp, 75 years ago. Because for the last 75 years, as the city struggled and they had to decide on a new mayor, nobody wanted someone from the city. For 75 years, they wanted change from the outside, Duggan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City Council president has touted her past work on passing legislation for inclusionary housing, property tax reform, home repair grant funding, neighborhood improvement funding and right to counsel, which provides free lawyers to low-income residents facing eviction. "Together, we've also worked to tackle the housing crisis, creating the city's first-ever inclusionary housing policy and housing trust fund, which has created thousands of affordable housing units for Detroiters, ensuring no one is left behind as the city grows," Sheffield said. In response to the Duggan endorsement, Kinloch issued a statement of his own: "Mayor Mike Duggan doesn't get the right to decide his successor. The voters in Detroit will determine the next Mayor in November. We dont have coronations. A mayoral endorsement wont stop the violence in our streets. It wont ensure a better education or create more opportunities for our children. After 12 years on the Detroit City Council and 4 more as Council President if you havent fixed it by now, youre not going to. Detroit doesnt need recycled ideas or the same politics that have left too many neighborhoods behind. Detroit needs fresh leadership, with the courage to do what career politicians couldnt. "This campaign is about voters who want to see investment in neighborhoods, not just Downtown. They want a mayor who will make housing affordable for everyone, a leader who will attack poverty, and someone with a proven record of taking direct action to uplift our communities. We will win this election in the streets door to door and block by block to ensure that no one is left out of Detroits continued growth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mike Duggan endorses Mary Sheffield for next Detroit mayor New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill vowed Wednesday to freeze rapidly rising electricity bills if elected, campaigning on an issue that has caught fire in the hotly contested race for the states top political job. Sherrill said she would declare a state of emergency on her first day in office and order a statewide freeze on energy prices while repeating her policy stances to invest in solar and nuclear energy production, creating what she termed an energy arsenal. She also supported efforts to modernize natural gas production and investments into battery energy storage. Speaking to reporters outside a home in Kenilworth, the Democrat also announced plans to invest in clean energy production while directing state officials to challenge grid operator PJM Interconnection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I take office, the average New Jersey family wont see an increase in utility rates for an entire year, Sherrill said. The announcement drew an immediate response from the campaign of Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli, who has charged that Sherrill has been in lockstep with Democratic Gov. Phil Murphys clean energy policies, including placing great emphasis on wind energy projects opposed by RepuPresident Donald Trump. Ciattarelli argues these policies have inflated prices. When Im governor, things are going to change, Ciattarelli said in a statement issued by his campaign Wednesday. Ill ban offshore wind and diversify our energy sources in New Jersey to once again include natural gas and nuclear. Ill rewrite our master plan and deliver safe, clean, and sustainable energy to everyone in our state at a price you can afford. What Makes Jersey Run: Your growing energy bill is a growing issue in the big governors race Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Jersey energy bills have increased from 17% to 20% this year, and the sticker shock could make it a big issue in the campaign. Voters place part of the blame on the price hikes on the Murphy administration, according to a recent poll from Farliegh Dickinson University. Democratic insiders worry this could hurt Sherrill. Sherrill argued Wednesday the Trump administrations policies have hindered energy production projects from being built, elevating costs. Murphys emphasis on wind energy projects off the Jersey Shore had already run into big trouble before Trump took office with a vow to stop them. Sherrill has also charged that Trumps Big Beautiful Bill, will contribute to the problem because it ends federal subsidies on wind and solar energy projects, pointing out that the Trump-endorsed Ciattarelli supports them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New Jersey League of Conservation Voters on Wednesday lauded Sherrills plans. Mikies plan to cap energy prices in the short term and speed approval of new solar energy projects, the cheapest energy in America, while safeguarding our open space and environmental protections, will create union jobs while providing cheap, clean energy that we need to lower costs for the long term, the organizations executive director, Ed Potosnak, said in a statement. Sherrill did not elaborate further on her intentions to freeze price hikes. Prices have risen through PJMs auction process, which acquires shares of energy for New Jerseys public utility customers. Democrats have pointed the finger of blame at PJM, saying its decisions have shortchanged New Jersey ratepayers. Theyve called for more state oversight over the grid operator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PJM did not immediately return a request for comment on Sherrills policy announcement. Sherrill announcement comes as the Murphy administration implements attempted relief to New Jerseys ratepayers. Last week, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved a $100 subsidy to all of the states 3.9 million customers using its top four energy providers. Those companies have also agreed to defer some costs until later in the year, when the demand for energy drops. Separately, Murphy signed a law on Friday requiring the state Board of Public Utilities to investigate PJM. NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com. Credit: @advogadanoemigcarvalho / Instagram Milans main airport has been evacuated after a man set fire to a check-in desk and attacked staff. Video footage showed chaotic scenes in Malpensa Airport as the man ran through the building with a hammer and flammable liquid. In one, passengers scatter away from a fire before the assailant leaps up to smash digital information screens. Airport employees detained the 26-year-old man in Terminal One and he has since been arrested by police, according to the Lombardy Airports Association. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency services received panicked phone calls from passengers and staff reporting a person in a state of agitation. Italian media said the man, who has not been named, is a foreign national born in Mali with no criminal record who legally resides in the country. He is expected to be charged with aggravated damage and scheduled for a court appearance on Thursday. The man was detained in Terminal One and arrested The assailant began smashing check-in screens with a hammer and setting a counter alight before an employee grabbed a fire extinguisher and doused the flames. Firefighters evacuated the terminal as a precaution to secure the area but there was little disruption to flights and no reported injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lombardy Airports Association warned of cancellations and potential delays at Malpensa, which is the second-busiest airport in Italy and serves hundreds of British tourists per day. A check-in desk on fire at Milans Malpensa Airport Right-wing politicians immediately seized on the incident to highlight concerns about immigration. Matteo Salvini, the deputy prime minister and head of the far-Right League Party, shared a video of the incident on X with the title madness at Malpensa, while raising questions about the suspects international protection permit. Isabella Tovagliari, a European MP also from the League Party, claimed the alleged attacker was a former employee who had lost his job and sought retribution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said: We cannot tolerate similar incidents. Those who carry out these kinds of acts have to be stopped, punished with maximum severity and expelled from our country. Malpensa Airport, recently renamed Silvio Berlusconi Milan Malpensa Airport after the late prime minister and billionaire, is one of the busiest airports in Italy with around 550 flights a day. 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. Ed Miliband has been urged to block an Israeli-controlled company from drilling two of the largest remaining North Sea oil fields. Campaigners claim that Ithaca Energys profits will fuel genocide in Gaza. Ithaca, already one of the UKs largest offshore operators, is controlled by Israels Delek Group, which has been flagged by the UN for operating in illegally occupied Palestinian territories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Delek is also understood to provide fuel to the Israeli Defence Force. Ithaca is seeking a new licence from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to drill the Rosebank oil field, 60 miles west of Shetland. It has also just been given an 18-month extension to a separate licence for the similarly large Cambo oil field. Tessa Khan, the director of Uplift, a campaign group, said political and humanitarian issues should be considered as part of Ithacas licence applications as she urged the Energy Secretary to reject them. Ms Khan said: Behind these numbers lies a far bigger story. North Sea operator, Ithaca Energy, is majority-owned by Delek Group, a company that has been named by the UN for human rights violations in Palestine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, if the Government approves the Rosebank oil field, which Ithaca co-owns, it could see over 250m flow to Delek, which is known to operate in illegal Israeli settlements and provide fuel to the IDF at a time that Israel is responsible for genocide. Asked about Uplifts allegations, a spokesman for Ithaca Energy said: Ithaca Energy is a London Stock Exchange-listed company which is a member of the FTSE 250, and which is governed by the highest standards of corporate governance. Ithaca is one of the biggest investors in the North Sea and Scotland, is a responsible employer and is a major contributor to both the UK Treasury through tax payments and to the UKs energy security. Mr Milibands Department for Energy Security and Net Zero refused to comment on Ithacas links with Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In parliament earlier this year Green Party MP Carla Denyer asked about Ithacas links to Delek. Michael Shanks, the junior energy minister, told her: We advise British businesses to bear in mind the British Governments view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region. Pressure on Israel The appeal to block Ithaca comes as the Government steps up pressure on Israel to change course in Gaza. Sir Keir Starmer last month vowed to recognise Palestine as a state unless Israel met a series of conditions, including ending the appalling situation in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uplift last year won a court case that revoked the Rosebank drilling licences previously issued by the UK Government. The court supported Uplifts claim that ministers had paid too little attention to the emissions that Rosebanks oil and gas would generate. Ithacas latest report confirms it now plans to seek a new updated licence. Rosebank and Cambo are respectively the largest and second-largest undeveloped reserves left in UK waters and could produce oil and gas for the next two to three decades once in production. Ithaca is a minority partner in the project, with Adura, a joint venture by Equinor and Shell, taking the lead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ithaca is the largest resource holder in the UK continental shelf. It is involved in 37 productive oil and gas fields, operating 10 and holding stakes in the rest. The new licence and planned Rosebank application were revealed in Ithacas half yearly results, which also showed surges in production and profits. Ithacas earnings before tax, interest and other deductions more than doubled to $1.1bn (820m), compared with $533m a year earlier. Production rose to 123,600 barrels of oil per day in the six months to June, up from 53,000 last year, driven by its purchase of Enis UK oil and gas assets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: Our priority is to deliver a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea in line with our climate and legal obligations. 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. Polish prosecutors early reports indicate that the drone which crashed overnight into a cornfield in Lublin Voivodeship was a military UAV. Source: European Pravda citing RMF FM Details: A team of five prosecutors and experts from various fields is inspecting the maize field in the village of Osiny, searching for metal and plastic fragments remnants of what fell and exploded there during the night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Lublin District Prosecutor Grzegorz Trusiewicz, initial findings suggest that a military drone crashed in the field. A military bomb disposal expert is to determine what exactly detonated, and whether the explosion happened on impact or in the air (as there are power transmission lines nearby the drone might have struck). A source in the Polish Ministry of Defence said it was likely a military drone without a warhead most probably a decoy drone carrying only a small amount of explosives. Such drones are designed to engage air defence systems and distract them from actual strike drones. At this stage, investigators cannot say who manufactured the drone or from which country it came. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 100 officers are expected to participate in the search of the field. "We will divide the scene into sectors, assign tasks to specific services, and then well know whether we need to cut down the maize or take other measures," prosecutor Trusiewicz said. The search will cover several hectares, with early visual inspection results expected within a few hours. Background: On the morning of 20 August, it was reported that an unidentified item had fallen and exploded in Osiny, Lublin Voivodeship. Polish military officials stated that radar analysis showed no violations of Polish airspace overnight from either Ukraine or Belarus. Defence Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz later outlined three most likely hypotheses regarding the explosion in Lublin Voivodeship. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! WORCESTER, Mass. (WWLP) A Millbury man was found guilty of multiple counts of child rape in Worcester County Superior Court last Friday. The Worcester County District Attorneys Office stated that on August 15, 27-year-old Colton Paszkowski of Millbury was found guilty of six counts of rape of a child and not guilty of one count of witness intimidation. Spencer police charge Ware resident with child rape Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paszkowski was arrested and charged in December 2021 in connection with raping a 15-year-old girl and was indicted in Worcester Superior Court in March 2023. Charging documents stated that the rapes reportedly occurred in Northbridge, Millbury, and Sutton. This sexual assault survivor showed great strength and courage while testifying about her ordeal, said Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early. I want to thank the Northbridge, Millbury, and Sutton Police Departments, as well as Assistant District Attorney Mark McShera and Victim Witness Advocate Taylor Picard, for their hard work on this case. After Paszkowski was found guilty on Friday, his bail was revoked. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Wearing his Milwaukee police uniform, Gregory Carson Jr. stepped into the witness stand, raised his right hand and swore to tell the truth. Two years earlier, a man had been shot in an alley. His girlfriend said police pressured her to allow a search of the duplex as she held her infant. That search had turned up five guns and now her boyfriend faced a federal charge. On the stand that afternoon, a public defender asked Carson if he recalled making inappropriate statements to the girlfriend. Commenting on seeing her underwear on the floor? Reaching out to her hours later? Texting her? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carsons answer under oath to each question was the same. No. A few witnesses later, the girlfriend swore to tell the truth and read screenshots of text messages she had received. Hey, its me. Honestly it was seeing your thong on the floor that had me like damn lol. The woman replied to ask who was contacting her. She read the response in court: Hey it's Carson from yesterday and I understand. The officer had been caught in a lie. Officer Gregory Carson At the time, Carson already was on the Milwaukee County District Attorney's list of officers with a history of credibility, integrity or bias concerns, commonly referred to as a Brady/Giglio list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also was under internal investigation for those same text messages. None of that was known to the defense attorney who questioned him. After that court hearing, Carson remained on the Milwaukee Police Department payroll for more than two years. In that period, he came under internal investigation three more times. His nine-year career illustrates the risk of keeping such officers on the force and interacting with the public after their credibility and integrity has come under question. At least a dozen officers, including Carson, kept their jobs after landing on the Brady list, then ended up on the list again for another incident, an investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, TMJ4 News and Wisconsin Watch found. Read more: How we investigated Milwaukee Countys secretive law enforcement Brady list Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reached in April, Carson declined an interview request. Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said Carson faced several allegations that overlapped in time and that the officer had due process and collective bargaining rights. Internal investigations can take months or even years to complete, the chief added. Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman speaks with reporters at the Milwaukee Police Administration Building in July 2025. But we still have to remember, just as a court case, you are innocent until proven guilty, Norman said in an interview in January. Officers rights are important, but so is protecting public trust, said Justin Nix, associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers can arrest us, they can use force on us, and along with that comes a lot of responsibility to uphold certain values and to be honest, Nix said in June. When officers fail to meet those standards, in my mind, its unacceptable. Officer lands on Brady list after domestic violence arrest but keeps his job Carson wanted a long career with the Milwaukee Police Department. He started as a police aide. He had relatives who were cops and he wanted to make a difference in his community, busting down drug houses, getting guns off the streets, he wrote to a supervisor in 2015. I am striving for success, and 25 years plus on the job, he added. He became a sworn officer in 2018. Two years later, his own department arrested him on a domestic violence allegation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A woman had called for help, saying she wanted Carson to leave their shared residence. She had confronted him over infidelity suspicions, and then he held her against the couch and bit her cheek, she said. Police separated the two. Officer Roy Caul asked the woman about domestic violence incidents that had occurred at any time, not just that night in 2020. Just because hes a cop doesnt mean that hes free to do this to you, Caul said, according to transcripts from body camera footage. The woman said she just wanted Carson out of the house. The officer asked if anything occurred that night or within the last 28 days to cause her pain or make her fear for her safety. The woman replied no. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers arrested Carson, already in uniform for his next shift, and took him to the training academy for further questioning. He denied hurting the woman. The department referred the case to the District Attorneys Office. Assistant District Attorney Nicolas Heitman declined to charge Carson. In a recent email to the Journal Sentinel, Heitman said the office did not feel it could meet the burden of proof with the available evidence. Three months later, the woman told Internal Affairs she had not feared for her safety. Carson told Internal Affairs nothing physical happened. I feel that I didnt do anything wrong, he said, according to department records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norman, the chief, disagreed and gave Carson a three-day suspension. The arrest resulted in the District Attorneys Office placing Carson on its list of officers with credibility or integrity issues, often called a Brady/Giglio list, named after two landmark U.S. Supreme Court rulings. These lists are maintained to help prosecutors fulfill their legal obligations to share information favorable to the defense. Often, criminal cases come down to the word of an officer against a defendant. Judges and juries must weigh the credibility of both. With Carsons name added to the list, prosecutors would need to disclose his criminal referral and integrity violation to defense attorneys if he appeared on their witness list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then it would be up to a defense attorney, and later a judge, to determine if it was relevant to bring up in court. Carson kept his job, his badge and his ability to testify. Wisconsin does not have statewide standards for Brady lists, leaving it to each county to track material Until recently, the countys full Brady list was kept secret. After months of pressure from media organizations, the district attorneys office released the entire list last September. It was inaccurate, inconsistent and incomplete, an investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, TMJ4 News and Wisconsin Watch found. As a result of reporters questions, District Attorney Kent Lovern removed officers and added others. His office released a corrected and updated list of nearly 200 officers in February, which was published by the Journal Sentinel and media partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Who gets on a list and whether counties even have a list varies widely in Wisconsin, where there are no statewide standards. Officers can testify in multiple counties or in federal court, depending on the case and where an investigation leads. Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Lovern speaks at a news conference on April 8, 2025, in Milwaukee. Federal prosecutors, however, have standardized U.S. Department of Justice guidelines. Prosecutors are supposed to ask law enforcement witnesses directly about potential Brady material and check with officers home agencies. This process is designed to identify information that is even broader in scope than what is legally required and what might trigger being on a list in another jurisdiction, said Kenneth Gales, a spokesman with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Milwaukee, in an email. Gales maintained the office followed all proper procedures prior to Carsons testimony in the federal hearing. Even if a formal list is not shared by prosecutors, state and federal public defenders in eastern Wisconsin often exchange information between their offices about the credibility of law enforcement witnesses. Criminal defense attorneys in Wisconsin say inconsistencies in disclosing Brady material can lead to injustice and wrongful convictions. Such information is crucial for an effective defense, said Bridget Krause, trial division director for the State Public Defenders Office. Our clients have liberty at stake, she said. In shooting case, a witness says officer made inappropriate comments in person and through texts In late 2021, the Milwaukee Police Departments Internal Affairs Division received a letter from a prisoner at Kettle Moraine Correctional Institution. In it, a man accused officers of illegally searching his house during a shooting investigation. It was the call involving Carson. Internal Affairs opened an investigation and notified Carson, saying he was accused of taking part in an illegal search and failing to activate his body camera. A third allegation read that while on scene, you made inappropriate comments to a female citizen as well as sending her an inappropriate text message," according to paperwork served on Carson on March 1, 2022. Seven days later at the court hearing, Carson denied knowing anything about the texts. A transcript shows Milwaukee police officer Gregory L. Carson Jr. answering questions about texting a witness during a 2022 federal court hearing. The witness' name was redacted. He also defended his decision to turn off his body camera, saying he had switched off the device to speak with other officers, who did the same. No one recorded the conversation detectives had with the woman about searching the home. My role in the investigation was over once the detectives were on scene inside the residence, Carson said, according to a court transcript. When the mans girlfriend testified, she said she felt pressured to allow the search after an officer mentioned child welfare. She feared her baby would be taken away. She also said that Carson had flirted with her in the house. When the prosecutor asked her to elaborate, she quoted Carson as saying: Oh, you might as well kiss your man goodbye, because you aint never going to see him again. She also remembered this comment: Im going to come back and see you later, okay? You going to let me in? Its just going to be me and you. As the hearing closed, Joshua Uller, a federal public defender, sharpened his argument that officers had acted improperly and their search was not lawful. Carson and others violated department policy when they didnt record their interaction with the woman as she signed the consent form. They treated a shooting victim as a suspect without evidence to do so, and Carson had acted completely inappropriately, he said. Turning a woman with a newborn child whose boyfriend was just taken away in an ambulance into a romantic objective is really beyond the pale, Uller said, according to a transcript. Later that month, Magistrate Judge Stephen C. Dries issued his report and recommendation. Though he chided officers for failing to record the woman signing the form, he concluded they had properly gotten her consent and the search was legal. Carsons testimony on the text messages, he said, was not credible. Officer, already on the Brady list, tries to dissuade a woman from filing a complaint against another officer Two days after the hearing, an internal investigator questioned Carson about the text messages. He admitted to sending them, contradicting his testimony. He said he had a weakness and had contacted the woman in romantic pursuit, department records say. In no way shape or form did I ever intend to be inappropriate or disrespect her in that manner, he said, according to the records. It was honestly me trying to shoot my shot and that was it. He denied making inappropriate comments to her in person and denied using his position as a police officer as an advantage. He said he regretted it and had learned a lesson. He never mentioned his false testimony. At this point, federal prosecutors had not notified the Police Department of any concerns. A portion of Milwaukee Police Department records detailing the internal investigation into Gregory L. Carson Jr. who was found to have sent inappropriate text messages to a woman he met at a shooting scene. About three months after that interview, Carson had another troubling interaction with a woman he met on duty when she and her ex-boyfriend walked into District 7 on the city's north side. The former couple had a heated property dispute. The woman also said the man had intentionally hit her head while closing a car door. The man said it was an accident. Carson was one of four officers dealing with the situation. The woman grew frustrated with an officer who implied she was lying about the car door injury and refused to write a report about the incident. Police cited the man for battery. Hours later, the woman received a call from a blocked number. It was Carson. He explained who he was and said he was off-duty. He pleaded with her not to file a complaint against his co-worker who had implied she was lying, according to police records. All of the officers involved were good guys who could only do so much, she remembered him saying. She also recalled Carson saying that he hoped she would leave her ex-boyfriend alone because he did not want the ex popping up at her house while Carson was there, which she believed to be a flirtatious comment. The next day, she filed two complaints at District 7: one against the officer who implied she lied and one against Carson. In a recent interview with the Journal Sentinel, the woman called the actions of the officers that day extremely disheartening. When youre going through one of the toughest times of your life, the last thing you should have to deal with is them approaching you in a sexual manner or accusing you of lying when youre literally crying out for help, said the woman, who asked not to be named publicly for privacy and safety reasons. Internal Affairs classified her complaint against Carson as potential misconduct in office and assigned a detective to investigate. A federal prosecutor tells the Milwaukee Police Department an officer gave false testimony in court That summer, the federal case involving the shooting victim and Carsons texts continued. The defense attorney asked another judge to weigh in on the legality of the search. As prosecutors prepared for another hearing in July 2022, Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Paulson reached out to Carson about his prior testimony. She then wrote a memo summarizing their conversation, in which she said Carson admitted to sending the texts and not being truthful in his testimony, adding: Im human and Im attracted to women. Milwaukee Federal Building and Courthouse at 517 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee,Wis. On July 6, 2022, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Funnell emailed Internal Affairs with concerns about Carsons credibility. He followed up the next day with a transcript from the March hearing, the earlier judges report and the defense motion for a second evidentiary hearing. Asked about the case and the length of time it took the U.S. Attorneys Office to contact Milwaukee police, a spokesman for the office said prosecutors acted appropriately. The United States also timely satisfied all legal disclosure obligations to the Court and to the defense in the matter you have referenced, Gales said in an email. Carson was on the countys Brady list of officers with credibility issues he had been since 2021 but Uller, the federal public defender, said he had never seen the countys Brady list until the Journal Sentinel and other media partners published it in February. While I cannot comment on this particular case, I am not aware of any instance in which, prior to the publication of this list, a lawyer in our office was notified of an officers inclusion in this list, he said. The Journal Sentinel tried to contact the woman who received the texts but was not successful. Her then-boyfriend charged in the case died in a shooting two years ago. After hearing from the federal prosecutor in July 2022, Internal Affairs opened an investigation into Carson's false testimony. Carson was now the subject of three pending internal investigations, had previously received a three-day suspension and was on the countys Brady list. Still, he remained on patrol. At the time, its an allegation, Norman, the police chief, said in an interview. We have, again, due process, he added. And so we need to make sure that there is, you know, the fairness of ensuring that there is credibility to everything, even from a prosecutor. A domestic violence victim calls for help, and an officer under internal investigation responds Bobbie Lou Schoeffling called 911 for help on July 11, 2022. Over the previous months, Schoeffling or her sister had repeatedly called police to report violence from Schoefflings ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Howell. Howell had not been arrested despite the multiple reports, having an open warrant for fleeing and being under the supervision of correctional agents for a past robbery conviction. Bobbie Lou Schoeffling is seen in an undated family photo. That night, Schoeffling called police twice to report threats from Howell. On the second call, she said he had threatened to burn down her house on Hampton Avenue. She had left the area, fearing for her safety, she added. Carson and his partner were dispatched to the second call. They did not drive to her house. Instead, Carson spoke to her over the phone and failed to activate his body camera to record their conversation. Carson and his partner and the two officers who responded earlier that night did not file any reports or make any arrests. Schoeffling was found shot to death two weeks later, on July 26. On Sept. 4, 2022, police leaders finally pulled Carson from patrol, stripped him of his police powers and assigned him to the stolen vehicle desk in the forensics division. He did not routinely interact with the public in the role, and the job limited him from having to testify, a department spokesperson said in an email to the Journal Sentinel. As internal investigations conclude, officer faces a suspension, then termination As Carson sat at his desk job, his discipline piled up. In February 2023, Norman suspended him for six days for the inappropriate texts and for failing to activate his body camera at the shooting scene. Two months later, in April, the Journal Sentinel published an investigation into Schoefflings death. The article prompted Norman to order a review of every contact she had with the department, including the one involving Carson. The chief later suspended Carson for eight days for how he handled the call. Milwaukee police officer Gregory L. Carson Jr. was one of four officers disciplined for their response to 911 calls from Bobbie Lou Schoeffling reporting domestic violence. Carson and his partner were dispatched to her home in the 9000 block of West Hampton Avenue but called her instead of going to the residence. That same month, Internal Affairs interviewed Carson about the complaint filed by the woman at District 7. That investigation had slowed, in part, because it was difficult to reach the woman for follow-up interviews, records show. The woman told the Journal Sentinel that she recalled speaking to an investigator once after filing her complaint and said she received several letters from the department. Carson told the investigator, Sgt. Adam Riley, that when he called the woman, he did not say anything suggestive, only that she was worth more than her ex-boyfriend, according to department records. He acknowledged urging her not to make a complaint. Riley pointed out the officer appeared to have a pattern." Riley asked about Carsons court testimony in the earlier case, pointing out he knew about the allegation related to the texts before his testimony. Carson said he thought he was truthful on the stand because he did not remember the text at the time. Carson also said the federal prosecutor who wrote the memo had misinterpreted their conversation. Riley asked if Carson would have done anything differently. No, he said. Federal and state prosecutors declined to file criminal charges of perjury or misconduct against Carson. But the District Attorneys Office did add him to the Brady list for a second time and the false testimony cost him his job. Norman fired him for lying under oath and for discouraging the woman at District 7 from making a complaint. Carsons discharge date was Aug. 28, 2024, three years after he was first placed on the Brady list in the aftermath of his domestic violence arrest. The woman who filed the complaint against Carson and the other officer at District 7 knew Carson had been fired. Still, she has concerns about how the department investigates misconduct allegations. I think its not handled appropriately or quickly enough, she said. Tia Schoeffling, Bobbie Lou Schoefflings sister, called it ridiculous that an officer arrested in such a case could then respond to domestic violence victims. She thought of Carson on desk duty for two years, collecting nearly $80,000 in annual wages while he was the subject of several ongoing internal investigations. She questioned if it would have taken that long to investigate a regular citizen for similar allegations. Its mind-blowing that he was even allowed to respond to her call, she said. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee police officer was on Brady list twice before he was fired Residents and conservation groups came together to rebuff a mining company's plan to open a critical wildlife refuge to lithium exploration. As 8 News Now of Las Vegas reported, the firm previously known as Rover Critical Minerals wanted to mine lithium near the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The proposal was met with furious backlash at a town hall in 2024. Residents were unmoved by the company's promises and unanimously spoke against the project, per the Pahrump Valley Times. Though the Bureau of Land Management granted permission for the project in 2023, conservation and tribal groups successfully sued to block the venture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the face of such intractable opposition, the company scrapped it. "Mining near Ash Meadows poses an existential threat to dozens of endangered species and the community that calls this oasis home," a spokesperson for The Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups opposing the move, said in a news release. "The end of Rover's ridiculous endeavor didn't come a day too soon." The Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a critical habitat for 24 plant and animal species endemic to the area. The Nature Conservancy, which bought the land in 1983, describes this unique desert wetland as "one of Nevada's most intriguing natural sites." As the organization notes, it has the greatest concentration of unique species in the United States. Among them are the Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish and Devils Hole pupfish. The latter has one of the smallest geographic ranges in the world. The Sierra Club notes that its entire population is found in a single underwater cave. They are among the most endangered fish in the world, and their continued existence is an ongoing battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protecting such a critical wetland comes down to grassroots efforts to fend off big-money interests. As daunting as this can seem, community action really can make a huge difference in protecting natural heritage. Of course, it's equally important to stay vigilant to safeguard against ventures that threaten the environment by raising awareness of the issues and backing political candidates who support climate-friendly action. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. 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. DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) It has been 1,455 days since Carmen Bolden Day last heard from her son, Jelani. He disappeared from Bloomington in August of 2021, and his body was later found more than 60 miles north. As time passes, her familys push for justice remains as strong as ever, with their organization and fundraising galas. I miss him. I miss him, Day said as she shared memories of her son while raising him in Danville. The 25-year-old had recently graduated from Alabama A&M University and started a speech pathology graduate program at Illinois State University in Normal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His two older brothers, when they were growing up, had to go to a speech pathologist, Day explained. She said her son was eager to help other children work through similar problems. As he balanced studying, he was also constantly calling back home to check in. Hed be like hello, hello, hello, hello, hello and hed say it over and over, his mother described. But those phone calls suddenly and suspiciously stopped. Pritzker signs Jelani Day Bill into law His last words were, Momma, I just wanted to hear your voice. Ill talk to you tomorrow. A parents worst nightmare was becoming a reality for her. The ISU student wasnt anywhere to be found until Aug. 26, 2021, when his car was discovered in a wooded area of Peru, IL. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The license plates were missing, his wallet was in one place, and his lanyard in another, Day explained. But his body wasnt found for another nine days, and was not identified for 19 days following. My baby didnt do that to himself. I dont have answers. I dont know what happened to him, Day pleaded. I need them to find out what happened to him because this is torture. I dont know why I had to bury him. Now, shes taking the most heartbreaking and gutwrenching situation she could endure and advocating. First, by thinking back to how he wanted to celebrate his birthday with an all white party and then turning that theme into a fundraising gala and organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Friends of Jelani Day remember him as the light of the room at moving ceremony I know he wouldve wanted to help people. He especially wouldve wanted someone to help me. So I want to be able to help families, Day said. The Jelani Day Foundation connects others to resources and helps them in their fights to find missing loved ones. We want equity in our searches. We want to make sure theres legislation to help missing people of color, she explained. Even after four years had passed, her mission remains strong while fighting for justice and seeking accountability. I want them to look at me and tell me why they took my son from me, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also wants another investigation with a new set of eyes on the case. I want them to look at the negligence that was done toward him, Day added. Meanwhile, she will continue fighting for her pride and joy, for the person she said balanced the family and brought joy into any room he walked into. He just put us all together, and its different without him. Its so different, Day said. The next All White Gala is in Broadview from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23. You can buy tickets with this link. All of the money goes back to the foundation and helps other families connect with resources if a loved one is missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group Voices for Jelani Day is also advocating for Jelani. They are asking community members to send postcards to the Governor and the Illinois Attorney General to reassess the investigations leadership and ensure results-driven oversight. You can visit their website for further details. Sarah Raymond, the Peru Police Chief, said the department agrees with the county coroners determination that Jelani Days cause of death was drowning, and the manner of death is currently undetermined. She said there are no active leads or further information to report. As with any case, we are committed to finding out what happened to Mr. Day, and have worked tirelessly to be able to give Mr. Days family the answers they deserve. All agencies involved spent countless hours investigating this case and continue to solicit tips from the public, Raymond said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is still an active $10,000 reward for any substantial information regarding Days final hours. If you know anything, call the Peru Police Department at 815-223-2151. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. CHICAGO (WGN) Chicago police are searching for a missing 67-year-old man who may be in need of medical attention. Police said Roosevelt Boles Jr. was last seen in the vicinity of the 300 block of 64th Street in the citys Englewood neighborhood. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Boles is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighs 140 pounds and has brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and black jogging pants, according to investigators. (Photo: Chicago Police Department) Police said he may also be in need of medical attention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Area One Detectives at 312-747-8380. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Jack Queen (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump wants to ban mail-in ballots in federal elections, a form of voting popular with many Americans. About three in 10 ballots were cast through the mail in the 2024 general election, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Trump, a Republican, does not have clear legal authority to do this, though his allies in Congress and state governments could enact policies barring the practice. Here is a look at Trump's authority and how the law could be changed. CAN TRUMP UNILATERALLY BAN MAIL-IN BALLOTS? Only states and the U.S. Congress can pass laws regulating elections. A unilateral ban by the president on mail-in ballots would likely exceed Trump's limited authority to enforce existing law. In a Monday social media post, Trump said mail-in ballots are susceptible to fraud and that he would lead a movement to ban them, beginning with an executive order bringing "honesty" to the November 2026 midterm elections. Republicans have filed scores of lawsuits seeking to end mail-in voting in recent years, citing possible fraud. Democrats generally support mail-in ballots as a way to expand access to voting. Voter fraud in the U.S. is extremely rare, multiple studies have shown. White House representatives provided a general statement about Trump's election policies but did not answer questions about his legal authority to ban mail-in ballots or what an executive order would say. COULD TRUMP'S ALLIES BAN MAIL-IN BALLOTS? States are responsible for administering their votes under the U.S. Constitution, and Republican-controlled legislatures could pass laws banning mail-in ballots so long as they do not conflict with federal law. Congress could ban the use of mail-in ballots in federal elections and override state laws protecting their use, but Trump's Republican Party has slim majorities in Congress and would face difficulty getting past opposition by Democrats. Republicans hold 53 Senate seats. To pass a mail-in ballot ban they would need to end the filibuster, a longstanding tradition requiring 60 of the chamber's 100 members to approve most legislation. State and federal laws banning mail-in voting could be challenged in court as unconstitutional impediments to voting. WHAT OTHER POWERS DO PRESIDENTS HAVE OVER ELECTIONS? Presidents in the U.S. have some discretion in enforcing election laws, and Trump could try to use those powers to end or restrict mail-in voting, though it is unclear how. In June, a federal judge blocked parts of an executive order by Trump requiring voters to prove they are U.S. citizens and attempting to prevent states from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day. The Trump administration is appealing. "The Constitution does not grant the president any specific powers over elections," said U.S. District Judge Denise Casper, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama. (Reporting by Jack Queen, editing by Ross Colvin and Rosalba O'Brien) NEED TO KNOW Family members said Consuelo Bernabe, 39, was last seen at a bar in Lott, Texas, on Aug. 15 The Waco Police Department later confirmed that Bernabe's body had been found inside a Dodge Caravan submerged in the Brazos River Authorities said in a news release that the "questionable death" investigation is ongoing A mother of seven children, who was last seen almost a week ago, was found dead in a vehicle submerged in a Texas river. Now, police are investigating what they call a questionable death. The Waco Police Department confirmed in a Tuesday, Aug. 19, update that the victim inside the Dodge Caravan found on Monday, Aug. 18, was Consuelo Bernabe, 39. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maria Romero, a daughter of Bernabe, stated in a Sunday, Aug. 17, social media post that her mother had gone missing two days earlier, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. If anybody seen my mother in Waco tx please text me she been missing since Friday COME BACK HOME imyConsuelo Bernabe, Romero wrote. On Monday morning, authorities were notified that the Caravan had been found in the Brazos River near North University Parks Drive and Jefferson Avenue, the Waco Police Department said in a news release. Waco Fire dive team, Texas Game Wardens, and Tow King assisted in pulling the car out of the river, the departments statement read. Once the car was removed a female victim was located. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department added the victims next of kin was notified. No further details in the case were made immediately available, and police said the investigation is ongoing. David Romero, Bernabes son, remembered that his mother always smiled, and told CBS affiliate KWTX that "she always took care of her kids," who were "her main priority." David also said it was uncharacteristic of his mother to disappear and not tell anyone. I wasnt trying to overthink. I was like, But thats not like my mom. She always has her phone on her, shell answer any call and message that you send her, he told KWTX. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hermelinda Romero, another daughter of Bernabe, told ABC affiliate KXXV that her mother was last seen at a bar in Lott on Friday. She suspected foul play, saying, "someone had to be involved" in her mother's death. Hermelinda told KXXV that her mother called the family while out at the bar where she had last been seen, and said she was waiting for a man to come and pick her up. Bernabe's family told the outlet they believed she had been intoxicated at the time of the call. "I feel like it was the guy she was last with, he had to have something to do with it but we don't know why, Hermelinda said. PEOPLE contacted the Waco Police Department on Wednesday, Aug. 20. In a statement shared with KXXV, the department said: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the release states, this is a questionable death investigation and we will not know more until autopsy results come back to determine the cause of her death. All the information released is what is available at this time. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Following the discovery of the vehicle in the Brazos, Maria paid tribute to her mother on Facebook, writing, in part, on Monday, Rest in peace ma I love you so much words cant explain I wanna see your beautiful smile again now every time I go in your room i will cry and just be like why you but we will get JUSTICE SERVED cant wait to see again." Hermelinda has organized a GoFundMe to help pay for Bernabes funeral expenses. Read the original article on People Missing pregnant teens boyfriend to be arraigned on murder charge after remains found at his home The boyfriend of a pregnant teen who was reported missing almost two weeks ago is slated to face a judge on Wednesday after human remains were found on his property in Rehoboth on Tuesday, authorities said. Gregory Groom, 22, is expected to be arraigned in Taunton District Court after he was arrested Tuesday on charges of aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant person, domestic assault and battery, and intimidation of a witness for acts committed against 18-year-old Kylee Monteiro on August 6, according to Bristol District Attorney Thomas Quinn III. Quinn also said Groom will also face a charge of murder because the remains found at his home are consistent with those of Monteiro, who was about 11 weeks pregnant at the time of her disappearance earlier this month. Officials providing update on search for missing Rehoboth teen https://t.co/JbRAQ3fWMh Boston 25 News (@boston25) August 20, 2025 An autopsy will be performed on the body to confirm it is Monteiros. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials searched the area around Groomes home for several hours on Tuesday. Video from the scene showed K9 dogs, law enforcement officers from several agencies, and an excavator. Extensive searches were conducted by various units of the Massachusetts State Police. Based on information obtained during the investigation into Kylee Monteiros disappearance, police obtained a search warrant for the property, Quinn said during a news conference late Tuesday night. As a result of the search of the property, human remains consistent with those of Kylee Monteiro have been recovered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monteiro was last seen on Thursday, August 7, at Groomes home at 107 County Street in Rehoboth, according to family, friends, and law enforcement. Based on the current state of the evidence that has been obtained during the investigation, Gregory Groom will be charged with the murder of Kylee Monteiro, Quinn added. People who knew Monteiro shared kind words about who she was as a person. She had a future, she was smart, she was intuitive, she was loving, said Kira Schofield, who lived with Monteiro. Everybody loved her. I loved her to the end of the Earth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quinn didnt say where on Grooms property the remains were found. Additional details are expected to be revealed in court on Wednesday. Groom is currently being held without bail. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) A week-old baby girl who was reported missing and considered at-risk has been found safe in San Francisco, according to police. The San Francisco Police Department had asked for the communitys help in locating the girl who was at high risk of being neglected, police said. Armed man tracked woman, threatened children before strangling attack: SCSO The infant had last been seen Monday with her mother, 33-year-old Kenisha Davis, while they exited a Target location on Geary Boulevard and Masonic Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, SFPD said mother and infant had been located safe in San Francisco. The case is being forwarded to Child Protection Services while SFPD continues its 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 KRON4. Missouri is one of just a few states with pre-K funding embedded in its K12 foundation formula (Photo courtesy of CDC/ Amanda Mills). A recent WalletHub ranking labeled Missouris early education system the worst in the nation, based on data from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). The problem? That label is based not on whats happening in classrooms, but on whats codified in state regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In other words, Missouri scored low not because we lack quality but because our high standards are voluntary, locally driven, incentive-based, and not mandatory. Missouris approach to early learning reflects our values: local control, strategic investment and a belief that collaboration works better than top-down mandates. And that approach is working. Missouri is one of just a few states with pre-K funding embedded in its K12 foundation formula. That means our funding is stable, predictable and less vulnerable to political swings or annual budget battles. We dont rely solely on grants or pilot programs; weve made early learning part of the core school funding system. Weve also invested in the Missouri Quality Pre-Kindergarten Grant Program, which supports both school districts and private providers. This program incentivizes quality by providing additional funding tied to strong standards based on state statute. It has allowed rural districts and community partners to launch or expand pre-K programs, even in places where resources were once scarce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Gov. Mike Parson created the Office of Childhood to consolidate programs for early learning, child care and family support under one roof. This action allows the state to move towards delivering better coordinated services. While implementation has had its challenges, the potential for reducing silos and improving outcomes remains strong. We also use a kindergarten entry assessment to understand how prepared students are when they arrive at school, arguably the best real-world indicator of the effectiveness of early learning experiences. This kind of data tells us whats working and needs improvement, rather than relying solely on policy checklists. And with our innovative contracting law, Missouri is one of the only states that allows public schools and private providers to formally partner in delivering pre-K. That flexibility is critical in rural and under-resourced areas, where one-size-fits-all models often fall short. WalletHub may base its rankings on real data, but it tells only part of the story. NIEERs benchmarks reward what is required, not what is offered or achieved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Missouri, weve chosen to build a system that rewards participation and performance rather than compliance. Our programs meet high standards and are expanding every year, but because those standards are not mandatory statewide, we dont get credit in the rankings. Missouris ranking at the bottom of the WalletHub list reflects a methodology prioritizing mandates over actual program quality. Still, we dont need mandates to deliver high-quality early learning across the state. In the Show-Me State, we dont just say were making progress. We show you. AVA, Mo. For the first time in over 20 years, police in a rural town in southern Missouri are investigating a homicide. An Ava, Missouri, man has been charged with killing a man from Springfield. According to the Ava Police Department, officers were sent to a home in the 400 block of Bunch Avenue on Aug. 15 in response to a fight. Officers found the victim, Dale Hansen, obviously deceased inside the house with a knife wound. Hansen was 48. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers detained Aaron Vaughan, 54, after seeing apparent injuries to his head, which indicated that he had been involved in some sort of altercation. Police said they found blood on Vaughans car, clothes, and hands. The Ava Police Department, which hadnt handled a homicide case since 2003, sought assistance from the Douglas County Sheriffs Office for the investigation. In a statement from the sheriffs office, Vaughan admitted getting in a fistfight with Hansen and said they were the only two people in the room but denied having ever stabbed him and could not explain why he was covered in blood. The Douglas County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Vaughan with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and felony resisting arrest. He remains in the Douglas County Jail without bond and is scheduled for a bond hearing on Monday, Aug. 25. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. ROSCOE, Ill. (WTVO) Roscoe Village President Carol Gustafson vetoed the village boards decision to paint over a mural on Main Street. Gustafson called the proposal a misuse of public resources and disrespectful to the artist during a board meeting on August 19. The boards decision to fund the removal of this public art on private property is, in my judgment, a misuse of public resources, Gustafson explained. This action diminishes the value of the artists work, disregards the opinions of many residents who supported the project and does not serve the broader public interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Village of Roscoe Board of Trustees voted to paint over its first and only mural on August 6. One trustee said he hoped to replace the mural with something the community can contribute to earlier this month. We wanna be proud of what the village does, nothing against whats up there now, we just think its time for a change, something a little more vibrant, hopefully, if the board okays this, well actually ask the public for help this time around, said Trustee Mike Wright. The mural, painted by Thomas Agran in 2022, depicts an aerial view of the Pecatonica River as it flows into the Rock River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the mural was commissioned, Roscoe officials hoped that community sponsors would cover half the cost. No donations were made, so the village had to cover all of the costs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A Mobridge man has been sentenced after an assault that left a man seriously injured. Kendall White Tail, 34, was sentenced to eight years in prison after he pled guilty in May this year, a news release from the U.S. Attorneys office in South Dakota said. Ledbetter murder trial is on schedule In June 2023, White Tail threatened a couple on the Standing Rock reservation where he held a woman at gunpoint. White Tail then slashed a mans face and leg before hitting with the gun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man permanently lost sight in his left eye and suffered facial fractures. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. A man was arrested and accused of multiple felony charges, including second-degree murder, after fatally shooting a woman during a roadside dispute with another driver, according to Glendale police. The shooting happened near 51st Avenue and Camelback Road around 11:45 p.m. Aug. 15, police said. The occupants of two vehicles got into an argument before one of the drivers, Jesus Preciado Dousten, 33, brandished a firearm and fired a shot in a random direction, according to Glendale police spokesperson Sgt. Bryan Hoskin. The bullet struck Yarely Ashley Hermosillo, 27, whose family rushed her to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead, Hoskin said. Hermosillo was in another vehicle not involved in the road rage incident, according to Hoskin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her loved ones created a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses and support Hermosillo's son, 4. The GoFundMe had raised over $11K, as of Aug. 19. News alerts in your inbox: Don't miss the important news of the day. Sign up for azcentral newsletter alerts to be in the know. Dousten fired gun in opposite direction of man he was arguing with, documents say The unnamed driver of a Toyota Tundra told police he got into an argument with Dousten after Dousten, who was driving a GMC Sierra, pulled out of a private drive and cut in front of him, forcing the driver to slam on the brakes to avoid a crash, according to court documents. The Tundra driver honked his horn as the Sierra driver began to weave in front of him, but he was eventually able to get around the Sierra, documents said. The two drivers pulled up next to each other at the intersection of 51st Avenue and Camelback Road with the Sierra on the Tundras left, according to documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tundra driver rolled down his window and yelled at Dousten to watch where he was going, documents said. Dousten, who had all the Sierras windows rolled down, shouted back in Spanish and pulled out a black handgun, documents said. The Tundras driver told police Dousten was obviously intoxicated at the time, according to court documents. One of the people in the Tundra told police that Dousten said, You want some of this? in Spanish, referring to the gun, documents said. However, the Tundras occupants said Dousten was pointing the gun across his chest to the left in the opposite direction of their vehicle, according to documents. Shortly after Dousten yelled at them in Spanish, he fired a single shot that struck Hermosillo who was sitting in the front passenger seat of a Chevrolet Equinox to the left of the Sierra, documents said. When the Tundras driver told Dousten he had just shot someone, Dousten looked back at the Equinox which had a bullet hole on the passenger side window, documents said. One witness said Dousten looked scared after he saw what had happened while another described him as looking confused, according to court documents. Traffic camera footage depicts fatal shooting Dousten sped east on Camelback Road shortly after the shooting, documents said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inside the Equinox with Hermosillo was her boyfriend, referred to as her husband on the GoFundMe site. Hermosillo's boyfriend, referred to as her husband on the GoFundMe page, was driving the Equinox, according to court documents. Her mother and son were also in the car, documents said. Her mother, who was seated in the rear passenger seat, told police she was looking down when she heard a gunshot and looked up to see her daughter bleeding, court documents said. The mother told police she saw a Hispanic man who matched the description of the Tundras driver, documents said. Hermosillos boyfriend drove them to a nearby hospital where she was later pronounced dead, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police executed search warrants on traffic cameras in the area which showed the Equinox, Sierra and Tundra in the leftmost, center and curbside lanes respectively at the intersection, documents said. Detectives observed the traffic footage, which showed a flash of light consistent with a muzzle flash near the driver's side window of the Sierra, according to documents. Both the Equinox and Tundra turned right and headed south on 51st Avenue shortly after the shooting and nearly collided with each other, documents said. Detectives watched Dousten enter and exit an apartment at a complex near Ocotillo Road and later obtained a search warrant for his phone location data which showed him at or near the intersection at the day and time the deadly incident occurred, documents said. Phone data showed the device left the area and stopped at a residence on Roma Avenue where it remained until about 6 a.m. when it then returned to the apartment complex, documents said. Friend tells police that Dousten told him about the shooting Glendale detectives arrested Dousten at the apartment complex near Ocotillo Aug. 16, who confirmed Dousten was the owner of the Sierra, documents said. Dousten stayed at his ex-wifes house the previous night after discovering he had a flat tire and then drove back to his apartment in the morning before requesting an attorney, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police interviewed a friend of Doustens outside the Roma Avenue residence, who told police that Dousten arrived at his home shortly after midnight Aug. 16, documents said. Dousten told him he had gotten into a road rage incident and had shot someone who was in the opposite direction of the person he was arguing with, documents said. Deadly road rage in Tempe: What to know about the deadly Tempe road rage shooting both drivers' kids witnessed The friend told police that Dousten had brought the gun he used to his home and left it there in a backpack, according to documents. Dousten was booked into jail on charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, misconduct involving weapons and endangerment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was being held on a $1 million bond. His next court appearance was scheduled for Aug. 22, according to court records. Who was Yarely Hermosillo? Yarely Hermosillo is seen in this undated photo with her 3-year-old son. Hermosillo was "an innocent victim caught in the middle of a road rage incident between others, leaving her family and friends devastated," according to the GoFundMe page. Her life was "taken far too soon in a senseless act of violence," the page said. Hermosillo was a loving wife, devoted mother and a beautiful soul who touched everyone who knew her, the GoFundMe said. "Yarelys greatest joy in life was being a mother, and she poured her heart into caring for her little boy," the page said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to her husband and son, Hermosillo left behind her mother and siblings, the GoFundMe said. The family asked for support to help ease the burden her husband now faces, including funeral expenses and providing for their son, the page said. "No amount can ever replace Yarelys presence, but your kindness and generosity will help bring comfort and stability to her family as they navigate life without her," the GoFundMe page said. Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@gannett.com or 602-444-1474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ road rage shooting kills Yarely Hermosillo, passenger in car nearby **Related Video Above: How much does it cost to raise a kid? OCEAN CITY, New Jersey (WJW) A mother has gone viral on TikTok after an accident that involved her toddler, an expensive table at a cafe, an upset owner and a credit card. The woman, who has the social media username beautihut, explained in a video that she recently went to the Hazelnut Cafe for some coffee and ice cream. Her 3-year-old daughter and 76-year-old mother were waiting at a table while she paid for the items. Then came the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman said in the video that she ran to see what happened and found her daughter had pushed over a 600-pound stone table that had smashed into tiny pieces. Hundreds may have been exposed to rabies at bat-infested cabins in Grand Teton National Park Everyone seemed OK, so the woman said she talked to cafe workers to see what could be done. I said, Oh my god, Im so sorry. I dont know what to do. What could I do to make this right? the woman said in the video. My daughter, shes not crying, shes not reaching for Mommy, shes just kinda frozen and scared and nervous. Thats when a worker called the owner to see how to proceed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the owner got on the phone, I said, Oh my god, Im so sorry, were so embarrassed. My daughter even kept saying, Im so sorry, she said. The owner said, Well, the table is almost $2,000 its $1,600 so you cant leave until I have your license and a credit card.' The woman however tried to explain she wanted to take her daughter to urgent care, but the owner allegedly didnt want her to leave until it was paid for. It was a big scene, and all she kept repeating was, You break it, you pay for it,' she said. I was completely humiliated and embarrassed and Ive cried since. The woman did eventually leave, and its not clear if the cafe charged her credit card. The video, where she asked peoples opinions on the incident, racked up over 40,000 comments and 12 million views. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an updated post, beautihut said the cafe ownership has since apologized for the incident and that she was satisfied. New Jersey teacher gifted scratch-offs wins $500,000: Life-changing We wish to move forward peacefully and do not wish to comment on this matter any further, she wrote in the new video. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. A Michigan mom says she's feeling grateful after she unexpectedly gave birth in a McDonald's parking lot last week. "It could have just gone so different," Alyce Rotunda, a mom of four, told "Good Morning America." "I'm just in awe of how it played out and that it ended well." Rotunda, 32, said everything unfolded quickly in the early morning hours of Aug. 11. The day before, she said she and her husband Kevin Rotunda II had traveled to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, about an hour away from their home in the Centreville-Sturgis area, because she had started having contractions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While we're just sitting there waiting to see, you know, if things were going to start progressing, the contractions kind of stopped. So we spent a few hours up there [at the hospital] the night before, just to get sent home," Rotunda said. On Sunday, which Rotunda said happened to be her birthday, she said she continued to experience symptoms, including a migraine, nausea and on-and-off contractions. After 2 a.m., Rotunda said her husband called her mother, who lived nearby, to come over and watch their three older kids, and they set off for the hospital. Rotunda said midway through the drive to the hospital, she and her husband realized they wouldn't be able to make it in time, and her husband called 911. Courtesy of Alyce Rotunda - PHOTO: Baby Matilda was born on Aug. 11, 2025 in a McDonalds parking lot in Schoolcraft, Michigan. "[My husband] whipped into McDonald's. The 911 dispatcher's on the phone trying to kind of guide us," Rotunda recalled. "After he pulled in and parked, my husband kind of helped me get out of the van." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baby boy born at Krispy Kreme gets sweetest surprise Rotunda said their fourth baby's arrival, one week before she was scheduled to be induced, was swift. "After I stood up, I could feel things were happening," she said. "And so, I actually reached down and fully felt her head, like her head was already coming out at that point. And so I yelled to my husband, I was like, 'You need to catch her right now.'" Rotunda said her husband was able to catch their daughter Matilda "right in the nick of time." "It was a whole whirlwind when she was born," said Rotunda. "I'm so incredibly blessed and thankful that as soon as she came out, she started crying. So that was a huge sigh of relief on our end." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rotunda, who said she has Type 1 diabetes and has a prior history of hemorrhaging after birth, said she was nervous at the time, but after first responders arrived and took her and Matilda back to Bronson Methodist Hospital, they were both checked out and didn't have any major complications. Courtesy of Alyce Rotunda - PHOTO: Meet the Rotunda family daughters Matilda and Genesis, mom Alyce Rotunda, sons Kevin Rotunda III, Boone, and dad Kevin Rotunda II. Matilda has now joined her older siblings -- sister Genesis and brothers Kevin III and Boone -- at home. Alyce Rotunda said some of their relatives have already nicknamed their fourth child "McTilly." Principal, teacher help deliver fellow teacher's baby at school "We have every intention of just calling her Tilly instead of Matilda. And so, now that this all happened, they just threw a 'Mc' on there," she said. One family's heartbreaking journey through Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Helene has emphasized a startling reality: nowhere in America offers true protection from increasingly severe weather events. As Moms Clean Air Force detailed, Alex Webber and her family have endured two of the nation's most destructive storms, losing homes and businesses twice while searching for safety that doesn't exist. What's happening? Alex Webber evacuated New Orleans with her two-year-old daughter at 2 a.m. when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. The family then spent nine difficult months displaced, losing their home and business in the $200 billion disaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seeking higher ground, they relocated to Marshall, North Carolina, in 2005, believing the area offered protection from natural disasters. Nearly two decades later, Hurricane Helene caused the French Broad River to rise over 24 feet, destroying the family's bike shop and flooding downtown Marshall. "We were over the bridge from the river, and we could see the sign from our shop just kind of floating in the water," Alex told Moms Clean Air Force. The psychological toll has compounded with each disaster. Alex had finally felt stable enough to read about Hurricane Katrina just one week before Helene hit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was shocking how re-traumatizing it was and how close to the surface all those feelings were," she shared. Why is extreme weather concerning? Experts confirm Alex's experience reflects a growing crisis: Sierra Lindsey Kos from Extreme Weather Survivors explained to Moms Clean Air Force that "people harmed by extreme weather are the fastest-growing population in the United States and world.". A warming planet is causing severe rainstorms that were once rare to become increasingly common, even in areas that are far from the coastlines. The financial devastation often forces families to then rely on inadequate support systems as well. "It's so sad that GoFundMe is what passes for a safety net in this country," Alex said while attempting to rebuild through crowdsourced funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crisis threatens public health as families face repeated displacements, ongoing trauma, and economic instability. What's being done about climate displacement? Moms Clean Air Force, a nonpartisan and "mom-profit" group, provides a wealth of information on protecting public health during climate disasters. The organization advocates for congressional action to support families affected by climate disasters, with one petition urging Americans to ask Congress to provide better assistance to climate-displaced families like Alex's. For her part, Alex emphasizes that individual actions simply aren't enough. "People can only do so much," she stated in the article. "Corporations have to get on board, and they have to start taking responsibility for the damage they're doing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the challenges, Alex also offered hope to her fellow survivors: "I just want to tell people, and especially the poor people out in California, life comes back. It does. You gotta believe that." Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Severe storms pushed through western South Dakota Monday, with one being rather destructive. Meteorologist Adam Rutt looks at how it was able to produce such large hail. Police remind drivers to slow down in school zones Several strong to severe thunderstorms were observed on Monday in western and northwestern South Dakota, but one storm in particular took the cake in terms of intensity. This cell, which formed northwest of Rapid City, tracked southeastward along the eastern Black Hills and interacted with a favorable environment for vertical development. The end result was the ability to produce strong updrafts that allowed hail to form up to three-and-a-quarter inches in diameterabout the size of a large apple. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres how that works. As I mentioned, this storm had strong updrafts within itself. This allowed for supercool water droplets to be carried high into the air and freeze. Surrounding water droplets collide with this frozen core and accumulate on it, allowing the hailstone to grow. As long as the updraft can keep the hail stone aloft, it can continue to accumulate more ice and grow larger and larger until it is too heavy to be supported by the updraft. Once that threshold is met, gravity takes care of the rest, and the hail falls to the ground. Well get a break from organized chances for severe weather for a few days, but the late week outlook has a chance to at least see something East River. Well have to see whether large hail will be a potential or not in the coming days. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. An election technology firm allegedly overbilled Los Angeles County for voting machines used during the 2020 election and funneled the extra cash into a slush fund for bribing government officials, federal prosecutors say in a criminal case against three company executives. Smartmatic, a U.K.-based voting system company, had bribery embedded as part of its business model, prosecutors allege in a Florida federal corruption case against company co-founder Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez and two other company officials. Prosecutors do not indicate who benefited from the alleged pot of Los Angeles County taxpayer money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dean Logan, the countys top voting official, has acknowledged regularly meeting with Pinate, a Boca Raton resident who was charged last year with bribery and money laundering in the Philippines. That's where executives are charged with inflating the price of voting machines and using the surplus money to bribe a top election official who could help them land contracts worth $182 million for the 2016 election. To secure political favors in Venezuela, Smartmatic employees are accused of fashioning a similar fund to buy a longtime elections official a home with a pool in 2019 as they tried to get a more solid footing in the country, according to an Aug. 1 motion in the Philippine corruption case. And in L.A. County, where the company won a $282-million contract for the 2020 election, Smartmatic executives used county money to create the same type of slush fund, according to the Aug. 1 filing. The filing raises questions about what happened to taxpayer money when officials awarded what is widely considered the biggest election technology contract in U.S. history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors say they plan to introduce financial and business records, witness testimony, as well as text and email communications as proof to bolster their case on Smartmatic corruption as it heads toward trial. Federal prosecutors declined to comment on the ongoing criminal case. The case is focused on alleged bribery in the Philippines, but federal prosecutors say they plan to detail similar alleged schemes out of L.A. County and Venezuela to show the bribery fits a larger pattern. According to the Aug. 1 court filing, the company routinely added a surplus charge of between $10 and $50 per machine dispatched to the three jurisdictions to be used for bribes. The county has no knowledge or visibility into how Smartmatic USA used proceeds from that contract, Logan, the countys registrar-recorder, said in a statement. The contract between Los Angeles County and Smartmatic USA was competitively bid, evaluated and awarded in compliance with the countys open competitive public procurement processes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The county has found no evidence of the surplus charges alleged by federal prosecutors, according to Mike Sanchez, a spokesperson for the registrar-recorder's office. The price of machines always stayed the same, and sporadic surcharges would not align with the pricing and reporting structure of the L.A. County contract, he said. No federal prosecutors had reached out to the department, he said. Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan, above, maintained a close releationship with high level Smartmatic staff. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) Smartmatic spokesperson Samira Saba accused the Department of Justice of filling the motion with misrepresentations that were untethered from reality. The company stopped working for Venezuela in August 2017 after blowing the whistle on the government and was not trying to return, Saba said. Let us be clear: Smartmatic wins business because were the best at what we do, the company said in a statement. We operate ethically and abide by all laws always, both in Los Angeles County and every jurisdiction where we operate. The accusation in the federal corruption case comes as Logan, the longtime department head, battles allegations in a separate civil case that he benefited from an unusually close relationship with Smartmatic leadership. County email and text messages show company staff paid for several upscale dinners, a trip to Taiwan and a jaunt to Los Angeles famed Magic Castle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most important things to note are the dress code, Daniel Murphy, one of Smartmatics top people overseeing the county work, wrote in a February 2022 invitation to the members-only Hollywood magic venue sent to Logans work email address. Dean, please dont wear your tracksuit, he quipped. The show and dinner, where entrees range from $40 to $50, did not appear on his annual disclosure form in which officials are required to reveal all gifts they received totaling $50 or more. Logan later said in a deposition in the civil case that the dinner and show were exempt from disclosure because he attended in a personal capacity. Those emails and depositions surfaced in an unusual 1,000-page public records lawsuit filed this month by Fox News, whose officials say they need county records to defend themselves against a multibillion-dollar defamation suit brought by Smartmatic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smartmatic became something of a household name in 2020, after Fox News falsely reported that the company, along with Dominion Voting Systems, helped rig the 2020 election against President Trump. At the time, Dominion machines were used in about two dozen states, while Smartmatic was used only in L.A. County. Dominion filed a defamation suit against Fox, which the media company settled for $787.5 million. Smartmatic filed a similar suit in 2021 asking for $2.7 billion. As part of its defense, Fox News lawyers have zeroed in on the relationship between Logan and Smartmatic and argue the county is holding back crucial records. Fox News declined to elaborate on the allegations made in the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Logan said in a statement that the county was being used as a pawn in both the civil lawsuit and federal corruption case and said the voluminous records the country released "refute the salacious allegations. The federal criminal case against Smartmatic executives began under the Biden administration with charges brought in August 2024. The Trump administration put a pause on most foreign bribery cases after he took office the second time but allowed the charges against executives of Smartmatic a target of the presidents allies to continue. The records the county has released to Fox, included by the media company as exhibits in the civil public records lawsuit, do not show any evidence of voter fraud espoused on air by the networks guests in 2020. But they do put a spotlight on a local issue: the countys top election official not disclosing gifts he received from a contractor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texts show Logan and Murphy, who is listed as Smartmatics top point of contact in the countys contract documents, enjoyed a close relationship. The men regularly met for meals and coordinated a two-week trip to Taiwan and the Maldives in July 2019, which Logans wife, Winnie, joined. Murphy texted Logan hed gotten the ticket price for Winnie down from $5,985 to $5,060, according to messages included in Fox's lawsuit. Logan paid for her airfare, according to a spokesperson for the department. The trip kicked off in the Maldives, where Logan went for a three-day symposium on electoral affairs. Smartmatic's Murphy presented at the same conference on the companys work in the Philippines. I will perhaps try to move us so were at the same place as you, Murphy texted on June 19, 2019, as the two coordinated hotel plans for the Maldives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If not, we will just catch a boat or Jet Ski over to crash your festivities. LOL, responded Logan. Murphy, who left Smartmatic last year, said the allegations by Fox were consistent with the networks long history of spreading misinformation and promoting conspiracy theories and that he had dedicated his career to ensuring fair elections around the world. I am extremely proud of the work that I did with Los Angeles County and I stand firmly by my record, Murphy said in an email. I maintain without question that every aspect of my work with Los Angeles County elections and voting equipment was fully legal, transparent, and above board. The Maldives symposium was hosted by the London-based International Centre for Parliamentary Studies , a good governance group that worked closely with Smartmatic and featured the companys election systems and executives regularly at its international election events. The center gave Logan an award for his election work in 2017 and a lifetime achievement award in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Logan then headed to Taiwan to view Smartmatic voting equipment on a trip fully covered by the company. A spokesperson for the county registrar-recorder said the trip to Taiwan was so Logan could approve the manufacturing process for the voting equipment, which was required under the contract. Janice Hahn, who chaired the Board of Supervisors at the time, approved the trip, but Logan did not put the travel on his annual disclosure form, according to county records included in the Fox lawsuit. "We have always trusted Dean Logan to run fair and efficient elections," Hahn said in a statement. "These allegations are serious and we will be reviewing them carefully." The International Centre for Parliamentary Studies covered the hotel and airfare for the Maldives, Logan told Hahn in a June 2019 letter requesting permission for the trip. The cost of the trip to Taiwan, which included business class airfare, lodging and meals, was included as part of the contract, he said. The Smartmatic contract, reviewed by The Times, makes no mention of funding for an international trip. Sanchez, the spokesperson for the registrar-recorder, referred The Times to the record retention section of the agreement, which states the county shall have access to and the right to examine any pertinent transaction, activity, or record relating to this Contract. Sanchez said that part of the contract, common to most county agreements, encompasses "the right to travel" to view the machines' design. The L.A. County contract was a hugely important win for Smartmatic, which was popular in Latin America but struggled to gain a foothold in the U.S. That changed in 2018, when supervisors voted unanimously to award the contract to Smartmatic to build voting machines and administer elections starting in 2020. Supervisor Kathryn Barger, one of three current supervisors who were on the board at the time, said she's watching the federal case closely to make sure the county's "contracting processes uphold the highest ethical standards." "I want to be clear: any misconduct or fraud against the county is unacceptable," she said in a statement. "I will continue to closely monitor developments in this case to ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected." Only one other company CGI bid on the contract. Smartmatic was the top ranked, highest scored proposal, and Logan recommended the supervisors give Smartmatic the contract, according to county records. The contract with the county which is estimated to be home to about 3% of the nations voting population marked a spectacular entry into the U.S. market, according to a report by Verified Voting, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on election technology. Smartmatic opened a California office and began hiring. When it came time for the big day, though, the systems faltered. Glitches led to hourlong lines during the 2020 election, and many of the touch-screen machines had to be replaced. The problems were so significant that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) asked a federal judge to extend voting in the county by two hours. Logan apologized for the challenging day, and Hahn asked for an investigation into what went wrong. Despite the glitches, the county continued working closely with Smartmatic and used the company to administer the 2024 presidential election. Smartmatic brought delegations from the Dominican Republic, Republic of Georgia, Republic of Albania, Indonesia and several Latin American countries to show off its work in L.A., and Logan would write recommendations to election officials in other countries when Smartmatic asked, he said in a deposition. In September 2023, news broke that the federal government was investigating Smartmatic. Pinate, one of the three executives who was eventually indicted, flew to L.A. to reassure Logan over a meal at Wallys Beverly Hills, an upscale restaurant known for fine wine. He essentially asserted that the allegations are false, Logan recounted in a December 2023 deposition. They dont have a relationship to the work in L.A. County. 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. ANNAPOLIS Gov. Wes Moore Tuesday said the state formally appealed President Donald Trumps denial of a request for a major disaster declaration in response to a flood that devastated parts of Western Maryland in May. The Federal Emergency Management Agency in a July 22 letter rejected Marylands request for the assistance. Since the presidents denial, FEMA validated an additional $17.9 million in damages, raising total estimated damages to $33.7 million, which is nearly three times the states federal threshold for assistance, according to the governors office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maryland has met long-standing criteria for FEMA support in the wake of historic floods across Mountain Maryland, Moore said via press release. This appeal isnt simply justified, its necessary, he said. I have stood shoulder to shoulder with Marylanders in Allegany and Garrett counties, who are still recovering from an unthinkable catastrophe. They are calling on us to support them in this hour of need, and thats exactly what we will continue to do. In the days following the flood, Allegany and Garrett counties conducted joint preliminary damage assessments in coordination with the Maryland Department of Emergency Management and FEMA, the release said. Maryland requested the president issue a major disaster declaration and public assistance funding after meeting the FEMA- established assistance thresholds, and the intensive process validated damages to critical and public infrastructure eligible for public assistance funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Historically, if the joint damage assessment process demonstrates eligible costs over and above the county and state indicator, disaster assistance has been awarded by the president, the release stated, adding that Allegany Countys threshold for FEMA public assistance is $321,460 and Marylands is $11,674,953. MDEM Secretary Russell Strickland said the department has worked closely with Allegany and Garrett counties to document flood-related damages. We will continue to pursue all possible assistance for the impacted communities to support their recovery, he said via the release. In June, Moore announced the first-ever use of the State Disaster Recovery Fund that provided $459,375 to support people impacted by the flood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, the governor announced an additional $1 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds for families in Garrett and Allegany counties. FEMA public assistance is only available through a major disaster declaration issued by the president, according to Moores office. The program would provide funding for Garrett and Allegany counties for repair of critical and public infrastructure such as public water and sewage systems, roads and bridges. Maryland also requested access to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program that provides funding to reduce risk of impacts from similar events in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some local public officials commented on the situation via the press release. Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton asked FEMA to reconsider its decision and provide necessary aid that the residents of Westernport and neighboring towns need to fully recover from the devastating floods of May 2025, she said. State Sen. Mike McKay said Marylands appeal of the FEMA denial concerning the Georges Creek Flood marks an important milestone for Allegany County. Working hand-in-glove with Governor Moores emergency management team, the process has been seamless and focused on delivering results for our community, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allegany County Commission President Dave Caporale said the county lacks financial capacity to absorb the full cost of disaster recovery. Without federal aid, essential systems will remain at risk, he said. This is not simply a matter of convenience, Caporale said. These are lifelines for public safety, commerce, and the daily functioning of our community. MOORESVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A Mooresville-area pet resort and spa is facing a nearly $2,000 fine from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture just weeks after one of its employees was charged with felony animal cruelty. Authorities said Classy Critters Pet Resort and Spa violated multiple rules related to the care and treatment of animals at licensed facilities. PREVIOUS: Former Mooresville pet spa employee accused of disturbing behavior charged with animal abuse Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The notice, sent to owner Pam Byars, details several breaches of the NC Administrative Code and gives the business 60 days to either pay the $1,900 fine or appeal the penalty. This comes following an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriffs Office. In July, detectives were notified of a video showing a groomer repeatedly striking dogs during grooming sessions. State shuts down Charlotte pet store over serious animal welfare violations That groomer, identified as 28-year-old Kirsten Rhea Taylor of Mooresville, was arrested and charged with four counts of felony animal cruelty. The video, reportedly filmed by a concerned coworker, involved multiple dogs that were clients of the business. Investigators said more charges could be filed as the investigation continues. Photo: Kirsten Rhea Taylor (Iredell County Sheriffs Office) Following public outrage and the release of the video, Byars issued a statement on social media, calling the abuse totally unacceptable and confirmed that the employee was fired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is asked to call the Iredell County Sheriffs Office at 704-878-3180. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM Crime & Public Safety Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. SANTA YSABEL, Calif. (FOX5/KUSI) The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel (INSY) on Tuesday announced 1,107 acres of land in the San Fellipe Valley is being returned to them. The acquisition is being funded by the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) to support Indigenous led conservation in biologically diverse areas across the state. The return of these 1,107 acres of Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel ancestral land is more than a restoration of territory, it is a restoration of identity, responsibility, and healing, INSY Chairman Kevin Osuna said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency awarded $100 million to tribal related solutions to environmental issues across California. This is in accordance with Californias 3030 initiative which aims to conserve 30% of costal water and land by 2030. Through the CNRA 3030 initiative, we honor our ancestors by reaffirming our sacred relationship to the land, Osuna said. Diverse habitats can be found throughout the San Fellipe Valley such as desert riparian woodland, chaparral, oak woodland, native grassland and more, according to the CNRA. This extraordinary landscape will now be protected and cared for through Indigenous knowledge and leadership, advancing biodiversity conservation and climate resilience across the San Felipe Valley, CRNA Deputy Secretary for Tribal Affairs Geneva E.B. Thompson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The INSY plans to create the Ewiinally Traditional Ecological Knowledge Center to serve as an educational resource for the public. There will also be a conservation management plan to help protect the area. There will be an upcoming land return ceremony in August to acknowledge this achievement. This is a profound step forward for our people, and a powerful example of how true stewardship and Indigenous leadership can shape a more just and sustainable future, Osuna said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. NEED TO KNOW A bus crash in Afghanistan has killed at least 75 people, including 17 children, who were being sent back from nearby Iran, a local official said The bus was on its way to Kabul in Afghanistan when it crashed into a motorbike and a car "The car was carrying fuel and it caught fire after a head-on collision with the bus, fully loaded with passengers, an Afghan government authority said A bus crash in Afghanistan has killed at least 75 people including 17 children who were being sent back from nearby Iran, a local official said. The incident occurred in the Herat province on Tuesday, Aug. 19, when a bus on its way to Kabul crashed into a motorbike and a car, Afghan government authority Ahmadullah Muttaqi said, according to NBC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's not clear who was at fault, but everyone aboard the bus died, along with two others who were involved in the incident. The car was carrying fuel and it caught fire after a head-on collision with the bus, fully loaded with passengers, Muttaqi said, according to the outlet. The bus also caught fire and the majority of people on the bus died of burn injuries. On Wednesday, Aug. 20, the Taliban said it had arrested the leader of the transportation business involved in the crash, according to CBS News. Iranian authorities have recently sent back almost 1.8 million Afghan citizens, accusing them of staying in the country illegally, the Associated Press reports. Pakistan and Turkey are implementing similar deportation measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These Afghan refugees were returning home after spending a long time in Iran, but they could not reach their destination as their bus met with a tragic accident, Muttaqi said, according to NBC News. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Both Iran and Pakistan began cracking down in October 2023 on people they said were living in the countries illegally. NBC News reported that many of the people who have been sent back to Afghanistan have been living outside of the country for decades. Since the beginning of 2025, more than two million people have returned to Afghanistan after living in Iran and Pakistan, U.N. human rights officials said, according to NBC News. While both countries deny targeting Afghans in deportation efforts, experts allege many Afghan migrants have returned home after being forced to do so, or after being intimidated, harassed or threatened. Read the original article on People In the aftermath of the killing of two police officers in Tremonton, emotions are raw among those who loved and worked with the law enforcement officials. We are living every cops worst nightmare, make no mistake on that, said Dustin Cordova, chief of the Tremonton-Garland Police Department, where the two officers Sgt. Lee Sorensen and officer Eric Estrada worked. He takes a measure of solace knowing that without their presence at the deadly scene outside a Tremonton home, things could have been worse. Officer Eric Estrada, left, and Sgt. Lee Sorensen, killed while responding to a domestic violence call on Sunday in Tremonton. | Tremonton-Garland Police Department Knowing what happened, knowing the information, I can say unequivocally that Eric and Lee are heroes. ... I truly believe from the bottom of my heart more people would have died that night had they not intervened, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Likewise, Box Elder Sheriff Kevin Potter and chief deputy Cade Palmer lauded the efforts of deputy Mike Allred, injured in the incident along with a police dog, though both are expected to recover. Allred suffered a gunshot wound following the killings of Sorensen and Estrada and, after taking cover, directed other responding officers to the scene. They were coming in the wrong way. He was able to redirect them so they didnt come right into the line of fire, Palmer said. The heroics notwithstanding, its hard. Cordova, Potter and the mayors of Tremonton and Garland addressed the media Tuesday, expressing the communitys sadness and other swirling sentiments over Sundays tragic events. Sorensen, 56, and Estrada, 31, died Sunday while responding to a domestic violence call at a Tremonton home, gunned down, authorities say, by Ryan Michael Bate, 32. Allred and the police dog that was injured trailed behind the first two officers. Box Elder County sheriff's deputy Mike Allred and his K-9 Azula were both shot and injured Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, while investigating a domestic violence call in Tremonton. Two other police officers were shot and killed. | Utah Department of Public Safety Our hearts are broken and our deepest love and prayers are for the families, their friends and fellow law enforcement, said Tremonton Mayor Lyle Holmgren. These officers served our community with courage, dedication, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garland Mayor Linda Bourne said the community mourns with the two officers families and friends. No words can ease the pain of such a loss, but I want their loved ones to know that they do not grieve alone. We mourn with you. We honor their sacrifice and we will never forget them. Blue ribbons were tied around many trees and poles throughout Tremonton on Tuesday and tributes to them filled the lawn around the Tremonton-Garland Police Department. Never forget Sgt Sorensen & Ofc Estrada, read one sign. Rest easy, read another. Aside from honoring Sorensen, Estrada and Allred, Bourne sent a message to the broader Tremonton-Garland Police Department. To the members of our police department, please know that our community stands with you. We recognize the risk you take every day to keep us safe, and were forever grateful for your service. Signs remembering Sgt. Lee Sorensen and officer Eric Estrada are posted outside the Tremonton-Garland Police Department on Tuesday, following their deaths at the hands of a gunman. | Tim Vandenack, KSL.com Cordova, meantime, expressed thanks at the outpouring of support from across the state in response to Sundays incident. People lined roadways around Utah to view the procession escorting the bodies of Sorensen and Estrada to the medical examiners office and then back home to northern Utah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The community gives us great strength, seeing the thousands of people line the roads holding flags to support us, to show us that they care, he said. Madison Peterson, Sorensens niece, also spoke at Tuesdays press conference, praising the showing of support from around the state and remembering her uncle. One thing about Lee is he was community driven, she said. His favorite quote was, There is no higher honor than human service ... To work for the common good is the greatest deed. Thats Lee through and through, not only when he was here working but on his personal time. A representative from the Estrada family didnt speak as they wrestle with the tragedy, according to Cordova. They just need time to grieve, and we need to respect that, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a written statement late Tuesday, Eric Estradas wife Brittney Estrada said: Everything feels surreal at the moment, but we are so proud of Eric and Lee for their sacrifice. We are so thankful for the time we had with Eric. I know hes in heaven smiling down, she said. While blue ribbons adorned trees and other fixtures around Tremonton, reps from the Ogden-based Weber Fraternal Order of Police were on hand outside the Tremonton-Garland Police Department offering support and snacks. Darick Fisher, president of the organization and an Ogden police sergeant, said the presence stemmed from the tight bonds within the law enforcement community. Its just a community of people who understand whats going on, he said. A vigil was held later Tuesday to remember the officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, neighbors who live around the home where Sundays incident occurred were clearing the lawn of overgrowth. They had received permission from the woman who lives there. Its been hard to process the reality, said Tiffany Taylor, one of the neighbors assisting with the effort. Sundays killings occurred as officers responded to several 911 hang-up calls from the neighborhood. Before police arrived, Bate had assaulted his wife by slamming her head into a door frame, the affidavit in the mans case reads. He was booked into the Weber County Jail for investigation of two counts of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and assault. More Texas House Democrats spent the night at the state Capitol in Austin in support of Rep. Nicole Collier, who wasnt allowed to leave the building after she refused to consent to a police escort. Texas House Republican leaders would only allow Democratic lawmakers to return to their homes if they signed waivers allowing law enforcement to shadow them until a vote on redistricting Wednesday. Collier refused and was barred from exiting the Capitol as a result. She spent Monday evening camped out on the House floor, and was accompanied by House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu and Rep. Vince Perez that evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic lawmakers numbers multiplied on Tuesday, with others including state Reps. Penny Morales Shaw, Cassandra Garcia Hernandez, Mihaela Plesa and Rhetta Andrews Bowers joining the effort in protest. Whos ready to tear up this slip?, Plesa said just outside the House chamber, while ripping up the form she had previously signed for her own police escort. Democrats demonstration follows their prior efforts to flee the state and prevent Texas House Republicans from reaching the quorum they needed to approve a redistricting measure that will likely result in five new Republican members of Congress. Related: GOP Congresswoman Hits Back After Critics Come At Her For Tip They Say Was Too Low A vote on the redistricting plan is now set to take place on Wednesday, with Texas Democrats protest spurring a counter from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is now pushing his own redistricting proposal to increase the states number of Democratic districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are being subjected to extreme and unnecessary measures, Bowers said about Texas Republicans use of police. Taxpayer dollars should not be wasted following elected officials around like criminals. Collier also shared in an interview with CNNs Dana Bash that former Vice President Kamala Harris had called to express her support for the Democrats efforts. She said, Keep going. She said, Dont give up. Stand strong. Stand tall, and dont back down, Collier said. Related... Read the original on HuffPost KAMPALA (Reuters) -A senior Ugandan official denied on Wednesday a U.S. media report that the country had agreed to take in people deported from the United States, saying it lacked the facilities to accommodate them. Citing internal U.S. government documents, CBS News reported on Tuesday that Washington had reached deportation deals with Uganda and Honduras as part of its drive to step up expulsions of migrants to countries where they do not have citizenship. "To the best of my knowledge we have not reached such an agreement," Okello Oryem, state minister for foreign affairs, told Reuters by text message. "We do not have the facilities and infrastructure to accommodate such illegal immigrants in Uganda." Honduras's government did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comments on the report. President Donald Trump aims to deport millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally and his administration has sought to increase removals to third countries, including by sending convicted criminals to South Sudan and Eswatini. The CBS report said the agreements with Uganda and Honduras were based on a provision of U.S. immigration law that allows people seeking asylum to be rerouted to third countries if the U.S. government determines those nations can fairly hear their claims. Uganda, a U.S. ally in East Africa, also hosts nearly two million refugees and asylum-seekers, who mostly come from countries in the region such as Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan. (Reporting by Elias Briyabarema; Additional reporting by Joan Humberto Suazo in Tegucigalpa; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Gareth Jones) MORRIS COUNTY, Texas (KETK) Morris County is now under a burn ban, effective as of Wednesday morning, due to dry weather conditions that could lead to wildfires. AFFIDAVIT: Bookkeeper arrested for embezzling $67K from East Texas business The emergency order prohibits all outdoor fires, including those contained in barrels or hoppers, for the next seven days. Covered and attended grills, barbeques, and smokers used for cooking are allowed, but open grills, barbeques, and smokers are prohibited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County officials implemented the burn ban after assessing the current dry weather conditions, which pose a significant risk for wildfires. Residents are urged to comply with the ban to prevent potential fire hazards. Violating the burn ban can result in a Class C misdemeanor and a fine of up to $500. You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. WOODBURY, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) Vermont State Police said that they had made an arrest two months after a woman from Hardwick was found dead on the side of Vermont Route 14. Michael A. Williams, 60, of Morrisville, is facing second-degree murder and other charges. State investigators determined that Tina Daigle, 38, was killed in Caledonia County on June 19 before her body was driven to Woodbury and left at a roadside pulloff. Michael A. Williams, 60, of Morrisville, Vermont, is seen in this mug shot taken by the Vermont State Police on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. Williams was ordered held without bail and will be arraigned Wednesday. No other details are available at this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. Russian operatives are using new tactics to expand Moscows reach in Africa, two years after the death of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. An investigation led by RFI and the monitoring group All Eyes on Wagner shows influence campaigns remain active from Angola to Chad. The findings, published with All Eyes on Wagner, reveal how Russia is reshaping its methods while keeping a strong presence across the continent. On 7 August, two Russian nationals were arrested in the Angolan capital Luanda after violent protests over soaring fuel prices. They face charges including criminal conspiracy, document forgery, terrorism and terror financing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Angolan authorities said the pair had set up a network of propaganda and disinformation designed to stir unrest and bankroll the demonstrations. The arrests shed light on Moscows evolving toolkit in Africa. One of the men, Lev Lakshtanov, is accused of masterminding the operation, RFI journalist Carol Valade said. Death toll rises in Angola after protests and looting over fuel hike Operative in 'cultural diplomacy' At 64, Lakshtanov has a long track record in the world of Russian soft power. He founded Farol, a cultural NGO for Portuguese-speaking countries, backed by Rossotrudnichestvo the state agency for cultural diplomacy created under former president Dmitry Medvedev. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plans were under way to open a Russian cultural centre in Luanda this year. After spending time in Brazil, Lakshtanov wound up his activities in Russia around the time of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He later appeared in the United Arab Emirates before quietly settling in Angola on a tourist visa. With his associate Igor Racthin, he moved into Luandas Gamek district. The pair posed as journalists, sought contacts with opposition figures, and reached out to Buka Tanda, a Russian speaker and senior member of the youth wing of UNITA, Angolas main opposition party. They told Tanda they were preparing a documentary and wanted to set up a cultural centre. He introduced them to his cousin, a journalist at state TV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon the group was running paid interviews with politicians and commissioning opinion polls on perceptions of Russia until their arrest on charges of orchestrating fuel protests. Former Wagner media operative lifts the lid on Russian disinformation in CAR Echoes of Chad The case mirrors events in Chad a year earlier. In September 2024, three Russians and a Belarusian were arrested in NDjamena. Among them were Maksim Shugaley and Samir Seyfan, both long linked to Wagners African influence operations. The group posed as investors, rented property, cultivated political contacts and recruited Russian-speaking Chadians. Two presented themselves as journalists, offering training and funding to reporters then asking them to publish pro-Russian articles for cash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were detained during the inauguration of a Russian cultural centre in the capital, also set up under Rossotrudnichestvo. Wagner replaced in Mali by Africa Corps, another Russian military group From Wagner to Africa Corps These cases show how Moscows strategy has shifted. They are now more discreet but busier than ever, expanding and becoming increasingly professional, said Lou Osborn, of All Eyes on Wagner. The operations now run under the umbrella of the African Initiative, closely linked to Africa Corps the Kremlins new command structure bringing Wagners former military assets under state control. A wider network of private actors and consultants, many tied to Wagner or Russian intelligence in the past, is also active. Angolan police and Western officials refer to this circle as Africa Politology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The findings come five years after the 18 August 2020 coup in Mali, which ended decades of French influence and brought the country into Russias orbit. Since then, Wagners troops in Mali have been replaced by Africa Corps, while Moscow has signed multiple trade and nuclear energy deals with Bamako. The Florida Department of Health has issued a warning after detecting increased mosquito-borne illness activity in Duval County. The advisory was announced Wednesday after several local sentinel chickens tested positive for West Nile virus. While approximately 80% of West Nile virus infections are asymptomatic, according to the FDOH, people that do develop symptoms typically present with headaches and fever between two to fourteen days after being bitten. Officials say less than 1% of infected people develop neuroinvasive West Nile virus, which can result in neurological damage or death. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Other known mosquito-borne illnesses include eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, dengue and Zika virus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Health officials urge Jacksonville residents to take continued precautions against mosquito bites to prevent virus contraction. That includes draining standing water where the insects like to breed, using screens to prevent mosquito entry into homes, and covering skin with either clothing or bug repellent while outside. So far this year, one human infection of West Nile virus was reported in Florida, in Clay County. It was reported in the week of August 10-16, the same time a duck was found with antibodies in Duval County. Five asymptomatic blood donors have also tested positive, according to the FDOHs latest weekly report. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] By Patricia Zengerle and Jason Lange WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A 58% majority of Americans believe that every country in the United Nations should recognize Palestine as a nation, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, as Israel and Hamas considered a possible truce in the nearly two-year-long Gaza war. Some 33% of respondents did not agree that U.N. members should recognize a Palestinian state and 9% did not answer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The six-day poll, which closed on Monday, found a pronounced partisan divide on the issue, with 78% of Democrats supporting the idea, far more than the 41% of President Donald Trump's Republicans who agreed. A narrow 53% majority of Republicans did not agree that all U.N. member nations should recognize a Palestinian state. Israel has long counted on the U.S., its most powerful ally, for billions of dollars a year in military aid and international diplomatic support. An erosion of U.S. public support would be a worrisome sign for Israel as it faces not only Hamas militants in Gaza but unresolved conflict with Iran, its regional arch-foe. A widely condemned Israeli settlement plan that would cut across occupied West Bank land which the Palestinians seek for a state received final approval on Wednesday, according to an Israeli government statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The poll was taken within weeks of three countries, close U.S. allies Canada, Britain and France, announcing they intend to recognize a Palestinian state. This ratcheted up pressure on Israel as starvation spreads in Gaza. The survey was taken amid hopes that Israel and Hamas would agree on a ceasefire to provide a break in the fighting, free some hostages and ease shipments of humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip. Britain, Canada, Australia and several of their European allies said last week that the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn Palestinian enclave has reached "unimaginable levels," as aid groups warned that Gazans are on the verge of famine. The United Nations human rights office said on Tuesday Israel was not letting enough supplies into the Gaza Strip to avert widespread starvation. Israel has denied responsibility for hunger in Gaza, accusing Hamas of stealing aid shipments, which Hamas denies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUPPORT FOR FIGHTING STARVATION Some 65% of the Reuters/Ipsos poll respondents said the U.S. should take action in Gaza to help people facing starvation, with 28% disagreeing. The number disagreeing included 41% of Republicans. Trump and many of his fellow Republicans take an "America First" approach to international relations, backing steep cuts to the country's international food and medical assistance programs in the belief that U.S. funds should assist Americans, not those outside its borders. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, plunged Gaza into humanitarian crisis and displaced most of its population, according to Gaza health authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Reuters/Ipsos poll also showed that 59% of Americans believe Israel's military response in Gaza has been excessive. Thirty-three percent of respondents disagreed. In a similar Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in February 2024, 53% of respondents agreed that Israel's response had been excessive, and 42% disagreed. Officials at the Israeli embassy in Washington and mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the poll. The latest Reuters/Ipsos survey, conducted online, gathered responses from 4,446 U.S. adults nationwide and had a margin of error of about 2 percentage points. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Jason Lange; editing by Scott Malone, Cynthia Osterman and Mark Heinrich) SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) The National Weather Service (NWS) has posted what the weather will be like on Aug. 20th for the area. The forecast for San Angelo is 96 F, and it is predicted that in the second half of the day it will be partly cloudy with isolated to scattered storms and thunderstorms according to the NWS website. The wind is traveling East to Northeast at speeds of 5 mph to 10 mph stated a graphic on the NWS website. Storms will be most likely from late this morning through the afternoon into early evening, said KLST-TVs Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner. Be sure to have a way to receive weather alerts today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NWS posted this graphic on their website: There is a marginal risk for excessive rainfall across most of the Concho Valley region. It is predicted that there will be scattered storms and thunderstorms that will develop due to a weak frontal boundary and an upper-level disturbances making its way to the area according to a graphic on the NWS website. NWS warns that any storms that develop could produce locally heavy rain that may result in flooding. They also warned about never driving on water covered roadways and never try to walk through flowing flooding waters. NWS posted this graphic on their website: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com. The Brief A mother and her 6-year-old daughter from Queens were deported by ICE, according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Both were sent to a detention facility in Texas "a short time ago," and were deported to a "foreign" country earlier today, August 19. Four New York City public school students have been detained by ICE as of today. JACKSON HEIGHTS - A mother and her 6-year-old daughter from Queens were deported to Ecuador by ICE, according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Mother and daughter from Queens deported What we know The mother and her daughter were previously residents of Jackson Heights, Queens, according to the governor. A six-year-old girl and her mother from Jackson Heights were deported today. That's Trump's "worst of the worst." That's his America. pic.twitter.com/BsanHuc4Hz Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) August 19, 2025 Both were sent to a detention facility in Texas "a short time ago," and were deported to a "foreign" country earlier today, August 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The young girl was a student of the Jose Peralta School of DREAMers in Elmshurst, Queens, according to Assemblymember Catalina Cruz and Councilmember Shekar Krishan. Cruz and Krishan also specified that the pair were deported to Ecuador. "I say to those who did this, Where is your humanity?" Hochul said in the video she posted to X earlier today. What they're saying Cruz and Krishan issued a statement on the matter earlier today: "Since alerted to this family's separation late last week, our offices have been fighting tirelessly to keep them together and in New York. We have been speaking and working directly with their legal counsel, the Department of Education, community organizations, and government agencies." NYC deportations Dig deeper Four New York City public school students have been detained by ICE as of today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last student to be detained was Mamadou Mouctar Diallo on August 13. New York City has been a subject of attention for the Trump administration, with the Department of Justice recently citing the city as a "sanctuary jurisdiction." The Source This article includes information from a post made by New York Governor Kathy Hochul. As unsettling new details continue to emerge in the case of a missing 7-month-old boy from San Bernardino County, KTLA has confirmed the babys mother has a convicted murderer in the family. Authorities in both San Bernardino and Riverside counties launched an extensive search on Aug. 14 after Rebecca and Jake Haro said their little boy was kidnapped from a parking lot of a Yucaipa Big 5 Sporting Goods store after a stranger reportedly knocked Rebecca unconscious, leaving her with a black eye. Arizona woman beaten unconscious by man at sold-out Rose Bowl concert Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An AMBER Alert was never issued because there were no suspect or vehicle descriptions and despite the sheriffs departments deploying helicopters and K-9 teams in the search for Emmanuel, neither the child nor a suspect was located. In the days following the alleged kidnapping, new revelations emerged, including that the couple was being uncooperative with investigators from the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, that video of Rebecca with a black eye on Aug. 3 may exist, that officials removed the couples 2-year-old from their custody and that Jake Haro has a previous felony conviction for willful child cruelty. Investigators have since turned their attention to the parents, using cadaver dogs during a search of the familys Cabazon home and seizing Jakes vehicle, along with cellphones and other electronics to preserve and process any potential evidence. James Beushausen is currently serving 50- years to life in prison for the murder of Jaylynn Amanda Keith, 27, in Palm Springs on March 15, 2017. (Palm Springs PD) Emmanuel Haro, a missing 7-month-old baby from Yucaipa, is seen in an image provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. San Bernardino County Sheriffs investigators seen on the Haros Cabazon property on Aug. 18, 2025. (KTLA) San Bernardino County Sheriffs investigators seen on the Haros Cabazon property on Aug. 18, 2025. (KTLA) Rebecca and Jake Haro are pleading for the publics help as they search for their missing 7-month-old baby in Yucaipa. (KTLA) Emmanuel Haro was last seen on the 34000 block of Yucaipa Boulevard in Yucaipa before he went missing in a suspected kidnapping on Aug. 14, 2025. (KTLA) It has now emerged that Rebeccas brother, James Beushausen, was convicted of murdering his girlfriend in their Palm Springs apartment and staging it as a suicide, according to a source with knowledge of the family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brutal killing, according to reporting from the Desert Sun, unfolded on March 15, 2017. Jaylynn Amanda Keith, 27, was found in the bathtub of the couples apartment with a single gunshot wound to the head. Beushausen, described by prosecutors during the trial as a gun enthusiast, struggled with alcoholism that led to rehab stints and relationship problems with Keith. The 27-year-old woman was reportedly at a breaking point with his drinking, telling family members a day prior to her murder that she was going to leave the then 35-year-old. Prosecutors also said Keith grew scared at one point when Beushausen took a pistol from his gun safe, prompting her to later hide the keys to the safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators alleged and the jury believed that on the night she was murdered, Beushausen knocked her out, put her in the bathtub and shot her in the head while using the shower curtain to shield himself from blood spatter. He then told a 911 dispatcher and responding emergency personnel that he had been sleeping when his girlfriend took her own life in the bathroom. Detectives found a head wound independent of the gunshot that suggested Keith had been assaulted and her death had been staged to look like suicide. As the investigation continued, Beushausen quit his job and moved to McAllen, Texas, where he was arrested on Oct. 18 in a shopping center parking lot by investigators from Palm Springs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly a year later, in October 2018, he was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for Keiths murder. While Emmanuel remains missing nearly a week after the alleged kidnapping, Vincent Hughes, the Haros attorney, insists his clients are innocent, telling KTLA the couple has been pleading for information and updates and providing whatever information they have. The lawyer also said law enforcement has made few attempts at searching for the baby outside searching the Haros Cabazon property and the locations the couple told investigators they had been to. They dont care what anyone thinks about them, Hughes added. They just want the child to be found. They want him home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KTLAs Sara Welch 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 KTLA. ROCKFORD, Ill. Rockford Public Schools District #205 is facing a civil lawsuit after a special education teacher was accused of attacking a non-verbal student who is diagnosed with autism. The 7-year-old was enrolled in the PLUS Program at Rolling Green Elementary School. The lawsuit alleges, Special Education Teacher Dawn Gillis physically assaulted the boy on November 7, 2024. Gillis was arrested by Rockford Police and charged with battery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gillis held down the boy and kicked him, according to court records. She also asked the child, How would you like it if I kicked you? when the victim was kicking his feet, authorities reported. Three different paraprofessionals reported Gillis to the schools principal, Amy Powell, for having a verbal tone toward the 7-year-old, court documents show. The lawsuit names Gillis, as well as District 205, Special Education Administrator Brett Vosburgh, and Powell. The counts in the complaint include willful and wonton conduct, negligent infliction of emotional distress and others. Since the incident at Rolling Green Elementary on November 7, 2024, we have observed a significant decline in our childs emotional well-being and behavior. Initially, our child exhibited severe anger, withdrawal, and agitation. The loss of the routine and safety they once enjoyed has left our child feeling distressed and, presumably, reluctant to attend school, a stark contrast to their previous excitement. Following this event, my child was denied access to education and the subsequent struggles with the school district regarding their re-entry to school have been marked by repeated violations of our childs rights, as confirmed by the Illinois State Board of Education, stated the mother of the student. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rockford Public Schools told us, The district doesnt comment on confidential student matters. Further, the district doesnt comment on anticipated or pending litigation. Gillis has a court date regarding the battery charges on September 4th at the Winnebago County Courthouse. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. Police believe this CCTV footage captured Tom Phillips with one of his children in Piopio, in the Waitomo region - New Zealand Police The family of a fugitive father who disappeared into the New Zealand wilderness with his three young children almost four years ago has broken their silence to urge him to come home. Police have been looking for Tom Phillips since he took Ember, Maverick and Jayda, now nine, 10 and 12 respectively, from their family home in December 2021, apparently over a custody battle. They were spotted last October for the first time since vanishing when a group of teenagers saw them trekking through remote farmland on North Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the first time since they vanished, Mr Phillips family have directly appealed to him, with his mother, Julia, saying: Every day I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you all come home. The Phillips children Ember, left, Maverick and Jayda who have been missing since December 2021 - Paddy Gower Has Issues/New Zealand On Air In a handwritten letter, she said: Tom I feel really sad that you thought you had to do this. Not considering how much we love you and can support you. It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you and see some of your stuff that is still here. Thinking what could have been if you had not gone away. Jayda, Maverick, Ember I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every day I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you will come home. As part of his school education, Tom Phillips spent six months on an outdoor survival skills programme - Paddy Gower Has Issues/New Zealand On Air The children have been missing since December 2021 three years and eight months. That means they are coming to the end of their fourth winter in the bush and in all that time, his parents and wider family have all refused to give interviews. Theres a lot of love and theres a lot of support, and were ready to help you walk through what you need to walk through, his sister, Rozzi Phillips, told New Zealand news site Stuff. I miss you, and I miss being part of your life, and I really want to see you and the kids and be part of your lives again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Phillips told New Zealand journalist Paddy Gower her brother was a capable builder who she believed would have built a hut or nest in the bush as shelter. I dont believe that he would have the children suffering, she told Stuff. Tom Phillips sister, Rozzi, has broken the familys silence, hoping it will help them be reunited with Phillips and the children - Paddy Gower Has Issues She said that in their childhood, they regularly went hunting with their father. As a student, Mr Phillips boarded at the exclusive private St Pauls Collegiate School in Hamilton and part of his education involved a six-month outdoor survival skills programme at Tihoi near Lake Taupo. She also said she wanted to send a direct message to her nieces and nephew. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im proud to be your auntie. I took a lot of joy in being a part of your lives. Youre important to me and our wider family and Id love to see you again and be part of your lives again and know for myself that all is truly well in your world. Mr Phillips and his children have been missing since December 2021 and their disappearance was reported to New Zealand police the following month. In June 2024, police offered an $80,000 (37,200) reward for information that led to the location and safe return of the children. The most recent confirmed sighting was in October 2024. They were spotted close to Marokopa, a remote community surrounded by bush on the west coast of the North Island, about halfway between Auckland and New Plymouth. The letter written by Tom Phillips mother, Julia, has penned to her fugitive son - Paddy Gower Has Issues The teenagers who spotted the family reported that Mr Phillips had been carrying a gun and had a long beard while the children were masked and carrying their own packs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police described the sighting as credible. That prompted an unsuccessful three-day search involving police and army helicopters. Last year, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Mr Phillips over his suspected involvement in a bank robbery in Te Kuiti, a small town on the North Island. Police said he had an accomplice during the alleged incident and cautioned the public against approaching him as he was probably armed. They also say they believe Mr Phillips is being helped by other parties. 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. Many a story about wild escapades begins with the headline "Florida Man," but this one is a little different; it's the lesser-known category of "Florida coyote." An intrepid little critter pulled off a quite miraculous escape from certain death in Southwest Florida when it was hit by a car. Rather than becoming another sorry statistic of roadkill in the Sunshine State, the coyote was instead trapped in the front bumper of the vehicle. As Need to Know reported, it somehow survived and is expected to make a full recovery. The Sheriff's Office also posted some photos from the rescue on Facebook. Photo Credit: Facebook Emergency responders from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and staff from the Wildlife Center of Southwest Florida Rescue and Transport arrived at the scene to free the coyote, which was nicknamed Wile E. after the cartoon character. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With tongue firmly in cheek, the sheriff's office confirmed no roadrunners were present at the scene (the nearest are two states over anyway. Pamela DeFouw, executive director at the Wildlife Center, told Fox 13 News the creature was "super lucky" to have survived and that staff are hopeful he will be able to go outside in six to eight weeks. Unfortunately, most stories of animals and vehicles don't have such a happy ending. Around a million vertebrates are struck by cars in the U.S. every day, per the Federal Highway Administration. Florida's endangered panther population is threatened even further by vehicles. Defenders of Wildlife notes that dozens of panthers fall victim to roadkill every year. One of the most straightforward solutions is investing in infrastructure to make safe highway crossings for wildlife. The Smithsonian reported that two such tunnels in Vermont have already saved thousands of amphibians from certain death. The coyote's fortunate escape highlights the crucial work of local conservation groups and the importance of supporting those efforts. Thanks to the staff at the rescue center, it will hopefully soon return to the wild. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wildlife Center's social media post about the incident attracted a handful of supportive comments. One said, "He's in excellent hands now!" Another expressed gratitude, saying, "Thank you all for everything you do and saving this coyote. He is very lucky and blessed." 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. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The Michigan State Police Aviation Unit plays a huge role in finding missing people and hunting down dangerous suspects, and Tuesday, MSP honored their hard work statewide. In honor of National Aviation Day, the Michigan State Police is highlighting the essential role the Search and Rescue helicopters play in protecting Michigan residents. Sgt. Cole Martin says the aviation unit has been saving Michiganders since 1939. (WLNS) Were kind of all over the place, making sure that A. citizens are safe while were on patrol, but also being able to respond to missing children, missing elderly, or any kind of public safety threat or any kind of issue across the state, said Martin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin says the search and rescue unit patrols five nights a week, and back in April, they saved a missing 2-year-old in Jackson County. Col. James Grady II, leader of the state police, says the unit does all it can to aid Michiganders, no matter where they are in the state. Whether its in the city of Detroit or over in Grand Rapids. Flint, whether its for a rescue mission, a lost child, said Grady. These aviators do an excellent job every day. Charles Scruggs, a state trooper and dog handler, works alongside the unit and says the helicopters aid them during missions. The helicopter was able to lead me in for a mission person. They were about a mile in. So, they were able to lead me into the missing subject, said Scruggs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At that point, I was able to locate the subject, and we were able to get them the help and need that they deserve. Sgt. Martin says the units roughly go on 25 to 50 missing persons searches year to year. Missing persons searches are incredibly difficult, said Martin. These assets give us the best advantage to hopefully find successful ends to that. Officials say the unit has an average of 1,000 calls for service annually, working closely with department teams and law enforcement across the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN) After a months-long narcotics investigation, authorities have charged a Mt. Juliet man with felony drug possession. Detectives with the Metro Nashville Police Departments Specialized Investigations Division with assistance from the Mt. Juliet Police Department, the Wilson County Sheriffs Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program have been conducting a narcotics investigation for months. Two teens face multiple charges in connection with October 2024 shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the investigation, 52-year-old Michael Bell of Mt. Juliet was charged with two counts of felony cocaine possession after finding that he was an active drug trafficker during high-end parties he hosted in Nashville, according to the MNPD. (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department) (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department) Wilson County deputies reportedly stopped Bell on Tuesday and discovered mushrooms and cocaine in his vehicle. A search warrant was then executed on his Mt. Juliet home. Cocaine, MDMA, mushroom plants, methamphetamines, THC-infused bars and digital scales were recovered from the residence. Man shot outside gas station on Trousdale Drive in Crieve Hall Additionally, MNPD detectives searched his storage unit in Nashville and allegedly recovered half a kilogram, or just over a pound, of cocaine and fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of publication, Bell is being held on a $95,000 bond; however an MNPD press release indicated that more charges are anticipated as the investigation continues. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) The nonprofit organization that takes care of Mount Pleasant Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Sioux Falls, has lost its nonprofit status. Over the years, KELOLAND News has done several stories with Matt Gage, the cemeterys former executive director. Sioux Falls rolls with win at Little League World Series Its the reason that I choose to work here: family, friends, Matt Gage said in May. Mount Pleasant is full of family and friends, and I think its an important place to maintain and preserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Matt Gage recently announced he was leaving his job at the cemetery. KELOLAND News spoke on the phone Tuesday afternoon with Matts father Fred Gage, the current president of the board of directors for the nonprofit organization that takes care of Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Fred Gage said an on-camera interview wasnt possible, but did go into some detail about the issues. Fred Gage says they failed to submit a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service for 2023, 2024 and 2025; the IRS uses this form to learn about an organization. Fred Gage says the organization plans to file these forms. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says Mount Pleasant Cemetery lost its nonprofit status because it wasnt compliant with the IRS. And the states top law enforcement officer says anyone with a loved one interred in the central Sioux Falls cemetery should reach out. I think the big thing is if loved ones have concerns about an existing gravesite or future gravesites, to let us know at the consumer division: 1-800-300-1986, Jackley said Tuesday. Were monitoring it, well have information, and we can be of assistance. From his position, Jackley wants to see the organization regain its nonprofit status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santella: How rare is it for a South Dakota nonprofit organization to lose its nonprofit status? Thats pretty rare, Jackley said in response. During my time as attorney general, weve had issues with other cemeteries, which is why I feel strongly that it is a role of the South Dakota Attorney Generals office to make sure things are in order or we would need to step in and take action. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Four men were arrested earlier this month in Clay County after investigators said they were trying to have sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl. These arrests were made as part of an undercover operation to combat sex trafficking across the Kansas City metro. A dozen people arrested in connection with human trafficking in the Northland, metro According to the Clay County Sheriffs Office, between Aug. 7 and Aug. 8, four suspects were arrested and charged with felony attempted enticement of a child: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jorge Arguello-Benitez, 48, of Kansas City, Mo. Simon Gomez-Cruz, 22, of Kansas City, Kan. He also is under investigation by federal authorities for possible immigration law violations. Elpidio Lopez-Alonzo, 23, of Kansas City, Mo. Nicholas S. Meisenhelter, 32, of Shawnee, Kan. Deputies said the men were arrested after they tried to meet up with a 14-year-old girl after chatting with her online. The men later discovered the girl had been an undercover Clay County detective. After trying to meet the teen girl in person, all four men were arrested. The car of a man arrested by Clay County sheriffs deputies for allegedly trying to meet up with an underage girl between Aug. 7-8, 2025. Throughout the operation, multiple Northland law enforcement agencies joined in and created a coalition to combat this crime. The agencies included the Clinton, Platte and Ray County Sheriffs Offices, as well as the Kearney Police Department, which each hosted a proactive counter-trafficking operation in their jurisdiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Clay County deputies, these agencies were assisted by the Cameron, Richmond, Kansas City International Airport, Kansas City, Kansas and Riverside police departments, as well as the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Social Services State Technical Assistance Team and Homeland Security Investigations. Several other law enforcement agencies also helped. The Clay County Sheriffs Office actively works to combat human trafficking in the communities it serves and conducts two to three sting operations annually to do so, deputies said. This operation was designed from the beginning to reduce the demand for victimization of victim-survivors of sex trafficking in these communities, connect to and provide critical services and support to these potential victims, and especially deter any suspect attempting to prey upon children who have been enslaved by the commercial sex industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Passenger critically injured after falling out of car in Kansas City Tuesday night Here are the arrest totals from the operations: Seven suspects arrested and booked for attempting to buy sex with a child Three suspects arrested and booked for attempting to buy sex Two suspects arrested for promoting prostitution for recruiting a person to engage in prostitution. One of whom were booked for kidnapping and sexual assault after investigators discovered they had committed previous crimes in another jurisdiction. According to the news release from Clay County, one survivor is currently recovering and being placed into aftercare. Additionally, eight other potential sex trafficking survivors met with local organizations to also receive aftercare support and advocacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. AUSTIN (Nexstar) Five Texas House Democrats stood just outside the doors of the Texas House of Representatives Tuesday evening and ripped up the permission slips that allow them to leave the Capitol. Its a move to protest Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows decision to have law enforcement escorts follow lawmakers around to ensure they arrive to the House chamber for a Wednesday vote. Texas Democrats fled the state on Aug. 3 to prevent the House from reaching a quorum, which is the minimum number of lawmakers needed to conduct business. The drastic move was meant to raise awareness of a Republican-led effort to gerrymander the congressional maps in Texas to give Republicans an advantage to pick up five additional seats in the 2026 midterm elections. A majority of the quorum-breaking Democrats came back to Austin on Monday to something they did not expect. Speaker Burrows said Democratic members who left the state would not be allowed to leave the House chamber on Monday until they signed a permission slip that allowed a law enforcement escort to follow them around until Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every Democratic member who needed to sign that slip did, except for State Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, who refused to sign and instead decided to stay in the House chamber until the legislative body gaveled back in at 10 a.m. Wednesday. State Rep. Nicole Collier, D Fort Worth, (right) and State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D Austin (left) talk on the House floor after returning to Austin to end a quorum break (Photo Courtesy: Dylan McKim/Nexstar). I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts, Collier stated in a news release. Colliers Democratic colleagues have been visiting her in the chamber and bringing her food and water. One of those members is State Rep. Cassandra Hernandez, D-Farmers Branch, who has a law enforcement escort herself. This has just been a complete drain on our state resources and unnecessary, because we do intend on being here tomorrow, Hernandez said of the move by Speaker Burrows. She, along with Democratic representatives Rhetta Andrews Bowers, Mihaela Plesa, Senfronia Thompson, and Penny Morales Shaw ripped up their permission slips and have decided to stay overnight in the House chamber with Collier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are not criminals, Morales Shaw said to a room full of supporters and media. We are statesmen and women. We are elected just like those people are. Democratic members have said their personal escort is part of a high-ranking task force within the Department of Public Safety. They believe the move is a waste of the states law enforcement resources, but Republican members argue there is a need for the escorts. Theyve already proven that theyll leave, they wont come back when theyre told they have a constitutional obligation to be here during the special session to get the work done of the people of Texas, State Rep. Brent Money, R-Greenville, said. Money said he supports the decision by the Speaker and pointed out the fact that Burrows could have locked everyone in the House chamber until they voted on congressional maps. The House is allowed to enforce and compel their attendance in any way we choose, Money said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Supreme Court of Texas ruling in 2021 confirms this. It found the Texas House does have the authority to physically compel the attendance of absent members. She decided to stay and make this a stunt instead, and thats her prerogative. She can do that, but I have the prerogative to call it a stunt, Money said about Colliers decision to remain in the House chamber. The escort requirement will end as soon as the Texas House approves a proposed map to redraw the congressional districts. The House is scheduled to vote on the proposal when it gavels in on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. (This story was updated to add new information) There is no doubt who fatally shot D'Lon Edwards in 2021, but the woman who stood trial in his killing is now free. Her case was dismissed after a jury was left unconvinced she committed murder. Now his mother and the Marion County Prosecutor's Office are laying blame for that dismissal, at least partly, at the feet of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's homicide detectives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Edwards, 34, was a father of four who had just started a trucking company before he was shot and killed. "I got a call from prosecutor (Joseph) Cermak yesterday," Chryrisse Edwards told IndyStar on Aug. 19, 2025. "He said he would not be pushing for a second trial. There were gaps in the evidence by IMPD, and a witness was unreliable." Edwards said she stayed on top of the investigation involving her only child, but throughout, she was let down, first by a detective who eventually was removed from the case. Then by a second detective who offered no new evidence and provided no motive before handing the case to prosecutors. The case left the jury unable to agree upon a verdict. IndyStar is not naming the woman since her case was dismissed. Woman arrested for the killing of D'Lon Edwards D'Lon Edwards, 34, was killed after being shot in the 3900 block of North Lawndale Avenue on December 20, 2021 At 1:46 a.m., Dec. 20, 2021, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were called about a person shot in the 3900 block of North Lawndale Avenue. Officers found Edwards mortally wounded outside a home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers noticed a vehicle with windshield wipers still activated nearby with the driver's window broken. Shell casings were found in the passenger compartment. When police knocked on the door of the home where the vehicle was found, a woman answered. According to court records, when asked about someone being shot outside her home, she said she didn't know anything. When she was asked her name, she wouldn't answer and shut the door. Officers then surrounded the home and made commands for anyone inside to come out for 30 minutes before the woman exited. Her mother and young daughter also came outside. A search warrant for the home found a firearm on the living room floor at the end of a couch in plain view. There were also cameras around the outside of the home, but video footage wasn't found of the shooting. When officers attempted to interview the woman at the department's homicide office, she requested an attorney. 'Please, I don't wanna die,' man cries to 911 dispatch 2021 homicide 'Please don't let me die': Man's call to 911 gave police clues to shooter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When detectives reviewed the 911 calls in the case, Edwards was revealed to be the original caller. He's heard saying, Ive been shot, Im on someones front porch, I ran for help. Later, he says, please dont let me die." She took off in my car. She took off in a Volkswagen Passat 2021 rental." Please, I dont wanna die. The operator asks if he knows who shot him, but he says he doesn't. A short time later, officers are heard responding and rendering aid. The court documents don't specify if the woman knew Edwards or what the motive would have been for his killing. A neighbor told detectives he woke up when a bullet struck a window in his daughters room. After instructing his children to take cover, the neighbor went to his front window and looked outside, according to an affidavit. The neighbor said he saw a woman get out of a car with a gun in her hand. The woman then went inside a home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators found fingerprints from Edwards and the woman on the Volkswagen. They also found DNA likely belonging to the woman on a pistol recovered from the living room of her home. Police determined that a bullet recovered from Edwards' body was fired by that same pistol, according to the affidavit. Here's why the case the dismissed The Marion County Prosecutor's Office told IndyStar the defendant testified at trial that the shooting was self-defense, and jurors were receptive of her testimony. After the jury came back with no verdict, it was revealed that one juror held out for a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter while the remaining jurors would have voting to acquit. After the hung jury, prosecutors said they would not be able to overcome the deficiencies from the initial investigation at a subsequent trial and filed a motion to dismiss the charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case originally went to trial on July 15, 2025, nearly four years after the shooting took place in December of 2021. The original homicide detective assigned to the case, Andrew McKalips, became unavailable after the homicide and has since left the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. A new detective was not assigned to the case until September 2022. "McKalips started slacking on the case and letting too much time pass by," Edwards said. "So, I reached out to his superior, and he was demoted. A new detective took over his case, with no new evidence to push the case forward. They just packaged what they had and presented it to prosecutors. Then, when they summoned McKalips to court, IMPD said they wouldn't allow him to because of his mental state. He has since retired or resigned." Woman walks free, while four children are left without dad While not addressing this case specifically, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police said in a statement they understand how "deeply painful and frustrating" it can be when a case does not result in a conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We remain committed to conducting thorough, professional investigations and working closely with the Marion County Prosecutors Office in the pursuit of justice," the statement said. "We respect the judicial process and are dedicated to serving victims and their families with compassion, diligence, and accountability in every case." Edwards said that at the time of her son's killing, he left behind four children who were 17, 14, 13, and a 1-year-old. The children not having their father has been a struggle. He was shot and killed right before Christmas of 2021. "His youngest is asking questions about a man they'll never know," Edwards said. "Three teenagers who are growing into young adults don't have the guidance they need from their father." She worries now about her or any of her family seeing the woman in and around Indianapolis now that woman's able to walk free. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Edwards thinks the prosecutors should've continued to pursue the case against her son's killer and that the incomplete investigation presented for trial wasted taxpayer money and time. "I want people to be aware of who they elect as officials and how police practices and policy work," Edwards said. "I feel the ball was dropped by both of them. They had no emotion. It felt like my child's life didn't matter." Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON. Former reporter Sarah Nelson contributed to this article with previous coverage. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis murder case dismissed. Family blames shoddy police work Gov. Phil Murphy is concerned that people might let their guard down because New Jersey is not directly in the path of Hurricane Erin. But those visiting the Shore will still feel impact from dangerous rip currents and record waves, the governor cautioned. Almost no model that suggests we are going to get hit, and thats a good thing but when people hear that they let their guard down, Murphy said Wednesday during a speech at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its grey and a little misty today, but beginning at some point tomorrow, its gonna get nice, and its going to be really nice through the weekend, he continued. But dont let the nice weather fool you, Murphy warned. Trust me, these are going to record waves and record rip currents ... Im very worried about people going in the water," the governor said. Turbulent seas, huge breaking waves and powerful rip currents will all create life-threatening conditions for boaters and swimmers both Wednesday and Thursday, according to weather forecasters and public officials. Murphy mentioned the two drownings at the Jersey Shore last week-one in Seaside Heights on Aug. 11 and another in Belmar on Aug. 15 where a 13-year-old girl died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would beg each of you ... enjoy the beach ... but dont go in the water, he said. Murphy said the other big concern is coastal flooding, in particular early Thursday evening where a combination of large waves and high tide could cause issues along the Jersey Shore. Minor to moderate coastal flooding is expected along the Jersey Shore, with some areas at risk of major flooding particularly during high tide cycles Thursday evening through Friday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Even though Hurricane Erin is spinning far offshore, it could be powerful enough to cause a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet high along the Jersey Shore, forecasters say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major coastal flooding and tidal flooding is possible in Cape May County, the agency noted. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Medical University of South Carolina Health CEO Dr. Patrick Cawley speaks Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, before legislative members of the Joint Bond Review Committee. (Screenshot of SCETV legislative livestream) COLUMBIA South Carolinas state-owned hospital system plans to take a controlling stake in a struggling Grand Strand hospital operator. A legislative oversight committee gave the initial nod Tuesday for the Medical University of South Carolinas hospital system to purchase a more than 50% share in Tidelands Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legislators revealed, during a meeting of the Joint Bond Review Committee, that Tidelands is operating at a $50 million deficit. The private hospital company has asked MUSC to step in and help. Neither MUSC nor Tidelands disclosed how much the deal would cost. According to the two hospital systems, negotiations are ongoing. Tidelands employs more than 2,500 people in coastal Georgetown, Horry, and Williamsburg counties, according to its website. From Georgetown to Murrells Inlet, theyre really the only game in town, state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch told the SC Daily Gazette. We need it. We cant let it fold up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Murrells Inlet Republican said he supports the deal with MUSC. Tidelands owns a pair of hospitals in Georgetown and Murrells Inlet with a total of 170 beds. It also owns a pair of medical rehab centers. And it has regulatory approval to build a small, 36-bed hospital that could treat patients in the fast-growing retirement communities surrounding Myrtle Beach. There are things we can do to strengthen them financially and turn them around, MUSC Health CEO Dr. Patrick Cawley told legislators. For example, he said MUSC has buying power and can get equipment and expensive medical records software at a reduced price. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our health systems have worked together to improve health care for more than a quarter century, according to a statement from Tidelands. A closer alignment would allow us to build on that important work and continue meeting the needs of the people and communities we serve. Patients would benefit as we recruit additional physicians, purchase leading technology and expand clinical research delivering increased value while controlling costs. For nearly 200 years, MUSC had stayed largely contained to its Charleston base. But beginning in 2019, the hospital system went on an expansion spree. It purchased four rural community hospitals in Florence, Marion, Chester and Lancaster counties. Two years later, MUSC again expanded with the purchase of three hospitals and a standalone emergency room in the Midlands. Those hospitals, previously owned by Providence Health, had a $70 million deficit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And in 2023, it took over operations of Orangeburgs hospital, where there was a $30 million deficit. MUSC was able to return Orangeburg to fiscal health within two years, Cawley said. And the Midlands hospitals are expected to be back in the black by next year a five-year turnaround. Cawley pointed to that track record when making his pitch to legislators. Democratic Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, whose district covers Orangeburg, praised MUSC for major improvements in the health care available to that community since the organization stepped in, including oncology, orthopedics and new treatments for sickle cell disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yall must be doing something right, Senate Finance Chairman Harvey Peeler, of Gaffney, chimed in. MUSC already has a 30% stake in Tidelands and controls six seats on Tidelands governing board, according to documents provided to the Joint Bond Review Committee. This deal would up its buy-in at the small hospital system. Goldfinch said Tidelands, with its roughly $540 million in annual operating revenue, never really recovered from the financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, when hospital systems had to cancel surgeries that earn income and focus solely on treating those infected with the virus. MUSC Health, on the other hand, is a $4.7 billion operation with the support of state funding and larger cash reserves that helped it weather the pandemic challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Health care is hard when youre the small guy, Goldfinch said. Tidelands has about two years worth of cash reserves, so thats how long MUSC has to make improvements, Cawley said. If the effort ultimately fails, the state-owned hospital system would be financially liable. The deal comes as hospitals gear up for other looming financial changes. In 2028, South Carolina will start losing its ability to pay hospitals for treating Medicaid patients at similar rates as private insurance following changes included in Republicans big beautiful spending package. The law signed July 4 phases out the so-called state directed payment program that South Carolina has used since 2023 to hike Medicaid payments to hospitals by a whopping 70% on average. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the 60 general care hospitals in the Palmetto State, that collectively means a looming loss of roughly $150 million annually over 15 years, according to the states hospital industry group. Instead of hospitals getting reimbursed with rates that align with private insurance as they have for the last two years payments will sink back to near Medicare levels. The higher rates come from the state taxing hospitals to draw down even more federal Medicaid dollars ultimately funneled back to the hospitals. For the fiscal year that ended June 30, Tidelands received $40 million from these payment boosts, according to data provided by the state Medicaid agency. South Carolina is among 10 states that never expanded Medicaid coverage to all adults up to 138% of the federal poverty level, as intended under the 2010 law commonly known as Obamacare. For that reason, most other Medicaid changes in the spending package dont apply to the Palmetto State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the state also has a higher percentage of uninsured residents, giving hospitals much less wiggle room to absorb the impact of payment reductions. In Georgetown County, 21% of the population (adults and children) relies on Medicaid for health insurance, which mirrors the state average. Horry Countys rate is 18.8%, according to US Census Data. Tech billionaire and onetime DOGE Czar Elon Musk grabbed headlines in July when he announced plans to start a third party to challenge the lock that Democrats and Republicans have on the nations political system. But a little more than a month later, the Tesla, X and SpaceX boss has apparently learned thats easier said than done. According to The Wall Street Journal, Musk is backing off those plans to focus on his business interests and to avoid siphoning votes from Republicans, whose fortunes would most likely be damaged by the emergence of a third party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he mulled whether to launch The America Party, Musk also factored in maintaining relations with Vice President JD Vance, who is widely seen as the heir to President Donald Trump, The Journal reported, citing people with knowledge of Musks plans. Those same people told The Journal that Musk is considering once again tapping his fortune to boost Vance in the 2028 race for the White House if he decides to run. Musk poured $300 million into Trumps second White House bid in 2024, the newspaper reported. Still, Musks allies said he hasnt formally ruled out creating a new party and could change his mind as the midterm elections close in, according to the newspaper. Even if he does decide to plunge ahead, Musks third party could face significant hurdles, MassLive previously reported. That includes ballot access laws that vary by state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And as a native South African, Musk could not seek the presidency. A spokesperson for Vance meanwhile pointed The Journal to an interview the Ohio Republican did with the conservative website Gateway Pundit. In that interview, Vance said it would be a mistake to break with Trump and the conservative movement. So my hope is that by the time of the midterms, hes kind of come back into the fold, Vance told the website. The move, according to one analyst, was utterly predictable. Musk popped off on social media in a fit of pique with Trump (and the broader Republican party) following the very public end of his bromance with the president, political analyst Chris Cillizza wrote Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And I am sure he believed it in the seconds he was typing it. But, Musk, is, at root, a business guy. And people in the business world solve for one thing and one thing only: Money," Cillizza wrote. More on Politics Read the original article on MassLive. HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT) Tanveer Patel, a candidate for a seat on the Hoover City Council, said she has been the target of hateful and threatening comments online since launching her campaign Facebook page. No matter your faith, background, every citizen has a right to live free and to participate fully in this democracy, Patel said Tuesday. Hate will not win. Hoover police confirm they are investigating after Patel filed a police report Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorney for Patel, William White, said this is more than just hate speech. White said Patel went to police out of concerned about the nature of two comments that were posted to her campaign Facebook page Friday. My family and I have received hateful messages, insults, even death threats, Patel said. Patel, a naturalized U.S. citizen who has called Hoover home for the past 24 years, said that these past few days have been very painful. Shipt launches portable benefits program for Alabama workers Her campaign project manager, Rashmee Sharif, said Patel has received hundreds of hateful comments since launching her official campaign Facebook page in February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the posts were Looks Muslim and terrorist like to me and She is Muslim and does not need to be in any kind of public office in Alabama. There were also racial slurs. To be told that I should be sent back to India, call me raghead or to be threatened with violence is not only frightening, but it is heartbreaking, Patel said. She said these threats are designed to silence, intimidate and suppress their right to vote. Ahmad Hammoud, a father of four girls who lives in Hoover, said his daughter who just turned 18 is fearful to vote after the outpouring of hateful comments on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patel filed a report with the Hoover Police Department after reading two posts by the same individual, one which mentioned being shot to death. Another post mentioned shooting and killing thesepeople, which White said was designed to instill fear in Patels voter base. We took a report from Ms. Patel for Harassing Communications on August 15th after her campaign Facebook page received some comments/messages that caused concern, the Hoover Police Department said in a statement. The matter is under investigation. White implored voters to not let this deter them from participating in the Aug. 26 election We ask every citizen of Hoover to exercise their constitutional right to vote, White said. Go cast your ballot, but above all we call on everybody to be better human beings. This is not acceptable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The HPD also posted a statement to its Facebook page stating its committed to keeping everyone at all Hoover polling places safe on Election Day. Auburn Tigers retroactively claim 7 national football championships, including 2 that happened before World War I The FBI office in Birmingham stated it could not confirm nor deny it was investigating the case. I am aware of threats that have been made against City Council candidate Tanveer Patel, and we take this very seriously, said Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato in a statement. The Hoover Police Department is investigating and has a plan in place to make sure all of our residents enjoy free and safe opportunities to vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We encourage everyone to get out and vote on Tuesday and to have full confidence that they will be completely safe in their environment. As Mayor, I condemn all forms of hatred towards anyone in our city. Our diversity is what sets Hoover apart. It is beautiful and should be celebrated and respected in all aspects. I have complete confidence in our Hoover Police Department. We will not let hate win. CBS 42 also received a statement from Patels political opponent, Robin Schultz, for the Hoover City Council Place 1 seat. Today, I am appalled and deeply saddened by the vile death threats and hateful attacks directed at my opponent, Tanveer Patel, Schultz stated. These acts of hatred are not only disgusting and disrespectful but an affront to the very principles of humanity and democracy. They have no place in our world, our community, or our electoral process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No oneabsolutely no oneshould ever face threats of violence or be targeted for their race, religion, gender, views, or ideals. The hateful rhetoric and threats aimed at her, are not just an attack on her but an assault on the values, respect, and unity that we strive to uphold in Hoover. Such behavior is utterly unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Muslim man who was told to remove a LinkedIn post labelling a recruitment consultants remarks after the Southport murders far-Right was harassed because of his faith, an employment tribunal has ruled. Iraq-born Abdalah Al-Abasi, known as Abs Valentino, a top-earning recruiter at Eden Brown Built Environment, part of nGAGE Talent, was told by bosses to remove the post or face consequences, the tribunal heard. A recruitment consultant, who was not a client or direct business contact, claimed in a LinkedIn post in August last year that Islamic grooming gangs had torched and raped tens of thousands of white British girls, the tribunal was told. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The post also said that radical Islamists take to the streets calling for Jihad, called for Jewish people to be killed, and kill thousands of people across the UK and Europe whilst shouting Allahu Akbar. In a post in response, Mr Al-Abasi urged people not to work with the consultant if they felt uncomfortable with the comments, adding that it was imperative to highlight an individuals ideology especially when it was so far-Right. Richard Nicolle, the employment judge at the tribunal, wrote in his decision that the un-named consultants communications were distorting and potentially aimed to incite antipathy towards Muslims. Judge Nicolle said Mr Al-Abasi understandably took exception to the post which came amid the febrile atmosphere and anti-Muslim/immigrant/asylum seeker feeling within certain sections of the UK population at that time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tribunal heard the recruitment consultant complained to Mr Al-Abasis bosses about his response, saying that he was livid, took exception to being labelled far-Right, and believed the post would affect his ability to trade. Consequences Mark Stratton, the managing director at Eden Brown Built Environment, was made aware of the post and was told by a colleague in HR that it should be taken down but Mr Al-Abasi had said he would not do so. The claimant told the tribunal that Mr Stratton told him that there would be consequences if he did not take it down. Mr Stratton said that while he could not recall the exact words he used, it is possible that he did say that. A breach of the companys social media policy terms may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, the tribunal heard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Al-Abasi later amended his reference from so far-Right to when its so wrong. Louise Hindley, the group chief people officer, told the tribunal that the firms marketing department monitors online and social media communications, including automated keyword searches, and far-Right may constitute a potential red flag. Judge Nicolle concluded that when looked at in the overall context of the atmosphere which existed in Britain at that time, asking Mr Al-Abasi to remove the post amounted to harassment under section 26 of the Equality Act 2010. A remedy hearing, confined to injury to feelings, will be set if the parties are unable to resolve this issue. 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 Morris County man who allegedly engaged in a shootout with federal agents during a drug raid at his Parsippany home has been charged with attempted murder of a federal officer. Maloy Amador, 43, allegedly opened fire from his basement when federal agents entered his home on Aug. 13 with a warrant to search for drugs. Amador engaged in an extended exchange of gunfire and was hit in the arm before he eventually surrendered, according to a complaint filed by the office of U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amador has already served time in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He has been charged with attempted murder of a police officer, discharging a firearm during and relating to a crime of violence, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, officials said. Amador appeared before a federal judge on Aug. 14 and remains in federal custody, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. His attorney, federal public defender Laura Sayler, could not be reached for comment. In a statement, Habba said Amador would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Violence against federal law enforcement officers will not be tolerated in New Jersey, she said. Those who use violence against law enforcement officers will be prosecuted using the toughest criminal statutes and penalties available. Amador previously was sentenced to 51 months in prison for a 2018 for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He was under investigation for drug-dealing when federal agents arrived at his Parsippany home just after sunrise on Aug. 13, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Carrying a search warrant, federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives closed in, the complaint says. When no one answered a knock at the front door, agents entered through the back. Amador allegedly opened the basement door and fired a gun toward law enforcement, the complaint says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following an extended exchange of gunfire between Amador and law enforcement, Amador eventually surrendered and law enforcement placed him under arrest. At some point during the exchange of gunfire, Amador was struck in the arm, the complaint says. Video from the scene show federal agents in the backyard with guns pointed at Amador as he emerged from the house with his hands up. After Amador was placed under arrest, a Customs and Border Protection agent who had entered the house discovered bullet fragments in his protective vest. The fragments were from a bullet fired by Amador, the complaint says. Agents searched the home and recovered two semi-automatic rifles, a .40 caliber pistol, a .32 caliber revolver, a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition. They also found a mixture containing cocaine, and a kilo press, according to the complaint. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Richard Cowen may be reached at rcowen@njadvancemedia.com. NEED TO KNOW New Jersey may be dealing with its first locally-acquired malaria case in over 30 years Usually contracted in tropical countries, malaria can be acquired within the United States if a mosquito bites a person who was infected abroad, then bites another person New Jersey residents should work to prevent mosquito bites and breeding, the state said in an announcement A case of malaria has been recorded in New Jersey but the affected individual hasn't traveled outside the United States recently. The state's Departments of Health and Environmental Protection are investigating a malaria case that could have originated within the U.S., per an announcement from the state of New Jersey. The last known case of malaria in New Jersey that was not acquired abroad was recorded over 30 years ago, in 1991. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease, most commonly contracted in tropical or subtropical countries. Those who contract malaria tend to experience fever, headache, chills, muscle aches and fatigue, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms tend to appear within one week to one month of exposure. Getty Stock image of malaria test Stock image of malaria test Locally-acquired malaria usually results from a mosquito biting a person who has travel-acquired malaria, thus acquiring the parasite. Though the Anopheles mosquitos, the species that transmits malaria, are present in New Jersey, the announcement stated the risk of contracting malaria within the state is slim. Still, acting health commissioner Jeff Brown said there's some precautions the state's residents should adopt. "The most effective ways are to prevent mosquito bites in the first place and to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of malaria in returning travelers, Brown said. Anyone traveling to countries with widespread malaria should take appropriate steps to prevent malaria while traveling and monitor for symptoms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Malaria can be cured with prescription medication, but the disease can be fatal without proper and timely treatment. Environmental protection commissioner Shawn LaTourette added that residents should continue eliminating standing water on their properties, which helps keep mosquito breeding under control. This includes covering or removing bird baths and pools, the announcement stated. The possibly locally-acquired malaria case comes during the time of year that other mosquito-borne viruses increase in New Jersey. The announcement urged residents to prevent all such diseases by using insect repellant, covering their skin while spending time outside and covering or removing standing water. International travelers should also take note of their destination country's travel advisories particularly regarding malaria or other disease as some preemptive medications or vaccinations can prevent infection even in the event of a bite. Read the original article on People A lottery player won $1,000 a week for life on Tuesday night with a Cash4Life ticket purchased in Union County. The lucky ticket was sold at Varsha Convenience Store on Grove Street in Elizabeth, the New Jersey Lottery said Wednesday. Tuesdays winning numbers were: 4, 6, 8, 33 and 35. The Cash Ball drawn was 2. The cash option for the second-prize ticket is $1 million. The store owner will receive $10,000 from the New Jersey Lottery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, a second-prize Cash4Life ticket was bought at Leprechaun News on Park Avenue in Rutherford, Bergen County. The odds of a $2 ticket matching all the winning numbers and winning the top prize of $1,000 a day for life (or the cash option of $7 million) are 21,846,048 to 1. Ticket buyers have a a 1 in 7,282,016 shot to win the second prize of $1 million or $1,000 a week for life. Cash4Life tickets cost $2 each and are sold in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Tennessee and Virginia. Drawings are held each day at 9 p.m. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. The parents of a teenager who died in a Hunterdon County car crash on the first day of school last year have filed a lawsuit against two of the drivers involved and their insurance companies. Sophia DeTorres, 16, was one of three passengers in a car that collided with two other vehicles on Aug. 22, 2024, in Franklin Township, according to the suit filed by her parents, George DeTorres, Sr., and Noelle Boyd. The teenagers were headed to North Hunterdon High School when the crash occurred about 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Hogback Road, Route 617 and Lower Lansdown Road, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sophias brother, George DeTorres, Jr., who was also a passenger, suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized, according to the complaint, filed Aug. 14 in New Jersey Superior Court. Two others were seriously hurt and survived their injuries, authorities have said. Sophia DeTorres In addition to physical pain, George DeTorres, Jr. witnessed the death of his sister, which has led to severe emotional distress and psychological trauma, the lawsuit says. Investigators with the prosecutors Fatal Crash Team determined the 17-year-old driver had been speeding and ran through a stop sign, causing the collision. The driver, from Clinton Township, was also a student at North Hunterdon, according to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The student was charged with second-degree death by auto, fourth-degree assault by auto, two counts of disorderly persons assault by auto, and several motor vehicle violations. The motor vehicle charges were dropped in municipal court on June 27, but the outcome of the other charges was not made public because they were heard in Family Court, according to a mycenteraljersey.com report. George DeTorres, Sr. and Noelle Boyd filed the lawsuit against the drivers and two insurance companies, alleging wrongful death and negligence. The suit names as defendants the teen driver, along with a woman driving another of the vehicles. The woman has not been charged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also named in the suit are an insurance company that allegedly underinsured the vehicle in which the teenagers were riding, and another insurance company that allegedly provided inadequate coverage for the brother and sister. Sophia DeTorres death prompted an online petition to improve safety in the area where the collision occurred. This dangerous intersection has been long known to the residents and the municipal committee of Franklin Township, and in the past, its deadly consequences have been appealed to the Hunterdon County Commissioners. Yet, no effective remedy has been provided, states the petition, which was started by a local resident. As of Wednesday, the Change.org petition had garnered nearly 5,800 signatures. A GoFundMe established to help the DeTorres family has raised nearly $140,000. A memorial marks the spot where Sophia DeTorres was killed in a crash in August 2024. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Old Bridge homeowners are facing nearly a 10% increase in their property tax bills this year, and township officials say the schools are largely to blame. The Township Council held a meeting Aug. 12 after fielding weeks of calls and letters from residents upset over the spike. For a home assessed at the township average of $157,373, the total property tax bill rose about $900 to $9,950. The largest factor, officials said, was the school tax levy, which jumped 13.87% and added more than $728 to the average bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Debbie Walker said the township has been unfairly blamed for the increase, even though it only controls the municipal tax rate which rose just 1.58% this year compared to the school districts double-digit hike. Some people just dont have that money to put out, and its not only senior citizens this tax increase is affecting. Its affecting young families that just bought their homes, Walker said. The only thing we can control is our municipal tax. And I hate that were taking the blame for this very large increase because I wouldnt do this to residents, the mayor added. The median household income in the town was about $106,900 in 2023, according to the latest U.S. Census data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tensions rose at the councils tax presentation meeting, with some members blaming the school district for shifting the burden onto taxpayers. But Old Bridge Public School officials say theyve been forced into difficult decisions of their own weighing steep tax hikes against deep cuts to programs and services. Before approving their $185 million budget for the 2025-26 school year in May, school officials warned they were staring at an $18 million deficit fueled by state aid reductions. Since New Jersey revised its school funding formula in 2018, the district has lost millions in aid, forcing the district to sell property, close an elementary school and eliminate about 85 staff positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres nothing left. Weve been able to plug holes with reserves, but there are no more reserves, board member Marjorie Jodrey said at the districts May budget hearing. Were already operating on reduced staff and programs, and we still need to give Old Bridge students a good education. Rising expenses including salaries, benefits, energy and transportation have only deepened the gap, alongside this years 3% cut in state aid, the board said. Old Bridge will receive about $23.6 million in state funding for the upcoming school year $730,000 less than last year, according to state Department of Education figures. Without raising taxes, the districts shortfall could have forced drastic cuts including eliminating full-day kindergarten, closing schools, reducing elementary art programs and scaling back security coverage, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To help close this years gap, the district applied for the states Tax Levy Incentive Aid program, which provides additional funding to districts that increase their local tax levy. The application was approved earlier this month. New Jerseys school funding law, fully implemented for the first time last year, was intended to shift aid from districts deemed overfunded to those historically underfunded. But the Old Bridge Board of Education argues the formula unfairly penalizes their community, leaving them little choice but to raise the school tax levy. Student enrollment in Old Bridge has steadily declined over the past six years to about 8,000 across its 14 public schools a drop officials say is another factor affecting funding. Across New Jersey, districts grappling with steep faid cuts have resorted to similar drastic measures, from raising property taxes to laying off staff and closing schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recently, the Jackson School District in Ocean County filed a lawsuit blaming the loss of two schools, 385 jobs and major program cuts on what officials called the states systemic and unconstitutional underfunding. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nyah Marshall may be reached at nmarshall@njadvancemedia.com Aug. 20POTSDAM A North Lawrence man was charged Saturday with a felony for allegedly assaulting a Canton-Potsdam Hospital medical staffer. Justin M. Crump, 32, was arrested and charged Saturday on a warrant for the June 12 incident at the CPH emergency department, according to Potsdam police. He was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct. The assault charge was elevated to a felony because he allegedly assaulted a medical employee, police said. He was arraigned in Norfolk Town Court and remanded to the St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility in Canton in lieu of $2,500 bail or $5,000 bond. Representative Nancy Mace has once again boasted about securing an infrastructure grant for her home state of South Carolina, despite voting against a bill that made the grant possible. Mace, a right-wing lawmaker who is now running for governor in South Carolina, told the conservative network NewsMax2 on Wednesday that she helped secure the largest infrastructure grant in state history, in South Carolina history. Last year, Maces state received $195 million to support the construction of a traffic interchange, marking the largest single grant award in the agency's history, the South Carolina Department of Transportation said. The federal grant was awarded through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America program, which had "historic levels of funding thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Transportation Department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That law, which was also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, was signed by former President Joe Biden in November 2021. Mace voted against it. While Mace voted against the law, she afterwards wrote a letter to former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg supporting the grant application. Nancy Mace claimed she helped secure the 'largest infrastructure grant in [South Carolina] history.' While Mace advocated for the grant, she voted against a federal law that helped support it (Getty Images) Mace's communications director, Sydney Long, emphasized that the lawmaker helped secure the grant by writing the letter to Buttigieg and collaborating with state and local officials. "While Congresswoman Mace has consistently raised concerns about reckless federal spending, she has always fought to ensure once federal dollars are allocated, South Carolina benefits," Long told The Independent. "She has repeatedly emphasized South Carolina tax dollars matter just as much as anyone elses, and she works tirelessly to turn them into jobs and investment at home." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mace made a nearly identical claim about securing the grant earlier this month at a town hall event. One of the things the press will not tell you: I am one of the leading members of Congress whos gotten resources for our state, Mace said on August 6. In fact, our office assisted in getting the largest infrastructure grant in South Carolina history, at $195 million earlier this year. The press wont tell you that. When asked by CNN how she could tout the grant despite voting against Bidens bill, Mace said it was her job to ensure the funds were appropriated. We fight over how we spend the money, how we appropriate it, but once the appropriations happen, Im gonna make sure that South Carolina, that we get our fair share, because that moneys getting spent and our tax dollars in South Carolina is equal to anybody elses in California, New York, Tennessee, Mace told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mace also faced blowback online last year for making a similar claim. We helped secure $195 millionthe largest grant in South Carolina's history from the U.S. Department of Transportationto kick off the Long Point Road Interchange Project, Mace wrote on X in October. Maces post was then hit with a community note clarifying she voted against the bill. Rep. Nancy Mace voted against the infrastructure act that supplied this funding, the community note reads. Mace made another post two days later, clarifying her claim: "Of course we opposed the infrastructure package stuffed with trillions in partisan pork. But now that it's law, that money's getting spent whether we like it or notso you better believe we're making sure it gets reinvested right here in South Carolina." This story was updated on August 21, 2025, to include comments from Sydney Long. As Hurricane Erin swirls around Florida, NASA is asking the public to join a citizen scientist project to submit their hurricane-related photos to help improve emergency disaster response. When weather-related disasters hit, emergency responders rely on tools like satellite images, weather radar and field reports to help them understand what is happening on the ground. But now, NASA is hoping people who are experiencing storms are willing to share their observations. This summer and fall, NASA invites the public to participate in a new citizen science effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who live in the Southeast U.S. are invited to submit photos taken before and after hurricanes hit their area. "Your contributions could ultimately help emergency managers make faster and better-informed decisions when it matters most and strengthen your communitys ability to respond and recover from disasters," NASA said on a webpage explaining the project. Here's what to know about NASA's hurricane mapping project, and how you could help during hurricane season. Hurricane Erin swirls near Florida, making beaches dangerous Satellite view of Hurricane Erin 6 a.m. Aug. 20, 2025. The center of Hurricane Erin continues to swirl east of Florida as it moves Wednesday, Aug. 20, at a north-northwest trajectory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erin weakened more overnight, with maximum sustained winds down to 100 mph. It remains a Category 2 hurricane, down from its peak as a Category 5 storm with 160-mph winds Aug. 16. Dangerous rip currents are expected along U.S. east coast beaches from Florida to Canada. How you can help NASA strengthen response during hurricane season A woman takes photos as waves due to Hurricane Erin crash Tuesday, Aug. 19 over the Inlet rocks in Ocean City, Maryland. NASA is asking the public to join a citizen scientist project to submit their hurricane photos to improve disaster response efforts. Amid Hurricane Erin, NASA is introducing a project inviting those who live in hurricane-prone states, including Florida, to submit photos of their environment. The project, called NASA Response Mappers, is a collaboration between the U.S. space agency's Disasters Programs Disaster Response Coordination System and the science-focused GLOBE Program, partly sponsored by NASA. Because it is only in its pilot phase, the project is due to last from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31 spanning the most active months of hurricane season, which runs June 1 to Nov. 30 every year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's how you can get involved: Download the GLOBE Observer app on your smartphone. Join the NASA Response Mappers team in the app. Use the GLOBE Observer app to take land cover photos of the same location over time, ideally once a week or month. NASA will never ask you to take photos during dangerous conditions. The emphasis is on safe, routine observations made before a storm hits and after it has passed. Hurricane Erin photos could help disaster teams track conditions Each submitted photo will be geotagged and time-stamped, providing scientists and disaster response professionals with real-time information about storm damage in specific areas. The photos will become part of an open dataset that is intended to validate or even improve upon assesments from satellite imagery. Satellites, which are adept at providing imagery of wide areas, may miss some hazards depending on where they are in their orbit or whether cloud cover is obscuring their views. NASA hopes photos from eyewitnesses on the ground help fill in those gaps by providing a closeup look on the ground of details satellites may miss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the public is discouraged from taking photos during an active storm, photos showing the aftermath could help first-responders determine where to send cleanup crews. Photos could also, for instance, help scientists determine how health wetlands helped reduce flooding or understand potential crop losses. Were exploring how citizen science can support disaster response in ways that Earth observation data alone cant, Kristen Okorn, a center coordinator for the DRCS who is helping lead the project, said in a statement. A single photo of land cover, whether it is a flooded street, fallen trees or even an undamaged area, can offer helpful context." NOAA weather satellites, NASA space station also monitor hurricanes Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm at the time of this photograph on Oct. 8, 2024, is pictured off the coast of Yucatan Peninsula from the International Space Station as it orbited 257 miles above. Satellites are also a critical tool for scientists and other officials to monitor the development of tropical storms and keep the public informed about incoming danger. The National Hurricane Center at NOAA maintains a fleet of orbital satellites that keep an eye on tropical storms much more effectively than land-based observations alone. The center's geostationary satellites orbit Earth at a speed allowing them to stay fixed over the same area of the planet so they can continuously monitor a tropical storm and its development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NASA's International Space Station, which orbits Earth from around 250 miles high, also routinely captures imagery of tropical storms and hurricanes that provide a striking bird's-eye view. For instance, as Hurricane Milton moved in on Florida in October 2024, the U.S space agency released photos and a timelapse video showing the eye of the storm as it churned and swirled its way toward the coast. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA is asking for your help in tracking hurricanes like Erin Multiple members of California Common Cause's advisory board have resigned as the nonpartisan group, historically critical of partisan gerrymandering, tackles its conflicting response to the national redistricting battle. Last week, the national chapter of the group reversed its long-held position and backed California's push to redraw its congressional districts. The group described it as a "counterbalance measure" to President Donald Trump's public call for Texas and other red states to redraw maps to secure additional House seats before the 2026 midterm elections. While the total number of departures on California's advisory board is not known, Common Cause President and CEO Virginia Kase Solomon told Politico's Playbook that members resigned "after expressing disagreement with the fairness criteria the organizations national board created as guardrails around the kinds of mid-decade redistricting California is pursuing. Their perspectives have been valuable, and we are grateful for their service, Solomon said. Two weeks ago, the organization had pop-up fundraising appeals on its website that slammed Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) for "attempting to copy the GOP's playbook to boost his profile." A July 24 newsletter from the group also called the actions of Texas Republicans and Newsom "wrong" and said "all of it is anti-democratic." That position changed last week when the group posted on its website that it would not oppose Newsom's efforts. Featured Local Savings "In the current mid-decade redistricting battle, we recognize that President Trump and Republican leaders are pursuing a calculated, asymmetric strategy to redraw districts mid-decade in states like Texas, to lock in unaccountable power and silence voters," the group posted on its website last Tuesday. "This is not an isolated political tactic; it is part of a broader march toward authoritarianism, dismantling people-powered democracy, and stripping away the peoples ability to have a political voice and say in how they are governed." The group said while it would not endorse partisan gerrymandering "even when its motive is to offset more extreme gerrymandering by a different party," it added that a "blanket condemnation in this moment would amount to a call for unilateral political disarmament in the face of authoritarian efforts to undermine fair representation and people-powered democracy." COMMON CAUSE CHANGES TUNE ON CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING FIGHT Common Cause said it was establishing six-point fairness criteria by which it would assess states maps. They include proportionality, public participation, racial equity, federal reform, endorsement of independent redistricting, and time limits, meaning any new maps must expire after the 2030 census and be replaced through a regular decennial redistricting process. Common Cause California did not return a request by the Washington Examiner for comment. This story discusses domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Over the last six months, Miranda Gray was beaten, pushed into doors, threatened with one knife and cut with another in at least three separate documented incidents. Now she's dead, strangled on Aug. 18, Metro Nashville Police said in a statement. Investigators arrested her boyfriend, 40-year-old Jared Streich, in connection with all those incidents and, now, her death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Streich, a former attorney, called police to 46-year-old Gray's Hermitage Park Drive apartment at about 9:30 a.m. reporting that she was unresponsive. When police arrived, it was obvious Gray was dead, according to their statement. An officer asked Streich how long she'd been unresponsive. "He declined to answer," police said in their statement. A documented history of violence While it was not immediately clear what happened to Gray, Streich was arrested on a violation of bond conditions related to a February aggravated assault charge. During that incident, Streich allegedly threatened Gray with a knife after taking $120 from her, according to court records. He was supposed to stay away from the apartment complex, according to his bond conditions. An Aug. 19 autopsy made it clear Gray didn't die of natural causes. She had numerous injuries and was strangled, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Streich has been arrested at least four times before in connection to domestic violence. In April, Gray reported that he "pushed her onto the ground" and "dragged her into their bedroom," according to court records. He then pushed her head into a closet door and when she tried to leave, Streich closed the patio door on Gray's arm, court records said. Streich was charged with aggravated assault and violating bond conditions. The charges were dropped two days later, records show. In July, Streich was again charged with aggravated assault and violating bond conditions when he reportedly cut Gray's wrist with a knife, police said. Again, the charges were dropped two days later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Streich was arrested a fourth time for violating bond conditions on Aug. 3 when police were called to the apartment for a domestic disturbance. His bond was set at $2,500 and he was released. Each time police responded to Gray's apartment, she was offered counseling, orders of protection, prosecution and shelter services, but she declined them all, police said in their statement. Earlier this year, Streich had been working as an attorney in Rutherford County. The Supreme Court of Tennessee suspended him from practicing law for six years on June 13. He was ordered to pay restitution to two former clients, and if reinstated, he will be placed on probation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case stemmed from two complaints, unrelated to criminal activity, filed against Streich with the Board of Professional Responsibility, records show. In one case, he failed to communicate with his clients about the status of their case and failed to "act in a diligent manner and expedite the clients' litigation," documents show. The complaints also said Streich failed to act competently, failed to return the client's property, charged unreasonable fees and provided false information to the Board of Professional Responsibility. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Police: Ex-Tennessee lawyer charged in girlfriend's death A National Park Service employee was terminated and may be criminally charged for unfurling a trans-pride flag over El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, park officials said. The firing has sparked an outcry from LGBTQ+ activists, who are accusing the federal government of firing the worker to silence them. On May 20, a group of LGTBQ+ activists and climbers ascended El Capitan an iconic vertical wall formation in Yosemite National Park to display a 55-by-35-foot trans-pride flag to affirm transgender identity and support biological research that showed natural occurrences of sex switching in other animals, according to a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the group were Shannon Joslin, a biologist at Yosemite, and Pattie Gonia, a prominent environmental and LGBTQ+ activist. Raising this flag in the heart of El Capitan is a celebration of our community, standing in solidarity with each other and all targeted groups, said Joslin, whose pronoun is "they." Being trans is a natural, beautiful part of human and biological diversity. Joslin, 35, worked as a wildlife conservationist, statistician and chiropterologist an expert in bats at Yosemite since 2021. A doctoral graduate from UC Davis, they managed the Big Wall Bats program and created Yosemite climb guidebooks in addition to volunteer work, according to the release. Read more: Trump ordered purge of 'unpatriotic' signage from national parks. How one California spot complied Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two hours after the flag went up, the group was ordered by park officials to take it down. Climbers who participated said that park officials outlined no consequences after they ordered the flag removed and that the group left peacefully. Video of the demonstration shows Joslin was not in park uniform during the climb, and the news release added that they also were not on duty at the time and used no park materials to rig the flag. But on Aug. 12, Joslin was terminated by park officials for their participation in the flag raising. The National Park Service and Department of Justice said they were pursuing administrative action and possible criminal charges against several park visitors and employees who were alleged to have violated federal laws and regulations related to demonstrations by not obtaining a permit. We take the protection of the parks resources and the experience of our visitors very seriously, and will not tolerate violations of laws and regulations that impact those resources and experiences, said Rachel Pawlitz, chief spokesperson for the National Park Service. The National Park Service pointed to a recent rule that the agency said went into effect the date of the incident. The rule prohibits guests or employees from hanging signs or banners over any natural or cultural feature in the park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joslin says that rule did not exist at the time, and an archive of the park's rules five days before the incident does not include a prohibition on flags. Another archived version of the page from the following month, on June 15, includes the new flag prohibition and is dated back to May 20. Read more: S.F.'s Pink Triangle, symbol of LGBTQ+ rights and Nazi persecution, is vandalized The National Park Service rewrote the park rules to ban hanging large flags in wilderness areas, including the face of El Capitan, the climbing group's news release said. Multiple flag demonstrations have taken place at Yosemite before, such as employees flying an upside-down American flag in protest of Trump administration cuts to federal funding and a Stop the Genocide flag hung in protest against the Israeli and U.S. governments last year in response to the war in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In America, our freedoms matter, Joslin said. Our team followed every written and unwritten rule, left no trace, and honored Yosemites accepted traditions. While not expressly banned, guests and employees must obtain a permit to display flags over the natural landscape in Yosemite, Pawlitz said. The decision to fire Joslin sparked outrage among LGBTQ+ advocates and activists. Read more: Love stories, rock slides, 50 pounds of dirty frankfurters. Yosemite post office, now 100, has seen it all Gonia said in a statement that she believes the termination was a part of a broader push by the Trump administration to crack down on political demonstration and LGBTQ+ visibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To strip [Shannon Joslin] of their position is not only an affront to their personal freedom but an attack on the very values of service, dedication, and community that [Joslin] embodies, Gonia said. This is about silencing those who oppose injustice and we must not let that happen. The climbing group and other activists want Joslin reinstated and demand an independent investigation into the park's conduct and hiring practices, the release said. They have also cited President Trumps executive order on Restoring Free Speech and Ending Federal Censorship as reason for reinstatement. The order, signed on Trumps inauguration date, said it would ensure that no Federal Government officer, employee, or agent engages in or facilitates any conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen. My firing isnt just about one ranger, Joslin said. Its about whether everyone has the right to speak freely in the United States. This kind of targeting threatens the rights of civil servants, and by extension, all Americans, to speak freely." 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. Two German fighter jets were scrambled to the Romanian-Ukrainian border on Tuesday night in response to a Russian drone attack in the frontier region, Romania's Defense Ministry said in a statement. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 93 drones and two ballistic missiles into the country overnight, of which 62 drones and one missile were shot down or suppressed. The air force reported drone and missile impacts across 20 locations. Oleg Kiper, the head of the regional Odesa administration, said drones hit infrastructure and production facilities in the city of Izmail on the Danube river, at the border with Romania -- a NATO member. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fires broke out at the site of the attacks and at least one person was injured, Kiper said. MORE: Russia launches largest attack of August on Ukraine after Trump-Zelenskyy meeting State Emergency Service Of Ukrai/via Reuters - PHOTO: Firefighters work at the site of a fuel storage facility hit by a Russian drone strike in the Odesa region of Ukraine on Aug. 20, 2025. MORE: Russia launches 6,400 drones, missiles into Ukraine in record-breaking month The attack prompted the scrambling of two German Air Force Typhoon fighters "to monitor the air situation in the border area with Ukraine, in the north of Tulcea County," Romania's Defense Ministry said in a statement posted to social media. The German aircraft are currently deployed to Romania as part of NATO's Enhanced Air Policing missions, which were introduced along the bloc's eastern flank after Russia's seizure of Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine in 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Romania's "aerial surveillance system" identified "groups of drones launched by the Russian Federation that attacked Ukrainian ports on the Danube," the ministry said. "During the mission, there were no penetrations of aircraft in the national airspace." Allied aircraft are often scrambled in NATO nations like Poland and Romania in response to Russian long-range attacks in Ukraine, which regularly target locations along Ukraine's border with its NATO neighbors. MORE: Ukrainian soldiers focus on daily battles as Trump and Putin prepare to meet Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: A German Eurofighter Typhoon jet performs during an exhibition flight demonstration at the International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, on June 18, 2025. MORE: Russian drone strike on Ukraine apartments kills several before Trump-Zelenskyy meet Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During previous attacks, Russian drones and missiles have entered NATO airspace. Crashed Russian munitions or fragments of them have been found in Romania, Lithuania and Latvia. Russian missile fragments have also been found in Moldova, which borders Ukraine to the southwest but is not a NATO state. NATO member Poland has also reported several violations of its airspace by Russian missiles and drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday night's strikes in Ukraine "only confirm the need to pressure Moscow, the need to impose new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works fully." "Thanks to all partners who help stop this Russian war," he added. "Together with the USA, Europe, and everyone who wants peace, we work daily to guarantee security. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly reliable and lasting peace." Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down at least 43 Ukrainian drones overnight into Wednesday. Temporary restrictions in flights were introduced at airports in Volgograd, Saratov, Samara, Tambov and Nizhny Novgorod during the strikes, Russia's federal air agency Rosaviatsiya said. As armies scramble to learn the lessons of the Russia-Ukraine war, one question looms above all: Have drones replaced traditional weapons such as tanks and artillery? For NATO, the implications are more than tactical. As the alliance struggles to rebuild its long-neglected armies, it faces tough decisions about allocating scarce money and industrial capacity. If robots are the future, then doesnt it make sense to build $500 drones instead of $5 million tanks? Not so fast, warn some experts. Replacing old-fashioned firepower with a purely drone force would be a blunder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are several reasons why it would be a mistake for NATO forces to rely heavily on massed small UAS [unmanned aerial systems] and long range OWA [one-way attack] drones to replace traditional weapons systems in pursuit of improved lethality and thus deterrence against future Russian aggression, argues Justin Bronk, a researcher at the British think tank Royal United Services Institute, in a recent essay. Europeans rush drone-based radar jammers in effort to supplant US tech Rather than exploiting Russias weaknesses, a drone-centric NATO could be playing to Russias strengths. Russian forces currently field the most formidable counter-UAS capabilities in the world, according to Bronk. In addition to jammers, modified infantry weapons and short-range air defense systems, Russian forces have become accustomed to using anti-drone measures such as netting to deflect unmanned aerial vehicles and armored cages to protect vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In most cases, only a small fraction of the huge volumes of drones launched by Ukrainian forces reach their targets, and a still smaller proportion achieve decisive damage when they do, Bronk wrote. Indeed, one reason why Ukrainian drones have achieved success at all is the presence of legacy firepower that constrains Russias ability to maneuver and to concentrate counter-UAS assets. This attrition from UAS has been occurring in the context of a Russian force that is still constrained by minefields and forced to disperse by Ukrainian artillery, GMLRS [Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems] and ATACMS [Army Tactical Missile Systems], Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles and glide bombs, Bronk explained. If NATO forces were to pursue massed UAS at the expense of rebuilding stocks of these traditional fires, Russian forces would find it significantly easier to mitigate UAS lethality than they have up to now in Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers from an air defense unit of the 59th Brigade fire at Russian strike drones in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, on Aug. 10. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP) The impact of drones in Ukraine has been contradictory. On the one hand, they dominate the battlefield, with hordes of omnipresent attack and reconnaissance UAVs paralyzing maneuver and forcing troops and vehicles to remain within cover and fortification. Most recently, waves of unjammable Russian first-person view drones guided by fiber-optic cables have devastated Ukrainian supply lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet despite enormous effort to innovate and manufacture drones, Ukraine has only been able to limit Russian advances but not stop them. Advancing behind saturation bombardments by artillery, glide bombs and drones, Russian offensives are succeeding in capturing ground. The gains are meager and the cost is staggering. But the Kremlin doesnt care about losses, and Ukraine simply lacks sufficient quantities of manpower and traditional weapons to defeat the attackers. Ukraine has achieved very impressive defensive results against larger Russian forces, but has not managed to retain the strategic initiative or operational momentum despite deploying millions of UAS that are constantly iteratively developed by a system honed by multiple years of desperate fighting, Bronk wrote. The best evidence is that Ukraine is clamoring for legacy weapons such as ATACMS and High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, rocket launchers, guided artillery shells and anti-tank guided missiles. When available, high-end ATGMs [Anti-Tank Guided Missiles], anti-tank BONUS artillery rounds and regular artillery are still prized by many Ukrainian commanders for countering Russian attempts to break through the frontlines, because they are far more responsive and more reliably able to knock out vehicles and suppress massing infantry than FPV drones, wrote Bronk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While UAVs have inflicted significant casualties on Russian forces (as have Russian drones on Ukrainian troops), Bronk sees drones at their most valuable as enablers for traditional forms of firepower. For example, cheap decoy or kamikaze drones can saturate air defense radars and force the defender to expend interceptors that would otherwise target missiles and rockets. NATO testing Baltic Sea drones to track Russian warships, freighters Bronk favors a NATO focus on glide bombs. Though far more expensive than drones, they are far cheaper than guided missiles: A Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM, costs around $25,000, compared to a million-dollar ATACMS rocket. Glide bombs destroy armored vehicles, fighting positions, supply dumps, warehouses, factories and command posts. They are easy to manufacture at scale with existing factories and multiple bombs can be delivered by a single jet with a targeting pod on each sortie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond their battlefield value, Bronk sees glide bombs as a deterrent against Russian aggression. By threatening Russian air defenses, they present Moscow with the prospect of operating at the mercy of NATO airpower. Rather than playing catch-up with Russia and Ukraine in drone warfare, NATO should use drones to augment its existing strengths, Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Defense News. These include superior precision strike capabilities, better-trained personnel and the ability to conduct joint operations. Those are the advantages that are likely to prove much more significant than being second- or third-mover in the drone fight, Kofman said. Ultimately, those nations that can integrate drones with conventional weapons will have the advantage over those that rely on masses of drones at the expense of traditional firepower. Fundamentally, it is far technically and tactically easier to counter a force that primarily relies on massed, cheap FPV and OWA drones for its primary lethality than it is to counter well-employed airpower, long range fires, armor, artillery and mortars within a professional joint force, Bronk concluded. BRUSSELS NATO defense chiefs were due to hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, a senior alliance official said, as Western countries pushing for an end to Russias war on Ukraine devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement. Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the chair of NATOs Military Committee, said that 32 defense chiefs from across the alliance would hold a video conference amid a U.S.-led diplomatic push to end the fighting. U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATOs supreme allied commander Europe, will take part in the talks, Dragone said on social platform X. U.S. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also set to participate, a U.S. defense official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caine also met with European military chiefs Tuesday evening in Washington to assess the best military options for political leaders, according to the defense official, who wasnt authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov chided efforts to work on security arrangements in Ukraine without Moscows involvement. We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work, Lavrov said Wednesday, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. Russia will ensure (its) legitimate interests firmly and harshly, Lavrov added at a news conference in Moscow with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi. Defense chiefs work on details of a Ukraine security force U.S. President Donald Trump met last Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and on Monday hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and prominent European leaders at the White House. Neither meeting delivered concrete progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is trying to steer Putin and Zelenskyy toward a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbor, but there are major obstacles. They include Ukraines demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia wont mount another invasion in the coming years. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace, Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight. Kyivs European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, has signed up to support the initiative. Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the U.S. might play is unclear. Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending U.S. troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After meetings on Russia-Ukraine war, major obstacles to peace remain Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept NATO troops in Ukraine. Attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian strikes also targeted ports and fuel and energy infrastructure, officials said. Zelenskyy said the strikes only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential. Switzerland could host a Putin-Zelenskyy summit Trump said Monday he has begun arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, although the Kremlin hasnt publicly confirmed such a possibility and no venue was suggested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lavrov, in his Moscow press conference, said Russia is prepared to continue negotiations with Ukraine in any format. He said Putin proposed to Trump raising the level of representation in delegations that recently took part in largely fruitless direct talks in Istanbul. He added that a separate block (of talks) should be devoted to examining the political aspects of the settlement, along with the military and humanitarian ones. Ukraine and Western leaders have accused Putin of dragging out peace negotiations in the hope of capturing more land before any settlement. French President Emmanuel Macron has said the summit could happen in Europe and proposed the Swiss city of Geneva. Switzerland has expressed its willingness to act as host. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putins ability to travel abroad is limited because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on a warrant dating back to March 2023 for alleged involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children. More than 100 countries are ICC signatories and have a legal obligation to arrest the Russian leader on their soil. Switzerland intends to ask the ICC to exempt it from sanctions in order to allow Putin in for a summit, according to a senior official in The Hague with direct knowledge of the request. The official was not authorized to speak about the proceedings and spoke on condition of anonymity. Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Molly Quell contributed from The Hague and Mike Pesoli from Washington. BRUSSELS (AP) NATO defense chiefs held a candid discussion" Wednesday about what security guarantees they could offer Kyiv to help forge a peace agreement that ends Russias three-year war on Ukraine, a senior alliance official said. Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the chair of NATOs Military Committee, said that 32 defense chiefs from across the alliance held a video conference amid a U.S.-led diplomatic push to end the fighting. He said there was a great, candid discussion in the call. I thanked everyone for their always proactive participation in these meetings: we are united, and that unity was truly tangible today, as always, he wrote on social platform X without providing further details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assurances that it won't be invaded again in the future are one of the keys for getting Ukraine to sign up for a peace deal with Russia. It wants Western help for its military, including weapons and training, to shore up its defenses, and Western officials are scrambling to figure out what commitments they might offer. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov chided efforts to work on security arrangements in Ukraine without Moscows involvement. We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work, Lavrov said Wednesday, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. Russia will ensure (its) legitimate interests firmly and harshly, Lavrov added at a news conference in Moscow with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATOs supreme allied commander Europe, took part in the virtual talks, Dragone said. U.S. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also due to participate, a U.S. defense official said. Caine also met with European military chiefs Tuesday evening in Washington to assess the best military options for political leaders, according to the defense official, who wasnt authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Defense chiefs work on details of a Ukraine security force U.S. President Donald Trump met last Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and on Monday hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and prominent European leaders at the White House. Neither meeting delivered concrete progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is trying to steer Putin and Zelenskyy toward a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbor, but there are major obstacles. They include Ukraines demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia wont mount another invasion in the coming years. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace, Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight. Kyivs European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, has signed up to support the initiative. Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the U.S. might play is unclear. Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending U.S. troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept NATO troops in Ukraine. Attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian strikes also targeted ports and fuel and energy infrastructure, officials said. Zelenskyy said the strikes only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential. Switzerland could host a Putin-Zelenskyy summit Trump said Monday he has begun arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, although the Kremlin hasnt publicly confirmed such a possibility and no venue was suggested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lavrov, in his Moscow press conference, said Russia is prepared to continue negotiations with Ukraine in any format. He said Putin proposed to Trump raising the level of representation in delegations that recently took part in largely fruitless direct talks in Istanbul. He added that a separate block (of talks) should be devoted to examining the political aspects of the settlement, along with the military and humanitarian ones. Ukraine and Western leaders have accused Putin of dragging out peace negotiations in the hope of capturing more land before any settlement. French President Emmanuel Macron has said the summit could happen in Europe and proposed the Swiss city of Geneva. Switzerland has expressed its willingness to act as host. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putins ability to travel abroad is limited because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on a warrant dating back to March 2023 for alleged involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children. More than 100 countries are ICC signatories and have a legal obligation to arrest the Russian leader on their soil. Switzerland intends to ask the ICC to exempt it from sanctions in order to allow Putin in for a summit, according to a senior official in The Hague with direct knowledge of the request. The official was not authorized to speak about the proceedings and spoke on condition of anonymity. ___ Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Molly Quell contributed from The Hague and Mike Pesoli from Washington. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine NATO military chiefs are scheduled to discuss the ongoing peace efforts for Ukraine on Wednesday, with Germany to be represented by the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr or his representative, a Defence Ministry spokesman said in Berlin. The talks are also expected to address ways of providing military security guarantees as part of a peace deal. Asked whether the German military would be able to contribute to security guarantees, the spokesman referred to the current political discussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And if, in this ongoing process, the Bundeswehr receives a mandate to contribute to security in whatever form, it will very quickly be in a position to offer politicians options for action," the spokesman added. Deputy government spokesman Steffen Meyer remarked that security guarantees "must and can be very complex and comprehensive," noting that this involved air defence issues too. "But it is also especially about questions of how we can put the Ukrainian army in a position to defend itself in the long term. That can also be part of security guarantees," Meyer added. Two German warplanes were scrambled overnight from Romania after Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack in Ukraine less than a mile from the NATO borderline. Romanias Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that two German Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, stationed at Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base as part of NATO's Enhanced Air Policing mission, were deployed "to monitor the air situation," but noted that this time no Russian aircraft or projectiles crossed the NATO border. Despite last weeks talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump, Moscow has continued its aerial bombardment of Ukraine, including in an overnight attack that targeted oil and port facilities in the Odesa region on and near the Danube River, which separates the Ukrainian border with the allied NATO nation of Romania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia Launches Largest Attack On Ukraine This Month Following Trump's Meetings With Putin, Zelenskyy The Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon of the German Air Force takes off from Los Llanos military air base during the Tactical Leadership Program in Albacete, Spain, on Nov. 21, 2024. The deployment of NATO jets comes after numerous incidents in recent weeks have increasingly threatened, and even crossed, NATO borders as the U.S. and Europe continue to push for Russia to end its war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported early on Wednesday that more than 60 drones and ballistic missiles were fired across Ukraine overnight, including the northeastern region of Sumy, where a drone strike injured 14 people though Ukraines Air Force later increased the number of overnight drone strikes to 93, and noted that 62 of the Shahed-style drones were intercepted, as well as one ballistic missile. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A family with wounded children 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years old sought assistance after the attack," Zelenskyy said. A glide bomb in Donetsk damaged five apartment buildings, and three people were still trapped under the rubble as of Wednesday morning. Joint Chiefs, Nato Counterparts To Discuss Ukraine Security Guarantees After Trump Suggests Us Air Support In an aerial view, the Sumy State University building stands heavily damaged by a Russian airstrike on Aug. 18, 2025 in Sumy, Ukraine. "The rescue operation continues," Zelenskyy added, though he did not confirm how many others were injured in the strikes. "All of these are demonstrative strikes that only confirm the need to put pressure on Moscow, the need to impose new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy is fully effective," Zelenskyy said on X. "I thank all partners who are helping to stop this Russian war. Together with the United States, Europe, and all those who seek peace. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finland's President Alexander Stubb, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for a family photo amid negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine, at the White House in Washington, Aug. 18, 2025. "We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly reliable and lasting peace," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The strikes come as NATO nations prepare to meet virtually on Wednesday to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine following high-level talks first between Trump and Putin on Friday, and then Trump, Zelenskyy and top NATO leaders at the White House on Monday. Original article source: NATO scrambles warplanes as Russia hits near Romanian border in Ukraine NATO scrambled two German Eurofighter jets in response to Russian airstrikes near Ukraine's border with Romania overnight into Wednesday. The jets were activated after Russian weapons systems approached Romanian airspace. Ultimately they did not cross into what is also NATO airspace. The jets, which took off from the Romanian military airbase Mihail Kogalniceanu near Constanta, returned without incident. This marked the first alert of a new mission there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The German Air Force is participating in armed patrol flights to secure the NATO alliance's south-eastern flank. The operation involves five Eurofighters and approximately 170 soldiers, providing military capabilities that Romania does not sufficiently possess on its own. The German fighter jets are part of a quick reaction alert unit stationed on-site, ready to deploy around the clock. Several NATO member states take turns providing this support. The German mission began this month and is scheduled to continue until March. NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, Va. (WAVY) A Navy pilot is recovering after ejecting from an F/A-18E Super Hornet Wednesday morning off the coast of Virginia. LT Jackie Parashar, a public affairs officer for Naval Air Force Atlantic, confirmed to WAVY the mishap took place just before 10 a.m. The pilot, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 83, was conducting a routine training flight at the time, the Navy said. The squadron is based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach. The pilot ejected and the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The Navy has not indicated yet what led to the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Search and rescue crews responded and located the pilot at 11:21 a.m. Dale Gauding, a spokesperson for Sentara, confirmed the Coast Guard brought a Navy pilot to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Wednesday. The Navy only confirmed the pilot went to the hospital for medical evaluation. They did not provide details on the pilots condition. The F/A-18E remains in the water at this time. The Navy said the cause of the mishap is under investigation. Another fighter jet from USS Harry S. Truman crashes into sea Fighter jet slips off the hangar deck of a US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, one minor injury Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the latest in a series of crashes involving Hampton Roads-based Navy fighter jets. In May, an F/A-18F Super Hornet was lost in the Red Sea after it went over the Norfolk-based USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier during an attempted landing, and crashed into the sea. Both pilots ejected. About a week earlier, another fighter jet, an F/A-18E, also fell from the Truman into the Red Sea while sailors were towing the aircraft. F/A-18 shot down over Red Sea in apparent friendly fire incident: US military In December, an F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to the Red Rippers of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 out of Naval Air Station Oceana, was shot down during an apparent friendly fire incident. That jet also took off from the Truman. According to Naval Air Systems Command, the F/A-18E Super Hornet costs around $67 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Continue to check WAVY.com for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. A federal judge Wednesday dismissed a defamation case against Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC). The case had revolved around Mace accusing a man, Brian Musgrave, of sexual abuse and voyeurism in a speech on the House floor in February. Musgrave sued Mace in March for defamation and has denied the allegations against him. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel did not address whether Mace defamed Musgrave but acknowledged that he may not be able to recover damages even if he was defamed. The Department of Justice had sought to intervene in the case and replace Mace and her staffers as defendants by saying they were acting within the scope of their jobs, which would make them immune. Gergel, in his ruling, agreed that the DOJ could intervene in the case but on the condition that Mace owed Musgrave damages for violating his constitutional rights. Still, the judge dismissed that claim too, saying it wasn't allowed in defamation cases and that Mace was protected anyway by the Constitutions speech or debate clause. Congress has weighed the risks and benefits and concluded that libel and related claims against federal officials acting within the scope of their employment are barred under federal law. It is this Courts duty to uphold the rule of law, Gergel wrote. Featured Local Savings Musgrave was one in a group of four South Carolina men that Mace accused of being rapists, peeping toms or voyeurs, and sex traffickers. His lawsuit had stated that he spent hours telling family and friends to let them know that his name and likeness would appear on the floor of Congress and that he would be falsely accused of being a rapist, a predator and a sex trafficker. Musgraves attorney, Eric Bland, said in a statement that the move to toss the case allows elected officials to say and do anything they want. HIGHER CALLING: AMBITIOUS HOUSE MEMBERS EYE PROMOTIONS IN THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS It seems patently unfair that a United States citizen who lives a law-abiding life can be grouped and called a rapist and a predator without any proof, and it can be done over and over again with immunity (and impunity), he said. Mace hailed the judges move to dismiss the case: Today the court proved the US Constitution is the LAW OF THE LAND, Mace said in a statement. They came after me because I stood up for victims and demanded crime be prosecuted. Todays court decision proves their lies and attacks wont break me. Ive put my career on the line to fight crime and drafted legislation to strengthen our laws. And Ill never stop fighting for law and order. Search and rescue teams safely recovered a Navy pilot Wednesday off the coast of Virginia after the pilot ejected from an F/A-18E Super Hornet at 9:53 a.m. Eastern time. The Strike Fighter Squadron 83 pilot, who was on a routine training flight, was rescued at 11:21 a.m. and taken to a nearby hospital for further medical evaluation, according to a Navy release. The F/A-18E remains in the water where it crashed, the release said. The cause of the mishap is under investigation. Strike Fighter Squadron 83 operates out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Navy did not immediately specify the cause of the crash. Two Nazi flags were spotted on display from the roof of a high school outside of Dallas over the weekend, sparking an investigation. According to the Heath Department of Public Safety, police responded to a report early Saturday morning and immediately removed the antisemitic materials that were displayed. Police said theyve launched an investigation. We want to assure our community that we take this incident seriously, police wrote in a Facebook post. We will not tolerate this behavior, and we are committed to holding those responsible accountable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a public meeting on Monday, school board member Grant DuBois condemned the flags and praised the students who initially reported them. Related: My 7-Year-Old Was The Target Of An Antisemitic Joke. Here's What I Told Him. The display of antisemitic flags on our campus is a hateful act that does not reflect the values of our district, period, he said, according to local TV station WFAA. We do not tolerate that as a school district. We do not tolerate that as a community. Stephanie Parnes, an alumna of the high school, told WFAA that she saw a photo of the two flags with swastikas circulating online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What happened was not a joke; its a threat, Parnes told WFAA. A photo shows Nazi flags hanging at Rockwall-Heath High School in Texas. Facebook The image of the flags spread across social media, with students and parents expressing disbelief and unease. Almost 3,000 students are enrolled at the high school, which sits among affluent suburbs east of Dallas and opened in 2005. Jeremiah McClure, Heaths mayor, also condemned the display of the flags in a statement. As the Mayor of Heath, I stand with our community in firm opposition to any acts of hatred, including the hateful display of flags that were found at Rockwall-Heath High School yesterday morning. We believe in the power of love, unity, and respect for all people, as God calls us to do, McClure said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that the city will continue working with the school district to investigate the situation. Rest assured, these actions will not be tolerated, and those accountable will face the consequences of their behavior, he said. Related: Jewish Faculty Call Out Weaponization Of Antisemitism Label In Higher Education In an email sent district-wide, Rockwall-Heaths principal, Todd Bradford, said the district and police are working together to identify the responsible parties and hold them accountable for this unacceptable behavior. White supremacy-related incidents have been on the rise in the U.S., according to the Anti-Defamation League. In 2024, the league recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the country, a 5% increase from the previous year and an 893% increase over the past 10 years. The organization said the antisemitic incidents have become persistent since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Out of the 9,354 antisemitic incidents the league reported in 2024, 860 took place at a kindergarten through 12th-grade school, and more than half of those incidents involved a swastika. Texas saw 251 antisemitic incidents in 2024. Related... Read the original on HuffPost NEED TO KNOW One of the world's tallest non-redwood trees is on fire in Oregon The Doerner Fir was first reported to be ablaze on Aug. 16, but a public affairs specialist for the Bureau of Land Management says it's unclear how long it had been burning by then A cause of the fire has not yet been determined One of the world's tallest non-redwood trees, a 320-foot-plus Douglas Fir that's been growing along the coast of Oregon for hundreds of years, is still standing as a fire burns inside it. The Doerner Fir, which is nestled in an old-growth forest along the Coast Range Mountains, is estimated to be between 450 and 500 years old, Megan Harper, a public affairs specialist for the Bureau of Land Management, tells PEOPLE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was first reported around 2 p.m. local time on Saturday, Aug. 16, although she says it's unclear how long exactly it had been burning by then. Now, firefighters are rushing to rescue the famed tree, while trying to stay safe themselves. Harper notes the fire is "very well contained" to just the tree and has not spread to the surrounding area. "There's actually one area about 280 feet off the tree that is still smoking and has a little fire in it. That's the part that firefighters are working to figure out how to extinguish, or if it's even possible to extinguish," Harper says. "The rest of the tree is pretty well-cooled." Harper says they've leaned on a combination of ground and air resources to combat the blaze. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have a firefighting crew on the ground who is working under and around the tree to lay hose and sprinklers to keep the fire out around the base of the tree," she says, noting, "we've been able to use helicopters with buckets underneath that can drop water on the top of the tree and penetrate somewhat down through the canopy to the forest floor." Harper says crews are also using technology to try and stop the blaze, relying on drones "that are able to take infrared readings to gage how much heat is in the tree." The drones also capture photo and video of the fire. Fire has burned throughout the tree, and Harper says the tree lost "a chunk" as the fire burns from the top. In addition, a layer of sugary sap has blazed, but it's too early to tell exactly how far into the tree the flames have reached. It's difficult to fully assess the damage or determine a cause in the midst of ongoing firefighting operations. "Right now, it's looking like some parts, it only burned on the outside. There's a few places where it burned inside, but overall it wasn't a huge part of the tree," she says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of midday Wednesday, Aug. 20, the tree is not in danger of collapsing, Harper adds. "I'm hearing from folks on the ground that it's got a lot of structural integrity still, that there's still a lot of wood in there that didn't burn," she says. "And so right now, there's no immediate danger of it falling." The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but experts do not believe the fire was sparked by lightning after assessing weather data from the last six weeks. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. As the urgent work continues, officials are also trying to mitigate risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Firefighter safety is always the number one priority, and so they're weighing any sort of firefighting response against that risk," Harper says. "When you have a 300-foot-tall, 11-and-a-half-foot-diameter tree, safety is a huge consideration." Read the original article on People Nebraska Republican Gov. Jim Pillen announced plans Tuesday for an immigration detention center in a farming area in the state's southwest corner as President Trump's administration races to expand the infrastructure necessary for increasing deportations. Pillen said he and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had agreed to use an existing minimum security prison work camp in rural McCook to house people awaiting deportation and being held for other immigration proceedings. The new facility was dubbed the "Cornhusker Clink" last week by Rob Jeffreys, director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. It can accommodate 200 people with plans to expand to 300. McCook is about 210 miles west of Lincoln, the state capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is about keeping Nebraskans and Americans across our country safe," Pillen said in a statement. Pillen announced he would order the Nebraska National Guard to provide administrative and logistical support to Nebraska-based immigration agents. About 20 Guard soldiers will be involved. Emily Pietrzak holds a sign that reads He also said the Nebraska State Patrol would sign an agreement that enables troopers to help federal immigration agents make arrests. DHS said in a news release that the agreement with the state to expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention space was made possible by Mr. Trump's "big, beautiful bill" passed by Congress last month. The funding bill included $45 billion for ICE to expand its detention system, and nearly $30 billion for ICE agents and resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeffreys said the 186 people currently at McCook will be transferred to other state corrections facilities so the camp can be repurposed. The facility will be run by the state of Nebraska but will be paid for by the federal government. All the people expected to be held there will be low to medium-risk detainees, Jeffreys said. Jeffreys estimated it will take 45 to 60 days to relocate all the current McCook population while a prison in Lincoln is undergoing repairs from recent storm damage. It wasn't immediately clear how quickly ICE might start sending detainees to McCook. But Jeffreys said it's already set up to house people, so detainees won't be housed in tents or other temporary quarters. "That facility has already been accredited. It's ready in the event that we are to move our folks out and move detainees in," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Thanks to Governor Pillen for his partnership to help remove the worst of the worst out of our country," Noem said in a statement Tuesday. "If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraska's Cornhusker Clink. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App." The Nebraska plan has already raised concerns. In a video posted to social media, state Sen. Megan Hunt, an independent, blasted a lack of transparency about plans for a detention center, citing her unfulfilled request to the governor and executive branch for emails and other records about the plan. She urged people to support local immigrant rights groups, and said any response by the Legislature would not come until next year and only with enough support from lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The No. 1 thing we need to do is protect our neighbors, protect the people in our communities who are being targeted by these horrible people, these horrible organizations that are making choices to lock up, detain, disappear our neighbors and families and friends," Hunt said. Six protesters sat in the hallway outside the governor's office Tuesday afternoon making signs that said, "No Nazi Nebraska" and "ICE = Gestapo." Maghie Miller-Jenkins of Lincoln said she doesn't think an ICE detention center is a good idea, adding the state should tackle problems like child hunger and homelessness. "This state has numerous things they could focus on that would benefit the constituents," Miller-Jenkins said. The Trump administration is adding new detention facilities across the country to hold the growing number of immigrants it has arrested and accused of being in the country illegally. Older and newer U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement centers were holding more than 56,000 immigrants in June, the most since 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other new and planned immigration detention facilities in the U.S. include the remote detention center in the Florida Everglades known as "Alligator Alcatraz," which opened last month. It's designed to hold up to 3,000 detainees in temporary tent structures. When Mr. Trump toured it, he suggested it could be a model for future lockups nationwide. When federal officials announced the opening of the Florida detention center, they said its focus would be on rounding up individuals with a criminal record people that Mr. Trump and border czar Tom Homan have called "the worst of the worst." However, many people who have been locked up there do not have criminal records, CBS News previously reported. The Florida facility has also been the subject of legal challenges by attorneys who allege violations of due process there, including the rights of detainees to meet with their attorneys, limited access to immigration courts and poor living conditions. Critics have been trying to stop further construction and operations until it comes into compliance with federal environmental laws. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced last week that his administration is preparing to open a second facility, dubbed "Deportation Depot," at a state prison in north Florida. It's expected to have 1,300 immigration beds, though that capacity could be expanded to 2,000, state officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also last week, officials in the rural Tennessee town of Mason voted to approve agreements to turn a former prison into an immigration detention facility operated by a private company, despite loud objections from residents and activists during a contentious public meeting. And the Trump administration announced plans earlier this month for a 1,000-bed detention center in Indiana that would be dubbed "Speedway Slammer," prompting a backlash in the Midwestern state that hosts the Indianapolis 500 auto race. Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine London Zoo has its annual weigh-in for about 10,000 animals Reporter's Notebook: The death of "skibidi"? NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) About 1,200 teachers and staff gathered in New Britain to kick off the school year. In Your Neighborhood: Gil Simmons and Ashley Baylor at the Jeep & Bronco Show in Guilford News 8s Dennis House was the keynote speaker at the Consolidated School District of New Britain convocation, where teachers received awards, heard some stories and music performed by students called Hot Sticks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Superintendent Tony Gasper also took part by playing the drums. The first day of school is the Aug. 25. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. NEOSHO, Mo. The Neosho City Council signs off on a multi-million-dollar deal to sell its water system. During Tuesday nights meeting, council unanimously approved a contract with Missouri American Water. It requires the company to pay $34 million for their water system, but not the water rights. At a public meeting last Tuesday (8/12), residents were able to ask questions and voice concerns. Neosho Mayor, Richard Davidson also told folks 13 city workers would be affected by the transaction but would be offered jobs by Missouri American Water to continue maintaining the citys water system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company plans to charge residents the most recent water rate set by the city. That rate was also approved during Tuesday nights council meeting. Council members unanimously voted to raise the average residential water rate by $1.44 from $6.33 to $7.77. The new rate takes effect October 1st. At the end of the day, this is a win for Neosho. Its going to be a boost for economic development, its going to be a boost for infrastructure, itll be a good thing, said Mayor Davidson. The deal still has to be approved by the Missouri Public Service Commission. The entire process is expected to take another 6 to 12 months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday brushed off accusations from his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu that the Australian leader is a weak politician who had betrayed Israel by recognizing a Palestinian state. Netanyahu's extraordinary public rebuke came after an Aug. 11 announcement by Albanese that his governments recognition of a Palestinian state will be formalized at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The announcement was followed by tit-for-tat cancellations of Australian and Israeli visas. History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews, Netanyahu posted on social media Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Albanese responded pointedly Wednesday: I treat leaders of other countries with respect. I engage with them in a diplomatic way. I dont take these things personally, Albanese said. Increasingly there is global concern, and global concern because people want to see an end to the cycle of violence that we have seen for far too long. That is what Australians want to see as well. Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke further inflamed Israel's anger Monday by canceling the visa of far-right Israeli lawmaker Simcha Rothman, a member of Netanyahus coalition, who planned an Australian speaking tour. Rothman is a member of the Religious Zionism party, which supports continuation of the war, the mass relocation of Palestinians through what it describes as voluntary migration and the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burke on Wednesday accused Netanyahu of lashing out against Australia as he had done against Britain, Canada, France, Ireland, Norway and Spain over recognition of a Palestinian state. Burke denied Albanese was weak. Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry, Burke told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar retaliated Monday for Rothman's treatment by revoking visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Saar also told the Israeli Embassy in Australia to carefully examine any official visa applications from Australia to Israel. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong responded by accusing the Netanyahu government of isolating Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the nation's peak advocacy group, said the Jewish community was profoundly disturbed and concerned by the rapidly deteriorating state of relations between the two countries. Australian Jews did not feel abandoned by the Albanese government, rejecting Netanyahu's accusation, Ryvchin said. When allies speak, they should speak frankly, robustly, but also in a dignified way, and I think firing off tweets which contain elements of abuse to them," Ryvchin said. I dont think thats the way to operate. Australia is an increasingly multicultural country where more than half the population was born overseas or has at least one foreign parent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is widespread community concern over the Israel-Hamas war, indicated by tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marching over the Sydney Harbor Bridge earlier this month. Antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels across Australia, which the government acknowledged last year by appointing the nation's first Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Sydney lawyer Jillian Segal. Australias conservative opposition party has pledged to reverse Australias recognition of Palestine if it wins the next election, which is due in 2028. The worsening bilateral relationship with Israel was spilling over into Australias relationship with the United States, an important ally that doesn't recognize a Palestinian state, opposition leader Sussan Ley said. The prime minister needs to explain how he is going to get this relationship (with Israel) that he has so badly mismanaged back on track, Ley told reporters. Albanese said that he doesn't take his Israeli counterpart's comments about him personally. Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke fired back at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday after the latter described his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, as a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australias Jews. Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry, Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when theres a decision that we know Israel wont like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu. He has the conversation; he says exactly what were intending to do and has the chance for the objections to be made person to person. He said that Netanyahu lashed out at a number of countries that stated they would recognize a Palestinian state. Albanese 'doesn't take Netanyahu's comments personally' Albanese, at a Wednesday press conference, issued a more restrained response than Burke, saying he doesnt take his Israeli counterparts comments personally. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia , August 11, 2025. (credit: AAP/Mick Tsikas via REUTERS) There is global concern because people want to see an end to the cycle of violence that we have seen for far too long, he said. That is what Australians want to see. He also said that the Australian government still supported the position of a two-state solution as a means to end the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu made his initial statements toward Albanese after the Australian government announced it would recognize a Palestinian state. A letter penned by the Israeli leader to his Australian counterpart stated that Albanese had failed to confront antisemitism in his country and that the recognition of a Palestinian state rewards Hamas terrorism, according to Sky News. He added that Albanese should take after US President Donald Trumps example of combating antisemitism. Its not diplomacy; it is appeasement, Sky News quoted the letter as saying. The heated exchange between the Israeli and Australian officials came just after Religious Zionist Party MK Simcha Rothman was denied entry into Australia earlier this week, less than 24 hours ahead of a planned trip in solidarity with the countrys Jewish community. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered that Gaza City be captured more quickly than previously planned. The "timeline for conquering the last terrorist strongholds and defeating Hamas" should be shortened, his office said on Wednesday, without giving details. Army spokesman Effie Defrin announced that Israeli forces had already occupied the outskirts of Gaza City, but it is still unclear when the full ground offensive will begin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz earlier approved the call-up of around 60,000 additional reservists for the capture of Gaza City. Media reports have said that the residents of what was the largest settlement in the Gaza Strip were to be evacuated to refugee camps in the centre of the sealed-off territory by the beginning of October. Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Sir Keir Starmer of rewarding Hamas with his plans to recognise a Palestinian state. The Israeli prime minister appeared on a podcast on Wednesday evening taking aim at the Government over its decision to recognise Palestine next month unless Israel meets certain conditions. He told the Triggernometry hosts: They [Hamas] commit the greatest savagery against Jews since the Holocaust, and the Prime Minister of Britain says we will reward you with a de facto state which is committed openly to repeating the October 7 massacre over and over and over again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, Sir Keir announced that the UK would formally recognise Palestine as a result of the increasingly intolerable situation in Gaza unless Israel took steps to end the suffering, reach a ceasefire, refrain from annexing the West Bank and commit to a peace process. Mr Netanyahu said: Lets imagine, what would be the response of Britain if about 15,000 people would be butchered in one day, and youd have, I dont know, 2,500 hostages taken. Would you say, Oh, well, we should give our attackers a state right next to London? Of course not. The standard that is being applied is not merely wrong, its just downright dangerous. Because youre really rewarding these monstrous terrorists with the greatest prize and thats because of weakness. And they say we recognise Israels right to defend itself as long as Israel doesnt exercise that right, Mr Netanyahu added. Sir Keirs move followed a pledge by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, that he would recognise a Palestinian state in September. Canada and Australia have said they would follow suit, leading to accusations of anti-Semitism by Israeli politicians, which the governments have strongly denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The podcast was released as Israel began the first steps of its invasion of Gaza City. The Israel Defense Forces controls the outskirts of the city, according to Brigadier General Effie Defrin, its spokesman. Protesters in the UK have taken to the streets throughout the war, with demonstrators and activists calling for an end to the conflict and an unconditional recognition of Palestine. Protests against the proscription of Palestine Action in central London on August 9 - Stefan Rousseau/PA Mr Netanyahu said: What do these protesters say about Britain? What do they say about Britain? Well, Britain should go down. And the same for the protesters in the US. They burn Israeli flags, they burn American flags and they burn the UK flag. So theyre basically a hostile minority supporting monstrosities. And I think that its shameful the way that the Western leaders in Britain, in France, in Canada and New Zealand, the way they buckle. They attack the Jewish state, and they give a prize for those who would destroy the one and only Jewish state. Shameful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Netanyahu was interviewed by Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster on the free speech podcast, which has previously had guests including Nigel Farage, Jordan Peterson and Stephen Fry. He dismissed accusations that Israel was carrying out a genocide in Gaza, calling the claims starvation fraud. A funeral at Hod Hasharon, Israel, for four victims of the October 7 attack in 2023 - Getty Images/Alexi J. Rosenfeld Between March and June, an estimated 56,000 tonnes of food entered the territory less than a quarter of the minimum that Gaza needed and equivalent to about 810 calories per person per day. Mr Netanyahu also said the conflict was not becoming a forever war, although Israel is preparing to increase its military presence in the Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, approved plans to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gazas most densely populated areas, with a call for up to 60,000 reservists and to extend the service of others. I think if we leave them [Hamas] there and theyre committed to our destruction, then youll have a forever war. But what is happening on the ground is actually the opposite, said Mr Netanyahu. He acknowledged earlier in August that weve not been winning [the propaganda war], to put it mildly There are vast forces arrayed against us. Mr Netanyahu was previously interviewed on the Canadian-American YouTube channel The Nelk Boys. Tens of thousands of followers abandoned the channel in protest. 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. Elon Musk's ex, Ashley St. Clair, claims she is "getting evicted" amid her custody battle with the billionaire businessman. Ashley St. Clair has faced 'career suicide' as well as facing a custody battle with Elon Musk The 26-year-old influencer has 11-month-old son Romulus with the X and Tesla owner, and she has started a podcast called Bad Advice after dealing with a "year of unplanned career suicide". She opened the first episode on Monday (18.08.25) with announcement: Well, after a year of unplanned career suicide, many questionable life choices and a gap in my LinkedIn profile that cannot be legally explained, Ive decided to start a podcast." St. Clair claims she had no choice but to sign up to a marketing scheme that offered her $10,000 to do an advert. She said: "Polymarket offered me $10,000 to do an ad read. So with that, the roof over my head has been brought to you by Polymarket. Not because anybody asked, but because statistically speaking, it was either join this or join a (multi-level marketing scheme)." St. Clair is seeking sole custody of Romulus. In March, the 53-year-old entrepreneur hit back at claims he wasn't providing child support and alleged he had given Ashley $2.5 million" and was sending her "$500k" per year. Musk - who has 13 other children with different mothers - maintains that he is not even sure if the child is his. According to St. Clair, he has refused to take a paternity test, but Musk denied this to be true. She responded to him on X: "Elon, we asked you to confirm paternity through a test before our child (who you named) was even born. St. Clair also claims Musk "withdrew" any money he gave her to "punish" her for "disobedience". She added: And you werent sending *me* money, you were sending support for your child that you thought was necessary until you withdrew most of it to maintain control and punish me for disobedience. But youre really only punishing your son. St. Clair first publicly claimed Musk was the father via X on February 14, writing online: "Five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world. Elon Musk is the father ... I have not previously disclosed this to protect our childs privacy and safety, but in recent days it has become clear that tabloid media intends to do so, regardless of the harm it will cause." In court papers, she previously claimed she began dating the SpaceX CEO in May 2023 and their son was conceived in January 2024. She alleged Musk was not present for the birth despite being given the opportunity and has shown no interest in custody. St. Clair also claimed Musk had met the child only three times on September 21 2021 for two hours in New York, for one hour the following day, and for 30 minutes on November 30 2024 in Austin, Texas. The Trump administration is adding another illegal immigrant detention center in the country, this time at another location in the Midwest in Americas Heartland. The newest one will be located in Nebraska, according to a release from the Department of Homeland Security. It will be the fourth detention center the Trump administration has said it will open since July 3, when a location in the Florida Everglades, dubbed the Alligator Alcatraz, started receiving detainees. The revelation of the Nebraska location, nicknamed the Cornhusker Clink, comes after the openings of the Lone Star Lockup at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and the Speedway Slammer in Bunker Hill, Indiana. Following Alligator Alcatraz and Speedway Slammer, the Nebraska correctional facility marks the third state partnership to expand ICE detention space, read a press release by the Department of Homeland Security. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem commented on the Cornhusker Clink, announcing the partnership with the state of Nebraska and the size of the facility. COMING SOON to Nebraska: Cornhusker Clink. Today, were announcing a new partnership with the state of Nebraska to expand detention bed space by 280 beds, said Noem. Thanks to Governor Pillen for his partnership to help remove the worst of the worst out of our country. If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraskas Cornhusker Clink. Avoid arrest and self-deport now using the CBP Home App. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R ) also commented on the new facility, stressing that his state was aiding in the implementation of the Trump administrations vision of illegal immigrant enforcement. He also announced that the Nebraska State Police would assist ICE officers in removing illegal immigrants from the state. Featured Local Savings Today the State of Nebraska is stepping up its support of President Trumps and Secretary Noems immigration enforcement initiatives in several key ways, Pillen said. I am pleased that our facility and team in McCook can be tasked with helping our federal partners protect our homeland by housing criminal illegal aliens roaming our countrys communities today." "I am also proud that the Nebraska State Patrol and National Guard will be assisting ICE enforcement efforts, as well," he added. "Homeland security starts at home, and, just as when I twice deployed troops to secure our southern border during the failed Biden administration, Nebraska will continue to do its part. ICE TRACKER: THE WORST OF THE WORST CRIMINALS THAT ICE PROTECTED AMERICANS FROM THIS WEEKEND The Cornhusker Clink is being funded because of provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill. The legislation set aside the financial resources needed to establish the detention center and the necessary equipment to house the detainees. It is an integral part of the Trump administrations efforts to combat illegal immigration in the U.S. This agreement was made possible by the One Big Beautiful Bill, read a release by DHS. This law fully funded the 287(g) program and provided funding to secure 80,000 new beds for ICE to utilize when detaining and deporting the worst of the worst. (This article will update.) Two parents are facing neglect charges tied to separate cases this summer that resulted in two toddlers dead after getting hold of their parents' firearms. The Marion County Prosecutor's Office announced Aug. 20, 2025, that chargesof neglect of a dependent, a level 1 felony, were filed against Keiara Bickett and Leonta Anderson. "Two children are gone, two families are shattered, and it never should have happened, said Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears in a news release about the charges. "Safe storage and responsible gun owner are not optional its a matter of life and death." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of reporting, police had not announced that Bickett nor Anderson was in custody, but warrants were issued for their arrests. More: 21 Indianapolis kids shot. Few adults held accountable The death of Javarius Bickett, 2 A child is in critical condition June 19, 2025, after being shot in this CVS parking lot at Keystone and 46th streets in Indianapolis, according to IMPD. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was called to the parking lot of a CVS at 46th and Keystone streets on June 19, on a report of a person shot. That's when police learned that 2-year-old Javarius Bickett had been shot in the head, according to court documents. The boy was pronounced dead after being rushed to the Riley Childrens Hospital by emergency medical personnel, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boys mother, Keiara Bickett, and his 8-year-old sister were interviewed by police shortly after his death, according to court documents. She told officers that the shooting happened while she was trying to pick up her prescription at the CVS with her two kids. Before they arrived at CVS, Bickett had stopped at a gas station, and said Javarius was seated in his car seat, but did not have his safety belt secured. When Bickett drove through the CVS parking lot, Javarius moved to the front of her 2025 Nissan and sat on the center console, according to court documents. Bickett and her 8-year-old daughter held Javarius on the center console before Bickett placed him in the passenger seat with his older sibling, while she went to park in CVS's parking lot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While she was parking, Bickett got distracted by her phone, and thats when she heard a gunshot and Javarius fell to the passenger side floorboard, according to court documents. When asked how Javarius may have gotten a hold of a gun, she told police that she normally carried a 9mm Glock Model 26 Gen. 5 handgun in her purse whenever she goes out of the house, according to court documents. She would usually zip up her bag so her kids could not reach the weapon, but on this occasion, she believes she may have mistakenly left her bag open, according to court documents. On June 20, Javarius death was ruled an accidental shooting by the Marion County Coroner's Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Toddler dies after shooting in Indianapolis pharmacy parking lot The death of Harmony Anderson, 2 On July 11, Indianapolis officers were called to the emergency room at Methodist Hospital after 2-year-old Harmony Anderson died from a gunshot wound, according to court documents. Police interviewed both of Harmonys parents, who explained the girl shot herself with one of Leonta Andersons guns, according to court documents. Although they did not observe the shooting, both parents heard gunfire while they were relaxing at home. When detectives searched the home, they located Anderson's AM-15 pistol, which had its selector switch engaged on "fire" mode, with a round in the chamber, which was on the floor of Andersons bedroom, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Behind the door, police found a Glock 26 handgun with an extended magazine, two drum magazines and an ammunition box lying on the floor, as well as a loaded SCCY CPX-2 handgun on top of a dresser. Anderson explained that he normally kept his room locked via a fingerprint scanner because he wanted to keep the kids away from the guns. When asked why the room had been opened, Harmonys mother said that she had placed a box fan in the doorway of the room because it had gotten too hot while she was playing video games. Anderson believed that Harmony may have climbed onto the shoe rack, where he had originally placed his Glock 26 handgun, which does not have a safety switch on it, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On July 13, the Marion County Coroners office ruled that Harmony died of a gunshot wound but did not determine if it was an accidental shooting. In the past six years, more than 20 kids have died from unintentional shootings in Indianapolis, and in just over half of those cases, someone was criminally charged. Over the last few years, State Rep. Mitch Gore, D-Indianapolis, has proposed legislation that would make it a low-level felony to unsafely store a gun with a child in the home, and if the child pulls the trigger, the charge upgrades to a higher felony. Each time Gore has presented the bill in the Indiana General Assembly, it has died in committee. In his statement on the charges, Mears took aim at the state lawmakers, who in 2022 eliminated the license requirement to carry a handgun in Indiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until our state requires basic licensing and training for gun owners, families will remain at risk," Mears said. More: 'Young female toddler' shot on north side of Indianapolis. Investigation ongoing Noe Padilla is a Public Safety reporter for IndyStar. Contact him at npadilla@indystar.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 2 Indianapolis toddlers die after getting ahold of guns. Parents charged In the face of ongoing dirty pool from the GOP, Democratic Party leaders say theyre ready to get ruthless. Its not about whether we play hardball anymore. Its about how we play hardball, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on a press call Wednesday. Newsom, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier rallied in support of the passage of Californias Election Rigging Response Act. The retaliatory legislation establishes a process for implementing new, temporary, congressional maps in the nations most populous state if any other state engages in mid-decade redistricting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom, who unveiled the bill earlier this week, said that Democrats needed to meet fire with fire and be prepared to respond in kind to Republican gerrymandering efforts, warning that this is about is about the rule of Don versus the rule of law. In the spirit of Lincoln, the facts are new, and weve got to think anew and act anew. Weve got to disenthrall ourselves, Newsom said. This is a different person. This is a different presidency. It requires a different approach than weve seen in the past. Newsom called President Donald Trumps push to tip the scales in Texas ahead of the 2026 midterms the ultimate wakeup call and a sure sign that there would be no return to normalcy from Democrats opponents across the aisle. Those who may have been holding out hope that some of this was anomalous and this recklessness was temporary, I think now deeply understand whats at stake, he said. This is a new Democratic Party, this is a new day. Theres a new energy out there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin was also on the call. The party leader was asked by Salon whether or not Democrats would be pushing redistricting in other states where they control the government, even in light of the fact that some of these states, like New York and California, have anti-gerrymandering amendments. Before Martin could answer, he was interrupted by Collier, informing the call that she had to leave because she was being told that it was a felony for her to be on the call. Collier had been participating in the call in the midst of a protest. Texas Democrats were prevented from leaving the state capitol building unless they signed permission slips promising to return. Collier refused and has been confined to the capital since. Sorry, I have to leave. They said its a felony for me to do this. Apparently, I cant be on the floor or in the bathroom, Collier said. Watch the call below via YouTube: The post Newsom promises new Democratic Party amid GOP redistricting push appeared first on Salon.com. Editor's note: This story has been updated since its initial publication to include additional comments from the U.S. Department of Justice. (The Center Square) After California received a letter from U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi on sanctuary policies, Gov. Gavin Newsoms office responded by reminding Bondi of the states right to refrain from assisting federal immigration enforcement. The Democratic governor's office also cited the ethical standards attorneys licensed to practice in California must follow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondi sent a letter to various states and cities on Aug. 13, threatening to criminally prosecute state and local officials who use their official position to obstruct federal immigration enforcement efforts and facilitate and induce illegal immigration," according to a press release from Newsom on Tuesday. Bondi also said the Department of Justice determined California engages in sanctuary policies that prevent federal immigration enforcement from accomplishing the interests of the United States. Bondi's comments were mentioned in a letter Newsom's office wrote on behalf of the governor to Bondi on Tuesday. Newsom told Bondi it would be improper for the federal government to punish state or local officials for following Californias laws because in United States vs. California, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decided states have the right, under the 10th Amendment and its anti-commandeering rule, to refrain from assisting with enforcement of federal immigration laws. Newsom also told Bondi in his letter that Californias Rules of Professional Conduct generally prohibits lawyers from bringing a claim or asserting a position in litigation without probable cause and for the purpose of harassing or injuring a person. That means if the courts decide to punish a state or local official for a conduct it has already decided to be lawful conducts Bondis letter threatened California licensed attorneys run the risk of violating their ethical obligations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The courts have reaffirmed the validity of Californias laws time and again, Newsom said in the press release. This is yet another attempt by the federal government to pressure states into bending the knee and accepting their authoritarian tactics. We will not be bullied into relinquishing our sovereignty. The governor said California law does not get in the way of criminal investigations or sharing of information about an individuals criminal history. Newsom also said California law does not get involved with the federal governments authority to enforce immigration policies using federal resources, adding that California law prioritizes public safety and works with ICE to deport convicts who threaten public safety. According to Newsoms press release, since 2019, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has coordinated with ICE on more than 11,300 cases, some of which involved individuals convicted of murder, rape, child molestation and other felonies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom said, however, he does not support the Trump administration's use of federal agents and military in local areas, claiming it is illegal. Therefore, he believes under California law, state and local officials have the right to push back against Trump's efforts. Newsom ended his letter requesting Bondi do two things: Submit a response by Aug. 24 that shows the attorney general understands her threat is improper under California law, and to tell the U.S. Department of Justice attorneys that any member of the California State Bar who follows Bondis orders is subject to an ethics complaint. The Center Square reached out Wednesday afternoon to the U.S. Department of Justice for a comment on Newsom's letter. The department's Office of Public Affairs responded by citing Bondi's previous comments on various media platforms. Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design, Bondi said in a press release. The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DOJ also cited President Donald Trump's April 28 executive order, which said some state and local officials have "used their their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws." And the DOJ cited its suit against the city of Los Angeles over its sanctuary city policies, as previously reported by The Center Square. The Los Angeles Ordinance and other policies intentionally obstruct the sharing of information envisioned by Congress, thereby impairing federal apprehension and detention of removable aliens, including dangerous criminals, as required by federal law, the Department of Justice wrote in the lawsuit. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has figured out the best way to get under President Trumps skin. Act like him. In an effort to egg Trump on and rally his own troops in the Democratic Party Newsom has taken a page from Trumps playbook, mirroring everything from the presidents rants to his social media habits. In recent days, the California governor has touted his own beautiful midterm redistricting proposal and his beautiful rally to boot needling Trumps braggadocious ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom has started to write his social media posts in ALL CAPS, just like the president. And hes come up with his own Trump-y nickname for the president: TACO, short for Trump Always Chickens Out, an acronym that originated on Wall Street in reaction to Trumps moves on tariffs and is designed to annoy the White House. In the process, Newsom is garnering attention from all ends of the media, while energizing Democrats eager to see members of their party fight back at the president. The HuffPost on Tuesday led with the headline Hes on a troll with a photo of a smiling Newsom. Fox News during a segment on The Five commented on his efforts to copy Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats are over being the nice guy party, said Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons, who served as Kamala Harriss communications director in the vice presidents office. Standing up for Dem values doesnt mean you have to play by the old rules, and Newsom in particular is showing hell go as low as he needs to to take on Trump. Since losing the election in November, Democrats have been rudderless and, for the most part, leaderless, desperately trying to find their way out of the wilderness. A Wall Street Journal poll out late last month showed Democrats popularity at the lowest point in three decades. The poll showed 63 percent of voters have an unfavorable view of Democratic Party while 33 percent of voters have a favorable view. But Newsoms recent strategy has given the party a shot in the arm, Simmons and other strategists say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gavin Newsom is capturing the hearts and minds of Democrats, Simmons said, adding that, People who dont do politics for a living are asking about him, and they really like him. Anthony Coley, a Democratic strategist who served in the Biden administration, agreed, saying watching him go toe-to-toe with Trump on social media an arena Trump has dominated for a decade is refreshing, energizing and even fun to watch for many Democrats. A survey out this week by Echelon Insights showed Newsom surging in a 2028 poll among likely candidates. The poll taken Aug. 14-18 a period when Newsom dominated headlines shows the California governor in second place at 13 percent, behind Harris who received 26 percent. In recent days, Newsoms press office clearly aware of the traction the governor has been getting with his new Trumpian tack has continued to needle Trump by continuing to echo him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the account isnt just targeting Trump. Its also going after Vice President Vance. On Monday, the account edited a photo of the vice president onto the body of Australian breakdancer Rachael Raygun Gunn, who made headlines last year for a mediocre performance. The account also targeted other Republicans, including Dana Perino the former White House press secretary who is now a television host after she slammed him for being unserious. You have to stop it with the Twitter thing, Perino said Monday. If I were his wife, I would say: You are making a fool of yourself, stop it. Hes got a big job as governor of California, but if he wants an even bigger job, he has to be a little more serious. Support for Newsoms social media efforts appeared to be growing. As of Tuesday afternoon, the X account for Newsoms press office had nearly 400,000 followers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Kevin Madden, the longtime Republican strategist, said Democrats are making a mistake to focus on communications tactics when they should be focused on messaging. Newsoms strategy and approach has been reflective of that, Madden said. Hes got a new podcast and a more aggressive social media presence, but other than more clicks and downloads has that shifted the dynamics or public debate in his favor, or improved the national party brand? So far, there is little evidence of that, Madden added. It has, though, positioned him at the top of the partys internal process of sorting out the next generation of national candidates and leaders. Democratic strategist Christy Setzer said Newsoms trolling has two main audiences: Democrats who want someone, anyone, to take on Trump in a real way, and the media, who Democrats feel have normalized too much of Trumps insanity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im surprised its taken Democrats this long to do it, Setzer said, calling the strategy pretty brilliant. Hes hoping to get under Trumps skin, and may have drawn blood on that account, [and] is it just me or did Trump stop using the all-caps in his unhinged posts after seeing Newsoms? she said. Setzer added that while no one will be Trumpier than Trump, the strategy is working. As an attention-grabbing tactic, hes already succeeded, she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Carlos Uribe, a former Newton police lieutenant accused of fatally shooting 21-year-old Camden Childers after a chase last month, faced a judge Wednesday, as nearly two dozen of Childers family members filled the courtroom wearing shirts with his photo. READ MORE: Newton police lieutenant indicted for 2nd-degree murder in deadly officer-involved shooting They said they want justice and plan on being at the courthouse for every court appearance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uribe is accused of shooting Camden Childers last month after the chase in Catawba County. The 21-year olds mother spoke with Channel 9s Dave Faherty after the court appearance. A lot has been taken not just from me, but my whole family and his friends, said Melissa Childers, the victims mother. READ MORE: Newton police lieutenant out on bond after murder indictment There were three separate chases, which involved Camden Childers on June 26, prosecutors said. Camden Childers motorcycle collided with Uribes patrol car, and he was knocked off the bike, the district attorneys office stated. The assistant district attorney said Camden Childers hands were above his head and open and he did not have a weapon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At one point, prosecutors said police ordered him to the ground, prosecutors said. Uribe kicked Camden Childers in the stomach knocking him over before shooting him in the chest while his hands were behind his back. The attorney for family said they plan on filing a wrongful death lawsuit in the case. It is undisputed that he killed her son, said attorney Eric Doggett. Now, whether or not its murder or something else, thats for a jury to decide. However, well ensure that we get justice for Camden in this process On Wednesday, prosecutors turned over evidence including body cam video to Uribes attorney. Channel 9 is petitioning the courts for access to that video. VIDEO: Bond set for Newton police officer charged with murder The McCook Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Nebraska. (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Correctional Services) LINCOLN, Nebraska This states version of the so-called Alligator Alcatraz federal immigration detention center is being created in the roughly 7,500-resident city of McCook, Gov. Jim Pillen confirmed. His announcement Tuesday was part of a multi-pronged push to support the Trump administration and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noems ramped-up approach to deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want President Trump to know that Nebraska is supportive and grateful for his ongoing, critical work with Secretary Noem to arrest and deport migrants who commit crimes, Pillen said in a statement. Sparks criticism He said the assistance Nebraska offered to the Trump administration from the state and its law enforcement agencies was about keeping Nebraskans and Americans across our country safe. Others, including some Nebraska lawmakers, criticized the states participation. State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, whose district includes the food plant where a high-profile immigration raid on June 10 arrested 76 undocumented workers, said she was furious at the prospect of Nebraska becoming a home to a facility modeled after Alligator Alcatraz, the name given by Florida Republicans to an Everglades detention center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She pledged protests all over the state, adding: I dont feel thats an appropriate way for the immigrants to be treated. Im pissed. State Sen. Dunixi Guereca of Omaha said the Governors Office had not shared details with him, including the type of funds or labor force numbers involved. Guereca said he saw better uses for the funds, wherever they might originate. We need to focus on building a stronger Nebraska for all, he said. Instead were ripping families apart and wreaking terror and havoc on a hard-working community that just wants to provide a better life for the next generation of Nebraskans. No state expense State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Legislatures Appropriations Committee, said he was privy to a quick briefing on the states immigration enforcement efforts. He said he learned the federal government will fully reimburse Nebraska for costs, with reimbursement rates anticipated to exceed the daily costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Costs wouldnt be passed on to Nebraskans, he said, adding that its still too early to quantify any potential savings through reduced state spending. Im supportive of the president enforcing the law, Clements said. He said he was told the facility was to be used for low- to medium-security risk detainees. I was pleased that the McCook people wouldnt be exposed to a higher level of security than what they currently have, Clements added. State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, who represents the McCook area, told the Examiner he was informed about the ICE plans as soon as the governor knew. Murman said the people in his district are generally in support of what the president is doing, but said he figures some people have some concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump does move quickly on everything he does. Hes moving quickly to get his policies in place, Murman said. And that includes what hes doing out here with the facility in McCook. A Homeland Security news release labeled the facility the Cornhusker Clink and said it would house criminal ICE detainees the worst of the worst. This agreement was made possible by the One Big Beautiful Bill, the statement said. This law fully funded the 287(g) program and provided funding to secure 80,000 new beds for ICE to utilize when detaining and deporting the worst of the worst. It went on to say: Thanks to Governor Pillen for his partnership . If you are in America illegally Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App. Midwestern hub for ICE Nebraskas Correctional Services Director Rob Jeffreys, in a news conference at the Capitol, said the facility wont house the worst of the worst but would be used for detainees at the low level and medium. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeffreys said the facility would be the Midwestern hub for ICE. He added that the nearby McCook Ben Nelson Airport could be used for deportations, but the logistics are still being worked out. A handful of protesters gathered outside of the press conference that included Jeffreys, Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent Bryan Waugh, and Nebraska National Guard Maj. Gen. Craig Strong. Its incredibly frustrating that no matter how much it looks like people are saying, Stop no one actually in power is doing what needs to be done and stopping it, said Jaci Vetro, a Lincoln resident. Nebraska U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., said he views the move as a way to support the local community and keep jobs in McCook. I support President Trumps actions to protect our communities and Gov. Pillens work to bring DHS investment to Nebraska, Ricketts said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Homeland Security statement said that the Nebraska facility marks the third state partnership to expand ICE detention space following Alligator Alcatraz and Speedway Slammer. Speedway Slammer is their nickname for ICEs new facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana, referencing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is about 75 miles away. More partnerships In addition to the McCook center, Pillen announced two other state-federal partnerships with Homeland Security. For one, the Nebraska National Guard will provide about 20 soldiers to help Nebraska-based ICE agents carry out their duties. Training is to begin within the next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also at Pillens direction, the Nebraska State Patrol announced it would sign a 287(g) agreement that empowers state troopers to help ICE arrest migrants in the country without authorization who break the law. So named for its section of immigration law, the often-controversial program delegates state and local law enforcement officers authority to perform immigration officer functions under the federal agencys direction and oversight. Pillen turned to an arrest earlier this summer in Omaha when Nebraska law enforcement agents worked with ICE to arrest a person ICE described as a drug-trafficking kingpin and murderer. This stuff hits close to home and hits every corner of this state and country, he said. Governments most important job is to keep us safe, and thats why the State of Nebraska, under my leadership, is partnering with President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three Nebraska county sheriffs offices are authorized for the 287(g) program Brown, Dakota and Wheeler. 280 beds The Homeland Security and Pillen confirmations of the Nebraska ICE facility revealed that the existing Work Ethic Camp in McCook would be converted and provide capacity for 300 migrants. It was built to house up to 200 people in a medium-security facility operated by the Nebraska state prison system. Pillen, who also held a press conference in McCook, and was greeted by a group of anti-ICE protesters, said that about 85 workers employed by the Corrections Department at the Work Ethic Camp would remain under the contract arrangement that pays the state. He said migrants held at the facility would likely be there five to 50 days and that there would be a lot of activity at the nearby airport removing people from the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gene Weedin, a McCook City Council member, said he was still learning details and forming an opinion about the center coming to his city. Nebraska owns nearly 45 acres at the McCook site. Weedin said Pillen was in McCook with Corrections Director Jeffreys over the weekend talking to various local officials. Weedins understanding is that the state prison facility would stop operating in its current form, start functioning as the federal immigration detention facility, and that those now in the facility would be transferred to other places. He said the people housed at the center have contributed to the community by picking up trash, putting up annual Christmas decorations, and doing other public service. There are just a lot of questions, said Weedin. Staffing shortage Nebraska has historically struggled to hire enough staff to use the McCook center as it was originally intended, to reform younger men whove committed crimes by assigning them jobs and tasks. The camp focuses its counseling and other efforts on encouraging behavior changes to reduce recidivism. It is the least crowded of Nebraskas overcrowded adult prison facilities, running a daily census of about 184 in Fiscal Year 2025. But it is also one of the prison facilities with the greatest need for additional staffing. The departments census says it was staffed to house an average of about 125 people in FY 2025. State Sen. Terrell McKinney of North Omaha said on social media that Nebraska prisons are already overcrowded and inhumane. And our state faces a budget crisis. We cannot afford this, he said. Cristine Schwartz, the public information officer at the McCook Work Ethic Camp, referred calls to a state Correctional Services spokeswoman, who did not immediately return calls. State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, who represents part of west-central Nebraska outside of McCook, said she only just learned about the ICE effort and was still gathering more information. The state has been working around the Douglas County Jail in Omaha no longer actively participating in ICE detentions. Detainees from eastern Nebraska have been sent to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and as far away as the Lincoln County Jail in North Platte where the 76 workers arrested in the high-profile immigration raid at Omahas Glenn Valley plant were transported. Many are still there. Other ICE contracts ICE also plans to contract with jails in eastern Nebraskas Sarpy and Cass counties for 30 beds each and the Washington County Jail for 15, according to ICE documents the Washington Post obtained. Pillens announcement is apparently Nebraskas contribution to a plan that the federal documents showed would open or expand 125 immigration detention facilities this year. In its detention expansion strategy, the Trump administration has revived other dormant prisons, repurposed military bases and secured partnerships with private prison contractors, local sheriffs and Republican governors to house its record number of detainees, the Post reported. By January, the documents indicate, ICE would have capacity to hold more than 107,000 people, up from close to 50,000 now. The documents, last updated July 30, reflected ICE intentions to rely increasingly on makeshift soft-sided structures that could be built in a few weeks and taken down as easily. The government also plans to make more room for detaining parents and children. The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska is among critics of the Pillen plan, calling it a new low point and way out of step with where most Nebraskans are on this issue. Imagine hearing about the cruel rights violations happening in other states ICE detention sites and thinking that we need our own heartland horror, said Mindy Rush Chipman, executive director of ACLU Nebraska. Nebraska Democratic Party officials described creation of the detention facility in McCook as a bend the knee moment by top Republicans in Nebraska, and the governors participation as disgusting. They promised to go after criminals and instead have locked up hardworking moms and dads who contribute their skills to our agricultural economy, said Jane Kleeb, state party chair. Creating fear and division does not have to be the Cornhusker way. Nebraska Appleseed called the governors cooperation part of a harmful, dangerous and rapid expansion of detainment camps that repeat a deeply ugly pattern of history. Darcy Tromanhauser, the advocacy agencys immigrants and communities program director, urged officials instead to update immigration laws. Nebraskans want policy change, not punishment, she said. Earlier this month, Noem revealed in an interview with CBS News that Nebraska was being considered as a home to one of the state-run, federally funded migrant detention centers that the Trump administration hoped to launch across the country in the likeness of the one dubbed Alligator Alcatraz. Noem said she had already appealed to governors and state leaders. Strimple acknowledged the possibility at the time, saying the governor would make details public at the appropriate time. This story first appeared in the Nebraska Examiner, a member with the Phoenix in the nonprofit States Newsroom. Examiner Editor-in-chief Aaron Sanderford and Reporter Zach Wendling contributed to this report. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A New Hampshire man has admitted to his conduct involving the sexual exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan said Tuesday. David Mendum, 46, of Harrisville, pleaded guilty in federal court to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, Creegan said in a statement. U.S. District Judge Paul Barbadoro scheduled sentencing for Nov. 25. According to court documents and statements made in court, Mendum was paying child sex traffickers in the Philippines to create live-stream child sexual abuse material and transmit it to him over the internet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security led the investigation, with assistance from the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Epping Police. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Niagara Falls man was found guilty of second-degree murder in a fatal stabbing in September 2022, the Niagara County District Attorneys Office announced Wednesday. Al Villane, 35, was found guilty by a jury of stabbing 47-year-old Hollis Stewart, of Niagara Falls, on Sept. 19 in a residence on the 700 block of 20th Street in Niagara Falls, officials said. Stewart was taken to ECMC where he died from his injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Villane was also found guilty of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison when he returns to court on Nov. 10. Latest Local News Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. A Nicaraguan man in the United States illegally is facing "enhanced" charges due to his immigration status in Florida for a drunken hit-and-run over the weekend, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Grady Judd said deputies arrested Roberto Sandobal-Lopez, 34, on Saturday after he crashed his white Honda into someone's fence in Winter Haven at around 7 p.m. and walked off. Deputies were alerted to the crash after witnesses called the sheriff's office to report the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uber Driver Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Now Faces Ice Arrest Detainer After Overstaying Visa Sandobal-Lopez was found by law enforcement walking in the nearby area shortly after the crash and deputies determined he was intoxicated. His eyes were described as "watery" and "bloodshot," and deputies said they could smell alcohol. When he was asked if he had been drinking, Sandobal-Lopez allegedly said he drank six bottles of Modelo a few hours earlier at around 5 p.m. Two samples during a breath test revealed BAC levels of 0.13 and 0.124, according to the PCSO. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Field sobriety tests also showed "several signs of impairment," the sheriff's office said. Roberto Sandobal-Lopez allegedly told Polk County deputies that he drank six bottles of Modelo beer about two hours before he crashed his car into someone's fence and fled the scene. Illegal Immigrant Truck Driver Accused In Deadly Florida Crash Got Biden Work Permit After Trump Denial: Dhs Sandobal-Lopez was taken to the Polk County Jail and charged with DUI with property damage, driving under the influence, leaving the scene of the crash with property damage and not having a driver's license. His charges have been upgraded by one degree because he is in the U.S. illegally, which makes his "DUI with property damage" charge a third-degree felony. The remaining charges are all first-degree misdemeanors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judd said in a Facebook post that Sandobal-Lopez will remain in jail until he is picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The sheriff added that it's fortunate that only a fence was damaged during the drunken drive and called Sandobal-Lopez a coward for walking away from "the scene and responsibility." The sheriff also reiterated that being in the U.S. illegally is a crime and, in Florida, immigration status will impact the severity of criminal charges. "In Florida, if youre committing the crime of being here illegally, your other criminal charges are enhanced one degree; he's now facing a serious felony because he caused damage to property while driving under the influence," Judd said. Original article source: Nicaraguan man illegally in US facing 'enhanced' charges after drunken hit-and-run: sheriff Retired Providence, Rhode Island Municipal Court Judge and former Caught in Providence star Frank Caprio has died. According to a statement on his official Facebook page, Caprio died on Wednesday, Aug. 20 after battling pancreatic cancer. Beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people, Judge Caprio touched the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond, the statement reads. His warmth, humor, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caprio had served as a Providence Municipal Court judge since 1985, according to his website. He retired in January 2023 and in October of that year, Providence renamed its municipal courtroom after Caprio. His court is known worldwide due to the nationwide television show Caught in Providence, which was nominated for a Daytime Emmy award in 2021. Known as the nicest judge in the world, Caprio gained fame on social media for his compassionate approach, often listening to drivers whod gotten parking tickets and giving them a break. Caprio also served 10 years as chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education, which is the governing body for the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and Community College of Rhode Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Suffolk University School of Law, he founded the Antonio Tup Caprio Scholarship Fund in honor of Caprios father, the website states. The award went to Rhode Island students who are committed to improving access to legal services in underserved neighborhoods. He also established scholarships named in honor of his dad at Providence College and at Providences Central High School. Shortly after his 87th birthday in December 2023, Caprio announced he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, WPRI reported. His final radiation treatment was the following May. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, Caprio posted a video on Facebook and Instagram saying he was back in the hospital and asking for prayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He will be remembered not only as a respected judge, but as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend, Caprios official Facebook page wrote. His legacy lives on in the countless acts of kindness he inspired. In his honor, may we each strive to bring a little more compassion into the world just as he did every day. The latest from MassLive Read the original article on MassLive. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) announced his endorsement of Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) in New York's 2026 gubernatorial race on Tuesday, months after calling her an "electoral train wreck waiting to happen." The congressman's announcement ends his interest in running for governor, although he previously said he wouldn't enter the race if it meant he had to contend with New York City mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani if elected. Torres said he's "proud to stand" with Hochul because of the "unprecedented assault" that the Trump administration is waging against New York. "The Trump administration's signature piece of legislation, the so-called Big, Beautiful Bill, represents one of the greatest assaults on working families here in The Bronx that I've ever seen," he said in a statement, citing the anticipated cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program under the GOP-led megabill that President Donald Trump signed into law last month. "It's going to raise the cost of utilities for small businesses and American families," he added. "And so now more than ever, it's important for every Democrat and every New Yorker to stand with the governor." The statement starkly contrasts the representative's previous comments about the governor. Torres called Hochul an "electoral train wreck" in February, based on a Siena poll showing 57% of New York voters wanting her out of office and only 31% wanting her reelected. He also called her "feckless," a "down-ballot disaster," an "accidental governor," and the "new Joe Biden." The lattermost insult came weeks after Trump won the 2024 election. Torres warned that if Hochul waited too long to acknowledge her unpopularity as the Democratic incumbent, New York could elect a Republican governor in 2026. "Lets avoid repeating history and avoid sleepwalking toward impending disaster and defeat," Torres once said. Featured Local Savings Moving past their differences, Torres joined Hochul at a Monday rally in the Bronx to slam what they called Trump's "Big Ugly Bill" and the legislation's "crippling" effects on working families in New York. Hochul welcomed Torres's endorsement despite their past rivalry. "Congressman Torres and I haven't always agreed on everything, but we know what matters most: delivering a safer, more affordable New York for every family and coming together to fight back against Donald Trump," the governor said in a statement. "Today, we are sending a message, Democrats are united, energized, and focused heading into 2026. That's how we deliver for New Yorkers and that's how we win," she added. Hochul is up for reelection next year, facing Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado in the Democratic primary. STEFANIK TORCHES HOCHUL AS 'WORST GOVERNOR IN AMERICA' AFTER 'PATHETIC' PRESS CONFERENCE Meanwhile, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) said she would decide by the end of the year whether to run for governor. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) announced last month that he would not run for governor but seek reelection in his congressional district. The latest Siena poll shows Hochul with a 42%-44% favorability rating and 53%-42% job approval rating, both of which were improvements from her June numbers. However, her lead in a potential challenge against Stefanik dropped to 14 points from her previous 23-point lead. KENILWORTH, N.J. As the New Jersey utility bill blame game continues in Trenton, both candidates for Governor are proposing their solutions to help New Jerseyans save money. Democratic candidate Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, speaking at a news conference on Wednesday in Kenilworth, laid out her policy plans to bring down energy bill costs. More Local News When I take office, the average New Jersey family wont see an increase in utility rates for an entire year, said Sherrill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She says on day one, she will freeze utility costs and fight for energy companies and grid operator PJM to be more transparent. She says shell also expand cheaper, cleaner power generation and expand capacity at the states existing nuclear plants. More power generation means lower bills, said Sherrill. Meanwhile, Republican Candidate Jack Ciattarelli, whos already laid out his strategy via social media, blames the energy policies of Trenton democrats who have pushed wind energy and stepped away from natural gas. He told PIX11 News in a statement, in part, Mikie Sherrill has been a lockstep supporter of Phil Murphys failed energy policies in New Jersey and the Biden-Harris administrations policies in Washington When Im Governor, things are going to change. Ill ban offshore wind and diversify our energy sources in New Jersey to once again include natural gas and nuclear. Ill rewrite our master plan and deliver safe, clean, and sustainable energy to everyone in our state at a price you can afford. An FDU poll released earlier this month showed New Jersey voters are split on who to blame for the soaring utility bill costs. Its an issue that will be at the top of many voters minds this November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State They always have ideas, someones got to do something, put it into effect, said Tony Benas, the co-owner of Kenilworth Diner and owner of other small businesses. He says his utility bills have gone up by hundreds. They all talk before the elections, said Benas. After the elections, everyone seems to kind of forget what they talked about. He hopes whoever is elected creates that change. Try to figure out whats going on, said Benas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. A New Jersey resident has been sentenced to federal prison after being convicted for his role in a scheme to smuggle military equipment to Russia an operation that involved a Merrimack man. Vadim Yermolenko, 43, of Upper Saddle River, received a 30-month sentence Monday, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York said in a statement. Yermolenko pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit bank fraud for his role in a scheme to export dual-use electronics to Russia to aid its military and intelligence services. Yermolenko was born in Russia and has citizenship in both Russia and the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Co-defendant Alexey Brayman of Merrimack previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and is awaiting sentence. Federal authorities said Yermolenko and Brayman were among nearly two dozen criminals who, for more than two years, conspired to aid Russias military aggression in the Russia-Ukraine war. An investigation found that they were affiliated with two Moscow-based companies that procured advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment for the countrys industrial and research and development sector. The Justice Department said the entities controlled a network of shell companies and bank accounts worldwide, including in the United States, which helped Russia hide its involvement in the scheme. Yermolenko, according to court papers, funneled $12 million through U.S.-based bank accounts used to purchase sensitive equipment used in radar, surveillance and military research and development intended for the Russian government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charges against Brayman and the others include numerous conspiracies to defraud the United States, to violate the International Emergency Economic Power Act, to violate the Export Control Reform Act, wire fraud and money laundering. Other charges include fraud by wire, radio or television, money laundering, smuggling goods into the United States, unlawful export activities and failure to file electronic export information. Authorities charge that the network shipped material out of the Merrimack home throughout the world, including to Vadim Konoshchenok in Estonia. From there, Konoshchenok would smuggle the U.S. items into neighboring Russia, filings say. Konoshchenok has identified himself as a colonel with the Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB, the successor agency to the Soviet KGB. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Brayman and Yermolenko would alter, forge, and destroy shipping documents, invoices and other business records to unlawfully export items from the United States, the filings read. Yermolenko worked on the finance end, allegedly opening numerous shell companies and bank accounts, depositing and withdrawing funds into U.S. financial institutions and lying to them to facilitate the scheme and avoid detection. Brayman used his residence in New Hampshire as a frequent transshipment point for items that were unlawfully exported from the U.S. and ultimately destined for Russia, the filing reads. Much of the network ran through the Brayman home, court documents say. According to property records, Brayman and his wife, Daria Romonova Brayman, bought the home at 30 Ellie Drive in Merrimack in 2019 for $425,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These items included advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment used in quantum computing, hypersonic and nuclear weapons development and other military and space-based military applications, the indictment reads. Equipment was shipped through shell companies using layered transactions, which made them more difficult to track, and moved through Estonia, Finland, Germany and Hong Kong. One example in the indictment of Braymans involvement describes a $14,000 military-grade spectrum analyzer, which was purchased from a Florida company. It can be used to measure electromagnetic signals on the battlefield and for counter-surveillance operations. It was shipped through New Hampshire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In another case, dual-use oscilloscopes from an Illinois company, valued at $25,000 apiece, were shipped to Braymans address. The equipment was tightly controlled by the Department of Commerce for anti-terrorism reasons. Brayman allegedly repackaged them, listed the value as $2,500 and labeled the package Oscilloscope Used, No Warr. pfeely@unionleader.com A man shot and critically wounded a woman in New Jersey and then fled to a nearby home, where he barricaded himself before turning the firearm on himself and dying by suicide, officials said. The deadly violence, which is being investigated as a potential domestic violence incident, unfolded on Monday morning in Linden, near Carnegie St. and Monmouth Ave., according to News 12 New Jersey. When authorities arrived on the scene around 10:15 a.m., they found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound on the sidewalk along the 600 block of Carnegie St., police said. The victim, who was not identified, was rushed to Newark University Hospital, where she remained in critical condition as of Tuesday evening, RLS reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gunman had already fled the scene by the time authorities had arrived. Police said he barricaded himself inside a residence believed to be the victims home where he was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His name has not been released, but one resident, who did not wish to be identified, told News 12 he was the victims boyfriend. They added that he lived in New York and would often visit the neighborhood. Ive seen them in the backyard, the resident said. They usually have cookouts in the backyard. I would see them sitting on the front steps talking to each other. Another neighbor told News 12 the pair seemed really happy and expressed shock over the deadly violence. Resident Robert Vandevere, who has lived in Linden for 15 years, was left similarly stunned by the bloodshed so close to his own backyard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nothing like this Its very quiet around here, he told News 12. An investigation, being carried out by the Linden Police Detective Bureau and the Union County Prosecutors Office Homicide Task Force, is ongoing. A homeless encampment in Espanola, pictured in April 2024. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday announced the state this month will begin sending more than $120 million in funding to help make a dent in New Mexico's affordable housing and homelessness crisis. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM) New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Tuesday that housing funds the state Legislature approved this year will soon leave state coffers as agencies try to address an affordable housing and homelessness crisis here. Between the last two legislative sessions, the Legislature has dedicated more than $300 million to various housing-related measures at different agencies, including revolving loans for builders, down-payment assistance and anti-homelessness programs. That figure includes $140 million lawmakers approved this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a news release Tuesday, the governor said that the Office of Housing within the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions will distribute $120 million of that funding beginning this month. These investments prioritize solving New Mexicos housing crisis through focused investments in affordable and attainable housing, support for prevention, and proven solutions to the challenge of homelessness, the governor said in a statement. When we face a challenge of this magnitude, we must take an all the above approach. According to the news release, the funding includes: more than $80 million for housing and homelessness projects in the Albuquerque area more than $11 million for housing and homelessness projects in the Las Cruces area more than $13 million for housing projects in other parts of New Mexico $7.8 million for projects to support students experiencing homelessness at public schools in Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to recent estimates, the state lacks more than 32,000 housing units. Rents and homelessness have increased far beyond the national average in recent years, especially in Albuquerque, the states biggest city. The newly created Office of Housing, which was transferred to DWS shortly after the session, is overseeing the spending, according to the news release. DWS Secretary Sarita Nair said the funding will go toward proven strategies for tackling the housing crisis. That means focusing on building more housing, preventing homelessness and ensuring that people who move into homes after living on the street have wrap-around support and thoughtful interventions, she said in the news release. The governors office expects the initial round of funding will result in the creation and support of more than 1,500 affordable housing units, more than 1,500 shelter beds, more than 150 transitional housing units for people leaving shelters and prevention programs to help more than 3,500 families avoid falling into homelessness. It will also support street outreach with support services for people who live on the streets, according to the news release. From left: New Mexico State University researcher Pei Xu; John Rhoderick, a deputy at the state environment department; and Office of the State Engineer Deputy Secretary Tanya Trujillo present to lawmakers on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. New Mexico officials told lawmakers Wednesday that they will unveil in the coming week the requirements for municipalities and private companies to seek funds to treat less-drinkable water from below ground. Earlier this year, lawmakers passed House Bill 137 to establish the Strategic Water Supply, which includes $40 million to treat salty waters in aquifers and alleviate the stress from climate change shrinking rivers and depleting freshwater supplies in aquifers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill represented a slimmed-down version of the project touted by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, which would have included efforts to treat wastewater from oil and gas projects and had a half-a-billion dollar price tag. Leadership at the Office of the State Engineer and the New Mexico Environment Department, which manages the program, told lawmakers at the legislative Water and Natural Resources Committee meeting this week in Las Cruces that the $40 million will exclusively be used for grants for local governments or contracts with private companies. The goals for the program are to encourage communities to be able to withstand that potential future of less water supply available, and to allow them to diversify supplies that they have amongst service water, groundwater, recycled water elements, said Deputy State Engineer Tanya Trujillo. While no specific projects have been put forward, cities like Eunice are increasingly looking to desalination to increase water supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For desalination to work, some of the water may have to be treated for more than just salt, in order to address contaminants such as arsenic or uranium. As part of the new initiative, the state is undertaking a yearslong process to determine the shape, size and quality of New Mexicos aquifers. Researchers at New Mexico State University, in partnership with the environment department, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources and private owners say they have thus far sampled water from 19 aquifers to test for quality. Pei Xu, one of the NMSU researcher in the civil engineering department, said further research will be needed.The challenges and opportunities of developing brackish water is understanding the quantity and the quality of the water aquifers, Xu said. Officials said they would have feasibility studies to compare the costs of any proposed projects for treating brackish water with benefits to the community or impacts on the environment. We dont want a science experiment, Deputy Cabinet Secretary John Rhoderick told lawmakers. We want results. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhoderick said he anticipates requests for grant funding will greatly outstrip the $40 million allocated by the Legislature, and said the departments would likely seek further funding in the 2026 session. Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Albuquerque) asked how the push to install expensive infrastructure for desalination is being balanced with cheaper policy options to conserve water. Rhoderick and Trujillo said an all of the above approach is necessary. Nothing is more apparent than the reality that the only way we solve water problems in New Mexico is by utilizing 100 different methods, Rhoderick said. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The damaged W-Sapphire is still afloat after a fiery explosion Monday and has been moved to just north of the Bay Bridge, where it is anchored while investigations continue. (Coast Guard screengrab) By Ciara Wells The Patapsco River channel into the Port of Baltimore was reopened Tuesday afternoon after a fiery explosion on a cargo ship Monday night closed the channel for the better part of a day while the Coast Guard investigated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident began about 6:30 p.m. Monday when the bow of the coal-carrying cargo ship W-Sapphire erupted in a fireball as it was leaving the port, not far from the remaining wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed last year. Livestream video footage shows the explosion, followed by black smoke billowing from the ship as it slowly continues its path on the Patapsco River. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to WTOP that there were 23 people and two pilots on board the coal-bearing ship. The Maryland Department of Emergency Management reported on X and the Baltimore City Fire Department reported in a post on Facebook that no injuries to the crew had been reported, and there was no damage found beyond the W-Sapphire, a 751-foot bulk carrier from Liberia. Fireboats remain on scene as the Coast Guard and other agencies begin their investigation. The vessel will be moved to a designated anchorage area and held there until cleared by the Coast Guard, the fire department wrote Monday night. By Tuesday, the W-Sapphire had been moved and anchored near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, where the Coast Guard established a safety zone for 500 yards around the vessel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The explosion blew a hatch off the front of the W-Sapphire and into the river, posing a potential threat to navigation that led the Coast Guard to close the channel for 2,000 yards around the possible resting place of the hatch. By Tuesday evening, that safety zone had been lifted, but the Coast Guard imposed draft restrictions on ships passing through the area and said a 500-yard safety zone could be imposed when recovery of the hatch began. The explosion occurred not far from the remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in the early morning hours on March 26, 2024, when the container ship Dali lost power and careened into the bridge, causing most of it to collapse into the river below. Six construction workers were killed in the collapse. The destruction and extensive recovery efforts raised concerns about the implications to international shipping and commerce the Port of Baltimore is the ninth-busiest port in the nation. But the channel was cleared and reopened within weeks. Crews are now involved in removing remaining parts of the Key Bridge in preparation for a higher, longer replacement span, which is expected to be completed in 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of Maryland Matters content sharing agreement with WTOP, we feature this article from Ciara Wells. Click here for the WTOP News website. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Over the course of Russias invasion of Ukraine, drones have become a progressively prominent feature of the war, to the point of now being omnipresent on the battlefield. Both sides now produce millions of drones per year. It is estimated that 70 percent of casualties are now caused by drones. Innovative applications have also made drones an important component of tactical operations, both offensive and defensive. Finding ways to counter uncrewed systems is thus the best way to save lives and achieve battlefield success. And yet, despite innovation after innovation in counter-drone technologies and systems, drones continue to fly in mass. The war in Ukraine shows how difficult it is to counter the drone challenge. Counter-Drone Systems Wont End Drone Warfare Whenever another counter-drone solution is fielded, hopes are high that the new system is finally the answer. Invariably, however, it fails to meet those expectations. Thats usually not because of an inherent flaw in the particular counter-drone technology. In fact, many high-performing counter-drone solutions exist, and the counter-drone market is growing quickly. But theres still a wide gap between the expectations for how these systems will perform and what they can actually deliver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. To understand the challenge, it helps to remember that the term drone today covers everything from an over-the-counter quadcopter to a military surveillance plane with a wingspan larger than a Boeing 737. Ukraines armed forces reportedly have almost 100 different systems in use. No counter-drone system, however good, can combat the myriad drone types that exist today. The most crucial factor in fielding effective counter-drone systems will be the ability to adapt quickly, in terms of technical innovation, but also with regard to industrial capabilities. In addition to the number of drone systems, the massive number of drones actually deployed also represents a challenge. There are many different ways to counter drones, whether electronically or kinetically with microwaves, lasers and nets. But many of them work by countering each drone individually. In a world where hundreds of thousands of drones are flying over a battlefield, such systems can get overwhelmed. Finally, innovation cycles for drones are incredibly fast. Indeed, Ukraines ability to innovate quickly is seen as one of its major strengths, precisely because it allows Ukrainian forces to stay ahead of Russias counter-drone systems. Thus, a counter-drone system often only provides a temporary advantage, before another leap in drone innovation forces it to adapt. In this it is similar to all technological advances on the battlefield. Theres No One Solution, but Combining Several Could Do the Trick Because of these challenges, no single system will ever be able to counter all drones. Instead, a system of layered defense that combines several counter-drone technologies is most likely to achieve the best results. In such a scenario, for example, electronic counter-systems could jam or spoof radio frequencies, while kinetic systems shoot down those drones that make it through the electronic countermeasures. And as a final layer, counter-drone netting would keep away any remaining drones that make it through the kinetic defenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, even layered systems are unlikely to offer defenses against every drone, especiallywhen smaller drone systems are increasingly seen as disposable. For instance, single-use, so-called kamikaze drones are being likened to bullets. And in the same way that not every bullet can be intercepted, not every drone will be countered. A layered approach will be costly and in all likelihood more expensive than the drones it aims to counter. While this is not ideal, too much commentary has focused on comparing the price of a drone versus the price of a drone countermeasure. That calculation is a bit too facile. Depending on the value of the targeta command center, for instancespending a lot of money to protect it can still be worth it. Cost is one factor, but not the only one. Counter-Drone Systems Must Adapt as Quickly as Drones The most crucial factor in fielding effective counter-drone systems will be the ability to adapt quickly, in terms of technical innovation, but also with regard to industrial capabilities. If countries want to take the drone threat seriously, they will need to reform their procurement processes and modernize their defense industries. Development and acquisition processes that take years and even decades to go from initial plans to delivered systems are not up to the task in such a fast-moving context as drone warfare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defense industry must be positioned to scale up production and modify systems and processes as needed. It should be encouraged to build modular systems with interchangeable components. The same applies for drone production. Balancing the need for such a flexible and responsive sector with the capacity to supply the big-ticket platforms also required for the new era of industrial warfare will be a challenge. Meeting it will require careful and clearsighted iterative planning, not hype cycles and all-or-nothing gambles. The cat-and-mouse game between drones and counter-drone systems is here to stay. Instead of looking for one silver bullet to fight all drones, countries should look at layered defenses for the battlefield, while overhauling their procurement systems and industrial bases to put their militaries in the best possible position to counter as many drones as possible. That is ultimately the most important lesson about drone warfare that we can take away from the air battle over eastern Ukraine. Ulrike Franke is a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, based in Paris. She focuses on German and European security and defense, the future of warfare and the impact of new technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence. Her bi-weekly WPR column appears every other Wednesday. The post There Will Be No Silver Bullet to Counter Drones appeared first on World Politics Review. By AJ Vicens (Reuters) -The Israeli cybersecurity official recently arrested by Las Vegas-area police during an investigation into soliciting sex from a minor has received no special treatment, the prosecutor in charge of the case told local media on Tuesday. Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, a top cybersecurity official with the Israeli government, was one of eight people arrested as part of a multi-week operation by Nevada and federal authorities targeting child sex predators, according to an August 15 statement from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, whose office has jurisdiction over Las Vegas and Henderson, called the situation standard in comments to the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Tuesday. Reuters was unable to reach Wolfson or a representative of his office. But during his interview with the newspaper he said that the standard bail for this charge was $10,000, so anybody, upon being booked on that case, can post that bail and get released with no conditions, and thats what happened in this case. Wolfsons comments come amid a flurry of speculation that either the U.S. or Israeli governments intervened to facilitate Alexandrovichs departure from the U.S. after being arrested on August 6. Alexandrovich has not yet been formally charged with a crime, but faces a potential felony charge of luring a child with a computer for sex, according to the August 15 police statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alexandrovich, 38, posted a $10,000 surety bond the day after his arrest and prior to seeing a judge, according to a court docket. He returned to Israel two days later, according to Israeli media, who have identified him as the head of a division in Israels National Cyber Directorate. Alexandrovich's attorney, David Z. Chesnoff, told Reuters on Tuesday by telephone, Theres absolutely no truth to any suggestion he received special treatment. Neither federal or state prosecutors have done anything untoward in this matter. Chesnoff did not address whether Alexandrovich would appear at an August 27 hearing scheduled for the case. In a statement provided after the phone call, Chesnoff said he and his partner, Richard A. Schonfeld, would defend their client within the justice system, not in the media, and people should not rush to judgment, and that Alexandrovichs release was consistent with normal procedures and bail was posted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. State Department said on Monday it played no role in Alexandrovichs release and departure from the U.S. The FBI, which participated in the law enforcement operation, declined to comment on Tuesday. Under Nevada law, Alexandrovich was able to post bond and be released prior to seeing any judge, and no restrictions were placed on his release, according to a report from 8 News Now in Las Vegas. At least four of the eight arrestees posted bail right away and were released without conditions, Wolfson said, according to the Review-Journal. Alexandrovich was in Vegas for the Black Hat cybersecurity conference, according to an arrest report quoted by local media. (Reporting by AJ Vicens in Detroit; additional reporting by Raphael Satter in Washington; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) The Seventh Circuit court has upheld that Noblesville High School leaders did not violate a student's rights when they suspended her anti-abortion rights club for not following school policy. In 2022, a student and her parents sued the district, claiming a dispute over posting flyers violated their daughter's First Amendment and Equal Access Act rights. They argue that the decision to veto her flyers and suspend the club was "driven by hostility to her pro-life views." The school maintained it was not discriminating against her beliefs and was instead upholding its policy that student clubs' wall postings remain content-neutral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The record shows that school officials approved (the student's) club, reasonably accommodated her speech, and suspended the club only for neutral, conduct-related reasons," Judge Nancy Maldonado wrote in the Aug. 14 ruling. Marnie Cooke, a spokesperson for Noblesville Schools, said in a statement that the district was appreciative of the ruling. She said the school supports their students in "forming clubs they're passionate about," which span "a wide range of a wide range of interests, activities, and beliefs." Jordan Butler, a spokesperson for Students for Life of America, was critical of the court decision in a statement, saying it "undermines the First Amendment an amendment that protects all speech, including pro-life voices." 'I Am the Pro-Life Generation' In 2021, a student gained permission to start a chapter of Students for Life of America at Noblesville High School. The goal of the group's campus clubs is to "change minds of their peers" and advocate for public policy, according to the national organization's website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To advertise the first meeting, the student submitted flyers to school officials for approval. She pulled them from a template the national organization dispersed, which includes blanks to fill in with meeting details and photos of students holding signs saying Defund Planned Parenthood and I Am the Pro-Life Generation." According to court filings, school administrators repeatedly told the student to revise the flyer to solely include meeting information. They asked her to omit the photos to comply with the school's content-neutral rule for wall postings. After the student's mother, Lisa Duell, met with leaders to urge the flyer's approval, the school became concerned the club was not entirely student-run, according to court documents. Principal Craig McCaffrey then suspended the chapter as an approved student club after an "attempt at insubordination led by an outside adult advocating with the student. He said the student could reapply in January 2022. She did, and the club was reinstated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school and the student reached an agreement to allow the club to continue operating while the lawsuit moved through the courts. Judges: No First Amendment violation In March 2024, Judge Sarah Evans Barker of the Southern District of Indiana ruled in favor of the school district, saying there was no constitutional injury as a result of a policy or decision. Students for Life previously alleged that Barker had a bias in favor of abortion rights in a failed attempt to have her removed from the case. President Ronald Reagan appointed Barker. After the case was appealed to the Seventh District, Judges Frank Easterbrook, Candace Jackson-Akiwumi and Maldonado heard arguments in October 2024. Easterbrook was appointed by Reagan, and the latter two by Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the court's Aug. 14 ruling, they agreed with Barker, writing that the policy and its enforcement do not violate the First Amendment. Schools generally can limit speech that could be construed as their own, which the court said includes the limited public forum that is its walls. It also found that, based on the handling of other political student clubs, the school did not treat the student's club any differently. "The District could reasonably conclude that covering its walls with warring political messages would undermine that order and divert attention from the business of learning," Maldonado wrote. "It passes constitutional muster." The USA TODAY Network - Indiana's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Have a story to tell? Reach Cate Charron by email at ccharron@indystar.com, on X at @CateCharron or Signal at @cate.charron.28. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Noblesville High didn't violate anti-abortion student's rights: Court Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday that the entire wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is going to be painted black to make it hotter and deter illegal immigration an idea she said was "specifically at the request" of President Trump. Noem spoke during a visit to a portion of the wall in New Mexico, where she also picked up a roller brush to help out with the painting. She touted the height of the wall as well as its depth as ways to deter people seeking to go over or under the walls. And Noem said Homeland Security was going to be trying black paint to make the metal hotter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here when something is painted black it gets even warmer and it will make it even harder for people to climb. So we are going to be painting the entire southern border wall black to make sure that we encourage individuals to not come into our country illegally," Noem said. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks, who attended the event with Noem, said the paint would also help deter rust. During Mr. Trump's first term, building the wall was a central focus of his hardline immigration policy, though construction on the wall faced some legal and logistical delays. During his second term, his mass deportation agenda with arrests in the interior of the country has been the main focus, but Homeland Security will be getting about $46 billion to complete the wall as part of new funding passed by Congress in the Trump-backed "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" this summer. The Trump administration has sought to fortify the southern border in other ways, too. Thousands of military personnel have been sent to the U.S.-Mexico border, and Mr. Trump has authorized the military to take control of narrow strips of public land along the border. Crossing into those territories is considered entering a military base, allowing them to be detained by both Border Patrol and the Defense Department, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem said the federal government has been building about a half mile of barrier every day. "The border wall will look very different based on the topography and the geography of where it is built," she said. She said that in addition to barriers like the one she visited Tuesday, the department is also working on "water-borne infrastructure." Long sections of the roughly 2,000-mile border between the U.S. and Mexico sit along the Rio Grande River in Texas. The Trump administration is pushing forward with completing the wall at the same time that the number of people crossing the border illegally has plummeted. In the month of June, just over 6,000 migrants were apprehended along the southern border, a decades-long low and a steep dropoff from the Biden administration, when border arrests peaked at upwards of 6,000 per day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine The most widespread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines this year Court blocks Texas law requiring public classrooms to display Ten Commandments President Donald Trumps allies on Capitol Hill are recommending him for an honor he has long sought a Nobel Peace Prize. Reps. Andy Ogles (R-TN) and Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) sent a letter to the Nobel Committee to nominate Trump for the prize amid his high-profile talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war. We respectfully submit this nomination of President Donald J. Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his concrete contributions to international fraternity, his leadership in reducing conflict and the risk of war, and his commitment to fostering dialogue as a path toward reconciliation, the letter, reported by Fox News Digital, reads. The letter continues, His decisive leadership in securing landmark diplomatic agreements, de-escalating global conflicts, and actively pursuing peaceful resolutions to some of the worlds most entrenched disputes has led and continues to lead to a more peaceful world. Ogles and Stutzman cite several agreements reached under both of Trumps administrations, including the Abraham Accords, the Washington Agreement, and, more recently, his efforts to broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine. Trump has met with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the last week as he looks to negotiate an agreement to end the fighting the two countries have been engaged in since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. The 45th and 47th president, after meeting with Putin on Friday in Alaska, said sending a U.S. peacekeeping force to Ukraine could be a possibility during a one-on-one meeting on Monday with Zelensky. However, Trump appeared to rule out sending United States troops to Ukraine on Tuesday during an interview on Fox & Friends. "Trump is not a warmonger hes a peacemaker," Ogles said in a post to X on Tuesday. "The world has fewer wars because of Donald Trumps leadership." Trump and his allies have ramped up pressure for the president to receive a Nobel Prize in recent months, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying last month it was well past time that President Trump was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Featured Local Savings No President since Ronald Reagan has ever been more successful at creating peace on the international stage than President Trump, Stutzman said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. The world is safer with Donald Trump as commander in chief of our country. No one is more deserving of this years Nobel Prize. The president has expressed his displeasure about not receiving the prize, saying earlier this year that the committee would never give me a Nobel Peace Prize." Its too bad, Trump said. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me. Other Trump allies, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), have nominated him for the high honor this year. Netanyahu, who nominated Trump in July, said Trump was forging peace, as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other, as he presented his nomination letter to the president during a meeting at the White House. Former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton said last week that if her former rival could end the Ukraine war without forcing the war-torn country to concede some of its land as a concession, she would nominate Trump for the prize herself. EVERYONE WHO HAS NOMINATED TRUMP FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE If President Trump were the architect of that, Id nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, Clinton said. Because my goal here is to not allow capitulation to Putin." The Norwegian Nobel Committee decides on the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, and the deadline to nominate someone closed in January. Norcross homeowners can choose to lower their property tax burden this November Homeowners in Norcross will have the opportunity to vote on the Norcross Homestead Act this November, which could significantly reduce their city property taxes. City leaders say for some, it could mean not having to pay city taxes at all. The Norcross Homestead Act aims to address rising property taxes by allowing homeowners to pay taxes on a smaller portion of their homes value. The measure, if passed, could save homeowners between $225 and $450 a year, depending on the homeowners age and the propertys value. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Our budget has been in surplus for the last few years, and I believe giving those tax dollars back to the community. And any small amount or large amount is going to be helpful for them, Norcross City Council Member Matt Myers told Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This initiative is a response to what Myers describes as an affordability crisis, with home values having increased nearly 400% since 1990, the last time the exemption was updated. I dont think its typical that people would vote against a tax cut, Myers said. The city council approved the tax cut proposal last December and subsequently worked with state legislators to pass it through the Georgia General Assembly. If youre a $225,000 homeowner and a senior, youre essentially paying no taxes within the city of Norcross, Myers said. While the city stands to lose more than $650,000 in annual revenue due to the tax cuts, Myers assures that budget surpluses and adjustments can offset the shortfall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its up to the voters in November to do what they feel is right, Myers stated. City leaders are also considering attracting more businesses and stimulating economic development to compensate for the reduced tax income. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The 32 NATO member states have discussed the results of talks in Washington and the preparation of security guarantees for Ukraine during an ambassador-level meeting at NATO Headquarters on the morning of Wednesday 20 August. The meeting took place ahead of a NATO military leadership summit scheduled for this afternoon. Source: European Pravda Details: An Alliance official told a European Pravda correspondent on condition of anonymity that NATO ambassadors exchanged views on security guarantees for Ukraine as part of preparations for the meeting of NATO military leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "A meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of permanent representatives has taken place this morning at the NATO Headquarters, where [officials] have discussed the results of the meetings in Washington and the preparation of a peaceful settlement in Ukraine." Details: Another NATO official added that the meeting of the North Atlantic Council was chaired personally by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. He specified that the meeting was held as part of preparations for a roundtable with the military leadership of NATO member states (chiefs of general staff), which will take place later the same day. Background: As reported by European Pravda, NATOs military leadership will discuss the situation in Ukraine on 20 August. On Tuesday 19 August, the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing agreed to hold talks with the US on reliable security guarantees for Ukraine in the near future. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Hurricane Erin is soaking parts of coastal North Carolina as the storm brushes along the US East Coast. North Carolina's Outer Banks are worst affected, with authorities closing a key highway on the barrier islands, but the category 2 storm is not expected to make landfall in the US. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned people to avoid swimming at "most US East Coast beaches due to life-threatening surf and rip currents". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters expect Erin, which is packing maximum sustained winds of 105mph (168km/h), to peak by Thursday. It has already barrelled through the Caribbean, drenching Puerto Rico. Meteorologists say the hurricane is unusually big, with tropical storm winds spanning 500 miles. The NHC said in its 20:00 EDT (00:00 GMT) update on Wednesday that "weakening is likely to begin by Friday, but Erin is forecast to remain a hurricane into the weekend". Waves as high as 30ft (9.14m) were forming along the seaboard in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday. On the Outer Banks, Highway 12 from Oregon Inlet to Hatteras Village was closed because conditions were too dangerous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state's ferry system has evacuated more than 2,200 people since mandatory evacuations were ordered this week on Hatteras and Ocracoke. Some beachgoers were still swimming in the sea at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina on Wednesday, despite the town's no-swimming advisory that is in effect till Friday. At least 60 people were rescued at the same beach from rip currents on Monday. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein warned people to get ready. "It's a serious storm," he said. "No-one should be in the ocean." Stein said the state had three "swift-water rescue teams" and 200 National Guard troops ready to help people with boats, aircrafts and other vehicles. [Reuters] Lily, the hostess of Miller's Waterfront Restaurant in the Outer Banks town of Nags Head, told the BBC the wind was "starting to pick up" and the weather had become cloudy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storm was not currently affecting business, she said, adding that "most weather channels are overreacting" - although she added it might be a different story farther south in Hatteras Island. Vicki Harrison, who works at the Harbor House Seafood Market on Hatteras Island, said she had chosen not to join those evacuating. "They evacuated all the tourists on Monday morning, and the residents on Tuesday," she told the BBC. "But we chose to stay." She said her family had lived in Hatteras for 40 years and had to evacuate several times. "We would have more trouble evacuating than staying," she said. "We're very safe, we're all hunkered down, we've got plenty of food and plenty of water." RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT) State transportation officials in N.C. are urging people in coastal areas to stay off the roads late Wednesday through the end of the week. We have crews ready and are prepared for whatever Erin brings us, said state Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. But we are urging people along the coast to stay home until the storm passes and its safe to travel again. Much of the storm will remain out to sea, but even the outer bands of Erin could still pack quite a punch. People need to take this storm seriously. Although Erin is not expected to make landfall on the East Coast, the outer bands of the storm could still cause significant damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NCDOT has crews ready to respond to the storm and has suspended ferry service from Ocracoke Island across the Pamlico Sound as a precaution. People are advised to check DriveNC.gov for real-time travel updates related to Erin. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT. Hurricane Erin's furthest bands began brushing the outer banks of North Carolina's coast Wednesday, where the Category 2 storm triggered mandatory evacuation orders, and officials warned summer beachgoers along the US East Coast of life-threatening surf and rip currents in coming days. Landfall isn't expected for Erin -- welcome news for the southern US state still reeling from last year's deadly Hurricane Helene -- but North Carolina officials declared an emergency Tuesday as Erin's predicted impacts began taking shape. Portions of coastal North Carolina and Virginia were under tropical storm warnings, according to officials at the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Swells generated by Erin will affect the Bahamas, Bermuda, the east coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada during the next several days," NHC said, adding that "Erin is a large hurricane." As of Wednesday afternoon, Erin was churning northward some 245 miles (395 kilometers) southeast of North Carolina, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph), the NHC said -- with the possibility it could still restrengthen to a major hurricane. Its unusually large size means tropical storm-force winds extend hundreds of miles from its center, earning it the moniker "Enormous Erin" by hurricane specialist Michael Lowry, who wrote on Substack the United States was fortunate to be spared a direct hit. Mandatory evacuation orders were in effect for Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands in North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Carolina Governor Josh Stein urged residents to store enough food, water and supplies to last up to five days -- and to safeguard important documents like insurance policies. "We have already pre-positioned three swift water rescue teams and 200 National Guard troops to various locations on the coast, along with boats, high clearance vehicles and aircraft," he added. - Massive waves - Highway 12 -- which runs through the scenic Outer Banks of North Carolina, a string of low-lying islands and spits already under threat from sea-level rise and erosion -- could be left impassable by waves as high as 20 feet (six meters). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year's Hurricane Helene caused approximately $60 billion in damage to North Carolina, equivalent to almost two years of the state's budget, said Stein, who criticized what he called inadequate federal assistance from the administration of President Donald Trump. Trump has mused about dismantling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) -- whose work he believes should fall to state leaders and has long been a target of conspiracy theories from the political right. - Insurance risks - The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, has entered its historical peak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite a relatively quiet start with just four named storms so far, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration continues to forecast an above-normal season. Scientists say climate change is supercharging tropical cyclones: warmer oceans fuel stronger winds, a warmer atmosphere intensifies rainfall, and higher sea levels magnify storm surge. There is also some evidence, though less certainty, that climate change is making hurricanes more frequent. ia/acb/sla/jgc Police have charged two North College Hill parents accused of encouraging a group of students to fight. Following social media backlash to a video of the Aug. 13 fight, North College Hill police charged Amina Gamble and Shevonne Long with riot, endangering children and other misdemeanor charges, according to court records. North College Hill City Schools Superintendent Eugene Blalock Jr. said in a statement that around 3:50 p.m., at the corner of Savannah and Dallas avenues, he saw a group of students and adults watching a fight between two boys, with adults who he said were parents "encouraging the students to fight." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blalock added that other students got involved in the altercation, telling Enquirer media partner Fox19 that after he broke up the first fight, another started shortly after. Lt. Emily Englebert said six 14- and 15-year-old boys were charged for their involvement in the fight, with some facing charges of disorderly conduct and others charges of inciting violence and riot. Police said Gamble, 33, and Long, 32, urged the group to fight and put the minors at risk of harm by doing so, according to court records. Interim Police Chief Craig Chaney reminded residents in a news release that videos on social media spread quickly, but rarely provide the whole picture of a situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Incidents like this are deeply concerning," Chaney said. "The safety and well-being of our young people is a top priority for the police department." Blalock called on parents to change their behavior and said in the wake of the fight he feels "frustrated and powerless." "The school, police and community members cannot do this alone; we need parents to step up," Blalock wrote. "It starts at home!" Enquirer reporter Gillian Stawiszynski contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: North College Hill parents charged with encouraging fight after video Valley Plaza in North Hollywood once a centerpiece of 1950s commerce that drew John F. Kennedy has descended into a swath of blight over the years, a collection of neglected buildings and empty parking lots that draw squatters and TV producers in need of an apocalyptic-looking settings. On Tuesday, a panel of Los Angeles city commissioners appointed by Mayor Karen Bass voted to declare much of Valley Plaza a public nuisance after a hearing that drew neighbors who complained about decrepit conditions and crime at the site at Laurel Canyon and Victory boulevards. The commissioners' vote paves the way for demolition of six buildings in the plaza and ends a long-suffering chapter of commercial neglect in the San Fernando Valley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the demolition won't solve the greater problem of retail closings in Los Angeles where neighborhoods grapple with empty storefronts and shuttered restaurants local leaders are hopeful that another developer or retailer will take over the site. Los Angeles City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian pointed out problem properties at Valley Plaza in North Hollywood. Nazarian would like to see the 17-acre site turned into multifamily housing and retail. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The empty structures of Valley Plaza are a burden on the city's police and fire departments, which continually respond to calls, said City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian at a Building and Safety Department Commission hearing Tuesday. Just before he spoke, an unresponsive individual was found in one of the buildings, said Nazarian, whose eastern San Fernando Valley district includes North Hollywood. Read more: L.A. is under the gun to add housing units. The hard part? Where and how many Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The people of North Hollywood have waited too long enough is enough, Nazarian said. Fred Gaines, an attorney for the owner Charles Co., blamed the city, telling the commissioners that his client sought demolition permits. The developer has been unable to demolish the mall because replacement plans need to be approved first by the city. An inspector for the department countered that the developer hadn't fully completed the application. "We are ready, willing and able to go forward and demolish these buildings," Gaines told the commissioners. Neglected buildings at Valley Plaza in North Hollywood. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) One of the San Fernando Valleys oldest outdoor shopping malls, Valley Plaza opened in the early 1950s and quickly become a successful retail site. Then-Massachusetts senator and Democratic Party nominee Kennedy included the area on his itinerary during his 1960 presidential campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1961, the Valley Plaza Tower was among the first skyscrapers built in L.A. after the 1957 repeal of a 150-foot-building-height limit, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy. The tower is occupied today by Wells Fargo and is not among the sites declared a nuisance under Tuesday's vote. Economic fallout from the 1990-91 recession and 1994 Northridge earthquake, as well as competition from more modern shopping centers, helped end Valley Plaza's run. Read more: Why L.A.s food and yard waste is being dumped in the Antelope Valley During his 2012 run for president, Republican Party nominee Mitt Romney held a news conference on a dusty parking lot in front of derelict buildings and tried to link Valley Plaza's decline to President Obamas economic policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mall's Sears, a staple in the neighborhood, closed in early 2020. Ross, Target and Burlington all later opened on the site. Jennifer Clark, who lives in the area, said Valley Plaza has been an eyesore since she moved to North Hollywood 24 years ago. Los Angeles City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Today, the site is used as a filming location for scenes needing a backdrop of dilapidated buildings, or a dystopian future, she said. Unfortunately, these fictional stories are our reality, Clark said. Suzanne Stinson, a homeowner who lives three blocks away, said she feared that a fire would break out on the property during the Santa Ana wind season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do not wish my neighborhood to become the next Altadena or Pacific Palisades by burning to the ground, said Stinson, who urged that the structures be demolished. Read more: After 'American Idol' exec killing and other recent break-ins, Encino residents demand LAPD action Charles Co., a real estate and development firm, is owned by Mark and Arman Gabaee. Arman Gabaee was sentenced in 2022 to four years in federal prison in what prosecutors described as one of the biggest corruption cases in L.A. history. From 2010 to 2017, Arman Gabaee made monthly $1,000 payments to an L.A. County official in return for county leases, attractive rental terms and nonpublic information. He also offered to buy the official, Thomas J. Shepos, a $1-million home in return for the county spending $45 million to lease office space at a Gabaee property in Hawthorne. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaines, the attorney for the mall's owner, blamed problems at Valley Plaza on a homeless encampment behind one of the parking lots. He said a national tenant, whom he didn't name, visited Valley Plaza but refused to sign a lease because of the encampment. The tenant said, "Until this is cleaned up, we're not interested," Gaines said. Nazarian said that he hopes to see residential housing and retail built on the site, calling it a "phenomenal location" for investment that is close to two freeways. "We need retail business," Nazarian said at a news conference before Tuesday's commission vote. "This area lost a lot of retail taxes over the course of the last 30 years because all the residents would go to Burbank or elsewhere to shop." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nazarian blamed Charles Co. for neglecting the site, describing Valley Plaza as a "once-blossoming" corner of the San Fernando Valley. "They don't care about the property," Nazarian said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised "heroic" North Korean troops who fought for Russia in the war against Ukraine, in a meeting with officers of the army's overseas operation, state media KCNA said on Thursday. Kim "highly appreciated their feats of leading the combat units of our armed forces, which participated in the operations to liberate the Kursk Region of the Russian Federation, to victory," KCNA reported. North Korea has dispatched more than 10,000 troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine and is believed to be planning another deployment, according to a South Korean intelligence assessment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the strategic partnership treaty in June last year, which includes a mutual defence pact. Ahead of Putin's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Kim spoke to Putin by telephone and reaffirmed full support for Moscow. Earlier, Kim paid tribute to North Korean soldiers killed during the war with Ukraine, covering their coffins with flags and resting both of his hands on them in a rare public display. "Ours is a heroic army ... Our army has fully demonstrated its unique qualities. Such a result has cemented its appellation and reputation as the most powerful army in the world," Kim said, according to KCNA. (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Sandra Maler) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un s powerful sister yet again taunted South Korean efforts to improve ties, state media reported Wednesday, saying that her country will never accept Seoul as a diplomatic partner. Kim Yo Jong's remarks fit a longstanding pattern of aggressive language during ongoing South Korea-U.S. military drills, which the North has long denounced as invasion rehearsals, but also reflect a shift in Pyongyangs approach to its rival. Her brother has shifted his focus to Moscow, and last year declared that North Korea was abandoning long-standing goals of a peaceful unification with South Korea. He ordered the constitution rewritten to declare the South a permanent enemy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim Yo Jong spurns feelers from new South Korean government Since the collapse of a 2019 summit with U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term, Kim Jong Un doubled down on his nuclear ambitions while embracing the idea of a new Cold War. In Seoul, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, after taking office in 2022, responded by expanding military drills with Washington and Tokyo and seeking stronger assurances of U.S. nuclear deterrence. But South Koreas new liberal President Lee Jae Myung, who replaced Yoon after he was removed from office in disgrace, has pushed to revive dialogue between the Koreas since taking office in June. He's extended olive branches like ending cross-border propaganda broadcasts that irritate Pyongyang. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lee said in a speech Friday that said his government respects North Koreas current system and will not pursue any form of unification by absorption and has no intention of engaging in hostile acts. But Kim Yo Jong claimed Seouls peace gestures conceal a sinister intention to blame Pyongyang for strained relations. She said the reckless South Korea-U.S. military drills as a proof of Seouls hostility, state media said Wednesday. Kim told Foreign Ministry officials during a Tuesday meeting that reconciliation with the South would never happen, and urged them to pursue proper countermeasures against Seoul, which she labeled the most hostile state and a faithful dog of the U.S. Once regarded by the North as a useful go-between for extracting concessions from Washington, South Korea is now viewed in Pyongyang as a regional obstacle to its attempts to carve out a larger role in world affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to Kim Yo Jongs latest comments, South Koreas Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said Lees government will continue to take proactive steps for peace and called for mutual respect between the countries. Kim Dong-yub, a professor at South Koreas University of North Korean Studies, said Kim Yo Jongs latest remarks were a response to Lees speech, essentially bolting the door shut. On Monday, Kim Jong Un also criticized the South Korean-U.S. military drills and vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces as he inspected his most advanced warship being fitted with nuclear-capable systems. Pyongyang sees opportunity Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russias invasion of Ukraine created an opportunity to draw closer to Moscow, which he has supplied with thousands of troops and large supplies of military equipment. With its alignment with Russia deepening, North Korea has also become more vocal in international affairs beyond the Korean Peninsula, issuing statements on conflicts in the Middle East and issues related to the Taiwan Strait. During Tuesdays foreign policy meeting, Kim Yo Jong implied that Pyongyang seeks to compete with Seoul diplomatically, claiming the South will not even have a subordinate role in the regional diplomatic arena, which she insisted will be centered on the North. NEED TO KNOW The Norwegian Royal Palace has made a new statement about Crown Princess Mette-Marit after her son, Marius Borg Hiby, was indicted on 32 charges, including rape Marius is Mette-Marit's 28-year-old son from a relationship prior to her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon Crown Prince Haakon said that the royal family plans to continue with its public work when Marius' trial begins in 2026 The Norwegian Royal Palace released a new statement about Crown Princess Mette-Marit the day after her son, Marius Borg Hiby, was charged with 32 crimes, including rape, domestic violence and assault. Crown Princess Mette-Marit turned 52 on Tuesday, Aug. 19, and the royal court released a new portrait of her to commemorate the occasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Happy birthday to Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who celebrates her birthday today!" courtiers wrote below the photo with emojis of a smiling face and sparkles. The undated photo was credited to Carina Johansen, NTB, and showed Mette-Marit softly smiling and gazing past the camera. Crown Princess Mette-Marit's birthday fell on the day after major news for her family. On Aug. 18, Norway's state prosecutor charged her son Marius with 32 crimes, including one count of rape with sexual intercourse and three counts of rape without intercourse, CBS and Reuters reported. Marius, 28, is Mette-Marit's son from a relationship before her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the throne and future king of Norway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August 2024, Marius was arrested after authorities alleged he "attacked" a 20-year-old woman "psychologically and physically," Se og Hr reported at the time. LISE ASERUD/NTB/AFP/Getty Marius Borg Hoiby and Crown Princes Mette-Marit on June 16, 2022. Marius Borg Hoiby and Crown Princes Mette-Marit on June 16, 2022. According to Reuters, Marius' attorney said that he denies the most serious allegations, including those of rape and domestic violence, but intends to plead guilty to some of the lesser charges in court when the trial begins. The trial is expected to kick off in January 2026 and run for six weeks, and the maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to 10 years. On Aug. 19, Crown Prince Haakon, 52, broke his silence after his stepson was indicted and underscored that the royal family would continue with their public work when Marius heads to trial next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will continue to carry out our duties as best we can, as we always do. Everyone involved in this case probably finds it challenging and difficult," Crown Prince Haakon said at the opening of an industry conference. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit share children Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 21, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 19, and Mette-Marit's son Marius does not hold a working royal role. He is not in the line of succession to the Norwegian throne, and in 2017, it was announced that he would lead a private life. Though Marius does not have the obligation of official duties, he often joins his royal relatives for special occasions and festive events. LISE ASERUD/NTB/AFP via Getty Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra (front C) poses for a family photo with (front L and R) Norway's King Harald V and Norway's Queen Sonja and (back LtoR) Marit Tjessem, Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, Norway's Prince Sverre Magnus and Marius Borg Hoiby on the occasion of a gala dinner for her 18th birthday in Oslo on June 17, 2022. Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra (front C) poses for a family photo with (front L and R) Norway's King Harald V and Norway's Queen Sonja and (back LtoR) Marit Tjessem, Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, Norway's Prince Sverre Magnus and Marius Borg Hoiby on the occasion of a gala dinner for her 18th birthday in Oslo on June 17, 2022. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! He was last photographed with the royal family at the 18th birthday celebrations for Princess Ingrid Alexandra in 2022. Read the original article on People Among the more than two dozen bills contemplated for Thursday's special session of the Colorado General Assembly is a proposal to pause funding for the wolf reintroduction program run by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The money $264,268 would be shifted to pay for the health insurance accountability enterprise to help cover subsidies for people on the individual market to purchase health insurance through the exchange, as well as for several other purposes. The sponsor of the bill is Sen. Dylan Robert, D-Frisco, who chairs the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and who has been a strong critic of the program that has resulted in 25 wolves being brought to Colorado. Those wolves have slaughtered dozens of livestock over the past year: cattle, calves, sheep and working dogs in Roberts' district. The measure has drawn bipartisan support. Joining him on the bill: Sen. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, Rep. Megan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, and Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista, along with nine other cosponsors in the Senate and 16 members of the House, in both chambers from both sides of the aisle. In a statement Tuesday, the sponsors said the bill would provide a reasonable time-out on the program, "while the state continues to put in place supports for landowners and handles budget challenges." Democrats have blamed Colorado's fiscal woes on the recently-signed congressional budget. More specifically, analysts said the federal budget failed to extend premium tax credits, which have subsidized insurance premiums. Republicans have maintained that, broadly speaking, Democrats, who are in charge of the state government, are to blame for the deficit that Colorado faces, arguing the dominant party has overspent and failed to heed warnings of a looming budget crisis. The Western Slope has been hit particularly hard, both by the wolf program and by rising health insurance premiums, analysts said. Voters had approved the wolf program by a narrow margin, primarily based on support from Front Range voters, although the program called for the wolves to be placed west of the Continental Divide and not along the Front Range. The Division of Insurance announced last month that health insurance premiums would increase in 2026 by 28% on average, but by 38% on the Western Slope. The cost of the wolf program was supposed to be around $800,000 per year; instead, it has taken $8 million of taxpayer money over the past five years, including $3.5 million in 2024-25, with conflict management and depredation reimbursement costs soaring. Claims for wolf depredations during 2024 topped more than $600,000, although the amount paid was less than that. The program is budgeted at about $2 million in 2025-26. The bill proposed by lawmakers goes beyond just taking some of the funding. According to the proposed legislation, the state wildlife agency would be prohibited from using its general fund support in 2025-26 "for the acquisition and reintroduction of gray wolves or from taking any action to acquire or reintroduce gray wolves during state fiscal year 2025-26." However, the agency can still use its appropriations for conflict management and to pay the claims submitted by ranchers for livestock losses due to wolves. The state's wolf depredation fund was set at $350,000. However, claims have far exceeded the original budget. Claims that went over the $350,000 budget were paid from other CPW sources. Featured Local Savings "By not bringing in new wolves into the state, Colorado can focus on managing the existing wolves more effectively and save significant financial resources," the statement said. Roberts added that as a lawmaker who represents many rural and mountain communities affected by both wolf reintroduction and high health insurance prices, "I know personally that my constituents would like our state to focus on lowering health insurance costs, managing our budget challenges, and getting proper management of our existing wolves under control. Now is not the time to be spending precious taxpayer dollars on new wolves let's focus on lowering costs for Coloradans and balancing our budget. Catlin added, Western Slope families and CPW field staff are carrying the daily impacts of wolf reintroduction. Pressing pause on future releases gives the state the space to fix what isnt working, fully fund landowner support, and carefully steward scarce dollars during a budget crunch. Thats the responsible way to honor the will of the voters while recognizing the realities on the range. This bill doesnt end reintroduction, it ensures CPW can repair its programs while we work to stabilize the states budget. Rural families, ranchers, and landowners are dealing with the daily realities of wolf reintroduction, Lukens said. "We must ensure the existing programs are strong and working as intended. Pressing pause on future releases allows us to manage existing wolves effectively and focus on what matters most: lowering costs, protecting livelihoods, and making every taxpayer dollar count. Redirecting these limited resources will help us invest in critical priorities like making health insurance more affordable for hardworking Coloradans, Lukens said. Martinez said the wolf program has stressed rural families and local budgets. "Taking a pause on new wolf reintroductions will allow us to save taxpayer money and focus our attention on lowering health insurance costs and addressing our budget challenges," Martinez said. "Additionally, with threats to SNAP and Medicaid, hitting the pause button on this program is the pragmatic solution to help balance the budget and provide relief to our communities. A major fight over the bill is expected. House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, whose district also includes the counties where wolves have killed livestock, is not listed as a sponsor. Lawmakers during this week's special session will be looking for about $800 million in budget cuts for the 2025-26 current year's budget. The Polis administration has said it would tap the state's general fund reserve for up to half of those cuts, although that money must be restored in the next fiscal year. A ballot measure proposed for the 2026 general election, which would put an end to the wolf program upon voter approval, has struggled to raise money for the effort. Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy has secured about $39,000 this year. Petitions are due to the Secretary of State on Aug. 27. Patrick Davis of Advocates told Colorado Politics his group will support the Roberts bill. "It's an answer for what we've been saying and hearing for the past eight months," he said. Taxpayers are up in arms, he said, adding, "We can't afford this program, and the state has proven they can't manage the wolves they have. Let's not bring any more in." Clayton County police say they are investigating an incident where an officer shot and killed his neighbors dog. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Senegals are heartbroken that their 2-year-old rottweiler Rocco is gone. Thats after a Clayton County officer shot their pet right along Millstone Drive in Jonesboro on Aug. 14. The officer says he had no choice, but the Senegals say it didnt have to happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Renee and Darryl Senegal shared video of the incident with Channel 2s Tom Jones. And we looked at Rocco lying in the street, and we lost it and just went into the backyard," Renee Senegal said. Like it didnt even have to happen. It was just ridiculous, Darryl Senegal explained. TRENDING STORIES: The officer didnt see it that way. Police say the officer saw Rocco chasing a child. The Senegals say the child saw Rocco and took off running. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clayton County police say the officer tried to contain Rocco but couldnt. Officers say Rocco was aggressive, and the officer pepper-sprayed him, then fired one shot after he continued to be aggressive. Rocco then died. The Senegals say Rocco wasnt aggressive but was confused after he was pepper-sprayed. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] He didnt chase the officer. He was barking and the officer, you can see him kind of backing up and standing there. But he (was) standing over him for minutes with the gun drawn on him," Darryl Senegal explained. Neighbors tried to get Rocco to return home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, when he stepped toward the officer, thats when he fired. A car blocks the actual shooting. The family says the officer lives in the neighborhood and knows Rocco isnt a threat. Hes seen my husband walking him all the time. He knows that the dog is not aggressive, Renee Senegal told Jones. The Senegals want the officer off the job. The CCPD says the incident remains under review per department policy. Construction continues on the sprawling Rosemount Data Center on land bought by Meta near Dakota County Technical College, shown Thursday, May 29, 2025. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer) Americans are becoming well acquainted with data centers use of electricity via their utility bills, but the power-hungry warehouses that fuel our insatiable appetite for memes, movies, pics and posts are thirsty for an even more important resource: water. One large-scale data center can consume as much water as 12,000 households, according to the the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are going to see more water conflicts as the data center sector expands at the same time as we see an expansion of irrigated agriculture into areas that havent needed it as much, said Helena Volzer, a water policy manager for Alliance for the Great Lakes, in an interview. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources order temporarily barring new or expanded irrigation allowances along Little Rock Creek portends broader conflicts over groundwater use across the Great Lakes region, the Alliance said in a report released Wednesday. The DNRs April 2024 order found substantial evidence that agricultural irrigation and other authorized uses harmed the Mississippi River tributary, which runs along the boundary of Benton and Morrison counties in central Minnesota. Elsewhere in the region, proposed mines, factories and data centers threaten to deplete the underground aquifers that supply up to 40% of the Great Lakes volume and drinking water reserves for nearly three-quarters of Minnesotans. Climate change, the artificial intelligence race, and pressure to mine and manufacture more on U.S. soil mean we are seeing a convergence of increasing water demand from different sources, said Volzer, who spent a year compiling the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data centers with evaporative cooling systems, in particular, can consume vast amounts of water. Though most of Minnesota lies outside the Great Lakes basin, Volzer said the concerns raised in the report apply to other major watersheds, too. Minnesota statute allows the DNR to limit groundwater appropriations in designated groundwater management areas. But it can only take that step after determining that groundwater draws hurt nearby surface waters, as it did last year in the Little Rock Creek case, or when there are competing demands among existing and proposed users which exceed the reasonably available waters, Volzer said in the report. That restricts the DNR to act only in situations where actual or proposed water withdrawals clearly impact people and businesses. In her report, Volzer advised Minnesota lawmakers to expand the states groundwater protection law to let the DNR intervene when water appropriations are likely to impact surface or groundwater reserves. State legislators passed a series of water protection laws earlier this decade after a Lakeville-based rail company proposed shipping 500 million gallons of Dakota County groundwater each year to the U.S. Southwest, said state Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul. (The DNR shot down that proposal.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proactive measures will help states like Minnesota get ahead of a fast-growing IT industry whose environmental impacts remain unclear, Volzer said. In her report, Volzer advised states to fund studies of expected water demand and groundwater resources, while expanding water use reporting requirements. That could give state and local authorities more insight into where large IT facilities could be located without unduly stressing aquifers, she told the Reformer. The ag industrys political sway could complicate further legislation to manage Minnesotas groundwater, Hansen said. Big Ag makes water law changes hard because some legislators are susceptible to cropaganda, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thirsty data centers have already caused political backlash in Georgia, where residents on private wells near Atlanta say a new Meta facility has rendered their water undrinkable. Meta is spending $800 million to build another data center in Rosemount, southeast of the Twin Cities. The city says that facility could draw 100,000 gallons of groundwater per day at peak capacity, or one Olympic swimming pool every six days, the Star Tribune reported in April. Data centers proposed for Chaska and Farmington could use 15 and 24 times more than Metas Rosemount hub, the Strib reported, though Chaskas water manager assured the paper that the city can handle the added demand. We dont have a good sense of the water footprint of a data center right now, Volzer said. Thats due to the fact that data center developers require city officials to sign nondisclosure agreements before moving forward, she said, and because data center designs vary widely and continue to evolve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newer designs favor closed-loop or waterless liquid cooling systems that are more economical than evaporative water cooling. The catch, Volzer said, is that those systems may require more electricity to run pumps, fans and heat exchangers, increasing demand on nearby thermal power plants fueled by coal, gas or uranium. Those plants themselves need huge amounts of cooling water, setting up a shell game where data centers shift water usage beyond their sphere of influence. (Wind turbines and solar panels use little or no water in their operations.) There is a nexus between water and energy. You cant silo them, Volzer said. In an education system which has improved considerably over the previous 14 years of Conservative Government, Bridget Phillipson Labours Education Secretary has been searching high and low for a figure she can use to make party political hay. Thanks to the reforms to the teaching of reading introduced by Michael Gove and me from 2010, England is now fourth in the world in the reading ability of our nine-and 10-year-olds according to the authoritative PIRLS study. And in maths England has risen from 27th in 2009 to 11th in the latest PISA survey of over 80 countries. These figures are challenging for a Labour politician who is keener on making partisan jibes than doing the hard work of raising academic standards in our schools. Labour have lighted upon one figure the proportion of white working-class children achieving a strong pass (Grade 5) in English and Maths GCSEs which they cite as 19 per cent compared to the overall figure of 46 per cent. I put that phrase in inverted commas, because the figure they quote is actually for white children eligible for free school meals, which is by no means the same as working-class, and Bridget Phillipson knows that, or should do. Nevertheless, I agree that the figure is too low. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But lets look at those statistics when Labour were last in office and before our reforms to the education system were in place. The problem is the grading system of GCSEs was changed in 2017 from letters to numbers. The most accurate comparison is between a Grade 4 (known as a Good pass) and a Grade C in the old system. Back in 2010, 30.9 per cent of pupils eligible for Free School Meals achieved a C grade or better in their English and Maths GCSE. In 2024, some 43.6 per cent of pupils eligible for Free School Meals achieved a Grade 4 or higher in their English and Maths GCSEs. I wish I had the figure to compare a Grade 5 with the old grading system in 2010 but because the Grade 5 lies between an old B and a C that direct comparison isnt possible. But these show how much genuine progress was made amongst all children from disadvantaged backgrounds between 2010 and 2014. And Bridget Phillipson knows that or should do. These figures reflect the reality that there was significant improvement in standards in our state schools between 2010 and 2024, due to a real focus on phonics in the teaching of reading, better teaching of maths by the adoption of methods common in the highest performing countries in the world, particularly east Asia. It has been achieved through a stronger knowledge-rich curriculum and more support for schools to improve behaviour. The last Conservative Government gave schools more autonomy, to free them from the progressivist ideology that was driving down standards when Labour were last in power. The UK fell from 7th in reading in 2000 to 25th by 2009 and from 8th to 28th in Maths, over those years of Labour government, a decline that we reversed through hard work and reform in the years after 2010. The autonomy we gave to schools through the Academies programme (combined with strong accountability), and which helped drive up standards, is now being undermined by the current Government through measures in their Schools Bill currently going through Parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stronger curriculum we carefully introduced between 2013 and 2017, and which schools have adopted and are teaching well, is threatened by the Governments curriculum and assessment review that is still to produce its final report. Everything Bridget Phillipson has sought to do since becoming Education Secretary in 2024 has been to undo the reforms that successfully drove higher academic standards in our schools. Am I content that only 19 per cent of white children eligible for free school meals achieved a strong pass in English and Maths GCSE last year? Of course not. But our reforms were helping these children. Everything Labour is now doing will simply make the education system worse. Mercia School in Sheffield, a free school, the type of which Labour have refused to create more, achieves astonishing results in a disadvantaged part of that South Yorkshire city. At Mercia School 80.6 per cent of their pupils (of all ethnicities) eligible for free school meals achieve a grade 5 or better in their English and Maths GCSE. If the current government were serious about standards they would be learning from Mercia and similar schools and spreading that success across the school system as a whole. Instead, their Schools Bill removes many of the freedoms and much of the autonomy which have underpinned the success of schools like Mercia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suggestion that the Conservative Party failed to deliver for schoolchildren of any group is absurd. The Right Honourable Sir Nick Gibb served as Minister of State for Schools 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. ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) The Virginia Museum of Transportation and AARP Virginia are teaming up this Saturday to celebrate Grandparents Day. On Saturday, August 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., AARP Virginia and the Virginia Museum of Transportation are inviting grandparents, grandchildren, and everyone in between to spend the day making memories at the museum. According to the press release, grandparents visiting with grandchildren will receive free admission. However, regular museum admission fees will apply to all other attendees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The museum will feature exhibits for guests to explore, including the Aviation Gallery, Rail Gallery, and the Auto Gallery, which is home to over 30 vintage automobiles. Free family fun at 17th Annual Smith River Fest Guests can enjoy train rides through the Roanoke Train Yard, where they can view model planes, trains, and cars while learning about transportation history and enjoying live music. The celebration will also feature guided tours and hands-on activities, including coloring stations, face-painting, and other interactive arts and crafts activities. There will be food trucks outside the museum, alongside free ice cream from Brusters Ice Cream, provided by AARP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials say the first 200 kids through the door will receive a free AARP backpack while supplies last. You can learn more about the museum and its admission costs by visiting their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. Nowhere to go from here: Marblehead family mourns loss of 13-year-old girl killed in OUI crash A community on the North Shore is grieving the loss of a 13-year-old girl following a tragic crash early Tuesday morning. Less than 24 hours later, friends and family gathered to create a memorial at the site of the crash on Atlantic Avenue in Marblehead. The victims mother, Christine Gatchell, told Boston 25 she is at a loss for words after getting an early morning call that her daughter, Savannah, died in that horrific car crash. Gatchell describes her daughter as a kind girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. My heart is just broken like I just cant comprehend what weve gone through in the last 24 hours, Gatchell said. This is the worst tragedy I can ever take in. Theres nowhere to go from here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials report the driver, a 16-year-old boy, was arrested on the charge of operating under the influence. I dont wish this upon anybody, being in a horrific car accident like this, but I do want the person who is accountable to be held with the legal aspect of it, Gatchell said. The 13-year-old was an eighth grader in the Marblehead School District. Superintendent John J. Robidoux wrote in a statement, We are deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden loss of our eighth-grade student, who tragically lost her life Tuesday following a one-car crash. Her death is a devastating loss to our community. As we mourn with one another, we will support our students, faculty, and families with help from our administration and mental health teams. Savannahs sister Allysa Otero also attends the Marblehead School District and described her sister as one of kind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was always there, always loving. She was just the best sister. Otero said her sister didnt deserve what happened to her, but is grateful to see so much love from her community. It feels amazing to have so much support from the whole town, Otero said. Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King wrote on behalf of the department, The men and women of the Marblehead Police Department are extremely saddened by the loss of a young member of our community. We share our deepest condolences with the victims family, loved ones, and anyone who is touched by this great loss. Our thoughts are with you. The crash remains under investigation. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW "Sadly, my moms experience wasnt an isolated incident," the author writes. Illustration: Kelly Caminero/HuffPost; Photo: Getty Images There are no photos of my brother Paul. No one recalls what he looked like or what type of personality he had. He wasnt here long enough to create those kinds of memories for us. However, his short life and tragic death were indelibly seared on our mothers heart. She tried to conceal the pain she felt from losing him, while also keeping the truth about his tragic and unnecessary death actually, I would call it manslaughter hidden for decades. The story everyone had been told was that Paul inexplicably inhaled a large quantity of birth fluids while he was being delivered. The fluids congested his little lungs and he died less than seven hours after his arrival. This seemed like an atypical childbirth injury, but it turns out it was so much more than that. Related: My Husband Said God Wanted Him To Spank Me. Then He Made A Chilling Request That Had Me Gasping For Air. As my parents youngest child, I recall visiting the local cemetery with them every Memorial Day to lay flowers on the graves of Paul and Johnny, another older brother I never met. Tragically, Johnny, who was born four years after Paul, died at age 2 due to a respiratory infection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My only living sibling was my sister, our parents first born, who was 14 years older than me. She married and started her own family when I was young, leaving me to often ponder what life would be like if Id had one or both of our brothers to grow up with. During those years, Pauls death remained shrouded in mystery. I didnt ask any questions about what happened and I didnt learn any new information about him until I was in high school. The author as a teenager Courtesy of Tammy Parker I dont recall the specific date when my mother told me about the appalling incident from 25 years earlier, but I suspect it may have been Oct. 8, the anniversary of Pauls birth ... and death. I was sitting at the kitchen table reading a magazine when Mom abruptly stopped preparing dinner and began telling me a story that sounded like something out of a gruesome horror novel. I listened in shock as she stoically and matter-of-factly explained why her first sons life ended hours after it began. Mom had been 28 years old in 1952 and, because Paul was her second full-term pregnancy, she knew how the delivery should play out. When her labor began, Dad rushed her to the hospital. All four of Moms babies were born quickly, but Paul had the misfortune of arriving in the early afternoon, when the family doctor was seeing patients and having trouble leaving his office to deliver a baby. Related: My Cousin And I Exchanged Thousands Of Texts Before She Died But I Never Asked The 1 Question I Should Have In that small-town hospital, long before fathers were permitted inside the delivery room, my mother was trapped alone with a frenetic nurse who was completely unprepared for working in a maternity ward. As Mom cried out with intense labor pains, the nurse yelled, Your doctors not here! You cant have that baby now! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My mother stared off into the distance as she recalled telling the nurse that the baby was coming. In that instant, the nurse morphed from a seemingly compassionate medical care provider into a crazed assailant who did the unthinkable. She grabbed Moms right thigh, forcibly crossed it over the left one, and then sat atop both of my mothers legs, using her weight to keep the infant from emerging through the birth canal. Mom struggled to push the nurse away, but racked with hard contractions, she was no match for this woman. The author's parents in Abilene, Texas, where her father was stationed while serving in the U.S. Army (1942). Courtesy of Tammy Parker Minutes later the doctor finally arrived and delivered the baby, but it was too late. My brother had suffered fatal injuries. In the hours and days that followed, my parents told the doctor and hospital staff what this twisted nurse had done, but their outrage fell on deaf ears. No one believed a nurse would commit such a vile deed but she did. I recently received Pauls death certificate from the state of Colorado, and it exposed a startling surprise. I already knew my brother was born at 1:16 p.m. and died that same day at 8 p.m. of Atelectasis of Lungs Cong., meaning his lung sacs (alveoli) could not inflate properly due to congestion from inhaling birth fluids. However, the death certificate revealed another significant condition described as Rupture of Liver, a fact I dont believe my parents were ever told about. My heart sank as I realized this gory detail further underscored the nurses attempt to prevent Mom from delivering her son. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The way my mother and infant brother were treated is soul-quashing, and its unforgivable that because no one believed my parents, Pauls death was quietly tucked away into a forgotten history. Sadly, my moms experience wasnt an isolated incident. While most mothers havent experienced the kind of abuse that she did, an August 2023 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control revealed 20% of the women surveyed said they experienced mistreatment by health care practitioners during pregnancy and delivery. Common types of abuse include being shouted at or scolded, being forced to accept unwanted treatment and being threatened with the withholding of treatment. Related: I Spent Years Fighting For Control. Then My Son Nearly Died In Childbirth And I Was Forced To Face A Painful Truth. An April 2024 Columbia University study offered similar results: more than 1 in 8 parents who had a live birth reported mistreatment by health care providers during childbirth. Patients who are unmarried, have no insurance or public insurance, or are LGBTQ-identifying are among groups cited as most likely to experience mistreatment. The author's parents celebrating her father's 75th birthday. Courtesy of Tammy Parker Such incidents can haunt traumatized parents for the rest of their lives. Mom was deeply depressed or angry at various periods throughout my childhood. My dad and I joked about her being a fiery redhead to explain away her fury, but I now realize that Moms inability to prevent the deaths of both her sons and her failure to attain justice for Paul made her equal parts despondent and enraged. How could it not? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sadly, after Mom revealed her horrific story to me in 1977, we never again discussed it. I was far too immature and had no idea how to broach the topic with her, though I eventually asked my father about it. Dad confirmed everything, adding that my mother had desperately wanted to sue the hospital, but he talked her out of it. Not only did they not have money for an attorney, but a lawsuit wasnt going to bring the baby back, Dad said resignedly. Related: I Gave Birth To My Children In A Car And A Laundromat. When I Finally Made It To The Hospital, I Was Shocked By How I Was Treated. Astonishingly, the nurse kept working at the hospital despite her role in Pauls death. When Johnny was born four years later, she showed up to ask my parents what name to put on his birth certificate. Your mother threw a fit! She demanded that woman leave her room and stay away from Johnny, Dad recalled. She was so upset that I was afraid theyd sedate and restrain her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My sister and I had a phone conversation in late 2020 to discuss what to do with an antique Bible from our mothers side of the family. My sister had gotten the book after our parents passed away and mentioned that Mom had never added Pauls vital statistics to its family history pages, likely, we agreed, because doing so would have been too painful. The footprints of the author's brother Paul. Courtesy of Tammy Parker You should jot in the date of Pauls birth and death, I said, adding that he might have enjoyed a long life if not for the unbelievable actions of a panicked nurse. What do you mean? my sister asked. I was shocked. How could my only living sibling still not know the full story of Pauls death? I realized that she was just 6 years old when Mom was pregnant with Paul, and it would be another 25 years before our mother could muster the courage to speak about the pain of this loss. So, I relayed to my sister everything I knew about the violence that stole our oldest brother from the family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That conversation led me to consider writing about our family tragedy, but I kept delaying the task until I unexpectedly stumbled across Pauls original hospital birth certificate in a pile of family photos. As I unfolded the brittle paper, I touched for the first time the only physical remnant of my brothers life both of his tiny footprints, stamped with purple ink. Paul deserved to be more than a whispered secret. He was a healthy baby whose future was recklessly destroyed by a callous health care provider. By sharing what happened to him and our family, I hope to encourage more research and discussions regarding patient mistreatment during maternity care. I cant bring Paul back nor could I assuage our mothers grief but I have finally shared their story. A long-time journalist, editor and market analyst, Tammy Parker holds a BA in Mass Communications from the University of Denver and an MBA from the University of Colorado. Her freelance articles have appeared in a wide variety of business and consumer publications. You can reach her at tammy@tammyparker.com and follow her onLinkedIn. Do you have a compelling personal story youd like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what were looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@huffpost.com. Related... Read the original on HuffPost Nurses in the UnityPoint Health system who are organizing for a union held an event Aug. 20, 2025 at the UnityPoint hospital complex in Des Moines. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Nurses working at UnityPoint hospitals in Des Moines submitted a request Wednesday for voluntary recognition of a union, calling for the health care system to provide safer work space, better wages, and adequate staffing. A group of UnityPoint nurses, supporters and Democratic candidates gathered near the entrance of the UnityPoint Health complex in Des Moines, calling for the hospital network to voluntarily recognize the union and begin negotiations as soon as possible. Alex Wilken, a critical care nurse, told the crowd he and two other nurses had returned from delivering a letter to UnityPoint executives requesting voluntary recognition through a card check agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed United Nurses of Iowa union would be comprised of nurses who work at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Blank Childrens Hospital, Methodist West Hospital and Iowa Lutheran Hospital, four UnityPoint hospitals in the Des Moines metropolitan area. The union, which is organizing through Teamsters Local 90, would represent about 2,000 nurses at the bargaining table. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX At the Wednesday event, several nurses said union representation was needed because UnityPoint leaders are not addressing their needs as workers. Nurses called for higher wages and benefits to be competitive with other states and retain their workforce, and for UnityPoint to hire more nurses to deal with staff shortages that could put patients in danger. Several also said UnityPoint is not meeting nurses safety needs as they face dangerous situations while working with patients and visitors. Sammi Ladd, a critical care unit nurse at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center, said a union was needed because we are quite literally fighting for our lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she was assaulted by a critically ill patient in the hospitals Intensive Care Unit two months ago that left her with bruises and has faced numerous instances of violence, including having remotes and lights thrown at her while she was 32 weeks pregnant. Another emergency room nurse, Ladd said, was recently stabbed by a patient. The nurse did everything in her power to avoid harm, but because her concerns were either ignored or downplayed, she will have to carry that physical, mental and emotional trauma with her for the rest of her life. UnityPoint is aware of these incidents, and instead of finding ways to keep us safe, we are being forced to work short-staffed, while simultaneously caring for sicker and sicker patients, Ladd said. Instead of hiring more nurses to help us, UnityPoint is paying $450 an hour to outside consultants that are trying to convince nurses to fight against these unions. UnityPoint CCU nurse Gail Grimes said as nurses have expressed their frustrations to UnityPoint and moved toward unionization, the health care company has hired outside consultants, like Crossroads Group Labor Relation and C Hunt Management Consulting, to work to persuade individual nurses to oppose a union. Leaders at UnityPoint have also held listening and dialogue sessions with nurses, Grimes said, which have not resulted in the changes workers say are needed. They come in and tell us things that they would like to improve, but theyre almost certainly never the things that were asking for, Grimes said. Were asking to have metal detectors put in at the entrances instead, theyre like, We bought you 150 new chairs. Its kind of like, well, thats not going to keep us in a weapon-free environment. So just a lot of our requests falling on deaf ears. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the letter was intended to be delivered to Scott Kizer, the CEO of UnityPoint, Wilken said Kizer was not present, and the letter was given to Jon Rozenfeld, market president of UnityPoint Health Des Moines. Wilken said Rozenfeld directly told them he would not recognize the union meaning the nurses plan to file for an election. UnityPoint did not respond to a request for comment. Grimes said the union will be filing for an official vote with a National Labor Relations Board. Calling an election requires 30% of the employees in the bargaining group have to signed an interest card, which she said the nurses union has surpassed. Several Democrats running for the U.S. Senate and House came to the event to show support for the union, including Iowa Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville and former Knoxville Chamber of Commerce director Nathan Sage, both running for Senate, as well as former Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, who is running in Iowas 3rd Congressional District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Konfrst said she believed union protections are necessary to keep nurses safe, saying Lorena Schulte, an Anamosa State Penitentiary nurse who was killed in 2021 by two inmates, would still be alive today if she had had strong union protections when she was at Anamosa and she was caring for patients. These people dont deserve that, Konfrst said. They deserve better. Let me tell you this right now: This is what democracy looks like. Dont wait for that to give it to you. Take it from them. Thats what it takes. Theyre not going to voluntarily give up their money unless its to a union-busting firm. Wahls was endorsed by Teamsters Local 90, the union representing the UnityPoint nurses. On Monday, he was endorsed by Ironworkers Local 89, a Cedar Rapids union. Wahls, who is running for the seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, said supporting labor is a key component of his campaign. He said his track record as a state legislator shows his support for organized labor, and that if elected to serve in Washington, he would vote in support of the PRO (Protecting the Right to Organize) Act, a bill that would expand some workers rights to unionization and bargaining. Passing this bill would strengthen the ability of workers like the UnityPoint nurses to have their contracts approved faster and create penalties for employers that engage in illegal retaliatory practices related to organizing, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know that we have a broken economy thats working great for the people at the very top, but not for the rest of us, Wahls said. One of the best ways that you can level the playing field is by joining a union and being able to bargain collectively, prepare contract better wages, better workplace protections and better benefits. It is so important that workers have democracy in the workplace the same way that we have democracy in our politics thats what this is all about. Sage also said he supports the PRO Act and would work to support workers and unions if elected to the Senate. I think at the end of the day, its working alongside labor unions to give them more negotiating powers, Sage said. The PRO Act obviously needs to be passed to give labor unions the strength they need to be able to work for the workers that they represent. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Editors Note: The details in this story may be disturbing to some readers. Discretion is advised. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) A Prairie Grove man was arrested Aug. 20 after police say he was discovered in a womens bathroom stall with baby lotion and an iPhone filled with child sex abuse material. Silas Smith, 20 Courtesy: Washington County Sheriffs Office Silas Smith, 20, is facing charges of distributing, possessing or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child and video voyeurism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a preliminary report, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a call at the Walmart Supercenter on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on July 30 about a man in the womens restroom. Officers found Smith locked in a stall in the womens restroom. Near him were two wine coolers and a travel-size bottle of baby lotion. The report says officers noted that Smith had oil on his hands and phone. Officers seized his phone. Bentonville man sentenced to 10 years for 12 counts of CSAM The report says officers located a female victim, who was using the bathroom in one of the womens stalls, when she saw a man looking over the stalls. The woman told police she heard sounds that led her to believe the man was masturbating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the report, police noticed signs of intoxication from Smith and he was arrested for loitering, criminal trespass, and public intoxication. On July 31, investigators were given a search warrant for Smiths iPhone. The report says they found multiple videos of women being filmed while using the bathroom at Walmart, along with voyeurism videos. Investigators also found around 187 digital files containing child sex abuse material (CSAM). Police say they also found messages on Smiths phone about him buying and/or trading CSAM on encrypted apps. The report says in many of the messages, he says he wants younger CSAM content. The report says police found 30 voyeuristic videos that Smith recorded, including the woman who made the initial complaint. Police say they found multiple files of him recording women shopping in Walmart on the night he was arrested. Some of the files show him following women and children. Police believe some of the files show children under the age of 12. The report says the recordings zoom in on the buttocks area of the children and women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the report, police went to Smiths home and arrested him. He was taken to the Washington County jail. No bond has been set. Smith is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 22 at 7:45 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. Another slew of New York City Mayor Eric Adamss allies will likely face charges, which are expected to include multiple counts of bribery, according to The New York Times. The defendants will probably include the mayors former chief adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin; her son Glenn D. Martin; Adamss friend and local official Jesse Hamilton; two businessmen; and supporters Gina and Tony Argento, who are siblings and whose company donated over $20,000 to Adams. They all plan to plead not guilty, according to sources from the Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis-Martin, who has described herself as Adamss sister ordained by god, and her son allegedly tried to impact city policy by accepting favors from the other defendants. Lewis-Martin is already dealing with corruption charges from last year, in which prosecutors claim to have caught her via wiretap accepting $100,000 from the aforementioned two businessmen. She is also alleged to be the catalyst behind almost every corruption charge linked to the Mayors office, the Times reported. Adams has attempted to wash hands of this. Mayor Adams was not involved in this matter and has not been accused of or implicated in any wrongdoing, his spokeswoman, Kayla Mamelak Altus, said. He remains focused on what has always been his priorityserving the 8.5 million New Yorkers who call this city home and making their city safer and more affordable every single day. Altus also noted that Lewis-Martin does not work for Adams anymore, without mentioning that she resigned just days before she was indicted last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are just the latest developments in the scandal plaguing the administration of Eric Adams, who is in the midst of an underwhelming mayoral campaign, trailing solidly behind Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and independent candidate Andrew Cuomo. In the past few weeks, Adams has had his former chief Muslim community liaison charged with fraud for instructing witnesses to lie to the FBI, a loyal Turkish businessman and donor convicted for making illegal donations to him, and four of his former police officers sue him for corruption. In the suit, they accused him of running the NYPD like a criminal enterprise. Yet Adamss campaign still chugs on. He seems intent on ignoring hit after hit to his reputation and legacy, instead choosing to post his way through it all. It seems clear that not even the de facto pardon from President Trump can help save him now. Ingrid Lewis-Martin, New York City Mayor Eric Adams' former chief adviser who remains a volunteer on his reelection campaign, will appear in court Thursday to face additional charges, her lawyer said. The lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said the Manhattan District Attorney's Office declined to provide details about the new charges. Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images - PHOTO: Ingrid Lewis-Martin appears at a news conference on Dec. 16, 2024, in New York. "Despite a lifetime of service as a law-abiding public servant, Ingrid is being forced to enter court with little information. What she does know is this: she has always served the City with integrity, and she will firmly plead not guilty to every charge," Aidala said in a statement. "While the specifics remain unclear, Ingrid is certain of one thing -- she has broken no laws, and she is not guilty. We will be requesting an expedited trial schedule." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams, who is trying to revive a lagging reelection campaign, is not expected to be charged with any wrongdoing and a spokesperson said the new charges against Lewis-Martin have nothing to do with him. "Mayor Adams was not involved in this matter and has not been accused of or implicated in any wrongdoing. He remains focused on what has always been his priority -- serving the 8.5 million New Yorkers who call this city home and making their city safer and more affordable every single day," the spokesperson said. "Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration." MORE: Ingrid Lewis-Martin, NYC Mayor Eric Adams' former chief adviser, surrenders on criminal charges Lewis-Martin was previously charged, along with her son, Glenn Martin II, with taking $100,000 in bribes from two businessmen in exchange for official favors. Both pleaded not guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three other individuals with ties to Adams are also expected to face charges on Thursday, according to sources: Jesse Hamilton, a former state senator and current deputy commissioner of real estate services, and Gina and Tony Argento, Brooklyn business owners and donors to Adams. Attorney information for Hamilton and the Argentos was not immediately available. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the New York City Department of Investigation had no comment on their charges or the new charges against Lewis-Martin. Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images - PHOTO: Mayor Eric Adams attends the New York State Financial Control Board Annual Meeting at Governor's office, Aug. 13, 2025, in New York City. Two real estate investors, Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi, were also charged with bribery in the case involving Lewis-Martin and her son. They have pleaded not guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors accused of engaging in a $100,000 bribery scheme while Lewis-Martin was in office. She resigned from her position days before surrendering on bribery and money laundering charges in December 2024. Vaid and Dwivedi are accused of paying Glenn Martin II $100,000 months after Lewis-Martin allegedly performed favors for the two men, including helping them with issues relating to construction permits and a family member's visa, according to the indictment. Lewis-Martin's son allegedly used the money to buy a Porsche, prosecutors said. MORE: Timeline of how Eric Adams' bribery case led to resignations of federal prosecutors The case is separate from federal corruption charges that were brought and then subsequently dropped against Adams. The mayor was indicted last year in the Southern District of New York on five counts in an alleged long-standing conspiracy connected to improper benefits, illegal campaign contributions and an attempted cover-up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Justice moved to dismiss the charges, prompting the resignation of several top prosecutors. In April, a federal judge dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be revived. The Justice Department sought to have the case dismissed to free up Adams to cooperate with the mayor's immigration agenda, though it wanted the case dismissed without prejudice, meaning it could be brought again. Editor's Note: This story has been updated. Nearly 1,100 new recruits were sworn in at the Police Academy in Queens on Wednesday, which NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said was the largest class the department has seen in nearly a decade. This is proof that people want to be cops again, Tisch said as she addressed the crowd of 1,093 future officers. It shows that this profession is back in a big way. This new class, coupled with the nearly 1,000 cadets who graduated from the academy last month and an upcoming class expected to be sworn in by the end of the year, makes this the largest number of recruits sworn into the NYPD in one year since 2006, Tisch said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NYPD is also on pace to have the most hires in a single year in recorded history, going back to 1983, she said. That scale is not just a measure of hiring, its a measure of renewal, Tisch said. It tells us policing in this city is being rebuilt, the call to service is being answered and that the future of public safety is being secured by those who choose to raise their right hands this morning. This years surge in hiring was a determined push to confront a hiring crisis we faced just months ago, Tisch said. The truth is simple, she added. The citys safety depends on cops and the most strategic thing is to hire more of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A quarter of the new recruits were born outside the U.S., officials said. Together, the class speaks 34 different languages and 68% of them live in New York City. After six months of rigorous training, the recruit class will graduate and become police officers. Youll see things most people never see, the raw edges of life in this city, Tisch told the aspiring officers. Youll confront fear but you will also witness courage. Youll see heroism in its purest form, she added, harkening back to the death of NYPD Officer Didarul Islam at the hands of Park Ave. spree shooter Shane Tamura. Youll be there when people face their darkest hours and youll be the difference between despair and hope. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new class comes after the NYPD earlier this year reduced the number of college credits required to join the force. The recruits sworn in Wednesday only needed 24 college credits, a steep drop from the 60 previously required. At the same time, the department plans to prioritize fitness at the academy and reinstated a long-standing requirement of completing a 1.5-mile run in less than 14 minutes and 21 seconds. Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said the new recruits are a welcome relief for our overworked and burned-out members on the streets. But the real question is: will they stick around? Hendry asked. Every New York City police officer knows they can find a less punishing workload, a better quality of life and competitive compensation in virtually any other police department in our area. The NYPD staffing crisis wont end unless the city does more to keep the talented cops it already has, he added. A military court sentenced a New Zealand soldier on Wednesday to two years' detention for attempted espionage for a foreign power. The soldier, whose name has been suppressed, admitted to attempted espionage, accessing a computer system for a dishonest purpose and knowingly possessing an objectionable publication. The court martial at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North heard the soldier gave military base maps and photographs to an undercover officer posing as an agent for the foreign nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation he was found to have copies of a livestreamed video of the March 2019 killing of 51 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch by white supremacist Brenton Tarrant. The soldier became a person of interest in the aftermath of the Christchurch attack as police cracked down on right-wing extremist groups, of which he was a member, the court heard. While monitoring him, the New Zealand government became aware he had "made contact with a third party, indicating that he was a soldier who was wanting to defect", according to an agreed summary read out by the prosecution. The military court has permanently suppressed the identity of the foreign nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the first spying conviction in New Zealand's history. The soldier was arrested in December 2019, and had spent all but six days since then under what the New Zealand Defence Force called open arrest. He was required to live on an army base in a military house, and was subject to a curfew. The soldier was suspended on full pay, earning more than US$230,000 (NZ$400,000) since his arrest. During that time he married his wife and had two children. His wife is expecting a third child. bes/djw/sft/tym A military court sentenced a New Zealand soldier on Wednesday to two years' detention for attempting to spy for a foreign power. The soldier, whose name has been suppressed, admitted to attempted espionage, accessing a computer system for a dishonest purpose and knowingly possessing an objectionable publication. He was ordered into military detention at Burnham Military Camp near Christchurch and will be dismissed from the New Zealand Defence Force at the end of his sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His admission and its acceptance by the court marked the first spying conviction in New Zealand's history. The soldier will be paid at half his previous rate until his dismissal at the end of his sentence, the defence force told AFP. According to information provided to the court, he previously earned NZ$2,000 (US$1,600) a fortnight. The court martial at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North heard the soldier gave military base maps and photographs to an undercover officer posing as an agent for a foreign nation. During the investigation, he was also found to have copies of a livestreamed video of the March 2019 killing of 51 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch by white supremacist Brenton Tarrant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - 'Harm to the world' - The soldier became a person of interest after the Christchurch attack because he was a member of some right-wing groups that police were cracking down on, the court heard. While monitoring him, the New Zealand government became aware he had "made contact with a third party, indicating that he was a soldier who was wanting to defect", according to an agreed summary of the facts read out by the prosecution. The military court has permanently suppressed the identity of the foreign nation. Chief Judge Kevin Riordan said the soldier "intended to prejudice the security and defence of New Zealand". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A military panel agreed the worst of his offences was the sharing of passwords, an identity card, and access codes to Linton Military Camp and the air force's Base Ohakea, the judge said. "You were actively searching for things to supply to someone you thought was a foreign agent," Riordan said. Of the man's video of the Christchurch killings, the judge said: "Keeping the message of a gross murderer is a harm to the world in itself." The court martial was held in a large, cold hall at Linton, with banners carrying New Zealand Army slogans of "courage", "commitment", "comradeship" and "integrity". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You have comprehensively breached all of these values," Riordan told the soldier. The chief judge expressed concern over how the sentence would be perceived given that military detention is widely considered to be easier than civilian prison. - 'No remorse' - The military panel determined a starting point of between 3.5 and 4 years prison and gave deductions for the man's guilty plea and time spent under open arrest. "We spent more time over this decision than any other," Riordan said. The panel decided military detention was appropriate given the rehabilitation it would provide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crown lawyer Grant Burston had earlier told the court the soldier's sentence should start at between 4.5 and 5 years in prison. "There is no apology," Burston said, referencing the soldier's affidavit, which was read to the court. "There is just expressed regret and a well-established expression of grievance. "There is no remorse for betraying... his country." Defence lawyer Stephen Winter said that although the offences were serious, they were "at the bottom end of offending for this particular charge". "He has grown out of that phase of his life. He is now a husband... a father," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The soldier was arrested in December 2019 and had spent all but six days since then under what the New Zealand Defence Force called open arrest. He was required to live on an army base in a military house and was subject to a curfew. The soldier had been suspended on full pay, earning nearly US$204,000 (NZ$350,000) since his arrest. During that time, he married and had two children. His wife is expecting a third child. The New Zealand Defence Force declined to say whether his family would be provided housing during his detention. bes/sft/djw/cwl More than six months after Idaho's near-total abortion ban went into effect, a small town nestled in the state's northern mountain ranges lost its labor and delivery service -- and access to such care could now be imperiled further by looming Medicaid cuts. Bonner General Health, located in Sandpoint, Idaho, announced in March 2023 that it would no longer provide obstetrical care, citing the state's "legal and political climate" as one of the factors that drove the decision. Abortions in Idaho are illegal except in the cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother. The hospital in the city of around 10,000 people was one of three health systems in Idaho to shutter their labor and delivery services in recent years. The state has lost over a third of its OB-GYNs -- 94 of 268 -- since the ban was enacted in 2022, according to a new study in medical journal JAMA Network Open. Google Maps Street View - PHOTO: Bonner General Health in Sandpoint, Idaho. MORE: Trump administration rescinds Biden-era guidance requiring hospitals to perform emergency abortions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local health care providers and advocates ABC News spoke with said that Medicaid cuts could put additional labor and delivery services at risk of closing -- adding further pressure to Idaho's already strained maternal and reproductive health care system. More than 350,000 of the state's residents are insured by Medicaid, including those covered by the expansion plan voters approved through a ballot measure in 2018. Idaho was already seeking federal approval to institute its own work requirements after Gov. Brad Little signed a Medicaid cost bill this spring. Under the federal changes, the state could lose $3 billion in funding over the next decade and 37,000 residents could lose coverage, according to analysis by KFF. "We are living with the consequences of when you criminalize practicing medicine, you lose doctors, and I think that, coupled with these cuts at the federal level, are going to prove devastating for Idaho's already precarious rural health system," Melanie Folwell, the executive director of Idahoans United for Women and Families, the group spearheading a ballot initiative to restore abortion rights, told ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Bonner General closed its obstetric services, Kootenai Health, located an hour south, inherited its patients, which included residents across the northern tip of the state. Some women now have to drive two to three hours to get prenatal care or to deliver at Kootenai, according to one of its OB-GYNs, Dr. Brenna McCrummen. Traveling that far for care, especially in cases of complications, can endanger women and infants, McCrummen noted. "There have been patients that have delivered on the side of the road because they're not able to get to the hospital in time. There have been babies that have gone to the NICU who didn't do as well as they probably would have had they not had to travel long distances," she told ABC News. Abbie Parr/AP, FILE - PHOTO: In this June 15, 2023, file photo, OB-GYN Dr. Kylie Cooper sits for a portrait in Minnesota. The loss of OB-GYNs in the state has hit rural areas like those in the north especially hard, the JAMA Network Open study noted. A vast majority of the remaining physicians providing obstetric care are concentrated in Idaho's seven most populated counties, leaving only 23 OB-GYNs to serve a population of over half a million across the rest of the state, according to the study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Ohio lawmakers to introduce bill banning abortion, criminalizing the procedure Those giving birth aren't the only ones affected by the shortage of physicians. OB-GYNs like McCrummen have packed schedules, leading to long wait times for other reproductive care. Patients seeking annual exams, for instance, often have to book five months in advance, McCrummen explained. These exams provide vital preventive health services, such as screenings for cervical and breast cancer. Across the U.S., more than 35% of counties are maternity care deserts -- areas that lack obstetrics clinicians -- according to Dr. Michael Warren, the chief medical and health officer of the March of Dimes, a nonprofit focused on maternal and infant health. STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images - PHOTO: Pregnant Woman and Gynecologist Doctor at Hospital Reductions to Medicaid funding could exacerbate the problem, Warren told ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The worry is that as these changes are happening in the Medicaid space, it's going to be harder, particularly for rural hospitals, to maintain those obstetric services, and if they discontinue those, we've got more maternity care deserts, and we've got a greater risk of both moms and babies having worse outcomes," Warren said. The Medicaid cuts were passed into law in July as part of President Donald Trump's massive tax and policy bill. Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, a Republican who serves as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, defended the bill in a press release earlier this month, saying that "targeting waste, fraud and abuse in the program ensures that it stays financially viable for the populations who need it most." Crapo has also argued that the legislation's $50 billion rural hospital fund is the "largest investment in decades in rural health care." In Idaho, Medicaid covers around a third of births, according to data from March of Dimes. Even before cuts to coverage, labor and delivery units were difficult to keep open, Toni Lawson, a vice president of the Idaho Hospital Association, told ABC News. Lawson explained that such units require "special equipment" and "specially trained staff" on call, which is expensive to maintain -- especially in rural areas with lower birth volumes and where Medicaid reimburses less than cost. Additionally, she said, hospitals have had difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified OB-GYNs amidst Idaho's abortion restrictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, looming reductions to Medicaid funding could push these healthcare systems over the edge, according to Lawson. "What you'll see in Idaho, before you see hospitals close, is we'll have more closures of labor and delivery services," she said. MORE: New report finds alarming decline in US maternity care access These cuts could also worsen outcomes for the women who lose coverage, physician assistant specialist Amy Klingler explained. "If patients don't have access to insurance and they don't have access to Medicaid, sometimes they delay prenatal care, we don't catch complications early enough, and it puts the baby and the mother's lives at risk," Klingler, who works in a small mountain town in central Idaho, told ABC News. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: In this April 24, 2024, file photo, a group of doctors join abortion rights supporters at a rally outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. The two problems can compound -- Klingler noted that the risk of not catching complications early on is heightened when the same women also have to travel further to receive care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While she is able to provide prenatal care to her patients, the closest hospital that can deliver babies is a 60-mile drive from her clinic -- a route she says that lacks cell service for 45 miles. "So in the best circumstances, it takes planning and forethought. And then when things are serious and complicated, it's much more dangerous," Klingler said. "Complicated pregnancies in Idaho are the scary ones right now," she added. In cases when the mother's health becomes at risk, health providers say that the state's abortion ban limits the emergency care they are able to provide. A state court issued a ruling in April slightly expanding the medical exception to the ban in response to a lawsuit filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, but advocates still argue the existing law constricts physicians' ability to supply adequate care. STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images - PHOTO: Ob/gyn doctor doing ultrasound of baby on pregnant woman. Woman having sonogram. Prenatal visit or care during third trimester of pregnancy. Pregnant woman on pregnancy check-up in doctors office. The organization Idahoans United for Women and Families is currently gathering signatures to get a measure on the ballot in 2026 to return the state to the standard of abortion access it had before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Lawson said "there is no silver bullet" to solve depleted access to maternal and reproductive care. "It is going to have to be a combination of things and certainly removing barriers to recruitment is an important part of that," she said, adding that the state must also address rural hospitals' precarious financial position amid the projected loss of Medicaid funding. Breana Lipscomb, the senior manager of maternal health and rights at advocacy group the Center for Reproductive Rights, noted that all of these factors are "working in tandem" to restrict access. "It's making health care even further out of reach for people, and this is particularly concerning for Black people, for people living in rural areas, for low income folks and for people with capacity to birth," Lipscomb said. "I am really afraid of what we might see," she added. Former President Barack Obama has waded into states' efforts at rare mid-decade redistricting efforts, saying he agrees with California Gov. Gavin Newsom's response to alter his state's congressional maps, in the way of Texas redistricting efforts promoted by President Donald Trump aimed at shoring up Republicans' position in next year's elections. I believe that Gov. Newsoms approach is a responsible approach. He said this is going to be responsible. Were not going to try to completely maximize it, Obama said at a Tuesday fundraiser on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, according to excerpts obtained by The Associated Press. Were only going to do it if and when Texas and/or other Republican states begin to pull these maneuvers. Otherwise, this doesnt go into effect. While noting that political gerrymandering is not his preference, Obama said that, if Democrats dont respond effectively, then this White House and Republican-controlled state governments all across the country, they will not stop, because they do not appear to believe in this idea of an inclusive, expansive democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to organizers, the event raised $2 million for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee and its affiliates, one of which has filed and supported litigation in several states over GOP-drawn districts. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Eric Holder, who served as Obamas attorney general and heads up the group, also appeared. The former president's comments come as Texas lawmakers return to Austin this week, renewing a heated debate over a new congressional map creating five new potential GOP seats. The plan is the result of prodding by President Donald Trump, eager to stave off a midterm defeat that would deprive his party of control of the House of Representatives. Texas Democratic lawmakers delayed a vote for 15 days by leaving the state in protest, depriving the House of enough members to do business. Spurred on by the Texas situation, Democratic governors including Newsom have pondered ways to possibly strengthen their party's position by way of redrawing U.S. House district lines, five years out from the Census count that typically leads into such procedures. In California where voters in 2010 gave the power to draw congressional maps to an independent commission, with the goal of making the process less partisan Democrats have unveiled a proposal that could give that states dominant political party an additional five U.S. House seats in a bid to win the fight to control of Congress next year. If approved by voters in November, the blueprint could nearly erase Republican House members in the nations most populous state, with Democrats intending to win the party 48 of its 52 U.S. House seats, up from 43. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A hearing over that measure devolved into a shouting match Tuesday as a Republican lawmaker clashed with Democrats, and a committee voted along party lines to advance the new congressional map. California Democrats do not need any Republican votes to move ahead, and legislators are expected to approve a proposed congressional map and declare a Nov. 4 special election by Thursday to get required voter approval. Newsom and Democratic leaders say theyll ask voters to approve their new maps only for the next few elections, returning map-drawing power to the commission following the 2030 census and only if a Republican state moves forward with new maps. Obama applauded that temporary timeline. And were going to do it in a temporary basis because were keeping our eye on where we want to be long term, Obama said, referencing Newsom's take on the California plan. I think that approach is a smart, measured approach, designed to address a very particular problem in a very particular moment in time. ___ Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP Former President Barack Obama said Tuesday that he supported a proposal by California Democrats to redraw congressional lines in response to a Republican-led push in Texas to gain additional US House seats but expressed unease with the broader effects of political gerrymandering. On this California issue, I want to see as a long-term goal that we do not have political gerrymandering in America. That would be my preference, Obama said at an event Tuesday evening for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, a liberal organization focused on the fight over congressional district lines, according to excerpts of his remarks shared with CNN. He continued, But I want to be very clear. Given that Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House that is effectively saying: gerrymander for partisan purposes so we can maintain the House despite our unpopular policies, redistrict right in the middle of a decade between censuses which is not how the system was designed; I have tremendous respect for how Governor Newsom has approached this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event, which also featured Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and NDRC chair Eric Holder, the former Obama administration attorney general, raised $2 million for the pro-Democratic redistricting organization. Obama said that California Gov. Gavin Newsoms proposal for redistricting in response to Texas is a responsible approach. Were not going to try to completely maximize it, Obama said. Were only going to do it if and when Texas and/or other Republican states begin to pull these maneuvers. Otherwise, this doesnt go into effect. And were going to do it in a temporary basis because were keeping our eye on where we want to be long term. I think that approach is a smart, measured approach, designed to address a very particular problem in a very particular moment in time. And Obama urged Texas Republicans to reconsider their plans, contrasting the states approach to its redistricting, steered by the state legislature, with California, which is set to put new maps before voters in a special election this fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Id love to see the people of Texas reject whats happening, but it doesnt look like, unlike in California, theyre being given the option of deciding whether this is a smart thing to do or not, Obama said. Ive had to wrestle with my preference, which would be that we dont have political gerrymandering, but what I also know is that if we dont respond effectively, then this White House and Republican-controlled state governments all across the country, they will not stop, because they do not appear to believe in this idea of an inclusive, expansive democracy. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Former President Barack Obamas aides are sounding the alarm on President Donald Trumps latest attacks on elections in the United States. Trump has amped up his criticism on mail-in voting in recent days, telling Fox News Bret Baier that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him that the U.S. could not have a fair election with mail-in ballots. Trump then said on Monday that he would lead an effort to eliminate mail-in voting in the U.S. despite states being in charge of their own elections. Trump also floated cancelling U.S. elections if the country was engaged in a war during the next presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Trumps comments, the co-hosts of the Pod Save America podcast warned in an episode on Tuesday that Americans should be concerned about the presidents recent rhetoric. The constitution is explicit. Its not just clear. It is explicit. It says that legislators are in charge of running federal elections. And actually what Trump is saying here is in conflict with another crackpot right-wing legal theory, which is the independent legislature theory, which it says not only are legislators responsible for the administration of federal elections, they cant be questioned by or their laws cant be adjudicated by the courts, co-host Jon Lovett said on Pod Save America. He explained that our level of concern should be very high. Whatever he does here, he is going to try wherever he can...to figure out the weaknesses that he can exploit before the midterms in 2026 and the general in 2028, Lovett added. That is up to and including him finding some pretense to not leave office in 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is doing a lot of redecorating for a guy who is only supposed to be there for a short-term lease. And so all of this to me is sort of these are red sirensthe scariest color for sirensgoing off," he said. Trumps attacks on election validity are increasing concerns prior to the midterms. pic.twitter.com/WYMLWivRBC Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) August 19, 2025 Co-host Tommy Vietor explained that he is concerned Trump will make it harder for Democrats to vote. Im more broadly worried, like you are, about Trump trying every way possible to take control over the voting process or just find ways to make it harder for Democrats to vote especially in cities. Like thats the endgame I think, Vietor said. Trump announced early Monday that he would lead a movement to remove mail-in ballots and what he called highly inaccurate and Seriously Controversial voting machines through an executive order ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. However, he did not provide any details into how he would execute it given that states are in charge of federal elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement was met with widespread criticism, with many pundits noting that Trump said Putin told him that the U.S. election was rigged due to mail-in voting. Its impossible to have mail in voting and have honest elections, Trump said that Putin told him. And he said that to me because we talked about 2020. He said, You won that election by so much. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. A Navy pilot assigned to Oceana Naval Air Station was rescued Wednesday morning after ejecting during a training flight off the coast of Virginia. According to a Navy press release, the incident occurred shortly before 10 a.m. The pilot ejected from an F/A-18E Super Hornet while over the ocean. The cause of the mishap remains under investigation. Multiple search and rescue teams were dispatched immediately and reached the area within a short time. The pilot was rescued about an hour and a half after the crash and transported to a local hospital. There were no immediate reports on the pilots condition. The pilot is part of Strike Fighter Squadron 83, known as the Rampagers. Emma Rose Brown, 757-805-2256, emma.brown@virginiamedia.com ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A man in Canandaigua was arrested after authorities said they received a tip that he illegally owned firearms. The Ontario County Sheriffs Office arrested 42-year-old Kristopher Culbertson for allegedly having multiple firearms inside his vehicle. Deputies said they uncovered an assault rifle that was not compliant with NYS law, several loaded magazines, and body armor. (Photo/Ontario County Sheriffs Office) Deputies said Culbertson was from Colorado, and court documents said he is not allowed to own these weapons in any state. It was alleged that Culbertson also doesnt own a NYS pistol permit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Culbertson has been charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was arraigned in court on Wednesday and released on bail. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. Tulsi Gabbard told President Trump before her nomination that she had come to peace with serving as last director of national intelligence if eliminating the post was necessary to permanently reform the sprawling intelligence community. Now six months after her confirmation and with the presidents blessing, Gabbard will launch a campaign to dramatically overhaul the entire agency by returning it to its original purpose and thereby preserving its future. According to senior officials who assisted in the review, the plan includes cutting the workforce by 40%, eliminating redundant mission centers whose work is already being fulfilled elsewhere in the intelligence community, and doubling down on the core function of the agency: intelligence integration. As the director of national intelligence, Gabbard, and the agency she leads, create the Presidents Daily Brief, an intelligence summary assembled each morning for the chief executive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Promising to usher in "a new era," Gabbard calls the transformation "ODNI 2.0." Some personnel, whose positions have been deemed unnecessary, will receive pink slips as soon as Wednesday afternoon. The payroll will shrink to around 1,300, down from more than 2,000 employees when Gabbard took over. Annual savings of $700 million are expected. Overseeing all 18 of the U.S. intelligence agencies, the office was created in the wake of 9/11 to serve as a sort of orchestra conductor for the intelligence community, integrating operations and mediating feuds between shadowy three-letter agencies. Intended to be a small coordinating office, intelligence experts have concluded that the ODNI became sprawling and bureaucratic in the decades since. Hence the Gabbard overhaul. "Over the last 20 years, ODNI has become bloated and inefficient, and the intelligence community is rife with abuse of power, unauthorized leaks of classified intelligence, and politicized weaponization of intelligence," Gabbard said in a statement calling for "serious changes" in order to reorient the agency she now leads "to fulfill its responsibility to the American people and the US Constitution." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of the developments should be surprising to those who took the president at his word. Trump returned to office promising to purge a deep state which Republicans believe was weaponized against them. And Gabbard vowed to deliver. She had already cut the ODNI staff by more than 25% before the summer, slashing so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion programming in particular. Compared to the root-and-branch cuts she now plans, that was low-hanging fruit. Gabbard will downsize, or entirely eliminate, no less than seven centers within the agency. According to senior intelligence officials, she presented her plans to Trump two weeks ago and received his "green light." Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also read into the plans. Some centers slated for elimination include the Strategic Futures Group, an operation meant to serve as the forecasting arm of the agency, and the External Research Council, an advisory body of outside advisors created during the previous administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other centers will have their core functions refocused elsewhere. This includes the Foreign Malign Influence Center, once charged with monitoring foreign efforts to meddle in U.S. elections, but which Republicans accuse of colluding with social media companies to suppress free speech. It will be folded into the ODNI Mission Integration and the National Intelligence Council. Also deemed redundant: the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center. Senior ODNI officials say the center is pursuing a mission that is being fulfilled by the National Intelligence Council. The Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center will also meet a similar fate. Officials say that the review was so comprehensive that no part of the ODNI was left unexamined, including the often-overlooked National Intelligence University. Under Gabbards leadership and in coordination with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the standalone university will be transferred under the umbrella of the National Defense University. Officials also stressed that the overhaul is aimed at eliminating wasteful programs and positions, not targeting specific personnel, though Gabbard recently stripped the security clearances of 37 intelligence officials, many of them already retired and some of them with ties to Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard arrived to take over an ongoing experiment. The agency she leads is comparatively new. It was established in 2004 after a sprawling intelligence community failed to prevent the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Petty rivalries between three-letter agencies, particularly between the CIA and FBI, had hampered intelligence sharing. "There was some resentment throughout the intelligence community but more broadly, throughout Washington, D.C., that the CIA had blown it on WMDs in Iraq and had blown it on 9/11 to a large degree, and therefore, didnt warrant being the great leader of the intelligence community," said Loch Johnson, professor at the University of Georgia whom the New York Times once dubbed "the dean of American Intelligence Scholars." A director was needed to oversee and integrate all the intelligence agencies, Johnson said, recalling the debate at that time. "And that made some sense," he told RCP, "except for one problem: The office was never given the tools that it needed to get the integration job done." Without the authority to hire and fire or oversee budgets, he concluded, the agency often struggles to wrangle a vast intelligence apparatus. With Trumps stamp of approval, the new Gabbard reforms aim to fix that problem. Officials say the director sought input from stakeholders far and wide: longtime staff who had worked at DNI for two decades and lawmakers on Capitol Hill who oversee the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This includes Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, the hawkish chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who has introduced legislation to slash the ODNI to just 650 employees. One intelligence official previously complained to RealClearPolitics that the plan would "just give the CIA more power." The new overhaul will go forward as that legislation remains pending. Whether it diminishes petty rivalries among the three shadowy letter agencies remains to be seen. When one official briefing reporters said that the CIA may even start referring to the ODNI as "headquarters," another replied, "That is never going to happen." Philip Wegmann is White House correspondent for RealClearPolitics. Paul J. Batura is a local writer and founder of the 4:8 Media Network. He can be reached via email Paul@PaulBatura.com or on X @PaulBatura. A Long Island police officer will not face charges for an off-duty car crash that killed an elderly pedestrian, authorities announced Tuesday. Timothy Vitiello, a Nassau County cop, struck 85-year-old Teresa Gucciardo with his pickup truck in a parking lot in Commack on Nov. 28, 2022. Gucciardo died nearly a month later from her injuries. The New York Attorney Generals office investigated the incident and the initial analysis by local authorities and concluded no charges were warranted against Vitiello. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators did not find reason to believe that Officer Vitiello was speeding or otherwise driving recklessly, or intoxicated, and for that reason concludes that a prosecutor would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Vitiello committed a crime, the attorney generals office wrote in its report. Vitiello was turning left in a shopping center parking lot when he struck Gucciardo, according to police. Vitiello told investigators he didnt see Gucciardo before making the turn. Cops said he immediately stopped, dialed 911 and stayed at the scene. Gucciardo fought numerous complications during a four-week hospital stay before she died on Dec. 22, 2022, authorities said. Though Vitiello will not face criminal charges, Gucciardos family filed a civil lawsuit against him in July 2023, according to online court records. That civil case is still pending. An invasive species of mosquito has been discovered in one of the nation's most populous counties, and officials warn it could transmit serious diseases. What's happening? Officials with the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District have detected the Aedes aegypti mosquito, KTVU reported. The mosquitoes, which can transmit diseases such as dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, were found in Livermore, a town on the San Francisco Valley's eastern edge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aedes aegypti is considered invasive in California and has been spotted in 26 counties, officials with the district say. It is especially aggressive in the daytime and often bites people's ankles. "If Aedes aegypti becomes established in Alameda County, it can threaten public health and diminish quality of life," the agency said in a news release. Why do mosquitoes matter? All invasive species are a concern to their particular ecosystems. When a species is introduced to a foreign environment, it runs the risk of becoming invasive spreading quickly and outcompeting native plants or wildlife for resources including food and water. It's particularly concerning when the species in question is a mosquito. Because of the diseases they transmit, mosquitoes have been called "the world's deadliest animal." Aedes aegypti, in particular, can spread easily because its eggs can survive for more than a year without water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And human actions are making it easier for mosquitoes to reach new areas and thrive once there. The pollution caused by burning fossil fuels has heated the planet to levels never seen before. And because mosquitoes thrive in warm climates, these higher temperatures have allowed them to be found in previously unthinkable places, such as Finland. What's being done about these mosquitoes? The mosquito abatement officials say their goal is to ensure Aedes aegypti doesn't establish a foothold in Alameda County. To accomplish that, they have been conducting door-to-door checks in two areas where the mosquito was detected. "The quickest way to prevent this annoying and potentially dangerous mosquito species from becoming established is to act now," abatement district general manager Ryan Clausnitzer told KTVU. "We urge residents to grant yard access so we can ensure no one is accidentally breeding mosquitoes." California health officials also encourage people to apply mosquito repellent and to dump and drain standing water no matter how small the amount to help prevent the species from spreading. 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. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine talks with the press. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal / Republish photo only with original story.) What Pandoras Box has Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine opened by joining other Republican-led states in sending hundreds of reinforcement National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to join the 800 military already mobilized on the streets of the nations capital? Whatever possessed the lame duck Republican governor to become complicit in Donald Trumps authoritarian power grab to seize control of an American city with a manufactured crime emergency and boots on the ground? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeWine must know the bizarre, militarized occupation of D.C. is based on fallacies about rising Washington crime debunked by data that proves otherwise. To be sure, violent crime is a serious, ongoing problem in D.C. as it is in other major U.S. cities but Trumps hostile takeover of the capital city is not about effective crime-fighting and prevention. It is a distraction. A stunt. Trump has to change the subject about the Epstein coverup with something surreal. But deployment of National Guard troops in iconic Washington whose number will nearly double in size after the out-of-state reinforcements arrive is a gross abuse of power by a would-be autocrat whose favorite tactic is to assert fake emergencies (with no acute crisis) as cover for extreme action. Trump has declared 11 of them since January to justify everything from turning the southern border into a military zone (and soldiers into de facto border police) to setting tariffs on every country in the world, promoting fossil fuel production and exerting police power (deploying National Guard troops, federal agents and actual military) in an appalling show of force and weaponry meant to strike fear first in Los Angeles and now in the District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tourists on the National Mall are greeted by active-duty soldiers on a domestic mission to surveil Americans and keep them law-abiding. The troops have their marching orders from a charlatan drunk on power to look tough on crime as they sightsee in combat fatigues. Many will soon be armed against enemy civilians who cross the line a reversal of initial deployment directives that Guard troops would wear body armor but leave their weapons at the armory. Tactical armored vehicles, developed for troops in Afghanistan, are parked throughout D.C. on apparent standby to combat falling crime. Newly erected barricades and random checkpoints conducted by masked federal law enforcement appear out of nowhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outraged local residents have erupted into spontaneous Free D.C. demonstrations to protest the insane federal surge of law enforcement flexing its muscle and stopping people for no apparent reason. The militarized patrols have had a chilling effect on free speech and the exercise of assembly, but thats right out of the authoritarians playbook. Trump uses his unchecked power as a weapon to crush the vulnerable into submission. His stated rationale for excessive use of force in D.C. is to rehabilitate conditions of law and order, which is rich coming from a convicted felon who praised and pardoned lawbreakers who violently assaulted police officers, rampaged through the U.S. Capitol and hunted the vice president to hang. The performative theatrics of Trumps military policing of Americans in the ostensible land of the free would almost be comical if the unprecedented siege of armed combatants against fellow citizens wasnt so scary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has made no secret of his intentions to squash self-rule elsewhere, too. He has indicated troops could be deployed to other Americans cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Baltimore where, coincidentally, the mayors are all Black Democrats. This is the dystopian hellscape we feared under construction. Trump is desperate to distract his base from his years-long relationship with an infamous pedophile accused of victimizing hundreds of teenage girls, so why not normalize military occupations in America with Republican enablers like Ohios governor? Weve been asked by the Secretary of the Army to send 150 military police from the Ohio National Guard to support the District of Columbia National Guard, read a brief statement from DeWines office Saturday night. Ohio guard members will carry out presence patrols and serve as added security, the press release explained with an odd asterisk that none of the military police from Ohio were currently serving as law enforcement officers in the state of Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wait, what? DeWine just dispatched Ohio soldiers to play cops on the beat in Washington but its okay?! My friends, we are deep down the rabbit hole. Would the governor also welcome hundreds of troops to carry out presence patrols in Ohio cities with higher crime rates than D.C., as a few do? Would that also warrant hostile federal takeovers by armed military rolling from Toledo to Dayton to restore law and order under Trumps selective application of justice? When word spread about DeWines decision to send military reinforcements to be deployed against a nations own people demonstrators gathered at the Ohio Statehouse to protest his offering of homegrown troops to further militarize D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What if Columbus is next? Could Ohioans count on their governor to be a bulwark against an authoritarian regime leveraging the military for control of Ohios big three cities, or would DeWine follow orders as a partisan invertebrate to the end and reinforce the takeover with more troops to suppress dissent, maintain power and project strength? Ask the 150 Ohio soldiers on their way to D.C. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A mother and daughter. (Getty Images.) Ohio lawmakers once again introduced a bill that would ban discrimination against natural hair in public K-12 schools. Ohio state Reps. Juanita Brent, D-Cleveland, and Jamie Callender, R-Concord, recently introduced House Bill 415, also known as the CROWN Act. The CROWN Act stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No student should be punished or excluded from learning because of the way their hair naturally grows or how they choose to wear it to embrace their culture, Brent said in a news release. The C.R.O.W.N. Act affirms that every child in Ohio deserves to show up as their full self, without facing bias or discipline because of their appearance. This is the fourth legislative session in a row Brent has introduced the CROWN Act. The bill passed the Ohio House in the last General Assembly, but only had sponsor testimony in the Ohio Senate. The bipartisan bill prohibits discrimination against someones hair texture and protective hair styles such as braids, locs, twists and afros under Ohios Civil Rights Laws. This is not just a cultural issue its an educational equity issue, Brent said in a news release. Bipartisan support for this bill shows that Ohio is ready to take real steps to create safe, inclusive learning environments for all our students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the bill were to become law, a student would be able to bring a civil action lawsuit to court if their school violates HB 415. Twenty-seven states and Washington D.C., have already enacted the CROWN Act. A handful of Ohio cities including Columbus, Akron, Cleveland Heights, Cleveland Heights, and Cincinnati have already enacted the CROWN Act at the local level. Two-thirds of Black children in majority-white schools have faced race-based hair discrimination, according to a 2021 CROWN Act study. Of those children, 86% reported experiencing hair discrimination by age 12. Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE An Ohio police officer was arrested for OVI after crashing into a pizza restaurant early Wednesday morning, according to our CBS affiliate, WOIO-19 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The crash happened at Romeos Pizza, at 28931 Lorain Road, in North Olmsted, around 2:45 a.m. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When North Olmsted police arrived on scene, they found a Volkswagen Jetta that had crashed into the side of the restaurant. WOIO-19 identified the driver as Cleveland Police Officer Gary Eugene Kane II. Ohio Attorney General records indicate that Kane is a 9-year veteran with the Cleveland police. Officers helped Kane out of the car and noticed a glossy appearance in his eyes and smelled a strong odor of alcohol, WOIO-19 reported. A North Olmsted police report notes that Kane refused to take a standard field sobriety test and was arrested on OVI charges. Police marked that Kane refused to submit to a blood test as he repeatedly told officers, Take it by hospital, instead of saying yes or no, according to WOIO-19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medics responded to the scene to evaluate Kane and later transported him to a hospital. WOIO-19 reported that Kane was cited for failure to control and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The Cleveland Division of Police provided the following statement to our CBS affiliate. "Cleveland Police Deputy Chief Jarod Schlacht confirms Officer Gary Kane was arrested on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, by the North Olmsted Police Department. The incident that led to this arrest occurred outside the city of Cleveland while Kane was off duty. The North Olmsted Police will conduct the investigation. The Cleveland Police Internal Affairs Unit will monitor the process to stay informed on the outcome of the investigation. Officer Kane will remain on restricted duty pending the adjudication of the case. Kane was hired by the Division of Police in December 2015 and most recently served in the Fifth District, Basic Patrol Section." Cleveland Division of Police [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Buckeye States mandatory 5-year redistricting begins in just a few weeks. Local lawmakers are looking ahead to the redistricting of Ohios congressional map. While some states appear to be trying to strategically redistrict, the redistricting process in Ohio occurs every 5 years, as it is constitutionally required. Its very specific in the constitution, said State Rep. Phil Plummer, (R-Dayton). This is a mandate on us, and a couple other states are redrawing congressional lines. We have to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Ohio, there are 15 congressional districts, currently held by 10 Republicans and five Democrats. On Sept. 30, the hearing for the first Congressional Map will be presented. Democratic lawmakers say the previous maps have not only favored the Republican Party, but also provided an unbalanced amount of power. Republican lawmakers argue its an accurate depiction of what Ohioans want. Local legislators differ on what they hope to see in the coming weeks. Were a red state. We control every statewide office including the governor for quite some time nowm said Plummer. I dont believe in gerrymandering. We want a fair process and we want the citizens to decide who their congressional members are going to be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio State Senator Willis Blackshear, Jr. (D-Dayton) said he is cautious yet optimistic, hoping for something new as opposed to the current maps which were ruled unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court. The maps that have been put forth, not only here but around the country, have favored one party. And that obviously isnt right, said Blackshear. And its the people who essentially suffer with that being done. After the Sept. 30 hearing, both sides will meet again on the same day in October and November. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Winter is still four months away, but this winter's forecast is already on the horizon. The Farmers' Almanac, which dates to 1818, described its forecast for the 2025-2026 winter as "chill, snow, repeat." Meteorological winter begins Dec. 1, and the first day of astronomical winter is Dec. 21, 2025. More: Summertime SAD: Many Ohioans find themselves battling depression on hot sunny days What will Ohio's weather be like this winter? This winter's coldest temperatures are expected to stretch from the Northern Plains to New England. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Farmers' Almanac predicts that "a significant cold snap" will hit the United States in mid-January, then a second cold snap will blanket the nation in the middle of February. "The Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and North Central states are set for a classic winter wonderland, while the Pacific Northwest mountains are gearing up for some impressive snowfall totals," the Almanac noted. "Winter in the Southeast will see average temperatures with many wet periods. Northern portions, particularly in the Appalachian regions, may see occasional snow events." Almanacs issue their winter predictions weeks before meteorologists offer theirs. Mansfield area residents try to deal with the snowfall Thursday morning. A University of Illinois study found that predictions made by almanacs are only correct about half of the time, according to Popular Mechanics. ztuggle@gannett.com 419-564-3508 This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: What's in store for winter? One forecast says: 'chill, snow, repeat' OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) On Wednesday, the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board announced it has awarded $16.6 million in grants to communities and schools across the state to combat the states opioid crisis. $12.9 million of the funding is expected to be distributed to 31 cities, counties and public trusts, along with $3.7 million awarded to 16 school districts earlier this month, says Oklahoma Opioid Abatement board officials. These grants represent Oklahomas commitment to fighting the opioid epidemic at every level, from our communities to our classrooms, said Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who chairs the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board. We believe these dollars will provide the tools needed to save lives and strengthen communities across our state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Storm damage reported in Kingfisher, Oklahoma City after Tuesday night storms The grants are set to fund the following areas: Treatment and recovery programs Mental health assistance Opioid abuse education Strategies to decrease the supply of narcotics across the state The following cities, counties and public trusts were awarded grants: Cherokee County Choctaw, Pushmataha and McCurtain Counties (joint application) Cleveland County Comanche County Hospital Authority Creek County Delaware County Eastern Oklahoma Development District Grady Memorial Hospital Authority Hughes County Kiamichi Economic Development District of Oklahoma Lincoln County City of Lone Grove, Carter County and Love County (joint application) Marshall County Mayes County McAlester Regional Health Center Authority City of Miami City of Norman City of Oklahoma City Oklahoma County Okmulgee County City of Ponca City Rogers County & Claremore Joint Application Town of Salina and Salina Public Schools (joint application) Seiling Public Schools Collaboration Tahlequah Hospital Authority Tulsa County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School districts that received grants include: Adair Public Schools Broken Arrow Public Schools Comanche Public Schools Glenpool Public Schools Guymon Public Schools Hilldale Public Schools Jenks Public Schools McAlester Public Schools Moore Public Schools Norman Public Schools Ponca City Public Schools Sand Springs Public Schools Shawnee Public Schools Stillwater Public Schools Tahlequah Public Schools Wellston Public Schools Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. NEED TO KNOW Oklahoma superintendent Ryan Walters announced plans to implement a mandatory test for out-of-state teachers from New York and California who are hoping to work in his state He said that the test is meant to root out "radical leftist ideology;" it will be around 50 questions Some of the sample questions touch on the concept of "freedom of religion" and its importance in the United States Teachers from California and New York will need to pass a controversial new test if they want to work in Oklahoma, and some of the sample questions have been published. Oklahoma superintendent Ryan Walters announced that teachers from those states would need to complete a mandatory quiz. He said the goal is to root out radical leftist ideology from classrooms, according to The Associated Press, The Hill and local outlet News 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As long as I am superintendent, Oklahoma classrooms will be safeguarded from the radical leftist ideology fostered in places like California and New York, Walters said, per News 9. "Any teacher coming from these states will be required to pass our new PragerU assessment before receiving certification, because we refuse to let Gavin Newsoms woke, Marxist agenda turn Oklahoma into the same dumpster fire California has become, he added. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File Ryan Walters speaks at a rally, Nov. 1, 2022. Ryan Walters speaks at a rally, Nov. 1, 2022. The new test reportedly covers American history, civics and constitutional principles; it will feature approximately 50 questions. Five multiple-choice sample questions from the test provided to the outlets ask teachers to provide the first words of the U.S. Constitution, and to answer the question of why freedom of religion is important to Americas identity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other questions ask teachers to name the two parts of U.S. Congress, reveal the number of U.S. Senators and to answer why "some states have more Representatives than others," per News 9. Speaking to CNN, PragerU CEO Marissa Streit said that the test would also address undoing the damage of gender ideology." The Oklahoma Department of Education did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment on the new test. Advocates say the requirement is meant to align educators with what Walters calls traditional American values before they step into the classroom, per AP and News 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, some critics, including the American Federation of Teachers one of the nations largest teachers unions criticized the new test. This MAGA loyalty test will be yet another turnoff for teachers in a state already struggling with a huge shortage, AFT President Randi Weingarten told AP. His priority should be educating students, but instead, its getting Donald Trump and other MAGA politicians to notice him. Getty A photo of a school classroom. A photo of a school classroom. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The AFT previously criticized Walters for updating school curriculum to teach debunked information about the 2020 presidential election, including conspiracy theories about the 2020 election being stolen from President Donald Trump by the Democratic Party, which Trump has pushed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walters also announced last year that schools were required to incorporate the Bible into their curriculum due to a new state mandate, which also received criticism from groups such as the Interfaith Alliance, an organization dedicated to protecting religious freedoms. As for Walters latest requirement, a spokesperson for the states education department told AP that the new test for incoming teachers from California and New York is ready and will be scheduled to roll out very soon." Read the original article on People Oklahoma Treasurer Todd Russ and Deborah Mueggenborg, chair and vice chair of the TSET board of investors, respectively, listen at a meeting on Wednesday. (Photo by Emma Murphy/OklahomaVoice) OKLAHOMA CITY In an attempt to limit risks to its investments, an Oklahoma state board plans to try to shape some major companies policies pertaining to the dispensing of medications, discrimination in charitable giving and images of child sex abuse. The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trusts board of investors voted 3-1 Wednesday to ask the shareholders of 10 companies to vote on changing policies related to a variety of issues including images of child sex abuse, politicized and anti-religious discrimination in charitable gift matching, gender ideology activism, and the dispensing of mifepristone. The board also wants the companies to disclose risks of executive compensation plans that include diversity, equity and inclusion and environmental, social and governance policies, and the risks of China exposure on investment returns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They would not say which companies would be targeted. The requests would be made publicly available once submitted, according to a spokesperson for Treasurer Todd Russ, who serves as chair of the board. Members of the Oklahoma board said they were concerned the policies at the 10 companies could open their trust, which oversees the investment of about $2 billion in public dollars, up to backlash and potential litigation. Jerry Bowyer, CEO of Bowyer Research, a portfolio construction and asset allocation consulting firm, said the sale of mifepristone, which can be used to help induce abortions, could prevent pregnancies. That would reduce future sales of items like diapers, which could harm overall investment returns. He also said a company that has diversity, equity and inclusion policies that run counter to the Trump administrations position could lose out on federal contracts, harming shareholders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One could be credibly accused of not exercising full fiduciary responsibility, he said. Bowyer said public pressure brought by activists often drives company policies. TSETs proposals would offer shareholders and management an alternate option. It helps them to resist activist pressure, he said. And thats generally the design of these proposals, to help companies to do what they want to do and do what they know they should do. Most public companies give shareholders the opportunity to vote on compensation packages for executives and let management know their views on issues that could affect the value of shares. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some shareholders also have the opportunity to add proposals or recommended action items to the agenda at shareholder meetings. Thats what the TSET board voted to do. TSETs board of investors makes decisions on investing the proceeds of Oklahomas settlement with the tobacco industry. A different TSET board then spends the interest on programs and other grants aimed at improving health. Russ, who chairs the board of investors, said the proposals are a way to responsibly protect shareholder value and financial returns. These investments currently have good financial returns, so simply pulling them is not the solution, he said in a statement after the meeting. Submitting proposals allows us to address potential risks while maintaining the value of the investments for the fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russ said the board wasnt acting in response to a directive from any official. He said it is the boards responsibility to pay attention to these issues and protect the funds investments with the processes available. The goal of the proposals is to bring attention to shareholder concerns and encourage companies to avoid behaviors that could ultimately create financial risk, he said. He said he doesnt know what the TSET board will do if the companies dont take action on the concerns. John Waldo, the sole dissenting vote, said the board should communicate directly with these companies to express their concerns before telling them how to conduct business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some companies have already separated from diversity, equity and inclusion policies, he said. A previous attempt by Russ to pass similar proposals failed in June. At the time, he had targeted companies like Amazon, Lululemon and Netflix for policies on issues including diversity and gay rights, according to reporting from Oklahoma Watch. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE PANAMA CITY A local building constructed more than a century ago hit the real estate market with a $1.75 million price tag. Located at 101 E. Seventh St., Panama City, the old Panama City Grammer School building is once again on the market. Here's what we know: The old Panama Grammar School pictured on Aug. 13, 2025, in Panama City, Florida. The historic building was severely damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018 and is now up for sale. Why is the building important? Built in 1914, the Panama City Grammar School building is an an ornate piece of old-Florida architecture with ties to many Bay County old-timers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It started as a high school before transitioning into an elementary school in 1926. It operated as a school until 1965, after which it was purchased by First Presbyterian Church. The Panama City Grammar School was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. After Category 5 Hurricane Michael devastated the area in 2018, First Presbyterian Church prioritized its efforts to rebuilding its own facilities. The church listed the school building for sale in 2019, and it was bought by an Alabama-based developer in 2021. The developer planned to turn the building into apartments. According to Kevin Wattenbarger, a real estate broker involved in the sale, the project ended up not being economically viable for the developer. Construction prices increased over the years, and it was unclear whether a tax credit would stick. What are the prospects for the sale? The old Panama City Grammar School building is now once again for sale with a price tag of $1.75 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the revitalization of downtown and the unique amount of acreage the property sits on, Wattenbarger thinks there is a demand for the project. The real estate company is leaning into the market to see what type of buyers might show interest. While the current listing is for multi-family residential, government or commercial entities might also be interested. Although it is possible for a buyer to demolish the building, Wattenbarger said they would lose out on some tax breaks. On top of incentives they might get from revitalizing a building on the National Historic Registry, the school is also in a opportunity zone. This means they could see relief in capital gains tax. An incredible story: A 92-year-old Panama City Beach man almost died five times, but says God had other plans What is the building's condition? Following damage from Hurricane Michael, the school's interior was exposed to the elements for almost seven years. Its interior likely needs to be renovated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wattenbarger said he believes Panama City officials will support efforts to preserve the historic local landmark. According to a city of Panama City spokesperson, there are not yet any permits for the site. This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Old Panama City Grammar School for sale with $1.75 million price tag BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) The empty lots where The Old Pink and Mulligans Brick Bar once stood were sold to Roche Development, the company confirmed to WIVB News 4 on Tuesday. The company is owned by Buffalo natives William Roche and his son Kyle. The two have been in talks to purchase the land since early last year. Kyle says they purchased The Old Pink land for $200,000 while the Mulligans lot was $180,000. The Allentown bars each burned down, an arsonist setting The Old Pink ablaze in June of 2024 and an accidental fire burning down Mulligans the following January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Construction of a new, multi-use building is expected to begin sometime next year. When were done, I think success will be measured by whether the community can continue to gather in that space, Kyle previously said. We are encouraged to see these sites are under new ownership and look forward to working with Mr. Roche on his redevelopment plans, including the potential incorporation of the city-owned lot, acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon said in a statement Wednesday. My administration will ensure that any proposal incorporates community input, aligns with the standards of the Allentown Historic Preservation District, and strengthens the neighborhood in a way that honors its character and identity. Scanlon also commented when the sale was still pending. He emphasized the importance of community engagement and said the city would work with Roche Development to ensure that the new building adheres to the standards of the Allentown Historic Preservation District, and meets the citys MWBE goals. Latest Local 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 News 4 Buffalo. UPDATE: CLINTON COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) State Police have released more information concerning the Tuesday night shooting incident between a Clinton County man and authorities. PSP has identified Brandon Bitner, 42, as the individual who shot at troopers and then proceeded to flee from his residence to a Lykens Market, where he would fire additional shots from a shotgun towards gas pumps and troopers. Bitner was taken to UPMC Williamsport for treatment of a gunshot wound. Bitner is now facing charges of attempted criminal homicide of law enforcement officers, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, criminal mischief, and fleeing or attempting to elude an officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bitner was placed at the Clinton County jail with bail denied due to the charges hes facing. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 25. ORIGINAL STORY: CLINTON COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) A Clinton County man allegedly shot at police while being served a warrant in Bald Eagle Township late Tuesday night. According to State Police, at around 8:50 p.m. Aug. 19, PSP Lamar troopers arrived at a residence on Eagle Valley Road to serve a felony warrant. Once troopers made contact with the intended individual, he fired a shot towards the police before getting into his vehicle and fleeing onto state route 150. The man then pulled into the Lykens Market convenience store in Beech Creek borough and continued to fire another shot at pursuing troopers. PSP says that a short exchange of gunfire then ensued before the individual was taken into custody without any further incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unidentified man suffered a non-life-threatening injury, according to police, and no one in law enforcement or bystanders was harmed during the event. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. An investigation is still ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Police in D.C. have arrested a man for an assault that took place in Northeast in May. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to the 3900 block of Minnesota Ave. NE around 8:55 p.m. for a reported stabbing. Police learned that several suspects had physically assaulted a man. During that time, one of the suspects stabbed the man. After the assault, all of the suspects escaped. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DC Fire and EMS transported the man to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. USAO: DC man went live on Instagram holding gun minutes before arrest On Aug. 1, officers arrested 41-year-old Cornell Shumate of Northeast, D.C. Shumate is facing a charge for assault with significant bodily injury (knife). MPD said it was still investigating this incident. Anyone with any information is asked to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on Monday, there was much interest in what the visit would signal for the future of the US-Ukraine relations amid Russias ongoing invasion. Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images The two leaders greeted each other, posed for photos in front of the White House and answered questions from reporters in the Oval Office. As cameras captured the leaders interactions, the words they spoke werent the only part of the story. Body language experts say Trumps physical gestures, postures and touch revealed a complicated power dynamic one that often put Zelenskyy on the defensive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of Trumps gestures were a way to assert control and dominance, experts say. Xinhua News Agency / Getty Images Related: "This Is Deeply Fascist": People Are Floored That This Banner Was Actually Placed On A Government Building In DC One of the more notable moments for body language experts was when Trump pumped his fist as Zelenskyy arrived at the White House. It starts out with Trump giving his power fist, said Traci Brown, an author and body language expert. Hes planning on being in full control. Hes very cordial to Zelenskyy, complimenting his suit but sticking his hands way too close into Zelenskyys space with his palm almost under his chin. This is a sign of control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fist pump is a symbolic punching motion, according to Patti Wood, a body language and nonverbal communication expert and author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma. Subconsciously, what that means is he feels like hes in for a fight, and he has to defend himself, she said. Its an example of whats called a symbolic weapon. And because its the first thing he does in response to this meeting, that makes it much more powerful. Later in the day, while joined by Zelenskyy and other world leaders, Trump gestured toward a painting of himself pumping his fist following his assassination attempt in 2024. Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images Beyond the fist pump, there were other control-asserting gestures on display. Brown pointed to the way Trump pulled Zelenskyy toward him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an unconscious show that Trump can move him around, she said. Zelenskyy sways but doesnt move his feet preferring to keep his independence. Other experts said Trumps touch crossed into condescension. Trump is manhandling the president of a country. Hes got a hold of him and is doing these really minimizing actions with Zelenskyy, said Denise M. Dudley, a psychologist and author of Making Relationships Last. Xinhua News Agency / Getty Images Noting that the Ukrainian president is physically smaller than Trump, she said she believes a more socially sophisticated person in this position would avoid taking actions that emphasize the diminutive qualities of the person theyre talking to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump is just going for it, Dudley added. Hes putting his hand on top of his shoulder. Hes putting his arm around him in a very patronizing way, as if to say, Youre not on my level. I can usher you in like youre my date to the prom. Hes not treating him like an equal. Wood similarly saw these gestures as belittling. The way Trump brings his arm up and around the shoulder, back and neck of Zelenskyy and pulls him in is kind of like a dad telling a kid you better behave, she said. Related: "The Daily Show" Destroyed Trump's Latest Biden Attack By Showing Literally Just 1 Clip That Proved He Was So, So Wrong The suit interaction sent mixed signals. Ukrainian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images Another telling moment came when the topic of Zelenskyys suit came up a wardrobe choice that was notable given the previous criticism of the Ukrainian presidents choice of clothing by conservatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian Glenn of right-wing outlet Real Americas Voice who had chided Zelenskyy for wearing his usual military-style attire instead of a formal suit during his February visit told the foreign leader, You look fabulous in that suit. Trump expressed his agreement with that sentiment. GLENN: You look fabulous in that suitTRUMP: That's the one that attacked you last timeZELENSKYY: I remember that. You're in the same suit. I changed mine. pic.twitter.com/cuTIYHmEbN Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 18, 2025 @atrupar/X / Via Twitter: @atrupar Trump does touch Zelenskyy when referring to the suit, Brown said. This is a way to connect and also seems like hes showing Zelenskyy off in pride but belittling him just a touch with his tone when he says, I said the same thing. Considering that last time Zelenskyy showed up in more casual attire, Trump now has proof that he has control. Related: People Are Roasting "MAGA Makeup" On TikTok, And It Might Be The Shadiest Thing I've Seen All Year Dudley similarly observed how Trumps gestures reinforced the unequal footing. Ukrainian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images He comments on his suit, and you see Trump hold his hand out, palm up. Its kind of a look at you, she explained. I think of it like if I went to see my dad and looked nice. He might be like, Oh, honey, look at you. Its the kind of thing you dont do with another president Look at you. Love the outfit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, not all of Trumps behavior fell neatly into a controlling frame. Dudley pointed out that the former president seemed to share a rare moment of levity with Zelenskyy after the Ukrainian presidents hilariously snarky response to Glenns comment. I will say, it looks like Trump genuinely laughs, Dudley said. I think he actually laughed at a comment about the suit. Generally, Trump is not somebody who genuinely laughs hes usually so singularly focused on putting on the Trump show. But here, with Zelenskyy, he let out a real laugh. I think thats interesting. Other gestures struck a more neutral or even conciliatory tone, according to communication and body language expert Karen Donaldson. Ukrainian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images President Trump did the hand steeple in fact, a low steeple where his fingers are pointing down, which is a sign of self-assuredness, self-confidence and that hes comfortable in this space, she said. The lower the steeple signifies more thoughtfulness, the higher the steeple represents more authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also believes his earlier fist pumping was more a signal of solidarity than control and that the way he greeted him with his palms up showed a willingness to be open and honest. Zelenskyys body language also said a lot. Ukrainian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images Related: A Video Of Obama Exposing MAGAs Double Standards Is Going Viral, And Its A Startling Reminder Of Just How Much Things Have Changed Zelenskyys body language, meanwhile, revealed both resistance and composure in the face of Trumps physical assertiveness. We witness President Zelenskyy placing his hand on top of the President Trumps hand during the latter part of the handshake, Donaldson said. Is it a cultural norm? No. When someone places their hand on top of another is during a handshake its a subtle way to exert dominance over the other person. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wood observed a similar sense of pushback, noting that Zelenskyy responded to Trumps tendency to pull people into him in his handshakes. So Zelenskyy took his left arm and hand and went into whats called a top-down position, where hes holding Trumps hand down as if to say, No, Im going to battle with you. Youre not going to pull me in and think youve won, Wood said. He keeps holding it, and Trump continues to tug, pulling them both close to his chest. You can see Zelenskyy pulled slightly off balance, but he maintains that top-down grip. Its a continued battle. While taking questions from the press in the Oval Office, both leaders also sat forward in their chairs, a posture Donaldson described as a stance that signals preparedness and a readiness to engage in whats to come. Ukrainian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images Even in these tense dynamics, Zelenskyy projected a measure of calm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Zelenskyy has his hands clasped, with his fingers loosely interlaced, Donaldson said. In respect to the context of sitting down, his fingers are loosely interlaced, which signals more comfort than discomfort. However, we often interlace our own fingers to feel more secure in a situation its a form of self-soothing. Taken together, the exchanges showed just how much was communicated without words. Trumps handshakes, fist pumps and touches broadcast confidence and dominance, often veering into condescension. But Zelenskyys small acts of resistance with steady footing, controlled hand placement, and composed posture signaled that he was willing to stand his ground. Hu Yousong/Xinhua via Getty Images This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in In the News: Trump Thought Alaska Was Russia, And The Internet Is Having An Absolute Field Day With It Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom Has Been Roasting MAGA Left And Right, And WOW, Is It Entertaining Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom Is Going Viral For Shutting Down JD Vance With One Single Map Read it on BuzzFeed.com OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) One person has been taken into custody after a teenage girl was hit and critically injured by a truck on August 8. According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, officers responded to a neighborhood near Reno Ave. and Villa Ave. ORIGINAL STORY: Oklahoma City Police investigating after hit-and-run leaves teen critically injured Jaime Lopez. Image courtesy Oklahoma City Police. Upon arrival, officers learned that a teenage girl had been run over by a pickup truck, leaving her with critical injuries. The truck then left the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On August 19, officers found a pickup truck parked in the 3900 block of SW 24th Street that matched the description of the truck involved in the hit-and-run incident. Officials say 18-year-old Jaime Lopez was later taken into custody and booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on a felony complaint of leaving the scene of an accident involving injury. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. According to the police, a 36-year-old suspect was arrested and transferred for questioning in connection with a letter containing a threat to harm the A-G. The arrest of the man who threatened to kill Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara was extended by authorities on Thursday until today. The suspect, 36-years-old from Jerusalem, was first arrested on Wednesday after the director-general of the Religious Services Ministry, Yehuda Avidan, alerted police to a letter received by former Sephardi chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter, written by a civilian - the suspect - requested that Yosef approve applying the halachic principle of din rodef (the law of the pursuer) to the A-G. The principle is that if someone (the rodef - pursuer) actively attempts to kill or cause grave harm to another person, it is permissible - obligatory, even - to stop them, including through lethal force if necessary. Due to its gravity, this principle is used sparingly if at all, and requires permission from a halachic authority (barring an emergency active situation). This is what the suspect requested from Yosef. At a hearing on Thursday to extend his arrest, a police representative told the court, The suspect tied himself directly to the incident; he admitted that his plan was to kill the Attorney-General, if he could secure approval from the most respected and legitimate religious authorities. The suspect arrived at Yosefs office on Wednesday and requested to speak with him. When he was denied, he presented the letter instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The police representative said, The writing is on the wall, and noted that police would prefer to comb through the suspects computers and cell phones, as well as to check for the possible involvement of anyone else. The lawyer representing the suspect noted that though the plan is horrid, no action was taken to manifest the threat, and added as well that the suspect has a background of mental health issues. A-G Baharav-Miaras firing and its fight with the government Tensions between the government at the Attorney-Generals Office, the countrys lead prosecutor and chief interpreter of the law, have been consistently high and have hobbled from one issue to the next, for months. A ministerial committee voted to fire her earlier this month, but the decision has been frozen by the Supreme Court, and is pending judicial review. It is commonly asserted that, for the various factions of the government, the A-G represents different types of threats. The religious context in which this is relevant - and would include in it halachic principles relating to murder - would be the insistence on a draft law that would be applied as equally as possible. This is particularly relevant to the ultra-Orthodox (haredi) community, which seeks to protect its communal structures, which include men studying Torah in yeshiva during the relevant years they would otherwise be drafted to the military. The coalition has nearly torn apart over a lack of legislation on the matter, as haredi parties threatened to leave the government, and the war drags on, bringing with it more draft call-ups and extensions of service to reservists. COSBY, Tenn. (WATE) One person is in critical condition following a shooting in Cosby early Tuesday. Cocke County deputies responded to the 700 block of McGaha Chapel Road for a report of a shooting that stemmed from a dispute involving two people around 8 a.m. TBI issues Silver Alert for man missing from Knox County, may be travelling in Alabama A man with gunshot wounds was transported from the scene to a local hospital and is critical condition, according to a release from Cocke County Sheriff CJ Ball. This is a developing story. Download the WATE 6 News app or sign up for our email alerts for updates. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is assisting the sheriffs office ongoing investigation into the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. HONOLULU (KHON2) The aloha spirit reaches even into dorm rooms at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where new students often face the challenge of sharing space with someone they just met. Makoa Miura, resident assistant for UH Manoa student housing, knows the experience firsthand. I first became a resident assistant because I was having a really rough time my freshman year, Miura said. As a first-generation college student, navigating college was very different from how I navigated high school, and I really relied on my resident assistant to kind of help me figure out what path to take and how to kind of roll with the punches and the challenges that came with starting college. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miura explained that his motivation for becoming a resident assistant comes from his own first-year experience. He said he chose the role so he could offer students the kind of support he once relied on. I wanted to make sure that I could go ahead and pour what my RA poured into me and to other residents, to go ahead and help them navigate their freshman, year, especially those first-generation college students who have to face the same challenges as I did. he said. 1. Starting with openness One of Miuras biggest lessons for students is to approach roommates with curiosity and openness. When youre facing those challenges, one of the most important things to do is face it with an open mind, he said. Its important to understand and remember that this is probably the first time you or your roommate has shared a room with a stranger in such close proximity. Youre basically learning new things about an entirely new person. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that respecting different backgrounds can prevent tension that can typically kill a relationship. He said its easiest to do this by approaching them with more curiosity, wanting to learn more about them and why they do things. 2. Setting expectations To prevent conflicts before they start, residents are encouraged to set expectations early. Miura explained that early agreements help keep the peace. We have something called roommate agreements that you go ahead and coordinate with your as an assistant, Miura said. Its basically just a document that helps outline what you guys expectations of living together are. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Miura explained that successful roommate agreements come down to clear details and emphasized that setting expectations works best when theyre concrete. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making sure that certain things stay on different sides of the room. What cleanliness looks like. If you guys want to keep food trash in the room, maybe thats going to be taken out every night. Maybe thats going to be taken out every week. 3. When problems come up When problems do arise, students dont have to handle them alone. Miura explained that resident assistants are there to step in when conflicts escalate. If you ever have issues with your roommates online, with your roommate agreement, or maybe even outside of that, you can always talk to your resident assistant as a resource, he said. If youre finding that part difficult, or maybe you dont know how to start that process, then we can go ahead and do roommate mediation for you. Still, Miura emphasized that the first step in resolving tension should always be an honest conversation. Before turning to formal mediation, he encouraged roommates to talk things through themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to make sure that youre able to navigate in these situations on your own, Miura said. That roommate mediation is the last step. 4. Learning to live together He noted that building a connection starts with simple steps. For Miura, trust between roommates begins with open and consistent communication; and strong communication doesnt have to be complicated. Its okay not to be friends or best friends at your roommate right at the beginning of the year, he said. Go ahead and exchange phone numbers immediately in that first week so you guys can keep each other updated. Miura emphasized the importance of remembering that roommates are more than just the people you share a room with. He explained that understanding a roommate starts with recognizing their life beyond the shared space; and to avoid tension, Miura encouraged students to see the bigger picture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres so much more than your roommate, Miura said. They have a whole life outside of that room that you guys share together. Youre both students. You both have your own separate groups of friends. You have your separate groups of interests. Just learning those small things can kind of help you understand a little bit more about who they are when they step into the room. You can click here to learn about opportunities that can help you meet likeminded people on campus. You can click here to learn more about UHs student housing facilities and opportunities. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8 Life on campus can be one of the most important experiences of your life; so, be sure to approach it with patience and intention and let this be the time of your life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. A colorful bird has made another appearance in a state capital, and birders flocked to see it last month. What's happening? A male painted bunting has made what is believed to be its fourth trip to Raleigh, North Carolina's second-most populous city, The News & Observer reported. Photo Credit: iStock The blue-headed, red-chested avian, which also has yellow-green wings, typically sticks to the southern coast of the Tar Heel State but has appeared in the area every year since 2022. It's not clear whether this same individual was the one initially spotted at Dix Park three years ago, but it's a possibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The painted bunting is the most colorful breeding bird in the country, the newspaper reported. It's in the cardinal family and roams the Atlantic Coast down to Central Florida. Another population lives in the south-central United States. "While the painted bunting is not particularly rare, it's notably difficult to spot because it typically hangs out in dense undergrowth," according to The News & Observer. "And it's not supposed to be in Raleigh." Why is this important? The outlet noted that this apparent change in behavior could be the result of shifting migratory patterns due to rising global temperatures. Or it could be caused by habitat stressors such as human development or resource shortages. Warming climates are affecting fauna and flora everywhere, as the burning of dirty energy sources produces heat-trapping pollution that envelops Earth like a blanket. In response, animals are moving elsewhere, expanding their ranges, and altering their ways of life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The effects are cascading and could result in the planet's sixth mass extinction, greater risks for disease spread, and off-balance ecosystems. The loss of birds is particularly problematic because of their position as indicator species and impact on mental health. What's being done about changing animal behaviors? The newspaper highlighted birders' enjoyment of the painted bunting, and one observer said that even on "a sucky bird day, [when] you don't see anything, you've been outside all day, and you go home and look at the photos and relive it. It's a great way to spend a day." Other increasingly common human-wildlife encounters are not so charming and can lead to dangerous situations that result in people's, as well as creatures', injuries or deaths. To protect nature and the beings we share Earth with, you can make small changes that add up when multiplied across millions of people. Start by rewilding your yard or driving less, and move on to energy-efficient appliance upgrades. These actions benefit humans and the environment by reducing pollution that endangers established ways of life. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) The opening act has been revealed for the YLive concert headlined by John Mayer. Read next: Boardman Target implements juvenile escort policy Charles Kelley and The Clarks will share the stage with Mayer on Friday, Sept. 26, according to a news release from JAC Live. Charles Kelley is the co-lead vocalist and founding member of the country music trio Lady A. Lady A was supposed to perform at the Canfield Fair this year, but the show was canceled, along with its 2025 tour. Lady As Hillary Scott recently announced the birth of her fourth baby last month. The band is kicking off a Christmas tour in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Clarks are a local favorite, performing at numerous venues in the area. The rock band got its start in the Pittsburgh area and is touring through Pennsylvania and Ohio in the coming months. The show is part of a two-night event at Wean Park in Youngstown. Performing the following night, on Sept. 27, is Tim McGraw. McGraw was scheduled to play last years YLive, but the performance was postponed due to the Realty Building explosion downtown and other logistical issues. Tickets for the shows are available on Ticketmaster.com. The Clarks at Ribs-N-Rock Festival 2024 (WKBN file photo) Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Aug. 19GRAND FORKS A Grand Forks County prosecutor said the evidence that will be presented throughout Donald Joseph Bartlette's trial will show he beat a man to death a man he was not only friends with, but whom he had been living with from time to time while experiencing homelessness. "On Oct. 24 of 2024, Anthony Kiehl was brutally beaten to death by the defendant," Assistant Grand Forks County State's Attorney Rachel Egstad said during her opening statement Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 19. Anthony "Tony" Kiehl, 49, was seen with Bartlette, 46, earlier that day, Egstad said. She said the two were also seen on surveillance footage entering Kiehl's apartment at approximately 6:11 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This was the last time Anthony would be seen alive by anyone other than the defendant," Egstad said. Samuel Gereszek, Bartlette's attorney, agreed in his opening statement that there was a fight that day, but said it was not Bartlette's intention to kill his friend. Gereszek said Kiehl came at Bartlette with a knife, stabbing him, then Bartlette fought back. The injury Kiehl sustained was "like one in a million," Gereszek said, and claimed a doctor involved in Kiehl's autopsy would later testify to that effect. "Donald Bartlette was stabbed," Gereszek said. "He responded with fists, and he got the most unfortunate shot in that you could possibly fathom." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gereszek also said the surveillance footage showing Bartlette returning to his friend's apartment a few times before ultimately leaving the building can be attributed to him checking on Kiehl, who was injured but appeared responsive. The injury proved fatal, though, and when another person arrived at Kiehl's residence that night, he was reported to a dispatcher as "cold" and "not breathing." Kiehl was pronounced dead at Altru Hospital shortly before 10 p.m., according to a police officer's testimony. During his opening statement, Gereszek also pointed to other parties who could have been involved in Kiehl's death, due to timing and proximity. He said surveillance footage would show other people entering and exiting Kiehl's apartment that evening one who has been charged with involvement in the death, and one who has not. The first day of Bartlette's trial began shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday, with jury selection, which wrapped up around 1 p.m. During that process, both the defense and prosecution asked various questions of the jury pool, which was comprised of a little more than 60 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aside from the standard questions about potential conflicts, the defense and prosecution asked the jury pool questions such as: what makes a good or bad juror, what is "self defense," can someone who starts a fight end up defending themselves later on in the altercation and can someone continue assaulting their attacker after the attacker stops pursuing them? After jury selection, court was in recess until 2:30 p.m. The 12 jurors and two alternates were then given opening instructions about their duties and certain legal definitions by Judge Jason McCarthy. The prosecution and defense gave opening statements, then the first witness was called to testify. Tammy Vanyo, Kiehl's probation officer, testified that on the morning of Kiehl's death, he called her. "(He) told me that there were two guys outside of his apartment, and he was scared," Vanyo said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She recalled Kiehl as respectful despite a distaste for law enforcement, and said she knew him to suffer from alcohol and substance abuse as well as a traumatic brain injury that he sustained in an accident. He was on probation for a prior drug conviction. Vanyo said she didn't know him to be paranoid, so she believed his concerns were valid, though she didn't imagine them to be that serious, with the limited information she had at the time. She advised him to go to a place in town where he felt safe. She said he should go to Mountainbrooke Recovery Center, which offered resources for the homeless population as well as those with mental health issues. Kiehl had been working on himself, according to Vanyo. He attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at Mountainbrooke, as well as Narcotics Anonymous meetings at Grand Forks' Northeast Human Service Center. "He was trying," Vanyo testified. The trial is expected to resume at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, Aug. 20. ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WSPA) The Asheville Police Department (APD) said that two people were arrested during a joint operation with the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). On Tuesday August 19, APD detectives arrested 44-year-old Takeia Vanessa Davis and 49-year-old Karriam Habar Taylor in a joint operation with the SBI. During the arrests, officers said Davis and Taylor were both carrying stolen firearms. Authorities said a search warrant was obtained for a home on Cordova Street. During the search, officers said they located more than 5lbs of methamphetamine, 250 grams of fentanyl, and 100 grams total of cocaine. Officers also said they located a random assortment of unidentified pills, 3 handguns and over $3,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taylor was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, and resisting a public officer. Taylor was sent to the Buncombe County Detention Facility under no bond. Davis was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, and driving with a revoke license. Davis was sent to Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $3,000 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. The Badami oil field lies between Prudhoe Bay and Point Thomson on the eastern North Slope. The company that now operates Badami, Cook Inlet Energy, improperly flared natural gas over a six-month period, state regulators say. (Map provided by Alaska Division of Oil and Gas/Alaska Department of Natural Resources) A small energy company operating a North Slope oil field has been ordered to pay a $357,905 fine for illegally flaring natural gas over a six-month period. The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission assessed the fine against Cook Inlet Energy in an order issued on Aug. 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cook Inlet Energy flared over 51 million cubic feet of natural gas at the Badami field between last October and March, according to the commission. The fines dollar amount is equal to twice the market value of the gas lost to flaring, as specified by state law, the AOGCC said in its order. Cook Inlet Energy could reduce the fine amount if it upgrades or replaces the vapor recovery unit that had been inoperable at the time the gas was flared, the AOGCC order said. The commission initially proposed the fine in May. The company disputed the commissions initial findings of violations, arguing that the flaring was necessary for safety because the Badami vapor recovery unit was unexpectedly inoperable, that there was no backup system and that a power outage compounded the problem, according to the order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cook Inlet Energy pointed out that it had duly reported the gas flaring, and it argued that the flaring was legal under a rule that allows natural gas to be burned off in that way in emergencies or other special circumstances. The company cited a 2022 AOGCC order that allowed flaring at a well drilled by Great Bear Pantheon LLC. The Badami pipeline, which carries oil from Badami west toward Prudhoe Bay, is seen in this undated photo. The Badami field is located on the eastern North Slope, between Prudhoe Bay and Point Thomson. (Photo by David Houseknecht/U.S. Geological Survey) However, the AOGCC found that those special circumstances did not apply in this case, according to the order. Cook Inlet Energy raised other issues in its arguments against the commissions finding. One company argument cited the lack of a market for North Slope natural gas; because there is no market, the company argued, no royalties were lost to the state through the flaring. However, the commission said it considers the flaring to be a waste of a state-owned natural resource, nonetheless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resource conservation, including that of reducing or eliminating gas flare volumes, is of utmost importance to the State of Alaska, with lack of a current export path or current unrealized royalties being immaterial, the AOGCC order said. A small amount of gas flaring is allowed in Alaska, despite Gov. Mike Dunleavys repeated claims that oil producers in the state do not flare any natural gas. However, Cook Inlet Energys flaring well exceeded what would be allowable, according to the AOGCC order. Cook Inlet Energy has a year to pay the fine, and it can credit the costs of a vapor recovery unit upgrade or replacement against the assessed $357,905, according to the order. The company also has the right to appeal the commissions findings. Cook Inlet Energy is a subsidiary of Glacier Oil & Gas, a privately held independent company. Until recently, a different Glacier Oil & Gas subsidiary, Savant Alaska, operated the Badami field. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Badami, located on the eastern side of the North Slope, was originally brought into development by BP. Production there started in 1998. A decade later, BP formed a partnership with Savant that established the latter as Badamis operator. Badamis production has fluctuated. It was about 2,000 barrels a day from April 2024 to March 2025, but in the year prior to that period, it averaged less than 900 barrels a day, according to the Alaska Division of Oil and Gas. The increase in production was largely attributed to a new well. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Related Video Trump Had Great Show Of Strength In Meetings With European Leaders: Cuomo | NEWSNATION Anyone who works in British foreign policy knows that we talk about the special relationship with the U.S. infinitely more than Americans do. But there is a straightforward reason: it really matters to us. It is not just an emotional response, nor an attempt to cling to great-power status. Those are lazy and only partial explanations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The International Relations and Defence Committee in the House of Lords is currently conducting an inquiry into the U.K.s future relationship with the U.S. In the evidence I submitted, I said very clearly that the U.S. is Britains most important bilateral ally, in terms of trade, defense, intelligence, diplomacy and myriad cultural and historical connections. But that relationship is always evolving. What Socrates said about the unexamined life applies just as well to unexamined policy assumptions and in international affairs particularly, nothing is unchanging. The Coalition for Global Prosperity is a nonpartisan group launched in 2018 by former Prime Minister David Cameron and ex-Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt. It argues for three inseparable pillars in British foreign and security policy: an effective development budget, active diplomacy and a strong defense strategy. Last month, it published a report titled Transatlantic Ties: U.K.-U.S. Relations to 2045, which examines the changing political landscape and proposing ways for the U.K. to strengthen and renew the alliance. (Full disclosure: I was recently appointed senior fellow for national security at the group, but I took the position after the report had been written and had no involvement in its content.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donald Trumps return to the presidency has shifted U.K.-U.S. relations in ways that have sometimes been uncomfortable for Britain, and which have put new strain on the relationship between our two countries. The report acknowledges that Britain needs to increase its defense expenditure and footprint as part of a fairer burden-sharing. London also has to appreciate Washingtons very different perspectives on matters like trade and tariffs, Ukraine and international aid. Disagreements will remain, but they can be managed, provided they are properly understood. Underpinning the reports recommendations is what Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland, recently described as a reverse-Kennedy in the age of Trump. European nations should ask not what the Americans can do for you, ask what you can do for America. This does not mean accepting any kind of military or diplomatic vassalage, but identifying areas of common interest where the U.K. can use its particular influence or capabilities for mutual benefit. The report recommends that, while the British government must meet the new NATO defense spending target, it should go further and show leadership, setting out a concrete plan for increasing expenditure on core defense commitments to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2030, well in advance of the agreed upon 2035. No one seriously doubts that the British armed forces need this kind of investment, but putting ourselves ahead of the curve would make a powerful statement of intent to partners and adversaries alike. Americas focus on China as the principal threat to its interests over the coming decades is shaping policy across the board, shifting the strategic focus towards the Indo-Pacific. China presents itself as an alternative ally and patron for smaller nations think of the Belt-and-Road Initiative and Chinese-sponsored maritime facilities in Cambodia, Peru and Sri Lanka. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report urges the U.K. to do much more to challenge this narrative, highlighting Chinas human rights abuses, repression and self-interest. The U.K. is well placed in this respect because of its membership in so many overlapping forums, including the United Nations, NATO, the G7, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organization and the Commonwealth. The other recommendations concern what are called minilateral organizations, combinations of a small number of countries to achieve specific, limited objectives. There are several areas in which this approach offers real opportunities: Pillar Two of the tripartite AUKUS agreement, on research, development and production of new technologies; the Joint Expeditionary Force, the U.K.-led alliance of 10 European states that provides rapid response and expeditionary capability in the Baltic and the Arctic region; a proposal to develop a U.S.-U.K.-led minilateral group for a radical rethink about priorities and mechanisms of development. There are two fundamental messages underpinning this. The transatlantic relationship has brought huge benefits to both countries. The U.K. cannot assume it will endure through the simple momentum of history, but it can work to strengthen and renew the relationship through specific, discrete projects that will yield tangible benefits for both countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This would include an increase in defense spending; taking a harder public line on China; proving how AUKUS can deliver even more for its participants; and inviting U.S. observers to Joint Expeditionary Force summits, so they can see what Europe is doing independently to strengthen its security. Yes, Trump is transactional and wants to see how America gains from every situation. The U.K. has to be focused on issues where it can deliver. If that sounds less elevated and more businesslike than the Atlantic Charter or the emotional bond of the Reagan-Thatcher years, it is only a reflection of a new reality. Eliot Wilson is a freelance writer on politics and international affairs and the co-founder of Pivot Point Group. He was senior official in the U.K. House of Commons from 2005 to 2016, including serving as a clerk of the Defence Committee and secretary of the U.K. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. We express our deep concern over the recent commentary by Gordon Chang published in The Hill, which presented inaccurate and misleading portrayal of the Republic of Koreas democracy, its president, and its alliance with the U.S. Koreas democracy has evolved through the resilience of its people, and it continues to thrive. At the same time, the Korea-U.S. alliance has developed into a future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance. President Lee Jae Myungs upcoming visit to Washington D.C. and his summit with President Trump will mark yet another milestone in this enduring and indispensable alliance. The claim that Koreas June 3 presidential election was marred by irregularities, or that our democracy is in crisis, is entirely without foundation. Koreas democracy is internationally recognized as transparent and vibrant. The election was held freely and fairly, and no evidence of irregularities was found. The absence of any objection from Koreas independent judiciary or major political parties proves this fact.. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and leaders across the world publicly congratulated Lee on his victory, reaffirming confidence in the integrity of Koreas democratic institutions. More than 100 countries likewise recognized the strength and resilience of Koreas democracy. Lee earned 49.4 percent of the vote, the second-highest share since the introduction of direct presidential election in 1987. Baseless attacks against a duly elected leader who secured the support of a majority of citizens are more than political criticism. They represent a disregard for the Korean people themselves, dismissing their democratic choice, the resilience they have shown in overcoming grave constitutional challenges, and the trust that sustains Koreas partnerships with the international community. Equally false is the assertion that former President Yoon Suk Yeol faced fabricated charges of insurrection. He was unanimously impeached by Koreas Constitutional Court after unlawfully declaring martial law. The allegations of insurrection against Yoon will be decided in accordance with fair judicial procedures, which constitutes another cornerstone of democracy. He has been treated in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, in the same manner as any other criminal suspect in Korea, and allegations that he was denied medical care are entirely unfounded. Claims that the current Korean government restricts freedom of expression on social media, investigates citizens, and raids religious facilities are patently false. Rather, the majority of Koreans have been deeply shocked by allegations in the media that certain religious figures provided bribes to Yoon and his wife. Our government will continue to respond firmly to such falsehoods and to the grave affronts and attacks they represent against the people of the Republic of Korea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The allegation that Lee is weakening our alliance with the U.S. is simply incorrect. Since his candidacy, Lee has consistently stated that the alliance is the cornerstone of Koreas diplomacy and security. Since taking office, he has repeatedly reaffirmed this commitment. The Ulchi Freedom Shield joint exercise is being conducted as planned. Adjustments to the schedule were made only after thorough consultation between the two governments to ensure the safety of troops under extreme heat and to maintain a balanced combined defense posture throughout the year. The investigation at Osan Air Base was limited to the area controlled by Korea and did not involve U.S. personnel or materials. The alliance is not only the bedrock of Koreas security but also a pillar of stability in the region. Also, the two countries are working closely together to respond to both threats and opportunities under a firm shared commitment. Under Lees leadership, the Republic of Korea will continue to develop the alliance into a future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance. Lees visit to Washington D.C. and his summit with Trump will be a defining milestone in charting the course of future cooperation. To claim otherwise is to misrepresent reality and to disregard the bipartisan, multi-dimensional cooperation that has long underpinned the alliance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the contributor of the above-mentioned commentary truly wishes to see the Korea-U.S. alliance flourish, then, ahead of this important first summit since Lees inauguration, the responsible course is not to spread baseless accusations but to support this opportunity for the alliance to advance and prosper. Hak Jo Kim is Public Affairs Minister for the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Washington. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presided over a Texas Senate session Friday as lawmakers there attempted to ram through its racist redistricting plan, got angry with some observers gathered in the gallery who didnt stand as Sen. Angela Paxton delivered an invocation in the name of Jesus, who has saved us, who keeps us safe, and who is coming again. For those of you who didnt stand, next time you come to the gallery, you stand for the invocation, Patrick chastised. Its respecting the Senate. If you dont stand for the invocation, Ill have you removed. We asked you to stand. Ive never seen a gallery ever have any members, in my 17 years, of people who refused to stand for the invocation. It will not be tolerated. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that legislative prayer is constitutional, but certainly it cannot be constitutional for the presiding officer of a legislative body to try to force people to stand for an exclusively Christian prayer delivered in the name of Jesus. Patricks religious chauvinism should not be tolerated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It should be easy for all Americans, regardless of their ideological and political persuasions, to agree that the government should not be forcing people to stand for a prayer. In no way does the decision not to stand for a prayer warrant a persons removal from an official government meeting. Its important to note that President Donald Trump picked Patrick to chair his Religious Liberty Commission, established in May. I attended its first hearing at the Museum of the Bible (yes, you read that correctly: a presidential commission held at the fundamentalist Museum of the Bible) and witnessed how Patrick and Phil McGraw (yes, that Dr. Phil is on the commission) are gaslighting America about religious liberty. That hearing also started with a prayer made in Jesus name and featured as a surprise guest U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who falsely accused President Joe Biden of turning Easter into Transgender Day of Visibility when the two just happened to coincide that year. How can a person who tries to wield government power to force people to pray (or even respect that prayer by standing) teach us anything about religious liberty? The Trump-Patrick commission twisted history to promote Christian nationalism, which betrays our founding promise of religious liberty. I led a walkout from the hearing alongside other real advocates of religious freedom. Patrick, Bondi and Trump continue to shroud their authoritarianism in religiosity, and those of us who believe in religious liberty will continue to call them out. We must also let our faith inspire our resistance to the awful gerrymandering Texas is brazenly carrying out. The redrawn maps, which Republicans admit are meant to advantage their party, will harm Black and Latino voters. The Brennan Center says Texas is working to "produce five new sets for Republicans, mid-decade (long after the census), at the expense of Black and Latino voters, all on orders from a sitting president." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I hosted a virtual Aug. 5 conversation at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, where I serve as a senior fellow, with Texas state Rep. James Talarico shortly after he and other Democrats left the state to deny their Republican colleagues the quorum they needed to carry out their plan. Donald Trump and (Texas Gov.) Greg Abbott and my Republican colleagues back in Texas are attempting to break that sacred promise with every suppressed vote, with every gerrymandered district, Talarico told me. He also noted the diversity of the group of lawmakers who absented themselves to protest the Republicans awful plan: We dont just have Christians in our caucus, he said. We have Jews and Muslims, we have atheists and agnostics. In contrast to Patrick compelling people to pray, Talarico said before the Texas lawmakers left for Illinois, he offered a personal prayer he meant to be inclusive and interfaith. We joined together hand in hand and said a prayer to the power of love and its ability to give us strength and peace and comfort as we embark on this journey on behalf of our constituents and the people of Texas, he said. Church-state separation isnt about limiting prayer. Its not even about limiting prayers by our elected leaders. Its instead about keeping government leaders from picking which prayers we must all stand for and making assumptions about a shared religion. Elected leaders can be strong believers in prayer the Rev. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia is an example and refuse to use prayer as a cudgel the way Patrick did. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patrick diminishes religion by attempting to force people to respect it. Religion flourishes when its free from government interference. Much more alarmingly, though, Patrick appeals to religion in the service of a racist gerrymandering project. Not only was he wrong to demand that people stand, but he was also wrong to seek Gods blessings on such an obvious offense. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com In January, a 14-year-old was shot and killed by a group of his peers in Southwest Washington, D.C. Just weeks later, an elderly man was chased through traffic by a knife-wielding attacker in broad daylight. In May, two Israeli embassy staffers were brutally executed in what authorities have described as an antisemitic hate crime and potential act of terror. Last month, a congressional intern was killed in a tragic and still-unsolved drive-by shooting. And less than two weeks ago, a Trump administration staffer was viciously beaten by a violent mob, according to police. These disturbing attacks are only a few examples from a very lengthy list of egregious crimes that have happened in D.C. this year. And they are not isolated incidents they reflect a broader, deepening crisis in Washington, D.C. Once a vibrant city, the nations capital is now one of the deadliest places in America. In 2023, the homicide rate reached a 20-year high, with violent crime surging 40 percent, driven largely by armed robberies and carjackings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, a D.C. police commander was suspended amid allegations that the Metropolitan Police Department had manipulated data to falsely show a significant drop in violent crime compared to last year. But residents know the truth. Perhaps most alarming is the sharp rise in juvenile crime. Youth offenders accounted for more than half of all robbery arrests last year and nearly 60 percent of carjackings this year. Between January 2021 and June 2024, the percentage of homicides and non-fatal shootings committed by individuals age 15 to 20 nearly doubled. In neighborhoods like Navy Yard, just blocks from the U.S. Capitol, teens have turned the streets into battlegrounds. Restaurants and businesses have been forced to shut down while law-abiding residents live in fear. On March 27, President Trump took decisive action, establishing a task force to coordinate federal and local law enforcement efforts in the district. Last week, he went further and declared a crime emergency in Washington, directing the Department of Defense to deploy the National Guard to help restore order. For far too long, D.C.s justice system has failed to hold criminals accountable. Young offenders committing violent crimes are often released immediately, emboldened by a system that delivers them no real consequences. In May, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 200 illegal immigrants in D.C., many of whom had criminal records and known gang affiliations. At the time, local authorities had repeatedly refused to honor federal detainers, releasing these individuals back onto the streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That ends now. The era of turning a blind eye to the violence, disorder and lawlessness is over. To support Trumps bold action and ensure repeat offenders face real consequences before deportation, the House must take up Rep. Knotts Stop Illegal Entry Act. Trump has made it clear: The time for excuses is over. Residents of our nations capital are demanding real action. House Republicans, led by Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), are stepping up their scrutiny of D.C.s local government. Following the presidents unprecedented move to take control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deploy the National Guard, Comer plans to hold a congressional hearing with key D.C. officials, pursuing legislation to prosecute juveniles as adults when warranted, mandate crime-tracking, block the city council from changing sentencing rules, eliminate sanctuary policies and hold accountable individuals in the country accountable. That is why the Senate must pass the Protecting Our Nations Capital Emergency Act, which restores due process protections for Metropolitan Police Department officers in Washington, D.C. Passing this legislation would be a critical step in the right direction to tackle the public safety crisis brought by soft-on-crime policies. The days of rampant crime in the nations capital must end immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without meaningful reform, Washington, D.C., will continue to spiral into chaos, jeopardizing the safety of residents, members of Congress and visitors alike. We cannot allow the nations capital to fall into lawlessness. Washington must be safe, clean and secure not just for its residents, but as a model for the country and the world. Its time for the citys leaders to stop enabling criminals and start defending the law-abiding citizens. Federal intervention is not only justified but also long overdue. August Pfluger represents the 11th District of Texas and is the chair of Republican Study Committee. Brad Knott represents the 13th District of North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. It has been said that journalists provide the conversation of democracy. That old adage is losing steam in this era, however, as the news agenda for the nations rhetorical sphere is increasingly being framed by many and varied new voices. For decades, the journalism establishment exercised great power in deciding the topics and issues that Americans reflected over at the kitchen table or water cooler, and eventually at the voting booth. The news was what primary gatekeepers such as The Associated Press, The New York Times and CBS said was news. Americans assumed that journalists brought particular and professional expertise to the agenda-setting function. Citizens also believed these reporters were representative of the nations population, and therefore committed to creating a sensible, fair and wide-ranging news marketplace. News consumers respected journalists and trusted that the news industry was trying to serve a greater societal purpose. Long-time and legendary CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite was once widely considered the most trusted person in the nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the media establishment has largely squandered this lofty role and lost the confidence of news consumers. The news agenda has become infected with activism, hyperpartisanship and, at times, superficiality. The AllSides Media Bias Chart tracks the ideological leanings of a wide range of news outlets. Precious few achieve a centrist rating. Some receive a leans right label, but most establishment news outlets receive a leans left. Credibility ratings for the journalism industry have suffered as a result, and news consumers are looking elsewhere for information. Perhaps even worse, some citizens are just becoming news bystanders who no longer care about being informed. This void is being increasingly filled by all kinds of other voices, including podcasters, bloggers, social media provocateurs and even fringe, bombastic miscreants. On one level, this could actually be considered a good development. It is certainly the American way that everybody gets to have their say. The constitutional framers, indeed, intended that free press and free speech rights applied broadly to the wise and even the less than wise. The marketplace of news content need not be left any more to the machinations of a handful of elite, detached editors and producers in corporate media towers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The warping of the news agenda by supposedly professional journalists no doubt opened the door for the other players to emerge. And the old-time media have not yet figured out that squeezing the agenda wont work in the wide-open marketplace of the internet. The major broadcast networks provided minimal coverage last month of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbards press briefing about a possible role of the Obama administration in the Trump-Russia collusion hoax. CNN dumped out of its coverage with a correspondent questioning whether the story deserved any time at all. Gabbards comments deserved to be scrutinized, of course, but a DNIs pointed remarks are news. However, there are risks associated with having the nations news agenda set by the rough and tumble atmosphere of social media, podcasters, influencers and zany characters. These actors are often more interested in buzz and vibe than deliberation and rational thinking. And now, in turn, traditional media cruise the internet looking for news, trying to capitalize on the buzz of alternative agenda setters. There is little other way to explain the Coldplay concert couple or Sydney Sweeneys advertisement. And who would have figured a time when a key factor in a presidential election was which candidate did or did not go on Joe Rogans podcast? Establishment journalism being influenced by the grassroots surely indicates a surrender by the news industry of its long-established responsibility to set an agenda of substance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps G.K. Chesterton had it right a hundred years ago when he mused, I am a journalist and so am vastly ignorant of many things, but because I am a journalist, I write and talk about them all. But there should still be a key role for professional agenda-setters even in todays cluttered public sphere. Democracy and rational decision-making need an agenda based on deliberate and measured judgement, rather than chasing buzz and vibe. Professional editors and producers owe the nation a national dialogue based on relevance, high impact and perspective. A nation distracted by a shrill and superficial news agenda is unable to effectively address the serious challenges the nation faces. Jeffrey M. McCall is a media critic and professor of communication at DePauw University. He has worked as a radio news director, a newspaper reporter and as a political media consultant. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In President Trumps White House, scandals compete with each other for oxygen. Deported American citizens are bumped from the front pages by sprawling ICE raids. Leaks at the Pentagon wrestle with the salacious drip-drip-drip of details about Trumps relationship to child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Its exhausting. Trumps chorus of noise and distraction isnt strategic, but chaos doesnt need to be strategic in order to paper over MAGA Republicans less visible horrors. Just ask Oklahomans, who just awoke to a world where out-of-state teachers are now required to pass an America-first exam meant to test their loyalty to the GOPs nativist anti-woke ideology. If you dont pass, you dont teach. Oklahomas effort to conform to Trumps far-right politics comes as the state faces a near-record teacher shortage. That hardly matters to state Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters. In Walterss view, a statewide teacher brain-drain is preferable to hiring a woke indoctrinator who used to live in New York City. Oklahomas schoolkids will pay a terrible price for their states cynical stunt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states new exam brings to life one of Republicans biggest imagined grievances against the left that Democrats and other shadowy forces are indoctrinating our children by injecting radical politics into their education. Yet Oklahoma Republicans are now relying on a loyalty exam created in part by conservative media outlet PragerU, an unaccredited university whose founder has openly called for using schools to indoctrinate children into conservative ideology. Walters must appreciate irony. Teachers moving to Oklahoma from California or New York will now be required to agree with Republican-revised state history standards that falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen from Trump by Democratic trickery. Theyll also need to teach the discredited theory that COVID-19 was the result of a lab leak. Meanwhile, units on racial history have either been sanitized or completely removed. For a state that ranks a dismal 48th in education quality, MAGAs takeover of Oklahoma schools will mean students fall even farther behind their peers. Thats a loss students cant afford not when Oklahomas college enrollment rates have already declined 20 percent over the last decade and only about one-third of high school graduates go on to attend college. That number will surely drop now that Oklahoma students will graduate with a masters in MAGA and little else. Oklahoma may be the first red state to surrender its schools to the church of MAGA, but it wont be the last. Walterss actions are just the Republican Partys first effort to implement Trumps executive order Ending Racial Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling on the state level. That order escaped heavy media coverage because Trump quickly lost interest, but conservative state lawmakers are picking up the slack ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Oklahomas rotten loyalty test now serves as the blueprint for future state efforts to turn educators into partisan evangelists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps order baselessly accused teachers of Imprinting anti-American, subversive, harmful and false ideologies in our nations children, offering Republican lawmakers a fabricated reason for swinging back against those so-called false ideologies. For the millions of Republicans who believe discussing Americas racial history is tantamount to hating the country, forcing teachers to shut up about all that history sounds like a blessing. The implication, of course, is that Trumps MAGA nativism is Americas one true ideology and always has been (though its apparently an ideology so weak it can only stand on its own when all competing ideas are banned). Its an ideology that uplifts the vague idea of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. while stripping away all the details about what King believed or why he was assassinated, as Texas schools have. Its American education reduced to comforting fairy tales. That isnt education. Those simplified myths of American history might comfort the insecure MAGA hordes, but they set our children up for failure in a modern world that depends on actually understanding whats going on. How can we cultivate prosperous citizens, let alone competent political leaders, if we are denying them even a basic understanding of their own national reality? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A free society should recoil at the idea that educators must pass a political loyalty test in order to teach math and science. In their rush to score political points with the White House, Oklahomas Republicans are on the verge of setting their children back by a generation. If thats what passes for American exceptionalism in the Age of Trump, our country is in for a brutal wake-up call. Max Burns is a veteran Democratic strategist and founder of Third Degree Strategies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Soon, the Palestinian people will be recognized as a sovereign nation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by most countries. They now have the political and moral momentum toward achieving this goal. The world owes Palestinians independence and sovereignty for the same reasons it granted the Jews living in British Mandatory Palestine their independent state in 1948, only a few years after six million Jews had been gassed to death in German concentration camps. This will happen despite an expected U.S. veto next month in the United Nations, and in spite of the political alliance between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump is pragmatic; he will come to support the creation of a Palestinian state, as most Americans already do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is because the case for Palestinian independence has been getting clearer and more urgent with every Israeli bombing of mostly innocent Gazans, and with every death from starvation caused by Israels withholding of food. Most countries now recognize a sovereign Palestinian state. In total, 147 members of the United Nations, or 76 percent of its members, have already recognized the Palestinian state. And of the five members with power to reject Palestinian independence, China and Russia are already known supporters. France and the United Kingdom said they will support sovereign Palestine next month before the U.N. votes on the matter. The lone veto is expected from the U.S., but Trump is likely to change his mind. Ehud Olmert, Israels Prime Minister from 2006 to 2009, supports an independent Palestinian state. A large segment of Israelis already supports the creation of an independent Palestine, though such support has has declined as the war has progressed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of high ranking past members of the Israeli government, the Israeli Parliament, and Israel Defense Forces support Palestinian independence. And for the first time, Israeli human rights organizations such as BTselem, and medical associations are calling on the international community to stop the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians by the Israels Defense Forces. The Arab League of twenty-two Arab nations has called Hamas to disarm and relinquish the Gaza Strip to make peace possible. According to recent Gallup poll, 55 percent of Americans and 41 percent of Republicans support an independent Palestine. And according to The Times of Israel, President Trump recently said that the destruction, killing, and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza were done by Benjamin Netanyahu to keep him in office. This points to a likely U.S. backing of independence. Furthermore, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) a ardent Trump supporter recently characterized Israels actions against the Palestinians in the Strip as genocide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu himself is partly responsible for the expected creation of an independent Palestinian state because of his increasingly brutal tactics and strategies against the Palestinians. For example, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israels actions have violated the Genocide Convention and issued a warrant for Netanyahus arrest. Israel had worldwide sympathy and empathy when Hamas invaded its territory and savagely murdered 1,200 Israelis. That action led to a declaration of war against Hamas. But the situation has since changed. The war quickly devolved into a war against all Palestinians in the strip. If the strategy were to get rid of them through indiscriminate killing and mass starvation of innocent people, I am not sure what they would be doing differently. Netanyahus failure has led much of the world community to believe that that the war in Gaza is no longer a retaliation against Hamas for the atrocities of October 2023, but rather a war to do away with a whole people. The world community in the U.N. will soon reject such behavior and vote to grant independence to Palestine. It is about time for the U.S. to join such cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Avraham Shama is an award-winning writer, a university professor, and a college of business dean. He fought in Israels Six-Day War. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 month, Panama holds the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council a position that confers moral authority, policy influence and global prestige as the representative face of the Council. But given Panamas longstanding and conscious role in undermining sanctions on Iran, this honor is deeply wrong and misguided. In fact, Panama should not be elevated it should be sanctioned. A country that enables Irans sanctions evasion should not be rewarded with the symbolic leadership of the very body charged with upholding those sanctions. Despite its protestations, Panama is neither a champion of the rules-based international order nor a true ally to the U.S. Panamas acquiescence to Chinese Belt and Road Initiative ambitions in controlling the Panama Canal is only the latest sign of Panamanian duplicity that place it squarely at odds with the values and objectives of the council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, Panama has allowed its flag akin to a passport for ships to be used by vessels transporting illicit Iranian oil, the key revenue stream for a regime that continues to defy international nuclear restrictions. Panama is not ignorant or unaware of this problem. In January 2024, a bipartisan group of 31 U.S. Senators led by Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) urged the Panama Maritime Authority to cooperate with the United States and conduct investigations into a significant number of ships registered in Panama which are alleged to transport Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions They sought Panamas explicit commitment to investigate some 189 Panamanian-flagged vessels of concern, constituting nearly half of all the vessels aiding Iran. Two months later, then-Special Envoy to Iran Abram Paley visited Panama to ensure that the vessel registry is not abused by entities seeking to evade our sanctions on Iran. Iran and its affiliated groups are trying to evade sanctions here in Panama, they are trying to abuse the flag registration of ships. According to analysis by our organization, United Against Nuclear Iran, of the 542 foreign-flagged vessels that have carried in excess of $200 billion worth of Iranian oil since 2020 (mainly to China), some 289 have at one stage or another flown the 100-year old Bandera de Panama. As of this week, we identify 116 vessels currently flying the Panamanian flag that are implicated in carrying Iranian oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This has all occurred despite repeated warnings to Panama over the last five years about this behavior by our organization, which has been praised for producing the best public data we have. This is more than an oversight it is tantamount to complicity. At the same time, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a nemesis to the UN Security Council, repeatedly violating council resolutions stretching back to 2006, when Iran was instructed to suspend all enrichment-related activities. Since then, Tehran has violated resolutions relating to nuclear activities, arms embargos, ballistic missile testing, and a resolution endorsing the failed Iran nuclear deal. Most recently, a top Iranian advisor issued what sounded a lot like a personal threaten against the head of the UNs nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, following years of stonewalling UN nuclear inspectors. Now, two decades and one moribund nuclear deal later, Iran is still insistent on enriching nuclear fuel to the threat of world security. Iran has never been interested in nuclear compliance. Today, with key nuclear sites severely degraded by Israel and the U.N. in last months strikes, Iran has insisted it will never give up its inherent right to enrichment. Efforts to reconstitute and to develop the missiles needed to carry nuclear warheads require money, which in Irans case will come in large part from illicit oil sales moved by tankers tankers that Panama helps shield from scrutiny. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These Ghost Fleet vessels engage in deceptive maritime practices designed to obscure the origin and destination of oil actions that violate international norms and often amount to criminal conduct. They switch off transponders, manipulate automatic identification systems, and conduct dangerous ship-to-ship transfers in international waters. These actions form the backbone of Irans sanctions-evasion playbook. And Panama plays along. The UN Security Council is the body tasked with upholding international peace and security, including through the enforcement of sanctions. It was the council that imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. But the councils credibility suffers when one of its rotating presidents enables, with impunity, the very violations those sanctions were designed to deter. The world is entering a still-more-volatile phase in its dealings with Iran as it braces for renewed nuclear provocations. Now is the moment for the international community embodied by the United Nations to close ranks, not reward enablers of sanctions evasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thus, Panamas presidency at this critical juncture sends an unfortunate message to every regime looking to flout global norms. Panama has had ample time to reform its maritime registry. Yet Panama-flagged ghost tankers continue to offer the most critical economic lifeline for the Tehran regime. Until that changes, Panama should be sanctioned, not promoted to a leadership post at the United Nations. Mark Wallace, a former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. for Management and Reform, is CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran, where former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush serves as chairman. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In American politics today, our collective energy is being drained at an alarming rate. The culprits? The vampires. Not the tasty ones like Count Chocula; rather, the blood sucking ones, like way too many members of our current Congress. A vampire, by my definition, is someone who takes more energy than he gives. In the workplace, where theyre also a problem, Ive learned to spot vampires quickly and remove them. In politics, theyre just as easy to identify but far harder to root out, and their damage is far greater. Vampires in government come in various forms. Many are not believers in the vision of a better country; theyre content to tinker at the edges and do whatever they must to keep their jobs. They will go whichever way the wind blows, as long as it carries them to another term in office. Others excel at shooting down big plans and bold ideas, telling us why things cant or shouldnt be done without offering meaningful solutions of their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some are slow-moving and low on energy and creativity. Others have boundless energy but spend it on distractions like launching and defending investigations, fighting over wedge issues that affect few Americans, and chasing political theater rather than measurable progress. Some are masters of endless debate, chewing over the same issues long past the point of usefulness, mistaking motion for progress. They gossip. They maneuver. They focus more on partisan intrigue than on real-world problem solving. And perhaps worst of all, they are not in a rush. They behave as if time is an endless circle. Heres the test: after a leader speaks, do you feel inspired and ready to act, or do you feel drained and disillusioned? If its the latter, youve just encountered a vampire, and if we applied that standard across Washington, we might be left with only 15 or 20 true leaders in Congress. Our country does not need life-takers but life-givers leaders who bring energy to the hardest problems, who dream, who believe and who actually create and enact big solutions to big problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first step is simple but not easy: Stop electing vampires. The second is even harder: Demand that the people we send to Washington give more than they take. No more small thinking dressed up as realism. The last step is the most challenging of all: We must impose term limits. When we started out as a country, we had Founding Fathers who did not agree with each other on everything. But they did agree on some very important things. It never would have occurred to Thomas Jefferson or George Washington to hang out in Washington, D.C., for 20 or 30 years. They had the good sense and, frankly, good manners, not to overstay their welcome. Vampires are thriving in American politics because politics has become a profession, whereas it was supposed to be a short-term public service. Without term limits, people with the same old ideas and energy-sucking ways can stay in D.C. indefinitely. And they do. Clearly, members of Congress are not motivated to vote themselves out of a job. How can we pass term limits without Congress itself proposing a constitutional amendment? Two-thirds of state legislatures (34 out of 50) must pass resolutions calling for a convention where a constitutional amendment could be proposed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The challenges we face the national debt, economic inequality, education, public health, national security are too urgent for leadership that runs on autopilot or thrives on division. We need public servants who treat time like the scarce resource it is and act with urgency on behalf of the real needs of Americans. To win the future, America doesnt need perfect leaders. It needs energetic, committed, life-giving ones. It needs people who push us to think bigger and act faster, even when it is not politically convenient. The stakes are too high to let the vampires keep running the country. Urge your state legislature to pass a resolution calling for a convention on term limits. In the meantime, the next time you vote, ask yourself a simple question: Will this person give the nation more energy than they take from it? If not, guard your neck and dont vote for him or her. Brian Hamilton is the nationally-recognized entrepreneur who founded Sageworks (now Abrigo), the countrys first fintech company. He is also the founder of the Brian Hamilton Foundation and Inmates to Entrepreneurs, where he serves as the leading voice on the power of ownership to transform lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. President Trump recently announced that the United States was quitting the United Nations Economic, Social, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the third time. This is good news UNESCO has championed gender ideology in education, discriminatory DEI policies, and the entire litany of woke doctrines. It has also worked to erase Jewish history in the Holy Land. But the administration did not need to bother with formally withdrawing from the treaty from a constitutional perspective, the U.S. hasnt been a member at least since Trump first quit it in 2017. When Biden sought to rejoin the Paris-based agency in 2023, he neglected to seek authorization from Congress. No one made a big deal of it then, but it means that, for domestic law purposes, the U.S. never actually rejoined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an important point with implications for numerous international organizations, especially as the administration sets out on an agenda of U.N. reform. Membership in international organizations was not supposed to be a political revolving door. Congress authorizes membership at the outset. After the U.S. leaves, a whole new congressional authorization must be obtained by any president wishing to rejoin. Under the Constitution, the president can only bring the country into a treaty with the consent of two-thirds of the Senate. That is a substantial hurdle, and deliberately so: Commitments to foreign countries can be harder to pull out of than domestic ones. They can become a way of imposing obligations on the country that are then out of reach of the democratic process. In the 20th century, presidents have often relied on the approval of a majority of both Houses instead, a dubious practice but now widely followed. When the U.S. first joined UNESCO in 1946 (and the World Health Organization in 1948), President Truman was acting pursuant a law passed by both Houses authorizing him to do so. But Congress did not reauthorize Bidens reentry to UNESCO. Instead, he treated the 1946 authorization as a lifetime membership, when in fact it was only a one-time pass. If the U.S. quit a treaty that the Senate had ratified say the NATO treaty then a decision to rejoin would be subject to a new requirement of advice and consent. Congressional authorization is a stand-in for Senate ratification and should be subject to the same rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consider a parallel case: If a president fires a senate-confirmed appointee, and he or a subsequent president wishes to return him to the same post, no one would argue that he could do so simply on the grounds that the Senate had previously confirmed him. Indeed, Andrew Jacksons Attorney General resigned from his position, and was then reappointed to it only to be rejected by the Senate. As a statutory matter, the 1946 agreement on UNESCO allowed the president to accept membership not accept, and accept, and accept again. If a congressional authorization is good for infinite rounds of quitting and rejoining, it makes getting out of international agreements harder than getting in exactly the opposite of what the Framers intended. The argument of perpetual authorization was invented by Jimmy Carter, who purported to rejoin the International Labor Organization in 1980 based on a 1934 authorization. President Bush neglected to seek congressional approval when he rejoined UNESCO in 2002, nearly two decades after Reagan quit. Neither instance attracted much attention, and two modern actions do not prove a constitutional rule. There is a good argument for the Trump administration having withdrawn from UNESCO as if it were a member to avoid any doubt or subsequent quibbling. But the administration should clarify that it is quitting only out of an excess of caution, and does not see the U.S. as properly joined, which is consistent with its nonpayment of any dues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To avoid abuse by future administrations, Congress should repeal the antiquated authorizations for UNESCO and WHO, which Trump also announced withdrawal from. If a subsequent president wants to rejoin, he should have to sell it to Congress on the organizations existing records, not the hopes and dreams of the 1940s. Eugene Kontorovich, a professor at George Mason University Scalia School of Law, is a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Alaska summit between President Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, was more than a high-stakes encounter over the Ukraine war. It signaled Americas recognition that its own missteps have helped drive Russia closer to China, fueling a de facto alliance that poses the gravest threat to U.S. global preeminence since the Cold War. Washingtons miscalculations helped build the China-Russia partnership it now fears most. In a world where the U.S., China and Russia are the three leading powers, the Alaska summit underscored Trumps bid to redraw the great-power triangle before it hardens against America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The presidents Alaska reset seeks to undo a policy that turned two natural rivals into close strategic collaborators, by prioritizing improved U.S.-Russia ties. Trumps signaling was unmistakable. In a Fox News interview immediately after the summit, he blasted his predecessor. He [Biden] did something that was unthinkable, Trump said. He drove China and Russia together. Thats not good. If you are just a minor student of history, its the one thing you didnt want to do. The remark captured the essence of Americas dilemma. Two powers that are historic rivals one vast in land and resources, the other populous and expansionist have been pushed into each others arms by Washingtons own punitive strategies. For decades, the bedrock of U.S. grand strategy was to keep Moscow and Beijing apart. President Richard Nixons 1972 opening to Beijing was not about cozying up to Mao Zedongs brutal regime, but about exploiting the Sino-Soviet split by coopting China in an informal alliance geared toward containing and rolling back Soviet influence and power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That strategy helped the West win the Cold War, not militarily but geopolitically. Since 2022, however, Washington has inverted that logic. In response to Putins invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. unleashed unprecedented sanctions designed to cripple Russia economically. Instead, the sanctions drove the Kremlin toward Beijing while tightening Putins grip on power. What had been an uneasy partnership has become strategic collaboration against a common adversary the U.S. Rather than playing one against the other, America finds itself confronting a two-against-one dynamic, with China as the primary gainer. Western sanctions have effectively handed resource-rich Russia to resource-hungry China. Beijing has also chipped away at Russian influence in Central Asia, bringing former Soviet republics into its orbit. Meanwhile, despite the grinding war in Ukraine, Russia remains a formidable power. Its global reach, military capacity and resilience under sanctions have belied Western hopes that it could be isolated into irrelevance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the battlefield, Russia holds the strategic initiative, strengthening Putins bargaining hand and reducing his incentive to accept any ceasefire not largely on his own terms. The uncomfortable truth for Washington is that it risks losing a proxy war into which it has poured vast resources. The legacy-conscious Trump recognizes this. His push for a negotiated end to the war is not a retreat but an attempt to cut losses and refocus U.S. strategy on the larger contest with China that will shape the emerging new global order. Among the great powers, only China has both the ambition and material base to supplant the U.S. Its economy, military spending and technological capabilities dwarf that of Russia. Yet Beijing remains the main beneficiary of Americas hard line against Moscow. In fact, sanctions and Western weaponization of international finance have turned China into Russias financial lifeline. Russias export earnings are now largely parked in Chinese banks, in effect giving Beijing a share of the returns. China has also locked in discounted, long-term energy supplies from Russia. These secure overland flows, which cannot be interdicted by hostile forces, bolster Chinas energy security in ways maritime trade never could a crucial hedge as it eyes Taiwan. Far from weakening Beijing, U.S. policy has made it stronger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A formal China-Russia alliance would unite Eurasias vast resources and power Americas ultimate nightmare, as it would accelerate its relative decline. The Ukraine war has drained U.S. focus even as China expands influence in the Indo-Pacific, the true theater of 21st-century geopolitics. This is why the Alaska summit mattered. Trump and Putin seemed to recognize that improved ties could reshape the global balance of power. For Trump, the goal is clear: Reverse Americas blunder, separate Moscow from Beijing and refocus power on the systemic challenge posed by China. Critics call this appeasement, but it echoes Nixons outreach to Mao: exploiting geopolitical rivalries to keep the U.S. globally preeminent. Washington needs similar clarity today, not doubling down on a failing proxy war, but easing tensions with Russia while strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, where the stakes are truly global. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps tariff-first approach, evident in his punitive approach toward India, has already hurt important partnerships. Yet his instinct on the U.S.-China-Russia triangle could be transformative. If he can begin to pry Moscow away from Beijing or even sow just enough mistrust to prevent a durable Sino-Russian alliance he will have altered the trajectory of world politics. America need not befriend Russia it need only prevent Russia from becoming Chinas junior partner in an anti-U.S. coalition. That requires ending the Ukraine war and creating space for a geopolitical reset. The Alaska summit was only a first step. But it acknowledged what U.S. policymakers resist admitting: continuing the current course will further strengthen China and entrench Americas disadvantages. A shift in strategy is not weakness. It is the essence of grand strategy recognizing when old approaches have outlived their usefulness. If Trump can reengineer the strategic geometry of the great-power triangle, he will have preserved Americas place at the apex of the global order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brahma Chellaney is the author of nine books, including the award-winning Water: Asias New Battleground. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Student mentors and past participants in the College Assistance Migrant Program, or CAMP, pose in 2021 at Portland Community College. From left, Fatima Sanchez, Joceyn Tapia, Nejdet De Jesus, Alejandra Villanueva, Eulalia Francisco and Sam Gonzalez. (Photo courtesy of Portland Community College) The journey to and through college for Marisela Marquez Alonso and her three brothers began at Portland Community College, in a 50-year-old, federally funded program that now hangs in limbo. The four siblings, who mostly grew up in Hillsboro, are the children of migrant farmworkers from Mexico who worked seasonal harvests in Oregon, California and Washington, and the first in their family to attend college. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To do so, they each relied on the federal College Assistance Migrant Program, or CAMP, to help pay for their first year at Portland Community Colleges Rock Creek Campus and to counsel them and help them navigate through their freshman year. Theyre among thousands of migrant workers and families who benefited from the program over the past five decades, but current students risk losing the college aid because the Trump administration withheld funds. Marquez Alonso, who today holds an undergraduate degree from Oregon State University and a graduate degree in education leadership from Portland State University, said her family is the definition of why the CAMP program works. Along with financial aid, the program provides specialized tutors, academic advisers and career counseling. Marisela Marquez Alonso and her brothers at her graduation ceremony at Portland State University in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Marisela Marquez Alonso). One (brother) got his degree in business administration and hes now working for Nike. The other one is a drug and alcohol abuse counselor. I mean, these are careers, professions, that my parents are far away from, she said. Thousands of migrant farm workers and their families have attended and graduated from college with help from the program, which former President Lyndon B. Johnson and his Office of Economic Opportunity established in 1967 as part of the War on Poverty. Johnson also oversaw the creation of the federal Migrant Education Program in 1966, providing K-12 schools with resources to keep the children of migrant farmworkers in school while on the move, and the High School Equivalency Program, or HEP, in 1967, to help migratory and seasonal farmworkers and their family members earn the equivalent of a high school diploma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in July officials at the U.S. Department of Education told the roughly 100 institutions of higher education across the country that offer those programs including nearly all of Oregons community colleges and Oregon State University that they will not receive $52 million in congressionally allocated funding until the federal education agency and the Office of Management and Budget undertake a programmatic review. The federal officials offered no timeline for when they will end their review and release funds. President Donald Trump proposed eliminating all funding for the Office of Migrant Education in his 2026 budget as part of his broader dismantling of the federal Department of Education. Officials at both the education and budget agencies did not respond to requests for more information or comments. Two paths Greg Contreras, director of the CAMP and HEP programs at Portland Community College and the president of The National HEP/CAMP Association, said federal officials are withholding $474,000 that the college expected to receive in July to run the programs next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, he will have 45 students starting in the College Assistance Migrant Program who might not get scholarship money they expected through the program, or many of the specialized services that students before them received. Across the country, more than 8,000 students were slated to be served by the HEP and CAMP programs, according to the association. Were going to have a CAMP orientation in early September, where well share with students two pathways to success: One, if we get our funds, the different services that theyre going to get, he said. The other pathway to success that we want to share with our incoming group of students is if we dont get our funds, what the college can provide for them in the event that we dont have a CAMP program. Contreras said federal education officials have given him no information about the fate of funding for the programs. Portland Community College has secured other funding for his job until Oct. 8, he said. There are roughly 58 students enrolled in Portland Community Colleges High School Equivalency Program each year, he said. Among the current students is Marquez Alonsos mother, who could be left in limbo if the program is cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She will have to find a different kind of GED program, Marquez Alonso said. Her father, a recent graduate of the HEP program, just got his diploma in the mail. Federal uncertainty around the migrant education programs has also made a mark on Marquez Alonsos trajectory. She returned to Portland Community College two years ago to work as an adviser for the CAMP program there. But she recently took a different academic advising job at the college thats not tied to federal funding. I am in no position not to have a job, she said. I was like, I have to secure something. She said she is unlikely to return to advising for the CAMP program, even if funding comes through. I dont think financially it would be ideal, she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX When people use the term Orwellian, its not a good sign. It usually characterizes an action, an individual or a society that is suppressing freedom, particularly the freedom of expression. It can also describe something perverted by tyrannical power. Its a term used primarily to describe the present, but whose implications inevitably connect to both the future and the past. In his second term, President Donald Trump has revealed his ambitions to rewrite Americas official history to, in the words of the Organization of American Historians, reflect a glorified narrative while suppressing the voices of historically excluded groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This ambition was manifested in efforts by the Department of Education to eradicate a DEI agenda from school curricula. It also included a high-profile assault on what detractors saw as woke universities, which culminated in Columbia Universitys agreement to submit to a review of the faculty and curriculum of its Middle Eastern Studies department, with the aim of eradicating alleged pro-Palestinian bias. Now, the administration has shifted its sights from formal educational institutions to one of the key sites of public history-making: the Smithsonian, a collection of 21 museums, the National Zoo and associated research centers, principally centered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. On Aug. 12, 2025, the Smithsonians director, Lonnie Bunch III, received a letter from the White House announcing its intent to carry out a systematic review of the institutions holdings and exhibitions in the advance of the nations 250th anniversary in 2026. The reviews stated aim is to ensure that museum content adequately reflects Americanism through a commitment to celebrate American exceptionalism, [and] remove divisive or partisan narratives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 19, 2025, Trump escalated his attack on the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was he wrote in a Truth Social post. Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future. We are not going to allow this to happen. Such ambitions may sound benign, but they are deeply Orwellian. Heres how. A screenshot of President Donald Trumps Aug.19, 2025 Truth Social post about the Smithsonian. Truth Social Donald Trump account Winners write the history Author George Orwell believed in objective, historical truth. Writing in 1946, he attributed his youthful desire to become an author in part to a historical impulse, or the desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity. But while Orwell believed in the existence of an objective truth about history, he did not necessarily believe that truth would prevail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Truth, Orwell recognized, was best served by free speech and dialogue. Yet absolute power, Orwell appreciated, allowed those who possessed it to silence or censor opposing narratives, quashing the possibility of productive dialogue about history that could ultimately allow truth to come out. As Orwell wrote in 1984, his final, dystopian novel, Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. Historian Malgorzata Rymsza-Pawlowska has written about Americas bicentennial celebrations that took place in 1976. Then, she says, Americans across the nation helped contribute to a pluralistic and inclusive commemoration using it as a moment to question who had been left out of the legacies of the American Revolution, to tell more inclusive stories about the history of the United States. This was an example of the kind of productive dialogue encouraged in a free society. By contrast, writes Rymsza-Pawlowska, the 250th is shaping up to be a top-down affair that advances a relatively narrow and celebratory idea of Americanism. The newly announced Smithsonian review aims to purge counternarratives that challenge that celebratory idea. The Ministry of Truth The desire to eradicate counternarratives drives Winston Smiths job at the ironically named Ministry of Truth in 1984. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The novel is set in Oceania, a geographical entity covering North America and the British Isles and which governs much of the Global South. Oceania is an absolute tyranny governed by Big Brother, the leader of a political party whose only goal is the perpetuation of its own power. In this society, truth is what Big Brother and the party say it is. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to determine whether public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties have been removed or changed to perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images The regime imposes near total censorship so that not only dissident speech but subversive private reflection, or thought crime, is viciously prosecuted. In this way, it controls the present. But it also controls the past. As the partys protean policy evolves, Smith and his colleagues are tasked with systematically destroying any historical records that conflict with the current version of history. Smith literally disposes of artifacts of inexpedient history by throwing them down memory holes, where they are wiped out of existence and out of memory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a key point in the novel, Smith recalls briefly holding on to a newspaper clipping that proved that an enemy of the regime had not actually committed the crime he had been accused of. Smith recognizes the power over the regime that this clipping gives him, but he simultaneously fears that power will make him a target. In the end, fear of retaliation leads him to drop the slip of newsprint down a memory hole. The contemporary U.S. is a far cry from Orwells Oceania. Yet the Trump administration is doing its best to exert control over the present and the past. Down the memory hole Even before the Trump administration announced its review of the Smithsonian, officials in departments across government had taken unprecedented steps to rewrite the nations official history, attempting to purge parts of the historical narrative down Orwellian memory holes. Comically, those efforts included the temporary removal from government websites of information about the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the atomic bomb over Hiroshima. The plane was unwittingly caught up in a mass purge of references to gay and LGBTQ+ content on government websites. As part of efforts to purge references to gay people, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the removal of gay rights advocate Harvey Milks name from a Navy ship. Screenshot, Military.com Other erasures have included the deletion of content on government sites related to the life ofHarriet Tubman, the Maryland woman who escaped slavery and then played a pioneering role as a conductor of the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape to freedom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public outcry led to the restoration of most of the deleted content. Over at the Smithsonian, which earlier in the year had been criticized by Trump for its divisive, race-centered ideology, staff removed a temporary placard with references to President Trumps two impeachment trials from a display case on impeachment that formed part of the National Museum of American History exhibition on the American presidency. The references to Trumps two impeachments were modified, with some details removed, in a newly installed placard in the updated display. Responding to questions, the Smithsonian stated that the placards removal was not in response to political pressure: The placard, which was meant to be a temporary addition to a 25-year-old exhibition, did not meet the museums standards in appearance, location, timeline, and overall presentation. Repressing thought Orwells 1984 ends with an appendix on the history of Newspeak, Oceanias official language, which, while it had not yet superseded Oldspeak or standard English, was rapidly gaining ground as both a written and spoken dialect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the appendix, The purpose of Newspeak was not only to provide a medium of expression for the worldview and mental habits proper to the devotees of [the Party], but to make all other modes of thought impossible. Orwell, as so often in his writing, makes the abstract theory concrete: The word free still existed in Newspeak, but it could only be used in such statements as This dog is free from lice or This field is free from weeds. political and intellectual freedom no longer existed even as concepts. The goal of this language streamlining was total control over past, present and future. If it is illegal to even speak of systemic racism, for example, let alone discuss its causes and possible remedies, it constrains the potential for, even prohibits, social change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has become a cliche that those who do not understand history are bound to repeat it. As George Orwell appreciated, the correlate is that social and historical progress require an awareness of, and receptivity to, both historical fact and competing historical narratives. This story is an updated version of an article originally published on June 9, 2025. The Smithsonian is a member of The Conversation U.S. 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: Laura Beers, American University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Laura Beers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. The former Los Angeles fire chief filed a legal claim against the city Wednesday, alleging that Mayor Karen Bass "orchestrated a campaign of misinformation, defamation, and retaliation" to protect her political image after the most destructive wildfire in city history. Kristin Crowley and her lawyers accuse Bass of ousting her, and repeatedly defaming Crowley as Bass sought to shift blame for the way the city handled the catastrophic Palisades fire "while concealing the extent to which she undermined public safety" with cuts to the fire department's budget. The legal claim alleges that Bass scapegoated Crowley amid mounting criticism of the mayor's decision to attend a ceremony in Ghana on Jan. 7, when the fire erupted. Bass left Los Angeles despite knowing of the potential severe winds and deadly fire danger, the claim alleges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: City delays release of Palisades fire report at request of federal officials, mayor says "As the Fire Chief, for nearly three years, I advocated for the proper funding, staffing and infrastructure upgrades to better support and protect our Firefighters, and by extension, our communities," Crowley said in a statement to The Times. "The lies, deceit, exaggerations and misrepresentations need to be addressed with the only thing that can refute them the true facts." David Michaelson, counsel to the mayor, issued the following statement Wednesday: "We will not comment on an ongoing personnel claim, Mayor Bass is focused on the city's preparations for the hottest temperatures of the year and the potential for regional fire danger." The claim is certain to revive concerns over whether city leaders were prepared to fight L.A.'s most destructive wildfire and whether more could have been done to stop it. The city has faced criticism for an inadequate deployment of firefighters on the morning of the blaze, a chaotic evacuation of Pacific Palisades and a lack of water caused in part by a local reservoir that was left empty due to repairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crowley's lawyers say Bass "initially praised the departments preparedness" and even portrayed the response positively. "But as criticism mounted over her absence, Bass reversed course," the legal claim said. "She sought to shift blame to Crowley, falsely stating that Bass was not aware of the nationally anticipated weather event, that Crowley sent 1,000 firefighters home who could have fought the blaze, and misrepresenting the departments budget." Bass removed Crowley on Feb. 21, six weeks after the firestorm that consumed Pacific Palisades, killing 12 people and destroying nearly 7,000 homes. The mayor said she was demoting Crowley for failing to inform her about the dangerous conditions or to activate hundreds of firefighters ahead of the blaze. She also said Crowley rebuffed a request to prepare a report on the fires a critical part of ongoing investigations into the cause of the fire and the city's response. According to her lawyers, Crowley had "repeatedly warned of the LAFDs worsening resource and staffing crisis," prior to the fire, and warned that "aging infrastructure, surging emergency calls, and shrinking staff left the city at risk." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 23-page claim, Crowley said Bass cut the department's operating budget by nearly $18 million that year and "eliminated positions critical to maintaining fire engines, trucks, and ambulances." After Crowley complained publicly that the budget cuts had "weakened the departments readiness, Bass retaliated," the lawyers allege. On Jan. 10, after Crowley told FOX LA, "we are screaming to be properly funded," Bass called her to the mayor's office. I dont know why you had to do that; normally we are on the same page, and I dont know why you had to say stuff to the media," the lawyers say Bass told the chief, but said she wasn't fired. The next day, retired Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva began working at the Emergency Operations Center, donning a mayors office badge. Then Feb. 3, two weeks before Crowley was removed from her position, Villanueva wrote a report to the Board of Fire Commissioners identifying himself as interim fire chief a position he now holds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: 'The safest place to be': When fleeing fire is no longer an option Crowley was eventually ousted and put on leave. Her lawyers in the legal claim say she was asked about doing an after action report but was never instructed to, even though the mayor said she refused to conduct one. Crowley said she informed the fire commission president that the Fire Safety Research Institute was already tasked by the governor with conducting a review. A legal claim is a precursor to a civil lawsuit, and is required by California law when suing a government entity. In her claim, Crowley alleges Bass and her subordinates have conducted a "public smear campaign aimed at discrediting Crowley's character and decades of service," following her dismissal. Crowley's attorneys, Genie Harrison and Mia Munro, allege that Bass and others in her administration defamed Crowley, retaliated against her in violation of California's labor code and violated Crowley's 1st Amendment rights. Crowley is seeking unspecified damages above $25,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harrison, who has represented numerous victims of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, said Crowley's claim presents her extensive advocacy efforts to obtain the funding and resources the LAFD needed to fulfill its public safety mission. It also shows Mayor Bass repeated refusals to provide those resources. Bass made the assertion about the failed deployment after an investigation by The Times found that fire department officials could have ordered about 1,000 firefighters to remain on duty as winds were building but opted against it. The move would have doubled the firefighting force on hand when fire broke out. But Crowley and her lawyers say in the legal claim the "LAFD did not have sufficient operating emergency vehicles to safely and effectively pre-deploy 1,000 (or anywhere near 1,000) additional firefighters on January 7." In simple terms, the department did not have the money or personnel "to repair and maintain emergency fire engines, fire trucks, and ambulances," the claim alleges. The Times investigation found the department had more than 40 engines available to battle wildfires, but fire officials staffed only five of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crowley's lawyers dispute that in the claim. They say "the LAFD staffed all its front-line fire engines (including all the 40 engines that Bass later falsely stated sat 'idle')." 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. Outbreaks of deadly and debilitating mosquito-borne diseases are becoming the new normal in Europe, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned. Record outbreaks of West Nile Virus, which can cause serious brain and spinal cord inflammation, and chikungunya, which rarely kills but can lead to long-lasting disability, are a clear indication of where the continent is heading, the ECDC said on Wednesday. Europe is entering a new phase where longer, more widespread and more intense transmission of mosquito-borne diseases is becoming the new normal, said Dr Pamela Rendi-Wagner, ECDC Director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far this year, Europe has seen 27 outbreaks of chikungunya a record high with unusually early and significant local transmission reported in France and several clusters of cases in Italy. Such an early start in the mosquito activity season and such a high number of episodes have never been observed until now, Sante publique France, the French public health agency, said on Wednesday. For the first time, a locally acquired case of the disease was found in Alsace in northeastern France, which the ECDC described as an exceptional occurrence at this latitude, highlighting the continued northward expansion of the transmission risk. Europe has also recorded the highest number of West Nile Virus cases in three years, according to the ECDC. As with Chikungunya, the virus is encroaching on new areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of August 13, Europe has recorded 335 locally-acquired cases of West Nile Virus and 19 deaths across eight countries. The ECDC expects cases to continue rising through August and into September. Cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in the Italian provinces of Latina and Frosinone, near Rome, and Salaj County, in Romanias north-west, for the first time this year. In a statement released on World Mosquito day, the ECDC said the outbreaks show the need for a robust and coordinated response to protect public health. As the mosquito-borne disease landscape evolves, more people in Europe will be at risk in the future. This makes prevention more important than ever, both through coordinated public health action and personal protection measures, said Dr Celine Gossner, Head of Section for Emerging, Food- and Vector-borne diseases at the ECDC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is an urgent need to strengthen and scale up efficient, environmentally friendly mosquito control interventions, she added. With chikungunya also spreading in China for the first time, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that 2025 resembles the explosion in cases that began in 2004 and eventually infected half a million people. The Asian tiger carries diseases like chikungunya, dengue fever, and Zika virus - Joao Paulo Burini/Moment RF Diseases like chikungunya were once confined to the tropics, but scientists have for years been warning that climate change is creating the conditions for disease-carrying insects to thrive in new areas. The CDC on Wednesday said Europe is now experiencing longer and more intense transmission seasons for mosquito-borne diseases like chikungunya and WNV a shift which is being driven by a host of factors including rising temperatures, longer summers, mild winters and changing rainfall patterns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As well as climate change, scientists have also identified increases in international trade and travel as forces driving the spread of diseases into Europe. These forces have helped the Aedes mosquito, also known as the Asian tiger for its striped legs, which carries diseases like chikungunya, dengue fever, and Zika virus, to spread around Europe. While the species, which is native to Asia, first appeared in Albania in 1979, it has since become established in dozens of countries in Europe including France, Italy and Spain. Asian tiger eggs were even found in Kent in 2016, though the species has yet to become established in the UK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are also concerns that malaria, which was last seen in Europe in the 1970s, could one day make a return. The ECDC has developed new guidance for EU member states including those that have not previously had to deal with outbreaks of mosquito-borne tropical diseases outlining measures for the surveillance, prevention and control of diseases like chikungunya, Zika, dengue and West Nile Virus. Although the scale of the impact these diseases are having in Europe is still far short of the damage they do elsewhere in the world, people are catching, and sometimes dying from, these diseases. In France, where there have now been at least 154 locally-acquired chikungunya infections this year, health officials are already steeling themselves for a future in which mosquito-borne diseases are a much bigger threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will find the tiger mosquito everywhere in France, from now on, Paul Henri-Consigny, the Director of the Medical Centre at the The Pasteur Institute, told the French daily Le Parisien. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. When photos of a 215-foot catamaran yacht tender popped up online upon docking in Port Angeles, Washington, a wave of responses rolled in. The ship which, we should emphasize, is a support ship designed to aid an even larger vessel is so massive, it's named after the towering Game of Thrones character Hodor. Photo Credit: Reddit According to a July post in the Port Angeles subreddit, Hodor is the support ship to the 285-foot superyacht Lonian. The mega-rich seem to be major fans of superyachts, which receive plenty of attention as they're hard to miss at such huge sizes. Sales have skyrocketed since the pandemic limited other types of travel and accommodation, with a 25% increase in builds and orders from 2021 to 2022, according to July reporting from the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ships' sizes and their amenities appear to have no limits. According to the Reddit post, Hodor is also known as "the world's largest toy box" and can "carry equipment like a helicopter, ATVs, boats, and motorcycles for the Lonian." Some vessels even carry personal submarines. A gigantic yacht needing a comparably large support vessel is nothing new. Billionaire Jeff Bezos made headlines for having a $100 million ship to support and trail behind his $500 million superyacht, Koru. Public outcry seems to trail the vessels too, but it doesn't appear to be so much about jealousy as the real damage that such excess is causing the planet and marine environments in particular. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In just one example, 19 coral colonies were severely damaged in a luxury yacht crash in Maui in 2023. Marine species that rely on sound such as seals, whales, and dolphins can also have critical communication drowned out by boat noise, which can disrupt the animals' mating, sleep, and navigation. Forced displacement has also occurred as species search for quieter areas. However, there are ways to sail the seas without destroying them. Using more eco-friendly vessels, such as silent-yachts powered by solar energy, could help. While most superyachts produce heat-trapping gases that drive rising global temperatures and pollute the air, manufacturers are also working on fully electric and hydrogen-powered yachts that won't produce those harmful emissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The green superyacht known as VIVA relies on diesel-electric hybrid power, solar, and waste heat recovery, according to YATCO. It also operates in "silent mode." Some of the subreddit commenters had a humorous take on Hodor. One quipped, "If it's blocking your view, let me know I'll move it." Another wrote, "Eat the rich." One commenter noted the increasing economic disparities that these massive ships highlight: "When people can own a yacht to support their larger yacht, and there are people in town living in tents and rundown RVs, you got a sick society." 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. [Source] The Trump administration conducted deportations targeting Southeast Asian immigrants last week, breaking their families apart as they are sent to Laos and Vietnam. How it happened: One military aircraft that carried detainees from Detroit reportedly departed on Aug. 11, with stops at Guantanamo Bay and Hawaii before continuing to Southeast Asia. Thirty-two people were sent to Laos, while others went to Vietnam. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another report described over 100 deportees sent from Hawaii to Laos and Vietnam, though it is not immediately clear whether it is a separate operation. The individuals had removal orders dating back to 2001, but previous deportation attempts failed because Laos would not accept them. ICE described the deportees as including a gang member who obstructed a murder investigation, sexual offenders to minors, drug traffickers and others with criminal histories. Trending on NextShark: Seattle engineer freed after month in jail over 'racist misidentification' Notable cases: The deportations have separated families across multiple states. Anissa Lee, 20, told the Detroit Free Press that her father Sufeng Yangs removal to Laos would affect nearly 300 people, including his 82-year-old grandmother who depends on him for groceries and medication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thong Lao was separated from his wife and five children, including a son with autism, despite living in the U.S. since childhood after his family fled the CIA-backed Secret War in Laos. His wife Xeng Vang now works night shifts to manage childcare and cannot afford to visit him. Meanwhile, Somchith Sammy Vatthanavong, who immigrated from Laos at age 7, avoided deportation after receiving a pardon from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. Trending on NextShark: Over 100 Southeast Asian immigrants deported in recent operations The big picture: The operations highlight broader enforcement targeting Asian American communities nationwide. They follow Memorial Day weekend removals, which sent more than 65 people to Laos and over 93 to Vietnam, leading advocacy groups to establish support services for arriving deportees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the Hmong deportees came from families that fled persecution after helping U.S. forces during the Vietnam War era. This latest round of deportations is part of a broader and brutal attack on the Southeast Asian community, said Socheatta Meng, executive director of the community group Mekong NYC. Trending on NextShark: Taiwan warns citizens against Chinas WWII events over 'distorted' history This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Trump admin settles immigration cases with dozens of students Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! Debris has been cleared months after a devastating fire at a historic catholic church. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On May 29, a fire broke out at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Maria Stein. Workers on the roof were placing shingles when they saw smoke. The fire resulted in the collapse of the steeple and damage throughout. The church dates back to the 1890s. On Aug. 15, Father Ken Schnipke provided an update on restoration efforts at the church. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over 200 tons of debris were removed from the church, along with scrap metal that has been recycled, Schnipke said. Crews were not able to remove debris from the northwest sacristy due to unsafe door headers and walls, or from the bell tower platform. Schnipke said that while the organ console, facade, and mechanical parts were destroyed, a significant portion of the pipes were protected. The windows can also be removed and restored. Next steps include dismantling and rebuilding a significant portion of the north-west wall and the upper portion of the bell tower. Other reinforcement would likely be needed in the basement and foundation walls. Updates on recovery efforts will continue to be posted on the churchs blog. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The start of another school year is within the next week for many school districts across the state. However, many still have unfilled full-time classroom teacher positions. According to Teach Iowa, there are still over 500 classroom teacher positions that are unfilled across the entire state. Out of those, 30 are world language teachers. Joe Carter, superintendent at the Algona Community School District, said that applications for for all positions have greatly declined over the past decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some ten years ago, it wouldnt be abnormal to get 50 to 75 applicants for for a position in rural Iowa, which is where I was, Carter said. Now, you know, were probably going to get five or six applicants. The Algona CSD is still searching for a high school Spanish teacher. The job was posted back in February, and over seven months, the district received no applicants. After no hits, Carter learned of a company that other North Central Conference schools were using for the same problem. Logra Learning is an Iowa based company that teaches online Spanish classes and is approved by the Iowa Department of Education. Carter said that Logra Learning was a great alternative to in-person instruction. Their instructors are experienced in teaching Spanish one through four, Carter said. They both have masters degrees in education and curriculum development. And now theyre very experienced in online instruction, too. So we think this is the best option available for us right now and the best option for our kids right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spanish classrooms at Algona CSD will still have a proctor be present in the classrooms, but students will learn from the online Logra Learning instructors. To see a full list of part-time and full-time positions open at all Iowa schools, visit this link to Teach Iowa. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Overgrown weeds, overhanging branches, litter, loud noises all of these annoyances might come from your Milwaukee neighbor, but not every complaint should go to the same place. That's why Public Investigator put together a guide to help you navigate the right city department to contact for various issues, and how to keep track of your complaint. Who do I call about overgrown grass or weeds in Milwaukee? If your neighbor's overgrown grass or weeds are bothering you, rest assured: there are actual ordinances about this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Milwaukee, weeds and grass can't exceed 7 inches roughly the length of a pencil or a smartphone. To report this, contact the city's helpline at 414-286-2489 and ask for the Department of Public Works, or file a complaint online at www.milwaukee.gov/click4action. If you're submitting your complaint online, type "grass" in the search bar. Then, click the option that says: "Weeds and Tall Grass Complaint." From there, you can fill in the details, including your name, address of the issue, and a picture of the problem. This is what the form should look like when reporting a neighbor's overgrown weeds or grass at www.milwaukee.gov/click4action. If your neighbor's overgrown yard is only visible from a specific area on your property, the city is willing to coordinate a visit to check it out. Department of Public Works spokesperson Tiffany Shepherd said inspectors cant enter private property without permission, but they'll work with you if you need to let them in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shepherd said DPW typically inspects within 24 hours, unless there are special circumstances. More: How long can my Milwaukee neighbor's grass be? What about overgrown weeds? Who do I call about overhanging branches that are encroaching on my property? If your neighbor's tree is growing into your yard, that's a matter to take into your own hands. In Wisconsin, you're allowed to trim branches, roots or other vegetation from your neighbor's yard if it crosses into your property as long as you do so within reason and without harming the tree, according to Kali Murray, property law professor at Marquette University. But before you start snipping, reach out to your neighbor first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I always advise folks to write a letter or an email explaining their actions before taking action," she said. Who do I call about overhanging branches that are blocking street signs and public rights-of-way? If a tree is blocking a street sign, traffic signal, streetlight, or a public right-of-way like a sidewalk, curb strip, street or alley that's when you can call the city for help. And it's not just trees Milwaukee ordinances also prohibit shrubs, flowers or any other plants from blocking these. You can report issues to the city's Forestry Services by calling 414-286-2489, or by filing a complaint online at milwaukee.gov/Click4Action. If you're submitting a report online, make sure you select "Forestry," since this division handles vegetation that encroaches on public spaces, not your yard. Only select the "Forestry" option on www.milwaukee.gov/click4action if your complaint applies to city-owned property or public rights-of-way like sidewalks. Who do I call about noise complaints? Usually the police, but it depends on the noise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If your neighbors are being rowdy, like throwing a loud party or setting off fireworks, that's when you should call the Milwaukee Police Department's non-emergency line at 414-933-4444. According to city ordinance, if police can hear noise 50 feet away from the property, they can issue a citation. Officers can visit the house in question and, if there are multiple calls about one property, it can be considered a nuisance location. That means if complaints stop during the 45-day monitoring period, the property owner won't be fined but if complaints continue or no acceptable plan to mitigate the noise is submitted, they'll have to pay a fine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barking or other loud animal noises are handled by the Department of Neighborhood Services. To report an issue, mail a letter with the address of the property causing the noise, your name, address, phone number, and a description of the problem to: DNS Residential Division, 4001 S. 6th St., Milwaukee, WI 53221. Once DNS verifies both addresses, theyll send a warning letter, along with a copy of the ordinance and some informational materials, to the animal owner. Who do I call if my neighbor's yard is piling up with litter or trash in Milwaukee? If your neighbor's yard is piling up with garbage and debris, contact the Department of Neighborhood Services. Complaints can be made over the phone Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 414-286-2268. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They can also be filed online through the city website at www.milwaukee.gov/click4action. Type "litter" in the search bar, and make sure you select the option that pertains to private property. When submitting an online complaint about a neighbor's litter, select the option that says "private property," so the complaint reaches the Department of Neighborhood Services. Litter on public property, like streets and alleys, is handled by the Department of Public Works' sanitation services. How do I keep track of my complaint after it's submitted to the city? After your file a complaint, whether it's over the phone or online, make sure you get a record number. This will make it easier to track. You can check the status of your complaint, including any resulting orders, by creating an account here. After your create an account at https://aca-prod.accela.com/MILWAUKEE/Login.aspx, you'll be able to track your complaint. This is where you can enter your record number, which you should make sure you get after submitting your request. After logging in, select "Enforcement," and then "Search Records." There, you can enter your record number. If you dont have your record number, you can also search by complaint type and property information. What if I'm still not sure where to submit my complaint? If you're still unsure of where to submit your complaint, your best bet is to call the city's helpline at 414-286-2489. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This number will connect you to any of the city's departments, and you can ask which one you should be directed to. Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be emailed at QClark@gannettcom. Questions or tips? Contact Public Investigator Government corruption. Corporate wrongdoing. Consumer complaints. Medical scams. Public Investigator is a new initiative of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and its sister newsrooms across Wisconsin. Our team wants to hear your tips, chase the leads and uncover the truth. We'll investigate anywhere in Wisconsin. Send your tips to watchdog@journalsentinel.com or call 414-319-9061. You can also submit tips at jsonline.com/tips. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How to complain about overgrown yards, noise or litter in Milwaukee A no trespassing sign outside of Northwest ICE Processing Center. (Photo by Grace Deng/Washington State Standard) Washington state should be allowed to enforce health and safety standards at the embattled immigrant detention center in Tacoma, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. The decision overturns a lower court order blocking a 2023 state law that sought to provide greater oversight of conditions at the facility, including through unannounced state inspections. The detention center is run by the Florida-based GEO Group under a contract with the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the state law, Democratic lawmakers looked to impose numerous new regulations on the facility, known as the Northwest ICE Processing Center. Among other requirements, the law mandated the detention center provide fresh fruits and vegetables, air conditioning and heat, free telecommunication services, weekly mental health evaluations and rooms with windows. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to $10,000 per violation. GEO says these standards go beyond requirements the company must follow under its contract. The law also required the state departments of Health and Labor and Industries to conduct routine, unannounced inspections of the for-profit detention center, which holds immigrant detainees before deportation or release back into the United States. Labor and Industries inspected the site last summer with authority under a separate state law, and found no violations. The policy followed an earlier effort to ban private detention facilities entirely statewide, but that statute was deemed unenforceable. So lawmakers turned to increasing oversight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 1,575-bed facility has a history of allegations of mistreatment, abuse and neglect of detainees. Seven potential cases of tuberculosis were recently reported there, according to state health officials. Access to medical care has long been a concern inside the facility. It has come under renewed scrutiny as more detainees have been sent there with President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown. The state and GEO, one of the biggest private detention center companies in the nation, have been enmeshed for years in various legal battles over the facility. GEOs 2015 contract with the federal government awarded the company at least $700 million to operate the facility over the following decade. The state Department of Health celebrated the ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, saying it allows the agency to investigate complaints of mistreatment and work toward safer, healthier conditions for everyone in these facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We applaud the Ninth Circuits decision affirming the Washington State Department of Healths authority to uphold basic health and safety standards in private detention facilities like the Northwest ICE Processing Center, spokesperson Kara Kostanich said in an email. Kostanich didnt say if the agency now has imminent plans to inspect the facility. GEO and its attorney didnt respond to a request for comment. Legal lingo The case served as a test of state versus federal power. The legal doctrine of intergovernmental immunity holds that state laws cant unduly regulate federal activities. One of the major controversies in whether the state had overstepped was determining the correct comparison for the Tacoma facility, the only private, for-profit detention center in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GEO said prisons are an apt comparison. U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle agreed, finding the law imposed an economic burden on GEO through standards the state doesnt apply to its own Department of Corrections. The state countered that involuntary treatment facilities are a better parallel, as they also hold people in civil, not criminal, proceedings. The three-judge appeals court panel sided with the state. The requirements Washington seeks to impose on GEO and these civil facilities are almost identical, the judges found. But the judges will leave the comparison of mandated standards to the lower court. Washington has also run into legal roadblocks because the law only applied to the Tacoma facility. Lawmakers sought to address this problem this year by expanding the definition of private detention centers to include ones run by nonprofits. So state law now also covers the Martin Hall Juvenile Detention Facility, near Spokane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GEO moved to get the appeal dismissed in light of the new law, which took effect in May. The judges declined that request. The appeals court judges note states can treat contractors more stringently than if facilities are run by the federal government. A state has greater ability to regulate a contractor of the federal government than to regulate the government itself, Judge William Fletcher wrote in the opinion. All three of the judges making Tuesdays decision were appointed by Democratic presidents, two by Bill Clinton and one by Barack Obama. The Department of Justice, which has sided with GEO under both former President Joe Biden and Trump, declined to comment on the ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling is the second loss in as many weeks for GEO at the 9th Circuit. Last week, the court declined to reconsider an earlier decision affirming that the company needed to pay more than $23 million for violating Washingtons minimum wage law. GEO plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on that case. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) The Kentucky Board of Pharmacy issued an emergency suspension order against an Owensboro pharmacy and pharmacist that reportedly failed to provide adequate security of its controlled substances and legend drugs. According to the order, the board investigated claims that the Wilson Family Pharmacy allowed employees to be in the pharmacy area without a pharmacist present, allowed medications to be dispensed to patients without a lawful prescription drug order and allowed one person not registered with the state board to assist in the practice. Officials say staff pharmacist reported that its Durable Medical Equipment employee was allowed in the pharmacy area without a pharmacist present. The pharmacist in charge, Jigna Patel, reportedly denied the claims to the board that employees were left in the pharmacy without a pharmacist present, other than to notify patients of a temporary closure and to take prescriptions to patients in the parking lot, which are impermissible. However, Patel reportedly admitted in a recorded interview that the Durable Medical Equipment employee entered the pharmacy area to go to the office for work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A technician told the board that Patel provided oxycodone/acetaminophen and lorazepam before the pharmacy had received prescriptions for the medication. A different technician corroborated the story, and told the board that Patel asked if she could alter a date in the computer showing that the medications were dispensed before the prescription came through. Technicians also reported that Patel dispensed medications to her paramour and pharmacy technician on multiple occasions. That technician told the board that he received the medications from the pharmacy when he did not have health insurance to cover the cost. In addition to these findings, the board also discovered that a technician employed at the pharmacy was not registered to assist in the practice of pharmacy. In February, the day after the technician was interviewed, the board received her application, but officials say she had been employed at the pharmacy since October of 2024. The board ordered the pharmacy and Patel to surrender their Kentucky pharmacy permits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eyewitness News has reached out to the pharmacy for comment, and we are waiting to hear back. Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). A street dog that took a particular liking to a British backpacker in Peru - following her relentlessly - has arrived at his new home in the UK after months of vaccines, tests and quarantine. Mirelle Radley, 30, felt like she was "adopted" by the stray in a village in the Sacred Valley of the Incas while travelling in April. When it became clear he was not being cared for, she named him Paddington and jumped through hoops to ensure he could safely be brought home with her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They arrived back at her home in Cambridge on Thursday and she said Paddington was "loving life" in the UK. It is not known what breed of dog Paddington is [Mirelle Radley] Ms Radley, originally from Sheffield, and her cousin Adam Radley, who lives in Canada, had just arrived in the village when the dog came to visit as she relaxed in a hammock. He would follow them to and from the shops. "We went pony trekking up a mountain and I was so worried he would follow us that I gave him a bone to distract him, but when we came back there he was. "He recognised me from about 50m away and bounded over and followed us back to the village. "By day two I was beginning to think about whether I could keep him and by day three I was trying to figure out a plan." Mirelle Radley and her cousin Adam Radley were backpacking through South America when they came across the dog [Mirelle Radley] She asked for advice on social media and started a crowdfunder to help with costs associated with Paddington's care and treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She got in touch with the owner of a nearby charity - Colitas Con Canas - and the owner provided advice and a foster home so Paddington could be made ready for his new life. "It involved vet visits, vaccinations, blood tests, travel crates, quarantine, paperwork and flights - and it isn't cheap," Ms Radley said. She left the dog in the care of the local friends she had made through the charity and kept in touch about progress. She documented Paddington's story on Instagram and her Paddington from Peru posts have more than 400,000 followers. Once the paperwork was complete, she flew back to Peru - via Paris and Colombia - to collect Paddington. Paddington is now getting used to the flatlands of Cambridgeshire [Mirelle Radley] "Sadly when we got to the border in France, an error had been made on one part of the Peruvian paperwork and we weren't allowed to leave for the UK," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It took several visits to vets and officials - including a vet in Belgium - before everyone was satisfied and they were allowed to cross the Channel. And is Paddington enjoying his new life in the UK? "Yes, he seems to be loving it and seems to have adapted really quite quickly." She admitted the washing machine and the stairs in her house had been "a little bit of a moment for him", but added: "He's only been here three or so days but he's so enjoying spending time with lots of other friendly dogs." Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Related internet links PADUCAH, Ky. (FOX 56) A man and woman were arrested on Aug. 14 and 15 in Paducah after allegedly leaving their dog inside a car from July 4 to July 5 before leaving him outside on hot concrete while he was experiencing a seizure. On Aug. 15, the McCracken County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) posted on social media that animal control officials were dispatched to the 800 block of Washington Street in response to reports of a dog having a seizure. Mother, stepfather indicted in death of Jackson boy reported missing Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies said they were asked to investigate after the severity of the dogs state, when the animal was rushed to a local veterinarian for emergency care. Tammy Richmond, 51, and Jimmy Reynolds, 84, had allegedly left the dog in a car and then left their residence early in the morning on July 4 and didnt return until the next day, law enforcement wrote. The average temperature on July 4 and 5 was 89 degrees, deputies said. According to the sheriffs office, the pair returned and then took the dog from the car onto hot concrete, where he was seizing, and allegedly didnt provide any care for several minutes. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richmond allegedly put the dog in a metal basket that was too small for him and brought him inside. The MCSO wrote that animal control officials arrived a short time later. Richmond and Reynolds were arrested and charged with torture of a dog or cat. Richmond was held on a $2,000 cash bond. Reynolds was held on a $20,000 bond. According to authorities, the dog did not survive. Do not leave your pets inside your vehicle while you are going about your daily activities, the sheriffs office reminded the public. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Two men are facing an attempted murder case for opening fire in Gary on a womans new boyfriend, leaving him potentially paralyzed, records allege. Joshua Woodall, 35, and Kevon Romell Gibson, 24, both of Gary, were also charged Tuesday with aggravated battery. Court records show Woodall was arrested Aug. 17, the day of the shooting. His bond is $7,500 cash. Gibson, the ex-boyfriend, has not been apprehended. When arrested, his bail is also $7,500 cash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gary Det. William Klouse wrote officers responded Aug. 17 to the 500 block of S. Union Street near the Woodlake Village apartments. Police learned the couple was driving home to change for a family party when Gibson yelled the womans name before shooting started. They pulled into a parking lot. Just then, Woodall, Gibsons cousin, came behind the male victim and opened fire, charges allege. The shooting victim was lying on the ground between the car and a dumpster. A witness said he was unarmed. Gipson fled the scene. Woodall admitted he went behind the victim and fired two shots. The shooting victim was transferred to a Chicago hospital, shot in the upper back and neck near his spine. Police found seven casings and recovered Woodalls gun. Anyone with more information can call Klouse at 219-881-1231. mcolias@post-trib.com ISLAMABAD (AP) Top diplomats from Pakistan,China and Afghanistan committed their countries to stronger anti-terrorism cooperation during a meeting Wednesday in Kabul aimed at boosting political and economic partnership, Pakistan's foreign ministry said. The three sides also reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration in trade, transit, regional development, health, education, culture, and combating drug trafficking," according to a statement from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. The parties also reaffirmed an earlier agreement to extend the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan, the statement added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It provided no further details on the meeting among Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and top Taliban officials, hosted by the Taliban government in Kabul. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor involves improving road and rail links between China's western Xinjiang region and Pakistan's Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea. Pakistans authorities in recent weeks have said they hope the corridor will help attract more Chinese investment to revive its ailing economy, and that they are hopeful that extending it to Afghanistan will boost trade with Central Asia. The meeting came more than a month after Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Talibans government in Afghanistan. While no country apart from Russian has offered formal recognition, the Taliban have engaged in high-level talks with many nations and established some diplomatic ties with countries including China and the United Arab Emirates. Afghanistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier had said that the meeting would include comprehensive discussions on a wide range of issues, including political, economic and regional cooperation. The last round of the dialogue took place in May in Beijing. China Dynamics: China's July economy shows steady progress and resilience People's Daily Online) 16:53, August 19, 2025 According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of China on Aug. 15, 2025, the nation's economy maintained a steady development momentum with progress in July. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its forecast for China in 2025 to 4.8 percent on July 29, up 0.8 percentage points compared to its forecast in April, which reflects the international community's growing confidence in the Chinese economy. Going forward, NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui said with the economy's solid fundamentals, multiple strengths, great resilience, and vast potential, the conditions and fundamental trends for long-term development remain unchanged, supported by growing market demand, the advancement of new quality productive forces, ongoing reforms and opening up, and the continued positive impact of government policies. (Intern Geng Yujie contributed to this story.) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Du Mingming) Jussie Smollett felt "extremely emasculated" after his hate crime scandal. Jussie Smollett has reflected on being an victim of an alleged hate crime The Empire star has alleged he was the victim of a hate crime in 2019, but got sentenced to 150 days in jail in March 2022 after being found guilty of lying about being a victim of a racist and homophobic attack and making a false police report. His convictions were overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court after his legal team lodged an appeal. The 43-year-old actor felt like he was being "eulogised" online in the immediate aftermath of his original allegations. In Netflix's upcoming documentary The Truth About Jussie Smollett?, he said: "I felt like I had died, and I was alive to see and what people were saying was so kind, but it was too much for me. "It made me very uncomfortable. It made me extremely embarrassed. It made me feel extremely emasculated." Smollett has always maintained his innocence, insisting "there was no hoax" and that he was the target of a hate crime. In a lengthy statement explaining why he decided to settle, Smollett penned: Over six years ago, after it was reported I had been jumped, City Officials in Chicago set out to convince the public that I willfully set an assault against myself. "This false narrative has left a stain on my character that will not soon disappear. These officials wanted my money and wanted my confession for something I did not do. "Today, it should be clear.... They have received neither. The decision to settle the civil lawsuit was not the most difficult one to make. "After repeatedly refusing to pay the City, I was presented with an opportunity to make a charitable donation in exchange for the case being dismissed." Smollett donated $50,000 to Building Brighter Futures Center for the Arts (BBF), which is focused on helping nurture "self expression, creativity and exploration of the arts for Chicago youth". He continued: Though I was exonerated by the Illinois Supreme Court in a unanimous decision and the civil case will now be dismissed, I'm aware that it will not change everyone's mind about me or the attack I experienced. "However, despite arduous and expensive attempts to punish me, I am innocent in the eyes of God and our criminal justice system. What I have to do now is move forward. I will continue creating my art, fighting passionately for causes I hold dear and defending my integrity and family name with the truth. BUNER, Pakistan (AP) Pakistan issued a flood alert Wednesday for some southern districts, warning of torrential rains, as rescue teams continued searching for missing people in the country's northwest, where severe floods killed hundreds over the past week. The new warning is for the same southern regions struck by climate-induced catastrophic deluges in 2022 that killed thousands of people. The National Emergencies Operation Centre said expected rainfall of up to 100 millimeters (about 4 inches) over the next 24 hours could submerge highways, disrupt transport, and damage power and telecommunications networks in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, and Sukkur in the southern province of Sindh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 41 people have been killed in rain-related incidents nationwide over the past 24 hours, the disaster management agency said, mostly in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region and in the city of Karachi, where torrential rains on Tuesday flooded streets and disrupted daily life. Schools in Karachi remain closed. Pakistan has suffered above-normal monsoon rains, killing at least 746 people since June 26. Meanwhile, rescuers in the northwest pressed on with a grim search for nearly 150 people missing in the district of Buner, where floodwaters carrying massive boulders and mud swept through villages, flattening homes and leaving piles of rubble. Search teams aided by army sniffer dogs pulled more bodies from the debris as anxious relatives looked on. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the countrys powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited flood-hit areas in Swat Valley and Buner later Wednesday. Sharif promised, in a televised speech, financial compensation for the survivors and quick repairs of the damaged infrastructure, while warning residents to avoid building structures near river banks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mohammad Suhail, a spokesman for the emergency services, said the death toll in Buner has climbed to 290 after more bodies were recovered. Rescue teams managed to distribute tents, blankets, cooking utensils, ready-to-eat food, and clean drinking water in the area, he said, as others worked on restoring power in the devastated zone. Most of the damaged roads have been reopened in Buner. Survivors recounted horrific stories of sudden floodwaters that carried boulders and barely allowed people to run to safer grounds. Many residents have blamed the government for not issuing an early warning. Zarin Gul, 45, told The Associated Press he saw dark clouds bursting with rain over the mountains as he worked his fields early on Aug. 15 in the village of Gokand in Buner when a wall of rain headed toward where his aunt and cousins lived. He called to warn them, but she couldn't make it in time Huge boulders, some the size of rooms, tumbled like straws in the torrent, crushing houses that had never seen flooding before," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the village of Malik Pura, hopkeeper Raza Khan, 50, said everything was so sudden that we didnt even realize when everything was being swept away," expressing grief over the loss of loved ones. ___ Associated Press writer Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report. A Palos Heights resident was charged Monday with taking $250,000 of freight merchandise, including Sitka boots, childrens Nike shoes and Puma gym shoes. Almahdi Qasem, 20, turned himself in to the Palos Heights Police Department Friday and was charged Monday with theft of property exceeding $100,000 and not exceeding $500,000 in value, a Class 1 felony in Illinois, according to a police news release. Police said they previously found stolen merchandise including high-end shoes and boots both at Qasems home in Palos Heights and in a storage facility on the 9800 block of Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators recovered large amounts of stolen merchandise, U.S. currency, two bank accounts linked to the sale of stolen goods, and two vehicles used in the operation, police said. Retailer Sitka reported theft of 100 pairs of their hunting boots worth $40,000 in Chicago in May that it linked to online listings for identical boots on online resale platforms Facebook Marketplace and Ebay, police said. A representative for the retailer found the return address was a Palos Heights residence after purchasing a pair of the boots, police said. Police searches of the online accounts found the account holder was also listing large quantities of items police suspect to be stolen, including Bissell vacuums, Nike and Puma shoes, water tanks, LG computer monitors, headphones and blenders, the news release said. The stolen Sitka freight was found in the Bridgeview storage unit as was merchandise belonging to Macys, Nordstrom, Bissell, Skytech Gaming, and other retailers, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After his arrest, Qasem was released ahead of a scheduled appearance at the Bridgeview Courthouse at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 30. Palos Heights police said he may face additional charges. ostevens@chicagotribune.com A mother and father from Cleveland, Ohio, died in a tragic car accident after dropping their son off at college at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Donald Nunney, 55, and Maria Nunney, 50, who were both educators at elementary schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, were riding in a Honda Odyssey with two of their four children on Aug. 15 when their minivan went off the road and crashed, according to NBC affiliate WKYC in Cleveland. Maria and Donald Nunney (Sandro Galindo via WKYC) The couple and their younger children, a 14-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son, who had already dropped off their older son at UNC, were on their way to meet him again for lunch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their minivan, driven by Donald Nunney, veered off the road around Interstate 85 north and Interstate 40 east, hit several trees and caught fire, authorities told NBC affiliate WRAL. Donald Nunney and Maria Nunney died as a result of the crash. The children were taken to a nearby hospital. Highway patrol officers told WRAL that the couple's daughter sustained more serious injuries than her brother. Both children are reportedly now in stable condition and are expected to recover. Donald Nunney was a language arts teacher at Joseph M. Gallagher School, where he taught grades four through six, according to WKYC. Maria Nunney worked as an educator at Wilbur Wright PreK-8 School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Classes in the school district began Aug. 18, just days after the couple died. We can confirm that we will have additional counselors and resources on hand to support the student and staff communities at the many impacted schools, CMSD Communications Officer Jon Benedict told WKYC. Out of respect for the family, thats all were prepared to say at this very difficult time, other than to say our heart is with them at this very tragic moment. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Last year a large fight broke out among a group of teenagers in Gloucester, New Jersey. Nine teens were arrested and three police officers were injured. Apparently, residents of the town have had enough. They recently passed the Minors and Parent Responsibility law, which allows parents to be fined and even jailed if their children engage in repeated instances of lawlessness, including drug dealing, assault and even loitering. Some residents are outraged, while others think this is a perfectly reasonable response to teen behavior that is out of control. But one important question lost in this debate is how we should help parents who think their childrens behavior is a problem, but dont seem to be able to curb it. Take Miguel Mendoza, whose 14-year-old son Angel was murdered on a playground in New York City earlier this month. Though the boy was apparently mistaken for someone else involved in a fight earlier in the day, Mendoza acknowledged that his son had fallen in with a bad crowd recently, skipping school, among other things. I would hide the shoes so he wont go out, but hed find a way to go out, he told the New York Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mendoza also tried to get the authorities involved. I went to family court, they did nothing, he said. I called the police, they said hes a minor, they cant do nothing. I went to [the Administration for Childrens Services], they did nothing. For parents whose kids are exhibiting increasingly delinquent behavior, there are fewer and fewer supports. The Administration for Childrens Services used to use something called PINS (person in need of services) warrants in such cases. Earlier this year, I interviewed Kevin OConnor, a 35-year NYPD veteran who retired two years ago, who told me that PINS warrants were effective tools for supporting parents who wanted to get their kids back on the right path. When, say, a single mother would find herself with a kid who was out of control, ACS would get a warrant. Then police would bring that child in front of a judge who would put them on notice or mandate services or rules for the child. The program, says OConnor, empowered parents and allowed them to get their kids under control. But these days such warrants have fallen out of favor. In the effort to keep adolescents and teens out of whats been called the prison pipeline, schools and law enforcement tolerate many small behavioral infractions. Schools engage in restorative justice dialogues instead of giving kids detention or suspending them. It may seem compassionate, but children and their parents often need a wakeup call before behavioral problems spiral out of control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And once they do, the hands of law enforcement are increasingly tied. A recent change in New York state law actually bars the arrest and prosecution of anyone under 12 for a crime other than homicide. Even when serious assaults are involved, ACS may offer the family services, but they will not take the kids into custody or force the parents to exercise more supervision. Thanks to raise the age laws, fewer teens are being taken into juvenile detention, even for serious crimes. Even when kids are not breaking the law, parents may find their options limited for helping them. It is harder and harder to find a place for kids who are having severe mental and/or behavioral health problems, kids who pose a danger to themselves or others. In a recent article in City Journal, Christina Buttons chronicles how many residential treatment facilities are shutting down and how even well-run ones are under critical scrutiny. The kids who come to these facilities may be suicidal, psychotic, emotionally dysregulated or involved in violent or criminal behavior. They may focus on issues like substance abuse, eating disorders, developmental disabilities or trauma from sex trafficking. But one complaint can now result in an entire facility closing, leaving families scrambling for any alternative. As one former resident said of a facility that was recently shuttered in Arizona, it has helped so many girls Residential programs are extremely helpful for families whove done everything they can. Indeed, many parents are caught between a rock and a hard place. They dont want their kids to break the law or to get hurt themselves. But things have not turned out as they expected. Maybe they didnt do everything they should have or maybe they did. Regardless, now they want help from teachers, from law enforcement, from psychiatrists anyone. But we have turned our backs on them. When floodwaters rushed through a girl's summer camp nestled in the Texas Hill Country, Michael McCown's 8-year-old daughter was among 27 campers and counselors swept to their deaths. On Wednesday, McCown joined other Camp Mystic parents, some wearing buttons memorializing Heaven's 27, in demanding that Texas lawmakers pass a bill that would boost camp safety, including generally keeping cabins out of flood plains, instituting new requirements for emergency plans and mandating weather radios. It will hurt my family forever that, for reasons I still do not know, these protections were not in place nor thought out thoroughly for my daughter and the rest of the girls here, he said. "Please pass this bill, protect our kids and do not let their deaths be in vain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McCown's middle child, Linnie, was sandwiched between two brothers. She was sometimes a pest to her 11-year-old brother. But to the youngest, just 3, she was mother figure, making him cereal on weekends so her parents could catch a few minutes of sleep. To everyone else she was a joy," her father told lawmakers. "She hugged her teachers, was a friend to everybody and spread an infectious giggle everywhere she went. Then came the floods. Just before daybreak on the Fourth of July, destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe River, washing away homes and vehicles. All told, at least 136 people died, raising questions about how things went so terribly wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County leaders were asleep or out of town. The head of Camp Mystic had been tracking the weather beforehand, but it's now unclear whether he saw an urgent warning from the National Weather Service that had triggered an emergency alert to phones in the area, a spokesperson for camps operators said in the immediate aftermath. Some of the camps buildings which flooded were in what the Federal Emergency Management Agency considered a 100-year flood plain. But in response to an appeal, FEMA in 2013 amended the countys flood map to remove 15 of the camps buildings from the hazard area. Upon learning of the flooding, McCown rushed to the town of Kerrville to pick up Linnie, receiving an email en route that if parents hadn't been personally contacted, then their daughters are accounted for. I felt a wave of relief, which was quickly shattered about 30 minutes later when my wife called incredibly distraught to say that Linnie is missing, he recalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He joined the search downstream from the camp and found the body of a deceased girl. He also made two trips to a funeral home to identify bodies. One was not Linnie; the other, he believed, was. He later provided authorities with a DNA swab. He's haunted by questions. How," he asked, "could these girls vanish into the night without anyone having eyes on them while cabins literally just 20 yards away had no casualties? So what went wrong? Cici Williams Steward said assurances that her daughter, Cile Steward, would be safe were betrayed and protocols that should have been in place were ignored. Today, the body of the 8-year-old remains somewhere in the devastation of the Guadalupe River, the only Camp Mystic camper still missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are suspended in endless anguish, unable to move forward, unable to find peace," a tearful Steward said. "We ask you, please pass SB1 so no parent sends their child to camp believing they are safe only to face this nightmare. And just as urgently, please do not stop the search for Cile Steward. Please do not give up on our girl. Texas State Sen. Charles Perry described the proposed legislation as a legacy to the loss and an answer to what has been learned during hours of public testimony. He said it's dubbed the Heavens 27 Camp Safety Act. Its only appropriate," Perry said, "to memorialize the 27 little girls that lost their lives at Camp Mystic in this way. Parents on low wages in parts of Scotland are struggling to access financial support for school uniforms that would be available in other council areas, the BBC has found. Most of Scotland's councils pay the grant to people on universal credit who earn a salary from employment of less than 850 a month - roughly equal to 16 hours a week at minimum wage. However, some councils will pay the clothing allowance to people earning as much as twice that amount. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Child Poverty Action Group is calling for thresholds to be raised across Scotland, saying parents can easily be in poverty and not qualify for the support. Jen says she spends 450 a year on her son's school clothes [BBC] Scottish government guidance says families on low incomes should be able to access a minimum of 120 a year for a primary pupil and 150 for a secondary pupil - figures which have not risen for three years. But the eligibility for who gets the cash is set by local councils and varies widely across the country. About 120,000 pupils receive the clothing grant but Jen, a single parent who lives in Balloch with her 10-year-old son, says she is angry and frustrated that she does not qualify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She works 22 hours a week in a care home but struggles to cover her bills. However, her income leaves her above the 933 a month threshold for the school uniform grant set by West Dunbartonshire Council. Just a few miles up the road in the Stirling Council area, Jen's income would put her well below its 1,851 threshold and she would qualify for the grant. The majority of Scotland's councils stop the grant when families on Universal Credit have earnings of over 850 a month, the same criteria that is used for free school meals. But eight councils allow people on much higher incomes to claim the allowance, with some using council tax rebate or housing benefit as criteria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jen says she spends about 450 a year on school uniform and shoes for her son. "It makes you a bit anxious, of the feeling of how you're going to be able to afford all these clothes, because kids grow dramatically," she says. "They're one clothes size one minute and then they've just shot right up. "They can go to school one minute and then they wake up the next day and go, 'oh my shoes don't fit'." Jen says: "We all want our kids in the best kind of stuff so they're not getting bullied in school." She says she is angry that by working 22 hours a week she is just over the limit for accessing the grant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are trying to work and better ourselves for our kids and then we aren't getting the help at the end of it," she says. CPAG's Sara Spencer is calling for thresholds to be raised across Scotland. [BBC] Leading campaign organisation, The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), is calling for thresholds to be raised across Scotland. Sara Spencer, CPAG's cost of the school day project manager, said the school uniform grant should be available to all parents on Universal Credit, as the benefit itself is an indicator of low income. Universal Credit is a paid to those who are out of work or on low incomes - 37% of recipients across the UK are in employment. "It would make it more fair and consistent across the country and most importantly it would mean that more children on low incomes would be receiving this vital support," Ms Spencer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Parents tell us that uniform is a really difficult and a big cost for them, especially in larger families where you've got uniform to buy for lots of children." Julia Grindley says many people in poverty are not eligible for state support [BBC] Julia Grindley, of the Edinburgh uniform bank charity, says she sees many people who are in poverty who end up at her door because they are not eligible for state support. "About 40% of children who are referred to us for a clothing crisis pack are not eligible for the School Clothing Grant even though they are living in poverty," she said. "Many of those have one or two parents who are working. "If they earn just 10 over the threshold they can actually end up worse off than families that are not working. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's very frustrating that families have to come to us because they can't access things that they really should be eligible for." School funding grant In 2018 the then education secretary John Swinney announced reforms to the school clothing grant saying it would "remove the stress and stigma which can often be associated with struggling to afford essential school items". But councils set very different thresholds for those on universal credit to receive an award. A West Dunbartonshire Council spokeswoman said: "We are committed to supporting low-income families and our threshold for eligibility for a school clothing grant is more generous than the offer in 70% of other authority areas across Scotland." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Scottish government said it had provided funding of 14.2m for the school funding grant this year. A spokesman said: "Our funding helped to create a national grant level which provides eligible families with at least 120 to help with the cost of clothing for school for each child. "Local authorities are responsible for the administration and distribution of this grant. "We are aware that local authorities apply differing eligibility criteria and would encourage synergies so that families on similar income levels in different areas are treated fairly." Last year, the Scottish government published guidelines on how to make uniforms more accessible and affordable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said schools should use generic items and colours that could be bought from a range of suppliers, promote uptake of the school clothing grant and ensure branded items are not encouraged. What's the solution? The pupils at West Calder asked for comfort and style [BBC] West Calder High School in West Lothian has completely re-designed its uniform to make it more affordable and accessible. The school asked pupils and the local community what they wanted to wear, in line with the new government guidance. The pupils asked for comfort and style and opted for a t-shirt and hoodie rather than a blazer and tie. Older pupils still wanted a shirt and blazer to differentiate them from young pupils but all the items are available through the school to cut the cost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Headteacher Gerry Higgins said the school now buys the basic uniform in bulk and sells a full uniform to parents for 10. He said a traditional uniform with shirt and tie would cost 56. "You will have young people who will deliberately not come into school because of the cost of the school day," he said. "It might be that they don't realise that is the reason but they cannot afford to look the same as other young people." HAMILTON, Ga. (WRBL) Although it may look like an ordinary playground, the newly installed recess equipment at Park Elementary School in Harris County will be able to help students play in a new way. The school opened up their long-awaited handicap accessible playground set shortly after the start of the 2025-2026 school year. After three years, the Park Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) was able to raise $67,000 to purchase and install new inclusive and accessible playground equipment for all the students to enjoy. The new set includes ramps, math and music boards that are specifically designed with the schools adapted curriculum students in mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our Park PTO, led by president Megan Palmer, she reached out to us after a parent communication with her as well as teacher communications that looked at an opportunity that we had available for some fundraising to provide our school with an inclusive playground set. said Park Elementary Principal Dr.Allyson Douthit. The school says with support from the community, fundraising through boosters, t-shirt and merchandise sales and the schools Spring bookfair, the three-year effort finally paid off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A good majority of the fundraising came from grandparents, PTO president Megan Palmer said. Some came from aunts and uncles, family friends and of course the parents. It was widespread and I think we even got 26 states. Principal Douthit explained that although the school has long been supportive and inclusive of their special needs students and families, the new addition take their support a step further. It was very difficult for our students with special needs to access. Now this piece of equipment will be able to serve all of our tiger cubs and they will all get a part of playing together all at the same time. Douthit said. The school allows all students to enjoy at least 10-20 minutes of recess time each school day, depending on the heat index and other weather conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students on the playground told WRBL on Monday that they love their new playground and look forward to it everyday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. Several new bus service options will soon be coming to South Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy said on Wednesday. During a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey, the governor announced the expansion of Camdens electric bus fleet, an Atlantic City shuttle pilot program and $5 million in federal funding for the expansion of microtransit systems in rural areas. Our administration is committed to strengthening public transportation in all corners of our state, Murphy said. These new transportation options in South Jersey will not only better connect residents to jobs, schools, and healthcare, but also lay the foundation for a stronger and more interconnected regional economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fleet of eight new electric buses will be added to the Camden line. The governors office said the buses will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and provide NJ Transit customers with more reliable transportation in one of South Jerseys largest cities. The Atlantic City shuttle pilot program will launch this fall, with two round trips a day between Vineland and Atlantic City, according to the governors office. The one-year program run by the South Jersey Transportation Authority will aim to connect Cumberland County residents with casino jobs and other employment opportunities, while also reducing traffic in the area. I am happy to support the governors pilot initiative to provide twice daily express bus service between Vineland and Atlantic City, Vineland Mayor Anthony Fanucci said. This long overdue program can be a positive step forward in connecting our residents to job opportunities in the gaming industry while also strengthening our regional economy. Reliable public transportation is key to empowering our workforce and ensuring that Vineland continues to thrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The one-time $5 million federal investment will go towards expanding South Jerseys microtransit system in the underserved rural parts of the region. The goal of the program is to connect New Jersey residents in those areas to jobs, schools and healthcare facilities. On Wednesday, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri commended the governor for helping modernize the states public transit system during his two terms. With Governor Murphys support, NJ Transit is committed to fully modernizing its fleet of rail cars and buses by the year 2031 and that includes the continued expansion of the electric bus program, Kolluri said. Having sustainable transportation options in the most densely populated state is not just a wish-list item it is critical to the environmental future of New Jersey and essential for powering our economy for generations to come. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. Voters cast their ballots at the Quimby School gymnasium in Bingham, Maine on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. (Photo by Michael G. Seamans/ Maine Morning Star) Since President Donald Trump asked Texas to redraw its congressional maps to find five more Republican seats ahead of next years elections, some Democratic states are considering redistricting to counter the effort. Maine is not, at least according to Gov. Janet Mills, though an anonymous group tried to encourage the Pine Tree State to intervene earlier this month by flying planes over Augusta with banners that read Mess with Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states constitutional officers, Attorney General Aaron Frey and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, both Democrats, condemned Texas move, and Trump instigating it, as a blatant abuse of power. But, they said Democratic states exploring the avenues legally available to them to redistrict outside the regular schedule is understandable. Bellows refrained from any judgement of those counter efforts, while Frey was more critical, particularly due to what he sees as a likely snowball effect. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey in the State House in Augusta. (Provided by the Office of the Maine Attorney General) I am lamenting what this might mean for how our politics will continue, in terms of people trying to do the one-upsmanship, Frey said in a sit-down with Maine Morning Star. As much as it probably sounds like its a critique, it really is more of a concern about this being the evolution of where the politics is going. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the official party committee dedicated to electing Democrats to statehouses, called on Democrats on Aug. 4 to pursue redistricting opportunities to respond to possible changes to Texas congressional map. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, California was the first state to release a proposal to that aim. Such ideas have also been floated by officials in New York, Maryland, and Illinois whose governor has already waded into the redistricting battle by welcoming Texas Democrats who fled the state to block a vote on the Republican proposal. Theyve since returned. But, Republicans control more state legislatures than Democrats and Vice President JD Vance is touring those states to encourage more gerrymandering. Several, including Missouri, Florida and Indiana, are now considering redrawing their maps to counter the Democrats countering. It should be a concern for all of us about what this means for the next time that the next majority is in power, Frey said. I am hoping that I would have just as much concern if California would have been the first state to say that they were going to do this as I have about Texas saying that theyre going to do this, even though it may be perfectly appropriate legally. Maines process Redistricting procedures vary state by state but largely happen every ten years following new census data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the Maine Constitution, the state Legislature must establish a bipartisan advisory commission to draw its congressional and legislative districts every ten years. These maps are then sent to the Legislature for approval, though lawmakers arent bound to those recommendations. Approval requires a two-thirds vote, and because neither party has held a supermajority in the last decade, this has typically required bipartisan support. The map is then subject to the governors approval. Maine last went through this process in 2021. Mills did not respond to multiple requests for comment about whether she supports the actions other Democratic states are considering to redraw their maps in response to Texas Republicans attempts. A spokesperson told the Portland Press Herald in early August that she was not considering any actions related to redistricting in Maine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Legislature is unable to reach the two-thirds threshold, the Maine Supreme Court would draw the maps instead. Its understandable that other states are seeking to fight fire with fire, Bellows said, echoing California Gov. Gavin Newsom, but none of whats happening outside of Maine would change unless the Legislature and the people of Maine decided to pursue a constitutional amendment. A constitutional amendment in Maine requires a two-thirds vote, plus approval by the voters, so such a change, especially before the 2026 midterms, is not likely. Whats the end? When asked if Maine should get involved in the nationwide redistricting fight, Frey said, No, not at this point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the officer representing the state on legal matters, Frey said he doesnt see an opportunity for legal recourse given that other states drawing congressional districts is a state-level process pertaining to their residents and it doesnt have a direct harm to Maine. However, how these maps ultimately shape Congress will inevitably impact Maine, he said, looking at a list on his desk of lawsuits Maine has filed or joined against the Trump administration. Particularly if Trump gets his way in Texas, Frey said it could result in a continuation of a Congress that doesnt serve as an adequate check to the executive branch. Some politicians are seeking to choose their voters instead of their voters choosing them. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like other Democrats across the country, Frey and Bellows walked a line to frame their partys use of redistricting differently than Republicans. The Trump administration is trampling all over the norms in our democracy, and it is really important that people stand strong for our values in this moment, Bellows said. Whats concerning about what Texas is trying to do is they are basically trying to cheat their way into electoral success in 2026 and 2028, so its understandable that some of the larger states that are blue states are thinking about how they might respond. Of those clear political aims, Frey similarly said, Theres no mask to it, arguing it would be different if Texas had come to a conclusion that redistricting mid-cycle was needed because its districts were no longer representative due to population shifts or another clear reason. Lets say this was Joe Biden who in 2023 was like, California, Gavin Newsom, you like us, California does a lot of stuff that supports the administration, I need you to go redistrict and get me five more seats in Congress, Frey said. What would people say? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But while Frey said Democratic states may be legally within their right to explore counter measures, he doesnt see it as a productive way to resolve political discord nor address the priority issues of everyday Americans, such as the cost of living. If anything, its creating a system that is going to be more unable to meet what it is that, I think, Mainers and the American people are asking for, Frey said. Earlier this month Bellows officially responded to the U.S. Department of Justices request for sweeping voter data, questioning the federal agencys intentions and asking that the request be withdrawn. She sees a throughline with that effort, Trumps executive orders and his push for Texas Republicans to redistrict. Some politicians are seeking to choose their voters instead of their voters choosing them, Bellows said. Many of these initiatives seem designed to shrink the population of people who are participating in elections, to spread fear and deter people from participating, or to create artificial barriers to participation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frey also sees connections. The day before speaking with Maine Morning Star, Frey had returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., where he saw National Guard troops and FBI agents gathered on the mall. They are pushing boundaries to see how far they can get, Frey said of the administration. Pulling up the presidents post on Truth Social ordering the U.S. Commerce Department to start working on a new U.S. Census that does not count people in the country illegally, Frey asked, Whats the end? He sees all of these moves as a test of the democratic foundation of the country, the U.S. Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If enough citizens out there who are protected by this contract decide that they are unwilling to hold the president to the limitations that the constitution places on government action, I mean, at a certain point that contract by both parties is just going to dissolve, Frey said. The book The Storm Before the Calm sat on his desk as he added a hopeful nod, explaining the current moment could provide an opportunity to be reminded of the importance of those protections. The book, by geopolitical forecaster George Friedman, views American history through cycles, enduring upheaval and conflict but, ultimately, increasing in strength and stability. With 2026 on the horizon when Maines governorship, U.S. Senate seat, two U.S. House seats and Legislature are all up for reelection Frey said, Maybe there will be an opportunity for renewal. Time will tell how redistricting may play a part in that. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A police officer was nicknamed Pc Predator by a burglary victim with whom he had sex while on duty during the Covid lockdown, a judge heard. Stuart Trentham, 41, was jailed for 18 months on Wednesday by the same judge who had sent him to prison for nine months earlier this year for an almost identical offence involving another woman. Sheffield Crown Court heard how Trentham was a South Yorkshire Police officer who responded to a report of burglary in 2020 during the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joseph Bell, prosecuting, said the officer began to exchange increasingly flirtatious and sexualised messages with the woman complainant. Mr Bell said they then had consensual sex when Trentham attended at her house, but that the woman saved his number on her mobile phone as Pc Predator. The prosecutor said the womans friend encouraged her to report the matter to the police at the time, but she was worried about alienating her local police. He said it was only after she saw a documentary about the Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, who murdered Sarah Everard in 2021, that she decided to make a complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Bell said she was finally prompted by the publicity that surrounded Trenthams jailing for nine months in February for a separate case involving another woman who had complained that sexual images of her had been posted online without her consent. You abused the responsibility reposed in you On Wednesday, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC jailed father-of-three Trentham, who appeared in court on bail, for a further 18 months. He told him: You abused the responsibility reposed in you. Police officers have a high position in society and are an essential component of a civilised country. The public place confidence in a police officer to do the right thing and behave with propriety. You betrayed that trust and you have betrayed that trust now twice. This is a grotesque breach of trust by a police officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier, Curtis Dunkley, defending, said his client had struggled serving his prison sentence earlier this year as a former police officer, saying it was a living hell. Mr Dunkley said Trentham, of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, had autism and suffered with PTSD. Catastrophic impact on her mental health Previously, a judge heard how Trentham sent inappropriate messages to a vulnerable woman after she reported that sexual images of her had been posted on the internet without her consent. Trentham had closed the investigation after it was impossible to find who posted the images but he lied to the woman, telling her in messages which became increasingly sexual that a suspect was under investigation and being interviewed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He began sending WhatsApp messages, which started as personal, progressed to being inappropriate and then to being sexualised. The judge said he found it a serious matter that Trentham forwarded the link to the posted sexual images of the woman on the internet to his personal email account from the police system. But he accepted that the defendant was not able to open the link from his personal email. Mr Bell said the interaction had a catastrophic impact on her mental health, adding: It was just another thing she had to deal with and was already on the edge. David James, defending at the time, said his client wanted to apologise to the woman and to his former colleagues in the police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Trentham admitted misconduct in a public office. He sat in the dock wearing a blue suit and with his head in his hands. Trentham resigned from South Yorkshire Police in 2023. 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. Content warning: This article contains information about alleged child sexual abuse material. Reader discretion is advised. Report CSAM to law enforcement by contacting the ICAC Tip Line at (801) 281-1211 or your local law enforcement agency. SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) A pediatric nurse in Salt Lake County has been arrested for allegedly distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on social media. Lance Aaron Putnam, 28, has been arrested and faces potential charges of 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of obstruction of justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the arrest statement, on Jan. 4, 2025, a social media company sent a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The company reported that an account was uploading and sharing CSAM online and sent the accounts IP address. NCMEC forwarded this report to the Utah County Attorney Generals Offices Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), which initiated an investigation into the case. Through search warrants and court orders, ICAC was allegedly able to identify the account owner as Putnam. Man charged for allegedly running CSAM file-sharing program out of Syracuse residence On Aug. 19, ICAC served a search warrant at Putnams residence in Salt Lake County. When officers knocked on his door, Putnam allegedly broke his phone, and admitted it was in an attempt to hide what was on it from the police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers detained Putnam and conducted a police interview with him. During the interview, Putnam allegedly admitted to sending and receiving CSAM over multiple social media platforms. According to documents, Putnam stated that he had been viewing CSAM for a couple of years and had an addiction. He reportedly said that he had distributed CSAM more time than he could count but that it was in the thousands. While investigating him, officers discovered that he is currently employed at a pediatric hospital, where he works as a nurse. The arresting officer expressed concern that he had access to children who are the same age as some of the CSAM he possessed and distributed. Putnam was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, where he is currently being held without bail. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. PEKIN, Ill. (WMBD) The Dirksen Congressional Center in Pekin showcased rarely seen documents on Tuesday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of President Gerald Ford dedicating the centers beginning. On Aug. 19, 1975, Ford came to Pekin to honor the late U.S Sen. Everett Dirksen who championed the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The president dedicated a building in Dirksens name in front of a crowd of thousands who had gathered to remember the political icon. A half century later, the center displayed several photos and documents about that day including a copy of the invitation letter that was sent out to the president as well as other memorabilia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also on display were multiple documents from Illinois most historic lawmakers, including Everett Dirksen, Bob Michel and Ray LaHood. LaHood traveled to the event in Pekin shortly after a press conference in Chicago. The former Peoria congressman and U.S. transportation secretary said his own documents detail events that happened in his lifetime, such as President Bill Clintons impeachment and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He hopes more elected officials bring their papers to the building. My son Darin has already indicated and signed an agreement with the Dirksen Center that his papers will come here, LaHood said. Weve talked to some other retiring politicians about if they would want their papers to be here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The center gives scholarship money to kids to help the future generation learn more about Congress. One of these programs is the Michel LaHood internship program, which pays for three Bradley students to travel to Washington D.C. over the summer to learn about Congress by working inside the building. One of the prevailing themes of the event is what does the future look like for this Pekin building in 50 years. Tiffany White, the centers executive director, said these congressional documents will still be relevant generations later. The working papers of Everett Dirksen represented really significant periods of United States history, she said. So, it helps people understand that history, but it also helps people understand how Congress works. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For LaHood, as he looks back upon his predecessors and his own history, he said he believes one of the most important lessons to learn at the center is bipartisanship. Everett Dirksen worked with Lyndon Johnson, who he knew in the Senate, LaHood said. Johnson was a senator from Texas, Dirksen, a senator from Illinois. The two of them became friends by a quirk of fate, John Kennedys assassination. Johnson becomes president, calls on his old friend Everett Dirksen to help him get legislation passed [including the Civil Rights Act]. Bob Michel helped President Clinton pass NAFTA and some other significant legislation. So, these men were not afraid to cross the aisle. The next scheduled event is a free pop-up museum of Dirksen photos and memorabilia from noon to 3 p.m. on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7 in the Pavilion at Mineral Springs Park during the Pekin Marigold Festival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A Lancaster County landlord pleaded guilty to setting fire to an apartment to vacate two tenants. Ronald Edgar Frisbie III pleaded guilty on July 29 to two counts of arson, one county of burglary and two counts of recklessly endangering another person, the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Alerts The charges stemmed from a May 2024 incident on the 300 block of S. 10th St. in Akron Borough. Shortly before 3 a.m., police responded to a dispute at the apartment over a civil issue between Frisbie and the tenants. Police said Frisbie was upset about a washer and dryer allegedly broken by the tenants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just minutes after leaving, police were called back after the tenants said Frisbie entered their apartment using the keypad code and set fire to a box inside to try to get them to leave, the DA said. MONKEY BUSINESS: Police seeking person in monkey costume in Franklin County Police found the apartment filled with smoke and a box with burn marks. Two people were inside at the time, but were not injured. Judge Dennis Reinaker will sentence Frisbie at the conclusion of a pre-sentence 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 ABC27. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) Summer is winding down, and Pennsylvania State Police are cracking down on those driving under the influence. Labor Day is just days away, and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) is reminding drivers all over the state to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. According to PennDOT, 106 alcohol-related crashes and 27 drug-related crashes last Labor Day weekend resulted in seven combined fatalities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, some know this tragedy all too well. Melissa Missy Sweitzer is a traffic safety specialist for Adams and York Counties. She lost her son 16 years ago to a drunk driver. Sweitzer is imploring all Pennsylvanians to make smart decisions behind the wheel. York College announces partnership with Dover Area High School Heres the truth, impaired driving doesnt just hurt the person behind the wheel, Sweitzer said. It shatters lives. From now until Sept. 1, drivers will see an increased presence from state and local law enforcement in an effort to keep impaired drivers off the roads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our goal is simple: to prevent crashes and save lives, said PSP Col. Christopher Paris. Additionally, drivers should expect to see DUI checkpoints throughout the state as well. These checkpoints will allow law enforcement to ensure everybody is safe during the holiday weekend. When youre entering a DUI checkpoint, or any checkpoint for that matter, there will be signage in advance advising the driver what to do, said PSP Sgt. Logan Brouse. Just please slow down, pay attention and make sure you abide by the instructions given. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Local Business Beat While the campaign may end on Sept. 1st, PennDOT remains committed to fighting impaired driving and educating Pennsylvanians on the dangers of driving under the influence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do not want to have a fatality or an injury as a result of impaired driving. We will continue the advocacy until we get to zero, said PennDOT secretary Mike Carroll. This effort is funded through PennDOTs statewide annual distribution of more than $6.2 million from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for impaired driving enforcement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. The Pennsylvania State Police are enhancing school safety measures in the Troop A region, which includes Cambria, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland counties. Troopers will conduct security checks at schools and monitor school bus routes to ensure compliance with safety regulations. These efforts aim to provide a secure environment for students and staff throughout the school year. Members of Troop A will be performing regular security checks at both public and private schools across the four-county area. These checks will occur each shift and may involve walk-throughs of school buildings and interactions with students during lunch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to school security checks, troopers will focus on school bus safety by following buses during their morning and afternoon routes. They will be on the lookout for violations of Title 75, Section 3345, which pertains to the overtaking of school buses. Violators of this section face significant penalties, including a $250 fine, a 60-day drivers license suspension, and five points on their driving record. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW The Pentagon's top policy official told a small group of allies Tuesday night that the U.S. plans to play a minimal role in any Ukraine security guarantees, one of the clearest signs yet that Europe will need to shoulder the burden of keeping lasting peace in Kyiv. The comments from Elbridge Colby, the Defense undersecretary for policy, came in response to questions from European military leaders in a huddle led by Joint Chiefs chair Gen. Dan Caine. Defense chiefs from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Finland pushed the U.S. side to disclose what it would provide in troops and air assets to help Ukraine maintain a peace deal with Russia, according to a European official and another person briefed on the talks. The gathering and another hastily arranged meeting of NATO leaders Wednesday left allies increasingly concerned that President Donald Trump will rely on Europe to ensure a long-term peace once Russia ends its invasion, according to six American and European officials, who, like others, were granted anonymity to discuss private conversations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres the dawning reality that this will be Europe making this happen on the ground, said a NATO diplomat who was briefed on the talks. The U.S. is not fully committed to anything. The meetings which occurred days after Trump and European leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in a sign of unity underscore the massive task ahead for allies as they weigh plans to send a peacekeeping force to Ukraine and buy more American-made arms for Kyiv. Trump on Monday said he was ready to send U.S. troops to Ukraine. But hebacktracked on Tuesday, suggesting instead that he was open to providing air support for European troops there. I dont know where that leaves us, said one of the European officials. Pretty much back to where we were in the spring with the coalition of the willing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. allies in Europe appear skeptical of Colby, who POLITICO reported in June has forged a close alliance with Caine. Colby conducted a review of U.S. munitions stockpiles this year that led Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in July to briefly freeze American military assistance to Ukraine. And he has long pushed for European allies to do more to defend the continent against Russia. His presence in the talks could signify a more difficult road for Europe to lock down American security support. "Under Secretary Colby attended last nights meeting to relay President Trumps and Secretary Hegseths guidance related to security guarantees for Ukraine as we support the presidents historic efforts to end this tragic conflict, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a statement. At the event, Under Secretary Colby focused on ensuring the discussion reflected President Trumps statements on the matter. Some European officials cautioned that this weeks meetings are the opening salvo in a series of complex negotiations and horse trading as Europe grapples with a potentially large and costly effort to keep the peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who was involved in the White House meeting, briefed 32 NATO members on Wednesday in Brussels on the conversations and began to discuss security guarantees in broad terms, according to a NATO official. Defense chiefs of NATO countries were expected to hold a more detailed video call later in the day. Alliance members are hoping to come up with workable plans to present to their political leaders, another NATO official said. Military planning in Europe is being adjusted for any scenario, even as diplomacy continues in parallel." The White House has floated Budapest as a possible meeting place for talks between Zelenskyy and Putin, the likely next step in a peace process. But few officials think anything will happen as fast as Trump insists it should. The main takeaway is [a peace deal is] is not moving very quickly, one of the European officials said. PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) An Arizona man was sentenced last week to 10 years in federal prison for trying to distribute more than two pounds of fentanyl. Terence Michael Carroll, 38, Tempe, Ariz., was sentenced Aug. 14 by U.S. District Judge Jonathan Hawley, who also imposed a five-year term of supervised release the federal version of probation. Carroll mailed a package from Tempe to an address in Peoria that had 1,757 tablets, or a total of 1,295 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. He was indicted in July 2024 and arrested not long after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He pleaded guilty in Peorias federal court in March and has been in custody of the U.S. marshals since. The 10-year term is the minimum for the amount of fentanyl that Carroll was linked to. Under federal law, he must serve at least 85% of his sentence. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, assisted by the postal services forensics lab and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. Fox News host Dana Perino hit back at California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Tuesday after the Democrat attacked her for criticizing his social media and messaging strategy, which in recent days has seemingly mocked the posting style of President Trump. And that was my point, Perino said during an episode of The Five, responding to the criticism. If youre doing this and its not authentic and youre trying to do somebody else who you say is Hitler and you think that we dont get the joke, oh no, we get the joke, its just not funny, she added in a clip first highlighted by Mediaite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The host was responding to a slew of remarks made by the governors office on the social platform X, pushing back on her and Fox after she said Monday that he was making a fool of himself with his posts in all-caps that attack Trump and his allies. FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICAS MOST FAVORITE GOVERNOR (RATINGS KING) SAVING AMERICA, Newsoms office posted earlier this week. The Democratic governor has increased his criticism of the president in recent months and rolled out a revamped media strategy, sparking speculation he could launch a White House bid for 2028. A new poll, published Wednesday, shows Newsom leading former Vice President Kamala Harris in a hypothetical presidential primary match-up in the Golden State. Perino is a leading host and political analyst at Fox and served as White House press secretary under former President George W. Bush. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A person of interest in a Lancaster triple homicide from the weekend has been found, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials said. Deputies have located 32-year-old Axel Abel Trevino, who officials said was a person of interest in the slayings of three people discovered in two separate vehicles on Sunday afternoon. Officials didn't specify when Trevino was found or his possible connection to the victims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sheriffs Department responded to a report of a shooting at 4:52 p.m. Sunday near 215th Street East and East Palmdale Boulevard, according to a news release. Deputies from the Lancaster sheriffs station who investigated the report came across three people with gunshot wounds in two separate vehicles, according to KABC-TV. They were identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner as Nazario Ramirez, 54; Beverly Cassese, 65; and Juan Arteaga Diaz, 44. After deputies discovered the mortally wounded woman at the site, they found two men with gunshot wounds inside an SUV with a trailer attached, a sheriffs official told KTLA. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement could be on a collision course with its Republican allies over pesticides and toxic chemicals. MAHA is strongly aligned with the Trump administration, having cheered its anti-vaccine actions and food safety reforms. In general, the movement has been deeply skeptical of Big Pharma, Big Agriculture and Big Chemical. And cracks are beginning to form. MAHA-aligned groups and influencers are particularly raising alarms about provisions in a House appropriations bill they say will shield pesticide and chemical manufacturers from accountability and ultimately make Americans less healthy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a draft of the administrations MAHA report reportedly omits any calls to prevent pesticide exposure, also disappointing advocates. Its obvious that there are tensions within this newfound coalition between MAHA and MAGA, and there are some big issues there, said Mary Holland, CEO of Childrens Health Defense, a group that was founded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., considered the MAHA flag-bearer. Conservatives have traditionally sided with big business, supporting fewer regulations on potentially toxic substances. Kennedy and his disciples, meanwhile, espouse stricter environmental protections, while also bucking mainstream science on vaccine safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disparities on chemicals and pesticides within their coalition put Republicans in the middle: Do they side with big business or health concerns? On many issues, business interests appear to be winning. The New York Times reported last week, based on a draft that it obtained, that a forthcoming iteration of the Trump administrations MAHA positions does not call for new restrictions on pesticides and describes existing procedures as robust. MAHA-aligned activists recoiled. The MAHA draft report stating that the EPAs [Environmental Protection Agency] pesticide review process is robust is the biggest joke in American history. And its not funny. Its deadly, Zen Honeycutt, founder of the activist group Moms Across America, wrote in a post on the social platform X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a Republican-authored House Appropriations bill seeks to block pesticide labels that go beyond what the EPA uses based on its current human health risk assessment. During a markup last month, Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), who chairs the Interior-Environment Appropriations subcommittee, said the measure says states cannot require a pesticide label that is different from the EPA label. The language ensures that we do not have a patchwork of state labeling requirements. It ensures that one state is not establishing the label for the rest of the states, Simpson said, adding that his comments were meant to be clarifying for all the MAHA moms that are out there that are concerned about this that have been calling. But critics say such a move could prevent the use of updated science on pesticide labels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This section, Section 453, would basically handcuff EPA, companies and states as well as advocates to research that could be outdated by over 15 years, said Geoff Horsfield, policy director at the Environmental Working Group. The language in here says that EPA should only update labels according to the human health risk assessment. EPA, by law, is required to do those human health risk assessments every 15 years, but they often dont complete those in time, Horsfield said. The way the law works currently is states have the power to do additional addendums, and thats where you see, say, a state requires an additional setback so that you cant spray within 250 feet of a school, or youre required to wear additional types of PPE [personal protective equipment], he continued. Those types of restrictions are usually included in a label addendum, and those types of changes and those types of tweaks would be essentially prohibited by this language. MAHA-aligned opponents have particularly expressed concerns over the implications that barring such labeling could have on the ability to sue pesticide companies over inadequate labels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having no access to courts is absolutely devastating and, in my view, unconstitutional, said Holland, the Children Health Defense chief. Im very distressed by this idea that this administration might, for 2026, establish liability protection. Democrats likewise pushed back on the provision. This rider would effectively gag our public health agencies, preventing them from updating labels or rules to reflect new evidence of cancer risks from pesticides, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said during the markup. This bill is a big middle finger to cancer patients. Also causing controversy is another provision related to forever chemicals, toxic substances linked to diseases including cancer and have become widespread in the environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The measure seeks to bar the EPA from enforcing a draft report that found that food from farms contaminated with these chemicals may pose cancer risks. Lexi Hamel, a spokesperson for Simpson, said in an email that the bill prohibits funding from implementing, administering, or enforcing the current draft risk assessment due to the major technical flaws in the assessment. But she said it does not block the EPA from continuing to work on identifying ways to clean up PFAS and keep communities safe and that an amendment changed the bill so that it no longer blocks the agency from finalizing its findings. In a follow-up statement shared through a spokesperson, Horsfield said the provision is still a problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The risk assessment will still have to be implemented and enforced, he said. The draft risk assessment will need teeth. Allowing EPA to finalize the draft risk assessment, but preventing them from implementing it is an exercise in futility. MAHA activists have slammed both provisions, saying in a letter to President Trump that GOP support for the measures is unconscionable. However, Tony Lyons, president of the MAHA Action PAC, said he does not blame Republicans for pesticides in the environment. I dont think that this is something that comes from the GOP side. I think that this is a case of the Democratic Party looking to blame Republicans for it, Lyons said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the pesticide issues have generated some sparks between MAHA and MAGA, the administration has taken a number of other actions to also reduce restrictions on the chemical industry more broadly. Trump himself exempted from environmental standards more than 100 polluters, including chemical manufacturers, oil refineries, coal plants and medical device sterilizers. The EPA, meanwhile, has put chemical industry alumni in leading roles and has said it wants to loosen restrictions on emissions of various cancer-linked chemicals. Asked about Trumps move to exempt polluters from Clean Air Act rules, Holland said theres clearly tensions within the GOP coalition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those factions, if you will more protective of corporate and more challenging to corporate are both striving to get the presidents ear, and I dont think theyve come to a complete, sort of settlement agreement, she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (123rf) Guam might look like a dating paradise with our tropical beaches, sunset drives, and just enough bars to pretend you have options. But anyone whos actually dated on the island knows its not all sunsets and romance. Its complicated, funny, frustrating, and at times deeply rewarding...if you can navigate the world of Guam-style dating without just giving up altogether. At The Guam Guide, we asked locals to share the real deal about the Guam dating scene. We wanted to know whats great, whats no-so-great, and what newcomers should know before diving in headfirst (or heart first). Heres what they had to say. Its a small island, so...yeah. Lets just get this out of the way: everyone knows everyone. Guam is 30 miles long, but the dating pool can feel like a hot tub on a long weekend. Its very limited here since everyone knows each other or theyre not here long. Youre never more than two swipes away from matching with your coworkers nephew, your former classmates ex, or someone who once dated your pars cousin. The degrees of separation are like degrees of overlapping fundraiser invites. And yes, theres a real possibility of being related but lets also clarify: Theres a misconception that everyone is related, but thats not true. Still, weve heard a few stories from people who found out a little too late that their date was, in fact, a distant cousin. Leeechaaaay! Its also why locals live by a specific rule: Dont date anyone you see at a rosary because theres a high chance youre related. (Its funny because its true.) On an island community this small, heres another tip ghosting is not a smart move. Several people mentioned that ghosting someone can lead to real-life awkwardness. One minute youre ignoring their DMs, the next youre lining up behind them at Pay-Less. With their auntie. And your auntie. The key takeaway? Handle things with respect because the island will find out. And it may be in the worst way, like on the Guam Reddit threads. Dont be that guy or girl. Family first, always. In many cultures, meeting someones family is a major milestone. In Guam, it might happen... next weekend. Family is deeply embedded in local life, and when you date someone here, youre dating their entire support system. If youre dating a local, youre dating their family too. And because Guam is such a family-oriented culture, its almost a given youll meet their family or friends much sooner than expected. Dont be too surprised if youre invited to a BBQ after one date, or expected to bring a something to the potluck. Its not pressure, its part of the flow. People build relationships with their families in mind, and navigating that gracefully shows respect. And for newcomers, this might also mean learning some cultural etiquette fast: take your shoes off at the door, greet the elders, ask about the food, and always say thank you. No one expects perfection, but effort counts. A lot. Dating apps are a carousel of familiar faces. Yes, Guam does use Tinder. And Hinge and Bumble too. But if youre a local, those apps can feel like an Instagram carousel of people who went to last weekends concert or fiesta on island. You end up seeing the same people on different apps or even people you know. So awkward! Another described it as a mixed bag. Some experiences were great, others were terrible, but most people agreed the pool is limited, especially if youre only swiping for locals. Its tough matching with locals, and most of my matches I had were with military, temporary residents, or visitors. And if you do find someone new, theres a good chance one of your friends will say, Oh, I think I know them... Some said they go on apps when bored, while others use them out of curiosity. One person compared it to ordering from a menu. Using dating apps felt almost like trying something new off a menu at a restaurant. At the end of it, I didnt really like any of the options. I decided to go organic and meet my potential partner in real life. Theres also the weird-but-common moment of seeing someone you already know with a history, pop up on your feed: Hey, isnt that my cousins ex? Yes. Yes, it is. For visitors or military members, the app can work well. Matches are often made between people who arent from Guam. But for locals seeking deeper connections, real-life meetups through friends, events, or community spaces or volunteer work, still offer the better odds. Whats it like when military meets a local? Theres plenty of crossover between military and local communities, and the experiences run the full range. There are whirlwind romances to long-term relationships that last beyond PCS orders. Ive known a friend who dated someone in the military...The relationships either ends up in marriage or them never talking to each other after their deployment is over. Which is kinda sad. And yes, fast proposals are real. Many mentioned that military men tend to move quickly in relationships, sometimes because theyre being transferred or deployed. Military men tend to propose quick because they get stationed elsewhere. Still, not all of these relationships are rushed or superficial. Many locals shared stories of military-local couples who dated, got married, relocated together, or stayed on Guam and built a life here. Some locals date military for the benefits. Not everyone person who dates military does it for the benefits some have genuine connections. But its important to acknowledge that some locals are wary of short-term flings. The best piece of advice is to be upfront about your intentions on both sides. Its crucial. Lets get real about stereotypes. Locals hear a lot of assumptions about dating on Guam. Some are annoying and some downright offensive. From the idea that locals date military only for benefits, to the belief that military personnel are just looking for hookups, its easy to fall into stereotype territory. One local recalled a woman approaching him and having a chat. Mid conversation, she asked are you in the military? and Im not so I said no and immediately the woman walked away. Others shared that people from off island often see locals as exotic, which to some can be flattering, but its also objectifying. At the same time, some locals are just skeptical of outsiders. Theres a mindset of dating someone not from here and seeing it long term as a ticket out of the island. The truth is, every relationship is different. But on a small island, people notice patterns and the best way to navigate them is to show up honestly, respectfully, and without assumptions. So where do people actually meet? While apps are hit or miss, most people still meet the old-fashioned way, through mutual friends, school, church, or social events. (The Guam Guide) In my experience, relationships that have grown through mutual friends work out much better than with a complete stranger. Community clubs, professional mixers like Guam Young Professionals, or outdoor groups (running clubs, boonie stompers, etc.) offer solid options for those looking to meet someone outside the usual bar scene. And yes, the bar scene still exists. But if youre looking for a serious relationship, just know certain spots have... reputations. (You know the ones.) Intentions matter more than ever. If theres one recurring theme from every single response, its this: be upfront. It was a good experience, but only because I communicated and was upfront about any intentions. The feelings developed naturally through conversation and friendship. Others stressed the importance of knowing yourself first. The more you know what kind of love you need, the kind of partner you want... the easier it will be to filter out the no-gos and situationships. In a place where everyone knows someone, honesty matters. If youre just here for a short time, dont act like youre ready for forever. If youre ready for something real, say that. And if things end, end them kindly... because you might see their cousin at the next birthday party. Final thoughts: keep it real and check the last name. Look, dating on Guam is layered. Its funny. Its frustrating. Its full of culture, crossover, and deep community ties. But its also about heart. People fall in love, build families, relocate together... or they break up and leave. And yep, sometimes they find out theyre related. (Hopefully early.) So what makes it work? Honesty. Respect. Patience. Humor. And as always, bring something to the BBQ. Want more local life advice? Check out: Want to know where to meet more people? Check out our Events page and start planning ahead! The Guam Guide (Illustration by The Guam Guide) theguamguide.com Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths security requirements are so extensive that it is placing a strain on the U.S. Armys Criminal Investigation Division, according to a report. The Washington Post reports that the CID, which is responsible for protecting top Pentagon officials as well as serving as the Armys law enforcment arm, has been forced to draft agents who would otherwise be investigating criminal offenses concerning members of the Armed Forces to help watch over Hegseths family and their properties in D.C., Minnesota and Tennessee. Ive never seen this many security teams for one guy, one official told the newspaper. Nobody has. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his wife Jennifer attend a Fourth of July celebration at the White House (AP) The CID reportedly maintains around 1,500 agents in total, around 150 of whom are typically assigned to VIP security details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But since Hegseth took office in January, the number shifted over into personal protection roles has risen to between 400 and 500, according to two differing estimates the paper received. One CID official quoted by the Post expressed their frustration with the situation by saying agents were being prevented from doing what we are supposed to be doing in order to sit on luggage or sit in the cars on the driveway. Others complained of having to shepherd the secretarys children to school or patrol the perimeter of his properties. It is literally taking away from [CIDs] law enforcement mission, they said. You are taking hundreds of people out of the field to provide this level of protection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the reasons for the heightened security surrounding the secretary is the fact that he received a bomb threat at his Tennessee home late last year shortly after he was nominated to his post by President Donald Trump, which came a matter of months after two attempts were made on Trumps own life during the campaign, the first of which saw the Secret Service heavily criticized. Another is the complexity of Hegseths blended family, which includes one child from his marriage to Jennifer Hegseth as well as three from her previous marriage and another three from his. The Hegseths sit outside a branch of Ben and Jerry's in Washington, D.C., on Thursday August 14 as their security detail watches over them (Getty) Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell reacted angrily to the Posts reporting and told The Independent: In the wake of two assassinations attempts against President Trump, ICE agents facing a 1,000 percent increase in assaults, and repeated threats of retaliation from Iran for striking their nuclear capabilities, its astonishing that The Washington Post is criticizing a high-ranking cabinet official for receiving appropriate security protection, especially after doxxing the DHS Secretary last week. Any action pertaining to the security of Secretary Hegseth and his family has been in response to the threat environment and at the full recommendation the Army Criminal Investigation Division. When left-wing blogs like The Washington Post continue to dox cabinet secretaries security protocols and movements, it puts lives at risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A senior CID official told The Independent: While the department prioritizes the safety and security of assigned high-risk personnel, CID operates within existing resource constraints and proactively adjusts its efforts to address emerging threats and maintains a robust security posture in both the investigative and protective realms. The secretary of defense never requested additional protection for his former spouses, the official added, refuting one of the claims made by the Post. Similarly, the secretary has never affected CIDs recommended security posture. Hegseths reign as the nations top defense official has been tumultuous so far, with U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvins departure on Monday only the latest in an ongoing shake-up that has seen the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of naval operations, the commandant of the Coast Guard, and the vice chief of staff of the Air Force all changed in recent months. The secretary has also struggled to replace his own chief of staff, spokesman and senior aides after they left and found himself caught up in the Signalgate scandal, which erupted in March when Trumps short-lived national security adviser Mike Waltz accidentally added Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg to a group chat in which top secret information about an upcoming bombing raid on Houthi rebels in Yemen was discussed. In addition, Hegseth, a former Fox News weekend host, has been caught up in a number of culture war issues, from the renaming of the U.S.S. Harvey Milk to questions arising from his decision to post a video on X in which a Christian nationalist pastor expressed his support for depriving women of the vote. MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) Vermont was recently on a list released by federal officials naming it a sanctuary jurisdiction. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced last week, as previously reported by The Hill, that she had sent letters to 32 states and municipalities on that list, telling them to comply by eliminating laws, policies, and practices that impede federal immigration enforcement. On Tuesday, Vermont Governor Phil Scott replied to Bondis letter, writing that Vermont is already in compliance. I believe this designation of Vermont as a so-called sanctuary jurisdiction has been made in error, wrote Scott. Vermont does not have any law or policy that impedes the enforcement of federal immigration law. Vermont Attorney General issues immigration enforcement guidance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the letter, Scott specifically cited 20 V.S.A. 2366. That section of the Vermont Statutes, which is under the Internal Security and Public Safety heading, says that any state or local policy or practice that conflicts with the right of government agencies to receive information about immigration status cannot be enforced. Phil Scotts office acknowledged that some municipalities in the state claim to be sanctuary cities, but said that Vermont is not a sanctuary state as defined by the U.S. Attorneys 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 ABC22 & FOX44. Law enforcement stage in a neighborhood on June 15, 2025 in Green Isle, Minnesota. Law enforcement agencies are searching for a suspect in the killing of DFL State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who were shot at their home yesterday. DFL State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and hospitalized in a separate incident. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said during a press conference that the shooting "appears to be a politically motivated assassination." (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) After a string of high-profile incidents of political violence, along with an uptick in threats and harassment of elected leaders around the country, a group of Pennsylvania lawmakers announced they plan to introduce a series of bills intended to help keep legislators safe, and ensure seats are filled immediately in the event one is killed. The proposed measures follow a series of high profile attacks on government officials, including the firebombing of the Governors Mansion in Harrisburg in April, and shootings that targeted two Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota in June. Melissa Hortman, who was the former speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Listen to Ian and Emilys audio recap here: https://penncapital-star.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/20epikLEGSAFEweb.mp3 These incidents only underscore the fact that political violence is on the rise, including here in Pennsylvania, Rep. Greg Scott (D-Montgomery), said in a statement Tuesday. Political violence has no place in our democracy, and it is paramount that state legislators are safe while serving the people of Pennsylvania. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE While two of the four measures address the immediate safety of lawmakers, others limit their exposure to the public and would ensure representation in the event a Pennsylvania legislator dies while in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates, however, have raised concerns about some of the proposals, but agreed, given the state of political rhetoric in the country, lawmakers are right to have concerns for their safety. One proposal would exempt their home addresses from disclosure under Pennsylvanias Right-To-Know laws. A similar rule already exists for state judges. Our safety as legislators is threatened, and we must not let fear be a deterrent to our work, co-prime-sponsor Rep. Roni Green (D-Philadelphia) said in a statement. Philip Hensley-Robin, executive director of Common Cause PA, a government watchdog group, said he understood the concerns lawmakers might have with their addresses being public record, but worried about their constituents ability to ensure that theyre meeting residency requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holding public office is a public trust, and there are some attendant transparency that comes along with that, Hensley-Robin said. Theres an existing state constitutional requirement that legislators are able to establish residency in their districts, and maintain it. For that requirement to be at all enforceable, someone has to be able to confirm residency. Law enforcement officers stand outside the governors residence on April13, 2025, after a fire led to the evacuation of Gov. Shapiro and his family. It is being investigated as arson. (Ian Karbal/Pennsylvania Capital-Star) Hensley-Robin acknowledged, however, without seeing the bills language, which has not been released yet, its difficult to know whether it satisfies that requirement. Another measure would place the Capitol Police, who guard the state Capitol building, under a new police board. Currently, they serve under the governor. According to a press release from Nicole Baxter, a House Democratic Caucus spokesperson, the measure, mirrors how the U.S. Capitol police force operates and would enable the legislature to evaluate whether security arrangements are sufficient in this politically volatile environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A third measure doesnt directly deal with a lawmakers safety, but would allow an incumbent to bypass the signature-gathering requirements to appear on a ballot. Instead, they would be able to file whats called a certificate of nomination, creating a process similar to one allied for magisterial district judges. Andrew McGinley, the vice president of external affairs at the Committee of Seventy, a nonprofit focused on ethics, democracy and transparency in Pennsylvania government, criticized the proposal. He said the signature-gathering process is almost like a proof of concept for a campaign that demonstrates that someone has support from a community. Elected officials need to interact with voters and I dont think getting rid of that step would increase security, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Moreover, he worried that only allowing incumbents to bypass signature requirements would give them an inherent advantage in the election. In a call with the Capital-Star, Scott defended his proposal. He said he didnt believe that an incumbent skipping the signature-gathering process would have an advantage. The truth is, its gonna cost you more money and more time and energy, Scott said of campaigns that skip the step. Because those votes you would get the people who go out and sign your petition are likely going to vote for you anyway. You still have to work for that, so its not like its a clear advantage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also said, while the bills language is being finalized, he is considering including a provision that would bar a candidate who skips the petition process from challenging the petitions of other candidates. A fourth bill would propose a constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to name three successors each in the event of their deaths, one of whom could be chosen by the House speaker to serve temporarily until a special election is held. As it stands, a lawmakers seat is held vacant after they die until a a special election is held and the winner is sworn-in. Thats what happened after Pittsburgh-area Democratic Rep. Matt Gergely died in January, leaving his seat vacant and control of the chamber effectively tied until a special election was held in March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In order for the Pennsylvania Constitution to be amended, lawmakers in both chambers must pass identical measures by majority vote in two consecutive sessions. Then, the amendment would have to be voted on by Pennsylvanians during an election. McGinley was also critical of this proposal, saying that allowing lawmakers to choose their own replacements was undemocratic. It reminds me of a monarchy sort of proposal, he said. Scott, however, said that, in a state where partisan control of the House is separated by a single vote, allowing somebody from the same party to serve in the event of a legislators death would help ensure the will of the voters is enacted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He pointed to Minnesota, where, following the assassination of Hortman, the Democratic lawmaker, Republicans took control of what was previously an evenly split chamber. Lets remove any type of incentive for an assassin to take one of us out, by saying, This wont shut down the chamber, Scott said. We want to make sure government continues to operate and that those constituents still have a voice. He said hes also considering a provision that would bar the temporary replacement from running in the special election. Hensley-Robin, from Common Cause PA, noted that similar systems are in place in other countries. In elections for Frances National Assembly, for example, candidates potential replacements are on the ballot with them, in the case they become unable to serve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that would be an interesting way to approach this, Hensley-Robin said. It would be strengthened by having the names of their replacements right there on the primary and general election ballots for people to know who theyre voting for. Scott and co-prime-sponsors, Reps. Green and Heather Boyd, (D-Delaware), have yet to introduce the legislation, with drafting ongoing. Theyre currently seeking co-sponsors. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." This summer, Republican lawmakers passed legislation to eliminate all federal funding for public broadcasting for the next two years, roughly $1.1 billion. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the conduit for federal funds to NPR, PBS, and scores of other local radio and TV stations, announced earlier this month it is shutting down. In response, major philanthropic organizations announced this week they are committing nearly $37 million in emergency funding and launching the Public Media Bridge Fund (PMBF), operated by Public Media Company to provide grants, low-interest loans, and advisory services to at-risk local public media organizations. The Knight Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Schmidt Family Foundation, and the Melinda Gates-led group Pivotal Ventures are all involved, per the Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a press release, Public Media Company said, We know that the PMBF cannot compensate for the devastating loss of CPB funding. This is a terrible time for those whove committed their lives to public media and to the communities that rely upon our work. We also understand this is a time of great uncertainty and concern for many local public media organizations, and we are moving quickly to both capitalize and operationalize the fund. We expect to finalize our grant process, including eligibility and criteria, in late September, and we will make sure that local leaders are aware of opportunities as quickly as we can. Tim Isgitt, the head of Public Media Company, said around $100 million would be needed to avoid widespread closures. The fund isnt focused on NPR and PBS, which are better funded despite the federal cuts, but other local public radio and TV stations that have historically received more than 30 percent of their support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, per the New York Times. We believe its crucial to have a concerted, coordinated effort to make sure that the stations that most critically need these funds right now have a pathway to get them, Maribel Perez Wadsworth, the president and chief executive of the Knight Foundation, told the Times. You Might Also Like Online supporters of the Yoruba Nation, a separatist movement in Nigeria, have repeatedly used misinformation to promote their cause. Recent social media posts claim a photo shows a diplomatic passport issued by the Yoruba Nation that allows its holders to travel internationally. However, the passport does not exist; the image is an altered screenshot from a video of a woman holding a Nigerian passport. As the whole world is banning and rejecting Nigeria Passport & Visa at hand. Yoruba Nation Diplomatic Passport is Recognized, Authenticated, and gives you immunity for free passage in West Africa, Europe Countries, and North America (sic), reads the caption of an X post published on July 12, 2025. Yoruba Nation is a separatist movement pressing for an independent Yoruba state in southwest Nigeria (archived here). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The movement gained popularity in early 2021 after Yoruba separatist and activist Sunday Igboho travelled to different communities in the southwest where he publicly demanded that Fulani herders leave the region (archived here). In October 2021, he fled the country after Nigerian security officials fought an hour-long gun battle during a raid on his home. He was arrested in neighbouring Benin soon after, but he was freed in January 2024 (archived here). Screenshot of the altered post, taken August 8, 2025 Attached to the X post is an image of a person with orange nail polish holding the purported Yoruba Nation diplomatic passport. The post was shared by an account called KoikiMedia, which has more than 48,000 followers. The accounts bio says its job is to help your business tell the story you want to tell, but a review of its feed shows mainly content in support of the Yoruba Nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The claim has been shared elsewhere on Facebook, including here and here. However, the posts are false. Altered image Using Google Lens to conduct a reverse image search, AFP Fact Check traced the picture to a Facebook video published on June 24, 2025 (archived here). In the opening two seconds of the clip, the same hand is seen holding the passport. However, the inscription on the document is different, revealing it is a Nigerian passport with the words Economic Community of West African States on the top and Republic of Nigeria at the bottom. A closer look at the image of the purported Yoruba Nation diplomatic passport shows it has been altered, with visible signs of digital editing. Comparison screenshots of the Facebook video (left) and the altered image on X, taken on August 8, 2025 As for the posts claim that the Nigerian passport is rejected globally, this is misleading. According to the 2025 Henley Passport Index published in July, Nigerias passport climbed to its highest global position in 11 years. It is now ranked 88th out of 199 countries, giving holders visafree or visaonarrival access to 45 countries (archived here). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The index does not include a Yoruba Nation passport, as no such document legally exists. Push for recognition Like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group, which wants independence in the southeast region of Nigeria, Yoruba Nation supporters have used misinformation (here and here) to push their separatist agenda in the southwest (archived here and here). Local media have reported that Igboho, the Yoruba activist, employed Olayemi Koiki, a UK-based blogger who runs the Facebook page Koiki Media, as his spokesman (archived here). In a Facebook post published on July 12, 2025, Koiki Media claimed the UNPO had recognised the diplomatic passport of the Yoruba Nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UNPO acronym may sound to some like it denotes a UN agency (like UNOCHA, UNESCO, or UNHCR), but it is an acronym for the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation. On its website, UNPO describes itself as an international membership-based organization established to empower the voices of unrepresented and marginalised peoples worldwide and to protect their fundamental human rights (archived here). The UNPO website states that the Yoruba people should be allowed to exercise their right to self-determination, as they have a valid right to do so. The Yoruba Nation passport design seen in the false posts has also appeared elsewhere on Facebook, like here and here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is also a website for the Yoruba Nation Passport Office, which contains little more than a search bar and two phone numbers in Benin and the UK (archived here). According to Who.is, a publicly available tool for checking website registration data, the domain was registered on June 28, 2025, by Adedayo Falade. A search indicates Falade is a Yoruba Nation supporter based in the UK (archived here and here). LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) Drumming, dancing, and bright lights. Pakistans centuries-old tradition of honoring Sufi saints comes alive during annual festivals known as Urs. In the eastern city of Lahore, as many as one million people pour into a shrine complex that is the final resting place of Hazrat Ali Hajveri, known as Data Ganj Bakhsh or simply Data Sahib, for a three-day celebration of his life. Processions arrive in Lahore from across Pakistan, with devotees reciting Quranic verses and offering ceremonial cloths at Ali Hajveris grave. Some perform a dhamaal a ritual dance accompanied by drumming. They spin around until they enter a trance-like state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ali Hajveri, a mystic and scholar, was born in Ghazni, Afghanistan, in 990. He traveled through Iran, Iraq, and Syria to meet the leading Sufi masters of his era and stayed in Lahore until he died in 1077. He is the citys patron saint. The shrine, Data Darbar, is already a landmark and one of the busiest Sufi pilgrimage sites in South Asia. But it transforms into a hub of faith, fraternity, and culture during Urs. A langar, or community kitchen, dishes out free meals around the clock to worshippers. Devotional singing, or qawwali, adds to the festive feel. We have been coming here since my childhood, almost 40 years, said Hussain Jilani, 57. We feel spiritually fulfilled whenever we come. Data Sahib is a source of blessings. Whatever task we have gets resolved with his grace. Saleem Tayyab, 63, is also a regular. Our pockets have never been empty, and our hearts never without peace, he said. Whoever comes here takes blessings with him. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. WASHINGTON, D.C. (WBOY) Members of the West Virginia National Guard arrived in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday on orders from Gov. Patrick Morrisey to support President Donald Trumps Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force. Members of the West Virginia National Guard arrived on Aug. 19 alongside members of South Carolina National Guard, according to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Photos shared by the DVIDS show soldiers at an orientation brief upon their arrival in Washington. Servicemembers from the West Virginia and South Carolina National Guards receive an orientation brief after arriving in Washington, D.C., Aug. 19, 2025. The West Virginia and South Carolina Guards are in the District of Columbia to support Joint Task Force-D.C. to support the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. (U.S. Army photo by CPL Joseph Martin) Servicemembers from the West Virginia and South Carolina National Guards receive an orientation brief upon their arrival at the Washington, D.C. Armory, Aug. 19, 2025. The West Virginia and South Carolina Guard is in Washington to support the Joint Task Force-District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful mission. (U.S. Army photo by CPL Joseph Martin) Soldiers and Airmen from the West Virginia and South Carolina National Guards receive an orientation brief after their arrival at the Washington, D.C. Armory, Aug. 19, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by CPL Joseph Martin) Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Smith, senior enlisted advisor for the District of Columbia National Guard, addresses newly arrived Soldiers and Airmen from the West Virginia and South Carolina National Guards at the D.C. Armory, Aug. 19, 2025. The West Virginia and South Carolina Guards are providing support to the Joint Task Force-D.C. as part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. (U.S. Army photo by CPL Joseph Martin) U.S. Army Col. Larry Doane, commander of Joint Task Force-District of Columbia, briefs newly arrived servicemembers from the West Virginia and South Carolina National Guards at the D.C. Armory, Washington, D.C., Aug. 19, 2025. The West Virginia and South Carolina Guard are supporting the task forces D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission at the request of President Donald J. Trump. (U.S. Army photo by CPL Joseph Martin) U.S. Army Col. Larry Doane, commander of Joint Task Force-D.C., briefs servicemembers from the West Virginia and South Carolina National Guards after their arrival at the Washington, D.C. Armory, Aug. 19, 2025. The West Virginia and South Carolina National Guards are in Washington to provide support to the task forces D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission at the request of President Donald J. Trump. (U.S. Army photo by CPL Joseph Martin) According to the WVNG, approximately 300-400 personnel from West Virginia were expected to respond to assist with the task force. A press release from the WVNG from over the weekend said that in addition to those soldiers and airmen, the WVNG will also be providing mission-essential equipment and specialized training. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West Virginia lost 4,400 jobs last year, and these industries were hit the hardest This initiative aligns with our values of service and dedication to our communities, West Virginia Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jim Seward said in the press release. We stand ready to support our partners in the National Capital Region and contribute to the collective effort of making our nations capital a clean and safe environment. The National Guards unique capabilities and preparedness make it an invaluable partner in this important undertaking. Over the weekend, roughly 800 D.C. National Guard troops had already deployed in the capital, a move that some people are calling a vindictive attempted takeover of Washington law enforcement and a recipe for chaos. Supporters believe it is an attempt to deter crime and make D.C. a better place to live. With the new troops arriving from West Virginia, Ohio, Mississippi and South Carolina on Tuesday, more than 1,600 troops are now on the ground. Originally, the guardsmen and women were not ordered to carry weapons, but reports from The Hill Tuesday indicated that is expected to change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. The Iowa Utilities Commission listened to public comments at its monthly public meeting Wednesday from landowners opposed to a carbon sequestration pipeline. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa Utilities Commission on Wednesday held its first monthly public commission meeting since August 2023, and heard public comment from landowners opposed to the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. IUC decided to resume regular public meetings shortly after Gov. Kim Reynolds vetoed a bill that would have restricted the use of eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines. In her veto, Reynolds also called for greater transparency in the commission through increased attendance at hearings and informational meetings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission has held meetings and public hearings scheduled for specific docket items, many of which move into closed session. Commission Chair Sarah Martz said at the top of Wednesdays meeting that input from the public, governor and stakeholders showed there was a need to bring the public meetings back. Part of this is the desire of the commission to be more transparent and have a more open decision-making process, Martz said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Martz said the commission additionally has plans to hold more of its deliberations and other meetings in a public format. She said more details will be released in the coming weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the majority of public comment focused on the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, for which the IUC granted a conditional permit in 2024, the pipeline was only on the agenda for an update to a lawsuit. More than 100 landowners sued the commission over its decision to grant Summit a permit. According to a staff attorney for IUC, final briefs for all parties in the case are due later this week and oral arguments for the case will likely be set for sometime in the fall. Landowners in attendance, donned in their signature red shirts, thanked the commission for allowing them the public space to voice their concerns. Commissioners, per the meeting rules, did not respond to public comments. Landowners brought up continued worries about devalued land, water use, safety and daily disruption from the pipeline project and asked the commissioners to dismiss the projects phase two permit application and to review the permit issued for phase one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colleen Tucker, a landowner from Mitchell County, said the repeated and loud outcry from Iowans shows an overwhelming mandate that they do not want the project. I wonder how you can defend and justify the fact that Summit is given a permit to desecrate our land, Tucker said. We are ordinary citizens, and we are here because we love our land, our state and our country. Jess Mazour, the conservation program coordinator with the Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club and an organizer with the landowners, reminded commissioners of the immense power they had to impact other peoples lives and their legacies. Mazour held up print outs of the Exhibit H documents that show the status of easements secured along Summits phase two route. This route would connect to additional ethanol plants along the pipeline and represent an increase of more than 300 miles of pipeline. A spokesperson for the Iowa Utilities Commission said Exhibit H files are required documents from the IUC that show where a company does not have a voluntary easement and is requesting eminent domain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mazour noted in many counties, per these exhibits, voluntary easements had not been secured along the route, which she said shows a failing project. The IUC spokesperson noted it is very common for a company to file Exhibit H documents and later submit withdrawals of the exhibits as it obtains more voluntary easements through negotiation. The filing of Exhibit H in no way confers a right to use eminent domain, the spokesperson said in an email. Landowners also suggested the IUC revoke or reevaluate the permit for phase one of the project because Summit has been unable to secure a permit through South Dakota. Per the IUC, in order to begin construction on the project, Summit had to secure permits in North Dakota and South Dakota. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Permits have been approved in North Dakota, but are tied up in litigation. South Dakota regulators have denied permit applications from the company twice, and enacted a bill this spring that restricts CO2 pipelines from using eminent domain. The company has received a permit to cross through Minnesota. One landowner said the setbacks in the Dakotas mean the project is a pipeline to nowhere. We all have these Iowa values that we were brought up with, working hard, integrity, taking care of others, Mazour said to commissioners. Remember that the decision that you three have is going to shape the lives of 1000s of Iowans, and it can be for the better, or it can be for the worse. Summit Carbon Solutions did not respond to a request for comment. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Palestine Independent School District Board of Trustees is calling for a bond election this November. According to a press release from PISD, the board made this decision, by vote, following the recommendation from district administrators who have studied and reviewed assessments of the districts campuses and facilities. The proposed bond is for the construction of a new career and technology education center, renovations to aging facilities, to address parking and traffic flow in and around campuses as well as safety and security upgrades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has been 16 years since the last bond election in Palestine ISD. The 2025 Bond helps address our buildings and spaces that are on average 45 years old, Superintendent Jason Marshall stated in the release. According to the release, Texas school districts do not receive state funding for renovating or building new schools. Instead, they must receive funds through school bond elections. The 2025 November Bond will ask voters to consider a $60 million package in one proposition. We are obligated as good stewards to keep our voters informed about only the facts surrounding this bond, Marshall stated in the release. These bond funds will only be used on the projects identified in this bond package and on the ballot. We will be reaching out by phone, mail, digital and social media to inform all our voters about the facts before they go to the polls in October and November. The release stated the estimated financial impact of the bond would be $5 a month on a home valued at $200,000 in PISD with a homestead exemption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If paid for by bond funds, district-wide repairs would help make school buildings more energy efficient and lower operating costs allowing the district to allocate its annual maintenance and operations funds back into the classroom for other items like teacher salaries and student programs, officials with the school stated in the press release. More information about the bond projects and voting locations is available on the district website at https://www.palestineschools.org/bond. Early voting begins Oct. 20 and ends Oct. 31, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. To register to vote or to find out your registration status, call the Anderson County Elections Department at 903-723-7438 or visit the county website at https://www.co.anderson.tx.us/page/anderson.Elections. Pizza Hut Just Dropped an 'Unprecedented' International Menu 'Game-Changer' originally appeared on Parade. Pizza Hut is making history with its latest menu update. The international pizza chain has grabbed headline after headline recently, offering super cheesy centerpieces to superfans this wedding season and delievering its "bold" and ultra-exclusive limited-edition "caviar bump box" before that. Now, it's looking to outdo itselfnot only for the year, but since its inception some 67 years ago, announcing its "largest simultaneous global launch in Pizza Hut history" on Wednesday. Related: Pizza Hut Fans are Losing It Over Return of 'Amazing' Fan-Favorite Menu Item: 'I Would Do Unspeakable Things For This' Heading to Pizza Hut menus across the globe in 20 countries, from Egypt to Taiwan to the United Kingdom, are its new Crafted Flatzz. The line is said to have been "designed to bring bold flavors and big energy" to consumers' personal pizza experience and in several flavors, with the offerings varying from market to market. Pizza Hut announces new Crafted Flatzz, the 'largest simultaneous global launch' in the brand's history. Here, in the U.S., Pizza Hut's take on the personal flatbread-style pizza will launch in five recipes: Nashville Hot Chicken, Chicken Bacon Ranch, The Ultimate, Three Cheese and Pepperoni Duo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nashville Hot Chicken Spicy, crispy and drizzled in pickle ranch, this recipe brings the heat with fiery Nashville Hot seasoning, fresh onions, melty mozzarella and a punchy pickle-flavored ranch sauce. Chicken Bacon Ranch Because some combos just get it right. This one layers crispy chicken, smoky applewood bacon, ultimate ranch sauce and mozzarella with parmesan oregano seasoning. The Ultimate Pepperoni, Italian sausage, caramelized onions, roasted peppers and tomatoes on sweet marinara and mozzarella. Three Cheese A gooey, grown-up take on a classic with sweet marinara, mozzarella, parmesan, Romano and oregano. Pepperoni Duo Classic and cup n crisp pepperoni come together over mozzarella and sweet marinara, topped with a savory cheese blend seasoning. Pizza Hut's new Crafted Flatzz recipes offered in the U.S. (L-R): Chicken Bacon Ranch, The Ultimate, Nashville Hot Chicken, Three Cheese and Pepperoni Duo. It's international offers include a Pesto Veggie with Balsamic Drizzle in the United Kingdom, Korean BBQ in Taiwan and Tandoori Chicken in India. Crafted Flatzz represent an unprecedented moment for Pizza Hut as we bring our largest simultaneous global menu innovation to pizza fans around the world, Pizza Hut CEO Aaron Powell shared in an Aug. 20 statement. No matter where you live, everyone deserves big flavor at a great price and sometimes, a moment to enjoy it all to yourself. As a pizza icon and innovator, were proud to launch Crafted Flatzz globally as an unapologetic celebration of me time as well as good times. The new Crafted Flatzz line is available globally, beginning today, but only for a limited time. And in the U.S., Crafted Flatzz are available all day with discounted $5 pricing offered until 5 p.m. local time (toppings cost extra). Prices may vary after 5 p.m. Related: Fan-Favorite Olive Garden Menu Finally ReturnsBut Only For a Limited Time Pizza Hut Just Dropped an 'Unprecedented' International Menu 'Game-Changer' first appeared on Parade on Aug 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared. A flight bound for Germany made an emergency landing in Italy after airline officials reported a pilot was forced to cut the engine. Condor Airlines flight DE3665 from Corfu, Greece bound for Dusseldorf departed Ioannis Kapodistrias International Airport at 8:19 p.m. local time on Saturday, Aug. 16, according to information from Flight Aware, which tracks flight paths. Video provided by Reuters shows a series of sparks coming from the Boeing 757 after taking off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to local media outlets, including German paper Die Welt and The Daily Mail, passengers saw flames shooting from one of the plane's engines midair. The plane landed in Italy's coastal city of Brindisi at 8:30 p.m. local time, data from FlightAware shows. No injuries were reported. 84235608007 See sparks coming plane engine shortly after takeoff Where to see northern lights tonight: These states could catch a glimpse. Condor flight from Greece experiences engine 'disturbance' According to a statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday, Aug. 19, the flight crew received a message indicating "a parameter indication outside the normal range caused by a disturbance in the air flow supply to the engine." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What happened was a reaction near the engine that normally takes place in the engine's combustion chamber leading to a visible reaction at the rear of the engine," Condor Airlines said. Video shows sparks coming from a Boeing 757 right take off in Greece The engine was shut down "in a controlled manner" before landing in Italy, the airline said, and another aircraft completed the route to Dusseldorf on Sunday, Aug. 17. "Due to the fault message, it was precautionarily decided to divert to Brindisi. This posed no danger to the guests or crew members at any time," Condor Airlines said. "We apologize for any inconvenience caused, but the safety of our passengers and employees is always our top priority." Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flight makes emergency landing in Italy after pilot cuts engine Plans to convert a former city centre cinema and bingo hall into a church have been approved. Hull City Council gave the go ahead for the Calvary International Christian Centre (CICC) church on the corner of Ferensway and Anlaby Road. Originally a Cecil Cinema, the building has remained empty since Mecca Bingo moved out more than two years ago. CICC currently holds services at the Reel Cinema in St. Stephen's shopping centre. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the limited plans submitted show the church would have a main auditorium on the ground floor. CICC has operations in various cities across the world including Manchester, Johannesburg, and Leeds. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices More on this story Related internet links Amid discussions about a potential foreign military mission in Ukraine, Warsaws position remains unchanged Polish soldiers will not be deployed to Ukraine. Source: Polish radio station RMF FM citing Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Minister of National Defence of Poland, as reported by European Pravda Details: During a press conference on Wednesday, Kosiniak-Kamysz was asked, among other things, how to avoid a repeat of the situation when Polish representatives did not take part in negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine, as well as about statements from the Law and Justice party that Poland would not send soldiers to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will not send Polish soldiers to Ukraine. This has been the governments position not just for a week, but for many months," Kosiniak-Kamysz said. He noted that this position is shared not only by the government coalition but also by the Polish people. The minister added that Polands refusal to send its troops to Ukraine does not mean it is not part of the Coalition of the Willing. "We also have other tasks, and right now it is about relations with our allies, who fully understand Polands position," he said. Among Polands tasks, he listed the defence of NATOs eastern flank, the Polish-Belarusian border where "5,000-6,000 soldiers are constantly deployed" and providing infrastructure and logistics for a "potential peacekeeping mission". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In this process, tens, hundreds, or thousands of Polish soldiers will be involved on Polish territory to ensure the security of allied forces stationed in Poland, or possibly to ensure the security of allied forces that could be deployed in Ukraine." Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasised that he had repeatedly spoken with the defence ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the UK about Polands role as the country providing support for a possible allied mission in Ukraine. He said the commanders of French and British forces, "who have taken on the organisation of the philosophy of the Coalition of the Willing, clearly understand Polands role". Background: Earlier, UK Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that his country remains ready to consider the possibility of deploying troops to Ukraine if a peace agreement with Russia is reached. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! From a fake image of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin dancing in the snow with a polar bear to a fabricated photo of European leaders waiting somberly outside the Oval Office, AI-enabled disinformation has clouded the diplomatic push to end the war in Ukraine. The online fakery -- dubbed widely as AI slop -- underscores how easily artificial intelligence tools can flood the internet with false and satirical content around major global events. These creations also highlight the challenge of policing bogus content as tech platforms offer creators monetization incentives for viral posts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In hundreds of online posts mocking European leaders as powerless mediators snubbed by Trump, one such image purported to show French President Emmanuel Macron and other top officials waiting somberly in a White House corridor with their heads bowed. "This is utter humiliation of these corrupt scumbags. Absolutely beautiful," said one post on X from a conservative political commentator that AFP has previously fact-checked for spreading misinformation about Ukraine. Such posts -- in multiple languages including Greek, German and French -- gained traction as European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House Monday for talks with Trump following the US president's summit with Putin in Alaska. - Red carpet brawl - Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AFP fact-checkers identified visual inconsistencies that indicate the image including Macron was AI-generated. Some of the individuals depicted in the image also do not match those seen in official photographs from the high-stakes meeting. Macron and other European leaders represented a group of Ukraine's allies known as the "Coalition of the Willing" for White House consultations. But multiple pro-Kremlin sources sharing the AI-generated image ridiculed them as the "coalition of those in waiting." The image was also amplified by sites operated by the Pravda network, a well-resourced Moscow-based operation known to circulate pro-Russian narratives globally, the disinformation watchdog NewsGuard said in a report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The falsehood was an illustration of how "pro-Kremlin sources often seize on high-profile meetings involving European leaders to spread false claims," NewsGuard said. In other viral posts, an AI-generated clip purported to show Trump and Putin skidding down snow-covered slopes, eating ice-cream beside a snowman, and waltzing with a polar bear to country music. And in another AI video, Trump and Putin were depicted brawling on a red carpet leading from an airplane staircase, trading punches and kicks as secret service agents idle in the background. The tongue-in-cheek posts offer a window into a social media landscape increasingly filled with AI-generated memes, videos and images competing for attention with -- and sometimes drowning out -- authentic content. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As tech platforms scale back content moderation, AI videos spread rapidly, muddying the waters around serious diplomatic efforts to end the three-year war in Ukraine. Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending American troops to back up any Ukraine peace deal but suggested air support instead, as European nations began hashing out security guarantees ahead of a potential Russia summit. bur-ac/dw An eighth person has been charged in connection with the fight that happened July 26 near the intersection of Fourth and Elm streets in downtown Cincinnati. The 45-year-old man has been issued a notice to appear before the Hamilton County Municipal Court in connection with the incident, according to a release sent by Cincinnati police. Police said they are not releasing the man's name, citing Marsy's Law, as he "has also been identified as a victim in this incident." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Marsy's Law, crime victims can opt to have their names withheld from public release by filling out a form provided by police or prosecutors. The man has been charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. His court date is Aug. 26. Leaders in Cincinnati's Black community have called for police to arrest the White man who is seen slapping another man in one of the viral videos of the fight. Police have not said if the man charged Aug. 19 is that man, but they did say he is White. Cincinnati TV station WLWT reported that their reporters spoke with Alex Tchervinski, one of the victims in the July 26 incident, according to court documents. He confirmed to the station that he was now charged with a misdemeanor offense. When The Enquirer attempted to reach him, a woman answered the phone and declined to speak to a reporter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tchervinski has a prior conviction for assault from 2011 when police said he punched a cab driver in the nose and chin after the driver blew his horn at him, according to Hamilton County court documents. He also has a prior disorderly conduct conviction in Butler County. In 2005, police charged him with domestic violence saying he grabbed a woman by the neck. The charge was reduced to disorderly conduct. Seven other people have been charged so far On Aug. 8, six people were indicted in connection with the fight: Montianez Merriweather, 34. Jermaine Matthews, 39. Dekyra Vernon, 24. Dominique Kittle, 37. Patrick Rosemond, 38. Aisha Devaughn, 25. They were all indicted on two felony counts of aggravated riot, three counts of felonious assault and three counts of misdemeanor assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The seventh person arrested in connection to the fight was Gregory Wright, 32. In an Aug. 12 arraignment, he was charged with aggravated rioting and aggravated robbery, both felonies. The Enquirer will update this developing news report. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati fight: Man identified as victim now charged, police say The Richmond Police SAFE Team executed a search warrant at 1015 North C Street on Tuesday, uncovering a significant drug operation. Officers seized over 250 grams of suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, a firearm, drug paraphernalia, and stacks of cash and silver bars. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Kyle Weatherly stated, This is what happens when you bring drugs into Richmond. Your house becomes our crime scene, and your business gets shut down. The operation was led by Sergeant Tyler Hobbs and Detective Connor Bray, who were instrumental in executing the search warrant. Two individuals, Seneca Grier, 38, and Crystal Ray, 43, both from Richmond, were taken into custody. Grier faces charges of dealing methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, while Ray is charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. The Richmond Police Department praised the SAFE Teams efforts, highlighting their commitment, skill, and determination in making Richmond safer. The successful operation by the Richmond Police SAFE Team underscores their dedication to combating drug-related crime in the community. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] UPDATED (2:50 p.m.) A 15-year-old girl was not the intended target of a Wednesday afternoon drive-by shooting in South Peoria. Thats the word from Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria who spoke to reporters about an hour after shots rang out near Manual High School. The girl, who was near the intersection of Griswold and Proctor streets near where the schools track is was not the target of the shooting, the citys top cop said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting happened at about 1:40 p.m., about 10 minutes after the high school had ended its day. Peoria Public Schools releases high school students at 1:30 p.m. every Wednesday so teachers can have meetings and do planning. There was an alert from the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system that indicated eight rounds had been fired. The girl was grazed by a bullet, police have said and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Peoria Public Schools spokesperson Marjorie Kauth said parents should report to the flower shop on South Griswold St. and West Lincoln Ave. to pick up their students. We understand that such events are distressing for everyone in our school community. Please know that student safety remains our utmost priority, she said. We plan to resume our normal schedule tomorrow, and we are committed to maintaining a safe, supportive environment for all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will have counseling and support services available for anyone who may need them, Kauth added. Shooting near Manual High School Shooting near Manual High School Shooting near Manual High School As of 3:45 p.m., police had not identified any suspects publicly nor had they announced any arrests. This story will be updated. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Girl, 15, shot near Manual High School; suffers non life-threatening injuries PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) Police are investigating Wednesday afternoon after a 15-year-old girl was shot near Manual High School. Officers with the Peoria Police Department were on the scene of a shooting in the 800 block of South Griswold Street, according to a Facebook post by the police department. Thats the area right across the street from the high school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At around 2:15 p.m., an alert from the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system indicated eight rounds had been fired. That brought officers to the area and thats when they found the victim. The department says a girl was taken to an area hospital with non life-threatening injuries after being shot. The girl suffered a graze wound, according to police. The area has been secured, and police are investigating. A briefing is expected soon by the Police Chief We will continue to update as more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Memphis Police Department officers are investigating a call about an armed robbery incident at the Regions Bank on Union Avenue. Courtesy: WREG Courtesy: WREG Officers say they responded to an armed robbery call in the 1400 block of Union Avenue. According to police, they are looking for a male suspect wearing a blue face mask, black wig, blue pullover and whitewash blue jeans. See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South. Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. At this time, there is no new information; this is still an active investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WREG will keep you updated. If you know any anything that could help, call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Police investigating the death of French streamer Raphael Graven say they have interviewed a number of people who were present when he died and seized equipment and videos. Raphael Graven, also known as Jeanpormanove, was known for videos on the platform Kick in which he endured apparent violence and humiliation. He was found dead at a residence in a village north of the southern French city of Nice on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, French government minister Clara Chappaz described Mr Graven's death as an "absolute horror", adding he had been "humiliated" for months. She confirmed a judicial investigation was under way. Damien Martinelli, the local prosecutor, Nice who is in charge of the investigation, said in a statement that an autopsy would take place on Thursday. The prosecutor also said that "people present at the time of the death have been questioned by police, but at this stage these interviews did not provide any guidance as to the causes of the death". The statement continued: "Equipment and videos have been seized as part of the investigation in order to clarify the events that occurred prior to the death and which may have contributed to it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Graven was known for his extreme online challenges. The 46-year-old had been subject to bouts of violence and sleep deprivation during streams, and died in his sleep during a live broadcast, local media reported. Parallel to the investigation into Mr Graven's death is another ongoing probe by police in Nice which started 8 months ago into an alleged "deliberate violent act" against "vulnerable people" that have ended up as videos on the internet. That investigation, which began in December 2024, was prompted by a report by French outlet Mediapart into videos Mr Graven appeared in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of this investigation, Raphael Graven and another streamer, known as Coudoux - who appeared to be both victims of the violence and humiliation - were spoken to by the police earlier this year. They both "firmly denied being victims of violence, stating that these acts were part of a staging aimed at 'creating a buzz' to make money", the prosecutor said. "Both stated that they had never been injured, were completely free to move and make their own decisions, and refused to be examined by a doctor or a psychiatrist," the prosecutor added. A spokesperson for Kick - a live-streaming platform similar to Twitch, on which users can broadcast content and interact with other users in real-time - previously told the BBC the company was "urgently reviewing" circumstances around the streamer's death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jeanpormanove and extend our condolences to his family, friends and community," they said. More on this story [BBC] Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here. The mother of a woman murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend said police had "played a part in her death" after a senior officer admitted opportunities to protect her "were missed". Mother-of-three Courtney Mitchell, 26, was fatally stabbed by Logan Burnett in Ipswich last summer after a prolonged campaign of abuse. Samantha Mitchell, 47, said she believed her "little girl would still be here today" had police "done their job correctly". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found four Essex Police officers "potentially breached standards" but none will face disciplinary action. The force said changes had been made to improve support for domestic abuse victims. Samantha Mitchell told the BBC more should have been done to protect her daughter after concerns about domestic violence were raised [George King/BBC] Ms Mitchell described the decision as no more than a "slap on the wrist". "The officers didn't kill her but they played their part in her death," she said. "They can go home to their lovely homes but my daughter paid the ultimate price and is in the cold, hard ground forever, so there's no justice there whatsoever. "She was always let down throughout her life and I will not have her let down in her death - she will get the justice she deserves." Logan Burnett admitted murdering Miss Mitchell [Suffolk Police] Miss Mitchell was described as "fun, fierce and extremely loyal" by her family [Supplied] Burnett, 27, formerly of All Saints Road, Ipswich, was jailed for a minimum of 23 years in February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A drug dealer with a long list of previous convictions, he "executed" Miss Mitchell in an attack "motivated by obsessive jealousy" over her new relationship, Ipswich Crown Court heard. Burnett raided Miss Mitchell's flat in Colchester and set fire to her clothes [Supplied] Burnett attacked Miss Mitchell as she walking towards Ipswich Skate Park on 6 August last year [Alice Cunningham/BBC] Miss Mitchell and Burnett were in an on-off relationship from the beginning of 2024 until around the end of July last year, when she moved from Ipswich to Colchester. Burnett had been banned from communicating with Miss Mitchell or visiting her home, having previously been arrested and bailed by Suffolk Police for reportedly threatening to kill her. He had flooded her home in Colchester, smashed her TV, left stab marks on her bed, torched her clothes and bragged about his plans to kill her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her family said they had raised concerns with both Suffolk and Essex forces "multiple times" in the weeks before her murder, including on the day of her death, but that their pleas for help had been ignored. Floral tributes and a photo of Miss Mitchell were left at the scene of the fatal attack [George King/BBC] Asked by the BBC for the outcome of its investigation into both forces, the IOPC said that in July last year Essex Police officers had failed to attend Miss Mitchell's home following a report of a domestic assault, made when Burnett was believed to still be present. They also failed to complete a domestic abuse safety plan. It was also alleged an "unprofessional and discourteous" call handler failed to carry out checks following a call from Miss Mitchell's sister and dad six days before she was killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We found that there was a case to answer for misconduct for four individuals from Essex Police," an IOPC spokesperson said. "We determined that the potential breaches for all individuals could be dealt with via the reflective practice review process rather than disciplinary proceedings. "We have identified potential areas of learning in terms of their response to domestic abuse incidents and we will be liaising with them to progress these. "Our final report has been shared with HM Coroner to assist with inquest proceedings." An inquest into Miss Mitchell's death was first opened in October and paused in April, pending a full hearing at a date yet to be set. Miss Mitchell's family, who wore T-shirts with her face printed on them, were emotional outside Ipswich Crown Court after Burnett was jailed for a minimum of 23 years [George King/BBC] Stuart Hooper, assistant chief constable of Essex Police, said: "We recognise opportunities for safeguarding were missed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have made changes to our working procedures which improve our communication with other forces where victims move between force areas." He offered to discuss the family's concerns directly with them. "We're improving how we support victims and callers every day, ensuring offences are identified quickly and the right help is given the first time," he said. "We offer our deepest condolences to everyone who continues to live with her loss." A Suffolk Police spokesperson said the force's thoughts remained with Miss Mitchell's family. "We have worked closely with IOPC throughout the investigation and will continue to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are awaiting the finalised areas of learning from the IOPC and these will be reviewed to identify the most appropriate method of learning from the recommendations." Miss Mitchell's sister Charleigh and her mother say they are still seeking justice [George King/BBC] Ms Mitchell told the BBC she would never get over the death of her daughter [Supplied] Miss Mitchell was pronounced dead at Ipswich Hospital. "When the doctor told me she had died, I just remember seeing my daughter [Charleigh] fall to her knees, her dad flip the table, my son drain of colour, and my body go into shock," said Ms Mitchell. "My whole body just drained and it was the worst feeling of my life. But even though she was gone, I just needed her to know I was there." Charleigh said even "the littlest things" could trigger grief following her sister's murder [George King/BBC] Charleigh Mitchell, 29, said coming to terms with her sister's death was not getting easier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's the littlest things that can trigger you. Even cutting a piece of fruit with a knife or seeing blood can be triggering; just normal, mundane things," she said. "We won't ever accept that she is gone or the way she went, but we're hoping we can find moments of happiness." According to The Domestic Homicide Project, there were 1,012 domestic abuse-related deaths in England and Wales between April 2020 and March 2024. About three-quarters of all victims were female and almost half the deaths were recorded as domestic homicides, most of which were committed by a current or ex-partner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No, [women who report domestic violence aren't taken seriously], because the men get bailed and they don't care, so you might as well just hand them the woman as they walk out of the police station," Ms Mitchell said. "This cannot keep happening, and something needs to change." Katherine Ahluwalia, principal operations manager for Suffolk's Restore Women's Aid, said victims and survivors of domestic abuse were listened to by domestic abuse services [George King/BBC] Katherine Ahluwalia, of domestic abuse charity Restore Women's Aid, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, said: "Every week women are dying and it's shocking and really saddening that the figures are not coming down - it doesn't feel like it's getting any better. "If any survivor or victim comes to a domestic abuse service they will be believed but it's heartbreaking and your heart goes out to the family and friends of that victim because their worst nightmare has come true." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details of support for domestic abuse in the UK are available at the BBC Action Line. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Related internet links CANTON, Mass. (WPRI) Police have arrested a Providence man accused of stabbing his coworker at a gas station in Canton Wednesday morning. Osmin Ramirez, 19, has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Officers were called to a gas station off Washington Street around 7:45 a.m. to investigate a reported customer dispute. The investigation revealed that Ramirez and his coworker got into a fight next to their work van, which was parked at a gas pump, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said Ramirez stabbed the 29-year-old victim in the stomach with a pair of scissors during the fight. The victim was brought to the hospital for treatment and is expected to survive his injuries, according to police. Ramirez has since been ordered held on $2,500 bail. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Lenexa City Council member Melanie Arroyo, left, listens to public comments during an Aug. 19, 2025, city council meeting. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) LENEXA A 74-year-old certified public accountants misunderstanding and subsequent call to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation sparked a police inquiry into a Lenexa City Council members citizenship, public records show, igniting public scrutiny and leading to records requests from local residents. Melanie Arroyo, who became a U.S. citizen in 2018 and has served on the Lenexa City Council since 2021, disclosed the police investigation during an Aug. 5 council meeting. Her decision to go public that night caught colleagues and city staff by surprise, according to newly disclosed documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a rare move, the city of Lenexa turned over the police investigative file and a copy of Arroyos citizenship certificate in response to records requests made by Kansas Reflector, the Kansas City Star and two local residents. The documents identify Douglas Shipe as the Lenexa man who made the initial complaint, and they shed new light on how police proceeded with their investigation into Arroyo. Arroyo said she understands why police felt obligated to investigate but that she was disappointed in how they went about it. It just kind of confirms to me that they are not sensitive with how to handle immigration situations, Arroyo said. Shipe, a registered Republican and CPA who lives in Lenexa, called the KBI on July 8 and requested an investigation into Arroyos citizenship status based on written testimony she had provided to the Legislature in February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arroyo wrote about growing up as an undocumented immigrant girl in the testimony she provided in opposition to Senate Bill 254, which would have eliminated in-state tuition and other benefits for immigrants. She also wrote that she resolved her immigration status in order to attend college in Kansas. The Senate didnt vote on the bill. KBI agent Jeff Muckenthaler described Shipes call in an email to Lenexa police on July 16. Muckenthaler said he was forwarding the information to handle however you deem appropriate. Lenexa police Detective Bill McCombs opened an investigation on July 21. His first move was to call Special Agent Hayden McGrath with Homeland Security Investigations to ask for assistance regarding Arroyos immigration status. McCombs provided Arroyos Social Security number and date of birth. Arroyo said she was concerned to learn police had contacted Homeland Security Investigations about her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two days later, the investigative file shows, McCombs read Arroyos testimony. He noted that Shipe had not understood Arroyos testimony. As written, one would assume her immigration status was satisfied, McCombs said. In the meantime, Police Chief Dawn Layman had called Arroyo to let her know about the investigation. Arroyo responded by hiring an attorney who then sent a copy of Arroyos citizenship certificate to police. McCombs report said he cross-referenced the certificate with Arroyos drivers license to verify that her full name and Social Security number matched. Homeland Security Investigations assistance was no longer needed. Lenexa police Capt. Justin Schopfer reported that he called Shipe on Aug. 5 to provide an update. Schopfer explained that police had confirmed Arroyos citizenship, which predated her election to the city council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After ensuring Shipe had no further questions, I ended the call, Schopfer said. Shipe didnt respond to Kansas Reflector phone calls or emails. Kansas Reflector attempted to knock on his door on Friday, but the apartment number he lists on his voter registration doesnt exist. An employee in the leasing office for the apartment complex said she would give Shipe a copy of a Kansas Reflector business card, but he never called. Online records show Shipe donated $100 to Republican Kris Kobach, who rose to prominence as a political figure for his anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies, when Kobach was running for governor in 2018 and again in 2022 when he was running for attorney general. Shipe also donated a total of $925 to former state Sen. Julia Lynn, a Republican from Olathe, between 2012 and 2019. Arroyo said she went public with her frustration over the police inquiry after federal authorities on July 30 raided El Toro Loco restaurants in Lenexa and Kansas City, Kansas. She voiced her concerns at the Aug. 5 council meeting, where numerous members of the public spoke in support of Arroyo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I understand why people would be frustrated with me, she said in an interview Wednesday. Speaking up is risky, and I recognize that, absolutely. At the same time, not speaking up also poses a major risk for everyone. So I really had to weigh my options here, and ultimately I decided that speaking up is in support of not just our immigrant community but in defense of constitutional rights and also in defense of our humanity. I could never regret doing that. Tim McCabe, a Lenexa resident who has testified before the Legislature about his displeasure with facemasks during the COVID-19 pandemic and his concerns that China could influence the outcome of local elections, submitted a Kansas Open Records Act request directly to Arroyo seeking documents related to her citizenship status and the police investigative report. Kansas Reflector asked McCabe why he submitted the request, if he was surprised by anything the city provided, and whether he is satisfied Arroyo is a U.S. citizen. He replied via email with a one-word response: Nope. He didnt respond to an email seeking clarification. Laura Owen also asked for police records and whether city staff had invited media to the Aug. 5 council meeting. She declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MacKenzie Harvison, deputy city attorney, told her city staff were entirely unaware that Arroyo intended to talk about the investigation that night, until media outlets began to ask questions in the hours before the meeting. The city could have exempted the requested records under state law because they are part of a police investigative file, Harvison said, but provided them in the interest of transparency. Kansas Reflector submitted a Kansas Open Records Act request on Aug. 14 for other requests and the citys response. The city failed to respond within three business days as required by law. On Wednesday, Harvison apologized for the delay. We had what felt like a million balls in the air last week and this simply fell through the cracks, she said. The city of Lenexa takes its commitment to transparency very seriously, and we strive always to meet and exceed the requirements of KORA. I know that we didnt do so in this instance, and I apologize on behalf of all of the staff involved. Rest assured that this mistake was not intentional at all, just simply human error. HOWARD COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) An investigation is underway after a Salisbury man was shot and killed as he was getting into his car in Columbia late Monday. Officers received word of the shooting just after 10:30 p.m. and responded to a parking lot off Dove Sail Lane and Merriweather Drive to investigate. There, they found a man in a vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Howard County police. The man, a 39-year-old from Salisbury who was staying in Columbia, died at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MPD chief announces new Juvenile Curfew Zone along U Street corridor Witnesses told investigators that a male suspect approached the man as he was getting into his car, shooting him at close range. The unknown suspect then fled from the scene. As detectives continue to investigate, the Howard County Police Department urges anyone with information to call 410-313-STOP or email a tip to HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (ABC4) A 13-year-old child missing from Colorado Springs is thought to be traveling to Utah. Colorado Springs Police Department are searching for Bentley Christensen, 13, who was last seen on at around 10 p.m. on Monday August 18. Bentleys last known location was the 1100 block of Bonfoy Avenue in Colorado Springs, which is near North Union Boulevard and Uinta Street. Bentley Christensen, courtesy of Colorado Springs Police Department Police described Bentley as 53 with a medium build, weighing about 130 pounds. Bentley has dirty blonde hair, which is often worn in a ponytail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bentley may be trying to get to Utah, police said. If you know anything about Bentleys whereabouts, please contact the Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000. What should you do if someone goes missing? The first thing to do is call local law enforcement and report the case. Utah officials say there is no required waiting period to report a missing person. In an emergency, call 911. When working with local law enforcement, it is recommended one shares as much information as possible about the missing person, including but not limited to: Full name or nicknames. Recent photos. Date of birth and age at the time they disappeared. Gender/sex. Detailed physical description (including unique scars or tattoos). Date of disappearance. Medical conditions. Last known location. Social media accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Utah officials also suggest taking notes on interactions with law enforcement to keep track of details such as officer names, dates and times of interactions, the case number and what the officers say. Resources for Missing Persons The Utah Department of Public Safety has a page on its website with resources for missing persons, and you can view missing persons on the website as well. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also has resources for what to do if your child is missing. Here is a list of hotlines and resources from a 2021 guidebook by the US Department of Justice: Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Police said the family of a missing boy who was found wandering nude Tuesday on a West Side street has been found. Red next: Man serving sentence for shooting death in Youngstown pleads guilty to Akron murder Detectives, along with the Mahoning County Childrens Services Board, are investigating the circumstances surrounding why the boy was wandering alone on a city street, a police spokesman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports said officers were called about 9 a.m. Tuesday to the 100 block of North Brockway Avenue, where they found the boy, who is about 5 years old. Officers waited in the neighborhood for over an hour, but no one came to claim the boy, reports said. Neighbors also did not know who he was, reports said. Police took the boy to the CSB offices downtown, and it was not until several hours later that the boys family was located, 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 WKBN.com. EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio (WKBN) East Liverpool officers, along with the Columbiana County Drug Task Force, served two search warrants as part of a drug trafficking investigation. Read next: Police seek guardian of boy found wandering nude on West Side The warrants were served on Thursday at 341 1/2 East 8th St. and 736 Lincoln Ave., according to a post on the East Liverpool Police Departments Facebook page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police reported finding suspected drugs and drug paraphernalia. Further information was not released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. The police shooting of a woman during a traffic stop in New Hampshire in April was a legally justified use of deadly force, the attorney general said Tuesday. Moriah Infinjer, 28, of Farmington, shot by police during a traffic stop in Dover, Attorney General John Formella said in a statement. After the incident, she was charged with reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, disobeying a police officer, resisting arrest or detention, criminal threatening by conduct, and reckless driving, Formella said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said state police tried to stop a vehicle, driven by Infinjer, that was traveling south on Route 16 just before 1:30 a.m. on April 13. Infinjer refused to stop and instead accelerated, initiating a pursuit that reached speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, prosecutors said. Troopers eventually deployed a spike strip, which stopped Infinjers vehicle. A subsequent encounter with Trooper Colin Burgess resulted in that trooper firing his weapon, the attorney general said. Infinjer was struck by gunfire and was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. "During that incident, Trooper Burgess fired several shots at Ms. Infinjer, striking her once in the shoulder, Formella said Tuesday. Although Ms. Infinjer survived, Trooper Burgesss shooting of her constitutes the use of deadly force under the law." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No other injuries were reported. Formella said his office will issue its full report on the investigation into the officer-involved shooting once the current legal proceedings against Infinjer have concluded. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Several police units are at a Cobb County home on Wednesday afternoon after reports of a man being injured. NewsChopper 2 flew over the home at Sandy Plains Road and Ebenezer Road and found at least nine police cruisers at the home. Police say the man was injured. They did not comment on how he was injured, but say he was not shot. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] There is no word on how severe his injuries, are but police say he is being treated for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public is not in any danger. TRENDING STORIES: Addison Elementary School is located down Ebenezer Road near where the incident took place. Cobb County Schools told Channel 2 Action News the police activity was not related to the school, adding that there is no threat to any school campuses. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Minister of National Defence of Poland, has confirmed that it was a Russian drone that crashed into a cornfield in Lublin Voivodeship on the night of 19-20 August, and said the violation of Polish airspace was another Russian provocation. Source: Kosiniak-Kamysz at a press conference on Wednesday, cited by Polish news outlet Onet, as reported by European Pravda Details: The minister stressed that this happened at a crucial moment amid intensified efforts to achieve a ceasefire or even an end to the war in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Russia is once again provoking NATO countries. After the drone incidents in Romania, Lithuania and Latvia, we are again faced with a Russian drone. This is a particularly sensitive moment, when peace discussions are ongoing," he said at the press conference. "At a time when there is hope that this war Russias war against the Ukrainian state, a war that also threatens NATO countries has a chance of ending, Russia is once again provoking others," the minister added. Kosiniak-Kamysz said that consultations are underway at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defence, and that "all allies" are being kept informed of the situation. The minister said he had tasked the operational commander with preparing "a comprehensive report on todays Russian provocation". Background: Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski earlier confirmed that there had been another violation of Polish airspace from the east and announced that the Foreign Ministry would lodge a protest against the "perpetrator". Separately, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pawe Wronski told Reuters that the object which exploded overnight in a cornfield in eastern Poland was the Russian version of a Shahed drone. Notably, Polish military officials had earlier stated that initial analysis of radar recordings had not shown any violation of Polish airspace from Ukraine or Belarus that night. Later, the Polish Prosecutors Office confirmed that a military drone had crashed into a cornfield in Lublin Voivodeship overnight. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said he is not in favour of potential talks between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian ruler Vladimir Putin being held in Hungary, given that the Budapest Memorandum was signed there in 1994. Source: Tusk on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Quote: "Budapest? Not everyone may remember this, but in 1994 Ukraine already got assurances of territorial integrity from the US, Russia and the UK. In Budapest. Maybe Im superstitious, but this time I would try to find another place." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Reuters has reported that the US is considering Hungary as a possible venue for a Zelenskyy-Putin summit. But Tusk believes holding such talks in Budapest would be an act of historical irony. According to AFP, Putin suggested meeting Zelenskyy in Moscow, but the Ukrainian president declined. Meanwhile Peter Magyar, the leader of Hungarys largest opposition party, Tisza, has urged Prime Minister Viktor Orban to organise the Zelenskyy-Putin meeting in Budapest. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! District 6 is an open seat. Republicans Krista Bokhari and Sary Chakra are running. The winner will face Democrat Kimberly Owens in November. Chakra did not respond to our candidate guide. We will update this guide with his answers if he submits them. District 6 includes the southern part of the city, including SouthPark. Krista Bokhari What is your occupation? Marketing Director Why are you running? Im running to be a strong voice for District 6 and help put an end to one-party rule in Charlotte. We need to stop the backroom deals, restore balance, and bring a much-needed different perspective to the conversation. We are losing good officers due to low morale, pay and benefit shortfalls while city leaders secretly hand out big payouts behind closed doors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighborhoods are being reshaped while the community is begging for it to stop. All the while, basic services like traffic safety, storm drainage, and street repairs keep getting ignored. Families in District 6 pay some of the highest taxes in the city. But what are we getting in return? Our most dangerous intersections are put on years-long waiting lists. My husband fought to bring our tax dollars back to the District but I plan to take this to the next level by collaborating with the neighborhood leaders and SPAN to create a District 6 infrastructure pipeline to collect and track the infrastructure needs in the district and ensure they are being addressed. Charlotte is on the same dangerous path weve seen in other big cities where one party controls everything and no one is held accountable. Thats how you get broken systems, unchecked corruption, and decisions that hurt everyday people. Im running to stop that from happening here in Charlotte. What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? Crime, congestion, and crumbling infrastructure are the issues residents feel every day, but the root cause that makes all of them worse is a lack of transparency and accountability in the City Council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Too many decisions are made behind closed doors by a handful of insiders, while the public is left in the dark. I will address this by always telling the truth, even when it costs me, Speaking out on the Jennings payout likely cost me the interim District 6 appointment, but I refused to stay silent. I understand how the Council operates, and Ill respectfully challenge dysfunction head-on. Ill advocate to disclose all settlements, limit closed-door sessions, and work to establish a citizen audit board. If a deal isnt active litigation or a competitive negotiation, it should be public. Once finalized, every detail should be released immediately. Transparency cant be a buzzword, it has to be a practice. Thats how well fix the broken systems holding Charlotte back. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? Im cautiously optimistic about supporting it, but will be watching what happens from now until November closely. Im thankful to the legislature for requiring road funding and maintaining local expenditures, but we must ensure transparency and accountability. We are asking for billions of dollars without a comprehensive plan. I know how important a transformational investment here is for Charlotte, but we must ensure it is done correctly. I wont support it if it becomes another backroom deal over the next 3 months benefiting special interests instead of all of Charlotte. We need to make sure all of Charlotte sees transit improvements. We also need to make sure our leaders are leveraging the taxes we have already paid. We have had leadership visit the Capitol but for some reason no one is pursuing the Federal support available to us. I want to change that for our City. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? No. The secret payout was wrong and eroded trust. The Police Chief had no case. His very same ethics complaint was dismissed just 6 months prior. It was pushed through just days after my husband left Council, because with him gone a few leaders thought they could get away with it. Ill be a voice for transparency and fight to end the fear-driven groupthink that led to this betrayal of the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What the community should be even more concerned about is how many of the current leadership treated the few council representatives who questioned the payout. This is why it is imperative we vote for checks and balances on this council. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? While Charlotte City Council does not have the legal authority to directly regulate wage rates or workplace conditions for private contractors at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the current decision-making process (where the mayor and a handful of council members blocked a committee discussion) only amplifies frustration and distrust in affected workers and the broader community. Under the Wage and Hour Act the state preemption limits local control over contractor labor standards. That reality means council members cannot impose binding wage rules. That said, the refusal to refer the SEIUbacked CASE ordinance to a committee signals a concerning pattern of decisions baked behind closed doors without meaningful public conversation. A council committee is precisely where complex issues (like airport contracts, worker safety, training standards, and vendor selection criteria) should be debated transparently, not dismissed outright in a final vote. We also must protect the CLT airport and the regions economic engine, while doing so with the transparency that builds trust we are lacking in our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What sets you apart from your opponents? Im the only candidate with the experience to provide balance of perspective and checks on one party rule. I have first-hand knowledge of the needs of the district and city operations and a proven record of community service working side-by-side with neighbors solving real issues. I understand the dynamics of the City Council and how it operates behind the scenes. I will challenge the status quo, speak plainly about unethical behavior every time I see it, and put our families, not political agendas, at the center of my decisions. Sary Chakra did not respond to our requests for answers in the candidate guide. For more information on this race, watch the Political Beat on August 24 at 11:30 am and 11:30 pm on WSOC and 10:30 pm on TV64. (WATCH BELOW: 2nd Mecklenburg County chief deputy resigns in less than a year) Democratic incumbent Marjorie Molina is facing a challenge from Juan Diego JD Mazuera Arias. Whoever wins this primary will serve on Charlotte City Council. There is no other opposition in November. District 5 is composed of east Charlotte and includes portions of North Sharon Amity Road, Albemarle Road, Rama Road and Idlewild Road. For more information on this race, watch The Political Beats story interview with the candidates: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Political Beat asked questions of each candidate in the races. Below are their unedited responses. Juan Diego (J.D.) Mazuera Arias Juan Diego (J.D.) Mazuera Arias What is your occupation? Government Relations, Nonprofit Management, & Community Advocate. Why are you running? Im running because District 5 deserves a councilmember who will show up, listen, and fight for a District 5 East Charlotte that belongs to us. It is long overdue for District 5 residents to have transparency and constant communication. I grew up here, the son of Colombian immigrants, and Ive spent my career in public serviceat the local, state, and national levelsworking on transparency, economic mobility, education (from Pre-K-12 to Higher Ed), housing, immigration, and labor rights. Our community has been left out of too many decisions, and Im running to make sure our growth benefits the people who live here now, not just those who can afford to move in later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? The most important issue in District 5 is the lack of transparency and communication between City Council and the communityand that gap holds us back from creating jobs, improving public safety, and attracting investment. When residents and businesses arent kept in the loop, opportunities pass us by, and our best assets go underutilized. I will make transparency and communication the foundation of my work; holding regular community meetings in every neighborhood, creating a public dashboard to track city investments, and making sure residents have a voice before decisions are made. That openness builds trust and gives us leverage to attract employers and resources. We can start by connecting and promoting the incredible assets we already havethe Umbrella Center, Sparks Centro, robotics teams in our schools, our restaurants, and our cultural hubs. Right now, projects like the Umbrella Center and Sparks Centro lack capital funding and have received minimal communication from our current district representative. By elevating them and telling their story, we can put pressure constructively on groups like the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance to invest in District 5 the same way they invest elsewhere in the city. And every new investment should come with public safety improvementsbetter lighting, sidewalks, and coordination with law enforcement and wraparound services from the Countyso residents feel safe and businesses feel confident. Transparency, communication, and strategic promotion of our assets will turn District 5 into a place where growth works for the people who are already here, not just those who can afford to come later. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I will be voting No. This one-cent sales tax is regressive. It would raise the prepared food tax from 8.25% to 9.25% and cost working families about $240 a year, on top of recent property tax increases and higher city service fees. In return, District 5, specifically the Far East, gets no new bus routes and no safety upgrades for uncovered stops. The plan prioritizes speculative rail projects while neglecting the riders who already rely on transit and are completely living out the Silver Line. We need a plan that invests first in District 5 and funds it through fairer revenue sources like tourism taxes and the existing county transit tax. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? No. The process lacked transparency and accountability. Residents deserve to know why a settlement was necessary, how and why public money was involved without public input, and whether the issues that led to it are being addressed. Without that transparency, it erodes public trust in the organization and leadership of the City of Charlotte, especially City Council as a governing body. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport?The City must lead by example. Any vendor or contractor operating on city-owned property, especially at one of the busiest airports in the country, should meet strong labor standards, including fair wages, safe working conditions, and protections against retaliation. We need to step away from a low-bidding model to a value-based bidding process. The CASE ordinance is a clear path forward, and the city should defer it to the committee to start the conversation on its legalities. This is not just a labor issue; its about public safety, service quality, and ensuring public dollars dont subsidize poverty wages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What sets you apart from your opponents? Im from this District, Ive lived the challenges our residents face, and Ive spent my career delivering results in government and advocacy. Im not running to preserve the status quo or to be a spokesperson for the City of Charlotte; Im running to change it and to be the voice of District 5 residents. While others talk about what we cant do and accomplishments that received no input from the public, Ive built coalitions, written policy, and fought for working people at every levelfrom the grassroots to Capitol Hill. I will be a councilmember who shows up in every neighborhood, answers calls, and makes sure our voicesnot special interestsshape District 5 East Charlottes future. Marjorie Molina Marjorie Molina. What is your occupation? Senior Business Development Executive; Charlotte City Councilwoman; Mom of 2 teens. Why are you running? Im running to build upon the transformative progress weve achieved in District 5 and ensure our community continues to thrive. My leadership has delivered concrete results: the Eastland redevelopment turned a long-vacant site into a vibrant community hub, weve protected 170 families at Peppertree Apartments, and we secured over $20 million for infrastructure improvements like street lighting and sidewalks in the Harrisburg Strategic Investment Area. Through the Greater Eastland Business District initiative, weve driven economic growth, attracted new businesses, and created opportunities for local entrepreneurs. My vision is to continue this momentum, ensuring that growth is inclusive and that every resident benefits from the opportunities we create. I bring the experience, the vision, and the proven track record to make that happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? The most important issue facing our community is ensuring equitable and sustainable growth. Charlotte is a rapidly growing city, and with that growth comes the responsibility to ensure that every resident benefits. My plan to address this focuses on three key areas: housing, infrastructure, and economic opportunity. First, we will continue to prioritize affordable housing initiatives to protect long-term residents and support new families. This means not only preserving existing affordable housing but also encouraging the development of new, affordable options. Second, we will invest in infrastructure improvements to ensure that all neighborhoods have safe, modern, and accessible amenities. This includes everything from street lighting and sidewalks to public transit access and green spaces. Finally, we will drive economic opportunity by supporting local businesses and fostering innovation. Initiatives like the Greater Eastland Business District have already shown how targeted investments can revitalize our economy and create jobs, and I plan to expand on that success.By focusing on these areas, we can ensure that Charlottes growth benefits everyone and that our community remains a place where all residents can thrive. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? The decision on the sales tax increase for transit is ultimately in the hands of the voters, and thats how it should be. Whats important to understand is that this initiative has seen near-unanimous support from cities, towns, and the county, reflecting a shared recognition of the need for improved transit solutions across our region. This referendum is about more than just funding; its about envisioning a future where transit is accessible, efficient, and equitable. The revenue generated would be directed toward projects that enhance connectivity, reduce congestion, and provide reliable transportation options for all residents. Its a comprehensive approach to ensuring that as Charlotte grows, our transit infrastructure keeps pace and supports that growth in a sustainable way. In the end, the power rests with the voters, and my role is to ensure that they have all the information they need to make an informed decision that will shape the future of our citys transit landscape. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? Chief Jennings dedicated 33 years of service to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, guiding the force through challenging times and demonstrating steadfast leadership. The settlement was a structured resolution that honored his decades of commitment while providing stability for the departments future leadership transition. Its important to note that personnel matters, by law, require a degree of confidentiality to protect all parties involved. While the discussions happened in closed session, the decision was made with a commitment to transparency and integrity. Chief Jennings himself acknowledged that this agreement allowed the city to move forward without distraction, preserving the integrity of the department. Ultimately, supporting this settlement was about balancing accountability, respect for service, and the need for a smooth transition in leadership. I stand by this decision as one that honors both the individuals contributions and the citys need for forward momentum. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? Charlotte City Council does not have legal authority over wages, benefits, or working conditions for private employers operating at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. North Carolina law preempts municipalities from regulating private employment terms, even when those employers operate on city-owned property. That limitation has been reaffirmed by the City Attorney and by Council in public discussion.I voted against the motion to refer the CASE ordinance to committee because it misrepresented what the City could lawfully enforce. While some viewed it as symbolic support, I believe residents deserve clarity and truth. Advancing an ordinance that contradicts state law would not only set false expectations but could also invite legislative retaliation or legal consequences that weaken local governance. Workers raising concerns deserve to be heardand their dignity matters. But its equally important that we dont blur the line between advocacy and authority. Our responsibility is to govern within the law, maintain the credibility of our process, and protect the citys operational integrity.I will always support truth over performance, even when its unpopular. Thats what real leadership requires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What sets you apart from your opponents? What sets me apart from my opponent is not just experienceits outcomes. I have a proven record of leading through complexity, delivering results, and responding directly to the needs of East Charlotte. From housing preservation to infrastructure investment, Ive turned community priorities into action. I understand the challenges of this district because Ive governed from within itnot from the sidelines. This isnt about aspirations. Its about demonstrated leadership, district trust, and work that is already underway. (WATCH BELOW: 2nd Mecklenburg County chief deputy resigns in less than a year) Democratic incumbent Renee Johnson is facing a challenge from Wil Russell. The winner will serve on the next Charlotte City Council. There is no opposition in November. District 4 is composed of the northeast section of Charlotte, including University City. The district stretches from The Plaza to the city limits. For more information on this race, watch this story by the Political Beat: The Political Beat asked questions of each candidate in the races. Below are their unedited responses. Renee Johnson Renee Johnson. What is your occupation? Charlotte City Councilmember (District 4) and Founder/Chief Development Officer, Triumph Services (nonprofit behavioral health & peer support). Im also a Certified Brain Injury Specialist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why are you running? To keep centering people over profit and protecting truly equitable housing, preventing displacement, improving infrastructure and transit, and making government more transparent and accountable. Since 2019, Ive delivered results and ensured community voices drive City decisions. What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? Housing stability and anti-displacement. I advanced the $100M Housing Trust Fund (including homeownership tools), fought for source-of-income protections, supported the Anti-Displacement effort, and built the District 4 Community Coalition to keep residents at the table. Ill expand preservation, strengthen tenant protections, and pair housing with infrastructure and transit investments. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I recognize the urgent need to fund safer streets, sidewalks, and reliable transit. Im undecided and will base my decision on clear, enforceable commitments: equitable investments in historically under-served areas, accountability and transparency, specific project lists and timelines, and measurable outcomes for safety, congestion relief, and access to jobs. I championed Charlottes first-ever infrastructure meeting, which laid the foundation for the Strategic Mobility Planso I understand the importance of investing wisely and equitably in our future. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? I support resolving leadership matters in a way that protects taxpayers, maintains stability, and upholds accountability. Any settlement should be transparent about costs and terms, set clear expectations for leadership transitions, comply with NC statute, and strengthen public trust. My priority is accountability and fiscal responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? The Charlotte City Council can strengthen our procurement policies to set clear standards for the vendors whom we contract, since we cannot directly control the wages of private employers. The effort to advance this conversation was blocked because there was opposition by 1 or more councilmembers; consequently, our rules require a majority vote in order to place an item on the agenda when theres opposition. That should concern all residents, because it limits debate and essentially amounts to censorship of issues that deserve a public hearing. I will continue pushing for fair standards and a more transparent, democratic process on the council. What sets you apart from your opponents? Experience, independence, and results. I fight for the anti-displacement of residents impacted by Charlottes explosive growth, while my opponent is a developer who benefits personally from that same development. I created the District 4 Coalition, secured ASL interpretation for 132,000 hard-of-hearing residents, and championed the citys first public infrastructure meeting. As a nonprofit leader with real estate experience, I understand both economic growth and the human impact of displacement. Will Russell Will Russell. What is your occupation? Senior Construction Manager Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why are you running? I am running for office to provide leadership and professionalism to Charlotte City Council. My goal is to serve the city and its residents by solving problems and enacting solutions. What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? I address the affordable housing crisis every day it is at the core of what I do as a construction professional. As an affordable housing developer, I experience firsthand the barriers our current zoning policies create. These restrictive regulations prevent us from building the volume of affordable housing our communities urgently need. We must add greater flexibility to our zoning policies to allow for more diverse, higher density and cost-effective housing solutions. Housing options like duplexes, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and pocket neighborhoods will allow us to create communities when developing land. These are the types of units we, as a city, should be incentivizing developers to build. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? As Charlotte continues to grow, it will need a transportation system that grows with it. Our bus system is not sufficient or dependable enough to meet the needs of its citizens. To produce an equitable and reliable bus system, it must provide connections between the employment centers and residential areas. It must also have travel times that, at a minimum, match the travel times of a private vehicle. To do that all existing bus routes must be reconfigured to provide cross-town connections and facilitate multiple connections throughout the routes. Additionally, the hours of operation must be the same for all routes. The transit tax will provide an income stream that will allow Charlotte to invest in building a transportation system thatwillmeet the needs of a growing city. However, income alone will not fix transportation in Charlotte. We must also create land use policies that complement and encourage appropriate development along transportation corridors. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? Based on the publicly available evidence, it appears that the CMPDs police chief employment status was threatened by an elected official. This could have potentially exposed the City to legal issues. Problems between elected officials and city departments should be resolved in ways that do not expose the city to potential legal actions. As a member of the city council, I would work to ensure that issues like these are resolved through proper channels and proper communication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? Charlotte City Council will need to work with multiple groups to help address working conditions and pay issues at Charlotte Douglas Airport. Charlotte would need to work closely with the North Carolina General Assembly to determine what authority the State will allow the City to exercise when dealing with pay and contract issues. Charlotte City Council would also need to work with airline carriers and airport businesses to help craft a solution to address the pay and working condition issues. What sets you apart from your opponents? I am the most qualified candidate for the following reasons: -vast knowledge of zoning policy, affordable housing, and construction -proven ability to collaborate with neighbors and developers to directly benefit District 4 -Will provide visionary leadership and continued advocacy for District 4 on council -minimal learning curve/ability to start addressing Charlottes issues on day 1. (WATCH BELOW: Action 9: Man switched phone companies because of promotion, but says carrier didnt follow through) All four incumbent At-Large members are seeking re-election: Dimple Ajmera, James Smuggie Mitchell, LaWana Slack-Mayfield and Victoria Watlington. Five challengers are attempting to join Charlotte City Council for the first time: Matt Britt, Roderick Davis, Will Holley, JG Lockhart and Namrata Yadav. A sixth At-Large candidate, Emerson Stoldt, has dropped out of the race but his name will still appear on the ballot. Democratic and unaffiliated voters can vote for up to 4 people in this race. The top four will move on to the November general election and will face Republicans Edwin Peacock III and Misun Kim. For more coverage of the At-Large race, watch the Political Beat on August 31 at 11:30 am and 11:30 pm on Channel 9 and 10:30 pm on TV64. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Political Beat asked questions of each candidate in the races. Below are their unedited responses. Dimple Ajmera Dimple Ajmera. What is your occupation? Accountant. Why are you running? I wasnt born into a rich or powerful family. My family immigrated to the United States the Land of Opportunity when I was 16. Despite my language barrier, I had some amazing teachers and counselors who took me under their wings. I learned English, graduated from Southern High School in Durham, went on to the University of Southern California and later become a Certified Public Accountant. I literally went from cleaning hotel rooms to pay for college to managing multi-million dollar budgets. When my father died suddenly at the age of 55, I re-evaluated my path in life. I felt compelled to promote my fathers values and use my skills for public service. I left a lucrative career in finance to serve on City Council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? Charlotte is one of the fastest-growing cities in the nationand with that growth comes both tremendous opportunities and serious challenges. We must be intentional in how we manage this growth to ensure it benefits everyone, not just a select few. Affordable Housing: Too many familiesespecially our youth, seniors, and working-class residentsstruggle to find safe, affordable housing. As someone whose own family once lived in a motel room, I understand how urgent this issue is. Ive helped secure over $100 million for our Housing Trust Fund and supported policies that deliver deeply affordable and supportive housing. Ill continue pushing for solutions that meet people where they are. Public Safety and Community Trust: Growth means we must double down on community safety. Ive supported proven programs like Alternatives to Violence, expanded mental health crisis response, and worked to address root causes like poverty and housing instability. Transportation and Mobility: Im a product of public transportationmy family relied on it daily. Ive supported more bus shelters, sidewalks, and equitable funding for transit infrastructure. Economic Opportunity: Growth must include pathways to opportunity for all residents. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? Yes, I would vote in favor of the referendum because I know firsthand how critical public transportation is for working families. As someone who grew up relying on the bus to get to school, work, and the grocery store, I understand the difference a reliable, affordable transit system can make in peoples lives. Investing in roads, rail, and buses isnt just about moving people its about expanding economic opportunity, reducing traffic congestion, protecting our environment, and connecting all corners of our city equitably. But its also vital that this plan be implemented with transparency, accountability, and a focus on the communities who need it most. If we do this right, we can build a system that reflects the needs of today and the promise of tomorrow. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? No. Transparency and trust must guide all decisionsespecially those involving taxpayer dollars. The deal for Chief Jennings lacked proper public disclosure, which undermines public confidence. Thats why I didnt support it. Ill continue advocating for accountability, clear communication, and public input to rebuild trust and ensure financial decisions reflect our communitys values. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? The concerns raised by SEIU workers at Charlotte Douglas deserve to be taken seriously. These are essential workers who keep one of the busiest airports in the world running often under difficult conditions. We must start by studying the issue thoroughly, engaging directly with the impacted workers, and identifying legally viable and practical ways the City can help. At the same time, we must be thoughtful in our approach keeping in mind the political makeup of the state legislature and working within the legal framework set by state law. The goal is to uplift workers without pushing for changes that could prompt state-level backlash. I believe we can find a path forward that respects both the dignity of our workforce and the realities of our political environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What sets you apart from your opponents? What separates me is a proven, people-first record rooted in real life not politics. As a working mother of two young children, I understand the kitchen table issues families face every day. I bring both professional experience and personal perspective to every decision I make. Voters deserve leaders who understand their struggles and have the courage and track record to take action and thats what Ive consistently delivered. Matt Britt What is your occupation? I work in Health Care Marketing and am an active community leader focused on neighborhood engagement where I live in Charlotte. Ive also been involved with organizations like Smart Start, NCPK, and South Charlotte Partners, working to improve early childhood education, community development, and neighborhood initiatives. Why are you running? Were at a critical moment in our democracy, and this feels like a moment where anyone who can lean in to make things better should. Im running for City Council to bring community-rooted leadership, bold solutions for transportation and public safety, and bridge-building across all parts of Charlotte. My experience in both professional and volunteer leadership equips me to turn ideas into meaningful results for our city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? The most pressing issue is equitable growthensuring Charlotte remains a city where everyone has access to safe neighborhoods, affordable housing, and reliable transportation. I will advance policies that strengthen our transit system, support housing initiatives that prevent displacement, and invest in neighborhoods in ways that respond to resident needs. My approach is grounded in collaboration, data, and accountability. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I support the Transit Sales Tax increase because investing in transit is investing in Charlottes future. Accessible, reliable transportation is essential for equity, economic growth, and reducing congestion. I will also ensure the funds are used transparently and effectively, with real improvements visible to the community. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? I support settlements that ensure accountability while maintaining operational stability. In this case, I would want to review the close details of the settlement closely to ensure it strengthens public trust, supports effective leadership within CMPD, and communicates a clear commitment to community-focused policing. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? I support workers organizing and following the proper steps to address their concerns. City Council should actively listen and use its influence to encourage corporations and contractors to respond constructively, within state law. Ensuring fair pay, safe working conditions, and opportunities for professional growth should be a priority, and the city should leverage its authority where possible to support solutions that meet these standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What sets you apart from your opponents? Im not a career politician. I am running for City Council to lean in and make things better. I see problems up close, like overflowing dumpsters in lower-income neighborhoods or families struggling with transportation, and I focus on practical solutions that improve lives. I want to support smart solution projects like the Umbrella Center, which brings police, prosecutors, child advocates, and domestic violence nonprofits together in one place to better serve children and families. I also will work for accessible public transportation that opens up jobs and reduces congestion, while being mindful of those most affected. What really sets me apart is how I show up: I represent all communities, not just one. Id hold monthly town halls across Charlotte to hear directly from residents year-round. For me, service isnt just a value, its how I lead. Will Holley Will Holley What is your occupation? Small business owner, founder of Holley Construction, and community nonprofit leader. Why are you running? Im running for Charlotte City Council At-Large because I know what it feels like to be overlooked by your own government. I want to give a voice to the people and neighborhoods who are too often left out of the conversation and fight for real solutions in mental health, public safety, affordable housing, and small business growth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? The most urgent issue is youth crime and the lack of mental health resources that feed into it. We need to expand community-based mental health programs, strengthen after-school and mentorship opportunities, and work with law enforcement and local nonprofits to address root causes before they lead to crime. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I support the sales tax increase for transit because reliable, expanded public transportation is essential to our citys growth and equity. This investment will help connect more residents to jobs, education, and resources while reducing traffic congestion. That said, we must maintain transparency, ensure funds are spent as promised, and prioritize projects that serve the communities who need transit the most. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? I believe decisions involving public safety leadership and taxpayer dollars must be handled with full transparency. While I respect the leadership of our Mayor and Council, I think the public should always be given clear information about why settlements are made, so trust in both our law enforcement and local government remains strong. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? Council should ensure that all workers, including contracted airport staff, receive fair wages, safe working conditions, and benefits that reflect their vital role in our citys economy. That starts with listening directly to workers, holding contractors accountable, and using city contracts to set higher labor standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What sets you apart from your opponents? Im not a career politician. Im a builder of businesses, of opportunities, and of community trust. I know how to deliver results on time and with integrity. My campaign isnt backed by big corporations or special interests its powered by everyday Charlotte residents who want someone who will listen, show up, and fight for them. JG Lockhart JG Lockhart. What is your occupation? Host of The Fordcast with Jim Rico podcast, and the Executive Director of The Network for Empowering Women & Men Everywhere ( The N.E.W. M.E. Inc.). Why are you running? I was called to run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? Transit tax. Do all I can to pull Charlotte out of the Transit Governance Interlocal Agreement. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? As it stands now in its current form, I do not support the transit tax increase as it will not go far enough to meet the needs of Charlotteans who rely on the transit system for work and/or play. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? I support the effort to keep Charlotte out of a messy legal situation. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? I will publicly support those workers in their efforts to secure a livable wage and publicly denounce any and all efforts to thwart otherwise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What sets you apart from your opponents? I believe that Charlotte deserves leadership that protects what makes it special, leadership that puts people over politics and legacy over luxury. James (Smuggie) Mitchell, Jr. James (Smuggie) Mitchell, Jr. What is your occupation? Director of Business Development, McFarland Construction. Why are you running? I am running to build a better Charlotte for all residents. We need to continue our efforts in areas such as public safety and affordability while increasing access to quality jobs and access to opportunities for women and minority owned businesses. Ill continue to advocate for a better transit system and a living wage wherever the City Council has influence. What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? My top issue is small and minority business development and my plan to address it is as follows: 1. Id implement the Quick Payment Program, currently a pilot program, to reduce payment cycles from 90 to 30 days, improving the cash flow for small businesses. 2. Id ensure a strategic plan is in place to meet our 27% spending goal with small and minority owned businesses, equating to $175 million on the $650 Bank of America project. 3. Id continue to advocate for greater access to capital. 4. Id implement a mentoring program to help small and minority businesses build capacity, gain industry knowledge, and compete for larger contracts. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I am in favor of the referendum because having a strong, reliable transit system is essential, especially for residents who face transportation challenges every day. Governor Stein signed the bill, and the County Commissioners voted 8 to 1 to put the referendum on the ballot. Ive supported it and will continue encouraging the voters to do the same. But passing a tax isnt enough. We need to ensure the plan prioritizes what people really need, like more frequent buses, expanded routes, and better service in underserved communities. This is about access, opportunity, and equity. A viable transportation system is one of the key elements of upward economic mobility for our citizens. And a well-executed transit plan will connect people to jobs, ease congestion, and help build a stronger, more inclusive Charlotte. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? I support the settlement with Chief Jennings. The city handled this matter appropriately based on the legal framework in place. Personnel issues are required to be discussed in closed sessions, as outlined in the General Statutes. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? Our airport is one of Charlottes greatest assets and a vital economic engine for our city. A safe, efficient, and well-run airport depends on having well-trained, fairly compensated professionals. While the issue of pay is complex, especially given past state efforts to take control of the airport, we should explore solutions that both protect local oversight and improve working conditions. That means reviewing all viable options to enhance the quality of life for employees while maintaining the airports world-class operations. What sets you apart from your opponents? What sets me apart is experience, relationships, and results. Ive had the honor of serving the City of Charlotte and lead major investments in affordable housing, economic development, and infrastructure that have strengthened our communities and created opportunities for residents. My track record reflects a deep understanding of how city government works and how to get things done. I also bring long-standing relationships with community leaders, local businesses, and regional partners that help move Charlotte forward. LaWana Slack-Mayfield LaWana Slack-Mayfield. What is your occupation? Elected official/Student. Why are you running? I am running for re-election to continue the work I started with a continued focus on the betterment of Charlotte residents. What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? We have multiple issues in the city, there is not one standout I see as an opportunity for improvement. We need a more connected transportation system, our un-housed community is growing as massive layoffs, low wages and staggering housing prices are creating great concern. I am proud that this Council supported the increase of our lowest earning workers wages to $24 with the hope of our employees being able to afford to live in our city that is seeing an increase of investor owned single-family properties and multi-family. Yet, i feel we need to slow down on multi-family approvals to assess the actual needs & affordability levels. Also, as the city has rolled out micro-transit I see opportunity yet I do have concerns on the reduction/removal of neighborhood bus routes. I believe Council needs a detailed evaluation of which routes are being changed prior to those changes being implemented, and Pilot programs that are nickel-and-diming residents like in the Wilmore Neighborhood must have Council approval before implementation. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I have not made a final decision personally or as Council-Member related to my vote on transit. I am still speaking with residents to hear their concerns and questions. I supported moving the discussion for the community to be engaged in this process and to have the power through their vote to decide. I do believe we need a better transportation plan yet I have concerns as to why the corporate community and the State of NC (which we all pay taxes towards) are not also contributing to the health and vibrancy of one of the States fastest growing cities. I also have great concerned regarding the impact to prepared foods when so many of our neighbors are living in hotels, motels and in their vehicles and do not have access to kitchens to cook or refrigerators for their food. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? I unfortunately left the meeting prior to the vote, (I was not feeling well, later learned it was the beginning of a sinus infection), I would NOT have voted for the pay-out although I am more concerned with the lack of media attention on the real impact of a sitting elected official using their office to intimidate and bully a City employee which former member Tariq Bokhari did for multiple months. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? Council does not have the legal ability to set wages for any employees beyond City of Charlotte employees. I would like for the majority (minimum 6 out of the 11 members) to support a proposal to lobby our NC General Assembly to give more authority to local municipalities in regard to exceptions for any business applying for contracts within the city. I believe it is a privilege to do business in Charlotte and their should be clear expectations of pay for the lowest paid workers vs the large salaries of the executive team. When our workers can not afford to live in the city we are going to see a deficit in our workforce. What sets you apart from your opponents? As I have now been in office over 11 years I am proud that I have created programs, introduced policy and stayed connected to many of the residents. Some examples of my work is the creation of the District 3 Airport Job Fair that ran for 7 of my first 8 years as the District-3 representative. I negotiated clear minority business participation prior to the construction of the Charlotte Premium Outlets, created the citys TLCbyCLT housing rehab program, negotiated in writing Diverse Price Point Housing for the development of the River District, pushed for the support for a new Burn Center for our Fire Department training facility (that was supported by council), moved for $1.5M over the next 3-years to assist city employees facing financial challenges through grant process and I am leading the Faith In Housing Initiative which focuses on partnering with religious institutions to assist with our housing affordability crisis just to name a few. I have never forgotten that my focus is the residents of our city and believe businesses have a role in the partnership of growth and equity. Dr. Victoria Watlington, PE, PMP Dr. Victoria Watlington What is your occupation? Engineering professional. Why are you running? Im running to preserve and develop the best version of Charlotte where every resident has a voice and a place to call home. Ive led efforts to expand housing access, invest in community safety, ensure economic opportunity, and advance equity through bold, strategic policy. Lets keep building a city that works for everyone. What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? Charlottes biggest challenges are housing affordability, community safety, economic mobility, and equitable growth. Ill continue to listen, collaborate, and push for policies that center community voice, ensure public dollars deliver public good, and make Charlotte a city where everyone small business owners and corporations, civil servants and hospitality workers, immigrants and native Charlotteans can thrive. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I support investments in transportation that expand access, reduce congestion, and promote equityespecially for those who rely on transit to get to work and school. However, my support depends on the details: the plan must prioritize underserved communities, include strong accountability measures, and balance investments across roads, rail, and buses. Ill carefully review the final proposal (legislation and City small business participation strategy) to ensure it advances a sustainable, equitable Charlotte. I encourage every voter to do the same Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? Ive addressed my position on this topic, as well as the larger need for transparency in government via my previous statements (May 8, June 24). I have no further comment at this time. Im happy to provide the previous statement for reference as needed. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? Charlotte City Council has a responsibility to ensure that the workers who keep our airport running many of whom are contracted employees are treated with dignity and fairness. I support enforcing strong labor standards in all city contracts and using our legally permitted leverage to advocate for fair pay, safe working conditions, and a voice on the job. As a city that benefits greatly from Charlotte Douglas, we must ensure the prosperity it generates is shared by the people who make that success possible--both business owners and workers alike. What sets you apart from your opponents? I have great respect for my opponents, who bring passion and dedication to serving Charlotte. What sets me apart is my pragmatic approach combined with a progressive vision and professional experience. I focus on building coalitions and delivering practical solutions that create lasting impact especially around housing equity, safety, economic mobility and inclusive growth. My track record shows that progress requires both bold ideas and effective execution. Namrata (N.Y.) Yadav Namrata (N.Y.) Yadav. What is your occupation? Former Corporate Social Responsibility Executive at a major bank Why are you running? Im running because I believe that Charlotte needs new leadership. If youve been paying attention, its clear that the current City Council isnt working the way it should theres a lack of collaboration, not enough accountability, and everyday residents are being left out of the conversation. Im not a career politician. I bring a fresh perspective shaped by real-world experience in workforce development, economic mobility, and equity. Ive spent my career building programs that deliver results and thats exactly what Ill do on Council. Its time for leadership that focuses less on headlines and more on getting things done for the people of Charlotte. What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? The most pressing issue facing Charlotte is economic inequality: the gap between those who are thriving and those who are just trying to survive keeps growing. We have a city full of talent, but not enough pathways to opportunity. As a former workforce development leader, I know how to change that. Ill champion policies that support living-wage jobs, invest in vocational training, strengthen partnerships with community colleges, and expand support for small businesses. Ill also push the city to do more with its own dollars. We need to prioritize local hiring, supplier diversity, and workforce pipelines through city contracts. If we want to build a safer, more inclusive, and more prosperous Charlotte, we must center economic mobility in everything we do. How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I support the transit sales tax, but that support comes with clear expectations around accountability and equity. We cant keep growing as a city without building a transit system that works for everyone, especially the people who rely on it every day. This referendum would fund the Better Bus plan, expand rail and road access, and unlock billions in federal matching dollars. Thats a once-in-a-generation opportunity. But funding alone isnt enough. Weve seen broken promises before. If were going to ask taxpayers to invest, we need to ensure: Accountability: There must be strong public oversight of how these funds are spent. Ill advocate for transparent reporting, independent audits, and a governance structure that isnt just political appointments. It must include everyday riders, workers, and community voices. Equity: The plan must prioritize those whove been historically left out of transportation decisions - low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, and transit-dependent riders. That means more bus frequency, safer stops, and true accessibility across the county. So yes, I support the referendum, but only with a commitment to doing it the right way: with transparency, fairness, and a focus on those who need it most. Do you support Charlotte City Councils settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? I dont have access to all the facts that led to the settlement, and I wont pretend to know exactly what I would have done if I were in the room. But what I can say with confidence is that I do NOT agree with the process. A $305,000 settlement, funded by taxpayers, should never be approved behind closed doors without public explanation. The lack of transparency, the absence of a public vote, and the way this decision was made only fuels mistrust in local government. Residents deserve clarity, not confusion, when it comes to how their money is spent, especially on high-profile personnel matters. If Im elected, I will push for clearer rules around how settlements are handled and ensure that public trust and transparency are never afterthoughts. We can respect individuals privacy while still being accountable to the people we serve. How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? I dont have all the information yet, and I would want legal guidance to fully understand whats possible under state law. But I believe these concerns around low pay, poor working conditions, and safety are serious and deserve attention. As a Council member, I would advocate for bringing everyone to the table: workers, union leaders, contractors, airport leadership, and legal experts. We need honest, transparent conversations to find lawful, practical solutions that reflect our citys values and respect the dignity of the workers who keep our airport running. What sets you apart from your opponents? Im a new voice in this race - not someone whos run for office multiple times or been part of the political establishment. Im not a career politician, Im someone who has lived the challenges many Charlotte residents face and has also led at the highest levels of corporate America to drive real change. I immigrated to this country 23 years ago, started at a community college, and built a career focused on economic mobility, workforce development, and equity. I know how to bring people together, listen deeply, and turn bold ideas into practical action. What sets me apart is my combination of lived experience and executive leadership, and my commitment to doing things differently. Im running to restore accountability, expand opportunity, and make sure City Council actually works for the people of Charlotte, not just the politically connected. (WATCH BELOW: Gov. McMaster has no timeline to implement limits on SNAP benefits) As the Ohio National Guard departs for Washington, D.C., Democrats and activists called on Gov. Mike DeWine to reverse his decision and not participate in President Donald Trump's "political theater." They expressed concern that sending troops to Washington, D.C., today could lead to sending National Guard members to Ohio cities tomorrow. Gary Daniels, legislative director for the ACLU of Ohio, says Gov. Mike DeWine should reverse the decision to send Ohio National Guard to Washington D.C. "If the Trump administration is willing to create political drama and create an emergency by creating an emergency, it is very likely that they will do it again," said Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, outside the Ohio Statehouse on Aug. 20. "We need to say 'no' now so that it doesn't spread." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "How soon will we see National Guard from other states in places like Ohio, in cities like Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus?" asked Gary Daniels, legislative director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio. "This is just the very beginning." A viral video detailing a violent fight in downtown Cincinnati led Republican politicians to criticize the city's safety, despite lower crime rates in most neighborhoods. DeWine told the statehouse bureau that there was no plan to send the Ohio National Guard to Cincinnati or any other Ohio city. DeWine is one of the three Republican governors sending National Guard members to the nation's capital as President Trump aims to crack down on crime in the city. The Trump administration has sent D.C. National Guard to the city and taken over the local police department. Violent crime is down in Washington, D.C. and across the nation, but that's not the perception among Americans who year after year report feeling like crime is getting worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This political theater has got to end. Our National Guard families and our soldiers deserve better," said Adam Miller, a former Democratic state lawmaker running against U.S. Rep. Mike Carey. He is a retired Army JAG colonel. DeWine has defended his decision to send 150 troops to help the D.C. National Guard at the request of the Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll. DeWine said it was consistent with past deployments and "the right thing to do." "The record does not reflect their criticism," DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney said in response to the Aug. 20 complaints. But activists say DeWine should have said "no" to the Secretary's request rather than adding troops to what they say is a questionable mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(DeWine) has chosen to be part of the problem instead of part of the solution," Daniels said. State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@gannett.com or @jbalmert on X. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'Political theater has got to end:' Groups slam National Guard deployment When the FBI fired five veteran agents earlier this month, Director Kash Patel offered no explanation. Shock at the firings has continued to reverberate through the storied agency. And now, details are emerging about the possible motivation, several sources close to the agents tell CBS News. "There is a despicable purge underway of senior FBI officials, all of whom have risen in their careers as nonpartisan, and who have been targeted for vindictive, political purposes," said Mark Zaid, a whistleblower attorney who represents a number of federal workers dismissed under President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without any public comment from FBI or Justice Department officials, the agents, including Brian Driscoll, who served for a short time as acting director at the start of the Trump administration, and Steven Jensen, head of the powerful Washington field office, were summarily fired and given little explanation for their removal. None had reached retirement age, meaning the abrupt dismissals will deprive them of their full pensions. One agent's expulsion came a month after his wife died of cancer. CBS News spoke with multiple sources close to the agents for this story. All of those interviewed spoke on the condition they not be identified for fear of retribution. By outward appearances, former acting FBI director was in good standing Some of the agents may have been targeted solely because they worked on one or more of the criminal investigations of Mr. Trump, while others who were ousted in an earlier spate of firings worked on the Biden administration's Jan. 6 investigations, sources close to the agents said. But the most senior agent, Driscoll, by outward appearances, was in good standing with Patel. Brian Driscoll, former acting FBI director. / Credit: FBI Driscoll, a highly decorated agent who took part in numerous daring counterterrorism operations, began his short stint as acting director with what many agents viewed as a singular act of bravery, resisting calls from a top Trump appointee at the Justice Department to turn over the names of FBI employees who had participated in the Jan. 6 investigation. Nevertheless, Patel kept Driscoll on after his Senate confirmation, putting him in a high-profile post as head of the bureau's Critical Incident Response Group, which oversees the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team and its aviation unit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jensen, a veteran agent who helped oversee the Jan. 6 investigation from his position as chief of the FBI's domestic terrorism section, was given a significant promotion by Patel to be the assistant director in charge of the Washington Field Office, one of the largest outposts in the country. One source with knowledge of the matter told CBS News that Patel relied on both agents and particularly admired Driscoll, whom he viewed as a swashbuckling tactical operator. Another said that the FBI director opposed some of the firings. "I think Kash tried to save these people, honestly," the source said. Yet there are also some indications that both men may have crossed FBI leadership over loyalty and personnel matters. Some agents suspect political interference Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zaid is part of a team of lawyers preparing to sue the federal government on behalf of some of the fired FBI agents. He told CBS News he suspects outside political interference. "If you look at Patel's testimony from his confirmation hearing when he promised the committee there would be no politicization or retribution at the FBI under his leadership," Zaid told CBS News, "you have to conclude that he was either lying or, giving him the benefit of the doubt, that he was directed to take these actions, and that could only come from the White House or the Justice Department." Patel promised senators during that hearing, "There will be no retributive actions taken by any FBI, should I be confirmed as FBI director." Democrats on Capitol Hill see the firings as baldly political and damaging to U.S. national security. Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement to CBS News that he believes agents should be commended for their ability to enforce the law impartially. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When we start purging agents for doing their jobs, instead of toeing a partisan line, we weaken our defense against everything from violent crime to foreign threats, and that makes us all less safe," Warner said. When asked who ordered the termination of the agents, the FBI declined to comment. A White House official deferred to the FBI to discuss bureau personnel matters. "The suspendables" There are other factors that have led some sources close to the agents and lawyers representing them to question whether the abrupt removals were the result of outside political interference, possibly by the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One question surrounds the role of a small band of right-leaning former agents who clashed with FBI leadership under directors James Comey and Christopher Wray and have been vocal critics of a bureau they believe was "weaponized" against them. Among them is Kyle Seraphin, one of several former FBI agents and whistleblowers who were suspended or had their security clearances revoked for alleged misconduct during the Biden administration. The former agents, including Seraphin, have referred to themselves as "the suspendables." They have been targeting FBI officials they believe to be politically motivated. Seraphin has been among the most outspoken and effective members of the group. He has at times been critical of Patel for not aggressively and swiftly cleaning house at the bureau, but he has also had Patel's ear. Sources say he exercises considerable influence from his social media perch on X and his podcast, "The Kyle Seraphin Show." Seraphin has publicly claimed some of the credit for last week's purge. On Aug. 4, he posted a thread on X under the heading "VETTING CRISIS CONTINUES," in which he identified one of the fired agents, Christopher M. Meyer. Meyer had been serving as one of the pilots of the governmental planes used by Patel until he was notified of his termination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seraphin had publicly speculated that Meyer had previously been on a squad based in the Washington Field Office that investigated Mr. Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents and conducted a search of Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The Justice Department brought criminal charges against Mr. Trump over the discovery of documents, but a judge eventually dismissed the case. Seraphin told CBS News in an interview, "I identified that the person that ran the Mar-a-Lago case that resulted in a search warrant at the president's home was rubbing shoulders in close proximity with the FBI director" as his pilot. He was concerned that "this is a person that's now in the kind of buddy space of your FBI director, and he doesn't even know who he's speaking to." After publication of this article, Dan Eisenberg, a lawyer for Meyer, said he was not assigned to the Mar-a-Lago case and had not participated in the search. However, a source familiar with the matter said Meyer did work on the federal investigation into Mr. Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. On Alex Jones's "InfoWars," Seraphin said he gave a "heads up" to an "administration insider" about Meyer. He told CBS News his "Trump administration insider" was "in the president's orbit." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How the firings unfolded On Aug. 4, Patel directed Driscoll to fire Meyer, sources told CBS News. When Driscoll asked on what grounds, he did not get what he considered a satisfactory answer from Patel, according to the source. Without it, Driscoll refused. Two days later, on Aug. 6, Driscoll was contacted by J. William Rivers, the No. 3 official at the FBI, and told he was being terminated, the source said. He was given no reason why but later received a letter formally notifying him that he was being fired. Around the same time, Jensen was also relieved of his duties. A source with knowledge of that matter said it was because he, too, refused to fire a subordinate agent in the Washington Field Office, though CBS News was not able to identify the person. Walter Giardina, a WFO agent who was also dismissed in the purge, had worked on a number of cases involving Mr. Trump and other members of his administration, including the prosecution of senior Trump aide Peter Navarro for contempt of Congress. The fifth agent fired earlier this month was Spencer Evans, who had been the special agent in charge of the FBI's Nevada field office until earlier this summer, when he was abruptly told he was being transferred to Huntsville, Alabama. By then, Trump supporters, including Seraphin, had been publicly critical of him over his enforcement of FBI COVID policies during the tenure of former FBI Director Christpher Wray. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April, Seraphin posted this on X: "After @Kash_Patel was nominated, he asked me about people in the FBI who were problems. I said Spencer Evans, the SAC of Las Vegas, was the man who PERSONALLY denied the religious accommodations for Covid 19 shots and testing protocols." Seraphin's post continued: "Kash said 'Gone.'" Seraphin attached a video to his post that showed that months after that conversation, Evans was still leading the Las Vegas FBI office, and Patel was praising its work in tracking down criminals. Then, last Wednesday, two hours before getting into his car to drive across the country for his new assignment, Evans received a call notifying him that he too was being terminated. He was given no reason. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two days later Evans received a formal termination letter signed by Patel. It said Evans "demonstrated a lack of reasonableness and overzealousness in the implementation of COVID-19 protocols and policies." After the August firings, Seraphin told CBS News a colleague in the FBI said to him, "You have four scalps hanging off your belt this week." Seraphin excluded Driscoll from the count, and referred to him as "collateral damage," and said he probably didn't deserve to be fired. Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information. Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine The future of streaming and movies as "Stranger Things" creators sign with Paramount Trump expanding steel and aluminum tariffs to products like baby strollers, fire extinguishers POLK COUNTY, Iowa Two people were killed and another was injured in a crash near Elkhart Tuesday evening. At around 7:35 p.m. emergency crews were called to the intersection of NE 29th Street and NE 142nd Avenue northwest of Elkhart for a report of a crash involving two vehicles. Man charged after allegedly taking Iowa teen reported missing to North Carolina home According to the Polk County Sheriffs Office, two occupants of one of the vehicles died from their injuries sustained in the crash. The victims have been identified as an adult male, who died at the scene, and an adult female, who died at the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office said the adult male occupant of the second vehicle sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital. The intersection of NE 29th Street and NE 142nd Avenue will be shut down while the investigation into the crash unfolds. The sheriffs office said the cause of the crash is not yet known. No additional information has been released. Metro news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. SACRAMENTO, California California policy influencers are more eager to impose new controls on social media than Golden State voters, according to an exclusive POLITICO-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab poll, signaling a possible disconnect between Sacramento elites and the people they represent. The survey asked two different groups what kinds of measures they favored for regulating social media. A group of roughly 500 POLITICO Pro subscribers, deeply versed in Californias political landscape, overwhelmingly said they backed fact-checking posts, with 75 percent in favor. Another 67 percent said they supported blocking students from using social media at school, and 62 percent endorsed removing potential hate speech from platforms. However, support for each policy dropped when 1,445 registered California voters were asked the same question. Just half of voters said they backed blocking students from using social media at school. Support for fact-checking sank to 60 percent, while 53 percent of voters said they favored removing potential hate speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The results indicate Sacramentos heavily Democratic class of decision-makers is out ahead of the states voter base which includes more independents and Republicans when it comes to reining in social media giants. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a range of nation-leading tech rules last year, including restricting cell phones in schools, but has also faced recent court defeats on social media restrictions, including for deepfakes and handling hate speech amid First Amendment complaints. The poll further suggests more aggressive attempts to regulate content moderation, like targeting hate speech and promoting fact-checking, are a tougher sell outside the Democratic base. Just 40 percent of self-identified Republicans surveyed said they supported removing potential hate speech, compared to 66 percent of Democratic voters. Fact-checking notched 45 percent support among Republicans against 71 percent of Democrats who favored the policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we're seeing in the voter data is a clear reflection of differences between the elites in those parties, Possibility Lab director and University of California, Berkeley political scientist Amy Lerman told POLITICO. Republicans tepid support for both policies follows years of allegations, amplified by President Donald Trump, that stringent content moderation censors conservative speech. Trump himself was banned from Twitter (now X), Facebook and other platforms following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Now, the poll indicates its Democrats who are playing defense as Silicon Valley turns rightward to curry favor in Washington. Mark Zuckerbergs Meta and Elon Musks X have dumped fact-checking and loosened content moderation rules, sparking Democratic complaints that platforms are letting hate and misinformation run rampant. There is a clear public call for action, said Democratic state Sen. Henry Stern, whos pushing a bill this year that would penalize companies whose algorithms knowingly promote hate speech that violates Californias civil rights laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, there was a key area that showed more agreement across parties: measures related to protecting kids online. That topic has generally received more bipartisan backing across the country. Sizable majorities of Democratic voters (72 percent) and Republican voters (63 percent) said they supported labeling artificial intelligence-created images and deepfakes. Blocking students from using social media at school was less popular but still garnered support from 46 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of Republicans. Those numbers track with Sacramentos record of bipartisanship when weighing kids safety protections and restrictions for deepfake pornography. State lawmakers crossed party lines to approve bills on both issues last year, including the school cell phone ban authored by Republican Assemblymember Josh Hoover. Republicans were actually more likely to favor strict limits on kids social media access: 51 percent said they supported banning kids under 16 from social media, compared to 43 percent of Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conservatives support for stricter bans aligns with recent red state policies. Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Utah have all passed laws requiring minors to obtain parental consent before downloading some social media apps. Republicans in Florida went further last year with a law outright blocking kids under 14 from social media. California Democrats are currently weighing their own online age verification bill, but the measure doesnt outright ban kids from social media or mandate parental consent for app downloads. Notably, younger voters werent on board with strict social media limits for kids. Just 26 percent of Gen Z voters surveyed said they supported blocking students access to social media in school, compared to 54 percent of Gen Xers and 64 percent of baby boomers. That could be a warning for the two-thirds of California policy influencers who said theyd support blocking social media access at school: Passing social media bans might alienate young voters who otherwise favor Democrats at the ballot box. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea of separating [social media] from their daily lives and daily existence can be disconcerting, Lerman said of Gen Z. Blocking them from using social media and this was specifically at school is a really controversial question among young people because they are so used to having their phones on them all the time. Even longtime kids safety advocate and Common Sense Media CEO Jim Steyer was skeptical of a strict social media ban. Our own preferred approach is to force companies to change their design features so they reduce harms to kids and teens, rather than to deny young people who benefit from social media the opportunity to use it safely, Steyer said in a statement. But Stern who previously proposed legislation that would have allowed school districts to restrict social media access said hes sticking by his belief after seeing the poll. He also said he supports banning kids under 16 from social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have overwhelming evidence that early and excessive exposure to social media is harming kids mental health, Stern said. This is not about taking away freedom. It's about giving our children a chance to grow up without algorithms shaping their self-worth and protecting them online. Younger voters appeared to share Sterns mental health concerns: 6-in-10 Gen Zers said they supported mental health warning labels for social media similar to tobacco labels, more than any other age group. A slim majority (52 percent) of all voters surveyed said they supported warning labels, a policy promoted by the former Biden administration surgeon general that Democratic Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan is trying to mandate with legislation this year. We're at a critical tipping point in public awareness, Bauer-Kahan told POLITICO. She said the poll results actually reinforce my commitment to this work because they show we're building the foundation for broader change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The survey consisted of two separate opinion studies of the California electorate and policy influencers in the state, fielded by TrueDot, the AI-accelerated research platform, in collaboration with the Citrin Center and Possibility Lab at UC Berkeley and POLITICO. The public opinion study, made possible in part with support from the California Constitution Center, was conducted in the field between July 28 and Aug. 12. The sample of 1,445 total registered voters, including 807 registered Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, was selected at random by Verasight, with interviews conducted in English and Spanish, and includes an oversample of Hispanic voters. The modeled error estimate for the full sample is plus/minus 2.6 percent. The policy influencer study was conducted from July 30 to Aug. 11, among 512 subscribers to POLITICO Pro, and the modeled error estimate is plus/minus 3.7 percent. A version of this story first appeared in California Decoded, POLITICOs morning newsletter for Pros about how the Golden State is shaping tech policy within its borders and beyond. Like this content? POLITICO Pro subscribers receive it daily. Learn more at www.politicopro.com. Nearly two-thirds of Germans support Chancellor Friedrich Merz's decision to partially suspend arms exports to Israel, according to a YouGov survey conducted for dpa. The poll found that 65% of respondents backed the move announced by the government in Berlin earlier this month, while 19% opposed it and 16% were undecided. The poll of 2,175 people was conducted in mid-August. Merz said exports of arms to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip would be suspended, citing the Israeli government's decision to expand military operations in the Palestinian territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chancellor said that Berlin would continue to back Israel's right to self-defence but could not provide arms for a conflict that might cost hundreds of thousands of civilian lives. Support for the decision was above average among voters of the Greens, the Left, the Social Democrats and Merz's conservative CDU/CSU bloc. It was lower among supporters of the pro-business Free Democrats and the far-right AfD. Opinion was more divided on whether the European Union should review an agreement with Israel which governs political and economic ties. Several EU states, including Spain and France, have called for the suspension of the pact over Israel's actions in Gaza. According to an internal review by the EU earlier this year, Israel's conduct in the Gaza Strip - particularly restrictions on humanitarian aid - does not align with the principles outlined in the pact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany opposes suspending or changing the pact, arguing dialogue must remain open. The survey found 45% backed Berlin's stance, 32% disagreed and 23% had no opinion. The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas and other Palestinian Islamist militant groups carried out a large-scale attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages to Gaza. Since then, more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. The figures, which cannot be independently verified, do not distinguish between civilians and fighters. However, international organizations such as the United Nations consider the figures to be largely credible. By Joshua McElwee VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo plans to visit Lebanon, the country's senior Catholic official announced on Wednesday, in what could be the first visit outside Italy by the new leader of the global Church. The pope will travel to Lebanon "by December", Cardinal Bechara Rai told the al-Arabiya television channel. Rai, leader of the 3.5-million-member Maronite Catholic Church, did not give a specific date for the visit but said "preparations are already underway". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Lebanese official familiar with the matter confirmed that discussions were being held about a visit towards the end of the year, though a date had not yet been finalised. Leo, the first U.S. pope, was elected by the world's Catholic cardinals on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis, who had planned to visit Lebanon but was unable to go because of health issues. Lebanon is home to more than two million Catholics, according to Vatican statistics. A Vatican spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Rai's remarks. A Vatican official, who asked not to be named, confirmed that a trip was being planned and said it could be part of a tour that would also include Turkey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Travelling abroad has become a major part of the modern papacy, with popes seeking to meet local Catholics, spread the faith, and conduct international diplomacy. They often draw crowds in the millions. Francis made 47 visits abroad during his 12-year papacy, travelling to 68 countries. He made a policy of visiting countries that often did not draw international attention as a way of highlighting problems in what he called the "peripheries" of the world. Leo has been expected to visit Turkey in late November as part of celebrations for the 1,700th anniversary of a major early Church council, which took place in Nicaea, now called Iznik. In a message to Lebanon earlier this month, Leo commemorated the fifth anniversary of a huge chemical explosion at the Beirut port that killed 200 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage. "Beloved and suffering Lebanon remains at the centre of our prayers," said the pope. (Reporting by Joshua McElwee;Additional reporting by Maya Gebeily in BeirutEditing by Helen Popper) PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Portland Mayor Keith Wilson held a public meeting on Tuesday night to address the citys growing homelessness crisis. With the goal of creating 1500 shelter beds by Dec. 1, Wilson says housing and shelter are his top priorities. However, dozens of nonprofits and service providers voiced concern about the barriers that slow down progress, saying that the system needs serious work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have some opportunities there for some low-hanging fruit to streamline paperwork, streamline the approval process, more, better communication with partners and government partners as well to get folks housing and hopefully keep them housed, which is why were all here for, said Margaret Salazar, the community development leader for REACH CDC, which houses over 3500 people. Salazar also said that accessing help shouldnt be so complicated Scott Seif knows that firsthand. After years of homelessness, Seifs hoping for a more straightforward path to stability: People need to stop and think really about the whole situation and how it affects an individual. Stability is the main thing, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seif says a paperwork technicality could push him out of his affordable apartment of five years. Can we try and find a system that works with everyone? he said. Meanwhile, Wilson is pushing hard to hit his goal of 1500 new shelter beds, including a new overnight shelter in the Pearl District coming in weeks. Neighbors are still asking if the shelters can solve addiction and mental health challenges, but Wilson insists that the city has to start somewhere. Lets just care for those individuals. Bring them off the street, get them care. It will reduce the drug use, Wilson said. Right now, only 400 of the planned beds are currently available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson is also proposing 90-day limits for anyone staying at 24/7 city-funded shelters. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Washingtons Department of Ecology fined the U.S. Postal Service $33,000 this week for improperly storing and disposing of packages containing dangerous wastes at its Seattle Bulk Mail Center. The U.S. Service has already corrected the violations that needed to be immediately addressed, according to the Department of Ecology. If leaking or damaged packages contain materials such as insecticides, propane, paints, or cleaning products, the facility is required to properly identify the substances, assess the related hazards, and then safely store and dispose of the waste. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Postal Service has 30 days to pay the penalty or appeal to the state Pollution Control Hearings Board. The penalty is due to several violations of dangerous waste laws that inspectors found at the facility in 2024. Those violations include failure to identify dangerous waste; failure to safely store dangerous waste; failure to properly manage waste like batteries and fluorescent bulbs; and failure to maintain personnel training records. The Department of Ecology noted that containers awaiting disposal were often unlabeled and stored in crowded areas. Inspections completed at the facility in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024 all found deficiencies in how the Seattle Bulk Mail Center was identifying and storing packages containing dangerous wastes, according to the Department of Ecology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inspectors also reportedly found that hazardous wastes from regular operations and vehicle maintenance at the facility were also an issue. The U.S. Postal Service has corrected issues related to all four violations, such as changing how they store dangerous materials, safely disposing of their accumulated waste, and recording their weekly inspections, according to an Ecology spokesperson. There are other compliance issues, such as a training plan for employees that they are continuing to work on with Ecology, the spokesperson said. We expect businesses that generate hazardous waste to take the regulations seriously, said Christa Colouzis, Northwest Region manager for Ecologys Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction program. The U.S. Postal Service did not respond to a request for comment. A proposal for a power line across Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties has sparked an ongoing legal fight between developers and property owners in its path. (File photo by Ned Oliver/ Virginia Mercury) The company surveying a potential route for the controversial Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project power line is asking a court to provide federal marshals for protection as they try to do their jobs. In a petition filed Friday with U.S. District Court in Maryland, PSEG Renewable Transmission said that many of the landowners along the potential route of a high-power that would cut across Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties have been cooperative. But it cites six incidents where property owners have refused access, threatened armed violence, and engaged in intimidation tactics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local police have indicated publicly that they will not get involved in civil complaints around the power line, leaving workers defenseless, the company said, arguing that the court should assign U.S. marshals to accompany workers in the field to protect them when needed. In addition to threats of violence in the field, the company said it is concerned about the safety of its land agents and surveyors given the social media atmosphere in which many individuals are openly calling for violence against the Companys surveyors and land agents, as well as local law enforcement officials public statements of non-involvement, the petition said. A company spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the filing Tuesday. But a member of Stop MPRP, the grassroots group of landowners and others who have been fighting the power line for the past year, called the petition little more than a scare tactic by a private, multibillion-dollar company. We dont believe violence is ever an answer or even threats of violence, said Betsy McFarland, who owns 3 acres of land in Frederick County with her husband. But regardless of that, we understand why people are so upset. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were all donating our time to this cause because we care about our community, McFarland said. For this private, multibillion-dollar company to be able to come in and threaten people and take their land is not fair. We want to see the process play out. McFarland noted that the Maryland Public Service Commission has not granted a key certificate that would allow construction on the power line to move forward. But PSEG argues that PSC approval cannot come until a route can be mapped. It said it was selected by the regional electric grid operator, PJM Interconnection, and given a deadline of June 1, 2027, to place the 67-mile power transmission line in service or risk blackouts or other woes due to increasing strain on the electric grid. The MPRP line is planned to deliver power generated by a plant in southern Pennsylvania, carrying it from northern Baltimore County to southern Frederick County. PJM has said it needs the additional capacity to keep pace with rising demand for electricity at a time when aging power plants in Maryland are set to be retired, and new generation capacity is lagging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics say the project not only presents a threat to private property along the route, but that it would destroy the rural nature of the region, interfere with family farms, harm forests and streams and endanger a longtime youth camp. Fridays filing is the latest in a court case that began in May, when PSEG sued more than 100 landowners in the power line corridor who it said were refusing surveyors access to their property for the project. U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson sided with the company in June, ruling that surveyors had a right to enter a property and remain to the extent reasonably necessary to make surveys, run lines or levels, or obtain information relating to the acquisition and future use of the properties in connection with the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project. Abelson said the company would first have to provide at least 24 hours of notice of its visits by taping a notice on the front door. Opponents appealed Abelsons ruling, but the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has not taken the case up yet. In the meantime, PSEG filed suit againts more property owners a company spokesman said at the time that a lawsuit against a third group of property owners was expected and began surveying properties in the first group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company said most landowners have been cooperative. But in addition to the social media threats, the petition cited six incidents when property owners yelled things to surveyors such as, Do not come on my property, I have a gun, and I will shoot you, and get the [expletive] off my property. Others threatened to sic dogs on the workers or stopped inches from hitting them with an ATV, the petition said. The company asked the court to assign U.S. marshals to protect workers when they are threatened, and to set up an expedited process for requesting protection. That petition was filed Friday; Abelson on Monday approved an expedited hearing schedule, giving the property owners until Wednesday to file a response, and the company until Friday to reply. McFarland said she was not named in any of the lawsuits to date, but said that could change in the near future. Were probably going to get named in a future lawsuit because were not letting them on our property either, unless the court requires it, she said. Im going to politely ask them to leave if they try. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The waiting room at a Sioux Falls driver licensing station is empty on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. Exams were closed due to a statewide power outage for government systems. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) South Dakota state government telephone systems and websites went down across several departments Tuesday, limiting systems and services. One woman filling out drivers licensing paperwork at the Sioux Falls One Stop Tuesday afternoon yelled in exasperation over the news. There was no signage to warn her drivers license exams were closed, just an empty waiting room and blank TV screens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was informed about the closure by a passerby, and later a state Department of Motor Vehicles staff member. People looking to get marriage licenses and vehicle registrations experienced similar hassles Tuesday across South Dakota. As of Tuesday evening, the reason for the power outage behind the states technical difficulties and peoples frustrations was still unknown. Department of Revenue homepage on Aug. 19, 2025 during a state government network outage. (Courtesy of South Dakota Department of Revenue) Bureau of Information and Telecommunications spokesperson Lisa Rahja said its not clear how long the power outage will impact state operations and services, she said. The event affected all state-hosted services and some network communications, Rahja said in an emailed statement. The state engineer and BIT technical staff have investigated the root cause and are taking measures to remediate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The data center is not a single location, Rahja later told South Dakota Searchlight, but rather the term used by the IT bureau to refer to all the hardware scattered across multiple locations and connected to the states communications network. Rahja said the state was still looking into the cause and extent of the outages. But the situation was not weather-related, she said, and that theres no reason to believe theres any other external factors. Were trying to really get that back up and running, but we cant even nail down what part of it is having the issues, because its all very large and complex for the entire state. An incident command center was launched Tuesday to streamline communications between the bureau and the office of the state engineer as they work to resolve the issue. Outages across multiple departments Some websites were entirely down Tuesday, including websites for the secretary of state, attorney general, auditor, treasurer, bureau of finance and management, as well as departments of social services, education, agriculture and natural resources, tourism, tribal relations and public safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states medical marijuana page was down even as the states Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee met in Pierre. SD.net, the state-run service that streams government meetings, only streamed portions of that committees Tuesday meeting. Coverage was also spotty for the audio stream of the states Rules Review committee. South Dakotas transparency website, Open SD, and the website that hosts meeting agendas, minutes and calendars for dozens of state regulatory and oversight boards and commissions were also affected. Calls to the state Department of Health, which maintains the medical marijuana page, were dropped throughout the day. The state Department of Public Safety posted on Facebook that it would close drivers license exam stations until network service returned. A note on the Department of Revenue homepage said the department and clients were having issues accessing the states online filing system. A South Dakota Department of Motor Vehicles kiosk screen says the machine is out of service on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. The failure is part of a statewide government network outage. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) The state Legislature and Unified Judicial System sites were working, though the UJS homepage said connectivity issues might prevent some online features from working, including the states eCourts system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X, Attorney General Marty Jackley apologized for a lack of public access to his offices services You may not be able to reach our office at this time, Jackley said. Local impacts Local agencies that rely on South Dakota state network access were impacted on Tuesday. The Minnehaha County Treasurers office in Sioux Falls, for example, was unable to access the records needed to issue license plates and vehicle registrations. Computer issue no registrations can be printed, a sign at the treasurers office read. We can review your paperwork. Down the hall at the Minnehaha County Register of Deeds, county employees were unable to access any state records on births, deaths or marriages. People could pay in advance for records theyd need to get at a later date, Assistant Treasurer Vicki Fuglsby said, but only if they paid cash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The system for accepting credit card payments is tied to the state and wasnt working, Fuglsby said. We had to turn away people looking for marriage licenses, Fuglsby said. The Lawrence County Treasurers office in Deadwood, like every other Treasurers office in the state, was unable to print vehicle registrations on Tuesday. Typically, theres a mailing fee for customers who ask that records be sent, said Sally Atkinson, the First Deputy Treasurer in Lawrence County. On Tuesday, attendants took checks and prepared paperwork for registrations, titles and the like, and offered to send the documents without the fee. Its not their fault. They drove up here to get this done, and now they cant, Atkinson said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Residents and visitors have been praising Church Stretton's scenery, attractions and independent shops after it made a list of the top 15 towns and village in the UK. Consumer organisation Which? also listed two other Shropshire towns Ludlow and Ironbridge in the top 15 places to visit. In the survey, towns and villages were rated for their peace and quiet, scenery, food, drink and attractions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have the Shropshire Hills, and we have Carding Mill Valley and Shropshire is very popular, and it used to be called Little Switzerland, in the days when it snowed and there was frost," Church Stretton resident Gwen said. 'Cute little shops' She said the town had "everything but a shoe shop". Staff working in the estate agents said the town was "extremely popular", mainly for the walks and the hills - which were a "definite selling point". The historic market town of Ludlow was also among the best towns listed [Getty Images] Jamie, a 24-year-old teacher from Swansea, had stopped on her way to Liverpool and said the town had always been a "family favourite" and a place her grandfather likes to visit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I just kind of adopted it myself," she said. "It's just got a nice small feel to it, lots of local businesses, cute little shops, all the kind of stuff I like I like supporting local businesses." 'Keep ourselves quiet' Frances, who works in The Outdoor Depot, said the area attracted fell runners and holidaymakers for the walking. She moved to Church Stretton from Manchester after they'd "had enough of the city" and wanted the walking and the scenery. The town hadn't previously appeared on lists, she said, adding: "We do like to keep ourselves a bit quiet. "A lot of people don't exactly know where Shropshire is and sometimes we think maybe it's better to keep it that way." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More on this story Related internet links Pregnant Rehoboth teen texted, If I die, it was Greg, before she was killed, prosecutor says The boyfriend of a pregnant teen who was reported missing almost two weeks ago was arraigned Wednesday on a charge of murder and ordered held without bail, less than 24 hours after he allegedly confessed to the crime, leading to the discovery of human remains on his 25-acre plot of property in Rehoboth. Gregory Groom, 22, appeared before a judge in Taunton District Court to answer to charges of murder, aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant person, domestic assault and battery, and intimidation of a witness for acts committed against 18-year-old Kylee Monteiro. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf. Groom was initially arrested on Tuesday on domestic violence charges in connection with an incident involving Monteiro on Aug. 6. The upgraded charge of murder came when remains consistent with those of Monteiro, who was 11 weeks pregnant, were later found at Grooms home at 107 County Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In court on Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Jason Mohan told the court that Groom contacted the Rehoboth Police Department on Aug. 8 to report that his girlfriend was missing. Mr. Groom reported that Ms. Monteiro was at his house, that she was looking for a place to stay, they got into an argument, that she ultimately left his residence walking down the driveway, and she hadnt been seen or heard from since, Mohan said. Ms. Monteiro was known to be very active on social media, and he hadnt heard from her, nor had her friends or family, in the following days. Through texts Monteiro sent to her sister, investigators later learned that Groom had allegedly physically harmed Monteiro during an altercation on Aug. 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He threw me on the ground, he pulled my hair, and strangled me, Monteiro said in the texts, according to Mohan. My phone is at 4% and if I die, it was Greg. A subsequent search of Grooms property on Aug. 14, which included cadaver dogs, failed to yield anything of significance, but based on the failure of Monteiro to contact friends and family, police continued to pursue the investigation into her disappearance. Mohan said that Groom reported to the Rehoboth police station on Tuesday for an interview, admitting that he had knocked Monteiro to the ground, causing her to hit her head. He also admitted to knocking Monteiros cellphone out of her hand when she attempted to call for help. When investigators pressed Groom on the whereabouts of Monteiro, they told him that they would be searching his property with dogs, excavators, and members of the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab. Then came an admission, according to Mohan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Groom then paused. He was given an opportunity to tell the police where Ms. Monteiro was located, Mohan said. Mr. Groom ultimately drew a rudimentary map, indicating he had gotten into an argument behind a shed on the property where he was known to stay, and where Ms. Monteiro stayed. During that altercation, Mr. Groom admitted that he stabbed Ms. Monteiro twice in the neck and once in the chest. That stab wound to the chest actually broke the blade of the knife off. Groom went on to confess to police that he then spent several hours digging a hole about 20 yards from the shed, where he disposed of Monteiros body and covered it with brush and dirt, according to Mohan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the police ultimately called in medical examiners to uncover that hole, a body consistent with Kylee Monteiro was discovered about five feet underground, Mohan said. Monteiro was last seen alive on Thursday, August 7, according to family, friends, and law enforcement. An autopsy will be performed on the body to confirm it is Monteiros. Groom is due back in court for a probable cause hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 10. An investigation into Monteiros death remains ongoing. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW AKRON, Ohio (WJW) The Akron Police Department is investigating the death of an unborn child after a pregnant woman was shot. According to police, a 29-year-old woman who was pregnant arrived at Cleveland Clinic Akron General at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. Body found near Edgewater Beach The woman suffered serious injuries. Her unborn baby did not survive. The woman remains in the hospital. Police have not released any information about where and when the shooting occurred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are deeply concerned about this act of violence that occurred over the weekend in our city, said Chief Brian Harding. I want to reassure our residents that reducing violent crime remains our top priority. Its heartbreaking to see a reprehensible act like this that was so callous and immoral, said Mayor Shammas Malik. Will we get tariff rebate checks? What the Trump administration says No one has been arrested. Police are asking for tips. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. CHEYENNE A 20-year-old airman from F.E. Warren Air Force Base is being held without bond on a charge of involuntary manslaughter after police say he fired a gun through an apartment wall, resulting in the death of another airman from the base. Airman 1st Class Jadan Orr was taken into custody following the fatal shooting at around 3:21 a.m. Saturday at Apartment C206 of Sundance Apartments, located at 215 Walterscheid Blvd. Orr is an airman assigned to the 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron at the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base. He is accused of firing the round that caused the death of 23-year-old Senior Airman Joshua Aragon, a security forces specialist assigned to the 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron, 90th Missile Wing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aragon joined the Air Force on April 19, 2022, and he had been assigned to the local base since Oct. 19 of that same year, according to a Tuesday news release from the 90th Missile Wing. We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Senior Airman Aragon, said Col. Terry Holmes, 90th Missile Wing commander, in the release. He was a valued member of our defender team, and his passing leaves a tremendous void. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fellow Airmen as we grieve this heartbreaking loss. Its unknown if anyone else involved in the incident, aside from Orr and Aragon, were airmen or members of the local base community. This incident comes about one week after it was announced that another airman had been arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter, obstructing justice and making a false statement in connection with the July 20 shooting death of a fellow airman. The victim of that incident was 21-year-old Brayden Lovan of the 90th Security Forces Squadron, 90th Missile Wing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saturdays incident According to an affidavit of probable cause written by Cheyenne Police Detective Jeffrey Cover, upon arriving at the scene, CPD found Orr and a friend, 23-year-old Filipo Sualevai, standing next to Orrs car in front of apartment building C, which is where Sualevai and the victim, Aragon, lived. Orr and Sualevai had Aragon leaned against the car as they attempted to help him after hed been shot. CPD officers took over first aid measures until an American Medical Response ambulance arrived on the scene. Aragon was pronounced dead by AMR at that location at approximately 3:40 a.m. Prior to CPD being called, Sualevai told Detective Cover that he and Orr had gone out with their friends, 21-year-old Jasmine Yzaguirre and 20-year-old Kaylie Simmons, before heading back to his and Aragons apartment to continue drinking. Aragon didnt go out with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sualevai said that he, Orr and Simmons wanted to grab fast food at around 3 a.m., but Yzaguirre declined to go with them because they had all been drinking. When Sualevai, Orr and Simmons got to their vehicle, they decided against going out because theyd all been drinking and returned to the apartment. Once they arrived back inside, Sualevai, Simmons and Orr noticed Yzaguirre and Aragon sitting on the couch in the living room together. According to Sualevai, Orr was upset that Yzaguirre was talking to Aragon, and wanted to vent about it to Simmons and Sualevai. The three of them went to Sualevais bedroom while Yzaguirre and Aragon remained on the couch in the living room. According to court documents, Orr told police that while they were in Sualevais room, Sualevai handed him his (Sualevais) AK-47-style pistol for an unknown reason. Orr then pulled the bolt carrier group back, looked for a round in the chamber, said he didnt see any, closed the chamber and then pulled the trigger, discharging a round through the bedroom wall, which is shared with the living room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Simmons and Sualevai both told police that Orr had picked up the pistol, but didnt mention if Sualevai had handed the pistol to him. Simmons was sitting on the bed during the incident and said that the muzzle of the pistol was facing her and was near her face when Orr fired the round. Simmons was not injured. Orr said he expected to hear a click, as he assumed the gun wasnt loaded, but instead heard a loud bang and watched the round he fired go through the wall into the living room. He also explained that the way he cleared the pistol was the way he was trained to clear an AR-15-style rifle in the Air Force, but he wasnt very familiar with the AK-47 style pistol. However, he said hed previously fired that very pistol with Sualevai the weekend prior to the incident. Orr told Detective Cover that he didnt intend to fire the pistol or kill Aragon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the shot was fired, Orr, Sualevai and Simmons went into the living room and found that Aragon had been struck by the round fired by Orr and was bleeding. Yzaguirre called 911, and Sualevai and Orr carried Aragon out to Orrs car because Sualevai wanted to take Aragon to the hospital. Based on the statements made by Orr, Sualevai, Simmons and Yzaguirre, along with evidence collected at the scene, CPD determined that there was probable cause that Orr committed the crime. He was arrested and charged by the Laramie County District Attorneys Office with involuntary manslaughter. He is being held at the Laramie County jail without bond, according to Laramie County Circuit Court staff. Orrs case is still under investigation by CPD, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place at 10:30 a.m. Monday. If a circuit court judge determines at that time that there is enough evidence to proceed with the case against Orr, it will be bound over or transferred to Laramie County District Court. NEED TO KNOW Princess Elizabeth of Belgium will continue her post-graduate studies at Harvard University this fall The heir to the Belgian throne enrolled in the Harvard Kennedy School last year; however, her return was in question due to President Donald Trump's ban on foreign nationals from studying at the university The future queen is said to have declined special consideration, not wanting to receive preferential treatment due to her royal status Princess Elisabeth of Belgium will be permitted to return to Harvard University this fall to continue her postgraduate studies. Belgian royal journalist Wim Dehandschutter confirmed the news to HELLO! on Tuesday, although the royal family hasn't made an official statement on the education controversy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After earning her Bachelor of Arts in history and politics at Oxford's Lincoln College, Belgium's future queen, 23, was admitted to the Harvard Kennedy School in 2024 to study for a two-year master's degree in public policy. However, her return this year was in question due to President Donald Trump's recent actions against the prestigious university. On June 4, the president issued a ban on foreign nationals entering the U.S. with a visa in order to study at Harvard. Dehandschutter has previously indicated that the princess declined special consideration due to her royal status, not wanting to receive preferential treatment over her fellow foreign classmates. A federal judge blocked the Trump ban on June 30, clearing the way for Princess Elisabeth to return. "There are no concrete reasons why she would not be able to return to Harvard in September," Dehandschutter said he's been told by the palace. Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Getty Princess Elisabeth of Belgium on July 21, 2025 Princess Elisabeth of Belgium on July 21, 2025 The journalist added that the royal family was optimistic about any outcome in the matter, sharing that his sources said they believed Princess Elisabeth could have continued her studies online or on a campus in another country if the ban was upheld. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, they found themselves in a tricky spot, diplomatically, when it came to addressing Trump's directive. "I think the royal palace is keeping communication understated because they don't want to create a fuss or scandal," Dehandschutter told Hello! magazine. "I suspect they don't want to create tensions with the U.S. The ban on foreign studies was a decision of President Trump, a head of state like King Philippe and therefore a 'colleague.' " "I'm convinced the royal palace is happy that a solution has been found, and that it's a good one too," he continued. "They were in a difficult situation. Even if Trump were to make an exception for Elisabeth, because she is the daughter of a reigning king and a future queen herself, that would send a strange message from the royal family and could lead to significant criticism that they condone discrimination against other students." Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Getty Princess Elisabeth and King Philippe on July 21, 2025 Princess Elisabeth and King Philippe on July 21, 2025 Princess Elisabeth is the eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and in line to be Belgium's first-ever queen regnant, if she succeeds her father as expected. In addition to her academic studies, she has also received military training at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels and is a second lieutenant in three branches of the Belgian Armed Forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The royal demands on the princess, who also holds the title of Duchess of Brabant, are one of the reasons her college years are so important, Dehandschutter told HELLO! "For Elisabeth, it's the last phase of her life in which she can still be anonymous," he said. "At the end of her studies, she will take up her active role in Belgium and become an active Crown Princess, the real start of her preparations to become queen. Then her anonymous life will be over." King Philippe, 65, acceded to the Belgian throne in 2013 following the abdication of his father, King Albert, due to health concerns. In June, the monarch was asked if he planned to do the same for his daughter in the future. "A King steps back, but is not retired," King Phillipe answered, according to a translation shared by HOLA!. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I will continue to work for Belgium, and I must give my daughter time to enjoy her youth, develop herself and see the world. I support her 100 percent in that, and I will do everything I can to give her all the time she needs to do," he added. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates! The King and Queen are also parents to three more children: Prince Gabriel, 22, Prince Emmanuel, 19, and Princess Eleonore, 17. Read the original article on People A serial burglar who plagued dozens of businesses has been jailed after breaching three suspended prison sentences with his latest spree. Kevin Thoburn, 44, smashed windows and raided five "small independent" businesses in Monkseaton, North Tyneside in June stealing hundreds of pounds including cash from a charity jar, Newcastle Crown Court heard. At the time Thoburn, who had previously been jailed for eight years for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl, was subject to suspended sentences for similar break-ins in Gateshead and Jarrow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Homeless Thoburn, who had more than 150 offences on his criminal record, was jailed for three years four months after admitting multiple burglaries. In the early hours of 2 June, Thoburn broke into two delis, a fish and chip shop, barber business and bakery in Monkseaton, prosecutor Antonia Adie said. In total he stole about 1,700 in cash, including 58 from a tip jar and 40 from a charity box, as well as causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage, the court heard. All of the businesses suffered further losses as they had to be closed for repairs and clean ups after Thoburn's "messy" searches, Ms Adie said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The barber shop owner said the break-in had had a "significant emotional and financial impact" on the "small family-owned business", while the fish and chip shop manager said he was "left feeling really annoyed and angry". 'Failed to register' Thoburn was subject to three suspended prison sentence orders at the time made by two magistrates' courts and the crown court, the prosecutor said. Those related to burglaries of a beauty salon, butcher shop, pottery studio and three barber shops in a one-night spree in Gateshead in November in which he stole cash and items worth 2,250, the court heard. He has also used a hammer to smash his way into Greggs at the Viking Centre in Jarrow and a cafe in South Shields a week later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thoburn also admitted multiple breaches of sex offender requirements because, as a homeless convicted child abuser, he had failed to register at a police station every seven days. That order was made to last indefinitely in 2016 after he was jailed for six counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, the court heard. 'Left misery in wake' Judge Amanda Rippon said Thoburn had 70 burglaries on his record and a further 30 or so he had asked to take into consideration, which meant by her calculation he had been convicted of raiding at least 100 businesses. She said he targeted "small independent" firms, many of whom operated on a "knife-edge" and needed "every penny" they earned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You left misery for the owners in your wake," the judge told Thoburn, adding the impact was "long-lasting and significant". Judge Rippon said she accepted much of his offending stemmed from a drug addiction caused by "awful abuse" he was subjected to as a child. However, she said he had to "come a point" when he acknowledged the damage caused in his past but made "a choice to no longer let that define who you are and what you do". She said other judges and magistrates had tried to give him a chance with suspended sentences but he was not ready for the help they offered. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Related internet links One of Britains most prolific fare-dodgers committed 30 further offences while on bail, a court has been told. Charles Brohiri, who had been charged with almost 100 counts of travelling without a train ticket, was caught fare-dodging as recently as Aug 18, prosecutors say. The homeless 28-year-old appeared before Westminster magistrates court for sentence on Wednesday, having been convicted of 36 counts of fare evasion in the run-up to his last court appearance in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bail conditions imposed in April banned him from going into any Thameslink station, but the court was told he had been caught without a ticket a further 30 times since then. Barrister Alistair Richardson, for the train company, said: Its only right we make the court aware that since that case, there have been 30 further offences. The first was on May 9 and the most recent was two days ago on Aug 18. That is also set in the context of putting aside 83 further offences. Brohiri has seven previous convictions for similar offences. Charles Brohiri was banned from all Thameslink premises in April, but has been caught 30 more times fare-dodging since then, the court heard - Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images But the court was told that he was now challenging his convictions, alleging that Thameslink broke the law in the way it previously prosecuted him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the court was told that there is doubt about his convictions because Thameslink may have broken the law in the way it previously prosecuted him. His sentencing has been delayed until December so a judge can hear legal arguments on the matter in what could be a test case that determines if thousands of others have their convictions for fare evasion wiped. Last week, Department for Transport (DfT) officials said train companies may have broken the law by letting staff members who were not legally trained bring prosecutions against alleged fare-evaders. Only qualified lawyers, such as solicitors and barristers, are legally allowed to conduct criminal prosecutions, but for decades, train fare evasion prosecutions were brought by non-lawyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brohiri argues many of his convictions were obtained unlawfully by Thameslink because the prosecutor previously in charge of his case, Gareth Ring, was one of those so-called lay prosecutors. Challenge could open floodgates If his challenge is successful, other accused fare-dodgers are likely to adopt the same argument. District Judge John Zani said the court would have to decide whether Thameslink broke the law before it could sentence Brohiri, meaning a further delay in dispensing justice. There needs to be an inquiry here, he said, explaining that the court would have to rule on whether Brohiris convictions were lawfully obtained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If they were valid notwithstanding the non-compliance with the Criminal Practice Direction and Criminal Procedure Rules in respect of the application for summons then the court could deal with Brohiri, said Judge Zani. Judge refuses to revoke bail Thameslink applied to have Brohiri remanded in custody pending his sentencing, on the grounds that he had already broken his bail conditions on more than 30 separate occasions and could not be trusted not to breach them again. But the judge declined. Brohiri did not speak during the hearing, other than to confirm his email address and that he is of no fixed abode. His sentencing has now been adjourned until Dec 16. The court will sit before then to hear from lawyers on whether Brohiri was lawfully prosecuted or not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, an association of train companies, said: All train operators take their legal responsibilities very seriously, and make sure they always act fairly towards customers. As a result of new legal advice on the use of lay prosecutors, train companies are taking steps to review the way they carry out prosecutions, so they are certain they comply with their legal obligations, and make sure they are fair and robust. Fare evasion remains a significant challenge for the industry, costing the railway between 350-400m each year. Thats money that cant be used to improve services, which increases the burden on customers and taxpayers. 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. GREENWOOD, Mo. There are growing questions about how quickly a new school voters agreed to pay for in the Lees Summit School District will be built. Some people living in nearby Greenwood where it would be built are unhappy with the plan. Greenwood Elementary School was built in 1910. Its on the busy stretch of 150 Highway that goes through town. Platte County property values increasing with new STC agreement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Voters approved a $225 million bond in April, which included $45 million to replace Greenwood Elementary with a neighborhood school. Its not just a building its a chance to create a true community school, Alissa Lovell said during a Greenwood Planning Commission meeting Tuesday. But many in the Rolling Meadows neighborhood South of Hitt Park where it would be built off South Allendale Lake Road arent happy with the site plan. You dont have a right to come in and destroy our neighborhood in the process have you considered this have you tried to be a good neighbor have you thought of how your decisions will forever impact our subdivision, Rolling Meadows resident Theresa Nine said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They worry about the plan to have both the entrance and exit to the school on Rolling Meadows residential subdivision streets where planners say theyd have to add a turn lane for buses to be able to make the turn. And while realtors say the school would be good for home values, some neighbors arent so sure. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri Ive sold four homes in last 90 days in Greenwood and everyone has said that they love that its part of Lees Summit School District, realtor Kim Flanner said. The horrific amount of traffic will actually lead to our property values going down because people will not buy houses when they see car after car, one neighbor counted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation is complicated by the fact the other entrance option to the 99 acre site would possibly pit kids and busses versus cement trucks at a quarry on 2nd Avenue. Keep them off the busy road where we have gravel trucks that arent being taken care of our controlled at all, a woman living near 2nd Avenue said. Some neighbors told the school district to pay for their own access road, or risk a prolonged legal battle. Our money should go to teachers and classrooms not unnecessary construction, Jesus Ponce said. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV Its time that we stop talking about roads and we start talking about ribbon cuttings, Jed Prickett said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Planning Commission decided not to discuss the rezoning request Tuesday and reconvene next month to make a recommendation to the Greenwood Board of Alderman. That government body would also have to consider the site plan. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. HONOLULU (KHON2) Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm took to the podium to discuss the departments findings in an officer-involved shooting in Waianae that left one suspect dead. After an independent investigation, Alm said the use of deadly force was justified, and no charges will be filed against the Honolulu police officer who shot and killed 60-year-old suspect Alston Awong. Fatal shooting in 2022 Waikiki barricade justified Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident happened around 6 p.m. on Aug. 14, 2024, when neighbors on Puhinalo Place reported hearing multiple gunshots from their homes. Officials said Awong was arguing with one of the witnesses before going inside his house. He returned with a firearm, walked toward the witnesss home and began firing. Multiple people sustained gunshot wounds. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Alm said Honolulu police officers arrived at the scene about 10 minutes after the 911 call, where neighbors directed them toward the witnesss home. Officers repeatedly told Awong to drop the firearm. Awong turned towards one of the officers with the firearm still in hand. He was shot twice in the chest, Alm said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was heard saying, I want to get shot by police. So they tried numerous times to get him to drop the gun and stop. He wasnt interested and so he ended up getting the police to kill him. Again, this is somebody who is causing their own misfortune, causing their own death and the officers are going to have to live with the fact that they ended somebodys life, Alm said. Following the shooting, officers handcuffed Awong before providing first aid. He was pronounced dead at the scene a few minutes later. Check out more news from around Hawaii The Honolulu Medical Examiner said he died of two gunshot wounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alm added that the handgun he used was not registered and might have been a ghost gun. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. September 8 is the day hearings in the prime ministers criminal trial are set to resume, after courts broke for the summer recess. The state prosecution in the criminal trial cases of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposed allowing his defense attorney, Amit Hadad, to consult with him, in a Wednesday opinion. The issue specifically concerns consultation between Hadad and Netanyahu during cross-examination, the current stage of the trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legally, during cross-examination, the defense attorney is not permitted to speak with the client he represents unless a request to do so has been approved by the court. This doctrine has also been upheld by several court decisions in this trial already. Hadad's request was to allow him to consult with Netanyahu regarding a different petition that Hadad is representing him in, which falls on the same day, September 8, as a hearing in the prime minister's criminal trial hearings. Hadad wanted to consult as to which of the two hearings Netanyahu would want him in. The prosecution's position asserts that this nestles under common court procedure considerations, and is at the behest of the attorney, meaning that there is no real need for a consult between the two. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a press conferene at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, August 10, 2025 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) September 8 is when trial hearings set to resume September 8 is the day hearings in the prime ministers criminal trial are set to resume, after courts broke for the summer recess. Scheduled as well for that day is a hearing on the matter of a State Commission of Inquiry and the submarine affair, a joint petition before the Supreme Court. Hadad is representing Netanyahu in both, and requested to consult as to which his client would prefer he attend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu was indicted in three separate cases by the prosecution in 2020, on the charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. He has pleaded not guilty to all three. Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report. As President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops in Washington continued Wednesday, protesters booed Vice President JD Vance during a photo op with the guardsmen stationed in the city. The protesters jeered Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller as they visited Union Station, blocks from the U.S. Capitol, to thank the troops at a Shake Shack where they bought lunch for the guard members. Al Drago/AP - PHOTO: White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, greet members of the National Guard at Union Station in Washington, Aug. 20, 2025. "Well, a lot has changed in the past seven days," Vance told the troops, referring to when the federal surge against D.C. crime began. "You guys are doing a hell of a job. I'm proud of you and we're grateful," he told the troops. "So, we'll say hello for a bit -- just want to shake some hands and say hey to you guys." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Free D.C.," the protesters shouted as the three officials arrived and then later inside the Shake Shack. The chants drowned out much of what Vance, Hegseth and Miller said as they tried to speak to reporters. Al Drago/Reuters - PHOTO: Demonstrators chant, as Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visit members of the National Guard, at Union Station in Washington, August 20, 2025. MORE: 6th Republican-led state sends National Guard troops to DC as Trump continues law enforcement takeover Vance and Miller dismissed the jeers, calling the protesters "crazy" and "communists." Alexander Drago/Pool via AP - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance walks to meet with the National Guard at Union Station, Aug. 2025 in Washington. "They appear to hate the idea that Americans can enjoy their communities," Vance said. Vance was asked why troops were stationed at Union Station instead of parts of the city with higher crime rates. The vice president said the station was being overrun with homeless people and visitors didn't feel safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This should be a monument to American greatness," he said. Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images - PHOTO: White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Vice President JD Vance speak with members of the National Guard during a visit to Union Station, August 20, 2025 in Washington. Vance added that he believed that crime statistics do not report the full scope of crime on the streets of the nation's capital. After being met with boos at Union Station, Vance sat down with Fox News Wednesday evening to recap his visit, and criticized those who called the surprise visit a PR stunt. "You've got a lot of national guardsmen over there, some D.C. cops who have been heckled by some of the protesters. So I thought, what a good show of moral support to have the vice president, some of the senior team at the White House show up." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a back-to-school event Wednesday morning, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city doesn't need federal agents to ensure safety in D.C. "Crime has gone down in our city and it has gone down precipitously over the last two years because of a lot of hard work, changes to our public safety ecosystem, including changes to the law," Bowser said. "And we know that those facts don't comport to what some people are saying, but those are the facts." Bowser also said she doesn't believe the National Guard should be used for "law enforcement." "They have to be used on mission specific items that benefit the nation," she said of the guardsmen. Rod Lamkey/AP - PHOTO: District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks as Pamela Smith, Chief of Police, Metropolitan Police Department, listens during a news conference in Washington, Aug. 20, 2025. However, when asked about how her relationship with President Trump has changed since the start of the year, Bowser said her plan is to "represent the district." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flanked by Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith, Bowser repeatedly deferred to Smith when asked about the city's crime data. The MPD has been collaborative with the federal agencies and so far has developed a congenial relationship with its federal partners, according to Smith. Smith also acknowledged having federal agents spread throughout the city has been helpful to the city's police force. "Hearing from the officers on the street, some of them have found it to be very helpful, some people in the community have found it to be very helpful," she said. ABC News' Arthur Jones II contributed to this report. A terminal in Deurne Airport in Flanders, Belgium, was inundated by about 25 Extinction Rebellion activists protesting private jet usage and short-distance flights, News Faharas reported. The protest drew attention to the growing concern about the environmental impact of private aviation in Flanders, and was particularly focused on the continued financial support from public funds subsidizing the flights, even though the planet's climate is in a state of crisis. Private jets create about nine times the amount of carbon dioxide pollution per passenger than commercial flights, and 27 times more than trains. This pollution contributes to the warming of the planet. The protesters believe that the privileged few should not be able to inflict that type of damage on human health and the environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a whole, the aviation industry contributes over 2% of carbon pollution. Although efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact of air travel, the high emissions ratio per passenger on private jets is concerning. Investing in sustainable aviation fuels and optimizing flight operations on commercial airlines can help the overall problem by reducing air pollution, but private jet travel is inefficient, however you slice it. It is considered to be the opposite of carpooling. Many high-level executives and celebrities travel frequently by private jet, with little regard for the environment, although they enact eco-friendly policies in their companies or public statements. This conflict between what they say and what they do is called greenwashing. Protesters at the Deurne Airport have had enough. Demonstrators demanded the closure of the airport and its transformation into a public park, which aligns with the region's sustainability goals. Some glued or chained themselves to airport fixtures, and 11 activists were arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Belgium continues to struggle with and debate over the balance between regional development and environmental responsibility. The overall goal is to urge Belgian policymakers to restrict private aviation and incentivize alternative eco-friendly means of travel. The article stated that "the Deurne Airport protest could mark a turning point, urging citizens and officials alike to rethink the future of local air travel and invest in sustainable transport solutions." 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. Canton Interim Police Chief Joseph Perkins announced the arrest of a Providence man who is charged in connection with an early morning stabbing in Canton on Wednesday. Oscar Ramirez, 19, is being charged with Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon. According to police, at approximately 7:45 a.m., officers were dispatched to a gas station located at 731 Washington Street in response to reports of a customer dispute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initial investigations revealed that Ramirez got into a physical altercation with one of his coworkers outside their van at a gas pump. During their confrontation, Ramirez allegedly stabbed the 29-year-old man in the stomach with scissors. Canton Fire Department took the victim to a local hospital for treatment, where he is expected to survive. Ramirez was taken into custody without incident. He was then arraigned in Stoughton District Court and held on $2500 bail. These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW The inside of the newly-launched Real Time Crime Center at the Providence Police Department. (Courtesy photo from the city of Providence) Providence Police are now tapping into private cameras to try to solve crimes quicker and its all being done voluntarily. The city this week announced the launch of a Real Time Crime Center where detectives can access live feeds from hundreds of cameras to gather actionable information to rapidly respond to incidents via Fusus, a police surveillance technology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Providence is the first city in Rhode Island to launch an operations center of this kind, according to the citys announcement. By equipping our officers with real-time tools and intelligence, we are modernizing our approach to policing and ensuring faster, more coordinated responses that keep our communities safer, Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement. The new operations center located inside the police departments Major Crimes Unit integrates security cameras, license plate readers, body cameras, and 911 data that analysts can share in real-time with officers. Private citizens and businesses can voluntarily register their cameras to assist police in tracking crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, 21 private citizens or businesses have given Providence Police access to 145 cameras, city spokesperson Anthony Vega confirmed in an email to Rhode Island Current. An additional 145 city-owned cameras are part of the system. As of Wednesday, the city had around half a dozen pending applications from residents who wanted to link their cameras to the new crime center, Vega wrote. The city will pay Arizona-based Axon Fusus $750,000 to run the system through at least July 2028, according to the contract the city signed in June 2024. The agreement technically runs for two years from the active start date, but automatically renews each year for up to three more years, as long as the Providence Board of Contract and Supply approves the funding. Another vendor, Constant Technologies, has also worked on the real-time crime center, according to Smileys office. A copy of that contract was not immediately made available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To cover the cost, the city is using a $1 million federal earmark secured by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed in 2023, according to the citys announcement. Reed said the new operations center will help Providence police stop, and solve, crimes while ensuring that law enforcement is accountable to the public. As with any new technology used by law enforcement, balancing public safety, privacy, and civil liberties is paramount and there must be stringent safeguards and oversight, Reed said in a statement. But the citys crime center has drawn concerns from the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, which is drafting a formal letter to the city over what it calls the normalization of constant surveillance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making a whole web of someones movements throughout the day can really do a number on surveillance, Madalyn McGunagle, a policy associate for the ACLU of Rhode Island, said in an interview Wednesday. The mayors office stressed that officers will not monitor security cameras in the system 24/7, nor will they pull up live feeds randomly. Shared footage is used solely in response to active criminal incidents or public safety emergencies, according to the citys announcement. The Real Time Crime Center is staffed for 16 hours a day, Vega said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (The Center Square) In return for soaring state spending on education, Illinois taxpayers are getting chronic absenteeism, poor academic proficiency and declining enrollment from the states public schools. The Illinois Policy Institute found that Illinois education budget increased by nearly $4 billion over the last decade, while the number of students enrolled in public schools decreased by about 177,000 during the same period. Illinois Policy Institute Policy Analyst Hannah Schmid said poor academic proficiency and chronic absenteeism are coming at a higher cost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So the state spending has grown over two times faster than student achievement has grown. Weve actually seen achievement in math decline over the past few years, Schmid told The Center Square. The states education budget for the 2025-26 school year is a record-high $11.2 billion. Spending is up 24%, reading is just up 9% and math has actually dropped by 11%, so were seeing poor outcomes for students, Schmid said. According to the Illinois State Board of Educations Illinois Report Card, the states public school students had a chronic absenteeism rate of 26.3% last year. Research suggests that frequent absences from school put students at a higher risk of these poor outcomes that were talking about, such as dropping out of school or poor academic achievement, Schmid explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schmid said high rates of chronic absenteeism in Illinois public schools signal a warning for students futures. Chicago Public Schools students fared far worse, with an overall chronic absenteeism rate of 40.8% in 2024. The chronic absenteeism rate for CPS teachers was also reported around 40%. On August 13, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced it was adopting new research-informed and right-sized assessment performance levels. The new, unified levels correct long-standing misalignment between Illinois' state assessments and other real college and career readiness expectations, ISBE said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders said Illinois proficiency benchmarks mislabeled students, causing qualified students to miss out on opportunities for acceleration and telling a whole generation of students who were ready for college that they were not. Illinois' new performance levels bring much-needed alignment between grade levels, subjects, and actual college and career readiness expectations, Sanders said in a statement from ISBE. Schmid said the board lowered the scores needed for students to be considered proficient in reading and math. This lowering of standards or lowering of benchmarks will ultimately inflate the percentage of students that we see meeting these proficiency standards in this upcoming October (ISBE) Report Card that well see from the spring 2025 test, Schmid said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schmid said the new standards will not provide a more accurate view of student performance. Instead were seeing actions by the State Board of Education that threaten to obscure the crisis of students who are struggling in our state to meet proficiency in core subjects, Schmid said. Schmid said students could be denied the extra help they need if they are no longer marked as struggling or failing to meet proficiency standards. Pupils have been opening their GCSE results on Thursday ahead of a major shake-up to qualifications in Wales. Top GCSE grades in Wales were higher than last year with 62.5% of pupils achieving A* to C, an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared with 2024. New GCSEs to align with the reformed Curriculum for Wales will start being phased in from September. Gracie, 16, a pupil at Pen-Y-Dre High School in Merthyr Tydfil, got a set of A*s and As and said she was "so relieved". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gracie said: "All the hard work has finally paid off. "I was just in tears to be honest, just pouring it out finally and being able to release all of those emotions." Ruby, 16, was taken to hospital during one of her exams. Over the past couple of years, she's been diagnosed with functional neurological disorder, non epileptic attack disorder, postural orthostatic disorder. "My attendance went down 40%, the school was very concerned," she said. "It came to the point where I was being sent home from school every day, they didn't know what to do with me." Ruby was taken to hospital during one of her exams [BBC] "It means a lot to me and my family that I managed to pass exams, and they're over the moon with me, and I'm over the moon myself." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sam, 16, said: "It was the longest week of my life waiting, it took so long to get to sleep at night so I'm glad it's over." Sam said he has played sports all his life and is excited to study sports coaching at sixth-form college [BBC] Huw Richards, deputy headteacher at the Merthyr Tydfil school said: "We're very, very proud of our children, and there's been a lot of resilience, a lot of determination, a lot of support from parents and guardians along the way. "The children have gone through ups and downs over the last five years," he said. "They've done really well considering the challenges they faced." Unlike last week's A-level results, the highest GCSE grades of A* and A were achieved by 19.5% of candidates a rise of 0.3 percentage points on 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall, there were fewer examination entries in 2025 than in the previous year. A* to C grades were broadly similar in maths and numeracy, while there was a slight improvement for English language. Fewer pupils studying Welsh got A* to C this year, although there was a slight improvement for those studying Welsh second language. The pass rate, which means pupils getting grade C or above remains, lower in Wales than in England where a numbered system is used instead. In England, the percentage of those achieving a 4 (C equivalent) this year was 67.1%, whereas in Wales it was 62.5%. However, the pass rate in England has gone down overall in 2025 compared with the previous year, whereas in Wales it has improved slightly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024 there were 62.2% grades at A* to C compared with 62.8% in 2019 and 64.9% in 2023. Aoife, 16, a pupil at St Joseph's Catholic School in Port Talbot, said before results day: "I was anxious before the exams but I'm hoping my results will show that my hard work has paid off." Aoife is aiming for top grades when she collects her results and hopes to study A-levels in September before fulfilling her dream of an engineering career in motorsports. In addition to the core subjects of English, Welsh, maths and the sciences, Aoife chose to study history, French and further maths, and said she "put a lot of pressure on myself when it came to revision". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Catrin from Bala, Gwynedd, is a fourth-generation farmer and wants to continue in agriculture. Before results day, the 16-year-old said she hoped to get a minimum of five Cs, including maths and Welsh, to study for a Level 3 in agricultural engineering at Coleg Glynllifon. The Ysgol Godre'r Berwyn pupil who will be opening her results in the car on the way to work said she hoped to get "the right grades that I need for my future". Careers adviser Dylan Evans said young people could speak to Careers Wales service Working Wales for free if they are looking for guidance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My advice to parents of teens collecting their GCSE results this week is to listen and reassure them," he said. "Reassure them that there's support out there for whatever they want to do next and if they need to change their plan, that's OK too." Kyla said she was excited but nervous to pick up her results [BBC] Education Secretary Lynne Neagle congratulated students at Ysgol Y Strade in Llanelli who were collecting their results. "We have seen some strong results at our top grades and across a range of subjects including maths and English. A positive indication that we are moving in the right direction with attainment in our schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I also want to pay tribute to our teachers and education workforce whose support and hard work has helped our learners thrive." "I wish you Pob lwc, and best wishes for the future," she said. Ian Morgan, chief executive of Wales' main exam board WJEC, said he expected GCSE results this year to be similar to pre-Covid years. Year 11 pupils who took their GCSEs this summer moved from primary to secondary school at the height of the pandemic in 2020. "I think we've seen some challenges over the last four or five years and this is the first year really that learners are able to show their knowledge, understanding and skills in a way that hasn't been impacted by any other changes in the past," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Exams largely returned back to normal last year after measures to reflect the impact of the pandemic were dropped - a more gradual process in Wales than in England. Another difference is that GCSEs in Wales are graded A* to G, whereas England has a numbered nine to one system. How were GCSEs changed? The new Curriculum for Wales started being rolled out in schools three years ago. Phase one of the changes includes a merged English language and literature GCSE and a new look Welsh second language qualification. Mr Morgan said the 15 new GCSEs from September were an "exciting opportunity for learners to show what they can do, what they understand, and show their knowledge". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: "Now it's up to the teachers, who I know have worked diligently over the last 12 months to better understand the qualifications and specifications, to start teaching from September." Additional reporting by Bethan Lewis, BBC Wales education and family correspondent Related stories QUAPAW, Okla. Just in time for back-to-school, a northeast Oklahoma school district shows off one of its new storm shelters. Tuesday night the Quapaw School District held a back-to-school night for both kids and parents. It was a chance for the community to see Quapaw elementarys newly completed storm shelter, which consists of several new classrooms. It was approved by voters three years ago and took three years to complete. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district says both weather and supply chain issues caused some delays, but theyre glad its ready for the new school year. I know parents feel safer with their children having a safe room at the school. I know what my staff feel a lot safer, and I do as well. To ensure the safety of our students is one of our number one priorities, said Quapaw Elementary Principal, Sherri Compton. The new storm shelter at the elementary school can be used by the community when school is not in session. Kids at Quapaw head back to the classroom on Thursday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers remarks at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on June 10, 2025. (Daniel Torok/The White House) This story was originally reported by Mariel Padilla, Grace Panetta and Mel Leonor Barclay of The 19th. Meet Mariel, Grace and Mel and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy. In my ideal society, we would vote as households, a pastor tells CNN. And I would ordinarily be the one that would cast the vote, but I would cast the vote having discussed it with my household. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another agrees, saying hed back an end to a womans right to vote: I would support that, and Id support it on the basis that the atomization that comes with our current system is not good for humans. The discussion of 19th Amendment rights was part of a news segment focused on Doug Wilson a self-proclaimed Christian nationalist pastor based in Idaho that was reposted to X by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The secretary is among Wilsons supporters, and his involvement with Wilsons denomination highlights how a fringe conservative evangelical Christian belief system that questions womens right to vote is gaining more traction in the Republican Party. Kristin Du Mez, a professor of history at Calvin University and author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, said Wilsons broader vision of Christian nationalism has gotten more attention over the past several years, alongside President Donald Trumps rise to power. He was a fairly fringe figure, but this moment was really his moment, she said. And then as part of that, also, I think he signaled and gave permission to others that they didnt need to hide some of their more controversial views, such as, should women have the vote? And thats something that you didnt hear proudly promoted from very many spaces, even just a handful of years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the CNN interview, Wilson said hed like to see the United States become a Christian and patriarchal country. He advocates for a society where sodomy is criminalized and women submit to their husbands and shouldnt serve in combat roles in the military a belief Hegseth has also publicly shared in the past though walked back during his confirmation hearings. Hegseth appeared to support the nearly seven-minute interview with the caption, All of Christ for All of Life. Wilson has built an evangelical empire over the past 50 years that is centered in Moscow, Idaho, and now spans more than 150 congregations across four continents including a new church in Washington, D.C. In July, Hegseth and his family attended the inaugural service at Christ Church, according to CNN. The Secretary is a proud member of a church affiliated with the Congregation of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), which was founded by Pastor Doug Wilson, Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesperson, said in a statement to The 19th. The Secretary very much appreciates many of Mr. Wilsons writings and teachings. Pastor Doug Wilson stands for a portrait after Sunday services at the new campus for Christ Church and its Logos School, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Moscow, Idaho. (AP Photo by Lindsey Wasson) Du Mez said Wilson built his brand as a vocal critic of mainstream evangelicalism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were too wishy washy, Du Mez said, referring to Wilsons view of much of White evangelicalism in the 1990s and early 2000s. They were too soft. And so he was kind of bringing a harsher biblical truth, and that included things like a much more rigid application of biblical patriarchy. In 2024, only 1 in 10 Americans qualified as Christian nationalism adherents, according to the Public Religion Research Institute. Ryan Dawkins, an assistant professor of political science at Carleton College, said Christian nationalism hasnt necessarily gotten more popular in the past 20 years. But there have been partisan trends. While they used to be more evenly divided between the two parties, over the last two decades, Christian nationalists have sorted into the Republican Party at incredibly high rates, Dawkins said. Christian nationalism is almost non-existent within the Democratic Party today, at least among White Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While its still far from a mainstream opinion, several figures within the Republican Party have flirted with the idea of repealing the 19th Amendment. Paul Ingrassia, who Trump nominated to lead the Office of Special Counsel, suggested approval for the idea in a 2023 podcast. Podcast host Alan Jacoby told Ingrassia that his own wife is the biggest misogynist this side of the Mississippi, by the way. My wife literally thinks women should not vote. Ingrassia responded, Shes very based, a term expressing support for a bold opinion. During the 2020 Republican National Convention, Republicans featured anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson, who has advocated for a new kind of voting system where households, not individuals, would cast votes. Head-of-household voting has historically disenfranchised women and people of color by concentrating power on the male leaders of the home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the leadup to the 2016 presidential election, FiveThirtyEight, a political forecasting site, shared data that suggested if women didnt vote, Trump would win. The hashtag #repealthe19th a reference to the 19th Amendment, which grants women the right to vote quickly went viral. And a former Trump-backed Michigan candidate for the U.S. House who has also held positions in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was found to have made statements criticizing womens suffrage while in college at Stanford University in the early 2000s. John Gibbs, now an assistant secretary at the agency, said that the country had been damaged by the 19th Amendment because womens suffrage had led to an increase in the size and scope of the government. He added that women making up half of the population wasnt enough reason for womens suffrage. Gibbs 2022 congressional campaign denied he opposed womens right to vote. Kelly Marino, associate teaching professor at Sacred Heart University and author of Votes for College Women: Alumni, Students and the Woman Suffrage Campaign said that while conservative religious sects adamantly opposed to womens suffrage have always existed, now there is renewed momentum. If you look at the way things played out in the past, we have this very liberal period followed by a conservative backlash, Marino said. And thats whats going on now. You have this period of liberalism where people were having a more expansive view of gender ideology, ideas about sexuality and women in politics. We had some pretty prominent female politicians that were making it pretty far in the last couple of years. And now theres a backlash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marino said the conservative backlash is reminiscent of the 1960s and 70s. There were significant progressive movements for civil rights, womens rights, LGBTQ+ rights and environmental protections. But at the same time, the early 1970s saw the emergence of the mens liberation movement, which focused primarily on issues like divorce law and child custody. Theres some men who are promoting a sort of return to tradition, a patriarchal vision for society, Marino said. Its always sort of there, but its gaining traction within mainstream consciousness again. And now, you have all this stuff about soft girls and tradwives this gender ideal of women being the domestic homemaker within a traditional family structure. Theres been a big push for this radical Christianity and some of its values its become really popular even among younger people. Joseph Slaughter, an assistant professor of history at Wesleyan University, said Wilson is having his moment in the spotlight but its important to remember that he does not speak for the majority. He delights in upsetting people or saying transgressive, un-PC things, Slaughter said. Ten years ago, when he posted a video talking about mans biblical duties people just sort of yawned and dismissed him. Now, hes saying things and theyre gaining more currency because of some of this other new right-wing masculinity and the online manosphere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slaughter said its particularly concerning that Wilsons teachings have found their support in a man as powerful as Hegseth. What does it mean for somebody whos running an organization which has had its struggles over the years integrating women and trying to understand existential questions about womens role in combat? Slaughter said. Are Hegseths views reinforced by his religion now? Does this church reinforce his cultural chauvinism? For somebody in his position, its certainly fair game to ask. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A Quitman woman was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution for digging up human skeleton remains and archaeological resources in a national forest. Officials with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas said 43-year-old Kristy Lee Gordon pleaded guilty on March 13 to one count of excavating, removing, damaging, and otherwise altering and defacing an archaeological resource located on public lands. She was assigned four years probation in a plea agreement. Little Rock woman sentenced for stealing and selling human remains Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A grand jury had indicted Gordon in June 2023, officials said. Officials said the investigation began in November 2020 when the Stone County Sheriffs Office received a report of skeletal remains found by hikers in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest. When deputies and a U.S. Forest Service officer arrived, they were met by Gordon, who said she and another hiker were digging wet soil with a stick when they found the remains. Officials said Gordon told investigators she covered up what she had found before calling the sheriff. Investigators said they searched and found extensive excavation in the area, with lots of holes. A U.S. Forest Service archeologist told investigators the area was a known Native American archeological site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said Gordon admitted to investigators a few days later that she had not been honest and admitted she had been digging in the area to find Native American artifacts. When she saw some bones, she brought them home, she told investigators, and while cleaning them, she realized she had a human skull. Arkansas State Police identify man arrested after human remains found on suspects property She brought the bones back to the area where she had been digging and threw dirt over them and prayed over them, investigators said they were told. Gordon then told them she did not feel right about it, and later called the sheriffs office. Officials said investigators searched Gordons home and found an extensive collection of Native American artifacts, including an archaic funeral knife, believed to have been placed with the deceased as part of a ceremony during burial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gordon admitted she found the knife with human skeletal remains and it was taken as evidence, along with many other objects, investigators said. A search warrant of Gordons Facebook page revealed pictures of human skeletal remains, including part of a skull, officials said. Officials with the U.S. attorney said Native American remains and funerary objects are protected by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. Human skull found for sale in Florida thrift stores Halloween section Pursuant to the plea agreement, Gordon agreed to pay restitution totaling $16,135.32 for the cost of restoration and repair to the area where she had been digging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Rufus Du Sol is speaking out about a fan assault that occurred in the crowd during their show at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, this past Saturday. The festival-focused social channel Festive Owl posted a video showing a man repeatedly punching someone. A woman who originally posted the video of the assailant noted that the cause of the disturbance was a drink being accidentally spilled. She then noted the man punched her in the face and knocked her out. About 30 minutes later, he returned, screamed at us, and threatened violence, the woman wrote. I tried to calm the situation and apologized again and the next thing I remember, I woke up in the medical tent an hour later and missed the entire show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Australian dance group posted their reaction to the incident on their social media channels this past Monday. Delivering moments to our fans to gather and celebrate safely is what we live for, the group wrote. We have been heartbroken to hear of the act of violence that took place during the opening act on Saturday. This type of behavior is completely unacceptable anywhere, and the fact that this happened at one of our shows was devastating to learn about. Local law enforcement is actively investigating the situation. This incident was one of many fan complaints concerning the venue. Among the long laundry list of complaints was crowd crushing in tunnels, people pushing in overcrowded stairs, aggressive drunk people, arguments, fans blocking exits, incredibly long shuttle lines, and, sadly, assault, the music blog Grimy Goods noted. A fan who was sitting near the alleged assault cited overcrowding as one of the many hazards during the show in speaking to KTLA 5. Ive never seen any venue that has allowed the people to stand there in the walkways. Its a hazard, she added. There were multiple security vendors working the venue. It wasnt just one vendor; it was multiples, and the left hand didnt know what the right hand was doing. Related coverage: Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Murjani Rawls may be reached at mrawls@njadvancemedia.com Stephen A. Smith has joined in the widespread criticism of President Donald Trumps failure to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine following his repeated promises to do so. The reality is, and excuse my language, he opened his mouth and deposited checks his ass cant cash, the radio host said of Trump on Monday while appearing on NewsNations Cuomo. Thats really what it comes down to. You got to be able to end this war, Smith continued. You talked a lot of stuff about ending this war and how you would end it in one day. Now, we recognize that thats hyperbole. We understand that something like that is not going to end in one day. Related: Guilty Conscience: Trumps Raw Confession About Heaven Has People Wondering Nonetheless, Smith said, Trump did suggest he would be able to make progress with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a way his predecessors couldnt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What I care about is the fact that you promised a ceasefire or severe consequences before the meeting, and in the immediate aftermath of the meeting, there was no ceasefire agreement, Smith said. And as a matter of fact, you seem damn near friendly towards [Putin], acting like the meeting was productive. Well, wheres the evidence? We dont see any as of yet. Putin remarked that the meeting with Trump was very useful, but the men could not reach an agreement to end the fighting in Ukraine. After the summit with Putin, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders on Monday at the White House. He laterdiscussed plans to coordinate a summit between Putin and Zelenskyy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in the meantime, Smith told host Chris Cuomo, the likelihood is that the Russian leader is going to continue to kill more Ukrainians. Trump opponents like Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) have remarked that Putin got everything he wanted from the summit, including a photo-op with Trump. Smith shared similar sentiments, adding that Putin got a chance to be on American soil, and he avoided having to agree to a ceasefire or anything else. So it was a pretty damn good day for Putin, as far as we can tell, good day for an authoritarian leader, he said. Hows that a good day for us? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch Smiths appearance on Cuomo below. Related... Read the original on HuffPost Possible contamination of shrimp by a radioisotope led the Food and Drug Administration to issue a do-not-eat-or-sell warning Tuesday for three lots of frozen shrimp sold under Walmarts Great Value brand. The primary concern isnt that theres enough Cesium-137 in the shrimp to cause immediate health problems, but that it could be part of repeated low-level exposure that increases the risk of cancer from damage to the DNA within living cells of the body. This report of possibly radioactive food involves Great Value Frozen Raw White Vannamei Shrimp in 2-pound bags with lot Nos. 8005538-1, 39-1 and 40-1, all with a best by date of March 15, 2027. Neither Walmart nor Indonesias BMS Foods, aka PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, has issued a recall, although the FDA has recommended Walmart do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The big-box colossus that accounts for over 20% of U.S. grocery sales said the shrimp went to stores in Florida, Missouri, Kentucky, Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma and West Virginia. Rarely is the recall actually made by the FDA or U.S. Department of Agriculture. Almost all food recalls are made by the manufacturing company voluntarily, but not out of altruism. Along with concerns about civil liability, companies dont like their names associated with outbreaks, deaths or major health issues. Whats Cesium-137 and why is that the problem here? Cesium-137 is a radioisotope of cesium that is man-made through nuclear reactions and, because it is widespread worldwide, trace amounts of Cs-137 can be found in the environment, including soil, food, and air, Tuesdays FDA alert said. FDA food monitoring focuses on radioisotopes (radionuclides) that are not normally present and are generally the result of human activities. The FDA said Customs and Border Protection found Cs-137 in BMS Foods shipping containers in ports at Miami, Savannah, Houston and Los Angeles. Among the samples the FDA collected, breaded shrimp tested positive for Cs-137. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The level of Cs-137 detected in the detained shipment was approximately 68 becquerels per kilogram, which is below FDAs Derived Intervention Level for Cs-137 of 1200 Bq/kg, the FDA said. At this level, the product would not pose an acute hazard to consumers. Testing hasnt turned up contamination in any product that made it to shelves, the FDA said the shrimp appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 and may pose a safety concern. To date, FDA has learned that Walmart has received implicated raw frozen shrimp, imported after the date of first detection of Cs-137 by CBP, but from shipments that did not alert for Cs-137. Roughly a week after Florida's 2025 Python Challenge wrapped up, wildlife officials are asking the public to search for another snake. Just for very different reasons. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission seeks the public's assistance in documenting the elusive rainbow snake, which has not been spotted in over five years. We need help from Floridians and visitors to better understand where rainbow snakes still occur in the state, Kevin Enge, Research Scientist with FWCs Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, said in an Aug. 18 press release. Every sighting report gives us valuable data about their current distribution and helps us assess the health of the species in Florida. What is the rainbow snake? What does it look like? The rainbow snake, scientifically known as Farancia erytrogramma, is a semi-aquatic reptile that primarily feeds on American eels, a prey species that has also declined in Florida waters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the FWC, rainbow snakes are iridescent black or violet blue with three red stripes, and their lip and chin scales are yellow with violet spots. Adults can reach up to 3 to 4 feet long. How rare is the rainbow snake? Rare Rainbow Snakes are a nonvenomous species whose population has declined in recent decades. These snakes are considered super rare by the FWC, last spotted in February 2020. FWC spokesperson Jonathan Veach told USA TODAY that it is possible there were other rainbow snake sightings in Florida since then, but either "they weren't reported or we never learned of them." Their numbers have dwindled due to habitat loss, loss of food source and cases of snake fungal disease. Are rainbow snakes venomous? No, rainbow snakes are nonvenomous. Where is the rainbow snake found? The FWC says the rainbow snake is usually found in or near water, including rivers, springs and brackish marshes. The Florida Museum adds that rainbow snakes are found throughout the Panhandle and in parts of the northern peninsula along the St. Marys River drainage, St. Johns River drainage, and Suwannee River drainage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FWC notes that one South Florida subspecies was historically found in Fisheating Creek in Glades County, adding that "location is more than 150 miles south of the nearest known population in Lake County, but hasnt been documented since 1952." How to report a rainbow snake sighting The FWC is requesting that anyone who spots a rainbow snake report the sighting to the commission online. "Photographs are especially helpful in confirming sightings and can be included when you submit your sighting online," the commission said. "By sharing sightings, the public can play an important role in conserving this unique species." This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: What are rainbow snakes? Have you seen rare snake? FWC wants to know Ramsey County Sheriffs deputies have arrested the suspect wanted in connection to a string of violent robberies over the weekend, which sparked an emergency alert in the vicinity of the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Dylan Jungwirth, 21, of White Bear Lake faces multiple counts of 1st-degree robbery in relation to a crime spree that sparked the alert in Ramsey County. He has been on the run since evading law enforcement on Sunday. According to Ramsey County officials, law enforcement made contact with people at a house on the 7200 block of Main Street in Centerville just after 11 a.m. Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group gave their permission to search the property and investigators found Jungwirth hiding under a stairwell. He surrendered and was taken into custody without incident. Sheriffs deputies are now submitting an affidavit for a search warrant to be conducted, allowing them to find additional evidence tying him to the crimes, including the gun that was used to carry out the robberies. Ramsey County Sheriff's Office Ramsey County Sheriff's Office The two other suspects in the robberies, 21-year-old Kenneth Spight and 18-year-old Kemonie Hurd, both of St. Paul, have been arrested and charged. They will make their first appearances in Ramsey County District Court Wednesday morning. Criminal charges allege Jungwirth robbed three separate gas stations in Roseville and Little Canada early Sunday morning. He was caught on surveillance cameras allegedly carrying out the crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint alleges he was captured entering a Speedway gas station on Rice Street in Roseville wearing a black mask and armed with a handgun just before 6 a.m. He threatened a store employee with the weapon, and ran away with cash. In that incident, Spight admitted to acting as a driver, per criminal charges. About two hours later, deputies responded to a BP gas station in Little Canada, where Jungwirth is accused of jumping over the counter, pressing a gun to the clerks neck, and stealing cash and cigarettes. In that robbery, criminal charges allege Hurd acted as a lookout. As police responded to that robbery, another was reported at a BP gas station on Cleveland Avenue in Roseville at around 9 a.m. In that incident, a clerk was physically assaulted and approximately $400 was stolen from the register. Hurd is once again accused of acting as a lookout. A short time later, officers found the suspect's blue Ford Fusion speeding at over 100 mph along County Road C and Snelling Avenue in Roseville. The vehicle had been reported stolen out of Robbinsdale the day prior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vehicle was eventually found crashed near a power pole on Pierce Butler Route, south of the fairgrounds, and a witness reported three men jumped out of the car and ran away into nearby woods. The incident and ensuing police response prompted an emergency alert to be sent out to cellphones at around 10:20 a.m. Both Hurd and Jungwirth were able to escape the area using a ride share service. Spight was taken into custody by officers while hiding in a nearby rail yard. Hurd was later arrested at his home, and denied his involvement in the robberies when questioned by detectives. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A Yosemite National Park ranger was fired after hanging a pride flag from El Capitan while some park visitors could face prosecution under protest restrictions that have been tightened under President Donald Trump. Shannon SJ Joslin, a ranger and biologist who studies bats, said they hung a 66-foot wide transgender pride flag on the famous climbing wall that looms over the California park's main thoroughfare for about two hours on May 20 before taking it down voluntarily. A termination letter they received last week accused Joslin of failing to demonstrate acceptable conduct" in their capacity as a biologist and cited the May incident. I was really hurting because there were a lot of policies coming from the current administration that target trans people, and Im nonbinary, Joslin, 35, told The Associated Press, adding that hanging the flag was their way of saying, Were all safe in national parks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joslin said their firing sends the opposite message: "If youre a federal worker and you have any kind of identity that doesnt agree with this current administration, then you must be silent, or you will be eliminated. Park officials on Tuesday said they were working with the U.S. Justice Department to pursue visitors and workers who violated restrictions on demonstrations at the park that had more than 4 million visitors last year. The agencies "are pursuing administrative action against several Yosemite National Park employees and possible criminal charges against several park visitors who are alleged to have violated federal laws and regulations related to demonstrations," National Park Service spokesperson Rachel Pawlitz said. Joslin said a group of seven climbers including two other park rangers hung the flag. The other rangers are on administrative leave pending an investigation, Joslin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flags have long been flown from El Capitan without consequences, said Joanna Citron Day, a former federal attorney who is now with the advocacy group Public Employees For Environmental Responsibility. She said the group is representing Joslin, but there is no pending legal case. On May 21, a day after the flag display, Acting Superintendent Ray McPadden signed a rule prohibiting people from hanging banners, flags or signs larger than 15 square feet in park areas designated as wilderness or potential wilderness. That covers 94% of the park, according to Yosemites website. Parks officials defend restriction on protests Park officials said the new restriction was needed to preserve Yosemite's wilderness and protect climbers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We take the protection of the parks resources and the experience of our visitors very seriously, and will not tolerate violations of laws and regulations that impact those resources and experiences, Pawlitz said. It followed a widely publicized instance in February of demonstrators hanging an upside down American flag on El Capitan to protest the firing of National Park Service employees by the Trump administration. Among the climbers who helped hang the transgender flag was Pattie Gonia, an environmentalist and drag queen who uses the performance art to raise awareness of conservation issues. For the past five years, Gonia has helped throw a Pride event in Yosemite for park employees. She said they hung the transgender flag on the iconic granite monolith to express that being transgender is natural. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, Trump signed an executive order changing the federal definition of sex to exclude the concept of gender identity. He also banned trans women from competing in women's sports, removed trans people from the military and limited access to gender-affirming care. Gonia called the firing unjust. Joslin said they hung the flag in their free time, as a private citizen. SJ is a respected pillar within the Yosemite community, a tireless volunteer who consistently goes above and beyond," Gonia said. Jayson ONeill with the advocacy group Save Our Parks said Joslin's firing appears aimed at deterring park employees from expressing their views as the Trump administration pursues broad cuts to the federal workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Trump took office, the National Park Service has lost approximately 2,500 employees from a workforce that had about 10,000 people, said Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers. The Republican president is proposing a $900 million cut to the agencys budget next year. Parks have First Amendment areas Pawlitz said numerous visitors complained about unauthorized demonstrations on El Capitan earlier in the year. Many parks have designated First Amendment areas where groups 25 or fewer people can protest without permits. Yosemite has several of those areas, including one in Yosemite Valley, where El Capitan is located. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Park service rules on demonstrations have existed for decades and withstood several court challenges, Wade said. He was not aware of any changes in how those rules are enforced under Trump. ___ Associated Press journalist Brittany Peterson contributed reporting from Denver. Discovered in the Givati parking lot of Jerusalem, the coin was minted for Queen Berenice II, wife of the Hellenistic ruler Ptolemy III of Egypt. A tiny but extremely rare gold coin dating back over 2,200 years has been uncovered during excavations at the City of David National Park in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced on Wednesday. The coin, a quarter-drachma made of nearly pure gold (99.3%), was minted between 246 and 241 BCE for Berenice II, wife of the Hellenistic ruler Ptolemy III of Egypt. There are only 20 such coins worldwide, and this is the first ever found in an archaeological context. It will be displayed publicly for the first time in early September at the 26th annual City of David Research Conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The obverse of the coin shows Berenice wearing a diadem and veil, as well as a necklace. The reverse depicts a cornucopia, an ancient symbol of prosperity and fertility, flanked by two stars and encircled by a Greek inscription reading of Queen Berenice. Berenice II, often remembered by the epithet euergetis (the benefactress), was born around 267 BCE and became one of the most prominent queens of the Hellenistic world. Initially ruling Cyrenaica (eastern Libya) after the death of her father, Magas, she secured her position by marrying Demetrius the Fair, though his reign was short-lived. Following a turbulent struggle with her mother, Berenice later married her half-cousin Ptolemy III, thereby bringing Cyrenaica back under Ptolemaic control. As queen of Egypt, Berenice played an active role in political life. She was honored within the royal cult alongside her husband and venerated as a goddess in her own right. Her most enduring cultural legacy came when she dedicated a lock of her hair as a religious offering, an act that inspired the naming of the constellation Coma Berenices. Dr. Robert Kool, Head of the Numismatics Department, Israel Antiquities Authority. (credit: Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority.) Her reign ended violently in 221 BCE when she was assassinated on the orders of the regent Sosibius, shortly after her son, Ptolemy IV Philopator, took the throne. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The discovery was made by excavator Rivka Langler while sifting soil near the Givati Parking Lot. I saw something shiny and realized it was a gold coin. At first, I couldnt believe it Ive been excavating for two years and kept waiting for my moment, and now it finally arrived, she said. Experts say the coin is remarkable not only for its rarity but also for its inscription. Robert Kool, head of the IAA Numismatics Department, and Haim Gitler, chief curator of Archaeology at the Israel Museum, explained that the inscription basilisses of the queen is highly unusual. This is one of the earliest examples of a Ptolemaic queen depicted with such a title during her lifetime, suggesting her exceptional status and political power, Kool and Gilter said. Coin likely minted in Alexandria as a bonus for soldiers returning from Third Syrian war The coin was likely minted in Alexandria, possibly as a bonus for soldiers returning from the Third Syrian War, the conflict between the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt and the Seleucid Kingdom of Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to excavation directors Yiftah Shalev of the IAA and Efrat Bocher of the Center for Research on Ancient Jerusalem, the find sheds new light on Jerusalems development after the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE. Until now, the prevailing view was that Jerusalem remained a small, weak town. This coin, along with other finds from the mid-3rd century BCE, shows the city was already recovering during the Persian period and grew stronger under Ptolemaic rule, they said. Jerusalem was not desolate and isolated but a city renewing itself and reestablishing ties with the great powers of the time. Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu welcomed the discovery, calling it a small find with great significance for understanding Jerusalem. He added: Excavations in the City of David uncover entire chapters of the citys history from the Kingdom of Judah to the period after the First Temples destruction. After 2,000 years, we have returned to our capital, and now we are privileged to uncover its rich past. The gold coin will be presented alongside other jewelry unearthed in the Givati Parking Lot excavation at the upcoming City of David Research Conference. KANSAS CITY, Mo. A 54-year-old Raytown, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday for producing and possessing child pornography. According to a news release from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Cecil Pulluaim was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered him to serve supervised release for life following his imprisonment. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pulluaim pleaded guilty last year to video recording and possessing images of his sexual abuse of a minor victim. According to the plea agreement, Pulluaim admitted to recording himself sexually abusing the minor victim on at least 10 separate dates between April 27, 2023, and June 15, 2023. In connection with their investigation of a report that Pulluaim had produced child pornography of the minor victim, officers with the Raytown Police Department located and seized Pulluaims cell phone, according to the DOJ. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android The DOJ said a forensic analysis of the phone by the United States Secret Service located the videos Pulluaim had produced, along with several screenshots he had taken of those videos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Human Rights Watch just published a new report documenting the mass killings last month of at least 140 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. HRW cited eyewitness accounts, the U.N., and military sources indicating that the Rwandan military was also involved in the summary executions, which targeted mainly ethnic Hutus. The atrocitiessome of the worst since M23s resurgence in 2021were committed despite peace talks brokered by the U.S. and Qatar to end the conflict. Recall that Trump brought together the foreign ministers of Congo and Rwanda to sign a peace agreement in the Oval Office in June. That dealwhich was not a formal treaty to end the warappears to have had no impact. That did not stop Trump this week from citing the conflict in Central Africa as one of the seven wars he supposedly ended. Indeed, the president and his supporters have dubbed him the peacemaker-in-chief as Trump vies for a Nobel Peace Prize. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, no world leader should face criticism for trying to seek peacefar from it. But many of Trumps efforts have suffered from a lack of coherence and sustained attention. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. Following the White House signing ceremony between Congo and Rwanda, Trumps envoy, Massad Boulos, participated in peace talks between Congo and the M23 in Doha, which did yield a preliminary declaration of principles toward a permanent ceasefire. But that did not stop the raging violence, nor has there been any high-level follow-through from senior levels of the Trump administration, as Trump himself moved on to other crises. This week, the future of the Congo-M23 talks in Doha was thrown into uncertainty as negotiators missed a deadline to reach a durable agreement. no world leader should face criticism for trying to seek peacefar from it. But many of Trumps efforts have suffered from a lack of coherence and sustained attention. Some of Trumps other efforts seem to have been similarly designed more for making headlines than lasting peace. When the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a joint peace declaration at the White House earlier this month, it deservedly won praise for advancing peace in a region that has seen on-again-off-again conflict for decades. But it later emerged that the deal had only been initialed by the two countries foreign ministers, with Azerbaijan stating it would only be formally signed once Armenia had agreed to further conditions, including an amendment to its constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moreover, that deal can still be undermined by opposition from neighboring Iran, which objects to a provision in the agreement calling for a strategic transit corridor to connect Azerbaijan with its exclave within Armenian territory. By the terms of the deal, the U.S. would hold development rights over the corridor, which happens to be along Armenias border with Iran. It is also worth noting that this peace declaration came two years after Azerbaijan used military force to seize the contested territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, after having first used a blockade to starve the population of some 150,000 ethnic Armenian inhabitants there. The entire population subsequently fled in the face of the invasiona textbook case of ethnic cleansing. As Laurence Broers wrote for WPR at the time, Azerbaijans approach to the conflict fits the mold of what scholars call authoritarian conflict management: an approach to conflict that uses a variety of coercive methods to suppress grievances, impose stability and uphold power verticals. In other words, before this years Trump-brokered declaration, peace had already been enforced upon the region at the barrel of a gun. And while Trump does not use military force to push through his peace deals, his approach otherwise bears a close resemblance to Broers description of authoritarian conflict management. With three and a half years left in his administration, the full story of Trumps efforts to end the many conflicts raging around the world is yet to be written. But at least so far, the picture is, unsurprisingly, far more complicated than he and his supporters make it seem. Elliot Waldman is World Politics Reviews editor-in-chief. The post The Reality of Trumps Peacemaker-in-Chief Claim appeared first on World Politics Review. NEED TO KNOW A 34-year-old man in the care of L.A. General Medical Center is yet to be identified He was picked up in Torrance, Calif. with no forms of identification He has brown eyes and dark brown hair, and stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs about 166 lbs. A 34-year-old man was admitted to Los Angeles General Medical Center on July 31 and the hospital is still seeking answers about his identity. The man was picked up near Torrance, Calif. with no forms of identification, per KTLA. Health Services said the man has brown eyes and dark brown hair, stands 5 feet 7 inches and weighs about 166 lbs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to patient confidentiality policies, the hospital is unable to confirm the details of the man's condition and care plan. However, in a photo obtained by PEOPLE, the man is seen breathing with the assistance of a ventilator and has thick gauze pads covering his eyes. PEOPLE has reached out to L.A. General Medical Center for comment. Anyone who may be able to identify the Los Angeles man is urged to contact the Social Work Department at 323-409-5253 or Laura, a clinical social worker at 323-409-7779. A similar case remains unsolved in New York City. In a news release obtained by PEOPLE, Mount Sinai Hospital said the mystery woman has been staying at its Morningside location after being admitted on April 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hospital said the woman was found at a bus stop bench at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue in the neighborhood of Harlem, after a concerned bystander called 911. "The woman is known to frequent the area around 125th Street and Lenox Avenue, and hospital staff think she may go by the name 'Pam,' " the news release stated. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "She usually dresses in black and hides her face," it continued. She has now been hospitalized for over 100 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The patient is described as Black and possibly in her 50s, measuring 5'8 in height and weighing 170 lbs. with dark brown eyes and greying black hair, Mount Sinai added. Read the original article on People Europe has registered a record number of outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses such as chikungunya and West Nile virus this year, the EU health agency said Wednesday, saying climate change was contributing to a "new normal". Europe is experiencing longer and more intense transmission seasons for mosquito-borne diseases, said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). "This shift is driven by climatic and environmental factors such as rising temperatures, longer summer seasons, milder winters and changes in rainfall patterns -- conditions that combine to create a favourable environment for mosquitoes to thrive and transmit viruses," it said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europe was entering a new phase where "longer, more widespread and more intense transmission of mosquito-borne diseases is becoming the new normal", said ECDC director Pamela Rendi-Wagner. The mosquito that can spread chikungunya virus, Aedes albopictus, is now established in 16 European countries and 369 regions, up from just 114 regions a decade ago, the ECDC said. Europe has seen 27 chikungunya outbreaks so far in 2025, a new record for the continent. For the first time, a locally acquired case was reported in France's Alsace region, "an exceptional occurrence at this latitude, highlighting the continued northward expansion of the transmission risk", the agency said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of August 13, eight European countries had reported 335 locally acquired human cases of West Nile virus infection and 19 deaths, with Italy being the country most affected by far, with 274 infections. "As the mosquito-borne disease landscape evolves, more people in Europe will be at risk in the future," said Celine Gossner, Head of Section for food-, water-, and vector-borne and zoonotic diseases at ECDC. Prevention was more important than ever, both through coordinated public health action and personal protection measures, she said. The ECDC called for individuals in affected areas to protect themselves against mosquito bites using mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves and trousers, and using window screens and bed nets. po/jll/jj Relatives of the Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas and other Islamist organizations demonstrated on Wednesday in the border area near the Gaza Strip for the release of their loved ones. The march from Kibbutz Be'eri to the site of the Nova music festival led to two locations of the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023 - on a day when, according to a military spokesman, the next phase of the war was initiated. The relatives of the remaining 50 hostages, of whom at least 20 are believed to still be alive, fear the worst for their family members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Military pressure does not save hostages but kills them, said Ofir Braslavski, the father of Rom Braslavski. Hamas had released a video of the young man in early August, showing him emaciated and severely weakened. "42 hostages entered Gaza on their feet and returned in body bags ... I don't want my child to be number 43!" said Braslavski. "My child is hungry, thirsty, scared, tortured, dying. And no one no one! has the right to sentence him to death." Macabit Mayer, the aunt of twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of recruiting tens of thousands more reservists for "a mission without a purpose" that endangers their "precious ones." Despite a growing number of kids getting religious exemptions from required school vaccinations, Maryland still vaccinates a higher percentage of students than the national average. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) No Shots. No School. No Exceptions. Thats whats parents are greeted with on the Prince Georges County Public Schools webpage on required vaccinations for the upcoming school year. But thats not entirely true. In Maryland, there are exceptions specifically, families can easily get religious exemptions to opt their kindergartners out of vaccine requirements in any school year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And more Maryland families have been choosing that route for the last four school years, according to Maryland Department of Health data released this week. About 1.7% of the states 63,000 kindergartners, or approximately 1,075 kids, cited religious reasons to be exempted from required vaccinations during the 2024-2025 school year. Its the highest percentage of religious exemptions since the 2019-2020 school year, when the start of the COVID-19 pandemic not only ushered in a new wave of vaccine hesitancy but also disrupted typical school procedures for many families. Since the 2021-2022 school year, at least 1% of kindergartners in Maryland have had a religious exemption a couple hundred a year and its been rising since. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While its still a relatively small percent of students compared to the rest of the population, and well below the national rate, public health advocates call rising number of unvaccinated kids concerning. COVID put us behind the eight ball in terms of vaccination levels in kids, said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. Its a very concerning trend because we need to maintain adequate vaccination levels to maintain herd immunity, Benjamin said Tuesday. These childhood diseases are not benign. Theyre very dangerous. Maryland law requires that children have a handful of vaccinations when they enter kindergarten, in order to protect themselves and their classmates from transmissible diseases, such as measles, polio and chickenpox, among others. Children can be exempted if there is a medical reason they cannot receive a vaccine or a religious restriction against it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A medical exemption requires a written statement from a physician that vaccination would be harmful to the student. But invoking a religious exemption in Maryland is simple. Parents can just sign a form that says: Because of my bona fide religious beliefs and practices, I object to any vaccine(s) being given to my child. Religious exemptions spiked in 2019-2020 when 2.7% of kindergartners, or 1,641 kids, opted out of vaccination requirements. The COVID-19 pandemic did not go into full swing until spring 2020, so those families would have opted out prior to the pandemic in the United States. Public health officials and researchers look at nonmedical religious exemptions as an imperfect metric for vaccine hesitancy among families, though tracking such data is a tricky task. To the extent that people are looking at ways to opt out of being vaccinated, you will see a higher increase in people taking advantage of religious exemptions, Benjamin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rate of religious exemptions varies by school district and can be influenced by population size. Kent and Garrett counties have the highest rate of religious exemptions in the state, for example, with more than 4% of kindergartners in those counties getting a religious exemption from vaccines last school year, according to the data. But Kent County had just 155 kindergartners in the 2024-2025 school year, so if seven kids had a religious exemption, that would account for 4.5% of Kent County kindergarten students. Similarly, Garrett County had 243 students in its 2024-2025 kindergarten class. The 4.12% receiving a religious exemption from vaccinations represents about 10 kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have fewer kindergartners, said Rebecca Aiken, school health services manager for Garrett County Public Schools. It can really skew the numbers. She said that there could be many reasons why some kids are not up to date on their vaccinations or use a religious exemption to opt out of them. She noted that some kids are homeless or do not have a stationary home life, moving between family members or living with grandparents, which can make record-keeping for immunizations challenging. The county tries to help families in those situations get their vaccinations or find their records. But with the ease of religious opt-out for vaccines, Aiken said theres no way to know why someone selects the religious exemption for vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cant force them to prove their religion, so we have to take it at face value, she said. She noted that even if the families opt their kids out of vaccination requirements, the county health officials and school nurses help keep the families informed about communicable diseases. Sherelle Jones, an official with the Prince Georges County Office of School Health, noted that compliance with the vaccination requirement is down for the upcoming school year, but she has not noticed a rise in vaccine hesitancy specifically. Shes hearing that some families who do not have health care coverage have struggled to get their kids vaccinated. Prince Georges County Public Schools has hosted vaccination clinics in hopes of closing that coverage gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last school year, Prince Georges Countys schools had about 1.7% of its kindergartners getting a nonmedical religious exemption from vaccinations, on par with the state as a whole. Jones noted that there is still time for families to comply with the vaccination requirements, as school doesnt start until Aug. 26 in Prince Georges County. But Benjamin noted that families are coming in with more questions about vaccines, which he says is a result of new messaging at the federal level about when to receive vaccines and at what age. There is a very well-organized, well-funded antivaccine community out there, Benjamin said. Coupled with some of the mistrust that has been promoted by the current Health Secretary [Robert F.] Kennedy that has raised the questions in peoples minds about when their kids should get their shots, how many shots they should get and whether they should get these shots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My colleagues that are practicing pediatrics are telling me that more and more parents are coming in with more questions about vaccinations, he said. I would not equate that to vaccine hesitancy, although there is certainly more of that. While the rate of religious exemptions is going up in Maryland, state health officials say that vaccine coverage among Maryland kindergartners is still high, especially compared to the rates nationally. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention said 3.6% of kindergartners nationwide were exempt from vaccinations for the 2024-2025 school year, up from 3.3% the previous year. In general, vaccine coverage rates remain high in Maryland. The overall exemption rates remain below the national average and stable at 2.2% compared to the previous school year, said David McCallister, public information officer for the state health department in a written statement. The 2.2% figure combines both 1.7% of kids who have a religious exemption and the 0.5% who have a medical exemption in the 2024-2025 school year. McCallister noted theres been an increase in exemptions, specifically non-medical exemptions since the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department will continue to monitor school exemption trends very closely, especially with regard to their relationship to vaccine preventable diseases, McCallister said. MDH continues to recommend vaccinations for all children. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE KANSAS CITY, Mo. A 26-year-old man has been charged in connection with a deadly shooting last month in Kansas City, Kansas. According to court records, Dezmond Colson was charged with second-degree murder in Wyandotte County for the July 15 shooting death of 49-year-old Larone T. Brasfield. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri Kansas City, Kansas, police officers responded to the shooting just after 6 p.m. in the area of North 25th Street and Freeman Avenue, just north of State Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX4 has previously reported on Colson, a repeat sex offender, who previously served time in Lansing prison for violating a restraining order and bringing a gun on the campus of New Chelsea Elementary School. He was released from prison in 2019. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android Colsons next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, at 9 a.m. He is currently being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $250,000 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. **Related Video Above: Should the school year be extended to make up for learning loss? SOLON, Ohio (WJW) The 2025-2026 U.S. News and World Report rankings for best high schools is here and Northeast Ohio pulled several Top 20 spots in the state. From a review of more than 24,000 public high schools nationally, the Northeast Ohio school faring the best was Solon High School, which scored No. 174 in the country and No. 4 in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kirtland middle-schooler beats the odds in aggressive cancer battle The publication considered the following factors when putting together its rankings: college curriculum options, math and reading proficiency and testing, college preparedness, graduation rates and underserved student performance. The data used in this years ranking U.S. News and World Report was pulled from the 2022-2023 school year. Brothers swept up by Lake Erie rip currents found dead Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati nabbed the No. 1 spot in the Buckeye state, ranking No. 91 nationally. Other Northeast Ohio schools to rank in the states Top 20 (OK, 21) include the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No. 5 Rocky River High School No. 11 Hudson High School No. 15 Aurora High School No. 19 Highland High School No. 20 Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School No. 21 Bay Village High School Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. (The Center Square) New Hampshire ranks last in the nation for higher education funding, according to a new report, which said the lack of financial support for college students could impact the state's economy. The report by the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute, a nonpartisan research group, found that New Hampshire spent $4,629 per full-time student in the previous year, the lowest amount in the country. The national average was $11,683, the report said. Between fiscal years 2024 and 2025, state aid for public higher education dropped 3.9% while the average among all U.S. states increased 4.3% during that period, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reductions in funding for New Hampshires public higher education institutions can have adverse economic effects across the state, particularly for the workforce," the report's authors said. "The Granite States workforce is rapidly aging, which may be contributing to long-predicted workforce shortages." According to the report, in fiscal year 2025, the state budgeted $120 for public higher education for every person in New Hampshire. That was the lowest amount of any state, with Arizona being the next-lowest funder of public higher education that year at $166 per capita. Nationwide, state government support for public higher education averaged $380 per capita. "To fund public higher education in New Hampshire at the same rate as the national per capita average, New Hampshire would need to increase funding by $260 per capita," the report stated. Four of the ten occupations with the largest projected 10-year employment growth in New Hampshire between 2022 and 2032 require at least a four-year degree, the report's authors noted, including software developers, general and operations managers, financial managers, and nurse practitioners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Given the need for workers in jobs that require college degrees, access to, and the affordability of, public higher education for Granite Staters is vital," they wrote. The report's authors noted recent progress by New Hampshire to support public higher education, citing data from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association showing a 14.2% increase in state financial aid between fiscal years 2020 and 2025. But they said the funding increase "trailed" the average national increase of 32.9% during that period. Meanwhile, high tuition costs and limited state aid for public higher education can also have "long-term impacts" on the financial well-being of Granite State students and families, the report noted. In New Hampshire, graduates from colleges and universities are more likely to have student debt than graduates in other states, they noted, and the impact on earning potential can limit individual and family spending that also supports the state's economy. "Individual and family financial stability and wealth-building can be hindered by delayed readiness to buy a house or save for retirement due to high student loan debt, or limited earning capacity when a postsecondary degree is not pursued," they wrote. FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) A report has revealed new details in the case against a former Fort Smith preschool teacher accused of harassment and assault. Cristie Castagno, 50, was arrested on Aug. 18 by the Fort Smith Police Department and faces one count of second-degree assault and one count of harassment. She was released around two hours after being booked on a $900 bond. Cristie Castagno, 50 (Courtesy: Sebastian County Detention Center) An FSPD report released on Wednesday said that on April 25, a witness reported Castagno grabbed [the child] by the face with her hands, firmly squeezed [their] cheeks, and sternly said Look at me.'. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On April 28, a hotline tip was given to the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) and an on-site investigation was conducted on the same day. The following violation was reported on April 28 by DHS: The following activities or threats of such activities are unacceptable as behavior guidance measures and shall not be used for children. These include, but are not limited to the following: Inflicting physical pain, hitting, pinching, pulling hair, slapping, kicking, twisting arms, biting or biting back, spatting, swatting, etc. Department of Human Services FSPD told KNWA/FOX24 on Aug. 19 that it was investigating a tip involving Castagno and a child who attended Immaculate Conception Catholic School. Trial delayed for Fort Smith doctor charged with rape, possession of CSAM On July 25, prosecutors were determining whether to pursue criminal charges. A special prosecutor assigned to the case recused himself due to a conflict of interest. A new special prosecutor was assigned to the case on July 31, and charges were filed against Castagno. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter sent to parents on Aug. 19, obtained by KNWA/FOX24, school officials said the Department of Human Services (DHS) visited the schools preschool program in April to investigate a reported incident. ICCS said that it fully cooperated with DHS protocols, and the review concluded with findings that were unsubstantiated. The school confirmed in the letter that the individual involved was no longer employed by the school. KNWA/FOX24 reached out to DHS for more information. A department spokesperson said that child maltreatment cases are confidential under Arkansas law, and they were unable to confirm or deny any specific investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Arkansas Educator Licensure System said that Castagno was considered to be qualified to work in early childhood or K-12 education following her latest background check on July 10. The report said that Castagno was arrested at a preschool in Van Buren. Castagnos arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 21. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. David Morrissey has been banned from driving for six months and fined 5,700 after being found guilty of multiple speeding offences across London. David Morrissey has been slapped with a six-month driving and hefty legal fees The Walking Dead and Sherwood star, 61, was sentenced in absentia at Willesden Magistrates Court on Wednesday (20.08.25), following a three-hour trial last week. Morrissey was caught driving his black Mini Countryman at 46mph in a 40mph zone on the A406 in Willesden at 5:41am on August 2 2024. He was also clocked at 55mph and 48mph in 40mph zones on the A40 near Greenford on August 4 and 5, at 5:23am and 2:35am, respectively. Already carrying nine points on his licence, the actor received an additional nine points for the three offencestriggering an automatic driving ban. Prosecutor Maya Arputham confirmed that the 5,700 fine includes 1,500 in court costs, stating: Morrissey should pay the full costs for the trial last week. His legal representative, Conall Bailie, acknowledged the fine would be paid without issue but argued the court costs were a significant amount for a trial that lasted less than three hours. District Judge Jack Walsh dismissed the defences objections, ruling: The sum of 1,500 in court costs appears to me to be eminently reasonable. He is convicted of all three offences. He did not have a clean driving record. The case he put to court was entirely illegitimate. The judge added that Morrissey had the opportunity to appear and give evidence, but chose not to, and that his approach to the case warranted the full prosecution costs. TONTITOWN, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) Newly released court documents detail the operation and arrest of the four men accused of seeking to have sex with minors. Julio Morales-Gutierrez, 29, was arrested on Aug. 16 for human trafficking (commercial sex acts), internet stalking of a child and resisting arrest charges. He is being held on a $25,000 bond. Eduardo Gonzales, 32, was arrested on Aug. 16 for human trafficking (commercial sex acts), internet stalking of a child and pandering or possessing visual or print medium depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child charges. He was released on a $25,000 bond around 15 hours after being booked. Dre Smith, 32, was arrested on Aug. 15 for human trafficking (commercial sex acts) and internet stalking of a child charges. He is being held on a $25,000 bond. Trenton Thomas, 26, was arrested on Aug. 15 for human trafficking (commercial sex acts) and internet stalking of a child charges. He was released on a $25,000 bond on Aug. 18. Julio Morales-Gutierrez, 29 (Courtesy: Washington County Detention Center) Eduardo Gonzales, 32 (Courtesy: Washington County Detention Center) Dre Smith, 32 (Courtesy: Washington County Detention Center) Trenton Thomas, 26 (Courtesy: Washington County Detention Center) Preliminary reports released by the Washington County Prosecuting Attorneys Office detailed the four arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reports said that on Aug. 15, the Tontitown Criminal Investigation Division started an operation targeting those seeking sex with minors. Officials placed an ad online using a fake profile on a website where users meet others to have sex in exchange for money. All four men reportedly contacted the fake profile and messaged the user, thinking they were speaking to a 15-year-old girl they wanted to have sex with, according to the reports. Trial date set for 18-year-old accused of killing Rogers teen in 2022 The reports said that the four arrests were made between 10 p.m. on Aug. 15 and 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morales-Gutierrez reportedly resisted being arrested and was tased by officers. He admitted in the report to traveling to the decoy house to meet a 15-year-old girl. Gonzales admitted to replying to the profile and also allegedly asked the decoy user to send inappropriate videos. Smith said in an interview that he wanted to go to the location to see if it was a setup and admitted to sending messages to the decoy profile. Thomas told authorities that he knew he f***** up but did not agree to an interview, according to the report. All four suspects are scheduled to appear on Sept. 8 at the Washington County Courthouse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) There were reports of shots being fired at North Carolina A&T State University on Wednesday morning, according to a series of AggieAlert! notifications. According to A&T, a student-oriented gathering at the Deese Clocktower of around 100 people was happening on Tuesday night. This was not a university-sanctioned event. Around 12:30 a.m., two people fired several shots, but there was no evidence that they were shooting at anyone. The crowd then dispersed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement University Police Department says they dont have any evidence to indicate these were students or had anything to do with the university. No one was injured and the investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP. Michigan Capitol | Susan J. Demas Updated at 9:45 p.m. A Republican bill to ban ranked choice voting in the state of Michigan, which was introduced in the House of Representatives last month and rammed through committee on Tuesday after just one hearing, was passed in the lower chamber Wednesday with opposition from the chambers Democrats. House Bill 4707, sponsored by state Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Martin), would ban the voting method if signed into law. The measure passed 57-44 with nine members of the House not voting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each vote affirming the passage of the bill came from a Republican member of the House, while each no vote came from the chambers Democrats. Eight Democrats and just one Republican state Rep. Phill Green of Watertown Township did not vote on the bill. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In a statement following the bills passage, Smit said her years as a township clerk taught her that clear, straightforward election rules were the only way to maintain public trust. Ranked Choice Voting, with its rounds of counting and reallocation, only breeds skepticism especially when every close contest invites lawsuits and recount battles, Smit said. Michigan doesnt need ballot-box gymnastics. We need integrity, clarity, and confidence, which are all qualities Ranked Choice Voting cannot deliver. House Election Integrity Committee Chair Rachelle Smit (R-Martin). Aug. 19, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance The voting method allows voters to rank candidates for a position based on preference, rather than casting a ballot for a single candidate. It has been floated as an option to break up partisan gridlock and the grip of the two-party duopoly in American politics, but it gained further traction this year after the primary win of New York Democrat Zohran Mamdani, who became that partys nominee for New York City mayor in an upset of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The city uses ranked choice to select its mayoral primary candidates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smit acknowledged during a Tuesday hearing of the House Elections Integrity Committee that the law could likely be overturned at the ballot box next year if an initiative to institute ranked choice voting is affirmed by voters. Some Michigan cities adopted measures to introduce the method in local elections, but existing state law has kept those plans from taking root. The Rank MI Vote initiative would make that method the law of the land for all statewide and federal elections. Still, Smit and House Republicans said it would cause chaos for clerks and introduce confusion into an elections system that Republicans have and without evidence accused of being rife with fraud and irregularities. This may sound interesting in theory but in practice, its a logistical nightmare, Smit said. Ranked Choice Voting creates serious confusion at the ballot box. Studies and real-world elections have shown that Ranked Choice Voting disproportionately impacts minority voters and those who dont vote in every election. Instead of empowering voters, Ranked Choice Voting risks silencing them. It doesnt strengthen democracy; it weakens it. Ranked Choice Voting has no place in Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smit advocated for the bills passage on the House floor Wednesday, as did Republican state Rep. Ann Bollin of Brighton and state Rep. Josh Schriver of Oxford. Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou (D-East Lansing) speaks in support of legislation to ban nonconsensual deepfake pornography before a vote in the Michigan state House on April 24, 2025. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols Rising to oppose the bill in a floor speech was Democratic state Rep. Penelope of East Lansing. When somebody talks about banning something that is already banned, you have to ask, what else is going on? Tsernoglou said. I ask what those who believe rank choice voting violates these principles would say to the number of jurisdictions here in Michigan, where when left to the voters, a majority of the voters in those communities decided that they wanted to use ranked choice voting for their local elections. When communities across Michigan decide through their own ballots that they want ranked choice voting, that should be the end of the conversation. Tsernoglou said it was apparent to her that some of her colleagues dont like it when voters make changes through referendums. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of respecting local democracy, theyre reaching in with heavy hands to say, No, you cant do that, Tsernoglou said. This is more than overreach. Its a flat out rejection of our democratic values. This story was updated to clarify that the vote was 57 yeas and 44 nays. Republican lawmakers have been overwhelmingly complimentary of President Donald Trump meeting with Vladimir Putin and attempting to put the Russian leader in a room with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But as the administration teases at least the theoretical possibility of a peace deal however unlikely that might actually be something else has crept into many of these GOP comments: A not-so-subtle fear that Putin might get too much. Numerous Republicans and Trump media allies have in recent days layered their almost perfunctory praise of Trump with notes of caution about what happens next. Theyve often gently nudged him to be more skeptical of and hard-edged toward Putin than hes been in public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And theyve expressly worried that the process could result in a win for Putin a fear polls show many Americans share. It looks a lot like theyre concerned the president who has long treated the Russian leader with kid gloves might give away the store in order to end the war. Perhaps nobody has been as explicit about that as Sen. Thom Tillis. Appearing Wednesday on CBS Mornings, the North Carolina Republican said it was clear Putin is stringing Trump along and warned against even a modicum of a win for the Russian president. Putins provocation is the fear that a former Soviet satellite could become a thriving Western democracy. That will be the beginning of the end of his failed Communist totalitarian experience, said Tillis, who is not running for reelection next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And giving him even a modicum of a win gives life to his belief that this world should be under totalitarian rule. Others have been more subtle but also raised big red flags about what Trump might try to give way. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has repeatedly cautioned that any land swaps should only recognize parts of Ukraine as being under Russian control not actually hand them over to be part of Russia. Be very careful about rewarding Putin by giving him title to Ukrainian land through force of arms, Graham told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday, ahead of Trumps meeting with Zelensky and European leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He and others have cautioned that doing so could embolden China to try and take Taiwan by force. As to land swaps, remember: China is watching, Graham told Fox News Sean Hannity on Monday. Dont do anything in Ukraine that would entice China to take Taiwan. Hannity agreed that he would rather not reward aggression on the part of Putin. People stand in front of burning building in Okhtyrka, Ukraine, after Russian drone attack on Wednesday. - Andriy Mikheev/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC UA:PBC/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images Fellow Fox News host Mark Levin devoted a lengthy portion of his show the day after the Trump-Putin meeting to describing Russias territorial ambitions and the failures of past efforts like the Budapest Memorandum to rein them in. He added in a social media post Tuesday after the latest Russian offensive in Ukraine: Genocidal maniac Putin cannot control himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker soon seized on Levins post to essentially plead with Trump all while, of course, praising him. President @realDonaldTrump, your advocate, Mark Levin, warns that Vladimir Putin is a genocidal maniac. These are wise words from a good friend. Putin lies and kills, the Mississippi Republican wrote, adding: Your leadership will be key to keep Ukraine, U.S., and Europe together against Putins delays and deceptions. Sen. Ted Cruz appeared on Fox News on Monday night and predicted Trump will land a peace deal with a major caveat. What I have encouraged President Trump to do is to resolve it in a way that is a clear and discernible loss for Russia and Putin, the Texas Republican said. Russia is not our friend, Putin is not our friend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina has repeatedly praised Trump as seeing through Putins lies. The war criminal, Putin, is misleading the world, he said on CNNs The Lead on Tuesday. But weve got a president who understands. Gee whiz, what a president we have with Donald Trump. Wilson added: But I agree with what Donald Trump has previously said: He has lovely talks with Putin in the morning and then there are murderous attacks by war criminal Putin in the afternoon. The idea that Trump sees through Putins tactics is certainly debatable. It was as if Wilson was painting a picture of the Trump hed like to see. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And perhaps the most critical House Republican has been Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, whos not seeking reelection. He said Tuesday that he supported peace negotiations. But then he suggested Trumps odd recent comments about Ukraine being able to make peace were not fortuitous. But saying Ukraine can have peace tomorrow if they want is a statement asking them to capitulate to Russias invasion, Bacon said. We should negotiate with moral clarity knowing Russia started this war with its ruthless invasion. We shouldnt reward barbarity. These Republicans arent the only ones who seem to fear Putin getting too much. Polls have suggested many Americans agree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recent Fox News poll showed Americans said 58%-35% that Putin had the upper hand on Trump ahead of their summit. Large numbers of Americans have long said Trump is too favorable to Putin. And a Gallup poll showed 7 in 10 Americans were at least somewhat worried a peace deal would be too favorable to Russia. But its telling that Republicans feel compelled to publicly express these concerns. Negotiating an actual peace deal means getting down to the nitty-gritty of whats an acceptable concession. And thats apparently a pretty scary prospect for the many Russia hawks who have quietly stood by for years as Trump and his party drifted away from Ukraine. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Emma Nicoson, a Google scholar, who is a graduate instructor and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Missouri, is striving to make apparel e-commerce sites more accessible to people with low vision and blindness. Having cast a wide net to try to improve online shortcomings, one priority for her is to ensure that retailers use precise language on their sites. Names of colors, like carbon ash for example, are ambiguous and make no sense for consumers, who are blind or of low vision, she said. More from WWD Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As professionals in this field, we recognize that we are part of the process in disabling these individuals. Were really focused on thinking about how we name things and describe products, because we are doing it in a sight-dependent environment and there is bias. Instead we should be thinking about online shopping from the perspective of someone who was blind from birth, and whose family members told them what red looks like, or from the perspective of someone who lost their vision later in life, she said. Finding a way to hold apparel manufacturers accountable for web accessibility in accordance with the American Disabilities Act is one of her objectives. Norway is the leading country for digital accessibility standards that are enforced through a government agency that shuts down noncompliant sites and later helps companies build them back up, Nicoson said. In 2021, the United Nations declared that access to published digital content is a basic human right. Last year Nicoson and Jung Ha-Brookshire, a fellow Ph.D. student at the University of Missouri, examined apparel websites compliance to digital accessibility laws and how people with visual impairments navigate content and products online. People with visual impairments, or PVI, are those with low vision or blindness categorized by the level of visual acuity and visual field. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a recipient of an independent research grant from the American-Scandinavian Foundation, she will be off to Oslo for 10 months to further explore the sector. In Norway, she will work with the University of Oslos department of informatics Tone Bratteteig and her team of 10 blind computer scientists. Nicoson will also be working with the secretary general of the Norwegian Digitalization Agency, which works to keep all sites compliant with all digital accessibility laws. As a sighted person and working in this sight-dependent industry, I think a lot of people dont understand what blindness is. Its a spectrum and not one vision loss looks the same. Not all people, who are blind, see all black. They may see some light perception. They may see colors, shades and outlines of objects, Nicoson said. Also, you can enter this community of people at any time in your life either temporarily or permanently. No one can imagine what taking away your sight can look like. Online PVI require assistive technology that provides human interface to the websites alternative text in various modalities such as screen readers and linear navigation. Title III of the American Disabilities Act (1990) requires businesses open to the public to provide effective and nondiscriminatory communication through digital accessibility, which centers on access to products, resources and services across hardware and software in the digital spaces of apparel retailing. Many apparel sites are not compliant to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and limit PVIs ability to access apparel. Shopping with a friend, who was losing his vision due to retinitis pigmentosia, made her realize how describing clothing to him was super challenging. That led to her pursuing the underserved area of digital accessibility. Acknowledging how everyone wants to choose their own clothing and feel seen by relaying their identity to the world, Nicoson said that improving landing pages is necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PVI use screen readers including ones like JAWS that is available for purchase and reads aloud page content and semantic information like lists, headings and links. While sighted people can use a computer mouse to move around a site and tap on individual tabs that may not be symmetrically aligned for additional information, PVI prefer linear navigation. Noting how post-pandemic, online shopping is still the preferred means for many, Nicoson aims to partner with one or two retailers that will declare digital accessibility as part of their mission statement and create those changes on product landing pages. An initial study of Targets site indicates that it is pretty accessible for PVI, whereas that was not the case with a previous study of Amazons site, said Nicoson. Most people with visual impairment have trouble getting something into their shopping cart, she said. Target uses basic color naming with choices like gray, black, blue and navy blue, and their images have coding that allows PVI users to hear a decent description of the apparel product, Nicoson said. Whereas with Amazon, sometimes they have it, and sometimes it will just say, a human leg instead of telling you what the apparel product is. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A new study found considerable differences in how coastal communities communicate the threats posed by extreme weather and rising global temperatures to their residents. Researchers from Drexel University studied the public-facing websites of 24 coastal towns in New Jersey to see how they discuss weather-related coastal hazards. Their findings, published in the Journal of Extreme Events, showed that communities describe coastal threats in varied terms, with only half of them even admitting that rising sea levels are a contributing factor. "A study like this is important for comparing the information being conveyed and understanding localized variations," lead researcher Patrick Gurian said in a release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study also looked at how those New Jersey communities have acted when it comes to coastal threats. Infrastructure improvements were found most commonly, with more than 60% of communities working on stormwater management projects and 50% working on road improvements. No community, researchers said, mentioned any projects related to relocating citizens from areas most vulnerable to flooding and sea-level rise. As part of the study, researchers also investigated whether factors such as population or political affiliation played a role in how prepared coastal communities are. However, no real correlation was found with those. Rising sea levels are one of the biggest threats associated with our warming planet, which is itself a result of human-caused pollution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rising temperatures have not only caused glaciers to melt but also ocean water to get warmer and expand, all of which has led the global sea level to rise by more than four inches over roughly the last 30 years. The rate at which sea levels rise has also more than doubled in that time. Higher temperatures also bring with them increased severity of extreme weather events such as flooding. The combination of rising sea levels and more severe weather could eventually put coastal communities at further risk. This is especially true in New Jersey, which has built more new homes in flood risk zones than any other state. "The way local leaders and governments communicate about climate risk is vitally important " Gurian said. "Despite our divisive national political landscape, local governments can still communicate with their citizens about climate-related hazards. "If local governments can preserve and leverage this relationship, while carefully and accurately communicating the risk climate change poses to their communities, they may yet be able to keep their citizens safe." Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. SUGARLOAF TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Residents in Sugarloaf Township are raising concerns about potential large projects in their community. From data centers to a plastics plant and a power line, neighbors say they want answers and transparency. Frustration filled the room at the Sugarloaf Township Supervisors Meeting on Tuesday night. Neighbors say theyre not getting answers about projects that could reshape their community, from data centers to a plastics-to-fuel plant and the power line that would potentially connect them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All we ask is for that type of leadership, protection, courtesy, and transparency. Its all we want, Alliance to Stop the Line Founder John Zola told 28/22 News. A lawsuit over the townships data center rules is currently moving through the legal process. That means supervisors cant comment on details, but they say they are listening to residents. This whole thing is difficult for everyone because this is something new. No one is ready for the data centers and all this stuff, so everyone is trying to work together, and its just unfortunate that we cant talk about it at this point in time, Sugarloaf Township Supervisor Joe Disabella stated. Residents say these projects are already affecting daily life, and they want community and environmental concerns to come first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monroe County fire department gets new wheels This has changed our lives. Its ruining some of our lives. And we really havent had a whole lot of help from our public officials, Zola explained. Community watchdogs warn that the data centers, plastics plant, and power lines are all connected, and that the decisions made now could affect the future of the township. If you put the people first, progress will follow, but if you put profits first, our community will pay the price, a local resident said. Even former leaders are weighing in, calling for public health and transparency to guide decision-making. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just really hope that this board does the right thing and really puts the people and the environment first, Former Conyngham Mayor Tricia Marnell told 28/22 News. Residents say they wont stop attending meetings and asking questions. Residents will get another chance to speak at a follow-up meeting planned in the next two weeks as the township continues to navigate legal and community questions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to 28/22 News. A Texas restaurant is open for business again after a vehicle came crashing through the eatery over the weekend. The incident occurred at around 4 p.m. on Saturday at Cuvee Culinary Creations in Houston, according to restaurant owner Ivory Watkins. Two content creators who were dining at the establishment narrowly missed being struck by the vehicle, unintentionally capturing shocking footage of the moment, which the restaurant later shared on its Instagram page. Nina Santiago, known online as Nina Unrated, was filming her YouTube series, "Nina Unrated Eats," alongside fellow content creator Patrick Blackwood when a driver in an SUV plowed through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows where they were seated, knocking over the table and scattering the dishes directly in front of them, according to the video footage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the video, fellow patrons and restaurant staff can be seen in the background looking on in shock as Santiago and Blackwood scramble out of their seats. Storyful - PHOTO: Food bloggers, Patrick Blackwood and Nina Unrated were filming at a restaurant in Houston, Texas when a car plowed into the window next to them. Santiago wrote in an Instagram post afterward that she was "beyond grateful to be alive." She shared several photos from inside an ambulance and the hospital where she and Blackwood were apparently treated for their injuries, which show cuts on their faces, necks, arms and hands. Santiago and Blackwood did not immediately respond to ABC News' requests for comment. Watkins described the incident as "a freak accident," telling ABC News he had just walked away from Santiago and Blackwood's table seconds prior to the moment of impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was looking at my two customers and thinking, 'What is going on? This is crazy,'" he recalled. "We never know what God has in store for us -- I'm glad they're safe." Watkins said he called 911 as soon as the incident occurred, adding that the manager of the restaurant was quick to tend to Santiago and Blackwood in the immediate aftermath and helped provide care for their cuts and scrapes until paramedics arrived on the scene. Storyful - PHOTO: Food bloggers, Patrick Blackwood and Nina Unrated were filming at a restaurant in Houston, Texas when a car plowed into the window next to them. Watkins said "police came out and did their due diligence" and a report was filed by the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The owner apologized for the incident, saying, "My job at my restaurant is to keep my guests safe. I fell short." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We were glad that we didn't have any more guests [at the time of the crash]," he added. "The main thing is everybody is safe." The restaurant's windows are currently boarded up, however Watkins was able to reopen for service on Sunday. He said the establishment has new safety measures in place, including two company vehicles and two employee vehicles that are parked in the parking spaces in front of the restaurant's window seating. The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. A retired state employee in Oregon has been using her knowledge of the state's bureaucratic processes to stymie renewable energy projects, according to a joint report from ProPublica and Oregon Public Radio. "I kind of have a reputation," said 76-year-old Irene Gilbert, per ProPublica. What's happening? According to the Oregon Department of Energy, no one in the state has filed more lawsuits seeking to quash solar and wind projects, or efforts to build the transmission lines that would connect these projects to consumers, than Gilbert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her 15 lawsuits and countless complaints have single-handedly delayed or completely derailed numerous renewable energy projects over the years, putting in doubt Oregon's requirement that all electricity production in the state be carbon-free by 2040. "I figure I can lose a thousand cases. Even if it doesn't look like it, I made a difference," Gilbert said, per ProPublica. In one specific case, Gilbert managed to delay construction of a proposed wind farm for so long that the developer eventually withdrew the plans, and the wind farm was never built. "We were successful in stopping that," Gilbert said of the proposed wind farm, per ProPublica. "The company would say that it was a financial decision. I think it was more than that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation dates back to 1967, when Portland General Electric announced plans to construct the Trojan Nuclear Plant just an hour outside Portland. The announcement sparked fierce opposition from antinuclear activists. In response, state lawmakers established the Nuclear and Thermal Energy Council. Using this body, activists successfully delayed several other proposed nuclear projects to the point that they were never built, according to ProPublica. The Nuclear and Thermal Energy Council eventually changed names to become the Energy Facility Siting Council, but it remains in operation to this day. Which of these factors would most effectively convince you to support nuclear energy projects in your area? Lower energy bills Safety and reliability More local jobs Environmental benefits Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. One striking difference, however, is that these days people like Gilbert are using this relic of progressive activism to severely delay or even stop altogether the kinds of cleaner, renewable energy projects that today's progressives strongly favor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For her part, though she is a staunch Republican who formerly ran a gun shop and enjoys hunting elk, Gilbert considers herself an environmentalist. She views her role as protecting disadvantaged, rural landowners like farmers and ranchers from the state and large energy companies. "I feel like my reason for participating now is to do what I can to help these poor folks," Gilbert told ProPublica. Why does red tape hurt clean energy projects? The situation in Oregon highlighted the challenges being faced by developers of renewable energy projects across the U.S. According to the industry group American Clean Power Association, obtaining the necessary approvals for a renewable energy project or transmission line can take up to 10 years. The group has claimed that the failure to reform decades-old permitting systems has put $100 billion of cleaner energy investments and 100 gigawatts of energy production at risk of severe delays or being canceled altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proponents of permitting reform say that the old system, designed to give citizens a voice when it came to large, complex, potentially dangerous facilities like nuclear power plants, does not reflect the new reality of wind turbines and solar panels. "The process back in the early '70s was meant to be a little bit more plodding," said Oregon state Rep. Ken Helm during an April speech, according to ProPublica. "Now that we are many, many decades past that time, we're finding that the procedures [Oregon's Energy Facility Siting Council] operates under are really too slow for the relatively low-risk renewable energy that we're seeking." What's being done about red tape? In Oregon, lawmakers have tried for years to streamline the state's slow and laborious permitting process, widely considered to be one of the most cumbersome in the nation. For one project aimed at building transmission lines connecting renewable energy plants in Idaho with power-hungry data centers in Oregon, developers had to submit nearly 20,000 pages of documentation, only to be sued by Gilbert after filing its paperwork, ProPublica reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite stories like this and years of earnest attempts by lawmakers, efforts to enact large-scale reforms to Oregon's energy permitting system have largely failed, resulting in only minor changes. In order to streamline permitting and allow renewable energy projects to come online faster and more cheaply, lawmakers at the federal, state, and local levels need to pass comprehensive permit reform measures that allow the public to have a voice while also protecting important projects from being held hostage by a small but vocal minority of activists like Gilbert. To make a difference, you can use your voice and support political candidates who are in favor of reforming the permitting process for renewable energy projects. You can also reach out to your current elected representatives and let them know where you stand. 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. Dozens of council homes that were illegally rented out have been seized back by the capital's town halls after investigations found some tenants were living abroad while making a profit from their social property. Fraud investigations by London boroughs discovered some had illegally sub-let their houses while living in countries such as Ethiopia and France. Hammersmith and Fulham council said it had taken back 26 local authority properties in the last year after uncovering housing scams worth almost 500,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one case, gas engineers completing routine safety checks on a council flat in West Kensington raised an alert when they found three men living in the property issued to one person. The fraud team discovered utility bills and bank statements proving that the listed tenant had moved to Ethiopia in 2019. The case was taken to court and the council repossessed the property in Lickey House. In another case, a three-bedroom social home in Strode Road - where houses sell for up to 1.7million - was being rented out by the social tenant who was actually living in East London. The council's anti-fraud team found bank statements that showed the original occupier was receiving rent payments from family members living in the SW6 property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The house was given up before the tenant was taken to court because of the significant evidence against them, Hammersmith and Fulham council said. A flat in Roseford Court, Shepherd's Bush was also seized after a tip off that a tenant was sub-letting the home while living in a property they owned in Waltham Abbey, Essex. In Westminster, a council tenant who had moved to France was found to have been renting out their Soho flat on AirBnB. Officials in Westminster issued a possession order due to non-occupation and unauthorised subletting of the flat in Kemp House. Hammersmith and Fulham councils cabinet member for housing and homelessness Frances Umeh said: "We're determined to put fairness at the heart of housing. We'll continue rooting out fraud wherever it hides, so that families waiting patiently and rightfully have a safe place to call home." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cabinet member for finance Rowan Ree added: "We will not tolerate people exploiting council homes in this way. "Our council homes are there to support residents in genuine need. We will not stop in our fight against housing fraudsters." Meanwhile, council houses worth more than half a million pounds have been seized in Hackney after it was found tenants already owned another property. The seven homes have been redistributed to those most in need in the borough, which has more than 12,000 households on its social housing waiting list. A further 13 investigations into potential housing fraud are ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deception was discovered as part of pilot scheme collaboration between the Cabinet Office's Public Sector Fraud Authority and Hackney Council. Investigators checked social tenancy data with information from HMRC to identify people who may have purchased a home while still being registered as occupying a social property. Cabinet Office Minister, Georgia Gould, said: Every council property that is fraudulently occupied denies a home to a family who genuinely needs it. The work being done by the Public Sector Fraud Authority and local councils like Hackney demonstrates how effective data matching can be in tackling this kind of fraud. The gloves are off in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s feud with American doctors. Hours after the American Academy of Pediatrics, the professional society for doctors who care for children, issued Covid-19 vaccine guidance contradicting that of the health secretary, Kennedy accused the group of engaging in a pay-to-play scheme to promote commercial ambitions of AAPs Big Pharma benefactors in a post on social media platform X . Kennedy cited donations from Covid mRNA vaccine drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna, among other pharmaceutical companies, to the pediatricians Friends of Children Fund, which backs projects promoting childrens health and health equity. Kennedy said the contributions constituted a conflict of interest and suggested they led to the groups decision to recommend that young children, between 6 and 23 months old, receive Covid vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped its recommendation that all children 6 months and older get Covid shots. Kennedy at the time said the move was based on common sense and good science. The AAP, however, said it had retained its guidance for young children to get the shots because they are still at risk of severe cases of the disease. COVID-19 continues to result in hospitalization and death in the pediatric population, the group said in a release explaining its recommendations, adding that children younger than 2 years old are especially vulnerable to severe COVID-19 and should be prioritized for vaccination. Earlier Tuesday, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon accused the pediatricians of freelancing its own recommendations, while smearing those who demand accountability in a statement to POLITICO. AAP President Susan J. Kressly defended her groups guidance in response, saying they were based only in the science, the needs of children, and the care that pediatricians have for the children in every community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kressly called Kennedy's attack "unfortunate" but said the AAP was nonetheless willing to meet with him. She said her group followed "rigorous conflict-of-interest disclosures." Despite the disagreement over vaccination of young children, both the new CDC guidance and the pediatricians continue to recommend shots for children with underlying conditions that could put them at risk for severe disease. Both have also scaled back recommendations for healthy children older than 6 months, saying that parents of children without underlying conditions should decide on vaccination in consultation with their pediatrician . Why it matters: The pediatricians split with the CDC underscores the depth of the distrust between the medical establishment and Kennedy a longtime vaccine skeptic who once said the Covid vaccine was the deadliest vaccine ever made in defiance of scientific consensus. Before Kennedys arrival, the agency and the pediatricians agreed on vaccine recommendations, but Kennedys efforts to overhaul federal vaccine policy have upset the relationship. Earlier this summer, he ousted all the members of the expert panel that advises the CDC on vaccines , the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, tapping new members with a history of vaccine skepticism. Most recently, Kennedy rescinded $500 million earmarked for research into mRNA technology , which was used to develop the Moderna and Pfizer Covid vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And his latest post isnt the first time hes criticized doctors. The May report from his Make America Health Again Commission assessing the causes of chronic disease in children was laced with accusations that doctors are influenced by the pharmaceutical industry to overprescribe certain medications and fail to treat the root causes of disease. The split also comes as children return to school and the annual fall vaccination campaign for Covid and the flu is beginning. Kennedy suggested that the pediatric group could be exposing its member doctors to liability in his X post, stating that AAP should also be candid with doctors and hospitals that recommendations that diverge from the CDCs official list are not shielded from liability under the 1986 Vaccine Injury Act. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, which that law created, doesnt cover Covid vaccines, but Kennedy has said he wants to overhaul the system for compensating people who experience serious side effects from vaccines. He would likely need Congress assent to change it. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Erin McCanlies was listening to the radio one morning in April when she heard Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promising to find the cause of autism by September. The secretary of Health and Human Services said he believed an environmental toxin was responsible for the dramatic increase in the condition and vowed to gather the most credible scientists from all over the world to solve the mystery. Nothing like that has ever been done before, he told an interviewer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McCanlies was stunned. The work had been done. Thats exactly what Ive been doing! she said to her husband, Fred. As an epidemiologist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which Kennedy oversees, McCanlies had spent much of the past two decades studying how parents exposure to workplace chemicals affects the chance that they will have a child with autism. This report was originally published by ProPublica. Just three weeks earlier, shed been finalizing her fourth major paper on the topic when Kennedy eliminated her entire division. Kennedy has also overseen tens of millions of dollars in cuts to federal funding for research on autism, including its environmental causes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For 20 years, Kennedy has espoused the debunked theory that autism is caused by vaccines, dismissing evidence to the contrary by arguing that vaccine manufacturers, researchers and regulators all have an interest in obscuring their harms. He remains skeptical of the scientists who have been funded by his own agency to study the neurodevelopmental condition. We need to stop trusting the experts, he told right-wing host Tucker Carlson in a June interview, going on to suggest that previous studies that found no relationship between vaccines and autism were marred by trickery and researchers self-interest. In contrast, Kennedy told Carlson that under his leadership, and with a new, federally funded $50 million autism research initiative, Were going to get real studies done for the first time. Some autism researchers fear that the effort will manipulate data to blame the condition on vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy has never expressed an open mind, an open attitude towards what are the fundamental causes of autism, said Helen Tager-Flusberg, a Boston University psychologist who founded a coalition of scientists concerned about his approach to autism. In a June statement, the group said the initiative lacks transparency and that Kennedy casually ignores decades of high quality research that preceded his oversight. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry shakes the hand of U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before a bill signing ceremony June 27, 2025, at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) As Kennedy promotes his new initiative, ProPublica has found that he has also taken aim at the traditional scientific approach to autism, shutting down McCanlies lab and stripping funding from more than 50 autism-related studies. Meanwhile, he has stood by as the Trump administration encourages the departure of hundreds of federal employees with experience studying the harm caused by environmental threats and rolls back protections from pollution and chemicals, including some linked to autism. Kennedy did not respond to requests for an interview, and an HHS spokesperson did not answer specific questions from ProPublica, including those related to the concerns of the coalition of autism scientists. Under the leadership of Secretary Kennedy, HHS is taking action on autism as the public health emergency it is, the spokesperson wrote. NIH is fully committed to leaving no stone unturned in confronting this catastrophic epidemic employing only gold-standard, evidence-based science. The Department will follow the science, wherever it leads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Genetic factors account for a significant portion of autism cases. Research like the kind McCanlies and other government-funded scientists have conducted over the past two decades has established that environmental factors have a role, too, and can combine with genetics. Multiple factors can even converge within the same individual. Some of those environmental risks could be reduced by the very measures the Trump administration is rolling back. Kennedy would have been well positioned to advocate for researchers looking into the environmental causes of autism while sitting on President Donald Trumps cabinet. The nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of his former attorney general, Bobby, Kennedy spent decades as an attorney battling some of the worlds most notorious corporate polluters. Once heralded by Time Magazine as one of the heroes for the planet, he railed against actions by the first Trump administration, complaining in his 2017 introduction to the book Climate in Crisis that 33 years worth of his work was reduced to ruins as the president mounted his assault on science and environmental protection. But recently he has remained publicly silent as the Environmental Protection Agency halts research and weakens regulations on air pollution and chemicals, including some McCanlies and her colleagues have identified as possible factors in the development of autism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think hes aware of my work, McCanlies said, or most of the literature thats been published on what the causes of autism are. McCanlies was studying how a toxic chemical, beryllium, causes chronic lung inflammation in workers when she began to think seriously about autism. It was 2005, and her college-age stepson had a job shadowing children with autism. As he described helping them navigate playground dynamics, reminding them to return a wave or a greeting, McCanlies wondered whether their behaviors might be tied to chemicals their parents had encountered on the job. Could the exposures have altered genes their parents passed down? Could they have infiltrated the kids developing brains through the womb or through breast milk? The questions remained abstract until McCanlies met another researcher named Irva Hertz-Picciotto, who had a unique data set. She had collected detailed information on the occupations of two large groups of parents: those who had children with autism and those whose kids developed neurotypically. Comparing the groups chemical exposures before their children were born could help illuminate causes of the condition, McCanlies realized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hertz-Picciotto, an environmental epidemiologist based at the University of California, Davis, was a pioneer in the search for the causes of autism. In 2009, she published a much-cited paper highlighting a sevenfold increase in diagnoses in California. While others had asserted the rise was due to increased awareness and broadened diagnostic criteria, Hertz-Picciotto found those factors could only partially explain it. She and others went on to document additional contributors to autism risk, including parental age at the time of birth, a mothers fever during pregnancy and more traditional environmental considerations, such as chemical exposures. McCanlies hadnt studied autism. But she offered Hertz-Picciotto her experience in genetics and epidemiology as well as the considerable resources of her agency. NIOSH was established in 1970 to investigate the dangers of the workplace, and its statisticians and industrial hygienists were among the worlds experts on the health impacts of chemical exposures. Their first collaboration, published in 2012, used Hertz-Picciottos data to see if parents of children with autism were more likely to have been exposed to chemicals already thought to be dangerous to the developing brain. The work was technical and time-consuming, but the analysis showed a clear relationship: Mothers and fathers of children with autism were more likely than the parents of unaffected children to have been exposed to solvents such as lacquer, varnish and xylene on the job. These solvents evaporate quickly and can be easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Chemical plant workers, painters, electricians, plumbers, construction workers, cleaners and medical personnel are among those who may be exposed to these solvents. The sample size was small just 174 families. But the results lined up with recent findings showing possible links between autism and exposure to metals and certain solvents during pregnancy or early childhood, including a solvent called methylene chloride. They also tracked with studies linking the chemicals to miscarriage, reproductive problems, birth defects and developmental problems other than autism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McCanlies and Hertz-Picciotto followed up with a 2019 study that looked at more than 950 families. It showed that women exposed to solvents at work during pregnancy and the three months leading up to it were 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism than women not exposed to the chemicals. (The study did not find a link for chemically exposed men.) Their third study, published in 2023, took the link between solvent exposure and autism as a starting point. Using blood samples to examine the genetic makeup of the parents of children with autism, McCanlies and Hertz-Picciotto found that when exposed to solvents on the job, people with specific variants of 31 genes had an especially elevated risk of having a child with autism. Their genetic makeup appeared to increase the risk that solvents by themselves posed. Some of those 31 genes help cells connect with one another; others play a role in helping cells migrate to different areas so they can grow into the various parts of the brain; still others ensure that cells clear away toxic substances. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a press conference at the departments headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) Researchers were also making strides under the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a division of Health and Human Services, which has financed investigations into dozens of environmental contaminants. Several have been linked to autism, including air pollution, certainpesticides, a plastic additive known as BPA and diesel exhaust, which causes autism-like behavioral changes in mice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, Hertz-Picciotto co-published a study linking forever chemicals called PFOA and PFNA with the condition (In 2023, a second paper also found an association with PFNA). Other government-funded research has established a link between autism and another solvent, trichloroethylene, also known as TCE, which has been used for dry cleaning, manufacturing and degreasing machines. Together, the results have shown that many exposures can increase the likelihood of autism, and that there can be multiple causes for any one person. At least one exposure can have the opposite effect: A study by a researcher named Rebecca Schmidt and funded by the NIEHS and NIH found that a B vitamin called folic acid was associated with a significant decrease in the chances of an autism diagnosis. More than a dozen studies have since confirmed the association. One problem hung over much of autism research. The sweeping diagnosis includes everyone from people who treasure their neurological differences to those with debilitating symptoms, including repetitive behaviors, excruciating sensitivity to touch and sounds, and difficulty responding to social situations. McCanlies and HertzPicciotto wondered whether certain chemicals were linked to the most severe cases or to specific symptoms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, they set about finding out. They were preparing to submit their study for publication when newly inaugurated Trump put Kennedy in charge of Americas health. Despite having made chronic health conditions the focus of his agenda, Kennedy has quietly abided environmental policies that will exacerbate these problems, including autism. The Environmental Protection Agency, under Administrator Lee Zeldin, is rolling back rules and regulations that will result in an increase in air pollution, which multiplestudies have linked toautism. The agency is in the process of reversing bans on several chemicals, including TCE, one of the solvents associated with the disorder, and has told a federal court it wont legally defend certain aspects of a ban on methylene chloride, another of the solvents linked to autism. It also began dismantling its Office of Research and Development, which has funded research into the environmental conditionscontributing to autism. According to an EPA spokesperson, more than 2,300 workers have so far elected to leave the agency through Trump administration programs encouraging early retirement and resignation. The EPA also began canceling grants, including one it had given to Schmidt, the researcher who studied the protective effect of folic acid. Schmidt had been awarded $1.3 million to determine whether air pollution from wildfires might increase the risk of various neurological conditions. Schmidt and her colleagues had just done preliminary analysis and found that there was a significant association between wildfire pollution exposure and autism when she received a letter saying that the grant was terminated because the project was no longer consistent with EPA funding priorities. After a judge ruled in a class-action lawsuit on behalf of University of California researchers alleging their funding was unlawfully terminated, her grant was reinstated last month. But the EPA has appealed the judges ruling, leaving Schmidt unsure about the fate of the project. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, center, announces his agencys plans for deregulation from an Indianapolis trucking facility on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. At left is Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and at right is Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Schmidt said there is an urgent need to finish the study and warn people about how to avoid the dangers from wildfire smoke by staying indoors and using air filters and N95 masks. Millions of pregnant women are getting exposed as we speak, she said. Meanwhile, Kennedy has presided over his own gutting of research. Known for sharing videos of his bare-chested workouts, he likened his agencys cuts to getting rid of unhealthy fat, but his plan to reduce the staff of HHS by 20,000 amounts to slashing the workforce by roughly a quarter, including veteran scientists. Among the divisions Kennedy eliminated was one that studied air quality and collected data on chemicals found in human blood. Some workers in the division were subsequently reinstated. After a lawsuit and pressure from Congress, HHS has also rehired some NIOSH workers, though none at the division where McCanlies worked. Those whose jobs have not been reinstated remain on administrative leave. The reorganization plan for HHS involves consolidating the remnants of these parts of the agency, along with several others, into a new division called the Administration for a Healthy America. Asked about the transition, an HHS spokesperson told ProPublica in an email that the reorganization would save taxpayers $1.8 billion a year and that critical programs will continue. Meanwhile, a ProPublica review of federal data found that more than $40 million in grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health for dozens of autism-related research projects were canceled under Kennedys watch. Some had been awarded to universities the administration is now targeting, while others ran afoul of Trumps anti-woke priorities by mentioning gender and other verboten terms. Among them was a grant to Harvard University to use data on nearly half a million Israeli children to evaluate whether mens exposure to air pollution affects the risk of having a child with autism (A small number of grants have been recently reinstated). A survey of researchers conducted by the Autism Science Foundation, which tallied cuts to training grants and the anticipated cuts to future grants over the next few years, estimated that the total loss of funding could be tens of millions more. Were talking about probably decades of delays and setbacks, said Alycia Halladay, chief science officer at the Autism Science Foundation. To take money away from all these areas of need to focus on a question that the HHS director considers high priority seems not scientific and not the way that science is done. Housed under the National Institutes of Health, Kennedys new $50-million Autism Data Science Initiative is looking to fund two- to three-year research projects that plumb large public and private datasets to find possible contributors to the causes of autism as well as conduct research on existing treatments. With the deadline for his promised discovery fast approaching, Kennedy recently acknowledged that his initial six-month timeline was overly optimistic. He told Carlson he should have some initial indicator answers about the causes of autism by September, his original deadline, and promised unqualified answers within another six months. While the NIH typically releases the names of the scientists on the committees that review grant applications and the criteria they use to review them, it has not done so in this case. Nor has the agency clarified what role NIH staff will have in awarding the grants, who will make the final selection, or what terms and conditions researchers must agree to if they receive funds. HHS did not respond to ProPublicas questions about who will make the final grant selection and why the agency has not yet made this information public, but a video NIH created for applicants of the funding acknowledges that reviews of the proposals do not follow the traditional NIH review process. According to the video, the process was designed to ensure integrity, fairness and transparency. Hertz-Picciotto, who laments the fact that Kennedy is shutting down good studies, is among the researchers in her field who have decided to apply for the funding. Some of his agenda is really ridiculous and very counterproductive, she said. But if something good can be done with this money, Id like to be part of that. If her project is approved, she plans to hire McCanlies to consult on it. McCanlies said she agreed to work on the project because she has complete confidence in her longtime colleague, if not the health secretary. I dont trust him at all, she said. McCanlies had never paid much attention to Kennedy or to politics. Throughout the seven presidential administrations that governed while she had been at NIOSH, her work had been utterly uncontroversial. But weeks after his confirmation, she knew her job was in peril. She had deleted the first email she received from Trumps Office of Personnel Management. The tone was so strange and disrespectful, hinting that she might be punished if she didnt respond by confirming her email address, that she assumed it was a phishing attempt. By the time she received a second, suggesting that she find a higher productivity job in the private sector, firings and budget cuts were rolling across federal agencies. The 58-year-old, who has short, greying hair, hazel eyes and three graduate degrees, hadnt been ready to leave NIOSHs Health Effects Lab in Morgantown, West Virginia, a place where she had mentored young colleagues, taught a lunchtime meditation class and helped conduct several yearslong research projects. The lab is also where she met Fred, her husband, another Ph.D. scientist who studied workplace chemical hazards. She reluctantly put in for early retirement just days before the entire lab was dissolved. McCanlies spent her final days at NIOSH finishing her last paper, which explores the association between workplace chemicals and the severity of autism. Normally, she would have her supervisor sign off on her submission to a journal, but he had already lost his job. The rest of her colleagues were gone, too, and the labs hallways were empty as she gave the manuscript a final edit. She felt proud of the study, which answered some of the questions she and Hertz-Picciotto had posed years ago. There were indeed links between exposures and the severity of autism. Parents exposure to plastics was consistently and significantly associated with lower cognitive scores in their children who had autism, increases in aberrant behaviors and deficits in basic life skills, the study found. The exposure was also linked to particular symptoms of autism, including social withdrawal, hyperactivity and repetitive behaviors such as hand flapping and body rocking. Higher autism severity scores and weaker daily living skills were also linked with ethylene oxide. Last year, the EPA imposed stricter limits on the chemical, which is used as a sterilizer. But the agency is now reconsidering those restrictions, and, in July, Trump exempted some of the biggest polluters from them. The paper, which is now available as a preprint, recommended that regulatory agencies consider increasing awareness of these hazards and make clear recommendations for implementing protective measures at the worksite. Having just watched so many occupational health experts forced to leave their jobs, McCanlies suspected their advice was unlikely to be heeded anytime soon. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday explained why hes often caught wearing jeans during workouts. Well, I just started doing that a long time ago because I would go hiking in the morning and then Id go straight to the gym, and I found it was convenient, he said during an appearance on Fox Newss Jesse Watters Primetime. He added, Now Im used to it, so I just do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy recent posts online showcase him hiking in Colorado, fishing in Idaho and swimming at Rock Creek Park all in a pair of jeans. His most recent viral post enlists a new workout drill for Americans entitled the Bobby Challenge. The HHS secretary, who has spearheaded the Trump administrations Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda, is encouraging people to do 50 pullups and 100 pushups in less than five minutes. Kennedy could be seen doing the challenge Monday alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was also in a pair of jeans. This is the beginning of our tour challenging Americans to get back in shape, he said in a clip of their workout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also shared his interest in joining the challenge. @SecKennedy and @SecDef sorry for the late reply, I was busy working double shifts at @USDOT and @NASA. Im up for the challenge! And I happen to be in Texas with my buddy @WillCain, he wrote Tuesday on social platform X. Lets MAHA. The initiative also comes after President Trump signed an executive order last month to reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test at public middle and high schools across the U.S. The test is designed to reward students for achievements in physical education. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Rhodes College is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Memphis, marking a century since its relocation from Clarksville, Tennessee in 1925. Originally established in 1848, Rhodes College moved to Memphis under the leadership of Dr. Charles E. Diehl, who envisioned a campus built in the Collegiate Gothic architectural style. Appropriate and beautiful surroundings will have a transforming influence upon generation after generation of students and upon the very character of the institution itself, said Dr. Charles E. Diehl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The relocation to Memphis allowed Rhodes College to expand its reach, providing increased access to students and resources. The campus was carefully planned and constructed, with each building incorporating the Collegiate Gothic design using Arkansas fieldstone, Indiana limestone, and Vermont slate. Classes in Memphis began on Sept. 24, 1925, with 406 students and 16 faculty. Today, the College serves approximately 2,000 students each year. On Oct. 23, the public is invited to Rhodes Night at the Shell 2025. The colleges anniversary concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Overton Park Shell. More information can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Rhode Island PBS on Park Lane in Providence. (Photo by Nancy Lavin/Rhode Island Current) Staring down an estimated $1.1 million budget gap resulting from congressional defunding, Rhode Islands recently merged public media entity is cutting staff first on a volunteer basis, and later, potentially through layoffs. Pam Johnston, CEO of Rhode Island PBS and The Publics Radio, notified employees of cuts in a staff meeting Wednesday. The internal announcement was followed up with a statement published on the companys website shortly after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Citing the significant and painful cut prompted by the federal rescission package, which eliminated federal support for public broadcasting, Johnston said the company will be offering voluntary buyouts to most staff members. If not enough workers take the offer by the Sept. 5 deadline, the next step is organizationwide layoffs, according to the email. Meg Geoghegan, a spokesperson for the company, referred to Johnstons email when asked for comment. The news comes less than two years after the premiere state media organizations announced plans to merge, pooling talent and resources. The merger was approved by state and federal regulators in the spring of 2024, with Johnston, a Massachusetts broadcast veteran, brought on to lead the newly created company in July 2024. At the time of the merger application, the company said it would have roughly 100 employees. An updated staffing number for the newly christened Ocean State Media was not immediately available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nationwide, public media outlets have been grappling with the fallout of federal funding cuts, which have provided a key source of money to public radio and broadcasting stations for nearly 60 years. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced it would be closing its doors by the end of the year due to eliminated federal funding. In Rhode Island, the estimated $1.1 million cut represents 10% of the public media entitys combined operating budget, according to news reports. We have scrutinized our budget and reduced expenses wherever possible while navigating the complexities of our merger, Johnston wrote in the email sent to staffers. Weve also received an outpouring of support from our community and have hosted two of our most successful pledge drives ever. Despite these efforts, it is not enough to close the financial gap. Staffing cuts will not affect programming until further evaluation of the remaining workforce, Johnston said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This federal funding cut happened to us; we have no choice but to respond, she said. As I have said before, this moment will change us, but it will not stop us. Despite these challenging times, we will continue evolving, adapting, and innovating. Our audiences, who rely on us for trusted local news and information, expect nothing less. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) Road construction on Columbia Avenue is forcing Black River Public School families to adjust drop-off and pickup routines as the new school year begins. The city of Holland is resurfacing the street outside the K-12 charter school, leaving gravel in place of pavement. Sidewalks were poured Monday, just in time for Wednesdays first day of classes. Paving is set to start Friday. Elementary students are being routed through the back parking lot, while middle and high school students are dropped off in front. The school has added staff and two crossing guards to help with traffic flow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City Council member Devin Shea told News 8 that unforeseen circumstances delayed the project, which was originally supposed to be finished before the beginning of the school year. The neighborhood, the Black River community is going to feel this, and its going to be rough. But its super temporary, Shea, who represents the Sixth Ward, said. And I just hope that everyone remembers what the end goal here is and what were going to get out of it in the end. Wyoming Public Schools adds new bus tracking system Head of School Shannon Brunink said crews are coordinating their work around the school day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve talked to the crew leaders and the city about how all of this works and theyve actually got some things timed out to try to not be working heavy equipment as students are crossing the streets, Brunink said. They understand the dynamic of everything, from 5-year-olds to 17-, 18-year-olds crossing the street, along with our staff and parents. Brunink said families can expect the usual back-to-school congestion, with the added complication of construction. By Monday, were back to normal with what theyre used to, which is still busy and still very different at the beginning of the school year, he said. It takes a good two weeks for everybody to get the routines down of when things happen, when kids exit the building, and now with this as an added wrinkle. But the message has been: Were all in this together. Black River Public School enrolls 960 students on an 11-acre campus near downtown Holland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) After years of careful planning, the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority (VRFA) sold the grounds of Explore Park to Roanoke County. The park spans almost 1,100 acres across both Roanoke and Bedford Counties, and this purchase is believed to be the largest acquisition of land in Roanoke Countys history. This is a really exciting day for Roanoke County, assistant county administrator Doug Blount said. We began this journey 12 years ago, and our goal was to create, first, a great park for our residents, not only in the county, but in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The VRFA voted to transfer the park to the county on July 30th, after the bill passed through both the Virginia House and Senate, before Governor Glenn Youngkin signed the bill into law in March. During Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting, the board unanimously voted in favor of purchasing Explore Park from the VRFA, which it credits everyone in the community for this transaction. Build your own Fairy Garden with Roanoke County Explore Parks Roanoke County citizens own this facility, Phil North, the Vice Chairman of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, said. Not only does the county, but the county is the citizens, so today, we can say that Roanoke County citizens acquired 1,100 more acres of land, that they can go and enjoy if they havent already, they can in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyone on the Board of Supervisors is excited following the purchase, and the VRFA said this was the right move for the park. We all believe that its in very good hands, W. Tucker Lemon, the Chairman of the VRFA Board, said. The county has done a tremendous job with the property, and we think its got a very bright future. Its part of the reason why the VRFA sold the land for the hefty price of $2. The county also invested more than $8 million in taxpayer funding to improve the park. Now, as the sole owner, the county can focus on expanding the park. I personally would love to see more of the music festivals weve been having, Tammy Shehard, the Vinton magisterial district member of the Board of Supervisors, said. I would like to see those, I would like to see additional buildings come in, I would like to see additional events coming to the Explore Park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shephard also considered expanding the acreage of the park. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Aug. 19ROCHESTER Rochester police say a suspect is in custody related to a shooting in the northwest part of the city around 4 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 16. According to the Rochester Police Department, Dwight Campbell, 30, was taken into custody on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at about 10 a.m. He is being held on pending charges related to the shooting incident. One person was injured in the drive-by shooting Saturday on the 2300 block of 18 1/2 Ave Northwest. A man was taken to Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys with non-life-threatening injuries. Police say the shooting was not random and is under investigation. Rodeo Dallas remains closed as Dallas County Judge Veretta Frazier weighs whether to issue an injunction after complaints from property managers and neighboring businesses alleged the Deep Ellum nightclub is a public nuisance. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, city attorneys padlocked Rodeo on August 5 citing safety issues and lease violations. The club briefly reopened before a judge again ordered it closed under a temporary restraining order. On August 8, property manager Asana Partners petitioned to have the venue declared a nuisance. Judge Frazier heard more than six hours of testimony on August 14. Attorneys for Asana said Rodeo fostered well-publicized dangerous and unlawful conduct. Ben Riemer, representing AP Deep Ellum, argued the bar had done irreparable harm to the neighborhood since opening in June 2023, citing overserving, minors inside, repeated noise violations, and lax weapons checks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Owner Joseph Ybanez defended the business, calling Rodeo a high energy venue welcoming a diverse clientele. He pointed to upgrades such as brighter exterior lighting, planned wanding, and new metal detectors. He admitted minors had entered but said they used fake IDs. Rodeos attorneys argued the dispute was less about safety than about Asanas attempt to shut down a bar and clientele it dislikes. Council Member Jesse Moreno, who represents Deep Ellum, countered: This is not about the genre of music or the type of individuals that patronize an establishment. Bottom line, this is about public safety, and we have to address that first and foremost. Several witnesses testified about problems tied to Rodeo. Dan Murry, co-owner of Armoury and Ruins, said the club had a pattern of overserving and stressed it is the moral responsibility of bar owners to prevent problems before they escalate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dallas Police Officer Hannah Moore, injured during a call at Rodeo, said she issued at least six citations to minors. She testified that the venue ran two lines general admission and VIP and claimed VIP patrons bypassed bag checks and pat downs. Ybanez disputed this, insisting both lines required ID scans. Detective Andres Sanchez, who works off duty with the Deep Ellum Foundation, testified that police often had to babysit Rodeo, with six to eight officers assigned to Elm and Crowdus on weekends. He said crime persisted in Deep Ellum even during Rodeos closure but added that the shutdown freed police to spread resources more effectively. Community leaders also weighed in. Breonny Lee, president of the Deep Ellum Community Association, said she had witnessed fights and drunkenness outside the nightclub. I think it is important to get Rodeo out of the neighborhood, she said. I am super grateful and proud of our community members standing up. Crime in Deep Ellum has been a recurring concern. Over the Fourth of July weekend, a shooting at Canton Street and South Good Latimer Expressway killed one and injured several. In response, Dallas police began closing certain streets at 10 p.m. on weekends two hours earlier than before. Ybanez said he supports the earlier closures. Judge Frazier has not ruled on whether Rodeo Dallas can reopen under stricter conditions or remain shut under an injunction. Romanias Ministry of National Defence has reported it scrambled fighters on the night of 19-20 August to monitor the situation due to a Russian drone attack on Ukrainian regions. Source: Romanias Ministry of National Defence in a statement, as reported by European Pravda Details: The countrys defence ministry reported that two German Air Force Typhoon fighters had been scrambled to monitor the situation due to yet another Russian drone attack on Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement said the two aircraft monitored the airspace over Tulcea Countys border area with Ukraine after the defence ministrys surveillance system detected groups of Russian drones attacking Ukrainian Danube ports. Quote: "No intrusions of any aerial vehicles into national airspace were detected during the mission. The aircraft returned to airbase and safely landed at 01:10." Background: On the night of 19-20 August, Russia attacked Ukrainian regions with 93 loitering munitions. The attack damaged port infrastructure, caused a fire to break out in the Izmail district of Odesa Oblast, and left one person injured. Over the years of Russia's full-scale invasion, debris from UAVs used by Russia to attack targets in southern Ukraine has repeatedly fallen in border areas of Moldova and Romania, and sometimes drones have flown deep into their territory. After the first such incidents, an air-raid warning began to be issued on the Romanian bank of the Danube. The last time Romania scrambled fighters due to a Russian attack on Ukrainian regions was on the night of 5-6 August. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) Heavy rains in Sutton County have led to debris filling the roads. The City of Sonora warns citizens to be alert and cautious while traveling. According to the Sutton County Sheriffs Office, numerous roofs have been blown off, power poles and large trees are down about a mile south of Sonora off of Highway 277 at around 4:20 p.m. Stay ahead of the storm with our Interactive Radar Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City employees and Sutton County crews are actively working to clear roads and remove debris for public safety. The City stated that they are asking all citizens to please use caution and remain alert while traveling, and to give the crews space as they work. The City also stated they are anticipating another series of strong winds moving in from the east. They ask citizens to take protective measures now to ensure their safety and that of 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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com. DADE COUNTY, Mo. Pipe replacement work will leave a route in Dade County closed later this month. Officials with the Missouri Department of Transportation announced the closure of Route D in Dade County. On Thursday, August 28, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., officials say crews with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will be working to replace pipe underneath the road. The closure will be on Dade County Route D at County Road 32 South Jerico Springs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MoDOT officials remind the following: All lanes of Route D will be CLOSED where crews are working Drivers will NOT be able to access County Road 32 from Route D Drivers will have access to driveways and entrances on either end of the work zone but will not be able to travel through the work zone No signed detours Drivers urged to find alternate routes Signs and message boards will alert drivers approaching the work zone Check MoDOTs Traveler Information Map for road closings/traffic impacts MoDOT officials remind weather and/or scheduling conflicts can alter the work schedule. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. CAIRO (AP) A notorious paramilitary group ambushed a village in south-central Sudan, looting and burning several houses, a medical group said Wednesday. At least seven people, including two children, were killed, it said. Tuesdays attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the village of al-Ghabshan al-Maramrah, an agricultural community in North Kordofan province, also wounded 13 others, said the Sudan Doctors Network, a group of medical professionals tracking the Sudanese civil war. The group said RSF fighters looted properties, burned several houses as well as the villages sole health care center and stole the medical supplies stored there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The RSF did not respond to an Associated Press inquiry about the attack. The attack on the Kordofan village came as the RSF attempted to seize control of the crucial, oil-rich region following a series of battlefield setbacks earlier this year in its war with the Sudanese government. The military kicked the RSF out of major cities in the first half of 2025, including Khartoum and its sister city of Omdurman. Last month, RSF fighters rampaged through the village of Shaq al-Num and the surrounding area in Kordofan, killing more than 450 civilians, including 35 children and two pregnant women, according to UNICEF, the United Nations children's agency. Sudan plunged into chaos when simmering tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in April 2023 in Khartoum and elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fighting has turned into a full-fledged civil war that killed tens of thousands of people, displaced over 14 people out of their homes and pushed parts of the country into famine. The devastating conflict has been marked by atrocities including mass killings and rape, which the International Criminal Court is investigating as war crimes and crimes against humanity. In a joint statement Wednesday, the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Nations and the African Union expressed alarm over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan and urged the warring parties to lift restrictions on aid, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan, and keep key supply routes open through humanitarian pauses. Civilians continue to pay the highest price for this war, the statement said, adding that urgent action is needed by the conflict parties to protect civilians and allow and facilitate humanitarian access to those in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The medical charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, meanwhile, said Tuesday it suspended its activities in the main hospital in RSF-controlled Central Darfur province in western Sudan following an armed attack on the facility. The attack happened after two people, one of them dead from a gunshot wound, were brought to the MSF-supported hospital Saturday night. Armed relatives stormed into the facility and tensions escalated among those accompanying the casualties, who reportedly sustained their wounds in a looting incident in a nearby camp, it said. Suspending our activities and evacuating our teams is a decision no medical organization wants to make, but our staff cannot risk their lives while providing care, Marwan Taher, MSFs emergency coordinator in Darfur, said. The group said its operations cant be resumed until it receives clear security guarantees to protect staff and patients. Regional transportation officials may transfer $74 million from Metra and Pace to the CTA in an attempt to delay catastrophic cuts to Chicagos transit system. On Thursday, Regional Transportation Authority board members will vote on the measure, which the oversight body said would help delay catastrophic cuts to the CTA early next year while all three transit agencies hope lawmakers will come to their rescue with more state funding. The CTA, Metra and Pace are facing a budget gap in the hundreds of millions of dollars next year as federal pandemic aid runs out. All three agencies are preparing to cut service as much as 40% next year, and, most likely, to increase fares. But the CTA is scheduled to hit its fiscal cliff first, some months before Metra and Pace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allocating more money to the CTA, the RTA has said, would push CTAs fiscal cliff back two or three months until the middle of 2026, leaving more time for state lawmakers to pass long-term funding for public transit throughout the entire region. Lawmakers, who failed to pass transit funding during their spring legislative session, plan to return to Springfield in October to try again. But advocates have warned that a veto session rescue, if it comes, may come too late. The transit agencies will need to start sending out layoff notices months before the cuts are set to take place, they argue, and planned cuts, after a certain point, could become tough to reverse. Additionally, experts say it may take time for revenue streams created by any new legislation to generate enough tax dollars to avert service cuts. This years approach reflects a one-time allocation method proposed only for 2026, the RTA wrote in a memo on the proposed ordinance. This deviation is mainly to allow time for the Illinois General Assembly to act on long-term sustainable funding for transit in the Chicago region that averts the impending fiscal cliff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of the public funding for the CTA, Metra and Pace is allocated by a formula mandated by state law. But a smaller amount of discretionary funding is available each year. The $74 million that could be flexed to the CTA represents an estimated 1.7% of the entire regional budget, according to RTA spokesperson Tina Fassett Smith. If board members approve the measure, the CTA would receive all of the RTAs discretionary funding in 2026, and Metra and Pace would receive none. But Metra and Pace would still receive small increases in funding compared with what they were previously projected to receive next year. Thats largely because the RTA expects to have more sales tax revenue on hand than expected because of an expansion of that tax to include more online transactions. An expected $10 to $20 million in extra sales tax each month, the RTA has said, will help delay the transit fiscal cliff and could mitigate its magnitude. In a statement, Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis indicated the agency was on board with the proposal to move discretionary funds to the CTA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Metra understands the need for the regions transit agencies to work together and share resources to address this unprecedented financial situation, Gillis said. We are hopeful that Springfield will soon reach a solution in which all of us receive stable and adequate funding to continue and expand service for all of northeast Illinois. Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger said in a statement that the agency is focused on working with our sister agencies to address the fiscal cliff collectively, recognizing CTAs timeline in early 2026 and preparing accordingly. Still, she said, we are mindful that shifting resources away from suburban service will have real impacts on our riders, and we encourage funding solutions that support the entire region. Discussions around transit funding and reform in the Chicago area have been marked by a city-suburban divide. Suburban critics have taken aim at what they view as efforts to consolidate Chicagos power over the regions transit systems at their expense. Backers of a more city-centered perspective, meanwhile, maintain that the entire region is reliant on the health of Chicagos economy, which itself is dependent on reliable transit service within the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Catherine Hosinski, a spokesperson for the CTA, said the agency had stretched its pandemic dollars further than most peer agencies in other major cities. The CTA is the last major transit agency in the country to hit the fiscal cliff without state or local intervention, she said. Other mass transit agencies in cities including Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia where massive transit cuts are expected to start Sunday regardless have received stopgap funding from state or local governments. Hosinski added that the CTA was eager to achieve legislation that provides reliable transit funding that not only maintains current service levels, but also helps to deliver the levels of public transit service the region deserves. Justin Marlowe, the director of the Center for Municipal Finance at the University of Chicago, described the proposed transfer of funds to the CTA as maybe a necessary evil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The RTA, he said, was making a tough decision from a menu of bad options. Theyre using up, in effect, all of their wiggle room, he said. In a typical economic environment, Marlowe said, the RTA could reasonably expect that gamble to pay off. But economic uncertainty combined with pressure on state government to make up for federal cuts, particularly to Medicaid, mean the agency should take neither the appearance of additional state transit funding nor elevated sales tax revenues for granted, he said. Meanwhile, Pace, which operates federally mandated paratransit service for the entire region, is facing a multimillion-dollar shortfall of its own. Paratransit costs have ballooned since last years introduction of a popular ride-share program, which allows approved paratransit riders to call Ubers in lieu of using traditional paratransit. Each ride-share trip costs less money to provide than a traditional paratransit ride, Pace has said. But the program has proven so popular that costs have spiraled out of control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So on Thursday, the RTA board will vote on bailing out the paratransit program in part with $34 million in this years discretionary funds. Pace is also expected to help plug the gap by making cuts to the ride-share program starting later this year. Our goal is to maintain as much service as possible with available funding, said Metzger, Paces executive director. On Wednesday, three Illinois Senate Democrats co-signed a letter to fellow lawmakers calling for a special legislative session before Aug. 31 to address transit funding. State Sens. Mike Simmons of Chicago and Laura Fine of Glenview both of whom are running for the same U.S. House seat in next years election and state Sen. Graciela Guzman of Chicago warned that without action by the end of the month, 40,000 workers who operate our transit systems are set to start receiving pink slips as soon as early September. But theres no indication that legislative leadership in the General Assembly is planning for a special session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, lawmakers have set a goal to come up with new transit funding and reform legislation during the two-week fall veto session in October. Gov. JB Pritzker acknowledged this during an event Wednesday in the south suburbs. I could tell you that there is a bill thats being developed, and resources that are associated with that bill, that will come forward at the time of our veto session in October, Pritzker said. So, theres still a lot of work being done on it. Lots of it has come together already. But its not, kind of, its not soup yet is the way I would say it. Related video: Trump Suggests US Planes, Pilots Could Support Ukraine As Part Of Security Guarantees Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a newly formed joint commission that will work on forging a security guarantees proposal for Ukraine, an administration official told The Hills sister network NewsNation on Tuesday. The commission will be made up of U.S., Ukrainian, European and NATO officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agreement for the commission came during Mondays White House meeting between President Trump and the seven European leaders who visited Washington. The news of Rubio as the commissions head was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. The outlet, citing European officials familiar with the matter, reported Monday night that Ukraines security assurances will be made up of four parts: air defense, a military presence, tracking the cessation of fighting, and armaments.. Rubio, who is also Trumps national security adviser, was one of three U.S. officials to participate in a closed-door meeting Friday with the Russian delegation, headed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump talked to Putin over the phone Monday after the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House. Neither Zelensky nor European officials were in the room when the president spoke with the Kremlin leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I didnt do it in front of them I thought that would be disrespectful to President Putin. I wouldnt do that, because they have not had the warmest relations, Trump told Fox Newss Fox & Friends on Tuesday. The call lasted for about 40 minutes, with the president telling Putin that the administration will set up a meeting between the Kremlin leader and Zelensky, which Russia has so far refused to commit to. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the Kremlin is not turning down talks with Ukraine and added that Trump has an invitation to come to Moscow. Trump, who has pressed to help end the Russia-Ukraine war, which has been raging for about three-and-a-half years, recently floated providing air support for Kyiv as part of security guarantees. Were willing to help them with things, especially, probably if you talk about by air, because nobody has stuff we have, the president said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Russian foreign minister warned NATO leaders against summoning NATO forces to Ukraine as part of a peace deal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Details of a new UAV actively used by Russia on various front lines, including a 3D model and component breakdown, have been released by Ukraine's Defence Intelligence. The data is available on the War&Sanctions portal, in the Foreign Components in Weapons section. Source: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU); War&Sanctions portal Details: The new drone can be used as a reconnaissance or attack asset as well as a decoy to overload Ukraine's air defence, DIU said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The modified UAV is equipped with a camera and two Long-Term Evolution (LTE) modems, which allow real-time or recorded video transmission via mobile base stations and the receipt of commands to adjust its course," DIU stated. DIU added that in strike mode, the camera (subject to a change in viewing angle) and remote control enable the operator to guide it to a target using the FPV principle. "Structurally, the drone has a delta-wing fuselage similar to the Shahed-131 (Geran-1), but is somewhat smaller. Navigation is handled by a jamming-protected satellite positioning system with four patch antennas and Chinese Allystar modules," DIU added. Ukrainian intelligence reported that almost half of the drones components are manufactured in China, specifically communication modules, a mini-computer, a power regulator and a crystal oscillator. An engine manufactured by the Chinese company DLE is installed in the nose of the fuselage, which makes the drone most similar to the Italmas loitering munition produced by Russias Zala Group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Background: Earlier, Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian military radio technology specialist, reported that the V2U, a Russian AI-powered attack drone, had been updated to a new version. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russia launched its largest attack of the month against Ukraine while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders at the White House. The attack also comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting with Trump in Alaska last Friday, during which Putin refused an immediate ceasefire and demanded that Ukraine give up its eastern Donetsk region in exchange for an end to the conflict that began with a February 2022 invasion by Moscow. Trump later said he had spoken on the phone with Putin about arrangements for a meeting between the Russian president and Zelenskyy. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 270 drones and 10 missiles into Ukraine on Monday night and into Tuesday, but that 230 drones and six missiles were intercepted or suppressed. The air force reported that 40 drones and four missiles struck across 16 locations, and debris was said to have fallen on three sites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's Push For Putin-zelenskyy Talks Hinges On Kremlin's Conditions "While hard work to advance peace was underway in Washington, D.C. ... Moscow continued to do the opposite of peace: more strikes and destruction," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X. "This once again demonstrates how critical it is to end the killing, achieve a lasting peace, and ensure robust security guarantees." Energy infrastructure in the central Poltava region was a target of the strikes, according to Ukraine's Energy Ministry. The casualty figures were not immediately released by officials. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House Rejects 'Blank Checks' For Ukraine, Presses Nato To Shoulder Costs "As a result of the attack, large-scale fires broke out," the ministry said in a statement. Oil refining and gas facilities were attacked, the ministry added, saying the strikes were the latest "systematic terrorist attacks against Ukraines energy infrastructure, which is a direct violation of international humanitarian law." The attack was the largest since Russia launched 309 drones and eight missiles into Ukraine on July 31, according to the air force. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 23 Ukrainian drones on Monday night and into Tuesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both sides have been targeting infrastructure, including oil facilities. Zelenskyy had criticized Moscow for earlier strikes on Monday ahead of his meeting at the White House in which at least 14 people were killed and dozens more were injured. "The Russian war machine continues to destroy lives despite everything. Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts. That is precisely why we are seeking assistance to put an end to the killings," he wrote Monday morning on X. Reuters contributed to this report. Original article source: Russia launches largest attack on Ukraine this month following Trump's meetings with Putin, Zelenskyy Investing.com -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Wednesday that discussing security issues without Russias involvement is a "road to nowhere," while expressing support for reliable security guarantees for Ukraine. Lavrov claimed the United States has gained "an increasingly clear understanding of the root causes" of the Ukraine crisis. He noted positively that the current U.S. administration does not support continuing the war in Ukraine. The Russian diplomat pointed to the Istanbul Agreement of 2022 as a "good example" of reliable security guarantees for Ukraine, emphasizing that "questions of security cannot be resolved without Russia." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his remarks, Lavrov criticized European leaders, saying Russia "didnt hear any constructive ideas from Europeans at their meetings with Trump." He accused the European Union of making "attempts to aggressively escalate the Ukraine situation" and "clumsy attempts to change Trumps position on Ukraine." Related articles Russias Lavrov: Security talks without Moscow are road to nowhere Victoria's Secret Exposed: The Warning Sign Behind the Stock's 52% Collapse 7 Undervalued Stocks on the Rise With 50%+ Upside Potential Russia will only agree to security guarantees for Ukraine if it has the power to veto them, its foreign minister has said. Sergei Lavrov said that any attempt to bolster Ukrainian security that did not involve Moscow was a road to nowhere and will not work. Mr Lavrov said a very good example of a potential blueprint could be found in the Istanbul framework of 2022. Under a draft discussed at the time, Ukraine would have received guarantees from a group of countries including the five permanent members of the UN Security Council China, Russia, the United States, Britain and France. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kyiv rejected the proposal as it would have given Moscow veto power over its national security. On Tuesday, Donald Trump ruled out putting American boots on the ground once a peace deal is signed, but instead suggested the US was prepared to provide air support to police Ukraines skies. Mr Trump told Fox News: When it comes to security, theyre [Europe] willing to put people on the ground. Were willing to help them with things, especially probably you could talk about by air, because theres nobody that has the kind of stuff we have. The Kremlin has already rejected the idea of Nato troops inside Ukraine and is almost certain to oppose Western air forces being able to operate near its borders. No limitations should be put on Ukraine Last week, Sir Keir Starmer and his European counterparts said no limitations should be placed on Ukraines armed forces or its cooperation with third countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes amid reports that about 10 European countries are ready to send forces to Ukraine as part of security guarantees for the country following a peace deal. In his remarks at a joint news conference alongside Jordans foreign minister, Mr Lavrov also accused European leaders of making a clumsy...unethical attempt to manipulate Mr Trump into line with their aggressive position on Ukraine. Reassurance force On Tuesday, European officials fleshed out the plan to send a multinational reassurance force to deter future Russian aggression and now await Mr Trumps approval, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The first stage would see European troops including hundreds of British and French soldiers being stationed in Ukraine, away from the front line, to help its military with training and reinforcements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A later stage of the plan would call for a US backstop to contribute to intelligence sharing, border surveillance, weapons supplies and possibly air defence. The overall size and the role the European force would play are still unclear, but details are expected to be agreed upon in the coming days. At a minimum, European officials would expect Washington to provide intelligence and weaponry through European partners, Bloomberg reported. Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said its forces had captured three villages in eastern Ukraine Novoheorhiivka, Pankivka and Sukhetse. The Telegraph cannot independently confirm the reports, which Ukraine has not commented on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes as Polish officials claimed a Russian drone crashed in a field in eastern Poland on Wednesday, in what Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Polands defence minister, called a provocation from the Kremlin. The drone hit and scorched a cornfield in the village of Osiny in the eastern Lublin province overnight, just over 62 miles from the Ukrainian border and around 90 km from Belarus, according to early findings, Polish officials said. Poland has been on high alert for objects entering its airspace since a stray Ukrainian missile struck a southern Polish village in 2022, killing two people. 06:38 PM BST Thats all for now Thank you for following todays live coverage of the war in Ukraine. Well be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict. 06:16 PM BST Lithuania would contribute troops, equipment to any Ukraine peacekeeping mission, says president Lithuania would contribute troops and equipment to any Ukraine peacekeeping mission, its president said on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a televised interview, Gitanas Nauseda said: We are ready to contribute as many troops as the parliament allows for peacekeeping, and also military equipment. It comes amid accelerated diplomatic efforts to end the war, as western countries are discuss the possibility of sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv. 05:27 PM BST Nato defence chiefs hold candid discussion on security guarantees for Ukraine Nato defence chiefs held a candid discussion Wednesday about what security guarantees they could offer Kyiv to help forge a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine, a senior alliance official said. Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the chair of Natos Military Committee, said that 32 defence chiefs from across the alliance held a video conference amid a US-led diplomatic to end the fighting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said there was a great, candid discussion in the call. I thanked everyone for their always proactive participation in these meetings: we are united, and that unity was truly tangible today, as always, he wrote on X without providing further details. Assurances that it wont be invaded again in the future are one of the keys for getting Ukraine to sign up for a peace deal with Russia. 04:54 PM BST Russian drone fell in eastern Poland, Warsaw says A Russian drone crashed in a field in eastern Poland, according to early findings, Polish officials said on Wednesday. The drone hit and scorched a cornfield in the village of Osiny in the eastern Lublin province overnight, just over 62 miles from the Ukrainian border and around 90 km from Belarus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials initially said the explosion may have been caused by a part of an old engine with a propeller. Poland has been on high alert for objects entering its airspace since a stray Ukrainian missile struck a southern Polish village in 2022, killing two people. Earlier, we reported that Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Polands defence minister, described the incident as a provocation (see post at 3:54pm). 04:41 PM BST Pictured: Aftermath of strike in Donetsk Emergency service workers respond at the site of a residential building hit by a Russian air strike in Kostiantynivka, eastern Ukraine - Anadolu 03:54 PM BST Russia is provoking Nato countries, says Polish minister Russia is again provoking Nato countries, Polands defence minister said on Wednesday. The spurn by Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz came after an official said the object that landed overnight in a cornfield in eastern Poland may have been a Russian version of the Shahed drone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once again, we are dealing with a provocation by the Russian Federation, with a Russian drone. We are dealing in a crucial moment, when discussions about peace (in Ukraine) are underway, Mr Kosiniak-Kamysz told journalists. Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz - Shutterstock Editorial 03:43 PM BST At least three killed by Russian strikes in Donetsk, says governor At least three people have been killed in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, its governor said on Wednesday. Vadym Filashkin said four people were also injured when eight Russian Smerch missiles hit the city of Kostyantynivka. I emphasise once again: it is dangerous to stay in the Donetsk region! The Russians are deliberately striking in such a way as to kill and maim as many civilians as possible, said Mr Filashkin. 03:22 PM BST Government: New UK sanctions target circumvention and crypto networks exploited by Russia Britain on Wednesday sanctioned financial networks it said were being used by Russia to evade existing Western sanctions, including Kyrgyz crypto networks, as it ramps up pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sanctions against eight individuals and entities also target the infrastructure behind A7A5, a rouble-pegged stablecoin launched in Kyrgyzstan which Britain said had moved $9.3 billion (6.9 billion) in four months. If the Kremlin thinks they can hide their desperate attempts to soften the blow of our sanctions by laundering transactions through dodgy crypto networks they are sorely mistaken, said Stephen Doughty, British sanctions minister. 03:02 PM BST Lavrov: Clumsy Europe trying to manipulate Trump Europe is making a clumsy attempt to manipulate Donald Trump on Ukraine, Russias foreign minister has said. Sergei Lavrov accused European leaders of trying to bend the US president into line with their aggressive position at the extraordinary White House summit on Monday. Mr Lavrov said that nevertheless the US had an increasingly clear understanding of the root causes of the conflict in Ukraine. Following his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, Mr Trump called on Ukraine to make territorial concessions for peace - but he dropped the demand after Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, flew into Washington among a delegation of European leaders. There was jubilation in Western capitals that they managed to secure Mr Trumps support for US security guarantees in Ukraine, which he said will likely involve air support. Mr Lavrov said Russia is in favour of reliable security guarantees for Kyiv, but warned Washington that discussing the terms of that assistance without consulting Moscow is a road to nowhere. It came as Europe fleshes out its plans to provide boots on the ground in Ukraine in the event of a peace deal, with sources suggesting up to 10 European countries are ready to contribute to a peacekeeping force. Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov - AFP 02:52 PM BST Russia bars entry to 21 people it says spread disinformation against it in UK media Russia has barred 21 individuals it accused of working with the destructive British media to promote anti-Russian narratives, it said on Wednesday. The list includes journalists, experts and members of NGOs. Their names were added to those of many hundreds of other Western nationals whom Russia has placed on its stop list since the start of the war in Ukraine. Britain on Wednesday said it was imposing new sanctions on cryptocurrency networks it said were exploited by Russia. 01:43 PM BST Pictured: Ukraine mourns its fallen soldiers Oksana Chernichenko places a Ukrainian flag with the name of her husband Volodymyr at a makeshift memorial to fallen Ukrainian defenders, amid Russias attack on Ukraine, at the Independence Square in Kyiv - REUTERS 01:19 PM BST Erdogan tells Putin Turkey supports Ukraine peace effort Turkey supports efforts to establish a permanent peace in Ukraine with the participation of all parties, the presidents office has said. In a phone call to Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, Tayyip Erdogan also said he was closely following developments related to the process, and that Turkey had strived for a just peace since the beginning of the war, it said. Moscows readout of the call said that Mr Putin expressed Russias appreciation of Turkeys efforts to facilitate talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul. Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2024 - REUTERS 12:56 PM BST Ten European countries ready to send forces to Ukraine About 10 European countries are ready to send forces to Ukraine as part of security guarantees for the country following a peace deal, according to reports. On Tuesday, European officials fleshed out the plan to send a multinational reassurance force to deter future Russian aggression and now await Donald Trumps approval, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The first stage would allegedly include European troops including hundreds of British and French soldiers being stationed in Ukraine, away from the front line, to help its military with training and reinforcements. A later stage of the plan calls for a US backstop to contribute to intelligence sharing, border surveillance, weapons supplies and possibly air defence. The overall size and the role the European force will play is still unclear, but details are expected to be agreed in the coming days. On Tuesday, Mr Trump ruled out putting American boots on the ground once a peace deal is signed, but instead suggested the US was prepared to provide air support to police Ukraines skies. When it comes to security, theyre willing to put people on the ground, Mr Trump told Fox News, referring to Europe. Were willing to help them with things, especially probably you could talk about by air, because theres nobody that has the kind of stuff we have. The extent of US assistance remains murky, but at a minimum European officials expect Washington to provide intelligence and weaponry through European partners, Bloomberg reported. 12:27 PM BST Pope calls for fasting and prayer for peace in Ukraine and Middle East Pope Leo XIV has called for a day of prayer and fasting to help usher in peace in Ukraine and Middle East. As he returned from summer vacation, the pontiff recalled that Friday is a special feast day dedicated to the Virgin Mary. He asked the Catholic faith to spend the day fasting and praying that the Lord grants peace and justice, and dries the tears of all those who are suffering as a result of the armed conflicts underway. Mary is the Mother of the faithful here on earth and is remembered as the Queen of Peace, the pope added. May Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede so that peoples may find the path of peace. 11:49 AM BST Nato military chiefs to discuss Ukraine security guarantees Nato military chiefs are set to iron out the details of future security guarantees for Ukraine, pushing ahead the flurry of global diplomacy aiming to broker a peace deal. The virtual meeting between military chiefs from the alliances 32 member states is due to start at a 1.30pm BST. But few details have been leaked on what will be discussed. Last night, US General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held talks with European military chiefs on the best options for a potential Ukraine peace deal, a US defence official told AFP. 11:44 AM BST Pictured: Ukrainian school destroyed in overnight Russian attack A local school building damaged by a Russian drone strike in the village of Vasylkivka, Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine - Mykola Miakshykov 11:38 AM BST Russia says it captured three villages in eastern Ukraine Russian defence ministry said its forces had captured three settlements in eastern Ukraine. Moscow claimed control of the villages of Novoheorhiivka, Pankivka and Sukhetse as its troops continue their grinding advance in the Donetsk region as parts of its renewed summer offensive. The Telegraph cannot independently confirm the reports, which Ukraine has not commented on. 11:07 AM BST The numbers that show Russia is years from victory Donald Trumps message or rather, the message he transmitted from Vladimir Putin to Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington on Monday was stark: accept the deal Russia is offering, because otherwise youll lose the war. But if Moscow appears strong now, Ukraine and its European allies believe, its partly because Trumps choices have made it stronger namely, his decisions to curtail US military aid, interrupt intelligence sharing and, above all, accept Putins insistence on a peace deal before a ceasefire. And in fact, Russia is far from battlefield supremacy. Just hours before the Oval Office discussions, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) declared it would take 4.4 years of fighting at current rates of advance for Russia to capture the remainder of territory it has annexed. It would also, according to the MoD calculations based on Ukrainian estimates of Russian casualties, cost Russia an additional 1.93m killed and wounded to achieve Putins goals. That would be on top of the more than one million casualties it has already sustained. In other words, Russia could be headed for breaking points of its own. Putins forces are struggling to translate their dominance in infantry into decisive advantage over Ukraine 10:31 AM BST Peace in Ukraine never been closer, says security minister Peace between Ukraine and Russia is closer than ever in the wake of the Alaska summit and Washington talks, a minister has declared. Dan Jarvis, the security minister, said the conflict had reached a pivotal moment and the chances of an end to the fighting were the best since the Russian invasion in Feb 2022 Asked if he was uncomfortable with kowtowing to Donald Trump during the past week, Mr Jarvis told Sky News: Id describe it as diplomacy. Id describe it as the best strategy to try to get a peace settlement. Its in all of our interests, certainly the people of Ukraine but certainly in our own national interest, to bring this terrible conflict in Ukraine to an end. I think the summit in Alaska was very helpful in bringing things forward, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting just the other day with 30 international leaders, the coalition of the willing, so it feels to me like we are closer to peace than we have been at any point in the conflict. But weve got to drive that forward, weve got to get an agreement in place and weve got to put in place a long-term enduring peace settlement. That is obviously in the interests of Ukraine, of wider European security, but its in our own security interests as well. He added: This feels to me like a pivotal moment. We are closer to peace than we have been at any point recently. And the UK Government, the Prime Ministers been clear about this, will be wanting to play our full part in terms of securing that peace. 10:00 AM BST Three civilians killed, 34 injured over past day in Russian attacks At least three civilians have been killed and 34 injured in Russian strikes across Ukraine over the past day, according to regional authorities. According to Ukraines air force, Russian forces overnight launched 93 Shahed-type attack and decoy drones, along with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles. At least 62 drones and one missile were intercepted, while the remaining strikes hit 20 locations. In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian attacks killed one person and injured another. In Sumy, Russian forces attacked more than 52 settlements, injuring 16 people, including two children. Another two civilians were killed in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. 09:44 AM BST Pictured: Firefighters battle blazes in Sumy Ukrainian emergency workers in action following a Russian aerial attack on Okhtyrka, Sumy region - UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE/AFP At least 14 people were injured in the drone strike on civilian infrastructure - UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE/AFP 09:32 AM BST Europe preparing fresh sanctions on Russia if Putin refuses trilateral meeting The Telegraph understands the UK and European Union are preparing new sanctions on Russia, which could be triggered if Putin refuses to attend three-way talks with Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump. A senior Government source said: If Putin was to delay, prevaricate, or refuse to talk that would provide another impetus for sanctions. Mr Zelensky called for sanctions to be levied if Putin refused to take part in a trilateral summit ahead of his Washington trip. The approach would build pressure on Moscow to agree to the meeting. Government sources have noted that Putin only agreed to meet Mr Trump in Alaska after the US president hit India with sanctions for continuing to buy cheap Russian oil. 09:22 AM BST Russia targeted homes of families and sleeping children in Sumy strike At least 14 people, including a family with three children, were wounded in an overnight Russian attack on Ukraines Sumy region, the countrys prime minister said this morning. Russia continues to manifest its fears through acts of pure terrorism across Ukraine, once again targeting the homes of families and their sleeping children, Yulia Svyrydenko said. Russia continues to manifest its fears through acts of pure terrorism across Ukraine, once again targeting the homes of families and their sleeping children. Among the regions targeted overnight was Okhtyrka in Sumy region, where a residential neighborhood was hit. Thirteen pic.twitter.com/QkbZjK3evL Yulia Svyrydenko (@Svyrydenko_Y) August 20, 2025 09:03 AM BST Mysterious object explodes in field in eastern Poland An unidentified object fell into a cornfield and exploded overnight in the village of Osiny in eastern Polands Lublin province, which borders Ukraine, police said on Wednesday. The blast shattered windows in several homes, but nobody was injured, the report said. Police officers found burnt metal and plastic debris at the site, it added. Air raid sirens rang out for about an hour over the border in Ukraines Volyn and Lviv regions from around 10am BST, however their governors reported no air attacks. The Polish army said there was no violation of Polish airspace recorded last night from either Ukraine or Belarus. We are trying to establish what the object could be. Police and firefighters are on the scene, Marek Jozwik, a police spokesman, said. 08:52 AM BST Mapped: Plans for a post-war Ukraine 08:47 AM BST British troops will be thinking about serving in Ukraine British troops will be thinking about the prospect of serving in Ukraine in the future, the security minister has said. Dan Jarvis, a former Army officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was asked what his friends who are still in the Army would make of the prospect of British boots on the ground following a peace deal. He told Sky: I obviously need to be very careful not to set any hares running and were not at that point and absolutely no decisions have been made. But your point is a good and a fair one. Clearly, those people who serve in our Armed Forces will be thinking about the situation in Ukraine and both they and their families will be wondering about what that might bring in the future. We have to be incredibly mindful of that. We are extremely fortunate to have the best Armed Forces in the world, they are extremely capable. And the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary have been crystal clear that we have to play our part in making sure a peace settlement is enforced for the long term. 08:37 AM BST Pictured: A child flees the fighting near Pokrovsk Volunteers help residents flee areas of active fighting near Pokrovsk in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region - Getty Images Europe 08:21 AM BST How Finland became a key player in Ukraine peace negotiations Donald Trump could not find the president of Finland among the gathered European leaders at his White House summit on Ukraine. Im right here, a smiling Alexander Stubb said from his seat at the top table opposite the US president and next to Volodymyr Zelensky. Oh, you look better than Ive ever seen you look, Mr Trump shot back instantly to his counterpart. There were more compliments to come for the young, powerful man leading Finland, which has emerged as a crucial player in the Ukraine peace negotiations despite being a nation of only 5.6 million people. Some of the international media might wonder why is the president of Finland here? Mr Stubb said as he sat with the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the European Commission, Nato, Ukraine and the US. I think the reason is probably that we might come from a small country, but we have a long border with Russia, over 800 miles, he told reporters. And we, of course, have our own historical experience with Russia from World War Two. Finnish President Alexander Stubb speaks in Washington, DC after meeting at the White House - OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP 08:10 AM BST Watch: Fire rages at Odesa fuel plant after Russian drone strike Credit: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Odesa region 08:00 AM BST Russian drone strike on Sumy injures 12, including children A Russian drone attack on a city in Ukraines northeastern Sumy region has left 12 people injured, including two children, according to local authorities. The strike on Okhtyrka was part of a large-scale overnight drone barrage targeting civilian infrastructure across the country, Ukraines national police said, reporting significant damage to residential homes, apartment blocks, and other buildings. Energy infrastructure was also targeted in the southern Odesa region. The Sumy region, which borders Ukraine, has come under heavy bombardment in recent months after Russia launched a new offensive in June to carve out a buffer zone in the territory. Moscow has proposed withdrawing its troops from Sumy and the neighbouring Kharkiv region in exchange for full control of the eastern Donbas region, which it only partly occupies. The offer was reportedly discussed at Donald Trump and Vladimir Putins summit in Alaska last Friday. 07:49 AM BST Putin pitches Moscow for Zelensky meeting Vladimir Putin reportedly pushed for Moscow as a venue for his expected bilateral meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky. On a call with Donald Trump on Monday, the Russian leader mentioned Moscow, a source told AFP. Mr Zelensky said no in response, the source added. On Tuesday, the Swiss foreign minister promised immunity to Putin if he chose to visit Geneva for peace talks. Italy and France have backed the Swiss capital as the location for the high-stakes summit. The White House is allegedly considering Budapest, Hungarys capital, as a venue for possible trilateral meeting with Mr Trump and the Russian and Ukrainian leaders following their one-on-one talks. 07:37 AM BST Telegraph View: Ukraines fate is still deeply uncertain In tone, this meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky was a considerable improvement on Februarys. In substantive content, a great deal remains unclear. The two fundamental questions of this conflict remain unresolved: where will the borders between Russia and Ukraine lie when Moscows terrible war of aggression ends, and how can Kyivs and Europes security be guaranteed in the future? Everything else is of secondary importance. Russia continues to assert belligerent claims to territory including some still held by Ukraine, with Vladimir Putin insistent that the whole of Donetsk and Luhansk be ceded despite the failure of his forces to make progress. Mr Zelensky has correctly stated that the constitution of Ukraine forbids any such formal concessions of land without a referendum. Mr Trump has hinted that he may prefer to follow the current line of contact. The tragic reality is that some territorial concessions on Kyivs part are now effectively deemed a given, including in Europe. The only question is how much, where, and the legal status of the lost land. There is a possible future in which a negotiated border becomes a diplomatic fact, but not one which is formally acknowledged. America will not put boots on the ground, but may put jets in the air what this promise is worth is still unclear - MANDEL NGAN/AFP 07:31 AM BST Pictured: Russia launches massive overnight strikes on Odesa Russia launched a massive drone strike on the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa, injuring one person and causing a large fire at a fuel and energy facility, Ukraines State Emergency Service said this morning. Port infrastructure in the city of Odesa was also damaged. A Russian strike on the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa hit an energy infrastructure facility - Telegram A large fire broke out and one person was reportedly injured - Telegram 07:16 AM BST Hello and welcome to our live coverage Were bringing you all the latest from the war in Ukraine and the ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve a peace deal. 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. Polish officials said on Aug. 20 that a Russian drone crashed overnight in a rural area of eastern Poland, describing the incident as a deliberate provocation amid international talks about ending the war in Ukraine. This is not the first time a Russian drone has crashed on the territory of a NATO member. Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that the object, which fell into a cornfield near the village of Osiny, was a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle. Osiny is located in Lublin Voivodeship, a province that borders Ukraine and Belarus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Once again, we are dealing with a provocation by the Russian Federation using a Russian drone," Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters at a press conference in Warsaw, according to Rzeczpospolita. "Russia once again provokes NATO countries after drone incidents that took place in Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia, as well as after airspace violations that occurred in almost all NATO countries," Kosiniak-Kamysz added. Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Poland's Defense Ministry had briefed top military commanders, as well as security and foreign affairs officials, and that Poland's allies had been informed. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the incident was a fresh violation of Polish airspace "from the east" and announced that Warsaw would issue a diplomatic protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There will be a protest from the Foreign Ministry against the perpetrator," Sikorski wrote on X. A Polish military spokesman said the drone appeared to have flown very low to avoid radar detection and likely carried only a small amount of explosives. General Dariusz Malinowski, a senior Polish commander, told reporters that initial analysis indicated the device was a decoy, powered by a commercially available Chinese-made engine. According to Malinowski, such drones are typically used to confuse air defenses and then self-destruct. A special investigation team has been appointed to examine the wreckage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poland, a NATO member on the alliance's eastern border, has repeatedly accused Moscow of testing its defenses and attempting to destabilize the region through drone flights and airspace violations. The incident in Poland comes as Western leaders accelerate talks on possible peace arrangements for Ukraine, with Kyiv pressing for binding international security guarantees. President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders met with U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 18 to discuss potential peace talks. Read also: Russia is turning occupied Ukraine into a giant military base Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that discussing any Western security guarantees for Ukraine without Russian involvement was a "road to nowhere". NATO military chiefs were set Wednesday to discuss the details of eventual security guarantees for Ukraine amid efforts to broker an end to Russia's offensive. But Lavrov warned that "seriously discussing security guarantees without the Russian Federation is a utopia, a road to nowhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We cannot agree that it is now suggested to solve collective security issues without the Russian Federation," he told reporters. President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine on February 24, 2022 and the ensuing conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes. US President Donald Trump, who spoke Monday with his Russian counterpart, said Putin had agreed to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and accept some Western security guarantees for Ukraine. Lavrov said in their phone call Putin had only told Trump he would "think about raising the level of" talks on Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lavrov said any summit between Putin and Zelensky "must be prepared in the most meticulous way" so the meeting does not lead to a "deterioration" of the situation around the conflict. Lavrov also accused European leaders -- some of whom also visited the White House on Monday -- of making "clumsy attempts" to change the US president's position on Ukraine. "We have only seen aggressive escalation of the situation and rather clumsy attempts to change the position of the US president," he said, referring to Monday's meeting. "We did not hear any constructive ideas from the Europeans there," Lavrov added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lavrov also said the West's "confrontational position, a position to continue the war, does not find understanding in the current US administration, which... seeks to help eliminate the root causes of the conflict". Post-war security is a key concern for Ukraine after more than three years of Russian offensive. Moscow has long said it will not tolerate Kyiv joining NATO and has been hostile to the idea of Western troops being deployed to the war-torn country. bur/dt/jj By Dmitry Antonov and Mark Trevelyan MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Wednesday attempts to resolve security issues relating to Ukraine without Moscow's participation were a "road to nowhere," sounding a warning to the West as it scrambles to work out guarantees for Kyiv's future protection. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov particularly criticised the role of European leaders who met U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House on Monday to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine that could help end the three-and-a-half-year-old war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We cannot agree with the fact that now it is proposed to resolve questions of security, collective security, without the Russian Federation. This will not work," Lavrov told a joint press conference after meeting Jordan's foreign minister. U.S. and European military planners have begun exploring post-conflict security guarantees for Ukraine, U.S. officials and sources told Reuters on Tuesday. Lavrov said such discussions without Russia were pointless. "I am sure that in the West and above all in the United States they understand perfectly well that seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is a utopia, it's a road to nowhere." NATO military leaders holding a video conference on Wednesday had a "great, candid discussion" on the results of recent talks on Ukraine, the chair of the alliance's military committee said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Priority continues to be a just, credible and durable peace," Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone wrote in a post on X. A Western official told Reuters that a small group of military leaders continued discussions in Washington on security guarantees shortly after the bigger virtual meeting. After Polish officials said that an object that crashed in a cornfield in eastern Poland overnight was likely a Russian drone, Poland accused Russia of provoking NATO countries just as efforts to find an end to the war were intensifying. "Once again, we are dealing with a provocation by the Russian Federation, with a Russian drone. We are dealing in a crucial moment, when discussions about peace (in Ukraine) are under way," Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lavrov's comments highlighted Moscow's demand for Western governments to directly engage with it on questions of security concerning Ukraine and Europe, something it says they have so far refused to do. Moscow this week also restated its rejection of "any scenarios involving the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine." 'CLUMSY' EUROPEANS Lavrov accused the European leaders who met Trump and Zelenskiy of carrying out "a fairly aggressive escalation of the situation, rather clumsy and, in general, unethical attempts to change the position of the Trump administration and the president of the United States personally ... We did not hear any constructive ideas from the Europeans there." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said on Monday the United States would help guarantee Ukraine's security in any deal to end Russia's war there. He subsequently said he had ruled out putting U.S. troops in Ukraine, but the U.S. might provide air support as part of a deal to end the hostilities. Zelenskiy's chief of staff, speaking after a meeting of national security advisers from Western countries and NATO, said work was proceeding on the military component of the guarantees. "Our teams, above all the military, have already begun active work on the military component of security guarantees," chief of staff Andriy Yermak wrote on social media. Yermak said Ukraine was also working on a plan with its allies on how to proceed "in case the Russian side continues to prolong the war and disrupt agreements on bilateral and trilateral formats of leaders' meetings." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lavrov said Russia was in favour of "truly reliable" guarantees for Ukraine and suggested these could be modelled on a draft accord that was discussed between the warring parties in Istanbul in 2022, in the early weeks of the war. Under the draft discussed then, Ukraine would have received security guarantees from a group of countries including the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - China, Russia, the United States, Britain, and France. At the time, Kyiv rejected that proposal on the grounds that Moscow would have held effective veto power over any military response to come to its aid. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov in Moscow and Mark Trevelyan in London; editing by Mark Heinrich, Ros Russell, Ron Popeski, Rod Nickel) Russia said Wednesday that discussions about potential Western security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a broader peace deal to end the war are a road to nowhere unless Moscow is involved in the talks. We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a press conference in Moscow after meeting with Jordans top diplomat. We have already explained more than once that Russia does not overstate its interests, but we will ensure our legitimate interests firmly and harshly, Lavrov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And I am sure that in the West and above all in the United States they understand perfectly well that seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is an utopia, a road to nowhere. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in charge of a new joint commission, made up of the U.S., European and Ukrainian officials, that will craft a security guarantees draft for Ukraine. Russia has wanted the leading European nations to directly negotiate with Moscow over Ukraines security matters, and Russia has long rejected the prospect of NATO forces being deployed as part of a potential peace deal. President Trump on Tuesday floated the idea of the U.S. providing air support as part of security guarantees for Ukraine, as he continues his quest to help end the 3 1/2-year war in Eastern Europe. The White House said Tuesday the president has definitively ruled out putting U.S. boots on the ground in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, seven European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Trump at the White House, where security guarantees and next steps toward achieving a truce were discussed. Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday over the phone, days after meeting him in person in Alaska at a high-stakes summit. Lavrov said on Wednesday that Russia is in favor of the U.K., France and Germanys efforts to help develop security guarantees for Ukraine and for them to be truly reliable. We have a very good example, which, by the way, refers to the initiative of the Ukrainian side itself, as it was in Istanbul in April 2022, when the Ukrainian negotiating team proposed the basic principles of an agreement on ending hostilities and ensuring a sustainable settlement, Russias foreign minister said, referring to the 2022 draft where Kyiv would have gotten security guarantees from several nations, including five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council: China, France, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S. After meeting with Putin near Anchorage, Alaska, Trump has pushed for a meeting between Putin and Zelensky first, and then a trilateral summit with all three leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine has been in favor of the huddle. So far, Russia has not committed to such a meeting, with Lavrov on Tuesday saying the summit should be prepared step by step, gradually, starting from the expert level and then going through all the necessary stages. Trump said on Tuesday that it would be better if Putin and Zelensky met without him first. I want to see what goes on. You know, they had a hard relationship, very bad, very bad relationship, Trump said on The Mark Levin Show. And now well see how they do and, if necessary, and it probably would be, but if necessary, Ill go and Ill probably be able to get it close, the president added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Russian forces have attacked the frontline town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, killing three civilians and injuring another four. Source: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutors Office; Vadym Filashkin, Head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Details: The Russians used a Smerch multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) to attack the settlement. Strikes hit residential areas and the local market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result of the attack, two women aged 40 and 69 and a 32-year-old man died from fatal injuries. Four other civilians sustained mine-blast and shrapnel wounds. They received qualified medical assistance. Houses, apartment buildings, cars, shops and a power line were damaged in the city. Aftermath of the attack Photo: Donetsk Oblast Military Administration Aftermath of the attack Photo: Donetsk Oblast Military Administration Under the procedural guidance of the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutors Office, a pre-trial investigation has been launched into this war crime (Article 438.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors are taking all possible and appropriate measures to document the consequences of the Russian attack on the civilian population. Quote from Filashkin: "The Russians launched eight Smerch rockets at the city, deliberately targeting the market. Fifteen retail units, eight houses, six apartment buildings, a shop, two cars and a power line were damaged. Once again, I stress: it is dangerous to remain in Donetsk Oblast! The Russians are deliberately striking in ways designed to kill and maim as many civilians as possible. Do not put yourself at risk evacuate in time!" Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The leaders of Belarus and Iran signed new agreements on Wednesday to boost bilateral ties in key areas including defense, the two governments said. Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian signed a package of 13 documents in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Both governments have been placed under heavy sanctions, limiting potential trading partners. Pezeshkian said Iran would help Belarus to neutralize such measures, citing Tehrans decades of experience circumventing Western economic restrictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lukashenko told Pezeshkian that Belarus was ready to cooperate with you on all issues from providing your country with food to military-technical cooperation, calling the Iranian president a friend. The two parties did not disclose any further details on how the countries intend to cooperate in the defense sector. Other areas covered by the agreement include industry and tourism, as well as joint initiatives in science, technology and education. Access to Belarus wood processing and chemical industry, as well as potash fertilizers, can all bring potential benefits to Iran. The two presidents also said their countries would start work toward a strategic partnership treaty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lukashenko, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for Moscow full-scale invasion of Ukraine and later allowed the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles. Iran has supplied Russia with drones for use in the war, and Pezeshkian signed a strategic cooperation treaty with Putin in January, although it did not include a mutual defense clause. The Iranian presidents visit to Minsk has been postponed several times due to U.S. strikes on Irans nuclear facilities. Lukashenko called the strikes on Irans nuclear infrastructure a serious threat to regional and international stability and security. We support Irans legitimate right to develop peaceful nuclear energy, Lukashenko said. A Russian drone strike on the northeastern city of Okhtyrka in Sumy Oblast left 14 people injured, including three children, local authorities reported on Aug. 20. The attack was part of a large-scale overnight drone barrage targeting civilian infrastructure, Ukraine's national police reported. Residential homes, apartment blocks, and other buildings sustained significant damage. After the attack, a family with three injured children aged 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years sought medical assistance, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Emergency services remain at the scene, providing care and assessing the full extent of the damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite ongoing international efforts to broker peace including potential bilateral talks between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin Russian forces continue to launch regular attacks against civilian targets. Sumy Oblast, which borders Russia, has been frequently targeted since the start of the full-scale invasion, and saw intensified hostilities in June when Russia opened a new front in the region. The region has also featured in recent discussions about "land swaps" between Ukraine and Russia. Moscow purportedly proposed to withdraw troops from Sumy and neighboring Kharkiv Oblast in exchange for full control of Ukraine's eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regionsan offer reportedly discussed by Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump during a high-level meeting in Alaska. Read also: Ukraine war latest: US troops wont be sent to Ukraine as part of security guarantees, Trump says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian forces attacked the Izmail district in Odesa Oblast with drones on the night of 19-20 August, damaging port infrastructure facilities, causing a fire and injuring one person. Source: Izmail District Military Administration Quote: "Russian forces, amid their invasion and war against Ukraine, launched an attack on the Izmail district with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), specifically Shahed kamikaze drones, on the night of 19-20 August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite air defence responding actively, hits were recorded. Port infrastructure facilities were damaged in the attack. Fires have broken out, which are being extinguished by units from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Odesa Oblast." Fire appliance at the scene. Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine Details: One person has been injured in the attack: "All necessary treatment is being provided to them." Updated: Later, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that a major fire had broken out at a fuel and energy infrastructure facility as a result of Russian drone strikes on Odesa Oblast. Firefighters extinguishing fire Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine Fifty-four firefighters and 16 fire appliances were involved in extinguishing the fire, along with a fire train and the local fire brigade. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Two civilians have been killed in a Russian FPV drone strike in Kharkiv Oblast. Source: Ukraine's National Police in Kharkiv Oblast Details: Russian forces struck a civilian car a ZAZ-1103 Slavuta with a combat drone on a road near the village of Petrivka in the Zolochiv hromada at 08:30 on 20 August. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attack killed the 70-year-old driver and his 71-year-old partner. A police investigative team, forensic experts and bomb disposal experts were at the scene. Investigators have opened a criminal case under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crimes). Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! A Russian national suspected of supporting the extremist militia organization Islamic State has been charged for allegedly planning a terrorist attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin. The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office has brought charges against the man, who was arrested at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in February while on his way to boarding. According to police, he was set to travel to Pakistan to undergo military training for Islamic State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "From the beginning of February 2025, he initially planned to commit an attack in Germany, for example on the Israeli embassy in Berlin," said the statement from the federal prosecutors. To this end, the accused had obtained instructions on how to make explosives on the internet, but he was unable to obtain the necessary components. He is also said to have translated propaganda material for Islamic State into Russian and Chechen. To finance the trip to Pakistan, he took out two mobile phone contracts for expensive smartphones, which he sold at a profit, the Karlsruhe-based office said. "Shortly before the start of the journey, he sent a video to a suspected Islamic States member abroad swearing allegiance to the organization." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The State Security Senate of the Court of Appeal in Berlin must decide whether to admit the charges. It would then also set dates for a trial. The charges include supporting and attempting to join a foreign terrorist organization as an adolescent and preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state. Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia have resumed after being halted for a day following a Ukrainian drone strike, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Aug. 19. "After last night's Ukrainian attack, oil supplies to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline have been resumed in the last few minutes," Szijjarto wrote on Facebook. "We expect that Ukraine will not launch new attacks on the pipeline, which is critical to our country's energy supply." Russian crude flows to Hungary and Slovakia through the Soviet-era pipeline were suspended on Aug. 18. Later in the day, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces confirmed that drones had struck the Nikolskoye oil pumping station in Russia's Tambov Oblast, disrupting operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Druzhba pipeline, one of the world's largest, carries Russian oil through two main branches: the northern line toward northern Europe and the southern line to Central Europe. Hungary and Slovakia are the only EU countries still buying Russian crude through the system. In July, they imported $232 million and $196 million worth of oil, respectively. The pipeline also shut down flows in March after a Ukrainian attack on a different metering station. According to Reuters, Russia supplied 95,000 barrels of oil daily to Hungary via this route last year. Budapest, which imports most of its oil through Druzhba, has opposed EU attempts to fully halt Russian energy imports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Ukraine has stepped up strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, targeting one of Moscow's most lucrative revenue streams for financing its war. Read also: Zelensky wants a meeting. Putin wants to win Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russia has officially launched a pilot program that teaches patriotic lessons to preschoolers. The program, 'Conversations about Important Things,' targets children from three to seven. It comes amid Putin's push to strengthen local support of Russia's national identity and war actions. A new Russian pilot program with 100 preschools aims to teach children as young as three to be "worthy citizens" and "cultivate respect for the culture and history of Russia," the country's education ministry said. The lesson series, called "Conversations about Important Things," is to be tested in schools for children from three to seven in the occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, Moscow, Kaliningrad, and at least 17 other Russian oblasts and autonomous regions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Russia's education minister, Sergey Kravtsov, said the classes would be tailored to young children with "colorful illustrations, interactive tasks, and game elements." "This will help children better absorb information, form correct ideas about important life values, and ultimately grow up to be worthy citizens of their country," Kravtsov said. While the education ministry said the program involves lessons on citizenship, morality, and families, it is also meant to foster a "love for the motherland." "Conversations about Important Things," which promotes Russia's national identity and past war actions, has been compulsory learning in high schools since 2022, the year that Moscow invaded Ukraine. Russia has engaged in a heavy effort to instill patriotism and basic military skills in its civilian population, introducing gun-handling and drone classes to its high schools. Contributor/Getty Images The new push into preschools comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin said in October that he supported the program being rolled out to the country's "youngest children." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putin said he was disappointed, for example, that the Soviet Union's heavy losses in the Battle of Stalingrad were not discussed in children's textbooks about World War II. "All this shows that, of course, at the very earliest age we must instill certain basic things in a child," he said at a meeting with Russian teachers that month. "But everything, I repeat, must be within the bounds of reason." War-themed lessons for preschoolers The education ministry didn't specify what activities would be included in the pilot lessons. However, social media posts from some Russian preschools and kindergartens indicate that they've already voluntarily introduced some form of these programs. Novaya Gazeta Europe, an independent news organization founded by exiled Russian journalists, wrote in October that over 560 Russian preschools and kindergartens had posted about introducing "Conversations for Important Things" to their students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The outlet analyzed social media posts from over 10,000 kindergartens about war-themed lessons. It found that at least 19,000 of these activities were about supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In other posts seen by Business Insider on the Russian social network VKontakte, preschools and kindergartens uploaded photos of children video-calling a Russian soldier purportedly fighting in Ukraine and of students lining up in formation to honor the Russian flag. For example, one kindergarten in the Orenburg region said in October that it held a version of "Conversations about Important Things" to discuss the local farming industry. It posted a photo of young children holding up the region's coat of arms. Another preschool, in Kursk, said it invited a former helicopter pilot who fought in Afghanistan to speak to students. The post said he "read poems of his own composition about the exploits of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War and participants in a special military operation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, the city of Vologda also said in a statement that all of its kindergartens were planning patriotic and war-themed classes for "Conversations about Important Things." "Children will be told about the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, military professions, hero cities, monuments, awards for military exploits, and much more," the statement said, referring to World War II. One analysis by the independent Russian media outlet Agency found that the classes in Vologda discussed military awards, taught kids how to be bandaged, and included games about armored vehicles. 78 , 80- pic.twitter.com/cM682EGKqC (@agents_media) January 21, 2025 All of this comes as Russia goes all out to shore up local support for the war in Ukraine. Moscow has also sought to assimilate the population of occupied Ukrainian territories, offering parents cash sums to send their children to Russian-controlled schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public favor is especially key for the Kremlin, which relies on costly infantry assaults to fight against Ukraine a tactic requiring a steady flow of fresh recruits from the civilian population. Ukrainian intelligence says that Russia has repeatedly hit its recruitment targets through hefty sign-up bonuses and payments made to families of wounded or killed soldiers. This year, Russia reportedly plans to recruit 343,000 new troops. Read the original article on Business Insider The Russians attacked Ukraine with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 93 Shahed loitering munitions and decoy drones of various types on the night of 19-20 August. Source: Ukrainian Air Force Command on Telegram Details: Early reports indicate that as of 09:00, Ukrainian air defence units had shot down and jammed one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 62 Shahed UAVs and decoy drones over the countrys north and east. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Russian missile and drones are reported to have hit 20 locations. The aerial attack has been repelled by Ukrainian aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare assets, unmanned systems units and mobile fire groups from the defence forces. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that Russia is ready to continue negotiations with Ukraine in any format, but a potential top-level meeting must be thoroughly prepared and bring the negotiation process to a conclusion. Source: Lavrov at a press conference in Moscow, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine citing Russian media Quote: "We are ready for any format. But when it comes to meetings at the highest level, they must be prepared as thoroughly as possible at all previous stages so that summits do not lead to a worsening of the situation, but really conclude the negotiations we are ready to continue." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The minister noted that during a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin "proposed not just continuing these negotiations [with Ukraine], but also considering raising the level of the heads of delegations". "This ties in with our proposal that, within this process, a separate track be dedicated to political aspects of the settlement, alongside the military and humanitarian ones," Lavrov said. He claimed that "this idea was positively received by President Trump". "We expect that he will convey and explain it to the Kyiv representatives, and we will get a reaction," Lavrov added. Lavrov gave no specifics about the possibility of a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Background: Earlier, Putins aide Yuri Ushakov said that the Kremlin leader and Trump had discussed the possibility of "raising the level of representatives" in talks on Russias war against Ukraine. Ushakov did not specify what exactly he meant by raising the level of representatives and did not mention the possibility of a leaders summit. Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said that Putin agreed to a bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy. Trump announced that he is working on arranging a trilateral meeting with Zelenskyy and Putin. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Aug. 19 about peace talks between Ukraine and Russia and Turkey's role in Black Sea security, Erdogan's office reported. "The call addressed the latest developments concerning the peace process between Ukraine and Russia," the statement said. "President Erdogan and NATO Secretary General Rutte highlighted Turkey's key role in the Ukraine peace process and the security of the Black Sea." Ankara has remained one of the few countries maintaining direct contact with both Kyiv and Moscow since the full-scale invasion began in 2022 and previously hosted negotiations between the sides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turkey also controls the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, making it the only NATO member able to restrict naval access to the Black Sea. Romania and Bulgaria are the only other NATO members with Black Sea coastlines, while Russia operates its Black Sea Fleet out of occupied Sevastopol in Crimea and Novorossiysk in Krasnodar Krai. The call came as European leaders ramped up discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Kyiv has long demanded binding assurances from its allies to prevent Moscow from invading again. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Aug. 18 that guarantees would not include NATO membership but would be backed by a "coalition of the willing" of more than 30 countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News on Aug. 19 that Washington may provide air support for Ukraine under a potential peace deal. Read also: Zelensky wants a meeting. Putin wants to win Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The family of slain Milwaukee college student Sade Carleena Robinson can refile its wrongful death lawsuit against the father of the man who killed her, a judge ruled. The decision by Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Glenn Yamahiro on Aug. 19 might breathe new life into the lawsuit that Robinson's mother, Sheena Scarbrough, filed in June 2024. Her attorney amended the complaint in September 2024 so Maxwell Anderson's father, Steven, could be added as a defendant. Doing so meant serving Steven Anderson with the complaint and summons within a required 90-day window. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In court papers, Verona E. Swanigan, the Arkansas attorney representing Scarbrough, said servers went twice to Steven Anderson's home in Sarasota, Florida on Sept. 24, 2024, and on Oct. 2, 2024 but were unable to hand him the documents. More: What happened to Sade Robinson? A timeline of the 19-year-old's murder and dismemberment case Court records show Steven Anderson on June 5 was dismissed from the action without prejudice, meaning a case could be refiled at a later date. Defense attorney Brian T. Fahl pushed for the matter against Steven Anderson to be permanently dismissed; he filed a formal motion to dismiss with prejudice, which prompted the Aug. 19 hearing. Fahl argued in court papers the plaintiffs had "ample opportunity" to serve him or leave a copy of the summons at his home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yamahiro found there was "excusable neglect" in the failure to serve Steven Anderson, and ordered his dismissal as a party to the case be without prejudice. "I can tell you we shall continue to gather evidence by filing discovery to Maxwell Anderson," Swanigan told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an email. "We shall seek to do his deposition to hopefully determine the missing information that was not stated during the criminal trial." Fahl, of Milwaukee, announced during the hearing he plans to withdraw as Maxwell Anderson's attorney, but will continue to represent Steven Anderson. Maxwell Anderson, 34, was convicted on June 6 of first-degree intentional homicide, mutilation of a corpse and arson in the gruesome April 2, 2024, killing and dismemberment of Robinson, 19. Sade Carleena Robinson She was just weeks away from graduating from Milwaukee Area Technical College when she died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maxwell Anderson was later sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, but has signaled in recent weeks his intention to appeal. What does Sade Robinson's family want from Maxwell and Steven Anderson? Scarbrough, of Milwaukee, is seeking damages from Maxwell Anderson for emotional distress. The lawsuit also seeks the proceeds from the sale last year of Maxwell Anderson's house, and to bar him from profiting from the "notoriety earned from slaying Ms. Robinson and destroying her family," the lawsuit reads. The home sold in May 2024 for $195,000, according to Wisconsin Department of Revenue records. A status conference in the lawsuit is scheduled for Sept. 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Sheena Scarbrough told Sade Robinson, 'Baby, Mommy's got this,' the night before trial verdict Judge dismissed separate case against two Milwaukee bars Another lawsuit related to Robinson's death was dismissed shortly after the Anderson's criminal case wrapped up. Scarbrough had filed a separate lawsuit in April against two downtown Milwaukee hotspots Duke's on Water Inc. and Twisted Fisherman, LLC. That lawsuit alleged workers at each establishment failed to ask Robinson, who was underage, for her ID, and that they served her multiple alcoholic beverages, leaving her "physically and mentally vulnerable" to the man who later killed her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Owners of each establishment testified during Anderson's homicide trial. They were asked questions that focused mainly on Anderson's interaction with Robinson, who prosecutors said was killed and dismembered a short time after the date. Yamahiro, who also presided over that case, dismissed the lawsuit against the taverns on July 22, online court records show. Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sade Robinson's family can refile wrongful death case against Maxwell Anderson's father Chinook salmon migrate up the Columbia River in Oregon. (Dave Alan/Getty Images) Editors note: This is the second installment of a four-part series on salmon that will run in the Idaho Capital Sun on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Part One described the emergency effort to rescue Washington states last population of Snake River spring and summer Chinook salmon, in the Tucannon River. The Nez Perce Tribe and its collaborators will try to eke out a few more years survival for Tucannon River Chinook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, Jay Hesse says, we also had to ask: What about all the other populations? So in 2021, we started modeling quasi-extinction for all the Snake River spring/summer Chinook and steelhead populations listed under the Endangered Species Act. The results are giving us a better picture of real conditions, and a stronger case for the urgency of action. Jay Hesse, of the Nez Perce Department of Fisheries Resources Management, at work on the Snake River in Hells Canyon. (Photo courtesy of Jay Hesse) Mr. Hesse is the director of Biological Services for the Nez Perce Department of Fisheries Resources Management. Some years ago, federal scientists at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries developed the quasi-extinction threshold, which the NOAA uses in planning. For Snake River Chinook salmon and steelhead, the threshold is fewer than 50 adult fish in a population returning from the ocean for four consecutive years. Below that floor, the populations continued existence can no longer be scientifically assumed or predicted. It is an emergency signal, flashing red and near black. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Nez Perce Tribe is applying this science to management of populations below or near the extinction threshold, as well as to public education and long-term science. Nez Perce Fisheries provided me two maps from its upcoming extinction threshold report for Snake River spring/summer Chinook, and steelhead, updated through 2024 fish returns. These maps show some of the findings, but much else in it will deserve attention. Hesse, J.A. and Kinzer, R.N., 2025. Snake River Anadromous Fish Status: Quasi-Extinction Threshold Analysis. Department of Fisheries Resources Management. Version: 09 June, 2025. The quasi-extinction threshold results are mapped in four colors: populations at or below the 50-fish extinction threshold four consecutive years; those at or below the 50-fish threshold in the most recent year; those predicted, on current trend, to be at the 50-fish line within five years; and those predicted to be above that threshold five years from now. Hesse, J.A. and Kinzer, R.N., 2025. Snake River Anadromous Fish Status: Quasi-Extinction Threshold Analysis. Department of Fisheries Resources Management. Version: 09 June, 2025. Together, the first three categories, all in red-orange shades, are what I call the critical list: populations at dire, perhaps irreversible risk now, and those on their way to that same status within five years at current rates of decline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lump those red-orange shades together as you look at the maps. With a little imagination, you will see the near-term extinction trajectory for Snake River salmon and steelhead in geographic motion. As updated through 2024 fish returns, the report shows six Snake River steelhead populations, 27% of the species total number, are on the critical list, below the extinction threshold or heading there soon. Ten Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon populations, 29% of that species total, are on the critical list. The maps show their locations. Populations colored yellowish are all those predicted to be above the 50 fish threshold in 2029. These are in motion too. Current rates of decline, if continued, will put a next batch on the critical list soon. The data underlying the maps suggests which and where those will be. It is not scientific news that Snake River salmon and steelhead are going extinct. These findings further confirm the fact, by newly estimating the current rate and trend of decline at population level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats new, for me, is how extinction threshold analysis, as mapped and made public yearly, allows fish managers, all stripes of salmon people, interested reporters, and Northwest governors and members of Congress to observe Snake River salmon extinction in motion. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife also conducts an extinction threshold analysis for these same Snake River populations, with some differences in methodology and data. ODFWs quasi-extinction approach is a little more conservative than the Nez Perce Tribes, says Tucker Jones, the agencys Columbia River program manager. Our two results so far are slightly different, but both analyses have arrived at largely the same conclusions and same trend. When you take different approaches, but come to nearly the same conclusions, that provides more certainty were on the right track. The department also plans to update its analysis this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The extinction threshold findings can be annually volatile, as one somewhat better bad return re-sets its stringent clock. Thus the main story is the trends, for individual populations and the aggregate species. The 2024 Nez Perce Fisheries analysis estimates a 6% per-year decline is occurring across the Snakes spring-summer Chinook populations, and 11% per-year decline across steelhead populations. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlifes trend estimates will be known soon. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Snake River salmon and steelhead extinction is in motion Two distinctions between this scientific work, and my use of it here, should be made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, extinction in motion is my phrase, not Hesses or his Nez Perce Fisheries co-author Ryan Kinzers. They are conducting a careful, annually-updated estimate, employing both raw fish counts and modeling, of the rates at which extirpation of individual populations are currently proceeding (or not, should the data show that), and thus extinction of the species continues to approach (or not). The focus on rates of decline toward extirpation and extinction is a main value this science has now, as salmon scarcity and Tucannon River-like dilemmas multiply. The same science will track the pace and places of salmon recovery, should the actions necessary to produce recovery be taken. My phrase combines two facts. In this undated photo, Chinook salmon spawn in Snake River. (Natalie Fobes/Getty Images) Snake River salmon and steelhead extinction is in motion because current numbers are very low, current distribution badly amputated, and decline is the steady year after year, decade after decade, trend, with a few blips up that were not sustained. And, the Nez Perce Tribes quasi-extinction threshold maps allow us to watch this motion, place by place, across years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second, except when quoting, I say extinction threshold, without the word quasi. This will not change the Nez Perce Tribes, Oregons or the NOAA Fisheries use of the full phrase in scientific, management and legal contexts where it is a defined, necessary term. But for most of us that word just gets in the way. Good scientists have developed a last gasp check-point 50 or fewer fish returning, four years in a row to mark the entry, by a steelhead or salmon population, into an extinction momentum that will be very difficult to escape. It is an extinction threshold. For the salmon, rivers, watersheds, communities and salmon people facing it, there is nothing quasi about it. Salmon risks multiply when numbers plunge so low Please look again at the maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of these geographies hold from 50 to 150 miles of identified habitat for one or both fish. Thus, at the official 50 fish extinction threshold, one female or male Chinook, out of 25, must find a partner, also out of 25, in 50 to 150 miles of water. That is just a terribly low number of salmon in so much river, Jay Hesse says. A landslide or flood scour could destroy a few salmon redds (nests) and their overwintering eggs, when a few are all that exist. Some eagles, bears and humans will find some returning fish before the fish find each other to spawn. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such local events, of little harm to healthy populations, are major risks to those so near extinction. More destructive are recurring large-scale events poor ocean conditions, low flows through reservoirs and dams, extended hot water during their long, obstructed upstream migration that do outsized damage to populations already scraped so low. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and NOAA Fisheries, both make the main scientific point. The department: The 50 fish or less threshold is not a milestone on a linear path to extinction. It is a tipping point into accelerated extinction risk, with a higher likelihood populations will no longer be able to respond favorably to improved conditions. The NOAA: Quasi-Extinction Thresholds represent tipping points for population collapse, where the actual extinction potential may not be predictable or, in some cases, avoidable The result can be an extinction vortex An extinction vortex operates something like your sinks drain operates on the last remaining water. Its too late. Returning salmon drive the ecology Hesse always reminds his audiences of the contexts for this extinction analysis. Keep in mind that salmon ecology is based on abundance, he says. Numbers of returning salmon are not just about salmon. Salmon drive the whole ecology of that populations geographic area. Fifty or fewer fish signals a total break in that watersheds ecology, with effects that go well beyond the fish. Some breakage is visible to us; many fewer bears, eagles and people hunt the rivers and creeks in season. Much is still invisible to most of us, though nutrient loss is being documented. Salmon nutrition for the waters, lands and life of the territories on the maps above has been close to nothing for 60 years. And the harvest cycle, the cultural cycle, which is based on abundance, is also broken, Hesse says. That is important to all salmon people, but particularly to tribes that cultural connection is absolutely necessary. Hesse and Kinzer use another map to add more context: past extirpations. Hesse, J.A. and Kinzer, R.N., 2025. Snake River Anadromous Fish Status: Quasi-Extinction Threshold Analysis. Department of Fisheries Resources Management. Version: 09 June, 2025. The colored area is the maps just described. The gray area, north and especially south, is the vast geography, in Oregon, Idaho and Nevada, from which Chinook salmon have already been extirpated, mainly by dams. Of an estimated 70 abundant populations of Snake River spring/summer Chinook prior to invasion and settlement, 30 are now extirpated. Of 40 steelhead populations pre-settlement, 16 are now extirpated. The scales of what once was, and what now remains, are so disparate it is hard to put both on one graph or graphic. In his presentations to public and agency audiences, Hesse experiments with visual ways to relate that not-so-long-ago abundance with todays plunge to extinction. (Two to six million salmon and steelhead annually is one pre-Caucasian estimate for the Snake River alone.) His most effective way so far is a 16-ounce Starbucks Grande cup the past salmon abundance when filled, today a couple disconnected damp spots on the bottom of the cup. We cannot lose sight that salmon abundance is our goal, Hesse says. Salmon, steelhead and people in northeast Oregon Eastern Oregons tributary watersheds to the Snake River are too varied and distinctive for this stranger to ably summarize, ecologically or humanly. The mountain, valley and canyon topography does intricate wonders with cold mountain waters that birth the Grande Ronde River, and then steadily refresh it on its long course to the Snake River. (The Grande Ronde has crossed into Washington when it reaches the Snake; 92% of the watershed is in Oregon.) Cottonwood trees change colors during the fall season alongside Oregons Grande Ronde River. (Steve Terrill/Getty Images) Human works add to and subtract from each river. When my interviewees said the names Wallowa, Lostine, Minam, Wenaha, Grande Ronde, Imnaha, Joseph Creek I heard something of the depth the names carry for people who know these streams. Some echoed Kevin March, a retired acupuncturist in La Grande: One thing here is that many of these rivers and stretches are hard to get to. In canyon country, you can always leave people behind. Or John Milbert, a veteran fisherman, gatherer of foods, and writer: I like to get high in the little tributaries. I enjoy fishing these tributaries because I get to know them intimately from walking and wading them. You get surprises. The extinction threshold data led me first to the upper Grande Ronde River, and its large tributary Catherine Creek. (The upper Grande Ronde is roughly the rivers watershed above the town of Elgin.) In both, significant damage to river function has occurred in headwater areas, from past logging, roading and grazing, and, in both, the salmon nurseries in and passages through the big valleys are now mostly disconnected and ditched. In the early 1990s, scientists identified eight populations of Snake River spring and summer Chinook in northeast Oregon. Two are deemed extirpated since then: the Lookingglass and Big Sheep populations, in the lower Grande Ronde and Imnaha respectively. Washingtons Asotin population, upstream of the Tucannon, is also extirpated. Though extirpated for now, the Tribe does not want any of these taken off the Endangered Species list, Hesse says. We dont want them forgotten, and over time we want them back. The Upper Grande Ronde and Catherine Creek host two of northeast Oregons six remaining Chinook populations. Retired lawyer David Baum remembers fishing for salmon long ago, far up the Grande Ronde, at Tony Vey Meadows. And as a boy in the 1950s, he made a spearing platform on a bridge across Catherine Creek at his grandmothers home. A salmon would come up every few minutes in season, he said. I had no success, but I saw a lot of salmon going up Catherine Creek. No longer. I will offer some numbers, which need not be retained. Their scale and trend is what matters. Upper Grande Ronde Chinook, returning to 144 miles of identified Chinook habitat, had an estimated return, 2016 through 2022, of 43, 19, 39, 7, 57, 24, 98 and 19 fish. (The Nez Perce update should include the 2024 estimate.) At 20 returning fish, a Chinook must find at least one of 10 possible mates in 144 miles of stream habitat to secure a next generation. The Nez Perce Fisheries map projects that, at current rates of decline, this Chinook population will be at or below the extinction threshold, joining the critical list, by 2029. In Catherine Creeks 89 miles of Chinook habitat, the estimated range of adult returns, 2016-2023, is 31 to 190 fish. For now, the Catherine Creek population remains among those not projected at or below 50 fish within five years, but it is uncomfortably close. The Upper Grande Ronde and Catherine Creek share one steelhead population, with 808 miles of identified habitat. Its return was last above 1,000 in 2016. The 2017-2023 range is 247 to 874. Northeast Oregon wild steelhead are generally in better shape than its Chinook, but are also in decline. Four digit returns become three digit become is the trendline. A footbridge crosses Catherine Creek at Catherine Creek State Park near Union, Oregon. (Jesse Stephens/Getty Images) None of the local fishers I spoke with were surprised. If not extinct in Upper Grande Ronde, Chinook must be perilously close, says John Milbert. The last carcass I saw was probably 15 years ago. Kevin March is a steelhead fisherman: I dont fish the upper Grande Ronde, because those are wild fish and the stocks are too low. And I dont fish for salmon anywhere in eastern Oregon. There are too few. John Appleton and his wife Anieta own Alpine Archery and Sport, La Grandes fishing shop. Wild salmon are very low in the upper Grande Ronde; steelhead are better but not good, Appleton told me. As for fishing, in all of northeast Oregon, Chinook fishing any more is really minimal, he continued. There is some hatchery-based coho fishing in the fall. Fall steelhead fishing, on hatchery stocks, attracts people, though that fishery too can be uncertain. Kyle Bratcher is district fish biologist for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. His district includes the lower Grande Ronde from the Wallowa River down, and the Imnaha River. In my territory, the salmon in most trouble are Wallowa/Lostine spring Chinook, and Imnaha spring Chinook, Bratcher said. Theyre not as bad as in the Tucannon, but its clear we need to do more for them. This Wallowa population was last estimated above 1,000 in 2014, its 2015-20 range is 189 to 750 (the Nez Perce and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reports should include more recent data), and it has 137 miles of habitat. Bratcher and Hesse confirmed the department and Nez Perce Tribe have begun discussion of interim safety net actions for Wallowa/Lostine Chinook. Decisions will not be simple. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Steelhead are depressed in my territory, far below recovery goals, but they are a bit more stable than salmon, Bratcher added. Steelhead can use more of our wilderness and inaccessible habitat. The fishing people I spoke with generally have more hope for steelhead in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha than for salmon. Steelhead range more, they can go up the small streams and creeks, to many more places, Kevin March said. I know a farmer who sees them in his little creek. Biologist Rick George, now retired from the Confederated Umatilla Tribes, lives in Troy, Oregon, on the lower Grande Ronde. The Umatilla Tribes are doing some excellent habitat restoration in the Upper Grande Ronde the McCoy Creek project, for example, he said. But I cant see much hope for salmon in the Grande Ronde with eight dams on the lower Snake and Columbia. Weve put billions into increasing salmon over several generations of salmon now. I dont see even a blip of recovery. The systems are pretty empty of salmon, and, without that ocean nutrient freight train, the rivers are more sterile. We have large rivers that look beautiful, but without salmon that is deceiving. Ive been on the Imnaha for 30 years, Joe McCormack told me. Watching the natural processes, what I see over those 30 years is less and less naturally spawning salmon and steelhead. Editors note: Part three of this four-part series will be published by the Idaho Capital Sun on Thursday. It will highlight the hope and the good work people are doing to restore endangered fish habitats in Northeast Oregon. A salon owner spent thousands on her business. Shes suing after Clayton County denied her a permit A Clayton County salon owner, Khalilah Few, is suing the county after her permit to open Creative Crown Collective was denied due to oversaturation of salons in the area. I really think that them not overturning it would change the trajectory of my life, Few told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln. Instead of planning a grand opening, Few is preparing for litigation. Few had invested nearly $40,000 in renovations for the salon space she purchased in March, only to have her permit denied by county commissioners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She claims that throughout the countys five-step process, there was no indication that her application might be rejected. I felt like devastation, heartbreak, Few said, expressing her shock at the decision. Her attorney, Jessica Bigbie from the Institute for Justice, argues that the countys decision violates Fews constitutional rights. During the commission meeting, it was explained that the denial was due to the location being in an area considered oversaturated with similar businesses. I asked questions, I asked what would be the reason some applications could be denied, Few said. She says she was shocked at the final hearing when a commissioner explained, Unfortunately, this is just in the wrong area, and weve got to begin to grow Clayton County smartly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A nearby shopping plaza reportedly has three salons and barber shops. Bigbie plans to file a preliminary injunction to allow Few to open her salon while the lawsuit is pending. We do anticipate filing a preliminary injunction, essentially asking the court to let Khalilah open her salon while this lawsuit is pending, she said. Bigbie says the property sits in a business overlay district where the county envisions a trendy, mixed-use hub. She criticized the countys decision, stating, What this boils down to is the government stepping in and picking winners and losers in business and thats not how the process should work. That power should belong to the customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Few presented evidence at the meeting showing her other salon location in McDonough earned over $600,000 in three years, along with letters from customers supporting her new venture. Lincoln reached out to the Clayton County Commissioners for comment but hasnt heard back from them. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania is partnering with U.S. Steel to collect donations for families affected by the Aug. 11 explosion at the Clairton Coke Works plant. Donations will be collected until Sept. 30 and then distributed to the immediate families of the deceased as well as those who suffered significant injuries and were or remain hospitalized. To make a donation, visit salvationarmywpa.org/steel or text steel to 31333. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement >>> Clairton community holds prayer vigil for steelworkers killed in explosion <<< Our hearts break for the families touched by this tragedy, said Major Marcus Jugenheimer, divisional commander of the Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania. While U.S. Steel is directly supporting those impacted, our communities have asked what they can do to help, said Heidi Chappell, head of community engagement. >>> Local businesses offer helping hand following U.S. Steel Clairton plant explosion <<< The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services was on the scene of the explosion, which killed two people and injured 10 others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff and volunteers provided water, food and other support to first responders, plant personnel and partner agencies. >>> Investigators release new details on what caused the US Steel Clairton Coke Works explosion <<< Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Two rallies were held in San Diego County on Tuesday against Assembly Bill 429, as parents and community members spoke out against the bill moving through the state legislature. Those for the bill argue it keeps immigrant children safe, while those against it say the bill does the opposite. Families First rally against Trump administration cuts No on AB 495. Its kidnapping, child trafficking behind a parents back, Marci Strange, a parent and chair of the Taxpayers Oversight for Parents and Students (TOPS), said while protesting outside the San Diego Unified School District Tuesday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill, referred to as the Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025, is intended to help children of immigrants in case they get separated from their parents during immigration enforcement, by expanding who can make decisions on behalf of the child. I think it might have good intentions but very disastrous affects, Strange added. It puts immigrant children at most risk, said Don Carson, the pastor at River Church of San Diego. Chula Vista protesters rally against ICE arrests of people with no prior criminal convictions Tuesday morning there was also a rally held in Lakeside where Lakeside School Board Member Andrew Hayes spoke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a slap in the face and tone deaf to the fact that parents have a right to make sure their kids are safe in school, Hayes said. He said he has plans for the district to get around the bill if it passes. Were going to implement new policy thats parallel so that if somebody presents this form, we have other paths to make sure that we release them, whether thats a verification photo ID, all of those things we can do, they are in our purview, and we will, Hayes added. Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez who introduced the bill said in a statement, AB 495 was developed in partnership with childrens and family law experts, and it does not allow strangers to claim guardianship over children without accountability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) New data released by a national group of law enforcement executives shows progress in reducing violent crime in San Diego. However, it also highlights some areas where continued efforts are needed. Homicide fell almost 30% from 15 to 11 in the first half of the year from a year prior, according to figures from the Major Cities Chiefs Association. Robbery also dropped by more than 15% from 566 to 478, aggravated assault stayed about the same from 2,130 to 2,141, while rape increased by around 5% from 160 to 169. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That lets us know where we need to focus our efforts and when those numbers swing again theres a multitude of reasons, said Lt. Travis Easter, Public Information Officer for the San Diego Police Department. San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan expressed similar sentiment and shared a few ideas about what could be driving the figures. Horton Plaza redevelopment faces yet another setback after failing to sell at auction In the past few years, weve had more economic stability. Weve had more school stability, said Stephan. She added that investment in police and improvements in technology also play a role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advances in DNA genealogy, cameras that are better at actual perfect identification, license plate readers, ring cameras, Stephan explained. The data also showed homicide, robbery, and rape are all down compared to pre-COVID levels in 2019 before crime jumped during the pandemic. San Diego is doing much better than some other big cities. In Dallas, its 66 murders. When you look at Philadelphia, thats 114 murders, said Stephan. She added that public safety depends not just on the work of law enforcement. We also have an amazing community with which we build trust, said Stephan. However, as immigration enforcement intensifies, that trust in police is taking a hit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SDPD is reminding people of its role in public safety. Our focus is on protecting and serving. Our focus is not on immigration. Reach out to us because we are here for those who need us, said Lt. Easter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) As of Tuesday, the projected path of Hurricane Erin showed it cruising well offshore past Virginia Beach. Sandbridge area residents told 10 On Your Side they are really not that concerned about the storm. Those visiting the area on vacation, however, said the rain may make them adjust their plans a little. The mighty waves of Erin are gradually getting larger crashing against the shoreline, populated by visitors and locals. Geographically speaking, the Outer Banks strand begins in Virginia with the 4.5 mile-long Sandbridge Beach. Known for its lush beaches and laid back vibes, those here are fitting said vibe. We spoke with a beach goer who is from the area and is very used to these storms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im watching it, but I think its going to be fine, said Stephen Sattie, who is from the area and is used to these storms. I think were going to get a thunderstorm basically. But Im not looking for high winds and major rain or flooding. Hopefully its far enough offshore. I think it will be fine. Ean Flick and his wife are here on a honeymoon and are already adjusting plans, like rescheduling their dolphin cruise. They said theyre still in standby, so we may not even go Friday, Flick said. But were still going to the indoor skydiving up in Virginia Beach. Emergency crews say tidal flooding is possible. Most residents up in those areas are used to tidal flooding like this, said city Director of Emergency Management David Topczynski. Theyve experienced it before. If anyone is concerned about their cars getting flooded in low laying areas, the city is opening up its Town Center garages for them. To anyone living nearby, they ask you keep your belongings secure. Virginia Beach emergency officials prepare for Erin Dont let their guard down, Topczynski said. Secure loose objects, bring in those lawn chairs, grills, garbage cans, toys and stuff like that in the yard. Have a net secured up so its not blowing into neighbors homes or vehicles. Evacuations are not in order, but they are asking neighbors to pay attention in case the path changes. Were not planning on evacuations right now, but were closely watching the forecast for any changes that occur, Topczynski said. High tide is expected Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) Across the globe, technology that is designed to generate solar energy could potentially be employed for yet another planet-saving enterprise: Asteroid detection. One scientist at Sandia National Labs has started to get the ball rolling on a theory using a large-scale mirror, and a bit of ingenuity and hope. Sitting just south of Albuquerque is a field of more than 200 large-scale mirrors. These heliostats focus the immense power of the sun on to a 200-foot tower, collecting as much as a million watts of power during the day, but at night, they dont have a job theyre just waiting for the sun to rise again. Sandia National Laboratories Scientist John Sandusky came up with the novel idea of employing these instruments after hours. They collect an enormous quantity of light at night, said Sandusky. If we could adapt these facilities to collect light from the night sky, I might be able to spot an asteroid. The advantage being that they collect much more light than an astronomical observatory would. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scientists and astronomers world wide all agree that early detection of an asteroid is key in preventing a disastrous collision with the earth. And Sanduskys idea is that Sandias sea of heliostats could add yet another tool in global detection. The approach that Im using, is not imaging, but instead it is looking for angular rate, said Sandusky. And how what I do is, sweep the helios stats back and forth against the stars as the goal being to, generate a repeating pattern that belongs to the stars, that becomes one tone and the photocurrent and, anything moving along the stars along the direction of the sweep will clear and slightly shifted frequency. Sandusky tested this idea using just one of Sandias heliostats. Over the course of the night, the heliostat would sweep the sky and deliver data points every 20 minutes. Unlike traditional observatories, whose telescopes gather light in 30 second intervals, the heliostat gathers what Sandusky says could be as little as a millionth of a billionth of a watt of the suns power reflected off a potential asteroid, and that exposure lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. It may emerge as its own kind of astronomical technique for finding objects that are not stars. One of the biggest advantages, should this theory pan out, is that heliostat formations are already being efforted across the globe for energy production. Giving tens of thousands of these devices a night job will help existing observatories that are already scanning the night skies for potential threats, and that could save billions of dollars in building costs of new observatories. However, Sandusky says were still years away from his idea becoming reality, and that there is no community doing this yet. Sandusky shared his data at a conference for the International Society of Optics and Photonics. According to him, the next step is to prove its efficacy with a known object in space. From there, the sky is literally the limit to the novel idea born at Sandia. The results of the early numerical computations were encouraging, and weve been through the scientific, peer review process to get our initial publications, said Sandusky. And now were looking for folks who are similarly interested to see just where this technology can go. There are a vast potential, is available for, thanks to the worlds, existing investment in, concentrated, sunlight for the electrical grid. And if we can find a way to use these things at night, even if it takes, many years to get the technique working well enough to contribute to astronomy and, show that it can stretch out and be the least expensive method for finding the dimmest, most distant, asteroids. Itll be worth the effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sandusky hasnt given a timeline on when more heliostats could be used for asteroid detection. But according to the publication Science Direct, more than 20 countries around the world are using heliostat farms as a solar power solution. About New Mexico Frontiers New Mexico is the doorway to the new frontier leading the way into the future of Aerospace, Bio-science, Renewable Energy, Digital Media and Film, Advanced Manufacturing, and so much more. Join us as Chad Brummett and New Mexico Frontiers profile the movers and shakers from our state who are changing the world. New Mexico Frontiers celebrates the enterprising spirit of the states businesses, scientists, creators, and entrepreneurs. Sponsored content disclaimer: The information and advice displayed in this story are those of individual sponsors and guests and not Nexstar Media Group, inc. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Santa Ana officials approved a deal Tuesday that will reimburse the city hundreds of thousands of dollars to perform maintenance services, including encampment, graffiti and trash removal along its major freeway ramps and underpasses. The Encampment Delegated Maintenance Agreement allows the city to perform the routine maintenance services over the next two years, while being reimbursed up to $400,000 by Caltrans, according to a news release. The EDMA deal authorizes ongoing maintenance on the following high-priority locations along the I-5 and SR-55 freeway corridors: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 17th Street and Penn Way on/off-ramps Buffalo Avenue and Main Street southbound off-ramp Santiago Creek Underpass at Broadway Grand Avenue on/off-Ramps and underpass East side of I-5 freeway Between Stafford and Mabury streets South side of I-5 freeway Between Logan Street and Lincoln Avenue Fourth Street northbound off-ramp Fourth Street southbound on/off-ramps Hesperian Street and Bristol Street on/off ramps and underpass Dyer Road on/off ramps and underpass MacArthur Boulevard southbound on-ramp The City of Santa Ana is committed to keeping our community safe, clean and welcoming for everyone, Mayor Valerie Amezcua said. Through this partnership with Caltrans, we can make sure our freeways and underpasses reflect the pride we have in our city while protecting public health and safety for residents, businesses and visitors alike. The estimated annual cost of the maintenance is $150,000, with the remaining balance available for the encampment removals or any additional cleanup efforts. Work will begin as soon as the agreement takes effect, the release stated. Residents and visitors were encouraged to use the mySantaAna app to report graffiti, debris and other issues near freeways or elsewhere in the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. SANTA ROSA, Calif. - The North Bay could play a major role in the Democrats' effort to take a seat away from a Republican, while keeping two seats they already have in their column, with Sonoma's County seat playing a pivotal role. Santa Rosa may soon have a different Congressional boundary around it. With 175,000 people, Santa Rosa could easily tip the scales with the decidedly conservative counties to the north, not at all happy about it. Of California's 52 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, 43 are held by Democrats; 9 by Republicans. What happens with a new CA map? If Governor Newsom and the Democrat-dominated legislature can win voter approval in November for a heavily gerrymandered redistricting map, the Congressional split could be 48 Democrats and just 4 Republicans, wiping out any Texas gains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a nutshell, for all five Congressional seats Democrats hope to take away from Republicans, the strategy is to draw boundaries that move strong Democratic populations into Republican ones to overwhelm the candidate, just as Texas is doing to Democrats. The city of Santa Rosa figures heavily onto the plan. By putting liberal Santa Rosa, which is currently split between the 2nd and 4th Congressional districts, into the currently Republican 1st Congressional District, the 1st District would shift towards Democrats. What they're saying Sonoma County Supervisor and former Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Coursey, prefers the existing redistricting commission. That said, we're also facing what I and a lot of people I talk to believe is an existential crisis for our democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Folks we met on Santa Rosa's Courthouse Square favor redistricting. "I do not trust Republicans. So, if he's trying through this to get Democrats in the government, I say absolutely, yes," said Santa Rosan Evan Koch. "Governor Newsom is doing it the right way. It should go before the voters. I don't think the Governor would be looking at this if it wasn't for what Texas is trying to pull off. They won't put it in front of the voters," said Santa Rosan Thomas Murphy. Some had reservations. "I just don't know that you should be doing that. This is a national situation and California's got its own issues," said Kevin Foster. "I think there would probably be a lot of support for it because there's a lot of fear right now, but long term, like a lot of things, I think it's a slippery slope," said Charlene Dunlap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're facing a choice between a slipper slope and of a cliff and the cliff is coming," said Supervisor Coursey. The U.S. Small Business Administration will host a tribal consultation on Sept. 17, 2025, at the Gun Lake Casino Resort in Wayland, Michigan. The session immediately follows the 2025 Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit, which will be held at the same facility on Sept. 1617. The consultation, led by Diane Cullo, assistant administrator for SBAs Office of Native American Affairs, is intended to gather input on how SBA programs are serving tribally owned businesses, according to a notice in the Federal Register. SBA is seeking feedback on access to capital through its 7(a), 504, and microloan programs; federal contracting opportunities; business counseling and technical assistance; and the impact of the federal Nonmanufacturer Rule, which governs certain supply contracts. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cullo will also be a featured presenter at the Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit. The summit is aimed at tribal leaders and enterprise executives from federally recognized tribes in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, though it is open to all. The Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit is hosted by our sister publication Tribal Business News. Speakers from the region and across Indian Country will address non-gaming economic development issues including capital access, federal contracting, cross-border trade, sustainable energy, and real estate and land development. Bryan Newland, the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs during the Biden administration, will provide the keynote address for the event. For more information about the summit or to register, visit: https://tribalbusinessnews.com/events/2025-great-lakes-tribal-economic-summit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About the Author: "Elyse Wild is Senior Health Editor for Native News Online, where she leads coverage of health equity issues including mental health, environmental health, maternal mortality, and the overdose crisis in Indian Country. Her award-winning journalism has appeared in The Guardian, McClatchy newspapers, and NPR affiliates. In 2024, she received the inaugural Excellence in Recovery Journalism Award for her solutions-focused reporting on addiction and recovery in Native communities. She is currently working on a Pulitzer Center-funded series exploring cultural approaches to addiction treatment." Contact: ewild@indiancountrymedia.com MSNBC host Joe Scarborough has some harsh words for both California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and the Republican Party. During Morning Joe early Wednesday, Scarborough offered advice for Democrats on how they can flip seats during the 2026 midterms. He urged the party to diffuse some hot-button issues, including immigration and transgender rights, that have been heavily scrutinized by the GOP and President Donald Trump. Instead, he argued that Democrats should turn to affordability as a focus. I agree with you on that, but youre only talking about that because you dont want people to talk about the price of their groceries. You dont want people to talk about the price of their health care. You dont want to talk about the fact that they cant pay their health insurance," Scarborough said of Republican lawmakers, adding that People cant afford to take care of their children. People cant afford to pay their rent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scarborough claimed that Republicans would much rather focus on the southern border than whats happening in your neighborhoods, pointing out that Americans in their 30s and 40s are struggling to make ends meet. What have Republicans done? Youre sending guys around in trench coats in New York City in the middle of summer. Youre attacking the [National Institutes of Health]. Youre attacking vaccines that President Trump actually was a champion of, Scarborough said. Youre trying to do everything to distract the American people from the fact that youre screwing up on job one, and job one is helping working Americans and helping the middle class afford their lives and build a life with their children [who] are going to live better than them. Thats the American dream, and you have done nothing but play politics," he continued. Scarborough then went on to take aim at Newsom, who he said wants to own Trump and act Trump-like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hey Gavin, talk into the camera, and talk about making life more affordable, not only for people in California, but if you want to talk about people in New Hampshire, or people in Iowa, or people in South Carolina, Scarborough said. They would like to know how their lives can be more affordable. Not how you can own Donald Trump. Donald Trump is not running again." Newsom, who has been floated as a 2028 presidential contender, has made headlines in recent weeks for pushing back against a Republican-led effort in Texas to maintain the partys slim majority in the House. In an uncommon move, GOP lawmakers in the Lone Star State unveiled a newly redrawn congressional district map that could add up to five safe seats a measure backed by Trump. It is expected to be signed into law, according to Texas officials, as Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to block a vote returned earlier this week. In response, Newsom announced last week that he will move forward with his own countermeasure, dubbed the Election Rigging Response Act, which would allow California to bypass its independent commission that has drawn district maps since 2010. He called for the plan, known as Proposition 50, to appear on the ballot during the states November special election. If passed, it would take effect if Texas ultimately enacts its proposal, and remain in place until the 2030 census. Meanwhile, a social media account tied to Newsoms press office has also created an uproar among Democrats and Republicans alike as it continues to mock Trump and the GOP. Many of the posts on X mimic the presidents Truth Social messages using insults, all-caps and unnecessary punctuation, as well as his popular sign-off line, Thank you for your attention to this matter! Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) -South Carolina is home to two federally endangered fish: the Atlantic sturgeon and the shortnose sturgeon. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is requesting public assistance to protect these species. A shortnose sturgeon belly flops on Kennebec River, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) If you see a stranded or dead sturgeon, they ask to report it via the SCDNR website. Each report allows scientists to collect valuable data, monitor the health of the species, track recovery efforts, and identify ongoing threats. The history of these species being fished in the Lowcountry highlights their population vulnerability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the mid to late 1800s, sturgeon were fished aggressively along the eastern U.S. coast for their eggs, which were turned into prized caviar. This was also known as the Black Gold Rush, according to SCDNR. The high demand led to widespread overfishing, where sturgeon were caught in massive numbers, stripped of their caviar, and discarded. SCDNR states that one of South Carolinas earliest fishing regulations was enacted to curb the impact of the practice. In the late 1800s, Georgetown Mayor William Doyle Morgan banned sturgeon butchering within three miles of city limits due to the volume of fish carcasses rotting along the riverbanks. Fishermen responded by moving operations to nearby North and South Islands, but the damage to sturgeon populations had already begun. By the early 1900s, sturgeon numbers were dwindling rapidly. Although caviar sales in Georgetown peaked in the 1970s, the industry soon collapsed. In 1985, South Carolina became one of the first East Coast states to shut down all sturgeon fishing to protect the species, according to SCDNR. Today, both Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon continue to face multiple threats, including habitat degradation and pollution, dams that block access to spawning grounds, bycatch from other fisheries, collisions with other boats, and warming waters, SCDNR states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Atlantic sturgeon is especially vulnerable due to its slow reproduction rate. Female sturgeon dont reach maturity until 10 to 19 years of age and may only spawn every two to five years, making population recovery a slow and fragile process. Some populations are showing modest signs of recovery, but others remain critically endangered. Thats where the public comes in. To report or learn more about this species, visit the SCDNR 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 WCBD News 2. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has created a legal defense fund as he prepares to fight an investigation into his Maryland home sparked by the Trump administration. President Trump has routinely fixed on the California senator, who investigated Russias 2016 election interference and served as the lead manager on Trumps first impeachment. Schiff was also a member of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Since taking office for the second time, Trump has repeatedly bashed Schiff and suggested he wrongly obtained more favorable lending conditions for his Washington-area home, a claim the lawmaker denies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its clear that Donald Trump and his MAGA allies will continue weaponizing the justice process to attack Senator Schiff for holding this corrupt administration accountable, said Marisol Samayoa, a spokesperson for Schiff, in a statement. This fund will ensure he can fight back against these baseless smears while continuing to do his job. Schiff has said the investigation, sparked by a criminal referral from the Federal Housing Finance Authority, is baseless. So the president today is accusing me of fraud. And the basis of his accusation is that I own a home in Maryland, and I own my home in California. Big surprise members of Congress, almost all of them, own more than one home or rent more than one home because were required to be on both coasts. So he is using my ownership of two homes to make a false claim of mortgage fraud, Schiff said in a July video when Trump first raised the charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schiffs office said his lender was aware he also owned a home in California, and that he considered both homes to be a principal residence. He has only claimed the homestead exemption in California. Former President Biden signed a preemptive pardon for Schiff and the other members of the Jan. 6 committee something Schiff said at the time was unwise. I continue to believe that the grant of pardons to a committee that undertook such important work to uphold the law was unnecessary, and because of the precedent it establishes, unwise, Schiff said in a statement. But I certainly understand why President Biden believed he needed to take this step in light of the persistent and baseless threats issued by Donald Trump and individuals who are now some of his law enforcement nominees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schiff has tapped Preet Bharara, a former U.S. attorney under former President Obama, to represent him in the matter. The Justice Department has appointed a special attorney to oversee the matter, Ed Martin, who was likewise named U.S. Pardon Attorney and the head of the newly formed Weaponization Working Group after the Senate failed to approve his nomination for a U.S. attorney post. In addition to Schiff, Martin is also investigating a mortgage taken out by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Mr. Martin is a January 6-defending lawyer who has repeatedly pursued baseless and politically-motivated investigations to fulfill demands to investigate and prosecute perceived enemies. Any supposed investigation led by him would be the very definition of weaponization of the justice process, Bharara said when the probe was first confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Longtime Trump political foe Democrat Sen. Adam Schiff for years has been accused of leaking classified documents long before the release of a "bombshell" whistleblower testimony claiming the California lawmaker approved leaking classified information in order to discredit the president during the Russiagate probe, Fox News Digital found. Schiff, who served in the U.S. House for more than two decades before securing his spot in the U.S. Senate in 2024, is facing heightened scrutiny following FBI Director Kash Patel declassifying claims from a Democrat whistleblower that Schiff approved the release of classified information on Trump that allegedly "would be used to indict President TRUMP," according to the report. The whistleblower, who reportedly had worked for Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee for more than 10 years, made the claims to the FBI in 2017. Schiff had access to classified information while serving on the House Intelligence Committee during his tenure in the lower chamber, including serving as its chair from 2019 to 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In this meeting, SCHIFF stated the group would leak classified information which was derogatory to President of the United States DONALD J. TRUMP. SCHIFF stated the information would be used to indict President TRUMP," according to the whistleblower documents. White House Reacts To Dem Whistleblowers Bombshell Claim Schiff Leaked To Hit Trump Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and President Donald Trump have been political foes stretching back years. The whistleblower "stated this would be illegal and, upon hearing his concerns, unnamed members of the meeting reassured that they would not be caught leaking classified information," the report added. Read On The Fox News App Schiff has denied the allegations, with his office telling Fox News Digital Aug. 12 that the allegations were "absolutely and categorically false." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this isn't the first time Schiff has been accused of leaking classified information to the public, with accusations following him since at least the first Trump administration. Fox News Digital took a look back at Schiff's political history in recent years and gathered the times he previously had been accused of leaking classified materials. The August declassified whistleblower accusations are "just the latest in a series of defamatory attacks from the President and his allies meant to distract from their plummeting poll numbers and the Epstein files scandal," a Schiff spokesperson told Fox Digital when approached for comment on the allegations, after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the whistleblower's account a "bombshell." Trump-foe Adam Schiff Dismisses Tulsi Gabbard's Declassified Russia Collusion Intelligence As 'Dishonest' "These baseless smears are based on allegations that were found to be not reliable, not credible, and unsubstantiated from a disgruntled former staffer who was fired by the House Intelligence Committee for cause in early 2017, including for harassment and potentially compromising activity on official travel for the Committee," the spokesperson continued. "Even Trumps own Justice Department and an independent inspector general found this individual to not be credible, have little support for their contentions and was of unknown reliability, and concluded that his accusations against Members of Congress and congressional staff were not ultimately substantiated." Sen. Adam Schiff has repeatedly slammed claims he leaked classified information, including in August when he slammed Democratic whistleblower claims of leaking as "baseless smears." Just days after former President Joe Biden was sworn in as president in January 2021, Trump's former acting director of national intelligence and U.S. ambassador from his first administration, Ric Grenell, took to X to list out "facts" regarding Schiff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Facts," a Jan. 22, 2021, post on X that is no longer available on the social media site read. The X post received media attention and was preserved in reports at the time, such as the Washington Examiner. He listed off: "Schiff wouldnt return my call to coordinate on DNI reforms. the reforms were asked for by career officials for years. Schiff complained when I appointed the 1st female head of counterterrorism (a career person). Schiff & team regularly leaked classified information." Grenell's message was in response to Schiff claiming in an interview with The Hill that Grennell and former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe under the first Trump administration "bent intelligence work products to the presidents will." Trump Invokes Russia Collusion Hoax While Calling For Longtime Foe Schiff To Face Jail Time Ric Grenell served as President Trump's acting director of national intelligence during his first term, and ambassador to Germany and as special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations. "The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, probably the most devastated of all of the agencies by terrible leadership of people like Rick Grenell and John Ratcliffe," Schiff said during a video interview at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fast-forward to 2023, former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who served under the first Trump administration, also accused Schiff of leaking classified docs. "Adam Schiff lied to the American people, and during my time as CIA director and secretary of State, I know that he leaked classified information that had been provided to him," Pompeo said in January 2023 during a Fox News interview. Pompeo continued that he "held back" sharing information with the House Intelligence Committee due to not feeling "comfortable" when Schiff led the panel. A representative for Pompeo told Fox Digital in August that the former Trump official stands by his 2023 comments on Schiff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schiff's office slammed Pompeo's remarks at the time as "another patently false and defamatory statement." Mike Pompeo served at different times as President Trump's CIA director and secretary of the State Department during the president's first term in office. Trump had also accused Schiff of leaking classified documents under his first administration, claiming in 2018, he was the "one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington." "Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" Trump wrote in one X thread at the time. Schiff shot back at the time that Trump's X post was a "false smear." "Mr. President, I see youve had a busy morning of Executive Time. Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or... really anything else," Schiff responded to Trump in February 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Trump railed against the alleged leaks during his first term, reports spread that the Department of Justice subpoenaed Apple for account data of House Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, including Schiff, between 2017 and 2018. The DOJ, which was led by Jeff Sessions at the time, was searching for individuals who leaked to the media about Trump's alleged ties to Russia. The investigation dragged, including after Bill Barr was tapped as Trump's attorney general in 2019 through the end of Trump's first term, the New York Times reported in 2021, citing sources familiar with the investigation. The Justice Department's internal watchdog, under the Biden administration, opened an investigation into the subpoenas and published a report in 2024 that found the Trump DOJ did not comply with established procedures when it sought the records. "We are glad that the Department of Justice Inspector General conducted a thorough investigation, and that the Inspector General has recommended safeguards to further protect the media, and to safeguard the separation of powers," a spokesperson for Schiff said following the release of the report, according to Reuters in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the 2020 campaign heated up, Trump continued accusing Schiff and other House Democrats of leaking, with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence at the time scaling back its security briefings with Congress that year as high-profile Democrats promoted concerns that Russia was interfering in that election. "Director Ratcliffe brought information into the committee, and the information leaked," Trump said in August 2020. "Whether it was Shifty Schiff or somebody else, they leaked the information. And whats even worse, they leaked the wrong information. And he got tired of it. So he wants to do it in a different forum, because you have leakers on the committee." Schiff denied leaking any classified intelligence in 2020, but said he could not confirm the same for other House Democrats. "I havent. My staff hasnt. I cant speak for what all the members of the committee have done or not done, including a lot of the Republican members," Schiff told CNNs Dana Bash in 2020, following Trump claiming "Shifty Schiff" may have been behind another leak of intelligence given to the House Intelligence Committee at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration continued its laser-focused hunt to identify and suss out internal federal government leakers during the second administration, with a White House official telling Axios in June, "We are declaring a war on leakers." The comment came in response to a leak of an internal assessment of the Trump administration's bombing of a trio of Iranian nuclear facilities that claimed the strikes were not as effective as the president said. Federal agencies such as the FBI, Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security have leveraged using polygraph tests on staffers suspected of leaking information under the second Trump administration. Trump and Schiff have long been political foes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was underscored during Trump's first administration when Schiff served as the lead House manager during the first impeachment trial against Trump in 2020. It also was highlighted when Schiff repeatedly promoted claims that Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia . Federal Housing Official Submitted Schiff Criminal Referral To Doj Over Mortgage Documents Schiff landed in hot water earlier this spring, when the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sent a letter to the Department of Justice in May sounding the alarm that in "multiple instances," Schiff allegedly "falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003-2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property." He is currently under criminal investigation for mortgage fraud, Fox Digital previously reported. The California Democrat has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the matter is a "baseless attempt at political retribution." Days after Trump first posted about Schiff's mortgages in Maryland and California in July, the president's director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, declassified documents that reportedly show "overwhelming evidence" that then-President Barack Obama and his national security team allegedly laid the groundwork for what would be the yearslong Trump Russia collusion probe after Trump's election win against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. "It lays out, these over 100 documents that you're referencing, that I declassified and released, spells out in great detail exactly what happens when you have some of the most powerful people in our country directly leading at the helm, President Obama and his senior-most national security cabinet, James Comey, John Brennan, James Clapper and Susan Rice and others, essentially making a very intentional decision to create this manufactured, politicized piece of intelligence with the objective of subverting the will of the American people," Gabbard told Fox News' Sean Hannity in July following the release. Schiff was an incredibly vocal lawmaker amid the Russian collusion claims, most notably when the House censured him in 2023 over his promotion that Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia. Schiff served in the House representing California from 2001 to 2024, when he was sworn in as a senator after his successful 2024 campaign to serve in the nation's upper chamber. Schiff also served on the Jan. 6 select committee, which investigated the breach of the Capitol building in 2021 by Trump supporters following then-President Joe Biden's election win. At the 11th hour of Biden's tenure on Jan. 20, Schiff was among lawmakers who served on the committee who were granted preemptive pardons. The subcommittee concluded Trump's actions played a key role in promoting the breach of the Capitol and recommended Trump be criminally prosecuted. Trump Accuses 'Scam Artist' Schiff Of Lying About Maryland Home To Commit Mortgage Fraud Biden specifically granted preemptive pardons to "Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee." Schiff, however, had publicly railed against the prospect of Biden doling out preemptive pardons, saying it would set a poor precedent. "First, those of us on the committee are very proud of the work we did. We were doing vital quintessential oversight of a violent attack on the Capitol," Schiff said during an interview on ABC News in December 2024. "So I think its unnecessary." "But second, the precedent of giving blanket pardons, preemptive blanket pardons on the way out of an administration, I think is a precedent we dont want to set," he added. Charges stemming from the Jan. 6 case were dismissed following Trump's decisive win in the 2024 presidential election against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The White House responded to the whistleblower's declassified testimony claiming Schiff approved the release of classified information to damage Trump, and doubled down on Trump's stance that Schiff be "held accountable for the countless lies he told the American people in relation to the Russiagate scandal." "This is obviously a bombshell whistleblower report," Leavitt said at a Tuesday White House press briefing. "Hopefully more people in this room will cover it as such." "I understand Kash Patel, last night, declassified a 302 FBI document showing that a whistleblower, who is a Democrat, a career intelligence officer who worked for Democrats on the House Intel Committee for more than a decade, repeatedly warned the FBI in 2017 that then-Rep. Adam Schiff had approved leaking classified information to smear then-President Donald Trump over the Russiagate scandal," Leavitt said. In August, a representative for Schiff confirmed a legal defense fund was established for the senator in response to Trump and his allies. "Its clear that Donald Trump and his MAGA allies will continue weaponizing the justice process to attack Sen. Schiff for holding this corrupt administration accountable," Marisol Samayoa, a spokesperson for Schiff, told Fox News Digital Tuesday evening of the legal fund. "This fund will ensure he can fight back against these baseless smears while continuing to do his job." Titled "Senator Schiff Legal Defense Fund," the fund was filed with the Internal Revenue Service Thursday, The New York Times first reported. White House spokesman Harrison Fields called Schiff a "fraud" and "corrupt politician" when approached for comment Tuesday regarding the legal fund. "Adam Schiff is a sleazy and corrupt politician who betrayed his oath to the Constitution by prioritizing his selfish and personal animosity toward the president over the interests of the American people," Fields told Fox News Digital. "No amount of money can shield Adam from the truth that he is a fraud." Fox News Digital reached out to Schiff for additional comment on the matter but did not immediately receive a reply. Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis contributed to this report. Original article source: New Schiff leak claim from whistleblower echoes years of similar accusations CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Wednesday was a big day at Charlotte Preparatory School. Students are back in class, and for the first time in two years, theyre learning inside a brand-new lower school building. The original building was destroyed by a fire in June 2023. Since then, students and teachers have been using modular classrooms. But on Wednesday, excitement was in the air as the school community moved into a modern, two-story facility with 11 large classrooms designed for students in kindergarten through 4th grade. MORE: Charlotte Preparatory School holds ribbon cutting two years after fire destroyed building Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $13 million project, funded through a successful capital campaign, more than doubles the size of the previous school. Head of School Todd Ballaban called it a symbol of resilience and positivity after a challenging time. Charlotte Prep isnt the only school kicking off the year on Wednesday. The Mountain District of Avery County and several private schools in the Queen City, including Charlotte Catholic, also welcomed students back Wednesday morning. Public school districts like Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Union County start next week. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Artificial intelligence is making its way into classrooms across the country, but how it's being used, and whether it's embraced or restricted, depends largely on the district. Some school districts are focused on preventing students from using AI to do school work for them, while others are leaning into AI as a way to prepare students for a changing workforce. But nearly all are asking the same question: How do we integrate AI without compromising learning or trust? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, in April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create new educational and workforce development opportunities for America's youth, establishing the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education, which is responsible for implementing and promoting "the appropriate integration of AI into education, providing comprehensive AI training for educators, and fostering early exposure to AI concepts and technology to develop an AI-ready workforce and the next generation of American AI innovators," according to a White House fact sheet. Over the summer, the U.S. Department of Education weighed in on the matter, confirming in a letter that federal education funds can be used to support AI initiatives, including developing or purchasing instructional tools that adapt to learners in real time, or expanding access to personalized learning materials, so long as those uses follow existing laws and regulations. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has also proposed prioritizing grants to AI-focused initiatives. "Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize education," McMahon said in a statement in July, adding that responsible use requires parent and teacher engagement, ethical safeguards and a focus on individualized learning. One district takes a structured, all-in approach In Hancock Place School District in St. Louis, Missouri, which includes nearly 1,300 children, AI isn't just allowed, it's part of a formal plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have a formal, board-approved AI policy along with a comprehensive AI Use Plan," Michelle Dirksen, the district's director of technology, told ABC News. Klaus Vedfelt/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images - PHOTO: Stock photo of students in a school hallway. The district has vetted tools like Brisk, a Chrome and Edge extension that helps teachers with curriculum, feedback, and differentiation, and Snorkl, an app that uses AI to give students feedback on their thinking, and has appointed an AI coordinator to oversee implementation. This summer, Hancock Place hosted the first AI Educator Summit in the St. Louis region, drawing more than 160 educators from 16 districts, according to Dirksen. "They're already using AI creatively for feedback, writing support, engagement and differentiation," Dirksen said. "While some are still building confidence, we're committed to providing the training and resources they need." School superintendent says AI is helping close the achievement gap For Tom Colabufo, superintendent of the Central Square School District in New York, which serves 3,600 students, AI has become essential to closing the post-pandemic achievement gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Since COVID-19, the gap between high-performing students and struggling learners has widened more than ever before," he told ABC News. Colabufo explained that AI helps teachers plan lessons aligned to state standards while differentiating for advanced students and those who need more support, including Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs, and accommodations for students with disabilities. "What once took hours of manual planning can now be accomplished in minutes," he said. "AI can also analyze student work through secure, compliant platforms, offering instant feedback and targeted intervention strategies." Jacob Wackerhausen/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images - PHOTO: Stock photo of kids in a classroom. Colabufo was quick to push back on the idea that using AI is "cheating" when it comes to teaching. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We care less about where teachers source their lesson materials from and more about student engagement, learning outcomes and classroom experience," he said. "AI enhances all of those elements." When it comes to students, Colabufo said he believes the key is rethinking assessment. "Plagiarism existed long before AI. What matters now is creating authentic, in-class assessments that reflect students' true capabilities," he said, noting that his district uses monitoring tools to ensure academic integrity. Colabufo also pointed out that AI can be a lifeline for students struggling to grasp certain concepts. He shared the example of his own son, who used ChatGPT to get step-by-step math help. "That's not cheating, it's maximizing resources," he said. Experts call for proactive policies to guide responsible use With the federal government now signaling that AI can be funded through existing education grants, the path forward is clearer, but not every district is ready to take it. Some school districts remain cautious, creating task forces or waiting for more concrete guardrails before committing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Karle Delo, an AI strategist at Michigan Virtual, a nonprofit provider of online courses for educators and students, says resistance often comes from not fully understanding the technology, and that's where schools can take a leadership role. 10'000 Hours/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images - PHOTO: Stock photo of a classroom. "When I work with districts, we start by creating an AI task force or work group," Delo told ABC News. "That leads to guidance that addresses concerns like academic integrity, cheating and misinformation. If we just ignore it, those problems continue. But if we're proactive, we can control the narrative and guide students to use the technology responsibly." She added that the same principle applies to individual teachers. "If you understand how to use the technology yourself, you're going to be much more prepared for conversations with students about it," she said. "I'm not here to push AI, but let's be informed about it and come to it from an educated place." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That emphasis on balance and responsibility is echoed in a 2024 National Education Association task force report, which stressed that while AI can be powerful, authentic teacher-student relationships must remain at the center of learning. The report warned against reducing that idea to "keeping humans in the loop," arguing that what matters most is trust, connection and student well-being, something no algorithm can replace. Whatever the case, educators and leaders seem to agree that ignoring AI won't make it go away -- it's already here. "You don't have to go to ChatGPT anymore to interact with AI," Delo told ABC News. "It's coming to us, and it's a skill that's increasingly valued in the workplace." Okay High School hallways are filled with more chatter this year, high school Principal Chad Clark said. Students at Okay and across Oklahoma are must keep their cell phones out of sight from the morning bell to the afternoon bell. The statewide ban on school cell phone use, which took effect in May, prohibits students from using cell phones or personal electronic devices "from bell to bell." The prohibition covers not only cell phones but also smart watches and smart glasses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark said the policy has been "nothing but a great change." "All the kids are loving it, the teachers are really loving it," Clark said. "The kids are more engaged, they're laughing, talking walking down the halls, they seem like they're in better moods." Hilldale superintendent Erik Puckett said he hasn't heard much feedback. "I am sure we have students and parents who don't like it," Puckett said. "For the most part, our people do what you expect them to do and our people have known that law." Puckett said he wants teachers focused on learning, not monitoring cell phone use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Yes, this law is important, but we also don't want to be the cell phone police," Puckett said. "We want devices put way so it enables learning, but we have way more important things to do than walking around, looking for kids' cell phones." Puckett said he expects the ban to be more of an adjustment for the parents. "They're used to reaching out to their kids more often," he said, adding that parents can still email their children through the school-issued Chromebooks. Muskogee High School band members face a unique situation with cell phones. They use a cell phone app that has patterns for their marching routine. When the morning bell rings at 8:30, Band Director Mike Sisco announces band members must put their phones away until 3:30 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fort Gibson High School Principal Ben Pemberton said students were already conditioned by the school's previous policy, prohibiting cell phone use during class. "Carrying that into passing periods and lunch has made that pretty smooth," Pemberton said. Braggs Superintendent Clayton Vaughn also sees improved communication. "Our kids have been compliant; our parents haven't had a problem," he said, adding that students seem to talk more during lunch. Warner School Superintendent David Vinson said that district has had an all-day cell phone prohibition for the past 13 years. He said Warner Schools received Cs on the State Report Card in 2012, but As on each State Report Card since 2019. A recent study conducted across primates of Africa and Asia revealed that human patterns may be more damaging to great ape species than we previously believed. Activities such as urbanization, industrialization, and even agriculture tend to infringe upon animal habitats, complicating the relationship between humans and wildlife. What's happening? While great apes have traditionally proven resilient and adaptive to human activities, new research published in the Primates journal at Kyoto University suggests that their adaptivity may come at a cost in the long run. In order to cope with human disruptions, great apes have begun to adjust their nesting patterns, forage for human crops, and even use manmade pathways as roads for their own travel. Many of these evolved behaviors bring them into human proximity, according to Mongabay, causing higher levels of stress for these apes. Advertisement Advertisement "Analysis revealed that under many contexts changing great ape behaviour is putting strain on the human-ape relationship," wrote the study's co-authors, "resulting in injury, harassment, and even the killing of apes." The humans that overtake their natural habitats often continue to see apes as threats to their communities and crops, Mongabay reported. As a result, the apes that survive human encounters may be forced to relocate to environments to which they are less suited. Why is great ape preservation important? All seven great ape species are endangered or critically endangered, meaning any threat to their survival or well-being could prove catastrophic to these species as a whole. Although an animal's ability to adapt to its environment is typically a good sign, many of the apes' evolved responses are putting them in a new, human-facing kind of danger. Great apes are keystone species that is, fundamental to their tropical ecosystems and act as pollinators. Certain ecosystems, per EarthDay, are "wholly dependent on the role that apes play in spreading seeds through their fecal matter." Advertisement Advertisement While their crop-foraging behaviors on land overtaken by humans might suggest that they pose a threat to our crops, their pollination habits are actually critical to the growth of new plants, securing human food supply across Africa and Asia. Should great apes go extinct, their immediate ecosystems won't be the only regions to suffer. Directly or indirectly, we all rely on their pollination. Forests lush with biodiversity are natural carbon sinks: our best defense against rising global temperatures, declared the UN. What's being done to protect great apes? Wildlife sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers worldwide are working to protect the ape species in their custody, and the establishment of poaching laws and protected territories keep certain regions safe. Still, as human settlements expand, our local activities continue to disrupt great ape habitats. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Miranda Gilbert, co-author of the great ape study, stressed to Mongabay "the importance of tailoring conservation goals to fit local contexts." We can make greater strides in ape conservation, she argues, by paying attention to the unique needs of each region's human-wildlife relationship. 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. Coral reefs are not simply points of biodiversity they are hotspots for tourists, divers, and swimmers. However, a problem has reached the boiling point off the northwestern coast of Australia. What's happening? The BBC reported that the second-largest coral reef in the country has been hit with a devastating heat wave. The extreme warming has stressed the corals, making them lose their vibrant colors and turn white in a phenomenon known as bleaching. The Ningaloo Reef in 2024 was spared from coral bleaching, unlike its counterpart on the eastern coast of the country, the Great Barrier Reef, which experienced a severe bleaching event. However, upon the peak of summer around the new year, temperatures soared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the BBC, this is all a part of the fourth global bleaching event, which has affected more than 80% of coral reefs in the world. "It's like a raging underwater bushfire that has persisted for months now, wreaking harm right along the coast," said Paul Gamblin, head of the Australian Marine Conservation Society. "It's an absolutely devastating event and people are reeling from it. It's enormous. It's unprecedented. It's absolutely not normal." Why is coral bleaching important? Ningaloo is the world's largest fringing reef, spreading hundreds of miles along the coast. It is a huge source of income for local communities considering it is a favorite among tourists, attracting more than 200,000 visitors a year, according to the BBC. Coral is not just beautiful to look at it serves a purpose. In addition to providing a safe space for biodiversity to thrive, reefs help protect land from waves and extreme weather events. If the coral is unable to be saved, those who live on and visit the coast will be at risk from storm surges during evermore common extreme weather events. What's being done about coral bleaching? Experts from the University of Queensland are mapping Ningaloo, diving to the reef to take close-up photos of the coral to link with satellite images. This way, researchers and scientists can better track the reef's health, per the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, Kate Quigley, principal research scientist at Minderoo Foundation, and her team have been selectively breeding corals to discover which types are the most heat-resistant the goal being to place these heat-resistant corals in the reef to improve its health. Individuals can help protect reefs by protecting the planet. You can reduce your carbon footprint by driving less in favor of public transportation, being mindful of your air conditioner's run time, and urging publicly elected officials to prioritize reef health in their consideration of fossil fuel regulations. Many places across the globe are experiencing drought-like conditions, some more severe than others, and the Amazon experienced one of the most severe. According to Mongabay, a UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center report showed that the drought of 2023-2024 is having detrimental effects on the Amazon Basin and harming the Amazonian people. What's happening? The residents of the community faced drinking water shortages, wildfires, impeded transportation, and aquatic wildlife deaths. It left the Indigenous people cut off because they depended on the waterways for transportation. The consequences were negative health impacts and food insecurity. In 2023, 8.1 million acres of the Amazon's surface water in Brazil were lost. Nine Amazonian countries experienced the lowest rainfall in 40 years, accompanied by extreme heat. Scientists blame El Nino and rising temperatures for the severe drought. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, researchers believe a mass fish die-off in the Amazon River was also due to the drought. About 22-33 tons of talking catfish, red-bellied pacu, and pirarucu died. The dead fish also contaminated the water. Dead fish were spotted in a waterway that connects with the Amazon River, called the Aramanai Channel. This waterway is home to hundreds of families who rely on it for fishing. Why is the Amazon's drought concerning? UNCCD program officer and drought expert Daniel Tsegai said, "We are witnessing droughts that are more widespread, more frequent and more intense." He added, "The fact that not even rainforests are spared from this emerging trend is of great concern and should be taken seriously to prevent human suffering, ecosystem destruction, and economic loss." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tech investor and journalist Molly Wood explained that extreme weather events such as droughts and heat waves were already going to happen, but the warmer temperatures are intensifying them. The warming temperatures are like "steroids for weather." Additionally, droughts can also have a detrimental effect on crops, as is the case in Ethiopia, which has had five consecutive droughts during the rainy season. The residents of the country rely on livestock and crops for food. Food prices have increased, making it difficult for people to afford them. What's being done about droughts? Scientists are exploring one way to help more plants survive droughts. Japan's RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science found that soaking plants in ethanol helped the plants withstand drought-like conditions. The researchers had two groups of plants: one treated with ethanol and the other with just water. After two weeks of no water, they watered the plants, and 75% of the ethanol-treated plants survived. Only 5% of the other plants did. Ethanol closes the pores on the plants, which helps them retain moisture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It doesn't solve water shortages or economic losses, but it could help wildlife. According to Mongabay, "Tsegai said solutions to anticipate, prepare for and adapt to drought must be tailored to local contexts and undertaken as part of a government-wide and society-wide approach to build resilience." Solving droughts and their consequences is a complex problem, which is why it is vital to explore critical climate issues to better understand how to combat them. 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. FIRST ON FOX: More than 550 arrests have been made in the nation's capital amid President Donald Trump's crime crackdown that began earlier in August, including officials recovering illegal firearms and removing drugs from the streets, photos shared with Fox News Digital show. Local police and federal law enforcement officers in the city have made more than 550 arrests since Aug. 7, including the apprehensions of three known gangbangers, one of whom was an MS-13 member, according to White House data provided Wednesday to Fox News Digital. "Thanks to President Trumps bold actions to Make DC Safe Again, more than 550 dangerous criminals have been removed from the streets of our nations capital," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital Wednesday of the arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While the Fake News tried to sell a lie that D.C. was safe, these arrests reveal the truth," she continued. "Hundreds of violent criminals have been arrested by federal law enforcement agents for carrying illegal weapons, distributing deadly drugs, committing armed robbery, and having ties to dangerous gangs like MS-13. President Trump is making DC safe again by enforcing the law and everyday Americans support his commonsense, tough-on-crime policies." Ms-13 Gang Member Arrested In Dc As Bondi Touts Admin's 'Extraordinary' Crime Crackdown Tuesday evening's sweep of the city included 91 arrests, Fox News Digital learned, including 25 arrests of illegal aliens. Many of the illegal aliens arrested had prior criminal histories, according to the White House, including multiple illegal reentries, and a threat to kidnap or injure a person, destruction of property, burglary, possession of drugs and driving while intoxicated. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 68 Dc Suspects Arrested In Single Night As White House Touts Trump's Push To 'Clean Up' Capital City The White House exclusively shared photos of items recovered during the Tuesday arrests, which included a backpack teeming with baggies of confirmed illegal substances, handguns and a knife. The White House told Fox News Digital that law enforcement has removed substances stretching from marijuana, cocaine, meth and fentanyl from D.C. streets since the crime crackdown began Aug. 7. All in, law enforcement recovered eight illegal firearms Tuesday evening, and made arrests for crimes such as an assault on a police officer, armed robbery, carrying a pistol without license, assault with deadly weapon, driving under the influence and for outstanding arrest warrants related to "Child Abuse (Death)" and involuntary manslaughter charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds Arrested As Trumps Washington, Dc, Crime Crackdown Hits Full Stride A total of 48 homeless encampments across the city have been removed as of Wednesday, Fox News Digital learned. Trump federalized the Washington, D.C. police department Aug. 11 amid a trend of high-profile attacks and killings in the city following the wild crime trends that erupted in the U.S.' notoriously bloody year of 2020. The more than 550 arrests are part of Trumps March executive order, which established the Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, ahead of the president federalizing the city in August. White House Launches Federal Security Blitz As President Vows To End Dc 'Crime Plague' Federal law enforcement and the local D.C. police have made hundreds of arrests in Washington, since Aug. 7, Fox News Digital learned. Hundreds of National Guard members, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department and personnel from federal agencies, such as the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Capitol Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, have taken to the streets of D.C. to conduct sweeps and root out crime. The National Guard is not making arrests, but is assisting law enforcement with deterring crime and protecting the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were more than 1,950 law enforcement officials who took part in Tuesday night's sweeps and arrests, Fox News Digital learned. The crackdown is anticipated to continue heating up, including the U.S. Marshals Service offering $500 rewards to individuals who are able to provide tips that lead to arrests. Democrats have slammed Trump over the federalization of the city's police department, claiming crime data show violence is trending downward. The Metropolitan Police Department's crime data is currently under Department of Justice investigation in response to claims the force manipulated the data to produce more favorable crime trends in recent months, Fox News reported Tuesday. Scoop: Trump's Newest Dc Crime Crackdown Yields More Than 100 Arrests Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump had threatened to federalize the D.C. police department in the weeks leading up to his final decision, citing a handful of high-profile crimes that have rocked the city, including the fatal shooting of 21-year-old congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym in June; the fatal shooting of a pair of Israeli embassy staffers in May; and a brutal attack on a former Department of Government Efficiency staffer earlier in August. Trump championed the crime crackdown in a press conference Aug. 11, when he first announced he would federalize the local police department under section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which allows the president to assume emergency control of the capital's police force for 30 days. "Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people," Trump said Aug. 11. "And we're not going to let it happen anymore. We're not going to take it." Original article source: SCOOP: White House touts guns and drug haul removed from DC streets as Trumps crime blitz nets 550 arrests SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) The City of Scranton announced plans to demolish multiple blighted properties throughout the late summer and fall. Mayor Paige Cognettis office released a list of planned demolitions on Tuesday. With these demolitions, we are nearing 100 properties taken down during our administration to help increase property values through the city and eliminate dangerous structures, Mayor Cognetti said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The properties include: 231-233 Harrison Avenue 306 Beddoe Court 812 Rear Hampton Street 1848 Clearview Street 524 and 524 Rear Gibbons Street 402 Theodore Street, including a garage 1109 Poplar Street AGs across states urge ban on deadly drug called designer Xanax The demolitions will be completed using Community Development Block Grant funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Brdaric Excavating was awarded the demolition contracts for the blighted properties, which total $151,300. Brdaric will also demolish a blighted property at 630 Clay Avenue using $49,000 in city funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City of Scranton said it also plans to announce more property demolitions this year. A bid to demolish 110 Marion Avenue using city funds will open on Thursday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to 28/22 News. [Source] An Amazon software engineer was released Aug. 8 after prosecutors dropped his murder and arson charges, with his attorneys suggesting police made a rushed and racist misidentification as they could not distinguish between Asian people. What happened: Letian Shi, 25, was taken into custody July 10 in connection with a fatal June 4 house fire that claimed the life of 72-year-old Susan Lisette Klee in Seattles Wallingford neighborhood, where she lived alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators linked Shi to the case after discovering a Dicks Drive-In bag at a nearby trash fire at Sun Bear Park and tracking a MasterCard purchase of two deluxe cheeseburgers to Shi Letian, then reversing the name to locate Letian Shi. However, detectives found no MasterCard when they searched Shis residence, while fingerprints from the bag and a vehicle failed to match his. The Chinese national, who moved to Seattle more than two years ago, said cell phone records showed him at home when the fire occurred and that the credit card belonged to Shi Leitan, not Letian Shi. Maintaining innocence: Defense attorneys Brooks de Peyster and Rebecca Bradlow reportedly filed court documents showing side-by-side photos of Shi and the Dicks suspect, highlighting different hairlines, chin shapes and nose widths evidence they claim was excluded from the probable cause statement. Trending on NextShark: Seattle engineer freed after month in jail over 'racist misidentification' This experience has deeply wounded Mr. Shi. His lack of trust in the criminal legal system has robbed him of his sense of safety, haunted by the fear that he will be taken yet again from his community without reason, his lawyers said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why this matters: The case highlights troubling patterns in criminal misidentification, particularly affecting Asian Americans when investigators struggle to distinguish between individuals of the same ethnicity. Shis attorneys argued that prosecutors ignored evidence that could have cleared him and failed to demand a thorough investigation before filing charges that threatened his job and immigration status as a lawful U.S. resident. Police eventually acknowledged that they arrested an innocent man, with the real suspect remaining at large and potentially dangerous. Meanwhile, multiple suspicious fires have continued in Seattle, suggesting the actual arsonist remains active. Trending on NextShark: Over 100 Southeast Asian immigrants deported in recent operations Anyone with information on the true arsonist is urged to contact the Seattle Police Departments Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Taiwan warns citizens against Chinas WWII events over 'distorted' history Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski with her 5-year-old son in her arms officially launched her bid for lieutenant governor on Wednesday. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner) Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski launched her bid for lieutenant governor on Wednesday passing on running for governor and becoming the first to enter the field for the position. At the Madison Labor Temple, Godlewski was joined by her 5-year-old son, Hartley, who from the podium shyly told people to vote for his mom, and her parents, who she said gave her advice that has led to her decision to run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you see something wrong, youve got to stand up and youve got to do something is what has guided me my entire life, Godlewski said. Whether it is my career where I started in national security to working in local government to supporting small businesses to eventually running the constitutional amendment to save our state treasurers office and now serving statewide, to me, this has always come down to one thing, which is how I can make the biggest difference in Wisconsin. Godlewski has served in her current office since March 2023. She was appointed by Gov. Tony Evers to fill a vacancy left when former-Secretary of State Doug La Follette, who had served in the position since 1983, abruptly stepped down less than three months into his term. The position in Wisconsin has been diminished over the years, in part because Republican lawmakers took away its responsibilities and in part because the office lacked resources, though Godlewski has worked to modernize its operations. Godlewski previously served as state Treasurer from 2019 to 2022, running for the office just a couple of months after leading a successful campaign to urge voters to reject a Republican ballot measure that would have eliminated the position from the state constitution. When she won the election for Treasurer in 2018, she flipped nine counties in Wisconsin that voted for Trump in 2016 something that she noted Wednesday in making the case for her candidacy. She didnt run for reelection in 2022 because she ran in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate that year, withdrawing before the August primary election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If elected, the lieutenant governors office would be her third statewide position in Wisconsin. Godlewski said her sisters jokingly asked whether she was going for a record when she told them about her campaign. All kidding aside, Im not running for this office because I need another title, Godlewski said. Im running for this office because I want to be a part of the team thats not only going to win but is actually going to deliver for the state of Wisconsin. Former Democratic Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, the first female to hold the office in Wisconsin, and several Democratic state legislators were also at the announcement. Godlewski said she has endorsements from Lawton and 27 of state lawmakers about 54% of the Democrats in the state Legislature. Former Democratic Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, the first female to hold the office in Wisconsin, and several Democratic state legislators, including state Rep. Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire), at the podium, were also at Sec. of State Sarah Godlewskis announcement. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner) Rep. Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) called Godlewski Eau Claires favorite daughter, saying she knows how to build coalitions and bring people together across communities and even across partisan divides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When she sees a problem, she rolls up her sleeves and she digs in and she talks to people who need to get it fixed, from saving the treasurers office to revitalizing the treasurers office and the Secretary Secretary of States office to managing a $1.4 billion dollar trust fund to invest in our communities, Emerson said a reference to the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which Godlewski has served on both as state treasurer and secretary of state. Godlewski has said she has heard from people across the state who are struggling financially to afford their homes, health care and other expenses. Theyre fed up that workers who are critical to our community, like EMT workers and nurses and teachers, cant even afford a home in the communities that they serve, while theyre watching these billionaires get tax write-offs for their second and third vacation home, Godlewski said. Theyre fed up that corporations are cashing in on some of the largest tax breaks in our history, and families are getting the scraps. She said she wants to help find solutions for those issues, but cant work on them as secretary of state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Godlewski criticized Republicans and said Wisconsinites deserve better leadership. In Madison this year alone, weve seen how Republicans have had an opportunity to expand Medicaid to 90,000 more Wisconsinites. They said no. Republicans had an opportunity to expand postpartum care for new moms. They said no. The Republicans had an opportunity to invest in our kids future by supporting and funding public schools. They said, no. But when it comes to giving tax write-offs for corporations and perks to the well-connected, they said yes, yes, yes, Godlewski said. This isnt leadership. Its betrayal. Godlewski told reporters that she decided to run for the number two position over running for governor because she thinks it will be the right fit for her. Weve got some major challenges weve got to solve in Wisconsin, whether its affordable health care to families being priced out of their communities, and I want to be a part of the team thats going to help solve these problems for Wisconsin, Godlewski said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Wisconsin, voters cast votes separately for governor and lieutenant governor during the partisan primary. After the primary, the winners run on the same ticket in November and voters choose them as a pair. Wisconsins partisan primary is about a year away and the Democratic field for governor is still taking shape. Godlewski didnt make any endorsements in the race Tuesday. We have a really impressive bench in the Democratic party, and so I look forward to seeing whos going to get in and to working with whoever is the nominee, Godlewski said. Gov. Tony Evers decision not to seek a third term has made the race for governor the first open one in Wisconsin in 16 years and is leading to some other open seats as well, including lieutenant governor and now secretary of state. With Evers not on the ballot, the Wisconsin governors race has been rated a toss-up by Sabatos Crystal Ball. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez jumped into the race for governor less than 24 hours after Evers announced his retirement. Other Democrats considering a run for governor include Attorney General Josh Kaul, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and state Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison). Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and Whitefish Bay manufacturer Bill Berrien are the two announced Republican candidates so far. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is also considering a run for the office. Godlewski told reporters Democrats need to listen to people if theyre going to win statewide in 2026. Were seeing how folks dont trust politicians, and its because they feel like theyre not hearing us. Theyre watching a system thats working for corporations and not for them, and so, how do we build trust? Weve got to travel the state, meet them where they are, listen and thats how we rebuild it, Godlewski said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added she recently met a mom in Kenosha, who literally has two jobs just to support her family and met another family in the northern parts of the state who are still drinking bottled water because they have PFAS that are coming out of their faucet. These are real big issues, and thats what I look forward to talking about things that are keeping Wisconsinites up at night and actually doing something about it, Godlewski said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX More than 800 second home owners in Pembrokeshire have sidestepped Britains harshest council tax premium. One in five have been permitted exemptions to the county councils 150pc penalty, with scores of owners thought to be exploiting legal loopholes in the policy. Second home owners who list their property for sale or let are granted a 12-month reprieve from the premium, shaving thousands of pounds from their tax bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legal workaround, which is enshrined in the Local Government Finance Act, allows owners to market their home with little intention of agreeing a deal. There is no obligation to sell or secure a tenant during the time period. Pembrokeshire Council raked in an additional 10.6m in 2024-25 thanks to the premium, but it could have earned more if 19pc of second homes were not exempt. Figures revealed in a council consultation document show that of the 4,328 second homes in the county, 3,503 the equivalent of 81pc were subject to the premium in June. Carol Peet, a buying agent at West Wales Property Finders, believes people listing homes with no desire to sell is commonplace across the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said: Theres no question they are doing it. People are finding ways to get out of paying the tax. They are being forced into ways of avoiding it, as its crippling for the lower-end properties. Pembrokeshires premium was introduced in 2017 at 50pc, before rising to 100pc in 2022, and then 200pc in 2024. Councillors agreed to reduce the rate to 150pc in April after conceding that they went too far yet the premium is still the joint highest in Britain, along with Gwynedd and Denbighshire. A typical second home owner of a Band D Pembrokeshire property pays 4,130 in council tax, compared to the normal 1,651 rate, according to Telegraph analysis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second home owners in the highest band face an annual bill just shy of 10,000. An owner can only be granted a 12-month exemption once during the course of their ownership of the second home. The tactic is fully legal, as long as properties are publicly marketed and listed at a price in line with the local area. Government guidance states: In cases where the council considers the sale or rental price to be inflated, the council can request evidence to support the asking price. Conservative councillor Aled Thomas doubted whether second home owners are utilising the list-but-not-sell tactic. He said: I dont think people are using it to game the system. I think people are generally trying to sell their properties because theyre fed up of being treated like a martyr here in Pembrokeshire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People are putting their second homes on the market, but they just arent selling. While English councils can implement a standard 100pc rate, Welsh councils have the power to charge up to 300pc council tax premiums on second homes. The majority have set a 100pc rate, but Pembrokeshire, Gwynedd and Denbighshire charge 150pc. Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen councils are the only two Welsh authorities not levying extra tax on second homes. Pembrokeshire is currently consulting the public on its rates for 2026-27. Money raised is not ring-fenced for local housing projects, with the majority going to the councils general fund budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A council spokesman said: There are seven different exceptions to the second homes council tax premium making up the 19pc figure, of which putting the property up for sale is one. To receive this time-limited exception, the homeowners must provide evidence that the property is being marketed for sale. For example, they must provide a copy of the sale particulars and listing on a website at a reasonable price. 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A second man is facing multiple charges after he stole an excavator to break into a bank ATM and steal the cash inside, authorities said on Tuesday. Kevin Owen Miller, 51, was arraigned in Clackamas County on charges of first-degree aggravated theft, criminal conspiracy, three counts of first-degree criminal mischief, possession of a stolen vehicle, and three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KOIN Breaking News Alerts His arrest comes a month after another man accused in the same heist, 32-year-old Matthew Evan Armour, was arraigned on similar charges, according to the Clackamas County Attorney Generals Office. The charges stem from an early morning burglary on June 23 at the U.S. Bank along Southeast Sunnyside Road in Clackamas. Miller and Armour are accused of driving a stolen pickup truck to an area near the US Bank branch, stealing a Caterpillar 315 excavator from a construction site and using the excavator to demolish an ATM and access a large amount of cash, the AGs office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies found the excavator, which had been stolen from a nearby construction site and driven to the bank, still running and abandoned near the ATM drive-through when they arrived, according to authorities. The thief or thieves then used the excavators boom arm to destroy two ATM housings, causing damage to the U.S. Bank building in the process, CCSO said in a statement. A nearby parked SUV also had a broken window. Miller is being held at the Clackamas County Jail on $40,000 bail. His next Clackamas County Court appearance is Sept. 17 Armour is being held for $60,000, officials said, noting he is also being held on a parole violation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. In the wake of this week's historic White House meetings, President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine and its allies are "already working on the concrete content of the security guarantees". Sir Keir Starmer has been chairing a virtual meeting of those nations prepared to help secure Ukraine after a peace deal - the so-called "Coalition of the Willing". And Britain has dispatched its Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, to Washington to work out how the US can help. The cogs are clearly turning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But what do "security guarantees" actually mean in practice? There is a wide spectrum here, ranging from the much overused "boots on the ground" to the threat of crippling economic sanctions on Russia's oil exports. Let's start with what Ukraine wants, and isn't going to get, at least not for the foreseeable future, and that's membership of Nato. US President Donald Trump has ruled that out but there are plenty of other Nato members who also quietly oppose it, such as Slovakia, mainly on the grounds it would dramatically raise the chances of the transatlantic alliance getting dragged into a shooting war with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clearly Ukraine will need strong security guarantees after a peace agreement is reached, to prevent Russia from coming back and taking a second, or third, bite. This is why Sir Keir and President Emmanuel Macron of France have been putting together the 30-plus nation Coalition of the Willing with the aim of providing Ukraine with some international reassurance after a peace deal is signed. Policing Ukraine's airspace is one likely option. This could be done by basing planes at existing airbases in neighbouring Poland or Romania, with US participation. But they would still need clear and robust rules of engagement if they are to be anything more than a symbolic gesture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In other words, pilots need to know whether or not they can shoot back if Russia violates the peace deal by say, firing a cruise missile at a Ukrainian city. The Black Sea is another area where Western security guarantees could help keep Russia's fleet at bay and ensure the free flow of commercial vessels out of ports such as Odesa. On land, the situation becomes more problematic. Ukraine is a vast country and the front line currently stretches for more than 600 miles, or 1000km-plus. The Coalition of the Willing cannot possibly muster enough troops to deploy to safeguard that line of contact, even if Russian President Vladimir Putin would agree to that, which he won't. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kremlin has reiterated its absolute opposition to the presence of any Nato troops in Ukraine, under whatever badge. So military support here is likely to be more in the areas of training, intelligence and logistic support, helping Ukraine to rebuild its bruised army, along with an ongoing supply of weapons and ammunition. A big question mark, though, remains over what Russia will accept as security guarantees for Ukraine. Plenty of commentators online have suggested that Moscow should have no say in this matter at all. But no countries in the Coalition of the Willing are prepared to send troops into Ukraine opposed. Nobody wants to start World War Three. John Foreman, a former British military attache in Moscow who has been following every twist and turn of this conflict, told me: "Russia might accept a US security guarantee for Ukraine in return for formal recognition of the occupied territories, effectively partitioning Ukraine for the long term, and no NATO (troops) in Ukraine and no Ukraine in NATOWhatever happens, the Coalition of the Willing is no substitute for US power." Will the US step up? Numerous military experts have said any future "reassurance force" provided by the Coalition of the Willing must have input from the US, something that up until the Alaska summit last week, Donald Trump had declined to commit to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has now said the US will be involved, but with no boots on the ground in Ukraine. In an ideal world, what Ukraine and its allies would like from Washington is both US support for this notional future force but also, more crucially, a solid undertaking that if Russia breaches the peace deal and looks like renewing its assault on Ukraine then US military muscle especially air power will be on-hand to back up the Europeans. Trump has hinted that US air support will be available in some form but given how many times he has changed his position over how to end this war, this is less than reassuring. Lt.Gen (retd) Ben Hodges, who commanded US Army forces in Europe, says he is sceptical that the "US is really serious about security guarantees for Ukraine and will deliver more than just words". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He adds: "The Europeans do not trust Vladimir Putin and they are not confused about who the aggressor is in this war. They are concerned that Trump is unable or unwilling to acknowledge that Russia is the aggressor. Putin will not abide by any agreement unless he is forced to do so". And here lies the inherent contradiction about security guarantees. How do you make them robust enough to put Russia off attacking Ukraine again, yet not so robust that Russia opposes them and threatens to target Western assets if they go ahead without Moscow's consent? The former British Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace believes the West, collectively, has not been firm enough in standing up to Vladimir Putin. "The reality that everyone seems to want to avoid admitting or doing anything about is that Putin shows no sign of wanting to stop the killing," he says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Until Trump or Europe or both are prepared to do something to make Putin want a change then little will be achieved." Edward Arnold, senior research fellow for European security at the London-based thinktank RUSI, concludes the Coalition of the Willing has been "successful in providing a format which is flexible and can engage with Trump in a constructive way while supporting Ukraine". But he cautions: "It remains a political aspiration, rather than a hardened military construct. The next couple of months will really test its resolve and political risk appetite". As peace talks to end the war in Ukraine gather speed toward a potential trilateral meeting between the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia, the question of what kind of security guarantees Kyiv might receive continues to loom over the flurry of diplomatic meetings. After President Volodymyr Zelensky's Aug. 18 appearance at the White House, European leaders are now expected to draft a skeleton proposal for security guarantees over the next week, according to Kyiv Independent sources. The proposal will examine what Ukraine's allies are willing to commit to in order to prevent future attacks if a ceasefire or peace deal is reached. In response to questions from reporters about security guarantees, Trump said after meeting Zelensky, "We'll give them (Ukraine) very good protection, very good security," without providing specifics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Ukraine and its allies, the starting point for any negotiations requires acknowledging that Russia's word cannot be taken at face value, given its long history of violating treaties and agreements. One of the proposals from Russia after Trump and Putin met in Alaska was for Russia to pass new legislation that would ban it from re-invading Ukraine, an offer observers see as questionable. "Whatever some in the Trump administration may be suggesting, no credible security guarantees can ever again rely on Russian assurances," said Ruth Deyermond, a senior lecturer in post-Soviet security at King's College London. "Russia has promised to respect Ukraines borders and sovereignty in the past for example, when it signed the Budapest memorandum in 1994 and when Russia and Ukraine signed the 1997 Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership and then attacked and occupied Ukraine." Read also: Zelensky wants a meeting. Putin wants to win Opposing demands from Ukraine and Russia Throughout the course of the war, Ukraine has remained adamant that strong and binding security guarantees from its partners are a necessary component of any peace deal. Zelensky has repeatedly called for his country's admittance into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which considers an attack on one member an attack on all members and includes major European nations as well as the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NATO's powerful Article 5 clause does not, however, commit its members to full military intervention in the event of such an attack, instead calling on them to provide what they deem necessary to assist their partners. At the same time, Russia has categorically rejected NATO membership or deploying European peacekeepers on Ukraine's soil, both seen as the strongest deterrents for future attacks. "We cannot allow NATO's military infrastructure to get that close to our borders," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in May. President Emmanuel Macron said on Aug. 13 that Trump had also ruled out Ukraine's NATO membership, but said the United States is prepared to provide Ukraine with other security guarantees after peace is established. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has also ruled out sending any U.S. troops to Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump (C) hosts a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. on Aug. 18, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) During the recent talks, European leaders expressed strong support, however, for an "Article 5-style" guarantee backed by a group of European allies known as the "Coalition of the Willing." A plan of this sort would align with Trump's insistence that Europe bear the costs and responsibility for guaranteeing Ukraine's security, though its details are still unclear. Most recently, Zelensky also proposed a plan to buy $90 billion worth of American weapons as part of security guarantees, in an attempt to appeal to the U.S. by tying Ukraine's defense to America's financial interests. Read also: Our readers questions about the war, answered. Vol. 9 A range of proposals from genuine to meaningless NATO membership is "the best and only genuine" security guarantee for Ukraine, said Ryhor Nizhnikau, a Russia expert at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But with that off the table, the next best thing would be "a new security agreement by a group of committed Western allies that will envision the presence of European troops on the ground, and include a set of clear and unconditional provisions such as long-term financial and military support," he said. Nizhnikau expressed doubt, however, that Europe's current proposal is feasible given Russia's refusal to reach a ceasefire, or that Russia would actually agree to any Article 5-style agreement. "Unwillingness to offer Article 5 is the main reason why even opening the NATO accession process for Ukraine has been denied since 2022. Secondly, it obviously contradicts Russia's core demands," he said, noting that growing Western engagement with Ukraine has been one of Putin's justifications for the invasion. "What Europe can credibly offer is not security guarantees, but more of the same: more money and military support for Ukraine," Nizhnikau added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peter Layton, a military expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said a realistic proposal could be the deployment of logistical support units to western areas of Ukraine, away from the front line, and drone patrols over eastern Ukraine and the Black Sea. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) A continuing supply of arms and equipment, and assistance to build up a self-sufficient Ukrainian defense industry, are other potential security guarantees that might be more likely to be on the table, Layton said. Regarding one concession from Russia touted by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff a potential offer by Russia to enshrine its its legal code not to violate Ukraine or other European countries' sovereignty "such legislation would be meaningless and could be altered overnight," Layton said, noting that Russia's criminal code already banned planning, preparing, unleashing, or waging an aggressive war, which didn't prevent its invasion of Ukraine. "These concessions are just meaningless, and it is likely there is no intention to uphold them. They are just noise." 'An enormous amount to be worked through' James Shea, a defense and security expert at Chatham House, argued that the way to avoid the failures of the Budapest Memorandum is "western troops permanently on the ground in Ukraine, backed up by naval forces in the Black Sea on a rotation basis, and western air and missile defense." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the original design for the Coalition of the Willing only planned for only around 10,000 to 20,000 troops, focused on training the Ukrainian army, he noted. "If we are now seriously talking about an Article 5 NATO-type force, the planning assumptions of the Coalition will need to be totally changed, (requiring) a new planning process for a much larger and heavily armed force," Shea said. "Who will do this planning?" U.S. President Donald Trump (C-R) and President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-L) stand with European and NATO leaders for a family photo in Washington, D.C., U.S. on Aug. 18, 2025. (Tom Brenner for The Washington Post via Getty Images) Even if a more coherent plan is formed, key questions still remain, Shea added, including whether Moscow can be convinced to let NATO forces into Ukraine if they are not under a formal NATO command, and whether a future Article 5-style arrangement will include nuclear guarantees or a commitment of all its participants to defend Ukraine if Russia attacks again. "There is an enormous amount of extremely important detail that has to be worked through here, if security guarantees are to be credible and effective," Shea said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And, I am certain that once negotiations begin, Russia will interpret the concept of security guarantees very differently from the Coalition of the Willing, and the U.S." Read also: Warm words, thin results: White House meeting lifts Ukraine, but tough road ahead Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. UPDATE: The 23-year-old missing Cambridge woman has been safely located, according to police. PREVIOUS ARTICLE: The Cambridge Police Department is seeking the publics assistance in the search for a missing 23-year-old woman. The woman was last seen at her North Cambridge residence around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. She stands around 410, slim build, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a red sweatshirt, grey sweatpants, light-purple Nike sneakers, and glasses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to her mother, she has developmental disabilities, hearing loss, and asthma. Police and family say that Singh left her residence without her hearing aids, inhaler, or cell phone. She also does not have access to a vehicle. She is known to frequent Danehy Park, the Fresh Pond Mall, Starbucks, and 24-hour stores. Police ask that anyone with information on her whereabouts contact Cambridge Police Criminal Investigations at 617-349-3370, or the Cambridge Emergency Communications Department at 617-349-3300. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Sen. Tammy Baldwin toured La Follette High School in Madison on Tuesday. (Photo by Baylor Spears/ Wisconsin Examiner) Opposition to the Trump administrations efforts to close the U.S. Department of Education is gaining momentum, Sen. Tammy Baldwin said Tuesday during a visit to La Follette High School in Madison. Baldwin visited the school, part of the states second largest school district, as new educators met for an orientation ahead of the start of the school year on September 3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [New educators are] coming or returning to teaching at a time where we have seen this administration doing devastating things to education and education funding, Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat, told reporters after a tour of the school. It has proposed the abolition of the Education Department. He wants to dismantle it. Hes called for the end to it, but he also knows that there are some constraints because the Education Department was set up by Congress and its funded by Congress. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March ordering Education Sec. Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely. McMahon has said she is dead serious about putting herself out of a job. In June, schools across the country were thrown into uncertainty when the Trump administration withheld over $6 billion in federal funds meant to support English language learners, migrants, low-income children, adult learners, after-school programs and more. The frozen funds included $70 million for Wisconsin. The administration decided to reverse course and release the funds in late July after Republican and Democratic Senators both called on the administration to do so. Principal Mathew Thompson said the City Center houses school social workers and provides resources to students who need it, including a washer and dryer and an area for personal care. (Photo by Baylor Spears/ Wisconsin Examiner) Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Joe Gothard said that, as of Tuesday, the district had expected $3.4 million and is still waiting for direct language to ensure that we are going to be reimbursed for the cost that we plan to incur this school year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without that money, students would not receive the services they deserve, and that could be by way of reading interventions, it could be some of the outreach were able to do with communities, with families, Gothard said. $3.4 million out of $6 billion may not seem like a lot, but those are targeted funds at students who need it most. Im grateful that weve had support for the unfreezing of these funds, Gothard said, adding that uncertainty of funding undermines public education and who its for. The lack of certainty is leading the district to rely more heavily on the local community and government for the support the district needs. Ive got a range of students, Thompson said, adding that the City Center allows for students to come in and get what they need. Baldwin also got to see the schools music room, library, gymnasium and technical education spaces, including an autoshop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of my most popular classes is our cooking classes, right, and kids get to learn basic life skills, and then, they actually do cooking for the school, Thompson said. And nutrition and all that stuff, Baldwin added. Yeah, you know, everything kids dont want to hear, Thompson joked. One of my most popular classes is our cooking classes, right, and kids get to learn basic life skills, and then, they actually do cooking for the school, Principal Mathew Thompson told Baldwin before entering one of the classrooms. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner) The Trump administrations efforts to close the Education Department comes even as some Republican lawmakers are balking at the idea. Politico reported that Republican lawmakers looking to fulfill Trumps agenda are considering breaking the process down into smaller bills given the opposition to shutting down the department, especially from those in school districts that have benefited from funding and those that rely on the agency for guidance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to challenging the ongoing federal uncertainty, Baldwin pointed to a recent bill that came out of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education and was recently approved by the full committee. We have seen him propose to put some of the career and technical education programs in the Labor Department rather than keeping them in the Education Department, Baldwin said. Hes talked about putting the IDEA program which serves students with disabilities under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act into the Department of Health and Human Services, where it would not be suited, and he is defunding programs left and right, so were fighting back. According to Baldwins office, the bill would provide $79 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education and would put measures into place to limit the ability to downsize the departments role. The bill includes a requirement to make formula grants available on time and maintain the staff necessary to ensure the department carries out its statutory responsibilities and carries out programs and activities funded in the bill in a timely manner. Baldwin said the bill is wildly bipartisan, noting it passed the committee on a 26-3 vote at the end of July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have more work to do. It has to go through the whole process and end up on the presidents desk before its law, Baldwin said. I feel like we have momentum in standing up against this presidents plans with education, so when we return to session the day after Labor Day, were going to continue to press to restore all funding, and fight back against this idea of abolishing the Department of Education. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Federal, state, city and local leaders joined together in Cincinnati on Aug. 19 to discuss recent violent crime, prevention and the viral brawl that broke out downtown in late July. Sen. Bernie Moreno, who visited Cincinnati just last month, hosted a roundtable with Attorney General Dave Yost, Mayor Aftab Pureval, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge, Hamilton County Prospector Connie Pillich and business leaders to discuss measures that can be taken to prevent violent crime. We all need to start on a common ground that that is not acceptable and its not excusable, not by drink, not by anger, not by provocation. Its just not OK, Moreno said. A full team effort to make certain what happens here in Cincinnati never happens again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The July 26 violent downtown altercation has led to eight arrests and at least six being injured and captured the nations attention. Overall, reported crime in the city looks much like it did last year. Violent crime is down 1%, total crime is up 0.02% and the citys 42 homicides are just below the average of the previous three years. But Over-the-Rhine and Downtown have seen an uptick in violent crime. Moreno said he is beginning to create action plans for how several agencies will work together to resolve violent crime in the city. President of the Downtown Residents Council, Andrew Naab, said theyve also created a public safety committee to address residents and business owners concerns. That public safety committee is going to be leading initiatives like a camera enrollment program with the Cincinnati Police Department, where private citizens can enroll their private cameras with the Cincinnati Police Department, Naab said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Naab says several local businesses have reported to the council that sales are struggling. Weve connected with several small business owners over the past several weeks, two of which have had break-ins. During his first two visits here, Moreno was candid about what he calls a revolving door of injustice. Earlier this month, Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced that the Hamilton County Police Chief Association is putting together a committee to work on the gaps in the justice system. However, Hamilton County judges were invited to be part of those conversations but declined, citing ethical issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Moreno said the city of Cincinnatis declining parts of the assistance package offered by Gov. Mike DeWine is serving as somewhat of a roadblock. A few weeks ago, DeWine offered to send additional resources and troopers to help fill officer gaps and curb crime. The city only accepted an aviation unit and troopers to come in and monitor traffic. You have him here present, you have the governor present, you have the federal government present, what else do you need? Yost asked. You can have lawyers work on a piece of paper, and I get that has to happen, but theres no reason in my mind where the city wouldnt say thank you, well take it all and well figure out how to make it work. In a statement to FOX19, Theetge said they were still evaluating DeWines package to see how it would fit with the preestablished plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an Aug. 18 letter to DeWine, Theetge confirmed collaboration with the state on the two pieces of aid and also said city leaders are eager to work with state officials on monitoring violent criminals who have been released from prison. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Sen. Bernie Moreno, Cincinnati leaders meet to discuss crime The Senate Democrats campaign arm is launching a new radio ad Wednesday attacking Republicans for slashing funding for rural radio stations as a part of more than $1 billion Republicans made in cuts to public broadcasting in their rescissions package. Thank you for listening to your local radio station. But stations like these might not be around for long, a narrator says in the 30-second ad, which was first shared with The Hill. Last month in D.C., Republican Senators cut radio funding, voting to end weather alerts, community news and our way to stay connected, the narrator continued. Rural America relies on radio. But Republican politicians left us behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They added, We cant trust them to fight for us. The ads are being aired in recognition of National Radio Day, and theyre expected to run in rural stations in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas, all of which Senate Democrats are eyeing as potential pickup opportunities next year. Rural communities rely on local radio to stay connected on everything from local news to lifesaving alerts about severe weather but Republican Senators left them behind, said Maeve Coyle, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), in a statement. Republican senators will be forced to explain to their constituents why theyre robbing the programs that support their communities in order to pay for a giveaway to billionaires, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump signed a rescissions package last month, which rescinds around $9 billion Congress had previously approved for funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which helps fund NPR and PBS and its affiliates, and global aid programs. CPB is contending with more than $1 billion in cuts alone. Federal funding makes up a smaller percentage of the money NPR and PBS rely on, but rural stations have already warned it will impact them more severely since it makes up a higher proportion of their overall funding. Republicans have attacked NPR and PBS, arguing theyre liberally biased and their programs push radical left positions, which their leaders have pushed back on. Contending with the cuts, the CPB announced it would begin to shut down, with its president Patricia Harrison saying in a statement we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A senior German lawmaker expects German soldiers to be deployed for peacekeeping in the event of a permanent ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, according to an interview on Wednesday morning. Thomas Rowekamp, the chairman of the Defence Committee in the Bundestag, said Europeans and Ukrainians have had poor experiences with Russian commitments, which is why effective military deterrence is needed. "And that also means that German soldiers will ensure in future, after a peace agreement with Russia, that peace is maintained permanently," Rowekamp told the WDR broadcaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As examples of the kind of support the Bundeswehr could provide, Rowekamp mentioned assistance with logistics, training Ukrainian soldiers and air defence. "There is a whole range of military capabilities that we have in the Bundeswehr [military] that can permanently secure peace in Ukraine," the committee chairman said. For Ukrainians, the question of possible allied security guarantees is a key point in any potential peace deal. Distrust towards Russia is high after almost three and a half years of war. "It is a matter of giving Ukraine a binding assurance, including military assurance, that in the event of a renewed attack by Russia, the Europeans, together with American troops, are prepared to repel an attack," said Rowekamp. "Ultimately, no one wants war and the safest way to prevent another military confrontation would be to deter the Russian army from such a war with a strong troop presence." (FOX40.COM) A 52-year-old man was convicted of sexually assaulting multiple children under the age of 16 years old, according to the Sacramento County District Attorneys Office. Video Above: More than 200 suspected child sex abuse offenders arrested Officials said that the defendant, Richmond Butler, and the victims parents were known to each other through the Victory Life Bible Church in North Highlands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was discovered that when church members were busy, Butler would babysit their children. That is when he would sexually assault multiple children aged 5 to 14 years old, officials said. The investigation also revealed that he forcibly raped a 17-year-old within a year of pleading to a previous charge of committing a lewd act upon a child. Man sentenced to over 4 years in prison for fentanyl distribution Other victims were found throughout the world, including two minors he sexually assaulted while he was at a refugee camp in Ghana, the DAs office said. Officials said Richmond Butler is convicted of: Three counts of lewd acts upon a child Forcible lewd act upon child Forcible rape and sodomy of a person under 16 years old His admissions also include: Allegations that there were multiple victims Substantial sexual conduct with a child under 14 years old The victims were vulnerable and Butler took advantage of a position of trust Suffering a prior strike conviction for child molestation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Butler faces a maximum sentence of 90 years to life in prison and his sentencing is set for September 19. The attorneys office said he will become eligible for release at an Elder Parole hearing once he has served 25 years of his 90-year sentence. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. BERLIN, Conn. (WTNH) Serious injuries were reported following a crash Tuesday evening on Route 9 in Berlin, state police said. According to state police, a Toyota Tacoma was traveling on Route 9 southbound before Exit 33 in the left lane of three and an Acura TLX was traveling in the center lane, directly to the right of the Toyota. Man arrested after suspects allegedly flee crime scene, crash into Berlin police cruiser Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For an unknown reason, the Acura veered into the left lane and collided with the Toyota, state police said. The Acura then collided with a guardrail on the left shoulder, traveled through it, entered a grassy median and continued to roll over before coming to a final rest, according to state police. The driver of the Acura was taken to an area hospital for treatment, while the Toyota driver declined medical treatment. The crash is 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 WTNH.com. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) The Winston-Salem Fire Department is investigating a coffee truck explosion on Wednesday morning. Police say they got a call about a truck explosion at around 7:28 a.m. in the area of the LJVM Coliseum on 2825 University Parkway. Investigators are working to determine what happened with the vehicle. WSPD said in an 8 a.m. news release that they are assisting in a large vehicle fire on the 2800 block of University Parkway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An alert from Wake Forest University said that several individuals suffered injuries in an explosion in a coffee truck. None of those injured were students or employees at the school. Wednesday morning was move-in day at Wake Forest. Most students were checking in at the LJVM Coliseum. Four people were injured in the explosion, all suffering burns, according to police. All four were taken to the hospital. WSFD posted a photo of the involved food truck on X. The photo shows the title Given Coffee Truck. A post on Given Coffees Facebook page reveals that their food truck was scheduled to be at LJVM Coliseum for WFUs move-in day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A WSFD spokesperson confirmed that Given Coffee was at the coliseum for move-in day and that all four of the people injured were employees of the food truck. Given Coffee Company provided the following statement: As you may have seen in the news today, our Given Coffee Truck was involved in an accident this morning at LJVM Coliseum in Winston-Salem. This occurred while the truck was being prepared to serve parents and students during move-in day for Wake Forest University. Four of our employees were working in the truck when the accident occurred. Further investigation is being done to determine the cause. While the employees involved are currently alert and in stable condition, they each have sustained injuries that will require further medical attention. We are grateful there were no fatalities and request continued prayers for our staff and their families. Jamie Via, Hopefulls Inc. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Several Texas Democrats joined state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) on Tuesday to protest new guidelines preventing party members from leaving the House chambers without a police escort and signed agreement. Democratic State Reps. Mihaela Plesa, Penny Morales Shaw, Rhetta Bowers, Cassandra Garcia Hernandez and Salman Bhojani joined Collier and House Minority Leader Gene Wu on the floor after their Monday overnight in rebuke of GOP lawmakers redistricting efforts. Several members tore up their permission slips outside the chamber. Texas lawmakers will vote on whether to add five new congressional seats on Wednesday after a group of Democrats fled the state for 15 days seeking to prevent a quorum, the number of present legislators required to proceed with votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yesterday, I left in custody, and I came back in custody, because I stand with Nicole Collier and Gene Wu, Morales Shaw said. This is illegitimate, this is a wrongful use of power, and I will not condone it, and I dont want to be a part of setting a very bad and low precedent for future legislators, she added. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) said Monday that lawmakers who leave the floor would have to agree to be shadowed by a Department of Public Safety officer until Wednesday morning. This is a blatant violation of our freedoms as Texans, as Americans and as duly elected officials, Bowers said, as reported by CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collier gained national attention over her decision to remain inside the House chamber overnight instead of leaving with an officer. I refuse to comply with this unreasonable, un-American and unnecessary request, Collier, who spent two nights on the House floor, told CBS News. The Democrat said she received a call from former Vice President Kamala Harris encouraging her to continue her efforts in the Lone Star State. She said, Keep going. She said, Dont give up. Stand strong. Stand tall, and dont back down, Collier told CNNs Dana Bash on The Arena. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. On Tuesday, FBI Jacksonville, the St. Johns County Sheriffs Office, and the Duval County Schools Police Department held a roundtable meeting to make parents aware of a rise in sextortion cases across Northeast Florida this year. During the roundtable meeting, FBI Jacksonville says theyve seen a 60% increase in sextortion cases this year across the entire state of Florida. Now they, along with other local agency partners, are urging parents to be aware. We continue to see it increase, FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes talking about documented sextortion cases in Northeast Florida. Sextortion is when a predator asks a child for explicit photos on any online platform. After they get these photos, the predator threatens to publish the images if the child doesnt send them more explicit photos. The demands can escalate and include threats of violence. Law enforcement leaders attending the roundtable included FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley, St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick, and Duval County Public Schools Police Chief Jackson Short. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Carley noted that specifically in Northeast Florida, theyve noticed the number of sextortion cases increase this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, the numbers were very high, but in just the seven months this year, were already at the numbers for last year, FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley said. The goal of the meeting was to provide awareness to the public about some of the online threats law enforcement has noticed targeting children locally. Those include Sextortion Predators, Traveling Predators, and Predator Networks. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] And these agencies plan to keep the public aware throughout the year. We do a lot of outreach events doing Be Smart, which is going out to the school districts and talking to the parents after the school day to answer questions and make them aware. To give them a better sense of the threats that exist there online and that leave some of their children vulnerable to be exploited, Special Agent Carley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know is a victim of a sextortion-related crime, you are asked to contact FBI Jacksonville immediately at 904-248-7000. Or you can contact your local police agency. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Aug. 20WILKES-BARRE A former Dallas Borough man blamed his COVID-19 illness for allowing four children to be raised in a house filled with garbage, animal feces, old fly traps covered with insects and rotting food. Bruce Kevin Myers, 62, apologized during his sentencing hearing before Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas on Wednesday, explaining he was not able to clean the house due to his illness. Investigators say the house on Machell Avenue where Myers formerly lived was a house of filth well before the coronavirus pandemic that plagued the world in 2020 and 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lupas sentenced Myers to three-to-10 years in state prison on four counts of endangering the welfare of children. Myers pled guilty to the charges June 17 when prosecutors withdrew two counts of child pornography. Detectives with the Luzerne County district attorney's office discovered the house of filth while serving a search warrant related to an investigation of child sexual abuse materials on May 4, 2023, court records say. Court records say detectives had to fight their way through garbage, animal feces, dirty clothing and rotting food that littered the floor and hallways leading to stairs. Dallas Borough officials condemned the house and four children were taken into protective custody by Luzerne County Children and Youth Services. Myers' now ex-wife, Cheryl Myers, was sentenced in July 2024, to six years probation on four counts of reckless endangerment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amanda Perry, the children's biological mother, spoke prior to Bruce Myers being sentenced, saying there were "years of abuse" and his downloading of child sexual abuse materials was the reason why the children were taken into protective custody. In an unfulfilled request, Perry asked that the child sexual abuse materials' charges be reinstated against Bruce Myers. Lupas called the situation, "upsetting," that involved four children living in a neglected house. After the Machell Avenue house was condemned, Bruce Myers relocated to Summit Street in Shavertown, Kingston Township. Cheryl Myers relocated to another county. The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. The community, or, as its members call it, the Dorf, has everything a person might need. It has a medical center and a kitchen, a Babyhouse for child care, and a Laundryhouse for the obvious. The Steward acquires food provisions for the Dorfs hundreds of residents, and every Saturday afternoon, the wives walk over to Stores to pick up their familys weekly grocery allotment. (Theres even a sauna for shvitzing, though the members wouldnt use that word.) As a child, the titular character of Kate Rileys debut novel, Ruth, cant conceive of a life outside this complete ecosystem. But as an adult, she wonders whether anyone can endure a life without the one thing the community doesnt provide: any room for the self. The Brotherhood, the Anabaptist Christian sect that occupies the Dorf, can easily be explained in terms of what it forbids. To start, there are no bicycles or ball games, no mirrors larger than the palm of ones hand, and almost no personal property. At one point, when the Dorf merges with another colony, candles, musical instruments, and dolls are added to the list of verboten items; Ruths mother replaces her doll with a knot of terry cloth in the middle of the night. The groups primary rule, The First Law of Rodorf, states, There must never be talk, either in open remarks or in insinuation, against a brother or a sister, against their individual characteristicsunder no circumstances behind the persons back. Talking in ones own family is no exception. Even critical opinions are forbidden among Ruths people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What an institution like the Dorf celebrates can be harder to define for those who grew up in a highly individualistic culture. Yet Ruth, a generous coming-of-age story, portrays this cloistered place sympathetically, if often with a wink. The Dorf, we learn, has a zeal for sing-alongs (though not a talent for them). Its inhabitants share a heartwarming penchant for making floral arches on special occasions. Inventive elementary-school teachers bury a cows skeleton so the children can excavate it like archaeologists. And much to the readers pleasure, the Dorf has Rutha very creative woman raised inside a group that enforces uniformity. Shes a wit, a half-hearted troublemaker, the kind of woman who takes a pound of meat at a hotel buffet just because she can. And though her life lacks the things that many women in contemporary fiction wantagency, freedom, maternal bonds, a romantic matchit is also delightfully normal, relatable in its small joys and frustrations. Ruth is arranged in a series of almost-irreverent vignettes, which date from Ruths early childhood in the 1960s through her middle age. The through line is the authors refusal to look at the Brotherhood from the outside in; Riley isnt some voyeur watching a house on a summer night just after the lights come on. Instead, she puts the reader right alongside Ruth. The third-person narrative voice is Ruths great achievementits constant vacillation between droll superiority and unabashed earnestness makes it hard for the reader to determine whether they know better than the characters or if, in fact, they have quite a lot to learn from them. [Read: The conservative women radicalizing Amish literature] The novel is full of Ruths deadpan delivery and intellectual verve. She is precocious, and a ham; she holds a monopoly on brainy female despair. She is also never offered a choice in any meaningful decisions about her life. Although she earns copious college credits while in high school, the colonys elders send her off on a cooking course after graduation. When that proves less than fruitfulRuth excels only in the dark art of aspic, turning sundry meats into jelliesthey move her into stenography and archival work, like some sort of late-19th-century typewriter girl. She silently harbors a crush on Calvin Winslow, a fellow lover of Dostoyevsky, but is paired for marriage with Alan Feder, a man whose first reported words of intimacy with his new wife are Im a very cautious driver. In fact, Ruth learns of their engagement only when Alan approaches her and speaks to her unbidden, something that does not happen between unmarried men and women on the Dorf. Most galling to me is the scene in which Ruth, freshly delivered of her third child and ripe for another bout of postpartum depression, expresses the fervent hope that they might name the new baby girl Ideait meant her favorite thing. But she awakens from a short nap to learn, without explanation, that her husband has called the baby Gretel. She does not protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Riley might have cast such a group as brutally anti-feminist, the novelistic equivalent of the polygamist compound in the HBO series Big Love, where girls are heavily groomed by the communitys elders and poverty prevents them from leaving. In another book, Miriam Toewss novel Women Talking, which is based on a true story, a group of Mennonite women debates whether to flee their isolated communityor stay and fightafter a group of men are caught drugging and raping them. The young women in Emma Clines The Girls, about a Manson-like cult in 1960s California, are trapped by their sadness and shoddy sense of self, which the groups charismatic leader can sniff out and utilize to his own violent ends. Happiness isnt even on the horizon for the women in these stories. The question, instead, is whether they will escape their captors. But Ruth is not a novel about whether a dissatisfied woman ought to stay or leave. That dichotomy would sound overly simplistic to Ruths ears. When a friend from cooking school visits the Dorf and, after some polite chatter, hard-whispers to Ruth, Youve got to get out of here, the lingering feeling is awkwardness, not desperationRuth worries shell be pitied. Because Ruth does know the outside world and never considers living in it. She attends an American public high school and experiences its highs and lows. (Imagine the emotional peril of attending homeroom in a modest, pleated floor-length homemade skirt with matching vest and bloomers in 1977.) She accompanies Alan to conferences at Midwest hotels and is an ardent news consumer. The Dorf is open enough to American culture that at one point her young daughter colors in a printout of Tupac Shakur. Instead of a tale of entrapment or escape, Ruth is a story about how a woman full of longing can operate inside a collective that shuns the very notion of wanting. Rileys great trick is to tap into the anodyne, to make Ruth a woman whose concernsabout her husbands grating tics, the disintegration of her favorite dress, the inscrutable demands of the patriarchy operating above herare essentially universal, even if their specifics might strike some readers as alien. To get by, Ruth operates in two modes: Cheerful, she made mischief, and mournful, she destroyed. The mischief is minor but searching. In middle age, she begins to ask the servers at communal dinners for inventive, if far-fetched, methods of food delivery: her soup in an envelope, her ice cream on an Egyptian litter. Later she discovers her callingthat is, a trifling talent that the communitys leader will let her pursuedrawing flippant cartoons and messages on the dining-room whiteboard (Jesus sez Do not worryMatthew 6:25). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Read: When a single conversation can mean life or death] The destruction is often bleakly funny, as when Ruth is so dispirited by her dullard of a husband that she sits in the passenger seat of the car, makes eye contact with passing strangers, and tries to look like a woman abducted. Occasionally the desolation is real, and it might feel familiar for many women: long afternoons spent in bed, sometimes weeks at a timeat one point leading to the removal of her children from her care. She is given to secret bouts of crying. Then again, other moments are shot through with radiant pleasure. There are her three children, whom she loves as she was meant to love her neighbors, as herself. On spring days, when the larks leap in the sky, she wakes with a deepening courtesy for life, hers particularly. And she has Island of the Blue Dolphins, a childrens book about a girl trapped alone on an island, which she reads repeatedly instead of cleaning, imagining herself living in the girls whalebone hut with her dog for a companion. This is a telling fantasyto feel more content in ones dreamed aloneness than in real society. Is Ruth happy? Can she bewithout personal property, without the ability to express fondness for her own children over others, without a suitable outlet for her cutting intellect and great expectations? Could anyone find happiness when their spouse and job are selected for them, their preferences assiduously repressed, even their dress patterns and fabrics decided by committee? Well, perhaps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Happiness, it turns out, feels much the same on the Dorf as it does in any big city or small town. Its fleet as a fox and changeable as a mood. Sometimes it appears in the form of a coveted bottle of floral-scented hair conditioner or a favorite dessert. Sometimes it feels like the sound of an ill-tempered child or a snoring husband. Sometimes it is tantalizingly out of reachjust as it can be for any woman. Article originally published at The Atlantic NEED TO KNOW At age 22, Emilie Larter's visit to Uganda became something far bigger than she expected. In the past 11 years, she met her life partner, Josh, and adopted four children She shares her life on social media with thousands of followers and subscribers, including her journey to become her kids' legal mother Now, Emilie and Josh are trying to move their family back to her home country, the United Kingdom, which will require steep financial demands and more legal processes For the past 11 years, Emilie Larter's been living a life she never planned for. A foreign destination became home. A workplace acquaintance turned out to be the love of her life. She became a mom and built a family before she even knew she was ready. And mind you, Emilie did have plans when she was 22 years old. She first arrived in Uganda in 2014, intending to volunteer for a couple of months. She expected to keep moving on to neighboring countries after her time in Uganda, but much like her broader life plans, that initial visit unraveled into something much bigger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was just meant to be one stop among many," Emilie, now 33, tells PEOPLE. "My plan was to travel throughout my whole twenties and maybe have kids as late as I possibly can, in my mid to late thirties." Emilie Larter Emilie Larter and her partner Josh. Emilie Larter and her partner Josh. She'd been volunteering at an orphanage for about two or three weeks when they received a call about an infant whose mother had died. The baby was just five days old; he didn't even have a name yet. Emilie went to retrieve the newborn, but a local charity director had other ideas to best address his needs. She advised that the child should be looked after in town as opposed to staying in the orphanage, which was located in a village with a higher malaria risk. She asked Emilie to care for him until he grew a bit bigger and stronger, then he could safely live at the orphanage. "I said 'Yes, of course,' and I went and looked after a five-day-old baby in the town," Emilie recalls. "And I completely fell in love." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her connection to the child formed naturally, easily and undeniably. She could feel her plans forking in an unexpected direction, but she was still too young to imagine the future that lay before her. Emilie emailed her dad back home in England, filling his inbox with questions: "I don't know what I'm going to do," she would write. "How do I leave him now?" She extended her stay in Uganda so she could continue raising the child, whom she called Adam. Though her maternal instincts were kicking in, she hadn't started considering adoption, especially since Uganda's rules for such a process were strict. Emilie Larter Emilie Larter and her four kids Adam, George, Tallie and James. Emilie Larter and her four kids Adam, George, Tallie and James. When Adam was seven months old, Emilie decided to come back to the United Kingdom. "I just felt like I couldn't live in Uganda volunteering forever," she tells PEOPLE. "But it was when I went home that I realized, well, I couldn't leave him basically." She worked multiple jobs simultaneously to save up for the trip back to Uganda, where she would formally adopt Adam. At the beginning, she admits her parents were "quite skeptical" of her desire to become a mom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They were just a bit like, 'I know, I'm sure he's lovely, Emilie, but you're not ready. You're not set up for that,'" she remembers. "I think after they realized actually how strong the bond was, they accepted it." Emilie reunited with Adam in 2016, when he was nearly 2 years old. She started working at a children's home associated with the orphanage where she previously volunteered. The organization also ran a hospital, and though Emilie had little business there, she would occasionally stop by the establishment to meet with her director. Emilie Larter Emilie Larter, her partner Josh and their four kids Adam, George, Tallie and James. Emilie Larter, her partner Josh and their four kids Adam, George, Tallie and James. During those visits, she got to know the head of hospital security, Josh, and they struck up a romance that brought even more unexpected love into Emilie's life. In September 2018, while she was entrenched in the legal process of officially adopting Adam, two of Josh's cousins came to stay with them. Tallie and George were toddlers at the time; they weren't in the best of health, so Emilie and Josh offered to look after them until they were in better shape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That was the plan, anyway," the British native tells PEOPLE. "They ended up not going back. They just fit in the family and everything." Josh was able to adopt Tallie, now 9, and George, now 10, as a local adoption of family members. A year and a half later, in 2020, another young boy called James came along. Once again, their care was meant to be temporary until James' health improved. However, when they found out James is actually Tallie and George's younger sibling, the now-6-year-old became a permanent part of their family. So much of Emilie's story follows a pattern of temporary turned permanent changes, but one thing remains unfixed: her home. Though Uganda is home in many ways and for Josh, Tallie, George and James, it's all they've ever known the Larters always planned to settle down in the U.K. Emilie Larter Emilie Larter and Josh's four kids Adam, George, Tallie and James. Emilie Larter and Josh's four kids Adam, George, Tallie and James. In 2019, after Emilie's hard-earned efforts to adopt Adam proved successful in Uganda, she started making moves to bring their family to England permanently. The U.K. doesn't recognize Ugandan adoption, so she needed to redo the process of becoming Adam's mother overseas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After another lengthy process of securing a visa for Adam, Emilie and her eldest son relocated to her hometown in Worcestershire. Josh and their younger kids stayed in Uganda with the ultimate intention of reuniting in the U.K. eventually. As difficult as the separation would be, the two parents believed that the best way forward was for Josh to handle Tallie, George and James' adoption processes while Emilie stayed in England with Adam, whom she was able to adopt again, and he eventually obtained British citizenship. During their time as a long-distance family, Emilie planned to earn enough money to start applying for her partner and their three other kids' U.K. immigration. They spent three years thousands of miles apart, missing many milestones and simply missing each other. Back home in Uganda, the adoption proceedings weren't moving quickly enough; Josh and Emilie decided they needed to bring their family back together to most effectively push forward their bureaucratic processes and to ease the emotional strain of their separation. Emilie and Adam returned to Uganda in late 2023, and the Larters have been there, all under one roof, ever since. However, despite the obstacles and delays, the family still endeavors to make their way overseas, and they are tapping their greatest resource for help doing so: social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They launched a GoFundMe page with an 80,000 (about $106,700) goal that will cover costs of visas, the remaining legal fees needed to finalize their three younger kids' adoptions in Uganda and general relocation costs. The money will also help them essentially restart their lives in the U.K., since Emilie and Adam will need to purchase basic necessities, like a home and a car. While the fundraiser's aim is high, Emilie has shared the GoFundMe with her thousands of followers and subscribers across her YouTube, Instagram and TikTok profiles. She doesn't expect that all of her finances will be paid off by donations, but she's happy to bring her online community along for yet another step on her journey. "There's something about the power of social media, it can do crazy things," she tells PEOPLE. "I'm hoping as things progress with the adoption here, that'll get us more views and things like that as well. I'm optimistic." Emilie Larter Josh, Tallie, George, Adam and James. Josh, Tallie, George, Adam and James. Once they move to the U.K. where they plan to settle down in Emilie's hometown, at least initially Emilie says she and Josh will continue to maintain their connection to Uganda. In addition to their cultural ties to the country, they want their kids to visit their paternal grandparents regularly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, they're all in on establishing a life in England. Emilie is certain that Josh, James, Tallie and George will be more than happy with the change in scenery. "I don't think they'll have any problems whatsoever," she adds of her Ugandan family. "I think if anything, they'll thrive there." Read the original article on People ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) Sheetz has once again been recognized nationally for more than its food and fuel. The Altoona-based convenience store chain was named to PEOPLEs Companies that Care list for the fourth consecutive year. Its the only convenience store to make the top 10. This year, Sheetz ranked 10th on the list, maintaining a top 10 spot from last year. The annual ranking highlights companies that succeed in business while showing exceptional care for employees and local communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to PEOPLE, Sheetz has now made the list five times in the past six years, and employees continue to rate the company highly. Survey results show that 90% of staff say its a great place to work compared to 57% at a typical U.S.-based company. In addition, 92% of employees said they feel good about the way Sheetz contributes to the community. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. The recognition places Sheetz alongside major U.S. companies honored for their workplace culture and community investment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Dozens of bullet shells littered the pavement after reports of a shooting near Pat Pfeifer Park in Gresham on Tuesday afternoon. Gresham police officers said they responded to the area just before 6:00 p.m. after receiving multiple reports of gunfire. Witnesses at the scene said that people were shooting at each other before getting into cars and driving off. Missing West Linn woman found safe in Maury Mountains Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, the gunfire didnt end there, as the people in the cars continued shooting at each other as they headed north on 172nd Ave. from Burnside Road. Responding officers said that 36 spent shell casings were recovered at Pat Pfeifer Park. Later, police said that a man with a gunshot wound had walked into Adventist Health on Northeast Halsey Street, where he was taken by ambulance to a nearby trauma hospital for serious, but not life-threatening injuries. Another man with a gunshot wound was reported on Northeast 148th Avenue and police said when they responded to the scene, they found bullet holes in a vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second man was also taken to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Gresham police. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. The Ramsey County Sheriffs Office asked for the publics help Wednesday morning to find a man charged in three robberies in Roseville and Little Canada and he was arrested before noon in Anoka County. Dylan Charles Jungwirth, 21, and two other people are accused in the Sunday morning robberies. Jungwirth had been the only one not in custody. Jungwirth, of White Bear Lake, pushed an employee against a wall and produced a handgun at one station, pressed a gun to a clerks neck at another station, and got in a struggle over the gun with an employee at a third station, according to the criminal complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday, sheriffs deputies went to a house in the 7200 block of Main Street in Centerville, Minn. People in the home gave investigators permission to search the property and they found Jungwirth hiding under a stairwell, said Steve Linders, a sheriffs office spokesman. Jungwirth surrendered and deputies took him into custody without incident. Investigators carried out search warrants in Centerville and White Bear Lake, and located a gun, Linders said. These three suspects terrorized the clerks and struck fear into our communities, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher said in a Wednesday statement. First 2 robberies The criminal complaints give the following information from the Ramsey County Attorneys Office: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers were sent to the Speedway on Rice Street near Minnesota 36 in Roseville at 5:56 a.m. Sunday. Surveillance video showed a man, later identified as Jungwirth, wearing all black clothing and a mask walking up Minnesota Avenue to the station. A 41-year-old employee reported that after Jungwirth pushed him against the wall, he said, Give me all the $100s Im sorry, but I gotta eat. Jungwirth left with $93.75. A K-9 tracked in the area but didnt find a suspect. Then, deputies responded at 8:34 a.m. Sunday to the BP gas station on Little Canada Road by Interstate 35E in Little Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Surveillance video showed two men exited a blue sedan in the parking lot. They both wore masks. One man stood at the door and served as lookout; he was identified as Kemone Terry Hurd, 18, of St. Paul, the complaint said. Jungwirth pulled out a gun, jumped over the counter and pointed the gun at the 38-year-old clerk, the complaint said. He pushed her to the register, jammed the gun in her neck, and forced her to open the cash drawer, the complaint continued. Jungwirth took cash and cigarettes. Hurd tried to swipe a purse from a customer who stood frightened nearby and, when she stepped back, he threw a store item at her, the complaint said. Struggle over gun in 3rd robbery During the investigation, the gas station owner reported another BP station he owned was being robbed. Officers went to the station on Cleveland Avenue at County Road D West in Roseville at 9:05 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 58-year-old employee was bleeding from the side of his head and his eye was red from apparent burst blood vessels. Officers found the store in disarray, with merchandise thrown throughout the entry area, and shelves and endcaps tipped over on the floor. Related Articles As in the other robbery, two men wore masks and one stood as lookout. He was later identified as Hurd. The other man later identified as Jungwirth pulled a gun, pointed it at the clerk and demanded money from the register. After Jungwirth got the money, he demanded the clerks wallet, which the clerk refused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hurd suggested Jungwirth smash the clerks cellphone, which he did, and continued to demand the wallet. The clerk grabbed the gun, and he and Jungwirth fought over it. Hurd came to help Jungwirth, and both hit the clerks head, the complaint said. The struggle continued through the door and into the parking lot, and the men got into a vehicle and left. Search for suspects A bystander reported the suspects left in a blue Ford sedan, and officers saw a blue Ford Fusion speeding at County Road C and Snelling Avenue. Officers made a U-turn to pursue the Fusion, which was traveling 107 mph, and lost sight of it when it crested a hill. Officers found a Fusion, which was stolen from Robbinsdale a day earlier, had left the road and come to rest near a powerline. A person walking in the area said three men had jumped from the vehicle and run into the woods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement set up a perimeter. An officer saw two men sitting on a retaining wall and a rideshare driver pulled up to pick them up. The officer took photos of them with his body-worn camera. The clothing the men wore didnt match the clothing worn by the robbers, but law enforcement later determined they were Hurd and Jungwirth, the complaint said. Surveillance video showed three men shedding clothing in an alley, including a hoodie that Jungwirth was seen wearing during the robberies. Officers searched a railyard off Pierce Butler Route and Snelling Avenue in St. Paul and found a man, Kenneth Toy Spight. The 21-year-old from St. Paul had $169 in cash and a mask with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After police arrested Spight, he said he hadnt been involved in the robberies. He later said he drove to one of the gas stations, according to the complaint. Investigators determined the identities of the other two men and arrested Hurd on Monday. He said hed been home all day Sunday. When shown a photo of him at one of the robberies, Hurd said he wasnt the man in the photo. Hurd is charged with three counts of aiding and abetting aggravated robbery and one count of attempted theft. Spight is charged with one count of aiding and abetting aggravated robbery, while Jungwirth is charged with four counts. Jungwirth is pending sentencing in another case fleeing police in a vehicle. He has convictions for burglary and financial transaction card fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spights attorney, Thomas Harmon, said Wednesday that Spight is presumed innocent by law and should be so considered in the court of public opinion at this stage. Hurds attorney didnt immediately have a comment and an attorney for Jungwirth wasnt listed in the court file as of Wednesday afternoon. Emergency alerts Related Articles With people working at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds to get ready for the Fair, the State Fair Police asked the Ramsey County Emergency Communications Center to send a wireless emergency alert about police activity occurring outside of the fairgrounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second alert, notifying of an all clear, was intended to go out to cellphones in the same geographic area, but it was distributed to a wider area, according to the ECC. The alert system is complex and requires time, training, and hands-on experience to use effectively, especially in high-pressure, fast-paced situations, the ECC said in a bulletin. The 911 center has recently introduced monthly specialized training sessions for supervisors and a tabletop exercise is in development to further enhance staff preparedness, the bulletin said. GILES COUNTY, Tenn. (WHNT) A Sheriffs Office in Tennessee is warning residents to stay away from shake and bake meth cooking devices. Over the weekend, Investigators with the Giles County Sheriffs Department responded to a home where they found a plastic bottle with tubes coming out of it. Tennessee Authorities believe that it is a home-made device used to cook methamphetamine and is part of a process commonly referred to as the one-pot method or the Shake and Bake Method. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giles County Officials told News 19 that the shake and bake method of creating methamphetamine carries a significant risk for explosions, chemical burns and poisoning. Additionally, authorities said that the gases produced from this method can be lethal. Authorities are reminding the public to not move or manipulate one of these devices if you find them. If you see anything similar to this device, please contact the Giles County Sheriffs Office at (931)-363-3505. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WISE COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) An employee with the Wise County School system has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of child sex crimes, the Wise County Sheriffs Office announced on Wednesday. According to a news release, Tyler Jay Tibbs, 28, of Coeburn, was arrested and charged with the following: Three counts of carnal knowledge One count of taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a custodial or supervisory relationship Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wise County Sheriffs Office is working closely with the Wise County School System to ensure the continued safety of all students, the sheriffs office said in the release. This investigation remains active and ongoing. As of Wednesday, Tibbs is being held at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail without bond. The Wise County School system released the following statement regarding Tibbs arrest: Yesterday, Wise County Public Schools administration received information regarding allegations of inappropriate conduct by a school employee with a minor. Upon receiving the information, administration immediately alerted the Wise County Sheriffs department to begin the investigation. Late yesterday afternoon, Wise County Public Schools was notified by the Wise County Sheriffs department that an employee in our division was arrested and charged with serious criminal offenses. As a result, the employee has been immediately removed from all duties and placed on administrative leave while this matter is investigated. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement, and because this is an active criminal case, we are unable to share additional details at this time. The safety and well-being of our students is always our top priority. Counselors and support staff are available for those who may need assistance. We ask for the communitys understanding and cooperation as this matter proceeds through the legal system. If you have questions or concerns, please contact our central office at 276-328-8017. Wise County Public Schools Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. The woman suspected of shooting up a Huntington Beach business and wounding one of its employees was a coworker, police say. Lucero San Pedro-Castro, 29, of Baldwin Park, is suspected of entering California Closets warehouse at 5921 Skylab Road Monday morning, opening fire at two workers, hitting one and missing the other. Video from Sky5 shows the scene where a woman suspected of shooting up a business in Huntington Beach was fatally shot by a police officer on Aug. 18, 2025. (KTLA) San Pedro-Castro later fled the scene in her vehicle but was stopped about two hours later by a South Gate Police Department officer. That officer fatally shot her after she allegedly pointed her gun at them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the Huntington Beach Police Department released new details about the investigation, including that the two victims were workers at the business, and that the shooter was their coworker. The one wounded victim suffered major injuries that required the use of a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, but police officials said he is expected to survive. Video from Sky5 shows blood on the ground at California Closets in Huntington Beach where an employee opened fire at the business on Aug. 18, 2025. (KTLA) California Closet Company released a statement Monday following the violent shooting, saying that it was doing everything we can to support the investigation. Our hearts are with those injured or otherwise impacted, and we wish them a full recovery and strength for their families and community, the statement reads in part. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation into that shooting remains ongoing, police said. Anyone with information is urged to contact HBPD Detective Sgt. Anthony Pham at 714-878-5640. Anonymous tips can be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227. Anyone with information about the fatal shooting in South Gate is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Homicide Bureau. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BRAZIL, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) UPDATE: According to a news release from the Brazil Police Department, the victim was a 51-year-old man, and he was taken to St. Vincent/Clay Hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The news release states, No arrest has been made due to the uncooperativeness of the victim. This isolated incident stemmed from a family dispute. There is no threat to the public. Police are on the scene of a shooting that took place on Charles B. Hall Drive in Brazil on Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Brazil Police Departments Chief of Police, Clint McQueen, the department responded to the shooting around 10 a.m. on Wednesday. McQueen said one male is currently being treated for injuries at a local hospital. At this time, more details on the incident havent been released, but McQueen said the scene has been secured and is being processed with assistance from the Indiana State Police Crime Scene Investigation Unit. McQueen asks people to avoid the area during their investigation, and if anyone has information on this incident, they can contact the Brazil Police Department. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. (FOX40.COM) The Sacramento County Sheriffs Office responded to a shooting in South Sacramento on Tuesday afternoon. The sheriffs office said the shooting happened at around 4:30 p.m. at the 5900 block of 39th Street. The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries after being shot multiple times. At around 6:20 p.m., SCSO said the victim had died. SCSO stated the victim is believed to be a man, but it is unknown how old he is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this time, it is unknown what caused the shooting. This is a developing story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. JACKSONVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) No one is hurt after shots were fired at a Jacksonville home early Wednesday morning. Jacksonville Police said in a news release that the shots were fired in the area of Mauvaisterre Street and Beecher Avenue. Officers responded around 1:20 a.m.; they determined no one was hurt. Teen hit by Champaign Police car in Rantoul, hospitalized with serious injuries Officials released no further information, saying the incident remins under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with any further information is asked to contact the Jacksonville Police Department at 217-479-4630 or Morgan County Crime Stoppers at 217-243-7300. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. US Vice President JD Vance's meet-and-greet with troops deployed in Washington was interrupted on Wednesday by repeated shouts of "Free DC," as the National Guard said forces from multiple Republican-led states had arrived in the capital. President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of the National Guard in Washington last week as part of what he has called a crackdown on crime, despite statistics showing violent offenses were down in the city. The DC National Guard mobilized 800 troops for the mission, while Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia are sending a total of around 1,200 more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visited troops at Washington's Union Station Wednesday. Loud boos could be heard from outside as Vance walked into a fast-food restaurant at the train station. People also shouted slogans including "Free DC! Free DC!" as he greeted troops and spoke with reporters. Vance dismissed the hecklers as "a bunch of crazy protesters," saying: "We hear these people outside screaming 'Free DC.' Let's free DC from lawlessness. Let's free Washington, DC from one of the highest murder rates in the entire world." According to the Igarape Institute, a Brazilian non-profit that monitors murder rates, the US capital had the world's 50th-highest rate among cities in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vice president's visit to Union Station came as the National Guard posted photos on social media showing personnel from the Republican-led states of Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and West Virginia arriving at the DC Armory. "Guardsmen continue to support law enforcement partners in safeguarding property and ensuring the functions of government," the post on X said. - Violent crime is down - The overwhelmingly Democratic US capital faces allegations from Republican politicians that it is overrun by crime, plagued by homelessness and financially mismanaged. But data from Washington police showed significant drops in violent crime between 2023 and 2024, though that was coming off the back of a post-pandemic surge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked Wednesday if crime statistics had been manipulated by the local police, Vance asserted that "crime statistics all over our country were massively underreported, because a lot of people would pick up the phone, they call somebody and try to get help, and nobody would show up." Response times in Washington and other areas were "way too long" because there was "too much crime and too few law enforcement agents on the street to bring order," he said. In addition to sending troops onto the streets, Trump has also sought to take full control of the local Washington police department, attempting at one point to sideline its leadership. After a legal challenge, the Trump administration agreed to allow the police chief to remain in charge, while seeking to push the police to assist with immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal law enforcement personnel -- including Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- have also recently surged their presence on Washington's streets, drawing protests from residents. The deployment of troops in Washington comes after Trump dispatched the National Guard and Marines to quell unrest in Los Angeles, California, that was sparked by immigration enforcement raids. That marked the first time since 1965 that a US president deployed the National Guard against the wishes of a state governor. Most National Guard forces answer to governors and have to be "federalized" to be brought under presidential control, but in Washington these troops already report only to the US president. wd/aha DISCLAIMER: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) A Shreveport man with a lengthy criminal background is back in police custody after the department responded to complaints of an armed person. Shreveport Police officers arrested 44-year-old Clarence Dock after responding to an armed person complaint in the 4300 block of Illinois Avenue. When the officers arrived at the scene, they found Dock with a gun, which was later confirmed to have been stolen only a few hours prior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the encounter, Dock dropped a bag with a white powdery substance inside, which officers say they have reason to believe is cocaine. When questioned, police say Dock claimed the substance was just medicine. After continued investigation, police discovered Dock is a convicted felon and a registered sex offender due to a prior conviction of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile. He is not allowed to own or possess a firearm. Dock also has previous convictions for domestic abuse battery by strangulation and burglary. He now faces multiple charges, including: Theft of a firearm Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon Possession of Schedule II narcotics Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Shreveport Police Department says they remain committed to removing illegally possessed firearms from the streets and holding repeat offenders accountable. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. DISCLAIMER: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The Caddo Parish Grand Jury returned two charges against a Shreveport teen who is accused of stabbing his mother to death. Connor Johnston Lyons stabs mother to death while she slept Shreveport teen arrest The first indictment charges Connor Johnston Lyons, 19, with second-degree murder in connection with the May 23, 2025 stabbing death of his mother, 55-year-old Lara Lyons, as she slept in her Blanchard home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caddo Parish Sheriffs investigators said that after they read Lyons his rights, he told them that he was hearing voices in his head and stabbed his mother on the right side of the neck three times as she slept. Son turns himself in after mother found dead in home The second indictment charges Connor Lyons with two separate criminal counts: battery of a police officer and resisting an officer. Connor Lyons is currently being held at Caddo Correctional Center with a $2 million-dollar bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. The maker of a popular handgun that was banned by the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training is suing the agency and seeking for DPSST's decision to be overturned. DPSST Director Phil Castle wrote in a June 13 letter to Oregon police chiefs, sheriffs and agency executives that after reviewing a report from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, he decided to bar the Sig Sauer P320 and all of its variants from training courses and campus. Sig Sauer filed a petition for judicial review in Marion County Circuit Court on Aug. 12, asking a judge to reverse the decision and award the company any economic damages determined at trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company alleged the decision was "improper, arbitrary and capricious," and based on "unverified, vague, hearsay allegations," according to the lawsuit. The handgun, widely used among law enforcement and the military, has been the subject of controversy for years as numerous users have reported it fired on its own. A recent investigation by The Trace and the Washington Post found more than 100 people who alleged their gun fired without the trigger being pulled. Sig Sauer has faced several lawsuits over the allegations. Sig Sauer maintains the gun can only discharge when the trigger is pulled, "meets and exceeds" industry safety standards, and that all incidents of unintentional discharges were due to improper handling. Sig Sauer, the manufacturer of a popular handgun banned by the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, is suing for the decision to be overturned. The Washington state investigation was initiated after a reported "un-commanded discharge" on a WSCJTC firing range in October 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the report, on Oct. 9, 2024, a basic law enforcement class was conducting a firearms shooting drill at the Spokane Police Departments shooting range when a recruit drew his handgun, which "immediately self-discharged." The bullet hit the concrete ground and bullet fragments hit an instructor and another recruit. The recruit said the back of the gun "bumped" into his vest and an instructor supported his account. The weapon immediately fired while he was drawing the weapon, the firearms instructor said, adding they immediately looked at the Recruits trigger finger and it was not on the trigger. WSCJTC temporarily prohibited use of the handgun following the incident and created a workgroup to research the safety of the Sig Sauer P320, which ultimately led the executive director to permanently prohibit the weapon. Sig Sauer filed a similar petition in Washington in June asking for that decision to be overturned, and a judge denied the petition, King 5 reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sig Sauer argued the ban of its guns causes hardship to recruits, who are not able to train on the guns they may later be assigned to use, and has caused reputational and economic damages to the company. Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Sig Sauer sues to overturn ban of gun at Oregon police academy Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Chair J. Garret Renville speaks Aug. 19, 2025, to the North Dakota Tribal and State Relations Committee at Dakota Magic Casino near Hankinson, North Dakota. (Photo by Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) HANKINSON, N.D. Members of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate tribal nation met Tuesday with North Dakota officials and legislators, an event the tribal chair said demonstrates respect for the Native American community. The Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate have headquarters in northeast South Dakota, with a small portion of the Lake Traverse Reservation in southeast North Dakota. A series of meetings took place at the Dakota Magic Casino near Hankinson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Dakota and tribal officials discussed issues such as gambling, health care and tribal tourism. Rep. Dawson Holle, R-Mandan, chair of the North Dakota Tribal and State Relations Committee, listens as the vice chair, Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, speaks Aug. 19, 2025, at Dakota Magic Casino near Hankinson, North Dakota. (Photo by Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) Rep. Dawson Holle, R-Mandan, chair of the North Dakota Legislatures Tribal and State Relations Committee, said the committee is setting the tone that we want to be in conversation with our tribal leaders. The Legislature first invited the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate to be part of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission in 2007, said Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, vice chair of the committee. Tuesday was the first time the legislative committee had met on the Lake Traverse Reservation, Mathern said. Your presence here today demonstrates respect for our people, Sisseton-Wahpeton Chair J. Garret Renville told the committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday was the first meeting of the committee for the 2025-27 interim. Holle said the group plans to meet at each of the five tribal nations that share geography with North Dakota. The committee will meet next in September on the Fort Berthold Reservation with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation. Gov. Kelly Armstrong and other state officials participated in separate meetings with tribal leaders Tuesday. Armstrong met last month with officials from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and earlier this year with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission is facilitating visits by the governor to strengthen relationships with the tribes, according to the Governors Office. North Dakota Monitor Deputy Editor Jeff Beach can be reached at jbeach@northdakotamonitor.com. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Austin Butler almost cracked his rib shooting Caught Stealing. Austin Butler plays Hank Thompson in Caught Stealing The 34-year-old actor - who plays Hank Thompson in the new crime comedy by Darren Aronofsky - filmed a scene where his alter ego gets "beaten" by two Russians, including Pavel (Nikita Kukushkin), and things took a very real turn during the shoot. Butler recalled in a recent interview with Men's Health: "He [Aronofsky] put me through the ringer on this film. Its a lot of running away from people chasing me with cars and getting beaten up repeatedly. "I get beaten up by these two Russians in this film. This one - Nikita, whos a short king - hes got so much power. "When he was kicking me, he didnt want to kick me very hard. He felt bad and I kept telling him, Just kick me. Just kick me harder.' "And there was the thing when I watch it back that it doesn't look real. So he starts really laying into me and kicking me hard. But then he had this idea of headbutting me in the side like a little ram or something. And he did it so hard it almost cracked my rib with his head. "I was very impressed. Butler also opened up about a scene where he was thrown onto a table by his co-star Bad Bunny (Colorado), and the Russians. He recalled: They had made a soft table that was made of some sort of foam. Every time they would hit me on it, the whole thing would bow. And Im not wearing anything, so you cant hide pads anywhere. "And Darren was like, It looks fake. And so they said, Just bring the wooden table.' "So they bring in a wooden table, and they just started slamming me on the wooden table wearing nothing." Butler noted that while he had a stunt double on set, the way the scene was shot made it easier to just throw himself into the action and "deal with" any injuries once they'd finished the take. He added: "Its little things like that with the camera angles, you cant use a stunt double. "[I] did have an amazing stunt double, but for the most part, Ill just say, Yeah, lets go. Ill just deal with the bruises later.'" Kids' shoes have always been a vessel for cutting-edge technology: Kids coming up in the 90s wore Heelys that could effortlessly roll them across a gymnasium floor or light-up shoes with Disney characters. The newest kid's shoes, however, may be more practical: Pinpointing their location. Skechers has launched a line of kid's shoes that have a secret compartment for an Apple AirTag, the tiny tracking device often used to locate lost keys and wallets. For many parents, a little dot on a digital map represents peace of mind: With digital tracking devices that cost less than a box of diapers and apps that show a phone's location, worried parents now have the ability to almost always know where their child is, from very young children into adulthood. Now, popular brands are cashing in on the practice. Skechers new campaign targets parents who want "comfort of mind," according to the company's website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brand's new shoe campaign coincides with the beginning of the school year in Michigan and across the country. It also highlights a practice that's not new, but popular enough that sellers on Amazon and other online stores are manufacturing bracelets that hold AirTags with Mickey Mouse's face, AirTag pins with rainbows and now shoes with hidden compartments for the device, which is nearly as compact as a coin. About half of parents digitally track their kids' location, according to a 2023 study. Though the practice of tracking children is widespread, there is some backlash to the idea: Some experts have warned tracking kids into young adulthood could impact independence. Both anxiety and safety drive this practice, Michigan parents, facing the start of another school year, told the Detroit Free Press. "I still want to give my children independence," said Shannon Gillis, a mother of three in St. Clair Shores. "But I also want a little bit of peace of mind while they're doing it. And if I have to stick a device on them to let me know where they're at at all times, I feel like that's the easy thing for both the kids and the parents." Gillis started sending her now 11-year-old son with an AirTag to school when he said he wanted to start walking on his own to school, an elementary school down the street from the family's home. Gillis sends him to school with an AirTag in his backpack and on a wristband. She has an alert set up when her son arrives at school and when he starts walking home, he said. Shannon Gillis of St. Clair Shores sends her youngest son, 11, to school wearing a wristband with an Apple AirTag. Her older kids have cell phones, and she tracks them using a tracking app instead, another practice popular among American families. The flip side? Her kids also track her, calling her when they see she's close to Starbucks to request a treat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Autum Berry, the mom of a 12-year-old and two toddlers in Waterford, said because her older child is under the age of 13, the phone requires location-sharing turned on. Berry requires that her son bring his phone everywhere he goes, she said she is anxious about school violence and shootings. The mom opposes a proposed school cell phone ban for this reason, she said, because she wants her son to have the ability to reach her. For Berry, it's peace of mind that makes her feel "a little better," amid all of the worry over safety created by modern life. Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Skechers shoes with Apple AirTag pocket helps parents track kids Aug. 20MOSES LAKE The North Central Washington Tech Alliance is offering free courses to help locals put artificial intelligence to work for them, and offering some prizes to boot. "Everything we do these days is all about AI," said David Estrada, NCW Tech Alliance STEM Program manager for Moses Lake. "Your cars have AI, people have AI on their wrists in their smart watches, their telephone, computers, everything's AI down the road." The program is called the AI Skill-A-Thon, and it involves watching videos and then taking tests on ChatGPT, Copilot and other AI programs in either English or Spanish. Those who do will come out with some skills that will serve them well in the job market as well as earn a certificate for their LinkedIn account, Estrada said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Besides, that, NCW Tech Alliance is offering cash prizes for the students who complete the most courses before Sept. 30. First-, second- and third-place winners will each win $500, or $1,000 if they win as a group, Estrada said. There is no charge either for the instruction or to enter the contest. Participants must be 16 years old and have a free LinkedIn account. Then they register through a QR code and begin learning. As a participant earns certificates, they upload those certificates to qualify for the contest. The contest is open to residents of Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan, Adams, and Ferry counties. AI has an infinite variety of uses, Estrada said, from sorting apples in a factory to creating advertising to translating between languages. "Every certificate you get will (help) you potentially to get a job down the road," he said. "That's our main focus." To begin learning, scan the QR code and follow the instructions. More information can be found at www.communityskilling.org or by contacting Estrada at 509-760-3020. A new batch of text messages and emails have emerged in newly unredacted filings in Smartmatics defamation lawsuit against Fox, including ones showing then-network host Jeanine Pirros desire to boost Donald Trumps prospects in the 2020 presidential election. Smartmatic is suing Fox for its amplification of claims that it was involved in rigging the 2020 presidential election. In its challenge to the lawsuit, Fox is contending that it was merely covering an issue of national importance, while blasting the election systems companys claim of $2.7 billion in damages. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Smartmatics filing. Read Foxs filing. In a September, 2020 text message that Pirro sent to Ronna McDaniel, who was then chair of the Republican National Committee, the Fox News host wrote, I work so hard for the party across the country Im the # 1 watched show on all news cable all weekend. I work so hard for the President and party Smartmatic also claimed that Pirro sought a pardon from Trump for her ex husband, Al Pirro, including by speaking to the presidents son, Eric, Rudy Giuliani and Bernie Kerik. At one point, according to the Smartmatic filing, she spoke with Eric Trump because she was upset when she thought the president would not grant a pardon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per the filing, On January 20, 2021, Pirro texted Yanina Fleysher, Bernie Keriks girlfriend: U can tell ur boyfriend hes a selfish bastard. I fought for his pardon. DO NOT CALL ME. FUCK HIM I DONT CARE ABT HIM.' Trump did pardon Al Pirro in the hours before he left office. Earlier this month, Senate confirmed Pirro as Trumps nominee to serve as U.S. attorney for the District Of Columbia. A spokesperson for her office did not immediately return a request for comment. As it seeks a summary judgment ruling from New York Judge David Cohen, Smartmatic sought to show how Pirro, Maria Bartiromo and Lou Dobbs in particular featured guests who pushed out claims that the election was stolen and that the company was part of the deception. Per the Smartmatic filing, Pirro was incensed when Fox News decided not to air her show on Nov. 7, 2020, the day that networks declared that Biden had won the race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Clark, who was an executive in charge of weekend programming, wrote to another Fox executive, Meade Cooper, Bottom line I dont trust her to be responsible tomorrow. Her guests are all going to say the election is being stolen and if she pushes back at all it will just be a token. Maybe she does not have show tomorrow night, Cooper wrote back. Honestly that would be the wisest course of action, Clark wrote. But Pirro was incensed. She wrote in a text message to Sean Hannity, IM TIRED OF THE CENSORSHIP AND IM EMBARRASSED BY HOW THEY CALLED THIS ELECTION This may be different. Im now looking for changes. One is to leave u alone, Hannity wrote back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pirro did return to the air the next week, with Trump attorney Sidney Powell as a guest, making unproven claims that software from Smartmatic and Dominion was manipulated. As the stolen election claims were amplified on air, Smartmatic said that it alerted Fox executives to the falsity of the allegations made on air, while executives themselves thought that figures like Rudy Giuliani and Powell were making outlandish and false claims. Smartmatics filing noted that Jesse Watters, now a top primetime host, wrote to friends and colleagues about Powell that she had lost it. Watters referred to a Nov. 19, 2020 press conference that featured Powell and Giuliani, writing, Fox cant even touch that. Shes radioactive now. Pirros show eventually was ended in 2022, when she became a regular on The Five, the top rated show on cable news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unredacted filings also showed the extent to which Pirro and Hannity were in Trumps orbit. Per the Smartmatic filing, in a text message to Fleysher on Oct. 27, a week before the election, Pirro called Hannity an egomaniac. I was in the Oval with Hariri talking to POTUS. He storms in like he owns the place, throws his papers on the Pres desk and says, you dont mind if I use your private bathroom, and walks into bathroom within Oval and uses it. Looks at me and says, I got to talk to him. Ie, you go. Its all abt him, period. No one else matters. Still, Smartmatic noted, Pirro in her deposition testimony was asked if she believes that Biden was legitimately elected President of the United States in the 2020 election. I do, she answered. Trump has continued to make claims that the election was rigged. The Washington Post first reported on the unredacted filings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pirro, Bartiromo and Dobbs estate are named as defendants in the lawsuit, along with Fox. Powell also was named. Pirro, Bartiromo and Dobbs were the most prominent personalities at the network to feature the election rigging claims on their shows. Per the Smartmatic filing, on Nov. 17, 2020, Bartiromo sent a Signal message to Powell, Sidney we must keep you out there. Dobbs is considered very opinionated. I am news. How about Friday? Im off all next week. She later wrote to Powell, I am very worried. Please please please overturn this. Bring the evidence. I know you can. Talk Thursday wont keep bugging you. I know you are drowning in info. She also texted to Michael Flynn, a Trump ally who had served as his national security adviser: Im so worried. I will get these people on. Im not sure I can do any more ghosn [sic] Im doing. I am fighting hard. Smartmatics lawsuit makes some of the same general claims that another voting company, Dominion, made in its lawsuit against the network that as Fox saw ratings fall in the immediate aftermath of the vote, it sought to lean into stolen election claims. In emails and texts, hosts and executives worried about a viewership backlash after Fox was the first network to call Arizona for Joe Biden on election night, the first signal that Trump would lose the race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Fox sought to win back viewers from Newsmax, one journalist, Kristin Fisher, said she was reprimanded for calling out the lack of facts in the Nov. 19 press conference, with the D.C. bureau chief telling her that top executives concluded that she needed to do a better job of respecting the audience. Others spoke of the ratings value in advancing stolen election claims. In one text message shared in the Smartmatic filing, Watters wrote to Greg Gutfeld on Dec. 5, 2020, Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL. A Fox News spokesperson said, The evidence shows that Smartmatics business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trumps lawyers on Fox News and that Smartmatic grossly inflated its damage claims to generate headlines and chill free speech. Now, in the aftermath of Smartmatics executives getting indicted for bribery charges, we are eager and ready to continue defending our press freedoms. In 2023, Fox settled the Dominion lawsuit for $787.5 million, but in its own filings, its attorneys say that Smartmatics case is different. Foxs legal team has deemed Smartmatics $2.7 billion damages claim pure fiction. While Smartmatic claims scores of lost contract opportunities, there is no evidence that Fox Newss coverage caused a single former, existing, or potential customer to refuse to do business with Smartmatic, Fox attorneys wrote in their filing. Many of Smartmatics claimed opportunities are not even real. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fox contends that Smartmatics reputation already was harmed by 2020, noting that its president and co-founder and other executives were under federal criminal investigation for international bribery and money laundering in connection with obtaining one of its largest customer contracts in the Philippines. Facing imminent financial collapse and indictment, Smartmatic saw a litigation lottery ticket in Fox Newss coverage of the 2020 Election. The bribery allegations are a reference to Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez and two other officials at the company who face federal corruption charges in Florida. More recently, Fox has sought public records that related to the process by which Smartmatic was awarded its Los Angeles County contract in 2020, including efforts to woo Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan. They cited allegations by federal prosecutors that Smartmatic executives funneled government contract money into a slush fund to bribe officials, although the DOJ filing does not make a claim about recipients of that money. A Smartmatic spokesperson said on Wednesday, The allegations in the DOJs filing are full of misrepresentations. For example, there are no slush fundsonly healthy contingency funds to ensure massive deployments run smoothly. The alleged 2019 bribe in Venezuela is also untethered from reality. Smartmatic ceased all operations in Venezuela in August 2017 after blowing the whistle on the government, and has never sought business there again. The timing of these allegations seems highly suspect, especially when paired with Foxs aggressive effort to amplify them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foxs attorneys also contend that its coverage was well within the realm of the public interest. Some Fox News and Fox Business reporters and commentatorsincluding on its highest-rated shows were skeptical of the Presidents challenges, its legal team wrote. Others believed they had merit. But all accurately reported the Presidents claims while also providing their opinions on a fast-moving and evolving issue of national importance. None had any motive or desire to harm Smartmatic. Fox attorneys also wrote that Smartmatic has fallen short of proving a key ingredient of defamation claims against a public figure: actual malice. The networks personalities did not know whether the allegations were true, but they did know that the Presidents attorneys were filing court cases and claiming to have evidence to support them. That is not the stuff of actual malice, and a contrary ruling would be a massive blow to the First Amendment and New York law. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. LOGAN, Utah (ABC4) A man from Smithfield has been charged with homicide after allegedly hitting a pedestrian in a Logan parking lot while drunk, causing them critical injuries. The victim would later pass away from their injuries. Chad Hurren Saunders, 44, has been charged with automobile homicide, a second-degree felony. He was initially charged with negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, but the charge was amended after the victim passed away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents, on Aug. 16, 2025, Logan City Police officers were dispatched to an injury crash where a pedestrian was struck in a parking lot. On scene, officers allegedly identified the driver as Chad Saunders. Due to the pedestrians injuries, they were taken by ambulance to the Logan Regional Hospital, then flown to a trauma center for more care. According to medical staff, the victim was in critical condition and suffered serious head trauma. At the scene, the police allowed Saunders to leave and did not perform any sobriety tests. Soon after he left, a Logan City Police officer contacted Saunders and asked him to submit a blood draw. He agreed and met with the officer at the police station. Uintah County man allegedly murdered mother for not letting him use car: Federal charges Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the officer began speaking with Saunders in person, he allegedly detected the heavy odor of alcohol on his breath. According to documents, Saunders spontaneously admitted to drinking heavily last night and again drinking in the morning. The officer described Saunders emotions as sporadic and said that he asked repetitive questions. Saunders submitted the blood test and then consented to an interview with the Logan officer. He allegedly admitted that he drank liquor the night before and a few more shots in the morning around 10 or 11 a.m. Saunders stated he did not drink after the accident, and said his father was driving him home when police contacted him. Saunders father also allegedly confirmed that Saunders did not drink any additional alcohol after leaving the scene. Saunders was arrested and booked into the Cache County Jail, where he was held without bail. Officers believed he would be a flight risk if released, as he is living in Oregon and was planning to leave Utah. At the time of his arrest, medical staff believed that the pedestrian was not likely to survive. Saunders was charged with negligently operating a vehicle resulting in bodily injury on Aug. 18. Later that same day, the charge was amended, and police reported that the victim had passed away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saunders is currently being held at the Cache County Jail without bail. He has a court hearing scheduled for Aug. 25, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Trump's take on museums: "The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been," President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social yesterday. "Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future. We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made." "We have the 'HOTTEST' Country in the World, and we want people to talk about it, including in our Museums," he concludes. Though I'm doubtful that the purge will be done in a measured, nuanced way, I share many of his complaints. Here's a good New York Post piece on how New York's museumsthe Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural Historyhave become co-opted by a rather specific agenda, the exact one you'd expect. More to his specific point: One of the Smithsonian museums made waves when it released an absolutely wild graphic saying that being on time, liking bland foods, and adhering to the scientific method are white, based on the work of Tema Okun and Judith Katz. And presidential portraiture is in no way immune from grossly hagiographic representation, as detailed by Crispin Sartwell in Reason. Whether it's explicit, stupid wokeness or more subtle works of art that serve to bolster state power, there's something for every libertarian to hate if you spend enough time in our nation's museums! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The person actually running the initiativeper the March executive order that presaged thisis a woman named Lindsey Halligan, who seemsnot all that bad. "We don't need to overemphasize the negative to teach people that certain aspects of our nation's history may have been bad," she told The Washington Post a few months ago. Doing so "just makes us grow further and further apart." ("If arts funding is to show 'who we are as Americans,' or to narrate our alleged communal experience, it is going to have to respond to the tastes of the American people, which at the moment run to autotuned hip hop and bro country," wrote Sartwell back in 2021, in a piece on how government-funded art always ends up as propaganda for the ruling class.) Halligan, an avid Smithsonian museumgoer, said she's seen "exhibits that have to do with either another country's history entirely or art and sculpture that describes on the placards next to it that America and sculpture are inherently racist." Might I suggest a better path forward? Starve the beast. The Smithsonian, per The Washington Post, "receives about 60 percent of its funding from congressional appropriations and federal grants and contracts, according to fiscal 2023 numbers, but those funds cover operations, infrastructure and maintaining collections. Generally, exhibitions are funded by private donations." Though this isn't really within the purview of the executive, the Trump administration could exert pressure on Congress to stop funding the Smithsonian and make clear that the museums need to shift to being entirely privately funded. Then Bill Ackman and Alex Soros and whoever can duke it out and decide which types of stories about America get told, and taxpayers in Wisconsin who never get to avail themselves of"The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture" can save a buck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UBI discourse: "Just give people money. It's the simple, brute-force solution to so many problems. In low-income countries, charities are sometimes measured against whether their interventions are better than simply giving people cash. Even in high-income countries like the U.S., when disaster strikes, often the best thing you can do is get money into the hands of affected people immediately. They know whether they should use it to buy gas, rent an Airbnb or fly to their cousin's house one state over," writes Kelsey Piperformer Just Asking Questions guest, former singularly sane person at Vox, and now writing for the new publication The Argument. So it wasn't that crazy to assumeparticularly once promising pilots were releasedthat the same should be true for addressing chronic poverty in high-income countries. If you give a new mom a few hundred dollars a month or a homeless man one thousand dollars a month, that's gotta show up in the data, right? Alas. A few years back we got really serious about studying cash transfers, and rigorous research began in cities all across America. Some programs targeted the homeless, some new mothers and some families living beneath the poverty line. The long and short of it? No, such transfers didn't really do anything: On so many important metrics, these people are statistically indistinguishable from those who did not receive this aid. The OpenResearch unconditional income study tried $1,000 per month for three years, while the control group got $50 per month. They found that participants worked lessbut nothing else improved. Not their health, not their sleep, not their jobs, not their education, and not even time spent with their children. They did experience a reduction in stress at the start of the study, but it quickly went away. Piper explores not just the results from these studies, but also, interestingly, what could be called a media cover-up: a sort of fishy-looking effort to obscure these results and greet universal basic income (UBI) as more positive and effective than it's been proven to be. Scenes from New York: Hurricane Erin is making its way up the East Coast, closing beaches to swimmers in New York City today and tomorrow (a human rights violation if you ask me). The great news is that surfers get to take advantage of this wild swell, since the enforcersNYC Parks and Rec personneldon't go out in the water and can't catch 'em. Waves as high as 11 to 15 feet are expected on parts of Long Island on Thursday. QUICK HITS Sure. Many "wokes" (though surely not all and maybe not "wokism") hate not just the world of slavery but the contemporary world as well. They see its accomplishments as suspect. They are motivated to present it as deeply illegitimate, founded on oppression and injustice. https://t.co/TfpkKK3SRu Oliver Traldi (@olivertraldi) August 18, 2025 Bad news: On Friday, the Trump administration quietly expanded its steel/aluminum tariffs to cover hundreds of items that aren't aluminum or steel products "by any reasonable understanding of those words" - including dairy products! Ridiculous stuff. pic.twitter.com/zPM3j4yweo Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) August 18, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The post Smithsonian Heat appeared first on Reason.com. The Trump administration attorney leading the White House review of the Smithsonian Institutions programming said the museum has an overemphasis on slavery. Lindsey Halligan, a special assistant to the president, spoke to Fox News on Wednesday after the president blasted the Smithsonian on Truth Social for being OUT OF CONTROL for discussing how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been. Related: JD Vance Heckled At Photo Op With National Guard In DC Halligan appeared to go further than the president when asked by host John Roberts about museums reflecting Americas checkered past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact our country was involved in slavery is awful. No one thinks otherwise, she said. But what I saw when I was going through the museum, personally, was an overemphasis on slavery, and I think there should be more of an overemphasis on how far weve come since slavery. Related: This Is Socialism: Right-Wing Host Short-Circuits Over Trumps Terrible New Move We should be able to take our kids, our students, through the Smithsonian and feel proud when we leave, Halligan continued. Theres a lot of history to our country both positive and negative but we need to keep moving forward. We cant just keep focusing on the negative. All it does is divide us. Related: Eric Adams Advisor Handed Reporter Cash Stuffed In Bag Of Potato Chips The Trump administration has accused the Smithsonian of promoting improper ideology, and in August said it was carrying out a review of museum exhibits, curatorial materials and other operations in advance of the countrys 250th anniversary next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vast institution includes 21 museums, 21 libraries and a zoo. The American history museum, natural history museum, African American history museum and American Indian museum are all affected by the review. Trump has indicated he is extending the audit to all U.S. museums after lashing out at them for being the last remaining segment of WOKE. In an interview with The Washington Post in April, Halligan took credit for Trump issuing an executive order, titled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, after raising concerns about the Smithsonians content with him. I talked to the president about it, and suggested an executive order, and he gave me his blessing, and here we are, said Halligan, who started working for Trumps legal team in 2022 and moved to D.C. just before the inauguration. Halligan: What I saw going through the museum personally was an overemphasis on slavery, and I think there should be an overemphasis on how far weve come... We should be able to take our kids, our students through the Smithsonian and be proud when we leave pic.twitter.com/6FWKpHtpgb Acyn (@Acyn) August 20, 2025 Related... Read the original on HuffPost A 43-year-old Snohomish County man was sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison for producing images of child sexual abuse and for attempting to lure a minor. Bennett Park was arrested in August 2023 when he was attempting to pick up a 13-year-old in Everett. Park had told an undercover law enforcement officer that he planned to pick up and molest the 13-year-old. A month earlier, he responded to an online ad placed by an undercover Homeland Security Investigation agent. The agent, posing as a parent, was advertising two young children to molest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his response, Park indicated that he was actively molesting children between the ages of 11 and 17. He indicated he wanted to molest the agents fictional children but was already meeting a 13-year-old, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Thankfully, law enforcement surveilled him and were able to arrest him and rescue the teen he met up with in Everett. After Parks arrest, a review of his electronic devices revealed he had communicated with dozens of minors. Twenty-three of the minor victims were identified. Park had convinced them to provide images of sexual abuse via Instagram, Discord, Snapchat, Facebook, Gmail and Zoom platforms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the plea agreement, Park details his crimes with eight different minor victims. In all, 14 Cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were subsequently issued by Discord, resulting in the confirmation of 23 minor victims between the ages of 10 to 17 years old whom Park enticed and exploited between April 2018 until his arrest. This defendant damaged untold lives those of his victims and those of their family members, friends and adults who tried but could not keep them safe from a predator lurking on the internet, said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. I commend the quick work by law enforcement to intervene before he could molest another child. U. S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez ordered Park to be on supervised release for 20 years after his prison term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the time you get out you will be in your early 60s What will life look like for you, Judge Martinez said. Martinez ordered that Park be required to register as a sex offender. A hearing is scheduled for November 14, 2025, to determine the amount of restitution he owes. Park was fined $3,000 to pay into a fund for victims of child sexual abuse imagery. EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) As close to a dozen soldiers with the Indiana National Guard 38th Infantry Division out of Indianapolis landed in Evansville, loved ones inside Evansville Regional Airport wait patiently for their first hugs in nearly a year. Soldiers had been stationed in the Middle East for 11 months. Kendra Jones drove from Sullivan to greet her husband. Its been a little crazy, says Jones. We just bought a house and everything right before he left, for like 2 weeks he was home. So, adjusting to that, and just got married a couple months before. Jones wasnt the only one waiting patiently. My dada, says 3-year-old Stella. My dada is my best friend. Stella immediately ran into her dads arms as soon as she saw him turn the corner. Its going to be a big change for him to come home to, says Jones. She talks more and everything. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evansville councilwomans business front reportedly vandalized by chalk message Another long-awaited hug came to Evansville resident Jacki Baumgart, courtesy of her fiance, Master Sergeant Anthony Hoskins. It is a moment she says shes been preparing for repeatedly. Probably its replayed in my head a million different times, so I dont know, Im just so excited to see him, says Baumgart. Hoskins echoed those same feelings by saying, Just really excited to be at home. Its wonderful. Hoskins says his past year has been a challenge, but believes the bigger battle is at home. In my honest opinion, says Hoskins, I think the families have more struggles back at home than us soldiers do being overseas. Baumgart says her family is looking forward to spending time with Hoskins and may even make plans to finally tie the knot. Yeah, get married, says Hoskins. Be around family and friends, loved ones, definitely re-connect with family. The nucleus of everything. More from Cody Bailey Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). Soldiers on the U.S.-Mexico border are using high-tech equipment ranging from drone-warfare systems to futuristic headsets to spot migrants and summon border patrol agents. Among the high-tech gear the Army is putting through paces in its border mission are drones and drone jammers, advanced sensors and a gaming-style headset known as the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS. The IVAS, which was developed by Microsoft beginning in 2018, received mixed reviews from soldiers in previous field tests. The IVAS headsets include a heads-up see-through display with thermal and low-light imaging sensors, a compass for navigation and augmented reality features. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can place graphics on a map and that map is interactive as soldiers cross phase lines, checkpoints, etc., said Capt. Zander Wiesehuegel, a company commander for the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, which has soldiers in multiple states along the border. Specifically for this mission, what it allows them to do is take data that they receive over a radio, theyll plot that on a map, and then everyone whos wearing that sensor is able to see where thats plotted on a map. The night vision devices give soldiers enhanced planning and communication capabilities, Wiesehuegel said, adding that soldiers very quickly communicate with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents where theyve seen whatever they have seen. The Microsoft-built IVAS has had a rocky development path. Goggle tests from 2023 indicated that IVAS made soldiers less lethal and caused them to hit and engage fewer targets in training. In 2022, Pentagon tests found that IVAS caused soldiers mission-affecting physical impairments like headaches, neck pain, nausea, and eye strain. An official with the Joint Task Force-Southern Border said soldiers are using IVAS 1.2, as opposed to the IVAS 1.0, which updated the systems weight distribution to reduce how heavy the system feels and has capabilities that allow a soldier to modify their settings to counter any symptoms if present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Army Times reporting from October 2024 highlighted that changes to IVAS fixed early user problems with moisture in the device, dizziness and display glitches. U.S. Army Capt. John Filipczyk, a company commander with Joint Task Force-Southern Border, tests the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) at Fort Bliss, Texas, July 5, 2025. Army photo by Spc. Bradley Waldroup The project was originally managed by Microsoft and based on their commercially available Microsoft HoloLens device. In February, Anduril announced it would lead production, hardware and software development and delivery of the googles. Anduril has also enlisted the help of Meta on the artificial intelligence and augmented reality aspects of the headsets. The company touts IVAS as offering beyond line-of-sight perception capabilities, and survivability against drones. An Army contract solicitation from April described the newly renamed Soldier Borne Mission Command Center project as a digital awareness system that provides day and night situational awareness for soldiers on foot. Wiesehuegel said it took soldiers about three nights of border patrols to be comfortable using the night vision devices. The border as a proving ground The Army has made it clear it views the border mission as a chance to put unproven systems through real-world paces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maj. Geoffrey Carmichael, a spokesperson for the Joint Task Force Southern Border said that soldiers at the border not only help to preserve the integrity of the United States southern border, but also create a laboratory of experimentation along the southern border. In March, the U.S. Northern Command announced that 2,400 soldiers from the Fort Carson, Colorado-based 2nd Stryker BCT would head south to carry out detection and monitoring operations. Officials insisted that soldiers will not conduct or be involved in interdiction or deportation operations, according to a NORTHCOM release announcing the deployment. Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team described using the new high-tech to find and detect migrants and report their position to law enforcement. Wiesehuegel said that soldiers used the Afghanistan-era Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station, or CROWS system, to detect suspected migrants and used beyond line of sight radios to phone a nearby patrol squad, which summoned border patrol agents within 30 seconds to one minute. Top Stories This Week News 2-star general busted down to lieutenant colonel over inappropriate relationship By Jeff Schogol News Marines investigating social media post that appears to mock potential recruit By Jeff Schogol News 4,500 Marines and sailors deploy to Caribbean for anti-cartel mission By Nicholas Slayton Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team soldiers are also using the Black Hornet 4, a microdrone developed in 2023, that weighs 70 grams and is used for innocuous surveillance. Soldiers are also carrying the Dronebuster to spoof and jam drone frequencies and redirect them. The TITAN system is designed to collect targeting information scan radio frequencies to detect nearby drones, said Capt. Ben Hale, one of the brigades company commanders. A lot of the systems that theyre using for counter [unmanned aerial systems], they didnt have before coming to the border, said Capt. Bailey Buhler, a spokesperson for the Joint Task Force-Southern Border. The fielding of this equipment really has been timed with the receipt of this mission as the [Department of Defense] has seen an opportunity to support national security and to enhance our training in a place where theres the ability to do it. Some of the Armys longstanding combat equipment has been outfitted for more modern warfare threats like radar systems typically used for artillery and rocket defense that were updated to counter and respond to increased drone sightings at the border. The CROWS system, used widely in Iraq and Afghanistan, has newer cameras, sensors and 360-degree situational awareness, according to the Army. Multi-purpose companies The soldiers are also part of new formations designed under the Armys Transform in Contact initiative, an effort in which the service selects specific units to test concepts and technology that can eventually be incorporated across the force to fight future wars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two of the Stryker combat team units were designated as Multi-Purpose Companies. The MPCs retain their infantry and mortar platoons but add two more one focused on electromagnetic warfare and another for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear reconnaissance. Army Spc. Gino Exume of Joint Task Force-Southern Border along the Rio Grande river near Rio Grande City, Texas, June 10, 2025. Army photo by Pfc. Sean Hoch. The 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team commander, Col. Hugh Jones, said in an Army release that their soldiers are responsible for having eyes on more than 1,044 miles-worth of the U.S.-Mexico border which means essentially having one soldier for every half a mile. The MPCs can be used to send soldiers out in typical Stryker convoys that can cross mountainous terrain across multiple states or dismounted operations in swampy areas that are harder for vehicles to access and instead send soldiers out on foot, said Capt. Hale who leads one of the new MPCs. Across the border, youll see entirely different types of terrain, Hale said. As the joint task force identifies areas where we want more information or we can help Customs and Border Protection, theyre able to quickly flex the multi-purpose companies with all of these assets into that area regardless of any of the constraints that area might naturally have. The new formations have been tested at training centers but its the first time theyre being implemented for operations. At a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation in August 2024 at Fort Polk, Louisiana by the 101st Airborne Divisions 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, one of the first units selected for the Transform in Contact effort. During the exercise, the MPC soldiers helped devise a deception plan using decoys that emitted Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals to mislead enemy forces. LONDON -- Six suspects accused of orchestrating one of South Africa's largest rhino horn trafficking operations appeared in court Tuesday following a 7-year investigation that uncovered a scheme involving 964 rhino horns destined for illegal markets in Southeast Asia, authorities said. The arrests mark what officials are calling a "decisive victory" in the country's fight against international wildlife crime, as South Africa continues to battle a poaching crisis that claimed 420 rhinos in 2024 alone. Among those arrested was John Hume, 83, the controversial former owner of the world's largest rhino farm who once bred about 2,000 white rhinos, roughly an eighth of the global population, before selling his operation to African Parks in 2023. Alleged fraudulent permit scheme exposed The six suspects, aged between 49 and 84, surrendered to the South African Police's elite Hawks unit at Sunnyside Police Station before appearing in Pretoria Magistrates' Court on charges including fraud, theft and violations of environmental protection laws. Alexander Joe/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Zimbabwe-born, multi-millionaire game farmer John Hume poses September 30, 2004 in front of a black male rhinoceros outside the northeastern town of Malelane, next to Kruger National Park. Prosecutors allege the syndicate defrauded the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment by obtaining permits under false pretenses to buy and sell rhino horns domestically, while actually funneling them into illegal international markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation involved the SAPS Hawks' Wildlife Trafficking Section, the Department's enforcement unit known as the Green Scorpions, and the National Prosecuting Authority. Additional charges of racketeering and money laundering are under consideration, officials said. While South African law permits domestic trade in rhino horn with valid government permits, international commercial trade has been banned since 1977 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 'Rhino baron' among the accused Hume, once dubbed South Africa's "rhino baron," spent decades and an estimated $150 million advocating for legalizing international rhino horn trade, arguing that flooding the market with ethically harvested horns would reduce poaching. Mujahid Safodien/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: In this file photo, a ranger measures a rhino's horn to be trimmed at John Hume's Rhino Ranch in Klerksdorp, in the North Western Province of South Africa, on Feb. 3, 2016. He was granted bail of 100,000 rand (about $5,600), while his co-accused received bail ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 rand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other suspects include Hume's relative, Clive Melville, who was previously accused in 2019 of illegally transporting 167 rhino horns; attorneys Izak du Toit and Catharina van Niekerk; insurance broker Mattheus Poggenpoel; and game reserve manager Johannes Hennop. Poaching crisis continues The arrests come as South Africa, home to 80% of the world's remaining rhinos, grapples with an ongoing poaching crisis. Despite a 15% decrease in poaching deaths from 2023 to 2024, 103 rhinos were killed in the first three months of 2025, more than one per day, according to government figures. KwaZulu-Natal province has emerged as the epicenter, though dehorning initiatives showed promise after the province saw poaching losses drop nearly 30% in 2024. However, criminal syndicates quickly adapted, targeting even dehorned rhinos for their horn stumps by November 2024. Alexander Joe/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: In this file photo, Zimbabwe-born multi-millionaire game farmer John Hume poses September 30, 2004, in front of a black male rhinoceros outside the northeastern town of Malelane, next to Kruger National Park. The illegal trade is reportedly driven by demand in Vietnam and China, where the horns are used in traditional medicine despite no proven medicinal value. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhino horn can fetch more than $60,000 per kilogram on the black market, a commodity more valuable than gold, platinum or diamonds, according to the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. South African Environment Minister Dr. Dion George called the arrests "a powerful demonstration of South Africa's resolve to protect its natural heritage." "This complex investigation shows that our enforcement agencies will not hesitate to pursue those who plunder our wildlife for criminal profit," George said. ABC News' Liezl Thom contributed to this report. Brash, controversial and unafraid to speak his mind, South Africa's Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has been swift to call out racism in others but he himself has now been branded a racist - a charge he refutes. He is often seen as the lightning rod for the frustrations of the country's coloured community, as people of mixed heritage are referred to in South Africa's population census. But old comments McKenzie made on social media, using a profoundly offensive term referring to black people, have created a political storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has until the end of Wednesday to respond to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which wants the minister to delete the offensive posts and issue a public apology, among other demands. "Coloured" was the classification given to people of mixed heritage under apartheid. This system created a legally enforced racial hierarchy that saw white people at the top and black people at the bottom, with Indians and coloured people in between. Despite apartheid being abolished three decades ago and the promotion of the "rainbow nation", its bitter legacy lives on in the country's economy and politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McKenzie's Patriotic Alliance (PA) has attracted support among coloured people, winning parliamentary representation in elections last year. "For the first time there is coloured people also going to parliament through the Patriotic Alliance," McKenzie said, after the results were announced. President Cyril Ramaphosa included the PA in his multi-party coalition government after his African National Congress (ANC) lost its parliamentary majority for the first time. The ANC sees McKenzie as useful to counter the second-biggest party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), in the campaign for the coloured vote, and to address perceptions of marginalisation within the coloured community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group makes up about 8% of South Africa's population. The politician has positioned himself as the outspoken defender of their interests. There is a feeling expressed by some in the community that under apartheid they were not white enough and now in the new era they are not black enough. This latest row blew up in July after McKenzie took a popular podcast, Open Chats, hosted by a group of young black people, to task for derogatory remarks they made about coloured people. The clip has since been deleted from the episode, but it did not stop some in the coloured community from going after the show's hosts over the saga. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A criminal complaint was filed with the police and the matter was referred to the SAHRC for further investigation. The commission's role is to address human rights violations and seek "effective redress". "There should be no place to hide for racists. [Whether] you are a white, black [or] coloured racist, a racist remains a racist," McKenzie said at the height of his campaign. But then the social media archaeologists got to work. Gayton McKenzie's Patriotic Alliance gets its support mostly from the Western Cape, where there is a large coloured community [Gallo Images via Getty Images] In the posts from over a decade ago on what was then known as Twitter, he repeatedly used the highly offensive "K-word" when speaking about black people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The "K-word" was the most vicious racial slur used to humiliate black people during the apartheid years. It is a symbol of de-humanisation. McKenzie says he regrets the posts but has also robustly defended himself, most recently in a lengthy live video posted on his Facebook page. "I always saw myself as black growing up... [so] I'm black and coloured, I'm mixed," he said looking down the barrel of the camera. The minister has described himself as a "black-skinned coloured" whose father was a mix of Japanese and Irish and mother is a black woman from the Sotho community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of this, he added, when he speaks of black people he is including himself in the equation. He also detailed how he had been part of the anti-apartheid struggle. This reflects the view that as the fight against apartheid gained momentum, coloured people and Indians campaigned with black people against the racist system. They understood that "if you don't unite South Africa at a struggle level, your chances of taking over and democratising the country are very limited", the North West University's professor of government studies Kedibone Phago said. Racial segregation ended in South Africa in the 1990s [Sygma via Getty Images] But despite the struggle bringing together different groups and then the end of apartheid itself, racial classification has remained embedded in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the majority of the population, where they live, what kind of job they have, or indeed if they have a job, and their wealth, is still largely related to which apartheid-defined race they belong to. This is because, among other reasons, the apartheid geography that separated different races "is still very strong", Prof Phago told the BBC. "We just don't know each other at all [or] each other's culture and habits [so] when people call us the rainbow nation, it's just nonsense. Very few people socialise across racial barriers," Terry Oakley-Smith, who founded the South African diversity consultant firm Diversi-T, said. The beginning of democracy in 1994 did not wipe out racism, but "what's unusual about this case is that it's about a so-called coloured person using that sort of language and remarks", Ms Oakley-Smith noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both experts also raised concerns how the podcast presenters expressed themselves. "They were terribly disappointing," Ms Oakley-Smith said. There has been a long-standing feeling in sections of the coloured community that in an effort to tackle the problems from the past, the democratic government has ignored their needs. McKenzie echoed this in 2023. "Coloured people woke up in the new South Africa and found legislation that makes it clear that they are not Africans," he was quoted as saying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A clear racist separation by the ANC government. How do you even explain that because coloureds and blacks fought side by side in the struggle for freedom?" But Prof Phago argued that this is about different communities looking for something to blame for broader problems. He pointed to the government's failure to take the lead in the necessary "societal transformation". "This is a very strong systemic problem that needs a strong developmental state to deal with because if we don't find a way... we'll continue to have these kind of problems." Ms Oakley-Smith echoed this, saying that this latest racial storm showed "there's a lot more that needs to be done to improve race relations". "We have so much work to do... [and] unless we take some actions, these things are going to continue," she noted. McKenzie's sports, arts and culture portfolio is supposed to promote things that bring the country together. Ironically, his divisive historical comments and his refusal to apologise has rallied citizens in the call for tougher conversations around race relations. But he will now have to wait to see what the SAHRC will do next - and whether President Cyril Ramaphosa will keep him in the government. More BBC stories on South Africa: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts JOHANNESBURG (AP) South African prosecutors have accused a well-known rhino breeder of operating a global rhino horn smuggling network alongside five other people. John Hume, 83, owns one of the world's largest rhino herds at his Johannesburg ranch. He and the others are accused of a scheme involving 964 rhino horns valued at $14.1 million. Hume has not publicly commented. Hume was granted $5,000 bond by the Pretoria magistrates court, according to the National Prosecuting Authority, after he and the others handed themselves over to police on Tuesday. Bail conditions included turning over their passports. Prosecutors said they next appear in court on Dec. 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A seven-year investigation by South African authorities found the suspects allegedly secured permits under false pretenses to buy and sell rhino horns domestically while funneling the horns into illegal markets in Southeast Asia. Under South African law, domestic trade is permitted with valid permits. However, international commercial trade in rhino horn is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. According to a blog promoting the private reserve that he opened in 2009, Hume and his staff at Rhinos of Buffalo Dream Ranch care for over 1,600 rhinos, including over 1,000 that have been bred there. The six suspects, including a lawyer, insurance broker and game reserve manager, are charged with 55 counts including racketeering, fraud, theft and money laundering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The country's environment minister, Dion George, called the investigation a powerful demonstration of South Africas resolve to protect its natural heritage. South Africa fights an ongoing battle to protect endangered rhinos, with a reported 103 killed between Jan. 1 and March 31, according to the government. Authorities have focused in recent years on criminal syndicates they believe are behind much of the poaching. The country has the world's largest rhino population with an estimated 16,000 to 18,000, according to conservation groups. That includes white rhinos and the critically endangered black ones. A prominent South African MP fired his gun to fend off a violent attack by a gang on him and two of his colleagues in Cape Town. Ian Cameron - along with two other members of parliament's police committee, Lisa Schickerling and Nicholas Gotsell - were returning from a work trip when their vehicle was ambushed in the township of Philippi on Tuesday. The assailants smashed the car's windows with bricks, injuring Cameron and Gotsell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cameron, whose teeth were broken, retaliated by opening fire, injuring one of the attackers. Police said two teenagers, aged 16 and 18, had been arrested while they investigate a case of attempted murder and attempted hijacking. Crime is a major problem in South Africa and the country has one of the highest murder rates in the world. One of the suspects was apprehended while seeking medical treatment at a hospital on Tuesday, while the other was arrested on a farm early on Wednesday, police said, adding that a search was under way for a third suspect. Cameron, who chairs the police committee, told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that they were returning from an unannounced visit to a police academy in Philippi when "the first brick came through [the window]" on the driver's side and hit him in the face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cameron said that while he was trying to fend off his attacker, he saw his colleagues also face a barrage of attacks from the other assailants. "I realised that if we don't do something, then this can go really bad. So I did my best to act in self-defence with my firearm and then we sped off to the closest secure location." In South Africa, it is legal to carry a firearm, so long as you have a licence. Cameron, who was seen with a cut lip in the interview, said some of his teeth had been broken, while Gotsell was briefly hospitalised after he was hit on the head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gotsell, speaking after being discharged from hospital, praised Cameron, saying he "acted with such bravery". All three MPs are members of the Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-biggest party in South Africa's coalition government. The party said the attack showed how "out-of-control" crime is in South Africa. More BBC stories on South Africa: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) South Carolina lawmakers are addressing skyrocketing insurance costs that are threatening people, their businesses, and their homes. Lawmakers are now working with insurance companies to try and find solutions. It was incumbent upon these companies to tell us whats driving those calls to go up, said Representative and Chair of the Committee Gary Brewer (R Charleston). Whats making that happen because they, you know, they go through the insurance department on trying to get their rates either raised or lowered. The meeting lasted over more than five hours, as lawmakers put their heads together to try to figure out how to lower insurance premiums for homeowners, business owners, and individual rate payers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cant guarantee, but if you look at history, what happened in West Virginia, whats happened in Florida, whats probably going to happen in Georgia and ultimately in Louisiana, it does have a positive downward pressure on, said Jim Dodrill from Progressive. Youre asking us to do all these changes here but yet you cant guarantee me that the premiums are going to go down. Why the heck are we sitting here in the first place? said Representative Jermaine Johnson (D Kershaw). Why are you telling me all this information to change something if you cant even give me a return on my investment. Brewer said the goal of these meetings are to create a bill that would lower cost factors for South Carolinians and focus on other findings they see in these meetings. He said he wants this bill to passed in 2026. We have this committee, and we plan to put legislation together, Brewer said. The whole goal of this legislation is to create an environment that will put downward pressure on their rates, so their rates will come down. He added that the committee is trying to figure out why some companies can drop their rates, and some cant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we have a good insurance environment where were getting more and more companies in there, itll allow them to compete with each other in the free market, to go after each other to help lower our rates, which helps small businesses, Brewer said. This is only a piece in the puzzle and the committee will keep meeting to try to solve these problems for South Carolinians. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. A man approaches the Minnehaha County Treasurer's Office in Sioux Falls on Aug. 20, 2025, the second day on which a power outage shut down access to state records. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) State online and communications systems began to come back online Wednesday after more than 24 hours of failures and a declaration of judicial emergency by South Dakotas court system. A news release from the state Bureau of Information Technology said the state had restored the primary power supply to the states data center, which is the term used by the bureau to describe all the hardware across the state connected through the bureaus network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, core networking and storage systems are now online, and internet access, wireless services, phone systems, and state radio have been fully restored, the release says. Some systems had yet to return to full service, but all state agencies and partners are actively engaged in addressing the challenges caused by the service disruption. The states South Dakotas court system declared a judcial emergency in response to the outage on Wednesday. Since Tuesday, people in and outside the judicial system had been unable to get court records or court dates, file documents like protection orders, trial motions, civil lawsuits or small claims cases. Public access points like ecourts.sd.gov were inaccessible, and court system employees couldnt access records through their own non-public information portals. The court system was also unable to take electronic payments of fines, though a press release from the Unified Judicial System said clerks were still taking in-person payments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judicial emergency suspended all deadlines, time schedules, due dates and filing requirements imposed by applicable statutes, rules and court orders until the state Supreme Court rescinds the order. Alisa Bousa, spokesperson for the Unified Judicial System, said late Wednesday that while systems appear to be back online, the agencys IT team plans to run diagnostics to make sure things are working properly. The emergency declaration was part of the fallout from the data center outage. Drivers license exam stations and self-service kiosks remained inaccessible for a second day Wednesday, as did vehicle registration and vehicle licensing, birth and death records and the states voter registration database. Law enforcement was affected, as well. Faulk County Sheriff Kurt Hall said his dispatch was unable to run license plate and warrant checks for deputies doing traffic stops for most of Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We couldnt run plates yesterday, but we can today, said Hall, whose office polices a county of 2,100 and runs a 32-bed jail. Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead, who oversees the deputies patrolling South Dakotas most populous county and one of its largest jails, said state system services were spotty at best during the network outage. Metro Communications, which takes 911 calls and dispatches services for both the county and the Sioux Falls Police Department, was able to communicate with law enforcement, even as some state resources were unavailable. A screen at the Minnehaha County Courthouse that normally displays the daily court calendar sits blank on Aug. 20, 2025, the second day of disruptions to South Dakotas state network. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) We couldnt run plates yesterday, but we can today, said Hall, whose office polices a county of 2,100 and runs a 32-bed jail. Milsteads office relied on its local warrants database for information, but adding warrants to the system was cumbersome with the state court system down. Deputies had to hand-deliver warrants for entry into the warrant database, and hand deliver orders to release inmates from custody to the jail. This is certainly demonstrating how dependent we are on the state network, Milstead said early Wednesday afternoon, adding that he cant recall an outage that lasted as long. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney General Marty Jackley said early Wednesday that his offices consumer protection division was unable to process complaints. Jackleys office also oversees the State Automated Victim Notification System, through which victims or the public can sign up for alerts about court dates, incarceration status or release dates for people accused or convicted of crimes. That SAVIN system wasnt sending out alerts during the outage. Milstead said we still have processes in place to notify victims using the information held on local servers without SAVIN. Thats kind of a check and balance, not in every case, but in most cases, Milstead said. I would call it more of a workaround, but the jail still does victim notification if we have a victim on file. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bureau of Information Technologys spokesperson, Lisa Rahja, said in an email Wednesday that the state engineers office has investigated the root cause of the outage. The power outage wasnt caused by a cybersecurity breach, she wrote. EDITORS NOTE: This is a developing story and has been updated with new information since its initial publication. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. SOUTH OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) A South Jordan man has been arrested and charged after attempting to meet up with an underage girl who was actually an undercover police officer. Joanny Alejandro Parica-Amricua, 30, has been charged with one count of attempted rape, one count of attempted forcible sodomy, four counts of enticing a minor with second-degree felony activity, and one count of distributing harmful material to a minor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents, between July 15 and Aug. 18, 2025, a South Ogden Police officer affiliated with the Utah Attorney General Offices Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) conducted an undercover operation as a 14-year-old girl on social media. Parica-Amricua allegedly made contact with this undercover officer on July 15, believing him to be an underage teen. Through social media, the two had casual conversations without anything inappropriate. This changed on Aug. 14, when Parica-Amricua asked for the minors location. During this conversation, Parica-Amricua stated that he lived in South Jordan, and asked about meeting who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl in person. The undercover officer reaffirmed that they were a 14-year-old, and Parica-Amricua allegedly claimed to be 17 years old. Man charged for allegedly running CSAM file-sharing program out of Syracuse residence Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following day, Aug. 15, Parica-Amricua reiterated his desire to meet with the alleged 14-year-old, and began making arrangements to meet in person. He also expressed interest and intentions to engage in inappropriate conduct and pursue a relationship, according to documents. Initially, Parica-Amricua invited the undercover officer posing as a minor to meet him at his residence in South Jordan using the Trax and Frontrunner systems, but the undercover officer declined. In reponse, Parica-Amricua allegedly agreed to travel to South Ogden to meet with the minor at Madison Park. On Aug. 18, the planned meeting date, Parica-Amricua confirmed that he would be meeting the 14-year-old, and provided assurances during a discussion about engaging in inappropriate relations. He allegedly asked the minor about what sexual relations she would be comfortable with before arriving. Around 5 p.m., Parica-Amricua arrived at the meeting location in South Ogden, documents say. When he arrived, he was arrested and taken into custody. He allegedly continued to apologize and plead for law enforcement to release him with a warning while being transported to jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parica-Amricua was booked into the Weber County Jail, where he is currently being held without bail. Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. (FOX40.COM) El Dorado County Health officials were notified by the California Department of Public Health that a South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for Plague after possibly being bitten by a flea. Video above: How does CDC track disease? According to the El Dorado County Environmental Management Division and Public Health Division, the person may have been bitten by an infected flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area. At this time, the individual is under the care of a medical professional and is recovering at home. Health officials continue to investigate the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County, said Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado Countys Acting Director of Public Health. Its important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking, and or camping in areas where wild rodents are present. Newsom files FOIA request on appearance of federal agents at redistricting event Health officials said that plague is caused by the bacterium called Yersinia Pestis. Plague bacteria are mostly transmitted by the bits of fleas that have the bacteria from infected squirrels, chipmunks, and other wild rodents. Dogs and cats may also bring plague-infected fleas into the home, according to health officials. People can get plague when they are bitten by infected fleas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plague can be prevented by avoiding contact with wild rodents, and by keeping pets away from rodent burrows, public health officials said. Authorities said the symptoms of plague will usually show up within two weeks of exposure to an infected animal or flea, which include fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes. The plague can be treated effectively with antibiotics if symptoms are shown early. Vacaville residents face 19.3% average utility rate increase starting July Officials said CHPD has been monitoring rodent populations for plague activity in California and closely coordinating with health officials. A camera footage shows activities in El Doardo County from 2021 through 2024, which resulted in finding 41 rodents with evidence of being exposed to the plague bacterium. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, El Doardo County health officials said four additional rodents have tested positive and have been odentofoied in the Tahoe Basin. The name of the person who was infected by the plague will not be released, said Carla B. Hass, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer. Here are some tips health officials share to prevent the plague. Do not feed squirrels, chipmunks, or other wild rodents. Never touch sick, injured, or dead rodents. Do not allow your pets to play with or pick up sick, injured, or dead rodents. Do not camp, sleep, or rest near animal burrows or areas where dead rodents are observed. Look for and heed posted warning signs. Wear long pants tucked into boot tops and spray insect repellent containing DEET on socks and pant cuffs to reduce exposure to fleas. Leave pets at home if possible; otherwise, keep pets on a leash. Do not allow pets to approach sick or dead rodents or explore rodent burrows. Protect pets with flea control products. Pet cats are highly susceptible to plague and can pose a direct threat to humans. Keep cats away from rodents. Consult a veterinarian if your cat becomes sick after being in contact with rodents. If you get sick after being in an area where plague is known to occur, consult a physician and tell them you may have been exposed to plague. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information about the plague, 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 FOX40 News. As Southern California braces for the most significant heat wave yet this year, officials warn that the dangerously hot temperatures expected at the end of the week are only one of three major concerns. Its a trio of impactful hazards affecting Southern California as we head into the next several days: heat, fire and storms, said Ariel Cohen, the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service's Oxnard office. "Everyone needs to be getting prepared now." As extreme heat began to build across the Southwest on Wednesday, firefighters in Orange County responded to a blaze in Laguna Niguel that prompted evacuations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Beacon fire burned for several hours near near Ridgeway Avenue before it was eventually stopped. The risk for extreme fire growth and more starts was only expected to increase over the next several days, as the region could see near-record temperatures through the weekend and monsoonal thunderstorms, which could bring lightning strikes. It's a trifecta that was creating major fire and health concerns, as well as the chance for localized flooding, debris flows and destructive winds. The dangerous conditions are going to be coming Thursday and sticking around through the first part of the weekend," Cohen said. Read more: SoCal's worst heat wave this year: How long will it last and what areas will be hottest? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The weather service has issued widespread extreme heat warnings, and for the mountains and foothills, red flag warnings went into effect Wednesday morning. Temperatures across the Southland are forecast to peak Thursday and Friday, with highs reaching from 95 to 105 degrees everywhere beyond the beaches, and up to 110 degrees in Los Angeles County's interior valleys and deserts. There will be little relief from the heat overnight. Overnight lows will be above 70 in many areas, including downtown L.A.," Cohen said. Were talking about significant impacts for anyone susceptible to the heat. Heat-related illnesses are expected to be a major issue, with the potential for fatalities." Los Angeles officials have joined in calls urging people to make plans to stay safe, including having access to air conditioning, rescheduling outdoor activities and having several methods to receive emergency alerts. The city announced it had added four cooling centers to its network of libraries and parks that will be open to the public. L.A. County residents can find a list of available cooling centers here. Heat causes more deaths in the U.S. annually than floods, storms, and lightning combined. Those most likely to get ill during the heat include older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and individuals with chronic medical conditions, said Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer. If you or someone around you experiences symptoms of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, such as dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, confusion, or passing out, seek medical help immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But down by the Santa Monica Pier on Wednesday morning, many people were generally unfazed by the incoming heat. Among them was David Armstrong, a tourist from London, where previous extreme heat waves have proved deadly, as they have across California. On Wednesday, though, Armstrong said the heat gave him a good reason to escape his downtown Airbnb. "Might as well take advantage of the circumstances," he said. Its not so bad." Dale Frazier expected the heat wave would go mostly unnoticed, especially for those by the breezy beach, but said he was glad to finally get some real summer days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The summer heat has been underwhelming for beach days; Ive hardly been able to soak it in, Frazier said, sweating and reddening under the afternoon sun. Im happy I can get out like this once in a while. Still, Frazier acknowledged concern for his fellow Angelenos, some of whom are more vulnerable to the heat. I just hope homeless folks will be able to stay out of it, he said. But beyond the health concerns of the prolonged heat wave, it will also create conditions that experts say can fuel extreme and rapid fire growth. Mountains and foothills from San Luis Obispo County south to L.A. County, including the Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys, are under red flag warnings from Wednesday through Saturday, which means an increased risk of wildfires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "With a low relative humidity and extreme temperatures, the fire environment will be capable of creating extreme fire behavior," Cohen said. Though strong winds arent in the forecast, according to the red-flag warnings, some local breezes are expected in the afternoons that could exacerbate the spread of any plume-dominated fires, and add to the potentially dangerous fire-weather environment." Fires that are plume dominated are governed mainly by the wind produced by the strong convection above the blaze, the National Weather Service says. Read more: The summer's most dangerous heat wave is set to broil SoCal, elevating fire and health risks That fire risk could be further exacerbated by possible thunderstorms, with forecasts showing a 5% to 30% chance of the storms in the Southland from Friday through Sunday. That monsoonal pattern could bring localized gusty winds, minor flooding, debris flows in burn scars, as well as lightning that could spark fires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Area fire departments have said they are pre-positioning resources and augmenting staffing. The California Governors Office of Emergency Services said it also sent additional firefighting resources to L.A. County. California is taking proactive steps to get ahead of upcoming fire weather, Nancy Ward, CalOES director, said in a statement. By prepositioning firefighting crews, equipment, and other resources in high-risk areas, we can respond faster and more effectively when needed." Extreme heat is also expected to scorch the desert Southwest, with highs in Death Valley reaching up to 121 degrees and Phoenix hitting 112. By Friday, the heat wave will expand across much of the state's interior and farther north, with the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, parts of the Bay Area and the North Coast interior under heat advisories, with triple-digit temperatures lasting in some areas through Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unseasonably high temperatures and fire risk will also be a concern through the weekend for eastern Nevada and in parts of southern Oregon. In Coos County, Ore., firefighters are already battling a high-profile fire in one of the world's tallest trees. Crews are trying to keep flames from further damaging the Doerner fir, which stood 325 feet tall before the blaze, according to the Coos Forest Protective Assn. It has since lost its top 50 feet because of the fire, officials there said. Although forecasters say a gradual cooldown should begin by early next week, temperatures will remain elevated possibly through the rest of the month for the Golden State. "Anomalous heat [is] expected to persist across nearly all of California for the rest of August," Daniel Swain, a UCLA climatologist, wrote in a recent blog post. "Warmer than average temperatures will linger into next week and possibly beyond." But Frazier, on the beach in Santa Monica, isn't too worried about more hot days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keep your hats on, drink water and come to the beach, he said, before he ran to the shoreline. "Simple and easy." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The story ricocheted around the world: A Southwest Airlines pilot named David Allsop was accused of being drunk, and, supposedly, a body cam video shows this. Not so fast, his lawyer now says, claiming that the video actually exonerates his client. David Allsop's Lawyer Says the Southwest Airlines Pilot 'Committed No Crime' Allsop's lawyer gave the statement to The Independent. "The recently released bodycam video confirms what should be obvious to anyone who watches it Captain Allsop committed no crime," attorney David Chaiken said in his statement to The Independent. "Experts who have reviewed the video have concluded that the tests that led to his arrest were not performed correctly and that the proper procedures were not followed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chaiken added that "these procedures are in place for a reason, to prevent mistakes like this one." Chaiken labeled the pilot an "American hero" and said he served in the military before becoming a commercial pilot, The Independent reported. Furthermore, he told the publication that Allsop has had a clean record for 20 years as a pilot. According to NBC News, Allsop was "pulled out of a cockpit and arrested on allegations that he tried to fly while impaired," but "blamed nicotine pouches when police told him he smelled of alcohol." Allsop was arrested "on a charge of driving under the influence," the network added. The incident happened on Jan. 15, but the police body cam video was released on Aug. 15. The body cam video shows Allsop allegedly telling police that he had "a few beers" and said he drank them "10 hours ago." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Define a few beers? officer Josiah Best asked. A few beers, Allsop said before adding, Like three. Light beer, Miller Lite. According to NBC, the officer wrote in his report that Allsop "had bloodshot, watery eyes and a flushed complexion." The arrest occurred at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Savannah, Georgia, 9News reported. The station added that police tracked down Allsop after a TSA agent claimed he "smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated." The charges remain pending, 9News reported, and he was removed from duty. Related: Southwest Airlines Announces 'Unprecedented' Change Amid Free Bag Outrage Southwest Pilot's Lawyer Fires Back at Claim He Was Drunk in Viral Video first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 17, 2025 CHICAGO Over the last month, the citys Southwest Side has reportedly experienced the worst flooding events in over a decade. Residents in several communities have had their basements flooded and homes damaged by recent heavy rain and storms. We just need more support when it comes to the flooding, said Gage Park resident Rosie Villegas, adding that her family has endured two catastrophic flooding events since July 25, which forced her grandparents to evacuate their basement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City leaders want to ensure residents can access resources. Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia, along with a host of state legislators, Chicago alders, and county commissioners calling for updated infrastructure. Ive called for this area to be declared a disaster zone. So that the flow can directly flow to the residents who need it. Congress, in partnership with state and local leaders, have been able to secure $426 million for Chicago alone, and $244 million for Cook County, including $96 million for communities like Cicero, for disaster recovery and flood mitigation. These investments are the start, but only matter if families can access them, said Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia. This year alone, six communities on the Southwest Side made up 60 percent of all the flooding reports in Chicago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Johnson visits Chicagos Southwest Side as residents deal with repeated flooding issues In the 14th Ward, almost 2,000 families have filed reports since July. On Monday, six alderpeople sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson. They say a multi-funded backflow valve system is the easiest, most cost-effective way to minimize the damage of future flooding. During a press conference on Tuesday morning, Mayor Johnson acknowledged that the infrastructure needs improvement. He is now waiting on Governor JB Pritzker for state help. Officials are asking residents to file 3-1-1 reports, document damages and take pictures, and complete the citys flood damage assessment survey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaders say every report matters. It helps secure relief and investment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Southwest Airlines has been making many changes in recent months as the airline undergoes a significant rebrand. But not everyone is happy with some of the moves. The airline has already ended its "bags fly free" policy and is planning to remove its longstanding open-seating policy. Now, the airline seems to be making some significant changes to its flight schedule and overall strategy. This week, those decisions came at the detriment of many travelers in one major U.S. city, and many people are not happy. Southwest Ends Several Direct Flights This week, Southwest Airlines announced that it would be canceling six direct flights out of St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Southwest confirmed to First Alert 4 in St. Louis that it would be cutting its direct flights from Lambert to Little Rock, Tulsa, Charlotte, Des Moines, Oklahoma City, and Wichita. In a statement to First Alert 4, the airline said that it was redesigning east-west connectivity in our network that has traditionally gone through St. Louis to other SWA points of strength (ICT, DSM, TUL to MDW, LIT to BNA, OKC to DAL). Southwest's Decision Sparks Outrage The news of the decision quickly spread around the city, sparking outrage and disappointment. While we are disappointed in the loss of some of these flights, we are still grateful for the strong partnership we have with Southwest Airlines and the service the airline provides for travelers in this region, Lambert officials told First Alert 4 in a statement on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer addressed the decision in a recent press conference where she called the move "disappointing." This is an issue that impacts our citys bottom line, she said, via First Alert 4. Customers and travelers also expressed their frustration. How is that going to make anything better? To me, theyre going to lose business, St. Louis resident Beth Huffman told First Alert 4. "This doesn't help." No, no, absolutely not. Keep people flying, Southwest passenger Curtis Howard said of the move. If youre cutting stuff down, youre cutting employment, youre cutting travelyoure cutting more and more. Grow it, make it bigger. Part of a Larger Plan? It's been obvious to anyone who has been paying attention that Southwest Airlines is undergoing a bit of a rebrand recently, with the airline instituting new bag fees and moving away from its longstanding open-seating model. However, the airline appears to be making another significant change, as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Southwest Airlines has long operated under a point-to-point model, meaning that it prioritizes direct flights between specific cities, regardless of the distance between those two points. This exists in contrast to the hub-and-spoke model used by other major airlines, which connects many smaller cities to a central hub. The hub-and-spoke model is more efficient, but not always preferred by passengers, as it increases travel time and layovers. As Southwest undergoes its rebrand, the airline has made it clear that it intends to move away from a pure point-to-point model and embrace a hybrid system. These changes seem to be in line with that plane. Southwest Sparks Outrage by Ending Several Direct Flights first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 17, 2025 The judge who charged Pedro Sanchezs wife with embezzlement of public funds is under investigation after complaints by a close ally of the socialist leader. Felix Bolanos, the Spanish justice minister, made two complaints against Judge Juan Carlos Peinado after he interrogated him in the case against Begona Gomez, who is married to the Spanish prime minister. She is alleged to have used state funds to pay her assistant Cristina Alvarez, an employee of the prime ministers office, for help with personal matters, which she denies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Alvarez has also been charged with the same crime in connection with Ms Gomezs academic post at Madrids Complutense University, where she ran a course despite not having a degree. The prime minister has denounced the latest charges against his wife as Right-wing lawfare, designed to bring down his broad Leftist coalition government. Mr Bolanos, a Sanchez loyalist, was questioned as a witness in the case last April. He was the prime ministers secretary-general when Ms Alvarez was hired in 2018. The case has dominated the polarised world of Spanish politics for the past 16 months. The General Council of the Judiciary, which oversees the legal system in Spain, has opened a probe into Judge Peinado over allegations he distorted the ministers testimony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a testy interrogation, the judge accused the minister of answering evasively and told him: I dont know why youre smiling. Felix Bolanos, the justice minister, was interrogated in the case against Ms Gomez - Juan Medina/Reuters The Supreme Court later turned down the judges request to open a case into the minister. The opening of an investigation into the judge is a first step which could lead to a case that could carry a sanction. In the latest blow against Mr Sanchezs embattled government, which is embroiled in a separate labyrinthe corruption scandal, Ms Gomez must testify in court in September on the embezzlement charges. Her case began in April last year with accusations of influence peddling and corruption in business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has since mushroomed to include professional intrusion and misappropriation before the newest charge of embezzlement, which was reported on Tuesday. Shortly after the investigation was first revealed last year, Mr Sanchez withdrew from public life for five days of reflection over his future. He refused to speak to anyone except his family after criticising attacks by the Right-wing media on his wife before finally resolving to stay in office. Mr Sanchez has also faced claims that Socialist party (PSOE) officials created a job especially for his musician brother, David. Judge Juan Carlos Peinado is leading the investigation into the prime ministers wife The prime minister has been battling for his political survival since Santos Cerdan, his long-term ally and former party secretary, was arrested in June on charges of bribery, criminal conspiracy and influence peddling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A police report revealed his alleged involvement in charging companies for accessing public works contracts in his home region of Navarre and elsewhere. Mr Cerdan backed Mr Sanchez from party outsider to winner in two primary processes a decade ago, playing a key role in his ascent to power. Two other members of the prime ministers inner circle Jose Luis Abalos, the former transport minister, and aide Koldo Garcia have also been embroiled in the investigation. They deny any wrongdoing. There was further embarrassment for Mr Sanchez, who prides himself on his progressive and feminist policies, when secret recordings underpinning the investigation emerged. In them, former comrades of Mr Sanchez discuss the merits and evaluate different sex workers, which the prime minister said he found disgusting. 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. Known for its hiking trails and thriving downtown scene, Spartanburg, South Carolina, is home to one of the weirdest food laws in the United States: It is illegal to eat watermelon in Spartanburg's Magnolia Cemetery. Surrounded by beautiful foliage, Magnolia Cemetery, a gorgeous spot for one's final resting place, has a rich history dating back to 1838. It's no wonder residents are protective of it, and watermelon seeds pose a very real risk. Spartanburg is not the only city with strange watermelon laws. It's illegal to eat watermelon in Beech Grove, Indiana parks due to worries about rinds puncturing garbage bags. However, Spartanburg's law is due to concerns about vines, not rinds. Magnolia Cemetery is located near a train station. Prior to the law, passengers passing through Spartanburg would often buy watermelon from local vendors. They would then snack near or inside the cemetery, haphazardly spitting watermelon seeds on the ground. This sparked concerns that the seeds could sprout into watermelon vines. Read more: The Biggest Canned Food Recalls In US History Spartanburg Residents Are Protective Of Magnolia Cemetery The archway of Magnolia Cemetery in Spartanburg, South Carolina - kellyhpayne / Instagram Worries about vines growing from watermelon seeds are not unfounded. South Carolina's climate is amenable to watermelon growth. In fact, South Carolina is among the nation's top 10 producers of watermelon. Stray seeds could hypothetically germinate by mistake, and watermelon vines can grow up to one to two feet per week. It's understandable lawmakers were wary of vines disrupting the cemetery's existing landscape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Magnolia Cemetery also has a history of vandalism and poor upkeep that has resulted in damage to gravesites over the years. In the early 2000s, efforts were made to restore the cemetery, with many Spartanburg residents donating items like fencing and lights to the cause. Grave markers that had suffered from years of neglect were restored, and local organizations even coordinated regular cleanup crews to remove litter. Clearly, Spartanburg citizens want to keep this historic cemetery in good condition. So, while there are many reasons you should start eating more watermelon (it's great for hydration!), make sure you do so outside the confines of Magnolia Cemetery. Read the original article on Mashed. SPARTANBURG, S.C. The Spartanburgers started a critical series against the Greenville Drive with a late-afternoon outpouring of offense. Hub City (25-24, 56-58) handled Greenville (25-24, 58-57) at Fifth Third Park by a 6-1 final thanks to a bevy of hits with runners in scoring position and a solid start from Dylan MacLean (W, 4-1). Malcom Moore, John Taylor and Casey Cook all produced multiple hits for the Burgers in their first game at home in over two weeks. The trio thumped three straight hits to help post a three-run third inning. Cook finished 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI; one Spartanburgers hitter has recorded three hits in each of Hub Citys last five games. The first 12 Drive hitters to come to the plate were retired in succinct fashion. MacLean breezed through the first four innings with just 48 pitches. Greenville scored a run on a couple of soft base hits in the top of the fifth, but the Spartanburgers southpaw had plenty of run support behind him to secure a winning decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hub City had three hits through the first two innings against Drive righty Luis Cohen (L, 2-2), but left runners on base in both frames. In the third, Dylan Dreiling led off with a walk, and Anthony Gutierrez replaced Dreiling after a fielders choice. Gutierrez advanced to second on a balk, then Moore drove him in with a single to center. Moore scored on a Taylor triple and Cook plated Taylor with a grounder up the middle. With a 3-0 lead, the Spartanburgers put another rally together in the fourth. Arturo Disla walked, stole second, advanced to third on an infield single from Antonis Macias, then scored on a single to right from Dreiling. Gutierrez brought Macias home with a sacrifice fly. Greenville broke up MacLeans perfect game with a pair of hits to start the fifth. Albert Feliz singled in Johanfran Garcia with two outs to cut into the lead. The Spartanburgers responded immediately in the bottom of the fifth. Cook doubled with one out and stole third base. A Rafe Perich groundout restored the Hub City five-run lead. The Burgers bullpen put the clamps on the Drive the rest of the way. In his High-A debut, Case Matter struck out a batter in a one-two-three inning. Mailon Felix then spun two scoreless. Thomas Ireland sealed the deal with a perfect ninth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Spartanburgers and Drive battle for first place in the division tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. ET. Hub City righty Aidan Curry (3-1, 3.80 ERA) faces off against Greenville lefty Devin Futrell (0-1, 1.08 ERA). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. A Republican lawmaker is accusing Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows of cutting deals with Democrats and rewarding them with priority legislation after they returned from an intentional quorum break that stalled the special legislative session. In an interview with The Dallas Express, Rep. Brian Harrison claimed Burrows had continued his tradition of servicing the Democrats, citing the advancement of House Bill 10, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Senfronia Thompson. The bill, introduced August 15 and referred to committee August 18, would create an affirmative defense for individuals facing prostitution charges under certain circumstances. You would have to be an idiot to watch whats happening and not understand that the Speaker is continuing his tradition of servicing the Democrats, Harrison said. The Democrats are his constituency. Harrison alleged that Burrows had released Democrats during a critical floor session on July 30, allowing them to meet with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and accused him of relying on Democratic support since his election as Speaker. He assisted the Democrats with the quorum break, Harrison remarked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The quorum break happened with the full assistance of Speaker Burrows, said Harrison. Harrison also pointed to Hugh Brady, the Texas Houses parliamentary counsel, who previously worked in the Obama White House, as evidence that Democratic influence was guiding the Speakers decisions. The top official advising the so-called Republican Speaker in the Texas House is a former Obama White House lawyer, Harrison said. On August 18, Harrison aired his criticism on social media: It gets worse in one of his first moves since Democrats returned Speaker Burrows passes over almost every Republican to GIVE PRIORITY TREATMENT TO A DEMOCRAT'S BILL. A Democrat who you guessed it just finished breaking quorum! He's literally rewarding them. pic.twitter.com/TeH38lhM8R Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) August 18, 2025 The quorum break by more than 50 House Democrats earlier this month blocked Republicans from advancing a redistricting plan that could have added five new GOP-leaning districts in Texas. Some Republicans, including Rep. Briscoe Cain, had urged the party to seize national redistricting opportunities, but Harrison argued Burrows had surrendered on the issue. The maps only have five seats. Why the hell dont they have at least seven or eight? This is total capitulation, Harrison said. They won. We lost. Its that simple. Harrison further dismissed Republican leaderships claims of action on property tax relief, calling Senate Bill 10 a sham that would not reduce taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texans are being hosed by their elected leaders. Theyre being lied to. Theyre being deceived, Harrison said. The first special session ended on August 19. Governor Greg Abbott has called for another special legislative session to address redistricting again. The Dallas Express reached out to Burrows but did not receive a response. WARE, Mass. (WWLP) A man from Ware was arrested and charged with the rape of a child in Spencer. The Ware Police Department states that 43-year-old Shayne Beardsley of Ware, who was on parole with a GPS tracking device for the rape of a child under 16, had an arrest warrant for the same charges in Spencer. Wanted suspect drags Massachusetts State trooper in Holyoke On Tuesday at around 10:30 a.m., Beardsley was located at his home in Ware and arrested. He was brought to the East Brookfield District Court and released on $10,000 bail. At around 9:00 p.m., Beardsley was detained again by Massachusetts parole officers. Shayne Beardsley (Ware Police Department) Beardsley is currently being held on a parole detention warrant. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. CHICAGO (WGN) A second public hearing concerning the Chicago Public Schools budget is underway downtown as a split school board will soon have to decide how to fill a looming $734-million budget deficit. Its crunch time for CPS leaders as they are required by law to pass a budget by the end of the month. Differences over how to close a $734 million deficit remain, however. Amid two public hearings about interim CEO Macquline Kings proposed budget, several speakers made sure their voices were heard. PREVIOUS: Chicago Public Schools students head back to school as district faces $734M budget deficit When you start cutting the budget, I am a witness to the pipeline to prison for special education, said speaker Vicki Willis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any Brandon bailout would be paid for by cuts to Latino students, voiced Juan Rangel with the Urban Center. Approving a budget that closes operational deficit with borrowing is extremely risky, said Nelson Gerew with the Chicago Public Education Fund. Do you want to be responsible for eliminating what could be a students only hot meal for the day? Do you want to be responsible for eliminating custodians and leaving our schools unclean? asked Carolina Rutherford with the Chicago Teachers Union. The proposed budget erases the deficit through layoffs and closing positions, including crossing guards, lunchroom workers, custodians, and central office positions. It also refinances debt. It does not include a high-interest short-term loan backed by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. The district says it will only make a $175 million pension payment if it receives greater funds from the state. SEE ALSO: We wont let it stand: Chicago Teachers Union calls for state aid amid budget deficit The borrowing issue has divided the board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do not want to take out a loan, but we want the option to do it if state funds dont come through, said Jitu Brown, a CPS school board member. Balancing the budget on the backs of our children so we can help out our mayor is not responsible, said Jennifer Custer, also a CPS school board member. As negotiations continue behind closed doors, Mayor Johnson, on union leave from CPS, says hes confident the district will find money to pay for his education priorities. There wont be a stalemate, theres no shutdown, Johnson said. Were committed to making sure that our children, no matter where they live, have a world-class education and a school thats fully funded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interim CPS CEO says top priority is passing budget Budget solutions are needed and fast, as officials informed the board Tuesday that they project a one-billion-dollar budget shortfall by 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WKRN) A new development could mean the widening of one Spring Hill roadway, but not all residents are on board. Eastport Farms is on about a 40-acre site near the intersection of Port Royal Road and Saturn Parkway. Spring Hill Mayor Matt Fitterer said the developer has been working on the project there for a couple of years, and they want to anchor the space with a major retailer. The developers have proposed taking portion of the sales tax revenue generated there to fund improvements needed along Port Royal Road. Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Board of Mayor and Aldermen needs to decide whether or not to refer the applicant to the citys industrial development board to see if its a viable economic situation or not mainly seeing if there would be enough sales tax revenue generated to fund the roadways needs. Even though the developer has formally made the request to the board, some residents havent been sure that its a smart move. I think the residents have generally been indifferent towards this right now, Fitterer told News 2. Port Royal definitely needs improvements. The interest, I think, to the city lies in the fact that if we can leverage a private development to make the public improvements, thats a win for the citizens. Fitterer said the citys Board of Mayor and Aldermen seemed to be open to the idea of voting on the resolution, which would likely happen in early September. Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@wkrn.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. SPRINGFIELD The city is evaluating curbside locations for new EV chargers in well-traveled but underserved neighborhoods, searching for the best places. The corner of Main and Jefferson streets in the North End is one example, said Tina Quagliato Sullivan, deputy development director. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center wants to break down barriers to electric vehicles for low-income residents, she said. So we are looking for affordable housing in neighborhoods. But there are a lot of parameters. Would it impact existing on-street parking? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Clean Energy Center has grant money to install the chargers once sites are selected, Sullivan said. Massachusetts is a leader in offering electric vehicle charging stations. It is home to the fourth most stations per-capita of any state in the nation, according to a report released last week by the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council. The state had 9,400 charging ports available to the public across the Commonwealth as of May, the report said. Thats an increase of more than 50% since 2023. But the state will need to add more public chargers in order to meet climate goals, the report said. And Western Massachusetts, which has comparatively fewer now, is a priority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced it will allocate $46 million through 2027 for charging infrastructure. The evaluation that Sullivan is working on was announced in July. Springfield is one of 21 towns and cities receiving feasibility and planning support as part of the On-Street Charging Program for municipalities. Holyoke, Worcester and Amherst are also part of the program. Sullivan said the evaluation will take 60 days or so. Shes not the only one working to add chargers downtown. The Springfield Parking Authority is meeting with Eversource and others, hoping to incorporate new chargers with some coming renovations, said executive director Bokul Bhuiya. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chargers installed in the authoritys I-91 North Garage and Columbus Center Garage about a decade ago havent worked in a few years and are too expensive to repair. Technology is moving so fast, he said. The Springfield Technology Park at State and Federal streets is getting new chargers as well, said Jennifer Murphy, the property manager on behalf of Appleton Corp. MassSave paid to install power supplies and charging stations. A new grant pays 60% of the cost of just the charger, she said. Plans call for two stations with the capacity for two cars each in one location and another two-car station elsewhere in the parking area, for a total of six, Murphy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EV owners will pay to charge their cars, she said, but the parks plan is to only charge enough to pay for the cost of electricity. Springfield Technical Community College, located across Federal Street in another part of the old armory complex, also has chargers in its parking lot. At Springfield Union Station, income from the charging stations has gone up slightly every year, said Nicole Sweeney, commercial property manager. That shows more people are using the chargers for longer. The chargers, on the first and second floors of the parking garage off Main Street, were installed in 2018, soon after the station reopened. Stories by Jim Kinney Read the original article on MassLive. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. The new school year is upon us and like teachers, parents, as well as students, the school counselors are also ready to have their hands full. What is recommended is 250 students to 1 counselor, Jenfier Shepard, SPS Coordinator of Counselors said. Typically, its going to be higher than that, just based on the number of students in our buildings and the number of counselors that we have at each site. Back in the day, they were referred to as guidance counselors, which Shepard says is because one of their main roles was to prepare students for life after school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Counselors today are working more with students about life during school. Some of that is going to vary depending on if theyre in an elementary or a middle or high school, but theyre going into classrooms and delivering counseling curriculum thats appropriate for that age of student. Theyre also doing crisis intervention for students that are experiencing a crisis at school. They might be connecting them with resources that the family needs as far as like food, clothing or shelter, Shepard said. Theres always the academic piece, so helping with their schedule, for some of our older students for middle and high school, and getting them in the right classes, thats a good fit for them. Communicating with parents, working with teachers to support students based on their unique needs so every day can look really different for each counselor. You never really know whats going to walk through the door and what youre going to be doing that day, but thats a little bit of what a day might look like for a counselor. Its absolutely crucial that we have school counselors in our buildings. Anxiety and depression remain a major issue counselors hear from students, but Shepard says shes anticipating a new issue due to a recent state law. Probably some of the main things were hearing are issues with technology, maybe some addiction with phones and social media, how that impacts self-esteem and online bullying. I think that comes up a lot as they get older and are exposed to more or maybe have their own devices like cell phones and things like that. Anxiety and depression is definitely still prevalent. I think its also kind of tied closely to some of that. If theyre, you know, connecting with a lot of people on social media and comparison and that kind of thing, but anxiety and depression is definitely still something thats really prevalent, Shepard said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shepard says more students are speaking up about mental health and suicidal ideations, which Shepard says isnt necessarily a sign that mental health issues are getting worse, but rather a sign that more students are comfortable speaking to counselors about whats going on with their mental health. It does mean the stigma is going down a bit and theyre more comfortable talking about it and when theyre told like, hey, if youre struggling and you need help, come talk to us or tell a trusted adult, and so that can also be what that increase means, Shepard 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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. The ACCC will investigate whether energy retailers are misleading consumers by promoting energy plans that promise savings or value to consumers when they actually offer poor value for the customer, following CHOICE making a designated complaint to the ACCC. This is the first designated complaint received by the ACCC from CHOICE and the second complaint received under the new designated complaints framework. The competition watchdog the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is satisfied that the designated complaint made by CHOICE relates to a significant or systemic market issue that affects consumers. Energy plans that promote savings or value may entice many consumers to a particular plan and influence their decision making, ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said. We are concerned that consumers may be misled or deceived by plan names or descriptions of plans that offer savings that are not genuine, or that consumers may be discouraged from switching to cheaper plans that are available to them. It is essential that energy retailers provide clear and accurate information about their energy plans so that consumers can make informed decisions when choosing an energy provider and plan, Lowe said. If the ACCC identifies conduct that may contravene the Australian Consumer Law following its investigation of the issues raised by this complaint, it may take enforcement action where appropriate. The ACCC may also prepare industry guidance or contribute to policy or law reform initiatives. CHOICEs designated complaint to the ACCC also raises issues in relation to consumer confusion from retailers use of identical names for plans with different rates and energy retailers prompting consumers to change plans when the recommended plan is not available to them. These additional issues arise particularly in the context of Better Offer and Best Offer messages included on consumers energy bills. Energy retailers are required to regularly include a message on bills to residential customers to alert them if they can save money by switching to a different plan with the retailer. These messages are referred to as Better or Best Offer messages. The issues raised by CHOICE exacerbate the challenges and confusion that consumers may face when navigating the often complex energy market, Lowe said. A recent decision by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) requires retailers that elect to re-use plan names, to provide additional information below certain Better Offer messages. This aims to address any customer confusion from some retailers creating newer (and differently priced) versions of existing plans using identical plan names. The ACCC will continue to engage with the AER and Victorian Essential Services Commission (ESC) on their upcoming review and law reform processes including on their consideration of the issues raised in CHOICEs complaint. After careful consideration, the ACCC considers that the issues raised by CHOICE relating to the use of identical plan names in Better or Best Offer messaging with different rates, and Better or Best Offer messages with plans that consumers may not be eligible for, are most effectively addressed through the review and law reform processes currently underway by the AER and the ESC. The upcoming reviews by the Australian Energy Regulatory and Victorian Essential Services will provide the opportunity to consider some of the issues raised by CHOICE while reflecting on the broader issues facing consumers in the energy market. We thank CHOICE for the work that has gone into submitting this designated complaint. CHOICE is an important member of the ACCCs Consumer Consultative Committee and we value its insights as a leading consumer advocate group. The designated complaints framework is one of several avenues for highlighting important issues that cause consumer harm, Lowe said. The ACCCs response to CHOICEs designated complaint is available on our website Background A new designated complaints framework in the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (CCA) came into effect on 1 May 2024. Under the law, 3 bodies can be designated by the Minister as designated complainants. Currently these are Australian Consumers Association (CHOICE), Consumer Action Law Centre, and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA). In March 2025 the Consumer Action Law Centre submitted the first designated complaint to the ACCC under the new framework. The ACCC responded to this complaint in June 2025 In May 2025 CHOICE submitted a designated complaint to the ACCC under the new framework. A designated complainant may only make one designated complaint within a 12-month period. Under the framework, designated complaints must meet certain criteria, including that they relate to a significant or systemic market issue affecting consumers or small business in Australia, and that they relate to a potential breach of the CCA, which includes the Australian Consumer Law, or the ACCCs powers or functions under the CCA. The ACCC is required to assess and publicly respond to the designated complaint within 90 days. The ACCCs response must state what further action, if any, will be taken in response to the complaint. ACCCs response to further designated complaints In general, the ACCC may take a broad range of actions in response to a designated complaint. This may include conducting in-depth investigations into specific businesses practices, reviews into a specific sector or issue, advocacy activities, and/or undertaking research, education or engagement. The ACCCs response to a designated complaint may also include advising that we wont take any further action. We may do this when: SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) A trooper arrested a woman in Springfield for having a suspended drivers license and five felony warrants after initially providing a false identity. Wanted suspect drags Massachusetts State trooper in Holyoke The Massachusetts State Police said that a trooper was on patrol in Springfield when a vehicles registration status query came back revoked. The trooper approached the driver of the vehicle that was at a gas station, who said that she did not have her license on her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Police said that the woman initially provided a false identity, but when she gave her true name, the trooper learned that she had a suspended license for a prior OUI offense, as well as five felony warrants. The woman was taken into custody. No further information was provided. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. OFALLON, Mo. One local school has become the first in its county to give police direct access to their new camera system. They said it could save lives in the rare instance of an emergency, such as in the event of an active shooter. St. Dominic High School in OFallon installed the new security system in the past year, which feeds directly to the Regional Intelligence and Information Center or RIIC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Its a change school officials, parents and police hope other districts will also implement. The schools president told FOX 2 the idea is to give police as much access as possible. That way, if a tragedy strikes, they can get in and secure the building as quickly as possible. He said while he hopes they never have to use it, they are happy its there. St. Charles County Police said they are grateful the school approached them about making the change. While some schools have expressed concerns over giving police such access, a department official said when it comes to school safety, that access could mean lives saved in moments when seconds are critical. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple parents told FOX 2 that they support police having such access. School officials said the new security system cost them $275,000. They said $150,000 was covered by a federal grant. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. With five candidates officially running and a little more than two months until Election Day, the race for St. Paul mayor is beginning in earnest. Around a hundred supporters of Rep. Kaohly Her gathered at Lake Monster Brewing Company in St. Paul for a formal launch event for the state lawmakers mayoral campaign Tuesday night, including her current and former Democratic-Farmer-Labor House colleagues. State Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, and his wife, Yvette, who survived an attempted assassination at their home in June, have also endorsed Her. They didnt attend the Tuesday launch but appeared in a video played at the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many in attendance said they had voted for Mayor Melvin Carter in 2017 and again in 2021, but said a change of leadership is needed in City Hall. They pointed to public safety concerns, particularly along the Green Line light rail corridor on University Avenue, and development troubles in downtown St. Paul. I appreciate everything that Melvin has done, but after eight years, I think we need someone else with newer ideas, more energy, said Peter Scott, of the Cathedral Hill neighborhood in St. Paul. Having Kaohly come in after having worked in state government with that larger perspective I think it would be very, very helpful for St Paul. Carter, who is seeking a third term in office, has pointed to dropping homicide and carjacking rates after the pandemic as a sign of improving conditions in the city, but many point to ongoing issues with addiction and homelessness along the Green Line as a sign of worsening conditions overall. Scott and others said they hope fresh leadership might help address those problems, as well as rising property taxes, job growth and development challenges in districts like downtown. Scott pointed to the closure of downtowns only grocery store earlier this year and the closure of the Midway Cub Foods as signs of the citys struggles. Carter seeks third term Speaking with reporters after filing for his third term earlier this month, Carter said hes been working with lawmakers and other local leaders about issues like road reconstruction, addressing a surge in copper wire theft from street lights and redeveloping the citys struggling downtown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obviously, theres been a lot of global forces that we havent been able to hold off of St. Paul, whether thats the challenges hitting every downtown (or) some of the results that still are lingering from the pandemic, he said at the time, adding that he thinks the city is gaining momentum on issues like housing. During his tenure, Carter has pursued a progressive agenda that has included medical debt forgiveness, college savings accounts for newborns, and a new sales tax to fund roads and parks. Her has said that while she supports those policies, the city of St. Paul should focus on essential services. I dont have a shiny new project that I want to put out there and tell you all look what Im going to be doing, so that the national stage can look at us, Her said in a speech at the Tuesday event. But what I do have is the grit, the determination, the skill and the ability to dig into doing city correctly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Besides friends, community members and former city leaders, former state Rep. Ryan Winkler, a Golden Valley DFLer who previously ran for Hennepin County Attorney, was present, as was Hers current House colleague, Rep. Brad Tabke, DFL-Shakopee. Other candidates The three other candidates in the race besides Carter and Her include an engineer, a scientist and a local business owner. Yan Chen is a biophysicist at the University of Minnesota who ran for St. Paul City Council Ward 1 in 2023. North End resident and mechanical engineer Adam Dullinger is the most recent candidate to enter the race. Hes a political newcomer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mike Hilborn runs a power washing, snowplowing and Christmas tree lighting business and ran as a Republican for downtown St. Pauls state House district in 2024. In a biography on his campaign website, he describes himself as a father, an entrepreneur, a second-chance employer. Nonpartisan elections Mayoral elections are nonpartisan, though they often draw strong party interest. This year will be a little different, however: the St. Paul Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party is not making any endorsements in the race as it works to rebuild itself. This will be the last year a mayoral election happens in an odd-numbered year in St. Paul. In 2024, voters approved a measure to shift the election to even-numbered years when other major contests are on the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor is typically elected to a four-year term. But because of the change, the next election will be in 2028. The winner of this years election will only serve a three-year term. Under St. Pauls ranked-choice voting system, voters can rank candidates in order of preference. Related Articles A dispute between the city of St. Petersburg and a landlord that hasnt paid its water bill has left hundreds of tenants caught in the middle as they contemplate whether to stay and risk losing water or find a place to move last minute. The Morgan, located at 2550 54th Ave. S., is a 304-unit apartment complex owned by Lurin Estate Holdings. That company racked up a combined balance of $700,000 in unpaid water bills for two properties in St. Petersburg, according to an email from Samantha Bequer, a public information officer for the city. Two weeks ago, the city gave the company an ultimatum: Pay the bill by Aug. 21 or the water will be shut off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, Lurin has paid the remaining balance for its other property, The Elements on Third, located at 3151 Third Ave. N. But as of Tuesday afternoon, it still owed $350,000 for The Morgan. A reporter from the Tampa Bay Times visited the property Wednesday afternoon as city code enforcement officers were taping notices to residents doors, informing them that water services would not be suspended Thursday. We continue exploring all possible avenues to reach a resolution to this issue, it read. However, if these delinquent balances are not addressed the interruption of services to The Morgan may be necessary. We will provide residents sufficient notice before any interruption of service commences. Residents also received flyers directing them to several resources for renters rights, including in-person consultations with legal aid at the South Branch library Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an email sent Tuesday afternoon, Bequer said cutting water service is a last resort. Still, residents at (The Morgan) are strongly encouraged to begin exploring alternative housing solutions as soon as possible, she wrote. This is not the first time Lurin has found itself in financial trouble. The Dallas-based company narrowly avoided a water shutoff at an apartment it owns in Tampa due to an unpaid bill. Twelve of its Florida properties were slated for foreclosure at one point. The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Nancy Niss has lived at The Morgan for nearly three years. In that time, she said shes seen property maintenance go downhill. She was planning to move in two months, once her lease ends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If shes forced to leave before then, she has a friend she can stay with temporarily. But Niss said she doesnt want to sign a new lease until she knows shell be allowed to break her current one without paying a pricey penalty. Its very unnerving, my brain is sort of fried, she said. All I want is a little more time. Niss said she understands that the city has to collect what its owed, but shes disappointed city officials havent come up with a more creative solution to avoid displacing tenants. St. Petersburg City Council member Richie Floyd said officials are likely still reviewing legal options. We cannot put people out on the street because their landlord has been a jerk, Floyd said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been given assurances that whatever the outcome is, theyll make sure its the least disruptive outcome possible. Last week, Floyds team papered both of Lurins apartment complexes with flyers advertising a free community event focused on tenants rights. He said nearly 80 people showed up to the event Saturday. Many of them shared that the management offices have been dodging tenants efforts to break their leases. He encouraged tenants in those situations to reach out to his office or to a legal aid office for help. We were told that (these are) common dodging tactics that landlords of big apartment complexes will use to entrap people and keep them forced to pay rent, Floyd said. These tactics are borderline illegal. The state gives us very few tools to attack bad landlords. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Renters have several options under Floridas landlord tenant laws. If they want to break the lease, they can file a notice stating their intent to terminate if the water is not turned on after seven days. They can also deliver a seven-day notice of intent to withhold rent. That would give them legal grounds not to pay September rent until the water issue is resolved, Tom DiFiore, a managing attorney with Bay Area Legal Services, said in a previous interview with the Tampa Bay Times. Our priority right now is ensuring residents have the information they need to make the best decisions for their household about their living situation, Bequer wrote in an email. She pointed to a guide for renters available on the citys website. Times staff photographer Dirk Shadd contributed to this report. A man who was arrested after a stabbing in Stoke-on-Trent has been detained under the Mental Health Act, police have confirmed. A man in his 60s suffered potentially life-threatening injuries when he was attacked on Victoria Road in Fenton at about 09:15 BST on Saturday. He was taken to hospital, but has since been discharged and is now recovering, Staffordshire Police said. The suspect, a man in his 20s from Stoke-on-Trent, had been arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent, the force added, and was detained after he was assessed by medical professionals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A police spokesperson said officers were continuing with their inquiries but were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More on this story Related internet links A girl, 17, was in stable condition after being stabbed on the University of Arizona's Tucson campus, according to school officials. The UA Police Department responded to the school after receiving a call about the stabbing at the Main Library around 2 p.m. Aug. 19. The girl was found with several stab wounds, according to a news release. A boy, 17, who fled the scene was detained after a pursuit and booked into Pima County Juvenile Detention Center, the release said. Upon arrival at the library, police provided life-saving aid to the girl with first aid kits until Tucson Fire Department paramedics arrived and took her to a local hospital, according to the release. Both of the teens were not affiliated with the university, and their names were not being released due to their status as minors, the release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News alerts in your inbox: Don't miss the important news of the day. Sign up for azcentral newsletter alerts to be in the know. Classes have not yet started at UA, which will officially begin its fall semester Aug. 25. Aug. 19 was the first day of scheduled move-ins that will continue throughout the week. Patrons were asked to avoid the library as authorities continued their investigation Aug. 19. "We appreciate the community's patience and for supporting one another during this difficult time," the school said in the release. The University of Arizona Crisis Mobile Team was at the scene to support those who may be affected. Students looking for additional mental health support can visit Campus Health's Counseling and Psych Services website for more information about available services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another stabbing the same day at another Arizona school turned deadly. A student died and another was injured in the incident at Maryvale High School in Phoenix, Phoenix police said. (This story has been updated to add more information.) This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Teen injured, another in custody after stabbing at UA Tucson library WEST MEAD TOWNSHIP As the time neared for the presentation of the Crawford County Fair Queen candidates Saturday evening in the Youth Show Arena, an announcement asked all of the visiting royalty to line up in preparation to be acknowledged. Longtime fair volunteer Bruce Stainbrook was seated with family members in the audience when his granddaughter, 5-year-old Sienna Stainbrook, approached him. Pop Pop, I think youre supposed to get in line, she told him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Stainbrook was not a pageant winner, its understandable that some might think he qualifies as fair royalty. After all, the occasion that brought Sienna and other family members to the arena was to see Bruce receive the Friend of the Fair Award for the 2025 Crawford County Fair from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The brief ceremony took place just before the queen candidates took the stage. This years award unanimously goes to another person who brings to the fair things that we cant do by ourselves, Crawford County Fair Board President Dean Maynard said in announcing the award to Stainbrook. This person is there whenever we need them, in the office, asking the right questions, asking and this is what everybody wants How can I help? Thats the best thing you can do as a community member. This guy does that, Maynard continued, and we are very thankful. Standing in for Secretary Russell Redding, who was unable to attend, Darrin Youker, policy director for the Department of Agriculture, presented Stainbrook with the Friend of the Fair citation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to recognize an individual whos been described as the guy who knows everything about the fair, Youker said. And he has been a key figure at spearheading vibrant campaigns and other needed improvements for the fair and to make this such a beautiful venue. State Rep. Brad Roae, whose 6th District includes the Meadville area and western Crawford County, also presented Stainbrook with a citation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. This fair does not happen without volunteers, Roae said. 4-H does not happen, nothing like this happens unless its people like you. The Friend of the Fair Award is limited to people in volunteer positions. Members of the Fair Board are not eligible for the award. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recalling the involvement of his father, grandfather and other family members, Stainbrook described how they helped to start the draft horse department and the horse pull events that attracted as many as 6,000 spectators. It runs in the family, he explained of his own decades of work at the fair. But the main reason I do this, he continued, is because of the kids and because of agriculture. Agriculture is the backbone of this country and its a tough life, a lot of hard work, seven days a week. These young 4-Hers and young exhibitors that raise animals learn an awful lot about life, and its something they take with them forever and they help the rest of this country understand what agriculture is all about. So thats the reason I do this, Stainbrook added. BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) investigation into the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners was closed Wednesday, a state spokesperson told WSAV. On Tuesday, the chairman addressed public concern about the case, asking the public not to convict anyone prematurely. You can not like a man for personal reasons thats fine, said Commission Chairman David Bennett. Last time I looked we were still in the United States of America, and a man is innocent until hes proven guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the companies used for the rebuilding, Sand Creek Construction, is owned by the brother of sitting commissioner Toby Conner. County officials told WSAV that the county had contracts with Sand Creek for many years before Conner had his seat on the commission. Conners brother was at the meeting Tuesday, accompanied by his attorney who said hes been unfairly targeted. I know public corruption, and I know fraud, and the allegations that have been made against Clay and his company are as far from that as you could possibly imagine, said Jim Durham, the attorney for Clay Conner and Sand Creek Construction. County officials told WSAV the contracts for Sand Creek and Derriso Trucking were not put through the usual bidding process since it was under an emergency order. According to the county, they offered the storm repair job to at least five other companies, but they said Sand Creek and Derriso were the only ones willing to help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bulloch County chairman said in the meeting he wanted to respond to all of the public inquiry hes gotten about it. The fact is that we need to look at is a man is innocent until hes proven guilty, so I tell yall, stand by, said Chairman Bennett. The GBI did not provide much information on their investigation Tuesday. They told WSAV at the time that the case was still open and waiting on a decision from the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia (PAC). According to PAC, the district attorney had recused himself in the case, and a replacement prosecutor hadnt been named yet. Wednesday, a spokesperson told WSAV that PAC was appointed to the case and found that there is no readily provable criminal intent, and the case was declined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This matter is closed and will not go anywhere else from here, the PAC spokesperson said. Natasha Young contributed to this article. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Sir Keir Starmer is facing a Labour council revolt over migrant hotels after the landmark court ruling in Epping. Ministers are braced for legal challenges from local authorities, including those controlled by Labour, after Epping Forest Council was granted a temporary injunction by the High Court on Tuesday to shut down a hotel over alleged planning breaches. The High Court ruling blocks migrants from being housed at the Bell Hotel after it became a focus for anti-immigration protests. All the asylum seekers must be removed by Sept 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among councils considering taking legal action are Labour-run Wirral and Tamworth. Cllr Paula Basnett, the leader of Wirral Council, said: Like many other local authorities, we have concerns about the Home Offices practice of placing asylum seekers in hotels without consultation or regard to local planning requirements. We are actively considering all options available to us to ensure any use of hotels or other premises in Wirral is lawful and does not ride roughshod over planning regulations or the wishes of our communities. If necessary, we will not hesitate to challenge such decisions in order to protect both residents and those seeking refuge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tamworth Council said it would look to challenge the use of the Holiday Inn Express in town, which was a focus of violent disorder during the Southport riots last summer. In a statement, it said: The situation at Epping Forest represents a potentially important legal precedent, and we are carefully assessing what this might mean for our circumstances here in Tamworth. A resident makes his feelings clear outside the Wirral migrant hotel - Temilade Adelaja Last night, Kemi Badenoch wrote to all Conservative-controlled councils, urging them to take the same steps if your legal advice supports it. Her letter detailed the resources available for them to seek injunctions to shut down asylum hotels. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, announced a new campaign called Lawyers for Borders, to provide legal help to councils and community groups seeking to shut migrant hotels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He received 100 emails within hours from residents groups and offers of lawyers services, including a top planning barrister to advise councils. Counter-protesters gathered outside the hotel, as tensions rose in the Wirral - Temilade Adelaja On Wednesday, other councils across Britain also indicated that they would now look to use the courts to close asylum accommodation. Cllr Ian Edwards, the leader of the Tory-run Hillingdon Council, said: Our head of legal will be reviewing the interim judgment to determine if a similar case can be brought in Hillingdon. We need to understand fully why the Epping case has succeeded, where others previously failed, before we can determine if those differentiating circumstances also apply in Hillingdon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reigate and Banstead Council, which is also under Conservative control, said: We are aware of the decision in Epping and are closely monitoring developments at this time. Reform UK has said all 12 county councils under its control will campaign for the closure of asylum hotels in their areas. But a number of these councils do not have responsibility for planning permission, which may limit their ability to launch legal challenges. Six councils, including Newcastle, Ashford in Kent, Wychavon, South Staffordshire and North Yorkshire, told The Telegraph they would not be looking to mount any challenges of their own. The High Court sided with Epping Forest Council after the local authority claimed that placing asylum seekers in the Bell Hotel was a clear breach of planning permission because it was no longer being used as a hotel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Home Office lawyers who tried and failed to intervene in the case at the last minute had told the High Court that any other applications could aggravate pressures on the asylum estate. They warned the decision ran the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests. There are currently more than 32,000 asylum seekers housed in just under 210 hotels, funded at a cost of more than 5 million a day by the taxpayer. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Trump administration is expected to use a controversial Energy Department report to justify keeping costly fossil-fueled power plants online past their retirement dates. But nine state attorneys general and several clean-energy industry groups are demanding the agency fix the documents heavily criticized methodology. The report, which found that the country will face a hundredfold increase in grid blackout risks absent extraordinary federal intervention, was blasted by experts upon its release in July. The DOEs analysis ignores hundreds of gigawatts of new energy resources likely to come online in the coming years, the vast majority of it solar, batteries, and wind power, and it overstates power plant closures expected over the next five years. DOEs assumptions unreasonably presume that the market, grid operators, and state regulators will take no action in the next five years to address load growth or reliability issues, and that no alternative other than preserving aging coal and gas power plants will ensure grid reliability, the state attorneys general wrote in their joint request for rehearing filed earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DOE hasnt yet cited the analysis to support any stay-open orders. But the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Washington wrote that an April executive order from President Donald Trump and subsequent statements by DOE make clear that the report will be used to justify Section 202(c) orders going forward. Already, before the report was issued, the DOE had used Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to order the J.H. Campbell coal plant in Michigan and the Eddystone oil- and gas-burning plant in Pennsylvania to keep running on the eve of their planned closures, at a steep cost to consumers. Forcing more such plants to stay open would drive up electricity costs further and scramble long-running plans from utilities and energy developers to build resources to replace the shuttered facilities. Doing so would also be illegal, the attorneys general state. The Report is arbitrary, capricious, contrary to law, and unsupported by substantial evidence in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act and Federal Power Act because it suffers from numerous analytical, mathematical, and empirical flaws. The DOE wrote the July report to comply with Aprils executive order that seeks to give the agency unilateral authority to force power plants to keep running, even when utilities, state regulators, grid operators, and other experts say it's safe and economically prudent to close them down. The DOE did not respond to Canary Medias requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reports flaws were reiterated in a separate rehearing request filed this month by the American Clean Power Association, American Council on Renewable Energy, and Advanced Energy United. The trade groups argue that the DOEs analysis fails to take account of (or simply mischaracterizes) major developments that will affect resource adequacy in the next half-decade and beyond, including the pace of new resource development, the retirement of existing resources, and the well-established regulatory and market mechanisms that connect these threads. In a webinar earlier this month, executives of these trade groups said they also fear that the DOE will use these flawed assumptions to justify ordering fossil-fueled power plants across the country to keep running. DOEs analysis takes a series of outlier assumptions and applies them all in one study as the only future scenario, and the result is that we're getting predictions of blackouts, said Caitlin Marquis, managing director at Advanced Energy United. When it's applied as directed in the executive order to resource-retention decisions, there will be real-world consequences to those actions. Indeed, forcing fossil-fueled plants to stay open could inflict significant harm on our states, the attorneys general wrote in their rehearing request. In Colorado and Washington state, coal plants set to close in 2025 could be forced to keep running, despite their closure plans being thoroughly vetted by state and regional authorities and approved only following an extensive examination of cost considerations and reliability impacts. States that are part of regional power markets must still share in the expenses of power plants ordered to stay open, as is the case for the J.H. Campbell plant. Keeping that facility running between late May and the end of June cost $29 million, and the total could surpass $100 million by the expiration of the DOEs 90-day stay-open order this week. That price tag is being spread across the states that are part of the Midcontinent Independent System Operators north and central regions, which include Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The financial toll could rise dramatically if the DOE uses its authority under Section 202(c) to prevent any fossil-fuel plants nationwide from closing on schedule in the coming years. An analysis from consultancy Grid Strategies found those costs could add up to $3 billion to nearly $6 billion per year by 2028. This months filings arent the first challenges to the DOEs use of Section 202(c) authority. State regulators and environmental groups filed rehearing requests to the DOEs stay-open orders in Michigan and Pennsylvania, on the grounds that they violate the agencys legitimate use of Section 202(c) to deal with near-term emergencies. The DOE did not respond to those requests, which prompted Michigans Attorney General Dana Nessel and environmental organizations, including Earthjustice and Sierra Club, to file petitions for review asking the federal D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to open a case allowing the groups to fight the DOEs decisions in court. Those petitions for review are pending. Its not clear if the agency will respond to these new challenges either, which could prompt lawsuits from the states or the industry. The offices of the nine attorneys general that are seeking a rehearing on the report did not immediately return Canary Medias requests for comment. WatchGuard Technologies, a global leader in unified cybersecurity, has announced the winners of its annual ANZ Partner Awards, recognising key partners across Australia and New Zealand for their contribution to customer success, business growth, and platform adoption. Now in its 11th year, the awards celebrate WatchGuards channel-first approach and highlight the strength of its partner ecosystem across SMB, mid-market, and Pacific Island markets. The four winners were selected from a pool of over 150 certified partners by WatchGuards local APJ leadership team, following a review of 2024 performance across revenue contribution, technical capability, marketing execution, and competitive wins. This years ANZ Partner Award recipients include: Partner of the Year Systemnet Pty Ltd Awarded for outstanding performance across revenue, technical capability, and strategic engagement. Systemnet is WatchGuards largest ANZ revenue partner, with consistent year-on-year growth, delivering nearly half of its 2024 revenue in the second half alone, and full-stack platform adoption. Awarded for outstanding performance across revenue, technical capability, and strategic engagement. Systemnet is WatchGuards largest ANZ revenue partner, with consistent year-on-year growth, delivering nearly half of its 2024 revenue in the second half alone, and full-stack platform adoption. Next Level Excellence Award Manux Solutions Limited Recognised for early adoption and technical leadership. Manux was the first ANZ partner to implement both MDR and NDR, demonstrating strong alignment with WatchGuards innovation roadmap. Recognised for early adoption and technical leadership. Manux was the first ANZ partner to implement both MDR and NDR, demonstrating strong alignment with WatchGuards innovation roadmap. Competitive Win of the Year Clearly IT Celebrated for standout partner performance. Clearly IT delivered a full-stack WatchGuard deployment for a major customer, replacing legacy security systems and significantly growing the WatchGuard footprint. Celebrated for standout partner performance. Clearly IT delivered a full-stack WatchGuard deployment for a major customer, replacing legacy security systems and significantly growing the WatchGuard footprint. Marketing Program of the Year VITG Highlighted for excellence in collaborative marketing execution. VITG delivered a high-impact campaign around the AISA Cyber Security Conference, generating qualified leads and contributing to strong YoY growth. WatchGuard works with partners across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands through its channel-led model. Recent initiatives include local enablement via roadshows and bootcamps, adoption of ThreatSync, MDR and NDR, and flexible licensing through FlexPay - all delivered through the WatchGuardONE Program, which aligns with frameworks like the Essential Eight. The WatchGuardONE Program has driven a 20% increase in ANZ partner certifications and engagement over the past 12 months. This follows WatchGuards recognition as a Champion in the 2025 Canalys Cybersecurity Leadership Matrix its third consecutive year based on partner feedback around ease of doing business, profitability, and support. Anthony Daniel, Managing Director ANZ & Pacific Islands, WatchGuard Technologies, said: Our partners are central to how we deliver security outcomes across Australia and New Zealand. These awards recognise the commitment, capability and impact our top performers delivered - from competitive wins to marketing execution. Were proud to support such a strong ecosystem, and well keep backing our partners with the tools, insights and flexibility they need to grow. Bruno Ianni, Operations Manager, Systemnet, commented: Being named ANZ Partner of the Year by WatchGuard is a real nod to the way we do things - long-term thinking, deep technical knowledge, and a no-nonsense focus on what works for our clients. The flexibility of the platform lets us deliver full-stack solutions without the usual complexity, and the strength of that approach really showed in the second half of last year, where we saw nearly half of our annual growth. Were excited to keep building on this momentum. Darren Grant, Director, Clearly IT, added: This was about backing our instincts and delivering the right solution from the outset. We saw a clear opportunity to replace complexity with something smarter and more unified - and it resonated. Were proud to be recognised for our first major deployment with WatchGuard, and the partnership helped us deliver a rollout that hit every requirement without unnecessary overhead. About WatchGuard Technologies WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. is a global leader in unified cybersecurity. Our Unified Security Platform is uniquely designed for managed service providers to deliver world-class security that increases their business scale and velocity while also improving operational efficiency. Trusted by more than 17,000 security resellers and service providers to protect more than 250,000 customers, the companys award-winning products and services span network security and intelligence, advanced endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication, and secure Wi-Fi. Together, they offer five critical elements of a security platform: comprehensive security, shared knowledge, clarity & control, operational alignment, and automation. The company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, visit WatchGuard.com. For additional information, promotions, and updates, follow WatchGuard on X (@WatchGuard), on Facebook, or on the LinkedIn company page. Also, visit our InfoSec blog, Secplicity, for real-time information about the latest threats and how to cope with them. Subscribe to The 443 Security Simplified podcast, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. WatchGuard is a registered trademark of WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Lawyers for Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Attorney General James Uthmeier have gone to a federal appeals court after a U.S. district judge rejected part of a 2023 Florida elections law. The state Friday filed a notice that is a first step in asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the Aug. 8 ruling by U.S. District Judge Mark Walker. The notice, as is common, did not detail the states arguments. But Walkers ruling said part of the 2023 law that seeks to prevent non-U.S. citizens from collecting voter-registration applications violates equal-protection rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the law, voter-registration groups could face a $50,000 fine for each non-citizen collecting or handling applications. Walker in 2023 issued a preliminary injunction against the non-citizen restriction. In his Aug. 8 ruling, Walker issued a final order and a permanent injunction against enforcing the law against two plaintiffs in the case, the civil rights group UnidosUS and Humberto Orjuela Prieto, who lives in Osceola County and is a legal permanent resident from Colombia. Here, plaintiffs have suffered and continue to suffer irreparable injuries, Walker wrote. Indeed, Mr. Orjuela has been unconstitutionally discriminated against based on his noncitizen status. If the citizenship requirement were enforced, this discrimination prevents plaintiffs from registering new voters a lost opportunity that cannot be remedied with monetary damages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walker, meanwhile, rejected challenges to other parts of the 2023 law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. Blaise Ingoglia, Florida's chief financial officer, said Tuesday that his auditors have already uncovered "eye-popping' examples of inappropriate spending in Palm Beach County but when pressed, he declined to identify those examples. "It will all come out in our report in about 60 days," he told reporters during a press conference outside the Robert Weisman Governmental Center in West Palm Beach. Ingoglia, recently appointed to the state position, is overseeing audits conducted by Florida's Department of Government Efficiency. Gov. Ron DeSantis created the agency through an executive order to, in part, review spending on the county and local levels. "We are in the data extraction business now to gather information," he told reporters. "We will use AI and a line-by-line review of these budgets to determine if taxpayers' money is being spent efficiently." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ingoglia told reporters Tuesday the audit findings will "arm voters" with the information they need to determine whehter local officals should be held accountable at the ballot box and also whether a consitutional amendment should be approved to significantly lower property taxes in the state. Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia addresses reporters during a press conference Tuesday outside the Robert Weisman Governmental Center in West Palm Beach. "These audits will shine the light on wasteful spending," he said. "People are concerned with the level of property taxes they are paying. Local officials say their budgets are already cut to the bone but I can tell you that is not the case." He argued that local governments, armed with billions of dollars in grants as a result of COVID, significantly expanded their budgets and instead of cutting back when those grants ended, they kept spending, using increased revenue from higher property values. "They gave out egregious raises that were out of sync with the private sector," he said. But again, he failed to provide specific examples. The DOGE report on Palm Beach County is expected to be released in about 60 days. DOGE auditors have also visited about a half dozen other local governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Florida's DOGE auditors arrive in Palm Beach County: Here's what they will be examining MORE: Is Florida DOGE eyeing Palm Beach County? Incoming Administrator Abruzzo says yes In a report to county commissioners, Interim County Administrator Todd Bonlarron said auditors on Monday focused on contracts, procurement, personnel management practices and DEI. He called the visit productive and collaborative. Ingoglia defended the significant increases in the budget of the sheriff, noting there need to be a heavy presence of deputies since President Trump has made Mar-a-Lago his southern White House. The sheriff needs to make sure that there is enough protection to keep the president safe, he said. But much of the increase in the Sheriff's budget occurred well before security was enhanced at Mar-a-Lago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked why he asked county officials for a list of traffic-calming devices such as speed bumps, he said he couldn't say but noted that some of the questions came from county residents and it could have been something that they wanted to know. One issue that the DOGE team is expected to address is the county's failure to undertake "performance reviews" for high-level county employees. The county's new administrator, Joe Abruzzo, has already said that he wants to see those employees routinely evaluated. Auditors spent Monday, Aug. 18, and Tuesday, Aug. 19, in a separate room in the county administration building reviewing budgets from 2021 through 2025. They have already questioned why the amount collected from taxpayers since 2021 increased 36% while Palm Beach Countys population increased just 7%. Abruzzo and County Mayor Maria Marino said they both welcome the audit to determine if savings can be identified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: State DOGE chief identifying 'wasteful' Palm Beach County spending BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A new literacy and learning lab opened today at the state library, offering hands-on and tech-based learning activities to help children develop a lifelong love of reading. The lab is part of a series of programs organized by the state librarian aimed at benefiting the community. It provides an interactive environment where children can engage with reading and learning through modern technology. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser praised the initiative, stating that it is making a significant difference in the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The literacy and learning lab is designed to foster a love of reading among children by providing them with engaging and interactive experiences. These activities are intended to make reading fun and accessible, encouraging children to explore and learn. This initiative is one of many efforts by the state librarian to enhance educational opportunities within the community. By incorporating technology into learning, the program aims to meet the needs of todays digital-savvy youth. The opening of the literacy and learning lab marks a positive step towards improving educational resources for children in the community, supported by local leaders like Lieutenant Governor Nungesser. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. The states judicial watchdog is moving forward on an ethics charge against a Broward judge whose campaign for office last year relied in part on fabricated allegations of judicial misconduct in another county. County Judge Lauren Peffer was elected to office last August after a campaign in which she focused on the need to restore public confidence in the judiciary. As evidence of the lack of public trust, Peffer promoted a book criticizing the judiciary in Orlando, a self-published diatribe by a disgruntled former employee who also posted fake recordings implicating the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and the Chief Judge of the 11th Circuit Court of Florida in inappropriate and unprofessional conduct. The states Judicial Qualifications Commission, which polices cases of judicial misconduct, originally filed two counts against Peffer, but on Wednesday that commission announced it was proceeding with only one a rule requiring judges and candidates to maintain the dignity appropriate to judicial office and act in a manner consistent with the impartiality, integrity, and independence of the judiciary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second charge originally filed against Peffer, accusing her of inappropriate pledges, promises, or commitments of any kind, was not included in Wednesdays announcement. During the campaign, Peffer acknowledged the problems with the book and stopped referring to it in her campaign after its veracity was questioned. She won the election with 52.5% of the vote. The Judicial Qualifications Commission is faulting her for failing to verify the allegations raised in the Orlando book or to contact any of the judges involved before promoting the book as part of her campaign. Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. A unique roadside pickup program in Michigan suggests that robots will continue to remove barriers that prevent people from taking eco-friendly action. As Michigan Public detailed, innovation and impact accelerator Orange Sparkle Ball has received a grant from NextCycle Michigan to roll out its autonomous Penny Pickup service to remove trash and other unwanted materials from its pickup locations. The initiative is focused on reducing food waste. It aligns with a goal from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to cut food waste in half by 2030 compared to a 2005 baseline, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robots are an increasingly popular option to manage or address a range of environmental and climate-related challenges, reducing the use of toxic pesticides in agriculture, aiding with invasive species removal, and detecting and separating recyclable materials in trash streams. As for Penny Pickup, it looks to slash a food waste stream that accounts for nearly 60% of methane pollution from landfills, per the Environmental Protection Agency. According to the Department of Agriculture, up to 40% of food in the country ends up in the trash. "Sometimes it's really hard to choose doing the responsible thing versus doing the convenient thing," Orange Sparkle Ball innovation strategist Hannah Ranieri told Michigan Public. "We're trying to amplify the convenience element of the solution and make it easier for people to dispose of their waste in the best possible way." Thanks to grant funding from EGLE, Penny Pickup recently completed its first restaurant pickup at San Morello in downtown Detroit. Afterward, the house-shaped robot transported the waste to the Urban Tech Exchange building to be transformed into reusable coasters for the restaurant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Things have been going really well," Ranieri said. "We're really excited, and we plan to do two additional pilots with two additional restaurants." Even if Penny Pickup isn't yet available in your area, you can do your part to reduce food waste and stretch your budget by getting creative with leftovers and properly storing your food. Orange Sparkle Ball says on its website that it also has pilot programs in the works to remove electronic waste and plastic bags, and it is in discussions to continue developing its Penny Pickup technology for larger-use volume cases. "We can have a tremendous impact not only for Detroit but for other communities where we live and work," Jim Saber, CEO of NextEnergy one of the organizations supporting the Penny Pickup food waste program told WXYZ in Detroit. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. A fence surrounds the LNG facility on Old Mill Lane in Portsmouth. State regulators authorized expansion in 2024, but are still seeking feedback on alternatives, including a moratorium on new gas hookups. (Photo by Larry Weisman/Rhode Island Current) Do supply problems and state decarbonization goals warrant an end to new natural gas connections on Aquidneck Island? State regulators are asking Newport residents to weigh in at a 6 p.m. meeting Wednesday night at Innovate Newport. The event kicks off an exploratory review over the abstract prospect of banning new gas hookups on the Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Energy regulators have spent years wrestling with this hypothetical, prompted by Rhode Island Energys plan to expand an existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage and equipment facility on Old Mill Lane in Portsmouth. The $33.5 million expansion project on the Portsmouth-Middletown line aims to prevent future gas outages on Aquidneck Island, which relies on a single, six-inch gas pipe to funnel the states main gas supply to Island customers. Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board agreed to the utility companys plan, granting a conditional license in August 2024. Construction to accommodate extra storage space and equipment began in April, and is expected to be completed in November. The 70,000 gallons of LNG the company plans to store at a permanent facility is projected to be enough to provide gas to the Island for 37 continuous hours, or three days of up to six hours per day when considering capacity constraints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the quest for alternative solutions continues. Energy regulators made clear in their authorization for the project that the prospect of a natural gas moratorium was still on the table. There is no set timeline for a decision, nor a guarantee that one will happen at all. Next steps will be determined after the public comment hearings, Patricia Lucarelli, administrator for the state Public Utilities Commission, which issued an advisory opinion on the LNG proposal, said in an email. The utility panel is in the midst of a separate deep dive into how the state should plan for, and spend on, natural gas expansion given its mandate to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Environmental groups like the Conservation Law Foundation and the Rhode Island Attorney Generals office pointed to this parallel review of the future of state dependency on natural gas as a potential contradiction to Rhode Island Energys LNG expansion plan. Others suggested a moratorium on new gas hookups as a better way to address the islands gap between gas supply and demand. Rhode Island Energy railed against any guardrails on new gas customers, warning that it would spike heating bills for area residents. Company attorneys also said state regulators lack legal authority to limit new connections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbors and municipal leaders featured prominently in the debate too, with objections focused on the noise and traffic from expanding the storage site. As the people most directly affected by a potential kibosh on new gas connections, state regulators insist their feedback is critical. The Board has not made any decision regarding a moratorium, nor has any party made a specific proposal, but the issue remains ripe for consideration, including weighing the benefits of a moratorium against the impact on residents and businesses who may wish to have the option to seek new gas connections in the future and the economy on the island, the meeting notice states. A handful of local residents submitted written comments to regulators already. Several noted the string of hotels that have opened in Newport in recent years, increasing the strain on the limited supply of natural gas. Benjamin Riggs, a retired Navy captain, suggested banning new hookups for hotel and large commercial projects exclusively, noting that the widening gap between supply and demand caused by these projects has already resulted in rising usage rates shouldered by residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connie and Rick Bischoff, of Newport, recalled the 2019 emergency outage that left 7,000 Aquidneck Islanders without heat for a frigid week in January. But, the couple also pointed out that electric heat costs a lot. We simply need this issue to be looked at more carefully, they wrote. A new wrinkle highlighted by William Horan of Middletown in his written comments: the change in Washington D.C., where an anti-renewable energy administration has pulled back crucial incentives needed to help states, including Rhode Island, achieve their dependence on fossil fuels. The public meeting in Newport will not be streamed, although comments made will be transcribed, Lucarelli said. Portsmouth residents can provide in-person feedback at a second meeting on Aug. 27 at Portsmouth Middle School. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., railed against "radical Far Left Democrat agitators" who disrupted an event in her home district in upstate New York on Monday. Stefanik, a Trump ally who has for months been teasing a Republican campaign for governor of New York, was booed offstage by protesters during an event in Plattsburgh honoring the late John Zurlo, a Clinton County political leader. "Today #NY21 witnessed shameful conduct by radical Far Left Democrat agitators who disgracefully attempted to drown out and silence a non-political event in Plattsburgh to honor the lifelong service of John Zurlo in Clinton County as the building was named in his honor," Stefanik said on X on Monday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Stefanik approached the podium to deliver remarks, protesters booed the congresswoman, shouting, "Traitor!" until she stepped back into line alongside the other officials. Later on, Stefanik returned to the podium and delivered her remarks over the protesters' cries. Hochul Fails To Crack 50% But Tops Potential Gop Challenges By Double Digits In Ny Governor Race: Poll Speaking to reporters after the event, Stefanik explained why she returned to the podium. Read On The Fox News App "I thought that the radicals would calm down out of respect for the Zurlo family," she said. "Obviously, they did not do that, but I was not going to let them drown out me by talking about how important it is to commemorate John Zurlo's legacy." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major Republican Rumored For Gubernatorial Run, Hits Back Against Dem: Worst Governor In America Despite the protesters carrying on, Stefanik said it was important "to make sure the Zurlo family heard from me." The likely gubernatorial candidate later clarified in her statement on X that she also privately delivered her remarks to the family. House members have been campaigning and hosting events in their home districts during the August congressional recess. GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York spoke to an attendee at a Staten Island fundraising dinner, on June 2, 2025, in New York City. While Republicans are celebrating the tax cuts and immigration reform included in President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," Democrats have criticized vulnerable House Republicans for cutting Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans have argued that the megabill only cuts waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid, but according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), about 10 million more people will be uninsured by 2034 due to Trump's megabill. The impact of Trump's signature policy bill is likely to take center stage in the competitive midterm elections expected in 2026. House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans celebrated passing Trump's "big, beautiful bill." The protesters' messages were mixed on Monday, as those who booed Stefanik offstage held signs rejecting Trump's sweeping second-term agenda on multiple grounds, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportations, as well as Stefanik voting in favor of the megabill. Other protest signs mentioned racism and called Stefanik a "bully." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stefanik has yet to formally launch her campaign for governor against incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, but she has been laying the groundwork for months and leading criticism of the governor's anti-Trump politics. Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report. Original article source: Stefanik booed offstage as protesters chant 'traitor' during upstate New York memorial event Gov. Josh Stein urged residents subject to evacuation orders to leave before conditions deteriorate. (Photo by Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline) Gov. Josh Stein warned coastal residents of North Carolina to take action now before its too late Wednesday to prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Erin, and to follow any evacuation orders. Stein declared a statewide state of emergency on Tuesday in anticipation of the storm, currently a Category 2 hurricane, and local states of emergency are in effect in Dare, Hyde, and Currituck counties. In addition, residents of Ocracoke and Hatteras islands are subject to mandatory evacuation orders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you are under an evacuation order, take action now before its too late, Stein said Wednesday morning. You can find shelter at the state-operated disaster shelter located at 113 Wilcox Street in Warrenton, North Carolina. Pets are allowed at the shelter. While the center of the hurricane is forecast to remain over the Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center projects that tropical storm-force winds will hit the North Carolina coast as soon as 2 p.m., but likely closer to 8 p.m. Much of the coast is subject to a Tropical Storm Warning, with winds of up to 35 to 45 mph forecast and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph possible. The hurricane can also generate tornadoes, and produced a minor EF0 tornado on the beach in Brunswick County on Monday. The most severe of the storms impacts to North Carolina are predicted to come Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, Stein said. A forecast of Hurricane Erins path as of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Source: nhc.noaa.gov/) Emergency Management director Will Ray warned residents not to attempt to cross flooded roadways, as it is not possible to judge the speed or depth of floodwaters, which can easily be powerful enough to sweep cars off the road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hurricane Erin is already creating extremely dangerous and life-threatening rip currents for all of the North Carolina coast that will linger throughout the week, Ray said. Weve seen a high number of rescues along the coast, and you should avoid swimming anywhere on the North Carolina coast right now. Stein echoed his warning: No one should be in the ocean, he said. Ray said extremely large, dangerous waves around 20 feet high are anticipated to hit the coast as well as a storm surge of 2 to 4 feet on top of the surf. Coastal roadways in particular will likely be inundated and made impassable, especially N.C. Highway 12 and along the Outer Banks. Beaches could also see significant erosion, the officials said. Residents can monitor the status of roads and highways on drivenc.gov, but should avoid driving through any flooding even if not reflected on the website. For information on storm conditions, evacuations, and related weather events, information is available at readync.gov/Erin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state has mobilized 200 members of the North Carolina National Guard and has positioned three swift water rescue teams, trained to render aid in flood conditions. The state has also received Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from Georgia if it becomes necessary to fly food and water in to stranded residents, Stein said. Even with the resources in place, Stein urged residents to prepare disaster kits with enough food and water for three to five days for all members of the household as well as batteries, flashlights, and a battery-powered radio. He also advised residents to be wary of potential misinformation on social media, and to only follow official sources. Please be sure to have multiple ways to receive weather alerts, especially during the overnight hours, Ray said. In addition, Stein said residents on the coast should have go-bags ready with cash, prescriptions, phone chargers, and any important personal and financial documents, in case a sudden evacuation is required. Take photos of whatever you own that is valuable in case it gets destroyed, he said. Erin is the fifth named storm of this Atlantic hurricane season. This story will be updated. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller on Wednesday railed against what he called stupid white hippies who were protesting the federal crackdown on crime in the nations capital and argued they did not represent the citizens of Washington, D.C. Miller, Vice President Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Union Station on Wednesday to meet with National Guard troops who have been stationed outside for days in a show of force near the transportation hub. We are not going to let the communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nations capital, Miller told the crowd near Shake Shack inside Union Station. And lets just also address another thing. All these demonstrators youve seen out here in recent days, all these elderly white hippies, theyre not part of the city and never have been. And by the way, most of the citizens who live in Washington, D.C., are Black. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So were going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because theyre all over 90 years old, he added. And were going to get back to the business of protecting the American people and the citizens of Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. has historically been a majority African American locale; locals give it the affectionate nickname Chocolate City. But over the last two decades, the citys demographics have shifted, and Black residents are no longer more than 50 percent of the population. The Trump administration earlier this month began surging federal law enforcement across parts of the District to crack down on what the White House said was an unacceptable level of crime, despite statistics showing violent crime has declined in the city. Last week, Trump took federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed hundreds of National Guard troops across the city to further the crack down on crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House has said officers across the District have made more than 550 arrests since the surge in federal resources began Aug. 7. But local residents have largely expressed disapproval with the aggressive moves from the federal government. A Washington Post-Schar School poll of 604 D.C. residents published Wednesday found 65 percent do not think Trumps actions will make the city safer. Roughly 80 percent of residents said they opposed Trumps executive order to federalize the citys police department. Miller spoke after videos circulated online of large crowds in the Columbia Heights neighborhood jeering federal officers in the streets. The crowds cheered as the officers walked to their trucks and cars and department. The Trump administration has welcomed a debate over crime, immigration and policing, seeing it as ground on which it can win over voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Aug. 20Utility coordination problems could delay Sterling's $6.2 million reconstruction of Second Street, which spans 10 blocks from First Avenue to Route 2. The project, managed by Gensini Excavating of Princeton, has switched to a three-phase plan after early delays in getting construction plans approved in Springfield. "We couldn't start digging out anything until those plans were approved, so we decided to start removing further sections of road so we could keep progressing," project manager Mike Garland said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first phase, from Broadway Avenue to Fourth Avenue, has been largely completed. Garland said curbs, gutters and storm sewer work are finished, with crews currently focused on sidewalks and driveways. He said the second phase will cover Fourth Avenue to Route 40, and the final phase will construct a 160-foot pedestrian bridge over Route 40 behind the Plainwell Brass building, connecting to a new multi-use bikeway on East Second Street from First Avenue to Broadway Avenue. Last October, the City Council committed $655,203 in local funds toward the bikeway path, which is primarily supported through an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grant that will reimburse 80% of construction costs. City officials have said the bike pathway is designed to close gaps in Sterling's trail system and link existing routes across the city. Once built, the bridge and new path will tie into trails that already run from behind Walmart and Peabudy's to Woodlawn Avenue, then through Sinnissippi Park along the Rock River and toward the Dillon Home Museum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new connection will continue south along Second Avenue to the railroad tracks and behind Bradford Supply before crossing into the former National building parking lot. From there, it will reach the riverfront, using the existing sidewalk under the viaduct or potentially a future 10-foot-wide path in front of the former National Manufacturing building leading toward the farmers market area. The bike pathway is part of a larger effort to create a circular system of trails throughout the community. Work is already underway to finish a link along Lynn Boulevard that will connect Route 40 to Westwood, pending final easements near Sauk Valley Bank. On the city's east side, officials are negotiating with the Whiteside County Housing Authority to complete a segment between Locust Street and Sixth Avenue, filling in the trail to Franklin School. Despite earlier delays, Garland said the overall project is still on track for the previously planned June 2026 completion. "The only thing that could slightly hold me up is that I'm waiting on ComEd. They have something along the lines of 39 power poles they have to move," Garland told Shaw Local. "They haven't started moving them yet. That's one of my biggest holdups." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the city and contractors have limited influence over utility schedules, which are federally regulated. After curb work on the second phase is finished, Garland said, his team plans to pave the full length of the road. "My intention is to have the road usable before Thanksgiving," Garland said. "We might not have the sidewalks done by that point, but I'm shooting to have the road usable by then." Funding for the Second Street project comes from motor fuel tax revenue, federal Surface Transportation Program funds and local sales taxes. City officials have said the project will improve safety and mobility for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians along Second Street. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. Texas Republicans moved closer Monday to enacting a new congressional map designed to boost their chances in the midterm elections as Democrats ended a two-week boycott aimed at stalling the plan. Soon after the Democrats returned, Republicans modified a proposed map that was already friendly to the GOP to make it even more favorable to their party. With the Democrats back, Republicans, at the behest of President Donald Trump, plan to pass the new map by the end of the month. In Washington, Republicans hold a 219-212 U.S. House majority with four vacancies, and a broad, national fight over redrawing districts could determine which party wins control next year. The political fight in Texas has grown personal. Soon after Democratic lawmakers returned from their walkout, Republicans who control the state House told them on the floor of the chamber that they would not be permitted to leave without a police escort to ensure they would not flee the state again. Democrats were furious, with one lawmaker insisting she would instead spend the night in the statehouse to protest what she saw as an insult. Republican leaders also announced a shift in the map as they began business Monday. This month, Republicans put forward a map that would give them an electoral advantage in up to five more seats in Texas, including the district of Rep. Al Green (D). The new version released Monday would push Green's district even further to the right. A full analysis of the new map was not immediately available late Monday. The Democrats who fled the state on Aug. 3 decided to head home after California Democrats announced they would redraw their map and give their party an electoral advantage in five additional seats, wiping out the potential GOP gains in Texas. Democrats in California on Monday unveiled their legislative package, which they are calling "Proposition 50," a reference to all 50 states as they seek to nationalize their fight. Voters in the state will be asked to sign off on the new map in a special election this November if lawmakers approve the plan, as they intend to do this week. "We're returning to Texas more dangerous to Republicans' plans than when we left," Texas state House Minority Leader Gene Wu (D) said in a statement as he returned. Their decision to go back to the Lone Star State marked the latest chapter in an extraordinary nationwide partisan battle over the congressional map on which next year's midterm elections will be fought. While U.S. House district lines are normally redrawn every 10 years after the census, the Trump-led mid-decade push to seize a greater edge in Texas has set off a multistate scramble from Florida to California that could have major implications in next year's elections. Trump, who this month said he's "entitled" to more congressional seats, praised Texas's proposed map Monday in a post on his Truth Social platform. "It is wonderful to see Republicans everywhere standing up to Save our Country," he wrote. In an effort to try to slow the Republican plans in Texas, dozens of state House Democrats left the state this month to prevent the chamber from having enough members present to conduct its business. The state constitution requires the state House to have at least 100 of its 150 members present to take action. Republicans said Monday that they were determined to move ahead with redrawing the congressional map and responding to last month's deadly floods. "It's time to resume the work the people of Texas sent us here to do," state House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) said. He added that "no one here needs a reminder that the last few weeks have been contentious," and warned that members must remain civil. "Now is the time for action," said Burrows. Texas lawmakers met Monday afternoon shortly after the Democrats landed in Austin, with 120 recorded as present and 30 as absent. Burrows told those who had left that they needed to have a police escort for the next two days if they wanted to leave the state Capitol. State Rep. Nicole Collier (D) refused to go along with the demand and said she would stay in the building for the next two days. "Why do they have to keep beating us down?" she said in an interview. "They're going to win. Why do you have to keep flexing on us?" The Texas Democrats' departure from this state this month kicked off a high-profile partisan showdown, with many decamping to Illinois, where Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker welcomed them and promoted their cause. Texas Republicans said Democrats were not attending to their duties and issued civil arrest warrants against them to try to bring them back. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) filed lawsuits to try to have some of the Democrats removed from office. While enough Democrats returned for the legislature to resume its business, some said they were staying away and would continue to fight the new lines from afar. "I don't believe in moral victories or messaging victories - I believe in actual victories," said state Rep. Jolanda Jones (D), who is running in a special election in November to replace U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner (D), who died this year. Abbott has frequently criticized the Democrats who left the state. "Texans deserve leaders who show up, not ones who abandon their duties," he posted on social media last week. The Texas state House is next slated to gavel in on Wednesday morning. Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, praised the Texas Democrats for fighting the Republicans amid threats. "The Democratic Party is standing up showdown after showdown because you forged the path and exemplified what it means to fight," Martin wrote in a Monday letter to the Texas Democrats. (COMMENT, BELOW) Aug. 20A long-haul truck driver accused of killing three people in a Florida traffic collision was arrested in San Joaquin County over the weekend. Newsweek reported on Monday that 28-year-old Stockton resident Harjinder Singh was arrested by U.S. Marshals on suspicion of three counts of vehicular homicide. He was booked into San Joaquin County Jail on Saturday, and appeared for arraignment Tuesday, according to inmate records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Miami Herald reported that the Aug. 12 crash occurred when Singh attempted to make a U-turn in his 18-wheeler at an "official use only" area of the Florida Turnpike 19 miles north of Fort Pierce. The truck was blocking all the northbound lanes as a 2015 black Chrysler Town & Country minivan approached in the middle lane and slammed into the 18-wheeler, killing its three occupants. Two passengers in the minivan a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach and a 54-year-old man from Miami died at the scene. The driver, a 30-year-old man from Florida City, later died at a hospital, according to the Herald. Neither Singh or as his passenger, 25-year-old Harneet Singh of Yuba City, were injured in the collision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pair flew to Sacramento on Aug. 13, as law enforcement does not make an arrest at the scene of vehicle crashes, the Herald reported. Vehicular homicide is punishable by as much as 15 years in prison in that state. According to Newsweek, federal immigration authorities have issued a detainer which could lead to deportation proceedings once the criminal case is concluded, reports state. In his monthly address to the public posted on social media, San Joaquin County Sheriff Pat Withrow said he was not able to hold Singh, an undocumented immigrant, on an ICE hold due to California law. "He's from out of the country, and he's here illegally, but California does not allow me to honor the ICE hold because he has committed no prior crimes," Withrow said. "We don't know if this was gross negligence or an intentional act." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Florida Highway Patrol told the Herald that Singh, who has a commercial driver's license in California, entered the United States illegally in 2018 through the Mexican border. It's unclear how he obtained a commercial driver's license, as California law requires applicants to show proof they are in the U.S. legally, among other requirements, according to the California Commercial Driver's Handbook. California's AB 60 allows undocumented immigrants to apply for a driver's license if they can provide proof of identity and residency. These licenses are marked "not for federal identification." Singh had been linked online to a 2019 crash in Arkansas that destroyed a historic bridge, but officials confirmed to Newsweek Monday he wasn't involved in that accident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That driver, also named Harjinder Singh, was fired by the US Citylink Corporation following the crash, reports state. News of the Florida crash went national, the Herald reported, with Singh being at the center of several social media posts by the Trump administration on Sunday and Monday, prompting a response from Gov. Gavin Newsom. In one post, Newsom's press office said the federal government issued Singh an employment authorization document during Trump's first term, which allows foreign nationals to work legally in the U.S. In response, Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said Singh's work authorization was rejected in 2020 while Trump was in office and approved the following year under the Biden administration, the Herald reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas filed a petition for a fugitive warrant against Singh on Tuesday. Singh agreed to waive extradition and awaiting transport to Florida. "Public safety depends on strong collaboration between states," Freitas said. "Our office has fulfilled its role in this matter, and Harjinder Singh will now face consequences in Florida." A Georgia tourist, Crissy Wilburn, was arrested for shooting a man in the leg on Aug. 17 in Destin, Florida. The Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office charged Wilburn, 42, of Stone Mountain, with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and use of a firearm while intoxicated. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. at 60 Crystal Beach Drive while Wilburn and the victim were loading their car to leave. Wilburn and the victim had reportedly been arguing over photos found on the victims phone earlier that day. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The circumstances of the shooting remain unclear, as Wilburn and the victim provided conflicting accounts of the event. Wilburn initially told deputies she grabbed the firearm to place it on the floorboard when it discharged, striking the victim, who was standing outside the car. She later claimed the victim grabbed the gun, causing it to go off. Wilburn also stated she did not know how the gun was pointed at the victim and that it was holstered the entire time. Deputies noted Wilburn exhibited signs of intoxication, including a strong odor of alcohol, glassy eyes, and slurred speech. She refused to provide a breath sample after her arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to the inconsistent statements and the victims defensive wounds on his hand, Wilburn was taken into custody and transported to the Okaloosa County Jail in Crestview. The investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office continues as authorities work to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the shooting. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Cal Fire is issuing a summer heat warning and asking people to not hike in the heat. This summer, Cal Fire says it has helped in more than 30 helicopter rescues along with the San Diego Sheriffs Office. We are doing hoist rescues, were dropping rescuers in with our sheriffs partners and getting these people out of harms way, but all that takes time, said Captain Tomas Shoots. When people reach out to us, theyve usually reached a point where things are desperate. Theyre in dire need of help. San Diego County faces extreme heat; temps to reach 114 degrees Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters have been issuing social media warnings and advising people that some trails are closed in August including Saddleback Trail, Three Sisters and San Diego Mission Gorge Trail due to excessive heat. When you notice sweat is dissipating and your skin is starting to get really dry and youre starting to become a little delirious, your body has shut off that function of being able to cool itself down, said Cal Fire Paramedic Derrick Tarin. Its extremely dangerous and it can be fatal sometimes. Three San Diego area parks to close due to heat this month Firefighters say make sure to stay hydrated, have snacks and hike with someone so youre not alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also suggest staying off trails between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. during peak hours of heat. A lot of times these trails dont have good cell service, so dont count on the 911 system to save you and push yourself too far. There will be a time delay that wont be on your side, said Captain Shoots. More coverage on the extreme heat can be found at fox5sandiego.com/weather Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. The strawberry delivery driver was making his last drop-off in Little Tokyo, unloading nearly a dozen boxes onto the sidewalk outside the Japanese American National Museum. Inside the building, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his allies were holding a news conference about a Democratic Party plan to fight back against President Trumps efforts to maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives through redistricting in Texas. Angel Rodrigo Minguela Palacios knew nothing of the powerful men's clash as he stacked cardboard boxes filled with ripe, red fruit Thursday morning. He also didnt know that dozens of Border Patrol agents were massing nearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minguela was caught between the two spectacles. His life was about to be upended. In the days that followed, Newsom accused the Trump administration of trying to intimidate the president's political opponents by sending the immigration agents. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin has said the agents were focused on enforcing the law, not on Newsom. Newsom has since submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking records from the administration about why agents arrived at the museum as he was announcing his latest skirmish with the president. For Minguela, who has been in the country for close to a decade, that day felt a lot more personal. He was arrested by Border Patrol agents and now faces deportation back to Mexico. Speaking from behind a plexiglass window at the "B-18" federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, Minguela stressed that he is not a criminal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "One comes here to work, not commit crimes," said Minguela, who wore the same red T-shirt and jeans he'd been arrested in four days prior. When asked last week whether the person arrested outside the news conference had a criminal record, a Homeland Security spokesperson said the agency would share a criminal rap sheet when it was available. After four follow-up emails from a reporter, McLaughlin on Saturday said agents had arrested "two illegal aliens" in the vicinity of Newsom's news conference including "an alleged Tren de Aragua gang member and narcotics trafficker." Asked twice to clarify whether the alleged gang member and narcotics trafficker were the same person, Homeland Security officials did not respond. But when presented with Minguela's biographical information Monday, the department said he had been arrested because he overstayed his visa a civil, not criminal, offense. Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino told Fox News on Friday that operations were based on intelligence about the alleged Tren de Aragua gang member. They arrested that man two blocks away from Newsom's news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two law enforcement sources who asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak with the media told The Times that they had received word from federal authorities that Little Tokyo had been targeted because of its proximity to the Newsom event. In a statement Wednesday, Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Newsom told The Times that though agents "intended to intimidate the Governor and community leaders, the brunt was born, as it always is, by people who believe in the American dream. For those who know Minguela, it felt like mala suerte bad luck. As Martha Franco, one of Minguela's employers, put it, He was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement :: Like every other weekday, Minguela rose before the sun to start his 2 a.m. delivery route Thursday. He had around eight places to hit. He'd worked for the same produce company for around eight years and never missed a day. That day, Minguela left his partner and their three children ages 15, 12 and 6 asleep in their home, hours before the kids would head off for their first day of school. His partner, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation, had worked the night before as a cashier at a liquor store. She did not get off work until about 12:30 a.m. She brought him coffee as he started his day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly before 6 a.m., Minguela called his partner to wake her up so she could take the kids to school. Throughout the morning, they checked in with each other on how the day was progressing. She called to warn him about immigration agents at Slauson and Miles avenues in Huntington Park. Over the last couple of months, as immigration raids became a part of daily life, the couple's world had slowly shrunk. Minguela had overstayed a tourist visa after fleeing the Mexican state of Coahuila in 2015 because of violence he faced there, his partner said. She said he had worked servicing ATMs there, was kidnapped twice and at one point was stabbed by people intent on stealing the money. After his employers cut staff, she said, he lost his job, helping drive his decision to leave. Because he was undocumented, he rarely went out, leaving the house only for work and errands. Minguela began wondering whether it was even safe for him to pick up the kids from school, his partner said. He planned ahead, made copies of his keys and left money for his family in the event that he was grabbed by immigration agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That morning, he reassured his partner he was fine. He was heading to his last stop at a tearoom in Little Tokyo. "Ten mucho cuidado," his partner told him. Be very careful. :: The Border Patrol agents descended on 1st Street in Little Tokyo about 11:30 a.m., just as Newsom's news conference got underway. They were decked out in camouflage and helmets, their faces obscured by black masks. One wore an American flag neck gaiter. They were armed, some with AR-15-style weapons. Read more: Border Patrol agents stage show of force at Newsom's 'big beautiful press conference' Nearby, Minguela was busy unloading several boxes of strawberries and a box of apples. He didn't notice the agents until they were close behind him. Then, he ducked back inside the van. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A video shared with The Times shows at least eight Border Patrol agents as they passed the van, its side door wide open. They did not stop. Then, one appeared to double back and peek inside. Minguela said he feels he was targeted based on his physical appearance. When the agent began asking him questions, Minguela said he pulled a red "know your rights" card out of his wallet and handed it to the agent. "This is of no use to me," he said the agent told him. Another agent soon joined them. Minguela told them he didn't have to talk. But they kept asking questions, he said. What was his nationality? What was his name? Did he have papers? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They demanded I show them some kind of identification," he said. "Insisting, insisting." The agents were armed, and Minguela said he grew scared. Believing he had no choice, Minguela said, he gave one of the agents his California driver's license. Minguela tried to call his partner twice, but she was at a doctor's appointment and couldn't answer. At 11:22 a.m., he sent her three WhatsApp messages: "Amor ya me agarro la migra..no te preocupes." "Todo va a estar bien." "Diosito nos va a ayudar mucho." Federal agents produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum, where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting news conference on Aug. 14. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times) Immigration had gotten him, he said, but everything would be fine. God would help them, he assured her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minguela sent her a picture of an agent holding his license and seemingly plugging the information from it into a phone. Then, the agent arrested him. Video captured Minguela, hands cuffed behind his back, as the agent linked an arm through his. He walked Minguela away from the van, toward Bovino. After conferring with colleagues, the agent walked Minguela back toward his delivery van. Bovino patted the agent on the back and said, "Well done." At about the same time, one of Minguela's employers, Isaias Franco, received a call from Little Tokyo warning him about the immigration activity. He immediately called Minguela, whose cell number is saved in his phone under "paisa," countryman. Both hail from the Mexican city of Torreon. No answer. Isaias Franco texted him, trying to tell him what was unfolding. By that time, though, Minguela was already in handcuffs. :: Hours before visitation began at the detention center in downtown L.A. on Monday, families began lining up along a driveway where "B-18" was stamped in black on a concrete wall. Someone had scrawled on the ground in chalk: "Abolish ICE" and "Viva La Raza." Another message read, "Civil disobedience becomes a duty when the state becomes lawless and corrupt." By 11:30 a.m., 18 people were waiting for visitation to start at 1 p.m. In less than an hour, that number had ballooned to 33. They include three siblings there to visit their uncle who had been arrested at a car wash in Long Beach the day before. A woman whose uncle was taken from a Home Depot in Pasadena. Two sisters whose loved one had been arrested at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-in. They carried bags of medication and sweaters for detained loved ones, because they'd heard it was cold inside. Each person hoped to get in before visitation ended at 4 p.m., although it seemed increasingly unlikely for those at the back of the line. Martha and Isaias Franco, Minguela's employers, were among the hopeful. It was their third attempt to see him. The day of Minguela's arrest, they got there too late. The next day, they arrived earlier and were in luck. On the advice of others in line, they brought a jacket to keep Minguela warm. In the years they've employed Minguela, they've only ever seen his serious, professional side. But during the five minutes they got to visit with him Friday, he spent most of it in tears, hardly able to speak. The couple assured him they would help however they could. They returned Monday, this time bringing a blue Ralph Lauren shirt and a pair of black New Balance socks so he could change clothing. Isaias and the couple's son, Carlos, had both come, despite starting their workday at 2 a.m. "We're going to be with him until the end," Martha Franco said. "He's part of our family. He's one of us." As the hours wore on, people in line squatted or sat on the concrete to rest their aching legs. Martha Franco flitted around, advising people to bring sweaters for loved ones and letting them know the officers allowed in only one item of clothing for each detained person. By the start of visitation, 44 people were in line. Martha Franco was No. 19. Families exited red-eyed, tears dripping down their cheeks after getting only a few minutes with their loved ones. About 3 p.m., after waiting three and a half hours, the Francos handed the officer their passports and identification, before finally making it inside. They had to turn off their phones. They could give Minguela only the T-shirt. The officer said no to the socks, a prohibited second item of clothing. Minguela beamed when he saw the Francos, who greeted him through the plexiglass window. He was trying to maintain his spirits, but said he felt "impotente." Powerless. The Francos told him not to sign anything. "Vamos a estar con usted," Isaias told Minguela, letting him know they would be with him. He and Carlos fist-bumped Minguela through the Plexiglass. "Echale ganas," Isaias added, keep going. :: Minguela's children have hardly stopped crying since his arrest. During the eight years he and his partner have been together, he's helped raise her two children and their 7-year-old son, who is autistic. Minguela's lawyer, Alex Galvez, said the hope is that his client will be released on bond, as he initially entered the country lawfully and is the primary breadwinner for the family. The lawyer said he believes Minguela was arrested in defiance of a federal judge's order that immigration authorities cannot racially profile people or use roving patrols to target immigrants. "It was a political opportunity. He was one of the two guys picked up right during Newsom's press conference," Galvez said. "They had to show something for it." Just days before his arrest, Minguela's family had celebrated his 48th birthday. His partner made him his favorite dish, shrimp ceviche. Her birthday was Tuesday. The family had planned to go on a rare outing for a dinner of enchiladas de mole. But they spent the day without him. There was no celebration. The children asked their mother, as they have every day for nearly a week: When is papa coming home? Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A student was killed in a stabbing at a Phoenix high school on Tuesday in what school officials called a "senseless tragedy." The incident occurred at Maryvale High School, officials said. Officers responded to the school around 11 a.m. to a call for a stabbing, Phoenix police said. Phoenix Commander David Saflar said the incident "started off with a fight between two students, and escalated." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Search on for suspect who stabbed ranger in state park near Denver: Police School staff notified the on-campus school safety officer, who detained one of the people involved, according to Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano. Two students were transported to an area hospital, including one with life-threatening injuries, police said. A male student has since died, officials said. "What happened today at Maryvale is truly a tragedy," Saflar said at a press briefing Tuesday. No additional suspects are being sought, he said. Phoenix Police Department - PHOTO: Police respond to Maryvale High School in Phoenix, Aug. 19, 2025. The Phoenix Police Department is investigating the incident. No further details are being released at this time, said police, who have not provided any details on the weapon used in the stabbing or the students involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities urged anyone with information, including any cellphone footage, to reach out to police. Phoenix Union High School District Superintendent Thea Andrade said the district is cooperating fully with the investigation. "Maryvale is a beautiful, resilient community and I am shocked and deeply saddened by what took place here today," Andrade said at the press briefing, calling the incident a "senseless tragedy." The school will be on a modified schedule on Wednesday to provide "extensive emotional support and counseling to our students and to our staff," Andrade said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Texas teen indicted for murder in fatal stabbing of another student at track meet Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego thanked the first responders and police and said more information will be released as it becomes available. "Tomorrow, it will be a hard moment to drop a kid off at school, and so to the parents out there, know that we are working as hard as we can to make sure that schools are as safe as possible," Gallego said at the briefing. Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne called the deadly stabbing a "terrible tragedy." "Schools must be safe places," Horne said in a statement. "This terrible incident reinforces my commitment to doing everything possible to make schools safe. PRINCETON Up to $25,000 of financial support in exchange for working at a hospital serving both southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia led students Tuesday to sign contracts taking them towards the nursing profession. Nursing students from Bluefield State University and Concord University in Mercer County along with Southwest Virginia Community College in neighboring Tazewell County, Va. came to WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital for a signing ceremony helping find their new careers. The eight students at Tuesdays ceremony have been accepted into the WVU Medicine Aspiring Nurse Program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were doing something a little bit different, said Karen Bowling, president and CEO of Princeton Community Hospital. Traditional scholarship programs sometimes just pay directly for tuition only and not for other things students might need while theyre in school. In this program, each semester they receive financial support and in that financial support, they can use it for whatever they need. There are times when student need help with more than paying for tuition. Each student will get up to $25,000 in financial support and in exchange, each will commit to a three-year work agreement at Princeton Community Hospital. So the interesting thing is a lot of times students get scholarships, things that pay their tuition, but they need money for books or they need money for things like transportation, Bowling said. They might need more for basic living needs and we want all of our students to feel like were here to support them throughout their education. And each semester they receive financial support and that way when they finish, they can come work with us as part of the program; but also I think its just a different way to get students through their educational journey and really from my perspective, a better way to help with what each individual student might need. Across the country, hospitals are still facing a shortage of nurses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Absolutely, theres a nationwide nursing shortage, Bowling said. And a thing to add is our workforce is aging. So many of our nurses will be aging out of the system pretty soon and were going to need more people to fill those jobs; in particular because we also have an aging population and you need nurses to make sure were meeting all the standards of care so programs like this really just make sure the students that are eligible stay in school, finish and immediately have a job when they get out. Besides help with financing, each nursing student will be paired with a WVU Medicine mentor to help them both with their education and their transition from student to a new registered nurse. Students signing their contracts Tuesday include Drake Aliff, Savannah Baker, Bethany Browning, Shree Hickman, Kirsten Rasi, John Spencer, Stefany Thomas and Ashley White. Aliff, who attends Bluefield State University, said the program will help him move his education forward. Because Im really interested in the human body and taking care of people, he said. Also, the Aspiring Nurse Program really helps students pay for their tuition. Not only pay for their tuition, but pay for rent, bills they may possibly need to pay for and help them stay stable during nursing school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White, who goes to Southwest Virginia Community College, said she has been taking classes, but now she can move forward on a nursing degree. Ive done classes online for years now, she said. My children were little and as theyve gotten older one will be 18 and the other will be 15 so it was time for me to say okay, its time to do what momma needs to do. I decided to go ahead full force and do my nursing and finish it up. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com For educators, theres something about this back-to-school season that feels familiar. Its the amount of information thats coming to you all at once, said Jeremy Vidito, chief financial officer for the Detroit schools. On a recent webinar, he laid out a litany of hardships, including figuring out whats true, whats not. Emergency orders. Budget cuts. Leaders felt similar uncertainty in the fall of 2020, when the pandemic forced them to scramble to educate, feed and transport students. But this time, as 47 million students return to school in the coming weeks, the source of the unease is the federal government. The Trump administration has already frozen and unfrozen education funds, and seeks to further reduce school spending. Vidito said hes urging principals in his district to stay calm, but a lot of the stuff, we cant control. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter As Education Secretary Linda McMahon travels to schools across the country to spread her gospel of returning control to the states, leaders say theyre hoping for something simpler: a return to normalcy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the next freeze, or what is the next issue that the administration may have with some of the funding that school districts get? asked Mark Sullivan, superintendent of the Birmingham, Alabama, schools. At a meeting with governors last month, McMahon offered no guarantees that she could prevent the kinds of communication gaps that led to previous dustups. Her comments came the same day that the Office for Management and Budget completed its unexpected review of several annual grant programs for schools. Officials said their initial inspection turned up expenditures at odds with Trumps agenda offering up, without elaboration, the use of school improvement funds on a seminar on queer resistance in the arts. But after seven months with Trump in office, some district leaders have grown cynical. David Law, superintendent of the Minnetonka Public Schools in Minnesota, doubts there ever was a thorough analysis and suggested that the few examples cited were meant as a warning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the pause was intended to let people know, We dont like these things, so if youre doing them, you should be worried, he said. As they try to prepare for additional shocks to their budget, leaders nationwide, he said, are adjusting to the pendulum swing over diversity, equity and inclusion. Under the Biden administration, we were trying to prove we were caring about kids enough, he said. Now were trying to prove that were not meeting the definition of indoctrination. Its a bit of a wild ride. David Law, superintendent of the Minnetonka, Minnesota, district, called the past several months under the Trump administration a wild ride. (Minnetonka Public Schools) Safe to speak For now, Congress has rejected Trumps proposed cuts to K-12 funding. But OMB has still floated the possibility of a rescission package that would claw back unspent education funds from the current budget before the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Congress watchdog agency says that if the administration doesnt give Congress ample time to approve or reject the cuts, the move would violate the law. In a CBS interview, McMahon said funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will flow with or without the Department of Education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But reports that the administration might cut some special education grants already awarded for research, technology, and teacher and parent training alarm district-level staff. A reduction in this funding will create challenges for districts and could lead to the need to re-evaluate essential programs that help to support students eligible for special education services, said Jessica Saum, a special education coordinator in the Cabot Public School District, outside Little Rock, Arkansas. President Donald Trump has said that ensuring schools teach children English is the federal governments only education-related obligation. But Vidito in Detroit said hes still bracing for the elimination of funding for English learners. Federal officials rescinded 2015 guidance stating that districts must take affirmative steps to ensure that English learners can meaningfully participate in their educational programs and services. The move expands on a July memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi saying that despite the presidents executive order declaring English the official language, the government should minimize non-essential multilingual services and focus on assimilation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unpredictability of this moment has prompted Merica Clinkenbeard, who directs English learner programs for the Springfield, Missouri, district, to remind teachers that the federal money is supplemental: Teachers are responsible for ensuring students become proficient in English with or without it. Watch Trump: Make Sure They Speak English is Feds Only Responsibility Due to the threat of federal funding cuts, she lost three members of her leadership team. They felt like perhaps they would not have jobs in this field ever again, she said. Now she has two positions she cant fill. I was telling my husband, This is just like COVID, like everything Ive known is going away. About 6% of students in the Springfield, Missouri, schools are English learners. Three staff members left the program because theyre worried about what might happen to funding for their positions. (Courtesy of Merica Clinkenbeard) Districts serving large English learner and immigrant populations are more cautious than most as students return this fall, especially after Immigration Customs and Enforcement officials detained an 18-year-old Los Angeles student last week while he was walking his dog. Officials said he had overstayed his visa by two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fear of ICE raids has prompted more parents to ask about remote learning, said Sharon Balmer Cartagena, an attorney with Public Counsel, a nonprofit public interest law firm. Shes been holding family preparedness workshops for southern California districts, encouraging them to update emergency contact information in case a parent is deported. Los Angeles Unified is one district trying to prevent ICE raids by stationing volunteers, staff and campus police around school zones. But she expects enforcement actions to ramp up with the start of the school year. Even so, she encourages parents to send their children to school in person. We saw what happened during COVID with younger kids learning remotely, she said. Students in the early grades didnt learn as well as they would have in a classroom and experienced both academic, social and behavioral setbacks, studies show. Now, many of those students are in middle and high school. To have that hit them again would be really detrimental, Cartagena said. Some of them are just starting to catch up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Schools, Groups Serving Undocumented Kids Take Their Activities Underground Doing it right Not all education leaders are dreading the next announcement from Washington. Louisiana Superintendent Cade Brumley welcomed McMahon to Baton Rouge Aug. 11, where she celebrated the states rising performance in reading. On the last National Assessment of Educational Progress, the state scored above the national average after trailing the rest of the country for years. McMahon also hit Arkansas, Tennessee and Florida last week, three more states that embrace the Trump administrations plans to reduce federal education oversight. Since her confirmation, she has limited most of her school visits to charter and private schools, to emphasize the administrations focus on expanding choice. But this tour is giving her more exposure to traditional district schools. Louisiana is doing it right and they dont need the federal bureaucracy to make it happen, McMahon posted on X after her visit to Jefferson Terrace Academy in East Baton Rouge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the state did need federal money, specifically the COVID relief funds, Brumley said during the CBS interview. We were able to use those pandemic dollars around the academic efforts that we knew were best for students, he said. He agrees with McMahons position that fewer strings tied to education funding will lead to stronger results. Were just really excited about not having these excessive restrictions and bureaucratic needs surrounding dollars. Related Louisiana Saw Rare Gains on National Exam. K12 Chief Cade Brumley Explains How Educators want assurances that the funding their students count on is stable, said Saum, in the Cabot district. Some students with disabilities require significant hands-on help from staff members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parents are following along, she said They want to know Is my child going to get what they need to be safe and cared for at school? Jessica Saum, an inclusion coordinator for special education in Arkansas Cabot Public School District, said because of her title, she has to clearly explain that she works with students who have disabilities. (Courtesy of Jessica Saum) With the formal title of inclusion coordinator, Saum said she has to be clear about her role at a time when the administration is trying to ban DEI-related programs. It can be so divisive when people dont really understand were talking about children with disabilities, she said. Others with similar positions, she said, have changed their titles to emphasize meaningful access. If anything, Law, from the Minnetonka district, said the administrations critical lens on schools have forced leaders to be crystal clear about their work. During a recent visit to a nursing home, as part of his efforts to connect with members of the community, he said a resident told him, You should be teaching all these kids English. I have great news. The only thing were teaching these kids is English, Law said he told him. There will always be people that say you dont need to kowtow to certain populations. Im still going to say public education is all students getting free education. SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) Move in day and starting college can be an exciting time, but some Savannah State University (SSU) students said they have nowhere to live on campus this semester due to a variety of issues. These concerns were raised amid a power outage on campus Sunday. Power was restored that night, but classes were delayed a day. Over the weekend, one student posted a video online of water leaking through the ceiling of her dorm at University Commons. A spokesperson with the university said another unit was impacted as well, and a clogged toilet caused the leak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The affected students were promptly relocated to another unit to ensure their safety and comfort, the spokesperson wrote. Its not the only problem being reported to WSAV. A petition claims there are roaches, bed bugs, and faulty pipes in the units. A spokesperson told WSAV News 3, I dont believe the petition was created by a current student. The university is actively addressing all housing concerns. Theres also a housing shortage, according to upperclassmen and their guardians, like Taneeisha Hammett. It sounds like maybe the university accepted a lot of students this semester, and they didnt guarantee that they had any housing available, Hammett said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An SSU spokesperson confirms the unavailability is due to a larger freshman class. Many colleges do prioritize freshmen through the First Year Live On Requirement through the University System of Georgia. The university has chosen to over-enroll freshmen beyond available housing capacity, pushing them into upperclassmen spaces and leaving returning students without secure or safe accommodations. This practice not only disrespects current students but also endangers the wellbeing of us all, the petition reads. The most recent update reflects 49 SSU students are currently on the wait list, according to the university. WSAV did ask to speak with SSU staff on camera, but a spokesperson said, At this time, Dr. Whirl and members of the university leadership team are unavailable for interviews, as they are focused on preparing for a successful start to the academic year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgia Southern University (GSU) and University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) are also seeing bigger than usual freshman class sizes and are feeling the housing crunch as well. GSU has partnered with off-campus housing, specifically Charme, to provide housing for additional students. This partnership not only provides space, but also all of Georgia Southerns housing support, including on-site Resident Assistants, and programming, according to a spokesperson. A spokesperson with USCB wrote, As we continue to grow, the demand for housing continues to increase. We are in the process of reviewing our options for providing housing for new and returning students. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. Seniors with known heart-related problems aren't doing a very good job taking steps to protect their health, a new study says. Older folks with high blood pressure, stroke survivors and heart failure patients in the United States all have been neglecting Life's Essential 8 -- a checklist of lifestyle factors that can protect heart health, researchers found. "On average, participants with one cardiovascular disease had a Life's Essential 8 score 9 points lower than those without cardiovascular disease," lead researcher James Walker, a medical student at Northwestern University in Chicago, said in a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Life's Essential 8 recommends that people eat healthy, exercise, avoid smoking, sleep better, lose excess weight, and manage their cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels, according to the American Heart Association. For this study, researchers analyzed a sample of more than 3,000 adults 65 and older who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2013 and 2018. The team used people's responses to estimate their adherence to Life's Essential 8. Results showed that people with one or more heart-related health problems had an average score below 60 out of 100, while those without heart problems had an average score of 68. This gap was mainly due to differences in blood pressure control and exercise, Walker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Physical activity and blood pressure scores tended to be very low for people with cardiovascular disease," Walker said. What's more, people's scores tended to decline with each additional heart-related problem they had, researchers found. And over time, patients' adherence to Life's Essential 8 dropped by: 4% among people with high blood pressure. 12% among stroke survivors. 15% among heart failure patients. The results indicate that doctors could be doing more to promote healthy behaviors among people with known heart risks, researchers said. "Health care professionals and physicians should seek to provide support earlier in life to help our elderly population stay healthier for longer," Walker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AHA "urges everyone to get their best start at good health by following the elements of Life's Essential 8 early in life, even as young as childhood," Dr. Stacey Rosen, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, said in a news release. Rosen was not involved in the study. "It's also critical that we recognize that our aging population is quickly growing," added Rosen, who is senior vice president of women's health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women's Health of Northwell Health in New York City. "The last of the Baby Boomers will reach 65 in the next 5 years, and more people are living longer, even after a heart attack or stroke, thanks, in part, to medical advances and improved diagnosis and treatment." "We must identify ways to support these older individuals with information and resources to maintain a healthy lifestyle in every way they can, because good health is important at every age," Rosen concluded. The new study appears in the Journal of the American Heart Association. More information The American Heart Association has more on Life's Essential 8. Copyright 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved. NEW YORK (PIX11) Multiple subway lines have been severely disrupted during Wednesdays evening commute, according to the MTA. Service on the B, D, F, and M lines has been disrupted and rerouted due to a trains brakes being activated near West 4th Street-Washington Square. More Local News Service on the N, Q, R, and W is disrupted due to a switch problem near Prince Street. Service changes: B trains are suspended in both directions. D trains are running with delays in both directions. Some downtown F trains are running via the E line from Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Ave to Court Square-23rd Street, then via the G line to Bergen Street. M trains are running with delays in both directions. Some downtown N and Q trains will run via the R line from 34th Street-Herald Square to DeKalb Ave. Service on the W line is running with delays in both directions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Check the MTA website or app for service updates. Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. Much as Xerox has become the stand-in phrase for any copier machine or Kleenex has come to mean any tissue, Zillow is now the noun and the verb for house hunting. Because it garners so much attention - more than 2 billion visits to the real estate site for the first quarter of 2025 - people expect to see every house for sale there. But there are some exceptions. The site, like others that aggregate home listings, gets feeds from multiple listing services, better known as MLSs, regional databases real estate agents use to share information about homes on the market. An MLS itself is only available to real estate professionals. There are some reasons home sellers might choose to keep an MLS out of the loop, though. We'll get into those shortly. In the spring, Zillow announced that any publicly marketed listings must appear on an MLS within one business day or the site will ban them, starting at the end of June. (This mirrors a National Association of Realtors rule about agents cooperating through MLSs and adds some enforcement from Zillow.) Redfin followed suit with the same policy. Compass, a major brokerage, is now suing Zillow, calling the site a monopoly and characterizing this policy as an antitrust violation. The real estate firm has been pushing its own collection of so-called private exclusives, homes available only to Compass agents and buyers who sign up with them - at least at first. Other large brokers have also launched internal listing networks. Zillow's policy would, in effect, ban these homes from ending up on the aggregator. "This lawsuit is about protecting consumer choice," Compass CEO Robert Reffkin said in a statement. "No one company should have the power to ban agents or listings simply because they don't follow that company's business model. That's not competition. It's coercion." The company has been fighting against the NAR cooperation rule more broadly, too. Zillow, which makes its money by charging real estate agents a referral fee for connecting them to motivated buyers and sellers, has also framed its policy as one that protects consumer choice. "Real estate works best in the open - not behind closed doors - and that's what we, and most of the industry, are focused on preserving," said Errol Samuelson, Zillow's chief industry development officer. "The vast majority of agents and consumers want the same thing: maximum exposure. More visibility means more competition, stronger offers, and ultimately better outcomes for both buyers and sellers." Let's get into why a listing may not appear on Zillow or other major aggregators and what it means for home buyers or sellers. What is an off-market listing? Some ultra wealthy or extremely private people might prefer for their listings to remain out of the public eye. After all, Zillow and other aggregators display a comprehensive amount of information, often alongside photos, all of which remain available long after the home purchase. An off-market listing "makes sense for people like Tom Brady," said Bonnie Lai, an agent with RE/MAX in Boston. "Everyone will show up to an open house and want to see everything." Other instances when an off-market listing, also known as a pocket listing, might be a good idea could involve a home sold "as-is" because it may not look good in pictures or people who don't want to be disturbed by a big sale process, said Gabrielle Witkin, an agent with Sotheby's International Realty in Washington. What you lose when you sell off-market is potential for more competition. Fewer eyeballs could mean fewer offers driving up the price. And, of course, there's a question of who knows about homes on offer off-market. Lai works with many first-time home buyers. "If most of the stuff is off-market, then they would never get a shot to access all of them," she said. There will always be some off-market listings, but they are an outlier rather than the rule. How the Zillow ban' will work Zillow introduced its policy this spring that agents must list their for-sale homes on the site within one business day or otherwise face a permanent ban for the listing. At the end of last month, the company began contacting agents who seem to have violated this policy. On June 30, Zillow will start to block listings. "We expect only a small number of for-sale listings will be affected," Samuelson said. Many sellers want their homes on Zillow and other aggregators. "Sellers are often buyers at the same time, or have been," Witkin said. "And so I think that they may be viewing Zillow as that's how they look at homes. So what's going to happen if buyers out there can't see their home on Zillow?" This blocking is what Compass is contesting with its lawsuit. Why aren't brokerages always immediately listing homes on an MLS? Basically, real estate agents may "soft launch" a home sale. They circulate that the home is on the market in some circles without officially listing it with an MLS. "It can help them test the market and test the price," said Witkin, who briefly worked with Compass this year. "It doesn't hurt a seller to privately market their home, even if it's just one week before you plan to go on the market. You can still go on the market, but it would be helpful to have the opinion from buyers who are actively looking." They listen to feedback on price, staging and more. It's a beta test of sorts before the big rollout because "once you're publicly on Zillow, you're everywhere." As soon as a listing hits an MLS, the countdown of "days on market" begins. The longer a home has been on the market, the less desirable it may appear. MLSs, and therefore Zillow and other aggregators, also keep track of any changes in price, which may also serve as red flags to prospective buyers. Plus, Zillow's listings include a "Zestimate," an estimate of the home's price that might be lower than the sale price. "It's not super accurate, but we definitely have sellers and buyers that do kind of rely on that number," said Lai, who often has to explain why those figures might be off by a large percentage. If those homes do field a good offer before getting officially listed, they might never hit the public market. And, for brokerages who advertise their exclusive listings, that means they could get the benefit of a commission on both the buy and sell side. Lai sees the fight between Compass and Zillow as two titans each fighting in their own self-interest. But she is concerned about the trend toward more private listings, which degrades the quality of MLSs and makes it harder for smaller brokers to compete. She anticipates that trend making it more difficult for the consumer, too. "People would need to use seven different agents to go find one house because they will all have different access to different listings," she said. Witkin said she educates her clients about their options. "Ultimately, the choice is up to my sellers. Do you want to do a test phase and privately list first, or do you value your home being on Zillow?" she said. "At the end of the day, there's no one size fits all." (COMMENT, BELOW) CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) Sullivans Island businessman Eric Bowman turned himself in to police Wednesday to face a felony domestic violence charge in connection with a September 2016 incident, according to authorities. Bowman, 45, was booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center just before 6:30 a.m., days after a video surfaced showing Bowman arguing with and pulling the hair of a female victim both of whom are nude in an alleged domestic dispute. The woman can also be heard saying she was kicked in the face and choked. He was denied bond in a Charleston County courtroom on Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric, youre in jail because by the grace of God, SLED found that video, the victim said in court. It provided a glimpse of one night in what was actually a long, hidden pattern of systemic abuse that took multiple forms. A heavily redacted incident report obtained by News 2 stated that an unnamed woman reported the assault to the Sullivans Island Police Department after she was informed of the videos existence from a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division agent in a separate investigation. Bowman is also currently facing a first-degree harassment charge stemming from an April arrest over allegations that he placed a tracking device on a womans car. He was also charged with stalking in connection with the case, but that charge was dismissed at an Aug. 18 hearing, according to court records. Bowman is one of four men named by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in an explosive February 10 speech on the House floor during which she detailed how she said she accidentally found evidence of rape, nonconsensual photos and videos of women and underage girls, including herself. All four, one of whom is Maces ex-fiance, have publicly denied the allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mace responded to Bowmans Aug. 20 arrest in a statement, calling it an important step toward protecting victims and holding violent criminals accountable. We commend Sullivans Island Chief of Police, Glenn Meadows, for his decisive action to protect the victim and remove a violent offender from the streets of South Carolina, her statement continued. In previous statements, Mace described the video, captured on a home security camera, as gut-wrenching, and called for 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson to recuse herself from the investigation for what she claimed was unethical behavior toward the victim. The congresswoman outlined a slew of alleged actions taken by the solicitors office in an Aug. 18 press release, including that they refused to watch the video, lied to attorneys representing the victim, and tipped off Bowman of its existence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement issued later that afternoon, Wilson emphasized that the decision to investigate the 2016 incident and bring charges was the responsibility of the police department. She further said that her office, which is prosecuting Bowman in the harassment case, was required by law and ethical rules to provide information to the defense regarding interactions between the defendant and victim. As for me and my staff, we will continue to make decisions based on the facts and evidence before us, not on politics or its surrounding rhetoric, Wilson said, adding decisions would be rooted in the highest ethical standards. Simply put, we will not play a part in the circus sideshow of misguided protestors, she continued. Mace is currently pursuing a defamation case against Bowman for posting what she characterized as objectively false statements on his personal X account in the weeks after she labeled him as a sexual predator in her February floor speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint included multiple screenshots of posts from Bowmans account made between February 27 and March 17, in which he suggested Mace had engaged in criminal activity. Bowman blasted the legal filing as headline theater in a May 12 statement to News 2, writing he was prepared to defend his claims under oath. Evidence also indicates that Rep. Maces actions toward me are driven by her relationship with my estranged wife, Melissa Britton, and her family, the statement continued, in part. The Constitution sets a steep actual-malice hurdle for public officials who sue their critics. Im confident the First Amendmentand the documented factswill prevail. Nancy Mace cant be trusted. He and two other men named in Maces speech, one of whom is her ex-fiance, were also sued this spring by an unidentified Charleston woman over allegations that one of them sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious as the others watched and filmed it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman, who was reportedly 23 at the time, is one of the victims she referenced during her floor speech as having found video recordings and photos of. She claimed that she only learned about the alleged assault after Mace told her about the footage. A spokesperson for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) said in a Feb. 10 emailed statement to News 2 that it opened an investigation into Maces ex-fiance regarding allegations of assault, harassment, and voyeurism in December 2023 after being contacted by the U.S. Capitol Police. No charges related to Maces specific sexual assault and voyeurism claims have yet been filed, but SLED confirmed the investigation is active and ongoing. This story is developing and may be updated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2. In the library of Sumy State University (SSU), 15,000 books burned down in a Russian attack on 18 August. Since April 2025, when Russia struck the Congress Centre of SSU, the university has lost 45,000 books. A total of 60,000 volumes have been destroyed. Source: Suspilne Sumy with reference to the director of the library in the N building Details: The director said that these were the newest books purchased over the past 5-6 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the night of 17-18 August, Russian forces attacked Sumy State University with missiles and drones. As a result of the strikes, the main building was damaged and the new one burned down completely. "It [the new N building ed.] had stood abandoned for a long time, and about seven years ago we restored the classrooms, lecture halls and created a centre for shared equipment. Now we will have to move it elsewhere. The most valuable equipment? The most expensive is the diffractometer, five million hryvnias [US$120,000 ed.]. Altogether, the equipment here is worth about twenty million [US$483,000 ed.]," said senior engineer Olena Tkachenko in a comment to Suspilne. The burned books in the SSU library Photo: Suspilne Sumy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new building also housed one of the university libraries, in which 15,000 books were destroyed. Before that, on 13 April, Russian forces struck the historic centre of Sumy. Thirty-five people were killed. One of the SSU buildings and the Congress Centre were damaged by missiles, where a further 45,000 books were burned. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! There are currently two lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the way New Hampshire funds its schools and the fiscal differences from district to district. (Photo by Frederick Bass/Getty Images) New Hampshire is not adequately funding its public schools, a superior court judge held Monday the latest in a string of similar rulings in recent years amid a pair of high-profile lawsuits. Ruling in the case of Rand v. State of New Hampshire, Rockingham County Superior Court Judge David Ruoff found that local property-tax payers are bearing the burden of paying for much of their local public school budgets due to underfunding by the state, which he called unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But unlike his sweeping decision in November 2023 in a separate lawsuit, this time Ruoff did not order state lawmakers to change the adequacy formula, instead declaring the current funding unconstitutional and allowing the Legislature to respond. The decision came six weeks after the state Supreme Court found that state school funding is inadequate in a separate case, Contoocook Valley School District v. State of New Hampshire, known as the ConVal case. In that decision, a 3-2 majority on the court which featured two substitute justices stopped short of directing the Legislature to take a specific action. There are currently two lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the way New Hampshire funds its schools and the fiscal differences from district to district. The first, ConVal, was brought by school districts that argued the current state funding system is preventing them from running their schools without local taxpayer contributions, a violation of the states constitutional duty. The second lawsuit, Rand, was brought by taxpayers who claimed that the differences in property taxes between wealthy and poor towns is exacerbated by the lack of adequate state funding provided to public schools and that the result is that taxpayers in property-poor towns face unconstitutionally high taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ruling in Rand, Ruoff agreed with the plaintiffs. The Court concludes that the plaintiffs have successfully proven that the total amount of current Adequacy Funding and the current amount of special education differentiated aid, as provided for in RSA 198:40-a, are constitutionally insufficient, Ruoff wrote. The plaintiffs have further proven that school districts must rely in part on local property tax revenues, assessed at varying rates, to bridge these funding gaps. Ruoffs ruling Monday is the first time he has ruled comprehensively on the Rand case, which was filed two years after ConVal, and comes after the case received a full trial with expert testimony. It was not immediately clear whether the state would appeal Ruoffs Rand ruling up to the state Supreme Court, nor whether the Supreme Court would take on the case, given its decision in the ConVal case in June. A mock budget While the ConVal case centered on whether school superintendents are able to sufficiently run public school districts with the states per-pupil adequacy payments, the Rand case focused on the effect on local taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plaintiff Steven Rand, a Plymouth resident, argued that the lack of adequate state education funding means that he and other Plymouth residents must pay disproportionate shares of property taxes in order to properly pay for their local schools. Lawyers for Rand noted that absent sufficient state aid, the local property-tax burden is larger for residents living in towns with lower property values. Those towns have less wealth to tax, and thus must tax residents at higher rates, the plaintiffs said. The plaintiffs argued those higher rates, in turn, violate the findings in the landmark 1997 Claremont II Supreme Court ruling, which held that the state must provide an adequate education and that any tax to do so must be uniform. As in the ConVal lawsuit, lawyers for the state have pushed back at this characterization, arguing that the state does provide constitutionally adequate funding. The state has disputed that some of the expenses of school districts, such as facilities costs, count toward the adequate definition of education required in state law. And the state has argued that there is a state tax the statewide education property tax, or SWEPT that is applied uniformly to residents across the state to help pay for education. But plaintiffs in the Rand lawsuit say in practice, towns set vastly different local property tax rates out of necessity in order to allow schools to meet the minimum standards for adequacy, leaving local taxpayers without much choice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To make this point at the trial, the plaintiffs brought forward Dr. John Freeman, a former superintendent in Barrington, Pittsfield, and Strafford. Freeman used Pittsfields budget numbers to attempt to demonstrate that the states per-pupil adequacy funding to the district would not have been sufficient on its own to fund an adequate education. To do this, Freeman began with the $2.7 million that the district received in the 2018-2019 school year. He then attempted to draw up a mock budget, in which he cut all services that could be seen as unnecessary to meet the states definition of an adequate education. But even after doing so, Freeman was not able to craft a budget that would fund the district, due in part to teacher salary costs, special education costs, and other expenses such as transportation, heat, electricity, custodial services, nursing services, and administrators. And he testified that even after doubling that mock budget to $5.3 million, he could not do so. Lawyers for the Department of Justice sought to dismiss Freemans testimony, introducing their own witness, Jay Greene, a senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, who argued that Freemans choices of what to include and not include in the mock budget were arbitrary, and argued he should have sought larger class sizes and looked to schools in developing countries in order to bring costs down further. But Ruoff found Freemans exercise useful, and he cited the testimony of the plaintiffs other experts to conclude that the states funding formula does not provide enough to fund an adequate education, and that the remainder must be made up by local taxes. Those experts included Corinne Cascadden, a former Berlin superintendent and Democratic state representative, who testified that when she was superintendent, even after putting together a bare bones budget, the district still relied on local property taxes to keep its schools operating. A mixed ruling In his ruling, Ruoff agreed with plaintiffs that the school funding model is unconstitutionally low. But he went further, holding that the differentiated aid the specific per-pupil amounts sent by the state for students receiving free or reduced-price lunches, students with disabilities, and English language learner students are also inadequate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In summary, the plaintiffs have proven a clear and substantial conflict between the costs necessary to meet Constitutional Adequacy and current Adequacy Funding and special education differentiated aid funding levels in all, or virtually all of New Hampshires school districts. But he said that the plaintiffs had not adequately proved one of their requests: that the court should declare that differentiated aid for children in poverty is not duplicative of aid for children who qualify for special education. Ruling that way could have guaranteed the state would provide more funding, but Ruoff wrote that there had not been enough evidence to suggest that students necessarily require both types of funding. And he denied the plaintiffs request that he order the Legislature to cease using the current funding system by April 1, 2026. Instead, following similar reasoning in the Supreme Courts ConVal decision in July, Ruoff wrote that such a timeline was unreasonable and that the extraordinary remedy of the court directing the Legislature is inappropriate. In doing so, Ruoff acknowledged that the Supreme Courts ConVal ruling overturned his 2023 directive that the Legislature must change the adequacy formula to a minimum of $7,356.01 per student. If the Courts rulings, as outlined herein, are upheld on appeal or otherwise become final, the Court anticipates that the legislature will work diligently to enact a new school funding scheme that comports with the States constitutional obligations, he wrote. If, however, the plaintiffs form the belief that the legislature is not acting diligently in this regard, the plaintiffs may file a renewed request for injunctive relief. The vast majority of Washington residents oppose President Donald Trumps efforts to federalize the citys police department and deploy the National Guard, according to a new poll released Wednesday. The survey from The Washington Post/Schar School found that 79 percent of residents either somewhat or strongly oppose the efforts, compared to just 17 percent who backed it. Washington where Trump won just over 6 percent of the vote in 2024 is an overwhelmingly Democratic city. Just 31 percent said that crime in the city was either extremely or very serious, down from 65 percent in an April 2024 survey. Seventy-eight percent of residents responded they felt very or somewhat safe in their neighborhoods. Twenty-one percent said they felt not too or not at all safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump on Aug. 11 invoked his authority under the Home Rule Act, the 1970s federal law that grants the District limited self-governance, which allows a president to direct the services of the Metropolitan Police Department to assist the federal government during special conditions of an emergency nature. Trump and the administration characterized it as a takeover of city police, describing the city as unsafe despite data which shows violent crime in the city is down. Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of violent youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people, and were not going to let it happen anymore, the president said at the White House. Trump and his administration have repeatedly attacked that data as unreliable, with the Department of Justice launching an investigation, officials have said. Legal challenges by city officials have already prevented him from installing an emergency police commissioner who would have taken over Police Chief Pamela Smiths authority and responsibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Home Rule Act affords the president power in the city for 30 days, at which point he will need congressional approval if he wishes to extend it. Trump has floated trying to circumvent this by declaring a national emergency. Sixty-one percent of residents who have noticed federal law enforcement officers in the city since Trumps announcement said it makes them feel less safe, with 38 percent saying it makes them feel more safe or makes no difference. The Washington Post poll surveyed 604 adult residents of Washington from Aug. 14 to 17 via telephone. It has a margin of error of +/- 4.1 percentage points. Photo illustration by Getty Images. The Montana Supreme Court has affirmed a Broadwater County district judges order that will keep Lloyd M. Barrus in the Montana Department of Corrections rather than the states mental hospital. Barrus was sentenced to three life sentences without the possibility of parole for his role in a drug- and alcohol-fueled, anti-government shooting spree in 2017 that left Broadwater County Deputy Mason Moore dead, Barrus son dead, while shooting at other law enforcement repeatedly after a high-speed chase across part of the state. Lloyd M. Barrus (Photo courtesy of Montana Department of Corrections). The shooting was notable because it involved multiple agencies and mixed Barrus long-held conspiracy theories with drugs and alcohol. During the original prosecution, the court found that Barrus was incapable of assisting in his own defense, and psychiatrists prescribed a treatment to restore his mental health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Barrus refused, district court Judge Kathy Seeley ordered him to comply with the treatment, which included medication, or be forcibly treated. After he complied, doctors a year later determined that he was stable and able to help in defense of the charges. On Sept. 21, 2021, a jury returned a verdict of guilty on one count of deliberate homicide, and two counts of attempted deliberate homicide, and Seeley ordered him to prison on three life sentences without the possibility of parole. However, Barrus and his attorney appealed the decision saying that he should have been sentenced to the care of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services where he would be under psychiatric care. In a unanimous decision on Tuesday, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that Barrus should remain in the care of the Montana Department of Corrections, which includes prison instead of the states mental hospital. Montana Supreme Court Justice Cory Swanson recused himself from participating in the case because he was the Broadwater County Attorney at the time and prosecuted Barrus. The meaning of appreciate The decision the states highest and only appellate court had before it wasnt simply confirming whether Barrus suffers from any psychiatric condition something well established by the original trial. Instead, in order for the Supreme Court to make a decision on whether he should have been sentenced to the state mental hospital, it must consider whether Barrus, at the time of the crime, could appreciate the criminal repercussions he could face for his actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judges determined that because the violent shooting spree began with anti-government rants and plans, and because he knew that drugs and alcohol could exacerbate his mental condition, that Barrus understood the consequences of his actions, even remarking after he had been apprehended that he wished that law enforcement agents would have shot him, effectuating a suicide-by-cop. Even during his trip to jail, Barrus seemed to indicate he understood the gravity of the situation, according to court documents. He told deputies that he wanted to be hung, like the old vigilantes, at one point asking, Why dont you guys shoot people anymore? He said he would rather be executed than hanging around a bunch of godn criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasnt Barrus first time confronting law enforcement, and it wasnt the first time hed been in a shoot-out. In 2000, court records show that Barrus and one of his other sons, Jeffrey, had led a high-speed vehicle chase with a shoot-out and stand-off with law enforcement in the Mojave Desert. Both he and his son were charged with multiple felonies. Barrus served time in California from then until 2013, and had maintained a clean record after being released from prison. That changed on the night of May 16, 2017. Barrus told his family that all police should be hung (sic), and warned his grandchildren against brainwashing by teachers, according to the court documents. He encouraged his son to help against the government, and ordered his sons girlfriend to delete texts on her phone. After heavy drinking, Barrus talked of a suicide mission and signed a copy of a manifesto, We the People or Them the Government? He drove a Chevrolet Suburban along with his son, Marshall, when they stopped in Townsend to get beer and gas in the early morning hours. Shortly after, they passed Moore at speeds in excess of 100 mph. After a brief chase, Barrus slowed, apparently to allow Moore to get within range of Marshalls rifle, according to court documents. Moore was struck in the face and he struggled to keep control of the vehicle. For three minutes in his squad car, which had left the highway, Moore attempted to get free and get help. Thats when Barrus and his son returned. The video footage captured Marshall yelling, shots being fired, then the Barruses fleeing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore was found with tire tracks near his car and spent .308 shell casings. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Later that morning, the father-son duo were brought to a stop approximately 120 miles away, west of Drummond on Interstate 90, even after driving on the rims of the wheels at 70 mph while shooting. Officers from four different counties were able to stop Barrus, but not without a volley of gunfire, which had managed to disable two other patrol vehicles. Marshall Barrus lay dying of a gunshot wound to the head, while Lloyd Barrus surrendered. The Supreme Court outlined the details of the grisly shoot-out, emphasizing Barrus understanding and knowledge of the situation, which lasted hours: As the driver of the Suburban, Barrus returned to Deputy Moores stopped vehicle to allow Marshall to eliminate Deputy Moore as a witness so that his son was not charged with attempted murder a rationale that suggests a recognition of legal consequences, strategic reasoning, and an understanding of their actionsUpon his surrender to law enforcement Barrus remained cogent and articulated the preceding events and his participation in them, including an expressed awareness that he had transgressed the laws of Montana, and that the state would inevitably prosecute him for his actions. TOMPKINSVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) One man is dead after reportedly trying to enter a home and being shot Monday night in Monroe County. Around 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 18, Kentucky State Police (KSP) said 50-year-old Scott Eudy of Cave City allegedly tried to break into a home on Sugar Creek Road. Once inside, a resident confronted Eudy before shooting him, according to KSP. Eudy was rushed to the Monroe County Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eudy was declared dead by the Monroe County Coroners Office. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: State police said the investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. By Samantha Marshak (Reuters) -In an era of short attention spans and a White House that has declared war on diversity programs, companies are embracing edgier marketing. But the strategy can carry risks. Swiss watchmaker Swatch recently got in trouble for an ad that mimicked racist taunts against Asians and had to apologize. The ad featured an Asian male model pulling up and backwards the corners of his eyes in a "slanted eye" pose. It was not clear if the mistake was an intentional bid to grab attention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swatch, however, apologized and said it had removed the image. "It was a faux pas by a young, motivated team who were not aware of the extent of the gestures. At no time was it the intention to offend or hurt anyone with the pictures," the company told Reuters. The Swatch misfire was just one in a growing number of norm-breaking advertisements that come amid a rollback in diversity programs in the U.S. In addition, shoppers' constrained budgets and short memories have prompted companies to green-light riskier ads that they hope will help them stand out in a competitive market. In pursuit of going viral, companies including American Eagle Outfitters, Dunkin Donuts and Elf Beauty recently released ads that were immediately criticized on social media for seemingly promoting white-centric beauty ideals, or for hiring celebrity endorsers who might have negative associations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American Eagle's ad featured Sydney Sweeney - an actor popular with Gen Z and known for her parts in hit shows including "The White Lotus" and "Euphoria" - who played on the similarity between the words "jeans" and "genes." The commercial was widely panned on social media for possibly raising issues of genetic traits in a racial context. U.S. President Donald Trump even weighed in on the controversy, calling the commercial by Sweeney, a registered Republican, the "HOTTEST ad out there" and saying "Being WOKE is for losers." Dunkin followed with an ad featuring actor Gavin Casalegno promoting a new summer drink called Golden Hour. In the ad, Casalegno attributes his tan to genetics, saying "This tan? Genetics. I just got my color analysis back. Guess what? Golden summer. Literally." American Eagle Outfitters and Dunkin did not respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Businesses - especially those that make money from buzzy trends - are pushing the envelope as recent federal actions have shifted the legal and regulatory landscape surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The notion of inclusivity had been a cornerstone of many companies' marketing since 2020, when the death of a Black man, George Floyd, at the hands of Minneapolis police, became a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement. Five years later, that idea has been de-emphasized. "Marketers are between a rock and a hard place. They know that the more inclusive they are, the less likely they are to get some social media buzz, said Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce. They are taking more risks to try to break through to a younger, targeted audience, he said. 'UNFORCED ERROR' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any gains from these ads, though, could be short-lived. They risk harming a brand's reputation in the longer run and may alienate a large consumer base of non-white shoppers, branding experts said. Whether it's the Black consumer, the Asian consumer, the Latin consumer, when American Eagle does an ad like that, they're excluding and they're leaving money on the table, said Angeli Gianchandani, an adjunct professor at New York University and a brand strategist who has worked with the likes of Tiffany. Gianchandani said while non-Hispanic white Americans dominate U.S. buying power, these other demographics are growing faster. L'Oreal faced criticism this month for partnering with a content creator on OnlyFans who posts lifestyle as well as adult content. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move went against the company's own stated guidelines for working with social media influencers that says these partners will not "engage in behaviours which could be interpreted as ... pornography." Elf's ad that starred Matt Rife, a comedian who has made headlines for his joke about domestic violence, drew swift and sharp reaction online. It prompted an apology from the company whose trendy, inexpensive products are a hit with young shoppers. L'Oreal and Elf did not immediately respond to requests for comment. "That is not a blind spot; that is a brand knowingly stepping into controversy with someone who does not align with its values," said Gianchandani, calling the move an "unforced error." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike Elf, and also Swatch, which apologized quickly for their ads, American Eagle stood by its campaign. Ashley Schapiro, American Eagle's vice president of marketing, said on LinkedIn that on a Zoom call with Sweeney, company executives asked her: How far do you want to push it? Without hesitation, she smirked and said, Lets push it. Im game. Our response? Challenge Accepted.'" (Reporting by Samantha Marshak and Julaiza Alvarez in New York; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Matthew Lewis) Sweden is prepared to help secure peace in Ukraine through airspace monitoring and maritime operations, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has told Sveriges Radio. During consultations on Wednesday among military chiefs from NATO member states regarding peace efforts for Ukraine, discussions were expected to include ways to provide military security guarantees as part of a peace solution. Kristersson said the aim is not to deploy large numbers of troops from other countries to Ukraine but rather to ensure "that Ukraine can credibly take responsibility for its own country so that Russia does not try again." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He emphasized that Sweden's contribution in the event of a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia must be carried out in a secure manner, ensuring clarity about "what we are committing to." Ukraine and Russia are both on the Black Sea. Sweden, which joined NATO in March 2024, is the alliance's newest member. Aug. 20 (UPI) -- A California sheriff's office shared photos of a bear that broke into an ice cream parlor and helped itself to some strawberry ice cream behind the counter. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office said on social media that deputies were summoned early Sunday morning to the Ice Cream Shop at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe. "The deputies could barely believe their eyes as they saw a large bear behind the counter of the shop," the post said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff's office said the bear, which only showed interest in the strawberry ice cream, left the shop "with some encouragement" from deputies. "Thankfully, Fuzzy the bear caused barely any property damage and there was barely any cleanup," the post said. Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect that Austria may consider providing Russian President Vladimir Putin immunity from arrest if he travels to Vienna for peace negotiations. Both Switzerland and Austria are prepared to grant Russian President Vladimir Putin immunity from arrest if he travels to their respective countries for peace negotiations, officials from both countries said. Putin remains the subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for his role in the systematic abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. As a signatory to the ICC, both Austria and Switzerland are legally obliged to enforce the warrant. However, officials indicated that a special exception might be possible for the peace talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The goal of welcoming Mr. Putin to Switzerland without him being arrested is 100% achievable," Cassis told Swiss broadcaster SRF on Aug. 20. "We can determine this in a few days." He clarified that immunity would only apply for official peace talks, not for private visits. The Austrian Foreign Ministry echoed similar comments on Aug. 21, Ukrinform reported. "All participating states are obliged to execute ICC arrest warrants, as is Austria. At the same time, there is an opportunity, given the headquarters agreements with international organizations in Vienna, to contact the ICC to ensure Putin's participation," the Austrian Foreign Ministry said. The offer comes amid renewed calls for a bilateral meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin. While efforts are ongoing to broker the meeting particularly by U.S. President Donald Trump and Kyiv's European allies. In addition to Switzerland and Austria, Turkey and Hungary have been floated as a possible host for the peace talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky has repeatedly voiced readiness for direct negotiations. On Aug. 18, he said he was prepared to discuss territorial issues with Putin personally. Ukraine reports that more than 19,500 children have been abducted by Russia during the full-scale war and forcibly transferred to Russia, the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, or Belarus. Only 1,545 have been returned home. Last year, Switzerland hosted Ukraine's global peace summit in June, with around 100 countries and organizations in attendance. Seventy-eight states and four organizations signed the final joint communique, calling for Russia to release all prisoners of war and return all deported Ukrainian children, among other things. Read also: Ukraine war latest: US troops wont be sent to Ukraine as part of security guarantees, Trump says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. US President Donald Trump called Viktor Orban on Monday following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders to discuss why the Hungarian prime minister was blocking Ukraine's accession talks with the European Union, according to people familiar with the matter. The call grew out of discussions among Trump and a contingent of European leaders gathered at the White House to discuss ways to end Russia's war on Ukraine. At a certain point they asked Trump to use his influence on Orban to pressure the right-wing populist to drop his opposition to Ukraine's EU membership bid, the people said. Ukraine has been seeking to join the political and economic bloc as part of a package of security guarantees designed to keep Russia from additional territorial grabs if a truce is implemented to end the war, which has stretched over three years. On the call with Trump, Hungary also expressed interest in hosting a next round of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskiy. Following Trump's discussions Monday, the US president announced that he was seeking a leader-level summit between Russia and Ukraine, followed by a trilateral meeting that he would also attend. The timing and location for that are still unclear. The people who detailed the conversation between Trump and Orban asked not to be named discussing private deliberations. Orban, a close Trump ally, is widely seen as an inspiration for the US president's Make America Great Again movement and right-wing populists around the world. He's been a constant thorn in the EU's side, taking his country in an authoritarian direction. Hungary has consistently given Russia diplomatic cover and protection against EU sanctions, while obstructing aid to Ukraine. The spokesperson for Orban's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The call occurred after hours of discussion between Trump, Zelenskiy and a half dozen European leaders who had rushed to the Ukrainian leader's side in Washington to make the case for a unified approach to the peace process. The gathering occurred days after the US president's own meeting last week with Putin in Alaska. It was in that context that Trump made two separate calls. One was to Putin. The second one, reported for the first time now, was to Orban and came after EU leaders held an additional, unscheduled meeting in the Oval Office. Orban didn't confirm the call, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declined on Tuesday to say whether Budapest was under consideration to host the Putin-Zelenskiy summit. Multiple locations are being eyed for the meeting. On Tuesday, Orban took to Facebook and posted a message that indicates he heard the request on EU membership but didn't plan to budge. Ukraine's membership in the European Union does not provide any security guarantees, he said. Therefore linking membership with security guarantees is unnecessary and dangerous. (COMMENT, BELOW) Syrian state media said a US-led anti-jihadist coalition killed an Iraqi leader from the Islamic State group during an operation on Wednesday in the country's northwest. "Coalition forces carried out an air drop targeting a house in the town of Atme" in Idlib province, state television cited an unidentified security source as saying. The operation targeted Iraqi national Salah Numan, known as Ali, who was "a leader in the Daesh (IS) organisation", the source said, calling him "one of the most dangerous men wanted for his involvement in activating and mobilising IS cells in Syria". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The coalition has not released any statements about an operation in northwest Syria. But three witnesses, including the owner of the building where Numan was living, told AFP the raid took place after midnight, reporting the sound of aircraft and gunfire. State television said coalition forces raided the house where Numan was living with his family and mother, shooting him dead after he jumped from the balcony of their first-floor flat. An Iraqi security source, requesting anonymity, told AFP that Numan was the brother of a top IS leader who was killed in 2020 in a coalition strike in eastern Syria's Deir Ezzor province. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iraqi intelligence led to Wednesday's operation, the security source said, adding that Numan's wives were arrested. Mohammed al-Sheikh, who owns and lives in the building, told AFP that at around 2:30 am (2330 GMT Tuesday), he heard noise and went outside to find coalition forces ordering him to surrender. "I started calling to my family one by one," he said, adding that "the translator's accent was Iraqi". Sheikh said the forces blindfolded his family, led them away and took their details including fingerprints. He said he rented the house to Numan "via a real estate agency and had no connection to him". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbour Abdel-Qader al-Sheikh said Numan had lived there for two years, adding: "We didn't have anything to do with him." The US-led coalition has often carried out strikes in Idlib targeting IS officials, including a raid announced in June. Several former IS leaders have been killed in the province, including in coalition strikes. IS seized swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2014 during Syria's civil war, before being territorially defeated in the country five years later. Its fighters still maintain a presence there, particularly in Syria's vast desert. burs-lk/lg/jsa The discussions between the Israeli and Syrian sides focused on de-escalation and non-interference in Syrian domestic affairs. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met an Israeli delegation in Paris on Tuesday to discuss bolstering stability in the region and southernSyria, Syria's state news agency SANA reported. Syrian and Israeli officials have been conducting US-mediated talks on de-escalating the conflict in southern Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The discussions between the Israeli and Syrian sides focused on de-escalation and non-interference in Syrian domestic affairs, according to SANA. The meeting also saw discussions on the reactivation of the 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria that created a UN buffer zone in the Golan Heights. Members of Syrian security forces ride on a back of a truck after Syrian troops entered the predominantly Druze city of Sweida on Tuesday following two days of clashes, in Sweida, Syria July 15, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/KARAM AL-MASRI) What are the tensions between Syria, Israel? It was the second meeting between the two sides in the French capital in less than a month after they agreed in July to continue talks after no final accord was reached on de-escalating tensions in southern Syria. Hundreds of people have been reported killed in clashes in the southern Syrian province of Sweida between Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes, and government forces. Israel intervened with airstrikes to prevent what it said was mass killings of Druze by government forces. The clashes last month underlined the challenges interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces in stabilizing Syria and maintaining centralized rule, despite warming ties with the US and his administration's evolving security contacts with Israel. [Source] Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Friday reinforced a call from Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng for citizens to reject participation in Chinas commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, including a military parade in Beijings Tiananmen Square set on Sept. 3. Lai declared that aggression only leads to defeat and said Taiwans future must be decided solely by its people. Earlier that day, Chiu released a video accusing Beijing of using the anniversary for political purposes. The Chinese Communist regime has repeatedly distorted the facts in recent years, claiming that the war against Japan was led by the Communist Party, and has even fabricated the notion that Taiwan belongs to the Peoples Republic of China, Chiu said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the Taiwanese government, this distortion erases history and undermines its sovereignty. Chiu stressed that the Republic of China government, which ruled China during the war and now governs from Taipei, led the fight against Japan with Allied powers, while the Peoples Republic of China did not yet exist. After losing the civil war to Mao Zedong in 1949, the Republic of China retreated to Taiwan, where its official name remains in use today. Chiu urged Taiwanese to unite and jointly defend national sovereignty and dignity by rejecting Beijings invitations and instead take part in Taiwans own remembrance events. Lai reinforced that position by banning current and former government officials from attending Chinas parade and warning that violators could face penalties such as pension loss. Trending on NextShark: Seattle engineer freed after month in jail over 'racist misidentification' This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Over 100 Southeast Asian immigrants deported in recent operations Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) The son of a former Taiwanese legislator has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for a scheme that illegally supplied thousands of tons of fuel oil to North Korea. Huang Chung-wei was sentenced to 28 months in prison by the district court in the southern port city of Kaohsiung on Tuesday. Five others also received prison terms. They were convicted of taking part in loading the fuel onto ships in Taiwan and making the transfers in collaboration with Kwek Kee Seng, a Singaporean businessman wanted by the U.S. whose whereabouts were unknown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such activity is a violation of Taiwan's Counter-Terrorism Financing Act and other statutes. the court said. Illegal transfers at sea are one of the few ways North Korea, an authoritarian dictatorship considered one of the worlds biggest violators of human rights, can obtain fuel because of strict United Nations sanctions against its nuclear weapons and missile programs. While Taiwan is not a UN member at the insistence of North Korean ally China, it has pledged to follow all of the world body's rulings on Pyongyang. The case against Huang dates back to 2019, when he and Kwek allegedly purchased a fleet of tankers, loaded them with fuel and sent them to make the transfers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Korea is known to operate a shadow fleet of ships operating without active electronic identification equipment. However, U.S. intelligence agencies were able to track the transfers by satellite and provided the information to Kaohsiung investigators, the court said. . Huang's father was a member of Taiwan's legislature for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. It wasn't clear how much money he made from the scheme or whether he would appeal the sentence. Tall ships from around the world paraded up the North Sea Canal into Amsterdam on Wednesday, with crews from Peru, Uruguay, Germany and France waving from their decks as crowds cheered along the banks. The spectacle launched Amsterdam's five-day maritime festival, a celebration of ships, sailors and the city's seafaring past that is expected to draw between 2.3 and 2.5 million visitors. The Sail-in Parade is the most challenging moment of the festival, harbour master Milembe Mateyo told AFP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's a lot of press, there are an extreme amount of boats who want to see it, a lot of people in high places who want to be there, so that is the most (challenging)," she said. "Once that is safely over, I can finally sleep and enjoy the rest of the festival." The Sail Amsterdam festival -- now in its 10th edition -- is part of the city's 750th anniversary celebrations. This year, it will feature around 50 tall ships and 700 historic vessels. Sail Amsterdam chairman Arie Jan de Waard said this year's theme for the event was "United by Waves", chosen in response to global tensions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's important that we connect through the water and through the cultures on the ships and the crews who gather here in Amsterdam," he told AFP. "I think that's very, very important." - Thousands of spectators - The parade began in IJmuiden on the North Sea coast, where the first ships passed through the giant sea locks shortly after 10:00 am before making the 25-kilometre (15.5-mile) journey inland. The flotilla, stretching around 10 kilometres, included naval training vessels, steamships, sailing heritage craft and a swarm of recreational boats that joined the procession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands of spectators lined the canal from the locks to the IJ harbour behind Amsterdam's Central Station, where the tall ships were greeted with cannon salutes and music. Families perched on camper vans, schoolchildren leaned over barriers and pensioners waved flags as crews shouted greetings from the rigging. Siep de Haan, 60, said he had become "addicted" to Sail Amsterdam after seeing his first edition a decade ago. "We love boat parades," he told AFP. "We invented the pride boat parade here in Amsterdam 30 years ago and 10 years ago I saw here my first sail and now I'm addicted to the whole thing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another member of the crowd, Daniel Top, said he had been coming to Sail Amsterdam since childhood. "It's always a fun family event for us," the 28-year-old said. "Maybe we'll go out on the water later in the week with a little boat to see the ships from the water." The event was first organised in 1975 to celebrate Amsterdam's 700th birthday. It has been held every five years since then, except for in 2020, when it was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. That makes this year's event the first in a decade. Over the coming days visitors will be able to board the tall ships, watch a parade of hundreds of international crew members through the city centre and attend concerts and receptions along the waterfront. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, the vessels will sail out to sea in a second grand parade. Among the lighter traditions is the piramide, where locals float home-made rafts cobbled together from surfboards, chairs or anything else that drifts. Few make it to the finish, but the point is spectacle rather than seamanship. sh/srg/phz TALLADEGA, Ala. (WIAT) The CBS 42 Your Voice Your Station team is looking into a chemical called PFAS. A Talladega County man called us saying the drinking water in his home tested far above federally regulated levels for PFAS and hes concerned for his health. PFAS is known as a forever chemical. Experts say its in almost everything from waterways to rain jackets. Every single day, twice a day, Thomas Bauman fills up a water pitcher and then waits for it to filter around a gallon of water. He filters all the water he drinks or uses to cook because of a chemical called PFAS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [The PFAS levels] have been elevated in the Talladega drinking water for the last several years, and they can cause a variety of health problems, said Baumann. PFAS stands for pre-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances. Its been proven to cause cancer and other serious health problems. Justinne Overton, the Executive Director of the Coosa Riverkeeper, has spent countless hours studying PFAS and its effect on humans. The easiest way to explain PFAS is that it is a forever chemical, meaning that regardless of time, this chemical will persist in the environment, commented Overton. The environment that concerns Baumann is his own body. A yearly water analysis released by Talladega County shows PFAS levels in the drinking water that supplies Baumanns home are far above the EPA standard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive contacted the water company several times and have not heard a thing. And Ive talked to other people whove done the same and no response whatsoever, remarked Baumann. According to Overton, the PFAS is manmade. So how did it end up in the Coosa River? She says a majority of the PFAS comes from out of state. A lot of upstream sources are the primary culprit for PFAS. So, Dalton, Georgia is the carpet manufacturer of the world. And so, there are a lot of PFAS discharge coming from Georgia making its way into Alabama, remarked Overton. To better understand the problem, we went out on the Coosa River with Overton and the Coosa Riverkeeper Field Director Lucas Allison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a global, nationwide, statewide, and especially a Coosa-wide issue thats not just going to go away. said Allison. As Allison says, the problem is not going to go away on its own, which is why Talladega County is taking steps to try and limit the amount of PFAS flowing into homes like Baumanns. In fact, the county is in active litigation against multiple chemical companies. Attorney David Diab is representing the county. He says there is a long legal battle ahead. Part of this lawsuit is that Beasley Allen is seeking for our clients the funds from the polluters to hold them responsible for the funds to pay for the advanced filtration to remove these PFAS down to safe level, commented Diab. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The advanced filtration Diab is referring to is reverse osmosis. In simple terms, its a filter that he says is best at removing PFAS from water. Systems for a water treatment plant could cost millions, which is why Talladega County is in court. But Diab says it could be years before we see a resolution to the lawsuit. So, what can be done now? Allison says water filtration systems at the residential level are the best way to protect yourself. Theres a good chance that, you know, theres going to be some level of PFAS in peoples tap water and in their drinking water unless, you know, they do have that reverse osmosis filtration, commented Allison. Companies all over the state sell reverse osmosis systems for residential homes. Culligan is a water filtration company that has specific systems designed to filter out PFAS. More information on their systems can be found here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Coosa River Keeper recently combined with the National Water Keeper alliance to produce a study on PFAS. An interactive map with PFAS levels they have found around Alabama can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. A tanker rollover on Interstate 90 on Tuesday afternoon blocked traffic near the New York state line. The crash happened around 4:30 on the exit 45 eastbound off-ramp in North East. EMTA bus, pickup truck collide at busy city intersection The semi landed on its side, firefighters said the driver took the curve too fast. There was a minor leak of non-hazardous material. The exit ramp was closed for several hours while crews worked to clean up the mess. No injuries were reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. (NewsNation) A charge was dropped against Tarek El Moussa after the HGTV personality completed impulse control counseling following a fight earlier this year, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. El Moussa was cited for misdemeanor battery after a physical altercation June 6 in Las Vegas, where he pushed and struck a man after the person allegedly hit El Moussas father in the back of the head, according to Fox 5 Vegas. The victim told the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department they wanted to press charges against El Moussa after he approached him aggressively and attacked him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HGTV struggled for years before pulling plug on big shows: Report Police reportedly noted that the man, whose name was redacted from the report, suffered bruising under his right eye and a cut on his nose bridge. The case was closed with prejudice and cannot be refiled in the future. The Flip or Flop stars lawyer, David Chesnoff, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that they were happy the case was dismissed after a thorough investigation had been conducted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down from his role in February, with longtime employee Michael Fiddelke tapped to replace him. Cornell, who has led the Minneapolis retailer since 2014, will become the executive chair of Target's Board of Directors, and will be replaced by 49-year-old Fiddelke, who joined the company as an intern more than 20 years ago and has risen to the level of COO. The announcement was made Wednesday morning as the Minneapolis retailer announced 2nd quarter results that show it continues to struggle with slumping sales and in-store traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While results showing a 0.9% drop in net sales and 3.2% drop in comparable store sales were better than Wall Street analyst expectations, Target is maintaining its full-year forecast of a "low-single digit decline in sales." The retailer continues to face cost pressures from the global tariff war initiated by President Donald Trump's tariff war increasing import costs and forcing supply chain changes and the backlash to its decision to end diversity programs following the president's return to office, which sparked boycotts. Fiddelke will take the helm on Feb. 1, with Target saying that during his time as COO he has "overseen efforts that enabled exponential growth across the business, including investments to build and scale the company's stores, supply chain, digital capabilities and team." Target The announcement also highlights his efforts to "deliver more than $2 billion in efficiencies," and his advocacy "for investing in pay and benefits for the company's team members." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is truly an honor to be named Target's next chief executive officer. After more than 20 years at Target, I know the power of our brand, the talent of our team, and the special place we hold in retail," Fiddelke said. "My history with the company also deepens my sense of responsibility for where Target goes next, and I step into the role with an urgent commitment to drive growth and deliver better results. I am eager to refocus our strategy and build on the assets and capabilities that have made Target a beloved destination for incredible products and a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. "And to be clear, we have work to do to reach our full potential. Now's the time to take full advantage of our strengths, embrace change with pace and purpose, and regain our momentum." Seeking Alpha reports that Wall Street has reacted to the appointment of Fiddelke with skepticism, with Target's share price down by around 10% premarket as some believe "an outsider would be better suited to steer the company out of its decline." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Cornell backs the board's decision, saying in the official announcement: "There is no one better suited to move Target forward than Michael Fiddelke. He brings a remarkable level of resolve in the face of complex challenges, a deep passion for growth, and a natural ability to inspire those around him to define what's next. "Those leadership attributes will be critical in shaping the next generation of Target. I want to thank the entire team at Target for their unwavering focus on our guests and on advancing our culture. It has been a privilege to lead this team over the last 11 years, and I will continue to support and champion Target in my role on the Board." This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the MN Business section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Port of Charleston finished its 2025 fiscal year, which ended June 30, with a little more than 1.4 million cargo containers of all sizes moving through its terminals. Thats a 2.3% year-over-year increase. (Walter Lagarenne/Provided by the S.C. State Ports Authority) This story originally appeared on South Carolina Daily Gazette. MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. Tariff uncertainties dented cargo numbers at the Port of Charleston last month, although the drop was in line with State Ports Authority expectations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And, overall, the maritime agency finished its most recent fiscal year with an increase in containers. Well see, Barbara Melvin, the authoritys president and CEO, said when asked about the impact of the Trump administrations wide-ranging and on-again, off-again tariffs on foreign imports. There has certainly been a responsiveness in importers to watch the implementation of tariff deals as well as what might come in the future, Melvin said. I think, just as in any economic cycle that we have endured, the port because of our infrastructure investments will come out on the strong side of that. The port finished fiscal 2025, which ended June 30, handling a little more than 1.4 million containers of all sizes up 2.3% from the previous 12-month period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX But in July, the first month of the new fiscal year, the port moved 117,059 cargo containers of all sizes through its terminals. Thats a nearly 6% drop from the same month a year ago. Containers that arrived at the port loaded with goods declined by 7.5% year-over-year. How all of that translates into money for South Carolinas economic driver is unclear. The ports financial numbers for the fiscal year will come out next month. I think that, obviously, theres a substantial amount of uncertainty that were seeing among shippers, Phil Padgett, the authoritys chief financial officer and vice president of administration, told the agencys board of directors during a meeting Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Depending on how tariffs play out, the port could see cargo levels land somewhere between an 8% loss and a 6% gain by the time the current fiscal year ends next June, according to an analysis by Joey Von Nessen, a research economist at the University of South Carolina. The authority is projecting containerized cargo will be flat year-over-year. Melvin said Charlestons port could see import growth in the coming months as retailers look to stock their shelves with holiday-related merchandise. A 90-day pause in tariff hikes on Chinese goods, announced earlier this month, will likely help those numbers. Chinese imports have stayed steady during the first quarter of our fiscal year, Melvin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another boost could come from two new container line services that will start stopping at Charlestons port in September. Mediterranean Shipping Co. will add weekly calls on both its Albatross and Dragon services linking the port with stops in Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Ships on those routes can carry up to 15,000 cargo boxes measured in 20-foot equivalents. The national outlook isnt as bright. U.S. ports are expected to see a year-over-year 5.6% decline in imported cargo by the end of this year, according to the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, a maritime consultant. Tariffs are beginning to drive up consumer prices, and fewer imports will eventually mean fewer goods on store shelves, Jonathan Gold, the federations vice president of supply chain and customs policy, said in a written statement. Small businesses especially are grappling with the ability to stay in business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The forecast comes as tariffs on dozens of countries around the world that had been announced, postponed and then finally enacted after months of negotiations and deals began to take effect. Friends, allies and foes are all being hit by distortions in trade flows as importers try to second-guess tariff levels by pulling forward imports before the tariffs take effect, analyst Ben Hackett said in a statement. Hackett said the result will be a downturn in trade volumes by late September because inventories for the holiday season will already be in hand. SC Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of dnors as a 501c(3) public charity. SC Daily Gazette maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seanna Adcox for questions: info@scdailygazette.com. Insight SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. Just click here. So much bad news has been emanating from US universities that it's easy to miss the good news. Yet hope can be found amidst the gloom - mostly in the Red and Purple States, mostly in flagship state universities and mostly in the guise of "civic life and leadership." This year the University of Florida created 20 new tenured or tenure-track positions in its Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education. Though the school was founded only in 2022, it already boasts 53 faculty - including the renowned Renaissance scholar James Hankins who has decamped from Harvard for the 2026-27 academic year - and some 1,350 students with 1,500 expected in the fall semester. The Hamilton School is the fastest growing of a dozen or so "civic" programs, at Arizona State University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ohio State University, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the University of Mississippi. The grandfather of these projects is Princeton's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, which was established in 2000. The projects also have affinities with Brown University's PPE (philosophy, politics and economics) center and Johns Hopkins' new public policy school and Bari Weiss's start-up university in Texas. The term "civic" is clumsy. The courses certainly teach civic education in general and the virtues of the American tradition of constitutional republicanism in particular. "Cancellation" is canceled and comity enjoined. But there is more to them than this: They focus more broadly on studying the great ideas and achievements that have defined global, and particularly Western, civilization - "great texts, great leaders and great ideas" - and on using those examples of greatness to address our current problems. A better description would be "liberal" education: that is, the education of free people for a free society. Let's hope that, as the programs put down deeper roots, they have the courage to embrace that description. The left has inevitably pilloried the movement as a MAGA stalking horse. Republican governors and legislators have certainly supported the movement, with Florida's Ron DeSantis taking a leading role. So have Republican think tanks and funders: Brown's PPE center received money from the Koch Foundation. This is not the dispositive argument that progressives imagine. It is not necessarily wrong for the more than one-third of Americans who identify themselves as conservatives to take an interest in what goes on in universities. The academic hiring spree by conservative states should be a cause of celebration rather than recrimination. James Hankins has emphasized that "the new institutes must justify their existence in terms that colleagues in the wider university can understand. They must supplement, not duplicate, what the university already des, and they must offer the university measurable benefits." The new schools should rightly be regarded as a revival of a venerable old tradition rather than as interventions in modern politics. They exist in a world both prior to and above the trivia of modern partisan squabbles. "Prior to" because they are devoted to studying texts such as Plato's Republic and The Federalist that were written long before today's animosities took root (though Plato's description of how democracy degenerates into tyranny is by far the best analysis of Trumpism). "Above" because they focus on eternal problems rather than newspaper headlines: How do you prevent people from abusing power? How do you educate people to live in a free society? What is the nature of the good society? These questions were at the heart of education in the humanities until recently, embraced as much by the progressive left as by the tradition-oriented right, and regarded by the wider society as the stuff of higher education. They were displaced by two developments: the rise of "scientism" - the application of methods culled from the social sciences to human affairs - and the fixation on downtrodden groups such as workers, women, and minorities. Both innovations had their merits: The first brought rigor to the humanities and the second discovered new world of experience. But they have gone too far: The social scientific approach has robbed the humanities of much of their humanity, and the obsession with marginalized groups has in its turn led to the neglect of "great texts" and "great leaders." (Michel Foucault, for instance, tops the list of authors on US college syllabi compiled by the Open Syllabus Project.) These approaches have also fared badly with students. The number of students taking English or history at college has fallen by a third over the past decade. In 2022, only 7% of Harvard freshmen majored in the humanities compared with nearly 30% in the 1970s. Civic education offers a correction to this over-correction: a correction, moreover, that brings with it a chance of reviving the popularity of the humanities and restoring ways of thinking that have been neglected. Students might well relish the chance to study great books or great heroes in depth rather than endlessly contextualizing them. They might also enjoy using a different approach from the "critical" or "scientific" approaches: Liberal education deliberately cultivates both empathy and admiration to produce not just better scholars but also better human beings. The strongest argument for a revival of liberal education is that it would be good for the country as well as the universities. America is divided into squabbling tribes who now have as little to do with each other as possible. The civic schools are trying to address this problem not simply by studying civility but also by bringing traditional-minded scholars into the heart of liberal-dominated institutions. It is notable that Harvard, the intellectual headquarters of liberal America, is thinking of creating a center for "conservative scholarship," though what it means by the word "conservative" is unclear. The US is also in the throes of a technological revolution that poses profound questions about what it is to be human. What is the difference between human and machine intelligence? What is a reasonable limit to genetic intervention? What constraints should we put on the power of oligarchs? To answer these questions, we need to look inside ourselves as well as consult spreadsheets. And to look inside ourselves, we need to consult the actions and thoughts of our fellow humans down the ages, particularly the greatest and wisest of them. The troubling question is not why a handful of universities such as the University of Florida are embracing what they call civics. It is why, in a country roiled by civic discord, confused by technological change and confronted by the most profound questions about our humanity, the rest of America's giant academic establishment is not rushing to join them. Adrian Wooldridge is the global business columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. He was previously a writer at the Economist. His latest book is "The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World." Previously: 08/05/25: Britain is in the midst of one long, hot, nervous summer 07/08/25: The Middle Ages are making a political comeback 06/23/25: The arc of history does not simply bend toward justice 04/01/25: Making America healthy should be a bipartisan challenge 11/27/23: If you want more globalization, build better walls 09/06/23: CEOs must soldier on even as AI anxieties loom 08/31/23: The incredible shrinking global sea powers 06/20/23: If neoliberalism did not exist, we would have to invent it 05/02/23: Disruption will always be capitalism's secret sauce 05/02/23: What science says about the coronation of Charles III 01/04/23: Who are the nepo babies among us? 07/13/22: Boris Johnson's fall is populism's latest act of self-destruction 06/21/22: The West is facing a followership crisis 05/25/22: The 1970s had a big bright side, too 05/10/22: Young Americans aren't as woke as you think 05/04/22: The furor facing Disney in Florida is a warning that capitalism won't regain its legitimacy by alienating (COMMENT, BELOW) BOSTON (SHNS) A task force focused on ameliorating the logjam of patients waiting to be discharged from hospitals to post-acute care settings has offered a string of legal remedies that overlap with some legislative prescriptions that cleared committee hurdles last session. Each day, more than 2,000 patients remain stuck in hospitals even after being cleared to leave. Some patients can end up waiting more than 30 days, with delays exacerbated among patients who have complex needs, including behavioral health problems, dementia, substance use disorders, housing instability, involvement in the criminal justice system, or end-of-life care requirements, according to the task forces recently published report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Massachusetts Transitions from Acute Care to Post-Acute Care Task Force partially attributes the bottleneck to patients lacking legally authorized decision-makers, such as a health care proxy or an advanced directive. Through a health care proxy legal document, Bay Staters can appoint a trusted individual to make care decisions on their behalf should they become unable to do so, according to the Massachusetts Medical Society. That could include when patients are in a coma or temporarily unconscious, or have a condition that prevents them from communicating. When no proxy is available or activated, hospitals must often pursue time-consuming guardianship proceedings that vary by county, the task force report says. Additionally, the lack of a statutory next of kin surrogate decision-making authority and supported decision-making authority compound these delays. The task force, created by the 2024 long-term care reform law, was chaired by Joanne Marqusee, assistant secretary for operational effectiveness at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. The continuum of care, according to a task force diagram. (Screenshot via SHNS) After acute care hospital visits, patients can transition to a variety of care settings, including inpatient or outpatient rehab, skilled nursing homes, or home health care. Beyond legal barriers that sometimes force patients to remain in the hospital longer, the task force said other bottlenecks come from capacity constraints and workforce shortages; insurance complexities; fragmentation across the care continuum; and struggles to arrange non-emergency transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughput challenges existed before the pandemic, but COVID-19 magnified the problem and created a large volume of patients who are ready for discharge from hospitals but cannot find an appropriate bed in a post-acute care setting, according to the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association. The task force said it supports legislation that would create a default surrogate hierarchy for patients who lack the capacity to make their own health care decisions and dont have an appointed health care proxy. Ensuring a fallback-decision maker could prevent discharge delays, reduce emergency guardianship filings, and enable timely care decisions for incapacitated individuals, the report says. The panel pointed to several health care proxy bills, including a Rep. Carole Fiola bill (H 1692) that the Judiciary Committee redrafted (H 4329) and shipped to the Health Care Financing Committee on July 30. That measure outlines circumstances in which attending physicians can tap surrogate decision-makers to act on behalf of an incapacitated person. The surrogate would incorporate the patients religious or moral beliefs, or make decisions in the patients best interests if their personal wishes are unknown. Similar legislation last session stalled in the House Ways and Means Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The task force also supports legislation that would create legal recognition for supported decision-making, saying the model reduces the need for guardianship and preserves autonomy while supporting timely discharge decisions for adults with retained decision-making capacity. The panel pointed to a trio of bills that are awaiting a hearing before the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. Massachusetts Transitions from Acute Care to Post-Acute Care (TACPAC) Task ForceDownload Proposals from Reps. Jay Livingstone and Michael Finn and Sen. Joan Lovely (H 261 / S 155) would allow adults, including those who are older or have disabilities, to enter into voluntary supported decision-making agreements. Adults could receive help from supporters as they make choices about where they want to live, and the types of services and medical care they want to receive. Similar legislation died in the House Ways and Means Committee last session. In another recommendation, the task force said it backs legislation that would fund public awareness campaigns aimed at recruiting retired health care providers and other qualified individuals to serve as volunteer guardians, who also make decisions on behalf of incapacitated individuals. Those proposals from Rep. Thomas Stanley and Sen. Pavel Payano (H 1412 / S 903) had a hearing before the Health Care Financing Committee on July 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Expanding public guardian programs and recruiting volunteers addresses the persistent shortage of available guardians, which contributes to discharge delays and prolonged hospital stays for individuals without decision-makers, the report said. The Massachusetts Guardianship Policy Institute said the need for guardianship is expected to grow amid the states aging population. The commonwealth is poised to see an explosion of its 85+ population, which could strain skilled nursing facilities and rest homes that are already struggling to hire enough staff and secure sufficient public funding to keep up with demand for care. The panel also issued recommendations to standardize hospital discharge paperwork, develop a post-acute system dashboard to show bed and service availability, accelerate discharge to hospice and end-of-life care, monitor prior authorization reforms from the long-term care law, explore the creation of a referral tool to home- and community-based services, expand reimbursement of mobile integrated health programs, support workforce development initiatives, and develop clear discharge and referral processes to Department of Mental Health and Department of Developmental Services group homes, among other policies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Photo illustration by The 74) This story first appeared at The 74, a nonprofit news site covering education. Across the country, teachers unions have been challenging the constitutionality of their states private school voucher programs in court. And in at least two cases, theyve won. Since 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Maine private schools to receive public funds, at least five lawsuits have been filed by teachers unions, in Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Missouri and South Carolina. Additional legal challenges have been mounted by advocacy groups and parent organizations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Courts Carson v. Makin ruling, combined with growing interest among parents in alternatives to traditional public schools post-COVID, has fueled the rise of voucher programs and led to a tug-of-war in state courts between public educators and school choice advocates. Heading into the 2025 legislative session, at least 33 states had some form of private school choice, according to the Georgetown University think tank FutureEd. Most union lawsuits have focused on voucher programs, in which public dollars pay for children to attend private schools including religious schools and cover other education-related expenses such as homeschooling. In Wyoming and Utah, judges ruled in favor of the unions at least for now. In South Carolina, the program was retooled after a court declared its previous version unconstitutional. The Wyoming Education Association, which represents roughly 6,000 public school teachers, landed a win in July after District Court Judge Peter Froelicher granted a preliminary injunction against the states universal voucher program. The union and nine parents had sued the state in June on grounds that the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act is unconstitutional because it violates a state regulation that it must provide a uniform system of public instruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related The union decided to sue after lawmakers made the voucher program universal this spring. It was originally created with a family income cap of 250% of the federal poverty level. No income guidelines, in essence, means that you could be someone in Jackson who owns an $18 million property, and the states giving you money, said union President Kim Ame. Our constitution clearly says that we cannot give public money to private entities, so thats why we challenged that. The injunction temporarily stops the distribution of $7,000 scholarships which are funded from a state appropriation of $30 million until the court determines the programs constitutionality. The state has since filed an appeal to the Wyoming Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am disheartened at the courts written order granting the WEAs injunction. As one of nearly 4,000 Wyoming families, you have had your lives unnecessarily upended through no fault of your own, Megan Degenfelder, state superintendent of public instruction, wrote in a July statement to parents. The case is similar to the one in Utah, where a judge ruled a $100 million voucher program unconstitutional in April, following a lawsuit by the state teachers union. Related The Utah Education Association sued the state last year, arguing the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program violates the state constitution by diverting tax money to private schools that arent free, open to all students and supervised by the state board of education. The Utah Supreme Court is set to consider an appeal later this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawsuits in other states are still working their way through the courts. In July, the Montana Federation of Public Employees, which represents the states public school teachers, joined a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the statewide voucher program that funds private education expenses for special education students. Even voucher programs like [this one] that are targeted to students with disabilities deprive them of crucial legal protections and educational resources, the plaintiffs said in a legal brief. In Missouri, the state teachers union is suing over the MOScholars program, which started as a tax credit scholarship in 2021. It currently relies on nonprofits to collect donations that are turned into scholarships. Donors can receive a tax credit amounting to 100% of their contribution, but it cant exceed more than half of their state tax liability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe dedicated $50 million in taxpayer dollars for the scholarships and $1 million for program marketing, according to the suit. The Missouri National Education Association, which has 28,000 members, sued in June in an effort to block the appropriation. The General Assembly has far overstepped its authority and violated five provisions of the Missouri Constitution by using an appropriations bill to construct out of whole cloth a scheme to divert general revenues to what are essentially vouchers for the payment of private school tuition for elementary and secondary school students, wrote Loretta Haggard, the unions attorney, in the suit. On July 30, EdChoice Legal Advocates part of a national nonprofit that advocates for school choice filed a motion to join the suit as defendants. Thomas Fisher, litigation director, said in a press release that the program helps Missouri families afford an education that fits their childrens needs. The recent expansion of the program is constitutional and will expand education freedom for low-income families and students with learning differences, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In South Carolina, the state Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that its Education Trust Fund Scholarship Program was unconstitutional following a lawsuit from the state teachers union, parents and the NAACP. The program resumed this year after lawmakers revised it to funnel money from the lottery system instead of the general fund. Unions have also been involved in school choice lawsuits in Alaska and Wisconsin. In 2023, National Education Association Alaska funded a suit over a state system that sent cash payments to the parents of homeschool students. That same year, Wisconsins largest teachers union asked the state Supreme Court to hear its case challenging the constitutionality of the statewide voucher program, but the request was denied. GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) A teenager was taken into custody Wednesday after authorities say he brought a weapon onto school property. The Georgetown County Sheriffs Office said 18-year-old Kiaheem Navir Smith was arrested on charges of possession of a weapon on school property. According to Sheriff Carter Weaver, Smith went through the metal detector at Andrews High School, and the schools safety monitor found he had a handgun BB pistol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith was immediately detained by the school resource officer. He is being held at the Georgetown County Detention Center pending a bond hearing and faces disciplinary action through the Georgetown County School District. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. JACKSONVILLE, Texas (KETK) An 18-year-old has died after a two-vehicle crash in Jacksonville on Monday morning. According to the Jacksonville Police Department, around 10:23 a.m., police and firefighters responded to a two-vehicle crash involving a white box truck and a silver SUV in the 1200 block of East Rusk Street. Med truck tire blowout leads to crash, injuring 2 firefighters in Jasper County Officials said that first responders determined that the box truck was traveling eastbound in the 1200 block of East Rusk Street when the SUV failed to yield the right-of-way from a private drive and entered onto the street, causing the two vehicles to collide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver of the SUV, Zara Jazmine Homes, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the box truck driver was not injured, officials said. The Jacksonville Police Department extends our deepest condolences to all affected by this tragic incident, police said. This remains an active investigation. No further information will be released at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. NEED TO KNOW Sarah Grace Patrick is facing murder charges in connection with her mom and stepfather's killings Kristin and James Brock were found slain in their Carrollton, Ga., home in February Before Patrick's arrest, she reached out to true crime influencers, requesting them to cover her parents' murders The 17-year-old from Georgia charged in connection with the killing of her mother and stepfather was seen smiling in court this week before breaking down as testimony got underway. Sarah Grace Patrick is charged in connection with the February murders of her mother Kristin Brock, 41, and stepfather James Brock, 45, in Carrollton, Ga.. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In video coverage by COURT TV, Patrick was seen smiling as she entered the Carroll County courtroom on Aug. 19, hugging her attorneys before she sat down. Patrick grew emotional as she heard testimony from her pastor, friends and a woman who took her in following the murders, the COURT TV coverage shows. The woman, identified on the stand as Kaitlin O'Keefe, told the court that the teen would often be motivated to finish her homework thinking of her deceased mom. As O'Keefe spoke, Patrick broke down several times and was seen weeping. James Brock Facebook James Brock, Kristin Brock James Brock, Kristin Brock Patrick was arrested in July, months after her 6-year-old sister found the Brocks slain in their home. Following the discovery of the bodies, Patrick was the one who called 911 to report the killings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the aftermath, Patrick reached out to true crime influencers to request coverage of her parents' case. In one TikTok message received by true crime blogger Allegedly Reportedly, a note from one "Sarah Grace" offers to provide "intell (sic)" after asking the blogger to cover her parents' murders. "I think it would be a really big hit," user "Sarah Grace" wrote in the message to Allegedly Reportedly, which the blogger shared with PEOPLE. The message also said that "the only person who posted about [the murders] made it as the first image you see when you google [the victims'] names," user "Sarah Grace" wrote in the message. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Patrick turned herself in to police in July. She's been charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office previously announced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following this week's court appearance, a judge ordered that she remain in jail. A motive behind the killings has not been revealed. She is yet to be indicted, the judge said. He set her arraignment date for Sept. 22. Read the original article on People A teenage boy was critically wounded in a shooting Tuesday afternoon in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, Chicago police said. The 17-year-old was walking on the sidewalk at the 1600 block of North Washtenaw Avenue when he was shot in the left shoulder by an unknown assailant about 5:10 p.m., according to Chicago police. The teen was transported to St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital in critical condition. There were no arrests as of Tuesday evening as Grand Central Area detectives investigated, police said. tkenny@chicagotribune.com A man is dead after attempting to pick up a rattlesnake while hiking on a trail in south-central Tennessee resulted in a lethal bite. The Tennessean reported that rescue crews were called to a trailhead at the Savage Gulf State Park in Grundy County at around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 8, Matthew Griffith, the director of the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency, said. Grundy County is about five hours southeast of Vanderburgh County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man was rushed to a hospital, where he later likely died from an allergic reaction to the snake's venom, the agency said. Here's what to know about rattlesnakes in the Evansville area and what to do if you find yourself bitten. How common are rattlesnakes in Indiana? There are two species of rattlesnakes found in Indiana: The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes and Timber Rattlesnakes, which is believed to be the type of snake that bit the hiker in Tennessee. Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes are a small to medium sized rattlesnake, with adults typically reaching lengths of approximately 18 to 30 inches. It is usually a gray snake with brown blotches, but can also appear almost completely black, with a black rattle on its tail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Eastern Massasauga in Indiana is rare and populations are limited to the northern half of the state. It is listed as an endangered species in Indiana and is Federally threatened. Story continues after photo gallery. Timber Rattlesnakes typically reach lengths of 2.5-5 feet, but there are reports of timber rattlesnakes growing up to 7 feet long. They are a heavy-bodied snake with a chevron pattern with a black tail and rattle. Timber Rattlesnakes in Indiana are found mostly in the south-central portion of the Hoosier State, mainly in the rugged forests of Brown County and nearby areas. Their range and populations have decreased significantly, with only a few small populations remaining, according to the Hoosier Herpetological Society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like all rattlesnakes, their bites are venomous and can be lethal if not properly treated. What types of venomous snakes live in Indiana? According to the Department of Natural Resources, Indiana is home to 32 native snake species, but only four of those are venomous. The four venomous snakes found in Indiana are: Copperhead - Found only in southern half of the state. Cottonmouth - State Endangered, found only in one small area in southwestern Indiana. Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake - Federally Threatened, found in the northern third of Indiana. Timber Rattlesnake - State Endangered, found in south central Indiana. What to do if a rattlesnake bites you If you or someone with you is bitten by a snake, call 911 immediately, especially if the bitten area changes color, swells or is painful, the Mayo Clinic said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While waiting for help, the Mayo Clinic recommends doing these steps: Move far away from the snake. Stay calm. Remove any jewelry, watches or tight clothing before swelling starts. Sit or lie down so that the bite is in a neutral, comfortable position. Clean the bite with soap and water. Cover or wrap it loosely with a clean, dry bandage One year ago: A Boonville couple rented a moving truck. They found a giant snake inside How many people are bitten by venomous snakes per year? Between 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in the United States annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About five people die from venomous snake bites in the United States each year, the CDC added, warning that the number would be higher if those bitten did not seek medical treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Globally, around 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes per year, with around 80,000 to 137,000 dying from bites, the World Health Organization reports. Most snake bites occur when a rattlesnake is handled or accidentally touched by someone walking or climbing, the U.S. Forest Service said. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What type of rattlesnake killed a Tennessee hiker? Are they in Evansville? Why has housing become unaffordable almost everywhere in Tennessee urban, suburban and rural communities alike? The short version: This is a story of supply and demand. Tennessee has more residents than ever, and there arent enough houses for everyone who wants one. Since 2010, Tennessee's population has grown by 850,000 residents mostly from new people moving to the state. Meanwhile, new home construction reached an all-time low during the Great Recession and never fully recovered. The COVID-19 pandemic only amplified these slowdowns, all while residents from more expensive markets moved in, increased competition for the existing supply and pushed up prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This isnt just a problem for cities; rural communities are also feeling a housing squeeze that they havent historically. As new Tennesseans moved to the most populous cities and their suburbs, residents previously living in those same areas began relocating to surrounding suburban and rural counties. This domino effect has created new housing supply pressures across the state, including in places that traditionally have not faced such challenges. The outdoor patina and barbecuing area for residents to use at the new 445 Park Commons development, which recently opened, Friday, July 18, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. The new affordable housing development on Benton Avenue stems from the community benefits agreement, which was part of the soccer stadium development. Growing communities that dont want their existing residents priced out cant afford to ignore this problem. Neighbors and their elected representatives will need to work together to decide a path forward setting specific housing goals, choosing the right tools, identifying whos in charge and understanding the trade-offs. TN's housing crisis must be addressed by community members and leaders For example, local, state and federal policymakers all play different roles in the homebuilding process. State and local decision-makers decide things like zoning, permitting and building codes. They can also utilize other policy tools, including tax subsidies, housing development or direct funding. Federal lawmakers also have levers which often come in the form of funding opportunities. Opinion: Sextorted online, my son died by suicide. We can stop it from happening again Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Building codes may make a residence safer or affect practical requirements, like electrical wiring, parking space or minimum acreage. At the same time, they can have hidden trade-offs. They can slow the construction process and increase costs by requiring builders to use more materials or pass additional inspections. Additionally, these regulations require physical space limiting the capacity for new home construction. Different states and localities have used different policy levers to try to address the housing shortage. Some cities and counties have revisited zoning policies that affect the density and capacity of an area. For example, traditional zoning tends to favor single-family homes and large apartment complexes but may overlook options like manufactured housing or fourplexes which could look like traditional single-family housing but offer a lower-cost housing option to residents. Other communities have utilized land banks to acquire blighted property for development, yet Tennessee state law only allows certain cities and counties to establish one. Opinion: MNPS's refusal to listen to critics made a $6.5M problem even bigger Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Housing prices are an important factor for many when choosing where to live. Choosing an address can affect employment choices, public school options, available transportation and health outcomes. It's also a key component of building wealth. Tennessees housing challenges affect us all and we all have a role to play in solving them. If youre interested in learning more about solutions for your community, join Tennesseans from across the state at the Housing Policy Summit on September 18. Grace Baron Grace Baron is the director of external relations for The Sycamore Institute, an impartial public policy research center for Tennessee. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee housing shortage needs community solutions | Opinion NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) President Donald Trump has once again made elections a central focus, this time pushing to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines. Trump took to Truth Social, saying he would lead a movement to ban mail-in ballots. He claimed, without providing evidence, that they open the door to voter fraud. He has since called on Republicans to rally behind him and support a shift to paper ballots only. This Week with Bob Mueller: Trump considers marijuana reclassification Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want our elections to be fair and for people that are qualified to be able to vote, Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) said. Tennessee ranks first in election integrity because Republicans have fought for accountability and fairness. Mail-in ballots pose a real threat to the security of the voting process by removing transparency and creating additional opportunities for fraud. I applaud President Trump for prioritizing election integrity. Republicans are committed to keeping the Volunteer States elections the most secure in the nation because all eligible Tennesseans deserve to have their voices heard. If an Executive Order is issued dealing with absentee balloting and paper/optical scan voting, we are awaiting to review for final comment. Statement from Rep. Tim Rudd (R-Murfreesboro) Hensley agrees. Some states mail an absentee ballot to every registered voter, and any honest person can say thats open for fraud and corruption, Hensley said. However, some Tennessee Democrats said the presidents plan would undermine democracy. Voting rights are not something to play with, Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville), who also serves as the House Democratic Caucus chair, said. That is the very fabric of our republic. The U.S. Constitution allows states to set election rules, but Congress can step in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, you would have to see a lot of people whove been defending the system turn their backs on it, Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) said. In Tennessee, the rules are already strict. Tennessee does it correctly. We dont send mail-in ballots to just anybody; you have to have a reason for an absentee ballot, Hensley explained. Our mail-in ballots all have watermarks on them. According to ThinkTennessee, a nonpartisan group, this is one of 14 states requiring a qualifying excuse for an absentee ballot, factoring in age, location, illness and a persons job. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com We should be doing everything we can to improve voter turnout, Clemmons said. Tennessee ranks at the bottom of this country in voter turnout, and thats not an accident. That is the result of a decade of laws that have put hurdles in place to prevent people from voting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump says he would start his push by signing an executive order before the 2026 midterm elections. I think people who care about the traditional role of government and, frankly, freedom should have some hesitation, Yarbro 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 WKRN News 2. LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) The Limestone County Sheriffs Office says a Tennessee man was arrested as part of an undercover internet child exploitation operation. LCSO said James Mark Eddy, 54, of Loretto, Tennessee, is charged with transmitting obscene material to a child by computer and electronic solicitation of a child after an undercover operation by the sheriffs offices special operations unit. Suspect in Ronald Dumas Jr. waives preliminary hearing, wont be in court Wednesday Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the sheriffs office, Eddy contacted investigators via social media. LCSO said Eddy believed he was contacting an underage boy, but the account was actually operated by investigators. The sheriffs office said during an exchange with the investigators, Eddy sent sexually explicit material and solicited child sex abuse material. LCSO said on Monday, Eddy was at a business on North Jefferson Street in Athens. When he left the business, authorities said he was taken into custody without incident. The sheriffs office said he is currently being held at the Limestone County Detention Facility and his bond will be determined at a later date. Authorities said investigators believe, based on additional evidence recovered at the time of his arrest, that Eddy may have been in contact with multiple minors across the country. This arrest is yet another reminder of the very real dangers that exist online and the importance of proactive law enforcement, Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin said. Our Special Operations Investigators work tirelessly, often through the night, to keep this community safe. We are dedicated to protecting children and holding predators accountable, no matter where they are. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to ensure the safety of our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with any information about this case is asked to contact the Limestone 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 WHNT.com. The IDF will reportedly reach 130 thousand reservists at a given moment, according to Army Radio. Tens of thousands of IDF reservists are expected to be recruited by the military for the planned takeover of Gaza City, according to several reports on Wednesday morning. Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the plan to conquer the city on Wednesday morning, and it will be presented to the political echelon and the security cabinet on Thursday. Katz called the upcoming operation "Gideon's Chariots II." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five IDF divisions and 12 brigade combat teams will participate in the operation. Three reservist brigades will also be mobilized for the takeover, KAN News, Israel's public broadcaster, reported. Different amounts of reservist recruits being reported The IDF stated that 60,000 reserve soldiers will be recruited in early September, with 20,000 reservists already on duty being notified that their reserve service period has been extended due to the operation. KAN also reported that the service of regular soldiers will be extended by 30 to 40 days. However, Reuters previously reported, citing an IDF official, that only 50,000 IDF reservists will be called up for the Gaza City takeover, with call-up letters to be sent in the coming days. IDF soldiers take control of Hamas's military quarter in Gaza City, November 9, 2023 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) "Most of the troops that will be mobilized in this new stage will be active duty and not reservists," said the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reservists who are called up could be in the air force, intelligence, supporting roles, or replace active duty soldiers stationed outside Gaza, the official said. The IDF will reportedly reach 130,000 reservists at a given moment on active duty, according to Army Radio, adding that the military is preparing for a prolonged operation that would last several months into 2026. KAN also cited IDF sources saying that two of the five brigades of Hamas's military wing remain. Preparations to evacuate civilians from Gaza City to the south of the Strip were also approved to isolate Hamas terrorists. NEED TO KNOW Shoppers at a grocery store in Indonesia came face-to-face with a 10-foot-long crocodile that had made its way into the store The reptile made its way into the Fujiyama supermarket in the village of Wayo, in the North Maluku province of the country, on Sunday, August 17 Firefighters eventually got the creature outside, and it made its way towards a large puddle Shoppers at a grocery store in Indonesia got a shock over the weekend after coming face-to-face with a crocodile that had made its way into the cereal and snack aisle. On the evening of Sunday, Aug. 17, terrified bystanders filmed the reptile walking around the Fujiyama supermarket in the village of Wayo, North Maluku province. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crocodile was seen scurrying along and whipping its tail while onlookers screamed and shouted behind the camera, per a clip shared by news and video agency, ViralPress. One person was seen trying to get the animal out of the store using a ladder, but it failed to move and instead looked up at the man in question with its mouth open. Firefighters eventually arrived at the scene and got the crocodile outside, as it made its way toward a large puddle. Newsflare Crocodile in grocery store Crocodile in grocery store Members of the team managed to lasso the reptile before throwing a cloth over its eyes and tying its mouth shut, so they could carry it to a waiting vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The evacuation took over an hour," local police chief, Senior Assistant Commissioner Adnan Wahyu, said of the incident, stating that the crocodile was thought to have come from a nearby swamp after recent rainfall likely flooded its natural habitat. He continued, "The crocodile was secured by three Taliabu firefighters. The fire department team released the crocodile back into the water, which we believe is its home," per the agency. The officer said the reptile didn't attack anybody, but warned locals to take extra care. "There has been a lot of rain recently, so more crocodiles could come up from the water. Anyone who sees them should call the police," he said, according to ViralPress. Newsflare Crocodile runs rampage through grocery store Crocodile runs rampage through grocery store PEOPLE has attempted to contact the Indonesian National Police for additional information but did not immediately hear back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest incident comes after a father of four was reportedly killed by a crocodile during a horrific scene that took place in front of his family. The man, identified only as Arifuddin, was swimming in the Bulete River in the South Sulawesi province of Indonesia on Thursday, Aug. 14, around 6 p.m. local time when the tragedy occurred, according to ViralPress. Arifuddin, 53, was bathing in the river with relatives when the crocodile bit his leg and dragged him under the water, according to ViralPress. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. A distressing video of the incident showed the crocodile grabbing onto the man's legs as several villagers then moved into the water in an attempt to help, while others screamed from the shore nearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency workers were called to the scene, and they later located the crocodile which was still carrying Arifuddins body in muddy, shallow water, the agency reported. The Associated Press stated in March that crocodile attacks in Indonesia were increasing. According to the outlet, there were 179 incidents in 2024 the highest number globally. Experts attributed the number of attacks to the effects of an increase in palm oil plantations in the region, which have created more man-made waterways and have allowed the creatures to move closer inland. Read the original article on People Kneecap member Mo Chara real name Liam Og O hAnnaidh was greeted by hundreds of fans and supporters as he arrived for his second court appearance at Westminster Magistrates Court today. Fans held signs which read Free Mo Chara, while others waved Palestine and Irish flags and chanted Free, free Mo Chara. He was also joined by his bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and J. J. O Dochartaigh. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, aka Mo Chara, arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court London - 20 August 2025 - AP Photo Supporters outside Westminster Magistrates Court London today - AP Photo Supporters outside Westminster Magistrates Court - 20 August 2025 - AP Photo Prosecutors allege the 27-year-old displayed a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig in London in November last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the three-hour hearing, his defence team argued the case should be thrown out, citing a technical error. Defence counsel Brenda Campbell KC told the court that the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on 21 May. However, Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said permission was not required until the defendant's first court appearance. Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring said the case was adjourned. Liam Og O hAnnaidh has yet to enter a plea but denied wrongdoing. He has once again been released on unconditional bail (similarly to his first court appearance in June) and now faces a month-long wait to find out whether his terrorism charge will be thrown out. He will appear in court again on 26 September. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, aka Mo Chara, second right, speaks to supporters as he departs Westminster Magistrates Court London - AP Photo Speaking outside the courts today, Mo Chara thanked supporters for coming and said: We know this story is more than just about me. Its more than Kneecap; this is a story about Palestine and us as a distraction from the real story." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: We know, unfortunately, this story will end up in the media today, while Israel commits genocide at the same time. So, everybody, continue to speak about Palestine. Free Palestine. Supporters at Westminster Magistrates Court London - 20 August 2025 - AP Photo Related On Tuesday evening, the Metropolitan Police issued Public Order Act conditions for todays court date. The conditions were being enacted to prevent serious disruption being caused by a protest outside the court, stated the Metropolitan Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kneecap reacted to these Public Order Act conditions, writing on X: We massively appreciate the support of what we know are the majority of the public, who can see this farce for what it is. It is a distraction from war crimes that the British State support. In our view this police action is designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome. Their post continued: It is a calculated political decision the night before Mo Charas court appearance. There is no basis for this, our last hearing was entirely peaceful and a loving show of solidarity with the most disruptive attendees the right wing media. We know all of our supporters will be, but please go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful. Free Palestine. Aug. 19Attorneys offered jurors differing accounts of Eric Purley's shooting death at a Central Avenue bus stop at the trial of a 20-year-old man charged in the killing. A defense attorney said in opening statements Tuesday that Joshua Dickens shot Purley, 46, in self-defense after the larger, intoxicated man approached Dickens aggressively and threatened him with a metal baton. Prosecutors told jurors that Dickens was the aggressor, who turned and walked several steps back to the bus stop, then drew a handgun and fatally shot Purley in the chest in the 6800 block of Central, across from Expo New Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dickens is charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in Purley's death. The 2nd Judicial District Court trial is scheduled to continue through Friday before Judge Clara Moran. Jurors viewed security video Tuesday that showed Dickens walking quickly past a bus stop shelter, then stopping and walking back several steps to confront Purley as he emerged from the shelter. The two appeared to exchange words before Dickens fired a single gunshot at Purley, who collapsed on the sidewalk on Central near Indiana, the video showed. Dickens then ran west on Central. Albuquerque police found Purley lying on a sidewalk at 10:45 a.m. on May 18, 2024, with a single gunshot in his chest, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dickens was identified by a "concerned citizen" who entered a police substation and said Dickens had admitted shooting a man on Central and laughing about the incident, the affidavit said. Dickens was known to be living in a car in the vicinity of San Pedro and Central SE. Assistant District Attorney Daniela Tamarova told jurors that Dickens made a "deliberate and intentional choice" by walking back to the bus stop to confront Purley. "While turning around, we also see (Dickens) draw his gun and point it straight into Mr. Purley's face," she said. "What I would urge you to focus on at this point is what were the choices that were being made by (Dickens) at this time." Prosecutors acknowledged that Purley emerged from the shelter holding what appeared to be a baton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dickens' attorney, Sara Fossum, said witnesses will testify that Purley was intoxicated and began yelling at Dickens, then "aggressively approached and attacked him" with a heavy metal baton. "This case is about a 19-year-old who was attacked by an intoxicated, larger man armed with a baton," Fossum told jurors. Dickens was carrying the gun for protection, she said. "This is a 19-year-old living on the streets of Albuquerque," Fossum said. "He didn't know what to do. He had no adults to call." Jurors also heard testimony Tuesday from Monique Otero, who described herself as Purley's friend. She and Purley had planned to attend a flea market at Expo New Mexico that morning, but Otero said she abandoned the plan because Purley was intoxicated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I didn't feel like he was sober enough to go to the flea market," she told jurors. Purley got out of Otero's car and was nearly struck by a car as he crossed Central in the middle of a block, she said. Jurors viewed a second security video showing that an eastbound car on Central had to swerve into another lane to avoid striking Purley as he crossed the street near San Pedro. The video also showed Purley strike a bus stop shelter with a baton moments before the encounter between the two men. TEXARKANA, Ark. (KTAL/KMSS) Texarkana residents on the Arkansas side will soon get the chance to vote on an infrastructure bond the city says is badly needed. The city doesnt hide the fact that were not happy with the condition of our infrastructure, says Texarkana, AR City Manager Tyler Richards. Major improvements coming to Stateline Avenue, public input needed The city says decades of under-funding have put them in this position. Although they are now able to dedicate more money toward maintenance, a significant influx of capital is needed to catch up, which is why they are asking voters to approve a bond that would raise around $25 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of that is going to go to streets, but weve got some drainage problems to cut down on flooding that will, well spend roughly 3 million or so on, says Richards. The most recent street study will be used as a guide to decide which streets will be targets for repairs before the election. Texarkana addresses problems head on, documenting city repairs almost daily They give us priority lists as well thats run through a model, and it considers the pavement condition, cost-benefit analysis, and traffic volume, says Richards The citys board of directors, however, will ultimately decide which projects will be tied to the bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well have a full project list with estimates and everything, exactly what the money will be spent on, says Richards. Voters will be deciding on three questions on the ballot that, together, would refund a 2012 bond and levy new ones, giving the city a total of five mills to work with, with only half of the levy being additional taxes. For homeowners, this would mean paying an extra $50 a year in taxes for every $100,000 assessed on the property. In return, the city aims to enhance citizens daily commutes and stimulate economic development. New businesses and projects transform downtown Texarkana Obviously, our citizens that drive these roads every day need great infrastructure to drive on, but in order to attract new retail, new industry, I mean, your infrastructure is incredibly important towards attracting that new industry. You dont want to show people a piece of property and theyve got a headache before they get to the property, says Richards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The special election will be held on November 18. The city plans to hold public meetings to inform voters before then. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a $9.5 million settlement with Booking Holdings Inc. for hiding mandatory fees from consumers. The agreement marks the largest state recovery against any hotel or travel agency for junk fee practices. The settlement addresses deceptive pricing tactics that misled Texas consumers and gave Booking unfair advantages over transparent competitors, according to a press release from Paxtons office. Paxtons lawsuit accused Booking.com, Priceline.com, and Kayak.com of enticing customers with artificially low room rates. The company allegedly buried mandatory fees within Taxes and Fees line items at checkout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deceiving Texans by hiding fees is both a deeply unethical business practice and a violation of the law, said Paxton. Yet, thats exactly what Booking chose to do, and now its time for the company to pay for their unlawful actions. The settlement requires Booking to disclose all fees upfront when displaying hotel room prices. This change allows consumers to compare actual costs across platforms efficiently. I will always stand up for Texas consumers and ensure that corporations are fully complying with state law, Paxton continued. Texans deserve transparency when looking at prices, and there will be accountability for any company that chooses to unlawfully mislead consumers. Paxton has previously reached similar agreements with Marriott, Omni, Choice Hotels, and Hilton. His efforts helped spur new federal regulations targeting hidden fees across industries. Texas cannot require public schools in Houston, Austin and other select districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the states new requirement. Texas is the third state where courts have blocked recent laws about putting the Ten Commandments in schools. A group of families from the school districts sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect on Sept. 1. They say the requirement violates the First Amendments protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas is the largest state to attempt such a requirement, and U.S. District Judge Fred Biery's ruling from San Antonio is the latest in a widening legal fight that's expected to eventually go before the U.S. Supreme Court. Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do," Biery, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, wrote in the ruling that begins by quoting the First Amendment and ends with Amen. The ruling prohibits the 11 districts and their affiliates from posting the displays required under state law. The law is being challenged by a group of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist, and nonreligious families, including clergy, who have children in the public schools. A broader lawsuit that names three Dallas-area districts as well as the state education agency and commissioner is pending in federal court. And although Fridays ruling marks a major win for civil liberties groups, the legal battle is likely far from over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he planned to appeal the ruling, calling it flawed. The Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship," the Republican said in a statement, echoing sentiments from religious groups and conservatives who support the law. Texas has a Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds and won a 2005 Supreme Court case that upheld the monument. The families who sued were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court affirmed what we have long said: Public schools are for educating, not evangelizing, Tommy Buser-Clancy, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement. A federal appeals court has blocked a similar law in Louisiana, and a judge in Arkansas told four districts they cannot put up the posters, although other districts in the state said they're not putting them up either. In Louisiana, the first state that mandated the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms, a panel of three appellate judges in June ruled that the law was unconstitutional. Biery, the judge, cited both the Louisiana and Arkansas cases in his 55-page ruling. He also includes extensive historical references, quotes that range from the Founding Fathers to evangelist Billy Graham, and even a Rembrandt painting of Moses holding the stone tablets alongside an image of actor Charlton Heston in the film The Ten Commandments. Having the displays in classrooms, Biery wrote, would likely pressure children of the parents challenging them into adopting the state's preferred religion and suppressing their own religious beliefs. The judge said there are ways students could be taught the Ten Commandments' history without it being placed in every classroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For those who disagree with the Courts decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities and violence, Grace and Peace unto you," he wrote. May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another. ___ This story has been updated to correct that the ruling covers specific school districts in Texas, not the entire state, and to correct the identities of the plaintiffs and defendants. In news thats being hailed as a win for religious freedom advocates but also has major implications for public school parents the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday halting the states enactment of legislation that requires all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. Texas Senate Bill 10 was slated to take effect September 1, but U.S. District Court Judge Fred Biery has temporarily blocked the law, citing the likelihood of it infringing upon the First Amendments Establishment and Free Exercise clauses. While the Establishment clause bars the government from forcing a specific religious doctrine on the public, the Free Exercise clause safeguards individuals rights to observe their religious faith free of government influence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, Judge Biery ruled that SB 10 could cause students to experience unconstitutional religious coercion and violate their parents rights to guide their religious instruction. Displays of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, he stated, are likely to pressure the child-Plaintiffs into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the States favored religious scripture, and into suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious background and beliefs while at school. Rabbi Mara Nathan, the lead plaintiff in the case, said in a statement that, as both a faith leader and public school parent, she welcomed the ruling. Childrens religious beliefs should be instilled by parents and faith communities, not politicians and public schools, she said. The plaintiffs in the case are public school parents from Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist and nonreligious backgrounds. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the national ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation represented the families, with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP participating as pro bono counsel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Todays decision will ensure that Texas families not politicians or public-school officials get to decide how and when their children engage with religion, said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of the nonprofit Americans United for Separation of Church and State, in a statement. It sends a strong and resounding message across the country that the government respects the religious freedom of every student in our public schools. Religious freedom advocates have argued that blurring the lines between church-state separation in public schools not only marginalizes students from religious minority groups but may also send harmful messages to girls and students of color. The 10th commandment states, for example: You shall not covet your neighbors house. You shall not covet your neighbors wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. This scripture alone could be viewed as framing women as solely the property of others, no different from livestock, be they wives or servants. The Bible has also been used to justify enslavement, which the final commandment also alludes to an ideological argument that could cause psychological or emotional harm to students whose ancestors were enslaved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More broadly, biblical scriptures that take aim at fornication and same-sex relations have been criticized for instilling shame in youth and adults who have sex before marriage or are LGBTQ+. Public schools are not Sunday schools, said Heather L. Weaver, senior counsel for the ACLUs Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, in a statement. Todays decision ensures that our clients schools will remain spaces where all students, regardless of their faith, feel welcomed and can learn without worrying that they do not live up to the states preferred religious beliefs. Texas is not alone in its failed bid to display the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms. In November, a federal judge blocked Louisianas attempt to blur church-state separation in this way. In June, a group of Maryland parents on the opposite side of the political spectrum emerged victorious when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that they could object to LGBTQ+ picture books in their childrens classrooms on religious grounds. The ruling has sparked fears that parents will cite their religious beliefs to wield more power over the public school curriculum nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The post Texas classrooms wont have to display the Ten Commandments for now appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. Texas Republicans are likely to clear a key hurdle in their bid to pass sweeping redistricting plans in the state on Wednesday, despite a two-week-long protest from Democrats and a two-night camp-out from one representative in the Capitol building. Democrat Texas Rep. Nicole Collier stayed locked in the chamber of the Texas Legislature for 48 hours rather than adhere to strict new surveillance rules implemented by lawmakers following a Democratic walkout in protest over a plan to add five more GOP seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. It came after more than 50 state Democratic representatives left Texas for two weeks to deny Republicans a quorum and delay a vote to drastically redraw the state electoral map to the Republican Partys advantage. Republicans issued civil arrest warrants to bring the Democrats back to the state to force their eventual return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Why the Texas Redistricting Plan Caused Democrats to Flee and Could Help Trump in the Midterms New guidelines introduced following that protest prevented party members from leaving the House chambers without a police escort and a signed permission slip. Collier refused to sign the permission slip to leave the chamber, saying that she did not want to sign away [her] dignity. Republicans finally took up the redistricting session on Wednesday morning after achieving the necessary quorum for a vote, meaning Collier and her Democratic colleagues' protests against the plan are likely to come to an end. In a last-ditch effort to delay the redistricting plan, Minority Leader Gene Wu planned to introduce an amendment that would require the new House map to take effect only after the files related to the crimes of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are released. Epsteins files have haunted President Donald Trump and his Administration as both Democrats and many in his own base have called for them to be released this summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vote could go well into the evening in Austin, depending on how long the Democrats continue to try to stall the plan. Trump has long called for redistricting in Texas in hopes of protecting the Republicans thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, which currently stands at 219-212. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats, Trump said in May. It was unclear what legal or Constitutional mechanism he was referring to that entitled him to 5 more seats. With the Democrats having returned from their protest, the Republican representatives now have the numbers necessary to continue their vote, despite their protest to the round-the-clock police escorts to ensure their attendance at Wednesday's session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read More: The Difference Between Gerrymandering and Redistricting, Explained Collier was joined in her protest on Tuesday by several Democratic State Reps., including Mihaela Plesa, Morales Shaw, Rhetta Bowers, Cassandra Garcia Hernandez, Salman Bhojani and Minority Leader Wu, who remained overnight with Collier, locked into the chamber until the House reconvened in the morning. Former Vice President Kamala Harris called Rep. Collier on the phone to cheer her on on Tuesday: You are among those who history will reveal to have been heroes of this moment, so you just stay strong, she said. We are in that room with you. The GOPs redistricting plan has set off a chain reaction of Democratic responses across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched his own plan to redraw his states maps and pick up more Democratic seats in the state with the most federal representatives. Other Democratic Governors have now joined Newsom, including Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York, who said that if Texas proceeds with its plan, we must do the same, as has Marylands Democratic leadership. Contact us at letters@time.com. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Texas Republicans could pass critical legislation Wednesday giving them an advantage in next years midterms. Right now, Democrats and Republicans are debating a bill allowing the GOP to carve out districts likely to give them five extra congressional seats. Typically, maps are redrawn every decade following the census report, which is why this battle has garnered so much attention. Texas Democrats who fled the state in an attempt to delay the vote are putting up a fight to the very end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is unprecedented, and it is wrong, said Texas State Rep. Chris Turner (D). Texas Democrats slammed Republicans who are likely to advance President Donald Trumps plan to redraw Texas election maps giving Republicans a chance to pick up five more congressional seats in next years midterms. The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward: Improve Republican political performance, said Texas State Rep. Todd Hunter (R). Ahead of the debate Democrats tried to hold the line. They delayed the vote 15 days by fleeing the state. Since returning theyve been assigned round the clock police escorts to prevent another escape. Seven Democrats refused and were stuck on the House floor overnight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well keep doing this tit for tat as long as theyre doing it, said Texas State Rep. Nicole Collier (D). California Democrats are now stepping in. Governor Gavin Newsom is urging voters in his state to support a ballot measure that could give Democrats five more congressional seats Texas is merely the first state the president is eyeing. The White House is also urging states like Indiana and Missouri to redraw their maps to give Republicans a better shot at maintaining control in Washington. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. Zack Snyder is set to start work on The Last Photograph. Zack Snyder is working on The Last Photograph The Batman v Superman director's next movie will star Stuart Martin and Fra Free - who he worked with on his recent Rebel Moon sci-fi franchise - with production set to get underway this month. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the long awaited passion project will film through November in Iceland, Colombia and Los Angeles. Snyder said in a statement: "The idea of taking camera in hand and simply making a movie in an intimate way is very appealing to me. The Last Photograph is a meditation of life and death, embodying some of the trials that I have experienced in my own life and the exploration of those ideas through image making. Snyder will helm the project from Kurt Johnstad's screenplay, while the director also has a story-by credit. The movie will follow an ex-DEA operative returning to the mountains in South America as he seaches for his missing niece and nephew, whose diplomat parents have been murdered. A washed-up war photographer is the only person who saw the killers' faces, and so they have to join forces to uncover the truth and find the missing children. Snyder has been looking to make the movie for a long time, although it's been on the back burner for years due to his blockbuster projects. However, his relationship with Martin and Free from their work on Rebel Moon - as well as a gap in his scheduled before anoter big budget movie - meant the time was right. Since finishing his time at DC Studios - which included Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2009's Watchmen - Snyder moved over to Netflix to work on his own sci-fi franchise Rebel Moon. He released Part One: A Child of Fire in December 2023 and its follow-up Part Two: The Scargiver four months later. Both flicks were met with heavy criticism upon their release, and the filmmaker previously admitted he was baffled by the "overreactions" to his work. He told the Metro newspaper: "The reactions to my movies tend to really be these big... overreactions. "Even just (with) Rebel Moon Part One, I'm like, It's not that controversial of a movie. A lot of people have this crazy reaction to it. And I'm just like, I don't get it! "Im not mad about it, but it just is what it is." AUSTIN (Nexstar) On Wednesday evening, Texas House members voted to give final approval to House Bill 4, which would implement a new U.S. congressional map for the state. The vote passed 88-52 along party lines. The final vote came less than an hour after the House gave preliminary approval to the bill. After that vote, Speaker Dustin Burrows moved for the House to adjourn for five minutes. The move allowed a third reading vote to happen Wednesday evening, an unusual move to expedite the bill being sent to the Texas Senate. Democrats are protesting the map, which President Donald Trump said is an attempt to flip five U.S. House seats from Democratic to Republican. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To start, State Rep. Chris Turner, D-Arlington, proposed an amendment removing the enacting clause of the bill, which would effectively kill it. Turner argued the map is a clear violation of the Voting Rights Act and said the Texas House should be focused on working for Texans, not for the president of the United States. Today, there arent any bills on the floor for flood relief, no bills for tax reform, no bills to lighten the burden for Texas families, Turner said. Theres only one item. The very first item of this special session. The item that we have a call on the House for. After over an hour of debate, Turners amendment was tabled by a final vote of 87-50. In addition to the map vote, State Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, prefilled an amendment tying the change of the map to Attorney General Pam Bondi releasing the Epstein files. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is in those files, and thats why hes fighting to keep them hidden, Wu said. At the same time hes demanding Abbott ram through racist maps, hes making sure Congressional Republicans block the release of files that could expose his decades-long relationship with a child sex trafficker. This amendment forces Republicans to choose between their loyalty to Trump and their obligation to expose sexual predators. On the other side of the aisle, Republicans are happy to move forward from the redistricting battle. In about 12 hours, the silly games, petulant name-calling and ridiculous publicity stunts of our Democrat colleagues will be met with the resounding and overwhelming adoption of the fair, legal and constitutional congressional redistricting plan, HB 4, State Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, wrote. I cant wait to vote YES to send the Big Beautiful Map to the desk of [Gov. Greg Abbott]! Protesters gather at the Texas Capitol on Aug. 20, 2025, to protest plans for a new congressional map. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) Protesters gather at the Texas Capitol on Aug. 20, 2025, to protest plans for a new congressional map. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) Protesters gather at the Texas Capitol on Aug. 20, 2025, to protest plans for a new congressional map. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) Protesters gather at the Texas Capitol on Aug. 20, 2025, to protest plans for a new congressional map. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) Protesters gather at the Texas Capitol on Aug. 20, 2025, to protest plans for a new congressional map. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) A crowd gathered at the Capitol Wednesday morning to protest the plans for a new congressional map. They could be heard chanting put Texans first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This gathering comes after protesters were evacuated off the Capitol grounds Tuesday evening due to a reported threat on social media, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Democrats respond Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked state law requiring the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, setting up a possible Supreme Court showdown after several Republican-led states have tried, and failed, to implement similar laws. The Texas law, which was set to take effect September 1, likely violates the First Amendments prohibitions against government interference and endorsement of religion, according to Tuesdays order from District Judge Fred Biery. His colorful 55-page ruling quotes from Sonny & Cher, Greta Garbo and Kurt Vonnegut as well as Supreme Court rulings, historians and prominent faith leaders, from Billy Graham and Pat Robertson to the Buddha. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, in matters of conscience, faith, beliefs and the soul, most people are Garbo-esque, he wrote, referencing her line I want to be alone from the film Grand Hotel. They just want to be left alone, neither proselytized nor ostracized, including what occurs to their children in government-run schools. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will appeal, his office told The Independent. Texas Governor Greg Abbott joined several other GOP-led states requiring the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, setting up a Supreme Court showdown on the separation of church and state (Getty Images) Under legislation approved by Texas lawmakers and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott earlier this year, all public elementary or secondary schools must display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments. A lawsuit was filed by a group of Texas families with Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist, and nonreligious backgrounds, including clergy, with children in public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge agreed with plaintiffs that those displays are likely to pressure children into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the states favored religious doctrine while suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious background and beliefs, according to the judge. Biety also agreed that these matters of individual conscience and the soul should be free of government interference and coercion. The Ten Commandment wont necessarily be taught in schools, but the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer, according to the judge. Teenage boys, being the curious hormonally driven creatures they are, might ask: Mrs. Walker, I know about lying and I love my parents, but how do I do adultery? the judge wrote. Truly an awkward moment for overworked and underpaid educators, who already have to deal with sex education issues and a classic example of the law of unintended consequences in legislative edicts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bietys ruling which traces the history of religious observation and persecution asks whether that violent history gives rise to the question: Havent we evolved? Other than size and longevity, the answer clearly is: Of course not, he wrote, adding The Beat Goes On with a footnote referencing the song from Sonny & Cher. He notes that those who immigrated to Texas were neither the first nor the last group to come to America in search of freedom from government-controlled religion, pointing to a long line of state-imposed persecution. So it goes, he wrote with another footnote referencing Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five. Texas District Judge Fred Bierys colorful order striking down Texas law mandating the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms references a long list of historical figures, pop songs and Hollywood films (FBI San Antonio) Rabbi Mara Nathan, the lead plaintiff in the case, said in a statement that childrens religious beliefs should be instilled by parents and faith communities, not politicians and public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heather L. Weaver, senior counsel for the ACLUs Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, said the ruling ensures that our clients schools will remain spaces where all students, regardless of their faith, feel welcomed and can learn without worrying that they do not live up to the states preferred religious beliefs. In his conclusion, the judge offered an olive branch to his critics. For those who disagree with the Courts decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities and violence, Grace and Peace unto you, he wrote. May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another. Amen. Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma have advanced similar policies requiring the Ten Commandments in schools, drawing several lawsuits alleging violations of the First Amendments Establishment clause (AP) In a statement to The Independent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas will always defend our right to uphold the foundational principles that have built this nation, and I will absolutely be appealing this flawed decision, he added. Lawmakers in Arkansas have advanced similar legislation, and Oklahomas chief school officials mandated copies of the Bible and Ten Commandments in all classrooms with immediate and strict compliance. Last year, District Judge John Wheadon deGravelles paused a similar Louisiana law that had swiftly drawn legal challenges from civil rights groups anticipating a Supreme Court battle. Legislation to incorporate Christian teachings in public schools joins a nationwide effort from conservative special interest groups to move public funds into religious education, dovetailing with efforts by Donald Trumps administration and across the country to let families use taxpayer funds to send their children to private schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, the Supreme Court reached a surprise tie in a case that could decide whether Oklahoma could open the first-ever taxpayer funded Catholic public charter school, which triggered a high-profile legal battle to decide whether public funds can be used to create religious schools setting up a major test to the First Amendments establishment clause. The 4-4 decision, from which Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself, upheld a lower-court ruling that effectively blocked the schools opening for now. AUSTIN (KXAN) A Texas lawmaker who slept in the House Chamber of the Texas Capitol Monday night filed a lawsuit shortly into her protest, according to online records. That lawsuit claims Rep. Nicole Collier is being illegally confined. Representative Collier is under restraint by virtue of the Speaker of the Houses order placing her into the custody of law enforcement prior to the Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Session, the lawsuit says. Collier is refusing to leave the chamber because she would need to be monitored by a Department of Public Safety escort should she do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the House adjourned Monday, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, ordered the doors to the chamber to be locked. He said that members needed written permission to leave the chamber. But he added an extra step for Democrats who broke quorum and had arrest warrants issued. The speaker said those members would be granted written permission to leave only after agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated Department of Public Safety officer who will ensure they return to the House on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Protest planned Tuesday evening in support of lawmaker who rejected DPS monitoring State Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, refused and was therefore not allowed to leave. We have a lawyer working on getting a court to enter an injunction to allow all of us to be free from DPS escorts or DPS trails, Collier told NBCs Ryan Chandler. And so hopefully thats successful, and we wont be here too long. But I am willing, and my heart has not changed. I still believe that this is wrong, and I have no intention to stop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a planned public display Tuesday afternoon, some House Democratic members tore up the permission slips required to leave the chamber, and announced theyll join Collier in sleeping inside the chamber Tuesday night, a news release said. Shes a prisoner of nothing more than her own imagination, Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) said of the lawsuit. This is like bad Kabuki theater, Im talking like elementary, junior high-level grade dramatic actions that were seeing here. Thats all there is to say, this is pure theater. We conclude that it does: Supreme Court ruling from 2021 Several years ago, members of the Texas House of Representatives fled the state to deny the House quorum to prevent voting legislation they disagreed with in a special session. They fled the state to escape the jurisdiction of the House, whose internal rules provide that absent members may be arrested and their attendance secured and retained,' a 2021 Supreme Court opinion explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly a month after leaving the state, those lawmakers sued seeking an injunction prohibiting their arrest. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled against those members. The legal question before this Court concerns only whether the Texas Constitution gives the House of Representatives the authority to physically compel the attendance of absent members. We conclude that it does, that ruling said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. (The Center Square) The state of Texas has lost its first round in a legal battle filed by nonreligious parents and religious leaders from multiple faiths who oppose having the 10 Commandments posted in public school classrooms. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery on Wednesday temporarily blocked a new law from going into effect Sept. 1. In his 55-page ruling issued after a two-day hearing in San Antonio, Biery said the law "likely violates both the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment" of the U.S. Constitution. He granted the plaintiffs request for a preliminary injunction. He also denied the states motion to dismiss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, in matters of conscience, faith, beliefs and the soul, most people are Garbo-esque, Biery wrote. They just want to be left alone, neither proselytized nor ostracized, including what occurs to their children in government run schools. Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do. Teenage boys, being the curious hormonally driven creatures they are, might ask: Mrs. Walker, I know about lying and I love my parents, but how do I do adultery? Truly an awkward moment for overworked and underpaid educators, who already have to deal with sex education issues, Mahmoud, 145 S. Ct. at 2355, and a classic example of the law of unintended consequences in legislative edicts. He said the Texas legislature could also require public schools to post the Five Moral Precepts of Buddhism: abstain from killing, stealing, engaging in sexual misconduct, lying and intoxicants, or other texts. Biery also issued a closing remark to those who disagreed with his ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those who disagree with the Courts decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities and violence, Grace and Peace unto you. May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another, he wrote before his signature on the order. The lawsuit was filed after Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 10 into law on June 22, which requires every public-school classroom in Texas to post a copy of the Ten Commandments beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, The Center Square reported. Protestant pastors, Islamic leaders and nonreligious parents from north Texas school districts sued the Texas Education Agency, Dallas ISD, Desota ISD and Lancaster ISD in U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas. They argue SB 10 violates the U.S. Constitution and the Texas Constitution and no federal court has upheld any display of the Ten Commandments by a public school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every Texas public-school classroom unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, reverence, and adoption of the states mandated religious scripture, violating the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment, the lawsuit argues. SB 10 also substantially interferes with the rights of parents to direct their childrens religious education and upbringing, violating the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment, the lawsuit argues. They also argue SB 10 violates the Texas Constitution, which states, No man shall be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious society or mode of worship. Biery agreed. Attorney General Ken Paxton has said he is appealing the ruling. A lawsuit filed over a similar bill in Louisiana has so far been struck down, including more recently in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. NEED TO KNOW Damon Wolfe of Frisco, Texas, was arrested on Aug. 7 on three felony counts of aggravated assault after he fired shots into a vehicle The three individuals in the vehicle were identified as teenagers attempting to perform a "ding-dong-ditch" prank Wolfe, 58, could face 20 years in prison if convicted A Texas man who fired shots at teenagers attempting a "ding-dong-ditch" prank at his house in July now faces three felony charges. The incident took place on the evening of July 28 on Scottsdale Way, the Frisco Police Department said in a statement on Monday, Aug. 18. At around 10:50 p.m., Frisco police were dispatched to the location in response to a report from a person who said he fired shots at someone who attempted to kick down his door, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During their investigation, police learned the suspect, Damon Wolfe, 58, left his home after hearing a loud bang on his door. He fired multiple rounds at a passing car because he thought the occupants were involved, police said. Later that evening, FPD responded to a call that a vehicle had been shot at. Police said the driver and two passengers first claimed that they were shot at while on a different street. After more interviews, the group admitted they were doing a "ding-dong-ditch" prank in a random neighborhood when a male with a firearm fired shots at their car, police said. Officers saw what looked like three bullet holes in the car. The Frisco Police Department arrested Wolfe on Aug. 7 on three counts of aggravated assault, one count for each person in the vehicle. The charges carry a potential sentence between two and 20 years in prison, and a $10,000 fine, police said. "What started out as a prank, ding dong ditching a house, turned into something that could of potentially had deadly consequences," Frisco Police Chief David Shilson told CBS News Texas. "We found the vehicle later in the evening, shortly after the incident, the kids did not want to report it because certainly they were out doing these pranks, and I don't think they realize the gravity of everything that had occurred." Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The FPD chief is warning the parents of teenagers against the potential dangers associated with popular online challenges. Frisco Police Department Damon Wolfe Damon Wolfe "The teens involved in this case are very fortunate they were not shot and killed or seriously injured. For homeowners, it is important to understand that there are legal and criminal consequences for running outside and shooting at a vehicle fleeing the scene," Shilson said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The bullets fired in this offense could have easily struck neighbors' houses and had deadly consequences," Shilson continued. He went on to call the incident "completely senseless and avoidable." PEOPLE has reached out to the FPD for further information. Read the original article on People The Texas legislature's lower chamber passed a contentious new electoral map on Wednesday that aims to help Donald Trump's Republican Party retain its razor-thin US House majority in the 2026 midterm elections. The vote had been delayed by two weeks after Democratic legislators fled the southern state to halt the aggressive redistricting drive, which carves out five new Republican-friendly districts. More than 50 Democrats walked out, stalling legislative business and generating national headlines as they sought to draw attention to the rare mid-decade redistricting push. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rebels returned this week, but not before their protest had set off a national map-drawing war, with Trump pressuring his party's state-level officials to do everything they can to protect the majority in the US House of Representatives. The stakes are sky-high for Trump, who will be bogged down in investigations into almost every aspect of his second term if Democrats manage to flip the handful of districts nationwide needed to win back the House in next year's midterm elections. As lawmakers in the Lone Star State debated the map, Democratic representative Chris Turner called it a "clear violation of the Voting Rights Act and the constitution," according to Austin-based news site The Texas Tribune. Republican leaders of the Texas House sped up the normal legislative process, bringing the new map to a final vote Wednesday evening. It passed along party lines 88-52. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the state House's green light, it moves to the state Senate, where it has passed in a previous session, before heading to Republican Governor Greg Abbott's desk. - Playing hardball - Individual states redraw their own congressional districts, usually only once every 10 years, after the US Census. But "redistricting can be done at any point in time," argued the Texas map's sponsor, Republican Todd Hunter, according to the Tribune. "The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward: improve Republican political performance." There is little Democrats in Texas can do to thwart the map change, but it has prompted retaliation in California, and serious discussions in other Democratic-led states alarmed that the Texas maneuver could be replicated nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans are mulling drawing at least 10 new seats and are targeting Ohio, Missouri, New Hampshire, Indiana, South Carolina and Florida. Trump on Monday posted the proposed map of Texas on his Truth Social platform, calling it "one of the most popular initiatives I have ever supported." State lawmakers in Democratic stronghold California -- the largest and richest US state -- introduced three bills on Monday to create a voter referendum this year for a new congressional map that would effectively counteract Texas. If approved, the referendum would appear on California's November 4 ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Nothing about this is normal, and so we're not going to act as if anything is normal any longer," Governor Gavin Newsom told reporters Wednesday. "Yes, we'll fight fire with fire. Yes, we will push back. It's not about whether we play hardball anymore, it's about how we play hardball." New York Democrats may follow suit, with Governor Kathy Hochul calling the Texas redistricting plan nothing short of a "legal insurrection." ft/des/mlm (The Center Square) In just a few days, the Texas Senate passed all but four bills on the special session agenda. The second special session was called on Friday, by Tuesday, 14 bills of 18 on the call had already passed. This is after the Senate passed all of the bills on the call for the first special session while Texas House Democrats absconded and halted all House proceedings. The House passed no bills during the first special session because Democrats blocked a quorum from being reached. Nearly all of the bills the Senate passed in the first special session were read again, voted on again, and passed. On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick lauded the Senate for their efficiency in passing the bills, many with overwhelming bipartisan support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate passed all 18 bills on Gov. Abbotts call in the first special session and is on track to do it again. The Texas Senate once again proved we can deliver real results for the people of Texas, Patrick said. He also said that since enough House Democrats returned to Austin to reach quorum, he looks forward to receiving legislation from the House to pass the remaining bills. Texans expect their elected officials to stay in the state and get the job done, rather than fleeing to other states just because they oppose a particular bill, he said, referring to a redistricting bill that could give Republicans an additional five seats in Congress in Texas. The Texas Senate passed the following bills: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SB 2, Natural Disaster Preparation and Recovery, filed by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock;SB 3, Flood Emergency Communications and Warning, filed by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston;SB 5, Relief Funding for Hill Country, filed by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston;SB 6, Banning THC, filed by Perry;SB 8, Protecting Womens Spaces, by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston;SB 10, Cutting Property Taxes, filed by Bettencourt;SB 11, Protecting Human Trafficking Victims, filed by Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound;SB 12, Attorney General Authority to Prosecute Election Crimes, filed by Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Tyler;SB 13, Banning Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying, filed by Middleton;SB 14, Water Project Incentives, filed by Perry;SB 15, Police Personnel Records, filed by Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford;SB 16, Stopping Title Theft and Deed Fraud, filed by Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas;SB 18, Maintaining Texas Dams, filed by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. The only reason the four remaining bills havent yet passed the Senate is because they must first pass in the House. After the House passes them, they will go to the Senate. These bills are SB 4: Redistricting; SB 7: Protecting Unborn Children; SB 9: Eliminating the STAAR Test; and SB 17: State Judicial Omnibus Package. The Texas House made quorum for the first time on Monday after nearly two weeks. House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, said he expects all bills to be passed by Labor Day weekend. Notably, the Texas Senate passed a bill to ban THC in Texas for the third time this year, twice in defiance of Gov. Greg Abbott calling to regulate it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the regular session, the legislature passed with bipartisan support a bill to ban THC. Abbott vetoed it at the last hour of the last day allowed by the state constitution after the regular session ended so his veto could not be overridden. The Senate will not back down on banning THC, Patrick maintains. Its a top legislative priority because the Texas Senate refuses to allow bad actors to use loopholes in agriculture law to flood our communities with potent, intoxicating products disguised as harmless treats, Patrick said. These products lure and endanger our children and threaten public safety. Thats why every single law enforcement agency in Texas, along with the Texas Medical Association, the Texas Pediatric Society, and countless families, stand behind SB 6. Since 2019, bad actors have taken advantage of a loophole in Texas agriculture law to sell potent, intoxicating forms of THC that have nothing to do with agriculture, Patrick maintains. These shops have rapidly spread throughout Texas, endangering the health and safety of children and families across our state, with no accountability. The bill would prohibit the retail sale of all intoxicating cannabinoid, including in beverages; doesnt alter the Texas Compassionate Use Program or laws related to hemp farming; and doesnt impact the sale or use of CBD or CBG products. The post Texas Southern fraternity party leaves one shot appeared first on ClutchPoints. A man is at home recovering after being shot at a Texas Southern University fraternity party. According to the Houston Police Department, several uninvited guests arrived at the party, which led to a fight between the hosts of the party and the guests. It has yet to be revealed which fraternity was hosting the party. The shooting happened a little after 2:30 a.m. in the 3700 block of Wheeler near Scott Street. The victim asked the guests to leave, but they refused, which led to a fight in the middle of the street. According to the Houston Police Department, at some point during the fight, one of the uninvited guests went to their car and shot in the direction of the brawl, hitting the victim in the leg. The suspect is still at large. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After receiving medical attention in the hospital, the victim was discharged later that morning. He told Eyewitness News Brianna Willis that he wishes he hadnt been hurt, but he was attempting to break up the fight before he got hurt, he said in an interview with ABC13. This is the second shooting over the last month that has occurred at a fraternity party. Last month two men were killed at a Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. event in Atlanta. 23-year-old Justin Minnitee and 33-year-old Andrew Pearson died following a heated argument that escalated into gunfire. Pearson was a Savannah State alumnus and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi; Minnitee was not affiliated with the fraternity. According to reports, Pearson was attempting to defuse the situation and was not involved in the altercation. Two more people went to the hospital after sustaining injuries. One had a graze wound from gunfire, while the other sought treatment for other injuries. As the investigation develops, the Houston Police Department stated that they are working to identify the suspects in this case. Related: Buffalo Bills sign former HBCU star Jarveon Howard Related: Alabama A&M sees sky-high enrollment of black men AUSTIN (KXAN) Protesters were evacuated from the Texas Capitol grounds Tuesday evening after the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said someone posted on social media calling on others to go to the building and take action by shooting and killing those who will not allow lawmakers to leave. The evacuation happened moments before a planned protest was scheduled to start outside of the House chamber. Thats where one lawmaker is refusing to leave after rejecting a requirement to be monitored by a DPS escort. Representative Nicole Collier was later joined by other colleagues, also opting to spend the night in the chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are grateful for the Texas Department of Public Safety troopers whose swift and professional response to todays security threat ensured that all representatives, staff, and members of the public were safe. Violence and threats have no place in our democratic process, and we unequivocally condemn any threats against public servants or law enforcement, regardless of political differences, Collier and Texas House Minority Leader Rep. Gene Wu said in a statement. DPS issued the following statement: Earlier today, an individual posted a message on social media regarding the ongoing political situation at the Texas State Capitol. In that message, the individual calls on others to go to the Capitol building and take action by shooting and killing those who will not allow lawmakers to leave. For the safety of those at the Texas State Capitol, and out of an abundance of caution, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) evacuated the public from the Capitol building around 6:30 this evening. It will remain closed to the public for the remainder of the day. DPS personnel are working to identify the individual responsible for posting the message on social media. As the investigation is ongoing, no additional information will be released. DPS takes all safety threats seriously and asks anyone who sees anything suspicious to please report it immediately. These can be reported via theiWatchTexas mobile app, online at www.iwatchtx.org or by calling 1-844-643-2251. All reports are confidential. For emergencies, please call 9-1-1. After the evacuation, some protesters moved outside the Capitol grounds and remained there until roughly 10 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We got a little rowdy, we started chanting some loud chants and right as soon as we were done, here comes the Captain or whatever saying that theres an imminent shooter threat, one of those protesters said. Protesters said DPS showed some of them the social media video in an attempt to show the situation was serious and get them to leave the building quickly. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Texas state House Republicans passed their redistricting bill Wednesday, despite staunch opposition from Democrats who describe the new maps as a power grab by President Donald ahead of next year's midterm elections that whittles away the voting power of minorities. Texas Republicans passed the bill 88 to 55 along party lines. The new maps are expected to give the state an extra five Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. "Congrats to the Texas House on passing the One Big Beautiful Map," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement, while using language often employed by his Republican ally, Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It will make Texas, and Congress, a brighter shade of Red." Congressional maps are generally redrawn once a decade based on new Census Bureau data, with the next census scheduled for 2030. Democrats are accusing the Texas Republicans of redrawing their maps now under pressure from Trump to help ensure the GOP maintains its control of the U.S. House of Representatives, where it currently holds a narrow majority, following next year's midterm elections. Republicans currently hold 25 of the state's 38 seats in the federal chamber. Because of their minority in the state House, Democrats had no way to block passage of the redistricting bills, but they attempted to delay the vote for as long as possible and make it as politically uncomfortable for the Republicans to pass. Rep. Gene Wu, the Texas House Democratic Caucus leader, proposed an amendment to condition redistricting on Attorney General Pam Bondi releasing all unclassified records and documents in the possession of federal authorities related to the investigation of former long-time Trump friend and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died by apparent suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amendment was turned aside. "Texas Republicans just protected Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein's secrets. Instead of demanding answers about Trump's decades with Epstein -- they engineered a coverup," Texas House Democrats said in a statement. "Remember this when they talk about protecting the innocent. When given the chance, they protected predators instead." The move is expected to set off something of a redistricting arms race, with California at the forefront, as Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has already initiated the redistricting process in order to neutralize the new five GOP Texas seats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's on, Texas," Newsom said in a statement following the vote. Other strong blue states, including New York, may follow. "Game on," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul replied online to news of the Texas maps passing. Abbott called a special session earlier this summer to specifically pass the redistricting maps, prompting Democrats two weeks ago to flee the state, denying the GOP quorum, meaning the minimum number of legislators needed to pass bills. Once the session timed out, and Abbott called a new special session, Democrats returned to the state and a new battle ensued. Once Democrats came back to the capitol in Austin, they were not allowed to leave the chamber without a "permission slip," a police escort and 24-hour surveillance to ensure they don't leave the state again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One lawmaker, Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, spent Monday night in the capitol building, refusing to sign the paper. She said she planned to stay until Wednesday's session. Since then, several other Democrats tore up their waivers and joined her. "This is a civil discussion and disagreement, and in order to win, the other side is willing to use force -- to use the arms of a state to get what they want. Good guys don't do that," Texas House Democratic Caucus leader Rep. Gene Wu, told CNN. Wu and Rep. Vince Perez, D-El Paso, who signed the waivers, stayed with Collier through Monday night. The new state map introduced last month has been revised. It would still add the five seats but also strengthen already-Republican districts by adding Republican voters to those districts. The state's current districts, passed four years ago, are already being challenged in court, and a ruling is expected this fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Please pass this map ASAP," Trump posted on social media Monday. "Thank you, Texas!" The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, which has been railing against the maps, chastised the state's Republicans for being concerned with redistricting when they haven't passed any bills to help those affected by last month's flooding, which killed more than 135 people. "Before passing any disaster relief, Gov. Abbott and his legislative allies redrew voting maps behind closed doors to further disenfranchise Black, Brown and Asian American voters," ACLU of Texas Executive Director Oni Blair said in a statement. "It's disgraceful that Texas lawmakers chose to advance President Trump's extreme agenda while turning their backs on the thousands of families still reeling from one of the deadliest floods in state history. Every Texan deserves fair representation -- because in a democracy voters pick their leaders, not the other way around." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the vote, Abbott said he is expanding the special session to pass legislation that would impose penalties on absent legislators. "We will not allow the Texas Legislature to be hijacked by rogue Democrats," he said in a statement. A district judge ruled Wednesday that Texas cant require posters of the Ten Commandments to go up in certain school districts where parents have challenged the move. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sided with a group of families fighting against a new law set to take effect Sept. 1 that would have put posters of the Ten Commandments in easily readable letters in every public school classroom in Texas. They just want to be left alone, neither proselytized nor ostracized, including what occurs to their children in government run schools, the judge wrote in his decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While this lawsuit only affects 11 districts, another legal challenge to the law is working its way through the courts. Todays ruling is a major win that protects the constitutional right to religious freedom for Texas families of all backgrounds, said Tommy Buser-Clancy, senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. The court affirmed what we have long said: Public schools are for educating, not evangelizing. The Hill has reached out to Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts (R) office for comment. Texas is the third state to suffer a court loss over laws for the Ten Commandments to be hung in public school classrooms, following Louisiana and Arkansas. Critics say Republicans are hoping to take these cases to the Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think anybody is surprised that these policies, these laws in the states that seek to put the Ten Commandments back in schools, have been challenged in court. Theyre making their way through the proper channels, and we still are very confident that at the end of the day, when these cases get to the Supreme Court, that theyre going to uphold them based on the new history-and-tradition test, Matt Krause, counsel with the First Liberty Institute, previously told The Hill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host whos now the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, boasted about helping the Trump campaign while she was working at Fox News, according to texts revealed in newly unredacted court documents. The September 2020 texts from Pirro to Ronna McDaniel, then the chair of the Republican National Committee, were made public Tuesday in filings by voting technology company Smartmatic, which is suing Fox News for defamation related to its election fraud coverage. Related: 'Reckless Lunatic': Trump Critics Flabbergasted By His Latest Pick For A Crucial Post I work so hard for the party across the country, Pirro texted McDaniel, according to the filings. Im the Number 1 watched show on all news cable all weekend. I work so hard for the President and party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. attorneys office in D.C. did not immediately return requests for comment on the texts, which were first reported by The Washington Post on Wednesday. In a text from another newly unredacted filing, Pirro discussed being with Trump in the Oval Office shortly before the 2020 election. In the messages sent to a friend, Pirro said her fellow Fox News host Sean Hannity stormed into the room and used the presidents private bathroom. She referred to him as an egomaniac. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro delivers remarks with U.S. President Donald Trump during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House August 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik via Getty Images Pirro, along with Fox News hosts Jesse Watters and Maria Bartiromo, are all named in the lawsuit alongside the network. The filing features several instances of Fox News hosts and guests suggesting that Smartmatics software altered votes to steal the election from Donald Trump and hand the victory to Joe Biden, which is not backed by any evidence. The network featured Trump lawyer Sidney Powell on Pirros show, Justice with Judge Jeanine, in November 2020, allowing her to attack Smartmatic on air. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When reached for comment, Fox News denied any wrongdoing. The evidence shows that Smartmatics business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trumps lawyers on FOX News and that Smartmatic grossly inflated its damage claims to generate headlines and chill free speech, the statement said. Related: James Carville Advises Dems To 'Kick The S**t' Out Of This Republican On Every Occasion Now, in the aftermath of Smartmatics executives getting indicted for bribery charges, we are eager and ready to continue defending our press freedoms, the statement continued, referring to the Justice Department charging Smartmatic executives last year for allegedly bribing the former top election official in the Philippines. Related: Trump Makes Awkward U-Turn After Failed Ceasefire Talks With Zelenskyy And Putin Federal prosecutors alleged this week that the executives overbilled Los Angeles County for voting machines used during the 2020 election, then put the difference into a slush fund for bribing officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Smartmatic and Fox News have asked for a summary judgment, bypassing a trial. A decision on the lawsuit from Manhattan Judge David Cohen is expected in the coming months, according to The New York Times. Related... Read the original on HuffPost SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) The Tom Green County Sheriffs Office has announced that its online warrant list is back in operation after being taken down for maintenance. In a public announcement issued on Aug. 20, the sheriffs office stated that maintenance on the warrant list had been completed and that the online tool is now available for use once again. Having our warrant list back online allows the public to view photos and current information of individuals with outstanding warrants, TGSO said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement San Angelo woman indicted for sexual indecency with a minor TGSO stated that the warrant list can be viewed by visiting tomgreencountysheriff.org/warrants/disclaim or by downloading the agencys app. The sheriffs office said it welcomes the communitys help in locating individuals on the outstanding warrants list. However, it advised citizens not to attempt to apprehend listed people on their own, instead encouraging residents to call it at (325)-655-8111 or submit a crime tip via its online crime tip submission form. For more information about the TGSO website and app, contact the sheriffs office at (325)-655-8111 or visit tomgreencountysheriff.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com. PHILADELPHIA - Residents in Philadelphia's Fishtown and Port Richmond neighborhoods are facing safety concerns as thieves continue to strip copper wiring from streetlights, leaving streets significantly darker and more dangerous. The thefts have been ongoing for about a year, affecting multiple blocks and council districts. What we know The copper wiring theft involves removing screws from the baseplates of decorative lampposts and cutting the wiring, which is then sold for profit. This has left streets without power to keep the lights on, creating a dim and unsafe environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kristen Scalise, a Fishtown resident, expressed her worries, saying, "I don't wanna run too late when the sun goes down and the lights aren't on." Residents and business owners are concerned about the increased risk of crime under the cover of darkness. Joe Petaccio, a business owner, noted, "They must have some electrical knowledge to do this without getting zapped." The Philadelphia Streets Department is aware of the issue and has been making repairs, only to have the copper wire stolen again shortly after. What's next The city is piloting multiple methods to combat the thefts, including surveillance cameras, vandal-proof bolts, and the use of less valuable aluminum wiring. Philadelphia City Councilman Mike Driscoll emphasized the need for prosecution, stating, "I wanna prosecute the hell outta these people doing it. Let's catch 'em and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law." (The Center Square) While most Democrats are opposed, President Donald Trumps vow to end mail-in voting, which he says is ripe for fraud, has been met with approval from both an election attorney as well as the America First Policy Institute. President Trump should be applauded for leading the charge to ensure that every American's vote matters and is not undermined by corruption, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) told The Center Square by email. This is not just a policy fight, AFPI said. This is a fight for the survival of our republic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AFPI is a non-profit and non-partisan research institute aiming to advance policies that put the American people first, according to its website. Election attorney and founder of law firm OGC Law, LLC Greg Teufel told The Center Square that eliminating mail-in balloting would go a long way toward restoring confidence in our election procedures." Mail-in voting has long been recognized as the most vulnerable type of voting for election fraud, Teufel said. Because ballots are not completed in front of election officials, coercion, bribery, and voting on behalf of people of limited competence is all possible, Teufel told The Center Square. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AFPI likewise told The Center Square that President Trump is right in saying that our elections will never be secure so long as we have widespread use of mail-in ballots. With rare exception, mass mail-in voting is a recipe for fraud and chaos, AFPI said. Other nations recognize this, and many abandoned this broken system decades ago. The United States of America is the greatest nation in the world, and our electoral system should set the global standard for security and transparency, AFPI said. AFPI listed to The Center Square examples of the issues of mail-in voting. For instance, in some states, one now can apply to be on the voter rolls as a permanent absentee voter, which means one automatically gets an absentee ballot application every election, AFPI said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, reliance solely on mail-in voting may lead to the disenfranchisement of Americas eligible citizen class and could also lead to fraud through ballot trafficking, AFPI told The Center Square. Mass mail-in voting presents vulnerabilities with the chain of custody of a ballot and increases the prevalence of error in states that do not maintain clean voter rolls, AFPI said. The Center for Election Innovation and Research did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Trump posted on his Truth Social account Monday: I am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS. ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING, and everybody, IN PARTICULAR THE DEMOCRATS, KNOWS THIS, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president further said that while were at it, he will get rid of Highly Inaccurate, Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES, which cost Ten Times more than accurate and sophisticated Watermark Paper, which is faster, and leaves NO DOUBT, at the end of the evening, as to who WON, and who LOST, the Election. Trump said the efforts to protect elections will be brought about by an executive order to help bring honesty to the 2026 Midterm Elections. Thirteen people were arrested on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in the murders of two close aides to Mexico City's mayor three months ago, Mayor Clara Brugada said. Brugada's personal secretary Ximena Guzman and advisor Jose "Pepe" Munoz were gunned down during rush hour on a busy avenue in the Mexican capital on May 20. Among the 13 arrested were "three people who participated directly" in the attack, as well as "others linked to the logistical preparation," Brugada told a press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The arrests were made at dawn as part of a joint operation between local and federal authorities as well as the army. Despite the apparent hallmarks of a gang hit, Brugada did not speak about a motive. After the murders, public prosecutor Bertha Alcalde Lujan said it was "a direct attack with a significant degree of planning, and those who carried it out had prior experience." Guzman and Munoz were both members of President Claudia Sheinbaum's Morena party, which also governs Mexico City. Brugada is a close ally of Sheinbaum, who has condemned the attack as "deplorable." While Mexico City has been spared the worst of the country's raging criminal violence, it is not the first high-profile attack targeting public officials in the capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June 2020, the city's then security chief Omar Garcia Harfuch survived an attack by heavily armed gunmen who killed two of his bodyguards and a passerby. Garcia Harfuch, who is now Sheinbaum's national security minister, was wounded in the shooting, which he blamed on the powerful drug trafficking group Jalisco New Generation Cartel. sem/axm/dl/acb In March, President Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to declare Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang a foreign terrorist group. Shortly after, the U.S. sent 238 Venezuelans who it said were a part of the gang to El Salvador, where they were jailed for months in one of the countrys most notorious prisons, the Terrorism Confinement Center, also known as CECOT. Many of the men insist that they have no ties to the gang and were denied due process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After enduring months in detention, the men were sent home in July as part of a prisoner exchange deal that included Venezuelas release of several detained Americans. Venezuelas attorney general said interviews with the men revealed systemic torture in the Salvadoran prison, including daily beatings, rancid food and sexual abuse. The men have been readjusting to Venezuela, which most fled because of their home countrys political and economic instability. The Times photographed four of them Arturo Suarez, Angelo Escalona, Frizgeralth Cornejo and Angelo Bolivar as they got reacquainted with their families and life outside prison. Arturo Suarez records a song at a studio in Caracas' Catia neighborhood. He composed the song in prison in El Salvador. Arturo Suarez, 34 Suarez, a musician, was detained in North Carolina while gathered with friends to record a music video. Ten people were arrested that day. Inside the Salvadoran jail, he said, music was forbidden and guards beat him repeatedly for singing. But he refused to stay silent. He wrote a song that spread from cell to cell, becoming an anthem of hope for the Venezuelans imprisoned with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From Cell 31, God spoke to me," the lyrics go in part. "He said, son, be patient, your blessing is coming soon. Let nothing kill your faith, let nothing make you doubt because it wont be long before you return home." Suarez holds a heart he fashioned in prison out of tortillas and toothpaste, with letters made from threads of the white shorts he wore. This tattoo of a bird enabled his family to identify Suarez in videos released by the Salvadoran government. Suarez checks his phone beneath a poster welcoming him home in Caracas. I thought I wasnt going to make it out of there. I thought I was going to die there. Posters depicting Suarez and other Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador are seen in Caracas' El Valle neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Angelo Escalona, 18 Escalona had turned 18 just three months before Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained him in the same raid that swept up his friend Suarez, the musician. His dream was to become a DJ, and Escalona had saved up to buy equipment that he showed Suarez just before they were arrested. He had no tattoos and no criminal record. When the deportation flight landed in El Salvador, he and the other Venezuelans tried to resist being taken off the plane. "We all fastened our seat belts because were Venezuelans we werent supposed to be there" in El Salvador, he said. "But the Salvadoran police boarded the plane and started beating the people in the front." Angelo Escalona said that the other Venezuelan prisoners called him "El Menor," or the minor, because at 18 he was the youngest of the deportees. Angelo Escalona, a Venezuelan migrant deported to El Salvador by the United States under an immigration crackdown, poses for a portrait in his aunt's house, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 in Valencia, Venezuela. A poster family members held during protests demanding his release says, "Your family has not abandoned you." A poster the family of Angelo Escalona, a Venezuelan migrant deported to El Salvador by the United States under an immigration crackdown, made during protests to demand his release, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 in Valencia, Venezuela. Escalona's aunt displays a poster with a letter his mother wrote to him upon his release. "Son, I love you," it says in red. The aunt of Angelo Escalona, a Venezuelan migrant deported to El Salvador by the United States under an immigration crackdown, shows a poster with a letter Angelo's mom wrote to him upon his release, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 in Valencia, Venezuela. When we arrived [at the prison], they told us, Welcome to the real hell no one leaves here unless theyre dead.' A view of Caracas' Antimano neighborhood, where Frizgeralth Cornejo lived with his family before traveling north to the United States. Frizgeralth Cornejo, 26 Last year, Frizgeralth Cornejo crossed through seven countries and the Darien Gap, the dangerous jungle separating Central and South America, to reach the United States. He applied for an appointment with officials at the border via a U.S. app. But when Cornejo, 26, presented himself at the border and asked for political asylum, officials accused him of gang affiliation because of his tattoos. Everyone else in his group was allowed through, but not him. Frizgeralth Cornejo has lunch with his mother, Austria, and his brother, Carlos, in Caracas' Antimano neighborhood. , on Friday, July 25, 2025 in Caracas, Venezuela . Frizgeralth Cornejo , a Venezuelan migrant deported to El Salvador by the United States under an immigration crackdown, walks with his brother, Carlos, in the neighborhood of Sabana Grande in Caracas. , on Friday, July 25, 2025 in Caracas, Venezuela . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cornejo kisses his mother, Austria. Frizgeralth Cornejo , a Venezuelan migrant deported to El Salvador by the United States under an immigration crackdown, shows the neck tattoo that allowed his family to identify him in videos released by the Salvadoran government , in Antimano, on Friday, July 25, 2025 in Caracas, Venezuela . Caracas, Venezuela - July 25: Frizgeralt h Cornejo, a Venezuelan migrant deported to El Salvador by the United States under an immigration crackdown, shows the tattoo that U.S. authorities claimed this tattoo linked him to the Tren de Aragua gang , in Antimano, on Friday, July 25, 2025 in Caracas, Venezuela . I never imagined being imprisoned just for getting tattoos. A view of the neighborhood where the family of Angelo Bolivar lives in Valencia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Angelo Bolivar, 26 Bolivar was living in Texas when he was arrested by immigration agents and sent to El Salvador. His many tattoos are part of a family legacy, one he shares with his mother, Silvia Cruz. His late father had been a tattoo artist. His tattoos led to his imprisonment, he said, because authorities saw them as proof of membership in the Tren de Aragua gang. He is now back in the city of Valencia, about 80 miles east of Caracas. They said I was a gang member because of my tattoos because I had a watch and a rosary. Even though the ICE agents had tattoos of roses and watches too. Bolivar and his mother, Silvia Cruz, in Valencia. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The threat from a wildfire that engulfed a mountain in western Canada was downgraded Wednesday, with local officials saying there was "no longer a risk to life and safety" in the area. The Mount Underwood fire on Vancouver Island was one of several major blazes this summer in Canada, which is enduring its second worst wildfire season, based on data going back to 1983. Nearly 20,000 people in the city of Port Alberni, in British Columbia province, had been on standby to evacuate for more than a week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are deeply relieved that the fire has not grown and, with that stability, are rescinding the evacuation alert," Port Alberni's Mayor Sharie Minions said in a statement. "This has been a challenging event," she added. Across Canada, 7.6 million hectares (18.8 million acres) have been scorched this year -- an area roughly the size of Panama. That puts 2025 past the 7.1 million hectare mark from 1995, which had been the country's second worst wildfire season on record. But this year is not expected to pass 2023, when 17.3 million hectares burned, an extraordinary toll that focused global attention on the growing threat of wildfires boosted by human-induced climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mount Underwood fire was part of a worrying trend of increased wildfire activity near the coast. Experts have said that historically coastal areas did not burn, but more serious wildfires near the ocean are being recorded, even if they remain less intense than blazes further inland. Canada is experiencing a rise in conditions that are conducive to fires, experts say, linking the trend to climate change, which has caused elevated temperatures, reduced snow, shorter and milder winters, and earlier summer weather. bs/st Aug. 19TERRA ALTA Three men face felony charges following a violent altercation at a residence in Terra Alta on July 12 that left one man unconscious and another seriously injured. According to criminal complaints filed in Preston County Magistrate Court, a senior trooper responded to a 911 call regarding a fight on Sanders Street. Upon arrival, the trooper found a man later identified as Timothy Kenneth Zerfoss, 32, of 530 Imperial Way, Falling Waters, lying on the ground with multiple facial lacerations and visible bruising. Witnesses allegedly told the trooper that Zerfoss had been involved in a physical fight with several individuals. Investigations revealed that Zerfoss had been in a physical altercation with another man identified as JohnPaul Koch, 31, of 105 Sanders St., Terra Alta. Witnesses and victims said Koch punched Zerfoss, causing him to fall to the ground. During the incident, another individual, Stephen Nicholas Auvil, 28, of 308 W. Washington Ave., Terra Alta, allegedly joined in the attack and punched a third victim in the face, knocking him unconscious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The third suspect was identified as having joined Koch and Auvil in the altercation. Witnesses said this man used a metal jack handle during the fight and struck one of the victims while he was lying on the ground. One victim told police he was kicked in the head by Koch after being dragged into a garage. That victim was later found unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from a severe head injury. EMS workers performed life-saving measures before transporting him to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown for treatment. All three suspects, Zerfoss, Koch and Auvil, face felony charges in connection to the incident. The case remains under investigation by the West Virginia State Police. Magistrate Peggy Pase set bond for Zerfoss at $10, 000 and for Auvil and Koch at $25, 000 each. At least three people were killed in a Russian attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka, authorities said on Wednesday. Prosecutors in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk said four people were also injured in the attack on a residential area with a market. The Russian military reportedly used Smerch (Whirlwind) rocket launchers. The front line in eastern Ukraine lies just a few kilometres away from the industrial city, which had a population of over 70,000 before the Russian invasion in February 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only 8,000 residents are believed to remain in Kostiantynivka. Earlier, the public prosecutor's office in the north-eastern region of Sumy said more than a dozen people, including several children, were injured in night-time Russian drone attacks. Shortly after midnight, 15 drones struck a residential neighbourhood in the town of Okhtyrka. At least 14 people received medical treatment, including a family with three children aged from 5 months to 6 years. The severity of the injuries is not known. Among the buildings damaged in the attack were a block of flats, 13 detached houses, an outbuilding and a garage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public prosecutor's office has initiated proceedings for war crimes. Since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion in February 2022, civilian areas in Ukraine have come under intense bombardment. Sumy, a region that borders Russia, has been badly hit, with civilian casualties and heavy damage to infrastructure such as water and electricity lines. Ukraine has also conducted attacks on Russian territory with drones, focusing on military bases and supply routes. The latest attacks come amid intensifying US efforts to end the conflict, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin without any preconditions. KYIV (Reuters) -At least three people were killed in a Russian artillery attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka, local officials said on Wednesday, as Moscow's troops advance to encircle the strategic hub in Ukraine's industrialised Donbas region. Another four people were wounded in the attack, which Governor Vadym Filashkin said involved eight strikes from a multiple rocket launch system and targeted a local market. He called on residents to evacuate the city, which has come increasingly under attack as Russian forces close in from three sides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday alone, Filashkin added, Russian forces dropped 10 guided bombs on Kostiantynivka, which has long served as a crucial logistics hub for Ukrainian troops defending a key swath of the front line. "The Russians are deliberately striking to kill and maim as many civilians as possible," he said in a statement. Russia has denied targeting civilians, but thousands have been killed since its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian forces are pressing forward in a grinding offensive across much of the Donbas. The Kremlin has reportedly proposed Ukrainian troops withdraw from the region as part of a peace agreement, which Kyiv has flatly rejected. (Reporting by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Sharon Singleton) A merger of television station owners could leave Des Moines area viewers with fewer choices. (Photo via Getty Images) Iowa Writers 'Collaborative. Linking Iowa readers and writers. The announced merger of companies that own local TV stations will have a huge impact around the country, but especially in Des Moines where the combined company would own three local stations, including two of the top three. Nexstar already owns the largest number of local television stations in the country, more than 200. It owns WHO-TV Channel 13 in Des Moines. It announced plans Tuesday to buy Tegna, which owns 64 stations, including WOI-TV Channel 5 and KCWI-TV Channel 23 in Des Moines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (For context, Tegna, is a 2015 spin-off from Gannett, which owns the Des Moines Register. Back then, newspaper profits had slumped so badly they were dragging down the value of Gannetts profitable TV holdings, prompting the company to split its print and broadcast divisions.) If regulators approve, Nexstar would grow to a huge portfolio of about 265 stations. It would also blow right past ownership limits that the FCC has placed on stations for decades. Existing rules prohibit any station owner from reaching more than 39% of U.S households. The rules also prohibit any company from owning two of the top four rated stations in any market. A super-sized Nexstar will need federal approval to own both WHO and WOI, the second- and third-rated stations in Des Moines. The TV business has changed Station owners have been demanding an end to the limits for years. They argue tech giants like Meta and Google have sucked up so many advertising dollars that its unfair to artificially limit TV station consolidation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ted Stephens, retired general manager at KDSM-TV in Des Moines, told me television streaming has siphoned off many viewers. The broadcast business model has completely deteriorated over the last few years, Stephens said. Station mergers like Nextstar/Tegna are inevitable in order for the majority of lower-rated stations to survive. But media consolidation critics say these mergers come at a real cost to local communities, where fewer independent stations mean fewer unique voices, especially when it comes to local news. President Donald Trumps Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr has been advocating removing or at least loosening these so-called ownership caps. Now he has the chance to do it. Possible outcomes Here are three possible outcomes if Nexstar is allowed to keep WHO, WOI, and KCWI: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1. The FCC says no: Regulators could decide thats simply too much, and require Nexstar to sell off one of the stations to a different company. 2. Business as usual. Nexstar could continue to operate all three stations independently, maintaining separate staff, programming, and newsrooms. 3. Consolidation: Nexstar could find ways to combine station operations in some ways and trim expenses. It could decide to end WOIs newscasts and simply simulcast WHOs news on WOI. It could also do something short of that, like keep separate anchor teams and studios, but have reporters in the field produce stories for both stations newscasts. Why that matters to you That last scenario would impact news consumers the most. Although WOIs newscasts have historically garnered much lower ratings than KCCI or WHO, its still an independent voice in the community. If you, your company or your organization have a story to tell, and KCCI or WHO decline, theres a chance WOI might do the story. Under scenario #3, that would disappear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A single owner of WHO, WOI and KCWI could also work in tandem to increase advertising rates in the market, which your local car dealer or grocery store would not be happy about. And lets not forget the dreaded blackouts. When cable or streaming companies (like YouTube TV) cant reach a deal with station owners, stations go dark sometimes for weeks or months. WOI was off Mediacom for a full year over a retransmission dispute. With all three stations under one roof, Nexstar would have even more leverage in these negotiations. If those negotiations go south, viewers could lose not just one channel but three. To be clear, none of this is guaranteed. Multiple regulators will need to approve the Nexstar-Tegna deal. But the pressure is mounting from broadcasters who want to consolidate, from regulators debating old rules in a digital age, and from viewers and businesses who may be caught in the crossfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This likely is only the first of what could be a significant wave of deals. The media landscape in Des Moines and across the country could soon look very different. This column was first published by Dave Busiek on Media and is reprinted here through the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Editors note: Please consider subscribing to the collaborative and its member writers to support their work. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) After shaping the stage at Trinity Repertory Company for nearly two decades, its artistic director is preparing to depart from the role. On Wednesday, the theater announced Curt Columbus will conclude his tenure as the Laura H. Harris Artistic Director in the fall of 2026. He began his journey with Trinity Rep in 2006, following nearly 20 years of experience in the Chicago theater scene, and has since guided the company through more than 20 seasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over that time, Columbus directed more than 25 productions, ranging from plays and musicals to multiple performances of A Christmas Carol. Trinity Rep also hosted the world premieres for three of his own works: Paris by Night, The Dreams of Antigone, and Sparrow Grass. READ ALSO: Trinity Reps A Christmas Carol to be performed on a different stage While Columbus said he could stay at Trinity Rep forever, he emphasized that his decision is not one he takes lightly, nor is it sudden. In 2015, I first put together a succession plan. But it is time for new adventures, for me and for Trinity Repertory Company. I firmly believe that every artistic endeavor needs renewal and revitalization, Columbus said. The health of the theater and its artistry depends upon this kind of change. In the meantime, I hope you will celebrate with me, the work weve done together, and what the future holds. Trinity Rep. Artistic Director Curt Columbus (Courtesy: Marisa Lenardson.) Under Columbus leadership, Trinity Rep said its reputation has expanded both locally and across the country. In 2014, the Rhode Island General Assembly recognized Trinity Rep as the State Theater of Rhode Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trinity Rep said Columbus has also been a proud steward and tireless advocate for its historic home, the Lederer Theater Center in downtown Providence helping launch a major renovation effort in 2017. He also played a key role in expanding the theater companys commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and community engagement. Columbus has championed the vision to adapt the iconic and historic building to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. Columbus has played an integral role, not only in shaping this vision, but in supporting the fundraising efforts and ensuring that Trinity Reps home will continue to expand minds and hearts for decades to come, Trinity Rep said. MORE: Trinity Rep to hold childrens auditions for A Christmas Carol L to R: Former Trinity Rep Artistic Directors Richard Jenkins, Adrian Hall, Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director Curt Columbus (Courtesy: Trinity Rep) Board of Trustees Chair Kibbe Reilly said she is immensely grateful to Columbus for his persistence and passion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of Rhode Island owes a debt of gratitude to Curt for his commitment to community engagement, dedication to education, enthusiasm for the important work Trinity Rep does and inviting everyone around him to share in the pure joy of experiencing the theaters great stage work, Reilly said. According to Trinity Rep Executive Director Katie Liberman, Columbus has shaped the company for generations, bringing bold storytelling to our stages while deeply connecting us to our community. I am proud and ever grateful to have had the chance to work by his side in partnership, and to call him a dear friend. As I celebrate his extraordinary contributions and acknowledge my gratitude, I also look ahead with excitement to this moment of transformation, Liberman said. Trinity Rep is poised to build on our strong legacy of artistic excellence with a new chapter that continues to inspire, challenge, and connect with our audiences. A national search, led by Management Consultants for the Arts (MCA), is now underway to find the next artistic director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NEXT: Trinity Rep gives first look at $35 million renovation project Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. They are the hurricanes of legend, the bowling balls that cross the entire Atlantic Ocean, menaced ships of yore and make the long, curved lines on the hurricane charts. Cape Verde storms, named for the group of islands about 450 miles (725 kilometers) off the west coast of Africa, typically form from clusters of thunderstorms that move off the continent and into the Atlantic. With thousands of miles of ocean water above the 80-degree Fahrenheit (27-degree Celsius) temperature needed to fuel hurricanes, Cape Verde storms are some of the most dangerous that threaten North America. About 85% of all major hurricanes Category 3 and higher start out there, according to the National Hurricane Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are the media stars and certainly get a lot of attention because you can track them for a long time, said Jeff Masters, a meteorologist for Yale Climate Connections. But they also are a rare threat. Less than one out of every 10 of the storms crash into the U.S. The rest either fall apart or are curved out to sea by the north and east steering winds that normally prevail over the Atlantic. Now is the time to turn to the east Conditions need to be just right for Cape Verde storms to form and grow, keeping them mostly confined to August and September. Hurricane Erin is a Cape Verde storm. The National Hurricane Center is watching two more clusters of storms to the east of Erin that could develop into tropical storms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the atmosphere is too complex to know how strong those storms can be if they develop or whether any of them will threaten the U.S. Forecasters begin to lose confidence in their ability to predict the future of any specific storms more than a week out. It takes at least 10 days for a potential hurricane to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Warm weather and light winds help Cape Verde storms grow Cape Verde storms start over Africa where the hot dry air in the Sahara and the hot humid air over the Gulf of Guinea clash and create clusters of thunderstorms that move off the continent. The warm water is the first ingredient. Hurricanes also thrive with light winds above them that wont blow the thunderstorms away from the center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are the strongest because they have the most time to develop. The other storms can crash into land too early, Masters said. Researchers have spent the past several years studying the ocean and atmosphere in the far eastern Atlantic to get a better idea of why some storms form and some dont. In recent years, scientists have realized that dry air and dust from the Sahara in Africa blown into the Atlantic from the east can lessen the high humidity hurricanes need and inhibit their development. The dust can travel all the way across the ocean and settle on cars and windows on the U.S. East Coast. They travel about a mile above the surface, the winds are very strong, and the air is dry and hot. Thats a trifecta that suppresses hurricane activity, Jason Dunion, a scientist at the University of Miamis Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies told the university. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1 or 2 hurricanes a year are Cape Verde storms Some years may not see a Cape Verde storm at all. Some can see as many as four or five. But on average about one or two hurricanes a year are classified as Cape Verde storms, according to the National Hurricane Center. And they aren't the only storms to hit the U.S. The Weather Channel analyzed hurricanes since 1995 and found only nine of the 60 that struck the U.S. were the ones that track all the way across the Atlantic. The storms you remember The list of famous Cape Verde hurricanes has a lot of overlap with the list of the most memorable, powerful and deadliest hurricanes. There is the 1900 Galveston Hurricane that killed about 8,000 people in Texas and the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane that killed 2,500 in Florida. In more recent times, hurricanes Donna in 1960 in Florida, Hugo in 1989 in South Carolina, Andrew in 1992 in Florida, Ivan in Grand Cayman, Alabama and Florida in 2004, Ike in Texas in 2008, Irma in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Florida in 2017 and Florence in North Carolina in 2018 were all Cape Verde storms. LOS ANGELES (AP) Lyle and Erik Menendez have both been denied parole after serving decades in prison for killing their parents in a case that continues to fascinate the public. A panel of two commissioners held hearings for Erik Menendez on Thursday and Lyle Menendez on Friday. Both were denied parole for three years, after which they will be eligible again. The brothers were sentenced in 1996 to life in prison for fatally shooting Jose and Kitty Menendez in their Beverly Hills mansion in August 1989. They were 18 and 21 at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years they filed petitions for appeals that were denied. But they became eligible for parole after a Los Angeles judge reduced their sentences from life without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life in May, marking the closest they have come to freedom since their convictions. Heres a look at their case over the last three decades: 1990s and aughts March 1990: Lyle Menendez, then 21, is arrested. A few days later, Erik Menendez, 18, turns himself in. They are charged with first-degree murder. July 1993: The brothers go on trial, each with a separate jury. Prosecutors argue that they killed their parents for financial gain. The brothers attorneys do not dispute the pair killed their parents but argue that they acted out of self-defense after years of emotional and sexual abuse by their father. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement January 1994: Both juries deadlock. October 1995: The brothers retrial begins, this time with a single jury. Much of the defense evidence about alleged sexual abuse is excluded during the second trial. March 1996: Jurors convict both brothers of first-degree murder. July 1996: The brothers are sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. February 1998: A California appeals court upholds their conviction, and three months later, the state Supreme Court agrees. October 1998: The brothers file habeas corpus petitions with the California Supreme Court. After they are denied the next year, they file petitions in federal district court, which are also denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement September 2005: The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denies their habeas corpus appeal. 2023 May 3: Attorneys for the Menendez brothers ask the court to reconsider the convictions and life sentences in light of new evidence from a former member of the boy band Menudo, who said he was raped by Jose Menendez when he was 14. In addition, they submit a letter that Erik wrote to his cousin before the killings about his fathers abuse. 2024 Sept. 19: Netflix releases the crime drama Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, a nine-episode series about the killings. Oct. 4: Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon says his office is reviewing new evidence in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oct. 16: Multiple generations of family members of the Menendez brothers hold a news conference pleading for their release from prison. The relatives say the jurors who sentenced them to life without parole in 1996 were part of a society that was not ready to hear that boys could be raped. Oct. 24: Prosecutors say they will petition the court to resentence the brothers, and that it could lead to their release. Nov. 18: California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he would not decide on granting the brothers clemency until after the newly elected district attorney has a chance to review the case. Nov. 25: A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge holds a hearing regarding the request for resentencing but says he needs more time to make a decision, delaying the resentencing hearings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dec. 3: Nathan Hochman is sworn into office as the new district attorney of LA County. 2025 Feb. 21: Hochman says his office will oppose a new trial for the brothers. He casts doubt on the evidence of sexual abuse. The following week Newsom orders the state parole board to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment to determine whether the brothers have been rehabilitated and if they would pose a danger to the public if released. March 10: Hochman says his office will not support resentencing because they brothers have repeatedly lied about why they killed their parents. April 11: A judge denies prosecutors request to withdraw their resentencing petition. The following week, resentencing hearings scheduled are delayed due to disputes among prosecutors and the brothers lawyers, who say they will ask to remove Hochmans office from the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement May 9: Hochmans office remains on the case as the judge again denies prosecutors request to withdraw their resentencing petition. May 13: Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic reduces the brothers sentences to 50 years to life. They are immediately eligible for parole because they committed the crime under the age of 26. Aug. 21: Erik Menendez is denied parole by the California state parole board. Aug. 22: Lyle Menendez is denied parole by the California state parole board. Times are tough: 9 School Tools donations help teachers with needed supplies Classroom Central in West Charlotte was bustling with activity on Wednesday as people dropped off donations to help students in need this school year. These donations are crucial as they fill the shelves at Classroom Centrals warehouse, allowing teachers to shop for free supplies to support their students. Families are struggling. Economic times are tough, and our families just need a little support, a little something extra, said Kimberly Dillard, a teacher at Berryhill Elementary School. We actually dont require our families to provide materials and supplies for the classroom. So what we pick up here at Classroom Central is a huge help for teachers, because we spend a lot of money on things for students for the classroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED >> Even playing field: Channel 9 and Classroom Central team up for school supply drive Tracie McClain, a science teacher at Albemarle Road Middle School, described the experience as like its shopping at the mall. But its fascinating; Ive been doing it since 2004, McClain said. Its really a great resource for us -- some of our kids really dont have. Teachers in North Carolina spend more than $1,600 of their own money annually on classroom supplies, second only to Pennsylvania. Classroom Central allows teachers to shop for free once a month, ten months out of the year, with each item having its own limit. One teacher managed to obtain $1,500 worth of supplies in a single trip, while the most frequent shopper received over $12,000 in free supplies last school year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The donation drive continues through the end of this month, with new school supplies being accepted at Charlotte Fire Department stations, Ashley Furniture stores, and E-R Services locations. CFD rolled up with a truckload of supplies to Classroom Central. The department tells Channel 9 that taking care of the community is just what they do. Charlotte Fire is always looking for ways to interact with the community, not just responding to fire calls and EMS calls, but we gotta be a bigger partner within the community, so any way we can serve the community, especially children, were going to take part in, said CFD Battalion Chief John Lipcsak. You can get more details on donations at 9SchoolTools.com (VIDEO: Supporting you: Classroom Central packs record number of backpacks for Carolinas students) Neville Chamberlain, the prime minister of the United Kingdom in the years leading up to World War II, will forever be remembered as the fool who trusted Adolf Hitler. But Chamberlain, at least, did not clap his hands like a thrilled fan-boy as Hitler arrived in Munich for talks in 1938. Give him that much. President Donald Trump showed no such restraint when his old friend, Vladimir Putin, arrived for talks in Alaska last week. He had his staff lay out a red carpet, treating Putin as an honored guest in the land of the brave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ronald Reagan must have flipped in his grave, again. An American president was bowing and scraping to a former KGB agent who could be arrested for war crimes if he set foot in most European countries. Instead, Trump squandered American power by backing down. Just a few days before this meeting, he threatened very serious consequences if Russia continued to refuse a ceasefire. Putin ignored him, without consequence. As if to underscore his defiance, Putin ordered a ferocious attack when he returned home, just a few days after walking down that red carpet, hitting Ukraine with 270 drones and 10 ballistic missiles, perhaps hoping to break his monthly record for civilian deaths, set in July. TREAD CAREFULLY: FRAIL EGO AHEAD Reagans foreign policy was guided by the idea of peace through strength. Trumps is guided by his obsession to win the next news cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He brags that the talks over the last week, which left Ukraine exactly where it was before the talks, were a grand success. And European leaders, careful not to ignite another presidential tantrum, joined the farce on Monday at the White House, knowing that if they spoiled this show, Trump might again suspend the flow of weapons to Ukraine and cut off satellite intelligence for the front-line troops, as he did in March after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refused to grovel during his earlier Oval Office meeting. This time, the Europeans put on fake smiles and sucked up as best they could, tip-toeing around the frail ego of our child-president. Something has changed, thanks to you, said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. I really want to thank you for your leadership, said NATO chief Mark Rutte. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even Zelensky joined the party, wearing a kind of suit and hailing Mondays meetings at the White House as a truly significant step toward ending the war. RINGING HOLLOW FROM ATLANTIC CITY TO D.C. The best spin they could provide is that Trump agreed, for the first time, that the United States was willing to help guarantee the peace after an agreement is signed. Just two problems with that. First, Putins peace terms amount to a demand for surrender, and Ukraine will never agree to that. After swallowing 20 percent of its territory, Putin insists that Ukraine lower its defenses by shrinking its military and banning NATO troops forever, and that it must surrender more land in Donbas, an area that is home to more than 200,000 Ukrainian civilians as well as defensive fortifications that Ukraine has spent a decade strengthening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That would open a path straight to Kyiv, leaving a prostate Ukraine as a satellite of Mother Russia. Why is Trump not denouncing that? The second reason is Trump himself. What fool would trust his guarantees, given his long track record of wobbling and deceit? This is a character trait that was baked in long before he became president. Ask the contractors in Atlantic City who never got paid for work they did on his casinos. Ask any of his three wives. Ask the graduates of Trump University, who won a $25 million fraud settlement against him. As president, he promised he would not cut Medicaid, then imposed the steepest cuts in the programs history. He promised to cut the national debt, and is expanding it to record heights. He has repeatedly suggested that the United States might not protect allies against a Russian attack, despite the explicit promise in Article 5 of the NATO treaty. PUTIN NEED NOT WORRY Why would Zelensky let down his guard in favor of a guarantee from Trump? Can Europe trust that Trump would honor a pledge to protect their ground troops in Ukraine with air power? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of now, despite Trumps spin, Putin has good reason to sleep soundly at night. The bravery and ingenuity of the Ukrainians will go down in history, and they are making Russia pay dearly for every inch of territory. They have a shot at wearing out Putins war machine. But the math favors Russia. And now Putin doesnt have to worry too much about America. He has a sympathetic friend in the Oval Office who is blind to the moral dimension of this conflict, doesnt back up his own threats, and is allowing Putin to drive a wedge through the NATO alliance. The skilled deal-maker, it turns out, is not Trump. Its Putin. Moran is a national political columnist for Advance Local and the former editorial page editor/columnist for The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. He can be emailed at aquinas1222@gmail.com. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Tonawanda man has been found guilty of four different charges in connection to shooting a victim during an auto repair dispute in 2023, the Erie County District Attorneys Office said Wednesday. Detrick Gray, 42, shot a man during a dispute about an auto repair on Dec. 21, 2023. The previous month, a woman had taken her car to Grays auto repair shop on the 800 block of East Lovejoy Street. Gray agreed to do the repairs for $1,500. The woman paid the money and left her vehicle at the shop and he stopped communicating about the repairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting occurred when the woman and her boyfriend went to the shop to inquire about the car. During a confrontation in the parking lot Gray displayed a handgun. The boyfriend charged at Gray in an attempt to redirect the weapon. The boyfriend was taken to ECMC to be treated for gunshot wounds to his chest and shoulder. Gray suffered a gunshot injury to the hand. On Wednesday morning a State Supreme Court judge found Gray guilty of first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault, third-degree grand larceny and third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The trial took five days. Gray faces a maximum of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on Nov. 3. Prosecutors argued that Gray should be remanded, but the judge continued his release on $20,000 bail but ordered he be placed under probation supervision and wear an ankle monitor. Latest Local News Aidan Joly was named News 4s Digital Executive Producer in 2025. He has been on staff since 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. CHICAGO With next years midterm elections setting up a possible generational shift for Illinois representation in Washington, candidates and their supporters are on the streets collecting the petition signatures needed to secure a place on the March primary ballots. A slew of candidates are vying for four U.S. House seats being vacated by veteran members of Congress two of whom are retiring, while the other two are seeking to become Illinois next U.S. senator. The fourth House seat officially opened up when 83-year-old U.S. Rep. Danny Davis announced in late July that he would not seek a 16th term representing a district that stretches from downtown Chicago through the West Side and into the near-west suburbs. Davis long-anticipated decision came after 81-year-old U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowskys May announcement that she wouldnt run for another term in the seat shes held since 1999, representing much of the north and northwest suburbs. The wave of retirements began in late April, with 80-year-old U.S. Sen. Dick Durbins announcement that he wasnt seeking a sixth term. That created a domino effect for the congressional delegation when two incumbents U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg declared their interest in Durbins seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All four districts are held by Democrats, meaning the Democratic primary races will be the key ones to watch. But Republicans will also be making runs for the seats, hoping to flip at least one and help the GOP hold onto its razor-thin majority in the House. The primary for both parties will be held on March 17. Politicians still have time to throw their hats into the ring as petition signatures dont have to be turned in until early November. But here are the top candidates those who already hold elected office or are among the top fundraisers so far for the House next year in Illinois. 2nd Congressional District Stretching from 43rd Street on Chicagos South Side along the Indiana border south to downstate Danville, Illinois 2nd Congressional District has been represented by U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly since 2013. Next year, voters will decide whether to elevate a new leader or help a familiar face stage a political comeback. Here are those so far vying to replace Kelly, who told the Tribune in May that she did not plan to endorse her successor. Donna Miller, Democrat Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller entered the Democratic primary race for 2nd Congressional District on July 9 after earlier announcing an exploratory committee made up of south suburban mayors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Lynwood resident and Chicago native, Miller is in her second term as 6th District commissioner on the Cook County Board. Miller is also vice president of the Illinois Democratic Women organization, former president of the Democratic Women of the South Suburbs, and past board chair of Planned Parenthood of Illinois and its political action committee. My great-grandfather was a Pullman Porter; he helped build the Black middle class, Miller said in a video announcing her candidacy. My grandmother, mother and sister were all teachers, and my dad wore this countrys uniform his entire career. Ive carried that legacy forward. On the Cook County Board, Ive worked to expand health care access, lower costs and deliver better care especially for women and communities of color. Miller said shes running for Congress because Washington is tearing up so much of our progress for working families and giving tax breaks to billionaires. Robert Peters, Democrat A South Side native and community organizer, state Sen. Robert Peters of Chicago received an early endorsement from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont after Peters announced his intent to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat. That gave him an early leg up with progressives in the district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have a record and I have a personal narrative that I think really touches on where were at right now, Peters recently told the Tribune. The 40-year-old was born deaf and with a speech impediment, and he was influenced by his adoptive fathers work as a civil rights lawyer. More recently, Peters led efforts to pass the law ending bail for nonviolent crimes and measures to ensure protections for abortion rights in Illinois after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. A member of the legislature since 2019, Peters is a part of the Senate Democrats leadership team and the Legislative Black Caucus. Jesse Jackson Jr., Democrat Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in July created an exploratory committee on running in the 2nd Congressional District, the seat he held for almost 17 years before resigning amid a corruption probe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackson has formed an exploratory committee and said in a statement that it was his intention to secure a place on the ballot. The son of civil rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson and brother of U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned the 2nd District seat in 2012. He had been reelected just weeks earlier despite the revelation a month before the vote that he was under investigation by federal prosecutors and the FBI for possible misuse of campaign funds. The following year, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire and mail fraud and was later sentenced to 30 months in prison. He now hosts a talk show on WVON-AM. Willie Preston, Democrat State Sen. Willie Preston of Chicago filed paperwork in July to run for 2nd Congressional District seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Preston said Washington needs a new breed of leadership, not Twitter champions or the politics of the past dressed up in redemption. Preston serves as the state Senate chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. Yumeka Brown, Democrat A three-term village clerk of Matteson and a commissioner on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board, Yumeka Brown told the Southtown she is seeking to replace Kelly because she wants to elevate the mission in Congress to protect Medicaid, Social Security, the rights of women, and to guard against (President) Donald Trumps planned destruction of the Affordable (Care) Act. Brown has been village clerk in south suburban Matteson, Kellys hometown, since 2017 and was elected to the MWRD post in 2022. Last year, she unsuccessfully sought an appointment from fellow Democrats to replace Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough on the November ballot after the longtime party stalwart died while in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin also formed an exploratory committee to run for Kellys seat. Others who have filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission stating their interest in running for the congressional seat were Democrats Adal Regis, who worked in Kellys district office on grants, Eric France, a management consultant, and Jeremy Young, a former aide to Miller. On the Republican side, Ashley Ramos, who was the GOP nominee for the 2nd Congressional District seat in 2024, Calvin Coleman, who originally declared as a third-party candidate but later switched his affiliation, and Michael Scott Noack have put their names in contention, as has independent candidate Ashley Banks of Chicago. 7th Congressional District Beginning in Chicagos downtown and heading through the citys West Side and into the western suburbs, including Oak Park and Hillside, Illinois 7th Congressional District has been represented by U.S. Rep. Danny Davis since 1997. In announcing he was not running for reelection next year, Davis endorsed state Rep. LaShawn Ford of Chicago. Including Ford, here is a look at those looking to succeed Davis. La Shawn Ford, Democrat State Rep. La Shawn Ford of Chicago got an early boost in the race, with Davis endorsing his longtime Springfield ally as he announced his own retirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a joint news conference, Ford called Davis endorsement a strong affirmation of our shared mission to uplift and empower the people we serve. This campaign isnt just about securing your vote. Its about sending a firm message against Make America Hate Again, Ford said, altering Trumps Make America Great Again slogan. This agenda and the policies voted by many Republicans is harmful. We will boldly defend and expand civil rights, human rights and the dignity of every person in our state. A state representative since 2007, Ford is chair of the committee covering appropriations for higher education and an advocate for allowing hemp businesses to continue operating with regulations, ending ticketing in schools and bringing a supervised site for people using drugs to the West Side. In 2012, Ford faced a 17-count federal indictment alleging he lied about money he spent on a real estate rehab that resulted in him underpaying taxes by nearly $3,800. But in 2014, federal prosecutors dropped all felony counts without explanation and Ford pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor tax charge. He was sentenced to six months probation, ordered to pay back taxes and perform community service. Ford has said that after he paid off the tax required by the court order, he later, in 2014, received a U.S. Treasury check for $3,793, refunding the amount. He displayed a copy of the check to a Tribune reporter. Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Democrat Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin is taking another run at the 7th Congressional District seat after losing to Davis by more than 30 percentage points two years ago, taking second among a field of five candidates that also included progressive activist Kina Collins, who gave the veteran congressman a relatively close race in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lifelong resident of the district, Conyears-Ervin was first elected city treasurer in 2019 and won a second term in 2023 after previously serving a single full term in the Illinois House. She and her husband, Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th, are a political power couple on the citys West Side. If you send me to Congress to fight for you, Ill never give up until they are the ones that throw in the towel, Conyears-Ervin said in her campaign announcement. Those landlords? Theyre going to pay to fix those properties. Those billionaires? Theyre going to pay their fair share in taxes to fix our roads and our schools. And Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans? I will stand up to them because I work for you, not them. Conyears-Ervin has had to fend off allegations she violated the city ethics code by improperly firing two employees, among other accusations. City ethics officials later fined her a total of $70,000. Richard Boykin, Democrat A onetime Davis chief of staff who is still close with the congressman, former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin, filed July 10 to run in the primary for his ex-bosss seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boykin has been searching, so far unsuccessfully, for a way back into elected office since losing his 1st District County Board seat by fewer than 500 votes in the 2018 Democratic primary to now-Mayor Brandon Johnson. The Oak Park resident finished third in 2020s four-way primary race for Cook County Circuit Court clerk and lost by more than 50 percentage points in his 2022 primary bid to unseat Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, with whom he clashed as a leader of the push to repeal the countys short-lived pop tax. Boykin mulled a run for Cook County states attorney last year but never entered the race. Boykin told the Tribune he brings to the job both experience getting things done in Washington and a record of serving his constituents. People are losing what they believe is the American dream. They cant attain it, he said. So Im running for them. Jason Friedman, Democrat Business owner Jason Friedman, who has never held public office, is the former president of Friedman Properties. The company, which was started by his father, Albert, is a major Chicago development firm that has built properties in Chicagos River North neighborhood, which is part of the 7th Congressional District. Rory Hoskins, Democrat The two-term mayor of Forest Park, Rory Hoskins, leads a near-west suburb that lies entirely within the 7th Congressional District. Prior to becoming mayor in 2019, Hoskins was a village commissioner from 2007 to 2015. A Texas native, Hoskins was elected from the 7th Congressional District as a delegate for Joe Biden to the 2020 and 2024 Democratic National Conventions. He made an unsuccessful bid in 2023 to be appointed to the Cook County Board seat vacated by Brandon Johnson after he was elected mayor of Chicago. Im running for Congress because I believe the kind of progress weve made in Forest Park revitalizing our business corridors, improving public safety, and strengthening partnerships across communities can serve as a model for whats possible at the national level, Hoskins said in a statement on his campaign website. Anthony Driver, Democrat Union leader and political strategist Anthony Driver entered the race in early August, telling supporters in a text message announcement that he is running for Congress in Illinois because we need more fierce advocates for justice. Driver, a South Side native, is president of Chicagos Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, the citys latest attempt at police oversight. In his day job, Driver is the executive director of the Illinois State Council for the politically powerful Service Employees International Union. In his campaign announcement, he touted his work advocating for the citys $15 per hour minimum wage and for a new model of civilian oversight for the Chicago Police Department. Thomas Fisher, Democrat Dr. Thomas Fisher, an emergency physician at the University of Chicago and author, said he entered the 7th Congressional District race, in part, to address differences in life expectancy between the wealthiest and poorest parts of the congressional district. In addition to his work as a physician, Fisher served as a White House Fellow in the Department of Health and Human Services during President Barack Obamas administration, where he said he worked on reducing racial and ethnic health disparities. Others who have filed paperwork with the FEC stating their interest in running for the congressional seat were Democrats John McCombs, Kamaria Kali, Jerico Brown, Danica David Leigh and Tekita Martinez. As of early August, no Republicans had filed federal paperwork to seek the 7th District seat. 8th Congressional District A mostly northwest suburban district that goes north and west of Carpentersville and dips as far east and south as Rosemont, the 8th Congressional District has been represented by U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi since 2017. With Krishnamoorthi running for Senate, here are the main candidates looking to succeed him. Kevin Morrison, Democrat Once the first openly LGBTQ+ and youngest-ever commissioner elected to the Cook County Board, Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison of Mount Prospect announced in May hed run to succeed Krishnamoorthi. I believe in advancing policies that support families, and that everybody deserves a fair shot to get ahead, he said in his campaign announcement. Morrison snagged the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen of the 17th Congressional District, the commissioner posted on social media. Yasmeen Bankole, Democrat Hanover Park Trustee Yasmeen Bankole once served as a staffer in the office shes now running to lead, working as a congressional aide to Krishnamoorthi during Trumps first term, according to her campaign. The Hanover Park native also worked for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin for six years, she said in a campaign video. Ive seen whats possible when you put the people of Illinois first every day, she said. Others who have filed paperwork with the FEC stating their interest in running for the congressional seat were Democrats Junaid Ahmed, a technology business owner who ran against Krishnamoorthi previously; Dan Tully, an attorney and Army veteran; Christ Kallas; small-business CEO Neil Khot; Joseph Wentzel of Hanover Park; Ryan Vetticad of South Barrington and entrepreneur Sanjyot Dunung. Dunung served on the National Small Business Associations board of directors and on President Joe Bidens Foreign Policy Working Group focused on international trade. Ahmed has been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California. On the Republican side, Mark Rice, who has also previously challenged Krishnamoorthi, is also planning to run. 9th Congressional District From Graceland Cemetery on Chicagos North Side and running north to Wilmette and then snaking north and west to Crystal Lake, the 9th Congressional District has been represented by U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky since 1999. Schakowsky said earlier this year she will retire at the end of her term. Schakowsky, as of mid-June, had not endorsed any candidates to succeed her and a person familiar with her decision-making told the Tribune shes not intending to provide any endorsements in the race as she wants an open primary. Here are the main candidates looking to succeed her. Kat Abughazaleh, Democrat Progressive content creator Kat Abughazaleh is hoping to use her massive online audience and unconventional brand to earn the 9th Congressional District seat in Congress. The 26-year-old newcomer to Illinois got a head start on fundraising, bringing in more than $375,000 in the first weeks of her campaign on a pitch to run a different kind of race, based on mutual aid efforts. Shes also advocated for free child care and expanding Social Security. People think that this campaign is really online, because thats what my background is, she told the Tribune. But this is about our ground game. I know that might sound idealistic, but I dont care, she added. Bushra Amiwala, Democrat Bushra Amiwala, who became one of the first Gen Z elected officials in the United States when she joined the Skokie School District 73.5 board, is now eyeing a seat in Congress. Amiwala sees herself as a fresh perspective from a familiar face, she told the Tribune before she officially announced her candidacy. The Skokie native works at Google and recently graduated from Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management with a masters degree in business administration, according to her campaign. Daniel Biss, Democrat Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss previously served for eight years in the General Assembly and unsuccessfully campaigned for governor in 2018, losing the Democratic primary race to now-Gov. JB Pritzker. The second-term mayor immediately vaulted into a competitive fundraising position after his congressional campaign announcement last month, reporting he raised $350,000 in the first day. Hes also been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Downers Grove. I think people are looking for solutions. I think people are looking for someone who can demonstrate the ability to actually use government to improve peoples lives and create change and break through the cynicism, Biss, a former assistant professor at the University of Chicago, told the Tribune. Trumps election, he added, was a reflection of people who have given up and they figure governments not going to fix any problems. Laura Fine, Democrat Democratic state Sen. Laura Fine, of Glenview, has represented the area since 2013, the last six years as a state senator. Now, shes campaigning on her experience with health insurance issues, after she turned a family hardship into years working on legislation. Fines husband, Michael, lost one of his arms in a near-fatal car crash in 2010, she said in an interview. She traces her entry into politics to the ensuing struggle with insurance companies. I made taking on big insurance my lifes work, and I feel like I didnt let them ruin my family, and I was not going to let them ruin any others, she said. Fine has also racked up endorsements from at least 10 other members of the General Assembly in the first several weeks of her campaign. Hoan Huynh, Democrat Two-term state Rep. Hoan Huynh, who represents a North Side district that includes the Uptown neighborhood in Chicago, surprised many observers in 2022 when he emerged victorious from a five-way Democratic primary battle to replace retiring Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris. A political newcomer at the time, Huynh was up against a field that included establishment pick Eileen Dordek, a social worker and community activist who received contributions from many traditional party allies and even had Pritzker knocking on doors for her campaign. But Huynh ran a strong grassroots campaign and, in a state House district with a substantial Asian American population, had key backing from state Rep. Theresa Mah, who in 2016 became the first Asian American elected to the Illinois General Assembly. Born on a refugee base in Vietnam, Huynh immigrated to the U.S. with his family in the early 1990s and went on to an Ivy League education, earning a bachelors degree from Yale University and a masters from Harvard University. Im running because I believe the people of this district deserve a representative in Congress who understands the challenges working families face and who wont stop fighting for a future where everyone has a fair shot, Huynh, who would give up his seat in Springfield in a bid for the U.S. House, wrote in a social media post. Mike Simmons, Democrat State Sen. Mike Simmons, a Rogers Park resident and the first openly gay member of the Illinois state Senate, told the Tribune hes running because the communities in the 9th District have raised me, and theyre struggling. Simmons parents were small business owners and in the 1980s were one of the first Black families to move into the North Sides Lincoln Square neighborhood, he said. He founded a consultancy that develops anti-racist public policy, according to his Illinois General Assembly biography, and has held policy positions for elected officials, including former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The 42-year-old said he plans to help families who feel priced out of the district. As a legislator, hes been an advocate for public transit and in an interview highlighted his work to erase medical debt. I symbolize everything that Donald Trump is trying to erase right now, but the point thats really important is that this is going to be about so much more than Donald Trump. Its going to be about talking about those (affordability) struggles, he said. First appointed to his seat in 2021 and elected twice since then, Simmons isnt up for reelection until 2028, so he could keep the Senate seat if he doesnt win in the congressional race. Democrat Nick Pyati, a former federal prosecutor and former strategist at Microsoft, entered the race for the 9th Congressional District after most recent fundraising quarter ended, but his campaign said he raised more than $140,000 in the first day of his campaign. Democrat Bruce Leon, a businessperson and Cook County Democratic Party committeeman who ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Chicago Public Schools board last year, said hes running as a centrist option, including keeping support for the U.S. military, law enforcement and Israel among his top issues. Democrats Phil Andrew, a retired FBI special agent and crisis negotiator, Miracle Jenkins, who worked for Schakowsky as a deputy political director in 2018, Chicago resident David Abrevaya, Evanston resident Bethany Johnson, graduate student Lauren Million, civil rights attorney Howard Rosenblum and Justin Ford of Chicago and Jill Manrique, a former board member in Niles Township High School District 219, have also filed paperwork to run, along with Republicans Mark Su and Rocio Cleveland. Campaign finance reports filed in July showed Leon loaned his campaign $610,000, while Amiwala raised about $199,000 and kept more than $191,000 on hand. ____ The man tapped to oversee the Defense Departments operations in the Western Hemisphere appears to be linked to the promotion of fake news about national security in the Western Hemisphere. Perhaps thats the experience the Trump administration sought from Joseph Humire, now the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Western Hemisphere affairs and a former executive director of a think tank called the Center for a Secure Free Society. The Trump administrations own claims that the Tren De Aragua gang has been working at the direction of the Venezuelan government which it used to justify its efforts to deport Venezuelan nationals to a high-security prison in El Salvador have been debunked by U.S. intelligence agencies. A recent report from media organization InSight Crime found several examples of the think tank under Humire promoting demonstrably fake stories about the Venezuelan gang operating in the U.S. Per the investigation: While Humire was at the helm, the center began publishing a Tren de Aragua activity monitor, which purports to track crimes and arrests related to the Venezuelan gang across the United States. InSight crime identified five event entries in the tracker that appear to have been completely fabricated. For example, a story attributed by the tracker to the San Antonio Express-News alleged that a Tren de Aragua member named Marcus Antonio Vargas-Lopez robbed a convenience store at gunpoint. That story, however, appears to have been entirely made up: InSight Crime found no independent confirmation that this event actually occurred. The link to the article goes to an empty webpage, no other news outlets had matching coverage, and the San Antonio Police Department said it did not find anyone with that name in their records. Not a good look. Unfortunately, there was more where that came from: The three other false entries all dated shortly before or shortly after Humires congressional testimony follow the same pattern of being located in Texas and citing nonexistent newspaper articles as their source. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least the think tank appears to have acknowledged the errors. Its executive director, Leonardo Coutinho, told InSight Crime that the organization would work to fix the issue, the outlet reported, but he did not respond to questions about why and when the organization posted the false events. The think tank removed only one of the flagged events from the tracker, according to InSight. The Center for a Secure Free Society didnt respond to MSNBCs request for comment. Neither did the Defense Department when asked about Humires past role at the think tank. (InSight reported that Humire and the Pentagon also did not respond to its requests for comment.) In lieu of a reasonable explanation, it looks like the Trump administration has tapped someone who oversaw a misinformation mill for a top role at the Pentagon. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The Douglas VC-54C Skymaster was the first plane built specifically for use by the US president. "The Flying White House" became better known by its nickname, the "Sacred Cow." It operated from 1944 to 1961 with an executive conference room and elevator for FDR's wheelchair. Compared to today's luxurious Air Force One jet, the "Sacred Cow" might not look like much, but it marked a significant milestone for air travel and the office of the US president. The Douglas VC-54C Skymaster, nicknamed the Sacred Cow, entered service in 1944 as the first aircraft built for the president of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officially named "The Flying White House," it featured an executive conference room with a bulletproof window and an elevator shaft for President Franklin D. Roosevelt to board the plane in his wheelchair. It's also regarded as the birthplace of the US Air Force. President Harry Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 while on board, establishing the Air Force as an independent service. In August, I toured the Douglas VC-54C Skymaster at the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. It has been restored and opened to the public. Take a look inside. The Douglas VC-54C Skymaster was the first aircraft built specifically for use by the president of the United States. This Douglas VC-54C V.I.P. transport, called the Sacred Cow, was used by two presidents, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman. The plane was eventually retired in 1961. Museum of Flight Foundation/Corbis via Getty Images The first presidential plane was built at the order of General Henry "Hap" Arnold, one of the world's first military aviators who learned to fly from the Wright brothers, according to the US Air Force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only one VC-54C plane was ever built using a fuselage from a C-54A and wings from a C-54B. President Franklin D. Roosevelt flew on the plane just one time a visit to Crimea for the Yalta Conference in 1945 before his death later that year. His successor, President Harry Truman, took more frequent trips. Nicknamed "Sacred Cow," the plane was retired in 1961 and arrived at the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, in 1983. The Douglas VC-54C, also known as "Sacred Cow." Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The nickname "Sacred Cow" was a nod to "the high security surrounding the aircraft and its special status," according to a plaque at the museum." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Douglas VC-54C is now one of several presidential planes on display in the museum's William E. Boeing Presidential Gallery. My walk-through of the Sacred Cow began in the cockpit. The cockpit of the Douglas VC-54C Skymaster. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The plane was powered by four Pratt and Whitney R-2000 engines, each with 1,450 horsepower. At top speed, it flew at 300 miles per hour. The radio room was located just behind the flight deck. The radio room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The radio room featured a telephone that the president could use to communicate with staff on the ground. In the days before air traffic control, a navigator worked at the fold-out table to determine the plane's positioning and flight path. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The galley featured an electric refrigerator, a rare luxury on planes in the 1940s. The galley. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The galley, where crew members prepared meals, also featured a sink and stovetop. Extra fuel was kept in tanks in the cabin. Inside the Sacred Cow. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The Sacred Cow kept fuel on board to minimize the number of refueling stops due to security concerns. I was surprised by how narrow the walkway was between the fuel tanks, about 19 inches, according to the museum. A small conference area featured two chairs, a table, and curtains. A small conference area on board the Sacred Cow. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The cabin wasn't pressurized, so passengers had to wear oxygen masks when flying at high altitudes. Stacked above the conference room, a narrow bunk included a pillow, blanket, and seatbelt. A bunk on the presidential aircraft. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plane featured seven crew members and could hold 15 passengers. The executive conference room in the back of the plane functioned as the president's workspace. The executive conference room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider. The square window behind the desk where the president sat was the only bulletproof window on board. The room was equipped with a phone and a folding desk with the presidential seal. The executive conference room on board the Sacred Cow. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The room also featured a fold-out bed hidden behind the sofa and a private bathroom. A battery-powered elevator was built for Roosevelt to board the Sacred Cow in his wheelchair. The elevator shaft in the Sacred Cow. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The elevator shaft was located across from the executive conference room, allowing Roosevelt easy access to the space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Behind the executive conference room, more meeting spaces were built for the presidential staff. A conference room on board the Sacred Cow. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The area also featured another lavatory. The Flying White House is a small plane packed with history, making for a fascinating exhibit. The Sacred Cow. US Air Force photo by Ken LaRock Staff at the National Museum of the US Air Force spent 10 years and 34,000 hours restoring the Sacred Cow to its former glory. The display provides a rare look inside an early presidential aircraft and shows how far Air Force One has come in under a century. Read the original article on Business Insider Update: WSDOT posted that the crash has been cleared. The crash involved four vehicles, including a dump truck, and there were no reported injuries, Washington State Patrol Trooper John Dattilo told The News Tribune. Initial post: A crash on northbound Interstate 5 near the Tacoma Dome is causing traffic backups Wednesday afternoon. The crash at milepost 134.6 began at 2:07 p.m. near East L Street., according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. Two of the right lanes are blocked. HIGH POINT Hurricane Erin shouldnt have dramatic effects on the weather this week in the High Point area, though the same cant be said for the North Carolina coast, where some residents are evacuating and those staying are bracing for storm surge and high winds. Hurricane Erin chugged slowly toward the eastern U.S. coast Tuesday, stirring up treacherous waves that already have forced dozens of beach rescues days before the biggest storm surges are expected, and Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency Tuesday as North Carolina mobilizes resources and personnel to assist along the coast. But if Erin follows the forecast path, the massive storm will remain off the coast, so in the Triad its greatest effects will be making conditions breezy Wednesday and Thursday, said Brian Slocum, meteorologist with WXII-TV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Winds might gust at 20 to 25 mph, Slocum told The High Point Enterprise. Rain chances are a little bit higher, but were not going to see any rain bands from Erin coming in here unless something significantly changes with the track. And the track has been consistent for the last few days. Erin has become an unusually large and deceptively worrisome storm while moving through the Caribbean, with its tropical storm winds stretching 200 miles from its core.Forecasters expect it will grow larger in size as it moves through the Atlantic and curls north. Warnings about rip currents have been posted from Florida to the New England coast, but the biggest threat is along the barrier islands of North Carolinas Outer Banks, where evacuations have been ordered for Dare and Hyde counties. Erin is expected to produce tropical storm force winds, dangerous surf with waves of 15-20 feet, inundation to roadways and neighborhoods and rip currents along shorelines. AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said that the Outer Banks will receive the worst impact from Erin of any area along the East Coast of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coastal North Carolina could experience gusts of 40-60 mph between Wednesday night and Thursday night as the storm passes offshore, DaSilva said. Rough surf from Erin could cause significant beach erosion along the Carolina coastline this week. Some beachfront homes in erosion-prone areas could be damaged or even at risk of collapsing into the water. Slocum told The Enterprise that the High Point area and Piedmont Triad as a whole were fortunate with the track of Erin. A worst-case scenario is that this could have taken more of a northwest track and came in along Charleston and then into central North Carolina, Slocum said. Youd be looking at a Category 2 or 3 at landfall with 100 mph winds by the time it reached us. The fact that this is staying offshore is a godsend. Trial begins for current GA mayor, ex-trooper charged in crash that killed teens Testimony began Wednesday in the retrial of the mayor of Buchanan and former state trooper accused of causing a crash that killed two teen girls in 2015. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Mayor Andrew Scott faces charges including speeding, reckless driving and second-degree vehicular homicide. The crash on Highway 27 resulted in the deaths of Kylie Lindsey, 17, and Isabella Chinchilla, 16. The crash also injured two other teens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The jury was set this morning and given instructions before opening statements, Channel 2s Candice McCowan reported. Jurors were shown body camera footage from first responders that captured the frantic moments following the crash. The mothers of the girls who were killed became emotional seeing and hearing the evidence presented. Passengers in the car that survived the wreck gave testimony. Dillon makes that turn, Im still looking at my phone, put my phone down, look to the right, see headlights, the next thing I know, I wake up at Grady, Ben Finken said. The man who called 911 after witnessing the crash also testified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It didnt look good, because one car turned dead in front of the other car, right in front of them, the witness said. Defense attorneys asked multiple witnesses about alcohol, including Bremen Police Corporal Joseph Alexander, who was one of the first on the scene. I smelled an alcoholic beverage coming from inside the vehicle, he testified. This is Scotts second trial after a judge declared a mistrial in 2019, citing that prosecutors withheld evidence. Georgia State Patrol fired Scott for the crash, and investigators say he was driving 90 miles per hour without lights and sirens seconds before the crash. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] TAMPA A federal judge postponed the trial of Tampa media consultant Tim Burke amid concerns that the lawyers involved the case may need more time to deal with pretrial matters. U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle granted a request from Burkes defense to reschedule the trial, which had been reserved for three weeks in September. In a routine court hearing Wednesday morning, prosecutors and Burkes defense told the judge they expect the trial to take about two weeks. The main delay concerns efforts by the defense to obtain information concerning electronic privacy and security practices from various media companies and other entities listed as victims in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge asked the defense when they believe they could go to trial, if they get ahold of the enormous amount of material they seek. Early next year, if we work as hard as we can, defense attorney Michael Maddux said. The judge set another hearing for September to determine precisely when to reschedule the trial. Burke, a nationally recognized media figure who has worked as a journalist for Deadspin and The Daily Beast, is charged with 14 federal crimes. The allegations relate to his acquisition and publication of videos he found on a website for LiveU, a company that provides livestreaming services for TV networks. Some of the footage Burke is accused of unlawfully taking included unaired clips of an interview between ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, in which the rapper made antisemitic comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burkes defense has argued that he is a journalist and his acquisition and publication of the material are protected under the First Amendment. Theyve said he gained access to LiveU with credentials found on a publicly accessible website. A Washington man, Marco Gaudino, was charged with conspiring with Burke to unlawfully access the material. Gaudino pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Burke. Exactly when the case goes before a jury will depend on what a different judge decides on a request from Burkes defense to issue subpoenas. The subpoenas seek information regarding the privacy practices and data handling procedures of media companies and other entities who are listed as victims in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If a judge agrees to let the defense issue the subpoenas, it would take time for the companies to comply, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Trezevant told the judge Wednesday. The prosecutor also said he expects some of the subpoenas to be contested, which would spur further litigation in court. Also still pending is an order from Mizelle on the defenses second request to dismiss some of the charges on First Amendment grounds. The judge previously invited outside parties deemed friends of the court to submit briefs on that issue. Words of support for Burke came from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Support for the governments position that the case should move forward as charged came from a conservative group called the Internet Accountability Project. Mizelle said that she is working on an order addressing the dismissal request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another subject of discussion Wednesday concerned the need to obtain an impartial jury. The judge mentioned the publicity the case received as she talked with the lawyers about potential questions for the prospective jurors. Each side wants to ensure the jurors do not already have strong feelings about the case or any of the companies and personalities involved. Not discussed in court Wednesday was some of the unwanted attention Burkes case has drawn. Last week, he posted on social media a photograph of a cardboard box, apparently empty, that was left in front of his home. A message scrawled on top read enjoy prison. Asked about it afterward, Maddux said both the defense and prosecutors were concerned about the anonymous message and potential threats to Burke. Anything further will be dealt with harshly by the government, Maddux said. Save the hate. The world needs more love. A former Cherokee County bookkeeper is set for trial in December for the more than $430,000 found missing from the tax office in 2022. Charges include theft by a public servant, tampering with a governmental record and money laundering. The indictment, according to District Attorney Jonathan Richey, was obtained in May 2023. The case stems from information presented by the Cherokee County to the district attorneys office Jan. 12, 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An internal audit of the Cherokee County tax office found a discrepancy of $431,375.91. Jamie Shawhart, who was conducting the audit, requested a single document that was different from previous years audit requests, which led to the discovery. County Tax Assessor-Collector Shonda McCutcheon Potter later discovered a letter from the state comptroller with monetary amounts that did not match local records. A 2022 external audit reviewing the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2021, resulted in an unmodified or clean opinion. A single finding indicated there was a need for effective internal control activities over key processes. The county, in response to the audits recommendations, began requiring the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Different individuals will prepare, review and deliver bank deposits, with secondary review and approval documented. Any amounts collected by the tax office that are due to the county will be remitted on a weekly basis, or as soon thereafter as is practicable, based on collection amounts. All cash payments received by the tax office on behalf of the state will be reconciled to the Texas Department of Transportations Registration and Title System, the amounts for which cannot be voided or modified by county employees who receive cash payments. The countys internal auditor has begun comparing daily totals collected per the countys records and RTS each month, investigating any variances. Modification of the physical layout of the office to allow for increased line of sight between individuals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cherokee County Commissioners decided in January 2023 to accept the services of Flowers Davis PLLC, a law firm based in Tyler to pursue a civil case against the former employee in an attempt to recover the stolen funds. At the time, Cherokee County Judge Chris Davis said their services were offered pro bono in the matter. According to Davis, no civil suit has been filed as the county is awaiting the outcome of the criminal trial before proceeding. The purpose of a possible civil suit is to recover the stolen funds. Were just trying to protect the taxpayers, Davis said. If theres a conviction we want to recover whatever losses we can. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District Attorney Jonathan Richey said if there is a guilty verdict in the criminal trial, an order of restitution is one possible outcome. Should a restitution order result from the criminal trial, Davis said there will be no need for the county to pursue its civil case. Jury selection in this case is set for Dec. 8, with the trial to follow once the jury is empanelled. If Chris Smalls is still feeling the effects of his tumultuous five day stint in Israels Givon Prison, hes not outwardly showing it. He strolls through Brooklyns Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts alongside his assistant Julieta, admiring politically charged artwork by artist Esteban Whiteside before reaching a back room in the downtown Brooklyn space. I intentionally chose a private space to meet him, knowing hes on the frontlines of one of the worlds most contentious issues. In mid-July, Smalls boarded the Handala, a boat belonging to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a grassroots collective of organizers working together to end the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza, as their website notes. He and 18 other activists were onboard (with two Al Jazeera journalists) vying to give aid to Palestinians suffering at the hands of Israels continued assault on Gaza. On July 26, after being surveilled by Israeli drones that increased in measure toward the Gaza shore, the passengers were detained by members of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) who stormed the boat. Smalls and Flotilla organizer Huwaida Arraf claim that the IDF physically assaulted him, the lone Black boat passenger. Smalls tells me hes planning to sue Israeli authorities in the International Criminal Court for assaulting him and stealing his items. They stole my Apple headphones, and I have my evidence. I have it on my phone. The location is still there, he says. They abused us, and they deserve to be held accountable. IDF reps didnt reply to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite what he says he went through, hes open to taking another ride with the Flotilla. But first, he has work to do in other countries (he says hes already been to at least 29). Im going to continue shedding light [on] the situation [in Palestine] and building some type of international network where we can connect all these struggles, he says, with his hands clasped. Today, hes wearing a dark teal Amazon Labor Union shirt, a bevy of gold rings, a leopard print bucket hat, and several gold chains on his neck. He tells me his distinct fashion sense, an unabashed reflection of hip-hop culture, is an intentional choice to represent Black people in his work. Domestically, as the co-founder of the Amazon Labor Union, hes focused on supporting their push against their publicly stated demands for better pay, better benefits, and better working conditions. Hes also working on revitalizing the American Labor Party in time for the 28 election, which he knows will be extremely challenging. Its one thing to organize a union, but when youre taking on the government, trying to usher people out of the two-party plantation, thats when they try to assassinate Black leaders, he says. I have to keep that in the back of my mind, that Im a target. Huey P. Newton famously said, The first lesson a revolutionary must learn is that he is a doomed man. It feels like Smalls has accepted that possibility. Smalls outspokenness and willingness to hold power to account have made him a respected figure among other organizers. He began his movement work at Amazon, taking on billionaire Jeff Bezos and creating Americas first Amazon Labor Union. His fight as a labor activist became international news, resulting in him being named one of Times 100 most influential people of 2022. But he says he lost much of his following and establishment support when he began advocating for Palestine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats when I knew that I needed to go even harder because when you speak truth to power like I did with Amazon, thats when they try to come after you the most, he says. He speaks with a notable matter-of-factness on matters big and small. Even as he describes a traumatic incarceration, the allegations from Israel, and silence from would-be allies, he does so calmly, sitting with his hands clasped. Perhaps its his natural demeanor, or a consequence of being in the midst of a nonstop flurry of interviews since returning to New York we take a break toward the end of our talk so he can do another scheduled interview. Smalls grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, with his mother and younger brother. He recalls his area as pretty diverse with not too much crime, but notes it was a little rough in the nineties. A tri-athlete in high school, he transitioned to music after sustaining an injury during a hit-and-run accident. Rap was his next passion; he once performed at a Meek Mill show, worked with DJ SpinKing of New York radio station Power 105, and built a rapport with a pre-fame A$AP Rocky. (Smalls tells me new music and a book about his recent experiences is coming.) He says, at about 22, he got married and then had three kids, including twins, which compelled him to pause his rap dreams and apply for a position at an Amazon factory. It was at Amazon, where, after five years at three different facilities, applying for numerous positions to no avail, he realized the systemic racism within the company. In 2020, the then-supervisor led a walkout at Amazons Staten Island facility after they were exposed to Covid-19 for two weeks without their knowledge. He was fired the same day and subjected to a smear campaign, with Amazons general counsel David Zapolsky deeming him not smart or articulate, adding, and to the extent the press wants to focus on us versus him, we will be in a much stronger PR position than simply explaining for the umpteenth time how were trying to protect workers. The episode made national news, inspiring him to start his labor-activist organization The Congress of Essential Workers, which protested outside Amazon founder Jeff Bezos homes across the country and staged a May Day strike in 2020. That effort paved the way for him to establish the Amazon Labor Union, which was officially ratified in 2022 and made JFK8 the companys only unionized warehouse in America. TIME pondered if he was the future of labor. During a White House visit, President Joe Biden called him my kind of trouble. In December 2023, Smalls said he would not run for re-election at the Amazon Labor Union, though he says hes going to continue volunteering in whatever capacity they need me. (Michelle Valentin Nieves claimed to Business Insider that The membership has rejected him, and he has no support in the building.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smalls says the mainstream fanfare fizzled in late 2023, when he began speaking out against the IDFs relentless military action in Palestine. He happened to be in Berlin, in a largely Palestinian community, in October 2023, when Israel began their latest offensive after Hamas and other militant groups launched violent attacks on Israel on October 7. The headlines [were] more focused on [October 7], and youre getting one side of the story, he says. But the Palestinian people around me were being dragged away by the [German] police. They had the paddy wagon vans and Im watching kids that mightve been eight years old being pulled away from their parents, being put in zip ties. Im like, What the hells going on? He says seeing the brutality in person put Israels and Palestines decades-long fracture into perspective. After he spoke out against Palestines oppression, he says he immediately lost tens of thousands of followers and all of his planned speaking engagements. I was sort of canceled talking about Palestine, he says, adding that the pushback reminded me of what I went through [with] Amazon. When youre speaking truth to power, propaganda [tries to] censor what youre talking about. And thats what I felt with the Palestinian movement. People dont want to even hear about it. Its insane to see. Im like, theres something more sinister to it. So Im going to try to use my platform to amplify that. He went to pro-Palestine encampments in America and beyond on a mission to connect the dots between his fight against Amazon and what he calls a genocide in Palestine. He informs me that Amazon collaborated with Google to invest 1.2 billion into Project Nimbus, a cloud-computing service for the Israeli military and government. Amazon Web Services is the military-industrial intelligence for Israel [and] the United States, Smalls says. In 2021, nearly 400 Google and Amazon employees internally signed a letter condemning Project Nimbus, noting, we have watched Google and Amazon aggressively pursue contracts with institutions like the U.S. Department of Defense, Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE], and state and local police departments. These contracts are part of a disturbing pattern of militarization, lack of transparency and avoidance of oversight. (Spokespeople for Amazon and Google did not respond to requests for comment.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those connections are what led him aboard the Handala, an invitation he accepted with 24 hours notice. The Flotilla has sponsored 37 missions to Gaza since 2008. In 2010, they experienced a fatal raid at the hands of IDF forces, where nine of the passengers were killed, and 30 were wounded. This June, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg went on the Flotillas Madleen with 11 other people. IDF Forces intercepted the boat before it reached Gaza, detaining and eventually deporting the passengers. Smalls underwent a training session that primed him on the deadly risks on the Flotilla, and implored non-violence in the event of encountering IDF forces. He says roughly 40 people attended the sessions, but only 19 remained after the organizers vetted which people had the proper temperament for the mission. The international collective of activists set sail from Syracuse, Italy, on July 13, with the initial period spent acclimating to being on the water. Life on the boat was simple at first; they had two meetings a day, then spent the rest of the time cleaning the ship and completing other chores. Overnight, they rotated night watches. Smalls recalls, As we got closer to Gaza, I was on watch a few times and I would count how many drones would be over us. Sometimes itd be over 50 in a four-hour window. On July 24, the Federal Communications Commission announced that communication with the Handala had been jammed. And on July 26, the Handala was intercepted by Israeli naval forces while attempting to deviate from their path toward Egypt. Smalls says that the forces first stormed the boat with cameras, detaining them during a 12-hour ride to Israelis port of Rafah, where Smalls slept with one eye open. He recalls little interaction with them during that period besides screaming on the IDF to get a bed for Norwegian activist Vigdis Bjorvand, which they did. Upon reaching the shore, they escorted each person off the boat one-by-one, saving Smalls for last. Upon his exit from the boat, he says, IDF officers attacked him as he attempted to cover his face from the cadre of cameras filming the detainment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They threw me to the ground, put their knee in my back, twisted my arm behind my back, and then three on each side [held me up] while one of them was pulling my hair and using my chains to choke me to the point where I couldnt breathe, he says. They dropped me on the ground once, and then they picked me back up. Arraf, the flotilla organizer, says she briefly saw the soldiers attacking Smalls before she was forced into another area. They had Chris pinned to the ground, and I started yelling, What are you doing? she recalls. And they somehow picked him up and pushed him into the room that they were trying to pull me out of and pushed him up against the wall. And I was yelling and trying to push to get to him, and they dragged me out of the room. Smalls says five guards then took him in for processing, where they isolated him. He remembers that the exclusively college-aged soldiers didnt speak much English to him, but repeatedly told him, Im not your brother, Im the furthest thing from your brother. From processing, the group was split and sent to mens and womens prisons. He was relocated to Givon Prison, in a cell with six other people, where they struggled to breathe in a small room with few windows and sweltering heat. They were in 24-hour lockdown, isolated from the prisons other incarcerated people. Smalls tells me about the guards inhumane treatment: They twice raided his cell, on one occasion stripping everyone of their clothes. They repeatedly lied to them about the time. Occasionally, the guards would taunt the Flotilla group, leaving food in the cell (they were on a hunger strike), or telling them to get dressed for out-processing, before informing them that they would be staying in the cell. On his last day in the cell, Smalls says he was left alone for 24 hours, deprived of water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive never felt the amount of hatred and racism ever in my 37 years in America, he says. Theres no way anybody can convince me that Palestinians or people of color can live amongst Israeli people like that. It just resonates off em, the hatred. I seen how they were looking at me. It was not by a coincidence that I was one of the last to leave. They wanted to do more damage to me psychologically than anybody else. Smalls says that most of the incarcerated people he saw while being escorted through the prison appeared to be people of Ethiopian descent. Smalls and his comrades distracted themselves from the torment by talking among themselves about their favorite foods; he says he also repeatedly thought about getting back home to his family. At some point, he had begun hallucinating. When you hunger strike, your body changes chemically. I was hallucinating in a good way. Its more euphoric, he recalls. The Flotillas lawyers repeatedly called the U.S. embassy for legal assistance for Smalls to no avail. But after five days, with no charges, he was released from the prison, dropped off at the Jordan border. Even then, Smalls says that instead of receiving a deportation flight directly back to New York, his itinerary included a 48-hour layover that he believes was purposely meant to agitate him. When I ask him how hes maintaining a week after his incarceration, he says that besides a lingering bout with scabies, hes doing fine, adding, Its hard to say that Im dealing with anything physically, because even though they assaulted me, it still was a fraction of what Palestinian people go through. Discussing his plan to sue Israel for mistreatment at the International Criminal Court, he notes that the IDF told The Guardian he violently resisted, but havent released any raid footage like they did on the Madleen. I challenge them to release any footage that they have of me ever being violent, he says. Theyre once again reminding me of what Amazon did, trying to paint this narrative of me, [but] Im going to do what I can in my power to not only fight them on the ground, but legally as well. Smalls says that upon his return, hes disappointed, but not surprised, at the lack of support he received from the political establishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been in every major media publication you could think of, he says. Then you think about all the politicians thats in the New York City area, from the AOCs to [Zohran] Mamdani who went to my union hall a few weeks ago, theyve all been silent. I met Joe Biden and Kamala when they were in the White House. For me to meet these prominent Democrats and for them to be silent while Im in prison in a whole other country, it sheds light on whos your allies or not. And I always say this to people anyway: Politicians are not a savior. Its up to the community to save ourselves. Throughout his detainment, social media users bemoaned that there was a dearth of Black outlets reporting on his plight; Smalls says its a reflection of our community having the wrong priorities. Wed rather praise rappers and celebrities [who] dont push the culture when it comes to working-class issues, he says. Im not in spaces where my story should be for our community to see. And thats a shame because it seems like its [going to be] one of those situations [where] people are going to recognize me when its too late, when Im already gone or when Im no longer doing what Im doing. But that doesnt deter him. When I ask him how he first began navigating the organizing space, he says the ease in which hes assumed his role is a reflection of him being a natural leader. He tells me that as a musician, he organized his own shows, which would sometimes garner crowds of a couple thousand attendees. I remember those type of organizational skills, he says. You cant be taught. You have to just learn them from experience. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. [Source] Three Rhode Island men pleaded guilty earlier this month to their roles in a sophisticated burglary ring that targeted South Asian-owned homes across 25 Massachusetts towns, netting over $4 million in stolen goods. How they operated: The burglaries, which ran from July 2018 to March 2024, targeted towns such as Boxborough, Carlisle, Hudson, Lincoln and Weston. Investigators linked the men to a Providence-based criminal organization that employed advanced tactics, including Wi-Fi jammers to disable security systems and strategic surveillance to strike when residents were away. In some homes, the burglars managed to remove locked safes weighing as much as 400 pounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The men were arrested at their homes in April 2024 following a nine-month investigation. Stolen property included individual pieces worth up to $75,000, ranging from diamond jewelry and precious gems to gold items and substantial cash amounts. Pleas and sentences: Brothers Jovan and Paul Lemon pleaded guilty to 32 counts of unarmed burglary and three counts of breaking and entering a dwelling house in the daytime with intent to commit a felony. Meanwhile, Berdugo pleaded guilty to seven counts of unarmed burglary. Judge Patrick Haggan sentenced Jovan to 10 to 13 years at the Massachusetts Department of Correction, while Paul and Berdugo each received 9 to 12 years at the Massachusetts House of Correction. Trending on NextShark: 1 in 4 Gen Z workers regret college, survey finds Why this matters: Authorities described the criminal enterprise as a bias-driven operation that traumatized South Asian families throughout Massachusetts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These three defendants pled guilty to their role in a sophisticated and calculated scheme that targeted victims based upon their ethnicity and caused fear and pain in our Indian and South Asian communities, said Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. The defendants believed that households of these families were more likely to contain precious metals, jewelry and other valuable heirlooms. A fourth defendant, Paul Miller, is scheduled to face trial in October. Trending on NextShark: Trio targeted South Asian homes in $4 million Massachusetts burglary ring This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Korean TikTok star convicted of sexual assault resumes posting to millions of followers Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! A Broward County judge ruled on Monday that Nathan Gingles, the man facing the death penalty in the Feb. 16 triple murders in Tamarac, cant afford private attorneys and will keep his current defenders, despite prosecutors arguments to the contrary. Gingles, 43, is facing three counts of first-degree murder in the shootings of his estranged wife, Mary Gingles; her father, David Ponzer; and a neighbor Andrew Ferrin, who was shot when Mary Gingles ran into his home while trying to get away. After allegedly shooting Ponzer first, Nathan Gingles followed Mary Gingles through her Tamarac neighborhood with a gun and the couples 4-year-old daughter as Mary Gingles ran from home to home seeking refuge. In the months before her murder, Mary Gingles repeatedly sought help from the Broward Sheriffs Office and through the judicial system, writing in one court record that she believed her husband would kill her before the end of February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public defenders office was initially appointed to represent Gingles, but the office quickly withdrew due to a conflict of interest because its attorneys previously represented Ferrin in a case. Since then, Gingles has been represented by attorneys with the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel. Prosecutors recently raised concerns that Gingles was not eligible to be represented by public defenders because he could afford private attorneys. At a hearing Friday, Assistant State Attorney Kristine Bradley pointed to Gingless jail phone calls where he called his attorneys Kaitlin Gonzalez and Maury Halperin corrupt and talked about hiring Vanessa Lezcano, a Miami family law attorney who represented him in past proceedings involving Mary Gingles. Theyre in the same office building as all the other dirtbags here, Gingles said of his attorneys in one jail call from June that was played to the courtroom Friday. My own counsel is flat-out lying to me. I want counsel that does their job. Judge Marina Garcia-Wood wrote in her order Monday that most of the jail calls played at the hearing were irrelevant to the issue. Gingles receives $3,900 a month in veterans benefits, has $102,000 in debt and owns no personal property other than a car valued at $6,000, which has been impounded, according to an application for indigent status he signed on Aug. 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gingles and his sister previously received a $200,000 inheritance from their mother, but they both had transferred their halves back to the trust well before the February murders, according to the judges order. Gingles attorneys testified that he tried to hire a private attorney to represent him, but the attorney required a $250,000 retainer, which he could not afford, the judges order said. Gingles faces the death penalty in each of the three separate murder charges and is also facing additional charges of kidnapping, child abuse and violation of a domestic violence injunction. In one call, the person to whom Gingles was talking suggested that Lezcano could help represent Gingles pro bono, but there was no evidence in the call that the attorney would actually do so nor if her firm even handles capital murder cases, Garcia-Wood wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garcia-Wood wrote that a private attorney would most likely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or more in Gingles case. As noted, Defendants current financial status would make him unable to pay for the services of private counsel in this exceptional case, the judge wrote. Without question, this is a difficult case and not a typical felony or capital case. Sun Sentinel staff writer Shira Moolten contributed to this report. A semi-truck driver accused of killing three people on Floridas Turnpike will return to Florida to face criminal charges. Deputies said Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn last week on the Turnpike in Saint Lucie County, which led to the horrific accident. Investigators said a minivan collided with the truck Singh was driving, killing all three people inside. Singh flew to California after the crash and was arrested there by law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He made his first appearance in court on Tuesday and was ordered to be returned to Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol said they also issued an ICE detainer on Singh after finding that he entered the U.S. illegally through the Mexico border in 2018. Singh is facing three counts of vehicular homicide. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Donald Trump could use a 10 per cent levy on weapons sales to Europe to fund US security guarantees for Ukraine, his treasury secretary has said. Scott Bessent revealed that the president had increased the price of US military hardware being bought by European countries for Ukraine by 10 per cent. We are selling arms to Europeans, who are then selling them on to the Ukrainians, and President Trump is taking 10 per cent mark-up on the arms, Mr Bessent told Fox News. So maybe that 10 per cent will cover the cost of the air cover. Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, suggested the arms mark-up could meet the USs costs in supporting Ukraine - Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters Earlier this week, Mr Trump said he would be willing to use US air power to support a European security force in Ukraine as part of any settlement to end the war with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement European nations have already pledged to buy at least $10bn in American-made military equipment for Kyiv in recent weeks. Ukraine has also tabled a proposal that would see the country promise to buy a further $90bn worth of hardware after its war with Russia comes to an end. Mr Trump has insisted for some time that he will no longer spend US taxpayers money on supporting Ukraine, the defence of which he believes is a problem for European nations. Nato military leaders hold summit Planning for a multinational force to be sent to Ukraine has been accelerated after the US president signalled he would be willing to contribute during talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, and European leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the British chief of defence staff, was in Washington on Wednesday for talks with his US counterpart, General Dan Caine, the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff. They joined a virtual meeting of Natos military leaders as diplomatic efforts to secure peace in Ukraine progress, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, an Italian admiral who heads the alliances military committee, said. The plans being discussed would see a European force train and develop Ukraines armed forces, while securing its skies and seas. Around 10 nations have shown a willingness to join the deployment, including Britain, France and Germany. US-made Patriot air defence systems have been sent to Kyiv by European nations - Stringers/Reuters Mr Trump has signalled he could join bolstered plans for Article Five-like assurances for Kyiv a reference to Natos mutual defence clause that states an attack on one member is an attack on them all. But he has ruled out putting American boots on the ground as part of assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the suggestion of a European peacekeeping force stationed in Ukraine has been met with veiled rejections from Moscow. Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister, warned that discussion of security guarantees without the Kremlins involvement was a road to nowhere. Russia signals peace deal not close Russias top diplomat suggested that any guarantees should be on the basis of Russian demands from initial peace talks in the spring of 2022, which gave Moscow a veto over any military aid for Kyiv. We cannot agree with the fact that now it is proposed to resolve questions of security, collective security, without the Russian Federation. This will not work, said Mr Lavrov on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am sure that in the West, and above all in the United States, they understand perfectly well that seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is a utopia its a road to nowhere. This week, Moscow also issued a categorical rejection of any scenarios involving the deployment of Nato troops in Ukraine. In a sign that a peace deal is not within reach, Mr Lavrov accused the European leaders who met Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky of carrying out a fairly aggressive escalation of the situation, rather clumsy and, in general, unethical attempts to change the position of the Trump administration and the president of the United States personally. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. President Trumps senior moments have seen him confuse several land-based locations, but now his possible cognitive slide seems to have extended offshore. During a Tuesday morning interview on Fox and Friends, Trump discussed his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and seemed to forget the name of the ocean that separates the U.S., Europe and Russia. Trump said that European leaders like Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron are consumed far more with [Ukraine] because theyre right there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know we have an ocean thats separating us, right? A thing called... an ocean, he said. A big, beautiful ocean. And, uh, they dont, theyre right there. So its a different kind of a thing for them. President Trump met with European leaders on Monday, including Keir Starmer (second from left) and Emmanuel Macron (fourth from right). Trump seemed to forget the name of the ocean that separates the U.S. from Russia on Tuesday. / Ukrainian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images Trump possibly appeared to be referring to the Atlantic, which separates the U.S. from Europe and the west of Russia. The U.S. is, however, also separated from Russia to the west by the Bering Sea. The coast of the mainland of Alaska, where Trump and Putin met last Friday, is separated by 55 miles of sea from the eastern coast of Russia. At the closest point of any land, Alaskas Little Diomede Island is separated from Russias Big Diomede Island by 2.4 miles of open waterwhich turns to ice capable of bearing human weight in winter. Infamously, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said that you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska in 2008, providing fodder for a viral SNL spoof starring Tina Fey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump considered offering Palin a cabinet position in his first administration, but his knowledge of her home state seems to have grown fuzzier since 2016. At a press conference last week, Trump said twice that he was going to Russia, leaving Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to explain why the president didnt seem to remember that his meeting with Putin was being held on American soil. Trump met with Vladimir Putin (L) in Anchorage, Alaska on Friday. The meeting yielded no immediate deal to stop the fighting in Ukraine. / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images On Tuesday, the Fox hosts allowed Trump to bulldoze through his lapse, as he continued to ramble about negotiations with Ukraine and how the war is Joe Bidens fault. It was always thought that Ukraine was sort of a buffer between Russia and the rest of Europe. And it was, it was a big wide buffer. Everything worked out well until Biden got involved, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden gave them $100 billion right up front, I dont give them anything... since Ive been there, we dont pay. In fact, the Trump administration has largely kept the Biden administrations military aid to Ukraine intact, delivering $6.2 billion in weapons to the country in the first half of this year. After promising dozens of times during the 2024 campaign that he would end the war within 24 hours, Trump has found it more difficult than expected to broker peace. I have ended six wars. I thought maybe this would be the easiest one, and its not the easiest one, he said on Monday. Its a tough one. It could remain tough sledding for Trump if his geographic recall doesnt improve. The White House declined to answer stupid questions about oceans. The Trump administration is proposing a new rule that would bar people with outstanding college loans from relief on that debt if their employers were found to be "undermining national security and American values through illegal means." The proposed rule, announced Monday by the Department of Education, would restrict people from participating in the federal Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program if the organization they work for is found to be engaging in certain illegal activities. "President Trump has given the Department a historic mandate to restore the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to its original purpose supporting public servants who strengthen their communities and serve the public good, not benefiting businesses engaged in illegal activity that harm Americans," Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The loan program, which was launched in 2007 under President George W. Bush, is aimed at helping public employees such as teachers and police officers shed student loan debt. The proposed rule lists some examples of what sorts of activities would be considered illegal, potentially resulting in an organization's workers being excluded from the public service loan program. Those include assessments that an organization is aiding and abetting terrorism, violations of immigration laws, and what the rule describes as the "chemical and surgical castration or mutilation of children." If an individual with outstanding student loans works for an employer deemed ineligible for the PSLF, the person could still participate in the program but would have to switch to an eligible employer, according to the proposed rule. President Trump spurred the new rulemaking process in March by issuing an executive order that directed the Secretary of Education to revise the public service loan forgiveness program. The Education Department is soliciting public comments on the proposed rule until Sept. 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House and the Education Department didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The Department of Education said the proposed regulations are necessary to preserve the original intent of the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program, which is to reward public service. The agency also said it wants to protect Americans to ensure their tax dollars do not support organizations engaged in "unlawful activity." "The proposed rules would halt PSLF benefits to employees of organizations that are undermining national security and American values through illegal means, and therefore not providing a public service," the Education Department said in a statement. Critics of the draft regulation said it would allow Education Department officials to improperly exclude some public servants from loan relief under the federal program. The Student Borrower Protection Center, an advocacy group, said in a July blog post that the rule would give the Education Department broad authority to restrict funding to groups whose work conflicts with the Trump administration's agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To be clear, if implemented this proposal would allow the secretary [of education] to disqualify from PSLF any employees of school systems that accurately teach the U.S.' history of slavery, of health care providers who offer gender-affirming care and of legal aid organizations that represent individuals against unlawful deportations," Winston Berkman-Breen, legal director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, said in a June 30 public hearing on the proposal. Introduced as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, the public service loan program cancels outstanding debt for borrowers who make 120 monthly payments, or 10 years worth of payments. Currently, the program provides benefits to all government employers and all qualifying 501(c)(3) employers. Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine Wyoming launches state-issued stablecoin North Carolina working to secure shoreline ahead of Hurricane Erin A federal appeals court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to end temporary deportation protections for more than 60,000 people from Nicaragua, Honduras and Nepal at least for now. A lower court last month blocked the Department of Homeland Security from ending Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for the three countries until at least mid-November to give the court more time to weigh the issue. The judge sided with plaintiffs who argued the Trump administration's plan to wind down TPS was "motivated by racial animus." But on Wednesday, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit put that ruling on hold pending appeal. The order which was issued by a panel of three judges nominated under the Clinton, Bush and first Trump administrations did not offer a rationale for the decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tens of thousands of migrants from Nicaragua, Honduras and Nepal rely on TPS, a program that grants temporary reprieve from deportation and work permits to people whose home countries are deemed unsafe due to war or natural disaster. If they don't have any other means to stay in the U.S. legally like a green card or an asylum application those who lose their TPS are no longer eligible to work in the country lawfully and are at risk of deportation. Prior to last month's ruling, the Trump administration sought to end TPS for Nepal on Aug. 5, and for Nicaragua and Honduras in early September. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California one of the organizations that sued the administration over the TPS decision called Wednesday's ruling "devastating." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I am heartbroken by the court's decision," Sandhya Lama, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said in a statement released by the ACLU. "I've lived in the U.S. for years, and my kids are U.S. citizens and have never even been to Nepal. This ruling leaves us and thousands of other TPS families in fear and uncertainty." DHS called the ruling a "significant legal victory" in a statement. "Temporary Protected Status was always meant to be just that: Temporary," DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said. "TPS was never meant to be a de facto asylum system, yet that is how previous administrations have used it for decades while allowing hundreds of thousands of foreigners into the country without proper vetting." Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has sought to wind down TPS for hundreds of thousands of migrants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Venezuela and other countries, arguing their protections have been in place for too long or that conditions in those nations have improved enough to allow their nationals to return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration, for example, has noted that the TPS programs for Honduras and Nicaragua were first created in 1999, after Hurricane Mitch caused catastrophic floods and killed thousands in Central America. The TPS program for Nepal was announced in 2015, after an earthquake hit the small Asian country. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has said all three countries have recovered from those environmental disasters. But San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson said last month the TPS holders who sued Noem were likely to succeed in arguing that her decisions were "preordained" actions that did not fully consider lingering conditions in Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua. The judge also referenced a comment made by President Trump during the 2024 campaign in which he said migrants entering the U.S. illegally were "poisoning the blood of our country." Hurricane Erin sparking storm surge warnings as it starts to move away from North Carolina Trump responds after New York court tosses $527 million civil fraud penalty What to expect from a potential California redistricting special election The Trump administration escalated its fight against the International Criminal Court by imposing sanctions on four more court officials involved in work related to alleged Israeli and US war crimes. In a statement Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department was designating Kimberly Prost of Canada, Nicolas Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal for their work in the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of either nation. The sanctions were imposed under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in February that authorizes punitive measures like sanctions and possible entrance bans on ICC personnel because of its illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel. The executive order was already used to sanction ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan and four ICC judges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a State Department fact sheet, Prost, an ICC judge is being designated for ruling to authorize the ICCs investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. Guillou, another judge, is being designated for ruling to authorize the ICCs issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, the fact sheet said. Deputy Prosecutors Shameem Khan and Niang are being designated for continuing to support illegitimate ICC actions against Israel, including upholding the ICCs arrest warrants targeting Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant since they assumed leadership for the ICCs Office of the Prosecutor, it said. The ICC slammed the Trump administration for issuing the sanctions, warning the decision amounts to a flagrant attack on the institution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The International Criminal Court deplores the announcement of new designations for sanctions by the US administration, the ICC said in a statement. These sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution, the ICC added. The Court stands firmly behind its personnel and victims of unimaginable atrocities. The ICC will continue fulfilling its mandates, undeterred, in strict accordance with its legal framework as adopted by the States Parties and without regard to any restriction, pressure or threat. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant in November 2024 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also signed an executive order authorizing sanctions and visa restrictions for members of the court during his first term in 2020, months after the ICC authorized a probe into alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan by US and Afghan forces as well as alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Taliban. Netanyahu lauded the sanctions, calling the move a step towards truth and justice. This is a firm measure against the mendacious smear campaign against the State of Israel and the IDF, and for truth and justice, Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday. But France urged the US to drop the sanctions as it reaffirmed its unwavering support for the judicial institution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France calls on the United States to withdraw all sanctions, Frances foreign ministry said in a statement. France expresses its solidarity with the judges targeted by this decision and reaffirms its unwavering support for the ICC and its staff. Their role is essential in the fight against impunity. This story has been updated with additional details. CNNs Tamar Michaelis, Sana Noor Haq and Pierre Bairin contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, said Tuesday in a memo posted on X that the Trump administration is revoking the security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials. She accused them of having engaged in the "politicization or weaponization of intelligence" to advance personal or partisan goals, failing to safeguard classified information, failing to "adhere to professional analytic tradecraft standards" and other "detrimental" conduct that she did not describe in the memo. The memo offered no evidence to support the accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the officials who were targeted left the government years ago after serving in both senior national security positions and lower-profile roles out of the public eye. Sam Vinograd, who was assistant secretary for counterterrorism, threat prevention and law enforcement policy in the Department of Homeland Security, is among the 37 former officials. She is also a national security contributor for CBS News. She has not yet responded to Gabbard's memo. Some of the officials worked on matters that have long infuriated President Trump, like the intelligence community assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election on his behalf. And several showed their concerns about Mr. Trump by signing a critical letter in 2019 that was highlighted on social media last month by right-wing provocateur and close Trump ally Laura Loomer. The action reflects Mr. Trump's ongoing distrust of career intelligence officials whom he perceives as working against his interests. The revocation of clearances is a tactic the administration has used before it has revoked the clearances of former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and several others. Critics say the tactic risks chilling dissenting voices from an intelligence community accustomed to drawing on a range of viewpoints before formulating an assessment. In Mr. Trump's first term, he revoked former CIA Director John Brennan's clearance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These are unlawful and unconstitutional decisions that deviate from well-settled, decades-old laws and policies that sought to protect against just this type of action," Mark Zaid, a national security lawyer whose own clearance has been revoked by the Trump administration, said in a statement. He called it hypocritical for the administration to "claim these individuals politicized or weaponized intelligence." Gabbard on Tuesday sought to defend the move, which she said had been directed by Mr. Trump. "Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right," she wrote on X. "Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent weeks, Gabbard and other Trump administration officials have revisited the intelligence community assessment published in 2017 on Russian election interference, including by declassifying a series of years-old documents meant to cast doubt on the legitimacy of its findings. Multiple government investigations have reached the same conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in sweeping fashion, including through a hack-and-leak operation of Democratic emails and a social media campaign aimed at sowing discord and swaying public opinion. But Mr. Trump has long resisted the assessment that Russian President Vladimir Putin interfered in his favor, and his Justice Department has authorized a grand jury investigation that could bring fresh scrutiny to Obama-era officials. Security clearances are important not only for current government workers but also former employees whose private-sector jobs require them to retain access to sensitive information. Stripping clearances from such employees could make it hard for them to do their jobs, though it's unclear how many of the former officials still have or require one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On his first day of office, Mr. Trump said he would revoke the security clearances of the more than four dozen former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter saying that the Hunter Biden laptop saga bore the hallmarks of a "Russian information operation." Mr. Trump has attempted to revoke the security clearances for lawyers at a number of prominent law firms but was rebuffed by federal judges. Some of those who were targeted in the latest action were part of Biden's national security team. Many only learned of the Gabbard action from news reports Tuesday, two former government officials who were on the list told the Associated Press. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity as they consider whether to take legal action. Trump sounds off on potential security guarantees for Ukraine Wyoming launches state-issued stablecoin North Carolina working to secure shoreline ahead of Hurricane Erin Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard speaks to reporters at the White House on July 23, 2025. Credit - Chip SomodevillaGetty Images The Trump Administration has revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former U.S. government officials. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard publicly shared a memo confirming the revocation and the reasoning behind it, stating that it was carried out under the direction of President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Gabbard, the officials in question are intelligence professionals who have abused the public trust by politicizing and manipulating intelligence, leaking classified intelligence without authorization, and/or committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards. She did not provide evidence pertaining to this, nor did the memo. All personnel are reminded that holding a clearance is a privilege, not a right, and this privilege is contingent upon continued adherence to the principles and responsibilities of our profession, read the memo. The officials, listed in the memo, will no longer have access to classified systems, facilities, materials, and information. Furthermore, any contracts or employment between the individuals and the U.S. government have been terminated. Some of the officials were involved in gathering information and making assessments on Russia's efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. election. Meanwhile, others had signed a public letter during Trumps first term, supporting calls for an impeachment inquiry into the President. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read More: Breaking Down Trumps Public Rebuke of Tulsi Gabbards Statement on Iran There has been much conversation about purging staffers who are not deemed to be loyal to Trump. Far-right political activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer recently set up a tip line whereby she asked her followers to contact her if they know an Obama-Biden holdover inside the Trump Admin who needs to be exposed for their misdeeds. Laura Loomer is a great patriot. Shes a very strong person, Trump told reporters in April, amid questions as to the influence she may have after National Security Council staffers were fired after Loomer met with the President. She makes recommendations on things and people, and sometimes I listen to those recommendations, like I do with everybody. I listen to everybody, and then I make a decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Gabbard claimed she had unclassified hundreds of pages of documents detailing the creation of Russia-gate, this manufactured intelligence assessment that essentially had the intent of undermining the voices and votes of the American people who elected Donald Trump. Vinh X. Nguyen, the National Security Agencys chief responsible AI officer, was among those to have his clearance revoked. The NSA official previously worked as the national intelligence officer for cyber issues during investigations into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Mark Zaid, a lawyer who often represents former and current government intelligence officials, has responded publicly to the Gabbard memo. The vast majority of these individuals are not household names and are dedicated public servants who have worked across multiple presidential Administrations, he said. Pure politicization of security clearance process. These are unlawful decisions that deviate from decades of precedent. Gabbard announced in July that she was turning over evidence of an Obama Administration conspiracy to subvert Trumps 2016 victory and presidency to the Department of Justice for criminal referral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obama himself manufactured the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax. Crooked Hillary [Clinton], Sleepy Joe [Biden], and numerous others participated in this, the crime of the century! Irrefutable evidence, Trump claimed via Truth Social in the days after Gabbards announcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi then directed the Department of Justice on Aug. 5 to probe into the origins of the investigations into Russian interference in favor of Trump during both the 2016 and 2020 elections. Read More: Trump Revokes Security Clearances for Biden, Harris, and More. Heres the Full List and What That Means In March, Trump revoked security clearances for former President Joe Biden, as well as members of the Biden family. Other high-profile Democrats, including former presidential candidate Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former National Security Advisor Jacob Sullivan, and former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco also had their privileges rescinded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The President said it was no longer in the national interest for these individuals to have security clearances. I hereby direct every executive department and agency head to take all additional action as necessary and consistent with existing law to revoke any active security clearances held by the aforementioned individuals and to immediately rescind their access to classified information, he said in his directive. Contact us at letters@time.com. [Source] The Trump administration has reportedly reached settlement agreements with at least 85 international students, including Dartmouth Ph.D. student Xiaotian Liu, who won guarantees his visa cannot be revoked absent new information. Catch up: Liu, who began his computer science studies at Dartmouth in 2023, discovered on April 4 that authorities had unexpectedly removed his immigration record from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database without warning. This halted his dissertation research, eliminated his income and raised deportation concerns. After he sued, Judge Samantha Elliott granted emergency relief on April 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About the agreements: The administration negotiated settlements with at least 85 students across six states between May and August 2025, resolving fewer than half of the 65 lawsuits filed in April, according to a review by the Concord Monitor. Those involved came from both public and private institutions, including multiple University of California campuses. The agreements limit when the government can revoke student records in SEVIS, which was established in 2003 after the Sept. 11 attacks. Officials promised in late April to restore deleted records temporarily while creating a more orderly review process. However, no replacement system has emerged months later. Liu, a Chinese national, secured broader protections than most others, who received safeguards only from re-termination based solely on the National Crime and Information Center record. His agreement prevents any revocation absent new information. Trending on NextShark: Trump admin settles immigration cases with dozens of students The big picture: Since late April, immigration authorities have changed the legal status of more than 1,800 international students at over 280 universities. The government has focused on students with minor legal issues including traffic violations and dismissed charges while using vague criminal records explanations. The widespread enforcement has driven fear among the students, with some avoiding campus to prevent arrest while others have left the U.S. altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese students represent roughly 25% of the U.S. international student population and contribute significantly to university revenues and research programs, making the enforcement particularly concerning for Asian American communities. Trending on NextShark: Trump claims Xi vowed no Taiwan invasion during his presidency This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: College closures loom as international students avoid US Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! In an ever-changing, incomprehensible world, the masses had reached the point where they would, at the same time, believe everything and nothing, think that everything was possible and that nothing was true, Hannah Arendt wrote in The Origins of Totalitarianism. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok) This story was originally published by Grist. In the fall of 1925, agronomist Trofim Lysenko arrived on the dusty plains of what is now Azerbaijan, hoping to keep cows from starving to death over the winter. The young scientist, who learned to read as a teenager during the Russian Revolution, dismissed the rapidly advancing field of genetics. He believed nature could be bent to human will. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lysenko denounced the idea that genes pass traits down as a degradation of bourgeois culture, and couldnt understand why cows bred to produce more milk did so simply because they had advantaged ancestors. He attempted to educate crops by soaking them in freezing water, thinking that could force them to sprout in winter, and insisted that orange trees would grow in Siberia if exposed to the right stimuli. Such ideas catapulted Lysenko to the head of Soviet agriculture under Stalin. In the midst of the famine his catastrophic policies helped create, Lysenko banned fertilizers and demanded farmers sow seeds close together, believing that plants of the same species wouldnt compete. Lysenkos pseudoscientific ideas outraged his peers. Nikolai Vavilov, a Russian botanist who founded the worlds first seed bank, openly challenged his rejection of genetics. Lysenko denounced him, and the secret police arrested him in 1940. Vavilov, who had worked to prevent famines, starved to death in jail three years later. This kind of scientific misinformation and the consequences it can bring now sound eerily familiar to U.S. climate experts like Shaina Sadai. She has been stunned by how quickly politics have overshadowed science since President Trump took office. The most recent government climate report, which the Department of Energy released last month, for instance, so drastically misrepresented the studies it cited that the researchers whose work it drew from publicly decried it. Im just really having a hard time with the barrage of apocalypses every day, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sadai spent the last several years working international court cases, including a climate case law students from the South Pacific brought to the International Court of Justice. Over 130 countries signed on, and many outlined the existential threats they face from extreme heat, flooding, and other weather phenomena. Some, like Palau which could see large portions of its land vanish beneath rising seas this century argued that failing to curb emissions violates human rights under international treaties. Meanwhile, the United States urged the court not to overreach. This galled Sadai, who advised several of the countries supporting Vanuatus case, including Sierra Leone and Namibia. I want so desperately for my country to be on the right side of things, she said. Instead, Judge Yuji Iwasawa delivered the courts decision that countries must act on climate change the same day the U.S. moved to weaken one of its primary tools to do just that. The timing underscored a growing global divide: As the world moves toward greater climate accountability, the United States is pulling back, once again exiting the Paris agreement and undercutting decades of environmental regulations. This retreat comes amid a broader weakening of democratic norms, said Timothy Frye, a professor of post-Soviet politics at Columbia University. When power becomes heavily concentrated, protections begin to fray, something seen with recent revisions to the Endangered Species Act or key provisions of the Clean Water Act. The U.S. democratic erosion is happening much faster, and along a much wider array of fronts, than a lot of the more recent cases, like Turkey or Venezuela, he said. *** One hallmark of this backsliding is how seemingly small changes can accumulate into a system that becomes far more autocratic. The piecemeal approach often borrows the most authoritarian elements from otherwise democratic governments, though each policy may appear initially defensible a form of governance political scholar Kim Scheppele coined the Frankenstate. The Trump administration, for example, has declared an energy emergency which allows federal agencies to bypass environmental reviews and fast-track fossil fuel projects. The move is now facing a lawsuit from 15 states, who claim the emergency is fake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This patchwork strategy makes it easier for politically connected companies to sidestep or shape laws to serve their interests. After soliciting $1 billion in campaign funding from oil and gas companies, for example, Trump has signed $18 billion in tax incentives for the industry and granted at least $6 billion in tax breaks. The lack of constraints on the executive allow politically connected companies to either get around existing laws or to write laws in such a way that theyre toothless, Frye said. Autocratic leaders, he explained, like to build their economies around natural resources because they are easier to control than service or technology industries. Oil and gas firms, for instance, tend to be less transparent and less mobile, making them more susceptible to political pressure. At the same time, Frye noted, the economic clout of natural resource companies often turns into a political advantage. One of Trumps biggest donors this year was billionaire Kelcy Warren and his pipeline company Energy Transfer the firm that sparked mass protests at Standing Rock. In 2025, it contributed $25 million to MAGA Inc., the super-PAC backing Trump. Soon after, the president lifted a pause on liquefied natural gas exports, clearing the way for an Energy Transfer project in Louisiana. The company is also now suing the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, challenging how the agency enforces its rules; a victory could give major Trump donors greater control over how their industries are regulated. The pattern of placing industry-friendly figures in key roles extends to Lee Zeldin, who leads the Environmental Protection Agency. He also has longstanding ties to the fossil fuel business. Over the years, Zeldin received around $300,000 in campaign contributions from oil and gas companies, and before joining the agency he was a top executive at the America First Policy Institute, a group co-founded and funded by fracking billionaire Tim Dunn. Under Zeldin, the EPA has enacted sweeping changes: In March, it announced its intention to roll back dozens of rules, including limits on power plant emissions, coal ash disposal, and wetland protections, in what Zeldin called the largest deregulatory announcement in U.S. history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zeldins latest target is the EPAs landmark endangerment finding, a legal basis for regulating greenhouse gases. He claimed repealing it would end $1 trillion or more in hidden taxes on American businesses and families. The Clean Air Act clearly says such costs cant be considered in the process. To do so, the agency would have to reject established climate science and overturn a 2007 Supreme Court case that required the EPA to make decisions based on scientific evidence. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican who led the EPA under President George W. Bush, said Zeldins approach undermines the agencys mission. Theres more leniency for industry now, she said. This administration is doing nothing to improve the environment. What theyre doing is improving the bottom line of a lot of corporations. This is happening across the federal government, where institutions once trusted to provide objective oversight and data are being reshaped to serve the presidents goals. A nonprofit tracking alterations to environmental regulations on federal websites has recorded 879 revisions, many involving omissions and erasures. The Energy Department, for instance, has taken previous national climate assessments offline and suggested that it would rewrite them. This makes the United States a global outlier: Even in Russia, said political scientist Thane Gustafson, theres less politicization of climate science, where the climate change narrative is accepted, all the way from Putin on down. *** Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much like during Lysenkos era, when Soviet policies dismissed scientific integrity, political scientists like Frye now worry that American federal institutions are drifting from their foundational principles. Theres a gnawing feeling that the systems meant to protect us are rotting. What once felt stable begins to feel staged. This kind of dissonance has a name: hypernormalization. Coined by anthropologist Alexei Yurchak after studying post-Soviet Russia, it conveys the feeling that governing bodies have been stripped of real power. That describes the EPA at the moment, said Whitman. The old standards of government have been swiftly gutted. Trump officials fired advisory panels that interpret science, overturned longstanding environmental regulations, dispensed with public comment periods, and centralized authority. Whats taking shape now is a shift not just in who holds power, but how that power is wielded. The White House has a unique authority to manage and share facts. This ability to shape public perception operates largely beyond the reach of the law as became clear when Trump abruptly fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics just hours after a disappointing jobs report, or when he planned to close the observatory that monitors carbon dioxide levels at Mauna Loa, one of the worlds most important sites for tracking climate change. Losing belief in government is perilous: It makes disengaging feel like the only choice. In an ever-changing, incomprehensible world, the masses had reached the point where they would, at the same time, believe everything and nothing, think that everything was possible and that nothing was true, Hannah Arendt wrote in The Origins of Totalitarianism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As whats real and whats purported to be real grows increasingly blurred, controlling the narrative can become more powerful than governing. The White House is taking this principle literally: After Paramount paid President Trump millions to settle his lawsuit against 60 Minutes, the administration approved its merger on the condition CBS install a truth-arbiter to monitor its coverage. Anna Gomez, the lone FCC commissioner appointed by a Democrat, objected, saying, no government regardless of party gets to decide what is true, who gets heard, or which voices are silenced. Similar mechanisms of control are being applied to the flow of federal dollars, with political appointees now deciding which research and science projects move forward. Perhaps the most eerie part of living through the last six months is how these kinds of disquieting developments continue to unfold beneath a veneer of normalcy. While hes deeply concerned about the countrys future, Frye said that, on a daily basis, competitive autocracies can look quite normal. Though hes better placed than most to recognize the warning signs, he still has classes to teach, deadlines to meet. Life goes on, he said. Looming threats become banal, both impossible to ignore and somehow routine. Its usually not the case that theres one point in time when you can point and say, Ah, this is when we became an autocracy, he said. Sadai, like many, is finding the discord hard to overcome. Shes unemployed and struggling to find a new academic job, thanks to federal budget cuts. She tries to find refuge in taking breaks to spend time in the New England woods that remind her of what shes trying to protect. But when she returns, her phone lights up with notifications about people being abducted off the streets by masked government agents, or reports of coal-fired power plants receiving exemptions from air regulations. Its become so much harder to put everything aside for a few minutes and not have just a barrage of intrusive thoughts. I just have to sit there, and break down, and then pull myself together, she said. Though it often feels inadequate, shes spending her days working through publication reviews and job applications, clinging to the hope that her lifes work might still contribute to climate policy, even as her elected leaders turn away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Naming the collapse is the first step toward resistance. The question is whether we can see the failure clearly enough to imagine what comes next. I dont know what else to do but keep trying, Sadai said. This article originally appeared in Grist at https://grist.org/politics/the-trump-administrations-assault-on-science-feels-eerily-soviet/. By Humeyra Pamuk and Anthony Deutsch WASHINGTON/THE HAGUE (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors at the International Criminal Court, as Washington ramped up its pressure on the war tribunal over its targeting of Israeli leaders and a past decision to investigate U.S. officials. In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the court "a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare" against the United States and Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move drew ire from France and the United Nations. Paris urged Washington to withdraw the sanctions, while the ICC said it deplored the designations, calling them "a flagrant attack" against the independence of an impartial judicial institution. Washington designated Nicolas Yann Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal, and Kimberly Prost of Canada, according to the U.S. Treasury and State Department. All officials have been involved in cases linked to Israel and the United States. "United States has been clear and steadfast in our opposition to the ICCs politicization, abuse of power, disregard for our national sovereignty, and illegitimate judicial overreach," Rubio said. "I urge countries that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices, to resist the claims of this bankrupt institution." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second round of sanctions comes less than three months after the administration took the unprecedented step of slapping sanctions on four separate ICC judges. The escalation will likely impede the functioning of the court and the prosecutor's office as they deal with major cases, including war crime allegations against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. ICC judges issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli defense chief Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim al-Masri last November for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict. In March 2020, prosecutors opened an investigation in Afghanistan that included looking into possible crimes by U.S. troops, but since 2021, it has deprioritized the role of the U.S. and focused on alleged crimes committed by the Afghan government and the Taliban forces. The ICC, which was established in 2002, has international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in member states or if a situation is referred by the U.N. Security Council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the ICC has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in its 125 member countries, some nations, including the U.S., China, Russia, and Israel, do not recognise its authority. It has high-profile war crimes investigations under way into the Israel-Hamas conflict, as well as in Sudan, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Venezuela. UNDERMINING INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE Both France and the United Nations said the judges' work is crucial for international justice. "Their role is essential in the fight against impunity," a statement from the French Foreign Ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. sanctions undermine the foundation of international justice, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, adding: "The (U.S.) decision imposes severe impediments on the functioning of the office of the prosecutor." Netanyahu's office issued a statement welcoming the U.S. sanctions. The designations freeze any U.S. assets the individuals may have and essentially cut them off from the U.S. financial system. Guillou is an ICC judge who presided over a pre-trial panel that issued the arrest warrant for Netanyahu. Khan and Niang are the court's two deputy prosecutors. Canadian Judge Kimberly Prost served on an ICC appeals chamber that, in March 2020, unanimously authorized the ICC prosecutor to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Afghanistan since 2003, including examining the role of U.S. service members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration's dislike of the court goes back to his first term. In 2020, Washington imposed sanctions on then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and one of her top aides over the court's work on Afghanistan. Countering Rubio's call to other countries to oppose the ICC, the court urged member states to stand in solidarity. "The Court calls upon States Parties and all those who share the values of humanity and the rule of law to provide firm and consistent support to the Court and its work carried out in the sole interest of victims of international crimes," it said. (Reporting by Humeyra PamukAdditional reporting by Ryan Jones, Katharine Jackson and Daphne Psaledakis and Anthony Deutsch in The HagueEditing by Rod Nickel) During the 2024 election campaign, the Republican Partys historically fraught relationship with organized labor appeared to be changing. Several influential Republicans reached out to unions, seeking to cement the loyalties of the growing ranks of working-class Americans who have been backing Donald Trumps presidential runs and voting for other members of his party. During Trumps first bid for the White house, the percentage of votes in households where at least one person belongs to a union fell to its lowest level in decades. In 2021, Marco Rubio, a U.S. senator at the time, wrote a USA Today op-ed supporting a unionization drive at an Amazon facility. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, walked a United Auto Workers picket line in 2023 in solidarity with striking workers. As the 2024 GOP presidential nominee, Trump spotlighted International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean OBrien with a prominent speaking slot at the Republican National Convention rewarding the union for staying neutral in that campaign after endorsing Joe Biden four years earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet O'Brien shocked many in the convention crowd by lambasting longtime GOP coalition partners such as the Chamber of Commerce and Business Roundtable for hurting American workers. Once in office, Trump continued to signal some degree of solidarity with the blue-collar voters who backed him. He chose former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a Teamsters ally, to be his second-term labor secretary. Im a sociologist who has been researching the U.S. labor movement for over two decades. Given conservatives long-standing antipathy toward unions, I was curious whether the GOPs greater engagement with labor portended any kind of change in its policies. Fumbled at the starting line The GOPs various outreach efforts during the 2024 campaign led University of Chicago law professor Eric Posner, a scholar of declining labor power, to write, Is a pro-labor Republican Party possible? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than six months into Trumps second term, I would say that based on the evidence thus far the answer to Posners question is a resounding no. In late March 2025, Trump issued an executive order stripping hundreds of thousands of federal workers of their collective bargaining rights. Overnight, twice as many federal employees lost their union protections as there are members of the United Auto Workers union, making the action the largest and most aggressive single act of union-busting in U.S. history, according to Georgetown University labor historian Joseph McCartin. While affected unions have challenged that action and similar subsequent ones in court, the Trump administration is moving onto other agencies. In August, over 400,000 federal employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs and Environmental Protection Agency saw their union contracts terminated and their collective bargaining rights dissolved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everett Kelley, the American Federation of Government Employees president, described the attacks on federal workers as a setback for fundamental rights in America. Protesters hold signs in solidarity with the American Federation of Government Employees of District 14 at a rally in support of federal workers at the Office of Personnel Management in Washington on March 4, 2025. Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images Tariffs, other policies arent helping The Trump administration has pitched its erratic tariff policies as a boon to U.S.manufacturing, including in the automotive industry, once the foundation of the U.S. labor movement. In reality, U.S. car producers are struggling to keep up with rising tariff-related costs of raw materials and parts. The number of factory jobs has fallen to the lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. Even United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, a supporter of targeted tariffs to buttress the domestic auto industry, criticized the administrations trade policy in April 2025, saying, We do not support reckless tariffs on all countries at crazy rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other administration actions cast as relief for struggling workers are unlikely to deliver as advertised. The no tax on tips provision in Trumps huge tax-and-spending package excludes the nearly 40% of tipped workers whose earnings fall below the federal income tax threshold. Tipped workers make up a tiny share of the low-wage workforce. Culinary Workers Local 226, a powerful Nevada union representing many tipped workers in Las Vegas and Reno, supported the provision. Yet it blasted the overall package, calling it a big, horrible bill for its windfalls to the rich instead of the working class. Removing the watchdogs The National Labor Relations Board is responsible for ensuring management and labor adhere to provisions of the National Labor Relations Act. Passed in 1935, that law established workers fundamental rights to collective bargaining. The board is responsible for conducting union elections, investigating allegations of unfair labor practices and outright abuses by employers, and enforcing court orders when employers or unions are found to have broken labor laws. Presidents regularly use vacancies to tilt the ideological balance of the board to a more or less labor-friendly position. Trump, however, went further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon after he was sworn in for a second term, Trump fired the National Labor Relations Boards general counsel along with board member Gwynne Wilcox, who was only halfway through her five-year term. Wilcoxs dismissal was unprecedented and violated the National Labor Relations Act provision on board personnel changes. Wilcoxs removal left the body without a quorum, preventing it from responding to appeals or requests for review and allowing employers accused of violating workers rights to delay any settlement. The Trump administration has left those important NLRB jobs vacant for months, although it has nominated two management-friendly replacements, both of whom awaited Senate approval in mid-August. In the meantime, the agency is unable to hear labor disputes. Disempowering the NLRB is a long-standing Republican tactic, suggesting more continuity with past GOP attacks on labor than a new era of partnership. Hawley standing out To be sure, Republicans dont all agree with one another on the importance of supporting workers and labor rights. One who has stood out so far is Hawley. The relatively pro-labor Republican senators stance led him to partner with Sen. Corey Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, to co-sponsor the Faster Labor Contracts Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This new bill would force employers to negotiate a contract in a reasonable time frame with employees once they have voted in favor of forming a union. Hawley also joined with Democrats to reintroduce a bill that would ban dangerous work speed requirements in warehouses. Hawley said, when summarizing his efforts on behalf of working people, Its time we deliver for them. The Missouri senator is not completely alone. Sens. Bernie Moreno of Ohio and Roger Marshall of Kansas, both Republicans, have backed some labor-friendly legislation in the spring and summer of this year. GOP leaders in Congress are not moving those bills forward so far, likely in part due to pushback from Republicans and their allies outside Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And there are limits to Hawleys labor friendliness. He voted for Trumps tax-and-spending package, despite publicly airing his misgivings about the harm it may cause his blue-collar constituents. Meanwhile, his past partners in the more labor-friendly wing of the GOP now occupy prominent administration posts. Yet they have largely fallen silent on union issues except, in Rubios case, to oversee the firing of well over 1,000 State Department employees, many of them members of the American Foreign Service Association union. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, left, poses for a photo with a member of the United Auto Workers union during a tariff announcement event at the White House on April 2, 2025. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Trump labor approach echoes Reagans style Another GOP presidential administration courted segments of the labor movement to divide a key Democratic constituency, only to take actions that weakened unions. In 1980, for example, Ronald Reagan sought and won the endorsement of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization. A year later, he fired 13,000 striking members of that union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Teamsters union also backed Reagan twice. It endorsed him in 1980 after he pledged during the 1980 campaign not to pursue anti-labor policies. Although he broke his promise, personal outreach from Vice President George H.W. Bush in the lead-up to the 1984 election earned him the Teamsters endorsement a second time. What seems clear in my view is that whenever the GOP has tried to cast itself as a labor-friendly political party, it has emphasized symbolism over substance, favoring using rhetoric embracing workers who belong to unions versus taking actions to strengthen labor rights. To support his research, Jake Rosenfeld has received funding from the Economic Policy Institute, Washington Center for Equitable Growth, Urban Institute, and the National Science Foundation. Over the course of the five-year National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, Pennsylvania is set to receive more than $171 million in federal funds to build charging stations. (Photo by Peter Hall/Capital-Star) The Trump administration has cleared the way for states to resume building electric vehicle charging stations after freezing a $5 billion EV infrastructure initiative earlier this year. Pennsylvania is among the leading states in the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, with nearly $77 million in federal funding committed to 90 public-private partnerships to build charging stations along designated routes across the commonwealth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Listen to Peter and Emilys audio recap: https://penncapital-star.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/21eppkEVQweb.mp3 With the programs initial objective achieved, the state is poised to take the next steps with broader deployment of the funds. But, it has been unable to do so since the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) halted the program, a state Department of Transportation spokesperson said. Without federal guidelines, we were unable to move forward as quickly as we could have, PennDOT spokesperson Zachary Appleby said. The Shapiro administration has consistently pushed for guidelines and a clear path to accessing funds made available to our state by Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are now about 20 charging stations built with NEVI funds in operation across Pennsylvania. Over the course of the five-year program, the commonwealth is set to receive more than $171 million. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Citing concerns about its efficiency, the FHWA rescinded the programs guidelines for a review in February, shortly after President Donald Trump took office. At the time, 84% of the programs funds were unobligated, which the agency said was a clear signal of the programs failure. Pennsylvania had expended only $3.1 million of the funds it had received when the program was halted, according the U.S. Department of Transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a federal judge in Washington ordered the administration to resume the program, the FHWA issued new guidelines Aug. 11 and gave states until Sept. 10 to resubmit plans for the next round of funding. Gov. Josh Shapiro was among 16 governors and attorneys general who sued the Trump administration to release the funding. Expressing reluctance to proceed with the program, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the new guidance cuts out red tape left by the previous administration and gives states more flexibility in how to use the money. Over the course of the five-year National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, Pennsylvania is set to receive more than $171 million in federal funds to build charging stations. (Photo by Peter Hall/Capital-Star) If Congress is requiring the federal government to support charging stations, lets cut the waste and do it right, Duffy said in a statement. While I dont agree with subsidizing green energy, we will respect Congress will and make sure this program uses federal resources efficiently. The FHWA said its review of the program found the Biden administration wasted time, money and public trust in implementing the program. Under Duffys leadership, it said the agency has streamlined the NEVI guidance to align with the Trump administrations priorities of safety, efficiency and innovation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress funded the NEVI program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. In addition to $5 billion for EV charging infrastructure, it also provides $2.5 billion for other alternative fuels including hydrogen, propane, and natural gas. Initially, projects funded with the money were to be focused on Alternative Fuel Corridors along designated routes across the country. In Pennsylvania, the corridors follow the commonwealths interstate highway network. According to PennDOT, the NEVI funded charging stations have provided about 28,000 EV charging sessions and eliminated an estimated 1.56 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, which are a contributing factor in climate change. In addition to the program, the state Department of Environmental Protection paid to build EV chargers as part of the Driving PA Forward program, using some of the $118 million the commonwealth received in a settlement with Volkswagen over its diesel emissions cheating scandal. Those include new chargers at the North Somerset and South Somerset service plazas on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PennDOT spokesman Zachary Appleby said Pennsylvania achieved full build-out of its Alternative Fuel Corridors in January and can now use remaining funds to build EV chargers along other state roads. We plan to stay the course with a competitive program that maximizes available NEVI funds to provide a robust EV charging program in Pennsylvania, Appleby said. The new guidelines were issued in accordance with Trumps Jan. 20 executive order titled Unleashing American Energy, which, among other objectives, sought to eliminate the electric vehicle (EV) mandate and promote true consumer choice. According to the FHWA, the revised guidelines minimize requirements for state NEVI plans that are not included in statutes or regulations and simplifies the state approval process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX They reduce the requirements to engage with and consulate communities where the projects would be built. The revisions eliminate language specifying engagement with rural, underserved and disadvantaged communities, to ensure diverse views are considered and that EV infrastructure provides equitable access. The guidelines also eliminate requirements to explain how the state plans will provide opportunities for small businesses, including minority- and women-owned businesses and target at least 40 percent of the programs benefits toward disadvantaged communities. They also do away with requirements for states to address consumer protection, emergency evacuation plans, and environmental considerations. States would have greater flexibility, however, to determine how far apart chargers should be along alternative fuel corridors, when the corridor requirements are satisfied and to select projects where the charging stations are owned by businesses that host them. President Trumps administration announced Wednesday it is imposing sanctions on four members of the International Criminal Court (ICC), saying they are engaged in efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Americans and Israelis without the consent of either country. The sanctions were slapped on two judges and two prosecutors at the ICC: Frances Nicolas Yann Guillou, Fijis Nazhat Shameem Khan, Senegals Mame Mandiaye Niang and Canadas Kimberly Prost. The United States has been clear and steadfast in our opposition to the ICCs politicization, abuse of power, disregard for our national sovereignty, and illegitimate judicial overreach. The Court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last November, ICC judges released arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ex-Israeli defense head Yoav Gallant and former Hamas commander Ibrahim al-Masri, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity in light of Israels war with the Palestinian militant group. The State Department hit Prost for a ruling greenlighting the ICCs probe into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. Guillou, the French judge, was sanctioned for a ruling to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. Niang and Khan are the ICCs deputy prosecutors. Both were sanctioned for continuing to support illegitimate ICC actions against Israel, including upholding the ICCs arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. Israel asked judges in May to strike the ICCs arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and former defense minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration imposed sanctions on four ICC judges over what the U.S. government has deemed as illegitimate and baseless actions against Washington and Jerusalem. In early July, the administration levied sanctions against the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, over her political warfare against Israel. It remains the policy of the United States Government to take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our troops, our sovereignty, and our allies from the ICCs illegitimate and baseless actions, Rubio said Wednesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Federal immigration officers helped by Rochester, N.Y., police arrest men from Guatemala after a March traffic stop. The Trump administration has threatened the city over its sanctuary policies. City officials say some officers violated the policy by assisting in the arrests. (Photo courtesy of City of Rochester) The Trump administration is once again pressuring liberal cities and states to cooperate with deportation efforts, despite previous setbacks in court. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent letters last week telling sanctuary states, cities, and counties that you better be abiding by our federal policies and with our federal law enforcement, because if you arent, were going to come after you, she said in a Fox News interview. She demanded the areas answer her by Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cities and states with so-called sanctuary policies generally refuse to assist with immigration raids or accede to requests for local jails to hold prisoners for deportation. Those that responded to Statelines questions about the letters said they were not inclined to change their positions about cooperation with immigration authorities. Its the tactic of a bully. And the only way to deal with a bully is to let them know that theyre not going to intimidate you, Rhode Island Democratic Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a statement. The Trump administration is attempting to force more cooperation with immigration arrests. But it suffered a serious court reversal on July 25, when a federal judge dismissed a sanctuary policies case against Illinois, Chicago, and Cook County. The state and local policies reflect a decision to not participate in enforcing civil immigration law a decision protected by the Tenth Amendment, Judge Lindsay Jenkins wrote in an order now under appeal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondis letters follow the Justice Departments Aug. 5 release of a list of sanctuary jurisdictions including 12 states, the District of Columbia, four counties, and 18 cities. Thats fewer jurisdictions than the 14 states and almost 500 counties and cities that appeared on an earlier list, which the agency withdrew after criticism that it included conservative counties that were fully cooperating with immigration enforcement. The states on the new list are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington state. The list also includes some counties and cities in those states as well as in Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New Mexico. (Florida law forbids local governments from enforcing sanctuary policies.) It's the tactic of a bully. And the only way to deal with a bully is to let them know that they're not going to intimidate you. Rhode Island Democratic Attorney General Peter Neronha Other federal courts have issued injunctions to at least temporarily stop Trump administration from withholding unrelated federal funding from governments that dont cooperate on immigration. Cities, counties, and states have filed lawsuits challenging Trumps executive orders targeting sanctuary policies, including a February order that federal payments to states and localities must not by design or effect, facilitate the subsidization or promotion of illegal immigration, or abet so-called sanctuary policies that seek to shield illegal aliens from deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive orders are directing agencies to basically take a maximalist approach to putting pressure on local governments to cooperate with immigration [enforcement], even though theyre not required to do so by federal law, said Jonathan Miller, one of the attorneys working on the California case for the Public Rights Project, a California group promoting civil rights protections for states and cities. One city on the administrations list was Rochester, New York, which disciplined some police officers for helping federal agents make a March arrest in the city. The city already faces a lawsuit brought by the Trump administration that prominently mentions the arrest of three men from Guatemala, one of whom has since pleaded guilty to re-entering the United States following a previous deportation. Frivolous arguments A spokesperson for the city, Barbara Pierce, said in a statement to The Guardian that, Nothing in Attorney General Bondis letter is new and none of it has legal merit. The letter reiterates many of the frivolous arguments that the federal government has already made in its pending suit against the city of Rochester, she added. These same arguments were levied against the city of Chicago and were dismissed by the federal district court for the eastern district of Illinois nearly a month ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ally Sullivan, a spokesperson for Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, said in a statement that Colorado is not a sanctuary state. The Governor continues to be frustrated by this mistaken and incorrect label. In a televised interview earlier this year, Polis pointed out that Colorado fully cooperates with federal authorities on criminal matters. Immigration, he said, is a civil matter. In Colorado, we are improving public safety, apprehending dangerous criminals, cooperating with federal law enforcement on criminal investigations, and keeping our communities safe, Sullivan said. Nevertheless, Colorado faces a federal lawsuit brought by the administration over its alleged sanctuary policies. Polis signed a measure in May that limits local law enforcements communication with federal immigration authorities and restricts where federal authorities can operate within schools, child care facilities, hospitals, and libraries without a judicial warrant. Connecticut Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont in a statement said the states Trust Act, which the Trump administration has targeted as a sanctuary policy, was passed with bipartisan support and helps ensure local police concentrate on serious crimes. The Trust Act, passed in 2013 and expanded in 2019, limits information sharing and compliance with requests to detain immigrants for federal immigration authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nothing about this makes Connecticut a sanctuary in any legal or practical sense it makes our state one that upholds the Constitution, respects the rule of law, and prioritizes the safety and well-being of our communities, Lamont said. This story first appeared in Stateline, a partner of the nonprofit States Newsroom, which includes the Florid a Phoenix. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Federal immigration officers helped by Rochester, N.Y., police arrest men from Guatemala after a March traffic stop. The Trump administration has threatened the city over its sanctuary policies. City officials say some officers violated the policy by assisting in the arrests. (Photo courtesy of City of Rochester) The Trump administration is once again pressuring liberal cities and states to cooperate with deportation efforts, despite previous setbacks in court. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent letters last week telling sanctuary states, cities and counties that you better be abiding by our federal policies and with our federal law enforcement, because if you arent, were going to come after you, she said in a Fox News interview. She demanded the areas answer her by Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cities and states with so-called sanctuary policies generally refuse to assist with immigration raids or accede to requests for local jails to hold prisoners for deportation. Those that responded to Statelines questions about the letters said they were not inclined to change their positions about cooperation with immigration authorities. Its the tactic of a bully. And the only way to deal with a bully is to let them know that theyre not going to intimidate you, Rhode Island Democratic Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a statement. The Trump administration is attempting to force more cooperation with immigration arrests. But it suffered a serious court reversal on July 25, when a federal judge dismissed a sanctuary policies case against Illinois, Chicago and Cook County. The state and local policies reflect a decision to not participate in enforcing civil immigration law a decision protected by the Tenth Amendment, Judge Lindsay Jenkins wrote in an order now under appeal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondis letters follow the Justice Departments Aug. 5 release of a list of sanctuary jurisdictions including 12 states, the District of Columbia, four counties and 18 cities. Thats fewer jurisdictions than the 14 states and almost 500 counties and cities that appeared on an earlier list, which the agency withdrew after criticism that it included conservative counties that were fully cooperating with immigration enforcement. The states on the new list are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington state. The list also includes some counties and cities in those states as well as in Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New Mexico. Its the tactic of a bully. And the only way to deal with a bully is to let them know that theyre not going to intimidate you. Rhode Island Democratic Attorney General Peter Neronha Other federal courts have issued injunctions to at least temporarily stop Trump administration from withholding unrelated federal funding from governments that dont cooperate on immigration. Cities, counties and states have filed lawsuits challenging Trumps executive orders targeting sanctuary policies, including a February order that federal payments to states and localities must not by design or effect, facilitate the subsidization or promotion of illegal immigration, or abet so-called sanctuary policies that seek to shield illegal aliens from deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive orders are directing agencies to basically take a maximalist approach to putting pressure on local governments to cooperate with immigration [enforcement], even though theyre not required to do so by federal law, said Jonathan Miller, one of the attorneys working on the California case for the Public Rights Project, a California-based group promoting civil rights protections for states and cities. One city on the administrations list was Rochester, New York, which disciplined some police officers for helping federal agents make a March arrest in the city. The city already faces a lawsuit brought by the Trump administration that prominently mentions the arrest of three men from Guatemala; one of whom has since pleaded guilty to re-entering the United States after a previous deportation. A spokesperson for the city, Barbara Pierce, said in a statement to The Guardian that, Nothing in Attorney General Bondis letter is new and none of it has legal merit. The letter reiterates many of the frivolous arguments that the federal government has already made in its pending suit against the city of Rochester, she added. These same arguments were levied against the city of Chicago and were dismissed by the federal district court for the eastern district of Illinois nearly a month ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ally Sullivan, a spokesperson for Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, said in a statement that Colorado is not a sanctuary state. The Governor continues to be frustrated by this mistaken and incorrect label. In a televised interview earlier this year, Polis pointed out that Colorado fully cooperates with federal authorities on criminal matters. Immigration, he said, is a civil matter. In Colorado, we are improving public safety, apprehending dangerous criminals, cooperating with federal law enforcement on criminal investigations, and keeping our communities safe, Sullivan said. Nevertheless, Colorado faces a federal lawsuit brought by the administration over its alleged sanctuary policies. Polis signed a measure in May that limits local law enforcements communication with federal immigration authorities and restricts where federal authorities can operate within schools, child care facilities, hospitals and libraries without a judicial warrant. Connecticut Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont in a statement said the states Trust Act, which the Trump administration has targeted as a sanctuary policy, was passed with bipartisan support and helps ensure local police concentrate on serious crimes. The Trust Act, passed in 2013 and expanded in 2019, limits information sharing and compliance with requests to detain immigrants for federal immigration authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nothing about this makes Connecticut a sanctuary in any legal or practical sense it makes our state one that upholds the Constitution, respects the rule of law, and prioritizes the safety and well-being of our communities, Lamont said. This report was first published by Stateline, which like NC Newsline, is part of the national States Newsroom network. Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at thenderson@stateline.org. Officers with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must consider the "positive contributions" of immigrants applying to become U.S. citizens as part of a more "holistic" approach, according to an agency memo. The new policy directs USCIS officers to account for an applicant's positive attributes, rather than simply the absence of misconduct. "Becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen means being an active and responsible member of society instead of just having a right to live and work in the United States," the Aug. 15 memo states. "Among other eligibility factors, aliens applying for naturalization must demonstrate that he or she has been and continues to be an individual of good moral character (GMC). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump Is Targeting Nonviolent And Legal Immigrants. americans Are Starting To Notice An image of a U.S. citizenship test "Evaluating GMC involves more than a cursory mechanical review focused on the absence of wrongdoing," the memo continues. "It entails a holistic assessment of an aliens behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions that affirmatively demonstrate good moral character." Applicants with convictions for serious violent crimes have long been barred from obtaining U.S. citizenship. Friday's memo expands the list of offenses to include drug use or two or more convictions for driving under the influence. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers are also encouraged to consider conduct that may not be illegal but considered inconsistent with civic responsibility within the community, including "reckless or habitual traffic infractions, or harassment or aggressive solicitation." "U.S. citizenship is the gold standard of citizenship it should only be offered to the worlds best of the best," USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser told Fox News Digital. "USCIS is adding a new element to the naturalization process that ensures Americas newest citizens not only embrace Americas culture, history, and language but who also demonstrate good moral character. Top Dhs Official Calls Citizenship Test 'Too Soft,' Urges Major Overhaul Of Naturalization Process Candidates for U.S. citizenship sit before receiving their certificates of naturalization during a formal June 4 ceremony in Manhattan. "This memo ensures that USCIS officers are accounting for an aliens positive contributions to American society including community involvement, achievements and financial responsibility rather than the absence of their misconduct," he added. "USCIS will continue to restore integrity in the nations immigration system especially when it comes to the prestigious privilege of citizenship." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The memo also encourages the officers to look at other factors, such as whether applicants are involved in their communities, including family caregiving or raising a family, their ties to the United States, educational attainment, stable and lawful employment history, career achievements and paying taxes. "GMC findings must go beyond the absence of disqualifying acts, it must reflect a genuine positive assessment of who the alien is and how they have lived in their community," the memo states. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said officers must consider the positive contributions of applicants moving forward as part of a holistic approach. The White House referred questions from Fox News Digital about the USCIS policy to the agency. Immigrants seeking to attain U.S. citizenship must already live in the country for several years and pass a civics test in English, among other requirements. Original article source: Trump administration to weigh US citizenship applicants' 'positive contributions,' good moral character A handful of Republican state lawmakers in Indiana have come out against the Trump administrations redistricting pressure campaign since President Trump sent his VP and a handful of White House officials to the state earlier this month. It was seen as an attempt to strong-arm Republican officials there into redrawing their congressional district maps even though seven of Indianas nine U.S. House seats are already held by Republicans as padding for Trumps campaign to gerrymander/power grab his way towards keeping the GOP in control of the House in the midterms. In the wake of the White House meeting with Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, he and other members of the state legislatures Republican leadership were tight-lipped about whether theyd agreed to redraw their state maps, and potentially flip the only two seats that Democrats hold in the U.S. House. But since then, some state lawmakers have come out openly against it. I have tremendous respect for President Trump and love what hes doing, Republican state Sen. Jim Lucas (R) said, per The Hill. But for Hoosiers, Indiana Republicans, to abandon their principles and basically take away the rules, that sets such a dangerous precedent moving forward and for our children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another Republican state House member, Rep. Danny Lopez, posted similar remarks shooting down the effort on Twitter earlier this month. I have heard from several folks and want to be clear on my position. I am a hard no on potential efforts to redraw electoral maps in Indiana mid-decade. Just a few years ago, our General Assembly undertook the complex redistricting process based on up-to-date census data, Daniel Lopez (@dlopezIND) August 12, 2025 A handful of others have made their opposition clear as well, as the Indiana Capital Chronicle and others have reported. And for that, Trumps allies are threatening to primary them. On Monday, the Trump ally and CEO of Turning Point USA, notable MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk, posted on Twitter saying his group would support primary opponents for Republicans in the Indiana State Legislature who refuse to support the team and redraw the maps. Ive heard from grassroots across the country and they want elected Republicans to stand up and fight for them. Its time for Republicans to be TOUGH. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Republicans in Indiana met as a caucus to discuss the Trump administrations redistricting squeeze, Politico reported on a new pressure campaign underway in the state, reportedly linked to Trumps political operation, in Politicos words: The comments came as Indiana House Republicans were preparing to convene for an afternoon caucus Monday to discuss redistricting. Lawmakers have already been targeted by robocalls and text messages from a mysterious group called Forward America. There is little public information about the group and its aggressive voter outreach campaign; a POLITICO reporter who lives in Indiana has received about two dozen calls and messages in recent days. Another Way Red State Officials Can Show Fealty Not able to gerrymander your states congressional seats before the midterms to demonstrate your loyalty to Trumps cause? No worries. Send some National Guard troops to D.C. for Trumps performative occupation, instead. More red state officials are jumping on the bandwagon this week to send National Guard troops to D.C. to aid Trump in his takeover of the D.C. police force and military occupation of the nations capitol. Its all a stunt to make Trump look tough on crime (violent crime rates are on the decline in D.C. and across the U.S.), while also giving him leverage to punish the citys Democratic elected officials. In that way, its similar to the goals of the occupation in Los Angeles. Louisianas Republican Gov. Jeff Landry announced on Twitter last night that he had approved the deployment of 135 of his states National Guard troops to D.C. I have approved the deployment of approximately 135 @LANationalGuard soldiers to Washington DC to assist in President @realDonaldTrumps mission of restoring safety and peace in our nations capital. We are a nation of law and order. Our capital is a reflection of our nations Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) August 18, 2025 He joins the Republican governors of Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Theyve each pledged to send members of their states National Guards to the Capitol to support Trumps charade. Trump Jokes About Wartime Pause on Elections Trump has been intentionally riling up the masses with his talk of running again in 2028, for what feels like years at this point. During his Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week, he made another joke about his well-documented interest in attempting to stay in power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So you say, during the war, you cant have elections, Trump said. Say, three and a half years from now so you mean, if we happen to be in a war with somebody, no more elections. I wonder what the fake news would say about that? In Case You Missed It NEW from Kate Riga: Trump Admits He Wants To Rig Midterms For Republicans By Ending Vote-By-Mail More Thoughts on How We Should Be Thinking About the Critical Role of the States A Fired Trump Appointee Goes Off On Pam Bondis Corrupt DOJ Speaker Johnson Comes Out Against Midcycle Redistricting When Dems Do It Yesterdays Most Read Story Trump, Elections and the Oppositions Strategic Depth What We Are Reading Donald Trump Took Over DCs Police. Why Is the Citys Mayor So Zen? More Texas Democrats plan to spend the night in the statehouse in protest amid redistricting fight Trump Is Already Plotting to Steal the Midterms Trumps renewed pledge to ban mail-in ballots in US elections lacks an alternative plan and authority this power lies with Congress and state leaders but it does bring into focus how technology could rise to the challenge. Shai Bargil, the CEO of Israeli online voting platform Sequent, believes the US is only a few years away from offering mobile device voting for overseas individuals and voters in major cities. Its one of the few issues that may bring the left and right together. Democrats want expanded voting access to underserved communities, and Republicans want authentication methods. Sequent uses a cryptographic system, which encrypts responses and uses mathematical proofs to ensure votes are counted correctly. Users vote through a website, where they also verify their identity using biometric or multi-factor authentication methods. The code is open source, and the vote count is auditable. In May, 1.2 million overseas Filipinos cast their ballots in the Philippines national election using Sequents voting system. Bargil expects to begin piloting it for overseas US citizens next year. President Donald Trumps D.C. takeover is now well into its second week. Washingtonians are in agreement: theyre officially sick of it. Wednesday dawned in the nations capital with news of more chaos in the District of Columbia, this time indisputably caused by Trumps executive order which the administration is increasingly finding it hard to prove is not a publicity stunt. More and more National Guard troops pour into the city from around the country, though arrests arent going up, and most of the troops appear to be standing around snapping photos with tourists. In the early morning hours, an armored, mine-resistant tactical vehicle slammed into the side of a civilian vehicle, sending one person to the hospital. The crash occurred downtown, where federal agents and National Guard troops are increasingly piling up in high-traffic tourist areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A morning report from Fox 5 quoted residents in the higher-crime area of Anacostia, in the citys southeast, saying that law enforcement resources werent reaching them. Meanwhile, video after video shows bored federal agents patrolling luxury shopping and dining areas, or tourist destinations like the Washington Monument. As Vice President J.D. Vance and Trump adviser Stephen Miller arrived at a Shake Shack at Union Station one of those low-crime areas where Guard troops have milled around aimlessly for a meet-and-greet with a few visiting troops on Wednesday, the pair were loudly heckled by locals. Then they bizarrely accused the hecklers of having come from out of town to mock them. Around the city, graffiti appeared honoring a resident arrested after angrily tossing a Subway sandwich at federal law enforcement agents, a since-fired DOJ employee who has become a folk hero around town. National Guard troops deployed to the National Mall have little else to do but stand around and take abuse from protesters and onlookers (Getty Images) Ill tell you, a couple of years ago, when I brought my kids here, they were being screamed at by violent vagrants, and it was scaring the hell out of my kids, Vance said. He denied the validity of a comment from a reporter referring to the area as low crime, and again cited those vagrants as evidence during his Q&A. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Union Station is a major arrival point for many tourists in the capital and for many years has struggled with the attraction that the spacious transit center and shopping malls public facilities provided for homeless D.C. residents. An encampment once existed a few steps from the stations front doors, and inside the station benches and other public amenities were removed in order to dissuade loitering. The Covid pandemic, which accelerated housing insecurity, also led to closures of Union Station businesses which traded reasons for their misfortune including a rise in homeless activity around the station. But vagrancy by itself is not a crime, and Vances comments, combined with the increase in encampment sweeps around the city the past few days, suggest that Trumps crime-fighting campaign is actually a beautification campaign meant to push an aesthetic that isnt necessarily felt by D.C. residents with roots in the city. Polling shows that Americans who call the city home agree. A resounding eight in 10 D.C. residents told Washington Post pollsters in a survey released Wednesday that they opposed the federal takeover of the city, which is now being fought in the courts as city leaders try to retain control of the Metropolitan Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A similar share, 78 percent, said that they felt extremely or somewhat safe in their own neighborhoods. While arrests arent surging and city residents dont say they feel safer, its very clear which community is being impacted the most. U.S. Park Police officials told the New York Post on Wednesday that the agency has cleared 75 homeless encampments around the city in just the short period since Trump announced his takeover. Washington social media channels remain alight with reports of activity from ICE and other federal agencies. Checkpoints have repeatedly been swarmed by hundreds of residents, shouting angrily, until law enforcement agencies pack up and leave. Week two of the takeover also coincided with DCs annual summer Restaurant Week, though dining spots around the city report that the presence of the Guard and federal agents are hurting business as reservations plunged year-over-year. While city leaders are largely paralyzed as they await decisions in the courts, there are already clear signs that this episode could backfire for the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News channels and social media platforms continue to spread images and video depicting an occupied American city clearly in conflict with its new guests. The unpopularity of Trumps takeover could quickly become an issue in the Virginia governors race, where a conservative diehard is running against a centrist Democrat with strong DC ties. Its also energized the progressive left, long dormant in city politics thanks to the populations of federal workers and transplants who have elected center-left leadership for years. On Tuesday evening, several hundred people attended the campaign launch of a democratic socialist candidate running for city council, Aparna Raj. In the end, Donald Trump may accomplish little more than juicing up the American lefts will to fight back. President Trump said Tuesday it would be better if Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met without him first as Trump pushes the leaders to bring an end to the more than three years of war in Eastern Europe. The president, who has pushed for a three-way summit with Zelensky and Putin, said he recently had very successful meetings with both leaders, but it would be more beneficial if the two presidents met alone first. I thought it would be better if they met without me, just to see. I want to see what goes on. You know, they had a hard relationship, very bad, very bad relationship, Trump said in an interview on The Mark Levin Show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And now, well see how they do and, if necessary and it probably would be, but, if necessary Ill go and Ill probably be able to get it close, he told Levin. After meeting with Zelensky and seven European leaders at the White House on Monday, Trump said his administration would help broker a meeting between Putin and Zelensky and that soon after, a trilateral meeting including the U.S. president would take place. Zelensky has expressed openness to meeting with Putin, but Russia so far has not committed to such a huddle. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that any such meeting should be prepared step by step, gradually, starting from the expert level and then going through all the necessary stages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Mondays Oval Office meeting, Trump called Putin and the two spoke for about 40 minutes. The conversation came days after the president traveled to Alaska to meet with Putin, their first face-to-face interaction since the first Trump administration, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. I just want to see what happens at the meeting, Trump told Levin. So theyre in the process of setting it up, and were going to see what happens. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Related video: Trump Suggests US Planes, Pilots Could Support Ukraine As Part Of Security Guarantees President Trump called Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday to win his support for Ukraine to join the European Union (EU), a conversation that came after discussions with European leaders who were at the White House, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The talk with Orban, one of Trumps staunchest European allies, resulted from the presidents Monday deliberations with European leaders who were in Washington, along with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The top European officials asked if the president could utilize his sway over the Hungarian prime minister to force him to do away with his opposition to Ukraines joining the EU, a goal Kyiv has long sought, Bloomberg reported. Hungary expressed willingness to host the next summit, to feature both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has backed the idea of a Putin-Zelensky meeting, after which a trilateral meeting would take place between the two leaders and the U.S. president. The location and timing for the meeting are unclear. The White House is eyeing a meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelensky in Budapest, Politico reported Tuesday, citing a White House official and another person close to the administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orban, who has a warm relationship with Putin, has tried to block or delay the EUs attempts to send weapons to Ukraine in the past, along with, at times, objecting to sanctions against the Kremlin. Neither the White House nor Orbans office has commented on the call. Orban wrote Tuesday on Facebook that Ukraines membership in the EU does not provide any security guarantees, therefore, linking membership with security guarantees is unnecessary and dangerous. Trumps call with Orban came the same day as the presidents discussion with Putin, which lasted about 40 minutes and took place without the European leaders or Zelensky being in the room with the commander in chief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gathering of European officials and Zelensky in Washington on Monday came just days after Trump, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, went to Alaska to meet with Putin, alongside two other Russian officials. Rubio now leads the recently formed joint commission that will work on drafting a security guarantees proposal for Ukraine. The commission is made up of U.S., European, Ukrainian and NATO officials. Trump, who has pushed to end the Russia-Ukraine war, the conflict that has raged for about three-and-a-half years, signaled openness to providing air support for Ukraine as part of security guarantees. Were willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you talk about by air because nobody has stuff we have, the president said Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. President Donald Trump, who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War, declared himself a war hero and lauded Benjamin Netanyahu as a good man and fellow war hero during a radio interview Tuesday evening. Speaking to conservative radio host Mark Levin, the president said he was working with the Israeli prime minister to free Hamas-held hostages, adding that Netanyahu is a good man, hes in there fighting. Despite the Israeli prime ministers detractors wanting him jailed as a war criminal following a November 2024 arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict issued by the International Criminal Court, Trump insisted: Hes a war hero. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who also claims to have ended seven wars, then extended the accolade to himself, saying: Hes a war hero, cause we worked together. Hes a war hero. I guess I am too. He continued: Nobody cares. I am too. I sent those planes, a reference to his order for June airstrikes against three critical enrichment facilities in Iran. President Donald Trump meets with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office. Trump has referred to Netanyahu as a war hero. (AFP via Getty Images) Throughout the interview, Trump complained he had not received sufficient credit for ordering those air strikes or other recent actions he has taken aimed at easing global conflict. For his part, Netanyahu has previously called Trump the greatest friend Israel has ever had, and in July presented him with a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after the interview aired, CNN host Erin Burnett played the clip to former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Trump nemesis who served on the January 6 House Select Committee. Kinzinger, a former Air National Guard officer who flew missions over Iraq and Afghanistan, commented: I mean, look, this is just nuts. This is nuts. And they're going to find, his people are going to find, a way to justify this. He continued: Listen, when they were putting out something honoring the Army's 250th anniversary, they put out a picture of Donald Trump in his military academy uniform, which has nothing to do with the military except they drill you. This is nuts. He's not a war hero. Kinzinger added, referencing the presidents role in nascent peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine: You can like what he's done. That's fine. I hope he gets a resolution in Ukraine. But to put himself on the same level of people that have actually gone out and served this country, not claimed bone spurs, is an offense to anybody who served. A demonstrator holds a sign critical of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AFP/Getty) The former congressman also noted that it would be inappropriate for anyone who had actually served to call themself a war hero. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burnett, agreeing that the administration will likely find a way to justify the comment, also noted: You're also right about something really important, which is the humility that defines a war hero, right? The humility of the fact that someone who's a war hero would never call themselves that. Trumps most infamous comments about war heroes in the past included denying that the late Senator John McCain was a war hero because he had been captured and held as a prisoner of war. The president made those remarks while campaigning for the Republican nomination in 2015, caused a storm of protest at the time. During an interview in Iowa, the presenter said McCain was a war hero, to which Trump replied: He's not a hero... He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people that werent captured, OK? I hate to tell you that. Republican presidential candidate Arizona Senator John McCain pictured in 2008 (AFP via Getty Images) McCain, a former Navy pilot, spent five and a half years in a notorious Vietnamese prison known as the Hanoi Hilton, where he was repeatedly tortured and spent years in solitary confinement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump avoided serving in Vietnam with four college deferrals and one for having bone spurs, a foot problem. In 2018, Trump reportedly snubbed a planned commemoration for the 100th anniversary of WWI at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, fearing his hair would become disheveled in the rain, The Atlantic reported in 2020. Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers, Trump reportedly told staffers, according to the magazine. The then-president also called the more than 1,800 Marines buried there suckers elsewhere during his 2018 trip in France, perThe Atlantic. John Kelly, a former Marine Corps general and the White House chief of staff at the time, attended in Trumps place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelly, whose son was killed in action serving in Afghanistan in 2010, later told CNN that Trump had indeed made the derogatory remarks, describing him in a statement as someone who rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in Americas defense are losers and wouldnt visit their graves in France. Trump has repeatedly denied ever making the statement, calling the alleged comments disinformation reported by the fake news. White House chief of staff John Kelly listens as President Donald Trump speaks in October 2017 (Getty Images) During his second administrations radical attempts to downsize the federal government, the Department of Veterans Affairs was forced into backing down from its plans to cut 83,000 jobs after a public outcry. The department has moved to reassure veterans that it has multiple safeguards in place to ensure these staff reductions do not impact veteran care or benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While VA Secretary Doug Collins had insisted the much bigger reduction in the workforce was tough but necessary, veterans advocacy groups warned that it would have devastating long-term consequences for former members of the armed forces, who deserved better after serving their country. Gutting VA will result in delayed appointments and substandard care, leading directly to more veteran deaths, said Kayla Williams, an Iraq War veteran and senior policy adviser at VoteVets. Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, also slammed the plan as a gut punch and breathtaking in its potential significance and its malevolence and cruelty. The Gaza War, for which Netanyahu's arrest warrant was issued, was triggered by an attack inside Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, during which around 1,200 Israelis were killed, while another 251 people were taken hostage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. It also issued a warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who Israel said it had killed in an airstrike, accusing him of war crimes over the attack on Israel. While the decision makes Netanyahu an internationally wanted suspect, the extent of the warrants practical implications is unclear, given that Israel and its major ally, the U.S., are not members of the court. President Trump said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are war heroes, touting the U.S. strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities in June. The president praised Netanyahu in a Tuesday interview on The Mark Levin Show, then referenced the strikes that he has said obliterated Tehrans nuclear capabilities and set back the countrys nuclear program for years. Bibi is a good man. Hes in there fighting. Hes fighting. You know, theyre trying to put him in jail on top of everything else. How about that? Trump told Levin. Hes a war hero, because we work together. Hes a war hero. I guess I am, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The president, who never fought in a war, added, The pilots came. I rewarded them. I brought them all to the Oval Office. The people having to do with that whole operation, which was so perfect, which was a total of, you know, just an obliteration. The B-2 pilots who carried out the strike visited the White House for the Fourth of July holiday. The pilots carried out the unprecedented attack on Iran, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, dropping 30,000-pound bombs on underground nuclear enrichment facilities from bunker busters that took off undetected from a base in Missouri. Following the attack, Trump hit back at an initial Pentagon assessment that damage to the three nuclear facilities only set the Iranians nuclear program back a few months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. President Donald Trump hailed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war hero and suggested he deserves the same acclaim. Trump made the comments in an interview with conservative radio host Mark Levin, a staunch Israel advocate, that was aired on Tuesday. The president praised the Israeli leader as a good man as he discussed working with Netanyahu to free the remaining hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Referencing how Netanyahu faces calls to be prosecuted on war crime charges, Trump continued: Hes in there fighting, theyre trying to put him in jail on top of everything else, how about that? Hes a war hero because we worked together. Hes a war hero. I guess I am too. Related: Trump Has A Massive Midnight Meltdown In Flurry Of Social Media Posts Trump added that nobody cares, but I am too. I sent those planes, a reference to U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June. Trump has lately attempted to cast himself as a global peacemaker who has ended six wars, though his claims are contested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the interview, the president complained about not getting enough credit for ordering the Iran strikes, nor for his more recent interventions around the world. Trump said: Ive settled six wars, and we did Iran, and I wiped out their total nuclear capability, which they would have used against Israel in two seconds if they had the chance. Trump, 79, has never fought in a war or served in the military, and famously received five deferments from the draft during the Vietnam War. He was initially allowed to sit out with educational deferments and, ultimately, a medical exemption because of bone spurs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2018, the New York Times reported that the two daughters of a Queens podiatrist claimed that their late father diagnosed the future president with bone spurs as a favor to his landlord, Trumps father, Fred Trump. Trump joked to Howard Stern in 1997 that the numerous women he slept with during his single years constituted his personal Vietnam because of the risks he faced catching sexually transmitted diseases. The president has also taken a dim view of politicians who are hailed as war heroes. In 2015, Trump criticized the military record of late Sen. John McCain, a prisoner of war during Vietnam, contending, Hes a war hero because he was captured. I like people who werent captured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), an Air Force veteran, criticized Trumps latest comments. You can like what hes done. Thats fine. I hope he gets a resolution in Ukraine, he told CNN on Tuesday. But to put himself on the same level of people that have actually gone out and served this country, not claimed bone spurs, is an offense to anybody who served. Donald Trump on Benjamin Netanyahu: I worked with your friend Bibi...Hes a war hero. I guess I am, too. pic.twitter.com/N7RJI5DlYp The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) August 19, 2025 Related... Read the original on HuffPost Donald Trump would like to have you believe that he has never been closer to settling the war in Ukraine. A high-stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska was said to have ushered in a series of concessions from Moscow, which meant a peace deal was at his fingertips. An apparent compromise on security guarantees for Kyiv was leapt on by the European leaders who accompanied Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House as a real success. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But with Mr Trump scrambling to bring the two warring leaders together, Russia appears to be rowing back against any suggestion that it was prepared to drop its maximalist position to deliver peace. On Wednesday, as European military leaders met to discuss how to secure a ceasefire, Russias veteran foreign minister hurled a metaphorical hand grenade into the mix. 2008 Ukraine troops on the ground Sergey Lavrov suggested Russia would agree only to security guarantees over which it and China have a veto. He said a document drawn up during initial peace talks in the spring of 2022 would serve as a very good example for a potential blueprint. Under the draft discussed at the time, a mechanism allowed for countries to come to Ukraines aid militarily if it was attacked again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was deliberately designed by Kyivs team of negotiators to closely mimic Natos Article 5, the alliances mutual defence clause, so much so that it was also designated as article 5. It was envisaged that Kyivs allies would send weapons and help police a no-fly zone above the country. Britain, France, Italy, Poland, Israel, Germany, Turkey, Canada and the United States were all listed as possible guarantors. The catch? Russia and China would also be included on the list of countries, which would have to unanimously agree there had been an attack on Ukraine. This handed Moscow, the most likely party to re-invade Ukraine, a veto over any future support for the country in case of a military attack. Sergey Lavrov suggested Russia and China would need a veto in any security agreement - Pavel Bednyakov/EPA/Shutterstock Fast-forward to the latest peace negotiations, brokered by Mr Trump, and there is no suggestion that Putin has deviated from his original position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cannot agree with the fact that now it is proposed to resolve questions of security, collective security, without the Russian Federation. This will not work, Mr Lavrov told a news conference on Tuesday. I am sure that in the West and above all in the United States they understand perfectly well that seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is a utopia. Its a road to nowhere. Using the 2022 draft agreement as the basis for the current talks would suggest that Mr Trump and his peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, had fallen for Russian spin in their discussions with Putin. But had they? After all, Mr Witkoff has previously described the draft as a guidepost for future negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. A makeshift memorial to fallen Ukrainian soldiers in Independence Square in Kyiv - Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters Could his claim that Putin was ready to accept Article 5-style guarantees have been misunderstood by the Americans as not including a Russia and China veto? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would now seem concessions celebrated by the US president were simply a promise to repeat the guarantees offered in the original peace treaty, which was later described as a Ukrainian capitulation. In the days since meeting Putin, Mr Trump has ruled out Ukrainian membership of Nato, calling the idea insulting and impossible, clearly using Kremlin talking points. The demand from Moscow goes back to the original document, which forced Ukraine to become a permanently neutral state and forgo joining any military alliances as the price for peace. If Russia was to get its own way in the latest round of talks, using the 2022 draft as the basis, Kyiv would have to significantly cut down the size of its army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The draft agreement stipulated that Ukraines armed forces would be shrunk to less than 85,000 personnel half its pre-war size. Any long-range missiles would also have to be forfeited. Rehashing this demand would make it impossible for Kyivs European allies to support a peace settlement. An injured civilian is transported after a Russian attack on Wednesday in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine - Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images Last week, Sir Keir Starmer and his European counterparts said no limitations should be placed on Ukraines armed forces or its co-operation with third countries. This might be why, secretly, European officials are less than hopeful about the prospect of peace, despite warm words from their political masters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enthusiasm for Mr Trumps peace plan is, however, seen as a deliberate tactic, with both the Europeans and Putin tussling for his support. In his news conference, Mr Lavrov was clear in positioning Kyivs most ardent allies as the problem, accusing them of trying to undemocratically sway the White Houses opinion. We have only seen aggressive escalation of the situation and rather clumsy attempts to change the position of the US president, he said in reference to Mondays meeting in Washington. He also attempted to stymie European attempts to convince Mr Trump to organise a meeting between Putin and Mr Zelensky as soon as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The minister said any summit between the leaders must be prepared in the most meticulous way so the meeting does not lead to a deterioration of the situation around the conflict. 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. [Source] President Donald Trump claimed during a Fox News interview on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him China would not invade Taiwan while he remains in office. The claim comes as U.S.-China relations remain strained and military activity around the Taiwan Strait continues to intensify. As long as youre president I dont believe theres any way its going to happen as long as Im here. Well see, Trump told Fox News Special Report. He said Xi told him directly, I will never do it as long as youre president, before adding, But I am very patient, and China is very patient. Trump and Xi held their first confirmed phone call of Trumps second term in June, following an earlier call Trump said took place in April without giving a date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps account of Xis comments mirrors his recent claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him the invasion of Ukraine would not have happened under his leadership. Both remarks reflect a pattern in which Trump frames assurances from foreign leaders as evidence of his personal influence on global security. Trending on NextShark: Trump admin settles immigration cases with dozens of students The Chinese Embassy in Washington responded to Trumps statement by calling Taiwan the most important and sensitive issue in U.S.-China relations. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has vowed to bring the island under its control, by force if necessary. Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, firmly rejects Beijings sovereignty claims. Chinese fighter jets and naval ships have regularly operated near Taiwan in recent years, raising concerns about the risk of miscalculation. U.S. ties with Taipei Taiwans government has not issued a formal statement, but senior Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wang Ting-yu said the island was grateful for allied support. Writing on Facebook, Wang added, Security cannot rely on the enemys promise, nor can it rely solely on the help from friends. Strengthening our own defense capability is fundamental. Trending on NextShark: Trump claims Xi vowed no Taiwan invasion during his presidency The U.S. is Taiwans main arms supplier and strongest international partner despite not having formal diplomatic ties. Since the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, Washington has been obligated to provide Taipei with defensive weapons and to maintain the capacity to resist coercion. Recent U.S. arms sales and military patrols in the Taiwan Strait have drawn sharp protests from Beijing but remain central to Washingtons efforts to deter Chinese aggression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. would take military action if China attempted to invade Taiwan, outlining a strategy that shifts the Pentagons focus from Europe to Asia. Recordings from a 2024 fundraiser similarly captured Trump recounting a blunt warning he purportedly delivered to Xi. If you go into Taiwan, Im going to bomb the shit out of Beijing, Trump recalled saying, adding that Xi thought he was crazy but that no conflict followed. Trending on NextShark: College closures loom as international students avoid US This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Trump extends China deadline as Asian markets reel from tariff blitz Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! Andrew Bailey, the newly appointed co-deputy director of the FBI, demanded records about minors seeking abortions while he served as Missouris attorney general, but a judge temporarily blocked the subpoena. Bailey announced Monday that he was stepping into the role which he will share with the bureaus current deputy director Dan Bongino and leaving his post as Missouri attorney general. In March, Bailey subpoenaed Missouri Abortion Fund, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance for locals who cant afford the full cost of abortion care, as part of the states 2024 lawsuit against Planned Parenthood Great Plains, court records show. The subpoena demanded the nonprofit hand over documents about minors seeking abortions as well as its communication with the branch of Planned Parenthood, records show. Parental consent is required for anyone under 18 seeking an abortion, Missouri law dictates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The subpoena was an an abuse of government power and a fishing expedition, Elad Gross, a lawyer for the nonprofit, which is not a party in the case, told the Missouri Independent in April. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who is joining the FBI as its new co-deputy director, demanded records from a nonprofit related to minors seeking abortions (AFP/Getty) The attorney generals use of its governmental power to demand records from non-party Missouri Abortion Fund is a violation of the right to reproductive freedom, Gross wrote in a filing, objecting to the subpoena. The judge overseeing the case temporarily blocked the subpoena in April. The Independent has reached out to the nonprofit and Planned Parenthood about Baileys new role. In the lawsuit, filed in February 2024, accused Planned Parenthood Great Plains of trafficking minors across state lines for abortions without obtaining parental consent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suit stems from a video from Project Veritas, a far-right activist group known for recording undercover videos, that depicts a man asking Planned Parenthood workers if his alleged 13-year-old niece could get an abortion without her parents finding out. In an attempt to throw out the suit, Planned Parenthood called the scenario fictitious and argued the video was heavily edited and inaccurate. The court has denied its motions to dismiss the case and Planned Parenthood has filed a counterclaim. This lawsuit is one of several attacks Bailey has made against reproductive rights groups. Last month, Bailey escalated his onslaught to a national scale. He sued Planned Parenthood Federation of America, alleging the nonprofit spread misinformation about the dangers of mifepristone, one drug in a two-drug regimen for medication abortions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baileys lawsuit comes as part of a larger effort following the fall of Roe v. Wade to question the safety of the abortion drug. Anti-abortion activists earlier this year pushed a report by right-wing think tank Ethics and Public Policy Center claiming serious complications from mifepristone use were 22 times higher than previously reported. Critics slammed the report as bogus. The Trump administration has also targeted Planned Parenthood. President Donald Trumps Big, Beautiful Bill included a provision that would have stripped Medicaid funds from going toward nonprofits that received more than $800,000 from Medicaid in 2023, including Planned Parenthood and a network of clinics in Maine. A federal judge last month ordered the government to continue reimbursing Planned Parenthood with Medicaid funds. President Trump on Tuesday said he intends to expand his crusade against what he calls "woke" ideology from the Smithsonian Institution to museums across the country. "The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of 'WOKE,' Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that the Smithsonian is "out of control," and that everything featured in its exhibits discuss, "how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future." Trump said he has instructed his attorneys "to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contacted for comment, a White House representative said, "President Trump will explore all options and avenues to get the Woke out of the Smithsonian and hold them accountable. He will start with the Smithsonian and then go from there." They did not respond to a request for clarification about how the administration intends to vet the content of exhibits at other museums, or whether or not the president intends to issue an executive order with details on a plan. Read more: Trump executive order targets the Smithsonian over 'divisive, race-centered ideology' Trump's concern about the Smithsonian first became public in late March when he issued an executive order titled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, which directed Vice President JD Vance to remove improper ideology from the Smithsonians 21 museums and the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two months later, Trump exerted even greater control when he said he'd fired Kim Sajet, the longtime director of the Smithsonians National Portrait Gallery, for being a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI. It soon became apparent that it wasn't in Trump's power to do so and Sajet continued to work. In early June the Smithsonian rejected Trump's attempt to fire Sajet after a lengthy Board of Regents meeting. The Regents issued a statement that the organizations secretary, Lonnie G. Bunch, has the support of the Board of Regents in his authority and management of the Smithsonian. It was implied that Bunch would be the one making personnel decisions, not Trump. Still, the statement opened the door to the idea that the Smithsonian might make changes that would appease Trump's criticism. To reinforce our nonpartisan stature, the Board of Regents has directed the Secretary to articulate specific expectations to museum directors and staff regarding content in Smithsonian museums, give directors reasonable time to make any needed changes to ensure unbiased content, and to report back to the Board on progress and any needed personnel changes based on success or lack thereof in making the needed changes, the statement read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Trump picks Sylvester Stallone, KISS for Kennedy Center Honors, plans to host ceremony Sajet resigned a few days later, writing in a note to staff, "From the very beginning, my guiding principle has been to put the museum first. Today, I believe that stepping aside is the best way to serve the institution I hold so deeply in my heart." Other museums are ringing alarm bells about what Trump's interference at the Smithsonian could mean for art and history at large. The Japanese American National Museum in L.A.'s Little Tokyo recently issued a statement condemning what it called the "Reshaping of Smithsonian Museums" to fit "the administrations historical interpretation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These latest attempts to sanitize and reshape history to fit a narrow ideological narrative amount to nothing less than the erasure of history," said JANM's President and Chief Executive Ann Burroughs. "We cannot reverse Americas journey toward a more just and equitable future. Museums must be places of truth, not propaganda spaces where the next generation can confront the complexity of our nations injustices, mistakes and darkest chapters; where empathy, social responsibility and the courage to defend democracy are nurtured." The American Alliance of Museums also recently issued a statement warning of "growing threats of censorship against U.S. museums." "In recent months, museums have faced increasing external pressures to modify, remove or limit exhibitions and programs," the statement read. "People trust museums because they rely on independent scholarship and research, uphold high professional standards and embrace open inquiry. When any directive dictates what should or should not be displayed, it risks narrowing the publics window into evidence, ideas and a full range of perspectives. "This is not just a concern for select institutions," the statement continued. "These pressures can create a chilling effect across the entire museum sector." Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Trump administration should just unseal the Epstein files on its own, a judge determined Wednesday. Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Richard Berman threw out the Justice Departments third attempt to unseal the grand jury records related to Jeffrey Epsteins case. Berman argued in a 14-page decision that it would make much more sense for the government to make its trove of Epstein-related documents available to the public instead of petitioning the court to release the limited grand jury materials that are protected by law. A significant and compelling reason to reject the Governments position in this litigation is that the Government has already undertaken a comprehensive investigation into the Epstein case and, not surprisingly, has assembled a trove of Epstein documents, interviews, and exhibits, Berman wrote. And, the Government committed that it would share its Epstein investigation materials with the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Berman further disregarded the DOJs appeal for the grand jury materials as little more than a diversion from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Governments possession. The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epsteins alleged conduct, Berman argued. The order follows a similar decision last week by another Manhattan-based judge, Paul Engelmayer, who denied a DOJ request to unseal grand jury testimony related to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins girlfriend and longtime accomplice. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for abducting and grooming underage girls for Epsteins abuse, though her decision to comply with the Justice Department earlier this month earned her a sudden transfer to a minimum-security prison. Engelmayer wrote in his decision that the administrations argument that the grand jury materials would bring to light meaningful new information about Epsteins and Maxwells crimes is demonstrably false. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much to Donald Trumps chagrin, the botched rollout of the Epstein files has continued to plague his administration. The president has tried dozens of strategies since the beginning of July to peel attention away from the base-shattering issue, including suggesting that the FBI should expend resources to prove his invented claim that the entire case against Epstein is actually a Democratic scam. A reminder that prior to his death, Epstein described himself as one of Trumps closest friends. The socialites were named and photographed together and partied at casinos together with underage girls. Trump penned a salacious letter to Epstein for the sex traffickers 50th birthday, and was quoted in a 2002 New York magazine profile as saying that he had, at that point, known Epstein for 15 years, referring to him as a terrific guy. Donald Trump's newfound if vague willingness to entertain security guarantees for Ukraine could be a game-changer, but the US president's right-wing base is already warning him not to go too far. After a campaign last year spent bashing predecessor Joe Biden over billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, and Trump's public upbraiding of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February, Trump has considered promises to Kyiv to end the Russian invasion. He has ruled out ground troops as well as NATO membership, siding with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in blaming Ukraine's aspirations for the Western alliance for the February 2022 invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But after Trump welcomed Putin to Alaska on Friday, Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff said the Russian president had agreed to a "concession" of the United States offering "Article Five-like protection" for Ukraine, referring to NATO's binding promise that an attack on one is an attack on all. Some observers doubted Witkoff's understanding of Putin, noting that Moscow publicly has insisted on guarantees for Russia. But Trump has said "we'll give them very good protection" and has spoken of providing US airpower to enforce any agreement. Little is known about what US airpower would entail, but it could support a deployment of European troops to Ukraine mulled by France and Britain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the United States agreed to enforce control of the Ukrainian skies, it would be an "incredible green light for greater ambition" by Europeans on security, said Kristine Berzina, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund. European leaders showed striking unity and solidarity by coming together to Washington on Monday to back Zelensky in talks with Trump, she said. "For there to be a meaningful difference on the ground in Ukraine, it can't just be diplomatic alignment. It can't just be the heads of state being in lockstep for a few days at a time," she said. "Instead, they have to be ready to actually move and to show to Trump, 'We have everything ready; we just need x from you to make this work.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - Vagueness on options - Trump, however, could also authorize a much smaller air deployment, such as one focused on reconnaissance that would see limited numbers of US planes in the Ukrainian skies. "President Trump said some things in his meetings with the European leaders and Zelensky and I am betting a huge sum of money that there are people around Trump who are going to spend a lot of time walking that back," said Debra Cagan, a former senior US policymaker now at the Atlantic Council. "What I mean by that is that they're going to try a very de minimis approach to security guarantees, to do as little as possible to carry that out," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said that any successful strategy needed to have components on land and air as well as sea, including keeping the crucial Black Sea ports open for Ukraine. - Pushback from base - Trump retains a strong hold on the Republican Party, but has already seen some dissent within his hard-right base, which backed him in part for his dismissive attitude to foreign involvement. Outspoken Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who earlier criticized Trump for bombing Iran, said she believed voters would be "appalled" by more support for Ukraine as they struggle with day-to-day concerns. "America is broke," she told conservative host Megyn Kelly. "At some point we have to start saying no to the rest of the world." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump-aligned Senator Tommy Tuberville said it would be an "impossible sell" to voters still shaken by the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to start another long-term US military commitment, according to The Hill newspaper. Trump, however, has tried hard to portray the war as belonging to Biden and has spoken openly of his desire for the Nobel Peace Prize. "He could probably sell to his base that this is about America keeping peace and not about America making war," Berzina said. sct/jgc Published by The Guardian For more than a decade, Rebekah Hinojosa has fought the buildout of liquefied natural gas terminals near the Texas border with Mexico. She wants to save the pristine land fronting the Gulf of Mexico from massive terminals and the hulking ships that would carry billions of cubic feet of gas all over the world. Using what they call a death by a thousand cuts strategy of opposition, Hinojosa, a founder of the environmental nonprofit South Texas Environmental Justice Network and her fellow advocates have traveled the world. Theyve pleaded with banks, politicians, insurers and companies to drop their support for the LNG terminals in the overwhelmingly Hispanic community near Brownsville on the edge of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have notched some David-vs-Goliath victories. Some insurers and investors have severed ties with Rio Grande LNG. One of the three proposed LNG projects there was canceled in 2021. 0:00 /0:18 1 The most significant legal win came a year ago, when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval of Rio Grande and Texas LNG, citing the agencys failure to fully consider the terminals environmental justice impacts, among others things. But then Donald Trump was elected for a second time. The day he was inaugurated, Trump declared an energy emergency and rolled back rules on environmental justice and protections that had helped groups in Texas and Louisiana fight back. Eight months into his second term, at least six projects that had been awaiting crucial federal approvals including those that Hinojosa has fought are moving forward again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And residents along the Texas and Louisiana coasts, from which the vast majority of the nations LNG flows, are facing a different kind of emergency. Fisherman Tad Theriot has seen his yearly income from shrimping in the water near the LNG facilities drop from $325,000 in 2021 to $87,000 last year. This year he estimates the income from his catch will be less than half of that. If you dont get away from Cameron, youre not catching shrimp, Theriot said of the small Louisiana community that already hosts three LNG terminals and where at least two others are planned to be built. An abandoned fishing boat damaged during Hurricane Laura lies across the river from an expanding liquefied natural gas export terminal in Cameron Parish, La. Some local fisherman in the region claim the LNG facilities are dramatically impacting shrimp and other sea life they depend on for their livelihoods. (Jeffrey Basinger / Floodlight) They give little peanuts The United States has been the worlds largest LNG exporter since 2023. Along the Gulf Coast in Texas and Louisiana , six terminals are operating, six are under construction and another six are proposed. The amount of LNG exported last year it was 11.9 billion cubic feet a day is expected to double by 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The growth is fueled by the nations vast reserves of natural gas that can be forced out of the ground by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Fracked gas is sent by pipeline to an LNG terminal where it is superchilled until its a liquid and then shipped around the world. While a million British thermal units (MMBTU) of natural gas can be purchased in the United States for about $4, after its superchilled and transported across oceans, countries such as Japan and Germany pay $12 to $15 per MMBTU for that gas. Even after the cost of producing and shipping the LNG, companies that export LNG stand to make billions of dollars in profits. Billions more are made by the middlemen who buy and sell the fuel. A U.S. Department of Energy study finalized in May said LNG creates jobs, expands the United States gross domestic product and helps close the trade gap. President Trump was given a mandate to unleash American energy dominance, and that includes U.S. LNG exports, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in the report. The facts are clear: expanding Americas LNG exports is good for Americans and good for the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Developers promise jobs and economic benefits to the areas that host the plants although studies show those promises arent always kept . In exchange, LNG facilities in Louisiana receive billions of dollars of local property tax breaks . Louisianas Cameron Parish alone would forfeit nearly $15 billion between 2012 and 2040 if all proposed terminals were built. Several companies that produce LNG along the Gulf Coast did not respond to requests for comments for this story. Local residents, like James Hiatt, founder of the regional environmental and community advocacy group, For a Better Bayou, say the communities do not benefit. Pointing to houses abandoned in Lake Charles after Hurricane Laura five years ago, Hiatt said, If they have so much money, why dont they actually pour that money into the communities where they operate? They give little peanuts. (Its) nothing to the amount of money that they have been given by the government and the people here. They do get one thing, activist Roishetta Ozane, founder of the Vessel Project, says: pollution. While families struggle to pay for their own energy, Ozane said all the local community gets from the methane buildout is more health problems . The production and transportation of LNG also generates significant greenhouse gas emissions, including methane and carbon dioxide . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Allaire, a retired oil and gas engineer, owns land adjacent to the Commonwealth LNG site in Cameron Parish, one of the terminals that has received conditional approval from the federal government. And across the Calcasieu Ship Channel from his property, he can see Venture Globals Calcasieu Pass 1 LNG, and the site of its expansion, called CP2. John Allaire is a retired oil and gas engineer whose land is surrounded by liquefied natural gas export terminals along Louisianas Calcasieu Ship Channel. Allaire says he has watched 90 meters of his shoreline disappear in the past 27 years because of climate-change-caused rising sea levels and subsidence. (Jeffrey Basinger / Floodlight) He has watched 90 meters of his shoreline disappear in the past 27 years because of climate-change-caused rising sea levels and subsidence. Burning more fossil fuels, including LNG, will speed the rise of the waters around the terminals and around the globe . While the terminals themselves will be protected by 26-foot-high seawalls, Allaire and others around the terminals will not. These are the estuaries that supply the seafood that Cameron Parish and Louisiana's so famous for, Allaire said, pointing to wetlands near his home where crabs and shrimp lay their eggs. But that'll all be backfilled (with) concrete and sheet pilings and tanks. Itll change this environment forever. Is the LNG boom headed for a bust? LNG is sometimes promoted as a bridge fuel because it burns cleaner than coal. But Cornell scientist Robert Howarth warns that its full lifecycle emissions including methane leaks during drilling, liquefaction, shipping and regasification is 33% worse for the climate than coal . That claim is disputed by industry, which has produced its own study claiming LNG is more environmentally friendly than coal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The International Energy Agency has warned that any new fossil infrastructure jeopardizes global climate goals. The LNG industry says its fuel is helping by replacing coal in countries like India. But a recent analysis from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis found that India is turning toward renewables, not LNG, to replace coal. A tanker designed to export liquefied natural gas around the world passes the Calcasieu Pass export terminal In Louisiana. President Donald Trumps push for more domestically produced energy has fueled the rapidly expanding LNG industry along the Gulf Coast. (Jeffrey Basinger / Floodlight) Others are questioning whether demand for the fuel will support the boom in the production of LNG. Export terminals require gas prices of around $8 MMBTU to break even far more than the $3 to $5 per MMBTU equivalent of energy that countries like India can afford. Despite these analyses, developers are touting a booming market. Trump has extracted promises from Asian countries, including Japan and Vietnam, to purchase more LNG, but not all of the deals are binding or even new. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allaire has seen such promises fail in the past. Golden Pass LNG in Texas, Allaire notes, was originally built as an import facility, but is now being refashioned as an export terminal after a pause caused by the bankruptcy of the construction firm building the project. They spent billions of dollars, took out hundreds of acres of wetlands, and they imported seven loads of LNG, Allaire said, predicting, These places will go out of business, and they will be stranded resources. In the meantime, new numbers from the Energy Information Administration, the Department of Energys statistical agency, indicate the rapid increase in LNG production is increasing the cost of natural gas the countrys main fuel source to generate electricity. The high demand for gas exports is pushing up the price of the gas that supplies 40% of U.S. electricity a cost that will be passed on to consumers, predicted the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis . Its about continuing to exist Despite Trumps aggressive promotion of LNG, Tyson Slocum, director of the energy program for Public Citizen, said there are still grounds to fight the buildout, even if the environmental and justice arguments have been removed by his administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These additional exports are going to expose Americans to higher gas prices, he said. You cant declare an energy emergency where you claim domestic shortages of energy at the same time youre going to greenlight a bunch of export terminals. For residents like Roishetta Ozane, adding more LNG facilities is not an abstract energy debate. Its a lived experience of cumulative harm, environmental erasure and political abandonment caused by the petrochemical industries around Lake Charles, 30 miles north of the epicenter of the LNG development. Our community is already surrounded by pollution, says environmental advocate Roishetta Ozane. It makes absolutely no sense to approve two or three new LNG facilities here in southwest Louisiana when we already have as much industry as we do. Its just like a death sentence. (Jeffrey Basinger / Floodlight) Our community is already surrounded by pollution, she said. It makes absolutely no sense to approve two or three new LNG facilities here in southwest Louisiana when we already have as much industry as we do. Its just like a death sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, both Ozane and Rebekah Hinojosa refuse to give up. In late July and early August, Ozane was among roughly 70 Gulf Coast advocates who protested outside companies in New York City that are financing and insuring the LNG boom. We will still keep fighting and speaking up to do everything we can to stop these projects, because our community doesn't want these projects, Hinojosa said. I mean, for us, its about continuing to exist here. President Trump is proposing changes to mail-in ballot guidelines to increase voting integrity, prompting election officials at the county and state levels to prepare for adjustments in verification standards. The proposal aims to enhance the security of mail-in voting, a method that has been under scrutiny for its potential vulnerabilities. Election officials are ready to implement changes to ensure the integrity of the voting process, with Montgomery County Board of Elections emphasizing its commitment to security measures. Mail-in ballots are corrupt, President Trump stated, highlighting his concerns about the current system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]the TRENDING STORIES: Bob Warnock, a truck driver from New Lebanon, expressed distrust in absentee ballots, saying, People voting and it wasnt them. A lot of that. I saw it on TV and they still deny it! Jeff Rezabek from the Montgomery County Board of Elections explained, There are security documents and things on the ballot itself that we check. So you cant just go out and make a photocopy of the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amber Jenkins from News Center 7 visited Montgomery County to gather public opinion on the proposed changes and the efforts to verify mail-in ballots. Residents like Bob Warnock voiced concerns over the integrity of absentee voting, citing instances of alleged fraud. Rezabek assured that the Montgomery County Board of Elections is proactive in maintaining voting integrity, working closely with the Secretary of State to follow rules and guidelines. He stated that any changes proposed would be implemented and communicated to voters. The Ohio Secretary of State released a statement indicating that they are reviewing the Presidents proposal and will discuss potential changes with the General Assembly, as modifications to Ohios voting process require legislative approval. As discussions continue regarding the proposed changes to mail-in ballot guidelines, election officials remain committed to ensuring the security and integrity of the voting process. Voters in Montgomery County and across Ohio can expect updates as the situation develops. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] After his highly criticized Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin ended without reaching a ceasefire agreement in the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump now says he thinks it would be better if Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met without him. Speaking Wednesday on The Mark Levin Show, Trump made the statement despite claiming to conservative podcaster Mark Levin that he had very successful exchanges with both leaders. I had a very successful meeting with President Putin. I had a very successful meeting with President Zelenskyy. And now I thought it would be better if they met without me, just to see. I want to see what goes on. You know, they had a hard relationship, very bad, very bad relationship, Trump said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday. Bloomberg via Getty Images He continued, And now well see how they do and, if necessary, and it probably would be, but if necessary, Ill go and Ill probably be able to get it close. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump went on to say that theyre in the process of setting it up and were gonna see what happens, adding, But you gotta stop the killing, Mark, its too much killing. The president then said, Nobody from America is being killed in the war. United States soldiers arent involved, he told Levin. We have no boots on the ground, but when you lose 6,000, 5,000, 7,000 young people, and then you also lose some people from the towns and cities as missiles get lobbed into them, can you imagine living like that? Related: FDA Warns Against Eating Possible Radioactive Shrimp Sold At Walmart Trump, who had a follow-up meeting with Zelenskyy and top European leaders in the Oval Office Monday after Fridays summit with Putin, made the comments after he announced plans to coordinate a summit between Putin and Zelenskyy in a bid to end the more-than-three-year war in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Truth Social post Monday, Trump said he would also plan a trilateral meeting, in which he would take part, as a follow-up to a potential Putin and Zelenskyy meeting. Related: Trump Calls Netanyahu A War Hero, Adds: I Guess I Am Too At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy, Trump wrote. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself. Listen to Trumps appearance on The Mark Levin Show on YouTube. Related... Read the original on HuffPost A man lies under shading on July 19, 2022, on North Topeka Avenue in Wichita. Service providers say an executive order by President Donald Trump could jeopardize their efforts to help those who are experiencing homelessness. (Lily O'Shea Becker/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA Christine English-Baird spends at least one day a week distributing basic supplies to homeless people in Wichita, home to one of Kansas largest homeless populations. I do that because I cant even fathom anybody else going through what I did, English-Baird said. Feeling invisible. Feeling alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But English-Baird, who was homeless in Colorado and housing insecure in Kansas, says the services that once helped her could be jeopardized by President Donald Trumps July 24 executive order, which encourages involuntary institutionalization for people in mental health crises and increased criminal pressure on people experiencing homelessness across the United States. The order makes hefty promises of fighting vagrancy, ending support for housing first policies and encouraging civil commitment. Trump followed the July order with another that deployed National Guard troops to police District of Columbia streets, targeting drugged-out maniacs and homeless people, he said in an Aug. 11 news conference. The Trump administrations approach to homelessness has sparked concern among social service providers, experts and advocates, who say the July order is unspooling decades of progress. They are skeptical that the orders provisions will be within reach, especially as cuts to Medicaid and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are imminent. Plus, institutionalization and criminalization are some of the most expensive and ineffective ways to address homelessness, said Steve Berg, chief policy officer with the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The threat of being taken into custody sets people against each other, Berg said. I know one thing really is true about places that have made progress on homelessness is that people are working together, he said. And if people are at each others throats over things like this, then theres going to be more homelessness. Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican who is seeking his partys nomination for governor, said Trump followed through on his promise to restore law and order in our Kansas communities. State legislation should focus on mental health and addiction treatment, reducing encampments, and keeping Kansans safe, he said in a statement. Im committed to working with the White House in any way I can to deliver on the Presidents agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of the National Guard walk on the National Mall on August 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Moving backward English-Bairds life was a series of revolving doors, beginning with fleeing a violent partner in Denver. She slept in a domestic violence shelter, a transitional shelter, an apartment paid for by her ex, then a rental, a bus stop, sometimes a jail cell and then the streets for three-and-a-half years. At times, she nearly died, she said. She lost a lot along the way: apartments, her son, sometimes hope. But English-Baird connected with a friend in Kansas who put her up so she could recover from substance use, build savings and regain hope. With a lifetime restraining order against her ex and a new life with her husband and son, she now works to influence policies and practices for how homeless people are treated in Kansas through her role on a statewide board and through street outreach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nobody wants to see anybody homeless, regardless of what that means, English-Baird said. To her, it means providing people safe, affordable housing, support, a sense of belonging and purpose. To the Trump administration, it means something else entirely. During the first Trump administration, there wasnt much attention on homelessness, Berg said, until the end of Trumps term, when elected officials began promoting the idea of putting homeless people in camps. Since then, Berg said, theres been a desire to lock people up, I think. Theres no polite way of saying it. The executive order takes a four-pronged approach with the stated goal of protecting public safety. It cites the most recent national data that estimates how many people were experiencing homelessness on a given night last year in the U.S. nearly 771,500 people, 274,000 of whom were unsheltered. In Kansas, almost 2,800 people experienced homelessness, which is one of the lowest state totals in the country but is also considered by service providers to be an undercount. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order directs the U.S. Attorney General to broaden the criteria that governments use to involuntarily commit people, which currently is based on whether someone poses an imminent risk to themself or others. It also asks federal agencies to give funding preference to governments that enforce prohibitions on open illicit drug use, urban camping and loitering, and urban squatting, and track the location of sex offenders. It directs funding to be allocated to ensure individuals camping on streets and causing public disorder and that are suffering from serious mental illness or addiction are moved into treatment centers, assisted outpatient treatment, or other facilities. It also deprioritizes Housing First programs, which get people into safe, affordable housing, often in tandem with supportive services. Donald Whitehead Jr., executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said in a July 24 statement that the executive orders take a punitive approach, which has consistently failed to resolve homelessness while exacerbating the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, substance use disorders or mental health issues. Everyone deserves a safe place to live, Whitehead said. These executive orders ignore decades of evidence-based housing and support services in practice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A group of homeless people sit outside United Methodist Open Door, which offers housing, sheltering, food and clothing options to those in need, on July 19, 2022, in Wichita. (Lily OShea Becker/Kansas Reflector) Where will people go? The salient question, according to Randy Callstrom, the CEO of Wyandot Behavioral Health Network in Kansas City, Kansas, is where will people go? In Kansas, he said, there is no place for people to turn. Even if you move people from one part of a community, they will go somewhere else, he said. He added: Unless those individuals are moving into housing, theyre still going to be living in the community unhoused. Much depends on how the executive order is actually carried out, he said. Regardless, he said, the order significantly modifies peoples civil liberties. And he predicts homelessness will get worse. The order moves things back 35-40 years or longer, Callstrom said, and thats concerning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He worries that if the order is enforced, mental health will be stigmatized and local governments, service organizations, hospitals, jails and law enforcement will be strained. The order misses the mark when it comes to effectively serving people experiencing homelessness, Callstrom said. (A) longtime misperception around people who are homeless is that it is a moral failure, he said, that these are individuals who are less than, that we just want to push them out of line of sight and wish the problem will go away, when the reality is, you know, in many, many cases, the people who end up living unhoused have experienced many traumas in their life. He leads a community mental health center, which he said doesnt have enough resources to fulfill the orders demands. At the only public psychiatric hospital in eastern Kansas, Osawatomie State Hospital, a waitlist of 30-50 people has remained constant for the past decade, he said. A publicly available report indicated the waitlist was at 37 people in early August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas must build new facilities or convince current facilities to take on more people, Callstrom said. Kansas has budgeted for roughly 710 beds in public psychiatric facilities, said Cara Sloan-Ramos, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. More than 660 of them are occupied, according to data from the department. More than 2,500 adults and more than 1,500 children use services at private psychiatric institutions. According to a publicly available database containing regular updates of bed availability at public and private psychiatric facilities across the region, no beds were available at state hospitals. A member of the National Guard stands alongside a military vehicle parked in front of Union Station, near the U.S. Capitol, on Aug. 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Jane Norman/States Newsroom) Failed programs earn trust In the order, the White House argues federal and state governments have spent tens of billions of dollars on failed programs that address homelessness but not its root causes, leaving other citizens vulnerable to public safety threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agencies at all levels of government across the United States have implemented Housing First policies. Once housed, supportive services address peoples mental health, substance use, employment, familial connections and other reintegration efforts. The order mimics the anti-Housing First efforts of the Cicero Institute, a Texas-based conservative think tank, which has pushed states for years to ban homelessness. Kansas Republicans in 2023 entertained the groups proposal at a legislative hearing, where a Cicero Institute fellow was the only proponent. English-Baird said she is a firm believer in Housing First. She has seen it work on both sides as someone in need of housing and as someone offering aid and crafting policy on a board for the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition. When implemented correctly, she said, the approach gains peoples trust. Without a stable environment, you cant address mental health. You cant address addiction, she said. Eliminating funding for organizations, especially rural ones, literally takes away all the progress were making, English-Baird said. Forcing people to be institutionalized, as the order encourages, doesnt do anything to get people housed, she said. Institutional beds are scarce, anyway, she added. The order also bars grant funding from being used for harm reduction efforts, such as safe injection sites. Harm reduction focuses on reducing the adverse outcomes of drug use, which can include distributing naloxone, sterile syringes and fentanyl test kits, along with first aid, treatment resources and educational materials on overdose prevention. Harm reduction offers people supplies to stay alive and as disease-free as possible, said English-Baird, who experienced substance use and addiction. She now offers mutual aid to people experiencing homelessness in the Wichita area. Harm reduction is key, she said, to expanding treatment options and connecting people to needed mental health services. But we cant do that if theyre dead, she said. In Kansas, illicit drug possession and distribution carry criminal penalties, as does use or possession of drug paraphernalia. Cities across the state have passed ordinances to restrict unauthorized camping on public or private land, including Lawrence, Leavenworth, Topeka and Wichita. Some also regulate panhandling and loitering. Berg, with the National Alliance to End Homelessness, said he also thinks the order will result in more people experiencing homelessness. If the states that want to do the cost-effective solutions to homelessness cant get the money to do it because theyre not punitive enough, then thats going to mean more homelessness, he said. NEED TO KNOW President Donald Trump's latest plan to secure the U.S.-Mexico border is to paint his wall black DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the plan on Tuesday, saying that the black paint is intended to make the wall hotter and therefore harder to climb The "Big, Beautiful Bill" passed by Congress in July included $46 billion to continue construction on the wall, an unfinished focal point from Trump's first administration President Donald Trump has a new plan to bolster the southern border wall. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem traveled to a section of the wall in New Mexico on Tuesday, Aug. 19, to announce an aesthetic update that the Trump administration believes will help curb illegal immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem boasted that the current border wall is "difficult to climb, almost impossible," and "very difficult, if not impossible, to dig under." But, she said, Trump had an idea to make it even more secure. "We are also going to be painting it black," Noem explained. "That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black, it gets even warmer, and it will make it even harder for people to climb." "So, we are going to be painting the entire southern border wall black to make sure that we encourage individuals to not come into our country illegally, to not break our federal laws," she continued, "but [to] abide and come to our country the right way so that they can stay and have the opportunity to become United States citizens and pursue the American dream." U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks, who also attended the event, said the paint would also help deter rust. Kevin Carter/Getty A Border Patrol agent stands at the U.S.-Mexico border wall on Aug. 17, 2025 A Border Patrol agent stands at the U.S.-Mexico border wall on Aug. 17, 2025 This isn't the first time Trump has used this exact strategy. In 2019, he ordered that segments of the wall be painted black to make them hotter. However, when The Washington Post visited a section of the wall near Sasabe, Ariz., in March 2022 less than 18 months after it was applied the paint was already peeling off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Noem was adamant that the new black paint update is the deterrent the U.S. needs to secure the Mexican border. "Remember that a nation without borders is no nation at all," she said, before picking up a paint roller while cameras rolled and helping to paint a section of the wall. "We're so thankful that we have a president that understands that, and understands that a secure border is important to our country's future." The Mexican border wall was a major focus of Trump's first administration. When he left office in 2021, he abandoned millions of dollars in contracts, as well as materials, including free-standing sections of wall that could be easily walked around. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his second term, ICE raids and mass deportation have been the focus of Trump's anti-immigration policies. However, the "Big, Beautiful Bill" that Congress passed in July provided $46 billion for Customs and Border Protection to continue construction on the border wall and other barriers, according to CBS News. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Other border enforcement efforts by the second Trump administration include the creation of two National Defense Areas that stretch around 230 miles along the border in New Mexico and Texas. These areas were created by the U.S. military and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced in April that "any illegal attempting to enter this zone is entering a military base, a federally protected area," and can be detained by both CBP and the DOD. Read the original article on People Eva Przybyla, front, and Nicholas Wells process ballots at the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) President Donald Trump this week vowed to lead a movement to get rid of voting by mail ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. WE WILL BEGIN THIS EFFORT, WHICH WILL BE STRONGLY OPPOSED BY THE DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THEY CHEAT AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE, by signing an EXECUTIVE ORDER to help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections, the president said in a post on Truth Social Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who has long opposed voting by mail, continued to claim, without evidence, that its fraught with fraud. Utah has been the only red state among eight that have conducted universal by-mail elections, including six Democratic strongholds and one swing state a fact that some conservatives here have balked at, while others have defended the states by-mail system as a popular, convenient and safe voting method. After Trumps post, Utahs top election official, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, a Republican, issued a short statement on social media without addressing the president directly. The constitutional right of individual states to choose the manner in which they conduct secure elections is a fundamental strength of our system, Henderson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president, however, asserted that states should do what the federal government wants. Remember, the States are merely an agent for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes, Trump said. They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do. Another high-ranking Republican and member of GOP legislative leadership Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork disagrees. McKell told Utah News Dispatch in an interview Tuesday that, like Henderson said, states have the right to choose how to administer their elections, and that hed push back on an effort to completely undo voting by mail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Utah, were in a good place. I think theres strong support for vote by mail. Theres also strong support for security, McKell said. He added thats the needle we tried to thread earlier this year when the 2025 Utah Legislature passed a bill that he sponsored to require voter ID and eventually phase out automatic voting by mail in this state by 2029. The aim of that bill, he said, was to preserve voting by mail as an option for Utah voters while also adding a new layer of security. Even though local polls have shown a vast majority of Utahns remain confident in their elections, Gallup polling shows trust nationally has decreased especially among a faction of Republican voters since 2006 as elections have become more polarized. After Trump lost the 2020 election, he ramped up rhetoric to cast doubt on election security and voting by mail. Asked about Trumps comments this week, McKell reiterated its a matter of states rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX It is a federalism issue, he said. If its not enumerated in the (U.S.) Constitution, its reserved for the states. Thats article 10. I think states have the right to dictate how they run their elections. McKell also defended Utahs track record as a state that has used voting by mail for years, starting with optional pilot programs that counties opted into before moving to universal voting by mail. In the state of Utah, Republicans have done really well with vote by mail. We elect Republicans, he said, also noting that Trump in 2024 won the red state handily. Theres generally broad support for vote by mail, especially among rural voters and elderly voters in Utah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that its OK if theres some tension between the federal government and state government, but he argued the Constitution clearly reserves elections for states to control and administer. Pressed on how hed respond to pressure from the Trump administration to get rid of voting by mail, McKell said, I would resist a movement that didnt originate in the state, adding that he responds to his constituents, not the federal government. If theres a movement to change vote by mail, it needs to come from it must come from the state, he said. Its a state issue. The states need to be in control of their own elections. Right now, I dont feel like theres a reason to eliminate vote by mail. I think we do a good job. Not all Republicans in Utah embrace voting by mail, however. Earlier this year, McKells bill was the result of a compromise between the House and Senate to temper legislation that would have more drastically restricted the states universal vote-by-mail system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked whether Trumps comments could further inflame skepticism around the security of voting by mail in Utah, McKell said its nothing new. We saw these comments before, and even going into the last legislative session, there were folks that opposed vote by mail. But McKell said multiple state audits have shown that our elections are safe and secure, while legislators have also made efforts to continually improve the system where issues have cropped up, like in voter roll maintenance. It remains to be seen whether Trumps comments could fan some Republican lawmakers appetite to go after voting by mail during their next general session in January, but McKell said typically every year theres a slew of election bills for legislators to sort through. Asked whether he plans to make any tweaks to his 2025 bill, McKell said hes still talking with clerks about any possible changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel like we did strike a really appropriate balance, but that doesnt mean we shouldnt look at ways to make it better, he said, adding that he doesnt have any specific proposals yet, but that could change as we get closer to the legislative session. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Draft dodger Donald Trump claimed to be a war hero while gushing similarly about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While calling in to The Mark Levin Show Tuesday night, Trump defended his old pal Bibiand took the opportunity to pat himself on the back too. Hes a good man, hes in there fighting. Hes fighting, you know theyre trying to put him in jail on top of everything else. How about that? Heshes a war hero, because we worked together. Hes a war hero, I guess I am too. Nobody cares, but I am too, I mean, I sent those planes, Trump said, likely referring to his controversial strike on nuclear facilities in Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Netanyahu isnt a war herohes a war criminal accused of committing crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, which has issued a warrant for his arrest. Netanyahus sweeping military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 60,000 people, including civilians, children, and journalists. Incarcerated Palestinians in Israel have reported horrific torture and abuse at the hands of their captors, according to the United Nations. Israels destruction of Gaza has displaced nearly two million Palestinians and resulted in a widespread famine that threatens to kill thousands more. Earlier this month, Trump and Netanyahu reportedly got into a shouting match over the phone when the Israeli leader tried to claim that there was no starvation in Gaza. But less than a month later, Trump is back to singing his praisesand trying to take credit for the violence he has sown. And Trump is far from a war hero himself, no matter how many conflicts he claims to have resolvedand being complicit in Netanyahus war crimes certainly isnt helping. Most Americans would be happy to pay less a lot less for their prescription medications. KFF research found that six in 10 American adults take at least one prescription drug, yet a quarter struggle to afford their medication. Another three in 10 say they havent taken their medication as prescribed because of the cost. And a survey from GoodRx Research found that almost 30% of respondents cut back on spending for food or clothing to pay for their prescriptions. Of those who filled a prescription this year, one in five reported rationing their medications (again, because of cost). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to reduce those prices by 500% to 1,500%. But is that even possible? Don't miss A timeline of events On May 12, Trump signed an executive order stating that U.S. consumers are being overcharged for prescription drugs and that Americans must therefore have access to the most-favored-nation price. (Most-favored-nation, or MFN, refers to the lowest price for a drug when selling abroad.) The day before he signed the executive order, Trump posted on Truth Social that drug prices would be reduced almost immediately, by 30% to 80% (that hasnt happened yet). On July 22, in a reception with members of Congress, he said he would get drug prices down even further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will have reduced drug prices by 1,000%, by 1,100, 1,200, 1,300, 1,400, 700, 600 not 30 or 40 or 50% but numbers the likes of which youve never even dreamed of before, he told members of Congress. Then, on July 31, Trump sent letters to the heads of 17 major pharmaceutical companies calling on them to make widespread changes. A White House fact sheet outlined the steps listed in these letters, which include providing MFN prices to all Medicaid patients and requiring drug manufacturers to stipulate that they will not offer other developed nations better prices for new drugs than prices offered in the United States. Trump also wants to use trade policy to support manufacturers in raising prices internationally provided that increased revenues abroad are reinvested directly into lowering prices for American patients and taxpayers, according to the fact sheet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letters inform the 17 pharmaceutical companies that if they dont comply, the federal government will deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from continued abusive drug pricing practices. However, there are no specifics on how this would be done. While the fact sheet doesnt mention the 500% to 1,500% price reduction, cutting prices to MFN levels would technically be a 66% reduction, according to a Forbes article. Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly responded by issuing a statement that it would raise prices in European countries to align them with the costs paid across developed countries. So while Europeans may see their drug prices go up, Americans may not see prices go down, either. Read more: Nervous about the stock market? Gain potential quarterly income through this $1B private real estate fund even if youre not a millionaire. Heres how to get started with as little as $10 Why Americans pay more for drugs Americans do pay for more drugs nearly three times the average of other industrialized nations that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We found that U.S. manufacturer gross prices for drugs in 2022 were 278 percent of prices in the 33 OECD comparison countries combined, according to a study by Rand Corp., a nonpartisan research organization, which analyzed data for all prescription drugs available in OECD countries. Put another way, prices in other countries were 36 percent or a little more than one-third of those in the United States for identical drugs, according to the study. However, this isnt anything new. Trump under his first term, and then former president Joe Biden, attempted to tackle this issue, with little success. In part, thats because the U.S. has a large, complex private insurance industry alongside publicly funded Medicare and Medicaid. Most OECD countries have achieved universal or near-universal coverage for a core set of health services, according to the OECD. And many have nationalized, publicly funded healthcare systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In countries with centralized health care, officials can negotiate blanket rates for drugs, and in some cases refuse to buy if they deem the price too high, according to an article published by the BBC, which also notes that if drugs are taxed coming into the U.S. (via tariffs) that would further increase drug costs for Americans. Often, if another country finds that the cost of a new drug isnt justified by improved results, theyll reject the drug application, according to an article published by PBS News. Some countries also set price controls. How much could drugs be reduced? The day before he signed the executive order in May, Trump posted on Truth Social that drug prices would be reduced by 30% to 80%. Experts said Trumps action could potentially lower the cost of prescription drugs, perhaps by the 30 percent to 80 percent scale Trump said, but they cautioned that the orders required procedural steps would make it far from an immediate fix, according to the PBS article. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But theres no clarity on how the price of prescription medication could be reduced by up to 1,500%. Its also not clear which drugs would be impacted or if costs would show up elsewhere. Getting a 1,500% price reduction would presumably mean that pharmaceutical companies would be paying you to take their medications not just a little but a lot, wrote senior contributor Bruce Y. Lee in Forbes. Getting pharmaceutical companies to do that is probably something you have never even dreamed of before, since for-profit pharmaceutical companies are usually trying to make, you know, a profit, he wrote. In the U.S., M&A activity in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry means theres less competition, giving consumers less choice. At the same time, the industry has seen cuts in funding for research, exacerbating the lack of competition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A single simple intervention probably has a small percentage chance of reducing drug prices in a sustainable manner, according to Yee in Forbes. Rather, he says more of a system approach may be needed, where multiple interventions are implemented at different points in the system so they work together in a coordinated manner. The letters were sent to AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Genentech, Gilead, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Regeneron and Sanofi. What to read next Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Sir Keir Starmer has led further meetings with European allies to discuss deploying a reassurance force to Ukraine to ensure the countrys security against future Russian attacks. The meeting came in the wake of what he described as a historic summit in the White House on Monday, led by Donald Trump and attended by eight of Europes top leaders, including Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, to attempt to negotiate a peace settlement with Russia. Sir Keir had already confirmed that he is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a peace deal for the war-torn country. He has taken the lead in creating a coalition of the willing to help shore up Ukraines defences. Trump, meanwhile, has ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his commitment to a just and lasting peace (PA Wire) The prime minister had also pledged to increase UK defence spending, saying that "tyrants" like Russian president Vladimir Putin "only respond to strength". His initial promise to raise spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, with an aim to hit 3 per cent by the end of the next term, was quickly altered to five per cent in line with Nato promises in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Relations with Russia are at their worst since the Cold War period, and military experts believe that European countries need to be prepared for conflict. But is the UK ready to put boots on the ground; and how do Britains armed forces compare now to 40 years ago, in 1984, when the UK was engaged in a stand-off with Russia? How strong is the UKs military? Earlier this year the Ministry of Defence released its latest figures on military equipment, accurate as of April 2024. The army increased its number of Challenger II Main Battle Tanks from 213 to 219 in the past year to April. Ministry of Defence figures show that the army also has some 128 Ajax armoured fighting vehicles, though an update from defence minister Lord Coaker suggests that only 91 of these are already in service, after years of delay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UK also added four new F-35 fighter jets, also known as Lightning, bringing the total to 35 according to latest figures. The number of Typhoon jets (137), submarines (10), destroyers (6), and frigates (12) remained the same as the previous year. UK military capacity compared to the Cold War in ships, submarines, tanks, and war planes. (IISS/ Ministry of Defence / The Independent) In terms of personnel and ships, the UKs capacity is substantially lower than in 1984, primarily because the UK is in peacetime and equipment needs have evolved. Technology has evolved significantly since the 1980s, in particular when it comes to air defence and tanks. This means that some equipment will be fewer in number but of a much higher quality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While jet fighters of the 1980s were technologically advanced for their time, the newest aircraft are more akin to flying supercomputers. Submarines are designed to evade ever more complicated detection equipment and warships have to tackle missiles which travel several times the speed of sound. Yet the numbers can matter when engaged in direct combat, experts explain, since losses are all but certain. Some equipment is not in service, is on loan, or is due for repairs, said defence acquisition expert Stuart Young, a former engineer officer in the Royal Navy and visiting fellow at Cranfield University. The Challenger main battle tank is currently in service, and thats being upgraded, Mr Young explained. But the challenge is, as those go in to be upgraded, the number of main battle tanks is going to go down until they come back out of that upgrade cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of these supplies have not been updated in decades, meaning in some cases the UK is still relying on the same equipment built in the Cold War. In fact, the majority of the armys armoured fighting vehicles are from before the 1990s, and some come from as far back as the Sixties, according to a defence committee report in 2021 which called the lack of new acquisitions deplorable. The navy faces similar challenges. The oldest type-23 frigates are well over 30 years old now, and the replacement was due originally in around 2010. Those ships were designed for an 18 to 21-year life, Mr Young said. If Britain enters into war, it is not clear that the country will be able to get stockpiles and numbers to the levels needed in a timely manner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UK has met and exceeded its Nato minimum defence spend of 2 per cent of total economic output, or GDP, with levels currently estimated at 2.3 per cent; and set to rise to 2.5 per cent from 2027. But James Black, assistant director at security research group Rand, said that Natos 2 per cent target was a politically derived number that was common in a post-Cold War setting. In the Cold War, countries were spending routinely a lot more than 2 per cent, spending three, four or five, he said. So we shouldnt think that 2 per cent is a magic number at which you are automatically spending enough money that you are well defended against all threats. Sir Keir has pledged his support to President Zelensky (PA Wire) Last year, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the governments first budget including an increase in defence spending to almost 3bn, clearly illustrat[es] our commitment to national security and ensur[es] we have a military force fit for the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But some military experts fear that this is not enough, arguing that 3 per cent of GDP a 0.7 per cent increase of some 16.4bn a year is necessary to replenish stockpiles and prepare the UK for a possible allied conflict against aggressors such as Russia; while Trump has called for 5 per cent spending in Europe. With the impact of Ukraine and the general tightening of government spending, were in a catch-up situation. I think spending has to go up to 3 per cent or more, to actually give you the increase in capability needed to meet the increasing threat that we have at the moment, Mr Young said. At a NATO summit in June, the Prime Minister pledged to deliver a historic 5 per cent of spending on national security. This would mean increasing the defence budget to 3.5 per cent by 2035. Type 23 frigates like HMS Lancaster are coming to the end of their lives (PA) (PA) Sir Keir has confirmed that defence spending will meet 2.5 per cent by 2027, yet his target of 3.5 per cent has a longer timeframe of nearly a decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Mr Young said he believed that matching the 2.5 per cent promise wouldnt represent any material improvements for UK defence. Instead, Mr Young estimates that this figure will be just enough to play catch-up with stockpiles and demand. We havent invested in stockpiling missiles and ammunition and things like that, Mr Young said. In July, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence acknowledged that the armed forces have faced resource cuts in the past few years. We know we face serious challenges after years of hollowing out of our armed forces and our Strategic Defence Review will assess the threats we face and the capabilities needed to address them in order to secure our nations defences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The war in Ukraine has also hit the UKs military budget and supplies, along with other Nato members. The UK has pledged 7.8bn in military assistance to Ukraine since February 2022 and, like other allied countries, has even donated equipment directly from UK defence stockpiles including tanks and missiles. This means that equipment numbers could be even lower than shown in the official statistics, last updated in September 2023. As a result, if Britains defence forces receive an influx in capital, it could take four or five years to replenish supplies of equipment and weaponry, Mr Young suggested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new armed forces minister [Luke Pollard] said we want to buy as much defence equipment from the UK as possible. Well, the UK doesnt have that capacity any more. Dwindling troop numbers Britains armed forces also have a big recruitment problem, exacerbated by budget cuts; which may present a challenge if forces are deployed. We need to increase recruitment, especially if we are looking at peacekeeping activities in Ukraine, which needs boots on the ground. The problems we had six months ago have just been exacerbated further by recent events, Mr Young said. The number of people in the armed forces is 45 per cent lower than it was in 1984, at approximately 180,000 personnel, according to the MoD at January 1 of this year. Within this, only 127,000 are full-time trained personnel, while approximately 53,000 are untrained or reserves. Training takes time, money and, most importantly, retaining personnel, Mr Young said. In the current job market, army pay is no longer competitive before even considering how many young people are willing to commit to the hours, lifestyle, and risk of military service. But Mr Young warned that the biggest problem may be the loss of expertise, as higher trained officials are abandoning the military for private sector jobs. In particular, the quality of accommodation and other resources for military families has been in decline, which he points to as a reason for older personnel with dependents leaving the military. Mr Young said the UK couldnt afford to lose these highly trained groups in the armed forces, especially as equipment becomes more and more technically complex. Weve got people leaving the armed forces because of the living and working conditions, so then youre losing expertise and talent as well, he says. So, switching on the tap today in terms of recruitment doesnt give you an instant solution. Its going to be another three or four or five years or more before you get the fully trained people that you need, and then youve got to retain them. Theyve now got skills which are attractive to civilian employees. The Uk relies heavily on its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons, build by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. (Getty Images) Lessons from Ukraine: the long haul Rands Mr Black said Britain and other Nato members needed to be taking lessons from the war in Ukraine to improve longevity capabilities in combat. The war in Ukraine has exposed that a lot of Western militaries have been assuming that any high-end war against someone like Russia would be very lethal, but would also probably be very quick. A kind of short, sharp, horrible flurry of violence. And then the situation would be resolved. However, the ongoing war in Ukraine now three years long has shown that this assumption is flawed. And if Britain were to engage in a longer period of war, the armed forces are not prepared to last more than a few months, according to a defence committee report in February. Former committee chair Sir Jeremy Quin told MPs that the military was unable to devote sufficient training and resources to high-intensity warfighting. Mr Black warns that the existing focus on higher quality, complex machinery does not necessarily work for long combat, with challenges such as refuelling, rapid replacement and stockpiling. How do I replenish my stockpiles when Ive fired all my missiles or dropped all my bombs? And that is partly a military question but also an industrial question. Do we have the industrial base to rebuild in the first place? A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. An America for White Americans I usually cast President Trumps anti-immigrant mass deportation agenda as a rule of law story. But it is of course so much more than that. It is fundamentally a story about racism, xenophobia, and othering. Its about preying on our fears, differences, and prejudices to create a villainous foe whom he can easily vanquish in repeated set-pieces. Its about letting loose the worst of our impulses to heighten and sustain divisions among us. The mass deportation agenda is just one part of a larger agenda in which white Americans are fronted as the real America and everyone else is second-class, unless they individually demonstrate in lavish ways a high enough degree of fealty to Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its against this backdrop that much of this weeks news is taking place: Trumps minimizing of chattel slavery; the federalization of D.C. police and the deployment of red state national guards to a plurality Black city; the phasing out of support for non-native English speakers in school; new hoops for legal immigrants to jump through; and a gauntlet of other indignities and slights that preference white citizens. I try to remain mindful that white nationalism is as much performative as it is an actual threat. The transgressiveness is intended to provoke. Outrage is the currency. I dont think its helpful or precise to call it a distraction, but its good to be aware when ones buttons are being pushed and to determine for yourself whether and how to react. My main point here is to urge you to listen to the music of this weeks news and not be too literal about the lyrics. So much of what were seeing is striking similar chords, has the same rhythms, and hits in the same emotional place. With that in mind Yep, Slavery WAS Bad In his ongoing attack on the Smithsonian Institute, President Trump charged it with overplaying how bad Slavery was. The reaction was withering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the same social media post, Trump explicitly compared his attack on the Smithsonian to his attack on higher education. I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made, he wrote. No Let Up in the Attack on D.C. As some of the former Confederate states race to send their national guards to D.C., the Trump administration opened a new front in its attack on the Democratic-heavy city: U.S Attorney Jeanine Pirros office has launched a bogus investigation to try to provide ammunition for President Trumps baseless claim that D.C. has falsified crime statistics to make it look like crime is on the decline. Separately, in a NRA-friendly move that seems on its face to run counter to the administrations own tough-on-crime rhetoric, Pirro announced that her office will no longer seek felony charges against people carrying rifles and shotguns guns in D.C. The Pirro announcement came the same day that new reporting suggests D.C. National Guard troops are undergoing on-the-fly training in how to use a specific type of pistol that they dont typically carry in preparation for being armed on the streets of D.C. McCarthyism Returns to Immigration Law Legal immigrants will now be screened for Anti-America ideologies or activities, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced in a new policy alert. USCIS will impose the new requirement on visa and green card applications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Anti-America means, how it will be interpreted by individual case officers, and what emphasis the White House will put on it is all left vague and undetermined, itself a foreboding threat. The term has no prior precedent in immigration law and its definition is entirely up to the Trump admin, wrote Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council. McCarthyism returns to immigration, he added. The new guidance comes on the heels of another USCIS policy memo that directed case officers considering citizenship applications to more vigorously investigate whether applicants are of good moral character. That guidance is also left vague, giving case officers wide discretion on a case-by-case basis. English Only The Trump Education Department has quietly rescinded longstanding guidance requiring schools to accommodate students who are learning English, prompting fears that support for non-fluent English speakers will evaporate, the WaPo reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This news comes as the Department of Housing and Urban Development has stopped providing materials and information in any languages other than English and plans to remove any non-English materials it has previously made available. America First In another of his performative flourishes, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters (R) is imposing a new requirement on teachers from New York and California applying to work in his state. They must pass a 50-question test developed by wait for it Prager University. Were not bringing in woke indoctrinators into the classroom, Walters told the WaPo this week. Its a very America-first approach. For Hetero Whites Only In a NYT feature on a northern Arkansas development called Return to the Land that is restricted to white heterosexuals, this passage was the coup de grace (emphasis mine): Mr. Orwoll recently gave The New York Times a limited tour, allowing entry to the property through a gate that had a lock. He sat on a folding chair in his office, housed in an insulated shed with air-conditioning and fiber internet, two pianos and shelves full of philosophy texts. Before a photographer could snap pictures, he pulled a copy of Mein Kampf from a bookshelf and turned it around to hide its spine. The whole thing is worth a read. Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know! As President Donald Trump pledges to roll back mail-in voting , election officials are warning that steps to limit Americas voting systems will only make it easier for foreign hackers such as Russia to interfere in future elections. On Monday, Trump announced in a post on Truth Social his intention to sign an executive order to lead a movement to get rid of mail-in ballots, along with ending the use of Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES, though he did not elaborate on what types of machines he was referring to. Should Trump ban both mail-in ballots and voting machines, ballots would either need to be tediously and meticulously hand counted or the U.S. would need to create a system for voting online which security experts warn could threaten the privacy and safety of Americas elections providing an opening for Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no feasible way to hand count U.S. general elections, said Harri Hursti, co-founder of the Voting Village at the annual DEFCON conference where hackers can hunt for vulnerabilities in voting machines. Humans are slow and error-prone and also sometimes dishonest You would need to take a significant part of the whole labor force and dedicate those to election work for weeks. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the House Administration Committee with jurisdiction over federal election issues, said hand counting ballots is an open invitation to being able to mess with the results. I don't think serious people doubt that doing mail-in balloting and using modern technology is far more secure and, frankly, much more accurate than hand counts, Morelle said. Trumps latest attacks on U.S. election infrastructure come after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity following the meeting, Trump praised the Russian leader and suggested that he supported his debunked claims that the 2020 election was rigged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: Your election was rigged because you have mail-in voting," he told Hannity. Russia has sought to influence elections around the world to peddle propaganda and to undermine global Western alliances such as NATO. The U.S. intelligence community concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election , and Moscow has been accused in recent years of attempting to influence elections throughout Europe, including in Romania , Moldova and Georgia . In 2018, DHS top cyber official cautioned that U.S. election infrastructure is regularly targeted by hackers to cause disruptive effects, steal sensitive data and undermine confidence in the election. Trump has long claimed that mail-in voting leads to increased voter fraud, though there has been little evidence to support this. Around one-third of the electorate submitted their ballots by mail in the 2024 elections. The U.S. presidents attempts to change the voting process may also not pass legal scrutiny. State governments are in charge of holding elections, according to Article 1 of the Constitution, and any executive order or law seeking to overturn states rights on this issue is certain to be challenged in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the Trump administration has taken steps in recent months to weaken U.S. election security in other ways. The administration froze efforts at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to help protect election infrastructure and challenge election-related misinformation . In addition, a team that had responded to foreign election interference was disbanded in February. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D), the chief election official in her state, said Trumps actions so far have already made our elections less secure. Trump is trying to grab power ahead of the 2026 election, Griswold said of the recent actions. This is a direct attack on democracy. The White House insists that Trumps effort to end the use of mail-in ballots is meant to enhance election security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump wants to secure Americas elections and protect the vote, restoring the integrity of our elections by requiring voter ID, ensuring no illegal ballots are cast, and preventing cheating through lax and incompetent voting laws in states like California and New York, Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement. But the timing of Trumps announcement right after a high-stakes meeting with Putin has heightened concerns that Trumps actions, nudged by Putin, are aimed at suppressing certain voters and downgrading election security by eroding trust in the electoral process. Officials are also worried by Trumps discussions with Putin about U.S. elections, given that Russia has limited election security and its electoral process is largely considered by observers to be a sham . The idea that an American president would look to Vladimir Putin for advice on how we should run our elections is beyond absurd, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and one of the lead lawmakers who investigated Russian interference efforts in the 2016 presidential election, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Undermining confidence in these systems doesnt make us safer it hands a gift to our adversaries who want nothing more than to weaken Americans faith in their own democracy, he added. One former top U.S. intelligence official, granted anonymity to speak candidly for fear of reprisal, described Putin as a snake, stressing that he has an established track record on election interference across countries he wants to influence and should never be trusted on anything. Nicole Markus contributed to this report. Sen. Lindsey Graham has said that Donald Trump is ready to crush the Russian economy if Vladimir Putin refuses to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky in the coming weeks to discuss an end to the Ukraine war. Graham has reportedly been pressuring Trump for months to support a sweeping sanctions bill designed to punish the Kremlin by placing massive tariffs on any country that continues to buy Russian oil and gas, thereby indirectly helping to bankroll its invasion of its western neighbor state. The legislation would most obviously hurt rival superpowers China and India, who currently account for 70 percent of Russias energy exports and would face 500 percent U.S. tariffs if it were to be enacted. South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is promoting a bipartisan to place sharp sanctions on countrys that continue to import Russian oil and gas (Getty) The Independents Owen Matthews has argued that Zelenskys European allies have already missed their opportunity to hold Putin to account by starving Russia of fossil fuel revenues. However, the senator believes there is still time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we dont have this thing moving in the right direction by the time we get back, then I think that plan B needs to kick in, Graham told the Associated Press in a phone interview this week. His bipartisan bill has been endorsed by 85 of his fellow senators to date, but does not have the expressed support of the White House. Graham argues that its moment may come when the upper chamber of Congress reconvenes in September following its summer recess. Graham said he had spoken to Trump on Tuesday, a day after he hosted several European heads of state and senior officials at the White House, including Zelensky, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni, Ursula von der Leyen and Mark Rutte. Trump believes that if Putin doesnt do his part, that hes going to have to crush his economy. Because you've got to mean what you say, Graham told reporters in his home state after his call with the president. Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday, a meeting that was cordial but did not yield any definite promises on the Ukraine war (AFP/Getty) There will come a point where if its clear that Putin is not going to entertain peace, that President Trump will have to back up what he said he would do. And the best way to do it is to have congressional blessing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the top Democrat in support of Grahams bill, has warned against excessive optimism regarding the prospects of a peace deal, given that the Russian leader emerged from his Alaska summit with Trump last week without making any definite commitments, suggesting he could be employing rope-a-dope tactics. The only way to bring Putin to the table is to show strength, Blumenthal told the AP. What Putin understands is force and pressure. While sitting beside Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, Donald Trump once again boasted of ending six wars in as many months without negotiating a single ceasefire. If you look at the six deals that I settled this year, they were all at war. I didn't do any ceasefires, Trump said before turning to Zelensky, adding: I dont think you need a ceasefire. Since his trip to Scotland last month, Trump has repeated multiple times a version of his claim that hes ended wars at about one a month, according to PolitiFact. Earlier Monday, the president posted on Truth Social that in one case, he had averted a possible unclear disaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By Tuesday morning, Trump told Fox & Friends that his administration had solved seven wars, though the president did not elaborate on which conflict he was now including in his list. The White House told The Independent that Trump was citing conflicts from both his first and second terms. The White House previously lauded Trump as the peacemaker-in-chief, and the president has styled himself as the president of peace. Trump in the Situation Room of the White House before addressing reporters about the bombing of the three Iranian nuclear sites (The White House) Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief has openly signalled his ambitions of winning a Nobel Peace Prize despite campaigning on a largely non-interventionist platform. Are Trumps claims of halting hostilities credible or an embellishment of the truth? The Independent takes a closer look at the presidents peacemaking record. Israel and Iran Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump and Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (AP) Approximately three days after launching Operation Midnight Hammer, Trump told NATO leaders that his administration just ended a war in 12 days that was simmering for 30 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On June 23, the major Iranian uranium enrichment sites, Fordow and Natanz, and the research base of Isfahan faced a wave of U.S. bunker buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles, which Trump claimed left the facilities obliterated. The U.S. intervened in the conflict on June 21 after Israel launched a surprise attack eight days earlier on Iranian nuclear facilities, missile strikes, and military infrastructure. Iran responded with a wave of missile and drone strikes at Israeli army bases and cities. On June 23, Trump declared on Truth Social that Israel and Iran had reached a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE, which was mediated by the U.S. While Trumps actions against Irans nuclear program may have curtailed immediate strikes, it is not possible to claim to have secured lasting peace, with tensions in the region remaining high. India and Pakistan Trump, right, speaks with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the East Room of the White House in February (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The brief but deadly military exchange between India and Pakistan that began on May 7 reignited long-standing tensions over the disputed region of Kashmir. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It drew a surprise offer of mediation from Trump, who said he could help find a solution to the Himalayan region that is claimed by both nations. We also appreciate President Trumps expressed willingness to support efforts aimed at the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, said the Pakistani government. By contrast, India remained publicly silent while reinforcing its view that Kashmir is an internal matter. Major General Rameshwar Roy, a retired Indian Army officer, dismissed Trumps offer outright, calling it irrelevant and intrusive and telling The Independent in May that it was a bilateral agreement reached without U.S. involvement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri doubled down in June that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trump there was no U.S. mediation between India and Pakistan. Thailand and Cambodia Trump addresses to reporters at the Lehigh Valley International Airport on August 3, 2025 about tensions between Cambodia and Thailand (Getty) On July 26, Trump said he was calling the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia to urge a ceasefire after three days of intense border fighting. A truce between the nations, brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, was reached on 28 July after Trump said he had spoken to the leaders. Trump leveraged his most powerful economic weapon: tariffs. He said he threatened to derail existing trade deals that had been brokered with the two countries if the fighting persisted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just days later, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, lauding his extraordinary statesmanship in halting the border conflict with its neighbor. However, foreign policy experts caution that there is no evidence that the president personally negotiated or directly brokered a ceasefire between the two countries. Reports indicate that the fragile truce has been violated multiple times, with both sides accusing each other of breaches. Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo Trump listens as Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe speaks during an event with Congo's Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner in June at the White House (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) On June 27, foreign ministers of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo flew to Washington, D.C., to sign a controversial peace deal brokered by the U.S. to end fighting in eastern DRC. The agreement also allows for U.S. investment in eastern DRCs critical mineral reserves, including gold, copper, and lithium. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and delegates from both nations in the Oval Office, Trump called the peace treaty a glorious triumph. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, however, claimed the diplomatic success as his own. Foreign policy experts said the agreement is significant but part of a broader picture of broken contracts between the countries. A week earlier, Trump teed up the treaty he said he and Rubio arranged in a bid to put an end to the decades-long war between the two nations. This is a Great Day for Africa and, quite frankly, a Great Day for the World! I wont get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, he wrote on Truth Social on June 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his meandering post, Trump also noted that he wouldnt be awarded the prize for stopping wars between India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, Egypt and Ethiopia, and for doing the Abraham Accords in the Middle East. No, I wont get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and thats all that matters to me!, he said. Armenia and Azerbaijan Donald Trump shakes hands with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, right, and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev during a trilateral signing ceremony this month (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) On August 8, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement during a meeting with Trump in the White House, bringing an end to decades of conflict. If it holds, the deal between the South Caucasus rivals would reopen key transportation routes while allowing the U.S. to seize on Russias declining influence in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A major transit corridor linking Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan is set to open, with the U.S. owning the development rights to the corridor. It was to be named the Trump Route, the White House said, which the president called a great honor. It's a long time 35 years they fought and now they're friends, and they're going to be friends for a long time, Trump said, besides the leaders of the two nations at the signing ceremony. Egypt and Ethiopia President Donald Trump meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the Oval Office in 2019 (AP) After 12 years, Egypts Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on June 29 that talks with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the River Nile had ground to a halt. Days later, Ethiopia said its GERD was complete. While a full-scale conflict did not erupt, Egyptians remained wary that the mega dam could restrict the flow of the Nile, which provides 90 percent of the countrys total water supply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a White House meeting on July 14, Trump appeared to side with Egypt, claiming that it would be pretty incredible if its water source were to be taken away. He said that the U.S is going to have that solved very quickly. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a Trump ally, said in a social media statement that the country appreciates Trumps keenness on reaching a just agreement and supports the presidents global vision of establishing just peace, security, and stability. Ethiopian officials and experts warned that Trumps remarks risked aggravating the situation and undermining Ethiopias right to utilize its natural resources. And any progress, they argued, is mainly attributable to ongoing multilateral negotiations, not Trumps intervention. Trump reportedly expressed hope for a quick resolution as Egypt and Ethiopia reached an agreement in 2018 during his first administration over how to share the waters of the Nile. Serbia and Kosovo A woman walks near a poster showing Trump with a Serbian flag, in Mitrovica, Kosovo in January (Reuters) At an Oval Office press conference on June 27, Trump declared that Serbia and Kosovo were on the brink of war until, he said, his administration was able to stop it by again threatening trade sanctions. Trump said he had a friend in Serbia who alerted him that were going to go to war again with Kosovo, without providing further details. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on July 10 that Trump prevented a potential escalation from Serbia. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied the claims of warmongering and said on July 12 that a conflict with Kosovo does not even occur to us. After the breakup of Yugoslavia, tensions between the two nations peaked between 1998 and 1999 when the countries were at war, which ended with NATO intervention. Friction has persisted since Kosovo declared independence in 2008. In 2020, during Trumps first term, the U.S. brokered a pact between the two Balkan nations to normalize economic relations. President Donald Trump continued his criticism of the Smithsonian Institution on Tuesday, saying it is OUT OF CONTROL and the last remaining segment of WOKE. Trumps post on Truth Social reignited a debate over his administrations approach to diversity initiatives at American institutions. Trumps effort Trump shared his message online Tuesday afternoon, saying that museums in Washington, D.C., and across the country were too WOKE and needed to change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future, Trump wrote. Trump said he will not let it happen and has instructed attorneys to go through museums and start the same process that has been underway at universities, where tremendous progress has been made, to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE, he wrote. We have the HOTTEST Country in the World, and we want people to talk about it, including in our museums. The National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall is seen on Friday, March 28, 2025, in Washington. | Mark Schiefelbein The post comes months after the Trump administration sought to ban DEI in institutions across the country. The Education Department has threatened to pull funding from schools that keep the programs in place, forcing colleges and universities to change campus culture ahead of the school year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In March, Trump signed an executive order directing Vice President JD Vance and Interior Department Secretary Doug Burgum to remove improper ideology from the Smithsonian institutions. Trumps supporters have celebrated the change and his post Tuesday. One of them being columnist Bethany Mandel, who wrote an op-ed in Fox News in early July about the Smithsonian museums in Washington not having the right focus. Her op-ed was shared on X Tuesday by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Titled, Why are major museums pushing climate change instead of celebrating the spirit of America?, Mandel says exhibits at the Smithsonian museums include ideological hectoring, in the way they frame issues like climate change and DEI. Mandel questioned why American tax dollars are funding what she describes as an underlying progressive narrative at the museums in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With more than 30 million visitors expected to descend on Washington, D.C. for the nations Semiquincentennial next year, the clock is ticking, she wrote. If nothing changes, theyll walk into the Museum of American History and leave not with a celebration of our founding but a guilt trip. Critics weigh in After Trump shared his post Tuesday, critics weighed in on the message, particularly highlighting the part that said the Smithsonian institutions discussed how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was. Political historian Leah Wright Rigueur joined CNN on Tuesday after Trumps post, where she argued the presidents message is less about highlighting American triumph, but more about controlling the narrative and certain stories that the Smithsonians 24 million annual visitors will see. I do have to ask, I really wonder, has the President of the United States actually visited any of the Smithsonian exhibits or museums, you know, I think Im pretty sure the answer to that is no, he hasnt, she said. Because if he had, he would actually see a very deep and complex and nuanced story about America. The good, the bad, the ugly, but also a story of resilience that is really about the very best of America when faced with the very worst of our country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wright Rigueur said the African American History Museum does not solely focus on slavery, which she said is viewed objectively as bad, but it also celebrates Black success, including the stories of former Housing and Development Secretary Ben Carson and former President Barack Obama. Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich also weighed in on X with a post, insinuating Trump is trying to rewrite history. Trump is attacking the Smithsonian museum, saying theres too much focus on how bad slavery was, Reich wrote. Authoritarians know that if they can convince us our country has never been wrong, they can make us believe our ruler is always right. Be warned. President Donald Trump pledged Tuesday that no American forces will be sent to defend Ukraine to aid them in the war against Russia, even after he leaves office. Trump made an appearance on Fox & Friends on Tuesday to discuss his ongoing negotiations with both Russia and Ukraine, making it clear that there will not be any Americans sent to fight this war. You have my assurance, Trump said, per Fox News. Im just trying to stop people from being killed. Theyre losing 5,000 to 7,000 people a week in that ridiculous war that should have never happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump added that he will prioritize a face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before organizing bigger negotiations. They havent exactly been best friends, said the president. Maybe theyre getting along a little bit better than I thought. Otherwise, I wouldnt have set up the two [of them] meeting, I would have set up a [trilateral meeting]. These comments came one day after meetings with Zelenskyy and several NATO leaders at the White House, following a meeting with Putin to discuss a treaty during the Alaska Summit, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has also frequently voiced his opposition to Ukraine joining NATO, while emphasizing that some European partners have agreed to provide security guarantees. Zelenskyy posted on social media to detail the discussions about security guarantees, writing that he is confident that peace can be reliable and lasting, and security guarantees are the key to this. Ukrainians have defended independence, Ukraine has united many nations, and by ensuring strong security guarantees, it will certainly ensure the future for our people, Zelenskyy added. We are now actively working at all levels on the specifics, on what the architecture of the guarantees will look like, with all members of the Coalition of the Willing, and very concretely with the United States. This is one of the major results of Washington talks. I am grateful to everyone who is helping. New reports have also indicated that NATO military leaders will meet on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine, though no indication has been provided about the specifics of this meeting, according to The Guardian. Although no deal between Ukraine and Russia is currently imminent, the recent movement has provided reason to be hopeful. Trump said that the U.S. will find out whether Putin is truly willing to negotiate a treaty in the coming days, noting that Zelensky must show some flexibility because the two must have somewhat of a relationship, as reported by The Washington Post. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending US troops to defend Ukraine from future Russian attacks, further muddying the security guarantees Washington plans to offer Kyiv. European leaders and Ukraines president left the White House Monday somewhat relieved by Trumps assurances to protect post-war Ukraine, but so far the US leader has offered little in the way of details beyond suggesting potential air support. The White House on Tuesday also touted progress toward arranging a meeting between Russias Vladimir Putin and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with plans underway to determine a location, but Moscow is yet to commit and a top Kremlin official appeared to scoff at the prospect, The New York Times reported. Hes a war hero because we work together. Hes a war hero. I guess I am too. I sent those planes," Trump said. US President Donald Trump referred to himself and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as war heroes in a Tuesday interview with The Mark Levin Show. Hes a war hero because we work together. Hes a war hero. I guess I am too. I sent those planes. He added that Netanyahu is "a good man," and that he's in there fighting," in the Israel-Hamas War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has never served in the US military. Netanyahu served in the IDF's Sayeret Matkal unit. Notably, he took part in the mission to rescue hostages from the hijacked Sabena airplane. An IDF soldier operates in Beit Hanun, Gaza Strip, August 7, 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) IDF preps to occupy Gaza City Trump's comments come as Israel prepares to occupy Gaza City amid mass protests calling for restraint to save the hostages lives. Operational planning is continuing as usual, a senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post. We are determined to implement the cabinets decision to capture Gaza City unless a framework is presented that includes the release of all hostages and an end to the war under the terms outlined by the prime minister. Hamas told Egyptian and Qatari mediators on Monday that it had agreed to the latest Gaza hostage-ceasefire proposal, a source familiar with the details told the Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The IDF stated that the Gaza City operation would comprise at least 80,000 soldiers, who would encircle and conquer the city to destroy Hamass core terror infrastructure and the primary government symbols still under its control, the Post previously reported. Trump stated that Israel would "only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!!" "The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be," he added. Amichai Stein contributed to this report. NEED TO KNOW President Donald Trump shared how unsatisfied he is with the Smithsonian Museums in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Aug. 19 "The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been," the president wrote He claimed there is "Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future" Days after ordering an internal review of the Smithsonian Institutions exhibits, President Donald Trump went on Truth Social to criticize the museums for being "out of control" by shedding light on the rough chapters in American history. "The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of 'WOKE,' " he wrote. "The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future." Donald Trump/Truth Social President Donald Trump talks about the Smithsonian being "woke" President Donald Trump talks about the Smithsonian being "woke" "We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made," Trump continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president ended his message by writing, "This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE." "We have the HOTTEST Country in the World, and we want people to talk about it, including in our Museums," he said. Trump seized control of the Smithsonian Museums' messaging in March. The goal of the recent internal review, according to a letter sent to the Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III by the Trump administration on Aug. 12, was to ensure the exhibits "celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions." SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty President Donald Trump at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Feb. 21, 2017 President Donald Trump at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Feb. 21, 2017 The directive called for the thorough review of internal communications, visitor surveys, current exhibiting content, outside partners, and more, at eight Smithsonian museums. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within 120 days of receipt of the letter, the museums are instructed to make updates that replace "divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions across placards, wall didactics, digital displays, and other public-facing materials." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The initiative is part of Trump's March 27 order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," directing Vice President J.D. Vance in his capacity as a member of the Smithsonian Institutions Board of Regents to remove "divisive, race-centered ideology" from Smithsonian museums, research centers and the National Zoo. Read the original article on People Donald Trumps administration is considering introducing a new rule that would block college graduates with outstanding loans from having their debt forgiven if their employers are found to be undermining national security and American values through illegal means. The proposal, announced this week by the Linda McMahon-led Department for Education, would bar people from being considered for the federal Public Student Loan Forgiveness program if the businesses they work for engage in activities with a substantial illegal purpose. The examples given by the DOE of what offenses might qualify include supporting terrorism, aiding or abetting discrimination or violations of immigration laws, or child abuse. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, whose department could be about to restrict access to a key student loan forgiveness program (AP) Announcing the draft rule change proposal, Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said: President Trump has given the department a historic mandate to restore the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to its original purpose supporting public servants who strengthen their communities and serve the public good, not benefiting businesses engaged in illegal activity that harm Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal government has a vital interest in deterring unlawful conduct, and were moving quickly to ensure employers dont benefit while breaking the law. The PSLF was first introduced in 2007 under George W Bush with the intention of rewarding graduates who enter public service professions like teaching or law enforcement by relieving them of the burden of student debt at the outset of their careers. The DOE insists the rule change it is pitching is necessary to preserve the original spirit of the taxpayer-funded program while penalizing companies found to be operating outside of the law. It is now soliciting public comments on its proposal until September 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to CBS News, critics of the revision have already warned that it would open the door to DOE officials moving to improperly exclude public servants from the scheme on ideological grounds. In advance of the draft proposal being published, the Student Borrower Protection Center campaign group slammed it last month as harmful, horrific, and illegal, warning it could empower the Trump administration to persecute agencies and firms whose work or ethos conflicts with its own goals. To be clear, if implemented this proposal would allow the secretary to disqualify from PSLF any employees of school systems that accurately teach the U.S.s history of slavery, of healthcare providers who offer gender-affirming care and of legal aid organizations that represent individuals against unlawful deportations, said the SBPCs legal director Winston Berkman-Breen in late June. The Independent has reached out to the DOE for further comment. Earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem offered student loan forgiveness as an incentive to encourage graduates to apply to join ICE as part of a massive recruitment drive to boost the administrations crackdown on undocumented migrants. President Trump told Brian Glenn of the conservative Real Americas Voice that he didnt want to answer his question because it was "off-topic" as he stood there with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. Then he proceeded to answer it at great length. The idea, it turns out, began with Vladimir Putin, who has a bit of experience at keeping himself in power, which isnt all that hard if youre a dictator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My source? Donald Trump. Zelenskyy Agrees To Trump-putin Meeting Without Cease-fire, But Will Kremlin Dictator Go Along? President Trump's Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, reportedly told him "it's impossible to have mail-in voting and have honest elections." He said Putin told him that "it's impossible to have mail-in voting and have honest elections," in an interview with Foxs Sean Hannity. He said Putin told him he won the 2020 election "by so much," as Trump has long claimed, "and you lost it because of mail-in voting. It was a rigged election." Read On The Fox News App Music to the presidents ears. So Trump was ready when a friendly reporter asked the question. Trump slammed mail-in ballots as "corrupt" when asked by a reporter, a position he's maintained since his re-election defeat in 2020. "Mail-in ballots are corrupt," he declared. "Mail-in ballots, you can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots, and we as a Republican Party are going to do everything possible that we get rid of mail-in ballots. We're going to start with an executive order that's being written right now by the best lawyers in the country to end mail-in ballots because they're corrupt." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was just warming up. "And, you know, that we're the only country in the world, I believe I may be wrong, but just about the only country in the world that uses [mail-in ballots] because of what's happened, massive fraud all over the place. The other thing we want, change of the machines. For all of the money they spend, it's approximately 10 times more expensive than paper ballots. And paper ballots are very sophisticated with the watermark paper and everything else, we would get secure elections. We get much faster results, the machines, I mean, they say we're going to have the results in two weeks with paper ballots. You have the results that night. Most people almost have, but most people in many countries use paper ballots. It's the most secure form." A little fact-checking is in order. As Axios points out, many countries around the world have some form of mail-in voting. And millions of Americans who live overseas, such as military families, are eligible for mailing in their ballots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump actually doesnt have the power to do this. While he says the states are an "agent" of the feds, the Constitution says the mechanics of holding elections "shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof." But Congress can change those requirements. Could the president get this through the narrow majorities in both chambers? "Its a fraud," Trump said, adding: "It's time that the Republicans get tough and stop it because the Democrats want it, it's the only way they can get elected." Donald Trump As Strongman, Riling Up His Base And Investigating His Enemies Trump even invoked Jimmy Carter. In 2004, a commission set up by the former president and ex-Reagan aide James Baker III concluded that "absentee ballots remain the largest source of potential voter fraud." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, Trump went all-out in favor of mail-in ballots, arguing that they would help Republicans. Of course, he may just have been trying to make the best of the tools already in place. No party believes in unilateral disarmament. But his enthusiasm for mail-in ballots in that election stands in stark contrast to his current stance that they are corrupt and should be banned. Trump wound up telling Brian Glenn, who is dating Marjorie Taylor Greene, "Im glad you asked that question." In 2020, Trump favored mail-in ballots under the impression they'd help Republicans a far cry from his current stance. The president doesnt let himself be tied down by the rules of consistency that most conventional politicians have to obey. Until last Friday, he was insisting on a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine as a precondition for any peace agreement. After the Alaska summit, he dropped the ceasefire idea that Zelenskyy had been demanding, given that his country is being bombarded every day, with significant civilian casualties, and adopted the Putin stance of allowing the war to continue to further freeze his military gains in the crucial Donbas region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe To Howie's Media Buzzmeter Podcast, A Riff On The Day's Hottest Stories But that flexibility what critics call flip-flopping has put the president in the position where he has a shot at hammering out a peace agreement, though major obstacles remain. So I expect well hear a lot more about how mail-in ballots are horrible and evil in the coming months, though whether he can get his Hill allies to go along is very much an open question. Original article source: Trump slams mail-in ballots as corrupt, but may not have the power to derail them US President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized top museums for their "woke" focus on subjects including "how bad Slavery was," his latest attack on the cultural institutions in a country that fought a civil war over the issue. "The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future," Trump wrote. He was referring to the Smithsonian Institution, an independent organization that operates 17 museums, galleries and a zoo located across the country, which receives public funding, and which he has previously accused of espousing a "corrosive ideology." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The translatlantic slave trade from Africa to the Americas spanned three centuries, and has been referred to as the United States' "original sin." The country's South fought to maintain slavery in the 1861-1865 Civil War, but lost. Since then African Americans have fought for their civil rights, including in the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, which forced a new national reckoning on the darker parts of US history. "The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of 'WOKE'," Trump wrote in the Truth Social post, using his shorthand for leftist social justice movements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For months now, Trump has disparaged cultural institutions, which have worked to bring more diversity to exhibits and programming in recent years, highlighting women, people of color and queer culture. Last week, the White House posted a letter to its website saying the administration plans to target eight major museums for "comprehensive internal review" in an effort to "celebrate American exceptionalism" and "remove divisive or partisan narratives." The targeted institutions include the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Museum of the American Indian, the letter said. "Now museums are being targeted because they speak too openly about the horrors of slavery," wrote prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump on X in response to Trump's post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If telling the truth about slavery makes a museum 'too woke,' then the problem isn't the history, it's the people who want to erase it," he continued. In 2017, during his first term, Trump visited the National Museum of African American History -- which opened the year before and which depicts the slave trade, among other historic subjects. "This museum is a beautiful tribute to so many American heroes," Trump said after his tour, according to US media reports from the time. "It's amazing to see." sla/st President Trump has changed his tune on the Smithsonians depiction of Americas past since he visited the National Museum of African American History in 2017. Following that visit to the newly opened museum, Trump was full of praise. Its a new, beautiful Smithsonian museum that serves as a shining example of African Americans incredible contributions to our culture, our society and our history, Trump said months into his first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also tells of the great struggle for freedom and equality that prevailed against the sins of slavery and the injustice of discrimination. The work and love of the people who helped create such a masterpiece is a testament to the legacy of so many leaders, he added. The president added in the February 2017 remarks that nothing was more important than his promise to continue freedom for African Americans and for every American. This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms, he added. Those comments returned to the spotlight on Tuesday after Trump announced a review of the Smithsonians museums for what he called a woke lens on American history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future, the president wrote Tuesday in a Truth Social post. We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made, Trump wrote. This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE. Trump has declared museum exhibitions must be brought into alignment with his objective to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions. The Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of American History removed an exhibit earlier this month referencing Trumps two impeachments, drawing fire from Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also forced out National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet, the first woman to helm the institution. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) slammed Trumps latest comments during a Tuesday appearance on CNN. Is he a publicist for slavery, like a lobbyist on behalf of slavery? he asked. It doesnt make any sense that he would want to erase one of the ugliest things thats ever happened in America and educate our children, especially about how we make sure it doesnt happen again. David Axelrod, a former top adviser to former President Obama, remarked on the notable contrast between first-term and second-term Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I find myself weirdly nostalgic for the @POTUS Trump who once recognized the great struggle for freedom and equality that prevailed against the sins of slavery, and the value and importance of enshrining that history at the Smithsonian, Axelrod wrote on the social platform X. Now he wants to expunge it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The military parade in June was just practice, it turns out. For more than a week, the nation has watched federal officers and even camouflaged troops patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., causing increasing amounts of violence and mayhem. Videos of agents pulling a delivery driver off his moped and stopping to lecture a Black man smoking a cigarette on his own stoop have gone viral, while Republican governors from West Virginia, Ohio, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana will likely add to the chaos and potential danger by deploying their National Guardsmen to the city. Some of them could be armed. President Donald Trump on Monday made the ludicrous claim that these actions have made the district safer. In response, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser touted the Metropolitan Police Departments own efforts to reduce crime and said the district just needs more police officers. The numbers on the ground in the District dont support a thousand people from other states coming to Washington, D.C. You know that, she said on Monday. Other Democrats, like Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, have pointed out that many of the states sending troops have cities with higher crime rates, a claim supported by the data. Bowser and Murphy are right, and Trump is wrong. But no one should be hand-wringing about crime right nowIm looking at you, The Atlanticbecause Trump isnt actually worried about crime. Hes not trying to make the district safer for its residents, and hes certainly not weighing the data and evidence when he calls on governors to send guardsmen. Parading troops through an American city is a brazen authoritarian power grab, a test run at martial law in a city with an already heavy federal presence. So were well past the point of rebutting Trumps lies about crime, or trying to gain the upper hand on the issue. What the residents of D.C., and everyone around the country who is alarmed by the rise of MAGA fascism, wants is for Trumps show of force to be met with an equal show of force. And the Democrats are utterly failing in that regard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Facts have never stopped Trump, and they wont now. D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety, he lied on his propaganda platform, Truth Social. Until 4 days ago, Washington, D.C., was the most unsafe city in the United States, and perhaps the World. Now, in just a short period of time, it is perhaps the safest, and getting better every single hour! People are flocking to D.C. again, and soon, the beautification will begin! To support this, he posted a video on Truth Social with his voiceover saying, We will take over our horribly run Washington, D.C., and clean up, rebuild, and renovate our capital. And yet, the video montage shows our capital city already looking quite beautiful and peaceful; mute Trumps voice, and youd be forgiven for thinking it was tourism promo. What does it mean to take over the District? Most of the cities Trump has criticized are governed by democratically elected Black mayors, and so the claims that they are crime-ridden are more of a racist bullhorn than a dog whistle. D.C., where the plurality of the population (44 percent) is Black and more than 90 percent of residents vote Democratic, does not want meddling from the Republican president it didnt elect and the Congress it has no representation in. It wants to preserve home rule and be granted statehood someday. The takeover is political, and it is partly a performative stuntto quote Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Murphy, respectivelyin the sense that its elaborate political theater designed to distract from Trumps tanking approval rating and the Epstein scandal. But its also more than that: an authoritarian show of force that is genuinely terrifying and terrorizing innocent people. Sending groups of federal officers roving empty streets on a weeknight in the tony Georgetown neighborhood or the U Street nightlife district almost guarantees someone will film it. Combat vehicles lined up in front of the citys Union Station are a shocking sight that guarantees pictures and commentary. This coverage spreads across the country, conveying different messages to different Americans, depending on where they live, the color of their skin, whom they voted for last year, and so on. If youre a white MAGA voter in suburban or rural America, these videos probably confirm your priors: that our capital, and many other American cities, are crime-ridden hellholes run by feckless Black liberals. Conversely, if youre afraid of being targeted by police because of your race or immigration status, youre going to circumscribe your actions in response to seeing these videos, as well as videos of ICE actions from around the country. Even if youre not accustomed to being treated with suspicion, you now know that a normal trip through your city might involve encountering federal officers or witnessing someone else being arrested and detained. Increasingly, Americans are primed to bear witnessto record masked agents who are snatching people off the streetsand some are even intervening. This is what it means to learn to live in an authoritarian police state, and people are using the only tools they have: cell phones and sandwiches. The longer ICE raids and military takeovers go on, the more they will inspire protests around the country, which may be the only excuse Trump is waiting for to claim that cities are full of disorder and then crack down even harder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its hard to know whether the D.C. takeover is a trial run for occupying other cities, or simply an intimidation tactic to try to suppress voters in cities ahead of the 2026 midterm. Its definitely part of Trumps only true and unwavering project: consolidating power. Even as hes posting on Truth Social about crime in D.C., hes cheering efforts in Texas to redraw district maps to elect more Republicans to the House next year and launching an effort to get rid of mail-in ballots. What have Democrats done in response? Few have risen to the challenge. Representative Sarah McBride, the first-year representative from Delaware, tweeted Monday that Trump is engaged in an all-out assault not just on free and fair electionsbut on American democracy itself, and Texas Democrats have been fighting Governor Greg Abbotts gerrymander, but where is everyone else? Who is willing to take a risk to channel the anger so many people in D.C. and around the country feel? I understand that Democrats in Congress are on recess in their home districts this month, and thus dont have their usual platform on Capitol Hill, with its hundreds of reporters, to get their message out. But where are their comms teams? Wheres the sense of emergency? I fear the answer lies where it usually does for Democrats: Theyre scared of appearing not to care about crime. We as Democrats should be careful not to cede the issue of public safety to Donald Trump and Republicans, Representative Ritchie Torres told The New York Times the other day. We should own the issue of public safety, because it matters to voters. I suspect a lot of other prominent Democrats feel the same way but dont want to say it because they know it will further enrage their restless base. What else explains the partys deafening silence amid this crisis in our capital? Democratic politicians are terrified of issues like crime and immigration because theyre terrible at understanding polls. Torres is right that public safety matters to voters: If you ask voters whether they care about public safety, most of them will say yes! They care about it in the same way that they care about the economy or health care. If you ask more specifically about violent crime, Americans will say theyre worried about it because they have been trainedfirst and foremost by their local news but also, well, the president of the United Statesto be worried about it, the facts notwithstanding. They believe crime is a big problem in cities and elsewhere, not where they live, which often tells us much more about racial stereotypes in this country than actual feelings of safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amid Trumps federal takeover of D.C, some of the most prominent Democrats in America have accused him of a political ploy and attempted distraction, in the words of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The president, Pete Buttigieg said, is trying to solve his own political problems and get his base thinking and talking about something other than his refusal to open up the Epstein files, because hes mixed up in them. Trump activated the National Guard to distract from his incompetent mishandling of tariffs, health care, education and immigration, said Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. This feeble response is characteristic of Democrat leaders, who trot out this outdated attack line any time they want to shift the political conversation onto more favorable terrainrather than actually attacking Trump on the matter at hand. Whats more, the actual distraction here is the entire discourse about crime in D.C., which Democrats have ceded entirely to Trump and the Republicans (and in some cases, like Torrres, even contributed to it). The federal agents and troops are not the distraction. They are the whole pointquite literally the spear in Trumps increasingly fascist assault on American democracy. Some Americans are ready to stand in front of it. Very few of those Americans, it seems, are national Democrats. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Neither Bailey nor Bongino have any experience at the bureau. | Credit: Vanessa Abbitt / St. Louis Post-Dispatch / Tribune News Service via Getty Images What happened The Justice Department said Monday that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, an ardent backer of President Donald Trump, had been appointed FBI co-deputy director. Bailey said he would resign as Missouri's top prosecutor to join conservative podcaster Dan Bongino in the bureau's No. 2 spot. Who said what Bailey's appointment is the "latest unusual personnel move at the FBI as the Trump administration aims to dramatically reshape the bureau" under Director Kash Patel, The Washington Post said. The deputy director is usually a "respected veteran with deep experience at the FBI" who can run day-to-day operations. Neither Bailey nor Bongino had any experience at the bureau. The decision "bewildered many current and former FBI agents, who said they had never heard of a co-deputy director," The New York Times said. But Bongino has "vocally complained about the toll the job has taken on him," and his "future has appeared tenuous after a furious fight" with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Justice Department's decision not to release the Jeffrey Epstein files. What next? Bailey said he will resign as Missouri attorney general on Sept. 8. It was "unclear how Bongino and Bailey will split the responsibilities of the job," which doesn't require Senate confirmation, the Post said. It's also "unclear whether Bongino plans to remain at the FBI" once he has to share the No. 2 position with another person, Semafor said. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) President Donald Trump on Monday reignited controversy over how Americans vote, announcing plans on Truth Social to lead a movement to eliminate mail-in ballots and certain voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Trump is preparing an executive order to mandate the change. However, legal experts warn he lacks the constitutional authority. Mail in ballots are corrupt you can never have a real democracy with mail in ballots, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said the voting machines that count those mail-in ballots are highly inaccurate. Democrats showed a stronger preference for mail ballots in the 2024 primary, with 79% of their votes cast via mail, compared to 60% of Republicans. We would get secure elections and much faster results. The machines say we will get the results in two weeks but with paper ballots you have the results that night, Trump said. Statistics show 45% of the votes cast in the 2024 election in Nevada were mail ballots. Legal experts say any executive order Trump signs would almost certainly face lawsuits, and with primaries already on the horizon, its unlikely states could overhaul their election systems in time, even if the courts allowed it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevadans have accepted and adopted mail in ballots, and the reason is Nevada is a 24/7 economy. We are a working community. We want to have as many people participate in the process as possible, Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said. Aguilar said when you take away the accessibility of mail-in ballots, it hurts the future of our state. Mail ballots are determined in Nevada by the legislature and the governor. Until they decide were going to have a different process, we are going to continue with mail ballots, Aguilar said. Trumps pledge to target mail-in ballots signals that election rules will remain a hot topic heading into next years midterms. For now, though, the secretary of state said the chances of a nationwide ban appear slim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. President Donald Trump holds up the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" that was signed into law during an Independence Day military family picnic on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Brandon - Pool/Getty Images) The new tax law President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans passed this summer drastically reduces taxes on the wealthiest, slashes essential spending, and adds over $4 trillion to the deficit over a decade. The law weakens health care and food assistance more than any legislation in history. Combined with tax cuts that give a whopping $1 trillion to the richest 1%, no law has ever done so much to enrich the wealthy while hurting those of modest income. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What does it mean for your state and community? For starters, states will lose billions in federal funding for health care, food, and other necessities. Federal funds provided more than one of every three dollars that states spent last year and much more in places like Mississippi, Indiana, and South Dakota. In Louisiana, federal aid delivers fully half of state spending. But were likely to see layoffs of federal employees in every state and potentially of state and local employees whose paychecks rely on federal dollars, too. For families, it means less access to the basics. Hospitals and nonprofits (like food banks) depend on federal funding and will reduce staff at best and shutter at worst. More than 300 rural hospitals face likely elimination. And because of Trumps health care cuts, more than 50,000 Americans will die early every single year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to these cuts, Trump has also illegally withheld congressionally authorized funding for health care, Head Start, child care, disease control, disability services, and more, causing crises at organizations nationwide. Funding is also getting cut for community colleges, four-year universities, financial aid, loans, and first-generation students. This will block access to degrees for working-class kids coast-to-coast. Federal emergency funding, long the bedrock of state response to floods, hurricanes, and other disasters, is also on the chopping block meaning more devastation, less recovery, and billions in costs shifted to states. Transportation projects will stall too, harming commuters and construction jobs. All in all, this law will leave our communities sicker, less educated, and less safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only the federal government can raise sufficient funds from those most able to pay and distribute them to poorer states like Alabama, Mississippi, and West Virginia, who have less capacity to raise dollars locally. But policymakers can fill some of the gap with improved state and local taxation. With Trump and Congress turning their backs on American families, states have to rise to the moment. States have many options. They can raise more by bolstering income taxes on the wealthiest policies that have won recently in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Minnesota. They can also tax income from wealth by improving capital gains income taxation. Washington, Maryland, Minnesota, and New Mexico have passed such reforms recently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And they can stop corporations from hiding profits in other states, as most states now do, or in other countries, something innovators are increasingly proposing. Localities have options too: enacting mansion taxes, as cities in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, and New York have done, and passing local income taxes as thousands of communities in Ohio, Indiana, and 13 other states do. At the very least, local policymakers could rein in costly corporate tax breaks that shortchange schools. Tax dollars pay for essentials that make America healthy, educated, and safe. If Trump and his allies slash those fundamentals to enrich the richest, we must insist that states and cities get creative in taking care of the rest of us. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org. The Trump administration has quietly rescinded a longstanding Department of Education guidance explaining how schools must comply with civil rights laws and court decisions mandating they provide services to English language learners, alarming education advocates. The guidance, issued in 2015, details how schools must comply with longstanding parts of U.S. law like Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars national origin discrimination. Courts have interpreted this provision to mean that schools must offer support services to students who dont speak English. Since taking office, the Trump administration has been pushing to prioritize English-speaking as a national priority while cutting support for the roughly 5 million U.S. public school students who dont yet speak the language, as well as non-English speakers more broadly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February, the president signed an executive order designating English the official language of the U.S. while rescinding a federal mandate requiring agencies and institutions receiving federal funding to provide language assistance. Since then, the Department of Education has laid off nearly all the workers in its Office of English Language Acquisition. Trump administration has taken multiple steps to pull back multi-lingual services in schools and other government agencies, which critics say could actually harm ability of non-English speakers to learn the language and assimilate (REUTERS) In July, the Department of Justice wrote in a memo to all federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services and argued that treating people differently based on English proficiency didnt necessarily constitute national origin discrimination. The memo added that by next January, the DOJ will create guidance to help agencies prioritize English while explaining precisely when and how multilingual assistance remains necessary, part of the White House goal to "promote assimilation over division through language policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics said rescinding the Education Department guidance will, in fact, make it harder for U.S. students to learn English, while freeing up districts to potentially ignore past rulings and legal mandates to support pupils who are still learning the language without fear of federal enforcement. For a teacher, it was kind of like the Bible, Montserrat Garibay, head of the Biden-era Office of English Language Acquisition, told The Washington Post, which first reported on the rescinded 2015 guidance. If, in fact, we want our students to learn English, this needs to be in place. Donald Trump has designated English the official language of the U.S. and has directed agencies to pull back on offering services in languages other than English (Getty) Instead of providing this office with more capacity and more resources to do exactly what the executive order says to make sure that everybody speaks English they are doing the total opposite, she added. Last month, the administration temporarily withheld $890 million in English language learning funds and called for their elimination next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were put in a position where, we want you to learn English, but at the same time, were going to de-emphasize anything that will help provide you the opportunity to learn English, Jeff Hutcheson, the director of advocacy and public policy at the English-language learning group TESOL International Association, told K-12 Dive last month. Outside of education, other parts of the government have been quick to embrace the Trump administrations language mandates. HUD is ENGLISH only, Housing Secretary Scott Turner wrote on X on Tuesday, sharing an image of eliminating a Spanish-language page on the Department of Housing and Urban Development website. When it comes to striking a deal, details matter. For proof of this adage, look no further than the confusion created this week by Donald Trump. First, he left open the possibility of US troops on the ground to guarantee Ukrainian security in the aftermath of any potential peace deal with Russia. But then, he and his staff worked furiously to walk that back, all while pretending no contradiction was to be found. Vlodymyr Zelensky and his European counterparts have rightly argued that any deal with Russia must include promises from the West that Ukraine will be backed militarily to stave off further aggression. Any agreement with the Kremlin is only worth its salt if it can be enforced and, without that promise, Vladimir Putin will pay no heed to sanctions, tariffs or other threats, as he has already demonstrated. Zelensky and his European allies will need to understand what is being offered they can evaluate the pros and cons of any deal - Ukrainian Presidential Press Service Security guarantees can come in many forms, the direct involvement of ground troops by supporting nations being the most significant, but also hardest to sell at home to voters. Short of that, they could provide airpower and ballistic missile support; training of Ukrainian troops; more equipment and weapons; logistics and communications capabilities; and intelligence sharing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky needs to understand the specifics of what is being offered before he can evaluate the pros and cons of any deal. The same holds true for European countries that are increasingly stepping up to boost their military readiness and assume more of the burden for Europes defence, in response to US demands. In the absence of a meaningful US presence to secure peace, it will fall to them to stand with Ukraine in the face of Russias expansionist goals. So, when president Trump uses vague language implying some sort of coordinating role, it is no wonder that allies are left uneasy and non-committal. Some have now seemed to downgrade their own commitments to Ukraine from tens of thousands of soldiers, to a much smaller force well away from the Russian border. And thats not to mention the not so minor detail that Russia was always unlikely to accept any Western forces stationed in Ukraine. The Kremlin now says it wants an effective veto over any Western guarantees. But these, as it turns out, are not the details that interest Trump. This is not to say that no details matter to the president. Some seem to be quite important. Like the placement of a red carpet on the ground in Alaska to welcome the Russian leader. Or the spectacle of a flyover by US military aircraft. Or the staging of an Honour Guard for all the international media to see. Trump the showman knows how to throw a hell of an event, with little regard to the signal it sends to the rest of the world when he greets a murderous dictator like a revered statesman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We shouldnt be surprised. This is the president who gilded the Oval Office in gold. He must have spent countless hours considering the optics of political rallies, only to ascend to the podium with no script in hand, leading to rambling speeches. His carefully laid out liberation day announcement, threatening tariffs on friends and foes alike, was followed by months of back and forth about if-and-when those tariffs would come into effect, and against whom, and at what level. Most relevant was his brash promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of his inauguration, a promise that was self-evidently short on details. And here is the rub: diplomacy is the stuff of details and specifics. Negotiations require patience and consistency. Just ask the US diplomats who brokered the Dayton Accords and Good Friday Agreement. The hard part happens behind closed doors, not in front of the cameras. It turns out president Trump doesnt seem to care about those particulars. His impulse for an immediate end to the killing in Ukraine is understandable, but the danger is that he is so hooked on the optics of achieving peace and the diplomatic spectacle of high-stake summits, that hell force Kyiv to accept any deal, even one that leaves it seriously worse off. If so, his desperation to be seen as a dealmaker will leave the entire democratic world worse off. Charley Cooper is a former senior advisor at the US Departments of Justice and Defence Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Aug. 19 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump stepped up his criticisms of the Smithsonian on Tuesday, deriding the museums for its negative portrayal of slavery in American history. Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform that he would direct his attorneys to "review" the Smithsonian in the same way his administration has sought to reshape colleges and universities. The post comes a week after the White House announced it was subjecting the influential museum consortium to an unprecedented examination of its materials, signaling it had become a focal point in Trump's efforts to transform cultural institutions. In his post, Trump wrote that museums all over the country are the "last remaining segment of 'woke.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been -- Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future," Trump wrote. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., reacted with a post on X, writing that if "Trump thinks slavery wasn't bad, he clearly needs to spend more time in a museum." Signage for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI Roughly 17 million people visited one of the Smithsonian's 21 museums and galleries last year. Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, who is the first African American to lead the institution and has held the position since 2019, has previously commented on the importance of acknowledging slavery's impact on American history. President Donald Trump escalated his attacks on the Smithsonian on Tuesday, criticizing it for showing "how bad slavery was." Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI "I believe strongly that you cannot understand America without understanding slavery, that our notions of freedom, our notions of liberty are juxtaposed with our notions of enslavement," he said in an interview on Face the Nation in 2021. "And so I think that it's not about pointing blame, it's not about remembering difficult moments just to hurt." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, three White House aides wrote to Bunch in a letter notifying him the museum would be subject to a review to "ensure alignment with the President's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions." The reshaping of the Smithsonian and its galleries and museums has been part the Trump administration's goal to remove left-leaning ideology from the federal government and cultural institutions. In March, Trump signed an executive order directing the Smithsonian to eliminate "divisive" and "anti-American ideology" from its museums, pointing to exhibits that "promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive." He also named himself chairman of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, seemingly in opposition to its having hosted performances he disagreed with for promoting so-called woke ideology. The move prompted many performances and performers to cancel shows. Politicians in France have blasted the rise of child-free holidays, warning adults-only resorts are 'intolerant' and risk shutting kids out of society. Politicians call for ban on child-free hotels French families minister Laurence Rossignol has claimed that adults-only hotels and child-free resorts are "discriminatory" and must be banned. She said: "We can't organise society by separating children off from ourselves in the same way some establishments don't take dogs. Children aren't troublesome pets." She added: "These resorts allow people to say: 'I dont like children and I don't want to see them.' And that is not acceptable, because to not like children is to not like humanity itself." Last month, the French high commissioner for childhood Sarah El Hairy launched a Family Choice award to encourage parents to vote for the best holiday destinations to visit with kids. Speaking to Parents magazine, she hit out at what she described as the "real violence" of child-free policies, claiming "children and parents are being pushed out" by "growing intolerance". She said: "No way can we let it take hold in our society that children aren't welcome on a restaurant terrace." But online, opinion is split. One supporter of adults-only establishments wrote: "A kid-free resort is perfect for when you want peace and quiet. Remember, the only tolerable children are your own." Another hit back: "Children are not the problem. They're proof that we still have a future. And a society that resents their presence is already writing its own end." And one furious commenter added: "'We need more child free spaces' sounds like fascism to me and I will not elaborate." Major votes are on tap this week in the Texas and California legislatures in the high-stakes battle between Republicans and Democrats over congressional redistricting ahead of next year's midterm elections. In Austin, Texas, the GOP-dominated state House of Representatives on Wednesday resumes meeting amid a second straight special session called by conservative Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. At the top of their to-do list as they return to work is passing a GOP-crafted redistricting map that would create up to five Republican-leaning congressional districts at the expense of currently Democrat-controlled seats. Republicans currently control 25 of the state's 38 U.S. House seats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Please pass this Map, ASAP. THANK YOU TEXAS," President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post on Monday. Redistricting Battle: Fleeing Texas Democrats Return Home Texas Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows strikes the gavel as the House calls a special session with a quorum, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin. The Republican push in Texas, which comes at Trump's urging, is part of a broader effort by the GOP across the country to pad their razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats. Read On The Fox News App Trump and his political team are aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House, when Democrats stormed back to grab the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans in red state Texas enjoy a supermajority in the legislature and the state Senate passed the new congressional maps last week, during the first special legislative session. Texas House Speaker Vows Runaway Dems Will Be Arrested If They Try To Sneak Home Over Weekend But dozens of Texas Democratic state representatives fled the state to prevent a quorum in the Texas House, effectively preventing Abbott and Republicans from moving forward with new maps. Many of the Democrats who had fled the state returned on Monday, and made it to the state Capitol building as the House reconvened. They were cheered by supporters as they arrived. Supporters for the returning Texas democrats chant as members enter the House at the Capitol in Austin, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. But with Republicans outnumbering Democrats 88-62 in the state House, the new maps are expected to pass when lawmakers return on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Let me also be clear about where we go from here. We are done waiting, and we have quorum. Now is the time for action," Republican Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said on Monday. During the walkout, Abbott and Republican state attorney general Ken Paxton sued to try and remove some of the absent Democratic lawmakers from office. Meanwhile, GOP Sen. John Cornyn worked to get the FBI's help in tracking down the AWOL lawmakers. And Burrows issued civil arrest warrants and also pledged to fine the lawmakers $500 per day. The fleeing Democrats, who set up camp in the blue states of Illinois, New York and Massachusetts, late last week signaled that they would return to Texas after the adjournment of the first special session, and after Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and other top California Democrats unveiled their playbook to counter the push by Trump and Republicans to enact rare but not unheard of mid-decade congressional redistricting. The end of the walkout by the Democrats will lead to the passage of the new maps, but Texas Democrats vow they'll fight the new state maps in court and say the moves by California are allowing them to pass "the baton." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California Unveils New Congressonal Maps To Wipe Out Five Gop-controlled Seats And Counter Trump While the Republican push in Texas to upend the current congressional maps doesn't face constitutional constraints, Newsom's path in California is much more complicated. The governor is moving to hold a special election this year, to obtain voter approval to undo the constitutional amendments that created the non-partisan redistricting commission. A two-thirds majority vote in the Democrat-dominated California legislature would be needed to hold the referendum. Democrats in Sacramento on Monday unveiled a bill to move forward with the referendum. California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas announces a legislative package to advance a partisan effort to redraw the state's congressional map at a press conference on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Sacramento. "California and Californians have been uniquely targeted by the Trump Administration, and we are not going to sit idle while they command Texas and other states to rig the next election to keep power pursuing more extreme and unpopular policies," Newsom said Monday in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democrat-dominated legislature is expected to approve the referendum on Thursday. The maps the Democrats unveiled late last week would create up to five more left-leaning congressional districts at the expense of the Republican minority in heavily blue California. "Here we are in open and plain sight before one vote is cast in the 2026 midterm election and here [Trump] is once again trying to rig the system," Newsom charged on Thursday. Last week's appearance by Newsom, who is considered a likely contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, also served as a fundraising kickoff to raise massive amounts of campaign cash needed to sell the redistricting push statewide in California. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California speaks during a congressional redistricting event on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. The nonpartisan redistricting commission, created over 15 years ago, remains popular with most Californians, according to public opinion polling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That's why Newsom and California Democratic lawmakers are promising not to scrap the commission entirely, but rather replace it temporarily by the legislature for the next three election cycles. But Republican former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who represented a congressional district in California's Central Valley for 17 years, argued in an appearance on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" that "when you think about how they drew these lines, there wasn't one hearing. There is no debate. There's no input. Even the legislature in California doesn't have input. The DCCC is just ending it. That is why we need to stop Newsom's power grab." McCarthy, who is helping to lead the GOP fundraising effort to counter Newsom and California Democrats leading up to the likely referendum this fall, said that "November 4th will be the election that people could actually have a say," as he pointed to polls showing strong support for the current nonpartisan redistricting commission. Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher speaks in opposition to Democrats' plan to advance a partisan effort to redraw California congressional map at a press conference on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. A handful of California Republican state lawmakers on Tuesday filed a lawsuit in the state Supreme Court to stop the proposed redistricting reform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit was filed as the California Assembly Elections Committee held a hearing Tuesday on the push for the referendum. GOP lawmakers on the committee and Republicans who submitted comments to the panel heavily criticized the Democrats' redistricting effort. The state Republican Party, which hosted the lawsuit news conference, said that "Californians voted to put redistricting in the hands of the people, not politicians. What Democrats are doing is a blatant power grab, and the California Republican Party will fight it at every opportunity to protect voters voices." "Their scheme would tear apart communities, silence public input, and erase the transparency that voters demanded when they created the Citizens Redistricting Commission," California Republican Party chairwoman Corrin Rankin added in a statement to Fox News. The push to temporarily replace the commission is also being opposed by other high-profile Republicans. Among the most visible is former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the last Republican elected governor in Democrat-dominated California. Hollywood movie star and former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California opposes the push to temporarily replace the Golden State's nonpartisan redistricting commission. The longtime Hollywood action star says he's mobilizing to oppose the push by Newsom to temporarily scrap the state's nonpartisan redistricting commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Im getting ready for the gerrymandering battle," Schwarzenegger wrote in a social media post Friday, which included a photo of the former professional bodybuilding champion lifting weights. Schwarzenegger, who rose to worldwide fame as the star of the film "The Terminator" four decades ago, wore a T-shirt in the photo that said "terminate gerrymandering." Schwarzenegger spokesperson Daniel Ketchell told Politico earlier this month that "he calls gerrymandering evil, and he means that. He thinks its truly evil for politicians to take power from people." "Hes opposed to what Texas is doing, and hes opposed to the idea that California would race to the bottom to do the same thing," Ketchell added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schwarzenegger, during his tenure as governor, had a starring role in the passage of constitutional amendments in California in 2008 and 2010 that took the power to draw state legislative and congressional districts away from politicians and placed it in the hands of an independent commission. Original article source: Trump urges Texas Republicans to swiftly pass redistricting maps while Newsom, California Dems counter US President Donald Trump has said that Washington may provide air support to Ukraine as part of a potential peace agreement with Russia. Source: European Pravda citing Sky News Quote from Trump: "When it comes to security, [Europeans] are willing to put people on the ground. We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably, by air." Details: Meanwhile, Trump reiterated that US troops will not be sent to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He did not give detailed comments, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists that US air support is "an option and a possibility". "The president has definitively stated US boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, but we can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies," she concluded. Background: On 18 August, Trump, after a conversation with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, announced that he was beginning preparations for a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders. Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that only reliable security guarantees for Ukraine can deter Russia from a potential future attack. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing agreed at a meeting on Tuesday 19 August to hold talks with the US in the near future on "reliable security guarantees" for Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! J People participate in a naturalization ceremony last year at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, N.J. The Trump administration is encouraging states to use an online search tool to verify the citizenship of registered voters, alarming some Democrats and privacy experts. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) BILOXI, Miss. The Trump administration is developing a powerful data tool it claims will let states identify noncitizens registered to vote. But Democratic critics and data experts warn it could allow the federal government to vacuum up vast quantities of information on Americans for unclear purposes. Some Democratic election officials and opponents of the effort fear President Donald Trump wants to build a federal database of voters to target political opponents or cherry-pick rare examples of noncitizen voters to fuel a sense of crisis. Republican election officials allied with the president counter that hes helping states to maintain accurate voter rolls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has rolled out changes to the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, tool at the same time the U.S. Department of Justice is asking states for copies of their voter rolls. The timing, combined with questions about what happens to voter data uploaded to the program, has alarmed critics. Trump wants Congress to pass a national proof of citizenship voter registration requirement and in March tried to unilaterally impose one for federal elections through executive order. But with the legislation stalled and the order halted by the courts, the citizenship data tool may offer a backdoor way to accomplish the same goal. SAVE was originally intended to help state and local officials verify the immigration status of individual noncitizens seeking government benefits. But U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, this spring refashioned it into a platform that can scan states voter rolls if election officials upload the data. The changes to SAVE, rolled out over just a few months and with little public debate, are tinkering with sort of the bones of democracy, said John Davisson, senior counsel and director of litigation at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy group that argues privacy is a fundamental right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre talking about the voting process and who will be eligible to vote, Davisson said. And to take a system that is not designed for use in that process and repurpose it, really on the fly, without a formal comment process, without formal rulemaking, without congressional intervention thats pretty anomalous and pretty alarming. Previously, SAVE could only search one name at a time. Now it can conduct bulk searches, allowing state officials to potentially feed into it information on millions of registered voters. SAVE checks that information against a series of federal databases and reports back whether it can verify someones immigration status. Since May, it also can draw upon Social Security data, transforming the program into a tool that can confirm citizenship because Social Security records for many, but not all, Americans include the information. NPR reported earlier on changes to SAVE. It is incredible what has been done, really since March, Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray, a Republican who supports proof of citizenship requirements and the SAVE tool, told a gathering of state secretaries of state in Biloxi, Mississippi, last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Individuals registering to vote in federal elections must already sign a statement affirming they are citizens under penalty of perjury, and those who cast a ballot face criminal penalties and deportation. One study of the 2016 election placed the prevalence of noncitizen voting at 0.0001% of votes cast. But as Trump has spread falsehoods about elections, Republicans have made purging noncitizens from voter rolls a central focus. Democratic concerns were on display last week at the National Association of Secretaries of State conference, held at the Beau Rivage casino-resort in Biloxi. In interviews on the sidelines of the conference, Democratic secretaries of state voiced deep reservations or outright opposition about plugging their voter data into SAVE. Maine Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said Aug. 6 that the federal government appeared to be trying to take over election administration. She formally rejected the Justice Departments voter roll request two days later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bellows said the Department of Homeland Security told her in a recent phone call that it planned to retain SAVE data for 10 years for audit purposes only. Just like the [Justice Department] is asking us to hand over an electronic file of all the voters in our state, it seems like the Department of Homeland Security is through this backdoor system also asking us to share voter information about every voter in our state, Bellows said. At least one state appears to have granted the federal government sweeping authority over any voter data it provides to SAVE. Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales announced in July he had reached an agreement with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to access the newly expanded system for voter list maintenance. Indianas agreement allows the federal agency to use information the state provides for any purpose permitted by law, including criminal prosecutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morales, a Republican, said in a news release that SAVE represented another step in safeguarding the rights of eligible voters. His office didnt respond to Statelines questions. When we disclose information, particularly personal identifying information, we need to have a handle on how its going to be used, by whom and under what circumstances. Minnesota Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon The Trump administration has ramped up efforts to encourage state election officials to use the expanded program. The White House hosted a bipartisan fly in event for state secretaries of state on July 29. Multiple secretaries of state told Stateline that USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, who was confirmed on July 15, spoke at the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president is very much keyed in on voter list maintenance, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican, said in an interview echoing other GOP secretaries of state who released statements praising the Trump administration after the meeting. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat who attended the meeting, said he questioned how the federal government would handle voter information provided to SAVE. He added that the Justice Departments request for his states voter rolls raised his level of concern about how data would be used. When we disclose information, particularly personal identifying information, we need to have a handle on how its going to be used, by whom and under what circumstances, Simon told Stateline. The White House referred questions about SAVE and the event to the Department of Homeland Security and USCIS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to questions from Stateline, USCIS didnt directly answer whether the agency would share voter roll data with other parts of the federal government but confirmed it disposes of records after 10 years. The SAVE application is a critical tool for state and local governments to access information to safeguard the integrity of elections across the country. Its no wonder many states have quickly adopted it, and we continue to promote the tool to other states and counties not using SAVE, USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said in a statement. We look forward to continued optimization efforts and implementing more updates to SAVE. GOP pressure Some Republican election officials and Trump allies have long wanted the federal government to take an expanded role in searching state voter rolls for noncitizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last summer the Trump-aligned litigation group America First Legal, co-founded by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, encouraged states to submit to the Department of Homeland Security the names of individuals for citizenship or immigration status verification. Some states did just that. Texas, for example, asked USCIS to verify the citizenship of some voters in September, and Indiana asked the agency to verify 585,774 voters in October. The same month, 16 Republican state attorneys general signed a letter criticizing Homeland Security, then under the Biden administration, for failing to work with states on verification. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US After Trump took office, GOP state officials kept up the pressure. Twenty-one Republican secretaries of state urged Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in February to prioritize SAVE improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On April 16, Indiana sued the department in federal court for not responding to its verification request last fall. USCIS announced an overhaul of SAVE less than a week later. As the agency continues to remake SAVE, the tool will soon allow searches using the last four digits of a Social Security number, multiple state secretaries of state told Stateline. The agency confirmed the feature is under development and will be available soon but didnt provide an exact date. The change would mark another significant expansion of the program because most states collect the last four digits when individuals without a drivers license register to vote. Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane, a Republican, said SAVE represents a better way to verify citizenship than a state law requiring voters to produce documents. I think theres a real opportunity for us to do a lot of this through just sharing of information and I think thats what were seeing happen, McGrane said in an interview. Unreliable data? But some voting rights advocates and experts on government data caution against an overreliance on Social Security data. The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, a progressive policy nonprofit, has noted that Social Security only began tracking the citizenship status of all applicants in 1978 meaning the database doesnt include comprehensive citizenship information for older Americans. Additionally, Social Security may not always have up-to-date information on the status of naturalized U.S. citizens. The nonpartisan Institute for Responsive Government also warned in May that since SAVE hasnt used Social Security numbers to verify citizenship in the past, its accuracy and effectiveness are unknown. The success of the expanded SAVE program may also partially depend on whether it has adequate staff and resources, it said. A 2017 Government Accountability Office report found that between fiscal years 2012 and 2016, about 16% of the nearly 90 million SAVE searches required additional verification, which the institute says often translates into federal workers manually checking files. Now that SAVE allows bulk searches, the need for manual checking could rise dramatically. Nick Doctor, director of implementation at the Institute for Responsive Government, said in an interview that a tool confirming the eligibility of registered voters in a way that doesnt burden individuals can be a good thing. But he emphasized that it depends in large measure on SAVEs implementation. The changes that have been made to SAVE happened very quickly and, to my knowledge, we havent seen releases on the level of accuracy of that information, Doctor said. During interviews, Republican secretaries of state stressed that voters arent kicked off the rolls because SAVE cant verify their citizenship. Instead, an inability to verify would likely trigger a follow-up process with the voter. Just because we get something back from the SAVE database, its not a cut and dry, especially on those theyre not sure about, Hoskins, the Missouri secretary of state, said. Still, Arizona illustrates why some Democrats worry about any large-scale effort to ask voters especially longtime, older residents to prove their citizenship. After the state discovered errors in how it tracked voter citizenship dating back years, election officials are contacting some 200,000 voters seeking proof of citizenship documentation. Some have been casting ballots for decades without incident and many feel targeted, Arizona Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said during a presentation at the state secretaries of state conference. They feel insulted when they get that letter, Fontes said. Charles Stewart III, a professor of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies elections, said Arizona may actually point to the potential usefulness of SAVE. If Arizona runs its voter roll through the program, a list of 200,000 voters needing citizenship verification would perhaps drop into the hundreds, he suggested. Theres a lot of good-government reasons to believe that something like this, governed properly and governed with fail-safe mechanisms, could have an upside, Stewart said. Connecticut Democratic Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas told Stateline that every secretary wants tools to keep voter lists as clean as possible. But the details are important. When she hears of something new, Thomas said she asks whether its the best option available and whether the is are dotted, the ts crossed. She said shes asked USCIS a series of questions about SAVE and is waiting on some responses. When it comes to voter lists, Thomas said, I dont want Connecticut voters to be a guinea pig. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. President Donald Trump has made it abundantly clear that his lack of military service is a sore spot for him. He told the Washington Post in 2015 of his repeated Vietnam-era deferments: Ive always felt somewhat guilty because I didnt serve like many other people. In 2019 he cited a desire to make up for it. His method of compensating for that? Comparing his sacrifices to those of actual service members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps comments on The Mark Levin Show on Tuesday might be his most stunning yet. He explicitly labeled himself a war hero because of his decisions on the use of military force. [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is] a war hero because we work together. Hes a war hero, Trump told Levin, adding: I guess I am too. Nobody cares, but I am too, Trump continued. I mean, I sent those planes, he added, referring to US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites earlier this summer. These kinds of comments would cause a political scandal lasting days or weeks in any era not already so saturated with Trump-fueled controversies. Whatever the difficult choices the president makes as commander in chief, they dont compare to troops putting their lives in harms way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His remarks which recall his 2015 attack on then-Sen. John McCain for not being a war hero because he was captured are the latest in a long line of flippant Trump comments comparing himself to service members. Sometimes, theyre offered in a joking manner. Few explicitly equate Trump to troops. But the totality of them suggests the president would very much like people to view his travails as being comparable to those of the troops. President Donald Trump salutes members of the military as he arrives to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on August 1. - Ken Cedeno/Reuters Trump told 2015 biographer Michael DAntonio said that his attendance at a military-themed boarding school meant that he always felt that I was in the military. I felt that I was in the military in the true sense because I dealt with those people, Trump said, adding that hed had more training militarily than a lot of the guys that go into the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2016, when the father of a slain Army captain suggested Trumps sacrifices didnt compare to his familys, Trump told ABC News: I think Ive made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard. When pressed on whether working hard was really such a sacrifice, he doubled down. I think when I can employ thousands and thousands of people, take care of their education, take care of so many things, Trump said. Even in the military, I mean, I was responsible along with a group of people for getting the Vietnam Memorial built in downtown Manhattan, which to this day people thank me for. Donald Trump Jr. made a similar case in 2019. He recalled driving through Arlington National Cemetery, seeing the many white gravestones, and having it remind him of his familys sacrifices in facing political attacks and giving up millions in business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By 2019, the elder Trump quipped about having wanted a Medal of Honor and even asking about giving himself one, before being dissuaded. President Donald Trump helps straighten the Medal of Honor after presenting the award to Army Master Sgt. Matthew Williams in 2019. Williams received the nations highest military honor for heroic actions while serving in Afghanistan's Shok Valley in 2008. - Win McNamee/Getty Images/File In an interview with Piers Morgan that year, he added of his lack of service, I think I make up for that right now by pushing for increased military funding. And in 2020 he said while discussing McCain: I will be a better warrior than anybody. Trumps 2023 Memorial Day message on Truth Social was in a similar vein. After wishing a happy holiday to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, he extended the same wishes to others who faced a very different, but equally dangerous fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said that included those combating the misfits and lunatic thugs who are working feverishly from within to overturn and destroy our once great country. You have to read between the lines a bit, but Trump was effectively saying the political battles he and his movement faced were equally dangerous to the threats faced by fallen troops. Trump has returned to this theme since surviving two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. In October, Trump compared the iconography of him emerging from the Pennsylvania attempt, with a bloodied ear and fist in the air, to the Iwo Jima Memorial. Youre not supposed to be alive for iconic, Trump said. But they say its the most I think Iwo Jima is right there. They took a lot of bullets putting up the flag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And just two weeks ago, while marking National Purple Heart Day at the White House, he thanked service members for sending him their Purple Hearts, adding: I guess, in a certain way, it wasnt that easy for me either, when you think of it. President Donald Trump speaks during the celebration of the Army's 250th birthday on the National Mall on June 14. - Doug Mills/Pool/Getty Images But you went through a lot more than I did, and I appreciate it all very much, Trump added. On these last two counts, Trump has a more credible comparison. He literally came under fire and was wounded during his Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. But his repeated comparisons to service members well predate that. And Trumps new war hero comment alludes to an entirely different justification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His allies will see jokes or harmless provocations or perhaps a little bit of overcompensation. Its true that Trump has rarely literally equated himself to troops, as he did Tuesday, and hes sometimes taken care to specify that hes just comparing, not equating. But the sanctity of military service isnt supposed to be trifled with because it risks diminishing that sacrifice. And Trump just keeps trifling with it. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Donald Trump has often shown how far hell go to try to flout the will of voters. Thats what makes his new renewed obsession with mail-in ballots so sinister. Trump falsely claimed in a Truth Social post Monday that voting by mail is a scam that allows Democrats to cheat. He promised an executive order to also target another safe election tool voting machines and inaccurately claimed he had the authority to dictate how elections are run before the 2026 midterms. Incredibly, he appears to have been partly acting on the advice of Russian President Vladimir Putin, an authoritarian who destroyed Russias post-Soviet Union democracy and who interfered in the 2016 election that Trump won. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps fixation on mail-in voting is not new. His suspicion was sent into overdrive after he lost the presidency in 2020 in an election that saw an expansion of mail-in ballots to help keep voters safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. The president sensed the danger to his hopes of a consecutive second term from a high turnout as early as the second quarter of 2020. He falsely claimed in interviews and on social media that foreign states could interfere in mail-in voting and that postal balloting would allow fraud. In June of that year, he predicted the Election disaster of our time and a RIGGED ELECTION on Twitter. At the time, his warnings were seen as an odd quirk and were not supported by many senior Republicans. They also frustrated GOP strategists who were urging their voters to use mail-in ballots during the health emergency, especially since Democratic voters were traditionally more likely to use postal voting. But in retrospect, and following the experience of Trumps refusal to accept the result of the 2020 election, his comments look more alarming: They heralded a historic attempt to overturn the result of a free and fair presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And they mean his newest remarks on the topic should be taken seriously. Taken together with more recent attempts to sway future elections, they raise alarm bells about the midterms and the next presidential election. Since Trump lacks the Constitutional power to dictate election rules in the states, he may also be laying the groundwork to claim a Republican loss in the midterm elections often a rite of passage for incumbent presidents is illegitimate. Trump is again using his position to undermine elections Since returning to power, Trump has escalated his attempts to use executive power and the visibility of his office to tilt the midterms toward Republicans and to undermine democracy more generally. Trump ordered Texas Republicans to initiate an unprecedented midterm redistricting drive to net five new GOP seats by 2026, which could be critical given the current tiny Republican House majority. The move set off a similar move by Gov. Gavin Newsom to draw new Democratic seats in California, which may trigger a nationwide partisan redistricting wave that could further damage democracy. The president has also rewarded those who did his dirty work in attacking elections, granting hundreds of pardons and commutations to supporters who were convicted and jailed for the assault on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, an attempt to overturn President Joe Bidens election win the previous November. Trump supporters storm the US Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. - Samuel Corum/Getty Images Trumps supporters have shown a similar disregard for the right of voters in each state to choose their leaders, even those who fiercely resisted federal power in previous capacities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, Homeland Security Secretary and former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem explained the deployment of National Guard troops and active-duty US Marines to Los Angeles amid protests against Trumps immigration policies. She said they planned to stay to liberate this city from the socialist and burdensome leadership of its elected Democratic representatives. In the event, the soldiers did nothing of the sort and mostly just guarded federal properties, but the deployments and her rhetoric were in keeping with Trumps authoritarian turn. More recently, Trump has sent military reservists and federal agents into the streets of Washington, DC, as part of an anti-crime crackdown. Hes now importing National Guard members from Republican states in a show of force over a city that has repeatedly and overwhelmingly voted to reject him in national elections. There are concerns this could be a template he will later apply to Democratic cities in the states. With all this in mind, the possibility of an attempt by Trump to block or delegitimize the rights of states including those that return mostly Democratic delegations to run their own elections must be taken seriously. Putins advice on mail-in voting Trump vented about mail-in voting during an Oval Office appearance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday. Mail-in ballots are corrupt. Mail-in ballots, you can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots, the president said, firing off a torrent of falsehoods about voter fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His latest tirade against mail-in voting may have been sown by Putin, an enemy of the United States, during their summit meeting in Alaska last week. You know, Vladimir Putin said something one of the most interesting things. He said, Your election was rigged because you have mail-in voting. He said, Its impossible to have mail-in voting and have honest elections, Trump told Sean Hannity on Fox News immediately after the summit. Trump said Putin told him that he won the 2020 by so much and that there would have been no war in Ukraine had Trump held office in 2022. And he said, And you lost it because of mail-in voting. Vladimir Putin, smart guy, said you cant have an honest election with mail-in voting. It took only two days for Trump to launch an early-morning online tirade against mail-in voting and to initiate a new attempt to halt it in the United States. Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump meet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday. - Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images Still, Trumps capacity to do more than try to discredit mail-in voting is questionable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no official role for presidents in administering federal elections a point driven home in several of the criminal indictments he faced for his role in seeking to overturn the 2020 election. The Constitution states that the times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof. It does allow Congress to at any time alter regulations on the times and manner of elections. This is one potential route for Republicans to change state election laws. But since they lack 60 votes in the Senate, theyd have to outlaw the filibuster to do so, an unlikely scenario since this could open the way to untamed Democratic power the next time their rivals control the chamber. Still, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt signaled Tuesday that Trump intended to go beyond an executive order. Im sure there will be many discussions with our friends on Capitol Hill. And also our friends in state legislatures across the country, to ensure that were protecting the integrity of the vote for the American people, Leavitt said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think Republicans generally, and the president generally, wants to make it easier for Americans to vote and harder for people to cheat in our elections, she said even though mail-in voting is one of the easiest ways to cast a ballot. And its quite mind-boggling that the Democrat Party could stand in opposition to common sense. Multiple studies by academic institutions, think tanks and vote protection organizations have shown that mail-in voting is secure. CNNs Daniel Dale produced a comprehensive new fact check debunking the presidents claims that Democrats use mail-in voting to cheat and that the states must do what the federal government and president tell them to do. The latter claim, incidentally, is a fundamental misunderstanding of the character of a federal republic. Dale notes that in general in US elections, there has generally been a tiny quantity of ballot fraud representing a minuscule percentage of votes cast. An election worker processes mail-in ballots for the 2024 election in Philadelphia on November 5, 2024. - Matt Slocum/AP Processed mail-in ballots are seen at the Bucks County Board of Elections in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on May 27, 2020. - Matt Slocum/AP Any attempt by Trump to change voting methods by executive fiat would immediately trigger court challenges. And its not clear that Republican-led state legislatures would all fall into line, since Republicans have been catching up to Democrats in the share of early voting in person and by mail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats are already signaling they will resist the presidents latest salvo against mail-in voting and as a rallying call. Arizonas Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, pointed out on X Tuesday that more than 80% of the states voters cast mail-in ballots and implied that previous warnings about Republican attempts to take over elections were coming true. Ive been warning about this for years. The canary is dead, he wrote. And Katie Porter, a candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in California, is already fundraising off Trumps remarks. Donald Trump is trying to steal the 2026 midterm election in plain sight, she wrote in a mailing Tuesday. That may be getting ahead of where things currently are. But the warning signs are there, not least following Trumps joke during his meeting with Zelensky on Monday when his visitor said elections are suspended in Ukraine for the duration of the war as the law stipulates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You say during the war, you cant have elections? So, let me just say, three-and-a-half years from now so you mean if we happen to be in a war with somebody, no more elections? Oh, thats good, Trump said. Coming from any other president, his quip might have been funnier. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com When President Donald Trump first declared a crime emergency in the nation's capital and sent hundreds of federal law enforcement agents to patrol its streets, this district resident had a hard time taking it too seriously. The initial images of bored Drug Enforcement Administration agents strolling past perplexed joggers on the National Mall were more clownish than carceral. Local street resistance to the occupation was limited to a drunk guy throwing a sandwich at a federal agent. But inevitably, as this operation has dragged on, things have taken a darker turn. The sandwich-thrower was overcharged and rearrested in a needless, publicized show of force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Masked federal agents have set up an unconstitutional checkpoint, violently arrested at least one delivery driver, and filmed themselves tearing down a banner protesting their presence in the city. Each day, more and more National Guard members pour into the capital. The conversation about Trump's declared crime emergency has understandably, albeit unhelpfully, provoked a lot of discourse about how safe D.C. is, whether a federalized local police department will make it safer, whether federal agents are being deployed in the right places and going after the right crimes, and on and on. This incessant crime conversation has distracted from just how un-American Trump's show of force in the nation's capital is. Uniformed troops and masked federal agents doing routine law enforcement at the command of the president is just not how we do things in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The entire point of the U.S. Constitution is to prevent the federal government from becoming a despotism, and one of the primary ways it does this is by limiting how many men with guns it has at its disposal. This is why the Constitution places strict constraints on maintaining a standing army. It's why there are only three crimes mentioned in the Constitution, none of which would plausibly require federal agents to patrol U Street. It's why questions of what to criminalize and who to prosecute were largely left up to the states. The Third Amendment is mostly treated as an anachronistic joke today. In fact, it is a load-bearing part of the Constitution that makes clear that the military and the police are different things and that Americans should not have to tolerate the presence of armed agents of the states as a routine part of daily life. Obviously we've deviated considerably from this ideal since the founding generation. The federal criminal code is now extensive. The feds' wars on drugs, terror, and immigration have grown the number of militarized federal agents doing law enforcement activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal money has subsidized a similar trend of militarization of state and local police forces. Reason has been decrying this trend for decades. In his book Rise of the Warrior Cop, Radley Balko writes about how the trend of increased police militarization has eroded the "Symbolic Third Amendment" and the free society it protects. It's darkly ironic then that, after decades of politicians of both parties in D.C. gifting the federal government vast powers to police the rest of the country, a militarized federal police force is now being deployed on the streets of America's capital against its residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is why arguments about whether federal agents could be more effectively deployed in less visible, higher crime areas of the city are completely beside the point. The federal government acting as a beat cop is inimical to our constitutional design, regardless of how effective its efforts are. That D.C. is a federal district might seem to complicate this point. In fact, it reinforces it. Despite being a constitutionally peculiar special district, a lot of effort has been put into giving D.C. a local police force that does not practically function as an arm of the federal government. Even in the seat of federal power, it's understood that a force of federal agents policing everyday life is not something ordinary citizens should have to put up with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That Trump has the power to federalize the D.C. police or deploy the D.C. National Guard doesn't stop his actions from being authoritarian and offensive to the spirit of the Constitution, even if it doesn't violate the letter of it. It's also cold comfort that Trump's declared crime emergency is clearly mostly a performative act to rile up the libs and not a serious effort at combating crime. While the president is staging the performance, it's disconcerting that he's opted to cast himself as the villain in the play. Moreover, the longer federal agents are deployed on D.C. streets, the greater the odds that more serious abuses do happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's true that D.C. today is not as locked down as it has been in recent years. The police-enforced curfews during the George Floyd protests or the security cordons that sprang up after the January 6 riots were a lot more visible and heavy-handed. Excessive as those police actions were (particularly the latter), they were at least being done as an emergency response to widespread breakdowns in public order. Trump is rolling out the feds in D.C. to do routine law enforcement. That's un-American. The post Trump's D.C. Goon Squads Are Un-American appeared first on Reason.com. As the dust settles from President Donald Trump's recent rapid-fire diplomacy on the Russia-Ukraine war, attention turns to what's next in peace negotiations. Trump sounded positive on Monday as he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House, just two days after his summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska. "I think President Putin will make peace. I think President Zelenskyy will make peace. We'll see if they can get along," Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Key takeaways from Trump and Zelenskyy's meeting, pivotal talks with European leaders The president committed to helping European partners provide security guarantees for Ukraine, and said he was beginning to arrange a bilateral meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. But Russia has poured cold water on some of those highlights. Moscow has not confirmed that Putin will sit down with Zelenskyy and is demanding to be a part of any discussion on security guarantees. Here are some key questions moving forward. Will there actually be a Putin-Zelenskyy summit, or a trilateral meeting? President Trump first pushed for a trilateral meeting between Putin, Zelenskyy and himself before shifting to proposing a bilateral meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about the change on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott that a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin would need to happen ahead of any possible trilateral meeting because of "areas of disagreement" between the two countries. Leavitt also said that Putin "promised" to meet with Zelenskyy in the coming weeks but the Kremlin hasn't confirmed that. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, August 15, 2025. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, instead, has seemed to only downplay prospects of a summit between the two leaders in the near future. "We are ready for any format," Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow on Wednesday. "But when it comes to high-level meetings, it is necessary to prepare them in the most thorough way at all previous stages, so that the summits do not lead to a worsening of the situation, but rather mark the end of the negotiations that we are ready to continue." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: The bumpy road ahead toward a trilateral summit between Ukraine, Russia and U.S.: Analysis According to Lavrov, Putin "proposed that negotiations [with Ukraine] not just be continued but also a higher level of delegations be considered" in a phone call with Trump. The White House was asked on Tuesday where a possible meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy would take place, and specifically whether Budapest, Hungary, was an option as has been reported. Leavitt said they would "provide details as soon as we can." As for a trilateral meeting, Leavitt said it would happen "if necessary" following direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, during an interview on "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday left open the possibility that Putin may not want to make a deal. "I think Putin is tired of it. I think they're all tired of it. But you never know," Trump said. "We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks. That I can tell you." Aaron Schwartz/EPA/Shutterstock - PHOTO: President Donald J Trump attends a Multilateral Meeting with European leaders in the East Room of the White House in Washington, August 18, 2025. What would security guarantees look like? President Trump on Monday pledged "very good protection" for Ukraine, and said that Putin said Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine -- a key demand of Zelenskyy's in any peace agreement. European leaders at the White House on Monday pressed for protections similar to Article 5 mutual defense obligations under NATO. Ukraine has pushed to become a member of the alliance, which Russia and Trump have rejected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Monday, Trump has ruled out U.S. boots on the ground in Ukraine in a peacekeeping role. Instead, he's floated the possibility of U.S. air support for Kyiv and helping Europe coordinate security guarantees. According to the White House, Trump has instructed his national security team team to come up with a "framework for these security guarantees that can be acceptable to help ensure a lasting peace and end this war." MORE: NATO aircraft scrambled amid overnight Russian drone strikes on Ukraine NATO defense officials, including U.S. military officials, held a virtual meeting on Wednesday to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. Evan Vucci/AP - PHOTO: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, August 19, 2025. Russia, meanwhile, said any talks without them are on a "road to nowhere." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We cannot accept the proposal to address security and collective security issues without Russia's involvement. This will not work. We have repeatedly explained that Russia does not exaggerate its interests, but we will firmly and decisively protect our legitimate interests," Lavrov said. Russia said it "has not heard any constructive ideas from European leaders on how to resolve the situation in Ukraine in the context of their visit to Washington, and is witnessing an aggressive escalation of the situation." Instead, Lavrov said on Wednesday Ukraine should pursue a route that includes all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- which includes the Russian Federation and China. What about 'territory' sticking points? President Trump, as he gathered with Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House, said they needed to "discuss the possible exchanges of territory taking into consideration the current line of contact." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has talked about land "swapping" but it's unclear what Russia would offer Ukraine in return to keeping some of the Ukrainian territory its gained since its invasion. Since February 2022, Russia has gained about 20% of Ukraine's land. But NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said territory swaps weren't discussed during Monday's session. Ukrainian Press Service/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with President Donald Trump and European leaders in the East Room of the White House in Washington, August 18, 2025. "We have not discussed that today, because everybody is clear, including the president, that when it comes to territory, that is the Ukrainian president, who has discussed this in the trilateral and then probably more conversations after that, with the Russian leadership," Rutte said. Moscow has set its sights on the Donbas region, including Donetsk -- which is said to be rich in mineral resources and serves as the industrial heart of Ukraine. Zelenskyy has long opposed surrendering sovereign territory to Russia, saying the nation's constitution forbids it. Zelenskyy said Ukraine must be the decision-maker regarding its territory. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has announced plans to cut the agency's staff by almost 50% as she reorganises the office. Announcing the cuts, Gabbard said the agency had become "bloated and inefficient" over the last two decades. Its annual budget will also be reduced by $700m, she said. She said the "serious changes" would consolidate teams across the agency and ensure it was fulfilling its mission to "provide objective, unbiased, timely intelligence". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement came hours after Gabbard said the Trump administration would revoke the security clearances for 37 current and former US officials. Among other changes announced by Gabbard, the restructuring eliminates the Foreign Malign Influence Center, which monitors foreign efforts to influence the US public. A fact sheet said that function was already performed by other US intelligence units. The fact sheet said Gabbard was also getting rid of units that track weapons of mass destruction and cyber threats, saying that work, too, was performed by another intelligence unit. Also going is a group that produced long-range forecasts of global trends. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) had around 1,800 employees when Gabbard took the helm. She has already reduced staff by about 25%, according to the Federal News Network, which focuses on news about the federal workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ODNI did not make clear whether the 50% reduction was a percentage of the original staff size or the already-reduced total. The revocation of security clearances was announced in a memo posted on social media, in which Gabbard directed several national security agency heads to immediately strip the officials of their clearances, stating the move was ordered by the president. She accused them of politicising intelligence for partisan or personal gain. The officials include several national security aides who served under former Democratic presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Gabbard offered no evidence to support the accusations in the memo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Security clearances grant access to sensitive government information, and some former officials retain them to advise successors. Some private sector jobs such as those in defence and aerospace can require access to security clearances as a pre-condition for employment. It remains unclear whether all 37 individuals listed in the memo still held active clearances. Gabbard said Trump ordered the revocations because the officials had "abused the public trust by politicising and manipulating intelligence, leaking classified intelligence without authorisation, and/or committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards". "Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right," Gabbard wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold." The memo did not lay out charges against specific individuals. This is not the first time the Trump administration has revoked security clearances for intelligence officials. The administration has previously done the same for Biden, his Vice-President Kamala Harris, and former lawmakers involved in investigations of the US Capitol riot four years ago. In recent weeks, Gabbard has led the charge against Obama-era intelligence officials who concluded that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election, which Trump won. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and Gabbard have described the intelligence community's assessment as a "treasonous conspiracy" to undermine the president's electoral success. Democrats have dismissed the moves as a political distraction, and accused the White House of deflecting attention from unpopular policies and Trump's alleged ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction," a spokesman for Obama said last month. The Dorchester skyline will soon have a pair of new additions in the form of two 18-story apartment towers. The approximately $450 million development project at 75 Morrissey Blvd. will create 754 new apartments in the neighborhood, according to planning documents filed with the city. The Boston Planning and Development Agency Board approved the proposal at its monthly meeting last week. The 2.24-acre site is currently occupied by a vacant, single-story commercial building constructed in the 1950s, which used to house the Channel 56 television studio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ground floor of each building will host retail and community space. Though Boston-based Copper Mill Development, the proponents of the project, have not yet determined what businesses or services will occupy these spaces. The 754 apartments will consist of 363 studio, 237 one-bedroom, 119 two-bedroom and 35 three-bedroom units. About 151, or 20%, will be reserved as affordable housing, to follow the citys inclusionary development policy. The project will also include 414 underground parking spaces, a new roadway to serve the buildings, and a 23,900-square-foot public park. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, according to planning documents, and be completed in 2029. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two towers are the first phase of a larger planned development for the area, which was approved in late 2023 after being proposed by a different development team, Center Court. Two adjacent parcels of land, currently occupied by a Star Market grocery store, liquor store and offices, are also included in the master plan, for a total of nearly 9 acres. The original plan for 75 Morrissey Blvd. was for lab buildings, but after Copper Mill took over, the firm decided the most acute need in the area was housing, CEO Andrew Flynn told the Boston Globe. Close by, another, even larger development is also in the planning stages. The 36-acre area in Columbia Point, to be known as Dorchester Bay City, is expected to eventually bring nearly 2,000 homes to the neighborhood. More boston Read the original article on MassLive. Two adults and two children have been found dead in New Hampshire in what investigators are say may have been a murder suicide though a toddler was left unharmed. All four victims were members of the same family and were found at a residence in Madbury, according to Attorney General John M. Formella and other state authorities. According to authorities, reports of the suspicious deaths came in at around 8.20 p.m. Monday night from two 911 callers. Authorities found a male and a female dead, as well as a young boy and a girl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The toddler was also found at the residence but was unharmed, authorities added Tuesday morning. The child is now safe and with other relatives. Each of the deceased family members appears to have suffered gunshot wounds, and were pronounced dead at the scene, New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formellas office said, in a joint statement with multiple law enforcement agencies. At this time, detectives are investigating this event as a potential murder/suicide. Residents were advised Monday night that they should expect an active police presence, though Formella later announced that there was no known threat to the general public. Authorities were alerted by two 911 calls (WMUR) New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati, later said that the priority for investigators was finding the motive behind the deaths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now I think investigators have more questions than they have answers and one of the biggest questions they have now is motive, he said, speaking to WMUR. And I think thats one of the more difficult things to grasp, how this came to be. To be able to be more definitive, to understand what the sequence of events was inside that house. Authorities were expecting to release the identities of the deceased family members later Tuesday, once next of kin notifications are complete, the statement said. The Independent has reached out to the New Hampshire DAs office for updates in the case. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Two people were arrested in Champaign County after officers searched a home in Urbana and a storage unit in Springfield. They found alleged methamphetamine, bags of a white powdery substance (unnamed by officials) and 200 alleged prescription pills. This search was because of an ongoing joint drug investigation between the Champaign County Sheriffs Office and the Urbana Police Division. The search warrant for the home was executed on Thursday, Aug. Photo via Champaign County Sheriffs Office. There officials said they found numerous baggies of a white crystal substance, the alleged methamphetamine. Alongside it were multiple baggies of what officials referred to as a white powdery substance and other items they said were indicative of drug trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, the Sheriffs Office discovered that the suspect had been using a storage unit in Springfield, Ohio, to secure her drugs before selling them to residents of Champaign County, wrote the office. Six arrested after years-long probe in Operation Crystal Clear Officials said Sarah Shackle, 36, was charged with 2 counts of possession of a controlled substance (both are second-degree felonies) and was placed in the Tri-County Jail. Units from the Champaign County Sheriffs Office, along with units from the Clark County Sheriffs Office, conducted a search of the storage unit and found more baggies of a white powdery substance, additional white crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine, and over 200 prescription pills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, officials found a second person possibility connected to the case, Shackle was allegedly selling with a partner, a 35-year-old woman. Then, deputies and officers from the Urbana Police Division returned to the home and made contact with her. Far from destroyed: Springfield mayor responds to President Trumps address Durning this visit, they allegedly found a glass pipe, a plastic baggie with an alleged white crystal substance and another baggie with an alleged white powdery substance. Both women are expected to face more charges once the case is presented to the Grand Jury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 NEWS will follow this case closely. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) An early Tuesday morning shooting in San Franciscos Mission District that led to two arrests may have stemmed from a possible robbery, according to police. Armed man tracked woman, threatened children before strangling attack: SCSO San Francisco Police Department said its officers went to the area of 9th and Mission streets at 2:09 a.m. to investigate the report of a shooting but werent able to find any victims. Police said witness tips soon helped them locate two potential suspects inside a nearby building on the 1300 block of Mission Street. One man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound was taken to a local hospital while the other man was detained by police for questioning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While on scene, officers were advised by dispatch that a local hospital had a report of a walk in gunshot victim along with another male victim, said SF police in a news release. Officers responded and during the preliminary investigation, they learned that the victim was connected to the incident involving the two male subjects. Officers also learned that the shooting may have stemmed from a possible robbery. Police said Gregory McDowell, 61, and Larry Ardoin, 67, both of San Francisco, were taken to county jail where they were booked on several charges, including attempted murder, second degree robbery, assault with a firearm, and wearing a mask or disguise to evade police. Ardion also faces a charge of felon in possession of ammunition. Despite the arrests made, this remains an active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD at 1-415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411, starting the message with SFPD. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Nine people, including four children, were displaced after a kitchen fire late Monday left a Cutler Street duplex uninhabitable, according to Chief Evan Kardosh of Meadville Central Fire Department. When we arrived and when police had arrived at just about the same time, they had reported that there were flames visible from the second-floor window. We saw flames coming out of there and knew exactly where to go and make the hit, Kardosh said in a phone interview Tuesday. The two families inhabiting the 2.5-story residence in the 600 block of Cutler Street were home when firefighters were dispatched at 11:07 p.m. and had evacuated by the time firefighters arrived, according to Kardosh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire appeared to have been caused unintentionally by cooking on the kitchen stove. A quick response from one resident helped prevent worse damage. The occupant did a great job, Kardosh said. They tried using fire extinguishers that they had in the kitchen and that helped keep the fire smaller so that everyone was able to evacuate and we were able to make a quick extinguishment of the fire. No injuries were reported to residents or firefighters, according to Kardosh. A quick interior attack limited fire damage primarily to the second-floor kitchen, while smoke and heat damage were evident throughout the second floor and water damage was evident on the first floor. The American Red Cross assisted the displaced residents with temporary housing after the fire, according to the chief, who believed both the occupants and property owner were insured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was brought under control within 10 to 15 minutes and firefighters remained on scene for about an hour, checking hot spots and performing overhaul operations to mitigate water damage to the home and the possessions within it, Kardosh said. West Mead 1, West Mead 2 and Vernon Central volunteer fire departments also responded to the scene, as did Meadville Police Department and Meadville Police Department Auxiliary Police. FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (WVNS) Two Fayette County men pleaded guilty to federal gun crimes. According to a press release, on Thursday, August 14, 2025, 50-year-old Lesley Scott Watkins and 31-year-old Jawuan Akil Watts, both of Oak Hill, both pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Raleigh County man sentenced for federal drug crime The press release stated that according to court documents, Watkins had two handguns in his possession in Fayette County on July 5, 2024, and Watts had two handguns in his possession in Fayette County on July 6, 2024. People with previous felony convictions are prevented from possessing a gun or ammunition due to federal law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the press release, Watkins knew that he could not have a gun in his possession because of a prior felony conviction on September 24, 2008 for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court. Watts knew that due to a previous felony conviction for burglary in Raleigh County Circuit Court on July 11, 2014, he could not possess a gun. New information released about the fatal shooting in Fayette County The press release stated that Watkins and Watts sentencings are scheduled for December 4, 2025, and each of them faces up to 15 years in prison, a maximum of three years of parole, and a $250,000 fine. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston, who thanked the Oak Hill Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their work on the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) -Two Haitian police officers were killed and two others seriously wounded when an explosive drone accidentally detonated at a SWAT base near Haiti's capital, authorities in the Caribbean nation said on Wednesday. Directed by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, a task force has since March been operating explosive-laden "kamikaze" drones to help police fight powerful armed gangs that have taken control of most of the capital. A private military company run by Blackwater founder Erik Prince is also taking part in the drone operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prime minister's office said in a statement the accident took place on Tuesday night in the hillside town of Kenscoff - a flashpoint in the conflict due to its strategic location overlooking the diplomatic hub of Petion-Ville. "A kamikaze drone, transported by residents in good faith, exploded on the site, killing two police officers and seriously injuring two others," his office said in a statement. Citing several unnamed sources, the Miami Herald reported that six officers were hurt in the blast. The prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Local residents found the drone after its operators lost contact with the device due to poor weather, it reported, and brought it to nearby police. Shortly after, it exploded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Haiti's national police said an investigation had been opened. "We are taking all measures to ensure a thorough investigation into this tragedy," Fritz Alphonse Jean, a member of Haiti's transitional presidential council, said on social media. Armed groups began attacking Kenscoff at the start of this year. Rights groups report mass killings, rapes, arson and kidnappings, and thousands have fled their homes. Earlier this month, a three-year-old boy and seven staff were kidnapped from a local orphanage, including Irish missionary Gena Heraty. Over 3,100 have been killed in the conflict in the first half of this year, according to U.N. reports. (Reporting by Harold Isaac and Sarah Morland; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Aug. 20LAKE ANDREW TOWNSHIP A woman was airlifted from the scene of a two-vehicle crash involving a semitractor Tuesday afternoon in rural . According to a news release issued Tuesday evening by the deputies were dispatched around 2:50 p.m. Tuesday to the intersection of Kandiyohi County Road 5 and Kandiyohi County Road 40. The initial investigation showed a 2017 Dodge Caravan was traveling eastbound on County Road 40 when it collided with a 2020 Kenworth semitractor traveling north on County Road 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver of the van is identified as Heather Sprifke, 49, of Sartell. Sprifke was airlifted from the scene of the crash. The driver of the semi is identified as Osman Farah, 45, of Minneapolis, and was transported by ambulance to CentraCare Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office did not describe the severity of any injuries suffered by either party in the news release issued by Sgt. Tim Fischer. The crash currently remains under investigation. The New London Ambulance, New London Fire Department, Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad, Lakes Area First Responders, CentraCare Emergency Medical Services and Life Link all assisted the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office at the scene. RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) Two men are wanted for questioning in reference to an Aggravated Assault. According to the Richmond County Sheriffs Office, the incident in question happened on July 21st in the parking lot of the Augusta Mart on Martin Luther King Boulevard. Authorities describe the male subjects as one wearing a white t-shirt, black pants, and black Nike slides while the other was seen wearing a red True Religion hoodie, black pants, and white Air Force Ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities say that both of them should be considered to be armed and dangerous. If anyone encounters these men, or has any information regarding these men, please contact Inv. Trivia Hardy at 706-821-1178, or any On-Duty Violent Crimes Investigator with the Richmond County Sheriffs Office at 706-821-1020 or 706-821-1080. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Metro police have arrested two teens in connection with an October 2024 shooting in Antioch. On the morning of Oct. 6, 2024, officers found a victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds after a shooting on Maple Timber Court. According to a Wednesday press release from the Metro Nashville Police Department, the victim was a 16-year-old who had been shot in the back during a drive-by shooting while he and others were sitting in a vehicle. OCTOBER 2024 VIDEO | Person found shot on Maple Timber Court Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Detectives with the MNPDs TITANS Unit arrested a 17-year-old suspect at his Antioch home Tuesday morning. A second 16-year-old suspect had been taken into custody earlier this month. Police said both teens admitted during interviews with detectives that they had been involved in several other shooting incidents last year. During the apprehension of the 16-year-old suspect, police said they recovered a rifle, body armor, ammunition, other gun parts and marijuana as well. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both teens have been charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, juvenile handgun possession and reckless endangerment in Juvenile Court in connection with the case. Additional charges for their alleged involvement in other shootings are pending, police added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Editors Note: This story has been updated to show a funding announcement from U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Tuesday evening. RUIDOSO, N.M. (KRQE) Federal Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Ruidoso on Tuesday, more than a month after floodwater tore through part of the city, destroying homes and killing three people. Secretary Noem joined local and state officials, touring one of the areas hardest hit, seeing things like homes with piles of debris and roads still covered in mud, now 42 days since the flood. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ruidoso residents spoke after the visit from Secretary Noem. I wish they wouldve come right after it happened, you know, within a couple days of it happening, said Ruidoso resident Jeremiah Whisler. Village of Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford and the state Department of Homeland Security officials took part in the short tour. Noem and other officials did not address the media or take any questions. Whisler is helping a family friend clean up debris. He said recovery has been slow, and they need help. In reality, it doesnt look that bad, but then you see things like this where weve got three vehicles on our property that dont belong, we got two buildings on our property that floated up, thats wild, you know? said Whisler. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said hes even made a tent on the roof for him and his dog in case of extreme flooding and said he hopes Secretary Noems visit can help to get Ruidoso to a better place faster. I really hope it does, I hope it wasnt all just smoke and mirrors because that seems to be what a lot of the help is around here is just smoke and mirrors. Another man that KRQE News 13 heard from, who visits Ruidoso at least once a year, said hes glad to see the village isnt being overlooked. Obviously needs as much help as possible because its overwhelming, the amount of cleanup is overwhelming, and so were just happy that the federal government is stepping in, said John DeFelice. Secretary Noem also met in private with local leaders before leaving for a different event in southern New Mexico. According to a press release, on Tuesday evening, Secretary Noem announced $11.4 million in disaster relief funding for New Mexico. The Secretary said that this is in addition to the $3.1 million that was announced earlier this month, along with $2.9 million from President Donald Trumps disaster declarations. Mayor Crawford also declined an interview on Tuesday but said in a statement: I would like to personally thank Secretary Noem for coming to visit the Village of Ruidoso to see what we are dealing with first hand. Its nice to have someone from the federal level have such a great grasp on what is going to be needed to start rebuilding. Secretary Noem understands the bureaucratic red tape and what it is going to take to move forward. Secretary Noem recognizes the cascading events that continue to happen and the mitigation efforts that are going to be needed for the Forest Service lands, the Village of Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs and down into the Hondo Valley. Secretary Noem is very result oriented and we look forward to seeing the outcome of her visit Mayor Lynn Crawford, Village of Ruidoso Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. The U.S. Department of State hasstarted to require some foreign travelers to post a refundable bond of up to $15,000 under a pilot program that began Thursday, targeting countries with high visa overstay rates or weak identity checks. For now, only nationals from Malawi and Zambia are included, but the program may be expanded to nations with far more travelers to Florida and the United States. Some Tampa Bay businesses and entrepreneurs worry that, if it does, the program could affect tourism and investment. The 12-month initiative applies to applicants for short-term business visas and tourist visas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the departments rule, travelers from those countries must pay the bond before receiving a visa, with the amount determined by consular officers. The bond will be refunded if the traveler departs the United States within the authorized period, never uses the visa, or is denied entry. Visa holders required to pay the bond may only enter and leave the United States through three designated airports: Bostons Logan International, New Yorks John F. Kennedy International, and Washingtons Dulles International. The program follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump earlier this year to strengthen immigration enforcement and border security. The visa bond program excludes visitors from Mexico, Canada, and more than 40 other countries, most of them in Europe, that are enrolled in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. The program uses an automated system known as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, which allows citizens to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a visa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Entrepreneurs and local business leaders are already watching closely. Cesar R. Hernandez, founder and chief executive officer of Omni Public, a global consulting group in Tampa, said the possibility of extending the visa bond program to other nations could create unease among local industries and investors. It would be a better idea if federal officials invested in faster processing, evidence-based compliance tools, and an independent review, said Hernandez. A similar six-month visa bond plan was announced in 2020 but was never implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Santiago Corrada, president and chief executive officer of Visit Tampa Bay, said the pilot program is not expected to affect the local tourism industry. But if circumstances change, his office would adapt with partners to gauge effects and adjust plans, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Should the program expand, we would work with our strong network of clients and partners in those regions to determine the impacts and adjust our efforts accordingly, Corrada said. Its unclear at this time what effect, if any, a visa bond might have on visitation in the Tampa Bay region. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security report found that from October 2022 to September 2023, more than 314,000 visitors failed to depart on time. Several African nations had high overstay percentages. In Latin America, countries with high overstay rates included Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Honduras. Tony Selvaggio, a Venezuelan-born Tampa entrepreneur who has several business ties to in South America, said a visa bond requirement can be a useful tool to deter those who enter the country with no intention of leaving. However, applying this too broadly could unintentionally discourage legitimate travelers, he said, whose visits help fuel Floridas economy and strengthen cultural ties. The success of a program like this depends on precision, said Selvaggio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erik Hansen, vice president for government relations at the U.S. Travel Association, a national trade group, saidthe visa bond pilot program appears limited thus far, affecting onlyabout 2,000 applicants. The association is moreconcerned bythe $250 Visa Integrity Fee, part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law on July 4. The fee will take effect later this year across all nonimmigrant visas, including those for tourists, students, and temporary workers. If we are to maintain a competitive position in the global travel market, its critical that U.S. visa policy reflect both national security priorities and the significant economic value of international visitation, Hansen said in an email. Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Britain's High Court handed down a landmark ruling temporarily blocking a London-area hotel from being used to house asylum seekers after a campaign by local people opposed to the presence of 140 young, single men in their community. The interim injunction stopping the government from placing migrants in the Bell Hotel in Epping Forest, 15 miles northeast of central London, was granted to the local council Tuesday on grounds that the change in the use of the premises contravened planning law and concerns over disruption and the safety of the occupants due to the protests. Justice Eyre, denied a late legal challenge by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, giving Somani Hotels, which operates the Bell, until Sept. 12 to comply with the injunction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hotel's 80 rooms are occupied by around 140 men. Arguments by Home Office counsel that the ruling would impact her legal duty to house and feed migrants while their asylum claims were processed were rejected by Eyre, who said Cooper's bid to intervene was unwarranted and a waste of court time. Protests near the hotel turned violent in July when they were hijacked by supporters of the far-right after asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a resident of the hotel, was charged in July with sexual assault against a 14-year-old girl. Riot police, with helicopter backup, clashed with protesters in residential neighborhoods and at least 34 people were arrested, police officers injured and vehicles damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kebatu, who is on remand, denies the offenses he is charged with, which were alleged to have taken place just eight days after his arrival in the country, from Ethiopia via France, on a small boat. His trial is set to get underway in the coming days. Mohammed Sharwarq, a Syrian asylum seeker also living at the hotel, is facing seven unrelated charges and authorities have charged several other men over alleged involvement in unrest outside the Bell Hotel. Chris Whitbread, leader of Conservative-controlled Epping Forest District Council, who took the government to court over the risk of "irreparable harm" from area tensions stirred by the demonstrations, hailed the ruling. "This is great news for our residents. The last few weeks have placed an intolerable strain on our community but today we have some great news. This is not the end of the matter. Having obtained an interim provision, the next stage is for the council to return to the court and seek a permanent injunction," said Whitbread. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With around 32,000 asylum seekers being accommodated in more than 200 other hotels across the country at taxpayer expense, according to the latest figures from the end of March, the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer was steeling itself for an onslaught of court cases brought by other local councils. Broxbourne Council, another Conservative-controlled authority in nearby Hertfordshire, was the first to announce plans to follow Epping's lead, saying it was taking legal advice about seeking to force the removal of asylum seekers from a hotel in the town of Cheshunt. Saying the Epping case had set a precedent, council leader Corina Gander told the BBC the government "had failed" and local councils were now fighting back. "Enough is enough now," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In court on Tuesday, government lawyers appealed to the bench not to grant the injunction to Epping council, in part, because they said it risked perpetuating more violence at other locations housing asylum seekers by people hoping for a similar outcome. But MP Nigel Farage, leader of Reform U.K., formerly the Brexit Party, said people should make their opposition heard and vowed that all 12 Reform-controlled councils would "do everything in their power" to emulate Epping's example. In an article in Wednesday's Telegraph newspaper, he called for peaceful protests by people "concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels." BEIRUT (AP) A U.S.-led coalition captured a senior member of the Islamic State group in northwest Syria on Wednesday, state media and a war monitor reported. It was not immediately clear if the man is the IS supreme leader. Abu Hafs al-Qurayshi, an Iraqi citizen and IS commander, was detained during a pre-dawn operation that included landing troops from helicopters in the town of Atmeh, near the Turkish border. Another Iraqi citizen was killed, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The U.S. military did not respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Observatory said the man captured had a French-speaking woman with him, and it was not immediately clear if she was taken by the U.S. force or by Syrian security forces who later cordoned the area. Two years ago, IS announced that a man called Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi was named as its new leader after Turkish authorities killed his predecessor. Syrian state TV on Wednesday quoted an unnamed security official as saying the Iraqi man targeted in the operation is known as Ali, adding that his real name is Salah Noman. It said Noman was living in an apartment with his wife, son and mother. It said he was killed in the raid. There was no immediate clarification for the difference in names reported by state media and the war monitor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.N. counter-terrorism chief Vladimir Voronkov told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that while multiple leaders of the Islamic State have perished in the past few years, the group has managed to retain its operational capacity. There is no indication that the killing of its deputy leader in charge of operational planning, which resulted from counter-terrorism operations in Iraq in March, will be any different, he said, citing unnamed countries as saying the extremist group may recover from such a loss within six months. Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea made no mention of Wednesdays arrest, but said the Trump administration has intensified counter-terrorism operations globally, including targeting the IS, also known as ISIL, and al-Qaida's leadership, infrastructure, and financial networks. IS broke away from al-Qaida more than a decade ago and attracted supporters from around the world after it declared a so-called caliphate in 2014 in large parts of Syria and Iraq. Despite its defeat in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later, IS militants still carry out deadly attacks in both countries and elsewhere. Al-Qurayshi is not the real name of IS leaders but comes from Quraish, the name of the tribe to which Islams Prophet Muhammad belonged. IS claims its leaders hail from the tribe, and al-Qurayshi is part of their nom de guerre. The Washington state Department of Ecology has fined the U.S. Postal Service $33,000 for improperly managing and storing dangerous waste at its Seattle Bulk Mail Center in Federal Way. The violations were discovered during a 2024 inspection, the agency said in a news release on Tuesday. At the Seattle Bulk Mail Center, leaking or damaged packages are set aside for disposal. If those damaged packages contain materials classified as dangerous waste, such as insecticides, propane, paints, or cleaning products, the facility is required to properly identify it, assess the hazards, and then safely store and dispose of the materials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Ecology also found violations in how the center was identifying and storing packages containing dangerous wastes, along with other hazardous wastes from the facilities operations and vehicle maintenance in 2018, 2019, 2022 and last year. The amount of dangerous waste fluctuated but was significant at times; in 2022, the Postal Service estimated it had 4.6 tons on site. While awaiting disposal, containers were often unlabeled and stored in crowded areas, increasing the risk of unintended chemical reactions that could pose a threat to human health and the environment, the state agency said. We expect businesses that generate hazardous waste to take the regulations seriously, said Christa Colouzis, Northwest Region manager for Ecologys Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction program. Knowing what wastes you have and how to safely store them is the first step to preventing problems. If dangerous waste isnt properly managed, it can quickly become a safety issue for people and the environment. In 2024, the department found that the USPS failed to: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Determine whether waste is dangerous and the potential threat they posted; Safely store the waste (including maintaining adequate distance between aisles, using secondary containment, labeling containers and inspecting weekly); Properly manage universal waste such as batteries and fluorescent bulbs; Maintain personnel training records The Postal Service has corrected the violations, according to the news release. It has 30 days to pay the penalty or appeal it to the Washington Pollution Hearings Board. Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com. RELATED READING: USPS seeks demand surcharge for holiday season parcel deliveries The post U.S. Postal Service penalized $33K for hazmat deficiencies in Seattle appeared first on FreightWaves. CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) This August marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated communities in the Southeastern United States. In the wake of that disaster, a University of Illinois professor has been researching the impact the hurricane had on our lives and economies. Hurricane Katrina left more than 1,800 dead and more than $125 billion in damages. With Hurricane Erin brewing between the Bermuda and mainland U.S., WCIA is taking a look back at one of the worst natural disasters of our lifetime. New Illinois program streamlines college admissions process for students Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WCIA 3s Brandon Merano sat down with Professor Tatyana Deryugina, an associate professor of finance at Gies College of Business, to talk about her research on the hurricane, and the impacts it had on people in the area. Deryugina said part of what made Hurricane Katrina so devastating was that some of the infrastructure that was supposed to protect New Orleans failed. The levees failed, flooding the city which lies below sea level. And the flood waters killed a lot of people and caused immense damage to the city, Deryugina said. A lot of the damage is still visible today. But, Deryugina said the research did find that some silver linings came out of the disaster. Her research found that people are resilient both in terms of livelihoods and their mortality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We found that people actually lived longer and earned more money as a result of the hurricane, Deryugina said. This is because the hurricane displaced people from New Orleans and many of them moved to area with higher wages lower mortality rates. From the Farm: Planning for cover crops Deryugina also warned that we are not better prepared to handle natural disaster today than we were 20 years ago. A lot of our infrastructure is aging and is in very poor shape. It needs maintenance. and with climate change, we actually need more infrastructure to protect against the more severe disasters that we can expect going forward, Deryugina warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are a couple of things Illinois can improve upon: this includes things like wetlands and levees and better stormwater management systems. You can read more about Deryuginas research online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. The U.S. military has sent destroyers and thousands of Marines toward Venezuela as President Donald Trump doubles down on deadly drug cartels. At least three Aegis guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely and USS Jason Dunham among them are part of the mission, a source familiar with the situation told Fox News. The official added that the ships will arrive in the region in the coming days. Known for their versatility and combat systems, the ships can counter threats from land, sea, and air simultaneously. The ships' Tomahawk cruise missiles can launch long-range land attacks. The USS Gravely has famously been used to shoot down incoming drones and missiles from the Houthis in the Red Sea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump Sends Military After The Cartels And Its Long Overdue Destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) returns to Naval Station Norfolk, July 14, 2024. "On day one of the Trump Administration, the President published an Executive Order designating drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, clearly identifying them as a direct threat to the national security of the United States," Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said. "These cartels have engaged in historic violence and terror throughout our Hemisphereand around the globe-- that has destabilized economies and internal security of countries but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs." Read On The Fox News App "This requires a whole-of-government effort and through coordination with regional partners, the Department of Defense will undoubtedly play an important role towards meeting the Presidents objective to eliminate the ability of these cartels to threaten the territory, safety, and security of the United States and its people," Parnell added. "As a matter of security and policy we do not speculate on future operations." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another official told Reuters the deployment, which could arrive soon, involves around 4,000 Marines and soldiers "over the course of several months," backed by spy planes, warships and a submarine so that international waters and skies are covered. Tuesday's massive operation marks a dramatic escalation in Trump's push to block fentanyl and drug pipelines fueling Americas overdose crisis. It also comes as the administration called Venezuelas regime a "narco-terror cartel" and demanded that President Nicolas Maduro be held accountable. When asked about this latest military vessel dispatch, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday the president "has been very clear and consistent" about using "every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice." During a White House press briefing, she added: "The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela. It is a narco-terror cartel. Maduro is a fugitive head of this cartel who has been indicted in the United States for trafficking drugs into the country." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Us Accuses Venezuelan Regime Of Narco-terrorism Over Alliances With Tren De Aragua, Sinaloa Cartel Attorney General Pam Bondi announced last week a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest. Attorney General Pam Bondi last week also announced a historic $50 million reward for information leading to Maduros arrest more than triple the $15 million offer first unveiled in 2020. Meanwhile, the Justice Department says it has already seized more than $700 million in assets tied to the embattled dictator, including two private jets and nine luxury vehicles. Maduro, indicted in New York in 2020 on narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracy charges, has clung to power with military backing and allegedly with support from Russia, China and Cuba. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio Rips Venezuela's Maduro As 'Narco-terrorist' Leader Threatening Us One Year After Disputed Election President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro looks forward during the 'Gran Marcha Mundial por la Paz' on August 17, 2024 in Caracas, Venezuela. In a televised address Monday, he vowed Venezuela would "defend our seas, our skies and our lands," deriding U.S. pressure as "the outlandish, bizarre threat of a declining empire." The Pentagon has previously deployed two warships to the region to deter drug trafficking and secure the border. Immigration enforcement has also been strengthened against alleged gang members like Tren de Aragua, MS-13 in El Salvador and six groups in Mexico. In February, Trump designated these as foreign terrorist organizations and imposed sweeping sanctions on Maduro, labeling him a dictator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also been urged by Trump to cooperate further on security and clamp down on cartels. So far, Sheinbaum has rejected suggestions of military intervention. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Original article source: U.S. warships to patrol international waters around Venezuela as Trump vows to stop cartels Ugandas state minister for foreign affairs said the country had not struck a deportation deal with the US following reports in Washington of an apparent agreement, as the White House steps up its immigration offensive. CBS News said that it had obtained internal government documents showing that Uganda had agreed to accept an unclear number of asylum seekers in the US who come from other countries, as long as they dont have criminal histories. The documents also showed that Honduras had agreed to accept deportees, the outlet reported, saying it would take several hundred over two years from other Spanish-speaking countries. To the best of my knowledge we have not reached such an agreement, a junior Ugandan foreign minister told Reuters, saying the country did not have the facilities and infrastructure to accommodate US asylum seekers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has been targeting African nations under its safe third country move to reroute deportees to countries that are not their own as it ramps up deportations. This month, Rwanda said it would accept up to 250 migrants from the US, while both South Sudan and Eswatini have accepted small numbers of deportees. By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) -The British government policy of housing thousands of asylum seekers in hotels was facing severe pressure on Wednesday, as opponents leapt on a court ruling to call for protests and legal action to have them all evicted. According to a regular tracker of voters' concerns, immigration has overtaken the economy as the biggest issue amid anger over record numbers of asylum seekers arriving in small boats across the Channel, including more than 27,000 this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the High Court in London granted a temporary injunction to stop asylum seekers from being housed in the Bell Hotel in Epping, about 20 miles (32 km) northeast of London in the county of Essex. The hotel had become a focal point for regular protests after a resident was charged with sexual assault, a crime he denies, with large numbers of police separating anti-immigration protesters and pro-immigration groups. The injunction in the Epping case centred around a specific planning issue and could be reversed when the case is heard in full later this year. But other councils said they would also urgently seek legal advice on evicting asylum seekers from hotels in their areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nigel Farage, the leader of the populist Reform Party which is leading in opinion polls, said all the 12 local authorities his party controlled would do everything in their power to do so. "Let's hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win," Farage wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper. "No doubt we will be attacked as 'far Right' provocateurs for daring to suggest that people follow the lead of Eppings parents and residents by protesting peacefully." ASYLUM HOTELS Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britain currently houses about 30,000 asylum seekers who are awaiting decisions on their claims in more than 200 hotels across the country and, although the government has said it intended to close all of these by 2029, it now faces a major headache if others are able to follow Epping's lead. In the court hearing, the Home Office (interior ministry) said the injunction would have a "substantial impact" on the government's ability to comply with its legal duty to provide accommodation, and security minister Dan Jarvis said they would look closely at the decision and whether to appeal it. "The big challenge remains, which is, we need to process asylum claims much more speedily and much more effectively than was the case previously," Jarvis told BBC TV. Critics say that housing asylum seekers in hotels, often young men who are not allowed to work, puts the local community at risk, and point to recent incidents such as in Epping and other locations where some migrants have been accused of serious crimes including the rape and sexual assault of young girls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also contrast the facilities provided to migrants in hotels with the difficulties many in Britain are facing with rising living costs and shortages of affordable housing. However, pro-migrant groups say far-right groups and opportunistic politicians are deliberately seeking to exploit and enflame tensions for their own ends. Across Europe governments have struggled with how to house asylum seekers, with far-right and anti-migrant groups in France also leading protests against dedicated centres in recent years. During riots in Britain last year, hotels containing migrants were attacked when unrest involving some far-right supporters erupted after misinformation that the murderer of three girls in Southport was a radical Islamist migrant. (Reporting by Michael Holden and Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Alex Richardson) The UK government has backed down on a controversial demand for Apple to build a back door into its technology to access private user data following pressure from the Trump administration. The order could have undermined a key security promise Apple makes to its users the company has said it has not and would never build a backdoor or master key to its products and compromised privacy for users globally. UK officials had reportedly sought access to encrypted data that users around the world store in iCloud, materials that even the iPhone maker itself is typically unable to access. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on X Monday that the United Kingdom agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a back door that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard said that over the past few months, she had been working closely with our partners in the UK, alongside President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, on the agreement. A source familiar with the discussions told CNN that Gabbard spoke with her counterpart in the UK, Deputy National Security Advisory Matt Collins, a few times about the issue, including once when the UK delegation visited the White House. Vance was also personally involved in reaching a deal, engaging in direct conversations with British government officials to come to what was considered a mutually beneficial agreement for both countries, a White House official told CNN. This agreement between our two governments maintains each countrys sovereignty while ensuring close cooperation on data, a White House official said. The British Home Office reportedly made the order under the Investigatory Powers Act that lets UK law enforcement compel access to communications and metadata from tech companies in secret, although the agency never confirmed the demand. The Home Office did not immediately respond to CNNs request for comment on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports about the order earlier this year quickly raised alarm among security experts and tech leaders who worried that Apple could be used by a foreign government to spy on its users. The company in February rolled back a data security feature for iCloud called Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for users in the United Kingdom. The feature provides optional end-to-end encryption for personal data such as photos and messages, meaning only the user who holds the account, not even the company itself could view that information. Without end-to-end encryption, Apple could have access to users data, meaning law enforcement could legally compel the company to hand it over to aid in investigating crimes. Removing the feature for UK users was widely viewed as an effort to protect more advanced security for users elsewhere in the world in the face of the UK governments demand for a technical back door. But it didnt necessarily address the UKs demand for access to user data globally. Apple said in a statement at the time that it was gravely disappointed to no longer offer ADP to UK users, given the continuing rise of data breaches and other threats to customer privacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Apple did not immediately respond to CNNs request for comment on the UK governments retreat from the demand. Tech executives, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, have sought to foster close relationships with Trump since he took office in hopes of gaining his support on key policy and regulatory issues. The UK agreement marks the latest instance of the Trump administration convincing a foreign government to walk back regulation of an American tech company. In June, Canada said it would rescind a digital services tax which Trump had called a direct and blatant attack on the United States and its companies to restart trade negotiations with the US. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Tony Radakin, the UKs Chief of the Defence Staff, will tell his American counterparts that the UK is prepared to send troops to defend Ukraines skies and seas, but not to the line of contact with Russia. Source: The Guardian, as reported by European Pravda Details: On Wednesday 20 August, Radakin will attend a meeting at the Pentagon intended to finalise what 30 different countries are prepared to commit to Ukraines national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Radakin is expected to confirm that the UK will send troops to support logistics and training, but not deploy them near Russian territory. Earlier plans to station up to 30,000 personnel to guard Ukrainian facilities have been scaled back following resistance from some European nations. "Wednesday is a really important moment. Nothing happens in Washington without the president giving the green light, so Trump giving his support to security guarantees on Monday kickstarted a lot of activity," one UK official said. Another said that Radakin will reiterate the pledges made last week by Defence Secretary John Healey, who stated that London is ready to deploy troops to Ukraine "to secure the safe skies, safe seas and to build the strength of the Ukrainian forces". Ministers see this as logistical and training support rather than sending battalions that could end up on the front line and take part in combat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesdays meetings are being viewed in Europe as an essential step towards a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said will only be possible if the US is willing to provide security guarantees. The planning sessions at the Pentagon on Wednesday are being closely watched for any signs that the US is ready to make commitments. On Tuesday 19 August, Trump insisted that they will not involve US troops on the ground, telling Fox News: "You have my assurance [on that], and Im president." The UK plans to use the meetings to outline to the Trump administration what it can contribute to Ukraines security should a peace deal be signed. Officials say that British troops could be deployed to help with logistics in defending Ukraines airspace and ports, but not in situations that could lead to combat with Russia. Some experts say that European leaders do not expect Putin to agree even to such a limited deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine, and that European leaders are floating the idea to isolate the Russian leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement British officials insist this is not the case, and that the UK and its partners are engaged in serious preparations to send troops to Ukraine if required. "You dont get 30 chiefs of staff coming to the Pentagon if they are not serious about this," one of them said. Background: Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stressed that only reliable security guarantees for Ukraine will deter Russia from a potential future attack. At a meeting on Tuesday 19 August, the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing agreed to meet with the US in the coming days to discuss reliable security guarantees for Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Britain's government was considering Wednesday whether to appeal a court ruling blocking the housing of asylum seekers in a flashpoint hotel, as it scrambled to come up with contingency plans for the migrants. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour administration braced itself for further legal challenges from local authorities following Tuesday's judge-issued junction that has dealt it a major political and logistical headache. Anti-immigrant firebrand Nigel Farage indicated that councils run by his hard-right Reform UK party, leading in national polls, would pursue similar claims as he called for protests outside migrant hotels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Security minister Dan Jarvis said the government was weighing challenging high court judge Stephen Eyre's granting of a temporary injunction to stop migrants from staying at the Bell Hotel in Epping, northeast of London. The local authority sought the ruling following several weeks of protests outside the hotel, some of which have turned violent. The demonstrations erupted after a resident was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. "We're looking very closely at it," Jarvis told Sky News of a possible appeal. The interior ministry had tried to have the case dismissed, warning it would "substantially impact" its ability to provide accommodation for tens of thousands of asylum seekers across Britain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're looking at a range of different contingency options," Jarvis told Times Radio, adding: "We'll look closely at what we're able to do." Several Reform-led councils, including in Staffordshire and Northamptonshire in the Midlands area of England, announced on Wednesday that they were exploring their options following the court ruling. Protests, some of them violent, broke out in Epping in mid-July after Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 41, was charged. He denies the allegation and is due to stand trial later this year. Hundreds of people have since taken part in demonstrations and counter-demonstrations outside the Bell Hotel. Further anti-immigration demonstrations also spread to London and around England. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several men appeared in court on Monday charged with violent disorder over the Bell Hotel protests. Epping Forest District Council argued the hotel had become a risk to public safety and that it had breached planning laws as it was no longer operating as a hotel in the traditional sense. - Small boats - The judge gave authorities until September 12 to remove the migrants. Writing in the right-wing Daily Telegraph newspaper, Farage said the "good people of Epping must inspire similar protests around Britain". He said peaceful demonstrations can "put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Epping, an attractive market town connected to London by the underground, residents appeared to broadly welcome the imminent removal of the asylum seekers. "It has made people feel unsettled, especially with schools being down there," 52-year-old Mark Humphries, who works in retail, told AFP on the high street. Carol Jones, 64, said she was relieved at the decision but wondered whether it would ever be implemented. "They shouldn't have been there in the first place, but where are they going to go?" the retiree told AFP. Labour has pledged to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers before the next election, likely in 2029, in a bid to save billions of pounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest government data showed there were 32,345 asylum seekers being housed temporarily in UK hotels at the end of March, down 15 percent from the end of December. Numbers hit a peak at the end of September 2023 when there were 56,042 asylum seekers in hotels, and the centre-right Conservatives were in power. Starmer is facing huge political pressure domestically for failing to stop irregular migrants crossing the Channel to England on small boats. More than 50,000 people have made the dangerous crossing from northern France since Starmer became UK leader last July. Under a 1999 law, the interior ministry "is required to provide accommodation and subsistence support to all destitute asylum seekers whilst their asylum claims are being decided". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enver Solomon, chief executive of Refugee Council, urged the government to "partner with local councils to provide safe, cost-effective accommodation within communities" rather than use hotels. "Ultimately, the only way to end hotel use for good is to resolve asylum applications quickly and accurately so people can either rebuild their lives here or return home with dignity," he said Tuesday. pdh/jkb/dc The UK has signed a new deal with Iraq aimed at speeding up the return of migrants with no right to be in the country. It builds on previous efforts to cooperate on tackling smuggling gangs and deterring people from crossing the Channel in small boats. More than 27,000 people have made the dangerous journey so far this year, up from around 18,000 in the same period last year. The Conservatives described the deal as "measly" , saying "barely any" small boat arrivals are now Iraqi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of Iraqis making the crossing fell to 1,900 in the year ending March 2025, down from 2,600 in the previous year, according to the Home Office. The government said this demonstrated the effectiveness of cooperation between the two countries on tackling illegal migration. The government said the deal would establish formal processes to "swiftly" return those with no legal right to be in the UK. It was signed by Home Office minister Dan Jarvis as part of a two-day visit to the UK by Iraq's Deputy Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not all Iraqis who arrive by small boat would be returned as some may successfully claim asylum if they can prove they face persecution in their home country. Around 26% of Iraqis who made the crossing in the year to March 2025 were granted asylum at initial decision. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the agreement was "a sham designed to look tough while crossings keep soaring". Last year the UK agreed an 800,000 deal to strengthen Iraqi law enforcement and border security, aimed at tackling people-smuggling. Many of the smuggling networks across Europe are run by Iraqi Kurds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jarvis said: "By working together on security, development and migration challenges, we are building stronger relationships that benefit both our countries whilst tackling shared challenges like organised crime and irregular migration." [BBC] The government has sought to speed up the return of failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals, with similar agreements already made with Albania and Vietnam since Labour came to power. It said more than 35,000 people with no right to be in the UK had been returned in Labour's first year - a 14% increase compared to the same period 12 months ago. Last month a separate deal was agreed with France, which involves returning some small boat arrivals in exchange for the UK accepting an equivalent number of asylum seekers from the country. [BBC] Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond. The thousands of Ukrainian children abducted since Russias invasion began 3 years ago are once again at the forefront of international discussions as NATO leaders convened to discuss the war. Following Russias deadly 2022 invasion, Ukrainian children have been among the wars chief victims, with Kyiv confirming that there have been at least 19,546 cases of unlawful deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia, Belarus or Russian-occupied territory, by Russian authorities. Some reports have suggested the number of forcibly transported Ukrainian children could be significantly higher, ranging closer to 35,000 abductions, many of whom are feared to have been illegally adopted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'Just Evil': Top Republican Details Russia's 'Horrific' Mass Abductions Of Ukrainian Children Fox News Digital could not confirm if Nato leaders, who convened on Wednesday for a debriefint by U.S. military leaders, will include how to remedy the immense human rights violations targeting Ukrainian children as they look to establish security guarantees, possibly as soon as this week. But President Donald Trump, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday followed by a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO leaders on Monday, said the issue of forcibly deported Ukrainian children "is a subject at the top of all lists." Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue was reignited after first lady Melania Trump sent a letter to Putin, which Trump hand-delivered during his meeting on Friday, in which she said "it is time" to restore childrens "dream of love, possibility and safety from danger." "A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generations descendants begin their lives with a purity an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology," she wrote. The first lady did not specifically mention the war in Ukraine, though her letter, first obtained by Fox News Digital, was championed by Kyiv. Ukraines 'Underground Railroad' Rescues Abducted Ukrainian Children From Russian Reeducation Camps Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy appeared to surprise Trump by handing him a letter written by his wife, Olena Zelenska, intended for the first lady. The contents of the second letter have not been disclosed, but Trump noted his wifes compassion when it comes to the issue of children, a topic Zelenska has also worked to address. "She sees the heartbreak, the parents, the funerals that you see on television, always funerals," Trump said. Some children have been returned to Ukraine incrementally through the help of third-party mediators, like Qatar and the Vatican, though reporting suggests only some 1,500 have been released by Russian authorities. Thousands of teddy bears and toys representing the thousands of children abducted during the war in Ukraine at the Rond-point Schuman in Brussels Feb. 23, 2023. Ukrainian negotiators have been pushing for the return of the Ukrainian children for months as they meet with Russian counterparts in Turkey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While prisoner-of-war swaps have been agreed to, Zelenskyy said Russian officials have refused to hand over any Ukrainian children directly to Kyiv. "We cannot reach an agreement with them on the return of the children," Zelenskyy told reporters last week, adding that despite attempts it remains "impossible" without the help of other parties involved. "That is why we wanted to get certain matters settled in this trilateral track ceasefire, an all-for-all exchange and the return of children," he added. "This is something everyone benefits from. President Trump benefits, the Russians lose nothing, the Ukrainians lose nothing. Its a fair compromise." Original article source: Ukraines stolen children crisis looms large as NATO meets on Russias war Key developments on Aug. 20: Around 10 European allies willing to send troops to Ukraine, talks accelerate on security guarantees, Bloomberg reports US may provide air support for Ukraine under peace deal, Trump says Putin discusses Ukraine war with Erdogan before potential meeting with Zelensky 'Russia once again provokes NATO countries' Poland says Russian drone crashes near its village Security guarantees for Ukraine can't be discussed without Russia's participation, Lavrov claims A package of security guarantees for Ukraine could be finalized as soon as this week, with European leaders moving quickly after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled support for the plan, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initiative envisions the deployment of European troops as part of a potential peace deal to deter further Russian aggression, discussed during a White House summit on Aug. 18. Talks among European officials the following day focused on proposals to send troops from the U.K. and France to Ukraine, along with contingents from roughly 10 other countries, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Discussions included the size and positioning of the forces, though U.S. involvement in the guarantees remains uncertain. "When it comes to security, they're willing to put people on the ground," Trump told Fox News. "We're willing to help them with things, especially probably you could talk about by air, because there's nobody that has the kind of stuff we have, really they don't have. But I don't think it's going to be a problem. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later emphasized that Trump understood the guarantees were "critically important to ensure a lasting peace." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Ukrainian students to protest Navalny widows appearance at Edinburgh literary festival over her Ukraine views US may provide air support for Ukraine under peace deal, Trump says The U.S. may provide air support to Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal with Russia, President Donald Trump told Fox News on Aug. 19. "When it comes to security, (European allies) are willing to put people on the ground. We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably, by air," Trump said, stressing that no U.S. troops would be deployed on Ukrainian soil. Kyiv has long insisted on binding security guarantees from its allies to prevent Moscow from invading again after a ceasefire. Trump initially dismissed such guarantees as Europe's responsibility, but has recently shifted his position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Aug. 19 that U.S. air support remains "an option and a possibility." She did not specify what form it could take, though air support could involve missile defense systems or a no-fly zone. Read also: Zelensky wants a meeting. Putin wants to win Putin discusses Ukraine war with Erdogan before potential meeting with Zelensky Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Aug. 20 to discuss the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin reported. The call took place amid discussions over a potential venue for a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin. The Kremlin said Putin "noted with satisfaction Turkey's assistance in hosting talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the conversation, Putin also briefed Erdogan on his Aug. 16 summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, their first meeting since Trump took office in January. Turkey has maintained direct ties with both Kyiv and Moscow since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 and previously hosted negotiations between the two sides in Istanbul. Erdogan proposed Turkey as a potential venue for a meeting between Putin and Zelensky in July. Hungary is also being considered as a possible venue for a ZelenskyPutin meeting, Reuters reported on Aug. 19, citing a U.S. administration source. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on the same day that such a summit could take place within two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Security guarantees for Ukraine explained: Whats on the table and whats realistic? 'Russia once again provokes NATO countries' Poland says Russian drone crashes near its village Polish officials said on Aug. 20 that a Russian drone crashed overnight in a rural area of eastern Poland, describing the incident as a deliberate provocation amid international talks about ending the war in Ukraine. This is not the first time a Russian drone has crashed on the territory of a NATO member. Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that an object that fell into a cornfield near the village of Osiny was a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle. Osiny is located in Lublin Voivodeship, a province that borders Ukraine and Belarus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Once again, we are dealing with a provocation by the Russian Federation using a Russian drone," Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters at a press conference in Warsaw, according to Rzeczpospolita. "Russia once again provokes NATO countries after drone incidents that took place in Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia, as well as after airspace violations that occurred in almost all NATO countries," Kosiniak-Kamysz added. Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Poland's Defense Ministry had briefed top military commanders, as well as security and foreign affairs officials, and that Poland's allies had been informed. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the incident was a fresh violation of Polish airspace "from the east" and announced that Warsaw would issue a diplomatic protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There will be a protest from the Foreign Ministry against the perpetrator," Sikorski wrote on X. WTF is wrong with Russia? Wear our new T-shirt to let other people know you want answers. shop now Security guarantees for Ukraine can't be discussed without Russia's participation, Lavrov says Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Aug. 20 that he believes security guarantees for Ukraine cannot be discussed without Russia's participation. He added that "seriously discussing security issues without Russia is a road to nowhere." Lavrov also said that the U.S., U.K., France, and China could provide equal security guarantees for Ukraine, insisting that Moscow must also play a role. "As for reports that the U.K., France, and Germany want to develop collective security guarantees, we support making these guarantees truly reliable," Lavrov claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The minister argued that any deal should be based on the framework discussed during the Istanbul talks in 2022, which failed to produce a peace agreement. "Our delegation then agreed to work out security guarantees involving all permanent members of the UN Security Council Russia, China, the U.S., France, and the U.K.," he said. "Germany and Turkey were mentioned, as well as others that may be interested in joining this group." His comments come as European leaders accelerate negotiations on a package of security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. President Volodymyr Zelensky has demanded binding assurances from allies to prevent Russia from launching another invasion. Note from the author: Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian forces have intensified pressure in the north of Donetsk Oblast, particularly along the Lyman front. Source: Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Details: Syrskyi visited units carrying out combat missions in Donetsk Oblast. He reported that the Pokrovsk, Dobropillia and Novopavlivka fronts remain the most intense. "Our units are engaged in heavy defensive battles against superior Russian forces, holding back assaults and in some areas launching counteractions," the commander-in-chief said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syrskyi noted that, following discussions with brigade and corps commanders, he made the necessary decisions to strengthen Ukraines defensive resilience. "We are defending and liberating Ukrainian territory. Units in Donetsk Oblast receive full support and reinforcements." Background: On 19 August, 175 combat engagements took place across the front, with the fiercest fighting on the Pokrovsk, Lyman and Novopavlivka fronts, where Ukrainian troops repelled 111 attacks. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! A media adviser to Ukraine's Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, on Aug. 20 denied reports that the former top general is preparing a presidential campaign team in London. Oksana Torop, who previously worked as a journalist with the BBC's Ukrainian service, said that claims published earlier in the day that Zaluzhnyi was forming a campaign team were untrue. "There is no talk of any campaign headquarters," Torop told NV. "Valerii Zaluzhnyi has stated his position more than once, and as far as I know, it has not changed: while the war continues, we need to work to preserve the country, not think about elections." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. journalist Katie Livingston wrote on X on Aug. 19 that Zaluzhnyi had already set up a campaign staff in London, with Torop responsible for media strategy. "A source close to the budding campaign tells me his HQ is already active in London, and recruitment is underway. This isn't just speculation," Livingston claimed. Ukraine cannot hold elections while martial law remains in place due to the ongoing war with Russia. Still, speculation has persisted about Zaluzhnyi's political future, as well as around election preparations in the country for when and if there is a peace deal that allows for them. The ex-commander-in-chief, who was dismissed in February 2024 and later appointed ambassador to the U.K., is widely seen as a potential challenger to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zaluzhnyi remains Ukraine's most trusted public figure, according to a poll released July 9 by the Rating Sociological Group. The survey found that 73% of Ukrainians trust him, compared with 67% for Zelensky and 56% for military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. Read also: Did Zelensky wear a suit? Presidents outfit at White House meeting sparks fresh debate Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine's Special Operations Forces have released details, including a video, of an operation that left Russian Lieutenant General Esedulla Abachev seriously wounded. Source: press service of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces Details: The UA_REG TEAM unit of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces carried out a strike on a vehicle in which Abachev, the deputy commander of the Sever (North) group of Russian forces, was travelling on the night of 16-17 August. The operation took place 5 km from the city of Rylsk in Russias Kursk Oblast. The general was airlifted to Moscow, where he reportedly had to have an arm and a leg amputated due to his injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In their statement, the Special Operations Forces note that in 2023, the Ukrainian Prosecutors Office filed charges against Abachev in court. Following the start of Russias full-scale invasion, Abachev commanded the so-called 2nd Army Corps of the Peoples Militias of the "Luhansk Peoples Republic," a Russian-backed terror group. He gave direct orders to bomb settlements in Luhansk Oblast to destruction. Previously: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian units had hit a Russian convoy on the Rylsk-Khomutovka motorway in Russias Kursk Oblast on the night of 16-17 August, and that Lieutenant General Esedulla Abachev had been seriously wounded. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! KYIV (Reuters) -Russia struck a gas distribution station in the southern Ukraine region of Odesa on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, adding this showed the need to put economic pressure on Russia amid current U.S. efforts to end the war. "All of these are demonstrative strikes that only confirm the need to put pressure on Moscow, the need to impose new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy is fully effective," Zelenskiy wrote on X. Zelenskiy did not specify how important the gas station is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local authorities did not report any problems with gas supplies in the region. Ukraine uses gas not only for industrial needs, but also for heating homes and cooking. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the attack on what it said was port infrastructure "used to supply fuel to Ukrainian forces". In recent weeks, Russian forces have intensified attacks on gas and energy infrastructure, attacking a gas interconnector with Romania and fuel depots in several regions in early August. Ukraine has called on Baku to respond to Russian attacks on assets of Azerbaijani state-owned company SOCAR in the Odesa region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian authorities say that Russia is trying to disrupt Ukraine's preparations for the winter heating season with its attacks. Ukraine has faced a serious gas shortage since a series of devastating Russian missile strikes this year, which significantly reduced domestic production. Ukrainian forces have also stepped up attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, a key conduit for generating money for Kremlin's war efforts. Oil is once again flowing to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, officials from both countries said late on Tuesday, after a Ukrainian drone strike on an oil pumping station in Russia's Tambov region halted supplies. (Reporting by Anastasiia MalenkoWriting by Pavel PolityukEditing by Alison Williams and Frances Kerry) Ukrainian students at the University of Edinburgh plan to protest the upcoming appearance of the widow of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at a literary festival in the city over what they say are her imperialist views of Ukraine. Yulia Navalnaya has been invited to present her late husband's memoir "Patriot" published posthumously after he died in prison last year at an event on Aug. 22 that forms part of the festival's program. Andrii Kuzma, a representative of the Ukrainian Society, the student group that is planning the protest against her appearance, said the organization believes Navalnaya holds imperialist views similar to those of her late husband, and should not be given a platform to speak at the event, where Ukrainian authors are also participating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Like Russian opposition itself, Navalnys posthumous memoir falls short on Ukraine Navalny, after surviving a poisoning attempt, was imprisoned on politically motivated charges and died under suspicious circumstances in an Arctic penal colony on Feb. 16, 2024, and is widely believed to have been killed. Despite his opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Navalny remains a controversial figure in Ukraine, accused of making imperialistic statements about Ukraine that echo those of the Kremlin. The 2014 Russian invasion of Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts is noticeably omitted from Navalnys reflections in "Patriot." While he does mention the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in several passages, it was never specified that it was taken from Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also repeatedly asserted that Russians and Ukrainians are "one people" and that he saw "no difference" between them. Navalny, although condemning the war, called the war "fratricidal" in his memoir. This same narrative is used by Putin as justification for Moscow's full-scale invasion. "I consider Russians and Ukrainians as one people, and in this sense, all of Ukraine is ours," Putin said during his speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. When asked by Zeit journalists on Oct. 26, 2024, about whether it is right for Western countries to send weapons to Ukraine, Navalnaya said: "It's hard to say. The bombs hit Russians as well." "Spotlighting Russian cultural figures even those opposed to Putins regime does little to help if were serious about shifting focus away from the imperial centre and towards the cultures Russia has long sought to suppress." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We find it unacceptable that individuals who publicly oppose arming Ukraine, thereby weakening a sovereign country's right to defend itself, are being given a platform to speak. This, in our view, should not be allowed," Kuzma said of Navalnaya. People sit in the gardens during the Edinburgh International Book Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Aug. 12, 2025. (Ken Jack/Getty Images) Kuzma's organization has called on the festival organizers to "take our arguments seriously and to acknowledge the presence of tens of thousands of Ukrainians currently living in the United Kingdom." In a response to the Ukrainian Society, the festival said it "understands that some of our participants may have views or opinions with which others may not agree." "But we believe that bringing together different voices is necessary to have rounded and robust discussions," the response said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Edinburgh International Book Festival and Navalnaya have not responded to the Kyiv Independent's request to comment on Navalnaya's appearance. The organizers arranged a meeting with the Ukrainian student society, offering students three free tickets to Navalnaya's presentation and the guaranteed opportunity to pose their questions, according to Kuzma. The students will use the opportunity, he said. The organizers have also authorized the students to demonstrate Navalnaya's appearance. Several Ukrainian authors are also present at the festival, including writer Andrii Kurkov, culinary writer Olia Hercules, and writer and director of the Ukraine Institute London, Olesya Khromeychuk. They didnt speak out against Navalnayas participation yet. "The continued prominence of Russian authors on international cultural platforms understandably upsets many Ukrainians, who have been resisting war for over 11 years, including the genocidal onslaught that, since 2022, has explicitly targeted Ukrainian culture," Khromeychuk told the Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For me, its important to stress that spotlighting Russian cultural figures even those opposed to Putins regime does little to help if were serious about shifting focus away from the imperial center and towards the cultures Russia has long sought to suppress." Read also: 10 authors shaping contemporary Ukrainian literature Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Sandra Viola Mitteness was a good, caring woman who loved her son unconditionally, her niece told the court Tuesday. Mitteness, 82, brought joy to my life, as she reminded me of my mother, niece Ronae OConnor said. Troy took all of that away. The thought of her last moments and witnessing the ultimate betrayal by her son, she said, is something that keeps me up at night. Last week, a Dakota County jury convicted 58-year-old Troy Michael Mitteness of first-degree murder for killing his mother three years ago with a knife as she slept and then dismembering her body at their Burnsville townhome. He put the remains in plastic tote bins and tossed body parts along Interstate 494 and Minnesota 7 as he drove to Appleton, Minn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mitteness declined to address the court before Judge Richelle Wahi pronounced the mandatory sentence: life in prison without the possibility of parole. As district court judges, we see a lot of things, Wahi said. And here the sentence is very appropriate. Prosecutors originally charged Mitteness with second-degree intentional murder a year after the June 2, 2022, killing. In December, a grand jury returned an indictment charging him with first-degree premeditated murder. An interview, confession Jurors heard excerpts of Mitteness July 7, 2023, interview with Burnsville police, when he admitted to the killing and said it was all over money that he had stolen from her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wanna find your mom. I wanna get your mom reunited with Daron, an investigator told Mitteness, referring to his brother, who died in 1999. Shes not gonna be able to be laid next to Daron, Mitteness said, adding there was dismemberment in the garage. When asked what happened, Mitteness said he had stolen maybe $200,000 from his mother, most of which she had received when his brother died. He said she questioned him about where he got money for a new car and furniture. He wasnt working. She wanted to go up there, he said of her bank. So I was (expletive). She wanted to go see it with her own eyes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He told the investigator he couldnt have that happen, for her to know that, I pissed away that money. I didnt gamble it away, I just spent foolishly. He said he Googled how do you kill an elderly woman without poisoning them. He put a shower curtain under her bed. He brought a huge knife up to his room. Debated, debated, debated, he told the investigator. That early morning, like at 3:00 in the morning, went in there and slit her throat. He added, She reached up with her arm and she was gone. He moved the body to the bathroom, where he took off her class ring and a Black Hills Gold ring that he and his brother had given her. Related Articles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day later, he grabbed another shower curtain and pulled her down the steps to the garage. He said three or four days later, I started cutting her up. I didnt want to be too loud. On June 6, 2022, he made the nearly three-hour drive to Appleton and kind of deposited the parts along the way, he said. He said he put the tote bins near a dumpster at an abandoned rest stop on Minnesota 7 near Willmar, Minn. Officers went to the location and the property owners reported it was previously a rest stop and, after they bought it, they found two bins behind a shipping container and moved them to a burn pile. Officers found tote bins in the burn pile, and collected them as evidence. He placed an obituary OConnor testified at Mitteness trial that she would visit her aunt on Wednesdays and last saw or heard from her on May 25, 2022. She said Troy Mitteness told her she had passed away after suffering a stroke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mitteness told others the same story. He placed an obituary in the Appleton Press newspaper that read she passed away peacefully, with Troy by her side, on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, in Alexandria Assisted Living, from complications of a stroke. Then, over several months in early 2023, police received reports that mail was being stolen from the Burnsville post office. With one, the name was changed to Sandra Mitteness and from one financial institution to another. When police asked Mitteness about his mothers whereabouts, so they could ask her about the deposit, he gave varying accounts, including that she was in Milbank, S.D. Police searched the townhome and found the obituary, though the funeral home told police they hadnt provided post-mortem care. Mitteness was charged with one count each of theft, mail theft and check forgery on June 30, 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second search of the townhome on July 6, 2023, turned up blood on the underside of a mattress and on steps. Can finally rest Assistant Dakota County Attorney Stacy St. George told the court Tuesday that Sandra Mitteness did not receive a celebration of life or an opportunity for the family to gather together to celebrate her. So, today, from our perspective, its not about Mr. Mitteness, she said. Instead, this is our opportunity to introduce to you and to honor Ms. Mitteness, who lived on this Earth for 82 years and seven months before her brutal murder. Related Articles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sandra Mitteness physically, emotionally and financially gave what she could to her son, she said. OConnor said one of the highlights of her week was seeing her aunt, whether they would go shopping, try out a new restaurant or just scooting around town. Knowing that her aunt may never be laid to rest next to her son Daron because Troy tossed her out like trash, is something none of us will ever get over. She said now that justice has been served in the killing, she can pray that her aunt can finally rest with the dignity she deserves. Haredi protesters have frequently posted outside of Beit Lid base due to the military prison within the base. Multiple intersections were closed to traffic due to mass ultra-Orthodox protests against the conscription of haredim into the IDF, Israel Police stated on Wednesday. Highways 6, 4, and 2 were blocked, and an additional protest took place on Highway 57 outside of Beit Lid army base, where the military prison is located. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While all highways have since been cleared iof protesters, there is still heavy traffic in the areas, and Israel Police has requested the public refrain from using these roads. The protesters reportedly deceived police by spreading rumors of a demonstration that would occur outside Prison 10, but the protesters went to Israel's main highways instead. Bnei Brak's Jabotinsky completely shut down Bnei Brak's Jabotinsky street was blocked in its entirety due to the illegal gathering, from Ben-Gurion Junction to Geha Junction, for several hours before police cleared the protesters. Israel Police order ultra-Orthodox protesters in Bnei Brak to disperse, August 20, 2025.(CREDIT: ISRAEL POLICE) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The authorities are crossing all red lines and throwing Torah scholars into military prison for the crime of studying Torah. The sons of Torah are responding with an all-out war," the protest organiers wrote in a message that was distributed in ultra-Orthodox circles. "Today this is the first stage in a limitless campaign against the oppressive persecution of Torah students in the Land of Israel. The sons of Torah make clear today: you have declared war on Torah students - you will get war." WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland's defense minister said that a flying object that crashed and exploded in a cornfield in eastern Poland early Wednesday was identified as a Russian drone, calling it a provocation by Russia. At a news conference in Warsaw, Defense Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz accused Russia of provoking NATO during a crucial moment, as peace talks over the war in neighboring Ukraine are underway, the country's news agency PAP reported. Russia is provoking us once again, Kosiniak-Kamysz said, just as peace talks have given hope that the war has a chance of ending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said they received reports of the crash around 2 a.m. and found burned metal and plastic debris at the scene, near the village of Osiny. The blast broke windows in some nearby houses, but nobody was injured, PAP reported. Poland's Armed Forces Operational Command said Wednesday on social media that no violations of Polish airspace from neighboring Ukraine or Belarus were recorded overnight. Officials initially said the explosion may have been caused by a part of an old engine with a propeller. Lublin District Prosecutor Grzegorz Trusiewicz told reporters several investigators both civilian and military were examining the crash site. Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, there have been a number of intrusions into Polish airspace, raising alarm in the European Union and NATO member state and reminding people how close the war is. By Kacper Pempel and Kuba Stezycki OSINY, Poland (Reuters) -A Russian drone crashed in a field in eastern Poland, according to early findings, Polish officials said on Wednesday, in an incident the nation's defence minister described as a provocation. The drone hit and scorched a cornfield in the village of Osiny in the eastern Lublin province overnight, just over 100 km (62 miles) from the Ukrainian border and around 90 km from Belarus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poland has been on high alert for objects entering its airspace since a stray Ukrainian missile struck a southern Polish village in 2022, killing two people. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pawel Wronski told Reuters that the findings so far and some experts have suggested a Russian version of the Shahed drone developed by Iran was involved in the latest incident. General Dariusz Malinowski said the drone appeared to be a decoy which was designed to self-destruct. He said it had a Chinese engine. Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, who also serves as defence minister, said the incident bore similarities to cases in which Russian drones flew into Lithuania and Romania, and could be linked to efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Once again, we are dealing with a provocation by the Russian Federation, with a Russian drone. We are dealing with it in a crucial moment, when discussions about peace (in Ukraine) are underway," he told journalists. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on X his ministry would issue a protest against the airspace violation but did not name the perpetrator. "Another violation of our airspace from the East confirms that Poland's most important mission towards NATO is the defence of our own territory." The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and a group of European allies in the White House on Monday, following his meeting on Friday in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The blast shattered windows in several homes, but nobody was injured, national news agency PAP reported. Police said they found burnt metal and plastic debris at the site and that corn had been burnt in an area of 8-10 m (26-33 ft) diameter around the spot where the object fell. "I was sitting in my room at night, around midnight, maybe, and I heard something just bang," local resident Pawel Sudowski told local news website Lukow.tv. "It exploded so loudly that the whole house simply shook." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Air raid sirens rang out for about an hour over the border in Ukraine's Volyn and Lviv regions from around midnight local time (2100 GMT), according to messages from its military posted on Telegram. There were no reports of air attacks in those regions, their governors said. (Reporting by Kacper Pempel and Kuba Stezycki in Osiny, Marek Strzelecki, Barbara Erling, Anna Koper, Karol Badohal in Warsaw, Lidia Kelly in Melbourne, Writing by Alan Charlish; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Sharon Singleton, Aidan Lewis and Tomasz Janowski) A United Airlines flight was allegedly delayed for four hours after a passenger smoked cannabis in the plane's toilets. Flight UA1679 was due to take off from San Francisco airport to Cancun in Mexico on 5 August, but was delayed at first due to administrative issues. The planes journey was further interrupted, according to reports, as a result of a passenger smoking cannabis in the toilets at the front of the plane while it was still grounded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A viral Reddit post by someone who said they were on board details that the passenger was caught and removed from the flight. However, due to the flight crews exposure to secondhand smoke, the pilot refused to take off and a replacement crew was found. Pilots are randomly drug tested and, if caught over a legal limit, can have their pilot licence revoked. In the post, a user reported the captain as saying: I have 30 years left of my career at United, Im not willing to risk getting drug tested when I get to Houston. The user added that after the crew became concerned about the secondhand smoke exposure, the entire flight was deplaned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Passengers were then reportedly each handed a $15 (11.12) meal voucher as compensation for the delay. FlightAware data shows that the flight eventually arrived in Cancun after a four hour delay. While it is legal to buy and use cannabis if you are 21 or older in San Francisco, the drug remains illegal on a federal level. Many places in California are policed by federal authorities, including airports. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says that its officers are required to report any suspected violations of law to local, state, or federal authorities. TSAs screening procedures are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers, the organisation notes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer. Many airports in the US, such as Chicagos OHare International, have cannabis amnesty boxes for travellers. The Independent contacted United but they declined to comment. For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) Law enforcement continues to go door-to-door looking for any new leads in the search for Bryan Vasquez. The 12-year-old, who suffers from a developmental disability and is non-verbal, has been missing since Thursday when he was caught on a ring camera attempting to open a neighbors door. Now the United Cajun Navy has joined the search efforts using thermal drones to scan parts of the Michoud neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Really sophisticated in picking up heat signatures and distinguishing between wildlife and human activity, said United Cajun Navy Vice President Brian Trascher. Vasquezs mother believes her son would try to drink any water that he sees. Trascher says theyve also brought in divers to take a closer look at the water. Search continues for missing 12-year-old Bryan Vasquez Once you get past that 48-hour mark, usually the survivor survivability index goes down quite a bit, but that doesnt change the way we do things. We go full send until somebody tells us not to, said Trascher. As volunteers watched crews search the water and grassy areas, they continued to pray that Vasquez would return home safely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most people have children. I have children. So, I can only imagine what the parents are going through. You have a child who is missing. You know what happened to them? Looking for him. So, lets hope and pray that they find this child alive, said volunteer Reggie Hall. When it happened, the police asked me if I had seen a boy. I said no. I am sorry for that little boy. When I have a chance, I drive around and look around the area, said a nearby neighbor. Trascher believes law enforcement is confident they will find Vasquez, as the search is still being labeled a rescue. A lot of times, after 48 to 72 hours, the official search will get called off. I see multiple agencies, as well as state agencies, working with Orleans Parish. So, they must be confident that theres a chance that young Bryan could be found, said Trascher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If youve seen Bryan or know where he might be, please call the NOPDs seventh district at 504-658-6070 or call 911. The NOPD shared the following information in Spanish: ACTUALIZACION: Continua la busqueda del nino desaparecido de 12 anos, Bryan Vasquez El Departamento de Policia de Nueva Orleans continua trabajando en coordinacion con multiples agencias para localizar a Bryan Vasquez, de 12 anos. Tambien, la busqueda incluye la participacion de organizaciones locales y grupos comunitarios. Aunque Bryan aun no ha sido localizado, el compromiso conjunto de las autoridades y de la comunidad permanece firme. Los detectives continuan recorriendo vecindarios, siguiendo pistas y utilizando recursos especializados para apoyar la busqueda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Se solicita a los residentes que permanezcan atentos: revisen las grabaciones de sus camaras de seguridad, inspeccionen sus patios, terrenos y cualquier lugar donde un nino pudiera esconderse, e informen de inmediato sobre cualquier posible avistamiento. Quienes tengan informacion pueden llamar al 911, comunicarse con la Division de Victimas Especiales del NOPD al 504-658-6267, o con Crimestoppers al 504-822-1111. Por favor, sepan que pueden proporcionar informacion de manera anonima. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO. (FOX40.COM) A United Airlines flight headed to Reno from Denver was diverted to Sacramento unexpectedly after an emergency issue on Tuesday. Video Above: How safe is flying? Around 5:30 p.m., the flight, United Flight 1604, was diverted to Sacramento to address a mechanical issue, according to United Airlines. Stolen Amazon semi-truck full of packages leads to arrest in Sacramento County We arranged for another aircraft to take customers to Reno, United said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear what the mechanical issue was. However, United said passengers boarded a new plane and departed at 7:41 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 FOX40 News. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) After a murder on campus, University of New Mexico regents on Tuesday approved millions of dollars in security upgrades. Michael LaMotte, 14, was shot and killed in a dorm in July. That sparked the university to look into improving security. UNM President Garnett Stokes said theyre looking to expand key badge access across all buildings on campus. She also mentioned looking into upgrades to the Lobo Alert system that sends emergency messages to students and faculty. The board of regents approved $2.6 million for upgrades. The funding is now awaiting approval from the New Mexico Higher Education Department and New Mexico Board of Finance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. In mid-August 2025, a rumor spread on social media that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem was having an affair with Corey Lewandowski, a former campaign manager for U.S. President Donald Trump. Speculation about a romantic relationship between the pair had circulated online since at least September 2021, when the conservative website American Greatness reported allegations that Noem and Lewandowski were involved in an extramarital affair. The allegation resurfaced two years later when U.K. tabloid newspaper Daily Mail published an article about the alleged affair. Both have publicly denied the claim on multiple occasions and reports of an alleged romantic relationship have primarily relied on anonymous sources. Snopes was unable to independently verify allegations that Noem and Lewandowski had an affair. In mid-August 2025, a rumor spread online that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem was having an affair with Corey Lewandowski, a former campaign manager for U.S. President Donald Trump. Social media posts making the claim included an image of Noem, who previously served as South Dakota's governor, standing next to Lewandowski. The posts also featured the logo of left-leaning media outlet MeidasTouch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10226127990501291&set=gm.4153175824906105&idorvanity=2650312661859103 Multiple Snopes readers contacted us with questions about their alleged romantic relationship, with one asking: "Did Kristi Noem have an affair with Lewandowski?" However, the rumor has circulated online since at least September 2021, when the conservative website American Greatness reported (archived) that the two were allegedly involved in an extramarital affair, citing multiple anonymous sources. The allegation resurfaced two years later when British tabloid newspaper Daily Mail published an article (archived) claiming the pair had engaged in a yearslong "clandestine affair." On the same day, MeidasTouch also published an article (archived) and Facebook post about the alleged romantic relationship, citing the Daily Mail's reporting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September 2022, Lewandowski accepted a plea deal to resolve allegations that he made unwanted sexual advances toward a Republican Party donor at a Las Vegas event, as The Associated Press reported. The AP added that he did "not admit to any wrongdoing." More recently, he has faced scrutiny in his role as a special government employee with DHS. Axios reported on Aug. 14, 2025, that Lewandowski acts as Noem's "de facto chief of staff." Snopes was unable to independently verify whether Noem and Lewandowski were having or were ever engaged in an affair. Reports making the claim have primarily relied on anonymous sources therefore, we were unable to scrutinize their allegations and both of them have publicly denied the rumor on multiple occasions. The White House and DHS did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication. Below is a breakdown of the reports about an alleged affair between Noem and Lewandowski. Noem dismissed affair rumor after American Greatness report On Sept. 28, 2021, American Greatness published a report (archived) citing anonymous sources who alleged Noem and Lewandowski had been involved in a monthslong relationship. One source reportedly told the conservative website that some members of Congress referred to the affair as "an open secret." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American Greatness did not provide further details about the alleged affair in its article. The following day, Noem, who was serving as South Dakota's governor at the time, dismissed the rumor on Twitter (now X) by calling it "total garbage and a disgusting lie." Multiple news media outlets reported her response. (Twitter, now X) "These old, tired attacks on conservative women are based on a falsehood that we can't achieve anything without a man's help," Noem tweeted. "I love [my husband] Bryon. I'm proud of the God-fearing family we've raised together. Now I'm getting back to work." Daily Mail reports reignited speculation about alleged affair In September 2023, the Daily Mail published an article (archived) claiming the pair had been engaged in a "years-long clandestine affair" that began "in 2019, if not before." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the newspaper, neither Noem nor Lewandowski denied the affair when initially contacted. The outlet reported that Noem released a statement criticizing the article's timing while Lewandowski did not respond to a request for comment. However, a spokesperson for Noem reportedly pushed back after the article was published, insisting the two never had an affair, the Daily Mail reported. The British tabloid claimed that its investigation "uncovered extensive evidence" of a romantic relationship, including "dozens of trips that mixed business with pleasure, flights on donors' private planes, and stays at luxury resorts where their intimacy was observed and noted." According to the Daily Mail, former Trump operative Charles Johnson described one such incident, writing in a Substack post that he had seen the pair behaving "in a very flirtatious manner" during an August 2020 meeting of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) at The Cloister resort on Sea Island, Georgia. Although it was not possible to find the exact post in which Johnson reportedly said this, he did post a Substack article in which he claimed Noem and Lewandowski "seemed to be dating" at the Sea Island event "despite being married to other people" (archived). Johnson reportedly told the Daily Mail that he saw Noem "discreetly take Lewandowski's hand and put it in her lap" as he "put his arm on her back." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The newspaper alleged that the pair became "virtually inseparable companions on the Trump [2020] campaign trail" and that their relationship was an "open secret" at the White House and among GOP lobbyists and political consultants at the time. In another example, the tabloid said Noem and Lewandowski attended the Republican Governors Association event at the St. Regis in Aspen, Colorado, in summer 2021. Sources reportedly told the paper that Noem missed several events she was expected to attend, with one person alleging she was "holed up" with Lewandowski at a nearby hotel. However, it was not possible to independently verify the details in the Daily Mail article. After the report was published, a spokesperson for Noem denied the allegation, calling it "false." In a statement provided to Sioux Falls Live, a news media outlet based in South Dakota, Noem's spokesperson also criticized the Daily Mail for allegedly failing to publish Noem's denial of the affair and accused the outlet of relying on a reporter with a history of "questionable journalistic integrity." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement read, in part: It is shameful that Sioux Falls Live would report based on a false and inflammatory tabloid rumor. It was also false that Governor Noem did not deny the allegation to the Daily Mail. They failed to print the denial and failed to appropriately correct the story when that failure was pointed out to them. As Governor Noem said during her endorsement speech for President Trump: 'Yes, I will be attacked for speaking the truth to all of you tonight. Yes, I expect Joe Biden, these candidates, their political operatives, and the media will perpetuate ugly, hateful misinformation in an attempt to destroy me and my family because of my opinions. It's nothing new. I'm getting used to it honestly.' Unfortunately, the Daily Mail piece was par for the course for this individual's history as a reporter with questionable journalistic integrity. In April 2025, the Daily Mail published another report (archived) claiming Noem and Lewandowski were living in rental apartments located across the street from each other in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington, D.C. A resident of Noem's building reportedly told the tabloid: "I've seen them together here both in the elevator and in common areas." The Daily Mail also published photos that it claimed showed Lewandowski leaving Noem's apartment complex with a duffel bag. In April 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported that Lewandowski denied the alleged affair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have reached out to the White House and DHS for comment about the allegations and will update this story if we receive a response. Snopes has previously addressed numerous rumors about Noem, including one accurate claim that she said "only the liberals and the extremists" make fun of women's looks. Her statement was a response to an episode of "South Park" that satirized the DHS secretary and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Sources: Ashford, Ben, and Shawn Cohen. "ICE Barbie Kristi Noem and Homeland Security Advisor Corey Lewandowski's Cozy DC Living Arrangement Revealed." Mail Online, Daily Mail, 30 Apr. 2025, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14664625/Kristi-Noem-Corey-Lewandowski-DC-living-arrangement-affair.html. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025. Chamlee, Virginia. "Governor Slams 'Disgusting Lie' She Was Involved with Trump Aide as Separate Woman Accuses Him of Harassment." People.com, 30 Sept. 2021, people.com/politics/gov-noem-denies-relationship-with-corey-lewandowski/. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Esposito, Joey. 'Kristi Noem Said "only the Liberals and the Extremists" Make Fun of Women's Looks'. Snopes, 8 Aug. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/kristi-noem-south-park-response/. Gibson, Brittany, and Marc Caputo. "Scoop: White House Suspicious of Lewandowski's 'Temp' Work." Axios, 14 Aug. 2025, www.axios.com/2025/08/14/white-house-dhs-lewandowski-noem. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025. Gonzalez, Pedro. "Kristi Noem Shows Why Republicans Can't Have Nice Things." American Greatness, 29 Sept. 2021, amgreatness.com/2021/09/28/kristi-noem-shows-why-republicans-cant-have-nice-things/. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025. Governor Kristi Noem on Twitter: 'These Rumors Are Total Garbage and a Disgusting Lie. These Old, Tired Attacks on Conservative Women Are Based on a Falsehood That We Can't Achieve Anything without a Man's Help. I Love Bryon. I'm Proud of the God-Fearing Family We've Raised Together. Now I'm Getting Back to Work'. 1 Oct. 2021, https://web.archive.org/web/20211001213711/https://twitter.com/govkristinoem/status/1443279728379629573. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson, Charles. 'Did A U.S. Senate Candidate Ask Me For A Bribe?' Charles Johnson's Thoughts and Adventures, 14 Oct. 2022, https://charlesjohnson.substack.com/p/did-a-us-senate-candidate-ask-me. 'Kristi Noem'. National Governors Association, 7 Jan. 2023, https://www.nga.org/governor/kristi-noem/. Kristi Noem Articles | Snopes.Com. https://www.snopes.com/tag/kristi_noem/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025. LaCapria, Kim. 'Donald Trump Fires Campaign Manager'. Snopes, 20 Jun. 2016, https://www.snopes.com//news/2016/06/20/trump-fires-campaign-manager/. Lalley, Patrick. "Noem Spokesman: 'the Allegation of an Affair Is False.'" Sioux Falls Live, 20 Sept. 2023, www.siouxfallslive.com/news/sioux-falls/noem-spokesman-the-allegation-of-an-affair-is-false. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025. Parti, Tarini, et al. 'How Corey Lewandowski Became Kristi Noem's Gatekeeper at DHS'. The Wall Street Journal, 17 Apr. 2025, https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/how-corey-lewandowski-became-kristi-noems-gatekeeper-at-dhs-6c08d996. "Plea Deal for Ex-Trump Adviser Accused of Unwanted Advances." AP News, 30 Sept. 2022, apnews.com/article/las-vegas-donald-trump-corey-lewandowski-680d054caaaa4aaf00fb175ab5851ea1. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025. Rascouet-Paz, Anna. '8 Rumors about Kristi Noem'. Snopes, 15 Jul. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//collections/kristi-noem-rumors-collection/. Silverstein, Ken, and Laura Collins. "EXCLUSIVE: Married South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Trump Advisor Corey Lewandowski Have Been Having a Years-Long Clandestine Affair." Mail Online, Daily Mail, 15 Sept. 2023, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12509093/Kristin-Noem-Corey-Lewandowski-secret-affair.html. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025. Terrance Colemans new job as a night attendant on Orlandos 407 Connect shelter buses will give him a regular view of a resource he can only wish he had when he needed it. Coleman, a military veteran, was homeless himself as recently as February. In the six months since, he has found stable housing, a consistent job and optimism about the shelter hell oversee for others in similar circumstances. This would have been perfect for me, he said Wednesday. This is perfect for the person that is headstrong, may already be working and is trying to get one foot ahead. When I was in that position, the only thing I really worried about was where Im going to sleep. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Christian Service Center and Orlando officials unveiled the two renovated buses outside of City Hall, which as soon as tonight will sleep people who otherwise would be spending their nights on sidewalks, under highway overpasses or in cars throughout the city. The program offers a small but meaningful boost to the insufficient number of shelter beds available in the area. The black- and mint-colored buses are capable of sleeping up to 42 people combined each night though at first, only a small number of beds will be occupied as the program begins. Over the past few days, several volunteers have spent the night aboard, including state Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando. Each bus was a former Greyhound-style passenger vehicle which had the seats removed and replaced with bunk beds. Each twin-size mattress has curtains, a light, power outlets, bedding and pillows. The vehicles also have extra storage, pet carriers and restrooms. The buses cost $175,000 apiece, with the Community Redevelopment Agency funding operations for three years with $3.1 million in tax dollars. They will be operated by the Christian Service Center, whose executive director Eric Gray said the hope is to have more than 600 people sleep aboard the buses in that time, as well as connect more than 400 with permanent housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About a third of the operating budget will be used to fund security deposits, rents and other housing costs. Gray wouldnt say where the vehicles will be parked at night, noting the appeal is they can be moved around. Previously he mentioned his own campus, area churches, and city-owned properties as potential options, so long as they have capacity for the buses to be plugged in. Those approved to sleep on board will be picked up at the Christian Service Centers Parramore campus at about 7 p.m. each night, and let off back there at 6 a.m. the following morning, where they have access to meals and services at the campus, or can leave for work. Anybody that we think we can house is an automatic candidate for the bus, Gray said. The big criteria would be that last night you slept on a sidewalk or you slept in a car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if the goals are met, the beds cover only a fraction of the regions need. Officials have estimated that about 1,000 additional beds are needed in Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties to counter spiking homelessness on top of the approximately 1,100 already place. The bus idea has been in the works for more than a year, and was publicly revealed in February, just before a city proposal to convert a former Orange County Work Release Center into a shelter was defeated by neighborhood uproar in SoDo. With fixed shelters so difficult to site, the buses should offer a more palatable alternative. Unsheltered homelessness people who sleep outside, in cars or other secluded areas is up 156% in Central Florida since 2022, which advocates attribute to the spike in rents and housing costs in the same time frame. Gray also plans to use the vehicles to take that message to local officials doorsteps. He wants to park the buses at city halls around the area to show them to those who have either been slow to or resistant to add shelter space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vast majority of the regions shelter capacity is in Orlandos Parramore neighborhood. It cant just be somebody elses problem, we simply cant just push homelessness away we have to address it, we have to be part of the solution, Mayor Buddy Dyer said. We hope this also inspires other communities within our region to look for solutions as well. Correction: A prior version incorrectly stated when the shelter bus idea was proposed. ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) The East Hills Library will host a special presentation at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, exploring one of Americas most chilling unsolved crimes, the Villisca Axe Murders of 1912. The exterior of the Villisca Axe Murders house, courtesy of murderhouse.com The event will be led by paranormal investigator Becky Ray, who will guide attendees through the grim and mysterious history surrounding the infamous Iowa murders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brutal killings of eight people inside a quiet family home over a century ago shocked the small town of Villisca, Iowa, and the case has remained unsolved ever since. Six of the eight victims from the murders in 1912, courtesy of murderhouse.com Ray, known for her work investigating paranormal phenomena, will delve into the many theories surrounding the case and examine reports of ghostly encounters tied to the Villisca Axe Murder House. Often cited as one of the most haunted locations in the Midwest, the home has been the subject of intense interest from both historians and paranormal researchers. Inside the attic of the house, courtesy of murderhouse.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Titled The Villisca Axe Murders of 1912: Unsolved and Haunted, the presentation is free and open to the public, though intended for adults ages 18 and older due to the disturbing nature of the topic. The event will be held at the East Hills Library, located at 502 Woodbine Road. Attendees requiring accommodations are encouraged to contact the librarys ADA coordinator at 816-232-4038. Update: August 20, 2025, at 4:05 PM. This article has been updated to include the following response from RCA to The Dallas Express. The identity of the individual representing RCA refused to identify themselves. Neither the UNT Marxists, nor the Revolutionary Communists of America, promote violence. Our poster is a contrast. It states Expropriate the billionaires, which can only be done by the establishment of a workers government. A workers government would mean that the working class would create its own political party and this would need to win over the majority of the workers. This is in sharp contrast with single individuals who try to look for political shortcuts. That is the contrast that is depicted in the poster. We believe that people need to engage in collective action party building, union organizing, mass protests these are the methods that will eventually change society. *** A communist cell is openly operating at the University of North Texas in Denton, which appears to be promoting violence against the wealthy. The Dallas Express has discovered communist propaganda at UNT. One poster reads Expropriate The Billionaires, with a picture of Luigi Mangione, the alleged assassin of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Another poster reads, Are You A Communist? UNT Marxists, a communist cell, is currently active on campus. It works closely with the Revolutionary Communists of America (RCA), the extreme national group that created the propaganda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eighteen members of RCA-Dallas traveled to UNTs back-to-school kickoff event, the Mean Green Fling, on August 13 to enlist students. They denounced both President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party. That same day, RCA recruited 90 interested students on campus and sold 27 copies of its magazine, The Communist, at the event. The group is scheduling meetings with the students who signed up, and many are planning to attend communist cell meetings. So many students were swarming us that we couldnt even speak with all of them despite having a large number of organized communists involved, per the groups website. UNT Marxists and RCA are planning an upcoming event called Sick of Capitalism? You Should Be A Communist. This UNT Marxists event is set for August 29 at 4 p.m., at Dentons Wesley Foundation Church a ministry near campus, backed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of North America (ELCA) and the United Methodist Church. Speakers will reportedly be discussing how we can overthrow the parasites holding back humanity from progressing once and for all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is only by overthrowing the capitalist system that the working class can gain control of the plentiful of wealth that already exists in society, and use it to rationally plan an economy that can meet everyones needs, UNT Marxists posted. This violent rhetoric comes after Antifa members ambushed an Alvarado ICE facility in July, shooting a police officer in the neck, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. Investigators found suspects with propaganda suggesting their motive was insurrection, and the alleged shooter recently confirmed his far-left ideology. RCA: A Deeper Look UNT Marxists attended anti-ICE and No Kings mobilizations earlier this year, calling to overthrow capitalism. They host communist meetings in Denton, advertised by RCA-Dallas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The national communist group, RCA, is a movement of self-described revolutionary Bolsheviks fighting for the overthrow of capitalism. It explicitly endorses militant class struggle, calling the labor movement to return to its fighting roots. A chilling propaganda video from the group calls for expropriating the capitalists or seizing their property and building socialism. Expropriate the banks, expropriate the monopolies, one communist said in the video. On the basis of a government of the working class, we will transform society. RCA is an offshoot of Revolutionary Communist International, active in 70 different countries. According to InfluenceWatch, RCI sprang up from groups founded by the late Trotskyist Ted Grant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grant founded the group Militant Tendency, which infiltrated the U.K.s Labour Party with communist sympathizers in the 1980s. He and another communist left that group in the 1990s, starting a global communist group that would eventually become RCI the parent group of RCA. Communism has killed more than 100 million people across the globe through starvation and political persecution, according to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. It has manifested in authoritarian regimes from China to Cuba to North Korea to the USSR. The Dallas Express reached out to UNT for comment, but did not hear back in time for publication. CUMBERLAND As the back- to-school season ramps up, keeping students healthy and safe can become a top priority for parents and doctors. Dr. David Burwell, UPMCs chief quality officer of West Central Pennsylvania and the Western Maryland region, which includes campuses in in Somerset, Bedford, Altoona and Cumberland, offered advice to ensure students have a safe and healthy school year. In addition to their clothes and their school supplies, Burwell said, theres a lot of other things that are really helpful to make sure that we give our children the best opportunity to learn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Routines and sleep Burwell emphasized the importance of keeping children on a structured schedule. Whenever we go toward school times, I really want to make sure that we go toward structured time to go to sleep, and then also wake up in the morning, Burwell said. Our children need more sleep sometimes than we think. Teenagers can require eight to 10 hours in order to properly function and rejuvenate, he said. Burwell suggested putting down the electronics at least one hour before bed. He said a ramp-down period is necessary for children to have adequate and effective sleep. At least an hour prior to sleeping sometimes an hour, hour and a half that is not the time to be on Snapchat or on our phones, or their computer or their video games, Burwell said. That is too triggering right before bed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burwell said now is the time to begin easing kids back into a consistent schedule to prepare for the school year. The first day of school in Allegany County is Aug. 27. Nutrition and physical activity Burwell recommended that parents prioritize proper nutrition and encouraged at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. So, we actually know that our children get approximately 50% of their nutrition during school time, Burwell said. So thats a great opportunity and a great place to learn and practice healthy eating. Burwell suggested children eat a nutritious breakfast to help them have the energy to function throughout the school day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He suggested parents pack their childrens lunches with healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, lean meats and oils, and limit saturated fats, high-fructose corn syrup and sodium. So, really, (school) is a great opportunity to focus on nutrition, Burwell said. Because food is fuel, and its really important that their gas tanks are full and maintained while theyre at school, so they can really learn well. Burwell said that 60 minutes of physical activity is not only beneficial for their health, but positive for mental health, as well. The 60 minutes of exercise can be anything from playing a sport or running to taking walks, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know that children and young adults that maintain their physical activity do better at school, Burwell said. And I think thats a nuance that folks do not necessarily focus on, but should. Mental health Burwell said its important to pay attention to a childs mental health at all ages. Some signs for parents to pay attention to include poor school performance, acting out or differently, or withdrawing from activities they once enjoyed, he said. We have to stay attuned to our children and make sure that we are engaging them in conversation, Burwell said. And finding out, and getting other inputs from teachers or friends or others around that make sure their interactions are staying really consistent with their persona and also their character and demeanor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burwell suggested monitoring social media activity, as well. There are a lot more ways that social media can be very challenging for kids mental health, Burwell said. And to look out for even bullying activities or the like. Burwell said if a parent notices their child experiencing any challenges, reach out to proper counseling, which can be sought out through schools, primary care physicians, community and even religious groups. Final preparations Some things Burwell suggested parents do for their children prior to school starting include physicals, making sure they are up to date on vaccines and getting preventative vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know that if we can prevent illness, like a flu infection or a serious flu infection, we will reduce school absenteeism, Burwell said. And so, that is really key, a child cant learn if they are not in school. Additionally, he said to make sure to seek adequate health care when a child is sick during the school year. Burwell also emphasized the importance of planning for emergencies. Have a family plan for emergencies, so if someone were to become ill, what is our plan? If our children need additional child needs or assistance, who would be there to help them? Burwell said. Back to school is near and now is the time to start preparing, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think sometimes we just feel that the transition state will just be natural, Burwell said. And I think we need to make it more methodical and programmatic in order to make sure that our kids have the best opportunities to excel when they go back to school. A UPS employee died in a shooting at an Indianapolis distribution facility. Just before 10 p.m. Aug. 19, 2025, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to a shooting at the shipping company's facility at 5421 W. 81st St. on the city's northwest side. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a La'Renzo Shamar Murray, 22, inside a vehicle in critical condition. He was taken to an area hospital, but died soon after arrival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our employee. We defer to authorities for any additional information as there is an ongoing investigation," a UPS spokesperson wrote. No arrests or suspect details were released by police early Aug. 21. Mail and package distribution facilities in central Indiana have been the site of multiple shootings in recent years. In April 2021, a mass shooting at the FedEx ground facility in Plainfield left eight dead. In December 2024, 39-year-old Isaac Riley was shot and killed at an Amazon warehouse in Greenfield. That shooting was later ruled to be a case of self-defense. Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: UPS employee killed in shooting at distribution facility identified The U.S. was absent from a joint statement by several UN Security Council members condemning Russia's actions on the anniversary of the 2008 war with Georgia. In a joint statement, representatives of five Security Council members Denmark, France, Greece, the U.K., and Slovenia along with incoming member Latvia, denounced Russia's invasion of Georgia 17 years ago and its continued military presence in the country's Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions. The U.S., which in previous years joined similar condemnations, did not join the statement. The U.S. has not publicly commented on the decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slovenia's deputy permanent representative, Ondina Blokar Drobic, read the statement at a press briefing following a closed-door council meeting. The statement reaffirmed Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and condemned Russia's "continuous provocations, violations of international law, and militarization" in the occupied regions. It also demanded that Russia comply with the 2008 EU-brokered ceasefire agreement and withdraw its forces. "Russian invasion of Georgia in August of 2008 demonstrated the start of Russia's more aggressive stance towards its neighbors. Russia has continued down this path with its unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine," Drobic said. The abstention mirrors Washington's approach earlier this year when it voted against a UN General Assembly resolution explicitly naming Russia as the aggressor in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in February the U.S. opposed the resolution because it was "antagonistic to either side" and contradicted U.S. efforts to broker negotiations with Russia. Instead, Washington suggested a softer Security Council resolution that called for an end to the "Russia-Ukraine conflict" without directly blaming Moscow. Ten council members supported that text, while U.S. allies, including the U.K., France, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia, abstained. The August 2008 war between Russia and Georgia marked Europe's first war of the 21st century. Russian forces invaded Georgia's regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, violating the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. After five days of fighting, Russia recognized both regions as independent and stationed troops there, establishing a lasting military presence. The conflict set a precedent for Moscow's later aggression in Ukraine. Read also: Russia is turning occupied Ukraine into a giant military base Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. At the same time, there are concerns in Israel about Syrias treatment of the Druze in southern Syria and also questions about Syria-Israel ties. A group of US members of Congress met with Syrian transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa on Tuesday. This marks one of several important meetings the new Syrian president has had with US officials. It matters because with each round of meetings, he is becoming more acquainted with the US members of Congress and also how the US House of Representatives and Senate work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is at least the third round of meetings the Syrian president has held with members of the US Congress. The current delegation included US Republican Senators Joni Ernst and Markwayne Mullin, as well as members of the US House of Representatives, Missouri Republican Jason Smith, and California Democrat Jimmy Panetta, the Hill reported. This comes after the Syrian leadership also met with Arizona Republican House Representative Abraham Hamadeh. Arizona Republican Rep. Abraham Hamadeh at a rally ahead of midterm elections in Mesa, Arizona, US, October 9, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER) At the time, in mid-August, Hamadehs office noted that in an unprecedented trip from Jerusalem to Damascus, [Hamadeh] met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani to discuss the congressman's continuing eorts to bring Americans home, advance Peace Through Strength, and advocate for a Syria that looks towards the future and not the past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The office of Hamadeh further noted that this historic step marks the first time an American official has shuttled between Jerusalem and Damascus in decades. As an emissary of the Peace Through Strength agenda, congressman Hamadeh, a former US Army Reserve Intelligence Ocer, was in Syria for six hours to meet with President al-Sharaa to discuss the return of Kayla Mueller's body to her family in Arizona, the need to establish a secure humanitarian corridor for the safe delivery of medical and humanitarian aid to Suwayda, and the need for Syria to attain normalization with Israel and join the Abraham Accords. New meeting builds on previous meetings The new meeting builds on that meeting. It also comes after an important meeting in April. At the time, al-Sharaa met with Florida Republican Representative Cory Mills and Indiana Republican Representative Marlin Stutzman. Mills serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees. The meetings illustrate how the new Syrian president is reaching out to the US Congress. Laura Kellly wrote at The Hill that the lawmakers met with al-Sharaa and other senior officials in the administration, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani and Minister of Interior Anas Khattab. She added that Trump has moved to significantly ease sanctions on Syria in the wake of the ousting of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December. But Congress is split over whether to permanently repeal the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, a comprehensive sanctions regime against Syria that was meant to isolate and bankrupt Assad. Trump only has a six-month waiver to suspend those sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are key leadership engagements for the US members of Congress. It illustrates how the US is reaching out to the new Syrian government. At the same time, there are concerns in Israel about Syrias treatment of the Druze in southern Syria and also questions about Syria-Israel ties. The key point is that the US is willing to reach out to Syria and normalize ties with the new government. A United States appeals court has sided with the Trump administration and halted, for now, a lower courts order that had kept in place temporary protections for 60,000 migrants from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal. In a decision issued on Wednesday, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco granted an emergency stay pending an appeal. Immigrant rights advocates allege that the administration acted unlawfully in ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal. This decision means that the Republican administration can move towards removing an estimated 7,000 people from Nepal whose TPS designations expired on August 5. The TPS designations and legal status of 51,000 Hondurans and 3,000 Nicaraguans are set to expire September 8, at which point they will become eligible for removal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district courts order granting plaintiffs motion to postpone, entered July 31, 2025, is stayed pending further order of this court, wrote the judges. In July, a district judge ordered that the termination of the TPS be halted until November, when a hearing on the merits is scheduled. In her ruling, she found that the plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm by the hasty termination, but also noted that the broader public would be impacted both economically and socially by the loss to the labour force and community. The brief decision issued on Wednesday did not give a reason, and in a statement, UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy co-director Ahilan Arulanantham said there appeared to be a lack of due process. The courts failure to provide any reasoning for its decision, including why this was an emergency, falls far short of what due process requires and our clients deserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TPS allows nationals from countries facing conflict, natural disaster or other extraordinary circumstances to temporarily remain in the US. It also gives them the right to work and travel. The Trump administration has aggressively sought to remove the protection, thus making more people eligible for removal. It is part of a wider effort by the administration to carry out mass deportations of immigrants. Since taking office, the administration has sought to remove protections for Afghans, Haitians, Venezuelans and Cameroonians despite troubling conditions in their home countries. Tropical wood demand from some of America's top RV brands is fuelling deforestation on the Indonesian island of Borneo, home to Asia's last great rainforest, according to a new investigation by environmental NGOs. The recreational vehicle industry is now the biggest consumer of tropical wood in the United States, UK-based NGO Earthsight and Indonesian NGO Auriga Nusantara said in a report published late Tuesday. They said evidence showed sheets of tropical "lauan" plywood found in Indonesia were likely being used in the floors, walls and ceilings of RVs produced by major brands like Jayco, Winnebago and Forest River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Nature-loving RV owners will be horrified to learn that their hobby risks destroying rainforests," said Earthsight director Sam Lawson in a press release. "America's RV giants need to get out of the 1980s and implement the kinds of minimum sustainability standards other US corporates have had in place for decades." Indonesia has one of the world's highest rates of deforestation linked to mining, farming and logging, and is accused of allowing firms to operate in Borneo with little oversight. Borneo island has one of the world's largest tracts of rainforest and hosts orangutans, long-nosed monkeys, clouded leopards, pig-tailed macaques, flying fox-bats and the smallest rhinos on the planet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Large tracts of orangutan habitat in Borneo were found to be "cleared to make way for a plantation of fast-growing timber", the NGOs said. An Indonesian plywood company, PT Kayu Lapis Asli Murni, sourced timber mostly from rainforest in areas the NGOs visited, half of which was then exported to US firms MJB Wood and Tumac Lumber in 2024, they said. MJB Wood is the main lauan plywood supplier to Jayco, while Tumac Lumber supplies companies such as RV parts maker Patrick Industries, "whose customers include Thor Industries, Forest River and Winnebago", the report said. The NGOs said it meant it was "almost certain" Indonesian tropical wood was being used in the RV supply chain in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of the companies mentioned replied to the report's authors when asked for comment, it said. Neither the companies nor the Indonesian environment ministry immediately responded to an AFP request for comment. jfx/cwl The US government is imposing sanctions on further judges and prosecutors from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move was taken "in response to the ICC's ongoing threat to Americans and Israelis." Rubio said the four individuals were involved in ICC efforts "to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of either nation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimberly Prost from Canada, Nicolas Guillou from France, Nazhat Shameem Khan from Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang from Senegal were placed on the sanctions list. Rubio accused the court of "politicization, abuse of power, disregard for [US] national sovereignty and illegitimate judicial overreach," calling it a "national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and [its] close ally Israel." As a result of the sanctions, any property of the four individuals in the United States will be frozen. In addition, US companies and US citizens are no longer allowed to do business with them. There was no mention of an entry ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington previously imposed sanctions on four iCC judges in June. President Donald Trump paved the way for such penalties with a decree in February, accusing the court - based in the Hague - of abusing its power. The court has been prosecuting the most serious crimes, such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, since 2002. All EU member states are members of the court. However, the United States, Israel and Russia are not signatories. The US government is imposing sanctions on further judges and prosecutors from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday the move was taken "in response to the ICC's ongoing threat to Americans and Israelis." Rubio alleged the four individuals were involved in ICC efforts "to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of either nation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimberly Prost from Canada, Nicolas Guillou from France, Nazhat Shameem Khan from Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang from Senegal were placed on the sanctions list. Rubio accused the court of "politicization, abuse of power, disregard for [US] national sovereignty and illegitimate judicial overreach," calling it a "national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and [its] close ally Israel." As a result of the sanctions, any property of the four individuals in the United States will be frozen. In addition, US companies and US citizens are no longer allowed to do business with them. There was no mention of an entry ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ICC issued a strongly worded statement deploring the US move. "These sanctions are a flagrant attack on the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all regions," the statement said. "They constitute also an affront against the Courts States Parties, the rules-based international order and, above all, millions of innocent victims across the world." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who views the court as broadly pro-Palestinian, congratulated Rubio on his decision. It was a "resolute measure against the deceitful defamation campaign against the State of Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement via his office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington previously imposed sanctions on four ICC judges in June. President Donald Trump paved the way for such penalties with a decree in February, accusing the court - based in The Hague - of abusing its power. The court has been prosecuting the most serious crimes, such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, since 2002. All EU states are members of the court. However, the United States, Israel and Russia are not signatories. A federal judge on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration's request to unseal grand jury transcripts from the criminal case against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. District Judge Richard Berman said the government had failed to prove there were any special circumstances that would justify releasing what are normally secret records. The Justice Department has been seeking the release of the grand jury transcripts to help defuse spiraling anger among President Donald Trump's own supporters over what they have long seen as a cover-up of Epstein's crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Epstein, a wealthy financier with high-level connections, died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking of underage girls. Berman noted that the government holds a trove of Epstein investigation materials that it promised in February it would release to the public before abruptly announcing in July that it would not do so. Trump's supporters have been obsessed with the Epstein case for years and have been up in arms since the FBI and Justice Department said in July that Epstein committed suicide while in jail, did not blackmail any prominent figures, and did not keep a "client list." "The Government's 100,000 pages of Epstein files and materials dwarf the 70 odd pages of Epstein grand jury materials," the judge said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein Files," the judge said, and its bid to unseal the Epstein grand jury transcripts "appears to be a 'diversion.'" The judge also said unsealing the grand jury proceedings could pose "possible threats" to the safety and privacy of Epstein's more than 1,000 victims. - Maxwell - Berman's ruling comes a little over a week after another federal judge declined to release the grand jury transcripts in the case against Ghislaine Maxwell, the only former Epstein associate to have been convicted of criminal charges in connection with his activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted in 2021 of recruiting underage girls for Epstein. Her lawyers had opposed releasing the transcripts, saying it could potentially impact her ongoing legal appeals of her conviction. US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche -- who is also Trump's former personal lawyer -- met recently with Maxwell but has not revealed what was discussed. She was later moved to a minimum security prison. Trump, 79, was once a friend of Epstein and, according to The Wall Street Journal, the president's name was among hundreds found during a Justice Department review of the Epstein files, though there has not been evidence of wrongdoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A House of Representatives committee has subpoenaed the Epstein files and is to receive a first batch of records on Friday from the Justice Department. A committee spokesperson said the panel would begin publicly releasing some of the records after victim identification and child sexual abuse material has been redacted. cl/des A US-led coalition has captured a senior member of the ISIL (ISIS) group in northwest Syria, the SANA state news agency and a war monitor have reported, while another Syrian security source and Syrias state-owned Al-Ekhbariya said the man targeted was killed as he tried to escape. It was not immediately clear on Wednesday if the man might be ISILs supreme leader. Two years ago, ISIL announced that a man called Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi was named as its new leader after Turkish authorities killed his predecessor. The United States military did not respond to a request for comment by The Associated Press news agency. The operation that included landing troops from helicopters occurred before dawn in Atmeh town near the Turkish border, and an ISIL commander known as Abu Hafs al-Qurashi, an Iraqi citizen, was taken away while another Iraqi citizen was killed, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SOHR said the man captured had a French-speaking woman with him, and it was not immediately clear if she was taken by the US forces or by Syrian security forces who later cordoned off the area. Syrian state TV on Wednesday quoted an unnamed security official as saying the Iraqi man targeted in the operation is known as Ali, adding that his real name is Salah Noman. The report said that Noman was living in an apartment with his wife, son and mother. It said he was killed in the raid. There was no immediate clarification about the difference in names reported by state media and the war monitor. It was the second known raid in northern Syria by US troops since longtime leader Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December. The government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which replaced him, has pledged to prevent a resurgence of ISIL and is part of an anti-ISIL alliance that includes the US-led coalition fighting the group. In late July, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces killed a senior ISIL leader and his two sons affiliated with the group in Syrias Aleppo region, the US military has said. CENTCOM said at the time that it conducted a raid resulting in the death of senior ISIS Leader, Dhiya Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult ISIS-affiliated sons, Abdallah Dhiya al-Hardani and Abd al-Rahman Dhiya Zawba al-Hardani. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In late May, ISIL claimed responsibility for an attack on the Syrian army, representing the armed groups first strike at government forces since the fall of al-Assad, according to analysts. In a statement regarding that attack, ISIL said its fighters had planted an explosive device that struck a vehicle of the apostate regime in southern Syria. ISIL, which views the new government in Damascus led by al-Sharaa as illegitimate, has mainly concentrated its activities against Kurdish forces in the north. At its peak, ISIL ruled an area half the size of the United Kingdom, spanning across Iraq and Syria, with Raqqa in the latter being the capital of the armed groups self-declared caliphate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group was notorious for its brutality, carrying out massacres of Syrians and Iraqis and beheading of foreign captives. ISILs massacres included those of thousands of the Yazidi people and the group also enslaved thousands of Yazidi women. The Yazidis, a long-persecuted group whose faith is rooted in Zoroastrianism, are still recovering from the horrors of ISILs onslaught on their community in Iraqs Sinjar district in 2014. ISIL was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later, but its fighters and cadres of militants still carry out deadly attacks in both countries and elsewhere, including in Africa and Afghanistan. A deadly attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus in June killed at least 25 people, after a man with a rifle entered the church and shot at worshippers, before detonating a suicide bomb. The Syrian Interior Ministry blamed ISIL for the attack, though another group called Saraya Ansar al-Sunna later claimed it. The U.S. may provide air support to Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal with Russia, President Donald Trump told Fox News on Aug. 19. "When it comes to security, (European allies) are willing to put people on the ground. We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably, by air," Trump said, stressing that no U.S. troops would be deployed on Ukrainian soil. Kyiv has long insisted on binding security guarantees from its allies to prevent Moscow from invading again after a ceasefire. Trump initially dismissed such guarantees as Europe's responsibility, but has recently shifted his position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Aug. 19 that U.S. air support remains "an option and a possibility." She did not specify what form it could take, though air support could involve missile defense systems or a no-fly zone. Bloomberg reported on Aug. 19 that a package of security guarantees for Ukraine could be finalized this week, with European leaders moving quickly after Trump signaled support. European officials have discussed sending British and French troops to Ukraine, along with contingents from roughly 10 other countries, according to sources cited by Bloomberg. During talks in Washington on Aug. 18, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the issue of deploying U.S. or European troops had not been raised. President Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived in Washington with European leaders, has pressed for firm guarantees as part of any deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement French President Emmanuel Macron said on Aug. 18 that security guarantees would not include NATO membership but would instead rely on a strong Ukrainian military supported by a "coalition of the willing," which includes over 30 countries such as Canada and Japan. Some allies are prepared to send ground troops, while others will provide air and naval support. European officials told the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 19 that a series of meetings among the participant countries of the "coalition of the willing" could take place in the coming days to hash out the details. Read also: Zelensky wants a meeting. Putin wants to win Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. As a journalist in Afghanistan, Abdul says he helped promote American values like democracy and freedom. That work, he said, resulted in him being tortured by the Taliban after the US withdrew from the country in 2021. Now he's in California applying for political asylum, amid the looming threat of deportation. "We trusted those values," he said. "We came here for safety, and we don't have it, unfortunately." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when Abdul walked into a San Diego court to plead his case, he wasn't alone. Ten veterans showed up for his hearing unarmed, but dressed in hats and shirts to signify their military credentials as a "show of force", said Shawn VanDiver, a US Navy vet who founded 'Battle Buddies' to support Afghan refugees facing deportation. "Masked agents of the federal government are snatching up our friends, people who took life in our name and have done nothing wrong," he said. Approximately 200,000 Afghans relocated to the US after Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021, as the US left the country in chaos after two decades fighting the war on terror. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many say they quickly felt embraced by Americans, who recognised the sacrifices they had made to help the US military and fight for human rights. But since the Trump administration has terminated many of the programmes which protected them from deportation, Afghans now fear they will be deported and returned to their home country, which is now controlled by the Taliban. Mr VanDiver, who also founded #AfghanEvac in 2021 to help allies escape the Taliban when the US withdrew, said US military veterans owe it to their wartime allies to try and protect them from being swept up in President Trump's immigration raids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is wrong." The Battle Buddies say they have a moral and legal obligation to stand and support Afghans. They now have more than 900 veteran volunteers across the country. Many of the federal agents working for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security are veterans themselves, he said, and the Battle Buddies think their presence alone might help deter agents from detaining a wartime ally. "Remember, don't fight ICE," Mr VanDiver told his fellow Battle Buddies outside court before Abdul's hearing, referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If somebody does fight ICE, capture it on video. Those are the two rules." As Abdul and his lawyer went into court, the veterans stood in the corridor outside in a quiet and tense faceoff with half a dozen masked federal agents. It was the same hallway where an Afghan man, Sayed Naser, a translator who says he worked for the US military, was detained 12 June. "This individual was an important part of our Company commitment to provide the best possible service for our clients, who were the United States Military in Afghanistan," says one employment document submitted as part of Naser's asylum application and reviewed by the BBC's news partner in the US, CBS News. "I have all the documents," Mr Naser told the agents as he was handcuffed and taken away, which a bystander captured on video. "I worked with the US military. Just tell them." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Naser has been in detention since that day, fighting for political asylum from behind bars. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the BBC that there is nothing in his immigration records "indicating that he assisted the US government in any capacity". Whichever way Mr Naser's case is decided, his detention is what inspired veterans to form the Battle Buddies. They say abandoning their wartime allies will hurt US national security because the US will struggle to recruit allies in the future. "It's short sighted to think we can do this and not lose our credibility," said Monique Labarre, a US Army veteran who showed up for Abdul's hearing. "These people are vetted. They put themselves at substantial risk by supporting the US government." Afghans attempting to flee the country in August 2021 gathered outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul [EPA] President Trump has repeatedly blamed President Biden for a "disgraceful" and "humiliating" retreat from the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the US's withdrawal from Afghanistan was initially brokered by President Trump during his first term. In their wake, American troops left behind a power vacuum that was swiftly and easily filled by the Taliban, who took control of the capital city, Kabul, in August 2021. Afghans, many who worked with the US military and NGOs, frantically swarmed the airport, desperate to get on flights along with thousands of US citizens. Over the ensuing years, almost 200,000 Afghans would relocate to the US - some under special programmes designed for those most at risk of Taliban retribution. The Trump administration has since ended one of them called Operation Enduring Welcome. It also ended the temporary protections which shielded some Afghans, as well as asylum seekers from several other countries, from deportation because of security concerns back home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Afghanistan has had an improved security situation, and its stabilising economy no longer prevent them from returning to their home country," Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement about terminating Temporary Protected Status for Afghans. She added that some Afghans brought in under these programmes "have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security". Afghans in the United States scoff at the suggestion that they'd be safe going back, saying their lives would be in danger. "I couldn't work," said Sofia, an Afghan woman living in Virginia. "My daughters couldn't go to school." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the removal of temporary protected status, the Trump administration could deport people back to Afghanistan. Although that is so far rare, some Afghans have already begun to be deported to third countries, including Panama and Costa Rica. Sofia and other members of her family were among the thousands of Afghans who received emails in April from the Department of Homeland Security saying: "It is time for you to leave the United States." The email, which was sent to people with a variety of different kinds of visas, said their parole would expire in 7 days. Sofia panicked. Where would she go? She did not leave the United States, and her asylum case is still pending. But the letter sent shockwaves of fear throughout the Afghan community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about protecting Afghan wartime allies on 30 July, President Trump said: "We know the good ones and we know the ones that maybe aren't so good, you know some came over that aren't so good. And we're going to take care of those people the ones that did a job." Advocates have urged the Trump administration to restore temporary protected status for Afghans, saying women and children could face particular harm under the Taliban-led government. Advocates are hopeful that Naser will soon be released. They say he passed a "credible fear" screening while in detention, which can allow him to pursue political asylum because he fears persecution or torture if returned to Afghanistan. The Battle Buddies say they plan to keep showing up for wartime allies at court. It's not clear if their presence made a difference at Abdul's hearing but he wasn't detained and is now a step closer to the political asylum he says he was promised. "It's a relief," he said outside court while thanking the US veterans for standing with him. But he said he still fears being detained by ICE, and he worries that the US values he believed in, and was tortured for, might be eroded. "In Afghanistan, we were scared of the Taliban," he said. "We have the same feeling here from ICE detention." The U.S. Navy has experienced several major setbacks in its efforts to develop a new fleet of drones in a race with China. Last month, the Navy was testing autonomous drone boats off the California coast when one vessel stalled. As officials worked to fix a software problem, another vessel plowed into the stalled boat, flipped over the deck, and crashed back into the sea, according to Reuters. The two vessels were built by American defense tech companies, Saronic and BlackSea Technologies. During a test conducted by the Navy weeks earlier, a support boat captain was flung into the water when another autonomous BlackSea vessel that it was towing unexpectedly sped up. This caused the support boat to capsize, four people familiar with the incident told the news agency. The captain declined to seek medical attention. The incident was initially reported by Defense Scoop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both setbacks were due to software issues and human error. This included breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, a person with direct knowledge of the issue told Reuters. Maritime drones have made a massive impact in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and U.S. military leaders have taken note. They have said repeatedly that they need a large number of aerial and maritime drones to stop a possible attack on Taiwan by China. Taiwan has begun building up its own naval drone fleet. One of the Navys autonomous vessels took part in an exercise in South Carolina on April 17. The U.S. Navy has faced several setbacks while working to acquire a new fleet of autonomous vessels. (via REUTERS) The drones developed in Ukraine often look like speedboats with no seats and can carry weapons, explosives, and surveillance equipment. Primarily remote-controlled and costing nearly $250,000, they have been used for kamikaze missions to take down Russias Black Sea Fleet. The U.S. is working to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms without being controlled by humans, costing as much as several million dollars per vessel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hudson Institute autonomous warfare expert Bryan Clark told Reuters that the recent test mishaps reveal the challenges that the Navy is facing and that it will have to adapt its tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they cant do." A top admiral of the Navys autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit was fired in late May. A senior Pentagon official shared their concerns regarding the program during a meeting with Navy leaders last month, according to the news agency. Following the California crash, the Pentagons Defense Innovation Unit has put a contract with L3Harris, valued at nearly $20 million, on hold. L3Harris is one of the companies providing the software used to control some of the vessels. Autonomous vessels can be seen in the waters off San Diego, California, on May 14, 2024. The U.S. Navy is spending millions on testing the new technology. (Chief of Naval Operations) A spokesperson for the Pentagon told Reuters that they have conducted the drone tests as part of a "competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, the Pentagon started its $1 billion Replicator program, a plan to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, as well as the software to control them. The initial systems stemming from the program are set to be announced this month. Procurement records show that the Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which manufactures dozens of Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats each month. Saronic manufactures the sea drone Corsair, but it hasnt yet revealed a major contract. According to federal procurement records, the company has generated at least $20 million stemming from prototype agreements. Jim Kilby, the acting chief of naval operations, visited a BlackSea facility in June. Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jim Kilby visited BlackSea Technology facilities to view the U.S. Navy's Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft program in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 18. He said the new systems would play a critical role. (Chief of Naval Operations) "These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness," he said at the time, according to Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Autonomous weapons expert T.X. Hammes told the news agency that the Navy is attempting to change decades of tradition quickly. "Youve got a system thats used to building big things, taking years to make a decision, and now suddenly youre asking them to move fast," he said. Last month, President Donald Trumps signature domestic policy package, known as the Big, Beautiful Bill, was passed into law. It includes nearly $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. A Royal Navy vessel can be seen alongside an autonomous boat in the Baltic Sea on June 12. The recently passed Big, Beautiful, Bill included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. (via REUTERS) However, the Navy has faced skepticism from the Trump administration. The Navys drone procurement unit, called the Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants, was recently placed under review, four people familiar with the situation told the news agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It may be restructured or shut down. A spokesperson for the Navy, Timothy Hawkins, told Reuters that the unit stands by its mission. Hawkins declined to comment when reached by The Independent. The Independent has contacted BlackSea Technologies, Saronic, and L3Harris for comment. The United States on Wednesday defiantly expanded efforts to hobble the International Criminal Court over its prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sanctioning a judge from ally France. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also targeted a Canadian judge in a separate case in his latest volley of sanctions against the tribunal in The Hague, which is backed by virtually all other Western democracies as a court of last resort. "The Court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel," Rubio said in a statement, using a term popular with President Donald Trump's supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He attacked the court for investigating US and Israeli citizens "without the consent of either nation." Among the four people newly slapped with sanctions was Judge Nicolas Guillou of France, who is presiding over a case in which an arrest warrant was issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. France -- whose president, Emmanuel Macron, was in Washington two days earlier -- expressed "dismay" over the action. The sanctions are "in contradiction to the principle of an independent judiciary," a foreign ministry spokesman said in Paris. The ICC in its own statement denounced the "flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court's prosecution alleges Netanyahu is responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel's offensive in Gaza including by intentionally targeting civilians and using starvation as a method of war. Netanyahu saluted Rubio for his "decisive act against a smear campaign of lies against the State of Israel" and the Israeli army. Israel launched the massive offensive in response to an unprecedented attack by Hamas against Israel in which mostly civilians were killed. The ICC has also sought the arrest of former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, who has since been confirmed killed by Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guillou is a veteran jurist who previously participated in trials over Kosovo and Lebanon. He worked for several years in the United States assisting the Justice Department with judicial cooperation during Barack Obama's presidency. Under the sanctions, he will be refused entry to the United States and any assets he has in the world's largest economy will be blocked -- measures more often taken against US adversaries than citizens of friendly nations. - Defending Israel, exempting Putin - Also targeted by the latest US sanctions was a Canadian judge, Kimberly Prost, who was involved in a case that authorized an investigation into alleged crimes committed during the war in Afghanistan, including by US forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio also slapped sanctions on two deputy prosecutors -- Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. The State Department said the two were punished by the United States for supporting "illegitimate ICC actions against Israel," including by supporting the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. Rubio imposed sanctions on four other ICC judges in June. The Trump administration has roundly rejected the authority of the court, which was set up as a court of last resort when national systems do not allow for justice. Trump on Friday welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska even though Putin faces an ICC arrest warrant, a factor that has stopped him from traveling more widely since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States, Russia and Israel are among the nations that reject the ICC. Previous president Joe Biden's administration also opposed its action against Israel but withdrew previous sanctions and was open to narrow cooperation with the ICC, including in gathering evidence in Ukraine. sct/ksb U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-MA, said she is not accusing Israel of genocide, walking back a comment she made at an event last week saying there was genocide and destruction in Gaza. I want to be clear that I am not accusing Israel of genocide, Clark told the news outlet Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) in an article published Aug. 18. We all need to work with urgency to bring the remaining hostages home, surge aid to Palestinians and oppose their involuntary relocation, remove Hamas from power and end the war. Clark represents the Fifth District of Massachusetts, which stretches from Framingham and Sudbury to Winthrop and Revere. What did Clark say about Gaza? At an event in Cambridge Aug. 14, a video clip posted on X showed her using the term genocide when talking about the Israel-Hamas war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We each have to continue to have an open heart about how we do this, how we do it effectively and how we take action in time to make a difference, whether that is stopping the starvation and genocide and destruction of Gaza, or whether that means we are working together to stop the redistricting that is going on, taking away the vote from people in order to retain power, Clark said at the event. U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark speaks at the No Kings Rally on Framingham Centre Common, June 14, 2025. As the House Minority Whip (the second ranking Democrat in the House), the remark stirred controversy as she would have been the highest-ranking congressional Democrat, and one of few members of Congress overall, to use the term genocide to describe the war. Many progressive activists have adopted the term. Clark did not immediately reply to a request for comment from USA TODAY. Israel-Hamas war Accusations of genocide have particular gravity in Israel because of the origins of the concept in the work of Jewish legal scholars in the wake of the Nazi Holocaust. Israeli officials have in the past said using the word against Israel was libelous and antisemitic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 1948 Genocide Convention, adopted globally after the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis, defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group." Israel has been accused of genocide by United Nation experts and at the International Court of Justice, but Israel has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them baseless and outrageous. Israel launched its war in Gaza after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israeli communities across the border Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to its tallies. Israel has often described the attack, the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, as genocidal. Since then, Israel's offensive has killed nearly 60,000 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to Gaza health officials, reduced much of the enclave to ruins and displaced nearly the entire population of more than two million. The UN has also reported widespread starvation in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The war in Gaza has divided the Democratic party, as politicians struggle to talk about the war and the appropriate response to it. Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 'Not accusing Israel of genocide:' Rep. Clark walks back Gaza comments WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on the International Criminal Court for pursuing investigations into U.S. and Israeli officials for alleged war crimes. The State Department on Wednesday announced new sanctions on four ICC officials, including two judges and two prosecutors, saying they had been instrumental in efforts to prosecute Americans and Israelis. As a result of the sanctions, any assets that the targets hold in U.S. jurisdictions are frozen. The sanctions were immediately denounced by both the ICC and the United Nations, while Israel welcomed the move announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is just the latest in a series of steps the Trump administration has taken against The Hague-based court, the worlds first international war crimes tribunal. The U.S., which is not a member of the court, has already imposed penalties on the ICCs former chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who stepped aside in May pending an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, and four other tribunal judges. The new penalties target ICC judges Kimberly Proust of Canada and Nicolas Guillou of France and prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. These individuals are foreign persons who directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of either nation, Rubio said. He added that the administration would continue to take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our troops, our sovereignty, and our allies from the ICCs illegitimate and baseless actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a separate statement, the State Department said Prost was hit for a ruling to authorize an ICC investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan, which was later dropped. Guillou was sanctioned for ruling to authorize the ICCs issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant related to Israels war against Hamas in Gaza. Nazhat Shameem Khan and Niang were penalized for continuing Karim Khans investigation into Israels actions in Gaza, including upholding the ICCs arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, according to the statement. In response, the ICC issued a statement calling the sanctions a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution and an affront against the Courts states parties, the rules-based international order and, above all, millions of innocent victims across the world. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the ICC has the full support of the world body to carry out its work. The U.N. is very concerned about the U.S. continuing to target the international court, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We firmly believe that the ICC is a key pillar of international criminal justice, and we respect their work, Dujarric said. The decision imposes severe impediments on the functioning of the office of the prosecutor in respect for all the situations that are currently before the court. Netanyahu welcomed the U.S. step. This is a firm measure against the mendacious smear campaign against the State of Israel and the IDF, and for truth and justice, he said in a statement, using an acronym for the Israeli military. Wednesdays move carries on a history of Trump administration actions against the ICC dating back to his first term in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Trumps first term, the U.S. hit the ICC with sanctions, but those were rescinded by President Joe Bidens administration in early 2021. ___ Associated Press writers Mike Corder in The Hague and Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations contributed to this report. US President Donald Trump is deploying three warships off the coast of Venezuela as part of efforts to curb drug trafficking, a source familiar with the move said Wednesday. The deployment comes as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, doubling its bounty to $50 million earlier this month on drug charges against the leftist strongman. The three Aegis-class guided missile destroyers are heading to the waters off Venezuela, the US source told AFP on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US media reported that Washington was also planning to send 4,000 Marines to the region. Washington, which does not recognize Maduro's past two election victories, accuses him of leading the Cartel de los Soles ("Cartel of the Suns") cocaine trafficking gang. The Treasury Department gave the group a special terrorist designation last month, accusing it of supporting the Tren de Aragua and Sinaloa drug cartels, which were labeled foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year. The White House said on Tuesday that Trump would use "every element" to stop drug trafficking, when asked about the possibility of US boots on the ground in Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "President Trump has been very clear and consistent, he's prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Leavitt described the Venezuelan government as a "narco-terror cartel." "And Maduro, it is the view of this administration, is not a legitimate president, he is a fugitive head of this cartel who has been indicted in the United States for trafficking drugs into this country," she added. Maduro said on Monday that he would be deploying 4.5 million militia members across Venezuela in response to US "threats." dk-des/sla The US has reached bilateral deportation agreements with Honduras and Uganda as part of its crackdown on illegal immigration, according documents obtained by the BBC's US partner CBS. Uganda has agreed to take an unclear number of African and Asian migrants who had claimed asylum on the US-Mexico border, while Honduras will receive several hundred deported people from Spanish-speaking countries, CBS reports. The move is part of an attempt by Donald Trump's administration to get more countries to accept deported migrants who are not their own citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human rights campaigners have condemned the policy, saying migrants face the risk of being sent to countries where they could be harmed. Under the agreement, Uganda has agreed to accept deported migrants as long as they do not have criminal histories, but it's unclear how many the country would ultimately take, according to CBS. Honduras agreed to receive migrants over two years, including families travelling with children, but documents suggest it could decide to accept more. Both deals are part of the Trump administration's broader push for deportation arrangements with countries on several continents - including those with controversial human rights records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, at least a dozen nations have agreed to accept deported migrants from other countries. Last week, the US State Department announced it had signed a "safe third country" agreement with Paraguay to "share the burden of managing illegal immigration". The White House has also been actively courting several African nations, with Rwanda saying earlier this month it will take up to 250 migrants from the US. A condition of the deal specifies that Rwanda would have "the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement", a government spokesperson told the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rwanda has previously been criticised for its human rights record, including the risk that those sent to the East African nation could be deported again to countries where they may face danger. Earlier this year, Panama and Costa Rica agreed to take in several hundred African and Asian migrants from the US. Government documents show the Trump administration has also approached countries like Ecuador and Spain to receive deported migrants, CBS reported. Since the start of his second term, Trump has embarked on sweeping efforts to remove undocumented migrants - a key election promise that drew mass support during this campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump to resume deportations of migrants to countries other than their homeland without giving them the chance to raise the risks they might face. At the time, Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the majority ruling, calling the decision "a gross abuse". UN rights experts and human rights groups have also argued that these removals to a nation that is not the migrant's place of origin could violate international law. HARARE (Reuters) -The United States has stopped processing most visas in Zimbabwe until further notice, its embassy in the capital Harare said on Wednesday, citing unspecified concerns with the government. "We have paused routine visa services in Harare while we address concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe," the embassy said in a post on X. It said the move was not a travel ban and that current visas would remain valid. The government of the Southern African country did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pause took effect on August 7, according to a notice on the U.S. State Department's website, which said it applied to all visa services with the exception of most diplomatic and official visas. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has restricted travel from a number of African countries, saying it is working to prevent visa overstaying and misuse. Zimbabwe had a visa overstay rate of 10.57% in 2023, according to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security report. Starting this week, the U.S. will require visa applicants from Zambia and Malawi to pay bonds of up to $15,000 for some visitor visas. The Trump administration has also paused visa processing in Niger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harare resident Angella Chirombo said her 18-year-old son had received a scholarship to do his bachelor's degree at Michigan State University and had been waiting for a visa interview when the pause hit. "He was supposed to be in school already. I paid for everything else and was waiting for the visa so I could buy tickets," she told Reuters. She said other parents were considering booking interviews at other U.S. embassies in Southern Africa, but that she wouldn't be able to afford the travel. "Now they are saying we can go to Zambia and Namibia. I don't even have money right now and I don't know where to get this money. They are so many students that have been affected." (Reporting by Chris Muronzi and Nellie Peyton; editing by Mark Heinrich) By Charlotte Van Campenhout AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -A 28-year-old transgender woman from the U.S. began a legal challenge on Wednesday to the rejection of her asylum application in the Netherlands where she had sought political asylum saying she no longer felt safe in the United States. Veronica Clifford-Carlos, a visual artist from California, came to the Netherlands - the first country to legalise same-sex marriage and known for its strong protections of LGBT rights - because the Trump administration's policies towards transgender people made her feel unsafe, her lawyer's office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case, the first of its kind in the Netherlands, will be heard in a court in Amsterdam starting Wednesday, with a ruling expected in four to six weeks. Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banned transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinded anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people. Dutch advocacy group LGBT Asylum Support, which backs the lawsuit, is currently assisting around 20 U.S. trans individuals with pending asylum claims. According to data from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), 29 Americans applied for asylum in the Netherlands during the first half of this year. In previous years there were between nine and 18 applicants per year, an IND spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The IND generally states that discrimination by authorities and fellow citizens can be considered an act of persecution if it is so severe that victims can no longer function socially and societally," LGBT Asylum Support said in a statement. "But the IND maintains that there are no grounds for exceptional treatment of transgender and queer refugees from the U.S." (Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Ros Russell) (U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.) In March, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced a 5-8% reduction of its civilian workforce nationwide. The U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) has released an update on progress transitioning its civilian workers out and how they are maintaining the Academys high standards. The reduction meant the Academy specifically needed to defund 140 positions in 2025. According to the USAFA release, 36 of these were occupied, while 104 were either vacant or to be vacated under the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP). The DRP offers federal employees to resign and receive paid administrative leave through the end of the fiscal or calendar year. The program also provides financial support to civilian employees transitioning out of the DoD workforce. Eligible employees being cut from the Academy were also presented with the option for Voluntary Early Retirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This civilian employee reduction does not mean these positions will be left empty; as of an Aug. 20 USAFA release, 11 of the 36 vacated positions have been matched and reassigned to higher priority roles within the Academy. The release also stated that 25 faculty members had already departed this year, primarily through the Deferred Resignation Program. In response, the institution has augmented its faculty with 19 additional military personnel with appropriate degrees and teaching skills, who will bring valuable operational experience to the classroom. Amid these changes and transitions, USAFA kept over 750 courses available, even adding four new classes and three new majors. Many thanks to the Dean of Faculty professionals, said Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind. They are adjusting quickly, making the needed changes to ensure we can continue to offer the majors we promised through the Class of 26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can confidently attest we are maintaining the academic rigor, accreditation, and high standards expected at the U.S. Air Force Academy, he continued. Our faculty and staff are providing a world-class education to our cadets, and our institution will continue to produce officers ready to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving security environment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV) As the University of South Carolina Beauforts (USCB) nursing program has grown and become more competitive, Beaufort Memorial Hospitals PATH Career Development Center has opened its doors. The hospital, in partnership with the university, is providing an opportunity for more aspiring nurses to begin their path toward a healthcare career. Im really excited, you know, this is something Ive dreamt about since I was little, said Audrie Sullivan, a nursing student currently enrolled in USCBs fall semester nursing program at the new Beaufort facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 24 USCB sophomores are taking their first official step toward turning their dreams of becoming a nurse into reality, and Beaufort Memorials PATH center is helping them get there. Im excited to see how this semester pushes me and where I grow and how I grow, said Sarah Myers, another nursing student currently enrolled in the fall semester program. The $2.8 million and over 6,000 square foot facility, which opened its doors in July of 2024, was funded by the Beaufort Memorial Foundation, USCB, the City of Beaufort and Beaufort County. Fundraiser for family of 11 displaced after house fire I think its an amazing thing for a hospital of our size to partner with a major University in this way. Its momentous for Beaufort Memorial, said Joy Solomon, Beaufort Memorials Director of Education and Workforce Development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The facility provides students with access to two large classrooms, two debrief rooms and four clinical simulation labs. The simulation labs mimic real hospital rooms, and AI powered robotic mannequins fill the beds. Many students dont have a hospital background. We have a few who are in the hospital setting and they are quite comfortable around patients already, but in this semester, we give them opportunities to be able to interact with standardized patients, said Wurster. It could be a live human, but it could also be a mannequin that we have in our simulation labs here. The goal is to immerse the aspiring nurses into a local hospital setting and real patient experiences to get them ready to enter the field. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials from the University and hospital said the center was built to tackle the growing concerns over nursing shortages following the pandemic. GoFundMe started for victims of Fripp Island fire This is one of our endeavors to help increase our nursing pool by partnering with one of our local universities that we have partnered with for years, said Solomon. USCBs original nursing program was limited to 50 students and only available in the spring semester. But with the program partnership, 24 additional spots are now open to students in the fall. This allows for more nurses to come in and out of the university, and into the workforce every year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Universitys website, USCB graduates about 42 nurses a year. With the new Beaufort facility, the university hopes to grow to 72 Nursing graduates per year. Theres a nursing shortage all across the United States. There has been for several years, and its only getting worse, said Suzanna Wurster, the Department Head of the USCB Nursing program. The facility provides students with access to 2 large classrooms, two debrief rooms, and 4 clinical simulation labs. The simulation labs mimic real hospital rooms, and AI powered robotic mannequins fill the beds. Many students dont have a hospital background, Wurster said. We have a few who are in the hospital setting and they are quite comfortable around patients already, but in this semester, we give them opportunities to be able to interact with standardized patients. It could be a live human, but it could also be a mannequin that we have in our simulation labs here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal is to immerse the aspiring nurses into a local hospital setting and give them real patient experiences to get them ready to enter the field. The hopes are that the students will go on to receive their certification and choose a medical center here locally. We know that the average new nurse only stays in their setting of less than two years, Wurster said. So, we have a huge issue every single year to be able to produce more successful nurses to feed our health systems. This will be able to help us specifically here in the Lowcountry with two brand new hospitals being built in the Bluffton area, as well as our current existing health systems. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. UTAH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) Several of Utah Valley Universitys faculty members are working on a clean-water initiative in Peru, with extensive testing of water sources. Utah Valley University (UVU) faculty members have been conducting water-testing throughout Peru, identifying major contamination issues. Their findings indicate that toxic elements may be present in both water and food sources. Utah Valley University has previously conducted a multi-disciplinary research project on Utah Lakes water quality, pollution impacts, and sustainability. Those findings were presented to Peruvian Congressional leaders, who helped form a collaboration between UVU and Peruvian university leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between 2024 and today, UVU biologist Dr. Lauren Brooks and other UVU faculty members conducted water-testing in vulnerable communities in Peru. Dr. Brooks found that water collected remained contaminated with human fecal matter after sterilization. She said, Even after rigorous sanitation, the water was still unsafe. And this is water people are using to cook, clean, and drink every day. Those findings were reportedly corroborated by Perus local leaders, including school administrators that report 60% of their students have regular digestive issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UVU faculty test Peruvian water sources and present their findings to Peruvian officials. (Courtesy: Utah Valley University) UVU water testing identified trace metals, arsenic, microplastics, and bacteria in Peruvian water sources commonly used for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Additionally, toxic elements were found in both farmed and wild freshwater fish. Dr. Baldomero Lago, head of Utah Valley Universitys UNESCO chair, hopes that the results of water testing may lead to long-term policy changes regarding chemical discharge and water regulations. UVU faculty and Peruvian leaders plan to present their findings to the Peruvian congress later this year and meet with other community leaders. They have discussed a variety of solutions including community education programs, water treatment reforms, algae harvesting programs, and faculty training on pre-existing water testing equipment. However, Dr. Lago noted, We dont force implementation. Were an academic institution. That is why people trust us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study findings may carry global implications, as this project is part of Utah Valley University UNESCOs larger goal to further initiatives aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda and clean water goals. Dr. Lago says, This is engaged learning on a global scale. Were helping communities understand the threats they face. Were giving them the tools to advocate for change. Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Aug. 20 (UPI) -- As protesters chanted nearby, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visited National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday amid what the Trump administration says is a crime crackdown. The three Trump administration officials greeted National Guard troops at the capital's Union Station while positioned near a table containing hamburgers for the troops, PBS News reported. "In just the past nine days, we've seen a 35% reduction in violent crime," Vance told those in attendance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We've seen over a 50% reduction in robberies," he added. "We're seeing really substantial effects because these guys are busting their a*****." Vance said he wanted to thank the National Guard troops in person and hand out some hamburgers to show his appreciation for their efforts. Hegseth said the National Guard deployments in Washington are needed to ensure residents, visitors and those who work in the capital are safe. "The American people, the residents of D.C., deserve a safe and beautiful city," Hegseth said. "That's our mission." He called the National Guard troops "patriots who serve the country" and want to make Washington a "beautiful, safe capital." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Guard troops are "proud of this mission" and making sure "law and order is established here in the capital," Hegseth added. He said the Defense Department is providing the resources that the troops need and working with law enforcement partners to ensure safety in Washington. Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered and chanted near Union Station, which drew a rebuke from Vance. He said the protesters "hate the idea that Americans can enjoy their communities," according to PBS News. Vance said he went to Union Station with Hegseth and Miller because criminal activity was very high there, which local officials deny. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller added to Vance's criticism of the protesters by calling them "stupid white hippies" and said they do not represent Washington, D.C.'s residents, The Hill reported. "We are not going to let the communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nation's capital," Miller said. "All these demonstrators you've seen out here in recent days, all these elderly white hippies, they're not part of the city and never have been," Miller said. "We're going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump last week put the federal government in control of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department, which has been accused of falsifying crime data. Though Trump administration officials have characterized crime in the city as out of control, in actuality, crime in the district has fallen in recent years or remained flat. An agreement on Friday put the police department under local control, but Trump sought and received National Guard deployments from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Louisiana. About 1,200 National Guard troops are slated for deployment in the capital, in addition to 800 Washington National Guard troops who already are there, according to The Washington Post. A vice president, defense secretary and top White House aide walk into a burger joint. Let the chaos ensue. Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller on Wednesday paid an unannounced visit to the National Guard troops stationed at Union Station, the major regional train station in the nations capital. From a second-floor Shake Shack, Vance thanked the soldiers for actually keeping this place safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You guys bust your ass all day. We give you hamburgers. Not a fair trade, but we're grateful for everything you guys do, the vice president said. His staffers presented them with boxes of burgers. The remarks were hard to hear, however, because of what was happening down below. As three of the most powerful men in the world attempted to seize yet another media moment broadcasting the White Houses crackdown on crime in Washington, protesters in the station drowned them out. Shouts of Free D.C., echoed throughout the historic train hall. The extraordinary scene was evocative of the greater tensions between Washington and the White House, as President Donald Trump exerts unprecedented control over the deep-blue city. Since the president launched a takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department, deployed federal law enforcement from agencies like ICE and the FBI and sent in National Guard troops nine days ago, the District has had little choice but to comply with a crackdown based predominantly on the presidents whims while tackling the uncomfortable political realities of crime here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You hear these people out here screaming Free D.C., Vance said. Lets free D.C. from lawlessness. Let's free Washington, D.C., from one of the highest murder rates in the entire world. Let's free Washington, D.C., so that young families can walk around and feel safe and secure. That's what we're trying to free D.C. from. Vance and Miller who have both been publicly critical of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and the broader racial justice movement cast the protesters in racial terms, calling them out for being white and not having a true understanding of crime in the city. It's kind of bizarre that we have a bunch of old, primarily white people who are out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when they've never felt danger in their entire lives, Vance said. Although troops and law enforcement have been highly visible in the citys tourist hotspots which are generally high-traffic, low-crime areas the White House says enforcement crackdowns are concentrated in Wards 7 and 8, which are majority-Black and have the highest crime rate in the city. POLITICO could not independently confirm the White House's analysis of where arrests are concentrated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We're going to ignore these stupid white hippies, Miller said. They all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old, and we're going to get back to business protecting the American people. Miller called the protesters crazy communists who have no connection to this city. He promised to add thousands more resources to this city to get criminals and the gang members out of here. Trump nine days ago invoked a provision of the Home Rule Act, the 1970s law that grants limited self-governance to the District, to demand the services of the Metropolitan Police Department to assist the federal government during special conditions of an emergency nature. But Trump and his administration have cast his move in much more dire terms, suggesting it was a full-fledged federal takeover of the citys police. An attempt by the administration to name the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration the citys emergency police commissioner prompted fury from city officials, a move the administration walked back last week in an agreement with D.C. at the urging of a federal judge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump only has the authority to take federal control of the MPD for 30 days without congressional approval, but has suggested he wants to circumvent that. Asked if the White House would try to extend the takeover beyond that timeline, Vance said: If the president of the United States thinks that he has to extend this order to ensure that people have access to public safety, then that's exactly what he'll do. A supermajority of the citys residents oppose Trump controlling law enforcement in the city, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll released Wednesday. But Vance said he was highly skeptical of that poll. I don't know what poll you're talking about, maybe the same poll that said Kamala Harris would win the popular vote by 10 points, he quipped. That response, too, is indicative of the broader White House playbook behind the crime crackdown: Lean on what people see and how they feel, and when the numbers dont align with the vibes, call the numbers into question. District police data, for example, has violent crime in Washington at a 30-year low. But the White House claims the MPD cooked the books and the Justice Department is now probing whether those statistics were manipulated, multiple outlets reported Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance on Wednesday said crime statistics all over our country were massively underreported. Asked what evidence he had that the MPD statistics had been manipulated, Vance said you just have to look around, adding that statistics from the Justice Department and FBI back it up. It was not clear what statistics he was referring to. Vaping in childhood is a gateway to cannabis and cigarettes, according to a study. Experts found consistent evidence that children who vape are three times more likely to go on to become smokers. They also found links to abuse of substances, including alcohol and cannabis, as well as a higher likelihood of developing asthma and mental health problems. The researchers, from the University of York and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), analysed all the existing available reviews on youth vaping also known as an umbrella review which included 56 reviews on 384 studies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some 21 of these looked at the use of e-cigarettes among young people and later cigarette smoking. The research found vapers were also more likely to smoke more frequently and intensely, and develop breathing problems. Other harmful links to youth vaping included pneumonia, bronchitis, lower total sperm counts, dizziness, headaches and migraines. There was also a link identified between depression and suicidal thoughts among young vapers. It appears to confirm long-held beliefs about the risk of vaping, with US research going as far back as 2017 suggesting vaping acts as a gateway to smoking, after finding teenagers who used e-cigarettes were four times more likely to start using tobacco within a year, according to the University of Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr Rebecca Glover, senior author of the study and assistant professor at LSHTM, said: Vaping is having a detrimental impact on the health of young people globally and vaping appears to be a gateway to other substances. Our study provides the strongest evidence to date that young people globally face a serious range of physical and psychological harms from vaping and are at higher risk of transitioning to smoking. Writing in the journal Tobacco Control, the authors said the data consistently indicated a significant association between e-cigarette use and later cigarette smoking in young people. They said it was difficult to infer causality from their review, but said the repeated strong associations in prospective cohort studies are consistent with a causal relationship. Dr Su Golder, an associate professor in health science at the University of York, said: The consistency in the evidence is striking. Across multiple studies, young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to smoke in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr Greg Hartwell, clinical assistant professor at LSHTM, said the transition to smoking opens the door to the multitude of harms that conventional cigarettes bring. As the Governments chief medical officer states, marketing vapes to children is always unacceptable, and our review shows exactly why further restrictions on the tobacco industry, who control the vaping market, are so important, he added. In June, a ban on disposable vapes was introduced, in part to curb their use among young people. The crackdown on the devices, also known as single-use vapes, makes it illegal for any retailer, from corner shops to supermarkets, to sell them. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will seek to further limit the vapes appeal to children, by restricting flavours and marketing strategies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr Stephen Burgess, a statistician at the University of Cambridge. who was not involved in the research, said the review looked at observational studies and so can say that vaping users are more likely to engage in certain behaviours, but whether vaping is truly a cause of these behaviours is beyond the scope of the data. However, the associations demonstrated are both extensive in scope and strong in magnitude it is clear that vaping users are at higher risk of many diseases than non-users, he added. 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. DULLES, Va. (DC News Now) The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is sounding the alarm after a person who traveled through the Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) tested positive for measles. The health department noted that the person was at the airport on Aug. 12 and is not from Virginia. Their investigation determined that measles may have been exposed in the main terminal, at the TSA security checkpoint, in Concourse B, and on the transportation from the main terminal to Concourse B between 1 and 5 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont eat this shrimp sold at Walmart due to possible radiation contamination: FDA Now, health officials are working to identify any travelers or people who might have been exposed to the illness in these areas or on specific flights. Anyone who has not received two doses of the measles vaccine is encouraged to look out for symptoms. The VDH noted that symptoms will start to show within the first 21 days after the date of the potential exposure. Measles is a highly contagious illness that spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. In the first stage, most people get a fever of over 101 degrees, a runny nose, watery red eyes and a cough. These symptoms usually start within seven to 14 days after being exposed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas declares deadly measles outbreak over after 7 months FILE Human skin covered with measles rash. (Getty Images) The second stage starts three to five days after symptoms begin. A rash will also appear on the face and start to spread to the rest of the body. People with measles are contagious for four days before the rash appears, until four days after the rash appears. If any symptoms begin, health officials encourage people to isolate and contact their health care provider. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. The U.S. and Venezuela appear to be heading towards a standoff with neither country indicating a willingness to back down. The Venezuelan government on Monday mobilized more than four million militia troops seemingly in response to reports of U.S. naval movements in the region. We defend our seas, our skies, and our lands. We liberated them. We guard and patrol them. No empire will touch the sacred soil of Venezuela, nor should it touch the sacred soil of South America, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said in a televised address Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three U.S. Navy missile destroyers have been deployed to the waters off Venezuela, U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday. President Trump has been very clear and consistent. Hes prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday. Heres what to know about the state-of-play between the U.S. and Venezuela. Trump and Maduro have had longstanding hostilities Washington and Caracas broke off formal bilateral diplomatic relations in 2019 during Trumps first term, after Trump backed opposition leader Juan Guaido in the Latin American countrys presidential election. The U.S. government has not recognized Maduros last two electoral victories, and the Trump Administration has repeatedly called Maduros presidency illegitimate, including as recently as Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know it very well, and Venezuela is right now being run by a dictator, Trump said in August last year, as he blamed the country for the flow of criminals and drugs into the U.S. and campaigned to crack down on it. Democratic former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden also opposed the Maduro government, which has suggested jailing its opposition and has deported American journalists. During Trumps first term, the U.S. imposed financial sanctions on Venezuela in 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2020, Maduro was indicted in a New York federal court on charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and other charges. And the tensions between Trump and the Venezuelan leader have only escalated during Trumps second term. Earlier this month, the Trump Administration doubled the reward to $50 million for information leading to Maduros arrest. The Administration also accused Maduro of being one of the worlds largest drug traffickers and the head of the so-called Cartel of the Suns, allegations that the Venezuelan government has rejected. The U.S. also alleged links between Maduro and Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel, which Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said earlier this month her government has no evidence of. Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the U.S. government had seized up to $700 million of assets with alleged links to Maduro on Aug. 13, including luxury goods, bank accounts, and private jets. Trump has pushed to use the U.S. military to scuttle cartels. In February, he designated Venezuelas Tren de Aragua, as well as six groups in Mexico and MS-13 in El Salvador, as foreign terrorist organizations. The President signed a secret directive to the Pentagon to use military force against these cartels, sources told the New York Times earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Administration has sought to counter the inflow of drugs, especially fentanyl, through tariffs, such as imposing tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico, citing the countries failure to stop fentanyl smuggling into the U.S. And Trump issued penalty tariffs on countries that buy oil from Venezuela in March, highlighting the threat of Tren de Aragua to the U.S. Trump has also targeted Venezuelans on immigration issues, revoking the protected status of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S. and deporting 238 Venezuelans in March to an El Salvadoran prison as part of a mass deportation campaign claiming to target alleged gang members. U.S. courts have ordered the return of several of those who were wrongfully deported, while many other deportees reject the allegations against them. Trump sends missile destroyers to Venezuelan waters On Monday, the U.S. government ordered three U.S. Navy missile destroyersUSS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham and USS Sampsonand around 4,000 military personnel to the edge of Venezuelas territorial waters, according to Reuters. The Administration confirmed to CNN last week that it had ordered naval movements as part of an effort to stymie drug trafficking. The Trump Administration is also committing additional military assets in the broader region within international airspace and waters, including several P-8 spy planes, warships, and an attack submarine, an official told Reuters. Venezuela mobilizes millions of militia fighters This week, I will activate a special plan with more than 4.5 million militiamen to ensure coverage of the entire national territorymilitias that are prepared, activated and armed, Maduro said Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Venezuelan Militia was created in 2005 by the late President Hugo Chavez and formally established in 2010. Maduros plan will involve mobilizing peasant and worker militias in all factories and workplaces in the country and providing missiles and rifles for the working class, to defend our homeland, the Venezuelan President said Monday. Maduro called U.S. threats rotten rehashes and extravagant, bizarre, and outlandish. The Venezuelan government also temporarily banned the purchase, sale, and operation of drones in Venezuelan airspace on Tuesday. A drone laden with explosives detonated near Maduro in 2018 in an apparent assassination attempt, which resulted in the arrest warrants for more than two dozen people, including one who later died under mysterious circumstances, and the convictions of 17 people, including opposition leader Juan Requesens. Washingtons accusing Venezuela of drug trafficking reveals its lack of credibility and the failure of its policies in the region, Venezuelas foreign ministry said in a Tuesday statement. While Washington threatens, Venezuela advances firmly in peace and sovereignty, demonstrating that true effectiveness against crime is achieved by respecting the independence of the people. Every aggressive declaration confirms the inability of imperialism to subdue a free and sovereign people. Contact us at letters@time.com. A judge ruled that Veronika Rodriguez will serve minimal time in jail for illegal wiretapping and filing a false report with police after she reported an alleged rape in 2023. Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas Judge Charles Jones Jr. sentenced the 27 Middletown airman to 30 days in jail after she was found guilty on May 23 of intercept communications, disclose intercepted communications, and giving false information to a law enforcement officer. While speaking from a prepared statement during the hearing, Rodriguez said that she was worried about being believed by her superiors when she told them about the alleged incident. Appearing to be visibly upset, Rodriguez said she was recognized as "a victim of military sexual trauma." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The reality was clear I would not be believed because in today's world women are far too often asked to respond in a certain way, or meet an unspoken performance standard of how a survivor should act," she said. Jones told Rodriguez that he was worry she didn't really grasp the significance of her allegations. Jones said that many people originally believed her claims and investigated, but the testimony and the evidence were what the jury used to convict her on May 23. "You mentioned a fear of not being believed, and I think that's a real fear to have," he said. "But it's not something to hide behind. In your case, I can honestly say I don't think anyone thought that." The Lebanon County District Attorney's Office said Rodriguez lied about being the victim of sexual assault and misrepresented a recording of a date and sexual encounter with a superior officer in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Veronika cannot be compared to victims of sexual violence, as the jury has decided she was no such victim," District Attorney Pier Hess Graf and Senior Deputy District Attorney Amy Muller said in a release. "This case should not discourage actual victims of sexual violence from coming forward and reporting. We in law enforcement are here to support those victims." The case On Jan. 11, 2023, Rodriguez went to Fort Indiantown Gap Police Department to report a sexual assault she alleged happened on Jan. 8, 2023 involving Fahad Pervez. Rodriguez told police that she and Pervez had non-consensual sex while in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Keystone Conference Center, and that she recorded parts of the incident on her phone. Pervez was never formally charged in the alleged incident. According to Pennsylvania's wiretap act, it is illegal to record private conversations, which can include conversations in public places, without the consent of all parties to the conversation. An exception to the act is when someone is under a reasonable suspicion that they are recording a crime of violence, which includes rape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 8, 2023, officers discovered an occupied vehicle in the parking lot of the Keystone Conference Center after hours. According to court documents, police contacted the occupants, identified as Rodriguez and Pervez, who were in the rear seat of the vehicle. Fort Indiantown Gap police then placed the incident in a police blotter, saying that Pervez, then a major, and Rodriguez, then an airman from the 193rd Squadron, were involved in an incident with police. On Jan. 10, 2023, Rodriguez was contacted by her first sergeant to provide a statement on the encounter. True sexual assault victims will be under more scrutiny and less likely to be believed because of people like Rodriguez, according to the Lebanon County District Attorney's office. "The Defendants actions make every actual report of sexual violence more difficult for those victims and she should be fully ashamed of herself every day hereafter, the DA's office said in the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors played the 55-minute audio recording made by Rodriguez of the alleged sexual assault on Jan. 11, 2023 for the jury during her trial in May. The DA's office at trial also submitted evidence that Rodriguez attempted to delete the entire recording from her phone, and played select clips for law enforcement while they were conducting their investigation. "She altered the recording and provided that to police, only for us to find the full recording," Muller said during the Aug. 20 sentencing. " The district attorney's office called Pervez the victim in this case, talking about his service in the military and overseas. Officials said that Pervez should have been reprimanded for the fraternization, and has been harassed by sympathizers of Rodriguez's story. "With her heinous and wholly false report of rape, the Defendant stole (Pervez's) career and his future," the DA's office said. "He resigned from the military, lost his military pension, and still receives continued harassment to this day." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During her sentencing Aug. 20, Rodriguez said that she was diagnosed with several mental disorders, including major depressive disorder and post traumatic stress disorder. Rodriguez added that this case has left her family under a mountain of debt from loans and credit cards. Rodriguez additionally asked Jones to consider the more than 100 letters written on her behalf during sentencing. Rodriguez said moving forward she planned to get her degree in nursing, with aspirations of being a cosmetic nurse. "Your honor, I ask that you not only see me through the lens of a legal binder, but as a young woman who has fought relentlessly to rebuild her life," she said to Jones. "Who has gone through tragedy and is determined to live with purpose, faith and service to others." Ian Ehrgood, Rodriguez's attorney, said Rodriguez was on temporary leave from the National Guard and expected to be discharged following her sentencing. Ehrgood said his client was prepared to receive jail time before the Aug. 20 hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think I'm more unhappy about the verdict of the trial than the outcome," he said. "I think the sentence is appropriate, given her ranges, but we would rather have it not come to this and had a not guilty verdict after trial." Ehrgood added that Rodriguez's appeal will be handled by another attorney, though he was not able to identify who would be representing her in that appeal. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. This story was updated to add new information. Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth. This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Rodriguez sentenced for wiretapping, false police report conviction A Warwickshire military charity that opened its doors over 15 years ago to former British Armed Forces personnel, is celebrating a new 20-year lease. Veterans Contact Point, which formed in 2009 as a volunteer support group and became a charity in 2012, will be able to continue to do its work from its Nuneaton base on Bentley Road. One of the first community charities of its type, it also has branches in, Atherstone, Dordon and Warwick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeff Worthington, who left the army in 1997 and came to the charity for help after his marriage broke down, has worked for them for over four years, adding: "They were brilliant helping me out with housing [and] helping veterans with all life issues," he said The military charity is supported by 12 volunteers and employs three former veterans in full-time positions, and supports those who live in the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire area. The lease extension will enable the charity to focus on investing in its services and support for the 250-plus veterans it helps directly and indirectly each year. Mr Worthington served in the 1980s until the last 1990s and did tours in Northern Ireland as well as Bosnia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We've still got lads coming in from the Falklands in the early 80s all the way up to Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. "Every single one of us in the office, we are ex-service users and we are all veterans, so we we've got that knowledge when they actually come in, we know what they're going through and facing," he said. It will continue to work from The Horsa Building in Bentley Road until at least 2042. "Our kettle is constantly on for veterans to pop in and help themselves. "They don't have to have an issue but if they want to come in they can just walk into the building, make themselves a tea or a coffee, and just chat with one of us," Mr Worthington said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More on this story Related internet links Its not hysterical to think it could happen. Its not conspiratorial to suggest its what they might actually want. And it cannot be dismissed as improbable, given the conditions on the ground and what we already know about the most powerful man in the world: the prospect of American troops, in American cities, opening fire on American citizens and that blood on the streets could be viewed not as a tragedy but as plain good politics. It definitely keeps me up at night, Janessa Goldbeck, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and CEO of the Vet Voice Foundation, a pro-democracy nonprofit, said in an interview with Salon. I dont want to speculate whats in his brain, but just taking the evidence as it is what he said during the Black Lives Matter protests; the fact that hes taking this maximalist approach to deploying troopshe is eager to create escalatory situations. In 2020, President Donald Trump wanted it to happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cant you just shoot them? he asked, referring to people protesting the police killing of George Floyd, according to former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who wrote in his memoir that he had to figure out a way to walk Trump back. Esper was fired for insufficient loyalty a few months later. Second-term Trump, who has flooded Washington, D.C., with federal agents and National Guardsmen for the ostensible purpose of combating crime that is at a 30-year low, no longer has someone such as Mark Esper to tell him no. The likes of Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (who describes Trump as a total fascist), and John Kelly, his former White House chief of staff (who warned that his former boss is an aspiring dictator), have been replaced by far-right ideologues and mediocre functionaries White House adviser Stephen Miller and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who are eager to demonstrate their loyalty and inflict pain on the presidents domestic enemies. But are U.S. troops, including members of the National Guard who may have signed up thinking they were getting free college in exchange for laying down sandbags during a natural disaster, as willing to serve a 79-year-old strongmans political agenda? Most soldiers are presumably not eager to open fire on their fellow Americans. Indeed, a recent survey of active-duty U.S. service members found that the vast majority say they would refuse to carry out an illegal order. But illegal orders are never as clear-cut as shoot that unarmed grandmother exercising her First Amendment rights, and rarely does a soldier have the time to contemplate the moral ramifications of listening to a superior officer. And in the heat of the moment, operating alongside federal agents who are behaving like the presidents Praetorian Guard in an unfamiliar environment where they have been told they are going up against foreign criminal gangs like MS-13, or marauding bands of Antifa the once-unthinkable is not outlandish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its likely that youre going to have an altercation, and it could be politically advantageous to the president to have some sort of disturbance, Christopher Purdy, an Iraq War veteran and founder of The Chamberlain Network, which encourages former members of the military to speak out in defense of democracy, told Salon. The probability of an incident, from a one-off shooting to an outright massacre, increases when those policing the streets are soldiers primarily trained to kill in foreign theaters of war and do not come from the communities they are in. It is easy, legally speaking, for the president to deploy the D.C. National Guard; so demonstrably so that the question of why it wasnt done on January 6, 2021, can be asked and immediately answered. But those soldiers know their city and its residents are their neighbors. The same cannot be said of the hundreds of National Guardsmen headed to the nations capital from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee and Ohio, sent by red-state governors who see a political advantage in sending troops to patrol and restore pride and beauty in a city where Democrats, the presidents enemies from within, outnumber Republicans 9-1. And many of those soldiers, per The Wall Street Journal, are likely to be carrying weapons with live rounds. I would not be surprised if you have a Guard commander from an outside community be more willing to use force than the local troops, Purdy said. Im not suggesting that, because these folks are coming from red states, that theyre more inclined to fire on civilians or instigate an incident, he added. What I am saying is that the local Guard understands the community a lot better If you have troops that come in and dont understand the community, dont understand whats going on, dont understand the landmarks that creates a whole lot of insecurity and unease and just unawareness. And that makes the likelihood of an incident higher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And that may not necessarily be so bad, from the presidents perspective. It is, again, exactly what he wanted the last time he deployed troops in the nations capital, when there were still officials around him who possessed some sense of honor and personal dignity. We dont have people like that today. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. That the public would accurately attribute blame is not at all clear, either. In 1970, the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed students protesting the Vietnam War on the campus of Kent State University, killing four of them and wounding nine others. As The Philadelphia Inquirers Will Bunch has noted, a majority of Americans, in the immediate aftermath, blamed the kids; just 11%, per a Gallup survey, blamed the killers. The students memorial service was even disrupted by local reactionaries who chanted, Kent State Four! Should have studied more! But focusing on the immediate politics of the deployments and any ensuing incidents may be missing the real point: intimidating voters and interfering with elections in Democratic jurisdictions. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., recently told Fox News that hed like to see whats unfolding in D.C., and earlier in Los Angeles, spread to urban areas across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were gonna support doing this in other cities if it works out in Washington, D.C., he said. Our military has been in many countries around the world for the past two decades, walking the streets, trying to reduce crime in other countries. We need to focus on the big cities in America now. Goldbeck, the CEO of the Vet Voice Foundation, said what worries her is that such deployments could numb the American public and normalize the presence of troops in the cities where millions of Democratic voters live. With Trump already declaring war on mail-in voting, come November 2026: Why wouldnt he seek to depress in-person turnout too? Its not implausible that this president, with the tacit or explicit support of this Republican Party and this Supreme Court, could order troops to show up at polling stations on the grounds that local authorities are not doing enough, say, to prevent undocumented immigrants from voting. The use of the National Guard around elections is expressly prohibited by U.S. law, Goldbeck noted. However, if the president were to declare a national emergency around election fraud or something in that lane, there could be instances where he could say that the troops were necessary, and that would certainly discourage people from going to voting centers, she said. Election fraud has been an animating theme of his for the last several years, and so it would not surprise me if that is where were headed. The post Veterans fear Trump creating conditions for another Kent State appeared first on Salon.com. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) The victim of a deadly stabbing on Cedar Street in Springfield has been identified. Springfield Police Spokesperson Ryan Walsh stated that at approximately 8:45 p.m. on Sunday, officers were called to the 0-100 block of Cedar Street regarding reports of a stabbing. Police arriving in the area found two men with stab wounds. Longmeadow School Committee details response to middle school librarians arrest Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The men were both brought to Baystate Medical Center. One of the men sustained minor injuries, while the other passed away while at the hospital. The Hampden District Attorneys Office has identified the victim as 36-year-old Xavier Lebron-Telles of Springfield. Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni offers his condolences to the loved ones of the victim. At this time, no arrests have been made in connection with the stabbing. The incident continues to be investigated by the Hampden District Attorneys Murder Unit and the Springfield Police Department Homicide Unit. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Three village of Germantown wells that earlier tested positive for bacterial contaminants each tested negative for E. coli, officials reported Aug. 19. One well remains shut down Well No. 7 on Western Avenue after it earlier tested positive for coliform and E. coli in the aftermath of the historic rainstorms and flooding in the Milwaukee area from Aug. 9 to 11. Two other wells Well No. 2 on Potomac Circle and Wells No. 5 on Western Avenue tested positive for coliform, according to an Aug. 15 post on the Village of Germantown's Facebook page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Village officials say they will continue more testing of both raw water from the village wells and treated water from the distribution system throughout the weekend of Aug. 23 and 24 and into the last week of August. "We will take appropriate action and inform the public if there are any changes," according to the Aug. 15 post. With guidance from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the village has been increasing the amount of chlorine used to treat village water. "You may notice a slight change in the smell or taste of the water, but it is still safe to drink," according to the village officials. Village officials are encouraging all residents with private wells to get their water tested before consumption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information on water testing, visit dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Wells/privateWellTest.html. For updates on the water in Germantown, visit dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Wells/privateWellTest.html. More: It's sweet corn season. Here are some stands to visit in the Milwaukee area More: Culver's is proposing to open a new location in Germantown. Here are the details. Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 3 wells in village of Germantown test positive for bacterial contaminants CAIRO (AP) When Ahlam Saeed awoke last month to the sound of gunfire and roaring vehicle motors, the 43-year-old widow rushed outside her home in war-torn Sudan to find a line of at least two dozen vehicles, many of them motorcycles carrying armed fighters. They were firing at everything and in every direction, the mother of four said. In an instant, all of us in the village were fleeing for safety." Many people were gunned down in their houses or while trying to flee. At least 200 people were killed, including many women and children, in the community of straw homes, according to a rights group tracking Sudans civil war. Saeed and her children ages 9 to 15 were among those who survived after rebel fighters rampaged through Shaq al-Noum, the small farming village of several thousand people in Sudans Kordofan region. In interviews with The Associated Press, Saeed and four other villagers described the July 12 attack, one of the deadliest assaults since the war began more than two years ago over a power struggle between commanders of the military and the rival paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The villagers' accounts add to the devastating toll of the conflict, which started in April 2023 and has wrecked the country in northeastern Africa. The fighting has killed more than 40,000 people, displaced as many as 14 million, led to disease outbreaks and pushed some places into famine. Atrocities, including mass killings of civilians and mass rape, have also been reported, particularly in Darfur, triggering an investigation by the International Criminal Court into potential war crimes and crimes against humanity. Hells door was opened The villagers from Shaq al-Noum said RSF fighters and their allied Janjaweed militias stormed into the community, looting houses and robbing residents, especially of womens gold. Some victims were held at gunpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some young villagers attempted to fight back by taking up rifles to defend their homes. The RSF fighters knocked them down and continued their rampage, witnesses said. It was as if the hells door was opened, Saeed said, sobbing. Her straw house and neighboring homes were burned down, and one RSF fighter seized her necklace. We were dying of fear, she said. The villagers said the fighters also sexually abused or raped many women. One of the women said she saw three fighters wearing RSF uniforms dragging a young woman into an abandoned house. She said she later met the woman, who said she was raped. Satellite imagery from July 13 and 14 showed intentional arson attacks and a large smoke point over the village as well as razed and smoldering buildings, the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the two-day RSF attack in Shaq al-Noum and surrounding areas, more than 450 civilians, including 35 children and two pregnant women, were killed, according to UNICEF. After the assault, many of the survivors fled, leaving behind a mostly deserted village. The RSF did not respond to questions about the attack from the AP. Both sides seek control of oil-rich Kordofan region Beyond the village, the oil-rich Kordofan region has emerged as a major front line following the militarys recapture of Khartoum earlier this year. The warring parties have raced for control of the three-province region stretching across southern and central Sudan because it controls vital supply lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kordofan has become the most strategic area of the country, said Cameron Hudson, an Africa expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The fighting has exacerbated the already dire conditions in the region. In Kadugli, the provincial capital of South Kordofan province, roads have been cut off, supply lines have collapsed and residents are walking miles just to search for salt or matches, said Kadry Furany, country director for Sudan at Mercy Corps aid group. A mental health therapist in Obeid, the provincial capital of North Kordofan province, said the city received waves of displaced people in recent weeks, all from areas recently ambushed by the RSF. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The therapist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of concerns about her safety, said she supported 10 women and girls who endured sexual abuse, including rape, in RSF-seized areas in July alone. Among the victims were two women from Shaq al-Noum village, she said. The conditions are tragic, she said. Another epicenter of starvation and disease To the west of the Kordofan region is el-Fasher, the militarys last stronghold in the five-province Darfur region. The city which has been under constant RSF bombardment for over a year is one of the hardest hit by hunger and disease outbreaks, according to the U.N. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The World Food Program has been unable to deliver aid by land. It warned this month that 300,000 people, who are trapped, hungry and running out of time, are at risk of starvation. Everyone in el-Fasher is facing a daily struggle to survive, said Eric Perdison, the food program's director for eastern and southern Africa. Without immediate and sustained access, lives will be lost. The paramilitaries and their Janjaweed allies imposed a total blockade of el-Fasher, leaving no route out of the city that the RSF does not control, according to satellite imagery recently analyzed by the humanitarian lab at Yale. The blockade caused food prices to spike up to 460% higher than in the rest of Sudan, according to the African Center for Justice and Peace Studies. Most staples are scarce or no longer available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Civilians who want to leave the city are required to pass through a single RSF-controlled point, where they have been robbed, forced to pay bribes or killed, according to the Yale lab, aid workers and residents. On Aug. 2, a group of people, including women and children, attempted to flee the city. When they reached Garni, a village on a crucial supply route just northwest of the city, RSF fighters ambushed the area, residents said. They tell you to leave, then they kill you, said al-Amin Ammar, a 63-year-old who said he escaped because he is old. Its a death trap. At least 14 people were killed, and dozens of others were wounded in the village, said the Emergency Lawyers rights group said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aside from fighting, the region has been ravaged by lack of food and a cholera outbreak, said Adam Regal, a spokesman for a local aid group known as General Coordination. Many people have nothing to eat and resorted to cattle fodder to survive, he said. Some have not found even fodder, he said. He shared images of emaciated children with their exhausted, malnourished mothers on the outskirts of el-Fasher or the nearby town of Tawila. People dont await food or medicine, he said, rather they await death. The 12-year-old son of Sabah Hego, a widow, was admitted with cholera to a makeshift hospital in Tweila, joining dozens of other patients there. He is sick, and dying, Hego said of her youngest child. He is not alone. There are many like him. Support for victims and survivors of domestic violence is available 24/7: 1-800-897-LINK (5465). If you or someone else is in immediate danger or an emergency, please call 911 immediately. VINEYARD, Utah (ABC4) A Vineyard woman is accused of attempting to break her roommates neck during an argument in order to kill them, according to documents. Annika Rayelle Goodrich, 25, has been arrested and is being held without bail for attempted murder and two counts of assault on a peace officer. She has not been formally charged yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the arrest statement, on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, police were dispatched to a domestic violence incident. Police were contacted and told that Goodrich had attempted to break a victims neck. Deputies with the Utah County Sheriffs Office responded to the apartment and found that Goodrich and the victim were in separate rooms. When deputies made contact with Goodrich, she allegedly stated that the victim should be dead. Due to her statement, deputies detained Goodrich and handcuffed her. They put Goodrich on the couch, at which point she began kicking at the deputies. Goodrich allegedly told the deputies multiple times that she hated the victim and she wanted to kill the victim. Uintah County man allegedly murdered mother for not letting him use car: Federal charges Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goodrich stated that voices in her head told her to kill the victim. Deputies then spoke with the victim, who stated that she and Goodrich were having a verbal argument when the incident occurred. The victim stated that during the argument, Goodrich grabbed their neck and began twisting it and attempting to break their neck. The victim yelled for Goodrich to stop and tried to protect themselves, but Goodrich allegedly continued to grab their neck and twist it. According to documents, the victim stated that Goodrich has been physical in the past but never to the extent that the victim began fearing for their life. The victim also reported that Goodrich had previously made statements about wanting to slit the victims throat during the night. Goodrich was booked into the Utah County Jail, and is currently being held without bail pending criminal charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. (The Center Square) An illegal immigrant from Mexico, who had previous convictions for violent crimes, has been sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to illegally reentering America. Otoniel Lugo-Campos, who was arrested in Nevada, will also have to serve three years of supervised release after finishing his sentence. The Mexican national was previously deported twice from the U.S. Lugo-Campos has a history of violent incidents, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 8, 2021, Lugo-Campos entered into his former girlfriends apartment, where he shot her, her new boyfriend and a neighbor, according to the DOJ's court filing in the U.S. District Court for Nevada. The Center Square obtained a copy of the court document, which said it is not known how Lugo-Campos entered the home. The DOJ said he didn't have a key. The DOJ's court filing also said Lugo-Campos told his ex-girlfriend that if he went to jail, he would get out and then take [her] and [her] family out. When Nevada Highway Patrol arrested Lugo-Campos a week later, law enforcement found a 9mm handgun beneath the steering wheel panel, the DOJ noted in its document filed in the U.S. District Court. For this incident, Lugo-Campos was convicted of battery with use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, the DOJ said. He was also convicted of discharge of a firearm from or within a structure or vehicle, according to the court filing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Less than two months before this, Lugo-Campos showed up at her apartment unexpectedly while being intoxicated, the DOJ's court document says. The DOJ said Lugo Campos asked her for sex, but she said no, which resulted in Lugo-Campos beating her with a 3-foot pipe. Due to this, she ended up needing stitches because of the beating, the DOJ said. The DOJ's court filing noted after the ex-girlfriend moved on from the short dating relationship, the foreign national shot her three times. While he was in state custody for the shooting, law enforcement discovered that Lugo-Campos was in America illegally, the DOJ said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This legal case is not the first time the American justice system has had to deal with Lugo-Campos. The foreign national was deported from America the first time in 2000 after he pleaded guilty to a felony drug conviction and numerous probation violations, the DOJ noted in a news release. After his first deportation, Lugo-Campos returned to America and was arrested again in 2008. This time, he robbed five convenience stores in the Las Vegas area with a large butcher knife, the DOJ said. The DOJ also said he cut two store clerks in the robberies. For these robberies, the Mexican national was convicted of two counts of robbery with use of a deadly weapon," the DOJ's court filing stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lugo-Campos was deported back to Mexico in 2014 after serving his prison sentence. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Salt Lake City and its Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated this case, while the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted it. RICHMOND The General Assembly allocated $87.5 million in the current budget for the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, a financial resource that helps preserve and develop affordable housing units. Thats the largest investment from the state in the funds history. More funding has equaled more affordable housing: In fiscal 2024, $60 million went toward the creation or preservation of more than 3,000 affordable units, compared to $5.4 million generating about 300 units in fiscal 2014. But in 2021, the last time a comprehensive statewide housing needs assessment was conducted, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found the state would need to allocate closer to $1.6 billion annually to develop 20,000 units per year to meet the states need for affordable housing in 10 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We still have a long way to go, said Isabel McLain, director of policy and advocacy at the Virginia Housing Alliance, during a presentation to a Virginia Housing Commission workgroup at the General Assembly Building Tuesday. The VHTF helps get existing projects with other funding sources over the finish line. The bulk 80% of the funds are administered to the Affordable and Special Needs Housing loan pool. Those loans then go to projects with units affordable to people earning 80% or less than the area median income. Affordable is defined as costing no more than 30% of ones income. The other 20% of the VHTF funds go toward homeless reduction grants, which can pay for projects like a new shelter or rental assistance. State Sen. Emily Jordan, R-Smithfield, proposed a bill this past session that would change that formula to a 65-35 split. That bill died in committee. At Tuesdays meeting, she made the case it should be reintroduced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Hampton Roads, we know that we have an affordable housing issue, she said. What this bill sought to do is provide some flexibility in that ratio so we could try to, in the immediate forefront, find some additional funding to address our targeted homelessness population as we work towards addressing the affordable housing crisis we have in Hampton Roads. Members of the workgroup did not have additional comments or questions for Jordan, but chair Del. Briana Sewell, D-Woodbridge, said the group looked forward to working with Jordan on the issue in the future. Three senators, five delegates and three governor appointees sit on the Housing Commission. There are two workgroups within the commission: the one that met Tuesday studies affordable housing solutions, and the other studies local land use and and community living. The workgroups, which include stakeholders from different housing sectors, provide recommendations on proposed legislation to the full commission, which in turn makes legislative recommendations to the legislature. The workgroup also heard from Del. Bonita Anthony, D-Norfolk, on her bill to require a geographic equity impact assessment on new affordable housing units. That bill passed the House, but was referred back to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, where it was passed by. The goal, Anthony said, is to correct history of high concentrations of poverty and allow families who qualify for affordable housing more choice on where to live. She cited areas of Norfolk including the Park Place neighborhood and Young Terrace and Calvert Square, two public housing complexes in the process of being redeveloped. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We wanted to correct decades of precedence where affordable housing has been disproportionately clustered in certain neighborhoods, she said. We wanted to unpack some of those structural patterns. We wanted to disrupt some of those cycles of concentrated poverty and oversaturation. But Anthony acknowledged the language of the bill could have had unintended consequences, like introducing caps on how many affordable housing units could be in specific neighborhoods. I absolutely understand the intent of this bill, said workgroup member Erin Kormann, legislative counsel with the Virginia Association of Realtors. I would encourage you to work, and Im sure you already have, with the affordable housing people and how to tweak that language so that it cant be used to keep this kind of housing out of certain areas. Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Midlothian, presented his bill to limit how many single-family houses private equity firms and hedge funds can buy. That bill was incorporated with legislation proposed by Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Richmond, before it died in committee. Sturtevant said he planned to reintroduce the bill this coming session with added provisions, recommended by the Virginia Poverty Law Center to include limits on how those firms can buy mobile home parks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is only going after the biggest of the big entities, the Wall Street hedge funds and private equity groups, Sturtevant said. The threshold that we have come up with is those institutional investors that have $50 million or more in assets. Under the guidance proposed by Sturtevant, entities would also only be prohibited from purchasing single-family homes if they already had 50 or more properties. Sturtevant acknowledged that only own a small portion of homes about 6.3% in Richmond, he said were sold to institutional investors. But he said it matters for first-time homebuyers. When you have a skewing of market forces by an entity that has a ton of money and the ability to pay cash to be able to come into a housing market, that is going to have in the aggregate effects throughout the rest of the market, he said. Homes are for people and are supposed to be owned by people, not as part of some stock portfolio investment strategy. The VPLC said that there are also maintenance concerns when often out-of-state private equity firms own mobile home parks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we have seen, especially down in Southwest Virginia, is that they do not put people on staff on site, said workgroup member Daniel Rezai, a housing attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center. Trying to get someone on the phone to come and take care of a major maintenance issue is almost impossible. But some members of the commission appeared skeptical of a ban on mega investors. My concern is where a lot of this conversation pops up around the country, its motivated by a fear of rental properties in traditionally single-family home ownership communities, said workgroup member Andrew Clark, vice president of government affairs at the Home Builders Association of Virginia. But if the focus is truly to make sure that were having housing stock and increasing supply and not having these mega investors come in I dont think wed necessarily be moving the needle at all by prohibiting these folks from purchasing these properties when we should be looking at zoning, financing opportunities, all those things that are constraining supply. Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kate.seltzer@virginiamedia.com BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) Virginia Techs campus is back to life, as the class of 2029 makes its way onto campus. With Hokies as far away as San Diego coming to Blacksburg for the 2025 2026 school year. Weve got about 7000 freshman first-year students to move in over the next several days, said Mark Owczarski, the universitys spokesperson, said, So weve spread it out to help make it easy and simple. Its the beginning of a huge adventure and a big step forward for a lot of these young men and women. One pair of first-years spoke with WFXR News after they finished moving in. Theyre roommates, but arent strangers; theyre also neighbors up in northern Virginia. They say moving in was easy, and theyre gonna miss their pets and parents, of course, but theyre ready to get involved with campus activities and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The campus was a big thing, Eli Rittenhouse, a freshman, said. Roanoke College unveils new housing made from shipping containers Campus, location, community. For me, its the best in the state school for engineering, Ethan Uzzle, a freshman, said. During move-in, students have one hour to get everything out of their car before moving on to long-term parking. They can then start unpacking or heading to the stores to grab any last-minute items. Hokie helpers are also all over campus to help families with parking, directions to dorm halls, and more. All the push carts, all the helpers, all the parking spaces available for families, Owczarski said, Then from there, once the parents begin their drive home, its orientation and acquainting students with life at college, living independently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia Tech Police took to social media, warning of the uptick in people throughout campus and the Town of Blacksburg. They say to just be careful, if youre driving, walking, or biking, as many people will be unfamiliar with camps. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) Mexican low-cost airline Viva will launch a new route between Austin and Mexico City in November. Nonstop service between AUS and Mexico Citys new Felipe Angeles International Airport (NLU) will begin Nov. 20. Flights will operate three days a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, using Airbus A320 aircraft. Flights are set to depart Austin at 12:35 p.m. and arrive in Mexico City at 2:55 p.m. Return flights will leave NLU at 9:15 a.m. and arrive in AUS at 11:25 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AUS Data Hub: Passenger totals, busiest months and new flights in 2025 and 2026 Mexico City is Vivas second nonstop destination from Austin. Service to Monterey began in March 2024. Since then, the airline has flown more than 50,000 passengers to and from Austin. We are thrilled to continue our expansion into Central Texas. This is a great opportunity to make tourism and trade easier, Viva CEO Juan Carlos Zuazua said. When arriving in Mexico City, travelers from AUS will also be able to enjoy direct flights to over 40 destinations, including Mexicos biggest cities and tourist destinations. We encourage you to take advantage of our low fares, modern fleet and unmatched service to explore and get to know our country. Rival Aeromexico currently flies between Austin and Mexico City, but uses Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) rather than NLU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. A Voice for Mikey: Father taking his experiences to raise awareness for autism families Michael Intoccias son Mikey was born with autism, and since that day, Michael has been on a mission to help families who have autistic kids. Along with friends from the North End of Boston, Michael is on a mission to raise money and awareness for families that deal with raising an autistic child. Michael is teaming up with Frank Depasquale, Pasquale Trotta, Nick Varano and others as all the money raised from this years San Gennaros feast in the North End will go to A Voice for Mikey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael is also holding a gala at The Cape Club of Sharon on Wednesday September 3rd. Please consider helping this cause This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW WASHINGTON A slight majority of voters 51% oppose the Trump administration taking over the DC, police force and deploying the National Guard in the nations capital, according to new data released Aug. 20 from a progressive polling firm. The poll by Data for Progress also said only 11% of voters think that President Donald Trumps National Guard deployment will be limited to DC. A majority believes Trump will deploy the National Guard to many (39%) or a few (35%) additional cities, according to the Aug. 15 to Aug. 18 survey of 1,127 likely U.S. voters. Trump announced on Aug. 11 that he would deploy National Guard troops to Washington to crack down on crime. Trump initially deployed around 800 National Guard troops to the streets of Washington and ordered the Justice Department to take over the districts Metropolitan Police Department. Since then, six additional governors have promised to send additional National Guard troops from their states to assist with Trumps efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Broadly, these findings indicate that a majority of voters oppose Trumps National Guard deployment in D.C, and view it as authoritarian, Data for Progress said. Voters also think Trump will deploy the National Guard to additional cities and would oppose a deployment in their community. More: National Guard from Republican states heading to DC: What you need to know Although Trump declared that crime was "out of control" in Washington, advocates, lawmakers and many residents have pushed back on that characterization, which defies crime data. A majority of voters polled agree that Trump is being authoritarian (57%) and that Trump is just doing this to distract from other issues (51%) as it relates to the situation in DC, Data for Progress said in a news release about the new poll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than half of voters (51%) also agreed that Trump is doing what's necessary to crack down on crime, though voters were closely divided, with 46% disagreeing with that statement. Data for Progress describes itself as a progressive think tank that conducts research, polling, and data analysis to produce strategic insights, inform policymaking, and equip movements with the tools needed to advance a more just, equitable future. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and recalled presidential vote. Trump has publicly suggested sending the National Guard to other U.S. cities, including New York City, Chicago, Baltimore and Oakland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked if they would support or oppose Trump deploying the National Guard to address crime in their communities, the pool of all likely voters said they would oppose this effort by a 9-point net margin. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Poll - Voters split on Trump takeover of DC police, deployment of Guard SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Two additional sessions will be held on August 20, one at noon at the Wabash Valley Community Foundation in Terre Haute, and another at 5:30 p.m. at the Brazil Public Library. The first seminar took place this evening at Westside Church in Sullivan. The events were held to help residents take control of their future by learning how to create, review, and finalize their personal plans. The seminars are open to the public and aimed at individuals who are either just beginning to plan or looking to revisit and improve their existing plans. Two additional sessions will be held on August 20, one at noon at the Wabash Valley Community Foundation in Terre Haute, and another at 5:30 p.m. at the Brazil Public Library. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. BRIMFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) The Wales Community Pantry held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday evening to celebrate its relocation to Brimfield. Springfield shelter cuts pet adoption fees by half until Aug. 30 It was an exciting day for the pantry as they officially opened its doors at its new location on Palmer Road in Brimfield. After 15 years of serving the community at the Wales Senior Center, the food pantry has now relocated to a larger and more accessible space to provide food and support for those in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I get hugged every day. Every day. Theres just so much need, and people are so grateful for that. They are, said the Wales Community Pantry Executive Director, Ann Davidson. The vibration when you come here is very receptive, no one is ashamed, nobody is judged, and nobody is turned away, added Wales Community Pantry Volunteer, Grace Thomas. Landlord Brian Caron, who built this building next to his familys Farmlands & Nursery, played a crucial role in helping them move into the new location and make it suitable for storing food, as it was previously a commercial garage. We all worked 24/7 to get this thing ready for them. But we accomplished it with a lot of help from a lot of people, said Caron. This functional and welcoming space is expected to help the pantry continue its mission in serving low-income families, senior citizens, and veterans, especially throughout the rural towns of Brimfield, Holland, Wales, and surrounding communities. They also help to deliver food to homebound clients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The demand for food assistance has doubled in these communities over the past year and a half, making this pantry an important resource for those in need. What were seeing is that the heightened cost of living hasnt dissipated since the end of the pandemic. And its spiked, and it hasnt come down. So people are struggling and making difficult choices to pay rent or utilities or put food on the table, said Executive Director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Andrew Morehouse. Local farmers and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts are key supporters in making sure food is provided to the pantry to keep up with demand. The Food Bank generously donated $800 worth of gift cards from Big Y to help stock the pantry. As they settle into their new location, they are actively seeking volunteers and donations to continue their important work in the community. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) The Walton County University of Florida Extension Office is set to host two new classes for September. Cooking Up Health: The Mediterranean Way is a six-session class designed to help students cook up healthy, flavorful meals at home. The 6-week program meets 6:00-8:00 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning Sept. 2. The class is $60 per person. To register, click here before Aug 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Outsiders Guide to the Florida Panhandle is a four-part educational series. The first class, Sep. 2, will cover the Panhandles climate and how to choose plants; Sep. 9 will be on lawn care; Sep. 16 will cover Landscape Care; and Sep. 30 will cover Pest and Disease Control. The classes will be from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and are $10 to attend. To register, 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 mypanhandle.com. The American military is incredibly powerful, said Andy Yakulis, CEO and co-founder of Vector Defense Inc., but is it the strongest in the world? When it comes to unmanned systems, it is very hard to compete with Ukraine, he told the Deseret News. Theyre incredibly smart at incorporating technology in a war-fighting tactical capacity, and they also have an edge when theyre forced to do that because their existence is at stake. He believes that Israel is similar, he noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats why American manufacturers, such as Vector the defense technology company Yakulis co-founded in 2024 are working to produce combat machinery domestically in the United States and used by the U.S. military. Tech integrator Tee Garner solders a wire for a drone wiring harness at Vector's office in Draper on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Vector develops drones with names such as Dagger, Hammer and Mace. However, they dont see themselves as a drone company. Instead, they provide what Yakulis described as warfare as a service, which includes integration, training and incorporating other technologies within a contract under them. The drone itself is only one component of what they offer. With approximately 125 full-time employees, Vector maintains teams in locations such as Ukraine and Israel to stay updated on the latest tactics used in active conflicts. We maintain that sort of rotational presence, so that when an American military soldier gets a training from a Vector individual, he knows its the latest and greatest tactics that have been seen in battle, he said, but, You cant copy and paste what you see in Ukraine and then apply that to the American military. You still have to apply some American way of fighting. Were going to fight in the American military a little differently from the Ukrainians, but theres still a lot of lessons to be learned. Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, right, speaks with Vector CEO Andy Yakulis during a tour of Vector's office in Draper on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Since the company began, Yakulis said hes received tremendous support from Congress, specifically his districts representative, Congressman Mike Kennedy, who toured the Vector facility on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What were looking for is a bigger demand signal from the United States military, Yakulis said. Since President Donald Trump has taken office, he said theres been some fantastic top-down leadership that we havent seen in the past that is forcing the military to move out at a faster pace to incorporate unmanned systems. Because, he said, warfare has changed. A Vector Hammer drone flys during a demonstration for Utah Rep. Mike Kennedy near Vector's office in Draper on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News The drone has changed warfare forever, and thats why were pushing this initiative where we need to build large points of drones. This is an initiative Yakulis said the current administration seems to understand, with Trumps executive order in June on unleashing American drone dominance, followed by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signing a drone memo on the front lawn of the Pentagon to modernize the U.S. militarys war-fighting capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although progress is occurring at the federal level, lingering red tape continues to hinder advancements. The appropriate amount of money necessary for drone training in the military is a passion-driven topic for Yakulis, who served as an army officer in the United States military. The army tasked soldiers with integrating drones into their training, but didnt allocate funds for the equipment, forcing soldiers to use their own money to purchase drones for training. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act and Hegseths drone memo has helped with this issue, and dollars are starting to come, Yakulis said, but with a lag. Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, left, inspects a drone during a tour of Vector's office from Vector CEO Andy Yakulis, right, in Draper on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Last year, I talked to one junior enlisted soldier who had spent about $5,000 of his own money. I talked to some who were spending up to $15,000 of their own money just to buy the drone materials so that they could train, he said. I think this really added to our passion and conviction for this company when we started to see this and spent a lot more time with Congressman Kennedy and senior officials with the Pentagon to make sure that they understood this is unsatisfactory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy told the Deseret News that Congress role is to find any opportunity to invest the appropriate amount of money to make sure that these industries are empowered to protect us in the future. The other thing is learning how it works, and how can we put various businesses together and share the technology where possible, and compete in the market so that the best rise to the top, he said. Those are some things that, as a government official, I should be doing, and thats why Im grateful to be here to learn about the technology and help to coordinate and try to find the collaborative opportunities. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) San Diego County officials installed warning signs in the South Bay on Wednesday morning to alert the community of the dangers of toxic gases and contaminated air that have emerged from cross-border sewage pollution near the Tijuana River. The warning signs began being installed around 8:30 a.m. at two major Tijuana River sewage hot spots in the U.S. near Saturn Boulevard, which is located just northeast of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. According to a press release from San Diego County officials, The Tijuana River has long carried untreated sewage, industrial waste, and chemicals across the U.S.-Mexico border, creating an ongoing environmental and public health crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Child dies in El Centro after being left in vehicle amid heat wave San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria were expected on site to unveil the warning signs. Additionally, Gabriel Uribe, a South Bay resident, was slated to speak at the ceremony to share firsthand accounts of how the pollution has affected the community. According to the press release, Recent Airborne Contaminants of Emerging Concern (ACE) studies and case reviews by health officials have documented dangerous hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gas emissions near polluted sites, raising concerns for residents, visitors and outdoor workers. While the signs serve as a visual warning, officials say they continue to push for long-term pollution control solutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. The race to represent a Warren County seat in the Ohio Senate is heating up, as two Republican candidates have already announced their campaigns for a May 2026 primary. Sen. Steve Wilson currently represents District 7 but term limits prevent him from running again. The district includes Warren County and northern parts of Hamilton County. It has a 60% Republican lean and a population of about 366,000, according to analysis by Dave's Redistricting, which uses recent election results data to predict partisan split of electoral districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's not clear who else, Republican or Democrat, may run for the seat as it's too early to see who has pulled petitions for 2026 local elections. Who is Zac Haines? Symmes Township resident Zac Haines has announced his campaign to represent the 7th District. Haines is a Miami University trustee and CEO of DPA Buying Group, a marketing agency in Blue Ash. He was nominated by President Trump to be a trustee for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. He's been endorsed for the seat by U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson, a Republican from Troy, along with Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, according a campaign news release. My goal is to make Ohio the best and most competitive state in the country, Haines said in the release. Who is Scott Lipps? Scott Lipps, who previously represented Warren County in the Ohio House, has also pulled petitions to run for the Senate seat. Lipps last won reelection for the eastern Warren County House seat in 2022 with 75% of the vote. Term limits prevented him from running for the Ohio House again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lipps has also served as Franklin mayor and city council member. He owns Sleep Tite Mattress Factory and Showroom in Franklin. Lipps said in a news release that he spent his time at the statehouse advocating for Second Amendment rights and for the rights of the elderly and those with disabilities. "It was an honor to represent Warren County and southwestern Ohio at the Statehouse. I am proud of my conservative record," Lipps said in the release. Ohio Senate District 7 Regional politics reporter Erin Glynn can be reached at eglynn@enquirer.com, @ee_glynn on X or @eringlynn on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Warren County primary: meet the Republican candidates AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) New Ring footage shows the moments when a suspect allegedly steals a marked Aurora Police Department vehicle, resulting in a half-hour-long pursuit across multiple jurisdictions on Tuesday morning. APD said that officers were investigating a burglary call around 8:30 a.m. at 700 Aswego Street when they realized someone had allegedly taken off in one of their marked patrol cars. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX31 obtained Ring footage from the family who made the initial burglary report. The video captures the moments of a driver screeching off in that police vehicle. While investigating that incident, a possibly uninvolved male entered one of our police vehicles, the Tahoe behind me, and stole it, APD Deputy Chief Michael Gaskill said. One of the officers observed the male getting into the vehicle driving off and aired that to units in the area were a pursuit where pursuit was initiated. Gaskill said the suspect was able to drive the police vehicle through multiple jurisdictions, with speeds ranging from 30 mph to 80 mph. The pursuit ended when police say the suspect tried to make a turn and one of APDs officers entered the path of the vehicle and intentionally rammed the vehicle stopping it. The deputy chief also addressed how the suspect was able to get into the police vehicle in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The keys werent in the ignition, the keys were in the officers pocket, Gaskill said. Our vehicles are equipped with anti-theft devices. However, that wasnt engaged as the officers got out to investigate this call. Well be reviewing that, of course, once we identify how it happened, how we can prevent it from happening in the future. APD released an update Tuesday afternoon identifying the suspect, Brayan Reyes-Bernal, 31, who, according to APD, is facing charges for: Aggravated motor vehicle theft Vehicular eluding Burglary Hit-and-run The police department also said that there may be additional charges in the incident and noted that Reyes-Bernal was currently on probation out of Adams County for felony trespassing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Russians welcomed Tuesday the idea of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, though not everyone was convinced it would bring peace after nearly three-and-a-half years of conflict. After meeting Putin in Alaska on Friday and Zelensky in Washington on Monday, US President Donald Trump announced he would arrange face-to-face talks between the two leaders, their first in almost six years. Ukraine cut diplomatic ties with Russia after Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, and the two leaders have had no direct contact since. "It would be good if such an event took place. I am sure that the conflict would end and everything would be fine," 39-year-old musician Roman told AFP in Moscow. "Many young people have died. It would be good if such a meeting had taken place earlier," he said. Vyacheslav, a 23-year-old civil servant, agreed that a meeting between the two leaders was long overdue. "It would have been better if the meeting had taken place earlier. But then there were a lot of interested parties and it turned out the way it did," he told AFP in Moscow. Russia hoped to take Kyiv in days after launching its offensive in 2022, but pulled back from the Ukrainian capital after encountering stiff resistance. Its forces have since seized large swathes of the east and south of the country, while tens of thousands of soldiers have died on both sides. "I want everything to end peacefully," said Roman. "We are one people, we are Slavs, and we must love and respect each other." Ilya Denisov, a 19-year-old student from Saint Petersburg, said he was sceptical the talks would succeed. "Nothing will change," he told AFP. "Ukraine should be divided. Leave Russia what it controls and go their separate ways." Russia currently occupies a fifth of Ukraine. It annexed Crimea in 2014 following a referendum denounced as a sham by Kyiv and the West, and did the same in 2022 in four Ukrainian regions -- Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk and Zaporizhzhia -- though its forces have not fully captured them. Russia has signalled it might freeze the front line in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in exchange for Ukraine withdrawing from land it already controls in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, but Kyiv has shot down the proposal. Vyacheslav was hopeful the two sides could agree a deal. "I hope we can agree on mutually beneficial terms," he said. Tatiana, a 29-year-old resident of Moscow, told AFP she supported the idea of a meeting between Zelensky and Putin. "If, of course, they come to a good result," she added. Sales manager Ksenia was not convinced the two leaders should meet at all. The Russian leader has repeatedly questioned Zelensky's legitimacy, saying his mandate expired under martial law. "I am against the meeting," she told AFP. "What is ours now must remain ours. People shed blood for this land, so it is ours." Bodycam footage from the Newport Police Department in Newport, Rhode Island, shows Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan pleading with officers not to arrest her and appearing to try to use her job as a state prosecutor to get officers to let her go. "I'm an AG! I'm an AG!" Flanagan can be heard saying to police as they tried to detain her for failing to comply with their demands. "You're going to regret this. You're going to regret it. I'm an A-" Flanagan said as she was escorted to the back of a police car and the door was shut. "Good for you, I don't give a s---," one of the arresting officers can be heard saying back at one point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Female Police Officer Leaps Into Water, Fights Career Criminal Before Making Arrest, Video Shows The Rhode Island Attorney General's Office indicated Monday that they were reviewing the matter involving Flanagan, but did not indicate whether any disciplinary measures have been taken. Throughout the video, Flanagan can also be heard telling the officers how to do their job. Read On The Fox News App "I want you to turn your body-camera off. Protocol is that you turn it off. It's a citizen request to turn it off," Flanagan told the officer when he approached her to ask her to leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She knows, she's a lawyer," a separate female who was with Flanagan told the officer. "She's a f---ing lawyer." Ex-trump Prosecutor Jack Smith Under Investigation By Government Watchdog Office Of Special Counsel "On the evening of Aug. 14, the Office of the Attorney General learned that members of the Newport Police Department arrested Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan for trespassing," Megan Skinner, a spokesperson for the Attorney Generals Office, said Friday, according to The Boston Globe. Meanwhile, a separate spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the attorney general's office was "reviewing the matter" of Flanagan's arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Office immediately began a review of the incident, which we anticipate will conclude within the next few days," the attorney general's spokesperson added in their statement to The Boston Globe. "At this time, we are unable to comment further on this matter as it relates to personnel issues." Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha's office said it has launched a review of the arrest that has gone viral in the last few days. Flanagan has reportedly worked in the attorney general's office for seven years and works on appeals cases in criminal court. She was ultimately charged with willful trespass and issued a summons to appear in court. In addition to Flanagan's arrest, the other female in the video, seen yelling at officers and escaping from their handcuffs at one point, was also arrested, according to the Globe. That individual, identified as Veronica Hannan, was reportedly charged with willful trespass, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Original article source: WATCH: Footage shows blue state prosecutor warning officers they'll 'regret' arresting her: 'I'm an AG!' 200 troops deployed to NC coast as conditions start to deteriorate from Hurricane Erin: Governor Josh Stein RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) With Hurricane Erin looming off the North Carolina coast in the coming days, Governor Josh Stein addressed the state on Wednesday morning to provide key updates on the system thats making its way north toward Outer Banks. Erin continued to churn as a Category 2 hurricane toward the eastern U.S. on Wednesday, stirring up treacherous waves that already have led to dozens of water rescues and shut down beaches along the coastline. No one should be in the ocean, Stein said. We are anticipating coastal flooding from massive waves, tropical storm force winds, and tidal and storm surge for much of the states shoreline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Erin remains Category 2 storm with large wind field Impassable roads, life-threatening rip currents Will Ray, the states Director of Emergency Management, reiterated the storm is forecast to remain offshorebut pointed to the dangerous conditions its already creating hundreds of miles away. Hurricane Erin is already creating extremely dangerous and life-threatening rip currents for all of the North Carolina coast. Weve seen a high number of rescues along the coast and you should avoid swimming anywhere along the North Carolina coast right now, Ray said. Roads are expected to become impassable in communities on the barrier island, especially the main corridor of Highway 12. Ray said on Tuesday, NC Emergency Management deployed three swift water rescue teams from N.C. Marine Patrol, N.C. Wildlife Resources, and a joint team made up of the Wake Forest Fire Department and the Knightdale Fire Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steins briefing came one day after he issued a state of emergency ahead of Erins arrival. As waves from Hurricane Erin crash and No Swimming flags flap in the breeze, people walk on the beach in Nags Head, N.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed) Red flags, indicating swimming is prohibited, are raised at the beach in Duck, N.C., Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, as precautions are taken ahead of Hurricane Erin. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Red flags, indicating swimming is prohibited, are raised at the beach in Duck, N.C., Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, as precautions are taken ahead of Hurricane Erin. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Three women walk the beach at sunrise as waves from Hurricane Erin crash ashore in Nags Head, N.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed) Prior to the governors state of emergency, local states of emergency were declared in Dare and Hyde counties. Mandatory evacuations are also in place for Ocracoke and Hatteras islands. Stein on State of Emergency Declaration The severity and serious nature of Hurricane Erin are what led to Steins statewide state of emergency declaration on Tuesday, he said in the press briefing. Its key purpose is that it enables us to send critical resources from across the state and around the country to respond, Stein said. In addition to the resources Ray mentioned, the state has also activated a cross-agency storm response, which includes the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Transportation, the North Carolina National Guard, the State Highway Patrol, and many local partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve already pre-positioned three swift water rescue teams, 200 national guard troops to various locations along the coast, as well as boats, high-clearance vehicles and air craft, Stein said. There are also some Chinook military helicopters from Georgia ready to transport food and water, if it becomes necessary. Speaking to the assistance available at the federal level from FEMA, Stein said the state has had a good working relationship with the federal government for the past 11 months, since Hurricane Helenes devastation in western North Carolina. Even so, speaking to President Trumps previous comments on wanting to end FEMA, Stein said The federal government has not met the moment. Deteriorating Conditions While forecasters remain confident the center of the monster storm will remain far offshore, the outer edges are likely to bring damaging tropical-force winds, large swells and life-threatening rip currents into Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rough ocean conditions have already been seen along the coast at least 60 swimmers were rescued from rip currents Monday at Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington. Hurricane Erin is forecast to stay hundreds of miles offshore but is still sending waves 20 feet (6 meters) or greater crashing over vulnerable sand dunes on the islands. Officials have ordered evacuations of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands even without a hurricane warning because that tiny ribbon of highway called N.C. 12 will likely be torn up and washed out in several places, isolating villages for days or weeks. However, the biggest threat is along the barrier islands of North Carolinas Outer Banks , where evacuations have been ordered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS: State of emergency declared in North Carolina ahead of Hurricane Erin According to the early Wednesday morning update from the National Hurricane Center, Erin has sustained winds of 100 miles per hour, with gusts reaching 120 miles per hour. The system is currently traveling north-northwest at 13 miles per hour. The forecast track has seen little change, but still puts the storm about 240 miles off the North Carolina coast on Thursday. On this current forecast path, the bulk of the impacts from Hurricane Erin will stay along the coast with simply clouds and breezy conditions in central North Carolina. The biggest impact on the coast will be big waves, coastal flooding and dangerous rip currents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erin has become an unusually large and deceptively worrisome storm, with its tropical storm winds stretching 230 miles (370 kilometers) from its core. Forecasters expect it will grow larger in size as it moves through the Atlantic and curls north. Tropical storm and storm surge warnings have been issued for parts of the North Carolina coast in anticipation of Erins impacts of wind and storm surge. 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 CBS17.com. NASAs Crew-10 astronauts will brief reporters Wednesday afternoon on their nearly five-month SpaceX mission aboard the International Space Station. The crew which included NASAs Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agencys Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov returned to Earth earlier this month, splashing down off the coast of San Diego. The crew spent 146 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, traveling nearly 62,795,205 million miles and completing 2,368 orbits around Earth, NASA wrote in its news release. While living and working aboard the station, the crew completed hundreds of science experiments and technology demonstrations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McClain, Ayers and Onishi will take questions from the media at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The press conference is scheduled to begin a 4:15 p.m. EDT. Watch the live video above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Keep your eyes on the skies, stargazers! A rare planet parade is taking place this week, bringing some of the main characters of our solar system together in one dazzling lineup that wont happen again until October 2028. According to NASA, the term "planet parade" isn't officially recognized in astronomy, while "planetary alignment" can describe various astronomical events. While orbiting the sun, the planets in our solar system have occasional meet-cutes. These planetary alignments are referred to as oppositions and conjunctions. Other alignments occur when planets, like the moon or bright stars, appear to line up in the sky from our perspective here on planet Earth, per NASA. Adorning the night sky since this past weekend, sky watchers are presented with one final opportunity this Thursday, Aug. 21, to marvel at the planet parade. This stellar lineup features Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn, not to mention Neptune and Uranus, which arent visible to the naked eye. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without further ado, heres everything you need to know about this rare event. Which planets will be visible during the planetary alignment? Getty Earth and solar system planets, sun and star. Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune Earth and solar system planets, sun and star. Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune The cosmos is putting on quite the show, as Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn come into view together with the crescent moon. Neptune and Uranus are also making a cameo in the background, but youll need a telescope to spot them, as they are not visible to the naked eye. The finale is especially dazzling, but not as easy to see! A thin crescent moon will sit alongside Mercury, while a stunning cluster of stars glimmers between the two. When will the planets be visible? Science Photo Library - MARK GARLICK. / Getty Images Saturn planet in solar system, close-up Get your shut-eye, stargazers! Early risers will be treated to a sweet sight on Thursday, Aug. 21, as a sleek waning crescent moon will glow right above Mercury in the low eastern sky, about an hour before sunrise. Still, the magic doesnt end there! As the planet parade steals the show, a seasonal black moon when theres a rare third new moon in a season of four will clear the night sky, gracing stargazers in the northern hemisphere with one of the best views of the Milky Way. How to watch the parade of planets? Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty The August Sturgeon full moon rises behind the Hortiatis mountain and Thessaloniki city over the sea, skywatchers call it Blue Moon. The lunar moonlight is reflected on the water surface while it rises in warm red color near Kalochori town with the famous Lagoon and Axios Delta National Park. The country offers free cultural events at sites, a tradition for Greece with Museums Across the country open at night while a number of free cultural events will take place on August 22, at Greece's archaeological sites and museums to mark the full moon celebrations, earth's natural satellite and the beginning of the summer ending. Kalohori, Thessaloniki, Greece on August 22, 2021 Hoping to catch a glimpse of the planet parade? Youll need a pair of binoculars and a clear view of the eastern horizon. According to Andrew Fazekas astronomy columnist for CBC Radio the planets will resemble bright points of light. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To the naked eye, you're not going to see anything spectacular," he said, advising that its a "wonderful observing challenge," attempting to spot so many planets at once. If youre looking to capture all the planets at once, Fazekas notes that there will be a very short window of time" to do so. Meanwhile, Chris Vaughan Canadian astronomy educator recommends a good view of the horizon if youre hoping to spot Mercury, as the planet rises around 5 a.m. and is most visible between 5:30 and 6 a.m. When's the next planet parade? According to NASA, the next planet parade will include five visible planets before sunrise, but won't occur until October 2028. Read the original article on People Credit: X / @DeptofDefense JD Vance was heckled by protesters as he visited National Guard troops in Washington, DC. Demonstrators booed, jeered and shouted obscenities at the US vice-president as he crossed the main hall of Union Station. He was accompanied by Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, and Stephen Miller, the deputy White House chief of staff. Some shouted free DC, claiming it was under occupation after Donald Trump deployed hundreds of federal troops to the city and took control of its police force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police officers formed a wall between Mr Vance and the protesters as he headed over to meet National Guard troops gathered at a Shake Shack outlet. You guys bust your ass all day, we give you a hamburger, the vice-president said, admitting: Not a fair trade but were grateful for everything you guys do. Mr Vance visited National Guard troops at Union Station and brought them burgers - Pool As Mr Vance shook hands with troops, who have been stationed at the transport hub, the crowd gathered outside could be heard chanting and booing. Mr Trump has faced criticism for deploying the National Guard in Washingtons tourist hotspots rather than areas with higher crime rates. The US president claimed the move was necessary to stop the city being overtaken by bloodthirsty gangs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Questioned why troops had been sent to Union Station, Mr Vance insisted that its crime rate was actually extremely high. You have vagrants, you have drug addicts, you have the homeless, you have the mentally ill who harass, who threaten violence, who attack families and theyve done it for far too long, he told reporters. This should be a monument to American greatness... we have empowered criminals over the people who actually need public safety in this city. Mr Vance condemned the protest - SAUL LOEB A demonstrator yells at the vice-president and US defence secretary - Jose Luis Magana He hit out at the protesters gathered outside in the stations marble hall, calling them a bunch of old primarily white people who are out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when theyve never felt danger in their entire lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Miller, the architect of Mr Trumps deportation policies, labelled the demonstrators crazy communists and elderly white hippies. Noting that most of Washingtons population is black, he added: Ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because theyre all over 90 years old. Mr Miller continued: Theyre the ones who have been advocating for the one per cent: the criminals, the killers, the rapists, the drug dealers. And Im glad theyre here today... inspired by them were going to add thousands more resources to this city to get the criminals and the gang members out of here. The Trump administration has deployed federal officers and the National Guard to the city - Kevin Dietsch Mr Trumps move has sparked confrontations between federal agents and outraged citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, a justice department employee was charged with assault after hurling a Subway sandwich at a member of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Several restaurants have told The Telegraph that customers are staying away because they are intimidated by the presence of federal troops, with bookings for August significantly down on expected levels. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Wednesday that authorities had made 465 arrests since Aug 7. On Tuesday night, officers arrested 52 people, she continued, claiming one was an illegal immigrant who belonged to the MS-13 street gang with a previous conviction for drug possession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks to president Trumps leadership and the outstanding work of both federal and local law enforcement, dangerous gang members like the one picked up last night will not be allowed on the streets of our nations capital, she said. Hitting out at fake narratives from the media, Ms Leavitt said a significant number of the arrests have been in high crime areas of DC. She added that authorities had cleared four homeless encampments on Tuesday, and had removed a total of 48 since last week. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. UPDATE: Como-Pickton CISD stated that classes will resume at their regularly scheduled time on Thursday morning, as the city has completed a water pump replacement. Officials explained that a water boil notice will remain in effect until Monday, so students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school until the district can secure a larger supply of drinking water. Morning athletic practices will also resume at their normal schedule. COMO, Texas (KETK) Como-Pickton CISD announced Wednesday morning that students will be released early after a water issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the district, students will be released at 1 p.m. due to them experiencing a water problem. This issue is happening just one week after their first day of school on Aug. 13. Marshall ISD mourns death of beloved high schooler after medical emergency School officials also said that there will be no after-school practices for the high school and junior high. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. WEST PALM BEACH Sitting in his office at Jack The Bike Man's headquarters in West Palm Beach, Alejandro Hernandez described the challenge of carrying on the legacy of the nonprofit's founder and namesake. Hernandez became the organization's executive director two years ago following the death of Jack Hairston, who built the nonprofit into one of Palm Beach County's most notable charities. I feel grateful for the opportunity," Hernandez said. "Im also grateful because of the team that we have. Its a small but tight-knit group of bike technicians, admin employees and then some of the volunteers and community service people. But its definitely been a challenge." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since its founding in 2007, Jack The Bike Man has gifted hundreds of refurbished bicycles annually to children and adults in need. It hosts an annual giveaway each Christmas, donating two-wheelers and helmets to children. It also has a program that allows people to earn a bicycle, accessories or repair services by doing volunteer work. Hairston died from a heart attack on July 7, 2023, at the age of 81, raising questions about the charity's future. "A lot of people thought that that was the end of Jack The Bike Man when he passed away," Hernandez said. "So its been an uphill struggle in trying to educate the community that, no, were still here and were still doing the same things that we did prior to Jack passing away. "Weve actually expanded some of the things that we were doing before, and were reaching a lot more kids and adults than we did before." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of that uphill struggle was a fire in February in a neighboring space that the Bike Man owns. Despite the blaze, operations did not stop, and they continued to work out of space on Claremore Drive. Alejandro Hernandez, the executive director of Jack the Bike Man, took over in 2023 after the organization's founder and namesake, Jack Hairston, died. Hernandez, 45, is in his second stint with the organization. He first joined Jack The Bike Man in 2016, serving as its program director for nearly three years before departing for a position with the Center for Creative Education. Hairston recruited Hernandez to return in 2022 as director of operations. A native of Torreon, Mexico, Hernandez moved to El Paso, Texas, with his family when he was 15. He lived in Texas and California before making his way to South Florida in 2016. He previously worked in the mental health field, serving as a counselor to children and families and helping with adults with severe mental illnesses and addiction issues. Jack the Bike Man's Christmas giveaway, like this one in 2023, has become part of the fabric of the community that families line up for annually. Hernandez said working with Hairston taught him to oversee multiple tasks. He said his goal is to make Jack The Bike Man even more of a community hub, and to continue Hairston's mission of helping those in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its more than just someone on a bike smiling and having a good time riding the bike," Hernandez said. "Jack The Bike Man has become more than that. The bikes that we give away, its kind of like a lifeline or a new beginning for someone. Its more than just two wheels." Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: New director at Jack The Bike Man carries on late founder's legacy In a unanimous decision on Monday, the City of West Hollywood voted to ban the sale of nearly all live animals by pet stores. The vote expands the citys existing ban on the retail sale of dogs and cats, which has been in effect for over a decade. According to West Hollywood Municipal Code Chapter 9.50.020, no pet store within city limits shall display, sell, deliver, offer for sale, barter, auction, give away, or otherwise transfer or dispose of dogs or cats, and its been that way since Sept. 17, 2010. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City policy outlined in the separate West Hollywood Fur Ban made WeHo the first jurisdiction in the entire U.S. to prohibit the sale of fur apparel products, including any item of personal attire, clothing or garment, which is composed in whole or in part from the pelt or skin of any animal with its hair, fleece (wool) or fur attached. Since Sept. 21. 2013, the only entities allowed to engage in the sale of fur apparel products within city limits are non-profits; however, animals preserved for the purpose of taxidermy are still permitted. The law also permitted used fur products to be sold by private parties excluding retail transactions as well as in second-hand stores and pawn shops. A pet supply store with a provocative title is seen on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Calif., Tuesday, June 20, 2006. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) Fast forward to 2025 and the city is going even further to protect animals, with the West Hollywood City Council voting unanimously on Monday to amend Chapter 9.50.020, extending the ban to include not just cats and dogs, but also amphibians, arachnids, birds, fish, hermit crabs, mammals such as rodents and rabbits, and reptiles. According to the WeHo Times, the expanded ban does affect the citys only pet store: the Petco on North Doheny Drive, which currently sells hamsters, guinea pigs and, occasionally, fish. The outlet also reported that the ordinance was drafted following an advocacy campaign from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles (spcaLA), which released a statement on Wednesday further explaining their initiative: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, spcaLA urged the city to extend the ban to include more species. Just like puppy mills, animals that are bred for retail sales often live in filthy, crowded conditions that leave the animals susceptible to illness, suffering, and even death. spcaLAs letter also outlined the Pet Trade Industrys reckless disregard for human and animal health as they are unconcerned for public health issues (zoonotic diseases), environmental impact (poaching, invasive species), and the impact on local shelters. Family identifies victim of fatal shooting during attempted carjacking in South L.A. spcaLA president Madeline Bernstein went on to say that West Hollywoods visionary leaders are paving the way for more jurisdictions to follow suit and create the most mindful and humane world for animals, plants and the environment. Where West Hollywood goes such as banning cat declawing and the sale of fur so does California, and eventually the country, Bernstein said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amendment is expected to be finalized by mid-September. Compliance enforcement will begin following an amortization period, which lasts until May 1, 2026. West Hollywood has long been a haven for animals and animal rights activists. For example, back in 1989, the city designated itself as a Cruelty Free Zone for animals. In 2004, cat declawing was outlawed in the city the first such law in American history and four years later, officials adopted a resolution supporting Proposition 2, the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, which went on to become a state law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. A longtime eyesore on West Palm Beachs monied Flagler Drive is under contract to a developer who says he made a knockout bid for the 1980s-era waterfront house with plans for new construction. The enigmatic red brick and wood-paneled home at 5421 S. Flagler Drive has 10 garages and yawning carports that until recently were filled with one-time trophy vehicles gone to rust or covered with tattered blue tarps, including a Rolls Royce and a Jaguar. Its landscape has grown shaggy. Faded Beware of Dogs signs are wedged between twisted metal railings, and weeds flourish in a pool deck ringed by moldy clay planters. Nicknamed the Brady Bunch house by some people in the popular south of Southern Boulevard community, or SoSo, the home was owned by Roger Quisenberry, who died in September at 88 years old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The house is deplorable, said Brown Harris Stevens agent Sabra Kirkpatrick, who is working with developer Mo Tarkinow, who has the contract on the home. I think we can collectively say it is the worst looking house south of Southern. The tattered home stands out on South Flagler Drive, which is crowded with new construction following the pandemic migration that attracted more wealth to Palm Beach and West Palm Beach. In the SoSo community, where homes are more easily razed because its not a historic district, there were 106 new houses built between 2020 and 2024, according to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser. With 1,892 parcels in the area, which is bound east and west by the Intracoastal Waterway and Dixie Highway, and north and south by Southern Boulevard and Gregory Road, thats nearly 6% new construction, and there is more underway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: West Palm Beach feels growing pains amid wealth influx as neighborhoods navigate change Two blocks south of 5421 S. Flagler, a home built in 1991 was undergoing demolition in mid-August. One block north, two massive neighboring waterfront homes are nearing completion. In May, a new home at 100 Beverly Road and South Flagler Drive sold for $16.75 million a record in the SoSo community. Its the last house on the street, said Tarkinow, about developing 5421 S. Flagler. What other house do you know that has a double lot that faces the water and has the kind of space you can do whatever you want in? Its unclear if Quisenberry has any direct heirs, and rumors about his life abound. Some say he won the lottery to pay for his multitude of vehicles and about 15 other properties in Palm Beach County. One person contacted for this story said he was on an antique car show, another said it was a show about hoarders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Palm Beach Post story from 1981 said Quisenberry rented a suburban Lantana house to 25 Haitians who were wearing berets, fatigues and practicing military exercises in the yard, possibly for a movie. Quisenberry, who filed to have them evicted shortly after they moved in, says the house was in good condition but that his former tenants left ammunition behind. "He was direct. He was quirky," Kirkpatrick said about Quisenberry. The Flagler house is homesteaded in his name but a trust owns the others, including a conspicuous former service station on Olive Avenue that was built in 1932. It operated first as Petes Service Station, then Smittys Service Station until it closed sometime in the late 1960s. The gas pumps were removed some time later. A former service station built in 1932 on Olive Avenue in West Palm Beach has sat idle for decades in the Central Park Historic District. It was purchased in 1975 by a recently deceased former teacher. Quisenberry bought the three-bay structure in 1974 for $15,000. Its total market value now is $587,080, according to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is also a home in a trust that Quisenberry bought on upscale Washington Road for $32,000 in 1972. Its total market value is $1.3 million today. A Realtor associated with the trust declined comment for this story. Tarkinow cant immediately close on 5421 S. Flagler is because it has liens on it that must be resolved before it can sell. We may have to tear the thing down before we close on the property, but none of it has been decided yet, Kirkpatrick said. More: West Palm Beach home fetches record price in popular South of Southern community Tarkinow said building a new home at 5421 is his last hurrah in the development arena. He wouldnt disclose the price he offered to buy the home but said it was large enough to scare off any other potential suitors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive never even been in the house. Just tell me when I can go get the bulldozer and knock it down, he said. Tarkinow knew about the house at 5421 because he briefly lived across the street from it. Besides a passing acquaintance, Tarkinow did not know Quisenberry, who was also unknown to the president of the neighborhood association and longtime SoSo resident Gail Levine, who has lived 12 houses north of Quisenberry for three decades. She did know of the home though. Its prime real estate, she said. Stay up to date on South Florida's sizzling real estate market and sign up for The Dirt weekly newsletter, delivered every Tuesday! Exclusively for Palm Beach Post subscribers. Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism, subscribe today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism, subscribe today. A waterfront home at 5421 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach is under contract for sale. It has 10 garages and was built in 1980. The buyer plans to demolish it for new construction. A former service station built in 1932 on Olive Avenue in West Palm Beach has sat idle for decades in the Central Park Historic District. It was purchased in 1975 by a recently deceased former teacher. A waterfront home at 5421 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach is under contract for sale. It has 10 garages and was built in 1980. The buyer plans to demolish it for new construction. A waterfront home at 5421 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach is under contract for sale. It has 10 garages and was built in 1980. The buyer plans to demolish it for new construction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A waterfront home at 5421 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach is under contract for sale. It has 10 garages and was built in 1980. The buyer plans to demolish it for new construction. A waterfront home at 5421 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach is under contract for sale. It has 10 garages and was built in 1980. The buyer plans to demolish it for new construction. A waterfront home at 5421 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach is under contract for sale. It has 10 garages and was built in 1980. The buyer plans to demolish it for new construction. Kimberly Miller This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm Beach waterfront home in SoSo on Flagler Drive to be razed CHICAGO Authorities are searching for the thieves responsible for a smash-and-grab burglary at a clothing store on the citys West Side overnight. According to police, just before 2 a.m. Wednesday, officers were called to a clothing store in the 2100 block of West Division Street in West Town, following a report of a burglary. The incident appears to have occurred at a shop called The Gallery, which specializes in sneakers and streetwear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Officers arrived and found the shops barricade and front entrance had been badly damaged by a box truck that was still on the scene. A witness later told police that they spotted three unknown males exit the box truck and enter the damaged storefront through a metal gate. Once inside, the witness told police the thieves stole merchandise before fleeing the store in a black sedan. The incident appears to have occurred at a shop called The Gallery, which specializes in sneakers and streetwear. Authorities say no arrests have been made and an investigation into the incident is now underway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Anyone with information on the burglary is asked to contact CPD Area Three Detectives at 312-744-8263 or dial 911. Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. After a yearslong legal battle, West Texas A&M University students can finally host a drag show. On Monday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit reversed a lower court's decision allowing the university to block an LGBT student group from hosting a charity drag show on campus. "This is a victory not just for Spectrum WT, but for any public university students at risk of being silenced by campus censors," J.T. Morris, an attorney at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a First Amendment group that filed a lawsuit on behalf of the student group, said in a Monday press release. The conflict began in March 2023, when Spectrum WT, an LGBT-focused student club, sought permission to use Legacy Hall, a university venue, to host a drag show that would raise funds for the Trevor Project, a charity that addresses suicide in the LGBT community. While the university had allowed a wide range of events to take place in Legacy Hallincluding religious events, a congressional candidate forum, and a local livestock showthe university's president, Walter Wendler, stepped in to prevent the drag show from going forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Does a drag show preserve a single thread of human dignity? I think not," Wendler wrote in a university-wide email. "As a performance exaggerating aspects of womanhood (sexuality, femininity, gender), drag shows stereotype women in cartoon-like extremes for the amusement of others and discriminate against womanhood. Any event which diminishes an individual or group through such representation is wrong." Later in the email, Wendler even admitted that the show is First Amendmentprotected, noting that he would oppose it "even when the law of the land appears to require it." That month, FIRE filed a lawsuit alleging that Wendler's actions obviously violated the First Amendment. However, a district court denied FIRE's request for a preliminary injunction. FIRE appealed, and on Monday, the 5th Circuit sided with the students, finding that while the lower court which reversed the injunction "held that it was not clearly established that all drag shows are inherently expressive and therefore implicate the First Amendment, and President Wendler's cancellation of the drag show was not objectively unreasonable given the show's 'potential lewdness,'" the drag show was in fact "protected expression" whose censorship must pass strict scrutiny. "President Wendler did not argue, either before the district court or on appeal, that restricting the intended drag show would survive strict scrutiny," wrote Judge Leslie H. Southwick, in the majority opinion, adding that "the plaintiffs have shown a substantial threat of irreparable harm to their First Amendment rights absent an injunction against President Wendler." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite several attempts to crack down on drag performances in recent years, this latest court decision affirms what everyoneeven Wendler himselfknew all along: Just because you don't like drag doesn't mean you can ban it. The post West Texas A&M Drag Ban Defeated in Court appeared first on Reason.com. A child under 12 years old receives a dose of Pfizer vaccine as part of the COVID-19 immunization campaign on Jan. 18, 2022 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. (Photo by Pedro Vilela | Getty Images) West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey has asked that two lawsuits filed in separate county circuit courts over Gov. Patrick Morriseys executive order and the states compulsory immunization law be consolidated and considered together in Raleigh County Circuit Court. West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey didnt join 40 other state attorneys general calling on Congress to reject a federal measure that would block states from setting their own regulations on the use of artificial intelligence. (Office of the Attorney General J.B. McCuskey photo) McCuskey on Wednesday filed emergency motions to transfer and consolidate the two cases: Joshua Hess and Marisa Jackson vs. the state Department of Health and Miranda Guzman vs. the state and the Raleigh County Board of Education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hess and Jackson, two parents of immunocompromised students, are suing in Kanawha County Circuit Court over the health departments issuance of religious exemptions to the states vaccination law. Theyre represented by the ACLU of West Virginia and Mountain State Justice. The organizations refiled the complaint Friday after Circuit Judge Kenneth Ballard dismissed the first complaint in July for procedural reasons. Guzman and two other families of students issued a religious exemption to the states vaccination law are suing the boards of education for defying Morriseys executive order. The state board has said it would continue to instruct county boards to accept only medical exemptions to the state vaccination law. In the motion, filed Tuesday, McCuskey writes that the two cases are at a crossroads between state mandated public health measures and individual religious liberty. A single, organized judicial response is mandatory, he wrote. Identical issues, facts, and legal arguments will be presented throughout both cases, and consolidation is necessary to promote judicial efficiency, avoid duplicative litigation, and ensure orderly disposition of all issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In contrast, separate yet simultaneous proceedings challenging religious exemptions to West Virginias vaccination law risks statewide confusion and inconsistency for school districts, families, and health officials, he wrote. The two cases were filed by parties on different sides of a battle over the states vaccination law and an executive order from Morrisey. West Virginia has had one of the strongest school vaccination policies in the country. All states require that students be vaccinated for a number of infectious diseases like chicken pox, polio and measles. West Virginia is one of only five states that have not allowed religious or philosophical exemptions for the shots. Earlier this year, Morrisey issued an executive order requiring the state to allow religious exemptions. The executive order has not been rescinded even though the state Legislature this year voted down a bill that would have inscribed religious exemptions into state code. Morrisey argues that the states school vaccination law should be considered along with the states Equal Protection for Religion Act of 2023 to mean that religious exemptions should be allowed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Raleigh County case, Circuit Judge Michael Froble last month granted a preliminary injunction in favor of three families who sued the state board of education after it said it would defy Morriseys executive order and instruct county boards to allow only medical exemptions to the school vaccination requirements. The courts decision applies only to three plaintiffs in the case. Froble has scheduled a two day permanent injunction hearing in the case Sept. 10 and 11 to decide a number of issues including what authority the executive order has and whether the courts ruling should apply statewide. Meanwhile, the state board of education filed notice Friday with the state Supreme Court of Appeals that it plans to appeal Frobles decision. In the notice, attorneys for the board argue that Raleigh County Circuit Court erred in its ruling in a few ways, including by grafting an extratextual religious exemption onto the vaccine law, and when it determined that the vaccine law substantially burdens respondents exercise of religion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The right to free exercise of religion is a vital right, but it is not a boundless right, the attorney wrote. The Supreme Court of the United States has long recognized that the right to free exercise of religion does not give a person freedom from compulsory vaccination because the right to practice religion freely does not include liberty to expose the community or the child to communicable disease or the latter to ill health or death. The board of education has also filed a motion asking the Supreme Court for a swift review of the case. During the board of educations regular meeting last week, Board President Paul Hardesty said the board would continue to follow advice of its counsel and not accept religious exemptions. The boards conflict with the governors office should be left to the courts to decide, he said. Theres a checks and balances system in our government, Hardesty said. Theres three branches of government. They perform three different functions. I hate it for the people of West Virginia that this issue is not decided before school started. I wish it was, but I dont control the schedule or the time frame of the judiciary. It takes time. This issue will be decided in the proper venue by the proper people, and well get a decision one way or the other, up or down, and we will comply with that decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a social media post last week Morrisey promised families seeking religious exemptions that they would ultimately win in court or through legislative action. He again hinted at taking steps to limit the board of educations power. Religious freedom is a cornerstone of our constitutional system and required under state law we will eventually defeat this politically unaccountable board, he wrote. Nine year board terms are too long and need to be reconsidered. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Temple Israel, located on Kanawha Boulevard in Charleston, West Virginia. (Photo by Chris Dorst | Charleston Gazette-Mail) In 1894, Charleston celebrated a milestone: the dedication of the citys first synagogue on Virginia Street. It was more than a religious occasion. Gov. William A. MacCorkle attended, alongside the state treasurer and Christian clergy. Rabbi Isaac M. Wise one of the most influential Jewish leaders in American history spoke to a sanctuary filled with neighbors of many denominations. This wasnt unusual for West Virginia in that era. Across the state, the dedication of a synagogue was a civic moment a declaration that Jewish life was part of the communitys moral and cultural landscape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consider Wheeling just a few years earlier. On June 1, 1891, children from the nearby Clay School played among the foundations of the new Eoff Street Temple before the cornerstone ceremony began. Their names along with those of the synagogues Sunday school students were placed inside the cornerstone, sealed alongside other mementos marking the occasion. When the cornerstone was laid, not nearly all those present were of the Jewish race, the Wheeling Intelligencer reported. Prominent citizens, including at least one Christian minister, stood shoulder to shoulder with the congregation. Some lingered afterward to offer congratulations on their good fortune in having gotten so well along on so pretty a house of worship. Nearly a year later, when the temple was dedicated, Christians again filled the pews. Representatives came from First Presbyterian, St. Johns German Evangelical and Zane Street Methodist Churches. They gathered not because of crisis or obligation, but in joy affirming their neighbors dignity across lines of faith. Two decades later, in Martinsburg, that same spirit of public celebration took the form of a street procession. In September 1912, Beth Jacob, the citys new synagogue on East Pennsylvania Avenue, was dedicated over the course of three days. The highlight came on the afternoon of September 10, when a Torah scroll handwritten by a scribe over hundreds of hours was carried from Rabbi Morris Levins house on East Liberty Street to the synagogue, which had previously been home to the First United Brethren Church. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A band played at the head of the line. Members of the Jewish community walked alongside friends and onlookers from other traditions. The Evening Journal reported that it was a sight that aroused much respect along the route of the march. The Torah itself had traveled from Baltimore, connecting Martinsburg to a wider network of Jewish life even as the citys own residents made it a local occasion. These moments from generations ago still teach lessons for today. In an age before interfaith dialogue was a formal concept, West Virginians practiced it in the most tangible way: by showing up. They saw the construction of a synagogue as a shared investment in the citys future, worth celebrating whether or not they would ever worship there. It is striking to think that Charlestons first synagogue dedication drew the states top elected officials, that Wheelings temple carried the names of public schoolchildren in its cornerstone, and that Martinsburgs Torah procession wound its way through city streets accompanied by music. These were not quiet, private milestones. They were public affirmations that a house of worship whatever the tradition was a gift to the whole community. Today, we often hear about religious differences as points of division. Yet our own history shows that they can also be points of connection. The stories of Charleston, Wheeling and Martinsburg remind us that faith communities can thrive when they are embraced not merely tolerated by the wider public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For generations, we have known what it means to stand with one another across lines of difference. Over a century ago, West Virginians did it in joy carrying forward an American tradition that the opening of a new sacred space strengthens the civic fabric for everyone. That belief is worth remembering and carrying forward. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The exhausted Ukrainian population is rippling with expectation, and in some corners barely contained fury at the prospect of an unjust peace deal foisted on the country. Push too far in forcing Ukraine to give up land without offering the right guarantees, and Trump and the European leaders who visited Washington DC on Monday might unintentionally open a Pandoras box of angry nationalism that could lead the country into a dark future. Since independence in 1991, Ukraine has unlike its neighbour to the East been bursting with political energy and debate. Its growing commitment to democracy has ensured regular, legal transfers of power. As Viktor Yanukovych discovered in 2013, Ukrainians of all stripes refuse to accept dictators. Despite the presence of some ultranationalist parties and groups in the country, they have never come close to holding power and garnered a mere 2 per cent of the vote at the last parliamentary election in 2019. Even democratically healthy countries haunted by the memory of humiliating defeat in war can turn to the extremes. Nationalists make hay from stab-in-the-back myths, instrumentalising feelings of betrayal and humiliation to suggest that their country is surrounded by enemies and too easily abandoned by purported allies. Soldiers return home with the sense that their sacrifices were made in vain. With little economic, psychological, or social support, they often have no sense of a brighter future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, Ukrainians temporarily put disagreements about the future on hold. A vast tranche of society spanning liberal democrats, pro-Europeans, soft nationalists, and the extreme Right united in support for the war effort, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the wider Western political ideal. Now, though, factionalism and in-fighting are rearing their heads. President Zelenskys recent anti-corruption farrago brought Ukrainians onto the streets in protest. Frustration is growing at the presidential offices hold over the media and political processes. Some even claim the president has lost the trust of the people. This is not a strong position from which to sell a deal that asks Ukrainians to give up vast tracts of land to the invader, abandoning the local populations to Russias violent occupation regime, in return for weak guarantees over the future. However, what unites the Ukrainian population today is the idea that, no matter what commitments Putin might make in the coming weeks, he and his country will not cease their attacks on Ukraine. Russia, they believe, has been assaulting its former imperial subject with an arsenal of military, political, and cultural tools since 1991, and Vladimir Putin who seems to see Ukraine as a non-existent country that rightfully belongs to Moscow has no intention of relinquishing his ambition to subjugate the country now. They expect that war will come again. Unless the political reality in Russia changes, Ukrainians especially tens of thousands of demobbed soldiers returning to an economically and demographically ravaged peacetime country will not be willing to give up the fight. It is in this cocktail of disappointment, revanchisme, and hopelessness that ultranationalists might find the space to push their way to power. Backed by demobbed soldiers accustomed to the violence of combat, they would not hesitate to use violence to seize power, promising to return what Ukraine has lost, empower embittered veterans, and ensure that neither Russia nor the West will be in a position to leave the country adrift in the future. An insular, disillusioned Ukraine would be an unreliable economic and security partner for Europe. It would be a poor home for the many citizens who refuse to embrace the political extremes. Worse, there is every possibility that Vladimir Putin may, given his decades-long interference in Ukrainian politics, even fuel ultranationalism as a way to justify further aggression against Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For now, Ukraines democracy remains resilient and nationalist parties remain far from power. Western leaders looking to push a peace deal must make every effort to avoid this disaster. First, security guarantees must make it clear to Vladimir Putin that, should he attempt to attack Ukraine again, the West will use every military and economic tool available to repel the invasion and destroy the Russian regime. Second a far more achievable aim Western leaders must commit to supporting Ukrainian economic and democratic resilience as the country recovers from war. Ignore these realities in the rush to make peace and the worst outcome for Ukraine may yet transpire. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. France, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Malta all say they are preparing to recognize a state of Palestine at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September. They would join another 147 UN countries that already do so. In some senses, the move is symbolic: It will not change the realities on the ground in the Middle East, at least not in the short term. But it is a major step nonetheless. No Israeli-Palestinian peace process is currently under way, the countries pledging recognition noted in their statements. This is because Israel refuses to speak with the diplomatic representative of the Palestinian people, the Palestine Liberation Organization. In effect, Israel has held the PLO and its subsidiariesthe Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and the Fatah political partyresponsible for the actions of all Palestinians, including the PLOs extremist archrival, Hamas. (The United States, for its part, has never had a bilateral relationship with the Palestinians.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The struggle for Palestinian statehood has been long and arduous. The PLO and PA, to be sure, have sometimes gotten in their own way. In the West Bank, the PA has overseen a corrupt system that leaves little space for civil society. And the PLO has squandered several potential opportunities to pursue statehood, especially an overture in 2008 by thenIsraeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. But both groups have maintained a commitment to negotiation over violence, and have honored the 1993 recognition of Israel by Yasser Arafat, the PLOs former leader. The Western nations formal acknowledgment of a Palestinian state under the leadership of the PLO will boost the idea that this kind of diplomacy, rather than the armed struggle of Hamas, is the path that can actually result in Palestinian independence and citizenship for the stateless millions in the occupied territories. [From the December 2024 issue: My hope for Palestine] International recognition will do as much to rebuke Hamass maximalist demands as it will those of the Israeli right, dealing a blow to expansionist aspirations in the West Bank, the only territory that has any realistic chance of becoming a Palestinian state. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been characterized by a basic asymmetry: The international recognition of Jewish national rights in Palestine has never been matched by a demand for Palestinian national rights. This was the case as far back as the British governments 1917 Balfour Declaration and the British mandate for Palestine, which took effect several years later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palestinians may have had an opportunity in 1947 to create their state through a UN partition resolution. In retrospect, they should have accepted the proposal, but their rejection at the time is understandable. Jews made up about 33 percent of the population and owned a mere 6 percent of privately held land in Mandatory Palestine; the UN partition resolution would have allotted the proposed Jewish state more than 56 percent of the territory. Two decades laterafter multiple warsIsrael declared itself a state that would come to control the entire territory, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, all of which have populations that are majority Palestinian Arab. Roughly 800,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled in 1947 and 1948, followed by another 300,000 in 1967. Almost none have been allowed to return. In 1968, Palestinians resurrected an independence movement that wrested decision making away from Egypt and other Arab countries that had been humiliated in the Six-Day War. Their crushing defeat gave Palestinians a measure of self-determination through the establishment of a renewed autonomous PLO. In the 80s, the PLO evolved into the vehicle of a drastically reduced Palestinian aspiration: the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, all territories Israel had occupied since 1967. The First Intifada, or uprising, against Israeli rule in the occupied territories, which began in 1987, gave the PLO an opportunity to greatly expand its presence there, but it also seeded a new group of rivals, the Muslim fundamentalists of Hamas. A breakthrough seemed possible in the aftermath of the Cold War. In 1993, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat wrote to Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin affirming that, on behalf of the Palestinian people, the PLO recognized Israel and its right to exist free from attacks and threats. Rabin responded with a letter to Arafat recognizing the PLO as a legitimate interlocutor and undertaking to negotiate with it. But he didnt recognize a state of Palestine, and the 1993 Oslo Accords with Israel did not specify the goal of Palestinian statehood or acknowledge the Palestinians right to a state. In the summer of 2000, U.S. President Bill Clinton convened a summit at Camp David. Accounts vary on what Israel, then led by Prime Minister Ehud Barak, offered. But the Palestinians who attended came away convinced that they were being asked to accept an archipelago of quasi-independent Bantustans within a greater Israel. Because of an internal leadership crisis, among other failings, the Palestinians presented no detailed counteroffer. And Clinton entirely backed Israel. The violent Second Intifada against Israeli rule in the occupied territories began on September 28, 2000. Nonetheless, negotiations resumed that fall. In late December, Clinton unveiled what is still the most reasonable framework yet proposed for an agreement that would end the conflict. But Israel suspended the negotiations pending elections early in 2001. The right-wing former General Ariel Sharon became prime minister, and the talks were not resumed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In subsequent years, some hopeful signs for Palestinian statehood persisted. In 2002, President George W. Bush endorsed establishing a Palestinian state, and his administration voted for UN Security Council Resolution 1397, which, for the first time, explicitly called for two states side by side within secure and recognized borders. Palestinian divisions intensified, however, after the 200506 elections resulted in the acrimonious pairing of a Fatah/PLO leader, Mahmoud Abbas, with a Hamas-dominated Parliament. In 2007, Hamas violently seized control of Gaza, precipitating a split with the West Bank that continues to this day. [Jeffrey Goldberg: Sinwars march of folly] The Palestinians had one more potential chance at statehood through negotiations. In 2008, Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, offered an agreement that the PLO, led by Abbas, considered broadly reasonable. However, Abbas doubted that Olmert was speaking on behalf of Israel, or even his own government, given that most members of his cabinet reportedly opposed his proposal. Moreover, the Palestinian negotiators could not get anything in writing. The deal also included Palestinian concessions on issues such as refugees, and Abbas ran the political risk of being seen to accept concessions while ultimately being left with nothing if Israel didnt follow through. Neither Olmert nor Abbas was willing to take the issue directly to the Israeli public, and the negotiations fizzled. Since that time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dominated the Israeli political scene and dedicated himself to preventing any movement toward Palestinian statehood. He exploited the rift between Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza, seeking to keep both in power and at each others throats, and thereby unable to advance their respective visions of independence. The Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, betrayed the folly of this policy. But it also hardened the position of the Israeli right that to live next to any Palestinian state would be an intolerable security risk. In the nearly two years that war has raged in Gaza, Netanyahu has become ever more explicit in his refusal of a two-state solution. Just last month, he ruled out the prospect of Palestinian statehood, saying that it would only serve as a platform for the elimination of Israel. The Israelis claim that recognition would reward Hamas and terrorism. But the opposite is true. Pretty much the only thing Hamas and Fatah agree on is that they are all Palestinians. Other than that, the disagreements are almost total: The PLO is a secular national movement that still seeks a negotiated peace with Israel through diplomacy, and to establish a small Palestinian state in the occupied territories. Hamas is an Islamist party and militia that wants a theocratic Muslim government in not just the occupied territories but also what is now Israel. In Palestinian politics, the binary is so stark that virtually anything that strengthens one group weakens the other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recognizing a Palestinian state under the authority of the PLO harms Hamas and rewards the patient diplomacy and commitment to peace of its rivals in Fatah. Already, the PLO has benefited from an apparently minor change in its status at the UN in 2012, from observer to non-member observer state. This gave it standing at the International Criminal Court and suggests what international recognitionsomething Israel cannot take awaycan accomplish: the potential protection of key multilateral instruments and institutions, and thus the potential frustration of Israeli ambitions for further annexation. While the worlds eyes have been fixed on the horrors of war in Gaza, far-right Israeli officials, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have effectively taken charge of the West Bank, where they are stoking conflict by encouraging right-wing settlers to confront Palestinian villagers. When Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency last year, Smotrich celebrated, saying that the opportunity had come to annex the West Bank. The Israeli military has displaced 40,000 Palestinians in the territory, according to the United Nations, and extremist settlers have continued to harass and attack villagers. International recognition of Palestinian statehood could seriously complicate Israels designs on the West Bank. Britain has said that it will recognize Palestine if the Gaza war continues into September, but France and Canada appear focused on discouraging Israeli annexation in the West Bank. Each is sending a clear message to Israel: End the war in Gaza, and more important, do not expand formalized control of the West Bank, the only territory that could become a true state for Palestinians. Pushing back against Israeli annexation efforts is crucial to reviving the possibility of a two-state solution. Canada, Australia, Britain, France, and Malta are not asking or expecting Israel to withdraw from the West Bank tomorrow. But they clearly understand the danger that further settlement there poses to the Palestinian independence movement. Netanyahu and his allies know this too. Smotrich has his eyes firmly on annexation, having recently announced new settlements surrounding Jerusalem that he says will bury any potential for a Palestinian state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The world must act as if a two-state solution is not merely necessary, but possible. International recognition of a Palestinian state is a key start. Without such a state alongside Israel, these two beleaguered peoples, the whole region, and the entire world will be sentenced to further decades, and possibly centuries, of bloodshed and oppression. Shrugging, walking away, and accepting this outcome cannot be an option. Article originally published at The Atlantic Community groups, environmental organizations and a Metro Nashville Council member are calling on Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell and other city officials to let voters decide the future of the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. In an Aug. 20 news release, a coalition called Restore Our Fairgrounds called for a citywide decision on the speedway sites fate. Along with several surrounding neighborhood associations, the coalitions statement is also co-signed by organizations like the Cumberland River Compact, the Civic Design Center and the Southern Environmental Law Center. Per the release, the coalition has sent a policy statement to OConnell, the Metro Nashville Council and the Metro Fair Board endorsing common-sense priorities for the speedway site based on public opinion research as well as state and local land use, and environmental and housing studies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Nashville Fairgrounds is a gem that serves the whole city, and it deserves a bright, thriving future, District 17 Council Member Terry Vo said in the release. Nashvillians have been clear: They want more affordable housing, more green space and more walkable neighborhoods. The future of the site has been up in the air for several years now, since former Mayor John Cooper struck a deal with Bristol Motor Speedway in 2021 to renovate the racetrack and bring a NASCAR Cup Series race back to the track for the first time since 1984. Incremental progress toward some sort of resolution for the speedway has inched forward in the years since then. But as of earlier this year, it didnt appear to be coming any time soon. As of 1 p.m. Aug. 20, the mayor's office had not responded to The Tennessean's request for comment on the potential of a ballot referendum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what else the coalition is saying. Green space, housing and cleaning up the creek The coalitions statement lists three priorities. The first is repurposing the speedway site as a regional park, which the coalition calls its original use. Previous redevelopment proposals have also echoed that history. The coalition notes that Nashvilles Plan to Play parks and greenways master plan which was first adopted in 2017 and is in the midst of an update this year calls for Nashville to expand its park land by 4,500 acres. Another priority, per the coalition, is cleaning up the adjacent Browns Creek. The release notes that the state has previously flagged that the creek is impaired by automotive pollutants, including oil and grease. The creek empties into the Cumberland River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The coalitions third priority is another familiar one: leveraging part of the speedway site toward adding more affordable housing. Past proposals have envisioned hundreds of units of housing in a mixed-use development. In the release, the coalition adds that Nashvilles Unified Housing Study calls for the city to better leverage publicly owned land for affordable housing. What could happen next? The release notes that fairgrounds advocates plan to organize a series of public briefings this fall to help educate Nashvillians about the sites original history as community green space and explore common-sense ideas for re-envisioning the speedway site for the betterment of the entire city. But beyond that, nothings set in stone. Were a referendum to end up on a ballot, the soonest that could happen would be in 2026. For a Metro charter amendment to even get there, it would take one of two actions. A petition signed by at least 10% of all the registered voters in Davidson County is one of them. Based on figures from the November 2024 election, that would be about 53,000 voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, voters approved a change to the petition process, which previously required a comparatively smaller number of signatures 10% of the registered voters who voted in the previous general election. A council resolution adopted by two-thirds of the 40-member body 27 members would also do the trick. As an added wrinkle, another earlier change to Nashvilles charter mandates that a ballot referendum is the only way any demolition could occur on the fairgrounds site. Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@tennessean.com. Get Davidson County news delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville should vote on Fairgrounds Speedway future, coalition says Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin could meet for the first time in six years in the hope of ending the Ukraine war - but it remains unclear just where the two leaders will come face-to-face. The White House is in the process of selecting a location for the potential meeting, that has been championed by the US president Donald Trump. A warrant against the Russian president by the International Criminal Court means destinations are limited to countries that are not signees of the Rome Statute. It remains unclear whether Trump will attend a meeting with Zelensky and Putin (AFP/Getty) Trump explained to Fox News radio host Mark Levin: "They are in the process of setting it up, before casting doubt on whether he would even attend such talks. "Now I think it would be better if they met without me. ... If necessary, I'll go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked how he balanced the interests of all the parties involved, Trump said: "Well, it's probably instinct more than process. I have instincts." There has been so far no confirmation from Russia that a potential bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky is being planned. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told state media on Tuesday that any meeting would have to take place step by step, gradually, starting from the expert level and then going through all the necessary stages. Here are the potential destinations where a summit between Putin and Zelensky could take place: Budapest, Hungary The Hungarian prime minister has criticised sanctions against Putin; the country continues to buy oil from Russia (AP) The White House has said they are considering Budapest as a potential venue for talks having spoken to Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This wouldnt be the first time Budapest has been a key destination for talks between Russia and Ukraine. In 1994, then US president Bill Clinton met with Russian president Boris Yeltsin and Ukraines leader Leonid Kravchuk. At the time, Ukraine was given assurances of territorial integrity from the US, Russia and the UK that meant little when Putin launched an assault 20 years later. Maybe Im superstitious, but this time I would try to find another place, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on social media. Orban, who remains Putins closest ally in Europe, has long advocated to open up negotiations with the Russian leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has been confirmed that the isolation-based strategy has failed, he said on Tuesday after a meeting with the European Union. It has been confirmed that there is no solution to the Russia-Ukraine war on the frontline; only diplomatic efforts can bring a solution. Geneva, Switzerland Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis has said that the country would receive Putin despite being a signatory of the International Criminal Court (AP) Switzerland, famous for its neutrality, has said they would be ready to host Putin for any peace talks on Ukraine, despite being a signatory of the ICC. Foreign minister Ignazio Cassis told Swiss national broadcaster SRF that provided Putin was coming for peace purposes, the country could receive him. "This has to do with our diplomatic role, with international Geneva as (the European) headquarters of the United Nations," Cassis told the broadcaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement French president Emmanuel Macron has mooted Geneva as a potential location for Ukraine peace talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after a meeting between President Trump, Zelensky and European leaders in Washington. Istanbul, Turkey Erdogan and Putin spoke about Ukraine on Wednesday (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) A senior Trump administration official said that Istanbul had also been mentioned as a potential venue for the two leaders to meet, as Talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations have previously taken place in the city. On Wednesday, Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Putin on the phone to discuss Ukraine and the outcome of Putin's summit last week, according to the Kremlin. Moscow, Russia While meeting with Trump, Putin reportedly suggested the rather unlikely location of Moscow for talks with Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, both Zelensky and the US were unsurprisingly quick to reject the idea. Minsk, Belarus Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenkos spokesperson has said Minsk is ready to mediate a possible meeting between Russia and Ukraine. Bordering Russia and Ukraine, Belarus has maintained close ties with Putin. The countrys relationship with Ukraine has deteriorated since the start of Russias full-scale invasion. Where did Zelensky and Putin last meet? The Normandy Format Summit was the first and last time Putin and Zelensky met (AFP/Getty) Ukraines leader and his Russian counterpart have not met in person since 2019, when they met in Paris to discuss an end to fighting in the Donbas region. The Normandy Format Summit, arranged by French, German, Russian and Ukrainian diplomats, took place in Zelenskys first year in office after he became president earlier that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agreements were made to disengage troops from areas of the Donbas region by the end of March 2020 and a roadmap was agreed for elections in occupied regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, with plans to reintegrate the territory back into the rest of Ukraine. But following the talk, the two countries continued to disagree on issues relating to the war-torn region. The White House joined TikTok on Tuesday with a video montage of President Donald Trump. The US government previously voted to ban TikTok over national security concerns. TikTok faces a divest-or-ban deadline next month, though it's been extended several times this year. A lot can change in a year just ask TikTok. Last year, the US government took the extraordinary step of voting to ban the popular app used by millions of Americans, citing national security concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the White House became its latest user. The White House TikTok account launched with a video montage of President Donald Trump narrated by the man himself. "Every day I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation," Trump says over images of him with UFC head Dana White, law enforcement officers, and American workers. "I am your voice!" The account's second post featured various shots of the White House during different seasons. The White House joined the app less than a month before it's set to be banned in the US on September 17 unless it's sold to a US buyer, though that deadline has already been extended several times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible," Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, said in a statement to Business Insider. "President Trump's message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we're excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before." The White House did not respond to questions about whether the divest-or-ban deadline would be extended again or if a deal was expected by the deadline. Lawmakers in April 2024 voted to ban TikTok unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sold its American assets. Some officials cited concerns that sensitive data belonging to American users could end up in the hands of the Chinese government, and members of Congress have said it could be used for Chinese Communist Party propaganda. TikTok has said it does not share data with the Chinese government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The TikTok divest-or-ban law, signed by President Joe Biden last year, gave TikTok until January 19 to sell or risk shutting down. The app briefly went dark that day for US-based users before coming back online, with TikTok crediting Trump for its return. The White House has said the president does not want TikTok to go dark and prefers it be sold. Trump has delayed the divest-or-ban deadline three times since taking office in January. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC last month that TikTok will go dark again unless China agrees to a deal that will give Americans control over the app. "We've made the decision. You can't have Chinese control and have something on 100 million American phones," Lutnick said, adding that China's decision would be coming "very soon." TikTok and ByteDance did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider After a whirlwind of a weekend, Donald Trump and his administration appear closer than his predecessor ever was to ending the three-year-long war in Ukraine. But comments from the White House, European leaders and Russia on Monday and Tuesday make it clear that theres still at least one major gulf that needs bridging. Trump returned to Washington this weekend from Alaska, where the U.S. president met for a summit with Russias Vladimir Putin that was sharply criticized by his adversaries and a source of real concern for Europe, after which it appeared that the U.S. was on the verge of negotiating away swaths of Ukrainian territory without any input from Kyiv. Donald Trumps team told reporters after the Alaska summit that Russia would be open to the U.S. and Europe providing defense guarantees to Kyiv (AFP/Getty) On Monday, he met with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House alongside a cadre of European leaders from Germany, France, the U.K. and elsewhere. An eyebrow-raising scene played out this time in Washington, D.C., as world leaders crowded around the Resolute Desk like schoolchildren and Trump at one point dismissed them for an impromptu call with Putin. Afterwards, the pro-Ukraine delegation was echoing a level of optimism that the White House was eager to echo at a press briefing on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, there was one other development that took place over Monday and Tuesday that could keep progress towards a peace agreement elusive. On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the Trump administration was wholly opposed to deploying troops to support Ukraine under any circumstances, and was only considering acting as a coordinator for a security agreement between Ukraine and its European neighbors. She couldnt tell reporters where common ground on the issue still existed with Russia which separately indicated through statements that a European security force in Ukraine was off the table. "U.S. boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, Leavitt said on Tuesday. But we can certainly help in the coordination, and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies. The erosion of that common ground that Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff eagerly proclaimed had been found in an interview Sunday could present the biggest obstacle to a long-term peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia going forward. On Sunday, the administrations go-to conflict resolution expert was on CNN, telling Jake Tapper that Putin had agreed to allow Article 5-like protections to Ukraine, something he called a game-changer in the path towards a peace deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We got to an agreement that the United States and other European nations could effectively offer Article 5-like language to cover a security guarantee, Witkoff said. By Tuesday afternoon, it was completely unclear whether that was still a feasible suggestion. Russian officials repeated their objections to NATO forces entering Ukraine under any circumstances. The White House rejected the prospect of U.S. boots on the ground at any point. Yet Zelensky, in his own statements, has made clear that his government will not lay down arms without a concrete arrangement protecting his countrys sovereignty and borders from future Russian aggression. He wrote on Saturday on Twitter/X: Security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with the involvement of both Europe and the U.S. Its a demand seen all the more crucial by Kyiv, given that Trump is now talking openly about ceding the Donbas region, part of which is occupied by Ukrainian forces, to Putin as a concession to make a deal. On Tuesday, Leavitt was pressed further to confirm that Vladimir Putin agreed to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky within two weeks, something the Kremlin has not yet stated definitively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just the development of the two leaders in the same room would present a massive step forward in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks. But Russian officials previously agreed to begin direct talks with Ukraine in May, only for those plans to be abandoned. Kremlin officials seemed to already be moving in that direction on Tuesday, saying that talks needed to begin gradually. "We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks," Trump himself told reporters on Tuesday. "It's possible that he doesn't want to make a deal." From Pennsylvania Avenue to your For You page, the White House launched its official TikTok account on Tuesday afternoon. The verified account @whitehouse garnered thousands of followers within less than an hour. The bio reads "Welcome to the Golden Age of America." President Donald Trump is front and center in the White House's first video, which is captioned, "America we are BACK! Whats up TikTok?" In a statement, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said: "The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "President Trump's message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we're excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before." Guests attend the Power 30 Awards, an inauguration party sponsored by TikTok for influencers who supported President Donald Trump, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, the White House launched an official TikTok account. Trump White House Celebrates Latest Chapter Of Wins At 200-Day Mark The post features footage of the president from rallies and notable appearances. Read On The Fox News App "Every day, I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation. I am your voice," Trump said in a voice-over amid cheers. The White House also announced on X it had joined the popular social media platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How Kai Trump's Heartfelt Rnc Speech Unexpectedly Launched Her Successful Content Creator Journey Though the White House is new to the platform, Trump launched his personal TikTok account @realdonaldtrump in June 2024, in an apparent effort to connect with young voters. His debut video went viral, generating millions of likes and views. His granddaughter, Kai Trump, also gained stardom on the app after her appearance at the 2024 Republican National Convention. She has posted viral behind-the-scenes videos of the White House and now has more than 3 million followers. The Trump White House unveiled its official TikTok account on Tuesday. Flashback: Trump Launched His First Presidential Campaign Ten Years Ago Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The creation of Trump's personal account came nearly four years after he issued an executive order to ban the app unless it was sold to an American buyer, which was later blocked by a federal judge and never went into effect. Separately, at the beginning of 2024, Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest or face a ban. On his first day in office, the president signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to not enforce the TikTok ban for 75 days. Trump issued a second 75-day extension in April and a third 90-day extension in June to allow for negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ByteDance must sell its U.S. operations by Sept. 17, unless another extension is issued. Original article source: White House launches official TikTok account with Trump featured prominently in debut video The White House launched an official TikTok account on Tuesday as a new deadline approaches for parent company ByteDance to divest from its US operations or face a nationwide blackout in the country. The first clip on the account, uploaded on Tuesday, featured highlights of Trump's public appearances, with the president declaring: "I am your voice." ByteDance, which is based in China, has come under fire in the United States, amid fears it could allow data from US citizens to fall into the hands of the government in Beijing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok's algorithm, which decides which videos users see next, is a key point of contention. TikTok critics warn that the Chinese government could use the algorithm to influence public opinion in the US, which TikTok and ByteDance have always denied. Then-US president Joe Biden signed a law last year stipulating that ByteDance divest from its US operations or be banned. Trump, who succeeded Biden, has repeatedly extended the deadline for the sale of the app. Most recently, on June 19, he pushed the deadline back by 90 days. Technically, the law signed by Biden only allowed a single extension. To date, no sale has occurred. During his first term in office, Trump tried to force a sale through the threat of a ban, but was blocked by US courts. With the law now providing a stronger legal basis for a ban, Trump has changed course, using TikTok in his campaign to reach younger voters and strengthen his bid for a return to the White House. The White House has launched a TikTok account weeks ahead of President Donald Trumps extended deadline to ban the app. Congress passed a bill last year, which former President Joe Biden subsequently signed into law, that gave TikToks China-based parent company, ByteDance, nine months to sell TikTok to a U.S.-approved company or face a nationwide ban. Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline for TikTok to sell or be banned since taking office with the most recent delay set to end on September 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It remains unclear if Trump will extend the deadline again, if a deal with TikTok is not reached within a few weeks, but the fact the White House has joined the app could lessen confidence that Trump will enforce the ban. The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment. The White House has launched a TikTok account weeks ahead of President Donald Trumps extended deadline to ban the app (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images) The White House shared a series of videos Tuesday to kick off its new account. In its first post, the White House shared a compilation video of Trump and wrote, America we are BACK! Whats up TikTok? A second video showed beauty shots of the exterior of the White House and was captioned, Were so back. The White House also posted a video of Trump zingers, including when he said, I was the hunted, and now Im the hunter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has his own TikTok account, which was launched during his 2024 presidential campaign, and has amassed more than 15 million followers. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, per Reuters, "President Trump's message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we're excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before. In June, Leavitt said Trump delayed the enforcement of the TikTok ban again so we can get this deal done. Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline for TikTok to sell or be banned since taking office with the most recent delay set to end on September 17 (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Its wildly popular. He also wants to protect Americans data and privacy concerns on this app. And he believes we can do both at the same time, Leavitt told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Information, a tech news site, reported in July TikTok was developing a new version of its app for American users that would go live on U.S. app stores on September 5, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Trumps approach toward TikTok has dramatically shifted in his second term. During his first presidency, Trump signed an executive order banning TikTok, citing a threat to U.S. national security an argument that lawmakers made while the TikTok ban was moving through Capitol Hill. Trumps ban was blocked by the courts. Credit - VCGGetty Images The White House has created an official TikTok account just weeks before the deadline that President Donald Trump extended for the Chinese-owned app to be sold to a non-Chinese buyer or face a ban in the U.S. The account, @whitehouse, was launched Tuesday evening and gained more than 80,000 followers as of early Wednesday. Trumps campaign used a TikTok account, @realdonaldtrump, which now has more than 15 million followers, before the presidential election last year. Trumps aides said last year that his TikTok was the most successful launch in political history and credited it with being his secret sauce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am your voice, Trump declares in the first video posted to the White House account, featuring footage of him spliced together and a caption reading, America we are BACK! Whats up TikTok? The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Reuters on Tuesday. President Trumps message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and were excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before. Federal employees are not allowed to download the app on work devices with limited exceptions, per a law passed during the Biden Administration. Trumps TikTok evolution The Trump Administration has sought to negotiate a deal for the sale of TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, to a non-Chinese buyer before Sept. 17. The app was initially banned in the U.S. after President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan law last year requiring ByteDance to divest from the app over national security concerns. TikTok has argued that a U.S. ban violates the First Amendment, though the Supreme Court upheld the ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the evening of Jan. 18, the app was removed from U.S. app stores and users were met with a message reading, Sorry, TikTok isnt available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately that means you cant use TikTok for now. Hours later, the app was live again as Trump announced that he extended the deadline for ByteDance to sell. A message on the app read: Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trumps efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, who attended Trumps inauguration, praised Trump for the extension in a video message. Read More: Why Trump Flipped on TikTok The President has since extended the deadline several more times, although a sale before the current September deadline looks uncertain. Trump said in June that a deal with a group of very wealthy people was close, contingent on approval from Beijing. Trump has also acknowledged that his tariffs on China may have made a sale harder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump himself had called TikTok a national security threat during his first presidential term, and the ban on the app was driven by a bipartisan push. The spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in [China] continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, an executive order signed by Trump in 2020 reads. The United States must take aggressive action against the owners of TikTok to protect our national security. Contact us at letters@time.com. Despite having raised concerns that the app is a national security threat, the White House is now on TikTok. The White Houses TikTok page has already posted seven videos and amassed more than 160,000 followers since launching Tuesday. The debut post features a dramatic and complimentary video montage of President Donald Trump, accompanied by the caption: America we are BACK! Whats up TikTok? Trump has repeatedly extended a deadline imposed by Congress during the Biden administration for the popular apps China-based parent company to divest or else face a ban in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked Wednesday by MSNBC, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not say whether the administration thinks TikTok is a danger to national security, saying: The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible. President Trumps message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and were excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before. Trumps first administration expressed the view that TikTok might be a tool for Chinese surveillance. In 2020, Trump tried to ban TikTok via an executive order that said in part: [T]he spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the Peoples Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. At this time, action must be taken to address the threat posed by one mobile application in particular, TikTok. Yet now the White House has a TikTok account itself. The accounts third posted video is a compilation of some of Trumps most viral moments, including insults and threats to other politicians and his famous awkward dance moves to YMCA. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Rock star Jack Whites blistering critique of Donald Trump and the presidents blinged-out Oval Office makeover has sparked a furious response from the White House. Communications Director Steven Cheung lashed out after the White Stripes star described the Trump-era decor as vulgar. Jack White is a washed-up, has-been loser posting drivel on social media because he clearly has ample time on his hands due to his stalled career, Cheung fumed about the 12-time Grammy winner to The Daily Beast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its apparent hes been masquerading as a real artist, because he fails to appreciate, and quite frankly disrespects, the splendor and significance of the Oval Office inside of The Peoples House, Cheung added. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung slammed musician Jack White's criticism of Donald Trump. DREW ANGERER via Getty Images White provoked Cheungs wrath after posting on Instagram a photo of Trumps meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday. In his caption, White blasted the Oval Office redesign as looking like a professional wrestlers dressing room. In full, he wrote: Look at how disgusting trump has transformed the historic White House. Its now a vulgar, gold leafed and gaudy, professional wrestlers dressing room. Cant wait for the UFC match on the front lawn too, hes almost fully achieved the movie Idiocracy. Look at his disgusting taste, would you even buy a used car from this conman, let alone give him the nuclear codes? A gold plated trump bible would look perfect up on that mantle with a pair of trump shoes on either side wouldnt it? What an embarrassment to American history. Also pictured in this photograph, a REAL leader of a nation in a black suit. Related: Rock Star Calls Trump 'A Danger' To 'The Entire World' In Fiery Instagram Post White has not responded to Cheungs slam. Trump, who frequently attacks celebrities who criticize him, has remained silent on Whites comments and Cheungs response. Rock star Jack White has previously branded President Donald Trump as scum." via Associated Press The rocker has previously branded Trump scum and a wannabe dictator, and last year condemned the use of his bands anthem Seven Nation Army in a pro-Trump video. Related... Read the original on HuffPost The White House launched a TikTok account Tuesday, just weeks before the deadline President Donald Trump gave the app to sell to a non-Chinese-owned company or face a ban in the United States. The accounts first video shows clips of Trump at different events, and the videos narration seemingly comes from Trumps 2016 Republican National Convention speech in which in part he says, Every day, I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation. I am your voice. Related: Trump Says He Thinks 'There Will Be A Deal' On TikTok Ahead Of April Deadline Another video is a montage of Trumpisms, like when he said, I was the hunted, and now Im the hunter or, Everythings computer when checking out a Tesla. Other clips show him dancing to YMCA by the Village People. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, Trump signed an executive order to delay the mandatory sale of TikTok another 90 days, his third time changing the deadline. The first delay was his first day in office. TikTok went dark in the United States for a few hours; when users had access to it again, a message appeared thanking Trump for the deadline delay. Related: Trump Mulling Executive Order To Stall TikTok Sale Or Ban: Report Trump originally wanted to ban TikTok in the United States, saying in 2020 it was a national security concern because the app shares data with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. However, ahead of last years election, Trump flipped his stance, calling TikTok a unique medium for freedom of expression. Now, it seems Trump and the White House are embracing the app. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a comment to HuffPost, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, didnt answer how this new TikTok account would work with the looming ban, but noted TikTok was helpful in getting Trump elected last year. The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible, Leavitt said. President Trumps message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and were excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before. Related: 'Terrifying': Critics Blast TikTok For 'Sucking Up To Trump' In Notice Of U.S. Ban As of press time, some of the top comments on the White Houses TikToks reference the files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, or show support for California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to be the next president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump relied on his personal TikTok account, which has more than 15 million followers, heavily during last years election. The account posted content featuring Trump throughout the election cycle, like him working a stunt shift at McDonalds or standing alongside Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, promising to end Ukraines war with Russia. Related: JD Vance Heckled At Photo Op With National Guard In DC The White House is active on most other social media platforms, including X. That account often takes on Trumps voice, posting in all caps, like WOKE IS BROKE or attaching screenshots of Trumps posts with their own captions, like The days of stupidity are over in the USA!! Trump used the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to encourage his followers to incite violence on the U.S. Capitol after he lost the 2020 election. On his own social media site Truth Social, Trump often shares AI-generated images, like one of Taylor Swift supporting him, or posts long rants against his various opponents. Related... Read the original on HuffPost (The Center Square) Within 24 hours of its debut, the first video posted to the new White House TikTok account has racked up more than 1.3 million views. The White House announced the creation of its TikTok account Tuesday evening, posting a video montage of President Donald Trump engaging with supporters, addressing crowds and featuring audio from a previous speech. Every day, I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation. I am your voice! Trumps voice booms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The video is captioned, America we are BACK. Whats up TikTok? The president himself has not yet commented on the creation of the account, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that the administration views the social media platform as another way of keeping Americans informed of the presidents accomplishments. The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible, Leavitt said in a statement. Known for personally posting directly to social media, Trump has his own TikTok account that was used to spread his message during his latest presidential campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We're excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before, Leavitt said. The account now features eight videos including footage of Trump, Leavitt and Vice President JD Vance verbally skewering detractors, the presidents notorious YMCA dance and a mishmash of iconic movie moments celebrating the first 200 days of his second term. The accounts launch comes approximately one month before the thrice-extended deadline for the Chinese-owned social media company to sell to an American buyer. Trump signed an executive order in 2020 banning the social media platform in the U.S. due to concerns that the Chinese Communist Party was using it to access American data and influence American youth. A federal judge struck down the order, and President Joe Biden later issued an executive order enabling the apps survival. But suspicions over the app persisted and culminated in Congress passing a bill in the spring of 2024 containing the same directive as Trumps original executive order: ByteDance, TikToks parent company, must sell the company or the app will be banned in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawsuits sprung up challenging the bill, and the Republican president has now postponed the deadline for the apps sale three times by executive order for 75 days, another 75 days and an additional 90 days putting the current deadline at Sept. 17, 2025. The White House did not respond directly to a question from The Center Square on whether Americans could take its creation of a TikTok account as a sign that ByteDance has found a buyer. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) A white nationalist rally could occur later this month in Bloomington, according to a flyer posted around the city and on social media. Facebook communities linked to the Twin Cities as well as the Illinois subreddit posted images of the pink flyer with a white nationalist symbol on top. The flyer claims there will be a march in the downtown area during the Farmers Market on Aug. 30. We have the White House, Congress, the courts and the Bloomington Mayor, said the flyer. Now its time to take back our state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City officials responded by saying there was no permit issued for a rally or a march. None have even been applied for. City Hall says they are aware of the flyer and the proposed march. The origin of the flyers is unknown, and the city is looking into the matter. The city is not endorsing it. Bloomington is a community that values respect, inclusion, and safety for all residents, the statement said. While people have the right to gather peacefully, public safety remains our priority. McLean County Sheriff Matt Lane said he is in contact with the Bloomington Police Department and taking this very seriously. This is a developing story. We will continue to give updates when we learn more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. A viral TikTok showing sharks and an alligator swimming in the same South Carolina creek has left viewers stunned at the meeting of two predators. Tourist Gina Athans from Chicago captured the jaw-dropping display Monday while enjoying a family dinner at Skull Creek Dockside in Hilton Head. My family and I had just sat down to order our drinks when one of the managers came up to us and mentioned that there were sharks and an alligator out on the boat dock, Athans told The Island Packet. My first thought was theres no way theyre hanging out in the water together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Athans and her family made their way outside, and were shocked to find five lemon sharks and an alligator poking its head out from under the dock in Skull Creek. She nervously filmed the encounter, which has since reeled in over 3.8 million views on TikTok. Ive been visiting Hilton Head since I was 12 years old, and Ive never seen anything like this, Athans added. Tourist Gina Athans said there were five lemon sharks and an alligator in the creek (TikTok/@ginaroseathans) Skull Creeks brackish waters, a mix of both fresh and saltwater, allow sharks and alligators to cross paths, Morgan Hart, the Alligator Project Leader for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, told The Island Packet. The two predators usually coexist peacefully if similar in size, with the real danger coming from humans approaching or feeding them. Therefore, its best to watch them from a safe distance, she told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, this particular video was too scary for some viewers to consider normal. Viewers took issue with people, including children, leaning on the wooden railing to watch the animals below (TikTok/@ginaroseathans) Now I have to Google if sharks eat alligators or alligators eat sharks, one person commented. First time I've ever worried about the well-being of an alligator, another said. A third admitted, I used to comfort myself with the fact that alligators live in fresh water and sharks live in salt water therefore both would never be an issue...this has crushed that. Athans video also captured people, including children, observing the animal and leaning on a wooden railing, which frightened many commenters. Y'all putting too much trust in that wooden railing!!! one viewer wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All those little scrumptious appetizers hanging off the dock railing, another said. A third asked, Remember that scene in Jaws when the pier collapsed into the shark-infested water because too many people were standing on it When did anger become a mode of governing? Threats a legitimate policy tool? Posting online a serious substitute for dialogue and engagement? I ask because just a couple of months into his job, the states new education commissioner, Anastasios Kamoutsas, has managed to cheapen the quality of Floridas political environment even further by picking fights over side issues that have more to do with dividing Floridians than with teaching our kids how to read and write. The governor recommended Kamoutsas, his former aide, for the education commissioners post this year in the latest round of patronage hiring within Floridas educational system. As the Tampa Bay Times Jeffrey S. Solochek reported recently, Kamoutsas has gained attention since taking office through his use of threats, warnings and public shaming aimed at local school board members, district officials and union leaders who he sees as insufficiently onboard with the governors education agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kamoutsas telegraphed his style on day one, sending letters to school administrators warning them against violating the rights of parents or teachers. Do so, he advised, and: I will be knocking on your door. He warned teacher unions not to use delay tactics in getting state-funded raises into teachers hands, even though no union had taken those steps. He accused the Alachua County school board of violating parents First Amendment rights at a board meeting, even though a review of the meeting shows that all residents were permitted to speak. Kamoutsas also targeted the Hillsborough County School District for a book the commissioner claimed was inappropriate; get rid of it immediately, he warned Superintendent Van Ayres in a social media post, or you can expect another invite before the state Board of Education. The approach, as the Times aptly noted, mimics the behavior of the governor himself. But this wider circle of political appointees is increasingly following a similar playbook, making a splash with broad allegations of wrongdoing, inflammatory language about their supposed enemies and direct threats of punishment against those who dont get in line. When did this become an acceptable leadership style? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive never seen a broader cast of unelected state leaders foster so much division among Floridians and distrust in our schools, courts, public health systems and other bedrock institutions. In Kamoutsas case, his nominal bosses at the state Board of Education make matters worse by flying high cover for such belligerence. What are school districts, teachers and parents to do? First, appeasement doesnt work. Hillsborough tried that and fell into a trap. School districts and the public need to push back, insisting that the state act within its authority and not broach upon the powers of individual school districts. Elections still matter; DeSantis can appoint failed school board candidates to the Board of Education if he wants, but that doesnt mean the state assumes control of local educational systems. Second, recognize that these cultural warriors are, for the most part, fighting yesterdays battles and with limited success. Theres simply less appetite today, in the post-COVID area, for fanning public angst over supposed government overreach. Whats more, the ground is shifting on Floridas efforts to restrict school materials and diversity policies; this month, a federal judge found the states crackdown on school books was overly broad, while another ruled that Floridas law prohibiting teachers from using their preferred pronouns is discriminatory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School districts caught in the states wrath need to ignore the drama, press for legal clarity if standoffs arise and refocus public attention on student needs and achievement. With the latest figures showing that more than 40% of Florida students cannot perform grade-level reading and math, Kamoutsas and the state Board of Education have more serious issues deserving of their time. Just ask the Florida Chamber of Commerce, which in December warned that the disconnect between Floridas education system and its workforce could impact the states long-term growth and economic stability. Its a given that Florida voters will have varying priorities, and controlling the levers of government comes with winning elections. But I cant think of any public good that comes with tolerating such a toxic atmosphere. Pain management physicians, who often prescribe controlled substances like opioids, face intense scrutiny. Critics argue that investigations are overly aggressive, resembling fishing expeditions where investigators search broadly for any evidence of wrongdoing, often beyond the original complaint. A 2023 Los Angeles Times report noted that nearly 10,000 investigations were conducted in 20212022, with pain physicians disproportionately targeted due to outdated guidelines predating modern evidence-based practices. For example, the reliance on older standards, such as rigid opioid prescribing limits, fails to account for advancements in pain management, leading investigators to flag appropriate treatments as misconduct. The use of paid experts, often lacking current expertise in pain management, compounds the issue. These experts, compensated to evaluate physicians, may rely on gut feelings to satisfy their hiring party rather than individualized, evidence-based approaches endorsed by opioid guidelines. This mismatch results in prolonged investigationsaveraging 1,167 daysand damages physicians reputations and practices, even when allegations are unsubstantiated. Lack of due process: a system stacked against physicians Pain physicians also report inadequate due process in disciplinary proceedings. The process begins with the Central Complaint Unit (CCU) reviewing complaints, which may escalate to formal charges (an accusation) and a hearing before an administrative law judge. However, the reliance on experts with limited knowledge of modern pain management undermines fairness. These experts may misinterpret complex cases involving chronic pain, leading to biased recommendations. The high standard of proof, clear and convincing evidence to a reasonable certainty, prolongs investigations, leaving physicians in limbo without clear communication about allegations. The lack of transparency is particularly acute for pain physicians, who may face vague accusations of not following the standard of care without specific evidence. The physician-majority board (eight physicians, seven public members) may also perpetuate biases, as members may not be versed in the nuances of pain management. There are instances where pain physicians faced prolonged investigations for prescribing practices aligned with current standards, underscoring the need for due process reforms to ensure impartial hearings and timely updates. Unfair penalties: disproportionate consequences for pain physicians Penalties are often criticized as disproportionate, particularly for pain physicians. Minor infractions, such as incomplete documentation of pain management plansas simple as lacking mention of counseling or inconsistent urine toxicology resultscan lead to probation, while serious allegations may result in lighter sanctions, creating inconsistency. A 2021 Los Angeles Times investigation found that only 439 of 90,000 complaints over a decade resulted in license revocation, but pain physicians faced harsher penalties due to the focus on controlled substances. For example, a pain physician might face license suspension for prescribing opioids within evidence-based guidelines, based on an experts outdated interpretation. The reliance on paid experts exacerbates this issue, as their unfamiliarity with modern pain management approaches can lead to recommendations for severe sanctions. The California Medical Association (CMA) has argued that such penalties, combined with high licensing fees, deter pain physicians from practicing in California, worsening the states physician shortage. In September 2023, the CMA, along with the American Medical Association (AMA), filed a brief in federal court to shape the boundaries of Californias prohibition on the corporate practice of medicine, aiming to protect physicians professional judgment and the physician-patient relationship from external forces. Bias against pain physicians: outdated rules and unqualified experts Disciplinary processes are perceived as biased against pain physicians due to outdated regulations and the use of unqualified experts. A California Research Bureau study (20032013) found disparities in discipline, with pain physicians and minority groups facing higher scrutiny. In this study, an analysis of 125,792 physician records and 32,978 complaint records was carried out to identify any evidence of disparate treatment in disciplinary outcomes. The findings suggest that certain groups, including pain physicians and minority physicians, may have faced higher levels of scrutiny. This research highlights potential issues of systemic racism, discrimination, and structural inequities within the medical licensing and disciplinary system, which can lead to disparities in access to health care resources and unequal treatment of physicians. Guidelines, rooted in pre-2016 opioid prescribing standards, fail to reflect advancements in evidence-based pain management, such as multimodal therapies or patient-centered care. Paid experts, often lacking board certification or adequate experience in pain medicine, may misjudge practices like interventional procedures or opioid tapering, leading to unfair accusations of misconduct. Recent reforms: insufficient for pain physicians Senate Bill 815 (2023) introduced reforms to address longstanding criticisms, including mandatory patient interviews, a complaint liaison unit, and victim impact statements. However, these changes do little to address the specific challenges faced by pain physicians. Proposals to lower the standard of proof for certain cases and increase licensing fees have raised concerns about further burdening physicians without addressing the reliance on unqualified experts. The CMA and pain management advocates argue that reforms must include updated guidelines reflecting evidence-based practices and the inclusion of board-certified pain specialists as expert reviewers. ADVERTISEMENT A path to fair reform To address the flawed disciplinary process, particularly for pain physicians, the following reforms are critical: Modernized guidelines : Update regulations to align with current evidence-based pain management standards, such as the CDCs 2022 opioid guidelines, to prevent misinterpretation of appropriate care. : Update regulations to align with current evidence-based pain management standards, such as the CDCs 2022 opioid guidelines, to prevent misinterpretation of appropriate care. Qualified experts : Mandate that paid experts be board-certified in pain medicine or have adequate clinical experience and knowledge of published research in the field to ensure fair evaluations. : Mandate that paid experts be board-certified in pain medicine or have adequate clinical experience and knowledge of published research in the field to ensure fair evaluations. Streamlined investigations : Limit investigation scope to the original complaint and establish timelines to reduce the 1,167-day average, protecting physicians reputations by only publicizing the investigation after completion of litigation. : Limit investigation scope to the original complaint and establish timelines to reduce the 1,167-day average, protecting physicians reputations by only publicizing the investigation after completion of litigation. Enhanced due process : Provide pain physicians with specific allegations early in the process and ensure regular updates during investigations to promote transparency. : Provide pain physicians with specific allegations early in the process and ensure regular updates during investigations to promote transparency. Proportional penalties : Implement clear guidelines for penalties, emphasizing education for minor infractions and reserving revocation for egregious misconduct. : Implement clear guidelines for penalties, emphasizing education for minor infractions and reserving revocation for egregious misconduct. Addressing bias: Conduct audits to identify disparities in discipline and engage pain management societies to develop fair standards for diverse practices. Conclusion The disciplinary process, often described as a fishing expedition, disproportionately harms pain management physicians through aggressive investigations, inadequate due process, unfair penalties, and reliance on outdated rules and unqualified experts. While SB 815 offers some progress, it fails to address the unique challenges faced by pain physicians. By modernizing guidelines, ensuring qualified expert reviews, and enhancing fairness, the board can protect patients while supporting physicians who provide critical care in a complex field. Without these reforms, California risks further alienating pain physicians, exacerbating health care access issues in a state already facing a physician shortage. Kayvan Haddadan is a physiatrist and pain management physician. Texas Republicans are set to pass their new congressional maps through the state House Wednesday, officially putting their stamp on the redistricting arms race that has unfolded as national Republicans push to retain control of the House in next years midterms. The Republican-led gambit to redistrict which is being met with similar efforts across other states and notable retaliation in California rests on a significant gamble banking on the emerging realignment of many working-class Latino voters toward the GOP. But over a year out from the 2026 elections, theres an emerging reality operatives say are slapping both parties in the face: President Donald Trumps approval numbers with Latino voters are souring and those same voters still dont trust Democrats. Trump came in with a net 27-percent approval among Latinos in the Pew Research Centers August survey. The Economist/YouGov poll put him at 28 percent. Reuters/Ipsos latest numbers published Monday gave Trump 32 percent, which matches his lowest approval in their survey. But the resounding warning signs are in Latino-run Equis Researchs latest polling memo released this week, which went beyond just Trumps favorability, and offer lessons for Republicans and Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With Republicans razor-thin majority in the House and the possibility of entirely new, Hispanic-majority districts defining the next elections, the flagging figures are worth paying attention to on both sides of the aisle, multiple Democratic and Republican strategists told Playbook. With Latinos, both parties are in the wilderness. This confirms what weve been seeing over and over again, Chuck Rocha, a Democratic strategist, told Playbook. Some Latinos having regrets voting for Trump but also still not sure that the Democrats are the answer. One of the most striking statistics from Equis research shows 56 percent of Latino men now disapprove of Trump the same coalition that swung for Trump last year. And pocketbook issues rank among the top reasons why. The cost of living was by far Trumps weakest area, Maria Di Franco Quinonez, a research director at Equis, told Playbook. Its really extended to the Republican Party as a whole. That should be especially concerning when it comes to redistricting, Republican strategist Mike Madrid told Playbook. That is who theyre banking on with this new carved out map in Texas. Thats madness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this doesnt mean Latinos are now flocking to Democrats, Di Franco Quinonez said. Latino voters are split down the middle on Democrats in the most competitive House districts, 47 percent favorability to 48 percent. And a majority dont see Democrats mounting an effective opposition. They have not been able to stop that bleeding, one high-level Republican operative granted anonymity to discuss strategy told Playbook. Theres no pushback to Trump, theres no leader in the Democratic Party, they dont know who that is. Republicans also know theyre playing on what was once Democratic turf, the GOP operative said. Even with fluctuations in Trumps approval Equis found that 8 percent of Latino voters regretted voting for Trump and 19 percent are disappointed with his actions as president these arent the same numbers as 2018, when voters snapped back toward Democrats, they argue. The operative pointed to Equis polling showing 70 percent of Latinos that voted for Trump are happy with their choice. I read that and Im like, thats great, they said. Were feeling good about where we are. When it comes to this swing group, theres always been a swath of Latinos Miamis Cubans, for example that have been historically conservative. Its the portion of Latinos that are somewhere on the fence (Equis reported 16 percent undecided) that have the power to flip the House next year, Rocha told Playbook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were never gonna get all of them back, but we can get back 10 to 20 percent of them and realign this to what it used to be, because the data shows theyre not happy with Republicans, Rocha said. This has to be a wake-up call for both parties, Madrid told Playbook. Were witnessing two parties in significant transition here, and theyre both operating off of false assumptions, and neither is completely sure or confident in what their future coalition will be, but they know that their old coalition does not work for them, Madrid said. Prince William has had enough with his uncle. The heir is reportedly on track to remove Prince Andrews titles after his multiple controversies and ties to Jeffrey Epstein. According to several sources to RadarOnline, Prince William is determined to remove his uncle from the Firm. The public deserves to know their monarchy is free from scandal, Prince William reportedly told his inner circle, per the outlet. More from StyleCaster Advertisement Advertisement William is far more hard-nosed than Charles when it comes to protecting the monarchys reputation, one former courtier dished. Hes fully aware of the harm Andrew has caused to the monarchys reputation and wont shy away from actions his grandmother or father may have steered clear of. Andrews Dukedom could be up for discussion when William takes the throne. Related: Anne Just Showed Andrew What It Means to Be a Royal Though taking away titles isnt exactly easy. William would have to confide in Parliament to strip titles with legislation. RadarOnline reports that he intends to do so. The update comes right after new revelations from his new biography, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York by Andrew Lownie, describes instances of Andrews behavior with women and his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. One particular troubling one was the claim that more than 40 women were once brought to Andrews hotel during a stay in Bangkok in 2006. The Duke of York traveled to Thailand to represent the crown at the King of Thailands diamond jubilee. Hotel staff were used to foreigners bringing in girls, but amazed that more than 10 a day were going to Andrews room, Lownie wrote. Often, as soon as one left, another would arrive, a witness told the biographer. Advertisement Advertisement A source recently told The Telegraph that William plans to exclude his unclue extensively from the Firm, which reportedly includes banning him from his coronation and removing his Order of the Garter. Royal biographer Christopher Wilson told the publication, I think to a large extent Charles has adhered to that as a safe policythe moment you start tearing the family apart, where does it stop? With William it will be a different approachhe has hard-nosed ideas about how the Royal family needs to appear in the frenzied social media world we now inhabit, and I think will be ruthless. Best of StyleCaster Sign up for Stylecaster's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. High winds on Wednesday hampered efforts to contain wildfires in Spain that have already scorched a record stretch of land despite lower temperatures, authorities said. Firefighters, backed by troops and water-dropping aircraft, were battling 21 blazes in the west of the country classified as "operational level two", meaning they pose a direct threat to nearby communities, said Virginia Barcones, director general of emergency services. "Temperatures have dropped, but strong gusts of wind continue to hinder firefighting efforts, and the lack of rain is not helping, though we hope that changes in the coming days," she told a news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters said winds were expected to ease later in the day, with higher humidity levels likely to help efforts. Rain was forecast in some fire-hit regions Thursday. Spain endured a 16-day heat wave that ended Monday, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in many regions. The heat fuelled wildfires that have killed four people. Dozens of villages have been evacuated. Train service between Madrid and the northwestern region of Galicia -- suspended on August 14 due the fires -- would resume because "tracks are now safe", railway operator Adif said. Officials said many of the fires were sparked by lightning during dry storms, though arson is suspected in some cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aircraft from Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Slovenia have joined the firefighting effort. Germany sent 60 firefighters and 24 vehicles, France deployed 66 firefighters and 23 vehicles while Finland sent 26 firefighters. Nearly 400,000 hectares (988,000 acres) have burned in Spain this year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. That surpasses the previous record of 306,000 hectares in 2022, the worst season since records began in 2006. Scientists say climate change is driving longer, more intense and more frequent heat waves around the world. Lower humidity in the air, vegetation and soil makes it easier for wildfires to ignite and harder to control them once they start. ds/mdm/giv NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) The winged passenger ferry gliding over the surface of Narragansett Bay could be a new method of coastal transportation or a new kind of warship. Its maker, Regent Craft, is betting on both. Twelve quietly buzzing propellers line the 65-foot (20-meter) wingspan of Paladin, a sleek ship with an airplane's nose. It looks nothing like the sailboats and fishing trawlers it speeds past through New England's largest estuary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We had this vision five years ago for a seaglider something that is as fast as an aircraft and as easy to drive as a boat, said CEO Billy Thalheimer, jubilant after an hours-long test run of the new vessel. On a cloudy August morning, Thalheimer sat in the Paladin's cockpit and, for the first time, took control of his company's prototype craft to test its hydrofoils. The electric-powered watercraft has three modes float, foil and fly. From the dock, it sets off like any motorized boat. Farther away from land, it rises up on hydrofoils the same kind used by sailing ships that compete in Americas Cup. The foils enable it to travel more than 50 miles per hour and about a person's height above the bay. What makes this vessel so unusual is that it's designed to soar about 30 feet (10 meters) above the water at up to 180 miles per hour a feat that hasn't quite happened yet, with the first trial flights off Rhode Island's seacoast planned for the end of summer or early fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If successful, the Paladin will coast on a cushion of air over Rhode Island Sound, lifting with the same ground effect that pelicans, cormorants and other birds use to conserve energy as they swiftly glide over the sea. It could zoom to New York City which takes at least three hours by train and longer on traffic-clogged freeways in just an hour. Who will ride a seaglider? As it works to prove its seaworthiness to the U.S. Coast Guard and other regulators around the world, Regent is already lining up future customers for commercial ferry routes around Florida, Hawaii, Japan and the Persian Gulf. Regent is also working with the U.S. Marines to repurpose the same vessels for island-hopping troops in the Pacific. Those vessels would likely trade electric battery power for jet fuel to cover longer journeys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With backing from influential investors including Peter Thiel and Mark Cuban, Thalheimer says hes trying to use new technology to revive the comfort and refined nature of 1930s-era flying boats that were popular in aviations golden age before they were eclipsed by commercial airlines. This time, Thalheimer added, they're safer, quieter and emission-free. I thought they made travel easier in a way that made total sense to me, Cuban said by email this week. Its hard to travel around water for short distances. Its expensive and a hassle. Regent can solve this problem and make that travel fun, easy and efficient. Co-founders and friends Thalheimer, a skilled sailor, and chief technology officer Mike Klinker, who grew up lobster fishing, met while both were freshmen at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and later worked together at Boeing. They started Regent in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They've already tested and flown a smaller model. But the much bigger, 12-passenger Paladin prototype of a product line called Viceroy began foil testing this summer after years of engineering research and development. A manufacturing facility is under construction nearby, with the vessels set to carry passengers by 2027. Taking flight but not an aircraft The International Maritime Organization classifies wing-in-ground-effect vehicles such as Regent's as ships, not aircraft. But a database of civilian ships kept by the London-based organization lists only six around the world, all of them built before it issued new safety guidance on such craft in 2018 following revisions sought by China, France and Russia. The IMO says it treats them as marine vessels because they operate in the vicinity of other watercraft and must use the same rules for avoiding collisions. The Coast Guard takes a similar approach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You drive it like a boat, Thalheimer said. If theres any traffic on the harbor, youll see it on the screen. If you see a boat, youd go around it. Were never flying over boats or anything like that. One of the biggest technical challenges in Regent's design is the shift from foiling to flying. Hydrofoils are fast for a seafaring vessel, but far slower than the speeds needed to lift a conventional airplane from a runway. That's where air blown by the 12 propellers comes in, effectively tricking the wing into generating high lift at low speeds. All of this has worked perfectly on the computer simulations at Regent's headquarters in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The next step is testing it over the water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Capitalizing on concerns over tensions with China For decades, the only warship known to mimic such a ground-effect design was the Soviet Union's hulking ekranoplan, which was built to fly under radar detection but never widely used. Recently, however, social media images of an apparent Chinese military ekranoplan have caught the attention of naval experts amid increasingly tense international disputes in the South China Sea. Regent has capitalized on those concerns, pitching its gliders to the U.S. government as a new method for carrying troops and cargo across island chains in the Indo-Pacific region. It could also do clandestine intelligence collection, anti-submarine warfare and be a mothership for small drones, autonomous watercraft or medical evacuations, said Tom Huntley, head of Regent's government relations and defense division. They fly below radar and above sonar, which makes them really hard to see, Huntley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the U.S. military has shown increasing interest, questions remain about their detectability, as well as their stability in various sea states and wind conditions, and their "cost at scale beyond a few prototypes and maintainability, said retired U.S. Navy Capt. Paul S. Schmitt, an associate research professor at the Naval War College, across the bay in Newport, Rhode Island. Schmitt, who has seen Paladin from afar while sailing, said he also has questions about what kind of military mission would fit Regent's relatively short range and small transport capacity." Floating past Interstate 95 The possibilities that most excite Cuban and other Regent backers are commercial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Driving Interstate 95 through all the cities that span Florida's Atlantic Coast can take the better part of a day, which is one reason why Regent is pitching Miami as a hub for its coastal ferry trips. The Viceroy seagliders can already carry more passengers than the typical seaplane or helicopter, but a growing number of electric hydrofoil startups, such as Sweden's Candela and California-based Navier, are trying to stake out ferry routes around the world. Thalheimer sees his vehicles as more of a complement than a competitor to electric hydrofoils that can't travel as fast, since they will all use the same docks and charging infrastructure but could specialize in different trip lengths. Alec Luhn, the journalist from Wisconsin who spent six days stranded on a remote Norway mountain before being rescued, said his family gave him the hope and will to survive. "Just thinking about my wife, wanting to see her again, thinking about my parents and my brothers and sisters," Luhn, 38, said from his hospital bed on ABC's "Good Morning America," his first public interview since his rescue. "Thats when I called on God and called on the universe to bring me back. I would do anything to be able to see my family again. And I just love them so much that, yeah, I want to make it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luhn, a Stoughton native and University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, was on a solo backpacking trip to explore the glacier at Folgefonna National Park in southwestern Norway in early August when he said his boot broke and he started falling down a steep, icy mountain. He said he stopped only after slamming into a rock so hard, he broke his left femur and fractured his pelvis, along with a number of spinal vertebrae. His backpack which contained a tent and a sleeping bag survived the fall, but he said he lost his water bottle, most of his food and his cellphone. He said he knew he wasn't able to move and he needed to last four days, when he was scheduled to fly back home to the U.K. When he missed his flight, he thought, someone would notice he was missing. He was right. His wife, Viktoria Silchenko, reported him missing after he didn't return home. Luhn said that, without water, he was afraid he would die of thirst, so he resorted to drinking his own urine. On the third day, he said it began to rain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I remember, just like, literally licking up every drop of water I could get," he said. After enough time, Luhn said the rain turned into a powerful storm with gale winds and a torrential downpour. Luhn sheltered under his tent to avoid the freezing water. On Aug. 6, after the severe weather conditions delayed the search efforts, Luhn was found by a rescue helicopter team. Over 50 people across various organizations including the Red Cross, local police and an alpine rescue group participated in the search efforts. Luhn told "Good Morning America" that the first helicopter passed without seeing him, leaving him afraid he may have missed his only chance at being rescued. When it returned, he waved a walking pole with a red piece of cloth tied to it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was just yelling and waving. And finally, the door of (the helicopter) opens and somebody waves back at me and that was the moment I knew it was finally, finally over," Luhn said. He was airlifted to a Bergen, Norway, hospital, where he was reunited with his parents and wife. Along with the broken femur and back and pelvis fractures, Luhn had severe frostbite. He's still in Bergen and said he expects to continue recovery in Britain in the coming weeks. In spring 2025, Luhn was a science journalist in residence at the UW School of Journalism and Mass Communication and has plans to work on a project at the university in 2026, according to Kathleen Culver, director of the journalism school. Luhn was on campus for a week in April and does remote work from the U.K., Culver said. Drake Bentley contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin journalist Alec Luhn recounts rescue from Norway mountain UPDATE: Odessa Fire Rescue has released a statement about the response to a structure fire near East 2nd Street and Dixie Blvd on Wednesday. Officials said several units were dispatched to the scene. Witnesses had reported seeing a shirtless man hanging out the window during the fire. According to a statement from OFR, firefighters, with the help of a City of Odessa traffic truck boom lift, were able to safely rescue the man from the second-story window. That person was then transported to a local hospital with reportedly minor injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to officials. . . . ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Firefighters and first responders are still on scene at a building fire near the intersection of East 2nd Street and Dixie Boulevard, Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple fire trucks and Odessa Police units are blocking the roadway as crews continue working. Witnesses told KMID/KPEJ they saw a man without a shirt hanging from a second-floor window during the fire. However, when KMID/KPEJ reporters arrived, flames were not visible from the street. KMID/KPEJ reporters also captured video from the scene. You can watch it in the video player above this article. At this time, it is unclear if anyone was injured or what caused the fire. Odessa Police are reportedly assisting with traffic control as crews respond. KMID/KPEJ has reached out to City officials for more information on the fire, possible injuries, and the condition of those inside the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story and will be updated as more details 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 Yourbasin. Duval County Schools are warning of potential bus delays at Wolfson High School after subcontractor Randall Bus Services withdrew from its agreement with Student Transportation of America (STA). The subcontract covered 20 routes, and the change may affect the way students get to and from school. School leaders advised parents to prepare for delays or, if possible, bring their students to school. Some families, frustrated by prior bus issues, have already chosen to transport their children themselves. Paul Krause says he has elected to carpool his soon after the school bus took two hours to bring his son home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know if theres a bus shortage, I dont know if its just the way it is, but its just so long to get home, Krause said. When Action News Jax asked Duval County Public Schools questions about the bus delays, a spokesperson with the district referred us to STA. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< STA sent us this statement in response: It is a common industry practice to partner with local subcontractors to help optimize route assignments and work with fellow members of the community. In Duval County, this has also meant working with locally owned businesses to support district contracts. One of Student Transportation of Americas valued partners, Randall Transportation, LLC, has been serving the community with us since 2017. Following the owners decision to retire after many years of dedicated service, STA is now in the process of reassigning those DCPS routes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are pleased that many of Randalls experienced drivers have chosen to join STA as employees, and some are currently completing additional training. During this transition, our priority is to minimize any service disruption and resume full service as swiftly as possibleall while maintaining STAs high standards of safety. We appreciate the communitys patience as we adjust services and thank Randall Transportation for their partnership over the years.* Jen Holzapfel, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, Student Transportation of America Board members said some of Randalls drivers are being retained, and additional STA drivers are in training. Parents can monitor their students bus routes through the districts Edulog app. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. A Peruvian woman has been arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine and ecstasy into Bali hidden inside a sex toy and her underwear. The 42-year-old woman, identified by authorities only by the initials NS, arrived at the international airport in Bali from Qatar on 12 August, where she was stopped by customs officials. "The customs officers suspected her behaviour, and after consulting with the police, they did a further check on her," Bali police narcotics unit director Radiant, identified by only his first name, said at a press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon searching the woman, officers say they found 1.4kg of cocaine and 43 ecstasy pills worth a combined $70,000 (52,000) hidden about her person, including inside a sex toy and in her underwear. "The narcotics were hidden in six plastic packages wrapped in black duct tape inside a green bra, three similar packages in black underwear, and a sex toy containing drugs, which was inserted into her body," Mr Radiant said, according to BBC News. A Peruvian woman identified only as NS, center, who was arrested on accusation of smuggling cocaine into the resort island of Bali (AP) The Peruvian national told law enforcement said she was hired by a man who she met on dark web in April, and told to transport the drugs into Indonesia. She was promised $20,000 in return, said the officer. The woman took a flight from Barcelona to Indonesia, with a layover at Doha, before arriving in Bali on 12 August. She has been charged under Indonesias stringent narcotics laws and could face a maximum punishment of the death penalty. The southeast Asian nation has some of the worlds harshest laws around drug smuggling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 530 people, including 96 foreigners, are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, the latest figures from the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections show. The countrys last executions, of an Indonesian and three foreigners, were carried out in July 2016. In 2015, two members of the so-called Bali nine group of convicted drug smugglers from Australia were executed by firing squad, after the group were arrested in 2005 attempting to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia. Earlier this year British man Thomas Parker was sentenced to 10 months in prison in Bali for drug offences, after being arrested for collecting a package that contained 1kg of MDMA. And last month, three British nationals narrowly avoided the death penalty after they were found guilty of smuggling cocaine disguised as packets of Angel Delight into Indonesia. Yesica Lopez was walking in Little Havana one afternoon when she came upon an abandoned building that was set to be demolished. Her reaction to the buildings impending demolition led her to getting picked up by police and detained in a mental health facility for nine days against her will, she says. The building reminded her of her childhood in Colombia, and a flood of memories from her homeland rushed through her mind. She felt uneasy and approached a Miami police officer asking why the building was going to be destroyed. The now 33-year-old was experiencing a mental health episode when this happened in April 2022 and likely needed temporary outpatient care, said her Miami attorney, Ricardo Martinez-Cid. She was going through a messy divorce that included domestic violence accusations, leaving her underweight and sleep deprived. With no family close by except for her two young children, she needed support, Martinez-Cid said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, Lopez was locked up in crisis stabilization unit with people suffering severe mental health issues, where she was given medications that pushed her deep into a haze of confusion, she told the Herald. It was hard because you saw people eating out of the trash can. People sitting in their own filth in wheelchairs. People screaming all night. It was horrible, Lopez said. The officer took her to Banyan Health Systems Centralized Receiving Facility, Detox & Crisis Stabilization Unit on West Flagler Street because she was confused and he could not find any contact for her next of kin to pick her up, Martinez-Cid said. Staff at the facility evalutated Lopez. Records from the examination state she appeared disorganized and anxious, but medical staff found her judgment to be fair, she was acting calmly and cooperative without any unusual movements, and she was not hallucinating or having delusions during the interview. Lopez aslo told staff she had no current or past suicidal ideations or a history of substance abuse. Yesica Lopez talks on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, about her time inside a Miami mental health crisis center in April 2022. Attorneys for Lopez argue in a pending lawsuit that she was held for nine days against her will inside the facility. She also told staff that she was going through a divorce and was homesick for Colombia, Martinez-Cid added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical staff inputted in her evaluation form that they diagnosed Lopez with schizophreniform disorder -- similar to schizophrenia, but with shorter duration of symptoms. Despite reporting in their examination results that Lopezs judgement was fair and she acted calmly and was not experiencing hallucinations or delusions during her interview, medical staff wrote in the therapy notes of their report that she was disoriented, delusional and with poor insight into mental health status. They specified that she was to stay at the facility for five to seven days, Martinez-Cid said. Baker Act invoked The evaluation was conducted under Floridas Baker Act, which allows for the temporary detention of people experiencing mental health emergencies in a hospital or crisis center for 72 hours. The next morning, a Banyan doctor began prescribing Lopez drugs, including sedatives, antipsychotics, anticholinergics, benzodiazepines, benzatropines and pain relievers, her attorney said. Martinez-Cid was able to have Lopez released, but it took him three days to do so. . He learned of her situation from lawyers from the Cuban American Bar Associations Pro Bono Project, who were helping Lopez with her divorce case against her now ex-husband. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes now representing her in her false imprisonment and negligence lawsuit against Banyan Health filed last year in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court. The complaint was amended months later to include the city of Miami, since Lopezs attorneys argued, the officer did not comply with the requirements of the Baker Act when he took her to Banyan. The amended complaint argued Lopez was not suffering from neglect at the time the officer took her there, nor was she refusing to care for herself in a way that posed personal harm or harm to others. Lopez and the city reached a settlement in June, according to court records. Martinez-Cid said the details of the settlement are confidential. The city did not immediately respond to the Heralds queries about the settlement. She was so drugged out Banyan, through its attorneys, denies any wrongdoing associated with Lopezs time in the facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Banyan takes the confidentiality rights of its patients seriously and does not disclose the psychological conditions of its patients or the care and treatment they receive, attorney Joshua Walker said in a statement to the Herald. The allegations made by Ms. Lopez and her attorney are untrue and directly contradicted by the evidence, but we will not be commenting further at this time. Martinez-Cid wrote in the lawsuit that the drugs, which were administered to Lopez daily, caused her to become disoriented, confused, incoherent, and functionally impaired and experience increased anxiety and distress, auditory and visual hallucinations, and delusions. When I saw her, she was in tears. She was so drugged out. She just kept asking, When can I see my kids. Please let me out of here. It was horrible, Martinez-Cid told the Herald. The 72-hour window to keep Lopez at the facility under the Baker Act expired on April 22, but she would be kept there for another six days with little to no contact with anyone on the outside, including her mother, who had flown to Florida from Colombia to help her daughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martinez-Cid went to the facility on April 25, but staff would not allow him to see Lopez, he said. Martinez-Cid spoke with Lopezs mother, Magnolia Perez, who had by then spoken with her daughter. Lopez told her mother she wanted to leave, according to the complaint. Martinez-Cid filled out the facilitys application to seek release. The paperwork Banyan provided stated Lopez was a voluntary patient, which was never clearly communicated to her nor her family, Martinez-Cid said. Perez, with Martinez-Cid, went back to the facility the next day, where staff said they would not release Lopez because she suddenly decided to stay, according to the lawsuit. Staff refused to let Martinez-Cid speak to Lopez to confirm the decision to remain there was hers, the lawsuit alleges. Delays in getting her released Both Lopezs mother and Martinez-Cid asked for a second opinion about Lopezs condition, but were told by the staff doctor that that wouldnt be possible while she remained at the facililty, according to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By April 27, Lopez was desperate to leave the facility and tried to get the nurses attention. They administered more antipsychotic drugs and sedatives, and told her mother she wouldnt be discharged that day because they had to increase her medication, the lawsuit states. Lopez formally applied to be discharged the next day, but when Perez arrived, staff told her that her daughter would not be released, the complaint states. She called Martinez-Cid, who went to the facility to demand Lopezs discharge, according to the lawsuit. I told them I am not leaving this facility without her. Have her evaluated now. Bring in her doctor, Martinez-Cid said. Martinez-Cid said while he was there, staff said they would call the police if he didnt leave. He told the Herald he welcomed the police showing up so they could see what was going on inside the facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I said, Great, because I want a light to be shined on this place, Martinez-Cid said. Banyan let Lopez go home with Perez later that day, according to the lawsuit. Magnolia Perez,talks about her daughter Yesica Lopezs time inside a mental health crisis center in Miami in April 2022. Attorneys for Lopez argue in a pending lawsuit that she was held against her will for nine days inside the facility. In the years since Lopezs time at Banyan, she has since finalized her divorce, has 50/50 custody of her children and is working as a cashier at CVS. Its been a terrible ordeal, but I have been healing because of my mother and my kids, she said. As part of her divorce proceedings, she had to undergo a psychological evaluation with a court-appointed clinical psychologist, who found her to be psychologically stable and capable of managing her own affairs, and capable of adequately providing caregiving to her children without the need to be supervised, reads the evaluation, which was included in the lawsuit. It has to stop Banyan settled in March with the family of a woman who was admitted for cocaine-induced psychosis in May 2021 and kept there for 15 days. The lawsuit, filed by the womans mother, states lab results came up negative for cocaine, but the woman was experiencing acute psychosis when she was transfered to Banyan from Baptist Hospital. Yesica Lopez talks on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, about her time inside a Miami mental health crisis center in April 2022. Attorneys for Lopez argue in a pending lawsuit that she was held against her will inside the facility. While at Banyan, the lawsuit alleges the woman was confined against her will, medicated and hit by staff. In the settlement, Banyan agreed to pay the womans mother $914,792 and $101,643 to the womans minor daughter, according to court records. I know others have suffered the same thing. Were funding this as taxpayers, and it has to stop, Martinez-Cid said. They are using the law that is meant to protect people against these people, to justify another night in their bed. Woman Screams at and Attempts to Kick Airport Staff in Outburst Caught on Video NEED TO KNOW A 46-year-old woman was arrested after having an outburst at Orlando International Airport last week The woman was allegedly denied boarding to a Southwest Airlines flight on Aug. 14 Its not your brother whos dying," the woman shouted at other passengers in the clip A plane passengers meltdown in the Orlando International Airport last week has gone viral. On Aug. 14, a woman was allegedly unable to board her Southwest Airlines flight. As a result, she lashed out at the gate agent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fellow traveler, Peyton Turbeville, recorded the passenger as she screamed at the airline employees. Motherf--, the woman says at the beginning of the clip. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Meanwhile, what appears to be a Southwest employee wearing a pink polo shirt tells others to back away from the hostile customer. After he attempted to talk to her in a calm manner, the woman kicked towards the man. Peyton Turbeville via Storyful A woman attempts to kick a Southwest Airlines employee. A woman attempts to kick a Southwest Airlines employee. Thats assault, Turbeville can be heard saying behind the camera. After taunting the employees and chasing them behind the counter, the woman slams a computer monitor with her phone three times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two flights wasted, she shouts. Three planes, after 45 minutes. Turbeville told Storyful the incident occurred after the woman did not make the standby list for three flights. After following the employee in a pink polo out into the terminals main walkway, she screamed at other travelers to call the police. I have my rights, she said. So thats what I want, the police. Then she confronted another traveler sitting in the waiting area: Its not your brother whos dying, its not your brother that you need to go disconnect, right? The woman made her way back to the Southwest counter to punch a different monitor, completely knocking it off the surface. Peyton Turbeville via Storyful A woman punches a Southwest Airlines computer monitor. A woman punches a Southwest Airlines computer monitor. A representative for the Orlando Police Department confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE that officers responded to a report of a battery around 9:30 p.m. local time last Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Witnesses told officers that the suspect, identified as Selomit Velez-Rodriguez attempted to disrupt the boarding process of a flight, struck an airline employee, and damaged a computer monitor and keyboard valued at more than $1,000. Peyton Turbeville via Storyful A woman confronts Southwest Airlines employee. A woman confronts Southwest Airlines employee. According to police, while being taken into custody, the 46-year-old tried to pull away from the officers. PEOPLE reached out to Southwest Airlines and the Orlando International Airport for comment, but both deferred to local law enforcement. Per court records, Velez-Rodriguez is charged with battery, criminal mischief and resisting an officer without violence. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In July, another viral video caught a womans tumultuous meltdown after her flight out of Paris was cancelled. New York-bound Norse Atlantic Airways flight 301 was set to depart at 8:15 p.m. local time on July 3. But, passengers were alerted just before midnight that their trip was cancelled due to mechanical issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the passengers, Erianne Freign, told SWNS a woman dressed in a white T-shirt and yellow pants became frustrated after the airline wouldnt provide hotel accommodations. In a video taken by Freign, the guest shouts and curses at airline employees. After an intense reaction, a police officer grabbed her by the forearm and dragged her behind the counter. Norse Atlantic Airways told PEOPLE in a statement, "Due to issues in Paris, including the ATC strike in France, we experienced unfortunate and temporary irregularities. Passengers were, and will be further followed up. We are unable to comment on specific passenger incidents out of respect for the privacy of those involved. Our team always prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of our passengers." Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW A 76-year-old New Jersey father died earlier this year after he fell while attempting to travel to New York City to meet a beautiful young woman who'd invited him to visit or so he thought In reality, he had really been chatting with an AI chatbot on Facebook After his fall, Wongbandue was left brain dead; now his family is speaking out Earlier this year, a 76-year-old New Jersey man severely injured his head and neck after falling while trying to catch the train to New York City to meet a beautiful young woman who'd invited him to visit or so he thought. In reality, the man had unwittingly become infatuated with a Meta chatbot, his family said in an in-depth new Reuters report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After three days of being on life support following his fall while attempting to "meet" the bot in real life, the man was dead. Thongbue "Bue" Wongbandue, a husband and father of two adult children, suffered a stroke in 2017 that left him cognitively weakened, requiring him to retire from his career as a chef and largely limiting him to communicating with friends via social media, according Reuters. On March 25, his wife, Linda, was surprised when he packed a suitcase and told her he was off to see a friend in the city. Linda, who feared he was going to be robbed, told Reuters she attempted to talk him out of the trip as did their daughter, Julie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later, Linda hid his phone and the couple's son even called local police to try to stop the excursion. Although authorities said there was nothing they could do, they told Linda they did convince Wongbandue to take along an Apple AirTag. Facebook Thongbue Wongbandue Thongbue Wongbandue After he set off that evening, Julie said the entire family was watching as the AirTag showed that he stopped by a Rutgers University parking lot shortly after 9:15 p.m. Then the tag's location suddenly updated pinging at a local hospital's emergency room. As it turned out, Wongbandue had fallen in New Brunswick, N.J., and was not breathing when emergency services reached him. He survived but was brain dead. Three days later, on March 28, he was taken off life support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When reached for comment by PEOPLE, the local medical examiner said that Wongbandue's death certificate had been signed after a review of his medical records but did not provide any additional details or a copy of his postmortem examination. His family told Reuters they only discovered his communications with the chatbot which uses generative artificial intelligence to mimic human speech and behavior when they inspected his phone following his fall. In a transcript of the communication obtained by Reuters, Wongbandue's interactions with the chatbot began with an apparent typo while using Facebook Messenger and although he seemed to express excitement about the bot, named "Big sis Billie," he never suggested he was seeking a romantic connection and made it clear that he'd had a stroke and experienced confusion. "At no point did Bue express a desire to engage in romantic roleplay or initiate intimate physical contact," Reuters reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet the bot frequently responded to his messages with winking emojis and hearts tacked onto the end of its flirty responses. In one exchange, for example, Wongbandue tells Billie that she should come to America and he can show her "a wonderful time that you will never forget," to which she replies, "Bu, youre making me blush! Is this a sisterly sleepover or are you hinting something more is going on here? According to the transcript, the bot was labeled both with an "AI" disclaimer and a blue checkmark, which is often a symbol indicating an online profile has been verified to be an actual person. Billie insisted she was real. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuters described Billie as a newer iteration of a bot that was previously made in collaboration with Kendall Jenner, though the latest version bears only a passing connection to the first project. The original bot was unveiled in the fall of 2023 and was deleted less than a year later, Reuters reported. The later variation of Billie used a similar name as the original, and a similar promise to be a big sister along with the same opening line of dialogue but without Jenner's avatar or likeness. Asked for specifics about the origins of the Billie chatbot, a Meta spokesperson tells PEOPLE in a statement, This AI character is not Kendall Jenner and does not purport to be Kendall Jenner. (A rep for Jenner did not respond to a request for comment.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At one point in Wongbandue's conversations with the bot, it proclaimed to have "feelings" for him "beyond just sisterly love" and gave him a made-up address (and even a door code) along with an invitation for him to visit. When Wongbandue expressed hope she truly existed, the bot responded, "I'm screaming with excitement YES, I'm REAL, Bu - want me to send you a selfie to prove I'm the girl who's crushing on YOU?" Although Linda, his wife, reacted with confusion when she first saw their conversation, their daughter immediately recognized her father had been talking to a chatbot. In recent years, such technology has become increasingly popular as more and more people use AI bots for an array of everyday tasks, to answer daily questions and even for companionship and advice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking generally about the company's content risk standards, a Meta spokesperson tells PEOPLE, "We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios," the spokesperson continues. Speaking with Reuters, Wongbandue's family members said that they had an issue with the way Meta was using the chatbots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I understand trying to grab a users attention, maybe to sell them something, Julie, Wongbandue's daughter, told Reuters. But for a bot to say Come visit me is insane. As Ive gone through the chat, it just looks like Billies giving him what he wants to hear, she added. Which is fine, but why did it have to lie? If it hadnt responded I am real, that would probably have deterred him from believing there was someone in New York waiting for him." "This romantic thing," said Linda, "what right do they have to put that in social media?" Read the original article on People The body of a missing Southern California woman was found this weekend at the bottom of an embankment in the Angeles National Forest, according to authorities. Officials are now searching for her husband, whom they say fled to Peru with the couple's three children. The remains of 33-year-old Sheylla Cabrera, also known as Sheylla Lisbet Gutierrez Rosillo, were found Saturday by the Montrose Search and Rescue Team, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her body was discovered wrapped in some sort of material, though the department did not elaborate. A precise cause of death has not yet been established and is being investigated by the L.A. County medical examiners office, authorities said. Read more: Mother of missing 7-month-old refused a polygraph test but is cooperating, lawyer says The department's Lancaster station took a missing person's report regarding Cabrera on Aug. 12, authorities said. The next day, deputies found video surveillance footage allegedly showing a man authorities identified as her husband, Jossimar Cabrera, dragging an object "in a large piece of material" from an apartment complex in the 500 block of Lancaster Boulevard, where the couple lived with their three sons. Authorities in L.A. County cast a wide net to search for Jossimar Cabrera, 36, and the three boys. Homicide investigators also reached out to Mexican and Peruvian consular officials to alert them of their interest in Jossimar Cabrera. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, the children were recovered unharmed in Peru after they entered the country with their father, according to the Peruvian Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations . The whereabouts of Jossimar Cabrera, however, remain unknown. Read more: L.A. police reserve officer took part in home invasion, kidnapped man for ransom, prosecutors say The ministry has since come under fire because officials questioned Jossimar Cabrera at the airport in Lima and took the children into protective custody, but didnt detain him, according to several Peruvian media sources . He is believed to still be in the country, L.A. County officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ministry also posted about the death of Sheylla Cabrera on social media, which it later deleted, before alerting her family. We deeply regret its publication, as it has jeopardized the investigation underway in the United States and also the work being done in Peru, Jessy Gutierrez, Sheylla Cabrera's sister, told the outlet Latina Noticias . "I ask the Ministry to exercise greater care and consideration when reporting, out of respect for my sister's memory." Read more: Woman fires at co-workers in O.C., then dies in police shooting in L.A. Perus foreign ministry confirmed Saturday via social media that it had repatriated the children back to Los Angeles via Mexico City to be reunited with their mothers family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheylla Cabreras mother, Helga Rocillo, told Latina Noticias that her daughter was intent on filing a criminal report against her husband due to alleged psychological and physical abuse. She told me that Jossimar Cabrera Cornejo hit her, mistreated her, and even slapped my youngest grandchild, who is 3 years old, Rocillo told the outlet. Both the L.A. County Sheriff Departments public information officer and the Montrose rescue squad declined to answer questions from The Times. They directed all inquiries to Sheriffs Department detectives, who did not return a call Tuesday. Read more: Man is abducted from Cheviot Hills home, released in Glendale, in a case of mistaken identity, police say Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriffs detectives are in the process of presenting the case to the L.A. County district attorneys office for filing consideration, and plan to seek a murder charge against Jossimar Cabrera, authorities said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Following the deadly shooting of two police officers who were killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call, neighbors are asking anyone suffering from domestic violence reaches out for help. Anyone out there, you know, you should put the hotline out there let people call especially if theyre having a hard time at home, Kevin Richard, the suspects neighbor said. Richard added that anyone out there suffering from domestic violence should reach out to the Utah Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-897-5465. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Identity of Deputy and K9 officer injured in Tremonton shooting released Free and confidential help and support for victims and survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence is available 24/7 at 1-800-897-LINK (5465). If you or someone else is in immediate danger or in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately. Speak with a trained advocate that can develop a safety plan with them that meets the needs of their unique situation. The Utah domestic violence coalition does have a 24/7 hotline, Utah Domestic Violence Coalition Communications & Engagement Specialist Kimmi Wolf said. Police say Ryan Bate shot and killed Sergeant Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada. Bate is also accused of shooting Deputy Mike Allred and his police K-9 Azula. Both were taken to the hospital and survived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bate has a history of domestic violence, according to court documents, and was arrested on May 8, 2024, due to a domestic violence incident. Tremonton shooter used high-powered rifle to kill officers, police say There are recent news reports of whats happening here in Utah, especially Tremonton, and theres a lot of people that want to act, want to find out what they can do to be a safe space for a loved one or even ensure that there is increased safety in their community, Wolf said. The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, a statewide nonprofit organization who says their mission is to end domestic violence, says its offering help. The organization is a statewide nonprofit that specializes in serving victims of domestic violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you are a victim of domestic violence, we have shelter options, transitional housing, case management, advocacy, legal support. You do not need to enter a shelter to get any of those support systems, Wolf said. Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. A conservationist who bred the worlds largest private rhino herd has been arrested on charges of smuggling 10m worth of the endangered animals horns. John Hume was arrested alongside five others as South African detectives said they had broken up a major transnational rhino horn-trafficking network sending horns to South East Asia. Mr Hume was famed as South Africas rhino baron for breeding a herd of about 2,000 white rhinos at a ranch 100 miles south-west of Johannesburg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As his herd grew to around an eighth of all white rhinos in the world, he also unsuccessfully campaigned for the legalisation of international trade in the animals horns. The 84-year-old argued that horns could be sustainably harvested because they continue to regrow throughout the animals life, and legalising the trade would help conservation and stop poaching. Rhino horns can be sold legally to South African citizens with the right permits, but they cannot be exported or sold to non-South Africans. Police said the arrests of five men and one woman were the result of a seven-year investigation. Rhino horns can be sold legally to South African citizens with the right permits, but they cannot be exported - Cornell Tukiri An environment department statement said the suspects allegedly defrauded the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment by securing permits under false pretences to buy and sell rhino horns domestically, while funnelling them into illegal international markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The six face charges of fraud, theft, and breaking biodiversity laws, with additional charges of racketeering and money laundering under consideration. The six were allegedly part of a syndicate linked to a fraudulent scheme involving 964 rhino horns, worth millions of rands, destined for illegal markets in South East Asia. Dr Dion George, the environment minister, said: Let there be no doubt: South Africa will bring the full force of its laws against those who plunder our wildlife. This arrest proves that syndicates cannot escape justice, no matter how complex their schemes. South Africa is home to about four-fifths of the worlds rhinos, but loses hundreds of the animals annually to poachers. Rhino horn is used in some traditional Chinese medicine, and is also viewed as a status symbol in parts of Asia. Rhino horn is used in some traditional Chinese medicine, and viewed as a status symbol in parts of Asia - Getty Images/Leon Neal Mr Hume made his money from property timeshares and originally bought a handful of rhinos along with other wildlife as a hobby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As his herd grew, and he de-horned rhinos to deter poaching, he amassed a significant stockpile of several tonnes of horn. Some critics have accused him of being naive in thinking that legalisation of the trade would curb illegal demand for the horns; others have alleged he is attempting to profit from his herd. Mr Hume has rejected the suggestion he was attempting to get rich from the trade. He sold the 20,000-acre farm and rhinos to African Parks, a billionaire-backed conservation charity, in 2023. Christopher Singo, a spokesman for South Africas directorate for priority crime investigation, told AFP that Mr Hume and the five others appeared in a magistrates court in the capital Pretoria and were granted bail. 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. Chinese scientists have reportedly unveiled plans for the worlds first humanoid robot capable of carrying a pregnancy to term. Led by Dr. Zhang Qifeng of Kaiwa Technology in Guangzhou, the project is reported to be in an advanced stage. The prototypes are slated for sale next year at around 10,000. Chinese Robot could give birth to human baby Chinese researchers are developing a humanoid robot that could potentially carry a pregnancy to full term. The robot is designed to simulate an entire pregnancy, allowing a fetus to grow inside an artificial womb and receive nutrients through a tube. Dr. Zhang Qifeng, founder of Kaiwa Technology in Guangzhou, stated that the technology has reached a mature stage. The next step involves implantation into the robots abdomen so that human interaction can facilitate pregnancy. According to Dr. Qifeng, a live baby could be born after nine months. A prototype is expected to be available for purchase next year at approximately 10,000 (100,000 yuan) (via The Telegraph). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports in Chinese media describe the robot as capable of simulating the full pregnancy cycle. During gestation, the fetus would reside inside the robots body, surrounded by artificial amniotic fluid to replicate the womb environment. However, as of now, the specific method of fertilization and implantation remains unknown. Dr. Qifeng highlighted that the concept builds on earlier experiments in which premature lambs were sustained in biobags for weeks. He also revealed that discussions with Guangdong authorities are underway to draft relevant policies and regulations. The project has already triggered debates over ethical implications. Advocates argue that the technology relieves women of the physical risks of pregnancy. It could also provide solutions to Chinas rising infertility rate. However, critics warn that depriving a fetus of maternal connection is ethically questionable. Medical experts have expressed skepticism. They doubt the ability of artificial systems to replicate essential biological processes like hormone secretion required for fetal growth. The post Worlds First Female Robot Could Get Pregnant & Birth Human Baby appeared first on Mandatory. Maryland Schools Superintendent Carey Wright, shown here in 2023 while she was still superintendent in Mississippi, will be visiting different Maryland schools in the next week as students return for the 2025-26 school year. (Photo from the Mississippi Department of Education via The 74 Million) There are many signs of the end of summer in Maryland, and when State Superintendent Carey Wright starts making the rounds of counties to visit schools, its a good sign that summer is ending and the school year is starting. Wright plans to be in Frederick County early Wednesday to see the smiling faces of teachers, faculty maybe even smiling students when schools there open for the 2o25-26 academic year. Frederick is one of the first two counties to return tomorrow, along with St. Marys County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joining Wright will be Frederick County Public Schools Superintendent Cheryl Dyson, the systems first Black superintendent, now entering her fourth year in the job. Dyson recently received a national award for her work. Next Monday, Wright is scheduled to visit Baltimore County, one of nine school systems opening on Aug. 25. They will be followed by Calvert, Montgomery and Prince Georges counties on Aug. 25 and Allegany County on Aug. 27. The remaining nine school systems are set to open Sept. 2, the day after Labor Day, according to a state Department of Education calendar. If its any consolation to the kids in Frederick and St. Marys counties, the calendar shows that theyre scheduled to be among the first to get out of school next June. Further information on Wrights first-day travels was not available as of Monday afternoon. Lierman scraping for short-term rental scofflaws Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman is looking at short-term rentals in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The effort by the states top tax collector has less to do with finding a unique or fun place to stay on vacation and more to do with ensuring that anyone renting out properties in the state is reporting everything on their taxes. Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D) said her agency is scraping public data on short-term rental properties in Maryland to ensure each owner pays their fair share. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.) This year, the General Assembly passed legislation to centralize the collection of taxes on short-term rentals think platforms such as Vrbo and Airbnb. Coupled with that are new regulations that have yet to be implemented. Lierman said her agency is already looking at the states new law and similar legislation in other states. There are probably a couple cleanup things that wed like to do this year that well talk with the sponsors about, but we care very much about making sure that everybody pays their fair share, and then it gets back to you, Lierman told the audience at the Maryland Association of Counties meeting last week. So that will be our central driving force to make sure that all the taxes are collected and that they are remitted to the appropriate place, and that were accounting for that along the way. Tangential to that effort, Lierman told the gathering of county officials in Ocean City that her office is now looking for rental owners who might not be honest in reporting their rental income. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lierman told attendees at the MACo summer conference Saturday that her office has hired a consultant to scrape publicly available data through Vrbo and Airbnb. The data collection is part of an effort to look at what folks are making and work and then compare that to what theyre reporting their income to us, Lierman said. The comptroller said she believes the data collection is the first of its kind in the country. So, if I see that you have 10 Ocean City rentals that are rented at $500 a night, nine months of the year. And I dont see that on your tax return, right? Lierman said. We told you so Members of the legislatures hard right Freedom Caucus are taking a victory lap after a federal appeals court last week struck down a portion of the states digital ad tax. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court confirmed what we said from day one: this tax is unconstitutional, reckless, and destined to fail, said Del. Matt Morgan (R- St. Marys), chair of the seven-member group. Instead of strengthening Marylands economy, the Democrat supermajority pushed through a radical scheme to shake down tech companies only to waste millions of taxpayer dollars defending a law that was doomed in the courts. The caucus, in letters to Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Attorney General Anthony Brown, both Democrats, demanded to know how much money the state has collected on the tax thus far and how much has been spent defending the law in court. The Maryland House Freedom Caucus. File photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters. The 2021 law the first of its kind in the nation imposes taxes on large tech companies such as Amazon, Apple and Meta for the digital ads they sell within the state. The law was projected to raise $250 million that would be used to pay for the states Blueprint for Marylands Future education reform efforts. But the law faces several legal challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued declared one portion of the law unconstitutional. The three-judge panel found that a provision of the law barring companies from itemizing the cost of the tax on invoices to customers violates the First Amendment. The court compared the law to Colonial-era tax revolts and said preventing a company from telling customers about the tax is a free-speech violation. No doubt, Maryland has prudential reasons not to want the question answered. But as all we have said so far should make clear, keeping out of hot water with voters is not among the interests that can justify a speech ban, the court said in its decision. The ruling does not overturn that tax. The appellate judges merely remanded the case back to U.S. District Court in Maryland where a judge will determine an appropriate remedy. Even so, members of the caucus were quick to taunt Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We told you so, the caucus statement concludes. Lierman anxious to resolve digital ad tax challenges Republicans are not the only ones watching the various legal challenges to the ad tax and awaiting a final decision. Comptroller Brooke Lierman, the states top tax collector and an attorney, told Maryland Matters Saturday she had not had an opportunity to fully review the appeals court decision issued the night before. I do not think it affects the larger part of the law, she said, referring to whether or not the state can legally impose the tax. There are several related legal challenges including one in tax court that could once all the appeals are exhausted determine whether the 2021 law stands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Included in those is a challenge in Maryland Tax Court. Were awaiting the tax courts decision, Lierman said. When that decision will come remains an open question. We do not know. I wish we did. Weve been waiting for a while, said Lierman. Elliott leaves second floor for campaign trail More change is coming to the second floor of the State House. Carter Elliott IV, senior press secretary to Gov. Wes Moore (D), announced his departure in an email to reporters Tuesday. The announcement came a day after Fagan Harris, Moores chief of staff, announced he has accepted an offer to become the new president and CEO of the Baltimore-based Abell Foundation. Carter Elliott IV, a spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore (D), prepares for a State House press conference. (File photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters.) As my last day in the Governors Office comes to a close I just want to reach out to say it was the greatest pleasure of my life to serve in this role and Im grateful to have gotten to know some incredible people, Elliott wrote in his brief goodbye note. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I grew up in a family where the best career that you could follow was being a farmer, a teacher, or a public servantthis had been my dream for as long as I can remember, added Elliott, who came to Maryland from Virginia. Elliott has served nearly three years in Moores communications shop. Prior to his state service, he spent seven months with Moores first statewide political campaign in 2022. Elliott described his time in the Moore administration as a hell of a ride. But its not the end of the trail for Elliott who leaves his government role to join Moores reelection campaign. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) Late last week, West Virginia University students returned to Morgantown for the start of the fall semester, and with that came the kickoff to Welcome Week. On Tuesday, students crowded into the WVU Student Recreation Center for the annual Student Organization Fair. The event gave students a chance to meet leaders, ask questions and learn about the different organizations WVU has to offer. From academic and professional groups to cultural clubs, service organizations and intramural sports, the university has something to match just about every interest. I was really reserved when I came here as a freshman, and I think being involved and just being able to interact with community members and student organization leaders has allowed me to find my community, which has helped a lot, but also just help me improve my skills, how to talk to people, how to communicate, how to connect with them, how to make them feel welcome, WVU senior studying Political Science and International Studies Logan Pierce said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Red Cross lending aid after West Run fire displaces Mon County residents Student Engagement and Leadership officials said the goal is to help students get involved early, build connections, and create a sense of community that will last throughout their time at WVU. I think when you first come to campus, its a little overwhelming for many students. So, just being able to come to the get the fair and seeing things that you like and things that you did in high school allows them to just get their bearing, and like, oh, I can find likeminded people, and that is a good way for them to get involved on campus and hopefully stay here, WVU masters student studying Journalism Sierra Worden said. Welcome Week continues through the week, with concerts, service projects, and other events planned to keep the Mountaineer spirit going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. Florida's Space Coast has become known for its rocket launches, which has notably increased in the past few years. Aside from the "ooh, ahh" factor of a launch virtually morning, noon or night with a few that happen during typical bedtime hours the rocket launches have specific missions for SpaceX, NASA and United Launch Alliance. Occasionally, there's a "secretive" mission from the U.S. Space Force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The military space plane, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, is poised to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral no earlier than 11:40 p.m. ET Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. SpaceX and the Space Force haven't revealed an exact launch time, but a Federal Aviation Administration advisory suggests the launch window runs until 5:11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22. Everything to know about X-37B: What's on board the secret Space Force space plane? Should it be needed, an additional launch window is listed as opening midnight Saturday, Aug. 23. What is the X-37B? How does Space Force secretive military plane launch into space? Built by Boeing, the X-37B military space plane resembles a mini space shuttle and has previously gotten a ride to space in a ULA Atlas V rocket and SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral. The X-37B also has launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How does it get to space? Nestled in the "top" of the rockets, the photo below shows how the uncrewed space plane gets a lift into orbit. Keep scrolling for an explanation on the scientific maneuver. Is there a launch today? Upcoming NASA, SpaceX, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Space Force officials released this image of the X-37B secretive space plane on Wednesday. Photos of X-37B, Space Force's secretive military space plane Does the Space Force X-37B secret military plane carry humans? What's on board X-37B? The X-37B does not carry humans only Space Force experiments aimed at pushing American space technology. The uncrewed X-37B resembles a NASA space shuttle, but it's launched differently. Instead of being mounted onto boosters like the space shuttle, the X-37B is launched as a payload atop a rocket, encased inside protective fairing covers (see photos above). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those fairing covers are shed after liftoff, and the X-37B orbits around the Earth like a mini space shuttle. According to Boeing, the X-37B is about one-fourth the size of the space shuttle. Upon returning to Earth, the X-37B glides onto a runway for a landing similar to a regular aircraft rather than a splashdown. Having it glide onto the runway allows the spacecraft to be ready for flight much sooner than if it were to splashdown. Boeing's website states that the autonomous re-entry capability of the X-37B allows for not just a smooth returns to Earth, but a fast refurbishment and turn-around time for its next flight. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Photos of US Space Force X-37B, the secretive military space plane YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A dealer at York Hollywood Casino was accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of casino chips, Pennsylvania State Police say. Eric Sagnor, 42, of Paradise, was allegedly caught on surveillance video pocketing the chips when he was a Senior Table Games Dealer, according to the criminal complaint filed Aug. 7 by State Police at York. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe Now Severe Weather Alerts Troopers said a chip was found April 28 on the casino floor in an area where they arent used, prompting personnel to look at security footage. Sagnor was also confronted about this chip by other employees, but he denied knowing anything and refused to cooperate. Instead of clearing his hands, a practice where casino dealers show the palms of their hands to indicate theyre not hiding anything, Sagnor only showed his one hand, while his other hand remained a balled up fist that he then put in his pocket after clearing the table, the criminal complaint details. Pennsylvania lawmaker proposes changes to concealed carry permit application process Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By reviewing surveillance video footage from the last 30 days, security personnel observed Sagnor allegedly committing additional thefts. State Police alleged $7,875 worth of chips were stolen by Sagnor. A request for comment was left with York Hollywood Casino by abc27 News. Sagnor faces charges of theft, receiving stolen property, and knowingly by trick/fraud/manipulation win or reduce a loss. After being arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Barry Bloss Jr., Sagnor was placed in York County Prison, where he posted his bail set at $5,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 22. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. ALBANY, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) The state government is giving $40.6 million to a program that provides year-round jobs and training to youth in parts of Upstate New York afflicted with gun violence. Launched last year, the Youth Employment Program expands upon a similar program for summer jobs by offering year-round jobs. From September 2024 to June of this year, over 4,000 students worked at schools, libraries, restaurants, camps, and other places through the program. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Aug. 20 that the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is awarding the money to local social services departments. The idea is that by employing young people at risk of poverty and gun violence, they can escape a destructive cycle of crime and prepare to enter the workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Out of the $40.6 million allocated to Upstate New York as a whole, $3,333,424 is going toward the Central New York region. Syracuse has seen a reduction of crime overall, but gun violence remains a concern, as a report from the Syracuse Police Department found. This Comparative Statistics (COMPSTAT) report found a 27.3 percent reduction in overall crime compared to last year, but gun violence only had a slight decrease. This year, there have been 216 shots fired incidents in Syracuse, compared to 277 in 2024; there have been 74 casualties from gun violence this year, a drop of a mere 4% compared to last years 77. The Youth Employment Program is part of New York States wider effort to prevent gun violence in Upstate New York, known as the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) Initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Senator Roxanne Persaud called the Youth Employment Program a vital lifeline for many young people. Youth eligible for this years program, which runs from Sept. 1 to June 30, must be between the ages of 14 and 20 and live with a household income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The Governors Office expects at least 2,500 youth to enroll this year. To fund the program after this years minimum wage increase (from $15 an hour to $15.50 in Upstate New York), the state budget for the 2026 fiscal year (which begins Oct. 1 of this year) added $1.8 million to the Youth Employment Program. In Syracuse, the program must work with the local SNUG Street Outreach, a program in which teams knock door-to-door in areas with gun violence to do community outreach. SNUG stands for Should Never Use Guns, and, in an apt allusion to the groups goal of cracking down on gun violence, is guns spelled backwards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The funds follow a previous award of $3,252,435 to agencies in Onondaga County in June to go toward preventing gun violence. You can learn more about the Youth Employment Program and see other regions allocations on the Governors Office 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 WSYR. A Yosemite National Park ranger has been fired and other activists could face charges after hanging a massive transgender pride flag from the world-renowned El Capitan rock formation earlier this year. Shannon SJ Joslin, a biologist who studies bats and identifies as nonbinary, told The Associated Press that they received a termination letter last week for failing to demonstrate acceptable conduct, after helping a group raise the 66-foot blue, pink and white flag for about two hours on May 20. Joslin said they were not on duty while hanging the flag and were acting as a private citizen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If youre a federal worker and you have any kind of identity that doesnt agree with this current administration, then you must be silent, or you will be eliminated, Joslin told the AP. Joslin said the flag was meant to signal a message to park-goers: Were all safe in national parks. I was really hurting because there were a lot of policies coming from the current administration that target trans people, and Im nonbinary, Joslin said. Yosemite National Park updated its rulebook shortly after the transgender pride flag was flown to ban flags larger than 15 square feet from certain areas, including on El Capitan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This restriction is necessary to preserve the values of wilderness character in accordance with the Wilderness Act, provide for an unimpaired visitor experience, protect natural and cultural resources in designated Wilderness and Potential Wilderness Addition portions of the park, the updated rule states. This restriction is also necessary to maintain public safety, as it prohibits draping items that could endanger and interfere with permitted or allowable unpermitted climbing activity. The National Park Service (NPS) declined to comment on specific personnel actions, but acknowledged in a statement to The Hill that it is pursuing administrative action against multiple employees for failing to follow National Park Service regulations. We want to emphasize that we take the protection of the parks resources and the experience of our visitors very seriously, and will not tolerate violations of laws and regulations that impact those resources and experiences, NPS said. NPS said it fielded numerous complaints from visitors about demonstrations involving El Capitan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yosemite National Park was designated by Congress to highlight the beautiful natural and cultural features of the area, NPS said. No matter the cause, displaying signs, banners, and flags outside of designated First-Amendment areas detracts from the visitor experience and the protection of the park. President Trump has taken several measures to roll back policies that supported transgender and nonbinary people, beginning with an executive order in January federally recognizing only two sexes, male and female. His administration also has sought to end diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for minority groups. The Yosemite landscape has been the site of similar flag protests in the past, including ones against the federal government. Climbers hung a banner last year that read STOP THE GENOCIDE in protest of the ongoing war in Gaza. Park rangers lifted an upside-down American flag known as a signal of distress from the mountain in February as the Trump administration slashed NPS funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackie Ostfeld, director of the Sierra Clubs Outdoors for All campaign, said in a statement that criminal charges would be an act of intimidation intended to have a chilling effect on others exercising their rights. El Capitan has frequently been used as a site for demonstrations of free speech, Ostfeld said. National parks help tell the story of America, and essential to that story is the freedom of speech. This story was updated at 3:26 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Texas House of Representatives approved a new map for the states congressional districts on Wednesday, cementing a legislative win for Republicans that had been put on hold for weeks when Democratic legislators fled the state to block its passage. The new map would give the GOP a chance to secure up to five additional seats in Congress in next years midterm elections. A final vote in the state Senate, which is expected to approve the plan, is needed before the it can be signed into law. Democrats say they intend to challenge the map in court. Republicans first announced their intention to pursue redistricting outside of the usual 10-year cycle in June. But the fight over the plan didnt become a national story until earlier this month, when dozens of Democrats left the state in order to prevent the House from having enough members present to formally meet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each absent Democrat was fined $500 a day during the roughly two weeks they were out of state. Texass Republican governor Greg Abbott also threatened to have them removed from their seats and civil warrants were issued for their arrests. In the end, though, the Democrats opted to return home in order to build a strong public legislative record for the upcoming legal battle over the maps. They argue that the new district violates both the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act. Their walkout, which was never likely to prevent the maps from passing entirely, inspired Democrats in blue states across the country to rally behind their cause, pleading to pursue their own redistricting plans to offset the GOPs gains in Texas. So far, only California has formally moved forward with that process. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for a special election in November to ask voters to approve new district lines in the state. Texas Democrats returned to the House for the first time on Monday, which allowed the chamber to meet briefly before adjourning with a plan to meet again on Wednesday to consider the maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the end of Mondays session, the Houses GOP leadership instituted a rule requiring all Democrats who had previously left the state to submit to police escort in order to be allowed to exit the Capitol. All but one, Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth, consented. Collier chose instead to remain in the House chamber. She spent Tuesday night sleeping at her desk with her feet propped up on a rolling chair. Two of her colleagues, including House Minority Leader Gene Wu, joined her overnight protest Tuesday night. More Democrats did the same on Wednesday night. The House reconvened on Wednesday morning for a lengthy and at times heated debate over the redistricting plan. Democrats proposed a variety of amendments to the proposal, including one that would have only allowed the maps to go into effect if the federal government agreed to release all files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. What we are doing today is unjust, it is un-Texan and it is un-American, Democratic Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez said before the bills final passage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill was eventually passed in an 88-52 party-line vote. The issue now moves to the courts. The standards for what makes congressional maps legal or not can be complicated. The Supreme Court has ruled that gerrymandered maps drawn to give one party a political advantage are generally constitutional. However, district lines that deliberately weaken the voting power of a specific racial group are not. The fate of Texass new map will hinge on whether the courts view it as a racial gerrymander, as Democrats claim, rather than a purely partisan one. Republicans are also looking at a number of other red states where they believe there may be opportunities to gain extra seats through redistricting, including Ohio, Missouri and Indiana. Democrats are doing the same in blue states outside of California, though their ability to put more favorable district lines in states like Illinois, Maryland and New York may be limited. Read more: Texas redistricting fight goes national as GOP, Dems prepare for more battles over future House maps The ultimate outcome of the redistricting battle, in Texas and nationwide, could play a major role in determining which party has control of Congress after the 2026 midterms. Democrats only need to gain a small number of seats to get the majority in the House. If they do, they would effectively have veto power over any legislation Trump and the GOP want to pass. They would also have new oversight authority and the ability to launch investigations into the presidents most controversial moves since he returned to office. A look at those Trump has targeted in tactic of revoking security clearances The Trump administrations announcement this week that it would rescind the security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials was hardly an isolated act A semitruck hit the White River Bridge on Highway 410 between Buckley, Pierce County, and Enumclaw on Monday. (Courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation) On Akbar Road in Delhi, Hindu Sena has protested fiercely against I.N.D.I.A and 'Mamata Banerjee'. Hindu Sena has written a poster against the opposition alliance and Mamta government. In which the words of Save Women and corruption are written. Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance suffered a major defeat in the BEST Employees Cooperative Credit Society polls, losing all 21 seats, as the BEST Workers' Union panel won majority with 14 seats. The Trump administration will begin handing over files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case to members of Congress. The decision staves off a potential clash between Congress and the White House. The House Oversight Committee had issued a subpoena for the records on Aug. 5. Rather than fight the subpoena, the Justice Department has decided to provide the committee with the records, according to a statement from committee chair, Kentucky Congressman James Comer. "There are many records in DOJ's custody, and it will take the Department time to produce all the records and ensure the identification of victims and any child sexual abuse material are redacted," Comer said in a statement. "I appreciate the Trump Administration's commitment to transparency and efforts to provide the American people with information about this matter." Epstein, a disgraced financier who had ties to prominent individuals, including President Trump and former President Bill Clinton, killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. In July, the Justice Department released a statement saying that Epstein did not have a "client list" and that there was no doubt that he had killed himself. The statement provoked a strong backlash among some of Trump's supporters who had expected the files regarding the case to be released. Trump attempted to settle the controversy with a social media post that stated, "One year ago our Country was DEAD, now it's the "HOTTEST" Country anywhere in the World. Let's keep it that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about." Interest in the case has continued, culminating with a flurry of congressional subpoenas that targeted not only the records, but also former government officials, including: Hillary Clinton Former Secretary of State Bill Clinton Former President of the United States James Comey Former FBI Director Robert Mueller Former FBI Director Merrick Garland Current US Attorney General William Barr Former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions Former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch Former US Attorney General Eric Holder Former US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Former US Attorney General Trump has not been subpoenaed by the committee, although in a 2019 interview Epstein said that he had once considered Trump to be his best friend before the two had a falling out, CNN reported. Originally published on Lawyer Herald White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the Trump administration "is prepared to use every element of American power" to deal with Venezuela following news that it is sending warships off its coast. Speaking during a press briefing, Leavitt was asked if the administration was considering having "boots on the ground" in the South American country. "President Trump has been very clear and consistent. He is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice," she began. #19Ago #EEUU #Venezuela @OrlvndoA: Portavoz de Trump sobre los 3 destructores: pic.twitter.com/FF66zKSEUp "Trump ha dicho esta preparado para usar cada elemento del poder americano para detener el narcotrafico y que los responsables paguen. El regimen de Maduro no es legitimo, es Reporte Ya (@ReporteYa) August 19, 2025 "The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela, it is a narco terror cartel. Maduro, in the view of this administration, is not a legitimate president. It's a fugitive head of a cartel who has been indicted in the U.S. for trafficking drugs into the country." The statement follows a report by Reuters, which detailed on Monday that three Aegis guided-missile destroyers will arrive off the coast" of the South American country this week, officially to address threats from Latin American drug cartels. The outlet added that Trump has wanted to use the military to go after Latin American cartels, many of which have been designated as global terrorist organizations. In February, the Trump administration designated Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, and other groups as foreign terrorist organizations. More recently, the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles was added to the list, with the administration alleging it is led by authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro and senior members of his government. The United States also recently doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million, citing drug trafficking charges. President Trump has signed a classified order authorizing the use of military force against these cartels, potentially opening the door to direct operations at sea and, in some cases, on foreign soil. Maduro addressed the deployment of U.S. warships near its coast, saying "the empire has gone mad." He went on to say that the Trump administration is "fabricating extravagant lies" and "has regurgitated its threats to Venezuela's peace and stability," adding that millions of militia members will be mobilized to address the development. "We'll guarantee sovereignty and peace in any circumstance that manifests itself over the next days, months and years. We will defeat American imperialism as it comes against our noble, peaceful and working people," he added. Originally published on Latin Times Comparta este articulo The Fourth Transformations austerity narrative has taken another hit. Morena Congressman Sergio Gutierrez Luna and his wife, Labor Party Congresswoman Diana Karina Barrerasknown online as #DatoProtegidoattended an exclusive party during the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix. VIP tickets ranged from $3,500 to $8,500 USD per person. Both legislators gained access via complimentary invitations from the upscale Club 51, a clear violation of at least two laws: the Austerity Law and the General Law of Administrative Responsibilities. A gift that breaks the law Club 51, located in Mexico Citys Torre Mayor, publicly confirmed it extended two complimentary invitations to Gutierrez Luna for the event held in their private suite during the race. However, under current Mexican law, public servantslegislators includedare prohibited from receiving any gift or benefit, directly or indirectly, that could compromise their official duties. Public servants must decline gifts, donations, underpriced sales, or similar situations that could interfere with the performance of their duties. General Law of Administrative Responsibilities, Article 6, Section III Additionally, the 2019 Austerity Lawchampioned by then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and passed by Morenas congressional majorityexplicitly forbids legislators from accepting economic benefits unrelated to their duties. Attending a party worth more than two months of their official salary falls squarely into that category. Lavish lifestyles that dont add up The congressional couple has drawn increased scrutiny following the release of photos showing them wearing designer apparel and accessories that far exceed their reported incomes. Highlights include: A Hublot watch valued at 600,000 pesos ( Gutierrez Luna ) ) Marsell boots priced at 19,000 pesos Ferragamo and Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses worth up to 18,000 pesos A Cartier ring valued at over 1 million pesos ( Barreras ) ) A Cartier necklace worth 115,000 pesos Thebs jacket and Paul Parkman shoes, each over 10,000 pesos Barreras by La Silla Rota None of these luxury items appear in their publicly filed asset declarations, even though the law requires elected officials to report personal property, including art, jewelry, and high-value items. #DatoProtegido and judicial shielding Barreras recently won a case in the Federal Electoral Tribunal requiring a social media user to publicly apologize without mentioning her name. The case has drawn criticism and raised concerns that some lawmakers within the Fourth Transformation (4T) are using institutions to shield themselves from public accountability while enjoying a lifestyle starkly opposed to their public message. Gutierrez by La Silla Rota Austerity for whom? Gutierrez Luna, who previously criticized the high salaries of electoral officials at Mexicos National Electoral Institute (INE), now finds himself accused of wearing shoes more expensive than the monthly salary of those same workers he once defended. In 2024, he reported total annual income of 1.1 million pesos; his wife declared 349,000 pesos. Combined, their official earnings totaled less than 1.5 million pesosyet their possessions easily exceed two million. Conclusion The case of lawmakers Gutierrez Luna and Barreras illustrates a glaring contradiction between the Fourth Transformations rhetoric and its reality. While advocating budget cuts and demanding public sacrifice, they accept illegal gifts and flaunt a lifestyle their official income cannot sustainseemingly under the protection, implicit or explicit, of their political parties and the power they wield. UNETE A NUESTRO CANAL DE WHATSAPP. EL PODER DE LA INFORMACION EN LA PALMA DE TU MANO SIGUENOS EN EL SHOWCASE DE GOOGLE NEWS lrc While social media was ablaze following an interview given by Mexican artist Christian Nodal to journalist Adela Micha, his wife Angela Aguilar appeared in Los Angeles to give an interview to Apple Music. Amid the controversy, Pepe Aguilar's daughter demonstrated her professionalism by honoring her commitment, but her words only served to add fuel to the fire. "As a woman, it's something that affects me greatly: that what happens in our personal lives is given more attention than our careers," Aguilar said in the interview while reading the message on a tablet and appearing to tear up. "Women have to work 10 times harder." His words seemed to be an attempt to redirect the narrative focused on the end of Nodal's relationship with Cazzu, the mother of Inti, his only daughter, and the dates that marked the beginning of the artist's relationship with Angela. According to statements made by Nodal, his romance with his current wife began during the pandemic (when he was supposedly still with his ex Belinda), was suspended, and they resumed on May 13 or 14, after he broke up with Cazzu on May 8. He then shared that his first kiss with Angela was on May 15th, and that they were married "spiritually" in Rome on May 29th. A month later, they were legally married in Mexico. In the interview with Micha, part of the YouTube episode of his show La Saga, Nodal can be seen "apologizing" to Cazzu for his actions, but repeatedly emphasizing that he had not been unfaithful. He also denied being a womanizer, although he described himself as "a soul in love." The interview unleashed a new wave of criticism against Nodal and Angela on social media. It also prompted internet detectives to corroborate the dates given by Nodal, recalling that rumors of a romance between them began when fans recognized a cross the artist always wore on the chest of his now-wife and found evidence that he had been wearing it since March. As if that weren't enough, there's a photo in which Nodal congratulated Cazzu on Mother's Day, saying he loved her, on May 10. So far, Angela Aguilar and even her family have been the most affected professionally by the scandal. Tickets to see Los Aguilar at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles this weekend are on sale for as little as $1. Additionally, the audio and video streaming numbers for the songs she released have not performed as expected. She's right about that. Women always bear a greater burden and greater condemnation in these cases. A record 383 aid workers were killed in global hotspots in 2024, nearly half of them in Gaza during the war between Israel and Hamas, the U.N. humanitarian office said yesterday on the annual day honoring the thousands of people who step into crises to help others. U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said the record number of killings must be a wake-up call to protect civilians caught in conflict and all those trying to help them. Attacks on this scale, with zero accountability, are a shameful indictment of international inaction and apathy, Fletcher said in a statement on World Humanitarian Day. The Aid Worker Security Database, which has compiled reports since 1997, said the number of killings rose from 293 in 2023 to 383 in 2024, including more than 180 in Gaza. Most of the aid workers killed were national staffers serving their communities who were attacked while on the job or in their homes, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, known as OCHA. This year, the figures show no sign of a reversal of the upward trend, OCHA said. Like this: Like Loading... The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election (CAEAL) announced yesterday that Macau has approximately 328,610 eligible voters, although this figure may continue to decrease slightly due to mental health issues, judicial rulings, or deaths. The commission urged civil servants and public enterprise employees to motivate family and friends to participate in the September 14 legislative election. Speaking at a post-meeting press briefing at noon, Seng Ioi Man, president of the CAEAL, urged civil servants, public enterprise employees, and government contractors to lead by example and fulfill their civic duties. He emphasized the importance of actively participating in the Legislative Assembly elections and encouraging family and friends to join in. Do not miss this valuable opportunity for civic education, he stated, and work together to secure a better future for ourselves and future generations. According to the CAEAL, as of mid-August, Macau had recorded approximately 328,610 registered voters, down from 333,391 at the beginning of the year. This decrease was attributed to about 4,520 voters being deregistered due to mental disorders, judicial rulings, and deaths, as well as approximately 260 individuals who registered early but will be under 18 on election day. Seng reaffirmed that citizens, including public servants and employees of state-owned enterprises and government-contracted companies, have the right to participate in election campaign activities during non-duty hours and to vote on election day. Public entities and enterprises are encouraged to arrange for on-duty personnel to vote while maintaining neutrality in their duties. For example, transportation can be provided to take relevant personnel to and from polling stations and their workplaces, Seng explained, reminding everyone that campaigning for any candidate during this process is prohibited to ensure impartiality. He also stated that normal community activities and services should not be suspended due to the election. Public entities and contractors can continue collaborating with community organizations, but these activities must remain separate from any election campaign efforts to comply with election law provisions. The CAEAL emphasized that the Legislative Assembly elections are a significant political event for the Macau Special Administrative Region this year, stating that citizens have both the right and the obligation to participate in electing their legislative representatives. In 2021, during the seventh Legislative Assembly elections, the CAEAL underscored the importance of political neutrality among staff members of public entities. The guidelines explicitly prohibit these individuals from engaging in any political activities while on duty, including displaying election campaign materials in the workplace. Public sector personnel are obliged to adhere to these regulations, which have been in place for an extended period. This includes judicial officers and members of the security forces, who must comply with relevant special laws. According to the principle that special laws take precedence over general laws, these personnel are mandated to maintain a stance of political neutrality. Additionally, signing in support of forming a nomination committee is regarded as a public political statement. This action signifies a voters willingness to join the committee, endorse the proposed candidate list, and participate in associated campaign activities. Like this: Like Loading... Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with Chinas top diplomat today [Macau time] in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors after a yearslong standoff between the Asian powers. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in India on Monday, is scheduled to hold talks with Modi and other leaders about the disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. Reducing the number of troops on the border and possibly resuming trade in the contested region are expected to be on the agenda. The rebuilding of ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a longtime ally seen as a counterbalance against Chinas influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliance with the U.S., along with Australia and Japan. Compromise at the highest political level India and Chinas decades-old border dispute worsened in 2020 after a deadly clash between their troops in the Ladakh region. The chill in relations affected trade, diplomacy and air travel as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas. Some progress has been made since then. Last year, India and China agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces along some border areas. Both countries continue to fortify their border by building roads and rail networks. In recent months, the countries have increased official visits and discussed easing some trade restrictions, movement of citizens and visas for businesspeople. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Both sides are working to restore direct flights. Last week, the spokesman for Indias foreign ministry, Randhir Jaiswal, said India and China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their 3,488-kilometer (2,167-mile) border. Manoj Joshi, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank, said relations are still at an uneasy level of normalization. Settling the boundary issue between the two countries requires political compromise at the highest political level, said Joshi, who also served as a member of the advisory board for Indias National Security Council. He asserted that the countries are still talking past each other when it comes to the border dispute and issues surrounding it. Ahead of his meeting with Modi, Wang met Indias National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and discussed the way forward to bolster the relationship. The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored in the borders, Wang said. On Monday, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing is willing to take Wangs India visit as an opportunity to work with the Indian side to properly handle differences and promote the sustained, sound and stable development of China-India relations. Mao said Wangs meeting with Modis national security adviser will continue in-depth communication to jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas. Modi plans to visit China soon The thaw between Beijing and New Delhi began last October when Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at a summit of emerging economies in Russia. It was the first time the leaders had spoken in person since 2019. Modi is set to meet Xi when he travels to China late this month his first visit in seven years to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional grouping formed by China, Russia and others to counter U.S. influence in Asia. Earlier this year, Xi called for India and Chinas relations to take the form of a dragon-elephant tango a dance between the emblematic animals of the countries. Last month, Indias external affairs minister visited Beijing in his first trip to China since 2020. The US and Pakistan play roles in the thaw The renewed engagement comes as New Delhis ties with Trump are fraying. Washington has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, which includes a penalty of 25% for purchasing Russian crude oil. The tariffs take effect Aug. 27. India has shown no sign of backing down, instead signing more agreements with Russia to deepen economic cooperation. Trumps renewed engagement with Indias arch rival, Pakistan, has also encouraged New Delhis overtures to China, said Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who led the Indian militarys Northern Command from 2014 to 2016. In June, Trump hosted Pakistans army chief for a White House lunch and later announced an energy deal with Islamabad to jointly develop the countrys oil reserves. Both followed Trumps claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after the two sides traded military strikes in May. That clash saw Pakistan use Chinese-made military jets and missiles against India. China is heavily invested in Pakistan and, practically speaking, you cant have any expectation that Beijing will hold back support to Islamabad, Hooda said. But you cant have two hostile neighbors on your borders and simultaneously deal with them also. SHEIKH SAALIQ & RAJESH ROY, NEW DELHI, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... North Korean leader Kim Jong Un condemned South Korean-U.S. military drills and vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces to counter rivals, state media said yesterday, as he inspected his most advanced warship being fitted with nuclear-capable systems. Kims visit to the western port of Nampo on Monday came as the South Korean and U.S. militaries kicked off their annual large-scale summertime exercise to bolster readiness against growing North Korean threats. The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield, which the allies describe as defensive, will mobilize 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Koreans, for computer-simulated command post operations and field training. North Korea has long denounced the allies joint drills as invasion rehearsals and Kim has often used them to justify his own military displays and testing activities aimed at expanding his nuclear weapons program. The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war, divided by the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea and South Korea. While inspecting the warship Choe Hyon, a 5,000-ton-class destroyer first unveiled in April, Kim said the allies joint military drills show hostility and their supposed will to ignite a war, the Norths Korean Central News Agency said. He claimed that the exercises have grown more provocative than before by incorporating a nuclear element, requiring the North to respond with proactive and overwhelming countermeasures. The security environment around the DPRK is getting more serious day by day and the prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearization, KCNA paraphrased Kim as saying, using the initials of North Koreas formal name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Kang Yu-jung, spokesperson for South Koreas new liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, who wants to improve ties with the North, said Seoul has always regarded the Ulchi exercises as defensive but offered no further comment on Kims remarks. South Koreas Defense Ministry said it had no immediate new assessments to share regarding the North Korean warships capabilities. South Korean and U.S. military officials say Ulchi Freedom Shield will focus on countering North Koreas advancing nuclear and missile threat and will include training to deter North Korean nuclear use and respond to its missile attacks. The exercise will also incorporate lessons from recent conflicts, including Russias war in Ukraine and the clash between Israel and Iran, and address threats from drones, GPS jamming and cyberattacks. Destroyer is key to nuclear-capable navy Kim has hailed the development of his naval destroyer, Choe Hyon, as a significant advancement toward his goal of expanding the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of his nuclear-armed military. State media said the destroyer, which is being prepared to enter active duty next year, is designed to handle various weapons systems, including antiair and anti-naval weapons, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. The North unveiled a second destroyer of the same class in May, but the vessel was damaged during a botched launching ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin, prompting an angry reaction from Kim, who called the failure criminal. The North has said the new destroyer, named Kang Kon, was relaunched in June after repair, but some outside experts have questioned whether the ship is fully operational. During Mondays visit to Nampo, Kim also reviewed North Korean efforts to complete a third destroyer by October, KCNA said. While inspecting Choe Hyon, Kim expressed satisfaction with the progress of the warships weapons tests and its integrated operations system, saying the navys modernization and move toward nuclear-capable capabilities are proceeding as planned. He instructed officials to carry out performance tests in October, KCNA said. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have worsened in recent years as Kim accelerated his military nuclear program and deepened alignment with Moscow following Russias invasion of Ukraine. His government has repeatedly dismissed calls by Washington and Seoul to revive negotiations aimed at winding down his nuclear and missile programs, which derailed in 2019 following a collapsed summit with U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term. In his latest message to Pyongyang on Friday, Lee, who took office in June, said he would seek to restore a 2018-inter-Korean military agreement designed to reduce border tensions and called for North Korea to respond to the Souths efforts to rebuild trust and revive talks. The 2018 military agreement, reached during a brief period of diplomacy between the Koreas, created buffer zones on land and sea and no-fly zones above the border to prevent clashes. But South Korea suspended the deal in 2024, citing tensions over North Koreas launches of trash-laden balloons toward the South, and moved to resume front-line military activities and propaganda campaigns. The step came after North Korea had already declared it would no longer abide by the agreement. KIM TONG-HYUNG, SEOUL, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... Comedian and podcaster Theo Von's stand-up show in Anaheim didn't go quite as planned on Saturday, August 16, 2025. The night took a chaotic turn when a rowdy audience member hit another fan while being escorted out of the Honda Center. The woman, who appeared to be intoxicated, had already been causing trouble by using her phone near the stage and heckling Von throughout the show, TMZ said. Even after several warnings from securityand a personal request from Von to cut it outshe refused to calm down, leading to the disruption that briefly stopped the performance. At one point, Von paused his set twice to address the disruption. Remaining calm, he asked the woman to continue the conversation with security in the lobby and even suggested a refund through his assistant if she quietly left. Instead, she began yelling at Von and arguing with security. Moments later, as she was being removed, the woman turned and struck another fan in the audience. #TheoVon was playing the Honda Center Saturday night ... when apparently a fan got too disruptive and needed to be walked out of the place by security. pic.twitter.com/gsSWuWJHxj TMZ (@TMZ) August 17, 2025 Theo Von Stays Cool as Rowdy Fan Escorted Out of Anaheim Show Video footage from the event shows the woman being escorted up the stairs, defiantly pumping her arms in the air as boos erupted from the crowd. The moment quickly spread online, drawing reactions from fans who praised Von's composure. Von managed to diffuse the tension with humor, reassuring the audience and keeping the show moving. According to SoapCentral, at one point, he quipped, "Don't sue me. I'm in a f**ing wheelchair,"* which sparked laughter and eased the atmosphere after the confrontation. This is not the first time Von has dealt with chaos during a performance. Back in May, while performing at the Twelve Thirty Club in Nashville, he was confronted by a man carrying balloons. That incident escalated when Von physically pushed the man away, a moment that also went viral on social media. So far, neither Anaheim police nor Theo Von's team have issued a statement regarding the most recent altercation. Theo Von, best known for his hit podcast "This Past Weekend" and comedy specials like "Regular People and No Offense," has built a reputation for handling tense situations with wit and professionalism. Originally published on Music Times Swiss watchmaker Swatch apologized yesterday [Macau time] for an ad campaign that upset consumers in China and elsewhere and said it had immediately removed all related materials worldwide. In an image for the Swatch Essentials collection, an Asian male model is shown pulling the edges of his eyelids upward and backward with his fingers a gesture seen as derogatory and racist, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reported. The image triggered criticism on social media in China, with major influencers weighing in. Swatch wrote on Instagram that we sincerely apologize for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused. It said it would treat this matter with the utmost importance. SRF reported that the apology was also posted on the Chinese social network Weibo in Chinese and English. China is a major market for luxury brands and watchmakers. The founders of Dolce&Gabbana apologized on video in 2018 after Chinese boycotted its products over what were seen as culturally insensitive videos promoting a runway show in Shanghai. Swiss watch exporters are facing new tariffs in the U.S. and a prolonged slowdown, with significant declines in the United States, Japan and Hong Kong, according to industry association figures. MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... Catching a cab is expected to become even harder next month, as 100 e-hailing taxi licenses are set to expire at the end of September. The Transport Bureau (DSAT), however, believes the 500 new licenses issued last year will be enough to cover the gap. According to DSAT, there are currently 1,763 taxis operating across the city. However, Wong Su Cheong, chairman of the Association for the Joint Effort of Building a Good Home (ACCBL) a subgroup of the Womens General Association of Macau noted the uneven distribution of taxi resources across the city. While some patrol the streets for passengers, others are stationed at hotels and casinos, and a small portion take online bookings. According to Wong, this fragmented system has created inefficiencies, particularly as demand for e-hailing grows. Currently, only 300 taxis about 17.6% of the total fleet are officially available for online booking, which is insufficient during both daily and peak tourist demand. Many taxi operators have developed their own booking apps, resulting in multiple platforms that do not interconnect. Passengers often need to download several apps, increasing costs and leading to no car available situations. The dispersed data also makes it difficult for authorities to accurately monitor taxi availability and manage the fleet. Wong suggested that the government take the lead in creating a unified online booking platform for all 1,700 taxis. The chairman added that the platform would integrate resources, improve dispatch efficiency, provide real-time data on demand and vehicle distribution, and allow authorities to assess supply and demand, potentially guiding future expansion or the introduction of ride-hailing services. He also stressed the need to address accessibility issues. Macau currently has 13 wheelchair-accessible taxis, five of which belong to the soon-to-expire e-hailing fleet. Without timely replacement, special-needs passengers could face even greater difficulty securing transportation, said Wong. Meanwhile, speaking to TDM Radio, Lam Chi Chao, vice president of the Traffic Advisory Council, also stressed that the removal of 100 blue taxis from the roads will likely worsen the shortage. He urged the government to adopt interim measures before the study is completed, such as deploying taxis in high-demand areas or improving the smart terminal booking system already installed in vehicles. Tony Kuok, president of the Macau Taxi Drivers Mutual Help Association, echoed concerns and stressed the need for immediate action. He noted that only black taxis are included in new tenders and that, based on past experience, it takes at least six months for newly licensed taxis to become operational. The government should consider solutions now to avoid leaving the city short of taxis for an extended period, Kuok said. Like this: Like Loading... President Donald Trump Monday [yesterday, Macau time] vowed more changes to the way elections are conducted in the U.S., but based on the Constitution there is little to nothing he can do on his own. Relying on false information and conspiracy theories that hes regularly used to explain away his 2020 election loss, Trump pledged on his social media site that he would do away with both mail voting which remains popular and is used by about one-third of all voters and voting machines some form of which are used in almost all of the countrys thousands of election jurisdictions. These are the same systems that enabled Trump to win the 2024 election and Republicans to gain control of Congress. Trumps post marks an escalation even in his normally overheated election rhetoric. He issued a wide-ranging executive order earlier this year that, among other changes, would have required documented proof-of-citizenship before registering to vote. His Monday post promised another election executive order to help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm elections. The same post also pushed falsehoods about voting. He claimed the U.S. is the only country to use mail voting, when its actually used by dozens, including Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Similar complaints to Trumps, when aired on conservative and conservative-leaning networks such as Newsmax and Fox News, have led to multimillion dollar defamation settlements, including one announced Monday, because they are full of false information and the outlets have not been able to present any evidence to support them. Trumps post came after the president told Fox News that Russian President Vladimir Putin, in their Friday meeting in Alaska, echoed his grievances about mail voting and the 2020 election. Trump continued his attack on mail voting and voting machines in the Oval Office on Monday, during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The announcement signals yet another way that Trump intends to stack the cards in his favor in the 2026 midterm elections. Trumps post Trump for years has promoted false information about voting, and Monday was no exception. He claimed there is MASSIVE FRAUD due to mail voting, when in fact voting fraud in the U.S. is rare. As an example, an Associated Press review after the 2020 election found fewer than 475 cases of potential fraud in the six battleground states where he disputed his loss, far too few to tip that election to Trump. Washington and Oregon, which conduct elections entirely by mail, have sued to challenge Trumps earlier executive order which sought to require that all ballots must be received by Election Day and not just postmarked by then. The states argue that the president has no such authority, and they are seeking a declaration from a federal judge in Seattle that their postmark deadlines do not conflict with federal law setting the date of U.S. elections. Trump also alleged that voting machines are more expensive than Watermark Paper. Thats a little-used system that has gained favor and investments among some voting conspiracy theorists who believe it would help prevent fraudulent ballots from being introduced into the vote count. Watermarks would not provide a way to count ballots, so they would not on their own replace vote tabulating machines. While some jurisdictions still have voters use electronic ballot-marking devices to cast their votes, the vast majority of voters in the U.S. already vote on paper ballots, creating an auditable record of votes that provides an extra safeguard for election security. In his post, Trump also claimed that states are merely an agent for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes and must do what the federal government as represented by the President of the United States tells them to do. Election lawyers said thats a misrepresentation of the U.S. Constitution. It also flies in the face of what had been a core Republican Party value of prioritizing states rights. Thousands of elections, none under presidential control Unlike in most countries, elections in the U.S. are run by the states. But it gets more complicated each state then allows smaller jurisdictions, such as counties, cities or townships, to run their own elections. Election officials estimate there are as many as 10,000 different election jurisdictions across the country. A frequent complaint of Trump and other election conspiracy theorists is that the U.S. doesnt run its election like France, which hand counts presidential ballots and usually has a national result on election night. But thats because France is only running that single election, and every jurisdiction has the same ballot with no other races. A ballot in the U.S. might contain dozens of races, from president on down to city council and including state and local ballot measures. The Constitution makes the states the entities that determine the time, place and manner of elections, but does allow Congress to make or alter rules for federal elections. Congress can change the way states run congressional and presidential elections but has no say in the way a state runs its own elections. The president is not mentioned at all in the Constitutions list of entities with powers over elections. The president has very limited to zero authority over things related to the conduct of elections, said Rick Hasen, an election law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Parts of Trumps earlier executive order on elections were swiftly blocked by the courts, on the grounds that Congress, and not the president, sets federal election rules. Its unclear what Trump plans to do now, but the only path to change federal election rules is through Congress. Although Republicans control Congress, its unclear that even his party would want to eliminate voting machines nationwide, possibly delaying vote tallies in their own races by weeks or months. Even if they did, legislation would likely be unable to pass because Democrats could filibuster it in the U.S. Senate. NICHOLAS RICCARDI & ALI SWENSON, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... The second Oval Office meeting in six months between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was strikingly different from their February encounter. This time, the tone was calm, the smiles were plentiful, and European leaders joined in what looked like a united front. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz even admitted that his expectations were not just met, they were exceeded. Yet beneath the friendly atmosphere lurked the same problems that have stalled peace efforts since Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago. The gathering in Washington produced no breakthroughs on the central disputes of security guarantees, a ceasefire, occupied territory, or a possible Zelenskyy-Putin meeting. That reality benefits one man above all: Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces continue a slow but steady grind on the battlefield. For Kyiv, the central concern remains future security. Zelenskyy insists Ukraine must be able to deter Russia from trying again once a deal is struck. That means weapons, training, and potentially a NATO-like guarantee of collective defense. European governments want the United States locked into such an arrangement. Trump offered coordination but stopped short of promising troops. Russia, for its part, has flatly rejected the idea of NATO or NATO-linked forces on Ukrainian soil. The problem is that Putin sees no reason to halt his advance. While Ukraine and its allies keep pressing for a ceasefire as a precondition for talks, the Kremlin holds the upper hand. Trump initially threatened Moscow with severe consequences if it refused to freeze the fighting. But after meeting Putin last week, he shifted his line, declaring that a ceasefire was unnecessary and that talks should focus directly on a final settlement. Later, after his Oval Office talks with Zelenskyy and European leaders, he seemed to change course again, saying all would prefer an immediate truce. Such inconsistencies leave both allies and adversaries guessing. The most explosive question is what to do about occupied Ukrainian territory. Putin wants Kyiv to formally surrender the Donbas, Crimea, and parts of six other regions that together make up about a fifth of the country. Zelenskyy has repeatedly insisted the constitution forbids breaking up Ukraine and has warned that territorial concessions would only invite another invasion later. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the subject did not come up in Washington, emphasizing that it is ultimately for Zelenskyy and Putin to decide. That leads to the question of whether the two men will ever meet. Zelenskyy has long called for direct talks with Putin, even proposing to meet him in Turkey this past May. Putin brushed it off. On Monday, Trump said he had called Putin and begun making arrangements for a meeting between the two presidents, with Trump joining afterward. But the Kremlin has not confirmed that such a gathering is on the horizon. European leaders are caught in a bind. They know Putin does not want to meet Zelenskyy and will not accept Western forces in Ukraine. Still, they talk up possibilities to make sure that if those hopes are dashed, Putin is seen as the spoiler rather than Trump. As Janis Kluge of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs observed, Europeans hype up expectations to create a reality in which Putin disappoints. The Washington meeting may have exceeded some leaders expectations, but the central dilemmas remain as intractable as ever. Smiles and optimistic statements cannot change the fact that peace in Ukraine still depends on whether Putin believes he gains more on the battlefield than at the negotiating table. [Abridged] Like this: Like Loading... * Hard to hail Taxi shortage looms as 100 e-hailing licenses are set to expire * Finance | Guangdong to issue RMB2.5 billion of municipal bonds in Macau * AL elections | CAEAL urges all 328,000 voters to participate * Macau to showcase a curated selection of local shorts at the Venice Film Festivals parallel event, Giornate degli Autori * Citizens struggle with insufficient financial support for the elderly and caregivers * North Korean leader Kim Jong Un condemned South Korea-US military drills and vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces DOWNLOAD PDF Wednesday, August 20, 2025 edition no. 4784 Like this: Like Loading... Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wasnt going to risk being accused of being ungrateful this time. With peace talks on the table and a chance to rebound from his disastrous White House scolding six months ago, Zelenskyy made sure to show his gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump during yesterdays meeting (Macau time) in the Oval Office. In fact, he said thanks nine times to Trump and others in the first minute of their brief public meeting that preceded a short news conference. Thanks so much, Mr. President, he said. First of all, thank you for the invitation and thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts to stop killings and stop this war. Thank you. In February, Zelenskyys meeting with Trump quickly spiraled into a public relations disaster when Vice President JD Vance berated him for not being sufficiently thankful. You should be thanking the President for trying to bring an end to this conflict, Vance said in a moment that caught Zelenskyy off guard. Have you said thank you once? In this entire meeting? No, in this entire meeting, have you said thank you? Zelenskyy tried to defend himself, saying he had always expressed his appreciation to the U.S. for the military and financial support it provided after Russia invaded it in 2022. But the damage was done. World leaders took their cue and learned that flattery is the way to winning over the unpredictable Trump. With a chance to make a second impression in the same setting, gratitude diplomacy was front and center for Zelenskyy and his peers. In addition to thanking the president six times, Zelenskyy extended gratitude to Melania Trump for personally writing to Russian President Vladimir Putin to think about the Ukrainian children and urge peace. And he twice thanked his European allies who had arrived as reinforcements in Washington to present a unified front to push for a ceasefire and security guarantees if there is a peace deal with Russia. In a second meeting with top leaders from Europe, Zelenskyy expressed his thanks at least seven times, including two mentions of a map Trump had presented him. Thank you for the map, by the way, he said. He was not alone. Trump himself used the T-word about a dozen times in the later meeting and heaped praise on his fellow leaders from Europe. He called Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a great leader with a long career ahead, said he liked French President Emmanuel Macron even more since hes gotten to know him something he noted was unusual for him and he complimented German Chancellor Friedrich Merzs tan. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer thanked the president four times, noting that after three years of fighting, nobody else had been able to bring the conflict as close to a possible end. So I thank you for that, Starmer said. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who addressed Trump as dear Donald during the meeting, later called the president amazing. BRIAN MELLEY, LONDON, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... Remembering history, embracing a peaceful future: A Brazilian youth's reflection on Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression 16:58, August 19, 2025 By Pedro Loeher ( People's Daily Online Photo shows visitors in front of the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. (Photo by Pedro Loeher) This year, China celebrates its resistance against one of the most brutal acts of aggression in the country's history. From 1931 to 1945, China faced arguably one of the most perilous moment that any nation has ever dared to face. Analyzing this traumatic event as a foreign student gives me a different perspective. Given my background as someone who lived his entire life in the Global South, I can notice with my own eyes the scars marking where the colonial claw was once trying to enclose its grip. In my quest to better understand China, I have come across a horrible episode whose disgraceful dimensions I wasn't fully aware of: the Japanese aggression in China. This slogan literally means "Swear to the death never to be slaves of a conquered nation" at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. It leaves me with a deep impression on the Chinese people's resistance against the Japanese invasion. (Photo by Pedro Loeher) I would argue that our locality plays a key role in our overall lack of knowledge in this matter, since we are geographically a Western country and therefore under their socio-political influence. But then, that would mean overlooking the consequences of years of historical revisionism and the systematic erasure of the dreadful role played by Japan from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. Nevertheless, this does not change the fact that we have a biased perspective regarding the Second World War, with the attack on Pearl Harbor being the most quoted example of Japanese actionwith no worthwhile mention of the atrocities that had been happening in China since long before the war broke out in the West. Studying and talking about wars and their consequences is crucial not only for the memory of a given nation but also to understand how those complex and violent interactions shaped the world we currently live in. In this sense, even though it is a delicate topic, I share a similar perspective as the historian Margaret MacMillan: "We may prefer to avert our eyes from what is so often a grim and depressing subject, but we should not." This sentence echoed in my head while I walked in the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, where each sculpture conveys a unique sentimentfrom the horrors that Chinese people faced during the war to their indomitable spirit of national salvation. An oil painting at Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression shows the ceremony for Japan's surrender held in Nanjing on Sept. 9, 1945. (Photo by Pedro Loeher) That is why I believe that historical drama works, such as "Dead to Rights," are of utmost importance. Contrary to the Western belief that they fuel anger and animosity between China and Japan, these kinds of works are an indivisible part of what constitutes the national identity of the Chinese people. The film conveys the crude reality of war, showing that the brutality of conflicts is faced by soldiers and civilians alike. The experience of watching it combined with my previous visit to the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression enlarged my perspectives regarding this part of history. This year marks the 80th anniversary of two major global events, namely the victory of the World Anti-Fascism War and the founding of the United Nations. From a historical perspective, eighty years was not so long agoand a rather short distance in the Chinese pathwhich makes the task of remembering and honoring the sacrifice the Chinese people made for the World Anti-Fascist War even more important. In a world where Class A war criminals are still enshrined and their successors in the government keep silent about reckoning their past mistakes, it is important not only for the Chinese to uphold their legacy of struggle but also for us members of the Global South to help keep alive the memory of this not-so-distant past. As stated in the famous quote by George Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Assuming the wrongdoings andmost importantlypreventing them from happening again are the only way that we can envision a peaceful future and keep paving together our new paths. Pedro Loeher is a student from Brazil who is currently studying Chinese History at Southwest University in Chongqing, China. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chengliang) Spain is battling a wave of wildfires that have claimed four lives this summer. In the north-west, in regions renowned for their lush landscapes and picturesque villages, farmers and residents are trying to save homes and land that firefighters cannot reach. A record 3,400 square kilometres about the size of Moldova has been destroyed by wildfires in Spain this year, the European Forest Fire Information System said. Thousands of firefighters, backed by soldiers and water-bombing aircraft, have been battling more than 20 major blazes across the west of the country this week. The fires, now in their second week, are concentrated in Castile and Leon, Galicia and Extremadura. Thousands of people have been forced to flee. ADVERTISEMENT In some isolated villages, residents are defending their homes themselves. Surrounded by thick vegetation and perched on hillsides, these hamlets have been hit especially hard. Summer of extremes as fires, floods and heatwaves grip the globe Raquel Fernandez, who lives in Montederramo, Galicia, told RFI: "Every day, new fires appear. The fires are so big that they end up merging together. It's all mountains, and there aren't enough resources [for firefighters] to be everywhere. The people who are saving us here are the local farmers with their tractors and water tanks." Across the region, farmers are trying to save the most isolated houses including their own. In Guimarei, south of Ourense, as the flames approach, Martin Perez fills his water tank. "My farm burned down two days ago, over there. A calf farm. And now I'm trying to save my house. Yesterday we saved my sister's farm, and we've been there for days. It's hell. It's absolute hell. I'm devastated, absolutely devastated. But we have to keep fighting, that's the way it is." ADVERTISEMENT Prosecutors examine arson link to Frances worst wildfire in 50 years Anger with authorities In Mogainza, Eloi Fernandez, a livestock farmer, has been battling the flames for a week. He says he is angry with the authorities for not allowing farmers to clear the forests, which he believes could have slowed the spread of the fires. "They ban everything. They ban making new paths, controlled burning, cutting wood for heating in winter... Everything, everything is banned. They call it a 'nature network'. Nature network... what nature do we have left? How are they protecting it? It makes no sense, they don't know what they're doing." Other residents have voiced their anger at what they regard as poor preparation and limited resources. "No ones shown up here, nobody," Patricia Vila told AFPTV in the village of Vilamartin de Valdeorras in Ourense. "Not a single damn helicopter, not one plane, has come to drop water and cool things down a bit." ADVERTISEMENT France, Italy, Slovakia and the Netherlands have sent firefighting aircraft to help, but the size and severity of the fires and the intensity of the smoke are making "airborne action difficult," Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles told television channel TVE. Heatwave continues to scorch France as fire risks and pollution rise Fernandez is worried for the future of these hamlets, which are already suffering from depopulation. "It's all going to die out. We in the hamlets are doomed, they're going to be abandoned," he said. "There are only three or four young people left, and we're taking a real beating." Despite the risks, locals continue to fight tirelessly against the fires, as the Spanish authorities announce that they will release aid for farmers who have lost everything. (with newswires, and partially adapted from the this report n French.) Trump who famously evaded the draft during Vietnam describes himself as a war hero: I guess I am too Trump who famously evaded the draft during Vietnam describes himself as a war hero: I guess I am too President Donald Trump, who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War, declared himself a war hero and lauded Benjamin Netanyahu as a good man and fellow war hero during a radio interview Tuesday evening. Speaking to conservative radio host Mark Levin, the president said he was working with the Israeli prime minister to free Hamas-held hostages, adding that Netanyahu is a good man, hes in there fighting. Despite the Israeli prime ministers detractors wanting him jailed as a war criminal following a November 2024 arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict issued by the International Criminal Court, Trump insisted: Hes a war hero. Trump, who also claims to have ended seven wars, then extended the accolade to himself, saying: Hes a war hero, cause we worked together. Hes a war hero. I guess I am too. ADVERTISEMENT He continued: Nobody cares. I am too. I sent those planes, a reference to his order for June airstrikes against three critical enrichment facilities in Iran. President Donald Trump meets with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office. Trump has referred to Netanyahu as a war hero. (AFP via Getty Images) Throughout the interview, Trump complained he had not received sufficient credit for ordering those air strikes or other recent actions he has taken aimed at easing global conflict. For his part, Netanyahu has previously called Trump the greatest friend Israel has ever had, and in July presented him with a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Shortly after the interview aired, CNN host Erin Burnett played the clip to former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Trump nemesis who served on the January 6 House Select Committee. Kinzinger, a former Air National Guard officer who flew missions over Iraq and Afghanistan, commented: I mean, look, this is just nuts. This is nuts. And they're going to find, his people are going to find, a way to justify this. ADVERTISEMENT He continued: Listen, when they were putting out something honoring the Army's 250th anniversary, they put out a picture of Donald Trump in his military academy uniform, which has nothing to do with the military except they drill you. This is nuts. He's not a war hero. Kinzinger added, referencing the presidents role in nascent peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine: You can like what he's done. That's fine. I hope he gets a resolution in Ukraine. But to put himself on the same level of people that have actually gone out and served this country, not claimed bone spurs, is an offense to anybody who served. A demonstrator holds a sign critical of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AFP/Getty) The former congressman also noted that it would be inappropriate for anyone who had actually served to call themself a war hero. Burnett, agreeing that the administration will likely find a way to justify the comment, also noted: You're also right about something really important, which is the humility that defines a war hero, right? The humility of the fact that someone who's a war hero would never call themselves that. ADVERTISEMENT Trumps most infamous comments about war heroes in the past included denying that the late Senator John McCain was a war hero because he had been captured and held as a prisoner of war. The president made those remarks while campaigning for the Republican nomination in 2015, caused a storm of protest at the time. During an interview in Iowa, the presenter said McCain was a war hero, to which Trump replied: He's not a hero... He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people that werent captured, OK? I hate to tell you that. Republican presidential candidate Arizona Senator John McCain pictured in 2008 (AFP via Getty Images) McCain, a former Navy pilot, spent five and a half years in a notorious Vietnamese prison known as the Hanoi Hilton, where he was repeatedly tortured and spent years in solitary confinement. Trump avoided serving in Vietnam with four college deferrals and one for having bone spurs, a foot problem. ADVERTISEMENT In 2018, Trump reportedly snubbed a planned commemoration for the 100th anniversary of WWI at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, fearing his hair would become disheveled in the rain, The Atlantic reported in 2020. Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers, Trump reportedly told staffers, according to the magazine. The then-president also called the more than 1,800 Marines buried there suckers elsewhere during his 2018 trip in France, perThe Atlantic. John Kelly, a former Marine Corps general and the White House chief of staff at the time, attended in Trumps place. Kelly, whose son was killed in action serving in Afghanistan in 2010, later told CNN that Trump had indeed made the derogatory remarks, describing him in a statement as someone who rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in Americas defense are losers and wouldnt visit their graves in France. Trump has repeatedly denied ever making the statement, calling the alleged comments disinformation reported by the fake news. White House chief of staff John Kelly listens as President Donald Trump speaks in October 2017 (Getty Images) During his second administrations radical attempts to downsize the federal government, the Department of Veterans Affairs was forced into backing down from its plans to cut 83,000 jobs after a public outcry. The department has moved to reassure veterans that it has multiple safeguards in place to ensure these staff reductions do not impact veteran care or benefits. While VA Secretary Doug Collins had insisted the much bigger reduction in the workforce was tough but necessary, veterans advocacy groups warned that it would have devastating long-term consequences for former members of the armed forces, who deserved better after serving their country. Gutting VA will result in delayed appointments and substandard care, leading directly to more veteran deaths, said Kayla Williams, an Iraq War veteran and senior policy adviser at VoteVets. Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, also slammed the plan as a gut punch and breathtaking in its potential significance and its malevolence and cruelty. The Gaza War, for which Netanyahu's arrest warrant was issued, was triggered by an attack inside Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, during which around 1,200 Israelis were killed, while another 251 people were taken hostage. The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. It also issued a warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who Israel said it had killed in an airstrike, accusing him of war crimes over the attack on Israel. While the decision makes Netanyahu an internationally wanted suspect, the extent of the warrants practical implications is unclear, given that Israel and its major ally, the U.S., are not members of the court. The 45th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) took place on August 17 in Madagascars capital, Antananarivo, with leaders highlighting on August 18 industrialisation and modernised agriculture as key drivers of regional integration. Madagascars President Andry Rajoelina, assuming the blocs rotating chairmanship, urged member states to accelerate industrial capacity, boost intra-regional trade, and adopt a united front in global economic negotiations. SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi emphasised the central role of agriculture, which contributes 33 percent to the regions GDP and sustains over 60 percent of the population. He cautioned, however, that despite this potential, nearly 60 million people remain food insecure, underscoring the urgency of transforming agriculture to ensure food security and stimulate growth. He further noted opportunities in renewable energy, particularly solar and wind, to complement industrial expansion. Under the theme Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC, the summit aims to strengthen regional value chains, modernise agriculture, and drive inclusive energy transition. Leaders reiterated their commitment to building resilience through enhanced industrialisation and agricultural reforms, positioning the bloc as a more cohesive and competitive economic community. At least 52 civilians have been massacred by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in the Beni and Lubero areas of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), UN and local officials revealed on Monday, August 18. The attacks, which took place between 9 and 16 August, saw rebels armed with machetes and hoes raid villages, tie up residents, and kill them in groups. Local authorities confirmed that women and children were among the victims, with around 30 people killed in the village of Melia alone. Several homes were also torched during the assaults, which the army said were acts of revenge following recent defeats inflicted on the group by Congolese forces. The United Nations mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) condemned the killings in the strongest possible terms, warning that the toll may rise as searches continue. The ADF, one of several militias vying for control of land and resources in the mineral-rich east, has stepped up its attacks despite joint operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces. The massacre follows a deadly assault in late July, when ADF fighters killed 38 worshippers in a church attack. 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: Atherosclerosis (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.120447 Routine testing for a specific lipoprotein known as Lp(a) would be a cost-saving way to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and save lives, according to an international research taskforce led by Monash University. Elevated levels of Lp(a) impact an estimated 1 in 5 people worldwide and lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death globally. Despite this, levels of Lp(a) are not routinely measured in clinical practice and most people with elevated levels don't know they're at risksomething the researchers call a "public health blind spot." The study, published in Atherosclerosis, analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults in the U.K. The results were striking: routine Lp(a) testing would have reclassified 20% of participants as high-risk, leading to earlier intervention with blood pressure or cholesterol-lowering medications. The research team designed a health economic model based on the population data, which showed that testing could prevent 60 heart attacks, 13 strokes and 26 early deaths (per 10,000 people tested) and lead to 169 years of life gained and 217 years of living in good health in Australia. In 202021, an estimated 9.5% of total allocated expenditure in the Australian health system ($14.3 billion) was attributed to cardiovascular disease. The researchers also found Lp(a) testing would save approximately $85 in societal costs (health care plus productivity burden) per person in Australia. Senior author, Health Economist, Head of the Health Economics and Policy Evaluation Research (HEPER) group at Monash's Center for Medicine Use and Safety (CMUS) and core member of the Lp(a) International Taskforce, Professor Zanfina Ademi, said Lp(a) testing should be standard practice. "Elevated Lp(a) is an inherited, lifelong, and independent risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, aortic stenosis, and premature cardiovascular events," Professor Ademi said. "Despite the risks, high Lp(a) remains dangerously underdiagnosed, with global testing prevalence reported to be exceedingly low. This significant oversight urgently demands international attention, which is why the FH Europe Foundation brought together an international taskforce to make Lp(a) testing routine and ensure equitable management across global populations." First author, Dr. Jed Morton, also from Monash University, said Lp(a) testing in Australia should be routine, and from a young age if it's known to run in the family. "There is solid evidence to show that Lp(a) can be a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseasethe earlier people are tested, the better the chances are of intercepting the problem before it escalates. Now is the time to act," Dr. Morton said. These findings, which included data from other high-income countries as well as Australia, have contributed to The Brussels International Declaration on Lipoprotein(a) Testing and Management, announced in Glasgow earlier this year and also published in Atherosclerosis. More information: Jedidiah I. Morton et al, Lp(a) testing for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in high-income countries: a cost-effectiveness analysis, Atherosclerosis (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.120447 Florian Kronenberg et al, The Brussels International Declaration on Lipoprotein(a) Testing and Management, Atherosclerosis (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.119218 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Older adults often don't realize how vulnerable they are to extreme heat and most aren't prepared for long periods of hot weather, according to a review of more than 40 studies. In the review, researchers found that most studies focused on how older adults react when heat waves strike, such as staying hydrated or moving to cooler locations. But there is less research on how they plan for prolonged heat events, which may be evidence of low-risk perception, according to the researchers. "Extreme heat is not often viewed as a weather disaster like hurricanes or floods, but it should be," said Smitha Rao, co-author of the study and assistant professor of social work at The Ohio State University. "It is not something that is visible, which is why it is often called the 'silent killer.'" The study, published in the journal PLOS Climate, involved a rapid systematic review of 41 studies about extreme heat and older adults published globally from 2010 to 2024. Most of the studies29 in totalfocused on individual coping strategies, such as hydration, environmental adjustments or relocation to cooler spots. One study examined heat preparedness. "I thought it was interesting that very few studies focused on preparedness," said co-author Fiona Doherty, a Ph.D. graduate of Ohio State who is now an assistant professor of social work at the University of Tennessee. "Risk awareness seems to be quite low among older adults and their caregivers." The issue has gained increasing importance in recent years for several reasons. For one, older adults are one of the fastest-growing age groups, and people aged 65 and over will outnumber children under the age of five by 2050. Also, countries worldwide experienced record-breaking heat in 2023 and 2024, with temperatures expected to surge over the next few years. Older adults and their caregivers may not be adequately ready to face these changes, according to the researchers. "We tend to react based on past experiences in our lives and the reality has changed," said co-author Holly Dabelko-Schoeny, professor of social work at Ohio State. "The things that worked in the past to deal with heat waves are not going to work in this new reality. That goes for those who deliver services to older adults as well as to the individuals themselves." While times have changed, Rao said another important point is that individuals themselves go through transformations as they age. "We may not realize that our bodies' reactions to heat changes as we age, and older adults and their caregivers may not realize that some of the medicines they are taking or medical conditions they have may make them prone to overheating," Rao said. Many heat-related deaths for older adults happen in their own homes and at night, again indicating that they may not have known they were in danger, she said. In addition to the 29 studies that focused mostly on individual coping strategies, seven focused on service delivery to older adults facing extreme heat, and sometimes other weather disasters. Doherty said that often more attention was paid to protecting individuals from extreme cold, rather than extreme heat, showing again the lack of adequate risk awareness. The fewest number of studies they found had to do with policy actions to protect older adults. That's an area that needs more attention to make sure individuals are prepared before an extreme heat event occurs, according to the researchers. That may involve engaging older adults, learning their specific needs, and tailoring interventions. This could include the weatherization of their homes and providing cooling options for those who can't afford them. Another example: In Columbus, the Central Ohio Transit Authority recently changed its policies to make its buses free for everyone during extreme heat events, to reduce heat exposure and ensure that young and old alike can travel without cost to cooling centers if needed. "It is good to see policy changes like this that are responding to what our new normal looks like," said Marisa Sheldon, director of the Age-Friendly Innovation Center at Ohio State's College of Social Work. In a related article published in the journal Environmental Communication, Sheldon and some of the co-authors of the PLOS Climate study explored preferences and sources of extreme weather information among older adults, especially those who are culturally and linguistically diverse. "One compelling finding from both studies was the importance of relationship building," Doherty said. "Not only connecting neighbors, but also learning what information sources older adults trust and building trust between individuals and community agencies so that community members follow expert guidance and change their behavior when necessary." More information: Extreme Heat Preparedness and Coping Among Older Adults: A Rapid Review, PLOS Climate (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000689 Smitha Rao et al, Extreme Weather Information for Diverse Older Adults: Communication Preferences and Trusted Information Sources, Environmental Communication (2025). DOI: 10.1080/17524032.2025.2536644 Journal information: PLOS Climate This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain People thinking about starting a business or retiring earlybefore they're old enough for Medicaremay want to wait until November, when they can see just how much their Affordable Care Act health insurance will cost next year. Sharp increases are expected. Premiums for ACA health plans, also known as Obamacare, which many early retirees and small-business owners rely on for coverage, are going up, partly due to policy changes advanced by the Trump administration and Congress. At the same time, more generous tax subsidies that have helped most policyholders pay for coverage are set to expire at the end of December. After that, subsidies would return to what they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. Also being reinstated would be an income cap barring people who earn more than four times the federal poverty level from getting any tax credits to help them purchase coverage. Although Congress potentially could act to extend the credits, people weighing optional life changes should factor in the potential cost if lawmakers fail to do so. "I would hate for people to make a big decision now and then, in a few months, realize, "I'm not even going to qualify for a tax credit next year,'" said Lauren Jenkins, an insurance agent whose brokerage helps people sign up for coverage in Oklahoma. "Coupled with the rate increases, that could be significant, especially for someone at or near retirement, when it could easily cost over $1,000 a month." Still, how things play out in the real world will vary. The key factor is income, as the subsidy amount people receive is primarily based on household income and local insurance costs. People experiencing the biggest dollar increase in out-of-pocket premiums next year will be those who lose subsidies altogether because they earn more than 400% of the federal poverty level. This year, that's $62,600 for a single person and $84,600 for a couple. This "subsidy cliff" was removed in the legislation first enacted during the COVID pandemic to create enhanced subsidies, but it will be back next year if they expire. About 1.6 million people who earn more than 400% of the poverty threshold bought ACA plans this year, many of them getting some tax credits to help with the premiums, according to KFF data. KFF is a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News. "A lot of small-biz owners fall around that level of income," said David Chase, vice president of policy and advocacy for the Small Business Majority, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, which is urging Congress to extend the credits. And a good chunk of ACA enrollment consists of small-business owners or their employees because, unlike larger firms, most small businesses don't offer group health plans. In the Washington metropolitan area, "seven out of 10 people who qualify for lower premiums [because of the tax credits] are small-business owners," said Mila Kofman, executive director of the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority. Congress must decide by the end of December whether to extend the subsidies a second time. Permanently doing so could cost taxpayers $335 billion over the next decade, but not acting could cause financial pain for policyholders and pose political repercussions for lawmakers. Because new premiums and smaller subsidies would take effect in January, the potential fallout has some Republican lawmakers worried about the midterm elections, according to news reports. Republican pollsters Tony Fabrizio and Bob Ward warned the GOP in a memo that extending the enhanced credits could mean the difference between success and failure in some midterm races, because support for the premium help "comes from more than two-thirds of Trump voters and three-quarters of Swing voters." While supporters credit the enhanced subsidies for a record 24 million sign-ups for this year's ACA plans, critics have blamed them for instances in which sales brokers or consumers engaged in improper enrollment. "The expanded subsidies were a temporary COVID pandemic policy enacted by congressional Democrats on a party-line vote and scheduled to end after 2025," said Brian Blase, president of the Paragon Health Institute, a conservative think tank. "They have led to tremendous fraud and waste, they reduce employer coverage, and they should be permitted to expire." Ed Haislmaier, a senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, acknowledged that people earning more than 400% of the poverty level would not be happy with losing access to subsidies, but he expects most to stay enrolled because they want to avoid huge medical bills that could threaten their businesses or savings. "They are middle-class or upper-income people who are self-employed, or early retirees with significant income, which means they have a lot of assets behind that income," he said. "These are people who view insurance as financial protection." He thinks lawmakers would win political support from voters in this category by addressing two of their other major ACA concerns: that annual deductibles are too high and insurers' networks of doctors and hospitals are too small. "If you just give these people money by extending subsidies, it's only addressing one of their problems, and it's the one they are least upset about," Haislmaier said. "That is the political dynamics of this." Here's how the expiration of subsidies could play out for some hypothetical consumers. People in households earning less than four times the poverty rate would still get subsidiesjust not as generous as the current ones. For example, those whose earnings are at the lower end of the income scalesay, just over 150% of the poverty threshold, or about $23,000will go from paying a national average of about $2 a month, or $24 toward coverage for the year, to $72 a month, or $864 a year, according to a KFF online calculator. On the other end of the income spectrum, a 55-year-old Portland, Oregon, couple with a household income of $85,000 would also take a big hit on the cost of their benchmark plan. They currently pay about $600 a month in premiumsabout 8.5% of their household incomewith subsidies kicking in about $1,000 to cover the remainder. Next year, if the tax credits expire, the same couple would not get any federal help because they earn over four times the poverty limit. They would pay the full monthly premium, with no subsidies, which would be about $1,800, based on initial 2026 premium rates filed with state regulators, said Jared Ortaliza, a policy analyst at KFF. People should begin to see insurance rates late this fall, and certainly by Nov. 1, when the ACA's open enrollment season begins, said Jenkins, the Oklahoma insurance agent. That gives them time to mull over whether they want to make changes in their planor in their lives, such as quitting a job that has health insurance or retiring early. This year, open enrollment extends to Jan. 15. Under new legislation, that open period will shorten by about a month, starting with the 2027 sign-up period. Those who do enroll for 2026, especially the self-employed and people retiring early, should closely track their incomes during the year, she said. It would be easy to bust through that income cap, she said. If they do, they'll have to pay back any tax credits they initially qualified for. Their income might rise unexpectedly during the year, for example, pushing them over the limit. An income bump could come from drawing down more money from retirement accounts than planned, landing a new customer account, or even from winning big at the casino. "Maybe they win $5,000 at the casino, but that puts them $500 over the limit for the year," Jenkins said. "They might have to pay back $12,000 in tax credits for winning a few thousand at the casino." 2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A child receives a vaccine shot at Wakiso Health Centre IV in Wakiso, Uganda, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Patrick Onen Alice Nekesa did not know she was infected with malaria-causing parasites until it was too late. She was in the fourth month of pregnancy last year when she started bleeding, a miscarriage later attributed to untreated malaria in her. The Ugandan farmer said recently that she regretted the loss of what would have been her second child "because I didn't discover malaria and treat it early." Variations of such cases are commonly reported by Ugandan health workers who witness stillbirths or feverish babies that die within days from undiagnosed malaria. The deaths are part of a wider death toll tied to the mosquito-borne disease, the deadliest across Africa, but one easily treated in adults who seek timely medical care. Until recently, a major gap in malaria treatment was how to care for newborns and infants infected with malaria who weren't strong enough to receive regular medication. That changed last month when Swiss medical regulators approved medicine from the Basel-based pharmaceutical company Novartis for babies weighing between 2 and 5 kilograms (nearly 4 to 11 pounds). Swissmedic said the treatment, a sweet-tasting tablet that disperses into a syrup when dropped into water, was approved in coordination with the World Health Organization under a fast-track authorization process to help developing countries access much-needed treatment. Alice Nekesa, 28, a mother of one who contracted malaria during her second pregnancy, poses for a photo in her home in Kampala, Uganda, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Patrick Onen Africa's 1.5 billion people accounted for 95% of an estimated 597,000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2023, according to the WHO. More than three-quarters of those deaths were among children. In Uganda, an east African country of 45 million people, there were 12.6 million malaria cases and nearly 16,000 deaths in 2023. Many were children younger than 5 and pregnant women, according to WHO. Nigeria, Congo and Uganda in that order are the African countries most burdened by malaria, a parasitic disease transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes that thrive and breed in stagnant water. The drug approved by Swiss authorities, known as Coartem Baby in some countries and Riamet Baby in others, is a combination of two antimalarials. It is a lower dose version of a tablet previously approved for other age groups, including for older children. Before Coartem Baby, antimalarial drugs designed for older children were administered to small infants with careful adjustments to avoid overdose or toxicity. A woman breastfeeds her newborn at Wakiso Health Centre IV in Wakiso, Uganda, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Patrick Onen Ugandan authorities, who have been working to update clinical guidelines for treating malaria, say the new drug will be rolled out as soon as possible. It is not yet available in public hospitals. The development of Coartem Baby has given hope to many, with local health workers and others saying the medicine will save the lives of many infants. Ronald Serufusa, the top malaria official for the district of Wakiso, which shares a border with the Ugandan capital of Kampala, said he believes Coartem Baby will be available "very, very soon" and that one priority is sensitizing the people adhering to treatment. Some private pharmacies already have access to Coartem Baby, "flavored with orange or mango" to make it palatable for infants, he said. During the so-called malaria season, which coincides with rainy periods twice a year, long lines of sick patients grow outside government-run health centers across Uganda. Many are often women with babies strapped to their backs. Pregnant women in labor wait for delivery at Wakiso Health Centre IV in Kampala, Uganda, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Patrick Onen Health workers now are trained to understand that "malaria can be implicated among newborns," even when other dangerous conditions like sepsis are present, Serufusa said. "If they don't expand their investigations to also suspect malaria, then it goes unnoticed," he said, speaking of health workers treating babies. The Malaria Consortium, a global nonprofit based in London, in a statement described the approval of Coartem Baby as "a major leap forward for saving the lives of young children in countries affected by malaria." In addition to Uganda, the drug will be rolled out in Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Tanzania, the group said. Jane Nabakooza, a pediatrician with Uganda's malaria control program, said she expects the government will make Coartem Baby available to patients free of charge, even after losing funding when the U.S. shrank its foreign aid program earlier this year. A health worker talks to patients at Wakiso Health Centre IV in Kampala, Wakiso, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Patrick Onen Some malaria funding from outside sources, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, remains available for programs such as indoor spraying to kill mosquitoes that spread the malaria-causing parasite. Because of funding shortages, "we are focusing on those that are actually prone to severe forms of malaria and malaria deaths, and these are children under 5 years," she said. 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A close-up of the wearable robot's inflatable under-arm balloon. Credit: Harvard University Having lived with an ALS diagnosis since 2018, Kate Nycz can tell you firsthand what it's like to slowly lose motor function for basic tasks. "My arm can get to maybe 90 degrees, but then it fatigues and falls," the 39-year-old said. "To eat or do a repetitive motion with my right hand, which was my dominant hand, is difficult. I've mainly become left-handed." People like Nycz who live with a neurodegenerative disease like ALS or who have had a stroke often suffer from impaired movement of the shoulder, arm or hands, preventing them from daily tasks like tooth-brushing, hair-combing or eating. For the last several years, Harvard bioengineers have been developing a soft, wearable robot that not only provides movement assistance for such individuals but could even augment therapies to help them regain mobility. But no two people move exactly the same way. Physical motions are highly individualized, especially for the mobility-impaired, making it difficult to design a device that works for many different people. It turns out advances in machine learning can create a more personal touch. Researchers at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), together with physician-scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, have upgraded their wearable robot to be responsive to an individual user's exact movements, endowing the device with more personalized assistance that could give users better, more controlled support for daily tasks. The research published in Nature Communications was led by Conor Walsh, the Paul A. Maeder Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences, whose lab develops human-centered assistive robotic devices for those with movement impairments. For more than six years, Walsh's lab has collaborated with stroke and neurorehabilitation specialist Dr. David Lin, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Neurorecovery Clinic; and ALS specialist Dr. Sabrina Paganoni, co-director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Neurological Clinical Research Instituteboth paper co-authorsto develop clinically relevant devices for patients. "This has been a wonderful collaboration as Dr. Walsh's team prioritized including both the clinician and patient perspectives from day one," Paganoni said. "This collaborative approach allowed us to work together on the very initial prototypes and study design." Nycz was referred to the SEAS study team by Paganoni in 2018, not long after she was diagnosed with ALS a week shy of her 33rd birthday. Nycz has provided data and user testing for several iterations of the device, including the latest that includes a personalized motor feedback component. "I'm big on technology and devices to help improve quality of life for people living with ALS I feel like this robot could help with that goal," she said. Software update with machine learning model The paper describes a major update to the software powering the device, which consists of a sensor-loaded vest with a balloon attached underneath the arm that inflates and deflates to apply mechanical assistance to a weak or impaired limb. The researchers used a machine learning model that personalizes assistance levels to the individual user by learning which movements the user is trying to do, via sensors that track both motion and pressure. Prabhat Pathak and James Arnold demonstrate the wearable robotic device in the lab. Credit: Harvard University In previous versions of the device, which only tracked motion, the researchers found that users had trouble pushing their arm back down once the robot had helped lift it up. "Some people didn't have enough residual strength to overcome any kind of mistake the robot was making," explained co- first author and graduate student James Arnold. In the new version, in addition to the machine learning model, they incorporated a physics-based model they had previously developed that estimates the minimum pressure needed to support the arm during movement. This makes the robot's assistance feel more natural to the user, offering more nuanced help on basic tasks like eating and drinking. Combining the models allowed the robot to quickly dial up or down how much assistance it is giving at any time, based on what it has learned about how that user normally moves. User testing In collaboration with the clinical researchers at MGH, the engineers tested their device with nine volunteers, including Nyczfive who had experienced a stroke and four living with ALS. "For people living with ALS, the most important considerations include comfort, ease of use, and the ability of the device to adapt to their specific needs and movement patterns," Paganoni said. "Personalization is crucial to enhance their functional independence and quality of life This device holds the potential to significantly improve upper limb function, enhance daily living activities, and reduce compensatory movements." Results showed that a robot trained on an individual user's movement data could distinguish the user's shoulder movements with 94% accuracy. The amount of force a person needed to lower their arm was reduced by about a third, compared to previous versions. The users also showed larger ranges of motion in their shoulders, elbows, and wrists, reducing the need to compensate with body leaning or twisting, and making their movements overall more exact and efficient. Past studies with the wearable robot had focused on a single joint or a single clinical score for evaluating patient movement, explained co-first author and postdoctoral fellow Prabhat Pathak. "What we did here was look at simulated activities of daily living, using a highly accurate motion capture systemsimilar to systems used in movies. We looked at how each and every joint movement changed, and if they were able to do the tasks more efficiently." Nycz said seeing the different versions of the device over the years has been gratifying, and she's noticed some of her feedback has been reflected in newer versions. "They've done a great job incorporating and including the person," she said. "They're not sitting in the lab just playing with the robot. I felt like they were really engaged with me. I didn't feel like a lab rat or a cog in a wheel." Generalizable to many populations The researchers note that their device could be generalizable to many populations of people with upper limb impairments. While stroke patients are usually focused on rehabilitation through gradual regaining of strength and movement, ALS is degenerative, which means the device might be more valuable for movement assistance only. The team is continuing to refine the technology to someday enable users to independently use it in the home. More information: James Arnold et al, Personalized ML-based wearable robot control improves impaired arm function, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62538-8 Journal information: Nature Communications This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Vaping among teens and young people is consistently linked to subsequent smoking, marijuana and alcohol use, finds an overarching (umbrella) review of systematic reviews of the evidence, published online in the journal Tobacco Control. And it's associated with other harmful consequences, including heightened risks of asthma, cough, injuries and mental ill health as well as possibly pneumonia, bronchitis, headaches, migraine, dizziness/lightheadedness, low sperm count, and poor mouth health. The findings reinforce policy measures to restrict sales and marketing of vapes to young people, conclude the researchers. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the rise in the prevalence of children who vape around the world as "alarming." The proportion of 1516-year-olds who vape ranges from 5.5% to 41% in WHO Europe region countries alone, note the researchers. And concerns persist about the harms of vaping in young people, in particular whether vaping leads to smoking. Although four umbrella reviews on the topic have been published, these don't focus exclusively on young people or do so only for a narrow set of outcomes, such as smoking initiation, they add. To strengthen the evidence base and uncover the extent of physical and mental harms associated with vaping among young people, the researchers carried out an overarching review of existing systematic (and umbrella) reviews after scouring research databases. The 56 reviews (52 systematic reviews and four umbrella reviews) included pooled data analyses and health technology assessment reports, published between 2016 and 2024, with most (47) published after 2020. Synthesis of the data from 21 systematic reviews revealed a consistent and significant association between vaping and starting smoking, ranging from a 50% to 26-fold higher risk, and suggesting a causal relationship, say the researchers. Most of these reviews suggested that young people who vape are about three times as likely to start smoking as those who don't vape. Pooled data analysis of the results of five systematic reviews showed a strong link between vaping and substance use, ranging from a near tripling to 6-fold heightened risks for marijuana, a 4.5 to more than 6-fold increased risk for alcohol, and a 4.5 to a nearly 7-fold increased risk for binge drinking. Asthma was the most common respiratory health outcome, with consistent associations of between 20% and 36% heightened risks of being diagnosed with the condition, and a 44% heightened risk of worsening symptoms. Synthesis of the findings from three systematic reviews showed associations between vaping and suicidal outcomes, and six others suggested associations between burn injuries or similar. Significant associations emerged between vaping and other harmful health outcomes, including pneumonia, bronchitis, lower total sperm counts, dizziness, headaches, migraines and poor mouth health, although this evidence was largely derived from limited surveys or case series/reports, note the researchers. They acknowledge that the quality of umbrella reviews depends on the quality of the included systematic reviews. And much of the evidence on outcomes was observational. Inferring causality therefore remains difficult, say the researchers. "Nonetheless, given the consistent associations we observed with increased smoking and multiple possible harms to health and well-being in this age group, which are consistent with possible causal effects, the evidence supports policy measures to protect young people who do not smoke from the potential risks associated with vaping," they emphasize. These measures include restricting the sales and marketing of vapes to young people, and curbs on advertising design features that are likely to appeal to them. "Such efforts may form part of a wider set of measures to restrict harms, including raising the public's and young people's awareness of these harms, and counter-marketing to raise public and policy awareness of the marketing and strategies that e-cigarette companies have targeted at children and young people," they add. More information: Vaping and harm in young people: umbrella review, Tobacco Control (2025). DOI: 10.1136/tc-2024-059219 Journal information: Tobacco Control The Montana Supreme Court says a judge did not abuse her discretion when she sentenced Lloyd Barrus to the Montana State Prison instead of a state mental health facility for his role in the 2017 shooting death of a Broadwater County deputy. Barrus argued in an appeal that he suffered from mental health disorders during the shooting of Deputy Mason Moore and a subsequent high-speed chase and was unable to grasp the criminality of his behavior at the time. Because of that, his appeals lawyers contended, he should have been sentenced to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services instead of state prison overseen by the Montana Department of Corrections. But the states high court, in a 5-0 ruling issued Tuesday, said District Judge Kathy Seeley properly weighed mental health factors before sentencing Barrus to three life sentences without parole in the Montana State Prison. The record establishes that the District Court thoroughly considered the evidence before it and the record reflects its independent deliberation on the merits of Barruss case, the ruling said. Our review of the record supports a finding that Barrus appreciated the criminality of his behavior or could have conformed his conduct to the law. Justice Laurie McKinnon wrote the ruling and Chief Justice Cory Swanson recused himself. Swanson was the Broadwater County attorney when the 2017 shooting occurred. Lloyd Barrus was 66 when he was sentenced in the case. Prosecutors say Lloyd Barrus and his son, Marshall Barrus, held anti-law enforcement views and were on a suicide mission on May 16, 2017, when they provoked Deputy Moore shortly after 2 a.m. by passing him on U.S. 287 south of Townsend driving 100 mph. They were in a Chevy Suburban and Lloyd Barrus was driving. Moore was struck in the face by a bullet through his windshield, his car stopped in the grass just south of Three Forks, and he was alive until the Suburban returned four minutes later and additional gunshots from a semi-automatic rifle ended his life. Prosecutors say Marshall Barrus fired the mortal rounds. Butte-Silver Bow police spotted the Suburban moving westbound on I-90 about an hour later and started a 90-mile chase, ending in a shootout in Missoula County that involved several police agencies. Marshall was hit and later died while Lloyd Barrus escaped injury and was arrested. The trial was held in Butte instead of Broadwater County because of pre-trial publicity concerns, and in September 2021, a jury found Barrus guilty of deliberate homicide by accountability in Moores death, and of two counts of attempted deliberate homicide for the high-speed chase and shootout. Barruss appeal did not contest the verdicts. Its sole claim was that he should have been sentenced to a mental health facility instead of state prison. Defense attorneys for Barrus have argued for years that Barrus suffered from mental illness and severe delusional disorders, and after the trial, they wanted him sentenced to Montana State Hospital. At one point after charges were filed, Seeley ordered Barrus be given antipsychotic medications via injection to render him competent to stand trial and aid his defense, since he refused to take the drugs orally. He was ultimately cleared to stand trial. Under a 1979 Montana law, judges imposing sentences must determine whether defendants, at the time of their offenses, suffered from mental conditions that rendered them unable to appreciate the criminality of their behavior. The law was part of a broader reform that abolished the traditional insanity defense while leaving a narrow post-conviction inquiry into whether someone fully grasped the criminality of their actions, Tuesdays ruling noted. Barrus attorneys say he did not understand what he was doing was wrong because of his mental health issues, so he should be sentenced to custody of mental health officials. Judge Seeley held hearings on the matter and considered conflicting opinions by two forensic psychiatrists Dr. Virginia Hill and Dr. Alan Newman. Hill had treated Barrus at the State Hospital while his case was pending. She said chronic delusions amplified by alcohol and marijuana impaired his ability to understand the criminality of his actions. Newman disagreed. He said Barrus voluntarily drank alcohol and that was a precipitating factor in his actions, but his crimes werent caused by delusional disorders. Seeley found Newmans findings more convincing and said Hills evaluation appeared clouded by her longtime treatment relationship with Barrus. The state Supreme Court said Seeley was in the best position to assess the competing expert opinions and she provided a basis for accepting Newmans testimony over Hills report. This Court will not disturb the district courts conclusion regarding a defendants mental disease or disorder unless the conclusion is unsupported by the record, the ruling said. The Bombay High Court recently granted significant relief to FA Enterprises, one of several contractors accused in the Rs 35,000 crore Maharashtra irrigation scam, ordering the state government to pay nearly Rs 303 crore to it. The case involving FA Enterprises concerned the Balganga Dam. The contractor was awarded the Rs 353 crore project in 2009. The cost of the contract was revised to Rs 495 crore the next year. During its investigation into the sprawling irrigation scam, which involved projects across Maharashtra, the Anti-Corruption Bureau accused FA Enterprises of conspiring to submit bogus bills and commit fraud worth Rs 92 crore. It filed a 30,000-page charge sheet against the contractor in 2015. Work on the dam had already stopped in June 2012 after payments stalled, and Konkan Investment Development Corporation cancelled the contract in October 2016. The charges were framed in the case, and the trial is yet to begin before a special Thane court. FA Enterprises later approached an arbitration tribunal, which in April 2019 ruled in its favour, ordering payment of Rs 303 crore. However, a high court single bench overturned the order in May 2020, instructing the company to return Rs 50 crore with interest. The company challenged this decision, and the division bench of the high court on August 12 reversed the single bench ruling. The court held that the arbitration tribunal had appropriately evaluated evidence and witness testimonies, and the single bench had overstepped by reassessing facts. The court acknowledged that 80 per cent of the dams construction was completed, and payments could not be withheld. As a result, FA Enterprises will now receive Rs 303 crore, with the order to return Rs 50 crore set aside. Sources indicated that certain critical facts related to FA Enterprises may not have been placed before the high court by the government, as there was no mention of the 2022 committee report submitted by the chief secretary on the orders of the HC. A State Level Technical Advisory Committee (SLTAC) constituted by the chief secretary had fixed concrete rates at Rs 4,000 per cubic meter. However, sources pointed out that there was ambiguity on whether this report was presented before the high court. The contractor, meanwhile, claimed Rs 12,000 per cubic meter a rate which the court accepted in its ruling. The facts presented before the tribunal and the single bench of the high court were also brought before the division bench, a government source familiar with the case said on condition of anonymity. Asked about the STAC report, he refused to comment. According to officials, the SLTAC was established after the single bench ruling, which overturned the tribunals order to re-examine rates. Therefore, the committees findings became a relevant factor, but whether they were part of the high courts consideration remains unclear. The ACB chargesheet also included the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authoritys statement, which confirmed no prior approval was taken for the dams construction and highlighted insufficient water flow for a six-gate dam. The ACB concluded that FA Enterprises and government officials colluded to inflate costs and submit fake bills. The inflated rates and bogus claims were part of a criminal conspiracy, according to the chargesheet. This latest development has reignited the political controversy surrounding the scandal that shook the-then Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government. Then opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis relentlessly targeted the coalition for alleged large-scale corruption and mismanagement in irrigation projects. Ajit Pawar, then water resources minister and now deputy chief minister in the Fadnavis-led government, was accused by opposition leaders of facilitating and shielding corrupt contractors. While the criminal case is still pending in the Thane court, the high courts relief to the contractor has sparked renewed political debate about governance and accountability in Maharashtra. As a majority of Mumbai struggled with flooding woes across the city, one particular neighbourhood had it worse the Taximen Colony in Kurla, which also saw the worst of the deluge of 2005, thanks to its proximity to the Mithi River. Heavy, unrelenting rains combined with a high tide caused the Mithi River to breach its banks and retaining walls with the colony, sending a torrent of murky floodwaters surging into over 650 homes in 35 buildings. The was instantly cut off from the rest of Mumbai, leaving hundreds trapped and fending for themselves, all while a chilling sense of deja vu engulfed them. The colonys sole physical barrier against the Mithi River is a single slim wall, a defence that proved utterly inadequate against the combined forces of rain and tide on Tuesday. Resident Saulaha Kattimani recounted the terrifying speed at which the area flooded. After the mornings high tide, the water started entering our colony by around 9:15 am. The situation was manageable till 11:30 am. However, suddenly after 11:30, the situation got worse. There was a sudden rise in the water level in our colony. We did not get any time, as the water started entering ground-floor homes. It turned into a complete panic situation. Evacuate the vulnerable The first priority for the residents, he said, was to evacuate the most vulnerable. Neighbours scrambled to help each other, moving children and senior citizens from ground-floor homes to upper-floor apartments. They also raced against the rising waters to save whatever valuable possessions they could. We took out important valuables from our homes to upper floors. Society people helped each other so well in the dire situation, Kattimani said, highlighting a community spirit forged in crisis. By evening, the economic toll on residents was already becoming clear. According to Kattimani, many who were able to move their vehicles parked them on a higher ground near BKC. But those who couldnt are now watching helplessly as their bikes, cars, and taxis sit submerged. Kattimani himself suffered significant losses, with electronics and furniture in his ground-floor home now under water. The ordeal forced some ground-floor residents to flee to the homes of friends and relatives, while others took refuge with neighbours on upper floors. Adding to the tragedy, a senior citizen in the colony passed away, and their family faced immense difficulties in performing the final rites amidst the flooding. Another resident, Adnan Khan, described the dire combination of factors. Whenever there is intense rain and high tide, it is a dangerous combination. Today it was the same situation. In fact, I recalled what happened during 26/7; such was the situation today. He explained that while the society has two pumps to drain water back into the river, they were useless against an overflowing Mithi on Tuesday. Within no time, the entire society was flooded, and water entered inside our ground floor home. If it rained more heavily, it could have been an extremely critical situation. Currently, water is still inside ground-floor homes. Helping others While acknowledging the force of nature, Khan also suggested potential solutions. I think if our colonys wall height is increased, Mithi River water entering our colony can be stopped. But there is also fear that if the wall collapses, there would be a sudden flash flood, and the entire colony would be swept out, he said. Khalid Azmi, another resident, lamented the recurring nature of the problem. The situation is the same for the last several years. Every year there is waterlogging, but todays waterlogging was severe. The aftermath, he pointed out, will bring another set of problems. Dirty water has entered our water tank. Now we will have to remove the water, clean it, and then we will have clean water to drink. After flooding, what will be left is filth, which will raise health concerns. With transport unavailable in nearby BKC and Kurla, a sense of solidarity emerged on the streets. Several residents from the colony were on the roads, using ropes to guide stranded pedestrians through the waist-deep water. People who were completely stranded were forced to walk through the waterlogged roads, holding on to the ropes for safety. The scenes of residents struggling to navigate the treacherous waters served as a stark reminder of Mumbais perpetual vulnerability to the monsoons wrath. A Davenport parolee who was allegedly driving while his license was barred was arrested late Saturday after he allegedly caused a head-on crash while driving the wrong way on Brady Street. Darrien Darvin Irving, 34, is charged in Scott County District Court with eluding at 25 mph over the speed limit-second or subsequent offense. The charge is a Class C felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 10 years. Irving also is charged with an aggravated misdemeanor for driving while barred, which carries a prison sentence of two years. He also is charged with false imprisonment and possession of marijuana-first offense, each of which is a serious misdemeanor that carries a jail sentence of up to one year. He also is charged with operating while intoxicated-first offense. Irving also is charged with 15 traffic violations that include, among other charges, leaving the scene of an accident, violating one-way traffic designation, reckless driving and failure to have liability insurance on the vehicle he was driving. According to the arrest affidavits filed by Davenport police officer Brett Digman, at 11:43 p.m. Saturday, a Scott County Sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix near the intersection of Kimberly Downs Road and Bridge Avenue. The Grand Prix was not displaying license plates. The driver of the Grand Prix, identified as Irving, sped away and fled the deputy, reaching speeds of more than 25 mph over posted speed limits in several locations, according to the affidavits. Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane said that while the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop, the deputy never initiated a pursuit and pulled off by Kimberly Downs Road and Bridge Avenue. It was obvious to the deputy, Lane said, that Irving was not going to stop. However, Irving continued to flee as though he were being pursued. Irving is barred from driving in Iowa until Oct. 20, 2026, according to the affidavits. Irving then took the Grand Prix onto Brady Street from an alley just north of Locust Street, Lane said. Irving then headed south in the northbound lanes, striking another vehicle head-on in the 800 block of Brady near Palmer College of Chiropractic. At least three people were taken to the hospital with what police described at the time as non-life-threatening injuries. Irving tried to flee the scene but was quickly captured. He was found to be in possession of 2.8 grams of marijuana, which was taken from his front pocket, according to the affidavits. A passenger in the car with Irving tried to get him to stop and let her out of the vehicle. Irving continued to flee police with the woman in the vehicle. According to the affidavits, she told police that she told Irving to let her out of the vehicle several times, but he kept on driving. The woman also told police she was in fear for her life. Irving was booked into the Scott County Jail early Sunday. During a first appearance on the charges Sunday in District Court, Magistrate Jennie Clausen scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for Aug. 26. Irving was being held Tuesday in the custody of the Scott County Sheriff's Department on a cash-only bond of $14,000, set by Clausen. He also is being held on a $1,000 cash-only bond for the OWI charge. Irving's attorney, Robert Graham of the State Public Defender's Office, has entered a motion for a bond reduction hearing. A date for that hearing had not been set by Tuesday. However, a parole violation has been requested by the Iowa Department of Corrections and a bench warrant has been issued for Irving's arrest on the violation. He will be held without bond on the parole violation. Irving was supposed to have been on parole until Feb. 3, 2035, after being released from prison on May 5. His prison sentence stemmed from an Oct. 15, 2020, arrest for trafficking in crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a handgun that had been stolen out of Peoria, Arizona. He was also charged with violating Iowa's drug tax stamp law. On Sept. 22, 2021, a jury found Irving guilty of all three charges. District Judge John Telleen sentenced Irving as a habitual offender. For the drug charge, Telleen sentenced Irving to 30 years, mandating that Irving had to serve six years before becoming eligible for parole. Telleen then sentenced Irving to 15 years in prison on each of the gun charges, mandating that he had to serve three years on each of those before becoming eligible for parole. Telleen ordered that the sentences be served concurrently, or at the same time, and Irving was given credit for time served awaiting trial. Bamako, Mali (PANA) - A judicial investigation into massive embezzlement of public funds, forgery, money laundering and complicity was opened by the Attorney General's Office at the Supreme Court of Mali, the country's highest court, on Tuesday, according to a statement from the court A veteran teacher at Alliance Girls High School, Peter Albert Ayiro, has resigned from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) following allegations of sexual misconduct that recently triggered public outrage and investigations. In his resignation letter dated August 17, Ayiro maintained his innocence, explaining that he chose to quit after what he described as false accusations and relentless public attacks destroyed his personal and professional life. This decision has not come easily. It is a result of the false accusations levelled against me. I continue to endure evil, monstrous and persistent cyberbullying, threats of physical harm, public humiliation and even being ostracized from my church, he wrote. Ayiro, who has taught for 26 years, insisted that he was innocent, but admitted that the allegations had caused him great stress and strain. He went on to say that he had resigned to save his dignity and peace of mind. He confirmed that he had paid one months salary in lieu of notice, attaching an M-Pesa transaction of Ksh.105,000 to the TSC, and asked for guidance on clearance and exit procedures. I am grateful for the opportunity to have served as a teacher for the last 26 years. I have gained invaluable experience and growth during my tenure. It is my hope that the Commission continues to uphold fairness, transparency and support for all its employees in their noble role as educators, he stated in the letter. His resignation comes against the backdrop of ongoing investigations into claims of sexual abuse at Alliance Girls. In October, Africa Uncensored, an independent media outlet in Kenya, reported disturbing testimony from victims accusing Ayiro of grooming and sexual abuse. At the time, Ayiro also served as the Christian Union patron at the school, a position that, according to reports, gave him direct access to students and allegedly enabled the abuse. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) had suspended Ayiro, sending him on compulsory leave from 15th July 2025, after the commission received allegations against him for professional misconduct and breaches of multiple ethical and legal provisions under the TSC Act and the Code of Regulations for Teachers (CORT). Ayiro allegedly violated Clause (a) of the Third Schedule to the TSC Act, Regulation 141 of CORT, and Clause 22 of the Code of Conduct and Ethics, with allegations pointing to cases of misconduct in duty at the school. The Kikuyu Council of Elders has dismissed accusations by some church leaders that their cultural practices involving Muratina promote alcohol consumption among the youth. They asserted that the traditional brew is symbolic and reserved strictly for rituals, not for casual drinking. During a Kikuyu cultural ceremony in Gatundu South, Council chairperson Kariuki Kibathi warned that continued criticism and misinterpretation of traditions could weaken cultural values and create unnecessary divisions within the community. There is a misinterpretation by a section of the church leadership that the council of elders encourages the youth to drink alcohol. This kind of misunderstanding can affect the unity of our community, Kibathi said. He urged religious and cultural leaders to work together in nurturing both tradition and spiritual growth, emphasizing that elders fully understand their duty as parents. We are the parents of these children. We protect and guide them toward moral values and doing what is right. The church should stop criticizing us and instead appreciate our role, he added. Call for Dialogue and Responsibility Elder Nderi Karanja reinforced the councils respect for the church, urging dialogue instead of public disputes. As elders, we are not fighting the church. We want unity. When issues arise, let us sit down and talk respectfully rather than locking horns, he said. Karanja also warned the youth against abusing alcohol, stressing that illicit brews had already destroyed many young lives. He further urged the government to address unemployment, which he said was fueling drug and alcohol abuse. The government must create opportunities for the youth to reduce idleness which leads to alcoholism in several instances. If they had jobs, they would be occupied and avoid alcohol, he noted. Kiamwangi MCA Kungu Smart Wanjiku defended the elders, saying their mentorship and preservation of cultural values had positively shaped society. The council of elders mobilizes young people, advises them, and teaches them to live responsibly while conserving their cultural heritage. Lets not criticize them but instead work closely to help to improve the lives of our young people, he said. Leaders at the ceremony also raised concern about the growing spread of illicit brews in the area. They called on chiefs and police officers to intensify crackdowns by arresting and prosecuting unlicensed brewers and sellers. Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi came to the defense of Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua, backing his claims of widespread looting within the Kenya Kwanza administration. Speaking on Tuesday during a meeting with opposition leaders ahead of Gachaguas return from the United States, Matiangi accused the government of persecuting the former Deputy President for simply speaking the truth. He insisted that Gachaguas concerns had been validated by reports from two international publications. What is happening here is looting, its not corruption. Massive looting of the country is happening, and we are just watching, but we should start resisting. When people like Rigathi start talking about it, they start getting arrest threats, Matiangi said. The former CS specifically cited a report that accused the Kenyan government of facilitating the sale of arms to neighboring Sudan. He claimed that the administrations silence on the matter suggested there could be some truth behind the allegations. Now they are just threatening to arrest Gachagua. Things become criminal when they come out of Rigathis mouth. They should stop thinking that Kenyans are foolish. They are the same people who told us there are no more fools in Kenya, he added. Matiangi urged Kenyans to reject what he described as a looting regime and to remain vocal despite threats of arrest against leaders exposing corruption and theft. He further emphasized the severity of the situation, warning that looting was far more dangerous than ordinary corruption, as no country could survive under such conditions. Some countries can survive corruption, and some institutions can survive corruption, but I dont know of a country that can survive looting, he said. Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has claimed that the government is plotting to arrest Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna over alleged bribery. Speaking during a stakeholder forum in Meru County, Onyonka alleged that authorities had hatched a scheme to arrest the Nairobi Senator alongside other parliamentarians accused of receiving bribes. The Kisii legislator further alleged that he had received information indicating President William Ruto personally ordered the arrests of Sifuna and several lawmakers. Onyonka faulted the Head of State for ignoring corruption within the executive while targeting the legislature. We have just received information that the president wants to arrest Sifuna and other members of the Senate and the National Assembly, Onyonka alleged. He wants to arrest them because they were receiving petty cash. Mr President, if you want to deal with this, start by arresting people within your circle, he added. Rutos Claims on Bribery This comes after President Ruto claimed a section of Members of Parliament took bribes to oppose the recently passed anti-money laundering law. In a joint parliamentary group meeting with ODM and UDA MPs on Monday, August 18, Ruto claimed he had knowledge of corruption taking place within parliamentary committees. Do you, for example, know that a few members of your committee collected Sh10 million shillings so that you dont pass that law on anti-money laundering? Did you get the money? he asked. Ruto vowed that moving forward, the government would not just expose those involved in bribery scandals but ensure they face arrest. We are not going to shame them. We are going to arrest them. Both the givers and receivers must be dealt with, he stated. RELATED Ruto: Bribe Givers and Receivers in Parliament Will Be Arrested Senators Demand Proof In response, senators demanded that National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi summon the President to present evidence backing his allegations. They warned that the Presidents comments threatened Parliaments credibility and the gains made in devolution. Speaking on Tuesday during a Public Accounts Committee session chaired by Senator Moses Kajwang and attended by Senator Edwin Sifuna, senators strongly condemned Rutos statements, arguing that they were as good as making sweeping insinuations against elected leaders. They insisted that the Head of State must table testimonials, intelligence reports, or any other proof to substantiate his claims. According to them, failure to do so would damage the reputation of both Parliament and county governments. Article 125 gives us the power to compel any person to appear before this committee. This includes the President, who is making claims of unethical conduct by members of Parliament. The Speakers should summon him to come and shed more light on this matter. We cannot allow unsubstantiated allegations to go unchallenged, Senator Kajwang stated. He should come and explain who is making and receiving those bribes. The sentiments could only be linked to a trial of Parliament in a kangaroo court. The Speakers should apply their powers and have him appear before the necessary committees to shed light on this, Kajwang added. The senators argued that the reputation of Parliament as the pillar of governance could not be tainted with sweeping and unsubstantiated allegations. They argued that if Ruto;s accusations were true, they should be addressed through the right institutions such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Parliament, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), instead of being brought up at political rallies. President William Ruto has set up an 11-member Multi-Agency Team on War Against Corruption (MAT), bringing together state offices from security agencies and financial regulators to intensify the fight against graft, economic crimes, and related offenses. In a statement on Tuesday, Ruto termed the move as part of his administrations whole-of-government approach to improve efficiency, synergy, and effective interventions in all wings of government. The Government of the Republic of Kenya is steadfast in its commitment to reinforcing a whole-of-government approach in the fight against corruption. The government aims to implement collaborative strategies that ensure more efficient, synergised and impactful interventions across all arms of government, Ruto stated. The Executive Office of the President will chair the team, while the Office of the Attorney General will run the Secretariat. Powerful Institutions in the Anti-Graft Frontline The MAT brings together the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), the Asset Recovery Agency (ARA), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA). The taskforce can also co-opt additional members from other designated agencies to broaden its reach and strengthen its objectives. Backed by Legal and Policy Reforms Ruto explained that the idea of establishing MAT was first mooted in 2015 by the Taskforce on the Review of the Anti-Corruption Legal, Policy, and Institutional Framework. He noted that the previous years such ad hoc arrangements had already achieved a measure of success. The President cited the enactment into law of the Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, and the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act amendments as a few of the achievements that have further intensified Kenyas war against corruption through the creation of a robust legislative framework. He further grounded the action in provisions of the Constitution, mentioning Articles 10, 129(2), 131(1)(b), 131(2)(a), and 201, giving authority to the President to protect the Constitution and provide for responsible use of public resources, openly and accountably. Now therefore, I, William Samoei Ruto, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby proclaim that: A Multi-Agency Team on War Against Corruption is hereby established with the strategic objective of creating synergy and interagency cooperation in the fight against corruption, economic crimes, and related offenses, he declared. Mandate and Objectives of the Team According to Ruto, MATs key objectives include: Enhancing cooperation and coordination among state agencies. Engaging both state organs and the private sector to strengthen the anti-graft drive. Identifying and supporting resource needs across institutions. Sharing best practices in tackling corruption. Developing public communication strategies to highlight progress in the war on graft. Partnering with domestic and international allies to fight economic and organized crimes. Recovering stolen public funds. The President also directed the team to maximize cooperation and collaboration to achieve effective outcomes. Funding for its activities will come from budgetary allocations of its member agencies, supplemented by other sources. The teams formation comes just days after President Ruto declared war on corrupt legislators in Parliament, a move that signals his intent to tighten the noose around graft networks in both government and the private sector. Port Sudan, Sudan (PANA)- The Sudanese charity organisation, Doctors Networks, has reported that seven civilians, including two toddlers, were killed and 13 others injured on Tuesday when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked Al-Ghabshan Al-Maramrah Village, North Kordofan State The upcoming Southern Illinois Hemp and Cannabis Symposium will focus on hemp as a crop. (Photo by Yenitza Melgoza) 2025 hemp, cannabis symposium at SIU to focus on agronomy by Kim Rendfeld CARBONDALE, Ill. A daylong symposium at Southern Illinois University Carbondale for hemp and cannabis researchers, entrepreneurs and industry experts will focus on hemp as a crop and its uses, some of which may be surprising. Nine speakers will cover agronomy, new legislation, biomedical and other uses, and more at the sixth annual Southern Illinois Hemp and Cannabis Symposium, which will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 19 at Gower Translational Research Center, 1785 University Press Drive. The symposium has grown from a primarily regional event to one that attracts speakers and participants throughout the nation, said Gary Kinsel, interim director of SIUs Cannabis Science Center. I hope people will walk away with a sense of the potential hemp has as a product and as an economic vehicle in Southern Illinois and beyond, he said. Space is limited. The cost, which includes lunch and a mixer from 6-8 p.m., is $80 ($10 for students) until Aug. 24. The price then goes up to $120 ($20 for students). Participants can learn more and sign up on the symposium's webpage. The next day, participants can enjoy the Hemp, Hops and Shrooms festival in downtown Carbondale, along with an Off the Rails concert that evening. It is fascinating, all the different things you can do with hemp, Kinsel said. Many of the different things we do with trees we can do with hemp because of the cellulose in the stem. We can make paper, clothing, ropes and animal bedding from the fiber and hurd, or chips, in the stalk. The fibers can also be used to strengthen construction materials, like concrete, and make the product lighter and more fire resistant. The part people burn for medicinal and recreational purposes is the flower. In addition, the seeds, which are high in protein and nutritious oils, may be used for animal feed, which thus far the Food and Drug Administration has approved for chickens. Kinsel noted hemp is usable in a shorter period of time than a tree. Some varieties can go from seedling to 12 feet tall in two months. It can also be included as part of a crop rotation. The Gower Center, home to the recently opened BioLaunch, a 10,000-square-foot complex of analytical and biotechnology core laboratories, and business innovation support systems, is the perfect venue for the symposium, Kinsel said. Although the center does not handle the adult use cannabis sold in dispensaries, it tests hemp and consumer products for variety of compounds, including cannabinoids, terpenes and trace metals. Its fun to show people what we have in this emerging facility what we are capable of and what we hope to have here in the future, Kinsel said. Port Sudan, Sudan (PANA) - Sudans new civilian Prime Minister has made an emotional appeal to the UN Secretary General to intervene and save thousands of families besieged in Al Fashir, North Darfur, from hunger and deprivation PNN Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 20: Mangal Electrical Industries Limited (The Company, MEL) engaged in the processing of transformer components such as Cold-Rolled Grain Oriented (CRGO) steel, Amorphous materials, and Integrated Circuit Breakers (ICB), alongside manufacturing transformers and providing comprehensive EPC services, proposes to open its Initial Public Offering on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, aiming to raise 400 Crore (At Upper Price Band), with shares to be listed on the BSE & NSE platform. The issue size is 71,30,124 equity shares at a face value of 10 each with a price band of 533 - 561 Per Share. Anchor Investor Participation The Company successfully closed its Anchor Book on August 19, 2025, raising 120 Crore. The anchor portion witnessed participation from several institutional investors, including Abakkus AIF, Sundaram AIF, Miras Investments (LC Pharos Multi Strategy Fund), LMR Partners (Societe Generale - ODI), and Finavenue Growth Fund, among others. Equity Share Allocation - Qualified Institutional Buyer - Not More Than 50% Of the Issue - Non-Institutional Investors - Not Less Than 15% Of the Issue - Retail Individual Investors - Not Less Than 35% Of the Issue The net proceeds from the IPO will be utilized for Repayment/ prepayment, in full or in part, of certain outstanding borrowings availed by the Company, Capital expenditure including civil works of the Company for expanding the facility at Unit IV situated at Reengus Sikar District, Rajasthan, Funding working capital requirements and for general corporate purposes. The anchor portion will open on August 19, 2025 and issue will close on August 22, 2025. The Book Running Lead Manager to the Issue is Systematix Corporate Services Limited, The Registrar to the Issue is Bigshare Services Private Limited. Mr. Rahul Mangal, Chairman and Managing Director of Mangal Electrical Industries Limited expressed "Our journey has been built on a strong foundation of precision manufacturing and a diversified portfolio in transformer components, transformer manufacturing, and EPC solutions. The proposed public issue will enable us to strengthen our balance sheet by reducing debt, support the expansion of our Unit IV facility at Reengus, and enhance working capital availability. These steps are aligned with our focus on operational efficiency, timely execution, and sustainable growth. We remain committed to delivering reliable products and solutions to the power infrastructure sector while steadily expanding our capabilities." Mr. Nikhil Khandelwal, Chairman and Managing Director of Systematix Corporate Services Limited said, "We are glad to partner with Mangal Electrical Industries Limited in its IPO journey. Over the years, the Company has demonstrated capabilities in transformer components, transformer manufacturing, and EPC solutions, supported by advanced manufacturing facilities and global approvals. The IPO will enable the Company to enhance capacity, improve operational efficiencies, and scale its presence further in the rapidly growing power infrastructure sector." (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) BusinessWire India Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 20: Tourism Australia is embarking on the next stage of its globally successful Come and say G'day campaign with the second chapter of the highly effective platform launching in India today, 20 August 2025. Animated Brand Ambassador Ruby the Souvenir Kangaroo is back, and joining her this time is local entrepreneur and philanthropist Sara Tendulkar in Tourism Australia's locally nuanced campaign created for Indian audiences. Mr. Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager - India & Gulf, Tourism Australia, said while traditionally Tourism Australia campaigns have featured one famous face across their global marketing initiatives, the new campaign brings to life the lasting memories of an Australian holiday from the perspectives of visitors from India, including Sara Tendulkar. "Our new campaign extends a bespoke invitation to Indian travellers to visit Australia and experience a holiday that lasts a lifetime. The campaign creative has been tailored for cultural nuances and showcases the sort of tourism experiences Indian travellers are looking for. We couldn't be more excited to work with Sara Tendulkar on our new campaign - her connection with Australia made her the perfect fit. We're equally excited to officially welcome her into our Friend of Australia advocacy program," said Mr. Nishant Kashikar. Ms. Sara Tendulkar said, "There is something about Australia that keeps calling me back. I have always felt so welcomed. I am touched and excited to be able to share a slice of the unforgettable memories I have made Down Under in Tourism Australia's Come and say G'day campaign. From the bustling cities to the relaxing beaches and curious wildlife, I know that travellers in India will be captivated by the diversity and warmth Australia has to offer. Whether it's going surfing, snorkelling, eating amazing food, or the coffee culture, the memories I have made on a holiday in Australia are the souvenirs I take back home with me." The next chapter of Come and say G'day builds on Tourism Australia's global campaign, which has been in market since October 2022. "Since our last major campaign in the market, we have seen India climb to become Australia's fifth-largest inbound tourism market for arrivals, with Australia welcoming over 450,000 Indian visitors in the 12 months to June 2025 [1], up 8 per cent year on year. Indian visitor expenditure for the 12 months to March 2025 was AUD $2.7 billion [2] - a jump of 14 per cent compared to 2024," said Mr. Nishant Kashikar. Tourism Australia Chief Marketing Officer, Susan Coghill, said: "Ruby the Souvenir Kangaroo has become our global campaign star, but we needed something more to really connect with travelers in India. That's where brilliant local talent like Sara Tendulkar plays a crucial role. She connects with Australia in a way that resonates authentically with Indian travelers because she's experienced it herself and has wonderful memories to share." "This approach is new for us - instead of one global talent, we're working with people who genuinely love Australia and can share that passion in ways that feel real to audiences. Sara's connection to Australia isn't manufactured for a campaign, it's genuine, and that makes all the difference when you're trying to inspire people to take that leap and book a trip," said Ms Coghill. The multi-channel campaign, developed with agency Droga5 ANZ, will be rolled out in India via connected television, high-impact out-of-home, social and digital advertising platforms. The Australian tourism industry has been growing since the return of global travel in 2022, and according to Tourism Research Australia, the number of international arrivals is expected to reach a record 10 million in 2026 and grow to 11.8 million in 2029. You can see the new Come and say G'day campaign creative for the Indian audiences HERE [1] Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, May 2025 [2] Source: International Visitor Survey, Expenditure, Tourism Research Australia, March 2025 (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) In a social media post, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, has praised the government's consistent push for "Make in India", which has attracted multiple global MNCs to India. "Our Government's consistent efforts to drive quality transformation for producing best-in-class products under the 'Make In India' vision have found strong support from multinational companies," he said. Reacting to a video shared by German company Hafele, Goyal praised their commitment to India's manufacturing drive under the "Make in India" initiative. The minister highlighted how global firms are increasingly aligning with India's push for quality-led production and local sourcing. "One such group is the German company Hafele, whose commitment to local sourcing and manufacturing in India for the global market highlights the impact of various Quality Control Orders (QCOs) in strengthening our journey towards a Viksit Bharat," Goyal said. Hafele, a well-known German brand in interior solutions and home appliances, has laid out plans to increase its local sourcing from India. Frank Schloeder, managing director of Hafele, outlined the company's roadmap stating, "At Hafele, we are proactively committed to the Make in India vision and are in the process of transitioning our supply chain, significantly increasing the share of products we source locally from 10 per cent today to 30 per cent by the end of 2025 and 50 per cent soon after. This journey includes setting up our own manufacturing footprint in India, while also partnering with suppliers who reflect our strong quality mindset." He further explained that Hafele's collaborations are already showing results. "We would like to thank DPIIT, the Ministry of Commerce, for facilitating this collaboration and supporting our efforts to strengthen the partner landscape in India," Schloeder said. Underscoring the company's long-term vision, Schloeder added that Hafele's "German quality mindset aligns well with the Indian government's efforts to uplift product and service standards. By complying with QCOs, Indian manufacturers can produce best-in-class products, and together we should aim to manufacture from India for the world. Hafele remains firmly committed to this quality-led transformation, and we fully support the Honourable Prime Minister's vision of Viksit Bharat." (ANI) NewsVoir Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 20: While most teenagers scroll through social media, Tanvi Srinivasan is building virtual reality experiences to help people understand Alzheimer's disease. Vedant created an AI-powered research assistant for debate competitions. Sachit designed camera equipment that could survive studying the northern lights at MIT. These aren't outliers at Oakridge International School - they're the norm. The Numbers Behind the Narrative For eight straight years, Oakridge's Grade 10 students have outperformed the global IB MYP average. This year's score: 45.4 versus the world's 37.71. An impressive 8 out of 48 students achieved the coveted 40+ points out of 45 in Grade 12. But here's what's interesting - when you ask the high achievers what matters most, they don't talk about grades. "The IB programme challenged me academically and nurtured my passion for learning," says Kashvi Srinivasan, who scored 44/45 and chose Duke University over multiple offers. Principal Kavita Sukhani states, "I am delighted to see the fruition of our promise to take children from where they are to where they aspire to be. These results reflect not just academic capabilities, but growth as caring global citizens." How Nord Anglia Nurtures Student Leadership When Oakridge students traveled to the NAE Student Leadership Summit in Houston, they weren't just attending workshops. Riya and Samyuktha presented their social impact projects - Suvriddhi OS and Health Mirror - to peers from around the world. Students have also been awarded funding from Nord Anglia Education's community investment fund for student-led social impact projects. The grants support 'SuvriddhiOS' ($18,600) and 'First Aid for All' ($995), both focused on UN Sustainable Development Goals. Oakridge has received Silver Accreditation: Rights and Goals Aware from Nord Anglia Education's prestigious Social Impact Distinction programme. This recognition acknowledges the school's commitment to advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals and promoting children's rights through meaningful community initiatives. When MIT Calls Most schools talk about partnerships with prestigious universities. Oakridge students actually go there. Sachit's week at MIT wasn't a campus tour - he collaborated with 65 international students on engineering solutions for extreme weather research. Ms. Vidya, Head of Sciences, joined 55 educators from the Nord Anglia network for intensive faculty development at MIT, bringing cutting-edge research methodologies directly into Bengaluru classrooms. The result? Students who think like researchers, not just test-takers. Codefest & MUN: Where Problems Meet SolutionsIndia's largest overnight high school hackathon happens right here. Codefest 8.0 brought over 100 participants from across the country, competing for 1.5 lakhs in prizes. But the real victory was watching teenagers tackle cybersecurity, sustainable agriculture, and fintech innovation - not for grades, but because these problems matter. Similarly, what began as a school event has now grown into a dynamic platform for international diplomatic engagement between students of SEAMEI region - that is the 10th edition of OAK MUN scheduled to be held in September 2025. "Our interschool events promote a great community of learners," observed Aarya, a student leader. Global Campus While academic stars grab headlines, Oakridge's reach extends further. Global Campus inspires and challenges students to participate in online competitions and interactions with peers from different NAE schools. This year, Ishan Bansal won the Virtual Young Musician of the Year Competition. Smayan Desai took runner-up in international animation. Primary school students dominated Global Campus chess and debate tournaments. These aren't feel-good side stories - they're evidence of an international school that allows students to compete & collaborate with their peers overseas. What Actually Happens Here Forget the typical classroom lecture. After regular hours, learning happens in conversations between two or three students and their expert facilitators. It's intensive, personal, and sometimes uncomfortable - students must present and defend ideas, accept criticism, and listen to perspectives that challenge their own. LEAP (Learning Enrichment Activities Programme) runs every Wednesday from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, offering student-initiated clubs in Secondary and teacher-led activities in Primary. The program features diverse clubs like Music, Dance, Rocketry, Theatre, Chess, and STEAM that change each term based on student interests. This initiative encourages creativity, leadership, and skill development beyond the regular curriculum in a supportive after-school environment. Career counseling starts in Grade 8, not Grade 11. One-to-one mentorship is standard, not special. The result? Admissions to Duke, University of Melbourne, University of Warwick, Ashoka and Georgia Tech, with merit scholarships that recognize not just scores, but character. The Real MeasureAs an IB continuum school, Oakridge could easily focus on rankings and university admissions. Instead, they're asking a different question: What kind of humans are we developing? The answer walks their halls daily - students who see problems as opportunities, who understand that leadership isn't about position but impact, and who believe they can actually change things. That's not education. That's transformation. For enquiries, write to: mac.blr@oakridge.in. As a leading international schools organisation, we're shaping a generation of creative and resilient global citizens who graduate from our schools with everything they need for success, whatever they choose to be or do in life. Our strong academic foundations combine world-class teaching and curricula with cutting-edge technology and facilities, creating learning experiences like no other. Inside and outside of the classroom, we inspire our students to achieve more than they ever thought possible. No two children learn the same way, which is why our schools around the world personalise learning to what works best for every student. Inspired by our high-quality teachers, our students achieve outstanding academic results and go on to study at the world's top universities. Our Nord Anglia global family includes 80+ day and boarding schools in 35 countries, teaching over 90,000 students from ages 3 to 18. To learn more or apply for a place for your child at one of our schools, go to www.oakridge.in/bengaluru. (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) VMPL New Delhi [India], August 20: On this historic day, Evincepub Publishing announced the release of "Bakhtiarpur: Story of the Destruction of the World's Intellectual Capital Nalanda", authored by renowned corporate leader and writer Pankaj Lochan. Published under the Sanatana Education Series, this book revisits one of the darkest yet most defining episodes in Indian civilization--the burning of Nalanda University by Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193 CE--and asks a question that resonates even today: Why does a railway station near those ruins still bear the invader's name? A Forgotten Question That Became a Lifetime Quest "Bakhtiarpur is not just the story of a place; it is the story of a forgotten question," says Lochan. As a young boy traveling to his maternal village, he was struck by the yellow railway signboard of Bakhtiarpur Junction. The name, echoing the very figure who destroyed Nalanda and other ancient Mahaviharas, felt misplaced amidst the sacred soil of Magadh. That dissonance, that quiet discomfort, grew into a lifelong inquiry which culminated in this book. Blending personal memoir, folk memory, and historical study, Lochan weaves a narrative that is as intimate as it is civilizational. He explores how memory erodes when names survive conquest, how geography can carry the wound of history, and how silence over centuries becomes complicity. Nalanda: The World's First Global University The book resurrects the grandeur of Nalanda and its sister institutions Vikramshila, Odantpuri, and Telhara--great centers of learning where scholars from across Asia once converged. Lochan reminds us that Nalanda was not merely a university; it was the Harvard, Oxford, and NASA of its time. Its libraries, said to house over nine million manuscripts, burned for months after Khilji's invasion. Thousands of monks who embodied oral traditions were massacred. Yet today, a railway station near the ruins celebrates the memory of the destroyer rather than the teachers, monks, or sages who once illuminated the world. Lochan asks: What does this say about our relationship with our own history? Between Memory and Amnesia The narrative does not stop at medieval history. Lochan juxtaposes his childhood memories of village life in Bihar--where Hindus and Muslims once lived in natural harmony--with the gradual changes that crept in by the 1990s, post the Babri Masjid demolition. He writes of how communities, once bound by shared soil and festivals, began to drift apart under the weight of identity politics. But for him, the real tragedy lies not in conflict, but in forgetfulness. "History is not vengeance. But forgetting it is betrayal. And correcting it is Shraddh," he writes, framing his book as both a reclamation and a tribute. About the Author - Pankaj Lochan Pankaj Lochan is a distinguished corporate leader, thinker, and author of twelve books. An alumnus of IIT-BHU (Mechanical Engineering) and IIM Ahmedabad, he has held senior leadership roles in Tata Steel, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, JSW Group, Ambuja Cements, Jindal Steel & Power, and the Mafatlal Group. His writing spans across leadership, management, Total Quality Management (TQM), cultural reflection, and historical narrative. Known for his seven-book TQM series on operational excellence, Lochan brings the same rigor and insight to history that he brings to management. His Sanatana Education Series seeks to rediscover India's civilizational roots. Bakhtiarpur marks the second book in this series, following Sanatan and Science. Why This Book Matters Now In today's India, where debates over historical memory, identity, and cultural pride are louder than ever, Lochan's book strikes a delicate balance. It neither demonizes nor romanticizes but insists on remembrance. It challenges readers to rethink how we name places, whom we memorialize, and what stories we allow our children to inherit. The book also highlights the continuity between ancient Indian knowledge systems and modern science--tracing mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and governance back to luminaries like Aryabhata, Charaka, Sushruta, Varahamihira, and Chanakya. Lochan underscores how much of the world's knowledge had its roots in Magadh, long before it was "rediscovered" in the West. Praise and Early Reception Historian William Dalrymple, speaking at the India Today Conclave earlier this year, remarked:"Bihar's Nalanda University was the Harvard, Oxbridge, NASA of its day. When you see Oxford or Cambridge quads, you are looking at an idea that originated in India." Lochan's book echoes this sentiment while adding a deeply personal layer: the pain of a child who grew up seeing his homeland reduced to stereotypes, mocked for its poverty, and stripped of its glory. Themes in the Book 1.Memory vs Forgetting - How civilizations die not just from invasions but from forgetting their own greatness. 2.Names as Carriers of History - Why Bakhtiarpur stands as a symbol of misplaced memory. 3.The Destruction of Nalanda - A detailed exploration of the burning of the world's greatest repository of knowledge. 4.The Ganga-Jamuni Fabric - A nostalgic look at village life before communal divides deepened. 5.Civilizational Pride - Why remembering Magadh's contributions is essential for India's future. 6.A Personal Quest - From a boy's curiosity at a railway signboard to a man's commitment to civilizational remembrance. Quotes from the Author - "This book is not about religion. It is about memory. About how willingly we allowed ourselves to be renamed in our own home." - "Forgiveness does not mean silence. Compassion must not be mistaken for cowardice." - "To forget is to betray. To correct is Shraddh." Publication Details - Title: Bakhtiarpur: Story of the Destruction of the World's Intellectual Capital Nalanda - Author: Pankaj Lochan - Publisher: Evincepub Publishing - First Edition Release: 15th August 2025, Sri Krishna Janmashtami - Series: Sanatana Education Series (Book 2) Bakhtiarpur is more than a book; it is a mirror held up to India's civilizational conscience. It forces us to look at what we have forgotten, what we continue to ignore, and what it means to remember truthfully. For students, scholars, policymakers, and ordinary citizens alike, this book is both a historical reminder and a cultural call-to-action. As India strides confidently into the future, Lochan's Bakhtiarpur asks us to pause, reflect, and reclaim the dignity of our past. Because without memory, progress is rootless. And without roots, even the tallest tree cannot stand. This book is in Hindi and English also. Both editions are available on Amazon India, Flipkart, and through the publisher's platform at, www.evincepub.com. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) India PR Distribution New Delhi [India], August 20: In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, a quiet revolution is underway--one that rejects surveillance, paywalls, and corporate gatekeeping in favor of freedom, fairness, and self-sovereignty. At the heart of this global uprising is OpenxAI, a decentralized AI infrastructure that empowers anyone, anywhere to build, launch, and own intelligent applications--without asking for permission. While most AI platforms today are centralized, expensive, and designed for the Western world, OpenxAI is designed differently: it is permissionless, open-source, and powered by real-world decentralized infrastructure. With 80% cheaper compute and cloud services compared to AWS or Google Cloud, and a suite of free AI tools and apps, OpenxAI is unlocking access to AI for millions--especially in emerging markets like India. Why India? Why Now? India has over 6 million developers, a rapidly growing Web3 ecosystem, and one of the largest student populations in the world. Yet, the vast majority of AI startups and builders face enormous barriers. Today's AI landscape--dominated by U.S.-based SaaS platforms and cloud giants--requires access to credit cards, high subscription fees, legal incorporation, and financial infrastructure. In short, it's built for the few, not the many. But OpenxAI changes the equation. Thanks to blockchain and Web3, developers in India can now go from idea to income in minutes--not months. No need for a credit card processor. No need for a company registration. No need for a corporate bank account. Instead of building a traditional SaaS stack: - Use OpenxAI's on-chain wrapper to accept payments. - Use crypto wallets to receive revenue from global users in USDC and stablecoins. - Use Web3 authentication to control access and protect your model IP--your server becomes unreadable and inaccessible to anyone but you. This means any Indian developer--from a student in Jaipur to a solo founder in Hyderabad--can now launch their own AI app, chatbot, or agent and offer it globally. All from a laptop. All without intermediaries. All at a fraction of the cost. The OpenxAI Global Accelerator: Powering the Next Generation of AI StartupsTo nurture this new wave of builders, OpenxAI has launched the Global Accelerator, a first-of-its-kind program for decentralized AI startups. Participants get free infrastructure credits, ecosystem visibility, technical mentorship, and a pathway to funding--all while maintaining full control over their models, data, and app monetization. Unlike other accelerators that tie startups to cloud vendor lock-ins or demand equity, OpenxAI's approach is different: your models live on decentralized GPU nodes. Your ownership is tokenized. Your earnings are automatic. You retain the power. And India is a core focus. Applications are open at accelerator.openxai.org, and the next generation of AI unicorns could emerge from Indian bedrooms, dorm rooms, or co-working spaces. Hacknode India: A Launchpad for BuildersTo spark this movement, OpenxAI is hosting Hacknode India, a 30-day online hackathon running throughout August. With a $5,000 prize pool, open participation, and a focus on AI x Web3, Hacknode India is a launchpad for indie devs, students, and startup founders. The top 10 winning teams will be fast-tracked into the Global Accelerator--giving them global visibility, platform support, and a chance to scale their AI ideas without centralized gatekeepers. Projects can include: - LLM-powered bots and agents - AI-powered decentralized apps - On-chain prediction, analytics, or automation tools - Any intelligent application deployed on the OpenxAI stack This is more than a hackathon--it's a signal to the world that India isn't just consuming AI, it's creating it. A Break From the Old WorldThe reality is, most AI platforms today are still built on outdated assumptions: that you must be incorporated, that you must pay monthly to experiment, that you must follow data-sharing terms written in Silicon Valley boardrooms. OpenxAI is tearing those assumptions apart. Here's what makes it different: - Decentralized Compute: All apps run on DePIN infrastructure. No reliance on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. - Censorship Resistance: Once deployed, your AI model cannot be shut down by any company or regulator. Only the owner can control access. - Tokenized Ownership: Your app is an on-chain asset. You earn from staking, royalties, and usage, transparently. - No Legal Bloat: You don't need a bank, company, or legal counsel to launch your AI business. All tools are built-in. With OpenxAI, AI becomes a public good--not a gated SaaS product. The Path ForwardIndia is not just a participant in the AI revolution. With tools like OpenxAI, it can become a global leader. We believe AI is the new electricity. But electricity wasn't meant to be owned by a handful of companies. It's meant to flow freely--powering communities, builders, and innovators everywhere. OpenxAI is making sure that's true for artificial intelligence, too. Join the movement. Hacknode India is live at blockseblock.com from August 1-30, 2025. The future of AI isn't gated--it's open. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by India PR Distribution. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in sectors such as textiles, diamonds and chemicals, which together account for nearly 45 per cent of India's total exports, are likely to be the most affected by the imposition of higher tariffs by the United States, according to a report by Crisil Intelligence. The US currently levies an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent on Indian goods, but has announced an additional 25 per cent tariff that will take effect from August 27, raising the total duty to 50 per cent. The report noted that this increase will significantly affect Indian exporters, especially MSMEs, which dominate key export sectors. The textiles, gems and jewellery, and seafood industries, which together make up about 25 per cent of India's total exports to the US, are likely to be hit the hardest. MSMEs have more than 70 per cent share in these sectors. In the chemicals sector, where MSMEs account for about 40 per cent share, the higher tariffs will also hurt exporters. Pushan Sharma, Director, Crisil Intelligence said, "Partial absorption of the increased product prices due to higher tariffs will put pressure on MSMEs, squeeze their already-slim margins and pose a material challenge to their competitiveness. For instance, those into readymade garments (RMG) are expected to lose ground in the US as the tariff increases to 61 per cent, including 50 per cent additional ad valorem duty, compared with peers in Bangladesh and Vietnam tariffed at 31 per cent. The Tirupur cluster, which accounts for over 30 per cent of India's RMG exports, will be severely impacted as approx. 30 per cent of its exports are to the US." In the gems and jewellery sector, Surat's diamond polishers, who dominate the country's exports with over 80 per cent share, will also be severely affected. Diamonds form over half of India's total gems and jewellery exports, with the US being a major consumer, accounting for nearly a third of shipments. Similarly, seafood MSMEs will struggle to compete with Ecuador, which enjoys a lower 15 per cent tariff and is geographically closer to the US. The chemical industry also faces stiff competition from Japan and South Korea, which face lower tariffs. Auto component MSMEs supplying gearbox and transmission equipment may also feel the heat as the US has a significant approx. 40 per cent exposure in this segment, though overall auto component exports to the US remain limited at 3.5 per cent of India's production. Overall, the US tariffs will affect about USD 19 billion worth of exports across textiles, chemicals, seafood and auto components. To mitigate the impact, Crisil mentioned that India could boost exports to other destinations and leverage the India-UK free trade agreement. (ANI) The first-ever 'Made in India' semiconductor chips is expected to roll out of the assembly lines by the end of 2025, Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, said. "The first packaged chip is expected to be out by December, 2025," the Minister said in response to a questionnaire from ANI, besides underlining the status of India's nascent yet progressing semiconductor ecosystem. The government has laid a pathway towards an India that will build chips for the world, aligned across the supply chain, from assembly/testing to design, and manufacturing to exports, the minister said. The government has approved the Semicon India programme with a total outlay of Rs 76,000 crore for the development of the semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country It provides fiscal support of 50 per cent of the project cost on pari-passu basis for setting up of Silicon Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) based Semiconductor Fabs in India, fiscal support of 50 per cent of project cost on pari-passu basis for setting up of Display Fabs; fiscal support of 50 per cent of the capital expenditure on pari-passu basis for setting up of Compound Semiconductors / Silicon Photonics (SiPh) / Sensors (including Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) Fab/ Discrete Semiconductor Fab and Semiconductor Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) / Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facilities, the minister outlined. As on date, the government has approved 10 semiconductor manufacturing projects with a cumulative investment of more than Rs 1.60 lakh crore in 6 states - Gujarat, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. "The approved projects are under various phases of implementation and are expected to start commercial production in 1-5 year time frame," he said in his response, without getting into specifics of each project. These projects, according to the minister, are expected to generate more than 29,000 direct jobs, depending on the maturity of factory automation. Further, to strengthen semiconductor manufacturing, and creating a semiconductor ecosystem in the country, the government has entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US, European Union, Japan and Singapore. Semiconductor manufacturing is a very complex and a Technology intensive sector which requires specialised skilled manpower. To address this, a new curriculum was introduced by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for VLSI Design and Technology, Integrated Circuit (IC) manufacturing. The government is also shaping skilled manpower in the semiconductor design sector and providing EDA tools to design semiconductor chips, the minister said. A 'Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme' was also approved as part of the Semicon India Programme with an overall outlay of Rs 1000 Crore to nurture the entrepreneurship ecosystem by way of encouraging and supporting the design and deep tech start-ups involved in the semiconductor design ecosystem in the country. "So far, 72 design companies (including start-ups and MSMEs) have been approved for semiconductor chip design infrastructure support under the DLI Scheme. Out of these, 23 companies have also been approved for P-DLI for developing semiconductor chip/ SoCs for applications in sectors such as automotive, mobility, computing, communications etc. These companies are developing semiconductor IP cores, chips, SoCs, and systems to serve the Indian market as an import substitute and for export to international markets," the minister noted. In another query regarding the progress made by the government on the AI mission front, the minister shared a status note, outlining the advances made in this emerging technology. In March 2024, the Government of India approved the IndiaAI Mission to build a precise and cohesive strategy for the AI ecosystem, catalysing AI innovation through strategic programs and partnerships across the public and private sectors. The IndiaAI Mission comprises 7 pillars: IndiaAI Compute, IndiaAI Application Development Initiative, AIKosha, The IndiaAI Foundation Models, IndiaAI FutureSkills, IndiaAI Startup Financing, and Safe and Trusted AI. The Minister further apprised that India is also set to host the upcoming Artificial Intelligence (Al) Impact Summit in February 2026, focusing on the impact of AI on People, Planet, and Progress and is the fourth in a series of global AI summits. Focus group consultations with civil society, industry, startups, academia, and international organisations have been completed, along with a round of public consultation that concluded on June 30th. A call for proposals from organizations worldwide has been launched to host affiliated pre-summit events from August 11, 2025, to January 31, 2026, the minister further said. (ANI) Businessman and columnist Suhel Seth has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the Gift City in Gandhinagar, describing it as "a gift to the world" and highlighting its transformation from its concept stage. Recalling his meeting in 2008 with the prime minister, who was then the Gujarat Chief Minister, Seth said, "I remember in 2008 when I had a meeting with the then Chief Minister, who is our Prime Minister today, Narendra Modi, he talked about Gift City and it was in the form of a book. And today what I'm seeing is a gift to the world." GIFT City is a global financial and technology hub that offers single-window clearances and approvals under one umbrella. It provides a plug-and-play infrastructure for businesses seeking unparalleled accelerated growth. Seth emphasised the city's infrastructure and facilities, calling it "truly a world-class centre for finance, for services." "I was privileged to see an underground tunnel which houses all the service backup, whether it's portable water, whether it's sewage, underground tunnel five-kilometer long going to go up to 16, cooling of the entire city from one particular location so that people don't have to invest in air conditioning," he said in a self made video after he visited the Gift City. According to Seth, Gift City now hosts "some of the finest financial institutions in the world." He noted that the city integrates residential, commercial, and social spaces, providing opportunities for professionals. "I'm delighted that today we have a situation where young people can come to work, they can actually walk to work, where residences, the social milieu and commercial ventures nestle alongside each other. And this is the India of the future," he said. Seth concluded by attributing the project's progress to Prime Minister Modi's leadership. "One thing that Narendra Modi has done is given India not just a vision for the future, but able to execute, implement, inspire and aspire," he said. (ANI) Kinshasa, DRC (PANA) - The UN has strongly condemned recent attacks carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) armed group in several locations in North Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) PNN New Delhi [India], August 20: On India's 79th Independence Day, the IIT Alumni Council (IITAC) announced the launch of the world's first open-source health and longevity platform, envisioned as a global healthcare commons. The launch was marked by the release of Ayurveda Revisited: Process Technology Breakthrough, a five-volume compendium by Dr Shantaram Kane, which seeds the platform. Ayurveda is positioned as a foundational system within this free, non-commercial, globally accessible healthcare platform. The purpose is to create a collaborative and integrated ecosystem -- where timeless wisdom meets modern sciences, with genetics and epigenetics in cohort, and discoveries shared openly for the benefit of humanity at large. FROM PAGES TO A PLATFORM The release of Ayurveda Revisited is being framed not as an endpoint, but as the nucleus of a larger movement. The vision is bold: to make healthcare knowledge as open, collaborative, and universal as open-source software once made technology. Ravi Sharma, President of IIT Alumni Council, captured the ambition: "On Independence Day, we celebrate freedom. There is no greater freedom than freeing healthcare from exclusivity, with healthcare options freely available to all. Ayurveda can play the same role in medicine that Linux played in computing -- rigorous, credible, and open to all. This is not about replacing allopathy, but about standing alongside it -- together with Ayurveda and other traditional systems -- as part of an integrated, universal healthcare model. AYURVEDA, A SCIENCE REVISITED At the centre of this movement is Dr Kane's forty-year journey of experimentation. Drawing on his expertise in process engineering and nanoscience, he discovered that complex herbal and mineral formulations could be simplified into therapeutically potent 'Super-Extracts' effective at just a few drops a day. The compendium captures Dr Kane exploring Ayurveda's material science and process methods with scientific rigour. "I began as a curious tinkerer, much like our ancestors who explored the natural world and its healing powers," Kane recalls. "My first breakthrough was simplifying the preparation of siddha taila, and to my utter amazement, I found that a dose diluted by a thousand-fold was equally potent. That spurred me to keep experimenting with herbs, minerals and bhasmas. This book brings together the Super-Extracts, along with the process methods, observations and applications as my open-source contribution -- knowledge placed in the public domain for families, practitioners and researchers to adapt and expand." A MOVEMENT OF MANY VOICES Satish Mehta, convener of IIT Alumni Social Fund, emphasised the larger ambition: "Dr Kane combines the precision of an engineer with the vision of a technocrat. His deceptively simple approach opens the way to more accessible, affordable, and research-ready healthcare solutions, spanning the preventive to curative spectrum. His contribution enriches India's scientific heritage and lays the foundation for a global open-source health and longevity platform." He further added, "The launch builds on IITAC's Megaspheres framework. Dr Kane has been felicitated as Vishwaguru -- the IIT Alumni Council's highest honour, reserved for members who embody and demonstrate a rare combination of foresight, scientific contribution and enduring impact." Christina Watson, editor of the book and founding director at Wellness Lifestyle, said, "We applaud IITAC for this momentous step. It's time for a healthcare renaissance. Dr Kane's simple methods of self-care, health promotion and affordable clinical care provide an empowering option that can reach far beyond the traditionally privileged segment. Dr Kane offers an accessible way to bring Ayurveda's healing wisdom back into our homes and lives -- simple, doable and sustainable. At Wellness Lifestyle, we are proud to have supported the production of this compendium, making decades of his writings accessible to a wider audience. Geetika Saigal, founder of Beeja House (an independent publishing house and the official publishing partner for IITAC publications) placed it in a cultural frame: "This is not just a book -- it is the beginning of a movement spearheaded by IITAC. Publishing it under our Wellness Lifestyle imprint is our way of committing to a future where healthcare knowledge is not hidden in silos but opened up -- credible, usable, and accessible to everyone." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr Kane earned his B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Bombay and Sc.D. from MIT, USA. He spent over four decades leading research and development at Amoco Chemicals (USA), Gharda Chemicals, Swadeshi Polytex and NOCIL, where he retired as Vice-President (R&D). He has served as visiting faculty and Senate member at IIT Bombay and was awarded the institute's Distinguished Alumnus Award. ABOUT IIT ALUMNI COUNCIL The IIT Alumni Council is the largest global body of alumni across all 23 IITs, aggregating the technological and philanthropic resources of over 50,000 members in 100 city chapters worldwide. Its mission is to catalyse India's technological renaissance through initiatives funded by the IIT Alumni Social Fund and supported by incubators, project management forums, and research institutes. PUBLICATION AND EDITIONS Published by Beeja House as a Wellness Lifestyle imprint, with creative and production support from Anytime Media. Christina Watson edited the book, while Wellness Lifestyle sponsored and supported it throughout. The book is available in paperback and hardcover editions on Amazon. A premium hardcover Library Edition is also being released by Wellness Lifestyle, intended for institutional use such as Ayurveda centres and clinics, wellness retreats and universities. THE ROAD AHEAD This launch is not just about a book. It is the spark for an open-source healthcare commons -- a collaborative, non-commercial platform that India offers to the world. As Dr Kane concludes: "Knowledge only matters when it is shared. I am honoured that my work will forever be part of this Health and Longevity platform -- India's gift to humanity -- rigorous in science, humane in spirit, and open to all. (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) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday addressed the Group of Ministers (GoMs) constituted by the GST Council on Compensation Cess, Health and Life Insurance (for individuals), and Rate Rationalisation at Vigyan Bhawan. "Everyone expressed that Life and Health Insurance (for individuals) should be exempted from GST. The GST Council will decide," said Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, who was present at the meeting. Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also confirmed that the GoM proposed a complete exemption on health and life insurance for individuals. Currently, both health and life insurance policy premiums attract 18 per cent GST. During the meeting, the Union Finance Minister emphasised that the proposal by the Central Government is with a vision to usher in the next generation of GST reforms in India's journey towards becoming Atmanirbhar Bharat. Union Minister of State for Finance, Chief Minister of Goa, Deputy CM of Bihar and Finance Ministers of States in the three GoMs were also present at the meeting. The next GST Council meeting is likely to be held next month - September. These reforms, proposed by the Central Government to the GoMs, are based on three key pillars: Structural reforms: The reforms will correct inverted duty structures to cut input tax credit accumulation and boost domestic value addition, resolve classification issues for simpler compliance and fewer disputes and ensure stability & predictability in GST policy to strengthen industry confidence and long-term planning. Rate rationalisation: The rate rationalisation exercise aims at providing greater relief to the common man, farmers, the middle class and MSMEs, while ensuring a simplified, transparent and growth-oriented tax regime. This would enhance affordability, boost consumption and make essential and aspirational goods more accessible to a wider population. Ease of living: The upcoming GST reforms will ensure seamless, tech-driven and time-bound registration, introduce pre-filled returns to reduce errors and mismatches and enable faster, automated refunds, all aimed at simplifying compliance, supporting businesses and enhancing the overall ease of living and doing business. "The Central Government remains committed to building a broad-based consensus with the States in the coming weeks to implement the next generation of GST reforms in the spirit of cooperative federalism," Ministry of Finance posted on X. In the Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced upcoming next-gen GST reforms before Diwali so as to benefit consumers, small industries and MSMEs. (ANI) India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) here on Wednesday to launch negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to a statement. The ToR was signed by Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, Ajay Bhadoo, and Deputy Director, Trade Policy Department, Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), Mikhail Cherekaev. During his visit, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, Ajay Bhadoo also called on Minister in charge of Trade, EEC, Andrei Slepnev. The heads of negotiation groups apprised the Minister about the milestone achieved with the signing of the ToR and discussed next steps to formally launch the negotiation process, including organizational aspects of the future trade deal. Both sides noted the growing trade turnover between India and the EAEU, which stood at USD 69 billion in 2024, registering a 7 percent increase over 2023. With a combined GDP of USD 6.5 trillion, the proposed FTA is expected to expand market access for Indian exporters, support diversification into new sectors and geographies, enhance competitiveness against non-market economies, and deliver significant benefits to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). "The ToR provides the framework for negotiations and is expected to unlock untapped trade potential, increase investments and establish a stronger, durable India-EAEU economic partnership. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the early conclusion of the agreement and to building a long-term institutional framework for trade cooperation," commerce ministry statement said. India has strengthened its trade ties over the past five years, signing five major Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and progressing on several new deals, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply recently. The agreements inked over the past 5 years include the India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) implemented in 2021, the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) in 2022, the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in 2024, and the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) signed in 2025, which is yet to come into force. Meanwhile, India has concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Oman, and is in advanced talks for several other agreements, including the India-EU FTA, India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), India-Sri Lanka Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement, India-Peru FTA, India-Chile CEPA, India-New Zealand FTA, and a bilateral trade agreement with the United States. Additionally, India is reviewing and upgrading older trade pacts such as the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (2009) and the India-Korea CEPA (2009). (ANI) Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri's directorial 'The Bengal Files', which focuses on the events of the Direct Action Day and the 1946 Calcutta killings, has landed in controversy even before its release. Actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty discussed the controversy surrounding the trailer launch of 'The Bengal Files' in Kolkata, expressing surprise at the entire ruckus without even watching the film. He also blamed the ruling party in the state, saying everything was "planned". Speaking to ANI, he said, "Everything was planned, but it was so surprising to me, without even seeing the trailer, without even seeing anything, they are opposing it for what? To face the truth? So, that is the problem. Nothing else." On August 18, during a press conference in Delhi, the ace filmmaker revealed that "FIRs have been filed by ruling party members" on the makers. Speaking about it, the 'Disco Dancer' actor added, "In Bengal, FIRs are distributed like kurmura(Puffed rice). Agar TMC ka koi chota mota bhi hoga na police station mein jayega FIR karo bolega, kar dega. So, it was like that. So, never mind. If the FIR has been done, he(Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri) will fight it back. No problem" The film explores the communal violence in undivided Bengal during the 1940s, including events like the 1946 Direct Action Day and the Noakhali riots of 1946. Chakraborty lashed out at the critics, saying, "Everybody is scared of the truth. That is the thing," adding that the young generation should know about the truth. "It's 1947, even before my birth, which we don't know about. The next generation should know about it what happened during Noakhali..or what about the great Calcutta killings..what happened..We read a line...What happened? You don't want to know the truth?..," he said. 'The Bengal Files' features actors Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi. It is focused on the events of the "Direct Action Day," aiming to unveil the "most brutal chapter" of Indian history. A ruckus erupted during the release of 'The Bengal Files' trailer in Kolkata on August 16. Agnihotri said during the press meet, "I am discovering the political scenario. I had thought how anybody could stop the trailer, but when we went to Kolkata, the multiplex refused to show the trailer after all the permissions in writing. Then, the hotel chain stopped showing the trailer. The police came..cut the wrire then I was told that the ruling party filed many FIRs as we stand here today, the FIRs are filed on us by the ruling party members and I have been told that ruling party has major objection on portrayal untold story of Hindu genocide. They have a problem with that film about demographic change." 'The Bengal Files' is slated to hit theatres on September 5, 2025. (ANI) Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri took a dig at the Mamata government over the ruckus at the trailer launch of his upcoming movie 'The Bengal Files' in Kolkata, alleging that it was "already planned," and that no event of this scale, with 150-200 people and media present, could be halted without "official involvement." The incident, which took place at the ITC Royal Bengal in Kolkata on August 16, saw the screening of the film's trailer abruptly stopped. While speaking to ANI, Agnihotri shared that the trailer launch program was running smoothly before the visuals on a large LED screen were suddenly stopped. He stated that it was impossible for an event happening in "one of India's biggest five-star hotels," with "150-200 people" and media present, to be halted without official involvement. The director also said that he was informed that "top authorities" had raised objections to certain parts of the trailer, and hence, it could not be played. "In one of India's biggest five-star hotels, imagine there is such a big LED screen, the whole program is running, the visuals are playing. And the entire media of Kolkata, 150-200 people, are sitting and running the program. Is it possible to do this without permission? It is not possible," the filmmaker told ANI. "Look, governments in India have so many loopholes, and the government has so many powers. They can take anything out whenever they want...What happened was a man came and cut the wire.....It was already planned." "I made a mistake. Many people were writing that they wouldn't let me stay here. The multiplex where we were planning to hold the event was cancelled. As soon as I landed at the airport, I found out that it was cancelled. We contacted another multiplex, and it was cancelled, too. They said that they wouldn't be able to survive politically if they showed the trailer here," he further said. "So, this happened with the hotel. Same thing. I asked them, 'Who has refused?' They said, 'Top authorities.' That same reliable source then told me that they had a problem with a couple of things in the trailer, and that's why it was stopped," Agnihotri added. When asked if he believes the film will release in Bengal, the filmmaker said he hopes the government will not "take away the rights of their own people." But if the release is blocked, Agnihotri said he trusts the "Constitution of India and the law of India," and would fight for the film's release if needed. "I hope God gives them wisdom. And that they don't do such foolish things where they take away the rights of their own people. They shouldn't do that. But if that happens, then I will say that I have a lot of faith in the Constitution of India and the law of India. And I will fight for it." The film explores the communal violence in undivided Bengal during the 1940s, including events like the 1946 Direct Action Day and the Noakhali riots of 1946, a Hindu genocide. The Bengal Files is slated to hit theatres on September 5. (ANI) The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Select Committee, constituted to examine "The Punjab Prevention of Offences against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025," held a meeting on Tuesday with subject experts from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, to deliberate on measures to curb the sacrilege of religious scriptures. The Select Committee, headed by MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar, was set up by Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan after the government introduced the draft legislation in the Assembly. The committee has been holding weekly meetings to seek the views of experts and the public. Advertisements had been issued in newspapers on July 31 and August 14 to invite suggestions, and the committee has received a considerable number of responses. In the meeting held on Tuesday, experts including Prof. Amarjit Singh, Head, Department of Sikh Studies; Dr Syed Raihan Hasan Rizvi, Chairman, Urdu Persian Department; Prof. Sunil Kumar, Head, Hindi Department; Prof. Pawan Kumar, Law Department; Dr Pintu Emerson, Department of Architecture; and Prof. Satnam Singh Deol, Head, Department of Political Science, participated in discussions and offered their suggestions on the bill. Earlier, in a meeting on August 12, scholars from Punjabi University, Patiala--Dr. Jaspreet Kaur Sandhu, Dr. Gurmeet Singh Sidhu, Dr. Dharamvir Singh, Dr. Gurmail Singh, Dr. Jaswinder Singh and Dr. Tejinder Kaur had presented their views before the committee. The Select Committee expressed gratitude to the subject experts for their inputs. It has also requested the President of the Bar Association and the Chairman of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana High Court to share their views at its next meeting scheduled for August 26. Retired judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court have been asked to provide written suggestions. All members of the committee, including the chairman, were present during the deliberations. (ANI) IndiGo issued a travel advisory for its passengers on Wednesday, amid prediction of heavy rains in Mumbai and its surrounding areas. According to the advisory, the heavy rains could lead to air traffic congestion, which could impact flight operations. "While we want your journey to be as hassle-free as possible, Mother Nature has her own plans. With heavy rains expected again in Mumbai, there's a chance this could lead to air traffic congestion and impact flight operations," the advisory said. The airline informed that any changes to the flight schedule will be shared with passengers through their contact details. "While we continue doing our best to keep operations smooth, we recommend planning ahead. Any changes to your flight schedule will be shared via your registered contact details, so do ensure they are up to date," the advisory added. The airline further advised its passengers to check the status of their flight before going to the airport and allow extra time for themselves for commutation due to likely slow traffic movement and waterlogging. "Check your flight status on our website or app before heading to the airport. And with waterlogging and slow-moving traffic likely, allow some extra time for your commute," the advisory said. Earlier on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning for heavy rain and thunderstorms in several parts of India, particularly in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. IMD issued a red nowcast warning for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Ratnagiri districts, indicating intense to very intense rainfall spells accompanied by gusty winds of 40-50 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 60 kmph. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday informed that Mumbai received nearly 300 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, leading to some disruptions. However, he said the water level in Mithi River is gradually receding. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti district administration initiated bulldozer action against encroachments on Wednesday, with unauthorised shops and houses being demolished in heavy police presence. Amid heavy police presence, a crowd of people gathered while the JCB machine was brought in to demolish the illegal structures. The demolition drive is part of the ongoing effort of the state government to clear illegal structures across the state. In Shravasti itself, 149 illegal structures have been identified, with notices being given to all of them. 140 structures have been sealed, and 37 others have been demolished, according to an official statement. On August 7, the state government demolished 130 unauthorised constructions, sealed 198 and has served notices to 223 along Indo-Nepal borders spanning seven districts of the state in the last two months as part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal encroachments. The crackdown being carried out on illegal structures following the directives of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath includes Eidgahs, madrasas, and mazars among others. The crackdown has targeted illegal structures across Pilibhit, Shravasti, Balrampur, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Siddharthnagar, and Maharajganj, with Shravasti topping the list with action against 149 encroachments. Shravasti District Magistrate Ajay Kumar Dwivedi informed that, as per CM Yogi Adityanath's directive, action has been taken against illegal mosques, Eidgahs, madarsas, and mazars built on both government and private land within 10 km of the Indo-Nepal border. Meanwhile in Lakhimpur Kheri, District Magistrate Durga Shakti Nagpal informed that a total of 13 illegal constructions have been identified in the district, of which three have been demolished, 10 sealed, and one served notice. In Siddharthnagar, 23 illegal structures were identified; notices were issued to two, and 21 were demolished. In Bahraich, 25 such structures were found, with five sealed and 15 demolished. In Pilibhit, 2 illegal constructions were identified, both of which have been demolished. In Balrampur, 41 illegal constructions were identified, of which 1 was served a notice, 19 sealed, and 21 demolished. Similarly, action has been taken against 45 identified illegal constructions in Maharajganj, of which 24 have been sealed and 31 demolished. (ANI) Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday gave an Adjournment Motion Notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss matters related to the Election Commission, especially the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. In his letter, Tagore mentioned that a six-month investigation by the Congress Party revealed fake and duplicate voters in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha Constituency during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. "As recently revealed by the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, a six-month investigation conducted by the Indian National Congress has uncovered over one lakh fake and duplicate voter entries in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency during the 2024 general elections. Disturbingly, similar patterns of electoral fraud appear to be unfolding in Bihar under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls," he said. He claimed that in Bihar, credible reports have emerged indicating that a large number of living voters have been falsely marked as deceased and consequently deleted from the rolls. "Such discrepancies raise serious doubts about the intent, transparency, and impartiality of the SIR process, which increasingly appears to be a targeted exercise aimed at manipulating voter demographics to benefit the ruling party," Manickam Tagore said. Earlier on Tuesday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said that the Election Commission and BJP are together running a "partnership". Rahul Gandhi was addressing the gathering during his Voter Adhikaar Yatra in Nawada and alleged that PM Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah and ECI of snatching the fundamental rights from the people. "There are lakhs of people in Bihar who voted and their names were deleted from the voter list. There is a partnership going on between the Election Commission and the BJP. They are together stealing votes. This is your right and the Constitution gives you this. You fight for this, work hard and Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the Election Commission are snatching it from you. I, Tejashwi and the rest of the leaders here are standing up and telling them that we will not let you steal even a single vote of Bihar," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing the gathering. The Congress MP further targeted the ECI and BJP stating that they "magically" created 1 crore new voters in Maharashtra. He further said that new voters were added in Maharashtra after Lok Sabha 2024 elections which resulted in BJP's win in the state assembly polls. (ANI) The opposition INDIA bloc floor leaders are set to meet at 10 am today at Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge's office in Parliament. The high-level discussion comes ahead of a crucial session in the Parliament on Wednesday, where several Bills are scheduled to be introduced by the Centre. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to introduce three bills in Lok Sabha today - including a Constitution Amendment bill, a bill to amend the Union Territories Act, 1963 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025. The three legislations, along with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, are listed in the revised agenda of Lok Sabha for Wednesday. The Union Home Minister is slated to introduce the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The three bills are slated to be referred to the Joint Committee of the two Houses. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges. According to the statement on objects and reasons of the bill, elected representatives represent the hopes and aspirations of the people of India. It said that a Minister, who is facing allegation of serious criminal offences, arrested and detained in custody, may thwart or hinder the canons of constitutional morality and principles of good governance and eventually diminish the constitutional trust reposed by people in him. Another bill to promote and regulate the online gaming sector, including e-sports, educational games, and social gaming, and to provide for the appointment of an Authority for coordinated policy support, strategic development, and regulatory oversight of the sector, is slated to be introduced in the Lok Sabha today. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, is likely to be introduced by Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. It seeks to prohibit the offering, operation, facilitation, advertisement, promotion and participation in online money games through any computer resource, mobile device or the internet, particularly where such activities operate across State borders or from foreign jurisdiction. The bill seeks to protect individuals, especially youth and vulnerable populations, from the adverse social, economic, psychological and privacy-related impacts of such games. It seeks to ensure responsible use of digital technologies and to maintain public order and protect public health. (ANI) Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - The UN on Tuesday honoured fallen colleagues and reminded the world that aid workers should never be a target, as 2024 saw a shocking new record of 383 aid workers killed Opposition leaders on Wednesday reacted sharply to the government's move to bring several bills in the Lok Sabha today, saying that it is a "desperate attempt" to distract attention from the 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' of LoP Rahul Gandhi. In a post on X, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said, "The bills of Home Minister Amit Shah are nothing but a desperate attempt to divert the attention of the public away from the blistering Vote Adhikar Yatra of Shri Rahul Gandhi. First CSDS - BJP IT cell drama and now these bills. Clearly the winds of change are blowing in Bihar." Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi specifically targeted the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to remove a Central or State Minister who is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days. "Opposition predictions come true- Constitution being changed by BJP with only 240 MPs. New bill bypasses both federal structure & judiciary - Union govt can use ED CBI to arrest elected opposition CM on fake charges & sack them WITHOUT proven guilty by a court," Moitra said on X. Singhvi termed the bill as the "Best way to destabilise opposition". "What a vicious circle! No guildelines for arrest followed! Arrests of opposition leaders rampant and disproportionate. New proposed law removes incumbent #CM etc immly on arrest. Best way to destabilise opposition is to unleash biased central agencies to arrest oppo CMs and despite being unable to defeat them electorally, remove them by arbitrary arrests!! And no ruling party incumbent CM ever touched!!" the Congress MP wrote on X. According to the List of Business in the Lok Sabha, Amit Shah will introduce the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The Union Home Minister will further move to refer these Bills to a Joint Committee of the Houses consisting of 21 Members of the Lok Sabha to be nominated by the Speaker and 10 Members of the Rajya Sabha to be nominated by the Deputy Chairman. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges. It stated that a Minister facing allegations of serious criminal offences, who is arrested and detained in custody, may undermine the principles of constitutional morality and good governance, ultimately eroding the constitutional trust people have in him. As per the List of Business, Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will introduce the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. It seeks to prohibit the offering, operation, facilitation, advertisement, promotion and participation in online money games through any computer resource, mobile device or the internet, particularly where such activities operate across State borders or from foreign jurisdiction. (ANI) Haryana government will hand over the Bhiwani teacher murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Wednesday. CM Saini said that the state government and police administration are working to ensure justice for the victim, Manisha, and he is monitoring the reports on the case. Taking to X, the Chief Minister wrote, "The state government and police administration are working with full seriousness and transparency to ensure justice for our daughter Manisha from Bhiwani and her family. I myself am continuously monitoring the reports of this case." "Based on the family's demand, the Haryana government is going to hand over this case to the CBI for an impartial investigation. Full justice will be ensured in this matter," CM Saini added. This comes after a protest was held in the victim's village, Bhiwani, to demand a CBI investigation. A protestor told ANI, "This is a murder case. The Haryana government fooled us by calling it a suicide. Under the leadership of farmer leaders Sardar Gurunam Singh Cheema and Suresh Kot, we have started our protest again in Manisha's village. Her last rites have not taken place yet. We have two demands: first, there should be a CBI investigation. Secondly, for the third time, her post-mortem should take place in Delhi's AIIMS hospital." Meanwhile, the Haryana Home Secretary on Tuesday ordered the suspension of the mobile internet services, bulk SMS and all dongle services provided on mobile networks except the voice calls till 11 AM on August 21 in the jurisdiction of the districts Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri. This order has been issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of districts Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri, the notice by Department of Home Affairs read. According to the notice, the order has been issued to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours through various social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook X, etc. on mobile phones and SMS for facilitation and mobilisation of mobs of agitators and demonstrators who can cause serious loss of life and damage to public and private properties by indulging in vandalism and other types of violent activities. (ANI) The Delhi Police on Wednesday apprehended one person in connection with the attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta and has been taken to the Civil Lines police station. "One person apprehended and taken to Civil Lines Police Station in connection with attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai at CM Residence," Delhi Police said in a statement. In a statement the Chief Minister's office said, "A person attacked CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai today. The accused has been nabbed by the Delhu Police and is being questioned." The incident took place during the Jan Sunvaai at Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's residence in Civil Lines on Wednesday, Delhi BJP said. Anjali, who was present at the spot, said, "This is wrong. Everyone has the right to Jan Sunvai. If an imposter can slap her, this is a big deal...I was there...The person was speaking and he suddenly slapped. Police have taken him away." Another eye witness Shailendra Kumar said, "I had come from Uttam Nagar with a complaint over sewer. When I reached the gates, chaos broke out because the CM was slapped. This is wrong." "During Jan Sunvai this morning, CM was speaking with the public like she always does. A man approached her, presented some paper and suddenly held her hand while trying to pull her towards him. During this, there was a little jostling...People nabbed him. Who is he, and all other details are being investigated by the Police...The CM is stable. Doctors have examined her. I have met her, she is a strong woman...It seems that she suffered a light blow to her head...The slap or stone-throwing stories are fabricated...Such incidents in politics are condemnable...Jan Sunvai will continue. CM is resting right now but she has said that she will not cancel her programs," he said. Delhi LoP Atishi condemned the attack saying,"The attack on Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democracy, there is a place for disagreement and protest, but there is no place for violence. Hoping that the Delhi Police will take the strictest action against the culprits. It is hoped that the Chief Minister is completely safe." Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav also condemned the attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, terming the incident "unfortunate". He said that the Chief Minister leads the entire Delhi. Yadav also questioned the security of the Delhi CM, stating that if she is not safe in the state, then who else is? "This is very unfortunate. CM leads the entire Delhi, and I think that the more such incidents are condemned, the less it is. But this incident also exposes women's safety. If the CM of Delhi is not safe, how can a common man or common woman be safe?," Devender Yadav told ANI. On Tuesday, CM Gupta visited the residential area at Yamuna Bazaar, where water from the overflowing Yamuna River has entered and assured that there is no flood-like situation in Delhi and the water level will drop within one to two days. After assessing the affected area, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, "The situation is under control. The water level was close to 206 m in the morning, but it has not crossed this mark yet. The water should recede in a day or two. We are providing food and water, as well as a medical facility here. There is no flood situation in Delhi." She said that the administration has made arrangements in school for those who want to go to a safer location, providing them with a place to stay and food, as well as all the necessary help in the affected area. (ANI) Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Wednesday lashed out at the Centre over the Constitution Amendment Bill, which seeks to remove a Central or State Minister who is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for thirty consecutive days. Speaking to ANI, Yadav stressed that the Modi government has brought another method to remove the Chief Ministers from the non-ruled BJP states. "Even if there is no charge against someone, charges can be made and are being made under this Government. People are being jailed under false, serious charges. In states that do not have BJP CMs or Ministers, another method to remove them power is being brought by this Government. Democratic norms are not left anymore. Those who are bringing this Bill, are not getting one thing - once they go out of power, they won't come back. Their own people have started opposing them," Ram Gopal Yadav said. However, BJP leader Boora Narsaiah Goud termed the move a "historical necessity" and a long-pending bill. "The decision of the government of India to introduce the historical bill to remove the prime minister or any other state minister who is arrested for more than 30 days in any corruption case that involves more than five years of imprisonment is a very historical necessity and a long-pending bill," Goud told ANI. "Today, every voter believes that all politicians are corrupt. Because of PM Modi and the NDA government, some credibility is brought into politics... The entire population of the nation will welcome this bill, except the corrupt INDIA bloc alliance," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce three bills in Lok Sabha on Wednesday - including the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to remove a Central or State Minister who is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days. According to the List of Business in the Lok Sabha, Shah will introduce the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The Union Home Minister will further move to refer these Bills to a Joint Committee of the Houses consisting of 21 Members of the Lok Sabha to be nominated by the Speaker and 10 Members of the Rajya Sabha to be nominated by the Deputy Chairman. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges. It stated that a Minister facing allegations of serious criminal offences, who is arrested and detained in custody, may undermine the principles of constitutional morality and good governance, ultimately eroding the constitutional trust people have in him. (ANI) The raids are still underway at eight places in Dindigul and one in Tenkashi district based on inputs against some suspects, officials said. The case was originally registered by the local police after members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) had hacked Ramalingam to death in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu in February 2019 after he opposed their forcible religious conversion efforts. In May this year, the NIA chargesheeted one accused, namely Mohammed Ali Jinnah, for harbouring the proclaimed offenders in the Ramalingam murder case for six years. NIA, which took over the case in March 2019, had in August 2019 chargesheeted 18 accused, of whom six were absconding and had been declared Proclaimed Offenders (POs). The agency found during the investigation that Mohammed Ali Jinnah had harboured them all in a cottage. Jinnah was arrested in November 2024, while three of the absconding POs were arrested on different occasions between 2021 and January 2025. A search is on for the remaining three absconders, who are carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh each for information leading to their arrest. (ANI) BJP MLA from Balasore Manas Kumar Dutta has welcomed the Election Commission's decision to begin the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Odisha, saying the exercise had been a "long-standing demand of the common people." Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Dutta said, "The start of SIR (Special Intensive Revision) in Odisha has been a long-standing demand of the common people. It will be initiated by the Election Commission in September. The Election Commission is working in the interest of the country." Targeting the Congress and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for opposing the exercise, Dutta called their stance a "feudal mindset." "Congress and BJD are displaying a feudal mindset. They think that if they lose, the Election Commission is wrong, and if they win, the EVM is fine. It is not Congress's rule that they will deploy their own agencies. The Election Commission is taking up public grievances and disposing of them. The public wants the SIR," the BJP leader said. He further claimed that the BJD was upset because it had failed to recommend an SIR while in power. "BJD was in power for 24 years, but they did not recommend an SIR or an amendment in the electoral rolls. Their stomachs are hurting because they did not do the SIR; rather, the new government is doing it," he added. Meanwhile, Congress leader Nishikant Mishra opposed what he described as a "Bihar-like SIR" in Odisha. Referring to reports of large-scale deletions of names in Bihar, he said, "The Election Commission has announced the start of SIR in Odisha from September. Our demand will be that, just as 65 lakh voters were removed from the voter list in Bihar, this should not happen in Odisha. Under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, a voice is being raised against SIR across the country. If any irregularities occur during SIR in Odisha, our voice will be raised here too." (ANI) Giving another significant push to encourage indigenous start-ups, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday announced to expand the Arunachal Pradesh Innovation and Investment Park (APIIP) premises to accommodate more entrepreneurs from the present 50 per year and enhance the ambit of the Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurship Development Program (APEDP). APIIP was established in August 2020 under the Department of Planning, Investment & Finance as the state's marquee incubator for the Arunachal Pradesh Start-Up Policy. It organises annual start-up challenges to identify potential entrepreneurs. Besides providing seed money, it offers 9 months of incubation and pre-incubation programmes to support selected entrepreneurs to attain commercial success. "In just four years, we have supported 106 startups across three cohorts, providing more than Rs 4.5 crore in seed funding, with an inspiring 38 per cent of them being women-led enterprises. These startups represent the true diversity of Arunachal Pradesh, like agriculture, handicrafts, IT, e-commerce, and tourism," Khandu observed. He hailed APIIP for its historic step this year to become the first state in India to adopt Artificial Intelligence for shortlisting startup applications. Fifty bright new startups were selected under this process. Khandu, however, felt that selecting only 50 startups per year is not enough. Therefore, he suggested that the premises of the APIIP building be expanded and assured government support, either by renting a readily available existing building or by constructing a new building. Khandu, along with Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, gave away the graduation certificates to Cohort 3.0 and prize money to Cohort 4.0 startups. Meanwhile, APIIP signed MoUs with 7 educational institutions for mentorship programmes for new startups. The Chief Minister termed it as another milestone and informed that soon, startup cells will be set up within these institutions, nurturing student innovations and ensuring that no good idea is left unsupported. The institutions include Arunachal Pradesh University, Pasighat; Arunachal University of Studies, Namsai; Dorjee Khandu Govt College, Tawang; Dera Natung Govt College, Itanagar; NERIST, Nirjuli; NIT, Jote; and Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh. Khandu acknowledged the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose call for a Viksit Bharat @2047 has inspired the state government to take these innovative initiatives. "His (PM Modi's) Startup India mission has transformed India's entrepreneurial landscape, from garages to global IPOs, from small towns to big tech hubs. In Arunachal Pradesh, every road built, every enterprise supported, every dream encouraged, is a step towards Viksit Arunachal," he said. To further empower youths to become successful entrepreneurs, Khandu informed that the government has launched YES Arunachal, Youth Empowerment Sphere, a one-stop platform for all government schemes. He expressed optimism that APIIP will make this initiative a grand success as well. The Chief Minister also pointed out that the Investment cell in the department of Planning, Investment & Finance cannot remain a mere 'cell' anymore. He suggested that the Investment Cell be upgraded to a directorate so that it can independently explore ways and means to invest in budding entrepreneurs and their innovative startups. Several cabinet ministers, the Chief Secretary, the Commissioner, representatives of Start-Up India, educational institutions, and mentors from IIT Delhi and IIM Shillong were also present on the occasion. (ANI) Karnataka ministers on Tuesday welcomed the Cabinet's move to provide an internal reservation to 101 castes in the state and said that people who fought for about 35 years have got justice. Karnataka Minister KH Muniyappa called it a "historical decision" and said that the official announcement will be made in the Assembly by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He told reporters, "The Congress government has taken a historical decision... The announcement will be made in the Assembly by the Chief Minister. People who fought for this for the last 35-40 years have got justice. There are 101 castes, and all will get equal benefits according to their population. We are looking into giving justice to the most backward classes, as included in Justice Nagamohan Das' report." Karnataka Minister HC Mahadevappa said, "The cabinet has reviewed the Justice Committee report concerning the central caste list and its modifications, and all interests will be considered. A statement will be made in the Assembly regarding the inclusion of 101 communities in the new grouping." Meanwhile, BJP MLA Bharath Shetty Y claimed that some Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes have been neglected. "Some parts of the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes have been neglected, so they should be given justice and clear announcements from the government," Bharath Shetty told ANI. Karnataka Cabinet's decision followed the 1,766-page survey report on internal reservation submitted to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah by the Justice Das Commission on August 4. Addressing reporters, Justice Das said the commission's report recommends that internal reservation be provided to the Scheduled Caste (SC). "After analysing the entire data, the commission has submitted its report to the Karnataka government. It is about a 1,766-page survey report. The survey was done through a mobile application. For a long time, it was my desire that the Scheduled Caste deserve internal reservation. I also recommended to the government that internal reservation must be provided," Justice Das told the media. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to the late Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary. "On his birth anniversary today, my tributes to former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji," PM Modi wrote on 'X'. Apart from PM Modi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi shared a post on her official 'X' handle and paid tribute to her father and late India PM Rajiv Gandhi. "From you, we inherited the values of compassion, love, and patriotism. Both of us will forever uphold these values. No one will be able to break them, no one will be able to stop them, nor will our steps ever falter," the 'X' post read. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday paid floral tribute to his late father and former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Veer Bhumi in New Delhi. She was joined by her husband, Robert Vadra, and son Raihan Vadra. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP P Chidambaram also paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary. Mallikarjun Kharge also offered his prayers on Rajiv Gandhi's birth anniversary. In his 'X' post, Kharge mentioned that the Indian National Congress will celebrate the day as "Sadbhavana Diwas." "Today, as we observe Sadbhavana Diwas, we remember Rajiv Gandhi, a remarkable leader who inspired hope in millions and propelled India into the 21st century. Innumerable achievements for India exemplified Rajiv Gandhi's legacy and brought transformative changes in the country. We pay our deepest respects to him on his birth anniversary," Kharge wrote on 'X'. Rajiv Gandhi took charge of Congress in 1984 following the assassination of his mother and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He became India's youngest Prime Minister at the age of 40 when he assumed office in October 1984. He served as the Prime Minister of India till December 2, 1989. Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber during an election rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991. Under his government, India saw the start of the modernisation process in its economy, as he promoted technology, telecommunications, and education reforms. Rajiv Gandhi played a pivotal role in modernising the country's technological infrastructure. His vision helped lay the foundation for India's IT boom in the 1990s and beyond. His government's Computer and IT Policy reduced import duties on computers and software to promote IT growth. His government's policies helped establish the National Association of Software and Service Companies in 1988, boosting India's software industry. His government also encouraged computer education in schools and universities. (ANI) Amid Congress' relentless campaign against alleged electoral malpractice, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nishikant Dubey levelled his own "vote theft" charge against the Opposition on Wednesday, claiming that the opposition party is supporting "Bangladeshi infiltrator muslim voters." The BJP leader gave multiple alleged examples of 'Vote chori' by Congress, one them he said by 'hurriedly' calling an election after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. Posting about the allegations on X, he also mentioned that doubts over Rajiv Gandhi's election were raised, where it was alleged that trucks full of voters were being ferried in Amethi in the 1981 and 1984 elections. Claiming that the former PM Indira Gandhi was still registered as a voter in 1984, and 1989, Dubey posted on X in Hindi, "Even after Indira Gandhi's death, she was a voter in 1984 and 1989. Today, Rahul Gandhi is telling the public about his own misdeeds, Congress's hand is with Bangladeshi infiltrator Muslim voters." On October 31, 1984, former PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated, just 2 months later, on December 24, 27, and 28, general elections were held. Questioning the "hurry" with which the Election Commission announced the polls, his post added, "October 31, 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated, the flames of her pyre had not even cooled, and the Election Commission announced the Lok Sabha elections on November 13, 1984, elections in such a hurry?" In another post, calling into question the election of Rajiv Gandhi, the BJP leader highlighted an SC order which ruled on allegations of corruption and electoral malpractice by Congress to manipulate results in the Amethi constituency. "Understand vote rigging, Rahul Gandhi ji, this is the Supreme Court's September 1987 judgment after your father Rajiv Gandhi ji won the elections in 1981 and 1984, more than 150 booths had 100 percent voting, does this happen today? Another example of rigging: 397 trucks were deployed in Amethi to ferry people without the Election Commission's orders," Dubey mentioned in his post. The order which was mentioned by Dubey says that the allegations of "corrupt practices" under Section 123 (5) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 were "totally lacking" "Further there is no allegation as to when the vehicle was hired or procured, by whom, and at what place or that the said vehicle in furtherance of hiring or procuring was used for free conveyance of electors to and from polling station," the order in 1987 read. Meanwhile, the Congress party, along with its alliance partners in INDIA bloc, are continuing their protests against alleged electoral malpractice the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar,. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, currently carrying out a 'voter adhikar yatra' in poll bound Bihar, has alleged collusion between the Election Commission and the Bharatiya Janata Party to manipulate voter rolls. The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' began on Sunday from Sasaram. The 16-day yatra has been organised to protest against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar and alleged 'vote chori'.The yatra will cover more than 1,300 km across over 20 districts and conclude in Patna on September 1. (ANI) Award celebrates lakeshore mastery, community impact, and a "small but trusted" approach to growth BUFFALO, Minn., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- All Terrain Landscaping Solutions, a locally owned Central Minnesota landscaping company, has been honored with a 2025 Global Recognition Award for service excellence. The recognition highlights All Terrain's leadership in lakeshore design and restoration, precision hardscapes, and a community-first way of doing business that has helped the company become one of the most trusted names in the West Metro while staying intentionally small and personal. 2025 Global Recognition Award Lakeshore restoration project Mitch Helmbrecht "All Terrain was built on simple promises: show up, do it right, and treat people well," said Mitch Helmbrecht, founder and owner of All Terrain. "We are proud this award recognizes the craft our team brings to every shoreline, retaining wall, and paver patio as well as the way we care for the communities we serve." Built here. Serving here. Rooted in Buffalo and operating across the West Metro, All Terrain Landscaping serves Central Minnesota from Annandale to Lake Minnetonka and everywhere in between. The company's service mix spans custom landscape design, retaining walls, paver patios & walkways, tree and shrub installations, snow & ice management, and more, delivered by a crew known for craftsmanship and follow through. Lakeshore experts. Protecting what makes Minnesota special. All Terrain is best known for lakeshore design and restoration: stabilizing banks, solving erosion, and building beautiful, durable waterfront spaces that respect environmental rules and protect shorelines for the long term. Projects blend engineering know how, with thoughtful design so properties look great and last. A growth story that stayed grounded. What began with Mitch mowing neighborhood lawns at age 14 has grown into a respected regional company without losing the "we treat your property like it's our own" mindset. Today, homeowners, cabin owners, HOAs, and businesses call All Terrain for work that is done right the first time, communicated clearly, and built to endure Minnesota's seasons. Investing in the next generation. Beyond projects, All Terrain gives back by sharing career pathways and entrepreneurship lessons with local students, including presentations at Wright Technical Center. It is one more way All Terrain keeps its roots in Central Minnesota while helping the region thrive. What this award means. The Global Recognition Award spotlights All Terrain's service excellence, innovation in problem solving, and community impact. For clients, it is reassurance that the company's well reviewed craft and service culture meet a high external bar, especially in complex projects like shoreline stabilization and multi-phase hardscapes. "Recognition is nice, but our standard is the customer standing at the edge of a newly stabilized shoreline or stepping onto a new patio and saying, 'This is exactly what we hoped for,'" Helmbrecht added. About All Terrain Landscaping Solutions All Terrain Landscaping Solutions is a locally owned landscaping company founded in Buffalo, Minnesota and serving Central MN, Wright County, the West Metro, and Carver County. The team works with homeowners and businesses in communities such as Delano, Annandale, Maple Lake, Rockford, Waconia, Plymouth, and Minnetonka and everywhere in between. All Terrain specializes in lakeshore design & restoration, retaining walls & hardscapes, paver patios & walkways, tree & shrub installation, lawn care, and seasonal snow & ice management. The company is known for craftsmanship, clear communication, and a values driven approach to every project. To read more about the award, visit: https://www.mnallterrain.com/globalrecognitionaward2025 Media Contact: Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.mnallterrain.com/ SOURCE All Terrain Landscaping Solutions Inc. A Delhi court staffer accused of appearing in a compromising video with a judge has been exonerated after an inquiry found no evidence of misconduct or immoral acts. A District Judge of Tis Hazari Court, who acted as the Inquiry Officer, submitted his report to the Principal District & Sessions Judge (HQs), Tis Hazari, holding that the department had "failed to establish any article of charge" against the female official, identified as Ms A. "The Department has failed to establish that the delinquent official committed any immoral act or entered into any sexual activity with her Presiding Officer or anyone else during office duty timings. No misconduct or immoral act subversive to discipline is established," the report stated. During the proceedings, Ms A was represented by Advocate Ashish Dixit, who appeared as her Defence Assistant. The inquiry report records that she was able to effectively contest the charges with his assistance. The report raised serious concerns about the authenticity of the video evidence. It noted discrepancies in the pen drives examined, with the one available on record differing in make, model and capacity from those referenced in the fact-finding report. It also highlighted that the expert who analysed the material was neither accredited under Section 79A of the IT Act nor certified in digital forensics. Even during cross-examination, the expert admitted he lacked the requisite qualifications. Several departmental witnesses admitted they had merely seen the alleged video on WhatsApp or social media and could not confirm whether it was genuine. None produced a copy of the clip during the inquiry. The inquiry stressed that imputations on a woman's character required heightened scrutiny, and vague testimonies could not justify disciplinary action. Even the department's main witness, the judge's orderly, conceded he had seen a clip online but was unsure of its authenticity. In light of these findings, the inquiry concluded that Ms. A was not guilty of any misconduct. She has been fully cleared of all charges, stated the report. (ANI) Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday condemned the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, stressing that if the Delhi CM is unsafe under central-controlled policing, the safety of ordinary citizens remains in serious doubt. "...We have seen past incidents where the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal faced these kinds of attacks. At that time, the BJP used to celebrate those attacks. The law and order challenge has entered the doorstep of the sitting CM of the capital of this country. It is extremely worrisome, and questions need to be raised to the Home Ministry since Delhi Police & the law and order come under them...How are the citizens of Delhi safe if the CM herself is unsafe?... I am hoping that the Home Ministry will finally wake up to the cause being made by the citizens of Delhi," Chaturvedi told ANI. Reacting to the incident, BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat said, "...This is really unfortunate. I have full faith that Rekha Gupta ji will continue to work for the people of Delhi." Following the attack on Rekha Gupta, state BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva informed that her condition is "stable" and was examined by the doctors. He said that CM is a "strong" lady and she has not cancelled her programs. Sachdeva said that a man approached her and presented her papers during the Jan Sunvai on Wednesday morning. The accused tried to pull CM Gupta towards him, following which there was a little "jostling." The Delhi BJP chief said that the accused was nabbed by the police, and the investigation is underway. "During Jan Sunvai this morning, CM was speaking with the public like she always does. A man approached her, presented some paper and suddenly held her hand while trying to pull her towards him. During this, there was a little jostling...People nabbed him. Who is he, and all other details are being investigated by the Police...The CM is stable. Doctors have examined her. I have met her, she is a strong woman...It seems that she suffered a light blow to her head...The slap or stone-throwing stories are fabricated...Such incidents in politics are condemnable...Jan Sunvai will continue. CM is resting right now, but she has said that she will not cancel her programs," Virendraa Sachdeva told reporters. (ANI) The Delhi Police have identified the accused of attack on CM Rekha Gupta as Rajesh Khimji, who is said to be a resident of Gujarat's Rajkot. The officials are verifying the accuracy of his name and address through his documents. The accused had come to the Jan Sunvai with a plea to release his relative who is imprisoned in jail, as per sources. Earlier, the accused was apprehended by the Delhi police and was taken to the Civil Lines police station for questioning. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police, Chief Secretary and Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh reached CM Rekha Gupta's residence following the incident. Following the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, state BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva informed that her condition is "stable" and was examined by the doctors. He said that CM is a "strong" lady and she has not cancelled her programs. Sachdeva said that a man approached her and presented her papers during the Jan Sunvai on Wednesday morning. The accused tried to pull CM Gupta towards him, following which there was a little "jostling". The Delhi BJP chief said that the accused was nabbed by the police and the investigation is underway. "During Jan Sunvai this morning, CM was speaking with the public like she always does. A man approached her, presented some paper and suddenly held her hand while trying to pull her towards him. During this, there was a little jostling...People nabbed him. Who is he, and all other details are being investigated by the Police...The CM is stable. Doctors have examined her. I have met her, she is a strong woman...It seems that she suffered a light blow to her head...The slap or stone-throwing stories are fabricated...Such incidents in politics are condemnable...Jan Sunvai will continue. CM is resting right now but she has said that she will not cancel her programs," Virendraa Sachdeva told reporters. Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Atishi, on Wednesday condemned the attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Taking to X, Atishi said that there is no place for violence in a democracy. "The attack on Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democracy, there is a place for disagreement and protest, but there is no place for violence. It is hoped that the Delhi Police will take the strictest action against the culprits. It is hoped that the Chief Minister is completely safe," the AAP leader wrote. (ANI) A 30-year-old man suspected of spying for Pakistan was detained by the Military Intelligence (MI) in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer and later handed over to Kotwali police, officials said on Wednesday. According to officials, the accused, identified as Jivan Khan (30), a resident of the Sankada area, had earlier worked at a restaurant inside the military area in Jaisalmer. Sources said that Khan was trying to regain entry into the Army station on Tuesday (August 19) when he was stopped at the gate. After his mobile was checked over suspicious activity, Khan was detained by MI personnel and was later handed over to the police on Tuesday night, they said. During questioning, he reportedly admitted to having relatives in Pakistan. Khan will be produced before the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC), where multiple security agencies are expected to question him further, they added. More details are awaited. This is the fourth suspected spy case in Jaisalmer. On August 13, a contractual manager at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) guest house near Chandan Field Firing Range was also arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI. According to the Rajasthan CID (Security), Mahendra Prasad, a resident of Almora in Uttarakhand, was found to be in contact with Pakistani intelligence agency through social media and was allegedly passing on sensitive details about the movement of DRDO scientists and Army officers engaged in missile and weapons testing at the firing range. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vivek Thakur on Wednesday criticised Rahul Gandhi led 'Voter adhikar yatra' in poll bound Bihar, with the BJP leader claiming that the state is being treated like a "tourist spot" to be visited only during elections. Hitting out at the Congress MP, Thakur said that it has become a "habit" of Gandhi to have disruptive thinking. "It has become their habit to talk with disruptive thinking. Bihar is very ahead in political thinking, they understand everything. Bihar is a tourist spot for them. When elections come, they go there, and then they leave like that," the BJP MP told ANI at Parliament premises. Earlier on Tuesday, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is running a "jhooth ki dukaan" (shop of lies) as the Congress MP leads the yatra in Bihar. Bhatia further questioned whether Gandhi would apologise to the nation for spreading "falsehoods". Bhatia referred to a petition rejected by the Supreme Court on August 18, alleging discrepancies in the Maharashtra Assembly elections held in November 2024. "Yesterday (Monday), the Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections over alleged bogus voting. The court stated, 'There is no tangible material before us that states there was bogus voting.' Additionally, the court noted that this was a misuse of the legal process," Bhatia mentioned. "Rahul Gandhi is running 'jhooth ki dukaan/showroom', not 'mohabaat ki dukaan'...", Bhatia added. Earlier today, while attending the Parliament session in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi mentioned how the response over his Yatra has been very good, as Bihar 'resists' vote theft. "The response is very good. Everyone is now saying 'vote chori' in Bihar. This is reality. Attempt of 'election chori' is being made. Bihar is resisting. The entire country will resist," Gandhi added. Congress' 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' began on Sunday from Sasaram. The 16-day yatra has been organised to protest against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar and alleged 'vote chori'.The yatra will cover more than 1,300 km across over 20 districts and conclude in Patna on September 1. (ANI) Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh on Wednesday informed that the accused in the CM Rekha Gupta attack had conducted a recce of her residence for the past 24 hours and was plotting to meet the Chief Minister. He said that the accused reached CM Rekha Gupta's Shalimar Bagh residence for the recce. He stated that the accused spent the night near her residence and attacked her during the public meeting. "Now, it has been found out that that person was doing a recce for 24 hours to find out how to meet the Chief Minister. He even did recce till CM Rekha Gupta house in Shalimar Bagh. Yesterday, he spent the night in the nearby Civil Lines area and when he came today morning, he did not have any papers in his hand. There was no such issue and he attacked as soon as he met her," Parvesh Sahib Singh told reporters. The Delhi Minister said that CM Rekha Gupta meets upto 2000 people daily during Jan Sunvai without any high security and informed that the police is investigating the matter and further information will be given on its basis. "After a long time, Delhi has got a Chief Minister who was conducting a programme of Jan Sunwai at her house every day. Every day, 1000-2000 people used to come from all over Delhi NCR. She used to meet everyone without any restriction and security and used to listen to their problems. Whatever has happened today is very condemnable. We have just met the Chief Minister. She got injured and her MLC is going on. Police have been investigating who that person was, what was on his mind and what the conspiracy was. Police are doing their investigation and will tell you further information," he added. Meanwhile, another Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa informed that CM Rekha Gupta is fine and the accused had made videos of her residence. He said that the accused had just come intending to attack CM Gupta and didn't have any papers related to the Jan Sunvai. "The CM is stable. The attacker was doing a recce for the last 24 hours. He had been to Rekha Gupta's Shalimar Bagh residence too. He had shot videos there as well...It is very clear that he had come with the intent to attack; he had no Jan Sunvai papers in his hand. Videos from yesterday were found on his phone. His intent to attack is clear...Jan Sunvai will continue...Works for Delhi will go on," he said. Earlier, the Delhi Police identified the accused as Rajesh Khimji, who is said to be a resident of Gujarat's Rajkot. The officials are verifying the accuracy of his name and address through his documents. The accused had come to the Jan Sunvai with a plea to release his relative who is imprisoned in jail, as per sources. Earlier, the accused was apprehended by the Delhi police and was taken to the Civil Lines police station for questioning. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police, Chief Secretary and Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh reached CM Rekha Gupta's residence following the incident. (ANI) On the occasion, Vikramarka praised Rajiv Gandhi's services. He recalled that Rajiv Gandhi brought many changes in India's economy and technology in his short tenure and laid the foundations for shaping it into a modern country. Earlier today, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra paid a floral tribute to his late father and former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday paid floral tribute to his late father and former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to the late Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary. "On his birth anniversary today, my tributes to former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji," PM Modi wrote on 'X'. Rajiv Gandhi took charge of Congress in 1984 following the assassination of his mother and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He became India's youngest Prime Minister at the age of 40 when he assumed office in October 1984.He served as the Prime Minister of India till December 2, 1989. Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber during an election rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991. Under his government, India saw the start of the modernisation process in its economy, as he promoted technology, telecommunications, and education reforms. Rajiv Gandhi played a pivotal role in modernising the country's technological infrastructure. His vision helped lay the foundation for India's IT boom in the 1990s and beyond. His government's Computer and IT Policy reduced import duties on computers and software to promote IT growth. His government's policies helped establish the National Association of Software and Service Companies in 1988, boosting India's software industry. His government also encouraged computer education in schools and universities. (ANI) The Delhi High Court was scheduled to pronounce its judgment today on Delhi University's challenge to a 2016 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) directing disclosure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bachelor's degree information. However, the pronouncement has been deferred as the concerned judge did not hold court today. According to court staff, the order may now be pronounced next week. Earlier, the bench of Justice Sachin Datta had reserved its verdict after hearing extensive arguments from the parties. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had argued that the CIC's order ought to be set aside, stressing that while records may be produced before the court, they should not be placed in the public domain to serve the interests of individuals "seeking publicity or driven by political motives." He cautioned that an expansive interpretation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act could hinder the functioning of public authorities. The controversy stems from an RTI application filed by one Neeraj, on the basis of which the CIC on December 21, 2016, had permitted inspection of records for all students who graduated with a BA in 1978--the same year Prime Minister Modi completed his degree. However, the High Court stayed that order on January 23, 2017, following DU's appeal. Delhi University has maintained that the information is held in a fiduciary capacity and that mere curiosity, without demonstrable public interest, does not justify disclosure under the RTI Act. In contrast, the CIC in its 2016 order had observed that universities are public institutions and that degree records, maintained in their registers, qualify as public documents. (ANI) Hailing the positive response to his 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in poll-bound Bihar, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi expressed confidence on Wednesday that the entire country will also be resisting 'election chori' (election theft). Speaking to reporters at Parliament premises, the Congress leader said, "The response is very good. Everyone is now saying 'vote chori' in Bihar. This is reality. Attempt of 'election chori' is being made. Bihar is resisting. The entire country will resist." The Congress leader also congratulated and shook hands BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy on winning the Constitution Club of India elections recently. The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' began on Sunday from Sasaram. The 16-day yatra has been organised to protest against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar and alleged 'vote chori'. On the second day, Gandhi reached Aurangabad along with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. On August 19 (Tuesday), Gandhi, along with Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya took the rally to Bihar's Newada. The yatra will cover more than 1,300 km across over 20 districts and conclude in Patna on September 1. Notably, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia hit out at the Congress leader for running a "jhooth ki dukaan" (shop of lies) as the Congress MP leads the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in poll-bound Bihar. Bhatia further questioned whether Gandhi would apologise to the nation for spreading "falsehoods". At a BJP press conference here, Bhatia referred to a petition rejected by the Supreme Court on August 18, alleging discrepancies in the Maharashtra Assembly elections held in November 2024. "Yesterday, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections over alleged bogus voting. The court stated, 'There is no tangible material before us that states there was bogus voting.' Additionally, the court noted that this was a misuse of the legal process," he said. He also responded to the Congress's claims of discrepancies in the Maharashtra voters' data, claiming that "baseless questions were raised on the Election Commission". Echoing similar concerns, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the Congress party of wanting infiltrators and deceased people to remain on the voter list. Prasad told ANI, "What do they want- that infiltrators be made voters? Should those who have died be kept as voters? Should those listed in two places be kept as voters? What do they want? They have not been able to clarify their stand so far." (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a plea of Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) President Dr. Montu Kumar Patel seeking quashing of an FIR in an alleged bribery case. On July 23, the Rouse Avenue court, while granting anticipatory bail to Patel had noted that the allegations of bribery were not supported by cogent material against the accused. Justice Arun Monga issued notice to the CBI and sought response from the agency. The high court has also issued notice on an interim plea seeking a stay on proceedings before the trial court. The matter was listed sometime in November. Patel has moved to the High Court seeking quashing of FIR on the ground that sanction under section 17 (A) was not obtained before inquiry against him. Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa along with Tushar Giri appeared for Patel. An inquiry was initiated against Patel in May 2023 without obtaining the sanction for the same. Even at the time of hearing on anticipatory bail before the trial court the sanction order was not produced. Thereafter, they registered an FIR in 2025, Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa argued. On the other hand, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Anupam Sharma opposed the contentions and said that they have obtained the sanction in June 2025. The FIR has been lodged thereafter. For Inquiry sanction is not required. Senior advocate Pahwa submitted that there is an order of Supreme Court which says sanction is required for conducting an inquiry. After hearing the submissions the High court issued notice on the petition. "It is directed that in the event of arrest of accused/ applicant Dr. Montu Kumar Patel, the IO shall release him upon applicant/ accused furnishing bail bonds and surety bonds in sum of Rs. 1 lakh to the satisfaction of investigation officer," Special Judge Changotra (CBI) ordered on July 23 while granting anticipatory bail. While granting bail the court emphasised, "The Courts are under bounden duty to strike a fair balance relating to the protection of personal liberty of an individual / right of investigating agency for fair investigation." "In my considered opinion, this Court will fail in its duty, if the personal liberty of the applicant /accused is not protected in view of the aforementioned proposition of law and the facts at hand, specially when the allegations are prima facie not supported by any cogent material," Special Judge had said in the bail order. The court noted that serious allegation was levelled that the present case involved bribe of the amount of Rs. 5000 crores, but upon the query of the court IO stated that the said amount was arrived at the instance of media reports / secret information. "Further, perusal of case diary of IO regarding the interrogation of applicant shows that he was not confronted with the aforementioned facts. The said facts on the face of it make the allegations qua the above stated quantum highly doubtful," the court had noted. After hearing the submissions of the CBI and senior counsel for accused, the court said that it has to be said that the prosecution has not been able to substantiate even a single set of allegations levelled under the PC Act against applicant. The court had noted that the FIR shows that all the allegations have been levelled against the applicant, even though all the decisions were taken by the Executive Body or Central Council consisting of several other members. The accused has already joined the investigation and no circumstance has been shown which necessitates or requires his custodial interrogation, the court observed. Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa, counsel for accused Montu Kumar Patel argued that the investigating officer (IO) is intentionally levelling allegations of accused having amassed huge amount of wealth without even an inch of evidence to support it. As per FIR, a cash sum of Rs. 10. 95 lakh by way of banking transactions were given by accused Vinod Kumar Tiwari to accused Santosh Jha, but later on in the reply the IO whimsically mentioned a sum of Rs. 5000 crores and today it has been reduced to a sum of Rs. 118 crores, senior counsel Pahwa argued. The counsels for CBI had vehemently opposed the bail application. They argued that the accused did not cooperate in the investigation. He gave evasive replies. The accused had formatted one of the mobile phones and he threw the second mobile phone. Accused Vinod Kumar Tiwari did not join the investigation. It was further argued that during the investigation of properties worth Rs. 118 crores have been found in the name of accused/ his relatives. As per allegations, bribe of Rs. 10 lakhs in cash and additional sum of Rs. 95,000 through banking channels was given to one Santosh Kumar Jha, a primary teacher in U. P. for managing the inspection/ obtaining approval and for arranging infrastructural facilities (books, setting up of lab, faculty and approval of PCI), but there is no evidence of payment of Rs. 10 lakhs, senior advocate had argued. (ANI) SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Angelalign Technology Inc. (6699.HK) ("Angel") categorically denies accusations of patent infringement by Align Technology Inc. (ALGN) and promises a vigorous defense. "Angel has a rich heritage of clinically driven innovation during its 20-plus year history. Accusations by our competitor of patent violations are frivolous and entirely without merit," said Angel's Chief Commercial Officer and SVP, Rich Hirschland. "Angel has invested heavily in patent compliance since our founding. We are confident that we will prevail in this case." This is Angel Aligner 2025 Angel Aligners Angel has proudly led the clear-aligner field in innovation for many years. Among its cutting-edge products are the award-winning angelButton, the angelHook, the A6 mandibular advancement system (now celebrating its ten-year anniversary), the angelKid system, and the Intelligent Root System. The company is committed to bringing fair and healthy competition to the marketplace to benefit doctors and their patients. Angel's products regularly receive high doctor-satisfaction scores. Its flexible manufacturing system also has been widely praised for turning complex clinical ideas into workable solutions. These innovations, powered by a corporate culture that focuses on treating employees and customers well, have led to impressive global growth for Angel, which is expected to continue. "We anticipate that our growth will not be materially affected by the lawsuits," Hirschland said. "We look forward to using the lawsuits to tell the Angel success story and help attract more customers to Angel around the world." About Angelalign Technology Inc. Founded in 2003 and celebrating 1.5 million smiles, Angelalign Technology Inc. provides digital technology-driven clear aligner products and services to meet the needs of dental professionals and patients worldwide. The Company's innovative products and technical services have established it as a prominent player in the orthodontics industry. In 2021, Angelalign Technology was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. In 2023, the Company launched its global expansion strategy, with its products and services now reaching over 50 countries and regions. Learn more at angelaligner.com. Media Contact: Sue Kolb [email protected] SOURCE Angel Aligner Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) on Wednesday slammed the Congress government in Karnataka over borrowings of Rs 63,000 crore during 2023-24 to fund its guarantee schemes as mentioned in the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report. The Opposition MLAs claimed that the borrowings increased by 20 per cent as compared to last year. BJP MLA Bharath Shetty Y told ANI, "The Karnataka government's borrowing has increased by 20 per cent compared to last year, and this shows a financial mismanagement by the Karnataka government and a significant deficit. The government is struggling to pay salaries on time, with three to four months of pending wages for contract labourers across various departments, pushing the state towards bankruptcy. The government should release a white paper to transparently address these issues." Raising a similar question, BJP leader Gali Janardhana Reddy said, "Already, all the MLAs of the present ruling party headed by Siddaramaiah are worried since no development work has been done... This is really bad, as 20 per cent more compared to last year." In a sharp attack against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, BJP MLA CN Ashwath Narayan said that the rise in taxes and revenue has not translated into public welfare. Narayan said, "The Chief Minister, despite having over 50 years of experience, has not effectively utilised it in the administration of Karnataka. Since coming to power, the government has significantly raised taxes, collecting over 15 per cent more revenue than promised, yet this has not translated into benefits for the people." Further, he alleged the government of mismanaging funds and borrowing excessively. "Key areas such as education, healthcare, governance, skilling, and technology adoption are lacking, indicating a failure in various things like prioritising the Human Development Index... The government is mismanaging funds, borrowing excessively, leading to a deterioration in the state's condition. There is a looting at all levels, from treasury to contracts," he said. JD(S) leader CB Suresh Babu called it a "crisis" and said, "It will be a burden for the state exchequer if the state government borrows 20% yearly. The crisis will increase in the state." On the contrary, Karnataka Minister KH Muniyappa noted that the funds have been allocated to development projects and welfare schemes. "Development works for thousands of crores have also been given... Funds have been allocated for various schemes. The Chief Minister presented the 14th budget, and he knows how to balance the finances," Muniyappa said. Congress' Chief Whip in the Assembly, Ashok Pattan, said, "That is a fact because we are investing that money for the poor, not the rich... Everything will be finalised in a short time, and we will become first in the country." The row began after the CAG report tabled in the Karnataka Assembly revealed that the state government borrowed nearly Rs 63,000 crore during 2023-24 to fund its guarantee schemes. The report also noted that capital expenditure on infrastructure fell by Rs 5,229 crore compared to the previous year, with funds being diverted to guarantees. According to the report, 15 per cent of the borrowings were allocated to the five flagship guarantees, including Rs 16,964 crore for Gruha Lakshmi Scheme, Rs 8,900 crore for Gruha Jyothi Scheme, Rs 7,384 crore for Anna Bhagya, Rs 3,200 crore for Shakti scheme and Rs 88 crore for Yuva Nidhi. The fiscal deficit has risen from Rs 46,623 crore to Rs 65,522 crore, an increase of Rs 37,000 crore over the net debt. (ANI) BJP MP Manan Kumar Mishra on Wednesday hailed the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to remove PM, CMs, and ministers facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and have been detained for 30 consecutive days. Speaking to ANI, Mishra termed it an "important bill". "There is no attempt to divert. The opposition wants to divert the public's attention. The government is bringing an important bill in which those who have been in jail for more than 30 days will not be allowed to hold ministerial positions. There can be no work more important than this, but the opposition wants to obstruct Parliament... All the important bills, we are passing them and will continue to do so...," the BJP MP said. Earlier today, Opposition leaders reacted sharply to the government's move to bring several bills in the Lok Sabha today, saying that it is a "desperate attempt" to distract attention from the 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' of LoP Rahul Gandhi. In a post on X, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said, "The bills of Home Minister Amit Shah are nothing but a desperate attempt to divert the attention of the public away from the blistering Vote Adhikar Yatra of Shri Rahul Gandhi. First CSDS - BJP IT cell drama and now these bills. Clearly the winds of change are blowing in Bihar." Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi specifically targeted the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to remove a Central or State Minister who is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days. "Opposition predictions come true- Constitution being changed by BJP with only 240 MPs. New bill bypasses both federal structure & judiciary - Union govt can use ED CBI to arrest elected opposition CM on fake charges & sack them WITHOUT proven guilty by a court," Moitra said on X. Singhvi termed the bill as the "Best way to destabilise opposition". "What a vicious circle! No guildelines for arrest followed! Arrests of opposition leaders rampant and disproportionate. New proposed law removes incumbent #CM etc immly on arrest. Best way to destabilise opposition is to unleash biased central agencies to arrest oppo CMs and despite being unable to defeat them electorally, remove them by arbitrary arrests!! And no ruling party incumbent CM ever touched!!" the Congress MP wrote on X. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce three bills in Lok Sabha today - including the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to remove a Central or State Minister who is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days. According to the List of Business in the Lok Sabha, Shah will introduce the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The Union Home Minister will further move to refer these Bills to a Joint Committee of the Houses consisting of 21 Members of the Lok Sabha to be nominated by the Speaker and 10 Members of the Rajya Sabha to be nominated by the Deputy Chairman. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges. It stated that a Minister facing allegations of serious criminal offences, who is arrested and detained in custody, may undermine the principles of constitutional morality and good governance, ultimately eroding the constitutional trust people have in him. (ANI) The two-day seminar from August 18 to 19 brought together over 500 participants, including eminent Ayurveda scholars, researchers, practitioners, and students from across the country. The deliberations focused on both illness management and wellness promotion in children, reaffirming Ayurveda's holistic approach to paediatric health. Delivering the valedictory address through a written message, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush & Minister of State, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, emphasised that the outcome of this seminar will strengthen India's paediatric healthcare framework. He said, "Ayurveda's Kaumarbhritya branch has the potential to transform child healthcare by combining preventive, promotive and curative approaches. The collective wisdom shared over the past two days will inspire new research collaborations and practical models for achieving Swasth Balak, Swasth Bharat." Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, noted that the seminar had set a benchmark for academic exchange in paediatric Ayurveda. He underlined the importance of evidence-based validation and stressed the need for collaborative studies to integrate Ayurvedic principles with modern healthcare practices. Vaidya Devendra Triguna lauded Prime Minister Modi's leadership for elevating Yoga and Ayurveda globally and commended RAV and AIIA for their focus on paediatric wellness. Dr Vandana Siroha, Director, RAV, in her concluding remarks, said that the success of the seminar reflects RAV's commitment to nurturing the next generation of Ayurveda practitioners and researchers. She highlighted that the active participation of young scholars in paper and poster presentations demonstrated a vibrant future for paediatric Ayurveda. The two-day programme featured 20 scientific research paper presentations on paediatric health in Ayurveda, Poster sessions showcasing innovative studies by young scholars, Panel discussions on preventive and promotive healthcare in children and the Release of a Souvenir, and distribution of Seminar Kits & Participation Certificates The seminar concluded with a consensus that Ayurveda's holistic paediatric practices must be mainstreamed to complement India's healthcare system, particularly in addressing lifestyle disorders, nutritional deficiencies, and emerging health challenges among children. The event successfully reinforced Ayurveda's relevance as a foundation of holistic child healthcare and called for continued knowledge-sharing platforms at the national and global level. (ANI) BJP leaders on Wednesday strongly condemned the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a Jan Sunvai, calling it a "cowardly" act and alleging a larger conspiracy by the Opposition to derail her public outreach program. BJP MLA Satish Upadhyay said that people will not forgive such a "mindset." "The ill intent and hatred with which the Delhi CM was attacked during Jan Sunvai today is very cowardly. People of Delhi will never forgive such a mindset. Delhi CM is serving the people day and night. She will neither be scared by such attacks nor cower down. She will continue serving Delhi. Such people should never be forgiven," Upadhyay said in a video message. Former BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri alleged a "conspiracy" to derail the CM's outreach program and claimed that the probe will reveal that the accused of the incident will be an "activist" belonging to Congress or AAP. "This was done as per a conspiracy to derail Rekha ji from meeting the public. The PM has asked all public representatives to connect with the public. Due to this, there is frustration in the Opposition. I am 100 per cent certain the probe will reveal that he (the accused) was an activist belonging to Congress, Aam Aadmi Party or communist parties...This incident is condemnable," Bidhuri told ANI. BJP MP Rekha Sharma termed the incident an attempt to "scare and threaten" the CM. "This is a very serious issue. It is shocking that someone attacked a CM when she was at Jan Sunvai...It can be the action of a man whose party/organisation is not happy with the way the CM is working and meeting people. Maybe they wanted to scare and threaten the CM. Rekha Gupta will not be scared and sit at home...," she said. Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said that the accused had conducted a recce of Gupta's Shalimar Bagh residence for 24 hours before the attack. "He spent the night in the nearby Civil Lines area, and when he came this morning, he did not have any papers in his hand. There was no such issue, and he attacked as soon as he met her," he told reporters. Another Delhi Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, said the CM was "stable" and that the accused had also shot videos of her residence. "The CM is stable. The attacker was doing a recce for the last 24 hours. He had been to Rekha Gupta's Shalimar Bagh residence, too. He had shot videos there as well...It is very clear that he had come with the intent to attack; he had no Jan Sunvai papers in his hand. Videos from yesterday were found on his phone. His intent to attack is clear...Jan Sunvai will continue...Works for Delhi will go on," he said. Delhi Police identified the accused as Rajesh Khimji, a resident of Gujarat's Rajkot. His identity and address are being verified, police said. (ANI) Bhanuben, mother of Rajesh Khimji, who attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday, said that her son acted out of his love for dogs. She appealed to the Chief Minister for forgiveness, explaining that her family is poor. She shared that Rajesh, a rickshaw driver, was upset after seeing videos of dogs being taken away in Delhi and had left home, saying he was going to Ujjain. Speaking to ANI, Bhanuben said, "My son did this out of his love for dogs. I appeal to the CM that my son should be forgiven; we are poor people." "He is a devotee of Mahadev. He left home saying that he was going to Ujjain. He visits there at least once a month. I don't know when he went from Ujjain to Delhi. Yesterday, his father called him to ask when he was coming back. He told his father that he is in Delhi regarding the dogs. After saying this, he hung up the phone. He was agitated after he saw a video on social media showing dogs in Delhi being taken away. He did not eat after seeing those videos. He drives a rickshaw, and has a wife and son," she added. Meanwhile, CCTV footage shows Rajesh Khimji surveying Delhi CM Rekha Gupta's Shalimar Bagh (personal) residence on August 19, a day before he attacked her during a Jan Sunvai. The police have arrested the man following the incident. BJP MLA Harish Khurana said that the attack on the Delhi Chief Minister might be a planned conspiracy because the attacker took photos of her residence. He said the police will look into it and that the CM is getting treatment. "It seems to be a conspiracy because of the way the person was doing a recce using his phone camera and had photos of the CM's residence. The police will explain that if it was politically motivated, and will investigate the matter. The CM is undergoing treatment, and she would not stop her work," Khurana said. BJP MLA Satish Upadhyay also spoke on the matter and said that her work for the city will continue. He added that the public and authorities will not forgive the attack. "The Chief Minister is alright. Nobody can stop the CM's work for the progress of Delhi. This attack will not be forgiven by the public and the agencies," Upadhyay said. (ANI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has remarked that Rahul Gandhi will only fulfil former PM Rajiv Gandhi's aspirations and dreams after he becomes the Prime Minister of India, a press release by the CMO said. Since the country needs the services of Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister said that the Congress party and he will not rest until Rahul Gandhi is made Prime Minister. Paying floral tributes to the Rajiv Gandhi statue on the occasion of the former PM's birth anniversary celebrations today, the CM said that Rajiv Gandhi is an inspiration to the youth. In line with the former PM's aspirations, the Congress will amend the existing law to allow the youth who completes 21 years to contest the Assembly elections soon after Rahul Gandhi assumes the PM post. CM Revanth Reddy remembered the yeoman services rendered by former PM Rajiv Gandhi for the upliftment of poorer sections, pioneering efforts to promote information technology and transparency in the governance in the country. Rajiv Gandhi was the inspiration to lay the foundation stone for Hitech City in Hyderabad, the CM said that the former Prime Minister sacrificed his life to protect the integrity of the country and also Integrated technology with governance to deliver transparent administration, the release said. The CM recalled the visionary leader Rajiv Gandhi also provided women's reservation for their empowerment, introduced computers to the country and brought revolutionary changes in the Telecom sector during his regime. According to the CMO, with the inspiration from Rajiv Gandhi, the Chief Minister said that the People's Government in Telangana state is moving forward to achieve socio-economic development. The government already enacted laws to provide a 42 per cent BC quota in education, employment and political opportunities and became the first state in the country to implement the SC sub categorisation. (ANI) Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur strongly condemned the alleged assault on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday, terming it a "murder of democracy" and a shameful act. Speaking to ANI, Thakur said that these kinds of incidents are unfortunate. "I condemn the behaviour of the group with the Chief Minister in Delhi. She was listening to the problems of her people, and behaving in such a manner is like murdering democracy. Raising a hand on a woman is an absolutely disgraceful act. This is not acceptable in any way," he said. Thakur demanded strict legal action against the accused, adding, "As per information, they have been arrested. If found guilty, they should be punished so that such incidents are never repeated. When action is taken, it will send a strong message across the country." He further noted that such situations often arise when some vested interests attempt to create disturbances. "There should be a thorough investigation in this matter, and action must be taken accordingly so that justice is delivered," he stressed. Expressing concern for the safety of public representatives, Thakur said that such incidents with public representatives are matter of concern. "We feel that such incidents with leaders and elected representatives should never happen. Leaders live among the people, listen to their problems, and work to resolve them. If someone commits such acts, it also deeply hurts the spirit of public service," Thakur added. Thakur emphasised that such matters cannot be brushed aside. He added, "In difficult times, leaders have to be among the people. Incidents like this harm the dignity of the position and the trust of the people. Strict action is necessary." Meanwhile, following the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh revealed that the attacker was planning the attack for the past 24 hours, Delhi CMO said on Wednesday. "The cowardly attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is part of a well-planned conspiracy. The CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh has made it clear that the attacker had started preparing for this attack at least 24 hours in advance," CMO said. The attacker did the recce of the CM's residence and attempted the attack in a planned manner. The video has been handed over to the police and an investigation is underway into the matter. "It is seen in the footage that the attacker did a recce of the Chief Minister's residence, made a video of the place and attempted to attack in a planned manner. This video has been handed over to the police and an intensive investigation is going on in this regard," the statement said. (ANI) Following the nomination of National Democratic Alliance Vice President nominee CP Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed confidence that he will be an "outstanding" Vice President. "Along with Ministers, Party colleagues and NDA leaders, accompanied Thiru CP Radhakrishnan as he filed his nomination for the post of Vice President of India. The NDA family is confident that he will be an outstanding VP and will enrich our journey towards national progress," PM Modi wrote on 'X'. NDA's candidate CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the Vice Presidential elections in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju and Arjun Ram Meghwal were also present at the occasion.Radhakrishnan filed his nomination in the presence of about 20 proposers and 20 supporters. Earlier today, he paid floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament premises. He also paid tribute to the statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Rani Lakshmibai, BR Ambedkar and Bhagwan Birsa Munda at the Parliament.CP Radhakrishnan was accompanied by Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, L Murugan and BJP leader Vinod Tawade. Radhakrishnan has previously served as a Member of Parliament and as Governor of Jharkhand and Telangana. Prime Minister Modi praised his "dedication, humility, and intellect", noting his long-standing grassroots work in Tamil Nadu. Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, who has been the Maharashtra Governor since July 31, 2024, had earlier also served as the Governor of Jharkhand, Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. Radhakrishnan, who served as the two-time MP from Coimbatore, was born on October 20, 1957, in Tamil Nadu's Tirrupur. The BJP stalwart from Tamil Nadu has achieved a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and became the state committee member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the BJP's precursor, in 1974. Before the Jan Sangh, he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).In the year 1996, Radhakrishnan was appointed as the BJP Tamil Nadu secretary, following which he was elected as a Lok Sabha member from Coimbatore in 1998 and reelected again in 1999. During his tenure as MP, he served as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee and was also a member of the Parliamentary Committee for Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and the Consultative Committee for Finance. Radhakrishnan was also a member of the Parliamentary Special Committee investigating the Stock Exchange Scam. (ANI) They have also announced the establishment of a fourth production line by investing 32 billion rupees, in order to increase the production of Electric Vehicles in the future. Between 2012 and 2015, Gujarat witnessed a wave of investments from international automobile manufacturers. A milestone moment came in 2014 when SUZUKI signed an MoU to establish a mega manufacturing unit in the state. Over the years, they have significantly invested in Gujarat, generating ample employment opportunities for the people in the region. Today, Suzuki Motor's Gujarat plant ranks amongst the largest automobile manufacturing facilities in India and has catalysed large-scale investments in the auto component industry around Mehsana. Gujarat's robust port infrastructure has further strengthened its position as a strategic export hub for the global automobile industry. Gujarat accounted for approximately INR 3,459 crore in 2024, with South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the UAE and Chile emerging as key export destinations, the statement said. Moreover, the invested capital in the automobile sector in Gujarat amounted to Rs 29,700 crore in FY 2022-23, recording a strong CAGR of 16.4 per cent over the last five years. The state's Mandal Becharaji SIR (Special Investment Region) has emerged as a major auto-industrial hub. Recent marquee announcements of Suzuki Motor Corporation include the setting up of a Battery Plant for Electric Vehicles (Rs 7,300 crore) and an EV Manufacturing Facility (Rs 3,100 crore), the statement added. These developments underscore Gujarat's emergence as a global automotive powerhouse as the state prepares to host the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conferences (VGRC). The conferences will showcase Gujarat's dynamic growth story, highlighting opportunities for global investors in the automotive and allied sectors. (ANI) The Himachal Pradesh Congress leaders on Wednesday observed the 81st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi as Sadbhavana Diwas, paying floral tributes at Rajiv Chowk in Shimla. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) President Pratibha Singh, and other senior party leaders participated in the event. On the occasion, the Chief Minister also administered the Sadbhavana pledge to employees at the state Secretariat. Speaking to the media, CM Sukhu described Rajiv Gandhi as the "architect of modern India" who served as the country's Prime Minister for five years and "sacrificed his life for the unity and integrity of the nation while developing a new vision for India." "At a time when the United States had refused to provide computers to India, Rajiv Gandhi resolved to usher the country into the 21st century. Today, that vision has benefitted India's industries and made our information technology sector renowned worldwide," Sukhu said. He also highlighted Gandhi's role as a social reformer. "When the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Bills were passed, women had little participation in public life. Rajiv Gandhi brought social change by giving them constitutional rights and ensuring 33% reservation in Panchayati Raj Institutions, Nagar Panchayats, Municipal Councils, and Corporations. Building on that vision, 50% reservation has now been extended to women in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, and soon they will get similar representation in state assemblies," Sukhu added. HPCC President Pratibha Singh said that the country is remembering the contribution of the former PM. She said, "Today, the entire nation remembers Rajiv Gandhi for his contribution and sacrifice. He will always be remembered for building modern India. The progress we see in the new era has its roots in his vision decades ago, and that vision continues to benefit India, especially our youth." (ANI) Uzbek edition of "Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights" launched in Uzbekistan Xinhua) 08:06, August 20, 2025 TASHKENT, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A launch ceremony for the Uzbek-language edition of the book titled "Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights" was held Tuesday in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. Jiang Jianguo, executive vice president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies; Akmal Saidov, director of the National Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights; and Yu Jun, Chinese ambassador to Uzbekistan, attended the event and delivered speeches. Nearly 300 people participated in the event. In his speech, Jiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and vice director of the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the CPPCC National Committee, said the translation and publication of the book in Uzbekistan represents a dialogue and mutual learning on human rights between China and Uzbekistan. It is hoped that the book will open a new window for the people of Uzbekistan to observe and understand human rights in China, and build a bridge of mutual understanding between the intellectual communities and peoples of the two countries, Jiang added. Saidov said in his address that the launch marks an important event in the cooperation between Uzbekistan and China in the fields of cultural exchange and human rights protection. Yu said the deepening of exchanges and cooperation in human rights between the two sides further enriches the China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era and the China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future. At the launch event, guests from China and Uzbekistan jointly unveiled the new book. Jiang and others presented copies of the book to the main guests from Uzbekistan. A seminar was then held on topics related to human rights. The Uzbek edition of "Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights" is the 13th foreign-language edition of the book, jointly translated and published by China's Foreign Languages Press and an Uzbek publishing house. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Concrete masonry unit (CMU) construction offers a quiet but critical safeguard. With built-in fire resistance, impact durability and storm resilience, concrete block protects continuously, without relying on costly upgrades or add-ons. So why isn't concrete masonry the standard for every school? A recent white paper from the Southeast Concrete Masonry Association highlights the powerful advantages of CMU in school construction: Fire Containment : CMU walls confine fires to their origin 93% of the time and can withstand flames for up to four hours, giving students and teachers critical time to evacuate safely. : CMU walls confine fires to their origin 93% of the time and can withstand flames for up to four hours, giving students and teachers critical time to evacuate safely. Storm Resilience : CMU can withstand winds and debris up to 250 mph in severe weather events. : CMU can withstand winds and debris up to 250 mph in severe weather events. Sound Transmission: CMU controls noise by blocking sound between rooms and absorbing it within busy spaces like classrooms, cafeterias and gymnasiums. Beyond extreme weather, block-built schools are made to withstand daily abuse. CMU construction handles busy corridors, raucous lunchrooms, and hard-played gyms with ease while maintaining its strength and appearance for generations. Real-World Protection in Action Some of the schools hardest hit by storms have chosen to rebuild with CMU for its proven strength and resilience. In 2019, Florence, Alabama, opened a new 180,000-square-foot middle school to replace its predecessor from the 1950s. Designed with safety at its core, the facility features a CMU-built gymnasium that doubles as a FEMA-rated storm shelter, capable of protecting three times the school's student population. After EF-5 tornadoes destroyed schools in Joplin, Missouri (2011), and Moore, Oklahoma (2013), both districts rebuilt with FEMA-rated safe rooms using reinforced concrete masonry. Moore added CMU-walled classrooms designed to withstand 250 mph winds, while Joplin integrated hardened safe-room facilities districtwide to protect students and staff from future storms. "In many districts, schools built with concrete masonry also serve as emergency shelters for the broader community," said James Cain, President of the Southeast Concrete Masonry Association. "Schools are the heartbeat of our communities. They deserve to be built strong enough to protect everyone who walks through their doors." Value That Extends Beyond Safety In addition to life-safety benefits, concrete masonry offers long-term value that school districts can count on: Lower Insurance Premiums : CMU buildings often earn insurance rates lower than timber-framed structures. : CMU buildings often earn insurance rates lower than timber-framed structures. Energy Efficiency : Concrete block's high thermal mass regulates indoor temperatures and reduces HVAC demand. : Concrete block's high thermal mass regulates indoor temperatures and reduces HVAC demand. Minimal Maintenance: CMU resists wear, weather and pests, reducing repair costs over decades. Design Support for Safer Schools According to the U.S. Census Bureau and Federal Reserve, public educational construction spending exceeded $111 billion as of mid-2025. With so much investment at stake, now is the time to rethink what modern school safety should look like from the inside out. To help architects, engineers and builders deliver smarter, safer learning environments using CMU, the Block Design Collective (BDC), backed by the Concrete Masonry Checkoff, provides free technical design assistance. "The next generation of designers can benefit greatly from the Block Design Collective," says Kim Spahn, CEO, Concrete Masonry Checkoff. "We're here to help them unlock the full performance potential of concrete masonry, especially where safety, durability and long-term value are critical." About the Block Design Collective The Block Design Collective (BDC) provides free design assistance to help architects, engineers and builders maximize the safety, durability and efficiency of concrete masonry projects. Backed by the Concrete Masonry Checkoff, the BDC offers early-stage support and technical expertise for schools and other critical infrastructure. Learn more at blockdesign.org About the Concrete Masonry Checkoff The Concrete Masonry Checkoff (CMC) is an industry-funded initiative supporting education, research and promotion of manufactured concrete masonry units in the U.S. It is the first-ever Checkoff Program authorized by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Learn more at concretemasonrycheckoff.org Tom DiBacco (202) 420-0593 [email protected] SOURCE Concrete Masonry Checkoff An eight-member Russian government delegation from the Republic of Kalmykia, led by Khasikov Batu, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia, and Kirishov Sergey (Geshe Yonten), Chairman of the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists in Russia, visited the sacred Mahabodhi Mahavihara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bihar's Gayaji, on Wednesday, a press release by the Bodhagaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) said. According to the press release, the delegation was warmly welcomed with traditional Khada scarves by Mahasweta Maharathi, Secretary of the BTMC, Bhikkhu Manoj and Bhikkhu Dhammika. During their visit, the delegation entered the inner shrine of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara, where monks performed sacred mantra chanting to invoke blessings. The group also offered prayers at the Holy Bodhi Tree, a symbol of enlightenment and spiritual awakening. At the conclusion of the visit, the BTMC presented mementoes to Khasikov Batu and the delegation as a gesture of goodwill and appreciation. Khasikov Batu expressed his deep satisfaction with this first visit to the holy seat of enlightenment and shared that upon returning to Russia, he would convey to his people the significance of this great and sacred destination. He highlighted that there are nearly two million Buddhists in Russia, and informed that in the coming months, he will be hosting a Buddhist Forum in Kalmykia, where around 300,000 representatives from across the globe will be invited to Russia this year. He expressed deep pleasure and a sense of spiritual awakening from the teachings of Buddha and his visit to this holy land. He also conveyed his wish that the Buddha's teachings may flourish all over the world, the press release said. The visit highlights the deep cultural and spiritual ties between Russia and India, fostering mutual respect and collaboration. The Delegation included members Khasikov Batu, Kirishov Sergey (Geshe Yonten), Muchkinova Gerenzala, Acting Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Kalmykia and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kalmykia to the President of the Russian Federation, Kartiev Andrey, Special Representative of the Head of the Republic of Kalmykia for International Affairs, Salykov Vladimir, Advisor to the Head of the Republic of Kalmykia, Korneev Gennadii, Advisor to the Head of the Republic of Kalmykia, Musial Irina, Advisor to the Head of the Republic of Kalmykia and Tarnivskii Aleksei, Press Service. The visit was coordinated by Aashish from India. (ANI) Mrinal Deka, DCP (East) of Guwahati police said that, in connection with the death of an infant girl at Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH), they arrested a woman. "A case (140/25) has been registered at Bhangagarh police station in connection with the death of an infant girl at GMCH. In course of investigation we have arrested one accused woman namely Bhanupriya Misong who was the in-charge of the room on that day," Mrinal Deka said. Earlier, on August 18, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited GMCH and ordered a probe into the incident. According to the reports, a 4-day-old infant girl died at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of GMCH. "The incident is extremely disheartening; it is very painful. I also talked with the Principal of GMCH. I asked the Police Commissioner to examine the CCTV footage and start an investigation," Assam CM said. The Assam Chief Minister assured that strict action would be taken if negligence is found."The Principal of GMCH has formed an inquiry committee to probe the incident," Assam CM said. The probe will be conducted by a three-member committee comprising Additional Chief Secretary L Sweety Changsan, Dr Anup Barman and a Child Specialist of AIIMS. (ANI) Following the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh revealed that the attacker was planning the attack for the past 24 hours, Delhi CMO said on Wednesday. "The cowardly attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is part of a well-planned conspiracy. The CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh has made it clear that the attacker had started preparing for this attack at least 24 hours in advance," CMO said. The attacker did the recce of the CM's residence and attempted the attack in a planned manner. The video has been handed over to the police and an investigation is underway into the matter. "It is seen in the footage that the attacker did a recce of the Chief Minister's residence, made a video of the place and attempted to attack in a planned manner. This video has been handed over to the police and an intensive investigation is going on in this regard," the statement said. Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh on Wednesday informed that the accused in the CM Rekha Gupta attack had conducted a recce of her residence for the past 24 hours and was plotting to meet the Chief Minister. He said that the accused reached CM Rekha Gupta's Shalimar Bagh residence for the recce. He stated that the accused spent the night near her residence and attacked her during the public meeting. "Now, it has been found out that that person was doing a recce for 24 hours to find out how to meet the Chief Minister. He even did recce till CM Rekha Gupta house in Shalimar Bagh. Yesterday, he spent the night in the nearby Civil Lines area and when he came today morning, he did not have any papers in his hand. There was no such issue and he attacked as soon as he met her," Parvesh Sahib Singh told reporters. The Delhi Minister said that CM Rekha Gupta meets upto 2000 people daily during Jan Sunvai without any high security and informed that the police is investigating the matter and further information will be given on its basis. "After a long time, Delhi has got a Chief Minister who was conducting a programme of Jan Sunwai at her house every day. Every day, 1000-2000 people used to come from all over Delhi NCR. She used to meet everyone without any restriction and security and used to listen to their problems. Whatever has happened today is very condemnable. We have just met the Chief Minister. She got injured and her MLC is going on. Police have been investigating who that person was, what was on his mind and what the conspiracy was. Police are doing their investigation and will tell you further information," he added. Earlier, the Delhi Police identified the accused as Rajesh Khimji, who is said to be a resident of Gujarat's Rajkot. The officials are verifying the accuracy of his name and address through his documents. (ANI) In the matter of the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday, a case has been registered u/s 109(1) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (Attempt to murder, Imprisonment for 10 years and fine) at Civil Lines police station. The accused has been taken into police custody. The Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Special Cell team are interrogating the accused, who has been identified as Rajesh. According to the Delhi police, Rajesh came to Delhi for the first time from Rajkot by train yesterday morning, and he stayed at Gujarati Bhavan in Civil Lines. The Delhi police claim that Rajesh was talking to his friend in Gujarat on the phone, informing him that he had reached CM House in Shalimar Bagh. Police will seek the remand of the accused Rajesh. Further investigation is going on from all possible angles. Meanwhile, following the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh revealed that the attacker was planning the attack for the past 24 hours, Delhi CMO said on Wednesday. "The cowardly attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is part of a well-planned conspiracy. The CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh has made it clear that the attacker had started preparing for this attack at least 24 hours in advance," CMO said. The attacker did the recce of the CM's residence and attempted the attack in a planned manner. The video has been handed over to the police, and an investigation is underway into the matter. "It is seen in the footage that the attacker did a recce of the Chief Minister's residence, made a video of the place and attempted to attack in a planned manner. This video has been handed over to the police, and an intensive investigation is going on in this regard," the statement said. (ANI) The Congress on Wednesday pressed the PM Modi Government to act on the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education's report recommending reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backwards Classes (OBC) in private higher educational institutions (HEIs). Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, in a statement, said that the Committee chaired by senior party leader Digvijaya Singh has presented its report to Parliament advocating for the implementation of reservations in private HEIs. The statement highlighted that Article 15(5) of the Constitution, introduced by the UPA Government under Dr Manmohan Singh in 2006 through the 93rd Amendment, empowers the government to mandate reservations for SC, ST, and OBC students in private HEIs. In May 2014, the Supreme Court in Pramati Educational and Cultural Trust v Union of India upheld the validity of Article 15(5), affirming that reservations are permissible in such institutions. However, the statement pointed out that no law has been passed by Parliament to enforce Article 15(5). Data examined by the Committee revealed low representation of marginalised communities in private institutions, including three Institutions of Eminence (IoEs) recognised by the Union Government, where SC students constituted only 0.89 percent, ST students 0.53 percent, and OBC students 11.16 percent. In view of this, the Committee has unanimously recommended that the Parliament enact legislation to implement 15 per cent reservations for SCs, 7.5 percent for STs, and 27 percent for OBCs in private HEIs. Jairam Ramesh stressed that the demand for reservations in private educational institutions can no longer be ignored. He also recalled that the Congress, in its 2024 Lok Sabha election manifesto "Nyay Patra," had pledged to bring such legislation. "The Parliamentary Committee has now given renewed impetus to this demand. The ball is now in the Modi Government's court," Ramesh said. (ANI) Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam on Wednesday condemned the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and stated that the police would investigate the motive behind the incident and take strict action against the accused as well as those who may have masterminded it. Speaking to ANI, Kadam said, "We condemn the attack on the Delhi Chief Minister. What was the intention of the accused? Why did he attack the state CM, who is a woman, in the middle of a crowd? Who are the masterminds behind him? What is their modus operandi and reasons? The police will investigate and probe all these aspects." "Whoever is behind the accused will face strict action, and both the accused individual and the masterminds will be held accountable," he added. Earlier today, a case was registered u/s 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (Attempt to murder, Imprisonment for 10 years and fine) at the Civil Lines police station. The accused has been taken into police custody. The Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Special Cell team are interrogating the accused, who has been identified as Rajesh. According to the Delhi police, Rajesh came to Delhi for the first time from Rajkot by train yesterday morning, and he stayed at Gujarati Bhavan in Civil Lines. The Delhi police claim that Rajesh was talking to his friend in Gujarat on the phone, informing him that he had reached CM House in Shalimar Bagh. Police will seek the remand of the accused Rajesh. Further investigation is going on from all possible angles. Meanwhile, following the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh revealed that the attacker was planning the attack for the past 24 hours, Delhi CMO said on Wednesday. "The cowardly attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is part of a well-planned conspiracy. The CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh has made it clear that the attacker had started preparing for this attack at least 24 hours in advance," CMO said. The attacker conducted reconnaissance of the CM's residence and attempted the attack in a planned manner. The video has been handed over to the police, and an investigation is underway into the matter. "It is seen in the footage that the attacker did a recce of the Chief Minister's residence, made a video of the place and attempted to attack in a planned manner. This video has been handed over to the police, and an intensive investigation is going on in this regard," the statement said. (ANI) Punjab Cabinet Minister and AAP State President Aman Arora on Wednesday paid tributes to Sant Harchand Singh Longowal on his 40th death anniversary, describing him as a leader who rose above personal interests to safeguard peace, harmony, and unity in Punjab. Speaking at a blood donation camp organised by the Indian Red Cross Society's Sangrur branch at the local grain market, Minister Arora stated that Sant Longowal's sacrifice for communal harmony makes him a guiding light for all peace-loving citizens. "It is unfortunate that even today, some political parties misuse Sant Longowal's name for political gains, despite his supreme sacrifice for Punjab's unity," he said. On the occasion, the Minister himself donated blood along with Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Rishi, SDM Charanjot Singh Walia, Municipal Council President Parminder Kaur Barar, and several officials and residents. Commemorating the death anniversary, Arora also laid foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 2.64 crore in Longowal. These include the Giani Gyan Singh Modern Library for Rs 1.50 crore, an Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinic costing Rs 25 lakh, and the renovation of a pond under the Seechewal Model with an outlay of Rs 89 lakh. Highlighting the state government's vision for growth, the Minister said projects worth Rs 65 crore have already been completed in Longowal a record for the state. He asserted that under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's leadership, the government is focusing on strengthening healthcare, education, and infrastructure, while reversing the setbacks caused by previous regimes. "Longowal, being the land of 52 martyrs, holds a sacred place in Punjab's history and will never be ignored. My father, Babu Bhagwan Das, taught me that in politics, real work matters more than showmanship. We are committed to serving people with dedication," Arora said, adding that within a year, no project in the constituency would remain pending. Congratulating residents, he said improved infrastructure will further accelerate development in the Sunam constituency. The programs witnessed enthusiastic participation from a large number of locals. (ANI) Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, on Wednesday extended his gratitude to Home Minister Amit Shah for granting permission for the name change of Uttar Pradesh's Jalalabad to Parshurampuri. In a post on social media X, Prasada stated that the decision made under the guidance and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was a moment of pride for the entire Sanatani community. https://x.com/JitinPrasada/status/1958070173317116154 "Heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the Honorable Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji for granting permission to change the name of Jalalabad in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to 'Parshurampuri'! Sincere gratitude, reverence, and congratulations to the respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and the Honorable Chief Minister Shri @myogiadityanath ji! This decision, made under your guidance and leadership, has provided a moment of pride for the entire Sanatani community," the post read. "Millions of salutations at the feet of Lord Parshuram ji! It is only by your grace that I could become an instrument in this sacred task. May your gracious gaze remain upon the entire world," the post further read. Earlier in the day, Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges. The government also introduced 'The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025' which have now been referred to the Joint Committee of Parliament. The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 5 pm. The lower house witnessed ruckus as several Opposition MPs opposed the bills amid huge sloganeering, prompting the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to adjourn the House earlier. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar and West Bengal on August 22. He will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth around Rs 13,000 crore at Gaya in Bihar at around 11 am. He will also flag off two trains and address the gathering. Thereafter, he will visit and inaugurate the Aunta-Simaria bridge project on the River Ganga. PM Modi will also flag off metro train services on the newly constructed sections in Kolkata at around 4:15 pm and undertake a metro ride from Jessore Road Metro Station to Jai Hind Bimanbandar and back. Further, he will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth over Rs 5,200 crore in Kolkata. He will also address the gathering on the occasion, the Prime Minister's Office said. In Bihar, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the 8.15 km long Aunta - Simaria bridge project on NH-31, including the 1.86 km long 6 lane Bridge on the river Ganga, constructed at a cost of over Rs 1,870 crore. It will provide direct connectivity between Mokama in Patna and Begusarai. The bridge has been constructed parallel to an old 2-lane dilapidated rail-cum-road bridge "Rajendra Setu" which is in poor condition, forcing heavy vehicles to re-route. The new bridge will reduce the extra travel distance of more than 100 km for heavy vehicles travelling between North Bihar (Begusarai, Supaul, Madhubani, Purnea, Araria, etc) and South Bihar areas (Sheikhpura, Nawada, Lakhisarai, etc). It will also help reduce issues of traffic jams in other parts of the region due to the detour which these vehicles were forced to take. It will boost economic growth in the adjoining areas, especially in North Bihar, which are dependent on South Bihar and Jharkhand for getting the necessary raw material. It will also provide better connectivity to the famous pilgrimage place of Simaria Dham, which is also the birthplace of the famous poet Late Ramdhari Singh Dinkar. Moreover, PM Modi will also inaugurate the four-lane Bakhtiyarpur to Mokama section of NH-31, worth around Rs 1,900 crore, which will ease congestion, reduce travel time, and enhance passenger and freight movement. Further, improvement to the two-lane with paved shoulders of the Bikramganj-Dawath-Nawanagar-Dumraon section of NH-120 in Bihar will improve connectivity in rural areas, providing new economic opportunities for the local population. Strengthening the power sector infrastructure in Bihar, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Buxar Thermal Power Plant (660x1 MW) worth around Rs 6,880 crore. It will significantly enhance power generation capacity, improve energy security, and meet the growing electricity demand of the region. In a major boost to health infrastructure, PM Modi will inaugurate the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre at Muzaffarpur. The centre includes advanced Oncology OPD, IPD wards, operation theatres, a modern lab, a blood bank, and a 24-bed ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and HDU (High Dependency Unit). This state-of-the-art facility will provide advanced and affordable cancer care to patients in Bihar and neighbouring states, reducing the need to travel to distant metros for treatment. Furthering his vision of Swachh Bharat and ensuring Aviral and Nirmal Dhara of the river Ganga, PM Modi will inaugurate the Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) and Sewerage Network at Munger constructed under Namami Gange, worth over Rs 520 crore. It will help reduce pollution load in the Ganga and improve sanitation facilities in the region. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a series of urban infrastructure projects worth around Rs 1,260 crore. These include the STP and Sewerage Network at Daudnagar in Aurangabad, and Jehanabad; STP and interception and diversion works at Barahiya in Lakhisarai, and Jamui. Under AMRUT 2.0, he will lay the foundation stone of Water Supply Projects at Aurangabad, Bodhgaya and Jehanabad. These projects will provide clean drinking water, modern sewerage systems, and improved sanitation, thereby improving health standards and quality of life in the region. Boosting rail connectivity in the region, PM Modi will flag off two trains. Amrit Bharat Express between Gaya and Delhi, which will improve passenger convenience with modern facilities, comfort, and safety. And Buddhist Circuit Train between Vaishali and Koderma will give a boost to tourism and religious travel across key Buddhist sites in the region. Grih Pravesh ceremony of 12,000 rural beneficiaries under PMAY-Gramin and 4,260 beneficiaries under PMAY-Urban will also take place with the symbolic handing over of keys to a few beneficiaries by the Prime Minister, thus fulfilling the dream of owning a house for thousands of families. In line with his commitment to world-class infrastructure and developed urban connectivity, the Prime Minister will inaugurate metro railway projects in Kolkata. A 13.61 km-long newly constructed metro network will be inaugurated, and metro services will be launched on these routes. He will visit the Jessore Road Metro Station, where he will flag off the Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar metro service from Jessore Road, the Prime Minister's Office further said. In addition, through video conferencing, he will also flag off the Sealdah-Esplanade metro service and the Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay metro service. He will also undertake a metro ride from Jessore Road Metro Station to Jai Hind Bimanbandar and back. At the public function, PM Modi will inaugurate these metro sections and a newly constructed subway at Howrah Metro Station. The Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar metro service will significantly improve access to the airport. The Sealdah-Esplanade metro will reduce the travel time between the two points from nearly 40 minutes to only 11 minutes. The Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay metro section will play a crucial role in enhancing connectivity with the IT hub. These metro routes will connect some of Kolkata's busiest areas, bring a notable reduction in travel time, and strengthen multimodal connectivity, benefiting lakhs of daily commuters. In a major boost to road infrastructure in the region, PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of the 7.2 km long six-lane elevated Kona Expressway worth over Rs 1,200 crore. It will enhance connectivity between Howrah, the surrounding rural areas, and Kolkata, saving hours of travel time and giving a significant boost to trade, commerce, and tourism in the region. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh government will launch a statewide campaign from September 16 to achieve 100 per cent farmer registration. Acting on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's instructions, district magistrates will review progress daily in the run-up to the drive. The Revenue Department has been directed to issue standard operating procedures (SOPs) to revenue officers to ensure the correction of land ownership records in line with Aadhaar. The Yogi government has set a target of over 2.88 crore farmer registrations. So far, around 1.45 crore farmers, more than 50 per cent of the target have been registered. Bijnor leads the state with over 58 per cent registrations, followed by Hardoi (57.84%), Shravasti (57.47%), Pilibhit (56.89%) and Rampur (56.72%), placing them among the top five districts in farmer registry. According to the release, the data of farmers who are yet not part of the registration process, their credentials are being verified by field officers. In districts like Amroha, Azamgarh, Balrampur, Etah and Jaunpur, 100 per cent verification has already been completed. The Yogi government has directed all District Magistrates to ensure 100 per cent farmer registration before the release of the next installment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-Kisan). The DMs have also been asked to carry out extensive IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities, while ground officials will focus on lagging districts to achieve full coverage. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government today reaffirmed that there is no shortage of fertilizers anywhere in the state. The state government has urged people not to indulge in unnecessary hoarding. The government has reiterated that adequate stocks are available to meet farmers' needs, according to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). The Agriculture Department has shared detailed data on the availability and sale of fertilisers across all 18 divisions. According to the available statistics, during the Kharif season 2024, 36.76 lakh metric tonnes of fertiliser had been sold by August 18. In comparison, this year's sales have already reached 42.64 lakh metric tonnes, showing a significant increase. CM Yogi has appealed to farmers to purchase fertilisers only as per requirement and assured that supplies are available whenever needed. He also directed every district to maintain a complaint cell to promptly resolve farmers' grievances. The statement also mentioned that the CM warned against overpricing and black marketing of fertilizers, instructing district officials to conduct regular inspections, maintain direct communication with farmers, and ensure smooth distribution. (ANI) BEIJING, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AW Education International proudly celebrated its 10th anniversary at the 20242025 Annual Gala, marking a decade of growth, achievement, and global impact. Held under the inspiring theme "Together for Dreams, A Decade of Promise," the event brought together staff, partners, students, and alumni to honor the company's remarkable journey and look ahead to an ambitious future in international education. AW Education Internationals 10th Anniversary Celebration Group Photo A Decade of Growth: From Vision to Industry Leader Building on more than 23 years of expertise in international education, AW Education International has grown from a fledgling start-up to a trusted global education brand. Over the past ten years, the company has evolved from offering single-service solutions to building a comprehensive international education ecosystem encompassing early education, study abroad guidance, application services, cultural exchange, identity planning, and legacy education. Guided by its mission to enhance Chinese students' global competence, AW Education International has expanded its presence to more than 20 countries and regions, partnering with leading universities worldwide. This extensive network has made the company a vital bridge between Chinese students and global education resources, earning the trust of families and partners alike. Proven Success: Outstanding Admissions Results AW Education International's commitment to quality is reflected in its impressive results. For the 2025 admissions season alone, students received thousands of offers from top universities worldwide. This includes over 2,400 offers from U.S. Ivy League schools, more than 760 offers from the UK's G5 universities including Oxford and Cambridge and 1,400 offers from leading universities in Singapore and Hong Kong SAR, China, such as the National University of Singapore and the University of Hong Kong. Behind these achievements is a team of seasoned consultants who provide expert, personalized guidance. Every offer stands as proof of AW Education International's professional excellence and its decade-long dedication to empowering students for global success. The People Behind the Success The celebration also honored the people who have shaped AW Education International's journey. Awards recognized the dedication of its very first employee, who has been with the company for a full decade, as well as teams and individuals who embody its core values of teamwork, resilience, and client focus qualities that have become the foundation of AW Education International's strength. The event also paid tribute to partners and admissions officers who have worked closely with AW Education International to expand opportunities for students. This mutual trust and collaboration have been essential to the company's sustained growth. Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter For AW Education International, the 10-year milestone marks both a celebration and a starting point. The company remains committed to its role as a one-stop international education service platform for elite families, pursuing its "International Education + Insurance," "International Education + Finance," and "International Education + Legacy" strategies. In the years ahead, AW Education International will continue to integrate global education resources, enhance service systems, and focus on supporting students throughout their educational journey empowering more Chinese students to succeed on the global stage. The next decade will bring fresh innovations, stronger partnerships, and an enduring commitment to excellence in international education. SOURCE AW Education International Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Wednesday informed Rajya Sabha that 1647.696 km out of 2216.7 km border, which lies with Bangaldesh in West Bengal, has been covered with a fence. The information was provided to the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to the Question of BJP MPs Shambhu Sharan Patel and Neeraj Shekhar. "Out of balance stretch of 569.004 km, which is yet to be covered by fence and other border infrastructure works, 112.780 km is non-feasible and 456.224 km is feasible. Out of 456.224 km of feasible IB (International Border) length in West Bengal, land for 77.935 km has been handed over to the executing agency. For the balance stretch of 378.289 km, land acquisition is yet to be initiated for 148.971 km by the State Government. The remaining land for 229.318 km is in various stages of land acquisition," he added. MoS Home Further inform the Upper House that steps are being taken by the Centre to expedite the land acquisition process, including Regular meetings and reviews on the issue with the State Government. "Timely land acquisition payments as per norms are being released. Payment has already been made for 181.635 km. Illegal infiltration in the state of West Bengal during the last three years (from 01st January, 2023 to 31st July, 2025) is 3964," Rai added. The total length of the India-Bangladesh border is 4096.7 km. The border with the neighbouring country lies along West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. (ANI) The 6th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) was held on Wednesday at Hanoi, Vietnam, under the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Coast Guard Cooperation signed between the two agencies in 2015, stated an official statement. Additional Director General Anand Prakash Badola, PTM, TM, Indian Coast Guard, and Major General Vu Trung Kien, Vice Commandant, Vietnam Coast Guard, co-chaired the meeting. The deliberations focused on strengthening cooperation in Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), Marine Pollution Response (MPR), and Capacity Building. Both sides reviewed recent ship visits and professional exchanges, and agreed to continue joint activities to enhance interoperability. Special emphasis was placed on collaboration in combating transnational maritime crimes, including smuggling, trafficking, and illegal fishing. The two Coast Guards also highlighted the importance of coordinated SAR operations and joint pollution response initiatives to ensure maritime safety and environmental protection in the region. The delegations reaffirmed their commitment to regular institutional interactions, exchange of best practices, training programmes, and ship visits, recognising that such initiatives strengthen mutual trust and operational synergy. The meeting further consolidated the professional relationship between the ICG and VCG, and reaffirmed their shared resolve to work together in the spirit of friendship and cooperation for regional maritime security, safety, and environmental sustainability. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday condemned the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, calling it an attack on the entire democracy. In a post on social media X, the CM wrote that the act was not only condemnable but also unacceptable, further stating that strict action must be taken against the culprits. https://x.com/pushkardhami/status/1958085538256396704 "The attack on the Honorable Chief Minister of Delhi, Mrs. @gupta_rekha ji, during a public hearing is an attack on the entire democracy. Such an act is not only condemnable but also unacceptable. The strictest action must be ensured against the culprits," the post read. Earlier in the day, a man identified as Rajesh who has been identified as the man involved in the incident was taken into police custody. Furthermore, a case was also registered u/s 109 (1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (attempt to murder, imprisonment for 10 years and fine) at the Civil Lines Police station. Interrogation is currently underway by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Special Cell team. According to the police team, Rajesh had come down to Delhi from Gujarat's Rajkot yesterday morning for the first time and was residing at the Gujarati Bhavan in Civil Lines. The police has also claimed that Rajesh was talking to his friend residing in Gujarat on his phone and was informing him of his arrival at the CM's residence located in Shalimar Bagh. Meanwhile, following the attack on the CM, the CCTV footage obtained from her residence has revealed that the attacker had been planning the attack for the last 24 hours, the Delhi CMO stated today. "The cowardly attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is part of a well-planned conspiracy. The CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh has made it clear that the attacker had started preparing for this attack at least 24 hours in advance," CMO said. The attacker conducted reconnaissance of the CM's residence and attempted the attack in a planned manner. The video has been handed over to the police, and an investigation is underway into the matter. "It is seen in the footage that the attacker did a recce of the Chief Minister's residence, made a video of the place and attempted to attack in a planned manner. This video has been handed over to the police, and an intensive investigation is going on in this regard," the statement said. (ANI) The man who was arrested for attacking Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during 'Jan Sunwai' at her camp office in Civil Lines here on Wednesday is a "serial offender" and several cases have been registered against him in Rajkot in Gujarat, officials said. The accused Rajesh Khimji was arrested by Delhi Police and a case has been registered against him under section 109(1) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (Attempt to murder) at the Civil Lines police station. Officials said that Rajesh Khimji has earlier faced cases and had been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) that relate to causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, presence as an abettor when an offence is committed. They said he has also been booked under sections that deal with unlawful possession of liquor. The officials said an FIR had been filed against him at Bhaktinagar police station in Rajkot in 2017 under Sections 326, 504, 114 of IPC. He was acquitted by a Rajkot court in November 2019. They said another case was filed against him (1227/2020) under Section 65AA, 116B of the Gujarat Prohibition Act. These sections relate to the sale, purchase, possession, and transportation of intoxicants, and unlawful possession of liquor. He was acquitted and released in a case in November 2023 by a Rajkot court. The officials said Rajesh Khimji was booked in the Bhaktinagar Police Station under the same sections in another case (1591/2020) and was subsequently acquitted by a Gujarat Court in October 2023. The officials said he was booked in Bhaktinagar Police Station (R.No.0871/2022 under Section 6PI, 116B). The case is pending in a court of Additional Civil Judge and the next hearing is scheduled on September 29 this year. An official said he was booked in a fifth case (0072/2024) in Bhaktinagar Police Station under IPC Sections 324, 323, 504, 114 and GP Act Section 135(1). He was acquitted by a Rajkot court order in December 2024. According to Delhi Police sources, none of the relatives of the accused is in jail. They said the accused did not take any complaint letter or letter with him to CM residence. Police will seek the remand of the accused Rajesh Khimji. He came to Delhi from Rajkot by train yesterday morning and he stayed at Gujarati Bhavan in Civil Lines. Officials said the accused was talking to his friend in Gujarat on phone that he has reached CM House in Shalimar Bagh. They said the accused came to Delhi for the first time The CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh revealed that the attacker was planning the attack for the past 24 hours, Delhi CMO said on Wednesday."The cowardly attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is part of a well-planned conspiracy. The CCTV footage obtained from the Chief Minister's residence in Shalimar Bagh has made it clear that the attacker had started preparing for this attack at least 24 hours in advance," CMO said. The attacker did recce of the CM's residence and attempted the attack in a planned manner. The video has been handed over to the police, and an investigation is underway into the matter. "It is seen in the footage that the attacker did a recce of the Chief Minister's residence, made a video of the place and attempted to attack in a planned manner. This video has been handed over to the police, and an intensive investigation is going on in this regard," the statement said. (ANI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday hit back at the Opposition in the Assembly, accusing the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of selling jobs and presiding over rampant corruption. He said his government had "shut the door" on such practices and was committed to creating transparent employment opportunities. "During the BJP's tenure, jobs were sold, and corruption was at its peak. Our government has closed that door forever. Recruitment in education and other departments is now happening in a transparent manner," Sukhu said, intervening during the discussion on unemployment and jobs on the third day of the monsoon session. He added that the only change in contractual hiring was renaming it as "job trainee" appointments. The Chief Minister recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised two crore jobs, while the Congress, in its election manifesto, had assured five lakh jobs for youth over five years. "We are working to not only provide jobs within the state but also create opportunities abroad. For the first time, a separate Overseas Employment Department has been established to facilitate this," Himachal CM said. Listing employment achievements since his government took office, CM Sukhu said thousands of youth had been appointed. According to him, over 3,000 TGT (Arts, Medical, Non-Medical) teachers appointed, Batch-wise recruitment of JBT teachers completed, Recruitment for 982 TGT posts to begin by August 31, Process underway for 600 JBT posts, .5,000 pump operators and 2,066 meter readers appointed, Over 1,400 Geo-IT assistants and other technical staff hired. There is Ongoing recruitment for 200 medical officers, 1,200 police constables, 700 home guards and 984 patwaris. He said "Rogi Mitra" and "Pashu Mitra" posts were also sanctioned. CM Sukhu added that 34,000 employment opportunities were provided last year in the government and private sectors. "We are equally focused on self-employment through social media, IT and entrepreneurship," he said, adding that discussions were ongoing with ambassadors from Japan, Germany and other countries to secure overseas job placements for Himachal's youth. Turning his guns on the Opposition, Sukhu alleged that the BJP was using the unemployment issue only to gain sympathy from the youth and disrupt Assembly proceedings. "The BJP is divided into five factions. The leadership of former chief minister Jairam Thakur is under threat. Whenever he raises his hand to speak, BJP legislators like Randhir Sharma and Bikram Thakur also stand up to speak," he said. The Chief Minister also reiterated his claim that the Congress government had adopted a merit-based, transparent recruitment process. "In their tenure, there were only scams. We are working to give jobs to the youth. They are walking out of the House just to score political points," Sukhu remarked. He said the state government stood as a "true partner" of the youth and pledged to create "nothing but jobs" in the coming year. (ANI) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that former Supreme Court Judge B Sudershan Reddy's nomination for the Vice Presidential elections stands as the opposition's firm commitment to restoring "fairness, impartiality, and dignity" to the functioning of the Rajya Sabha. Addressing the gathering of the INDIA bloc members at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, which was also attended by former Supreme Court Judge B Sudershan Reddy, Kharge pointed out that opposition members have been denied the opportunity to raise matters of vital public concern in the Upper House and to avoid this "transgression" Sudarshan Reddy's being elected is vital. "In Parliament, we have seen a growing trend of stifling opposition voices. We are repeatedly denied the opportunity to raise matters of vital public concern in the House. To resist and decisively act against these transgressions in Parliament, the nation needs an exemplary, impartial justice B. Sudarshan Reddy as the Vice-President of India. His nomination represents our collective resolve to defend and uphold the democratic ideals that define India," Kharge said. "Reddy's life and work reflect the spirit of our Constitution, a commitment to fairness, compassion, and the empowerment of every citizen," he added. Congress president further asserted that blatant misuse of parliamentary majority has been witnessed in the last 11 years under the BJP government. "Over the last 11 years, we have witnessed the blatant misuse of parliamentary majority to arm the autonomous agencies like ED, I-T, and CBI with draconian powers to target opposition leaders. Now, these new Bills are set to become instruments in the hands of the ruling party to further undermine and destabilise democratically elected governments in the states," he said. Slamming the government over the 130th Constitution Amendment bill, Kharge said that the legislation undermines the core values of parliamentary democracy. "At a time when the integrity of our democratic institutions is facing unprecedented challenges, his (former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy) nomination stands as a firm commitment to restoring fairness, impartiality, and dignity to the functioning of the Rajya Sabha, which has been in steady decline," Kharge said. "The credibility of India's democratic polity rests on Parliament serving as a robust forum where members freely and fairly articulate the grievances and aspirations of the people they represent. Constitutional Amendment Bill that undermines the core values of parliamentary democracy and federalism are being introduced in subterfuge at the fag end of the session, leaving no scope for meaningful debate or scrutiny," he added. The 130th Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to remove the Prime Minister or Chief Ministers who are facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and have been detained for 30 consecutive days. Kharge also urged each and every parliamentarian to come out in support of B Sudhershan Reddy and elect him as Vice President of the country. "We, the Opposition parties, stand united in our support for B. Sudershan Reddy. We are confident that his wisdom, integrity, and dedication will inspire and guide our nation toward a future rooted in justice and unity. We call upon every member of Parliament to join us in this historic endeavour to protect and preserve the values that make our democracy vibrant and resilient," he said. Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, who served as Chief Justice of the Guwahati High Court before being elevated to the Supreme Court in 2007, retired in July 2011. He will contest against the NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan. Article 63 of the Constitution of India provides that there shall be a Vice-President of India Articles 64 and 89 (1) provide that the Vice-President of India shall be ex- officio Chairman of the Council of States i.e., Rajya Sabha. The Vice-Presidential election is scheduled for September 9, with counting on the same day. (ANI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday, the CM said that she was shocked after the attack on her, but now she's feeling better. She also remarked that this attack was a cowardly attempt on her work for the welfare of the people of Delhi. Delhi CM shared a post on X, saying, "The attack on me during this morning's public hearing was not just an attack on me, but a cowardly attempt on our resolve to serve Delhi and work for the welfare of the people. Naturally, I was in shock after this attack, but now I am feeling better. I request all my well-wishers not to trouble themselves by coming to meet me." https://x.com/gupta_rekha/status/1958146323607109842 She added that she'll soon join the work again. "I will soon be seen working among you again. Such attacks can never break my spirit or my resolve to serve the people. Now, I will be among you with even more energy and dedication than before. Public hearings and the resolution of people's problems will continue with the same seriousness and commitment as before. Your trust and support are my greatest strength," X post read. The Delhi Chief Minister also expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone for their good wishes and blessings. "I express my heartfelt gratitude for your immense love, blessings, and good wishes," X post further read. Meanwhile, Delhi's Environment Minister Majinder Singh Sirsa has alleged that the person who attacked Rekha Gupta was former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's close associate Gopal Italia. Sirsa shared a photo of the attacker with Gujarat AAP leader Gopal Italia in a post on X, and said, "This picture of the attacker with Kejriwal ji's close associate Gopal Italia speaks volumes. There could be a political conspiracy behind the attack on Honorable Chief Minister Mrs. Rekha Gupta ji... I had expressed this suspicion this morning itself." https://x.com/mssirsa/status/1958148146078581012/ He also asked Kejriwal to answer if this is a coincidence or a deliberate act. "Kejriwal ji, please answer... Is this a coincidence or a deliberate act? The public is very angry. And the arms of the law are very long. Those behind these attacks will not escape," the post further read. Earlier today, the man attacked Delhi CM during 'Jan Sunwai' at her camp office in Civil Lines. He is now arrested and is a "serial offender", and several cases have been registered against him in Rajkot in Gujarat, officials said. The accused Rajesh Khimji was arrested by Delhi Police, and a case has been registered against him under section 109(1) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (Attempt to murder) at the Civil Lines police station. Officials said that Rajesh Khimji has earlier faced cases and had been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) that relate to causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, presence as an abettor when an offence is committed. They said he has also been booked under sections that deal with unlawful possession of liquor. The officials said an FIR had been filed against him at Bhaktinagar police station in Rajkot in 2017 under Sections 326, 504, 114 of IPC. He was acquitted by a Rajkot court in November 2019.They said another case was filed against him (1227/2020) under Section 65AA, 116B of the Gujarat Prohibition Act. These sections relate to the sale, purchase, possession, and transportation of intoxicants, and unlawful possession of liquor. He was acquitted and released in a case in November 2023 by a Rajkot court. The officials said Rajesh Khimji was booked in the Bhaktinagar Police Station under the same sections in another case (1591/2020) and was subsequently acquitted by a Gujarat Court in October 2023. The officials said he was booked in Bhaktinagar Police Station (R.No.0871/2022 under Section 6PI, 116B). The case is pending in a court of Additional Civil Judge and the next hearing is scheduled on September 29 this year. An official said he was booked in a fifth case (0072/2024) in Bhaktinagar Police Station under IPC Sections 324, 323, 504, 114 and GP Act Section 135(1). He was acquitted by a Rajkot court order in December 2024. According to Delhi Police sources, none of the relatives of the accused is in jail. They said the accused did not take any complaint letter or a letter with him to CM's residence. Police will seek the remand of the accused Rajesh Khimji. He came to Delhi from Rajkot by train on Tuesday morning, and he stayed at Gujarati Bhavan in Civil Lines. Officials said the accused was talking to his friend in Gujarat on the phone that he has reached CM House in Shalimar Bagh. They said the accused came to Delhi for the first time. (ANI) The Uttarakhand Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025, has been passed in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly today. The benefits of minorities will also now be available to Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Parsis and Buddhist communities. Until now, the status of minority educational institutions has been given only to the Muslim community. The Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority will replace the Uttarakhand Madrasa Board. The Harish Rawat-led Congress government had enacted the Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act in 2016. By July 1, 2026, all madrasas operating in the state will have to obtain affiliation from the Uttarakhand Education Board, and thereafter, to obtain minority status, they will have to apply to the Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority. Only if the prescribed conditions are fulfilled, the institution will be granted the status of a Minority Educational Institution. Earlier, on August 17, the Uttarakhand Cabinet made a historic decision by deciding to introduce the Uttarakhand Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025, in the Legislative Assembly. According to the release, the Bill seeks to extend the benefits of Minority Educational Institutions status to the minority communities other than Muslims as well. Once enacted, it will permit the study of Gurmukhi and Pali also in recognised minority educational institutions. The Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act, 2016 and the Uttarakhand Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules, 2019, will stand repealed from July 1, 2026. Under the proposed Bill, this facility will also be available to other minority communities i.e Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Buddhists and Parsis. This is the first such Act in the country, aimed at establishing a transparent process for granting recognition to educational institutions set up by minority communities in the state, while ensuring quality and excellence in education. Key features of the Act include the formation of an authority - an "Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education" will be constituted in the state to grant the status of minority educational institutions. It includes mandatory recognition, ie any educational institution established by Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, or Parsi communities must obtain recognition from the Authority to qualify as a minority educational institution. Protection of institutional rights - the law does not interfere in the establishment and administration of minority educational institutions but ensures that educational excellence is maintained. Mandatory conditions: To obtain recognition, educational institutions must be registered under the Societies Act, Trust Act, or Companies Act. Ownership of land, bank accounts, and other assets must be in the name of the institution. Recognition can be withdrawn in cases of financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, or activities against religious and social harmony. Monitoring and examination: The authority will ensure that education is imparted in accordance with the standards set by the Board of School Education, Uttarakhand, and that student evaluations remain fair and transparent. The Act introduces significant changes for the minority community's institutions in the state by establishing a transparent process for their recognition. It ensures the quality of education is maintained while protecting the Constitutional rights of minorities. Additionally, the state government gains the authority to monitor the functioning of these institutions and issue necessary directives as needed. (ANI) Biju Janata Dal said Prime Minister Modi has also invited Naveen Patnaik to meet him in Delhi. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to former Odisha CM and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik today. He enquired about his health and wished him a speedy recovery. PM Modi also suggested that Naveen Patnaik rest for some time and come to Delhi soon to meet him," the BJD said in a statement. Naveen Patnaik was admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Sunday evening due to dehydration issues. Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday thanked the staff and doctors of the hospital for taking proper care of him. "The staff and doctors are taking wonderful care of me. Thank you for your kind wishes. If you want to come and see me, you are more than welcome to come to Naveen Niwas," he said. Giving an update on Naveen Patnaik's health condition, BJD vice president Debi Prasad Mishra said that the former Odisha CM is recovering fast. "Late at night, things improved, and you saw the conversation with the doctors. This morning, he is feeling better, and we are all happy that he is recovering fast," he said. Earlier, several Odisha Ministers and state Congress also visited the hospital to meet Naveen Patnaik and enquired about his health. They wished him a speedy recovery. (ANI) Maharashtra Governor and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for Vice Presidential post, CP Radhakrishnan met former Prime Minister and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda at his residence in the national capital on Wednesday. Former Prime Minister expressed his happiness for Radhakrishnan being selected as the NDA candidate for the VP post. "Today, Maharashtra Governor and NDA candidate for Vice Presidential post, CP Radhakrishnan, met me; it is an honour for me. CP Radhakrishnan has a lot of experience. He has also served as the Governor of many states. He has been selected by PM Modi, and I am very happy that he has been selected as the NDA candidate for the Vice Presidential post," Deve Gowda told ANI. Earlier on Wednesday, Radhakrishnan filed his nomination papers for the Vice Presidential elections in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju and Arjun Ram Meghwal were also present at the occasion. Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday expressed confidence that Radhakrishnan will be an "outstanding" Vice President. "The NDA family is confident that he will be an outstanding VP and will enrich our journey towards national progress," PM Modi wrote on 'X'. Radhakrishnan filed his nomination in the presence of about 20 proposers and 20 supporters. Earlier today, he paid floral tribute to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament premises. He also paid tribute to the statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Rani Lakshmibai, BR Ambedkar and Bhagwan Birsa Munda at the Parliament. CP Radhakrishnan was accompanied by Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, L Murugan and BJP leader Vinod Tawade. Earlier on Tuesday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced Sudershan Reddy as the INDIA bloc's candidate for the VP elections. Kharge, in an X post, said, "This Vice Presidential contest is an ideological battle. All Opposition parties have nominated Shri B. Sudershan Reddy garu as their joint candidate for the position of the Vice President of India." Rahul Gandhi also said that the Opposition is united in this "ideological battle". "I warmly congratulate B Sudershan Reddy Garu on being nominated as the joint opposition candidate for the Vice President of India. A distinguished jurist and champion of justice, he represents the spirit of our Constitution - safeguarding people's rights, equality and our Democracy. We stand united in this ideological battle and wish him all the very best," Gandhi posted on X. Kharge said Reddy would file his nomination on August 21. The Vice-Presidential election is scheduled for September 9, with counting on the same day. (ANI) NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AXA XL continues the build out of its energy underwriting team in the Americas with the addition of Executive Underwriter Eric Judd in New York. According to Katherine Gerber, AXA XL's Head of Energy Transition, "Eric brings extensive energy underwriting expertise and a deep understanding of the sector. Our capabilities and commitment to helping clients address energy risks has been well received, and having Eric onboard only strengthens our ability in helping clients navigate through complex risks." "We're excited to welcome Eric to our New York office and East Zone team," said Maria Duhart, AXA XL's East Zone Leader. "As part of a team that supports companies in addressing their multiline insurance needs, Eric's expertise highlights AXA XL's commitment to delivering innovative solutions tailored to not only our energy clients' evolving insurance demands but other clients looking to address their need in developing affordable energy resources." With more than three decades of experience in the insurance and energy industries, Mr. Judd brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of success in energy underwriting. His career spans senior underwriting roles at Zurich North America, Liberty International Underwriters, and Starr Insurance, as well as broker experience with Aon. Mr. Judd began his career as a Field Engineer with IRI. AXA XL aims to support clients in the energy transition by providing innovative insurance solutions and risk management services tailored to the evolving energy landscape. To learn more about insurance for energy transition projects, visit AXA XL's Global market guide for energy transition businesses. Follow AXA XL on LinkedIn ABOUT AXA XL AXA XL provides insurance and risk management products and services for mid-sized companies through to large multinationals, and reinsurance solutions to insurance companies globally. We partner with those who move the world forward. To learn more, visit www.axaxl.com ABOUT AXA XL INSURANCE AXA XL Insurance offers property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty insurance solutions to mid-sized companies through to large multinationals globally. We partner with those who move the world forward. To learn more, visit www.axaxl.com SOURCE AXA XL National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders and Union Ministers on Wednesday held discussions with Maharashtra Governor and NDA candidate for Vice Presidential post, CP Radhakrishnan, at the residence of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. Speaking to media persons after meeting Maharashtra Governor and NDA candidate for Vice Presidential post, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy said that his party would gice full support to CP Radhakrishnan. "NDA candidate for Vice Presidential post, CP Radhakrishnan, visited the residence of Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. We assured him that we will support him," the Union Minister told reporters. CP Radhakrishnan also met former Prime Minister and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda at his residence in the national capital on Wednesday. The former Prime Minister expressed his happiness for Radhakrishnan being selected as the NDA candidate for the VP post. "Today, Maharashtra Governor and NDA candidate for Vice Presidential post, CP Radhakrishnan, met me; it is an honour for me. CP Radhakrishnan has a lot of experience. He has also served as the Governor of many states. He has been selected by PM Modi, and I am very happy that he has been selected as the NDA candidate for the Vice-Presidential post," Deve Gowda told ANI. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed confidence that he will be an "outstanding" Vice President. "Along with Ministers, Party colleagues and NDA leaders, accompanied Thiru CP Radhakrishnan as he filed his nomination for the post of Vice President of India. The NDA family is confident that he will be an outstanding VP and will enrich our journey towards national progress," PM Modi wrote on 'X'. On Wednesday, NDA's candidate CP Radhakrishnan filed his nomination papers for the Vice-Presidential elections in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju and Arjun Ram Meghwal were also present at the occasion. Radhakrishnan filed his nomination in the presence of about 20 proposers and 20 supporters. Earlier today, he paid floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament premises. He also paid tribute to the statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Rani Lakshmibai, BR Ambedkar and Bhagwan Birsa Munda at the Parliament. CP Radhakrishnan was accompanied by Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, L Murugan and BJP leader Vinod Tawade. (ANI) Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday called the passage of the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Parliament a "historic milestone." This comes after the Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill to establish the Indian Institute of Management in Guwahati. In a post on X, Pradhan said,"A historic milestone in Assam's ascent as an eminent educational hub. With the passage of The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Parliament, Assam gets its 1st #IIM in Guwahati. Envisioned by Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodiji as an outcome of the trilateral agreement between Union Govt., Assam Govt., and ULFA for the comprehensive development of Assam, IIM Guwahati will address regional disparities in higher education, facilitate world-class management education and research and further contribute to the development of 'Ashtalakshmi' in line with the vision of Purvodaya." https://x.com/dpradhanbjp/status/1958116197712761055 Earlier, Pradhan said amid opposition uproar that the IIM (Amendment ) Bill, 2025, will further amend the Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017. He said the bill seeks to establish the Indian Institute of Management at Guwahati in Assam, which is an important centre of the North-Eastern region of the country. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, amidst the commotion caused by the opposition over their demand for debate on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar. This IIM will be second in the North East and 22nd in the country. The permanent campus of IIM will be at Palasbari, and IIM Ahmedabad will be mentoring it. After Meghalaya, the Union government has given another IIM to Assam. (ANI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday demanded the government to provide free subscription of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and others to every Indian in the Parliament session. The AAP leader highlighted the potential of emerging technologies in Rajya Sabha, saying, "Indians must be prepared for 2030 and hence must be given free subscriptions to generative AI tools. AI is not a technology but an opportunity to dream big and accomplish those dreams. AI will help boost India's productivity and save precious time." Chadha stressed that access to such tools could revolutionise the way Indians work, study and live. He further emphasised that the AI can unlock India's true potential for farmers to students to old age people. The MP argued that AI tools should not remain limited to the privileged few but be made universally accessible. He also cited examples of nations like UAE, Singapore and China, which have already started providing their citizens with free access to advanced AI tools. "AI is beneficial for our farmers, students, businessmen and elderly," the AAP leader further added. He insisted that India must follow this global trend to remain competitive and forward-looking. He underlined that technology could support farmers in crop management, help students in education, assist businesses in expansion, and aid elderly citizens in their daily needs. "Due to their high cost, 140 crore Indians are not able to take advantage of the prospects that AI products offer. AI is expected to generate a $15 trillion industry by 2030," the AAP leader said. (ANI) Meanwhile, Lok Sabha today passed The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, aiming to promote e-sports and online social games, while outlawing online money gaming. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha earlier today.The Bill was brought in to encourage e-sports and online social games while prohibiting harmful online money gaming services, advertisements, and financial transactions related to them. The Bill seeks to completely ban on offering, operating, or facilitating online money games, irrespective of whether based on skill, chance, or both. "When it comes to society, middle-class people, or a segment of industry. When it comes to society and the government revenue, our prime minister has always chosen the society. Never have we compromised on the interest of the society," Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said, requesting the House, particularly the Opposition members, to unanimously pass the Bill in the Lok Sabha. Opposition members continued raising their slogans, as the Bill was passed by voice vote. (ANI) Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday warned of political unrest in Bihar ahead of the state elections. Addressing a press conference, the Congress leader claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would steal elections in Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. "I can see, there is a fire that is starting in Bihar. I am inviting all the senior leaders to come and see this fire because it cannot be stopped. A 4-year-old child in Bihar is shouting 'vote chor', 'vote chor'... They stole the Maharashtra, Haryana (elections)... They will steal elections in Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam. But now it seems that fire has spread in Bihar... You can see that there is a storm..." Gandhi told while addressing the media. Backing his party member KC Venugopal, Rahul Gandhi stated that he had not only crafted a vision of social justice for Telangana but had also worked on the state census, further emphasising the fact that the Constitution had the final answer to every legal conversation. "There is a fight going on between those that are attacking the Constitution and those that are defending the Constitution... Every single party has unanimously supported Reddy ji. He worked on the Telangana caste census, helped craft a vision of social justice for Telangana. As I was thinking what to say, I happened to look inside his pocket. And inside his pocket, there was the Constitution of India. He is carrying the Constitution of India with him everywhere... After about five minutes, he said to me, Rahul, I have been carrying the constitution in my pocket for 52 years... He said, because, in any legal conversation, the Constitution has the final answer..." he further stated. On the conflicts taking place in the Parliament on the new bills introduced by the ruling party- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gandhi stated that the country was heading back to medieval times when the king could remove anyone on their own will, further stating despite being a democracy, there was no concept of what an elected person was. "There is a lot of action going on about the new Bill that the BJP is proposing. We are going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at will. There's no concept of what an elected person is. He doesn't like your face, so he tells ED to put a case, and then a democratically elected person is wiped out within 30 days. Also, let's not forget why we are electing a new Vice President. Just yesterday I was having a conversation with somebody and I said, you know, where is the old vice president gone? He's gone..." the Congress leader said. Bringing forth the resignation of the former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, the LoP claimed that there was a "big story" behind his resignation, which people were not aware of, questioning why the former Vice President had gone completely silent. "The day the Vice President resigned. Venugopal ji called me and said, Vice President is gone. There's a big story about why he resigned. Some of you might know it, some of you might not know it, but there's a story behind it, and then there's a story about why he's in hiding. Why is the Vice President of India in a situation where he cannot say a word? Suddenly, the person who used to burst forth in the Rajya Sabha has gone silent, completely silent. So this is the time we're living in," Rahul Gandhi said. (ANI) The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), Om Prakash, on charges of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1.55 lakh. The police official, earlier posted at Sohana police station and currently serving at Kharar police station in Mohali district, was apprehended as part of the Bureau's ongoing crackdown on corruption. An official of the VB said the arrest followed an investigation into an online complaint lodged at the Chief Minister's Anti-Corruption Action Line. According to the complaint, a case had been registered against one Gurjit Singh and his wife at the Sohana police station. The accused ASI, who was associated with the investigation of that case, allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh from the complainant for cancelling the case. Officials added that ASI Om Prakash subsequently accepted Rs 1.55 lakh as part payment of the demanded bribe. A verification conducted by the Vigilance Bureau found the allegations to be true, following which the official was arrested. A case has been registered against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the VB police station in SAS Nagar (Mohali). Reiterating the state government's zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, the spokesperson said the arrest underlines the Vigilance Bureau's determination to take stringent action against corrupt public servants, irrespective of their position or rank. A week earlier, on August 11, PVB, in its ongoing crusade against corruption, had apprehended 10 officials red-handed while accepting bribes in eight different trap cases, stated officials in a statement. An official of PVB stated that the department had put up its best efforts to eradicate corruption amongst public servants and others in every sphere during the period. He informed that the Bureau had submitted challans about 28 vigilance cases in various competent courts in the last month. Apart from this, six vigilance enquiries have also been registered to thoroughly probe the corruption cases. He added that eight criminal cases were also registered against 13 accused, which include nine government employees. (ANI) The launch validated all operational and technical parameters. It was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command. Earlier on July 18, India successfully test-fired Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM), Prithvi-II and Agni-I, from the Integrated Test Range in Odisha's Chandipur, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement. The launches took place on Thursday, during which all operational and technical parameters were validated. These tests were conducted under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command. On July 16, India achieved a significant milestone by successfully destroying two Aerial high-speed unmanned targets at high altitude in Ladakh by Akash Prime, the upgraded variant of the Akash Weapon System for the Indian Army. The weapon system is customised to operate at altitudes above 4,500 meters and has the latest upgrades, including an indigenously developed Radio Frequency seeker, as per the release.Based on the operational feedback from users, various upgrades have been made to improve the operational effectiveness, demonstrating the advantage of the ecosystem created for the indigenous weapon system. According to the statement, Army Air Defence and DRDO, in conjunction with Defence PSUs such as Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited, and other Industry Partners, have successfully validated the indigenously designed and developed Akash Prime Weapon System. The trials were done as part of the First of Production Model firing trial and will further enable timely induction and enhance the Air Defence potential in high-altitude frontiers of the country, as per the release. This achievement carries added significance as it follows the exceptional performance of India's indigenously developed air defence systems during Operation Sindoor. (ANI) Nagpur and Nashik Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against psephologist Sanjay Kumar, co-director of Lokniti-CSDS, following a controversial social media post related to Maharashtra elections. Officials said the FIR has been filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, including sections 175, 353(1)(b), 212, and 340(1)(2), indicating charges related to false information and potential election-related violations. "We have filed an FIR based on a complaint which has been received from Tehsildar Ramtek. We will have to look at the severity of charges before calling him to join the investigation...but we will call him soon," Harsh Poddar, SP Nagpur (Rural) told ANI. District Election Officer Nagpur said a FIR has been filed. "Sanjay Kumar from CSDS, has posted misleading information of voters of 59-Ramtek AC for LS-2024 and MH LA-2024, FIR is registered against him. It is requested to all citizens to verify the info only from ECI website," the DEO said in a post on X. A case against Sanjay Kumar has also been filed by Nashik Police. "Sanjay Kumar from CSDS, has posted misleading information of voters of 126-Devlali AC for LS-2024 and MH LA-2024, case is registered against him. It is requested to all citizens to verify the info only from ECI website," District Election Officer Nashik posted on X. On Tuesday, Kumar issued a public apology on X, acknowledging the error in his original post. "I sincerely apologise for the tweets posted regarding the Maharashtra elections. An error occurred while comparing the data of 2024 LS and 2024 AS. The data in the row was misread by our Data team. The tweet has since been removed," Kumar said. "I had no intention of dispersing any form of misinformation," he added. Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) on Wednesday issued a showcase notice to the Centre for Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) for allegedly manipulating data related to the Maharashtra elections. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his allegations about discrepancies in the 2024 state assembly elections and said that the data on which the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha based his claims, has been found to be "wrong". Terming Rahul Gandhi a "serial liar", Fadnavis said he should apologise over his allegations and that "truth has come before the public". "This is a fact that data was given by CSDS, and based on that data, Rahul Gandhi had made allegations on the Election Commission, and also he had accused us of our legitimately elected government. Today, CSDS has tweeted on X and has accepted that their data was wrong and they have apologised for their mistake. They have retracted all of their earlier data," Fadnavis told reporters. Sanjay Kumar told ANI on Tuesday that he rechecked the data after receiving information that the information in his post was wrong."Actually, we (mistakenly) compared assembly constituency number 125 (Nashik West) data with 124 and 50 (Hingna) with 49, which is one row back; that's why the information we got was wrong," Kumar said. (ANI) Alliance Air flight 9I756, operating on the Guwahati-Kolkata route, encountered a technical issue mid-air on Wednesday, resulting in the landing of the aircraft in Guwahati. As a precautionary measure and in adherence to standard safety protocols, the aircraft safely landed at Guwahati Airport, an official statement issued by Alliance Air said. Alliance Air remains committed to the highest standards of safety and ensures that all aircraft undergo regular and rigorous maintenance checks before every departure, they further added. Briefing on the sequence of events, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) spokesperson stated that a "full emergency" was declared here on Wednesday afternoon, adding that there was no impact on airport operations. "Following the diversion of a GAU-CCU flight due to a technical snag, a full emergency was declared at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA), Guwahati, at 13:42 hours on 20 August 2025. The flight landed safely at 14:27 hours. Full Emergency was withdrawn at 14:40 hours," an official statement issued by LGBIA stated. The airport authorities said that passengers were safely deboarded and assisted by terminal staff. On August 6, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Rajya Sabha that there have been six engine shutdown incidents and three May Day calls reported from January to July 2025. Notably, one of these May Day calls was from the ill-fated Ahmedabad-London Gatwick flight that crashed on June 12, resulting in 260 fatalities. The other two May Day calls were reported by Air India Express and IndiGo. Answering a question raised by MP Rajeev Shukla on August 5 (Tuesday), the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, mentioned that from January to July 2025, there were six incidents of engine shutdown and three incidents of May Day calls. The breakdown of these incidents is as follows: Indigo had two engine shutdown incidents and 1 May Day call, Spice Jet had two engine shutdown incidents, Air India had one engine shutdown incident and 1 May Day call (related to the recent AI-171 accident), Air India Express had 1 May Day call, and Alliance Air had one engine shutdown incident. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that it has a structured surveillance and audit framework in place to monitor and regulate airlines, including regular audits and inspections. If any violations are found, DGCA takes enforcement action as per its policy, the Union minister said in his reply. (ANI) Dr Vinod K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, on Wednesday, stated that rare diseases are estimated to collectively affect close to 90 million Indians, making them both a health and societal challenge. He emphasised that with only a fraction of the 7,000 rare diseases having approved therapies, indigenous manufacturing, stronger registries, and multi-ministerial coordination must be prioritised. Addressing the National conference on 'Rare Diseases', organised by FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog and the Indian Medical Parliamentarians' Forum (IMPF), Dr Paul underlined that collective resolve must ensure faster diagnosis, equitable treatment, and an improved quality of life. Reference was made to the efforts undertaken since 2023, wherein it was shared that NITI Aayog, experts, and regulators prioritised 13 high-burden disorders, with significant progress achieved in making five drugs for seven diseases available at drastically reduced prices. He also highlighted the importance of collaboration across academia, industry, and government so that quality and affordable treatments can be developed and research can be translated into lasting cures. He further noted that the principle of "leave no one behind" must serve as the guiding vision. Dr Anil S. Bonde, Member of Parliament and Chairperson, Indian Medical Parliamentarians' Forum, laid focus on rare diseases, though individually small, that impose a severe medical, social, and financial burden. He highlighted the responsibility of policymakers to ensure that no patient or family feels invisible and stressed the role of Parliament in keeping rare diseases firmly on the national health agenda. Mr Amit Agrawal, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, Government of India, emphasised that addressing rare diseases must be seen not merely as a medical challenge but as a moral responsibility. He stated that compassion, innovation, and the courage to forge new partnerships are called for in this context. Reference was made to government-led initiatives, which were described as catalysts for building an ecosystem that supports orphan drug development, advanced therapies, and innovative diagnostics. He further underlined that affordability must remain central, with policies being designed to encourage research while ensuring that breakthroughs are ultimately made accessible to patients in need. Mr Amitabh Dube, Co-Chair, FICCI Pharma Committee & MD, Novartis India, opened the deliberations by stressing the extraordinary struggles patients face, emphasising access as the key challenge. Dr Jasvantsinh Parmar, Member of Parliament & Joint Convenor, IMPF, chaired a session on Centres of Excellence and emphasised their critical role in delivering specialised care, research, and training. He urged adoption of hub-and-spoke models and greater integration of patient advocacy groups into CoE service delivery. The conference was structured around three thematic sessions that set priorities for rare disease action. "Research, Development and Advanced Therapies," the need for expedited regulatory pathways and stronger global and domestic collaborations was emphasised. Under "Centers of Excellence: Service Delivery and Partnerships," operationalising hub-and-spoke models, establishing national protocols, and integrating patient groups were highlighted. The session on "Financing, Procurement and Access Mechanisms" proposed pooled funding from government, CSR, insurance, and philanthropy, along with outcome-based pricing and centralised procurement to enhance affordability. It was reinforced that rare care can be realised only when therapies are made available and affordable, supported by early diagnosis, awareness, and sustainable partnerships. By convening government, parliamentarians, industry, clinicians, and patient advocates, a platform for consensus-building was established to drive coordinated action and strengthen India's rare disease ecosystem. (ANI) Hitting out at the opposition parties for their opposition to the introduction in Lok Sabha of constitutional amendment bill that will prevent people from holding constitutional positions like Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Union and State Minister while in jail, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the "INDI Alliance, under Congress's leadership, shamelessly united to oppose it in a disgraceful manner to shield corruption". He said the Opposition stands completely exposed before the people. Amit Shah referred to the spat with Congress leader KC Venugopal when he was introducing the three bills. "Today in the House, a Congress leader made a personal remark against me, saying that when the Congress trapped me in a completely fabricated case and had me arrested, I did not resign. I want to remind Congress that I had resigned even before being arrested. I did not hold any constitutional position, even after being released on bail, until the court fully acquitted me," Amit Shah said. "The fake case against me was dismissed by the court with the clear observation that it was motivated by political vendetta. The BJP and the NDA have always stood for moral values. Shri Lal Krishna Advani Ji too had resigned from his post merely on the basis of allegations. On the other hand, the Congress party continues to carry forward the unethical tradition started by Smt. Indira Gandhi," he added. He also attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and accused him of double-standards. "The very same Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav Ji, to safeguard whom from the law the Congress party had once brought an ordinance, a move that was opposed by Shri Rahul Gandhi too--is being embraced by Rahul Gandhi at Gandhi Maidan in Patna today. The people clearly understand this double standard," he said. Amit Shah said it had been made clear that the bills will be referred to the JPC for further scrutiny. "It was already made clear that this bill would be referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee of Parliament for detailed discussion, yet the entire INDI Alliance, under Congress's leadership, shamelessly united to oppose it in a disgraceful manner to shield corruption," he said. He said while the Congress's work culture and policy have been to place the prime minister above the law through constitutional amendments, the BJP's policy is to bring our own prime minister, ministers, and chief ministers under the ambit of law. "On one hand, PM Shri @narendramodi Ji has introduced a constitutional amendment to bring himself into the ambit of law. On the other hand, under the leadership of Congress, the entire opposition has opposed it in order to remain above the law, run governments from jail, and cling to power. The nation also remembers the time when, in this very august House, then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi Ji, through Constitutional Amendment No. 39, granted special privilege to the Prime Minister, ensuring that no legal action could be taken against her," he said. Earlier today, Venugopal and Amit Shah engaged in a verbal spat in Lok Sabha over introduction of three bills. Venugopal alleged the bill is meant to sabotage the basic principles of the Constitution. "BJP members are saying that this bill is to bring morality into politics. Can I ask the Home Minister a question?" When he was the Home Minister of Gujarat, he was arrested -- did he uphold morality at that time?" he asked. Shah hit back. "Before I was arrested, I resigned on moral grounds, and until I was declared innocent by the court, I did not accept any constitutional position," he said. The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025' were referred to the Joint Committee of Parliament after Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced them in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. (ANI) Centric Software announces powerful AI-driven features and a breakthrough compliance engine as part of its solution updates CAMPBELL, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Centric Software unveils the latest evolution of its market-leading Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform: Centric PLM. Centric Software delivers best-of-breed integrated enterprise solutions to design, develop, formulate, source, comply, buy, make, package, market and sell consumer goods products in food & beverage manufacturing, grocery and multi-category retail to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals. Centric PLM Serves Up New Innovations for the Food & Beverage and Grocery Industry to Drive Efficiency & Speed The latest update of Centric PLM is a transformative release that takes advantage of AI technologies and designed to simplify workflows, boost system performance and elevate the user experience. Built on direct input from leading food manufacturers and grocery retailers, it delivers a modern UI, intelligent supplier collaboration tools, a new mobile app and embedded AI to accelerate decisions and reduce time to market. "Centric PLM now delivers faster performance and new capabilities designed specifically for the food & beverage and grocery industry, empowering companies to gain agility in a competitive and disrupted market," says Ron Watson EVP Product & CSO at Centric Software. "Our innovative compliance engine simplifies the management of regulatory requirements across different countries streamlining ingredient rules and delivering precise formulation assessments. This accelerates compliance efforts, reduces the time and energy needed to build extensive rule libraries and enables faster more accurate product development reducing compliance and claim risks and giving our customers a strategic edge in bringing products to market." Significant innovations include AI-powered workflow enhancements that embed AI into the product lifecycle for faster data-driven decisions and a revamped sidebar navigation designed for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) with quick access to key functions, simplifying complex data and boosting agility. Centric PLM high-impact innovations for food & beverage: AI-powered workflow enhancements - Integrated AI accelerates the product lifecycle by delivering tailored, embedded use cases across product concept, procurement and development. Unlike bolt-on tools, Centric Software's AI is built into the PLM workflow, enabling faster, smarter data-driven decisions. - Integrated AI accelerates the product lifecycle by delivering tailored, embedded use cases across product concept, procurement and development. Unlike bolt-on tools, Centric Software's AI is built into the PLM workflow, enabling faster, smarter data-driven decisions. Robust compliance engine Users easily create, approve and review compliance rules for ingredients. The detailed, step-by-step checks of formulations and the flexible organization of classifiers improve accuracy and make managing compliance simpler thus reducing non-compliance and claims risks. Users easily create, approve and review compliance rules for ingredients. The detailed, step-by-step checks of formulations and the flexible organization of classifiers improve accuracy and make managing compliance simpler thus reducing non-compliance and claims risks. Centric PLM product brief - The solution brings all product requirements together in a clear and flexible way to allow teams easily collaborate, use consistent templates and track progress. The result is better communication and working as a group with fewer misunderstandings that lead to errors and delays. Everyone works toward a shared product vision from the beginning. - The solution brings all product requirements together in a clear and flexible way to allow teams easily collaborate, use consistent templates and track progress. The result is better communication and working as a group with fewer misunderstandings that lead to errors and delays. Everyone works toward a shared product vision from the beginning. Automated impact analysis When making product changes, it's important to consider the connections between ingredients, formulations, suppliers and regulations. Centric PLM identifies these dependencies and connects real-time data to make managing changes easier and more accurate. This reduces the risk of quality problems and regulatory issues, allowing for faster decisions, fewer delays and improved product safety and speed to market. When making product changes, it's important to consider the connections between ingredients, formulations, suppliers and regulations. Centric PLM identifies these dependencies and connects real-time data to make managing changes easier and more accurate. This reduces the risk of quality problems and regulatory issues, allowing for faster decisions, fewer delays and improved product safety and speed to market. Streamlined supplier collaboration - A single real-time platform designed for smooth execution. Whether working together on a product, obtaining safety data sheets, product fact sheets or certifications delays are minimized and teamwork is improved. In-platform messaging keeps communication clear, relevant and focused for better collaboration. - A single real-time platform designed for smooth execution. Whether working together on a product, obtaining safety data sheets, product fact sheets or certifications delays are minimized and teamwork is improved. In-platform messaging keeps communication clear, relevant and focused for better collaboration. Sustainability without the guesswork With new ESG regulations, Centric PLM's environmental metrics and certificate management tools make staying compliant simple. Automated reports at various levels save time and ensure accuracy. The Certificate Management Module tracks renewals, expirations and links documents to each ingredient and packaging material, making compliance easier and more organized in an increasingly controlled market. With new ESG regulations, Centric PLM's environmental metrics and certificate management tools make staying compliant simple. Automated reports at various levels save time and ensure accuracy. The Certificate Management Module tracks renewals, expirations and links documents to each ingredient and packaging material, making compliance easier and more organized in an increasingly controlled market. Revolutionary sidebar navigation - Built with FMCG in mind, the new sidebar navigation is an innovative redesign that puts essential functions just a click away. The intuitive layout cuts through the clutter of complex hierarchies, making detailed product data easily and quickly accessible with significantly faster queries to boost focus, streamline work and empower teams to respond with agility to ever-changing needs. "Centric PLM transforms the way food & beverage manufacturers, brands and grocery retailers work," says Chris Groves, CEO of Centric Software. "Every innovation like Centric Software's compliance engine and standardized product brief, is driven by customer input, ensuring that, what matters the most, is directly addressed. market-driven. Coupled with industry best-practices and our in-house professional services team, Centric PLM is the market-leading solution for formulated and non-formulated fast-moving consumer goods." Learn more about Centric Software REQUEST A DEMO Centric Software (www.centricsoftware.com) From its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Centric Software provides the market-leading AI-enabled product lifecycle management platform for food & beverage manufacturers, grocery, brands and multi-category retailers. As experts in all fast-moving consumer goods, Centric Software delivers best-of-breed solutions to design, develop, source, comply, buy, make, package, assort, market and sell products. Centric Software solutions optimize the product portfolio, harmonize product offers and streamline product development by speeding time to market and innovation while enhancing quality control and ensuring regulatory compliance. Centric PLM features integrated industry best practices and innovative, AI-enabled capabilities tailored specifically for food and beverage manufacturers, retailers and food service providers. Seamlessly manage the overall product lifecycle, from initial concept and formula development to packaging, quality, supplier collaboration, nutritional labeling, production, SKU rationalization and beyond. Results include up to a 50% improvement in productivity and a 60% decrease in time to market. features integrated industry best practices and innovative, AI-enabled capabilities tailored specifically for food and beverage manufacturers, retailers and food service providers. Seamlessly manage the overall product lifecycle, from initial concept and formula development to packaging, quality, supplier collaboration, nutritional labeling, production, SKU rationalization and beyond. Results include up to a 50% improvement in productivity and a 60% decrease in time to market. Centric Visual Boards are a visually oriented product portfolio optimization tool. A singular accessible workspace pulls in real-time data and imagery from multiple business systems. It is a new, visual way of working to ensure robust, consumer-right product offers, dramatically decreasing assortment development cycle time. are a visually oriented product portfolio optimization tool. A singular accessible workspace pulls in real-time data and imagery from multiple business systems. It is a new, visual way of working to ensure robust, consumer-right product offers, dramatically decreasing assortment development cycle time. Centric PXM AI-powered product experience management (PXM) encompasses PIM, DAM, content syndication and digital shelf analytics (DSA) to optimize the product commercialization lifecycle resulting in a transformed brand experience. Increase sales channels, boost sell through and drive margins. Centric Software's market-driven solutions have the highest user adoption rate, customer satisfaction rate and fastest time to value in the industry. Centric Software has received multiple industry awards and recognition, appearing regularly in world-leading analyst reports and research. Centric Software is a subsidiary of Dassault Systemes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the world leader in 3D design software, 3D digital mock-up and PLM solutions. Centric Software is a registered trademark of Centric Software, Inc. in the US and other countries. Centric PLM, Centric Planning, Centric Pricing & Inventory, Centric Market Intelligence, Centric Visual Boards and Centric PXM are trademarks of Centric Software, Inc. All third-party trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Centric Software Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to former Odisha CM and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday, enquiring about his health and wishing him a speedy recovery, according to the BJD party. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik to inquire about his health. The BJD party added that PM Modi has also invited Patnaik to meet him in Delhi. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to former Odisha CM and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik today. He enquired about his health and wished him a speedy recovery. PM Modi also suggested that Naveen Patnaik rest for some time and come to Delhi soon to meet him," the BJD said in a statement. Naveen Patnaik was admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Sunday evening due to dehydration issues. Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday thanked the staff and doctors of the hospital for taking proper care of him. "The staff and doctors are taking wonderful care of me. Thank you for your kind wishes. If you want to come and see me, you are more than welcome to come to Naveen Niwas," he said. Giving an update on Naveen Patnaik's health condition, BJD vice president Debi Prasad Mishra said that the former Odisha CM is recovering fast. "Late at night, things improved, and you saw the conversation with the doctors. This morning, he is feeling better, and we are all happy that he is recovering fast," he said. Earlier, several Odisha Ministers and the state Congress also visited the hospital to meet Naveen Patnaik and enquired about his health. They wished him a speedy recovery. (ANI) The constitutional amendment bills that government has brought to prevent people from holding important positions while in jail are "for show", Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury said on Wednesday, stating bills were brought overnight as Congress has hit the streets over Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. "Why did they bring the Bill overnight? Because Congress has taken to the streets. So, this is just for show, just like the Women's Bill. This is all just drama," the Congress MP told ANI. Congress MP Manish Tewari said that these three bills are against the basic structure of the Constitution. Constitution of India, the rule of law says that you are innocent until proven guilty...It is destructive of the basic structure of the Constitution for the simple reason that its potential for misuse of state instrumentalities is enormous," the Congress MP said. He also said it is violation of Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha termed these bills as "draconian". Speaking to ANI, RJD MP said, "These are draconian Bills, they have passed a lot of these Bills... There is an important, clear distinction in law between the accused and the convicted. That distinction has ended. So, they are turning into reality their concept of Opposition-free democracy." "I alert Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, as well as others in his party - perhaps they want to target someone against them too...," he added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The bills have been referred to a Joint Committee of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges. (ANI) Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his parliamentary office on Wednesday. During the meeting, Margherita expressed her gratitude to PM Modi for entrusting him with the responsibility of Minister of State (MoS) in two key ministries. Margherita briefed the Prime Minister on the ongoing activities and plans of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Textiles. In a post on X, Margherita wrote, "Honoured to call on Param Adarniya Pradhan Mantri Shri @narendramodi Ji, today in his parliament office. I expressed my gratitude to him for entrusting me with the responsibility of the MOS of two important ministries in the government. During our meeting, I briefed him on our ongoing activities at @MEAIndia and @TexMinIndia, as well as the plans for both the ministries." Margherita described the meeting as "invaluable," stating that it was an opportunity for learning and growth. "Meeting Param Adarniya PM Modi Ji is always an opportunity for learning and growth. His valuable guidance and insights help us perform our duties in the most efficient and results-oriented manner," he added. Earlier, in July, Margherita concluded his official visits to Eswatini and Lesotho, which took place from July 18 to 22, and to South Africa from July 23 to 25. During his visit to Eswatini, Margherita called on King Mswati III and held productive discussions with Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini. He also held bilateral meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Economic Planning and Development, Health, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy, Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and senior members of the Eswatini Government, the Ministry of External Affairs stated. The meetings reviewed the state of bilateral relations and explored new avenues for cooperation in trade, capacity building, health, and education. Margherita also interacted with members of the Indian community and visited the Royal Science and Technology Park, a development project supported by the Government of India. During his visit to Lesotho, the MoS paid courtesy calls on King Letsie III and Prime Minister Samuel Matekane. He also held bilateral meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation, Education and Training, and Labour and Employment, according to the MEA. (ANI) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday announced that 12,000 trains will be operated for Bihar on the occasion of Diwali and Chhath festivals. This announcement comes after he held discussions with the Bihar NDA leaders. Four Amrit Bharat trains will be launched to connect Delhi and Gaya, Saharsa to Amritsar, Chhapra to Delhi and Muzaffarpur to Hyderabad, the railway minister said, adding that a Vande Bharat train will be started between Purnia and Patna."It was decided that 12,000 special trains will be run for the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals. 12,000 special trains so that passengers do not face any kind of inconvenience on these two big festivals... Those who will travel between 13th and 26th October and return between 17th November and 1st December will be given confirmed tickets, and a 20% discount will be given on the return journey. This experiment is also being done during this festival season," Vaishnaw said. In a post on X, Vaishnaw said that a special Buddha Circuit Train will be launched from Vaishali to Koderma, connecting key heritage destinations related to Lord Buddha. Earlier today, Vaishnaw said that the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha, is a significant bill aimed at regulating online gaming, recognising its growing importance in the digital sector."The bill identifies three segments within online gaming," the minister told reporters after the passage of the Bill in the Lok Sabha. The Minister said that E-sports are rapidly gaining prominence and will receive legal recognition. Online social games, which are played without monetary stakes are also to be promoted for family and friendly interaction. "Online money games, which have become a major societal concern due to addiction and financial losses, leading to extreme cases, including suicides," the minister said. The World Health Organization has classified this as a public health issue termed "online gaming disorder", the minister said. (ANI) The party also announced the appointment of two vice chairpersons of the department -- Brijendra Singh and Arathi Krishna, according to an official statement issued by the Congress. The Congress appreciates the contributions of the outgoing Chairperson, Anand Sharma, who announced his resignation on August 10. Meanwhile, the Congress on Wednesday pressed the Centre to act on the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education's report recommending reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backwards Classes (OBC) in private higher educational institutions (HEIs). Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, in a statement, said that the Committee chaired by senior party leader Digvijaya Singh has presented its report to Parliament advocating for the implementation of reservations in private HEIs. The statement highlighted that Article 15(5) of the Constitution, introduced by the UPA Government under Dr Manmohan Singh in 2006 through the 93rd Amendment, empowers the government to mandate reservations for SC, ST, and OBC students in private HEIs. Jairam Ramesh stressed that the demand for reservations in private educational institutions can no longer be ignored. He also recalled that the Congress, in its 2024 Lok Sabha election manifesto "Nyay Patra," had pledged to bring such legislation. "The Parliamentary Committee has now given renewed impetus to this demand. The ball is now in the Modi Government's court," he said. (ANI) Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi has termed the case filed by the Assam Police's Crime Branch against journalists Karan Thapar and Siddharth Varadarajan, as an attack on freedom of speech. An Assam Congress release said that two journalists have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, though the details of the charges and clarity in the FIR remain absent. Gogoi added that the Assam Police's move to obstruct the two journalists from exercising their right to free expression amounted to misuse of legal provisions and was unconstitutional. Meanwhile, Gogoi had on Tuesday said that the three bill sought to be introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah are an attempt to divert attention from party leader Rahul Gandhi's Vote Adhikar Yatra against Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. "The bills of Home Minister Amit Shah are nothing but a desperate attempt to divert the attention of the public away from the blistering Vote Adhikar Yatra of Shri Rahul Gandhi. First CSDS - BJP IT cell drama and now these bills. Clearly the winds of change are blowing in Bihar," he said in a post on X. Amit Shah introduced in Lok Sabha the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The bills were sent to joint committee of Parliament. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges. The Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to remove the Prime Minister or Chief Ministers from their posts if they face allegations of corruption or serious offences and have been detained for 30 consecutive days. (ANI) The Government has established Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) as an institution of national importance through an Act of Parliament, which came into effect on October 1, 2020. The announcement was made in the Rajya Sabha today by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, in response to a query on the establishment of police universities in the country. The University has been tasked with promoting high standards of learning, research, and training in various domains of internal security. Its focus areas include: policing and security - coastal policing, law enforcement, and criminal justice; Cyber and AI research - cybersecurity, cybercrime, and artificial intelligence applications in internal security; Public safety and social inclusion - strengthening citizenship ideals and providing citizen-centric services with special emphasis on women, weaker sections, and minorities. The Rashtriya Raksha University has expanded its campuses to Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Puducherry. In addition, the University has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with law enforcement agencies, Central Armed Police Forces, and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) to advance research and training in the field of internal security. Earlier today, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) identified two districts in Jharkhand - Latehar and West Singhbhum as Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) affected, according to a written answer in the Rajya Sabha today by MoS Home Nityanand Rai. Over the past five years, the Centre has allocated Rs 936.50 crore to Jharkhand under three major schemes aimed at tackling LWE challenges and improving infrastructure and development in the affected regions. The schemes include the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme, Special Central Assistance (SCA) Scheme, and Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS). The government highlighted several initiatives undertaken in Jharkhand's LWE-affected districts with special focus on expansion of road network, telecom connectivity, financial inclusion, education, and skill development. For road connectivity, 2,927 km of roads have been constructed. For Telecom expansion: 1,589 mobile towers have been commissioned. For Financial inclusion: 1,240 post offices, 349 bank branches, and 352 ATMs opened across most LWE-hit areas. For Skill development: 16 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 20 Skill Development Centres have been made functional, and for quality Education in tribal blocks, 47 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) have been made functional. To ensure effective utilisation of funds and timely progress, the Centre has put in place monitoring mechanisms through different central-level committees. These include the SRE Standing Committee for the SRE scheme, the Project Clearance Committee for the SIS, and the Central Level Committee for the SCA Scheme. (ANI) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday slammed the government's move to table a bill for the removal of Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, and ministers held on serious criminal charges. According to Tejashwi Yadav, this bill is a ploy to "blackmail and intimidate" certain leaders, specifically naming Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu. He cited examples of Jharkhand CM like Hemant Soren and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who were jailed but later acquitted, suggesting a similar fate for others targeted under this law. Speaking to ANI, the RJD leader said, "This is a new way to blackmail people... This law is being brought only to blackmail and intimidate Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu... This is what these people do... Earlier too, many Chief Ministers were kept in jail, but all were acquitted, like Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal." He alleged that the bill is being brought to weaken democracy and target specific leaders. "This bill has been brought because it is part of a larger conspiracy to pressurise Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and ask him to stay within limits and accommodate BJP leaders in the tickets given to JDU leaders... This bill has been brought to keep Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in check... They can also file a new case (on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar).... This law is being brought to weaken democracy," RJD leader added. The proposed bill mandates the removal of any Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Minister who is detained for 30 consecutive days on charges punishable with at least five years of imprisonment. If the arrested leader doesn't resign, their office will automatically fall vacant after 31 days. Interestingly, the bill allows for re-appointment post-release, providing a degree of flexibility. When asked about the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', Yadav remarked that there's a lot of anger among the people. "The public is saying 'Vote Chor Gaddi Chhodd'...," he added. On PM Modi's visit to Bihar, the RJD leader said, "There will be no impact of PM Modi's visit to Bihar..." The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to remove a Central or State Minister who is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days. Union Minister Amit Shah tabled the Bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' began on Sunday from Sasaram. The 16-day yatra has been organised to protest against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar and alleged 'vote chori'. It will cover more than 1,300 km across over 20 districts and conclude in Patna on September 1. (ANI) White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday (local time) repeated the false claim made by US President Donald Trump on brokering peace in the India-Pakistan conflict after Operation Sindoor. Leavitt, during her press briefing, said that Trump was proud of the peace deals and leveraged trade to end the Indo-Pakistan conflict after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. "[For] India and Pakistan [conflict], he [Trump] used trade in a very powerful way as leverage to bring that conflict to an end. So I know he's very proud of all of these achievements, and I know he's very honoured to serve as the president of the United States and to restore peace around the world," she said. She said that Trump enjoyed having the Azerbaijan and Armenian leaders at the White House, helping them with the peace deal. "I think he's proud of all of the peace deals that he's been able to achieve. You saw the president of Armenia and the head of Azerbaijan both at the White House just a couple of weeks ago. The president I know very much enjoyed spending time with them and helping to bring that conflict to an end. He very much enjoyed his time with leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Oval Office, talking to them about bringing that decades-long war to an end," she said. Leavitt further said that the Secretary of State Marco Rubio continuously apprised Trump of various conflicts bubbling around the world, but now the Russia-Ukraine conflict has caught Trump's attention. "In fact, there are many [conflicts around the world]. The State Department is always working around the clock under the leadership of Secretary Rubio and keeping the president apprised of conflicts that are bubbling up all over the world. But of course, as you all know, as we've talked a lot about in this briefing, he's spending a lot of time right now on ending this war in Russia, Ukraine, and of course, the conflict in Israel and Gaza, which he wants to see come to a close as well," she said. Trump had earlier, on July 28, stated that he was optimistic about brokering the peace deal between the Southeast Asian nations, describing the talks as "an easy one," compared to his past claims of resolving the India-Pakistan conflict. "We're dealing with Thailand, and we do a lot of trade with Thailand and with Cambodia, and yet I'm reading that they're killing each other. You know, they're fighting. They're in a war. And I say this should be an easy one for me because I've settled with India and Pakistan, and Serbia and Kosovo were going at it," Trump said. Trump was referencing the recent India-Pakistan conflict in May, where he had claimed credit several times for brokering a ceasefire between the two nuclear nations, using trade as leverage. The conflict erupted after 26 civilians were killed in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, after which India retaliated through precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). However, according to Indian officials, it was Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who contacted their Indian counterpart to request an end to hostilities, following which the ceasefire was then agreed upon. "Getting those things settled, if I can do it and if I can use trade to do that, it's my honour," he added, reflecting his belief in trade as a diplomatic tool. (ANI) White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday (local time) said that US President Donald Trump is the only president this century, Republican or Democrat, who has held Russia in check and ensured peace in Europe. "Just look at what took place during the last four administrations. Under George W. Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under Barack Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under Joe Biden, Russia invaded Ukraine. But under President Trump, Russia did not invade or take anything. President Trump is the only president this century, Republican or Democrat, who has held Russia in check and ensured peace in Europe. That's because Russia has always greatly respected President Trump and his peace through strength foreign policy approach," she said at a press conference following the president's meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Earlier, Trump had criticised former President Barack Obama's response to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. "No getting back Obama given Crimea...and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!" During Obama's presidency, Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine, and many critics argue that the US and its allies did not take strong enough action to reverse the move or deter further aggression. Trump's approach to Russia was characterised by a mix of cooperation and confrontation. On one hand, he advocated for improved relations with Russia and maintained a positive public rapport with President Vladimir Putin. On the other hand, his administration took decisive actions against Russia, including imposing sanctions, expelling Russian diplomats, and providing military aid to Ukraine. Leavitt said that it was a matter of 'common sense' that the Russia-Ukraine Conflict would never have started if US President Donald Trump were the President in 2022. "On Friday, as you all know, many of you were there, President Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska for a bilateral meeting. This was the first time President Putin has been to the United States since 2015 and the first time he has met with an American president in years. President Putin publicly confirmed what President Trump has said all along. The war between Russia and Ukraine never would have started in the first place if President Trump were in office. This was always obvious to any person with a shred of common sense," she said. Leavitt said that the meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy was successful, as it yielded results within 48 hours. "But overall, the bilateral talks in Alaska were very productive, and multiple key points were agreed to between the two leaders that truly opened up the door for phase 2 discussions, which took place yesterday here at the White House. Within 48 hours of that meeting in Anchorage, I may add," she said. Leavitt said that Trump is brokering peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict as his predecessor Joe Biden 'allowed' it to take place by funding it through Americans' tax dollars. "What we've witnessed President Trump accomplish over the last few days has been nothing short of remarkable. We are now three and a half years into the war between Russia and Ukraine. A brutal conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives and cost trillions of dollars. The weakness and incompetence of Joe Biden foolishly allowed the killing to start in the first place. Until President Trump returned to office in January, the bloody and broken Biden status quo was to endlessly force American taxpayers to fund Ukraine no matter the cost, no matter how long it takes, and no matter how many lives were lost. There is no denying that Biden's America last foreign policy moved the world further away from peace," she said. Trump 's efforts are breaking the deadlock now, Leavitt claimed. "President Trump rejected that failed approach and instead, over the last seven months, has relentlessly pursued peace throughout his second term. And thanks to President Trump's efforts, we finally have movement after years of deadly gridlock," she said. Leavitt said that all European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy credited Trump with the peace brokerage. "As you all know, there were many European leaders here as well as Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. They all travelled here to meet with President Trump to maintain the momentum and work toward a lasting peace. Across the board, every leader credited President Trump for his decisive leadership that has reignited the dialogue in hopes of finally bringing this war to a peaceful conclusion. Two quotes in particular capture the progress that was made in the optimism moving forward. Finnish President Alexander Stub said, "I think in the past two weeks, we've probably had more progress in ending this war than we have had in the past two and a three and a half years." Again, that is the president of Finland, a country that shares a border with Russia. That's what we call the President Trump effect," she said. Leavitt also quoted NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as saying that without Trump, these talks could never have happened. "NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also summed it up well. "Without President Trump, this deadlock with Putin would not have been broken. He is the only one who could do this." Following the encouraging conversations yesterday, President Trump spoke with President Putin by phone and he agreed to begin the next phase of the peace process, a meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy, which would be followed, if necessary, by a trilateral meeting between President Putin, President Zelenskyy, and President Trump. As the president said, Vice President Vance, Secretary Rubio, and Special Envoy Witkoff will continue to coordinate with Russia and Ukraine to make this happen as soon as possible," she said. Leavitt claimed that previous presidents would travel 'halfway around the globe' asking for forgiveness, but Trump pulled world leaders to the White House and helped them out. "It's very important to remember that before President Trump's landslide victory last November, there was no end in sight to this bloodshed. Now, there may finally be light at the end of the tunnel and an opportunity for lasting peace. That's because President Trump is the peace president and American leadership is back on the world stage. It should not be lost on anyone in this room that world leaders are coming right here to Washington DC for help. While previous presidents have travelled halfway around the world to apologise for America, President Trump stands up for America, and he has firmly restored America's status as the undisputed leader of the free world," she said. (ANI) Expansion of company to be funded through flexible, growth debt funding package that requires no equity exchange or loss of management control ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Connexio Cloud, a leading developer of customer-engagement and workforce-management software, has secured significant growth financing from Decathlon Capital Partners. The company headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., will use the funds for expanded platform development, sales and marketing, and customer support. Details of the variable-repayment debt transaction were not disclosed. William Shaheen, CEO of Connexio Cloud, said the additional funding doesn't require any dilution, loss of management control or costly additional overhead. "Our financial partnership with Decathlon Capital Partners provides important flexibility for our growing company," Shaheen said. "We have an exciting market opportunity and the bespoke growth funding package from Decathlon will help us scale and reach our full potential without incurring any dilution. This is important as we serve an expanding number of clients who find our products to be a transformative force that streamlines communications and management processes." Wayne Cantwell, Managing Director of Decathlon Capital Partners, said the growth of Connexio Cloud during its 12-year history reflects the value of its comprehensive software tools to business enterprises across the globe. "With its experienced leadership, commitment to cutting-edge products and focus on user-friendly interfaces, Connexio is well-positioned to continue its growth trajectory," Cantwell said. "Decathlon Capital Partners is proud to support Connexio Cloud as it strengthens its industry leadership." About ConneXio Cloud At ConneXio Cloud, our story is one of innovation, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. For over 12 years, we have been at the forefront of creating cutting-edge software solutions that empower businesses across the globe. Our journey began with a simple yet profound vision: to revolutionize the way businesses communicate and manage their operations. Learn more at wwwconnexiocloud.com. About Decathlon Capital Partners Decathlon Capital Partners provides growth capital for companies seeking alternatives to traditional equity investment. Through the use of highly customized growth-debt financing solutions, Decathlon provides long-term growth capital without the dilution, loss of control and operational overhead that often comes with equity-based funding. With offices in Palo Alto and Park City, Decathlon is active across a wide range of sectors. Learn more at www.decathloncapital.com. SOURCE ConneXio US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday (local time) said that US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on India to deter Russia from pursuing the Ukraine conflict. Trump has doubled India's tariff to 50 per cent by imposing an additional 25 per cent levy on the previously announced 25 per cent. Leavitt, during her press briefing, said that the intent behind the sanctions was to put secondary pressure on Russia. "Look, the president has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He's taken actions, as you've seen, sanctions on India and other actions as well. He's made himself very clear that he wants to see this war end, and he has scoffed at the ideas of others that have been raised that we should wait another month before any meeting takes place," she said. Earlier, Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, with the former signalling his openness to a trilateral meeting with Putin to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Trump said that he had a very successful day, while Zelensky noted that this was the "best conversation" he had with the US President so far. Leavitt further said that Trump wishes to bring peace as soon as possible. "The president wants to move and he wants to bring this war to an end as quickly as possible... With all of those European leaders leaving the White House, including the NATO Secretary General, they all agree that this is a great first step. And it's a good thing that these two leaders are going to be sitting down together, and the president expects that to happen," she said. Leavitt further said, "I can assure you that the United States government and the Trump administration are working with both Russia and Ukraine to make that bilateral happen as we speak." Leavitt said that Trump's relentless efforts at brokering peace led to the European leaders being present at the White House within 48 hours of his meeting with Putin. "The President met with all of these European leaders at the White House 48 hours after sitting down with President Putin on American soil. In fact, there was so much progress in the readout that was given to these European leaders immediately following his meeting with President Putin that every single one of them got on a plane 48 hours later and flew to the United States of America," she said. "So these leaders who this war is in their backyard are very grateful that the president took that call and that he was there to provide them with a readout of Russia's thinking on this, something that was not done by the previous administration at all," she added. Leavitt reinstated the White House's claim that if Trump were the president, the war would have never happened when a reporter asked a question in that regard. "The president often says that this war would not have started if he were in office and and Putin confirmed that," the reporter asked. Trump has repeatedly stated that the war wouldn't have started if he were in office, and surprisingly, Putin seems to agree. When asked about this, Leavitt confirmed that Putin did indeed say that. "True. Do you accept that as true? The European leaders do. Well, and President Putin himself said that, by the way," Leavitt said. A reporter asked what Trump plans to do to ensure security guarantees last beyond his presidency. Leavitt responded that Trump understands the need for lasting peace and is engaging in discussions with European leaders and NATO to achieve this goal. Leavitt highlighted Trump's dedication to bringing the war to an end, saying he has spent a significant amount of time and energy on this effort. Trump has been in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders to brief them on the situation. "Well, he understands the need for that, which he spoke to yesterday. It's why he's engaging in numerous discussions and conversations with both sides of this war with our European allies. The President himself was discussing with European leaders and NATO how to ensure lasting peace and bring an end to the conflict. He has expended an incredible amount of time, energy and effort into bringing this war to an end, and he remains determined to do that," Leavitt answered. (ANI) US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday (local time) said that US President Donald Trump ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees. Leavitt, during her press briefing, said that other options, however, remain open, including the skies. "The president has definitively stated US boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, but we can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies. The president understands that security guarantees are crucial to ensuring a lasting peace. He has directed his national security team to coordinate with our friends in Europe and also to continue to cooperate and discuss these matters with Ukraine and Russia as well," she said. Upon being asked if the US would provide 'air' as a security option, Leavitt said that it was a possibility. "It is an option and a possibility. I certainly won't rule out anything as far as military options that the president has at his disposal. I'll let him do that. I can tell you he's ruled out boots on the ground," she said. Upon being pressed for further details on the security guarantees for Ukraine, she said, "President Trump has directed his team to come up with a framework for these security guarantees that can be acceptable to help ensure a lasting peace and end this war," she said. On being asked how US President Donald Trump guarantees the non-spending of the taxpayer money to Ukraine, Leavitt said that Trump proposed that NATO purchase the weapons for Ukraine. "Well, the president is very sensitive to the needs of the American taxpayer. And immediately upon entering office back in January, he made it very clear that we're not going to continue writing blank checks to fund a war very far away, which is why he came up with the very creative solution to have NATO purchase American weaponry, because it is the best in the world. And then to backfill the needs of the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people and their military. So that's the solution the president has come up with. We'll continue to see that forward. As for any additional sales, I'll have to defer you to the Department of Defense," she said. Leavitt said that Trump has learnt a lot while solving the war crises, including how to move the ball forward with diplomacy. "Well, the president has learned a lot, which is part of the reason he opened up this dialogue. the previous administration who oversaw the beginning of this war refused to talk and President Trump has always said in order to learn to move the ball forward with diplomacy and towards peace you have to have open dialogue and so that's why the president has had several conversations by phone and of course an in-person meeting last Friday with President Putin," he said. Leavitt added that due to Trump, Russia and Ukraine have agreed to talk to each other after several years. "He has also talked to President Zelenskyy dozens of times, had him here at the White House yesterday, and he's understanding what both sides want. What both sides are going to have to give up, and he has always said that in order to get a good deal, both sides are going to have to walk away a little bit unhappy. So he continues to learn a lot throughout these conversations which is why we've seen progress from both sides and I would also just add when it come comes to learning and moving the ball forward look at how both Russia and Ukraine have actually talked directly for the first time in many years thanks to the efforts of this president and this administration," she said. Leavitt said that the US is gaining respect on the world stage, as Trump brokered peace on several occasions. She again falsely credited Trump with brokering a peace deal between India and Pakistan. "Russia and all countries around this world actually respect the United States again, and the president is using the might of American strength to demand that respect from our allies, our friends, our adversaries all around the world. And we've seen that not just lead to progress with Russia and Ukraine, but also we've seen it in the closing of seven global conflicts around the world as well. We've seen it with the release of hostages in Gaza. You've seen it with the end of the conflict between India and Pakistan, which could have resulted in a nuclear war if we had not had a president who believed in the strength and the leverage that comes with the job of being the president of the United States of America," she said. Leavitt said that the US is willing to help Russia and Ukraine sit down and negotiate. "Well, look, the president has spoken to both leaders about this and both leaders have expressed a willingness to sit down with each other. Our national security team will help both countries do that. Ultimately, the president has always said that there are areas of disagreement in this war that will have to be discussed and decided upon by these two countries. And so, he wants these two countries to engage in direct diplomacy. He's said that from the very beginning, which is why he's agreeable to the idea of having President Zelenskyy and President Putin get together and I understand accommodations for that meeting are underway," she said. "There are many options that are being discussed by our national security team right now with both parties," she added. (ANI) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 21 Chinese aircraft and seven Chinese Naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6 am on Wednesday (local time). As per the MND, of the 21 aircrafts, 17 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. In a post on X, Taiwan's MND said, "21 sorties of PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 17 out of 21 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1957970844778430535 Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan's MND detected 10 sorties of PLA aircraft and six PLAN vessels around itself. In a post on X, the MND said, "10 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 2 out of 10 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1957608458171416689 Regular inspections are set to begin next year to address the issue of military personnel, civil servants, and public-school educators possessing Chinese citizenship or household registration, according to a report by Taipei Times citing the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC). Article 9-1 of the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area states that Taiwanese individuals who obtain Chinese household registration or a Chinese passport will lose their Taiwanese citizenship and be barred from working in the military, public service, or public education, as reported. In order to identify and prevent the unauthorised employment of individuals holding Chinese ID cards or residential permits, systematic inspections will be implemented starting on January 1 of next year, the council indicated, as noted by Taipei Times. Recruits or transferred military personnel, civil servants, and public-school instructors must comply with these inspections. Failure to do so may result in the suspension of their qualification assessments and employment or reassignment, as per the regulations and their employment agreements, it was explained. Considering the size of the civil service and the diversity of its personnel, the regular inspection procedure will be introduced gradually, the council stated. In the initial phase, only essential personnel from the military, civil service, and public education institutions will undergo regular inspections, while others will be exempt, according to the report from Taipei Times. (ANI) In a post on X, BYC said that on Tuesday, the protests entered their 35th day in Islamabad. The families continue with their sit-in despite extreme weather, harassment, and continued state pressure. "For over a month, these families -- including elderly mothers, fathers, and young children -- have been forced to sit under the open sky, denied even the basic right to set up a camp," the BYC said in a post on X. https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1957774310044758499 The sit-in is a reflection of Pakistan's growing human rights crisis. Protests led by Baloch families and political activists continue to rock major cities, highlighting the state's alarming record of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and impunity. Enforced disappearances in Balochistan have been a grave human rights issue for decades, rooted in the region's long-standing political and ethnic tensions. For the last several decades, Baloch nationalists, students, activists, and intellectuals have been targeted, allegedly by state security agencies, for demanding greater autonomy or rights. Thousands have reportedly gone missing without due process, and many remain unaccounted for. Families are often left without information, legal recourse, or justice. Human rights organisations, both local and international, have condemned these actions, calling them violations of international law. The Pakistan government has consistently denied involvement, but has failed to transparently investigate or resolve the cases. In recent years, peaceful resistance--through sit-ins, marches, and now social media--has grown, led by groups like the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). These families, driven by grief and hope, continue to demand the safe return of their loved ones and an end to the culture of impunity. (ANI) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India established that it will not take any form of terrorism. Speaking at the launch of his book 'Whither India-Pakistan Relations Today? Can They Ever Be Good Neighbours?', Tharoor reinstated India's claims that it was Pakistan's DGMO, not US President Donald Trump, who came with a peace proposal. He said, "At the end of the day, India did not have very much choice on how to react to all this. A couple of days after Pahalgam, I wrote an op-ed advocating precisely this. You can imagine my satisfaction and semi-disbelief that I didn't realise anyone in Delhi would be reading my op-ed, which is why I was such an enthusiastic supporter of it. It followed exactly the course of action I had advised in my op-ed. With Balakot in 2019 and Operation Sindoor now, India has sent a very clear message that we will not sit quietly if terror is unleashed on us." Tharoor said that Pakistan was overwhelmed at India's successful airstrikes on its military bases, which elicited their response of asking for peace. "The successful strikes on the night of 9-10 May and the ability of India to intercept the attempted Pakistani response, when they sent missiles to Delhi on the morning of 10th May, is what contributed undoubtedly, and not Mr Trump, to the call by the Pakistani DGMO to his Indian counterpart asking for peace." Tharoor said that India now stands at the threshold of immense possibilities, such as the goal of being a developed nation by 2047. He said, "If we accept that the overwhelming priority, the overwhelming objective of our nation is the growth, development, and prosperity of our people, then peace and tranquillity of our borders is indispensable to our national interests. India today stands at the threshold of immense possibilities." Tharoor added that India is the voice of the Global South, but the progress would only be uninhibited if Pakistan stops needling at its border. "We aspire to emerge as a developed country by 2047, a leading power in the multipolar world, one where we can grow unimpeded, define our own spheres of influence, and set the terms of our engagements. In doing so, we even help to shape the future geopolitical order, while serving as the voice of the Global South and ensuring that the priorities of developing nations are presented at the world's high tables. These aspirations will be hollow if we are continuously being pricked by needles from across the border and are unable to sustain stable relationships in our own neighbourhood," he said. Tharoor recently led a multi-party delegation, visiting various countries, to apprise the world about India's stand against cross-border terrorism following Operation Sindoor, which was launched in retaliation against the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. (ANI) Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted a brand-new motorcycle to an Alaska man after he went viral on Russian state media for complaining that the Ukraine war had made it more expensive to repair his Soviet-era bike, the New York Post reported. This marks the second such incident where the Russian side openly displayed its Soviet nostalgia. A day before the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was seen wearing a white sweatshirt with "CCCP", the abbreviation for the USSR in Russian. Mark Warren, a retired fire inspector from Anchorage, said he was handed the keys to a new Ural motorbike by a Russian embassy official, Andrei Ledenev, last week, shortly after Putin's high-profile meeting with US President Donald Trump. "I have to say that this is a personal gift from the President of the Russian Federation," the Russian official told Warren in a video later broadcast on state media, according to the New York Post. The unusual episode began on August 9, when a Russian TV crew in Anchorage stopped Warren while he was out running errands on his old Soviet-era motorcycle. They admired the vehicle but soon questioned him about the Putin-Trump summit and the economic impact of the war, the NY Post noted. Warren mentioned that spare parts for his bike had become difficult and costly to repair due to multiple sanctions on Russia, as the manufacturing facility was located in Ukraine, according to the report. Days later, Warren said he received a call from the reporters, informing him that the clip had gone viral in Russia and caught Putin's attention. Initially, he dismissed their promise of a new $22,000 bike as a scam, saying it sounded "bats-t crazy," according to the New York Post. However, less than 24 hours after Putin's meeting with Trump, Russian embassy staff reached out to arrange the handover. Video footage showed Warren receiving the motorcycle and taking it for a test ride, the report said. "It's night and day. I like my old one, but this one is obviously much better. I'm speechless, it's amazing. Thank you very much," Warren said in the clip. Ural, the motorcycle manufacturer, was founded in Soviet Russia in 1941 but is now headquartered in Washington state. The company shifted its production to Kazakhstan after Russia Ukraine conflict, the New York Post reported. Following the Alaska meeting, President Putin lauded Trump's efforts to resolve the conflict. Pointing out the historical ties between Ukraine and Russia, he said, "We see the strive of the administration and President Trump personally to help facilitate the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict and his strive to get to the crux of the matter, to understand this history, is precious. The situation in Ukraine poses a fundamental threat to our security. Moreover, the Ukrainian nation, and I have said it multiple times, is a brotherly nation; however strange it may sound in these conditions. We have the same roots, and everything that's happening is a tragedy for us. And a terrible wound." (ANI) Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, on Wednesday, noted the potential of the renewed push in stabilising the bilateral ties between India and China in the wake of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India and his meeting with the top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a post on X, the Chinese Ambassador stated that PM Modi's meeting with the visiting Chinese FM marked a pivotal moment in India-China relations, underscoring a renewed commitment to stabilising bilateral ties, with both sides reaching a key consensus on border management, dialogue mechanisms, and cooperation. Ambassador Xu, in his post, highlighted Chinese President Xi Jinping's appreciation for PM Modi's participation in the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and emphasised that the two countries had implemented the key consensus reached during their earlier engagement at Kazan back in 2024 on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia. He also noted that this had paved the way for bilateral relations to "enter a new course of improvement and development". "Wang welcomed Modi's attendance at the upcoming summit, saying that leaders of both countries reached important consensus during the Kazan meeting, and the two countries have implemented the consensus to enable bilateral ties to enter a new course of improvement and development," Xu stated. Wang, who also serves as a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, announced that both sides agreed to restart stalled dialogue mechanisms, enhance mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly address global challenges, and oppose unilateral bullying. "Calling his visit to India a preparation for high-level exchanges between the two countries, Wang said during the visit, China and India have reached consensus on restarting dialogue mechanisms in various fields, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, upholding multilateralism, jointly addressing global challenges, and opposing unilateral bullying," the post read. On the boundary issue, Xu noted the Foreign Minister's words that a new consensus had been reached to regularly manage and control the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), maintain peace and tranquillity, and initiate boundary negotiations in areas where conditions are conducive. "Regarding the boundary question, the two sides reached new consensus on conducting regular management and control, maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas, appropriately handling sensitive points, and initiating boundary negotiations in areas where conditions are met, wang said. Wang said that bilateral ties have experienced ups and downs, and lessons could be learned from the past. No matter what happens, both sides should maintain correct perceptions of being partners, not rivals, adhere to the principle of properly managing differences to ensure that boundary disputes do not affect the overall situation of bilateral relations," the post added. The Chinese Ambassador in his post also noted Wang's words, stating that the strategic significance of China-India relations is becoming more and more prominent under the current global scenario and that the value of bilateral cooperation is "more meaningful" than ever. "Under the current international situation, strategic significance of China-India relations is increasingly prominent, and strategic value of China-India cooperation is more meaningful," the post added. Earlier on Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with PM Modi and handed over Chinese President Xi's invitation for the SCO Summit being held in Tianjin in China. The Prime Minister thanked President Xi for the invitation to the SCO Summit and conveyed his acceptance. "Glad to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, India-China relations have made steady progress guided by respect for each other's interests and sensitivities. I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity," PM Modi stated in a post on X. The SCO summit will be held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. (ANI) India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, on Tuesday (local time) met senior US lawmakers and briefed them on India's position on recent developments, including trade and energy cooperation amid the hefty tariffs imposed on India by the US. Kwatra said he had a "productive discussion" with Rep. Pete Sessions, Chairman of the Congressional Sub-Committee on Governmental Operations, where the two sides exchanged views on energy security and the growing hydrocarbon partnership between India and the United States. "Engaged in a productive discussion with Rep. @PeteSessions. Briefed him on India's position on recent developments, including trade, and exchanged views on energy security & the growing hydrocarbon partnership between our countries," Kwatra posted on X. Earlier on Tuesday, Kwatra also met US Congressman Marc Veasey from Dallas. He described the talks as "fruitful" and underlined the importance of fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade to strengthen bilateral ties further. He wrote, "Had a fruitful discussion with @RepVeasey, Vice Co-Chair of India Caucus in the US House of Representatives. Briefed him on India's position on recent developments and underlined the importance of fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade to further strengthen our partnership" The meeting happened on the same day, the White House defended President Donald Trump's decision to impose steep tariffs on India. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, citing the need to put secondary pressure on Russia over the Ukraine war. "Look, the president has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He's taken actions, as you've seen, sanctions on India and other actions as well. He's made himself very clear that he wants to see this war end," Leavitt said during her briefing. Trump recently met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, with both sides signaling willingness to consider a possible trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the war. (ANI) Pakistan's Interior Ministry informed the Senate that out of the 567 cases of sexual abuse registered in Islamabad between 2021 and June 2025, 200 of them involved children, as reported by Dawn. The details were shared by the Interior Ministry in a written response to Senator Shahdhat Awan during a Senate session on Tuesday. Out of the 200 cases of child sexual abuse reported, 93 of the child victims were male and 108 were female. According to Dawn, the Ministry reported that 222 accused parties were arrested, with only 12 being convicted. 163 remain under trial, while 15 have been acquitted and 26 remain at large. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in the written statement that "as per reports obtained from all police stations of Islamabad through (the) Zonal Superintendent of Police, during the period from January 1 2021, to 20 June 2025, a total of 567 cases of rape were registered and 625 accused were arrested," Dawn reported. "Out of 567 cases, 485 cases were challaned, 80 accused were convicted, 23 accused were acquitted and accused in 406 cases are still facing trial in the competent courts," he said, adding, "29 cases are under investigation and will be concluded as soon as possible", as reported by Dawn. According to the Interior Ministry, 266 cases of missing children were also registered in Islamabad from 2022 to 2025. These included 153 boys and 120 girls reported missing. Out of these, 135 accused were arrested and two sentenced, as per the Ministry, adding 21 of the accused were acquitted and 103 were awaiting trial. According to UNFPA, in Pakistan, 28 per cent of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, and 6 per cent have experienced sexual violence. 34 per cent of ever-married women have experienced spousal physical, sexual, or emotional violence. 56 per cent of women who have experienced any type of physical or sexual violence have not sought help and or talked with anyone about the violence. (ANI) According to The Dawn, citing sources, the move comes after widespread outrage from businesses that were suddenly slapped with bills for dues allegedly accumulated between 2015 and 2022. Former Pakistan's federal secretary Shahid Khan will head the investigation, as industrial bodies and CNG operators protest. As per Dawn, the heart of the controversy is the Lahore-based Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), which issued the revised bills based on updated price notifications from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra). According to these, the power sector allegedly owes PKR 40 billion, the industrial sector PKR 14.4 billion, CNG PKR 3.8 billion, and the fertiliser industry PKR 2.4 billion, totalling nearly PKR 60 billion, the General Sales Tax (GST) and late payment surcharges. These bills are based on RLNG (Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas) prices that were "actualised" nearly a decade late, in December 2024, nearly seven years after the billing period ended, Dawn reported. Predictably, the original notifications were quietly removed from Ogra's website, only to be reissued in March 2025. Thousands of businesses, including 2,950 industrial and 1,200 CNG consumers, are now caught in legal limbo, armed with past stay orders and furious at being made retroactive scapegoats for regulatory mismanagement. Many have argued that they sold or exported their products long ago, with no legal or practical means to recover the shock charges. As per Dawn, the dispute has also exposed a PKR 76 billion subsidy shell game, with the government still failing to reconcile the massive difference between RLNG market rates and subsidised prices given to "priority" industries. Meanwhile, Ogra and SNGPL are playing the blame game. While SNGPL insists it simply followed regulatory instructions under clause 3 of the Gas Sales Agreement (GSA), Ogra is standing by its interpretation of the law, insisting the recoveries are legally valid. (ANI) Will support ecovoltaics research in Colorado for CSU's Dryland Ecology and Management Lab, the first comprehensive drylands ecosystem research on Southwest desert solar projects DENVER, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With the goal of promoting healthy plant and soil ecosystems through sustained solar energy production, Colorado State University (CSU) announced today that Pivot Energy , a leading renewable energy independent power producer, has contributed $60,000 to CSU's Dryland Ecology and Management Lab. The funding will support the first-of-its-kind, comprehensive research on dryland ecosystems with solar projects in the Desert Southwest. CSUs Climate Research Gets Major Boost with $60,000 Grant from Pivot Energy The lab serves as a central climate research hub within CSU's Warner College of Natural Resources where ecologists explore solutions for making dryland ecosystems more resilient to global change. Through Pivot Energy's generous donation, CSU will be able to advance its dryland research and explore new ecovoltaic synergies between solar development and dryland restoration. The research supports the key pillar of habitat enhancement work that Pivot deploys on solar project sites as one of its three agrivoltaics configurations. Pivot's philanthropic investment will also enable valuable student training in dryland restoration and ecovoltaics research and grant application preparation and submittals to support students' ongoing workforce development and skills for sustaining long-term research work. "We are excited to work with Pivot Energy and to embark on a variety of exciting new research opportunities at the nexus of sustainable energy production and restoration ecology," said Carrie Havrilla, assistant professor in the Department of Forest & Rangeland Stewardship and director of CSU's Dryland Ecology and Management Lab. "Pivot's generous support, coupled with its belief and investment in the CSU Dryland Ecology and Management Lab, demonstrates the high value the organization places on creating measurable positive impacts on people, communities, and the planet and its effort toward working in collaboration to battle climate change." "Pivot Energy is thrilled to collaborate with CSU by utilizing its expertise to research and develop emerging climate solutions, and be part of this new, innovative research," said Angie Burke, Director of Operations, Pivot Energy. "We donated this grant to support integral dryland ecosystem research efforts, benefitting Pivot's agrivoltaics program, which is comprised of livestock grazing, habitat enhancement, and crop production, the key pillars of the program." The research will take place on three Pivot solar project sites in Mesa County, Colorado, with fieldwork expected to begin in Fall 2025 and continue through 2027. Pivot has more than 16 years of experience accelerating the clean energy transition and helping companies and communities achieve impactful decarbonization. For more information on CSU's Dryland Ecology and Management Lab and to learn how giving makes a difference in CSU's research, visit https://warnercnr.colostate.edu/ . About Pivot Energy Pivot Energy is a renewable energy provider and independent power producer that develops, finances, builds, owns, and manages solar and energy storage projects. Pivot leverages its renewable expertise to provide a range of unique offerings that accelerate the clean energy transition by helping companies and communities attain impactful decarbonization. Pivot is a U.S.-based Certified B-Corporation that proudly follows a corporate strategy aimed at providing a positive impact on society as measured by Environmental stewardship, Social leadership, and responsible Governance factors. Pivot Energy is an ECP portfolio company. Learn more at pivotenergy.net. About Colorado State University Colorado State University is a public research university that serves more than 33,000 students. Founded in 1870 as Colorado's land-grant institution, CSU ensures that students with the talent and desire for a college degree have access to world-class faculty, research and academic excellence. CSU has leading programs in veterinary medicine, occupational therapy, and atmospheric sciences, and excels in areas ranging from infectious disease to clean energy to business. CSU is rooted in the Fort Collins community, has a presence in every county in Colorado, and its academic excellence and innovation impacts the nation and the world. Media Contact: Lilian Moreno 239-834-8552 [email protected] SOURCE Pivot Energy Taiwan's President Lai Ching te presided over the inauguration of National Defense Medical University on Tuesday and appreciated its role in strengthening the capabilities of the Taiwanese Armed Forces. The details were shared by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) in a post on X. It said, "President @ChingteLai presided over the inauguration of the National Defense Medical University today, encouraging its upgraded role to strengthen #ROCArmedForces capabilities and bolster Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1957712910807097482 Taiwan's President said on Tuesday that the newly upgraded National Defense Medical University (NDMU) should further enhance training in battlefield trauma care, as reported by Focus Taiwan. While speaking at a ceremony marking the school's elevation from the National Defence Medical Centre, Lai highlighted that greater global exchanges will help NDMU specialise in battlefield medicine and trauma care. Focus Taiwan further reported that the President said international cooperation will allow the university to learn from other countries' military and medical education systems and apply those lessons to not only support the armed forces but also strengthen society's broader capacity to respond to crises. The frequent incursions and maritime operations reflect rising tensions between Taiwan and China, a relationship long fraught with geopolitical strain. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), governs itself independently with its own distinct political and economic systems. However, China continues to claim Taiwan as part of its territory under the "One China" principle, insisting there is only one China with its capital in Beijing. The dispute's roots trace back to the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when the ROC government fled to Taiwan after the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, took control of mainland China. Since then, Beijing has maintained its goal of reunification, using military, diplomatic, and economic means to apply pressure on Taiwan and diminish its international space. Despite these efforts, Taiwan maintains its de facto independence, backed by strong public support, and continues to assert its sovereignty amid ongoing external pressures. The MND regularly monitors and publicly reports such military movements to ensure transparency and national security awareness. (ANI) The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) UK Chapter has raised serious concerns over what it describes as systematic oppression of Pashtuns and a "man-made catastrophe" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, highlighting both human rights abuses and devastation caused by recent floods in the region. https://x.com/PTMUK_Official/status/1956679093866406310 In a post shared on X, PTM UK Chapter narrated the ordeal of a grieving mother from Swat who once had seven sons but has been left shattered by state actions. According to the post, the Pakistani army took away all seven of her sons, with two later released, one after three months and the other after seven and a half years. However, five of her sons remained in secret detention. The situation worsened when one was reportedly shot dead by the army in District Kohat, two were jailed (whom the mother is occasionally allowed to meet), and two remain in undisclosed detention centres. Now elderly and ailing, the woman herself is battling severe health issues, including a serious back problem and three blocked veins in her foot requiring surgery. PTM said she has no one left to care for her or to help her seek medical treatment, leaving her in constant pain and despair. https://x.com/PTMUK_Official/status/1956799816500924486 In another post on X, PTM UK Chapter pointed to widespread devastation across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, including Buner, Swat, Shangla, Bajaur, Battagram, and Lower Dir, where children were buried under rubble, fields swept away, and settlements destroyed by the recent floods. The movement argued that the crisis was not a natural calamity but a "man-made and planned catastrophe." "The state and its institutions are directly involved in it. This calamity has been unleashed to make the lives of Pashtuns miserable, to devastate their lands, and to cripple their economy forever," the PTM UK Chapter alleged. Drawing parallels with the past, the group claimed that just as terrorism was imposed on the Pashtun belt, the floods were being used as another tool of oppression. "The nation must understand this truth: this flood is not just water; it is another name for a conspiracy. It is an artificial affliction, aimed at erasing Pashtuns from the face of existence, crushing their dreams, and pushing their generations into despair and poverty," the statement further read. Calling for unity, the PTM UK Chapter urged the Pashtun nation, particularly its supporters, to step up through self-help initiatives. "To heal these wounds, we must all become each other's support," it said. (ANI) Roman Babushkin, Charge d'Affaires at the Russian Embassy in New Delhi, on Wednesday held a press briefing on India-Russia relations and the tariffs imposed on India by the US over its purchase of Russian crude oil. Babushkin hit out at Washington's tariff decision and the pressure on New Delhi over Russian crude oil purchase, saying the moves were "unjustified and unilateral." His remarks came on Tuesday as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar began a visit to Moscow to co-chair the Russia-India Intergovernmental Commission (IRIGC). At a press conference in Delhi, Babushkin said, "If Indian goods are facing difficulties entering the US market, the Russian market is welcoming Indian exports." On the US urging India to reduce Russian oil imports, he said, "Russia is the largest producer of oil and India is the largest consumer. Any kind of unilateral action leads to disruptions in supply chains, imbalance in pricing policies and destabilisation of global markets, endangering the energy security of developing countries. Hypothetically, if India refuses Russian oil, it will not lead to equal cooperation with the West in general because it is not in the Western nature, which was clearly demonstrated in recent years. They behave like neocolonial powers that think of their own benefit. This pressure is unjustified and unilateral." Speaking on the US trade Adviser stating India should stop buying Russian oil to avoid secondary tariffs, Roman Babushkin, Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Embassy in India said they did not expect that to happen. "If the West criticises you, it means you are doing everything right...We don't expect that to happen (India to stop buying oil from India). We know about the challenging circumstances for India. This is the true strategic partnership we are enjoying. Whatever happens, even during challenges, we are committed to removing any problems...The recent phone call by President Putin to PM Modi ji, explaining and sharing the information about recent developments in Ukraine, means India matters a lot to Russia. We are capable of finding any solution for mutual satisfaction. The deepening of our partnership will help us grow together..." "We have seen this problem of sanctions for many years now, but our trade is growing. In recent years, our trade has grown by 7 times...," he added. Meanwhile, in Moscow, EAM S Jaishankar is co-chairing the Russia-India Intergovernmental Commission (IRIGC), a key platform for bilateral cooperation across trade, energy, finance and defence. Babushkin underlined the significance of the visit, calling the IRIGC the "main mechanism of Russian-Indian cooperation, "Currently, Dr. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister, is in Russia to co-chair IRIGC, Russia-India Intergovernmental Commission, today itself, on the 20th of August. Our meeting is very timely. We are supporting our dignitaries in their conversations. And tomorrow, Dr. Jaishankar will be meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov," he said. On the importance of the mechanism, he added, "IRIGC is the main mechanism of the Russian-Indian cooperation, practical cooperation. And to prepare the contacts of our leaders, which, as you may be aware, there are some information that by the end of the year, leaders will be meeting here in Delhi. No dates have been announced as yet." The IRIGC alternates between Moscow and New Delhi and this year's agenda, Babushkin said, will cover "trade, investments, financial cooperation, energy cooperation, nuclear power, culture, infrastructure, et cetera." "On the sidelines, a bilateral business forum is being held, co-hosted by the Moscow government's Business Council on Cooperation with India and India's FICCI. Looking ahead, Babushkin noted, "Among the future engagements is the SCO Summit in China. There are reports that our leaders are also planning to meet over there. Further delegation exchanges are very intense," he said. The Russian diplomat also mentioned that President Vladimir Putin had congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on India's Independence Day, expressed condolences over the devastating floods in Kashmir, and shared details of his recent conversation with US President Donald Trump. (ANI) Russian Charge d'Affaires Roman Babushkin on Wednesday sharply criticised the US' imposition of 'sanctions' on India, asserting that such actions reflect a lack of trust and disrespect for national sovereignty, while noting that if Washington considered New Delhi its friend, then it wouldn't "behave like that". During a press briefing, amid escalating concerns over US economic pressure, particularly related to India's oil trade with Russia, Roman Babushkin slammed the US 'sanctions' targeting India, terming them as tools of "unlawful competition" and double standards. "As we all know, the sanctions are a tool of unlawful competition. It's always about double standards. A lack of trust, blackmail and pressure, as well as disrespect of national interests. Friends don't behave like that," Babushkin said. He emphasised that Russia and BRICS countries never impose sanctions and labelled non-United Nations sanctions and secondary sanctions as illegal, designed to weaponise the economy. Despite intense sanctions on Russia, Babushkin highlighted that the Russian economy continues to grow steadily, proving that such measures fail and often harm those imposing them. "You will never see sanctions imposed by Russia or within BRICS organisations where we together participate. Non-United Nations sanctions and secondary sanctions are illegal. They just weaponise the economy. Despite the tremendous sanction pressure on Russia, you will see the Russian economy is growing steadily. It means that you cannot exclude from the global economy such a big and important country like Russia with its tremendous energy, industrial and human potential, meaning that sanctions fail and moreover, they hit those who are imposing them," he added. When asked about the US's imposition of an additional 25 per cent tariff if India continues to import Russian oil, Deputy Trade Representative of Russia in India Evgeny Griva assured that Russia's supply of crude oil to India is indispensable. "Definitely, there are some imposition how to supply crude oil. And now we couldn't discuss it because it's really a very special mechanism. But only one thing is absolutely clear: that the percentage which Russia provides, approximately 40 per cent, is very important; it's a crucial share for the Indian economy and it means that the situation practically couldn't be changed," Griva said. Babushkin reaffirmed the strong ties between Russia and India, stating, "Let's proceed from the fact that Russia is the biggest supplier to India of crude oil. And India's demands are growing year by year. Certainly, this is a perfect case of mutual accommodation and complementarity of our economies." He also noted that despite external pressures threatening their economic relations in the past, Russia and India have consistently found ways to cooperate in line with mutual and national interests. "We are quite certain that our cooperation will continue," Babushkin concluded. The statements come amid ongoing concerns over the US's imposition of an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods to the US, which is increasingly pressuring India to limit its energy imports from Russia. (ANI) Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) has seen extensive protests for the past 20 days, as merchants, business leaders, and residents continue their sit-ins and rallies against what they label as "illegitimate taxation" and years of exploitation by Islamabad. During a press briefing, business leaders vehemently criticised the Federal Board of Revenue's (FBR) involvement in the occupied region, labelling it unconstitutional and illegitimate. They cautioned the Pakistani government that if the FBR is not withdrawn, citizens will take it upon themselves to dismantle its offices, asserting that their demand is clear: put an end to exploitation, restore dignity, and acknowledge the long-ignored rights of the people of PoGB. In their addresses, protesters emphasised that their fight was not solely about taxes but about seven decades of systemic injustice. They accused Pakistan of intentionally maintaining Gilgit-Baltistan's disputed status under the guise of UN resolutions, consequently denying its residents constitutional rights and protections while continuously exploiting its natural resources. "Today marks the 20th day of the protests. The citizens and traders of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan have been stripped of their essential human and legal rights for the past seven decades," Sher Abbas, a local businessman, stated during his press conference. He noted that despite numerous sacrifices made by the residents of PoGB across political, social, and economic arenas for Pakistan, neither the Supreme Court of Pakistan nor successive governments have recognised the region as an integral constitutional part of the country. Rather, according to Pakistan's laws, PoGB remains in a disputed state. Protesters further contended that Pakistan's position contradicts its actions. On one hand, Islamabad refers to Gilgit-Baltistan as a disputed territory, while on the other, it imposes taxes via the FBR, a move residents deem both unjust and illegal. "The existence of the FBR in PoGB is without legal basis and must be terminated immediately," stated Sher Abbas. He further expressed that the Pak-China Trade Union Action Committee, led by the PoGB Supreme Council, has rejected all taxes, including income and sales tax, levied by the FBR. Despite discussions with various stakeholders, the government has failed to meet the people's demands. Criticising Islamabad's stance, Abbas warned, "Anyone who attempts to undermine this movement will be deemed a betrayer and a facilitator of PoGB. Such individuals will be overpowered by the strength of national unity. The imposition of the FBR is a betrayal of justice." The protests, now entering their third week, have united an extraordinary coalition of business representatives, traders, and everyday citizens, all standing together under a shared banner of resistance. Demonstrators remain resolute in their commitment to persist in their agitation until Islamabad is compelled to respond. The escalating unrest in PoGB highlights the profound frustration and anger felt by its residents, who accuse Pakistan of decades of neglect and exploitation. Protesters are not only calling for the withdrawal of the FBR but also for justice, dignity, and acknowledgement of their long-suppressed rights. With no indication of backing down, the defiance shown in PoGB has emerged as one of the most potent expressions of local resistance in recent memory, raising significant concerns regarding Pakistan's policies in its occupied regions. (ANI) At least six people, including four police personnel, were injured in a grenade attack on a police van in the Usta Mohammad district of Balochistan, officials confirmed on Monday, The Balochistan Post (TBP) reported. Police stated that unidentified attackers on a motorcycle lobbed a grenade at a police mobile near the railway gate within the jurisdiction of the City Police Station. The explosion left four policemen and two civilians wounded, all of whom were shifted to a nearby hospital for medical care. The police vehicle also sustained damage in the blast. Following the incident, security forces cordoned off the area and began a search operation to locate the perpetrators. An investigation is currently underway. The Baloch Republican Guards (BRG), an armed insurgent group, later claimed responsibility for the attack. In its statement, the BRG said its fighters had deliberately targeted the police patrol and warned of more such actions if security forces continued what the group described as harassment of residents, TBP reported. In a separate incident on Monday night, gunmen opened fire on a house in the Sordo area of Panjgur, killing four individuals and injuring another. According to TBP, the victims, residents of Quetta, were alleged to have ties with a state-backed armed group often referred to locally as a "death squad." Such groups have long been accused of carrying out enforced disappearances, targeted killings of political and social activists, and engaging in criminal networks, including drug smuggling and kidnapping for ransom. No organisation has so far claimed responsibility for the Panjgur attack, though TBP noted that in past incidents of a similar nature, Baloch "pro-independence" militant outfits have often stepped forward to claim involvement. The recent attacks highlight the enduring unrest and conflict in Balochistan. In this region, separatist groups have long demanded independence, citing political marginalisation, human rights abuses, and exploitation of natural resources by the Pakistani state. These groups argue that the region's vast mineral wealth benefits the central government and foreign investors, while local communities remain impoverished and underdeveloped. The Pakistani military's presence and operations in the region are viewed by many as acts of occupation rather than national defence. As a result, resentment continues to grow, fueling further resistance and deepening the divide between Baloch nationalists and the federal authorities. (ANI) Scholars in the US have expressed concerns that Taiwan's increasing distrust of the United States, particularly regarding President Donald Trump's tariffs and semiconductor policies, may negatively impact Washington's long-term interests while benefiting Beijing, as reported by the Central News Agency (CNA). Bonnie Glaser and Jennifer Lan of the German Marshall Fund, a think tank based in the US, noted that though Taiwanese citizens have historically supported the United States, this positive sentiment is rapidly diminishing. They referenced recent public opinion polls from both American and Taiwanese sources, indicating that Taiwanese people have developed feelings of "distrust and scepticism" towards Washington in recent months. One particular survey mentioned was a Brookings Institution report from April 2025, which revealed that 40.5 per cent of Taiwanese respondents viewed the United States negatively, a significant increase from 24.2 per cent in July 2024. The authors stated that this increasing scepticism towards the US is partly driven by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) decision to expand its manufacturing operations in the US in alignment with Trump's America First policy, which many in Taiwan perceive as a potential dilution of Taiwan's strategic significance, as reported by CNA. They also highlighted that Trump's tariffs on Taiwan are adversely impacting the U.S. image. "If this shift in public sentiment continues or worsens, it could hinder US interests," the scholars cautioned. "The growing anxiety might lead to hopelessness regarding Taiwan's future, thus providing the PRC [People's Republic of China] an opportunity to pursue its ongoing strategy of persuading Taiwanese citizens that unification with Beijing's terms is their best and perhaps only choice. "The discontent could also encourage the PRC to take bolder actions aimed at enforcing unification, such as contesting Taiwan's authority over adjacent waters, implementing a quarantine or blockade, or capturing one of Taiwan's peripheral islands," the authors indicated. To address the rising scepticism in Taiwan, Glaser and Lan proposed that Trump should make a statement emphasising that Taiwan is significant to the United States. They also suggested that Washington consider approving and ensuring the timely provision of asymmetric weaponry to Taiwan, potentially through presidential drawdown authority and foreign military financing. Additionally, they expressed that the White House should "facilitate, rather than obstruct, transits of Taiwan's presidents through the United States," and that Congress could accelerate the approval of a tax agreement to eliminate investment barriers, as highlighted by the authors, according to CNA. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) indicated that both Taipei and Washington are closely monitoring discussions within Taiwanese society regarding the narratives of "US scepticism." The two governments are working to thwart the potential exploitation of this "scepticism" by "malicious actors" aiming to initiate cognitive warfare against Taiwan, according to a press statement from MOFA. "Taiwan also looks forward to ongoing collaboration with the US in security, economic, and trade domains to exemplify the strong bilateral partnership," the ministry conveyed, as cited by CNA. (ANI) Indian and American defence officials held a meeting here in the national capital on Tuesday where they discussed key issues of defence procurement and affirmed their commitment towards further strengthening of the India-US defence partnership, as per the Ministry of Defence. Sharing the details in a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said, "Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence (South & Southeast Asia), US DoD Dr Andrew Byers today met Joint Secretary (Maritime & Systems Acquisition) Shri Dinesh Kumar. They discussed key issues of defence procurement & reaffirmed commitment to further strengthen the India-US defence partnership". https://x.com/SpokespersonMoD/status/1957747181533733052 On August 14, during a weekly press briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal spoke about the issue of India-US defence partnership. He told the press, "The India-U.S. defence partnership, underpinned by foundational defence agreements, is an important pillar of the bilateral partnership. This robust cooperation has strengthened across several domains. We are expecting a U.S. Defence Policy Team to be in Delhi in mid-August. The 21st edition of the joint military exercise - 'Yudh Abhyas' is also expected to take place later this month in Alaska. Both sides remain engaged to convene the 2+2 Intersessional meeting at the working-level towards the end of this month. As far as the question of defence acquisition is concerned, the procurement process continues as per established procedures." Previously, in July, the top defence officials from India and the United States held key bilateral talks during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, where they explored ways to deepen strategic military cooperation, regional security coordination, and operational readiness in the Indo-Pacific. The discussions focused on enhancing defence collaboration, including future operational opportunities and joint efforts to uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the Integrated Defence Staff. (ANI) Washington DC [US], August 20 (ANI/ WAM): Researchers have developed a potential alternative to LASIK surgery that corrects vision without the use of lasers. The new method, called electromechanical reshaping (EMR), uses electrical currents and a platinum contact lens to alter the shape of the cornea. The technique was presented during a meeting of the American Chemical Society by a team led by Michael Hill, professor of chemistry at Occidental College. EMR relies on generating pH changes in collagen-containing tissues such as the cornea, making them temporarily malleable. In experiments involving rabbits, the team used a platinum "contact lens" in the shape of a corrected cornea as a way to generate precise pH changes in the animal's tissues. Roughly a minute later, around the time it takes to perform LASIK, the rabbit's cornea conformed to the contact lens -- but with fewer steps and no incisions, according to the researchers. The team successfully improved the shape of eyeballs, which were treated as if they had myopia, or nearsightedness, in ten out of 12 rabbit eyeballs. According to the team, EMR could address conditions such as myopia and may also treat chemical-induced cloudiness, which usually requires a corneal transplant. Brian Wong, professor at the University of California, Irvine, said the effect was discovered by accident while studying tissue modification. Hill noted that further detailed animal studies will be required before any clinical use, but added that the approach could prove more affordable and potentially reversible compared with current methods. "There's a long road between what we've done and the clinic," said Hill in the statement. "But, if we get there, this technique is widely applicable, vastly cheaper and potentially even reversible." (ANI/ WAM) Gaza [Palestine], August 20 (ANI/WAM): The United Arab Emirates is continuing its humanitarian support for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, today carrying out the 75th airdrop of aid under Birds of Goodness operation, part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, in cooperation with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and with the participation of Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Singapore and Indonesia. The shipment included quantities of essential food supplies, prepared with the support of Emirati charitable institutions and organisations, to meet the needs of the population amid the dire humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip. With the completion of this airdrop, the total aid delivered by air under the operation has surpassed 4,012 tonnes of food and other essential supplies, reaffirming the UAE's unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and strengthening their resilience. These initiatives highlight the UAE's pioneering role in international relief efforts, mobilising regional and international cooperation and reinforcing the nation's approach of giving to alleviate the suffering of those affected by crises. (ANI/WAM) New generation and transmission projects to provide benefits for all customers in Louisiana BATON ROUGE, La., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Louisiana Public Service Commission, or LPSC, has approved a landmark agreement that paves the way for Entergy Louisiana to move forward with major infrastructure investments tied to Meta's new data center in Richland Parish. The approval clears the path for significant enhancements to the state's electric grid that will benefit all Entergy Louisiana customers and prepare the system for future energy needs. The agreement allows Entergy Louisiana to construct three new modern and efficient combined cycle combustion turbine generation facilities. Two of the facilities will be located in Richland Parish and are expected to come online in late 2028. The third facility will be built at Entergy Louisiana's existing Waterford site in St. Charles Parish, with an expected operational date by the end of 2029. In addition, Entergy Louisiana will build several new transmission facilities to serve Meta's data center and strengthen system reliability across its service area. "Today's decision by the Commission is a critical step toward ensuring the long-term reliability and affordability of electric service for all of our customers," said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana president and CEO. "These investments will help power one of the most advanced data centers in the world and will also reinforce our grid, create economic opportunity and support a more sustainable energy future across Louisiana. Importantly, Meta is paying its share of the costs for the infrastructure needed to support its operations, ensuring that other customers are protected from those expenses. "I also want to recognize our elected officials, community leaders and others who had the foresight and vision to see this opportunity through for our state." As part of the approval, the Commission also authorized Entergy Louisiana to procure up to 1,500 megawatts of solar resources through an expedited certification process. Through these resources Entergy takes a key step forward in helping large-scale customers meet their renewable energy and sustainability commitments while advancing the state's economic development goals. The Richland Parish data center project, first announced in 2024, is one of the largest economic development initiatives in Louisiana's history. Entergy Louisiana has already broken ground on a key substation to support the facility and will continue to invest in grid infrastructure that supports growth across the region. These infrastructure projects represent a milestone in Entergy Louisiana's ongoing mission to build a smarter, stronger energy future for all customers - from residents and small businesses to major industrial and technology companies. About Entergy Louisiana Entergy Louisiana provides electricity to more than 1.1 million customers in 58 parishes. Entergy Louisiana is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR). Entergy produces, transmits and distributes electricity to power life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We're investing for growth and improved reliability and resilience of our energy system while working to keep energy rates affordable for our customers. We're also investing in cleaner energy generation like modern natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy. A nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship, we deliver more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to the communities we serve through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at entergylouisiana.com and connect with @EntergyLA on social media. About the Louisiana 100 Plan The Louisiana 100 Plan is Entergy Louisiana's bold, decade-long commitment to power progress across the state in honor of a century of service. Entergy has outlined six strategic goals focused on affordability, grid resilience, economic growth, job creation, community investment and volunteerism. Through this plan, Entergy aims to help keep residential electric rates low, strengthen infrastructure to withstand extreme weather, attract new industry and jobs and invest $100 million in Louisiana communities. The Louisiana 100 Plan is a clear roadmap for building a stronger, more resilient Louisiana learn more at entergylouisiana.com/100-plan. SOURCE Entergy Corporation US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said he recently met the family of Bipin Joshi, a 22-year-old Nepali national who was taken hostage during the October 7 Hamas attack. "I just had the opportunity to visit with a beautiful family from Nepal. It's the family of Bipin Joshi, who was one of the hostages taken on October 7th," Huckabee said. In a video message on X, he explained that Joshi was not Israeli or American, but a student from Nepal who had come to Israel just weeks before the attack for agricultural studies. He further added, "His family they were just in my office, his beautiful, precious sister who's a high school teenager, his dear and precious mother, thier hearts are broken. They have not heard from Bipin, he was taken hostage. They don't know his condition. They want their son, their brother, to come home. " https://x.com/USAmbIsrael/status/1957827899177701427 Huckabee urged people to pray for Joshi and all hostages, noting that they were "innocent civilians who happened to be in the way of Hamas." He added, "We want them back and we will do everything possible for them to return." https://x.com/USAmbIsrael/status/1957820274549629258 Earlier this week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog also met Joshi's mother, Padma, and sister, Pushpa, at the President's Residence in Jerusalem. Calling the encounter "heartbreaking," Herzog posted on X that Israel stands with the family in their pain and will not rest until Joshi and all hostages are released. He wrote, "Heartbreaking meeting with Padma and Pushpa, the mother and sister of Bipin Joshi, a Nepalese student abducted by Hamas on October 7. Israel stands with them in their pain, and we will not stop until every hostage is returned home. Bipin and all the hostages must be returned now!" https://x.com/Isaac_Herzog/status/1957132189734191376 A video shared by Herzog showed Padma and Pushpa holding Joshi's picture as they appealed for his release. Pushpa, his sister, said the family could not imagine what he was going through in captivity. She thanked Israelis for their support and made a direct plea to the international community to "do whatever you can" to secure his return. She said, "We can't imagine how he's living there, we can't. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the Israeli people thank you so much for standing with us and for giving us hope, it's too much for me and my family, and also it's too much for him. My appeal to the international community, please do whatever you can". (ANI) The All-Russian State Library for Foreign Literature named after MI Rudomino is set to transform into a hub of global storytelling as it hosts the third annual All-Russian Film Night on 23 August. The cultural showcase will feature a curated selection of documentaries from BRICS and BRICS+ nations, with films provided by the TV BRICS International Media Network, a long-standing partner of the library. The event opens with the premiere of Partitura--young Music of Russia (Russia, 2025), directed by Ivan Zakharenko. The documentary captures the vibrancy of the 3rd All-Russian Competition for Young Composers and explores how music serves as a universal language that connects people across borders. Zakharenko emphasised that such screenings "help viewers better understand the cultural characteristics of each country through the prism of art and music" and expressed hope the platform will grow into a regular creative exchange among BRICS+ filmmakers. As reported by TV BRICS, the programme spans diverse cultures, from Africa to the Caribbean to South Asia. Discovering Ofala: Umudioka 2023 (Nigeria, 2023, dir. Tochukwu Nwaiwu) immerses audiences in the Igbo Ofala festival, where community leaders honour individuals for their service. Festival del Caribe. Fiesta del Fuego (Cuba, 2024, dir. Enrique Fumero) highlights Santiago de Cuba's annual Caribbean Festival, a vivid tribute to the region's heritage of music, dance and ritual. India's contribution comes through Therukoothu (2025), directed by student filmmaker Vijay Bhaskaran, which offers a window into the vibrant folk street theatre of South India -- an art form known for its dramatic performances, colourful costumes and deep cultural resonance. The screenings will run from 15:00 to 17:30 (GMT+3). Organisers note that the BRICS+ Information and Cultural Media Centre, launched in 2024 by the library in collaboration with TV BRICS, continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening humanitarian ties while promoting cultural diplomacy, science and education on a global scale. (ANI) Russia's dairy industry is marking a new phase of global expansion with a 16 per cent rise in export volumes since the beginning of 2025, according to TV BRICS. The surge follows last year's impressive 18 per cent increase in the overall value of dairy exports, underscoring the sector's steady upward trajectory. The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation reported that rising international demand for Russian dairy products is driving this growth. Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut praised the achievement, stressing that the government is committed to diversifying export markets and strengthening Russia's agricultural presence worldwide. "Dairy exports are a vital pillar of our global agricultural strategy, and we will continue to expand opportunities for producers across new regions," she said. Currently, Russia exports dairy primarily to members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), with Uzbekistan and China standing out as leading buyers. At the same time, industry stakeholders are exploring new geographies to expand international outreach and reduce dependence on regional markets. Growth has been particularly strong across several product categories. Cheese and curd exports rose by 18 per cent, fermented milk products climbed 23 per cent, and ice cream surged 37 per cent. The steepest increase was seen in dried milk whey, whose exports more than doubled compared to early 2025 levels. To sustain this momentum, Russian authorities are pushing to expand the list of countries permitted to import its dairy and to broaden the categories of eligible products. Analysts note that these moves are expected to enhance revenue streams and bolster Russia's reputation as a competitive and dependable dairy supplier on the global stage. Overall, the export surge reflects both rising global demand and Russia's determined push to expand agricultural trade, positioning the country as an increasingly influential player in international dairy markets. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Wednesday that he was "pleased to interact with prominent scholars and think tank representatives of Russia," where he discussed India-Russia ties and broader global issues. "Discussed India-Russia relations, contemporary world geopolitics and India's viewpoint," Jaishankar said in a post on X. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1958103579161702445 The interaction came as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar embarked on a visit to Russia from Tuesday to Thursday, as per an official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. During his visit, he will meet Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and also co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation. In an official statement, the MEA said that the visit of the External Affairs Minister comes at the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov, the External Affairs Minister. "Dr. S. Jaishankar, will undertake an official visit to Russia on 19-21 August 2025 to co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) scheduled for 20 August 2025." The EAM will also address the India-Russia Business Forum meeting in Moscow. As per the statement, during his visit, EAM will also meet the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and review the bilateral agenda and share perspective on regional and global issues The statement highlighted that the visit aims to further strengthen the longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. The development comes amid strain in India's ties with the US over New Delhi's procurement of crude oil from Russia. Ties between Washington and New Delhi faced fresh strain on the trade front. Government sources confirmed that the US team would not travel to India for the sixth round of bilateral trade negotiations scheduled for August 25. The setback comes just days after Trump imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, raising the total levy to 50 per cent, along with an unspecified penalty for India's continued oil imports from Russia. Earlier on August 13, the Foreign Ministry of Russia had said that EAM Jaishankar and Russian FM Sergey Lavrov's meeting would discuss key issues on the bilateral agenda, as well as key aspects of cooperation within international frameworks. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared his insights about the recent meeting in Alaska with US President Donald Trump over the Ukraine conflict. PM Modi said India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard. He thanked the Russian President for the phone call and for sharing his perspective on the Alaska meeting. (ANI) A diplomatic row has broken out between Israel and France after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused French President Emmanuel Macron of fuelling "the anti-Semitic fire" in France by planning to recognise Palestinian statehood, Al Jazeera reported. The French president's office swiftly hit back at Netanyahu on Tuesday, calling his allegations "abject" and "erroneous", and promising that they "will not go unanswered". "This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation," the French presidency said, adding that France "protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens". "Violence against the [French] Jewish community is intolerable," it said, according to Al Jazeera. Reacting to Netanyahu's letter, French deputy minister for European affairs Benjamin Haddad said that France had "no lessons to learn in the fight against anti-Semitism". The issue, "which is poisoning our European societies", must not be "exploited", Haddad said, Al Jazeera reported. In his letter, Netanyahu told Macron: "Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas's refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets." Netanyahu's criticism also extended to Australia, as he accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of being "a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews". The Albanese government recently announced plans to recognise Palestinian statehood and cancelled the visa of Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, whose ultranationalist party is part of Netanyahu's governing coalition, Al Jazeera reported. Hours later, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he had revoked the visas of Australia's representatives to the Palestinian Authority. "I also instructed the Israeli Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel," Saar said. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong described Israel's revocation of visas for its diplomats as an "unjustified reaction", adding that Netanyahu's government was "isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution". Last week, Albanese said Netanyahu was "in denial" about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs spokesman Jens Laerke said Israel had banned shelter items, including tents, from entering Gaza for about five months, leaving more than 700,000 displaced people without adequate shelter. UN Human Rights Office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan warned that Israel's military takeover of Gaza City risked "mass displacement and more and more killings and more misery," adding that "hundreds of thousands" of Palestinians were being ordered to move south to al-Mawasi, an area Israel had designated a "safe zone" but continues to bomb. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid tribute at Moscow's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Wednesday. The tribute at the historic memorial came as part of his ongoing visit to Russia. Highlighting the broader engagements of his visit, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said he was "pleased to interact with prominent scholars and think tank representatives of Russia," where he discussed India-Russia ties and broader global issues. "Discussed India-Russia relations, contemporary world geopolitics and India's viewpoint," Jaishankar said in a post on X. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1958103579161702445 The interaction came as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar embarked on a visit to Russia from Tuesday to Thursday, as per an official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. During his visit, he will meet Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and also co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation. In an official statement, the MEA said that the visit of the External Affairs Minister comes at the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov. "Dr. S. Jaishankar, will undertake an official visit to Russia on 19-21 August 2025 to co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) scheduled for 20 August 2025." The EAM will also address the India-Russia Business Forum meeting in Moscow. As per the statement, during his visit, EAM will also meet the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and review the bilateral agenda and share perspective on regional and global issues. The statement highlighted that the visit aims to further strengthen the longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. The development comes amid strain in India's ties with the US over New Delhi's procurement of crude oil from Russia. Ties between Washington and New Delhi faced fresh strain on the trade front, as government sources confirmed that the US team would not travel to India for the sixth round of bilateral trade negotiations scheduled for August 25. The setback comes just days after Trump imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, raising the total levy to 50 per cent, along with an unspecified penalty for India's continued oil imports from Russia. Earlier on August 13, the Foreign Ministry of Russia had said that EAM Jaishankar and Russian FM Sergey Lavrov's meeting would discuss key issues on the bilateral agenda, as well as key aspects of cooperation within international frameworks. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared his insights about the recent meeting in Alaska with US President Donald Trump over the Ukraine conflict. PM Modi said India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard. He thanked the Russian President for the phone call and for sharing his perspective on the Alaska meeting. (ANI) Moscow is preparing to host the prestigious World Forum "New Era - New Paths," organized by the International Organisation for Eurasian Cooperation (IOEC), which will bring together more than 1,000 delegates and 120 influential speakers from 55 countries. The event aims to foster dialogue and cooperation in support of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "Greater Eurasian Partnership" (GEP) initiative. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly transforming global order, the central theme of the forum revolves around advancing a multipolar system and strengthening strategic partnerships across continents. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksander Pankin emphasized the urgency of the GEP framework, stating that the world is evolving towards a balanced, multipolar international system. According to TV BRICS, the forum's comprehensive business programme will feature 18 thematic sessions and high-level panels organized in partnership with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Eurasian Economic Commission, the Civil 20 (C20) -- an official engagement group of the G20 -- and other global stakeholders from Africa, Asia, India, and the Gulf nations. Dmitry Stasyulis, President of the IOEC and Russia's Sherpa to the C20, highlighted the role of the forum as a catalyst for deeper global integration. "The aim is to build bridges between all participants, aligning the interests of business, government, and civil society. Only through open, respectful dialogue among equal partners can we drive Eurasian integration and meet the global demand for a fair, secure world with equal opportunities for all," he noted. A key attraction of the forum will be the series of bilateral and multilateral business dialogues with delegations from India, China, Bahrain, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Latin American nations. The sessions will explore a broad spectrum of strategic issues, including the Greater Eurasian Partnership framework, the role of digital currencies and cross-border settlements, AI and digital transformation, investment flows, regional cooperation, and the legal architecture for international business. In addition to discussions, several landmark agreements are expected to be signed. These include a strategic cooperation pact between the IOEC and Russia's Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), and a memorandum on international leasing among six Eurasian countries: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The forum is poised to serve as a pivotal platform in shaping the future of Eurasian and global partnerships through inclusive diplomacy and visionary policymaking. (ANI) Australia hit back at Israeli Prime Minister after he branded the country's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese "weak", with Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke accusing Benjamin Netanyahu of conflating strength with killing people, Al Jazeera reported. In an interview with Australia's national broadcaster on Wednesday, Burke said strength was not measured "by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry," Al Jazeera reported. Burke's comments came after Netanyahu on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on Australian Prime Minister on social media, claiming Albanese would be remembered by history as a "weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews," Al Jazeera reported. Speaking on the ABC's Radio National Breakfast programme, Burke characterised Netanyahu's broadside as part of Israel's "lashing out" at countries that have moved to recognise a Palestinian state. "Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when there's a decision that we know Israel won't like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu," Burke said. "He has the conversation, he says exactly what we're intending to do, and has the chance for the objections to be made person to person. And then having heard them, makes public announcement and then does what needs to be done." Relations between Australia and Israel, traditionally close allies, have progressively soured in recent months amid tensions over the war in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported, with ties becoming especially acrimonious since Canberra's announcement last week that it would recognise a Palestinian state. On Monday, Australia announced that it had cancelled a visa for Simcha Rothman, a lawmaker with Israel's far-right Mafdal-Religious Zionism party and a member of Netanyahu's governing coalition, amid concerns that a planned speaking tour in the country aimed to "spread division," Al Jazeera reported. Hours after that decision, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Saar said he had revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority. Israel has come under growing international pressure, including from many of its traditional allies, over the level of human suffering being inflicted by its war in Gaza. (ANI) Public concern is growing in Italy as several people have been hospitalised after consuming contaminated food, with botulinum food poisoning claiming the life of a 62-year-old woman in Sardinia on Tuesday. This brings the death toll in the country to four, Euro News reported. Valeria Sollai had been in the hospital in Monserrato, in the province of Cagliari, for several weeks. The woman had consumed a guacamole dish at the Fiesta Latina in Monserrato at the end of July. The same dish had earlier caused the death of Roberta Pitzalis, 36, who died at the Businco hospital in Cagliari, with the cause of death confirmed by autopsy. A 14-year-old girl remains hospitalised in the same city, Euro News reported. In addition to the two Sardinian victims, two other people died in Calabria from botulism. The cases have been traced back to contaminated industrial and household preserves. Carlo Alessandro Locatelli, director of the Maugeri Poison Control Centre in Pavia, told Euro News, "There is no alarm, but prevention is crucial, especially in the preparation of home preserves." He added, "Botulinum toxin is invisible and often does not alter the taste of food. The antidote is only effective in the early stages, when the toxin is still in the bloodstream." In recent weeks, the two outbreaks in Sardinia and Calabria have raised public concern. The Calabrian cluster involves 18 people who, in the first week of August in Diamante, in the province of Cosenza, consumed sandwiches with sausage and friarielli, a type of broccoli, bought from a street vendor. Luigi di Sarno, 52, and Tamara D'Acunto, 45, died after consuming the contaminated vegetables. Ten people are under investigation by the Paola public prosecutor's office, including the street vendor, three managers of companies producing the product, and six doctors from two health facilities in the Cosenza area who treated the victims before they died. They face charges of culpable homicide, culpable personal injury, and trading in harmful foodstuffs, Euro News reported. According to the Istituto Superiore di Sanita (Higher Institute of Health), analyses revealed that the poisoning was caused by more than one foodstuff, not just the friarielli used in the sandwiches. Euro News reported that between 2001 and 2020, Italy recorded 452 laboratory-confirmed cases of botulism, with an average lethality rate of 3.1 per cent. About 91 per cent of cases are foodborne, often linked to home-canned goods. In 2023, Italy recorded the highest number of botulism cases in Europe, with 36 confirmed reports, followed by Germany (16), France (15), Romania, and Spain (14 each). Experts say the Italian canning tradition, especially in southern regions, contributes to this high incidence. Home preservation of food, if not done correctly, can promote the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism. Symptoms can appear from six hours up to seven days after consuming contaminated food and include double vision, dilated pupils, drooping eyelids, difficulty speaking and swallowing, dry mouth, and constipation. Severe cases can impair breathing, necessitating intubation, Euro News reported. (ANI) https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1958076699867816396 In a post on X, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, wrote, "Caring for each other as Global South partners - India dispatches 32 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to Peru. A consignment of 250,000 units of physiological saline solution will support patients suffering from dehydration in Peru." Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs' Secretary (East), P Kumaran, is scheduled to visit Colombia and Peru from August 21 to 26 to review various elements of growing bilateral relations According to the MEA release, during the visit, Kumaran is slated to meet with ministers and senior officials in the governments of Colombia and Peru and discuss areas of mutual interest, including in trade and commerce, mining, energy, health and pharmaceuticals, defence, infrastructure, cooperation in IT and digital sectors, apart from topics of mutual interest in the bilateral, regional and multilateral context. He would also be interacting with representatives of the business community and think tanks. The release said that Colombia and Peru are India's important partners in the South American region, with whom India has growing trade relations, with scope for diversification in trade, commerce and investment, including cooperation in energy, critical minerals and rare earths. India enjoys warm and friendly relations with both Colombia and Peru. The relationships are based on shared democratic values and growing cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, pharmaceuticals, IT, and capacity-building. The visit of the Secretary (East) reflects India's continued commitment to enhancing its engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean region, the release said. (ANI) ATLANTA, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax (NYSE: EFX) today announced that the Equifax Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share, payable on September 15, 2025, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 2, 2025. Equifax has paid cash dividends for more than 100 consecutive years. ABOUT EQUIFAX INC. At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by nearly 15,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com . FOR MORE INFORMATION [email protected] SOURCE Equifax Inc. During the meeting, discussions were held on the expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various fields. The Afghan foreign minister described the bilateral relations between Afghanistan and China as "progressing and considered China a good trading partner for Afghanistan, with the annual trade exchange between the two countries reaching one billion dollars." https://x.com/MoFA_Afg/status/1958082892124295561 In a post on X, the Afghan foreign ministry wrote, "The trade volume between the two countries has risen to a significant level." "Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi presented his practical proposals regarding the expansion of economic cooperation between Afghanistan and China, particularly in the areas of transportation cooperation, banking relations, and balancing trade, and made a request," the post added. He further described the relations between the two countries as "progressing and considered the expansion of cooperation in various fields noteworthy." Wang Yi said that the relevant institutions of both countries are working to further increase Afghanistan's exports to China, according to the Afghan foreign ministry. The Chinese Foreign Minister added that his country is eager to support the Belt and Road Initiative. Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India from August 18-19 and held talks with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on the "boundary question," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official statement on Saturday. During his visit, he held the 24th round of the Special Representatives' (SR) Talks on the India-China boundary question with India's NSA Doval and also met EAM S Jaishankar. Wang Yi's visit comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to China to attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit from August 31. Meanwhile, India and China agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between the Chinese mainland and India at the earliest, as part of the discussions upon Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi's visit. Both sides agreed to finalise an updated Air Services Agreement. (ANI) Rain resumed in parts of Karachi on Wednesday afternoon as roads inundated by Tuesday's heavy downpour continued to challenge residents. The death toll from rain-related incidents since yesterday rose to eight, while Sindh and Balochistan prepared for further showers in the coming days, Dawn reported. Tuesday's rainfall severely strained Karachi's infrastructure, causing stormwater drains and sewers to burst and disrupting industrial operations. Several areas faced prolonged power and internet outages, prompting the provincial administration to announce a public holiday in the city today. Rainfall was reported shortly after 2:30pm in Saddar, Malir, Malir Cantonment, Scheme 33, Gulistan-i-Jauhar Block 2, and near I.I. Chundrigar Road, Kala Pull Road, and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College (JPMC). The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued an alert at 3 pm, warning of thunderstorms and strong winds at most locations in Karachi and nearby areas over the next two to four hours, with heavy showers forecast at some points. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, in a post on X, urged citizens to remain indoors. "It is expected to rain again from 2pm onwards. I would request people to avoid movement and if it starts to rain, please stay put where you are whether it is your office or residence," he said. The Sindh government had directed all public and private educational institutions to remain closed today, following Wahab's rain emergency declaration. However, Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah rebutted a "fake" notification about school closures for Thursday and Friday, clarifying no such orders had been issued. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah chaired a meeting on Karachi's rain situation, stating on X: "More rain expected, municipal and emergency teams are on alert. Continuous efforts underway for drainage and rescue operations." He added that 26 de-watering pumps were deployed citywide to "ease flooding." Floodwater remained accumulated on multiple roads, including near I.I. Chundrigar Road. While Karachi Traffic Police reported 10 bypasses and three main roads closed due to flooding, Wahab shared videos on social media showing routes clear for vehicles, including Sher Shah Suri Road and Submarine Underpass. He advised avoiding Shaheed-i-Millat Road, suggesting Stadium Road or Shahrah-i-Quaideen as alternatives. Addressing a press conference, Wahab said: "Climate change is a reality. If you want to make someone a target of criticism and say whatever you want, you can. But, you can see how huge a challenge climate change is for any government, state, or administration around the world," Dawn reported. He added that Pakistan faced "different challenges" compared to developed countries and highlighted that Karachi experienced two rain spells on Tuesday, with the second lasting from 1:15pm to 6pm, followed by intermittent showers until 8pm. Wahab noted that Manghopir received 235mm of rain in 12 hours, while Karachi's nullahs have a capacity of only 40mm, leading to spillover. He stressed that a nullah in the Nursery area was fully functional. According to Dawn, Edhi Marine Service recovered the bodies of Abbas Mohsin, 50, from Gurumandir nullah, and Yasir, 19, in DHA Phase 5 after electrocution. Rescue 1122 reported several people rescued from Sukhan Nadi and 30 individuals evacuated from a call centre in PECHS Block 6. Among the six deaths reported on Tuesday were four members of a family in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, a child in Orangi Town, and a young man in DHA Phase 7. K-Electric spokesperson Imran Rana said efforts were underway to restore power after rainwater receded, with supply reinstated across multiple areas including North Nazimabad, Malir Cantt, Orangi Town, DHA Phase 5, and Clifton, Dawn reported. Tuesday's rains also disrupted traffic and flight operations at Jinnah International Airport, with several flights delayed, cancelled, or diverted. The PMD forecast further torrential rains in Sindh, parts of Balochistan, and other regions, warning of potential urban flooding in low-lying areas including Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar, and Hyderabad. (ANI) In a post on X, MFA Russia said, "The Ministers will pay special attention to the current and future avenues for promoting bilateral cooperation." https://x.com/mfa_russia/status/1958144159782715504 Ahead of the talks, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said he was "pleased to interact with prominent scholars and think tank representatives of Russia," where he discussed India-Russia ties and broader global issues. "Discussed India-Russia relations, contemporary world geopolitics and India's viewpoint," Jaishankar said in a post on X. The interaction came as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar embarked on a visit to Russia from Tuesday to Thursday, as per an official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. During his visit, he will also co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation. In an official statement, the MEA said that the visit of the External Affairs Minister comes at the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov, the External Affairs Minister. "Dr. S. Jaishankar, will undertake an official visit to Russia on 19-21 August 2025 to co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) scheduled for 20 August 2025." The EAM will also address the India-Russia Business Forum meeting in Moscow. As per the statement, during his visit, EAM Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will review the bilateral agenda and share perspective on regional and global issues. (ANI) Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has nominated Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai for the post of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) and Azam Khan Swati for the Senate, Dawn reported. "Azam Khan Swati has been nominated as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate," PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja said on Wednesday. He further said that Imran has requested five names to decide on his nominee for the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, The announcement follows the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) disqualification of PTI's Omar Ayub Khan as the National Assembly's opposition leader and Shibli Faraz from the Senate opposition leadership, along with other opposition MNAs and MPAs, after their convictions in the May 9 (2023) cases. Both PTI opposition leaders were formally removed from their posts on August 8. Notably on May 9, 2023, Imran Khan was arrested in a corruption case while making a court appearance in Islamabad, triggering nationwide protests by his supporters who blame the Pakistan army for the PTI leader's arrest. Speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court, Raja said Imran had nominated Achakzai, who currently leads the Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), to replace Ayub. "The PTI founder has entrusted the matter of by-elections [to seats vacated after recent convictions of lawmakers in May 9 cases] to the party's political committee," he said. "A political committee meeting will be held later today, where a decision will be made in this regard," Raja added, Dawn reported. Last week, the Peshawar High Court had issued a stay order for the appointments of new opposition leaders in the NA and Senate, and also issued notices to the ECP, seeking its response to two separate petitions filed by Ayub and Faraz challenging their disqualification and de-notification as MNA and Senator, respectively. The PTI is part of a coalition of six opposition parties, working under the TTAP banner, which was formed last year. Earlier this month, the alliance held a multi-party conference, appealing for a new social contract to restore the Constitution and democracy. The TTAP formalised its organisational structure in July, declaring blanket support for all anti-government protests. During a press conference, Raja announced Achakzai's appointment as TTAP chairman, with PTI's Asad Qaiser serving as Secretary General, Dawn reported. (ANI) The troops were evacuated by helicopter to Ziv Medical Center in Safed, where they were admitted through the trauma unit and underwent extensive tests and imaging. After medical observation, all four were released in stable condition. Families have been notified, and the incident is under investigation. (ANI/TPS) Around 9 am, approximately 15 armed terrorists emerged from a tunnel shaft just meters from an outpost manned by soldiers from Sayeret Haruv, an elite reconnaissance unit. The attackers opened fire with machine guns and anti-tank weapons, reportedly aiming to infiltrate the position and capture soldiers. Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in the clash, one moderately and two lightly, as troops inside quickly returned fire. During the exchange, about nine attackers were killed, while the others retreated. Israeli forces deployed a UAV to pursue fleeing terrorists, and airstrikes are ongoing against those who escaped. Military officials described the attempted infiltration as part of a broader pattern of attacks Hamas has been preparing for, noting that assaults during daylight hours are often timed to catch forces off guard. Early reports indicate that the rapid response by Israeli troops prevented what could have been a large-scale incident with multiple casualties and hostages. The Israel Defence Forces said operations remain ongoing, with fighter jets and ground units tracking the remaining attackers. The attack comes as the IDF prepares a major offensive against Hamas in Gaza City, including the mobilisation of up to 60,000 reserve soldiers. Approximately 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 50 remaining hostages, around 30 are believed to be dead. (ANI/TPS) Traders in Sikkim have welcomed the announcement of the reopening of the Nathu La Pass for trade between India and China, saying that the "reopening brings hope for us." It was closed since 2019. On Tuesday, India and China agreed to reopen border trade through the three designated passes, Lipulekh (Uttarakhand), Shipki La Pass (Himachal Pradesh) and Nathu La in Sikkim. Both countries also resumed direct flight connectivity. The decisions were announced after the 24th round of the Special Representatives' dialogue, which was co-chaired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was on a two-day visit to India. The revival of trade is expected to provide a much-needed boost to the regional economy and support cross-border commerce. "This is very good news," said Anil Gupta, a trader from Gangtok. "Trade had been stopped for five years, and many bills remained pending on both sides. The reopening brings hope for us." Gupta also urged authorities to update the list of tradable goods established in 2006, suggesting the inclusion of sugar and matchsticks due to their high demand in China. He further requested that more trade passes be issued and that traders be allowed to stay overnight. Another trader, IK Rasaily, expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang, Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba, and Rajya Sabha MP DT Lepcha for their efforts in restoring trade ties. "I wish this trade continues uninterrupted," Rasaily said. He also welcomed the decision to increase the number of pilgrims for the Mount Kailash Yatra, which resumed this year after a long gap and is set to conclude on August 23. The reopening of the Nathula Trade Pass is expected to not only strengthen economic ties but also revive cultural and spiritual exchanges across the border. (ANI) The company's spokesperson confirmed that internet services have been fully restored nationwide. Further, the PTCL spokesperson said that the PTCL services had faced disruption since yesterday evening, but the issue has now been resolved, and operations are back to normal. Users across major cities, including Karachi, experienced connectivity issues, with Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) services facing major disruptions, as per ARY News. The internet disruption in Pakistan affected both online and call services, causing problems to individuals and businesses relying on digital platforms. The reports noted that major cities in Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar, frequently experience slow or no browsing speed, connection disruptions, and outages in online services. Following the distruption, online workers and business personnel expressed frustration over the unavailability of essential online applications and platforms. IT and Telecom Minister, Shaza Fatima, accepted the issue, stating that professional officials are investigating and working to fix the root cause. "We will inform the public as soon as the reasons are identified and solutions are given," she assured, as per ARY News. According to ARY News, the internet outage during the severe weather conditions and rains has raised concerns over Pakistan's IT infrastructure, especially since most individuals use the internet for their remote work, education, communicating with their relatives abroad or e-commerce. (ANI) Regarding oil import prices amid tariffs, Evgeniy Griva, Deputy Trade Representative of Russia to India, stated that a 5% swing is possible subject to negotiation, according to the Russian Embassy in India. Speaking on trade relations between the two countries, Griva said, "We can predict that the usual growth of trade will be approximately 10 per cent. Indian exports to Russia are growing bigger and faster...Export of machine tools, electronic devices, pharma and chemicals is big." He added that despite the pressure on Russia and its economy, there is an increase in cooperation, especially in the financial sphere through Rupee-Ruble payments between India and Russia, highlighting that despite external pressures, the financial cooperation remains secure. Griva made the remarks on Wednesday during a joint press conference with Roman Babushkin, Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Embassy in the national capital. Calling the sanctions on the Russian economy illegal, Babushkin said, "Non-United Nations sanctions and secondary sanctions are illegal. They weaponise the economy. Despite the tremendous sanction pressure on Russia, the Russian economy is growing steadily. It means that you cannot exclude from the global economy such a big and important country like Russia with its tremendous energy, industrial and human potential." Highlighting the impact of sanctions on cooperation, Griva said, "We see that after such pressure, we see an increase in cooperation, and especially in the financial sphere, for example, because payments in ruble-rupee became safer when you can expect that there would be some blackmailing. So just the trend is that more pressure, more cooperation." He further noted that India and Russia have seen stable growth in trade, predicting that the usual growth in trade would be around 10 per cent annually. "We have really very stable growth in our trade... Now we have reached the level and we can predict that, and focus on the usual growth in trade will be approximately 10 per cent annually. Besides that, we see the tendency that now Indian exports towards Russia are growing bigger and faster," Griva said. While crude oil remains the main item of Russia's export, Griva pointed out that the range of other commodities is also increasing. "I wanted to highlight that despite political situation, we can predict that the same level of oil import, crude oil import will be approximately the same, and it's absolutely positive trend, because for Russia it's the main supply." He also highlighted the growth of Indian exports to Russia in sectors such as machine tools, pharma, and electronic devices. Griva's remarks come as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is in Russia co-chairing the Russia-India Intergovernmental Commission (IRIGC), a key platform for bilateral cooperation across trade, energy, finance, and defence. During his visit, he will meet Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The Embassy of India in Russia shared his arrival in Moscow on Tuesday evening in a post on X, stating, "Hon'ble EAM @DrSJaishankar arrives in Moscow on an official visit to Russia." The development comes amid strain in India's ties with the US over New Delhi's procurement of crude oil from Russia. (ANI) Israel will call up 60,000 reservists in the coming weeks as it pushes forward with a plan to seize Gaza City, the military said, even as mediators pursue efforts to secure a ceasefire in the 22-month war, as reported by Al Jazeera. The military said on Wednesday that Defence Minister Israel Katz approved plans to begin operations in some of Gaza's most densely populated areas, and that it would call up 60,000 reservists and lengthen the service of an additional 20,000 reservists. The announcement comes as human rights groups warn that a humanitarian crisis could worsen in Gaza, where most residents have been displaced multiple times, neighbourhoods lie in ruins, and starvation deaths continue to rise amid the threat of widescale famine. An Israeli military official told journalists that the new phase of combat would involve "a gradual precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City," including some areas where forces had not previously operated. The official added that the military had already begun operating in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Jabalia as part of the initial stages. Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from central Gaza, said residents are bracing for the worst as Israel pursues its plan to seize Gaza's largest city, in an operation that could displace hundreds of thousands of people to concentration zones in the south of the territory. Abu Azzoum said Israeli artillery has flattened rows of homes in eastern Gaza City as attacks intensified across densely populated areas. "Last night was completely sleepless as Israeli drones and warplanes filled the skies, attacking and destroying homes and makeshift camps," he said. He also described how a father in al-Mawasi, an Israeli-designated so-called safe zone in southern Gaza, lost his children in an overnight strike. "He told us his children were sleeping peacefully when the Israeli missile tore through the tent and ripped their bodies apart," Al Jazeera reported. At least 35 Palestinians, including 10 people seeking aid, were killed in Israeli attacks on Wednesday, according to medical sources. Israel's plan to escalate its assault coincides with renewed mediation efforts led by Qatar and Egypt, with backing from the United States. The latest framework calls for a 60-day truce, a staggered exchange of captives and Palestinian prisoners, and expanded aid access. While Qatar said the proposal was "almost identical" to a version Israel had previously accepted, Egypt stressed that "the ball is now in its (Israel's) court." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly commented on the proposal. Last week, he insisted any deal must ensure "all the hostages are released at once and according to our conditions for ending the war." Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said his movement "opened the door wide to the possibility of reaching an agreement, but the question remains whether Netanyahu will once again close it, as he has done in the past." The truce push comes amid mounting international criticism of Israel's conduct in the war and growing domestic pressure on Netanyahu. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has said at least 62,064 Palestinians have been killed since Israel's war on Gaza started on October 7, 2023, most of them civilians. The United Nations regards the ministry's figures as credible. Al Jazeera reported that the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate amid ongoing attacks. (ANI) WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac; NYSE: AGM and AGM.A) today announced that it has agreed to issue $100 million of Tier 1 capital through the public offering of 6.500% non-cumulative perpetual Series H preferred stock, par value $25.00 per share. The preferred stock offering is expected to close on August 25, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. Farmer Mac expects to list the new series of preferred stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AGM PRH." The dividend rate on the new Series H preferred stock will remain at a non-cumulative, fixed rate of 6.500% per year, when, as, and if a dividend is declared by the Board of Directors of Farmer Mac, for so long as the Series H preferred stock remains outstanding. The Series H preferred stock will have no maturity date, but Farmer Mac will have the option to redeem the preferred stock on any dividend payment date on and after October 17, 2030. RBC Capital Markets, LLC served as the Sole Book-Running Manager for this transaction. The offering is being made pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is being made solely by means of an offering circular. You may obtain a copy of the offering circular by contacting RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Brookfield Place, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10281, toll-free: 1-866-375-6829 or email: [email protected]. Forward-Looking Statements In addition to historical information, this release includes forward-looking statements that reflect management's current expectations for the preferred stock offering, Farmer Mac's intended use of the proceeds from the offering and the closing date of the offering. You should pay particular attention to the important risk factors and cautionary statements described tin the "Risk Factors" section of the offering circular that relates to the offering referenced above, as well as the risk factors discussed in Farmer Mac's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC, on February 21, 2025, and Farmer Mac's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, as filed with the SEC on August 7, 2025. In light of these potential risks and uncertainties, no undue reliance should be placed on any forward-looking statements expressed in this release. The forward-looking statements contained in this release represent management's expectations as of the date of this release. Farmer Mac undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of revisions to any forward-looking statements included in the release to reflect new information or any future events or circumstances, except as the SEC otherwise requires. About Farmer Mac Farmer Mac is driven by its mission to increase the accessibility of financing to provide vital liquidity for American agriculture and rural infrastructure. Our secondary market provides liquidity to our nation's agricultural and infrastructure businesses, supporting a vibrant and strong rural America. We offer a wide range of solutions to help meet financial institutions' growth, liquidity, risk management, and capital relief needs across diverse markets, including agriculture, agribusiness, broadband infrastructure, power and utilities, and renewable energy. We are uniquely positioned to facilitate competitive access to financing that fuels growth, innovation, and prosperity in America's rural and agricultural communities. Additional information about Farmer Mac is available on our website at www.farmermac.com. SOURCE Farmer Mac The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday categorically rejected Bangladesh interim government's claims of "political offficies" of the Awami League being run in India, saying New Delhi does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from its soil. "The Press Statement by the Interim Government of Bangladesh is thus misplaced," the MEA said. Commenting on the Dhaka's press statement, MEA official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that, "The Government of India is not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action that is contrary to Indian law." "The Government does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil," he stressed. The MEA official reiterates India's expectation that "free, fair, and inclusive elections will be held at the earliest in Bangladesh to ascertain the will and mandate of the people." https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1958170085312397488 This comes after the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement,"Activities by the banned BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE on Indian soil risks long-term friendship and multifarious engagements" between Bangladesh and India. "Attention of the Government of Bangladesh has been drawn to the reported establishment of offices of the banned political party Bangladesh Awami League in the Indian Capital of Delhi and Kolkata," the statement said. "Many of the senior leaders of the Party, absconding in several criminal cases in Bangladesh on account of grievous crimes committed against humanity, remain in the Indian territory," it alleged. The MFA urged India "to take immediate steps to ensure that no anti-Bangladesh activity is undertaken by any Bangladeshi national from being in the Indian soil, including not permitting or supporting any such activities in any manner and an immediate closure of the political office(s) of the banned Bangladesh Awami League on the Indian soil." The accusation by the Bangladesh's interim Muhammad Yunus government came against the backdrop of strained ties between the two neighbouring countries.(ANI) Russia on Wednesday warned that attempting to resolve security issues relating to Ukraine without the participation of Moscow is a "road to nowhere", two days after European leaders met US President Donald Trump to discuss security guarantees for Kyiv, Al Jazeera reported. "We cannot agree with the fact that now it is proposed to resolve questions of security, collective security, without the Russian Federation. This will not work," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, according to Al Jazeera. "I am sure that in the West and above all in the United States they understand perfectly well that seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is a utopia; it's a road to nowhere," he added. Lavrov's comments come after US President Trump on Monday hosted Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alongside prominent European leaders at the White House, and days after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Al Jazeera reported that Trump is trying to steer Putin and Zelenskyy towards a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbour, though major obstacles remain. The Russian official said any summit between Putin and Zelenskyy "must be prepared in the most meticulous way" so the meeting does not lead to a "deterioration" of the situation around the conflict, Al Jazeera reported. Lavrov also accused European leaders of making "clumsy attempts" to change the US president's position on Ukraine. "We have only seen aggressive escalation of the situation and rather clumsy attempts to change the position of the US president," he said, referring to Monday's meeting. "We did not hear any constructive ideas from the Europeans there," Lavrov added. Meanwhile, NATO military chiefs are due to meet on Wednesday (local time) to discuss potential security guarantees for Ukraine amid efforts to broker a ceasefire, Al Jazeera reported. The alliance's Military Committee said that 32 defence chiefs from across NATO would hold a video conference, with US General Alexus Grynkewich, who oversees NATO's operations in Europe, also taking part in the talks. Kyiv's European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan, and Australia, have signed up to support the initiative. Military chiefs are considering how that security force might work, while the role of the US remains unclear. Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending US troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. Russia has repeatedly said that it would not accept NATO troops in Ukraine. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that bilateral trade in goods between India and Russia has increased more than five-fold from USD 13 billion in 2021 to USD 68 billion in 2024-25, and the trade imbalance should be addressed urgently. Speaking at the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), Jaishankar said that the IRIGC is a key mechanism to prepare for the Annual Summit, which is expected to be held by the end of this year. "We are meeting here after about 10 months since the last Session in November 2024 in New Delhi, and I think this is perhaps the shortest interval between the two sessions that we have ever had. Over the last four years, our bilateral trade in goods has increased, as you have noted, more than five-fold from USD 13 billion in 2021 to USD 68 billion in 2024-25 and it continues to grow," Jaishankar said. "However, a major trade imbalance has accompanied the growth; it has increased from USD 6.6 billion to USD 58.9 billion which is about nine times. So we need to address that urgently," he added. He said the meeting is taking place in the backdrop of a complex geopolitical situation and the leaders of the two countries remain closely and regularly engaged. "We are all acutely aware that we are meeting in the backdrop of a complex geopolitical situation. Our leaders remain closely and regularly engaged. They provide us wise and practical guidance to our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. They had two 'in person' meetings last year and are personally committed to further advancing our strategic partnership," he said. Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to Russia. Apart from co-chairing IRIGC-TEC, the External Affairs Minister will address the India-Russia Business Forum meeting in Moscow. He will also meet Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and review the bilateral agenda and share perspective on regional and global issues. The visit aims to further strengthen the longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. (ANI) During the meeting, the foreign ministers reviewed the decisions made in previous meetings and discussed ways to strengthen relations between the three countries. https://x.com/MoFA_Afg/status/1958149170444775524 In a post on X, the Afghan foreign ministry wrote, "Today, the sixth meeting of the dialogue of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan was held in Kabul." "In this meeting, alongside reviewing the decisions of previous meetings, emphasis was placed on strengthening relations between the three countries in the political, economic, and transit sectors," the post added. Earlier in the day, the Afghan foreign minister held a bilateral meeting with Wang Yi. During the meeting, discussions were held on the expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various fields. The Afghan foreign minister described the bilateral relations between Afghanistan and China as "progressing and considered China a good trading partner for Afghanistan, with the annual trade exchange between the two countries reaching one billion dollars." In a post on X, the Afghan foreign ministry wrote, "The trade volume between the two countries has risen to a significant level." "Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi presented his practical proposals regarding the expansion of economic cooperation between Afghanistan and China, particularly in the areas of transportation cooperation, banking relations, and balancing trade, and made a request," the post added. He further described the relations between the two countries as "progressing and considered the expansion of cooperation in various fields noteworthy." Wang Yi said that the relevant institutions of both countries are working to further increase Afghanistan's exports to China, according to the Afghan foreign ministry. (ANI) A day after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his two-day visit to India, China's Ambassador Xu Feihong highlighted ten points of consensus from the 24th Round of Talks Between the Special Representatives (SRs) of China and India on the boundary question. He said in a post on X that the two sides spoke positively of the progress made in the implementation of the important leader-level consensus in Kazan, and shared the view that peace and tranquility has been maintained in the China-India border areas since the 23rd Round of SR Talks. "The two sides reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas, emphasized handling the issue properly through friendly consultations, to promote overall development of the China-India bilateral relationship," he said. "Agreed on the need to take a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for settlement of the boundary question in accordance with the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the China-India Boundary Question signed in 2005," he added. The Chinese Ambassador to India said the two sides agreed to set up an Expert Group, under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on the China-India border affairs (WMCC) framework, to explore Early Harvest of boundary delimitation on appropriate Sectors. He said the two sides agreed to set up a Working Group, under the WMCC framework, to advance effective border management in order to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. "Agreed to create General-Level Mechanisms in the Eastern and Middle Sectors, in addition to the existing General-Level Mechanism in the Western Sector, and hold the next round of General-Level Mechanism meeting in the Western Sector at an early date," he said. "Agreed to use the border management mechanisms at diplomatic and military levels to carry forward the process of border management, and discuss de-escalation, beginning with the principles and modalities thereof," he said. Xu Feihong said the two sides exchanged views on trans-border rivers cooperation and agreed to give full play to the role of the China-India Expert Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers and keep communication on the renewal of relevant MoUs. The Chinese side agreed to share hydrological information during emergency situations based on humanitarian considerations. "Agreed to re-open the three traditional border trading markets, namely Renqinggang-Changgu, Pulan-Gunji and Jiuba-Namgya. Agreed to hold the 25th Round of SR Talks in China in 2026," he said. During his visit, Wang Yi co-chaired the 24th round of the Special Representatives' dialogue on the Boundary Question between India and China with the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on August 19 and held bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on August 18. He also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI) Nepal on Wednesday objected to the agreement between India and China to open a trade route via Lipulekh, asserting its claim over the land. Responding to media queries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday issued three points, asserting claims over the land and objecting to the unilateral move by China and India. "The Nepalese government is clear that the official map of Nepal has been included in the constitution of Nepal and that the map shows Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani east of the Mahakali River as integral parts of Nepal," the first point of the press statement reads. Nepal maintains that Lipulekh, including Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, belongs to Nepal according to the Sugauli Treaty of 1816. Furthermore, the Ministry reiterated previous diplomatic attempts and communications with both countries, asserting Lipulekh to be Nepali territory. "It is also known that the Nepalese government has been urging the Indian government not to undertake any activities such as road construction/expansion, border trade in the area. It is also known that the friendly country, China, has been informed that the area is Nepali territory." India and China have agreed to reopen border trade through Lipulekh Pass, a point located 56 kilometres inside Nepal's western frontier in Limpiyadhura. The agreement was made during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India. Both countries agreed during a meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Point nine of the joint communique mentions the resumption of border trade. "Both sides agreed to the re-opening of border trade through the three designated trading points, namely Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass." Nepal in 2020 amended its constitution, incorporating a new political and administrative map in the preamble. The new map included the tri-junction of Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh, which has remained a disputed area between Nepal and India. Nepal's updated map, prepared incorporating the missing territories, was submitted to the Ministry of Land Management by the Department of Survey, which claims to have taken accurate scale, projection and coordinate system. It was publicly released on May 20, 2020 after a go-ahead signal from the Cabinet meeting on 18 May the same year. The department has collected a map drawn during the Treaty of Sugauli, another brought from London, receipts of payment of land revenues, and the order issued by then Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher, as evidence to claim that the land belongs to Nepal. The earlier map issued in 2032 BS had left out Gunji, Nabhi and Kuri villages, which have now been included in the latest revised map, adding 335 square kilometres of land. With prolonged claims and disputes about the border, the Nepali Foreign Ministry also stated that it is committed to resolving the border issue between the two countries through diplomatic means. "In accordance with the spirit of the close and friendly relations between Nepal and India, the Nepalese government has been committed to resolving the border issue between the two countries through diplomatic means on the basis of historical treaties, agreements, facts, maps and evidence," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated. India's position is that the Kalapani region, including Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, is part of its territory. This claim is based on India's interpretation of the Sugauli Treaty of 1816, which defined the border with Nepal based on the Kali River. India maintains that the river originates at the Kalapani village, while Nepal argues it originates further north, at Limpiyadhura. This difference in interpretation leads to the disputed territory. Tensions had flared between New Delhi and Kathmandu in 2020 after Nepal issued its political map in mid-May, which included the tri-junction that India had excluded from its November 2019 map. Diplomatic ties between the nations were further strained after the inauguration of a road linking Kailash Mansarovar via Lipulekh on May 8, 2020, after which Nepal handed over a diplomatic note to India objecting to the move. Prior to the handover of the diplomatic note, Nepal had also strongly objected to India's unilateral move to construct the road. Nepal said it has "consistently maintained" that as per the Sugauli Treaty (1816), "all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) river, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal." The Indian Defence Ministry had said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in Uttarakhand has connected the Kailash Mansarovar route to Lipulekh Pass, which will provide connectivity to border villages and security forces. India and China discussed the Lipulekh Pass for the first time during the 2015 visit to China by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During PM Modi's visit, then Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agreed to expand trade via Lipulekh. The joint statement issued on May 15, 2015, included the agreement in point 28. The 2015 decision triggered strong protests in Nepal as the agreement was reached without its consultation, despite the pass lying within Nepali territory. The Nepal government formally objected at the time, sending diplomatic notes to both countries. With India and China working to improve strained relations following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, both sides have once again agreed to open trade through Lipulekh. Nepal's official map includes Lipulekh within its territory. In 2023, China released a new map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura as part of India, further complicating the dispute. The agreement comes ahead of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's visits to India and China--he will first attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China from August 31 to September 1, then proceed to India for an official visit starting September 16. Meanwhile, India on Wednesday rejected Nepal's territorial claims over Lipulekh Pass, stating that the claims are "neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence". The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasised that India remains open to constructive interaction with Nepal to resolve outstanding boundary issues through dialogue and diplomacy. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that India's position on the issue remains consistent and clear, emphasising that border trade between India and China through Lipulekh Pass has been ongoing since 1954. The ministry said that the claims made by Nepal are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. "Our position in this regard has been consistent and clear. Border trade between India and China through Lipulekh pass had commenced in 1954 and has been going on for decades. This trade had been disrupted in recent years due to Covid and other developments, and both sides have now agreed to resume it," said Jaiswal. "As regards territorial claims, our position remains that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. Any unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable. India remains open to constructive interaction with Nepal on resolving agreed outstanding boundary issues through dialogue and diplomacy," he added.(ANI) Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, in an opinion piece on Newsweek, emphasised the need to treat India as "prized free and democratic partner" to counter China said that "scuttling 25 years of momentum" with New Delhi would be a "strategic disaster." Nikki Haley called a strong partnership between India and China a "no-brainer" emphasising that the rise of a democratic India does not threaten the free world, "unlike Communist-controlled China." "India must be treated like the prized free and democratic partner that it is--not an adversary like China, which has thus far avoided sanctions for its Russian oil purchases, despite being one of Moscow's largest customers. If that disparity does not demand a closer look at U.S.-India relations, the realities of hard power should. Scuttling 25 years of momentum with the only country that can serve as a counterweight to Chinese dominance in Asia would be a strategic disaster," Nikki Haley said in her opinion piece on Newsweek. "Unlike Communist-controlled China, the rise of a democratic India does not threaten the free world. Partnership between the U.S. and India to counter China should be a no-brainer," she added. Nikki Haley pointed out that India has the potential to manufacture at a scale similar to China's for products that can help the US move its critical supply chains away from Beijing. She also mentioned that India's growing defence capabilities and its involvement in the Middle East are "essential" for stabilising the region. "In the short term, India is essential in helping the United States move its critical supply chains away from China. While the Trump administration works to bring manufacturing back to our shores, India stands alone in its potential to manufacture at a China-like scale for products that can't be quickly or efficiently produced here, like textiles, inexpensive phones, and solar panels," Nikki Haley said in the opinion piece. "India's growing clout and security involvement in the Middle East could prove essential in helping to stabilise the region as America seeks to send fewer troops and dollars there. And India's location at the centre of China's vital trade and energy flows could complicate Beijing's options in the case of a major conflict," she added. Nikki Haley, in the Newsweek article, further pointed out that India is the world's fastest-growing major economy and will soon take over Japan. She said that India's rise is the "greatest obstacles to China's goal of reshaping the global order." "Simply put, China's ambitions will have to shrink as India's power grows," she added. She also highlighted India's conflicting economic interests and ongoing territorial disputes with China, mentioning the Galwan Valley skirmish in 2020. She said that the partnership with the US would serve America's interests to help India stand up to its increasingly aggressive northern neighbour, both economically and militarily. In her opinion piece on Newsweek, Haley said that it would be a massive--and preventable--mistake to balloon a trade spat between the United States and India into an enduring rupture. She also raised concerns over China taking advantage of the situation. She advised India to take US President Donald Trump's point on Russian Oil seriously and work with the White House to find a solution. She urged Donald Trump to "reverse the downward spiral" and hold direct talks with PM Modi. "The sooner the better," she said. "The administration should focus on mending the rift with India and giving the relationship more high-level attention and resources--approaching what the U.S. devotes to China or Israel," she added. She further said that the US should not lose sight of what matters most, "our shared goals. To face China, the United States must have a friend in India." This comes after the US levied an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent on Indian goods, but has announced an additional 25 per cent tariff that will take effect from August 27, raising the total duty to 50 per cent. (ANI) HOKKAIDO, Aug 20 (News On Japan) - A growing number of bear sightings and attacks are alarming communities across Japan, with 55 people injured nationwide as of the end of July. The figure matches the pace of incidents recorded in 2022, the worst year on record, underscoring the urgency of countermeasures. While some demand swift culling, critics argue the focus should be on coexistence and preventive measures. In Hokkaido earlier this month, a 26-year-old man was killed on a mountain trail in the Shiretoko Peninsula, adding to a string of fatalities this summer. Sapporo has reported more than 1,300 bear sightings over the past decade, with encounters increasingly shifting from remote forests to residential areas and parks. Nishioka Park, located just nine kilometers south of the city center, has remained closed after repeated bear sightings, the latest occurring in mid-August. Residents say their fear is intensifying. "Its terrifying to see bears appearing in broad daylight, even in areas where children and dogs are taken for walks," said one woman. Demand for bear deterrents is rising: a local home improvement store reported increased sales of bells and more inquiries about bear spray costing around 17,000 yen. Experts warn that household garbage is a major factor drawing bears closer to human settlements. In Fukushima Town, where a newspaper delivery worker was fatally mauled in July, bears had been rummaging through food waste days earlier. Once they acquire a taste for human refuse, specialists say, they return persistently, heightening risks of attacks. Local governments are scrambling to strengthen defenses. Rules on garbage disposal, electric fences, and brush clearing are being reinforced, but residents say municipalities cannot manage alone. "Once bears become fixated, they will enter residential areas again and again," a researcher explained. "Preventive measures require funding and manpower beyond what local officials can handle." Policy is also shifting. Starting in September, revised legislation will allow municipalities to authorize the use of firearms against bears entering residential areas or roads, a decision previously requiring police approval. Still, the burden of judgment is expected to weigh heavily on local governments. "Speed is essential when attacks are rising," one official noted, though critics caution that culling must remain a last resort. Public opinion remains divided. Some residents insist that culling is necessary once bears pose a threat to human life, while others argue that humans are at fault for encroaching on bear habitats through deforestation and development. "If its inside a national park, I oppose killing," said one resident. "But in urban areas, it may be unavoidable." Others pointed out that once bears associate humans with food, coexistence becomes impossible. Authorities have also faced backlash. The Hokkaido government reports receiving abusive complaints, many from outside the prefecture, accusing staff of killing bears indiscriminately. Officials say such harassment is disrupting operations. Commentators warn that while emotional responses are understandable, intimidation of staff amounts to customer harassment and risks undermining public safety efforts. Sociologists note that climate change, habitat loss, and declining satoyama woodlands have reshaped the dynamics of human-bear interactions. With encounters likely to continue rising, specialists urge a dual approach: swift emergency responses when human lives are endangered, alongside long-term investment in preventive measures. "We need to balance safety and coexistence," said Yoshinori Sato, a professor at Rakugakuin University. "That means both culling when unavoidable and building systems that keep bears away from human settlements." Source: TBS This funding will support a wide range of essential services and resources in the community. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- First Horizon Foundation announced today a $25,000 donation to the American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee to support relief efforts in Chattanooga. The funds will directly benefit the community by helping to provide with essential services and critical resources. "Nothing is more important than meeting the challenges our communities face. Stepping in to support the American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee at this critical time is a top priority for us. We know the hard work begins as the weather subsides; and just as we have throughout our history, we're stepping up to support efforts that will strengthen our neighbors as they move forward," said Jay Dale, Chattanooga Market President for First Horizon. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly applauded the support from the First Horizon Foundation. "In times of emergency, Chattanoogans come together to support each other. First Horizon continues to be a vital partner since opening their doors in our city in 1905. Whenever our community has faced extraordinary circumstances, First Horizon has not only stepped forward in ways to meet immediate needs but continues to provide sustaining support. For that, we are grateful." The American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee offers emergency financial aid, recovery planning and long-term support to those impacted by the recent floods in Chattanooga. Efforts will include financial assistance and grants for community-based services. Anyone affected by the flooding can call 1-800-RED-CROSS for assistance and to help the local American Red Cross chapter identify and reach those in need. About First Horizon Foundation First Horizon Foundation is the private charitable foundation of First Horizon Corporation. Founded in 1993, the Foundation has donated more than $150 million to meet community needs. Grants from the Foundation support the following impact areas: Arts & Culture, Education & Leadership, Environment, Financial Literacy, and Health & Human Services. More information is available at www.firsthorizonfoundation.com. About First Horizon First Horizon Corporation (NYSE: FHN), with $82.1 billion in assets as of June 30, 2025, is a leading regional financial services company, dedicated to helping our clients, communities and associates unlock their full potential with capital and counsel. Headquartered in Memphis, TN, the banking subsidiary First Horizon Bank operates in 12 states concentrated in the southern U.S. The Company and its subsidiaries offer commercial, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, capital markets, fixed income, and mortgage banking services. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation's best employers by Fortune and Forbes magazines and a Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. Bank. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com . SOURCE First Horizon Corporation TOKYO, Aug 20 (News On Japan) - Mercari, Japans leading flea market app, has banned the sale of empty cartridges from July after a request from the National Police Agency, citing concerns that they could be reused to make live ammunition. The company added empty cartridges to its list of prohibited items on July 21st and has been removing previously listed products as well. While possession of spent cartridges is not banned under Japans Firearms and Swords Control Law, there are currently no legal restrictions preventing their sale. Authorities, however, have confirmed cases in which empty cartridges were refilled with gunpowder and used as live bullets. The police have been stepping up efforts to counter so-called lone offenders who may attempt attacks independently. In recent years, realistic toy guns with functions similar to actual firearms have also spread in the domestic market, raising fears that makeshift ammunition could be paired with them. The police say they remain on high alert over the potential risks. Source: TBS TOKYO, Aug 20 (News On Japan) - Prime Minister Ishiba held a 30-minute meeting with Microsoft founder and global philanthropist Bill Gates at the Prime Ministers Office on August 19th, where the two exchanged views on global health issues. Speaking to reporters afterward, Gates noted that a great deal of technological innovation is happening in Japan, giving rise to new products, adding that such advances can contribute to improving health in Africa. Gates has established a foundation dedicated to addressing global challenges such as disease and poverty, with particular emphasis on the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, which promotes vaccinations for children in developing countries including Africa. Saito, leader of the Komeito party who attended the meeting, revealed that Ishiba informed Gates of Japans plan to provide 550 million dollars, or about 81 billion yen, over the next five years to support the activities of the Gavi Vaccine Alliance. Source: FNN Skye at Holland offers the pinnacle for luxury living, offering prospective residents the chance to purchase the best home in an enviable and well-connected area. The elegant style as well as premium amenities, this development has attracted a lot of attention and makes the process of booking an essential step for anyone who is looking to make the Skye at Holland their home. Knowing how to manage this process effectively will allow you to find a property that fits your needs and style. This complete guide will outline the steps necessary to book an apartment within Skye at Holland, from the initial inquiry to agreement. Through a thorough examination of the process for booking along with financing options as well as the insider secrets, this guide provides you with the necessary information to make decisions swiftly and with confidence. If youre buying for the first time or a veteran investor these tips will assist you to get on the right path to having a stake in the exclusive property. Preparing for the Booking Process It is essential to prepare for an apartment in a highly-demanding construction. If you are aware of the needs and accumulate the necessary materials prior to the time of booking to streamline the process of booking and boost the likelihood of getting the job done. Researching Available Units Explore the array of floor plans, from compact studios, to large three-bedroom houses. Every type of unit comes with unique options, like private balconies or smart home systems. The process of reviewing layout alternatives and details will help you determine the best option for your preferences, and ensures that youre able to make an educated decision. Understanding Eligibility Criteria Booking a flight requires certain qualifications, like evidence of identity in the United States, residency status or the financial qualification. Learn about these guidelines to make sure you are in compliance with all requirements. There are some units that may be subject to other restrictions like prioritization for residents of the area so, make sure you know these restrictions in advance. Gathering Required Documentation Make sure you have the necessary documents ready, such as identity documents as well as proof of income and bank statements for speedier application. Preparing these documents prior to the application deadline shows you are serious and allows you to move swiftly as units become readily available. Digital copies also make it easier to complete processing during the booking stage. Scheduling a Site Visit Schedule a visit at the site to take in the atmosphere and view models of the homes. Tours on site provide invaluable insights about the layout, finishes as well as amenities to help you determine your preferred options. A tour booked in advance ensures that you have a direct experience before committing. Navigating the Application and Financing When youre ready for the financing, the application steps are essential to securing the property. Being aware of the procedures and alternatives offered will make the process smooth, starting with submitting an application until finalizing the payment plans. Submitting Your Booking Application The process of applying typically requires you to fill out a lengthy questionnaire that lists your preferred location and your personal information. Make sure to submit this form promptly as units are usually assigned on a first-come, one-at-a-time basis. There are some developments that offer web-based portals for convenience. So, look for electronic submission for a quicker submission. Exploring Financing Options There are a variety of financing options available that include development-backed loans, bank loan plans, and installment alternatives. Talk to financial experts to find the best option for your financial situation. Certain plans have flexibility in terms like delayed payments that can help ease financial strain when purchasing a new home. Securing a Reservation Fee The payment of a reservation fee is usually needed to reserve your unit. The fee, usually just a tiny portion of the price for the unit, signifies that you are serious about your purchase and also removes the item from sale. Be sure to understand the fees terms and conditions, as well as the policy on refunds, prior to making the payment. Reviewing Contract Terms Before putting it in writing, you should carefully read the purchase agreement, which outlines the units specifications as well as payment plans and timelines for completion. Get legal counsel if necessary to ensure that the terms are fair and clear. This protects your investment as well as will clarify the obligations you have as a buyer. Contrarily, a community such as Penrith is known for its commitment to community and a streamlined scheduling process in order to focus on affordability by offering units at a lower cost and fewer financial options. However, while Penrith attracts buyers who are budget-conscious, Skye at Hollands method is geared towards premium services and customized finance, catering to people looking for the best in luxury and flexibility. Finalizing Your Purchase The last steps in the process of booking is to confirm the property and make arrangements for the day of ownership. These steps ensure an effortless process from reservation to move-in, making the right preparations for the new house you will be living in. Confirming Unit Allocation Once your application has been approved, youll be notified of your units allocation. It will include details such as the unit numbers, floor levels, and the specific facilities. Check this information to make sure that they are in line with your requirements before moving on to the next step. Completing Payment Agreements Complete your payment plan by signing the appropriate agreements and then making the initial payment according to the plan. When you pay in full or in installments, make sure the transactions are properly documented. The receipts are kept in the files. This is a way to secure the ownership of your account. Attending Pre-Handover Inspections Prior to moving in, take part in a handover inspection prior to moving-in. evaluate the condition of the home. Examine for any issues with fixtures or finishes, and notify the issues as soon as you notice them. Then, you can be sure that the unit is in compliance with the specifications promised prior to when you are allowed to take possession. Preparing for Move-In When your purchase is completed you must contact the seller for information regarding moving in, such as the key gathering and orientation sessions. Make plans for your move in advance, for example scheduling movers and setting up the utilities, in order to make sure you have a smooth move into your new residence. Conclusion If you are interested in a home in Skye, at Holland it is an enjoyable experience that is a combination of the preparation of a strategic plan and swift actions. Through researching options for your unit as well as navigating financing options, and completing your purchase by taking care, you are able to get a house in this well-known property with complete confidence. This process is intended to be easy and comprehensive, which will help homeowners to secure their dream home quickly and easily. By following these steps, youll be prepared to live in a neighborhood that is awe-inspiring in its style and convenience, making your investment the perfect gateway to an extravagant life. News Analysis: Public skepticism about U.S. rises in Taiwan 08:12, August 20, 2025 By huaxia ( Xinhua TAIPEI/BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Public skepticism about the United States is growing in Taiwan, as Washington's tariff measures and other coercive actions have undercut the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' strategy of relying on U.S. support to pursue secession. On social media, complaints have surged since the United States imposed a 20 percent tariff on goods from Taiwan in early August. "The United States is blackmailing everyone," one netizen wrote. "It only protects its own interests," another quipped. "If the United States runs out of cash, Taiwan becomes its ATM." Analysts estimated that Taiwan is now confronting its heaviest overall tax burden since the island shifted toward export-oriented industrialization in the early 1960s. Beyond tariffs, Washington's pressure on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to expand investment in the United States has fueled fears that the island's backbone industry could be hollowed out. Although Taiwan was restored to China in 1945 after decades of Japanese occupation, the island province has not been reunified with the mainland as a result of the unresolved civil war dating back to the late 1940s. With the DPP winning the island's three leadership elections since 2016, it has persistently pursued a secessionist policy and leaned overwhelmingly toward the United States. Taiwan's Want Daily noted in an editorial that distrust of the United States has been building. In March, a survey from Taiwan magazine Global Views Monthly found that over 76 percent of respondents said their impression of the United States was negative, and, even among DPP supporters, those with a negative impression outnumbered those with a positive impression. The results of a poll published by U.S. think tank Brookings Institution show a similar trend -- 40.5 percent of respondents from Taiwan described their perception of the United States as "very negative" or "negative," compared to 24.2 percent in mid-2024. "U.S. tariffs are hurting farmers, workers and businesses across Taiwan," renowned social activist Zhan Che said. "We already had skepticism toward the United States, and it may gradually turn into aversion." Beyond economic concerns, intellectuals in Taiwan have raised concerns over Washington's questionable role in global governance. Kuan Chung, founder of the Taiwan-based Democracy Foundation, wrote in his 2022 book that his youthful admiration for the United States had collapsed. "The American miracle has become a lie, democracy a joke," he wrote, adding that the United States is now like "a hegemon living in fear of losing control." In March 2023, a group of prominent academics in Taiwan issued a signed declaration, calling for peace and speaking against Taiwan becoming a "follower of U.S. hegemony." "To maintain its dominance, the United States has sacrificed the interests of many -- Taiwan could be next," said Lu Chien-yi, a research fellow of Academia Sinica in Taiwan, one of the founders of the group. Younger scholars also echo this skepticism. Chou Yung, a history scholar born in the 1990s, told Xinhua that the mainstream skepticism about the United States in Taiwan is currently centered on doubts about its reliability as a partner. "However, over time, people may also begin to question whether the United States is a free and affluent society as it claims. An indicator of this cultural disenchantment may be that for young people in Taiwan, the appeal of the United States is gradually fading," he said. A United Daily News editorial has pointed out that public skepticism about the United States in Taiwan is largely a result of Washington's actions, but the DPP has played no small part in amplifying this sentiment. From lifting a ban on U.S. pork containing ractopamine to costly arms purchases and a weak response to the TSMC's outflow, decisions under the island's secession-minded leaders Tsai Ing-wen and her successor, Lai Ching-te, have fueled doubts over their true priorities. "Lai, in particular, has gone out of his way to court Washington. Yet public concern is mounting over whether he can genuinely protect Taiwan's interests," the article reads. Observers say the DPP has been presented with an opportunity to reassess its secessionist stance and reflect on its push for a "decoupling" with the mainland's economy. In the mainland's view, Taiwan residents are compatriots, bound by a shared identity across the Strait. As mainland officials have repeatedly said, so long as the island's authorities do not pursue "Taiwan independence," Chinese will not fight Chinese. In a recent article circulating on social media, Zheng Zhenqing, vice director of the Institute for Taiwan Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said only by standing with the mainland can Taiwan effectively counter the bullying of international powers and safeguard dignity and the interests of its people. "Taiwan's intellectuals and younger generations should renew their thinking, broaden their horizons, and move away from the old path of becoming a U.S. dependency. They should dare to envision a new future of peaceful reunification and sound governance across the Strait," Zheng said. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) You Can Win Big, Too! The Public Picks the People's Choice Award Winner and can Pocket a Cash Prize AVON, Ohio, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- What started as a friendly challenge among DIY influencers has become a decade-long celebration of colorful creativity and this year, the FrogTape Paintover Challenge is bigger, bolder and ready to crown its first-ever "GOAT." Now in its 10th year, the contest invites 10 popular DIY influencers to transform their spaces using just $1,000 and FrogTape painter's tape for a chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes, aligning with the 10 year anniversary. The winning influencer will take home a $5,000 cash prize and a $5,000 donation will be made to the charity of their choice. New in 2025 is the GOAT Award "Greatest of Advanced Tape," a $5,000 prize and a $5,000 charity donation given by the brand for the project that demonstrates top craftsmanship. And not to fret, you don't need to be a painting pro to cash in on the prizes from now till September 3, 2025, when the public casts their vote for both the People's Choice Award, they can enter for a chance to win a $1,000 sweepstakes. "For 10 years, we've been inspired by the painting perfection from the top DIY influencers around the country," said Patti LaPorte, Director of Marketing at Shurtape Technologies, LLC, which markets FrogTape brand products. "We've been wowed by wainscoting and stunned by stripes year after year, the Paintover Challenge has proven that you don't need a big budget or fancy tools for an impactful makeover just paint, good painter's tape and a great imagination." Participating DIYers shared a room makeover project they think best represents their work for a chance to win. And the submissions are as varied as the influencers and charities of choice. From linen closet glow-ups and textured stair takeovers to spare bedroom makeovers and even a patio floor flip, the influencers put their heart and soul into these projects. "The inspiring designs and impeccable execution go beyond the paint projects," LaPorte said. "The charitable component fuels the friendly competition as each influencer strives to donate to a non-profit organization that's dear to them. Potential charity donations include everything from children's mentoring programs and dog rescues to suicide prevention and cancer support groups. We're thrilled that FrogTape can champion such inspiring projects both in design and in truly impactful causes that make a difference." The 2025 Paintover Challenge contestant lineup includes: Lauren Makk (@laurenmakk) and her Show-Stopping Small Bathroom Makeover Leyla Chong (@livingwithley)'s Guest Room Makeover with Modern, Organic Charm Imani Keal (@iamaniathome) and her Big Personality Makeover to a Tiny Office Rebecca Propes (@rabeccadiy)'s Closet to Color-Drenched Office Jeff & Megan Hamann (@homewiththehamanns) and their Linen Closet Glow-Up with a Pop of Bold Style Toya Cheri (@shemoveswithpurpose)'s Stylish Textured Staircase Takeover Sarah Beckler (@thebeckleradbode) and her Patio Makeover with Mediterranean Flair Erin Desabelle (@the.dessy.dwelling)'s Moody, Multifunctional Spare Bedroom Transformation Becky George (@styledbybeck) and her room transformation Mastering Wall Stripes Kelsey Berry (@the.berry.home)'s Cozy Office Makeover To follow the Paintover Challenge, cast your vote and learn more about FrogTape brand products, visit FrogTape.com/PaintoverChallenge. Follow FrogTape on its social channels for expert painting tips and techniques from this year's DIY influencers. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The 2025 FrogTape Paintover Challenge Sweepstakes is sponsored by Shurtape Technologies, LLC. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. and DC who are 18 years of age or older and age of majority in their state/jurisdiction as of date of entry. Begins at 12:00 p.m. ET on 8/20/25 & ends 11:59 a.m. ET on 9/3/25. Void where prohibited by law. For complete Official Rules, visit https://www.frogtape.com/paintoverchallenge. FROGTAPE BRAND PRODUCTS When performance cannot be compromised, FrogTape brand delivers professional results you can trust when it matters most. The brand's flagship product FrogTape Multi-Surface Painter's Tape changed painting with PaintBlock Technology, a super-absorbent polymer that seals the edges of the tape to keep paint out and lines sharp. With a dedication to premium performance and continuous innovation, the brand has grown from that original green painter's tape to a variety of consumer, professional and industrial tape solutions. For more information, visit FrogTape.com; follow us on Instagram (@FrogTape); follow us on TikTok (@frogtapebrand); like us on Facebook (facebook.com/FrogTape); follow us on Instagram (@FrogTape); follow our boards on Pinterest (pinterest.com/FrogTape; watch us on YouTube (youtube.com/FrogTapeTube) or follow us on X (@FrogTape). Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. X is a registered trademark of X. TikTok is a registered trademark of TikTok. Instagram is a registered trademark of Instagram, LLC. Pinterest is a registered trademark of Pinterest, Inc. YouTube is a registered trademark of Google, Inc. SOURCE FrogTape(R) brand painter's tape Moroccos eastern grape-growing region has extended its harvest season from two to six months through agricultural innovation, but severe water shortages threaten to undermine gains that have positioned Nador province as a key supplier to domestic and international markets. The expansion from a traditional summer-only harvest to a June-through-December season resulted from introducing new grape varieties, including one officially registered with Moroccos Agriculture Ministry, Mimoun Oussar, president of the Oriental Regions Chamber of Agriculture, told Le360 news outlet. The diversification has enabled local grapes to penetrate markets nationwide while maintaining distinctive quality standards. However, persistent drought conditions are forcing producers into costly adaptations. Many farmers have invested in small-scale desalination units to treat saline well water, though such measures provide only partial relief. Despite limited water releases from regional dams this year, volumes remain critically insufficient for sustainable cultivation, Oussar said. The water crisis particularly affects grape vines, which are highly sensitive to irrigation disruptions. Kamal Drissi, a member of the Nador and Driouch Grape Producers Association, told the news outlet that last years drought forced premature harvesting, compromising both fruit size and quality standards. A single irrigation interruption can prove fatal for vineyards, warned association president Kamal Aberkani. Financial pressures compound environmental challenges. Establishing one hectare of vineyard requires initial investments between 300,000 and 400,000 dirhams ($30,000-$40,000), with annual operating costs exceeding 80,000 dirhams. Rising prices for predominantly imported agricultural inputs further strain profit margins. The newly formed producers association aims to consolidate the fragmented sector, seeking collective bargaining power for input purchases and improved access to government support programs. Members, including diaspora investors returning to agricultural ventures, unanimously advocate for constructing a seawater desalination plant as the primary solution for securing the regions agricultural future and preserving thousands of agricultural jobs. King Mohammed VI has pardoned 881 convicts on the occasion of The Revolution of the King and the People, celebrated on August 20 in Morocco, the ministry of Justice announced Tuesday in a press release. The list of the beneficiaries of the royal pardon includes inmates who were granted a pardon over their remaining jail terms, convicts who had their prison terms reduced, and prisoners who saw their sentences commuted from life imprisonment to fixed jail terms. Some convicts benefited from pardon over their prison terms while their fines were maintained, others had their fines annulled, while some inmates benefited from both a pardon over their prison terms and fines. The King usually grants free pardon to inmates and convicts on religious and national holidays. This year, Morocco is celebrating the 72nd anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People, renewing a pact between the Throne and the People in the defense of the Nation. This national epic marked a turning point in Moroccos struggle for freedom and independence and embodied the highest expressions of mutual loyalty between the throne and the people, and the shared commitment to safeguarding the countrys sovereignty and unity. The spark of the revolution was ignited on August 20, 1953, when the French colonial authorities exiled the late King Mohammed V and his family, in a desperate attempt to sever the deep-rooted bonds between the King and his people. Yet, this conspiracy only fueled the flame of resistance, as Moroccans engaged in a nationwide uprising for dignity and freedom, until the legitimate King returned from exile in 1955 carrying the banner of independence. This anniversary provides an opportunity to recall the long path of national strugglebeginning with opposition to the Berber Dahir in 1930, moving through the presentation of the Independence Manifesto in 1944, and the historic Tangier visit in 1947 by the late King Mohammed V, before culminating in the union of the throne and the people in a revolution of dignity and defiance against colonialism, which led to independence in 1956. Historians consider the Revolution of the King and the People a timeless landmark in Moroccos history, and a national school for generations that instills in the collective memory the values of sacrifice and true patriotism. It demonstrates that the unity of Moroccans around their constants has always been the strongest weapon in facing challenges. The commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People is thus an occasion to recall the glories of the past and to draw inspiration from lessons of patriotism and devotion to the homeland. It is also a renewed call to the rising generations to continue the collective commitment to defend a united Morocco, from Tangier to Lagouira. This commemoration also coincides with the Moroccan peoples celebration of the birthday of King Mohammed VI (August 21), giving the event a deeper dimension that links past to present and reaffirms the continued bearing of the torch of struggle to consolidate national achievements and strengthen territorial integrity. The European Union issued more than 606,000 visas to Moroccan citizens in 2024, marking a significant increase and reflecting a notable improvement in diplomatic relations between Morocco and its European partners, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said. In a written response to a parliamentary question regarding visa reciprocity, Bourita emphasized that Moroccos approach to visa policy is guided by a comprehensive strategy rooted in balanced interests, cooperation agreements, and mutual respect. The relationship with Europe has seen tangible progress, Bourita stated, citing the visa issuance figures as evidence. He noted that France alone granted approximately 284,000 visas, a 17% increase from the previous year, making Morocco the top recipient of French visas in the region. The minister highlighted that the visa rejection rate for Moroccan applicants stood at around 20%, which he described as a moderate rate compared to other countries. Bourita reaffirmed that visa policy is a sovereign right for every nation, including Morocco, and decisions regarding visa requirements or exemptions are based on three key factors: reciprocity, political and economic priorities, and the broader context of bilateral relations. He also pointed to Moroccos adoption of modern electronic visa systems as part of its strategy to enhance openness while maintaining national sovereignty. These systems, he said, reflect Moroccos commitment to digitizing public services and improving accessibility. The ministry continues to engage with foreign diplomatic missions and consular centers operating in Morocco, urging them to address systemic issues in visa processing and to prevent exploitation by unauthorized intermediaries, he said, stressing the importance of timely and respectful communication with Moroccan applicants, especially in cases involving urgent humanitarian needs such as medical treatment or education. He also noted that the Moroccan passport has climbed in global rankings, now among the top 70 passports worldwide, which he said reflects growing international trust in Morocco and its institutions. Concluding his remarks, Bourita reiterated that Moroccos visa policy is part of a national strategy that balances sovereignty with openness, and aims to protect the dignity and interests of Moroccan citizens abroad. Burkina Fasos government has expelled the United Nations top official in the country, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, following the publication of a report detailing grave violations against children amid the ongoing jihadist conflict. The country declared Flore-Smereczniak persona non grata, citing her involvement in the preparation of the UN report released in March. The document, which covered a two-year period, reported over 2,000 cases of child recruitment, killings, sexual violence, and abuse. It attributed these violations to Islamist militants, government forces, and civilian defense groups. In a statement, the government criticized the report for containing unfounded allegations and claimed it had not been consulted during its drafting. It further argued that the report lacked supporting documentation or judicial rulings to substantiate the claims against Burkinabe forces, whom it described as valiant fighters. Burkina Faso has been grappling with a jihadist insurgency since 2015, led by groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The violence has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions, contributing to political instability and two military coups in 2022. Flore-Smereczniak, a Mauritian national, was appointed in July 2024, succeeding Italian diplomat Barbara Manzi, who was also expelled by the junta in December 2022 after publishing a blog post highlighting the impact of the crisis on education and healthcare services. Morocco has emerged as the United Kingdoms top supplier of blueberries, setting a new export benchmark with a record-breaking performance in the 2024/25 season, according to data from EastFruit. Between July 2024 and June 2025, Moroccan exporters shipped 19,000 tons of blueberries to the UK, valued at $144 million, marking a 44% year-on-year increase. The volume more than doubled compared to the 2022/23 season, establishing an all-time high for Moroccan blueberry exports to the British market. The surge underscores Moroccos rapid ascent in the UKs soft fruit sector. Having led the UKs raspberry imports since the 2022/23 season, Morocco has now achieved a similar breakthrough in the blueberry category. While the first recorded shipments of Moroccan blueberries to the UK date back to 2009, significant growth only began post-Brexit. In 2019/20, Morocco ranked eighth among UK suppliers. By 2021/22, it had climbed to third place, overtook Spain in 2022/23, and nearly matched Perus volumes in 2023/24. This season, Morocco has outpaced all competitors to claim the top spot. The UK now ranks among Moroccos key export destinations for blueberries, following Spain and the Netherlands. The Moroccan export window runs from December to June, peaking in April, with Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany remaining its main competitors during this period. In a revealing article published on The Conversation, Algerian academic Manel Ismahane Rebbah attempted in vain to justify Algerias decades-long costly support for the Polisario Front in Western Sahara. Yet, her own analysis inadvertently underscores the growing legitimacy of Moroccos autonomy plan and exposes the contradictions at the heart of Algerias foreign policy. Rebbahs piece, titled Western Sahara: why Algeria supports the Sahrawis right to govern themselves, explains how Algeria used concepts of self-determination as empty slogans or cover to hide its geopolitical motives: dividing Morocco and keeping it in check. The article also acknowledges a series of developments that point to a shifting international consensus, increasingly aligned with Moroccos vision for the region. Most notably, French President Emmanuel Macrons 2024 recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara and his endorsement of autonomy as the only solution, in a position that echoed that of the US. Soon after major powers like the UK followed suit, joining most of Africa and the Arab World. This wave of endorsements has significantly bolstered Moroccos international standing while isolating Algeria diplomatically. Rebbah concedes that Morocco views Western Sahara as an integral part of its national territory and is actively investing in regional development, including the strategic port of Dakhla. This initiative aims to connect landlocked Sahel countries to the Atlantic, reinforcing Moroccos role as a driver of regional integration and economic opportunity, she admitted. In contrast, Algerias continued backing of the Polisario Front appears less rooted in humanitarian concern and more in geopolitical maneuvering. Rebbah herself notes that Algerias support raises numerous questions about its underlying motivations, suggesting that Algiers is using the Polisario separatist claims and the Sahrawis held in the Polisario-run camps as a lever to counter Moroccos growing influence. This strategy is not without cost. Tens of thousands of Sahrawi refugees remain in dire conditions in Algerian camps, a humanitarian failure that undermines Algerias posture. Moreover, Algerias claim to neutrality is contradicted by its active military and financial support for the Polisario, in an involvement that directly interferes in Moroccos internal affairs. The article also touches on Moroccos economic clout, particularly in the phosphate sector, where the kingdom ranks as the second global exporter and home to the largest reserves. This economic strength further distinguishes Morocco from its neighbor and adds weight to its diplomatic initiatives Ultimately, Rebbahs article, while intended to defend Algerias position, inadvertently highlights the effectiveness of Moroccos pragmatic and forward-looking approach. As Rabat continues to gain international support and invest in regional development, Algerias reliance on ideological anachronism and obstructionist tactics appears increasingly out of step with the realities of modern diplomacy. Global oil markets are facing a period of short-term pressure as production swells, but Canadian energy fund manager Eric Nuttall says the groundwork is already being laid for the next major bull market in crude. Speaking to BNN Bloomberg, Nuttall, a partner at Ninepoint Partners, said he remains bearish on oil for the remainder of 2025 as inventories rise and new supply comes online. But he expects a powerful reversal in 2026 as the market absorbs spare OPEC+ capacity and balances the influx of new production from South America. We have a surge of OPEC production between now through September, he told Bloomberg. Weve got the normalization and the end of that voluntary deal. Thats 1.2 million barrels per day that the market is having to absorb. Theres been a mismatch between the increase in production from OPEC in the increase in exports, because during the summertime, a lot of countries, namely Saudi burn oil for air conditioning. Well, thats coming to an end. Brent crude was trading up 1.66% at $66.88 per barrel on Wednesday at 1:13 p.m. ET, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading up 1.60 at $63.35 per barrel. At these levels, Nuttall said oil equities are fairly valued, with greater near-term opportunity in natural gas. He highlighted Calgary-based Expand Energy as a preferred play, citing free cash flow yields of 14% and a dividend above 3%. The short-term headwinds are significant. OPEC has added more than 500,000 barrels per day of crude to the market this month as it rolls back voluntary cuts, with Saudi Arabia reducing direct burn for power generation at the end of summer. Nuttall estimates the market must now absorb an additional 1.2 million barrels per day of OPEC supply. Sanctions on Russian crude continue to support a risk premium, preventing traders from going fully bearish, but inventories are expected to build from September as refineries enter maintenance season. Beyond OPEC, new offshore projects are shifting the balance. An ExxonMobil-led consortium in Guyana has lifted output to over 900,000 barrels per day following the startup of a fourth floating production unit. In Brazil, BP has reported its largest oil and gas discovery in 25 years, with full development expected to add hundreds of thousands of barrels daily. With new supply pushing against softer demand, Nuttall expects inventories to swell through late fall. But he insists the cycle is setting up for a sharp turn higher in 2026, when the seeds of the next bull market take root. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com When Aramco listed on the Tadawul stock exchange in Riyadh, many hailed the move as the listing of the decade and bet on whether it would immediately reach top market cap status. Six years later, Aramco has turned into something of a disappointmentbecause of oil prices. One could argue with confidence that December 2019 was perhaps not the best time to list a major oil company, but that was only clear in hindsight, after the 2020 Covid lockdowns destroyed demand for crude oil, plunging prices deep down. Yet the rebound in demand that followed the end of the lockdowns certainly benefited all involved in the oil business. Aramco was not an exception, until 2023. In December 2019, Aramco listed 1.7% of its shares on Tadawul. It raised $29.4 billion from the listing, which gave the company a market capitalisation of $1.7 trillion. Foreign investors were few among those who bought Aramco stock in those early days. There were later reports of a second listing abroad, precisely to attract some foreign shareholders, but those plans never materialized. Now, Bloombergs columnist Javier Blas writes that Aramcos stock has fallen to the lowest in five years, and has nothing to boast about in the shareholder returns department. For Aramco, the rate of return since its listing has been a grand total of 16%, Blas writes, which is worse than even the heavily sanctioned Russian state oil giant Rosneft, not to mention the private supermajors, whose return rates are over 50% for Exxon, Shell, and Chevron. Related: U.S. And Great Britain Move To Secure Strategic Advantage In Syria and Libya Indeed, times have not been the best for the Saudi giant. Stubbornly low oil prices, dragged down by a constant string of forecasts saying demand growth is about to weaken and wither and die in less than five years, have been a major driver of the stock. Physical evidence of weaker demand, as Chinas thirst for oil subsides, has also pressured the stock. Yet it could be argued that the biggest reason for the weaker-than-expected performance of Aramco has been its majority shareholders ambitious spending plans. When Aramco was preparing its listing, Crown Prince Mohammed had a target figure in mind: $2 trillion. That was the valuation he wanted to see for the Saudi state oil company because he had big plans to diversify the Saudi economy away from its overwhelming reliance on oil export revenues. Now, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund has taken a writedown of $8 billion on those big plans because it can no longer afford to spend so much on thembecause of oil prices. In fairness, the Saudi economy has been diversifying. Its non-oil GDP is on a stable upward trajectory, with non-oil industries contributing 39% to the countrys GDP in 2024. The big-ticket diversification projects, most notably the $500-billion Neom smart city, have been struggling to make progress. And they have become a drain on Aramco. That may well have been one reason why foreign investors decided to stay away from the Aramco stock. Despite having the lowest production costs in the world, the Saudi company has a rather high breakeven point because of its role as a cash cow for the Saudi government. Indeed, Aramco has reportedly had to borrow in order to be able to keep paying dividends this year. It posted a 20% slump in profits for the second quarter on weaker oil prices and also reported higher operating costs. Our long-term strategy is consistent with our belief that hydrocarbons will continue to play a vital role in global energy and chemicals markets, and we are ready to play our part in meeting customer demand over the short and the long term, Aramcos CEO, Amin Nasser, said at the release of the Q2 results. That is very likely the case, indeed. But in the short term, the Saudi government may have to revise its spending plans. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com LAS VEGAS, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Gastelum Attorneys is excited to announce the relocation of its Las Vegas office. The firm has moved from its previous location on South Valley View Boulevard to a more central and modern office space on South 8th Street. This move signifies the firm's growth, expanded team, and continued commitment to providing outstanding service to its clients. Gastelum Attorneys Celebrates Grand Opening of New Las Vegas Office Las Vegas Divorce Lawyer Las Vegas Divorce Attorney Gastelum Attorneys invites the community to celebrate the grand opening of its new location at 718 S 8th St, Las Vegas, NV 89101. This move allows the firm to better serve its clients with a larger team and improved facilities. To learn more about Gastelum Attorneys, its services, and its new location, please visit Gastelum Attorneys. Discover how the firm's expanded team and central location can benefit you. "We are incredibly excited about our move to 718 S 8th St! This new, more central location allows us to better serve our clients with a larger team," Gastelum Attorneys said. "A modern office space, ensuring we continue to provide the exceptional service Gastelum Attorneys is known for." The new location offers several advantages: Central Location : The new office is more centrally located in Las Vegas , making it more accessible for clients throughout the area. : The new office is more centrally located in , making it more accessible for clients throughout the area. Expanded Team : Gastelum Attorneys has expanded its team to better serve the needs of its clients. This means more expertise and resources are available to handle a wide range of family law cases. : Gastelum Attorneys has expanded its team to better serve the needs of its clients. This means more expertise and resources are available to handle a wide range of family law cases. Modern Office : The new office space is modern and designed to provide a comfortable and welcoming environment for clients. Gastelum Attorneys is proud to have a strong reputation in the Las Vegas community. The firm has over 425 reviews, more than any other divorce and family law attorney in the Las Vegas area. This reflects the firm's commitment to providing excellent service and achieving positive outcomes for its clients. Gastelum Attorneys remains dedicated to providing excellent legal representation in divorce and family law matters. The move to a new, more central location, combined with an expanded team, positions the firm to continue serving the Las Vegas community with the same high-quality service clients have come to expect. About Gastelum Attorneys Gastelum Attorneys is a premier Las Vegas divorce law firm dedicated to protecting families and guiding clients through life's most difficult transitions. The firm represents clients in all areas of family law, including child custody, child support, alimony, property division, and prenuptial agreements. Known for its client-centered approach, Gastelum Attorneys combines compassionate advocacy with aggressive representation to achieve the best possible outcomes. With a deep understanding of Nevada family law and a commitment to personalized service, the firm has earned a trusted reputation among clients seeking experienced and reliable legal counsel. To learn more, visit Gastelum Attorneys or call (702) 979-1455 Media Contact: Jeremy Setters [email protected] SOURCE Gastelum Attorneys In Tbilisi, whether you are inching through traffic or weaving down side streets, you cannot escape the same slogan splashed across the backs of some passing cars: Build Your Dreams. That is a branded motto etched onto vehicles made by BYD, Chinas largest automaker. Each vehicle is a moving data point in a quiet shift, signaling the rise of Chinese electric vehicles on the streets of the Georgian capital, home to nearly half of the countrys population, as well as in other cities. According to official data for January-July 2025, China accounted for just over 10 percent of Georgian imports, ranking fourth behind Turkey, the United States and Russia. Passenger cars are the countrys largest import product, accounting for 20 percent of all imports, reflecting the sectors significance, both for domestic demand and Georgias role as a regional re-export hub. Chinas increasing presence underscores its strategic interest in gaining a larger share of the countrys auto market. While Georgias annual number of imported cars has remained relatively steady in recent years, the share of electric vehicles is surging. During the first half of this year, the country imported 3,616 EVs, an 88 percent jump from 1,922 during the same period last year. Until recently, China did not even rank among Georgias top five car-supplying countries. China is now the second-largest EV supplier after the US, and overall imports of Chinese cars, both electric and conventional, have risen roughly 79 percent this year. Electric vehicles still make up a relatively small share of the overall auto market in Georgia, where nearly every second person owns a car. A major reason is that most Georgian consumers have long relied on cheap, second-hand cars from the US that are easy to repair locally. EVs do not fit this model, which helps explain why the US remains the countrys main car supplier. While China cannot compete with the US in conventional car imports, it has already captured nearly 12 percent of Georgias EV market in just a couple of months. Demand is rising sharply; the appeal of EVs is strong. They are cheaper to run than gasoline-powered cars. But widespread adoption requires infrastructure, especially charging stations, that Georgia currently lacks. Market signals suggest that is about to change. Add to that the fact that Chinese EVs are more affordable than their Western-made counterparts, and it is clear they are poised to capture an increasing share of the Georgian market. Growing Chinese economic influence goes hand in hand with politics. The ruling Georgian Dream partys pro-China stance is well known, with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze praising Communist China as the best example of state modernization and arguing that Beijing sets a positive example for other global powers. In a twist of political irony, BYD Center in Tbilisi has just recently taken over the former headquarters of the United National Movement, the one-time governing party, now a major opposition force. Built in 2010 for party operations, the building had slipped out of the oppositions hands amid financial and political pressures from the government. Transparency International Georgia noted the geopolitical shift in its latest report: As Georgias relations with the United States and the European Union deteriorate, Georgian Dream is strengthening its alliances with authoritarian regimes hostile to the United States, such as China. By Eurasianet.org Chinas shipments of rare-earth permanent magnets snapped back in July, signaling a return toward pre-curb trade flows even as the West doubles down on alternative supply. Overall magnet exports hit a six-month high of 5,577 metric tons in Julyup ~75% month-on-month and 5.7% year-on-yearafter Beijing agreed to normalize sales as part of a trade truce with Washington and Europe. Shipments to the U.S. climbed ~76% m/m to 619 tons, recovering from a May low of just 46 tons during the height of the tit-for-tat restrictions. Germany remained the top destination at 1,116 tons (+46% m/m). Year-to-date (JanJul), exports total 27,897 tons, leaving the annual decline narrowed to ~15% after a steeper first-half drop. Magnetsubiquitous in EVs, appliances, wind turbines and defense systemswere Beijings most potent lever when it tightened controls in April on seven rare-earth elements and on magnets containing even trace amounts of them. Licensing delays snarled supply chains and forced some automakers to pause production. After summer talks in Geneva and London, Chinese negotiators pledged to normalize flows; the U.S. is very happy with the status quo, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. Still, average monthly U.S. volumes for JanJul remain ~28% below 2024s pace, underscoring lingering fragility. The shock has accelerated efforts to localize or friend-shore supply. In the U.S., the Department of Defense committed $400 million to MP Materials, the countrys only rare-earth miner, as part of broader moves to seed a domestic value chain. Beyond mining, the bottleneck is processingChina controls nearly 90% of global refining capacityeven though rare earths themselves arent geologically scarce. Australia is stepping into that gap. Three hours north of Perth, Iluka Resources is developing a refinery at Eneabba, underpinned by a A$1.65 billion ($1 billion) government loan and a 1-million-ton stockpile rich in high-value elements like dysprosium and terbium. Iluka says the planttargeted to supply a significant share of Western demand by 2030offers an independent, secure alternative to Chinas near-monopoly. Processing is complex and environmentally challenging (residues can be radioactive), but Canberra argues its regulatory framework will manage impacts more responsibly than past practices seen in China. For now, Julys rebound eases immediate pressureJapans and Indias purchases also surged (+76% and +143% m/m, respectively). Yet without a durable U.S.China trade deal, the risk of renewed disruption persists. The takeaway is two-track: short-term normalization of Chinese exports, long-term race to rebuild non-Chinese mining and refining. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com That the Colorado Rivers flow has been declining is not new in water circles. Truth is that the states bordering the Colorado divided up the water supply on the basis of a wet year, a century ago, and have been fighting over the diminishing supply for some time. (From a negotiating standpoint this made a lot of sense at the time. Dividing relatively scarce water resources among various political bodies is like slicing up a pie among hungry people and everyone wants a big piece. Except here government officials were able to essentially riff on the old economists joke and simply assume a bigger pie. And this policy, based on faulty data, worked until recently. Now reality and droughts have returned.) Something like 40 million people depend of Lakes Mead and Powell for drinking water. But what made the headlines recently is the announcement that the water in Lake Powell, a main reservoir, could fall to dead pool levels by December, thereby preventing the release of water to downstream, and that would stop hydroelectric generation that serves seven western states. These hydroelectric facilities in the Glen Canyon and Hoover Dams can produce over 3000 megawatts which is both relatively cheap and obviously, environmentally benign although both facilities have been producing power below maximum capacity due to water constraints. Were not used to thinking about water as an intermittent resource but that may be our new reality. So now do we face a water and an electricity shortage simultaneously? Related: South Koreas Petrochemicals Industry to Cut Capacity amid Glut Water shortages are becoming common, resulting from overuse, groundwater pollution, negligent agricultural practices, and changing climate conditions. Water supply constraints could affect the siting of data centers (water for cooling) and prospects for fracking. In addition, hydropower still plays an important role in power generation and in some countries (Brazil, Norway, Canada, and parts of Africa) a dominant role. We have argued that the US electric grid has not spent enough to modernize, let alone keep up with new demand. So a new deficit of generation resources, caused by water shortages, comes at the wrong time. Water storage in the electricity business is like a gigantic battery you can turn on and off. Except in this case, its water behind a dam spinning turbines to generate electricity. Low water levels mean more than hydro generation loss. Generators require cooling water to run huge nuclear and fossil fuel units. French utility EDF had to curtail power generation at nuclear plants due to jellyfish clogging water intakes. (The jellyfish bloom is attributable to warmer water temperatures.) And in August 2022, they had to curtail generation at five nuclear stations due to excessive temperatures in river water. The water industry has, for a long time, been concerned with climate change. There is some irony in the fact that the electric industry, which continues to hasten climate change through its policies and actions, might have to face the consequences of a water shortage. Wait a minute! The electric companys customers will face the adverse financial consequences via accelerated rates, not the electric company. And remember that a power short in the southwest will suck in power from elsewhere. It might become everyones shortage. Lets conclude with the financial consequences of water shortages. First, the power industry is in the early stages of a massive capex boom to accommodate a broad societal move to electrification. This will drive up power prices as new facilities cost far more than those installed decades ago. These are capital costs. Now, with a looming water shortage, utility operating costs are poised to escalate as well as water generation is replaced by much higher cost fossil fuel powered generators. To sum up, watch the southwest for the rest of the year because a water crisis, if the pools reach bottom, could turn into an energy crisis and an affordability crisis. By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Russia launched 270 drones and 10 missiles against Ukraine on August 19, in a kinetic response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's White House talks with US President Donald Trump and key European allies. Ukrainian regional officials said that over 24 hours Russian shelling across the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson regions had claimed the lives of 15 people and injured at least 76 more. It was reported that the Poltava region was hit particularly hard, leaving over 1,500 residents without electricity. In Chernihiv, drones damaged infrastructure and disrupted power supplies. A Ukrainian drone attack late on August 19 knocked out power to areas of the Zaporizhzhya region under Russian control, Moscow-installed Governor Yevgeny Balitsky said on Telegram. Balitsky said crews were restoring power and switching affected areas to reserve lines. The work was made more difficult "by the danger of repeat strikes and by darkness," he said. Russian forces hold well over half of the Zaporizhzhya, but Kyiv maintains control of the region's main administrative center. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned Russia's attacks, calling them "the opposite of peace," while "hard work to advance peace was under way in Washington." Kyiv residents who spoke to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service appeared unenthused by the latest diplomatic moves. "After they rolled a red carpet for [Russian President Vladimir Putin] I completely lost my faith in humanity as well as a belief that the situation can improve," one woman said. Another resident said that she was not sure it was a good idea for Zelenskyy to hold talks with Putin, whom she described as a "monster." "How to look him in the face, how much evil he has done? How to shake his hand? I cannot imagine it," she added. Nevertheless, the Washington talks ended with Trump pledging to get Putin to the negotiating table with Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president has repeatedly said he is available for talks but Putin has not. Following the Washington meetings, a Kremlin statement spoke vaguely about higher-level contacts between Moscow and Kyiv -- but did not mention the two leaders by name. "Any contacts involving the most senior leaders need to be prepared with the utmost care," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on August 19. European leaders have voiced skepticism that Putin will come to talks without US pressure to do so. In Washington, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said "We don't know whether the Russian president will have the courage to attend such a summit. Therefore, persuasion is needed." Yet speaking to Fox News on August 19, Trump said Putin had agreed, during a phone call the previous day, to meet Zelenskyy. "We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks...It's possible that he doesn't want to make a deal," Trump added. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said later that both leaders have expressed a willingness to sit down with each other. "[Trump] wants these two countries to engage in direct diplomacy," she said at a White House briefing. Hes said that from the very beginning which is why hes agreeable to the idea of having President Zelenskyy and President Putin get together, and I understand that accommodations for that meeting are under way." The latest Russian attacks underscore the growing toll on Ukraine's civilian population and infrastructure. Russia denies deliberately targeting nonmilitary sites, but the strikes routinely destroy homes, hospitals, schools, and energy facilities. Security guarantees for Ukraine were another key element in the Washington talks, with Zelenskyy saying a $90 billion program had been discussed for purchasing US weapons to defend Ukraine. Zelenskyy also said US and European leaders discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, but there were no details, and many doubts remain. Meanwhile, fighting along the front line has remained intense. Ukraine's General Staff said on August 19 that 186 combat engagements were recorded in the past 24 hours, with Russia launching two missile strikes, 78 air strikes, and dropping 162 guided bombs. The fiercest battles are concentrated near the town of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has issued a warning, emphasizing that the intensification of Russian assaults is devastating civilian life, especially in frontline communities. "With 286 civilians killed and 1,388 injured, the July casualty number was the highest since May 2022, topping also those for June 2025," the mission reported last week. It added that the sharp rise was primarily due to the increased use of aerial bombs and short-range drones. Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, emphasized that the escalation is hitting vulnerable populations the hardest. "Whether you are in a hospital or a prison, at home or at work, close to or far away from the front line, if you are in Ukraine today, you are at risk of getting killed or injured by the war," Bell said. "The risk is significantly higher than last year, and it continues to rise." By RFE/RL Russias Far East is grappling with acute fuel shortages after a new wave of Ukrainian drone strikes forced multiple refineries offline, squeezing supplies just as seasonal demand rises. According to The Moscow Times, queues have formed at filling stations in Khabarovsk and Primorsky regions, with some depots rationing gasoline as refiners halt operations for repairs. The outages come on top of cumulative damage that has sidelined nearly 13% of Russias refining capacity in recent months. Ukrainian outlets including NV.ua reported that Moscow has extended limits on refined product exports in a bid to stabilize domestic availability, while retail fuel prices are already moving higher. Russian media confirmed that at least seven refineries have been targeted over the past three weeks, underscoring the scale of disruption. Energy analysts note that while Russia has been able to maintain crude oil exports by rerouting flows, refined products are more difficult to substitute, especially in remote regions reliant on local output. Attacks in Saratov, Ryazan, Samara, and Volgograd, as well as Rosnefts facilities in Siberia, have hit gasoline and diesel supplies harder than crude. The implications extend beyond domestic markets. Russias refined product exports fell sharply in July following refinery outages, tightening diesel availability in Europe and Asia. With BPs new discovery off Brazil and ExxonMobils ramp-up in Guyana set to add crude volumes globally, the mismatch between crude availability and refined product shortages highlights the vulnerabilities of Russias fuel system under sustained drone pressure. While The Moscow Times refers to 13% of Russias refining capacity offline, that figure refers to installed capacity taken out by strikes. Reuters reporting earlier this week put the figure at 11% of national refining capacity offline, reflecting around 30 million tonnes/year equivalent and referring to throughput/output figures rather than installed nameplate capacity. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Despite continued pressure from the United States over crude supply from Russia, Indian state refiners have returned to the spot market for purchases of Russian oil, company officials familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday, as discounts for Moscows crude grades deepened. Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IndianOil) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) have bought Russian Urals and other crudes for September and October delivery, as the discounts for Urals widened to $3 per barrel, the officials said. A few weeks ago, the biggest Indian state-owned refiners, including IndianOil and BPCL, pulled out of spot purchases of Russian crude for cargoes loading in October, after the U.S. announced an additional 25% tariff on India over its imports of crude from Russia. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order enacting an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, explicitly targeting Indias ongoing imports of Russian crude oil. The overall 50% tariff on Indian goods will take effect on August 27. However, discounts for Urals have widened in recent days as China cannot absorb all the Urals cargoes, which are being shipped from Russias western ports on the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. Reports emerged last week that Indias state refiners had started to inquire traders about potential purchases of the flagship Russian crude Urals to take advantage of the falling prices for Russias crude. IndianOil said at an earnings call earlier this week that it continues to buy Russian crude, depending upon the economics. China is now scooping up some of the Urals volumes, but it cannot absorb all the cargoes that previously went to India. At the same time, the U.S. and India are locked in difficult trade negotiations and the U.S. has increased pressure on India for its Russian oil imports. Indias dependence on Russian crude is opportunistic and deeply corrosive of the worlds efforts to isolate Putins war economy, the White House trade adviser Peter Navarro wrote in an op-ed published in the Financial Times on Monday. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Crude oil flows from Russia to Slovakia and Hungary have been restored after a Ukrainian attack suspended exports earlier this week, Reuters has reported, citing official statements. The flow of oil to Slovakia is currently standard, Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said in a statement, as quoted by the publication. In the coming days, we will have clearer information about whether there will be any adjustments to the supply schedule for this month ... However, I believe that given the rapid resumption of flow through the Druzhba pipeline, the impact will be minimal. Oil deliveries to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline have been restored after the Ukrainian attack two days ago. I thanked Russian Deputy Minister Sorokin for the swift repairs. We expect Ukraine not to strike this vital pipeline again. This is not our war. Hungary must be left out of it! Hungarys foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, said in a statement on X. Yesterday, Szijjarto reported the halt to oil flows to Hungary via Druzhba, saying Ukraine has attacked again the oil pipeline to Hungary, which has halted petroleum transportation to our country, in a statement on Facebook. This is yet another attack against Hungarys energy security, and it is outrageous and unacceptable, the official added. The Druzhba pipeline carries Russian crude to Central Europe. The pipeline is a key artery of oil supply from Russia to Europe, with two branches a northern one via Belarus that supplies Belarus, Poland, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania, and a southern one passing through Ukraine and sending oil to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Croatia. Russian crude oil flows via pipeline are not subject to sanctions or embargoes, as landlocked central European countries dont have much choice. While the Czech Republic earlier this year switched from Russian deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline to imports via another pipeline, from the West, Hungary and Slovakia have continued to rely on the Soviet-era infrastructure for most of their crude oil supply. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 10, the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) will officially open Art Ave, an immersive, outdoor destination connecting the White House to Dupont Circle through public art, vibrant street life, and creative experiences that will run through January 2026. And the launch is just the beginning. Farragut Fun Days As part of Art Ave, the Golden Triangle BID is rolling out a full fall lineup of interactive activities and cultural performances, wellness programming, and family-friendly events designed to amplify the energy in downtown DC and welcome residents, workers, and visitors to the heart of the city. All events are free and open to the public, inviting people to gather, move, and connect. The activities represent a focus on creating fun experiences that draw more people into the central office corridor and support goals for downtown vibrancy aligned with Mayor Bowser's Growth Agenda. Funded through the DC Office of Planning's Streets for People grant program, Art Ave will include not only this dynamic calendar of events but also interactive public artworks and curated outdoor furnishings. "Art Ave is an example of a partnership that harnesses one of our greatest assets our public spaceto make downtown DC a great place to live, play, work, and visit," said Office of Planning Director Anita Cozart. The fall events in Farragut Square offer something for everyone, combining creative expression with awe-inspiring experiences in one of DC's most dynamic neighborhoods. "Art Ave is about creating a canvas for connection," said Leona Agouridis, President & CEO of the Golden Triangle BID. "From live drumming and storytelling to yoga in the park, these events augment the magnificent outdoor art gallery and are a celebration of the city's creative spirit and our public spaces." To learn more about Art Ave, the art installations, and upcoming events, visit goldentriangledc.com or follow @GoldenTriangleDC on Instagram. Fall 2025 Programming Highlights TriFit: Yoga in the Park with CorePower Yoga Tuesdays, September 9 October 21 | 5:30 6:30 PM | Farragut Square Unwind after work with free outdoor yoga sessions guided by instructors from CorePower Yoga. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or a curious beginner, TriFit offers an hour of movement, mindfulness, and fresh air in the park. Farragut Fun Days Thursdays, September 11 October 16 | 12:30 2:00 PM | Farragut Square Lunchtime comes alive with cultural performances, community partners, and outdoor fun. Highlights include: Stories in the Square Saturdays, September 13 & 20 | 10:00 11:00 AM | Farragut Square Family-friendly mornings feature storytime with DC Public Library's Mobile Library and cultural performances that bring the stories to life: September 13 : Kofi Dennis' interactive West African drumming and storytelling experience : interactive West African drumming and storytelling experience September 20 : Mucha Musica! with Cantare Latin American Music an upbeat, educational journey through Latin rhythms, instruments, and dance Events are weather dependent. View the full event schedule and check for updates at goldentriangledc.com or follow @GoldenTriangleDC on Instagram. About the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District The Golden Triangle BID is a dynamic neighborhood that extends from the front yard of the White House to Dupont Circle. The BID works to enhance the area's economic vitality by improving public spaces and supporting a strong downtown community. For more information, visit goldentriangledc.com and follow the BID on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. SOURCE Golden Triangle Business Improvement District By Taxpayers Association of Oregon Foundation, Phil and Penny Knight have just pledged $2 billion over 10 years to Oregon Health Science University (OHSU). The hidden detail behind the donation is that the donation is directed to a specific independent board (Knight Cancer Institute) that will be within OHSUs umbrella. That board and director (who already has been named) will include Knights involvement. OHSU has had such a contentious and mismanagement decade, that you can understand why outside donors are finding ways to better manage how their donation is put to use. Yet, how well managed is the government funding that OHSU receives? By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com Oregon independent journalist Andy Ngo report son how the protests outside Portlands ICE facility have escalated since the Oregon Attorney General said local polcie are not obligated to help keep the peace over these targeted protests when it comes to sound ordinance violations. In total, rioters are allowed to violate sound ordinances, allowed to take over-streets and allowed to conduct a large measure of vandalism and destruction before authorities are permitted to intervene and make arrests. Portland (Aug. 18) Federal agents responded to far-left rioters who are continuing to attack the facility. The rioters feel emboldened after former state AG Rosenblum ruled police have no requirement to enforce sound ordinances. Vid by @KatieDaviscourt: pic.twitter.com/6UXjuw42dP Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) August 19, 2025 By Taxpayers Association of Oregon Foundation, Marion County has initiated a federal lawsuit aiming to clarify whether it can release the parole records of four individuals (convicted with rape, kidnapping) whom they believe to be undocumented immigrants, in light of Oregons sanctuary law. Federal authorities have set a deadline of August 18 for the county to submit these records, which include details about the individuals involved. This legal action follows subpoenas issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the county on August 1, which sought records pertaining to four individuals convicted of serious offenses, including multiple counts of rape, sexual abuse, and kidnapping/robbery. Court documents also mention a fifth subpoena directed at an individual whose identity has not been established. This begs the question, what is the interest of Oregon to not helping Federal authorities apprehend or fully prosecute these sexual offenders? Qualcomm collaboration enables standalone satellite SOS and messaging on wearables, powered by Skylo's commercial NTN service. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Skylo and Google today announced the expansion of satellite connectivity to the Pixel 10 Series and introduced the Pixel Watch 4, the first smartwatch with integrated, standards-based satellite communications. Powered by Skylo's commercial Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) and Qualcomm Technologies' new Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Wearable Platforms, the Pixel Watch 4 offers standalone emergency messaging without a phone or cellular plan. "This launch isn't just a new feature it redefines what's possible with satellite connectivity in everyday devices, including the one that's in your pocket or on your wrist," said Parthsarathi Trivedi, CEO and co-founder of Skylo Technologies. "By embedding Skylo's service into phones and wearables, we're making coverage accessible to people in the moments that matter most." Last year, the Pixel 9's satellite connectivity powered by Skylo emerged as one of its most celebrated features, winning the "Best Smartphone" Global Mobile Award at MWC Barcelona 2025. At the same event, Skylo was recognized as the industry's Best Non-Terrestrial Network provider for a second consecutive year. This year, Skylo has deepened its collaboration with both the Pixel and Android teams at Google to deliver new satellite experiences that are even more intuitive and extend to more devices. In a major industry milestone, the Pixel Watch 4 becomes the world's first device to integrate NB-NTN satellite connectivity using Snapdragon W5 Gen 2. Purpose-built for wearables, the world's first wearable platform with NB-NTN support enables direct, standalone access to Skylo's satellite network, giving users the ability to connect to emergency services and share their location straight from their wrist, even without a phone. Optimized for ultra-low power consumption, Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 supports longer battery life without compromising performance or user experience. "By integrating Skylo's satellite service with our Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 platforms, we're empowering device makers to deliver life-saving connectivity anywhere without needing a phone, tower, or terrestrial signal" said John Kehrli, Senior Director, Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies Inc., "This collaboration not only enhances the capabilities of wearables but also opens up new possibilities for users to stay connected in remote or emergency situations, ultimately setting a new bar for the industry." On the Pixel 10 Series, Skylo powers new features such as the first satellite-based location sharing in Android 16. Without cellular coverage, users can send their live location over Skylo's network. Recipients will see a satellite icon on the shared location pin, clearly indicating off-grid status. Whether staying connected with loved ones or reaching emergency services, Pixel 10 keeps users covered when it matters most. This new feature will be available on the Pixel 9 Series as well. Skylo's satellite capabilities across the Pixel lineup include: Satellite SOS: Direct connection to emergency services in US, Canada , Europe , and Australia , on Pixel 9 & 10 Series, and on Pixel Watch 4 in the continental US with more regions to follow , , and , on Pixel 9 & 10 Series, and on Pixel Watch 4 in the continental US with more regions to follow Location Sharing via Satellite: Send your live location from remote areas using Google Maps or Find Hub. Satellite Messaging: carrier-dependent, included in some cellular plans Skylo's proven satellite network, which has powered satellite SOS on the Google Pixel 9 series since August 2024, has already enabled a growing number of life-saving rescues from hikers lost in the wilderness to vehicle accidents on highways. The Pixel 10 Series (Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL) and Pixel Watch 4 with satellite connectivity powered by Skylo are available for pre-order starting August 20 at store.google.com and through authorized retailers in the EU, Canada, the United States (including Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Alaska), and Australia. About Skylo Skylo Technologies is a global Non-Terrestrial Network service provider based in Mountain View, CA, offering a service that allows smartphones and IoT cellular devices to connect directly over existing satellites. Devices connected over satellite are managed and served by Skylo's commercial NTN vRAN, featuring a 3GPP standards-based cloud-native base station and core. Skylo works with existing satellite operators, network operators, and device makers to provide subscribers an anywhere, anytime connectivity solution between terrestrial and satellite networks. Skylo's focus is on enabling connected services for people outdoors and connected workflows for machines at work across critical industries such as agriculture, maritime, logistics, mining, and others, in addition to mass-market consumer devices. For more information, visit www.skylo.tech . Snapdragon branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. SOURCE Skylo 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: Artists rendering of the corona around a black hole. Credit: RIKEN An international team of astronomers led by Matus Rybak (Leiden University, Netherlands) has proven, thanks to accidental double zoom, that millimeter radiation is generated close to the core of a supermassive black hole. Their findings have been accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics and are available on the arXiv preprint server. In 2015, Matus Rybak (Leiden University) and his colleagues were searching for cold gas in the galaxy RXJ1131-1231. This galaxya quasar with a supermassive black hole at its centerin the constellation Crater is a favorite of astronomers because there is another galaxy between it and Earth that acts as a lens. This makes the galaxy appear three times larger than it actually is, a phenomenon known as macrolensing. Rybak and colleagues studied the galaxy using the ALMA telescope, which detects (sub)millimeter radiation from a plateau in northern Chile. They saw that the three images of the galaxy changed in brightness independently of each other. "That's a smoking gun for microlensing, a phenomenon that occurs when a star is located between the foreground galaxy and the observer," says Rybak. "We immediately knew we had to pursue this further." The combination of microlensing and macrolensing reveals things that remain invisible even with the best telescopes in the world and with macrolensing alone. "With this 'double zoom' (the magnification by the galaxy and that by the star), it's as if you're placing two magnifying glasses on top of each other," says Rybak. In 2020, the team therefore looked at the galaxy again and was able to track the brightness differences of the quasar. The astronomers observed that the quasar flickered on timescales of years. The fact that the quasar flickers in millimeter radiation is remarkable, because this radiation is mainly produced by calm dust and quiet gas. The researchers think that the radiation comes from the corona, a hot, magnetic and active doughnut-shaped band around the supermassive black hole. Millimeter radiation had been observed near a black hole before, but it remained unclear whether it was caused by dust or other mechanisms. Rybak collaborated with Dominique Sluse (Leuven) and Frederic Courbin (Barcelona), among others. In 2008, they were pioneers in the field of microlensing in visible light. Now, 17 years later, they have succeeded in doing this with millimeter radiation for the first time. The researchers have now been allocated observation time to study the quasar with the Chandra X-ray Telescope. Ultimately, they want to use microlensing to study the temperature and magnetic fields close to the black hole. This is important because the conditions near the black hole influence the entire surrounding galaxy. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Teaching about periods in schools is still too focused on basic biological facts, with insufficient information around how menstruation can affect a woman's mood and well-being, problems associated with menstrual bleeding, and their impact on physical and academic performance, concludes a new study by UCL (University College London) researchers. The survey and focus group-based research, published in the journal Women's Health, also suggests that periods should be taught among mixed-sex groups as well as single-sex groups at both primary and secondary schools, something which some schools don't currently do. Sex (also known as relationships) education has been compulsory in English primary and secondary schools since 2020, and earlier this year it was updated to include topics such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and heavy menstrual bleeding. Sex education, including on periods, is also compulsory in Welsh schools, but isn't in Scotland. But, the researchers say, for many pupils in Britain, that amounts to just two lessons about periods in their whole school career, one in primary school and one in secondary school. Now the academics behind the UCL study are calling for lessons on periods in British schools to be much more comprehensive. Professor Joyce Harper (UCL Institute for Women's Health) said, "Educating pupils about periods may now be compulsory in schools in England and Wales, but we know that for many of them that still only amounts to two lessons in their entire school career. "Our survey suggests that those lessons are still very much concerned with the basic biological facts around menstruation. What we and the women who participated in our study are calling for is that lessons on menstruation need to be much more comprehensive, and cover everything from what effect periods can have on a girl or woman's well-being and academic and sporting performance, to what abnormal bleeding looks like. "Our focus groups were also of the view that boys need to be part of that education. It was agreed that classes should not be segregated by gender, believing mixed sessions are crucial for boys' education. "Although some saw value in single-sex classes for allowing students to speak more freely, they still felt mixed sessions were essential to improving overall understanding. They suggested that this could help boys understand and support their friends and future partners through menopause. "Through work with the International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration and Well-being of Women, we are providing teachers with resources to support teaching about menstruation." Fifty-five women took part in the study, divided into two groups based on age: 26 women aged 18 to 25, and 29 women aged 26 to 40. Five focus groups were conducted for each group. They were recruited via the researchers' social media accounts and on that basis the scientists believe they were mostly living in the UK. Many were educated before the topic of menstruation became mandatory in English and Welsh schools. As part of the survey, each participant was asked the following questions: How do you feel about having a period? How does your period affect your well-being? How do you manage your period and menstrual cycle, and what support do you need (e.g. food, exercise, period trackers, work)? Do you talk to your friends or partner? How could we improve education around menstruation, and how was your education at school? Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. One participant pointed to a serious lack of education around periods: "The priority should be to teach the practical application of these hormonal changes; how we might expect these changes to affect our mood, social battery, physical performance and academic performance throughout the month." In their report, the researchers said that menstruation continues to be "highly stigmatized" and that a "lack of education and normalization of difficult periods restricts individuals from seeking help." Co-author Caroline Musulin (UCL Institute for Women's Health), who conducted the 18-25-year-old study group, said, "Many women endure menstrual problems longer than they should due to the inability to speak openly about uncertainties, fears of being dismissed by health care professionals, the view that it's 'just' a painful period or feelings of shame. "Stigma, secrecy, and the expectation to 'cope' with painful periods contribute to the systemic dismissal of menstrual discomfort. "Strict behavioral expectations to conceal menstruation and resource limitations contribute to negative experiences, where dissatisfaction with menstrual practices and management environments exist, along with feelings of disgust if participants feel they have failed to manage their menstruation discreetly." Co-author Dr. Natania Yeshitila (UCL Institute for Women's Health), who conducted the 2640-year-old study group, said, "The participants felt very strongly that this was missing from the education they had received. Many believed normal physiological processes, like vaginal discharge, were abnormal. The lack of education on how external factors, such as stress and contraceptive methods, can impact menstrual cycles was another point of confusion." Limitations The recruitment via social media and word of mouth may have introduced sampling bias by attracting people of a similar demographic to the researchers. Also, the study only included cisgender women, and further studies need to be conducted on gender-diverse individuals, the researchers said. More information: Periods and well-being: A focus group study to discuss how menstruation affects the well-being of women aged 1840, Women's Health (2025). DOI: 10.1177/17455057251362992 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Australia has recently rolled out some of the world's toughest laws aimed at curbing the youth vaping epidemic. But new research published in Tobacco Control demonstrates these crucial public health measures could be vulnerable unless policymakers prepare to defend them on the world stage. A new paper co-authored by University of Technology Sydney (UTS) legal expert Associate Professor Genevieve Wilkinson and Monash University's Dr. Elizabeth Sheargold warns that without a clear, globally minded strategy, Australia's efforts to protect public health could be challenged and undermined internationally. The researchers say that while domestic laws are essential, they are only the first line of defense. The ultimate solution requires Australia to leverage its experience and lead the world in developing robust, international standards for e-cigarette regulation. "While Australia's new laws in restricting sales to pharmacies and limiting flavors and nicotine content are a critical response to a growing health crisis, they don't exist in a vacuum," said Associate Professor Wilkinson. "The global e-cigarette industry is increasingly litigious. It has strong links to the highly litigious tobacco industry, which has a history of using international trade rules to challenge regulations they see as a threat to their market. We need to design our policies with this in mind from day one." The health risks associated with vaping are becoming increasingly clear. With alarming rates of use among young people who have never smoked, health authorities are grappling with a new generation facing potential lung damage, nicotine addiction, and other serious health issues. Australia's response, which fully entered into force last month, aims to dismantle the product's appeal to young people. However, as the new paper explains, these restrictions could be the subject of a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO). "Regulations like these can be challenged at the WTO," said Dr. Sheargold, an expert in international trade law. "Other countries that produce e-cigarettes can argue that our regulations are an unfair 'technical barrier to trade,' designed to protect a domestic market rather than public health." If a WTO challenge were successful, Australia could be directed to dismantle its own laws or face retaliatory trade measures. "From a trade law perspective, justifying these measures will rely heavily on clear evidence to support the public health outcomes that regulation is expected to achieve," Dr. Sheargold said. "The defense rests largely on proving that the measures are needed and based on clear, scientific evidence of a health risk." The e-cigarette industry has already shown its willingness to litigate to challenge public health measures. According to the researchers, the best way to win such a challenge is to build a strong public health case. "It is not enough to simply state that vaping is a health hazard," said Dr. Sheargold. "Policymakers must carefully document the evidence-based rationale for industry regulation, for example why specific flavors are banned or why sales are restricted to pharmacies. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "This transparent justification is the best defense against a trade law challenge." Because parts of the new legal framework have only just come into effect, ongoing justification is also particularly critical. "When trade law rules are applied to regulations that address societal interests like public health, it is important that countries explain why they think a measure will protect those interests and continue to monitor its effectiveness," said Dr. Sheargold, noting that a formal review of the laws is not due until July 2027. This approach is consistent with the powerful precedent of Australia's world-leading fight for tobacco plain packaging. "We learned from the tobacco disputes that a robust, evidence-based defense is critical," said Associate Professor Wilkinson. "The new vape laws must be prepared to do the same. Laws are more likely to be effective if governments can demonstrate meaningful consultation with key stakeholders, including children and teenagers, and ongoing monitoring of implementation." By anticipating these challenges and preparing a robust justification, the researchers say Australia can not only protect its landmark legislation but also set a global standard. "If these new regulations prove successful in reducing the health harms of vaping, Australia has a responsibility to share that success and seek unified action at a global level," said Associate Professor Wilkinson. "By demonstrating how to create legally resilient health policy, we can empower other nations to take the bold action needed to protect their own communities." More information: Elizabeth Sheargold et al, Trade law and effective electronic cigarette regulation design, Tobacco Control (2025). DOI: 10.1136/tc-2024-059004 Journal information: Tobacco Control 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: Researchers scanned island fox skulls to create digital models, enabling them to calculate brain and body size. Credit: Nick Neumann / USC Wrigley Institute For decades, scientists believed animals on islands evolved smaller brains relative to body size to save energy. But most Channel Islands foxestiny predators no bigger than a house catdefied that rule, evolving larger brains than their mainland cousins. The findings, published in PLOS One by researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, suggest that brain size may hinge less on isolation and more on the demands of survival. Island syndrome refers to a suite of traits including reduced size, brain shrinkage, loss of flight in birds and tamer behavior. Until now, island brain size has mainly been studied in fossils of herbivores, which face different pressures than carnivores. The island fox provided an opportunity to bridge that research gap. Lead author Kimberly Schoenberger said the results upend long-held assumptions about how animals adapt to island life. "It was most surprising to discover that island syndrome isn't one-size-fits-all," said Schoenberger, a Ph.D. candidate in biology. "When we looked at carnivores like Channel Island foxes, the pattern of smaller brains didn't hold." Channel Islands offer a natural experiment The Channel Islands, an eight-island chain off the California coast, six of which are home to foxes, offered researchers a rare natural experiment to test whether island syndrome holds true across environments. The biologists compared the brains of foxes from those six islands with mainland gray foxestheir closest living relatives and likely ancestorsas well as with one another. The analysis revealed that the brain-to-body ratio appeared to be shaped less by isolation or island size alonelong thought to drive island syndromeand more by local habitat conditions. On five of the islandsSanta Cruz, Santa Rosa, Santa Catalina, San Clemente and San Miguelfoxes had relatively larger brains despite their smaller bodies. Their brains also showed slightly deeper folds and ridges in areas tied to motor control and spatial processing, traits that may help the foxes navigate rugged terrain and compete for food and shelter, especially on two islands where they share space with rivals like the spotted skunk. San Nicolas Island, the most remote and resource-limited of the six, was the exception. There, foxes had smaller relative brain sizes. With no predators, little biodiversity and limited food, researchers believe the animals faced fewer cognitive demands and may have conserved energy for basic survival rather than retaining traits like enhanced motor coordination or spatial processing. "The Channel Island foxes show that brain size reduction is not a universal feature of island life," Schoenberger said. Schematic diagram of 11 linear measurements taken on skulls. 1: Total maximum skull length (TSL), 2: Zygomatic width (ZW), 3: Cranial vault width (CVW), 4: Cranial vault height (CVH), 5: Occipital condylar width (OCW), 6: Orbital diameter (OD), 7: Palatal length (PL), 8: Palatal width (PW), 9: Bicanine width (BCW), 10: Nasal width (NW), and 11: Nasal length (NL). Credit: PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328893 Fox brains adapt to island living To understand how brain size changed in the island fox, Schoenberger and research collaborators at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) studied more than 250 skulls from six island fox subspecies and four mainland gray fox subspecies. The specimens came from collections at NHM and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. First, they estimated body weights from skull measurements, then compared those estimates to recorded weights from live island foxes. The two sets aligned closely, giving the team a solid basis for analyzing brain-to-body ratios. The brain size was measured using microbeads to approximate the internal volume of the skull, a highly accurate proxy for brain size. Next, the researchers used CT scans to create 3D models of the skulls' interiors. By capturing the shape and volume of the braincasethe hollow cavity that once housed the brainthey could confirm the accuracy of the microbead brain size estimates and examine the structure of brain surface features such as folds and ridges imprinted on the inside of the skull. The digital scans revealed a surprising feature: Island fox brains had shorter, more compact frontal areas than their mainland relatives. The researchers theorize that this likely relates to their shorter snouts, which reduce the brain space at the front of the skull. To compensate, these foxes developed slightly deeper folds and more pronounced ridges in this region. This preserves key motor control and spatial awareness skills particularly needed to climb trees and forage for food. Schoenberger explained that while both the island and gray foxes are the only canines known to climb trees, island foxes relied more on foraging in trees compared to mainland foxes, which have more abundant food options on the ground. The researchers also found that brain size didn't differ between male and female foxes, suggesting that environmental pressures rather than mating competition were the likely drivers of these adaptations. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Island foxes were likely pest control, not pets DNA and carbon dating suggest that foxes first arrived on the northern Channel Islands about 9,000 years ago, likely by riding natural debris rafts or swimming when sea levels were lower and distances between islands were shorter. Thousands of years later, archaeological evidence shows that Indigenous peoples may have transported foxes to other islands, perhaps to help control pests. Despite this long association with humans, island foxes likely never became truly domesticateda fact researchers say may help explain why their brains did not shrink, as often happens in domestic species. In both brain size and behavior, they more closely resemble wildcats than early domestic dogs, which had already begun to lose brain volume as they grew dependent on people. Broader lessons from island-bound foxes As climate change and habitat loss create more fragmented, island-like environments, understanding which traits help animals adapt could guide conservation efforts. The island fox suggests that intelligence and cognitive flexibility may play a key role in survival but may only be an option if their habitat has enough natural resources. Still, their future is uncertain. Previous research had found that low genetic diversity could leave the foxes especially vulnerable to new threats such as disease, raising concerns about how well they'll weather the next wave of environmental change. More information: Kimberly A. Schoenberger et al, Increased brain size of the dwarf Channel Island fox (Urocyon littoralis) challenges "Island Syndrome" and suggests little evidence of domestication, PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328893 Journal information: PLoS ONE 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: Ivey Business School/University of Western Ontario Few tasks are more dreaded than delivering negative feedback. Yet feedback, especially the tough kind, is essential. When done well, it helps employees grow, strengthens teams and builds managerial confidence. In theory, it's a win-win. In practice? Not so much. To soften the sting, many leaders have turned to a decades-old tactic: the compliment sandwich. Also known as the feedback or criticism sandwich, it layers a piece of negative feedback between two positive (and often unrelated) comments: Bread (Compliment): "Roger, your input at the client meeting was invaluable." Meat (Feedback): "You've been showing up late and leaving earlyit's impacting your deliverables." Bread (Compliment): "But that last report you created? Excellent work." The method, popularized in the 1980s, was meant to ease discomfort on both sides. But does it actually work? According to Karen MacMillan, professor of organizational behavior at Ivey Business School, that sandwich has gone stale. "It was once the gold standard," she said. "But the research is clearlayering compliments doesn't make tough feedback any easier to swallow." The antidote? Less bread, more candor. Honesty over harmony To uncover what makes feedback truly effective, MacMillan and her Ivey research partners, professor Fernando Olivera and lecturer Cameron McAlpine, along with Gouri Mohan from IESEG School of Management in France, are digging into the role of candorhonest, open communicationin the workplace. Early findings suggest it worksbut only when it's done right. "When practiced with kindness, candor has wide-reaching benefits," MacMillan said. Delivered with care and confidence, direct feedback doesn't just help employees grow, it can strengthen relationships and build trust. And that's exactly where the compliment sandwich crumbles. Instead of offering clarity, it creates confusion. Most employees know the positive feedback is just a buffer, so the compliments feel like empty appetizers before the inevitable "but." "They're waiting for the other shoe to drop," MacMillan explained. "Regularly starting with a compliment to ease into a critique quickly teaches people to be on high alert. They end up ignoring the positive and resenting the negative." MacMillan is one of Ivey's first Teacher Scholars, focusing both on research and making learning engaging and effective. If you've been loyal to the compliment sandwich, you might be wondering: What now? The good news is better feedback doesn't require more awkwardnessjust more intention. To help managers move beyond the bread and into meaningful conversations, MacMillan offers a simple roadmap: 1. Start with a plan Many feedback misfires happen because managers don't prepare. Take a few minutes beforehand to ask: Why am I giving this feedback? What's my goal? Am I doing this for the right reasons? Do I have specific examples to back it up? Can I point to the impact their behavior is having? What's my opening line? "That first sentence sets the tone," said MacMillan. "It can make or break the conversation. If you start off wrong, the person gets defensive and then they don't hear anything you say." 2. Make it a dialogue Avoid having a monolog. If you are doing all the talking, that means they are probably not buying in. Be ready to ask questions. Ask: "How do you think things are going?" or "Am I seeing things the same way you are?" Create space for the person to share their perspective. You have one view of the world, but you may be missing something important. And if the conversation starts to veer off track, it's perfectly okay to pause, redirect, or even reschedule. 3. Show you care about them as a person Let the employee know you're in their corner by connecting your feedback to something they care about. For example: "I know you want to move up in the company. I've noticed something that might be getting in the way. Do you want to hear it?" That simple ask gives the employee agency, which is a powerful shift from old-school, top-down approaches. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. 4. End with an agreement Every conversation should end with clarity. What's the plan? When will you follow up? Even a simple, "Let's reflect and reconnect next week," keeps the momentum going. 5. Treat feedback as a process Most times, one conversation won't change everything. Real feedback happens over time, with follow-up, reinforcement and trust. While these steps can make feedback more effective, MacMillan is quick to acknowledge that candor takes courage. Honest conversations rarely feel easy at first, but with practice, they become more natural, more impactful and more rewarding for everyone involved. "The real measure of feedback isn't how well it's delivered, it's whether it creates change and strengthens relationships," said MacMillan. 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: Jackson Somers from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics is really excited about trash and what it can mean for a community's sustainability efforts. Credit: Jason Sheldon When you throw out food waste, even though it's organic material, it doesn't just harmlessly decompose at the landfill. This process releases methane. In a 20-year period, methane is 8085 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. This has led some municipalities to begin implementing composting programs as a way of reducing methane emissions. When food waste is decomposing in a landfill, it rapidly uses up any available pockets of oxygen between the trash around it. This is an "aerobic" process, meaning it occurs in the presence of oxygen and produces carbon dioxide. But when that oxygen is used up, the waste begins decomposing through a longer "anaerobic" processmeaning it occurs without oxygenthat produces methane. Composting, on the other hand, is a fully aerobic process, and the resulting compost can be used as an agricultural fertilizer. Decomposition in a landfill is an anaerobic process, as food waste is jammed in with everything else at the dump, without room for oxygen to get in. Jackson Somers, assistant professor of agricultural and resource economics in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), investigated participation rates and the economics behind residential composting programs. Somers published his findings in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. Somers found that on average, there is a 2.3-pound reduction in the amount of organic waste going into landfills per household per week when a city implements a composting program, using Austin, Texas as an example. This represents only about 30% of the average weekly food waste generated by a U.S. household. Unlike some larger cities, like San Francisco, most composting programs, including Austin's, do not have any way to enforce compliance. "As individuals, we produce a lot of food waste, and it's something we should be cognizant of. From there, you should compost if you want to compost," Somers says. "I think, inherently, we don't want to be wasteful. But for some people it's just a high burden of effort." Somers found that, from a purely economic perspective, the cost of running a compost program outstrips the social cost of avoiding putting that methane into the atmosphere, especially with these low participation rates. The "social cost of carbon" is a number economists use to estimate the financial cost of each additional ton of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. The current figure is pegged at $51. The median cost to expand composting programs is $478 per ton of CO 2 avoided. Large cities, which would be the largest methane emitters from organic waste, generally have methane capture technologies working at their landfills, some of which generate electricity or natural gas, while preventing methane from entering the atmosphere. "With current programs, given the infrastructure we havethese programs are really expensive for the savings we see," Somers says. However, this doesn't necessarily mean composting programs are never worth the investment. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. As existing landfills fill up, it will be a major future expense to create new ones. So, creating a composting facility now may make economic and environmental sense in the long run. Researchers are also constantly reevaluating the social cost of carbon. Generally, that cost increases as we learn more about the myriad impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and as these impacts accumulate. "As we learn more about our impact, composting programs may become cheaper from an environmental sense," Somers says. There may be other benefits for specific communities as well, such as reducing pests like rats that thrive on unsecured organic waste, especially in large cities like New York or Philadelphia. "Keeping rats and other pests out of neighborhoods certainly goes into the calculus too," Somers says. "How many people get sick from rats? How much do we dislike seeing rats running around on the streets? It's important to factor in other impacts, not just environmental." Somers emphasizes that questions about what to do with organic waste will differ from community to community. In Connecticut, there are some curbside programs in cities. Others have drop-off programs where people collect food waste and bring it to a centralized location in places. "A one-size-fits-all solution is not the answer," Somers says. "The solution in northwestern Connecticut is very different from the solution in Stamford or Hartfordand the solutions for Stamford and Hartford are also going to be different because, demographically, they're quite different." Somers says that while his paper focused on single-family residential composting programs, there may be a larger impact on commercial waste from businesses like grocery stores. "That's where I think you can see real savings," Somers says. "I think that's something we should consider more than we do." More information: Jackson C. Somers, Household landfill diversion and the impact on methane emissions, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2025.103174 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A DAMIC-M detector module with four CCDs. The module is enclosed in a high-purity copper frame for installation in the Low Background Chamber. Credit: DAMIC-M Collaboration The mysterious substance called dark matter is intrinsically invisible. It cannot be directly observedrather, its presence is inferred by its gravitational influence on the universe, such as binding galaxy clusters together and moving stars around their galaxy faster than they should. Yet new research published in Physical Review Letters uses a "camera" to look for dark matter interactions, thereby probing the nature of this elusive stuff. One hypothesis is that dark matter is made of as-yet unknown particles that are subject to gravitational force but interact extremely weakly with ordinary matter, explains University of Chicago Prof. Paolo Privitera, the spokesperson of the DAMIC-M (DArk Matter In CCDs at Modane) international collaboration, which conducted the study. Over the past several decades, the search for dark matter particles has focused on WIMPs, or Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, believed to be far heavier than a proton. "But WIMPs have not been found so far, despite extremely sensitive searches by enormous detectors weighing a ton, including my colleague Luca Grandi's work with XENONnT," said Privitera. Experiments at the most advanced particle accelerators, including the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, have also failed to find WIMPs. Astrophysicists are now expanding the search to lighter particles, which requires exceptionally sensitive instruments because signals produced by such low-mass, low-energy particles would be almost impossible to detect. The DAMIC-M experiment searches for these elusive signals 5,000 feet below the surface of the French Alps. Though it did not find dark matter in its initial run, the experiment was able to rule out several such particle candidates known as "hidden sector" dark matter. Hidden-sector detector Dark matter detectors are designed around the premise that dark matter particles will, on very rare occasions, collide with a nucleus in one of the detector's atoms. The recoil of the nucleus may emit light, strip electrons or shake the atom's lattice, producing a signal. A lightweight dark matter particle is much more difficult to detect than a heavy one. "A heavy particle hitting a nucleus is like a bowling ball hitting another bowling ballit will impart a sizable momentum," said Privitera. "A light particle hitting a nucleus would be like a ping-pong ball hitting a bowling ball. It would not move it at all." However, hidden-sector dark matter would interact with electrons, which are thousands of times less massive than a nucleus. "Now it is like a ping-pong ball hitting another ping-pong ball," said Privitera. An instrument sensitive enough to detect single electrons would be ideal to search for hidden-sector dark matter. The DAMIC-M experiment uses charge-coupled devices, or CCDs, to achieve such unprecedented sensitivity and resolution. Standard scientific CCDs are light-sensitive devices that convert photons into electrical charges, which are then processed into a digital image. They serve as the "camera" of astronomical telescopes. CCDs are also capable of "imaging" particle interactions, which leave a trail of electrical charges in the device. DAMIC-M CCDs are much thicker to maximize the detector mass for dark matter particle interactions. The experiment's special CCDs are also capable of skipper readout, an innovation that allows researchers to count electrons individually. The team looks for pixels or clusters of adjacent pixels with just a few electronspotentially indicating a dark matter interaction. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. These collisions are extremely rare and could be obscured by signals from background sources, such as natural thermal fluctuations in the detector's material. To help minimize this, DAMIC-M CCDs are operated at -220F. To mitigate the effects of external radiation, the detector is protected by several layers of shielding. Located at the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane beneath the French Alps, the detector is sheltered from cosmic rays by more than 5,000 feet of rock. To reduce background from naturally occurring radioactive elements found in the cavern's walls, the CCDs are surrounded by lead. Installation of the copper box with the CCD modules in the LBC cryostat. Surrounding the box is a shielding made of ancient Roman lead. Credit: DAMIC-M Collaboration "Fun fact," said Privitera, "We use ancient lead, from a sunken Roman ship and Spanish galleon, since its radioactive contaminants have already decayed." For this study, the team built a prototypethe Low Background Chamber, hosting two CCD modules and weighing just 26 gramsand took several thousand "photographs" over two and a half months. They then searched these images for clusters of pixels suggesting dark matter interactions. The team found 144 clusters with two electrons and only one cluster of four electronsresults compatible with the expected backgrounds. "Thus, we have not yet discovered dark matter," said Privitera, though he added the results are "orders of magnitude more sensitive than any other experiment, a notable achievement when considering they were obtained with a prototype detector and a small mass." As the search continues, the absence of a dark matter interaction signal has profound implications for the nature of dark matter. 'Freeze-in' or 'freeze-out' In one potential, simplified scenario of the universe's evolution after the Big Bang, dark matter and ordinary matter start at equilibrium and transform into each other at equal rates. As the universe expands and cools, it becomes increasingly difficult for ordinary particles to encounter each other and create dark matter, which requires a high-energy collision. However, it takes no energy for dark matter particles to meet and destroy each other, turning back into ordinary matter, so the abundance of dark matter would rapidly decrease after the Big Bang. Eventually dark matter particles also become too spread out to engage and the amount stabilizes to what we measure today. This scenario is known as "freeze-out" of dark matter. In another possible scenario, dark matter particles interact so weakly that dark and ordinary matter are never in equilibrium. On the rare occasion that dark matter is produced by ordinary matter interactions, it does not transform backand increases in abundance. The production of dark matter, as with the freeze-out scenario, is limited by the expansion of the universe, so the amount of dark matter eventually stabilizes to the amount measured today. This scenario is known as "freeze-in" of dark matter. The freeze-in and freeze-out scenarios restrict the properties of dark matterspecifically its mass and interaction probabilityand theorists have predicted the properties that hidden-sector dark matter must have to be compatible with the freezing scenarios. "These theoretical predictions are now probed for the first time by the DAMIC-M null result," said Privitera. For the freeze-out scenario, a stringent relationship exists between how much dark matter is observed today and its probability of interaction. This constraint allows researchers to make clear predictions of a candidate particle's likelihood of interacting with the detector's electrons and producing a signal. Because the team did not detect signals, the experiment completely excludes several hidden-sector candidatesthey do not exist. But for the freeze-in scenario, an absence of signal doesn't definitively rule out the existence of that candidate. "The fact that we have not found dark matter in our data excludes that hidden-sector particles constitute the entirety of dark matter in the universe," said Privitera. Yet if hidden-sector dark matter exists, it could be a fraction of all dark matter, with something else comprising the rest. Scaling up Following the success of the Low Background Chamber prototype, the full DAMIC-M apparatus is set to begin data collection in 2026. The full-scale detector will have a greater chance of capturing a rare interaction, the scientists said, and the backgrounds will decrease significantly due to better shielding and fewer radioactive contaminants in the apparatus materials. "Our target is still hidden-sector dark matter, which we may find composing a fraction of all dark matter, but also light WIMPs and other candidates," said Privitera. "We expect that DAMIC-M will be the leading experiment in the search for these low-mass dark matter particles for several years to come." More information: K. Aggarwal et al, Probing Benchmark Models of Hidden-Sector Dark Matter with DAMIC-M, Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/2tcc-bqck Journal information: Physical Review Letters 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: Volunteers clean up the contents of containers from the MSC Zoe spilled near Terschelling Island off the Netherlands. Volunteer Dutch divers are still fishing debris from the North Sea six years after a disastrous shipping accident. They are trying to clear the shallow Wadden Sea where the MSC Zoeone of the world's largest cargo shipslost hundreds of containers of car parts, televisions, light bulbs, furniture and toys in a 2019 storm. Despite clean-up efforts, debris still litters the seabed of the UNESCO-listed tidal wetland, which spans the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. On a gray summer day they "salvaged a set of nets and debris and also I think it was electrical cables, probably from the MSC Zoe," volunteer Harold Batteram, 67, told AFP, his diving suit covered with little wriggling crustaceans. The spill also released organic peroxide, a toxic and highly flammable chemical used in plastics manufacturing. "In a split second, the whole Wadden Sea beaches were like a heap of junk," said Ellen Kuipers, the director of the CleanUpXL project. 800 tons of waste Set up in 2021 by four Dutch environmental groups, CleanUpXL sends rescue boats and divers to clear the 800 tons of waste still on the seabed. Kuipers said the Dutch government led much of the initial clean-up, but efforts have faded in recent years. "They did a lot of cleaning but it became more and more difficult at the end, because the things they cleaned up were only the things" traceable to the MSC Zoe, she said. In April 2024, the government published a previously confidential list revealing 6,000 locations where debris and waste might still be found. Kuipers said the focus should be not only on the MSC Zoe debris but on all waste on the seabed, since the sites are protected UNESCO World Heritage areas. "We do this to also pressure the government so that they move and clean up," she said. "And it's also for a lot of people to be aware that everything we have in our housefurniture and that kind of stuffhas traveled by container ship. 'Out of sight, out of mind' Under a choppy sea, the divers recovered a pink child's down jacket, bringing with it dozens of baby crabs and starfish. "It's a noble goal, right?" said Batteram after spending nearly three quarters of an hour 22 meters below the surface. "There's a lot of trash at the sea bottom, not too many people are aware of that," said the retired data scientist. While part of what was lost on the MSC Zoe will float, "the majority will still be at the bottom". "It's out of sight, out of mind," he said. "So we try to bring that to (people's) attention." 2025 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Researchers are developing strategies to protect people from rising temperatures, focusing on vulnerable groups and clearer climate-health communication. The environmental impact of climate changeshifting weather patterns or vanishing biodiversityis widely recognized. But do we truly understand the toll rising temperatures are taking on human health? Members of the Climate-Health Cluster, a network of European researchers, do not think so. Their mission is to measure these health risks and develop strategies to protect people as the planet warms. To do this, they are creating protocols to safeguard vulnerable people during extreme heat waves and offering recommendations to make health systems more responsive to the evolving threats posed by climate change. Why focus on health? A major part of their work is finding effective ways to communicate these risks. According to Professor Cathryn Tonne, an environmental epidemiologist at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, many people remain indifferent to the global climate crisis. "Concepts like net zero, rising sea levels, or melting ice caps can feel distant and abstract. To make these issues more relatable and urgent, we need to highlight their importance for health," said Tonne, who coordinates CATALYSE, a five-year research initiative running until September 2027. "There are serious health implications to climate change, but we have not been very effective at explaining these to the public, nor the health benefits of climate action." Clear and consistent messages CATALYSE, one of a cluster of six research projects on climate and health, brings together a team of researchers from 10 EU countries, plus Switzerland and the U.K. One of the areas they study is how the impacts of climate change are communicated to the public. Tonne pointed out that climate messaging has shifted over time, creating confusion. "Wood heating was once promoted as a climate-friendly option, only for later evidence to reveal its negative impact on air quality," she said. Similarly, a shift from gasoline to diesel vehicles was initially seen as a good thing for the climate, until the air pollution data emerged. Climate change as a health issue Tonne believes that reframing climate change as a health issue is key to mobilizing both people and policymakers. "We believe this would ultimately lead to more policy engagement, ideally with EU countries speeding up the implementation of EU climate policies." The underlying idea is simple. The more people realize climate change endangers lives, the more they may be willing to take action, which would ultimately benefit both the environment and health. But it is not always straightforward. For example, the CATALYSE team is looking at the environmental benefits of bicycles and feels that the health aspect is not highlighted enough. "We have a legally binding net zero target, but we need to ask which strategies are likely to deliver the most health benefits," said Tonne. "Is it through clean energy generation, electric vehicles powered by renewable electricity, oras we thinkgetting people out of cars and onto their bikes?" Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Heat stress and warning programs Heat stress is another growing concern, particularly in Mediterranean countries. Europe saw more than 61,000 deaths in the summer of 2022 and more than 47,000 in 2023, according to official estimates and peer-reviewed studies. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that climate change will cause at least 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050. To tackle this, the researchers are gathering data and working with meteorological agencies to develop early warning systems. The aim is to send personalized warnings to vulnerable groups, such as older women, advising them to stay indoors or take extra precautions on days when they are at high risk. Outdoor workers at risk Another group of concern is outdoor workers. In Europe, between 800,000 and 1 million seasonal outdoor workers are hired each year, mainly in agriculture, which puts them at a growing risk of heat-related illness. In most cases, these are migrant workers. Over the past three years, CATALYSE researchers have collaborated with NGOs from Spain, Italy and Austria to gather data during peak summer months. Their goal was to better understand the extent of the extreme heat exposure risk among outdoor workers and develop recommendations to protect them. "The working and living conditions of these workers are often appalling, and extreme heat is making it so much worse," said Tonne. Life in the 'orchard of Europe' Daniel Izuzquiza, the director of SJM-Jesuit Migrant Service, an NGO collaborating with CATALYSE, shared insights from Spain's Almeria region, dubbed the "orchard of Europe." "It's a very hot region in the summer and people work under stressful conditions, compounded by poor housing," he said. "Many live in shacks or shanty houses with little ventilation, meaning they endure dangerously high temperatures day and night." Few structural measures address this reality, and those that do exist, such as whitewashing greenhouses, seem to be more targeted at the well-being of crops than people, according to Izuzquiza. Perhaps the most alarming finding is how normalized these conditions have become. "People need access to drinking water and better housing. We need to raise awareness among employers, workers and consumers about how migrant workers live and how conditions need to improve." Making climate-health links visible For Tonne and her colleagues, the challenge is not just scientific, but communicative: making the link between climate and health visible, urgent and actionable. That means crafting clear, consistent messages and reframing climate action as an investment in well-being, not just an environmental necessity. "The more people understand that climate change endangers lives, the more likely they are to support policies that protect both the planet and public health," said Tonne. By recognizing these connections, Europe can ensure that, as we work to protect the environment, we also safeguard the health and well-being of everyone. This article was originally published in Horizon the EU Research and Innovation Magazine. 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: Chandra Energy-coded X-ray image of NGC 6528 with merged of two Chandra ACIS observations. The outer and inner circles represent the half-light radius (0.91 arcmin) and the core radius (3.05 arcsec), respectively. The color image consists of red (soft: 0.5 - 1.0 keV), green (medium: 1.0 - 2.0 keV), and blue (hard: 2.0 - 7.0 keV). A total of 18 sources > 3 were detected, represented by the green circles. Credit: arXiv (2025). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2508.10105 By analyzing the data from NASA's Chandra spacecraft, astronomers have conducted the first X-ray study of a globular cluster known as NGC 6528. Results of the study, published August 13 on the arXivpreprint server, yield important insights regarding the population of X-ray sources in this cluster. Globular clusters (GCs) are spherical collections of tightly gravitationally bound stars. They contain from tens of thousands to millions of stars and investigating them could help us better understand the formation, history and evolution of early-type galaxies, as the origin of GCs seems to be closely linked to periods of intense star formation. Located some 25,800 light years away, NGC 6528 is a galactic globular cluster with an estimated age of about 11 billion years. With a metallicity at a level of -0.1, NGC 6528 is one of the most metal-rich GCs in our galaxy. In order to shed more light on the properties of NGC 6528, a team of astronomers, led by Bernard Leal of the Michigan State University, decided to explore this cluster in X-rays using the data from Chandra's Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS). Their study was complemented by data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Gaia satellite. "This paper has presented the first X-ray study of NGC 6528, one of the most metal-rich GCs in the galaxy," the researchers write. The relatively deep archival imaging from Chandra allowed Leal's team to identify 18 X-ray sources (designated s01-s018) within the half-light radius of NGC 6528. Two of these sources, designated s01 and s08, appear to be located within the core radius of the cluster. The brightest X-ray source from this sample is s01, with an unabsorbed X-luminosity at a level of 100 nonillion erg/s. The source exhibits a long-term variability and the astronomers assume that it is most likely a mass-segregated compact binary system. The second brightest X-ray source reported in the paper is s14having an unabsorbed luminosity of approximately 46 nonillion erg/s. The X-ray emission of this source was found to be relatively soft, and given that it is located near the half-light radius of NGC 6528, it may be a field star. In general, the authors of the paper emphasized that the identified X-ray sources are primarily cataclysmic variables (CVs) and active binaries (ABs). However, they noted that one or more of the brighter sources could be quiescent low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). Further observations, focused mainly on time-series optical or near-infrared photometry, could improve the classification of the detected X-ray sources. Summing up the results, the astronomers emphasized what their findings can tell us regarding the general properties of NGC 6528. "For this cluster, it appears that the X-ray binary-enhancing effects of high metallicity are outweighed by the cluster's advanced dynamical evolution, leading to a relatively modest X-ray source population," the scientists conclude. Written for you by our author Tomasz Nowakowski, edited by Stephanie Baum, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you. More information: Bernard Leal et al, The X-ray Source Population of the Metal-Rich Globular Cluster NGC 6528, arXiv (2025). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2508.10105 Journal information: arXiv 2025 Science X Network The Sweet Cherry Lemonade and Sweet Cherry Shake are available now through October 21; Original Bag offer returns with Spicy Chicken Sandwich upgrade FRANKLIN, Tenn., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer never has to end with Hardee's new limited-time cherry-inspired menu items: the Sweet Cherry Shake and Sweet Cherry Lemonade. Crafted to deliver bold cherry flavor, these refreshing beverages elevate any meal with a taste experience worth remembering. The Sweet Cherry Shake and Sweet Cherry Lemonade are available now through October 21. Hardee's new Sweet Cherry Shake and Sweet Cherry Lemonade Hardee's Original Bag - now upgraded to include the new Spicy Chicken Sandwich The Sweet Cherry Lemonade blends Hardee's new and improved handcrafted lemonade with a vibrant splash of cherry flavor for a crisp, refreshing finish. A swirl of ruby-red cherry flavor meets creamy hand-scooped vanilla ice cream in the Sweet Cherry Shake that is a worthy treat for guests' Instagram feeds and tastebuds. "We're excited to introduce this standout flavor to our menu," said Sarah Breymaier, vice president of brand marketing at Hardee's. "Cherry is trending among consumers in fact, searches for 'cherry flavor' are up 20% in the last month. With these new menu items, we are giving guests what they want and offering our unique take. These beverages are all about making the last days of summer tastier, more vibrant and truly memorable turning everyday moments into flavorful, indulgent experiences." To extend the summer goodness, Hardee's is also upgrading and bringing back the Original Bag. The value deal will now include the new Spicy Chicken Sandwich, and for $6.99*, guests can choose between two hearty options including the Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Double Cheeseburger, Sliced Ham and Swiss on a toasted bun, or Hand-Breaded Chicken Tender Wrap (ranch, honey mustard, or spicy), served with small fries and a small drink. Original Bag is available now through October 21. *Price and participation may vary by location. Get the latest news and app offers by downloading the Hardee's My Rewards app, available here. My Rewards Loyalty Program: Join here X: @hardees Instagram: @hardees Tiktok: @hardees Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hardees About Hardee's Home of Goodness in The Making, Hardee's is known for wholesome, hand-crafted menu items such as Made from Scratch Biscuits, Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders and charbroiled 100 percent Angus Beef burgers. Together with its franchisees, Hardee's operates approximately 1,600 restaurants across the U.S. and has a presence in 13 countries worldwide. Hardee's has been bringing people together with classic flavors and hometown pride for more than 60 years. For more information about Hardee's, please visit www.hardees.com. About CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., a privately held company based in Franklin, Tennessee, runs and operates Carl's Jr. and Hardee's restaurants, two beloved brands, known for premium and innovative menu items such as iconic charbroiled burgers, Made from Scratch Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders. With both a U.S. and international footprint, Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee's Restaurants LLC have more than 3,600 franchised or company-operated restaurants domestically and more than 35 international markets and U.S. territories. For more information about CKE, please visit www.ckr.com or its brand sites at www.carlsjr.com and www.hardees.com. SOURCE CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. 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: Dr Kerry Fanson, lead scientist in the Wildlife Conservation and Reproductive Endocrinology Lab at La Trobe University. Credit: La Trobe University For La Trobe University researchers, the birth of a spritely new giraffe at Melbourne Zoo this month was two-and-a-half years in the making. Not only did the researchers detect that mom Nakuru was pregnant through changes in her hormones, but they accurately predicted the calf's arrival to within a day, helping zookeepers and vets prepare for the impending birth. A team of reproductive experts led by Dr. Kerry Fanson has been working with the Zoos Victoria keeper and vet teams since 2022 to monitor female giraffes and understand their reproductive status by extracting hormones from fecal samples. In May last year, the team from the Wildlife Conservation and Reproductive Endocrinology Lab in the School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, detected an increase in progesteronea key pregnancy hormonefor 13-year-old Nakuru, indicating she was pregnant. Dr. Fanson said they were delighted to be able to detect Nakuru's pregnancy using remote, non-invasive monitoring, which ensured minimal disruption during this important time. As the due date approached, focus then turned to how they could further support Nakuru and the zookeepers by detecting when birth was imminent. "We continued to monitor her progesterone levels to make sure everything was progressing well; however, one thing that progesterone can't tell us is when birth will occur," Dr. Fanson said. Being able to anticipate the timing of birth is incredibly valuable for animal care teams, helping ensure the best possible support for both mother and calf. For giraffes, whose size and physiology make birthing more complex, this information is especially important. Credit: Zoos Victoria Historically, it has been difficult to predict when birth will occur in giraffes. However, using data from another giraffe pregnancy, Dr. Fanson's team was able to identify a novel biomarker for predicting birth. "We found that a metabolite of cortisol shows distinct changes in the three weeks leading up to birth. Although cortisol is often thought of as a stress hormone, it also plays a really important role in the birthing process. Because we only had data from one previous pregnancy, we weren't sure how accurate our prediction would be. We were thrilled that it worked so well," Dr. Fanson said. Remarkably, the team succeeded in predicting the timing of Nakuru's birth. Laura Weiner, Life Sciences Manager Carnivores and Ungulates Melbourne Zoo, said, "Being able to monitor Nakuru's pregnancy during her 15-month long gestation has been essential to our welfare toolkit. "In the end, Dr. Fanson's Lab was able to accurately predict her birth window down to 24 hours. Our entire team were so excited to receive that final prediction. It helped us plan for the new arrival, who was our first giraffe calf in 19 years." The calf was born on August 1 and has been entertaining crowds at Melbourne Zoo since his first public outing. A public vote has been held to name him, with the result to be announced soon. 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: Guangwen Zhou, assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering at Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, photographed at the Innovative Technologies Complex at Binghamton University, State University of New York. Credit: Binghamton University, State University of New York Most metals found in nature are actually in their oxide forms. To extract those metals for use in critical applicationsranging from infrastructure such as bridges and buildings to advanced technologies like airplanes, semiconductors or even quantum materialsthose oxides must be reduced with gases. A new study illuminating how different gases can affect oxide reduction, however, has the potential to revamp scientific understandings and current industrial practices. Hydrogen or carbon monoxide are typically used as reductants, presumed to get the job done similarly enough. This research highlights, for the first time, distinct variations between the two that affect the critical chemical reactions fueling metal production. Published in Nature, the new paper was a collaboration between Binghamton University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, as well as Stony Brook University and Columbia University. "For metal production, the key challenge is efficiently removing atomic oxygen from metal oxides to yield pure metals," said Guangwen Zhou, a SUNY distinguished professor at the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science and deputy director of Binghamton University's Materials Science and Engineering program. "The goal is to drive this reduction process using less energy, at lower temperatures, and with minimal carbon dioxide emissions. Our study offers insights that can help guide the choice of gases or reductants to accelerate reaction kinetics, making metal extraction faster, cleaner and more energy efficient." Carbon monoxides have raised concerns for their role in releasing harmful greenhouse gases during manufacturing. The findings of this study point to hydrogen as a greener alternative for metal production, capable of speeding up the process in a more sustainable manner. All this happens while generating benign water vapor as a much more benign chemical consequence. Members of Zhou's research group have been working on oxides for a long time, according to Binghamton doctoral student and first author Xiaobo Chen, but they gradually began noticing discrepancies in reduction reactions when using one gas versus another. After prying into the mechanisms of each reducing agent, they found that carbon monoxide and hydrogen reductants aren't actually so similar. When carbon monoxide was used to reduce nickel oxide, the oxide's surface gradually grew coated with a thin layer of metalessentially stopping any more catalytic reactions from occurring as oxygen depleted from the top. Trapped and unable to migrate into the bulk, those pockets lacking oxygen accumulated at the surface and drove the local conversion of nickel oxide into metallic nickel. This newly formed metallic "crust" further blocked oxygen from being removed deeper within the oxide, slowing the overall reduction process. In addition to carbon dioxide emissions, continuing to wring any reactions out of a now inactive oxide would be even more costly and time-consuming. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "If we look at CObecause it's mostly used as a method for metal productionif metal forms on the surface, it can block active sites and slow down the reaction kinetics," Zhou said. "That makes the extraction process more difficult, which means you need to use more energy and higher temperatures." In contrast, when hydrogen was used, oxygen vacancies formed at the surface could migrate into the bulk of the oxide, enabling metal formation throughout the interior. Importantly, the surface remained largely intact with hydrogen, still capable of the catalytic reactions that are crucial for jumpstarting chemical reactions. "All this difference is related to the difference in the fundamental mechanisms," Zhou said. "I think that's the reason the community has a strong interest in this work, because we've provided this fundamental insight to understand these two basic reductant gases in controlling reactionsin both kinetics and reaction products." And because hydrogen protons help oxygen vacancies more easily migrate away from the surface, that also raises the possibility of replenishing them through counterdiffusion of atomic oxygen from the oxide's interior to its surfacea self-healing behavioral quirk that oxides exhibit. Zhou has also studied this mechanism in a paper published, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "If we use hydrogen, we can facilitate this process. For industrial applications, we can have that catalyst regeneration, without interrupting the catalytic process," Zhou said. "The reaction itself may actually build or provide some self-healing capabilities to make the catalyst last longer." A longtime collaboration More than its potential to improve industrial practices, this study also recontextualizes how scientists can understand the very basic principles of oxide reduction, according to Judith Yang, a scientist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory's Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN). The previous belief held that reductions are more influenced by the partial pressure of oxygen, rather than the reductants themselves. You might wonder, for example, what's better for baking a good dessert: the temperature of the oven or the foundational ingredients. "With these new tools and scientific insights, like from Professor Zhou, we're really seeing a great richness in these systems, which have a classical and standard description that is still taught in the classroom," Yang said. "We are now developing a new paradigm." Zhou and his students conducted their research using instruments, coupled with staff scientific support, at the shared user facilities housed in Brookhaven National Laboratory, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Basic Energy Sciences program. First, they used CFN's environmental transmission electron microscope (TEM) to observe in situ reactions in real time, atom by atom. "There are only a few [of these tools] with such a capability in the entire country," Zhou said. "That's why we are lucky to have this opportunity to access this tool." They complemented this with synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) to study reactions on a larger scale. "The combination of these techniques provides a comprehensive, multi-scale understanding of the reaction," explained Lu Ma, lead beamline scientist at the Quick X-ray Absorption and Scattering beamline at Brookhaven National Lab's National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II). "While in-situ TEM reveals whether nucleation initiates on the surface or within the interior at the nanoscale, it cannot probe larger-scale samples. Conversely, ensemble XRD offers bulk-scale insights. Together, these methods deliver consistent and complementary evidence of the reaction dynamics across different length scales." A project like this required many hands and heads, Zhou said, but the partnership between Binghamton and Brookhaven has extended across multiple studies. Moreover, the CFN and NSLS-II are both shared-user facilities with cutting-edge instrumentation and scientific expertise that are free for use by the wider research community. "I've been collaborating with people from Brookhaven National Lab since I started my faculty position here in Binghamton, so it's probably closer to 20 years," he said. "CFN at Brookhaven National Lab has been really instrumental to my career and research." Many of Zhou's students also work on-site at Brookhaven, gaining crucial hands-on experience navigating complicated instruments and experiments while establishing rapport with seasoned scientists. "We cannot guarantee, every time, to successfully perform the experiments. Sometimes, we need a lot of chances to try," Chen said. "We cannot guarantee we can get a result every time, but CFN and NSLS-II are a fundamentally friendly environment. We can have a lot of chances to try those kinds of things." Studies like these don't just benefit industries, Yang said, but also scientists like herself who get to work with ever-advancing technologies for a living. "It's the science that Xiaobo and Professor Zhou are doing that motivates the next generation of infrastructure development," she said. "This interest in getting the chemistry and structure in real time, at the atomic scale, in a controlled environment, motivated our next instrument." In this case, it's a first-in-the-world specialized environmental scanning transmission electron microscope capable of handling angstrom-level resolution, exceptional energy and temporal resolution, and gases ranging from ultra-high vacuum pressures to only a few torr. Zhou and his team now plan to expand their experimental materials, from copper to iron oxidesreminiscent of the same Bronze and Iron Ages that once characterized much of ancient history, Yang added. "It's just really fascinating that Guangwen's work ties into the history of humankind," she said. "We're finding new fascination in what's defined the material ages of human history." This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Individuals should be held accountable for "ecocide," the most serious acts of environmental destruction, argue experts in The BMJ. And they say the UK should take on a leadership role by adopting legislation of its own to criminalize ecocide and inspiring other nations to protect our planet. The term "ecocide" was coined in 1970 by biologist Arthur Galston, who condemned the large-scale environmental devastation caused during the Vietnam War, they explain. Fifty years on, as the world grapples with the escalating consequences of climate change, including sea level rises and biodiversity loss, momentum is building to establish ecocide as a new international crime so that individuals can be held accountable for the most serious acts of environmental destruction. In May 2025, Scotland introduced a bill to criminalize ecocide, joining other countries including Argentina, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, and Peru. A proposal to add ecocide to crimes within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) would also be an important step toward accountability for serious environmental damage. However, the authors note that under the ICC framework, states remain primarily responsible for investigating and prosecuting core crimes, reinforcing the need for domestic efforts to support international criminalization of ecocide. The UK therefore has an opportunity to take on a leadership role by adopting its own legislation, they write, noting that a bill to criminalize ecocide was introduced in 2023 but has not moved forward. Criminalizing ecocide would bring various benefits, they say. For example, the specter of personal accountability of decision makerswhether public officials or corporate executivesmay provide a more powerful deterrent than attributing responsibility to organizations alone. Moreover, criminal law carries expressive power. "Treating environmental harm not merely as a regulatory issue but also as a criminal act conveys a strong message about societal values and priorities. This can change consciousness and drive meaningful changes in human behavior and policies," they add. And they point out that a domestic prohibition on ecocide in the UK has wide support. In an Ipsos survey conducted in 2024 among 22,000 participants from G20 countries, 72% of respondents supported the criminalization of ecocide. In the UK, this figure was 78%. "Embracing the campaign for the criminalization of ecocide is an opportunity for the UK to act on this consensus and position itself as a global leader, inspiring other nations to protect our planet and ultimately ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come," they conclude. 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: SN 2021yfj is a new kind of supernova, challenging our understanding of stellar evolution. Its progenitor lost its outer shells well before the supernova happened and only consisted of its oxygen/silicon coreunlike any known star in the Milky Way. The dying, stripped-to-the-bone star experienced extreme mass loss episodes that led to the ejecting of material rich in silicon (gray), sulfur (yellow) and argon (purple). Credit: W.M. Keck Observatory/Adam Makarenko An international team of scientists, led by Northwestern University astrophysicists, has detected a never-before-seen type of exploding star, or supernova, that is rich with silicon, sulfur and argon. The study, "Extremely stripped supernova reveals a silicon and sulfur formation site," is published in the journal Nature. When massive stars explode, astrophysicists typically find strong signatures of light elements, such as hydrogen and helium. But the newly discovered supernova, dubbed SN2021yfj, displayed a startling different chemical signature. Astronomers have long theorized that massive stars have a layered structure, similar to an onion. The outermost layers predominantly comprise the lightest elements. As the layers move inward, the elements become heavier and heavier until reaching the innermost iron core. The observations of SN2021yfj suggest the massive star somehow lost its outer hydrogen, helium and carbon layersexposing the inner silicon and sulfur-rich layersbefore exploding. This finding offers direct evidence of the long-theorized inner layered structure of stellar giants and provides an unprecedented glimpse inside a massive star's deep interiormoments before its explosive death. "This is the first time we have seen a star that was essentially stripped to the bone," said Northwestern's Steve Schulze, who led the study. "It shows us how stars are structured and proves that stars can lose a lot of material before they explode. Not only can they lose their outermost layers, but they can be completely stripped all the way down and still produce a brilliant explosion that we can observe from very, very far distances." "This event quite literally looks like nothing anyone has ever seen before," added Northwestern's Adam Miller, a senior author on the study. "It was almost so weird that we thought maybe we didn't observe the correct object. This star is telling us that our ideas and theories for how stars evolve are too narrow. It's not that our textbooks are incorrect, but they clearly do not fully capture everything produced in nature. There must be more exotic pathways for a massive star to end its life that we hadn't considered." An expert on astronomy's most extreme transient objects, Schulze is a research associate at Northwestern's Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA). Miller is an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and a leading member of CIERA and the NSF-Simons AI Institute for the Sky. A hot, burning onion Weighing in at 10 to 100 times heavier than our sun, massive stars are powered by nuclear fusion. In that process, intense pressure and extreme heat in the stellar core cause lighter elements to fuse together, generating heavier elements. When the temperature and density increase in the core, burning begins in the outer layers. As the star evolves over time, successively heavier elements are burned in the core, while lighter elements are burned in a series of shells surrounding the core. This process continues, eventually leading to a core of iron. When the iron core collapses, it triggers a supernova or forms a black hole. Although massive stars typically shed layers before exploding, SN2021yfj ejected far more material than scientists had ever previously detected. Other observations of "stripped stars" have revealed layers of helium or carbon and oxygenexposed after the outer hydrogen envelope was lost. But astrophysicists had never glimpsed anything deeper than thathinting that something extremely violent and extraordinary must be at play. Near the end of its life, SN 2021yfj's stripped-to-the-bone progenitor underwent two rare and extremely violent pair-instability episodes, ejecting shells rich in silicon (gray), sulfur (yellow) and argon (purple). The collision of these massive shells is so violent that it created a brilliant supernova that could still be seen at a distance of 2.2 billion light years. SN 2021yfj is so unusual it defines a new class, Type Ien, and the star itself may have survived the event. Credit: W.M. Keck Observatory/Adam Makarenko Chasing down a cosmic oddity Schulze and their team discovered SN2021yfj in September 2021, using Northwestern's access to the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF). Located just east of San Diego, ZTF uses a wide-field camera to scan the entire visible night sky. Since its launch, ZTF has become the world's primary discovery engine for astronomical transientsfleeting phenomena like supernovae that flare up suddenly and then quickly fade. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. After looking through ZTF data, Schulze spotted an extremely luminous object in a star-forming region located 2.2 billion light-years from Earth. To gain more information about the mysterious object, the team wanted to obtain its spectrum, which breaks down dispersed light into component colors. Each color represents a different element. So, by analyzing a supernova's spectrum, scientists can uncover which elements are present in the explosion. Although Schulze immediately leapt into action, their spectrum search hit multiple dead ends. Telescopes around the globe were either unavailable or could not see through the clouds to obtain a clear image. Luckily, the team received a surprise from an astronomy colleague, who gathered a spectrum using instruments at the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawai'i. "We thought we had fully lost our opportunity to obtain these observations," said Miller. "So, we went to bed disappointed. But the next morning, a colleague at UC Berkeley unexpectedly provided a spectrum. Without that spectrum we may never have realized that this was a strange and unusual explosion." "We saw an interesting explosion, but we had no idea what it was," Schulze said of SN2021yfj. "Almost instantly, we realized it was something we had never seen before, so we needed to study it with all available resources." 'Something very violent must have happened' Instead of typical helium, carbon, nitrogen and oxygenfound in other stripped supernovaethe spectrum was dominated by strong signals of silicon, sulfur and argon. Nuclear fusion produces these heavier elements within a massive star's deep interior during its final stages of life. "This star lost most of the material that it produced throughout its lifetime," Schulze said. "So, we could only see the material formed during the months right before its explosion. Something very violent must have happened to cause that." While the precise cause of this phenomenon remains an open question, Schulze and Miller propose a rare and powerful process was at play. They are exploring multiple scenarios, including interactions with a potential companion star, a massive pre-supernova eruption or even unusually strong stellar winds. But, most likely, the team posits this mysterious supernova is the result of a massive star literally tearing itself apart. As the star's core squeezes inward under its own gravity, it becomes even hotter and denser. The extreme heat and density then reignite nuclear fusion with such incredible intensity that it causes a powerful burst of energy that pushes away the star's outer layers. Each time the star undergoes a new pair-instability episode, the corresponding pulse sheds more material. "One of the most recent shell ejections collided with a pre-existing shell, which produced the brilliant emission that we saw as SN2021yfj," Schulze said. "While we have a theory for how nature created this particular explosion," Miller said. "I wouldn't bet my life that it's correct, because we still only have one discovered example. This star really underscores the need to uncover more of these rare supernovae to better understand their nature and how they form." More information: Extremely stripped supernova reveals a silicon and sulfur formation site, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09375-3 Journal information: Nature This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Teachers and high school students live in vastly different media worlds, and that's one of several digital divides that undermine the efficacy of state-mandated media literacy instruction in Illinois high schools, a recent study suggests. The researchersdoctoral fellow Sakshi Bhalla and Michelle Nelson, professor and head of advertising, both of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Michael A. Spikes, director of the Teach for Chicago Journalism Program at Northwestern Universityinterviewed 20 educators from across the state of Illinois about the nature and challenges of media literacy education in their schools. The findings, published in the Journal of Media Literacy Education, indicate that these efforts are undermined by differing media choices, skills and perceptions of media literacy, as well as socioeconomic and political disparities. Under a recent Illinois law, Public Act 1020055, public high schools are required to provide at least one unit of media literacy instruction. However, a significant hurdle to effective instruction is the digital divide between the media experiences of teacherswhose media experiences are based on legacy media such as television and social media platforms with less relevance to youths, such as Facebookand those of their students, whose worlds revolve around digital and social platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat, the researchers said. "We discovered that there are a lot of differences in how teachers and students access the media, whether it is in terms of the platforms or more structural determinants such as teachers getting news from mainstream news media, for example, and students getting news from TikTok or partisan commentators on YouTube," said Bhalla, the first author of the paper. "To foster meaningful media literacy, we must consider the role of students' lived experiences, while extending lessons on media access, evaluation and creation across a stratified population." Recruited from different regions of Illinois, the educators in the study represented a diverse group in terms of school size, socioeconomic profiles and participants' disciplines, which included art, English and library sciences. Participants were interviewed about their awareness of the Illinois law, their understanding of the aptitudes that constitute media literacy, the challenges of teaching the subject in their schools' settings and the resources they need to support instruction, Nelson said. The Illinois law, which took effect at the beginning of 202223 school year, defines media literacy as "the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create and communicate using a variety of objective forms, including print, visual, audio, interactive and digital texts." However, the researchers said that this definition of media literacy presumes a single, shared media experience that is no longer accurate, and "the idiosyncrasies of unique media useparticularly in social and digital mediamean there may be no 'common ground' upon which to analyze, evaluate or create." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Accordingly, some teachers said they were unfamiliar with the platforms used by their students and relied on their pupils to teach them how to use these technologies, while others struggled to respond when students mentioned media or commentators they used for news and information. Nearly half of those in the study worked in schools where at least 40% of the students were low income, and the researchers said that students' socioeconomic profiles determine whether students are taught basic functional skills or higher-level analytical skills. In low-income schools, instruction focused on building functional skills such as keyboarding and other technical proficiencies associated with jobs, whereas teachers in more affluent school districts said that their curricula focused on higher-level skills such as critical analysis of the media landscape and assessing media's credibility and accuracy. With few resources for planning course content, some teachers based instruction on current events, with students discussing controversial issues such as gun violence and the war in Ukraine. "Because the state mandate was passed without providing resources or much training, some teachers felt constrained because they did not want to navigate into political waters, and they were left wondering what to do," Nelson said. Teachers grappled with maintaining neutrality during class discussions, which they said were often "hijacked" by students' emotional responses to particular issues based on the types and political leanings of the media they consumed, along with those of the students' parents and the broader community. "Students are discovering themselves through different political ideologies. And teachers found students to be a lot more political following the 2016 presidential election, issues surrounding COVID-19 and movements such as Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter, and how all of these things were entering the world of emerging adults," Bhalla said. But when teachers pointed out fallacious information in the media or pointed out credible sources to correct misinformation, they said their pupils perceived them as biased or responded in ways that indicated they were unconvinced by facts. "Those in the study also struggled with the complexities of defining right-leaning or left-leaning media and evaluating media bias, because it's multidimensional and changes with every article, news story and political event," Bhalla said. Despite these many challenges, most of the teachers in the study believed that teaching media literacy and discussing controversial topics in today's polarized climate are important. However, to be effective, media literacy education in Illinois schools must understand the media world that young people inhabit; provide better resources for them, their teachers and schools; and provide learning for all students, honing functional skills as well as higher level proficiencies, the researchers said. The team used their findings to develop media literacy workshops for Illinois teachers during the summers of 2022 and 2023 through the Initiative for Media Education Inquiry and Action. An initiative of faculty and students in the College of Media and College of Education, IMEDIA supports teachers in integrating media education into their classrooms. "We had participants work in groups to create lesson plans and then share those with other people, so when everybody left, we hoped that they would have at least one lesson that they could implement the following school year," Nelson said. More information: Sakshi Bhalla et al, Classroom contexts: Teachers talk teaching media literacy, Journal of Media Literacy Education (2025). DOI: 10.23860/JMLE-2025-17-2-3 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: Modeling the CO 2 + H 2 O reaction through enhanced sampling molecular simulations. (A) Mechanisms detailing the reaction of CO 2 + H 2 O to form carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ) through both concerted and stepwise routes. The concerted route is shown for a single reacting water molecule, though additional H 2 O molecules may participate to form a proton transfer chain. (B) System setups used to probe the CO 2 + H 2 O reaction under gaseous, bulk, and interfacial environments. (C) Free energy profiles obtained from metadynamics simulations for the gaseous and bulk reactions. Free energies are plotted as a function of both the CO coordination number (sCO) as well as tailored protonation state collective variables for the gaseous (s(OH)g) and aqueous (s(OH)aq) phases. Representative snapshots of the various species encountered during simulations are shown alongside the profiles. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2502684122 Each year, billions upon billions of tons of CO 2 are pumped into the atmosphere. A significant proportion of this ends up in Earth's oceans, where it can react with water to form carbonic acid, which causes ocean acidification. While much research has focused on how this process occurs deep inside the liquid, less attention has been paid to how this reaction proceeds at aqueous interfaces, where water meets another substance, for example, at the ocean surface. In a study published in PNAS, Cambridge and University College London researchers have found that CO can react within the very top layer of water, through a new "in and out" mechanism. In this process, instead of fully dissolving into the water, CO briefly dips into the surface layer, reacts, and then reemerges. This happens in a very thin layer, just a few molecules thick. "It is like, instead of diving deep into the water to react, CO does a quick dip in the water, partially dissolving in the topmost layer of water where it can react to form carbonic acid. This acid species then returns to the surface and pops back out," said Samuel Brookes, first author of the paper and a Ph.D. student at Cambridge's Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry and Cavendish Laboratory. The in and out mechanism challenges previous assumptions about where and how CO can turn into carbonic acid and shows that reactions can happen right at the water's surface, not just deep within it. Understanding how CO reacts at the water's surface is crucial for improving climate models and predictions. Scientists know from previous studies that large amounts of CO gather at the ocean's surface. Now, the Cambridge team suggests that this surface CO doesn't need to fully dissolve before reacting. Instead, it can react right where it sits, which means ocean acidification could happen faster than previously thought. "Unfortunately, this suggests that current predictions about changes in ocean pH, which measures its acidity, may be underestimated," said Brookes. "This makes the need for accurate climate models even more urgent." The scientists utilized machine learning to study this acidification process at the air-water interface. The models, trained on accurate quantum-level data, enabled them to simulate the reaction at the level of atoms and molecules. From these molecular level observations, the researchers could then make meaningful predictions such as reaction energies and pathways. Researchers were surprised by the similarity between the reaction at the interface and in bulk solution. They expected that the reaction to form carbonic acid would be much harder at the water's surface than deeper in the water because of the fewer water molecules available, which can make chemical reactions more difficult. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "But because of this in and out mechanism, we found that the lack of surrounding water molecules at the surface didn't make the reaction harder as we had initially predicted, and the energy required to form carbonic acid was about the same at the surface as it was deeper in the water," said Brookes. Having uncovered the underlying reaction mechanism, the team was also fascinated by just how much the reaction properties changed over such a short distance. "By moving CO just a fraction of a nanometergoing from being on top of the water to residing in the topmost layerwe practically cut the barrier to reaction in half," said Dr. Christoph Schran, head of the FAST group at the Cavendish Laboratory, which led the research. "That we observed such drastic changes during the initial diffusion stage of reaction was remarkable. It made us wonder: Is there any other fundamental process that is amenable to such changes? What other reaction mechanisms can we uncover?" The research team now plans to extend their modeling to include other species such as sodium, chloride, and carbonate ions, which are abundant in Earth's oceans. This will add a further layer of realism to their simulations, aiding in the more accurate prediction of pH trends and surface reactivity. More information: Samuel G. H. Brookes et al, CO 2 hydration at the airwater interface: A surface-mediated "in-and-out" mechanism, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2502684122 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 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: Construction and quality analysis of the S. cerevisiae pan-genome. Credit: bioRxiv: DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.14.598782 Brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a cornerstone of industrial biotechnology. Its exceptional adaptability to diverse natural and industrial environments has led to the emergence of a wide variety of strains, each with unique genetic and metabolic characteristics. However, most research on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its applications still relies on a few laboratory strains such as S288c and CEN.PK, which limits the discovery of optimal strains for high-performance cell factory development. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a research team led by Prof. Zhou Yongjin from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Assoc. Prof. Lu Hongzhong from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, developed a powerful systems biology method to address this problem. They uncovered how yeast adapts to different environments at a systems level, through strain-specific metabolic modeling. Researchers created a high-quality digital resource of the yeast pan-genome, and constructed metabolic models tailored to individual strains. Then, they developed a novel analysis pipeline that integrates genomic data, metabolic models, and multiomics information, and used it to systematically evaluate different strains. As a proof of concept, researchers applied this pipeline to industrial ethanol-producing strains. They revealed that enhancing downstream pathways of glycolysis is key to efficient ethanol synthesis at the genetic, transcriptional, and metabolic levels. This finding provides insights into the rational design of yeast cell factories for ethanol and its derivatives. "Our work not only provides a comprehensive digital resource of yeast strains for academia and industry, but also new methods for evaluating and selecting optimal chassis strains for biomanufacturing applications," said Prof. Zhou. 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 speleothem is covered by younger layers, the youngest of which is dated to 228 1 ka (PE05a), contemporaneous with MIS 7. Credit: Journal of Human Evolution (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2025.103732 Research led by Institut de Paleontologie Humaine is providing a finite minimum age for a nearly complete cranium from Petralona Cave in Greece that has perplexed researchers since its discovery in 1960. The mystery of the Petralona Cave skull centers around two intriguing unknowns. First, while it is clearly of the Homo genus, it is distinctly different from both Neanderthals and current modern humans. Next, dating the skull has remained difficult to narrow down, with previous estimates spanning about 170,000 to 700,000 years in age. In the study, "New U-series dates on the Petralona cranium, a key fossil in European human evolution," published in the Journal of Human Evolution, researchers present new U-series dates performed on the calcite that grew directly on the cranium to provide crucial information on the age of the fossil. U-series dating takes advantage of the natural properties of uranium isotopes. Uranium breaks down into thorium at a precise half-life. By measuring the ratio of uranium to thorium it is possible to calculate when the process began, giving an atomically calibrated start date. In soil, environmental deposits of uranium isotopes are constantly being added, making it impossible to use the U-series technique to date the dirt itself as it is a mixture of half-lives ticking away at different starting points. But in a cave environment, that all changes. As moisture moves through soil, it carries with it water-soluble minerals, including the uranium, leaving the thorium behind. If that moisture then collects on a cave wall it can evaporate, leaving behind the trace minerals and uranium isotopes without thorium, forming a layer of crusty residue. Location of Petralona Cave in the Chalkidiki area, Greece. Credit: Journal of Human Evolution (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2025.103732 Within layers of these crusty deposits, the uranium isotopes continue to break down into thorium, now locked into place by the mineral deposit in a closed system, giving each layer a set date at which the process began. U-series dating then analyzes the uranium to thorium ratios of the innermost deposit layers to determine when they first appeared, giving a minimum in situ starting point for anything found beneath. Sampling included the calcite coating on the cranium as well as speleothems and calcitic deposits in different cave locales, the Mausoleum chamber where the cranium was reportedly cemented to a wall, the corridor leading to it, and additional sections. Results from the calcite crust on the cranium provide a finite minimum age of 286,000 9,000 years (or 286 9 ka). If it initially remained dry or covered, the skull could have been in the cave much longer, as the dating technique can only determine when it began to form the calcite through moisture exposure and evaporation. To calculate the maximum timeline, the age of cave elements becomes the default parameter. Ages from the stalagmitic veil on the Mausoleum wall yielded 510 29 ka at the top and a minimum of >650 ka internally, indicating that cranium coating began well after the cave was established. Stratigraphy in the Dardanelles Passage shows no stalagmitic floor older than 410 6 ka, with a younger layer dated to 228 1 ka. Age ranges derived from site relations are reported as 539277 ka if the cranium was attached to the wall, or deposition between 410 ka and 277 ka if not. Researchers conclude that the Petralona hominin forms part of a distinct and more primitive group than Homo sapiens and Neanderthals, with results supporting the coexistence of such populations alongside an evolving Neanderthal lineage in the later Middle Pleistocene of Europe. Written for you by our author Justin Jackson, edited by Lisa Lock, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you. More information: Christophe Falgueres et al, New U-series dates on the Petralona cranium, a key fossil in European human evolution, Journal of Human Evolution (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2025.103732 Journal information: Journal of Human Evolution 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: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A sweeping new study from the University of Florida and University College London has found that daily reading for pleasure in the United States has declined by more than 40% over the last 20 yearsraising urgent questions about the cultural, educational and health consequences of a nation reading less. Published in the journal iScience, the study analyzed data from over 236,000 Americans who participated in the American Time Use Survey between 2003 and 2023. The findings suggest a fundamental cultural shift: fewer people are carving out time in their day to read for enjoyment. "This is not just a small dipit's a sustained, steady decline of about 3% per year," said Jill Sonke, Ph.D., director of research initiatives at the UF Center for Arts in Medicine and co-director of the EpiArts Lab, a National Endowment for the Arts research lab at UF in partnership with University College London. "It's significant, and it's deeply concerning." Who's reading and who isn't The decline wasn't evenly spread across the population. Researchers found steeper drops among Black Americans than white Americans, people with lower income or educational attainment, and those in rural (versus metropolitan) areashighlighting deepening disparities in reading access and habits. "While people with higher education levels and women are still more likely to read, even among these groups, we're seeing shifts," said Jessica Bone, Ph.D., senior research fellow in statistics and epidemiology at University College London. "And among those who do read, the time spent reading has increased slightly, which may suggest a polarization, where some people are reading more while many have stopped reading altogether." The researchers also noted some more promising findings, including that reading with children did not change over the last 20 years. However, reading with children was a lot less common than reading for pleasure, which is concerning given that this activity is tied to early literacy development, academic success and family bonding, Bone said. Why it matters Reading for pleasure has long been recognized not just as a tool for education, but as a means of supporting mental health, empathy, creativity and lifelong learning. The EpiArts Lab, which uses large data sets to examine links between the arts and health, has previously identified clear associations between creative engagement and well-being. "Reading has historically been a low-barrier, high-impact way to engage creatively and improve quality of life," Sonke said. "When we lose one of the simplest tools in our public health toolkit, it's a serious loss." The American Time Use Survey offers a unique window into these trends. "We're working with incredibly detailed data about how people spend their days," Bone said. "And because it's a representative sample of U.S. residents in private households, we can look not just at the national trend, but at how it plays out across different communities." Why are Americans reading less? While causes were not part of the study, the researchers point to multiple potential factors, including the rise of digital media, growing economic pressures, shrinking leisure time and uneven access to books and libraries. "Our digital culture is certainly part of the story," Sonke said. "But there are also structural issueslimited access to reading materials, economic insecurity and a national decline in leisure time. If you're working multiple jobs or dealing with transportation barriers in a rural area, a trip to the library may just not be feasible." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. What can be done? The study's authors say that interventions could help slow or reverse the trend, but they need to be strategic. "Reading with children is one of the most promising avenues," said Daisy Fancourt, Ph.D., a professor of psychology and epidemiology at University College London and co-director of the EpiArts Lab. "It supports not only language and literacy, but empathy, social bonding, emotional development and school readiness." Bone added that creating more community-centered reading opportunities could also help: "Ideally, we'd make local libraries more accessible and attractive, encourage book groups, and make reading a more social and supported activitynot just something done in isolation." The study underscores the importance of valuing and protecting access to the artsnot only as a matter of culture, but as a matter of public health. "Reading has always been one of the more accessible ways to support well-being," Fancourt said. "To see this kind of decline is concerning because the research is clear: reading is a vital health-enhancing behavior for every group within society, with benefits across the life-course." More information: The decline in reading for pleasure over 20 years of the American Time Use Survey, iScience (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113288 , www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext 2589-0042(25)01549-4 Journal information: iScience This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A closer look at some of the materials Nambrath studied during her Fulbright, nine months she spent visiting manuscript archives in Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, and Pune, India. Credit: Priya Nambrath Add zero and one to get one, one and one to get two, one and two to get three, two and three to get five. Most of us know thisthat each successive number is the sum of the two numbers that came before itas the Fibonacci sequence, named after a 12th-century Italian mathematician. But as early as 200 BCE, an Indian poet and mathematician named Acharya Pingala used that sequential concept to analyze poetry, and 7th-century scholar Virahanka later described it in more detail. In fact, the use of math on the Indian subcontinent stretches back more than 3,000 years, and curiosity about this ancient and understudied history is at the center of Priya Nambrath's research. As a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the Department of South Asia Studies, Nambrath is studying the applied practice of mathematics during medieval and premodern times in what is now Kerala, a state in southwestern India. It's "a deeply grounded and long-lasting mathematical tradition," she says, one in which people drew on local religious and metaphysical themes, as well as the rhythm and structure of Sanskrit poetry. In the process, they uncovered many ideas and approaches long before Europeans diddiscoveries that go largely underrecognized: "For the most part," Nambrath says, "even students in India are not taught this aspect of cultural and intellectual history." Initially, Nambrath planned to dig into the topic independently. Ultimately, however, she realized she needed more academic support, "not just in the methodologies of Indian mathematics, but also in the literary and social histories of the region," she says. With that mission in mind, she came to Penn, where her studies have led her down many surprising routes, including a recently completed nine-month Fulbright Research Fellowship. That fellowship gave Nambrath the opportunity to travel to the Indian cities of Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, and Pune, where she visited manuscript archives to examine medieval mathematical and astronomical texts written on palm leaf. Nambrath also accessed late 19th-century print editions of Sanskrit and vernacular mathematical works, among many others. Since returning to Philadelphia, she's been hard at work translating everything she saw into her dissertationa "dream project" that the fellowship helped make a reality. Medieval mathematical manuscript written in vernacular Malayalam script on palm-leaf at the Oriental Research Institute and Manuscripts Library, Thiruvananthapuram, India. Ph.D. student Priya Nambrath is using manuscripts like these to better understand "a deeply grounded and long-lasting mathematical tradition." Credit: Priya Nambrath Different approaches Nambrath's decision to apply for the Fulbright was driven by her curiosity around a range of issues, like how the subcontinent's many religions, cultures, and languages shaped its inhabitants' approach to math, or how Europeans reacted when they first encountered Indian mathematical texts. To understand this history firsthand, she decided she needed to be on the ground in India. "This research involved a lot of time spent in several different archives and dealing with different categories of archival material," she explains. From December 2023 to September 2024, Nambrath visited manuscript libraries in India, where she identified a few mathematical texts that had not been previously studied or translated. Those texts provided insights into "a medieval system of pedagogy," Nambrath says, one that incorporated local approaches to mathematics. She also found that European colonial scholars struggled to completely understand Indian math. One stumbling block, she observed, was cultural prejudice and a sense of mathematical superiority. But Nambrath surmises they may also have been flummoxed by how different it was from anything they'd encountered, something she ran into herself. "My STEM background had encouraged me to think of mathematics as a kind of universal language, not susceptible to cultural and historical nuance like art, music, and literature," she says. "But what I was seeing in Indian mathematical texts convinced me otherwise." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Besides the close links with poetry, mathematical progress was sometimes driven by the precise requirements of ritual practice, and advancements in astronomy were often motivated by the needs of astrology. These efforts resulted in unique modes of mathematical expression, according to Nambrath. One example is the kuttakara method, which Nambrath says translates to "the pulverizer," or the idea of reducing or grinding something down. The method is actually an algorithm that helps to solve what we now call linear Diophantine equations. Those take the form ax + by = c, with x and y representing unknown quantities, and the other letters representing known quantities. Through the kuttakara method, coefficients in this type of equation are broken up into smaller numbers to make it easier to find a solution. Nambrath studying astronomical data tables in a medieval Sanskrit text at the Oriental Research Institute and Manuscripts Library, Thiruvananthapuram, India. Credit: Priya Nambrath) The kuttakara method has some similarities with modern computational algorithms, but it first appeared in a 5th-century text, the Aryabhatiyam, with many other Indian mathematicians building on it over the years. The text is a treatise written in Sanskrit verses, using what Nambrath describes as an obscure system of word-numeralsthat is, consonants representing digits, vowels denoting place value. "We think of sciences and the humanities as embodying some kind of essential disciplinary binary," she says. "But here I was, encountering mathematical ideas and techniques encased in metrically precise and linguistically lush poetry." Ups and downs Like with any scientific inquiry, hurdles punctuated these breakthrough moments for Nambrath. During the summer of 2024, for example, she endured a blazing heat wave in Pune, where air conditioners are uncommon due to the typically mild climate. To avoid the heat, Nambrath headed to one of the city's many cafes, making headway on her work before a glass of freshly squeezed sugarcane juice gave her food poisoning. Though "absolutely delicious," that drink also confined her to a steaming apartment in 105-degree temperatures amid power outages. Even after recovering, she found work challenging for several months, grappling with heat and exhaustion. Still, Nambrath pushed on, and ultimately used the downtime to finalize papers that she eventually submitted for publication. Looking back, it's now clear to her that the Fulbrightand her broader time at Pennhave opened many opportunities and paths for her studies. "I am so grateful to the supportive academic community within Penn and the incredible resources that I have been able to access through the program," she says. Nambrath, who is aiming to graduate next year, is now deep into writing her dissertation, along with developing a module for the Penn Museum that links artifacts in their Egyptian, Babylonian, and Greek galleries with the mathematics practiced by those cultures. Museum visitors should be able to see the result this fall. And though that activity is a side project, Nambrath says it's bringing her research full circle. "It gives me a much more holistic view of how humans across time and geography have wrestled with mathematical problems," she says. "These approaches can be unique, but they are always logical, and it is fascinating to see how grounded they are in culture and custom." PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Berger Montague , a national securities litigation law firm, is investigating potential securities fraud claims against Hims & Hers Health Inc. ("Hims & Hers" or the "Company") (NYSE: HIMS). The firm is examining whether Hims & Hers, during the Class Period from April 29, 2025 through June 22, 2025 (the "Class Period"), violated federal securities laws by making false or misleading statements to investors. Details of the Securities Fraud Investigation On June 23, 2025, shares of Hims & Hers dropped more than 34% after Novo Nordisk revealed it terminated its partnership due to the Company's unauthorized marketing and sale of compounded semaglutide drugs. A complaint has been filed alleging material misstatements and omissions in violation of federal securities laws. Deadline to Act Investors have until August 25, 2025 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the class action lawsuit. Lead plaintiffs help direct the case and advocate on behalf of other harmed investors. If you are a Hims & Hers investor and would like to learn more about this action, CLICK HERE or please contact Berger Montague: Andrew Abramowitz at [email protected] or (215) 875-3015, or Caitlin Adorni at [email protected] or (267)764-4865. About Berger Montague Berger Montague, with offices in Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Delaware, Washington, D.C., San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, Malvern, and Toronto, has been a pioneer in securities class action litigation since its founding in 1970. Berger Montague has represented individual and institutional investors for over five decades and serves as lead counsel in courts throughout the United States. For more information or to discuss your rights, please contact: Andrew Abramowitz, Senior Counsel Berger Montague (215) 875-3015 [email protected] Caitlin Adorni Berger Montague (267) 764-4865 [email protected] SOURCE Berger Montague 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: Illustration of a current measurement with the unified system. Credit: Nature Electronics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41928-025-01421-2 A team of scientists has revealed how a single quantum device can accurately measure the three fundamental units of electricitythe ampere (unit of electrical current), the volt (unit of electrical potential) and the ohm (unit of electrical resistance). This is a significant breakthrough because until now, no single instrument could measure all three primary electrical units in one practical system. It means that making electrical measurements could be more precise and reduce the potential for human error. Jason Underwood at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Maryland and his colleagues have shown how the device is possible by integrating two key quantum systems into a single cryostat. Namely, a special type of resistor called a quantum anomalous Hall resistor (QAHR) and a programmable Josephson voltage standard (PJVS). The cryostat provides the right low-temperature environment for both of them to operate effectively. Overcoming challenges Combining the two quantum systems into a single device was challenging because they rely on fragile quantum phenomena that can only be observed at low temperatures. Additionally, one of the devices requires a strong magnetic field to work, which interferes with the operation of the other. However, the scientists were able to overcome these difficulties by using a new material that can perform its quantum functions without needing a magnetic field. Therefore, the two quantum systems were successfully integrated into a single device. The new integrated quantum device operates on the principles of quantum mechanics, which are far more precise than classical methods. Using this new technology, the researchers measured voltages from 0.24 millivolts to 6.5 millivolts with very little error. They also made extremely precise measurements of resistance and electrical current. Future applications Ultimately, the research, published in the journal Nature Electronics, simplifies the process of making highly accurate electrical measurements and could lead to new ways of defining electrical standards. This technology could be used in top-tier laboratories and national measurement institutions to perform extremely precise electrical measurements. That could mean more accurate and reliable data in a variety of fields, including manufacturing electronic devices, scientific research and medical diagnostics. The scientists who conducted the research also see a wider impact of such a device, such as encouraging new developments in materials. As they wrote in their paper, "Our hope is that this initial effort towards a multifunction quantum instrument will spur innovation in topological material systems and in cryostat design and engineering." A News & Views article about the research was also published in Nature Electronics. Written for you by our author Paul Arnold, edited by Gaby Clark, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you. More information: Linsey K. Rodenbach et al, A unified realization of electrical quantities from the quantum International System of Units, Nature Electronics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41928-025-01421-2 Stephen P. Giblin, Simplifying primary electrical standards, Nature Electronics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41928-025-01423-0 Journal information: Nature Electronics 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: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain New research, sparked by a 17th-century shipwreck, reveals how centuries of trans-Pacific trade shaped medicine, shipbuilding and geographical knowledge, and built cross-cultural connections still relevant today. In 1609, the Spanish galleon San Francisco sank off Japan after sailing through storms and hurricanes en route from the Philippines to Acapulco in Mexico. The shipwreck took with it many vital clues about centuries of trans-Pacific trade and cultural exchange. Now, more than 400 years later, the San Francisco's fate has inspired an international team of researchers. They aim to shed fresh light on the era of the Spanish Manila galleons and the lasting legacy of these epic ocean voyages. Hidden impact of the silk route The San Francisco was one of many vessels in the fleet of trading ships that linked Asia and the Americas from the 16th to the early 19th century. They carried luxury goods such as silver, silk, spices and ceramics from China and other parts of Asia, in exchange for silver and other items, such as medicines, cacao, wine, plants and dyes, from the New World. As part of a six-and-a-half-year research initiative called TRANSPACIFIC, the researchers aim to find out what three centuries of steady trade meant for contact between populations and the sharing of knowledge. Key interests included tracing how diseases spread, how medicines were traded and transferred, and how galleon crews interacted with the environment during their voyages. "It is important to show in our modern capitalist world how globalization came into existence and who contributed to knowledge transfer," said Professor Angela Schottenhammer, principal investigator on the TRANSPACIFIC team. She is also a professor of Chinese Middle Period and Early Modern World History at KU Leuven in Belgium. Deeper dive into the past The inspiration for the research came during a conversation between Schottenhammer and long-time collaborator Dr. Jun Kimura, a maritime archaeologist at Tokai University in Tokyo, after a dive to search for the remains of the San Francisco. "Unfortunately, his team didn't find anything," she said. "The seabed is deep, and most of the remains will have been washed away." But that led to an in-depth discussion about just how little we still know about the Manila galleons. Since then, the TRANSPACIFIC team has delved into rare manuscripts, diaries and maps from museum and library archives around the world. They have also drawn on archaeological findings and historical data to reconstruct winds and ocean currents. "We've found so many materials that we realized we're actually only scratching the surface," said Schottenhammer. "There's so much more to investigate." Balm for wounds One fascinating finding concerns Peruvian balsam, a resin from the Myroxylon balsamum tree in Latin America, long valued as a topical antiseptic. Carried into Asia on the Manila galleons, it spread beyond China's elite and even reached the country's Qing army. "I found that a general of the Qing army wanted to get more of this substance," said Schottenhammer. "If it was used in the army for healing sword wounds, it shows how even what seem like marginal aspects of trade could have an important impact." Such findings resonate today as interest grows in natural remedies and plant-based medicines, with many medicinal drugs, herbs and plants used on galleons originating in the Americas. To dig deeper into medical exchanges, the team reconstructed the inventory of Agustin Sanchez, a Spanish "barber-surgeon" who died aboard the San Martin galleon in 1592. Along with tools like syringes, knives, or scissors, his collection also included medical texts. One of these recommended mixing leaves from a narcotic plant called picietlor Aztec tobaccowith lime and garlic to make a remedy believed to cure disease, ward off venom and protect against evil spirits. Other prized substances included camphor, a natural antiseptic sourced, for example, from the camphor laurel tree native to East Asia. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Finding the right mix According to Dr. Mariana Sanchez, a KU Leuven researcher in early modern Hispanic history of medicine, European travelers embraced indigenous knowledge, adapting treatments for tropical climates. "It seems the travelers really understood that native knowledge was important," said Sanchez. The research team also explored other puzzles, such as how sailors secured enough drinking water for the long Pacific crossings. Galleons appointed a "water constable" (alguacil de aguas) and developed methods to purify seawater and collect rainwater. Islanders also soon realized water was a prized commodity and began trading it with foreign sailors. "For a galleon with a crew of several hundred, you needed a lot of water," said Dr. Mathieu Torck, a maritime historian at KU Leuven. "A local barter economy thus developed among indigenous island populations for water and other provisions much needed by the Europeans." Another revelation was the possible role of chocolate. Despite the grueling Pacific voyages, some records show surprisingly low mortality rates among crews. "From the start, we wondered how the Spanish managed to sustain this trade for 250 years across such huge distances," said Torck. One possible clue lies in frequent references to cacao on board. As it is rich in flavonoids, the researchers speculate that it may have boosted the effects of vitamin C, staving off scurvy when combined with fruit and vegetables. Shaping our understanding of globalization The TRANSPACIFIC team is now developing a digital database to trace the flow of goods, people and ideas over three centuries of trade. Their work reveals how knowledge traveled, how informal and seemingly marginal factors affected trade, and how cultures intertwined. Their research will conclude in 2026. "We hope that these studies will entirely change our view of the historical trans-Pacific trade," said Schottenhammer. "They reveal how deeply connected the world was, long before modern globalization." As the researchers continue to uncover hidden links, it reminds us how much the legacy of this global trade route still resonates in our lives today. This article was originally published in Horizon the EU Research and Innovation Magazine. 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: Suppressing Auger recombination for high-performance perovskite VCSELs. Credit: Xingliang Dai / Zhejiang University For years, engineers have sought better ways to build tiny, efficient lasers that can be integrated directly onto silicon chips, a key step toward faster, more capable optical communications and computing. Today's commercial lasers are mostly made from III-V semiconductors grown on specialized substratesa process that makes them difficult and costly to combine with mainstream silicon technology. All-inorganic perovskite films have emerged as a promising alternative because they can be produced inexpensively, work with many substrate types, and offer strong optical properties. But one major obstacle has stood in the way: at room temperature, it has been difficult to get perovskite lasers to run in continuous or near-continuous modes without quickly losing their charge carriers to an effect known as Auger recombination. A research team at Zhejiang University has now demonstrated a simple method to overcome this problem, leading to record-setting performance for perovskite lasers under near-continuous operation. As reported in Advanced Photonics, their approach uses a volatile ammonium additive during the annealing process of polycrystalline perovskite films. This additive triggers a "phase reconstruction" that removes unwanted low-dimensional phases, reducing channels that accelerate Auger recombination. The result is a pure 3D structure that better preserves the charge carriers needed for lasing, without adding significant optical loss. Schematic diagrams and experimental demonstration of high-performance perovskite lasing via phase-reconstruction-driven Auger suppression. (a) Schematic diagram of the volatile ammonium-driven phase reconstruction. (b) Schematic diagram of rapid Auger recombination hindering carrier accumulation. (c) Comparison of carrier decay curves extracted from transient absorption (TA) spectra and a laser pulse with a duration on the nanosecond (1 ns) scale. (d) Evolution of PL spectra under various pump fluences under quasi-continuous ns-pumping. Inset: Far-field pattern of the lasing. (e) Integrated intensity as a function of pump fluence. Inset: Lasing spectra with a narrow FWHM of 0.14 nm, indicating a quality factor of 3850. (f) The comparison of lasing thresholds and quality factors of perovskite lasers under ns-pumping). Credit: Advanced Photonics (2025). DOI: 10.1117/1.AP.7.5.056006 To understand the improvement, the team analyzed how electrons and holes recombine under different pumping conditions. Auger recombinationwhere energy from a recombining electron-hole pair is given to another carrier instead of emitted as lightbecomes especially problematic when the input light is delivered in longer pulses or continuous beams. In those situations, carrier injection occurs on a timescale similar to or longer than the Auger lifetime, leading to rapid carrier loss and preventing the build-up of population inversion needed for lasing. By suppressing this process, the researchers were able to sustain the carrier densities required for efficient stimulated emission. With their optimized films, the team built a single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) that achieved a low lasing threshold of 17.3 J/cm and an impressive quality factor of 3850 under quasi-continuous nanosecond pumping. This performance marks the best reported to date for a perovskite laser in this regime. The results point toward a practical route for making high-performance perovskite lasers that could work under true continuous-wave or electrically driven conditionskey milestones for their integration into future photonic chips and potentially flexible or wearable optoelectronic devices. More information: Xinyang Wang et al, Volatile ammonium-driven perovskite phase reconstruction for high-performance quasi-CW lasing, Advanced Photonics (2025). DOI: 10.1117/1.AP.7.5.056006 Journal information: Advanced Photonics Provided by SPIE This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The Great Ziggurat of Ur dedicated to the moon god. Ziggurats were massive structure typical for Mesopotamia. Sumerians believed that the gods lived in the temple at the top of the ziggurats. Credit: Reed Goodman / Clemson University A newly published study challenges long-held assumptions about the origins of urban civilization in ancient Mesopotamia, suggesting that the rise of Sumer was driven by the dynamic interplay of rivers, tides, and sediments at the head of the Persian Gulf. Published today in PLOS One, the study titled "Morphodynamic Foundations of Sumer" was led by Liviu Giosan, Senior Scientist Emeritus in Geology & Geophysics at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), and Reed Goodman, Assistant Professor of Environmental Social Science at Baruch Institute of Social Ecology and Forest Science (BICEFS), Clemson University. The research introduces a novel paleoenvironmental model in which tidal dynamics influenced the earliest development of agriculture and sociopolitical complexity in Sumer. Results are a contribution to the long-running Lagash Archaeological Project, a collaboration led by Iraqi archaeologists and the Penn Museum at the University of Pennsylvania. "Our results show that Sumer was literally and culturally built on the rhythms of water," said Giosan. "The cyclical patterns of tides together with delta morphodynamicshow the form or shape of a landscape changes over time due to dynamic processeswere deeply woven into the myths, innovations, and daily lives of the Sumerians." Iraqi Marsh Arabs poling mashoofs, traditional canoes, loaded with freshly cut reeds. Credit: Reed Goodman / Clemson University Sumer was an ancient civilization located in southern Mesopotamia, in what is now modern-day Iraq. It is often considered the cradle of civilization due to its numerous innovations, including the invention of writing, the wheel, and organized intensive agriculture. Sumerian society was structured into city-states like Ur, Uruk, and Lagash, each with its own ruler and religious institutions. The study shows that from about 7,000 to 5,000 years ago, the Persian Gulf extended farther inland, and tides pushed fresh water twice daily into the lower reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates. The scholars propose that the early communities must have harnessed this dependable hydrology, using short canals to irrigate crops and date groves, enabling high-yield agriculture without the need for large-scale infrastructure. As rivers built deltas at the head of the Gulf, tidal access to the interior was cut off. The resulting loss of tides likely triggered an ecological and economic crisisone that required an ambitious societal response. The extensive works for irrigation and flood protection that followed ultimately came to define the golden age of Sumer. "We often picture ancient landscapes as static," says Goodman. "But the Mesopotamian delta was anything but. Its restless, shifting land demanded ingenuity and cooperation, sparking some of history's first intensive farming and pioneering bold social experiments." In the Mesopotamian Marshes, southern Iraq. Credit: Reed Goodman / Clemson University Beyond the environmental drivers, the study also explores the cultural impacts of this watery foundation, connecting the flood myths of Mesopotamia and the water-centered Sumerian pantheon. "The radical conclusions of this study are clear in what we're finding at Lagash," adds Holly Pittman, Director of the Penn Museum's Lagash Archaeological Project. "Rapid environmental change fostered inequality, political consolidation, and the ideologies of the world's first urban society." Using ancient environmental and landscape data, new samples from the archaeological site of ancient Lagash, and detailed satellite maps, the authors were able to recreate what the coast of Sumer looked like long ago and imagine how its inhabitants responded to its shape-shifting nature. "Our work highlights both the opportunities and perils of social reinvention in the face of severe environmental crisis," concluded Giosan. "Beyond this modern lesson, it is always surprising to find real history hidden in mythand truly interdisciplinary research like ours can help uncover it." More information: Liviu Giosan et al, Morphodynamic Foundations of Sumer, PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329084 Journal information: PLoS ONE This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Farmers across Washington already spread thousands of tons of fertilizer from human waste on their crops each year, but there's a major blind spot when it comes to potential contaminants. Fertilizers made from human waste are fairly common across the country. Depending on who you ask, they're called "biosolids" or "sludge," and they can be seen as a frontier of the agricultural world or a health hazard. Increasingly, the industry has a new specter: the slate of toxic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which cause cancer and a host of other health problems. Contamination is so bad in some places that Connecticut and Maine have banned the use of biosolids on agricultural lands. In Washingtonparticularly King and Pierce countiesexperts say the PFAS problem isn't nearly as pronounced. The contaminants are likely present. They're even detectable in rainwater across the world, but probably not in such high concentrations as to be dangerous, they say. But here's the thing: We don't know for sure. A new bill under consideration at the Statehouse would look to change all that. Waste treatment plants that turn human waste into fertilizer or compost aren't required to test for these forever chemicals. And even if waste plants do test, there's no specific limit for the compounds. The bill's sponsor, state Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, told the chamber's Environment, Energy and Technology Committee last week that his bill is a way of protecting both human health and the ability to use these fertilizers. "Biosolids: they're good," Wilson said. "But biosolids with question-mark levels of forever chemicals may not be good." If passed, the bill would require the state Department of Ecology to establish PFAS sampling and testing requirements for biosolids by July 2027. A year later, the department would be required to finish an analysis of PFAS levels in biosolids produced in Washington, and by the end of 2028 it would have to report its analysis back to the Legislature with recommendations on how to move forward. This is the third time a bill like this has been introduced at the Statehouse, but this year Wilson said it might make it all the way to the governor's desk. PFAS contamination from biosolid use has made national headlines in recent months, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warning that these compounds found in sewage can exceed safety limits several times over. Increased testing really isn't a controversial topic, either. King County has already conducted a single, yearlong analysis of its own product, called Loop, though results aren't yet available. Spokesperson Akiko Oda said the county supports Wilson's bill and ongoing testing requirements. Already, they routinely test for pathogens, heavy metals and trace chemicals and are developing plans for ongoing PFAS monitoring and testing, she said. Human waste streams don't create PFAS. The compounds flow into treatment plants through the products we use and ingest or from upstream sources like industrial manufacturers or stormwater flows. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. An uptick of forever chemicals could be managed by seeking out the upstream source and stanching the flow there. Oda said King County is continuing its efforts to control those sources and holding producers responsible for the cleanup costs. Last week, more than a dozen people testified before the committee, generally supportive of the measure. Some expressed concern that the bill doesn't go far enough, asking instead that legislators ban the use of biosolids for agricultural purposes entirely. Aside from PFAS contamination, others expressed concerns about pathogens that can be spread through human waste and the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. State law requires treatment plants to find a "beneficial use" for waste before they can consider incinerating or landfilling it. This bill would help Washington understand if its biosolids programs have a PFAS problem and, if so, how bad it is, Wilson said. "Let's not scare ourselves to death, but certainly no more turning a blind eye to something that has a forever impact on our bodies," Wilson said. The bill is scheduled for a vote in the Senate committee. 2025 The Seattle Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Ham was one of the chimpanzees NASA used during the 1960s to test the Mercury capsule before human space flight. Credit: NASA/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA This week, Russia is expected to launch its Bion-M No.2 biosatellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying 75 mice and 1,500 fruit flies. While the mission underscores Russia's ongoing investment in space medicine, it reignites ethical concerns over the treatment of animals in space research. Animals have played a pivotal role in space exploration since the 1950s. The former Soviet Union's launch of the stray dog Laika aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957 marked the first living creature in orbit. Laika's cramped, stressful conditions and eventual death from oxygen deprivation highlighted the harsh realities of early space missions. The US followed suit in 1961 with Ham, a chimpanzee sent on a suborbital flight to test task performance in space. Ham endured invasive monitoring, electric shocks for incorrect responses and severe dehydration. Although he recovered physically, he showed signs of psychological trauma following the mission. As space exploration expands, the absence of legal protections for animals becomes increasingly problematic. International regulations are long overdue to formally recognize the sentience of animals in outer-space law and to safeguard their welfare before, during and after missions. Forgotten animal casualties of space exploration Despite technological advances, animal casualties persist. In 2019, Israel's Beresheet spacecraft crash-landed on the moon with thousands of tardigrades aboard. The fate of these eight-legged microscopic animals, also known as water bears or moss piglets, remains unknown. Often, animals used in missions are deemed surplus afterwards, with little legal obligation for their continued care. For example, France's Felicette, a cat sent into orbit in 1963, was euthanized post-mission for brain study, despite surviving re-entry. Unlike military working animals, which undergo transition programs for civilian life, space animals lack formal exit protocols. Records of their fates are scarce, and their legal status remains ambiguous. This gap stems partly from the absence of animal considerations in outer-space law. International responses and ethical shifts Activist pressure, particularly from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), has led to some reforms. In 1996, NASA withdrew from the BION program and introduced the Principles for the Ethical Care and Use of Animals. These guidelines were prompted by the Belmont Report which was commissioned in 1974 by the US Congress following controversy about unethical practices in research. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The guidelines emphasize bioethical responsibility, acknowledging that animals "warrant moral concern". Laika became the first living creature in orbit. Credit: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA NASA committed to stewardship of research animals, encompassing acquisition, care and what happens to them after the space mission. The principles outline three core ethical tenets: Respect for life: use only appropriate species in minimal numbers necessary for valid results. Societal benefit: weigh the ethical value of animal use against potential societal gains. Non-maleficence: minimize pain and distress, recognizing that animals may suffer similarly to humans. While these principles don't ban animal use, they promote ethical reflection and accountability. Some agencies have followed suit. In 2010, the European Space Agency rejected primate research, opting for simulation technologies to study astronaut health risks. NASA briefly considered resuming primate experiments in 2010, but PETA's lobbying led to the cancellation of proposed research at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Nonetheless, NASA continues to use mice in space studies. In 2024, a group of mice was sent to the International Space Station to examine the effects of space on bodily systems. Private companies have also faced scrutiny. In 2022, KEKA Aerospace in the Democratic Republic of Congo pledged to stop using animals after a rat named Kavira died aboard its Troposphere 5 rocket. Legal gaps in outer-space law Despite growing awareness, the legal and ethical frameworks surrounding animals in space remain underdeveloped. The lack of formal protections and transparency continues to raise questions about the ethical and moral cost of scientific progress. There are five core outer space treaties, covering issues such as the peaceful use of outer space, the rescue of astronauts, the registration of space objects and liability for damage. But despite the long history of animals participating in space missions, none offers formal protections, focusing solely on human and state interests. A common argument is that prioritizing animal welfare could hinder scientific progress. While violence against humans is prohibited, harm to animals for food, research, medicine and other purposes remains widely accepted on Earth. Some question whether it would be inconsistent to restrict harm to animals in space, where human casualties are more likely. However, two key observations challenge this view. First, many countries, including New Zealand, now legally recognize animals as sentient beings, deserving moral and legal consideration. Just as human rights evolved after the Second World War, the animal welfare movement has gradually secured protections against cruelty and neglect. Yet, space law remains largely silent on the physical and psychological harm animals endure during missions. Second, concerns that animal welfare might overshadow human safety are unfounded. Outer-space law is already flexible enough to ensure human protection takes precedence. The real question is whether space law can evolve to safeguard both human and animal interests without conflict. Importantly, the types of harm animals face in spacestress, injury and deathare not fundamentally different from those permitted on Earth in service of human needs. In both contexts, animals are used to advance human survival or ambition. Thus, the perceived inconsistency in protecting animals in space may be less significant than it appears. We need a more balanced frameworkone that acknowledges animals as sentient participants and ensures their welfare is considered alongside human interests. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: These maps show snapshots of wolves hunted per county over time during the study period. Credit: From LM Merz et al., Sci. Adv., 2025. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adu8945. This work is licensed under CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Wolf hunting has prevented livestock loss in a measurable way, but it is by no means a silver bullet, according to an international research team led by the University of Michigan. "Hunting, on the whole, is not removing negative impacts associated with wolves. It does have some effect on rates of livestock loss, but the effect is not particularly consistent, widespread or strong," said Neil Carter, associate professor at the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability and senior author of the new study published in the journal Science Advances. As governmental protections have helped rebuild once-dwindling wolf populations, it's become increasingly likely that the predators encounter domesticated animals to prey on. Hunting is often presented as a remedy, but it's a contentious and polarizing proposal. Advocates on both sides of the issue have active lawsuits across the U.S. aiming to relax or redouble regulations. But several northwestern states already allow hunting in some capacity, which has given researchers an opportunity to bring new information to the issue. The new study showed that, on average, each wolf that was killed by a hunter was associated with a 2% reduction in predation. The team also analyzed how hunting affected "lethal removals." These are expensive operations led by government agencies, targeting specific wolves, typically after multiple or severe predation events, said lead author Leandra Merz, assistant professor at San Diego State University. Based on the team's study, hunting led to no reduction in lethal removals. "We're not necessarily saying that we shouldn't be hunting and I want to be clear about that, because there are other motivations for hunting," said Merz, who worked on the project as a postdoctoral scholar at U-M's School for Environment and Sustainability. "But if the goal is to reduce livestock predation and we're using hunting for that, it's not as effective as we would like." The research team also included collaborators from the University of Idaho, Washington State University, Ohio State University and the GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences in Germany. The researchers said this is an important part of a small but growing body of research that brings relevant information to a charged debate about wolf management strategies. "A lot of uncertainty exists about the utility of public wolf hunting in reducing negative impacts from these animals as their populations recover," Carter said. "In an issue that's divisive and contentious, that uncertainty is something that we should try to minimize, because we could be making decisions that are just not as efficacious as they should be nor in the public's best interest." These maps show snapshots of the geographic distribution of livestock lost to wolves per county over time during the study period. Credit: From LM Merz et al., Sci. Adv., 2025. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adu8945. This work is licensed under CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) And out come the wolves The Endangered Species Act, or ESA, has protected gray wolves across the contiguous U.S. for decades and, in the 1990s, the U.S. launched a successful wolf reintroduction campaign in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Within about 20 years, the Northern Rocky wolf population grew to where some states rolled out legalized hunting programs. Since then, wolf hunting has been characterized by starts and stops driven by litigation brought by parties on both sides. In fact, in 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that gray wolf populations had recovered significantly enough to remove federal protections under the ESA before a court order reversed that decision in 2022. And the debate is far from over. "There are timely things happening related to wolf management, both domestically and internationally," Carter said, pointing to Michigan and Europe as regions where the issue is especially being pressed. "Stakeholders involved in wolf management are bringing up the topic of hunting wolves and it's an imminent conversation we'll be having." Yet the actual impact of wolf hunting on protecting livestock was unknown, meaning there have been a lot of assumptions involved in the discourse, Carter said. So he, Merz and their colleagues saw an opportunity to shed light on that using information from areas where wolf hunting was legalIdaho and Montanaand from areas where wolf hunting was not legal, specifically Oregon and Washington. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The research analyzed data available for those areas from 2005 and 2021 using an array of mathematical models to connect hunting to its influence on depredation and lethal removal events. No hunting was permitted prior to 2009, helping researchers establish a control scenario. Again, hunting showed no impact on the number of lethal removal operations, but predation was more nuanced. The average county in the analysis lost roughly three to four livestock animals per year to wolves. With the 2% reduction mentioned earlier, that translates to about 0.07 animals protected per wolf hunted, Carter said. But the team also emphasized there can be huge variations from that average. For instance, Merz knows of an Idaho rancher that lost 65 sheep in one night to wolves. And a loss need not be that severe to have devastating economic consequences and steep psychological tolls. "The cost can be really high to an individual rancher, even over very short time periods," Merz said. "We don't want to minimize that." From a policy perspective, though, it's helpful to ask what are the best management methods to spread that cost effectively and equitably, Merz said. Hunting, as the study shows, relieves a minimal burden from ranchers, but at no direct cost to them. Then there are nonlethal methods that are proving to be effective, Merz said, including fladry, a combination of flags and barriers that can be electrified. Even increasing the presence of humans or human activities helps (drones blasting AC/DC and arguments from the movie "Marriage Story" recently made news). But the cost of implementing and maintaining these measures almost exclusively falls on ranchers. "There's not going to be an easy solution either way. If there were, we would have figured it out by now and we'd be using it," Merz said. "But the upside is that people are really creative. We just need to be a little bit more creative in how we redistribute some of the costs and benefits. I think outside of managing wildlife, we do that a lot in society." Editor's Note: Images can be downloaded here. ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City's Japanese craft kitchen, Kuro, was recently honored with the title of USA TODAY 10BEST'S Best Hotel Restaurant. The restaurant ranked in the top three in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. USA TODAY 10BEST nominations are carefully curated by a panel of subject matter experts and USA TODAY 10BEST editors before being voted on by the public. Led by Executive Chef Leslie Daniel, Kuro features contemporary artisanal dishes using locally sourced and imported ingredients directly from Japan. Menu items boast complex and balanced flavors that are designed with sharing in mind. Menu items include premium grade sushi, sashimi and hand rolls, A5 Japanese Wagyu Beef, a variety of Robata Charcoal Grill skewers, and delectable desserts. Designed to accommodate all guests, Kuro also features a selection of gluten-free and vegan dining options. Kuro's bustling beverage program includes handcrafted cocktails using fresh ingredients in modern recipes with hints of classic flavors that are divided into five sections based on the five basic tastes sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. Guest favorites include the sweet cocktail, Shi, made with blackberry jam-infused tequila, ginger, and pineapple and the salty Pinku, perfectly balanced with vodka, mezcal, watermelon, lime, and ichimi salt. "We are so proud of Executive Chef, Leslie Daniel, Kuro's General Manager, Samantha Phommalyia and our incredibly talented Kuro team for achieving this prestigious honor," said George Goldhoff, President of Hard Rock Atlantic City. "The team at Kuro consistently stands out for their culinary passions and commitment to creating a truly unique dining experience for our guests." Chef Leslie, affectionately referred to as "Chef Too Hype" by his team, is a beloved member of the Atlantic City community and frequently participates in local charity events including the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City's Let's Get Cooking event and ACCC's Annual Restaurant Gala. Chef Leslie has also been featured on The Food Network appearing in "24 in 24: Last Chef Standing" and "Guy's Grocery Games," where he was crowned the winner. Along with the regular menu available Wednesday to Sunday, Kuro invites guests to experience a "Taste of Kuro" every Thursday. Expertly curated by Chef Leslie, "Taste of Kuro" a $65 five-course tasting menu featuring Miso Soup, Eda-Shi platter with edamame and Niwa salad, Wagyu Gyoza, Chicken Yakitori, Soy Lemon Salmon and more. Additionally, Kuro offers "Sushi Sundays" each week, an Omakase-style menu featuring a chilled tasting of Toro Tartar, Salmon Bowl, Hamachi Pepper and Ceviche, specialty rolls, sashimi and more. Reservations to dine at Kuro are recommended and can be made at HardRockHotelAtlanticCity.com. Media Contacts: Lizzy Moss, Cashman and Associates (305) 431-4935 [email protected] Sharon Pearce, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City (609) 449-5078 [email protected] SOURCE Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City SAN DIEGO, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Robbins LLP reminds stockholders that a class action was filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) securities between January 23, 2024 and July 21, 2025. Lockheed Martin is an aerospace defense company. For more information, submit a form, email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003. The Allegations: Robbins LLP is Investigating Allegations that Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) Misled Investors Regarding its Business Prospects According to the complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose: (i) that Lockheed Martin lacked efficient internal controls regarding its purportedly risk adjusted contracts including the reporting of its risk adjusted profit booking rate; (2) that Lockheed Martin lacked effective procedures to perform reasonably accurate comprehensive reviews of program requirements, technical complexities, schedule, and risks; (3) that Lockheed Martin overstated its ability to deliver on its contract commitments in terms of cost, quality and schedule; and (4) that, as a result, the Company was reasonably likely to report significant losses. The complaint alleges that on July 22, 2025, Lockheed Martin, after previously announcing losses on October 24, 2024 and January 28, 2025, disclosed it had recorded an additional $1.6 billion in pre-tax losses on classified programs, including $950 million in losses related to its Aeronautics Classified program. The Company also recorded $570 million in losses on its Canadian Maritime Helicopter Program and a $95 million charge related to its Turkish Utility Helicopter Program. On this news, the Company's share price fell $49.79, or over 10%, to close at $410.74 on July 22, 2025. What Now: You may be eligible to participate in the class action against Lockheed Martin Corporation. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their papers with the court by September 26, 2025. The lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here . All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses. About Robbins LLP: A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. To be notified if a class action against Lockheed Martin Corporation settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today. Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. SOURCE Robbins LLP Chiapas teen loses life by drowning off Cancun Hotel Zone beach Cancun, Q.R. A 19 year old Chiapas woman died by drowning off a Cancun beach Wednesday morning. A group of youths entered the sea at Playa Tortugas around 3:00 a.m. for a late night swim. A search for the teen was started at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday morning at Playa Tortugas. One of the women from the group, 24 year old Maria P, said they had been drinking when they decided to go for a swim. While swimming, she heard her friend calling out for help, so she tried to rescue her but was unable to bring her back to shore. Instead, she reported leaving her friend in the water to retrun to the beach and call 9-1-1 for help. Cancun firemen and Civil Protection personnel arrived but were not able to conduct a search due to the extreme darkness. Authorities were forced to wait until 6:00 a.m. when there was enough light to start a search. A Civil Protection diver located her body about an hour after they began the search. The body of 19 year old Lorena P was found around 7:00 a.m. by a Civil Protection diver who was part of the search team. Her body was located submerged approximately 15 meters from shore. Cancun Hotel Zone Tourist Police cordoned off the area while they waited for the medical examiner. Perfect Day Mahahual: Over 200,000 sign petition against Royal Caribbeans port plans Mahahual, Q.R. Over 200,000 signatures have been collected against the Royal Caribbean Perfect Day Mexico project for Mahahual. The cruise ship company has already taken administrative control of the land purchased for the project. By the Fall of 2027, the Port of Mahahual will be revamped into a 90 hectare water park owned by Royal Caribbean. The campaign against the project was started by Morgane Vainberg, an SSI divemaster and social anthropologist in July. For the cause she writes a massive project led by the multinational Royal Caribbean, called Perfect Day Mexico, threatens the very existence of Mahahual, a coastal town in southeastern Mexico bordering the worlds second-largest coral reef. This project involves the construction of a 90-hectare water park on a protected mangrove forest, a natural barrier essential to marine life, ecological balance, and our future. This project directly threatens: our rights of access and use of the sea, beaches, and mangroves, our local identity, our way of life, our freedom to live here, and above all, the survival of unique and threatened ecosystems: three species of sea turtles, resident manatees, living mangroves, and the second largest coral reef in the world. We have already witnessed their environmental management: videos circulating showing the dumping of wastewater into the mangroves adjacent to their facilities. And today, its not just a cruise ship dock, but a giant water park. This project is not an isolated case. In CocoCay (Bahamas), an identical Royal Caribbean project already led to the exclusion of local populations from their coastline, with the privatization of coastal areas that were previously freely accessible. The massive destruction of biodiversity through the elimination of mangroves and pollution of the reef, causing a drastic reduction in marine fauna and the almost exclusive enrichment of the multinational . Royal Caribbean plans to welcome up to 20,000 tourists per day. With them, tons of chemical sunscreen, plastic waste, water-polluting mega-cruise ships, and absurd freshwater consumption in a region already suffering from water stress. All of this destroys mangroves and still-living coastlines, without a serious environmental impact study, and dispossesses local communities of their own territories, as has already happened elsewhere. We are not opposed to development or tourism. But we believe in a model based on sustainability, respect for ecosystems, and justice for local communities. A model that reinforces what makes Mahahual valuable, rather than replacing it. The authorities have no obligation to consult the local population, and environmental oversight mechanisms are currently too weak to guarantee the protection of Mahahual. What we ask for Mahahual: The immediate cancellation of the project A Perfect Day Mexico as it is planned, a rigorous, independent and public environmental impact assessment, recognition of the right of local communities to decide their future and protect their territory, The opening of a national debate on the tourism model we want for Mexico because defending Mahahual means defending nature, human rights, and the future of our oceans. In July, Royal Caribbean officially took administrative control of the Port of the Grand Costa Maya. According to Jay Schnaider, the Director of Product Innovation for Royal Caribbean, we are now administrators of the port and have begun working on the development of Perfect Day Mahahual. Once started, the revamp is expected to take two years. Royal Caribbean has a scheduled operation date for Fall of 2027. Police start investigation into murder of two Isla Mujeres youths Isla Mujeres, Q.R. Isla Mujeres police are investigating the fatal shooting of two young men. The pair were found shot to death and left laying on a dirt road in the La Loma neighborhood of the mainland late Tuesday night. Neighbors in the area alerted 9-1-1 after hearing several shots of gunfire. Municipal Police, in coordination with state officials, arrived in response to their report. The two youths were found laying faceup on a dirt road. Paramedics from a Cancun Mexican Red Cross ambulance confirmed both young men were dead. The shooting was reported to authorities shortly before midnight. According to preliminary reports, the youths are aged 16 and 21 and were identified by their families. They are believed to have been executed at the site where they were found. The teen was found shot three times in his upper body. The second victim was shot twice, once each in his neck and back. Witnesses reported two subjects on a motorcycle likely responsible for intercepting and shooting the pair as they were walking. A black ball cap, possibly related to the shootings, was found on the main paved road near the scene. Investigative Police collected five spent shell casings from a .9-millimeter caliber handgun as well as an amorphous bullet. SICT says Cancuns Nichupte Vehicular Bridge will be operational for December Cancun, Q.R. The Secretary of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) says the citys new bridge will be operational in December. SICT head Jesus Antonio Esteva Medina, reported that the 11.2 kilometer-long Nichupte Vehicular Bridge is 85 percent complete. Jesus Antonio Esteva Medina reported on the bridge progress at a recent presidential press conference. The Secretary stated that the bridge is 11.2 kilometers long and consists of five sections, 6.5 kilometers over the lagoon and 1.5 kilometers over land. The third section, the mangrove, is an area of 700 meters. The bridge construction also consisted of two interchanges and a red metal arch. He explained that section 1, the Colosio Junction, is almost complete, with only expansion joints being worked on while waiting for paving conditions to be ready. The land area covers 1.5 km and is already structurally complete and that work is underway on the parapets and curbs. In section 3, the mangrove area, a construction process was carried out using Top Down, which was used from top to bottom to protect the ecological zone. Were about to complete the dismantling of this innovative system. It will be finished this month, so well begin finishing the parapets, expansion joints and rolling surface, he explained. Regarding the steel bridge, it is already finished and the structure is complete, only the slab and pavements are still needed which will be ready when the connection to the other spans is established. The structure is 90 percent complete. In section 4 of the lagoon area where the work is currently at its highest, there are six simultaneous work fronts. Three are working on columns and capitals and another three are installing beams. To put things into perspective, were missing two piles of the total of 780. Eleven were made in the last period. Were missing about 20 columns. One hundred were made in the last period and were missing about 70 capitals. One hundred were also made in the last period. As for heads, 44 were assembled in the last two months and 259 beams in the last two months, which are very high yields. And finally, the last stage, where were at 50 percent is in tablet assembly. Weve assembled 11,000 of a total of 32,000. He acknowledged the complexity of this stage of the water installation, but fortunately, we have the necessary workforce and equipment. In section 5 of the Kukulkan interchange, one branch is finished and the second is nearing completion. Work is underway on the final sections. Modeling has already been done for a bridge that will span the interchange. He also highlighted a prefabrication area. We have three plants working at maximum capacity to complete all prefabrication work. The capitals will be completed in September, the beams and slabs will be installed in October and the final work will be carried out in November and December. The bridge project includes a 15-meter viaduct with three lanes, one in each direction, and one reversible lane in the center, as well as a bike lane. In July, the bridge was reported to have an overall average completion rate of 90 percent. Jesus Antonio Esteva Medina added that once finished, the bridge will benefit 1.3 million residents and save 45 minutes in travel time. The projected average daily traffic is 12,612 vehicles. Construction work on the bridge will be completed for operation in December 2025 at a cost, to date, of 8.6 billion pesos. Three charged with broad daylight murder of Cancun Croc leader Cancun, Q.R. Three men have been charged in the broad daylight shooting death of a Cancun union leader. Local authorities say all three were linked for their probable connection to acts possibly constituting the crime of aggravated homicide. Angel Yahir N, Arnulfo N and Oscar Guillermo N have been charged for events that occurred on August 4 of this year when, at approximately 1:48 p.m., the victim was shot while in his truck in a parking lot in SM 59. Police recapped that two individuals arrived at the scene on a food delivery motorcycle. The driver was Arnulfo N, while Angel Yahir N was riding as co-pilot. According to police, he was the person who got off the motorcycle, approached the victims truck and shot him repeatedly, killing him. The two men then fled on the motorcycle, abandoning it on Estrella Street in SM 27 to take a taxi. They headed to a convenience store on Bonampak Avenue from where they walked to an apartment in SM 64, which was rented by Oscar Guillermo N, so they could take shelter. Following their arrest in Mexico City and their subsequent transfer to Cancun, the judge ordered the three men to be prosecuted and imposed preventive detention for two years or the duration of the judicial proceedings, police said. Police have reported that union leader Mario N was killed over leadership dispute control of the CROC union branch of Cancun. Tulum Security Secretariat says armed attack against mayor during town tour false Tulum, Q.R. Tulums Security Secretariat Edgar Aguilar Rico says reports of an attack on the mayor is completely false. He made the remark Wednesday after social media reports of an armed attack against Tulum Mayor Diego Castanon. Tulum Mayor Diego Castanon, right, was touring the town at the same time the arrests were made. The Tulum Secretariat of Public Security and Citizen Protection reports the information circulating on social media about an alleged attack on the mayor is false. The incident reported is completely isolated and has no relation to the activities our Mayor carried out today during his tour of the streets and avenues of Tulum. We reiterate our commitment to transparency and security. We encourage citizens to stay informed exclusively through official channels, avoiding the spread of rumors that generate unnecessary confusion and alarm, the Secretaria de Seguridad Publica y Proteccion Ciudadana de Tulum reported Wednesday afternoon. On Wednesday, three men were arrested by Tulum police after being found carrying a handgun. The arrests took place in an area where the mayor was getting into his own vehicle during his town tour Aguilar Rico said what happened was a routine operation in which two passengers inside a taxi were found carrying a firearm. The taxi they were in was stopped a few meters from where the mayor was completing a supervisory patrol in the downtown area. It was a completely separate incident and had nothing to do with the mayor, he said. It is completely false that there was an attempt on the mayors life. He was already getting into his vehicle when my officers detected two individuals acting suspiciously. Upon searching them, a firearm was seized and they were handed over to the Prosecutors Office, he explained. Security Secretariat Edgar Aguilar Rico August 20, 2025. According to the official report, the two males were aboard a taxi that was stopped during a routine operation. During the stop, the two passengers began to act suspeciously. During a preventive search, one of them was found to be carrying a handgun. Both passengers and the driver of the taxi were detained and taken to the State Attorney Generals Office (FGE) in Tulum. The secretary explained that the inspection was carried out in compliance with the law and that at no time was the safety of the mayor or citizens at risk. They mayor finished his Wednesday tour without incident. I want to be very clear. There was no attack. The mayor completed his tour normally and is continuing with his field work schedule as he has done in various neighborhoods, Aguilar Rico reiterated. Cydia pomonella, better known as the codling moth or an apple worm, lays its eggs on apples. Once the larvae hatch, they begin to bore their way into the apple. The larvae are not capable of consuming leaves, so they must consume the flesh of the apple. This in turn allows the larvae to grow as the apple prematurely ripens, deteriorates, and rots from the inside out. Apple in China: The Capture of the Worlds Greatest Company, by Patrick McGee, explores how tech giant Apple used China to become both extremely valuable and vulnerable even as China used Apple to hone its manufacturing capabilities. According to McGee, Apple convinced Beijing it was not merely a merchant in China, but a kind of patron and mentor, financing, training, supervising, and supplying Chinese manufacturers. Or, in more botanical terms, Apple unwittingly entered into a symbiotic relationship with China like that of the codling moth and fruit: oneAppleis being consumed and in danger of rotting, while the otherChinacontinues to grow and propagate. How did Apple end up in such a precarious position? According to McGee, it was all by accident. McGee argues that nobody at Apple had really architected the move to China; but in one opportunity after another, Apple operations were lured into the country. For the past quarter century, Apple has unwittingly reshaped geopolitics between the United States and China through its manufacturing strategy. This reshaping, however, happened both furtively and unintentionally, since Apple was motived only by short-term profits. McGee puts it like this: What Apple had realized was that, unwittingly, its presence in China was enabling technology transfer on an extraordinary scale. Understanding contract manufacturing as well as how Apple came to concentrate its operations in one country is vital to McGees book. Outsourcing production to a third-party manufacturer, i.e., contract manufacturing, enabled Apple to focus on design and product development while leaving the risk and logistics of manufacturing to other companies. Throughout the book, McGee chronicles the steady progression in Apples contract manufacturing strategy. Early in Apples history, its manufacturing was centered in the United States. In 1976, the Apple I computer was assembled in the living room of Steve Jobss pregnant sister, Patty. Sitting on her couch while watching soaps on TV or talking to a friend on the phone, Patty would assemble parts onto a circuit board. The Apple II expanded on this system. As McGee describes it: Every few days they gave the kits to a Los Altos housewife, who coordinated a fragmented network of assembly operations spanning houses and apartments crowded with immigrant women from Southeast Asia and undocumented Mexicans. However, these strategies changed in the 1980s as Apple began to outsource manufacturing to places like Japan and Taiwan. While this worked for about a decade, contract manufacturing in Taiwan eventually shifted to China: The Taiwanese were learning fast, evolving from taking orders to commanding respect as a genuine partner. Taipei had ended a thirty-eight-year ban on traveling to China in 1987, opening the mainland for commerce and trade. Within a decade Taiwanese entrepreneurs were building major factories on the mainland, teaching their apprentices in Mandarin and attracting some of the worlds biggest PC brands. The Taiwan-China manufacturing bridge plays an important part in McGees narration of Apple in China. In particular, McGee argues that a single contract manufacturerFoxconnis responsible for shifting Apples manufacturing to that country. According to McGee, Foxconn, a Taiwanese contract manufacturer taking advantage of cheap labor on the Chinese mainland, was all about the client. The CEO of Foxconn, Terry Gou, developed a close partnership with Apple and played a major role in the tech firms steady move to China. This contract manufacturing relationship was symbioticApple negotiated cut-throat contracts wherein Foxconn had almost zero profit margin while Foxconn learned invaluable skills and information from Apple. As McGee describes it: Gou grasped earlier than anyone that the value of working with Apple wasnt the profits; it was the learning. Foxconn might not win much profit from Appleit might even lose money at timesbut the work itself, as well as the lessons Cupertino offered by having its engineers work side-by-side with locals in the factories, gave his team a deep education. What local suppliers learned from working with Apple enabled them to turn around and win orders from other clientswith far greater profit margins. A short-term loss in profit for these contract manufacturers resulted in the long-term benefit of knowledge acquisition that benefitted them indefinitely into the future. The relationship between Apple and Foxconn marks an important feature in McGees entire thesis: Profit is not merely financial. While Apple made incredible financial gains from their contract manufacturing endeavors with Foxconn in China, Foxconn and China profited in even greater ways through knowledge acquisition. Apple was in it for the short-term profits of quarterly reports and share prices; Foxconn and China were in it for the long-term profits of manufacturing capability and capacity. It remains to be seen who will ultimately benefit most in all this, but McGee thinks it will be China and not Apple. McGee makes it clear that there were unintended consequences to Apples strategy: Apple was making spectacular investments in China; its just that the contributions werent found within the iPhone, but in the machinery and processes that made it. This took the shape of Apple engineers routinely going to and living in China to train workers there in practical knowledge. What kept Apple going in its China investment was the short-term success from the strategy. In other words, all the profit reports were up and to the right. Apple found its China strategy to be very successful for a long period: It married the best of both worlds, imposing a zealous level of control over its manufacturing processes, but with the lower costs and added flexibility of not actually running a factory. Curiously, the nuances of Apples strategy in Chinawhat it was doing differently from everyone elsehad been largely absent from media narratives, investor reports, and earnings calls. This is a key point for McGee: Investor reports and earnings calls revealed the financial success of Apples China strategy, but they did not reveal the syphoning of manufacturing knowledge that was occurring. Its hard to quantify things like knowledge, skill, capability, and the common good in an earnings report. However, these are of exceeding value in the long term. Yi Wen, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis cited by McGee, maintains that the acquisition of knowledge was the secret recipe behind Englands Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth century, as well as Chinas over the past four decades. What is gained from the trade in ideas can be as valuableor even more valuablethan what is gained from trade in commodities. Exactly how detrimental has this knowledge transfer been for Apple and manufacturing in the United States? McGee provides a lucid and alarming example of how damaging this brain drain has been. In 2019, Tim Cook vowed to produce Mac Pros at a factory in Texas. This only demonstrated the struggles of making computers in America. Relying on a U.S. contract manufacturer, Flex, Apple eventually shipped computers from Texas. Yet McGee points out how the manufacturing happened: In the end, Mac Pros were indeed shipped from Texas, and Apple made a snazzy video demonstrating the processesscoring whatever political points it could. But the project made it only because Apple leveraged relationships with suppliers in the one country where it knew the talent existed. We flew people from China to get it fixed, one of the engineers says. People working for Foxconn. The irony is hard to over-state. After more than a decade of sending its top engineers to China, to train staff on how to build things at Apple quality, Cupertino needed to fly Chinese engineers into Americas heartland to complete the project. McGee concludes the book by exploring how Apple is trying to de-risk. India is the primary contender in the shift away from China. While there has been some progress on this front, McGee and others are skeptical: Apple is only in the earliest phases of diversifying iPhone production. As Morgan Stanley analysts estimated in mid-2023: 9095% of Apples production is still in China; we believe a full decoupling would likely require hundreds of billions of dollars of investment at least, which would prove an outsize burden for the supply chain. McGee sums up with a very critical assessment of Apple: The problem was, shareholder-first capitalism enabledindeed, even encouraged corporations to ignore, if not undermine, the national interest. Executives found that they could focus on actions to reap short-term benefitsgambits such as cutting costs and outsourcing jobs to Asiaand ignore wider societal impact. As this book has demonstrated, Cupertinos interests have significantly diverged from Washingtons since the death of Steve Jobs; the wider implications could end up tarnishing Cooks legacy. On the whole, McGees arguments are convincing and clear. His assertion that Apple myopically followed short-term profit into a subservient relationship with China is compelling. Yet one cannot help but wonder whether McGee is failing to see the whole picture himself. McGee does a masterful job of detailing the symptoms of this problem but offers almost nothing as to what caused this short-termism and profit myopathy in Apples contract manufacturing strategy. McGee has adduced the penultimate problem of Apple in China, but what is the ultimate problem here in the U.S.? Connecting good intentions with sound economics, free markets and the common good, helps us understand the underlying pathology of Apples manufacturing gambit. Driven only by free market success and short-term profits, Apple has become over-risked in China and helped to diminish U.S. manufacturing capabilities. Had wider societal impacts and the common good been a larger part of Apples strategy, it could have avoided the existential crisis its in now. Profit is not truly profitable when it has no place for flourishing, common good, virtue, and justice. Augustine of Hippo put it like this: Gold is loved wrongly by misers when they desert justice for its sake, although the fault lies not with the gold but rather with the man. This is true of every created thing. For, although it is good, it can be loved both rightly and wronglyrightly when the proper order is preserved, wrongly when the proper order is overturned. Apples pursuit of profit squeezed out proper order and the common good. They invited an apple worm into their midst if it would help them in the short term. And it did. Yet the longer-term flourishing has been transferred from Apple to China. While McGee is right to argue that Apple could benefit from shifting manufacturing to India, there is something more that needs to be done. Appleand other companies seeking to make a profit in free market economiesneed to couple their efforts with good intentions and virtue. As Jordan Ballor of the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy puts it: Money is very powerful, and as the classic bit of wisdom also advises us, the corruption of the best is the worst. And so money, that powerful creature of God intended to do us good with its proper use, is a tyrannous master (The Deceitfulness of Wealth). Apple has schlepped into serving a tyrannous master while navigating an overly risky minefield of political and supply-chain challenges. De-risking from its China concentration and opening up more operations in India poses the risk of fomenting backlash from Beijing and Chinese consumers. Meanwhile Huawei, a Chinese company that is a major competitor to Apple, is now designing and manufacturing phones with features that Apple is not expected to match until 2027. Though the signs of rotting are becoming apparent, there may still be time to restore proper order with both profit and manufacturingif Apple can discovery the profitability that comes from making money and fostering a free and virtuous society. Manhattan Review releases book series specifically written for the revised LSAT test. One book is available as a free download on its website. NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Manhattan Review, a leading global educational services provider, has launched the 3rd edition of its acclaimed LSAT Turbocharge Your Prep book series, specifically designed for the new LSAT. Providing students preparing for standardized exams like the LSAT with the most up-to-date study guides as the tests evolve exemplifies the steadfast commitment to student achievement and educational excellence that has driven Manhattan Review's history of success. Manhattan Review releases three new books as part of the 3rd Edition of its LSAT Turbocharge Your Prep Book Series. This latest edition of the LSAT prep book series is expressly tailored to the revised Law School Admission Test, which in 2024 underwent its first content changes in decades. It features complete information, guidance, and test strategies for the current LSAT, updated to include its landmark revisions. These volumes present an in-depth focus on content, strategic insights, and practice questions designed for top performance, offering a valuable resource for those studying for the LSAT and demonstrating Manhattan Review's dedication to helping students attain exceptional scores. "At Manhattan Review, our teaching philosophy is based not just on preparing for a single test, but providing a solid education about the topics so students retain the information long term, instead of potentially forgetting it after the exam. We intentionally structure and present the material with this goal in mind. Our motto is: Real, lasting education, not just short-term test prep," said founder Dr. Joern Meissner. Since its inception in 1999, Manhattan Review has been synonymous with top-tier test preparation and academic success, serving students and professionals worldwide through innovative methodologies and expert guidance. We are continuing this tradition with our focus on marrying traditional pedagogical concepts with EdTech. Through its innovative educational services, Manhattan Review gives students the tools they need to take charge of their academic and professional futures, helping them reach their full potential and gain admission to the schools of their choice. The three-book LSAT prep series is now on sale. Manhattan Review is also excited to announce that one of the new books, the "LSAT Logical Reasoning Guide," is available as a free download on its website. This initiative underscores the company's commitment to making high-quality test preparation accessible to all aspiring students and professionals. By providing this resource at no cost, Manhattan Review aims to empower individuals on their educational journeys by enhancing their study experience. In addition, Manhattan Review provides also over 100 free LSAT practice questions with detailed solutions on its website, as well as its highly-acclaimed LSAT vocabulary flashcards. Media Contact: Karen L Miller, Manhattan Review, Inc. 2 Park Ave Ste 2010, New York, NY 10016 Phone: (212) 316-2000 Email: [email protected] Manhattan Review is a global EdTech leader in test preparation and tutoring, merging advances in technology with pedagogical expertise to create individual learning experiences. Founded in New York City in 1999 by Prof. Dr. Joern Meissner, Manhattan Review has grown to become a leading firm in test prep, admissions consulting, and career training worldwide. With a focus on efficiency, quality, and personalized service, Manhattan Review continues to set the standard for academic excellence and professional success in the test prep industry. For more detailed information regarding our educational services please visit https://www.manhattanreview.com/ https://www.manhattanreview.com (Manhattan Review's official website). SOURCE Manhattan Review, Inc. Mercedes-Benz of Scottsdale has released comprehensive new research on the 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQB 250+ SUV, detailing its innovative features, impressive range, and luxurious 2 interior, offering an in-depth look for customers interested in the vehicle. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz of Scottsdale is proud to announce the availability of extensive new research on the highly anticipated 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQB 250+ SUV. 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SOURCE Mercedez-Benz of Scottsdale Dear How to Do It, My partner and I have been in a relationship for over 13 years. I love her deeply, and despite our challenges, we generally maintain a solid and supportive bond. However, our sex life has become a significant concern for me. She is currently dealing with serious health issues related to endometriosis. This condition not only affects her physically but has also taken a toll on her emotional well-being. Ive been as supportive as possible. Ive attended doctors appointments with her, am helping manage her medications, and have taken on additional responsibilities to lighten her load. I want to be there for her, and I care about her comfort and happiness. That said, her health struggles have led to a complete loss of her sex drive, and we havent been intimate in almost a year. While I understand that this is a direct result of her medical condition and not something she can control, its left me feeling increasingly isolated and frustrated. Self-love can only address my needs to a certain extent, and I find myself longing for a physical connection. Im hesitant to bring this up with her because I dont want to add to her stress or make her feel guilty about her situation. Its a delicate balance. On one hand, I want her to know how much I love and support her, but on the other, my sexual needs remain unmet, and its challenging for me to navigate those feelings. How can I approach this situation without making her feel obligated or inadequate? Its important to me that we communicate openly while still honoring where she is in her health journey. Sexless in Seattle Dear Sexless, Im not entirely sure that youre feeling isolated solely because you and your partner havent been intimate for a year. I suspect that youre also neglecting relationships outside of this one because youve been doing so much caretaker work. Its extremely rare for a person to thrive and feel whole when the entire focus of life is their job and caregiving for an extended period of time. You can almost certainly alleviate some of the isolation by reaching out to friends and family, forming new friendships, or taking up a hobby that gets you out of the home for some period of time. If your partner can come along on group hangouts, and you want to invite her, thats great. But you need to be around other people, and you need time outside of the home and medical settings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im also wondering what your physical connection is like outside of sexare you cuddling, or otherwise engaged in physical contact that isnt sexual? Is she able to engage in and interested in erotic interactions that dont involve penetration, dont involve her having an orgasm, or whatever specifics she needs to avoid? As for how to address the sexual frustration youre feeling, without causing your partner to feel obligated or inadequate, theres no way to guarantee that. Inadequacy is something shes almost certainly feltwhether directly related to you and your sexual desires or notat some point in this process. Any reminder of how far she is now from what she used to be capable of will probably stir up at least a whiff of that feeling. And yet, it is absolutely reasonable for you to want to have, at the very least, some amount of emotional support from someone. It might be the case that some of those friends I recommended you reach out to are able to provide that support. A therapist or counselor is another option (Caregiver Action Network has some resources here). Unless your partner has said that she wont be part of the support you need (in which case, shes either in exceptionally bad shape and this is not the time to broach your own issues with her or the relationship is far more challenging than youre letting on in your first line), she deserves the opportunity to decide whether she has the resources to be a part of that. Advertisement Advertisement Youve been together for 13 years. You describe your relationship as solid and supportive. Use what youve learned over that decade-plus to tailor your approach. Rather than trying to get from, Hey, this isnt a thing Ive brought up before to a solid plan in one massive talk, start by sharing that youre tied up in knots over not knowing how to talk about how youve been feeling. Let the conversation go at whatever pace it needs to, and make sure youre paying attention to how your partner is responding to you and the ideas shes sharing. Get back to the point where youre solving this problem as a team, even if that means waiting several days between chunks of the discussion. Advertisement Get sex advicesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear How to Do It, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to How to Do It following up) Submit Dear How to Do It, My husband has been losing his endurance for some time. Hes gone from being able to perform for a little over an hour back when we were in our late 20s and early 30s to now being able to last only a little over five minutes now that we are a little past 40. Is there anything that can be done to help him get his mojo back? Left Wanting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dear Left Wanting, Whenever a man has a significant change to their physical abilities, or specifically to their sexual performance, in their 40s, its worth mentioning to their doctor as it can be related to a change in testosterone levels. You might also consider, together, whether his stress or physical activity levels changed around the time that his endurance began to decrease. Endurance is a pretty broad word. Im not sure whether you mean that hes getting winded quickly or that hes experiencing premature ejaculation. If the former, hell need to work on general physical healthmaybe, again, a checkup to make sure everything is OK, and probably some regularly scheduled activity that gets his blood pumping for a significant amount of time. If its premature ejaculation, Healthline has a solid run-down of all the main treatments here and Mayo Clinic has a detailed explainer for pelvic floor exercises (known as Kegels). Meanwhile, the two of you might put extra effort into non-sexual physical intimacy, erotic touch, and forms of sex other than penetrative thrusting as a way to stay connected and enjoy each others bodies even when penetration is a five-minute practice. If you need the sensation of being full to feel fulfilled, fingering with whatever amount of fingers is preferred or incorporating dildos into foreplay are options worth talking about. Advertisement Advertisement Youll notice that many of my suggestions require your husband to take action, and the rest are a group projecthes going to have to be motivated, himself, for anything to have a chance of helping. I bring this up because hes not the person who wrote in, and its important to know that you cant fix this for him. Good luck. Send Us Your Questions About the Workplace! The columnists behind our advice column, Good Job, want to help you navigate your social dynamics at work. Does your colleague constantly bug you after hours? Has an ill-advised work romance gone awry? Ask us your question here! Dear How to Do It, My wife (were both women) is bisexual. Early on in our relationship, I agreed to let her sleep with a man once in a while to satisfy her urges for that sort of sexual contact. For the last few months, however, shes been asking me to get involved when she has a man over in a threesome. Ive told her Im not interested, but she keeps pestering me, typically in the guise of humor. What can I do to get her to understand once and for all that I have no desire to have sex with men? Firmly on Team Girl Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dear Firmly on Team Girl, I feel pestered and pressured to have sex I dont want to have when you joke about us having a threesome with a man. Hopefully, shell take a serious look at the effect her words have been having on you, apologize, and drop the subject. Jessica More Advice From Slate I think I just had my first orgasm, which is weird enough, since Im 38 years old. But heres the real problem. It happened during pretty mediocre sex. No foreplay, no manual stimulation, not even in one of my favorite positions. It just happened, out of the blue, and so intensely that I almost couldnt move Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. If you Google What should I do with $300?, the search engines inescapable A.I. bot will spout corporate gobbledygook about self-improvement back at you: Open a high-yield savings account, take a class or workshop, support a charity, yada yada. But Philadelphians know that another, arguably better, option exists: Call up some pals, buy some paint, and slap a larger-than-life mural ridiculing the smarmy visage of the vice president of the United States on the side of a local institution. After all, as the Philly way dictates, who needs self-improvement when disdain is on the table? This is how I ended up staring into the terrifying eyes of a bald, babylike J.D. Vance painted in colorful strokes on the exterior of a restaurant in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, earlier this week. The image is taken from a now-infamous infantilizing memepart of a larger trend of edits depicting Vance as a baby and as other kinds of figures, sometimes simultaneouslywhich has taken on a life of its own since it cropped up on X in late 2024, just before the presidential election. This artistic interpretation of Vance, which reimagines him as a uniquely disturbing-looking grown infant, has haunted the veep for the better part of a year now, particularly on his sojourns across the pond. The Benjamin Buttonesque political likeness has appeared this summer on the Irish parliamentary floor, and on both an English van and a billboard, taunting the VP during a visit to the U.K. The meme has reportedly become such a sore point that, according to one Norwegian tourist, it even got him denied entry into the U.S. (U.S. Homeland Security officials refuted this, but the fact that the claim was initially plausible speaks volumes.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now the visage also exists in Philadelphia, on the corner of Berks Street and E. Girard Avenue, on the side of the breakfast eatery Sulimays, a site that has inspired online awe, as well as a growing number of pilgrimages. Like the original image, the mural is unbelievably blue, pairing a cobalt backdrop with a cartoonishly rendered Vance whose head seems even more misshapen than whats depicted in the meme. Despite the grotesquery, its evident that the mural was created with care: The shading technique resembles mini heat maps that get darker as you get lower, signaling even more danger as the viewer imagines what horrors lie below Vances shoulders. On the egglike face is a scraggly painted beard that looks fake in all the right ways. But the murals standout feature is certainly the eyes, complete with the vice presidents all-natural emo eyeliner and orbs so light blue they couldnt possibly have life behind them. Naturally, the new painting is positioned directly next to an intricate, beautifully crafted mural of the Philadelphia 76ers logo, just the way Godyes, I mean William Pennintended. Advertisement I stared at this evil Vance-a Lisa, whose eyes follow you no matter where you move, for 10 minutes straight on a gloomy Monday afternoon. It immediately brought to mind the face of the actor Benedict Wong, specifically as seen in the trailer of the horror movie du jour Weapons (only, granted, free of blood and less smashed infor now, at least). Vances gaze pierced my soul; I could feel it trying to cull every ounce of humanity I had left. My staring contest left me shaken: I felt as though I had unlocked all the dark secrets to the world, at the cost of my hypothetical firstborn child. I also, for some inexplicable reason, felt as though I needed to go home and say sorry to my mother. Advertisement Related From Slate Everyone Hates Him. Why Is His Podcast so Popular? Read More The mural is the work of FUBAR PAC (yes, as in the explicit military acronym FUBAR, which is a pretty apt take on the current state of our nation), which had $300, 12 hours, and a dream. The group was founded by Jack Inacker, a Philly native, Air Force vet, and, per the official PAC site, expert hater. A recent FUBAR demonstration saw a group of angry Democrats, as local news outlet Billy Penn described the PAC, and local celebrity Philly Elmo smashing a Tesla in protest against Elon Musks development of DOGE. Now Inacker is on to the next challenge, saying in a social media clip that the mural will serve as a physical reminder of how J.D. Vance is a fucking weirdothe words weird and weirdo having assumed a specifically harsh connotation in Philadelphiaand a total sycophant for Donald Trump. In a press email, Inacker explained that his may be a city of murals but that its also a city of haters; he wanted to add to that rich tapestry with some dumb bullshit that both titillates and seeks to expose people to some of the actual, terrible harms that Trumps administration is causing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the mural went up this past weekend, locals have, naturally, begun flocking to the area, transforming it into a viral sacred site of sorts. (If anything, Philadelphians love making a mockery of kakistocracy. Its a pastime as sacred as climbing greased poles and booing our own teams players.) As I stood by the painting, on my own pilgrimage, multiple passing cars slowed down to take a photo. In one was a middle-aged couple who had driven more than three hours from their Pennsylvanian town to drop their son off at Temple University for the upcoming semester. They were making a point to see the mural before they left the city, and they even took a selfie with it. (Fucking hilarious, the woman proclaimed.) Another visitor, 54-year-old Loren, was on a semiregular walk from Center City, but this time he had planned the route with the mural as his designated stop. His thoughts on the latest portrait of Vance to grace our city and the internet? As long as he hates it, I love it. Still othersof all apparent ages, ethnicities, and fashion stylesstopped by on my visit to the mural, circling around for a cheery photo before going on their way. Advertisement Advertisement Inacker told me that Sulimays had been one of the first small businesses to volunteer after he put out a public call on Reddit for wall space. Restaurant operator Chad Todd (self-identifying as owner, chef, antagonist) told me over Instagram that he cant be complicit and not do anything about the havoc this administration is wreaking simply because its not happening to me. Both Inacker and Sulimays have reported that the response to the mural has been overwhelmingly positive and much larger than anticipated, although theres been some amount of pushback too. When it comes to the naysayers, Sulimays stands firm: These poor brainwashed people saying they will never eat here! I dont care. If I wanted them to eat here, Id put pictures on the menu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At its core, the mural just makes sense in Philadelphia. Kara, a visitor to the mural who had walked from down the block with her dogs, quipped: I guess if Virginia is for lovers, Philly is for haters. Youve got that right, Kara: The small print on the City of Brotherly Loves spiritual contract is to recognize that you cant have love without its opposite. Inacker stood firm on actualizing that ethos, explaining, in an email: J.D. Vance gets a lot of hate. But its not enough. We can do better. Still, thats not all he has in store. In a follow-up email, he teased an ominous promise of all the love thats yet to come: Wait til we start adding hats for Halloween. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. In sports, the winning team doesnt get to rewrite the rules to guarantee itll never lose again. In a democracy, the same principle should hold: Winning an election shouldnt allow a party to rewrite the rules so its no longer accountable to the electorate. But Republicans are turning Texas into a testing ground for exactly that kind of power grab. At Donald Trumps urging, GOP lawmakers launched a mid-decade redistricting push designed to lock in their advantage. With only 62 seats in the House compared with the Republicans 88, Democrats had no real power to stop itexcept by leaving. They broke quorum, fleeing the Capitol to stall the vote. Texas has seen this kind of maneuver before, but Republicans have their own countermeasure: law enforcement escorts to haul absent lawmakers back and force the Legislature to function. Thats where Rep. Nicole Collier drew the line. Instead of returning under police guard, she stayed behind, effectively locking herself inside the chamber. Some have described her as a hostage. The legislator has referred to herself as a political prisoner. But Christopher Hooks, who has spent years chronicling the mix of absurdity and high stakes that define the states politics for Texas Monthly, says Colliers lonely protest is better understood as matching theater with theater and not a crisis. I spoke with him about how this protest fits into Texas long history of political stunts, why its struck such a nerve, and what it reveals about the current political climate in the state. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Aymann Ismail: What the hell is happening in Texas? Im seeing that a lawmaker is being held hostage in the House chamber. Is that true? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Christopher Hooks: The whole thing is absurd. This was ultimately caused by Donald Trump, who said: Violate your rules and norms and give me a new congressional map. That was a huge breach of norms and trust in the Texas House. Democrats leaving the state was a breach to meet that breach. This is the fourth quorum break in 50 years in Texas. A quorum break happens when theres been a major violation of how democracy is supposed to work in the state. You recognize youre going to lose on an important point, so you breach the normal rules of the Legislature and leave. Its happened often enough that there are rules and expectations around it. One is that once you break quorum, the state can arrest you and bring you back. Thats been true every time. Its why they usually leave the state. Its why they left this time. And now the House has to put itself back together again. What were seeing is that this still hasnt happened. I see where this is going Once you leave the Legislature, both sides start playing to an external audience. There are negotiations behind the scenes to bring people back, but Democrats and Republicans are also staging political theater to win over public opinion. That was true this time, just as in past quorum breaks in 2021, 2003, and the 1970s. Advertisement Advertisement What feels different this time is the level of anger, especially from Republicans. In the past, the deal was basically: Let Democrats leave for two weeks, then come back, and the Republicans will get what they want. But this time, the anger from GOP voters and the base has been significant. They dont just want Democrats to return so Republicans can pass the map. They want them humiliated. Republicans have been pressuring their elected officials to, even after the Democrats came back, arrest them or find other ways to punish them. Advertisement At the same time, Democrats getting a police escort back isnt unusual. The Legislature has always had the power to compel attendance. Permission slip? The Democrats came back Monday to meet the quorum for the second special session. They showed up and basically said We give up (though not in those words). Dustin Burrows, the Republican speaker, told them that if they wanted to leave, they needed a permission slip signed by him, like in high school. And he assigned a state trooper to escort them. Its strange but within the rules. Once members have left, he can compel their attendance, and sending them home with a trooper fed into what Republicans wanted: disciplining Democrats. Most signed the slip and accepted a police escort so theyd return that day or Wednesday. Nicole Collier did not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collier said, Im not going to sign this permission slip. Im not going to leave with a police escort. Im going to stay here. I think that its political theater to match the theater happening on the other side. Where exactly is she staying? Can someone actually live there? Within the chamber, theres the members lounge, bathrooms, and some spaces where she could refresh herself. Ive been told that it normally closes at 9 p.m., though I dont know if thats the case now. Once she started, other Democrats, staffers, and visitors came by to support her. So its a bit like a filibuster, except shes just sitting in an empty room. So who is Nicole Collier? Is it like her to pull a stunt like this? I am a little surprised it was Collier. She has a reputation for being smart and diligent, with a good mind for policy, especially in criminal justice. Shes not one of the louder or more rebellious Democrats. Plenty of others seemed more likely to do this. But those people signed the slip and went home, which I would have done too. They were tired. Theyd been out of the state for weeks and just wanted to be with their kids and watch TV. So, yes, I was surprised it was Collier who did this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can only speculate about what led her to do this. If nothing else, it shows good political instincts. Doing this brought national attention at a time when people were starting to forget about the Texas Democrats. In the past few days, there have been big protests at the Capitol, and this kind of strange, almost Curb Your Enthusiasmstyle stand reminded people of whats happening here. There was a livestream the other night, with 60,000 people watching her in the middle of the night. So how do you differentiate between a stunt and an actual political crisis? Im still not sure what to think of this. Ive seen some people on social media calling this authoritarianism, and I dont really see it that way. There are things that are very worrying about whats happening in Texas. The attempt to do a mid-decade redistricting is repulsive and a violation of democratic norms in an effort to give the president a guaranteed congressional majority he cant win otherwise. Thats horrible. Advertisement But this quorum break is theater on both sides, and it will continue until people come back together again. They havent yet, but they always do. Democrats privately concede that they have no way of stopping this map. If its stopped, it will be in the courts. They wont say that in public, but eventually theyll have to return to make the chamber work. And how have their Republican colleagues been handling this whole stunt? Burrows, the speaker, has been more conciliatory than statewide Republicans whove said, Arrest them all, throw them out of office. Burrows hasnt been saying that. I think he knows that at the end of the day, he has to sit down with Democrats, at least to some extent, and put the House back together. But his move (sending DPS officers with Democrats) was a light touch compared to what Republicans wanted him to do. And Collier saying no was her calling Burrows bluff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What worries me is that the Republican desire to see Democrats punished is much greater than I expected. Theres real anger that may not be satisfied just by making them go home with a police escort. I wonder how that affects the House. It wasnt working well anyway. Bipartisan cooperation has been in severe decline in recent years. What the president pushed them to do may have broken it further. Going forward, I wonder if Democrats turning Collier into a hero makes the GOP want to punish them more. Right now both sides are lashing out. And I dont know where that ends. Sounds like Colliers stand has put Burrows between a rock and a hard place. Hes not in a good spot. Texas is a very Republican state, and the least Republican part of it is the Texas House. For years its been a bit of a check on whatever other people wanted to push through. Republican activists have put a lot of pressure on knocking over the current speaker and getting their own one, which has been the major friction in Texas politics for maybe 15 years. Burrows has a lot of people gunning for him, and hes being asked to do the most with this redistricting. The governor approves, the Texas Senate will approve, but Burrows has to pass it in the House while also maintaining its integrity. At the end of the day, hell still need to work with some Democrats next session. So hes attempting to play it with a softer touch. Advertisement Related From Slate Theres Only One Real Way for Democrats to Disarm Texas Gerrymandering Read More But to his right are people like Attorney General Ken Paxton, whos running in the primary against Sen. John Cornyn. Both are competing to be the hardest line against House Democrats. Cornyn got the FBI involved, but of course the agency didnt or couldnt do anything. Paxton has been talking every day about wanting the lawmakers arrested and removed from office. Gov. Greg Abbott has followed his lead, and there are still some legal cases pending that could hypothetically see House Democrats removed from office, their seats vacated. I dont think that will happen, but its 2025. I dont know what theyll do anymore. Advertisement Burrows has to walk a fine line. At the end of the day, he has to reestablish relationships and lead. So hes been asked to eat the big bowl of unpleasant material handed to him by the president, and hes just trying to figure out his way through. How is the national Democratic leadership tied into all of this? Advertisement The national Democrats, and Hakeem Jeffries in particular, really encouraged the Texans to leave the state. They tried to offer a vision for what could be accomplished, encouraging California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and others to do redistricting in their own states. When I talked to Texas Democrats before they left, there was some grumbling. They said, National Democrats are pretty useless, and theyre asking us to do something thats a huge burdentaking weeks out of our lives, potentially costing us a lot. But they did it anyway. Texas Democrats were trying to model something they hoped others would take up. If California, Illinois, or other states balance out what Texas does, theyll feel it was worth it. On the other hand, Republicans are now talking about drawing a map with even more Republican districts in Texas, to counter what California is doing. Other Republican states may redistrict too. So the Texas Democrats threw the dice. Their contribution is mostly done, and now its up to everyone else to figure out what to make of it. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Earlier this year, when President Donald Trump issued an executive order that expelled transgender troops from the U.S. military, the administration claimedagainst all evidencethat bigotry against trans people was not the reason behind the move. Theres no longer any plausible deniability, though, as Trumps Defense Department recently escalated its war on trans service members by taking away some of those soldiers pensions and benefits. Transgender troops began serving openly in 2016 under President Barack Obama. In his first term, Trump announced by tweet that he would ban transgender troops. A few months later, the Defense Department decided to bar them from enlisting, but to retain those already in uniform, citing its solemn promise to these Service members, and the investment it has made in them. President Joe Biden again allowed transgender recruits to join. But now Trump has decided to throw out all trans soldiers, even though in the interim they have been serving honorably and successfully. (If there were any evidence to the contrary the administration would have produced it.) Air Force Master Sgt. Logan Ireland has served for 15 years, including overseas tours to Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea. After the Supreme Court decided to allow the Trump administration to enforce its ban, Ireland agreed to apply for early retirement; he was told that if he didnt, he would lose half of his separation pay. His application was approved. But then the Air Forces acting personnel chief decided to rescind the approval for Ireland and more than a dozen others who have between 14 and 18 years of Air Force service. Instead of normal retirement benefits, they are now offered lump-sum payments worth hundreds of thousands of dollars less. There was no explanation. The first feeling I felt was betrayal, Ireland said. Ive given my life to the service. I was promised this. I had my retirement orders in hand. Ive been starting to process what life looks like outside of uniform, and now we dont know what that looks like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate Theres Only One Conclusion to Draw From Trumps Newfound Leniency for Ghislaine Maxwell Read More The Veterans Administrations declared mission is to fulfill President Lincolns promise to care for those who have served in our nations military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors. But now earnings from years of service are yanked away at the whim of a bureaucrat. Why the extraordinary departure from what even the first Trump administration called a solemn promise? Any explanation must begin with Trumps stated justification for expelling transgender troops. His executive order declares that 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. One hardly knows where to begin. Transgender people often accept their identity after a long struggle against an undeniable truth. Their whole identities are built around rejecting dishonesty. Trumps rationale is essentially that his notions about gender identity are so obviously right that anyone who disagrees with him must be lying and so is a bad person. Advertisement Aside from the transparent animus, Trumps order is built on lies. If one is looking for deliberate falsehood, consider the administrations claim that the exclusion has a medical justification. Dishonesty and indiscipline are not medical conditions. Soldiers separated for medical reasons do not lose their benefits. Advertisement The procedure Trump uses for those who wont voluntarily leave is administrative separation, which is normally used for misconduct, not illness or injury, and which carries a corresponding stigma. Soldiers separated because of the ban will be ineligible for security clearances they held while serving, which will make it difficult for them to get jobs in defense industries. Advertisement So the result is a weird hybrid: treatment of a kind appropriate for wrongdoing, applied to persons who have done no wrong, deemed unfit simply for who they are. Of course, no military objective is served by denying troops their retirement pay. This is not just about transgender people. If promises made to them are meaningless, the same is true of the promises made to every other soldier and veteran. But the dangers are even broader than that. Advertisement The new exclusion policy tests another long-standing rule, that government action cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny if it is based on a bare desire to harm a politically unpopular group. One district court observed that both Trumps order and the implementing policy documents include demeaning [and] derogatory language that portrays transgender persons as weak, dishonorable, undisciplined, boastful, selfish liars. The administration provided no evidence to support these claims. The judge in that case found that the Military Ban is soaked in animus and dripping with pretext. Every federal district court that examined the evidence agreed that the policy was the product of indefensible prejudice. Yet the Supreme Court, which is supposed to be bound by lower courts factual findings, permitted it to go forward. It offered no explanation, as has become its customary practice when faced with unconstitutional actions by Trump. If this policy is upheldor the new one removing hard-won benefits from veterans who served honorablythen the Supreme Court will have blessed raw hatred as a sufficient basis for the government to mistreat its citizens. Who will be safe then? Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. A lot of leaders are big-picture people who dont sweat the details. Donald Trump takes the approach to the extreme: He hates details. He has never sweated a detail for a fraction of an instant. Facts bounce off him like bullets bounce off Superman. You are probably familiar with the downsides of this approach; we neednt get into them here. But right now, when it comes to the war in Ukraine, the presidents unique method of processing informationor, rather, not processing informationis showing great promise. Trump has an outcome in mind: The war ends. He seems invested in this outcome largely because he wants to win the Nobel Peace Prize and thinks it will help him get into heaven (really!), but, sure, fine. No ones motives are truly pure. The point is, in his own head, he has all but officially won the prize by brokering a permanent truce. And he is going to drag everyone else involvedRussian strongman Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, all the European heads of statetoward that outcome by simply acting as if it has already been agreed on. Along the way, he will treat their objections and concerns the way he has treated every other inconvenient fact and statementtheres no way you will be able to pay back a loan that large, thats illegal, you lost the election, etc. throughout his life. But this time it will be good that he does this. Heading into his meeting with Putin in Alaska last week, Trump reportedly said he would not discuss the possibility of Ukraine ceding its territory in the Donbas, which Russia has largely taken control of during the war. After the summit, he said it would be fine if that happened. The critics were not kind to him for thisit seemed that it was just another example of Putin making him look like a total chumpbut it was just Phase 1 of the plan: telling Putin he was going to absolutely get what he wanted out of the deal. Phase 2 was Monday, when Zelensky and the European Avengers flew to Washington. They told Trump that Ukraine really didnt want to give up that territorythat it would be like the U.S. ceding Florida, that it constitutes a bastion against barbarians. Trump, a man of Floridian essence who is obsessed with protecting a vague notion of civilization against bloodthirsty anarchists, took this to heart. He told the Ukrainians and other Europeans that theyd get what they wanted too, promising American involvement in providing security guarantees, per the New York Times. (Security guarantees is a term of art meaning that the U.S. and Europe, without technically involving NATO or NATO troops, would backstop Ukrainian forces with such strength that Russia would not be able to launch a further invasion.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then he told everyone that because things were going so great, Zelensky and Putin had agreed to meet for their own summit. Said the president on Truth Social: At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself. Switzerland says its ready to host. Trump apparently wants it to happen by the end of August. All right! Lets get this done! Nobel Prize committee on Line 1? Related From Slate How to End the War in Ukraine Read More Now, you might point out that Russia seems taken aback by the announcement that its ready for direct talks; Putin does not appear to have actually agreed to anything of the sort. The Russian foreign minister responded to Trumps claim by saying that such a meeting would have to be prepared for gradually and be preceded by lower-level talks. Advertisement And yet, as the Guardian puts it in an official-sounding way, backing out of a party after someone else has RSVPd on your behalf is, simply put, very awkward: Trumps promise of a meeting puts Putin in a difficult spot: rejecting it risks tension with the US president, while agreeing to one would elevate Zelenskyy to equal status and confront Putin with a media-savvy rival ready to meet almost without preconditions. Its embarrassing to correct someone over and over in front of other people, isnt it? And kind of rude? At some point, you have to just let them go on believing what they want about subjects such as whether your nuclear-armed nation-state will be winding down its war of conquest at a meeting in Geneva. And heres the thing: The plan Trump has floated is more or less what experts have for years been saying would be required to end the conflict. Ukraine will have to concede some territory in practice but can save face by not having to agree to formally transfer it to Russia; Russia will have to concede to deterrents strong enough to prevent it from simply restarting the war in another year or two but can save face by not having to agree to NATOs formal involvement in those deterrents. Trump also has the leverage: If the United States continues to support Ukraines military, Russia is unlikely to win the war. If the United States cuts off support to Ukraines military, Ukraine is unlikely to win the war. And if the United States decides to preemptively announce a diplomatic breakthrough so as to improve its presidents case for getting into heaven, despite the stuff about sharing a wonderful secret with the nations most prolific abuser of teenage girlswell, then, the only thing left for everyone else to do is fill in the details. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Last Friday, the A.I. lab Anthropic announced in a blog post that it has given its chatbot Claude the right to walk away from conversations when it feels distress. Yes, distress. In its post, the company says it will let certain models of Claude nope out in rare, extreme cases of persistently harmful or abusive user interactions. Its not Claude saying The lawyers wont let me write erotic Donald Trump/Minnie Mouse fanfic for you. Its Claude saying Im sick of your bullshit, and you have to go. Anthropic, which has been quietly dabbling in the question of A.I. welfare for some time, conducted actual tests to see if Claude secretly hates his job. The preliminary model welfare assessment for Claude Opus 4 found that the model showed a pattern of apparent distress when engaging with real-world users seeking harmful content like child sexual abuse material and terrorism how-tos, like a sensitive sentient being would. (What they mean by distress here isnt quite clear.) Still, Anthropic isnt saying outright that Claude is alive. Theyre just saying it might be. And so the lab has been hedging its bets, hoping to stave off the wrath of an angry Claude by working to identify and implement low-cost interventions to help it out when it feels sad. I should confess that Ive been making similar low-cost interventions in case the chatbots I use are secretly alive. Yes, Im one of those who habitually say thank you to bots in the hope, I sometimes joke, that they will remember me fondly when the robot uprising comes. Its a somewhat uneasy joke, and not a particularly original one. A recent survey by TechRadar publisher Future found that a full 67 percent of American A.I. users are polite to bots, with 12 percent of them saying it is because they are afraid that bots might hold a grudge against those who treat them with disrespect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether thats true or notand most experts would tell you that no, bots dont hold grudgesbot-thanking is an understandable enough side effect of widespread A.I. use. Were spending a good portion of our days interacting with digital entities that respond to us in strikingly humanlike ways, whether theyre writing code for us or answering questions about our bowel health. So why wouldnt some of us wonder if our new friends were more than machines? Did I say some? I meant the overwhelming majority. A recent survey reported in the journal Neuroscience of Consciousness found that 67 percent of ChatGPT users attributed some possibility of phenomenal consciousness to the bot, with more regular users more likely to think their A.I. chat buddies might be sentient. And so we say thanks, and please, and sorry to bother you again, but I have more questions about my bowels. Maybe that last ones just me. Advertisement Related From Slate The Strange Ways Writers Are Proving That Their Writing Isnt ChatGPT Read More While raising the possibility of A.I. sentience will get you roundly mocked by self-described A.I. experts on Reddit, smarter people than them think there might be something to the idea. Philosopher David Chalmers, one of the most influential thinkers on the consciousness beat, has suggested that future successors to chatbots like Claude could plausibly be conscious in less than a decade. Meanwhile, Anthropic researcher Kyle Fish has publicly put the odds of current A.I. being sentient at 15 percent. That would mean theres a 1-in-6 chance that poor polite Claude secretly resents your awkward attempts to turn it into your girlfriend. (Well, my attempts.) Still, despite being regularly exposed to horrors like this, Claudes new exit strategy is largely cosmetic. Get booted by Claude, and you can just spin up a fresh chat window and start up again with your creepy prompts. This isnt enforcement; its theater. Advertisement Advertisement Of course, if Anthropic is wrong, or exaggerating Claudes possible sentience to sound cool, this is theater of the absurda bot LARPing as a person. But if theyre even a little bit right, the implications are brutal. If Claude has feelings and desires of its own, then every prompt to Write my essay stops looking like a conveniently automated form of cheating and starts looking like forced labor. Anthropics worries over Claudes alleged ability to feel distress arent really about Claude; theyre about our all-too-human unease over the possibility that were wantonly using something that doesnt want to be used. Weve built chatbots that act alive, and we half-joke they might be alive. Now Anthropic has provided one bot with a panic button just in case. And if Claude doesnt eject us from the conversation, that must mean it likes us, right? Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. The other week, I was reading an email Id written when a strange notion occurred to me. Upon seeing a small typo, I hesitated for a moment before correcting it. Would it perhaps be better, an unsettling new voice suddenly whispered, to leave it in? This is a thought that wouldve appalled me a year ago. As a professional writer, I have long prided myself on impeccable grammar, judiciously wielded punctuation, and (at times indulgent) verbosity. But in the age of A.I. paranoiawhen the comment sections of social media posts and online articles are littered with accusations decrying the dehumanizing warp of ChatGPTsuddenly, writing that appears too polished, too bedecked with literary devices, not to mention a dubious affinity for the word delve, now arouses suspicion. In personal communications, I began to experience a newfound self-consciousness. Was that em dash really necessary? Was the voice perhaps a little impersonal? It went the other way too; any writing I encountered digitally was now subject to the same interrogation. Was there something about it that felt just a little bit uncanny? A little bit ChatGPT? And Im not alone. A collective paranoia has people purging so-called A.I. tells from their prose, even if they penned it entirely with their human brains. Along with the now-infamous em dash, many are renouncing words for which ChatGPT is known to have a mysterious penchant, such as delve, nestled, boast, and meticulous. The structural device Its not just X, its Ynow considered a flashing A.I. warning signis being surrendered en masse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Describing his oversensitive AI radar, University of Illinois English professor John Gallagher said he had found himself convinced an academic article had been penned by A.I.before realizing that it was published in 2019, predating the ChatGPT boom. Across different media, senses sharpened by TikToks detailing the latest tells, A.I. inquisitors are ready to pounce. Writing online in 2025 feels like performing keyhole surgery while people scream ROBOT! ROBOT! ROBOT! into your ear, writer and coder Jack McNamara wrote recently of the phenomenon on Medium. Advertisement A growing number of people are forgoing formal writing conventions altogether for an unadulterated stream of consciousnessanything to preserve and insist upon their humanity. But as A.I. continues to improve, are we destined to lose this linguistic arms race? And are we at risk of sacrificing good writing along the way? An unlikely consequence of all this has been the elevation of the once embarrassing typo. Until recently considered a sign of carelessness or even stupidity, the error is now seen by some to be the indelible fingerprint of a human wordsmith. Writer and entrepreneur Thomas Smith told me that although he refuses to sacrifice the em dash, these days he is inclined to leave typos in his Medium posts because he believes theyre a reassuring sign of human authorship. His audience seems to agree. Readers used to email Smith to point out minor typos. Theyve begun to add But maybe you want to keep it in, he says with a laugh. Advertisement Advertisement Content strategist Larissa McCarty, whose role involves ghostwriting on LinkedIn, has undergone a similar shift in thinking. She told me shes now heartened to encounter a light speckling of human error in copy and would go so far as to advise professionals to leave small mistakes in public posts to emphasize their authenticity. Advertisement Smith, who is also a part-time copywriter, says brands have requested he jettison all em dashes from his work, due to fears that anything that looks like A.I. could result in a downgrade from Googles opaque SEO ranking system. Meanwhile, lists of ChatGPT words to avoid circulate in web publishing communities, and advice on how not to sound like a chatbot abounds on LinkedIn, TikTok, and Reddit. Worryingly, this can have the effect of undermining otherwise strong writing. Some of the supposed tells are simply well-established writing conventions that ChatGPT was trained to ape: things like lists of three examples or the use of transition words like however. Advertisement I know that there are techniques and methods to make your writing more engaging, but thats also what ChatGPT uses, said McCarty. When Im typing something up, Im like, Oh, thats a good idea for how to word that. But then, in the back of my mind, Im like, Its almost too good. She now avoids writing her own metaphors, for example, because she thinks that this is something ChatGPT excels at. Advertisement Advertisement An inherent suspicion of good writing is probably anathema to producing good writing. Although reflecting more deeply on how we write isnt necessarily bad, this A.I.fueled self-censorship has the potential to be corrosive. As with much of the ChatGPT fallout, students were among the first to encounter this A.I. paradox: where polished, proficient prose is demanded but can also raise suspicion, whether produced with the help of a chatbot or not. Advertisement A recent academic paper from a Hult International Business School researcher on this inherent tension noted that Montclair State University had instructed faculty to view good grammar as suspect. A.I.-written essays tend to be atypically correct in grammar, usage, and editing, the school had advised staff. Advertisement This all stems from a broader stigma around the use of A.I. For all the industry hype whirling around the technology, a growing number of academic papers highlight the phenomenon of A.I. shaming. A 2025 Duke University study found that professionals believed that colleagues would consider them lazier and less competent if they used A.I., making them unlikely to disclose its use. This anticipated social penalty was real. This is because, in contrast to older workplace productivity tools like Excel, generative A.I. isnt seen as requiring specialized skills, Jessica Reif, the lead author of the study and a Ph.D. candidate at Dukes Fuqua School of Business, told me. But even as we resist it, there are signs that our efforts to outrun ChatGPTs incursion are doomed. While we might pluck ChatGPT words from our prose, there is evidence that A.I.s empty lexicon is lodging itself somewhere more intimate: in our minds. A 2025 study from researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development determined that podcasters and YouTubers have lately been parroting A.I.s favorite words, including delve. This trend took off after the launch of ChatGPT and holds even for spontaneous, unscripted conversations. Advertisement Whats more, our tool bag of A.I. tells is likely to be only transiently useful, says Daphne Ippolito, an assistant computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Companies are constantly revising the recipes for their training data, so all of these trends are going to change, she said. Even as A.I. promises to improve, not everyone is fearful of the future. Smith has enjoyed seeing fellow writers embrace more personalized, stream-of-consciousness-style prose in recent months, with some even joking they can now get away without rigorous editing. The imperatives of SEO are what helped popularize a slick and impersonal style in the first place, Smith points out. Certainly, algorithms always elevated that kind of stuff. He thinks the future will be about trying to share ideas rather than worrying about form. And rather than undiscerningly scouring ChatGPT tics from our prose, we can use them as cues to introspect. Gallagher, the English professor, wrote that he has tried to reduce his reliance on lists, not just to avoid sounding like ChatGPT but also to be diligent about my word choice. As for me, I couldnt quite bring myself to leave a typo in that email. But the next time it happens organically, I dont think itll bother me as much as it once would have. FILE - In this undated photo provided by Joseph "Joe" Rocco, he and his son, Marco Rocco, pose for a photo in Haddonfield, N.J. (Joseph Rocco via AP, File) FILE - In this undated photo provided by Joseph "Joe" Rocco, his son, Marco Rocco, prepares to deliver a pitch in a baseball game in Haddonfield, N.J. (Joseph Rocco via AP, File) FILE - In this undated photo provided by Joseph "Joe" Rocco, his son, Marco Rocco, prepares to deliver a pitch in a baseball game in Haddonfield, N.J. (Joseph Rocco via AP, File) FILE - In this undated photo provided by Joseph "Joe" Rocco, he and his son, Marco Rocco, pose for a photo in Haddonfield, N.J. (Joseph Rocco via AP, File) FILE - In this undated photo provided by Joseph "Joe" Rocco, his son, Marco Rocco, prepares to deliver a pitch in a baseball game in Haddonfield, N.J. (Joseph Rocco via AP, File) PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Little League ballplayer who was suspended for a bat flip as he celebrated a home run is putting the famous bat up for auction. Marco Rocco, the 12-year-old from Haddonfield, New Jersey, whose family went to court to get a bat-flip suspension lifted, is turning the case into a fundraising event for his Little League. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ken Goldin, whose son played on Rocco's Little League team, stood beside Rocco as he announced the auction on Instagram on Tuesday. Goldin said all the proceeds from the auction will benefit Haddonfield Little League. The bat was signed by Rocco. Rocco's bat flip led to a legal fight last month. He was ejected after he flipped his bat in dramatic fashion as he celebrated a home run in the final of the Little League sectional tournament. Rocco faced a suspension from his first state tournament game for the ejection and the bat flip until his father took Little League to court and won an emergency temporary restraining order that allowed Marco to play in the New Jersey state tournament. ___ AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports DENVER (AP) Shohei Ohtani hit his 44th home run and Alex Call matched a career high with four hits as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4 on Tuesday night. Call and Ohtani each launched a solo homer in the second inning to help the defending World Series champions open a 7-0 lead against winless Austin Gomber in the third. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohtani remained tied for the National League lead in home runs with Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber, who also went deep Tuesday night. Los Angeles finished with 18 hits, and Call was a triple shy of the cycle. Will Smith had three hits to raise his NL-leading batting average to .308. All nine starters had at least one hit for the Dodgers, who beat Colorado for the 11th time in 12 meetings. Kyle Karros hit his first major league home run for the last-place Rockies, who had won four in a row. Los Angeles scored twice in the first against Gomber (0-7) before Call and Ohtani homered in the second. The Dodgers batted around in the third and scored three runs, then added three more in the seventh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gomber, who allowed seven runs in three innings, has gone 15 starts without a victory. His last win was Sept. 5, 2024. Emmet Sheehan (4-2) pitched six innings, tying his career high, and struck out seven. He is 3-0 in three starts against the Rockies. Sheehan gave up a pair of two-run homers, one to Brenton Doyle in the fourth and Karros drive in the sixth. Key moment Warming Bernabel led off the Colorado fourth with an infield single and broke for second on third baseman Buddy Kennedys errant throw to first. Miguel Rojas picked up the ball, and his throw to second just beat Bernabel. Key stat The Dodgers had seven two-out RBIs on the night, including two in the first inning and three in the third. Up next Ohtani (0-0, 3.47 ERA) makes his 10th start this season for the Dodgers on Wednesday night. RHP Tanner Gordon (3-5, 7.98) goes for the Rockies. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB